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.

OK! So our gravity hill is a local oddity where if you put your car in neutral (this requires that…read moreyou dead stop on a city road) then you will roll "up" the hill really slowly. then when you get to the "top" you will crest the "hill" and go down the "hill". haha Don't look for the ticket booth, you are on a city/countryish road. It is not a store. They do not have beer. There is nothing there except you and the hill. Turn "north" onto king memorial and it is the first "hill" Try to stop when you get to the black mailbox. but seriously don't be unsafe. The cops will be unhappy, and the whole thing in general is not a good idea, but if you do a search for it online it is a real thing. Much funner as a youth with screaming teenagers. Now 20 years later it's still weird. Why did I give it 5 stars???? IDK cause it's GRAVITY HILL!!!

While the inaugural lighting was held on Friday, December 6, 2013, this display is a work in…read moreprogress and expands every year. You can view the house beginning at 7pm the Friday after Thanksgiving through January 1, from 5-11PM. This display stays true to the movie. The house is covered with 250 stands of lights; 100 bulbs per strand; for a grand total of 25,000 imported Chinese twinkle lights. They also have Santa, the eight tiny reindeer, and the Merry Christmas sign, Uncle Eddie's RV, the pool model and a pile of "trash" with remnants of the Griswold's festivities (the charred chair, the shredded sled, the burnt tree). They even have a radio station (102.3 FM) that plays songs and sound clips from the movie. It is free to view the display but they accept donations. All the donations go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides Walk in Akron, which they have participate in each May (Team name is: The Griswolds). Visitors can donate at a drop box in their front yard. Or if you don't have any cash, there is a QR code on the sign at the display that you can scan and it will also take you directly to the donation website. It does not take much time to go through the display and contrary to what you may see online, the display is only outdoors. There is no indoor portion. You want spend much time at the house, but it is still an amazing site. I love the "ditto" lights on the neighbors house. We spent about 20 minutes there. We were thorough. Some people just do a drive-by, but since we came all the way from Indianapolis, we made the party last a bit longer. Please keep in mind that their neighbors must be really cool, but be courteous and do not park in, turn around in or block their drive ways. Also turn your lights off when you approach the house. This is a great thing, operated by great people, for a great cause. I highly recommend stopping by and getting some of the Christmas spirit, even if you are not familiar with the movie.

I've always loved big markets having grown up in the middle of many in Pennsylvania. I recently…read morevisited Cleveland and friends made sure we started a Saturday here. It was a highlight of the trip! The market is right downtown in a gorgeous old building, make sure to look at the ceilings. There are public parking areas all around outside, but it does get busy. There are also side buildings and outdoor stalls nearby, so be sure to check them out. Inside is rows upon rows of amazing local vendors with food to enjoy there, or many items to buy and take home. Meat counters, fresh vegetables and fruit, sauces, Middle Eastern food, Greek, Mexican, Gyros, sandwiches, baked goods, salads and so much more are all over. Even stalls that repeat the same types of items have their own unique spin and history. It's busy, with people everywhere looking and enjoying their purchases. Prices are reasonable, especially how fresh and local everything is. I bought a bunch of small things to eat while we walked, together we bought shishkabobs and steak to enjoy at home the following day. It's a great place to shop local!

Visiting West Side Market on day two of my trip confirmed a few things for me:…read more 1. Cleveland is seriously underrated as a city. Food and architecture are two areas where it deserves far more recognition, and this market showcases both beautifully. 2. I'm coming back. 3. There is absolutely zero chance I stay in a hotel next time. I need a place with a kitchen. When I return, I fully intend to walk through this market, buy from no fewer than 10 stalls, and somehow end up preparing enough food for 25 people--even if it's only my family of four. The specialties here are endless. The uncooked pierogies nearly broke my heart because I had no way to take them home and cook them myself. Sausage lovers will be in heaven, and beyond that, you'll find incredible produce, fresh fish, quality proteins, and a wonderful representation of the many cultures that make Cleveland what it is. All of this is housed inside a historic building with stunning architecture that makes the experience even better. Pro tip: Climb the stairs to the second floor for an incredible bird's-eye view of the entire market. It's the perfect way to appreciate just how special this Cleveland landmark really is.

