Let's also not forget about the Walworth Run and Big Creek valleys on the near west side. And of course, the Rocky River valley further west.

^ exactly, there is lots of eastside hilliness, but cle is notable much more so for its many valleys than its rising landscapes. there is a lot of hidden valley cleveland and ne ohio -- and that is just another attractive geographical quirk of the area if you ask me.

I finally got around to getting the photos I took in Cleveland off my phone and on to my computer, so I thought I would share some here. 

 

View of downtown from the Garfield Monument in Lakeview Cemetery

 

Terminal Tower observation deck view

 

 

These parking lots must go!

 

Enjoyed the West Side Market!

 

Walked over this bridge from brunch in OC to the Indians game on Sunday

 

 

Great seats!

 

Inside of the Garfield Monument

 

Larchmere business district

 

Moreland Courts

 

 

 

Treehouse Tavern in Tremont

 

Little Italy street scene

 

MOCA

 

Little Italy RTA station under construction

 

one of Monet's famed "Water Lily" paintings

 

Uptown development

 

 

 

Sorry for the blurriness. I loved this angle of Cle's skyline because it involved more than the big 3. Looked balanced and expansive.

 

View from my hotel room

 

Cle's 'big 3'

 

Post bridge scare. Pretty cool to see the whole bridge lift to accommodate the Goodtime.

 

 

 

The Hilton will fill this little gap nicely.

 

The end

Great pictures...except the one of the Warehouse District from the Terminal Tower, not your fault though.

 

actually that hill rise is about all there is for cleveland, so its not all far off from columbus in that sense. however, what really sets it apart geographically are the valleys surrounding the area. i would recommend a nice long bike ride around some of the emerald necklace parkland on the next visit!

 

There are a number of hilly areas in the Heights area once you get up there, as well.

Great pictures...except the one of the Warehouse District from the Terminal Tower, not your fault though.

 

 

Thank you! One day those lots will be developed, I'm sure.

^Yes, this was a nice write-up and photos... kudos to you and your (hopefully comfortable) shoes.

Are we still waiting for the Saturday/Sunday report, or did I miss it?

Hello Clevelanders! I'll be visiting your fair city again this weekend to visit my sister, and I thought I'd check here for some more recommendations of things to do and places to eat.  This is going to be a quick trip- coming up Friday morning and leaving Sunday afternoon.  My sister lives in a high rise in Lakewood, so that's where I'll be staying.  Saturday's plan is mostly set, as we're planning on going down to Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  Any highlights to be sure to check out there? We were thinking about doing part of the tow-path.  I have a few other things I want to be sure to do:

 

-Check out Detroit-Shoreway/Gordon Square.  I really wanted to hit this area last summer, but didn't have time.  Any recommendations of places to go there, or particularly scenic streets to walk down? I will probably be driving to this area because my sister will be at work on Friday and won't be available to let me in to the garage to leave the car.  I was planning on going to Edgewater Park, possibly leaving my car there for a couple hours, and walking to Gordon Square to grab lunch and explore.  Does that seem doable/sensible?

 

-I didn't make it to either Presti's or Corbo's last time I walked through Little Italy, so my sister and I are planning to go and grab a canoli from each so we can do a definitive taste test.  We're half Italian and both love love love Italian food, so I want to go to a place in LI for dinner one night.  Any recommendations? Last summer I went to a place called Michelangelo's, and I honestly didn't really like the food that much. Looking mostly for good pasta rather than steak/seafood.

 

- Our contingency plan for rain on Saturday is to go to the Art Museum.  I was there last summer, but didn't have time to see the whole thing. Would you guys recommend a second trip to CAM, or do you think MOCA would be better to check out? I like contemporary art as well as classical, so both sound appealing to me.

 

- Are there any other neighborhoods I should check out? I mentioned Asia Town to my sister, but she said she's not even heard it mentioned by anyone, so I'm wondering if that's an established enough area to check out, or if time would be better spent other places.

 

- I think we're going to go out either Friday or Saturday night. What are the best areas for bar hopping? Is Ohio City fun at night? We're not looking for clubs as much as bars.  I've heard Lakewood has a significant amount of bars. Are they fun?

 

That's about all I can think of right now.  You guys provided some really great advice last year, so I welcome any suggestions you might have. Thanks!

