More Closures During Shoreway Construction to Induce Traffic Headaches For Weeks/Months
Update: Those shuttling up and down the Shoreway on any regular basis have surely noticed and cursed the construction that started last week and will continue through November. (Those details below in our original post.) What they’ll see soon is another resounding headache courtesy of ODOT. The PD’s transportation guru Ginger Christ shared this morning…
Cleveland-Born Singer-Songwriter Alisa Apps Claims Rap Mogul Jay-Z Stole Her Song, Files Lawsuit
An avid music fan, singer-songwriter Alisa Apps grew up in Cleveland and has aspirations of becoming a pop star. But when her parents didn’t support that dream, she packed her bags and left town, moving first to Miami and then to Los Angeles to pursue a career. “Music was my number one love, but my…
Public Square Architect ‘Anticipated’ Bus Traffic Being Phased Out
[image-1]Mayor Frank Jackson’s insistence that Public Square not include bus traffic is picking up steam — despite the $50-million city centerpiece renovation being completed already — thanks to architect James Corner’s totally chill admission to Cleveland.com that “We always anticipated that one day it might close anyway.” Who knew? Corner goes on to tell Steven Litt…
Photos: A Glimpse into the Life and Times of Speak In Tongues
_psEmbed(“http://kenblaze.photoshelter.com”); Scene would like to thank Ken Blaze for providing the photos that accompanied our oral history of Speak In Tongues this week. Check out the gallery here and see them in the magazine, on streets all over town today, as well.
‘Whatever Happened Happened’: An Oral History of Speak In Tongues
Like the act its name describes, the underground music venue at Lorain and West 44th, Speak In Tongues, represented an otherworldly mindset. What happened there, exactly? Chaos and invention. Performance art, music and theater. Freakouts and unnamable subterranean weirdness. There were lots of cats and plenty of cat piss. Exploding meat. Fireworks. The grit of…
Goo Goo Dolls Bassist Reflects on the Alt-Rock Band’s 30-Year Run
Alt-rockers Goo Goo Dolls sold truckloads of albums in the ’90s when they delivered radio 14 Top 10 radio hits, including “Name,” “Slide” and “Iris.” But they didn’t always have such a radio friendly sound. When the band first formed in Buffalo in 1986, its music sounded harsher, perhaps reflecting the city band members called…
Actress Juliette Lewis to Bring Her Retooled Rock Band to the Grog Shop
Following an eight-year break from touring, actress Juliette Lewis reformed her rock group the Licks and just finished a sold out European tour. Now, she’s set to kick off a 20-plus North American tour. She’s just recorded the disco-influenced new single “Hello Hero” and has an EP due out in the coming weeks. We spoke…
Buckeye Brewfest to Debut at This Year’s National Hamburger Festival
[image-1]In our humble opinion, Northeast Ohio can’t have too many beer festivals. So we’re excited that this year’s National Hamburger Festival will introduce Buckeye Brewfest, a one-day Ohio beer festival included with the cost of admission to National Hamburger Fest. The beer festival will feature 10 Ohio-based breweries from Akron (Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Ohio…
Councilmen Jeff Johnson, Zack Reed Hammer Frank Jackson on WCPN
Cleveland City Council’s bash brothers, Jeff Johnson and Zack Reed, appeared on WCPN’s Sound of Ideas program Tuesday morning to offer perspective on the recent rash of event cancellations in Cleveland. Prior to the much-decried cancellation of the 28th annual Gay Pride Parade, announced last week, Jeff Johnson had canceled the 39th annual Glenville Festival…
East Cleveland Appoints Members to Annexation Commission
At a special East Cleveland City Council meeting Monday night, three members were appointed to a special annexation commission that will serve as the East Cleveland contingent on official merger talks with the city of Cleveland. Andrew Jackson, Chris Glassburn and Sandra Morgan were appointed after an application process and interviews by city council. In…
R.I.P. Arthur Mahall, Son of Mahall’s Founder and Local Legend
