holiday circlefest.

Hold up. Before proceeding, you must start playing Silver Bells softly in the background while you read this post to get yourself in the Christmas spirit. It's necessary. 

(Still waiting....you better have it playing. I do.)

This past Sunday was the annual Holiday CircleFest in University Circle. For those of you not familiar with the area, University Circle is the epitome of all things I love. Cleveland Museum of Art, MOCA, Natural History Museum, Western Reserve Historical Society, Wade Oval....the list goes on. There are a bunch if great places to visit extending down Euclid to, Uptown, a really cool hip new area. 

For CircleFest, every museum I listed above and a number of other local organizations, opened their doors to festival goers for a fun, wintery celebration. 

I was happy to see a few of the food trucks made it to the festival. I had a gooey, warm macaroni and cheese sandwich with bacon.  Yes, you read it right: Mac & cheese, bacon, buttery toasted bread. 

We walked around the natural history museum, watched ice skaters, saw ice carving demonstrations, and even took a horse & carriage ride around Wade Oval. 

Lolley the trolley was there to shuttle us to the next stop: Park Lane Villas. We took a little tour of this historic apartment building.

The Holiday CircleFest is over, but there are fun things to do at Wade Oval all winter long! I might head back for the figure skating demos and snowman making contest.

Bundle up everyone!

vintage christmas.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I feel it is appropriate to consider this week the start of the "holiday season." I know there's probably a lot of grumblers out there that feel we can't begin the Christmas festivities until the day after Thanksgiving.

Sorry people. I love Thanksgiving and I love Christmas. I'm celebrating as long as I can!

To kickoff this wonderful time of the year, I headed down to the Cleveland Flea to do a little early Christmas shopping during the Vintage Holiday Flea, November 23&24.

This was my first time visiting the Cleveland Flea and I was so impressed. Such a great group of artisans and vendors! Everyone was extremely talented and brought beautiful items. There were many unique ideas for gifts. Of course, I am a huge supporter of buying local and recycling, so this was right up my alley.

I made sure to stop by the Free Period Press table where my good friend Ali Forbes was selling her new "grown-up" coloring books. These coloring books are amazing. Check out the website to see some of the creative designs. I'll post a picture once I start mine.

At our apartment, we have also started decorating for the holidays. I felt obligated to buy my first ornament once I had a chance to browse Gina Desantis' ceramic table. The little handcrafted and painted Christmas tree was calling my name! 

Downstairs in the "Underbelly" there were a number of food vendors. The Olive and The Grape had the most amazing blackberry balsamic vinaigrette and Meyer lemon olive oil to try. I am looking forward to visiting their location at the 5th Street Arcades.

Spending this weekend at the Cleveland Flea was the perfect way for me to start the holiday season. If you are looking for great gifts, you have my recommendation! 

accidental archives.

The wonderful thing about cellular devices with cameras (ahem iPhone) is that I can just snap away as many pictures as my little heart desires. It's especially nice for me because, as cheesy as this is, I love that I can capture a moment with a picture. Better yet, these pictures are archived for me in perfect little categories where I can view them whenever I am feeling reminiscent. 

Last night, I decided it was time for me to review over 700 pictures on my Photo Stream. (what? ok ok fine, it was a desperate act of procrastination for my midterms. judge me.) 

Anyway, I came across my pictures from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this summer! Prior to this summer, I had never been. However, I ended up going twice...in the same month. Oh and I had the opportunity to hear Terry Stewart and Greg Harris speak. Click those links and get back to me.

You're back? Two awesome guys.  

Right off the bat, I fell in love with the iconic architecture of  the pyramid shaped building. Sure I had seen it before, but I was unaware that I.M. Pei actually designed the museum! (I.M. Pei designed the Lourve Pyramid and I love Paris. Destiny.)

Visiting the Lourve...and the Rock Hall.

Anyway, once I got inside, I realized that this museum is BIG. The first time I was there, I had a very nice dinner for the conference I helped organize this summer. It was beautifully done and we had some time to explore.

