Explore CLE: The Vault

This past weekend, Nick and I FINALLY made it to Vault at Metropolitan at the 9. If you know me in real life (and honestly, even if you only know me through social media), then you know that I LUUUUURVE fancy. And Vault is FANCY!

You walk into the lobby of the Metropolitan at the 9, and take a short elevator ride downstairs. And then begin the velvet ropes. There is a dress code -- dress cute, and fancy. You will see a lot of strutting, and you definitely don't want to be left out in the cold. Based in an old bank building, Vault definitely does not shy away from its roots. Past the ropes, you walk in a hallway, and then past the vault (yes, its a real vault) to the bar. You will see signs of the property's former life everywhere-- from the old school till to the private rooms, which are all vaults. Its no wonder that Vault is so popular with celebrities-- lots of places for privacy.

If you're not looking for a private room, or bottle service, the common area is not very large. There's the main bar, and a smallish area by the DJ booth, the area by the vault then the wide hallway where you enter. Certainly not tiny, but not cavernous either.

I'm not sure if the hallway area is always red, but I definitely felt like I was an extra in Blade. The drink prices are shockingly reasonable. 7 drinks (all liquor) ran us under $70 (excluding tip)-- almost unheard of in downtown Cleveland! Overall, we had a fun time, and I will definitely go back!

Coming soon to Metropolitan to the 9 (May 2015): Azure Sun Lounge-- Cleveland's hottest new rooftop bar!!! Hey hey heyyyyyy!

CLE Events: Rooted In Cleveland

My relationship with yoga is a weird one-- I always love it when I practice, but I'm terribly inconsistent.  Over the past few months however, I've tried to incorporate yoga into my routine at least twice a week. And even with this minimal effort, I can feel myself getting stronger. Anyway, as part of my yoga routine, I've attended a few yoga workshops, and the workshop coming up on May 15th may just be my most favorite one yet.

Hosted by Harness, Rooted In CLE combines an hour of Slow Flow Yoga presented by 3Sisters Yoga + Fitness, followed by COCKTAIL HOUR!!! Combined with the amazing views of downtown from the BurkleHagen loft, this promises to be a really fun and mellow Friday night.

Now for the details:

When: Friday, May 15th at 6:00 pm

Where: BurkleHagen Photography at 3500 Payne Ave, Cleveland

What: An hour of Yoga followed by cocktails and finger foods. Water provided by People Water. Cocktails will include wine, beer, and "garden to glass" cocktails in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic forms. Finger foods will tend toward heavier appetizers-- perfect for mingling!

Dress Code: YOGA PANTS!!! Is there such a thing as cocktail yoga pants? Can we make it a thing?

How: Tickets are available here. While normally $50, my dear readers, you can buy the tickets for $40 (a 20% savings) by using the code shopaholic. Note that this is an intimate event-- only 60 spots are available, so get your tickets as soon as possible!

Disclosure: I was provided with one ticket to Rooted In CLE in exchange for helping spread the word about the event. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for continuing to support vendors like Harness that allow me to create fun content for this blog! XO

CLE Shops: The Olive Scene

A few weeks ago, I finally made my way to the Olive Scene on Old Detroit Road in Rocky River. I say "finally" because I first heard of them when my dear friend Lisa gifted me a bottle of their harissa infused olive oil a couple of years ago. So, my tardiness in getting there really has no excuse. Anyway, my trip was a revelation into the amazing world of olive oil and balsamic vinegars--- I really had NO idea there were so many kinds!!!

When you walk in, you will immediately notice the rows of neat steel containers along the walls and down the middle of the store. First up, olive oils originating from a variety of different grapes. Next, infused olive oils, and finally, varieties of balsamic vinegar. 

I went on a major tasting spree (you taste it out of little plastic cups, like a little shot of oil)-- while I didn't really have a preference between the different types of olives, I had a few flavors of the infused oils that I really loved. Most notably, the olive, lemon, kaffir lime, baklouti green chili, and chipotle flavors. The balsamic vinegars were really amazing-- I particularly liked the fig balsamic and strawberry balsamic, which would both be perfect over some vanilla bean ice-cream. 

Prices range from $6 for the 60mL mini bottle, to $29 for the large 750mL bottle. I ended up going home with an assortment of sizes of the baklouti green chili olive oil (great with bread), lemon olive oil (fantastic when used to roast asparagus), garlic olive oil (I use this in pretty much everything and anything) and the serrano honey vinegar (will change popcorn forever). 

If you're local, I highly recommend a visit. In addition to Rocky River, the store has locations in Chagrin Falls and Vermillion. Just be prepared that you will go home with multiple bottles of deliciousness. If you're not local, you can choose to shop online, although you will not have the benefit of trying before you buy. The oils and vinegars themselves make excellent gifts, but the store also offers other italian delights like dried pasta, and gift items like pasta bowls and cheese trays. 

Get out those stretchy pants and your wallet!!!

Listening Now: April Playlist

Here are a few songs I'm listening to this month. These are all available on Spotify-- feel free to follow my 2015 playlist for updates!

1. Mine- Sebastian Mikael
2. Champagne Kisses - Jessie Ware
3. Hustler - Josef Salvat
4. Hold My Hand - Jess Glynne
5. Higher - Sigma
6. Hold Back The River - James Bay
7. King - Years & Years
8. Bed of Lies - Nicki Minaj
9. The Rhythm - MNEK
10. 2Shy - Shura

ENJOY!!!

