Spice up your fall with these two westside wine events

UPDATE: We have a giveaway winner! After tallying up the entries and placing the total into Random.org, congratulations to entry #19 – Jessica Z! You’ve won 2 L’Amour du Vin general admission tickets. Please reply to my email by Tuesday at noon confirming you can attend.

If Target and Lowe’s are right, the holidays are quickly approaching. Ok, maaaaybe Christmas in September is a bit too soon; however, seeing the decorations on the shelves has been a good reminder that there’s one thing I need to do sooner than later: make sure my wine coffers are filled. 

Whether it’s a last-minute Halloween party, Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws, or my friend’s Waffle Christmas bash, I’ll sleep better knowing I have a reserve of reds and whites at the ready for the next holiday party.

What to buy, though? Fortunately, two upcoming events on the westside offer the perfect opportunity for some wine recon.

Keep reading for details on both events and a chance to win tickets to one of them!

Island Wine Festival, October 4

I never need an excuse to spend the day on Put-In-Bay, but if you do, this Saturday’s Island Wine Festival is a really great one.

Hop aboard the Miller Ferry to South Bass Island for a leisurely afternoon of wine, delicious food, and island living. Put-In-Bay’s Island Wine Festival runs 11am to 6pm on October 4 at the Put-in-Bay Winery and Doller House Estate.

Enjoy beautiful views of Lake Erie or take a stroll through Put-in-Bay Winery’s gorgeous grounds at the Island Wine Festival

Sample more than 400 wines, including ones from the Put-in-Bay Winery, Heineman Winery and other Ohio wineries. Sampling tickets are $1 each with most samples running between $1 and $4. Bottles can also be purchased to take home with you.

In addition to wine, enjoy a display on the history of island wineries and grab a bite to eat from one of the festival vendors. Benefits from the event’s silent auction will go to the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society.

Scott and I went to the Island Wine Festival two years ago and made a full day out of the trip, checking out Perry’s Cave, the Crystal Cave and Perry’s Monument before and after the festival.

Although most people think summer when they think of Put-in-Bay, Fall is where it’s at, in my opinion.

L’Amour du Vin, October 9

I know everyone loves the Arthritis Foundation’s Silver Spoon Awards — I do too. But if I had to pick a favorite between that and their fall fundraiser L’Amour du Vin, I’d be hard-pressed to make my choice.

Presented by University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center, L’Amour du Vin puts the spotlight on Lorain County and Cleveland’s Westside.

Enter to win 2 tickets to L’Amour du Vin on October 9

The wine and food event is taking place next Thursday, October 9 and will feature wines from Heidleburg of Lorain and cuisine from 41 North, AMP 150, Bistro 83, Taki’s Greek Kitchen, Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery, and other area restaurants.

I LOVE this event. Living in Avon Lake, I may be a little biased but L’Amour du Vin’s smaller size and targeted approach is the perfect opportunity to experience what the westside of Cleveland has to offer (spoiler: a lot).

The VIP lounge has also always impressed me, featuring cocktails from Brown-Forman (loved last year’s Ward 8!) plus more food, spa services and other VIP surprises.

Scott and I even purchased L’Amour du Vin tickets for his parents so that they can get a taste of some of the different restaurants in their new neighborhood.

Cocktails and food from last year’s L’Amour du Vin VIP party

The 17th annual L’Amour du Vin takes place October 9 at the Avon Oaks Country Club from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. General admission tickets are $65 per person ($80 at the door) and VIP costs $95 per person. Event proceeds support local programs and services for the nearly 1.3 million Northeast Ohioans with arthritis. Purchase tickets at lamourduvin2014.eventbrite.com or by calling Alicia at (216) 285-2822.

As much as I’m looking forward to attending L’Amour du Vin,
I’m even more excited that one of you will also be going!

Whether you’re a longtime westsider who’s already clued into our local restaurants, or want to explore more of this region’s cuisine, here’s your chance to win a pair of general admission tickets to L’Amour du Vin:

There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway
**Do one, some or all five of the entries. A separate comment’s needed for each.**

1) What’s your favorite Lorain County or Cleveland Westside restaurant? Leave a comment on this post with your pick.

2) Follow @ArthritisFouNEO and @ADHicken on Twitter and leave one comment on this post telling me you did both.

3) If you’re a fan of Clue Into Cleveland and The Arthritis Foundation, Northeast Ohio Chapteron Facebook, leave one comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here and here.

4) Tweet the following and leave one comment letting me know you tweeted:

Raise a glass to @ArthritisFouNEO at #LAmourduVin. Enter @ADHicken’s giveaway for your chance to win tickets: http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-2Bp

You can tweet once per day for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

5) Subscribe to Clue Into Cleveland via a feed tracker like Bloglovin’ or Feedly and leave one comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until Sunday, October 5 at 11:59PM to enter. On Monday, October 6, I will select a winner using Random.org and will announce the winner’s name on my blog.  Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

Disclosure: I was invited to attend L’Amour du Vin with a guest in exchange for hosting a giveaway, I also have been invited to attend the Island Wine Festival. My choice to post about these events and opinions are 100% my own.

Colin Dussault’s Acoustic Side Project greeted people near the stadium’s entrance.

