Nano Brew to Double in Size But Will Remain Small at Heart
Three weeks ago Mike Nowak announced that he was pulling up stakes and relocating his two-year-old Black Pig to the former Light Bistro space. Today we are learning what will take its place. All we really had to do to find the answer, though, was to look next door. Nano Brew, which opened right after…
Scene Podcast: Music and Comedy With Ramon Rivas and Justin Markert (Aka: No Sleep in the CLE)
Hello, internet pals. We’ve got some new podcasting talent to introduce to you today. But you probably already know them. Welcome to No Sleep In The CLE with Cellar Door’s Justin Markert and Chucklefck’s Ramon Rivas. It’ll be a weekly show where the two (and a guest, in the future) will discuss music, comedy and,…
Urban Explorer Films Abandoned Chippewa Lake Amusement Park
We’ve highlighted before the spooky abandoned property of Chippewa Lake amusement park. Like other long forsaken amusement parks in Ohio, there’s something simultaneously depressing and alluring about these sights. This week, urban explorer and Cleveland-area home inspector Marko Vovk published a video from his time wandering the grounds in Medina County. It’s a bleak sight,…
Here’s a Menu From the Hotel Winton in 1920 and the Kitchen Helmed By Chef Hector Boiardi (Yes, Chef Boyardee)
Last week’s fascinating feature story by dining editor Doug Trattner on restaurant menus as important historical artifacts brought out plenty of fun items in a show-and-tell sort of way. Among the coolest dispatches: This 1920 menu from the Hotel Winton in Cleveland passed along by @coolculinari. Why’s it important? The Hotel Winton kitchen was led…
NorTech and Team NEO Will Merge Into New Regional Economic Development Organization With New Focus
Little can be gleaned from the news, which broke Monday night, that regional economic development organizations NorTech and Team NEO will merge. The restructuring has been painted, by the civic and philanthropic leaders manning the “Regional Competitiveness Council,” as the first step in a strategy to bring more jobs to the region. The merger had…
Spend Christmas in Cleveland’s “A Christmas Story House”
We triple dog dare you to make your Christmas a bit more magical this year by placing a bid on a two-night stay in the original A Christmas Story house over the holidays (plus a one night stay at Cleveland’s Renaissance Hotel). Beginning Dec. 1, movie fans across the nation will place their bids in hopes…
Cavs’ Second Half Shooting Turns Pelicans Into Clay Pigeons
Cleveland’s musketeer trio – Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and LeBron James — scored 61 of the team’s 67 second half points, and overcame an overall inconsistent defensive effort to beat Anthony “The Brow” Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans 118-111 last night. James in particular was fantastic, finishing with a triple-double – 32 points (13-17…
Pedestrian Bridge Funding Hits Snag and Spurs Frustrations
The downtown booster cry du jour — the idea that you can get anything done around this city if you just cite the 2016 Republican National Convention — is already crumbling. The pedestrian bridge, designs of which are being touted publicly this week, is facing a potential funding hiccup over at Cleveland City Hall. Based…
Cuyahoga County Expected to Borrow $168 Million to Spruce Up Government Buildings
Yesterday, Cuyahoga County’s wildly boring Finance and Budgeting Committee deliberated over $168 million in tax revenue bond debt that would fund a number of building improvements and construction projects around the county — with at least one marquee item being the $1 million worth of sprinkler heads at the Juvenile Justice Center, aka the Juvenile…
“Scene Spotted” Happy Hour Hunt Winners
Congratulations to the first “Scene Spotted” Happy Hour Hunt winner’s, Catherine Marquard & Brian Horowitz! Who’s Next? Stay tuned for info about the next Scene Spotted on Instagram and Twitter! Related Stories
The Cleveland Orchestra Heads to Slavic Village for 2015 Residency Program
The Cleveland Orchestra’s residency program is among the cooler things of an organization that perpetually does cool things, and next year, it’ll be heading to one of Cleveland’s best neighborhoods: Slavic Village. The origins of the residency program trace back to hot dogs, naturally. Orchestra members began playing at the Happy Dog after flutist Joshua…
9 Local Christmas Ales Every Clevelander Should Know About
For beer aficionados, the holidays mean two things: Christmas ale and plenty of it. Whether you’re a casual drinker or a chap who needs it to get through the holiday season, we’ve got you covered with a list of brews to try this year. Did we miss one of your favorites? Toss your brew of…
Artists Archives of the Western Reserve Launches Publication to Define the Narrative of Local and Regional Art
After five years of hard work, the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve (AAWR) is finally ready to debut its most comprehensive publication of local and regional art to date. The Archives Speak: Insights and Images of Ohio Artists features portraits, biographical and career information and examples of the artwork of more than 60 archived…
Cleveland Man Found Burning On Top of Metro-North Train in Connecticut Has Died
