So, I'm going up to C-town because of Kids in the Hall in the evening, but I'd like to check out a few neighborhoods like Tremont, Ohio City, Shaker Heights, and of course, Downtown. Once I get there by car, what's the best way to get around? I'd like to use the train and check out some of the obvious spots like the Westside Market, but would also like to check out coffeeshops and good, cheap-moderate restaurants and laid-back places to go at night. In short, urban stretches of urban neighborhoods. Going to see "the sights" never interest me much, I want to get a taste of the variety of neighborhoods and I'm thinking a stop on the way up or back in Cleveland Heights would be in  order.

How much time will you be spending here?

So, I'm going up to C-town because of Kids in the Hall in the evening, but I'd like to check out a few neighborhoods like Tremont, Ohio City, Shaker Heights, and of course, Downtown. Once I get there by car, what's the best way to get around? I'd like to use the train and check out some of the obvious spots like the Westside Market, but would also like to check out coffeeshops and good, cheap-moderate restaurants and laid-back places to go at night. In short, urban stretches of urban neighborhoods. Going to see "the sights" never interest me much, I want to get a taste of the variety of neighborhoods and I'm thinking a stop on the way up or back in Cleveland Heights would be in  order.

 

Check some of the items that were proposed to ajknee.

If I had looked in the obvious travel section I would've seen that.  :bang:

Good timing BTW. Check out my photo threads "Cleveland Rail Tour 2008" in the Ohio photo section.

In Dewey's Coffe Shop now in Shaker Heights. Checked out Downtown (big city feel) and Ohio City (we were defeated by desserts from Theresea's). Like what we've visited except for the major trolling by the RTA ticket machine that only gave me a ticket and then a bunch of Sacajaweas which we had to get change for and then only 1 in three were accepted in the ticket machine. Just awful. Very easy to use the system though, and the density around Shaker Square is great. Might check out the Flats after the show. Pics to follow! 

Got off at the Flats, and there was a strip of buildings and empty streets except for one nightclub with security guys hanging out and the train had one other person on it. Where is everyone? I thought it was Saturday? Backtracked to Settlers Landing train stop and wondered past the foreboding, empty bridge and, we we're saved, we found the Flatiron. A Map with bars and restaunts would be nice, why just cultural sites like museums? I guess city officials don't get out much. They have some good root beer made in house here, though.

do you like Chinese food? I am not sure of you have a car, but even if you do not it is easy to go to Asiatown in the Am/lunch time (beofre 130pm or so) for cheap eats- dim sum

http://www.asiatowncleveland.com/dining.asp.  Bo loong is my current favorite. They pass the dim sum on carts. In Tremont- there is bus close by -is brunch at Lucky's Cafe Luckyscafe.com. If you are on a budget you can just get coffee and a pastry and sit out in the herb garden. That part of the waterfront line is also not too useful right now. It is faster to walk to tower city or the Rock Hall area.

 

As you may or may not know from the threads, East Bank is dead now (being redeveloped). The west bank area (although not really Flat Iron) can get jumping after 10pm. Even though I live around the area, I sometimes feel like a stranger in my own 'hood on the weekend. Parmagedeon! 

If you were looking for the old Flats atmosphere, the Warehouse District is where the action is at now.  The East Bank is a Future Development site.

There is also the East Fourth neighborhood, between Euclid and Prospect avenues just east of Tower City Center. Lots of restaurants, House of Blues, Corner Alley, Lola, etc. etc. with Fat Fish Blue right around the corner. East Fourth is a very busy place on weekends, especially in the evenings. For orientation, Ontario Street is the dividing line between numbered streets preceded by East or West.

 

See if you can get out to Little Italy this morning or midday. Take the Red Line east to the East 120th/Euclid station or if you're up for a nice walk, get off at the University Circle station, turn left (facing the hill) and head north up Murray Hill Road until you get to Mayfield. About a 20 minute walk through a wonderful neighborhood.

e4th is pretty dead on Sunday-I think most places are closed . See if you can find a free times or Scene Mag to see if anything is happening. It is a beautiful day so Little Italy could be nice. 

Yeah, I figured East 4th might be slow especially the Indians are out of town (or unconcious, I can't tell which). It's more for his "next time" visit.

