If you create a roadblock, be prepared to provide a detour.
That means you Cleveland Department of Public Services, Street Engineering Division.
Each day I see a new sign decreasing the already meager street parking options in Tremont.
Should I be totally naive and assume you're about to unveil a new residents-only, parking by permit, well-lit lot in the neighborhood?
Showing posts with label neighborhood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label neighborhood. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Frustrating evening
So the thing about crewing for someone you don't know is that you DON'T KNOW THEM.
You don't know their style, you don't know their temper and you don't know their boat.
A good skipper would ask you what you usually do when you sail, what you're good at, and take your skills and put them to use.
What I got tonight was NOT a good skipper.
This was a women's race - male coaches allowed - so the boat owner had his 20 year old daughter at the helm.
Except he didn't let her lead, make decisions or follow her gut.
What we had was an unctuous man barking orders to a daughter unable to tell him to go to hell and take the lead.
He was unclear, unfocused and put the entire crew in positions to fail.
Add to those conditions almost no wind, which frustrates most racers.
I don't mind it - things go slower, are less panicky and generally a good way to enjoy the water.
But tonight, it just heightened anxiety and made things worse.
What I LIKE about situations like tonight are that I realize what good fortune I have to sail with the team I'm with on Wed'y nights. Also, it's a great way to practice patience and "rising above."
So tonight, I rose above.
I got yelled at.
Verbally abused.
Blamed for their piss poor leadership and communication.
And I rose above.
When we came back to the clubhouse I bought the crew their dinner.
Except the skipper and his daughter - I think they knew better than to stick around.
So the night ended well.
Until I decided to take East Ninth south at 10:10...
Cops were redirecting traffic onto EUCLID.
Tore up, slow ass, nasty Euclid (Fireworks at the Jake).
What should have been a 5 minute zip took 20.
Then I got to the hill that leads to Tremont through the Flats.
And just as I got down to the W. 3rd bridge, the god-damn lights started flashing and the bridge started to come down.
For some reason, that bridge takes more time to descend than it takes for the barge/freighter to go through the winding Cuyahoga. It comes down a little.. and it goes back up. It comes down a little more.... and goes back up.
So I did a bad-ass frustrated cranky driver U-turn and blasted up the hill a bit to get to the 'hood past Tower City.
I did get to Tremont, but at the top of the hill into the neighborhood, they're tearing up the on ramp to 90, so they have crabby construction workers on the night shift driving big trucks willy nilly and parking them perpendicular to lanes and making it just... inhospitable, I guess.
And, of course, it was Art Walk night in the neighborhood, which means all the people from all the suburbs come to my usually quiet street and take all the parking.
But by then I was so beyond frustrated, I couldn't gather the strength to write something snarky in the dust on the BMW with the licence plate that read "BEAMER."
Nice, Chad.
Or is it Josh.
Whatever.
Way to overcompensate....
You don't know their style, you don't know their temper and you don't know their boat.
A good skipper would ask you what you usually do when you sail, what you're good at, and take your skills and put them to use.
What I got tonight was NOT a good skipper.
This was a women's race - male coaches allowed - so the boat owner had his 20 year old daughter at the helm.
Except he didn't let her lead, make decisions or follow her gut.
What we had was an unctuous man barking orders to a daughter unable to tell him to go to hell and take the lead.
He was unclear, unfocused and put the entire crew in positions to fail.
Add to those conditions almost no wind, which frustrates most racers.
I don't mind it - things go slower, are less panicky and generally a good way to enjoy the water.
But tonight, it just heightened anxiety and made things worse.
What I LIKE about situations like tonight are that I realize what good fortune I have to sail with the team I'm with on Wed'y nights. Also, it's a great way to practice patience and "rising above."
So tonight, I rose above.
I got yelled at.
Verbally abused.
Blamed for their piss poor leadership and communication.
And I rose above.
When we came back to the clubhouse I bought the crew their dinner.
Except the skipper and his daughter - I think they knew better than to stick around.
So the night ended well.