A Very CLE Weekend

Seriously, was this the BEST weekend all year (so far)?! Warm, sunny-- fun activities…. its the little taste of summer that makes me so excited for what is to come this year!!

Friday I did not partake in the Indian home-opener festivities, instead I relaxed on the couch, doing damage to a bottle of wine and a giant bowl of homemade popcorn. After an INTENSE yoga class at Inner Bliss (seriously, so sore) I headed off to the inaugural Cleveland Flea of 2015 with Danielle and her 5-week old daughter Penny.

I seriously LOVE the Flea. Its my most favorite thing to do on a Saturday. I've come to know so many of the vendors that its basically a whole day of hanging out with friends, sampling delicious food, and buying fabulous trinkets. This flea, I was very impressed with two new vendors-- Soul Custom (pictured above) and Souls Repurpose. Both local vendors with excellent selections, and adorably styled booths (although Soul Custom was a converted semi, but still).

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Kickstarter Campaign to grow the Cleveland Flea. The Flea gets better every year, and if successfully funded, this will take the Flea to the next level. Phase I is infrastructure like beautifully handmade furniture to be a permanent part of the Flea--- all locally made of course. So if you're a fan of the Cleveland Flea, or local shops, or even supporting local economies, or fabulous community events, please consider funding this campaign.

Sunday, Nick and I tried out Cleveland's newest brunch offering, Graffiti: A Social Kitchen. A variety
of fabulous bellini flavors and a fun, innovative menu really put the "fun" in Sunday Funday. My favorite dishes were the chorizo pop tart (served with guacamole) and the breakfast strudel.  The food was so good that I completely forgot to take pictures, and the mimosas weren't half bad either ;) --- yes, I drank them all. No, of course I didn't drive!

After brunch, Nick and I took the pups down to Edgewater Park to hang out with our friend Sara. Romps on the beach later, we were back at our place to wind down into Sunday evening with some wine and cheese, and get ready for the week ahead. 

Hope you enjoyed the weekend as much as I did, and I'm looking forward to seeing you at the next Cleveland Flea on May 9th!

CLE Shops: Pure Okwuma

One of the things I forgot about puppies are their razor sharp claws. And Webster's claws really are like little daggers! Needless to say, my arms and legs were getting really scratched up, until I started using the recently launched Pure Okwuma body butter. 

Made from shea butter and cocoa butter, this body butter is 98% paraben, phthalate and sulfate free. It is fragranced with botanicals like basil, green tea, and bergamot, and honestly smells like fresh cut grass with a hint of citrus-- its like the essence of spring in a jar! You might think that the shea and cocao butters make this greasy, but it absorbs into your skin very easily, and keeps it soft for an impressively long time. And most important to me, this product is not tested on animals! Oh, did I mention it is also vegan?

I had an opportunity to speak with founder and CEO Kaylyn Danielle to learn a little bit more about how she came up with this product. Upon graduation from college, Kaylyn became interested in heathy lifestyles, the environment and social responsibility, and found that she had a hard time finding natural products for her skin and hair. After tinkering with some homemade concoctions, she came up with the unique mix of ingredients that make up Pure Okwuma, and the rest is the beginning of a whole new beauty adventure, founded right here in Cleveland! 

Pure Okwuma believes that people should feel alive and empowered in their skin: As Kaylyn says "I wanted to show people that there are many ways to be comfortable; not only in our skin, but in our willingness to relax and let go of all of the stories, labels and judgments that we have placed upon ourselves." So go ahead and try this new product, and get a little more comfortable with how amazing your skin will look and feel!

Disclosure: I was sent a 2oz container of Pure Okwuma body butter to test and share my thoughts via Things I Luuuuurve. As always, all opinions are 100% my own! 

Listening now: Madeon

I discovered this song by Madeon last week-- I love the distinct Passion Pit sound, and the 80s vibe!




I shared this with my friends Allison and Sean, and Sean shared another Madeon song, which I will pay forward and share with you!

Experience It: Exhibition on Screen

Back in college, I took a class in European Art History. It was my senior year (yes, I saved freshman classes for senior year because, senioritis), and the class was right after lunch, in a dark auditorium, and from what I remember, the professor spoke in a very soothing monotone--- needless to say I fell asleep a lot, and don't remember much of it all! It is my greatest regret about college.

Luckily, we have incredible resources right here in Cleveland like the Cleveland Museum of Art, so I've been able to catch up, at least in part. And then there's opportunities like this--- on April 14th, Fathom Events and Arts Alliance is presenting the Exhibition OnScreen Series with a feature on Vincent Van Gogh.  What is this series exactly? Well, funny you should ask!

Art lovers take heed: you have the opportunity to experience EXHIBITION ON SCREEN’s showing of VINCENT VAN GOGH!

Enter here for the chance to win Cinemark Valley View or Carmike Solon theatre tickets valid April 14 at 7PM - http://tinyurl.com/CLEGOGHShop

Enjoy complete and unprecedented access to the treasures of Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum in a special re-showing of the gallery’s collection in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Van Gogh’s death. Experience the wonder of seeing these masterpieces on the big screen while specially invited guests, including world-renowned curators and historians, offer their interpretations and explanations of his work. With exclusive new research revealing incredible recent discoveries, the Van Gogh Museum has helped craft a cinema experience like no other. 

If you're an art lover like me, or are even vaguely interested in art, you should enter to win tickets to this event, and then go check out the Van Gogh's at the Cleveland Museum of Art! Contest ends at 11:50 pm on Tuesday, April 7th!  Good luck!