^One thing that's changed since your last visit is the launch of UH Bikes, Cleveland's bike share. There is a station at Gordon Square, so you could park there as you mentioned, and then bike through Battery Park (a new master planned housing development just northwest of Gordon Square) and on into Edgewater Park to check it out. I'll let others comment on the advisability of leaving your car at Gordon Square for a couple hours, but my guess is that it would be totally fine during the day.  One great place to stop in Gordon Square is Sweet Moses, a modern re-creation/re-invention of a classic soda fountain/ice cream place that emphasizes quality (e.g., home made sodas, ice creams, etc.).

 

For your rain plans: definitely check out the MOCA website before making your decision to see what's playing there. It's a non-collecting museum, so you'd only be seeing the current exhibits. The CMA is big and likely has special exhibits of its own going on now, so it's a safe bet for a return visit if MOCA's current shows don't appeal to you.

 

Just my opinion, but Asiatown isn't much to visit. The array of markets and restaurants is a fantastic amenity to the city, but it's scattered throughout a fairly wide geographic area that otherwise looks like many other mostly intact, but rough around the edges Cleveland neighborhoods.

 

You did such a great job exploring last time that I'm not sure what other neighborhoods are really worth adding to your list!

Check out Detroit-Shoreway/Gordon Square.  I really wanted to hit this area last summer, but didn't have time.  Any recommendations of places to go there, or particularly scenic streets to walk down? I will probably be driving to this area because my sister will be at work on Friday and won't be available to let me in to the garage to leave the car.  I was planning on going to Edgewater Park, possibly leaving my car there for a couple hours, and walking to Gordon Square to grab lunch and explore.  Does that seem doable/sensible?

 

Very doable. You can use one of the tunnels to walk from the park up into Battery Park and use either 74th or 76th to walk to Detroit Ave, then east into Gordon Square. As for lunch, there are a few places right in Battery Park (Cha and Vita Urbana), then Banter at Detroit and 74th if you're interested in poutine and sausages. They also have a pretty expansive beer and wine selection. Old City Libations just opened right in Gordon Square and that be a good evening stop to look into on your bar rotation.

 

I didn't make it to either Presti's or Corbo's last time I walked through Little Italy, so my sister and I are planning to go and grab a canoli from each so we can do a definitive taste test.  We're half Italian and both love love love Italian food, so I want to go to a place in LI for dinner one night.  Any recommendations? Last summer I went to a place called Michelangelo's, and I honestly didn't really like the food that much. Looking mostly for good pasta rather than steak/seafood.

 

Potentially unpopular opinion here, but in my short 1.5 years living in Cleveland I have yet to eat in Little Italy and be blown away. The best Italian I've had is at Bruno's at Cloud Ave and W 41st in Clark-Fulton. Very similar to the red sauce Italian food I grew up used to in eastern PA/northern NJ. It's kind of out of the way but I figured I'd mention it.

 

Our contingency plan for rain on Saturday is to go to the Art Museum.  I was there last summer, but didn't have time to see the whole thing. Would you guys recommend a second trip to CAM, or do you think MOCA would be better to check out? I like contemporary art as well as classical, so both sound appealing to me.

 

The MOCA is a single exhibit museum so just check out what's there. In my experience they're usually worth it. The current one sounds great if it's up your alley: http://mocacleveland.org/exhibitions/anders-ruhwald-unit-1-3583-dubois

 

Are there any other neighborhoods I should check out? I mentioned Asia Town to my sister, but she said she's not even heard it mentioned by anyone, so I'm wondering if that's an established enough area to check out, or if time would be better spent other places.

 

A lot of very good food options in the area around Superior and E 30, so if you like Pho check it out. You wouldn't know how many restaurants are crammed in that area if you weren't specifically looking for them. Also, while not Asian food, there is also a phenomenal Ethiopian restaurant further east on St. Clair called Empress Taytu that is probably one of my favorite places in Cleveland.

 

I think we're going to go out either Friday or Saturday night. What are the best areas for bar hopping? Is Ohio City fun at night? We're not looking for clubs as much as bars.  I've heard Lakewood has a significant amount of bars. Are they fun?