Until I decided to take East Ninth south at 10:10...
Cops were redirecting traffic onto EUCLID.
Tore up, slow ass, nasty Euclid (Fireworks at the Jake).
What should have been a 5 minute zip took 20.
Then I got to the hill that leads to Tremont through the Flats.
And just as I got down to the W. 3rd bridge, the god-damn lights started flashing and the bridge started to come down.
For some reason, that bridge takes more time to descend than it takes for the barge/freighter to go through the winding Cuyahoga. It comes down a little.. and it goes back up. It comes down a little more.... and goes back up.
So I did a bad-ass frustrated cranky driver U-turn and blasted up the hill a bit to get to the 'hood past Tower City.
I did get to Tremont, but at the top of the hill into the neighborhood, they're tearing up the on ramp to 90, so they have crabby construction workers on the night shift driving big trucks willy nilly and parking them perpendicular to lanes and making it just... inhospitable, I guess.
And, of course, it was Art Walk night in the neighborhood, which means all the people from all the suburbs come to my usually quiet street and take all the parking.
But by then I was so beyond frustrated, I couldn't gather the strength to write something snarky in the dust on the BMW with the licence plate that read "BEAMER."
Nice, Chad.
Or is it Josh.
Whatever.
Way to overcompensate....
Monday, June 16, 2008
How's that for fresh and local
From the community garden behind my house...
Sweet and fresh and delicious!
I'm quite pleased with the garden - it's really bringing the neighbors together in a shared space.
Sometimes it's nice to go about your business next to someone going about theirs - separate, but in a sort of shared rhythm.
Sweet and fresh and delicious!
I'm quite pleased with the garden - it's really bringing the neighbors together in a shared space.
Sometimes it's nice to go about your business next to someone going about theirs - separate, but in a sort of shared rhythm.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tremont evening
Two weeks ago I came home from visiting my parents and just needed a beer.
Lucky for me, I live in the perfect neighborhood for an impromptu dinner with a neighbor on a cool spring evening.
This is why I love Tremont. I didn't need to schedule anything, move my car or get one of those buzzing pucks you get when you wait for a table at Olive-Lobster-Apple-TGIFrozenFood-igans.
St. John Cantius from a porch.
Radke Mural at on SouthSide patio (actually on Fairfield Market)
I used to work with a local iconographer - Eikona Studios - I saw the light was on and we stopped in to say hello.
Works in progress (I really miss the work - trying to see if I can come back to do some gold leafing...)
Overall a good night - a quiet night.
Sometimes it's hard to live in a neighborhood that's a destination, but that Sunday night, I remembered exactly why I've been here for almost a decade.
Lucky for me, I live in the perfect neighborhood for an impromptu dinner with a neighbor on a cool spring evening.
This is why I love Tremont. I didn't need to schedule anything, move my car or get one of those buzzing pucks you get when you wait for a table at Olive-Lobster-Apple-TGIFrozenFood-igans.
St. John Cantius from a porch.
Radke Mural at on SouthSide patio (actually on Fairfield Market)
I used to work with a local iconographer - Eikona Studios - I saw the light was on and we stopped in to say hello.
Works in progress (I really miss the work - trying to see if I can come back to do some gold leafing...)
Overall a good night - a quiet night.
Sometimes it's hard to live in a neighborhood that's a destination, but that Sunday night, I remembered exactly why I've been here for almost a decade.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
All together now
Tonight I was at Playhouse Square again, and it was refreshing to see all the activity and energy infusing Downtown Cleveland.
Of course, there was the Tribe game at 3:55, which always seems like such an invasion from the 'burbs. Keeping that theme, Go Diego Go was letting out at the Palace Theater, resolving my curiousity about why a young child was chanting the racial slur "dago! dago! dago!" in the parking garage stairwell.
Later you had The Crucible (with snacks) at the Ohio, La Boheme at the State, and Tri C Jazz Fest at the Allen.
