trains have taken over the house

Here's what you do when you've taken a vacation day, you're home with your 2-year-old son and you're bored.

read these books

"A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
"All the Pretty Horses" by Cormac McCarthy
"Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown
"Apathy" by Paul Neilan
"Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff
"Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger
"Clemente: Baseball's Last Hero" by David Maraniss
"Germinal" by Emile Zola
"Ham on Rye" by Charles Bukowski
"Hayduke Lives!" by Edward Abbey
"Hey Rube" by Hunter S. Thompson
"I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story" by Hank Aaron
"Indignation" by Philip Roth
"Ironweed" by William Kennedy
"Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Richard Bach
"Magical Thinking" by Augusten Burroughs
"Makes Me Wanna Holler" by Nathan McCall
"Monkey Wrench Gang" by Edward Abbey
"My Prison without Bars" by Pete Rose
"My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
"Nobody Move" by Denis Johnson
"On the Road" by Jack Kerouac
"Peep Show" by Joshua Braff
"Playing for Pizza" by John Grisham
"Rant" by Chuck Palahniuk
"Savages" by Don Winslow
"The Catastrophist" by Lawrence Douglas
"The Imperfectionists" by Tom Rachman
"The Lonely Polygamist" by Brady Udall
"The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway
"The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
"The Rum Diaries" by Hunter S. Thompson
"They Call Him John Q" by Susan Drake
"Women" by Charles Bukowski

recent entries

Short entries from the notebook:


The Haddoxes Ugly Christmas Sweater Party was a success on a number of levels.

First, Jimmy's bar that he installed in his basement is a masterpiece and a true inspiration to men who like basements, bars, beer and entertaining. It has got two levels, a tiled top, cupboards and shelves to hold liquor bottles, is constructed of solid oak, seats eight and was finished in three weeks. The pictures don't do it justice; congratulations Jim.

As beautiful as the bar is, the Christmas sweaters were equally hideous. Top prizes for Most Ridiculous Christmas Outfit go to: Melissa, for a God-awful children's Christmas Sunday school dress; and BJ, for a black and purple sweater-dress contraption with snowflakes sewed on. Most creative goes to Zane, who split a reindeer, with half coming out his back and the other half protruding from his chest.

Click here to see the entire photo album from the party.

It was also a great Christmas for Trevor, who opened so many presents he actually got tired of opening presents and called it quits about halfway through. But he has never been more excited, hasn't stopped playing with trains since Christmas Eve and--although he was scared of Santa and didn't want him coming in our house--is thankful for everything he got.


We put a stop to all the crazy traveling this year and it was nice to host, make dinner (grilled pork tenderloin with twice-baked potatoes and maple-glazed carrots) and kick everyone out in time to clean, relax and enjoy a glass of wine while Trev played with all his gifts. Sorry to everyone we missed and we hope you had a great Christmas.

Click here for a few more photos from Christmas.

I also wanted to post a portion of Dan and Erin's Punta Cana video I helped them make to give out as Christmas gifts. The couple was married in Punta Cana this spring and we took a bunch of photos from the trip, spliced in some video and created a 1/2-hour slideshow they could give to family and friends who also went on the trip. It was a fun project and thanks to Dan and Erin for letting me help.

can the steelers still make the playoffs?

UPDATE: The AFC playoff situation changed slightly after Week 16. For the Steelers to get in: 1) Pittsburgh has to beat Miami, 2) New England has to beat Houston, and 3) either Cincinnati needs to beat the Jets or Oakland needs to beat Baltimore.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was sure they were eliminated by now, but Big Ben came through Superbowl-style today to edge the Packers and move Pittsburgh to 7-7, leaving slight playoff hope alive.

(Editor's note: if you lose to Kansas City, Oakland and Cleveland within an 18-day span, you don't deserve to make the playoffs. I understand that. Whether they deserve it and whether it will happen are two separate discussions.)

I went through the schedules of each of the AFC teams in the playoff race and predicted how the last two weeks would shake out. Pittsburgh has two tough teams remaining: Baltimore (home) and Miami (road). IF the Steelers can win out (note the BIG IF), determining the two wild card seats will be mucky and require second and third tie-breakers that I don't fully understand to settle it.

Here's how I see it shaking out:

Indianapolis 16-0 *
San Diego 13-3 *
Cincinnati 11-5 *
New England 10-6 *
Baltimore 9-7
Denver 9-7
Pittsburgh 9-7
Miami 8-8
Jacksonville 8-8
Tennessee 8-8
NY Jets 7-9
Houston 7-9
* Division winners

So three 9-7 teams would be fighting for two wild-card spots. Here's where it gets kind of confusing. According to this page, it seems as if wild-card tie-breakers are determined in different ways depending on how many teams are tied.

If there were two teams at 9-7, the first tie-breaker is head-to-head. (In head-to-head action, The Broncos lost to both the Ravens and the Steelers, and the Steelers-Ravens would have split.)

When there are three teams tied, head-to-head action is thrown out the window and wild-card berths are determined by division records. (Within their respective divisions, Denver would be 4-2, Baltimore would be 3-3 and Pittsburgh would be 2-4.)

Therefore, even if the Steelers win two tough games to close the season, it looks they would be odd man out. The only hope they've got is Week 17 upsets from Kansas City over Denver or Oakland over Baltimore; either would most-likely seal them a spot.

yes, it's real

The tree is up. It's the first time we actually went out into a field, cut one down and put it up in the house. Good times. Merry Christmas!

what happens in Vegas comes home with me

Channeling the spirit of Hunter S. Thompson, I went on a six-day Las Vegas (work-related) bender last week and was fortunate enough to check out a few really cool spots.