It was with a heavy heart yesterday that our friends at Mahall’s reported the death of the venue’s longtime leader and guiding soul, Arthur Mahall. He was 90. “Art ran Mahall’s with his family for decades, after taking over the business from his father in the late-1950s,” the Mahall’s team reported. “He was a legend,…
Cleveland Heights Mainstay Colony to Close; Tavern Company to Relocate into Space
For decades, the Colony has been a fixture of the Cedar-Lee neighborhood of Cleveland Heights. That history ends this coming weekend when the business will close its doors. But this saga has a surprising and satisfying twist. Chris Armington, longtime employee of the Colony, and current owner of the nearby Tavern Company, has purchased the…
Indians Trade Deadline Moves and Draymond Green — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
On the MLB trade deadline, Twitter expertise, football junkies and avoiding Snapchat mistakes. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Mughal Empire Art Lands at Latest CMA Exhibition
Continuing its 100th anniversary celebration, the Cleveland Museum of Art presents its latest Centennial Exhibition, Art and Stories from Mughal India. Stretching from the Indian subcontinent into Afghanistan, the Mughal Empire ruled for more than 300 years, from the early 16th century until the arrival of British colonial rule in 1857. The Mughal Empire is…
Veteran Alt-Rock Acts Help Lollapalooza Celebrate 25th Anniversary
To mark its 25th anniversary, Lollapalooza, the annual alternative music fest that takes place at Chicago’s Grant Park each year, brought back a couple of veteran headlining acts that performed at past Lollapaloozas for this year’s event, which took place this past weekend. That proved to be a wise decision. Red Hot Chili Peppers and…
Valley View is Latest Local Movie Theater to Get Luxury Recliner Overhaul
As of this week, the local AMC locations at Westwood Town Center and Ridge Park Square will no longer have the market cornered on luxury leather seating at the movies. Cinemark’s Valley View Theater, the region’s biggest and glitziest, will introduce the Cinemark “Luxury Loungers” in four theaters as early as tomorrow (pending an inspection).…
Ohio Appeals Court Deemed Abortion Restrictions Unconstitutional
[image-1]An Ohio state court of appeals ruled that regulations controlling Capital Care Network, the last remaining of the previous three Toledo abortion clinics, were unconstitutional. The case goes back to 2014, when Capital Care sued the state after the Ohio Department of Health rejected a written transfer agreement it had negotiated with the University of Michigan…
Pop Rock Act Wild Child to Headline This Year’s NEOCycle
A bicycle and outdoor lifestyle festival held on September 10 and 11 at Edgewater Park, NEOCycle features six unique races and rides and celebrates cycling in Northeast Ohio. The event will feature a build-out from Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike Park, BMX shows, stand-up paddleboard races and demos, a kid’s zone, a beer garden and Cleveland’s…
No Kevin Bacon, Of Course, But “Footloose” Leaves Them On Their Feet at Porthouse
The 1984 movie Footloose became a cult favorite among teens and young twenties, not only because it showcased a rebel with a cause standing up for his right, and displaying victory over misguided-adults, but because of the performance of Kevin Bacon as Ren McCormick. Rumor says that the then 26-year-old Bacon was so intent on…
Rapper Machine Gun Kelly to Perform at House of Blues in November
Better known as Machine Gun Kelly, Cleveland-based rapper Richard Colson Baker has had a busy couple of years. Last year, he dropped General Admission, the long-delayed follow-up album to 2012’s Lace Up and played a few special local CD release shows when the album first came out. The album did well in its first week;…
Zaytoon to Bring the Fresh Flavors of Middle Eastern Cuisine to the Halle Building
A year and a half ago, David Ina and his parents Ghada and Albert opened Al’s Deli (1717 E. 9th St., 216-589-9223) on the main floor of the Residences at 1717, formerly the East Ohio Building. That popular deli is one of the few places in town where a diner can order a corned beef…
Cedar Point Announces the Mean Streak Is Going Away For Good Next Month
