Michael Goldberg, a professor at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University and a managing partner of a venture capital fund that invests in early stage medical device companies, certainly has a bevy of knowledge and experience to share with others. He is currently taking some time off teaching in Cleveland to focus his attention on a different part of the world. 

In this article, published in Vietnam, he urges Vietnamese entrepreneurs to... Read more >

Clevelanders certainly can remember the wonderful but short-lived Bar Symon, the eatery that shut its doors in Avon Lake nearly two years ago. The concept has been reborn, as Michael Symon has recently opened the “new” Bar Symon in the Pittsburgh International Airport, reports Clare Sheehan of The Daily Meal.
 
"I am so pleased to bring my passion for serving great food in a fun environment to airport travelers in Pittsburgh," said Symon. "D... Read more >

Here in Cleveland, we all know what a treasure and luxury it is to have the West Side Market available to us for all of our culinary needs. Now the readers of the health conscious food magazine Cooking Light know it as well. Recently, the 100-year-old public market was recognized as one of the mag's favorite “Hidden Gems & Delicious Destinations” in the country.

“In this beautiful, 27,000-square-foot hall, shoppers find ethnic specialties like ki... Read more >

It appears as if Cleveland’s other culinary golden boy, Jonathon Sawyer, is lending his name and reputation to a popular cookware manufacturer. 
 
Olivia Just from the Connecticut Post reports that the "Defining the Edge" campaign from Wusthof cutlery centers around three chefs, "The Rebel," Richie Nakano from San Francisco; "The Poet," Camas Davis from Portland, Ore.; and "The Believer," Jonathon Sawyer from Clevelan... Read more >

In light of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposing a ban on the sale of large-sized sugary drinks, Joe Palazzolo of the Wall Street Journal points out that citizens need to look no further than Cleveland, Ohio, when it comes to local government determining what can and cannot be consumed by residents and guests.
 
“The Cleveland city council passed a law last year to ban restaurants from using cooking oils containing trans fats.”
 
In... Read more >

Once a center of industry and mass-production, Cleveland is becoming recognized for green initiatives and sustainability.  What a turn of events for the place we call home.
 
The latest bump of good press comes in the form of HGTV's article, "The 10 Greatest Cycling Cities in America."
 
“The underdog of this list, this historic rust belt city is home to an impassioned and persevering community of bike riders." states the wri... Read more >

In his blog Burgh Diaspora, Jim Russell frequently covers the topic of reverse migration, where Rust Belt cities are seeing an influx of young residents thanks to a multitude of factors. Russell, a geographer studying the relationship between migration and economic development, calls the trend "Rust Belt Chic."

Recently, Russell, who lives in Pittsburgh, toured Cleveland to gather some on-the-ground research. He liked what he saw.
 
"I flew int... Read more >

NPR's Morning Edition recently aired a story on Cleveland's rise in popularity with young, college-educated professionals.
 
"Blue-collar towns seem to be attracting a new generation of residents looking for an affordable urban lifestyle," reports David C. Barnett.
 
Richey Piiparinen, a researcher at Case Western Reserve University, was quoted in the piece as follows: "A lot of young people in Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh whos... Read more >

Of the 47 projects awarded grants from ArtPlace to support their use of the arts to improve quality of place and transform their communities, only one was from Ohio.

The creative placemaking grants totaled $15.4 million.

“Across the country, cities and towns are using the arts to help shape their social, physical, and economic characters,” said NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. “The arts are a part of everyday life, and I am thrilled to see yet anot... Read more >

A new partnership between NASA and the Greater Cleveland RTA has resulted in a space-age bus (oxymoron alert!).
 
Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which converts hydrogen gas into water and electricity, the bus can travel the streets of Cleve for up to 100 miles per "fill-up."
 
The plan is to install a hydrogen fueling station at the RTA garage in East Cleveland that will power a fuel cell bus.
 
"The purpose of the project is... Read more >

Zagat asked its readers to weigh in on the best cities to enjoy food truck fare. Cleveland was one of only 10 cities in the running.

