9.17-9.24.08
Changeability

They say change is the only constant But that's just a slogan. In Northeast Ohio, we're living change. Exhilarating and painful, our region's responses to change are as varied as our seasons. Witness Caroline, or Change, the collaboration between Karamu House & Dobama; or our behind-the-scenes interview with change agents Chris Connor & Marc Byrnes, making a positive change for Cleveland with the United Way; drop in on the Tremont Arts & Cultural Fest and see how much has changed since Jean Brandt opened the area's first gallery in 1990; read our profile of Mark Cheplowitz a Clevelander who produces Super Bowl halftime shows. We're changing minds with our upcoming Cool Cleveland party at Ray's Mountain Bike Park on 10/16. And the concept of race is changing as Cool Cleveland hosts an Urban Professionals Night Out at CMNH on 10/10, and you're invited. "Change" is the latest tag line in national politics. Turns out, around here, change is not just a word. --Thomas Mulready

RACE Urban Professionals Night Out. Info. Tix.
Cool Cleveland & Natural History Museum team up with young professionals on Fri 10/10

Join other young professionals on Fri 10/10 from 6PM to 11PM to meet & greet and get the inside scoop on the RACE exhibit. Get your online discount here. You'll get 2 drink coupons, enjoy a buffet supper at variety of ethnic food stations and move to the sounds of a groovin' DJ. We'll be organizing a series of Talking Circles, and Cool Cleveland's own Mansfield Frazier will offer remarks. Check out a mini art expo by Sankofa Fine Art Plus, and participation from the National Black MBA Association, the Women of Color Foundation and Cleveland365.com. Get info on the RACE exhibit here and complete details on this exciting event here. Order tix online before midnight Thu 9/18 for your best discount here.

Network, nosh & sneak a peek at what promises to be a momentous exploration of one of the most critical issues facing the modern world. Tickets at the door will be $20. Order your tix online before midnight Thu 9/18 for super-low $15 discount. Order tix online here:
https://coolcleveland.net/tickets/101008

Cool Cleveland party @ Ray's MTB. Info. Tix.
Join the celebration on Thu 10/16

A carpenter by trade, Ray Petro transformed an abandoned Cleveland factory warehouse into 100,000 square feet of mountain bike and BMX trails, ramps, elevators and trick jumps, attracting thousands of bikers from around the world. Look in his parking lot and see license plates from 8 states and a couple of countries.

You and your friends are invited to party while the best of Cleveland's trick riders show off their awesome skills. To help you visualize, check the video here. Get discount tix before midnight Thu 9/18 here.

Join us on Thu 10/16 from 5:30-7:30PM at Ray's indoor MTB. Details and map here. Order tix online before midnight Thu 9/18, when the price goes up: https://coolcleveland.net/tickets/101608

Here's what's in store for you:

Reserve your tickets before midnight Thu 9/18 for your best online price: https://coolcleveland.net/tickets/101608

Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park video by Max

Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park is one of a kind. Not only is it the largest indoor track for mountain bikes, Ray has also built some challenging tracks for BMXers. With over 100,000 square feet of courses, hand built by Ray and his crew, the word has spread worldwide, and on a typical winter weekend, Ray's parking lot is filled with license plates from a dozen states. Visitors from far and near are responsible for over 700 room nights at the local Holiday Inn, and Ray's MTB has been featured on the Discovery Channel and all the bike rags. On a sweltering night in July 2008, when Ray and his team are normally shut down for renovations (riders want to be outdoors in the summer anyway), Ray took the unusual step of opening his doors to the visiting pro riders in Cleveland for the Dew Action Sports Tour. Watch the video by Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max Mulready and see if you can spot your favorite pro rider, as these top BMXers shred the park like never before. You've been warned...! Join us on Thu 10/16 from 5:30-7:30PM at Ray's indoor MTB for our next Cool Cleveland party. Details and map here. Order tix early and receive an online discount: https://coolcleveland.net/tickets/101608.

SPONSORED: New Sounds of CIM Celebrate a new arrangement at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Be there to welcome president Joel Smirnoff and celebrate the sounds of a glorious new season with Orchestra Concerts, CIM Opera Theater, Student & Faculty recitals and more. This year CIM introduces the Mixon Hall Masters Series bringing some of the world's finest classical musicians to Cleveland. Don't miss performances by acclaimed violinist Joan Kwuon, the Julliard String Quartet, pianist Richard Goode and mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade. Tickets; $40 for each concert, call 216.791.5000 or visit www.cim.edu. Mention that you read it on Cool Cleveland to win a CIM CD or enter "COOL" in the promo-box when buying on-line. Click here for the complete concert schedule.

Get your child safety car seats inspected! It's the right thing to do. Details can be found here.

Go global with the latest Passport Project offerings for the fall of 2008... all of which are detailed here.