Say goodbye to the Mean Streak at the end of the 2016 coaster season: Cedar Point has announced the coaster will have its final ride on September 16. The record breaking ride first opened May 11, 1991, and had the tallest lift and longest drop for a wooden coaster in the world. Since opening, the 25-year-old…
Video: ‘Sharknado 4’ Blew Up the Perry Nuclear Power Plant
Ohio made a cameo in the latest installment in the Sharknado film series, Sharknado 4. R.I.P. Perry Nuclear Plant, thanks to a lightning-nado, captured in this super shaky and badly framed Instagram video. #sharknado4 goes Nuclear A video posted by @mink4cgs on Aug 1, 2016 at 6:02am PDT The mass destruction even got a shoutout…
People Make a Pride Parade, Not the Other Way Around
It’s been a rough summer and it wasn’t made any better last Thursday when the Board of Directors of Cleveland Pride, Inc. announced that they were canceling this year’s Cleveland Pride Parade. The only reason for the cancellation mentioned in their press release, “Because of the changing social climate…” is inscrutable at best. What social…
Seafair is Splitting Up
The headline sort of says it all, but here’s the latest announcement from our pals in Seafair: Sad news, friends. After 5 years, we have decided to go our separate ways. Our final show will be Aug.27th at Great Lakes Burning River Fest, so dont miss it! We also apologize to the people who booked…
Alternate Celebration Planned for Day of Canceled Cleveland Pride Event
Last week’s announcement by the board of directors of Cleveland Pride that the 28th annual event, scheduled for August 13, had been canceled sent shockwaves through Northeast Ohio. There was anger and sadness aplenty. If Cleveland could safely host both the RNC and the Cavs victory parade, how could it not adequately provide protection for…
Browns Training Camp is Finally Here — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Dre and Zac get you ready for Browns training camp with a discussion on expectations and classic characters of camps past. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Video: Machine Gun Kelly’s Grossest Tattoo Story
It was gross, but it was worth it. Machine Gun Kelly told Cleveland native and comedian Dave Hill all about it. Here's @machinegunkelly telling @mrdavehill his grossest tattoo story. (It's really gross) https://t.co/Esb5fGuf4M — TOMOBrokerage (@TOMOBrokerage) July 29, 2016
World Rallies Around Canton Gay Couple That Received Anti-Gay Letter in Response to Accidental Wedding Invite
Remember that story from the spring where a gay couple from Canton inadvertently sent a wedding invite to a wrong address and received a nasty piece of hate mail in response? The letter promised that an “anti-gay group” from the Akron-Canton area would be attending the wedding to protest. “Like it or not this is…
7 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, JULY 29 Hillbilly Casino Last year, Nashville’s Hillbilly Casino opened a nationwide tour for rapper Yelawolf. Though the rockabilly band plays with a punk DIY edge that would make Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent proud, the group went over like gangbusters. Local rockers the Whiskey Daredevils, who just completed a new album with producer…
Decent Promo Vid for ‘Cleveland Hustles,’ Premiering Next Month
Cleveland Hustles, the LeBron-James produced CNBC original series premiering next month, will bring four new businesses to the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. Focusing on Cleveland’s spirit of entrepreneurship and its blue-collar heritage, the promo above hints at the upcoming show’s vibe and look. As evidenced almost immediately, the Cleveland boosterism is getting a little stale these days,…
2016 Cleveland Pride Parade Canceled
The 28th annual Cleveland Pride parade, scheduled for Saturday, August 13, has officially been canceled by organizers who cited the current climate, without outright referencing violence toward the LGBTQ community, for the decision. “We have been entrusted by our community to create a secure parade and festival environment for our LGBTQ brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers,…
Donald Trump Supporter Shot During Political Debate At Cleveland Bar
