MTS, PLEASE QUIT POUNCING.

 

 

MTS, PLEASE QUIT POUNCING.

 

 

 

Asking a question is not POUNCING.  I sincerely do not understand what he means in that "post"/"tweet" and I'm asking for clarity.

When you post something in all CAPS without a question mark that's not a pleasant question. It's an in-your-face statement. Now if you, wrote:

 

"I'm curious about your experience in Shaker Square. Can you describe it, please?"

 

See the difference?  :-)

 

 

Tiffany's Cabaret (not that I've ever been there, or anything)...

 

It's been Christie's Cabaret for a few years (not that I've ever been there either)

 

Any real man would go to Bugsy's.  Only a short bus ride on multiple routes!

 

tp://www.bugsysspeakeasy.com

Hey everybody, got back early this afternoon, finally get a chance to reflect on the weekend, which was more about seeing a player I grew up with than the city itself....but thanks you each of your suggestions, the city was also a great surprise.

 

got there Thursday evening and hustled down to E.4th to Greenhouse Tavern which I was told served food late....and they were...great food at that.  Cheap drinks was also a welcome addition.  Obviously not too busy for Thursday night late...but we really liked the area.

 

Friday got up later than we wanted but headed over to Westside Market where we were hoping that there would be some food along with the market (like a breakfast place)...while we didn't find that we found the market really cool.  Much like our City Market but with much more in the meat and bakery areas...like we have a couple butchers only...nothing like we saw there.  while cool for me as an urban dork, not sure the typical tourist would get a lot out of it...but it was perfect for me.  I could see the typical tourist just not getting it.

 

Quick spin through the market we headed over to Johnny Mangos for food and margaritas....they were awesome...really could tell they were fresh made.  I still have my hometown favorite place that retains #1 margaritas in my book but these were great.  Food was awesome too...great recommendation.  After that walked around the brewery, found the brewpub and ordered up a sampler of beer....some really good ones on there, really liked the IPA (I love all IPAs I think).

 

After a stop downtown to the hotel room decided to go check out the neighborhoods suggested...Shaker Square was first up....I know there was a question above asking about my comments.  In Twitter-ville comments are short, don't take my post on there as a negative.  I found that square to be awesome if I wanted a single family home and lived in Cleveland...reminded me of our Brookside neighborhood.  Just as a tourist it had little to offer...again I'm an urban dork so I loved seeing it but we couldn't find a place to stop for a drink, etc. in the square...seemed like all the places just opened later...some girls by us ran into the same problem so they were headed to Little Italy....so we decided to follow.  Hit the 48 bus (thanks for that recommendation) and got to Little Italy.  Awesome neighborhood...for a Friday afternoon it seemed a bit quiet (I figured those patios would be packed with happy hour people, it was a great day).  Stopped at one place (don't remember the name), ate something small, had some drinks.  Walked to the train stop back to downtown.  Great neighborhood, both of them....as a normal tourist I'd say Little Italy offers much more...but me and my interests?  I'm glad I saw them both.

 

Then we hit W. 6th for a few more drinks before dinner at Lola.  Much more lively area...had a great time at a couple places, one was Velvet Dog with a great roof deck.  Head back to the hotel to get ready for a late dinner at Lola.  Amazing dinner.  Really liked the space and the food.  I see why it's one of the top rated in the city.  Afterwards stopped at a martini bar for a nightcap.

 

Saturday was all about Canton....we drove down early to get the full experience...before that we drove around some parts of cleveland just to see more...waterfront, etc.  Did the Canton thing, took longer than we would hoped, so by the time we got back just went to the hotel bar for drinks and a bite.  We asked the waiter if he liked winters in Cleveland to which he said he did...he could tell we weren't thinking it would be fun, so he asked where we were from...when we told him KC, he said "I'd rather have snow than tornadoes"...pretty funny...I'm just glad tornadoes don't hit the entire city like snow does I guess :) 

 

Mass transit was great....I was surprised how short the trains were on almost all of the lines...why does the Green line have different cars? (have to climb stairs to board the train itself).  Also i found it different the different pament methods...seemed like on some stops, passengers would pay (or validate pass) after on board vs. off-train payment at all stations...just something I noticed.

