Building Bridges

1.04-1.11.06

Building Bridges

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Commentary The importance of bridges in our community
* Cool Cleveland People Shelley Underwood of the successfully smoke-free Johnny Mango’s
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Brent Kirby and the Flashing 12’s
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

Back to reality (Now that the holidays are over and the ex-pats and our relatives have receded to their respective coasts), it’s back to reality, which is where Cleveland does best. Pop them an e-mail and tell them how Cleveland ranks above NYC & London for business travel. This week, less holiday fru-fru and more getting back to business. Hopefully you didn’t burn too many bridges at those holiday parties.

Celebrate Cleveland’s new Mayor (and the region’s Uber-Mayor) this weekend with a huge (no-charge) public party for 5000 at Wolstein. Catch cool bands, films and great kids programs all over town, spotlighting everything from glam rock to swamp pop to textile art to a show of vintage maps to sessions on integrity (remember that?) and China’s impact on Cleveland’s economy. Not bad for a slow week.

Cleveland’s bridges are a living museum of transportation architecture, while standing as a metaphor for Cleveland’s symptoms and hopes for redemption. See our Cool Cleveland Commentary for one citizen’s perspective on how vital it is that we work together to build even more bridges. Listen to the Cool Cleveland podcasts for adults & kids, and peruse the blog. And pitch in to help build Cleveland’s next few bridges. You may find they come in handy one day. –Thomas Mulready

Cool Cleveland Commentary
Building a Bridge to Our Future

The community’s ire over the proposed Innerbelt Bridge project has given rise to a variety of issues in my mind over the past several weeks. I realize the important opportunity that building a stunning, landmark bridge presents to our community; one we do well not to miss. Yet, the unwinding firestorm has made me think about bridges with an even more important impact upon our community. Cleveland is more than just “a nice place to visit.” We have a wealth of advantages over cities with an extremely high cost of living, or inflated crime rates. Though smaller than many cities that generally come to mind when one thinks of arts, entertainment and culture, we boast a wealth of each. Yet, our city is often an enigma; not only to outsiders, who wonder why we’d want to live in Cleveland, but often to those inside our city who have no clue of the potential and resources that it has to offer.

Though ethnically rich, and culturally diverse, there is also a great divide that runs through the city, isolating races, cultures, income brackets and levels of educational attainment. Our beloved region bears two very different faces; one that offers great hope and promise for one group, yet seems to be an interminable prison for another group, just miles away. “Last I heard, Cleveland was still pretty segregated,” and associate stated. “It is,” I admitted, and then offered defensively, “But we’ve made great strides and there are several communities that are quite diverse.” Yet, the question made me seriously ponder issues that I usually store in the recesses of my mind. There are still areas of Cleveland that I would never venture into, solely because of the color of my skin…
Read the commentary by Roxanne Ravenel here

Cleveland 6th best in world for business travel Why did we beat out Tokyo, London and New York? Light traffic, great restaurants, low crime, and… low probability of terrorist attack. According to the respected international magazine The Economist. See story here.

Ingenuity named Best New Fest Not only did Liggett-Stashower win a Gold Prize at the Public Relations Society of America’s Cleveland Rocks Award for their PR work on the Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology (see here), but the accolades keep coming. We were proud to see the Ingenuity Fest named Best New Fest of 2005 in Ohio Magazine here. If you’re interested in volunteering for the upcoming Ingenuity Fest, coming this July 2006, or if you have special skills in organizing volunteers, send us a note and get on board: James@IngenuityCleveland.org.

Exhibit: Cleveland Don’t just complain, when you can affect change. That’s the Cool Cleveland way. Kate O’Neil and Emily Smith of Authentic Films decided to do just that when they grew tired of looking at abandoned and unloved storefronts in Downtown Cleveland. They’ve tapped into their connections with Cleveland’s rich arts community, and local artists have responded in droves. Installations are already in place on East 4th Street, with an installation slated for this month in the Public Square windows of the May Company. Check out before and after photos; submit your work, or learn more at http://www.ExhibitCleveland.com. Call 255-9411 with questions. Send your thoughts on the impact of Exhibit:Cleveland to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland Kids Ready to hear about some cool stuff to do with your family this week? Click here even if you don’t have an iPod or special software, and listen to 10-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready give you the lowdown on what’s happening that kiddies will find cool. Check below to see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week for our recommendations for a fantastic family week. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids01.06.06.mp3. Adding this link to your program that catches podcasts, will keep our Cool Cleveland podcasts flowing your way.