Columbusite...as peabody already stated, the flats are really dead anymore except in the Powerhouse on the west bank, which was across the river from where you were.  I live in the Warehouse District, right up the hill...the train you took always goes right past my window actually...and that is where all the people were on Saturday night.  The next time you're in Cleveland for a weekend you have to go to West 6th street if you want RIDICULOUS nightlife.  You can always tell who the suburbanites are though because the girls wear short skirts with faux leather pumps that match their American Eagle-much-too-small-tops that they recently bought at a Westfield shopping center.  If you're looking for a more chill place I would recommend the Nauti Mermaid...cool neighborhood bar, good beer selection (bottle of La Fin du Monde and Trois Pistoles for cheap) and Jeremy the bar tender learns everyone's name if you're there fairly often and hooks you up with very generous whiskey pours.  I know all of this information is too late, but it's always good for future reference.  I'm not big into the club scene, but I have to say that my girlfriend, who lives in Manhattan but is spending the summer here, is even really blown away at the craziness of the neighborhood on Friday and Saturday nights.  All in all I hope you had a good visit!

You can always tell who the suburbanites are though because the girls wear short skirts with faux leather pumps that match their American Eagle-much-too-small-tops that they recently bought at a Westfield shopping center. 

 

i know i might catch some flack for this but this is just an observance.  no offense intended, PG:

 

i've read some posts where people are critical of suburbanites because they don't venture downtown.  then there's this post which criticizes them because they're downtown and they dress funny.  i don't know, isn't it great that they're there, at all? 

A lot of the people that make the "suburbanite" comments are the ones that grew up in Gates Mills / Pepper Pike and are just spending a couple years pretending to be urban dwellers.

true we can be a little snarky, but we also have to put up with 10X worse-people pretty much saying to our face we are crazy to live downtown (or anywhere in cleveland),all the dumb questions don't you get robbed, where do you shop? blah, blah, blah. So we tease them about their stone washed jeans and over- processed hair from time to time. no harm, no foul.

good point.

Yeah, I was just being snarky...I was actually kidding and in a way just making fun of my own tragic upbringing in Brunswick!  I'm glad we have suburbanites that come downtown.  If I never ventured down here when I was younger, then I wouldn't have moved here.  I didn't mean to offend anyone, and I'm sure people who live in the city wear pumps that match their tops as well.  I will agree with what peabody said again though...I teach guitar for a living in Aurora and I hear a lot of people asking me if it's safe, and telling me that I'll grow out of wanting to live in the city, and how they don't go downtown because it's scary and there is nothing to do.  So, it comes out in condescension towards clothing.  A blanket statement really.

^Same here...

 

Yes, I'm glad suburbanites (well, ex-urbanites since people in the closer 'burbs tend to support the city a little more) visit the city proper and spend their money, but there are just certain mannerisms that make me chuckle. Then of course, there are the questions/comments that peabody99 alluded to. Perfect example is when my partner and I grab lunch at the Southside (in Tremont) on the weekends - usually when a city (or city-minded) gal always seems to have a baby/bridal shower or some other event. That's all well and good and I'm glad they're steering the business into the city. However, the way 98% of their guests walk in and *glare* at their surroundings is hilarious. I'm reminded of those jittery gazelle on the Animal Planet shows - when they sense a pack of lions ready to pounce. I can see a bit of culture shock/deer-in-headlights-look if they were going into say... Pats in the Flats, but the Southside?

 

Then there was the time someone (group of four ladies - 30ish/40ish from Bainbridge - I knew because you couldn't help but overhear them) asked for directions to the Eye Candy Gallery, we told them they could walk on Fairfield 2 blocks east and it's right there - their response: "oh, I don't know about walking!?!? Is it safe?!?!?" - this was about 1:30pm on a nice sunny day, with strollers, joggers, dogwalkers out in droves :roll:

 

 

 

I like these broads recreating the sex- in -the-city thing. So scary  :lol:

yeah, you all are right and I guess even though I live in *gasp* Euclid (am I gasping because it's a suburb or because of Euclid's sketchy-at-times reputation?  lol) I consider myself exempt from the suburban comments and forget (sometimes) that people do indeed have those negative attitudes.  I used to do this little art program at Goodrich-Gannett on 55th and St. Clair and when I first started, many, many people asked me if I was afraid.  For that matter, my stupid niece is refusing to look at a perfectly good house next door to mine because my brother's car was broken into recently, while parked in Euclid (forgetting, of course, that that could easily have happened in Willoughby or Avon or Mentor OR downtown).  Anywho, yeah, I'm still cool AND I have even been known to cross the river frequently :)

 

oops, not that this helps for visiting Cleveland suggestions! :)