Dog friendly in Cleveland?

Cleveland still has a little way to go before I'd call it a "dog friendly" city, but it's definitely dog friendly(ish). I'm probably being a little too hard on the city. Let's focus on the positive. Here's what you can look forward to if you have a furry, little four-legged friend pal'in around with you in the (216):


--Dog Parks--

Tremont has a great fenced-in, off-leash dog park at Clarks Field (not far from Steelyard Commons and W. 7th). It's all gravel (for drainage) and there are benches and little shade trees in all four corners. There's even a dual dog and human water fountain and extra poo bags (just in case you forgot yours). You'll mostly find larger breeds there, but I take my little 5 lb. Yorkie in and there are occasionally other small dogs for him to play with. In my experience, everyone is really great about monitoring their dogs just in case the pooches get a little grumpy or overexcited.

Charlie at Clarks Field Dog Park © CASB, 2009

Charlie at Clarks Field with Friends © CASB, 2009

Supposedly, there's another off-leash dog park in Lakewood somewhere, but I've heard some bad reviews so I haven't checked it out yet. There aren't any actual "dog parks" downtown, but during the nicer weather you'll see people walking their dogs (especially around the Warehouse District).

--Pet-friendly Places/Events--

As far as pet-friendly establishments, there's a Petco in Steelyard Commons, but that's pretty obviously pet-friendly. I've seen several dogs hanging out on the patios of E. 4th. I think most places with an outdoor patio will let you bring a well-behaved dog along for a meal. The Great Lakes Brewery has an event every summer where you can bring your pup out to socialize, and the Cleveland Botanical Garden hosts "Dog Days of Summer" every Sunday from June through September. However, I was most excited to learn of an event coming up this Sunday, Aug. 23rd called "Dog Paddle & More" at Hinckley Reservation (part of the Cleveland Metroparks). It's a big swim party for the pups at the Hinckley pool. Unfortunately, my Yorkie Charlie is a little frightened by life jackets (and I'm sure some dogs will be wearing them) so I think we'll sit this one out :(

Dog Paddle & More YouTube video

There are quite a few other dog-focused events, so to plan ahead try visiting either of the following links (fyi: the dogfriendly.com link says that the Cleveland RTA is dog friendly -- and it is, dogs can ride -- but remember that all dogs must be in a carrier):

www.Dogfriendly.com

Eventful.com

--Daycare & Boarding--

If you're looking for doggie daycare or boarding facilities, here's what I know:

I boarded Charlie at The Barkely Pet Hotel and Day Spa in Solon last April. This place is something else -- they go all out to pamper your pets! However, I wish that I hadn't left Charlie there for a whole weekend. The Petite Suites (where they house the small breeds) is set up like a cute little nursery. Only one problem -- the units face each other, so if your pup has a particularly loud and obnoxious neighbor, he will be tense the entire time he's there. They do take the dogs out about 3 or 4 times to use the restroom, but that's it. You have to pay extra for one-on-one playtime. Charlie showed signs of anxiety around other dogs after staying in that set up. They seemed to have treated him very well, but it just wasn't the right place for my little guy. On a more pleasant note, Charlie successfully completed the Puppy Preschool classes they offer and I thought it was a nice way to socialize a small puppy (pre-16 weeks old).

Since my Barkley boarding experience, I've learned of two other boarding facilities that have gotten great reviews from pet owner friends of mine. They are both cage-free, off-leash facilities. The Mutt Hutt is located in Tremont, and the Cleveland Metro Bark is on the East side near E. 39th on Payne. The biggest difference between the two (based on what I know) is that the Mutt Hutt has staff that sleeps over at the facility so that the dogs are monitored 24-hours a day, while the Metro Bark has staff who takes several dogs home to have a sleep over. They both seem like great places and Charlie and I can't wait to check them out!

--Apartments & Condos--

A good number of the apartment buildings downtown are pet friendly (3 for sure are the Statler Arms, the Residences at 668, and the Bridgeview). They usually require a $300 non-refundable pet deposit, and an extra $25 a month. There are, however, some that have a weight limit, age limit, only allow cats, or don't allow pets at all. There are also some condo buildings that don't allow pets (I know -- what are they thinking!). Lakewood condos (or just GoldCoast buildings) in particular don't seem to care for dogs (i.e., Carlyle, Meridian, and Winton Place). But a simple inquiry early on will help you figure out who's friendly and who's not.

