Saturday, 01 May 2010

Cleveland

There’s more to Cleveland than corned beef and rock ‘n’ roll. This ruggedly handsome city on a “crooked river” and a Great Lake boasts a thriving arts scene, buoyed by mainstays like PlayhouseSquare, Severance Hall and the Cleveland Museum of Art. It isn’t a fluke that the Rock Hall landed in C-Town – this town is jammed tighter than a minivan with killer live-music venues. Home to Iron Chefs and “slow food” gurus, the North Coast’s dining scene is one of the best between Chicago and New York. And when it’s time to play, locals enjoy sandy beaches, bountiful parkland, and three pro sports teams. But perhaps the best assets of this old Midwestern burg are its captivating neighborhoods and the people who call them home.
 
Insider Guide
Eat & Drink

L'Albatros
Restaurant

Lilly Handmade Chocolate
Ice Cream & Sweets

Cafes and Hangouts

Gypsy Beans
Café

Shop

Big Fun
Toys

Music and Entertainment

Grog Shop
Club

Nighttown
Club

7 Nights A Week
 
 
Visiting Guide

Gourmet food trucks are invading Ohio at a fast clip. Part of a larger national movement, numerous new mobile dining operations are hitting the streets of Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland. 

Cold beer, warm sun, and an endless supply of hot dogs – it's no wonder that attending a pro baseball game remains as popular today as it did 100 years ago. When it comes to baseball, Ohio is blessed, sporting bats that swing in Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A leagues, not to mention the big boys in Cleveland and Cincinnati.

Once resigned to only “beer league” softball or touch football, Ohio’s sporting types can now try their hand at indoor rock climbing, role-playing paintball, and upscale bowling. The bravest of the bunch can graduate to aerial ski jumping, BMX riding, and flat-track roller derby. 

Over the past decade, Ohio quietly has become one of the most gay-friendly states in the nation. Cleveland recently was awarded the 2014 Gay Games, Columbus earned a Top 10 spot on Out magazine's most LGBT-friendly cities, and Cincinnati recently overhauled its Pride festivities. As Ohio goes, so goes the nation.

Every region in America is home to at least some unique foods. The singular combination of people, geography, climate and culture all but guarantees it. Even in this day of national chain restaurants, idiosyncratic local specialties endure thanks to the cooks who make them and the customers who demand them. Given its lengthy history and melting-pot citizenry, it's no surprise that Ohio is stuffed to the gills with distinctive edibles. 

Insider Profile

Founder of Northeast Ohio's Century Cycles, Lois Moss is anavid cyclist whose train of thought habitually runs on two wheels. One of herbig ideas is Walk+Roll Cleveland, an organization designed to get folks walkingand riding.

As chef and owner of Crave, a popular Akron restaurant, Deanna Akers has a pretty good grasp of the local food scene. Naturally, she gravitates to independent restaurants, especially those operated by talented colleagues. Here, she shares a few of her favorite places to grab a bite.

Cleveland-based stand-up comic Chris Hegedus loves his hometown so much, he had the Terminal Tower tattooed on his arm. He clues us in to the best places to have a laugh, a beer and, er, a lap dance