 

You'd probably have to search out a club to find one, so most neighborhoods you wont accidentally stumble into one. The main drag of W 25th is a solid bet if you're into more of the large crowd, general American-type bar scene and Porco is a great tiki bar further south on W 25th. Tremont has some good, slightly higher-end bars and restaurants along Professor, and again for Gordon Square. There are also some smaller, more concept-specific bars off of these main streets (The Spotted Owl in Tremont, Toast in Gordon Square, a lot of craft cocktail-specific places). So this one really depends a lot on what type of bar setting you want.

I love Etna in Little Italy.  http://etnalittleitaly.com/  It's not as fancy as MA's, but the food is probably closer to what you are looking for.  Bottom of the hill, across from the park.

 

If your sister lives in a high rise in Lakewood, I assume she is in a building on the Gold Coast.  If you are looking for great food, a fantastic view and atmosphere, and have some $$$$ to burn, you have to check out Pier W  http://pierw.com/

 

Other spots to visit would be the Coventry, Cedar-Fairmount, or Lee Rd. districts in Cleveland Heights, probably in that order of priority.  Coventry and C-F are only a hop, skip and a jump from LI.

 

You also can consider going to any of the Metroparks, including Edgewater, but the weather forecast is not looking good for the beach.   

 

If you plan to park at edgewater and walk up to Gordon Square,  follow what was already recommended of using the 76th or 73rd  or also there is the 65th tunnel to get up the bluff (under the freeway and railroad) but may i suggest taking w69th or 67th to get up to Detroit. They are quaint little, dense Italian streets. Worth a walk through in my mind. Have a great time! Also i second Etna resturant.

I don't think anyone really talked about Cuyahoga Valley - some other highlights include Brandywine Falls and the village of Peninsula. That whole area is so "New England-y" which is a surprise to a lot of people, but it obviously makes sense if you know Ohio's history. The train ride is nice too if you feel like taking it. The park is going to be beautiful with the leaves hitting peak color right around now. And you'll be close to Akron while you're down there, so it might be worth checking out their art museum or Stan Hywet Hall and grabbing a burger from Swensons if you've never been and/or the weather turns nasty. Highland Square is the "hip" area of Akron, but I haven't actually been there in person yet.

 

Edit: added some links to Stan Hywet and the art museum in case you aren't familiar with either of them.

 

http://www.stanhywet.org/

 

https://akronartmuseum.org/

I'll second Peninsula.

 

Lakewood does indeed have lots of bars. What type of bars do you typically prefer? Crazy? Classy? Low key? Divey? Really divey? Sportsball?? It's all in Lakewood!

There are tons of bars in lakewood but it would be easier to do a walking eat-drink thing on W. 25th IMO. Tons of great places there now.

 

I'll throw in a recommendation for Forage, India Garden and El Carnicero in Lakewood if you're eating there.

Wow, thanks everyone for the great suggestions! I mentioned Etna to my sister and she gave it the the thumbs up, so I think we're going to go there on Saturday night. It looks cozy and quaint, and the menu looks just what I'm looking for.  My sister also hasn't been to Lakeview Cemetery yet, so I was thinking of taking her there to see the Garfield Monument and walk around the cemetery. I bet it's beautiful now with the leaves turning.

 

Someone mentioned Tremont, and I realized I totally forgot about that neighborhood, and how I wanted to check it out and get a better sense of it.  I've been to Parallax twice, and I had a drink at the Treehouse Bar, but I still feel like I never really saw the 'heart' of Tremont. In fact, I remember feeling disoriented in my visit to Tremont, mostly because I didn't get to walk around and get a sense of it. I'm thinking I'll walk around there around lunch time, check out the park, residential streets, business district, etc, and then I'll head out to Edgewater Park and Gordon Square later in the afternoon.

 

My sister was raving about this place in Gordon Square that makes all their own mixers and sodas and such (possibly Old City Libations mentioned upthread?), so she'd probably be down to meet me there for a drink after work. She also said that Pier W has a great happy hour, and since that was mentioned here as well, I wouldn't be opposed to getting a drink there.  Though $$$ is fairly tight on my end, less so for my sister.

 

As for CVNP, I was thinking about checking out the town of Peninsula, since I've seen it in many of MayDay's photo threads.  I'd also seen Brandywine Falls on Instagram, and it looks really beautiful.  I'm thinking that'll be the main hike destination. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

As far as going out, I think Ohio City sounds like our best option.  I'd like to go to the Great Lakes Brewery, and I'll never turn down a tiki bar lol. Also, I think Bakersfield opened there recently, and while I'm not trying to hang out in places that I could hang at in Cincy, I do love that place and it could be fun to pop in for a margarita or something.  Of course, my sister will have considerable say in where we end up, so who knows.

