Weekend fun!

Living in Cleveland there is always SO MUCH to do when it comes to planning my weekends. Some people might think there is nothing going on, but I beg to differ, I can barely squeeze in a load of laundry with all the super fun activities that are going on...




> Swoosh, woosh and fly like a bird...well almost! (Tobogganing is fun!)

> Indulging in a plethera of sale coupons

> A nibble of Strawberries & Pink Champagne AND a bite of MSC Fluff

> A sale and some “pleasing” snack with RS

> A dance with my dog!!!

> Get my “bollywood” on!

> Making a birdie sling with some fabulous friends.

> Supposedly there is a big football game on?

What will you be doing this weekend? Celebrating family & friends? Shopping for a fancy dress? Sipping a hot toddy or two? Fill me in on what I am missing!

Happy sparkly weekend!

Another chilly winter weekend in Cleveland...how I love how shiny the world is with a little coating of ice. My friend Henry once said that I must have been a crow in a past life as I am constantly attracted to anything glittery, sparkly or shimmery...so needless to say, a dusting of light snow makes my heart skip a beat!

Although this weekend is predicted to be an extra cold one, there are many activities to keep us indoors all warm and cozy. around town. I'm going to try and hit a few of these hot spots this last weekend in January...can you believe it's almost February?

A new season at MOCA means an Opening Night Celebration. Art. Music. A killer gift shop!



A drink with the new Dante.

Arabesques, padashas and pliés at Playhouse Square featuring the Bill T. Jones & Arnie Zane Dance Company

Hot Haitian Nights....a Benefit to Help Rebuild Haiti Saturday night at the Speakeasy (under the Beer Market) 8pm. $10 suggested donation to benefit Habitat for Humanity International and their efforts to help the people of Haiti rebuild their lives.

Two games are better than one! (Cavs play tonight AND Sunday!)

Thankful for the weekend!

I’m THANKFUL it’s the weekend. The weekend before the “Week of Thanks”... So many things to get done before December madness strikes!




Here is what I am planning to do...hope I can squeeze it all in.

Friday.
> Read a new Zine at Bella Dubby
> Eat some Ice Cream to celebrate the END of Tap! :)
> Listen to some great local tunes at made in the 216
> Party like a rock star.

Saturday
> Groom my little pup (shown at Thanksgiving in DC a few years ago)
> Fall in love with a Vampire..or a werewolf.
> Begin my holiday shopping list...(buying locally thanks to the reminder from Chef’s Widow!)
> Stop by the last farmers market of the season...or see the tree lighting?

Sunday
> Brush up on my manners (there are still a few spots left, call 440.247.2550 to sign up!)
> Explore the gardens & gingerbread creations
> FREE HENNA (with any cosmetic purchase) at Dillards in Beachwood...I am thinking a pumpkin, turkey and fall leaves for the Thanksgiving week?

Prom anyone? (11/07)

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

The following is the official invite from Spaces gallery to this Saturday Night prom...it is so cleverly said, that I'll let it speak for itself!

"Grab a date (or two), break out the boutonnieres, and call up your clique. For those who didn’t get asked, had too much “punch,” got kicked out for cross-dressing, or wore the wrong dress, here is your mulligan for the enchanted evening you were promised in high-school. Join us for our annual benefit party, Erie Prom: Enchantment Under the Lake. The big bash/splash will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at SPACES. This night to remember begins with a VIP party and ends with a gallery chock full of great art for sale, games, campy photo opps (complete with the trellis), and dancing (without chaperones).



Paying homage to our Great Lake Erie, we claim the grand theme with a new twist. Remember: This is your do-over—YOUR prom. Creativity, outsiders and weirdness are not only condoned, but encouraged! Wear what you really wanted to wear the first time around, or come decked out in Lake Erie-inspired duds. Whether you feel pretty in pink, dapper in a tux or you want to flex those Zebra Mussels, this is your all-access hall-pass to one of Cleveland’s wildest parties of the year. Proceeds from the event make SPACES’ programming and operations possible."

For tickets visit www.spacesgallery.org

Roller Disco Bash (8/28)

Friday, August 28th, 2009

clevelandrolls.org



7-10pm : Leff Electric building, 1163 East 40th St., Cleveland, 44114 : Free!

Concert Wednesday (8/19)

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

If you haven't been able to make any of the free shows the rock hall has been presenting this summer, this is your LAST CHANCE. This Wednesday, Youngstown’s Gil Mantera’s Party Dream will be playing with special guest, This is a Shakedown!



Gil Mantera’s Party Dream formed during a blizzard in 1999 as a joke, and by 2006 they were selling out shows across the country. In 2006, Village Voice honored them with the Best Show at the SXSW festival that year. They seem to like to wear crazy scantily clad costumes, wonder what Wednesday will bring?