So I guess Cleveland isn't THAT far from being dog-friendly. Sometimes it just feels that way because store owners give me a really strange look when I bring Charlie in tucked into my purse.

Cupcakes and Cookies and Cakes, OH MY!

I have a wicked sweet tooth, so moving to a new city definitely involved finding a new bakery to frequent.



Initially, I heard some really fantastic things about a place in Hudson, Ohio called Main Street Cupcakes. My favorite so far (there are about 172 different flavors) is The Buckeye cupcake, but I still can't finish one by myself because it is SO rich. They're a bit far away from downtown (maybe 30 minutes) but they also deliver.

I really don't like driving long(ish) distances to get to my favorite spots, so I started searching around for some place a little closer. As far as cakes go, Constantino's Market in the Warehouse District makes AMAZING layered cakes. I've eaten them a few times at office and holiday parties and they are decadent and delicious!

However, my favorite local bakery is Tremont's A Cookie and a Cupcake on Professor Ave. They make an amazing carrot cupcake, and the lemon with raspberry filling is a good runner up (tied with the peanut butter lovers cupcake). What I love most about their cupcakes is that nothing is too overwhelming. They use a buttercream icing on each cupcake that is light and fluffy so it doesn't feel like you're eating a spoonful of sugar or the cheap grocery store stuff. They have 12 flavors of cupcakes (which they also make into "vintage" cakes), brownies, cheesecakes, cookies, and macaroons. Besides the cupcakes, I love their blondie brownie and banana walnut cookie.

Also in that neighborhood, Ohio City's Westside Market has at least one bakery in it (and a candy shop, too, but they might be one in the same). I've never had the occasion to sample any of their goodies, but everything always looks great!

Oh! And Pickwick and Frolic on E. 4th is doing a special "Pie of the Day" selection on their dessert menu (I don't know if it's just for the rest of the summer or if it's a permanent dish) but the strawberry rhubarb with a side of ice cream always hits the spot.

I think that's it as far as exceptional desserts in Cleveland goes, but I'm still making the rounds so I'll let you know if I find something that tops what's listed above. Happy eating!!!

Apartment Hunting in Cleveland

What a nightmare! My lease ends in 2 months and I have no idea where I'm going to live. I know that I don't want to continue living in my current building downtown (Statler Arms), but I haven't the slightest idea where to go. The big decision seems to be whether to go east, west, or stay downtown.

Paper stand, CASB ©2009

---Downtown---

There are a lot of perks that come with living downtown. I've lived downtown for over a year now, and although I'm not thrilled with the area around Statler Arms on Euclid, it's been convenient (to say the least) on more than one occasion. Whether its happy hours, meetings, lunches, or dinners, the Cleveland professional community flocks to the downtown "hot spots" like E. 4th, Warehouse, and the farther out Tremont and Ohio City venues. I'm always a short cab ride or a walk home away from the action. I can even go home and feed the dog before I go out. Also, even if there is something going on, east or west, it's generally the same amount of time in the car in either direction.

On the other hand, the downtown area gets pretty deserted after 5pm on weekdays and before 3pm on weekends. There's the occasional pan handler. There aren't any good grocery stores, although Westside Market and the Dave's Market next to it isn't a far drive, and there's always the market inside of Reserve Square (shudder) or one of the several convenience stores that have popped up in random spots if I get in a bind. Or Constantino's on W. 9th (which is just as pricey as Reserve Square's market but much nicer). And I guess Target and Walmart (ugh) in Steelyard Commons is only a 10 to 15 minute drive. But I'm a huge Whole Foods fan, and the closest one is in University Heights, so I always feel like I'm far away from a good grocery store.

I really covet an apartment in the Warehouse District. Even though some say that Euclid is "up and coming" with new apartment buildings being constructed and big retail plans, plus what's already established in the East 4th Neighborhood. I don't know, there's still something different that I like about the Warehouse District buildings. In particular, I really like Bridgeview. I saw a great 2 BR apartment in there the other day and I've heard good reviews from friends who have lived there before. If you want to check it out for yourself, the 5th Annual Warehouse District Street Festival is this Sunday, August 2nd from 12pm to 8pm and it features open houses of the Warehouse apartment buildings.