[image-1]It seems that pro and anti-Trump activists waited until after the RNC to get violent. Paul Jones Jr. was shot in the thigh at Winston’s Place on East 131st Street and Miles Avenue Monday evening after getting into a heated political discussion with an unknown male. WEWS reports that Jones, a black Vietnam War veteran…
Former Judge Angela Stokes Got Her Law License Back
[image-1]Angela Stokes, who for two decades reigned as one of the worst Cleveland Municipal Court judges ever to exist and who more recently had found employment at Chick-fil-a in Strongsville, had her law license reinstated by the Ohio Supreme Court today. It was part of deal Stokes had struck with the court stemming from a…
Here’s the Calendar of Programming and Events on Public Square Through the Rest of the Summer
A calendar full of plans of events we can expect to see on the new and improved Public Square has been released. “It’s already a the shining star, and I believe it has the opportunity to continue to shine, to continue to impress, and continue to be that place where our community gathers in a…
A Giant Outlet Mall on Lakefront Property Downtown? Cleveland Must Be Insane to Consider It
News last week, first reported by the PD’s Michelle Jarboe, that a company called Horizon Group Properties was pitching an outlet mall in Cleveland to potential retailers, sent tremors, by express mail, to the Scene newsroom. What — we inquired in our inside voices — on earth? The outlet mall is “under development,” on the…
Animal Sedative Influx into Heroin Chain Brings Staggering Overdose Increase
With the latest update that more than 230 people have overdosed on opiates in Akron this month, it’s becoming impossible not to confront the new scourge that investigators are zeroing in on: an influx of animal tranquilizers into the Midwest’s heroin supply network. This is heavy-duty stuff. Two extremely potent drugs are have cropped up…
Today in East Cleveland Ludicrousness
Via Peggy Gallek at the East Cleveland city building, where every penny is literally and desperately needed and no threat, no matter how unfounded, is beyond uttering: Cannot charge your cell phone in the East Cleveland city building. pic.twitter.com/tV1nxVz6jP — Peggy Gallek (@PeggySinkovich) July 28, 2016 Not to be outdone, an East Cleveland judge has…
GroundWorks DanceTheater Delights at Cain Park
The indoor-outdoor Alma Theatre was seasonally comfortable in mid-July with almost all of the seats full on opening night of GroundWorks DanceTheater’s 14th annual performance at the hilly, tree-covered Cain Park. What the participants didn’t know was that the almost always proficient Groundworks Dance Theater was about to let loose with what assuredly was one…
Second Annual FireFish Art and Music Festival to Take Place in Lorain in September
Held last September in Lorain, the inaugural FireFish Festival, a music and arts festival that featured visual art installations and fire performers, reportedly drew 10,000 attendees. “Our 2016 event promises to be bigger, better and even more exciting than last year’s FireFish Festival, which provided a glimpse of what is possible in the reimagining of…
Bad Moms, Bad Movie
If you manage to stay in your seat for the duration of the film, Bad Moms will prove to be slightly better than its first 20 minutes suggest. That’s not saying much, however, given that the first 20 minutes feature some of the most vapid screenwriting since last year’s hellacious The Boy Next Door. Mila Kunis…
Sunday’s Royal Babes Ball at Mahall’s to Benefit Local Women’s Shelters
The Royal Babes Ball, a benefit celebration for local women’s shelters in Cleveland, will spread good feelings and hopefully collect some much-needed cash on Sunday at Mahall’s. There’s a $5 suggested donation at the door, though they also provide a list of items to donate as well, including everyday necessities such as: bed sheets, pillows,…
Now Open: 811 from the Red Restaurant Group
811 (811 Prospect Ave., 216-298-5111), the newest addition to the Red family of restaurants, which includes Moxie and Red Steakhouse, will open to the public today at 3 p.m. For a detailed preview of the restaurant, click here. The casual “modern American” bar and grill features a broad range of creative but approachable fare. There’s a…