Brian McClellen, a 21-year-old Cleveland-area native, has died at Westchester Medical Center in New York after being found Sunday morning on fire on top of a New York City-bound a Metro-North train in Connecticut. Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Aaron Donovan says McClellen suffered burns over about 85 percent of his body. The railway line is unable to explain…
Watch: Progressive’s 100th Ad with Flo
Check out Progressive’s latest ad with Flo. This is the 100th commercial featuring the auto insurance company’s iconic, perky saleswoman, played by actress and stand-up comedian Stephanie Courtney. In it, you get to meet Flo’s family, “Klumps” style (all of them portrayed by Courtney herself). The folks from AdAge say that the commercial would be…
Rapper Jeezy Delivers an Energetic Set in Front of a Sold Out Crowd Last Night at House of Blues
Under normal conditions, the parking garages on Euclid Avenue across the street from the House of Blues cost no more than ten dollars for a stay lasting longer than one hour — even during most events. Last night, the price to park doubled to $20 — meaning that there must be a huge deal of…
Marco Benevento’s New Songs Shine at Beachland Tavern
Marco Benevento and his dynamite band showed up at the good ol’ Beachland on Friday — his “home away from home,” he says — and threw down a fine two-setter that showcased their new songs and, ipso facto, Marco’s foray into singing. First off, if you’re unfamiliar with the New York pianist and his spot…
Cleveland Named Among Nation’s Best Coffee Cities
For decades, Cleveland’s been hailed as one of the beer brewing meccas of the Midwest (and rightfully so), but now, it seems, folks are also paying attention to another type of home brew: coffee. In fact, just this month, Cleveland was named in Travel and Leisure’s list of America’s Best Coffee Cities, and with more, and…
Theater Review: Tingle Tangle, from Theater Ninjas
“What I love is the taste of transience on the tongue, every year might be the last.” In that quote, German film and theater actor and director Max Reinhardt was speaking about the fragile Weimar Republic. And if you’ve ever wondered what Weimar-like transience felt like, it is on full display in Tingle Tangle, now…
Cavs’ Rocky Mountain High Peaks Early, But Still Enough to Burn Nuggets
There’s only one ball, and early in this Cavs season, its distribution has produced more drama than CBS. The Cavaliers would rather do without the drama, favoring an approach more like The Learning Channel, which they took a step toward during last night’s 110-101 victory over the Denver Nuggets, which included a brilliant 38-point first…
Scene SportsCast: Hoyer’s Contract Status, Josh Gordon’s Imminent Return, and More
This week, Craig Lyndall and Will Burge chat about the Browns’ convincing victory over the Bengals, what that means for Brian Hoyer’s contract status, the imminent return of Josh Gordon, and LeBron’s message to Cavs fans to “relax.” As always, subscribe to the Scene podcast on iTunes here. Download this episode here. Or stream below.
$13 Million Larchmere Streetscape Complete, Jackson Touts Investment in Neighborhoods
Thursday evening was wet and cold and prematurely dark, but Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson was all smiles as he attended a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of the $13 million Larchmere Streetscape Project. In addition to the complete repaving of Larchmere, MLK Jr. Drive and four area streets — not to mention a new…
Enter nuCLEus: The Massive Downtown Development Project of the Hour
Remember when everyone was talking about The 9, like, three minutes ago? Well, now we’re all abuzz with caffeinated talk about nuCLEus, the new high-powered downtown development project unanimously approved by the Planning Commission this morning. Brought to the city by Stark Enterprises (famous for Crocker Park and decidedly not a sendup of Stark Industries) and…
10 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, NOV. 7 Marco Benevento The last time Marco Benevento came to Cleveland, he played an exciting version of “At The Show,” a new original tune that actually had lyrics (a Benevento non-entity at the time) and one that would eventually show up on his new album, Swift, released back in September. It’s a great…
Cleveland Animal Protective League is Offering Up Kittens and Cats For $5 Today and Tomorrow
If you’re looking for the purr-fect time to bring home a furry friend, now may be it. The Cleveland Animal Protective League is currently offering up adult cats and kittens for just $5 after reaching a critical capacity level at the Tremont adoption center. Via the Cleveland APL’s Facebook page: The center took in almost…
Cleveland City Council May Amend Non-Discrimination Ordinance to Accommodate Transgender Community
Next week, Cleveland City Council members will debate new language in the city’s non-discrimination ordinance. The marquee item — one that the local trans community has been continually fighting for — is the ability to use public restrooms that match someone’s gender identity. The ordinance, which will be discussed during a Nov. 12 committee meeting…
10 Mac ‘n Cheese Creations to Try in Greater Cleveland
It’s a well known fact that cold weather = comfort food. And what’s more comforting then hot and creamy mac and cheese? Here are ten delicious local renditions that will carry you through the cold season.
