Warming The Hearts

01.14-01.21.09
Warming the Hearts

In this week’s issue:

We thought it was time for a little heat. Not that we don’t love the change of seasons here in Cleveland Plus. We really do! The kids are skiing, sledding and taking long, wondrous, silent walks in the snow. But this week, we throw the spotlight (doesn’t that feel warm) on Warming The Hearts, a foundation for hospitalized kids started by Ashley Imbrogno when she was 5 years old. Mayor Jackson heats things up in our exclusive video interview upon his return from Chicago discussing the Medical Mart. Chris Seper and Mary Vanac, formerly writers for the PD, are turning up the heat with their new MedCity News startup. Mansfield explores the roots of black homophobia, after his column last week received record-breaking clicks. We review Lost + Found, the new CD from Zach, and Roldo offers an alternative view of bow-out NEO politician George Voinovich. And as always, you can click on our HOT picks and find yourself something warm to do this week. –Thomas Mulready

Mayor Frank Jackson has supported Cuyahoga County’s initiative to build a $1 billion convention center and Medical Mart since the effort began. But when he heard about the latest delay in selecting a site, and the fact that developers Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. were considering a smaller center that may not have been in line with research provided by Positively Cleveland and the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the Mayor decided to turn up the heat, and flew to Chicago to meet with MMPI officials. Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland met the Mayor as he returned to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport for this exclusive video interview, and asked him about the project, the funding and the delays. Watch the video.

http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us MerchandiseMart.com/ClevelandMedicalMart

A sick child gave a “stuffed toy bear” to 5-year-old Ashley Imbrogno when she was hospitalized with a life-threatening illness at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in 2006. Ashley was so inspired by that kind act, she wanted to provide that same feeling of warmth to others. Inspired, informed and determined to make a difference, Ashley began Warming The Hearts with its purpose to deliver blankets to sick hospitalized children. With the help of her mom Karen, she created a simple process to produce fleece tie blankets. In 2008, Ashley raised $8,000 and delivered 900 blankets to local hospitals. Watch the video with Cool Cleveland Correspondent Marc Majers as he discovers more about this Cleveland charitable organization. WarmingTheHearts.org

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Are you hip to the Cleveland Urban Core projects website? If not, you should probably be following along here
Activitst in Atlanta cites Cle group RealNeo and others for work to save Breuer Tower. Click
Policy Matters Ohio Named Most Valuable State or Regional Group in The Nation magazine!!! Wow! Click
CC contributor Kelly Ferjutz offers posts on new website for 65+ crowd @ The Senior Reader
Youngstown teacher Jennifer Walker named 2009 Ohio Teacher of the year! Read all about the details here
August Wilson is the latest subject of the Beck Center’s programming. Click
The Top 5 Magazine Podcasts you simply have to hear
Check out Rock Hall featuring 35 Years of Sepia Magazine Photography Launch coinciding with many other citywide MLK events. Click
Are you the ultimate sports fan? Then check out a local opportunity at a golden ticket better than Willie Wonka’s
The Cleveland Orchestra and Deutsche Grammophon announce audio-recording agreement Click
Celebrate the life of artist Irene Sukel by checking out this cool event here

Many Cle museums are offering no cost admission on MLK, JR. Day including the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Great Lakes Science Center and more… so do your due diligence and get out there with your friends and family and energize your mind…

PlayhouseSquare & ideastream host a no-cost PBS-TV simulcast of President-elect Obama’s Inauguration and swearing-in ceremony on the Palace Theatre’s giant screen

Not sure this helps anyone much but it’s sure to inspire debate. What city do you think Cleveland should be more like?

University Circle Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the complete schedule of events can be found here

Cle City Club has inauguration bash worth mentioning and you can learn more here

Connecting Cle’s Caribbean community and acknowledging the best it has to offer is the goal of this new site here

HOT NY/Broadway slight of C-Town Deepens First, it was “We hate tourists from Cleveland,” the chapping our residents received from Broadway ad executive Nancy Coyne in a recent edition of The New York Times. Some capitulation followed; now we come to find exclusively that Tony Brown’s PD column indicating an Ohio driver’s license will get you in to see Chicago gratis simply isn’t true. According to intrepid CC contributor Laura Kennelly, she was flatly denied when she attempted to do just that. “It must be a Cleveland-only address,” she offered in correspondence with CC editors last week. “We tried to [get in] today — boo hoo — and were rejected. Area readers be warned: it might take bringing a map and some Cleveland ticket stubs to prove where you live. (Apparently, the idea that we might have a few dozen suburbs was lost on them). Hmmmmff.

Laura Kennedy, bassist and founding member of the seminal NYC no-wave band the Bush Tetras recently received a liver transplant due to complications from Hepatitis C. The bills are enormous and continue to pile up. On Sat 1/17 the Bush Tetras, the Suicide Commandos and Skoal Kodiak will play a benefit for Laura at Nick & Eddie, located at 1612 Harmon Place in Minneapolis. Kennedy grew up here in Cleveland, part of a significant exodus of Cle artists and musicians to NYC in the late 70’s. Read Laura’s candid and informative blog — and make PayPal donations to offset expenses — by visiting http://lklf.blogspot.com.

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

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SPONSORED: 2-4-1 will get you Around the World in 80 Days You will experience one of the greatest adventure stories of all time when a fearless adventurer braves stampeding elephants, raging typhoons and runaway trains as he attempts to circle the globe in an unheard of eighty days. Watch the video. Danger and romance at every turn! Playing now through Sun 2/1. Enter code “COOL” and get 2 adult tix for the price of 1. Great for the entire family. Take the kids, who always pay student fare of $10. They will love it & you will, too! ClevelandPlayHouse.com.

