Often times experiences in life can be fantastic reminders of how blessed we are.
I’m writing this blog entry aboard a bus traveling Interstate 195 West from Cape Cod, Mass., to Providence, R.I. It’s a long day of travel; I hit the road at 10:30 a.m. and have already been in a cab, aboard a boat, on a bus and will still fly from Providence through Baltimore to Cleveland before arriving home around 8 tonight. But I’m certainly not complaining.
It’s because of phenomenal friends and family, and a flexible employer, that I was able to witness some of the most beautiful destinations in the United States the past few days. Without Melissa’s support and trust, five days away from home clearly wouldn’t have been possible. Without great friends like Schwab, Emily, Erin and Dan (among others), the opportunity to crash on Nantucket Island for two nights wouldn’t have existed.
My trip started out business-related on Tuesday, when I landed in Boston and checked into the Fairmont Copley Plaza to moderate two discussions on the changing entertainment environment in the hotel guestroom. It was a successful business trip; I met a handful of important IT executives that I can call on as sources down the road, moderated two lively panels and wrote two stories for my new outlet, HotelNewsNow.com.
When I wrapped up with my responsibilities Thursday, I proceeded to conduct some thorough research on the possibility and affordability of extending the trip to join friends in Nantucket. Emily (Schwab’s daughter) lives on the island and Melissa and I were invited to her wedding on Friday night, but for financial reasons we regretfully declined. The fact that I was already in Boston and could change my flight for a minimal fee presented a new opportunity. After a bus from Boston to Hyannis and a ferry to Nantucket, I arrived at one of coolest places on the East Coast.
I usually reserve the word “beautiful” for my wife (or for PNC Park on a sunny Sunday afternoon). But there really isn’t a better adjective to describe the compilation of scenery and events over the past two days in Nantucket. The seafood was as fresh as you’d expect; the rental home was enormous and immaculate; downtown Nantucket was quaint and friendly; Emily’s wedding in the back yard of a giant home perched above the Atlantic Ocean was incredibly scenic and elegant.
Traveling, making new acquaintances and experiencing lifestyles from different pockets of the country can be very educational and fulfilling. More importantly, it can remind us to truly value what we have at home.
10.10.2010
9.27.2010
a summer Saturday in Pittsburgh with a camera
This blog has been on the back burner for a long while now. Took the fam to Pittsburgh on a Saturday in early August and had a kick-ass time. Some great photos came from the day and I'm just now getting around to uploading them.
I had some media passes from Visit Pittsburgh (thanks, Kristin) so we hit up a lot of fun spots. Some touristy, some not-so-much. First, we took Trevor on his first ride up the Duquesne Incline and he loved it. It was "a train car that went up hills," he said. Got some good shots of the city from atop Mount Washington.
Next we checked out the Children's Museum, which--besides the best Pirates game ever played at PNC Park--was the best part of the day. There was so much stuff for Trevor to do; to play with, not just look at. There was some real creative stuff in there and I recommend it to anyone, even Clevelanders looking for a day trip.
The Science Center was fun and there was a good amount of activities there as well. Certainly the highlight of the Science Center for children is the model train exhibit that fills an enormous room. Great reaction from Trevor when he saw Thomas on the tracks.
Finally we headed to PNC Park, where the Pirates were entertaining the Rockies on fireworks night. The Bucs provided some fireworks of their own: They took a lead late into the game, gave it up in ninth, and allowed 2 runs in the top of the 10th before rookie Pedro Alvarez sent a 3-run walk-off shot into the right field bleachers in the bottom of the 10th for a Pirates win.
Here's a slideshow from the day:
Created with flickr slideshow from softsea.
I had some media passes from Visit Pittsburgh (thanks, Kristin) so we hit up a lot of fun spots. Some touristy, some not-so-much. First, we took Trevor on his first ride up the Duquesne Incline and he loved it. It was "a train car that went up hills," he said. Got some good shots of the city from atop Mount Washington.
Next we checked out the Children's Museum, which--besides the best Pirates game ever played at PNC Park--was the best part of the day. There was so much stuff for Trevor to do; to play with, not just look at. There was some real creative stuff in there and I recommend it to anyone, even Clevelanders looking for a day trip.
The Science Center was fun and there was a good amount of activities there as well. Certainly the highlight of the Science Center for children is the model train exhibit that fills an enormous room. Great reaction from Trevor when he saw Thomas on the tracks.
Finally we headed to PNC Park, where the Pirates were entertaining the Rockies on fireworks night. The Bucs provided some fireworks of their own: They took a lead late into the game, gave it up in ninth, and allowed 2 runs in the top of the 10th before rookie Pedro Alvarez sent a 3-run walk-off shot into the right field bleachers in the bottom of the 10th for a Pirates win.
Here's a slideshow from the day:
8.22.2010
back on the patio with the trains
Here's a second installment of Trevor and his train collection on the patio. You'll notice a few misspellings in the video. For some reason Windows Movie Maker doesn't work well with certain fonts and has lopped off the last letter of a few of the trains' names.
This is one of the best tracks we've built. The video features most of the trains in Trevor's collection. We're able to leave the track out and just bring the trains in at night. It runs along the sidewalk and we've got some great comments from the neighbors and others walking by.
Of all the things Trevor could be infatuated with, we're glad he picked something pretty cool.
This is one of the best tracks we've built. The video features most of the trains in Trevor's collection. We're able to leave the track out and just bring the trains in at night. It runs along the sidewalk and we've got some great comments from the neighbors and others walking by.
Of all the things Trevor could be infatuated with, we're glad he picked something pretty cool.
8.05.2010
ben on the slide strings
Awesome Ben Harper guitar solo I came across. If this doesn't give you chills, you don't have a soul.
This is Paris Sunrise #7 > something else > Paris Sunrise #7. Anyone recognize the interlude?
This is Paris Sunrise #7 > something else > Paris Sunrise #7. Anyone recognize the interlude?
8.02.2010
blow off some steam along Ohio and Erie Canal
Man, it was a rough week at work last week.
I needed to do something sporadic; something to get my mind off my place of work. Noting the recurring trend of layoffs and overhauls in the office, it needed to be something cheap. We kicked around the idea of driving up to Kelleys Island and camping overnight, hitting up a winery, the beach and a mini-golf course. Melissa wasn't really up for it.
Instead, I strapped on a backpack, hopped on my mountain bike and headed for the towpath along the Ohio and Erie Canalway that runs through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I rode about 15 miles to the town of Boston Mills and reserved a campsite behind the Stanford Hostel, just a short trek from the towpath.
Funny aside: I own only a six-person, family-size tent, and it wasn't fitting in my backpack. I thought about hitting up WalMart for a cheap two-person setup, but instead I decided to suck up my pride and put up Trevor's fish/monster play tent. Don't regret it one bit. It was a bit cramped, but it kept me dry and out of the elements.
From around 6 p.m. to around midnight I sat on a picnic table, drank gin from a flask and read an entire book cover to cover (Peep Show by Joshua Braff. I give it 4 1/2 stars; thanks, Carlo). Didn't think about work once. Trip=success.
