Is it ever going to stop snowing? Who cares! Because Brite Winter is back.

You can read my review of the 2011 Brite Winter Fest here, but in short this annual community-organized music and arts festival is one of the best reasons to brave snow, sleet and 10 degree weather in Cleveland.

After the unprecedented success of last year’s 10,000+ attendees, Brite Winter returns to Ohio City next Saturday, February 16.

As always, Brite Winter is free, thanks to sponsors and a Kickstarter fundraiser going on now.

Starting around 5pm, 48 bands from Ohio and across the Midwest are scheduled to play on 7 stages. This includes the outside stage at West 26th and Bridge Ave., the Loren Naji Studio Galleries, Campbell’s Sweets Factory, and the Cleveland Hostel.

Cleveland’s Bad Racket Recording Studio has curated a selection of indie, rock, punk, folk, soul, electronic and acoustic acts for attendees’ listening pleasure.

Brite Winter Festival’s Giant Skeeball

Besides being a huge music showcase, Brite Winter’s flip side features art installations and games.

If you’ve been to Brite Winter before, you’ll remember their 24-foot long Giant Skeeball ramp. Well, it’s back, along with new games and activities put together by RGI international and the Cleveland Disc Alliance.

This year there will be between 15 and 20 individual art installations created through a partnership with The Cleveland Institute of Art and The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Department of Community Affairs. And, for the second year in a row, GE Lighting will provide high energy efficiency lights for the installations.

Snow, rain, freezing temps or sunshine. It doesn’t matter. The Brite Winter show will go on, proving to Clevelanders you don’t have to wait til summer to play outside.

So head down to Ohio City on February 16 for an all-night party (here’s RTA and parking details).

If you’d like to help out, Brite Winter is always in need of day-of volunteers or you can donate to their Kickstarter campaign (a Pint Glass from Glass Bubble Project is just one of the perks you can get for donating).

And keep up-to-date on music, games, and artist announcements by following them @BriteWinter and Facebook.com/BriteWinter.

As we know from last week’s news, a fire tore through Cleveland’s West Side Market in the early morning hours of last Wednesday.   

And while the city will pay for the clean up out of capital funds previously identified for WSM upgrades, there is still a lot of work that will need to be done and business lost for the vendors.

However, just like in the past, Cleveland has proven itself a resilient city – ready to rally when needed.

For instance, over the weekend, Happy Dog in the Gordon Square neighborhood donated $1 from every hot dog sold to the Market’s recovery. They raised over $1,200 for the Market vendors and employees.

If the snow or Superbowl kept you from grabbing one of their delicious hot dogs (or vegan dogs), here are a few more ways you can support the West Side Market.

Image from marketgardenbrewery.com

#1 Market Recovery Lager at Market Garden Brewery

Right before the fire struck, Market Garden Brewery had just finished brewing up a new lager. It still needed a name so they decided to use the brew’s launch over the weekend to raise money for WSM’s vendors and repairs.

For every Market Recovery Lager ordered, the brewery will donate $1 to the West Side Market. If you didn’t have a chance to stop by Friday or this weekend to help raise money (and try out the new beer), you have until tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 5).

A few of West Side Market’s vendors with brick-n-mortar shops open during the cleanup

#2 Visit Market vendors at their retail locations

Although the Market House remains closed (some produce vendors opened over the weekend), a few of the vendors also have retail locations. According to WSM’s Facebook page, the following vendors have brick-and-mortar shops outside the Market you can frequent in the meantime:

• Cake Royale (Call 216-351-3553 to place your order for pickup at their shop)
• Campbell’s Sweets Factory (2084 W. 25th Street, Cleveland)
• City Roast (Visit Civilization at 2366 West 11th, Tremont)
• Frickaccio’s Pizza Market (22560 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park)
• Maha’s Cafe (3323 West 25th Street, Cleveland)
• Olive and Grape (8141 Tyler Blvd., A-6, Mentor and 17134 Lorain Ave., West Park/Kamm’s Corners)
• Orale! Kitchen Restaurant (1834 West 25th Street, Cleveland)
• Pinzone’s Market Fresh Meats (6046 Broadview Rd, Parma)
• Noodlecat (234 euclid avenue off Public Square, Cleveland)

Many of the Market’s other vendors – like Judy’s Oasis – take online orders or have stands at area farmers’ markets. If I’ve missed anyone above, leave a comment below.