Nestled at the corner of 9th and Carnegie, there’s just something about Progressive Field that I really enjoy. I’m a transplant to Cleveland, so my fondness for the stadium doesn’t stem from a home team association. And, as someone who competed in marching band through the Philadelphia and South Jersey region, I’ve been in my fair share of stadiums. But Progressive captures something few others do.

I’ve mulled over what that “something” is, and I currently claim it is “hopeful enthusiasm.” Clevelanders have a solid ability to both recognize “what is” while planning for and looking forward to “what could be.” Something about Progressive Field captures that. Regardless of its corporate origins, the stadium’s current name is very fitting for this city.

What makes everything better is when you have the opportunity to freely drink the official beverages of “hopeful enthusiasm” – wine and beer. The Grapes & Ale at Progressive Field event, which happened a few Fridays ago on June 27th, brings all this together for a great time. And, since it raises funds for Our Lady of the Wayside, we have a perfect storm of good vibes.

Wines, foods, and peoples.

Arriving at Progressive Field a tad early, Amanda and I could smell the predominantly barbecued food that was waiting to accompany the many spirits that are automatically included with entry.

After getting our etched wineglasses, my first stop was to try the Johnny Appleseed hard apple cider, followed by some flipflop moscato. Then we moved on to grab some of the always-delicious Famous Dave’s wings.

Amanda was Designated Driver that evening, and there was plenty of bottled water and soda (“pop” if you’re not a transplant) for her. There was also salad and veggies, ample seating if you walked in deep enough, and even a putting green.

Famous Dave’s not only provided good eats, but a nice take-home surprise.

If you don’t like wine, the Beer Garden had taken over Progressive’s Budweiser Patio. You don’t need to buy tickets to go in – although you do need an empty glass and then tickets if you want any beer – but the mini hot dogs were delicious and the snow cone machine was a great treat.

There were also some games spread about. If leaving with the little wine glass wasn’t enough, the beer tickets got you a handled mason jar and a Lime-a-Rita sample got you another festive glass. Although I didn’t have any, a trusted source told me the Leinenkugel’s stand had brought a Russian Imperial Stout that was great.

I like my crushed ice plain.

If you didn’t bring extra cash for the beer (like me), no worries. There was still plenty of that free-flowing wine, as well as a few other spirits.

To be honest, my wine preferences are pretty narrow; the wine needs to be white and sweet. I’m not listing a lot of sampled names here not because there wasn’t a large selection, but because there was and my sampling was more copious than my note-taking.

The vendors stretched down an entire side of Progressive Field; there was plenty of wine I didn’t drink, and plenty of wine that I did. But you needed to do something special to stand-out in my memory, and the vendor which delivered that was Cupcake Vineyards:

• Walk-in wine truck pulled into the stadium? Check.
• Photo-op? Check.
• Second photo-op? Check.
• iPads with all the info and cat videos you could want? Check. (Especially because one of our cats is named Cupcake.)
• Tiny cupcakes at the ready? Check.
• Delicious Prosecco? Double check.

When it came to wine, Cupcake Vineyards got my vote for “Win.”

Cupcakes! Cupcakes cupcakes cupcakes! CUPCAKES!

Great venue, great drinks, great food, great company – what more am I to say? Grapes & Ale at Progressive Field was a feel-good event last year, and it was a feel-good event this year, and I eagerly look forward to next’s. Until then, I declared I’d review this as a sonnet, so here it is:

Progressive Field is a really great space,
Open and cool and filled up with big smiles.
If the Indians don’t manage to place,
It’s still a spot where-in I’d walk for miles.

Awesome is Our Lady of the Wayside,
Caring for those who are needing a boost.
Providing shelter, respite, and a ride.
So help by drinking fermented grape juice!

Grapes & Ale at Progressive Field is fun,
Food, spirits, and beer all over – delish!
So buy some tickets, you son of a gun!
“This never should end,” is what you will wish!

So come on down to 9th and Carnegie,
Bring hunger and thirst…but not the baby.

Selfie! Selfie selfie selfie! SELFIE!

Disclaimers: 

• I know Carnegie/baby is a terrible rhyme, but how about YOU come up with a better word that rhymes with Carnegie! 
• Also, Amanda was offered tickets to attend Grapes & Ale at Progressive Field in exchange for blogging about it. I got her second ticket because I can flap my eyeleshes like a pro. The decision to attend and post about an event is her own, based on whether she thinks it’s something that may also interest others.
• My decision to blog about the event was not my own, but part of Amanda’s agreeing to be Designated Driver so I could run about downing samples like a thirsty camel at an Oasis Sample Party. It seems batting eyelashes is not as powerful a tool of persuasion as I thought.

Congratulations, entry #8 – Kim, for winning this giveaway.

Wine Lovers: I have an event and giveaway specifically for you today

Are you the person everyone turns to to select a bottle of wine? If you think you know how to pick a good red or just love Cabernet, join Nature’s Bin at the 78th Street Studios’ smARTSpace for Cornucopia Uncorked.

A fundraiser for Nature’s Bin’s Cornucopia program, Uncorked takes place next Thursday, April 10 from 6:30-9:30pm.

Enjoy an evening of food from Nature’s Bin (including something for carnivores, vegetarians and vegans), live music from Men with Short Beards, and a competitive wine tasting.

