Only In Cleveland

2.22-3.01.06

Only in Cleveland

In this week’s issue:
* Only in Cleveland Cleveland’s Leading Satirist sums it up
* Cool Cleveland Preview Playhouse Square Partners’ Jump Back Ball
* RoldoLINK Bogus Gateway parking garage deals
* Cool Cleveland Commentary The Ohio Ballet
* Cool Cleveland Sounds The eponymous release from Up ensemble
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

Cleveland’s young professionals have gotten a raw deal, for the most part. While the city is big and established enough, with the focused, Downtown critical mass that other, newer cities lack (and young professionals crave), Cleveland’s young and rising business and community activists have a difficult time gaining a foothold in many civic and corporate institutions and “clubs.” Even as the region loses HQ after HQ and the traditional Fortune 500 leadership dissolves, most institutions still have not addressed the issue of developing the next generation of leaders. If Cleveland is to compete for young talent and create a role for itself in the 21st Century, this must change.

One group that has developed its young professional constituency is Playhouse Square, whose Playhouse Square Partners have presented the outrageously fun and successful Jump Back Ball for 15 years straight. Read how they’ve done it, attend the Ball this weekend, then apply their success to your own organization.

Our tech and industrial groups are doing world-class work and getting millions in grants. OneCleveland expands to OneCommunity. CityMusic gives another week of free quality concerts. Check Steve Cagan’s oh-so-Cleveland photos. Empower women with WISE and ClevelandWomen events this week. And do your part to honor our young people, professional or not. –Thomas Mulready

Four Things You Can Only Do In Cleveland
Part Four Of Four
Cleveland’s Leading Satirist Sums It Up

So far in this series, we have eloquently tackled an Angry Christian Guitar Wizard, the history of the Ultimate Polish Embellished Meat and a small TV Horror Movie Show Host. These are all important topics, and of course, all things you can only experience in Cleveland. You cannot enjoy any of this in Brussels. The mind-numbingly boring Belgians can only offer waffle-shaped souvenirs and occasionally, a convenient way for Germany to attack France. Aspen? Nope. Try to entice that vapid, yet somehow attractive snow bunny with an “après-ski-it’s-me” plan that includes Salisbury Steak. The Big Apple? No, none of this can be found in Cupertino, California.

Remember, we are well-endowed, and as lucky as a rich Texas lawyer who just took a 28 gauge spray pattern of bird shot to his LL Bean-clad sternum from a smirking bureaucrat, and survived to apologize for being in the way. Therefore, let’s deal with the seemingly endemic inferiority complex aura-thing in Cleveland? Forget all that. Let’s go on the offensive. For example, here are two snappy answers for your pretentious acquaintance from Chicago:

“Sure, Chicago has twenty eight really good sushi places…but our one good sushi chef hit his wife in the head with a frying pan!”

“Does your lakefront include a working salt mine? I didn’t think so!”

The best defense is a good offense. Everything we do deserves an exclamation point. Let’s establish a healthy reputation for the mocking of other cities and then embrace it in all its glory. Perhaps Frank Jackson will create a “cabinet-level” position… the ”Mockery Czar”.

Be real, start the mocking engines, and in the meantime, go see Glen Schwartz, eat at Sokolowski’s, and be inspired as Lil’ John works his magic in GMC TV spots.

Only in Cleveland…
From Cool Cleveland contributor Clyde Miles clyde.milesATgmail.com

Cool Cleveland Preview
Playhouse Square Partners and the Jump Back Ball

You know about Playhouse Square Center. Even if you’ve been in Cleveland for a short period of time, it’s hard not to. Playhouse Square represents a revival of the arts and culture scene in Cleveland; the revitalized block of theaters really began Cleveland anew. Clevelanders with fresh and old eyes alike now see the district as the keystone to the region’s arts community.

What you might not be aware of, is that there is a group of energetic young professionals working hard behind the scenes to keep that opulence alive and the interest in Playhouse Square and the arts spreading. This group is called Playhouse Square Partners and they emerged around the same time those theaters returned to their shining elegance and opulence.

Their goal? To raise awareness of the arts in Cleveland and to inspire others to “go and do likewise.”

Playhouse Square Partners was established in September 1991 by a group of 9 passionate folks who wanted to become more involved in the revitalization of the Playhouse Square Center district. But these individuals wanted to do more than just “tap into the entertaining, irreverent culture that makes Cleveland unique,” as Martha Ruthmeyer recently told Cool Cleveland in an interview. The real goal was to “promote and encourage Cleveland’s community of young professionals to be more aware, educated and engaged as volunteers and patrons” of PSC.

Call it “succession planning” for the future arts enthusiasts of Northeast Ohio…

Frolic on 42nd-A Broadway Blitz takes place on Sat 2/25 from 7:30PM to 1AM at Playhouse Square Center in the State and Palace Theatres. http://www.PlayhouseSquarePartners.com

Read the preview by Peter Chakerian here

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Fabulous New Townhomes, Steps from University Circle Brand new models in the Heritage Lane Townhomes, part of a revitalized community near Rockefeller Park, are now complete. You can tour the new models featuring hardwood floors, granite countertops and a lofted living room at the Grand Opening, Thur 3/9 from 5-8PM at 1458 E. 105th Street. Enjoy wine and appetizers and learn about the new community being built on one of Cleveland’s most historic streets. Heritage Lane Townhomes are priced from $174,900. Also available are two beautifully renovated historic homes, featuring 2-4,000 sq. ft. of living space, priced from $279,900-$339,900. For a complete list of open houses and events, please visit www.progressiveurban.com.
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Art at the May Co. Have you noticed what’s happening in the May Company windows? Exhibit: Cleveland has installed its second in a series of displays in vacant windows at the May Company on Public Square. The once dark, vacant spaces have been transformed into inviting showcases, filled with bright, colorful art by upcoming local artists. Experience the powerful transformations that this win-win project has created at http://www.ExhibitCleveland.com. If you’d like to learn more about the project, or participate; call 255-9411.

Cool Cleveland Podcast Cool things to do this week in Cleveland, at the click of a button. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland02.24.06.mp3.

