Yeah the Eastern Market sucks.  The only thing going for it is the activity that seems to surround it.

 

Whenever I brag about Cleveland and mention the WSM, people here say "But have you been to the Eastern Market?"  and Im like "yeah, and it sucks"

Nice news!.....And remember......The bird, Cleveland...the bird... BE the bird!

Yes, BE THE BIRD!!!

 

Nice news!.....And remember......The bird, Cleveland...the bird... BE the bird!

 

Are you with the birds now?  how high are you?

You win.

From a Chicago resident that I know:

 

i have to say, i have been to a bunch of markets like the west side market now-- in san francisco, philadelphia, baltimore, los angeles, even chicago has a 'french' market now...and the west side market outclasses them all. the two in philly and baltimore are just kinda dingy and suspect. kinda like big garages. the ones in sf and la and the new chicago one are almost too mall-like--too perfect and commercial. cleveland's manages to be authentic but not dirty, beautiful inside but still affordable and with interesting ethnic fare. in conclusion, i agree with alton.

And yet for all of the acclaim that the WSM receives, I still think taxpayers' money could be better used elsewhere.  If it's so successful, why not sell it to private interests?

Why not sell the parks while we are at it?  They just sit there.

@punch LOL

Thank you Drew Carey....

 

Seriously C17 according to the 2010 budget the WSM operates in the black. And I am assuming that any capital improvement are funded with Muni Bonds which are sold to investors. So their is minium burden on the poor tax payers. I imagine the wonky hours help keep the budget under control, less wear and tear and less staff.

 

From Page 10 of Budget. More Detail on Page 311. Charges for Services covers their operating costs.

 

                    Revenues Expenditures  NET      Fund Balance Begining/End Of Year[/size] West Side Market 1,231,943    1,114,280        117,663            210,499/328,162 

http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/clnd_images/finance/OBM/2010Budget.pdf[/size][/font]

From a Chicago resident that I know:

 

i have to say, i have been to a bunch of markets like the west side market now-- in san francisco, philadelphia, baltimore, los angeles, even chicago has a 'french' market now...and the west side market outclasses them all. the two in philly and baltimore are just kinda dingy and suspect. kinda like big garages. the ones in sf and la and the new chicago one are almost too mall-like--too perfect and commercial. cleveland's manages to be authentic but not dirty, beautiful inside but still affordable and with interesting ethnic fare. in conclusion, i agree with alton.

 

From another Chicago resident:

 

Outside Opinion

 

Each week, "Outside Opinion" asks a visitor what he or she likes best about Cleveland. This week, we talk to Ja'Vonne Harley, 46, of Chicago. She visited town for her radio show, "The Traveling Eye," which broadcasts on WVON in Chicago.

 

Harley visited an impressive number of places while in town, from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Wade Oval to East Fourth Street and A Christmas Story House Museum. But her favorites were two standbys: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the West Side Market.

 

"I'm not one to get star-struck, but seeing the exhibits and memorabilia is fascinating," she said. "You feel like you know a bit more about the artist. Are they smaller or larger than you thought they were? I found myself reminiscing about performances I'd seen in concert or on television."

 

As for the market? "I'm partial to markets and local farmers," said Harvey. "This was the neatest and cleanest market I've been in, and it reminded me of Victoria' Station in England and Melbourne [Australia]. It think it alone is worth the four- to five-hour drive from Chicago."

 

Harvey, who hosted an hourlong segment on her radio show about Cleveland, says she'll be back.

 

"I have to eat at Michael Symon's Lola and get more of those fries at the Greenhouse Tavern. Next time around, I'll spend more time at the West Side Market and do some shopping. I'd go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame again and again and again."

 

http://www.cleveland.com/bestofcleveland/index.ssf/2010/08/fair_artwalk_feast_of_the_assu.html

 

 

There's a huge difference between a public park and a city-run grocery store, though arguments can be made against the former as well.  But yes, I did get the idea from Reason TV, because I would have never guessed or assumed that any government entity would be in the business of running grocery stores.  This is a huge part of Cleveland's problem, when residents think that it's a good thing that the government is involved in such undertakings.

I for one would be concerned about having a private entity having control of arguably the city's finest asset.

There's a huge difference between a public park and a city-run grocery store, though arguments can be made against the former as well.  But yes, I did get the idea from Reason TV, because I would have never guessed or assumed that any government entity would be in the business of running grocery stores.  This is a huge part of Cleveland's problem, when residents think that it's a good thing that the government is involved in such undertakings.