The BF looooves The Residences at 668 Euclid Ave, or at least he loves the idea of them -- new, bright, and shiny in downtown Cleveland; carpet that has never been trampled or stained and bathrooms that have never been used, except for maybe the carpenters. The building is going to be under construction long after they let the first tenants in -- that's my big concern. I'm also not super crazy about the floorplans, but all of the kitchen and bathroom fixtures are stainless, granite, state of the art (for an apartment), etc.

---East---

As far as east and southeast, we're looking into Cleveland Heights (my favorite), University Heights, Shaker Heights (everything is a "heights" out there) and even Bratenahl. There are sketchy parts in all of these neighborhoods, Bratenahl excluded from this, but the areas that are nice are really worth it. Cute tree-lined streets, shops, Dave's Market, bakeries, dry cleaners, hardware stores, bookstores, libraries -- these are all things that I appreciate having close by. I get the feeling that they are the "hipster" areas (aside from Tremont and Ohio City, neither of which the BF likes). The only problem is that we're not thrilled with the apartment buildings out there and we can't seem to find any good condos or houses for rent either. The places we do like are a hike to downtown through surface street traffic and the utilities (if not included in the rent) would be pretty substantial in the winter (heating those old houses/buildings can be rough).

---West---

Ah, yes, the west side. Lakewood is as far west as we were willing to look. Some told us to try Rocky River, but it just didn't mesh well with me. I've actually only ventured as far out as Bay Village to go to Huntington Beach (which btw is really quite pleasant). Even though the commute into downtown would be faster and easier from the west side, we just didn't find anything out there that we liked. The condos on the Gold Coast seemed promising, (now that a good number of them are being rented out) but most aren't pet friendly and I refuse to kick my little Yorkie to the curb for a Miami-inspired, lake-view condo from the 60s.

So, the search continues. I'll keep you posted.

Cleveland Toughens up on Texting While Driving

Effective July 19, 2009, the Council of the City of Cleveland passed Emergency Ordinance No. 105-09 (to supplement the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland at Section 433.09) and Resolution No. 110-09, which together prohibit text messaging (receiving or reading -- including emails) while driving a motor vehicle in the City of Cleveland, and urge the General Assembly of the State of Ohio to examine other states' regulation of cell phone use and text messaging while driving and consider passing similar legislation.

The penalties for violations are tiered as follows: $100 for the first offense; $250 for the second offense; and no more than $500 for the third and subsequent offenses.

What does this mean for the City of Cleveland? Hopefully safer roads and less accidents caused by individuals too preoccupied with an incoming text to pay attention to the dozens of 1 and 1/2 tons of metal, fiberglass, and plastic (and let's not forget gas) whizzing by them on the street. Does this solve the problem of other kinds of absent drivers? Absolutely not. There will still be the woman in the green car putting on her makeup; the man in the silver sedan stuffing his face with a breakfast sandwich; the teen reaching under the seat of the red pickup to grab whatever rolled off of the passenger-side seat; or the suit in the black SUV squinting at the GPS. What's important is that an effort is being made to update our laws with the technology (there's still a ways to go), and that our Council Members are listening to the people of Cleveland who fear for the lives of its denizens.

Somewhat related, Cleveland was recently voted the U.S. city with the least amount of road rage (second only to Portland, OR). See all of the "In The Driver's Seat Road Rage Survey" results.

The full language of Section 433.09 is listed below:

ORDINANCE NO. 105-09
Council Members Reed, Conwell and Mitchell

AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE
To supplement the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland, Ohio, 1976, by enacting new Section 433.09 prohibiting the use of wireless handsets to text message while driving.

