Holiday Guide

12.19-12.26.07
Holiday Guide

In this week’s issue:
* Holiday Buying Guide Help for Procrastinators
* BFD Economic Development Leadership
* Road Trip Relaxing Holiday Travel
* Sounds Three Spectacular Classical Releases
* Straight Outta Mansfield A Foreclosure Holiday
* RoldoLINK Is This Forest City’s Bow-out & Jackson’s Cash Cow?
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, Brewed Fresh Daily here

Warmly, we ease you into the holidays in Northeast Ohio, with some much-needed straight talk about the ups and downs of the festive season. While mainstream media inundates you with corporate consumption announcements night and day, Cool Cleveland remains grounded, supporting our local economy in a sustainable and cool fashion. Watch the powerful online vid The Story of Stuff, about our disposable society, then, to put yourself in balance, check out our all-local, all-NEO Holiday Buying Guide, sure to be the #1 most clicked link again this week. Our Cool Cleveland Road Trip uncovers a $1 bus fare to Chicago, and Kelly Ferjutz reviews three new regional classical music CDs. We cover the recent Convention Center chatter and point you to a discussion of economic development leadership on BFD, while Mansfield offers a heads up on our foreclosure crisis, and Roldo wonders at the City’s offer to discount UDAG loans to the big boys. Get yourself on track with our links to HOT events like the Emerging Cleveland tours, Old Home Night at the Beachland Ballroom, and our own iPhone giveaway. We can’t solve all the problems of the world. But if we look around in the spirit of the season, we can take care of each other. —Thomas Mulready

Attention Last Minute Cool Cleveland Shoppers!
Don’t Miss Your LAST CHANCE for Local Gifts, Wares and Sundries!!!

Hello procrastinators!! The Holiday Season is officially upon you all. Are you prepared for it? We here at Cool Cleveland are here to help you think outside the (Big) Box (stores). Shop owners, purveyors and proprietors are listed here to help you with your last minute shopping dilemmas. Support NEO’s artisans, neighborhood Mom & Pop shops and crafty/creative types across the region by clicking below. Buying local is a smart, equitable and sustainable business practice that helps support your local economy. And we’ve got ya covered! This is our last Wednesday Holiday Guide listing (next week we’ll be hipping you to cool New Year’s Eve celebrations). Be sure to scan our entire list; there are plenty of excellent purveyors you need to know about. Say, like, City Buddha, for instance:

City Buddha is one of Cleveland’s most unique retail environments. A place where your style meets your spirit, City Buddha’s wonderful wares find you. With one of the area’s most diverse selection of fair trade treasures, shop owner Larry Collins is something of a global goods hunter — finding everything from the very chic to intriguing “mystique.” Sculptures, home decor, furniture, incense (incredible stuff!) lanterns and (of course) Buddhas, plus lots of other cool goods. A perennial favorite, CB is located 1807 Coventry (and pictured here). Call 397-5862 for info or visit http://www.citybuddha.com to learn more. — Peter Chakerian, CC Managing Editor

Intrigued? With dozens of options, click here to start (or finish) your holiday shopping, CC style!

SPONSORED: Get a Taste of Winter Wonderland at Cleveland Botanical Garden’s WinterShow now through Mon 12/31. For years, families have made a trip to the Garden an important part of their holiday celebrations. This year you’ll be transported to a magical silver forest filled with fantastic and ingenious displays of gingerbread creations that range from traditional to whimsical and modern to slightly whacky. There are fun programs for the entire family, and don’t forget the Garden Store for inspired shopping and the Garden Cafe for a great meal or snack. This Wed 12/12 celebrate the season with a festive champagne and sparkling wine tasting. Open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 10AM – 5PM. Contact www.cbgarden.org.

A hot selection of tech and business news & events from around the region. Got business news? Send it to: EVENTS@CoolCleveland.com

CWRU, Holden to collaborate for 3 year program on ecology, plant sci. Sign Education Agreement. Read
Architecture/design firm to land in Ohio City with $1M bldg reno Read
U of A gets $2M for fuel cell research, development Read
Hope in regionalism? One person’s take. Read
There’s a price to pay for using cheap energy, says an Oberlin prof. Click
What might OH taxes on out-of-state purchases do to I-net shopping here? Read
The high impact of manufacturing job loss in states. Interesting story. Read
Credit squeeze on city of Cle might hamper development, but Jackson has a solution. Click
Ohio has a budget crunch to contend with as well. Good story here. Read
Is FMLA leaving a negative impact on productivity and profitability? In this telecommuting age, that seems hard to fathom as a generalization. Read

AAF-Cleveland welcomes Liz Garvey of USA Today Washington Bureau, for Wed 12/19‘ holiday luncheon/networking event that showcases Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival winners. Windows on the River. Details
Communications Career Day (CCD) The AAF event hits on Thu 12/20 at the Terrace Club at Jacobs Field. CCD features speakers with a wide range of backgrounds. Details
Cle Engineering Society announces meet and greet schedule starting Wed 1/9. Details and Winter Schedule
E4S Third Tuesday Networking Event hits Tue 1/15 Register
Acquiring Capital for Sm Biz keynote feat. Ray Dalton from PartsSource LLC Fri 1/18 at 7:30AM Corp Coll East. 3 Panel Forum of experts follows. Show Me the Money!
The Next eMarketing Technique Series starts up at Corp Coll East on Mon 1/28. Register