CityCenter
As far as I can tell, I was the first media member to tour Aria, a 4,000-room hotel/casino in the middle of CityCenter. CityCenter is MGM Mirage's newest project on The Strip. It is four hotels, a high-end shopping district and two residential towers built on 76 acres of land between Bellagio and Monte Carlo. The $8.5-billion (yes, billion) project is five years in the works; two of the hotels and the shopping district opened earlier this month. Aria, which serves as the connective tissue for all the buildings in CityCenter, is set to open Dec. 16. There is a $40-million public art museum throughout the space and I was able to capture a few of the pieces with my camera.

I stayed two nights in Vdara, the condo-hotel in CityCenter, and spent two days touring properties and walking around with my camera. A story and slideshow I put together detailing CityCenter just days before its grand opening can be found here.

Golden Nugget
I stayed three nights in what is considered a staple of Las Vegas, the 63-year-old Golden Nugget hotel and casino located in downtown Las Vegas, aka "Old Vegas." The Golden Nugget just last month finished the final piece of a three-tiered, $300-million renovation that started in 2005. A fourth tower, Rush Tower, added 20 percent more rooms to the property, some that overlook both the Fremont St. Experience and the panoramic strip hotels. The tower cost $150 million to build.
Rush Tower is a great addition to the Golden Nugget because it provides a luxury option downtown so you can enjoy the amenities of a nice hotel room and yet you are able to go downstairs and gamble and drink on the cheap. Rates in the new Rush tower rooms are as little as a $30 upgrade from the other towers, meaning you can get in for less than $100 a night. I'd definitely check it out if I were going back with a group of friends. The Golden Nugget now features nine restaurants, a 75,000-gallon exotic fish tank and an outdoor waterslide that passes through a shark tank.

At the bottom of this page is a slideshow I put together showing the new rooms at the Golden Nugget.

An acoustic evening with Dave & Tim
Ever since hearing Live at Luther College in 1999 I've wanted to see Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds play together, and I got my chance at Planet Hollywood while in Vegas. The two played for nearly three hours on the first night of a three-night concert. The show was taped and will be made into an album and DVD later.
Here's a video of Dave and Tim jamming on "Shake Me Like A Monkey" off Big Whiskey and the Gru Grux King, which was recently nominated for a Grammy. It was Dave's first nomination. Before the song, Dave said it would be the first time he's played "Shake Me Like a Monkey" acoustic.

logo design

Work in progress on a logo for Power Tool Repair in Akron, Ohio.

Click the shaded squares at the bottom to view the slideshow fullscreen.

dining in dc

I must preface this blog post for any bosses, colleagues or executives with the following statement: My business trip to Washington, D.C., this week was both fruitful and productive, resulting in countless business-related contacts and numerous story topics.

That being said, the D.C.-area dining and nightlife establishments also made a lasting impression, enough so to warrant a post about my renewed vigor for the nation's capital.

I can't vouch for the entire district's food and beverage scene because I was only there three days; and it's quite possible that the establishments I chose to patronize were the cream of the crop because I did a fair amount of research. So I return home with a sense of pride for my knack to choose quality dining and I commend the following restaurants for their dedication and commitment to taste and service.

A historic sense of character oozed from the Round Robin Bar that jettisons from the Willard InterContinental lobby. Countless presidents have sipped cocktails at the circular bar constructed entirely of wood and brass. Hanging here makes you feel important. Legend has it the term "lobbying" was invented here as Washingtonians approached presidents and congressman, sharing a cigar and a drink and pitching their political agendas, although a handful of people I spoke to dismissed that notion as hearsay and considered it myth.

Old Ebbitt Grill was conveniently located two blocks from my hotel (and two blocks from the White House), was recommended by a local and touted as the place to be in D.C. A casual yet traditional atmosphere made a good first impression and the quality food backed it up. I assume the place is packed on most evenings--as it was this Wednesday evening--but four bars, one in each corner, provide plenty of seating for waiting guests.
I ordered a burger on a recommendation and was impressed. You can't beat a standout burger.

As much as I recognize how open-brick, candle-lit bistros with hip chefs are over-saturating the dining industry, the similarly positioned Matchbox vintage pizza bistro proves it's impossible to turn pizza and beer pretentious. We popped in to watch the Bears-49ers game on a Thursday night and found quite possibly the best array of beers on tap I have ever seen, including Stella Artois, Allagash White, Yuengling, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Bell's Two-hearted Ale, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Delirium Tremens and others. The serrano spanish ham & pecorino romano pizza, made with roasted garlic, ricotta, buffalo mozzarella and tomato and cooked in the wood-fired oven lived up to expectations.

But my favorite of the trip had to be Blue Ridge, known for locally sourced mid-Atlantic cuisine and voted one of the best new restaurants in November ESQUIRE. What Blue Ridge lacks in decor and flair it makes up for with ingredients. Instead of offering vegan and soy-based dishes, the chef promotes truly healthy eating with hearty dishes grown and cultivated locally and including plenty of vegetables and seafood. "You want to save the oceans? Eat more broccoli. Change the topography of your plate," the chef told Esquire. The sweet-potato fritters were off the hook.
Here I also tried Star Hill's wheat beer, brewed in Charlottesville, Va., and it must have been brewed with more hops than the traditional wheat beer because it blended the tastes of a good wheat and a good IPA.

happy halloween

We had a pretty great Halloween last night.