This is a Shakedown!, although relatively new to the Cleveland music scene, is comprised of members of previously popular Northeast Ohio bands Dozen Dead Roses and Leo.

Each concert will be held outside on the Museum’s plaza. In case of bad weather, the shows will be moved indoors on the Main Stage. 6 pm www.rockhall.com

FREE theatre (7/31-8/09)

The teens of the Student Theatre Enrichment Program (STEP) present Eye, Mind, Heart, an original play inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen.

Utilizing The Snow Queen as a starting point, STEP's ensemble of inner-city teens reveal their own hopes, fears, strengths and vulnerabilities. This family-friendly performance is a powerful love story that examines humanity's struggle for compassion and connection in a materialistic and cut-throat world, and is super-charged with a cappella singing, dance and non-stop action. Eye, Mind, Heart is about finding one's path to a joyful life and highlights the power and creativity of Cleveland's youth.



Bring a lawn chair or blanket. All performances are free and open to the public, with no advance reservations required.

July 31, 12pm: Mercedes Cotner Park (W 95 & Maywood Ave)
July 31, 7pm: Fairview Park in Ohio City (W 38 & Franklin + Rain Location: West Side UCC)
Aug 1, 7pm: Lincoln Park (W 14 & Starkweather + Rain Location: Pilgrim Church)
Aug 3, 7pm: St. Stanislaus Warszawa Music Festival (3649 E. 65 + Rain Location: Church)
Aug 4, 12pm: Tyler Village (3615 Superior Ave)
Aug 4, 7pm: Lake Pool Park (W 85th between Lake and Detroit)
Aug 6, 6pm: Lonnie Burten Baseball Field (E 46 & Outhwaite + Rain Location: Gymnasium)
Aug 7, 6pm: Estabrook Recreation Center (4125 Fulton Rd + Rain Location: Gymnasium)
Aug 8, 12pm: Sam Miller Park, Glenville Festival (E 88 & Esterbrook Ave)
Aug 8, 7pm: Kerruish Park (Lee & Tarkington)
Aug 9, 4pm: Drakefield Park (Drakefield Ave between W 157 & Silsby Rd + Rain Location: West Park UCC)


For more information on the STEP program or the performance, visit www.cptonline.org

Paper Route & Young Love (6/04)

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

At first this show jumped out at me because I saw the band "Paper Route" (crazy website!) last summer in Atlanta and really liked them. The young Nashville 4-some have a full ambient, sweet electronic sound soothing to the ear. They don’t exactly define the sound of their Tennessee city: “We tend to be the black sheep in Nashville,” programmer/keyboardist Chad Howat says, “but we love it here.” So needless to say, I wanted to see Paper Route again...I even have a t-shirt!



So...who was this band that "MY" Paper Route was opening for? "Young Love?" Come to find out....he is really great too. Sounds like the perfect summer music evening! The dance-rock outfit "Young Love" is headed by Dan Keyes. Keyes, who has assembled a band to tour with this summer, ultimately sees Young Love as a culmination of hard work, taking chances and allowing himself the chance to write the music that's been knocking around his head for years. Very electric, very catchy, very can't get out of your head!

"This record has been a long time coming," says Keyes, "These songs have existed with me for so long. I'm excited to get them out there. And I hope people get excited by them: I feel like I'm just the instrument to give the songs to everyone."



Check out video, it's funny, clever and charming. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kgokj9lAlU

Hope to see you at the Grogshop. Doors are at 9:00pm, Tickets are $10

Learn to Stilt (5/16 & 17)

Saturday, May 16th & Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Ever wanted to learn to walk on stilts? An automatic "IN" to any area parade! This weekend the Cleveland Museum of Art, (in preparation for Parade the Circle) is offering "Stilt Weekend."

Canadian stilters Brad Harley and Rick Simon show you how to take a few steps high in the air! Free to all, children must be at least 10 years old to participate. You may order stilts during stilt weekend: $50 (yours to keep after safety training).



Parade the Circle is organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art and is presented through the generous support of the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

1:30-4:30pm, For more information visit www.clemusart.com

Celebrate Dance (2/27-28)

Friday, February 27th & Saturday February 28th, 2009

As part of its Tenth Anniversary Season celebration, GroundWorks DanceTheater (www.notsoobvious.com) will return to the Idea Center at Playhouse Square for two performances, at the Westfield Insurance Studio Theatre. The concert will include the world premiere of a piece by world-renowned San Francisco artist Alex Ketley. Also on the program will be Circadian and NANO by Artistic Director David Shimotakahara, two of the works that GroundWorks will perform at its New York City debut next week.