Convention Center debate continues While Positively Cleveland, formerly the CVB, releases a report on what a “successful” convention center might look like, County officials, led by Commissioner Tim Hagan close in on a deal with MMPI, owners of Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, on a new Medical Mart/Convention facility for Cleveland. They want the Mart near the Clinic, while the County, City and CVB want it Downtown, either at Tower City (problematic), or at the existing site (pictured, also problematic). While location is still being debated, you can download the actual white paper here, then listen to the discussion on WCPN’s The Sound of Ideas last week featuring Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready on their Reporter’s Roundtable here, and a follow-up with Positively Cleveland’s Dennis Roche and Tamera Brown here as they discuss loading docks, user surveys and just how Green the new Center might be. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

SPONSORED: Could a Small Test Tube of liquid potentially diagnose early stage cancer? That’s the business concept that Arnon Chait and Boris Zaslavsky of AnalizaDX brought to JumpStart in 2006. After receiving a patent approval for their new technology, this dynamic duo was seeking capital to further develop and commercialize their product. After receiving seed investment from JumpStart, they worked with a JumpStart Entrepreneur-in-Residence to formulate a plan to excite potential investors seeking to understand how this technology could revolutionize the cancer industry and generate millions in profitable sales. While years are required to truly determine whether this product will accurately detect cancer in its earliest stages, JumpStart has been involved in helping AnalizaDX work closely with top medical centers including University Hospitals of Cleveland, the Cleveland Clinic, and the National Cancer Institute towards realizing their goals. Interested in business assistance and funding for your high growth idea? Visit JumpStart to learn about the investment process. http://www.JumpStartInc.org

State names revived OH Film Office head, former VP Grozik of Cle Film Comm. Read
Fisher has full plate with ODOD development and Lt. Gov spots. Read
Myers Univ. woes continue with Scaldini gag violation Read
St. Michael the Archangel The tallest steeple in the city will be lit tonight. It can be seen from downtown, in Ohio City, Tremont, or traveling west on I-90 0r I-71 after dark. And Trinity Cathedral will be lit early next week, just in time for the dark nights of winter! http://www.clevelandrestoration.org
Cle DJ Mick Boogie hits EW pages on “Ten Things We Love This Week” and earns MTV top DJ nod Droppin’ tha Beats
Rowers united with the new PLRA Click
Century Cycles loves us and we love ’em right back. They mention CC HBG in their blog. Read
Mellencamp, Madonna head up list of 08 Rock Hall inductees. Still missing some critical (and eligible) influences. Rock
LGBT state leaders swap stories and gather info at state summit Click

The Story of Stuff Click and be amazed by Annie Leonard, who has spent the last 10 years of her life researching and connecting the dots to create the most important film since An Inconvenient Truth, this one on the capitalist cycle of corporate consumerism, answering the question, “Where does all the stuff we buy come from, and where does it go when we throw it out?” In other words, perfect viewing for the holiday season! We’ve sent it around to our personal list, and the response has been incredible. You’ll get hooked on the cool fast-paced, fact-filled video, but don’t forget to scroll down and click on Download for additional teaser videos, movies, posters, and code for you to place on you own site or MySpace page, plus pdfs for hosting your own screening. Order a DVD, post to the blog, this is a case study in how to use modern media to make your point. And what a point. The antidote? We humbly offer Cool Cleveland’s Holiday Buying Guide of local crafts, shops & artisans. Happy holidays! http://www.StoryOfStuff.com

Writer/Catalyst Deanna Adams invites women writers to a winter weekend filled with motivation, education, and creation. The 2nd Annual Women Writers’ Winter Retreat will take place Fri 2/1 until Sun 2/3 at The Homestead House Bed & Breakfast, 38111 West Spaulding Street, Willoughby, Ohio. Deadline for Registration is 1/7. http://www.deannaadams.com.

Join Red {an orchestra} for a free Holiday performance Thu 12/20 at 7PM. Get a little last minute Christmas shopping done and enjoy a quartet of Red musicians performing some of your holiday favorites at Tower City Center in the Skylight Concourse at the Grand Staircase. http://www.redanorchestra.org.

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Holiday party photos Were you there? The first batch of our photos are in from Cool Cleveland’s Holiday Salsa party last Sat, fresh for your viewing. We partnered with Tropical Cleveland and enjoyed some of our best food ever, from our friends at Brasa, Mallorca and Sunset Lounge. Neil Chastain’s Descarga Soul laid down some smooth and funky Latin tracks, and most folks stuck around for the group Salsa lesson (not that they needed lessons in how to groove…). One lucky Cool Clevelander even won a new video iPod. While the rest of the region sweated it out on the slippery roads, Cool Clevelanders were sweating it out on the dance floor. Many thanks to our volunteers and partners, with all our best wishes for a safe and groovy holiday season. See the happy faces here.

Cool Cleveland Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Podcast in iTunes.

SPONSORED: Brand Yourself :: a composition from thunder::tech:: It starts with a logo-your company’s mark / Shown on the web or a sign in the park. / Email campaigns, a press release too, / Are only a few of the things that we do…Business cards help at networking events, / Just like stacks of brochures and some table tents. / Your name in the paper, a blog entry gets / Your brand out to readers, so no one forgets. We can help, so don’t drop the ball / Stop by the site, give us a call:: http://www.thundertech.com 216.391.2255

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Feminist Art Show Studio of 5 Rings showcases some spectacular art with this exhibition Wed 12/19 running through the beginning of January. Features Katelynn Altgilbers’ mixed media pieces on being a woman in 21st century society. 20160 Center Ridge Rd., 2nd floor. Rocky River. http://www.studioof5rings.com.