#3 West Side Market Cash Mob

Tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 2, Cash Mobs Cleveland wants you and your friends to converge on the Market after it opens to help vendors get back on their feet. The rules are simple: show up on the scheduled date with $20 to spend, talk to 3 people you didn’t know before, and have fun.

Because it’s unclear when the Market is going to reopen, the date is likely to change. With 2000+ already rsvped on the Facebook event page, Cash Mobs is currently working with Ohio City Incorporated to find a day that would work best. Keep an eye on that event page to stay up-to-date.

***

I’m sure that over the coming days, weeks and months, there will be more efforts to help the Market, with at least Michael Symon already planning something.

Of course, though, you can find your own way to help West Side Market once they reopen. I’m a huge fan of long-term support plans with Scott and I pledging to increase the frequency of our visits each month and trying out a few vendors we’ve always meant to get to.

How do you plan on helping the West Side Market during this time? Leave a comment!

Time to announce the winner for the Oct. 25th CCFA Movie Gala!

As I mentioned when I posted the CCFA Giveaway last week, my favorite excuse to visit Gordon Square’s Capitol Theatre is for their monthly Sunday Classics series. Thank you to everyone for sharing your favorite classics in the comments!

From old musicals (the most popular entry) to Harvey, Hitchcock and of course my fellow Audrey Hepburn fans, you definitely put me in the mood for a classic movie marathon soon.

After counting up all of these entries and removing a pingback and duplicate, the winning entry selected by Random.org is…

Congratulations, entry number 11 – Laura Brewer, for winning a pair of general admission tickets to the CCFA Movie Gala! Email me at clueintocleveland (at) gmail (dot) com by this coming Tuesday to claim your prize.

If you didn’t win, you have another chance through WhyCLE’s giveaway which runs through Monday.

It’s also not too late to purchase tickets.  Tickets cost $50 for an evening of food, two drink tickets and an evening of film screenings (VIP tickets include all of this + an open bar for $100). I hope you’ll join me in showing support for the fight against Crohn’s and Colitis. You can purchase tickets here.

I also hope to see everyone at another event I’m really looking forward to – this Sunday’s West Side Market Centennial Celebration:

Image source: WSM100.org

I know I’m not going to be around for the next Centennial (unless all that science fiction I read about cryogenically freezing someone turns out to be true! ) so I’m going to brave the crowd and head down there Sunday morning.

Starting at 11am, West 25th is going to be closed off til 8pm for the West Side Market Street Festival and Parade.  A WSM-themed parade, featuring current and past vendors, neighborhood block clubs and community groups, will step off at noon, while music, food and more festivities will be going on throughout the district all day.

Plus the event will mark the first time in a decade that West Side Market has been open on a Sunday. In addition to freshly prepared foods from WSM vendors, festival attendees can enjoy two beer gardens and the Ohio City restaurants and food trucks that will be selling food along W. 25th Street all day.

After filling yourself with deliciously local fare, 3 stages of live music and family-friendly activities at the Ohio City Farm’s OC Harvest will help burn away the calories.

Image source wsm100.org

I’m thinking WSM100 and a trip to Put-in-Bay on Saturday for their Island Wine Festival should make up for what’s been a very long week.

What are you looking forward to this weekend?

On March 19th, Cleveland chefs are hosting a pair of events on the East and West sides of the city to help the victims of the Chardon High School tragedy. In Moreland Hills, over 15 chefs will be hosting a tasting-style event at Flour. At AMP 150, Dinner in the Dark will be bringing in over 20 chefs for the west-side event.  

Guests at Flour will be able to participate in a one-time silent auction for a dinner for 10 prepared by Iron Chef Michael Symon. A $500 knife set, hotel package, theatre tickets and more are up for auction at AMP 150.

All proceeds from these culinary feasts will be donated to the families.  Tickets and more information can be found here: Flour event and AMP 150 event. Hat’s off to all involved for lending their culinary talents to support the Chardon community.

***

Four Roses’ Single Barrel, Small Batch and Yellow Label bourbons at Crop Bistro’s recent tasting

Scott’s not usually the first one in line for top shelf drinks, and especially not straight bourbon. Since college his tastes have changed from the hardest of hard liquor to the lightest of light beers. But on a recent trip to Ohio City’s Crop Bistro, I turned away for a moment and when I turned back found him not behind me, but at the Four Roses tasting bar, sipping a sample cup of bourbon and listening to the history and production process of what he was drinking.