 

I'm really looking forward to this little trip. I know it's a total urban nerd thing, but I really want to take the Red Line to Little Italy so I can use the new station which was still under construction last summer.  There's BRT from Lakewood to Tower City, and we could get the train from there to Little Italy, right? I mentioned this to my sister, who unfortunately replied "maybe- the Rapid is really sketchy at night". Ugh. This might take a little convincing lol.  Thanks again for the suggestions. I really appreciate it!

Wow, thanks everyone for the great suggestions! I mentioned Etna to my sister and she gave it the the thumbs up, so I think we're going to go there on Saturday night. It looks cozy and quaint, and the menu looks just what I'm looking for.  My sister also hasn't been to Lakeview Cemetery yet, so I was thinking of taking her there to see the Garfield Monument and walk around the cemetery. I bet it's beautiful now with the leaves turning.

 

Someone mentioned Tremont, and I realized I totally forgot about that neighborhood, and how I wanted to check it out and get a better sense of it.  I've been to Parallax twice, and I had a drink at the Treehouse Bar, but I still feel like I never really saw the 'heart' of Tremont. In fact, I remember feeling disoriented in my visit to Tremont, mostly because I didn't get to walk around and get a sense of it. I'm thinking I'll walk around there around lunch time, check out the park, residential streets, business district, etc, and then I'll head out to Edgewater Park and Gordon Square later in the afternoon.

 

My sister was raving about this place in Gordon Square that makes all their own mixers and sodas and such (possibly Old City Libations mentioned upthread?), so she'd probably be down to meet me there for a drink after work. She also said that Pier W has a great happy hour, and since that was mentioned here as well, I wouldn't be opposed to getting a drink there.  Though $$$ is fairly tight on my end, less so for my sister.

 

As for CVNP, I was thinking about checking out the town of Peninsula, since I've seen it in many of MayDay's photo threads.  I'd also seen Brandywine Falls on Instagram, and it looks really beautiful.  I'm thinking that'll be the main hike destination. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

As far as going out, I think Ohio City sounds like our best option.  I'd like to go to the Great Lakes Brewery, and I'll never turn down a tiki bar lol. Also, I think Bakersfield opened there recently, and while I'm not trying to hang out in places that I could hang at in Cincy, I do love that place and it could be fun to pop in for a margarita or something.  Of course, my sister will have considerable say in where we end up, so who knows.

 

I'm really looking forward to this little trip. I know it's a total urban nerd thing, but I really want to take the Red Line to Little Italy so I can use the new station which was still under construction last summer.  There's BRT from Lakewood to Tower City, and we could get the train from there to Little Italy, right? I mentioned this to my sister, who unfortunately replied "maybe- the Rapid is really sketchy at night". Ugh. This might take a little convincing lol.  Thanks again for the suggestions. I really appreciate it!

 

Etna is a great choice.  Also, in case you have trouble getting in there, I really like Mia Bella as well.

 

Just a heads up...Bakersfield did not end up opening up in Cleveland.  Barrio in Tremont is a similar type of place, though.  In Ohio City, there is Ohio City Burrito (more like Chipotle) and Orale (more of a sit down restaurant) if you want Mexican food.

 

There are so many things to do in CVNP, but you can't go wrong with Peninsula and Brandywine Falls.

 

Lakewood does have a lot of great bars, both on Detroit and Madison, but they'll be a bit of a hike from the Gold Coast.

 

As far as taking the Red Line, you could either ride the BRT to Tower City, or get on the Red Line directly at W. 117th and Madison (about a mile walk).

Etna is a great choice.  Also, in case you have trouble getting in there, I really like Mia Bella as well.

 

Just a heads up...Bakersfield did not end up opening up in Cleveland.  Barrio in Tremont is a similar type of place, though.  In Ohio City, there is Ohio City Burrito (more like Chipotle) and Orale (more of a sit down restaurant) if you want Mexican food.

 

There are so many things to do in CVNP, but you can't go wrong with Peninsula and Brandywine Falls.

 

Lakewood does have a lot of great bars, both on Detroit and Madison, but they'll be a bit of a hike from the Gold Coast.

