8 Places For A True Taste Of Cleveland

by Libby Zay on

Cleveland is a culinary town. From a roving army of food trucks to a collection of upscale restaurants run by Cleveland-born Iron Chef Michael Symon, this city has something to please any appetite. Drawing on the culinary traditions of immigrant groups who came to the city, there are a few foods visitors simply must try when in town. Among them are the Polish Boy, a sandwich invented in Cleveland that consists of sausage covered with fries, and Lake Erie perch, a blue-collar staple found at neighborhood bars and churches throughout the city at Friday night fish fries. Whether you are spending some time in Cleveland or just passing through, here are eight of the best places to get a meal.

Sokolowski’s University Inn
Neighborhood: Tremont
Nearby Attractions: A Christmas Story House, Cleveland Zoo
Established in 1923, Sokolowski’s University Inn is a cafeteria-style restaurant serving old school Polish foods. On any given day you can order up hearty servings of chicken paprikash, pierogies, stuffed cabbage, salisbury steak, bratwurst, beef stroganoff or other Eastern European dishes. Although it proves difficult, be sure to take your focus off your plate and survey Sokolowski’s walls – this place is part Cleveland shrine, part history lesson.Melt Bar and Grilled
Neighborhood: Lakewood
Nearby Attractions: Edgewater Park
Melt Bar and Grilled takes simple bread and cheese to a whole new level. The bar is known for two things: 1) an eating challenge that requires consuming a monster sandwich with 13 different cheeses and 2) giving a 25% discount (for life) to anyone who gets a tattoo of their logo (also for life). But you don’t need to potentially suffer heart disease or permanently scar your body to enjoy all Melt has to offer. You will, however, probably have to wait in line for your sandwich. Still, this is one place that lives up to the hype.

Happy Dog
Neighborhood: Gordon Square Arts District
Nearby Attractions: Capitol Theatre, Cleveland public Theater, Detroit Shoreway
Five dollars might seem a little steep for a hot dog, until you realize you can smother it in as many toppings as you’d like from a list of 50. From picnic-inspired toppings like pimento macaroni and cheese, garbanzo bean chili and bourbon baked beans to more exotic selections, like garlicky escarole, Brazilian chimichurri and vegetable chow mein, the combinations are limitless. Whip up your own concoction or use Happy Dog’s list of “suggestive weiners,” but whatever you do don’t miss out on a side order of tater tots (also with limitless toppings). As for the ambiance, Happy Dog is a true neighborhood spot with stools lining an oval wood bar. From polka to punk rock, this place has live music most nights, more than 75 beers, and an additional downstairs bar with pinball machines and shuffleboard.

Corky & Lenny’s
Neighborhood: Woodmere Village
Nearby Attractions: Bridges to the Future Children’s Museum, University Circle, Little Italy
This family-owned deli has been serving up overstuffed corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, potato pancakes, lox and bagels, matzo ball soup, kosher pickles and other Jewish favorites for more than 55 years. Some patrons liken Corky & Lenny’s to a New York-style deli, but ordering up a sandwich from this place is an authentic Cleveland experience. Give it a shot, and you might discover a new Jewish deli to compare all other Jewish delis to.

Trattoria on the Hill
Neighborhood: Little Italy
Nearby Attractions: The Cleveland Museum of Art and Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Lined with art galleries, churches, bakeries, pizzerias and restaurants, Cleveland’s Little Italy consistently ranks high amongst Italian enclaves across the nation. There’s a lot of competition along Little Italy’s main drag, Mayfield Road, but Trattoria on the Hill is a standout. The secret here seems to be in their sauce: get it over pasta, on pizza, or over eggplant and you won’t be disappointed. Nearby to Little Italy is University Circle, where you’ll find many world class museums – among them The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Botanical Garden, Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum.

