Along with New York City, Albuquerque, Long Beach, and Miami, Cleveland was named by Bicycling magazine as an up-and-coming bike city.

"It's no joke," writes David Howard, "The city on Lake Erie has cycling dialed."

"What's to love?" he adds. "For starters, the stretch of bike lane that now runs the length of historic Euclid Avenue, linking the city's two employment hubs. A new towpath just beyond Cleveland's sou... Read more >

While chef Jonathon Sawyer receives the majority of his well-deserved attention for his farm-to-table restaurant Greenhouse Tavern, located on East 4th St., Craig LaBan of Philly.com points out that Noodlecat should be receiving equal praise.
 
In an item titled, "Good road-trip eats," LaBan writes, “Noodlecat, the Cleveland ramen mash-up from chef Jonathon Sawyer, one of the more inventive and personal takes on the ramen trend, infused with good Midwe... Read more >

According to the Midwest Health Care Venture Investment Report, released by BioEnterprise, Cleveland area biotech firms raised $83 million in venture capital the first half of 2012.

Juventas Therapeutics, developer of a pipeline of regenerative therapies to treat life threatening diseases, secured $22 million alone. Pharmaceutical developer Athersys raised $9 million.

Read the entire report here.

The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series has grown from a single-city (San Diego) event to a multi-stop series that extends all across and even outside the United States. The unique event merges marathon running with music, as courses are often lined with live music, cheerleaders and themed water stations. Participants often dress up in costumes.
 
The Cleveland half-marathon will take place October 5, 2013. It will start, appropriately enough, at The Rock Hall.
... Read more >

A travel writer makes a visit to the North Coast and compiles a list of her quirky finds.

"Last month I traveled to northeastern Ohio -- around Lake Erie. The region is shaking its reputation based on the Cuyahoga river catching fire many years ago. Old images are hard to kick, but like other rustbelt cities, Cleveland and its environs is rejuvenating, regentrifying and reclaiming, with lively neighborhoods, farm-to-table restaurants, and a renewed pride in culture a... Read more >

Clevelander Beau Miller is in the process of shooting a film about the popular sax-playing street musician Maurice Reedus, Jr. (who happens to be the son of the late, great Grammy award winning saxophonist Maurice Reedus, Sr.).

Miller and cinematographer John Pope, director Joe Siebert and producer Todd Bemak hope to complete The Sax Man in time to enter it in the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. But to do so, they need to raise some cash.

The good news is that with ... Read more >

Citing numerous and mounting problems in London regarding the 2012 Olympic Games, this ESPN writer suggests (jokingly, of course) that they be relocated to Cleveland.

Problems thus far include lack of security personel, lousy weather, sluggish ticket sales, transportation woes, and an Opening Ceremony that will feature livestock -- all issues that can be overcome (ostensibly) by moving the games to Cleveland.

"If there’s one city in the world that&rsqu... Read more >

"The Cleveland Clinic and Ohio State University agreed yesterday to join forces in fast-tracking the commercialization of health-care technology, signaling a desire to compete less and collaborate more," writes Ben Sutherly for The Columbus Dispatch.

"In addition to health care, cooperation between the two institutions will focus on venture capital, funding and Third Frontier activities," The Dispatch adds.

"Cleveland Clinic Innovations h... Read more >

Voting is underway for a $5,000 Do Good Outdoors Challenge grant on the website GOOD Maker. LAND studio is competing against 115 other ideas for outdoor projects that promote social change.
 
"Spending time outside can make us all happier and healthier, and many of us don’t do it nearly enough. That’s why we have $5,000 to help you use the great outdoors to do GOOD in your community."
 
LAND studio's Bike Box concept "will e... Read more >

In the lead up to the 8th International Public Markets Conference, which will be held in Cleveland September 21 to 23, the Project for Public Spaces continues to blog about placemaking.

In a recent post titled " You Are Where You Eat: Re-Focusing Communities Around Markets," the writer discusses the importance of public markets like Cleveland's West Side Market.