Jimi Hendrix outfit, Kurt Cobain's death certificate, and Michael Jackson glove

However, the first time around, I didn't make it to the most important part...The Hall of Fame Inductees. So I made that a priority for round two. I watched the movie of the acceptance speeches and the big screen film of all the inductees. It was so cool to see the musician's signatures on the illuminated wall.

This year the Rock Hall is also celebrating "Fifty Years of Satisfaction" which of course is in tribute to the Rolling Stones. While I didn't grow up listening to this band, I still know who Mick Jagger is thanks to Adam Levine.

bad joke.

But here's a pretty cool picture of his stage um...costume? Oh and some classic quotes.

Anyway, I hope this post gave you that little extra motivation you needed to go check out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Even if it is just to see Katy Perry's awesome dress. (admittedly my favorite part)

So there you have it people: a surprise of music, Cleveland pride, and a tiny history lesson thanks to Wikipedia. I would love to hear what your favorite part of the Rock Hall is! I'll be sure to check it out next time.

autumn.

Whether you prefer autumn or fall, I think there's one thing everyone can agree on. We love this season for the following 10 reasons. 

1. Pumpkin Spiced Latte

2. Hay Rides 

3. Halloween Festivities 

4. Carving Pumpkins

5. Hot Apple Cider

6. Leaf Piles

7. Fall Boots 

8. Apple Picking/ Pumpkin Patch

9. Watch a Scary Movie 

10. Carmel Apples

I started checking some items of my list by attending this past weekends's RIPE! Festival at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. 

The day started off with sampling creative pancakes from local chefs in the second annual Pancake Flip-Off. We critiqued each one and voted for our favorites. While they were all delicious and unique, my favorite was the pancake by Fat Cats (In Tremont). This pancake was made with Ohio corn, topped with maple syrup, mixed berry compote, and a touch of chèvre. 

The winner was a delicious pumpkin pie-like pancake topped with a bourbon maple syrup and a cinnamon spiced whipped cream.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around the perfectly landscaped botanical gardens and sampling the vendor foods. It was so relaxing taking in the sights and smells of fall while listening to the music of the live bands. 

I even had the opportunity to make some of my own music at the Play Me I'm Yours piano. 

After enjoying the festival, we stopped over at the Cleveland Museum of Art to check out the Chalk Festival. Artists of all ages were working intently on creating vibrant masterpieces. I definitely want to get a square next year. 

Did I miss something? Share you fall favorites in the comments! 

home is where the butler is.

When I was little, I would design and draw my dream house over and over. Every time I read our Martha Stewart Living magazine or watched an episode of Trading Spaces, I would add a new room or feature to my house. In fact, I loved doing this so much that I wanted to be an interior designer for the longest time. While my career path has changed slightly, my love and admiration for beautiful homes hasn’t changed one bit.

My childhood obsession brought me to Akron this past weekend to tour the Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens. Built in 1912, this Tudor style Manor was built for F. A. Seiberling. (Goodyear Tires anyone?)

The beautiful gardens surrounding the manor contain numerous paths to view the variety of flowers and trees. Mid-July was a great time to visit, or have a wedding! Two couples said their vows on the grounds this past Saturday. They couldn't have picked a more romantic place.

 

 

After wandering around a fraction of the 70 acre estate (whittled down from the original 3,000 acres), we headed inside the manor. While pictures are not permitted inside the manor, I can tell you that my pictures wouldn't have done those 65 rooms justice. It is something you really have to see for yourself.

We visited Stan Hywet on a "Living History Day" which is a self-guided tour. We really enjoyed exploring the gardens and hall at our own pace. There were individuals throughout the manor dressed in costumes of the period. They were all friendly and were happy to answer our questions.

Admission for adults is $14. However, for ages 6-17 or students with a valid University ID, admission is only $6. Visit the Tours & Pricing page for additional information.

One last thing...
If you love fall as much as I do, mark your calendars! Stan Hywet is holding their fourth annual Ohio Mart this year on the grounds. My aunt recommended we go back October 3-6 for this awesome outdoor show filled with vendors of bakers and artisan crafts. She told me they have the best homemade gingerbread. I’m so there.

neon eyes and the sound of sunshine.