WIRE-Net tops in the US Cleveland’s Westside Industrial Retention and Expansion Network (WIRE-Net) was one of five innovative city partnerships named in the Policy Link’s national report, Shared Prosperity, Stronger Regions: An Agenda for Rebuilding America’s Older Core Cities. The programs received recognition due to their support of economic revitalization and expansion of opportunities for urban residents and were deemed worthy of being modeled by other urban centers. WIRE-Net was noted for its work helping companies stay in the region and prosper, and for helping thousands of West Side residents begin careers in manufacturing. Read the story here. Learn more about the program at http://www.wire-net.org/. Share your thoughts on the program and its future possibilities at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

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Erratica or Erotica? Don’t miss your last chance to see The Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s touchable and sensual erotic sculptures created by Charles Herndon’s Glacial Erratica exhibit running now through Sun 3/5. Herndon’s breathtaking artwork reflects the natural history of Kelleys Island, using erratics and boulders left on the shores by glaciers over 10,000 years ago. More than 35 sculptures, paintings and photographs are on display. The stone materials in the exhibit are interpreted by Museum Curators Joe Hannibal and David Saja. For more information visit www.cmnh.org.
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Technology Leaders Group gets $1.5 million The Fund For Our Economic Future is a collaboration of 80 philanthropic foundations across Northeast Ohio. They will invest $1.5 million in accelerating the development and application of promising technologies in Northeast Ohio through a grant made to the Technology Leaders Group (TLG), a new collaboration between the region’s technology leaders. TLG members include NorTech, Wright Projects and Wright Centers of Innovation, Biomedical Research and Technology Transfer programs throughout Northeast Ohio, and the technology transfer offices of related healthcare institutions and universities (Case, The Cleveland Clinic, CSU, KSU, the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center and University of Akron). How will this grant impact our region? Send your opinion to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland Kids With a few more weeks of North Coast winter to get thru, everyone can use a bit of help combating cabin fever. That’s why 10-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready highlights events for families every 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 see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week for our recommendations for a fantastic family week. Also this week is an Instant Karma by Kelly Ferjutz of Cleveland Playhouse’s Wind in the Willows. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids02.24.06.mp3.

OneCommunity.org OneCleveland has announced plans to generate a suprastructure initiative called OneCommunity.org. A new report by researchers at MIT and Carnegie-Mellon demonstrating the economic impact of broadband (available here) highlights the need to seriously mobilize regional collaboration in support of research, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, the arts, and job growth. OneCommunity.org will serve as an umbrella effort under which this can be achieved. To learn more about this new initiative contact Lev Gonick at lev.gonick@case.edu. Got comments on the initiative? Send them to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

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OOOOOWwwweeeeeee Fat Fish Blue is going to do the Crescent City proud this Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday, Tues 2/28! Check out the amazing New Orleans Buffet! Beads! Booze! Boogie! It’s the party of the year! Doors open at 11:30AM with three bands! At 1:30PM Cats on Holiday starts the party with Swamp Pop and Zydeco. At 5PM (21 and over please) see Sax soul man Tony Koussa, Jr., as he kicks it into high gear! Then at 8:30PM the Swamp Boogie Band tears the roof down with booty-shakin’, foot-stompin’ rollicking roadhouse blues rock! Oooooowwwwwweeee! Better schedule that vacation day now! Contact www.fatfishblue.com or 216.875.6000 for info.
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Poet’s survey The Poets’ & Writers’ League of Greater Cleveland (PWLGC) is in the midst of a strategic planning process and they need your input. Take just a few minutes to complete their brief survey here by Wed 3/8. Your responses will remain completely anonymous and will help PWLGC make plans for the future. http://www.pwlgc.com.

Window displays by V. Marti An exciting collaboration between the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, the City of Lakewood and Virginia Marti College will enable Lakewood business owners, non-profits and property owners to transform drab or vacant storefronts into fantastic, low-cost marketing opportunities. VMC students will use their marketing and design skills to build unique window displays to help market Lakewood businesses, attract tenants or showcase a non-profit event. Call 226-2900 to learn more.

Emissions from the blogsphere Scott Bakalar notes a win for the citizens of Lorain in the eminent domain battle. Adam Harvey is a young guy who came to Cleveland, but may leave because he can’t catch a break finding a higher paying job. For another slice of life in Cleveland, read Daniella’s encounter with a woman at a strip mall. Scott liveblogs the Innerbelt community meeting. The Full Cleveland does some imagining on regionalism. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian laments Adam Harvey’s Organic/Mechanic lament, checks out “Cleveland Café” and somehow finds common ground between the two. When you’re through, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.


Cool Cleveland This Week

2.22-3.01

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Valley Arts Center currently has four shows on exhibit through Fri 3/24: Contemporary Cloth Artist Exhibit: Collage of Cloth; Focus 2006, A Photography Competition; Damon Reaves: Paintings In Celebration of Black History and A Square Deal, Contemporary Quilts. Visit www.ValleyArtCenter.org or call 440-247-7507 for more info. Gallery hours are M-F 10AM – 4PM and Sat 10AM – 2PM. Valley Art Center, 155 Bell Street, Chagrin Falls.

Forested Landscape A Collection of works by participants in the 2005-2006 Hiram College Creative Field Studies Program. Attend the opening reception on Wed 2/22 from 5-8PM for this exhibit, which runs through 3/25. The Creative Field Studies Program encourages interdisciplinary study of global or regional issues. Call 330-672-1369 or visit www.Kent.edu to learn more. KSU The Downtown Gallery, 223 North Water Street, Kent.

HOT PICKS CC KIDS CityMusic Concerts Hear the heavenly sounds of this critically-acclaimed ensemble as they perform Beethoven’s Triple Concerto & Symphony #7 during a series of no-cost community concerts in local places of worship. Catch the concert nearest you: Wed 2/22 at 7:30PM at Fairmount Presbyterian Church, 2757 Fairmount Boulevard, Cleveland Heights; Thu 2/23 at 7:30PM at St. Mary Church, Elyria; Fri 2/24 at 8PM at the United Methodist Church of Willoughby Hills; Sat 2/25 at 8PM at Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus; Sun 2/26 at 7:30PM at Rocky River Presbyterian Church. See an art exhibit by photographer Halim Ina and meet the musicians over refreshments during intermission. http://www.CityMusicCleveland.org.