A Christmas Cabaret Bill Rudman’s holiday show offers its last gasp tonight Wed 12/19 at 7PM and features Nancy Maier, Hannah Laird, & Jarel Leal — as well as beloved holiday music classics from every decade of the 20th century. Irving Berlin, Hugh Martin, Jerome Kern, Cy Coleman, Burt Bacharach, Rodgers & Hammerstein and more. Get that holiday spirit! Nighttown on Cedar in Cle Hts. http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

Lynn Goldsmith Don’t miss the award-winning portrait photographer and music and video artist’s work, which is on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Wed 12/19. Her iconic shots of inductees include Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Joey Ramone and many more. Arguably one of rock and roll’s best portrait photographers of all time. And while you’re there, check out the “Monterey Pop: Rock’s Legendary Festival” exhibit. Both exhibits are perfect for a cold Cleveland afternoon… on display into 2008. http://www.rockhall.com.

Depp as Sweeney Todd Be among the first to witness the film version of Sondheim’s outlandish stage starring Johnny Depp Wed 12/19 at 6:30PM. A Brit ex-con and barber enter into “an unorthodox business partnership” with a meat-pie maker. Directed by Tim Burton. Tickets are available in person or over the phone at the museum box office, 1-888-CMA-0033. http://www.clevelandart.org.

The Drexels will be ripping through some new material and punk rock classics Wed 12/19 at 9PM at the Beachland Ballroom on Waterloo. Also playing are The Facials, out with a new CD and fresh off last summer’s Van’s Warped Tour. The Drexels feature ex-god squad, skipped and terrible parade members. 15711 Waterloo Rd. http://www.beachlandballroom.com.

Animation in 4 Dimensions See Brent Green’s latest exhibition at The Sculpture Center at 1834 E. 123rd St. The no-cost, open to the public art exploration is perfect for your Thu 12/20 plans and runs through Sat 1/4. Call 229-6527, or visit http://www.sculpturecenter.org for details.

HOT Redwater RoJo Rocks Coats for Kids What do charities have in common with local music? Up-and-coming Cleveland band, Redwater RoJo takes the stage for the Coats for Kids Foundation Thu 12/20 at 8:30PM at the Grog Shop. All proceeds go to CFK; admission is no charge with the donation of a new coat or blanket. Additionally, all proceeds from Redwater RoJo CD sales will go to CFK. http://www.grogshop.gs. http://www.redwaterrojo.com.

20th Annual Winter Solstice Sunrise Naturalist Ken Gober invites visitors to the Lake Picnic Area Shelterhouse for a “welcome winter celebration” and to savor the last sunrise of autumn Fri 12/21 at 7:15AM. Visitors are encouraged to bring a picture of a solstice sunrise to share while enjoying a solstice muffin. Huntington Reservation, Bay Village. Call 440-734-6660 or visit http://www.clemetparks.com/events/index.asp.

Education for the 21st Century Donna E. Shalala, President of the University of Miami speaks Fri 12/21 at noon at the City Club. Offered in partnership with Cleveland Scholarship Programs, Inc. http://www.cityclub.org.

Ike Willis & Ugly Radio Rebellion The historic Winchester Tavern and Music Hall provides the backdrop for a Frank Zappa 57th Birthday bash Fri 12/21 at 9PM. Ike Willis, Zappa’s lead singer and rhythm guitarist for 15 years, will be joined by Detroit based Zappa tribute band, Ugly Radio Rebellion for 3 hours of absurd humor and satire — not to mention some of the most intricate and complex music ever written. Winchester Music Hall, Lakewood. http://www.uglyradiorebellion.com. http://www.thewinchester.net.

WCLV 104.9 has lots of colorful holiday programming on the air, including a daily dose at 11:25 AM of selections from The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus Holiday Concerts. This Sunday at 1PM, the lauded City Music ensemble conducted by Julian Kuerti will be heard over WCLV in their 12/13 Willoughby Hills concert. Megan Levin will be the harp soloist in Debussy’s “Sacred and Profane Dances.” Compete details on all of WCLV’s classical music programming can be found at http://www.wclv.com.

HOT 5th Annual Old Home Night Home and Garden and the Beachland Ballroom proudly present Cleveland’s original “Weirdo” Holiday Homecoming Spectacular. Spearheaded by author Michael DeCapite (Through the Windshield) and friends, OHN is not unlike a class reunion for old punks/beatniks/hippies/weirdos in the Cle mold. Stories will be told, drinks will be had, music will be improv(ed) and dancing will occur. You never know who’s going to show up on the bandstand or the lectern! Headlined by Home and Garden and featuring Uva Ursi, the David Loy Band, and readings from Mike DeCapite. It takes place Sat 12/22 at 8PM at the Beachland Tavern. http://www.beachlandballroom.com.

The Foodbank’s Genuine Sun The Cle pop-rock sensation performs at Lost Nation Sports Park’s Players Club Sat 12/22 at 8PM to benefit the Cleveland Food Bank. Admission is a Lincoln with a canned good to help restock the Cleveland Food Bank for the New Year. http://www.theplayersclubweb.com. http://www.clevelandfoodbank.org. http://www.genuinesunmusic.com.

JiMiller Band Fan Appreciation Gig They love their fans… and to show their appreciation, this no-cost “Fan Appreciation Xmas Show” hits Sat 12/22. All ages. The Winchester, Lakewood. http://thewinchester.net.

Singalong/Guitaraoke Night This benefit event features “Christmas Carol Wars” at The Carlisle Cafe (1509 Grafton Rd., near Fuller Rd., in Elyria). With a full menu of family dining favorites and lovely adult bevvies for those to wish to imbibe, the shindig proceeds benefit the Lorain County Counseling Center Sat 12/22 at 7PM. Call 440-458-6516 or visit http://www.dianatyler.com for more info.