Singer-Guitarist Steve Earle and Singer-Songwriter Shawn Colvin Bring Their ‘Crossed Harmonies’ to Music Box
Last year, as singer-guitarist Steve Earle was in the midst of two-hour concert before a capacity crowd at Music Box Supper Club, he made a comment about getting kicked out of a blues band when he was 13. He said his 2015 album, Terraplane, a straight-up blues offering, was essentially a way of commemorating the…
Veteran Alt-Country Singer-Songwriter Elizabeth Cook Delivers Compelling Collection of Personal Songs
Given that country outlaws tend to be men (think Willie and Waylon and Merle), it’s refreshing to see singer-songwriter Elizabeth Cook garner some attention. She’s cut from the same musical cloth. With her new album, Exodus of Venus, she delivers another collection of personal songs. This time, they document the tumultuous past six years of…
A Bitter Breakup Inspired the Songs on Rock/Pop Singer LP’s Latest Album
In 2012, when rock/pop singer LP (Laura Pergolizzi) was set to perform at Lollapalooza, she ran into a bit of bad luck. A massive thunderstorm forced an evacuation of the park. “In the spirit of my crazy career, it was the one Lollapalooza that got rained out,” she says via phone from Los Angeles where she…
Playhouse Square’s “Cinema at the Square” Starts Tomorrow
[image-1]Starting tomorrow at Playhouse Square and for three consecutive weekends, you can see classic films on the “largest non-IMAX screen” in the state of Ohio as part of the annual Cinema at the Square movie series. Now in its 19th year, Cinema at the Square has become a Cleveland summertime staple. Whether it’s a date…
Everything We Saw and Thought at the Shaw Festival in Canada, Which You Should Definitely Go To
Walking down Queen Street, the main shopping boulevard in beautiful Niagara-on-the Lake, during the third week of July, was like being in downtown Cleveland. Cavs championship t-shirts and Indian’s garb were worn by many of the strollers. Our Toronto friends shared that in almost every play they attended, their neighbors on one or both sides…
Feds Join Suit Over Ohio Voter Registration Purge
[image-1]The groups trying to undo the state’s purge of tens of thousands of Ohioans from voter rolls because of failing to vote or confirm home addresses have a powerful new ally in their court fight — the U.S. Justice Department. The legal battle erupted in April when the Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute and the…
Crop Kitchen, Chef Steve Schimoler’s Uptown Bistro, is Closed
[image-1]After Tuesday night, chef Steve Schimoler’s portfolio of restaurants has been reduced by one. Crop Kitchen, the spin-off of the popular Ohio City eatery Crop Bistro that opened at Uptown a year and half ago, has closed. Although Schimoler confirmed the news he did not elaborate on the reasons behind it. That spot, tucked behind…
Coventry Village to Host Star Wars Tribute Day on August 6
On Saturday Aug. 6, plan to grab your tattered brown robes, face paint and your favorite colored lightsaber for the Coventry Village Star Wars Tribute Day. The idea: a Star Wars-themed day of events for fans of all ages. Festivities kick off at 2 p.m. at P.E.A.C.E. Park, located at the corner of Euclid Heights Blvd.…
Viggo Mortensen Delivers Compelling Performance in ‘Captain Fantastic’
In the opening scene of Captain Fantastic, the new film from writer-director Matt Ross, Ben’s (Viggo Mortensen) teenage son Bodevan (George MacKay) sneaks through a thick forest as he tracks and kills a deer. Ben guts the thing and hands Bodewin the heart, which he then eats. Ben then tells him he has now crossed…
Important Bike Trails Coming to Cleveland, Thanks to Federal Metroparks Grant
The good news keeps rolling in for Cleveland. With the announcement of an $8 million Federal grant yesterday, the Cleveland Metroparks will immediately begin construction on four miles of bike trails that link downtown Cleveland to the waterfront. Among them: a trail that links the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail to Wendy Park (praise the Lawd!);…
Downtown Cleveland Alliance Unveils Art Box Mural Series Throughout Downtown This Morning
