on break

It is that time of the year again - I'm off on my annual spring wander. Regular posts will resume in early May. You all take care, hear!

random snap

Don't you just love the spring!!!

I don't know if it is just me, but there sure does seem to be a bumper crop of baby squirrels around and about this year. Two seconds earlier I could have snapped a shot of what looked like the squirrel smelling the tulip. Ah, timing is everything!

tag tuesday: vanity plates IX

Okay, technically I didn't take this snaps in Lakewood, but at Cleveland's Natural History Museum, who knows maybe these birders are Lakewoodites. Given that the Snap is my venue for vanity plate photos I thought I'd post them any way.

Coincidentally the two cars were parked next to each other in the museum's parking lot - not only do birds of a feather flock together, seems that cars do too......

waiting to launch

fill in the blank

Yeah the weekend is here - that means cherry scones at the Blackbird Baking Company!

It appears that the new welcome to Lakewood sign has been cleared for a new message - I snapped this picture a good week ago, I wonder if the city filled in the blank - I'll have to remember to look when I'm off on my scone run. Speaking of filling in, I bet the trees have filled in a bit too!

random snap

There is something comforting and compelling in the cooing of doves.

A small feeding station nestled between two homes.

theme day: lunch

Aladdin's Eatery is a local success story - founded in Lakewood in 1994 by Fady and Sally Chamoun, the restaurant serves healthy, nutritious Lebanese/American food in a relaxed and casual atmosphere. Over the years the Aladdin's enterprise has grown and now has 18 restaurants in Ohio, 4 in the Pittsburgh area, 2 in northern Virginia, and one each in Illinois, North Carolina, and Michigan.

According to the Aladdin's website:

Aladdin's Eateries feature distinctive rolled pita sandwiches, pita pockets, and "Pitza's" made with homemade pita bread. The pita bread contains no fat, cholesterol, or oil. No sulfites or preservatives are used. Only fresh vegetables and meats appear on the menus. Over seventy menu items are Vegetarian or Vegan. Imported olive oil is used for both homemade salad dressings and saute's. Aladdin's Eatery offers twelve varieties of natural herb teas without artificial flavoring or preservatives. Juices are squeezed to order to ensure maximum freshness. In addition to the best tasting Lebanese/American food, Aladdin's Eateries also offer the unique "Smoothies," a tantalizing blend of fresh fruits and juices.

Personally I'm quite fond of the fattoush, stuffed grape leaves and their foole m damas.

In Lakewood Aladdin's can be found at 14536 Detroit Avenue - conveniently located in the heart of downtown Lakewood. The restaurant is open 7 days a week and starts serving lunch at 11 A.M. and serves continuously until closing which is 10:30 P.M. Mon-Thur; 11:30 P.M. Fri-Sat; 10 P.M. Sun

Since it is Thursday it is time for a new puzzler. This week everyone who answers correctly will receive a prize.

Why did the girl carry blocks in her lunch bag?

More Theme Thursday posts can be viewed here.

random snap

The climb up from the Rocky River Reservation is a work out even on foot, I can just imagine it on a bike! You go guy!!

tag tuesday: vanity plate VIII

John, the Snap's man on the street recently sent in a shot of Joe's vanity plate - or is it Luke's car? or is Joe saying he's a lucky guy?

random snap

Does seem like destiny that if your name is Nick, taking the nicks out of vehicles would be a good career path?

The Nick's here in Lakewood is located at 18246 Sloane Avenue.

SSSS XII

We end our series with the beginning. Spring has come - time for a greening of the earth.

To see all the snaps of the second Sunday statue series go here.

honk, honk

This snap was taken Monday, after many steps forward over the last couple weeks, Thursday and Friday we took a couple steps back and it felt we went back to winter. Today the sun is OUT and the promise is for mild temperatures, perhaps not quite flip-flop weather, but nice enough to head back to the park to feed the geese!

Have a great weekend!

blue plate special!

Drats, no one was able to identify the location for yesterday's photo of the newspaper boxes - guess one concrete wall and parking lot looks pretty much like every other. The boxes stand outside John's Diner at 18260 Detroit Avenue. John's has a most peculiar shape - long and narrow inside and out.