NEO as innovation laboratory Listen to CSU Urban Affairs dean Mark Rosentraub as he ticks off the ways that Northeast Ohio can rebuild its economy: Connect Cleveland’s medical and cultural hub (University Circle) to the highway with the Opportunity Corridor; Build a “Greenwich Village” in the Midtown Corridor between Playhouse Square and University Circle; Regional cooperation to attract new business; Allow area builders and developers like Peter Rubin, Bob Stark, Mitch Schneider, Jacobs Group, Forest City, (Werner Minshall, Nathan Zaremba) to “create a laboratory” for sustainable development. Read his op-ed here.

Campus tech innovations Each year, Case CIO Lev Gonick blogs about the top 10 stories that are affecting technology in universities. For 2005, here’s what’s important: 10) disaster recovery, 9) Oracle & PeopleSoft, 8) Blackboard & WebCT, 7) Visual & New Media Literacy, 6) NLR & Internet 2 merger, 5) iPod & iTunes, 4) Scholar.Google, 3) Google earth, 2) OpenOffice, 1) philanthropy. Don’t let the acronyms scare you, this is one of Cleveland’s easiest and most informative blogs to read. Read Lev’s blog here.

COSE services for artists First they made artist-entrepreneurs eligible for their annual business plan competition. Now they are expanding services offered to working artists, such as health insurance and small business loans. This could be huge for artists who traditionally have difficulty obtaining affordable health coverage. See story here.

Cool Cleveland Podcast Cool things to do this week in Cleveland, at the click of a button. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland01.06.06.mp3. Don’t forget, you can subscribe to this podcast by saving this link in your favorite program that catches podcasts.

CleveWiki is the collaborative effort of many individuals to create an online documentation and guide to the great city of Cleveland, Ohio. One of the things that sets this website apart from other Cleveland websites is that anyone can edit it. There’s also a discussion board and an IRC channel that helps contributors self-organize. Props to Julie Kent for initiating it. http://www.CleveWiki.com

Regionalism & Lakefront Plan updates 2005 was the year Regionalism went mainstream in Northeast Ohio. Let’s hope 2006 is the year it starts to be implemented with combined safety forces and economic development efforts. See story here. And as we say goodbye to former Mayor Jane Campbell, let’s give her and her planning director Chris Ronayne (now head of University Circle, Inc.) credit for the visionary Lakefront Plan, with it’s outline of 121 projects along 3000 acres of Cleveland’s lakefront, from Edgewater Park to Gordon Park. See story here.

Emissions from the blogsphere Even though the Democrats were victorious on Social Security this year, Adam Jusko still isn’t counting on seeing any retirement money from that program. The Full Cleveland blog marks the end of the year by getting introspective about Forest City. Chris Varley wraps up ’05 with “lots of stuff happening on lots of fronts.” Kossuth posts about our interview with Madeline Bruml and Christine Borne picks up the debate. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian touches on a variety of topics including COSE helping local artists, developing the lakefront and the state of Cleveland.com’s message boards. When you’re through, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.


Cool Cleveland This Week

1.04-1.11

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Trans-fix Explore boundary-breaking artwork from the next generation of modern art at Trans-fix, featuring the artwork of graduate students from Rochester Institute of Technology, and curated by Cleveland’s own Alicia Ross. The exhibition launches Fri 1/5 at 5PM with a panel discussion followed by a rocking reception. Check out http://www.AliciaRoss.com and call 440-226-2152 for reservations. Kleist Center for Art & Drama, 95 East Bagley Road, Berea.

Integrity is a Growth Market: Local authors and Baldwin Wallace faculty members, Dr. Peter Rea and Dr. Alan Kolp, will discuss their new book, Integrity is a Growth Market: Character-Based Leadership on Fri 1/6 at 12PM. Rea and Kolp use the seven classical philosophical virtues – courage, justice, prudence, temperance, faith, hope and love — to chart how character is developed. These ideas are then applied to contemporary business leadership issues. Make your advance registration at www.CityClub.org. Call 621-0082. The City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Avenue.