No one loves a good contest more than I do. Whether it be guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar (been there, won that) or standing in Playhouse Square seven different days trying to win Book of Mormon tickets. (have you seen any Book of Mormon posts? no). That's whats fun though! It really is the luck of the draw and 9 times out of 10, the other guy gets picked. NOT TODAY...

...ok techincially it was last Friday.

I won tickets from Uptown Cleveland for Michael Franti & Spearhead and Saints of Valory at the House of Blues! You've heard Michael Franti's "Say Hey (I Love You)." I'll put my two favorite songs by both bands at the end of this post.  The Saints of Valory are awesome.

After work, Chris and I went to the Chocolate Bar for dinner and Happy Hour and then headed over to the House of Blues. The show was so much fun. 

I was in the front row for Saints of Valory. Later that night, I noticed one of the band members from walk past me, and then two more walked by. This left me with no choice, but to shamelessly follow them and introduce myself. I talked to Gavin, the lead singer for a little while and then we got our picture taken with them.

We also happened to run into Chris' brother, his wife and their friends! That made the night even better if that was possible.

Both bands were great live, and I would definitely recommend seeing either next time they come to Cleveland. It was a nice size audience, upbeat and the most crowd interaction I've ever seen at a concert. Michael Franti was on the floor, in the balcony and everywhere in between. He brought fans on stage and took lots of pictures.We even exchanged a few Twitter messages. He seems like a geniunely nice guy.

There are a lot of large concert venues near Cleveland. However, after seeing a show like this you must check out a smaller venue like the House of Blues or the Grog Shop.
If you follow @UptownCle on Twitter, you may win tickets of your own!

Cleveland Rocks.

personal day.

I firmly believe in personal days. My definition of a personal day is as follows: minimal work, something fun, and time alone.
We spend the majority of our time with other people. Not that anything is wrong with that, I love being around other people. However, think about the last time you were by yourself for more than two or three hours. I mean really by yourself. The only people around you are complete strangers. It doesn't happen often and sometimes it is almost impossible with school or work or family. After my day Saturday, I encourage everyone to get out and do something by yourself.

This past weekend I woke up early and stopped at Presti's Bakery in Little Italy for a latte and chocolate filled croissant. My plan was to visit the new Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Uptown. I must admit, I was a little nervous about finding parking. (I actually parked and got out of my car before realizing I was blocking a fire hydrant...No wonder I was the only one that wanted that spot.) City driving is clearly not my forte.

However after driving around for about 10 minutes I found plenty of parking along the Wade Oval in front of the Cleveland Museum of Art just down the street from MOCA. 

The first Saturday of every month is free at the MOCA! Being the crazy girl that I am, I was the first person in the door. The museum itself has a really cool architectural design with big glass panels covering the entire building. During the day, the street is reflected in the facade, but at night, you can see inside to all the floors. 

 

I spent an hour or two wandering around the museum and talking to the employees. The art is definitely contemporary. There were some very unique pieces. At first I was a little disappointed because it didn't look as though there was much to see. I took my time admiring the pieces that were there and quickly realized there was A LOT to see once you started to look.
While it's no Louvre, the art just as compelling. It was fun to come up with my own meanings behind a piece of wood with a pot on it, and then read what the artist was envisioning as he created it. I love that nothing is obvious and everything is subjective. Modern art really takes an open mind and a willingness to reflect and question. After leaving the museum, I thought back to how naive it was of me to be expecting more. MOCA has a great approach to keeping their art collections new and fresh. I highly recommend visiting this museum any day of the week.

After leaving the MOCA, I headed back towards my car, stopping to check out Severance Hall and the Case Library on the way.

I can't park right outside the Cleveland Museum of Art and not go in. (its free 24/7 no excuses not to visit) This place has a lot of meaning to my family. On the most basic level, we love it because we love art. However, it is also the place my parents were engaged and one of the best stories.

Our favorite gallery is the Impressionism exhibit where Monet and Van Gogh are featured. I usually sit down the bench in front of Water Lilies. I love looking at the actual painting of our family room picture! After wandering through the galleries for another hour, I finally decided it was time to head back. I felt refreshed and glad to have had that time to myself.

I really believe in order to be happy, you have to be happy by yourself. It's hard finding the time to spend alone, but trust me. It is worth it.