 

Great time...Cleveland was much more fun this time around than last time I was there...thanks for your recommendations...you show your city off well.  If you ever find yourself headed to KC, I'd love to return the favor.  [email protected]

 

 

Good you had a nice time. I just had to chuckle at the part about the typical tourist not thinking much of the WSM, or something to that nature... 

 

The typical US tourist probably thinks riding the "Its A Small World" ride at Disney World, is "world travel."  :-)

 

kcpowercat1,

 

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

 

Too bad you couldn't find the West Market Cafe. It's on the Lorain Avenue side of the building, on the other side of the street from the train station. Their breakfasts are good, but their pancakes are awesome.

 

Most of the restaurants on Shaker Square have good bars, especially the ones north of the square on Larchmere. I love the high-rise brownstones just east and south of Shaker Square. I think you would liked the architecture. That's where MTS lives when he's in town...

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/gallery/index.php?album=Northeast+Ohio%2FCleveland%2FNeighborhoods%2FBuckeye+Shaker%2FShaker+Square&image=Cleveland2.jpg

 

Little Italy isn't known as a happy hour neighborhood. It usually doesn't get going until after 8 or 9 p.m. on summer weekends.

 

Long story about the different types of trains on the different lines. But the Red Line was built by the City of Cleveland-owned Cleveland Transit System in the 1950s and 60s as a heavy-rail rapid transit route, while the Green and Blue lines were built 40 years earlier as an interurban railway, today called light-rail. These lines were owned by the City of Shaker Heights. After 1975, the two system were consolidated under the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, but they kept their different equipment styles, payment methods, etc. Maybe someday the different rail lines will be standardized.

Good you had a nice time. I just had to chuckle at the part about the typical tourist not thinking much of the WSM, or something to that nature...

 

The typical US tourist probably thinks riding the "Its A Small World" ride at Disney World, is "world travel." :-)

 

 

Haha, true....I wasn't meaning it as a slight to the market at all...I think it's awesome...I can just see Joe and Jan tourist being like "okay....what do we DO here: :)

Most of the restaurants on Shaker Square have good bars, especially the ones north of the square on Larchmere. I love the high-rise brownstones just east and south of Shaker Square. I think you would liked the architecture. That's where MTS lives when he's in town...

 

Probably my bad on this...we pretty much walked all 4 corners of the square, didn't see anything open and decided to jet to Little Italy...mostly so we could see as much as possible...we didn't venture outside of the square...again I think it would be an awesome neighborhood to live in and what I did see of the housing stock was awesome.

 

 

Little Italy isn't known as a happy hour neighborhood. It usually doesn't get going until after 8 or 9 p.m. on summer weekends.

 

I see....makes sense then...we had a blast seeing it either way.

 

Long story about the different types of trains on the different lines. But the Red Line was built by the City of Cleveland-owned Cleveland Transit System in the 1950s and 60s as a heavy-rail rapid transit route, while the Green and Blue lines were built 40 years earlier as an interurban railway, today called light-rail. These lines were owned by the City of Shaker Heights. After 1975, the two system were consolidated under the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, but they kept their different equipment styles, payment methods, etc. Maybe someday the different rail lines will be standardized.

 

Wasn't an issue using the system, just something I noticed riding all the lines.  We (KC) just want ONE line :)

Wasn't an issue using the system, just something I noticed riding all the lines. We (KC) just want ONE line :)

 

It's a gripe for me though. I wish RTA would have standardized the various rail lines decades ago. They just rehabbed their 1980-built light-rail cars so it's going to be a while before we see standardized trains. They're also going to a proof-of-payment system on the rapid transit transit lines be it light-rail, heavy-rail or the new Bus Rapid Transit on Euclid Avenue. Speaking of which did you get a chance to ride/see the Euclid BRT? Locals call their extra-long BRT buses "Centipedes".

