CLE Eats: Flaming Ice Cube

One of my favorite things about working is downtown Cleveland is the wide variety of lunch options. Now, I don't eat out every day, but when I do, I have some favorites. And then sometimes, I prefer to just explore. Last week, my friend Erika and I explored Flaming Ice Cube on Public Square.

Flaming Ice Cube has been around for a while, and offers a vegan menu. I might have lost you at vegan, but I urge you to hang on until the end of the post. I'm certainly not vegan, but if vegan food tastes so good, then I could definitely do it.

We started off with the cucumber detox smoothie. With cucumber, pineapple, apple juice, cilantro and kale, this was a perfectly refreshing summer smoothie. I could almost feel my body absorbing nutrients and detoxing.

Next up, I ordered the Asian Vegetable wrap -- this was delicious and filled with finely cut veggies. It was quite literally steaming with each bite-- so so good. The peanut sauce was TDF-  I could drink it. The side salad was a little too salty, but I just skipped it.

And finally, because I was feeling so VIRTUOUS after my vegan lunch, we decided to indulge in some vegan molten chocolate cake. Oh. My. God. This was as good, if not better, than a lot of non-vegan cakes. This was definitely the moment where I realized that if push ever came to shove, I could definitely be vegan (at least for a short period of time).

So, if you've been wanting to try vegan food, or are even remotely curious, I recommend Flaming Ice Cube. Its the kind of vegan meal I imagine Bey and Jay eat when they do their 22-day Revolution Vegan Diet. So go ahead, channel Bey and Jay. You know you want to.

CLE Eats: The Agrarian Collective

I want to introduce you to my newest food obsessions: The Agrarian Collective strawberry jam and granola. I picked some up at the Cleveland Flea this past weekend, and to be honest, I've spent all week trying to find more vehicles to get more jam and granola in my belly.

Sheer perfection, any way you eat it.

If you missed the Flea this past weekend, don't worry. Come to the Sunday Market at Hingetown this Sunday, 6/21 to experience some yummy goodies and hunt for vintage treasures!

Scenes from my Weekend

Whoever decided that weekends  should only last two days demonstrated a serious lack of sound judgement in coming up with this decision. Because weekends and awesome, and they should be longer, damn it! This weekend I managed to fit in a lot of relaxation (read: naps) with a lot of fun, so I feel ready to tackle the week ahead.

Friday, Nick and I attended a super fun event on the GOODTIME III-- it was a white party for AIA,  which fit in perfectly with my "All White Everything" theme this summer. My white seersucker dress (in the middle) is from the Gap, and BONUS, its on sale. Amazing views, perfect temps, and great friends made for a really fun evening. Post, cruise, Nick and I stopped in at Luxe for dinner. If you haven't been lately, its worth a visit-- they have a revamped menu, and the wings are AMAZING.

Saturday was a really nice detox ride at Harness, followed by some meandering and lunch at The Cleveland Flea with Allison. Post nap, Nick and I went to Humble Wine Bar for dinner-- seriously, this place has never failed me-- some rose, some pizza--- a lot of perfect summer evening. I also reached a decision this weekend-- I'm not a fuchsia nail kinda person (even though that's what color my nails are painted right now).

Sunday was a tough day-- it would have been Otto's 7th Birthday. We hung out with Clair and Webster and spoiled them silly with a special breakfast, trip to the pet store, and fun and the dog park. It was a good way to remember Otto and celebrate his life. And then I bought myself some peonies and rose. Because I deserve both. As I type this, I'm a nervous wreck watching the Cavs in Game 5--- by the end of this week, there will be a new NBA Champion, and I really hope its us!

This week is going to be packed with activities--- Cavs games, NKOTB + Nelly + TLC, an Indians game, all leading up to the sold-out Solstice Party at Cleveland Museum of Art! Stay tuned!!

PS: If you're impatient like me, follow along on Instagram for live updates of my week!

CLE Eats: BOMBA Tacos & Rum

In honor of Taco Tuesday (we ate homemade tacos), I think its only fitting that I review my experience at BOMBA Tacos & Rum. Since it opened earlier this year, I've heard a lot about BOMBA--- mainly how much people enjoyed their experience and that it was practically impossible to get a table on the weekend. So, this past weekend, Sara and I decided to explore it for ourselves.