Comix Quest Are you a comics and graphic novels fan? Hit the Strongsville Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library for a book discussion of a different kind — on graphic novels. Meets on the third Thursday of every month at 4:30PM, including Thu 1/15; titles up for discussion are different every month. Grades 5 – 12. Call 398-1800 or visit http://www.cuyahogalibrary.org.

Matt Cavotta: Illustrations launches at Heights Arts Gallery (2173 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights) on Fri 1/16 from 6 – 9PM with an Opening Reception. If most artists live in a fantasy, then Cavotta takes this literally. He’s been working as a fantasy illustrator for 13 years — accessorizing books, magazines, role-playing games, video games, card games and collectibles that appeal to dragon-loving dreamers, would-be wizards, and escapists of all ages. Call 371-3457 or visit http://www.heightsarts.org. http://www.cavotta.com.

HOT Contributing to Inaugural Day of Service On Sat 1/17 at 8AM, join volunteers from across Northeast Ohio in making a difference and honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sponsors Target, Cleveland 365.com and Hands On Northeast Ohio hope to attract 200+ volunteers to this Inaugural Day of Service. The event starts at Cle’s East Tech High School (2439 E. 55th St.) and will last until approximately 2PM Volunteers will sign in and enjoy a morning ceremony at East Tech prior to being deployed to their site. Project sites include Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority and Cleveland Public School locations. Site activities include painting, creating a mural, youth interaction, senior interaction, and more. http://www.handsonneo.org.

Speaking of Comics… ZAP! POW! BAM! You nearly missed it? You’ll be glad to hear that the exhibition at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage has been held over through Sun 1/25. Zap! Pow! Bam! The Superhero: The Golden Age of Comics 1938-1950 turns the spotlight on the creators of the original superheroes including Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Captain Marvel and many others. These imaginative folks were predominantly Jewish, as were the comic book publishers of that era. Great for kids and their parents alike. http://www.maltzjewishmuseum.org.

Monster Nationals Monster Truck & Thrill Show Lowbrow? Nah, not for a kiddo who’d rather have a toolbelt than a toybox. If you’ve got a little one who loves cars, trucks and anything remotely mechanical and motorized (namely our Managing Editor) then perhaps a good, old-fashioned dose of monster truck mayhem is what you’re looking for and the Cleveland State University Wolstein Center is where it’s at Sat 1/17 at 7PM. Call 687-2000 or visit http://www.csuohio.edu/wolsteincenter for details.

International Performing Arts for Youth Showcase 2009 hits PlayhouseSquare Wed 1/21 – Sat 1/24. Details can be found for entire program at http://www.ipayweb.org/showcase/schedule.php.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 13-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

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

SPONSORED: As Goode as It Gets The Cleveland Institute of Music welcomes acclaimed pianist Richard Goode on Fri 1/23 at 8PM. Mr. Goode visits CIM as part of the new Mixon Hall Masters Series, bringing artists of international acclaim to the acoustical elegance of Mixon Hall. Performing works by Bach and Chopin, you’ll soon see why he’s considered one of the world’s leading interpreters of classical and romantic music. Tickets are still available for $40 at the CIM box office. Mr. Goode will also present a Master Class, open to the public, on Thu 1/22 at 1PM. There is no charge, but seating is limited. For more information call 216.791.5000 or purchase online at www.cim.edu.

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

Lubrizol snags $54B diversified from Dow Chemical Co. in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) business. Click
New “Buy Ohio” campaign may help local businesses in this crunch time. Click
Cle port prez is ready to “beef up” cargo lines and start projects according to this story
Cle Clinic spinoff Prognostix Inc. earns grant They’re developing/selling tools for diagnosing heart conditions; $550K will launch clinical trials. Click
JumpStart invests 350K in web-based software co. specializing in staffing/scheduling issues. Click
Can Eaton Corp. outrun the recession? Business Week asks the question here
Jeff Griffiths of Hands On Northeast Ohio selected for a Top 25 Under 35 Movers & Shakers Award. Click
Brother Charles McElroy and College Interns for Energy Efficiency score in the great “Bright Ideas” feature in the daily paper’s biz section here
PD looking to rent/sell space? Believe it. It’s true. Click
CivicLab on Twitter Receive updates on what the Civic Innovation Lab is doing here
Weatherhead launches new biz mag with a “fresh look” at business. Details
Cle is 4th largest home to HQ employees, beating Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, according to new TeamNEO report.
Get the scoop on Vision and Plans for the Cleveland-Pittsburgh Tech Built Initiative at the City Club this week! Check it out
Hooked on your BlackBerry? Check out the new BlueBerry
Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club Business Plan Competition app deadline extended to Fri 1/23. Winner gets a CC promo video & much more. http://www.cleveland2030bplan.org

Jakprints The Cle-based, individually- owned and operated custom printing company, will be giving guided tours of their 100,000+ sq ft print production facilities over the course of January. Guided tours will highlight their offset, silkscreen, embroidery, wide format and sticker printing capabilities. Follow a printing project through the whole manufacturing process — from digital file to finished, quality product. Those touring Jakprints will be entered for a chance to win Jakprints gear, gift certificates, and Cleveland Cavaliers tickets. Tours run Mon-Fri over the course of this month and run at 10AM, 1:30PM and 3:30PM. To download an RSVP form click here.