Wachovia Securities American Gold Cup hits the Cleveland Metroparks Polo Field in Moreland Hills starting Wed 9/17 and running through the weekend. The premier horse-jumping competition is a five-day event that includes daily competitions, plus three "Concerts in the Park," a Family Fun Festival, shopping and more. For additional information, call 440-834-8615. http://www.americangoldcup.net.

It's a Chalk Festival! Chalk drawing has been a staple of community and public art for centuries. Considered by some art historians to be a poor person's artistic medium, beggars used chalk to decorate outside of cathedrals and copied the most well known masterworks dating back to the 16th century. With similar festivals held annually around the world, this Chalk Festival brings Renaissance tradition to your front door. Meet chalk artists, get absorbed in their work and do so at no cost Sat 9/20 and Sun 9/21. And if you want to participate, it's a nominal fee. CMA's Fine Arts Garden. Call 707-2483 for info. http://www.clevelandart.org/educef/chalk.

HOT Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta Thousands of high school, collegiate and masters rowers will head to Cleveland to race for gold, silver and bronze at the 13th annual Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta on Sat 9/20 from 8AM - 3PM. A 2.5 mile course that tests speed, endurance and steering skills through the Cuyahoga River’s many turns, the regatta is expected to host 300 boats and 1,100 athletes from 42 rowing clubs and scholastic programs in its 34 events!! Among the 25 largest fall rowing competitions in the United States, the Regatta features local competitors, a Spectators' Village and more! Check out details at http://www.regattacentral.com and http://www.clevelandrows.org.

HOT Century Cycles Night Ride on the Towpath Trail Been on a bunch of bike rides by day? Then try one by night! Join this no-cost, guided 15-20 mile bicycle ride open to all skill levels on Sat 9/20 at 8PM. Helmet and bike light required, but no registration necessary. Children 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Meet at Century Cycles, 1621 Main St. (Route 303) in Peninsula; add'l parking at the Lock 29 Trailhead north of the store. No cost, open to the public. Call 800-201-7433 or visit http://www.centurycycles.com for details.

CIA Young Artists Classes begin Sat 9/20 or Sat 9/27. Children from pre-school to grade 12 build problem-solving skills, improve their concentration and express themselves in classes ranging from painting, drawing and ceramics to clamation, toy design and photography. Call 421-7461 or visit http://www.cia.edu for details.

Dike 14 Nature Walk/Hike Get outside before the snow flies with this excellent, early-morning nature walk/hike Sat 9/21 starting at 7:30AM. As part of an ongoing process to promote an appreciation and stewardship for Cleveland's ecological systems and natural resources, the Dike 14 Environmental Education Collaborative will sponsor this "Birds and Butterflies" event at the Nature Preserve, Gordon State Park area of Cleveland Lakefront State Park (E. 72 St. and N. Marginal). No cost, open to the public family fun. http://www.dike14.org/upcoming_events.html.

HOT Star Gazing The NASA Glenn Visitor Center, in collaboration with the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center and Cuyahoga Astronomical Association will host the Fifth annual Star Gazing event on Sat 9/20 from 10AM - 11PM at the NASA Visitor Center, 21000 Brookpark Rd. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the many exciting discoveries about our universe. Learn about the stars and identifying the constellations in the Star Lab Dome. Auditorium Lectures will be given throughout the day. All day solar and night telescope viewing will be offered, weather permitting. And there's plenty of other excitement to be had. Details at http://glennevents.grc.nasa.gov.

Fancy Nancy Tea Party This one's for the girls! Brek out that fancy party dress for a special girls-only workshop at the Children's Museum of Cleveland. Girls' nails will be painted with magic nail polish as they enjoy a fashion show parade and read Fancy Nancy stories on Sun 9/21 at 12:15PM. Tea Party attendees get to design their own fancy tea cup and saucer in a hands-on pottery experience. The pieces will be glazed and fired, with a pick-up schedule for the end of the month. Call 791-7114 or visit http://www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org for all the frilly details!

Woofstock returns! Combine the fall beauty of The Holden Arboretum and respect for nature with Geauga Humane Society's passion and respect for the well-being of animals. Add zany tie-dye t-shirts, hundreds of dogs on leashes and their people, cool canine contests, live music by the JiMiller Band, food, shopping along Vendor's Rrrrrow and a trivia trail dog walk. What you've got is Woofstock, Northeastern Ohio's grooviest dog event and all-day family friendly festival. Woofstock hits Sun 9/21 from 9AM - 3PM. http://www.holdenarb.org. http://www.geaugahumane.org.

SPONSORED: Cool flicks are featured in the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities October 2 - 9 Humanities Week celebration, including Boris Karloff's The Mummy (10/5), Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (10/6), and special double-feature- Louvre City and La Jetee (10/7)- all films at 7PM at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque and introduced by CWRU film experts Robert Spadoni, Daniel Goldmark, and Raymond Watkins. Catch the Pocket Film Festival at the House of Blues at 5PM on Fri 10/3 where the party promises to be an exciting showcase of innovative new art created entirely on cell phones. $1,000 grand prize for Best Film thanks to Sprint. Complete details and admission information at BakerNord.org and 216.368.8961.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 11-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast in iTunes.