Trevor dressed as Diego and had a blast trick-or-treating. One of the houses on our block sets up what they call Heggs House of Horror, voted one of the Top 5 best residential haunted house displays in the nation in a contest sponsored by Good Morning America. It's pretty awesome. See pics here.

Later we ditched the kid and hit up "Riccaween V," a Halloween party thrown by one of my bosses in an old warehouse in the Flats. See a PDF of the party invitation, which is a production in itself, here. The Riccas do a great job with party preparations and there were some phenomenal costumes there, including Octomom, Dick Cheney, The Exorcist, PeeWee Herman, A Middle-Aged Couple That Loves Halloween and The Money You Could Be Saving With Geico.

We also hit up Katie and Chrissy's party in Lakewood and saw the following costumes: A Censored Erin Andrews, a Nintendo Controller, a Donkey Punch, Gumby, Captain Crunch and Dice.

My costume awards go to:
Most Creative
1. The Money You Could Be Saving With Geico
2. Censored Erin Andrews
Best Execution
1. Captain Crunch
2. Nintendo Controller

fall fun at the freeds

We finally had some enjoyable autumn weather.

Guy and Tracey came over and we carved pumpkins. Guy's ADHD set in and he took a butcher knife and sliced open the face before cutting a lid or cleaning it out.


Last year we discovered stencil pumpkin-carving. These are our pumpkins from 2008.


And this year's (Melissa's gracious attempt at Thomas the Tank Engine on the left).


Trevor and I went outside and played in the leaves.

Check out our entire fall photo shoot here.

it was fun while it lasted, kelly

Maybe Kelly Pavlik got his wish: He no longer has to carry the city of Youngstown on his shoulders.

This week's news that Pavlik has pulled out of a scheduled fight for the third time in 2009 because of a staph infection in his left hand leads me to believe his short career is over.


The fighter, who earlier this year said he was seeing a sports psychologist to deal with rumors combined with the stresses of fame, only defended his middleweight championship twice before a disastrous year of accidents, injuries, accusations and lost opportunities.

The third, and most would argue the only formidable defense, was originally scheduled for Oct. 3 against quick-punching left-hander Paul Williams. Pavlik backed out of that date, citing an injury to his hand, and quickly began working on rescheduling.

Both camps came to agreement with HBO that the fight would be scheduled for Dec. 5 in Atlantic City. On Sept. 29, at a press conference announcing the fight, Pavlik said, "The hand's looking good. Everything's fine."

Speaking to the injury, Pavlik said, "We got it taken care of, we kicked it in the butt and we're ready to roll."

Then, six weeks before the fight was to take place, Pavlik's camp held a press conference saying his hand will not have fully healed by Dec. 5.

HBO had built a schedule around the fight and was in the process of putting together a half-hour preview. Top Rank (Pavlik's promoter) had spent thousands on marketing the fight. Caesars Atlantic City was looking for a big boost with a sold-out crowd expected at Boardwalk Hall. Fans had booked travel plans and hotel rooms. And Williams started preparing for, training for and promoting a fight that was built on Team Pavlik's naive optimism.

"It's not the hand that needs to be corrected, they need to treat his heart," Williams' trainer George Peterson told a boxing website. "We are not waiting on this guy anymore."

I don't question Kelly Pavlik's heart--I think he'd step in the ring with a grizzly bear. What I question is his thought process. Why tell everyone the hand is fine when it's clearly not? Why reschedule a fight when the hand isn't healed?

Instead of "trying to keep it a secret" and "fool" everyone as Jack Loew admitted to the Youngstown Vindicator, Team Pavlik would have been much better off admitting in September the hand was not healing properly and it would be a long time before he could fight again. He would have got much more sympathy from his supporters that way, rather than forcing them to cancel plans and lose already-spent money.

Pavlik had issues with his hands as an amateur. He said he first discovered the current infection two weeks after his last fight, Feb. 21. That means he's been battling the infection for eight months. If surgeries on the hand were as intense as Pavlik claims they were, I simply don't see him coming back from this injury.

If in fact Pavlik's career is over, it was a career that was cut short and never lived up to expectations. Sure, he won good fights against Jose Luis Zertuche and Edison Miranda. He beat Jermain Taylor to win the middleweight championship ... the same 32-year-old Jermain Taylor who went on to lose three of his next four fights, including a Pavlik rematch.

Submitted by boxing guru Brian Richesson, here are 10 possible opponents who could have helped solidify Pavlik's career:

• Paul Williams
• Arthur Abraham
• Felix Sturm
• Winky Wright
• Joe Calzaghe
• Librado Andrade
• Mikkel Kessler
• Carl Froch
• Allan Green
• Randy Griffin

If I were a betting man, I'd say we won't see any of these fights, which is both disappointing and unfortunate. Pavlik had a nice 15 minutes in the spotlight when he was the blue-collar underdog from Lowellville. But like the rest of Youngstown, his best days are in the past.

come on ride the train ...

Since our favorite time of year is autumn, and seeing as how Trevor is completely enamored with trains, we decided to combine the two and take a scenic trip through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on the rails.

Going in, I thought the train ride was going to be pretty boring. In actuality, it was really cool. We boarded about 9 a.m. near the intersection of Rockside and Canal roads and soon learned, when you're dealing with trains, don't be late. One thing trains can be held to is their punctuality, unlike today's airlines.