Even more surprising — after he sampled a taste, he asked for more; surprising until I tried some myself.

The Four Roses brand has been around since 1888 – when it was first distilled in Louisville, Kentucky’s “Whiskey Row” by Four Roses founder Paul Jones Jr.  In its early days, Four Roses became one of the preeminent bourbon brands – being one of only six distilleries allowed to operate through Prohibition.

Hard-boiled crime story fans may recognize the name since it’s featured in Raymond Chandler’s novel The High Window as Philip Marlowe’s – one of my favorite hard-drinking private eyes – drink of choice.

After Seagram purchased the brand and started using it for blended whiskey instead of bourbon, the name lost its appeal until it was sold to Kirin Brewing ten years ago. Since then, the Kentucky distillery has been working hard to return its unique bourbon to the U.S.

"Mr. Four Roses" – Master Distiller Jim Rutledge

A good deal of Four Roses’ resurgence can be attributed to Master Distiller Jim Rutledge, who helped host the Ohio City bourbon tasting a couple of weeks ago.

Rutledge has been with Four Roses for over 40 years and the Master Distiller since 1995. When Kirin first bought the brand, Rutledge helped initiate the idea of bringing their bourbon back home.

A member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame’s inaugural class, “Mr. Four Roses” not just watches over the consistent quality of every barrel, but also spreads his knowledge and passion for bourbon as he travels from tasting to tasting.

Personally, I’m a novice bourbon drinker. I started drinking it only a couple of years ago thanks in part to Mad Men. (Yes, I’ll admit a tv show piqued my interest in the whiskey.) But regardless of why I started drinking it, there was no judgment from Rutledge, who was a welcoming host.

The Four Roses distillery where they produce 10 distinct bourbon recipes. (Photo from Four Roses)

Chatting for over an hour, I learned not just about Four Roses’ storied history, but about the recent resurgence of specialty bourbons throughout the U.S. and the distillery’s unique process for crafting each barrel of Four Roses.

Four Roses is the only bourbon distillery that combines 5 strains of yeast with 2 separate mashbills to produce 10 distinct bourbon recipes, which they then age in a one-of-a-kind single story rack warehouse. To create one of their more popular bourbons, the 2010 World Whisky Award-Winning Four Roses Yellow, all 10 recipes are married together through this process by Rutlege and his distillers.

At the tasting, we got to enjoy the Four Roses Yellow, as well as their Small Batch and Single Barrel bourbons.

After comparing the three, my personal favorite was the Small Batch Bourbon. For the Small Batch, four original and limited bourbons were selected by Rutledge at their peak to mingle together. Although the Small Batch’s aroma had a strong fragrance, I found the taste mellow enough to sip neat without a harsh burn – even better on the rocks.  There was a slight sweetness and creamy, thick warmth that reminded me of honey.

Comparatively, the Single Barrel‘s nose was more complex – both sweet and earthy – and its palate more distinct with a lot of spice jumping out at me.  Although I enjoyed the Single Barrel, my preference is for something with less of a bite. The Small Batch fit this bill perfectly – very pleasant, it was something I would easily choose to drink on its own.

Crop Bistro’s Four Roses cocktail

If you like your bourbon in a cocktail, one of Crop Bistro’s mixologists Nathan Burdette handcrafted a drink using the Four Roses Yellow Label. With 10 different bourbons mingled together, it provides an excellent base for complicated cocktails like the one we were served.

Overall, Burdette’s was a very well-balanced drink.  While you could distinguish the bourbon’s taste in the cocktail, it was subtle and didn’t overpower the sweetness of the other ingredients. My favorite touch was the bourbon-soaked date that accompanied the drink. If you’re looking for more cocktail ideas, Four Roses’ site has a nice sampling of drink recipes.

In discussing all things whiskey with Rutledge, he explained how each bourbon can taste different – oftentimes drastically – from person to person. I was curious about other people’s reactions after tasting the Single Barrel and Small Batch bourbons so as different individuals came up, I loved listening in.

Whereas I and a number of others thought the Small Batch was mellower than the Single Barrel, just as many others had the opposite view.  And each person found different notes – from rye and caramel to maple and floral hints.

