Join CLE bloggers @PoiseinParma and @MoninaW for this webinar I’m moderating on 4/2

Whether it’s been on Twitter  and Facebook or in real life at Ohio Blogging meetups, I’ve always counted myself lucky that blogging’s introduced me to so many fantastic and smart people.

I’ve shared some great experiences, developed dear friendships, and learned a lot.

That’s why, when it came to finding guests for a webinar on blogging, I didn’t have to look very far.

This Thursday, April 2, join me for a conversation about blogging with Poise in Parma and Ohio Blogging Association’s Alicia Hansen and Monina Wagner, community manager with the Content Marketing Institute and blogger at 37º and Sunny.

Going the Distance: How to Find Your Blog’s Focus & Avoid Blogger Burn Out will cover:

• Tips and tools for structuring your blogging and maintaining momentum
• How to consistently create fresh content and avoid running out of ideas
• The importance of revisiting, refining, and refocusing your blog efforts

I’m excited to hear what Alicia and Monina have to say on the topic! 

The webinar will take place between 1 and 2 pm ET on April 2 and is completely free to attend. You can register at http://bit.ly/1Mug8PL. And when you tune in on Thursday, live tweet with us using #blogtips.

You can also catch up on a couple of my other posts on the subject here:

• Why Audience Is Key To Your Blogging Success
• 3 Reasons Blogging Isn’t Dead (or Dying Anytime Soon)

Photo tweeted by @sos_jr at last night’s Ohio Blogging Meetup

There were only a few things that would make me venture out of the house into yesterday’s snow storm. Dinner at The Oak Barrel was one of those things, especially for Ohio Blogging’s latest meetup.

When I looked out my office window halfway through the day and saw the snow pelting downtown, I was second-guessing this decision. However, Scott and I actually lucked out after leaving around 5:30. It had stopped snowing and the roads were clear.

We were rewarded for this decision by a delicious dinner and good company.

At the recommendation of pretty much everyone at our table, I ordered Chef Demetrios’ Dr. Pepper Braised Pork Shank. I was *this close* to ordering my usual go-to of mac and cheese or steak, especially because the bacon-wrapped tenderloin with bleu cheese whipped potatoes and duck confit mac and cheese sounded so good.

Dr. Pepper Braised Pork Shank from The Oak Barrel

However, I’m glad I went with the ultra-tender pork shank. Sitting atop garlic mashed potatoes, the juices from the meat and the sweet-and-spicy soy chile jam saturated the potatoes. A hearty serving of succulence, it was well-worth the under-$20 price. Even better on my wallet, we took advantage of The Oak Barrel’s Wine Wednesdays with a half-priced bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

Because of the weather, our meetup group was smaller than usual. However, this allowed for more indepth conversations with people I don’t always get to see like Stuart and Julie Smith from sosAssociates.com and Valerie from Motherhood in Progress.

Before I get to my round-up of last night’s bloggers, I want to share 52 Weeks of Cleveland’s remembrance of Sean Kilbane, co-owner of Happy Dog. Over the weekend, Cleveland lost someone who was not just doing great work within the local restaurant, bar and music community, but had made an impact on individuals and groups like Secondhand Mutts with his constant generosity and friendliness. Hot Dogs, Frostie’s, and Pinball is a beautiful reflection.

What I learned from the bloggers at Ohio Blogging’s Oak Barrel Roundtable

1) Last month, the Cleveland Public Library opened up their new TechCentral MakerSplace. Anyone with a library card can now access laser engraving, 3D printing, photography, videography and graphic design technology. sosAssociates.com was at the TechCentral MakerSpace’s grand opening and has more information about this great addition.

2) Although Scott and I love our two full-of-personality cats, I do occasionally worry about how we’ll need to prepare Chloe and Cupcake when Scott and I adopt children. Fortunately, Motherhood in Progress shares some very good tips about how to get your cat ready before and after a baby’s arrival from her own recent experiences.

3) East and West sides met last Saturday for Believe in CLE’s yoga event at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Nearly 800 yogis took over the museum’s beautiful atrium, and Poise in Parma was invited to assist the class. Read her recap on the mat: #believeinCLE at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

4) The Cleveland Institute of Music and Severance Hall have joined forces to showcase the young talent of the CIM Orchestra in one of Cleveland’s most stunning spaces. WhyCLE? is hosting a CIM@Severance giveaway. Enter to win two tickets to their concert on February 12.

Stay up-to-speed on the next Ohio Blogging meetup at facebook.com/ohblogging.

Tremont Farmers’ Market

Last night, a handful of Cleveland bloggers headed to Tremont for July’s Ohio Blogging Meetup.

Before converging on the Lincoln Park Pub for Taco Tuesday and a chat about blogging, we browsed the Tremont Farmers’ Market.

