Explore CLE: The Orchestra at Blossom

This past weekend, Nick and I joined our fellow Circle members for The Cleveland Orchestra's kickoff to summer at Blossom Music Center. Nick and I really don't like driving, but lucky for us, the Circle had taken care of this problem by providing its members with a bus that drove us from Severance Hall to Blossom. Once at Blossom, we were treated to a yummy barbecue dinner and Great Lakes beer, after which we all made our way to the lawn to enjoy the show. 

It was a beautiful summer night, and as you can see, it was a packed house to listen to the Orchestra perform Beethoven's Ninth.

As always with the Cleveland Orchestra it was a great show, but since it was at Blossom, it was a very different experience, and one I highly recommend. However, if you are an Orchestra at Blossom newbie (as I was), here are five things you should know:
1. Blossom is WAY more casual than Severance Hall. This is an all ages event, so you can take your kids. There were a few parents who had even brought a change of clothes, so the kids were in pjs about half way through!
2. Unlike most concerts at Blossom, you can take coolers into the Orchestra shows. Which means you can bring in your own food AND wine
3. The ground can get a little wet as the sun goes down, so you definitely want a picnic blanket, ideally one with the water resistant backing
4. It can also get a little chilly after sunset, so an extra blanket or cardigan or hoodie is a good idea
5. Take bug spray

We had such a great time at Blossom that we're already planning our next visit. The lawn tickets are an incredible bargain at $26/each, and there are some really fun performances coming this season. A great way to experience our world-renowned Orchestra in a super casual setting!

Disclosure: I serve on the Board of Directors of The Circle. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. That being said, I LUUUUURVE The Circle-- it is absolutely the BEST value for money for a young professional in Cleveland. $20/month gives you 2 tickets in a household (even if you're single, you should get the double and take a friend!), which includes 12 events per year, at least 6 of which are concerts. Circle Members also get a 20% discount on classical concerts, and most important, the members themselves are fun and welcoming! Additional details available here. 

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!

Summer Solstice 2015: What to Wear?

This weekend marks Summer Solstice, and along with various yoga studios that celebrate with extraordinary amounts of sun salutations (108 to be exact), there are of course, solstice parties. This year, as in every year since I've been blogging,  I will be attending the sold-out Summer Solstice at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

This year, unlike other years, I do not have a "what to wear" dilemma. As I've mentioned, I'm in my "All White Everything" phase, and so surprise surprise, I will be wearing white. I have a few different options: one is a long white and cream vintage dress, the other is a lace mini, and the third is a printed white and blue and gold with a full skirt. With either of these outfits, I'm keeping the same accessories-- gold sandals, gold jewelry, and a pop of color with my bag.

My inspiration board:

Solstice inspiration by shibani-dalal-faehnle 

If you're looking for more Solstice inspiration, look here, here, or here.

CLE Events: Balance & Brews

A couple of weeks ago, I attended my very first Balance & Brews event as part of Engage! Cleveland's YP Week. Founded by Melissa Klimo-Major, Balance & Brews combines an hour-long, all-levels yoga class with beer! The events take place in local breweries, and include a brewery tour (if you are so inclined). The classes themselves are really fun-- the unusual location paired with Melissa's humor and playlist make for a fun, low-key experience.

Photo credit: Thanks to Balance and Brews' Facebook page for the two pictures on the top.

Balance & Brews is hosting its first ever yoga weekend retreat in Ohio later this month. I'm not quite ready to commit to a whole weekend yet, but its definitely something I would like to try in the near future. They also have a practice and a pint option, which is exactly what it sounds like. And on July 11th, they are hosting a Balance & Brews practice at Great Lakes Brewing Company, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit Secondhand Mutts. If you recall, I used to serve on the Board of Directors for Secondhand Mutts, and they continue to hold a very special place in my heart, so naturally, I'm signed up to attend!

I love that fun, active events like these are becoming more common-place in Cleveland. I LUUUUURVE a good detox-retox experience! I'm still looking for an event that pairs yoga with a wine/champagne tasting--- maybe someone will create one soon? Or maybe I should partner with someone to create one?