Tickets cost $50 ($30 of each is tax-deductible). I’m also giving away two tickets below.

But first … What is a competitive wine tasting?

• Uncorked guests bring 2 bottles of Cabernet, the evening’s theme wine (preferably priced between $12 and $24, or as close as possible). 
• At check in, one bottle is bagged and numbered.  The other bottle is then set aside. 
• The bagged bottles are put out for tasting (you can’t see through the bags so no one knows what they are tasting).
• Everyone then votes for their favorite blind-tasted wine.
• The guests who bring the top five voted bottles are awarded prizes.
• The person who brings the number one wine will receive the majority of other bottles that have been set aside.

Uncorked is not just a great way to put your wine tastes to the test, but the event will also raise money for Cornucopia.

Since 1975, Nature Bin’s Cornucopia program has helped people with disabilities develop their skills, confidence, and workplace potential by providing work adjustment training and job coaching and placement services.  Today, they serve people with a wide range of severe disabilities including developmental disabilities, mental illness, autism, visual and hearing impairment, and injuries resulting from accident or illness.

Fundraisers like Uncorked help Nature’s Bin fund their non-profit program so that they can continue to help unlock individuals’ potential and become fully functioning members of their communities.

While I’d love to attend Uncorked, I’m unfortunately allergic to red wine. (I know, with a maiden name like DiGiandomenico, it’s a funny allergy to have.)

The upside of this is that one lucky person and their friend get to benefit from my allergy by going in my place. All you have to do is enter my giveaway.

How to enter: Do 1, some, or all 5 of the entries. Separate comment needed for each.

There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway
**You must leave a separate comment on this post for each entry**

1) What’s your favorite type of Cabernet? Leave a comment on this post letting me know.

2) Follow @Naturesbin and @ADHicken on Twitter and leave one comment on this post telling me you did both.

3) If you’re a fan of Clue Into Cleveland and Nature’s Bin on Facebook, leave one comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here and here.

4) Tweet the following and leave one comment letting me know you tweeted:

I want to win tickets to #CLE’s Cornucopia Uncorked wine tasting. Enter @ADHicken and @Naturesbin’s giveaway: http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-2sQ

You can tweet once per day for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

5) Subscribe to Clue Into Cleveland via a feed tracker like Bloglovin’ or Feedly and leave one comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until April 7 at 11:59 pm to enter. Random.org will select the winner, which I will announce on April 8. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry. Good luck!

Disclosure: I was invited to attend Uncorked with a guest in exchange for blogging about it. I can’t attend so am giving away my two tickets. My choice to post about this and any opinions are 100% my own.

L’Amour du Vin raised over $56K for the Arthritis Foundation, Great Lakes Region, Northeast Ohio

It’s a rare treat to be able to hop in the car and drive a few minutes for a tasting event that features so many of the area’s restaurants. A fine dining and drinking event in my own backyard.

The convenience is something that sets L’Amour du Vin, the fall food fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation, Great Lakes Region, Northeast Ohio, apart from other food events we may attend.

Musicians from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music Jazz Ensemble

In exchange for hosting a giveaway last month, I was invited to attend the event.  When we arrived at the Avon Oaks Country Club last Thursday, we made our way to the VIP lounge. There we started our evening with a westside restaurant that is quickly raising the ranks of our neighborhood favorites – Bistro 83. 

As we enjoyed a barrel-aged Gentleman Jack Ward 8 and Woodford Reserve Manhattan from Brown-Forman, we feasted on truffle mini-pancakes topped with thin-sliced beef, as well as a delicious pulled pork on risotto. I preferred the pork and risotto over the beef. The vegetables and spices used to accent the pork did a better job of bringing out its flavor, which offered up a nice kick. And both the risotto cake and pork were more moist than the pancake and beef. 

Food from Bistro 83; cocktail from Brown Forman

This was followed by even more food from other Avon, North Ridgeville, and Cleveland westside restaurants in the main room. I really enjoyed trying out new-to-me places like Emerald Necklace Inn Tea Room, which featured scones with heavy cream, and Fazio’s, who served up a very ample risotto balls topped with a rich, tomato sauce.

Many of us headed back to the friendly Fazio’s for seconds, and I know I’ll be going back for more when visiting their restaurant in Olmsted Falls.

I was glad to not only see the arancini on their menu, but other appetizing dishes like a cajun-rubbed Mahi Mahi with crab/potato hash and seafood bisque reduction and a penne dish featuring chicken, gorgonzola cream sauce, cherry tomato, spinach and toasted walnut.

Burger, beef wellington and soup

I was also happy to see favorites like AMP 150 whose tomato soup (pleasantly) surprised me with the crunch of croutons and a hearty burger from Jammy Buggars. Thanks to the sweet (and entertaining) Kiedrowski’s Bakery as well as Heidelberg wine stations everywhere we turned, Scott and I left the country club very content.

All of this was for the Arthritis Foundation, who raised over $56K at L’Amour du Vin. A win for everyone involved.

