Mixing It Up

6.09-6.16.04
Mixing It Up

Dear Friend,

In this week’s issue:
* Skirting The Issue by Lyz Bly, who’s infuriated: I’m Miss World… Somebody Kill Me
* Cool Cleveland Interview with Patrick Klepcyk, helping Case turn tech into startups
* Rustbelt Slam Preview on poet Beth Ann Sadowski, representing Cleveland at the Nationals
* Cool Cleveland Party filling fast. Get discount online tix here.

Cool Cleveland mixer at Cedar-Lee School’s out, summer’s here, and the time is right for partying on one of the coolest corners in Cleveland. A Moveable Feast, from 4-8PM on Thu 6/17 is such a wide-ranging affair, with open bar, hot hors d’oeuvres from neighborhood eateries, eclectic grooves by DJ Anonymous, that we’ll have to spill over into the marvelous outdoor Mini-Park next door. Watch free Ohio films at the Cedar-Lee Theatre, stroll the neighborhood and drop in on galleries, pubs and restaurants. Your party admission earns you a free ticket to the opening night of Grease at Cain Park at 8PM. Spend the evening after work at the corner of Cedar and Lee Roads, enjoying all the camaraderie and culture that Cleveland Heights has to offer. Click now to register and pay online in advance to save. http://www.corpmeetings.com/register/thomas/atd8/index.html

Ferry folly This is what you get when you leave it to the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority, who never miss a chance to put Cleveland’s industrial concerns ahead of the general public. While thousands of folks from the region (and countless others from further away who would be attracted to Cleveland) can hardly wait for a ferry directly from Cleveland to the Northern shore of Lake Erie in Southern Ontario, Canada, the pricing structure they have proposed is discouraging. A family of four with their auto would pay up to $280 without a cabin for the 4-1/2 hour one-way trip, while a full-sized semi truck with a driver (equalling many times the size and weight of a car) would only pay $100. Maybe they’re just running these absurd prices up the proverbial flagpole, but the Authority serves at the public’s pleasure, so you should write to them here: infoadmin@www.cuyahoga.oh.us, and tell them to lower their planned prices for families. While you’re at it, you can write to Mayor Campbell here: MayorCampbell@city.cleveland.oh.us, and the three County Commissioners here: infoadmin@www.cuyahoga.oh.us, since they appoint the Authority. Read more.

Mixed-income zoning recommended When the former Mayor of Albuquerque spoke at Case recently, he suggested a simple but powerful solution to our most vexing problem. As Illinois and other states have done, Ohio could require that every new development include lower-income housing, thereby mitigating the problems of racism, classism and slow growth caused by the over 200 small cities around Cleveland, many with zoning that intentionally or not, causes discrimination by requiring expensive single family homes on large lots. While reducing racism and classism may not be a priority in the suburbs, it remains to be seen if the promise of a renewed economy in the region is enough to convince them to become more inclusionary. Read more.

Zoomable map of Cleveland Sweet. Click here.

NEOSA merges with Greater Cleveland Partnership The writing has been on the wall for months, and now they’re finally moving forward. After having their state funding reduced significantly, the 6-year old Northeast Ohio Software Association has merged operations with the Council of Smaller Enterprises, which is part of the Growth Association, which earlier this year combined with the Greater Cleveland Roundtable and Cleveland Tomorrow to form the Greater Cleveland Partnership. Are you following all this? It remains to be seen how the membership of NEOSA, mainly high tech and software companies in the region, will integrate with COSE and how the tech expertise of NEOSA members can benefit COSE. http://www.NEOSA.org

Coolify your marketing Are you ready to kick your marketing efforts up a few degrees? Join the A-list sponsors and advertisers that use the Cool Cleveland e-letter to spread the good word about their companies, events and services. Ask us about Sponsored Links in the newsletter, sponsoring the popular Art/Tech/Dance events, or becoming a Cool Cleveland Partner. Drop a note and we’ll be glad to talk with you about opening a new world of awareness for your company or organization. Info@CoolCleveland.com

Convention center rising from the dead The public made it clear last year that they don’t feel a new convention center is a very high priority for our region. But the business community and the Cuyahoga County Commissioners just can’t get it out of their heads. So at a recent County meeting, the Commissioners created the Convention Facilities Authority (CFA), and allocated $50K of the existing bed tax as a down payment for “constructing, improving, expanding, equipping, financing, or operating a convention center…” Maybe they need to hear a little more from the people they serve rather than the corporate interests that contribute to their election campaigns. Remind them of your thoughts and wishes by sending e-mail to: infoadmin@www.cuyahoga.oh.us See resolutions here and here.

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Affordable City Living at Longmead Village! These new construction townhouses in the Puritas-Longmead neighborhood of Cleveland feature the amenities you want, including 3 bedrooms, 1.5-2.5 baths, central air, fully-equipped kitchens with all appliances, wall-to-wall carpeting and a full basement. If that’s not enough, there’s also 15 year tax abatement, reduced interest rate financing and $10,000 down payment assistance. And the location is great – Longmead Village is located just minutes from Downtown, Ohio City, Tremont and more! These townhouses start at $151,900. Longmead Village is open as a part of CondoQuest from now until June 20th from 1-6 PM, every day except Fridays. For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend, please visit http://www.progressiveurban.com
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Get in touch with your sub genius, I mean your inner strength, I mean your funny bone. Dave Schwensen is back again to offer you something you thought no one could ever teach you: how to be funny. This Vermillion native has been teaching the fine art of stand-up comedy for over 10 years and is ready to release his second book, Comedy FAQs. You can find out more about his intense four-week course that ultimateley culminates with a final performance at the Cleveland Improv here. http://www.thecomedybook.com/About%20Dave.htm