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!

Explore CLE: Taste Cleveland Food Tours

For Christmas last year, our dear friends Dave and Jessika gifted us a Cleveland Food Tour. Since we had been waiting for nice weather, they joined us a few weeks ago as we actually took the tour. Taste Cleveland Food Tours offer three standard tours: The West Side Market, Little Italy, and Tremont, however they offer custom tours as well. Each tour pairs local restaurants with a look at the history and architecture of the neighborhood.

I had heard about these tours in the past, but since we had never tried one before, we decided to stick with a standard tour of Tremont. Nick and I used to live in Tremont, and being an architect, Nick knew a lot about the history and architecture of Tremont, so we weren't exactly expecting to learn anything new, but in fact, WE DID! Our tour guide was very knowledgable and led us around parts of Tremont for 3.5 hours.

If I were to summarize the experience, its like a walking tour meets progressive dinner. We met the group at 4 pm in Lincoln Park, and from there, we stopped at 4 restaurants: Prosperity Social Club, Parallax, Ty Fun, and Lilly Handmade Chocolates, although the stops are subject to change with each tour. In between eating delicious food, we learned about how Tremont came to be, and some fun facts about the neighborhood as well as the restauranteurs. Alcohol was not included in the standard tour but was available for purchase, although you can do a custom tour that includes alcohol as well.

Overall, a very fun experience, and one that I highly recommend. This would also be a great gift for Father's Day, or in general a fun gift for someone who has everything. You can make your tour reservations here.

As I mentioned previously, it is a walking tour, so comfortable shoes are key. Unfortunately, I have plantar fasciitis, so walking for 3.5 hours in flats will absolutely destroy my feet. Lucky for me, I found this pair of flats that are not only cute, but offer the kind of arch support I need.

At $99 they are a little expensive for flats, but they are worth it considering I will wear them all summer with zero pain!

So there you have it-- a lot of food and a little fashion to get your week started off just right!
XO
~ Shibani

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

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! 

Experience It: Classical Revolution

Last month, I had the opportunity to try something new-- I listened to Classical Music at the Happy Dog, courtesy Classical Revolution Cleveland! Classical Revolution Cleveland began in 2009, and is a loosely bound group of classically trained musicians who perform classical music at non-traditional locations (ex. bars) across the city. They have a standing residency at Happy Dog in Detroit-Shoreway-- its the third Tuesday of every month, which happens to fall on St. Patrick's Day in March!

Here are a couple of pictures from February's performance:

The performance usually starts around 8 pm and goes for a couple of hours-- Hot Dogs and tater tots with a side of amazing music-- SIGN ME UP!!

Get Involved: The Circle

About a year ago, I joined the Board of The Circle, the Young Professionals group of the Cleveland Orchestra. To be honest, classical music isn't something I listen to regularly. But seeing the Cleveland Orchestra live has really changed my perception of classical music in general. For one thing, Severance Hall is a stunningly beautiful space with incredible acoustics. Second, despite perceptions of stuffiness, going to at Orchestra performance is not stuff AT ALL! Not only does the Cleveland Orchestra have one of the youngest Orchestra's in the country,  but we also have one of the youngest audiences in the country. What this means is that while some guests choose to go all out and get dressed up, you will see plenty of jeans and leggings so as to not feel out of place if you choose to go with a more casual dress code. But most of all, the incredible talent performing at each show is something you just have to see and listen to and experience live. 

Membership to the Orchestra is $15/month for a single membership, $20/month for two memberships at the same household. Your membership gets you 12 events a year-- at least half of which are concerts-- if you look at attending the concerts alone, the monthly membership fee is a STEAL! The other half are networking and behind-the-scenes events, which really are a lot of fun! So far we've had tours of Severance Hall and its incredible history, hearing about the upcoming program from the Orchestra members, a behind-the-scenes conversation with Yuval Sharon, director of the Opera The Cunning Little Vixen (which we then got to see with our membership), exclusive discounts on attending the Cleveland Orchestra Gala (which then included a surprise meeting with Lang Lang!!!), happy hours before or after concerts, pre-concert dinner and drinks at Blossom in the summer, volunteering at the Lakewood YMCA--- and this is just a SAMPLE of events. Oh, and you also get 20% off other classical concerts at the Orchestra. 