Sweet treats from Kiedrowski’s Bakery

This evening of excellent dishes paired with wines from around the world got me thinking about the holiday season and popping a cork over a delicious meal. In the spirit of the event’s name, here are a few links about Midwest wine and food pairings:

• Heart of Ohio’s Fall issue of Pairings
• Pairing Ideas for Midwest Wines
• Taste Ohio Wines’ Food and Wine Pairings Guide

And while these aren’t Midwest-focused, these two were too good not to share:

• MyRecipes.com’s Fall and Winter Wine Pairings with Recipes
• Whole Foods’ Wine, Recipe and Cheese Pairings (even better!)

I hope they help you find “l’amour du vin” this season!

Disclosure: I was invited to host a giveaway in exchange for attending L’Amour du Vin with a guest. All opinions in my posts are 100% my own.

Miller Ferry offers a smooth boat ride and excellent customer service on your way to Put-in-Bay (photo from boat on right)

After we got back from our vacation last week, Scott and I still had a few days off before going back to work. So we decided it was the perfect opportunity to take a trip a little closer to home.

On Thursday we made the short drive over the Edison Bridge to Catawba and caught the Miller Boat Line to Put-in-Bay.

Last fall we visited the island for the Put-in-Bay Wine Festival. Although we packed a lot into that daytrip, we still had a long list of things we wanted to do. After being invited back to stay over for the night, this was the perfect opportunity to cross some things off that list.

When we’ve visited Put-in-Bay in the past, we’ve rented a golf cart to get around the island. This time we were in a more energetic mood and wanted to try our hand legs at biking it.

Island Transportation’s Bike Rentals

Although we could’ve brought our own bikes with us, renting a pair from Island Transportation (the same place we get our golf carts) was much more convenient, especially because they have a location right where Miller Ferry drops off AND one on Bay View Avenue in the main part of town. If you need anymore convincing, an all-day bike rental only costs $15 including tax.

Neither Scott nor I bike often so our first stop was breakfast for a bit of fuel for the first half of the day. After trying out their freshly made crepes at the Wine Festival, we knew where we’d be heading: The Old Forge Cafe and Creperie.

Old Forge Cafe and Creperie

Located on Catawba Ave., they offer a great selection of sweet and savory crepes made with fresh ingredients. They also feature a  waffle of the day during breakfast. One look at the menu told me what I would order: the smoked salmon crepe.

The crepe was stuffed with succulent smoked salmon, arugula, red onion and guggisberg swiss. The poached egg that topped it was a great addition, especially after I soaked the silky thin crepe in the broken yolk. The side of plump blackberries and blueberries offered a refreshing burst of flavor.

Smoked Salmon Breakfast Crepe

After breakfast we were on our way to Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. We’ve always enjoyed their Visitor Center next door. It features great displays about the Battle of Lake Erie. However, the last few times we’ve been to Put-in-Bay, the monument was either under construction or closed for the day.

This time we were determined to go to the top and arrived as soon as it opened.  The elevator ride costs $3 per adult, which is worth it for the beautiful views you’ll see on the observation deck.

The top and bottom of the Perry Memorial

Despite an overcast morning, we had gorgeous views of Put-in-Bay and its neighboring islands. Even the fog rolling over the lake was beautiful to look at.  The monument and its surrounding park boasts a lot of photo opportunities.

A view of Put-in-Bay from the top

We got in a few more photos of island scenery by biking to Put-in-Bay’s East Point. Out that way you’ll pass a number of homes and bed and breakfasts until you get to the Scheff East Point Nature Reserve. It’s a very relaxing trek and the trail is a nice place to check out the wildlife – especially if you’re looking to escape any party animals back on main street.

Our bikes at East Point

While it was fairly smooth riding, Scott and I were a little tuckered out by the time we got back into town, so our next stop was the Put-in-Bay Winery and Doller Estate for more leisurely activities.  When we were at the Island Wine Festival, we had a taste of the winery but missed out on a tour of the estate.

Our tour guide Russell walked us through the Doller’s historic house, the farm buildings and beautiful grounds. Unlike a lot of other winery tours, this one focused mainly on the history of the estate and island, which I actually preferred.

Even better, we were served 5 tastings of the Winery’s wine throughout the tour.  For only $10, the quality of wine, size of the pours and history lessons we learned were an excellent value.  The estate also faces the lake, offering some fantastic views while you sip.

Doller Estate and Put-in-Bay Winery

We continued up the hill out of town to Goat Soup and Whiskey Tavern. This restaurant had come recommended by more than a few people so we were overdue for a visit.

Upstairs from the Chocolate Cafe, the Goat has a rustic patio and restaurant tucked into the Put-in-Bay woods. After spending much of our day along the lake, it was a nice change of scenery.

I tried their signature Perch Tacos with a cup of soup. Their tangy “Pali Wali” taco sauce gave some nice heat to the fried Lake Erie perch, cabbage and green onion without overwhelming it.

Perch Tacos at the Goat

Because the Goat is known for its soup, I was definitely going to try a cup of something. Keeping in mind that I’d need to get on a bike right after lunch, I played it safe and opted for their Chicken and Spaetzel which had a very comforting flavor. I’m looking forward to returning so that we can try their Chicken and Green Chili soup.