Michigan awards “cool cities” grants Seems like our Great Lakes neighbors get it. Here’s a statement from Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, on the launch of their Cool Cities initiative: “Michigan’s cities must retain and attract more people including urban pioneers and young knowledge workers to its cities. We want them to choose Michigan as the place they want to live, work and play by creating attractive, vibrant and diverse cities that anchor vital and prosperous regions throughout the Great Lakes State. The TIDE is rising in Michigan. And, we don’t just mean the water level on Michigan’s thousands of miles of fresh water coastline. Cities and people throughout the Great Lakes State are working to revitalize their neighborhoods and communities by attracting the Talent, spurring the Innovation, fostering the Diversity and creating the Environment to meet the present and future needs of Michigan residents.” She’s backing it all up by combining more than 100 of the state’s community improvement grants, tax credits, loans, and assistance programs into a single Resource Toolbox that can be used by cities and communities for revitalization projects, in order to promote holistic approaches and ongoing investment in neighborhoods that have, or are moving to create, a mix of residential and commercial uses, mixed income housing, and a pedestrian-friendly environment. The program, in place for about a year, has made awards to cities like Bay City, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Port Huron, and Detroit. What are we doing to make Ohio’s cities cool? http://www.CoolCities.com

Tremont Wi-fi recognized Twi-Fi, a grassroots neighborhood group dedicated to establishing neighborhood-wide wireless Internet accessibility in historic Tremont was recently recognized for its efforts at the first annual Plug In Cleveland event. In just over one year, Twi-fi has aided in establishing 4 “hotspots” where moderns can surf the Web without wires on their own or a loaner laptop for no charge. http://www.twifineighbor.net Read more about the award recipients at CrainTech here.

Double-tongued The Double-Tongued Word Wrester tracks words as they enter and leave the English language. It focuses upon slang, jargon, and other niche categories which include new, foreign, hybrid, archaic, obsolete, and rare words. Special attention is paid to the lending and borrowing of words between the various Englishes and other languages, even where a word is not a fully naturalized citizen in its new language. http://www.DoubleTongued.org

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Somewhere Beyond Timbuktu The highly acclaimed exhibition Senenkunya: Many Voices, One Family has been a smash-hit for The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. And beyond the wonderful collection of artifacts, musical instruments and textiles assembled for this show are some fantastic photographic offerings. The Plain Dealer features picture editor, Peggy Turbett, has an enchanting photo exhibit Beyond Timbuktu, Images of Mali as an accompaniment to Senenkunya. Her images show African life as it exists today: colorful, warm, balanced and captivating…a must see. Discover the nature of your universe at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, 216-231-4600. Please note – the Museum is now open Wednesday evenings all summer until 10PM! http://www.cmnh.org/senenkunya.html
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Tragedy, ethics, parables and living well People have learned these lessons by studying literary works as texts of ethics; it’s one way to determine how to live correctly, and it’s an established practice that’s old as God. http://www.geist.com/columns/columns.php?id=20

TechStudents.net Sometimes the Internet is perfect for putting together supply and demand. For those entrepreneurs who are looking for help with websites, company logos, networks, wireless, security and more, but don’t have the big-company budgets, Jennifer Jane DiGeronimo has created TechStudents.net to offer real-life experience and part-time work for skilled student workers on a project-by-project basis. Rates range from $10-25 per hour, rather than the $45 and up that most graduates demand. DiGeronimo also hopes her site will help stem Cleveland’s brain drain, and offer valuable experience to students who are learning to work as contractors and entrepreneurs themselves. 570-5519. http://www.TechStudents.net

ClevelandTheater.com With such an over-abundance of professional and semi-professional theater organizations in Cleveland, this site should get a lot of traffic. The general theatergoer will love the browse feature, telling you what’s playing on area stages. Theatre professionals will dig the online database of regional theatre talent, contact info on Cleveland Theater Collective’s members, and resources such as talent agencies, professional societies and theater news, auditions, workshops and jobs. This site should help Cleveland in this era of arts tourism and nascent collaborations between arts organizations, and congratulations are in order for Margaret Lynch and Fred Gloor, who have worked for over a year raising money from the Ohio Arts Council and the Gund and Cleveland Foundations. http://www.ClevelandTheater.com

Case building new Nonprofit Center One of the great things about Cleveland is the number of non-profit managers that are churned out each year by the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Management at Case, the first such college program and still one of the best. Now, with a new $6 million gift, the Mandel family celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Center, making it possible to construct a new headquarters building that will be located on Bellflower Road near Ford Drive. Construction will begin in March 2005. See more info here.

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Indulge your wild side… Twilight at the ZOO, presented by Huntington Bank, has been a monster success for ten years – its sold-out for the last seven years! The 11th year promises another wild event with something for everyone: 16 bands – from reggae to country; as well as an array of mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres and plenty of liquid refreshments. On Fri 8/6 at 6PM, the night kicks off with a Twilight VIP pre-party. VIP guests will enjoy an extra hour of festivities, preferred parking, divine delectables and an exclusive performance by Otis and the Shoreway Saints in Dinosaurs!…the Zoo’s BIG, new summer exhibit! Treat yourself to a night out while supporting a great Cleveland institution. Click here for further information or to order your tickets today!
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Free Summer Evenings What other city has this? And what could be better than hanging in the outdoor courtyard at the Cleveland Museum of Art, listening to some of the best bands in the region? Here’s how it works: every Wednesday and Friday at 5:30PM, stick around as the Museum stays open late till 8:30PM. Check out the galleries, have a drink, check out free live music, and meet someone with a brain who’s into art. Here’s a sampling: Wed 6/9: Grupo Fuego (Salsa) with a gallery talk on Family Ties at 6PM; Fri 6/11: Trisha O’Brien (jazz) with a gallery talk on Asia In The West at 6PM. Coming up on Wed 7/7: Blue Lunch, Wed 8/11: Under The Tree, and Wed 8/18: Cats On Holiday. The best part? These events are free, just like the Museum. Summer Evenings continue thru August. Don’t pass it up. http://www.ClevelandArt.org