I grabbed a peach and cherry pie from Gray House Pies and chicken paprikash pierogi from Pride of Cleveland Pierogies; however, my favorite treat of the night was a cucumber and mint popsicle from Popsmith.

Gray House Pies Stand at Tremont Farmers’ Market

New to Cleveland this summer, Tim and Beth Knorr are bringing fresh, flavorful popsicles to a farmers’ market near you. They make them in small batches from seasonal fruit straight from Ohio’s farms, organic cane sugar, and fresh local herbs.

Although the heat kept me from really savoring the popsicle, it didn’t stop me from discovering how fresh and delicious it is. I loved that you could taste the pulp from the cucumber.

Cucumber and Mint popsicle from Popsmith

After catching up with some new and old faces at the meetup, I decided I’d get caught up on their blogs with the:

Clue Into Cleveland Blogs, OHBlogging Edition

#1 In honor of our trip to Tremont, let’s start things off with WhyCLE’s Taste of Tremont recap. If you missed out on this year’s event, check it out and make plans for next July.

#2 I can’t believe Twilight at the Zoo is almost a week away! It’s my first time going, so Poise in Parma’s Know Before You Go Tips were really helpful.

#3 What songs are you listening to this summer? If you’re looking for a few good tunes, @KittenKaboom shares her Summer 2013 Mix List.

#4 We all could use a little more poetry in our lives and that’s what you’ll get on @ClevelandPoet’s Tumblr Love is a Donkey. After you read his most recent poem Hey There Lois Lane, head over to his other blog From the Cheap Seats for his Ohio Blogging recap.

#5 YP Pantry – the Cleveland Foodbank’s Young Professionals group – turns 1 this month. One of my fellow YP Pantry-ers JAM in CLE put together her top 5 reasons to join YP Pantry and what she’s learned from volunteering with the Foodbank.

#6 Something for your Cleveland canine: I love the new Dogs in the CLE blog. There you’ll find info on dog groomers, walkers and other Cleveland canine resources as well as a blog with posts like this Dog-Friendly Spotlight on Nano Brew.

#7 Along those lines, a shout out to Adopt-a-Pet for putting together these maps of Cleveland animal rescues and shelters on their blog. My cat Chloe (who has made the occasional appearance on Clue Into Cleveland) was a rescue. And as much as she drives me crazy sometimes, I can’t imagine our life without her.

Find Cleveland Dogs & Puppies:

Find Cleveland Cats & Kittens:

Although they couldn’t make it out to yesterday’s meetup, I had to share these recent posts from Rust Belt Runner, ROJ Running and Lane Baldwin Photography that caught my eye:

#8 A visit to the Cleveland Public Library or Avon Lake Library will put an instant smile on my face. I’m glad Rust Belt Runner agrees in her post Love for My Local Library.

#9 I had never heard of Dessert Hummus until I read ROJ Running‘s Friday Food. Simple to make and the Snickerdoodle Hummus sounds tasty.

#10 Scott and I are in the middle of re-doing our bedroom so Lane Baldwin Photography‘s guest bedroom renovation offered much needed inspiration. I’ve been considering blue paint like the one in her photos – I’m glad to see it works really well!

Whether it’s a trip to the farmers’ market, watching a baseball game or volunteering, I love the monthly Ohio Blogging Meetups because I come away with more Cleveland blogs to read.

What are your favorite blogs that I should check out?

Valentine’s Day is only a couple days away. If you go out to celebrate, WhyCLE has Cleveland Valentine’s events for every sense and Bite Buff has some delicious dining options for you.

Me? Scott and I keep it quiet on Valentine’s Day because we celebrate our anniversary the following week.

This year, we’ll be checking out the new Die Hard movie and then picking up a dinner for home. After last week’s Ohio Blogging Meetup at Whole Foods Cedar Center, we have some inspiration.

Whole Foods Market Wine Buyer Audree Sinnett and Sweet Designs’ Ines Rehner

This was Ohio Blogging’s 3rd annual trip to Whole Foods. And as last year demonstrated with a pizza making contest, they always have something delicious up their sleeve.

This time around the theme was “Chocolate Three-Way” featuring a selection of chocolate-infused tastings.

Chef Sarah Schoenberger’s Chicken Enchiladas and Mole Sauce at Ohio Blogging Whole Foods Meetup

First up, a chicken enchilada with traditional mole sauce. Whole Foods Chef Sarah Schoenberger hit this right on the nose. While the enchiladas were excellent, the slight burn of the mole with a hint of chocolate was what won me over.

And the corn and black bean salad they paired with the dish was so great I snagged a to-go box for lunch the next day.