Refreshed we continued our bike ride to Perry’s Cave. Named after the Commodore who is credited with discovering the cave during the War of 1812, Perry’s Cave offers an underground journey for amateur spelunkers. A combo pass will also get you access to your choice of rockclimbing, mini-golf, a tour of the Butterfly House and Fort aMAZE’n, among other highlights at the Perry’s Cave Family Fun Center.

War of 1812 Mini Golf

By this point the sun had finally come out. The weather was perfect for a round of War of 18 Holes mini golf. I liked how as you play through each hole, you learn a bit about the Battle of Lake Erie. Although the match was a draw, I’ll confess that neither of us did particularly well.

Afterwards we stopped in at the Butterfly House and then made friends with a cute cat while drinking Pink Catawba at Heineman’s Winery.

Making friends with ‘the wildlife’ at Heineman’s Winery and the Perry’s Cave Butterfly House

As our afternoon wound down, we stopped back at Put-in-Bay Winery to order our two favorite wines: their Celebration sparkling moscato and Bicentennial Chardonnay. Being able to pick the bottles up at the Miller Ferry dock the next morning was very convenient. I can’t even imagine balancing my bike with those bottles in hand.

Islander Inn

Down the street we checked into the Islander Inn for the evening. Because it was a Thursday in September, the hotel was very quiet, which was my preference; however, I know from previous trips to Put-in-Bay that the hotel, its pools and swim-up bar are typically packed

We had a balcony room with a nice view overlooking the pool. Although the room was simple, we weren’t in Put-in-Bay to spend much time there. It was clean and provided us with a comfortable night’s sleep. The friendly staff and setting brought up fond memories of trips down to the shore in New Jersey.

Our room and the view from our balcony

We had dinner at the Put-in-Bay Brewing Co. Scott and I typically order their Guinness Onion Soup, which we really enjoy. This time we tried the Beer Cheese soup and weren’t as big of fans of it; however, the fried cheese-and-bacon-stuffed mac bites were delicious.

After dinner we planned on enjoying downtown Put-in-Bay but the weather had other plans for us. Storms had been holding out all day and we even had clear skies for a few hours; but a cold front moved in while we were dining.

With it came blustery winds, so we ducked into Hooligans Irish Pub for a Jameson and Ginger and then were off to bed.

We were both ok with this because we were exhausted from all of that biking and needed to wake up early to head home. Although the waves were incredibly choppy the next morning, the Miller Ferry navigated them smoothly and dropped us back in Catawba where we had started just 24 hours before.

Love Put-in-Bay and always sad to go home

Just because summer is over, there are still many reasons to hop the Ferry and head to Put-in-Bay. Businesses and attractions are still open, even if you go in the middle of the week.

I especially recommend visiting during this time of year if you prefer a more low-key experience. We had an excellent day and night exploring the island without a crowd.

If you prefer a party, though, there are a slate of fun events now through the end of October.  Check out Put-in-Bay’s fall events at www.millerferry.com/events/put-in-bay.

Disclosure: I had been planning on visiting Put-in-Bay and biking around the island, and then was invited to stay over for the evening. During my trip my ferry fare, bikes, and hotel stay were covered. We were also given a combo ticket to Perry’s Cave. However, the opinions expressed in this and other posts are 100% my own.

NMSS Ohio Buckeye Chapter’s Locavore – September 27

I think it’s safe to say most (if not all) of us love eating local. There’s something about a meal prepared with fresh, local, high-quality ingredients that just tastes better.

For all of you local culinary lovers who missed last week’s Taste of the Browns giveaway, today’s giveaway features another great food event raising money for an excellent cause.

On Friday, September 27, the National MS Society’s Ohio Buckeye Chapter will host Locavore.  The fundraiser starts at 6pm at Windows on the River on the West Bank of the Flats.

Guests at Locavore with enjoy local food pairings with chocolate and Ohio wine

Good food is only made better by great pairings, especially if you’re talking about dishes from Cleveland chefs paired with chocolate and Ohio-grown wines — which I am!

Vendors at Locavore will include Lilly Handmade Chocolates, Momocho, Mod Mex, Maize Valley Winery, AMP 150, Cork & Cleaver Social Kitchen, Valley Vineyards, Jammy Buggars, and Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream.  This year’s sponsors are Ulmer & Berne LLP, Cleveland Business Connects, and DDR.

All proceeds raised by tickets and the evening’s raffle and silent auction will go to the NMSS Ohio Buckeye Chapter.

Lilly Handmade Chocolates is back for this year’s Locavore

The Ohio Buckeye Chapter serves over 11,000 people with MS and their families in a 38-county area. Through the support of donations and volunteers they provide funds for cutting-edge research, drive change through advocacy, facilitate professional education, and provide programs and services that help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. You can learn more about their services at MSohiobuckeye.org.

The presentation of this year’s Individual of Inspiration Award will also take place at Locavore. The 2013 honoree is Susie Zimmer, being celebrated for her help in making it easier for the local MS community to participate in therapeutic aquatic classes.

Last year’s Individual of Inspiration Award honoree

Tickets for Locavore cost $60 per person, which includes the food and drinks provided by the vendors (a cash bar will also be available).

$80 Patron tickets include all of that, plus entrance into an exclusive, expert-led wine tasting at 5:30 pm. This pre-party will explore the nuances of each wine available at Locavore and discuss the Ohio Quality Wine program.  Click here to purchase tickets online or call 216-503-4183.

