This year marks our 20th annual Bowl for Kids' Sake event-don't miss out on fun for the whole family! Join us for free food, drinks, T-Shirts, entertainment, exciting prizes and the satisfaction of knowing you've helped make a striking difference!
Join friends & neighbors of MidTown Cleveland for our third annual 5k/10k road race to support public arts projects in the MidTown Cleveland neighborhood. The race will begin at historic Prospect Avenue and will continue through the heart of MidTown to showcase the Greater Cleveland RTA’s HealthLine on Euclid Avenue.
After the race, participants will enjoy kegs & eggs breakfast with a live band. Early Registration is $20 and ends October 9, 2009. Late Registration is $25. Register online today at hermescleveland.com.
They are hosting a special challenge for eligible Petfinder.com member shelter and rescue groups. The grand prize is a $20,000 grant, and they will be awarding many other grants to rescue groups with the most votes — a total of $100,000 in grants for animal welfare organizations.
Think how many Cleveland ferrets they could help with $20,000!
To help them, simply visit the website and click to help rescued animals, and vote in The Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter+ Challenge. Both of these actions are absolutely free! You can vote once a day, every day, until December 20, 2009. Every time you vote, or tell a friend to vote, you are helping shelter pets.
With the current economy, Ferrets Unlimited, as well as many other local animal rescues have seen an increase in animals surrendered by families that feel that they can no longer support their pets and by families who have lost their homes and cannot find housing that allows pets.
This is an easy way to help a local charity without spending a dime. Just visit the Shelter+ Challenge page and enter Ferrets Unlimited Rescue Services, and select Ohio in the state field, in the purple box under Search and Vote for a Shelter and click the Search button. Then you will see Ferrets Unlimited Rescue Services and a button to Vote for them. You may vote once a day!
Fans of Northeast Ohio’s finest fare will gather Monday, September 14 for the Cleveland Browns Taste of the NFL 2009 Celebrity Dinner to benefit the Cleveland Foodbank.
The 11th annual fund-raiser features 26 food stations with culinary creations from the areas most talented chefs, who spend the evening away from their restaurants to gather at the stadium and prepare signature dishes for guests to enjoy all while supporting a great cause. The event also offers the opportunity for guests to mix and mingle with Cleveland Browns alumnus and current players, as well as the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind auction and raffle items.
Tickets are $150 each and all proceeds benefit the Cleveland Foodbank, which for every dollar donated can provide enough food for four nutritious meals. For more information or to attend, visit www.cleveland.com/tasteofthenfl or call 216-738-2126
Our family are vegetarians and sometimes it is a challenge to find great restaurants that provide delicious meatless fare.
Fortunately, I enjoy cooking and I love creating meatless versions of traditional dishes. I share my recipes on my recipe blog.
However, I really enjoy dining out, and I appreciate knowing in advance whether a restaurant has vegetarian options, other than vegetable soup and a side salad.
There is a fantastic site called VegOhio.com that offers a printed guide to vegetarian-friendly restaurants and stores around Ohio. They also have detailed listings for restaurants, stores, and organizations in our area. We have noticed that some of the restaurant listings are outdated, however, so I would recommend calling ahead.
One of our favorite restaurants is Aladdin's Eatery. They have several locations in Northeastern Ohio and they offer a nice variety of vegetarian food on their menu. The food is fantastic, the environment is cozy, and everything is available for carryout, too!
There are more area restaurants listed on my Cleveland Dining page, too. I try to include the vegetarian options in the descriptions.
I run the Vegetarians Headquarters on Squidoo and I'm also working on a lens called Northeastern Ohio Vegetarians. The goal is to create a useful local guide for vegetarians in our area while attempting to raise money for our local animal shelter.
I'd love to hear suggestions from other vegetarians in our area.
On Saturday, February 9, all runners and walkers are invited to Tackle the Tower and climb the 37 flights of the Erieview Tower located at the Galleria in downtown Cleveland.
Moon Dog from the CAVS kicks off the event with the Fun Walk beginning at 8:45 a.m. and the race following at 9:00 a.m. All runners will be lined up in the order their entry was received and will start every 10 seconds.
The Firefighter Race (in full turn out gear. Oxygen must be carried; doesn't have to be used) will begin at 10:30 a.m.
To register visit, hermescleveland.com. Cost to register is $20 until 2/5/07. After that, registration costs $25 and can be paid on race day.
Prizes will be awarded to those with the fastest times and the highest fundraisers. All proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland.
