IKEA Could be Coming to Cleveland (Updated)
Update: Well, maybe not. Multiple reports out there today relate the news that IKEA has officially announced a store in Columbus in 2017. What that means for a potential Clevo location — not great news if you ask us — remains to be seen. *** (Original story: 12/19/14) — The PD’s Michelle Jarboe McFee reported this morning…
‘Sea of Blue’ Rally Planned for Saturday in Support of Police
Tomorrow, a concerted pro-police rally will convene at Public Square. The “Sea of Blue” event, organized by a Brooklyn police dispatcher, will act as something of a counterpoint to the weeks of marches against police brutality around Cleveland. Organizer Mary Jo Graves tells Fox 8: “They don’t go out every day saying, ‘I’m going to take…
Rock Hall Announces Special Events Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
For the 14th year in a row, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will host a free admission day in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 19, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The museum also has a day of special programming lined up. Visitors can enter for…
10 Eggnog Recipes that are Actually Good
Ah, eggnog. Nothing is quite as festive as this creamy classic made from milk, sugar, eggs, and booze. Here in America, we’re all about our eggnog. You could say eggnog is as American as George Washington. In fact, you could say old George invented the drink himself. Legend has it that on one particularly frigid…
Sweetie Fry Space in Cleveland Heights Claimed by Popular Chef with Large Following
For the past year, chef Eric Rogers has been cultivating a large and growing following at his South Euclid restaurant Nevaeh Cuisine (359 S. Green Rd.), which opened last winter. He’s amassed some 16,000 Instagram followers, he reports, thanks to his creative cuisine, which veers from Creole- and Cajun-style classics like jambalaya and gumbo, to…
Plucky Cleveland Cinemas Will Show “The Interview” at Tower City
Tower City wil be showing “The Interview” starting Christmas Day, according to a press release from Cleveland Cinemas. “After an out pouring of criticism from politicians, including President Obama, and a strong showing of support from independent exhibitors like Cleveland Cinemas, SONY has reversed their decision to pull the film,” the statement read. Last we’d…
Local Restaurateur Sentenced to Prison in Fraud Case Used to Prop Up Failing Eatery
On Tuesday, December 16, 2014, Andrew Zelenkofske of Chagrin Falls was sentenced to 36 months in prison for defrauding former clients of over $1 million. Local diners might remember him as the garrulous owner of Melange, which operated at La Place in Beachwood from 2007 until it closed in 2011. That space is now occupied…
Thief Steals New York Liquor Store’s Leg Lamp, Owner Roils With Unbound Fury
You can’t throw a bough of holly in Cleveland without hitting some store’s window display leg lamp — that iconic image of Christmas Story nostalgia and love. Same goes for other cities in the country too (there are other cities in the country?) In North Tonawanda, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo, this week, the owner…
Scene Podcast: No Sleep in the CLE With Ramon Rivas, Justin Markert, and Tony Madalone
Welcome to Episode No. 5 of No Sleep in the CLE. Here, hosts Justin Markert and Ramon Rivas are joined by Tony Madalone, the co-chair of Ohio Homecoming who is with us to talk about the second annual CLE ROCKS NYE, the New Year’s Eve event in Downtown Cleveland featuring E-V, Machine Gun Kelly and…
LEEDCo Picks Up Federal Grant for Offshore Wind Energy Production Design
This week, LEEDCo secured a federal grant for design work on the company’s planned offshore “wind farm” (see right, sorta), which will plant six turbines in Lake Erie to harvest the region’s fine winds and transform them into energy. The $2.8 million shot is a windfall for the market-based project, which has seen its ups and…
Tait Broke, Don’t Fix Him
Joe Tait has no idea who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, though he confesses to having heard LeBron James is back. Truth is, he doesn’t care. “I have not seen, listened to or been to a game since I retired,” Tait says over the phone one afternoon in November. He sees no particular reason to…
Ohioans Getting Scammed Via Fake Sugar Bowl Ticket Sales
These types of stories arc across the bow of regional news outlets now and then — a rise in ticket scams prior to a major game or concert. The latest round, aimed at those seeking tickets to OSU v. Alabama in the Sugar Bowl next month, comes with a set of consistencies worth watching out…
Here’s a Highlight Video of LeBron James Jr. (Yes, LeBron James Jr.)
