Cleveland Heights
Each summer, throngs of people flock to the streets to partake in arts festivals, art walks and marquee arts events. Many are free and no two are exactly alike. With art mediums that include paintings, sculpture, glassware, photography, leather, jewelry and performance art, there’s something for everybody.
If you're considering a move to Cleveland, there might be no better means to examine the broad range of residential options than by hopping aboard a City Life tour hosted by Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. In a few short hours, participants enjoy an immersive dive into a number of Cleveland's most in-demand neighborhoods.
On Thursday, May 1, Global Cleveland will officially launch its talent attraction campaign at a major event at the Cleveland Convention Center. The event -- like the organization hosting it -- is focused on increasing the population while strengthening the local economy.
In Cleveland’s ever-evolving social media community, there is a wide variety of contributors to the civic dialogue. We've complied a list of some of our favorite voices -- a mix of up-and-comers and seasoned vets from different corners of the web who are using their blogs, podcasts and Twitter feeds to give the city a voice.
Deacon Burns, front man for the alternative punk-hop group Kounterclockwise, is the star of a new sci-fi animated movie, “Kounterclockwise in Forever-Land.” Burns, who attended Cleveland Heights High School, worked with Los Angeles-based animator Jim Lujan for more than a year to create the film, which takes place in Cleveland.
The movie chronicles the adventures of Burns and bandmate Kaya Rogue through the streets of Cleveland in search of a magical glove that was stolen from the Rock Hall. The project has been a lifelong dream for Burns. “It was just incredible,” he says. “I always wanted to do an animated show and it was a blast. I loved every minute of it.”
Burns and Lujas have never met; Lujas actually hasn’t even been to Cleveland. But the two put the film together long-distance. “It just goes to show how far technology has come that we can do this,” says Burns.
Forever-Land features scenes from the Lake Erie shore, Coventry and Stevenson’s Bar and Grille in Euclid (renamed the Wandering Eye in the movie). Burns, who was left paralyzed after an accident in 2007, describes the movie as positive, inspirational and for all ages. “Kounterclockwise in Forever-Land is the first-ever disabled hip-hop inter-galactic animated hero that saves the day in a wheelchair,” boasts Burns.
The Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival will sponsor the movie’s big screen premier on April 24 at the Atlas Theater in Euclid.
Sources: Deacon Burns, Jim Lujan
Writer: Karin Connelly
The movie chronicles the adventures of Burns and bandmate Kaya Rogue through the streets of Cleveland in search of a magical glove that was stolen from the Rock Hall. The project has been a lifelong dream for Burns. “It was just incredible,” he says. “I always wanted to do an animated show and it was a blast. I loved every minute of it.”
Burns and Lujas have never met; Lujas actually hasn’t even been to Cleveland. But the two put the film together long-distance. “It just goes to show how far technology has come that we can do this,” says Burns.
Forever-Land features scenes from the Lake Erie shore, Coventry and Stevenson’s Bar and Grille in Euclid (renamed the Wandering Eye in the movie). Burns, who was left paralyzed after an accident in 2007, describes the movie as positive, inspirational and for all ages. “Kounterclockwise in Forever-Land is the first-ever disabled hip-hop inter-galactic animated hero that saves the day in a wheelchair,” boasts Burns.
The Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival will sponsor the movie’s big screen premier on April 24 at the Atlas Theater in Euclid.
Sources: Deacon Burns, Jim Lujan
Writer: Karin Connelly
The City of Memphis is on the rise thanks to a growing startup community, investments in bike lanes, a burgeoning arts district and people moving back to the city. Through it all, the city has listened to its residents and embraced "lean urbanism." Cleveland should take heed.
melt bar & grilled among '21 best sando shops in usa'
Thrillist, the digital magazine for men, recently published a feature on the "The 21 Best Sandwich Shops in America." Writer Adam Lapetina included Melt Bar & Grilled in the listing.
"The perfect sandwich is hard to find," Lapetina writes. "But when you do find it, you have to pay homage. From superior ingredients to the freshest-baked bread and sauces that make you say, "Dammit, I kind of want to drink that!", the ideal sammie has to strike a delicate balance, and the people who make them have hit upon something way more important than just a portable meal."
In his entry for Melt, Lapetina writes:
"Cleveland’s got its fair share of interesting people, but not all of them open tattoo-friendly, punk-rock-playing alternative grilled cheese joints, like Matt Fish did when he first founded Melt Bar & Grilled in 2006. Offering patrons who get a Melt tattoo 25% off for life is only the second of his selling points -- the first is grilling up insane grilled cheese sandwiches that keep Ohioans coming back time and time again. The Parmageddon, for example, rocks potato & onion pierogi, sauerkraut, sharp cheddar, and sauteed onions and is every bit as face-melting as its name would suggest."
Read the rest here.
"The perfect sandwich is hard to find," Lapetina writes. "But when you do find it, you have to pay homage. From superior ingredients to the freshest-baked bread and sauces that make you say, "Dammit, I kind of want to drink that!", the ideal sammie has to strike a delicate balance, and the people who make them have hit upon something way more important than just a portable meal."
In his entry for Melt, Lapetina writes:
"Cleveland’s got its fair share of interesting people, but not all of them open tattoo-friendly, punk-rock-playing alternative grilled cheese joints, like Matt Fish did when he first founded Melt Bar & Grilled in 2006. Offering patrons who get a Melt tattoo 25% off for life is only the second of his selling points -- the first is grilling up insane grilled cheese sandwiches that keep Ohioans coming back time and time again. The Parmageddon, for example, rocks potato & onion pierogi, sauerkraut, sharp cheddar, and sauteed onions and is every bit as face-melting as its name would suggest."