BOMBA is located in what is effectively a strip mall in Rocky River, a fact that made me approach this experience with some degree of ambivalence. Being married to an architect will make you strip-mall averse. Ambivalence aside, I vowed to approach BOMBA with an open mind.

As expected, the wait for a table was over an hour. Lucky for us, Sara ran into someone she knew, who let us table-share and avoid the wait. We started off with a round of mango-cilantro margaritas-- absolutely delicious. Next up was queso fundido-- another solid choice. And for my taco course, I ordered the crispy avocado and charred kale and corn. While both tacos were fine, I have to say, they just do not compare to Barrio's tacos. Sara and I were both in the mood for one final course, and we decided to split the chocolate flan. Not gonna lie, this dessert was a DISASTER. It absolutely un-flan-like, and had the consistency of Play-Doh.

Overall, I would score BOMBA as average. Go for the margaritas, definitely avoid dessert.

CLE Eats: Mason's Creamery

If I had to eat just one thing for the rest of my life, it would be ice cream. I LUUUURRRVE ice cream, and we are so lucky to have so many amazing, local choices here in Cleveland. One of my favorite ice cream shops is Mason's Creamery, located in Ohio City at 44th and Bridge.

My obsession with Mason's Creamery is so great, that I've actually become friends with the owners Jesse and Helen. I'm particularly obsessed with their vegan churros that they make fresh, and basically to order. Hot churros, cold ice cream… seriously, is there anything better? Actually, there is. They also have a churro ice cream sandwich where you pick the ice cream in the middle. IT IS HEAVEN. TRUST ME ON THIS.

Jesse makes all the ice cream in-house in small batches. The flavors change frequently, and there's always an excellent mix of regular ice-cream and vegan options. Some of my favorite flavors include the mexican chocolate, olive oil (yes. olive oil) and buttered popcorn. The olive oil and buttered popcorn come served with a sprinkle of smoked salt--- absolutely amazing. 

So, if you like cool, creamy, delicious treats, hurry over to Mason's Creamery. Check their website for hours-- they are not open on Sunday until the summer. They can also be found at the Cleveland Flea, although without churros, and with a more limited menu (obviously). 

And like the mural on the side of their store, make sure to go over all the time! You will probably see me there!! 

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 Eats: BEET JAR

As I've documented previously, I suck at juice cleanses. The minute someone says "juice cleanse" all I can think about is high-fat foods like cake. Or pizza. Its my pavlovian response.

That said, I really like juice. And I'm pleasantly surprised and very pleased that we have so many juice options in Cleveland, especially on the West Side. Between Garden of Flavor at the grocery store, Fruit Vibe, daily press, and BEET JAR we really have a wealth of options.

Today however, I want to focus on BEET JAR, that recently celebrated its one year anniversary at its home in Hingetown. I probably visit BEET JAR with the most frequency of any of the other juice bar options I mentioned, simply because its right next door to Harness Cycle and I frequently use their juice as a personal reward for a really good ride. I reward myself a lot.

Unlike most of my regular visits, my most recent visit to BEET JAR was right before lunchtime, and I did something that I've never done before. I FINALLY TRIED THE FAMOUS BRAVOCADO SANDWICH!!! 

If you haven't tried the Bravocado, its toasted bread, with greens, smoked coconut, avocado, red onion, and some other deliciousness that I couldn't identify. I was wary of the smoked coconut-- I think I expected it to be too sweet, but it was a perfect blend of meatiness from coconut, bite and crunch from the onion, smooth velvetyness of avocado, and tanginess from the unidentified ingredient. Seriously amazing and completely crave-worthy. Oh, did I mention it is vegan. Seriously, if I could eat food like this ALL the time, I would go vegan in a heartbeat! I also picked up some seriously delicious juice-- grapefruit, lemon, mint and cayenne. Perfection.

I would not call this an inexpensive lunch-- all in, it was about $20, but I will tell you that I felt incredibly virtuous after for putting all this healthy, nutritious stuff in my body!

CLE Eats: Local West

Earlier this week, Nick and I stopped in to check out the Detroit Shoreway's newest addition: Local West. Open just a few days, Local West is so brand spankin' new that it doesn't even have a website yet, but they do have a nice selection of sandwiches.