Yes, the 4th grader obviously inherited some skills from dad. Yes, the Cavs could easily sign him and replace Dion Waiters and do just fine.
SPACES Names Thomas Starinsky As Its New Board President
Last week, SPACES’ Board President John Farina was named ARTneo’s next Executive Director. With the announcement came promise of more news from SPACES. While Farina has been actively involved in both organizations for years, his four-year term as SPACES Board President has reached its end. Last week, SPACES’ Board of Directors elected Thomas Starinksy as…
Ferguson Protesters Join Those in Cleveland for Weekend of Rallies and Marches
A contingent of community organizers and protesters from Ferguson, Mo., arrived in Cleveland over the weekend. They were met first with an intoxicated Motel 6 who literally assaulted them, but then went on to join the ongoing rallies around Cleveland. The tenor of the weekend was pretty similar to other protests since the Nov. 22…
Passing, Cutting and Defense: Cavs Put It All Together in 105-91 Win Over Grizzlies
When they film LeBron James’ life story and prodigal’s return, this figures to be the montage segment where, through teamwork and focus, the Cavs discover their inner Survivor song. That’s what we’re witnessing as the Cavs bounced back from an emasculating loss to the Hawks and a lackluster Brooklyn Nets win with one of this…
Listen: Ferguson Group Was Assaulted At Middleburg Heights Motel 6
Cleveland’s streets are hot with protests this weekend as groups from Ferguson, Missouri, join the local movement to demand justice for victims of police brutality. Charles Wade, an organizer from Ferguson, spoke to a gathered crowd at the Cudell Rec Center Saturday morning, in front of a memorial for Tamir Rice in the gazebo where…
Mike Miller Starts and Displays Midas Touch in Cavs’ 95-91 Win Over Nets
Mike Miller sent Coach David Blatt a thank you note last night for giving him the starting SG nod: Seven three-pointers. He was the Lone Ranger on a night when the Big Three went a collective 14-46 from the field. It was Miller’s first night back from a concussion suffered just over two weeks ago…
Big Week for Joe Thomas: Picking Up a Local Award As Well As Wisconsin Environmental Crime Charges
We now humbly offer congratulations to Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, who this week earned the Player of the Year award by the Cleveland chapter of the Professional Football Writers of America, as well as national headlines related to environmental trouble up in his native Wisconsin. “It’s pretty humbling,” Thomas said, specifically speaking to the former.…
11 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, DEC. 19 The Royal Southern Brotherhood Featuring Devon Allman and Cyril Neville There was a time in the ’80s when it seemed as if a different supergroup was born every day. You had Asia, the Firm, Traveling Wilburys, the Highwaymen. We could go on and on. Consider the Royal Southern Brotherhood, a group that…
11 Cleveland Bars Open on Christmas Day
Let’s face it: On Christmas night, after all the food has been eaten and all the gifts have been unwrapped, the one thing that’s left to be done is drink ourselves into a happy holiday oblivion. But what to drink? And, more importantly, where to go? Here’s a list of 11 local bars that will…
Local rockers Death of Samantha to Play ‘Holiday Hangover’ Show at Beachland
The post-punk group Death of Samantha disbanded in 1990 but decided to revisit its old songs and re-record them live in the studio before a 2011 reunion show. The resulting album, If Memory Serves Us Well, came out earlier this year to much fanfare. The guys are currently working on a new studio album and…
Meet the Pro-Slavery Fairview Park Auxiliary Cop
Aaron McNamara is a young auxiliary officer at the Fairview Park police department [Update: “was” an auxiliary officer with Fairview police; he resigned less than an hour after this story was posted], climbing up the law enforcement ladder as he finishes his college degree this semester with dreams of becoming a federal agent, he says.…
