Ingenuity Karma
In this week’s issue:
* Instant Karma: The Ingeniuty Festival Looking back, looking ahead
* Off The Hook! Cool Cleveland Urban Hop 9/16, get $17.50 tix by midnight Thu 9/8 here
* Cool Cleveland Preview Sparx Gallery Hop on 9/16
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here
This week, humbly, we catch our breath and inhale the incredible outpouring of commentary and photography generated by the Cleveland community in response to last weekend’s Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology. The question I got all weekend long was, “Everything about Ingenuity was so well planned… but how did you arrange for this great weather?” I respond, only half facetiously, that when you put good karma out, you get good karma back. Or, more accurately, we’ll get exactly what we expect from our community. With Ingenuity, James Levin and I expected a lot, and we received even more. And like all art and technology, it’s not over when it’s over… not by a long shot. The effects of last weekend will be felt for a long time to come. And the responses have already begun. In our special Ingenuity coverage below, read the comments on Cleveland-area blogs and discussion groups, view the hundreds of pix uploaded by Ingenuity attendees, and even add your own thoughts. Many are collected below. Read the letters to Cool Cleveland about Ingenuity, the convention center, fighting back and building Cleveland, in Yr Turn below. Check out the first wave of fall art openings this weekend at some of Cleveland best galleries, like 1300, Asterisk, Murray Hill Schoolhouse, HeightsArts and Hodge School, listed under Cool Cleveland This Week below. And gear up for next week’s Sparx Gallery Hop by securing your tix to Cool Cleveland’s party on 9/16, which promises to be Off The Hook. –Thomas Mulready
Instant Karma: The Ingenuity Festival
The Ingenuity Festival kicked things off in raucous fashion Thursday night with a street party to die for. While Mayor Jane Campbell, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones and thousands of other engaged Clevelanders looked on, the streets of Downtown were transformed into an art-tech circus featuring a colorful Public Square performance, a high-powered concert and an unbelievable fireworks display in the heart of our city. Robin VanLear, known for organizing the annual Parade The Circle effort with the Cleveland Museum of Art and University Circle, Inc., organized over 400 artists who converged on Clevelands Public Square. Eight streams of artists, each wearing a different color, each led by a different Cleveland dance company, weaved through Public Square creating a Traffic Jam, accompanied by a soundtrack by Cleveland Arts Prize winner Greg deAlessio and Paul Cox, that was broadcast live on WCLV 104.9 FM.Friday night, according to world renowned playwright and theatre critique Linda Eisenstein, featured “DancEverts collaboration with NASA engineers on Confluence in the BP Atrium, where dancers showed the effects of moving under higher and higher wind turbulence. Impossible not to think of the hurricane and its aftermath – a prophetic piece. First moving under gently blowing fans, the dancers blue capes rippling then the 2 NASA guys came in with sinister looking leafblowers that looked like laser cannons and sounded like chainsaws. Scarves and a blue feather boa shot into the air, the feathers of the boa exploding off and falling through the space like a bird shredded before our eyes…” Eisenstein is also a Cool Cleveland correspondent, and her own work was featured during the Opera In The Alley at Ingenuity on Saturday 9/3.
Peter Chakerian was in awe of Hernando Cortez and the Verb Ballets performance Friday night at the McCrory Art/Tech Expo. Seeing, Hearing, Sleeping premiered as an “unreal, ethereal dreamscape”, set to the throbbing techno beats of DJ Sasha and John Digweed. Verbs dancers were costumed in a way that made their identities absent from intimacy a real metaphor for how technology can make society feel sometimes and in constant collision with momentum to use technological means for connection and resolution. It was a fantastic slice of the future that Verb should definitely repeat…”
Read Instant Karma: The Ingenuity Festival
Ingenuity test flight a success Thanks to the community, corporate backers, and support from the arts and tech community, the Ingenuity Arts and Technology Festival was deemed a huge success. Over a four-day period an extremely diverse crowd numbering in excess of 70,000 experienced an eye-popping opening ceremony replete with low-riders, bikers, performance artists and dance troupes; one of the best fireworks shows this town has ever seen; crowd enthralling musical and dance performances and a host of exciting art and technology exhibits. Cleveland has cast their vote and plans for next years festival are already in the works. Read the story here. Share your favorite Ingenuity stories at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Share your Ingenuity photos online Tens of thousands of people attended Cleveland’s first festival of art and technology – many of them taking pictures with digital cameras. Some of them are using a free service provided by Yahoo! to collect pictures of the festival to share them with others. As of early this week, we’ve already got 250 images of Ingenuity up online. Did you take pictures of this year’s Ingenuity Fesitval? Please upload ’em then share ’em at http://www.flickr.com/groups/ingenuitycleveland/pool. Your pics may be included in promotions for next year’s fest and at the same time show the world the cool stuff that took place here this weekend! The best way to view them is to use the link above, then click “View as slideshow” in the upper right corner.
Emissions from the blogsphere
The Ingenuity Festival Edition
Online response to last weekend’s Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology started early and came fast and furious. The North Coast Hermit explains his knee-jerk reaction to all the press, then delivers the good and bad. Norm Roulet bypassed the public Ingenuity Cleveland Flickr group, setting up a Drupal Image Gallery at REALNEO. Lou Muenz can’t get a straight answer from fest staff, shoots some poets, and quips “there are only so many bubble machines, stilt walkers and face painting photos that I care to take“. Scott Radke posts pictures of MorrisonDance to his Live Journal page. Jack Ricchiuto wonders what collaborations will take place between this festival and the next. The Full Cleveland blog mentions the festival while wondering about NEO’s competitive advantage. Tim Russo calls it “a kinder, gentler version of the old Riverfest combined with the Tremont Art Walk”. Many of the artists in the Festival, as well as their friends who watched them perform, have their own discussion board @ http://www.ExperimentalBehavior.com. Start by reading their overwhelmingly positive comments in the thread I Was There. Add some comments of your own if you’re a member, then head on over to the other discussion, where they’re talking about the festival’s impact and suggestions for next year. Meanwhile, on the Cool Cleveland blog, Peter Chakerian hits all four days worth of Ingenuity in a frenzied blur. He praises Clevelands human infrastructure for coming together to make Ingenuity happen and ponders why developers need to recreate downtowns outside of the city. Between swoons on Clevelands venues and architecture, he also reels in the news that second helpings of two new Cleveland gems both Ingenuity AND the CMJ Rock Hall MusicFest are queued up for next year! Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, then add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Ingenuity Bash photos Wanna see a preview of what’s to come @ the upcoming Urban Hop party? Check out party pics of last week’s fun at the Cool Cleveland Ingenuity Bash!
Off The Hook!Sparx up your weekend and ignites your Friday night on Fri 9/16 with entertainment at Ohio’s biggest art party held at Exhibit Builders at 1526 W. 25th Street. Meet your friends after work and plug into the hot action of a Cool Cleveland party in one of Cleveland’s coolest neighborhoods – Ohio City. In addition to one heck of a fiesta, your CC admission gets you a comp ticket for any of the Sparx in the City Gallery Hop trolleys running back and forth all night long to over 100 galleries ($5 value)! Then jump on the included Cool Cleveland bus – which will take off from Church Street – and tour some of the neighborhood’s newest residential projects at Progressive Urban Real Estate’s Townhomes of Ohio City on W. 32nd Street and Stonebridge on the West side of the Flats. What tour would be complete without wine and cheese compliments of PURE? Pick up your $17.50 tix by midnight Thu 9/8 here Haven’t had enough? How’s an after party @ MODA sound? But wait theres more:
* Belly dancers from Troupe Shabaana
* Hookah Pipes from Kan Zaman
* A totally open bar compliments of Great Lakes Brewing Company, ABC Tavern and The Garage
* Hot, Delicious Soups from the Souper Market
* Incredibly Tasty Desserts from The Harp
* Succulent Peanut Glazed Chicken Kabobs from The Old Angle Tavern
* Citris Glazed Meatballs and Stuffed Grape Leaves from OPA!
* Mouth Watering Sausage Delicacies and Dessert Pastries from Massimo da Milano
* Live music from Cleveland’s own Rainy Day Saints in the secret studio
* Wine and cheese tour from Progressive Urban Real Estate
* Complimentary dance lessons (Bachata, Merengue and Salsa) at MODA from 8-9PM followed by the world-reknowned Sammy De Leon y Su Orquesta
Pick up your $17.50 tix by midnight Thu 9/8 here
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Minutes from Downtown, Ohio City and Edgewater Bridge Square Phase III is the latest new housing to pop up near the Detroit Shoreway. These spacious townhomes start at $189,900 and feature eye-catching exterior design, 1,840-1,960 square feet, 2-3 bedrooms, 1-2 car garages, bonus rooms, 1.5-2.5 baths, open floor plans, generous finish allowances, optional additional bath on the 1st floor, a great location in the heart of a revitalized neighborhood, special financing and tax abatement. Are you interested in other exciting urban living options? Make sure to stop by Citi-Rama, Sept. 10-18, a showcase of homes in the East Blvd. neighborhood, near University Circle and Rockefeller Park. PURE will market a home constructed by Civic Builders; more information on the show is available at www.hbacleveland.com. For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend please visit www.progressiveurban.com.
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Cleveland scores Ohio Classic The Ohio Classic, an annual football game between two historically black colleges (HBCs) will now call Cleveland its permanent home. The event made its debut here in 2003, after a scheduling snafu in its scheduled city, Cincinnati. After rotating between the two cities the last couple of years, organizers have now decided that Cleveland has the most to offer – more African Americans within driving distance, a larger consumer market and greater sponsor appeal. Estimates for this years game on Sat 9/17 at Cleveland Browns Stadium and the accompanying events are 70,000 attendees with $50 million plus being pumped into our regional economy. Read the story here. See a full listing of events and sponsorship opportunities at http://www.OhioClassic.com.
Name that Center Rocky River mayoral candidate Fred Sokol may be starting off on the wrong foot. He wants to sell naming rights for the city’s recreation center in order to recoup the $8 million the city expects to spend on augmenting said indoor recreation facility. The problem is the center already has a name; it is named for the late Mayor Don Umerley. There is already open opposition to Sokols plan, which many consider a snub against an esteemed former mayor. Read the story here. Tell us what you think of Sokol’s plan at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Mayor, Rep eye rail Brandon Glenn of Crain’s Cleveland Business thinks the plans for a high-speed passenger rail system connecting Cleveland to Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Toronto have about as much of a chance of happening as the Steelers beating the Browns this year. Considering Pittsburgh was 15-1 last year, while the Browns were a pathetic 4-12, hopes that the proposal from Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell and U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette will come to fruition are about as bleak as a Browns Super Bowl victory. Too bad. With gas climbing over $3 a gallon here (in the South, it’s $6), it would be a boon for traveling in the region. Read more here.
