I still love Hingetown. I think its such a cool little stretch of Cleveland. Some of my favorite…read moreplaces are here including Urban Orchid floral, Cleveland Tea Revival and Beet Jar, though I frequent most of the businesses here and have unique love for them all. They're all owned by passionate, cool locals who believe in what they do. But mostly, this update is just to show appreciation for a few things I often forget about Hingetown- how dog-friendly every business is, the beautifully manicured living wall, and the fact that the Transformer Station (a satellite CMA location) even exists here. I mean, where else can you pet tons of good doggos, see world class art and grab lunch? Since the last time I wrote this, new businesses like Larder Delicatessen, Saucy Brew Works and Title Kickboxing have opened. I can tell the people behind Hingetown are really trying to continuously add and improve. Still 5-stars in 2018!

There are a couple cool businesses here. I go to some of them. I don't like calling it Hingetown…read more It never used to be called Hingetown until about a year ago. It feels unnatural for me to call it that. I guess that is how the Native Americans felt when they turned this land into the United States of America. This area was once Cleveland's Gaytown. It was anchored by Bounce. Other notable establishments were the Tool Shed and Man's World.

Incredible. Absolute must do in Cleveland. Whether you are hungry or just need something to do or…read moreboth. Reminds me of Reading in Philly for us Eastern folk. TONS of food to eat including both different types of food (popcorn, breads, pastries, pasta, MEAT, SEAFOOD I could go on and on. But also a lot of repeats (probably at least five different places to buy macarons for example. There are so many things to see and watch it is entertaining in its own right. We got coffee (with fun flavors, delish), a cheese roll (should have also gotten a pizza bagel from that place don't botch it like I did.) some pastries (good) and flavored popcorn (also good). Probably my favorite thing we did in Cleveland.

I love food halls and markets, and I always try to check them out when I travel, so I had some…read morepretty high hopes for this well-rated spot! Starting off with parking, there was some construction going on and I missed the first entry, there was nowhere to turn for the parking lot address I had on 25th St (turn on 23rd)! We ended up doing street parking but there's 90 min of free parking if you make it into the lot. Moving onto the main attraction: food! Most of the food is real market food for folks cooking at home. Think sausages, fish, various other meats, and pastas. There was a great deal on fresh made pasta near the front for $2.50 a bundle, but I was on the hunt for ready-to-eat lunch and those didn't quite hit the mark! I also saw a lot of baked goods (apple fritters, macarons, breads), fried foods (empanadas, hand pies, etc.), and sauces/dips. When it came to food options I actively considered, I narrowed it down to spring rolls, crepes, and gyros, but ultimately the gyros were priced really high ($16!) and we ended up dining at the West Side Cafe (which was great, I'll review that separately). Long story short: fun market to shop around if you feel like cooking a nice meal, not so fun for a lunch while you're out. Also I'm learning that there was seating upstairs, this was hard to spot while inside!

Tried out the new section of the Towpath Trail in the Tremont area and it is fantastic. Located…read morealong the ridge between Tremont and the Flats on the East Side of the neighborhood you can have a great walk and see some interesting sights. I started at the intersection of W.13th and University Roads, next to where Sokolowski's was located. Going North from this location the path winds down under some bridges to go down into the flats. Going the other way you will skirt along the residential areas of Tremont where there is a great mix of restored older houses and new modern residences. There is quite a bit of new construction going on and you will see some amazing properties. Looking across the valley you will have some great views of the Cleveland skyline and plenty of industrial activity. They have added some picnic areas with seating and grills. There are also some interesting signs and themed areas covering the bridges, Camp Cleveland (Civil War era), railroad roundhouse, and the industrial history of the flats. As you move further along you will encounter a series of sculpted hills next to I-490 that are designed to reflect the piles of materials that you see in the industrial areas of the flats. They provide a nice point to stop and look around and even to climb if you are so inclined; which gives you some interesting views. A great place for an interesting hike near to downtown. Plenty of dogs being walked, people stretching their legs and very bicycle friendly. They spent a lot of time, energy and money to create this section of the Towpath Trail and it has turned out quite well.