My favorite of the evening – Four Roses’ Small Batch bourbon (Photo from Four Roses)

What everyone could agree on, though, was that Four Roses provided us with a very unique and enjoyable drinking experience.

For a classic brand like Four Roses, Crop Bistro was an ideal setting for the tasting. When Crop moved from the Warehouse District to Ohio City a few months ago, they took over an old bank. With its marble pillars, carved plaster ceiling, and touches of old walnut, it had a very nostalgic glamour I delighted in.

Scott and I sat in the bar area which I found to be a nice, intimate space thanks in part to the short wall segmenting it from the rest of the restaurant. I definitely want to go back and sit in the main dining room, an expansive space with very high ceilings, to see if the experience changes.

Crop Bistro’s deviled eggs with prosciutto

After we had our fill of bourbon, Scott and I took the opportunity to try out the changes to their menu. I’ve been a fan of theirs for a few years, having first fallen in love with their deviled eggs during a PlayhouseSquare dine-around.

Although some items have changed in the move and because of the seasons, I found the quality stood up.

Braised pork belly on waffle with Apple Cherry Port Demi

We started by splitting the braised pork belly appetizer. It sits atop a small waffle and is topped with an Apple Cherry Port Demi. While I thought the demi was really well made and had a full, sweet taste, Scott – who is a huge fan of pork belly – wanted some more of that flavor to peek through.

For my meal, I ended up ordering a small serving of the Chile Deviled Eggs and a Grilled Flatbread.  The deviled eggs with prosciutto were as good as I remembered and the grilled flatbread with mushrooms, Amish swiss, peppadews, arugla and balsamic was enough to split with a second person and full of many different flavors.

Grilled flatbread with mushrooms, Amish swiss, peppadews, arugla and balsamic

Additionally, the colors in both dishes were incredibe.  While presentation is not usually a huge component of why I like a meal, in this case the vibrant colors of both raised the dishes to the next level and made them even more appetizing.

Scott ordered the Ohio Ribeye.  It comes with Crop’s Sunday Supper Mashed Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts which were both delicious. But what made it the evening’s winner – and while it’s top on my list to order next time we go – was the smoked shallot demi. Between how tender it was prepared and the smoked flavoring of the demi, Crop’s ribeye was one of the more succulent cuts of beef I’ve had in a while.

Ohio Ribeye with Sunday Supper Mashed Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

Even if you’re not looking for a full meal, I’d recommend Crop just for drinks. While we stuck to bourbon for most of the evening, I perused their impressive libations menu and finally decided on an Ohio City Flip.

As much as I enjoyed the Four Roses, gin’s still my drink of choice and Crop’s combination of Plymouth Gin, House Lime Cordial, Chartreuse, Cherry Heering, Egg White, and Lime Zest was a transcendent experience.  The fact that the bartenders look like they’re right out of a speakeasy – many sporting vintage-looking suspenders and vests – didn’t hurt either.

Ohio City Flip with Plymouth Gin

All in all, the Four Roses Tasting at Crop was an evening well-spent for this bourbon neophyte and her non-bourbon-drinking husband. We not only discovered a new brand for our bar at home (and in Scott’s case he discovered he could handle bourbon), but we also rediscovered an old favorite of Cleveland’s dining scene.

Disclosure: I was invited by a representative of Four Roses Bourbon to attend this tasting at Crop Bistro. As always, the opinions expressed here are 100% my (and Scott’s) own.

Enjoy an afternoon in Ohio City's Historic Market Square District with one of NEO Food Tours' October events

The lucky thing about being a fan of food in Cleveland is that we not just have fantastic restaurants, but our strong culinary scene also features markets, breweries and specialty shops.

This month, NEO Food Tours is rolling out a few events that spotlight the variety of tastes that Cleveland offers the adventurous foodie.

We’re starting things off on October 14 and October 28 when our Harvest Happy Hour Tour explores Ohio City’s Historic Market Square District .

From 2-5pm, guests will “dine, drink and donate” through the Historic Market Square District as they discover firsthand the neighborhood’s impact on the Cleveland culinary scene.

Stops will include the West Side Market and local artisans such as Bonbon Bake Shop, Room Service, and Campbell’s Popcorn Shop.  A visit to Chef Matt Mathlage’s Light Bistro (one of my Ohio City favorites!) completes the afternoon.

