Fabulous Food Show Giveaway

It’s that time again. Time to eat until your belly’s content, get inspired and rub elbows with some of foods biggest named chefs. The 6th Annual Fabulous Food Show heads to Cleveland November 11-13 and you could be the winner of two tickets courtesy of the I-X Center.

Celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Duff Goldman and Michael Symon will be on hand to share their secrets and culinary delights. And, don’t miss the Market Place featuring more than 225 exhibiting companies, the Culinary Celebration Theatre, the Grand Tasting Pavilion, Sweet Street and more than 100 ongoing demonstrations on six different stages.

This year’s all new Taste of the Neighborhood Stage features Cleveland’s top local chefs. The Culinary Celebration Theatre offers theatre seating for 400, featuring top-ranked culinary pros from Cleveland and around the country, showcasing their skills in 30-minute demonstrations.

For your chance to win two tickets simply tell us in the comments below what you’re most excited for this year at the Fabulous Food Show. Please include your contact information so we can reach you if you win. The winner will be chosen on Monday, November 7 at noon. Good luck and happy eating!

The winner of two Fabulous Food Show tickets is CLEgal. Thanks to all who entered! 

For more information on the Fabulous Food Show and to buy tickets, visit www.fabulousfoodshow.com.

This Weekend in Cleveland Plus: Riverocity

Ask any local and you’ll soon realize that the Cuyahoga River, the infamous river that connects with Lake Erie and cuts Cleveland into east and west sides, is one of the city’s most undervalued natural attractions. Whether you’re an avid kayaker, an active boater or just someone who enjoys natural beauty, the Cuyahoga River is a true gem.

This weekend, three major Cleveland events — Ingenuity Festival, Head of the Cuyahoga and The Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival – are taking place on the Cuyahoga River at the same time (Sept. 16-18). Appropriately titled “Riverocity,” this weekend is a celebration of art and athleticism on the Cuyahoga River.

Conveniently located next to one another, visitors can easily hop from one event to another. This is a great opportunity to check out some truly unique events on our beloved Cuyahoga River right here in Cleveland Plus.

The Events:

The inGENUiTY Festival is Cleveland’s annual weekend-long celebration of art and technology, designed for audiences of any age and experience, staged on the lower level of the Veterans Memorial (Detroit-Superior) Bridge.

Soak up sun at the 16th Annual Head of the Cuyahoga regatta. Cheer on the rowing teams competing in this two and a half mile rowing competition that’s put on by the Cleveland Rowing Foundation.

Watch as competitors race dragon boats during the 5th Annual Cleveland Dragon Boat Festival on Sept. 17, an event that acknowledges the connection and history dragon boats have had with the Asian culture.

Click here for a complete Riverocity weekend guide.

Fashion Night Out

Saks Fifth Avenue in partnership with Stylelist, Aids Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Innovations and Positively Cleveland presents FASHION NIGHT OUT!

Once a year, the entire fashion world goes out for a nationwide late night of style, makeovers, music and more. Celebrate this year’s Fashion Night Out at Saks Fifth Avenue while donating to a great cause. On Thursday, September 8 head to Saks Fifth Avenue at Beachwood for a televised Burberry Fall Fashion Show, fashion trivia games, department presentations and get lucky with giveaways including hotel stays, restaurant gift cards, cosmetics, a $500 Saks Gift Card and tons more. 10% of the evening’s sales benefit the Aids Taskforce of Greater Cleveland and light bites and refreshments are provided.

Tickets are $50 and may be purchased online or at the door on the night of the event. In return, attendees receive a $50 Saks Fifth Avenue Gift Card to be used this evening. Hope to see you there!

Saks Fifth Avenue is located at 26100 Cedar Road in Beachwood, OH.

As Seen On TV

Iron Chef Michael Symon's Lola on E. 4th Street

The culinary scene in the Cleveland Plus region has won more than just ten minutes of fame through numerous features on national television shows and networks. Celebrity Iron Chef Michael Symon, who owns two major restaurants and a burger chain throughout the region, helped propel culinary Cleveland towards stardom. Now the spotlight shines brightly on the chefs forging the region’s starlight status on shows such as the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-in’s and Dives, the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food and even more.