We headed south toward Akron and, just as we got into the wooded area along Canal Road, the clouds broke and the sun highlighted the colors of Fall. Pretty picturesque.

Trevor was in awe. He quickly determined that Gordon was pulling us, we were riding in Annie and Clarabel and the conductor who kept telling him to be seated was Sir Topham Hatt (all characters from Thomas and Friends).

The train, called Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, is owned and operated by Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It loops from the Rockside station in the valley to downtown Akron two or three times a day. It stops about 10 places in between at quaint towns along the way, such as Peninsula, where we got off.

In Peninsula, we hit up a few family-run arts and crafts shops displaying local artistry. I'm not big into crafts, but again these shops were impressive. Among all the handmade artistry, the photographs of the park from local photographers stood out. The shops were situated along the Cuyahoga River and grassy areas provided a great landscape for relaxing on a park bench and letting Trev run through the leaves. We also hit up the Peninsula Winking Lizard, the best Lizard I've been to, and I had a Great Lakes Nosferatu and caught up on some college football scores.

On the way back north, we checked out the audio tour, which was recently synced to a GPS system so it knows exactly where you are and can describe exactly what you are passing at that very moment. Audio tours are typically pretty boring, but this one had some cool info on the National Park, the history of the Erie Canal waterway and the towpath. Unofficially, the canal served as part of the underground railroad and provided a means of transportation for slaves escaping from the south to Canada. Once the slaves hit Cleveland, the tour guide said, they were ecstatic because they were only a boatride away from freedom. Apparently, the first steam engine rode the Valley Railway in 1880 and signaled an era of progress and prosperity for the Cuyahoga Valley. It was a way for farmers and coal miners to transport their product from the Canton/Akron area to Cleveland. Then, in 1969 when Cleveland was so focused on becoming the industrial capital of North America, the Cuyahoga River caught fire because it was filled with oil and pollution from the nearby mills. The fire caught national attention and sparked the beginning of groups like the Environmental Protection Agency.

All history aside, I'd recommend the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad if you're looking for a relaxing and enjoyable day. I'd put my money on autumn being the best time to ride, although they host a Polar Express ride in the winter, among other cool excursions like a wine train and a beer event called "Ales on the Rails." Check out the schedule of events and purchase tickets at www.cvsr.com.

For more pictures from our day on the train, click here.

quick hits

It's been too long since I blogged, so here are some quick-hit, random things I've been thinking about lately that might interest you:

Sports
Instead of buying separate Pitt Panthers, Steelers, Pirates and Penguins T-shirts, I designed one that represents all of Pittsburgh sports. Click the image to view a hi-res version, download it and use it as your desktop wallpaper.


I recommend following Hines Ward @HWmvp86, Santonio Holmes @santonio10 and Shaq @THE_REAL_SHAQ on Twitter. These guys give great insight into what they do on a daily basis. Ward recently tweeted while hanging out at his bar in the 'Burgh watching a replay of Sunday's Chargers game, celebrating his 10,000-yard milestone. Shaq recently tweeted while eating at Lago in Tremont, asking Clevelanders to come see him and he'd part with tickets to the Cavs opening night. Cool stuff.

Music
I'm going to see Keller Williams on Sunday evening at the Kent Stage. I've seen him there before and the show blew me away: phenomenal musician at a great venue. Kent Stage is an old movie-theater-turned-concert-hall on the Rt. 59 hill heading downtown. They've got about 4 beer taps in the lobby, but I recommend pre-gaming at The Loft or The Zephyr. You should check it out. Advance tickets are $20. I'll review the show afterward.
Here is a video of what Keller Williams and looping is all about.
More information on the show and tickets here.


Also, I came across this entertaining video interview with Matisyahu, another pretty unique musician. Nice beatboxing sample toward the end ...




Family
Trevor is hilarious these days. Something new every day. What a great age. Here is a shot of him in my office reading one of my magazines. More pictures from a family party we attended on Sunday here.

cleveland show calendar

Finally, after a poor summer showing, some good bands will appear in Cleveland in the coming months. I'd like to try and make it to two or three of these concerts by the end of the year. Drop me a line and let me know if you want to come with me!

Jay-Z
Thursday, Oct. 2
Wolstein Center

Umphrey's McGee
Thursday, Oct. 8
House of Blues Cleveland

B.B. King
Friday, Oct. 9
House of Blues Cleveland

Moe.
Sunday, Oct. 11
House of Blues Cleveland

An Evening With The Mars Volta
Friday, Oct. 16
House of Blues Cleveland

St. Vincent plus Buried Wires
Tuesday, Oct. 20
Beachland Ballroom & Tavern

Drummer (members of The Black Keys, Houseguest, & Party of Helicopters)
Saturday, Oct. 24
Beachland Ballroom & Tavern

Leonard Cohen
Sunday, Oct. 25
Allen Theatre

An Evening With Guster
Thursday, Nov. 5
House of Blues Cleveland

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Quicken Loans Arena

Brett Dennen w/ Grace Potter & The Nocturnals MUST
Wednesday, Nov. 25
House of Blues Cleveland

Matisyahu
Wednesday, Dec. 2
House of Blues Cleveland

some days i love my job

It's not uncommon for a trade journalist who has worked in the newspaper industry (most of them have) to miss the daily grind, chasing breaking news and the pressure of a looming deadline. It's what keeps good journalists thriving. Sometimes trade journalism simply just doesn't offer the same excitement, camaraderie and reward.