General admission tickets are available for $22 and $18. To purchase tickets, log on to www.PlayhouseSquare.org or phone 216.241.6000. The Idea Center is located in downtown Cleveland at 1375 Euclid Avenue.

Dance! (10/10)

Friday, October 10th, 2008

This Friday there are so many wonderful arts driven events in Cleveland, why not add another event to the list? Join the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company as they present three works from their extensive repertoire : J Lawrence Paint, Children of the Passage and Beyond a Cliff.

8:00pm, $15.00 For ticket information visit www.playhousesquare.com No children under 2.

MOCA Fall Kick Off (9/12)

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Come experience the sculpture work of artist Jorge Pardo. His work is bright, bold and playful, it is simply a joy to experience.

Along with the gallery exhibit opening, Jorge Pardo and Bonnie Clearwater will reflect upon Pardos' work. This talk will begin at 6pm. As the night temps drop, and the lecture comes to a close, DJ Neil Chastain will be mixing up the dance beat with a touch of live Conga drums. Super hot! So put your dancing shoes on and plan to drop a move or two. The evening will be topped off with stilt walkers and other fun surprises. Plus…MOCA Family Art Studio returns after a successful summer debut. The festivities will wrap at around 10pm



FREE and open to the public. For more information about the artists visit www.jorgepardosculpture.com for directions and more info about MOCA Cleveland visit www.mocacleveland.org

Swing Night (8/29)

Friday, August 29th, 2008

This free, outdoor jazz concert will explode on the deck of the parking garage at The Cleveland Museum of Art. This Friday will feature swing tunes performed by the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra.



Cash bars and food stations offer beer, wine, and soft drinks; additional offerings include snack baskets, cheese boards, chips, salsa, and guacomole, and other appetizers. The Museum Café inside is open until 7:00 each evening with salads, soups and sandwiches. Tables and chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests can bring their own chairs, but no outside food or beverages permitted.

6 to 10 p.m. Concerts will be cancelled for rain; call 216-707-2665 day of concert for recorded information. www.clevelandart.org

Wine & Ballet in Tremont (8/23)

This Saturday evening you will find me, with a picnic and a blanket nestled in Lincoln Park, the central hub of Tremont for the annual complimentary dance show by Verb Ballet (www.verbballets.org).

Verb Ballets' mission is to promote and develop interest in and appreciation for contemporary dance through performance, programs that promote learning and nurture wellness, audience and community dialogue and advocacy efforts to support the art form. Verb Ballets has a steadfast mission to promote and foster emerging talent, present excellence in contemporary choreographers, and revive and honor Modern Dance classics.

Actually, if I plan my day right, I may even be able to swing by the new wine bar at Visible Voice (www.visiblevoicebooks.com) prior to the show. This independent bookstore is inviting and relaxing and would be a great place to explore while in the neighborhood.

8:00pm. Bring the Family, your Friends... Enjoy the Magic of the Arts in Tremont's Lincoln Park!

Magical, a perfect description. (7/25-27)

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 25th through the 27th, 2008

The Ingenuity Festival returns with a weekend-long celebration of art and technology, designed for audiences of any age and experience, staged in the center of Downtown Cleveland. Prominent international masters present original works alongside the finest of Northeast Ohio's performing and visual artists. High technology firms and major colleges and universities are presented alongside acclaimed artists to create a dazzling display of exciting and immersive new work! Ingenuity pushes boundaries, creating a unique festival experience that draws and celebrates diversity, and involves the audience as both spectator and participant!



There are so many interesting looking shows, exhibits and installations, but one that I deffinatley want to catch will be a late night performance by the Hot Cha Cha's Friday night at the Plain Dealer Star Plaza Stage.

Oh and if you haven't been to the Opening Ceremony (Friday, July 25 4-5:30 pm) before, it is worth it to skip out of work early for the big show...let's just say...it's Magical. :)

For the schedule and more information visit www.ingenuitycleveland.com

Clubbin' with the Kids (4/12)

Saturday April 12th, 2008

Rock-n-Tot is here! A VIP afternoon "on the town" party for kids and their parents.

From 2-5pm, Clevelands-own Velvet Dog Nightclub will be transformed into a kid-friendly party zone. The dj plays adult music and you'll find free airbrush tattoo artists for the kids and complimentary massages for the adults, not to mention free juice boxes and snacks!