Add to that the fabulously surreal experience of seeing folks coming to the CLAW (Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend - Link NSFW) at the Wyndham (I saw a LEATHER TUX and it was beautiful. I totally wanted him to come attend the opera in that.)
Even better was the mix throughout all this at the newly opened restaurant Bricco at the Hanna.
All this gives me such hope for the area once the NEVER-ENDING CONSTRUCTION is finished. I can see, with all the effort they've put into bringing people to live downtown, that once there's enough pulse and activity to draw them out of the Statler, there's going to be a burgeoning night life in the area.
Already Fred has assembled the railing that marks off the Hanna's al fresco seating, and on nice days, it's easily packed by 5.
More outdoor seating means more people will stay downtown after work for happy hour - which could lead to the urge to shop (if someone could provide the wares - Banyan Tree, Knuth Shoes, Anna Van H. are you listening?) increase impromptu meet ups as well as decrease rush hour congestion.
I can't wait for summer to increase the pulse of the city and hopefully bring even more life to an area that's all too often deserted.
Of course, there was the Tribe game at 3:55, which always seems like such an invasion from the 'burbs. Keeping that theme, Go Diego Go was letting out at the Palace Theater, resolving my curiousity about why a young child was chanting the racial slur "dago! dago! dago!" in the parking garage stairwell.
Later you had The Crucible (with snacks) at the Ohio, La Boheme at the State, and Tri C Jazz Fest at the Allen.
Add to that the fabulously surreal experience of seeing folks coming to the CLAW (Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend - Link NSFW) at the Wyndham (I saw a LEATHER TUX and it was beautiful. I totally wanted him to come attend the opera in that.)
Even better was the mix throughout all this at the newly opened restaurant Bricco at the Hanna.
All this gives me such hope for the area once the NEVER-ENDING CONSTRUCTION is finished. I can see, with all the effort they've put into bringing people to live downtown, that once there's enough pulse and activity to draw them out of the Statler, there's going to be a burgeoning night life in the area.
Already Fred has assembled the railing that marks off the Hanna's al fresco seating, and on nice days, it's easily packed by 5.
More outdoor seating means more people will stay downtown after work for happy hour - which could lead to the urge to shop (if someone could provide the wares - Banyan Tree, Knuth Shoes, Anna Van H. are you listening?) increase impromptu meet ups as well as decrease rush hour congestion.
I can't wait for summer to increase the pulse of the city and hopefully bring even more life to an area that's all too often deserted.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Market dinner
I've been trying to make a habit of going to the West Side Market to increase my intake of fresh foods; fruits and veggies especially. I go at lunch on Mondays or Wednesdays with a friend, when it's fairly calm, but less is open... which actually makes it easier (and cheaper - less temptation.)
I always hit The Basketeria for spring mix, snap beans that eat like Cheetos (only with far less sodium and orange powder residue but satisfying crunchiness intact), and any other veggie you can imagine. They have excellent selection, prices and quality - something that you can't always count on from all vendors.
I get my fruits from Calabrese Produce, a suggestion from a friend who's worked in and out of local restaurants, so I trusted him and found my vendor. From them I get my pineapples, strawberries, avocados... all the things that shouldn't be available at this time of year in Ohio, but thank goodness, are. Ditto the excellent selection, prices and quality - who knew an April plum could eat like candy.
Today I splurged and got a pound of mushroom ravioli from Ohio City Pasta. A friend always raved about their pasta, so I decided to give it whirl for dinner.
I'm quite pleased with what I put together from my lunchtime foray-
mushroom ravioli sauteed with onions, mushrooms and chicken in fresh pesto
salad with avocado and fuji apples, with dressed with left over sweet-lemon vinaigrette from the Souper Market.
Such a lucky girl to have this resource...
I always hit The Basketeria for spring mix, snap beans that eat like Cheetos (only with far less sodium and orange powder residue but satisfying crunchiness intact), and any other veggie you can imagine. They have excellent selection, prices and quality - something that you can't always count on from all vendors.