Catie Curtis The Boston-based folk singer/songwriter lands at the Beachland Ballroom Sun 12/23 at 7:30PM with special guest Chris Nekvinda. 15711 Waterloo Rd. http://www.beachlandballroom.com. http://www.catiecurtis.com. http://www.chrisnekvinda.com.

Pink Lotus Yoga Fundraiser to Benefit Cleveland Foodbank includes a hot, de-toxing, de-stressing yoga sequence led by Pink Lotus founder Marcia Camino. The yoga takes place Sun 12/23 at 3:30PM in a 90-degree studio and ends with a deep, guided relaxation. Barry’s Chiropractic Health and Wellness Clinic, 26965 Center Ridge Rd., Westlake. http://www.pinklotusyoga.com. http://www.clevelandfoodbank.org.

Soul Lounge Uncut Cleveland’s Premiere R&B Lounge grooves Sun 12/23 at 9PM Sunset Lounge (1382 W. 9th St., Warehouse District). Hosted by Terry Bello “The Voice Of Soul” with vibes by Majette, they’ll be spinning Neo Soul, R&B, Old School, Hip Hop and more. Proper ID and proper attire required. For info: 702-5511 or http://www.itkcleveland.com.

HOT Emerging Cleveland Tours They’re looking for “ex-pats” — those who lived here once but have left — and other young people in and outside of Cleveland to show the city to. Do you have a son or daughter, sibling or friend who left for school or a job? Or maybe you know someone who just moved here and hasn’t had a chance to explore much? If so, have them check out the December tours Wed 12/26 from 1 – 4PM and Thu 12/27 from 10AM – 1PM. http://www.emergingcleveland.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Own your own Apple iPhone

Win a new iPhone Or video iPod, just for doing the right thing. Pay it forward. Our readers are the reason for our success — we grew virally from people forwarding the Cool Cleveland e-blast to their friends and we’re asking you to help us again by forwarding this week’s issue to one person while becoming eligible to win one of several video iPods or the new iPhone! Send CC to your best friend(s), colleague(s) and family member(s), and you could both win a new iPhone or iPod by clicking here. Pay it forward and you could win! Winners to be announced in a future issue. Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland reviews the new iPhone here.

Win a free iPhone or iPod: http://www.coolcleveland.com/ipodgiveaway/index.php

Kwanzaa Camp This 7-day educational camp teaches youth the principles of unity, purpose, faith and more through interactive programming and the arts starting Wed 12/26. Ages 8-18 are welcome. Guest speaker Cedric Riley will share his experiences of being a foster child, and eventually being adopted. Cedric went on to achieve over $150,000 worth of scholarships to attend Ohio State University. Students will express their ideas through dance/theatre and music. Visit http:///www.africansouinternational.org for more details.

Cle Botanical Garden’s WinterShow is the place for Clevelanders to see some of Cleveland’s most amazing gingerbread creations. Traditional or whimsical, modern or slightly whacky, the Garden’s display fascinates holiday revelers each and every year. This year’s theme is “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” and is carried through in many of the gingerbread creations — and some of them! On display daily through Mon 12/31. http://www.cbgarden.org.

Humans: A Field Guide Visitors to the exhibition are invited to explore the question, what is a human? We all know something about ourselves, but what do we really know? What makes our bodies what they are? How did we get this way? What makes us different than other mammals? Humans: A Field Guide explores these and other relevant questions about Homo sapiens and the complex systems that make up our bodies. Part of the tremendous programming at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Call 231-4600 or visit http://www.cmnh.org for hours and details.

SPONSORED: This will Knock Your Socks Off Join us for a special, one-time class at the Cleveland Museum of Art. It’s our “Puppet Making Workshop – 101” on Sat 1/5 from 10AM – 12PM. Come design and create your own unique sock puppet in this morning class. Open to everyone, ages 6 to 106. Parent required, kids optional. $15 per person. Call the Ticket Center to register at 216- 421-7350. Limit 20. For more info about CMA go to www.clevelandart.org/kids/.

Babes in Toyland The theme of the annual Deck the Hall holiday celebration at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens transforms their Manor House into a living embodiment of the story Babes in Toyland. The estate’s grounds and gardens offer a winter wonderland of lights, and the Carriage House Café serves tasty holiday treats. Runs through Sun 12/23 Call 330-836-5333 or visit http://www.stanhywet.org for details.

Amahl and the Night Visitors This one-act opera illuminates the holiday season with a story of a disabled boy’s encounter with three kings traveling to Bethlehem. A treat for youngsters ages 5 and up. Check out performances through Sun 12/23. Weathervane Playhouse. Details and tickets at 330-836-2626 or https://weathervaneplayhouse.com/tickets.html”’.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 11-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast in iTunes.