And when the tour wraps up at 5pm, there’s still plenty of time to continue shopping or keep the happy hour going at the many restaurants that made Ohio City one of USA Today’s “best neighborhoods to bar hop.”

Tickets are $55 and include gratuitity. Furthering our commitment to the Northeast Ohio region, we’re donating $5 from every ticket to Ohio City Inc.

NEO Food Tours' Brews n' Pubs Tour spotlights some of the places that make Cleveland's beer scene so good.

In October, NEO Food Tours is also getting a taste of Cleveland’s brewing resurgence. During Cleveland Beer Week, we’re offering a Cleveland Brews n’ Pubs Tour.

The tour on October 15 will make stops at 4-5 breweries and pubs throughout the Cleveland area, including Indigo Imp and Market Garden Brewery.  At each stop, beer enthusiasts will sample various beers and food, as they talk with some of Cleveland’s brew-masters. 

Transportation between stops, beer sampling, gastropub fare and gratuity are all included in the $60 ticket. 

With the Brews n’ Pubs tour, we’re excited to partner with Taste of the Harvest to offer a special Beer Masters Ticket. For $100 (a savings of $15), you can attend both the Brews n’ Pubs Tour on October 15, as well as Cleveland Beer Week’s only local hand-crafted beer tasting on October 21.

It’s been an amazing 6 months working with NEO Food Tours (I can’t believe that much time has gone by!) and I’m really proud to see how we’re growing and offering events that showcase all of the region’s culinary assets.  

Tickets for the Harvest Happy Hour tours can be found at  http://marketdistrict1.eventbrite.com.

Tickets for the Cleveland Brews n’ Pubs tour can be found at http://clebeertour11.eventbrite.com.

Disclosure: I work with NEO Food Tours as their Communications Co-Director. However, I got involved with NEO Food Tours and am sharing these events on Clue Into Cleveland because I believe in our mission of promoting the neighborhoods and dynamic culinary industry that call Northeast Ohio home.

West Side Market and Market Square at W25th St. and Lorain Ave. (photo from westsidemarket.org)

This month’s Cleveland Sketch Crawl gathered in Ohio City for the Open Air in Market Square summer series.  As usual, it was another great opportunity to sketch the city’s limitless assortment of interesting architecture and people.  Regardless of whether you come armed with a sketchbook or just want to do some shopping and listen to music, the Open Air festival is a pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon in the city.

Open Air in Market Square is Cleveland’s only urban outdoor market. On Saturdays from late May to the end of August, an eclectic array of vendors and performers set up shop in Market Square Park at the corner of West 25th and Lorain Ave (across from West Side Market).

This coming Saturday (August 28, 11am – 5pm) is the last day on the Open Air 2010 Summer Schedule.

When Scott and I went a couple weeks ago, we got to listen to the Hollywood Slim Band. Their jazz and swing covers were a nice soundtrack to the afternoon as people shopped and hung out on the park’s stone benches.  The Market Square vendors who were there were selling Cleveland photography, glass art, handmade crafts, and – my personal weakness – vintage clothing and housewares.

Bike Rack and Patio in front of Great Lakes Brewery (Aug. Sketch Crawl, ADHicken)

I spent most of my time sketching, though.  By far, I don’t compare to the talent of the rest of the group, but it’s still fun to get out, observe and practice drawing. The best part about this month’s Crawl was that there was so much subject matter to choose from.  Some of the Crawl participants gravitated to the musicians, others sketched the West Side Market tower and the surrounding buildings, and a couple of people managed to put pencil to paper to capture the bustle of the produce market. I’ve posted a few of my sketches – one of the bike rack by Great Lakes Brewery and another of a stone column in Market Square.  Each column in the Square is covered in tiles with community members’ own artwork on it – so picking out my favorite tiles to recreate was an hour well-spent.

Sketch of column and tilework in Market Square (Aug. Sketch Crawl, ADHicken)

This Saturday, rockabilly band Lost State of Franklin (11am-2pm), Troupe Shabaana bellydancing (2pm-3pm), and Kristine Jackson‘s acoustic blues (3pm-5pm) will conclude the Open Air in Market Square’s summer season.

If you stop by, plan on doing some food shopping across the street at the West Side Market. Cleveland’s oldest publicly owned market is worth a post all its own, but if you’ve never been there, do yourself a favor and bring an appetite.  With over 100 local vendors, I’ve never gone wrong in shopping there or left empty-handed.