Today was one of those days where--at the end of the day--I'm able to stop, take a deep breath, and remember why I signed up for this gig. It was a pretty important day for the hotel team at Questex: we launched a daily e-newsletter with a circulation of more than 50,000 readers that will feature exclusive hotel news and insight. The newsletter launch--a culmination of months of hard work from a dedicated team of editors, designers and web gurus--will help feature our stories and drive traffic to our recently redesigned website.

As luck would have it, on the day the hotel team has been so anxiously awaiting, one of the oldest, biggest and most recognizable hotel brands (Hilton) up and announced they were changing their name, introducing a new logo and replacing one of the most controversial hotel designers in the industry. All by 9 a.m.

It threw a wrench into our game plan. With most of our staff attending The Lodging Conference, one of the biggest hotel industry conference of the year, it was up to the remaining few to chase down the story, score a last-minute interview with Hilton's global CEO Chris Nassetta, design a graphic to lead our website and newsletter, write the story, build the newsletter and push it out to the public. All while we wrote, edited and designed the cover of the next issue of Hotel & Motel Management magazine, due to the printer Friday. Just like old times!

Here's a sneak peek at how things turned out:

The first day of The Daily--our newsletter that will feature exclusive news and opinions from Hotel & Motel Management staff as well as headlines from around the industry--was jam packed with news. Hilton's refresh, a somewhat controversial story on rate discounting, a terror threat issued to hotels, a death and arrest in an iconic NYC hotel and a blog from The Lodging Conference round out Day 1. Some of the fonts and links will undoubtedly be tweaked moving forward, but all in all it came together pretty well. If you're interested in hotel news and want to sign up for The Daily, click here.




Hilton's name change--from Hilton Hotels and Resorts to Hilton Worldwide--as well as their new logo, leads the day's headlines on our newly redesigned website. I learned of the news around 9 a.m. and was chatting with Hilton's CEO by 10:15. Pretty interesting story, including an update on the lawsuit Starwood filed against Hilton over their alleged theft of trade secrets. Check out the design of the new site here and let me know in the comments section what you think.

Tomorrow will undoubtedly be back to writing photo captions, trimming stories to fit on pages and discussing minibar options. But The Daily will keep us on our toes and, at least for today, remind me that journalism isn't dead, just evolving.

SWW: Steelers, Browns, Ohio State, Kent, Spartans

Here's your quick Sports Weekend Wrap:

Shockingly, everything in the NFL looks exactly the same as last year. Steelers' defense is THAT GOOD; good enough to keep them in games so they can pull it out in the fourth quarter, even with no running game. Willie Parker still can't break a tackle. Browns showed a little promise in the first half, only to resort to the penalty-ridden, swiss-cheese defense that landed them at 4-12 last year. Peterson living up to the hype, just tossing tacklers out of his way ...

Ohio State dominated the entire game against Southern Cal ... until they decided to just quit playing on USC's final drive. Even when the Trojans scored with 1:10 left, I thought the Buckeyes had plenty of time to move the ball 40 yards and boot a field goal to send it to overtime. Then Terrelle Pryor shit himself. This guy ain't all he's cracked up to be. Also, everyone thought it was crazy when Dino was calling for Jimmy T's head last year, now everyone's jumping on board. I love the guy, but when's the last time you saw Florida score less than 20 points?

Kent State is a football-breeding powerhouse. My good buddy and fellow Golden Flash alumn Edgar made a good point: there are three former Golden Flashes in the NFL that are currently the best at their position (Antonio Gates, Josh Cribbs and James Harrison). Pretty ironic for a football program that hasn't had a winning season since 2001.

And finally, thanks to Wheatley's Spartan Helmets for ruining an otherwise decent weekend at the sportsbook. You come in -15 to the Chippewas and lose?

grilling and entertaining in the summer

We had a pretty successful Labor Day get-together yesterday and came away with a few awesome summer recipes and entertainment ideas. Before the sun goes away for at least six months, try these out:

My summer food: St. Louis-style pork ribs on the grill
A good price on a rack of spare pork ribs from the grocery store is $1.99/lb., or about $9 a rack.
To trim the ribs St. Louis-style, flip them over and remove the skirt meat from the backside. Then trim as much fat as you can from the ribs. Finally, most importantly and most tricky, you must remove the membrane to allow the marinade to best soak into the meat. Start peeling the membrane from the square end of the ribs with a dull spoon, then use a paper towel to grip and rip. Here's a video showing how it should be done.
Marinade the ribs overnight with the following recipe:
2 cans Pabst Blue Ribbon
1 chopped onion
5 cloves garlic
1 TBSP seasoning salt
salt/pepper to taste
Slow cook the ribs in the marinade, covered with foil, for 3 hours at 225 degrees in the oven.
Place ribs on low-medium heat on the grill, add plenty of barbecue sauce. Cook for 12 minutes on each side.

My summer drink: Porch crawler
Tastes like refreshing lemonade, sneaks up on you and kicks your ass.
10 cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon
1/2 bottle of vodka
1/2 bottle of rum
1 can of frozen lemonade concentrate
lemon slices

My summer music: The Greatest Most Influential Music of All Time
See earlier blog post here.