Friday Night Flicks showcases independent and underground films, lost classics and masterpieces by a variety of widely-renowned directors. Catch Stanley Kubrick’s 1957 classic film, Paths of Glory on Fri 1/6 at 6PM. A masterful, anti-war film set in the trenches of World War I, the film stars Kirk Douglas as an army colonel fighting for the lives of his troops – against the German army, and his own superiors. Call 226-8275, Ext. 127. Lakewood Public Library Main Auditorium, 15425 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood. Join a post-film discussion at Phoenix Coffeehouse, 15108 Detroit Avenue.

Cats On Holiday & The Fullbrights Get set for a joyous evening of roots rock and swamp pop as Cool Cleveland favorites Cats On Holiday set Downtown sizzling with a rare appearance at Wilbert’s, this Fri 1/6 at 9PM. Opening the show and making their debut will be the Fullbrights, featuring members of Al’s Fast Freight, Einstein’s Secret Orchestra, the Bel’Airs and Cats On Holiday. Wilbert’s Food & Music http://www.WilbertsMusic.com, 812 Huron, behind the Jake, 902-4663 http://www.CatsOnHoliday.com.

Stories From the Juvenile Justice System Mr. Lewis Rules: Stories From The Juvenile Justice System relives the experiences of an alcohol and drug counselor and ex-probation officer who tries to intervene in the lives of drop-outs, gang-bangers, suicidal teens, and killer kids, by using his brand of distinctive humor, honesty and a take-no-crap attitude. This Big Box production takes place on Fri 1/6 & Sat 1/7 at 8PM and Sun 1/8 at 3PM. Levin Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue. www.cptonline.org.

WCLVnotes WCLV’s January 2006 “Celebrate Life Blood Drive” takes place Tue 1/17 at a new location – the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum at the Western Reserve Historical Society. Here’s a chance to give the gift of life and have a good time. In addition to great food for all donors, there will be live music WCLV Goodie Bags, free parking and admission to the Museum. So stop by to say hello, help save a life, enjoy yourself and do your part in keeping WCLV’s record for the largest one-day blood drive in Ohio. For an appointment, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. For WCLV’s complete program schedule, go to www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.

CC KIDS Grand Openings at Shaker Square Enjoy complimentary samples of a variety of tasty fare, during the rebirth of Shaker Square’s Northeast Quadrant on Sat 1/7. Starting with fresh baked pastries at Dewey’s Fair Trade Coffee from 6-9AM; shop for fresh veggies and fruit at North Union Farmers Market from 9AM-12PM; sample Golden Caramel Corn during the Shaker Square Popcorn Shop Factory grand opening at 10AM and enjoy demonstrations from 12-6PM; eat dinner at Sergio’s Saravá from 5PM-12AM; or stop back in at Dewey’s for complimentary espresso or dessert samples. www.TheCoralCompany.com.

CC KIDS CHABAM Family Festival Calling all families with children ages 6 months to 8 years! Come explore the world of Creative Arts at CHABAM (Children Have Active Bodies And Minds) for a day of no-cost, family fun on Sat 1/7 from 11AM-3PM. Children can try their hand at pottery, mask making, creative dance, and yoga, or play with oodles of ooey, gooey Flubber. Snacks will be provided. Call 464-8500 for more info. CHABAM, 28700 Chagrin Boulevard, Woodmere. http://www.chabam.com.

Jess Wheelock Opening Reception In a culture permeated with frustration, unrest, and anxiety, Jess Wheelock creates a cast of quirky characters to tread the water in these unstable circumstances. These defeated souls stir compassion, enchantment and a deep sense of pathos as they seek a sense of resolution to psychologically fragile situations. Attend the artist’s reception on Sat 1/7 from 6-10PM, or stop in during the Tremont Art Walk on Fri 1/13. The show runs through Sat 2/11. Call 621-1610. Brandt, 1028 Kenilworth Avenue.

Eden Records CD Release Party Eden Records, a new local record label and promotional company, is celebrating the release of their first CD on Sat 1/7 at 8PM. The CD is a compilation featuring popular regional acts. Many of the acts will perform, including, Infinite Number of Sounds, This is Exploding, Brian Straw & the Winter of Our Discontent. Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo Road. http://www.BeachlandBallroom.com.