If you like orzo, stop by Urban Herbs for a selection of different mixes. Pickles and stuffed olives? Rita’s. Cannolis? Theresa’s Bakery (they’ll handfill your cannoli to-order from a large selection of flavors; I recommend oreo, raspberry or peanut butter chocolate). Whatever you’re hankering for, they probably have it.  If you doubt me, here’s a complete list of food vendors and a map so you can find your way around.

Thanks again to the Cleveland Sketch Crawl for giving me an excuse (not that I should need one) to explore the Open Air in Market Square series. For those sketchers, painters and photographers who want to join in September’s Crawl, the group will be attending the Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s Sparx City Hop.  It’ll be a unique experience drawing the going-ons while hopping through 8 districts via trolley.  Art galleries, studio lofts, warehouses, stores, sidewalk concerts, mini-festivals, art shows, restaurants and bars are part of the event, and the Sketch Crawl group will meet at 11 am at E.4th and Prospect Ave. and go until 1pm.   Best of all – it’s free. (Info on the monthly Sketch Crawl can be found on the Cleveland Sketch Crawl blog.)

ON A SIDE NOTE: I’ll be taking another short vacation from posting.  Instead of another stretch of radio silence, I figured I’d have a friend of Clue Into Cleveland guest-blog for me.  Elizabeth Grepp – native Clevelander and huge fan of the eastside – will post on Cleveland Heights.  If you also would like an opportunity to wax philosophic on the Cleve, shoot me an email at clueintocleveland@gmail.com.   I’ll be back sometime next week with your (un)regularly scheduled program.

Located at 5801 Detroit Ave., Happy Dog has mastered the art of the hot dog.

Although I’m looking forward to going on vacation, I’m disappointed that I’ll not only miss Saturday’s Sketch Crawl, but also the DJ Kishka Polka Happy Hour AND Rare Birds shows this Friday at The Happy Dog.  

Scott eating a Hot Dog with Potato Chips, Bacon and an Egg

 

The Happy Dog is worth a future blog post all its own for its sheer awesomeness.  Located at 5801 Detroit Ave. in the Gordon Square District, it has truly mastered the art of the hot dog.  Options range from tasty quarter-pound all-beef hot dogs to homemade falafel and Field Roast vegan sausage (for those who would rather go meatless). And although I’m a carnivore at heart, I can attest from personal experience that the falafel is ridiculously good.  However, the choices don’t stop there — as there are over 50 options for toppings.  

With all of the choices, you can mix and match to your indecisive heart’s content.  For the traditionalist, the black truffle honey mustard, sliced gouda cheese and chorizo chili is a great spin on the classic chili dog.  Or you could give yourself a heart attack with Scott’s favorite: potato chips, egg, and bacon.  And of course, for the truly adventurous, there’s always fruit loops, peanut butter and marcella’s grape jelly and chile sauce.  But that’s the best thing about create-your-own hot dogs — it’s completely up to you. Add on any of the 75+ beers they serve, as well as a side of fries or tater tots with their own substantial choice of toppings, and you have the makings for one of the more unique dining experiences in Cleveland.  

In addition to the food, this Friday at Happy Dog is shaping up to be an awesome night of entertainment.  First, from 6-9pm, there’s DJ Kishka‘s Polka Happy Hour. With three hours of polka music, DJ Kishka’s Happy Hour is something I’ve been trying to get to for months without any luck – since the last few times he’s been scheduled to perform, I’ve been unable to go. Nonetheless, everything I’ve heard about him is fantastic. A post on 52 Weeks of Cleveland talks about both DJ Kishka’s show and Clinton J. Holley’s Ohio City Opry (another regular at Happy Dog whose classic country music I have been able to enjoy).  

The Rare Birds - Rusty Boyer, David Leland Horton and Neal Campbell.

 

After polka, Good Touch Bad Touch and The Rare Birds perform from 9 til midnight. The Rare Birds are a local band featuring a friend of mine, Rusty Boyer, on guitar, as well as David Leland Horton on drums and Neal Campbell on guitar. Fans of the group Doctor Teeeth will recognize Rusty and Dave who also perform in that band. With a heavy soul and garage-based sound that’s coupled with layers of harmonized vocals from all three musicians, The Rare Birds are definitely worth checking out on Friday as they perform a couple of Hank Williams and Neil Young covers in addition to their own songs.  