Forest City resubmits Convention Center plan Just when you thought the players and stage were all set, a retired player returns. Forest City Enterprises is throwing their hat back into the ring, making a convention center behind Tower City a very real possibility, again. The company renewed its interest in the plan after being approached by Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan. A convention site behind Tower city would cost more than $150 million less than current estimates to rehabilitate the current site on Mall C. Read the article in Crains here then send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Helping Katrina victims We are all devastated by the images of what is happening to the people of New Orleans, Mississippi and other regions affected by Hurricane Katrina. Many of us have friends and family whose pain is too great to express, leaving us feeling helpless. Our local community, including several Cleveland organizations and businesses has stepped up quickly to begin getting practical help to these victims. Read the PD story about how Cleveland has mobilized in its efforts to help hurricane victims here. If you would like to help; here are a few places to start. Read KatrinaRelief-Cleveland.org and BrewedFreshDaily.com. Send your comments to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
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Check out Ohio’s Largest Art Walk! Save the weekend date of Fri 9/16 Sun 9/18 for The Sparx Gallery Hop and see why Clevelands art scene is hoppin. Theres no admission charge for over 100 gallery, studio, and institution exhibits along with six major art festivals all on one weekend. Buy your $5 trolley passes here, and get chauffeured through each day’s featured neighborhoods. On Friday, start at the Cool Cleveland Party or park at MOCA and shuttle into the Gateway, Ohio City, and Theater District scenes. On Saturday, park at the Art Jam Festival in the Quadrangle, and ride the trolleys to the Tremont Arts & Cultural Festival and Playhouse Square’s Centerfest, where dozens of galleries and studios are nearby. On Sunday, try your own hand at drawing on the plaza at the Museum of Art’s Chalk Fest, then wander through Cleveland’s oldest art colony in Murray Hill. Every venue will have a trolley stop within walking distance, and kids under 14 ride at no charge!
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San Fran firm sees the light Fiberstars, a publicly held lighting company based outside of San Francisco, is packing up their expensive corporate headquarters in Cali and moving them to Solon, where they already have 25 employees based. The company projects that the move will save them about $2 million per year in overhead cost. They are also shifting their focus from fiberoptic lighting for pools and spas, an industry that is taking huge losses, to environmentally friendly lighting that can be used for widespread commercial use. Welcome to Cleveland. Read the article here. Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Cool Cleveland Kids Last week, 9-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready recommended taking your parent to Cleveland’s First Festival of Art and Technology on the Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast. What do you suppose it’ll be this week? A hint: see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week. Hear his short podcast here even if you don’t have special software. If you’re a whiz kid, you can download it to your iPod or your computer and listen with your own kid. Check below to for our recommendations for a fantastic family week. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids09.09.05.mp3
Becoming plastinates The extraordinary Body Worlds 2 exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center has had an unusual effect of 5 locals; theyve signed up to become plastinates themselves. Meet three of our neighbors who have taken their dedication to helping others where most of us would never dream. Read the story here. Would you ever consider becoming a plastinate? Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Downtown Kent gets Love Standing Rock Cultural Arts is sponsoring a mural project to enhance Downtown Kent. Crystal Birns, who has a long history of mural painting, will be directing the project; a painting by Kent artist Edwin George, An Enlargement of Love, will be featured on the mural. George was recently awarded the prestigious Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship for 2005. The mural will be painted on the north side of Steve Balazs building at 237 North Water Street in Kent and the community is invited to watch as the large scale painting takes shape from Fri 9/2 to Sun 9/11. Learn more at http://www.StandingRock.net.
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Get Whacked at Dave Gormans Googlewhack Adventure The hilarious hit show is coming to Playhouse Square Center, September 13-25. Winner of the HBO US Comedy Festival Jury Award and as seen on Leno, Letterman, The Today Show, and The Daily Show, British comedian Dave Gorman stakes his future and his career on an addictive internet word game called googlewhacking. For most, its a fun way to pass a few minutes . . . for Gorman, its the inspiration for a global odyssey to meet the worlds funniest and strangest people. Discover why its being hailed: Hilarious . . . intensity of Steve Martin, Delightful & surprisingly touching, An oddly brilliant creation, A sure-fire bet for your entertainment dollar. Visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com to hear and see more and to play the Googlewhack Challenge game.
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Is Cool Cleveland the one constant and enjoyable relationship in your life? Make friends and family feel guilty by giving them a cool, free gift that keeps giving, 52 weeks a year. Forward CC onto friends and family members today, or send them to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.
The engine behind Cleveland.com Ever wondered what keeps the wheels turning at Ohios largest website? ClevelandWomen.com gives us a clue in an in-depth feature on the engine behind Cleveland.com, President and CEO, Eliza Wing. Her experience working for magazines like Rolling Stone and New York Women coupled with several years of being a stay-athome mom have taught her a lot about whats important in the workplace. Read her profile here. Send your comments to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Abstract asset Have you ventured into the Algebra Teahouse in Little Italys Historical District? This culturally diverse establishment is a favorite among local artists. In addition to the 20 different types of tea one can choose fromwith varying flavors and aromas, ranging from pineapple to rose petalsthere is also the unique décor. Much of that interior design was crafted by Owner/Operator Ayman Alkayali. Sip beverages and sample tasty confections, culinary delights and yummy Mediterranean fare among hand-crafted abstract tables, dishes, mugs and a sheet metal ceiling that is a pure aesthetic joy. Visit this unique regional gem at 2136 Murray Hill Road.
Survey says The Plain Dealer’s Reader Advisory Board answered survey questions about our regions strengths and how we can build on them. What did they have to say? Read the story here, then tell us what you love about our region and what we need to fix. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Junior League refocusing The Junior League of Cleveland, Inc. (JLC), an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, the development of the potential of women, and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers, is collaborating with community leaders to develop a Signature Project that will benefit the Greater Cleveland Community. The JLC is working to develop a long-term project with broad community impact that will target needs not currently met by other programs. Have an idea for a community need? Contact The JLC at 231-6300 X 555 or visit their site at http://www.JLCleveland.org. Then send us a draft of your ideas at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
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Cleveland Institute of Music is the place to experience the energy of classical music! Explore your passion for music with hundreds of concerts, most presented free of charge, by CIMs talented students, acclaimed guest artists and unsurpassed faculty. Wed 9/21 at 8PM the CIM Orchestra takes the stage at Severance Hall under the direction of Carl Topilow featuring Antonio Pompa-Baldi, CIM faculty member and winner of the 1999 Cleveland International Piano Competition. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Call 216-231-1111. CIM is currently under construction, but were conducting great music as usual. For a free concert guide to the season and for up-to-date information on the expansion project call 216.791.5000 or visit www.cim.edu. Be inspired by the next generation of classical musicians.
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Cool Cleveland This Week
9.07-9.14
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
Strategies for Opening Difficult Doors teaches Owners, CEOs, Presidents and Sales & Marketing Execs how to implement strategies that will boost the effectiveness of their marketing efforts, enabling them to effectively engage decision-makers. This complimentary event on Thu 9/8 from 7:45-9AM can help your organization consistently generate high quality major account selling opportunities. Sign up here. NEOSA Office, Terminal Tower, Suite 200.
How secure is the title to your home? A panel discussion on Thu 9/8 from 4-6PM will examine this question in light of the June 23rd U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Kelo v. City of New London that allowed the acquisition of private property in New London, Connecticut and its transfer to a commercial developer in the interest of economical development. For more info and the distinguished list of panelists visit www.CSUOhio.edu or call 687-6886. Moot Court Room, Cleveland-Marshall College Law, Corner of 18th Street and Euclid Avenue.
Pressing On The School of Art Galleries at Kent State University presents Pressing On: Alumni artists Create Master Printshops, Tue 9/6 through Sat 10/1. The exhibit spotlights the achievements of graduates from Kent State University’s School of Art and its nationally recognized printmaking program while also featuring a wide selection of work from both regional and international artists. Featured printshops include Zygote Press in Cleveland and others from around the nation. Attend the Thu 9/8 panel discussion from 4:30-6PM or reception from 6-8PM. Collectors night is Fri 9/9 at 7PM. Call 330-672-7853 for info. www.Kent.Edu.
Capturing Color the latest work by artist, Lisa Hannaford, reflects her continued growth and the evolution of her work. The paintings in this exhibit were completed locally and during her travel to Canada. The colors are bright and the compositions purposely distorted in perspective and size, reflecting the sensations of warm summer light. Experience these pieces during the opening reception with the artist on Thu 9/8 from 6-9PM. Call 401-8920 or 440-247-2828 for info. La Cachette Gallery, 20 East Orange Street, Chagrin Falls. http://www.boartists.com.
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Thursday Nights are Chick Night @ Fat Fish Blue! We teamed up with 92.3 Xtreme Radio and SKYY Vodka to treat Chicks special with Special 92.3 cent Chick frozen fruit martinis, 92.3 cent Chick appetizers, Chick prizes & fun! Keep looking for the Fat Fish Blue Chick on the Street, handing out eggs with special giveaways for Chick Night at Fat Fish Blue! For more information contact (216) 875-6000 or www.fatfishblue.com.
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The Dark Room: Where New Work Develops Take part in an exciting evening of music, theater and poetry on Thu 9/8 at 8PM. Playwrights, poets, performers, and musicians can come at 7:15PM and sign up to perform a 10-minute piece. Artists can perform themselves, bring their own troupe or bring enough copies for the required number of actors plus the stage manager and actors will be recruited from the audience. This ongoing project happens the second Thursday of each month so bring your project and see what develops. Old Parish Hall, Cleveland Public Theatre Campus, 6203 Detroit Avenue http://m.d.sep.home.att.net/drkroomflyer2.pdf.
Nightowls of Coventry Filmmaker Laura Paglin and the cast and crew of her groundbreaking film, Nightowls of Coventry, will be in attendance for opening night on Fri 9/9. The film examines the rising clash between the owner of an old neighborhood deli in 1973 and the straight-laced neighborhood do-gooders who oppose his efforts to cater to a new generation of clientele. Will changing times and a clash of cultures lead to desperate measures? Call 440-564-2030 or visit http://www.clevelandcinemas.com for showtimes. Cedar Lee Theatre, 2163 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. http://www.NightowlsOfCoventry.com/.