Boris Zaslavsky
Analiza DX

Boris Zaslavsky is smiling for a number of good reasons. After studying in the Soviet Union for an MS in Chemistry at Lomonosov’s Moscow State University and a Ph.D. and D.Sc. at the USSR Academy of Sciences in Moscow, he came to the US in 1991 and serves as VP of Research & Development for Analiza and and co-founded AnalyiaDX in 2005, becoming their CSO: Chief Scientific Officer. They work in the fast moving field of cancer diagnostics, and their new technology, which recently won the 2007 NorTech Innovation Award, works with different proteins that react like oil and water, separating into two phases, allowing for a simplified detection method for cancer. Since their technology is based on common blood & urine samples, the tests are highly cost effective and scalable. AnalizaDX has already identified promising biomarker candidates for ovarian and breast cancer, and they have formed important partnerships with the National Cancer Institute, University Hospitals, and the Cleveland Clinic. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready spoke with Boris about the company’s history and prospects at the NorTech Awards event. http://www.Analiza.com http://www.NorTech.org

This week’s most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

“Elsewhere on BFD,” writes Ed Morrison “we have had an interesting discussion about the challenges created by our leadership in Cleveland. I recently came across this article on the leadership evolution in Charlotte, written in 1995. It offers an interesting perspective…

Readers respond:

Feel free to add your comment here

Traveling This Holiday Season?
Sit Back and Relax on the Megabus

Going to Chicago for your sister’s wedding shower and hate the idea of paying $30/night? How about when it’s January and there’s a snow advisory? Or did you loan your car to Aunt Sophie in Toledo, and you need to get there for Christmas? You can get to Chicago or Toledo for as low as $1 by riding a Megabus. But you have to watch the computer screen and be connected to http://www.megabus.com. Megabus tickets are only available on the internet, and prices increase as the date of departure looms.

Ever notice all those people standing behind Tower City outside the Ritz on weekday mornings and wondered why the Ritz doesn’t provide a better place for their guests to wait for a cab to the airport? That’s where Megabus picks up customers to take them to Toledo or Chicago. One happy woman told me she and her mother rode Megabus to Union Station in downtown Chicago, a 6-1/2 hour ride, for $1 each. The people in front of them paid $7. The highest the tickets for that date, bought a day or so before the travel date, were $45. Each Megabus trip provides tickets for $1 and other customers pay competitive fares…

Read more from Claudia Taller here

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Harvey Pekar’s view of Ohio, elections.
How would Tom Johnson Cleveland’s most progressive mayor feel about how Public Square is being used?
First Energy’s Renewable Energy Credits are not the effective tool in creating a renewable energy market.
Ohio’s electronic voting machines don’t work? Shocking!
Century Cycles appreciates being included in our Holiday guide.
The rust belt’s blogosphere is discussing how the region’s cities can come together to promote the region and grow economically.

Three Spectacular Local Releases

Intrepid Cool Cleveland contributor and music critic Kelly Ferjutz has scored a trifecta of sonic splendidness for readers this week. And in her usual lively way, she has highlighted these three local CD releases for Cool Cleveland readers — all with an eye on the holidays. With new releases by Grammy winner Angelin Chang, CityMusic Cleveland and the Cleveland Orchestra, the classical music fan in your life is about to have a whole lot to rave about. Read on…

Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

A Foreclosure Holiday

This past Monday (Dec. 17) a total of 18 organizations (comprised of community, housing, civil rights and justice) gathered at the home of Tina Williams, a homeowner facing foreclosure on East 112th Street, to call for a 60-day “Foreclosure Holiday.” The coalition of community advocates called on Sheriff Gerald McFaul and lending institutions to observe the holiday to allow vulnerable borrowers time to get the help they need in order to stay in their homes. The ad-hoc group delivered an open letter to Sheriff McFaul calling for his leadership “in stemming the tide of foreclosures that threatens to overwhelm many neighborhoods in Cuyahoga County.”

The fact is, other communities around the country have put together plans that are stemming the foreclosure tide in their neighborhoods, and County Treasurer Jim Rokakis had been working diligently to put a similar plan in place here. The problem is, in Cuyahoga County, as long as foreclosure is viewed as mainly a problem of minorities and the poor the requisite political will, unfortunately, will remain virtually nonexistent. Too many government officials here are only roused to take action when Whites or the middleclass are being negatively affected. Sad, but true… that’s power politics…

Read more from Mansfield Frazier here

Is This Forest City’s Bow-out & Jackson’s Cash Cow?

Frank Jackson apparently wants to be the Mayor of Tower City.

As I’ve said before, doing favors for Sam Miller is a full-time job.

It’s one explanation I can see in offering Forest City Enterprises and others the opportunity to repay long-term loans at a discounted rate. In other words, long-term loans via the city would be repaid by the borrowers (fat cats) at far below the amount of the original loans.

What you have to know is that most of these multi-million dollar UDAG loans, made during the reign of Mayor George Voinovich and Council President George Forbes, were munificently arranged to give certain favorite developers tens of millions of dollars often at ZERO interest rate. Favorites were Sam Miller and Al Ratner and Dick Jacobs. More later…

Read more from Roldo Bartimole here

Quick reviews of recent events
Submit your own review or commentary to Events@CoolCleveland.com

CityMusic Cleveland: Fire and Ice @ Fairmount 12/11 CityMusic Cleveland creates enough musical sparks when they play, it’s no wonder this wintry program was titled Fire and Ice. From the very beginning notes of Beethoven’s overture to The Creatures of Prometheus, there was an extraordinary amount of energy wafting through the air of Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights last Tuesday night.

Guest conductor Julian Kuerti, (who has Cleveland ties) led a brisk and heroic reading, with the musicians ever alert to the changing rhythms and dynamics. As is the custom, he also provided engaging spoken commentary before each piece. After explaining that the Meditation on the old Czech chorale, ‘St. Wenceslas,’ by Josef Suk was not the same as the more well-known carol of that name, he demonstrated with an affectionate and warm performance by the strings of the orchestra. I think there is a family resemblance between the two carols, however, as, on occasion, it did sound vaguely familiar. Interesting.