Sunday morning I packed up and rode over to the Boston Mills train depot along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and was able to hop aboard the northbound train for $2. (The train operators offer bikers a one-way ticket for $2 as part of the Bike Aboard! program.)
Was home in time to make lunch for Melissa and Trevor, let them know how much I missed them and refrain from taking my work stress out on the family.
Word is in a few years the towpath will be extended north all the way to the Flats. Then I could potentially bike to work. I won't. But the fact that I could get downtown in less than an hour without using a drop of gas is pretty cool.
Point is: If you're looking for a cheap getaway, don't forget Cleveland has a treasured landmark in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park right in our own backyard. Whether you hike, bike, fish, hunt, jog, antique, bird watch, enjoy trains or just need to blow off some steam, you can't beat the price of an afternoon along the towpath.
I needed to do something sporadic; something to get my mind off my place of work. Noting the recurring trend of layoffs and overhauls in the office, it needed to be something cheap. We kicked around the idea of driving up to Kelleys Island and camping overnight, hitting up a winery, the beach and a mini-golf course. Melissa wasn't really up for it.
Instead, I strapped on a backpack, hopped on my mountain bike and headed for the towpath along the Ohio and Erie Canalway that runs through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I rode about 15 miles to the town of Boston Mills and reserved a campsite behind the Stanford Hostel, just a short trek from the towpath.
Funny aside: I own only a six-person, family-size tent, and it wasn't fitting in my backpack. I thought about hitting up WalMart for a cheap two-person setup, but instead I decided to suck up my pride and put up Trevor's fish/monster play tent. Don't regret it one bit. It was a bit cramped, but it kept me dry and out of the elements.
From around 6 p.m. to around midnight I sat on a picnic table, drank gin from a flask and read an entire book cover to cover (Peep Show by Joshua Braff. I give it 4 1/2 stars; thanks, Carlo). Didn't think about work once. Trip=success.
Sunday morning I packed up and rode over to the Boston Mills train depot along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and was able to hop aboard the northbound train for $2. (The train operators offer bikers a one-way ticket for $2 as part of the Bike Aboard! program.)
Was home in time to make lunch for Melissa and Trevor, let them know how much I missed them and refrain from taking my work stress out on the family.
Word is in a few years the towpath will be extended north all the way to the Flats. Then I could potentially bike to work. I won't. But the fact that I could get downtown in less than an hour without using a drop of gas is pretty cool.
Point is: If you're looking for a cheap getaway, don't forget Cleveland has a treasured landmark in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park right in our own backyard. Whether you hike, bike, fish, hunt, jog, antique, bird watch, enjoy trains or just need to blow off some steam, you can't beat the price of an afternoon along the towpath.
7.25.2010
Trevor turns three
Rounding out one of the busiest weeks ever, Trevor's third birthday party was a success yesterday. We rented the Elton Beard Cabin behind Kids' Town in Boardman Park and had, at one point, about 50 people. Thankfully, the cabin was air conditioned because it was a scorcher outside.
Beyond the obvious Thomas the Tank Engine theme, I stole from Happy Dog on Detroit Ave. the idea for a hot dog bar. I chopped up 26 toppings, including the standard stadium mustard, relish and caramelized onion and included some randoms for the kids, like peanut butter, sprinkles and fruit loops.
Trevor got an insane amount of gifts and hasn't stopped playing with toys since yesterday. Thanks to everyone who came, and a big thanks to everyone who helped out. We're lucky to have such a close family and group of friends.
Here are a few pics from the event:
A bunch more pics can be viewed here: http://tqfreed.shutterfly.com/362
Of course I was able to get a little creative with the hot dog bar. Here are some graphics I put together to illustrate the theme:
Again, more pics from the party can be seen here: http://tqfreed.shutterfly.com/362
7.09.2010
LeBron deserves the backlash
LeBron James is lucky the only things burning after “The Decision” were a few jerseys.
Cavaliers fans and Cleveland residents deserve to be fuming over the terms in which James left this city high and dry.
Yes, LeBron put Cleveland back on the map. He played his heart out, left it all on the court, for seven long years. But isn’t that what he was paid to do? His “blood, sweat and tears” were rewarded rather handsomely with devotion, dollars, billboards, parties, sold-out seasons and any perk imaginable. He was handed the keys to this city immediately after being drafted by the Cavaliers in 2003. His high school friends were given roles within the team and the front office surrounded him with everything he wanted, including high-dollar players who placed ownership in the luxury-tax bracket.
Speaking of, let’s remember that LeBron James never chose to resurrect Cleveland; the Cavaliers chose him. He was signed by the Cavs in 2003 and was a restricted free agent in 2007. He couldn’t leave Cleveland in 2007, but what he could do is sign a deal for the minimum amount of years (three), which he did, knowing he’d want to explore his options as soon as possible.
Moreover, are we really sure James “went hard for seven years,” as Dwight Howard defended on Twitter? He certainly went soft in numerous playoff games, most notably Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Boston Celtics, after which the entire country was questioning his motivation. After all the talk about winning, after every move the Cavaliers organization made to put the winning pieces in place, he shot a free throw left-handed with a playoff game on the line.
But the bitterness and anger boiling over in the city of Cleveland today isn’t so much about what LeBron James did on the court. It’s about a homegrown player who has become more concerned with his celebrity status than his fans and the game of basketball. It’s about this game of charades James played over the past two months leading up to The Decision.
James didn’t need to parade celebrities downtown Cleveland for weeks while adoring fans held signs begging him to stay. He knew he was ultimately going to break their hearts. He could have easily announced his decision to play in Miami on his new Twitter account when all the other free agents were making verbal commitments. Instead he chose to make his announcement the most narcissistic way possible, keeping every team and every fan hostage in a made-for-ratings reality TV show, building drama until he became the last noteworthy free agent to commit.
He intentionally took casual fans—everyday Cleveland residents who otherwise could care less where another uneducated-yet-overpaid athlete calls home—and got them deeply involved, only to break their hearts on national TV.
All the lights were shining on James Thursday night during his one-hour special on national TV. After his decision to join friends over family, the spotlight on Cleveland faded a little bit. For that, we deserve to be bitter. If it takes a few burning jerseys to restore that light, then so be it.
Cavaliers fans and Cleveland residents deserve to be fuming over the terms in which James left this city high and dry.
Yes, LeBron put Cleveland back on the map. He played his heart out, left it all on the court, for seven long years. But isn’t that what he was paid to do? His “blood, sweat and tears” were rewarded rather handsomely with devotion, dollars, billboards, parties, sold-out seasons and any perk imaginable. He was handed the keys to this city immediately after being drafted by the Cavaliers in 2003. His high school friends were given roles within the team and the front office surrounded him with everything he wanted, including high-dollar players who placed ownership in the luxury-tax bracket.
Speaking of, let’s remember that LeBron James never chose to resurrect Cleveland; the Cavaliers chose him. He was signed by the Cavs in 2003 and was a restricted free agent in 2007. He couldn’t leave Cleveland in 2007, but what he could do is sign a deal for the minimum amount of years (three), which he did, knowing he’d want to explore his options as soon as possible.Moreover, are we really sure James “went hard for seven years,” as Dwight Howard defended on Twitter? He certainly went soft in numerous playoff games, most notably Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Boston Celtics, after which the entire country was questioning his motivation. After all the talk about winning, after every move the Cavaliers organization made to put the winning pieces in place, he shot a free throw left-handed with a playoff game on the line.