Then it was time for something sweet. Whole Foods brought in Ines Rehner from Lakewood’s Sweet Designs.

At Lakewood’s Sweet Designs, Ines Rehner creates delicious tasting and looking treats like chocolate shoes and handbags

After moving from Croatia to pursue her dream of opening a chocolate store, Ines taught herself how to make chocolate blends in her kitchen at night.

Since opening Sweet Designs’ doors in 1995, she has expanded to her current location on Detroit Ave. There she makes more than 100 different artisanal chocolates. truffles, hand-dipped fruits, nut clusters, and caramels.

A selection of Signature Chocolate Bars from Lakewood’s Sweet Designs

At the meetup, we tried a variety of selections including chocolate covered strawberries, truffle-stuffed chocolate figs, and a few of her signature chocolate bars. My favorite was the pumpkin-seed-covered chocolate bar.

Ines even shared a bit of professional advice on how to eat chocolate-covered strawberries: After dipping the strawberry, cut off the stems, than halve the strawberries long-ways. Useful knowledge in time for Valentine’s Day!

Whole Foods’ Market Wine Buyer Audree Sinnett played matchmaker with wine and beer pairings. We enjoyed a selection of Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee, Sam Smith Chocolate Stout, Sexual Chocolate and a bonus chocolate liqueur.

Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee, Sexual Chocolate Wine, and Sam Smith Chocolate Stout

Honestly, I couldn’t pick a favorite from Audree’s choices. The Iron Horse was a delicious sparkling Blanc de Noirs. The Chocolate Stout when mixed with Framboise resulted in a rich fruity combination I need to keep on hand at home. And the chocolate liquer proved a very unique treat – chocolate melted in vodka, aged in oak barrels. Thick, creamy and luxurious.

While I couldn’t try the Sexual Chocolate because of my red wine allergy, Scott did grab a bottle for its awesome label:

SLO Down Wines’ handcrafted label for their Sexual Chocolate wine tells the blend’s backstory.

This excellent evening was put together by Whole Foods Community Manager Lisa who plans  events and outreach efforts like these:

Every Thursday from 4-6pm, the Cedar Center Whole Foods hosts a Whole Deal with Morag! cooking demo. Tomorrow is a wine pairings dinner featuring Argentinian wines. And on Feb. 27, stop by for an Italian Cheese class at 7pm.

More events can be found on the Whole Foods Cedar Center calendar.

Elizabeth and Steve from Lake County Visitors Bureau with Kimberly, Chris and Hans

While the food was a nice bonus, the real reason I enjoy going to the Blogger Meetup each month is to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. At this month’s Meetup:

• Always JAM in CLE – Jessica’s Recap
• @BeautyNewzFlash (+ husband)
• @CharitUrbanista
• Clue Into Cleveland (That’s me! + Scott)
• Cooker Girl
• Eat*Drink*Cleveland
• It’s a Hero (+ husband Chad and baby Ari)
• Lake County Visitors Bureau (+ boyfriend Steve)
• Lane Baldwin Photography
• Life Lyn Style (safe travels in Seattle, Lyn!)
• Our Journey
• Poise in Parma (+ Hans and Aunt Kathy) – Alicia’s Recap
• Rust Belt Runner – Holly’s Recap
• Smitten in Cleveland (+ Mr. Smitten, aka Chris)
• Wearing Mascara
• WhyCLE – Jen’s Recap

If you’re a blogger, want to start a blog, or a blog supporter, check out one of the Ohio Blogging Association’s upcoming events.

In March, we’re volunteering at MedWish. If you read my recent post about MedWish International, you know I’m really hoping to make it on March 19.

Fortunately, there are a few things going on in Cleveland between now and February 23 to wet your Jump Back whistle.

Get a Clue! Trivia Night

Jump Back Ball is hosted each year by PlayhouseSquare Partners, the theatre’s young professionals group.

However, Partners doesn’t stop there.  From our annual OSU tailgate to theatre outings, dine-arounds and putt-putt in the Palace, we’re busy year-round with events for Cleveland’s under-40 and young-at-heart crowd.

Our next event is Thursday, Jan. 17: the first annual Get a Clue! Trivia Night at Black Dog Kitchen & Bar in downtown Cleveland.

Sign up with a team or individually for a night of themed trivia rounds with prizes for the winners.

The evening starts at 6:30, trivia at 7.  Tickets are $25 for general public ($20 for Partners). Each ticket includes a buffet, 2 drink tickets for beer, wine and select liquor and entry in the trivia contest.

Call Molly Franz at 216-640-8416 to order tickets and learn more here.

Friday Nights at Noodlecat

Chef Jonathon Sawyer of Noodlecat and Greenhouse Tavern will be serving up delicious fare at this year’s Jump Back Ball VIP party.