The slightly dry (but wonderful!) acoustics of the church afforded harp soloist Megan Levin an astonishing degree of clarity in Debussy’s Danses sacrée et profane. Both the dreamier, languid segment and the brisk, more worldly and slightly sensual portion were distinct entities, and beautifully performed.

Franz Joseph Haydn was well-known for his musical hijinks. His Symphony No. 59 in A major or Fire may not have been intentionally difficult, but keeping up with the composer’s idea of ‘as fast as possible’ could certainly lead a less accomplished orchestra into worlds of trouble. No problem here, however, as CityMusic’s players are more than capable. The high horn parts in the third and fourth movements were superbly performed by Matthew Marks and Ken Wadenpfuhl.

The ‘ice’ portion of the program came in the second half, with the Three German Dances, by Mozart. The third of these in his K605 is the one known as Sleigh Ride, which is as bouncy and up-to-date as any composer could write today. This version was made even more memorable by the use of actual handbells in the hands of various orchestra members. The gentle and mellow sounds they made were a charming reminder of a dashing ride through the snow in a horse-drawn sleigh. The second dance allowed the basses to have their moment in the solo spotlight.

For all his youth, Mr. Kuerti has recently been appointed an assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony, and from the variety of music on this program, it’s easy to understand that decision. The CityMusic strings and winds plus harp combined poignancy with a touch of romanticism for the prayer from Tchaikovsky’s Mozartiana. Nearly a century after Mozart’s death, the Russian composer cleverly assimilated Mozart’s bouyancy with his own lyricism and rich, lush sounds.

The finale was a small, yet sumptuous buffet of Czech Legends by Dvořák. We heard lyrical, danceable, delicate, melodic, brisk and pastoral sounds and rhythms and dynamics, separately and together. It was an incredible performance.

For years, I’ve been convinced that some conductors and performers have a special affinity for music of their homeland. Certainly Mr. Kuerti imbued these pieces with warmth and elegance, along with the requisite sparks, but I think there is an added connection between musicians of a similar age, as evidenced by the (mostly) youthful orchestra members here and the usually youthful conductors. The energy they transmit to the music is awesome.

In a nod to the holiday timing, the audience was invited to particpate in the encore – a sing-along version of Hark, the Herald Angels Sing. Indeed, the angels must surely have been singing along, too!

The art on display was by Leigh Bennett.

Thanks to Lake Hospital System, to hear what you might have missed–or thoroughly enjoyed–whichever, the December 13 concert was taped and will be broadcast on WCLV-FM on Sunday, December 23.

The next set of concerts by CityMusic Cleveland will be February 20-24, 2008. For specifics, visit the website: % newwin%http://www.citymusiccleveland.org or call 321-8273.

From Cool Cleveland conributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com

COSE’s Holiday Party @ Higbee Building 12/11 In the official setting of the opening scene from the movie A Christmas Story, COSE sponsored their holiday “office” party for members (and others) Higbee’s-style, complete with Mr. Jingling, frosted malts, mega great food and artisans by the boatloads. The new COSE offices, headquartered in the first and second floors of the old Higbee’s building, were transformed for the holidays with music and decorations including an oversize Christmas tree at the front door amidst what used to be the Higbee’s Jewelry Department. There was a festive mood throughout the party, with an air of nostalgia floating about, and whisperings that the gateway to heaven could be accessed through the first bite of the old-fashioned frosted malt. (I gave it several tries!) COSE’s holiday gig was a great way to get a jump on my holiday shopping while networking with old friends and new. After a few malts, I thought I spotted Ralphy asking Santa for his official Red Ryder carbine-action-two-hundred-shot-range model air rifle! Watch it, kid. You’ll shoot your eye out!

From Cool Cleveland contributor T.L. Champion tlATcoolcleveland.com

Opening @ Arch Gallery 12/14
New space: Across from a Fairview Park strip mall, Thomas G. Janout has opened the pristine new Arch Gallery. It’s a handsome space, with a mix of white walls, stucco, exposed brick, and an archway that connects to the framing studio. Friday’s opening had the traditional wine & cheese, with mellow live guitar by Byron Nemeth.
Mixed bag: The stable of area artists run the gamut: watercolors, pottery, oils, mixed media, neon art, and photography. A couple of pieces bring smiles: Tom Baylock’s crowds of pistachio-shell people, and Ken Motz’s kitsched-up paintings mixing cupids and fairies with views of a Cleveland picnic, tattooed guy and beer included. Among the soft-focus collection, there’s one political shocker: Phil Reed Janout’s urgent Untitled, featuring a Koran and Bible superimposed over inset pictures of war wounded and body bags.
Details: 21562 Lorain, Fairview Park. http://www.archgallery.net
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Civic Innovation Lab Breakfast of Champions @Trinity Commons 12/14 Do you have a business idea simmering on the back burner or buzzing around inside your head? Anna Gerrodette, a glass artist, did and now she is leading the development of the Velodrome, a fast track cycling track, with major pledge money and world class cycling competitions already lined up. Terry Schwarz, a city planner, did and now she is leading a real estate temporary use initiative, Pop Up Cleveland, to create a series of short-term, high impact events, such as outdoor markets, art installations, concerts, and shops which will occupy vacant buildings and land in Cleveland’s spectacular but underutilized properties. The Civic Innovation Lab, funded by the Cleveland Foundation, recognized both women at the Breakfast of Champions and awarded each project a $30,000 grant.

Fast track bikes have no gears and no brakes allowing for better control. Bike messengers in urban settings use these bikes too. Back in the late 1800s-1930s, fast track cycling was very popular in Indianapolis and Cleveland. They would hold 6-day races in the Public Auditorium here and big track cyclists like Major Taylor, comparable to today’s Michael Jordan, would compete.