Appeals Court Upholds Ban on Gay Marriage in Ohio, Other States
A three-judge appellate panel upheld Ohio’s ban on same-sex marriage today, almost certainly setting the stage for the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the issue of marriage equality once and for all. Thirty-four states now allow same-sex marriages. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals 36-page majority ruling, which upheld bans elsewhere in Michigan, Kentucky, and…
Comedian Jim Florentine Slated for Four-Night Stand at the Improv
Inspired by loud mouth comics like Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Kinison, comedian Jim Florentine, who starts a four-night stand at the Improv tonight, began doing standup comedy in the early ’90s. When he first began performing in Cleveland, downtown was still in the midst of its Renaissance. “I started coming to Cleveland in 2002…
Rocky River Recreated the LeBron/Nike “Together” Ad Before Tomorrow Night’s Playoff Game
Well done, River. Of course, this means you’ll get blown out tomorrow night. Hat tip to Cleveland.com.
Let’s Look at the Three Design Concepts for that Pedestrian Bridge over the Shoreway
Today, the Group Plan Commission released three design concepts for the pedestrian bridge that will connect downtown (Lakeside Avenue) to North Coast Harbor (Rock Hall, etc.). Public officials are hoping to gather public reaction to the designs, because, like everything in Cleveland these days, this thing has to be built in time for the Republican…
“Scene Spotted” Happy Hour Hunt
On the day of the “Scene Spotted” Happy Hour Hunt, the events team member shares the location GPS coordinates through Instagram and Twitter starting at 5:30 p.m. Enter the GPS coordinates into your phone to find the events team member. Additional clues will be given, if needed, through Twitter until the team member is found.…
Barroco Grill Launches Renovation Project to Add Seating, Improve Space
When Juan and Carlos Vergara opened Barroco Grill (12906 Madison Ave., 216-221-8127) in Lakewood back in 2011, the pint-sized café had all of 12 seats. Little did the father-and-son team know that they would unleash a near insatiable demand for their warm, crisp and corny Colombian arepas. Before long there were waits for a table but…
More Retail! More Apartments! More Hotel Rooms! Quarterly Stats from the Downtown Cleveland Alliance
The Downtown Cleveland Alliance has released its report for the third quarter of 2014, and it’s exploding with rosy updates and projections for downtown retail, residences, businesses and hotels. In addition to 18 new retail establishments — due in part to The 9’s resort-like influence on E. 9th — and a 95 percent occupancy rate, the report…
Machine Gun Kelly Talks About Making his Acting Debut
After wrapping up his fall tour on Halloween, rapper Machine Gun Kelly hopped on a plane and flew to Los Angeles for an audition and then immediately flew to Cleveland where he’s been shooting a music video for his new single. He’s spent the better part of today promoting Beyond the Lights, a forthcoming film…
10 Things Going on this Weekend in Cleveland (November 7 – 9)
Kick off this weekend with a cocktail or two at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s monthly MIX event, before heading downtown to see TV personality Alton Brown live at the State Theatre. Saturday brings a boatload of events to greater Cleveland, including a show by the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, one of Isreal’s most prominent dance…
Ribbon-Cutting Set for Warehouse District’s Small Box Initiative
Later today, amid unfortunate gloomy weather in downtown Cleveland, the big ol’ ribbon will be cut in front of the shipping containers in the Warehouse District — those tiny shops under the Small Box project aegis. Located at West 6th and St. Clair, the three shipping container-style businesses open up a new commercial frontier for…
Usher’s Return to the Q Receives Warm Welcome
When R&B singer Usher initially announced his UR Experience Tour, his first major tour in three years, he issued a press release documenting the incredible success he’s had during his 20-year career. He’s sold some 50 million albums and won eight Grammys. He’s had something like 15 Top 10 hits. But we all know that…
Bomba, New Taco Concept From Paladar Group, to Launch in Rocky River
Despite the fact that Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar employs 400 staffers at six locations in four states, many Clevelanders know only of the original restaurant at Eton Chagrin Boulevard. That’s perfectly fine with founder Andy Himmel because he’s more than happy to have cultivated a loyal following at his seven-year-old Latin-themed eatery in…