Infinite Number of Sounds on the road Cleveland’s never seen anything like them: half rock thrashers, half experimental video artists, half hip-hop break beatsters, half tripped out studio wizards – it all adds up to something sweet, sharp and sincerely new. As they prepare to head into the studio to record their 2nd album, Cleveland’s Infinite Number of Sounds heads out to Columbus on Fri 6/11 for “Big Noise” (which also features Clevelanders Six Parts Seven and J Scott Franklin), then on to the North By Northeast Festival in Toronto on Sat 6/12 at the super suave Swallow Lounge. Then, on Fri 6/25, they showcase at the Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg, PA. Catch them back in Cleveland on Fri 7/16 at Pirate’s Cove for an intimate show. By that time, you should be able to smell the van from a block away. More info: 965-3891 http://www.InfiniteNumber.com

Best of Ohio Writer The most important writing magazine in the state is accepting submissions for unpublished fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and “Writers on Writing” entries for the 2004 Best of Ohio Writer Contest. Prizes range up to $150 (you didn’t become a writer for the money, did you?), competitors must reside in Ohio, and the deadline is 7/31. All entrants receive a free subscription to Ohio Writer magazine, which features a calendar of literary activities throughout the state, a bulletin board of writing opportunities, a chance to read about working writers in Ohio and their successful techniques, and book reviews that rarely reach the traditional press. Watch the Nov/Dec issue for announcement of winners. Guidelines and entry form at http://www.pwlgc.com/ohiowriter.html Good luck!

Ohio determines President, again It’s become a part of our regional lore: “No one gets – or stays – in the White House without carrying Ohio.” But there’s trouble in the Midwest these days. The United Steelworkers of America has 1.2 million members, of which 75% are pensioners. And “nowadays US steel is concentrated in two giants: ISG and US Steel. They buy bankrupt but productive factories, but they never absorb their social responsibilities” such as pension costs. This fascinating portrait of Cleveland “blue-collar anger” will ring true to those who know anything about Cleveland. The Bush Administration spins a populist vision of fighting against a ruling class that despises everyday values, but “the unemployed, unhealthy, worried, angry steelworkers in Ohio don’t buy that myth.” And The White House “better beware: For Ohio blue collars, Bush and globalization are the real evildoers. Says a former steelworker at a Wal-Mart: “We’re going to do everything in our power so George W. Bush this year will join the unemployment line.” Of course, they are not enamored of Senator John Kerry or Ralph Nader, either, so it should be an interesting Summer here in the Swing State of Ohio. See Nerves of Steel, by Pepe Escobar on Asia Times here.

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No Holds Bard The acting company of the Great Lakes Theater Festival will bring Shakesperean theater back to Downtown Cleveland this Summer, when it kicks off its 43rd season on Fri 7/16 with their performance of The Taming of the Shrew. The July through December Festival, will feature six-week rotating repertories featuring, The Compleat Works of Shakespeare (Abridged), The Importance of Being Earnest and Julius Caeser. And be prepared for a special arrival prior to each evening’s performance — all will hail the Queen! Come downtown and discover Shakespeare’s great company; great tickets are on sale now, including some fantastic ticket packages! For more info, please visit http://www.greatlakestheater.org
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1-minute cultural workforce survey As a way to measure the relative health of the arts and culture community in Northeast Ohio, the Community Partnership for Arts and Culture is asking all nonprofit arts and cultural workers in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties to complete this confidential Cultural Industry Workforce Barometer. It will help CPAC better understand the state of the arts, and the ways that public policy, advocacy and public funding could assist the cultural asset base in our community. Please click through and complete the Survey Monkey, which takes less than one minute, before Fri 6/18. Click here.

CAAO Executive On-line Auction Just like 113 other executives and figures in our region, Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready is donating an hour of his life to be auctioned off to the highest bidder at the On-line Executive Auction, benefitting CAAO, the Consortium of African American Organizations. This innovative silent auction, which offers access to attorneys, non-profit leaders and experts in access to capital, business strategy, business consulting, and marketing strategy, closes on Wed 6/9 at 7PM. View all participants and place your bid here: http://www.cmarket.com/catalog/landingPage.do?vhost=caao.

Pekar Down Under Comic book writer and Cleveland cult hero Harvey Pekar is taking on a guest speaking engagement at the Sydney Writers’ Festival in Australia. With his usual candor, he deadpanned, “I hope people don’t throw rocks at me.” http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/20/1085028461416.html

Corrections
W. Ward Marsh Motion Picture Collection is a fantastic resource containing over 70,000 movie stills covering the history of cinema from 1915 through the 1970’s. The correct link is: http://CPL.org/ExhibitHall.asp?FormMode=Exhibit&ID=3
Open Air in Market Square happens every Saturday from 10AM to 4PM at Market Square Park across from the West Side Market, thru 8/30, 781-3222. The correct link is http://www.OpenAirInMarketSquare.com

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The best and brightest minds in Northeast Ohio meet at iCleveland. It’s where top students begin to forge their careers, and where employers jumpstart their internship programs. Sign up for (i)nk, a free email newsletter full of helpful tips and insightful articles on interning and internship programs. (i)Cleveland…from (i)ntern to (i)ntegral http://www.iCleveland.org/
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Cool Cleveland This Week
6.09-6.16

Send your cool events to: events@coolcleveland.com

Party In The Heights A casually fun, free and family oriented community event where you can meet up with friends and neighbors. This week, downshift after work and head over to Coventry, take in the sunset and get into the grounded music of Roots to Rock Thu 6/10 at 7PM; these events happen each week on Thursday evenings. Call 371-3344. Located at the Arch at the corner of Euclid Hts Blvd and Coventry Rd. http://www.heightsarts.org/projects/Party-Archives/party2004.pdf

MotivAsians for Cleveland present an evening of career opportunities for Asian-American professionals, bringing together prospective employers with Asian-American professionals to achieve success for their employers while enhancing their own career development. Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company and Forest City Enterprises will have representatives on hand; complimentary appetizers and refreshments will be provided Thu 6/10 from 6-8:30PM. Hilton Hotel Cleveland South, 6200 Quarry Lane in Independence. RSVP to rsvp@motivasians.org or log onto:http://www.motivasians.org.

Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity celebrates 16 years Their committed efforts have resulted in the construction of affordable housing for disadvantaged families of Greater Cleveland; bring a friend to commemorate their anniversary with a dedication of the Lauretta Brown Partner Family home in the Central neighborhood with special guest Mayor Campbell as keynote speaker Thu 6/10 from noon to 1PM; rain or shine. Call 429-1299 Ext. 235. 2191 East 46th St. between Cedar and Central. http://www.gchfh.org

Martin and Orloff A dark, wickedly funny Dadaist comedy that tells of an advertising fashion designer who attemps suicide when an actor wearing one of his costumes (an eggroll with eye holes) accidentally drowns. Shortly thereafter, he finds himself hanging around with an insufferable psychiatrist and his bizarre friends; it’s a Cleveland premiere. Correction: Showtimes are 6:30PM on Thu 6/10, and 9:15PM on Fri 6/11. Call 421-7450. Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, 11141 East Blvd. http://www.cia.edu/cinematheque

Oops, I Accidentally Deleted 100 Years of Culture A free, two day free-form art show on the edge “bringing the art of the masses into the public eye,” with artwork by 23 hard-hitting creators; musical performances by the dynamic Johnny La Rock, Dance, Dance, Dance and This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse will set the mood. Don’t get offended, get inspired Fri 6/11 from 8PM-2AM and Sat 6/12 from 8PM-2AM. Call 621-8044. Pats in the Flats, 2233 West 3rd St. just outside Tremont. http://www.patsintheflats.com

Hotel Bruce’s spring/summer issue launch event A journal of creative living in Cleveland, they’re getting together to celebrate their efforts; hear a brief presentation, browse the full issue online, dialog with the editors and contributors at a reception with refreshments, and mingle with some great people who care about our city. At the reception, experience a provocative exhibit from two local urban design professionals including a bold plan for a long-abandoned area of Cleveland. Come see for yourself what Cleveland looks like when it gets creative Fri 6/11 from 7-9PM. Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 13217 in Shaker Square. Call 751-3300. http://www.hotelbruce.com

Salsa Cruise Kicking off summer with the searing sounds of Sammy De Leon y Su Orquesta; get on board to view Cleveland at sundown, then dance under the stars Fri 6/11. Boarding begins 8PM with cruise until 11:30PM. Afterwards, an afterparty at Wish nightclub commences. For tickets call 228-5748 or 252-6334. 825 E. Ninth St. Pier. Wish is located at 621 Johnson St. http://www.sammydeleon.com or visit http://www.goodtimeiii.com

Curve Series Using his trademark custom lightboxes, local installation and performance artist Jason Lee constructs idealized landscapes that are manipulated by the enviroment. Enter into humorous and capricious worlds at the opening recepetion Fri 6/11 from 6-10PM with art talks and tours. An after party continues at Cloud 9, 1299 West 9th St. Call 421-8671. MOCA, 8501 Carnegie Ave. http://www.mocacleveland.org

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: Tying It All Together The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) will host the fifth annual Summit examining yesterday’s lessons, analyzing today’s challenges and forecasting tomorrow’s regionalism for Tying It All Together. Medina Commissioner Stephen Hambley and FBI Special Agent-In-Charge Gerald Mack and Fred Abousleman of the National Association of Regional Councils in Washington D.C. will speak. Mark Rosentraub, Dean of the College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University will deliver the keynote address on the future of Northeast Ohio Fri 6/11 at 10AM. Call 241-2414. Cleveland State University Convocation Center, 2000 Prospect Ave. Email summit@mpo.noaca.org or visit http://www.noaca.org/events.html

Sky Series:NeoNatural The second exhibition in the Sky Lounge Series is curated by artists Daniel Dove and Christine Kuper. Enter a realm of stratas of paintings, photographs and cut paper constructions that reinvent the tradition of landscape through variegated interpretations of the natural world. Meet the ambitious curators and artists at the opening reception Fri 6/11 from 6-10PM. Call 421-8671. Sky Lounge is located at MOCA’s Mezzanine Gallery, 8501 Carnegie Ave. http://www.mocacleveland.com

Pete ‘n’ Keely The Cleveland premier that’s been hailed as “comic perfection” by New York Magazine. Catch the inaugural season at Kalliope Stage presenting the story of American ex-sweethearts who reunite on a live television special, complete with snappy musical pop scores from the ’50s and ’60s. Will the couple kiss and make up or go their separate ways? Find out on opening night Fri 6/11 at 8PM. Call 321-0860. Kalliope Stage, 2134 Lee Rd in Cleveland Hts. http://www.KalliopeStage.com

Coastal kayaking workshop Got your paddle? The American Canoe Association Coastal Kayaking is offering a starter class for those with a good grasp of basic and intermediate strokes and rescues. Under the guidance and supervision of professional trainers, you’ll focus on the how-to of quality instruction. You’ll also get the hang of the essentials to teach paddling to others, give classroom presentations and strategies Fri 6/11 thru 6/13 from 9AM-5PM. Call 341-1704. Hinckley Lake Boathouse, Bellus Rd in Hinckley Reservation, between West and East Drives in Hinckley Township, Medina County http://www.clemetparks.com/visit/index.asp?action=rdetails&reservations_id=1011