But you can get in on the Noodlecat fun at their new Friday Night event series:

#karaokeCAT is back next Friday, Jan. 18! Scott and I had a great time when Cleveland’s A Plum hosted Noodlecat’s first Karaoke Night in November.  This time around, Jen, Alicia, Kimberly and I are hosting the January event.

Stop by for some singing (I’ve heard Jen will buy a sake bomb for the first person to sing a Richard Marx song) and hang out with bloggers from the Ohio Blogging Association who are coming out for our monthly meetup.

Karaoke starts at 9pm with Noodlecat’s Late Night Happy Hour Menu available 9-11pm. Their $2 steam buns are my favorite happy hour special in the city.

Maybe monster movies are more your thing?  In addition to karaoke on the third Friday of every month, join them tonight, Jan. 11 and the second Friday of every month for Monster Movie Night.

Tonight’s movie is GODZILLA (the 1954 release). DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1969 U.S. release) plays Feb. 8 and GODZILLA, MOTHRA, AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK aka GMK (2001) is March 8.

Monster movie screenings begin at 9pm on the second Friday of every month. At tonight’s screening, Noodlecat will give away a $50 Noodlecat gift card to the person with the best Godzilla costume.

Rock out with the Bands of Jump Back Ball

One of my favorite parts about Jump Back Ball is dancing my face off on the State Theatre stage.

Jump Back 2 Spaces will feature performances by two local party bands:  SWAGG on the mainstage and Velvet Shake as the last night band.

You can get a preview of what they’re bringing to the party by checking out these upcoming performances:

SWAGG

• Friday, Feb. 1 at Avenue Tap House
• Saturday, Feb. 9 at Blind Pig
• Friday, Feb. 15 at The Distillery

Velvet Shake

• Friday, Jan.11 at Hooley House in Brooklyn
• Friday, Jan. 18 at Willoughby Brew Co.
• Saturday, Feb. 2 at Brother’s Lounge in Lakewood

This week was all about upcoming events in Cleveland. I didn’t get to a bunch so if you have an event you’re looking forward to, share it in the comments section below!

This is part 3 in my Jump Back 2 Spaces series. Check out my previous posts:

• Part 1: Getting into Character
• Part 2: Jump Back Hair-spiration with ONE Styling and Dino Palmieri

Disclosure: I am co-hosting Karaoke at the Cat and splitting compensation with my co-hosts. I am also a member of the PlayhouseSquare Partners board. However, the choice to share these events is my own because I have enjoyed them previous to any affiliations.

Cookie Monster Heaven

As I’ve blogged before, my lack of cooking skills is a bit notorious. In fact the last (and only) time I ever baked something was a few years ago.

And even then, I wouldn’t really call it baking. I made cookies from those Pillsbury cookie dough rolls and still managed to burn them to a crisp.

However, last week I donned an apron once again when I got roped into decided to make cookies for the 3rd annual Ohio Blogging Cookie Swap.

I was told baking is more fun in the company of friends so when WhyCLE offered up her kitchen, I figured this was as good a time as any to learn how to actually make cookies from scratch.

Jen handpicked one of her tried-and-true recipes that was perfect for my skill level.  And after some wine and pizza, Jen, Alicia and I set to work.

I’m proud to say that with a little supervision from CLEGuy, I was able to walk into my first cookie swap with a few dozen cookies that were actually edible (recipe below).

Wine, pizza and good friends will get me to do almost anything – even bake (photo courtesy of WhyCLE)

This year’s swap was at Battery Park Wine Bar.

I’ve been to Battery Park Wine Bar a few times for happy hour, small group events like this and larger networking events that have taken over the entire bar.

It’s such a versatile venue and the staff is easy to work with so if you’re considering a food-and-drink group event, I’d fully recommend it (email events@batteryparkwinebar.com for more info).

We took over the back half of the bar which was the perfect size for our group and allowed us to swap cookies without bothering other restaurant guests.

Obligatory OBA photo of Poise in Parma talking with her hands

They offer a nice happy hour menu that Battery Park Wine Bar made available throughout the night.

Their $4 happy hour white wine was a Chardonnay that had a decently robust taste — very enjoyable, especially for $4.

The wine was complemented both in price and taste by the $6 happy hour mussels and $4 parmesan and oregano-seasoned fries I ordered.

As someone who orders mussels a lot, I appreciated the spicy clam and sauvignon blanc broth they were dressed in. It added that bite you don’t often get with mussels.

However, the winner of the night was the fresh roasted tomato ketchup that accompanied their fries. Although I got the fries for sharing, I could not stop myself from eating most of them.

I may have taken more than just one of the delicious cheesecake pops Alicia’s mom made

After enjoying this light dinner and catching up with everyone, it was time for the cookie swap.