"If you want to see a Market City in action, you may want to consider attending the... Read more >

Once again, the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals performed well in the annual Best Hospitals survey published by U.S. News. Both had numerous nationally ranked programs.

The Clinic, however, snagged top honors in three specialties: cardiology and heart surgery, nephrology, and urology. Overall, the Clinic had 12 specialties in the top five nationally.

Meanwhile, University Hospitals had 12 nationally ranked programs.

Read all the ranking here.

The National Endowment for the Arts announced its 2012 Our Town Grant Recipients, with $5 million going out to creative placemaking in 80 communities across the country.
 
Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization received $50,000.
 
"The Detroit Shoreway neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, is home to more than 14,300 residents. Revitalization efforts in the neighborhood focus around the Gordon Square Arts District, an emerging arts and entert... Read more >

"Euclid’s role as an essential link between the central business district downtown and University Circle -- a hub of world-class medical facilities and arts and culture amenities -- rendered the corridor impossible to ignore," writes Jason Hellendrung for UrbanLand.

The resulting $200 million, 6.8-mile Euclid Corridor Transportation Project catalyzed a powerful transformation along the avenue. Since the BRT line opened in 2008, the corridor has attracted $... Read more >

"For investors looking to go off the beaten track to find quality deals, Ohio might be the answer," Mitchell Rosich, partner at Athenian Venture Partners, writes in VentureBeat.

"According to the most recent Ohio Venture Capital Report, venture capital activity in Ohio was up more than 80 percent in 2010, surpassing the national average, which was up only 20 percent."

An increase in pre- and seed-stage investments amounting to $183.8 million i... Read more >

In this Next American City feature titled "Welcome to Your New Government," Detroit-based journalist Anna Clark examines the unique and increasingly powerful work being done by community development corporations.
 
This lengthy piece looks at the work of Detroit's Midtown, Inc. and Cleveland's University Circle, Inc. and asks what it means for cities when "local government relies on private organizations to turn around a neighborhood’s fat... Read more >

The Cleveland Design Competition invites professionals, students, firms and designers to re-imagine the abandoned lower streetcar level of Cleveland’s Detroit-Superior Bridge -- aka the Veterans Memorial Bridge -- as a dynamic public space, performance venue and pedestrian experience.
 
Suggested design proposals include:
 
Define a comprehensive vision for the lower level of the Detroit Superior Bridge as a public bicycle and pedestrian connection ... Read more >

LAND studio, in partnership with Cleveland Public Library, is seeking submissions for a cookbook that will focus on community, sharing, and importance of food as it relates to culture and the history of Cleveland. The cookbook will serve as a resource for cooking, platform for storytelling, and as a way to connect Clevelanders across cultures and communities.
 
The book stems from a Cleveland Public Library Lockwood Thompson Dialogue featuring Michael Ruhlman, Pe... Read more >

The Cleveland Institute of Art received a $5 million gift from Peter B. Lewis to support construction of a 91,000-square-foot building as the final component of the College’s campus unification project. Lewis is the chairman of Cleveland-based Progressive Corporation. 
 
“We are thrilled to receive this wonderful gift, not only because it represents a strong endorsement of our vision for a unified campus from this nationally known philanthropist ... Read more >

Each year the popular culinary focused website Eater.com announces their Eater Young Guns Class, which honors the most distinguished young industry professionals who are a mere step or two away from becoming a culinary star.
 
“[This year’s] class of 16 is composed of four women and 12 men; nine chefs, two sommeliers, two pastry chefs, and three front-of-house leaders. The youngest person on the list is 25 and the oldest, with just two-and-a-half years in ... Read more >

A recent feature in Draft Magazine calls Cleveland "Beertown, USA," in which it reports that, "there’s no doubt that Cleveland is in the midst of a Rust Belt Renaissance, and at the heart of its resurgence are beer-loving foodies."

The feature includes a nice round-up of local breweries, bars and restaurants, including Great Lakes Brewing, Market Garden Brewery, Happy Dog, La Cave du Vin, and Melt Bar & Grilled.

Drink in the rest right here.