What You Get - T-shirt designed for the run - Post race activities include beverages, breakfast, prizes, music and more! - All post race activities take place in the Center Course of the Galleria. - $3 heated, indoor parking at the Galleria (entrance on Lakeside)
Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter (The only ferret shelter in Northeastern Ohio) is having a bowling benefit on Sunday, January 13, 2008 at Meszar’s Lanes 4231 Fulton Rd Cleveland.
The party goes from 4:00 - 8:00 PM and includes open bowling, pizza, raffles, door prizes and lots of fun. There is also a cash bar with reduced prices.
Tickets are available at the door, $25 for adults and $15 for children (ages 6-10).
This is a really fun, local event for both ferret people and non-ferret people. I hope to see you there and please help spread the word!
Thank you to everyone that contacted me about my vegetarian dinner post. Apparently there are more vegetarians (and people wanting to be vegetarians) reading this blog, than I assumed.
Anyway, since so many people asked about vegetarian recipes, I figured I should point out that I have been posting to the Mommy Mall Recipes blog for years and many of the recipes are vegetarian.
I find it very challenging to get great vegetarian food in Cleveland, but fortunately I enjoy cooking at home. However, sometimes it's easier to just open a can and make something quick and easy. Last night's dinner was an example of a quick and easy vegetarian meal. Everyone loved it and it only took a few minutes to make.
I used Loma Linda (Vegetarian) Fried Chik'N with Gravy, and heated that in a frying pan with a little Smart Balance oil. Bush's vegetarian baked beans, that are yummy right from the can and only need to be heated up. A can of sweet peas, and a package of organic stuffing mix from the grocery store. The stuffing took the most work, which just involved chopping a few onions, adding smart balance, vegetable broth, and heating in the oven until it was crispy. I also doctored up the gravy that came with the Fried Chik'n by adding garlic, sage, vegetable broth, and black pepper and heating it up. The dinner was tasty, healthy, low in fat and the only drawback of prepared food like this is the sodium content.
Many of us try to start the New Year out on the right foot by making resolutions to eat better, exercise more, be nicer to people, volunteer more, get out of debt, etc.
I know that resolutions can be a recipe for failure because many of us break those resolutions as fast as we make them. Perhaps it might be easier to just think of the New Year as a fresh start, and use this as an excuse to make a few simple changes to improve your life. One simple change might be to try to exercise more. It doesn't have to be calisthenics, you can just make an effort to move a little more.
January is not the easiest month to start a fitness program in Cleveland, but fortunately, this winter has been very mild. Just getting out and walking is a great way to improve your fitness level.
The Zoo is a wonderful place to go walking and it’s a completely different environment in the winter. If you live close enough, take advantage of a Zoo membership and you can go there all the time. It’s much more fun than walking the neighborhood, and if you take your camera you might get some really fantastic shots at the same time.
The many areas of the Cleveland Metroparks are also terrific places to go walking or biking. The reservations have paved trails that wind through the trees and you’ll never run out of interesting things to see. The nice thing about heading to the parks in the winter is the lack of mosquitoes.
If you’re not a big fan of the all outdoors, check out the YMCA. They offer much more than just a swimming pool. They have treadmills and other exercise equipment, fitness classes, team sports and more. The Y is very reasonable, even for the entire family.
When I watched the Cleveland Marathon last year, I took a vow to register for the 2008 race. Registration is now open for the 2008 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10k. This morning, I submitted my registration, along with those of my husband and son. We have until May 18, 2008 to train for this event and I'm really looking forward to it.
In 1997, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and was terrified of a wheelchair in my future. In 2001, I visited Walk Disney World, and while I still had the ability to walk for short distances, I was unable to keep up with the pace at the park, and spent most of my time in a wheelchair. Fortunately, my illness has improved over the years, with the help of both traditional and non-traditional therapies. Today I am walking, working out, and training for my first 10k race. However, my health challenges make this race so much more important to me.
I would love to hear from other people who have participated in this event, or plan to participate this year. I think that training for this event will be a wonderful way to improve anyone's overall strength and fitness and serves as a wonderful alternative to the traditional New Years Resolution.
Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon Health & Fitness Expo This free health and fitness expo is held at the Cleveland Convention Center on the Friday and Saturday before Race Day. All participants must attend the expo to pick up their race packets. There will also be plenty of exhibitors to check out. * Friday - May 16, 2008, 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM * Saturday - May 17, 2008, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Pasta Dinner There will be a charity pasta dinner Saturday evening before Race Day * Saturday - May 17, 2008, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
2008 Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 10k Race * Sunday - May 18, 2008 , 7:00 AM Marathon/Half, 7:35 AM 10k
26.3 Mile Rock Party The party starts at at E. 9th and St. Clair for the big after race party! There will be live music, games, food, drinks, and prizes. What a fun way to unwind after the race!