 

As far as taking the Red Line, you could either ride the BRT to Tower City, or get on the Red Line directly at W. 117th and Madison (about a mile walk).

 

Bummer that Bakersfield didn't end up opening in Ohio City.  I thought they were preparing to move in last summer. Oh well. 

 

Great to hear that we could walk to a Red Line station from Gold Coast. I had no idea!

 

One more question: Are Gordon Square and Detroit Shoreway the same place? I've heard them used kind of interchangeably, but I want to be sure to see both if they are indeed different.

I second (or third) Etna.  My favorite in LI.  In Ohio City, this will be a shameless plug as it's my sister's restaurant, but check out SOHO Chicken + Whiskey on W 25th.

My sister was raving about this place in Gordon Square that makes all their own mixers and sodas and such (possibly Old City Libations mentioned upthread?), so she'd probably be down to meet me there for a drink after work. She also said that Pier W has a great happy hour, and since that was mentioned here as well, I wouldn't be opposed to getting a drink there.  Though $$$ is fairly tight on my end, less so for my sister.

 

You're correct about Old City Libations being the one your sister is talking about.

 

And yes, Gordon Square is a section of the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood.

 

I second the post above me that suggested SOHO. It's great.

I second third smith's shameless plug. :P  By the way, when did they change the name from "Kitchen and Bar" to "Chicken and Whiskey"?

 

Also, yes, Gordon Square and Detroit Shoreway are essentially the same place.  Technically, Gordon Square is the intersection of W. 65th and Detroit in the middle of the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, but the name Gordon Square has also been increasingly used to refer to the whole neighborhood as well.

I second third smith's shameless plug. :P  By the way, when did they change the name from "Kitchen and Bar" to "Chicken and Whiskey"?

 

 

Literally just last week.  After 5 years in business, they just wanted a minor re-brand - new logo and more emphasis on Chicken and Whiskey as that's what they're generally know for.  Still have many of the other staples like fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, etc.  But they always regularly tweak the menu, at least seasonally.

I second (or third) Etna.  My favorite in LI.  In Ohio City, this will be a shameless plug as it's my sister's restaurant, but check out SOHO Chicken + Whiskey on W 25th.

 

Sounds good! Maybe we could get lunch there on Sunday before I head out.

I second (or third) Etna.  My favorite in LI.  In Ohio City, this will be a shameless plug as it's my sister's restaurant, but check out SOHO Chicken + Whiskey on W 25th.

 

Sounds good! Maybe we could get lunch there on Sunday before I head out.

 

That'd be good.  They have a booming brunch on Sundays.

SOHO's brunch food is amazing, for real.

 

I hate to even suggest this, but do use "city" awareness when you're walking around at night, especially in Tremont and Gordon Square. I know this will get me yelled at by my fellow UO people but I am a single, fairly decent looking woman who is already regularly a trouble magnet, and I now carry a small knife with me because there have been incidents of robberies/hold-ups, particularly of women alone in the evening.

I second (or third) Etna.  My favorite in LI.  In Ohio City, this will be a shameless plug as it's my sister's restaurant, but check out SOHO Chicken + Whiskey on W 25th.

 

Molly is your sister?  She's a real sweetheart; wish her and her hubby/partner nothing but the best.  SOHO's a wonderful place.

I second (or third) Etna.  My favorite in LI.  In Ohio City, this will be a shameless plug as it's my sister's restaurant, but check out SOHO Chicken + Whiskey on W 25th.

 

Molly is your sister?  She's a real sweetheart; wish her and her hubby/partner nothing but the best.  SOHO's a wonderful place.

 

She is indeed.  Appreciate the nice sentiment!

Molly is awesome!

Great to hear that we could walk to a Red Line station from Gold Coast. I had no idea!

 

One more question: Are Gordon Square and Detroit Shoreway the same place? I've heard them used kind of interchangeably, but I want to be sure to see both if they are indeed different.

 

I live next to the Gold Coast on Clifton, three blocks west of West 117th, and it takes me 20 minutes to walk to the Red Line stations at Madison-West 117th or West Boulevard. There are buses that can take you to/from either station. The #78 runs directly to/from the  Gold Coast on Lake/Cove/Edgewater from/to the West 117th station. It runs hourly off-peak until midnight. The bus to the West Boulevard station is the more frequent #26 on Detroit Avenue.