Andrew Morrell
Andrew Morrell Photography
Cleveland Plus

Andrew Morrell moved from the East coast to the Cleveland Plus region and calls it "the best move I've ever made in my lifetime." He was working at the National Public Radio headquarters in Washington D.C. and moved to Cleveland Plus to work with the NPR affiliate here. When he first visited Cleveland, he experienced a "flood" of emotions. First his wife, who was from the upper Midwest, breathed a sigh of relief after living on the East Coast. They felt Cleveland was the perfect big city, but small enough that it's not "depersonalized." Right from their first visit, they enjoyed the mix of urban and rural, all in close proximity. "People here are really receptive to the new," says Morrell, who started his own business in the Cleveland Plus region. They enjoy Shaker Square, visiting new restaurants, and attractions such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Andrew still feels moving here was the "smartest move they ever made." To illustrate, he relates that he and his wife had bid on 5 houses in Washington, D.C. that were 40 miles outside the city, which would be a two-hour commute each way. The house they purchased in Shaker Heights in the Cleveland Plus region was equivalent to a $1.8 million house in a comparable neighborhood in D.C.. "We felt like we won the lottery," Andrew says, smiling. http://www.ClevelandPlusLiving.com

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A great tribute to Miles Coburn in the Heights Observer can be found here
Cedar Point coasts to another #1 ranking for 11th straight year. Click
Are you following Preservation Nation? If not, you should be. Click
The Rock Hall sez Teachers Rock! Are you hip? Click
Call for artists @ MOCA Cleveland and this one looks amazing. Click
Redesigned pocket park helps revitalize Cle's Buckeye Neighborhood. Click

Spangle hits15K Just 2 months after launch, Spangle, Cleveland's online magazine focusing on our LGBT&Q community and beyond, has seen 15,000 people check them out. They've featured the Tremont Art Walk, an interview with Cinematheque's John Ewing, and a profile of Buck Naked Yoga. http://www.SpangleMagazine.com

Cool Cleveland Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events, in an easy-to-digest 3 minute audio format, for playback on your computer or iPod.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Podcast in iTunes.

Chris Connor & Marc Byrnes
United Way pancake breakfast

Chris Connor and Marc Byrnes make a good team. In this fun interview with Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready, Connor, the Chairman and CEO of Fortune 500 giant Sherwin-Williams and Byrnes, the Chairman and CEO of the mid-sized Oswald Companies talk about the changing face of corporate participation in the United Way. The co-chairs of the 2008/09 campaign announced an even higher goal for next year, $42.5 million, validating their ambition in this tough economy by pointing out the increased need for United Way services in our neighborhoods, and by expressing their confidence that United Way now reaches out not only to our region's corporate behemoths, but also to the growing sector of mid-sized closely-held companies. Watch the extended video mix with behind-the-scenes footage of celebrity pancake flippers such as Swagelok Treasurer Doug Spicer showing exactly how it's done. http://www.UWS.org

SPONSORED: The Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts brings 8 premieres from around the world--performances and exhibitions that defy expectations and challenge the senses. Experience artists who boldly cross boundaries, mixing film, theatre, dance, music, ancient, modern, the real and the surreal to create something completely new. All in three whirlwind weeks, October 10-25. A project of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in association with The Andy Warhol Museum. Learn more about Festival performances, see video, and order tickets at PIFOF.org. The Festival takes place during the celebration of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary; to save on travel, accommodations, and event tickets, book online at VisitPittsburgh.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

E.O. Wilson One of the world's most distinguished scientists will be speaking at Baldwin-Wallace College as part of the Enduring Questions: The Mark Collier Lecture Series. Wilson is the Pellegrino University Professor Emeritus at Harvard and is considered the founder of the sustainability movement. He has changed the way scientists and nonscientists view the natural world. He has received over 100 awards, including the National Medal of Science, the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement and two Pulitzers. The event hits Wed 9/17 at 8PM in the Kulas Musical Arts Building, 96 Front St., Berea. The lecture is no cost, open to the public. Call 440-826-2325 for details.

Cleveland Archaeological Society There's nothing "Indiana Jones" about this Lecture Meeting featuring Professor Cameron McNeil of CUNY (Queens College) on Wed 9/17 at 7:30PM. The no-cost, open to the public lecture, The Importance of Cacao on Ancient Copan (Honduras): Ancestor Trees and Fertility will be followed by a reception. Cleveland Museum of Natural History. http://www.cmnh.org.