But the bitterness and anger boiling over in the city of Cleveland today isn’t so much about what LeBron James did on the court. It’s about a homegrown player who has become more concerned with his celebrity status than his fans and the game of basketball. It’s about this game of charades James played over the past two months leading up to The Decision.
James didn’t need to parade celebrities downtown Cleveland for weeks while adoring fans held signs begging him to stay. He knew he was ultimately going to break their hearts. He could have easily announced his decision to play in Miami on his new Twitter account when all the other free agents were making verbal commitments. Instead he chose to make his announcement the most narcissistic way possible, keeping every team and every fan hostage in a made-for-ratings reality TV show, building drama until he became the last noteworthy free agent to commit.
He intentionally took casual fans—everyday Cleveland residents who otherwise could care less where another uneducated-yet-overpaid athlete calls home—and got them deeply involved, only to break their hearts on national TV.
All the lights were shining on James Thursday night during his one-hour special on national TV. After his decision to join friends over family, the spotlight on Cleveland faded a little bit. For that, we deserve to be bitter. If it takes a few burning jerseys to restore that light, then so be it.
7.03.2010
Bulls bring All-Star lineup
The Chicago Bulls entourage just arrived at Hopkins Airport; I just saw the fleet exit 480 and head North on 77 toward downtown Cleveland and a meeting with LeBron James.
A number of dark-windowed cars made up the cavalry, and rumors are the Bulls brought three celebrities with them for today's pitch to LeBron. The presentation will go as follows:
A number of dark-windowed cars made up the cavalry, and rumors are the Bulls brought three celebrities with them for today's pitch to LeBron. The presentation will go as follows:
- Breakout session 1: "How to break 1 million hearts," moderated by Justin Beiber
- Breakout session 2: "How to get your valuables out of your house before it burns down," moderated by Andre Rison
- Breakout session 3: "How to escape Cleveland in the middle of the night," moderated by Art Modell
6.05.2010
Trevor's Day Out with Thomas
A collage of photos, video and audio clips from Trevor's Day Out with Thomas on May 29. Pretty entertaining stuff.
5.16.2010
The Quarry
Trevor and I stopped by The Quarry (aka the CSX loading dock near Steelyard Commons) today to take an up-close look at the freight cars.
I took some random shots with my cell phone. This is the best of the bunch.
Here are a few more.
I took some random shots with my cell phone. This is the best of the bunch.
Here are a few more.
More from the satellite office
My job has its perks--I'm not gonna lie. Here's a shot I took on the final day of the Choice Hotels conference last week. To prove that I actually do work, here's my coverage from the event.
4.07.2010
easter pictures
Trevor Freed #1
Full name: Trevor Quentin Freed
Birth Date: July 28, 2007
Birth Place: Cleveland, OH
Age: 2
Weight: 34 lbs.
Height: 3-1
Bats: Not sure
Throws: Not sure
Experience: Rookie
2010 Easter stats
Eggs collected: 23
Money collected: $1.17
Candy consumed: 1.82 lbs.
Avg. search time: 97 seconds
2011 Fantasy Egg Hunt projected draft ranking: 3rd overall
Click here for more pics of Trevor gathering eggs and what not.
Full name: Trevor Quentin Freed
Birth Date: July 28, 2007
Birth Place: Cleveland, OH
Age: 2
Weight: 34 lbs.
Height: 3-1
Bats: Not sure
Throws: Not sure
Experience: Rookie
2010 Easter stats
Eggs collected: 23
Money collected: $1.17
Candy consumed: 1.82 lbs.
Avg. search time: 97 seconds
2011 Fantasy Egg Hunt projected draft ranking: 3rd overall
Click here for more pics of Trevor gathering eggs and what not.
3.31.2010
eternal sunshine of the baseball mind
There's something genuinely beautiful about baseball.
Of course there are the obvious reasons: its history, its summer seasonality, its mental strategy, pennants, hot dogs, autographs, the stitched seams on your fingertips, the the smell of broken tanned leather and fresh cut grass.
And basebal
l fanaticism transcends all other sports. For 200 grueling days of the year, loyal baseball fans patiently await pitches, discuss strategies, pour over box scores, monitor minor leagues and live and die by percentage points.For 17 long years the Pittsburgh Pirates have tormented fans. Optimism abounds in April, May is borderline fun, reality sets in around June and by July we're watching the family we grew to love say goodbye. August brews hatred and September embarrassment.
But the true beauty of baseball is that, by next April, every loyal fan of every team has washed away any feelings of pessimism and is again primed with potential.
There are few reasons to be excited about the 2010 Pirates. The team is too young to compete. After repeated management do-overs, the organization is still stuck in the early stages of rebuilding. "Inconsistent" only scratches the surface in describing the starting rotation. Fans know--as many times we are promised otherwise--come July any talent on the field will be dismantled and sent packing.
Still my excitement can't be denied. Certainly the goals have been lowered; play
offs are far out of the picture, a .500 season seems nearly unattainable. But the talented youth in Pittsburgh lends itself to a promising future. As I look down the batting order, I see young potential at nearly every spot. A string of singles can turn into a few extra base hits into a few wins into a little streak and all of a sudden the city of Pittsburgh is all abuzz.Minor league movement in 2010 will make a major splash in Pittsburgh. By the end of the year we expect to see three incredibly talented prospects join the big league ranks, and how fast they hit the ground running could have a catalytic effect on the success of the team.
Pedro Alvarez, 3B, whom MLB.com ranked as baseball's eighth-best prospect heading into the season, is the premier piece in the prospect puzzle. Alvarez was drafted as the No. 2 pick overall in 2008. He agreed to a $6-million minor league contract minutes before the deadline. In June 2009, he was assigned to AA, where he performed extremely well, leading the Pirates organization in home runs and RBIs with 27 and 95 respectively. He batted .288 with an .917 OPS.
Jose Tabata, OF, was acquired in 2008 in a multi-player deal with the Yankees for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte. Prior, he had led the Yankees farm system in batting average for three consecutive years, highlighted by a .314 average in 2005 while playing for the Gulf Coast Yankees. Sport Analysts compare him to the next Manny Ramirez at the plate.
Brad Lincoln, RHP, could be brought up sooner rather than later if the Pirates' rotation shows the holes expected. Scouts regarded Lincoln as one of the best players eligible for the 2006 draft and the Pirates chose him with the fourth overall selection. He almost immediately encountered injury problems; an oblique strain limited him to 24 innings in 2006 and he had Tommy John surgery on his right arm in April 2007. He ended last season in AAA, going 6-2 with a 4.70 ERA, walking 10 and striking out 42.
3.29.2010
state of the lodging industry
Here's a presentation I put together for an industry event called HOTEC Operations, which is partially owned by my parent company, Questex Media. The event was held at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas. They asked me to present a "State of the Industry."
It was 20 minutes in length and about 100 hoteliers and vendors were in attendance.
It was 20 minutes in length and about 100 hoteliers and vendors were in attendance.
