This looks like fun… tell them you read about it here.
Archive for the ‘Arts & Culture’ Category
What are you doing Saturday?
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011Cleveland is just SUPER, man.
Sunday, July 10th, 2011Cleveland is a city of births, deaths and firsts. We had the first electric street light and the first traffic light. We are the birthplace of tons of important people from the last century, like Tiffany (the stained glass one, not the one who sang in malls) and Rockafeller. We are the final resting place for President Garfield and Elliot Ness.
Unless you are living under a rock, you know that Superman was also born here. In case you did not know it, Cleveland is the real “Metropolis” and the Daily Planet was actually inspired by Terminal Tower (Tower City, to you youngsters). I remember all the efforts of a few citizens to save the home of one of the creators of Superman. They managed to raise enough money to keep a cultural landmark from disappearing completely.
So, as we were working the Coventry Street Fair, I came upon a few members of the The Siegel & Shuster Society. I applauded them on all their efforts and had a great chat with them. This groups is dedicated to preserving the legacy of some folks who created the most well known superhero of all time. So, while history buffs may be excited about Garfield, and space geeks get excited about Glenn, everyone knows about Superman!
Here is some of the story:
When New York Times Bestselling Author & Comic Book Scribe Brad Meltzer came to Cleveland to research his new novel, “The Book of Lies”, he met with Cleveland Plain Dealer Reporter, Michael San Giacomo. Together they toured of the real “Metropolis” Cleveland, Ohio as well as the former Siegel residence at 10622 Kimberley Ave. As Meltzer says, “The house where Google was founded is preserved. The garage where Hewlett Packard was founded is protected. But the house where Superman was born? I was in shock.” After contacting dozens of comic book creators — and thanks to the hard work of many in the city of Cleveland — The Siegel & Shuster Society was created and is dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the creation of Superman in Cleveland by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster!
Jerry Seigel and his love for science fiction and fantasy stories was self-evident. Joe loved to draw whatever came into his mind. In the fall of 1930, Jerry’s cousin, Jerry Fine, informed him that a friend, Joe Shuster, would be coming to Glenville High School. The two quickly became super friends and each others interests in fantasy and science fiction tales became the topic of choice between the two gawky boys. They started to write their own stories; whatever Jerry would write, Joe would draw. In 1933, they started their own magazine “Science Fiction”. This magazine told stories that moved them, which included key plots that involved people from other planets, mad scientists, and spaceships. In the third issue they introduced, a villainous, telepathic, bald, madman called Superman. Jerry and Joe later decided to recreate the idea of Superman after they graduated high school in 1934. They turned the bald villain to a superhero with hair, which later, molded into the hero and origin as we know it today. People needed a hero of hope during the hard times of The Great Depression. After years of trying to sell this new Superman to no avail, Jerry and Joe were lucky enough to get employment at National Allied Periodicals, currently known as DC Comics. It took until 1938, to get their newly revised Superman in Action Comics Issue # 1. Superman flew off the newsstands and soared into history fighting a never-ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American Way…as he still does today!
If beauty, drive, being ambitious and courageous means anything to anyone who knows Lois Lane, then you would know Joanne as well! Joanne was born on the west side of Cleveland. In 1935, when she was sixteen, she chose to place an ad in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: “Situation wanted—Female ARTIST MODEL, no experience.” One of the respondents was the bespectacled Joe Shuster. Joe was looking for a girl to model for a new comic strip that he and Jerry Siegel were working on at the time. She would later become the model for the character that we would all come to know as the iconic girlfriend of Superman, LOIS LANE! In 1948, Joanne married Jerry Siegel at the Lakeside Court House in Cleveland, Ohio. During their marriage, Joanne fought a “never-ending” battle to get what was justly Jerry and Joe’s rights to Superman. Her ingenuity, grace and unending determination was part of the driving force that eventually led the comic book industry and many other notable names to support Jerry and Joe in their hour of need. Joanne made the difference for Jerry and Joe. Hope is what made the difference during those hard times and Superman gave people hope and still does to this day!
They managed to save the Siegel House, 10622 Kimberley Avenue, and it was completely renovated July 2009. Unfortunately, the Schuster home is long gone. They did get street signs and corner signs installed to commemorate the historical impact these folks had on the world.
Check out the Siegel & Shuster Society to find out more about what they are doing to preserve the legacy of both Superman and his creators. You can also follow them on Facebook and find out about Superman events and activities.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Finds New Partner in Sustainability Efforts
Friday, July 8th, 2011I have been on the zero waste core group for a while, along with some people from the zoo. I already knew about their recycling efforts, their composting and LEED elephant house. It was exciting to get this email forwarded to me, just the same. Thought I would share it with you all….Thanks for forwarding, Brooke.
