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I've heard this is a very good arts & crafts show on an old Firestone estate (I haven't been able to verify that this really was the Firestone estate).
I do think the fall festival/farm in Wooster may be a little far (ferraris) as might the spots in Youngstown or Holmes County (our return flight on Monday is at 3 PM, so it may be hard to do much besides hit a couple spots in Cleveland that day, and the rest of the trip will probably be decently consumed by spending time with family, and the Browns game. That being said, I appreciate each of them and will take into account for future visits.
The Italian restaurant list I will have to refer to. I have been to Mia Bella and enjoyed it, and since I remember it and Presti's having decent carryout options, those may make decent stopping options on the way to the game Sunday, or the airport (if open) Monday.
I also probably will hit the observation deck at Girdled Road North, so long as it is not excessively rainy or cold on Saturday. That actually sounds perfect, close to some other nice spots in that area, and fairly accessible for us given present needs (e.g., could take stroller to overlook and not have to worry).
Hey there! So, I'll give a somewhat quick trip blurb:
Friday:
Flew up from Sarasota-Bradenton (SRQ) on a Frontier flight that was mostly full, but, that to our benefit, had an open seat in the middle of us, so we actually were able to not have our daughter on our lap (mostly mom's) for the entire duration of the flight. In hindsight though, if booking again, I wouldn't book such a late trip (6:27-9:03), and I'm thankful at least that we got in around on time. Our daughter was very active, and only fell asleep towards the tail end of the flight.
I have to say, our experience at the CLE Rental Car center (a first, for me actually), was not great. I'm used to one of two situations: Either, there is a rental car place right on-site or across, or if not, there being a monorail present to take passengers over. Neither was present, and we were on a pretty crowded bus that wasn't running super often. We probably waited 20 minutes upon stepping outside there, and then, since there were probably 30 people in front of us and only two working the counter, we then waited for probably another 30-40 minutes at the rental car counter. The building itself was nice... but the experience left something to be desired for sure. Perhaps just bad luck, although the shuttle coming back took longer than I would've thought too. Factor this in for flights into CLE, 2 hrs. early before flight really is necessary if returning a car before flying out. It was weird being gone so long and then being back here! But, the drive had almost minimal traffic en route to Fairport Harbor, where we stayed Friday evening.
Saturday:
Woke up to a cool and rainy morning (which was welcome to me). I walked down to look at the lake (though, not all the way to the beach). Went to breakfast with family (Perkins), then went to La Abejita Michoacana (truly one of the more authentic Mexican paleta shops you'll find, and with very good Cafe con Leche, too). From there, went on a drive to see some fall colors (not strong yet, but visible). Went to a few new spots, Jordan Creek Park (saw the Lake Metroparks adventure play set up), Girdled Road Reservation North (to see the short trail leading to the beautiful overlook of the ravine), and Chapin Forest (my favorite hiking spot in the area). Went to Patterson's Fruit Farm after this, got hot apple cider, took in the views/atmosphere, took pictures with the pumpkins, and got half a dozen donuts (they are some of our favorites, they really do well there, and were absolutely slammed). Continued on to ASM International HQ (I actually never remember ever passing it, so it was neat to see it under the dome and the kinda botanical park/high tech set up they had there). Went over to Punderson to see the Lake and the Manor, and then for dinner, went to San Francisco Stir Fry in Mentor (pretty yummy and cool concept) and Malley's to stock up on chocolate stuff. Stayed for the night at the Holiday Inn Express in Concord (It was eye-opening for me to see how much this area had developed/evolved in the last couple of years).
Sunday:
Woke up, got breakfast from hotel, and went over to see family in Mayfield for a couple hours (and where we stayed on this last full day of the trip). Had breakfast there, and then my wife took me into downtown to catch up and meet up with one of my closest friends from the area (have lunch, a drink, walk around and explore, etc.). While the rooftop was itself closed on Sundays (odd/seemingly missed opportunity, but maybe the next part will provide context for that "why"), was able to get up in the roof area for the first time and get a great view over the cityscape (great views of the coast looking west and Warehouse District from there, especially). While I was there, my wife went and took our daughter to the West Side Market, where she got some produce, and also, our favorite beef jerky anywhere, the Spicy BBQ from J&J Czuchraj Meats, and of course, got her favorite, Mitchell's Ice Cream. They went from there and met some family and hung out at Beachwood Mall and Legacy Village during the afternoon.