CC KIDS Frank Jackson Inaugural Party Celebrate with the city of Cleveland’s new Mayor Frank Jackson with complimentary food and entertainment, and a cash bar. But you better get there early: it’s only open to the first 5000 (!) people who show up at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center this Sat 1/7 from 6PM-midnight. Yahoo!

The Gospel Goes Graphic in author Steve Ross’ graphic novel, Marked, a faithful, if unconventional, narrative of the Gospel of Mark. The novel has blazed a trail across progressive Christian blogs, and has received coverage in both Newsweek and Publishers Weekly Religion BookLine. The author will discuss his edgy, more-than-slightly-subversive graphic retelling of the gospel story during a forum at Trinity Cathedral on Sun 1/8 at 10:10AM. Marked fans can get their books signed after the forum, and again after the 11:15AM service. Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue. www.TrinityCleveland.org. http://www.MarkedGraphicNovel.com.

Trash and Glam Night Rock out to the sounds of trashy, denim-flavored Rock with the Downtown Daggers; the amazing vocals of Glam band, Vanity Crash; then join the new glam revival with the newcomers, Voluptuous Panic, on Sun 1/8 at 9PM. Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Heights Boulevard, Cleveland Heights. www.GrogShop.gs.

Convention & Facilities Authority public meeting Before you whine about the planned convention center, you should plan to attend one (or more) of the public meetings. You can even speak during the public Q&A. The next one is scheduled for Tues 1/10 at 9:30AM at the (old) Cleveland Convention Center, 500 Lakeside Avenue, Room 210. http://www.ConventionCleveland.com

CC KIDS Vintage Map Show Remember your old elementary school classroom and the great big maps that used to roll up like window shades? This show features some vintage maps, literary heritage maps, and other teaching tools from the 50s and 60s. The treasured maps will be on display Tue 1/10 through Mon 1/30, and available for purchase. Annex Gallery, Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Boulevard, Shaker Heights.

Impact of China’s Growth on Ohio’s economy will be the topic for discussion during the China Rising: Implications for Ohio and the World event on Tue 1/10 from 6-8PM. Robert Lees, a Native Ohioan who has parlayed his company into one of the largest business consulting firms in China, will highlight the challenge China brings to the global economy, and how American companies can respond successfully. Sample hors d’oeuvres, order a cocktail, and meet the speaker after the lecture. Call 781-3730 x106, or visit http://www.ccwa.org for more info. Wyndham at Playhouse Square, 1260 Euclid Avenue.

Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times: Stories from World War II shares the tales of unlikely heroes, both on the warfront, and at home. Watch the powerful stories of lives irreversibly altered by world war, during a no-cost performance on Wed 1/11 at 12PM at the Norwalk Library, 46 West Main Street, Norwalk. The program repeats on 1/15 at 2PM at the North Ridgeville Library at 35700 Bainbridge Road, North Ridgeville. Call 440-327-8326 for more info. www.EdenValleyEnterprises.org.

Sewn and Un-Sewn The Textile Art Alliance (TAA) of the Cleveland Museum of Art will present a show entitled Sewn and Un-Sewn, on Wed 1/11 at 1:30PM. The show features Canton artist Clare Murray, whose work includes collage, encaustic, paint, or found object construction, often centering issues affecting women. Murray will highlight her two-year study of constructing and deconstructing fiber work during a lecture and slide presentation. North Chagrin Nature Center, 3037 SOM Center Road, Mayfield Heights.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland People
Shelley Underwood of Johnny Mango World Café

When co-owners Shelley Underwood and Gary Richmond opened their sassy dining digs in a historic Ohio City building, neither one could have anticipated the degree to which their success would climb. Not only have they opened a second location in the historic Willoughby town center, they’ve joined a short list of locally owned and operated restaurants (Great Lakes Brewing Company and Winking Lizard come to mind) as inimitable dining choices for the locals and visitors alike. They’ve also joined Great Lakes in being a completely smoke-free venue.

Underwood took time out from her behind-the-bar tending and a frenetic to-do list to speak to Cool Cleveland. We touched on a bevy of topics—from being a small business owner and the challenges of Cleveland as a food town, to moving Mr. Mango’s tastes into your local grocery someday and taking the restaurant smoke-free long before Summit County even considered such a thing.