It's a shame how often I add a beautiful mural page to yelp and it gets blacklisted... not showing…read moreup in any of the searches. But I keep trying anyway hoping someday someone in the yelp chain of command will realize their significance. The part that annoys me most is there are PLENTY of pages on yelp dedicated to street art that DO show up in searches, but whenever I add a page, most times they do not. While street art is not technically a business, it sure can increase traffic to a business district. They are most often used to bring life to areas experiencing a revival of business. Miami based artist Tatiana Suarez proposed this design as a homage to Otis Redding and his last concert at Leo's Casino, one of the most racially integrated Cleveland night spots of its era. The owners of the building thought this idea was a perfect fit for their business - HAUSMALTS, a craft malting facility which provides grains to breweries & distilleries. An article I read on executivearrangements.com stated Tatiana wanted to remind us all of what is important and how music and art have the power to bring people of all colors together. THIS is why public murals should be celebrated. Not only for their beauty and ability to draw attention, but also for their universal messages. Anyways, if you are a fan of street art and happen to be in the Cleveland area, this is one not to be missed. Included is an informational plaque found on some of the newer murals which reads: Try a Little Tenderness While researching MidTown's neighborhood history, Suarez learned that singer Otis Redding's last performance was in Cleveland before his tragic plane crash. As a fan of Otis Redding, Suarez was inspired to by his song "Try a Little Tenderness." The mural includes a cardinal and carnation, the Ohio state bird and flower. The CLEVELAND WALLS! International Mural Program is a production of Worldwide Walls. Hosted in 17 cities all over the world, Worldwide Walls encompasses artists, photographers, and media partners from around the globe, forming a unique creative community built on the celebration and appreciation of art, music, and culture. CLEVELAND WALLS! 2021, a program of Worldwide Walls, was presented by the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation with generous support from Dealer Tire, hosted by MidTown Cleveland, and produced in partnership with LAND studio. You can also read more about the creation of this mural here: https://executivearrangements.com/murals-add-art-to-midtown-cleveland-buildings/

Wow, such an awesome event! A friend gave my fiancé and I some VIP tickets to the Bourbon Boxcar…read moretasting event this weekend and we both had a great time! The event was at Tenk on the west bank of the Flats and I think it was the perfect venue for it. The general admission line to get in was long and slow, but the VIP line moved pretty quickly! Lucky us. :D It started with a few displays showing water in a cave, wood and grains, along with a guide and prerecorded narrations on how bourbon is made..kinda cheesy and lame. Then we got our drink tokens and VIP wrist bands before boarding a replica boxcar where a cool guy gave an introduction for the event. Four companies were there: Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Knob Creek, and Basil Hayden's. Each person was given a token for a sample at each bourbon and two tokens for a bar drink. Samples and drinks were great and the place was packed! They also had a caterer serving up pulled pork sliders and biscuits with assorted spreads and toppings. Yumm! We had great night in the CLE! Thanks, Michelle!

You know, I'm not entirely sure if it was a Generation X thang, a local Chicago thang or a ME…read morethang... but back in the day it seemed as if you were either a Michael Jackson fan or a Prince fan, but not both. Sure, you could like and listen to the music of either, but you were firmly in one camp or the other. I was undoubtedly a PRINCE fan! My friends and I even renamed our neighborhood Paisley Park and called ourselves IG's, International Gigalo's in honor of his song Gigalo's Get Lonely Too; Although I must admit it was a peculiar and ironic title for a bunch of 13 year olds who didn't yet have girlfriends or even yet experienced their first kiss... LOL! We even tried purchasing Raspberry Berets as a group! (shaking my head in embarrassment) Ahhh, life in the 80's! Still it goes without saying Prince and his music remind me of a special time in my life just before high school and adulthood when things were much simpler... when you were more defined by the music you listened to than politics. When Doves Cry, Purple Rain, Let's Go Crazy and The Beautiful Ones were and still are amongst my favorite songs of all time. I wax nostalgic every time I hear any one of them! In my youthful defense, what was not to love? Even if you didn't fully appreciate his music you had to admire someone who taught themself to play piano at age 7, before learning the guitar at 13 and the drums at 14! It is even reported that he played a total of 27 instruments and is also said he wrote more than 1,500 songs, many of which were hits for OTHER artists such as: * Nothing Compares 2 U -- Sinead O'Connor (1990) * Jungle Love -- The Time (1984) * I Feel for You -- Chaka Khan (1984) * Manic Monday -- The Bangles (1986) * Round and Round -- Tevin Campbell (1990) * Love Song -- Madonna (1989) * How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore -- Alicia Keys (2001) MUSIC WAS SO POWERFUL from my generation. So many songs, beats and lyrics sound as fresh today as they did back then! The first wax record I ever purchased was Genius of Love. I was 12. Mariah Carey remade it in 1995 as FANTASY which was featured in the 2021 Ryan Reynolds film Free Guy, still sounding as amazing as it did 26 years earlier and 40 years after its original beat was created! FINAL THOUGHTS Like so many musical greats that were taken too soon, Prince Rogers Nelson left high heeled shoes that no one could ever replace! It was a joy to visit this mural. I think Alicia Keys said it best during his induction into the Hall of Fame: "There are many Kings! King Henry VIII, King Solomon, King Tut, King James, King Kong, the Three Kings... BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE PRINCE." 2023 / 21