Hot Sauce Williams
The Travel Channel hosts Adam Richman and Anthony Bourdain each visited Hot Sauce Williams for its legendary BBQ delicacies such as ribs, fried chicken and of course, the Polish Boy. This kielbasa sausage is buried by fries and coleslaw, stuffed in a bun, and drenched in Hot Sauce Williams’ famous spicy barbecue sauce. 216.391.2230

Trattoria on the Hill
This quaint family-owned restaurant located in Little Italy was featured on Rachel Ray’s $40 a Day. In addition to their homemade sauce, the Gnocchi Al Burro and lasagna dishes consistently claim the title as the best Italian meals around. 216.421.2700, www.trattoriaromangarden.com

Geraci’s Restaurant
The original owners, who opened Cleveland’s Geraci’s Restaurant in 1956, have kept the business under the same family ownership ensuring the quality of the meal is never compromised. The menu features everything visitors would expect from a decades-old Italian restaurant with everything from specialty pizzas to homemade Italian sausages and meatballs, all of which was recently featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. 216.371.5643, www.geracisrestaurant.net

Momocho

J+J Czuchraj Meats
Michael Symon raves about J&J Czuchraj Meats in the “Salty Goodness” episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network. For more than 50 years, the small stand in the West Side Market has been providing simply craveable homemade fresh and smoked meats such as kielbasas, chorizo, jerky and much more. 216.696.7083, http://stores.jandjmeats.com/StoreFront.bok

Lolita
Cleveland’s Iron Chef Michael Symon opened this trendy Mediterranean bistro when he moved his original restaurant, Lola to the East 4^th street entertainment district downtown. With an original menu using fresh and local ingredients, Lolita receives the attention of Anthony Bourdain and Michael Rulhman, as well as numerous reviewers’ with mouth-watering house cured meats and other dishes full of Mediterranean flair and flavors. 216.771.5652, www.lolitarestaurant.com

Lopez Southwest Kitchen
Lobster enchiladas, smoked gouda-jalapeño grits and mushroom-goat cheese quesadillas are just a few of the simply divine dishes created by Lopez. And the bar pours fifteen different types of margaritas and more than ten types of aged-tequilas. Located in Cleveland Heights, the restaurant strives for innovative interpretations on traditional southwestern dishes which received rave reviews on the “Totally Unexpected” episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network. 216.932.9000, www.lopezonlee.com

Momocho
Recently featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Momocho is a modern Mexican joint located in Ohio City. A cucumber margarita compliments anything on the menu which includes six different kinds of guacamole (one is made with goat cheese and poblano chiles) and chilaquiles with smoked trout, crab and a fried egg. 216.694.2122, www.momocho.com

Slyman's Deli

Seti’s Polish Boys
Seti’s puts a unique spin on the traditional Polish Boy by adding chili and cheese to the top of the sandwich. This is just one of the reasons Michael Symon labels the east side restaurant as the best thing “Between Bread” on The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Sausage Shoppe
Anthony Bourdain has No Reservations about visiting the westside’s Sausage Shoppe. He gets a firsthand look at the sausage-making craft, perfected since 1938. The hams, kielbasas and sausages continuously win awards for the best meats in the state and from the American Association of Meat Processors. 216.351.5213, www.sausageshoppe.com

Sokolowski’s University Inn
Run by the third generation of Sokolowski family members, the University Inn is recognized on numerous culinary shows for its Polish menu featuring pierogi, bratwurst, cabbage and noodles. 216.771.8967, www.sokolowskis.com

Slyman’s Deli
While certainly not the “haute couture” of upscale culinary, the highly coveted Slyman’s Deli has been serving Cleveland’s best corned beef sandwiches for countless generations. Rachel Ray takes her bite of the legend on $40 a Day. 216.621.3760, www.slymans.com

Sterle’s Slovenian Country House
Guy Fieri makes a visit to Sterle’s, located on East 55^th Street in Cleveland on Diners, Drive-In and Dives. The Slovenian Country House serves Slovenian dishes in an Alpine-style atmosphere. On Friday and Saturday nights entrees such as the veal and Wienerschnitzel are just an appetizer of an evening of dancing the polka and the waltz with live musicians and accordionists. 216.881.4181, www.sterlescountryhouse.com

Jonathan Sawyer at Greenhouse Tavern (c)ScottMeivogel

Steve’s Gyros
For more than 21 years, Steve’s Gyros has been perfecting the Greek dish at a stand inside the West Side Market. In 2007, their gryo stuffed with juicy meat, wrapped in a warm and buttery pita and topped with homemade tzatziki sauce was named the best in the country by Maxim Magazine. It also was recently featured on Man vs. Food with Adam Richman. 216.566.9825

