Run Around, Jump Back - PlayhouseSquare Jump Back Ball is happening!

The awesome Allison over at Confessions of a CLE Habitant g-chatted me late last week and informed me of some spectacular news...  She had an extra ticket for Jump Back Ball! I had all intents to buy tickets and the day I tried to purchase my tickets, they SOLD OUT.  I've never been to this party before.  And I use the word party because from all accounts... IT. IS. A. PARTY.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

What's Jump Back Ball? 

It's a benefit.

Hosted by and for PlayhouseSquare. 

Cleveland's young professionals come dressed to the nines. 

Each year is a new theme.

This year's theme is Through the Looking Glass. 

Here... I'll let the PlayhouseSquare partners tell you the details in this video.

So now I'm in insanity mode of pulling together a fun, flexible (uh, because I'm going to be dancing like J.Lo when she was a fly girl) and fabulous dress in T-MINUS 5 days. 

Thank goodness for girlfriends!  I've had a few open closet offers and will be power shopping tonight. 

Here's what I've pulled together so far. 

My goal is to find a fascinator to pull together an Alice in Wonderland character. JBB has a list of costume ideas and I am all-kinds-of about this!

Yes Cleveland. This. Is. Happening.

And I laughed out loud reading Confessions of a CLE Habitant's post about CLE Shopaholic and Cleveland's A Plum having a fashion show this weekend.  Knowing these girls and so many other INCREDIBLE CLEVELANDERS will be dancing the night away and celebrating Cleveland makes my power-shopping so worth it. 

Do you have a formal dress shopping routine? Check out CLE Shopaholic's rules for successful dress shopping. 

So, seriously, any secrets on how you prep for a big formal event?  Give me tips, friends!

Monday Morsel: Cowell and Hubbard in Cleveland

And IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-e-IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII will always love you.......
I had to do it. It's been in my head for the past two days.

Welcome to a new blog post series, Monday Morsel, a snapshot post on a new or newly discovered restaurant. Let's get Monday Morsel properly christened with coverage on one of Cleveland's most anticipated new openings: Cowell and Hubbard.

Cowell & Hubbard A Zack Bruell restaurant

Zack Bruell's new restaurant opened to the public in February 3, 2012, ahead of schedule, much to the delight of throngs of hungry Downtown foodies. Cowell and Hubbard is Bruell's fifth restaurant in Cleveland: Parallax in Tremont, Table 45 at the Intercontinental Hotel on Cleveland Clinic campus, L'Albatros in University Circle, Chinato in the Eth 4th/Gateway District in Downtown Cleveland and now Cowell and Hubbard in Playhouse Square District in Downtown Cleveland.


Venue and Atmosphere: Respecting History

Cowell and Hubbard was a destination jewelry store, founded in 1861 and thrived throughout the early 1900s.  Cowell and Hubbard's website expands on the history.   Click the photos to see an archived photo slideshow that shines historical light on this landmark building.

Although I didn't scope out the entire space, the mood and atmosphere pays tribute both the past and today's Downtown and Playhouse Square. Lush red velvet booth coverings remind you of the theater curtains and etched window glass reflects the name onto the walls in a unique, almost ghostly manner.


Service: More water or bread?
Bruell must have a military training program for his service staff. At every location, his team is incredible and Cowell and Hubbard is no departure.  For an opening night experience, I expected some hiccups. Our server, Tina, though at times had to leave the table to get an answer for our in-depth foodie questions, was well-educated on the menu and had a few personal recommendations. The wait staff kept our water filled and bread plates heaped with carb heaven.

Food: Solid Execution 
Our table of six each got a first course and a main course, sharing bites and laughs.  The menu IS HUGE. I highly recommend perusing the menu online prior to dining. There were a few items that I'm certain will be tweaked based on guest feedback. A friend ordered the whole roasted chicken and it was a little bloody - quite literally. I was nervous to try the shared sample of the chicken because it was so pink. The issue was brought to light and the manager offered a re-fire of the item and assured us that according to the chef, the chicken was in fact the proper color from the roasting process.

Here are a few items that stand out on the menu.

First Course

• Butternut Squash Ravioli with greens, jalapeño and prosciutto 
• It's one enormous ravioli, large enough to share if you're feeling nice. Sweet, savory with a little kick at the end from the jalapenos
• Welsh Rarebit 
• Welsh rarebit is nostalgic for me. I ate it growing up and this evoked all the same memories. I admit I even are a few spoonfuls of the melted cheese on its own. And it was INCREDIBLE. Creamy smooth tangy goodness. I recommend a few additional pieces of brioche.

Main Course

• Thyme Dumplings with broccoli rabe, garlic and pepperoncini
• "Dumplings" don't do the item justice. The pasta was more like gnudi that just dissolved in my mouth. Each piece was pan-fried which added an interesting texture. 
• Lamb Breast with yogurt, mint, preserved lemon, pine nuts, Moroccan spices
• The flavors are intense and mellow at once. Highly-recommend. 

The addition of Cowell and Hubbard to the Playhouse Square district and Downtown restaurant scene delivers everything a foodie expected from Bruell. Make this place a priority. 