 

The walk from the West 117th station to the Gold Coast is easier and faster because it's all downhill. And since the #55 bus (Clifton BRT) doesn't run after 10:15pm weekdays, after 8:30pm Saturdays and not all on Sundays, walking back from the Red Line station is the most reliable way to get home (unless you get lucky and a #78 bus is less than 20 minutes away--there's an arrival display inside the the station). Walking from the West 117th station on West 117th isn't very enjoyable however. I prefer walking north on the next street West in Lakewood -- Coutant/Hird Avenue. It's a quiet, wooded, mostly residential street. But if you want to visit one of the 24-hour stores (CVS, Walgreens) or delis (Dianna's, My Friends) on your way back from the train, then stick with West 117th.

 

I also recommend taking the 55 downtown, even on Saturdays when you have to plan your schedule around its hourly buses (weekdays it runs every 10-30 minutes). It's a fast trip downtown and to Tower City (get off on Superior before it turns onto Public Square).

 

FYI the #26 on Detroit Avenue runs 24 hours a day from Public Square to the west end of Lakewood via the West Boulevard RTA station. It's a fallback service in case you missed the last Red Line train that departs Tower City at 12:30 am. But the Red Line starts up again at 3:30am.

 

BTW2: Gordon Square is an street corner enclave at Detroit/West 65th in the much larger Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood.

Just wanted to give a quick trip report here after so many of you came forward with advice and recommendations. 

 

I got a later start on Friday due to a work related crisis of sorts popping up Friday morning, which was unfortunate.  I left a little after 1:00, and got in to Cleveland around 5:00, meaning there was no time to do any of the exploring I had hoped to do on Friday afternoon.  Oh well, it was very, very windy and cold and spitting rain when I got to Lakewood, so it probably would have been pretty nasty to walk around in anyways.  My sister lives on one of the upper floors of her building, and has a fantastic view of the city and Lake Erie- I was totally transfixed by the view, and spent as much time on her balcony as I could, even in the cold and windy conditions.  The lake looked like an ocean when I got there, with fairly big waves and white caps all over the place. Pretty cool to see.  After hanging out for a little at her place, we uber'd to Gordon Square and got dinner and drinks at Old City Libations.  I absolutely loved that place, and we lingered there probably 2.5 hours just talking and drinking. Had some delicious pierogis as well, which was great.  When we left, we took a walk around the rest of the business district, and I was really impressed with what I saw of the neighborhood.  The street (didn't catch the name of it) was surprisingly narrow and featured bike lanes, and I loved the artistic bus stop shelters and lit up benches.  There seemed to be a cool mix of stores, restaurants, and bars, though we decided there wasn't any other place we wanted to pop into.  My sister didn't know that there were so many other cool places in the neighborhood, and she remarked that she was going to come back in the day time to try to check out more of the stores.  We finished the night by getting a sundae at Sweet Moses, which was delicious.

 

On Saturday, we decided to stick with the plan to go to Cuyahoga Valley National Park despite the very cold weather.  We got a little bit of a late start, but headed out around 10:30. My sister's boss recommended we go to Hudson to get breakfast and check out the town.  What a gorgeous little town- I really enjoyed checking it out, and we got a pretty good breakfast at this place called One Red Door (I think). After that, we headed out to the park, and parked the car at Brandywine Falls.  Due to all the rain in the previous couple of days, the falls were roaring! It was really quite a site to take in.  After that, we hiked down to Boston, and then on to Peninsula.  All told, by the time we got back to the car, we had hiked about 10 miles! A bit more than we had planned, but the majority of the time was spent on the Tow Path, which was flat and easy. After leaving the park, we headed back to Lakewood to shower and get ready for dinner.  I tried calling Etna to see their availability when they opened at 4, but they said the first available table for 2 wasn't until 9:30. I researched some other places, and we decided to try Valerio's.  I couldn't convince my sister to take the Rapid, but it's alright. The restaurant was great. Delicious food, big portions, a lively bar scene with a piano player, and a staff that all was speaking Italian and seemed to be family.  It was exactly what I was looking for! We had planned to go out on Saturday night, but with the hiking earlier in the day, and the food coma from dinner, we decided to just head back to my sister's place to watch the final portion of the OSU game. Turned the TV on just in time to see the blocked field goal...that was a bummer.