Hectic Studio’s multi-media exhibition Come enjoy a glass of wine, view some amazing artwork, and mingle with their extraordinary group of exhibiting artists; see risk taking artwork by Alicia Ross, grounded visuals by Brenda Stumpf, and exotic earthware pottery by Sandy Miller. Opening reception is Fri 6/11 from 7-10PM. Show will continue until 6/25 by appointment only, call 440-590-0672. At 3619 Walton Ave. http://www.toddleech.com/hectic

Tomorrow, a Technology Showcase NASA Glenn Research Center will host Journey to Tomorrow: Technology Showcase in tandem with a public open house. Businesses are welcome to stop in and explore the advantage of partnering with NASA Glenn, and the public will get a bird’s eye view on the inner workings of world-class research geared toward children of all ages. Visitors can meet an astronaut or a rocket scientist or even launch their own rocket; Fri 6/11 requires a reservation, Sat 6/12 is the public open house. Call 433-3300. NASA Glenn Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Rd. http://journey.grc.nasa.gov/techshowcase/index.htm

Closet Space Kim Eggleston Kraus uses concepts of architectural form to construct a site-specific installation composed of interactive closets. With common building materials and various doors, she composes a collection of closet spaces, each containing items meant to be discovered by the viewer, such as childhood games and adult business clothes. Inter-connected passages are formed to climb in and pass through, into other connected closets. Through arrangement of these closet spaces, she invites viewers to become participants and discover a maze of hiding spaces Fri 6/11 from 5-9PM. Call 229-6527. The Sculpture Center, 1834 East 123rd St. http://www.sculpturecenter.org

Clash Rock & Roll Fashion Show A raging rock & roll event presented in a progressive theatre style for Cleveland’s fashionistas. International labels and local designers Hellbomb will flaunt their hardcore couture set to the alternative sounds of A Dozen Dead Roses, DJs, and Uncle Scratch – if that’s not enough, keep an eye out for the fire breather Sat 6/12 at 9PM. Moda Nightclub, 1871 West 25th St. in the Market Square District. http://www.modanightclub.com

WCLVnotes The San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas wowed the Severance Hall audience durng their Cleveland residency this past season. The SFO broadcast season has started on WCLV 104.9 FM, Thursday nights at 9PM. This Thursday, Tilson Thomas conducts the Mahler Symphony No. 3. The San Francisco concerts are also distributed to other stations around the country by WCLV/Seaway Productions. Other orchestral concerts currently heard on WCLV include the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra on Tuesdays at 9PM, and, of course, The Cleveland Orchestra on Sundays at 4PM. a Cool Cleveland partner www.wclv.com

15th Annual Parade the Circle combines a vivid parade with activity laden arts; bring the family for a day of discovery, creativity and entertainment. Children can create botanical fashions courtesy of the Cleveland Botanical Garden, paint a community mural with watercolors, assemble a space shuttle, or receive drum lessons and temporary tatoos Sat 6/12 from 11AM-4PM. Call 707-5033. University Circle at Wade Oval and East Boulevard. For info visit http://www.universitycircle.org and http://www.clevelandart.org

Red, White & Blush A Celebration of American Wine with new wine tastings to introduce the vibrancy and big taste of American wine. It’s the largest wine tasting event of its kind in Northeast Ohio offering great wine, excellent food and relaxing fun with a Grand Tasting. Take in over 200 red, white and blush wines from America’s best vintners available for sipping and savoring Sat 6/12 at 7PM. It’s also a great way to talk with winemakers and winery representatives. Call (888) 281-WINE to order tickets. Eastlake Stadium, 35300 Vine St. Eastlake. http://www.wviz.org

Anime Festival gets into the depths of this hot trend, showing the latest and greatest Anime films and shorts, and a host of programming rivaling national Anime conventions. A full game room, interactive game shows, an Anime music video contest and a costuming contest are just a sampling of what die-hard otaku enthusiasts can enjoy. Make sure to check out the extensive collection of Anime DVDs, VHS tapes and Graphic Novels while you are there! This festival is free and open to the public Sat 6/12 from 1-8:45 PM. Call 226-8275 ext. 127. Lakewood Public Library, Main Branch, Lower Level at 15425 Detroit Ave in Lakewood. http://www.lakewoodpubliclibrary.com

City Year Cleveland Serve-A-Thon Get involved in this day of community service uniting citizens from all over the greater Cleveland area. This year, the City has partnered with Councilman Zachary Reed to host the event in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood; service projects for the event include landscaping, clean-ups, a literature drop, mural painting and more Sat 6/12 from 9AM-4PM. Luke Easter Park at Kinsman and Martin Luther King Blvd. http://www.cityyear.org/events/serveathon.cfm

Art By the Falls Chagrin Falls will be hosting its Fine Art & Craft Festival with a dizzying array of 140 artists from 22 states and provinces across the U.S. and Canada. Artists from Ohio to British Columbia will exhibit and sell fine art and various wares; visitors can see and select work in textile/apparel, ceramics, drawing, glass, jewelry, metal sculpture, painting, photography, prints, weaving and woodcarving. Musical entertainment will include The Hammered Music Duo and the renaissance sounds of the Flying Dulcimer Sat 6/12 from 10AM-7PM and Sun 6/13 from 11AM–5PM. Call The Valley Art Center at 440-247-7507. Located in the heart of Chagrin Falls, Riverside Park on Main St. in Chagrin Falls. http://www.valleyartcenter.org.

Imagination 2 Gather at the Mather Mansion to read and share with both student and feature readers covering fiction, poetry, essay and memoirs. Enjoy refreshments and loads of writers’ input and philosophizing Sat 6/12. Call 687-4522. At 2121 Euclid Ave. For info email imagination2@csuohio.edu or visit http://www.csuohio.edu

Annual Night at the Movies Fund Raiser attendees will enjoy a night of margaritas, cocktails, a light dinner and a ticket to a movie of their choice. With partners like Lopez Bar & Grill and Cedar Lee Theater, it’s a fab way to get quality film and food at the same time Sun 6/13 at 5:30PM. Hosted by The Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland, providing quality healthcare and related services free of charge to those who lack appropriate alternatives. Call 685-1441 to register. Located ay Cedar Lee Movie Theaters and Lopez, Lee Rd in Cleveland Hts. http://www.thefreeclinic.org.