The Velodrome at http://www.fasttrackcycling.org will be an indoor 250m Velodrome Arena serving Greater Cleveland and bike enthusiasts from across the country. The project will include a Bike Park with a 333m outdoor track, Cyclocross trails, BMX trails, and a Safety-town. Gerrodette says they have narrowed the track site to two possible City of Cleveland locations.

Pop Up City had their first one-day event, December 1, a temporary store called the Bazaar Bizarre craft fair located in the storefront area of the Sincere Building, 2079 East 4th Street, from noon to 9:00 p.m. where artists displayed their crafts for sale. The next event is scheduled for February 29, Leap Night, on the east bank of the Flats. Plans include ice skating, ice and snow sculptures, video games, a big fire, food, and lots of people. “It’s a fun opportunity to get a clear view of the river before the construction equipment rolls in,” says Schwartz. Visit http://www.popupcleveland.com for more information about this creative and engaging project.

Visit http://www.civiclab.org for more information to get your business idea off the ground and running. Since its launch in September 2003, the Civic Innovation Lab has funded over $900,000 to 34 initiatives and trained more than 480 entrepreneurs.

From ”Cool Cleveland’ contributor Susan Schaul susn1ATatt.net

Contemporary Youth Orchestra @ CSU 12/15 Imagine, if you will, a symphony orchestra with an ever-changing membership. Then, imagine that this orchestra has performed fifty world premieres during its first twelve seasons—plus one concert of their thirteenth! As if that isn’t awesome enough, encourage your imagination to believe that the members of this truly unique organization are between the ages of 13 and 19. The result is not only totally unique, but astonishing. And—the Contemporary Youth Orchestra is right here in Cleveland!

We should all be rightfully proud to be the home of several remarkable orchestras, but this one really takes top honors. No question. They regularly do things that would strike terror in the hearts of older, more experienced musicians, and they do it with such aplomb, and passion, and exuberance, it is enough to make even elderly audience members want to jump to their feet and shout words of encouragement!

Saturday evening’s first concert of the 2007-08 season, conducted by the founder and music director, Liza Grossman, presented two world premieres: The School of Velocity, by CSU professor Greg Dalessio, and Horn Concerto by John Kennedy, written for and performed by Richard King, principal horn of The Cleveland Orchestra. CYO member, cellist Eric Tannenbaum soloed in the Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat major of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, while everyone joined in for the splendidly colorful Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome) by Italian Ottorino Respighi.

The School of Velocity was, originally, the title of a rather famous exercise books for pianists by Karl Czerny, who, as it happens, died 150 years ago this year. Mr. Dalessio always liked the title, and composed the piece accordingly. The young musicians tore into it, easily displaying the shimmering tonal progressions in the strings, which were accompanied underneath by melodic rippling sounds from the winds. Exotic rhythms were set off by bits of melody from the violins. An overall effect of driving energy proved the title to be most apt.

Mr. Tannenbaum played the cello concerto from memory, with utmost confidence and musicality throughout. The four-note main theme echoed back and forth between the soloist and the single horn and clarinet. Myriad technical difficulties inserted by the composer proved no hazard for the soloist, who drew a big sound from his cello, while tossing off the double stops as though they were just single notes on an open string. Having been a member of CYO for four years, Mr. Tannenbaum is now a student at Oberlin.

Mr. Kennedy’s Horn Concerto is a major piece, and a splendid addition to the repertoire. He and Mr. King are long-time friends, so the concerto was written partially to emphasize the soloist’s many strengths. The first movement displayed heroic horn melodies, for instance, while the second was more lyrical. The final portion at times featured the orchestral horns in a chorale echoing the soloist. In between were the shifting sands of New Mexico’s desert areas (composer) and ocean sounds (Mr. King grew up in Long Island). Sounds of nature were featured throughout, by use of the ocean drum and foghorns. Near the end, there was a brief section that greatly resembled organized chaos (blizzards?) before a rather cheeky variation on Siegfried’s Horn Call, done as somewhat of a cadenza. It’s a fabulous piece, and was given a fabulous performance. I wish we could have heard it again.

Composer Ottorino Respighi created visual scenes in music, the way other artists create them in paints. There is no doubt whatever about the subject matter: it’s all there, clear as day, if you keep your ears open. The four scenes involving various sites in Rome take place at the Villa Borghese, near a Catacomb, the Janiculum, and the Appian Way. It is a magnificently vibrant and picturesque piece, especially the latter two settings. It is in the Janiculum where we hear the peaceful song of the nightingale, before being treated to the sounds of the army, marching triumphantly toward the Capitol.

On this occasion, it was the Contemporary Youth Orchestra and its music director, Liza Grossman that emerged triumphant! There are two more occasions this season at which you can hear them perform. Dates, etc., are listed on their web-site, along with photos of past accomplishments. Also, early next year, they’re touring to Pittsburgh for two concerts in conjuction with Carnegie-Mellon University. http://www.cyorchestra.org.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com

Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead @ Bang & Clatter 12/15 As Sean Derry was literally pounding his head on the floor at the conclusion of Pounding Nails in the Foor with My Forehead, now in production at The Bang and Clatter Theatre, I totally empathized. For two acts I, and members of the audience, had been subjected to and immersed in a series of attacks and tirades using language that was vulgar, angry and outrageous. Almost all things political, social, moral and ethical had come under attack. Almost every foul word and image had been used to assault our senses.