 

Sunday we got up and headed to Ohio City for breakfast.  My sister wanted to go to Town Hall- one of her favorite spots. There was a bit of a wait there, so we ended up going to SoHo Chicken and Whiskey per the recommendation of a couple of you here.  We got seated quickly, and the food and drinks were both great. I had the southern benedict, which uses a fried green tomato instead of an english muffin for the base. Pretty good and very unique.  After that we went back to little Italy to get some cannoli and baked goods from Presti's and Corbo's.  After doing a taste test, Corbo's won by a landslide. I brought back one cannoli from each place for my Italian father to sample, and he agreed with our assessment. We left Little Italy and drove through Rockefeller Park to get back to the freeway. I loved seeing the cultural gardens, and the drive was really pretty.  Made it back to Lakewood to catch the second half of the Bengals Browns game.  I watched that/hung out on the balcony while my sister ran a few errands, and then headed out for Cincy around 4:30.  I decided to swing by Edgewater Park before leaving, and I really loved it. The weather was perfect, and I walked down the hill to the beach and spent about 10 minutes just taking it all in. There were dogs playing in the water, and lots of people were out just taking in the beautiful day. It was a great way to end my trip.  I really enjoyed my short trip to Cleveland, and I really thank you all for your suggestions and recommendations for places to see and check out.  I didn't get to do everything I hoped to do, but I can't complain. I'll remember this trip very fondly, and I think Cleveland is a wonderful city. Can't wait to get back!

You should've tried just walking into Etna. I bet they would've found you a table.

Glad you had a nice trip. Lakewood is an incredible inner-ring suburb, isn't it? I wish I could go over there and explore more but I live all the way on the other side of the city at the the border of Shaker and Cleveland Heights and don't have a car. The narrow street in Lakewood that you really liked, do you think it could have been Detroit Ave? I'm wondering if the part you're referring to is my favorite spot in Lakewood. I think it was on Detroit or at least intersected with it but the street was really narrow and had a weird, picturesque intersection by all of these bars / restaurants (that I can't remember the name of.)

 

Don't you think Ohio City / W. 25th has a really big city feel for some reason? I can never quite put my finger on it but it really has this major city vibe to me. Maybe because there's a Hostel over there and very diverse retail stores and restaurants (not to mention diverse land-uses like manufacturing - Voss Aerospace and Netstle, which is really cool.)

 

Town Hall is nice but my God is that place crowded and expensive as hell, to boot. You probably made the right choice, there.

Thanks for the report.  Glad you and Sis had a nice time...

 

...btw isn't Old City Libations one of those successful "Cleveland Hustles" (LeBron's reality TV show) start-ups?

Glad you had a nice trip. Lakewood is an incredible inner-ring suburb, isn't it? I wish I could go over there and explore more but I live all the way on the other side of the city at the the border of Shaker and Cleveland Heights and don't have a car. The narrow street in Lakewood that you really liked, do you think it could have been Detroit Ave?

 

The narrow street I was talking about was in Gordon Square, actually. It's the main street where all the theaters, bars, and restaurants are.  That said, I really loved what I saw of Lakewood, which was basically only the Gold Coast area.  My other sister used to live in Evanston, IL and the Gold Coast reminded me of that very strongly.  The high-rises are cool, but the old brick and tutor style apartment buildings that were in both Cleveland's Edgewater neighborhood and Lakewood's Gold Coast were awesome. The single family homes along Lake and some of the other streets I saw were equally as impressive, and again, gave me a very North Shore Chicago type of vibe.  I don't think many people outside of Cleveland know that there's a type of neighborhood like this in the region.  I thought most of the impressive historic multi family buildings in Cleveland were clustered around Shaker Square and the neighborhoods around it, so I was kind of caught off guard.  After leaving Edgewater Park, I drove through a really nice neighborhoods of big old homes with a huge green strip between the homes and the street- that was beautiful, with lots of huge mature trees.  My GPS routed me on either Detroit or Lorain (blanking now) to get to 117th to get back to 71, and the change from the neighborhood to this street was pretty abrupt, though. There were lots of kind of run-down factories and industrial spaces on the street, which was such a contrast to the beautiful neighborhoods closer to the lake.

 

Don't you think Ohio City / W. 25th has a really big city feel for some reason? I can never quite put my finger on it but it really has this major city vibe to me. Maybe because there's a Hostel over there and very diverse retail stores and restaurants (not to mention diverse land-uses like manufacturing - Voss Aerospace and Netstle, which is really cool.)