Our next event is March 13th-- Beethoven's Seventh followed by food, drinks, mingling and more live music. So, if you would like to be a part of the fun, join us by calling Margaret at 216-231-7558. You can find our schedule of upcoming events here, and you can see more of what we've been up to so far on our Facebook page  so please follow us!

I hope to see many more of you at future Circle events!!

Listening Now: Alt-J

Happy Tuesday. Today's tunes are not new-- they both came out last year, but the reason I'm including them today is that Alt-J are playing at Playhouse Square on April 1st. I went to their concert in 2013, and they were INCREDIBLE. Such a great live show-- if you are a fan of live music, you should really make every effort to go to this show.

 and another, for good measure:

 

Enjoy! And I hope to see some of you at the show on April 1st!

Jump Back Ball: We Went Back to the Future

This past Saturday, Playhouse Square played host to the 24th annual Jump Back Ball. The theme this year was Back to the Future-- lots of Doc's and Marty's and even one DeLorean. I had a really fun time hanging out with friends and seeing people I don't get to see very often. In fact, I had a little TOO much fun- note to self: Gin + bubbles will result in no good.

This year, I wore a red Badgley Mischka from Rent the Runway, and of course, lots of sparkle. My bracelet is the Stella & Dot Petra and my ring and earrings are from H&M.

And now, some pictures from our evening!

Clockwise from top left: Nick, Dave and Rich; a mini Miami reunion, posing with Jessi and KK, lovely ladies Charity, Lisa and Kelly

Clockwise from top left: Allison, Christina and Charity, selflies with Jessi, Renee (who is one of my favorite instructors at Harness), the adorable Rebecca and Adam.

From left: with Clefashionista Rachel, Prom posing with Nick

Clockwise from top left: Another pic with Kelly and Lisa, the part of the night when things started to go very wrong :) (damn you champagne bar!!), Jessi and Liz, and yet another selfie to round out the night!

Overall, another fun Jump Back Ball! I know that the Playhouse Square Partners team will be thinking of themes for Jump Back Ball 25, and I would love to see a nautical theme (glamor like the Titanic, but without the sinking, or even pirates!!), or a Superheroes and Supervillians theme, or even old Hollywood glamor!

And while I recover from my hangover today, I'm already looking forward to next year!!

Disclosure: I was offered one ticket in exchange for helping spread word about the event. As always, all opinions are my own, and based on my own experience. Thank you for continuing to support posts like this one! 

Friday Night Fave: Harness Cycle + Jukebox

This past Friday was Galentine's Day-- a day popularized by none other than Leslie Knope on Park and Recreation. As a Parks and Rec and general Amy Poehler fan, naturally I was game to get behind a Galentine's Day celebration, so when I received the email from Harness Cycle about their Galentine's ride-- my bike bestie Sara and I jumped at the chance. The studio was a sea of red and pink, girl power thick in the air.

After a sweaty 45 minutes, Sara and I headed over next door to JUKEBOX for some drinks and pierogies. We split the Mac-n-Cheese and vegan Buffalo chickpea pierogies, and we so blown away by the buffalo chickpea that we promptly ordered a second round! JUKEBOX is quickly becoming one of my favorite bars in Cleveland-- super low-key with the nicest people-- a true neighborhood bar, made even better when you're with people you love and enjoy!

Even though Galentine's Day only comes about once a year, Harness hosts a happy hour ride each Friday. I highly recommend spending a Friday evening with a friend (or significant other) riding bikes and getting drinks next door! Who knows, maybe I will even see you there!

Go Back…. To the Future

Happy Monday!! Today is a BIG day because its JUMP BACK BALL KICKOFF DAY!!! Its no secret that Jump Back Ball is my most favorite party of the winter-- the thought of it really helps get me through the inevitably bitterly cold February, and honestly, helps me keep my New Years diet on track.