I was meeting my brother and other family that had come up to Ohio during this time and was able to get over to meet them at East 9th and St. Clair, and from there, walk through the madness/exhilarating party that is the muni-lot on Sundays. My nephews had never been, and so it was very exciting for me to be able to share that Browns gameday experience with them for the first time. Funny thing, over by the Hilton, we almost stumbled upon the Cardinals getting on the team busses (we just missed Kyler and JJ Watt getting on). After walking through, into the stadium, and up to our seats, we headed into the game. So, honestly, have not been to that many NFL Stadiums (I'm much more of a college football guy), the only recent frame of reference I had for comparison was Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Now, obviously, the Browns stadium is relatively new, in fact, newer than RayJay. BUT. Something about both the crowd itself (which makes a lot more sense with the general fervor and kinda blue-collar atmosphere in the stands), but also the building itself, felt much more old and old school than in Tampa. I guess I'm speaking much more to the closed concourses in the lower deck (which were wildly crowded even when we got in 60 minutes before kickoff), as the bowl itself did feel modern (although that also felt much less generic in design and decision making than what is found in Tampa). I've paid more attention I guess to the design, etc. of the Cavs and Guardians stadiums than the Browns, but I do wonder if touches were incorporated consciously or otherwise there to make it feel more like an old school stadium or even in certain ways pay homage to Municipal Stadium, which closed when I was 4, and I have no memories of. The game didn't go great and I am even more concerned now about the rest of the year with major issues with Baker's health and elsewhere, but we really did have a great time, despite one fan near us trying to start a fight with no less than 6 people in the section around him and somehow/very nearly escaping being escorted out by security. Traffic out wasn't even bad, because we parked so far from the stadium.
Monday:
Our flight today was around 3 PM. So after saying goodbye to family and heading out, we went over to Chagrin Falls. I knew this already but still am reminded each time going back just how charming their downtown is. We went down to the falls, into the great bookshop there, and over to the end of the street and back. Just a great place to hang out and spend a few hours, and probably also to live. From here, my wife loves Indian food, so we went to get lunch at Choolaah Indian BBQ (it has a high stamp of approval even from our Indian friends in FL that wound up there a couple of times). My one regret is not getting a corned beef sandwich to go from Slyman's while in town, but ah well, next time. From there, we went to get Mitchell's again, this time from the Van Aken Market Hall location (this spot really impresses me both as a transit link and retail center-just a cool place), and then our final stop in town was a short walk by the airport at Rocky River Nature Center.
Anyways, thank you again for the recommendations. There were certainly more things I wanted to do, and being here for such a short time, it really did feel too short this time! But, we managed to get a lot done, and our daughter had a blast also. Here's hoping for another great visit sometime in Summer 2022!
Edit: I guess this could actually be considered long-winded and detailed rather than quick, lol, but I guess I mean more that it only took me 15-20 mins to type it all up.
Thanks for the detailed response. Informative as always, although your comments about the CLE Rental Center were disturbing. I was going to respond, but time got away from me, so will do so now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cavsfan137
Friday:
I have to say, our experience at the CLE Rental Car center (a first, for me actually), was not great. I'm used to one of two situations: Either, there is a rental car place right on-site or across, or if not, there being a monorail present to take passengers over. Neither was present, and we were on a pretty crowded bus that wasn't running super often. We probably waited 20 minutes upon stepping outside there, and then, since there were probably 30 people in front of us and only two working the counter, we then waited for probably another 30-40 minutes at the rental car counter. The building itself was nice... but the experience left something to be desired for sure. Perhaps just bad luck, although the shuttle coming back took longer than I would've thought too. Factor this in for flights into CLE, 2 hrs. early before flight really is necessary if returning a car before flying out.