You can also enter my giveaway for a pair of general event tickets. How to enter: Do one, some, or all five of the entries. A separate comment is needed for each.

There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway
**You must leave a separate comment on this post for each entry**

1) Check out the resources on NMSS’s Newly Diagnosed page and leave a comment on this post with one thing you learned about Multiple Sclerosis or the NMSS’s services.

2) Follow @nmssohiobuckeye and @ADHicken on Twitter and leave one comment on this post telling me you did both.

3) If you’re a fan of Clue Into Cleveland and MS Ohio Buckeye on Facebook, leave one comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here and here.

4) Tweet the following and leave one comment letting me know you tweeted:

I want to celebrate Cleveland food at @nmssohiobuckeye’s #Locavore. Enter @ADHicken’s giveaway and you can too: http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-2ba

You can tweet once per day for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

5) Subscribe to Clue Into Cleveland via a feed tracker like Bloglovin’ or Feedly and leave one comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until Wednesday, August 28 at 5:00 PM to enter. Random.org will select the winner, which I will announce on Thursday, August 29. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

Disclosure: I was invited to attend Locavore with a guest in exchange for hosting a giveaway. My choice to post about this event and opinions are 100% my own. Photos are courtesy of NMSS Ohio Buckeye Chapter on Flickr.

BBQ, brews and blues at the ballpark – besides being a fun tongue-twister, it’s my favorite way to chill out in the summer.

And on June 28, this triple-play of summer fun comes to downtown Cleveland at Our Lady of the Wayside’s Grapes and Ale fundraiser.

From 7-10pm, Progressive Field will be taken over by some of the area’s best BBQ restaurants and beer and wine providers.

With @MorganJPerez, Jen @WhyCLE, Crystal @EatDrinkClev on Progressive Field’s patio

The stadium’s main patio and concourse are transformed into a giant tasting pavilion filled with over 200 internationally acclaimed wines, as well as beer and food from places like Hot Sauce Williams, Battery Park Wine Bar, the 100th Bomb Group, Great Lakes Brewing Company, and Goose Island.

Meanwhile, the bluesy harmonica-guitar-bass trio of Colin Dussault’s Side Project will entertain guests as the sun sets over Progressive Field.

Admission to the Grapes & Ales Grand Tasting is $50 and includes a souvenir wine glass, wine samplings, food and music. Samplings of craft beers can also be purchased at the WKNR Craft Brew Patio.

Not drinking? Designated drivers can purchase tickets for $20 good for food, music, soda and water.

Excited to be Kickin’ it with Kenny from FOX8 (photo from EatDrinkCleveland)

Last year Scott and I went and had a fantastic time hanging out with Eat Drink Cleveland and WhyCLE (click the links for their recaps from last year). I also loved meeting @MorganJPerez and @KateConley.

We drank a lot of wine, played some wine pong, enjoyed so much pulled pork and brisket, and I got my photo Kickin’ it with Kenny. I also left with a souvenir, winning a hammock in the silent auction.

The best part, though, was meeting people from Our Lady of the Wayside and learning about the homes and services they provide to more than 500 individuals with developmental disabilities in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties.

3 hours of BBQ, wine and entertainment for only $50? It’s a price you can’t really beat especially when the funds raised go to help families affected by MR, autism, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injury.

Get your tickets and learn more about the event, including the special VIP hour, at thewayside.org/grapes.

Disclosure: I was invited to attend Grapes & Ale with a guest in exchange for previewing the event. My opinion and the choice of which events I blog about is my own.

Although Hurricane Sandy put a delay on a lot of the Halloween festivities, I think it’s safe to safe the holiday season is finally upon us. And with the arrival of HallowThanksMas, my brain turns to food.

That’s kind of a lie. My brain is usually turned to food, but more so over the next two months. As I prepare for Scott’s family coming into town for Thanksgiving and the usual myriad of holiday dinners, I’m looking everywhere I can for food and drink ideas.

Fortunately, the Fabulous Food Show is coming back to Cleveland for its 7th year with 3 days of chef demonstrations, tips and treats (Nov. 9-11)

I’ve enjoyed this show since first moving to Cleveland and last year loved exploring its local food highlights.

This year’s Fabulous Food Show couldn’t have come at a better time as Hometown Hero Michael Symon kicks things off with a demonstration in the Main Kitchen Theatre on Friday at 11 am.

In addition to Chef Symon’s appearances throughout the weekend, the show also sees returns from Celebrity Chefs Guy Fieri and Anne Burrell.

Michael Symon at last year’s Fabulous Food Show prepares a Braised Pork Shank with Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad

New to the show this year are Sandwich King Jeff Mauro, French cuisine master Jacques Pepin, and longtime veterans of food television Sara Moulton and Mary Ann Esposito. I’m excited to see the show incorporate chefs like Pepin, Moulton and Esposito from long-running PBS cooking shows (especially Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito – I’m nuts for Italian food).