The old space was a Greek fast-food type restaurant, complete with drive-through. The owners of Local West have transformed the space-- it doesn't even look like it was ever a drive-through type restaurant! Lots of wood and aluminum lend the space a modern feel. There are a few private tables, and one long communal table at the center.

The menu is displayed on the wall (and yes, they offer wine and beer), you order at the counter, and they call your name when your sandwich is ready.

There are about 11 burgers on the menu (cooked to order), 7 sandwich options, and then some chicken options as well as some signature dishes, salads and pita pizzas, and a nice selection of sides. If you're vegetarian, your options include the portabello mushroom sandwich, grilled cheese, the salads, 2 pita pizza options, and perhaps even the portobello burger (although I'm not sure if its meat + portobello? I didn't ask). Pescatarians, you also have the option of a salmon BLT and the signature octopus dish.

Nick and I tried The Roman, and while it took a little bit of time to come out (growing pains-- remember they haven't even been open a week yet!), the sandwich was delicious.

Given the selection and quality of the food, and close proximity to our home, I can see this turning into quite the regular spot for us!!

Cleveland Eats: Choolah

It is a well-know fact that I have impossibly high standards for Indian food. Having grown up in Mumbai, once gets used to a certain standard, and until lately, Cleveland has fallen woefully short. If the food is good, then the decor is awful (read: everything is covered in plastic), and if the decor is acceptable, then the food is all wrong.

I have 2 basic standards of judgement*: chicken tikka and naan. Chicken tikka should be juicy, served simply on a plate, with a size of green chutney, red onion and lime. Naan should be flaky, have air bubbles, and should be buttered at request so it comes out all glossy and buttery. If you've got these 2 pieces right, then you've got a great thing going. And at most places in Cleveland, at least one of two things go wrong.

I say this all as a preface to say that when I stepped into Choolah this past weekend, I had very low expectations. And I'm happy to say that I was blown away. Now, the thing about Choolah is that is focuses on Indian BBQ (in clay ovens called a tandoor), so its not a full Indian menu, but they do the tandoori food very well.

I ordered the Chicken tikka masala bowl-- the chicken tikka is served on a bed of rice, with the "masala" on the side. Also included is a side of green chutney, which is very nicely spiced but not spicy. I ordered a naan on the side as well as an order of samosas. I LOVED the chicken tikka - perfectly spiced (contrary to what you might think, tikka's are not really spicy) and juicy, and the masala sauce also had a really nice flavor and texture. The samosas were delicious and served with the same green chutney. I didn't ask for the hot sauce, but it is available on request if you want your food hotter. The only downside was the naan-- butter naan did not appear to be an option, and the naan was really close-- almost there. There was a difference in texture, but it might just be US flour vs. Indian flour. The decor was lovely and light and modern, and the 4 tandoors were up front and center so you could see exactly how your food was cooked!

Overall, a great experience, and one that I will certainly go back for! My only request is that they open a second west-side location because I'm about 45 minutes away, and when an Indian girl needs a fix of Indian food, she needs it to be closer!!! So all you east-siders, I'm officially jealous!!!

P.S. Please bring me some Choolah. Please?!


*Note that this standard only applies to northern Indian food-- I have different standard for South Indian food which I will get to at another time.

Weekly Weigh In and a SUPER fun weekend

Moment of Truth:
11/11/13: 153 lbs
11/18/13: 152.8 lbs

I know, this is not very exciting, but considering HOW MANY times I ate out last week, I am VERY excited by this. This was my eating out schedule: Tuesday lunch, Tuesday dinner, Wednesday lunch, Thursday dinner, Friday lunch, Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner, Sunday lunch. And while I made somewhat smart choices, I'm convinced that there is so much salt in restaurant food than the amount I put in my own cooking. How do I know this? My fingers would swell up like fat sausages!!! Hey, a loss is a loss, and while I strive for more, this week, I'll take it.

Friday night, Nick and I went to see Capital Cities and Fitz & The Tantrums at the House of Blues. What an awesome show. Fitz & The Tantrums were absolutely electric-- they had the crowd on their feet dancing and singing!!