3.09.2010
Stubs: A Digital Scrapbook
.
I'm really excited about this project. For a number of reasons.
Last week Melissa surprised me with a scrapbook to house all the concert stubs I've saved throughout the years. It was a thoughtful gift; live music has always been one of my great passions and the old stubs represent, to me, treasured memories shared with great friends.
The hard copy book sparked an idea: how can i get this music memory book online to share with the same friends who attended these shows with me? I wasted little time scanning, cropping, designing and researching.
Building the book was a blast. I had forgotten plenty of details from many of the shows (shocking) and in several cases I had to find the show on the Web to see who the opening act was. Not only did I realize how many good bands I've seen live, but memories from the shows proved to be a narration of my life journeys over the past 15 years.
An equally important discovery during this project was the free digital publishing platform Issuu. I hadn't used the site/application before, and I truly think it could play a part in revolutionizing the magazine and newspaper industries. Nearly every published media has a digital edition, but Issuu provides the least complicated, least cluttered, most seamless application I've seen. Best part--it's free. All you do is take PDF versions of the pages you've built, combine them into one document and hit "upload." The rest of the work is done for you.
From there, you can embed the book into any website just like you would upload a YouTube video. Viewers can flip through the pages without downloading any files or viewers; and one click enlarges the book to full screen. Once you publish more than one title, you can embed an electronic bookshelf onto your site that houses a number of books. Readers can browse the titles and pick the books they want to read from your shelf. No more downloading PDFs or PowerPoint presentations--no more paying for services like NxtBook--all the information can be presented on clean, intuitive, free digital pages.
Take a moment to browse my first digital book, "Stubs," at full screen and let me know if you are as stoked about the new medium for digital presentation as I am ... or if you and I were at any of the same shows!
I'm really excited about this project. For a number of reasons.
Last week Melissa surprised me with a scrapbook to house all the concert stubs I've saved throughout the years. It was a thoughtful gift; live music has always been one of my great passions and the old stubs represent, to me, treasured memories shared with great friends.
The hard copy book sparked an idea: how can i get this music memory book online to share with the same friends who attended these shows with me? I wasted little time scanning, cropping, designing and researching.
Building the book was a blast. I had forgotten plenty of details from many of the shows (shocking) and in several cases I had to find the show on the Web to see who the opening act was. Not only did I realize how many good bands I've seen live, but memories from the shows proved to be a narration of my life journeys over the past 15 years.
An equally important discovery during this project was the free digital publishing platform Issuu. I hadn't used the site/application before, and I truly think it could play a part in revolutionizing the magazine and newspaper industries. Nearly every published media has a digital edition, but Issuu provides the least complicated, least cluttered, most seamless application I've seen. Best part--it's free. All you do is take PDF versions of the pages you've built, combine them into one document and hit "upload." The rest of the work is done for you.
From there, you can embed the book into any website just like you would upload a YouTube video. Viewers can flip through the pages without downloading any files or viewers; and one click enlarges the book to full screen. Once you publish more than one title, you can embed an electronic bookshelf onto your site that houses a number of books. Readers can browse the titles and pick the books they want to read from your shelf. No more downloading PDFs or PowerPoint presentations--no more paying for services like NxtBook--all the information can be presented on clean, intuitive, free digital pages.
Take a moment to browse my first digital book, "Stubs," at full screen and let me know if you are as stoked about the new medium for digital presentation as I am ... or if you and I were at any of the same shows!
3.08.2010
Ben Harper essential mix
.
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals had been my favorite band for about 10 years; I've seen them live nine times. The first time I saw them in 2001 changed my life. I happened to catch the debut of Relentless 7 (Ben's new band) in Youngstown during the Get Out and Vote tour. Relentless 7's debut album didn't wow me at first, but it grew on me.
Now I'm trying to introduce Ben's music to a friend who doesn't know much about either band. I've put together what I call Ben's "essential mix," or a greatest hits, if you will. I leaned more toward the rock and less toward the folk because that's the mood I'm in. Also I stuck with studio recordings and stayed away from live tracks. I combined work from the Innocent Criminals and Relentless 7; it took nearly a week to whittle the length down to one CD.
For the Ben fans, what do you think? What tracks did I leave out that you would've included? What album is under-represented? How would you have ordered the tracks? I look forward to your feedback below.
1. The Three of Us
2. Oppression
3. Ground on Down
4. Faded
5. Keep it Together
6. Forgiven
7. Shimmer and Shine
8. Black Rain
9. Number with No Name
10. Please Bleed
11. Brown-Eyed Blues
12. With My Own Two Hands
13. Better Way
14. When it's Good
15. Show Me a Little Shame
16. Lay There and Hate Me
17. The Woman in You
18. Paris Sunrise #7
19. Lifeline
3.05.2010
pros and cons at new CLE establishment
I wanted to love Caddy Shack Lounge. I really did.
The new golf-centered drinking establishment that opened last week between Prospect and Euclid downtown Cleveland had so much going for it. It's opening in the middle of a "revitalize Cleveland" movement. The recession is in the past and Clevelanders have a deep craving for sunshine, summer and positivity. I assumed it would rival Corner Alley, except built around a golf theme instead of a bowling theme.
And the space was really cool. At first glance, I thought it was going to be the next "place to be." In reality, it had its pros and cons. Unfortunately the Caddy Shack Lounge won't get a mulligan.
Pros:
-- Great space. Roomy, high ceilings, plenty of seating, plenty of HDTVs.
-- Indoor golf. Unless you've been to Classic Fairways in Hudson, you haven't seen this before.
Cons:
-- Service. We'll get into this later, but shouldn't good service be your No. 1 priority?
-- Beer selection. Could you be less creative with your selection of beers on tap? (Bud Light, Miller Lite, Labatt Blue, Smithwick's, Sam Adams, Guinness)
-- Price. Nothing is cheap: not beer, not food, not golf.
-- Happy Hour. Miller Lite and Bud Light are $2 for a pint. The other drafts are $1 off (Smithwicks is $4.50). Bleh.
Build a service culture
I worked in the restaurant industry for eight years and now I write extensively about the hotel industry--both service cultures--so I recognize good and bad service when I see it (almost to a fault). So I'm not talking from nowhere when I constantly remind businesses: make service your first priority.
Forget how pretty your place looks. Forget the menu. Forget the pricing. Before you build a wall, build a service culture. Hire a staff and train them on the menu, the point-of-sale system and the customer service for a month before your establishment opens.
I have no clue what our bartender's name was; she had no clue about anything. She couldn't change the channel on the TV, she didn't recommend any particular drink, she had no clue when Happy Hour started or what Happy Hour prices were.
In fact, when another guest asked her whether they carried Coke or Pepsi products, she said "cola." She didn't know.
There were about seven people in the bar when I got there. By the time I left, there might have been 25. Once business picked up, the bartenders lost control. My glass sat empty for more than five minutes. And once she pulled it from the bar, she performed the ultimate restaurant/bar no-no: grabbed the glass from the rim, with her finger tips going inside the glass itself.