CC KIDS The Journey Mind, Body & Soul Expo on Fri 9/9 from 3-8:30PM, Sat 9/10 from 10AM-8:30PM and Sun 9/11 from 10AM-6PM will feature over 100 vendors and practitioners. Explore yoga, reiki, massage, reflexology, holistic health, feng shui, socially responsible investing and much more. For more information on the expo, or to register for a workshop, visit http://www.TheJourneyMag.com or call 440-223-1392. Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.
Speechless, an exhibition of artist Douglas Max Utters paintings, center around silence. The circumstances his works attempt to recreate are beyond words. Experience the power of silence thru these works at the opening reception Fri 9/9 from 6-9PM and through Sat 10/15. e. gordon gallery, The Murray Hill Schoolhouse, 2026 Murray Hill Road, Lower Level. Call 795-0971 or visit http://www.egordongallery.com for more info.
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The Next Big Thing In Northeast Ohio Idea Center at Playhouse Square Young Professionals be our guest on Thur 9/15 from 5:30PM to 7:30PM. Be among the first to view Idea Center at 1375 Euclid Avenue, the new broadcast home and headquarters for WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN ideastream, and the new location for the Playhouse Square Arts Education programs. Idea Center adds momentum to the revitalization of Clevelands downtown. It provides Northeast Ohio citizens with facilities and programming to enhance their lives through arts, technology, education and ideas. Be a part of an Interactive tour and exciting raffles. Complimentary beverages (beer and wine) and hors doeuvres. Spaces limited! RSVP by Fri 9/9 to (216) 739-3816 or egisel@ideastream.org. To view the invitation click here.
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Asterisk Gallery Show The opening reception for this new exhibit will be an eclectic celebration that showcases multiple forms of self-expression and will benefit the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. The opening reception on Fri 9/9 from 6PM-12AM will include beverages and foods from local vendors, Living Statue performances by Mary Farragher, Xela, Square and Star of Seven Sisters. Admission is a donation of $8.00 or more, all of which will benefit the CRCC. Call 440-582-8586 for info. The show runs through Fri 9/30. Asterisk Gallery, 2393 Professor Avenue, Tremont.
I Bet You Think These Drawings Are About You is the first Derek Hess Cleveland show in over five years. The show will feature over 50 original mixed media drawings which underscore the artists latest direction, a departure from the prints and posters that have made him the single most recognizable artist in Cleveland and one of the most popular artists in the country. His new work explores abandonment, depression, despair, loss, and death. The opening reception is on Fri 9/9 from 7-10PM and the show runs through Sun 9/25. Call 281-4868 for info. 1300 Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street. http://www.13hundred.com http://www.DerekHess.com.
Damion Silver: Old Friends & New Works features a collection of vibrant & gritty works influenced by street & skate culture. His whimsical and dark characters duel for co-existence across his multi dimensional canvases. Works on display will include paintings, both traditional and custom cut, illustrations, etched glass, limited edition t-shirts, and handmade plush toys by the Philadelphia artist and designer. The opening reception is Fri 9/9 from 7-10PM and the exhibition runs through Sat 11/5. Email Info@AssembleGallery.com for info. Assemble Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street. http://www.AssembleGallery.com.
Pterodactyls A hypochondriac with memory problems and an orphaned fiancée raised by nuns. A wealthy, alcoholic socialite and a cheating husband. Throw in a whopping dose of sexual identity crisis, some rough-and-tumble couplings, a fixation with dinosaurs and a gunshot or two, and what do you have? No, not a Jerry Springer episode. It is Nicky Silvers new work which chronicles the demise of the Duncan family. Performances begin on Fri 9/9 at 8PM running through Sat 10/8. Call 687-0074 for ticket info. Liminis, 2438 Scranton Road, Tremont. http://www.Convergence-Continuum.org.
WCLVnotes This Fri 9/9 from 7AM to 7PM, WCLV 104.9 will be presenting its Red Cross Celebrate Life Fall Fest Blood Drive in cooperation with the Cleveland Clinic Health System East. It will take place at the Corporate College East facility on Richmond Road. The donors for WCLVs Celebrate Life Blood Drives will enjoy live music and a spread of great food from Sammy’s throughout the day. In addition, all donors get a WCLV goody bag. Also, WCLV air personalities will be broadcasting live throughout the day. It’s not only a great social event, but during this acute shortage of blood, your pint of blood has the potential of helping three people. Give the gift of life. To register, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. Go to www.WCLV.com for more information. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.
CC KIDS Art in the Park will be held Sat 9/10 from 10AM-6PM and Sun 9/11 12-6PM. This unique event offers opportunities for enrichment and exploration of the arts. More than 50 artists and artisans will showcase and sell their work in a variety of media. There will be glassblowing demonstrations and a variety of “hands-on” art experiences offered to children at no cost. Guest musicians will provide fine music during this two day celebration that is as educational as it is fun with something to offer for everyone. Fred Fuller Park, 497 Middlebury Road, Kent. http://KentOhio.net/events/#art.
CC KIDS Tour the Grounds! Dig the Sounds! Celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Rockefeller Greenhouse, an enduring regional gem, by taking in the cool sounds of jazz in this beautiful space. The event is a no cost concert promoting local jazz talent and giving concert goers an opportunity to tour this remarkable facility. The Sat 9/10 concert at 1PM will feature the Bobby Selvaggio Quartet. Call 664-3103 for info. Rockefeller Greenhouse, 750 East 88th Street, off MLK Drive.
CC KIDS Joseph C. Motto Tour Join the Cleveland Artists Foundation for a Lolly the Trolley tour of the artists ecclesiastical commissions here in Cleveland on Sat 9/10 from 2-5PM. The tour will be held in conjunction with CAFs current exhibit Joseph C. Motto: A Jazz Age Journey from Cleveland to Florence, which features more than 60 of Mottos smaller scale 3-D works and prints of his larger works. Our Lady of Peace, Holy Rosary and St. Rose of Lima Church are on the itinerary, along with Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. The tour will be narrated by Richard Karberg, the exhibits curator and Emeritus Professor of Art at CCC. Call 227-9484 for pricing and reservations. CAF Gallery, 17801 Detroit Ave www.ClevelandArtists.org
Beautiful East Experience fine art and entertainment in the new East Village, Clevelands near east side district, to benefit Cleveland AIDS charities. Start off with a lawn event on Sat 9/10 at 6PM featuring an auction of fine art, furniture and vintage items, a seafood boil, tasty eats, refreshing drinks and groovy music. At dusk venture inside for an evening runway show finale featuring the clothing designs of Genevieve and other couture and urban women and menswear designers. A DJ will keep the party going until dawn. Call 426-1352 for info. Hodge/Live/Work Gallery, 1075 East 74th Street, Suite 112.
Heaven is a Place Where Nothing Ever Happens: Julie Langsam & Charlotte Becket is the latest exhibit at the HeightsArts Gallery. The two artists look back on 20th century modernism with a 21st century perspective. Langsams paintings set minimalist sculptures against the romantic landscape. Beckets work recycles the credo of form follows function, unleashing the frenetic energy often harnessed by traditional modernist style. Take your first peak at this exciting exhibition during the opening reception on Sat 9/10 from 6-9PM. The show runs through Sun 10/30. Call 371-3344. HeightsArts, 2173 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. http://www.HeightsArts.org/.
Wired! is the grand opening celebration of Idea Center, the new and first-anywhere physical integration of public TV and radio stations: WVIZ television and WCPN radio. The Wired! event kicks off an exciting week in the Playhouse Square Theater District on Sat 9/10 at 6PM. The evening will be filled with festivities, entertainment, dining and dancing. In addition to a performance by TV star Bebe Neuwirth, Wired! guests will walk the red carpet, as they arrive for their exclusive first look at the new state-of-the-art education and broadcast facility, developed with the support of WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN, ideastream and the Playhouse Square Foundation. For more information or to order tickets call 241-6000, or visit http://ideacenter.wviz.org/.
Myers School of Art Faculty Showcase Browse ceramics, paintings, prints, sculpture and photography created by faculty members during this annual exhibition running Mon 9/12 to Fri 9/30. The exhibition is open and without cost to the public, as is the closing reception for on Thu 9/29 from 4:30-6PM in the Gallery Atrium. Call 330-972-5951 for gallery hours and info. University of Akron, Myers School of Art, Emily Davis Gallery, 150 East Exchange Street, Akron.
Cleveland Area Chamber of Commerce Members can enjoy an evening of networking on Mon 9/12 from 6-8PM. The no cost event is being sponsored by the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Aurora, Cuyahoga Valley, Euclid, Lakewood, Middleburg Heights, North Ridgeville, Rocky River, Streetsboro, and Twinsburg Chambers of Commerce. For info, tickets or to RSVP call 831-0003 or email mailto:mail@beachwood.org. Cambridge Room, HOB, 308 Euclid Avenue.
Mayoral Candidate Forum Sponsored by Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope (NOAH), this forum will focus on the skyrocketing foreclosure rate in our region. Join NOAH on Mon 9/12 from 7-9PM in asking candidates Mayor Jane Campbell, Frank Jackson, Robert Triozzi, James A. Draper and Michael Nelson tough questions about predatory lending and the resulting inner city decay. An intercongregational gospel choir will open the event. Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2020 East 79th Street. http://www.NortheastOhioAllianceForHope.org.
Dave Gormans Googlewhack! Adventure makes its debut in Cleveland on Tue 9/13 at 7:30PM and runs through Sun 9/25. This hysterical story of one man, a search engine and some of the strangest people in the world has caught the world by storm, as has his book, of the same name. Call 241-6000 or visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com for tickets. Hanna Theatre, 2067 East 14th Street.
CC KIDS Stomp This explosive, provocative, fun and truly unique experience is the cure for the common show. If youve never seen this show you will be amazed at the ingenuity and agility of the cast as they play garbage cans, matchboxes, brooms, lighters and just about every other common object as if they were well-tuned musical instruments. If you havent seen this sensational show in awhile, it is definitely worth seeing again and again. Bring a friend who needs a great show, a lot of laughs and a creative injection. The show lands at Playhouse Square on Tue 9/13 at 7:30PM and runs through Sun 9/18. Check www.PlayhouseSquare.com for times and price info. Allen Theatre, 1407 Euclid Avenue.
Wednesdays at the Butler John Norquist will present his ideas on urban design and development on Wed 9/14 at 7PM. Drawing from his experience as Mayor of Milwaukee and observations from around the world Norquist builds the case for the enduring value of the urban form and for the Congress for the New Urbanism as a powerful force working to revitalize cities and towns and make mixed-use, walkable communities successful in todays marketplace. RSVP to 330-941-3355, or email emailresponse1@hotmail.com. The Butler Institute for American Art, 524 Wick Ave, Youngstown.