In fact, the crowd was so into the show that it was really difficult to get any pictures-- this was the only one I managed to get- the rare quiet moment (ballad) in the show!

Saturday, Nick and I decided to head over to University Circle, and started off our afternoon with a stop at the Cleveland Museum of Art for some lunch. I have to be honest: I absolutely LURVE sitting in that atrium grabbing a bite to eat. It reminds me so much of being in Europe that its honestly a little escape from reality.

Beautiful even on a grey day. Nick staring into the mouth of a dragon. 

After lunch, we headed over to the Museum of Contemporary Art to check out ARTScape. 

I had originally planned to just buy Christmas presents, and while I did that, I also found a piece for me.  You'll have that :)

Saturday night was dinner at the newly opened outpost of Red, The Steakhouse in downtown Cleveland. The space was really nice: dark wood and red lacquered walls, an the food was INCREDIBLE!!

I ordered the tuna steak (top right), simply seared; it was SO SO SO good. Nick ordered the ribeye, and then we finished up with a gigantic creme brûlée (the crust was slightly thicker than normal, and really gave it a nice crunch and caramelized taste).

And now, you have a glimpse of why I only lost 0.2 lbs this week. LOL.

Either way, it was a great week. This week should be better; I'm only scheduled to eat out Monday dinner and Tuesday lunch…. for now.

Happy week all!!

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! 

And All Good Things Come To An End

When it comes to jewelry, I have a few motto's:

Bigger is Better

More is More

That said, I can always appreciate the beauty of a delicate piece: of course there is the option to stack them, but sometimes a single piece of delicate jewelry can convey endless elegance.

The Atlas Pierced Bar Pendant in rose gold

P.S. Orchids don't smell like anything. I did not know that until I actually tried to sniff them.

Sipping on a margarita at Luxe while wearing Atlas Bar Bracelets in sterling silver and rose gold. 

A closer look at those Bar Bracelets. The rose gold version even has tiny diamonds in it!

And with that, as with all good things, my time with my Tiffany & Co. treasures has come to an end. 

A huge thank you to Tiffany & Co. and their PR representatives for allowing my this truly amazing opportunity. Also, a great big thank you to N and my dear friend Melissa for being my photographers. And last, but certainly not least, thank you to YOU, my readers, for joining me on this adventure. I had an absolute BLAST doing it, and I hope you enjoyed reading it!

We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week!! 

XOXOXO

Disclosure: Tiffany & Co. lent me a number of pieces from their 2013 Atlas Collection and asked me to blog about how I would incorporate these pieces in my daily wardrobe. I have received no other compensation other than the ability to wear these pieces for the allocated time period. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.  

A Delicious Friday in Cleveland

This past Friday, I took the day off from work, to spend some quality me-time. My day started with breakfast at Blackbird Baking Company.

Cafe au Lait and Pan au Chocolat were the perfect way to begin the day.

A quick appointment at my chiropractor was followed by a few quick errands (which naturally included shopping), by which point it was time for lunch. 

Lunch was wine and salad at Sweet Melissa, and because it was my birthday week, I threw caution to the wind and got creme brulee for dessert!! 

Lunch was followed by a mani, nap and dog walk, by which time it was time for dinner.

Luxe never disappoints, and on Friday, N and I decided to just do a bunch of small plates. 

Overall, an absolutely delicious Friday!!!

Eating in Cle: A review of Charkha

Congratulations Fizzgig, you have won a pair of tickets to CLE Wine Fest this weekend!! Please email me at cleshopaholic@gmail.com, with your full name, date of birth, email address, and preferred date of attendance (July 27th or 28th). Don't forget to take ID to the event!!


I was craving Indian food yesterday, so N and I headed over to Charkha on W 9th to give it a shot. Now, I will preface this post by saying that I have VERY high standards when it comes to Indian food. Having grown up eating Indian food at some of the finest Indian restaurants in Mumbai, its completely natural. Most Indian restaurants in Cleveland do not meet these standards, so its all a relative scale.