This year was such a great theme, I really doubted that PlayhouseSquare Partners could do better, and then they released the theme for 2015….

I mean, are you kidding me?!?!!? The possibilities with this theme are ENDLESS!!!! So, if you want to participate, you will need to get a Jump on getting tickets (pun intended), and the best place to do it is this evening at Hofbrauhaus anytime between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Last year, Jump Back sold out in 10 days…. DON'T WAIT. You don't want to be that person trying to find tickets on Facebook and Twitter in February.

Jump Back Ball Ticket Kickoff Pricing:

$130 Partners / $165 Non-Partners
Ticket limits apply

Public: 2 Non-Partners tickets per person

Partners*: 2 Partners tickets and 2 Non-Partners tickets per membership 

Ticket prices go up by $15 + shipping/handling on Tuesday.

And, if you bring a new, unused personal care item to do be donated to Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland you will be entered into a raffle to win:

1. Overnight stay at the Wyndham the night of Jump Back Ball
2. VIP upgrade for yourself and a guest
3. Loge tickets to upcoming performances at PlayhouseSquare

See you this evening!!

Disclosure: I was provided with one ticket to Jump Back Ball to help spread the word about the event. I absolutely ADORE this event, and am delighted to have the opportunity to support it. I thank you for your supporting this blog that allows me to do things like this! As always, all opinions are 100% my own. XO

Listening Now: 90's Throwback Playlist

This past weekend, Nick and I met up with Wes and Danielle  at The Flying Monkey for some drinks. Flying Monkey has a TouchTunes jukebox, and I have the TouchTunes app-- the perfect combo for a 90s throwback night.

The playlist (and we were kinda monopolizing the jukebox here-- sorry) included the following:
1. Kiss - Prince
2. The Sign - Ace of Base
3. Tennessee - Arrested Development
4. Boombastic - Shaggy
5. It's Tricky - Run DMC
6. I Got 5 On It - Luniz
7. Too Close - Next
8. Return of the Mack - Mark Morrisson
9. Pony - Ginuwine
10. This is How We Do It - Montell Jordan
11. Whoomp! (There It Is) - Tag Team
12. Regulate - Warren G
13. Set Adrift on Memory Bliss - P.M. Dawn
14. Push It - Salt-N-Pepa
15. Ditty - Paperboy
16. Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio

Yeah, we were there a while…..

Anyway, if 90's music is your thing, on May 3, 2014, MOCA is hosting a 90/90s Gay Games Dance Party to celebrate the 90 day countdown to the 2014 Gay Games! More information including a link to purchase tickets available here! I will definitely be there with my dancing shoes on!!

What are some of your favorite jukebox tunes? Please share!! 

Jump Back Ball 2014

This past Saturday, Nick and I joined our friends for our 4th Jump Back Ball in a row. If you recall, the tickets for this event sold out astonishingly fast-- in less than two weeks!!! I'm not sure, but if I were to guess, the appeal of the James Bond theme was just too much to resist.

As I've done with most special events lately, I started out my afternoon with an appointment with Carolina at Tease. Carolina totally gets me-- I take her a bunch of seemingly disparate pictures and she always turns them into a style I adore!! This time I gave her the extra challenge of saying I didn't want a whole lot of pins, and she LITERALLY SEWED MY HAIR INTO PLACE. It didn't' move all night, or even the next day (as you will see in the pictures that follow).

To start off the night, Nick and I took a cab (why don't we have uber?!) to Cowell and Hubbard to grab and early dinner.

My handsome date looking very bond-esque. 

The beginning of the end….

After dinner, we convened to Lisa and Kelly's room for some mingling and bubbs….

Sean and Matt looking dapper as always!

Our lovely hostesses both beautiful in gorgeous beaded dresses.