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
Cool Cleveland Preview
Sparx Gallery Hop 9/16-18
Launched in early 2003, Sparx in the City had nothing at all to do with the Carrie Bradshaws of our Greater Cleveland area. But once word of mouth got around about the street-level arts/culture event, well, sparks began to fly even those Carries and their friends stood up and took notice. Sparx became an it thing to do in Clevelanddrawing diverse and perceptive audiences to its showcases.
Now in its third year as an artist-led endeavor, Sparx in the City features an annual Gallery Hop event that showcases eight different arts districts in Cleveland and an ongoing street performer program called Street Beats.
Over 100 different galleries, studios and arts are participating in this years annual Sparx Gallery Hop, on Fri 9/16, Sat 9/17 and Sun 9/18. This year’s event will take place over three days to better spotlight these 100 locations throughout Ohio City, Tremont, Gateway, the Warehouse District, Theater District, Quadrangle area, University Circle and Little Italy. Click here to see a list of all of the destinations, as well as festival highlights.
Stop by the Cool Cleveland party, Off The Hook, on Fri 9/16, on West 25th Street, which is a featured event of the Sparx Gallery Hop. In addition to the open bar, a wide selection of complimentary hors d’oeuvres and music by Rainy Day Saints, all CC party attendees will receive a Sparx trolley ticket ($5 value) so you can join the Gallery Hop festivities. Get your discount tix here.
And whatever you do, dont forget Sparx in the Citys Street Beats. The music, dance and performance art series has taken place this summer on three very busy intersections downtown ClevelandW. 6th & St. Clair, Public Square at Tower City, E. 4th Street at Euclid Aveas well as the Star Plaza/Playhouse Square Theater District, and some outdoor cafes in Ohio City and Tremont. Street Beats winds up with a final weekend run through Sat 9/17. Selected performers offer progressive, compelling and vibrant artistic offerings to those passing by, delivering their art to new audiences.
If you were fired up by Ingenuity, keep the buzz going next weekend by engaging in the Sparx events! http://www.cleveland.com/sparx/urban.html
from Cool Cleveland correspondent Peter Chakerian
Yr Turn
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On the Ingenuity Festival Had a great time tonight… so proud of you!! “Ingenuity” is brilliant, we’re so lucky to have you in Cleveland I can’t imagine what you are going to come up with next.
From Cool Cleveland reader Mark Priemer
What an exciting weekend in Cleveland! We had the air show, the Ingenuity Festival, Taste of Cleveland, and more. Imagine my surprise late Sunday afternoon, when, hungry and thirsty from having biked downtown, I could not find an open restaurant to give me some sustenance. That’s right, from Euclid Ave., to the Gateway district, to the Warehouse district, every window I peered into was dark and featured a view of stacked-up guest chairs. The one open venue I found indicated that they’d be willing to pour me a beverage, but informed me that there would be no food until dinner time. (my strict grandmother used to give me that same admonishment to prevent between-meal snacking). Are our restauranteurs CRAZY?! This is arguably one of the busiest weekends in Cleveland AND the last big hurrah of the summer, but hardly anyone was open for business during peak afternoon hours…
Read the letter from Karen D. Brockway here
Kudos to you and your co-founder on putting together the great idea of this much needed spark to our fine city with the Ingenuity Festival! It’s an amazing idea and to think of all the networking and effort you all put into it. It brought many into the city. I hope each consecutive year is forever successful! There was so much to see and of course we did not get to see it all, but just looking at the schedule for each day was quite a feat of organization. WOW! Thanks for promoting Cleveland for all of us!!!! Sorry we missed your band – Nestor told us about it. Let us know when you’re playing again in the near future – we’d like to hear you guys!
From Cool Cleveland readers Kerry and Pat Wichert SoGreenWithEnvyATaol.com
Congratulations to you guys on a stunning accomplishment. Thanks.
from Cool Cleveland reader Chuck Mintz
My wife and I attended on both Saturday and Sunday and were surprised by the breath of what we encountered. It musical entertainment was very good and provided an opportunity to listen to genres that we might not normally encounter or be interested in. We read in the PD of plans to move both physically, a bad idea, and time wise also not a good idea. Part of the impact on us as a couple from the suburbs was that it brought us into the downtown area and exposed us to an area of the city that we did not have an interest in. If part of the goal is to expose Cleveland to the world you need to stay in downtown and a street festival is a great way to to that. Extending it to a 10-12 day event will prevent at least us from any meaningful participation. A 3-5 day festival will allow many more people to plan a local vacation around the festival. Great job, we really enjoyed it.
from Cool Cleveland reader Allen Nixon AllenNixonATvgsjob.org
On disasters I don’t know if this is a letter to reprint, but in light of President Bush’s abject failure at disaster relief in New Orleans, in might be worth thinking about the kinds of disasters we get in Cleveland: heat waves and floods. The last major heat wave was 10 years ago, and it caused 700 deaths: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/443213in.html. You might think about writing on Cleveland’s disaster preparedness.
From Cool Cleveland reader George Carr georgecarrATgmail.com
On Cleveland’s tech future One of the strengths of Cleveland is its strong academic and research institutions. So wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could play those up by setting up a Cleveland Cafe Scientifique, a program that’s being used in other cities (http://www.cafescientifique.org/)? We have a wealth of scientists and researchers doing fascinating work, and I also think we have a population who would love to hear about them. I blogged about it here, but the idea is still sticking with me, so I thought I’d pass the word onto Cool Cleveland.
from Cool Cleveland reader Roselle Ponsaran ladygoatATyahoo.com http://foodgoat.blogspot.com
On Lakewood’s lesson? here Yes, as a Lakewood resident, I’m still incensed at the small-minded defeat of the West end redevelopment plan. Lakewood is full of blue collar, uneducated, dimwits, and the sooner we can get more progressive, liberal, professional people moved into town, the better. Also, I have to keep paying outrageous taxes to live here, voted for by apartment dwellers who don’t pay a dime in property taxes, but get the benefits of a decent school system. We need to start charging apartment dwellers a fee equal to the tax burden of property owners to send their kids to Lakewood schools. Maybe then people will want businesses to move in to cover some of the tax burden.
from Cool Cleveland reader Chris Camp chris.campATgmail.com
On a convention center (See Convention center can solve Downtown’s problem here) Why we are still wasting time and money on a convention center plan that most people don’t believe in and no one wants to pay for is beyond me. I grew up in Chicago, home of McCormick Place, the granddaddy of all convention centers, which is NOWHERE NEAR downtown, and still thrives. Cleveland has such a venue. It is called the I-X Center. Why not spend our money on an extension of the rapid transit line to the I-X Center? Exhibitors can easily get in and out of that facility, it’s close to the airport and has plenty of amenities to stage huge shows, not to mention easy freeway access and a huge parking lot. The rapid line can easily get people to downtown for hotels, restaurants and entertainment. It is time for Cleveland to stop trying to copy failed strategies of other cities that have made huge losing investments in underused convention centers and to start USING OUR BRAINS to develop plans that utilize the assets we already have. Plans for a third runway at Hopkins may never come to pass. We have a unique facility in the I-X Center which other cities would love to have, and all we can think about is how fast we can tear it down!! Cleveland is unique–let’s find a uniquely Cleveland solution to our convention center dilemma.
from Cool Cleveland reader Marianne Ludwig mludwigATtremontscoops.com
On our region fighting back (See This is how a region fights to win here) With the recent efforts of all those involved with keeping the federal jobs here in Cleveland, it shows how we have the knowledge, strength and determination to do what is needed to keep existing jobs in the Northeast Ohio area. It was gratifying seeing how Republicans and Democrats worked together to get this accomplished. We need to continue to have leaders like Fred Nance, Carol Caruso of Greater Cleveland Partnership, Debbie Setliff, and Rep. Steve LaTourette, and all the others involved to rally efforts to bring more business and manufacturing jobs to this area. It can be done. We can fight harder. The OfficeMax deal sounded great, but with the CEO’s home of Chicago in the picture, I didn’t see how we could win without the shareholders voting on what would be the best deal for the company. Cleveland clearly seemed like the obvious best deal. I have always, and even more recently, felt Cleveland is an underrated city for business, recreation, raising a family, quality of life, low cost of living and housing, and the weather is NOT that bad. I am not alone in this thinking. We need to market ourselves much better. We can start by concentrating on the California and Southeastern areas of the US and internationally like Israel, India and China…
Read the letter from Cool Cleveland reader Steve Tucky here
On how to build Cleveland (See Convention center can solve Downtown’s problem here) Tax credits ARE taxpayer dollars – but let’s move on. Mayor Daley may have poached Sadhu Johnston – the Cleveland Green Building Coalition founder now burning up Chicago with a $100 million green building fund, a hundred green roofs in the works and high-performance standards in place for future work on every single one of the city’s 1,300 municipal buildings – but we can still follow Johnston’s inspiration. The Cleveland Environmental Center was the first LEED-certified/historic tax credit rehab in the country. Could this be the first gold or platinum-certified/historic tax credit convention center? High-performance building is a no-brainer; the CFA will have to defend conventional, low-performance design choices to taxpayers. How much can we save on operating expenses by building green? Has the CFA made a real place at the table for Johnston’s successor, CGBC director Elaine Barnes, and the Coalition’s Green Team of architects, engineers, and planners? In addition, some CFA insiders have floated the concept of a cutting-edge indoor adventure playground/learning center for year-round use by Cleveland residents and visitors. There would be nothing like it in the region; I can’t think of a better complement to our waterfront amenities or a better reason for families to come (and live?) downtown. This kind of project could be a love fest for corporate and foundation sponsors and a benchmark for child-centered collaboration regionally and nationally.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mati Senerchia senerchiaATsbcglobal.net
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) Ingenuity Fest Schedule With all the activity over four days, you had no idea where to do without one of these. http://www.IngenuityCleveland.com
2) Lakewood’s lesson? New development from the defeat of the West End Project, but in Rocky River. Too bad they used eminent domain. www.Cleveland.com
3) Suburban tipping point? Suburban foreclosures are at a 5-year high, Cleveland’s economy continues to falter. See the connection? www.Cleveland.com
4) Twenty One That’s how many different venues were @ the Ingenuity Fest – spread out over Euclid Ave. www.IngenuityCleveland.com
5) Convention center can solve Downtown’s problem Yeah, right. www.Cleveland.com
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Laboring away A special thanks to Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth and everyone who partners with us. While many were enjoying Labor Day picnics, our Hard Corps of contributors were making this week’s issue of Cool Cleveland happen. 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. See the Cool Cleveland TV Update on WKYC NBC TV by clicking here. 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.