Heaven on Earth Marianne Williamson, renowned lecturer and best-selling author of Return to Love, Everyday Grace, and Healing the Soul of America will speak at a benefit for Esteem, Inc. to raise funds for homeless women and children Sun 6/13 at 3PM. For tickets call 382-1465 x2. Park Synagogue, 3300 Mayfield Rd. in Cleveland Hts. http://www.esteem1.addr.com

Music of My Mind: Creating Musical Biographies Summer Camp/Documentary Film This project is in its second year presented by Progressive Arts Alliance. It’s an interactive documentary video project/summer camp that allows students to participate in the shared experience of creating an oral history/documentary film about popular music and culture. Open to students entering grades 6-10 in the fall; program will be held Mon 6/14 thru 6/30 from 9AM-3PM. For info call 556-0337. 107th and Chester Ave. summerprograms@paalive.org or register at http://www.paalive.org

Artefino Gallery and Café grand opening The wait is over. Cleveland artist and entrepreneur Hector Vega is taking the bold move of opening an “art-java-juice-food” gallery that will feature great eats alongside his and other artists’ great works. The location, in the artist-friendly Tower Press Building, seems audacious when so many artists struggle, but knowing how Vega works, this high concept endeavor is sure to satisfy a growing niche. Offering custom framing and high art, Artefino satisfies the palate with specialty coffees, a variety of fresh juices and smoothies, and a wide range of wraps, panini sandwiches and salads; it’s open to the public on Mon 6/14, with the following hours: weekdays 7AM-7PM, Saturdays 10AM-6PM. 1900 Superior Avenue, 621-7900 http://www.artefinogallery.com.

Revitalizing Manufacturing Through Innovation The United States Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Melanie Sabelhaus and a number of Cleveland area manufacturing executives will appear at a forum to take place at Staples, 2150 W. 117th Street from 11:30AM to 1PM on Tues 6/15. Call 1-888-302-0000 by Fri 6/11 for a reservation.

Send your cool events to: events@coolcleveland.com

Not To Be Missed
Forest Song @ Cleveland Public Theatre 6/11-13 Cleveland couple Nadia Tarnowsky and Michael D. Flohr are musicians fired with a purpose: taking ethnic rootstock and making something new from it. Music director/librettist Tarnowsky is a vocalist who specializes in thrillingly resonant Eastern European vocal production (think Bulgarian Women’s Choir). Director/keyboard player Flohr has graced many an orchestra pit at area theaters. Their newest collaboration Forest Song is an original dance/theatre piece based on a 1911 “fairy drama” by noted Ukranian national poet Leslia Ukraina. Set in the mystical forests of Polissa, a forest nymph falls in love with a village youth and gives up her immortality to be with him. In Ukraina’s proto-feminist and un-Disney-like “Little Mermaid” tale, trading one’s freedom and authenticity for domesticity can’t end well. The score features Ukrainian folk music adapted by Tarnowsky, Flohr, and musicians Beata Begeniova, Alexander Fedoriouk and Andrei Pidkivka. The production features a company of area actors – including the marvelous Catherine L. Albers – and dancers from the Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble. One weekend only: Fri 6/11 thru Sun 6/13. At Cleveland Public Theatre’s Old Parish Hall, 6205 Detroit. The couple has also produced an original cast recording (CD/cassette), now available. For tickets/CD: 832-4225 or by e-mail: mn2productions@yahoo.com. from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

Skirting the Issue
by Lyz Bly

Cool Cleveland contributing writer Lyz Bly examines politics, current events, art, and popular culture with an unabashedly feminist lens in her Skirting the Issue column, thereby “skirting” contemporary issues.

I’m Miss World… Somebody Kill Me
May has been a month of reprogramming for me. After a grueling first year in a Ph.D. program at Case, I’ve spent the last 30 days recuperating on the couch… I have a love-hate relationship with television; my fascination with popular culture often informs my scholarly endeavors, yet I am frequently repulsed by what I see and by what many people deem entertaining. I am also vexed at how often TV validates gender and racial stereotypes. And what troubles me most is that television program producers believe that American viewers understand the real world to be a place full of rigid boundaries and conceptions about gender roles. On the evening of June 1, while changing television channels, I was shocked and then infuriated, as I paused on the Miss Universe pageant. Apparently, my de-programming mission was not over… Read Skirting the Issue by Lyz Bly here

Rustbelt Slam: Beth Ann Sadowski

For the first time, Cleveland will host the Rustbelt Regional Poetry Slam on Fri 6/25 and Sat 6/26 at the Beachland Ballroom, when the best slammers from 10 states in the Midwest will be coming into town to compete for the coveted title. To honor this breakthrough event and the people behind it, we interviewed Beth Ann Sadowski, a local slammer and educator who’s on Cleveland’s team for the Rustbelt. She’s a performance poet Cool Cleveland readers are already familiar with: we featured her in our Cool Cleveland Writer column this year. You can see her have at it on the Cleveland slam team competing at the Rustbelt Regional Poetry Slam later this month.

