MayDay

"Jeez, lighten up. Did you notice the smiley?" This is Dan we're talking about. :roll:

Off-topic, but this home happens to be the home of clevelandskyscrapers.com :-)

Actually, I can't believe I missed this. The bugs in question are the "Midges" or "Muffleheads", not Mayflies. Here is a Midge/Mufflehead - note the mosquito-like body and fuzzy antennae: And these are Mayflies:

Thank god they'll be dead in a few days! :-P

Maybe if you'd stop preach... err... b!tching to the choir for a second, you'd understand his point. That's your problem Dan - it's non-stop negativity directed at US, the people who live here and give a sh!t. You put words in our mouth, suggesting that we're all in favor of any new development, and that we don't offer any criticism thereof. What's worse is that almost all the things that you b!tch about are beyond our control. I'm sorry that I have a life and a job and I don't throw myself in front of the earthmovers at Steelyard but maybe that's something you have time for. I'm sorry I don't camp out at City Hall and throw a hissy fit every time a developer doesn't build a project on a rail line that puts 100K people in a square mile. I'm really sorry I don't take a bus down to Bentonville, Arkansas and raise some hell :roll: When a proposal comes up that actually embodies quality design and makes good use of its site (and yes, there are a few here and there - Steelyard isn't one of them) we don't hear jack squat from you. It's only when you find something negative to b!tch about that you decide to participate and if THAT isn't the typical "Cleveland" mentality, I don't know what is. If that's the attitude I missed out on by not growing up here, you make me glad that I'm not a native. If you could possibly squeeze a drop of positive commentary once in a blue moon - just a drop, people wouldn't think of you as such a Debbie Downer. No one is asking for you to pick up pom-poms, but if you'd listen to yourself - you'd see why I suggested that you need some fiber in your diet. Contrarian viewpoints are fine - the non-stop negativity isn't. NO one here is saying "oh goody, Wal-Mart is setting up shop in the city limits". You certainly suggested it, but again - that's you putting words in our collective mouth. Personally, I loathe Wal-Mart - I've never shopped there and I never will. However, it's also disingenuous to think that some Clevelanders, even the poor ones - haven't already been shopping at Wal-Mart for years. They just so happen to do it outside of the city limits (North Olmsted, etc.) - people can be in poverty yet own a car, after all. Daves and other locally owned shops have been facing this challenge long before Steelyard Commons came into the picture and I really think they'll be fine. I know too many people who go out of their way to support local shops - sure, some might be affected but that's how business is EVERYwhere. Small businesses are struggling nationwide - the good ones find their niche and strive. As far as Steelyard Commons itself - again, I seriously doubt that anyone here looks at the plans and says "wow what a great, dense, mixed-use project!". We know that it's a mostly auto-centric setup. However, what part of "unsuitable for residential use" did you forget? The site wasn't just used for garden-variety manufacturing - it's too contaminated with heavy metals (and god knows what else) to be used for anything else. Oh well, it's contaminated - let's build a dense neighborhood there!?!? Give me a break. Of course we're skeptical - I'm skeptical about ANY big-box store development but am I supposed to march over to Beachwood and protest outside First Interstate's offices? As MTS said - what are you doing RIGHT NOW to help change Cleveland?

"what other san franciscos are there? she lives in san francisco, CA and takes public transportation everywhere.....doesnt have a car doesnt want one. told me its 20 bucks for a month pass. im pretty sure she'd know what she was talkin about." The information I posted comes directly from the official San Francisco public transit site. There is no such thing as a monthly pass - now, I'm sure she can get a month's worth of tickets (like MyTwoSense described) or maybe she gave you a wrong interpretation? I buy weekly passes - if RTA put the prices at $2 a ride, I think it would be a good idea for them to offer discounts to weekly/monthly pass purchasers.

From bart.gov, the Bay Area Rapid Transit web site - maybe your friend lives in a DIFFERENT San Francisco? "BART's fare structure is built on a mileage-based formula, therefore weekly or monthly passes for BART fare are not available. However, BART offers discounts ranging from 6.25% to 62.5% as described below." Sorry - I'm car-free and RTA is my main mode of transportation and I have no problem with them hiking fares to $1.75-$2.00.