V-Fest Women’s Celebration Enjoy a full day of information, education and networking on Thu 2/23 from 11AM – 4PM during this event which celebrates the health of women across the lifespan. Engage in vivacious discussion about women’s health and sexuality and visit; a room dedicated to mothers and mothers-to-be; a room with everything you ever wanted to know about making sex fun and healthy and 20 exhibitors offering services for women. Call 651-6191 for more info. Download flyer here. Case University Campus, Thwing Center, 11111 Euclid Avenue.

HOT PICKS Steve Cagan Exhibit Cleveland Iron Workers Members of Local 17 at Work is an exhibition of photos drawn from Cagan’s Working Ohio project. Hear the artist’s lecture, Seeing with the Camera: Promises and Pitfalls on Thu 2/23 at 4PM, followed by an opening reception from 4:30-6PM. The exhibit runs through 5/15 in the Campbell Gallery. Gallery hours are 9AM – 9PM daily. Call 523-2330 or visit http://urban.csuohio.edu/forum/gallery/ironworkers.htm to RSVP for this event. Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, Glickman-Miller Hall, 1717 Euclid Avenue.

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Get Ann, Romeo, Juliette and Garth at up to Half Off? Take advantage of C-Tix – Cleveland’s hot, new mega theater ticket discount sensation (up to half off show tickets!). It’s free and open to the public – just sign up now for the hottest, yet coolest performances in town that are playing at Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Play House, Beck Center, Cleveland Public Theater and more. Register for this service at www.Ctix.org to receive weekly emails alerting you about great deals for tickets to great performances. A service of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland. For more information about attractions and events in northeast Ohio visit www.TravelCleveland.com.
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Decadence: A Sensuous Chocolate Affair Sample a variety of rich chocolate pleasures provided by local chef, Nicole Gilotta, on Thu 2/23 from 6-9PM, while helping Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre (CCDT) raise funds to support this season’s programming. Call 791-9000 to reserve your tickets. Hamilton’s Martini Bar, 1415 Euclid Avenue. http://www.ccdt.com.

Movieoke Never heard of it? You’ve heard of karaoke right? Well, think karaoke of movie soundtracks. To help raise money for the Cleveland 20/30 Club’s sponsorship of a film at this year’s Cleveland International Film Festival, the Club has gathered together County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones, Cleveland City Councilman Zack Reed and other participants to sing songs featured in a variety of film soundtracks. Plain Dealer columnist Dick Feagler and the City of Cleveland’s Chief of Governmental Affairs Valerie McCall will judge contestants. Q104 deejay Rebecca Wilde will emcee the evening’s festivities. Prizes will be awarded based on the best performances, and giveaways will be given to audience members throughout the evening. Thu 3/23 from 5:30—8PM at Fat Fish Blue. 21 Prospect Ave. 875.6000. http://www.cleveland2030.com/event.asp?ID=204.

JumpStart Breakfast Your choice of business entity has a bearing on your foundation for future growth, ability to raise capital, decision making process and exit strategy. Attend Legal Essentials for Start-Ups and Pitfalls to Avoid! on Fri 2/24 to get valuable information about making the right choice for your business from the very beginning. Registration and breakfast begins at 7:30AM, followed by speaker Jeff Jones of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP at 8AM, followed by a Q&A session. Tickets are just $11. Register here or call 363-3412 for more info. Kent State University – Geauga Campus, 14111 Clairdon Troy Road, Burton.

Out There: Print(scapes) Here’s an opportunity to check out the landscape as interpreted by three very different contemporary printmakers: Pam Carberry, Anne Kibbe and Glenn Ratusnik. Attend the opening reception on Fri 2/24 from 6-9PM and experience Carberry’s fusion of color-on-color, shifting horizon lines and the basic division of space to capture the sensations she experiences in nature; Kibbe’s intaglio print series, referencing the chant, and Mark-making, drawings in graphite powder and Garfield Heights native Ratusnik’s prints, inspired by the contemporary suburban landscape and influenced by pop culture and the mass media. Call 881-4000. Zygote Press, 7209 St. Clair Avenue.

CC KIDS Inlet Dance Theatre will culminate a month-long Ohio Arts Council Residency with The Mosaic Experience, one of the five small schools at Heights High School, with a Fri 2/24 performance at 7PM featuring Heights High School students. General admission is $5; student admission is $2. Call 371-3344. Dina Rees Auditorium, Heights High, 13263 Cedar Road. www.HeightsArts.org.

Recent Works of Escape is an exhibit of Cecelia Phillips’ paintings – an amalgamation of media, imagination, real and surreal spaces depicting lone wolves, survivors, outcasts, oddballs, and underdogs. Attend the opening reception on Fri 2/24 from 7-11PM. Call 939-9099. The Miller-Weitzel Gallery, 5304 Detroit Avenue. http://www.MillerWeitzelGallery.com.

CC KIDS School of Arts Double Feature The Cleveland School of the Arts will present two touching plays on Fri 2/24 & Sat 2/25 at 7:30PM and Sun 2/26 at 4PM. Steal Away Home is the story of two young slaves, Amos and his younger brother Obie, who travel the Underground Railroad in a desperate attempt to join their father in the north and gain their freedom. To Be Young Gifted and Black, a collage of Lorraine Hansberry’s most intimate writings, gives us a view into the mind and world of the woman now heralded as the grandmother of the Black Theater Movement. Tickets are $10 & $15 and must be purchased at the door. Main Stage Theater at TRI-C Metropolitan Campus, 2929 Woodland Ave, Parking Gate #6.

Private Equity Investment Summit Join several leaders in the private equity and economic development arenas during this Fri 2/24 Forum beginning at 8AM. The event will highlight three panels: Issues and Opportunities for Investing in NE Ohio; The Technology Transfer Process in NE Ohio and Leveraging Public Initiatives and Private Equity in NE Ohio. Call 566-8884. Tri-C Corporate College East, 4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights.