My summer lawn game: Beersbee
I've long been a fan of horseshoes, bocce, cornhole, baggo, croquet, lawn darts and pretty much any other outside summer game that is highly competitive yet requires little to no athletic ability. If it's a game that the more you drink, the better you get, I'm in (and I'm probably pretty good).
I recently learned Beersbee and it ranks up there with the best lawn games ever.
To play, hammer two 4-foot PVC pipes into the ground about 40 feet apart and place a beer can on top of each. One team of two players stands behind one pole and the other team of two players behind the other. The teams take turns throwing two frisbees at the other team's poles/beer. One teammate throws his frisbee, and once it passes the pole, the other teammate is free to throw. The receiving team must catch the frisbees, but not until they pass the pole.
If you hit the beer, it's 3 points. If you hit the pole and the beer falls, it's one point. If a frisbee is catchable but the receiving team fails to catch it, it's a point.
If the frisbee hits the pole, the beer falls, but the receiving team catches the beer, no points.
If the frisbee hits the beer and it explodes, game over--tossing team wins.
Play to 21, win by two.

Browns making moves?

Don't ask me why I felt compelled to write a blog post about the Browns, but check this scenario.

The Browns might be considering cutting Jamal Lewis, who average 2.6 yards per carry in the preseason, during which he turned 30 years old (read: washed up). Read it here

The Browns shockingly played neither Brady Quinn nor Derek Anderson in their final preseason game on Thursday, possibly meaning they are saving one from injury so they could make a trade. Read it here

The New England Patriots just released Andrew Walter, their third-string QB, after releasing their fourth string QB last week. Now they only have Tom Brady and undrafted rookie QB Brian Hoyer going into Week 1. Read it here

The Patriots have 5 solid running backs: Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris, Kevin Faulk, Laurence Maloney and BenJaurvis Green-Ellis. They'll undoubtedly have to release one of them, unless ...

Browns cut Lewis, trade DA to Patriots for any one portion of their five-headed monster.

Any would be an upgrade from a washed-up Jamal Lewis, and Cleveland backup Richard Bartel proved Thursday he can play backup to Brady Quinn alongside Brett Ratliff.

New England benefits by getting a solid backup QB and only lose an RB they were considering cutting anyway.

Make sense? You heard it here first.

The Greatest Most Influential Music of All Time

Five journalists in the 25-35 age range were initially polled as to what music groups were most inspirational to them and their generation. From there, the respondents were asked to choose one song from each of their inspirational artists that best exemplifies that artist.

Determining what bands were most influential to us was the easy part; choosing a single song to represent an entire catalog of music was frustratingly difficult.

Although there were a handful of duplicate artists, the musical tastes interestingly scanned the spectrum, from Goo Goo Dolls to Tupac.

Order your copy of the double-disc album titled, "The Greatest Most Influential Music of All Time" by sending $1 and a self-addressed, stamped bubble mailer to: Questex Media, Attn: Jason Freed, 600 Superior Ave. E Suite 1100, Cleveland, OH, 44114

The Greatest Most Influential Songs of All Time
Track Listing
The Beatles – "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
Bob Dylan — "Like a Rolling Stone"
Tom Petty — "Breakdown"
Led Zeppelin – "Kashmir"
Neil Young — "Heart of Gold"
The Rolling Stones - “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
Bob Marley — Get Up, Stand Up"
Jimi Hendrix — Wind Cries Mary"
Simon & Garfunkel — "I am a Rock"
John Denver — "Country Roads"
Elton John — "Tiny Dancer"
Billy Joel — "For the Longest Time"
The Beach Boys ­- "Surfin' USA"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - “I Love Rock n’ Roll”
Def Leppard – "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
Van Halen - "Jump"
AC/DC – "Shook Me All Night Long"
Bon Jovi – "Living on a Prayer"
White Snake – "Here I Go Again"
Aerosmith ­- "Sweet Emotion"
Metallica ­- "Master of Puppets"
Madonna - “Material Girl”
Michael Jackson — "The Way You Make Me Feel"
New Kids on the Block - “Please Don’t Go, Girl”
Weird Al Yankovic ­- "Eat It"
The Cure - “Cut Here”
Live – "Lightning Crashes"
Queensryche – "Silent Lucidity"
Dave Matthews Band — "Two Step"
Goo Goo Dolls - "Slide"
Evanescence – "Bring Me to Life"
Beastie Boys - “Shake Your Rump”
The Offspring - "Smash"
Smashing Pumpkins – "Bullet with Butterfly Wings"
Nirvana – "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Red Hot Chili Peppers ­- "Suck My Kiss"
Rage Against the Machine ­- "Bulls on Parade"
Tupac — "Picture Me Rollin'"
Sublime — "Smoke Two Joints"
Outkast — "ATLiens"
Radiohead - “High & Dry”
Britney Spears — "...Baby One More Time"
Justin Timberlake — "Cry Me a River"
Jay-Z — "Big Pimpin'"
Clutch ­- "Pure Rock Fury"
Wilco - “Hummingbird”
The Shins - "Know Your Onion!"
Red Wanting Blue - “Leaving Behind”
Keith Urban — "Days Go By"
Incubus ­- "Privilege"

Gil and Donny party at the Rock Hall

It's insane comedy. It's enthusiastic music. It's pure art. It's Gil Mantera's Party Dream.

Brothers Gil Mantera and Ultimate Donny teamed up yet again in Cleveland--this time in front of the iconic and picturesque Rock & Roll Hall of Fame--to entertain an energetic crowd of about 150 people for free Wednesday night as part of the Rock Hall's Summer Sessions.