What was your favorite moment of the weekend?
all contents ©2005 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
9.07-9.14.05
Ingenuity Karma
In this week’s issue:
* Instant Karma: The Ingeniuty Festival Looking back, looking ahead
* Off The Hook! Cool Cleveland Urban Hop 9/16, get $17.50 tix by midnight Thu 9/8 here
* Cool Cleveland Preview Sparx Gallery Hop on 9/16
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here
This week, humbly, we catch our breath and inhale the incredible outpouring of commentary and photography generated by the Cleveland community in response to last weekend’s Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology. The question I got all weekend long was, “Everything about Ingenuity was so well planned… but how did you arrange for this great weather?” I respond, only half facetiously, that when you put good karma out, you get good karma back. Or, more accurately, we’ll get exactly what we expect from our community. With Ingenuity, James Levin and I expected a lot, and we received even more. And like all art and technology, it’s not over when it’s over… not by a long shot. The effects of last weekend will be felt for a long time to come. And the responses have already begun. In our special Ingenuity coverage below, read the comments on Cleveland-area blogs and discussion groups, view the hundreds of pix uploaded by Ingenuity attendees, and even add your own thoughts. Many are collected below. Read the letters to Cool Cleveland about Ingenuity, the convention center, fighting back and building Cleveland, in Yr Turn below. Check out the first wave of fall art openings this weekend at some of Cleveland best galleries, like 1300, Asterisk, Murray Hill Schoolhouse, HeightsArts and Hodge School, listed under Cool Cleveland This Week below. And gear up for next week’s Sparx Gallery Hop by securing your tix to Cool Cleveland’s party on 9/16, which promises to be Off The Hook. –Thomas Mulready
Instant Karma: The Ingenuity Festival
The Ingenuity Festival kicked things off in raucous fashion Thursday night with a street party to die for. While Mayor Jane Campbell, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones and thousands of other engaged Clevelanders looked on, the streets of Downtown were transformed into an art-tech circus featuring a colorful Public Square performance, a high-powered concert and an unbelievable fireworks display in the heart of our city. Robin VanLear, known for organizing the annual Parade The Circle effort with the Cleveland Museum of Art and University Circle, Inc., organized over 400 artists who converged on Clevelands Public Square. Eight streams of artists, each wearing a different color, each led by a different Cleveland dance company, weaved through Public Square creating a Traffic Jam, accompanied by a soundtrack by Cleveland Arts Prize winner Greg deAlessio and Paul Cox, that was broadcast live on WCLV 104.9 FM.Friday night, according to world renowned playwright and theatre critique Linda Eisenstein, featured “DancEverts collaboration with NASA engineers on Confluence in the BP Atrium, where dancers showed the effects of moving under higher and higher wind turbulence. Impossible not to think of the hurricane and its aftermath – a prophetic piece. First moving under gently blowing fans, the dancers blue capes rippling then the 2 NASA guys came in with sinister looking leafblowers that looked like laser cannons and sounded like chainsaws. Scarves and a blue feather boa shot into the air, the feathers of the boa exploding off and falling through the space like a bird shredded before our eyes…” Eisenstein is also a Cool Cleveland correspondent, and her own work was featured during the Opera In The Alley at Ingenuity on Saturday 9/3.
Peter Chakerian was in awe of Hernando Cortez and the Verb Ballets performance Friday night at the McCrory Art/Tech Expo. Seeing, Hearing, Sleeping premiered as an “unreal, ethereal dreamscape”, set to the throbbing techno beats of DJ Sasha and John Digweed. Verbs dancers were costumed in a way that made their identities absent from intimacy a real metaphor for how technology can make society feel sometimes and in constant collision with momentum to use technological means for connection and resolution. It was a fantastic slice of the future that Verb should definitely repeat…”
Read Instant Karma: The Ingenuity Festival
Ingenuity test flight a success Thanks to the community, corporate backers, and support from the arts and tech community, the Ingenuity Arts and Technology Festival was deemed a huge success. Over a four-day period an extremely diverse crowd numbering in excess of 70,000 experienced an eye-popping opening ceremony replete with low-riders, bikers, performance artists and dance troupes; one of the best fireworks shows this town has ever seen; crowd enthralling musical and dance performances and a host of exciting art and technology exhibits. Cleveland has cast their vote and plans for next years festival are already in the works. Read the story here. Share your favorite Ingenuity stories at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Share your Ingenuity photos online Tens of thousands of people attended Cleveland’s first festival of art and technology – many of them taking pictures with digital cameras. Some of them are using a free service provided by Yahoo! to collect pictures of the festival to share them with others. As of early this week, we’ve already got 250 images of Ingenuity up online. Did you take pictures of this year’s Ingenuity Fesitval? Please upload ’em then share ’em at http://www.flickr.com/groups/ingenuitycleveland/pool. Your pics may be included in promotions for next year’s fest and at the same time show the world the cool stuff that took place here this weekend! The best way to view them is to use the link above, then click “View as slideshow” in the upper right corner.
Emissions from the blogsphere
The Ingenuity Festival Edition
Online response to last weekend’s Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology started early and came fast and furious. The North Coast Hermit explains his knee-jerk reaction to all the press, then delivers the good and bad. Norm Roulet bypassed the public Ingenuity Cleveland Flickr group, setting up a Drupal Image Gallery at REALNEO. Lou Muenz can’t get a straight answer from fest staff, shoots some poets, and quips “there are only so many bubble machines, stilt walkers and face painting photos that I care to take“. Scott Radke posts pictures of MorrisonDance to his Live Journal page. Jack Ricchiuto wonders what collaborations will take place between this festival and the next. The Full Cleveland blog mentions the festival while wondering about NEO’s competitive advantage. Tim Russo calls it “a kinder, gentler version of the old Riverfest combined with the Tremont Art Walk”. Many of the artists in the Festival, as well as their friends who watched them perform, have their own discussion board @ http://www.ExperimentalBehavior.com. Start by reading their overwhelmingly positive comments in the thread I Was There. Add some comments of your own if you’re a member, then head on over to the other discussion, where they’re talking about the festival’s impact and suggestions for next year. Meanwhile, on the Cool Cleveland blog, Peter Chakerian hits all four days worth of Ingenuity in a frenzied blur. He praises Clevelands human infrastructure for coming together to make Ingenuity happen and ponders why developers need to recreate downtowns outside of the city. Between swoons on Clevelands venues and architecture, he also reels in the news that second helpings of two new Cleveland gems both Ingenuity AND the CMJ Rock Hall MusicFest are queued up for next year! Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, then add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Ingenuity Bash photos Wanna see a preview of what’s to come @ the upcoming Urban Hop party? Check out party pics of last week’s fun at the Cool Cleveland Ingenuity Bash!
Off The Hook!Sparx up your weekend and ignites your Friday night on Fri 9/16 with entertainment at Ohio’s biggest art party held at Exhibit Builders at 1526 W. 25th Street. Meet your friends after work and plug into the hot action of a Cool Cleveland party in one of Cleveland’s coolest neighborhoods – Ohio City. In addition to one heck of a fiesta, your CC admission gets you a comp ticket for any of the Sparx in the City Gallery Hop trolleys running back and forth all night long to over 100 galleries ($5 value)! Then jump on the included Cool Cleveland bus – which will take off from Church Street – and tour some of the neighborhood’s newest residential projects at Progressive Urban Real Estate’s Townhomes of Ohio City on W. 32nd Street and Stonebridge on the West side of the Flats. What tour would be complete without wine and cheese compliments of PURE? Pick up your $17.50 tix by midnight Thu 9/8 here Haven’t had enough? How’s an after party @ MODA sound? But wait theres more:
* Belly dancers from Troupe Shabaana
* Hookah Pipes from Kan Zaman
* A totally open bar compliments of Great Lakes Brewing Company, ABC Tavern and The Garage
* Hot, Delicious Soups from the Souper Market
* Incredibly Tasty Desserts from The Harp
* Succulent Peanut Glazed Chicken Kabobs from The Old Angle Tavern
* Citris Glazed Meatballs and Stuffed Grape Leaves from OPA!
* Mouth Watering Sausage Delicacies and Dessert Pastries from Massimo da Milano
* Live music from Cleveland’s own Rainy Day Saints in the secret studio
* Wine and cheese tour from Progressive Urban Real Estate
* Complimentary dance lessons (Bachata, Merengue and Salsa) at MODA from 8-9PM followed by the world-reknowned Sammy De Leon y Su Orquesta
Pick up your $17.50 tix by midnight Thu 9/8 here
*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************
Minutes from Downtown, Ohio City and Edgewater Bridge Square Phase III is the latest new housing to pop up near the Detroit Shoreway. These spacious townhomes start at $189,900 and feature eye-catching exterior design, 1,840-1,960 square feet, 2-3 bedrooms, 1-2 car garages, bonus rooms, 1.5-2.5 baths, open floor plans, generous finish allowances, optional additional bath on the 1st floor, a great location in the heart of a revitalized neighborhood, special financing and tax abatement. Are you interested in other exciting urban living options? Make sure to stop by Citi-Rama, Sept. 10-18, a showcase of homes in the East Blvd. neighborhood, near University Circle and Rockefeller Park. PURE will market a home constructed by Civic Builders; more information on the show is available at www.hbacleveland.com. For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend please visit www.progressiveurban.com.
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Cleveland scores Ohio Classic The Ohio Classic, an annual football game between two historically black colleges (HBCs) will now call Cleveland its permanent home. The event made its debut here in 2003, after a scheduling snafu in its scheduled city, Cincinnati. After rotating between the two cities the last couple of years, organizers have now decided that Cleveland has the most to offer – more African Americans within driving distance, a larger consumer market and greater sponsor appeal. Estimates for this years game on Sat 9/17 at Cleveland Browns Stadium and the accompanying events are 70,000 attendees with $50 million plus being pumped into our regional economy. Read the story here. See a full listing of events and sponsorship opportunities at http://www.OhioClassic.com.
Name that Center Rocky River mayoral candidate Fred Sokol may be starting off on the wrong foot. He wants to sell naming rights for the city’s recreation center in order to recoup the $8 million the city expects to spend on augmenting said indoor recreation facility. The problem is the center already has a name; it is named for the late Mayor Don Umerley. There is already open opposition to Sokols plan, which many consider a snub against an esteemed former mayor. Read the story here. Tell us what you think of Sokol’s plan at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Mayor, Rep eye rail Brandon Glenn of Crain’s Cleveland Business thinks the plans for a high-speed passenger rail system connecting Cleveland to Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Toronto have about as much of a chance of happening as the Steelers beating the Browns this year. Considering Pittsburgh was 15-1 last year, while the Browns were a pathetic 4-12, hopes that the proposal from Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell and U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette will come to fruition are about as bleak as a Browns Super Bowl victory. Too bad. With gas climbing over $3 a gallon here (in the South, it’s $6), it would be a boon for traveling in the region. Read more here.
