"Miso Soup and Monkey Brains," July 2
The Raw Truth
Best sushi, bar none: I used to think I liked sushi. Now I love it! I've been to Ariyoshi six times in the past two months, and every time has been great! The sushi was always fresh and made with top-quality fish. The drinks are great too.
"C"
via clevescene.com
On the Waterfront
Clevelanders have a choice of lakeside visions: Cleveland City Planning Director Bob Brown heard from over 5,000 citizens at 200-plus public meetings spanning 32 months, in a process that culminated in the recommendation report "Connecting Cleveland: The Waterfront District Plan." And yet, after just a single public meeting for discussion of the Port Authority's plans for setting up operations at East 55th Street, he is willing to scrap major portions of the Waterfront District Plan — a plan evolved from public consensus — for a project that the Port Authority's own sponsored feasibility study casts doubts upon. The summary of that study states: "While these analyses maintain that there may be a potential from a transit time and relative cost perspective, and that diversion to a feeder service serving the Port of Cleveland at this time appears to have some merit . . . there are many key issues that need to be addressed in order for successful implementation," including but not limited to "seasonality of shipping, relatively small local Cleveland market for shipped goods, and lack of growth of the Port of Halifax capacities relative to other coastal competitors."
That hardly sounds like a ringing endorsement for an extremely costly plan that will radically and negatively impact the existing marina, the Cleveland Lakefront State Park, Quay 55, and the nearby Dike 14 Nature Preserve. I urge all readers to compare and contrast the vision of the Waterfront District Plan (planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/lakefront/) with the proposed 200-acre industrial site the Port envisions at the same location. Let's retain and enhance the existing access for boaters, fishermen, nature seekers, park visitors, and Shoreway commuters, rather than further limiting citizen access. Let's test the feasibility of container cargo handling at the existing facility before committing to this huge gamble. Once gone, this stretch of currently accessible shoreline will be yet another Cleveland treasure lost forever.
Ken
via clevescene.com
Tropical Tempest
Citizens urged to take action against problem nightclub: My father was raised in the Clark-Fulton area. It is a horrible shame what dirty politicians can do.
What needs to be done by the families trying to fight is to go outside your community, start rallying other cities and suburbs, and then contact the State of Ohio. There is a way to win. This city councilman, Joe Santiago, should be jailed for his seedy, underhanded politics. Get him impeached — it can happen. We deserve, as Northeast Ohioans, to have the City of Cleveland be something we're proud of. And don't look at Jackson to do anything. We, as citizens, have to do it.
"R"
via clevescene.com
Nothing to Envy: As a neighbor of Envy Lounge, I can relate to the plight of the Ventura family. However, the old cliché holds true: "There is always someone worse off than you." Much worse in this case. We are at least getting some resolution with the landlord, Ohio City/Near West, and now Mr. Santiago is objecting to the renewal of their liquor license!
The situation on Storer Avenue is a perfect example of how the disenfranchised become more so. In Ohio City, we are quite fortunate to have the resources, other than baseball bats and crowbars, to deal with problem bars. We have had tremendous support from Ohio City/Near West, the Envy landlords, certain officers in the Second District, and many "behind the scenes" city officials. It is indeed a pity that honest, law-abiding citizens like the Venturas are without the support and wherewithal that we "yuppies" have on the "right side of the tracks."
Tim Del Papa
Cleveland