There was a great selection – from rich chocolat-y goodness (like Jen’s Kahlua Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Sarah’s Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies) to festive, sweet and refreshing (like Lane’s candy cane cookies and Julie’s cherry limeade cookies).

It’s impossible to pick a favorite but I especially enjoyed Kimberly’s lemon poppyseed cookies and Julie’s vegan peppermint-chocolate cookies.

Here’s the full list of everyone who was there:

• Alicia from Poise in Parma plus Hans and PIP Mom **meetup recap**
• Brian from Run Swanson and Katie **meetup recap**
• Crystal from Eat Drink Cleveland
• Jen from Why CLE? and CLEGuy Matt **meetup recap**
• Julie from Am I There Yet **meetup recap**
• Julie from ROJ Running
• Kimberly from SMITTEN…in cleveland
• Kristian from man-gi-am-OH and Ohio Festivals & his son Max **meetup recap**
• Lane from Lane Baldwin Photography and husband Nathan
• Nidhi from NIDHIZZLE
• Sarah from Cooker Girl
• Stuart from sosAssociates

The next Ohio Blogging Association meet-up will be on Friday, January 18 at Noodlecat. Things will kick off at 9pm when Poise in Parma, Smitten in Cleveland, WhyCLE and I co-host Karaoke at the Cat. All are welcome, not just bloggers. Click here to RSVP and stay tuned for more details.

And if you’d like an easy recipe for all your holiday cookie-making, here’s what I used (if I can make it, so can you):

My M&M Cookies pre-devouring

M&M Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Jen at WhyCLE
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 12-ounce package M&M’s chocolate mini baking bits (I used full-size M&Ms)
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts, optional (I did not use nuts in my cookies)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Blend into creamed mixture. Stir in M&M’s and nuts.
5. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake 10-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and centers are soft.
7. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets, cool completely on wire racks.

Disclosure: WhyCLE, Poise in Parma, Smitten in Cleveland and I are splitting compensation for co-hosting Karaoke at the Cat next month.

Today is the Ohio Blogging Association‘s All State Blog Swap where bloggers from all around the state are swapping posts.

This guest post is by Danielle from Find Time for Fun. Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Danielle wanted to share her love of the area with her two young children but  struggled to find information about family friendly activities. Visit FindTimeforFun.com to learn about events, attractions and ideas for fun at home.

Then visit Poise in Parma to read the rest of today’s All State Blog Swap posts and check out my post Clue Into Cleveland’s Top 5 for Out-of-Town Guests.

***

Winter is right around the corner, which means the snow will be here before we know it!  While winter certainly isn’t my favorite season, I do try to make the best of it.

Thankfully, Cleveland offers many fun wintertime activities; some will have you playing outside while others will help get you into the Holiday spirit.  Below are my five recommendations for winter fun in Cleveland.

The Chalet in Mill Stream Run Reservation (photo from www.clemetparks.com)

Tobogganing at the Chalet in the Mill Stream Run Reservation – Remember how much fun it was to go sled riding when you were young?  Channel your inner child this winter and go Tobogganing in the Cleveland Metroparks.  The Chalet has two 1,000-foot refrigerated ice chutes that can operate with or without snow and are open from the end of November to the middle of March.

Snowshoeing at Penitentiary Glen Reservation – Lake Metroparks offers nearly 7 miles of snowshoeing trails for guests to explore.  Beginners can start with the Peppermint Trail, a short quarter-mile loop.  Snowshoes can be rented by the hour or by the day, and rental is available daily from the middle of November through early March.

Rink at Wade Oval in University Circle

Outdoor Ice Skating at the Rink at Wade Oval – There is something about ice skating outdoors that makes it even more enjoyable.  This winter, get the full ice skating experience at the outdoor Rink at Wade Oval.  Admission is FREE and Skate Rental (if needed) is only $3 per person.  The Rink is open from the end of November through the middle of February.

Lolly the Trolley Holiday Tours – Riding through Cleveland on Lolly the Trolley is a great way to see the city.  Add Christmas lights and decorations to the mix and you have a truly unique and memorable experience.  During the month of December, there are a number of Special Holiday Tours including: A Christmas Story House Tours, Silver Bells Plus Tours and Family Fun Night Tours.

2012 Glow at the Garden (photo from www.cbgarden.org)

Glow at the Garden – While visiting The Cleveland Botanical Gardens is always a great option, it is especially enjoyable during the holiday season.  From late November through the end of December guests can view the decorated trees and gingerbread houses while listening to Christmas music, ride on the garden express train, decorate their own gingerbread houses, and do some holiday shopping at the gift shop.

