Citizen

11.19-11.26.08
Citizen

In this week’s issue:

You may not have known Ed Hauser, but he touched your life anyway. He fought like every citizen should for the public good: Whiskey Island, the Coast Guard Station, Wendy Park, the Huletts, the Innerbelt, are all better for his involvement. You’ll read a lot about his passing and his legacy in this issue of Cool Cleveland. Plus, you’ll learn how to keep kids active, hear about new music from Freekbass & Doug Johns, and be presented with a hand-picked array of cool things to help keep you an engaged citizen. And, just by clicking on our Sponsored Links and Videos, you can win cool swag. While no one can really replace Ed, we hope our offerings below will inspire a little community action. So switch off the TV, click below, and get active. –Thomas Mulready

Remembering Ed Hauser

Although I’d read his name in the paper countless times, I first encountered the man behind the name — Ed Hauser [pictured at Whiskey Island] — when he inquired about a class I was teaching in the fall of 2007. He was nearing the end of the first ten years of being a strong (make that STRONG!) civic activist here in Cleveland, and wanted to write a book about his adventures. It wasn’t meant to be a tribute to himself, quite the contrary. He’d learned how to use the system to fight itself, and wanted to share his knowledge with the rest of the world.

Ed proved, beyond a doubt, that one person can indeed be a means of change. He’s forever changed the face of our lakefront, as well as several other areas of Cleveland. He will be sorely missed…

Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

For a limited time, you can win swag and special prizes just for clicking on our Sponsored links and Sponsored Video links. Pretend you’re on a digital scavenger hunt, and look below for our Sponsored Videos (look in the colored banners) and the SPONSORED: tag and click on the link that follows to visit our cool sponsors’ web sites. It’s that simple. The more you CLICK the better your chances of WINNING prizes ranging from complimentary admissions to our exclusive Cool Cleveland parties, to an iPod or iPhone! Watch this space for announcements of winners. Click to WIN.

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Tributes abound for Ed Hauser in this issue but this is worth clicking
Could the most wired Presidential candidate of all time need to go, um, offline? No More BlackBerry? Blasphemy!
Parents: A brilliant, must-read from New Yorker on the “rise of overparenting” children can be found here
Could you be addicted to stress? This is worth a listen if you think so. Click
Special $5 Student Tickets this Thu, Fri and Sat for the Cle Orch! Click
HUGE Artists’ Sale at MOCACleveland this weekend! 5th Annual “Artscape” launches Friday and it’s awesome! Click and Click Again
Cleveland Collects An Exhibition of Cleveland Artists Foundation Members’ Favorite Regional Artwork opens this Thursday! Surf
Wanna help create Cleveland’s new story? Then you had best be clearing the calendar and get hip to this link
Pranksters spoof NYT and the details are here
Rock-n-Tot hits MOCA this Sunday and if you’re a parent who needs a break, it might be just the thing for you. Click
Rep. Kucinich’s sister Beth Ann dies on Vet’s Day and the details are here
Peter Pan group rates at the Beck Center could get you in to the production gratis. Read more here
Maltz Museum’s youth essay contest has a grand prize tuiition scholarship to an Ohio college/university valued at up to $100K! Whoa! Click
Have you heard about Lolita at all? No, not that one — she’s a local artist who hand-paints, stemware, pilsners, hot beverage mugs and more. Click.

Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian launched his new book last month with a signing at the Borders Books & Music in Strongsville. Chakerian (left) with Browns fan Haven J. Ohly are pictured here. The Browns Fan’s Tailgating Guide (Gray & Company, Publishers) has been called “Part history lesson, part sociological study, part user’s guide” by Cleveland Magazine and the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. But the book’s not just for tailgaters, or even just for Browns fans. If you love Cleveland, you’ll enjoy learning about Cleveland’s “dysfunctional family picnic.” And, to wear out the cliche, with the holidays coming up, it’s a great stocking stuffer. Learn more at http://www.grayco.com.

Slavic Village Market Stop Harvest event days hit the two Fridays prior to this year’s Thanksgiving & Christmas holidays, held Fri 11/21 and Fri 12/19 from 3 – 6PM at the Americana Cafe Coffee Shop community room, 3664 E. 65th St. (across from the Saint Stanislaus Shrine Church) in the heart of the Warzsawa District.