SPONSORED: Tonight, Wed 9/17, at 8PM, WCLV 104.9 goes live to Severance Hall for a CIM Live concert by the CIM Orchestra conducted by Carl Topilow. The pianist in Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini is Alexander Ghindin, the Gold Medal winner of the 2007 Cleveland International Piano Competition. Also on the program: Dvorak's Carnival Overture and Richard Strauss' self-indulgent A Hero's Life. Details on all of WCLV's programming at http://www.WCLV.com

Caroline, or Change begins in the final months of 1963, a painful turbulent year as witnessed by the assassination of President Kennedy, the Birmingham church bombing, Martin Luther King's March on Washington, and the Vietnam War. Karamu and Dobama Theater companies offer the joint production beginning with sneak preview performances Wed 9/17. Schedule of performances run through the end of the month. Karamu House, Performing Arts Center, 2355 E. 89th St. http://www.karamu.com. http://www.dobama.org.

HOT The Arts & Communications Technology Academy On Thu 9/18 at 7PM, the West Shore School Districts (Lakewood, Bay Village, Rocky River and Westlake) and Beck Center for the Arts will come together to celebrate arts and communications education with a new program of the West Shore Career and Technical School District. The evening will begin with all four districts and an impressive list of partnering organizations, colleges, universities and media outlets sharing the many arts opportunities that will comprise the Academy. Ticketed event, open to the public. Dessert reception to follow. Beck Center's Mackey Main Stage. http://www.beckcenter.org.

HOT "Cleveland in Black and White" Exhibit Opening and Reception The Flats and the Lake Erie shoreline continue to change dramatically. For the last 25 years, these areas so unique to Cleveland have been a part of the photographic oeuvre of Jennie Jones. Known for her color portraits of Cleveland, Jennie Jones prefers black and white silver gelatin for her studies of the Flats, the Cuyahoga River, Whiskey Island and the lakefront. Images of the Huletts included in this exhibition have never been shown before. Check it out Thu 9/18 from 5:30 - 7:30PM in the Thomas F. Campbell, Ph.D. Exhibition Gallery, Glickman-Miller Hall, 1717 Euclid Ave. Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. http://urban.csuohio.edu/forum.

Death of a Salesman For one weekend only, discover a new interpretation of Arthur Miller's classic story, as told through diverse cultural perspectives. Acclaimed actor and Oberlin alumnus Avery Brooks stars as Willy Loman in this production, set in an African American and Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York during the 1950s Thu 9/18 - Sun 9/21. This is a "radical new take on an American classic" and is causing quite a buzz around town. Oberlin College's Hall Auditorium. http://oberlin.edu/salesman.

Party on the Pier Summer winds down at Voinovich Park in downtown Cleveland Thu 9/18 from 5 - 9PM with this no-cost, open to the public event. Celebrate "The Best Location in the Nation" with family-friendly fun, on-site food vendors and live music by Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band and Band of Thunder. Call 265-6542, 664-5020 or email: jmuhammad@clevelandairport.com for details.

Beautiful Indulgence Fashion Show This fashion event exudes sheer, cosmopolitan cool -- and all to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Northeast Ohio affiliate at Sunset Lounge on Thu 9/18 with doors at 7PM and the show starting at 9:30PM. Includes fashion show, hors d'oeuvres, a complimentary beverage and the silky, sexy sounds of DJ Impure and DJ Go. Prepaid red carpet photos will be printed on site. Details at http://fabiolatamayo.com/fashionshow.aspx.

HOT One Fabulous Fiesta Internationally recognized retailer Ten Thousand Villages is celebrating 5 years of fair trade business at its Cleveland store on Euclid Ave Fri 9/19 at 6PM. Their "One Fabulous Fiesta" at Trinity Cathedral (2236 Euclid Ave.) features live music by Carlos Jones and his P.L.U.S. band, food and (of course) supercool shopping. Enjoy international cuisine, mingle, get ideas for the upcoming holidays (gasp!!) and thank your stars that they survived the Euclid Corridor project! Visit the One Fabulous Fiesta website at http://www.ttvcleveland.com.

Greater Cleveland Art and Gallery Festival It's a part of the Sparx Gallery Hop (see our "HOT" listing further down the page) and takes place Fri 9/19 - Sun 9/21 to benefit for Heartworks @ Galleria. Click here for more info. http://www.downtownclevelandalliance.com.

Shiner Number Two is the second comic anthology release from John G., Kevin Fagan, and George McDougall, also featuring Paul Sydorenko, Andy MacDonald, M.L. Wagner, Paul Rogers, Para Celsus, as well as cover art by Ryan Jaenke. This self-published, 30-plus page zine showcases eclectic works by the close-knit group of writers and illustrators. Highlights include McDougall's autobiographical stories of war, John G.'s fictional "Clevelyn" and more. This premier event/ opening reception hits Fri 9/19 from 7 - 10PM and will also include on-spot illustrations by the creators and original artworks used for publication. Artchitecture Gallery, 1667 East 40th St., Unit 1A. http://www.artchitecturegallery.com.

Blogging for Business with Thomas Mulready The founder and creator of the Cool Cleveland e-blast newsletter speaks on one of the hottest trends in business (and in the pop culture) lexicon today. Hear Mulready offer up his insights Fri 9/19 from noon - 1:30PM at the Cleveland Public Library's Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, 325 Superior Ave. Call 623-2927 for more information. Oh, and feel free to bring your lunch! http://www.cpl.org.