SPONSORED: SALE * SALE * SALE – Recessionistas, take note Annual Clearance, discounts up to 80%, beginning Thu 1/29 Very cool stuff including home and decor, holiday pieces, books, toys, exhibition merchandise and more at The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. Last chance for pop culture treasures from the recent hit Superhero exhibition (t-shirts, magnets, mouse pads, posters and more), and fun and practical items from our year-round stock. Don’t miss your golden opportunity to stock up on gifts for upcoming weddings, anniversaries, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs – or for yourself. Through Sun 2/1 during regular Museum hours, free parking, 2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood. http://www.MaltzJewishMuseum.org or call 216.593.0575 for details.

Cle 20/30 Networking at Noon feat. Mike Toman of Quicken Loans Arena Wed 1/14 at (yup) noon. Details
HOT Marketing on a Shoestring- Creatively Open to all nonprofits at no charge, at the Kirtland Temple and Visitor’s Center on Thu 1/15 9-11:30AM, with Karen Malone Wright and panel moderated by CC’s Thomas Mulready. http://www.LakeVisit.com
Economic Forecast 2009 feat. Richard DeKaser, SVP & Chief Economist, NCB on Thu 1/15 at Exec Caterers/Landerhaven. Michael Settonni, Pres/CEO, Broadcast Media Ideas moderates. 6111 Landerhaven Dr., Mayfield Hts. Register
Weathering the Storm covers struggles of sm. bus community Mon 1/19 as MLK Day Business Forum from 10AM – 3PM St. Martin dePorres H.S. 6111 Lausche Ave. NO cost, open to public. Call 881-0644 or e-mail jdoyle@stclairsuperior.org to RSVP
GREEN Sustainability in Tough Economic Times E4S forum hits Tue 1/20 from 5:30 – 8:30PM at the Great Lakes Brewing Company, Tasting Room. Register
Lisa McLeer from GE discusses their Ecomagination project Wed 1/21. Learn the do’s and don’ts of “green” marketing and meet AAF Scholarship Award winners! Details
NEOUPA 2009 Kickoff brainstorming meeting takes place Thu 1/22 at 6:30PM. Details and reg here
Summit on Leadership Cle Business Leaders of The Union Club present their 2nd annual affair Thu 1/29. Details, registration and guest speakers here
NorTech Innovation Awards program hits on Wed 2/18 at Windows on the River and feat. Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan. Click for tix
GREEN 2009 Evolution of Man’fg Conf Join the Green Revolution at this event at Hyland Software in Westlake Thu 2/19. Features town hall discussion, plenty of great info for everyone. Register here

HOT Ward Timken The Office of the President at Case Western Reserve University will present “Business Ethics and Leadership,” a lecture by Ward J. “Tim” Timken, Jr., chairman, The Timken Company. The no-cost, public lecture will be held on Thu 1/15 at 4PM at the Inamori Center, in Crawford Hall on the campus of CWRU. No cost, open to the public. Click for more info.

HOT Regional Opportunities in a Tough Economy This panel discussion/lunch hits on Fri 1/16 at 11:30AM at Windows on the River. Features speakers from TeamNEO, JumpStart, Fund For Our Economic Future, Cleveland Plus and is moderated by CC creator/catalyst Thomas Mulready. Register here

Meet The Champions Breakfast! The latest Civic Innovation Lab winners are honored Wed 1/21 from 8 – 9:30AM at Trinity Commons. Lab Champs Michael Lagoni of Minds Matter and Jiazhou Yang of VPlay awarded $5,000 get the nod. This breakfast is no cost, but you must register Send an email with “Register for Breakfast” in the subject line to info@civicinnovationlab.org and include your name and company. Trinity Commons, 2230 Euclid Ave. http://www.civicinnovationlab.org.

Chris Seper and Mary Vanac look pretty happy for a couple of people who just left top jobs at Ohio’s largest newspaper to start their own business. And why not? They’ve just created MedCity News, an online news service that sells news stories, podcasts, videos and web updates about medical innovation, business transaction, and medical technology transfer to publishers, news sources and broadcasters. Seper was the online medical editor for the Plain Dealer, worked at the Philadelphia Inquirer, and has written for The Washington Post and Christian Science Monitor while a journalist in Cambodia. Vanac has covered the business of medicine for the PD for 3 years, has worked at the Akron Beacon Journal, and has won numerous journalism awards. They recently won $30K in funding from the Civic Innovation Lab, and are mentored by Earl Pike of the AIDS Task Force and Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland, and they’ve assembled a stellar board of advisors to help them kickstart their new venture. Watch the video interview with Mulready at PositivelyCleveland’s new visitor’s center on Public Square and hear how two seasoned journalists are making the leap into a new business model in the post-newspaper age. MedCityNews.com

SPONSORED: What do Truman Capote, Robert Redford and Andy Warhol Have in Common? They are past winners of the Scholastic Art Awards, encouraging creativity among the young since 1927. The Cleveland Institute of Art will host the 29th Annual Cuyahoga County Regional Exhibition of the National Scholastic Awards, recognizing creative achievement in area junior high and high school students. It starts with a reception on Sun 1/18 from 2-4PM (free and open to the public). You will experience award-winning artwork in several mediums including animation, digital imagery, painting and photography on display until Sun 2/1. For more information contact www.cia.edu or 216-421-7460.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

WEAVE Art House is putting on a cocktail party in January for any and all artists — it’s a SEAN (self-employed artist network) networking event designed to foster connection + collaboration (with cocktails!) While there you can sign up as a SEAN member, meet a wide range of artists and learn what’s going on in the arts community. It all happens Wed 1/14 from 7 – 9PM. Art House 3119 Denison Ave. Call 398-8556 for info. http://www.arthouseinc.org. http://www.seanconnection.blogspot.com.