Slyman’s Deli
Neighborhood: Goodrich – Kirtland Park
Nearby Attractions: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, Cleveland Science Center
This always popular diner has been voted as the best place to get a corned beef sandwich by a number of local and national outlets, including accolades from Esquire magazine and Rachael Ray. Although Slyman’s menu does include things other than corned beef, roast beef and pastrami, there’s no reason for you to look beyond these mile-high sandwiches. Just don’t try to stop in on the weekends, cause this place is closed Saturdays and Sundays.

Tommy’s Restaurant
Neighborhood: Coventry Village
Nearby Attractions: Lake View Cemetery, Little Italy
When Tommy Fello opened up a soda fountain in the 1970s, it was a one man show: he took the orders, made the food, cashed people out and washed the dishes. As regulars started coming in and making up their own sandwiches, Tommy jotted down their names or initials. As the restaurant grew, this is how the menu took shape – each item is named after its creator. Today, the menu is 21 pages long with sandwiches, pizzas, salads and soups, as well as the shakes and malts that helped Tommy make his mark. While there, take some time to stroll around Coventry Village, Cleveland’s version of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury with book stores, a rock club, a retro toy store, a record store, taverns and Phoenix Coffee, a local coffeehouse.

Great Lakes Brewing Company
Neighborhood: Ohio City
Nearby Attractions: West Side Market, Playhouse Square
Great Lakes Brewing Company has pushed their suds into 13 neighboring states, but the best place to knock one back is in their hometown. Luckily, the company’s namesake brewpub is also the perfect place to get a taste of Cleveland. From bratwurst and pierogi to reubens, each of the menu options are paired with one of the company’s brews.

Kiwi Cool: Saving Money While Traveling In New Zealand

by Meg Nesterov on


Last month, I spent three weeks traveling through New Zealand, focusing mainly on the cities and culture. After living in Istanbul for two years, it wasn’t the culture shock, the jet lag, or the seasonal switch that was hard to adjust to, it was the prices. While I knew New Zealand wasn’t cheap (though their dollar is slightly weaker than ours), I was unprepared for the sticker shock. Dinner and drinks can easily run $50 a head or more, city buses can cost more than a NYC subway ride, and $3.50 for a bottle of water seemed offensive. I did discover a few ways to save money and still enjoy the Kiwi cool.

1. Drink locally, eat globally – New Zealand is known for its excellent wines, and starting to get accolades for their craft beer as well. Whether you’re dining out or picking up a bottle in a supermarket, it’s hard to go wrong with anything made in New Zealand; even the cheapest glass of house “Sav” is likely to be pretty tasty. Also note that many pubs are likely to be “tied” houses (unlike the excellent Free House in Nelson, pictured in my first “Kiwi cool” post) and will carry a limited range of brands, giving you an incentive to stick to the “house” tap. In contrast, for cheap eats, look for foods with origins outside the country; Asian cuisine like sushi, Chinese noodles, and Indian curries are often the most budget-friendly options and given the country’s ethnic mix, just as authentic Kiwi as roast leg of lamb and Pavlova.

2. Rent a car – This is one area where I didn’t follow my own advice, preferring to explore the country on public transportation as my husband is the only driver in the family and my baby is not a fan of car rides (yet she’s perfect on planes). Generally, public transportation in New Zealand is not cheap – a day pass for the Auckland bus system is over $10, taxis from the airport can cost up to $100, and the cost of two bus or train tickets between cities often exceeds the daily rate for a budget rental car. Kiwi companies Jucy and Apex offer older model cars as low as $22 – 34 per day, if you don’t mind a less than sweet ride.

3. Book transportation online – If you do choose to go the public transportation route, it can pay to make your arrangements online rather than in person. By booking tickets for the Waiheke Island ferry online, I saved $7 on each adult fare, even for a same day ticket. As part of the promotion for the new Northern Explorer Auckland-Wellington train, Kiwi Rail was offering two-for-one tickets, check their website for current promotions.