After months of planning, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance (DCA) and its City Advocates Program – in partnership with Crown Castle, the nation’s largest provider of shared wireless infrastructure – will officially unveil their “Connections That Matter” Art Box Mural Series at an official ceremony this morning. The project features nine designs by local artists. Utility…
On July, Cigars, Josh Gordon and Snapchat — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
It’s summertime in Cleveland, so Andre and Zac are discussing July, cigars and another chance for Josh Gordon with the Cleveland Browns. Subscribe to the A to Z podcast on iTunes here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Trump’s Word Dump: Pricey Talk and Cheap Feelings at the #RNCinCLE
In the rush to declare “winners and losers” of the Republican National Convention, the city of Cleveland came out overwhelmingly on top in the headlines. “We were promised a riot, we got a block party instead,” wrote the Washington Post, while the L.A. Times documented the post-RNC “victory lap” taken by Cleveland’s business and political…
Somara Theodore
Somara Theodore doesn’t think of weather forecasting in terms of simply predicting highs and lows. Rather, she’s interested in it as an applied science. And her interest in the weather actually dates back to her youth. “I saw the movie Twister and said, ‘Mom, I want to be inside the storm too,” she says one…
Jacqueline Greene
Like many Clevelanders, Jacqueline Greene is catching her breath a little bit after the conclusion of the RNC, but just for a moment. As a coordinator for the National Lawyer’s Guild Ohio chapter, Greene worked through the convention, and will continue working beyond, to help ensure that civil rights remain protected as they intersect with…
Stefan Was
Three years ago a guy with zero restaurant experience decided to open a bar in a habitually vacant building a half mile from civilization. To say the odds were stacked against him is an understatement of grand proportions. But that bar — Porco Lounge & Tiki Room — is approaching a million dollars in annual…
Jason Estremera
Jason Estremera attributes his keen fashion sensibilities to his mother. “My mom is the quirkiest lady you’ll ever meet,” says Estremera, who grew up in the Chicago suburbs. We’re talking one afternoon at Trunk, his men’s clothing store in Detroit-Shoreway. “We were the kids in the minivan being dropped off at school, and my mom was listening…
Steven Caple Jr.
After a glitzy premiere scheduled for Aug. 3, The Land will hit local theaters, and audiences should be prepared for the illest film about Cleveland ever made. Have you heard of it? The Land chronicles the life and times of four teenage skateboarders who turn to slinging drugs to escape their dead-end lives. It’s directed…
John Douglas
If you’ve been to the Grog Shop in the past 11 years, you’ve seen John Douglas. Often sporting a sleeveless T-shirt, backwards ball cap and grizzled goatee, Douglas holds court as security detail at the storied eastside music venue. The Grog Shop has gotten out ahead of a lot of big names. “We had Bruno…
Tim Tramble
Because he’s only 45 years old, it should come as a shock that Tim Tramble has been the executive director of Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc. for 16 years. It’s the community development corporation in Kinsman, ground zero of Cleveland’s “forgotten triangle” on the eastside, and Tramble has devoted his life to its resuscitation. …
John Stahl
A few days before Scene meets up with Jon Stahl on the roof of his office-boat on Lake Erie, he was crawling beneath a cemetery in Erie, Pennsylvania, eating spiders and trying to locate a geocache item. This is not an unusual weekend story for the adventurous Cleveland businessman. Here on the boat, Stahl runs…
Trevor Elkins
Is Newburgh Heights’ mayor Trevor Elkins a radical? It’s worth asking of the 44-year-old politician, a man who has been mayor of the small blue-collar community just south of Cleveland since 2011, and a man who plans on being a name to know in politics for many years to come. As a member of the…
June Ryan
Rear Adm. June E. Ryan is the top dog in the U.S. Coast Guard’s 9th District, an eight-state region that stretches from Massena, New York — right on the Canadian border — to Lake of the Woods, North Dakota, up past Duluth. Though there are several women in leadership positions in the Coast Guard, Ryan…