Those are just some of the events and activities that make winter in Cleveland fun.  Leave a comment below and let us know some of your favorite wintertime activities in Cleveland. 

The MedWish warehouse, where medical supplies for over 90 countries are collected

After pushing through any long week at work, I need a really good reason to wake up before 6 am on a Saturday.

But when local nonprofit MedWish International put out a call to bloggers to meet for a volunteer day, I had my reason.

I had heard a little bit about MedWish last Spring, but this past Saturday gave a hands-on glimpse into the empowering work MedWish is doing in their warehouse on Cleveland’s far east side.

MedWish Founder Dr. Lee Ponsky

Almost 20 years ago, Dr. Lee Ponsky was a surgical assistant in Nigeria with the World Health Organization.

Lacking even the most common supplies, doctors and nurses had to be their own MacGyvers using things like fishing line instead of suture. And when there wasn’t an alternative for certain medical supplies, Lee witnessed firsthand that patients often suffered and died for it.

Saddened but also riled by some of these experiences overseas, he returned to Cleveland determined to help resolve this need and started collecting unused medical supplies from local hospitals and clinics.

MedWish’s “hot items” – hard to keep in stock because they’re always needed

Over the years, this grew into the MedWish we know today, which in 2011 alone recovered more than 500,000 pounds of usable medical surplus.

By saving these items from landfills, Lee and his team puts them in the hands of people in need across the globe. From small crates and suitcases to 40′ cargo containers, MedWish delivers to over 90 countries.

MedWish works individually with the overseas recipients to ensure they receive the items they actually need – not things that would end up in unopened boxes.

And although they receive an impressive amount of medical supplies from regional hospitals and clinics, they will only deliver supplies that are in excellent and unexpired condition.

MedWish ships large hospital items like these beds to new clinics throughout the world

Because of this, MedWish relies on a corp of volunteers and their Building Careers vocational program to help their small but dedicated staff sort and package.

This is where our group came in on Saturday morning when I was joined by Wearing Mascara, sosAssociates and Cooker Girl.

After meeting Lee, we toured the warehouse and experienced first-hand how they sort and organize everything for delivery.

Our group’s task on Saturday was to go through surplus epidural kits to remove gauze, catheters, and a couple of fluids for injection. Although it was a fast and even fun activity, it was sobering to be reminded that each small piece from these surgical kits would ultimately have a huge impact on a patient overseas. An impact I’m only beginning to fathom.

Sorted epidural surgical kits

After Saturday’s blogger sort, I would encourage everyone to get involved with MedWish in some way:

• Give your time:  MedWish can always use help sorting and packing the medical supplies they receive.Throughout the year they host Saturday sorts like the one I attended. There are also volunteer opportunities during weekdays and for groups.Become a volunteer: medwish.org/give/volunteer-info

***

• Give supplies: Did you know Band-aids are one of MedWish’s top 10 ”hot items” they can’t keep in stock because they’re always requested?Even if you don’t work for a hospital or physician’s office, there are plenty of things you can donate. Organize a drive at your office, school, church, or bowling league for basic medical supplies and travel-sized hygiene items.Supply list that medical professionals and individuals can donate: medwish.org/give/medical-supplies

***

• Give funds: Every $1 donation to MedWish sends $16 of medical supplies overseas – with 92 cents of each dollar solely dedicated to recovering, repurposing and redistributing supplies. Donations can be made anytime online and by mail.You can also buy tickets to Huddle 2012 whose proceeds go to MedWish. The football-themed event on Nov. 17 provides a low-cost tailgate alternative to their Band Aid Bash.  Tickets are $25 which includes dinner, an auction and a visit from former Cleveland Browns player Dick Ambrose at the Wickliffe Italian-American club.Buy your Huddle tickets: medwish.org/huddle2012

***

• Spread the word: You can actually do one thing right now for MedWish – help spread the word about their mission.Connect with MedWish on your social network of choice (@medwish on Twitter or facebook.com/MedWishInternational).And if you’re an Instagram, show MedWish what philanthropy in Cleveland means to you. Upload a photo, tag @medwishintl and use the hashtag #DoGoodCLE with your post by November 12 for a chance to win two tickets to Huddle 2012.

  Learn more: medwish.org/blog/what-does-philanthropy-mean-to-you

Happy bloggers (thanks to Wearing Mascara for the photo)

Thank you to Reanna, Traci, Lee and everyone I met during Saturday’s Sort. It was an even better reason than I thought to get out of bed so early!

Kind of love that this is how Southside labeled our receipts at the OH Blogging dinner

Sadly the bulk of Cleveland Beer Week falls during one of work’s busiest times of year so I haven’t really had a chance to enjoy much of the festivities.