Congrats to the Civic Innovation Lab’s latest crop of mentors, who volunteer to assist champions who apply to the lab with cool civic projects for funding and mentorship. Many of your favorite projects, like Cool Cleveland and Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park, came through the Lab. Welcome Marsha Dobrzynski of Young Audiences, Colleen Gilson of Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition, Andres Gonzales of Cle Clinic, Rocky Richardson of Charter One, Joy Roller of Gordon Sq Arts Dist, Kevin Shaw of PromiseONE & Fathom SEO, and Wendell Turner of Diversified Services. CivicInnovationLab.org.

HOLIDAY Pssst… the CC Holiday Guide is coming next week, so keep those eyes peeled, and those holiday events, sales and locally-minded gift-giving listings headed our way. We’ll jam-pack as many of them into CC during the weeks leading up to the holidaze… all in an effort to keep you outta the Big Boxes and in the arms of those Mom-and-Pops that help keep our region’s heartbeat going. This is a call to artists, shop owners, local institutions and all you purveyors of cool local stuff — send your listings to EventsATCoolCleveland.com with HOLIDAY LISTING in the subject header. And readers, don’t let another year go by just giving gift cards.

Cool Cleveland Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events, in an easy-to-digest 3 minute audio format, for playback on your computer or iPod.

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

Keep Them Active? When They’re Too Old for the Playground?

It seems like one of those studies that makes you say, “I could have told you that.” The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study in July showing that younger children are more active than older children. No kidding.

The long-term study had children wear accelerometers (devices that measure movement) for a week at ages 9, 11, 12, and 15. Researchers measured activity from moderate walking to vigorous athletic activity. Not surprisingly, the nine-year-olds spent about three hours a day moving around, with boys moving an average of 18 minutes more a day than girls. Activity dropped drastically at around age 13. By now, just about every parent knows the importance of regular exercise and an active lifestyle to overall health. But how do you keep your children active when they’re too old for recess or the playground, they don’t play competitive sports, and they’re being lured by the siren call of video games and text messaging…? Read more from Susan Petrone here

Bids for Kids Online Auction Join Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association (CVNPA) online on Fri 11/21 for the annual Bids for Kids Online Auction to benefit scholarship and programs for urban schoolchildren attending the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center (CVEEC). The online auction begins at 9AM and continues through Sun 12/7 at 8PM. Bid high/often at http://www.cvnpa.cmarket.com.

A Fair Trade Sale hits Hathaway Brown School Fri 11/21 from 11AM – 5PM at 19600 North Park Blvd., Shaker Heights. Fair Trade ensures a living wage for farmers/artisans from developing countries. Sale features a global marketplace of clothing, jewelry, coffee and more. Vendors include Revive, Ten Thousand Villages, Esperanza Threads, InterReligious Task Force on Central America, Kantara Crafts, and Beads for Peace. Call 320-8771 or email shiedemann@hb.edu for info.

Bashful Bassoon Cleveland Orchestra Bassoonist Phillip Austin will introduce children ages 3-6 to The Bashful Bassoon in the Fri 11/21 and Sat 11/22 Musical Rainbow concerts, held in Severance Hall’s Reinberger Chamber Hall. Local actress/singer Maryann Nagel hosts the 30-minute programs, which include narration, audience participation, and musical selections familiar and new to the preschool set. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

City Sidewalks Cleveland Botanical Garden’s annual WinterShow returns for an extended engagement starting Sat 11/22 and runs through early January. The show’s theme conjures nostalgic feelings of peering into downtown store windows during a holiday stroll. Twinkling lights, magical displays and other surprises, including life-size snow domes, await. Hours and details at CBGarden.org.

Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra will perform its first Severance Hall concert of the 2008-09 season on Sun 11/23 at 3PM. Jayce Ogren, in his third season as music director of the Youth Orchestra, will begin the performance with Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No. 3 in F major, Opus 90. The program also features Dvorak and Prokofiev. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 12-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

