Sandy's Cleveland Blog May 2008 Archive

One of the most controversial -- and I think, interesting -- pieces of public art in Cleveland is "Free Stamp" by Danish artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen. ... Read More

Wade Oval Wednesdays return to University Circle on June 18. The weekly events include free concerts by local artists with sounds from jazz to rock to reggae as well ... Read More

The Northern Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross is offering blood and platelet donors the chance to win free gas for a year. People who come in ... Read More

Cleveland has a myriad of fascinating -- and tasty -- independent food stores. Chief among them is the West Side Market, Ohio's City's historic food palace that sells ... Read More

Did you know that there are 32 places in the city of Cleveland where you can drop off your recyclable items? Do you know which items you can ... Read More

Northern Ohio has added a new waterpark to its collection. The Maui Sands Resort, in Sandusky, opened this past weekend and the resort's grand opening celebration is scheduled for ... Read More

Ohio has more than 70 Indian mounds, burial sites of the Adena and Hopewell tribes--the "mound builders"--who inhabited central and southern Ohio from roughly 3000 BC until the 16th century. Many ... Read More

Cleveland's Western Reserve Historical Society is just one of three museums in the US to host "Vatican Splendors," one of the most comprehensive Vatican collections to tour North America. The ... Read More

As a recovering book sale fanatic, whose house at times looks like a bookseller's warehouse, I try to stay away from the many excellent library sales, estate sales, and other ... Read More

Memorial Day has come to be known as the kick-off to the summer season, a day away from work and school, one filled with cook-offs, concerts, and festivals. However, ... Read More

It's not unexpected, but kind of sad anyway. North Randall mayor, David Smith announced this week that Randall Park Mall will be closing June 12. The mall was briefly the ... Read More

Cleveland's Botanical Garden, located in University Circle, was founded in 1930, primarily as a library of gardening books. Today, the Garden's exhibits includes a Costa Rica Cloud Forest, ... Read More

Are you looking for a unique -- and fun -- place in Akron to host your child's upcoming birthday party? Are you looking for something a little different from ... Read More

Father's Day is less than a month away. Have you thought about a gift for your dad yet? If not, here's some ideas for your Cleveland dad, such ... Read More

It's almost beach time! Escape to one of the scenic and sandy beaches along Lake Erie this summer. From the mile-long Headlands Beach, just outside of Mentor, to ... Read More

Cleveland has embraced the concept of farm to table whole-heartedly. Restaurants like Jonathon Sawyer's Bar Cento and Jack Bruell's Parallax have led the way in encouraging diners to eat locally ... Read More

Some of Cleveland's top chefs are getting together for a series of hands-on, one-day courses in a variety of ethnic cuisines and cooking techniques at Cuyahoga Community College this summer. ... Read More

Sometimes it pays to get older -- literally. Yes, there's that wisdom thing, but there's also a plethora of discounts for those age 50 and older. Ohio's Golden ... Read More

The Cleveland suburb of Westlake has been named among the "Top 100 Places in America to Relocate " by "Relocate America" magazine. Westlake ranked #75. The only other Ohio city ... Read More

Before he was the winning coach of the OSU Buckeyes football team, Jim Tressel was a coach's son in Berea, Ohio. His father, Lee Tresel was the football coach at ... Read More

LeBron James racked up an amazing 45 points in the seventh game of the NBA Eastern Semi-Finals yesterday in Boston, but it wouldn't be enough. The Cavs lost to the ... Read More

Frequent visitors to this site know that there are plenty of free things to do in Cleveland (50 of them listed so far with 10 more coming soon), but what ... Read More

Are you looking for a unique -- and fun -- place in town to host your child's upcoming birthday party? Are you looking for something a little different from ... Read More

Ohio has 74 state parks, and some of the best of them are located right here in the Northern part of the state. Enjoy the wonders of Lake Erie, the ... Read More

The Chautauqua Institution, located in western New York State, about three hours from Cleveland, is a scenic lakeside, nine-week summer cultural retreat. The Institution offers one-week stays, multi-week packages, ... Read More

Joe Jackson, better known as "Smokin' Joe," has been competing in Cleveland's Great American Rib Cook-off since 1999. The Columbus-based caterer is a regular on the summer festival circuit and ... Read More

Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood has the highest concentration of historic churches in the United States. Within a one and a half mile radius, there are excellent examples of Victorian, Gothic, ... Read More

Blood for tranfusions is always needed, but the need is especially great this time of year, when many regular donors are heading for summer vacations. Consider donating your blood ... Read More

The largest of the American Lake Erie Islands, Kelleys Island, is located just eight miles north of Marblehead on the Catawba Peninsula. Somewhat quieter and more subdued than its ... Read More

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton has two new galleries for the 2008 season. "Moments, Memories, and Mementos" and "Pro Football Today" opened to the public this past ... Read More

Summer in Cleveland, from mid-May to mid-September, is a constant stream of concerts, food and ethnic festivals, and art fairs. It's not too early to plan your summer ... Read More

May 12-16 is Cleveland Bicycle Week. A whole schedule of activities are planned for the event, including group rides to work on Monday, May 12, and the first ever ... Read More

If you're still looking for something to do with mom and the family today, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Akron's Stan Hywet Hall and Garden are offering free admission to ... Read More

To me, one of the most delightful parts of spring and summer is the large number of farmers' markets that pop up each week throughout Northeast Ohio. I'm ... Read More

It's just a block long, nestled between Euclid and Prospect Avenues, in the shadow of Quicken Loans Arena and Jacob's Field. But, what a block! East Fourth Street in downtown ... Read More

The Great American Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival is back and ready to go this year, under the sponsorship of Marc's this year.The four-day food and music festival is a ... Read More

Instead, dispose of your expired and/or unwanted over-the-counter and prescription medications by taking them to a special medication round-up at Cleveland's recycling locations at 5600 Carnegie Avenue and 3727 Ridge ... Read More

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in Boston ready to meet the Boston Celtics in the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. No one is predicting an easy win for either team, but LeBron ... Read More

In the mid-20th century, Mansfield native Louis Bromfield was one of the country's best selling authors. Winner of the 1927 Pulitzer Prize (for his third novel, Early Autumn), ... Read More

Stan Hywet Hall and Garden in Akron, Ohio is calling all kids (and parents and grandparents) to dust off their imaginations and explore the 70-acre estate (and former home of ... Read More

Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) is a day of celebration for Mexicans all over the world. Contrary to popular belief, it's not the Mexican Independence Day (that's ... Read More

The Cleveland Cavaliers showed that good solid basketball trumps trash talk and elbows to the jaw any day of the week last night as they defeated the Washington Wizards 105-88 ... Read More

Allison KrauseJeffrey MillerSandra ScheuerWilliam ShroederWe will never forget.___________________For those of us of a "certain age," the events of May 4, 1970 helped to mold who we would become as adults. ... Read More

This week "American Idol" honors the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The museum's story and mission will be featured throughout the two shows (Tuesday at 8pm and Wednesday at ... Read More

The 134th Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, May 3rd. Dubbed "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," the Derby showcases 3-year-old thoroughbred horses on a 1.25-mile track at Louisville Kentucky's Churchill ... Read More

One of the treasures of summer in Cleveland is the number of charming restaurant patios that spring up on every spare plot of land from early May to Labor ... Read More

The Cleveland Museum of Art, whose permanent collection has been closed to the public for almost two years during the museum's $258 expansion project, will begin reopening on June 29. ... Read More

This weekend launches a new wine event in town--the Cleveland International Wine Show. At the I-X Center this Friday and Saturday, the show features more than 500 quality wines from ... Read More