So far, my top 3 Indian restaurants (and please keep in mind this is personal preference) in Cleveland are:
1. India Garden (Love their Chicken Biryani and naan and their ambiance)
2. India Delight (Chicken Biryani is a close 2nd to India Garden, and their tikka's are pretty good too, but the ambiance is umm, very basic)
3. Cafe Tandoor (I've only been to the East Side location, and while the food is fine, I think the other two are better)

I have NOT yet tried Jaipur Junction, and I've heard that its supposed to be very very good. That's next on my list of places to try.

Anyway, the point of visiting Charkha was to see if it would change the top 3 as it stands right now.  N and I checked out menu and were very excited by two things in particular- the house recommended thali, and the dinner for two. Thali literally means plate, and in an Indian restaurant, a thali includes a sampling of the best dishes of the restaurant, a sorta tasting menu, but all on one, very large plate. The samplings come in individual little bowls, and you typically end up trying somewhere between 6-10 different items.

Unfortunately, the Thali and Charkha didn't include as many items as we wanted to try, so we decided on the Non-vegetarian Dinner for Two.

But first, beverages---

Indian beer

Mango Lassi

The dinner for two came with appetizers: chicken tikka, tandoori chicken and seekh kebabs. The tandoori chicken was not the best I've had, and the presentation was a little odd; typically, kebabs are served with thinly sliced red onions (sometimes these are small pickled bulbs) and limes. This was served with sliced white onions and green peppers.  The portion size was appropriate, but I wish they had brought out the naan with this course instead of with the entree course.

So this was our entree. I REALLY like the presentation in the copper containers. As you can see, it was quite a bit of food; a lamb curry, chicken makhani (translation= butter chicken) and paneer with peas.

I really really liked the lamb curry (middle). The chicken makhani was a little too strong on the tomato flavor (its usually less tomato-y in Mumbai) and the paneer was average.

There was also a dessert course, but N and I were so full that we skipped it completely.

Here was the odd part- typically when you eat at an Indian restaurant, at the end of the meal you are presented with a bowl filled with warm water and lemon, and maybe even rose petals. You're supposed to rinse your fingers in the water and rub the lemon to get any grease and curry smells off your fingers. I don't know if they were thrown off because we didn't do the dessert, but there was no bowl!

Overall, I guess I would rate the experience a B-. As I mentioned before, I have very high standards when it comes to Indian restaurants; the mis-steps in presentation and some taste issues (again, personal preference) combined with a just-ok ambience made sure my top 3 remained intact.

Is it worth checking out? Sure. I would probably go back to try the lunch buffet and give it another shot. Interestingly, there's another Indian restaurant opening across from the casino in a few months... I'm very pleased to see more diverse cuisine downtown, and you can be sure I will be putting the new restaurant to the test as well!!

A lovely first weekend back

So I got back from India last Saturday with a nasty, nasty cold. That combined with jet-lag, and I wasn't in the mood for much last week. Of course, I HAD to make up for it this weekend, and what a great weekend it was!

Friday evening, N and I joined Sarabot, AJP, JV, Lara, Jon, and Alex to celebrate Sarabot's birthday with the Indians game and the return of Thome!! Now I wasn't here in '95, so the significance was lost on me, but it was was great time either way!

JV and Sarabot

N and I 

I love this pic!! 

The Tribe won, and N and I ended the night with some wine and late evening munchies at Greenhouse Tavern. Incidentally, the very last item on Greenhouse's dinner menu is something called Kitchen Coffee, where you essentially buy the kitchen a round of after-service canned beer-- a great little way to directly thank the kitchen staff that cook up with the deliciousness that is Greenhouse!!

Saturday morning started with an early morning spin class, a haircut, and then HOURS of yard work. I really hate yard work, especially weeding. BLECH! A short nap and long walk with the dogs followed, and then N and I scooted over to Luxe to enjoy the gorgeous weather while getting some dinner. It was an absolutely beautiful evening, although for some reason, there were an exceptional number of 15-50's in attendance that evening. Must have been the weather... Anyway, we had plans to meet friends at Market Garden later, but oops! we fell asleep on the couch cuddling the pups!!!