You’re going to celebrate a decade of Johnny Mango next year. How was the plan for the restaurant hatched?

My current partner and I were hired to help open another guy’s restaurant, called the Cellar Stock. It was one of those lunchtime business places in an office building with 25 floors. We did catering, bagels, coffee and newspapers in the morning. There were two [locations], and this guy wanted us to open a third one with a full-service restaurant attached to it. Once we started working together and realized we got along a lot better with each other than we did with our boss… (laughs) well, we decided to open our own place instead.

So, I’ve been dying to ask: who is “Johnny Mango” the cat anyway?

I wish I had a better and more exciting story. My partner had the name a long time before we actually opened. It’s just like naming a baby, I guess. I suppose I could come up with a better story. My partner is this crazy guy who likes to grab a backpack, jump on an airplane, go to warm climates and eat as many street vendor recipes as he can. Maybe our street food guy is Johnny Mango…
Read the interview by Peter Chakerian here

Cool Cleveland Sounds
The Mean Days
Brent Kirby & the Flashing 12’s

Ask Brent Kirby which musical watershed changed his life, he’ll tell you it was Springsteen’s Nebraska. It’s the album that pulled in his tired, huddled mass longing to be free after working long, blue-collar hours at a lean-into-it job. Like many singer-songwriters, it’s the album that eventually decided Kirby’s musical career for him.

Your first spin of The Mean Days may recall Springsteen—though probably more in the Darkness on the Edge of Town vein, with a driving, Replacements-like edge. These 10 tracks epitomize catchy, charismatic rock and roll with fabulous hooks, energetic grooves and a top-down approach to heartfelt songwriting. Kirby’s blue-collar Midwestern roots recall Petty’s Heartbreakers at some points, the jangly Gin Blossoms and Wallflowers at others… and the world-weary Springsteen at all points in-between.

Kirby’s strength is clearly drawing emotions out of a listener. His melodies are buoyant, with a raw-and-brash youthfulness. His voice is clear and resonant; his intelligent lyrics are a vehicle for every personal soundtrack.

“American Stars” is a standout single that would have easily topped the charts for the Boss back in the Born in the U.S.A. days. Kirby sings about the dreams and days that make us what we are to become. You can’t help but tap those feet. It’s the engaging, compelling stuff of rock music.

Love is central to Kirby’s lyrics. Love lost, love found, love for the world around him… It all takes center stage on tunes like “Torn Hearts… Broken Bones” and “Meant to Be,” which exemplify gritty, postcard balladry. All that’s missing is the stamp. In contrast, the rootsy “Breaking My Heart” and “The Mean Days” are pure barroom anthems with different angles on life and love. “Crescent Beach” even teeters into Who territory.

The term Americana gets slapped on a lot of music these days, but there’s little doubt that Kirby’s The Mean Days actually deserves such a title… and not for style, but for substance. I wish I had written this record and I bet there are some others in this town who feel similarly. We should all love and acknowledge our Midwestern roots the way Kirby does.

He celebrates them all with sense and sensibility… and somewhere in Cuyahoga County, Michael Stanley is beyond envious.

Brent Kirby & the Flashing 12’s perform Fri 1/13 at 10PM at Around the Corner in Lakewood, 18616 Detroit Ave. This will be a full-band electric performance.

For a more acoustic Nebraska-like take on Kirby, check out his monthly “Songwriter in the Round” gig on Wed 1/26 at 8:30PM at The Town Fryer, 3859 Superior Ave, Cleveland. This month features Kirby along with songwriters Jay Patrick Bolan, Jimmy McGuire and Jake Johns! Best of all, the Town Fryer gig is a NO COST event! Read about both shows at http://www.BrentKirby.com

From Cool Cleveland correspondent 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

Hey Writers! Wanna write about Cleveland music? We’ve got a slew of recently-released CDs and DVDs by Cleveland-area musicians that could use your critical commentary for Cool Cleveland Sounds. If you’re interested, send us a note at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On Ed Balcerzak’s Cool Cleveland Commentary [See Shifting from self-centered to community-centered here] Hooray ..! Ed Balcerzak, Cool Cleveland Commentary. Someone once said..”To gauge the values and morals of our society, look at our advertising”. How true it is. If we always get what we want, when we want it and how we want it, (e.g. or fast food, Single, Double or Triple….) one reason we are getting a fatter, as is the fast food bank account. Where is the room for humility, flexibility, what’s wrong with just going with the flow, on what life has to offer?
from Cool Cleveland reader Sabine B. Bellgardt sbellgardtATmarousbrothers.com