WHEREAS, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, four states -- Alaska, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington -- outlaw text messaging while driving and legislation is being considered in 16 other states; and

WHEREAS, mobile texters in the United States sent 158 billion messages in 2006, up 95 percent from 2005, according to industry statistics cited by the New York Times; and

WHEREAS, according to a 2006 study by Nationwide Insurance, 19 percent of drivers use text messaging while at the wheel and that number jumped to 37 percent among drivers aged 18 to 27; and

WHEREAS, a national American Automobile Association survey of 1,000 16 and 17-year-old drivers found that 46 percent send text messages with their cell phones while driving; and

WHEREAS, each year, 21 percent of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone use and this result is expected to grow as much as 4 percent every year; and

WHEREAS, in one tragic accident in Canandaigua, New York, police found that text messages were sent and received on a 17-year-old driver's cell phone moments before the vehicle slammed head-on into a truck, killing her and four other recent high school graduates; and

WHEREAS, this Council believes that regulation of text messaging while driving is necessary for the health and safety of Ohio citizens; and

WHEREAS, this ordinance constitutes an emergency measure providing for the usual daily operation of a municipal department; now, therefore,

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CLEVELAND:

Section 1. That the Codified Ordinances of the City of Cleveland, Ohio, 1976, are hereby supplemented by enacting new Section 433.09 to read as follows:

Section 433.09 Text Messaging While Driving

(a) "Text message" means a message sent or received via a process using wireless handsets. For the purposes of this section, an e-mail shall be considered a "text message."

(b) "Wireless handset" means a portable electronic device capable of transmitting or receiving data in the form of a text message.

(c) No person shall use a wireless handset to compose, send or read text messages while driving a motor vehicle in the City of Cleveland. Any person driving a motor vehicle who is operating a wireless handset while such vehicle is in motion in the City of Cleveland shall be presumed to be composing, sending, or reading a text message. The presumption created by this subdivision shall be rebuttable by evidence showing that the driver was not composing, sending or reading a text message.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision c, this section shall not be construed to prohibit the use of a wireless handset inside a motor vehicle to compose, send or read a text message by:

a. any (1) law enforcement, public safety or police officers, emergency services, (2) first aid, or emergency medical technicians or personnel, or (3) fire safety officials, while performing official duties;

b. a driver using a wireless handset to contact an individual listed in paragraph one of this subdivision to report an emergency situation; or

c. a driver using a wireless handset inside a motor vehicle while such vehicle is parked, standing or stopped and is removed from the flow of traffic, in accordance with applicable laws or rules, or is stopped due to the inoperability of such vehicle.

(e) Penalty. Whoever violates this section shall be fined one hundred dollars for the first offense, two hundred dollars for a second offense, and no more than five hundred dollars for each subsequent offense.

Section 2. That the provisions of Section 433.09(e) shall take effect ninety days after the effective date of this ordinance.

Section 3. That this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and, provided it receives the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all members elected to Council, it shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its passage and approval by the Mayor; otherwise it shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.

I'm back!

After neglecting my blog for way too long -- I've decided to try to revive my efforts. I can't be just another transplant who gives up on Cleveland.

Late Fall Fun

--- Cleveland Cavaliers ---: recommended

In mid-October, I found myself the lucky holder of a VIP box seat ticket to the Cleveland vs. San Antonio preseason game. The Cavs play in Quicken Loans Arena, also affectionately known as "the Q." In addition to watching a great team play ball (at least this year), there's Lebron James (King James), the Cavaliers Girls (all volunteers), the Scream Team, and Moondog and the Animal Control team. It's quite the show.

Checking out a Cavs game is a good idea for friends who want to get together, a date, or even family fun.

Price: approx. $20 (general admission)
Time: approx. 3 hours

www.nba.com/cavaliers/


--- OSU Buckeyes ---: recommended

I know this isn't IN Cleveland, but if you're a Big Ten sports fan, it might be worth your trouble to get in the car, head south on I-71 for a couple of hours and take in a football game at the "Shoe" at THEE Ohio State University. You can go online and check out the schedule to find a game worth driving down for. I recently went to the OSU v. Penn State game with the BF. Rather than attend the game, a large group of us tailgated near the Schottenstein Center. If you’re going to drive down I recommend actually getting a ticket, but I went to OSU so I didn’t mind just tailgating.

You can also take some time to tour the campus on your own, stop by a tailgate on High St., attend the Skull Session at St. John Arena (usually about 2 hours before kickoff), be a part of the tunnel to the Shoe, watch TBDBITL do Script Ohio, and Brutus and the Buckeye Cheerleaders run and tumble down the field before the team. Then after the game, you can always stick around in Columbus for dinner, etc. It's a whole day's event, so plan ahead.