15 Adorable Pups Currently Up for Adoption at the Cleveland APL
Don’t be a heartless bastard this holiday season; give one of Cleveland’s rescued animals a warm and loving home. The Cleveland Animal Protective League has dozens of dogs and puppies, as well as cats, hamsters, and other furry creatures just itchin’ to go home with a new human friend. Think about it: Spot could be…
John Farina Named Executive Director of ARTneo, Plus More Announcements From the Last Board Meeting
At their last meeting of 2014 this past Monday, ARTneo’s Board of Directors made a number of exciting announcements. For starters, John Farina has been formally appointed as the nonprofit’s next Executive Director. Christopher Richards was also named ARTneo’s new Curator and Collections Manager, and gallerist William Busta has been appointed to the board as…
Alenka Banco Announced As New Executive Director of the Cleveland Arts Prize
After serving as Interim Director of the Cleveland Arts Prize since Sept. 2013, Alenka Banco was formally announced this week as the organization’s next Executive Director. She’s been a trustee since 2006, and stepped in as Interim Director after Marcie Bergman departed. The Board of Trustees’ vote was unanimous. During the interim period, Stuart Mendel,…
This Week’s “Scene Spotted” Happy Hour Hunt Winner Is…
“Scene Spotted” Happy Hour Hunt at The South Side
BuzzFeed Names Cleveland One of the Most Spectacular Places to Travel in 2015
Alongside Singapore, Romania, and Chile, BuzzFeed recently named Cleveland as one of the 16 most spectacular places to travel in the world for 2015. Via BF: This Midwestern metropolis has a shocking amount to offer, from gorgeous beachfronts on Lake Erie to the unexpected but beautiful Squire’s Castle, to outstanding cultural opportunities such as the…
Local singer-guitarist Jim Miller to Play Special Anniversary Concert at Music Box Supper Club
The JiMiller Band’s Jim Miller will celebrate 40 years of playing music on the local scene with a special concert. Miller, co-founder of the jam band Oroboros, will perform on Dec. 26 at Music Box Supper Club. “Jim has played an integral part in helping create and keep the jam music scene in Cleveland for the…
Local Punk Bands to Reunite for Mahall’s Concert
With so many people coming to Cleveland from out of town to visit relatives, the holidays are always a great time for old Cleveland bands to reunite. That’s the premise for Tuesday’s show at Mahall’s in Lakewood. Three punks bands that haven’t played together in years will get together for a concert dubbed Home for…
Cleveland’s Gay Nightlife Scene to Lose Pioneering Bounce Nightclub
For 13 years, Bounce Nightclub (2814 Detroit Ave., 216-357-2997, bouncecleveland.com) was the place to go for Cleveland’s LGBT community and those who loved partying with them. The dance club/restaurant/cabaret on the edge of Ohio City hosted campy drag shows, raging dance parties, and chill weeknights filled with friends and neighbors. All that is slated to…
Paramount Pictures Pulls ‘Team America’ Screenings, Including Upcoming Feature at Capitol Theatre
Against the backdrop of the ongoing controversy surrounding Sony’s upcoming film, “The Interview,” Paramount Pictures has decided to pull all upcoming screenings of “Team America: World Police.” That includes a June 2015 showing at the Capitol Theatre. See Capitol Theatre’s tweet below. Earlier in the day, @lkwdcitizen asked @CapitolW56th about the upcoming “Team America” screening. Soon…
15 Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Procrastinating Clevelander
Procrastinate much? We’re guilty too. Here are some local gifts you can purchase right now with minimal effort, ’cause we know that all you really feel like doing is grabbing another Christmas Ale and watching Family Guy re-runs on Netflix.