Heavy Metal from Fast Chester Help the group celebrate its new release, Forbidden Fruit, a formal introduction to the heavy metal community on Fri 2/24 at 8PM – they’re buying the beer. Fast Chester will team up with Cleveland’s own, My Great Escape and Bluefire, featuring 14-year-old guitar virtuoso, Josh “Pix” Karichoff, from Edinburgh, PA. Voodoo Lounge, 153 East Cuyahoga Falls Avenue, Akron.

Jesus Christ Superstar The Cleveland State University Dramatic Arts Program will present Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s infamous rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar on Fri 2/24 & Sat 2/25 at 8PM; Sun 2/26 at 2PM; Fri 3/3 & Sat 3/4 at 8PM and Sun 3/5 at 2 & 8PM. Tickets are as little as 5 dollars for this show which will be presented in “high def surround sound” – the audience will be seated in the middle as the action takes place around them on three sides – with the accompaniment of Chris Yochens’ synthesized orchestra, and a live drummer. Call 687-2109 for info and reservations. The Factory Theatre, 1833 East 23rd Street. http://www.csuohio.edu/theater.

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Gorgeous and Exotic Celebrate nature’s most exotic plant at Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Orchid Mania: Blossoms & Butterflies Sat 2/25 through Sun 3/26. Four weeks of beauty, color, fragrance and magic – at the time of year when you need it most. Get inspired with gorgeous orchids of every color and hundreds of butterflies in our Glasshouse – the only place you’ll find live butterflies this time of year. Learn how to care for orchids with our experts, enjoy demonstrations and check out our website at www.CBGarden.org for a complete list of programs. Be the first to get a sneak peak of the Orchid Mania Show before it opens to the public at our Preview Party on Fri 2/24. For ticket information on the Preview Party call 216-707-2834.
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The Death of Frank examines the choices we make in the face of unavoidable desire. The play examines the story of Peter, a young, earnest gardener who wants to save the world, and Natalie, his jaded and peculiar sister who seems inclined toward things that hurt her. Unfortunately, one of those things is Frank, an older guy, rough around the edges with a dubious job description. Can Peter save his sister, or will Lynn the linguist save him first? The show opens on Fri 2/24 at 9PM and runs every Friday and Saturday at 9PM and Sundays at 2:30PM through 3/12, with the exception of 2/26. Call 932-3396 for tickets. Pilgrim Congregational Church, 2592 West 14th Street, Tremont. http://www.dobama.org.

CC KIDS A performing story of Afro-Cuban Music Celebrate the music of the Latino/Hispanic Heritage and the life and music of Roberto Ocasio during this open community event on Sat 2/25 at 11AM. World-renowned drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, recording artist and educator, Bobby Sanabrio, will perform along with the The Hispanic Youth Center’s Dance Ensemble & Roberto Ocasio’s Latin Jazz Project. Call 688-4171. The Hispanic Youth Center, 3146 Scranton Road.

CC KIDS The Stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder Celebrate the belated birthday of Laura Ingalls Wilder during a special event “Just for Kids” on Sat 2/25 at 11AM. The event includes an hour-long program featuring storytelling, and a show and tell of several artifacts related to the life and times of the beloved author. The program is geared toward younger children, around age 5, but the fascinating history will capture the attention of older readers, as well. Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Legacy Village, 24519 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst. http://www.JosephBeth.com/.

HOT PICKS Challenging War, Defying Power: A Forum on Conflict, Peace and Activism will engage artists, curators, scholars and activists in a discussion of the social implications of war on Sat 2/25 at 2PM. A reception will follow. Call 621-2314 for info. SPACES Gallery, 2220 Superior Viaduct. http://www.SpacesGallery.org/.

HOT PICKS Jump Back Ball This year’s event, Frolic on 42nd–A Broadway Blitz on Sat 2/25 from 7:30PM to 1AM, will be an irreverent evening of fun. Guests will dine on fine fare from Sammy’s and enjoy complimentary cocktails amid the grand theatres of Playhouse Square decked in Broadway-inspired décor. Cleveland’s own Grammy®-winning funkmeisters, Dazz Band will Let it Whip as they provide a live musical soundtrack to this spectacular evening, along with Abby Normal & the Detroit Lean. A host of other activities and a raffle will round out this evening that is too much damn fun for just one venue. The Jump Back Ball will be held in both the State and Palace Theatres of Playhouse Square. Check out this week’s Cool Cleveland Preview above, for a slice of life take on Saturday’s events.

Garth Fagan Dance Fagan’s innovative choreography in The Lion King thrilled audiences and won critical acclaim, netting the dance maker a Tony Award for Best Choreographer. His use of modern and post-modern dance and ballet techniques with a heavy dose of Afro-Caribbean dance, from his native Jamaica, equals one heck of a good time for audiences during the company’s Sat 2/25 performance at 8PM. Learn more about the company at http://www.GarthFaganDance.org. See the Cool Cleveland Preview below. Get your tickets at www.PlayhouseSquare.com. Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square Center.

Scott Tilden lecture The Akron Art Museum is hosting an open, community lecture by Scott Tilden, author of Architecture for Art: American Art Museums, 1938-2008 on Sun 2/26 at 2PM. Tilden will discuss America’s museum building boom and the stories behind these structures, including the Akron Art Museum. Akron-Summit County Public Library Auditorium, 60 South High Street, Akron. http://www.AkronArtMuseum.org.

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Cleveland Institute of Music Opera Theater presents Amadeus Revisited March 1, 3 & 4 at 8PM. Long before famous rivals George Foreman and Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, there was Mozart and Salieri. The rumor that Salieri had poisoned Mozart was a concept immortalized in the movie Amadeus. These feuding composers were placed in competition when each was asked to write a one-act comedy on the same theme to be performed at a dinner party. Revisit this evening of competing egos as the CIM Opera Theater presents Mozart’s The Impresario and Salieri’s First the Music, Then the Words, both about…what else? Dueling divas of course! Adults $15; Students and Seniors $10. Call 216-791-5000 and mention Cool Cleveland or order online at www.cim.edu and enter code 0306 to receive $2 off your ticket.
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CC KIDS Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Youth Chorus will perform Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Wagner’s Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Mozart’s “Coronation” Mass on Sun 2/26 at 3PM during an affordable and family-friendly classical music presentation. Guest vocal soloists include soprano Sharon Shaffer, mezzo-soprano Emily Landa, tenor Michael Sansoni and bass Ray Liddle. The Medina High School Concert Choir will also lend their vocals to the performance. Call 231-1111 or visit www.ClevelandOrchestra.com to purchase tickets. Reserved seating is just $12. Severance Hall.