I get my fruits from Calabrese Produce, a suggestion from a friend who's worked in and out of local restaurants, so I trusted him and found my vendor. From them I get my pineapples, strawberries, avocados... all the things that shouldn't be available at this time of year in Ohio, but thank goodness, are. Ditto the excellent selection, prices and quality - who knew an April plum could eat like candy.
Today I splurged and got a pound of mushroom ravioli from Ohio City Pasta. A friend always raved about their pasta, so I decided to give it whirl for dinner.
I'm quite pleased with what I put together from my lunchtime foray-
mushroom ravioli sauteed with onions, mushrooms and chicken in fresh pesto
salad with avocado and fuji apples, with dressed with left over sweet-lemon vinaigrette from the Souper Market.
Such a lucky girl to have this resource...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
urban adventure
I'm a bit chagrined to say that I JUST experienced the free E-Line Trolley downtown. It's a nice little circulator - hunter green with wooden slat seats - v. stylish and of an early 20th century vintage.
I find that I experience unfounded anxiety around things related to any transportation that isn't walking. It's gotten better, but for months I've been avoiding the Trolley out of some unidentifiable fear that I would end up...what...?
In Indiana?
In a Turkish prison?
In a 4th dimension where my cell phone doesn't work and the bus driver can't communicate through usual means?
No clue what my problem is, but I steeled my apparently fragile nerves and
*waited at the stop (worried that it wasn't the RIGHT stop)
*got on the bus (worried that it wasn't free and if it wasn't would I have the right change? could I get to it quickly?)
*rode the bus with much trepidation about WHERE I was supposed to get off and WHEN (or IF) I should pull the Stop Request line when the destination was in sight... keep in mind that the length of city I was crossing is one I regularly walk when it isn't an icy tundra, so even if I did get off at the wrong stop, I could easily remedy it by WALKING)
*exited the bus and felt like I CLIMBED MT. EVEREST
What's ironic is that I can do NYC subway, Chicago L, no problem.
I gotta do this more often, the city is not that big and I need to learn to ride the bus without fear of ending up in the imaginary wormhole of fear and helplessness that I conjured up for myself...
I find that I experience unfounded anxiety around things related to any transportation that isn't walking. It's gotten better, but for months I've been avoiding the Trolley out of some unidentifiable fear that I would end up...what...?
In Indiana?
In a Turkish prison?
In a 4th dimension where my cell phone doesn't work and the bus driver can't communicate through usual means?
No clue what my problem is, but I steeled my apparently fragile nerves and
*waited at the stop (worried that it wasn't the RIGHT stop)
*got on the bus (worried that it wasn't free and if it wasn't would I have the right change? could I get to it quickly?)
*rode the bus with much trepidation about WHERE I was supposed to get off and WHEN (or IF) I should pull the Stop Request line when the destination was in sight... keep in mind that the length of city I was crossing is one I regularly walk when it isn't an icy tundra, so even if I did get off at the wrong stop, I could easily remedy it by WALKING)
*exited the bus and felt like I CLIMBED MT. EVEREST
What's ironic is that I can do NYC subway, Chicago L, no problem.
I gotta do this more often, the city is not that big and I need to learn to ride the bus without fear of ending up in the imaginary wormhole of fear and helplessness that I conjured up for myself...
Sunday, March 9, 2008
well, that was a bit premature
UPDATE: Car in valet, day 5.
I missed the festival last evening to wait for the grants.gov website to acknowledge my submission, so I got caught a ride out and back in to work today.
Get my car tonight -
Lucky pampered car.
5 days and 4 nights at the Ritz.
****
turns out I was done with winter, but Cleveland wasn't.
I just spent about 60 hours in Tower City.
Friday a.m. I went to Tower City to work the Film Fest.
On a whim, I packed a bag with some extra clothes and necessary things, since it was all doom and gloom about the storm.
I guess they weren't lying.
I valeted at the attached hotel, and worked my 13 hour shift.