Sunday, clefoodgoddess and I took the furries for a nice long walk in the Metroparks. We explored a part of the Rocky River Reservation that neither of us had visited before, and had a great time with the pups, until I was violently assaulted by a bunch of mosquitoes. Seriously, they bit my EYELIDS!! And of course, I'm super sensitive to mosquito bites and ended up with giant swollen eyelids, and huge welts on my face and my arms, and even my back!! Stupid bugs bit me through my clothing!!! THIS IS WHY I DON'T CAMP, PEOPLE!! That and the whole lack of electricity and running water. I'm a city girl through and through. We followed up our walk with a lovely little dog-friendly brunch at the Wine Bar in Rocky River. If you haven't tried this spot for brunch yet, I highly recommend it. The food is very good, and very reasonably priced, and best of all, your well-behaved, leashed dog is welcome to join you on the patio!! The rest of the day was pretty low key, and then before I knew it, it was all over!!

Lucky for me, I have a 4 day week followed by a 4-day weekend!! And even though this means summer is ending, I think I'm really ready for fall!!

A weekend recap

OMG you guys, I am SO behind on blogging. Although I only have myself to blame: I've been having way too much fun in this amazing city!!!! I'm going to recap the last couple of weeks sorta piecemeal over the next few blog posts, but I'm going to start with a recap of this past weekend.

Friday night, AJP and I had a fun little date at the Indians Game! A few weeks ago, I'd applied for a spot at the Cleveland Indians Social Suite, and Friday happened to be my lucky day to be at the game. AJP and I started off the evening with a quick beer and some gossip catching up at Flannery's, and then headed up to the suite to watch the game. The game itself was a disappointment, BUT I did find a vendor that sells, among other things, fried cookie dough, funnel cake, and funnel cake fries. In case you're wondering, its sorta across the way from the Cleats. After much debate between the funnel cake and funnel cake fries, I panicked and just went with regular fries instead. DARN IT!!! Should've got funnel cake! Anyway, at the end of the game, AJP, my fellow Social Suite attendees and I were escorted DOWN TO THE FIELD to watch the fireworks from the visitors dugout.

My foot hovering over the field. I may/may not have touched it. 

AJP gets lucky

AJP somehow ended up with a ball from the game, and we enjoyed some fabulous fireworks, set to the music of today's very own tween stars. Sorry Biebs, I'm just not that into you (and cue the hate mail).

After a very busy Saturday morning which included some much needed shopping, Jess and I headed out to Chinato for some pre-concert dinner. Seriously, if you haven't been to this restaurant yet, I don't know what you're waiting for! The seafood misto appetizer and lemon polenta cake are TO.DIE.FOR! Post-dinner, we headed over to the House of Blues to see watch Grace Potter and the Nocturnals perform live.



She is so so so so SOOOOOOO good live! Incidentally, she has a new album coming out on June 8th, so you should definitely give it a listen. I LUUUUUURRRVVVEEEE HER!!

Sunday began with a yoga class, followed by watching N play softball, lots of napping, cuddle time with the pups, and my continued introduction to the fabulous world of Mad Men (we're on episode 4, season 1). All in all, a WONDERFUL CLE WEEKEND!!! And, I'm already gearing up for the next one!!!

Neighborhood Gems: Clifton Martini & Wine Bar

When we first moved to our new house, I was a little concerned at the lack of eating/drinking establishments within walking distance. We used to live in Tremont, one block from Professor Ave, so I was hoping for something in the new 'hood that was as close. Turns out I really didn't need to worry, because we have a really fun establishment literally a 1 minute walk from our place: Clifton Martini & Wine Bar!

Reasons I luuurve Clifton Martini & Wine:
1. I can stumble home
2. Great Happy Hour specials
3. The food is delicious!!
4. Dog friendly patio!!!!!!!

Last time we were there, N and I ordered the Garlic Parmesan Wings, Arrabiata Calamari, New England Clam Chowder, and Lobster Ravioli. The wings were AH-MAZING!! The sauce was so so so good!! To be honest, all the food is really good; the portions are well-sized, and the food tastes really fresh and home made, They take care to make sure all the veggies in the Clam Chowder are evenly sized, which I LOVE!!! And now, the food:

Garlic Parmesan wings

Calamari Arrabiata

Clam Chowder

 Lobster Ravioli

So the next time you're in the Clifton/Edgewater neighborhood, you should definitely check out Clifton Martini & Wine Bar!!!