Forest City resubmits Convention Center plan Just when you thought the players and stage were all set, a retired player returns. Forest City Enterprises is throwing their hat back into the ring, making a convention center behind Tower City a very real possibility, again. The company renewed its interest in the plan after being approached by Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan. A convention site behind Tower city would cost more than $150 million less than current estimates to rehabilitate the current site on Mall C. Read the article in Crains here then send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Helping Katrina victims We are all devastated by the images of what is happening to the people of New Orleans, Mississippi and other regions affected by Hurricane Katrina. Many of us have friends and family whose pain is too great to express, leaving us feeling helpless. Our local community, including several Cleveland organizations and businesses has stepped up quickly to begin getting practical help to these victims. Read the PD story about how Cleveland has mobilized in its efforts to help hurricane victims here. If you would like to help; here are a few places to start. Read KatrinaRelief-Cleveland.org and BrewedFreshDaily.com. Send your comments to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
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Check out Ohio’s Largest Art Walk! Save the weekend date of Fri 9/16 Sun 9/18 for The Sparx Gallery Hop and see why Clevelands art scene is hoppin. Theres no admission charge for over 100 gallery, studio, and institution exhibits along with six major art festivals all on one weekend. Buy your $5 trolley passes here, and get chauffeured through each day’s featured neighborhoods. On Friday, start at the Cool Cleveland Party or park at MOCA and shuttle into the Gateway, Ohio City, and Theater District scenes. On Saturday, park at the Art Jam Festival in the Quadrangle, and ride the trolleys to the Tremont Arts & Cultural Festival and Playhouse Square’s Centerfest, where dozens of galleries and studios are nearby. On Sunday, try your own hand at drawing on the plaza at the Museum of Art’s Chalk Fest, then wander through Cleveland’s oldest art colony in Murray Hill. Every venue will have a trolley stop within walking distance, and kids under 14 ride at no charge!
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San Fran firm sees the light Fiberstars, a publicly held lighting company based outside of San Francisco, is packing up their expensive corporate headquarters in Cali and moving them to Solon, where they already have 25 employees based. The company projects that the move will save them about $2 million per year in overhead cost. They are also shifting their focus from fiberoptic lighting for pools and spas, an industry that is taking huge losses, to environmentally friendly lighting that can be used for widespread commercial use. Welcome to Cleveland. Read the article here. Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Cool Cleveland Kids Last week, 9-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready recommended taking your parent to Cleveland’s First Festival of Art and Technology on the Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast. What do you suppose it’ll be this week? A hint: see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week. Hear his short podcast here even if you don’t have special software. If you’re a whiz kid, you can download it to your iPod or your computer and listen with your own kid. Check below to for our recommendations for a fantastic family week. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids09.09.05.mp3
Becoming plastinates The extraordinary Body Worlds 2 exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center has had an unusual effect of 5 locals; theyve signed up to become plastinates themselves. Meet three of our neighbors who have taken their dedication to helping others where most of us would never dream. Read the story here. Would you ever consider becoming a plastinate? Send your thoughts to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Downtown Kent gets Love Standing Rock Cultural Arts is sponsoring a mural project to enhance Downtown Kent. Crystal Birns, who has a long history of mural painting, will be directing the project; a painting by Kent artist Edwin George, An Enlargement of Love, will be featured on the mural. George was recently awarded the prestigious Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship for 2005. The mural will be painted on the north side of Steve Balazs building at 237 North Water Street in Kent and the community is invited to watch as the large scale painting takes shape from Fri 9/2 to Sun 9/11. Learn more at http://www.StandingRock.net.
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Get Whacked at Dave Gormans Googlewhack Adventure The hilarious hit show is coming to Playhouse Square Center, September 13-25. Winner of the HBO US Comedy Festival Jury Award and as seen on Leno, Letterman, The Today Show, and The Daily Show, British comedian Dave Gorman stakes his future and his career on an addictive internet word game called googlewhacking. For most, its a fun way to pass a few minutes . . . for Gorman, its the inspiration for a global odyssey to meet the worlds funniest and strangest people. Discover why its being hailed: Hilarious . . . intensity of Steve Martin, Delightful & surprisingly touching, An oddly brilliant creation, A sure-fire bet for your entertainment dollar. Visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com to hear and see more and to play the Googlewhack Challenge game.
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Is Cool Cleveland the one constant and enjoyable relationship in your life? Make friends and family feel guilty by giving them a cool, free gift that keeps giving, 52 weeks a year. Forward CC onto friends and family members today, or send them to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.
The engine behind Cleveland.com Ever wondered what keeps the wheels turning at Ohios largest website? ClevelandWomen.com gives us a clue in an in-depth feature on the engine behind Cleveland.com, President and CEO, Eliza Wing. Her experience working for magazines like Rolling Stone and New York Women coupled with several years of being a stay-athome mom have taught her a lot about whats important in the workplace. Read her profile here. Send your comments to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Abstract asset Have you ventured into the Algebra Teahouse in Little Italys Historical District? This culturally diverse establishment is a favorite among local artists. In addition to the 20 different types of tea one can choose fromwith varying flavors and aromas, ranging from pineapple to rose petalsthere is also the unique décor. Much of that interior design was crafted by Owner/Operator Ayman Alkayali. Sip beverages and sample tasty confections, culinary delights and yummy Mediterranean fare among hand-crafted abstract tables, dishes, mugs and a sheet metal ceiling that is a pure aesthetic joy. Visit this unique regional gem at 2136 Murray Hill Road.
Survey says The Plain Dealer’s Reader Advisory Board answered survey questions about our regions strengths and how we can build on them. What did they have to say? Read the story here, then tell us what you love about our region and what we need to fix. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
Junior League refocusing The Junior League of Cleveland, Inc. (JLC), an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, the development of the potential of women, and to improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers, is collaborating with community leaders to develop a Signature Project that will benefit the Greater Cleveland Community. The JLC is working to develop a long-term project with broad community impact that will target needs not currently met by other programs. Have an idea for a community need? Contact The JLC at 231-6300 X 555 or visit their site at http://www.JLCleveland.org. Then send us a draft of your ideas at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
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Cleveland Institute of Music is the place to experience the energy of classical music! Explore your passion for music with hundreds of concerts, most presented free of charge, by CIMs talented students, acclaimed guest artists and unsurpassed faculty. Wed 9/21 at 8PM the CIM Orchestra takes the stage at Severance Hall under the direction of Carl Topilow featuring Antonio Pompa-Baldi, CIM faculty member and winner of the 1999 Cleveland International Piano Competition. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Call 216-231-1111. CIM is currently under construction, but were conducting great music as usual. For a free concert guide to the season and for up-to-date information on the expansion project call 216.791.5000 or visit www.cim.edu. Be inspired by the next generation of classical musicians.
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Cool Cleveland This Week
9.07-9.14
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
Strategies for Opening Difficult Doors teaches Owners, CEOs, Presidents and Sales & Marketing Execs how to implement strategies that will boost the effectiveness of their marketing efforts, enabling them to effectively engage decision-makers. This complimentary event on Thu 9/8 from 7:45-9AM can help your organization consistently generate high quality major account selling opportunities. Sign up here. NEOSA Office, Terminal Tower, Suite 200.
How secure is the title to your home? A panel discussion on Thu 9/8 from 4-6PM will examine this question in light of the June 23rd U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Kelo v. City of New London that allowed the acquisition of private property in New London, Connecticut and its transfer to a commercial developer in the interest of economical development. For more info and the distinguished list of panelists visit www.CSUOhio.edu or call 687-6886. Moot Court Room, Cleveland-Marshall College Law, Corner of 18th Street and Euclid Avenue.
Pressing On The School of Art Galleries at Kent State University presents Pressing On: Alumni artists Create Master Printshops, Tue 9/6 through Sat 10/1. The exhibit spotlights the achievements of graduates from Kent State University’s School of Art and its nationally recognized printmaking program while also featuring a wide selection of work from both regional and international artists. Featured printshops include Zygote Press in Cleveland and others from around the nation. Attend the Thu 9/8 panel discussion from 4:30-6PM or reception from 6-8PM. Collectors night is Fri 9/9 at 7PM. Call 330-672-7853 for info. www.Kent.Edu.
Capturing Color the latest work by artist, Lisa Hannaford, reflects her continued growth and the evolution of her work. The paintings in this exhibit were completed locally and during her travel to Canada. The colors are bright and the compositions purposely distorted in perspective and size, reflecting the sensations of warm summer light. Experience these pieces during the opening reception with the artist on Thu 9/8 from 6-9PM. Call 401-8920 or 440-247-2828 for info. La Cachette Gallery, 20 East Orange Street, Chagrin Falls. http://www.boartists.com.
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Thursday Nights are Chick Night @ Fat Fish Blue! We teamed up with 92.3 Xtreme Radio and SKYY Vodka to treat Chicks special with Special 92.3 cent Chick frozen fruit martinis, 92.3 cent Chick appetizers, Chick prizes & fun! Keep looking for the Fat Fish Blue Chick on the Street, handing out eggs with special giveaways for Chick Night at Fat Fish Blue! For more information contact (216) 875-6000 or www.fatfishblue.com.
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The Dark Room: Where New Work Develops Take part in an exciting evening of music, theater and poetry on Thu 9/8 at 8PM. Playwrights, poets, performers, and musicians can come at 7:15PM and sign up to perform a 10-minute piece. Artists can perform themselves, bring their own troupe or bring enough copies for the required number of actors plus the stage manager and actors will be recruited from the audience. This ongoing project happens the second Thursday of each month so bring your project and see what develops. Old Parish Hall, Cleveland Public Theatre Campus, 6203 Detroit Avenue http://m.d.sep.home.att.net/drkroomflyer2.pdf.
Nightowls of Coventry Filmmaker Laura Paglin and the cast and crew of her groundbreaking film, Nightowls of Coventry, will be in attendance for opening night on Fri 9/9. The film examines the rising clash between the owner of an old neighborhood deli in 1973 and the straight-laced neighborhood do-gooders who oppose his efforts to cater to a new generation of clientele. Will changing times and a clash of cultures lead to desperate measures? Call 440-564-2030 or visit http://www.clevelandcinemas.com for showtimes. Cedar Lee Theatre, 2163 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. http://www.NightowlsOfCoventry.com/.