In addition to caring for animals, contributing to conservation projects and educating the public, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is focused on sustainability.
Visitors may not know they can bring recyclable materials to the Zoo any time during regular park hours. The Zoo accepts compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), cell phones, cell phone batteries and accessories and ink jet and toner cartridges at the recycling exhibit in the Exhibition Hall near the Main Gate.
Visitors may also bring newspapers, magazines, junk mail and bagged shredded paper to the green and yellow Abitibi-Bowater Paper Retriever bins in the Hippo Parking Lot behind The RainForest. From June through September, the Zoo collects phone books for recycling in a special trailer located near the Abitibi bins too.
Containers for aluminum cans and plastic beverage bottles are located throughout the park.
The Zoo is also proud to partner with area companies that share its mission of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Local manufacturing firm Tavens Packaging & Display Solutions now sponsors the Zoo’s recycling exhibit.
“At Tavens, we’re big believers in collaborative partnerships – with our customers and with organizations that strengthen our community,” explained Rob Fisher, Tavens’ director of marketing. “So, of course we jumped at the chance to support the Zoo’s recycling program.”
Tavens manufactures different types of corrugated cardboard boxes in addition to other containers for shipping and point-of-purchase display products. The company makes all of its standard corrugated boxes with recycled material and can use 100 percent recycled material when customers request it. They also recycle all of their scrap material.
Start saving your recyclable materials now for America Recycles Day at the Zoo on Sunday, November 13. The Zoo joins the nationwide awareness efforts of America Recycles Day with special events from10 a.m.to4 p.m., exhibitors and activities for kids.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open10 a.m. to 5 p.m.daily with hours extended to7 p.m.on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Admission is $11 per person, $8 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for children younger than 2 and Zoo members. Parking is free. Located at3900 Wildlife Way, the Zoo is easily accessible from Interstates 71, 90 and 480.
To learn more, visit clemetzoo.com or call (216) 661-6500.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Zoo Marketing & Public Relations
Joe Yachanin (216) 635-3310
Sue Allen, Manager (216) 635-3338
Bears on Bikes.
Wednesday, July 6th, 2011Be prepared for the most adorable artwork that you have seen in a long time. I will definitely see this show before it is gone!
Upcoming Show Announcement!
July 15th, 2011 7-9 PM
@ Local Girl Gallery 16106 Detroit Avenue Lakewood, Ohio 44107
Bears On Bikes!
Works by Kris Williams (We & The Bean)
Sneaky Peeky @ www.weandthebean.com/bears-on-bikes.html
About The Series
The four of us, we’re all on bikes now. We look like bears, but we don’t care. Bears, love bikes.
So I came up with ten framed original black and white ink drawings of bears… on bikes.
They’ll be on display and for sale at the gallery.
All designs will also be available as colorized prints @ the gallery or online in my etsy shop!
Bears… on bikes! Enjoy!
Also showing: Lea Wiertel & Matthew Goik
Show Runs Until: August 3rd, 2011
Coventry gets greener
Saturday, July 2nd, 2011
This year, Bud and I worked as a vendor coordinators of the Coventry Street Fair. It was a pretty sweet gig, as Bud worked with Steve Presser (the owner of Big Fun) and I had to do very little of the actual work. For my part, I had to take the volunteers out for coffee, help chalk the sidewalk, help coordinate the vendor set up, and spend the day walking up and down Coventry enjoying myself.
The crowds were out in full force. The fair opened at noon, and by 1 things were in full swing. You can see by the photo that there was no lull in the attendance. From one end of the district to the other, it was busy and everyone was having a great time.
While I have not attended the Coventry Street Fair often, it seems that this year it was getting pretty green.
One of the volunteers was even Michele Kilroy, Executive Director of the Cleveland Chapter of the USGBC. Straight back from Greening the Heartland to the Coventry Street Fair!
The Community Greenhouse Partners were there selling salads from the first lettuces from their new gardens. ( Go Tim and Sarah!) There were a lot of vendors selling work made from recycled or upcycled materials. In case you are wondering what the difference is, recycled means made from items that have been broken down and turned into raw materials, then into new goods. Upcycled means things taken directly from the waste stream and turned back into goods. For example, I loved these upcycled decorative items made from used magazines:
The overall vibe was so family friendly, laid back and fun. There were bands, street performers, magicians, all kinds of fun. There were performance artists rapping, hip hop dancing, and even teaching people how to dance. It was a great day overall, and the weather could not have been more beautiful. My farmer’s tan is getting pretty dark!