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

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

Cle Fed Reserve head says we’re in a recession and you can read about his pronouncement here
PNC to boost charitable giving in National City territory after impending takeover. Click
Civic Innovation Lab names new mentors including Marsha Dobrzynski, executive director, Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio (YANEO); Colleen Gilson, executive director, Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition (CNDC), and Andres Gonzalez, director, Office of Diversity, Cleveland Clinic. Learn About CIL
Huntington Bancshares moving from historic E. 9th location to Public Square. Click
What strategy should the region pursue to increase job growth through entrepreneurship? A Poll
E-Z Pass to mitigate toll hike on the Ohio Turnpike…? Read
MetroHealth cutting jobs and the details are here
Is Cle a good place for people to start/advance their careers? This video asks you (or someone like you) for the answer. Watch
Meet Bud Perry and Robert Stockham, partners who moved here from Portland a little over a year ago to start the Great Lakes Design Cooperative Click
News on new Innerbelt Bridge, Ameritrust tower financing can be found here
GREEN FirstEnergy, Smuckers are green-focused on new office design. Click
The Governor’s Cup is almost here and you can see what it means for statewide business here
Calling your team “quitters” probably isn’t good for business, so see some damage control here
Akron area home sales rise as the prices of said properties fall. Click
Imperiled local co. Norwalk Furniture is back in business and you get the details here

SPONSORED: FITTech Alert – Application Development Is your company in need of Microsoft SharePoint expertise? Could you use assistance developing a new application or enhancing existing software? FIT Technologies can help. Successful projects, staff certifications, and client satisfaction have allowed FIT Technologies to become a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. This partnership gives FIT the tools and experience to help you. One area of expertise is Microsoft SharePoint, an online collaboration portal. SharePoint allows companies to efficiently and effectively share information, saving time and avoiding miscommunication. Another area of expertise is Microsoft .NET Framework, a key component for network communications and web applications. Learn more about our partnership with Microsoft and what it could mean for your business at http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/video/appdeveFIT.html

AAF’s November luncheon speaker will be Hank Blank, owner of Blank & Associates Wed 11/19 at 11:30. Details
HOT Always Connect: Web 2.0 Advance your organization’s mission with social media technology Wed 11/19 at 6PM at the Idea Center, 1375 Euclid Ave. Email: events@csvp.org or call 231-2300.
Crisis Communications & Media Relations is a seminar for board and senior staff members of NPOs Thu 11/20 at 8:30AM. Call 736-7711 or email: ckotkowski@busvol.org with any questions. Register
The Offline Customer Experience Nance College of Biz @ CSU hosts hosts Jeff Heinen from Heinen’s and Sanaa Julien from the Cleveland Indians Thu 11/20 and details/registration are here
Financial Crisis Close Up three-tiered event hits Fri 11/21 feat. speakers from Cornell U, Fed Reserve and Bank of Amer. Register781-3730 x102 or email reservations@ccwa.org
GREEN Creating Cleveland’s New Story feat. sustainability success, stories Tue 11/25 at 2PM. CWRU Thwing Ctr. Register

HOT Chris Ronayne is the featured speaker at the Thu 12/4 League of Women Voters’ First Thursday Forum. The President of University Circle, Inc. delivers “University Circle: Building the Knowledge District,” a program set to start at 7PM at Trinity Commons, Cathedral Hall, 2230 Euclid Ave. For more info, call 781-0555 or visit http://www.lwvcuyahogaarea.org.

Beating the Competition The Strategic Use of Intellectual Property is the subject of this forum Fri 11/21 at 11:45AM. at the Beachwood Chamber offices (23230 Chagrin Blvd, Suite 900). This month, the discussion led by Steve Auvil — a partner at Benesh, Friedlander — will discuss Intellectual Property, whether it is for cutting edge technology or more traditional spheres. RSVP for this event to http://www.csuohio.edu/cba/global/gateway.

Race and Biomedicine is one of the topics of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s ongoing Explorer Series — which hosts nationally and internationally renowned scientists, authors and artists and addresses topics relating to natural history and the natural sciences. Dr. Troy Duster lectures on The Roles of Race and Ethnicity in Biomedical Research Fri 11/21 at 7:30PM. Should be an intriguing night. http://www.cmnh.org.

Win two round-trip tickets
With MyTravelingHat.com ticket giveaway
Akron-Canton Airport

Rick McQueen, the newly appointed director of the Akron-Canton Airport, is wearing his hard hat today as he talks with Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready about how Akron-Canton Airport’s $110 million 10-year Capital Improvement Program is only one of the many amenities the upgraded airport offers.