Jurgen Faust Hear the Cleveland digital arts pioneer and Dean of the Integrated Media Arts Environment at CIA, as he shares his vision and parting words of wisdom before leaving to take his new position as Professor for Design and Theory and Dean of Academic Affairs in Monterrey, Mexico. The event is open to the public on Sun 2/26 from 4-5PM. Call 368-4399 with questions. The Wolstein Research Building Auditorium, Case Western Reserve University – 2130 Cornell Road.

Winter Round Up Jam to rockin’ Americana music by Bobby Lanphier and his posse and sample complimentary appetizers provided by area restaurants including Chile Peppers Mexican Grill, Fanny’s, Scotti’s, Arabica and more, on Mon 2/27 from 8-11PM, during an event to raise funds for one of Cleveland’s newest arts consortiums – Arts Collinwood. Tickets are just $10 at the door, or call 383-1124. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road.

Creative Government: Stretching Dollars to Build Ohio This statewide public policy forum, on Tue 2/28 from 8AM to 1:30PM, will detail the work of various communities to advance regional cooperation in the delivery of services to citizens, economic development, and the sharing of incremental revenue produced through new economic development initiatives. The Renaissance Columbus, 50 North 3rd Street, Columbus. Call 687-5538. www.CSUOhio.edu.

Taking your YP Organization to the Next Level Is your Young Professionals Organization (YPO) still sitting at the “kids table” in your community, struggling to be taken seriously by the power players? Are you lacking critical mass, PR savvy, or a hard-hitting agenda? Join Rebecca Ryan and your YPO peers during an enlightening teleconference to learn how others have gotten a chair at the Adults Table. Register here for the Tue 2/28 event from 12-1:15 PM.

Mardi Gras at FFB New Orleans is preparing to celebrate Mardi Gras on Tue 2/28, in a testament to its resilience, but if you can’t make it there you can celebrate in fine style at Fat Fish Blue, home to some of the best Mardi Gras parties this town has ever seen. Cool Cleveland faves Cats on Holiday will be cranking out hot, saucy tunes, Cajun-style, starting at 1:30PM. FFB is donating a portion of their proceeds for the entire day to the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina disaster relief fund; so you can do a little sinnin’ and lot of savin’ at the same time – well that’s a deal you just can’t pass up. Fat Fish Blue, Prospect and Ontario. Call 875-6000. http://www.FatFishBlue.com.

Speak UP! WISE (Women in Sports and Events) presents this empowering event on Tue 2/28 hosted by Maryann Nagel, currently starring in Menopause the Musical. Tours and networking over refreshments will begin at 5:30PM. Then Maryann will demonstrate techniques to build confidence and develop one’s voice into a powerful and persuasive tool in a program that begins at 6:30PM. Register at http://www.WiseCleveland.com. The Idea Center at Playhouse Square, 1375 Euclid Avenue.

The Context For Change Take the pulse of our current business leaders and examine economic trends that have shaped our region during this presentation by Guhan Venkatu, Economic Analyst for Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland & NOACC Business Pulse Survey on Tue 2/28. Networking over hors d’oeuvres begins at 6PM and the presentation runs from 6:30-7:30PM. Call 987-2962 to reserve your spot. Corporate College East, 4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights. http://www.ClevelandNext.com.

Cracking the Dress Code ClevelandWomen.com’s resident style maven, Kristen Kaleal will share the secrets of the role professional image plays in landing the job you really want, making more money and climbing the corporate ladder during her Career Week presentation at CSU on Wed 3/1 at 12PM. Cleveland State University, University Center Atrium, 2121 Euclid Avenue.

HOT PICKS Cultural Crossings Poet, playwright and professor of African literature, Dr. Micere M. Githae Mugo, will speak on the subject Poetry as a Political Statement and as a Vehicle for Crossing Cultural Borders on Wed 3/1 at 5PM as part of the 2005-2006 Cultural Crossings Lecture Series “Windows on the World: A Dialogue Across Borders.” The lecture is open to the public without cost. Music and Communication Building, 2001 Euclid Avenue. www.CSUOhio.edu.

WCLVnotes Osmo Vanska, the fabulous conductor of the Minnesota Orchestra, takes Cleveland’s band through its paces at Severance Hall this week. The Sat 2/25 concert beginning at 8PM, will be broadcast live by WCLV 104.9 FM. It’s an attractive program with Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from “Peter Grimes,” the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1, with Clemens Hagen as cello soloist, and the rip-roaring Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 3. Want to win a DVD set of the six Monty Python’s Flying Circus episodes being shown on PBS? After The Cleveland Orchestra concert on Saturday, stay tuned to 104.9 for Robert Conrad’s “Weekend Radio” to learn the details. And for detailed listings on all of WCLV’s programming, go to the Program Guide section of WCLV’s website at www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

RoldoLINK
Experts Play The Public Cheap By Bogus Sales Pitches

It may have been a dozen years too late but still welcome. Nice to see the Plain Dealer take a look, at long last, at the economic costs of Gateway.

Joel Rutchick and Mark Gillispie, as usual, did a skilled job of assessing how the City of Cleveland gives its wealth away to the area’s richest people. They didn’t exactly put it in those terms. It’s not proper for the mainstream media to pepper the wealthy.

The Gateway garage deal, they reported, could cost the city $77 million by the end of its payment term. Already it has cost the city $31 million, they reported. Those are scarce Cleveland tax dollars. Gone. Kaput.

It’s no surprise. Our politicians and civic leaders preordained it. They did it, not by mistake, but purposefully. All too predictable.