Brazilian pianist/vocalist Eliane Elias has been a major presence on the jazz and world music scene for the past 30 years. She first came to the attention of American audiences as a member of the classic 80’s jazz super group Steps Ahead which also featured Michael Brecker, Mike Manieri, Eddie Gomez, and Peter Erskine. Since that time she has recorded over 20 solo CD’s including a duo project with Herbie Hancock. Currently she has just released Bossa Nova Stories on Blue Note records which commemorates the 50th anniversary of Bossa Nova music. Hear her live at Nighttown in Cleveland Heights Wed 1/14 (7PM) and Thu 1/15 (8PM). http://www.nighttowncleveland.com.

SPONSORED: WCLV 104.9 has three special concerts this week. Tonight Wed1/14 at 8PM, its the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; Fri 1/16 night at 8PM, an Oberlin recital by cellist Steven Isserlis given last November will be aired; and Sun 1/18 at 7PM, The Cleveland Orchestra’s annual live Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Concert will take the roof off of Severance Hall. Complete details on WCLV’s 24/7 classical music at http://www.WCLV.com.

Blasted The Bang and The Clatter Theatre Company offers the Ohio Premier Opening of Blasted by Sarah Kane. “With just five plays, Sarah Kane changed the face of British theatre… Blasted is where it all began.” – Graeae Theatre Company (London). Directed by Sean McConaha, it runs from Thu 1/15 through early February (Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM) at The Bang and The Clatter Theatre Company’s Sometimes In The Silence… (stage) at 224 Euclid Ave. http://www.bnctheatre.com.

HOT Chateau Hough Winery Meeting… All Invited! Cool Cleveland columnist Mansfield Frazier admits that he doesn’t know much about wine (other than imbibing it) but that’s not stopping him from pushing ahead with the idea for Chateau Hough, an urban winery in the heart of Cleveland. The initial meeting will be held on Thu 1/15 at 10AM at 1854 E. 79th St. — 150 yards north of Chester Avenue. Frazier says, “Bring your friends, your ideas, and your enthusiasm.” Light refreshments will be served, but, alas, no wine. Read about Frazier’s idea for Chateau Hough by clicking on his recent CC column here.

Rock & Roar, A Celebation of Irene Sukle This celebration Thu 1/15 from 5 – 7PM will benefit the Irene Sukle Scholarship Fund and is sponsored by Artist Review Today, The Galleria, & Dollar Bank. Guitarmania Miniature Guitars will be available with all proceeds going to the fund. Many of Irene’s unseen pieces will be on display for show and sale. Live music, wine and light appetizers will be served. RSVP by calling 771-0900. 1301 E. 9th St.

A Day of Music and Dance This engaging program featuring the Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre and Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall in University Circle should be vibrant and exciting. Best of all, this Thu 1/15 program is no cost and open to the public. Call 231-1111 or visit http://www.clevelandorchestra.com and http://www.ccdt.com for details.

HOT Cabaret Artistique The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Artistic Luxury: Faberge, Tiffany, Lalique exhibition comes to an end of its stay, but the museum bids to it fondly with a one-night-only cabaret featuring live performances by New York-based performer Daniel Isengart and critically-acclaimed Cle native Baby Dee Fri 1/16 at 7PM (doors). A performance artist, song writer, classically trained harpist, circus sideshow veteran, and transgender street legend, Dee brings to the stage ten years of experience both as musical director and organ player for a Catholic Church in the Bronx as well as a bilateral hermaphrodite in the Coney Island Circus. http://www.clevelandart.org. http://www.babydee.org.

Big [BOX] 2009: Summer Nights and Fireflies Part of the highly-lauded Cleveland Public Theatre schedule, this stage delivery focuses on a tiny sawmill town in eastern Texas, the home of Zandra Richards. She’s a beautiful twenty-something Black Texan, brash and sassy with a dash of sweet honey to boot. But in her eyes you can see there is a story deeper then what is on the outside. Starts Fri 1/16 and runs through the weekend. Check it out! Details and tix: http://www.cptonline.org.

HOT Neo”Hyper”Revolutionize Identities, Images, Interpretations, Icons and Ideologies after the Civil Rights Legacy are presented in this exhibition at Lakeland Community College’s Art Gallery along with an Opening Reception and Artist’s Meet and Greet Fri 1/16 from 7:30 – 9PM. Neo”Hyper”Revolutionize provides a compilation of collective visual arrangements: digital photography, assemblage, painting, sculpture, illustration, enameling, ceramics and mixed media. 7700 Clocktower Dr., Kirtland. http://lakelandcc.edu/upcomeve.

Ohio Design Centre The region’s premier resource for interior design professionals opens 6 of its 15 showrooms for a sale this weekend starting Fri 1/16 from 5 – 8PM at 23533 Mercantile Rd., Beachwood. This annual sale allows the general public to purchase home furnishings normally only available to interior design, architectural and building professionals for their clients. Hours: Sat 1/17 from 9AM – 5PM and Sun 1/18 from 11AM – 4PM. Admission benefits The Littlest Heroes, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation promoting spiritual, emotional, social, and physical healing of children living with cancer. Call 831-1245 or visit http://www.ohiodesigncentre.com.