The DJs play today's club mixes, no "kid" music here, just clean lyrics, a great beat and encourage everyone to get their booties shakin. When you just need to get away from it all, check out the lounge, stuffed to the brim with toys, puzzles, and books. Best of all, it is in a separate location from the dance floor, rejuvenate yourself and the kids here! For all those little Rock stars in our lives (kids 8 to 12) we know that sometimes they get tired of hangin' with younger siblings and just need to relax and chill with kids your their age, check out the rock star area and spend time getting to know other kids (that don't still take naps), play some games, and take some time for yourself.



Most importantly parents, services will vary month to month, but may include : mini-massages, paraffin wax dip, eyebrow waxing, golf pro tutoring - just to name a few! These services are complimentary, they just ask that you consider tipping the folks that have graciously offered these services. Also each family walks away with a fantastic goody bag filled with . . well, you'll have to wait and see!

Juice boxes and kid-friendly snacks are provided by Rock-n-Tot. Please remember to bring any necessary items such as bottles, sippy cups, wet wipes, etc. The bar is open (cash or plastic) for those parents not driving, who wish to have a drink.

Pre-walkers are admitted free, everyone else must have a ticket. $12 a ticket. For more info, or to purchase tickets visit www.rock-n-tot.com

Hot Cha Cha (4/11)

Friday April 11th, 2008

So, after you hit up MOCA Cleveland for the big Baby Dayliner show, make sure to make your final stop of the evening the Bella Dubby in Lakewood for their all night music fest.

One group that will really rock the house is the "Hot Cha Cha's," a smokin hot girl group. The girls are each 18, wear red shoes, are sassy, slim and play everything from jazz, classical, rock, country, modern.......as long as it is loud, they play it! Hot Cha Cha's debut album will be out on Cleveland's Exit Stencil Recordings later this year, be one of the first "in the know."



Along with the Hot Cha Cha's the evening will also feature:

The Dreadful Yawns-"The group's blend of alt-country and "minimalist psychedelic folk" is as diverse as it is texturally rich." -Scene Magazine

The Very Knees-"The local indie-rock group's noisy clamor resonates in a shambling wobble of unwavering pluck and natural charm." -Scene Magazine

Unsparing Sea-"if you haven't caught its whimsical blend of orchestral finesse and Nashville swagger, you'll soon have your chance." -Free Times

Romance of Young Tigers - "To say they have a simplistic approach to the music would be somewhat of an understatement. It's rare in the art of music to come across individuals who make music their own way, and for their own interest" -Wright State Campus Pub.

Shows start at 8 and will wrap up around midnight. Bella Dubby 13321 Madison (just west of 117th, Lakewood) 216-221-4479. coffee house. beer & snacks. art gallery.

Dance Dance Revolution! (3/28-30)

Friday, Saturday and Sunday the 28th, 29th & 30th, 2008

Not your grandmas dance recital....Groundworks Dancetheatre at Cleveland Public Theatre unleashes it's 2008 show. Do a pirouette and an arabesque and don't miss this weekend of modern dance.

Program features
> New Work Premier by Groundworks Artistsic Associate Amy Miller
> Sweet (Cleveland Premier) by David Shimotakahara
> Latitude performed with live music by Hal Walker
> Several Truths Duet by Gina Gibney

Friday & Saturday shows @ 8pm, Sunday @ 3pm. $20 general admission, $18 for students & seniors. For reservations call the CPT Box Office @ 216.631.2727 or visit www.notsoobvious.com for more information

Easter Weekend in Cleveland (3/21-22)

Friday & Saturday March 21st & 22nd, 2008

Although the weekend will be filled with Cadbury Cream Eggs and black jelly beans (my personal favorites!) there is a lot to do around town other than gorge ourselves on our Easter baskets.

Here are a few things that sound fun...

LISTEN : Parts & Labor perform (www.partsandlabor.net) as part of the rock! MOCA art rock series. $6 @ 8pm www.mocacleveland.org

SEE : Caramel (a big hit @ this years film festival) will be showing for an exclusive engagement @ the Cedar Lee Theatre. www.caramelmovie.com for show times visit www.clevelandcinemas.com

DO : Hunt Easter eggs with the kiddies @ Legacy Village (www.legacy-village.com). Between noon and 3pm. FREE

EAT : Saturday morning, explore the West Side Market for fresh spring produce, cheese & meats. The Easter holiday will bring out the best hustle and bustle the market has to offer. www.westsidemarket.com



Happy Easter Cleveland!

A Swinging Good Time (2/28)

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

The Peking Acrobats combine the color and spectacle of the circus (minus the creepy clowns) with the skill and discipline of Olympic gymnastics and live musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments and you get a magical evening with performances that have amazed audiences worldwide.

Learn more and purchase tickets at www.playhousesquare.org or call 216.241.6000. Playhouse Square's Palace Theater