HOT Sparx Gallery Hop Ohio's Largest Art Walk ushers in the autumn again this year, taking place on Sat 9/20 and Sun 9/21. Sparx Gallery Hop connects three of Cleveland's thriving arts districts -- Downtown/ Art Quarter, Tremont and University Circle/ Little Italy -- and three great Cleveland festivals -- The Greater Cleveland Art and Gallery Festival at the Galleria, The Tremont Arts & Cultural Festival and The Cleveland Museum of Art's Chalk Fest). With extended Saturday hours (11AM – 11PM) and a no-cost weekend trolley pass, you can't go wrong. Click here for more info. http://www.downtownclevelandalliance.com.

Holy Hanna! A Night of Surprises This Grand Opening Gala for the Hanna Theatre on PlayhouseSquare hits Sat 9/20 at 6PM. Expect an exciting evening filled with unique surprises around every corner, will commence with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at the Hanna, then will move to the theatre's newly configured thrust stage with a theatrical presentation... featuring a performance by a surprise international artist that will make his Northeast Ohio debut! Enjoy a gourmet dinner and dessert from Marigold Catering, dancing under a starry sky on East 14th St. and live music by Dennis Samson and the Nightbreeze Band. http://www.greatlakestheater.org.

The Artists' Market Convivium33 Gallery at Josaphat Arts Hall has invited artists to sell their wears/wares during Cleveland's Sparx in the City Weekend Sat 9/20 and Sun 9/21. The naive at Josaphat's will become the Artists' Market, with doors at 10AM and early admittance to dealers and the public beginning at 8:30AM for a small donation. 100% of the admittance fee will go to to support the Art Department at Max S. Hayes High School-Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Convivium33 Gallery & Josaphat Arts Hall, 1433 East 33rd St. (off Superior Ave.) http://www.josaphatartshall.com. http://mbmatthews.blogspot.com.

Bread & Puppet Theater is one of the oldest non-profit, self-supporting theatrical companies in the U.S. The theater has been enacting its radical utopian vision in cardboard and cloth for over 40 years, from the spectacle of its larger-than-life puppets at Vietnam War protests in New York City to the pageantry of its long-running (over 25 years) annual event, Our Domestic Resurrection Circus in Glover, Vermont. Bread and Puppet is coming to the P.E.A.C.E. Park in Cleveland Heights' Coventry Village Sun 9/21 at from 2 - 6PM. Call 736-4716 or 220-0590 for details. http://www.breadandpuppets.org. http://www.noacinfo.org. http://www.clevelandfoodnotbombs.org.

The Glass Menagerie With the 1930s as a backdrop, and while the World's Fair portends visions of the future, Mom Wingfield and her family struggle with tenement life in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cleveland Play House offers their production through early October, but Sun 9/21 at 2PM for a matinee might be just the thing for your Sunday. CPH does a fine job with this classic. 8500 Euclid Ave. Call 795-7000 or visit http://www.clevelandplayhouse.com for tickets.

A MOCA Cleveland Roundtable If you're not feeling like a stage production on Sunday, perhaps you'd like to get to the heart of the art with the people who know it best Sun 9/21 at 2PM. Discuss art with Reed Kroloff, the director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum and Saul Ostrow, chair, visual arts and technologies at The Cleveland Institute of Art at MOCA Cleveland, also at 8500 Euclid Ave. No cost, open to the public. Call 421-8671 or visit http://www.mocacleveland.org for more info.

National Parks: Hidden Gems off the Beaten Path Filmmaker Terry Meehan heads west on a video journey, kicking up dust on less-traveled roads from North Dakota to Utah in search of the hidden gems of the National Park System. His film screens at the Lakewood Public Library Sun 9/21 at 2PM, with a Q&A session with Meehan immediately following. No cost, open to the public. Part of Lakewood Public Library's "Sunday with Friends" series. LPL Main Library Auditorium, 15425 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Call 521-1785 for more info.

5th Annual Natatorium 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run Bring the whole family out for this race, which starts and finishes at the Natatorium in Cuyahoga Falls Sun 9/21 starting at 8AM. This flat, fast 5K Certified Course features mile markers at each mile; top overall winners will receive US Savings Bonds provided by North Akron Savings Bank. With great post-race grub and many door prizes, this is a happy, healthy way to get outdoors. Tech t-shirts provided to ALL pre-registered runners. Register here.

A Taste of Little Italy The 11th annual benefit is Sun 9/21 from 3 - 7PM at the Holy Rosary Churchyard in Little Italy, located at 12009 Mayfield Rd. Amazing food and wine and more! Sponsorship opportunities including complimentary tickets are also available. Call 421-0700 for details. Proceeds from the Taste support school scholarships and capital improvement projects http://www.montessori-holyrosary.org/TasteLittleItalyHOME.htm.