It was another close game, coming right down to the wire. It almost seems as if the Browns just don't want to win any of these games. Game after game, the offense gives the defense a lead, and the defense tries to give it away in the fourth quarter.
The Browns built up an 8 to nothing lead when Buffalo got the ball on the 30 yard line with 1:51 left to go in the fourth quarter. The Bills were able to drive all the way to the Browns 10 yard line, but turned it over on downs when the Browns defense played a bend but don't break style.
The Browns got great games out of Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards, and Phil Dawson who kicked some amazing field goals. Dawson kicked 49 and 35 yard field goals, which normally would be unspectacular, but in a blizzard, there were some of the best plays of the game. Cleveland also scored a safety when the snap to Bills punter Brian Moorman went over his head and Moorman booted the ball out for a safety instead of give up a potential touchdown. Jamal Lewis had 33 carries for 163 yards. He got better and better as the game went on and ate a lot of clock which really helped the defense out, who pitched a shutout. Opponents had scored at least 18 in every game before this, but the weather, along with Jamal's physical running, gave the defense a helping hand today.
Early in the game before Jamal toke over Braylon Edwards was dominating the secondary, jumping up and making circus like catches at will. If Braylon does not go to the Pro Bowl this year, something is seriously wrong. He has already posted career numbers in receptions (69), receiving yards (1170), and receiving touchdowns (13), and he still has a couple games to improve on those numbers.
As far as the playoffs go, Tennessee beat The Chiefs, so nothing is for certain, but the Browns are in the driver's seat for the 6th seed, and are actually tied with the Steelers for the Division Title. However, because the Steelers swept us in head-to-head play, the Browns need to win 1 more game than the Steelers to actually win the Title. Both the Steelers and Browns have weak schedules going forward, so it will be interesting to see the race for the Title plays out. The most encouraging thing is that the defense is finally starting to catch up to the offense ability, which will be huge in the post season.
Tailgaters beware, because the weather for this week's Browns game versus the Buffalo Bills will be quite extreme. The forecast at game time is 29 degrees Fahrenheit with a 90% chance of snow. There is a chance that the predicted snow and 20+ mph winds may cause the Browns to lean more on the power running game of Jamal Lewis instead of the strong arm of Derek Anderson. The weather may actually be an advantage for the Browns, as it negates the Deep Threat of Bills speedster Lee Evans. This is a big week for the Brownies, because a win, coupled with a loss by the Titans, and the Browns clinch a playoff spot for the first time since Butch Davis took them to the post-season in 2002. A win for either team would be huge, and would help to set the tone for the future of either franchise.
Cleveland Browns Scouting Report: What will most likely be the keys to this game will be how Jamal Lewis runs against Buffalo's 30th ranked defense, and how the Brown's 32nd ranked defense plays against the Bills. Cleveland will score, but what has cost Cleveland in its five losses has been the ability to run out the clock and hold the opposition's offense in the second half. If the Browns are able to overcome the harsh conditions, they should find much success in the air against a 28th ranked pass defense. Also, while the stat sheet hasn't shown it, the defense seems to be improving and an improved defense would be a huge asset in this game. If Cleveland can get a win, coupled with a loss by Tennessee, the Browns have clinched a playoff spot. Hope for a division title is slim, but still alive because of a weak schedule.
Buffalo Bills Scouting Report: The Bills appear to need to win this game much more than the Browns. They have a tough schedule to finish the season, with games against the Giants and Eagles. A win against the Browns would put them in a tie with the Browns for the 6th seed. The Bills have not had a berth since 1999, and a loss would have them waiting another year. Rookie quarterback Trent Edwards is 5-1 as a starter, and seems to have chemistry with big play receiver Lee Evans, and while no one outside of Buffalo would say that there offense is explosive, putting up 39 points on the scoreboard shows they are capable of scoring, especially against a weak defense like Cleveland's.
Prediction: Cleveland has played very well at home this year (5-0 when Anderson starts) and I think that continues. The Brown's defense steps up to win Browns - 28, Bills - 17.
Candlemass is coming to Cleveland with Daylight Dies on May 23, 2008. Blabbermouth posted new tour dates and tickets for the Peabody's show are currently on sale for only $18 from The Vault until December 20, 2007.