Gil and Donny thrashed, karate kicked, spewed from the mouth and perfected a nearly 90-minute set of songs from their most recent release, Dreamscape, and a handful from their older two albums, Once Triangular and Bloodsongs. Party Dream originally hails from Youngstown, have been invited several times to play New York City with The Rapture, and in 2008 toured across the country with the Van's Warped Tour.

As usual, Donny's inter-song dialogue added icing to the cake. Early on Wednesday, he thanked Sandy Alomar for Party Dream's ever-growing Cleveland presence. Later, he got prophetic.

"You know a lot of answers come out of the Rock Hall," Donny started as he peeled his emperor's robe and the sun set behind the low clouds over Lakewood.

"In 1838, when Jesus had something to say he said, 'Man I want to know how to make a lemonade out of rice' -- he came here and his question was answered. When Jabba the Hut was sitting around thinking about the best strategy to beat his aunts, uncles and own children at Uno and Sorry, Jabba the Hut came to the Rock Hall and his questions were answered efficiently, effectively and no one else could have done it better."

Visit Gil Mantera's Party Dream's official website here.
Watch some video I found on Youtube of Wednesday's performance here.

fifteen seconds of fame

Aspiring journalists choose the print industry over the broadcast industry because they don't have a face for TV. My ugly writer's mug was broadcast to thousands of people tonight when I was interviewed by WKYC Channel 3 after getting unwanted charges on my cell phone bill.

Channel 3 came calling last week after learning through the Better Business Bureau that I had reported unfair sales practices by a company called Predicto. I won't go into how much of a ripoff racket this company is, or how stupid I was for entering my cell phone number online, but here's a clip of the news report.





What surprised me the most about this whole ordeal is that I never met "The Investigator" Tom Meyer. His producers and cameramen uncovered the story, researched it, traveled around the city, interviewed the sources, and he gets all the credit. Talk about a scam.

my movie post

So I caught up with one of my friends the other day who is a big movie buff--enjoys a lot of the same movies I do--and it made me realize how completely disappointed I am in myself for falling off the flick front.

My free time (haha) has been dedicated to everything else BUT movies lately, and with a 2 year old, I really never have two hours with absolutely nothing to do. That being said, I am proclaiming that by the end of the 2009 I will be caught up on the movie scene.

On the quest to get back my movie mojo, I ran into my first problem today: Redbox. I have completely changed my opinion of this machine. Melissa and I were big proponents and early adopters of Redbox, we love the ease and affordability. They've started rolling out BluRay Redboxes at the same price in select locations and I was pumped for the day I saw one around here. Early on, it seemed Redbox got most of the new releases about the same time as Blockbuster. Not lately. The last two times I've been there the machine has been full of junk I wouldn't even pay $1.07 (with tax) to see. We looked for three different mainstream movies that have been out on DVD for nearly a year and none were available. Lame. Considering my other options.

So, at the risk of being berated with thousands upon thousands of readers yelling "You haven't seen that!?," I'm going to use this blog post as my LIST--the following are all the movies I'm going to see, either on DVD or at the theater, by the end of the year (in no particular order). I'll revisit this post, cross them off as I go, and maybe even offer a short review in the comments section.

• Slumdog
• The Wrestler
• The Reader
• Revolutionary Road
• Gran Torino
• Funny People
• Hangover
• Inglourious Basterds
  
• Grindhouse
• Sunshine Cleaning
• I Love You, Man
• Notorious

Let me know your recommendations on how I should prioritize!

Oh, and one really sweet random movie trivia fact: In Pulp Fiction, Tarantino originally wanted Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love to play Lance and Jody (the druggies to whom Mia was taken after she overdosed). This according to the equally sweet Pulp Fiction trivia page at imdb.com.

ballin' in South Beach

One of my favorite hotel chains is W Hotels by Starwood. There are 32 Ws open, mostly in the U.S., but a few in other areas of the world. I've only stayed in one W, in Times Square, but I have visited a handful of others.

While in Miami for business last week, I swung by the W in South Beach, which just opened its doors on July 2. Pretty kickass hotel. The Danny Clinch (rock music photographer) shots throughout the hallways and guestrooms were awesome. And the floor-to-ceiling windows revealing unparalleled views of the beach were amazing.

What a blast it would be to get together with a bunch of buddies in South Beach for a long weekend and stay at the W. Hang out by the pool, meet some celebrities, run up a giant bar tab ... baller style. Room rates start around $350 per night, so that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

Anyway, take a look at my brief review of the W South Beach, complete with photos, here.

there's always next year

The Pittsburgh Pirates were busy at the trade deadline again this year, shipping off the most of the talented players on the team as usual. Operating a small-market organization in a bad economy while attempting to turn profits has led to a record 17th straight losing season. We hear the same rhetoric from the new front office: trade away the biggest paychecks for future baseball prospects who could contribute in two years and hopefully they can put together a playoff run before these new players start demanding big-market salaries.

A summary of the trades: Pirates lose Adam LaRoche, Jack Wilson, Ian Snell and Freddy Sanchez and gain many talented but very young players, including No. 1 prospects Jeff Clement and Tim Alderson.