The poor city has always had money to give away to our corporate richest…
Read RoldoLINK here

Cool Cleveland Commentary: The Ohio Ballet

Don’t believe everything you read in the daily newspapers. The current crisis at Ohio Ballet is not one of artistic merit as the dailies imply, but a financial crisis that has been at least in part manufactured by the dailies’ persistent negativity toward Ohio Ballet. When it comes to the current crises at Ohio Ballet, one needs to get a bigger picture by talking to the local dance community, both dancers and audience members, as opposed to relying solely on the local dance critics. The complaint we hear most frequently is that Akron and Cleveland are one-newspaper towns, with the result that Cleveland’s Plain Dealer and Akron’s Beacon-Journal act like 900-pound gorillas when it comes to shaping local perceptions. Unfortunately, these perceptions shape the marketplace.

Other than a brief period when Jeffrey Graham Hughes (present artistic director of Ohio Ballet, who followed founding director Heinz Poll) was brand new, his tenure has faced a persistent and often undeserved negative press. A very tangible result of damning the artistic direction of Hughes (reviews at times have seemed vicious) has been that audiences, especially in Cleveland, stay away in droves from what often turn out to be productions of considerable value, worthy of a more objective review, even praise. Local audiences need to open their eyes to the very real artistic merits of what Hughes has accomplished during his tenure of less than 7 years at Ohio Ballet. It would be more than nice if northeast Ohio could keep its remaining professional ballet company, an under appreciated jewel…
Read the commentary by Victor Lucas and Elsa Johnson here

Cool Cleveland Preview
Garth Fagan Dance

Garth Fagan Dance, now celebrating its 35th anniversary, will bring its unique brand of virtuosic dance to Northeast Ohio this week with a performance on Sat 2/25 at 8PM. Hailed as a master choreographer, and winner of countless awards, company founder and choreographer, Garth Fagan, continues to delight lovers of dance with his inventive blend of ballet, modern, Caribbean, and social dance. Yet, the extraordinary grace, athleticism and sheer beauty of the dancers who master the “Fagan Technique” (some say it takes two years) will amaze even those who typically do not frequent dance performances. Fagan puts his dancers to the test with rapid transitions and daring positions which require the type of stamina and balance that moves an entire audience to hold its collective breath and exhale with an exuberant “ah!” It is an evening not to be missed.

Fagan, best known as the Tony Award winning choreographer of The Lion King, will treat Clevelanders to the Ohio premiere of Life: Dark/Light, set to the music of jazz violinist, Billy Bang. The emotive piece enacts Bang’s experiences in Vietnam and his struggle to deal with the memories which haunt one afterward, as well as the feelings of those who live in a period where war is looming. Audiences will revel in the original movement style of Garth Fagan Dance, accompanied by vivacious musical selections ranging from passionate jazz and world music compositions to esteemed classical favorites. Prelude, set to music by Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) and Max Roach; Sonata and the Afternoon, set to the music of Johannes Brahms; Touring Jubilee 1924 (Professional), music by Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Translation/Transition, set to music by the Jazz Jamaica All Stars will also be performed during a full evening of breathtaking dance.

Visit http://www.GarthFaganDance.org to get a more intimate glimpse of this world-renowned dance company. Visit www.ctix.org for discounted tickets to an unforgettable evening with Garth Fagan Dance that will send you home dancing up the aisles. Tickets can also be purchased at www.DanceCleveland.org or www.TriCPresents.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Roxanne Ravenel RoxanneAtCoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Up ensemble
Up ensemble
Viva Records

If you’re looking for a fun, upbeat and eclectic take on jazz, pop and world music, the Up ensemble trio is exactly what you’re looking for. During the course of their self-titled release, Christopher Burge (tenor saxophone), Matthew Charboneau (double bass) and Beau Lisy (drums/percussion) wear their hearts—not to mention influences—on their collective sleeves. But they certainly can cook up some a firestorm. The proof is in the disc’s 12 delectable tracks; nine originals and three interesting interpretations of jazz and pop standards.

Up ensemble’s sprightly and delightful approach dovetails the distinguished styles of many jazz greats with a Luaka Bop/David Byrne style of unique global styles and cosmopolitan cool. Add a pinch of Lennon/McCartney for good measure and you realize quickly that these guys are committed to creating unique instrumental music that is as challenging as it is accessible.

The trio has a rather impressive repertoire of jazz standards, world/folk music, and pop songs to match their many originals; this recording features all of those styles and yet only begins to express what they’re capable of.

Some of the tracks offer an offbeat, Birdland-NYC-style with odd time signatures, like the tasty “Bulldozer”; others are more stylized, like “Darkness,” and still others are downright whimsical, like their jazzy take on the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride” and Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman.”

Charlie “Bird” Parker himself once said (I’m paraphrasing) that you have to live life in order to be able to play your horn. Well, then Up ensemble must be living it up, because their sound more than strives to capture life’s essence. It’s relaxed, fun, entertaining and as grand as it is motivated. Music to live by.

Up Ensemble performs Thursdays at Vivo from 7-10 pm and the first Sunday of every month at Touch Supper Club, from 9pm-midnight.

by Cool Cleveland contributor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

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

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

Instant Karma
Quick reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof @ Lakeland 2/18
What: An engaging production of Tennessee Williams’ classic drama of mendacity and secrets, as a rich man’s family scrabbles for position before he dies of a cancer he doesn’t know he has.
Reasons to go: It’s worth driving out to Lake County just to see Mitchell Fields own the stage as shrewd, peppery Big Daddy. But director Martin Friedman gets solid performances out of all his principals, who make a credibly screwed up family. Liz Conway is slinky and manipulative as the frustrated Maggie, whose closeted alcoholic husband Brick (a vague but hunky Mark Smith) won’t have sex with her. Mary Jane Nottage makes Big Mama a fluttery iron butterfly. Erin Bunting has a marvelous malice as scheming sister-in-law Mae and Steven Hoffman manifests a surprising sympathy as the prodigal’s older brother Gooper. Friedman makes the most of Keith Nagy’s handsome raked set, whose huge venetian blinds create a lack of privacy and feel like prison bars.
Caveats: There are touches that don’t work – Friedman has Smith’s Brick so overdo the drinking it’s comical, and Conway’s soft Southern speech isn’t always audible. But overall it’s a high quality production.
Backstory: Tennessee Williams won a Pulitzer Prize for this 1955 drama, which shone a light on the corrosive effects of internalized homophobia and the closet a good 50 years before Brokeback Mountain, something you won’t pick up from the censored 1958 Liz Taylor/Paul Newman film adaptation.
Target audience: Those who enjoy seeing a good production of a classic play.
Details: Thru 2/19, Lakeland Theatre, Lakeland Community College, Route 306 @ I-90, Kirtland. $10/$8.
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