4. Check out motels – In my European travels, I’ve been using AirBnB and other apartment sites to book accommodations, as it pays to have extra space, laundry and a kitchen when you are traveling with a baby. The AirBnB craze hasn’t quite hit New Zealand yet, though you may find luck with BookABach (a bach is a Kiwi word for a vacation home that might be more basic than a typical house). I was more surprised by the quality of motels and motor lodges in New Zealand, they are often modern in style and comfortably outfitted with nice amenities like heated towel racks, electric blankets, and real milk for your coffee standard (a small pleasure compared to the powdered creamer typical in most hotel rooms). Motel rooms range from modest studios to sprawling apartments with jacuzzis. I found a useful directory of accommodations on NewZealand.com, and you can filter for features such as laundry or pool and check for special deals. Golden Chain is a quality collection of independent motels spread over both islands.

5. Create your own Wi-Fi hotspot – Another surprise I found in New Zealand is the lack of free Wi-Fi. Even many coffee shops only offer Internet for a fee, and some accommodations will limit your free connection to 100 mb or so per day. The city of Wellington has set up free hotspots in the city center, but I found the signal hit or miss. A more reliable and affordable option is to make your own hotspot by purchasing a pre-paid SIM card with data. Consult this helpful wiki for rates; I bought a SIM through 2degrees with 1 GB of data for about $20. One other tip is to find the local iSite tourism office for a short period of Wi-Fi access if you need to check email or make travel plans (they can help with booking travel and accommodation too, of course).

6. Shop vintage – After a few days in Kiwi Land, you’ll feel an urge to buy lots of nice merino wool clothing and gifts. For a country with apparently more sheep than people, it is everywhere and you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on new sweaters. Another option is to try vintage and thrift shops. I found a lovely baby sweater probably knitted by a nice Kiwi grandmother for $8 in an antique store, just as quality as the $30 one I bought at a market, and both far cheaper than most retail shops. Auckland’s K Road and Wellington’s Newtown have lots of used and “opportunity” shops, often with proceeds going to charity. Eco-friendly fashion is also becoming more widespread, and “recycled” fashion shops can be found in most cities.

7. Stay in on public holidays – One upside to the high cost of a pint of beer is that tipping is unnecessary in New Zealand; the GST tax on goods includes service. However, you will note on many restaurant menus a surcharge for public holidays of 15%. This covers the owner’s cost of paying their employees more for the holidays. Try to avoid dining out on holidays or look at it as a special holiday gratuity.

A bonus tip that may or may not be relevant in the future: follow the rugby fan trail. Started for the Rugby World Cup in 2011 to ease traffic congestion and crowding on public transport, Auckland’s Fan Trail was revived for a match against Australia last month. The trail stretches two miles from downtown to the stadium and is lined with entertainment, food and drinks, and other activities, most of which are free. Even if you aren’t headed to a game, it’s fun to watch both the performers and the fans dressed up to cheer on their team. If you happen to be in Auckland during a future big rugby match, find out if the city plans to run the fan trail again.

Stay tuned for more “Kiwi Cool: New Zealand for the Un-adventurous.”

Fall Festival Season Starts Early

by Chris Owen on

Fall Festival season is right around the corner as we close the books on summer and head into September. Oktoberfest is one of the more popular events that starts in late September, but fans of fall festivals and events don’t have to wait that long. In northern areas and higher elevations, leaves are turning and fall festival events are starting in the next couple of weeks.

Oktoberfest in Breckenridge– Breckenridge, Colorado, starts September 14
At the 18th annual Oktoberfest, the largest Oktoberfest in the Rocky Mountains, visitors will find a fun-filled weekend of fall foliage, parties, genuine German cuisine, collectable steins and special accommodation packages. During the event, Main Street becomes a street party with traditional costumes, German food, Oompah and polka music, Bavarian dancers, children’s activities, a keg-tapping ceremony, 5K run and Paulaner bier.