Plus, anyone can enter the “My Traveling Hat” contest to win two round-trip tickets on AirTran Airways! www.MyTravelingHat.com

Walking on Stepping Stones
Susan Mikolic Takes Stress Out of the Office

It’s a tough time in the workplace these days. Some people are burning the midnight oil, working extra hard to keep their businesses running with a skeletal staff. Others feel daily pressure about looming layoffs, and the fear that they could be next. Even when business is great, employees face work overload, co-worker conflicts and an assortment of day-to-day situations that can lead to stress or burnout.

That’s where Susan Mikolic steps in. A registered nurse and president of Stepping Stones Mental Health Educational Consulting, Inc., Mikolic provides programs to help businesses deal with employee burnout, stress and other negative factors. Mikolic is a petite bundle of positive energy. A mother of two who overcame her own stressful circumstances and helped herself and her sons gain physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, Mikolic now shares her wellness plan with individuals and businesses… Read more from Diane DiPiero here

Joe Del Re
The Avenue District

As New Projects Coordinator for Zaremba, Joe Del Re has the inside track on The Avenue District. He’ll tell you that the inspiration for it came from Nathan Zaremba and his vision for mainstreet urban living on the East Side of Cleveland. He points out that The Avenue District brings “for sale” housing into parts of the city where there is none today. Joe’s really knowledgeable about The Avenue District’s many housing options – Townhomes, Condos and Penthouses. Listen to him describe what you get with a Townhome. He says there’s no reason to compromise when you buy in the city. For instance, the building with Condos and Penthouses is one of the highest quality residential buildings in Cleveland, its design like buildings in New York and San Francisco. Joe describes the Condos as truly unique – with standard granite countertops, hardwood floors, plenty of light and glass – most with private balconies and the most dramatic views in Cleveland. When it comes to The Avenue District, he feels that people are really wowed by the many lifestyle and entertainment options they didn’t realize they would have by living downtown. http://www.TheAvenueDistrict.com

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

HOT Big Box Reuse In her book of the same name, author Julia Christensen takes us on a road trip across America to look at what becomes of the spaces superstores leave behind when they move out. The initial construction of these enormous structures shaped so much of the landscape they inhabit that reusing them is a necessity. Christensen, a professor of the Emerging Arts at Oberlin College, lectures at Folk Hall Auditorium, Myers School of Art, University of Akron on Wed 11/19 at 6PM.

Art Therapy on the Cutting Edge More than a 1,000 people from across the US visit Cleveland this week for the American Art Therapy Association’s 39th annual conference Wed 11/19 — Sun 11/23 in the Renaissance Hotel downtown. This is a big deal; pop in and check it out by contacting AATA at 1-888-290-0878 or http://www.aataconference.org.

Calder Quartet The Cleveland Museum of Art’s acclaimed VIVA! & Gala Around Town concert series presents Calder Quartet in their Cleveland debut on Wed 11/19 at 7:30PM at Plymouth Church, Shaker Heights. Inspired by the innovative American visual artist Alexander Calder, they boldly search for new ways to stretch capabilities, combinations, and the definition of a string quartet. http://www.clevelandart.org/tickets. http://www.plymouthchurchucc.org.

Mecca Professor Adil Sharag-Eldin will join the CUDC Kent-Cleveland extension Wed 11/19 to provide a first-hand view of the unique planning and urban design issues of Mecca — a city which must annually accommodate what must be the largest temporary population of any place on the planet. Details at http://www.cudc.kent.edu.

Chapter 6 and Naturally 7 See both award-winning a capella groups on one stage at Stocker Center at LorainCCC for one low price Wed 11/19. Should be a hot one and the details are here

SPONSORED: Last night at 9PM, WCLV 104.9 began a 26 week series of broadcasts by the Pittsburgh Symphony. On Fri 11/21 at 8PM, WCLV will present a program of recent performances by faculty and students, and on Sat 11/22 at 8PM, WCLV is live at Severance Hall for a Cleveland Orchestra concert led by a conducting master Herbert Blomstedt. There’s one work on the show: the magnificent Bruckner Symphony #8. Complete details on all of WCLV’s programming can be found at http://www.WCLV.com.