Read the rest here.
Watching Cleveland getting rocked for two hours in Captain America is great, but when the rush fades and reality creeps in, we're left with no guarantee Hollywood is ever going to return. A group of area stakeholders is advocating for changes that would attract more film projects, or even a prestige TV drama, to the North Coast.
Northeast Ohio's convention and visitors bureau wants to change the conversation about Cleveland. The multifaceted branding enterprise is designed to bridge a communications gap that ideally will be crossed by millions of business and leisure visitors over the next few years.
#thisiscle promo video goes viral in 3- 2- 1...
On Wednesday, Positively Cleveland, the convention and visitors bureau for Cleveland, announced a new destination brand, presented new plans for its destination development initiatives, unveiled a local social media movement and highlighted a series of organizational accomplishments.
But without question, the most buzzed about element of the package was the following video, "A Cleveland Anthem," which promotes the theme: "Cleveland doesn’t follow anyone’s rules – it makes its own."
But without question, the most buzzed about element of the package was the following video, "A Cleveland Anthem," which promotes the theme: "Cleveland doesn’t follow anyone’s rules – it makes its own."
toledo blade previews cleveland international film festival
In an article in the Toledo Blade titled, "Cleveland to heat up for film lovers," Kirk Baird previews the Cleveland International Film Festival, which he labels as Ohio’s biggest such event.
"The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) line-up of more than 350 independent films isn’t for everyone, particularly those who prefer movies with celebrity names in the credits," Baird writes. "But for those open to the concept of film as true art rather than commercial enterprise, the long-running festival has much to satisfy the soul and mind."
Baird goes on to offer a rundown of the offerings, noting the staggering growth of the decades-old event.
"Now in its 38th year, CIFF is a prominent regional -- and certainly Ohio’s biggest -- film festival, with a combined audience of 95,000 film lovers and filmmakers from around the world expected to attend -- a staggering growth in audience from its first year in 1977 when only eight friends watched a few weekend films at the festival’s first home, Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights."
Read the entire article here.
"The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) line-up of more than 350 independent films isn’t for everyone, particularly those who prefer movies with celebrity names in the credits," Baird writes. "But for those open to the concept of film as true art rather than commercial enterprise, the long-running festival has much to satisfy the soul and mind."
Baird goes on to offer a rundown of the offerings, noting the staggering growth of the decades-old event.
"Now in its 38th year, CIFF is a prominent regional -- and certainly Ohio’s biggest -- film festival, with a combined audience of 95,000 film lovers and filmmakers from around the world expected to attend -- a staggering growth in audience from its first year in 1977 when only eight friends watched a few weekend films at the festival’s first home, Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights."
Read the entire article here.
Those among us that emerge to the forefront of their professions and community have been honing their leadership skills for some time. Here are a few young African-Americans making waves around town through advocacy, talent and so much more.
Mention the phrase "Paleolithic diet" and many will conjure the image of Fred Flintstone gnawing on a giant dinosaur leg. But nothing could be further from the truth, say adherents. The culinary movement is thoughtful, green, healthy and spreading like wildfire across Northeast Ohio.
If women indeed are the barometer of a healthy cycling city, then making women feel safe while cycling in Cleveland must be a priority, say local biking advocates. Female riders are less likely to cycle without infrastructure that makes them feel safe, including separated bike paths and physical barriers on roads that divide bikes and cars.
To say the Cleveland International Film Festival -- now in its 38th year -- has staying power is an understatement. In order to get a street level view of the event, Fresh Water sat down with some true insiders to get the skinny on what makes the CIFF tick and how to make the most of it.
The 2014 Gay Games kick off August 9th with an expected 8,000 to 10,000 participants competing in some 40 sports. The comprehensive event will serve as the latest memo to the world that Cleveland is a sought-after host for large-scale events that add millions to the local economy.
Thanks to a bevy of new accelerators and incubators -- all grooming startups to be the Next Big Thing -- the art of the pitch is more important now than ever. Whether it’s a casual elevator pitch or an intense 20-minute address to potential investors, there are some definite dos and don’ts to giving an effective pitch.
forbes profiles local 'edisons' nottingham and spirk
In an article titled "The Invention Machine: Cleveland Duo Churns Out Ideas Worth Billions," written by Michael Nemeth and published in the March issue of Forbes, the founding partners of Nottingham Spirk are profiled.
"The closest thing in America to Thomas Edison’s New Jersey laboratory is a decommissioned Christian Science church in Cleveland. It’s here that John Nottingham, John Spirk and their team of 70 inventors, tinkerers and support staff have cooked up the Swiffer SweeperVac, Crest Spinbrush, Dirt Devil vacuum and nearly 1,000 other patented products. No, nothing as momentous as the light bulb or the phonograph, but in their nearly anonymous way -- even in Ohio, almost no one has heard of them -- Nottingham and Spirk have proven themselves as good at making money as the Wizard of Menlo Park himself."
“We’re probably responsible for more patents than any other company our size,” says Nottingham.
Read the rest right here.
"The closest thing in America to Thomas Edison’s New Jersey laboratory is a decommissioned Christian Science church in Cleveland. It’s here that John Nottingham, John Spirk and their team of 70 inventors, tinkerers and support staff have cooked up the Swiffer SweeperVac, Crest Spinbrush, Dirt Devil vacuum and nearly 1,000 other patented products. No, nothing as momentous as the light bulb or the phonograph, but in their nearly anonymous way -- even in Ohio, almost no one has heard of them -- Nottingham and Spirk have proven themselves as good at making money as the Wizard of Menlo Park himself."
“We’re probably responsible for more patents than any other company our size,” says Nottingham.
Read the rest right here.