Old World Village Oktoberfest– Huntington Beach, California, starts September 9
Centered on Bratwurst and Beer, this adds bands, a parade, dachshund races and more on an 8-acre site with 50 buildings, where the 1st floor is commercial and living quarters are on top. Within the Old World village is the Old World German Restaurant & the Euro Market, Bakery & German Deli, all part of a family-owned and operated business since 1978.

Snohomish Festival of Pumpkins– Snohomish, Washington, starts September 15
Boasting their annual Pumpkin Hurl and Medieval Faire, Snohomish, Washington, has Trebuchets launching pumpkins in a competition, mounted knights battling on horseback, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and a brewfest during the day. At night they have bonfires, fire pits, a haunted swamp cornfield, a field of screams, a hunt for zombies and more.

Let’s take a look at that pumpkin hurl:



[Flickr photo by Zach Dischner]

Six Flags Steps Up Entertainment, Cirque Style

by Chris Owen on

California’s Six Flags Discovery Kingdom this week announced a partnership with Cirque Productions’ Neil Goldberg and his Cirque Dreams entertainment brand to add a new cutting edge dolphin show featuring Cirque Dreams in spring 2013 titled Cirque Dreams Splashtastic – the Most Amazing Show Above H20.

This new aquatic production teams up the park’s marine mammals with Cirque’s company of acrobats, aerialists and Cirque Dreams acts that promise a unique theme park experience. If this is anything close to the quality of Cirque Dreams and Dinner, featured on Norwegian Cruise Line’s latest cruise ship, Norwegian Epic, theme park fans should love it.”We are excited to bring the unique magic of Cirque Dreams to our guests,” said Dale Kaetzel, park president, in a Wall Street Journal Marketwatch article. “This mesmerizing new water spectacle is a great complement to our existing line-up of rides, shows and animal attractions making us Northern California’s best entertainment destination.”

Cirque Dreams Splashtastic joins wildlife shows and animal attractions that include Pinnipeds of the Caribbean sea lion show, Odin’s Temple of the Tiger, Birds of the World, Elephant Encounter, and Walrus Experience educational demonstration shows.

Cirque Dreams stable of popular shows include Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, Cirque Dreams Illumination, Cirque Dreams & Dinner onboard Norwegian Epic and upcoming Norwegian Breakaway, Cirque Dreams Rocks, and Cirque Dreams Holidaze, now in its fourth consecutive touring season and success from The Kennedy Center.



[Photo- Cirque Productions]

Four Dublin Attractions Not To Be Missed

by Chris Owen on

One of Europe’s oldest and greatest cities, Dublin not only retains its historic and cultural identity, but hosts a variety of current, relevant attractions. With a wide variety of friendly bars, stylish shops, elegant restaurants and sidewalk cafes, deciding what to do in Dublin can be tough. But on a recent visit, we stopped by several must-see attractions that give a real feel for the city, its people and its rich heritage.

The Guinness Storehouse is home to arguably the most famous beer in the world. On a 90-minute walking tour, visitors go through the history behind the brand as well as the production process from beginning to end.

Old Jameson Distillery is a good alternate for those who prefer whiskey to beer. Here, visitors learn what makes Irish the best whiskey in the world and get a chance to sample the Uisce beatha – the water of life.St Patrick’s Cathedral was founded in 1191 and has contributed much to Irish life since then. The first performance of Handel’s Messiah and its choir are claims to fame as is the fact that Jonathan Swift, the Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist and political pamphleteer, was Dean here in the 18th century.

The Church Bar and Restaurant is the beautifully restored former St Mary’s church and one of Dublin’s most popular drinking and dining places. Hosting beautiful stained glass windows, an organ once played by Handel and a basement burial crypt, the Church bar, gallery restaurant and nightclub is a top Dublin attraction.

A great way to see Dublin and all it has to offer is via the Hop On Hop Off city tour bus that has 24 stops along its route. The entire tour takes about an hour and a half, runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and can be joined from any of the stops along the way.

But just walking down the street, pretty much any street in Dublin make for some great travel memories in a city bursting with color, music, events, sights and scenes.



[Photos- Chris Owen]