Smokin Fez Monkeys to Play Prosperity Social Club’s Winter Warmer Show
For five years now, Prosperity Social Club in Tremont has hosted a family-friendly holiday show between Christmas and New Year’s. This year, the party takes place from 8 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28. Smokin Fez Monkeys, a local band that plays old-time music, will perform. In addition to its regular menu of “upscale comfort…
Touch Supper Club Finishing Up Major Remodel to Ring in the New Year
For the past month, Touch Supper Club (2710 Lorain Ave., 216-631-5200, touchohiocity.com) has been closed while it undergoes the first significant remodel of its interior since opening. “It’s been the same since the place opened 15 years ago,” says owner Rob Ivanov. The majority of the work is taking place downstairs in the club, he…
LeBron James’ Wife Savannah to Open Juice Shop in Cleveland
Last year, in the downtown Miami neighborhood of Brickell, LeBron James’ wife Savannah opened a cold-pressed juice shop called The Juice Spot. She partnered up on the project with her personal trainer, David Alexander. Reporting soon after the opening, the Miami New Times wrote, “If opening week is any indication of what’s to come (think…
The Daily Show Talks About Andrew Hawkins’ Tamir Rice Shirt and the Cleveland Police Union’s Response
Last night, Jon Stewart dedicated the first segment of the Daily Show to talking about the rage against the rage, the anger of some, including the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association and Fox News, over protests going on in New York, Ferguson and Cleveland. “Stick to what they know best.” “Wait. We’re talking about the Cleveland…
Cavs’ Tepid Defense Leads to Hawks Blowout, And Now We Consider Trade Options
If you haven’t bothered to watch your DVR of last night’s 127-98 garroting at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, trust me: turn it off with five minutes left in the second quarter. That’s right around when the team did. Not that they showed much defensive intensity at any point in the game, but from…
10 Things Going on this Weekend in Cleveland (December 19 – 21)
As the chilly December winds whip through the city this weekend, enjoy some winter warmers at Whiskey Business on Friday, Scene Magazine’s premier whiskey tasting event of the season, followed by even more rounds at SantaCon, an Ohio City bar crawl on Saturday, where, yes, Santa garb is highly encouraged. Between drinks, hit up the last Third…
The Last Third Friday at 78th Street Studios of 2014 Has Plenty for Everyone
78th Street Studios is ending 2014 on a high note and hosting a bunch of holiday-themed exhibits and happenings on the final Third Friday of the year this week. On the first floor, the Cleveland West Art League (CWAL) and E11even 2 have both transformed their galleries into special holiday sales. CWAL’s Annual Members’ Holiday…
Video: Johnny Manziel Gets the Elf on the Shelf Treatment
Angry Browns Fan posts a whole bunch of Browns videos. Among those, most are funny, but none really hit the cute note quite like this one. Points definitely awarded for getting all the usual Johnny Manziel references into the vid in creative ways.
Backstage Pass: An Interview with Rock Singer Chubby Checker
Most famous for his 1959 hit “The Twist,” singer Chubby Checker has spent the past couple of days in Cleveland promoting his upcoming show at the Hard Rock Rocksino. He also made a run out to Mentor where Chubby Snacks Beefy Jerky is produced. Dubbed Rock and Roll to the Rescue, the benefit concert takes…
Cleveland Heights Officials Tell Their Side of the “Cop Draws Gun on Guy Whose Wife Was in Labor” Story
If you’ve been alive and looking at a computer or television screen in Cleveland the last two days, you’ve probably heard the story of the Cleveland Heights man who said that a Cleveland Heights cop pulled his gun on him after the driver finally stopped in front of his house. The cop had seen the…
Scene Podcast: Two Girls With Glasses on Gift Buying and Holiday Shopping
This week, Nikki Delamotte and Brandi McElhatten talk about the various holiday-themed fleas, bazarres, and other places to shop for the crafty gifts and handmade goods you’ll need before Christmas arrives. Subscribe to the Scene podcast on iTunes here. Download this episode here. Or stream below.
Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams is on Andrew Hawkins’ Side
“It is important to note,” said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams, in a statement, “that the comments made by Mr. Follmer do not represent the views of the Cleveland Division of Police.” Williams was responding to outgoing Police Union president Jeff Follmer’s public castigation of Browns’ wide receiver Andrew Hawkins for wearing a “Justice for…
Cleveland Chef Wins First Place at National Pizza Competition
Cleveland’s Michael LaMarca of Master Pizza has taken home first place in the U.S. Pizza Team Fall Trials competition which took place earlier this month in Chattanooga, TN. LaMarca’s winning pie, a four-cheese Popeye Pizza made with spinach, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, garlic butter sauce, and balsamic glaze, won him a trip to Italy in May to compete in the…
Cleveland’s Hofbrauhaus to Host Christmas Beer Keg-Tapping Party Tonight
If you haven’t yet stopped in for a drink (or two, or three) at Cleveland’s newly opened Hofbrauhaus, take a break from your holiday shopping and swing by tonight for a Christmas beer keg-tapping party. At 7 p.m., Jeff Kinzbach of Akron’s 97.5 WONE will tap Hofbrahaus’ own Festbier, an amber holiday lager made at the on-site…
Pie Powered: Stick to the Pizza and Wine and CHA Spirits & Pizza Kitchen Works Just Fine
Every neighborhood deserves a great pizza joint, even those neighborhoods that seemingly popped up over a long weekend. When it was built a few years ago, Battery Park was the largest housing development in the entire city of Cleveland. The $100-million community takes its name from the old Eveready Battery plant that called this patch of…
Film Review of the Week: The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies
There’s little any critic could say or do to en- or discourage you from seeing Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, now showing at theaters areawide. It’s the final installment in Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy and the final of six monumental films devoted to depicting (and re-writing) the Tolkien universe. By now, you…
Film Spotlight: Foxcatcher
It’s probably for the best if you don’t remember anything about the 1996 incident involving an Olympic wrestling champion and paranoid-schizophrenic millionaire John du Pont. But even if you know the outcome, the Foxcatcher is still a terrific new biographical drama. It arrives in theaters areawide on Friday. At the film’s start, we see just…
Nearly 500,000 Fewer Americans Will Pass the GED in 2014 After a Major Overhaul to the Test. Why? And Who’s Left Behind?