Does writing and performing come immediately and naturally, or is it more of a creative discipline?
I’ve been told since birth that I’ve always been a “ham,” so the performing aspect of poetry slamming does come to me easily – I can’t get enough of the stage or the audience. When it comes to writing, however, there is definitely a creative discipline involved – I like to sit down and really work and re-work my poetry for a few days or even weeks.
What’s involved in your creative process?
When I write, I like to say I take after the “Jack Kerouac School of Writing” – minus the illicit drugs and all night binge drinking. I like to just “let it flow.” If I try to force myself to be creative, the poems don’t come out sincere or good enough for me. My “best” poems have been penned when I’m completely in the zone and just let myself go.
Read the Rustbelt Slam interview with Beth Ann Sadowski here

Cool Cleveland Interview: Patrick Klepcyk

Patrick Klepcyk is a Licensing Associate for Life Sciences in the Technology Transfer Office at Case Western Reserve University (Case), where he commercializes ideas created by people at CWRU through licensing and start-up of new companies. He has worked in research at the Cleveland Clinic, and ran the DNA Sequencing Service for four years. Recently he’s worked at Copernicus Therapeutics Inc., a small biotech start-up based on CASE technology, that’s focused on Cystic Fibrosis.

What’s the best learning/experimenting you’ve done in the last 5 years?
5 years ago I had just started graduate school and after finishing in 2002 I was determined to get a great job in the Biotech arena in Cleveland with my newly minted MBA and life science background. After two short stints at small start-ups and being on the inside, I’ve learned there is a wide disconnect between what you read and hear and reality.
What was a significant failure in your life and what did you learn from it?
In 2002 I tried to start my own business. I entered the Weatherhead Business Plan Competition and pitched my executive summary to area entrepreneurs. I didn’t win and didn’t start a business, but I gained confidence by meeting with high level executives and listening to their feedback both positive and negative. I learned that most people are willing to help and even those at the top can just be regular folks.
Read the Cool Cleveland Interview with Patrick Klepcyk here

Instant Karma
Quik reviews of recent events

Jar the Floor @ Karamu 05/20
What: Gathering for MaDear’s 90th birthday party, four generations of women wrangle, sass, and dig at family secrets in Cheryl L. West’s outrageously funny yet moving comedy/drama.
Reasons to go: Stage fireworks from a juicy quintet of performers. Mary Dismuke rules as the wily, demented elder. Eva Withers-Evans’ brassy, plain-talking, granny-with-a-gigolo appalls her tenure-seeking, control freak professor daughter (Renee Matthews-Jackson). All three are pole-axed by selfish good-time granddaughter Vennie (a fiery, sexy Monte Escalante, all piercings and ‘tude) and her “one-titty” Jewish girlfriend (Kellie McIvor). Richard H. Morris Jr.’s upscale suburban set and Kathryn L. Tobasko’s witty costumes help define characters and stakes.
Caveats: A former social worker, West has loaded her dysfunctional family saga with such a basketful of issues, from breast cancer to sexual abuse, the play runs 2 ½+ hours. But to her credit, they naturally spring from character rather than contrivance.
Backstory: The capstone in Karamu’s “Year of the Woman” season puts nationally-acclaimed director Caroline Jackson Smith at the helm. Now in her 15th year at Oberlin College, she’s become a major player in African-American drama.
Target audience: From elders to teens, anyone who’s ever survived a family battle can relate to this entertaining catfight.
Details: Karamu’s Jeliffe Theatre, 2355 E. 89th St., Cleveland. 216-795-7070. Through June 13. http://www.karamu.com. from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

Gatlin @ Peabody’s 6/4
Last Friday night at Peabody’s I experienced a sweaty, rocking sensation that blew my mind away. Gatlin is one hell of a band that will rock your socks off and leave you wanting more. If you like it rough, you’ll love Gatlin. The number one most requested rock band on the WMMS Native Night Show, Gatlin is an eight-year-old Cleveland band that is making it big on the rock scene. Classified as modern, heavy rock, Gatlin plays good choruses that aren’t screamy, but will blow you back in your seat. And it’s definitely a band you can sing along with, as I witnessed from watching their loyal audience. I suggest you catch them live to truly appreciate their style. But I’m warning you: They will make you scream in ecstasy. Comprised of five guys from Cleveland, Gatlin is sexing up college airways and making audiences everywhere breathe heavy in harmonic exhilaration. And they’re becoming a national sensation: They’ve recently played at packed houses in Memphis, Chicago, New York, Nashville, Atlanta and Pittsburg, among others. And the unbelievable thing about this dynamic five some is that they are so darned nice. In fact, they will rock you up way past midnight – but respect you in the morning. Jon Drake, the lead singer, rocks the house with original songs created as a collaborative effort. Reflection and Disarray are the two most popular hits found on college radio stations. My favorite was Undivided. They’ve recently recorded an acoustic CD to be released late summer. Other band members include Don DeBiase and Pat Ols, who play guitar with backing vocals, and Kenny Irizarry who plays the bass guitar. Steve Lockhart, the band’s drummer, creates thunder with a backbeat that will send chills down your spine. There’s no doubt Gatlin is becoming a true rock sensation. Contact http://www.Gatlinrocks.com from Cool Cleveland contributor TL Champion

Verdi’s Requiem Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 6/3 All great works of art come equipped with controversy. The Manzoni Requiem of Guisseppe Verdi is no exception. Written in tribute to his fellow Italian, novelist Alessandro Manzoni who died in 1873, even the very first performance in Milan caused problems. Verdi wanted the first performance to be in a church, not an opera house, but at that time, women were not allowed to sing in church. With two female soloists and a mixed voice chorus, the composer appealed to a higher authority—a friendly Archbishop.
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here.