Cleveland, OH

"Fairly recently, the City of Cleveland decided to renew a law that allowed food trucks to roam the city that 'rocks.' However, they can only operate with permission from their councilperson. A few dozen trucks and growing, residents have options like Streat Mobile Bistro (healthy, local, organic) and fig ... Read more >

In a lengthy feature titled, "Power of One," Spirit magazine highlights a half-dozen people who discovered their calling. The in-flight magazine of Southwest Airlines devotes a majority of the ink to Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman.

"In his 16 years as a councilman, [Cimperman] has passed pioneering urban farm zoning legislation at a time when no other city in the U.S. had done so, and spearheaded a local food procurement ordinance that gives companies w... Read more >

It is hard to believe, but this year's Cleveland International Film Festival -- the 36th annual -- once again broke the previous year's attendance figures.
 
The 11-day film festival, which wrapped up on Sunday, April 1, checked in a record total of 85,018 filmgoers. This is a 9-percent jump from the previous year and a whopping 143-percent increase from 2003. What's more, the festival saw it's largest single-day attendance on Saturday, March 31, with ... Read more >

In a feature titled "Urban entertainment districts: Blocks where no one has fun," Salon writer Will Doig describes the modern “urban lifestyle destination” as a "swath of cityscape whose character has been preordained by a city council vote and is now identified by brightly colored banners affixed to lampposts."
 
“The problem with these created-overnight districts is that you’re trying to create a culture as opposed to lett... Read more >

Paulius Nasvytis can add another item to the already crowded wall of big-time media accolades. Esquire magazine, the arbiter of good taste, has just included the Velvet Tango Room in its annual roster of Best Bars in America.

"Perplexed whispers followed the Velvet Tango Room for years after the cocktail bar opened in 1996," begins the Esquire item. "For starters, it was hard to find, tucked in an unassuming building in an inner-ring nib of Cleveland betwee... Read more >

According to beer sales volume calculated by The Brewers Association, a Boulder-based not-for-profit trade group that tabulates production statistics for U.S. breweries, Great Lakes Brewing Company is now the 18th largest craft brewery in the country. That is a jump from the #22 position the previous year.
 
According to the same stats, Great Lakes also is now the 27th largest American brewery overall, up from #31 previously.
 
Great Lakes produces over 1... Read more >

"Ohio's first casino opened Monday night with long lines of gamblers ready to roll the dice, a glitzy music video instead of a traditional ribbon cutting and a taste of Las Vegas with two bare-midriff showgirls wearing plumed hats and sequined tops," begins this Las Vegas Review-Journal piece on Cleveland's brand new Horseshoe casino.
 
Toledo's casino will open in two weeks, with Cincinnati and Columbus to follow suit by next year.
 Read more >

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture is accepting applications for its 2013 grant programs. Nonprofit organizations offering arts and culture programming in Cuyahoga County are encouraged to apply.
 
To learn more about its Project Support grant program, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture encourages applicants to attend one of three informational workshops, to be held June 5, 7, or 13.
 
“In 2012, CAC is investing $15 million in 154 organizations throughout Cuyahog... Read more >

In an article titled, "Rust Belt chic: Declining Midwest cities make a comeback," Salon writer Will Doig reports on the surprising growth and popularity of former Rust Belt cities like Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh.
 
"More than any other city in America, Cleveland is a joke, a whipping boy of Johnny Carson monologues and Hollywood’s official set for films about comic mediocrity," Doig begins.
 
"But here’s what el... Read more >

"Cleveland, You have been my best friend for over 40 years," writes Symon, in a heartfelt love letter to his one and only native town.
 
"I hid from you like every other teenager with a skateboard and BMX, choosing to play in the suburbs, a wide world of vanilla filled with malls, chain stores and entirely too much mediocrity."
 
"It wasn't until I left you that I realized how amazing you are and all the great treasures you po... Read more >