Good you had a nice time. I just had to chuckle at the part about the typical tourist not thinking much of the WSM, or something to that nature... 

 

The typical US tourist probably thinks riding the "Its A Small World" ride at Disney World, is "world travel."  :-)

 

 

Haha, true....I wasn't meaning it as a slight to the market at all...I think it's awesome...I can just see Joe and Jan tourist being like "okay....what do we DO here: :)

 

lol -- they're not gonna be throwing any flying fish around the wsm that is for sure! but i know what you mean. i suppose it does appeal to urban geeks and foodie tourists best vs being a typical touristy destination.

 

actually, its easy to miss, but there is a good diner in a corner of the market. there is also plenty of restaurant/pub stuff around it in the immediate neighborhood....but i also understand your margarita jones (and even tho i like both, i'd have went w/ momocho over j mango for those)!

 

too bad it was so quiet and closed up, but i am glad you got to see shaker square. given your being in kc you also have the early country club shopping center, rail transit aside, what did you think of shaker vs that one?

 

 

I couldn't draw any similarities between shaker and country club plaza here.  Shaker felt like a great neighborhood area (ala our brookside)...CCP here is much more higher end restaurants and retailers which tourists eat up and is surrounded by high rise condo/apartment towers.

 

Both are great but I don't see them in the same categories.

KC - Thanks for the honest feedback.  FYI, I wouldn't send a tourist with one day on their hands to Shaker Square either.  Nice place, just not real touristy..

 

For example, I would send someone to Chagrin Falls before I'd send someone to Shaker Square.  Chagrin would give someone another perspective of our metro area; the town is on the hilly side of the metro with a 35 ft waterfall downtown, lined with unique shops, great restarants, etc..  If you didn't know, there are 13 waterfalls surrounding the Cleveland metro area, the largest being about 65-70 feet.  There are also a few ski (snow) resorts on the east side, while not the biggest, definitely big enough to get hurt on..

 

I mentioned Put in Bay before (and was chastised for it), but if you ever come back (Dante Hall maybe??), you MUST make time to spend a few days on the islands, VERY fun place..

 

As far as the comment about snow, snowfall varies widely in the metro area.  I live on the west side of the metro, about 1/4 mile from Lake Erie.  The lake creates sort of a micro climate in the fall and in the spring, where we can be 12-15 degrees warmer or colder than someone 3-4 miles south.  So, in the early winter, we get rain while someone a few miles away gets snow.  For example, the first time I have to shovel is usually early-mid January (last year, we didn't get any measurable snow that stuck after the end of Feb)..  HOWEVER, the east side of the metro can really get dumped on, due to the hills, wind direction (and lake).

 

I don't know much about KC, but I have spent a little time in St. Louis, pretty oppressive summer heat (high humidity for 2-3 months straight), I would think KC would be a little drier, knowing how dry Kansas is out on the plains.  What little time I've spend in KC, it reminded me of a cleaner, and little bigger version of Memphis, is that a fair assessment? 

 

Glad you enjoyed your visit..  I always tell people that have never been to Cleveland that it is different than what they would expect.  They may not like it, but it is different than their perception (before visiting).

Oh you got the heat of kc right.....it gets pretty hot here and we do get some snow.....kinda why I like it here we definitely get 4 seasons...I personally love the heat but I could see it as a turn off.

 

Lol at dante hall...no way I am coming to see that guy...our next HOF'ers will probably be will shields and tony gonzalez.

 

Bigger cleaner memphis???  Hmmm, only been to memphis once so not a great feel for it but I find kc on a much more cultural side than I found memphis.  I think kc and denver are pretty similar...without the mountain backdrop of course...or minneapolis but warmer.  Memphis building style is much more east coast style (ala most cases better) than we are.  We sprawl more I think.