Happy Hour brings business
Rule No. 2: Establish a Happy Hour. Nobody dislikes free stuff. The next best thing to free is a deal. Make people feel like they are getting a deal--especially during Happy Hour. Across the street at Forti's you can get a multitude of beers for $2. Next to Forti's, at RJ Bolands, you can get quality craft beers for $3.
I know how much beer costs in a keg. I know you can get about 140 pints from a keg. If you sell it for $3 a pint for three hours a day during the week, and regular price the rest of the time, you are still going to make a killing.
Happy Hours build business. They get people in after work, especially in a downtown environment. If your establishment is cool and aesthetically pleasing but doesn't give me a deal, I'm going to go somewhere that does.
The new golf-centered drinking establishment that opened last week between Prospect and Euclid downtown Cleveland had so much going for it. It's opening in the middle of a "revitalize Cleveland" movement. The recession is in the past and Clevelanders have a deep craving for sunshine, summer and positivity. I assumed it would rival Corner Alley, except built around a golf theme instead of a bowling theme.
And the space was really cool. At first glance, I thought it was going to be the next "place to be." In reality, it had its pros and cons. Unfortunately the Caddy Shack Lounge won't get a mulligan.
Pros:
-- Great space. Roomy, high ceilings, plenty of seating, plenty of HDTVs.
-- Indoor golf. Unless you've been to Classic Fairways in Hudson, you haven't seen this before.
Cons:
-- Service. We'll get into this later, but shouldn't good service be your No. 1 priority?
-- Beer selection. Could you be less creative with your selection of beers on tap? (Bud Light, Miller Lite, Labatt Blue, Smithwick's, Sam Adams, Guinness)
-- Price. Nothing is cheap: not beer, not food, not golf.
-- Happy Hour. Miller Lite and Bud Light are $2 for a pint. The other drafts are $1 off (Smithwicks is $4.50). Bleh.
Build a service culture
I worked in the restaurant industry for eight years and now I write extensively about the hotel industry--both service cultures--so I recognize good and bad service when I see it (almost to a fault). So I'm not talking from nowhere when I constantly remind businesses: make service your first priority.
Forget how pretty your place looks. Forget the menu. Forget the pricing. Before you build a wall, build a service culture. Hire a staff and train them on the menu, the point-of-sale system and the customer service for a month before your establishment opens.
I have no clue what our bartender's name was; she had no clue about anything. She couldn't change the channel on the TV, she didn't recommend any particular drink, she had no clue when Happy Hour started or what Happy Hour prices were.
In fact, when another guest asked her whether they carried Coke or Pepsi products, she said "cola." She didn't know.
There were about seven people in the bar when I got there. By the time I left, there might have been 25. Once business picked up, the bartenders lost control. My glass sat empty for more than five minutes. And once she pulled it from the bar, she performed the ultimate restaurant/bar no-no: grabbed the glass from the rim, with her finger tips going inside the glass itself.
Happy Hour brings business
Rule No. 2: Establish a Happy Hour. Nobody dislikes free stuff. The next best thing to free is a deal. Make people feel like they are getting a deal--especially during Happy Hour. Across the street at Forti's you can get a multitude of beers for $2. Next to Forti's, at RJ Bolands, you can get quality craft beers for $3.
I know how much beer costs in a keg. I know you can get about 140 pints from a keg. If you sell it for $3 a pint for three hours a day during the week, and regular price the rest of the time, you are still going to make a killing.
Happy Hours build business. They get people in after work, especially in a downtown environment. If your establishment is cool and aesthetically pleasing but doesn't give me a deal, I'm going to go somewhere that does.
2.15.2010
President's Day at home with Trevor
Practicing my live blogging skills during a holiday at home with Trevor.
9 a.m.: Watching Thomas and Friends and eating breakfast: oatmeal, apples and fruit snacks.
10 a.m.: A little train time in the playroom.
11:20 a.m.: Just got out of the bath. Funny how it's like pulling teeth to get him in, but once he's in he never wants to get out.
12:30 p.m.: We got to the driveway a little too late; the ice on the bottom layers is impossible to get up. Oh well, it was a good workout.
4:06 p.m.: Just got back from running some errands. Stopped at McDonald's for lunch. Note to self: Don't ever go to kids funland McDonalds in Parma again. 900 obese kids + penguin toys that shoot discs = bad news.
... also stopped at the library ...
This just in: Gonna have to stop live blogging for the day. Trevor just shoved a penguin disc in the memory card slot in the front of the computer. Not kidding. Now I gotta take the computer apart while he sits in timeout.
9 a.m.: Watching Thomas and Friends and eating breakfast: oatmeal, apples and fruit snacks.
10 a.m.: A little train time in the playroom.
11:20 a.m.: Just got out of the bath. Funny how it's like pulling teeth to get him in, but once he's in he never wants to get out.
12:30 p.m.: We got to the driveway a little too late; the ice on the bottom layers is impossible to get up. Oh well, it was a good workout.
4:06 p.m.: Just got back from running some errands. Stopped at McDonald's for lunch. Note to self: Don't ever go to kids funland McDonalds in Parma again. 900 obese kids + penguin toys that shoot discs = bad news.
... also stopped at the library ...This just in: Gonna have to stop live blogging for the day. Trevor just shoved a penguin disc in the memory card slot in the front of the computer. Not kidding. Now I gotta take the computer apart while he sits in timeout.
2.14.2010
10 reasons this weekend in sports sucked
Worst. Sports. Weekend. Ever.
Here are 10 reasons why I wish I could have the past two days of my life back.
10. I hate NASCAR. But even for the dumbest, most hilljack sport ever, the Daytona 500 is kind of cool. It's like the Super Bowl of racing. And yet, this weekend, the most famous track in the history of racing GOT A POTHOLE, forcing officials to stop the race on two different occasions. Really? You're in Florida. Not Cleveland. There are no salt trucks cruising around the Daytona International Speedway spewing chemicals onto the asphalt. If ever there should be a road that's most taken care of, it should be a 2.5-mile oval for one day in Southern Florida where they run the Great American Race.
9. Every viewer who sat through the entire Slam Dunk Contest should be paid $10. What a waste of time and energy. Final results were: Nate Robinson, 4 fan votes. Some Bulls player I've never heard of, 3 fan votes.
8. Did you see the stupid side-gimmick-carnival games they had set up at Cowboys Stadium to cut to whenever the actual All-Star Weekend coverage got unbearably boring (99 percent of the time)? At one point I saw Rajon Rondo attempting to lasso a 3-foot mechanical bull from about 2 feet away. Holy shit. If there was ever a face gesture for "get me the hell out of here before I kill myself," he was wearing it.
7. At some point during the mechanical bull segment, the white "cowboy" showing black athletes how to lasso a bull realized how retardedly awkward the whole thing was. Watching him for the rest of the event was equally uncomfortable.
6. Stuart Scott was ripping on Pau Gasol because he couldn't lasso a mechanical bull. Really, Stuart Scott? You used to be sweet. Now you're the ESPN commentator assigned to moderate the mechanical bull event midway through the 1988 B-List Celebrity All-Star Classic.
5. I almost tried to get myself psyched for the Winter Olympics. Then someone DIED. Olympics = epic fail.
4. I almost thought about watching the Winter Olympics. Then they couldn't get the torch lit and Wayne Gretzky was visibly sweating and nervous and wanted to be anywhere but Canada.