I stayed there that night, only to be told that it was going to get worse the next night...
so I worked a 14 hour shift and stayed again.
i called a neighbor, and he said the street was horrible, a bus stuck and cars snowed in along the curb -
i was lucky enough to get a ride home after a shorter day (only 11 hours - woo hoo!)
and left my car - again - at the hotel.
but the Film Fest is going great - 3,000 people yesterday (amazing!)
let's hope i can get (and park) my car tomorrow evening -
here's to warm melting thoughts.
I missed the festival last evening to wait for the grants.gov website to acknowledge my submission, so I got caught a ride out and back in to work today.
Get my car tonight -
Lucky pampered car.
5 days and 4 nights at the Ritz.
****
turns out I was done with winter, but Cleveland wasn't.
I just spent about 60 hours in Tower City.
Friday a.m. I went to Tower City to work the Film Fest.
On a whim, I packed a bag with some extra clothes and necessary things, since it was all doom and gloom about the storm.
I guess they weren't lying.
I valeted at the attached hotel, and worked my 13 hour shift.
I stayed there that night, only to be told that it was going to get worse the next night...
so I worked a 14 hour shift and stayed again.
i called a neighbor, and he said the street was horrible, a bus stuck and cars snowed in along the curb -
i was lucky enough to get a ride home after a shorter day (only 11 hours - woo hoo!)
and left my car - again - at the hotel.
but the Film Fest is going great - 3,000 people yesterday (amazing!)
let's hope i can get (and park) my car tomorrow evening -
here's to warm melting thoughts.
Friday, January 18, 2008
lost my parking space
Secure parking is a premium in Tremont, and I just lost my rented space...
Suddenly, street parking seems terrifying... what if I have to carry in GROCERIES!
What about touch football Saturdays when all the tools at the Treehouse fill up the streets?
What about THEFT? BREAK INS? SNOWPLOWS with limited visual ACUITY???
Crap.
It may be enough to drive me to Lakewood...
Suddenly, street parking seems terrifying... what if I have to carry in GROCERIES!
What about touch football Saturdays when all the tools at the Treehouse fill up the streets?
What about THEFT? BREAK INS? SNOWPLOWS with limited visual ACUITY???
Crap.
It may be enough to drive me to Lakewood...
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
fall=busy
this weekend I (in no particular order)
Saw "The Brave One"
Ate pulled pork
Went to the Tremont Arts Fest, purchased art
Went to Stan Hywet
*Played in treehouses
*Ate apples from the tree and grapes from the vine
*Played with butterflies
*Walked alot
Went to the West Point Market
*Drank wine
*Ate the best chicken pot pie ever
Made chocolate zucchini bread
Went back to the arts fest
Watched the Up Ensemble play hot jazz
Went BACK to the arts fest again, purchased MORE art
Went to Lolita and ate cured meats and fancy pizzas with a he-harem
Went to Scoops for ice cream sandwiches with aforementioned he-harem
Laughed
Climbed
Skipped and
Giggled
Saw "The Brave One"
Ate pulled pork
Went to the Tremont Arts Fest, purchased art
Went to Stan Hywet
*Played in treehouses
*Ate apples from the tree and grapes from the vine
*Played with butterflies
*Walked alot
Went to the West Point Market
*Drank wine
*Ate the best chicken pot pie ever
Made chocolate zucchini bread
Went back to the arts fest
Watched the Up Ensemble play hot jazz
Went BACK to the arts fest again, purchased MORE art
Went to Lolita and ate cured meats and fancy pizzas with a he-harem
Went to Scoops for ice cream sandwiches with aforementioned he-harem
Laughed
Climbed
Skipped and
Giggled
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Naps make it better
Friday was my 18th day straight of working (or 19th, but who's counting)...
We had 2 weekends of shows that I had to work.
Generally, the shows are broken up over the week, Wed'y/Fri/Sun
or something similar.
But not this run.
Plus our biggest, newest grant was turned in yesterday, the one from funds generated by a cigarette tax.
No one can say how much or how little we're potentially up for, so many unknowns make it scary.
To compensate for all the busy, I've been going out ALOT after work.
Feeling o so cosmopolitan, but its catching up with me today.