This is a very difficult review to write. I am torn between two extremes…read more On the one hand, Little Italy is the one location in Cleveland I have loved my entire life. I still have fond memories of my dad and I going to the feast when I was just a little boy. I have frequented every establishment in Little Italy and LOVE them all. On the other hand, maneuvering through the traffic, finding parking, or using the valet service has become absolutely intolerable. Even the police officer directing traffic didn't help. After trying to find a way to park for nearly 20 minutes we finally had to call the restaurant and cancel our reservation after explaining we could not park. I don't know how to fix this nightmare, but until they do I believe dinner is out. We'll have to settle for lunches... and keep our fingers crossed.

I traveled down the historic brick streets of Little Italy in Cleveland, Ohio today. It was a…read moreparticularly beautiful scene as I drove down the streets with snow coming down in front of me. Fortunately, the ground was warm enough that it wasn't sticking too much. This made driving quite manageable, and I had no issues. From the stately church on Mayfield Street to the well-worn buildings with character carved in entry ways and window facings, you will enjoy the opportunity to drive or take a stroll through the area and just drink in the ambience of what is Cleveland's little Italy Moreover, if you have the opportunity to stop and take some time, there are great restaurants and fantastic stores to experience, including the flower shops and the mom and pop eateries and stores that line the streets and make the area so endearing. I will be back with my family when I have the opportunity to bring them with me. For now, I enjoyed it tonight alone as much as one can do when traveling for medical reasons and also work. This area is adjacent to the Cleveland Clinic campus downtown on Euclid Street - Which I would add is one of, if not the best healthcare locales in the world, as far as I'm concerned. I'm very grateful for that too.

Great museum, the interactive exhibits are amazing. I really enjoyed the evolution rooms…read more Definitely geared towards the kiddos, they seemed to be having a blast. Cafe is also definitely geared more towards the kids tastes compared to other museum cafes in the area, which makes sense. Lots of chicken tenders, grilled cheese, burgers, etc. Some of the animals outside did seem kind of anxious, which made me feel a little sad for them. Lots of pacing. However I think it may be because it was their feeding time.

I've been to Cleveland a few times now and I usually stop by the nearby Museum of Art, but I…read moreFINALLY decided to check out this spot today and I had so much more fun! I've been to my fair share of natural history museums, and while this one is compact, it is very modern and packs a punch! When you enter, you're immediately greeted by a giant dinosaur and that set the tone for the whole visit, I felt like I kept seeing dinosaur bones everywhere! It took me a moment to orient myself to the museum layout, but looking back it's pretty compact and I could've easily wandered and enjoyed most of the museum in a couple hours. I especially enjoyed how interactive the earth section was, and this is silly but sit on those rock-looking cushions - they are SO comfortable! The little planetarium area was also very cool, and I would consider seeing a show in there next time! The dioramas are by far the most beautiful/engaging I've seen, and with between the fish video cave and the outdoor animal area, I felt like I also got a mini trip to the aquarium and the zoo. Overall I had an amazing time and this spot is super baby/toddler friendly! Note: If you have ASTC membership, admission is included! As a non museum member, I'd recommend street parking. It's much cheaper than the flat rate garage fare.

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/

The efforts made by this group has made an icon of the city of Cleveland. The wonderful murals…read morearranged for and created by them are visible throughout the region. Hopefully other cities will follow their lead.

I visited Graffiti HeArt this past weekend after seeing their new mural on Instagram. It was a…read morequick bike ride from downtown (passing through Asiatown for treats, of course!). They give artists a platform to share their murals and street art across the city. Most of the eye catching art around the city was made possible by Graffiti HeArt! Their HQ building itself is a mural, titled "Beautifully Destroyed". Another mural shines right behind, facing East 49th. It was completed in August by Beau Stanton and features the iconic Cleveland Guardians of Traffic. Check out their website for a list of current street art (http://www.graffitiheart.org/walls/) for a perfect socially distant adventure!