The Great Big Home & Garden Expo

Is your house plagued with a room in desperate need of a makeover? Maybe you have an outdoor space screaming for some tender love and care. Perhaps you just need an afternoon spent wandering through lovely gardens and a million plus ideas for your living space. If so, head to The Great Big Home & Garden Expo!

With an expanded show floor and many brand new highlights, the show, now in its second year, is sure to inspire. Sponsored by Cleveland Magazine, the custom-built Idea Home is a beautifully-crafted 3,350 square foot home valued at more than $1 million, offering more than 1 million ideas complete with “green” elements including a solar-powered air conditioner and wind turbine. After a home tour, sip on a cocktail while wandering through the Showcase Gardens designed by Northeast Ohio’s top landscape designers and inspired by movies like “Alice in Wonderland” and “Edward Scissorhands.” Next, take in ten custom-designed rooms packed with ideas and trends then stroll down Innovation Avenue for a first-look at the hot home products of 2011.

The show also features three stages with packed schedules. The Main Stage features daily presentations on new products as well as education seminars. The Petitti Gardening Stage seminars offers expert advice for home gardening projects while The Loretta Paganini School of Cooking at the Cambria Cooking Stage provides culinary ideas and treats.

While at the show don’t miss out on your chance to win some major prizes. Enter to win a trip to New York City to attend a live taping of the “Nate Berkus Show.” And, get your “Cave Card” stamped at various partner sites to be entered to win items from the Man Cave. On Super Bowl Sunday, attendees can participate in the Big Game Super Bowl Sunday Giveaway for a chance at lots of exciting prizes from show partners.

Need to know:

• The Great Big Home and Garden Expo runs from Saturday, February 5 through Sunday, February 11
• The I-X Center is located at  6200 Riverside Drive in Cleveland, Ohio
• Tickets are $14 at the box office, $11 online at www.greatbighomeandgardenexpo.com, AAA or Home Depot locations, $10 for Seniors 65+ with ID (Monday through Thursday when tickets are purchased at the box office, $9 for groups (20 or more), $5 for kids 6-12 years and FREE for kids 5 and under
• Use promo code CVB when purchasing online for $4 off full price admission
• Visit www.facebook.com/homeandgardenevents for celebrity tips, home trends, exhibitor discounts and more

– Submitted by Corinne Allie, Social Networking Specialist

2010 Cleveland Auto Show

With an ’05 Toyota Corolla that’s about to be paid off and has no spontaneous acceleration issues, right now I am not in the market for a new ride. But a woman can dream, right? That’s what’s so great about the Cleveland Auto Show at the I-X Center and that’s what keeps bringing me back year after year.

When you get to  the I-X Center, the main part of the massive tradeshow building is devoted to new and concept cars. Every major make and model is represented which, with the demise of Hummer and GM’s recent unloading of Saab, is a slightly smaller representation than last year. You can pick up materials on the autos, meet with area dealers, check out the seating room of features of each car and, in some cases, test drive the cars right there inside the Center.  And, as a bonus, on opening weekend (when I went) you could also meet Mo Williams and Anderson Varejao of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The new Chevy Cruze, a gas-powered car that’s expected to achieve 40 miles per gallon, was getting a lot of attention from would-be buyers in my group, as was the sleeker design of the 2012 Ford Focus and the cool practicality of the Honda Element. It was the Nissan Cube and the Mini Cooper that called my name . . . of course, my checkbook put them both on hold.

Another section of the event is devoted to classic cars. Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, the Glenmoor Gathering, individual exhibitors  and others participate in this portion of the Show and it is one of my favorites. Each of us in my group of Car Showgoers picked our dream machine. This year, mine was a Willys. I have no idea if I’d like the car, but it sure looked fun.