The Greenhouse Tavern
While most of the publicity about The Greenhouse Tavern on East 4^th street features their sustainable operating practices and farm-to-table initiatives, it is also important to observe the French-inspired menu options and techniques. Many variations of frites (the gravy frites come highly recommended), and foie gras steamed clams are great starters, while duck, fish and egg-based entrees make it a “Guilty Pleasure” on The Food Network’s, The Best Thing I Ever Ate. 216.393.4302, www.thegreenhousetavern.com

Viewers should tune in to the current season of the Food Network’s the Great Food Truck Race to catch local food truck sensation Chris Hodgson and his Hodge Podge truck race across the country and compete to win the grand prize of $100,000. And stay tuned for Restaurant Impossible’s stunning makeover of the Mad Cactus, located in the suburb of Strongsville. Other local favorites spotlighted on the silver screen include Big Al’s Diner (The Best Thing I Ever Ate), Great Lakes Brewing Company ($40 a day), Lola (No Reservations, The Best Thing I Ever Ate), Lucky’s Café (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The Best Thing I Ever Ate), Melt Bar and Grilled (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Man vs. Food),Tommy’s Restaurant ($40 a day) and the Velvet Tango Room (The Best Thing I Ever Ate).  – AI

Culinary Commandos

The kitchens of Northeast Ohio have produced an elite crew of cooking professionals. “Clevelandhas a lot of talented chefs,” says Chef Jonathon Sawyer, owner of The Greenhouse Tavern on East 4^th Street. “I would say a lot of our local chefs are very unique and inventive, but there is always room for more.”

The craft of fine cooking has been the passion of Sawyer since he was a Cleveland kid of 13. Today The Greenhouse Tavern (thegreenhousetavern.com) is one of downtown’s great independent restaurants — a French/American-fusion bistro that focuses on delicious, locally-sourced, farm-to-table dishes — the first certified green eatery in Ohio.

Before The Greenhouse Tavern, Sawyer actually worked with arguably Cleveland’s most famous indie cook, Michael Symon. As a Food Network Iron Chef, national author, and local restaurateur, Symon’s name has become synonymous with gourmet Cleveland cooking, at both of his food boutiques — Lola downtown and Lolita in Tremont (www.lolabistro.com).

Of course imaginative recipes are not just the work of TV kitchen celebrities. Matt Fish loved grilled cheese so much he opened Lakewood’s Melt Bar and Grilled in 2006 (www.meltbarandgrilled.com), serving up the tastiest, two-fisted sandwiches in Cleveland. Serving 600 Melt sandwiches on a typical Friday night, the tattooedClevelandcooking veteran decided to open a second location onCedar RoadinCleveland Heights.

Northeast Ohio is brimming with similarly-gifted chefs. Chef Sergio Abramof has been creating award-winning menus in Cleveland for over 16 years at his cross-cultural and Brazilian bistros, Sergio’s in University Circle and Sergio’s Saravá in Shaker Square (www.sergioscleveland.com) respectively, but uniquely Cleveland dining destinations like his flourish because of the patronage of local and visiting foodies.

“Great independent restaurants will continue to thrive as long as there is strong, continued, and active community frequenting them,” says Abramof. “That’s why my wife and son often enjoy a Saturday lunch at Nate’s Deli. Or on a night off, I often find myself eating delicious sushi and tempura at Shuhei Restaurant in Beachwood, or you might catch me atPearlof the Orient inShaker Heights, getting the chicken corn soup, with some fresh shrimp chips to go.”

– Submitted by Keith Gribbins, guest blogger

Cleveland Plus Wineries – West

It may come as a surprise to some, but northern Ohio’s long summer season and rich soils make the Cleveland Plus region extremely well-suited for growing fine wines. The wineries in this video not only produce some of the area’s best, but also offer beautiful, unique venues for tasting and relaxing.

Vintners in northern Ohio produce grapes and make fantastic wine amid some of the country’s most scenic vistas… making Cleveland Plus an unexpected wine lover’s dream.

For more information on these and other Cleveland Plus wineries, visit www.positivelycleveland.com. To take a photo tour of Cleveland’s west side wineries click here.

– FC

The Little-Known Treasures of Big Name Rockers

When you first walk into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, you immediately see giant props. Held up by a series of cables and wires, decorated Trabant cars from U2’s Zoo TV tour dangle precipitously from the ceiling. The names Moby and Gwen, references to the DJ and the former No Doubt singer who collaborated together in 2000 on the Top 40 hit “Southside,” are illuminated in bright lights. The huge stone-like sculpture that was on Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The Division Bell sits high in the rafters. But while those large-scale in-your-face items are immediately striking, the Rock Hall has a number of hidden gems that are well worth seeking out.

