Welcome to America's finest city!
We fueled our nation's Industrial Revolution and we gave the world rock & roll. So yeah, we're kinda famous. But don't let our understated greatness frighten you. We're glad you're joining us in celebrating the vast bounty of Northeast Ohio.
The Big Book of Cleveland is designed as a sort of welcome mat with words and pictures, and one we hope you will not actually walk upon. It's specially formulated for newcomers hoping to learn all they need to know about life in our humbly magnificent metropolis. But it's also a handy reference for the rest of us: the shut-ins, dweebs, newly sprung convicts, and those who prefer to bask in our region's countless treasures from the comfort of their easy chair. Yes, there's a heck of a lot to discover out there, and we'd love to be your tour guide!
As you begin to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings, various inevitable questions will arise: What do people like me do for fun around here? Are East Siders better than West Siders?
Is there food? And where is the restroom?
Answers to some of these questions and more await you on the pages that follow. Thank you for joining us on our tour of beautiful Northeast Ohio. It's The Big Book of Cleveland — c'mon, let's have some fun! — Your Pals at Scene
* How We Came to Be So Fabulous: A brief history of human life in Cleveland (PDF)
* A Word About Segregation: The unvarnished truth about life in our fair city
* So You Think You Know Us?: Try our Cleveland quiz and learn how wrong you are
* The Important Stuff: Celebrating Cleveland’s cultural jewels
* The Creative Crowd: A snapshot of Cleveland’s ever-thriving arts scene
* Where the Action Is: Getting to know our hubs and hoods
* Sound + Stage: A literary tour of our classical music and theatrical hotbeds
* How Do We Rock?: Why Cleveland became the world’s rock & roll capital
* Play On, Player: Your guide to clubland in C-Town
* Mud, Sweat & Gears: When it’s time to exercise, head in these directions
* How to Eat: Where genuine Clevelanders go for grub
* The Tastes of Cleveland: Great food is everywhere around here. Here’s our guide to the greatest
* Whatcha Need?: Scene readers’ picks for the best places to buy stuff
* Where’s the Party?: The next celebration is always just around the corner