However, no matter what sort of food you enjoy there should be no shortage of things to do since a total of 8 stages throughout the I-X Center will feature 100+ live demonstrations throughout the festival. Other things I’m looking forward to:

• Maria Isabella, author of In the Kitchen with Cleveland’s Favorite Chefs, challenges local chefs like Dante Boccuzzi, Nolan Konkowsk, Zack Bruell and Ben Bebenroth with their favorite recipes for last-minute entertaining
• Tri-C’s Hospitality & Culinary Arts department presents the NEO Culinary Challenge
• The Great Sugardale BAC-ON pits national finalists head-to-head with their most creative bacon-themed recipes
• Michael Ruhlman and Laura Taxel – two of my favorite Cleveland authors – present on bacon curing and the West Side Market, respectively
• Taste of the Holidays and the Vitamix Spirit Lounge’s Holiday Batch Drink Contest feature the region’s food and drink experts sharing favorite seasonal flavors

Save time to browse more than 500 vendors at the Food Show Market Place and By Hand Fine Art & Craft Fair, sampling products, services, and unique artistic items for the holidays. And afterwards sample a selection of wine and beer in the Grand Tasting Pavilion.

At last year’s Fabulous Food Show, Robert Irvine, Joe Crea, Michael Symon, Michael Ruhlman and Steve Schimoler discuss Cleveland food inspiration

Tickets for the Fabulous Food Show start at $25 for one-day general admission if purchased online ($30.00 onsite during the show). Reserved floor seating and weekend passes are also available.

Information about all of the ticket options are available at www.fabulousfoodshow.com/tickets.aspx. And you can enter to win a pair of general admission tickets in my Fabulous Food Show giveaway.

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There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway!
Leave a separate comment on this post for each entry

1) For one entry in the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite dish is for the holidays (and if you have a link to the recipe, feel free to share).

2) If you’re a fan of Clue Into Cleveland and the Fabulous Food Show on Facebook, leave a comment on this blog post letting me know (good for one entry). If you’re not yet a fan of either, you can become one here and here.

3) Follow @ADHicken and @FabFoodShow on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know you did both (good for one entry).

4) Twitter users can also get an extra entry each day for tweeting: “I want to win tickets to the Cleveland @FabFoodShow. Enter @ADHicken’s giveaway for your chance to win: http://wp.me/pPIgG-1AY”  (Each day you do this, you must leave a new comment.)

5) Subscribe to receive Clue Into Cleveland blog posts in your inbox or blog reader like Google Reader and leave a comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “You’ve Got Mail” section of this page.

You have until Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 11:59PM to enter. On Wednesday, Nov. 7, I will select a winner using Random.org and will announce the winner’s name on my blog.  Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

***

Disclosures: I was provided 2 tickets to give away to the Fabulous Food Show and 2 for a guest and I to attend. My thoughts and the choice of events I share are my own.

Regarding the Facebook components of this giveaway: This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of the Facebook pages listed and not to Facebook.

It doesn’t matter where we are, Scott will always ham it up for the camera (and that’s why I love him)

Some blogkeeping: Today’s the last day of the L’Amour du Vin giveaway. You can enter here until 11:59 tonight and I’ll announce the winner tomorrow.

I have an addiction. To my cellphone.

Whether it’s checking my email, refreshing news apps to see if there are new articles to read (regardless of whether or not the topic interests me) or checking Twitter and Facebook for the nth time today, I spend almost every moment I’m not doing something (and some moments I am) with my hands on that touchscreen.

I know it’s not an unusual – or new – compulsion to have (my similarly unhealthy WebMD obsession gave me this guide to smartphone addiction).  But the first step is admitting you have a problem, right?

So, seeing how disruptive my phone habits had gotten, I turned my cell off on Friday night and headed out of town for a bit of a social media getaway.

Enjoying a glass or two at Johnson Estate Winery, New York’s oldest

Our destination was Westfield, NY outside of Chautauqua. The area had come highly recommended from Alicia @ Poise in Parma, who had visited the Chautauqua Institute last year.

Despite the area’s reputation, though, for providing a tranquil escape, I could feel the withdrawal setting in as we headed out.  I mean – between FourSquare and Instagram alone – I think I actually use my phone more often when I’m on vacation than at home.

I feared that not having my phone for two days on a scenic roadtrip was going to be too difficult of a test.

However, I had the support of Jen, Kimberly and Alicia – a few of my other social media/smartphone addicts with me, a pile of books and board games and a weekend full of plans to keep me from suffering from withdrawal.

If you’re looking to escape, the Captain Storm House B and B is picture-perfect

The 8 of us took over the Captain Storm House Bed and Breakfast, a beautiful Queen Anne revival house whose rooms were reminiscent of the house in CLUE.

Fitting, since our Friday and Saturday nights were spent playing board games like Apples to Apples, Say Anything, Marry-Date-Dump and a childhood favorite Fireball Island.

After throwing together a homemade waffle bar, we set out on Saturday morning for a tour of some of the area’s wineries. We enjoyed Noble Winery’s beautiful fall foliage against the backdrop of Lake Erie, as well as some interesting historic cellars like the one at South Shore Wine Company.

While I didn’t think some of the wines stood up against those from our trip to Geneva, I enjoyed the white and ice wines at the Johnson Estate Winery and picked up a bottle of their spice wine to savor over the winter.

Samplings at Southern Tier

Our last stop for the weekend was Southern Tier Brewing Co. It was my first visit to the brewery and after I sampled a bit of their brews, it was the highlight of the weekend’s sight-seeing.