I updated the Artists and Galleries and Beauty Salons and Spas pages. Please check them out if you get a chance. I know there are many more wonderful local websites out there and it's challenging to find them all.
Please feel free to share your favorite local websites anytime. I love discovering all of the variety that our area has to offer.
Traditionally, November is the start of the Holiday shopping season in Cleveland. The masses make their pilgrimage to the malls to find the perfect gift, or great buys from the after Thanksgiving sales.
Personally, I find the crowds annoying and the discounts not that amazing. For over a decade, I have made a vow to avoid the malls as much as possible and have done virtually all of my shopping online. I love it! I don't have to fight the crowds, waste gas warming up the car, wander around aimlessly trying to find what I'm looking for or drive around crowded parking lots trying to find a space.
This year I decided to focus on some of our local merchants and what they have to offer for the holidays. Follow me for a virtual shopping tour of Cleveland.
The Humphrey Company For anyone who loved Euclid Beach, a gift from Humphrey would be a wonderful momento. Included are Euclid beach T-shirts, ornaments, and their famous popcorn balls and taffy kisses.
Little Tikes The best kids toys and playcenters available are made right here in our area and now you can shop online.
Malley's Chocolates Malley's Chocolates offers a variety of gift ideas and you can order online, in person, or by phone and have a classic Cleveland treat delivered anywhere.
Mommy Mall Save yourself the hassle and shop at one of the oldest online shopping malls, located in Greater Cleveland.
Late Sunday night, October 21st, the Cleveland Indians officially lost the chance to be in the 2007 World Series. Less than twenty-four hours later, all of the sorrow was washed away by a special event. One of our favorite bands put on another amazing show at one of our favorite venues. Porcupine Tree returned to the House of Blues for the second time this year simply because Cleveland rocks!
We haven’t missed a PT show since they came in with Opeth in the summer of 2003. Our twelve year old daughter has attended the last three shows with us – another avid fan of this excellent band.
Officially, Monday’s show was part of the second leg of the Fear of a Blank Planet Tour to support the album of the same name. PT has also released a mini-EP called ‘Nil Recurring’ that closely follows the musical style on ‘Fear.’ All but one of the four tracks on the EP were played, and roughly half of ‘Fear.’ The Cleveland show featured a good mix of tracks from the last few albums and some older tunes that went over very well with the crowd. We were treated to classics like ‘Dark Matter’, and a condensed/combined version of both phases of ‘The Sky Moves Sideways.’ One of my personal favorites, ‘Even Less,’ made its return this time around during the encore (which replaced a huge fan favorite – ‘Trains’).
Anyone that listens to or knows about Porcupine Tree should notice one thing straight away – the quality of the sound. PT is a band that really needs to be heard live to fully appreciate. Beginning with our first show in 2003, I’ve been immediately drawn to listen to the tunes played live long after the concert. Even though we’ve had ‘Nil Recurring’ for a few weeks, I hadn’t played it too often. Now that I’ve heard the tracks live, I can’t stop playing them in the car, at work, and at home. I find myself remembering how they sounded at the concert. Their presentation is professional and their musicianship is exceptional.
Many of their songs have a certain power and energy played live that simply can’t be experienced from the original recording. One of them in particular is ‘Sleep Together’. The backdrop of Richard Barbieri’s keyboard sound is so dark and foreboding; it simply overwhelms me with emotion, especially during the final few measures, at the climax of the performance. The epic, 17-minute masterpiece from the current album called ‘Anesthetize’ seems to have become a crowd favorite, and when played live, it’s easy to see why. They ended the show with another crowd pleaser called ‘Halo’, complete with over-the-top keyboard and vocal effects that give it a distinct edginess. It’s also one of my live favorites.
Porcupine Tree is: Steven Wilson – lead vocals, guitar; Gavin Harrison – drums; Colin Edwin – bass; Richard Barbieri – keyboards. During U.S tours, the excellent John Wesley also adds his vocal and guitar talent to the shows.
The set list was as follows:
What Happens Now? Fear of a Blank Planet The Sound of Muzak Lazarus Nil Recurring Dark Matter Anesthetize Cheating the Polygraph Open Car A Smart Kid Way Out of Here Sleep Together
Encore: The Sky Moves Sideways Even Less Halo
If you were at the Cleveland show, or any show for that matter, drop us a comment to share your experience with this awesome band!