Film Feasts Shines Spotlight on Slurpy Fun Downtown

Fall is here. As the leaves begin making their final descent to the ground, I begin thinking of things that get me through our winter here in the Midwest and in CLE. 

One beacon of light that pulls me through Midwestern winters?  The Cleveland International Film Festival!

Each year, the Cleveland International Film Festival - aka CIFF - brings hundreds of films and thousands of people Downtown. The rate at which the CIFF is growing is mind-blowing!  They break their own attendance numbers each year! More importantly, the caliber of films is undisputedly incredible.  I watch films on IFC and Sundance Channel at home and regularly see films that I've already seen at the CIFF the year before. So. Cool.

As a prelude to the Festival, they've begun Film Feasts, monthly events pairings of films, food and fun CLE spaces. Film Feasts is a series of events with a food theme that occur in the months leading up to CIFF. It's meant to wet your appetite (hey-o!)  Proceeds benefit CIFF. 



Kitchen Stories is one of the first Film Feasts and, quite fitting, it occurs at one of my favorite new restaurants in the CLE, Noodlecat!  The awesome-ness of Jon and Amelia Sawyer, owners and Cleveland champions, host this Film Feast at their newest restaurant, Noodlecat, a "slurpalious" Japanese noodle house on Euclid Avenue, steps from Public Square. They'll discuss their latest venture, along with the national success of Greenhouse Tavern, their award-winning restaurant around the corner on E.4th Street. I'm proud to say both restaurants are in DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND! If you've been meaning to try Noodlecat, this is your chance. Its seriously one of the best new resties in the CLE.

I took the Noodlecat quiz and I'm a Happy Cat. www.noodlecat.com

Below is a description of the Film Feast.  If you'd like to attend, visit  this link here. There's only a few seats left.

CIFF has generously provided me two tickets to Kitchen Stories @ Noodlecat. See you slurpers there.

KITCHEN STORIES

Wednesday, November, 9, 2011 / 7:00 p.m.

$50 per guest  / limit 50 guests

Hosts:  Anne Bloomberg* and Carla Streep O’Day*

                                                                                       

Come slurp the night away with us at one of Cleveland’s newest and most popular restaurants – Noodlecat.  Join us as Jonathan Sawyer and Amelia Zatik-Sawyer share their inspiration behind their latest restaurant venture, and discuss what it took to open a new restaurant while balancing their time with their wildly successful other restaurant, The Greenhouse Tavern.  

You don’t want to miss this night of culinary delights, so make your reservations today before this cat is out of the bag.

Film (and other ARTS) Feasts is a series of events to support the Cleveland International Film Festival.  Our generous hosts underwrite the costs of their events and all proceeds directly benefit the organization.

*Denotes CIFF Board Member

**FULL DISCLOSURE - I AM A MEMBER OF THE CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL MARKETING COMMITTEE AND A PSEUDO FOODIE. BUT YOU ALREADY KNOW THE PSEUDO FOODIE PART.**

Learn about all of the Film Feasts on CIFF website.



Please, don't go, summer! Patio Week puts downtown Cleveland outside to enjoy.

Please don't go yet, summer.

I just....can not.....bare the thought! 

The rest of CLE - heck, the entire Midwest - shares the sentiment of hoping for a few more weeks of summer sun!

While we can not change the seasons, we can celebrate what we have here. Its no surprise that it's often a "Cleveland holiday" when restaurant patios open and close each season.  Embrace last days of summer and transition to fall with Downtown Cleveland Patio Week beginning September 12th! Take advantage of our last rays of sun and check out Downtown Cleveland Patio Week September 12 - 18.

The EATS during Patio Week
Similar to Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week, Patio Week will feature $30 3-course dinner options and a $15 lunch option at select restaurants.  A few restaurants are hosting tastings and educational events on their patios. Sweetness. Yep, all the hot spots have menus - check it.

Sample menu highlights from Patio Week restaurants
Lola (lunch for one for $15)
Chinato (dinner for one for $30)
Pura Vida by Brandt (lunch for two for $15)
Bar Louie (dinner for two for $30)

There are over twenty patios presenting prix-fixe portfolios of food. See the full lineup of restaurants celebrating Patio Week here.

I'm dreaming of patio sunshine and Greenhouse Tavern menu already.

Oh, another positive of Patio Week? I won't have to sweat over burning off the fab food because I'm riding my bike downtown and parking at the new Bike Rack. If you're not a bike-type, parking is two bucks.

The GETTING DOWNTOWN for Patio Week
1.) Drive Your Car:  Parking is $2 when you use this voucher which is valid for lots nearby participating restaurants. The $2 parking special will be available to diners beginning at 5:00p.m. each day during Patio Week.

$2 Holler Lots

- Historic Warehouse District the parking lot at 1371 W 6th St
- Historic Gateway Neighborhood: the parking lot at 402 Huron Rd

2.) Do Like The Coooool Kids: Ride Your Bike or Take the Rapid.

Bike It:  the brand new The Bike Rack offers bike storage, showers, lockers and right next to the Q.

Take the Rapid. Or the free Trolley: The E and B lines are free. Yes. F-R-E-E.

To celebrate - or perhaps beg the weather to reconsider? - get outside and embrace Patio Week, our world-class restaurants and, well, our seasons.