"So, westside, closer to the lake means less snow? When you say "the further east you go" gets more snow, do you mean that east of the river has more snowfall than west of the river?" Pretty much on both counts. I'm not saying that where I live is immune to snow but there have been many times where my neighborhood has a dusting, and places just a few miles south or east get dumped on. The one good thing about Lakewood - they clear the streets of snow pretty well. Here is how lake effect snow works. The moisture gets picked up from the lake - it travels inland just a bit and then the "Lake Erie Snow Machine" kicks in: With that in mind, take into account that most of the winds travel from west to east, and that the shoreline near Lakewood/Cleveland's west side runs east to west. Where the blue arrows go, so goes the snow - see why the east side (and inland, but especially east) gets more snow?:

"So, the overall consensus is that the public transportation is reliable in Cleveland, huh?" If you want to have public transportation as an option, you'll want to do your homework (or ask us) before deciding on an area. Some areas have wonderfully reliable public transportation - others, not so much. However, I will say that I've been living car-free in Cleveland for almost five years - I live in the Edgewater/Clifton neighborhood which is served by the 55 bus line, and it comes through every 5-10 minutes during peak hours (20-30 during off-peak). I've never had a complaint other than a handful of times where they've run a few minutes late. In Strongsville, I can't imagine that you'd even be able to consider public transportation as a practical option. Speaking of - the further east, and the further inland you live - the more snow you'll get. The way the winter winds pick up the moisture from Lake Erie, that moisture translates into snow once the winds hit about a mile inland. Where I live will get a dusting, Strongsville will get 2-4 inches, and points east will get even more than that. Cleveland has also started a car-sharing program for those times when you do need a car but don't want the hassle of ownership or the outrageous charges for renting. Another thing to consider is - depending on where you live, you can consider taking a taxi if you're in a jam or have had a night on the town. I've done that a few times and only had to shell out about $8 - a cab to Strongsville would easily top $25 before tip. "It's odd picturing such a dense area without traffic problems." A big reason that Lakewood has nominal traffic issues is the grid street pattern. In Strongsville, you're basically limited to a handful of main arteries with no connecting streets. If one of those main arteries gets clogged (and they do - a lot, especially at rush hour), you have few alternatives other than to sit in traffic because even if you can turn onto a "side street", it won't get you anywhere. However, in Lakewood (and the adjacent Edgewater/Clifton neighborhood of Cleveland), you can usually hop on a side street if need be and bypass whatever is holding up the traffic. To give you an idea of the typical built environment, here are a few photos. Although the population density is high, the built environment isn't really "oppressive" or crowded: Probably the densest area, the Gold Coast in Lakewood - the towers on the right are on the lakefront: I should also mention that rentals in my neighborhood are plentiful, reasonable - if you consider my neighborhood, send me a PM and I can let you know who some of the better property management companies are.

I like the Cliffs project - I've always felt that Lakewood needed to have more upscale residential along the Rocky River. "Rockport Square continues to scare us with their interior design" Dear god, my retinas have been permanently scarred!

I work in downtown Cleveland and I get asked for directions usually about once a week (usually to the Justice Center). I just have to remember that people just don't want to know that it's 26 floors, with sculptures by Isamu Noguchi and George Segal, constructed in 1976... you get the idea.

Jim S., thanks for the pic - I have another version on the "Unbuilt Cleveland Skyscrapers" section on my site:

Before you check the local weeklies, I'd check the rentals at pluggedincleveland.com. It's a lot like craigslist but a little more aesthetically pleasing, imho. http://www.pluggedincleveland.com/rentals/

"it's a 'run-down, ghetto city so who cares.'" I think when an 18 and 19 year old serve time for multiple fifth-degree felonies - they'll start caring the first time they try to take a shower. I am an ardent supporter of the City Xpressionz Aerosol Art competition that Cleveland Public Art produces annually. They provide a legitimate outlet for some incredibly talented people and a contained environment that doesn't harm the community. As for these smug, devil-may-care punks, I hope they throw the f#cking book at them for holding my city in such low regard. :whip:

Last we left off, we were heading from Puerto Peñasco to Phoenix. Zipping through the Sonoran Desert: And we arrive at the border: We grab snacks at the Gringo Pass, and await our shuttle (on left) to whisk us off to Phoenix): My S.O. and I were the only US citizens on board. When we were about 5 miles north of the border, we encountered a roadblock set up by the Border Patrol. Everyone else started fumbling for papers, pulling out folders, you name it. I figured no big whoop as I'm about as cracker as a Saltine. Imagine my surprise when the patrol opened the door, immediately stared at ME and said "what's your citizenship?!?". I replied "United States of America" and showed him my license. It then occurred to me that I had spent about six days basking in the sun - and with my dark brown hair and eyes... So let this be a lesson to any of you brunettes who plan to cross the border :-) Back to the show - I preface this by apologizing for window smudges, I think the shuttle's windshield was held together by bug guts so they didn't wash them off. More mountains: We pass through the "lovely" (retch!) town of Gila Bend, Arizona: We finally arrive in Phoenix: Not too many historic buildings here: Though their new City Hall is a nice high-rise: Phoenix's tallest: The outskirts of downtown: In Scottsdale, they've renovated this funky-retro hotel: We hit the art walk in Old Town in Scottsdale - lots of nifty stuff: I strike a pose - albeit not a good one: We grab dinner at Bada Boom! Pasta Room. This is the ceiling of their patio: The next day, back to Old Town: Some high-rise construction: Damn tourists and their cameras! Cacti! Flora! CactiFlora? I would have loved to have taken more pics, but I had a reflexology appointment at Rainstar. If you're ever in Scottsdale, give them a call and get set up with Keno - sooo relaxing! Later that day - the Barry Goldwater memorial: Oh look - they've built their houses INTO the scenic mountains. How tacky, yet unrefined :roll: Bug smudge: Ahhh, lovely mountains - too bad people feel the need to scar them: On our way to the Biltmore, I catch a nice glimpse of the skyline. Since it's the weekend, we can actually SEE the mountains as well: We arrive at the Biltmore - although much of what I saw of Phoenix wasn't my cup of tea, I gotta say this place was amazing. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright: The main pool: One of many of the "Biltmore Sprites": Main lobby: I believe most (if not all) of the furnishings are original FLW: I tried to convince my friends that I could stuff the stained glass in my camera bag, but they weren't buying it: The lighting fixture in the main auditorium: Back in front of the main building: In typical FLW fashion, not a single detail is left to chance: The grounds are so colorful and immaculately kept: The sculpture isn't FLW, but the base is: Heading to the airport - and more mountains! Taxiing onto the tarmac - and more mountains (and an unclear window, dammit!): Off we go! And about 4 hours later - a very comforting sight, indeed :-)

If by vibrant you mean a lot of overall development (regardless of context), you're correct. However, I define vibrant (remember this forum is urbanOhio) as a place that is walkable, pedestrian-friendly with healthy pedestrian foot traffic and an aesthetically pleasing streetscape. I saw very few of those in Phoenix (Old Town in Scottsdale was an exception)- what I saw a lot of was low-density housing behind brick/block walls and gated drives, strip-plazas with plenty of asphalt setback, nominal transit, and 5-lane streets - everywhere. And that was just in the city itself - the suburbs for the most part were even more spread-out and auto-centric (and they're getting worse). I'm sure Phoenix has tremendous job growth - as someone who prefers a more urban environment, that's just not enough for me.

Folks - just to clarify, you are welcome to join us at whatever time/point you can. Lurkers included - and don't be afraid, just remember we tend to get a little silly (ok, a LOT silly). As we get closer to the day, I'll post the itinerary along with a map so it'll be easier to see where we'll be and at what time. Also, if you know or think you may be late, it would be a good idea to send me your phone number via private message. That way, you can call ahead and you'll know where to find us. As far as pub crawls and whatnot, the early portion of the day will be spent doing the walking tour. We'll most likely hit downtown, Ohio City, and possibly University Circle using the Rapid to get back and forth. Trust me - trying to keep a caravan together of 20-30 people via car through ANY city is not a good idea. Lunch will likely be in Ohio City - that gives everyone plenty of options but keeps us in the same locale. After the walking/Rapid tour (which will likely end in the afternoon), people are welcome to organize whatever they'd like. Feel free to use this thread to do so, if you'd like.

Honestly, I don't get it either - but I've never subscribed to the lemming/herd mentality that permeates a disturbing majority of American society. When we were in Phoenix, there were days where we could see mountains about a mile from my friend's apartment balcony - the next day, we couldn't. Why? Pollution. It seemed as though all those awesome mountains have a way of retaining whatever gunk is floating about. I'm still nursing a sinus infection that I developed while I was there, and while pollen isn't fun, pollution is just god-awful! The sad part is that they're building new highways to support the sprawl that's 40 miles from downtown - and that's only inner-ring exurbia! There are a few areas that are worth mentioning but otherwise it definitely was not my cup of tea.