America and the World On Mon 9/22 at 6PM, the Ohio Theatre at PlayhouseSquare hosts CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour and James Rubin of Columbia University for a program called "America and The World." The first of the 2008-09 Town Hall of Cleveland series focuses on our place in the world; the programming for this event and the entire public lecture series is meant to engage the citizenry in northern Ohio, without social or political agenda. http://www.townhallseries.org/season01.html.

Imad Rahman and Salvatore Scibona The Cleveland State University Poetry Center presents part of their Fall 2008 Writers / Reading Series Tue 9/23 at 7:30PM with this duo of native Clevelanders. Rahman teaches creative writing at CSU, where he is also the Director of Creative Writing Programming. His first book, I Dream of Microwaves, is a collection of connected stories; Scibona, a native Clevelander, will read from his recently released novel, The End. Fenn Tower Theater (FT 102), 1983 East 24th St. http://www.csuohio.edu/poetrycenter.

SPONSORED: History Through the Lens Kent State's Thomas Schroth Visiting Artist Series presents world-renowned photojournalist Harry Benson on Mon 9/22 at 7PM in the Student Center Ballroom. Benson's lecture will be a retrospective of his four-decade career, which includes iconic images of the Beatles, the Bobby Kennedy assassination, the Civil Rights Movement and every president from Eisenhower to Bush 43. A reception and book signing will follow. There is no charge for admission; RSVP is requested at 330-672-2899. http://www.kent.edu/advancement/NewsEvents/schroth-lecture-2008.cfm

"Taste of the NFL" for Cleveland Foodbank Hope springs eternal with each new NFL season; the Cleveland Browns are taking that spirit into the community with a strong defensive play against hunger. On Mon 9/22 the Browns will host the 10th annual Cleveland Browns Taste of the NFL 2008 Celebrity Dinner to benefit the Cleveland Foodbank, Northeast Ohio's largest hunger relief organization. Thanks in part to the record-breaking $151,600 raised at the 2007 event, the Foodbank distributed more than 20 million pounds of food last year to agencies in six counties. http://www.cleveland.com/tasteofthenfl. http://www.clevelandfoodbank.org.

Great Lakes Theater Festival will commence its 2008-09 season in a revolutionary new home at the Hanna Theatre on PlayhouseSquare with a Fall Repertory that features William Shakespeare's towering tragedy, Macbeth, and Stephen Sondheim's enchanting musical journey, Into the Woods. The productions will be performed in rotating repertory starting Wed 9/24 through mid-November. The Fall Repertory features a single company of actors performing two alternating plays on the same stage over seven weeks. GLTF's Producing Artistic Director Charles Fee (Macbeth) and Victoria Bussert (Into the Woods) direct. Schedule times vary. http://www.greatlakestheater.org.

Quire Cleveland is a new professional choral ensemble formed in 2008. They present their debut concert at the Cathedral Wed 9/24 at 7:30PM performing choral masterpieces of the Renaissance. Members of the ensemble are soloists and choral leaders at many of the major churches in the greater Cleveland area. They have sung together in historically-informed ensembles, including the Case Western Reserve University Early Music Singers and Apollo's Singers of Apollo's Fire. Under the direction of British-born, CWRU professor Peter Bennett, Quire Cleveland brings to northern Ohio a new professional ensemble of unaccompanied voices. No cost, open to the public. 1007 Superior Ave, downtown. Call 771-6666 ext. 5510) or email: gheislman@dioceseofcleveland.org.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

SPONSORED: Music lovers who want to purchase compact discs are out-of-luck when it comes to local retailers. More and more are turning to the Internet, especially WCLV's music partner ArkivMusic. Arkiv has a stock of some 95,000 classical CDs and DVDs, which can be searched for by ensemble, composer or artist. And they have a treasure trove of re-mastered out-of-print recordings, including many Cleveland Orchestra releases. You can reach ArkivMusic through the WCLV website at www.WCLV.com. And each purchase you make supports WCLV's classical music programming. http://www.WCLV.com

Music as a Uniting Force

Now, of course, anyone, with a computer can listen to radio stations anywhere in the world from practically anywhere in the world. Still, when I listen to the gentle sounds of Jim Blum's folk music show Folk Alley on weekend nights, broadcast from Kent’s WKSU-FM 89.7, either on my radio or my computer, it's hard to imagine that someone in the middle of a war half way around the world might be listening to the same thing at the same time. But here is an e-mail exchange that Blum recently shared...
Read more from David Budin here

A hot selection of tech and business news & events from around the region. Got business news? Send it to: EVENTS@CoolCleveland.com

67 NEO Companies make the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies. Click
Business Week names E&Y one of the best places to start your career. Click
UH council, mayor spar over charter review commission. Click
Follow the JumpStart blog by clicking here
Read findings of Entrepreneurship Confidence Survey for Northeast Ohio by clicking here
Get a look at the Gordon Square Arts District streetscape by clicking on a rendering here

SPONSORED: Enter to Win Two Continental Airlines Tickets from Cleveland Plus! Cleveland Plus wants you to "Be the Plus" in its online contest showcasing people's enthusiasm for the region. To enter, request or download a "+" sign from www.clevelandplus.com/betheplus or create an imaginative "+" sign; capture yourself or friends on camera with the plus as they enjoy a favorite event, happening or place in Northeast Ohio; and upload the video or picture with a brief testimonial to www.clevelandplus.com/betheplus by Sept. 30.