Parking for the 2010 Cleveland Auto Show is free. The event runs through March 7, 2010. To pre-purchase tickets, visit www.clevelandautoshow.com. –Submitted by SF

EDITOR’S NOTE: To see classic cars year-round, visit the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, the Mentor Museum of Speed, the Canton Classic Car Museum or the Packard Museum.  And, in addition to the Glenmoor Gathering, don’t miss the annual Stan Hywet Father’s Day Car Show.

The Great Big Home and Garden Expo

For someone who spends zero time on her house, I sure am addicted to home remodeling shows on HGTV. I’ve also attended more home improvement shows than you’d guess a non-handywoman would. I think it’s the transformational possibilities that draw me in. I’m always imagining what my porch or backyard or patio “could” look like if I cared to invest the time and money.

This year the landscape of home and garden shows in Cleveland Plus changed a bit. The 67th Annual Home & Garden Show (by Expositions Inc.) that had been at the exposition center near the airport for years moved to east to Euclid while another show–The Great Big Home & Garden Expo (Marketplace Events)–made its debut at the I-X Center. Saturday, I attended The Great Big Home & Garden Expo with my parents.

For those who remember past home and garden shows at the Center, the layout has been flipped a bit. The majority of the gardens are now to your right as you enter the show. Each is thematically inspired by rock music and all 21 are pretty spectacular, I have to say. There are outdoor tables that double as water fountains, patios equipped with surround sound or flat screen tvs, one-of-a-kind statuary and a garden oasis that feels like a tropical escape. Given that half of the nation was blanketed with snow last week, it was pretty nice to be traipsing through summery, flowering spaces and fantasizing about barbecue patio parties.  The south hall area also included a “Club Cambria cafe” and a Plain Dealer Reader’s Lounge for those (like my father who tweaked his knee exercising the day prior to the show) to rest up a bit.

In addition to the gardens, there were exhibitors galore . . . somewhere around 600, I am told. You could buy a steam mop, find a contractor to install energy-efficient windows, pick out granite for your kitchen overhaul, investigate the viability of “gutter helmets,” purchase orginal art, get tips from a master gardener, consult an interior designer or sample Shearer’s chips. I appreciated the wide, well-plotted aisles because it made the expansive displays seem manageable.

There were also three homes (6,750 square feet of homes actually built inside the I-X Center for this show) created with the intention of inspiring “visitors to build, remodel or decorate their own home.” While there was a “faux” two-story Loft Living Experience created by The Cleveland Contract Group to show off interior decor, it was the two complete single story ranch houses (one by Bob Schmitt Homes and the other courtesy of CMJ Development) that kept my interest.

Fabulous Food Show 2009

It was that time of year again. Wafting through the I-X Center came the flavors of cooking marina sauce spiced with fresh-cut basil, warm chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven, savory barbeque ribs simmering in their sauces and steaming pots of homemade soups and stews.

Yes, it is the Fabulous Food Show, the nations’ largest “taste, try and buy” culinary celebration featuring celebrity chef appearances; wine, beer and spirit sampling; local restaurants; retail; free cooking demonstrations and seminars and many other delectable indulgences.

Noting my love affair with food and cooking, I reluctantly dragged my not-so-culinary husband to the show. To his enjoyment, however, it became immediately apparent that he wouldn’t be leaving the show hungry as we were immediately presented with soft, pumpkin-flavored ice cream from Dairymen’s (for which we graciously accepted) at the entrance. It was at that point that both of us knew the Fabulous Food Show was to become a yearly tradition.

The I-X Center was filled with a diverse mix of men, women and children. Many folks were in attendance in an effort to watch their favorite Food Network chef in action or just to get an autograph (think two-hour queue for chef autographs). On this particular day, the house was full of fans for Chef Bobby Flay and Cleveland’s favorite Chef Michael Symon. Still others were more focused on the actual art of cooking with four stages featuring the likes Chef Melvin from Kalahari Resorts cooking Peri Peri Prawns and Chef Jonathon Sawyer from the Greenhouse Tavern preparing Crispy Ohio Pork Belly.