I picked up a couple of bottles of Mokah and Choklat and took advantage of a nice buy 2, get 1 free sale on Back Burner. I love Barley Wine ales and can’t wait to break into those.

All of that beer got me in the mood for Cleveland Beer Week kicking off this Friday and running through the 27th (because you know you need more than just 7 days to fit in all of the great beer events!).  Fortunately, Cleveland Food and Brews posted a helpful guide for Cleveland Beer Week on his blog.

Now I just need to narrow my list down! No easy task though I know I’ll at least be starting things off with Fat Head’s Victory brunch and Lilly’s Big Bang Theory-inspired chocolate and beer pairing on Saturday.  Bazinga!

Ohio’s Fall foliage and a picnic welcomed us back from the weekend

As Scott and I enjoyed a roadside picnic on our drive home from New York, I was happy to realize I only thought about tweeting 2 times the entire weekend. Instead I focused on having a fun time with friends without being constantly distracted by my phone.

Now that I’m home I’ve noticed my “smartphone rehab” was much-needed and that I’m not constantly checking my phone as much as I did – in fact it’s sitting very comfortably at the bottom of my purse right now.  But while I’m not hoping for a relapse, I wouldn’t mind another excuse to getaway again.

Do you think you’re too dependent on your phone or social media?  If so, what do you do to try and break the habit? (I could use all the tips I can get!)

Oct. 18 at Avon Oaks Country Club

After last weekend’s trip to the Put-in-Bay Island Wine Festival, I thought I’d be all wined out. Ha! What am i talking about? I could never be tired of wine.

Good thing, since next Thursday, Oct. 18, there’s a local event whose name is literally all about embracing our love for the grape. And I have a pair of tickets to give away for it:

L’Amour du Vin is Lorain County’s premier wine and food tasting event featuring not just wines from around the world, but also some of the best restaurants from Cleveland’s western suburbs – my side of town!

From 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Avon Oaks Country Club, guests can taste their way through 15 local eateries including AMP150, 87 West at Crocker Park, Oberlin Inn, Wood & Wine, Aladdin’s, and Kiedrowski’s Bakery (among many, many others).

A recent addition to the list of restaurants includes Tom’s Country Place; plus Wood Fire Grille and Flavor The Town Catering just announced they’ll be hosting a tasting table on the main floor in addition to L’Amour du Vin’s VIP Lounge.

Bonus! Whiskey, bourbon and vodka tastings in the VIP Lounge

Speaking of the VIP Lounge, if you need a break from wine tasting, check out that ticket option because besides exclusive dishes and specialty drinks, VIP ticketholders will be able to enjoy whiskey, bourbon and vodka tastings from Brown-Forman and  Watershed Distillery.

I’ve always found that great food and wine can only be made better when paired with good music, which will be provided throughout the evening by the Jazz Ensemble at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.

Celebrating its 15th year, L’Amour du Vin – presented by EMH Healthcare – is one of the key fundraisers for the Arthritis Foundation of Northeastern Ohio.

In our region alone more than 1.5 million people suffer with arthritis. But because of the funds raised through events like this, the Arthritis Foundation is able to support research and educate the public about the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of this disease which affects one in five Americans and nearly 300,000 children.

The Arthritis Foundation has made it their mission to empower people to Take Control of their arthritis and lessen its impact through such efforts as the Arthritis Answers help-line and Aquatic and Walk with Ease fitness programs.  Here’s a bit more about the Arthritis Foundation’s impact across the country:

Click image for larger version

Tickets for L’Amour du Vin are $60 for general admission and $90 for VIP admission. You can purchase tickets by clicking here.

In addition to the funds raised through ticket sales, L’Amour du Vin’s silent auction and raffle will go to support the Arthritis Foundation of Northeastern Ohio.

Auction highlights include a number of spa and vacation getaways and packages for local restaurants and entertainment. I think the wine bottle raffle is what’s calling my name the most, though:

For $40, guests have a chance to win a five-night/four-day Western Caribbean cruise out of Miami, FL. However, no one goes home empty handed as each person who enters will win a bottle of white wine.

With L’Amour du Vin being only one week away, I’m excited to give away a pair of tickets to one lucky reader:

There are 4 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway

**You must leave a separate comment on this post for each entry**

1) I’m allergic to red wine (I know – worst Italian ever!) so I’m always in the market for a new white wine to try. For one entry in the giveaway, leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite white wine (type + winery or brand if you know it).

2) Facebook users: Share this link http://wp.me/pPIgG-1yF on Facebook then leave a comment letting me know you did (good for one entry).

3) Follow @ADHicken and @ArthritisFouNEO on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know you did both (good for one entry).

4) Twitter users can also get an extra entry each day for tweeting the giveaway with a link to this post. Sample tweet you can use: “I want to raise a glass to @ArthritisFouNEO at #LAmourduVin. Enter @ADHicken’s giveaway for your chance to win: http://wp.me/pPIgG-1yF”  (Each day you do this, you must leave a new comment.)

You have until Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 11:59PM to enter. On Wednesday, Oct. 17, I will select a winner using Random.org and will announce the winner’s name on my blog.  Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!