Youssa Ben
When he was just 15 years old, Youssa Ben’s family and friends and neighbors knew the best place to get their hair cut wasn’t up at the corner barbershop, it was at Ben’s house. More specifically, it was in Ben’s mother’s basement, where he began chopping hair partly because of his little brother. “I picked…
Kelly Novak
Before she worked for Planned Parenthood, Kelly Novak was a patient. In fact, after her very first visit to a clinic, she knew she was destined to be a part of this organization: “In the rear-view mirror I saw the logo on the side of the building. I decided right then and there that I…
Band of the Week: The Del Rios
MEET THE BAND: Dean Cohen (guitar), Skylar Keffer (bass), Austin Latare (drums), Will Robinson (guitar) DEAN’S LIST: The Del Rios were formed in 2013 from the Del Rio Bandits, an instrumental cover band that had come together in 2008. The Bandits came together as a band that would cover a wide range of late ’50s…
The Very Rev. Tracey Lind
A stained glass sign that hangs outside Tracey Lind’s office at Trinity Cathedral simply reads, “The Dean.” The Very Rev. Lind, however, isn’t your ordinary dean, and Trinity Cathedral isn’t your average church. Rather, Lind acts more like a community liaison, and, since her arrival at Trinity in 2000, the church has been so much…
Rising Star Chef: Bridget Austria, Sous Chef at AMP 150
Bridget Austria has found a place she can always come home to. Before stepping into her role two months ago as sous chef at AMP 150 at the Marriott (4277 West 150th St., 216-706-8787, amp150.com), Austria broke away from the restaurant more than once. It continued to call her back. “I left the nest, but…
Lisa Malanij
Detroit-Shoreway was the perfect atmosphere to foster the creativity of 29-year-old Lisa Malanij when growing up. The neighborhood, of course, looked a little different back then, in the 1980s and 1990s, before it was home to the Gordon Square Arts District. But Malanij had plenty of inspiration at home. Her paternal grandfather, Bohdan Malanij, was…
Ensemble Cast Combines for Woody Allen’s Best Effort Since ‘Midnight in Paris’
In Café Society, sexual predator Woody Allen’s 47th feature film, opening Friday in limited release, young Bobby Dorfman (Jesse Eisenberg) arrives in Hollywood hoping to score a gig in the film industry with his hot-shot agent Uncle Phil (Steve Carell). It is the glamorously sunlit 1930s, and Uncle Phil is forever away on business or…
Loung Ung
When award-winning writers describe themselves, it’s best to step aside and listen. “I’m tiny,” says Loung Ung. “On a good day with short heels, I’m 5-foot-2, and after a lot of beers I come in at a buck-fifteen, so it’s really hard to make an impression among the people in Washington, D.C. I only have…
Film Spotlight: American Ghost Hunter
Filmmaker Chad Calek now hunts ghosts for a living. But he wasn’t initially obsessed with paranormal activity. “I grew up in a family where [the paranormal] wasn’t spoken about,” he says in a recent phone interview with Scene. “I was a complete atheist. I had no belief in the other side.” In the film American Ghost…
The 2016 People Issue
Meet 29 of our favorite Clevelanders
Marcus Alan Ward
Earlier this July, Marcus Alan Ward performed an album release show at Beachland Ballroom to celebrate the new material on Little Sunshine. The show sold out, and the album, performed in its entirety, is a highlight for the local music scene this summer. Listen: Ward is a forward-thinking guy in a town that increasingly rewards…
Savage Love: INTERABANG
Dear Dan, I’m 28 years old and live in the Midwest. I’m intersex, but I identify as female. I am not out about being born intersex. Due to surgeries and hormones, I look like a fairly attractive female. I have been hanging out with a chill hetero guy, and things are getting very flirty. Is…
The 2016 People Issue
Every year when the time comes around to plan the annual People Issue, we are awash in reminders of just how beautiful this city and region really are. The issue is a chance to highlight Clevelanders who are working every day to make the city better, to drive it forward, to contribute to its successes…
Myra Rosario