However, when I saw on Monday that Tremont Taphouse was showing Monty Python and the Holy Grail on their patio and serving up ale in Grail goblets you could take home, there was not much that could stop me from heading over.

(The fact that they also had turkey legs didn’t hurt in convincing Scott to go – the man is one Ren Faire away from buying a turkey farm)

This is what happiness looks like:

I didn’t completely get my fill of Tremont, though, despite Monday night’s feast of turkey, mussels and beef tongue-oyster tacos. Come Tuesday night I was ready to head on back to Tremont, this time to Southside for the monthly Ohio Blogging meetup.

As we head into the busy holiday months, I was thankful for a laidback meetup – just a casual dinner with old and new blogger friends.

It was my first time at Southside and after winding through the bar, they took us into the side room off the patio. I loved the stone fireplace and Day-of-the-Dead-inspired skeleton artwork looking down on us.

It was a great spot for our boisterous crowd to catch up on things – from toasting Poise in Parma’s third blogiversary to highlights from Fitbloggin’, some race and event updates, and a heads up about an upcoming WordPress tech talk.

In attendance we had:

• Alicia from Poise in Parma (including Aunt Kathy+Team PiP) **meetup recap**
• Crystal from Eat Drink Cleveland
• Holly from Rust Belt Runner
• Jen from Why CLE? **meetup recap**
• John from Songs and Stories **meetup recap**
• Julie from Am I There Yet **meetup recap**
• Kimberly from SMITTEN…in cleveland
• Lyn from Life Lyn Style **meetup recap**
• Nadine from Blog the New Black
• Sarah from Cooker Girl
• Stuart from sosAssociates
• Tammy from Miss WineOH

(**If I missed your meetup recap, please let me know and I’ll add it in**)

If you want to quiet a group of bloggers, bring them food. This somewhat worked for us – though I will say I enjoyed a fun talk about comic books with Team PiP and got some new ideas to add to my comics pull list.

However, good-looking food ultimately wins out – even over comic book talk – and I had to dig into the salad I ordered as soon as it was put down in front of me:

After a lunch of rich buffalo chicken dip, I decided to go the salad route with Southside’s Broiled Scampis Salad. Large shrimp were mixed over a bed of crisp baby spinach with grilled apples, dried cranberries, tomatos and fontina cheese.

I liked the mix of tastes and textures – the tender grilled apples were my favorite part, especially when topped with Southside’s smoky Charred Tomato salad dressing.

Some restaurants may scrimp on the shrimp, but I thought the Southside offered 4 very-good-sized shrimps in the salad. The shells were a little more difficult to remove than usual (though that could have just been me being in a messy mood) and there wasn’t a place or room to discard them; however, I made due and the taste more than made up for it.

And even though I couldn’t make it to a lot of Beer Week, I did try a new-to-me brew. Southside had a selection of Oskar Blues brews including the Old Chub which I ordered. While it didn’t completely blow me away, it was a nice dark malted barley with a bit of a smoky taste to it.

My Tremont doubleheader has me in the mood for even more of the neighborhood’s eateries and I can’t wait for PlayhouseSquare Partners’ Tremont Dine Around on Nov. 7.

Throughout the year, our Membership Committee puts together these neighborhood dine arounds where both members and non-Partners can come out, explore the restaurants in a different neighborhood and meet new people.

When rsvping, you rank your order of preference from 4 Tremont restaurants – Fahrenheit, Lolita, Prosperity Social Club, and Southside. Each attendee gets assigned a restaurant where they’ll meet their small group at 6:30 for dinner. Afterwards, everyone is invited to meet up at The Treehouse for a post-dinner drink.

While you do get to list your preferences, I really enjoy the mystery of not knowing which restaurant I’m going to until a couple days before.

If you’d like to join me at the PlayhouseSquare Tremont Dine Around, here’s more info about rsvping. And for all you bloggers and blog supporters out there, sign up for the November statewide blog swap over at the Facebook event page and come join us at our December Holiday Party & Cookie Swap.

The most recent OBA Meetup took Cleveland bloggers to one of my personal favorite spots in the city, PlayhouseSquare

Sometimes when I’ve been go-go-go on a project, it’s really easy for me to lose sight of why I’m doing it.  In those cases, I have to take a step back and try to look at things as if I’m brand new to it.

I had the chance to do that last week when the Ohio Blogging Association’s latest meetup traveled to PlayhouseSquare for a behind-the-scenes tour with Partners, the theatre’s young professionals group.

Old show posters hang on the backstage wall of the Palace Theatre stage

The last backstage tour I attended was right after joining Partners a few years ago. And now that we’re about to launch a new season of Partners events I figured it was about time I brushed up on my PlayhouseSquare history — the OBA meetup was the perfect excuse.