One of the Hall’s best artifacts is also one of the oldest. The guitar that John Lennon played during the two infamous “bed-in for peace” events he staged in 1969 to protest the Vietnam War is included as part of the Beatles’ display on the first floor. It has been part of the Rock Hall’s collection since the museum first opened 15 years ago.

“John [Lennon] had it painted psychedelic in 1966 by the same people who painted the outside mural at the Apple Boutique and his Rolls Royce,” says Assistant Curator Meredith Rutledge. “You can still see the blue paint inside the sound hole. The guitar was blue and red with swirls that went all the way up to the neck.”

Christmas…in July?

You may not see pretty little snowflakes or fluffy white snow when you look around, but you will see people celebrating Christmas. If you haven’t caught on yet, Christmas in July has become a fun and very special tradition right here in Cleveland Plus.

And, really, what’s not to love about this newly created holiday? Restaurants, bars and attractions are all getting into the holiday spirit by serving holiday food, creating Christmas-themed promotions, showing holiday cartoons and even offering the opportunity to meet Santa Claus himself!

So, for all you Christmas lovers out there, get your ho-ho-ho on in Cleveland Plus by caroling to some classics, tipping back a frothy mug of Christmas ale and noshing on delectable Christmas cookies that we won’t see again until December.

It’s time to say “Feliz Navidad” this Christmas in July:

A Christmas Story House & Museum

A Christmas Story House
Open year round, check website for hours
3159 W 11th St Cleveland, OH 44109
www.achristmasstoryhouse.com,   216.298.4919
If you’re in the Christmas spirit, get to A Christmas Story House, open year-round, which features movie memorabilia and the opportunity to meet actor Ian Petrella who played Ralphie’s little brother, Randy, in the classic Christmas film.

Buckeye Beer Engine
July 23-25
15315 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107
www.buckeyebeerengine.com, 216.226.2337
Join Buckeye Beer Engine as they serve a plethora of Christmas ales including Lagunitas Brown Sugga, Sierra Nevada, Troeg’s Mad Elf and Weyerbacher Winter Ale to name just a few.

Christmas in July Classic Car/Motorcycle & Craft Show
July 30, 10am-4pm
425 Crestview Drive Boardman, OH 44512
http://www.wbbgfm.com/pages/cruisin_news.html
Bethel Lutheran Youth Group is putting on its annual Christmas in July event, The Classic Car/Motorcycle & Craft Show.  Experience great food, raffles, a DJ, auction and other fun activities with your friends and family.

Kelleys Island Venture Resort

Need an island Getaway? Kelleys Island Venture Resort has what you need.

Located at 441 West Lakeshore Drive on Lake Erie’s beautiful Kelleys Island, Kelleys Island Venture resort boasts 31 luxury suites equipped with all the amenities of home and they’ll make your bed for you. In every room you’ll find refrigerators, microwaves, free internet access and more. A lakeside swimming pool offers spectacular views and a lakeside deck complete with grills, picnic tables and lounge chairs will get you into vacation mode in a heartbeat.

Kelleys Island Venture Resort is situated in a way that every suite provides a view of Lake Erie. Hang out at the pool, take a hike, grab a drink at a lakeside bar, catch at tan at the beach or just sit and enjoy your quiet surroundings.

For more information about Kelleys Island Venture Resort visit www.kiventureresort.com and to take a photo tour of the property click here.

– FC + CA

Great Lakes Watersports

Jet skis, kayaks, boats, tubing, it’s summer in Cleveland Plus and time again to take to the lake.  Get out there and bask in the heat, soak up some sun and get your fill of the Cleveland skyline all why fueling your adventurous side at Great Lakes Watersports.

Owned and operated family style, by Kevin and Melissa, Great Lakes Watersports is easy to get to and even easier to get addicted to. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, they offer several options in terms of rentals. Paddle your way through the river and out to the lake on a kayak or paddle board or get that adrenaline pumping aboard a jet ski or a miniature two person boat (just seeing this parked along shore made me want to own it. Watch the video to see it in action). Also available are tubes, waterskis and wakeboards.

Great Lakes Watersports is located at 1148 Main Avenue near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River on the West Bank near Shooters. They’re open daily from 11am to dusk, but will accommodate early or later arrivals if notified in advance. Hourly rentals vary based on equipment and include a life jacket and temporary Ohio Boaters License with the answering of a few questions (study up on Ohio’s water rules here).

For more information and to start planning your Great Lakes Watersports adventure on Lake Erie call 216.771.4386 or visit www.glwatersports.com. For more photos visit Positively Cleveland’s Flickr site here.

- CA + FC , follow us on twitter @positivelycleve