I enjoyed a rousing cooking demonstration by the always sassy Loretta Paganini, owner of the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking. At the Fabulous Food Show she put on a cooking demonstration for Italian comfort food. Let it be known that one doesn’t leave the show uneducated. Here Loretta taught me that 1) garlic presses are useless, 2) non-coated stainless steel pots are the only way to go, and 3) husbands can be tricked into eating just about anything regardless of what foods they claim to dislike.

We walked through 250 booths tasting new potato chips, salsas, tapenades, pepper relish, ice cream, marinara sauce, gluten-free products, chip dips, fresh-squeezed juices, biscotti, pastries, chocolates, brownies, cakes, cookies and pies. Our bags were stuffed with coupons and take-home treats. The day also included learning about new kitchen gadgets, state-of-the-art knives, interesting serving ware and table linens. There were booths that gave information about the local farm bureau, sustainable farming and the farm-to-plate movement. And, if you’re feeling like buying some of the deliciousness to take home, but don’t want to lug around items that need refrigerated, the Fabulous Food Show offers “Shop & Drop.” This unique service allows you to drop your bags off to be kept refrigerated until your return. For those purchasing holiday gifts, the Shop & Drop also offered gift wrapping and shipping services.

2009 Cleveland Auto Show (02.28.09)

Ooh! A concept car!

Every year I go to the Cleveland Auto Show. First, I worked it . . . manning the booth for Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum. Then, I started going with my friends Gaurav and Ed, both of whom wore me out with their desire to sit in each and every vehicle. The I-X Center is huge and I don’t have the patience to check out every single car. Maybe I am too practical. If there’s zero chance I am going to buy a Hummer, there’s little reason for me to hoist myself up into one of each and every hue.

Romance + Flowers: Cleveland Home and Garden Show (02.07.09)

Lemons stopped my mom in her tracks.

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with my family in the gardens of France. Okay, not really, but I did spend a wintry afternoon in blooming gardens inspired by France at the Fifth Third Bank Home and Garden Show at the I-X Center in Cleveland.

There’s something nice about being able to walk around ponds, through small outdoor scenes and jardins de fleurs (pardon my French) in February. Although not always adhered to literally, there is usually an effort by landscapers to give a nod to the annual show theme. This year, pedal bikes, miniature eiffel towers, bistros and outdoor artist studios gave an impression of France.

Sampling a Little Bit of Cleveland: Fabulous Food Show (11.16.08)

On Sunday, November 16th, my wife and I attended the Fabulous Food Show at the I-X Center. We went last year and were looking forward to the return visit. We are not gourmets, but the neighborhood restaurant samplings, intended to tempt you to visit, are always things we look forward to. We were not disappointed. 
 

Fab Food Show Overview (11.15.08)

The Fabulous Food Show took place November 14-16 at Cleveland’s International Exposition Center.  This year’s celebrity chefs included the Food Network’s Paula Deen, Bobby Deen, Curtis Stone, Guy Fieri, and Cleveland’s very own Michael Symon, chef and owner of Lola Bistro and Lolita (www.lolabistro.com). Visitors to the Fabulous Food Show had the opportunity to see these famous chefs in action at the Main Kitchen Theatre. Later, they could meet them up close and personal for autographs at the Celebrity Autograph Pavilion.  Other showplaces, including the Taste of the Neighborhood Stage, presented cooking demonstrations from local and area chefs.  Area vendors were set up in the Market Place where they showcased their products and provided a wealth of culinary sampling.  This area also included the bookstore containing literature on cooking and entertaining.  In the Grand Tasting Pavilion, show-goers could sample a variety of wines, champagne and beers.  The Wine Theatre and Wine Cellar were right next door.  Other Food Show areas included the Fabulous Bistro and the ever popular Chocolate Bar.  For other I-X Center events,  check out www.ixcenter.com. –CM

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Fab Food Show obviously continues to be popular. We had quite a few staff, friends and family offer to write about the annual culinary event.