Ballast Directed by Lance Hammer, this lavishly-praised, low-key, naturalistic drama is set in the Mississippi Delta in wintertime. A poor black man commits suicide and his ex-wife, son, and identical-twin brother struggle to come to terms with the tragedy. The film earned a Best Director nod 2008 Sundance Film Festival and premieres in town at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s “First-Run” Fridays film festival Fri 1/16 at 7PM (repeats Sun 1/18 at 1:30PM). http://www.ballastfilm.com. http://www.clevelandart.org.

Vital Mines’ Farewell The remaining members of the band will celebrate the life of their late singer Dan McCafferty Fri 1/16 with special friends and guests, including John McGrail, McDonald and Bill Lestock. The action will take place at the Backstage Cafe, the new venue that Susie Porter of Town Fryer fame is running in the Agora complex. All proceeds from the show will go to defraying the cost of putting out the final Vital Mines CD. Details are here. http://www.myspace.com/wearevitalmines.

Jen Craun & Liz Maugans: New Work debuts at Zygote Press with an Opening Reception this Fri 1/16 at 6PM (exhibit runs through mid-Feb). New prints and drawings by Craun “navigate a journey of multiple roles, delineating the margins and process of migration to articulate and map the trajectory of both frustrations and hope.” Maugans’ new body of work, I’ve Come Undone (pictured), include mixed meditations reflecting upon “the overheard conversations of her mid-life circle of friends after drinking too much wine.” Zygote Press is located on the first floor at 1410 E. 30th Street (between Superior & St. Clair). http://www.zygotepress.com.

The Origin of Modern Birds: New Evidence from the Cretaceous of China Dr. Matthew C. Lamanna, paleontologist and assistant curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, will chronicle his team’s discoveries of exquisitely preserved fossils of Gansus yumenensis, a 115-million-year-old amphibious bird from China Fri 1/16 at 7:30PM at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The creature is thought to be closely related to modern birds. He will discuss the implications of this bird for the rise of modern avians. http://www.cmnh.org.

NEO’s newest professional opera company Opera Per Tutti presents scenes from two American musical masterpieces Show Boat by Oscar Hammerstein & Jerome Kern and Porgy & Bess by George Gershwin at the Solon Center for the Arts Fri 1/16 at 7:30PM and Sun 1/18 at 3PM. Preview 45-minutes before each performance and a Reception following, plus no-cost parking for all ticketholders. Tickets are $20 for Adults and $15 for Seniors or Students. To reserve your tickets, call 440-337-1400. 6315 SOM Center Rd., just south of I-480. http://www.operapertutti.org.

Photographs for New Conversations The Art of Jack Ricchiuto and Maurice Small launches at Arts Collinwood Gallery (15605 Waterloo Rd.) this Fri 1/16, with the exhibit running through the end of the month. Ricchiuto, co-author of Instructions from the Cook: Recipes for New Conversations with ArtsCollinwood trustee George Nemeth, is a writer teaching people how to have the kinds of conversations that have the power to create a future different from the past. His photography reflects a Buddhist aesthetic developed by 30 years of practice. Small is Cle’s original Urban Farmer, a field consultant at the New Agrarian Center in Oberlin and Food Access Consultant at City Fresh. Includes a City Fresh cooking demo, readings from Instructions and a session of Thinkers & Drinkers. No cost, open to the public. Call 692-9500 or visit http://www.artscollinwood.org.

Sing for Hope: An Evening of Song will be held at 8PM on Fri 1/16 at the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland, located at 3630 Fairmount Blvd. Performers include Soprano Katherine Whyte (San Francisco Symphony); Mezzo-Soprano Kate Lindsey (Metropolitan Opera); Tenor Benjamin Sosland (Spoleto Festival); Baritone Matthew Worth (Metropolitan Opera); and Pianist Paul Kwak (The Juilliard School). A donation is recommended at the door. Proceeds benefit The Gathering Place, a local cancer support center. http://www.touchedbycancer.org.

Ghandi, King, Ikeda SGI’s Campus Club at Case Western Reserve University is hosting an international peace exhibit, Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace Exhibit, which will be displayed at CWRU’s Kelvin Smith Library from Fri 1/16 at noon, through Sun 1/25. The exhibit delivers a striking message about individual leadership, and the difference that one person can make in promoting peace through non-violent action. http://www.cwru.edu.

Prints and Drawings from the Karamu Workshop: 1929 – 1941 Cleveland Artists Foundation’s latest exhibition opens this Sat 1/17 at 2PM with a reception. The exhibition features the Russell and Rowena Jelliffe Collection on loan from Cleveland State University as well as works from the CAF collection — bringing together important works by African-American artists from the early part of the 20th century, at times known collectively as Karamu Artists, Inc. Exhibit runs through early March. 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Call 227-9507 or visit http://www.clevelandartists.org.

Doubt: A Parable is set in 1964, and takes place at a working class Catholic school in the Bronx. Sister Aloysius, the stern, hard-line principal, has come to suspect the young Father Flynn of having improper relations with the school’s first black student. Disturbing news from an enthusiastic young nun, Sister James, and a meeting with the student’s mother, Mrs. Muller, bring conflict to the school and to the conscience of Sister Aloysious. Chagrin Valley Little Theatre presents Doubt starting Sat 1/17 and running on weekends through early February. Learn how, as Doubt playwright John Patrick Shanley says, “doubt itself is a passionate exercise.” Details, schedule and tix at http://www.cvlt.org.