However, for all you Rare Birds fans who are like me and can’t make it to the show on Friday, there’s no cause for alarm since they are also going to be performing on June 13th in the Rock Hall’s Chef Jam. Chef Jam looks to be yet another powerhouse combination of great food and Cleveland music, and I can’t wait until I get back home for it.  

   

The Happy Dog 411:  

The Food
Menu
Drinks
Facebook
@HappyDogCLE  

The Music
DJ Kishka Polka Happy Hour
The Rare Birds  

The Carnegie West Library Branch in Ohio City was the location for the April CLE Sketch Crawl

 When I was in high school, I spent a sizable chunk of my time buried in a sketch book. I fashioned a makeshift studio out of a corner of my bedroom with an easel and supply cabinet. And instead of posters of musicians or actors, I decorated most of my spaces with prints by my favorite artists.       

The library is triangular in shape to conform to the outline of the park it's located on

In college, though, I fell out of practice because I didn’t make the time to pursue it. I still have the easel, and on occasion I’ve sat down, started something, then eventually given up because I was having problems coming up with subject matter. And while I’ve enjoyed my time spent with other pursuits, there have been moments where I missed the quiet of just working on a sketch for a couple of hours.      

Subsequently, it was a very happy accident when I purchased tickets for the Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s Hidden Cleveland Tour and a link for the Cleveland Sketch Crawl caught my eye. As I quickly learned, the CLE Sketch Crawl is an ongoing series sponsored by the DCA that falls on the first Saturday of the month. A different spot is highlighted each month where the group gathers to learn a little history, then sketch it. And my favorite part … free access to some of the most interesting places in the city.      

The first stop on the tour - the Main Room of the Carnegie West Branch

The most recent event was this past Saturday at the Carnegie West branch of the Cleveland Public Library. The Sketch Crawl met at 10 am on the steps of the library, which is located at 1900 Fulton Road. Before we set about sketching, the branch librarian went over the history of the building and gave a behind-the-scenes tour. Carnegie West is both the first branch library in the city (celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year), as well as the largest (28,000 total square feet).        

During the tour, we had the opportunity to see not only the main rooms of the branch, but also the old Dickens room, the former auditorium in the basement, and a handful of other rooms that are generally inaccessible to the public. Although restoration efforts need to be made to some of the rooms, a lot of the original – and beautiful – framing and woodwork is still there. Additionally, we learned about some of the upcoming events at the branch including their Alfred Hitchcock Film Festival (April 8, 15 & 22 at 5:30 pm) and a Jazz concert featuring the Oberlin College Music Conservatory (April 17 at 2:00 pm).      

Other nearby buildings, such as St. Patrick's Church, also provided excellent subject matter for sketching

After the tour, we got down to sketching until noon. With its modified Renaissance style of architecture and brick structure with terra cotta trim, the exterior of the library provided ample subject matter for a number of us. However, the park and other nearby structures — such as St. Patrick’s Church on Bridge Avenue — were also interesting.  Even the interior of the library was where some focused their attention — one group member did a beautiful watercolor depiction of the art tiles above the fireplace in the Children’s Room.      

Although this was my first Sketch Crawl, this event series has been taking place since 2007.  Recent crawls have included the Metroparks Zoo’s Rainforest, the old Gospel Press Building, and Tyler Village – former home of the Tyler Elevator Company. And now that the weather is turning warm, the May Sketch Crawl is supposed to be at the Mather/downtown lakefront area.      

Besides getting to explore unusual spots in Cleveland, the Sketch Crawl is worth checking out because it provides a low key venue for people who use a variety of mediums (from pencil, ink, and charcoal to watercolor and photography) and also bring different skill levels (from someone like me – who was 10 years out of practice – to individuals with a finely developed skill). I’m excited to check out the Sketch Crawl in coming months and am pleasantly surprised that my new pursuit of discovering and writing about Cleveland has led me to rediscovering another pursuit I used to enjoy so much.      

Beautiful detailing on and around the exterior columns

CLE Sketch Crawl/Carnegie West Library 411:

Cleveland Sketch Crawl
First Saturday of every month at varying locations
Sponsored by Downtown Cleveland Alliance
@DowntownCLE      

Carnegie West  Branch Library
Location and Hours
Branch Events/Programs