Monday my buddy, Ms T and I popped in for a quick bite - the food was good and cheap. In spite of the fact that John's Diner has been around since 1948 (at least that's the claim on the menu - which was quite extensive by the way) this was the first time I ever grabbed a bite at John's - but I'm sure it won't be the last. The counter woman was friendly and nice, but not overly so. The retro ambiance of the decor was fun but this wasn't any retro in a box bit, it's the real deal. John's lives up to the reputation for diner food - so if you are expecting some type of nouveau cuisine you best walk on by; but, if you are having a hankering for an 'adam and eve on a log' or 'bow-wow dragged through the garden' or the blue plate special, well walk on in.

Not surprisingly, John's doesn't have a website but it is on Facebook! Unfortunately no where I looked on the web posted the hours, so I this morning I had to call - John's is open Monday to Saturday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m and Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. - no checks and no plastic, so bring cash when you come to John's.

theme day: box

Don't you just love flower boxes? Gatherings has spruced up its little stretch on Madison with some delightful boxes of flowers and herbs. I'm quite intrigued about Gatherings' monthly supper club, has anyone out there attended?

For today I offer two puzzlers to choose from - one geared for the locals and one is suitable for anyone. However, I'll warn you the local puzzler, might stump even the most observant Lakewoodite, but let's give it a go. Does anyone know the location of these newspaper boxes?

The second puzzler comes via the weekly trivia quiz that Fifth Third bank branch here in Lakewood displays in its lobby.

The first reader to correctly answer either (or each) puzzler will receive a snappy prize!

The business location for the first puzzler will be the highlight on the Snap on Friday.

More Theme Thursday posts can be viewed here.

random snap

Sharing sun and conversation on the banks of the Rocky River.

nice office

There are days that it is just impossible to stay indoors.

Rocky River Reservation, 5 April 2010

finding VII

One of the more irregular of the Snap series is the one called finding Buddha which feature images of the Buddha I find around town. Some of you may recall that I started this as a series after I ran across a Jesse Kalisher stimulating book If you Find the Buddha.

The statue of Buddha I posted today was taken through the window of a business on Madison Avenue. The storefront was closed when I snapped it and unfortunately, I don't remember name of the establishment, despite the fact that I've walked by it a zillion times. But, I think it is in one of the many martial arts studios that can be found around town - and Madison Avenue seems to be the epicenter for most of these studios; one day I should do an actually count.

But really the purpose to today's picture and post is to give folks the head's up about a special that premiering on PBS this Wednesday night called The Buddha. It sounds great, and just in case I'm not around to see it when it comes on, I've all ready got my dvr programmed. According to the PBS website:

This documentary for PBS by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere, tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. It features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity. Hear insights into the ancient narrative by contemporary Buddhists, including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.S. Merwin and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Join the conversation and learn more about meditation, the history of Buddhism, and how to incorporate the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and mindfulness into daily life.

Don't know about you, but to me this sounds like must see tv!

season's greetings!

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.

~William Shakespeare

random snap

Easter Bunny, soft and white
Hopping quickly out of sight,
Thank you for the eggs you bring,
At Eastertime we welcome spring,
Easter Bunny, soft and white,
Hopping quickly out of sight.

(sing to the tune for twinkle, twinkle, little star)

not again!!

Tuesday I walked by the bright blue house on Hilliard and noticed that the house had a fire -- yet again! One day last summer I remember walking by and seeing this house in a similar state and all last fall we watched the progress of a construction crew rebuilding the house.

A couple hours after I first walked by the windows had been boarded up:

I don't know what the fate of the house will be after this latest fire, I expect that insurance companies won't be very interested in insuring the house.

I spoke with a man in front of the house last week, he stated that this was the third fire at this location in three years! I don't remember the first fire, it must have been much more contained than the last two. This latest fire looks worse than the one last summer, that one was bad enough where the entire house had to be gutted and rebuilt.

Perhaps insurance companies play by the same rules as in baseball and it is 3 strikes and you're out!

By the way, I don't know the story behind any of these fires - house fires are really covered in the media, at least I couldn't find any information about a fire or fires at the address. The man I spoke with on Tuesday said the woman living in the house was in the hospital, but he didn't know anything more than that. Let us all pray (or send up 'good wishes') that she has a full recovery and her future will safe and fire free.

theme day: yellow

This week's Theme Thursday is yellow. Today's snap features two photos taken inside the same building.

This week's puzzler: what well-known Lakewood institution houses this beautiful painting of yellow brick road followers?

No one was able to identify the location for last week's puzzler - the "thank you sign" can be found near the entrance to Broestl and Wallis Jewelers on Madison. Yes, it was a tough one!

More Theme Thursday posts can be viewed here.