John Pizzarelli The guitarist/vocalist was in his late teens when composer Richard Rodgers died in 1979, but the veteran songwriter’s creative prowess was not lost. Pizzarelli delves into the Great American Songbook with his band Thu 11/20 and Fri 11/21; stage time is 7:00pm and 9:00pm each night. 12387 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights. Call 795-0550 or visit http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

HOT Lord of the Burgeoning Lumber debuts on stage at convergence-continuum this Thu 11/20 at 8PM and runs through late December. Called “a magical-realism comedy,” it offers a very nearsighted forest ranger, two rough-and-tumble cowboys are having a gender-bending good time in the woods. http://www.convergence-continuum.org.

Cleveland Colectivo Learn more about this extraordinary group of cool people by attending an Informational Forum on Thu 11/20 at 6PM. Find out how to start a Giving Circle and learn more about how to apply for a grant from the Colectivo — which funds indie-minded, socially relevant and beneficial projects in C-town frequently. Cleveland Public Library, Carnegie West, 1900 Fulton Rd. http://www.clevelandcolectivo.org.

Sandy Mitchell & Corbo’s Joseph-Beth Booksellers and Bronte Bistro announce an Italian theme for their monthly Corks and Courses Wine Dinner to be held on Thu 11/20. The event includes a wine/cheese author reception, full 4-course Italian dinner paired with wines and Corbo Bakery’s famous cannoli and other sweet treats for dessert. Mitchell, author of the book Little Italy, will discuss and sign copies of her book starting at 6PM. Call 912-1975. http://www.josephbeth.com.

Herbert Blomstedt The former music director of both the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig and the San Francisco Symphony, will conduct The Cleveland Orchestra in the second week of a 2-week engagement leading performances of Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 at Severance Hall on Thu 11/20 — Sat 11/22 at 8PM. Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 in C minor is the only work on the program, which will be performed without intermission. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

HOT Kate Budd: tableau opens at the William Busta Gallery on Fri 11/21 from 5 – 9PM with a reception for the artist. Budd’s carved wax sculptures in natural forms like marine animals and fruits evoke the human form, drawing the viewer in with their small scale, translucence, and the desirability they project. 2731 Prospect Ave. Call 298-9071 for info.

Beaujolais Day The French American Chamber of Commerce-Northern Ohio chapter is hosting a Beaujolais Nouveau event Fri 11/21 at 6:30PM at the InterContinental Hotel. Along with the new wine and great food, they’ll celebrate the successful Cle-Rouen (France) relationship by auctioning off two round trip tix to France. Tunes by John Richmond Swingtet. Details and registration at http://www.faccohio.org.

Freekbass Chris Sherman. Dude’s a maniac. This Cincinnati bassmaster is like a cross between Bootsy Collins and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) who had a head-on collision with a consignment trunk full of day-glo funk grooviness. His CD Release Party for Junkyard Waltz hits Fri 11/21 at 9PM. Bottle and Captain Kneal & the Noisemakers open. It’s cold out! So get your funk out! http://www.beachlandballroom.com. http://www.freekbass.com.

Dames Dish! For Thanksgiving hits Fri 11/21 from 5:30 — 8:30PM at The Trevarrow Showroom, 12610 Corporate Dr., Parma. Enjoy three unique Thanksgiving tasting menus featuring turkeys prepared by local notable chefs. Delectable sides will be dished up by Cle’s female culinary pros, Les Dames. Fine wine tastings paired with each menu. Proceeds will benefit area Green Tables projects. Call 831-3767 for tix/info.

KSU Faculty Dance The Dance Division of Kent State University’s School of Theatre and Dance will present Dance ’08: Excellence in Motion running Fri 11/21 — Sun 11/23. Experience a range of dances that include world premieres and restagings of classic works. Performances are at 8PM Fri and Sat; 2PM Sun. E. Turner Stump Theatre, KSU’s Music and Speech Center. Call 230-672-2497 or visit http://www.dance.kent.edu.

SPONSORED: MOCA Cleveland and LINGG Productions present their 5th annual ARTscape, Cleveland’s hippest shopping experience! First pick + cocktail reception on Fri 11/21 (4:30-9PM) and complimentary admission to all on Sat 11/22 (11AM-5PM). Shop 50 vendors offering unique holiday gifts, clothing, home accessories, jewelry, and more. Juicy details at http://www.MOCAcleveland.org.