Here are a few other images from the fair:
Thanks to all of the patrons and a special thanks to Michelle Kilroy, Judy Montgomery, Blake Zimmerman, Jeff Anderly and all the other volunteers who helped us out!!
At the Street Fair
Friday, July 1st, 2011This June we helped coordinate the Coventry Street Fair. There were nearly 100 vendors selling everything from jewelry to salad. The fair has typically occurred on a Thursday or Friday night from 3pm to 6pm. This time it was on a Sunday from noon to 6pm, twice as long and on a day when nearly everyone can come. Sure enough the fair was packed with people all day long.
Most of the vendors arrived by 10am, and once the police cruisers got the streets closed, they were able to begin setting up. There was plenty of room for them to park their vehicles while setting up, but of course I warned them that as soon as everyone was set up, it would be very difficult to get their vehicles off the street. However, everything went smoothly and by noon everything was set up and actually quite beautiful. The long row of tents looked like some kind of medieval fair or jousting competition.
The sun was out but the breeze remained very cool so the temperature was perfect all day long. One vendor boasted she made five grand that day and I don’t doubt her. It’s a very good deal for the $50 fee.
At about an hour before closing time, kids began showing up. They had been following tweets and Facebook messages to meet up at the fair. Some came as far away as the Crocker Park area in the Western suburbs. At 6pm we walked down the line of booths and told the vendors to start packing up. By 7pm nearly every vendor folded up, loaded up and gone away. The crowd of kids had multiplied by this time, but they were simply hanging out, meeting friends and laughing. However, the majority of the kids had darker skin and I did overhear a couple of older white folk throwing around words like “gang” and “riot”.
The streets needed to be completely empty in order for the street sweepers and garbage trucks to come through. By 7:30 the police had cleared most of the street, but the teenagers congregated at the Park to the South and the gas station to the North. Some kid, in his or her infinite wisdom lit a fire cracker and that sent a large contingent of kids running back up the street where the police had to, again, send them out.
That night the Plain Dealer wrote a quick article (quick because they weren’t there at all) about the terrible riot and hordes of fighting teenagers who “closed down the fair”. Of course this couldn’t be further from the truth. Luckily one of the vendors who had stuck around long enough was able to set the record straight in the PD’s on-line comment section, and for that I thank you personally Susie Sharp! Since that time the story has grown. I had one vendor tell me she had gotten trampled and there was gun fire. I saw her loading up and she most certainly did not get trampled, and as mentioned there was a fire cracker and not gun fire. The story has taken such a life of its own that now the city of Cleveland Heights has issued a curfew of 6pm for anyone under 18. That seems extremely harsh, and difficult to manage.
Some of the merchants and vendors wondered why the police hadn’t pepper-sprayed, or tased these kids. For doing what, exactly? I’m wondering how much of this vitriol is racially motivated; probably most of it. I saw one very young policeman with a truncheon walk up to a group of about six teenage girls and at the top of his lungs shouted “get off the street, you will be arrested!” as he bounced the nightstick menacingly in his hand. However, the girls just gave him a sideways glance, moved a few feet and then continued texting.
The plan was to have another fair in July, but that may be wishful thinking. We have been throwing around ideas like, what if we charge a small admission to the fair? That would certainly keep most of the kids out.
The fair itself was extremely successful, at least for most of the vendors. Every one I asked told me they had been very pleased with the financial results. The lion’s share of them were eager for a July fair.
I certainly hope we get to do one.
What are you doing Saturday?
Friday, June 10th, 2011From an artist friend of mine…
Hi! How are you?
I have been working on my latest installation in the church at Cleveland Public Theater….
It is called “Where is HOME?” see attached
This installation can be experienced one day only! at the Gordon Square Arts Day
I hope you are available JUNE 11th …….3-9pm …. during this time visitors will have the opportunity to participate in creating the work of art.
We will be hanging out enjoying our creation and partying down until 11pm with live performances on stage outside
Please see the attached PDF for more information about the installation….
I hope to see you there!
Please bring a shoe!
see attached!
experience artist
Melissa Daubert
“Where thou art, that is HOME”
Emily Dickinson
Cleveland Heights resident attempts to shatter Guinness record
Friday, June 10th, 2011This is just a cool story that I wanted to share. I didn’t write the article, it was forwarded to me. I do not know where it was originally published, so if you know, I would gladly make a link. It is just one more example of how Coventry is Cleveland’s coolest east side neighborhood. The event is next weekend, so break out your Pacman costumes and Link outfits!