^interesting. I lived in Memphis for three years and would never call the buildings "east coast". Also, Memphis is very sprawled. The one area of the city that was built in the street car era is much less dense than similarly-aged areas of the country.

Just more than kc...we have a pretty solid urban core that stretches from the river to approx. 50th street to the south but I just feel more sprawl here....probably due to differences in size and my lack of knowing much about memphis.

Most of the restaurants on Shaker Square have good bars, especially the ones north of the square on Larchmere. I love the high-rise brownstones just east and south of Shaker Square. I think you would liked the architecture. That's where MTS lives when he's in town...

 

Probably my bad on this...we pretty much walked all 4 corners of the square, didn't see anything open and decided to jet to Little Italy...mostly so we could see as much as possible...we didn't venture outside of the square...again I think it would be an awesome neighborhood to live in and what I did see of the housing stock was awesome.

 

All the restaurants on the Square have outdoor seating.  You didn't see anything open?  :wtf: Your Truly & Shack on the Tracks is always open.

 

I'm glad you liked the housing as the area is gorgeous and there is more to see like the adjacent Larchmore strip and Shaker Lakes.

 

Glad you had an overall good time in Cleveland.

Didn't mean any offense about Memphis (or Dante Hall).

 

I lived in Denver about 6 years, and found it to be (speaking of Denver metro specifically, and not the mountains) an uninspiring place; poor restaurants (too many chains), few average universities, poor arts, cookie-cutter neighborhoods (outside of right downtown) 300,000+ illegals, and an overall lack of "scene", which even many of the local radio personalities complain about.  Overall, a commoditized place where people exist (in the city/metro itself), and not "live".  I would think KC has more uniqueness, etc. with the great bbq food, music scene, etc..

 

Probably a little off subject, but I'm no fan of Denver (or Phoenix, Salt Lake, Albuquerque.....).

mts...I wasn't aware of any other strips of shops as I had never been there...we looked at the map of the 4 quads of the square, walked the entire thing...we did see outdoor seating but nobody sitting there...the couple places we tried didn't open until later. (430 one place told us).  Again great neighborhood, I see why you are proud of it and want others to see it...I am glad I saw it as I assume most tourists don't.

kcpowercat1, it sounds like you experienced the "authentic-ness" of  Cleveland.  Things are pretty real and authentic and that's one of the many things that I miss about living there.  This is what typically appeals to people about the West Side Market... and some of the other places you mentioned (not the same cookie cutter stuff you'd find in most cities), it still has the feel, smells and sounds of when it originally opened, and that is the real attraction (sorry no fudgery, or cookie company), but Ive found most people to pick up on this (although you went on a Friday as opposed to a Saturday, which feels much more touristy).

 

Yeah, I think the Margaritas at Momocho would have given your favorite place in KC a run for their money.  There are so many things that you missed out on due to limited time, that would have told more of a story, but glad you enjoyed.     

Dont worry, not offended at all...except maybe dante hall stuff :) 

 

I can see where memphis and kc have similar features....we just seem to have a lot more arts and cultural attractions which makes me think denver/mpls.

"that is the real attraction (sorry no fudgery, or cookie company)"

 

Survey says?!?

 

http://www.westsidemarket.org/vendor.aspx?id=96

 

And as for cookies... Spanos, Theresa's, Michael's...

"that is the real attraction (sorry no fudgery, or cookie company)"

 

Survey says?!?

 

http://www.westsidemarket.org/vendor.aspx?id=96

 

And as for cookies... Spanos, Theresa's, Michael's...

 

I meant in terms of the tacky, typical tourist stuff that you could see anywhere :-P... (The fudgery where making fudge is an event...)  Yeah, theres awesome bakeries and places to get these things, but they tend to be authentic Cleveland.

The West Side Market is a good place to find "authentic Cleveland." So is Slyman's on St. Clair -- I've never seen a such a diverse crowd in one place, from suits to slobs.

There's always WAL-MART! Now there's something really different!  :drunk:  :-P