As he sits in a study room at Project Learn — a non-profit on Euclid Avenue that offers adult education programs — with sample questions for the GED (General Education Diploma) waiting on a computer screen, 29-year-old Derwin Williams explains why getting his diploma is so important. He wants to get into the construction trade,…
Band of the Week: Common Ave.
Meet the Band: Phrazes (vocals, production), Stoke (vocals, production) and Jordan M. (vocals, production) A Tale of Three Producers: The three members of this up-and-coming hip-hop group met in high school in Cleveland Heights. Phrazes and Jordon started working together first and then they brought “the kid” Stoke into the mix. “It’s a collective of…
Dark Star Orchestration: After a False Start, Mr. Gnome Regroups for its Terrific New Album
When the duo in Mr. Gnome, a fine local band that’s turned into a national act over the course of the past couple of years, set out to record its new album, The Heart of a Dark Star, it followed the same path it has for the past couple of albums: It took a handful…
The Rite Stuff: The Bad Plus Shows Off its Musical Range on its Two New Albums
On its latest efforts, Inevitable Western and The Rite of Spring, a take on the Stravinsky composition, the Bad Plus, a heady jazz trio with a young, open-minded fanbase, shows off the breadth of its musical ability. The group has been together for a good 15 years now, but to hear drummer David King tell…
Groove is in Three Hearts: Brit Singer-Songwriter Alex Clare Makes a Classic Soul Record
There’s a longstanding tradition of British musicians absorbing classic American R&B and soul music during their formative years and then going on to become famous. It happened with the Stones and the Beatles. And it’s certainly the story with up-and-coming singer-songwriter Alex Clare. With his new album, Three Hearts, Clare, who is Jewish, establishes himself as…
Comedy and Other Light Matters: Ahead of a Slew of Holiday Shows, Mike Polk Jr. Talks Johnny Manziel, Frank Jackson and Booze
Mike Polk Jr. has somehow convinced the other members of Last Call Cleveland to continue working with him, which is a nice thing, both for Mr. Polk and us. You’ll have a couple of chances to catch the comedy troupe or Polk on his own in the coming weeks, and since it’s been awhile since…
The Magical Babysitter is Back in Mary Poppins at Beck Center
Beck Center certainly has the magic touch when it comes to holiday shows. In recent years, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan and Annie have been luring in families in droves, filling the main-stage house with patrons who are really easy to see over if you’re seated behind them. Those short human beings, reputedly children,…
From the Source: Phoenix Coffee’s Christopher Feran Travels to Ethiopia
Trace the lineage of the Arabica plant and all roads lead back to Ethiopia. That country’s coffee heritage makes it a destination for sourcing trips by roasting aficionados eager to immerse themselves in what remains to be one of the country’s largest exports. As Ethiopia began its latest harvest season, Phoenix Coffee Director Christopher Feran…
Loren Naji Reopens his Ohio City Gallery for a Special Exhibition Benefiting the Homeless. One Catch: You Have to Help Out Before You Check In
Last May, authorities raised both eyebrows and concerns throughout the region when they raided, and later shut down, Loren Naji’s Ohio City gallery during two consecutive receptions. That gallery has now been closed for more than six months. It will reopen its doors on Saturday, Dec. 20, for a very special cause. Warm HeARTS for…