Fred Franks on Network Security
FIT Technologies

Fred Franks hones in on one of the most overlooked areas of a company's IT environment: the security of the business's technology network. Some of the areas that many companies overlook: e-commerce transactions, file sharing, Internet access points and all those iPods, mobile phones and thumb drives that have become so ubiquitous and potentially worrisome to an IT manager. What can you do? As a first step, your company can put a firewall between your network and the Internet, and add some anti-virus & spam filtering. Larger companies can consider an IDS, or an Intrusion Detection System, which looks at all your traffic trends to see if anything fishy is hitting your web server. Fortunately, FIT Technologies offers a tech audit to get a comprehensive feel for potential issues to analyze potential vulnerabilities and risks and way to mitigate them. They also offer security monitoring systems, to which FIT can remotely log in to check that everything is copacetic. We're breathing easier already. http://www.FITTechnologies.net

Doesn't your business or organization deserve a series of Sponsored Videos from Cool Cleveland? We produce, host & post them, you put the links on your website & emails. Find out how easy it can be. InfoATCoolCleveland.com.

Manf'g woes? Can't find qualified workers? Hear from a panel of employers who have identified unique strategies to address workforce challenges. Wed 9/17 at 7:30AM, Corp. Coll East. Register
NEO Chamber to Host National LGBT Leader on Workplace Diversity, spon. by Plexus, on Wed 9/17 at 5:30PM, Trinity Cathedral. Click
Noon at Nance: Creating a WOW Customer Experience hits CSU feat. Jennifer Downey of Ambiance Thu 9/18. Details
2008 Innovation in Business Conference features 4 key executives talking about global economy adaptation. Lt. Gov Lee Fisher guests at Thu 9/18 event. Register
Investing in weak economy is subject of n'working b'fast seminar at City Club starting at 7:30AM on Fri 9/19. Details here
2008 NanoMedicine Summit drops into Cle on Thu 9/25 and Fri 9/26. Learn more and register here
GREEN 3rd Ann NEO Energy Conf Learn energy cost-cutting/savings strategies, help save on bottom line and learn ESPs and MROs on Tue 9/30. Details
6th Ann Medical Innovation Summit This amazing three-day event starts Mon 11/10 and runs through midweek. Jim Tobin, Pres/ CEO of Boston Scientific headlines. Learn about it all here

HOT Walking the Tight Rope Between Creativity and Profitability Every creative type understands the fine line between the two. When do you re-invent the wheel? How do you address realistic budgetary expectations? Are you over-designing a project? What are your client's true expectations? And can you make a profit within their budget? No matter how fabulous the design, if you're not making money you won't be in business for long! Learn more Wed 9/17 at 5:30PM at the Ritz Carlton, 1515 W. 3rd St. Feat. David Merrell, Founder of AOO Events in California http://www.isescleveland.com.

Bored with your career? You've got experience in sales, but you're not fired up by your current job. Put the passion back in your career by joining the Cool Cleveland team, helping to promote the coolest stuff around. Send a comprehensive cover letter & resume to: InfoATCoolCleveland.com.

Pay Attention to the Man Behind the Curtain
This Wizard {of Ah's} Can Grant Almost Any Wish

"We're always looking for distinctive projects," Cheplowitz says. "I love the challenges."

When he started his event-planning business in 1982, Cheplowitz prided himself on being able to put together almost any type of event—from private party to brand launch to corporate meeting. He still does all of those, although Wizard of Ah's is recognized more for its large-scale productions, including Super Bowl and "Monday Night Football" halftime shows, the launch of Drive Insurance from Progressive at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and festivals and celebrations in the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Scandinavia...
Read more from Diane DiPiero here

This week's most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

"On a day when hundreds of Ohio leaders gathered to discuss the serious competitive challenges facing our state," writes Ed Morrison, "the U.S. economy shows continued serious weakness, the financial markets still try to settle after the U.S. government engineers the world's largest bailout, investment bank Lehman Brothers stands on the brink of another bailout, the recognition starts hitting home that our poor educational performance is creating severe competitive consequences, and the bleeding of petrodollars accelerates, the Republican Party and the McCain campaign skirt the edge of legality and absurdity by talking about putting lipstick on pigs. Shameful."

Read and add your comment here

The Tanya Harding School of Politics

The old joke that Democrats always seem to manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory is once again resurfacing. Coming off the Denver convention Barack Obama looked like a lock, and then he left the door wide open for the Republicans to steal all the thunder (and currently, the lead) by selecting Sarah Palin as VP -- a move they made only after Obama gave them the perfect opportunity to do so by passing over a highly qualified woman: Hillary Clinton. While I do think that Obama's supporters are overreacting just a tad to the latest poll numbers -- he still could rebound -- I still would be a lot more confident with Hillary as his running mate. According to published reports, Biden seemingly feels the exact same way...