HOT Iranian Filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui Clevelanders can get an authentic, insider’s view of contemporary Iran when he appears in-person at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Sat 11/22 at 1:30PM. Mehrjui will introduce (and offer a Q&A after) his latest film Santouri the Music Man, a flick currently banned in Iran. Visit http://www.clevelandart.org/tickets or call 1-888-CMA-0033.

HOT ARTscape2008 at MOCA!! Shop artwork, jewelry, accessories, gifts, and MORE Sat 11/22 starting at 11AM. Work from over 50 artisans, from our region and beyond, will be available to fill anyone’s holiday shopping list. The 2-days sale (a preview reception happens the night before) is no cost, open to the public and hits MOCA, 8501 Carnegie Ave. in the Cleveland PlayHouse Call 421-8671 or click here for more details and artist listings. http://www.lingg.us.

HOT November Fine Arts & Antiques Auction Gray’s Auctioneers offers their awesome November auction Sat 11/22 at 1PM and you won’t believe what they have available. Walk in and prepare to be blown away. 10717 Detroit Ave. Preview/Exhibition Hours are available before the opening and online at http://www.graysauctioneers.com.

Family Volunteer Day Festival Hands On Northeast Ohio and the Cleveland Botanical Garden present the inaugural event Sat 11/22 from 10AM – 2PM at the CBG (11030 East Blvd). Enjoy a family-friendly volunteer fair, volunteer orientations, onsite projects, giveaways and help collect new or gently used books for baby or infants benefiting Cleveland Reads. Admission applies. http://http://www.handsonneo.org. http://www.cbgarden.org.

Paul Samuels The drummer, bandleader and music educator presents the Rising Stars of Oberlin Jazz Studies featuring sextet ensembles and 8 piece string section Sat 11/22 at 8:30PM. They’ll do songs arranged and composed by alto sax master Arnold Lee and his father, composer, arranger and jazz bassist Bill Lee. For a Lincoln, no less! Cleveland Bop Stop, 2920 Detroit Ave. http://www.clevelandbopstop.com/events.asp. http://paulsamuelsmusic.com.

Bach and Forth This Heights Arts House Concert on Sun 11/23 at 3PM contrasts baroque music played on period instruments (oboe, violin, and harpsichord) with a Bach fugue played on a modern violin by internationally respected musicians who call Cleveland home. http://www.heightsarts.org.

Eric Greitens Meet inspirational speaker, photographer and author, Eric Greitens, who will speak about courage and resiliency Mon 11/24 at 7PM. A commentator for NPR’s All Things Considered, Greitens’ unique perspectives are not to be missed. Bertram Woods Branch, 20600 Fayette Rd., Shaker Heights. Call 991-2421 or click here for more info.

HOT Marnie Stern with Guests The SXSW sensation performs at the Beachland Ballroom with special guests Talk Normal, Mystery of Two and Marie Corbo — presented in conjunction with the indie record shop to end all next door, Music Saves — this Tue 11/25 at 9PM. Not to be missed. http://www.myspace.com/marniestern1. http://www.beachlandballroom.com.

Linas Alsenas The author’s groundbreaking Gay America reveals how gay men and women have lived, worked, and loved for the past 125 years. Beginning with colonial times, Cleveland native Alsenas demonstrates how gay women and men have gone from being socially invisible to proud members of the American public living openly and honestly. Join a discussion and signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers Tue 11/25 at 7PM. http://www.josephbeth.com.

SPONSORED: Oh, the Humanity Come Celebrate Northeast Ohio’s Urban Professionals at a Multicultural Community Reception on Wed 12/3 from 5:30 – 8:30PM at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Experience why the compelling exhibition “RACE: Are We So Different?” is shaking up how we view humanity. Tix start at $10 and include food, entertainment and 2 drinks. Register today at www.CMNH.org or call 216-231-1177. All are Welcome!

Magpies The artists formerly known as Roger Hoover & The Whiskeyhounds are kicking out a rootsy-rock to-do Thanksgiving Eve, Wed 11/26 at the House of Blue on Euclid Ave. They play in the Cambridge Room with Cle expat/DC native Mike Jantz opening up the shindig. Doors are at 8PM. We love ’em and if you’re not hip, go catch them both. I mean, c’mon, you’re not really gonna do another boring pub crawl, are ya? http://www.myspace.com/magpiesrock.