3. I almost wanted to root for the USA team during the Winter Olympics. Then the "winter version of Michael Phelps" was crying and contemplating backing out of the biggest moment in her life because her shin hurt.
2. I thought about changing the channel from "Celebrity Rehab" to the Winter Olympics. Then I heard how cheaply Apolo Ohno, supposedly the best speed skater in the world and the face of the U.S. Olympic Team, won his silver medal. When he was in fourth place and the two Koreans in front of him ran into each other at the finish line like two bad guys in The Spy Next Door.
1. And finally, why are women's sports ever shown on TV? If I glance down at ESPN's Bottomline one more time and see a women's college basketball score and jump off the couch because I confuse it for a men's upset, I'm going to throw my remote through the TV. Does ESPN think one person in the world actually cares about the Washington State-DePaul women's basketball score? ESPN, let me share three pieces of valuable information with you: men don't care about women's sports; women don't care about watching sports; and no one is ever going to beat UConn. Any sport where a team wins 62 straight games is not a real sport.
Here are 10 reasons why I wish I could have the past two days of my life back.
10. I hate NASCAR. But even for the dumbest, most hilljack sport ever, the Daytona 500 is kind of cool. It's like the Super Bowl of racing. And yet, this weekend, the most famous track in the history of racing GOT A POTHOLE, forcing officials to stop the race on two different occasions. Really? You're in Florida. Not Cleveland. There are no salt trucks cruising around the Daytona International Speedway spewing chemicals onto the asphalt. If ever there should be a road that's most taken care of, it should be a 2.5-mile oval for one day in Southern Florida where they run the Great American Race.
9. Every viewer who sat through the entire Slam Dunk Contest should be paid $10. What a waste of time and energy. Final results were: Nate Robinson, 4 fan votes. Some Bulls player I've never heard of, 3 fan votes.
8. Did you see the stupid side-gimmick-carnival games they had set up at Cowboys Stadium to cut to whenever the actual All-Star Weekend coverage got unbearably boring (99 percent of the time)? At one point I saw Rajon Rondo attempting to lasso a 3-foot mechanical bull from about 2 feet away. Holy shit. If there was ever a face gesture for "get me the hell out of here before I kill myself," he was wearing it.
7. At some point during the mechanical bull segment, the white "cowboy" showing black athletes how to lasso a bull realized how retardedly awkward the whole thing was. Watching him for the rest of the event was equally uncomfortable.
6. Stuart Scott was ripping on Pau Gasol because he couldn't lasso a mechanical bull. Really, Stuart Scott? You used to be sweet. Now you're the ESPN commentator assigned to moderate the mechanical bull event midway through the 1988 B-List Celebrity All-Star Classic.
5. I almost tried to get myself psyched for the Winter Olympics. Then someone DIED. Olympics = epic fail.
4. I almost thought about watching the Winter Olympics. Then they couldn't get the torch lit and Wayne Gretzky was visibly sweating and nervous and wanted to be anywhere but Canada.
3. I almost wanted to root for the USA team during the Winter Olympics. Then the "winter version of Michael Phelps" was crying and contemplating backing out of the biggest moment in her life because her shin hurt.
2. I thought about changing the channel from "Celebrity Rehab" to the Winter Olympics. Then I heard how cheaply Apolo Ohno, supposedly the best speed skater in the world and the face of the U.S. Olympic Team, won his silver medal. When he was in fourth place and the two Koreans in front of him ran into each other at the finish line like two bad guys in The Spy Next Door.
1. And finally, why are women's sports ever shown on TV? If I glance down at ESPN's Bottomline one more time and see a women's college basketball score and jump off the couch because I confuse it for a men's upset, I'm going to throw my remote through the TV. Does ESPN think one person in the world actually cares about the Washington State-DePaul women's basketball score? ESPN, let me share three pieces of valuable information with you: men don't care about women's sports; women don't care about watching sports; and no one is ever going to beat UConn. Any sport where a team wins 62 straight games is not a real sport.
2.13.2010
Springsteen tributes were must-hear music
I didn't catch the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors when they aired in December ... and I regret it. I hope they replay the entire show sometime, or I can catch it on video or DVD somewhere.
The honorees were Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert de Niro and Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen was celebrated last and the tributes paid to him were simply moving. I've always enjoyed Springsteen's tunes, and seeing the way newer artist clearly admired him, and were inspired by him, gave me a new respect for The Boss.
The annual event recognizes recipients for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. President and Mrs. Barack Obama were seated with the honorees in the Presidential Box of the Kennedy Center Opera House.
Eddie Vedder played "My City of Ruins," written by Springsteen in November 2000, for an Asbury Park, N.J., Christmas show benefit to help promote the revitalization of the city. A popular resort destination in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Asbury Park had succumbed to significant amounts of blight for a variety of reasons, including the ill-effects of the Great Depression, the opening of the Garden State Parkway and race riots.
Ben Harper played "My Father's House," originally released in 1982 on Springteen's sixth studio album, "Nebraska." Sparsely recorded on a cassette-tape, "Nebraska" is classic Springsteen in the sense that the songs deal with ordinary, blue collar characters who face a challenge or a turning point in their lives.
The honorees were Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, Robert de Niro and Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen was celebrated last and the tributes paid to him were simply moving. I've always enjoyed Springsteen's tunes, and seeing the way newer artist clearly admired him, and were inspired by him, gave me a new respect for The Boss.
The annual event recognizes recipients for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. President and Mrs. Barack Obama were seated with the honorees in the Presidential Box of the Kennedy Center Opera House.
♦♦♦
Eddie Vedder played "My City of Ruins," written by Springsteen in November 2000, for an Asbury Park, N.J., Christmas show benefit to help promote the revitalization of the city. A popular resort destination in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Asbury Park had succumbed to significant amounts of blight for a variety of reasons, including the ill-effects of the Great Depression, the opening of the Garden State Parkway and race riots.
♦♦♦
Ben Harper played "My Father's House," originally released in 1982 on Springteen's sixth studio album, "Nebraska." Sparsely recorded on a cassette-tape, "Nebraska" is classic Springsteen in the sense that the songs deal with ordinary, blue collar characters who face a challenge or a turning point in their lives.
2.06.2010
judge books by their cover
I was browsing an airport bookstore recently, looking for something to occupy my time on a cross-country flight.
The back of the book read, "Anyone who has ever felt broken and wished for a better life will find inspiration in his story."
It was a book about drug and alcohol addiction, a topic that hits particularly close to home because I have seen these struggles in friends and family. The back of "A Million Little Pieces" intrigued me: A "memoir" about an alcoholic crack addict's six weeks in rehab. What the heck, let's give it a read.
As the plane lifted off I opened to the first page--a note to the reader, from the author, explaining many of the experiences in the book have been altered or embellished. Page Two is a similar admission from the publisher, Doubleday (a division of Random House).
Immediately I felt ripped off. If I hadn't bought the book in the San Diego airport, I would've returned it. Years ago I was aware of the controversy surrounding James Frey's memoir, but stupidly I had forgotten the title and didn't associate the author. Now I'm stuck on a three-hour flight with an inspirational book that turned out untrue.