CC KIDS The Journey Mind, Body & Soul Expo on Fri 9/9 from 3-8:30PM, Sat 9/10 from 10AM-8:30PM and Sun 9/11 from 10AM-6PM will feature over 100 vendors and practitioners. Explore yoga, reiki, massage, reflexology, holistic health, feng shui, socially responsible investing and much more. For more information on the expo, or to register for a workshop, visit http://www.TheJourneyMag.com or call 440-223-1392. Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.
Speechless, an exhibition of artist Douglas Max Utters paintings, center around silence. The circumstances his works attempt to recreate are beyond words. Experience the power of silence thru these works at the opening reception Fri 9/9 from 6-9PM and through Sat 10/15. e. gordon gallery, The Murray Hill Schoolhouse, 2026 Murray Hill Road, Lower Level. Call 795-0971 or visit http://www.egordongallery.com for more info.
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The Next Big Thing In Northeast Ohio Idea Center at Playhouse Square Young Professionals be our guest on Thur 9/15 from 5:30PM to 7:30PM. Be among the first to view Idea Center at 1375 Euclid Avenue, the new broadcast home and headquarters for WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN ideastream, and the new location for the Playhouse Square Arts Education programs. Idea Center adds momentum to the revitalization of Clevelands downtown. It provides Northeast Ohio citizens with facilities and programming to enhance their lives through arts, technology, education and ideas. Be a part of an Interactive tour and exciting raffles. Complimentary beverages (beer and wine) and hors doeuvres. Spaces limited! RSVP by Fri 9/9 to (216) 739-3816 or egisel@ideastream.org. To view the invitation click here.
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Asterisk Gallery Show The opening reception for this new exhibit will be an eclectic celebration that showcases multiple forms of self-expression and will benefit the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. The opening reception on Fri 9/9 from 6PM-12AM will include beverages and foods from local vendors, Living Statue performances by Mary Farragher, Xela, Square and Star of Seven Sisters. Admission is a donation of $8.00 or more, all of which will benefit the CRCC. Call 440-582-8586 for info. The show runs through Fri 9/30. Asterisk Gallery, 2393 Professor Avenue, Tremont.
I Bet You Think These Drawings Are About You is the first Derek Hess Cleveland show in over five years. The show will feature over 50 original mixed media drawings which underscore the artists latest direction, a departure from the prints and posters that have made him the single most recognizable artist in Cleveland and one of the most popular artists in the country. His new work explores abandonment, depression, despair, loss, and death. The opening reception is on Fri 9/9 from 7-10PM and the show runs through Sun 9/25. Call 281-4868 for info. 1300 Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street. http://www.13hundred.com http://www.DerekHess.com.
Damion Silver: Old Friends & New Works features a collection of vibrant & gritty works influenced by street & skate culture. His whimsical and dark characters duel for co-existence across his multi dimensional canvases. Works on display will include paintings, both traditional and custom cut, illustrations, etched glass, limited edition t-shirts, and handmade plush toys by the Philadelphia artist and designer. The opening reception is Fri 9/9 from 7-10PM and the exhibition runs through Sat 11/5. Email Info@AssembleGallery.com for info. Assemble Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street. http://www.AssembleGallery.com.
Pterodactyls A hypochondriac with memory problems and an orphaned fiancée raised by nuns. A wealthy, alcoholic socialite and a cheating husband. Throw in a whopping dose of sexual identity crisis, some rough-and-tumble couplings, a fixation with dinosaurs and a gunshot or two, and what do you have? No, not a Jerry Springer episode. It is Nicky Silvers new work which chronicles the demise of the Duncan family. Performances begin on Fri 9/9 at 8PM running through Sat 10/8. Call 687-0074 for ticket info. Liminis, 2438 Scranton Road, Tremont. http://www.Convergence-Continuum.org.
WCLVnotes This Fri 9/9 from 7AM to 7PM, WCLV 104.9 will be presenting its Red Cross Celebrate Life Fall Fest Blood Drive in cooperation with the Cleveland Clinic Health System East. It will take place at the Corporate College East facility on Richmond Road. The donors for WCLVs Celebrate Life Blood Drives will enjoy live music and a spread of great food from Sammy’s throughout the day. In addition, all donors get a WCLV goody bag. Also, WCLV air personalities will be broadcasting live throughout the day. It’s not only a great social event, but during this acute shortage of blood, your pint of blood has the potential of helping three people. Give the gift of life. To register, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. Go to www.WCLV.com for more information. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.
CC KIDS Art in the Park will be held Sat 9/10 from 10AM-6PM and Sun 9/11 12-6PM. This unique event offers opportunities for enrichment and exploration of the arts. More than 50 artists and artisans will showcase and sell their work in a variety of media. There will be glassblowing demonstrations and a variety of “hands-on” art experiences offered to children at no cost. Guest musicians will provide fine music during this two day celebration that is as educational as it is fun with something to offer for everyone. Fred Fuller Park, 497 Middlebury Road, Kent. http://KentOhio.net/events/#art.
CC KIDS Tour the Grounds! Dig the Sounds! Celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Rockefeller Greenhouse, an enduring regional gem, by taking in the cool sounds of jazz in this beautiful space. The event is a no cost concert promoting local jazz talent and giving concert goers an opportunity to tour this remarkable facility. The Sat 9/10 concert at 1PM will feature the Bobby Selvaggio Quartet. Call 664-3103 for info. Rockefeller Greenhouse, 750 East 88th Street, off MLK Drive.
CC KIDS Joseph C. Motto Tour Join the Cleveland Artists Foundation for a Lolly the Trolley tour of the artists ecclesiastical commissions here in Cleveland on Sat 9/10 from 2-5PM. The tour will be held in conjunction with CAFs current exhibit Joseph C. Motto: A Jazz Age Journey from Cleveland to Florence, which features more than 60 of Mottos smaller scale 3-D works and prints of his larger works. Our Lady of Peace, Holy Rosary and St. Rose of Lima Church are on the itinerary, along with Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. The tour will be narrated by Richard Karberg, the exhibits curator and Emeritus Professor of Art at CCC. Call 227-9484 for pricing and reservations. CAF Gallery, 17801 Detroit Ave www.ClevelandArtists.org
Beautiful East Experience fine art and entertainment in the new East Village, Clevelands near east side district, to benefit Cleveland AIDS charities. Start off with a lawn event on Sat 9/10 at 6PM featuring an auction of fine art, furniture and vintage items, a seafood boil, tasty eats, refreshing drinks and groovy music. At dusk venture inside for an evening runway show finale featuring the clothing designs of Genevieve and other couture and urban women and menswear designers. A DJ will keep the party going until dawn. Call 426-1352 for info. Hodge/Live/Work Gallery, 1075 East 74th Street, Suite 112.
Heaven is a Place Where Nothing Ever Happens: Julie Langsam & Charlotte Becket is the latest exhibit at the HeightsArts Gallery. The two artists look back on 20th century modernism with a 21st century perspective. Langsams paintings set minimalist sculptures against the romantic landscape. Beckets work recycles the credo of form follows function, unleashing the frenetic energy often harnessed by traditional modernist style. Take your first peak at this exciting exhibition during the opening reception on Sat 9/10 from 6-9PM. The show runs through Sun 10/30. Call 371-3344. HeightsArts, 2173 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. http://www.HeightsArts.org/.
Wired! is the grand opening celebration of Idea Center, the new and first-anywhere physical integration of public TV and radio stations: WVIZ television and WCPN radio. The Wired! event kicks off an exciting week in the Playhouse Square Theater District on Sat 9/10 at 6PM. The evening will be filled with festivities, entertainment, dining and dancing. In addition to a performance by TV star Bebe Neuwirth, Wired! guests will walk the red carpet, as they arrive for their exclusive first look at the new state-of-the-art education and broadcast facility, developed with the support of WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN, ideastream and the Playhouse Square Foundation. For more information or to order tickets call 241-6000, or visit http://ideacenter.wviz.org/.
Myers School of Art Faculty Showcase Browse ceramics, paintings, prints, sculpture and photography created by faculty members during this annual exhibition running Mon 9/12 to Fri 9/30. The exhibition is open and without cost to the public, as is the closing reception for on Thu 9/29 from 4:30-6PM in the Gallery Atrium. Call 330-972-5951 for gallery hours and info. University of Akron, Myers School of Art, Emily Davis Gallery, 150 East Exchange Street, Akron.
Cleveland Area Chamber of Commerce Members can enjoy an evening of networking on Mon 9/12 from 6-8PM. The no cost event is being sponsored by the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Aurora, Cuyahoga Valley, Euclid, Lakewood, Middleburg Heights, North Ridgeville, Rocky River, Streetsboro, and Twinsburg Chambers of Commerce. For info, tickets or to RSVP call 831-0003 or email mailto:mail@beachwood.org. Cambridge Room, HOB, 308 Euclid Avenue.
Mayoral Candidate Forum Sponsored by Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope (NOAH), this forum will focus on the skyrocketing foreclosure rate in our region. Join NOAH on Mon 9/12 from 7-9PM in asking candidates Mayor Jane Campbell, Frank Jackson, Robert Triozzi, James A. Draper and Michael Nelson tough questions about predatory lending and the resulting inner city decay. An intercongregational gospel choir will open the event. Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2020 East 79th Street. http://www.NortheastOhioAllianceForHope.org.
Dave Gormans Googlewhack! Adventure makes its debut in Cleveland on Tue 9/13 at 7:30PM and runs through Sun 9/25. This hysterical story of one man, a search engine and some of the strangest people in the world has caught the world by storm, as has his book, of the same name. Call 241-6000 or visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com for tickets. Hanna Theatre, 2067 East 14th Street.
CC KIDS Stomp This explosive, provocative, fun and truly unique experience is the cure for the common show. If youve never seen this show you will be amazed at the ingenuity and agility of the cast as they play garbage cans, matchboxes, brooms, lighters and just about every other common object as if they were well-tuned musical instruments. If you havent seen this sensational show in awhile, it is definitely worth seeing again and again. Bring a friend who needs a great show, a lot of laughs and a creative injection. The show lands at Playhouse Square on Tue 9/13 at 7:30PM and runs through Sun 9/18. Check www.PlayhouseSquare.com for times and price info. Allen Theatre, 1407 Euclid Avenue.
Wednesdays at the Butler John Norquist will present his ideas on urban design and development on Wed 9/14 at 7PM. Drawing from his experience as Mayor of Milwaukee and observations from around the world Norquist builds the case for the enduring value of the urban form and for the Congress for the New Urbanism as a powerful force working to revitalize cities and towns and make mixed-use, walkable communities successful in todays marketplace. RSVP to 330-941-3355, or email emailresponse1@hotmail.com. The Butler Institute for American Art, 524 Wick Ave, Youngstown.