We headed over to Playhouse Square shortly after 8 pm to join in the festivities. I didn't really do a great job taking pictures (at this point I had consumed a martini, and a couple of glasses of bubbs) but my dress is a fuchsia chiffon J.Crew (other colors available on sale here), and I accessorized with earrings I wore on my wedding day, and this stunning Stella and Dot bracelet.

There was a lot of dancing, and drinking, and at some point I confiscated Donna's Pharrell hat cutout (I apologized on Sunday), but I was having a ridiculously fun time

Above: Allison and Kelly

Below: Allison mid-squeal

And then towards the end of the night, things started to get blurry and Nick and I (and my aching feet) cabbed it back home :)

I wish I could tell you about the bands or the food, but I was honestly having so much fun with friends, that I wasn't really paying attention to details. However, if you are interested in those details, you should read Kimberly's blog post. 

The next morning, I woke up none-too-worse for wear, and promptly headed to a Jump Back debrief brunch wearing my hair unaltered from the previous night. See, I told you it held up pretty well?!

Overall, another fun Jump Back Ball (possibly my most favorite one so far!) Sean has a fabulous idea for a theme next year, and I really really really hope the committee uses it!!

Disclosure: I was an official blogger for Jump Back Ball and received one free ticket to the event. As always, all opinions are 100% my own! 

Don't Be a Square...

2014 has been an incredibly exciting year for me so far: if you follow me on twitter, then you know that this is my last week doing my day job for a while. Starting Monday, I'm taking a six month sabbatical from my normal work to help run the intern program for my employer. I cannot even describe how  excited I am to have to this opportunity-- its going to be a complete 180 from what I'm doing now, and an incredible way to develop some new skills! 

But if you thought that was the only change I've had this year, then you would be wrong. In early February, I joined the Board of the very newly founded Young Professionals group of The Cleveland Orchestra- The Circle. 

The premise of The Circle is very simple: For $15/month ($20 for 2 people), your membership includes tickets to 6 concerts a year (one every other month). On the non-concert months, you will have a unique opportunity to network or volunteer and generally get to know other young professionals in the area. While the 6 concerts a year are intriguing and appealing on their own, its the non-concert months that offer a really unique experience.

February was a non-concert month, and our unique experience was a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming presentation of the opera The Cunning Little Vixen. Yeah, you read that right--- THE OPERA IS BEING PRESENTED IN CLEVELAND IN MAY!!! The evening began with a short discussion led my Mark Williams, Director of Artistic Planning at the Orchestra. Mark told the story of how one night at a bar, he and director Yval Sharon  came up with the idea to bring The Cunning Little Vixen to Cleveland. Performed in Czech, The Cunning Little Vixen is a challenging, yet quick (only 90 minutes!) piece, the examines the transience of nature. 

Mark Williams (far right), Yval Sharon (immediately to his left) and the rest of The Cunning Little Vixen conceptual team. 

Then came an interesting piece of news--- this will not be a typical operatic presentation-- this one will be a multimedia presentation featuring live music and singing, video AND animation!! And THEN we got a peek of what that would look like, and I pretty much died and went to heaven.

Here are some screen shots from the presentation. The pictures don't really do it justice, but the best way I can describe it is this: the end result with have live performers of course, but the set itself will be animated and presented across three massive video screens, creating a panoramic video. The animation is a combination of digital animation and hand-drawing, creating a semi-3D experience. Its sorta like 80s Saturday morning cartoons + Pixar + live musical. And yes, there will be subtitles. 

The presentation and sneak peek was then following by drinks + snacks, and an opportunity to actually meet and talk to the director, animators and artists, who are incidentally really young, impossibly cool, interesting people. One of the artist/animators is actually going to have a show on adult swim in the next few months! I also spent some time chatting with some of the young musicians, who are incidentally all also members of The Circle and frequent its events! Who knew the Orchestra was this fun and approachable?!?!

Needless to say, I am SUPER excited to see this presentation live in May--- did I mention that TICKETS ARE INCLUDED WITH THE CIRCLE MEMBERSHIP?!?!?!? Some of the upcoming events include a Fridays@7 concert on March 7th, and a behind-the-scenes tour of Severance Hall on April 8th! Additional details on the upcoming events available here and while there's still work to be done on online membership, you can join (you can do a 6 month trial membership) The Circle by calling 216-231-1111. 