“Mic check: 1 … 2 … 3,” Myra Rosario says into the mic clipped onto the collar of her blue-and-white summer dress. Seated on the stage in Studio B at WKYC, she is preparing for an interview of a local non-profit for her show, Yo Soy Latino Cleveland. The guest is late and there is…
Sondheim’s ‘Assassins’ Impresses at Near West Theatre
“There’s Another National Anthem, folks. For those who never win … for the ones who might have been.” A line from a Trump election advertisement? No, it’s from the Stephen Sondheim, John Weidman musical, Assassins, now on stage at Near West Theatre. Assassins seems an ideal script for this time of year, as the Republican National Convention…
Ali McClain
“I put myself in three boxes,” says Ali McClain from the conference room of the West Side Community House, where she runs a summer camp for girls. “I’m a poet. I’m a youth advocate. And then I’m also an arts coordinator.” In that third box, McClain co-founded the local artists’ collective, Acerbic. She describes it…
Omar Humphrey
Before he came to Cleveland for the 2015 International Association of Blacks in Dance conference, Omar Humphrey didn’t even know Verb Ballets existed. He grew up in Dallas; he graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in modern dance earlier in that year; he’d done tours in Austria; he’d spent time living in…
Amy Schneider
With Cleveland’s burgeoning renaissance comes a natural affinity for healthy living and active lifestyles. Cleveland Yoga, in Beachwood and Cleveland’s Uptown neighborhood, has been on the forefront of the revolution, as more Northeast Ohioans adopt active living practices and seek personal improvement. The yoga studio, which includes dynamic teacher Amy Schneider, is leading the charge…
Veranda L’Ni, Thomas & Kenny Mucha
Just about a week after Lizz Winstead, comedian and co-creator of “The Daily Show,” appeared as a guest on the Tit for Tat podcast, she was in Cleveland for the RNC and an event with Lady Parts Justice, a group of comedians and writers using their particular skillsets to fight for women’s rights. In the…
Deidre McPherson
Deidre McPherson As a self-proclaimed museum geek, someone who collects coffee mugs and magnets from the museums that she visits, it’s little wonder that Deidre McPherson found a career that matches her passion. Since just after MOCA Cleveland opened its beautiful new home on Euclid Avenue in the Uptown neighborhood, McPherson has served as the…
Rafael “El Alcalde” Hernandez-Brito
“People think Hispanics only love soccer,” says a laughing, smiling Rafael Hernandez-Brito, by way of introducing his career. Hernandez-Brito, also known affectionately as Rafa El Alcalde — “The Mayor” in English, a name he received from a colleague — has been the Spanish voice of every professional sport under the sun and stadium lights: soccer,…
Erin Huber
When we caught up with Erin Huber, she had just landed in Tanzania and was waiting to take a 9-hour bus ride to continue her trek to Uganda. The Northeast Ohio native and Detroit-Shoreway resident was once again on a journey to Africa, one that really began some seven years ago. “My first few weeks…
Ronnie Dunn
“Rarely do we talk about it, or our public officials acknowledge it,” says Ronnie Dunn. “It” is probably one of the dirtiest words in the American English lexicon. “It” is race. Dunn, a veteran, professor of urban studies at Cleveland State University and Cleveland native, has spent a lifetime studying race. His knowledge is encyclopedic…
Indigo Bishop
Training for legal observers. Community gardens. School uniforms. A documentary film about hunger and poverty. Feminine hygiene products for underserved girls and women. Accredited CPR training. Exterior home improvements. All these projects are currently being funded in Cleveland through ioby (“In Our Backyard”), a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that brings community projects to life, in the…
Seti Martinez
The outside temperature is 91 degrees Fahrenheit and Seti Martinez is standing, as he has been almost daily for 15 years, inside a metal box on wheels. That would be brutal enough, but that metal box also happens to contain a smoking-hot griddle and two bubbling deep fryers, causing the internal temps to climb well…