Peanuts All-Star Jam Since 1975, the night before Thanksgiving has always been a special night for area musicians. This one’s no exception: Wed 11/26 everyone comes together to play. The Hi-Fi Club, 11729 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Soak up local music and see how long everyone plays. http://www.myspace.com/thehificoncertclub.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Excluded Again
Plus: A Commonsense Rally and Revisiting A Raisin in the Sun

I’m angry. I’m outraged. I’m livid. About what, you might ask. About the level of discrimination at the city, county and state levels of government hereabouts. With all of the probes going on — the county, ODOT, and now City Hall — you’d think that at least one Black person would be in jeopardy of being indicted (after all, according to society we’re supposed to be the shady characters, right?), but not one single person of color has surfaced as a target of any of the investigations to date. Why? Because of out and out racism, that’s why. We Black folks evidently are not even considered qualified to take bribes, graft and kickbacks. This type of thinking is… well, hurtful…

Read more from Mansfield B. Frazier here

This week’s most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

RIP Ed “Citizen” Hauser I’m saddened by this loss:

If you like to know more about Ed and his legacy, listen to this interview that Meet The Bloggers conducted with him late summer of 2006.

Ed was an amazing man doing amazing work. Cleveland wouldn’t be the place it is, if it wasn’t for people like Ed. He’ll be missed. Please, add your comments about Ed and his work below.

For links to other stories about Ed’s life and work or to add your thoughts on them visit RIP Ed Hauser on BFD

Links to interesting NEO blogs

A sample of the recent Fabulous Foods Show. See also the Journeyman Cook.
Plans to convert the former Howard Johnson’s near the East Shoreway and East 55th Street to condominiums remain on the drawing board.
How the City of Euclid once figured in a key Supreme Court zoning case.
American Pink Collar spends an evening at the Karamu Theater.
Are you ready to take the Cleveland.com Challenge?
Save National City, save the City? Not so much.

Pocket Fulla Nasty
Doug Johns
Muntjac Music

Junkyard Waltz
Freekbass
Bootzilla Productions

Doug Johns had me at hello. And by the time he hit the “nevah, evah touch it” cover of “Stairway to Heaven,” I wondered if the studio rats in Far Corporation had heard it. Johns returns to glory with a new slate of funk on Pocket Fulla Nasty — an 11-track tour de force that suggests if he’s not the best bass player in Cleveland, it’s only because Stuart Hamm bought a foreclosed home on the east side somewhere (kidding)…

Read more on Doug Johns & Freekbass here.

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

A Note on the Loss of Ed Hauser
Plus: Cleveland’s Death Rattle and Not Giving up on NatCity

As I prepare to send this article off to its respective web spots, I read in the Sunday Plain Dealer of the death of Ed Hauser at the early age of 47 years. If that isn’t tragic enough, the loss of his voice and his activism makes my thoughts contained herein even more sad for me and Cleveland.

I saw and talked with Ed at meetings in the past, particularly at the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. He was always humble but noble in his pursuits. His attention to detail, filming of public meetings and unwillingness to be cowed or embarrassed by the disdain and officiousness of elected and appointed officials made him not just a thorn in the side of officials who don’t easily countenance the public. He gave them worry and some caution.

To them he was often a nuisance. That’s the role of a real citizen… Read more from Roldo Bartimole here

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

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 10/23 Sitting close enough to feel the cello vibrate proved an extra little bit of heaven (and more than consolation for a limited view) when the Cleveland Orchestra opened Thursday night’s program with Brahms’s Double Concerto in A minor. Under the simpatico direction of guest conductor Herbert Blomstedt, soloists Desmond Hoebig (cello) and William Preucil (violin) and the orchestra created the first half of what turned out to be one of the best evenings yet this season…
Read more from Laura Kennelly here

GroundWorks Dance Theater @ Trinity Cathedral 11/7 We went to see GroundWorks Dance Theater at Trinity Cathedral (a superb example of Gothic Revival, Trinity, a Cleveland landmark, presents some challenges to dance audiences). GW’s repertory at Trinity, two world premieres and the Cleveland premiere of Lynn Taylor-Corbett’s wonderful Virginia Woolf piece, made this a concert not-to-be-missed…
Read more from Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas here