My perception is that the Mayor Jackson has appointed many inept administrators, but perhaps with no greater harm than at Cleveland Hopkins. Candidly, I'm confused about many of the "improvements" at the main terminal. My impression is that corners were cut because a major rebuild that will address many of the problems is anticipated in the future and there was no desire to spend money on interim fixes.
You definitely could save money by renting a car outside of the airport zone, avoiding the hefty airport excise taxes. Perhaps consider taking the Red Line to University Circle and having a family member pick you up, and vice versa on the return trip. Then rent locally, especially as at least Enterprise will pick up renters and shuttle them back to their location after returning the car. The one problem is that you would have to coordinate your trip with the more limited rental hours of the local rental centers than at the airport. Perhaps the hassle isn't worth it.
If you decide to use RTA, check out pass options and transfer options. In the past, all pass options offered free transfers. If so, you could cheaply transfer to the Green Line and arrive at the Green Road station near the Shaker Heights/Beachwood border. I believe young children still ride free on RTA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cavsfan137
Saturday:
Woke up to a cool and rainy morning (which was welcome to me). I walked down to look at the lake (though, not all the way to the beach). Went to breakfast with family (Perkins), then went to La Abejita Michoacana (truly one of the more authentic Mexican paleta shops you'll find, and with very good Cafe con Leche, too). From there, went on a drive to see some fall colors (not strong yet, but visible). Went to a few new spots, Jordan Creek Park (saw the Lake Metroparks adventure play set up), Girdled Road Reservation North (to see the short trail leading to the beautiful overlook of the ravine), and Chapin Forest (my favorite hiking spot in the area). Went to Patterson's Fruit Farm after this, got hot apple cider, took in the views/atmosphere, took pictures with the pumpkins, and got half a dozen donuts (they are some of our favorites, they really do well there, and were absolutely slammed). Continued on to ASM International HQ (I actually never remember ever passing it, so it was neat to see it under the dome and the kinda botanical park/high tech set up they had there). Went over to Punderson to see the Lake and the Manor, and then for dinner, went to San Francisco Stir Fry in Mentor (pretty yummy and cool concept) and Malley's to stock up on chocolate stuff. Stayed for the night at the Holiday Inn Express in Concord (It was eye-opening for me to see how much this area had developed/evolved in the last couple of years).
Wow! What a day and such an informative post!!!
Never heard of La Abejita Michoacana, even though I live in Lake County. I haven't been to Fairport Harbor for perhaps three years, certainly because of the COVID epidemic since 2019. Certainly an addition to my bucket list, especially as a complement to a visit to Fairport Harbor beach in warmer months.
Amazingly, I've also never heard of Jordan Creek Park, or even Jordan Creek, let alone visited this park!!! The Lake Metroparks, which has a levy on the ballot this election, continues to up its game constantly. I need to buy a bike and start exploring the Greenway Corridor!!! I think my brother used to swim at the falls pictured below, but I never did so.
I'm somewhat sad that Jordan Creek has only 233 acres. I remember the late 1960s and early 1970s when Lake Metroparks was new and the county's population was mushrooming due to access provided by both I-90 and Route 2. The park board then wanted to aggressively purchase land before it was developed, but they were constantly thwarted by hostile landowners and developers. Much the same scenario is playing out today, sadly, in Geauga County. The Girdled Road Reservation would have been much larger and more cohesive if it hadn't faced such aggressive political opposition. As a youth, I used to hike in the woods on Concord Township and greatly regret that more of those wonderful natural areas hadn't been saved.
The Lake Metroparks perhaps were forced to use their capital acquisition funds to purchase smaller, pocket parks. Politically, this may have been advantageous as most persons now live close to a park, often within an easily walkable or biked distance from their homes. The City of Mentor stepped up big time when it used eminent domain to purchase what now is the wonderful Mentor Lagoons and Nature Preserve, also 230 acres.