Noted Cleveland sculptor George Roby will teach a master class on wheel throwing techniques at the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve on Sat 1/17 from 10AM – 4PM at the Artists Archives, located at 1824 East 123rd St. Roby is a well-known and highly experienced sculptor. Now a retired teacher from Hawken High School, George’s work includes large, expressive slab and coil built sculptures that are suitable for indoor or outdoor exhibitions. Call 721-9020. http://www.artistsarchives.org.

Painting C’mon, it’s been on your list for years to learn how. Here’s your shot. Escape the winter blahs by Painting with Nicki Lanzi, a one-day workshop on Sat 1/17 from 11AM – 3PM. This class is for all levels and all mediums; Lanzi will set up a still life to work from. Bring painting supplies and your lunch; contact Lanzi with questions at 440-526-1614. To see some of the instructor’s paintings, visit http://www.nickilanzi.com. http://www.peninsulaartacademy.com.

Natural Detection: The Amazing Plant Discoveries of Charles Darwin starts at the Holden Arboretum on Sun 1/18 at their Warren H. Corning Visitor Center. Holden celebrates the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book, On the Origin of Species. Call 440-946-4400 or visit http://www.holdenarb.org.

Beyond Martin Luther King: A Local Perspective This forum feat. speaker Steven Minter, former president and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation; currently executive-in-residence at the CSU College of Urban Affairs hits Sun 1/18 at 9:30AM. What does the future hold, given the changes in Washington and the economy? Join the conversation on Cleveland’s economic development, neighborhoods, schools, and other urban initiatives. First Unitarian Church, 21600 Shaker Blvd., Shaker Heights. Call 751-2320 or visit http://firstunitariancleveland.org.

MLK Severance Concert The Musical Arts Association and Mayor Frank G. Jackson offer the Cleveland Orchestra’s 29th annual concert in celebration of the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr Sun 1/18 at 7PM. The program will feature selections by Beethoven, Dvorak, Ravel and Copland, as well as spirituals and gospel songs. Performing as violin soloist in this year’s celebration concert is Sphinx Competition prizewinner Danielle Belen Nesmith. The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Chorus and the Central State University Chorus, prepared by William Henry Caldwell, also will participate. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

Cuyahoga Community College’s Metro Campus hosts their 32nd annual birthday observance of Dr. King Sun 1/18 at 3PM in the Metro Campus Auditorium, 2900 Community College Ave. Keynote speaker for this no-cost, ticketed public event is political writer and Fox News Sunday panelist, Juan Williams. Music will be performed by the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra with a guest performance by Obie Shelton on violin. Reservations are required. For info and tix, call 987-4805.

Peace Offering Windsong, Cleveland’s feminist chorus, will present its winter concert Sun 1/18 at 4PM at Church of the Covenant, 11205 Euclid Ave., University Circle. Conducted by artistic director Karen Weaver and accompanied by pianist Karin Tooley, the program offers Iraqi folk, a Kwanzaa piece in Swahili, works by Ralph Vaughn Williams, Fred Hellerman and Pat Humphries, and songs made popular by Bette Midler, Holly Near and the Andrews Sisters. Windsong will be joined by percussionist Janet Pemberton and Gene Epstein on cello and bass. http://www.windsongchorus.org.

MLK, Jr. Community Open House Severance Hall will hold its 10th annual event Mon 1/19 starting at noon and featuring programming with youth and diversity as the theme. Vocal and ensembles from the community; and a performance by the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Chorus are part of the festivities. A dramatic portrayal of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by the Notre Dame College Choral Club, Cleveland Association of Black Storytellers, and the Shaw High School Band following a screening of a documentary chronicling the band’s recent historic trip to China for the Beijing Olympics round out the day. http://www.clevelandorchestra.com.

SPONSORED: MLK Day at CPL! The Cleveland Public Library presents the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Program on Mon 1/19 at 1PM at the MLK Jr. Branch at 1962 Stokes Boulevard. Meet the library’s new director, Felton Thomas, and experience the spoken word from Radio-One’s Basheer Jones and an art exhibition by award-winning artist James Ransome: “Visual Stories.” Live music. Reservations not required; seating first-come, first-served. Info: www.cpl.org.

HOT Cle’s Historic Barack Obama Inaugration Gala Hall of Fame Productions and Ivy’s Catering At Greenmont will present this event at 800 South Green Rd., South Euclid Tue 1/20 starting at 7PM. The gala honors the first U.S. African American President and is geared to the common people who worked hard to make that election a reality. It’s an affordable way to partake in this momentous historic inauguration without the tremendous costs of gas, turnpike tolls and housing — not even to mention if you can get housing or a ticket to the actual inauguration itself. All political affiliations welcome. For tickets and info, call 297-0891.

Inauguration @ Cleveland Public Library Escape cold on Tue 1/20 from 11AM – 2PM at the Main Branch in downtown Cleveland, and watch the inauguration of the 44th president, Barack Obama, at no cost. The CNN broadcast will be displayed on the theatre screen in the Louis Stokes Auditorium to ensure optimal viewing and comfort. http://www.cpl.org.