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write

Send your letters to: letters@coolcleveland.com

On Kenn Louis’s letter about mixed-income housing projects [here] Dear Ken, I read what you wrote, and I can see your points, but take heart. I live in Chicago now, and most of the new developments that have gone on within the city for the past five years or so have been like this one [mixed income]. They were able to destroy [public housing development] Cabrini Green and actually have opened up new areas for development. I know that just because it worked somewhere else does not insure that it will work in Cleveland, especially if it is administered by CMHA, but it did work in Chicago. A few years into it, and you can not tell the difference between the public housing residents and the millionaire lawyers. from Cool Cleveland reader Patrick Staunton patricksta@yahoo.com

On book sales declining [here] It’s important to remember that even though book sales may have declined, in a sluggish economy, people simply come to the public library for their reading fixes rather than shell out the $23.95 for a new hardcover. Many public libraries saw increased circulation figures last year. People aren’t becoming less literate, just more frugal! from Cool Cleveland reader Christine Borne MLIS, webmaster http://www.nexgenlibrarian.net christineborne@yahoo.com

On James Levin’s Arcadia Project [here] Just wanted to thank you for the great article about James Levin and his amazing plan for the Arcadia project. My two daughters have taken courses for the last two quarters (well, first two quarters, actually) at the CPT Academy and loved them. The teachers, the programs, and class spaces are wonderful. I’m looking forward to participating in the Arcadia project in any way I can. Thanks for putting the spotlight on a very ambitious and welcome arts project. from Cool Cleveland reader Beth Mastroianni bethy@smastro.com

On the Missive from India [here] I don’t know Ani Palmo and she doesn’t know me, but I just read her letter off the Cool Cleveland website. I am an American of Indian origin and teach sociology and Asian American Studies at Oberlin College. I wanted to write and say that with all due respect, I found this letter a bit offensive. I assume that Ani Palmo is a cool person and could teach me a lot about Buddhism. I agree that the conditions sound very difficult. And I found the joke about Mother Teresa funny. But, the letter regurgitates a tired narrative of the American who finds her/himself in the “3rd world” and can only talk about the filth. India comes across as a land of chaos and dirt, as if that represents the total sum of the country. Instead, such an impression represents as much about the person seeing the country as the country itself. But the letter does not suggest this reflexivity and instead reinforces stereotypes that pit the “3rd World” vs. the enlightened and crisis-free “1st World.” I have been raised in the U.S. and visited India a half dozen times…
Read the letter from Cool Cleveland reader Pawan Dhingra here

On Sparx In The City [here] As a lifelong resident of the area and avid local music and arts supporter, I usually come to praise Cleveland and not to bury it. Unfortunately, I can’t do so for the recent Sparx in the City “Kick-Off” held at the NCB Plaza on Friday, June 4th. The concept is great; merge commerce and art and then expose it to people who might not otherwise seek it out. I went to the plaza on my lunch hour to find out more information on the event. With much dismay the only folks there were 2 artists, some guys holding up bright flags and 3 separate booths from Downtown merchants. At their own Kick-off, there were no representatives of Downtown Cleveland Partnership to offer any details on the goings on. None of the people I asked even knew where I could get a flyer or offered to help in any manner. In addition, two of the three merchants were closing up shop by 12:30 pm. Yes, it was windy, but it’s Cleveland…come prepared. So, I headed West down Euclid Avenue and found some musicians playing near the Colonial Arcade. Luckily there was a sandwich board with information, but only for that weekend’s event. Very frustrated, I went to the website…
Read the letter from Cool Cleveland reader Christine Young here

This was amazing! Artists throughout downtown Cleveland this past weekend providing live music, performing art and a new environment for those of us loving this City. Just when I thought the downtown area was going to be the same old, same old this summer, we get a glimpse of what other world-class cities have been experiencing for years. On Saturday night, I even saw Cool Clevelanders (and wanna-be Cool Clevelanders) dancing in the streets. Now that’s cool! I talked with one of the musicians and asked if he was making some dough from the tips he was getting. I was floored to hear that they are all getting paid by the organizers of this event AND they still get to put out a jar for additional cash. That’s even cooler! WAY TO GO Sparx in the City. You guys really Rock. from Cool Cleveland reader Kathleen Boyd kboyd20042000@yahoo.com

Send your letters to: letters@coolcleveland.com

Top 5
Cool Cleveland uses Opticast tools to track which articles were clicked the most. Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1. Cool Cleveland People James Levin A Portrait of the Artist as an Idealistic Economic Development Genius Cool Cleveland Interview James Levin

2. Cleveland housing styles now online Cleveland’s rich housing stock is a true asset that other regions do not enjoy. http://www.clevelandrestoration.org/

3. Moveable Feast – looking for a cool party? Buy a ticket to the next Cool Cleveland Art/Tech/Dance party on 6/17 from 4-8PM at the corner of Cedar & Lee Roads in Cleveland Heights, and get a free ticket to the opening night of Grease at Cain Park at 8PM that night.
http://www.corpmeetings.com/register/thomas/atd8/index.html

4. Hair Saloon for men opens Women get pampered pretty well in these parts; it’s about time we took care of the men. http://www.reaglebeagle.net

5. Little Italy’s Summer Art Walk is now in its 25th year; get on your walking shoes and discover new attractions and events throughout the weekend. http://www.murrayhillartwalk.org

Coolness intervention Readers are taking affirmative action in our city by supporting its events and communities by reading CoolCleveland.com. We have tons of appreciation for y’all. Support our city (and us!) by referring people you know everywhere to CC.com. Now you can send them to register for our e-zine at http://www.coolcleveland.com (and check out the new site) or have ’em send an e-mail to signup@coolcleveland.com

Make your marketing happen Re-structure your business plan with the alternative advertising vehicle: CoolCleveland.com. Every week we reach tens of thousands of subscribers who are addicted to what we do and visit the links to our sponsors. Find out more by emailing us a note to info@coolcleveland.com and let us hear from you.

Hard Corps work it, baby We’ve got a tremendous group of individuals who put their lives on hold to get Cool Cleveland out week after week. CC love goes out to Deb (I-don’t-even-think-about-prunes) Remington, Lyz Bly, Linda Eisenstein, Tisha (intellectual intercourse) Nemeth, TL Champion, Bill Nagode, DJ Hellerman, Kelly Ferjutz, George Nemeth, Marc Majercak, and all our contributors who work behind the scenes. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: events@coolcleveland.com

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See the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: events@coolcleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.coolcleveland.com

Move fast,
Drive safely

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com (:divend:)