Nickelback Announces Blossom Date for 2015
Hated by critics and yet still massively popular, bro-rockers Nickelback have just announced the details of their North American tour in support of their new studio album No Fixed Address (out Nov. 17). The 61-date tour kicks off in February of next year and comes to Blossom on Aug. 4. Members of the band’s fan…
Cavs Game 4 Recap: Defense Finally Checks In, But Still Underemployed
Call it a moral victory, even though that means jack shit. The Cavaliers may have lost to the Utah Jazz last night 102-100 on a last-second Gordon Hayward shot, but at least the Wine and Gold fought back after 30 minutes of defense that made Ed FitzGerald’s gubernatorial campaign seem inspiring by comparison. Over the…
Red Wanting Blue to Launch Cathedral Concerts Series
The Columbus-based alternative rock band Red Wanting Blue (pictured) has played a number of different venues (House of Blues, Musica, Grog Shop) on various trips to Cleveland. But not one of them is as unique as Trinity Cathedral, the historic church located on Euclid Ave. On Dec. 5, the band will launch a new concert…
Songwriter/pianist Andrew McMahon Delivers Enthusiastic Performance at House of Blues
Andrew McMahon is no stranger to Cleveland: His former bands Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate have always made the city a staple of their tours. Now a solo artist playing under the moniker Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, the songwriter/pianist continues to play Cleveland on a regular basis. His fans certainly reciprocate the love: Last…
Finally, Poorly, the NEOMG Explains the Kasich Video Debacle and Chris Quinn’s “Error in Judgement”
At 7:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, PD reader representative Ted Diadiun published a lengthy explanation and mea culpa for the NEOMG’s disastrous handling of a gubernatorial endorsement interview video which was posted to, and then removed without explanation from, Cleveland.com. In his column, Diadiun said that the video was removed because VP of Digital Content Chris Quinn…
ICYMI: Watch the Chagrin Falls Pumpkin Roll 2014
The annual Chagrin Falls Pumpkin Roll took place this past weekend, and locals came out in droves to partake in the festivities, which, if you’re unfamiliar, includes rolling hundreds of pumpkins down Grove Hill, then sledding down after the gourds in their trail of slippery slop. It’s quite a scene to behold and minor injuries are…
Kasich Wins Governor Seat, FitzGerald Wins National Acclaim for Worst Campaign in America
In a landslide victory with a 30-point margin where Ed FitzGerald also lost his home county of Cuyahoga, a traditional Democratic stronghold, John Kasich won another term as Governor of Ohio and will likely soon set his sights on a possible presidential run for the GOP. Meanwhile, Ed FitzGerald, who will hand over the keys…
Loren Naji Launches the Satellite Gallery in Waterloo This Weekend
Despite ongoing legal trouble in regard to his Ohio City gallery’s distribution of alcohol at opening receptoins and its (lack of an) occupancy permit, Cleveland’s most “infamous” gallery owner of the last year, Loren Naji, is finally ready to unveil his latest project, the Satellite Gallery, which he’s been working on since before those troubles…
Cavs Game 3 Recap: The Guards Can’t Keep Their Problems From Passing Them By
Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters put up less resistance last night in Portland than the French in WWII. They looked dafter than the guards from Monty Python trying to keep the Blazers’ Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews (combined 48 pts, 8-18 from 3) from having their way. Even when Lillard and Matthews didn’t score, the…
Film Spotlight: Big Hero 6
One important side effect of Big Hero 6, the new Disney animated film which opens areawide on Friday, is the extent to which it makes science and tech cool. College kids becoming superheroes to fight bad guys in a futuristic San Francisco-Tokyo hybrid would seem to be enough, plotwise, to secure the attention of most 6-…
The New Indian: Choolaah Indian BBQ Aims to Reframe the Cuisine in Northeast Ohio
For the past 12 months, those traveling along busy Chagrin Boulevard near the I-271 off-ramp have followed the construction process at Choolaah Indian BBQ. But other than the name, very little was known about the concept. That’s because the principals behind the scenes have been quietly at work developing a genre-busting eatery that will revolutionize…