Obama for Change Official Inauguration Party Celebrate with Obama Organizers, Volunteers and Supporters Tue 1/20 with doors at 6PM. The night includes Dancing with DJ Slim, an appetizer buffet, drink specials and more. Reserve tix ASAP by emailing your name to obamaparty@ime-mts.com or purchase online before Mon 1/19. 21 and over, dress to impress. The event will be filmed and might be included in an upcoming documentary. http://www.2020Martini.com.

Inaugural Ball @ Joseph-Beth Bookstore Celebrate President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration without the DC trip at J-B’s Legacy Village location Tue 1/20 from 6 – 10PM. Ivy’s Catering at Greenmont in South Euclid provides the hors d’oeuvres and nosh; the event also includes champagne, music, raffles and more. Attendees will receive Change We Can Believe In, a commemorative book by Obama himself. Save ten bucks when you buy a couples ticket. Proper attire (jackets and ties for the guys, gowns for ladies) required. Call 691-7000 for details. Joseph-Beth, 24519 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst. http://www.josephbeth.com.

Big Bouncing Inaugural Ball at the Grog This day has been a long time coming… so join your friends and neighbors to celebrate its arrival at Coventry Village’s Big Bouncing Inaugural Ball! Things get started Tue 1/20 at 7PM; all ages are welcome. Bring a dish with international flair for the “Global Potluck,” Bring the kids, the parents, campaign mementos and photos. They’ll have live entertainment, TV coverage and Obama videos. Admission is no charge, but bring non-perishable food item or cash to donate to the Heights Emergency Food Center. Organized by Coventry friends and neighbors. Email coventry.celebration@gmail.com or call 272-1810. http://www.grogshop.gs.

Cleveland Food Co-op Check out the New Certified Organic CSA!! 2009 brings a cool and convenient opportunity for a direct connection with local farmers: a new certified organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project will be accepting applications for membership in University Circle Wed 1/21 at 6:30PM and Sat 1/24 at 1:30PM. Meet with member farmers of Geauga Family Farms and eat healthier in 2009. No cost, open to the public. Call 408-7719 for details and location.

Harry Bacharach offers up an evening of “heavy easy listening” every Wednesday night at the Brothers Lounge’s wine bar on Detroit. Tasty, kitschy fun — seeing and hearing is believing. http://www.brotherslounge.com. http://www.harrybacharach.com.

International Performing Arts for Youth Showcase 2009 hits PlayhouseSquare Wed 1/21 – Sat 1/24. Details can be found for entire program at http://www.ipayweb.org/showcase/schedule.php.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

This week’s most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

“On the one hand,” says Ed Morrison, “we have a county commission that is having the worst time putting together a 30-year-old idea that is 10 years late: building a convention center… on the other hand, we have the self-serious Plain Dealer editorial writers who insist that a medical mart is vitally important for the future of city, even though we don’t even have a business plan that explains the concept. (Recall also that reporting by Jay Miller of Crain’s raised serious – and still unanswered – questions about the economic viability of the medical mart months ago.) Both are examples of failed leadership…” Some of the conversation on BFD:

Join the conversation on the BFD post Cleveland’s Failed Leadership

The Roots of Black Homophobia?

The column I wrote last week, revealing my long-held suspicion that my son Alan died due to filicide (a consequence of his mother’s homophobia) generated more responses than anything I’ve ever written. However, it only added additional fuel to the firestorm surrounding the domestic partnership registry law passed by Cleveland City Council. It seems as if everyone has an opinion in this issue, either pro or con.

To briefly recap, after Council passed the measure, a group of clergy and others, led by Rev. C. Jay Matthews, vowed to circulate petitions to put the issue in front of the voters. To the everlasting credit of Clevelanders, the required number of signatures could not be gathered. Hooray for us. But that doesn’t mean the issue is going to go away… it’s only in remission until religious conservatives can figure out a way to try to win again in the end. Similar to their continued fighting of Roe V. Wade, school prayer, and their other core beliefs, they’ll never quit. And I, for one, am not mad at them for fighting for what they believe in, I just happen to believe they are very misguided — and they probably feel the same way about me. History, of course, will judge who is right or wrong…
Read more from Mansfield B. Frazier here

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Battiste and Dupree tastes like a vacation.
Book lockers are also an example of how in very simple ways a local government can dramatically influence a community’s sense of self-worth.
This year in Cleveland has been dubbed the Year of the River.
2nd Annual MLK Day small business forum in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood features Artistic Director of Josaphat Arts Hall Alenka Banco.
MMPI taking time in our county taking our taxes before it is time – for anything.
Brad Whitehead’s 12.14.08 op-ed still begs the question, “OK, so, now what? What can I do to make a difference?”

Lost + Found
Zach
Zef/R.A.T./Crooked River Groove

Two years have passed since the last Zach Freidhof studio CD, Mesmerize. But the hard-working singer-songwriter has defnitely gigged enough to generate a buzz for his new one, Lost + Found. Zach does over 200 live dates a year and has (refined/mined) plenty of personal experience for this new, 10-track folk-pop postcard. After a few cuts, you’re likely to feel very Joshua Radin/ Jason Mraz/ Josh Rouse about him, but that’s definitely not a slight — the guy takes writing intelligent lyrics and memorable melodies very seriously. Tracks like “Alaska,” “See From the Stage,” the spirited/spiritual title track and “Over the Road” embed themselves immediately in your subconscious. Dare I say that the hope-plus-struggle and romantic notion of his vibe is John Mayeresque? Yeah, I dare. That’s no slight, either. After all, Mayer’s intellectual approach to pop could only be slagged in a world of disposable trash. “Wolf in the Woods” is probably the most well-arranged of all the tunes, but this whole thing is pretty engaging. Call it music for the sensitive soul, or perhaps for the coffeehouse — just don’t call it disposable. Lost + Found is definitely a keeper.