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
Cool Cleveland Preview
Sparx Gallery Hop 9/16-18
Launched in early 2003, Sparx in the City had nothing at all to do with the Carrie Bradshaws of our Greater Cleveland area. But once word of mouth got around about the street-level arts/culture event, well, sparks began to fly even those Carries and their friends stood up and took notice. Sparx became an it thing to do in Clevelanddrawing diverse and perceptive audiences to its showcases.
Now in its third year as an artist-led endeavor, Sparx in the City features an annual Gallery Hop event that showcases eight different arts districts in Cleveland and an ongoing street performer program called Street Beats.
Over 100 different galleries, studios and arts are participating in this years annual Sparx Gallery Hop, on Fri 9/16, Sat 9/17 and Sun 9/18. This year’s event will take place over three days to better spotlight these 100 locations throughout Ohio City, Tremont, Gateway, the Warehouse District, Theater District, Quadrangle area, University Circle and Little Italy. Click here to see a list of all of the destinations, as well as festival highlights.
Stop by the Cool Cleveland party, Off The Hook, on Fri 9/16, on West 25th Street, which is a featured event of the Sparx Gallery Hop. In addition to the open bar, a wide selection of complimentary hors d’oeuvres and music by Rainy Day Saints, all CC party attendees will receive a Sparx trolley ticket ($5 value) so you can join the Gallery Hop festivities. Get your discount tix here.
And whatever you do, dont forget Sparx in the Citys Street Beats. The music, dance and performance art series has taken place this summer on three very busy intersections downtown ClevelandW. 6th & St. Clair, Public Square at Tower City, E. 4th Street at Euclid Aveas well as the Star Plaza/Playhouse Square Theater District, and some outdoor cafes in Ohio City and Tremont. Street Beats winds up with a final weekend run through Sat 9/17. Selected performers offer progressive, compelling and vibrant artistic offerings to those passing by, delivering their art to new audiences.
If you were fired up by Ingenuity, keep the buzz going next weekend by engaging in the Sparx events! http://www.cleveland.com/sparx/galleryhop.ssf
from Cool Cleveland correspondent Peter Chakerian
Yr Turn
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Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com
On the Ingenuity Festival Had a great time tonight… so proud of you!! “Ingenuity” is brilliant, we’re so lucky to have you in Cleveland I can’t imagine what you are going to come up with next.
From Cool Cleveland reader Mark Priemer
What an exciting weekend in Cleveland! We had the air show, the Ingenuity Festival, Taste of Cleveland, and more. Imagine my surprise late Sunday afternoon, when, hungry and thirsty from having biked downtown, I could not find an open restaurant to give me some sustenance. That’s right, from Euclid Ave., to the Gateway district, to the Warehouse district, every window I peered into was dark and featured a view of stacked-up guest chairs. The one open venue I found indicated that they’d be willing to pour me a beverage, but informed me that there would be no food until dinner time. (my strict grandmother used to give me that same admonishment to prevent between-meal snacking). Are our restauranteurs CRAZY?! This is arguably one of the busiest weekends in Cleveland AND the last big hurrah of the summer, but hardly anyone was open for business during peak afternoon hours…
Read the letter from Karen D. Brockway here
Kudos to you and your co-founder on putting together the great idea of this much needed spark to our fine city with the Ingenuity Festival! It’s an amazing idea and to think of all the networking and effort you all put into it. It brought many into the city. I hope each consecutive year is forever successful! There was so much to see and of course we did not get to see it all, but just looking at the schedule for each day was quite a feat of organization. WOW! Thanks for promoting Cleveland for all of us!!!! Sorry we missed your band – Nestor told us about it. Let us know when you’re playing again in the near future – we’d like to hear you guys!
From Cool Cleveland readers Kerry and Pat Wichert SoGreenWithEnvyATaol.com
Congratulations to you guys on a stunning accomplishment. Thanks.
from Cool Cleveland reader Chuck Mintz
My wife and I attended on both Saturday and Sunday and were surprised by the breath of what we encountered. It musical entertainment was very good and provided an opportunity to listen to genres that we might not normally encounter or be interested in. We read in the PD of plans to move both physically, a bad idea, and time wise also not a good idea. Part of the impact on us as a couple from the suburbs was that it brought us into the downtown area and exposed us to an area of the city that we did not have an interest in. If part of the goal is to expose Cleveland to the world you need to stay in downtown and a street festival is a great way to to that. Extending it to a 10-12 day event will prevent at least us from any meaningful participation. A 3-5 day festival will allow many more people to plan a local vacation around the festival. Great job, we really enjoyed it.
from Cool Cleveland reader Allen Nixon AllenNixonATvgsjob.org
On disasters I don’t know if this is a letter to reprint, but in light of President Bush’s abject failure at disaster relief in New Orleans, in might be worth thinking about the kinds of disasters we get in Cleveland: heat waves and floods. The last major heat wave was 10 years ago, and it caused 700 deaths: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/443213in.html. You might think about writing on Cleveland’s disaster preparedness.
From Cool Cleveland reader George Carr georgecarrATgmail.com
On Cleveland’s tech future One of the strengths of Cleveland is its strong academic and research institutions. So wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could play those up by setting up a Cleveland Cafe Scientifique, a program that’s being used in other cities (http://www.cafescientifique.org/)? We have a wealth of scientists and researchers doing fascinating work, and I also think we have a population who would love to hear about them. I blogged about it here, but the idea is still sticking with me, so I thought I’d pass the word onto Cool Cleveland.
from Cool Cleveland reader Roselle Ponsaran ladygoatATyahoo.com http://foodgoat.blogspot.com
On Lakewood’s lesson? here Yes, as a Lakewood resident, I’m still incensed at the small-minded defeat of the West end redevelopment plan. Lakewood is full of blue collar, uneducated, dimwits, and the sooner we can get more progressive, liberal, professional people moved into town, the better. Also, I have to keep paying outrageous taxes to live here, voted for by apartment dwellers who don’t pay a dime in property taxes, but get the benefits of a decent school system. We need to start charging apartment dwellers a fee equal to the tax burden of property owners to send their kids to Lakewood schools. Maybe then people will want businesses to move in to cover some of the tax burden.
from Cool Cleveland reader Chris Camp chris.campATgmail.com
On a convention center (See Convention center can solve Downtown’s problem here) Why we are still wasting time and money on a convention center plan that most people don’t believe in and no one wants to pay for is beyond me. I grew up in Chicago, home of McCormick Place, the granddaddy of all convention centers, which is NOWHERE NEAR downtown, and still thrives. Cleveland has such a venue. It is called the I-X Center. Why not spend our money on an extension of the rapid transit line to the I-X Center? Exhibitors can easily get in and out of that facility, it’s close to the airport and has plenty of amenities to stage huge shows, not to mention easy freeway access and a huge parking lot. The rapid line can easily get people to downtown for hotels, restaurants and entertainment. It is time for Cleveland to stop trying to copy failed strategies of other cities that have made huge losing investments in underused convention centers and to start USING OUR BRAINS to develop plans that utilize the assets we already have. Plans for a third runway at Hopkins may never come to pass. We have a unique facility in the I-X Center which other cities would love to have, and all we can think about is how fast we can tear it down!! Cleveland is unique–let’s find a uniquely Cleveland solution to our convention center dilemma.
from Cool Cleveland reader Marianne Ludwig mludwigATtremontscoops.com
On our region fighting back (See This is how a region fights to win here) With the recent efforts of all those involved with keeping the federal jobs here in Cleveland, it shows how we have the knowledge, strength and determination to do what is needed to keep existing jobs in the Northeast Ohio area. It was gratifying seeing how Republicans and Democrats worked together to get this accomplished. We need to continue to have leaders like Fred Nance, Carol Caruso of Greater Cleveland Partnership, Debbie Setliff, and Rep. Steve LaTourette, and all the others involved to rally efforts to bring more business and manufacturing jobs to this area. It can be done. We can fight harder. The OfficeMax deal sounded great, but with the CEO’s home of Chicago in the picture, I didn’t see how we could win without the shareholders voting on what would be the best deal for the company. Cleveland clearly seemed like the obvious best deal. I have always, and even more recently, felt Cleveland is an underrated city for business, recreation, raising a family, quality of life, low cost of living and housing, and the weather is NOT that bad. I am not alone in this thinking. We need to market ourselves much better. We can start by concentrating on the California and Southeastern areas of the US and internationally like Israel, India and China…
Read the letter from Cool Cleveland reader Steve Tucky here
On how to build Cleveland (See Convention center can solve Downtown’s problem here) Tax credits ARE taxpayer dollars – but let’s move on. Mayor Daley may have poached Sadhu Johnston – the Cleveland Green Building Coalition founder now burning up Chicago with a $100 million green building fund, a hundred green roofs in the works and high-performance standards in place for future work on every single one of the city’s 1,300 municipal buildings – but we can still follow Johnston’s inspiration. The Cleveland Environmental Center was the first LEED-certified/historic tax credit rehab in the country. Could this be the first gold or platinum-certified/historic tax credit convention center? High-performance building is a no-brainer; the CFA will have to defend conventional, low-performance design choices to taxpayers. How much can we save on operating expenses by building green? Has the CFA made a real place at the table for Johnston’s successor, CGBC director Elaine Barnes, and the Coalition’s Green Team of architects, engineers, and planners? In addition, some CFA insiders have floated the concept of a cutting-edge indoor adventure playground/learning center for year-round use by Cleveland residents and visitors. There would be nothing like it in the region; I can’t think of a better complement to our waterfront amenities or a better reason for families to come (and live?) downtown. This kind of project could be a love fest for corporate and foundation sponsors and a benchmark for child-centered collaboration regionally and nationally.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mati Senerchia senerchiaATsbcglobal.net
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) Ingenuity Fest Schedule With all the activity over four days, you had no idea where to do without one of these. http://www.IngenuityCleveland.com
2) Lakewood’s lesson? New development from the defeat of the West End Project, but in Rocky River. Too bad they used eminent domain. www.Cleveland.com
3) Suburban tipping point? Suburban foreclosures are at a 5-year high, Cleveland’s economy continues to falter. See the connection? www.Cleveland.com
4) Twenty One That’s how many different venues were @ the Ingenuity Fest – spread out over Euclid Ave. www.IngenuityCleveland.com
5) Convention center can solve Downtown’s problem Yeah, right. www.Cleveland.com
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