Read more from Mansfield B. Frazier here

Dobama & Karamu's Caroline, or Change
Two Local Companies, One Historic Production

"I strong-armed everyone I knew," laughs May. "Scott Spence at the Beck Center, the Jewish Community Center, Dobama, everybody. I couldn't stop talking about it." This week May's quest to get the Tony-nominated musical staged pays off. As part of another historic collaboration between Dobama and Karamu theaters, both open their seasons with this massive production of 17 actors and 8 musicians. It's historic for another reason. This will be May's return to Karamu after nearly ten years' absence. It should be a memorable homecoming, as her nearly 40-year career in theater has been intertwined with Karamu from its inception...
Read more from Linda Eisenstein here

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Dan Harkins' lengthy ramble through the politics of the Council reduction issue in this week's Scene has a lot of good stuff, but the fact-checking leaves something to be desired.
The Northeast Ohio Solar Energy Tour features a solar home by Bill MacDermott and the Kious' Straw Bale home.
One blogger gets a look at the world of the African diaspora that live in Cleveland.
What will it take to start a Google Northeast Ohio bike map online?
Ground cleared this week for the new Alley Townhomes at Battery Park.
Circle 118 a new community of 17 townhomes, will break ground in this fall will serve as the first new community in University Circle in several years.
Youngstown is the cover story of this month's issue of Next American City mag with 6-page color story inside.
Roldo: Hagan Ploy Gives MMPI Privatized Convention Center Read

The Muttering Retreats
The Muttering Retreats
Self-Released

I don't always hear the Ben Folds references that other critics have eluded to since the release of this disc in June. But I definitely hear three fervent fans of Ben Gibbard's projects -- All-time Quarterback, Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie -- gracing this delicate, delectable and organic 15-track affair. This is the kind of music you want to wrap yourself up in for comfort, reflecting on an impeccable summer. In fact, the highlights of this disc read like Gibbard (or perhaps Belle & Sebastian) titles: "Cupid Always Misses," "The Capitalist & The Communist Vie For Our Hero's Affection," "Modernism 101," "Awkward Poetry" and "Screw You & Your Beachfront Property." To wit, The Muttering Retreats is anything but; rather, it's one of the most "complete" musical statements to come from our burg this year.

The Muttering Retreats perform at Pat's in the Flats this Saturday, September 20 with Scurvy (NYC), Adam Heart, & 9yroldmudflesh. Learn more about the band at http://www.myspace.com/themutteringretreats.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band's CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

CPT & Lutheran Hospital benefits in Detroit Shoreway 9/13

Urinetown @ Beck Center 9/12
Urinetown: The Musical graced the stage at Beck Center three years ago. The results were packed houses and joyous laughter. Scott Spence, the theatre's artistic director, decided to revive the show this season, with basically the same cast and production team. The idea for the play came to author Greg Kotis when he visited Luxembourg and was confronted with having to use the city's pay-per-use toilets. He, along with his friend Mark Hollmann, developed the show. Theatrical producers took one look at the title and subject matter and wouldn't take on the project. Luckily, Kotis and Hollmann happened upon three of Cleveland's own, who at that point in their careers were fledgling New York want-to-be legends. Westsiders Matt and Mark Rego and Hank Unger had produced Vagina Monologues and were ripe for another hit. They optioned the script, mounted an off-Broadway production, and, against the odds, they became the Big Apple’s new "wunderkinds." They have gone on to produce the likes of Wicked...
Read more from Roy Berko here

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Send your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.com

In light of your party at Ray's It is distressing to read of news like this… http://www.camba.us/pn/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1525. You may be hearing from others about this. As a CAMBA member and supporter of legal mountain bike trails, this really pisses me off. Unfortunately, this is the kind of narrow-minded Cleveland Metroparks' leadership that we have grown accustomed to, but it still leaves a bitter taste. I just spent three months in Lynchburg, VA, a conservative stronghold, and their mtb trails FAR outshine those of many so-called progressive cities. Sheesh! from Cool Cleveland reader Tony Ramos tonyATtonyramos.com.

Send your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.com

Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 most clicked links from last week's issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) The Rockometer lands on Rock and Roll Boulevard
TheRockometer.com

2) Cool Cleveland party for Civic Innovation Lab's 5th b-day at Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park
Party info and Online discount tickets

3) Community Partnership for Arts and Culture releases findings of a recent constituent survey.
CPACbiz.org

4) Phil Donahue talks about his Body of War in this exclusive CC interview:
CoolCleveland.com

5) RoldoLINK PD Biased Choice of Sutherland Over Lawson Jones.
CoolCleveland.com

The Fine Print... comes to your inbox every week thanks to your friendly, neighborhood Hard Corps. Word up to Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Diane DiPiero, Roy Berko, Linda Eisenstein and David Budin. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com.

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