I read it anyway. It's a decent book, although highly unbelievable. Too many fairytale occurrences and far-fetched characters. But I like fiction--I tend to read mostly novels--so the validity shouldn't have irked me as much as it did. I found myself questioning the level of truth behind each situation in the book and it turns out years later none of Frey's stories have ever been validated.
But my bigger concern is not what lies within the pages. What left me most disgruntled was the presentation--the fact the book is labeled a memoir, sat in the nonfiction section and makes no admission of inaccuracy on the cover. A liner on the front reads, "With notes from the author and from the publisher," but does that even hint at the book's veracity?
It's not real ad
mirable, in my opinion, for the publisher to make the reader aware of the book's faults once he or she has already spent $17 on it.
In this particular instance, I'm fully suggesting this book be judged by it's cover.
After finishing the book and researching the controversy further, it turns out the publisher has agreed to refund readers who send a sworn statement indicating they purchased the book under the assumption it was a memoir. My book says "memoir" on it. I'm going to give it a try, and I'll keep you updated.
In case you're as apparently forgetful as I am, here is some history behind the controversy of James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces."
-- In January 2006, Frey appeared again on Oprah and this time admitted the same "demons" that made him turn to alcohol and drugs had also driven him to fabricate crucial portions of his "memoir." He admitted the book was first shopped as being a fiction novel but declined by many, including Random House itself. Winfrey brought out Frey's publisher to defend her decision to classify the book as a memoir, and forced Talese to admit that she had done nothing to check the book's veracity.
The back of the book read, "Anyone who has ever felt broken and wished for a better life will find inspiration in his story."
It was a book about drug and alcohol addiction, a topic that hits particularly close to home because I have seen these struggles in friends and family. The back of "A Million Little Pieces" intrigued me: A "memoir" about an alcoholic crack addict's six weeks in rehab. What the heck, let's give it a read.
As the plane lifted off I opened to the first page--a note to the reader, from the author, explaining many of the experiences in the book have been altered or embellished. Page Two is a similar admission from the publisher, Doubleday (a division of Random House).
Immediately I felt ripped off. If I hadn't bought the book in the San Diego airport, I would've returned it. Years ago I was aware of the controversy surrounding James Frey's memoir, but stupidly I had forgotten the title and didn't associate the author. Now I'm stuck on a three-hour flight with an inspirational book that turned out untrue.
I read it anyway. It's a decent book, although highly unbelievable. Too many fairytale occurrences and far-fetched characters. But I like fiction--I tend to read mostly novels--so the validity shouldn't have irked me as much as it did. I found myself questioning the level of truth behind each situation in the book and it turns out years later none of Frey's stories have ever been validated.
But my bigger concern is not what lies within the pages. What left me most disgruntled was the presentation--the fact the book is labeled a memoir, sat in the nonfiction section and makes no admission of inaccuracy on the cover. A liner on the front reads, "With notes from the author and from the publisher," but does that even hint at the book's veracity?
It's not real ad
mirable, in my opinion, for the publisher to make the reader aware of the book's faults once he or she has already spent $17 on it.In this particular instance, I'm fully suggesting this book be judged by it's cover.
After finishing the book and researching the controversy further, it turns out the publisher has agreed to refund readers who send a sworn statement indicating they purchased the book under the assumption it was a memoir. My book says "memoir" on it. I'm going to give it a try, and I'll keep you updated.
In case you're as apparently forgetful as I am, here is some history behind the controversy of James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces."
-- The book was released on April 15, 2003, and received mixed feedback. Some critics praised the book while others said the book rings false.
-- In 2005, the book was picked as an Oprah's Book Club selection, and shortly thereafter became the number one paperback non-fiction book on Amazon.com and topped the NYT Best Seller list for 15 straight weeks.
-- The book garnered international attention in January 2006, after it was reported by two journalists at The Smoking Gun that it contained fabrications and was not, as originally represented by the author and publisher, a completely factual memoir.
-- The Smoking Gun's editor, William Bastone, said a probe into the book was prompted after Frey appeared on Oprah. "We initially set off to just find a mug shot of him," he said. "It basically set off a chain of events that started with us having a difficult time finding a booking photo of this guy."-- In January 2006, Frey appeared again on Oprah and this time admitted the same "demons" that made him turn to alcohol and drugs had also driven him to fabricate crucial portions of his "memoir." He admitted the book was first shopped as being a fiction novel but declined by many, including Random House itself. Winfrey brought out Frey's publisher to defend her decision to classify the book as a memoir, and forced Talese to admit that she had done nothing to check the book's veracity.
2.03.2010
b2b Dilbert
Unfortunately, with shrinking ad revenues, this isn't too far off what the b2b magazine journalism world has become ...
2.01.2010
1.23.2010
mistake on the lake taking shape
Cleveland=back.
Forget Cleveland Plus. Forget NEO. Forget Lakewood. Downtown Cleveland is where it's at. And there's no longer a need to sugarcoat it.
For the longest time I hated this city. Seasonal affective disorder takes a toll here. And until recently, nothing was getting done to modernize the landscape of downtown Cleveland.
Scratch that, reverse it.
The new Euclid Avenue kicks ass. East 4th Street is a gold mine. There are actual nightclubs, not Jersey-Shore-trash bars like before. The King's court is here. Celebrities are flocking to Cleveland like it's going out of business.
If you rolled into the Barley House on Thursday night, you could have rubbed elbows with LeBron, Lil' Wayne, Kelly Pavlik, Josh Cribbs and Troy Smith. Who even cares that Kim Kardashian was there.
Melissa and I went out Friday night. There are so many newer restaurants (Encore, Greenhouse Tavern, RJ Bolands ...) that we mulled our options extensively, but decided on dinner at Zach Bruell's new restaurant on East 4th, Chinato. Then we caught a comedian at Hilarities and had dessert at the new Chocolate Bar. Couldn't have had a better time.
First, we found a parking spot on the street. Free. In what city can you park for zero cost?
Chinato by Bruell, who also did L'Albatros and Parallax, is going to be great. Our service was so-so, but I blame that on the fact that it just opened and it would literally take a month to learn that menu. I had no idea what at least 30 percent of the items on the menu were. And the wine list is organized by Italian regions. But the food spoke for itself. I had sausage and peppers, Melissa had swordfish, and both were quality. We shared a bottle of outstanding-yet-inexpensive Corte Alla Flora syrah. The mixed salad, in fact, was the best part of the meal and we both raved about it.
Every city has popular pockets of success--mini neighborhoods--and Cleveland is no different. I've graduated from clubby West 6th to a more relaxed East 4th, but both areas have made drastic improvements. Playhouse Square, the arts district, already has a few cornerstones and reeks of potential. If there are any vacant window fronts on East 4th, they won't be dim for long. People are there, spending money, drinking, having a good time, and I can't imagine the owners of those establishments aren't reaping the benefits.
We saw this fat Greek dude, Basile, at Hilarities and he cracked us up. He's from Cleveland originally and was back in town for a week. Besides his stand-up gig, he does the voice of Bullwinkle for the newly remastered Rocky and Bullwinkle shows. Check out a clip of his stand-up here; it's pretty hilarious. (No joke, we ran into him about two hours after his set, about 1 a.m., when he stumbled into the Chocolate Bar, sweaty, looking for any kitchen still serving food.)