As with Laketran and Lakeland Community College, Lake County voters never seem to say no to Lake Metroparks.
While long-time Lake County Probate Court Judge Fred V. Skok perhaps encouraged restraint during Lake Metroparks' early acquisition efforts, he nonetheless nurtured Lake Metroparks through its formative years as its vision was increasingly fulfilled and widespread support of the electorate was established. The Jordan Creek Park's history certainly is evident of the Lake Metroparks' intent to continue its efforts to preserve Lake County's ever diminishing, unprotected natural wonders and to educate the public while providing recreational opportunities.
Regarding Geauga County, Ohio ridiculously gives county probate court judges authority to appoint and remove park board members. This authority has been abused in many instances, and allegedly so in Geauga County, where Republican Probate Judge Tmothy Grendell has drawn the wrath of park conservationists. Geauga County is heavily Republican, and Grendell narrowly survived a 2020 Republican primary challenge and there was no Democratic Party opponent in the general election. This is a great example of why all primary elections in Ohio should be non-partisan, as in California. It's unlikely that Grendell would have survived in office in an election system with non-partisan primaries.
Geauga Park District land acquisitions during Grendell's oversight have been minimal, and apparently the intent is to make Geauga County developer friendly by not using tax funds for expanding the park system before currently attractive potential park sites are developed.
The administration of the Geauga Park District under Grendell's watch seems less than ideal:
<<When the district’s 2022 budget was reviewed by the Geauga County Budget Commission in July, about $1.9 million was unaccounted for due to a reporting error. The budget commission, which includes the county auditor, approved the proposed budget and lowered one of the district’s 1-mill levies to 0.4 mills for collection in 2022, returning about $1.9 million to taxpayers.
Sunday:
Woke up, got breakfast from hotel, and went over to see family in Mayfield for a couple hours (and where we stayed on this last full day of the trip). Had breakfast there, and then my wife took me into downtown to catch up and meet up with one of my closest friends from the area (have lunch, a drink, walk around and explore, etc.). While the rooftop was itself closed on Sundays (odd/seemingly missed opportunity, but maybe the next part will provide context for that "why"), was able to get up in the roof area for the first time and get a great view over the cityscape (great views of the coast looking west and Warehouse District from there, especially). While I was there, my wife went and took our daughter to the West Side Market, where she got some produce, and also, our favorite beef jerky anywhere, the Spicy BBQ from J&J Czuchraj Meats, and of course, got her favorite, Mitchell's Ice Cream. They went from there and met some family and hung out at Beachwood Mall and Legacy Village during the afternoon.
What rooftop was closed? What roof area? What was the "why" context? I've read this several times and remain very confused. If the Hilton, I never knew that the public had access to an open air rooftop; this would be a superb opportunity if ever exists. Or are you just talking about the enclosed, rooftop Bar 32 being closed? Please, please elaborate and explain!
Quote:
Originally Posted by cavsfan137
Monday:
Our flight today was around 3 PM. So after saying goodbye to family and heading out, we went over to Chagrin Falls. I knew this already but still am reminded each time going back just how charming their downtown is. We went down to the falls, into the great bookshop there, and over to the end of the street and back. Just a great place to hang out and spend a few hours, and probably also to live. From here, my wife loves Indian food, so we went to get lunch at Choolaah Indian BBQ (it has a high stamp of approval even from our Indian friends in FL that wound up there a couple of times). My one regret is not getting a corned beef sandwich to go from Slyman's while in town, but ah well, next time. From there, we went to get Mitchell's again, this time from the Van Aken Market Hall location (this spot really impresses me both as a transit link and retail center-just a cool place), and then our final stop in town was a short walk by the airport at Rocky River Nature Center.
I had never heard of Choolaah Indian BBQ. Cleveland locations are in Orange Village and Ohio City. Another addition to my bucket list. Thanks! Perhaps on a future visit check out City BBQ on Chagrin Blvd in front of the Pavilion Shopping Center in Beachwood, even though candidly, Choolaah seems even more appealing.