Our tour last Wednesday wrapped through the Palace, State, Ohio and Allen Theatres on Euclid Avenue.

We heard tales about ghosts haunting the theatre, how some of the murals and artwork came to be (and in many cases came-to-be returned) and why the State Theatre lobby was the longest in the world. (Fun Fact: because the State Theatre’s auditorium is actually behind the Ohio, a lobby the size of three was needed to accommodate a marquee on Euclid next to the other theatres).

And just like when you re-read your favorite novel, I even learned a few new things while seeing the backstage dressing rooms for the first time and catching a glimpse of the Ohio Theatre as it undergoes the installation of new seating.

A bunch of us never realized the column heads in the theatre had a longhorn skull design (thanks, Scott, for pointing it out!)

The evening was the perfect way to reaffirm why I love being a part of PlayhouseSquare Partners. Sure, I love the fact that through Partners I’ve met friends, had fun at theatre and non-theatre events, and gotten discounts to Jump Back Ball.

However, going on the blogger tour and seeing fellow Clevelanders get so excited about PlayhouseSquare reinforced my #1 reason for being a member.

Being a member gives me the ability to support an organization that makes a huge impact on the city.  An organization that is a great example of how you can rebuild yourself in Cleveland, even after almost-being razed to the ground in the 1970s.

From contributing to PlayhouseSquare’s education mission to fundraising through Jump Back Ball, Partners helps the country’s 2nd largest theatre district provide entertainment and vital economic development to Northeast Ohio. Oh, and we have a lot of fun while doing it!

8/2: Partners’ free YP Night at Cinema at the Square

If you’re interested in learning more about PlayhouseSquare Partners while enjoying a free movie, you can join us on August 2 at YP Night at the Cinema.

Starting at 6pm,  PlayhouseSquare Partners is hosting a free pre-movie party for young professionals in the Ohio Theatre. There will be drinks, movie theater snacks, and networking. Plus, all of the Partners committees will have info about this year’s upcoming events — including the announcement of this year’s Jump Back Ball theme.

If you like what you see and want to join Partners, we’re also offering 20% off your membership that evening. So a $100 Mezzanine membership will cost only $80 (you’ll save twice if you plan on attending Jump Back Ball, because one of the membership benefits is a discount to JBB).

A ticket to the YP pre-party also gets you a free ticket to the West Side Story sing-a-long

And after the party, you’ll have a free ticket to the West Side Story Sing-a-Long which starts at 7:30pm.

I may not be that great at math but even I can see that adds up to a good deal.

Admission for YP Night at the Cinema is free, but tickets are required. You can get a free ticket by calling 216-640-8408.

A glimpse from the Palace Theatre stage, where all of the films in the Cinema at the Square are playing

After last week’s blogger tour, we grabbed drinks and a small bite to eat at the newly opened Alex Bistro where I got to mingle a bit.

Unfortunately, after having a particularly hectic day at work, I was a bit too flustered to have a chance to talk as much as I’d like with everyone — especially a few bloggers like Katie O, Karen and Lillia that I saw in real life for the first time after following them online.

However, it looks like I’ll have a chance to do that at our next event when the OBA goes to the Happy Dog for a blogger roundtable in the Underdog. In the meantime, I’ll have to suffice with keeping up on their blogs!

Some of the blogger tour enjoying dinner and drinks at Alex Bistro (photo courtesy of WhyCLE)

You can too – check out these bloggers and some of the recaps from the PlayhouseSquare tour:

• Alicia from Poise in Parma and PIP Aunt Kathy (her recap)
• Amie from My Retro Kitchen
• “Cleveland Chick” from Happiness is a Hot Pierogi
• Crystal from Eat Drink Cleveland
• Dave from Health Insurance Issues with Dave and Again? Really?
• De-de from @DedeMulligan
• Holly from Rust Belt Runner  (her recap)
• Jen from Why CLE?  (her recap)
• Julie from Am I There Yet  (her recap)
• Julie from ROJ Running  (her recap)
• Julie from Wearing Mascara  (her recap)
• Katie from Beer and Clothing in Cleveland  (her recap)
• Karen from The NotMom.com
• Kasey at A Case Of…
• Kimberly from SMITTEN…in cleveland
• Lilia from Lilia Write Now
• Lyn from Life Lyn Style and husband Stephen from Skywired.net
• Nidhi from NIDHIZZLE
• Reanna from Big Shot Dot The I
• Sarah from Cooker Girl
• Stuart from sosAssociates and wife Julie (their recap)
• Tammy from Miss WineOH

Disclosure: As mentioned in previous posts, I serve on the board of PlayhouseSquare Partners. From time-to-time, I will share upcoming Partners events because I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as a member and feel it’s an organization other Young Professionals who want to support the arts will enjoy as well.