Throughout I could not help but wonder what it felt like for Derry to go through a nervous breakdown nightly. Not only did he have hundreds and hundreds of words to memorize and spit out each night, but the emotional level of the one-person show allows for little time to relax. Almost every line is explosive, there is no calm within the storm.

Eric Bogosian’s Pounding is a series of character studies, concentrating on men who range from the seriously troubled to those positively repugnant. The monologues were originally portrayed by Bogosian, himself. Since then, a number of actors have taken up the role. I doubt if any one them did a better job than Derry, Bang and Clatter’s co-artistic and managing director.

Bogosian is the writer of Talk Radio, a Pulitzer Prize finalist. He also authored subUrbia, Griller and Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll.

The opening segment, “Molecules,” finds a bum in a subway talking in detail about the molecules that infect others from his bodily excretions. It verbally slaps the audience into an awareness of Bogosian’s hateful reaction to the ills of this nation. Other characters include a guilt-ridden suburbanite, a doctor prescribing the worst medicine in the world, and a “recovering male” who confesses his shame to fashion models in magazines because of the fantasies he harbors about them.

As a reviewer of a previous production stated, “Bogosian has deep-seated anger, and the author’s anguish swings between the longing for numbness and the desire to feel something. Monotony is never a problem in this show.”

Capsule judgment: The show is not for gentlefolk, definitely not for redstaters. For anyone who wants to see an amazing performance — and have their mental and physical senses assaulted — this is probably one of the best performances on local stages this year.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roy Berko royberkoATyahoo.com

Roy Berko’s blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info.

Art Walk @ Cleveland Clinic 12/17
Gallery walk for a snowy day: “Art walk” probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Cleveland Clinic”, but think again. The Clinic has acquired so many high quality pieces, you could spend hours wandering their corridors and not see half.
Luscious photos: Check out the new exhibit of recent acquisitions in the Children’s Hospital lobby: People, Places, and Things. Mali’s Seydou Keita is a master of black and white portraiture: his majestic women in floral gowns before a paisley wallhanging are so regal, it isn’t until much later that you notice the rubble at their feet. In Kunihoko Katsumata’s Skyline Paris and New York there’s the tiniest sliver of buildings with a vast expanse of sky, making each metropolis look like toy towns. And Peter Newman’s fish-eye from-below look at L.A. skyscrapers is intriguingly paired with an aluminum cutout of the negative space around them, making a silver asterisk.
Scavenger hunt: There are treasures all over the Clinic’s main campus, although following the miles of maze-like corridors and skyways may make you feel like a lab rat in search of cheese. Things to discover: Abe Frajndlich’s witty portrait of Jack Lemmon, in bright yellow shirt with lemons over his eyes; Linda Butler’s serene view of a zen garden; Roger Maistroanni’s Concertgebouw photo of a Cleveland Orchestra tour, with an Amsterdam trolley a streak of green and yellow; and Cameroon’s Samuel Fosso self-portrait in disco boots, which I just saw at Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum.
Details: Cleveland Clinic Foundation, http://www.clevelandclinic.org.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

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On Cool Cleveland interview with Jina Gonzalez (See video interview here) I just wanted to thank you for featuring Jina Gonzalez in Cool Cleveland. I know her from when I was volunteering with the high school youth group at my church where she attended, and she is such a beautiful person. I was so excited to see her featured in your newsletter. There are a handful of truly amazing youth at my church who I am blessed to know, and Jina has been one of those.
from Cool Cleveland reader Loreli Sugano SuganoATpositivelycleveland.com

On looking forward to Wednesdays Just wanted to drop a line to say how pleased I have been with the wide range of good, solid editorial you’ve had in CoolCleveland lately. CC content has greatly improved, in my opinion. In the last six months, your columnist Mansfield Frazier really has hit his stride — I look forward to reading him every week! He has great insights. Chris Whipple’s recent commentaries on the Terminal Tower and Tiffany Town were outside-the-box and well-reasoned, respectively. The Kids features (though I haven’t got a little tike myself) have been pretty cool. Claudia Taller’s pieces exploring facets of the city have been super, as well as passionate and well-researched. Lee Chilcote’s recent Euclid Corridor piece was simply outstanding — he really should do more for you. That managing editor Peter Chakerian’s pieces on now-“Iron Chef” Michael Symon, local filmmaker Rob Lucas, and Plexus co-founder Eric Lutzo were all really great as well. I always look forward to his music and gastronomy columns. And of course, there’s the bountiful “Holiday Guide” (which I use every year) and those ubiquitous videos of yours — more (and more of them) than could be mentioned in one quick letter. Anyway, all that said, you’ve got a great line-up every week, both in quality and in quantity. I always look forward to Wednesdays. Keep up the good work
from Cool Cleveland reader Dave Stafford davestafford66ATyahoo.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 most clicked links from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) Holiday Buying Guide Guidance for cool gift givers who support the local economy.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Mom’s Eye View What to do about the gimmes.
www.CoolCleveland.com

3) Signs Of Life Budin on Kucinich.
www.CoolCleveland.com

4) NewsLINKS New art gallery opens its doors this weekend, spearheaded by local arts champion Thomas Janout.
www.TheArchGallery.net

5) Emissions from the Blogosphere The Diner formerly know as Ruthie & Moe’s is reopening.
Tim Ferris’ blog

We’re winding Down 07… That’s what we’re up to here. Hope we helped you get your holiday plans cinched up. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Susan Schaul, Roy Berko, Linda Eisenstein, Kelly Ferjutz and Claudia J. Taller. This episode was brought to you by Callwave, road salt and BV. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com.

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