Legally Blonde @ PlayhouseSquare 11/11 Yes, it’s fluff — but OMG! what delicious, lively, and engaging fluff. Legally Blonde’s energetic cast shows why director Jerry Mitchell knows what makes musicals tick. Now that LB is closed on Broadway (as of Oct. 19), the touring show, with its clever songs and sets, amazing trick dogs, nimble choreography, and top-notch tiny orchestra offers the only way to see the fun when Elle Woods leaves her Southern California sorority to track down her man at Harvard Law School…
Read more from Laura Kennelly here

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 11/13 The first time I saw the season schedule for The Cleveland Orchestra, and really paid attention to it, I circled the dates November 13-17, and told everyone I knew that weekend would be the concerts of the season. Not to be missed. I’m not always right, but I really nailed this one…
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

Beatrice et Benedict @ CIM Opera Theater 11/14 You can tell Cleveland is mad about football, when even an opera is set around a football game. Actually, it was kind of neat seeing college age kids portray college age kids on stage. Except when they weren’t, of course, and makeup had to age them to their portrayed age rather than the real one. But that’s not a quibble of any kind. The source for all this fun and frolic was Beatrice et Benedict by Hector Berlioz, sort of based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, staged last week at the Cleveland Institute of Music…
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

Fabulous Food Show @ I-X Center 11/14-16 “We just looooove you, Paula,” crooned one ardent fan during a live Paula Deen cooking demonstration at the Fabulous Food Show this past weekend. “My aunt is with me and she loves you too, and we really love your fruit tarts,” enthused the fan. Silver-haired Paula Deen, one of the Food Network’s Queen Chefs, was a big audience draw at the Main Kitchen Theatre inside the I-X Center. Other chef headliners included Cleveland’s own, Michael Symon, Food Network Iron Chef extraordinaire, Cleveland native Andrew Carmellini, Guy Fieri, Hayden Wood, and Paula’s son, Bobby Deen…
Read more from Susan Schaul here

By Hands Fine Art & Craft Festival @ I-X Center 11/14-16 And just when you think the Fabulous Food Show can’t get any better, it does! This year, the By Hands Fine Art & Craft Festival, with over 200 artists from across the country, co-located with the Food Show over the same weekend creating an extravaganza of sensory delights. When visitors first entered the I-X Center before attending the Food Show, they had the opportunity to view one of a kind, hand crafted jewelry, pottery, woodworking, wool hats, woven shawls, photography, paintings, and art design clothing and speak directly with the artists about their creations…
Read more from Susan Schaul here

Apollo’s Fire @ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 11/15-18 The title was racy (“Pluckfest II”), the mood intimate, and the music enchanting for a luminous evening spent listening to the magic creations of seven musicians in the welcoming space of St. Paul’s church. Guitarist Stephen Stubbs, guest director for this Apollo’s Fire program, was joined by Maxine Eilander (playing the Spanish harp like an angel). Grant Herreid (guitar and vihuela), Jennifer Roig-Francoli (violin), Rex Benincasa (percussion), Jeannette Sorrel (harpsichord), and soprano Nell Snaidas all contributed to create a splendid mix of vocal and instrumental works…
Read more from Laura Kennelly here

Apollo’s Fire @ Josaphat Arts Hall 11/16 In this country, we don’t always appreciate old things as much as we ought. Thank goodness for two sprightly young women who had vision enough to value old traditions and bring modern-day audiences to share their passion. Jeannette Sorrell, founder and music director of Apollo’s Fire, believed so strongly in her love of Baroque/Renaissance music that she convinced the rest of us to do so, as well…
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

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

1) Art House has annual sale and you can read about it here:
ArtHouseInc.org

2) Money found in home restoration project becomes a tangled web of a national story.
news.Yahoo.com

3) David Byrne blogs about Cleveland and Cool Cleveland publishes a response.
CoolCleveland.com

4) Please — Don’t Make Him Look Bad Mansfield considers Obama’s challenges.
CoolCleveland.com

5) Tremont Art Walk You missed November’s, but it comes the 2nd Friday of every month.
TremontArtWalk.com

Model Citizens We have some of our own in the Hard Corps, kicking out a fresh batch of Cleveland for you every week. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Diane DiPiero, Susan Schaul, Laura Kennelly, Mansfield B. Frazier, Susan Petrone, Roy Berko, Roldo Bartimole, Claudia J. Taller, Kelly Ferjutz and Jeannie Fleming-Gifford. 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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