CLE Eats: Merwin's Wharf

Nick and I LUUUUURVE brunch, and we're always looking for new brunch spots to try. And this Sunday, we took our inaugural brunch visit to Merwin's Wharf. Owned by the Cleveland Metroparks, Merwin's Wharf is located right on the water in the west bank of the Flats. The restaurant's walls are garage doors, so on a beautiful sunny day, you feel like you're outside even when you're not.

Nick ordered the southwest bloody mary-- piled high with meats and cheese on a stick, this was a really good bloody mary. Not too fancy, but the right mix of salt and spice. I ordered a moscow mule--- I know, not a traditional choice, but I wanted something citrusy. For brunch, I ordered the standard breakfast--- I always judge brunch spots by how well they can execute eggs, and my over easy eggs were perfectly cooked. Nick ordered the biscuits and gravy, and they were absolutely delicious!

After brunch, we walked around with our drinks outside, taking in the view. I could see myself spending the whole day there-- you can even play outdoor jenga or corn hole if you feel like it, or lounge on patio furniture and watch the boats go by. Oh, did I mention that Merwin's Wharf is dog friendly on the patio?

Overall, a great experience, and one that I'm looking forward to experiencing again. Good food, great views, super friendly service-- what more can you possibly need on a Sunday Funday?

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!

CLEshopaholic Eats: Stonetown and TownHall

What a beautiful weekend this was!! The weather was absolutely perfect, and Nick and I were lucky enough to spend a lot of it outdoors.

Clockwise from top left: The awesome sculpture garden at Edgewater, the awesome view of the city from Cove Ave, my relaxing afternoon, Otto exhausted after a vigorous game of soccer.

Saturday night, Nick and I decided to try out Stonetown in the 668 building. We are HUGE fans of their sister restaurant Jezebels Bayou (I recommend the blackened alligator and seafood etouffe), so we were very excited to see what Stonetown had to offer.  

The menu and my blackened catfish with caperberry sauce.

The good news: our food was delicious. The bad news: the service was SOOOOO slow. While the service was very pleasant and polite, I do wish that there was a little sense of urgency in getting us beverages.

Contrast that with TownHall, where we met up with the Harper's for some brunch, day drinking, and of course the Browns.  We took Otto and Clair up for brunch (yay for dog friendly locations!!), and were seated on the patio. As the game started, the manager noticed the boys straining to catch the score on TV, and promptly asked us if we wanted to move to the front patio where we could be outside with the dogs and still watch the game-- my idea of proactive customer service!! As much as I had initial misgivings about TownHall, I have to say that I really really enjoy it! Its probably not my scene on a Friday or Saturday night, but they have a really solid bar food menu, lots of beers on tap, yummy adult limeade, and great customer service!!

Puppy kisses on the patio

Nick and Wes watching the game. This was in the first half. They looked infinitely more annoyed as the game progressed.

Last but not least, I wanted to show you this awesome scarf that Nick got me as a "just because" gift from R/S Cleveland. It is possibly my most favorite scarf ever: perfect length, super super soft, and has a really fun city scene print!! Absolutely perfect for fall!! 

What's your favorite dog friendly eatery in Cleveland?

The 30-day unlimited pass to The Movement Factory giveaway ends tomorrow, so enter here!