Why I’ve Stolen Over 1,000 Menus and What They Can Teach Us About Cleveland Cuisine
The Watermark restaurant in the Flats closed a dozen years ago, but I can still tick off every appetizer on its outgoing menu. Marotta’s has been chugging along for well over a decade in Cleveland Heights, but I know right down to the penny how much they charged on opening day for a plate of…
Opportunity Town: The City’s New Director of Equal Opportunity Chats One Month into the Job
Cleveland’s Office of Equal Opportunity was created in 1977 to ensure that minority- and female-owned businesses were given a fair shake when it came to city construction contracts. Last month, Mayor Frank Jackson swore in Dr. Melissa K. Burrows to direct the office. She arrives at City Hall by way of Case Western Reserve University,…
Fall Preview: Chefs Weigh In On Their Favorite Dishes of the Season
Of all the changes autumn brings, the best might be the hearty new restaurant menus. With the peak of the harvest season behind us, restaurants are making the transition to the rich, comforting flavors of fall. We asked chefs what special ingredients they’re cozying up to as the temperatures cool down. One Red Door |…
Blast from the Past: Singer-songwriter JD Souther Digs Into His Deep Tracks for His Current Tour
The ‘80s were a time of “MTV dominance,” as singer-songwriter JD Souther, puts it, so why not take the opportunity to take a vacation. That’s what Souther did. “I’d never really taken any long time off and I just thought, ‘Well, I’m going to take a decade or so and just enjoy my house and…
Power Pop Purists: After 25 Years, Sloan is Still Going Strong
When the power pop group Sloan formed in Halifax in 1991, there was a thriving indie rock scene. Hard to believe that such a remote part of Canada would have such a vibrant scene, but Sloan singer-drummer Andrew Scott says the environment helped bring the members of Sloan together. “There was a very fertile music…
Soul Survivor: Jeezy Gets Personal on ‘Seen It All’
Rapper Jeezy (Jay Wayne Jenkins) has had to overcome a number of obstacles in his life. His parents divorced when he was still a child, and he has reportedly lived on the streets since he was 12. He chronicles some of that past on previous releases, but he digs deep on his new album, Seen…
A Perfect Number: Dana Depew Collects 19 Artists at Red Space
This weekend, one of Northeast Ohio’s most respected artists and gallerists makes his long-awaited return to curating. Opening this Friday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m., Dana Depew’s latest incarnation of 19, a group exhibition at Red Space inside Hotcards’ World Headquarters, features an all-star roster of the area’s robust talent in the visual…
Band of the Week: Ginger Pangas
Schooled in Rock: Ginger Pangas, 19, started singing with School of Rock in Cleveland a few years ago, when she was still in her mid-teens. It was a bit of shock to go into local bars and clubs. “It was very different for me,” she says. “I was used to being in choirs and things…
Dance of Death: A Dying Woman is the Focus of the Powerful, Splendidly Performed Woman and Scarecrow
If you’re on your deathbed and there’s a big crow in your closet trying to get out, that’s probably not a good sign. Crows have been a symbol of death in many cultures, probably because they are fond of feeding on carrion. In Woman and Scarecrow, now being produced by the Mamai Theatre Company, a…
Don’t Call It a Throwback: Fitz and the Tantrums Have Benefited from a Shift in their Sound
It would be easy to think of retro-leaning rockers Fitz and the Tantrums as a throwback. When the band came together in 2008, frontman Fitz had put the group together to record “Breakin’ the Chains of Love,” a song he had written on an old electronic organ. It sounded like a soul tune from the ’60s,…
Texas Troubadours: The Dirty River Boys Make the Best of their Border Town Background
Towns situated along the Southwest border have the benefit of absorbing Mexian culture. In some cases, there’s an element of danger associated with being a border town. That’s certainly the case for El Paso, which sits across the Rio Grande from Juárez, a city that made international headlines in the late 2000s when violence associated…
Review of the Week: Whiplash
It’s a fun exercise to speculate (or legitimately ascertain) what it is about certain films that have made them “critics’ darlings” on the festival circuit. In the case of Whiplash, a razor-sharp music-school drama opening Friday at select theaters, J.K. Simmons’ performance is certainly at or near the top of the list. Simmons, a native…