I've discovered a fondness for Hendrick's gin and flirting.
Both are utterly exausting if experienced in excess.
So naps and trolling the interweb.
New obsession, the NY Mag Look Book archives.
.
I know NYC would be too expensive and too hard given my present circumstances, but I see these people and their ability to simply BE in a city that encourages creativity and I wonder who I would become in an environment like that.
Not that Tremont isn't lovely, but I don't think you could get away with this or that.
Too bad.
We had 2 weekends of shows that I had to work.
Generally, the shows are broken up over the week, Wed'y/Fri/Sun
or something similar.
But not this run.
Plus our biggest, newest grant was turned in yesterday, the one from funds generated by a cigarette tax.
No one can say how much or how little we're potentially up for, so many unknowns make it scary.
To compensate for all the busy, I've been going out ALOT after work.
Feeling o so cosmopolitan, but its catching up with me today.
I've discovered a fondness for Hendrick's gin and flirting.
Both are utterly exausting if experienced in excess.
So naps and trolling the interweb.
New obsession, the NY Mag Look Book archives.
.
I know NYC would be too expensive and too hard given my present circumstances, but I see these people and their ability to simply BE in a city that encourages creativity and I wonder who I would become in an environment like that.
Not that Tremont isn't lovely, but I don't think you could get away with this or that.
Too bad.
Monday, August 20, 2007
wasted
yo
so its midnight and i'm tanked
its a school night - karaoke at prosperity
so many good - so many more AWFUL
so much hendricks... (with tonic, v. good)
night before...
Lolita and accordion music
Superbad and beer at Champppppppps
this a.m. - mimosas to celebrate a new hire
15th day at work - no days off til sat'y
thank god for the he-harem and bars aplenty in the 'hood
barking dog next door - fuck you - go to sleep
so i can too
so its midnight and i'm tanked
its a school night - karaoke at prosperity
so many good - so many more AWFUL
so much hendricks... (with tonic, v. good)
night before...
Lolita and accordion music
Superbad and beer at Champppppppps
this a.m. - mimosas to celebrate a new hire
15th day at work - no days off til sat'y
thank god for the he-harem and bars aplenty in the 'hood
barking dog next door - fuck you - go to sleep
so i can too
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Happy Inattentive Jackass Day, y'all!
4 people standing in front of my car chatting as I tried to leave the parking garage.
10+ cars coming at me in the middle or wrong lane - fast - as I tried to leave the parking garage.
Too many to count slow drivers milling around 15 minutes after the game started downtown.
1 pissed off aging hipster man-child who parked his bike about 3 feet into the drive that leads to my parking lot.
Pissed off because I honked to let him know I was there and didn't want to hit his aging hipster man-child bike.
Apparently being attentive is perceived as aggressive.
Not understanding how you relate to your surround environs is the new thing, man.
I was expecting a wave and a nod and him moving his bike closer to the building.
Not "What's your problem!" yelled at me across Professor.
Fine.
I hear you LOUD AND CLEAR.
Next time I'll hit it.
'cause that would be more rock & roll, right?
10+ cars coming at me in the middle or wrong lane - fast - as I tried to leave the parking garage.
Too many to count slow drivers milling around 15 minutes after the game started downtown.
1 pissed off aging hipster man-child who parked his bike about 3 feet into the drive that leads to my parking lot.
Pissed off because I honked to let him know I was there and didn't want to hit his aging hipster man-child bike.
Apparently being attentive is perceived as aggressive.
Not understanding how you relate to your surround environs is the new thing, man.
I was expecting a wave and a nod and him moving his bike closer to the building.
Not "What's your problem!" yelled at me across Professor.
Fine.
I hear you LOUD AND CLEAR.
Next time I'll hit it.
'cause that would be more rock & roll, right?
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Seriously...
the ghetto bird is all over tonight.
Subtle fellas... nothing like sneaking up on someone with a 200db engine roaring...
Subtle fellas... nothing like sneaking up on someone with a 200db engine roaring...
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