Choolaah seems to have hit a home run in the “fast casual” segment, with excellent Indian fare in an industrial chic type setting. It is also very convenient and affordable. Purists may scoff at the concept of a mini-chain, counter service Indian restaurant, but IMO they are excellent at what they do. Heck, I sometimes just order naan with a side of daal and I’m good for dinner.
They also show good awareness of dietary preferences, with vegan, gluten free, etc. clearly labeled.
Concept is not for everyone, but I like it a lot for what it is. Glad OP discovered them.
Choolaah seems to have hit a home run in the “fast casual” segment, with excellent Indian fare in an industrial chic type setting. It is also very convenient and affordable. Purists may scoff at the concept of a mini-chain, counter service Indian restaurant, but IMO they are excellent at what they do. Heck, I sometimes just order naan with a side of daal and I’m good for dinner.
They also show good awareness of dietary preferences, with vegan, gluten free, etc. clearly labeled.
Concept is not for everyone, but I like it a lot for what it is. Glad OP discovered them.
This 2019 "Food & Wine" article suggests Choolah is on Chagrin Boulevard in Beachwood. Anyway, it appears it's located directly across Chagrin Blvd. from the iconic Corky & Lenny's (ever been -- corn beef and latkes and Cleveland's best cream puffs?).
How did you discover Choolaah? Apparently, it's been there for six years. I suspect my eyes are focused on Corky & Lenny's as soon as I head east on Chagrin Blvd. from I-271, so I never noticed it.
Apparently, the chain is based in Cleveland and soon will open a location between Mitchell's and TownHall in Ohio City (what a great location).
This 2019 "Food & Wine" article suggests Choolah is on Chagrin Boulevard in Beachwood. Anyway, it appears it's located directly across Chagrin Blvd. from the iconic Corky & Lenny's (ever been -- corn beef and latkes and Cleveland's best cream puffs?).
How did you discover Choolaah? Apparently, it's been there for six years. I suspect my eyes are focused on Corky & Lenny's as soon as I head east on Chagrin Blvd. from I-271, so I never noticed it.
Apparently, the chain is based in Cleveland and soon will open a location between Mitchell's and TownHall in Ohio City (what a great location).
When we first moved here, we stayed at a hotel in Beachwood, and Choolaah was a quick jaunt for a bite. My wife is gluten free, so it had instant appeal for us given the GF options. We’ve been there a few times even after moving to CH, since we go by it often enough.
I’ve had Corky and Lenny’s but it’s been a while. Great place, as evidenced by the loyal customers often queued up out front.
I don’t want to over-dramatize Choolaah. It is a “fast casual” restaurant and gets excellent reviews (4.6 on Google), but keep in mind it is counter service and “mini-chain” in nature and feel, tucked amongst strip malls on Chagrin Blvd. That said, it is worth a visit if you are in the area. They have an innovative menu, tasty food, and very reasonable prices.
I don’t want to over-dramatize Choolaah. It is a “fast casual” restaurant and gets excellent reviews (4.6 on Google), but keep in mind it is counter service and “mini-chain” in nature and feel, tucked amongst strip malls on Chagrin Blvd. That said, it is worth a visit if you are in the area. They have an innovative menu, tasty food, and very reasonable prices.
I looked at the Choolaah menu, and wished one was nearby me! The "Food & Wine" article compared Choolaah with Chipotle. However, Chipotle offerings seem rice and bean, and therefore carb. rich, and also over-priced IMO given the ingredients.
Have you ever tried a CoreLife Eatery? There's one in Mentor. It's been on my bucket list, but I keep forgetting to stop there and try it.
I looked at the Choolaah menu, and wished one was nearby me! The "Food & Wine" article compared Choolaah with Chipotle. However, Chipotle offerings seem rice and bean, and therefore carb. rich, and also over-priced IMO given the ingredients.
Have you ever tried a CoreLife Eatery? There's one in Mentor. It's been on my bucket list, but I keep forgetting to stop there and try it.
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Miss Italian dining?