So if you're looking to experience something unique in Cleveland, or are looking to expand your current circle of friends and meet other interesting young professionals with similar interests, I hope you will consider joining The Circle. 

Disclosure: I am a paying member of The Circle. I am also a Board Member for The Circle. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own. 

Weigh In and Brunching at Cleveland Museum of Art

So when I first posted my weight loss strategies, little did I know that dry January would be the hardest of all. Not surprising I guess, when one is invited to a FABULOUS Blogger Brunch at Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and such brunch features a heaping table of french pastries and lump crab quiche. Did I mention mimosas?

Lump Crab quiche

Brunch temptations not withstanding, this week I weighed in at 148.6 lbs, finally past the 150 lb barrier!!

Getting back to the brunch: a bunch of my friends (who also happen to be fellow bloggers) were invited to a spend a lovely afternoon at the Cleveland Museum of Art-- brunch was followed by a screening of Mademoiselle C, the oh-so-chic documentary featuring Carine Roitfeld and her foray into publishing her very own CR Fashion Book. 

If you're not familiar with Ms. Roitfeld, she is the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, known for her oh-so-casually-perfect-smoky-eye, and unique "burgeois-slut" styling (P.S. I called dibs on using burgeois slut in my recap). Its a fascinating documentary-- a behind the scenes look at what it means to be one of the most respected women in fashion, similar to The September Issue, but different, because, well, Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld are very unique people! 

You can watch the first 5 minutes here….

 Documentary insights aside, it was also the first time I had watched a movie at the Cleveland Museum of Art; in fact, until yesterday, I had no idea that the Museum offers regular screenings of some very unique films! You may view the schedule of upcoming films here.  Spring is still a little while away, and an afternoon at the Museum really is the perfect prescription to the winter blues!! Hope I see you there!!!

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!!

Clambake for a Cause

As you know, from time to time, I use my blog to advocate for an organization that is very near and dear to my heart, Secondhand Mutts. I have been a Board Member for Secondhand Mutts since 2011, but have been involved with the rescue as a volunteer essentially since we brought Otto home in 2008. Since that time, Secondhand Mutts has grown tremendously! What I am most proud of as Board Member is that Secondhand Mutts has never shied away from the difficult cases, the overlooked and unwanted dogs.  Ruby was one such story.

Ruby came to Secondhand Mutts blind from diabetes. Through our incredible foster network, we were able to find her a foster home while we assessed her medical issues. Once we found out that her vision-loss was reversible, we decided that we were absolutely going to do everything in our power to restore it! A few weeks ago, Ruby underwent eye surgery, and has now successfully regained vision. In even better news, her foster mom fell so in love that she decided to formally adopt Ruby. That said, Ruby must remain on a daily regimen of insulin and eye drops for the rest of her life. All told, Ruby's rescue cost over $3,500 and she is worth every. singly. penny. I mean, look at this face!

In any case, to defray some of the cost of Ruby's care, and to honor her restored eyesight, Secondhand Mutts is hosting a clambake on October 5th. A single ticket is $45 and includes a clam and chicken dinner, and unlimited beer, wine and soda. Couples can enjoy two tickets for $80! If you're not into clams and just want to drink, you can buy drink-only tickets for $20. To see all the ticket options, and to buy tickets, please go HERE. There will be no tickets sold on site, so these are presale only!

While this is not a dog-friendly event, Ruby will be making a guest appearance to say hello and give thank-you kisses. The clambake is being held at the Pavilion of the West Side Irish American Club which is a covered outdoor facility. So, dress appropriately!!

As a side note, one of my favorite things about clambakes is the opportunity to tap into my outdoor fall wardrobe: skinny jeans, boots, cozy sweater, maybe a puffy vest....

I hope you will attend. Nick and I will definitely be there to support the cause, and I would love to see you in person!! XO