CC KIDS Wind in the Willows @ Cleveland Play House Children’s Theatre 2/17 A treat for kids—of all ages—is currently available at the Cleveland Play House, through March 12. Selected episodes of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows have been deftly adapted for presentation by local playwright Eric Schmiedl. All your favorite characters—Badger, Water Rat and Mole—are there, helping Toad get over his addiction to cars, which has landed him in jail. They also help him re-claim his beloved Toad Hall from a batch of squatter weasels who’ve moved in while he was away.

To be sure, Toad in the person of Kevin Joseph Kelly has brought all his troubles on himself, but the boy can’t seem to help it! In his greenish suit, brown derby hat, gloves and spats, he’s the very essence of elegance. Mole, gently brought to life by Alicia Kahn, is in addition to being slightly dazzled by the sunlight, a delightfully pigeon-toed creature. Water Rat isn’t at all a scary fellow, especially at the hands of Noah Varness, who lends a certain dignity to the part…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

The Diary of Anne Frank @ Beck 2/17
What: The suspense-filled story of Jews in hiding in Nazi-occupied Holland, based on the internationally famous real-life diary of a young girl. It’s taut and moving.
Reasons to go: Sarah May gets marvelous performances out of her cast, anchored by bubbly sixteen-year-old Heather Farr who makes Anne a perfect teenager – irrepressible, slightly bratty, and utterly endearing. Farr is surrounded by pros, from George Roth’s sympathetic father and Anne McEvoy’s long-suffering mother, to Paula Duesing’s Mrs. Van Damme, swanning around in a motheaten fur and Mark Cipra’s neurotic dentist. Richard B. Ingraham’s sinister sound design adds a lot to the tension.
Caveats: Richard Gould’s massive, multilayered set spreads out all over the huge Beck stage, working against the feeling of claustrophobia needed for 8 people living cheek-to-jowl. But director and cast make it work anyway.
Backstory: Wendy Kesselman’s new adaptation adds new material from the diaries, which had some of his daughter’s burgeoning sexual feelings edited out by father Otto Frank. The effect is to blow some dust off the iconic piece and make it seem newly alive. The show is accompanied by detailed lobby displays from the Anne Frank Center USA about the historical context.
Target audience: Between the riveting historical look at the Holocaust and the strongly acted drama with a teenage protagonist, it’s a must-see for teens and their families.
Details: Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. 216-521-2540. Thru 2/26. http://www.beckcenter.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 2/16 For some three-plus minutes on Thursday evening, Joella Jones held the audience at Severance Hall solely at her feet. There was not a peep, not a rustle, not a cough: no sounds whatever except the multitude of notes she coaxed from the pedals of the Norton Memorial Organ during the incredible, dazzling ‘pedal cadenza’ of Samuel Barber’s Toccata festiva, Op. 36, for organ and orchestra. It was an extraordinary experience.

Even though this work was composed in 1960, this was the first performance by the orchestra. We can but hope the next appearance won’t take so long. It’s a wonderful showpiece for both organ and orchestra, and was made easy for all to see as well as hear by putting the organ console out front on the partially-raised apron at the front of the stage. Ms. Jones played the difficult work as though she’d been playing it all her life, and former resident conductor Jahja Ling (now in charge of the San Diego Symphony) was a sympathetic collaborator. The ovation at the conclusion of the work was well and truly-deserved…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Paco Peña @ Masonic Auditorium 2/15 Life Set to Music: If you are missing passion in your life, it would have been instantly revived with a trip to see Paco Peña, flamenco guitarist, at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Viva! & Gala Series. Peña’s musicians (3 guitarists, a drummer and a singer) and dancers (two men and a woman they fought over) collaborated on a rapid-fire performance that managed to illustrate a range of emotions that included everything from the tragic cry of loneliness to the explosion of sheer happiness. The hypnotic sensuality and passion of the expressive dancers coupled with the agony of their personal, traumatic stories was sheer artistry. With a rhythm that had an unstoppable pulse, and passionate music that everyone could identify with, Peña received a well-deserved standing ovation. Peña’s performance is one more to add to the long list of cool in Cleveland. From Cool Cleveland contributor T.L. Champion tlATcoolcleveland.com

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

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On Nick Kostis (See Cool Cleveland Interview with Nick Kostis here) I worked with Nick Kostis in another life. Education. In fifteen minutes he could take a group of angry PTA ladies and have them singing his praises. Nick would just smile when I asked him how he did it. A Greek leprechaun, he is. A nice guy, too.
from Cool Cleveland reader Fran Martin martin5638ATsbcglobal.net

On a new convention center (See Yr Turn letters here) Saying that a behemoth of a convention center isn’t a good idea for Cleveland isn’t displaying a can’t-do attitude; it’s facing facts. There are many, many things that hold bright promise for our city—-our arts and culture scene is witnessing an incredible blossoming, it looks as if we’re finally starting to get with it in embracing cutting-edge technology, and we have world-class museums as well as fabulous eateries and one-of-a-kind shops. Indeed, we should revel in our good fortune in living in Cleveland, and should all be PR people for the community…
Read the entire letter here

On the film industry in Cleveland (See Who needs Hollywood? here) Your naive question, “Is the film industry wising up?” Scott Sabel records in Ohio, who cares? Some two-bit actor from Dayton testifies in front of the Ohio Legislature? Do you really think the industry looks to Ohio as a solution? They are not looking for a solution. Do you really think that most major studios would travel here rather than shooting in Los Angeles or New York? Come on! The Ohio Legislature debate giving tax breaks for shooting film in Ohio is a road that has been traveled down many times before. Ohio was too stupid then to approve it and they may be even more Bushwacked to approve it now. As long as they make “family-friendly films,” that is.
from Cool Cleveland reader Tim Harry, Cleveland Cinematheque tharryATclevelandart.org

