Cleveland as a Way of Life

I may just be a farm boy from Kansas, but I've been fortunate enough to have lived in two great world cities, London and Washington, DC. Both of which have appealed to my desire for the urgency of city life, and more importantly, for strong diverse cultural institutions. However, I've found something lacking in these cities, something I could not pinpoint. The void, I've come to realize, is the gap between city life and city pride. Many cities are so busy shuttling people back and forth and developing at an exponential rate that they fail to appreciate the value of having an identity. They build and grow certainly, but in the process they lose the sense of where they came from and a shared sense of local pride and heritage. Their energy is directed into what comes next as dictated by global trends. Perhaps this is because so much of their population is transient. In any case, one is constantly being propelled forward, so far forward and so fast, even at times, to the point of whiplash. You can't turn around to see what you missed because someone or something is always pushing you right on through. I believed one city to be the same as the next, save geography and minor colloquial differences. I took this for granted…that is, until I discovered, through the insistence of a friend, Cleveland. Yes, Cleveland, Ohio. It's a city that fills the chasm between "living" and "way of life."

Cleveland, Ohio is an often forgotten and dismissed little oasis, which provides the best of both worlds. It is a city rich with cultural institutions and heritage. At the same time, it is a city with a country charm and friendliness, and a leisurely pace sorely lacking in so many east coast jungles. Daily encounters with the average person in Cleveland are a prime example. Generally, as in most small towns, interaction with people in the everyday routine is pleasant. It is the unpleasant which actually stands out. In the social black hole, that is, Washington, DC, on the other hand, the polar opposite is true. It is the pleasant social experience which stands out.

Cleveland stands apart from cities like London and Washington in the way one experiences "the best of both worlds," the rich, vibrant stimulation of great culture, and the front porch charm of local pride. Two things which do much to define any city are the food and the music. Cleveland is the birthplace of rock 'n' roll and home to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. It is also home to an orchestra which ranks among the best in the world. As for the food, while other cities are busy defining high cuisine, Cleveland has already defined itself through its food, using history and tradition as its barometer. Countless deli counters, cafeterias, and diners boast menus which haven't changed over generations. The last time we were there, my friend and I began an evening out with a meal at Sokolowski's, a Polish cafeteria and Cleveland institution. Photos of old Cleveland and the Pope pepper the dark walls, and the families around each table are familiar and remind us that we're home, even though home is hundreds of miles away.

We finished and headed back to the other side of Cleveland, where the 'best of both worlds' was clear. The 'other world' on this night was Severance Hall, home to the Cleveland Orchestra. In an instant, front porch charm merged with high culture. We were on the other side of Cleveland, literally and figuratively. Once inside this magnificent concert hall, built in the grand, neoclassical style, with its gilded carvings and perfect acoustics, Cleveland became the music capital of the world; the cultural capital of the world.

Cleveland is a great secret that I feel I must proclaim, so that others may experience its charm and its vitality. At the same time part of me wants to keep it a secret, because it is my discovery. And maybe that's how it should be. It should not be marketed and sold. Rather it should be discovered, the way I discovered it, at the urging of a friend who shared his love and his passion for Cleveland with me. Maybe it should be kept a beautiful little secret that one day many of us will silently nod in agreement to one another and smile. Because we understand that in Cleveland, you can always turn around to see what you missed.

From Cool Cleveland reader Kevin Higgins (:divend:)