 

They don't "run" the grocery store, but rather, they operate the facility in which dozens of independent, privately owned businesses rent space. These businesses are free to operate wherever they like, but they choose this facility because it is the only thing like it. Private ownership means that the WSM would be operated strictly according to who could pay the most in rent, which would likely push out many of the unique and locally-owned vendors. Public ownership of the facility means that the landlord (the City) can use other factors in addition to rent (such as vendor mix, local ownership, quality of product) to determine who gets access to the WSM.

If the WSM was privately owned, it probably wouldn't still be operating.  The government has the capability to provide stability during rough economic times, and the people have a say in its future.  It isn't at the behest of the whims of a small group who privately owns it and could decide tomorrow that, although it is successful, condos or restaurants could make them even more money, without having any regard for the impact on the community as a whole.  It is such an important community asset that I think it's an important one to be protected through public ownership.

Let's get back on topic.

What part of back on topic don't we understand?  Thanks.

So what's the specific topic?  Anything about Cleveland as long as it doesn't offend the moderators' political biases?

The topic of this thread is things that we love about Cleveland.  If someone wants to say that they love the Westside Market, that is on topic.  If someone wants to debate the ownership of the Westside Market, that is not on topic.  If you want to start a debate about the WSM's ownership structure, you are welcome to start a thread about it here in City Discussions.  But if anyone just wants to start another libertarianism vs socialism fistfight, they can start that thread on some other web board.

Clevelander17, since you've decided that you couldn't just ask a question, you had to give the Mods grief, you get to enjoy a week off. The next time it happens, you get two months.

A great little article about why Sue Doerfer, director of Equality Ohio, loves living in Cleveland and what Cleveland neighborhoods have to offer.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/mycleveland/index.ssf/2010/08/equality_ohio_director_loves_w.html

the long running bossfan magazine & website brings the love!

 

 

 

http://www.backstreets.com/

 

 

Although it was a little chilly on Saturday, Downtown was bustling this weekend, with much thanks to the Airshow and Taste of Cleveland.  It seemed like everyone I talked to was an out-of-towner who all had amazing things to say about their weekend.

 

Here are a couple feel good articles:

 

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=147164&catid=3

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/09/mondays_picture-perfect_weathe.html

 

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2010/09/07/news/nh2996883.txt

^Thanks

Whiskey island was packed, parking was a huge pain.

 

Lots of kids on the sandcourts too. I wasn't crazy about that

New pro-Cleveland blog:

http://unmiserablecleveland.com/awesomeness/

New pro-Cleveland blog:

http://unmiserablecleveland.com/awesomeness/

 

That's really well written.  Anyone on UO the author?

^ I've been a fan of Unmiserable Cleveland on Facebook since it was started (approximately when the Forbes rankings came out).  IRCC, a female is behind it.   

^ I've been a fan of Unmiserable Cleveland on Facebook since it was started (approximately when the Forbes rankings came out). IRCC, a female is behind it.

 

Yeah me too. its great.  She pretty much every day gives you another reason to (hate) Cleveland for being so miserable.  She likes to give you constant reminders of some of the many things that makes it so miserable. 

On the topic of pro-Cleveland blogs, Cheap Date Cleveland has shut down.  The girl who runs it is moving or something, and she's looking for someone who would want to take it over. 

 

Here's also an interesting blog post from someone who has been in Cleveland for a few years.

 

Here's also an interesting blog post from someone who has been in Cleveland for a few years.

 

and that first comment is absolutely perfect!

 

Here's also an interesting blog post from someone who has been in Cleveland for a few years.

 

and that first comment is absolutely perfect!

 

Loved that first comment too, or whatever...

 

 

 

 

From today's Crain's Business online.....

 

Cleveland's sphere of influence greater than most Midwest cities

 

Blog entry: September 23, 2010, 9:47 am    |    Author: SCOTT SUTTELL

 

 

Urbanophile.com, an excellent blog about Midwestern cities, examines some data from the Common Census Project and determines Cleveland has a larger sphere of influence than even its backers might think.

 

The focus of the Urbanophile.com post is a map based on responses to this question: “On the level of North America as a whole, what major city do you feel has the most cultural and economic influence on your area overall?” From this, they created a map of various “spheres of influence” of cities.

 

Organized this way, Cleveland is the fourth-largest of 12 major Midwestern metro areas covered by Urbanophile.com, with 4.6 million people identifying it as the place with the most cultural and economic influence in their area. Only Chicago (10.4 million), Detroit (just under 7 million) and Minneapolis-St. Paul (5.2 million) were larger. By this measure, Cleveland was nearly as influential as Columbus (2.6 million) and Cincinnati (2.3 million) combined.

 

 

I know Ashtabulans and Mahoning Valley-ites who drive to Cleveland for entertainment or shopping.  When we were young, we used to drive to the Randall Park Mall because it looked cool--and had different video games.

ubanophile.com, isn't that the one blog that dictates how cities should be more like Indianapolis?