Zach has two big gigs coming up — one solo gig Mon 1/19 at 7PM at Wolf Creek Winery, 2637 Cleveland Massillon Rd., Norton. If you’ve never been out there, it’s worth a trip — especially with all the snow we’ve had. They have great wine and greater views. Then Zach’s band will be performing with Blessid Union of Souls at the Beachland Ballroom on Fri 1/23. Score details on the shows and samples of his work at http://www.zachmusic.net.

Lost + Found is part of an ongoing joint venture between Recording Arts and Technology at Cuyahoga Community College and regional recording artists who write and perform their own music. Learn more at http://www.crookedrivergroove.com.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

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

Voinovich was free and easy with public money

George Voinovich was a very selective conservative. That made him also a very selective “moderate” Republican.

My experience with Voinovich tells me he used his ethnic background to represent wealth in the community and in the nation. He successfully portrayed himself as personally frugal and the image carried him a long way.

I once told an audience that Voinovich would never be Governor because people saw him as a Mayor, nothing more. I was obviously very wrong.

Voinovich campaigned often riding on a bicycle with his wife, Janet, alongside. It gave him the image he sought — a regular person just like you and me…
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 1/8 For anyone who thinks that Richard Wagner’s music is entirely bombastic and too long by half, they should only listen to Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder as performed by the amazing Measha Brueggergosman with Franz Welser-Most conducting the Cleveland Orchestra. Luminous, ethereal and shimmeringly gorgeous are but some of the terms one could use to describe this performance. Yet, for all the stillness inherent in the music and the performance, there was an abundance of tension and energy, harnessed to the glory of the words by Mathilde Wesendonck….
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

Around The World in 80 Days @ Cleveland Play House 1/9 In this tightly directed tour-de-force of acting (by 5 actors playing 20 different roles), the audience “reads” this adaptation from the Jules Verne novel, much as they would a book, imagining that the versatile library setting becomes a ship or transcontinental train, rather than didactic scene changes. The makeup and costumes, however, assisted by 2 dressers and a 3-person run crew, are applied and removed and re-applied with typhonic speed. Kudos to Joe Foust, who plays 16 different characters, and Brian Sills, whose Passepartout is the hyper-active (and loyal) sidekick to the honorable and determined Keythe Farley as Phileas Fogg. By the time the real typhoon comes along, everyone in the theatre is swept away. For sure bring the kids (and for the student rate of $10 why not?); this is one kid’s show that doesn’t compete with Pixar, but does Verne proud. Use code “COOL” for 2-for-1 ticket offer. ClevelandPlayHouse.com.

Frost/Nixon @ Palace Theatre 1/13 Like a lightning bolt, the massive TV monitors click and buzz and the house lights drop to black. So begins the stage version of Peter Morgan’s Frost/Nixon, as simple and effective as good theatre should be: tight direction, excellent acting, especially by the formidable Stacy Keach as former president Richard Nixon and the fluid Alan Cox as interviewer David Frost. Really a show about the power of television, the character of Nixon rises to every occasion: his need for money and power quenched by the offer of an exclusive TV interview; his insightful awareness of his own weaknesses, held in check by the constant, careful mopping of his brow; his complete understanding, even equal to Frost’s, of how TV works; and finally, his discernment that he, the fallen President, and Frost, the outmoded talk show host, both needed this confrontation to put one of them back in the limelight and the other into the wilderness. Nixon’s admission, “I let down my friends, I let down the country, I let down our system of government…” serves today as the confession we never got from President George Bush on the Iraq war. The show tells us that Frost was the successful one, but ironically, by humanizing Nixon, Frost/Nixon may have done more to rehabilitate his image than anyone imagined. Thru 1/25. PlayhouseSquare.com.

Cool Cleveland readers write

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Send your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.com

On Cool Cleveland Keep up the great work. i always enjoy getting the cool cleveland emails and finding out what’s happening around town! I have a lot of respect for what you are doing for Cleveland. I sing Cool Cleveland’s praises to friends whenever possible and encourage them to sign up for the free weekly email. Cool Cleveland is a great source for finding events around town for people who want to experience all that is great about Cleveland (instead of bitching about the city from their couches). And that my friend you can most definitely quote me on. from Cool Cleveland reader Troy Schwartz

Send your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.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) A Family Secret Revealed One of our most-clicked, ever. By Mansfield B. Frazier.
CoolCleveland.com

2) A (Very) Quick Tour of Ray’s Hold on to your bike helmet. This one’s fast…
CoolCleveland.com

3) A $30 Million Mistake By Best & Brightest Roldo remembers.
CoolCleveland.com

4) Cool History of Cleveland The Tech Czar’s blog is a hit.
CoolHistoryOfCleveland.blog.com

5) If you could magically change ANYTHING about Cle what would it be?
awdsgn.com

Melting Away those heaping piles of white stuff, let’s give it up for your Hard Corps. This week’s troupe includes Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Jeannie Fleming-Gifford, Susan Petrone, Roy Berko, Mansfield B. Frazier, Roldo Bartimole, Kelly Ferjutz, Marc Majers and introducing Megan Lynn. 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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