Price: approx. $60 (non-student)
Time: approx. 3 1/2 hours

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/


--- Elephants on Parade ---: highly recommended

Apparently, every year when the Barnum and Bailey Circus comes to town (at Quicken Loans Arena), the circus puts their elephants and a couple of other animals on parade. I didn’t know about it until someone in my office asked if I was going down to watch the elephants. There were several of them lined up and parading down the middle of E. 9th in the middle of October! How fun!

People, young and old, lined along the street to watch them go by. I didn’t actually make it to the circus, but watching the elephants in the middle of downtown Cleveland made my day.



--- Restaurants Galore ---: highly recommended

Being the foodie that I am, I've been trying to get out and sample a few more of Cleveland’s restaurants. So far, here’s what I’ve found:

-Sushi Rock-

Absolutely EXCELLENT calamari! The best I’ve ever tasted. Sushi Rock is located in the “Warehouse District.” They marinate it in a sweet and sour type of sauce and it is delicious! They also serve shrimp that also comes in the same sauce. The crabcakes and lobster mashed potatoes are a must try, but I think most people go for the sushi. It’s not the best sushi I’ve ever tasted (to be fair, I’ve had some great sushi), but it’s very good and there’s a wide variety to choose from.

Every Wednesday they have half-price sushi, but it’s a bit of a mad house because everyone shows up. I recommend making a reservation, but FYI: the hostess won’t seat you unless your entire party is there. There are special rules on Wednesday because of the discount, such as everyone has to order at the same time and you can only order once for the whole night (just the sushi, not drinks and appetizers or meals).

Oh, and they have a valet service for $6 if you can’t find a place to park.

http://www.sushirockohio.com/

-Café Sausalito-

This place is a nice little café inside of the Galleria that happens to serve pretty good food, considering it’s in a mall. I tried their veal meatloaf (I know; I’d never heard of that either) and it was surprisingly savory and very tasty. It’s good for lunch if you work downtown and want to skip the Galleria food court, an early dinner after work (I think they close at 7PM), or just drinks.

http://www.cafesausalito.com/

-Zocalo Mexican Grill & Tequileria-

This place is located in the E. 4th St. Neighborhood and it’s run by a finalist of one of the “Next Top Chef” shows. It has a great atmosphere and good food. They feature tequila flights and some crazy top-shelf bottles of tequila. If you’re ever in the mood for Mexican, remember this: it’s more like an El Vaquero than a Chipotle (meaning it has more of an authentic taste).

http://www.zocalocleveland.com/

-Waterstreet Grill-

Two words: lobster quesadillas (tastes a lot better than it sounds). I had a great meal here with friends, but it definitely struck me more as the type of place you would go to drink and also eat as opposed to eat and also drink.

http://www.wsgrill.com/WSG/WS_Main2.asp

Cleveland Browns Game

--- mostly recommended ---

It was late yesterday afternoon when the BF recommended that we try to get last minute tickets to the Cleveland Browns vs. NY Giants game. I completed both my undergraduate and graduate degrees at a Big Ten university, so I’m no stranger to football (or its crazy fans) but I’d never been to a pro football game and the weather was unseasonably warm for mid-October in Cleveland, so I said “let’s do it.” We headed down to the stadium at around 7 pm and managed to find a scalper selling tickets for face value in section 345 right up against the rail. The BF is a huge Cleveland sports fan and he tends to keep me updated on his teams, so (sad to say) I expected to be cabbing it back to my apartment at half-time with the Browns down by 2 or 3 touchdowns. But, it turns out that playing televised Monday Night Football against the Super Bowl champion Giants was the fire the Browns needed under their butts to get a win. Other than the SUPER obnoxious and stinking drunk fan who was sitting next to us, it was a great night. But, the “mostly” part of my recommendation is the caveat that the Browns don’t always perform like they did last night.

Price: $45 (face value)
Time: 3 to 4 hours

http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/

Cleveland Browns Stadium at Sunset, CASB © 2008

Inside Browns Stadium, CASB © 2008