Even though the shelter is crowded, understaffed and underfunded, the director of Northeastern Ohio's only ferret shelter is working to help a massive rescue effort in southern Ohio.
Ferrets Unlimited Ferret Shelter in Cleveland, Ohio has taken several truckloads of supplies down to Lynx, Ohio to assist the rescuers who took in over 700 ferrets from a breeder who was apparently unable to care for the animals properly. Various animal welfare groups and shelters have been trying to work with law enforcement to force this breeder to provide humane conditions for the animals, or cease operation.
Ferret's Dream House, a shelter in Lynx, Ohio agreed to take in over 700 neglected ferrets in an attempt to help them receive good homes around the country. This is a huge undertaking and caring for this large quantity of animals requires a large quantity of supplies.
If you are in the area and are interested in participating in this effort, Ferrets Unlimited is planning to take another truck down there on Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at 8:00 am.
They are gathering donations of heavy duty welding gloves, disposable rubber gloves, water (for volunteers), garden hoes, heavy duty push brooms, heavy duty garbage bags, energy bars (for the volunteers), cereal bars (for the volunteers), floor squeegees not wider than two feet, newspaper without the shiny ads, paper towels, laundry soap, bleach, Wal-Mart gift cards (Wal-Mart is the only store near the shelter) , pieces of fleece cut to about 8 x 18 (to cover the wire in the cage and a blanket), and trash bags.
Donations can be dropped off at Ferrets Unlimited, 4116 Bucyrus Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44109. Both shelters are 501c3 charities, so your donations are tax deductible.
It's so amazing to see the way that people in our area work together to help others in need, despite the fact that some of those that give the most, have their own hardships.
You may be wondering what in the heck a Squidoo lens is. Well, Squidoo is a fantastic free service where people may create a one-page overview on any topic of their choice. Squidoo calls them lenses.
You may also wonder how this relates to Cleveland. I'm getting to that part now.
I have been a Squidoo lensmaster (a person who creates lenses) since October 2005. Over this time I have created quite a few lenses on a wide variety of topics, including Cleveland.
I also manage the Ohio Headquarters on Squidoo, which showcases people, places, and things related to the great state of Ohio. I would like to invite everyone reading this to create your own lens, and join our group.
If you already have lenses related to Ohio, please join us.
This year marks our 20th annual Bowl for Kids' Sake event-don't miss out on fun for the whole family! Join us for free food, drinks, T-Shirts, entertainment, exciting prizes and the satisfaction of knowing you've helped make a striking difference!
Join friends & neighbors of MidTown Cleveland for our third annual 5k/10k road race to support public arts projects in the MidTown Cleveland neighborhood. The race will begin at historic Prospect Avenue and will continue through the heart of MidTown to showcase the Greater Cleveland RTA’s HealthLine on Euclid Avenue.
Tailgaters beware, because the weather for this week's Browns game versus the Buffalo Bills will be quite extreme. The forecast at game time is 29 degrees Fahrenheit with a 90% chance of snow. There is a chance that the predicted snow and 20+ mph winds may cause the Browns to lean more on the power running game of Jamal Lewis instead of the strong arm of Derek Anderson. The weather may actually be an advantage for the Browns, as it negates the Deep Threat of Bills speedster Lee Evans. This is a big week for the Brownies, because a win, coupled with a loss by the Titans, and the Browns clinch a playoff spot for the first time since Butch Davis took them to the post-season in 2002. A win for either team would be huge, and would help to set the tone for the future of either franchise.
Candlemass is coming to Cleveland with Daylight Dies on May 23, 2008. Blabbermouth posted new tour dates and tickets for the Peabody's show are currently on sale for only $18 from The Vault until December 20, 2007.
I updated the Artists and Galleries and Beauty Salons and Spas pages. Please check them out if you get a chance. I know there are many more wonderful local websites out there and it's challenging to find them all.
Traditionally, November is the start of the Holiday shopping season in Cleveland. The masses make their pilgrimage to the malls to find the perfect gift, or great buys from the after Thanksgiving sales. 
Late Sunday night, October 21st, the Cleveland Indians officially lost the chance to be in the 2007 World Series. Less than twenty-four hours later, all of the sorrow was washed away by a special event. One of our favorite bands put on another amazing show at one of our favorite venues. Porcupine Tree returned to the House of Blues for the second time this year simply because Cleveland rocks! 
You may be wondering what in the heck a Squidoo lens is. Well, Squidoo is a fantastic free service where people may create a one-page overview on any topic of their choice. Squidoo calls them lenses. 