 

 

I remarked after my visit to Cleveland last summer that I thought Ohio City had a big city vibe to it. In that trip, I walked there from downtown and took the rapid back after I explored a bit, and I remember feeling all the energy and vibrancy when I entered the neighborhood. The Rapid back to downtown contributed to that 'big city' feeling as well, and I also remember there being a bit of a multi-cultural vibe, with lots of people speaking spanish, playing salsa music, etc. This time, however, my experience was a little different.  We came in what I would describe as the back way to OC, which was from the Shoreway.  It was also a Sunday morning, and while WSM was packed and the parking lots were a zoo, the area felt much more laid back and calm. I also didn't take the Rapid or walk around all that much, so it didn't have as much of that big city vibe this time.  Still a cool area, for sure, though.

The road through Gordon Square with the bike lanes and funky bus shelters is also Detroit Avenue.

 

You might also find my Facebook photos of interest. I take a lot of photos when I take my daily walks (although not as much as I used to). I live near the Gold Coast on Clifton, so you'll recognize a lot of the buildings and scenes. But I also have a lot of nooks-and-crannies type photos too....

https://www.facebook.com/ken.prendergast.90/photos_all

I almost cried reading your description of the trip, it was so lovely.

 

As someone who grew up in an extremely small town with literally nothing much at all to do or see, moving to Cleveland and exploring it over the past 25 years or so has been so great. I do not understand the derision so many natives have for this place. All I can say is they must not have grown up how I did. They had access to so much to see and do, I guess it doesn't mean much.

 

I know there are bigger cities with more "hip" and "happening" stuff, more star power and more fame, but Cleveland to me is a lot like the people here. It's high quality and low maintenance. It's interesting to look at but not because of fakery or artifice. The only people who play games here are the athletes and everyone you meet isn't looking for a way to exploit you or make money from you. It's just a real place with a lot of grit and heart and a soul you won't find pretty much anywhere else I've been. I couldn't wait to get out of Beverly Hills and back to Cleveland, and some of how you describe your trip is exactly why.

Aw thanks RnR. That's really interesting that you mention California in your post, as I just accepted a job that will be moving me (back) to LA. I just accepted last week, so the whole time I was in Cleveland I was acutely aware of all the Ohio comforts that are really evident in Cleveland. The people are nice and genuine, there's a general lack of pretense, and the grit and soul of the city are pervasive and strong. That's not to say that these things are absent in other places, but they feel particularly strong in Cleveland.

Thanks for the write-up.

 

BTW, Valerio's used to be where Etna is now.  I believe the chef/owner at Etna (Pepe) is Valerio's brother-in-law.  They are both excellent upscale family-run restaurants with a cool vibe.  Etna is the "old Valerio's" and has a more homey, intimate, old-school vibe IMO, whereas the new Valerio's is more modern and hip.  I love them both, but I'm partial to Etna because that is where I got engaged (when it was Valerio's).

Aw thanks RnR. That's really interesting that you mention California in your post, as I just accepted a job that will be moving me (back) to LA. I just accepted last week, so the whole time I was in Cleveland I was acutely aware of all the Ohio comforts that are really evident in Cleveland. The people are nice and genuine, there's a general lack of pretense, and the grit and soul of the city are pervasive and strong. That's not to say that these things are absent in other places, but they feel particularly strong in Cleveland.

edale[/member]  Let me warn the respectable gays now!

So in the end, what drove you to accept the job? Is it money? Or the opportunity for advancement the job affords, or what? I'm curious.

 

I accepted mostly for money and career advancement opportunities. I had been kind of flounderingin my current job, and this will give me an opportunity to grow and build my resume with a very reputable organization. I do like living in Cincinnati, and part of my heart will always be here, but it's not the best place to be a single 20-something. This opportunity came up out of the blue, and I just feel like I've gotta try it.

cool, thank you. And good luck. Since you've lived there before you probably know the ropes.

I accepted mostly for money and career advancement opportunities. I had been kind of flounderingin my current job, and this will give me an opportunity to grow and build my resume with a very reputable organization. I do like living in Cincinnati, and part of my heart will always be here, but it's not the best place to be a single 20-something. This opportunity came up out of the blue, and I just feel like I've gotta try it.

Do it while you're young!