Instead of offering my opinion on the deals or on the "small-market syndrome" as a whole, I've compiled a few really informative links for your perusal:

A summary of all MLB deals that went down in the few days leading up to the 2009 trade deadline :: here

For those who are saying, "here we go again," a chart of trades (mostly sour) the Pirates have made since opening PNC Park in 2001 :: here

A very cool chart of what the future of the Pittsburgh Pirates team will look like over the next year or two :: here

pirates games should be free

It pains me that I live 10 minutes from downtown Cleveland yet nearly all my favorite sports teams (sans the Cavs) are geographically located in Pittsburgh. It's honestly a struggle. I want Trevor to grow up around baseball; he'll see his first Major League game this weekend. But the two-and-one-half-hour drive to PNC Park to watch the Pirates is arduous. Unfortunately, he may actually grow up an Indians fan by default.

A small part of that dilemma was solved this week when I found a website that streams live TV--including sports games--for free. Granted, it's probably illegal and will most likely be shut down any day now, but I've watched the Pirates lose three straight this week at ATDHE.net. I don't feel bad stealing TV because, on pace for 17 consecutive losing seasons, someone should actually pay me to watch Pirates games.

But that's a whole other blog post. In this case, If you've relocated and didn't want to jump ship to the local sports teams, ATDHE.net could be a lifesaver.

The Little Guy

hey folks,

In you case you haven't seen it, let me direct you over to my favorite website, The Little Guy. if you become a member, you can follow along as Trevor grows. You'll receive an e-mail anytime Melissa or I post new pictures of Trevor. i have to admit, that Basic Photography class at Kent really paid off, and i take some decent photos. we don't update it all that often, so you won't be inundated, i promise.

Thanks for reading,
Jason

Joe and Erin's wedding - August 15, 2009

work in progress on Erin and Joe's wedding invitations ...
(click to enlarge)

Roberts reception

work in progress on Erin and Dan's reception invitations ...

Haddox St. Patty's Party

JELL-O shots always take their toll. As evidence, see photos from Jamie and Amanda's St. Patty's Party here>>

Hanna-Mayock

cleveland eats

A list of Cleveland's standout restaurants:

Flying Fig :: Ohio City
Casual, relaxed bar setting. Cool without trying too hard, Flying Fig is done all in muted tones, including art. You can easily make a meal of the appetizers: The pupu platter contains three sweet and savory chicken dumplings, a crisp aduck spring roll and broiled shrimp.
menu>> Pancetta Wrapped Scallops $25 :: Braised Lamb Shank $22

Metropolitan Café :: west 6th downtown
A Hyde Park restaurant, the Metropolitan Café specializes in fined, aged steaks and chops, lobsters and fresh fish. Steaks you wouldn’t get at a traditional restaurant, but they also offer pasta and chicken dishes. Towering space, tin ceilings, white tablecloths. Cornerstone of the Warehouse District.
menu>> Chilean Seabass $varies :: Kansas City Ribeye $varies

Luxe :: Detroit Shoreway
Inexpensive, upscale bar food. Revitalized area five minutes from downtown. Luxe creates a cool marriage of vintage and modern; it delivers a "big city" dining experience at a Cleveland price. Luxe’s only downfall—it’s always crowded and they don’t take weekend reservations for parties less than eight; but it may be worth the risk.
menu>> Rigatoni w/ sausage $11 :: Stuffed Chx Sandwich $9

Southside :: Tremont
An old, small neighborhood tavern has been rejuvenated with sophisticated new decor and a contemporary menu to match. Southside is a long, narrow room dominated by a curving, granite-topped bar and a few wood tables. Burgers are upgraded with Kobe-style beef and other house specials are dressed up with sauces, rubs and marinades.
menu>> Fresh salmon $13 :: A huge slab of juicy meatloaf $14

Great Lakes Brewery :: Ohio City
A memorable ambiance whether in the Brewhouse, the Taproom or the new eco-friendly Beer Garden. Food is average. Full of historic brewing memorabilia and artifacts. Award-winning Cleveland craft beers including Burning River Pale Ale, Dortmunder Gold and Elliott Ness Amber Lager.
menu >> Sausage Sampler $10 :: Pretzel Chicken $14

Cozumel :: Valley View
Your typical Mexican joint with fast service, cheap food and giant margaritas. Staff knows the Freed family by name as it is five minutes from their home. Offers practicality, convenience and affordability.
menu>> Tacos $3 :: Pitcher of margaritas $9

Tremont Tap House :: Tremont
Casual pub serving upscale cuisine complimented by a large assortment of wine and beer (24 on tap). Local ingredients produce a creative, yet approachable cuisine. Tremont Tap House is a blend of contemporary and industrial design; the ambiance is warm, inviting and comfortable.
menu>> Salmon BLT $11 :: Hangar steak $17

La Strada :: east 4th downtown
Can’t beat this location. Just a few steps from the House of Blues, La Strada is the newest after-dark hotspot. Takes its name and lighting cues from an Italian filmmaker in an attempt to make you feel like you're somewhere else. Menu features 70 percent Mediterranean and 30 percent Italian.
menu>> Tortellini $18 :: Scampi Risotto $20

kidney punching the recession

Today is a big day for us at Hotel & Motel Management as it is the kickoff of a big project the editorial and sales teams have been working on called “100 Days to Fight the Recession.” 100 Days is a newsletter that will be sent daily to all of our 54,000 subscribers, plus anyone who opts in, and it will provide original content on how hoteliers can streamline operations, cut costs and prepare to come out of this downturn ahead.

If this is something you’re interested in, or just want to check out how the writing, design and mailing process turned out, you can opt-in to receive the newsletter for free here. (You can opt-out at any time.)

wedding album

A designer at work recommended DigiLabs to design and print custom photo albums. The software is called My Photo Books — it's pretty cool. Flip through our digital wedding album here.