This is an interesting viewpoint. If we could find such unique stats like this....instead of the same old same old ones that serve as the criterion for "success".... It would surely help foster a more positive outlook on the city/region. And indeed, many from the Mahoning Valley commute to Cleveland and have embraced it as "their arras's big city" and have had many experiences here.

Between the rock and the food place

 

There's something appropriate about going to Cleveland to pay homage to Bruce Springsteen, the poet of Rust Belt rock. What I didn't expect in that much-maligned city was a fun neighborhood of historic bed-and-breakfast inns, up-to-the-minute restaurants and one of the best traditional food markets I have ever visited.

 

Cleveland, about seven hours by car from the Beltway, was the first stop my husband and I planned on a longer Midwestern road trip. The goal was to see the special Springsteen exhibit that runs through Dec. 31 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame downtown. But somehow, nearly every downtown hotel room was booked by convention-goers.

 

Serendipity (and some Internet trawling) led us to a B&B, the J. Palen House. Maps showed it a few miles from downtown, across the Cuyahoga River and close to a station on the city's light rail system.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/23/AR2010092306241.html

Good article.  Interesting that the area they considered "transitional" is right smack in the middle of our most gentrified neighborhood.

Yeah, just goes to show how gentrified much of DC has become.  Now when I come back and go through Ohio City it still seems somewhat transitional to me as well, but then again it has been transitional for as long as I can remember.   

Between the rock and the food place

 

There's something appropriate about going to Cleveland to pay homage to Bruce Springsteen, the poet of Rust Belt rock. What I didn't expect in that much-maligned city was a fun neighborhood of historic bed-and-breakfast inns, up-to-the-minute restaurants and one of the best traditional food markets I have ever visited.

 

Cleveland, about seven hours by car from the Beltway, was the first stop my husband and I planned on a longer Midwestern road trip. The goal was to see the special Springsteen exhibit that runs through Dec. 31 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame downtown. But somehow, nearly every downtown hotel room was booked by convention-goers.

 

Serendipity (and some Internet trawling) led us to a B&B, the J. Palen House. Maps showed it a few miles from downtown, across the Cuyahoga River and close to a station on the city's light rail system.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/23/AR2010092306241.html

 

While not as good as this one, here's another "visiting" Cleveland article: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/music/s_701212.html

An enjoyable read:

i live here (now): marc canter

Douglas Trattner

Thursday, September 30, 2010

 

Over the years, Canter's big thinking has taken him from gig to gig in cities like New York, London, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and his hometown of Chicago. But since 2009, the serial entrepreneur has called Cleveland home. And he has no desire to leave.

 

"I didn't realize until moving here how much I missed authenticity," Marc Canter says over a lunch of Turkish shawarma at Anatolia Café. "There really is no place like this elsewhere – the history, the people, the homes, the neighborhoods."

 

 

Through his company Digital City Mechanics, Canter aims to help create 5,000 local jobs in five years. By partnering with numerous civic institutions, and utilizing an open software platform that encourages network building, Canter says he will turn Cleveland into "a digital city creating digital jobs for its digital citizens." Recent partnerships include associations with Case Western Reserve, Cleveland Public School's MC2 STEM school, and Fund for Our Economic Future's Civic Commons project.

 

http://freshwatercleveland.com/features/iliveheremarccanter.aspx

 

There's a new website/newsletter with some great articles on the big ideas and big things happening in Cleveland.  I'd highly recommend signing up for the newsletter:

 

http://www.freshwatercleveland.com/

That is a great website, thanks for posting!

Cleveland surfing scene made front page Yahoo news.

 

Some priceless comments too lol:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/clevlndmsc/clevlndmsc_ts3821#mwpphu-container

Another thing I love about Cleveland (er, Northeast Ohio):

 

The Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

http://thirstydog.com/

Another thing I love about Cleveland (er, Northeast Ohio):

 

The Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

http://thirstydog.com/

 

I was underwhelmed by Hoppus Maximus.  Any other recommendations?

 

By the way, I think they're an Akron brewery. ;)

^ That's why I said Northeast Ohio. ;)

 

I really loved the Pumpkin Ale, and the Whippet Wheat is great IMO, too.

Cleveland surfing scene made front page Yahoo news.

 

Some priceless comments too lol:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/clevlndmsc/clevlndmsc_ts3821#mwpphu-container

 

Nice coverage. Overall I would say the comments were Pro-Cleveland.

By the way, I think they're an Akron brewery. ;)

 

Then maybe this should go in a Cleveland Surbuban discussion thread. 

 

Just...... kidding......