This is a great subject. I work for a company in Crawford County (about 70 minutes south of Cleveland) called Precinct 13 Entertainment (www.p13entertainment.com). The company president, Robert Kurtzman, is an Ohio native who spent 20 years in LA, forming the esteemed KNB FX Group. Growing tired of life out west, and not wishing to raise his family there, he bravely decided to come back home to set up his own FX/Production house in Ohio. This has proved to be a wise move. In the last 18 months, Precinct 13 has undertaken CGI work for the following motion pictures…
Read the entire letter here

On a signature Innerbelt bridge (See ODOT Midtown public meeting here) Mr. Proctor, Please take the necessary time to ensure that the bridge which will be erected in Cleveland is one that will impact our region positively. We’ve had too many public projects which were rushed into in this town that we are still trying to make right. I know you are getting a different viewpoint from our politicians, but please realize that it is the politicians themselves who have been selling our city short for decades. Please try to alleviate and not contribute to our problems. The fact that traffic might be slowed and/or diverted for a year or two is inconsequential when compared to the sense of pride a well done signature bridge would bring to the people of our city. You are a man with a lot of influence Mr. Proctor, please do us all a favor and use your position to improve the lives of generations of Clevelanders. I’d be happy to discuss this with you further if you have the time. Thanks.
from Kevin Patrick Murphy, Esq. kpmAThurtukdaroff.com

Gordon, The people of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and all of Northeast Ohio have been presented with an opportunity. It is an opportunity that comes around once in many generations and will have a dramatic effect on the future of the place that we call home. The Cuyahoga Planning Commission has proposed a southern alignment alternative that is more elegant, world-class and sustainable for spanning the Cuyahoga River Valley than ODOT’s plan. The County Planning Commission’s concept for spanning the Valley also reconfigures the grossly inadequate collection of ramps…
Read the entire letter here

Now that Cool Cleveland is carrying the torch for the ODOT project, can it also get Fannie Lewis and the rest of Cleveland Council to see the forest for the trees? Business development in midtown (expansion of Myers University and other businesses) says growth area much more so than a jail!.
from Cool Cleveland reader Harriet Bauer hkbauerATyahoo.com

On annexing East Cleveland (See Time to annex East Cleveland? here) Regarding the recent column by Sam Fulwood in the Plain Dealer: I have been thinking for a while now that East Cleveland should be annexed by Cleveland, Cleveland Heights and Euclid. East Cleveland and it’s neighbors would benefit by spreading the “problems” and the “benefits” around. Cleveland would acquire the valued property near University Circle. Cleveland Heights would gain much needed commercial property that is along Euclid Avenue, as well as the housing stock on and uphill of Terrace Road (and perhaps fix the split school district issue in that area). The city of Euclid would gain valuable residential and light industrial property to help it’s tax base. The relative strengths of the three cities would in turn benefit the residents and businesses within the boundaries of East Cleveland.
from Cool Cleveland reader Jerry Mann jerrymannATjerrymann.com

On unhappy Cleveland people Since I came back to Cleveland from living in Akron 5 years ago, even though it is 45 minutes away, Cleveland people, most of them became more judgmental and ignorant because they don’t like how a person talks or walks without a real explanation why. I am an artist with a speech and communication problem that sometime have problem expressing words correctly when I talk. Few months back at an art-opening, group of people said things about me such as calling me retarded, slow, and dumb. In addition would make fun of me while talking with their entourage. I went over there to talk to them (I am a person who want to interact with the instigators). They just ignored and walked away from me. Even some of my good friends couldn’t believe this (One of them went back to Europe because of such ignorance in Cleveland and elsewhere in Ohio). I can’t believe that here in Cleveland a diverse of people getting along well but they just want to overlook a good person who they don’t know well because of a speech impendent that is misunderstanding. I love Cleveland, but such ignorance need to be decrease for some tolerance and acceptance to come in judgmental Cleveland people minds even though there will not be an universal remedy for a long time. As a result, I will be happy to be leaving Cleveland by next year.
from Cool Cleveland reader Johnny Perkins propio72AThotmail.com

On Cool Cleveland I wanted to let you know how impressed I am with your web-site. I am moving back to Cleveland in june after a 20 year hiatus. Without hopefully sounding pompous, I am part of the brain drain returned. We bought a house in Shaker and look to be active in Cleveland revolution of change that is critical. I hope some of my 4 boys have the opportunities that I did not, and see Cleveland as a dynamic cool city to live in. I am leaving a very affluent area in Chicago , and opening a satellite sales office for our business in Cleveland Hanna bldg. It is more ideas and solutions then employment I hope to bring, as that is what has to change first in Cleveland. A headset change in my graphic terms. I was just at glidden house for the weekend,and amazed at the beauty and potential of the city as well as its cultural brilliance. I think your website invites what we need, youth ,culture, progress, growth and responsibility. Just add water!! All needed to change things. I hope that there are enough of us out there to create a positive trend and then success. Good Luck and best of fortune.
from Cool Cleveland reader Jordan Rahal, Rahal Foods, Oak Brook, IL JordanATRahalFoods.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

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

1) Cool Cleveland Interview Nick Kostis, owner of Pickwick & Frolic.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Call for Artists, Designers & Models Participate!
http://www.FashionWeekCleveland.com

3) Time to annex East Cleveland? That’s what Sam Fulwood III is suggesting.
www.Cleveland.com

4) Be a Cleveland Executive Fellow A program looking for a few good fellows.
www.ClevelandFoundation.org

5) So Long Cleveland Making the Top 5 for the second week in a row.
www.CoolCleveland.com

The Hard Corps are only in Cleveland You’re not going to find a group of writers like Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Clyde Miles, Roldo Bartimole, Kelly Ferjutz and Linda Eisenstein anywhere but Cleveland. Thanks to them and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

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

What else can you do Only in Cleveland?

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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