No, I'm not a fan of tripe :-P

Normally this wouldn't go in Ohio photos, but it's part of a series that starts and ends in Ohio :-) Here are the pics - I'll add the captions later: Just inside Mexico we pass through Sonoyta - a common theme, cinder block construction and fences.: Passing through the Sonoran desert - mountains galore here: Approaching Puerto Peñasco (aka Rocky Point): Over these dunes is the beach - we arrived in time to see the parachuting teams practicing: Arriving at our destination, the Princesa - here's the view from our room: But no time to dally around - we have a sunset cruise to get to. The cruise is run by a group of Gypsies originally from Alaska. There's about 50 of them, and they provide entertainment on the cruises. This time was bagpipers and hula dancers - who'da thunk? This wasn't our boat, but it sure looked like a lot of fun! Off we go... Looking back at the Old Port and Malecon area: It's about that time: From left to right, Competition Hill and the resorts of Sandy Beach: Another party boat: Bagpipers in Mexico... ohhhkay... Hola Hula! After too many margaritas we go back to our condo. The next day we have morning coffee, with this being our view: Some of the local flora: Next, we're on our way to Cholla Bay - see the mountain? That's Competition Hill, and the sandy strip in the middle is where everyone zips up to the top in their ATVs (didn't get a chance to do that): We arrive at the Old Boys Social Club in Cholla Bay (they had some sort of festival going on): At the festival we played "Lotteria" (Mexican Bingo) - I won a whopping $6!!! Looking across Cholla Bay - the tides here are some of the most radical in the world. At low tide, you could cross to the other side and only have the water up to your shoulders! A brief stop back at the condo: And then back to Cholla Bay and the boat launch for a quick jaunt: We come back around by Sandy Beach: The yellow building is the Princesa: I counted about a dozen construction cranes in Sandy Beach alone: Over to the Old Port, we see the former industry of Puerto Peñasco (before tourism), shrimp boats: This was too precious: A brief stop in the main section of Puerto Peñasco for groceries: The prepared food was great! Portions of Puerto Peñasco have an almost third-world feel (and the infrastructure to boot!) Adjacent to the Princesa is Costa Diamonte, where homes like this sold for about $150K a few years ago. They now sell for over a million! Down to the beach, we catch a glimpse of some dolphins: No description needed: Costa Diamonte in the foreground, high-rises in the background: More flora: A hottie on the beach (MY hottie, so back off! ;-) ) Along with a bazillion shells, the tidal pools had some amazing aquatic life: Condo balconies: No, it's not a high-end spa (wink wink): The Malecon: The view from the Malecon: The view from the Point, with a glass of happiness :-) Apparently the statue of the old man on a shrimp cost about a million: Souvenirs for everyone! Interesting hotel: But all good things must come to an end, so back to the States we go!

Thanks everyone - and thanks for the correction on Perry/Besse. dfly, I didn't get hassled at all - in fact one of the attendants asked "getting some great pictures?". They do make some sort of announcement about "please turn off all portable electronic devices" but I figured that my camera was harmless. So my guess is that it's a-ok.

Just adding to the chorus - when my S.O. and I went on vacation this past week, we hopped on the 81 in Tremont to the West 25th station. $1.50 each and about a half-hour later we were at the gate, ready for departure. :-)

"What's going to happen to the existing Garfield Mall, huh? Yay for progress! No wonder Cleveland isn't going anywhere. Someone please put a bullet in my head." Yes Chicken Little - retail oversaturation is only a Cleveland phenomenon. And of course the city of Cleveland has complete jurisdiction over what happens in Garfield Heights. Retailers are the ones signing the leases, not any municipality. Want to b!tch? Send your complaints to the retailers and the developers. You sound like my ex who b!tched about the interstates in Cleveland as though the city had any control over them. Please, either get back on your meds or get a little more fiber in your diet.

So I took a nice week-long vacation with my S.O., flying to Phoenix and heading directly to Puerto Penasco, Mexico. Here are 30 pics from the first leg of the trip: Departing CLE: Lakewood's Gold Coast: The Gold Coast and downtown Lakewood: Pelee Point: Pelee Island: Kelleys Island in the foreground, the Bass Islands in the background: Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant: Toledo: Toledo un-zoomed: Grand Rapids (I think): Somewhere along Lake Michigan: Thanks to a lot of cloud cover, an obscured pic of Chicago: Flyover country: "Little Fluffy Clouds", anyone? Somewhere in Arizona (I think) Those are some big mountains! That's some unsustainable planning! Interesting: I know Cleveland sprawls but yeesh!!! Downtown Phoenix: Gah!!! Now that's actually kinda cool: Taxiing to the terminal at Sky Harbor (PHX), with part of downtown Phoenix in the background: Organ Pipe Cactus National Park (a bazillion cacti/saguaros): Next up, Mexico!

My S.O. went there this past Christmas and said it was beautiful - your pics definitely confirm his observations!