Cleveland street artist Glen Infante has indisputably recognizable work. You can recognize his…read moreflair immediately with bold colors, shadow work and kitschy concepts. Only Glen could dream up a public art mural of Prince eating a donut. If you're not familiar with the Flats, this vast mural can admittedly be a little difficult to find. My regret is that it isn't in a more highly visible area, because this is one of my favorite murals, and I want more people to see it. If you're not from around here, try putting in a nearby business like the West Bank Golf Club and it should take you in that general direction. Trust me, you won't miss it. We love you, Prince! Enjoy your donut!

Free taking back Sunday concert???? Well 8 dollars for general admission. But that's nothing and to…read morebe expected for any festival. The lines for ribs are long but that's at each venders discretion. They have mostly just food and two stages at this event. There was even a wedding at the power house (I am pretty much positive they didn't like the free heavy rock concert). The ribs are 7 bucks for three ribs, can't remember half rack price, or 23 for a full rack. A full rack is a lot of food. A lot. Depending on vender the rib size varies. Worth a try.

This is a fun and vibrant neighborhood located in Cleveland, OH. Just a few things that can be…read morefound here: RTA stop, Guardians on bridge, West Side Market, Mitchell's Ice Cream, Jaja, Pins Mechanical, Tabletop, Market Brewery, Pioneer, Townhall... These are all a short walk from, located on Lorain or 25th.

Not to be confused with the Hawaiian town (Mahalo City), or a town full of gamers (A Halo City),…read morethis is a vital neighbourhood in Cleveland. One of the coolest and most exciting part of Cleveland, featuring all kinds of hipster stuff, with views and history, and best of all the really spectacular and genuinely authentic wonderful Global Food found at some of the stands inside the West Side Market which has to be pound-for-pound the best food market in the country. And one of the oldest too, so it's not even a new hipster invention unlike some of the stuff here in Ohio City. Also the excellent Liverpool Pub that serves the whole region is here which makes me happy. Parking can be hard but not as hard as you would expect. Speaking of hard. Oh never mind. I'm glad I'm finally alone and that nobody is near me. Oh. Hi. Oh.

It is hard to call this event an establishment, but you can and should go for it every Memorial Day…read moreWeekend, including this year, running from Friday to Monday, from 11AM to 10PM. This is a must-go, the most delicious, genuine, and crazy quality/price ratio you will find in the area - I'd just wish this festival would be extended from like... January 1st to December 31st? This is a work of love from the local Church community and the Greek American community, depending on volunteers. The lines are long, but worth it, but it gives you a one in the year (four, I guess, to be exact) chance to really enjoy a lot of great food, music, and crafts. Their saganaki is opa!-certified, the lamb shank is to die for - recommend to pair with the orzo or lemon roasted potatoes - and their desserts are out of this world - someone needs to drag me away from the galatkoboureko tray or I think I could eat it all. Please go, support the community, you will see you will keep coming back!

Just got back from the Greek Fest. I've been there every year for many years and I'm sorry to say…read moreit has hit rock bottom this year. I paid for a meal for three of us, handed the cashier a fifty and she said that will be 75 dollars. Out and out robbery and way more than the menu prices on the wall. The food was lukewarm, the lamb shank was undercooked and I found the grape leaves on the other side of the hall. A total ripoff.