Cleveland Heights resident attempts to shatter Guinness record
by Dana Finley
Cleveland Heights resident Keith Curry is attempting to set a Guinness World Record™ for the most people dressed up like video game characters in one place.
“The idea came up when my friend, Chris Myrick, and I were watching the MTV reality show Rob Dyrdek’s “Fantasy Factory” and it was the episode where he broke like 20 world records. It sparked my curiosity, so I went to the Guinness World Records™ website and tried to find an easy record to beat,” Curry said. “I found this one and I filled out the required form. After about six weeks, I had completely forgotten that I had even done it when I got an e-mail from Guinness with a record breakers pack.”
The previous Guinness World Record™ for the most people dressed up like video game characters in one place is 376 people.
Curry quickly enlisted local businesses to help him in his quest to break the record. “The first thing I did was contact Steve Presser from Big Fun to see if he’d be interested in assisting us in the endeavor,” he said. “Presser agreed to help us out with promotions and marketing. I also contacted Robert Kopis of PizzaBogo and he agreed to provide discount food to all who attend.”
Participants should note that there are some regulations as to which video game characters can be impersonated. For example, Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared in a video game in 1991, before its television and comc book appearances. Therefore, Sonic qualifies for the attempt. Batman was first featured as a comic book character in 1939, prior to appearances as a video game character in 1986, so Batman does not qualify as a character that can be portrayed as part of the record.
Those interested in helping Curry’s attempt to break the record should plan to attend the gathering scheduled for June 17 at the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park from 2 to 5 p.m.
Book Sale
Friday, June 3rd, 2011I posted some information yesterday about Franklin Circle Church’s Gently Used Book Sale. What I forgot to tell you is that it is this Saturday, June 4th from 10 am to 2 pm. See you there!
Why Buy New?
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011I love to shop, but hate to spend money. Besides, I have most everything I need. That is why I love thrift stores. When I no wear a piece of clothing, I have a rule to dispense with it before replacing it. This policy has served me well in keeping my closet free of hoarded clothing and makes shopping easier. I also prefer to buy something that is on its second use, rather than something brand new. When speaking with some friends of mine, I discovered that I was not alone. Two on my friends have a pact to buy no new durable goods for a year that were created just for them. This means that we are going to be competing for the same used goods at local thrift stores. Hopefully this won’t be a problem and I won’t have to tackle one of my buddies over a pair of Tommy Helfiger jeans or Nautica dress shirt. We have even found new games, still in the original shrink wrap for pennies.
There are many resources for acquiring goods that have been gently used. Thrift stores a great starting point. Cleveland has tons of estate and garage sales throughout the summer months. In some places like Archwood and Ohio City, whole streets have sales, and budding entrepreneurs even sell lunch. There are lots of fairs and such around the city where you can find great deals on items that have had a previous life. Since my partner is a big reader, I was pleased to find out about a great book sale.
Franklin Circle’s Second Annual Gently Read Book Sale. Franklin Circle Christian Church is located in Ohio City on Fulton, right by Franklin. This church is a great asset to the community, as it does a lot of outreach work. They offer a free meal once a month, for those in need, as well as holiday meals on most major holidays. They also have a clothing closet for those who cannot afford new clothes. It has been use rather heavily these last few years, as more and more folks are finding themselves in need. Anyhow, here is the low down on the book sale:
For your reading pleasure – come and shop our tables of nearly new books. Many newer titles: romance, adventure, mystery, humor, LGBT, spirituality, and much more! BIG selection – Small prices! All proceeds will benefit the church’s library.
For more information, contact the church at info@FranklinCircleChurch.org or call 216-781-8232. Also please go online to: http://www.franklincirclechurch.org/.
For FCCC Folks:
Our Book Sale plans are underway. Flyers are available as of May 1 — take some and hang them where there are people! We will also need more books to add to our collection from last Fall. They may be brought AFTER Easter and left in the far left corner of the gym. We will make a sign for the space. If you can work the day before the sale and/or the sale itself, let Sue know (sues937@aol.com). Profits will go to the library shelving. Thanks —- and see you then!!!
This is a great cause, so be sure to stop by this weekend a pick up a few books. While you are at it, if you have some donations of gently used clothes, bring them along. Have a pile of books to get rid of? Come early and bring them with you, you can help replenish for the ones you buy.
Buying used is great. You give added life to products that have already been made. The mantra is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The first item is to reduce. Reducing the amount of resources that you consume is the first thing course of action. Reuse is second. When you buy used, you do both. You are reusing something that might otherwise be destined for landfill. You are also reusing goods that have already had one life and giving them a second one. The more we can make use of these two parts of the puzzle, the lessthings there will be that need to be recycled.