Ed Balcerzak’s commentary was excellent and I couldn’t agree more with what he is saying. I have lived most of my life in the Cleveland area and grew up in Parma during the 1950s and 1960s. I have also had the opportunity to live in other parts of the country and what he is saying could also apply across the country. There was a time during the Great Depression and world war 2 when there was a community spirit across the nation and in northeast Ohio…
Read the letter here

On Ohio’s marriage ban A response to Jay Yoo [Yr Turn 12/28 here] Of course the marriage ban has to go (and be replaced with civil union legislation), but to deride it because “the context around which this amendment was proposed and finally enacted is a religious one” is short-sighted. We owe much of the support for abolition and suffrage to the last great American religious revival. Many evangelicals in this country are in a fever of exploration and renewal utterly lacking in the traditional left. Progressives should be identifying values we do share with this new and growing army. In ten years a few influential ministers telling the right story could lead half the evangelicals in America to boycott sweatshops and demand cheap solar; stranger things have happened.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mati Senerchia senerchia@sbcglobal.net

On Cool Cleveland First of all your e-zine is great. I’m glad I got on the email list this year. CC really picks up on what’s happening and presents relevant regional issues. I especially like the CC Kids since I have three children; I enjoy showing them what an interesting, diverse city we live in. Speaking of CC Kids. I saw the Pilgrim United Church of Christ’s The Return of the Light: A Winter Solstice Celebration on your site. Let me tell you that evening was a treasured part of my and my daughters Christmas 2005. We also brought an Orthodox friend from Romania and she enjoyed the evening as well. I had never been inside Pilgrim. It’s a beautiful old, stained-glass church on West 14th in Tremont. It was so easy to get there, too from 71-North. It was obvious upon walking in that much good is going on there. Members greeted us with smiles and welcomed us. The velvet lined church pews were amazingly comfortable. The service was awesome. (We got there about a half-hour early and watched the junior-high kids learning to manage the four giant puppets representing the East, South, West, and North.) The Oikos Jazz Sextet playing traditional Christmas songs like Sussex Carol “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” was enchanting. The Oberlin College Women’s vocal group, Nothing but Treble, did a triumphant version of “Angel from Montgomery” et al. The other readings. stories, and singing were glorious to witness. A whimsical rendition of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” as an allegory for our existence free-released this event into a truly transcendent experience. Then there were candles and a blessing. It was pretty easy to feel in touch with ancestors, the Spirit of Christmas, and hope for the Return of the Light in the hour and a half service. I would recommend it to anyone with an inclination for the history and the continued reason for the season. So thank you Cool Cleveland for letting me know about such an awesome event. It wasn’t listed anywhere in the PD or Free Times, etc. So I am grateful to you for combining the secular, religious, rocking/ jazzy, artsy/fartsy, tres chic vibe of Cleveland, Ohio in such an easy to access format.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mary Lavelle WateryogaladyATaol.com

This is really a great newsletter. I’ve already picked up several new activities from your news. Keep up the great work. Cleveland needs you.
from Cool Cleveland reader Dan Rose billymax60ATaol.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

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

1) Cool Cleveland Commentary Shifting from self-centered to community-centered.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) University Circle reboots UCI may be on its way to self-actualization.
www.Cleveland.com

3) Koyono gets Apple logo Designed for laptops, mobile phones and PDAs—Oh my!
http://www.koyono.com

4) RoldoLINK Ione Biggs, A Quiet But Determined Voice For Peace.
www.CoolCleveland.com

5) Live at the Pointe The Pointe at Gateway offers affordable 1 and 2 bedroom condominiums that place you at the center of a lively, bustling neighborhood.
http://www.ProgressiveUrban.com

Credit where credit is due Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth and everyone who partners with us get a big thanks and best wishes for the upcoming year. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com. Click on the Cool Cleveland Blog here. Read the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine here. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.

Are you helping to build a bridge?

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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