Speaking of Chocolate Bar, shout out to Brandon slinging drinks behind the bar. Real cool dude, and he makes a mean crème brulée martini, according to Melissa.
And then there's LeBron, who singlehandedly put Cleveland back on the map. Forget the Kobe-LeBron-who's better debate. It's over. LeBron takes games over. His supporting cast is JV compared to Kobe's, and he beat the Lakers twice this year. He's so confident. He enjoys the game. Like when he rapped an entire Eminem verse on the court with a two-point lead and 25 seconds on the clock. In the biggest game of the regular season on national TV.
He's even better off the court. He says the right things, never gets into trouble and stays true to his roots. The new debate is LeBron vs. Michael, and when James gets a ring he'll be the best basketball player to have ever played the game. Read this Bill Simmons column, a great summary of LeBron's abilities on and off the court.
So, in summary, it really is time for people to flee to the Cleve. Better yet, let's hope they don't. Let's enjoy it for ourselves a little while longer.
Here's a gift for the LeBron fans--download a pretty cool widescreen desktop wallpaper I designed here.
Forget Cleveland Plus. Forget NEO. Forget Lakewood. Downtown Cleveland is where it's at. And there's no longer a need to sugarcoat it.
For the longest time I hated this city. Seasonal affective disorder takes a toll here. And until recently, nothing was getting done to modernize the landscape of downtown Cleveland.
Scratch that, reverse it.
The new Euclid Avenue kicks ass. East 4th Street is a gold mine. There are actual nightclubs, not Jersey-Shore-trash bars like before. The King's court is here. Celebrities are flocking to Cleveland like it's going out of business.
If you rolled into the Barley House on Thursday night, you could have rubbed elbows with LeBron, Lil' Wayne, Kelly Pavlik, Josh Cribbs and Troy Smith. Who even cares that Kim Kardashian was there.
Melissa and I went out Friday night. There are so many newer restaurants (Encore, Greenhouse Tavern, RJ Bolands ...) that we mulled our options extensively, but decided on dinner at Zach Bruell's new restaurant on East 4th, Chinato. Then we caught a comedian at Hilarities and had dessert at the new Chocolate Bar. Couldn't have had a better time.
First, we found a parking spot on the street. Free. In what city can you park for zero cost?
Chinato by Bruell, who also did L'Albatros and Parallax, is going to be great. Our service was so-so, but I blame that on the fact that it just opened and it would literally take a month to learn that menu. I had no idea what at least 30 percent of the items on the menu were. And the wine list is organized by Italian regions. But the food spoke for itself. I had sausage and peppers, Melissa had swordfish, and both were quality. We shared a bottle of outstanding-yet-inexpensive Corte Alla Flora syrah. The mixed salad, in fact, was the best part of the meal and we both raved about it.
Every city has popular pockets of success--mini neighborhoods--and Cleveland is no different. I've graduated from clubby West 6th to a more relaxed East 4th, but both areas have made drastic improvements. Playhouse Square, the arts district, already has a few cornerstones and reeks of potential. If there are any vacant window fronts on East 4th, they won't be dim for long. People are there, spending money, drinking, having a good time, and I can't imagine the owners of those establishments aren't reaping the benefits.
We saw this fat Greek dude, Basile, at Hilarities and he cracked us up. He's from Cleveland originally and was back in town for a week. Besides his stand-up gig, he does the voice of Bullwinkle for the newly remastered Rocky and Bullwinkle shows. Check out a clip of his stand-up here; it's pretty hilarious. (No joke, we ran into him about two hours after his set, about 1 a.m., when he stumbled into the Chocolate Bar, sweaty, looking for any kitchen still serving food.)
Speaking of Chocolate Bar, shout out to Brandon slinging drinks behind the bar. Real cool dude, and he makes a mean crème brulée martini, according to Melissa.
And then there's LeBron, who singlehandedly put Cleveland back on the map. Forget the Kobe-LeBron-who's better debate. It's over. LeBron takes games over. His supporting cast is JV compared to Kobe's, and he beat the Lakers twice this year. He's so confident. He enjoys the game. Like when he rapped an entire Eminem verse on the court with a two-point lead and 25 seconds on the clock. In the biggest game of the regular season on national TV.
He's even better off the court. He says the right things, never gets into trouble and stays true to his roots. The new debate is LeBron vs. Michael, and when James gets a ring he'll be the best basketball player to have ever played the game. Read this Bill Simmons column, a great summary of LeBron's abilities on and off the court.
So, in summary, it really is time for people to flee to the Cleve. Better yet, let's hope they don't. Let's enjoy it for ourselves a little while longer.
Here's a gift for the LeBron fans--download a pretty cool widescreen desktop wallpaper I designed here.
1.16.2010
bags anyone?
It's a sickness, really.
I can't deem any project complete until it's different than everything else out there and looks exactly the way I pictured it.
These are the cornhole boards I just finished hand-painting. Knowing I only like things that I pick out or have a hand in creating, Melissa got me a set for Christmas that was primed but not painted. Perfect. I got to choose exactly what I wanted them to look like, and it occupied me for a week so I would leave her alone.
I thought about the traditional black and gold boards to represent my loyalty to the Steelers, I thought about using decals, but in the end I wanted something that would stand out among all the other sets in my circle of drunken lawn athlete friends.
Thanks to Bill Mothershead of www.cornolina.com for recommending latex-based exterior paint and Minwax Polycrylic (sealant) from Lowe's. Thanks to Schwabby for the Lowe's gift card. I'll most likely order my bags from Bill--he offers eight 16-ounce bags filled with whole-feed corn and made with pillow-sewn, heavy weight duck cloth for $25, shipping included. 17 colors available.
I'll spend the next couple months waiting for the sun, plotting dates on the calendar, filling my propane take, creating a bracket system and preparing for an all-day tournament to kick off the summer. Get your team ready, I hope to see you there.
I can't deem any project complete until it's different than everything else out there and looks exactly the way I pictured it.
These are the cornhole boards I just finished hand-painting. Knowing I only like things that I pick out or have a hand in creating, Melissa got me a set for Christmas that was primed but not painted. Perfect. I got to choose exactly what I wanted them to look like, and it occupied me for a week so I would leave her alone.
I thought about the traditional black and gold boards to represent my loyalty to the Steelers, I thought about using decals, but in the end I wanted something that would stand out among all the other sets in my circle of drunken lawn athlete friends.
Thanks to Bill Mothershead of www.cornolina.com for recommending latex-based exterior paint and Minwax Polycrylic (sealant) from Lowe's. Thanks to Schwabby for the Lowe's gift card. I'll most likely order my bags from Bill--he offers eight 16-ounce bags filled with whole-feed corn and made with pillow-sewn, heavy weight duck cloth for $25, shipping included. 17 colors available.
I'll spend the next couple months waiting for the sun, plotting dates on the calendar, filling my propane take, creating a bracket system and preparing for an all-day tournament to kick off the summer. Get your team ready, I hope to see you there.
1.05.2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)