lakewood daily snap

skywatch friday

2012-01-27T09:30:00.000-05:00

A winter sunset from my lofty perch - if we lived 1.5 miles north my sunset view would be over Lake Erie or a half mile west and the view would be of the Rocky River Valley - instead I see a sea of rooftops when I'm home and the sun goes down. Oddly, it is a view I never tire of, there is something comforting knowing that underneath all those roofs people are busy carrying on the activities of human life.
This morning the view is very monochromatic - what can't be seen is the snow currently falling. Snow is in the forecast for the next couple days, but there is no call for any significant accumulation.

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

gone fishin'

2012-01-26T10:24:00.006-05:00

More photos from Sunday's stroll about the Rocky River Reservation. I love watching and talking with the anglers who fish the river. No matter what the season - or the weather - you can always find people fishing the river. On Sunday the anglers had a beautiful winter day.

I learned that this is the time of year to fish for steelhead trout. I also learned the easiest way to distinguish female steelhead from a male steelhead - the key is the jaw, the male has a longer jawbone which ends up somewhat knobby compared to the smooth lower jaw of the female

Understandably and wisely there are a few rules and regulations that govern fishing in the Metroparks. The first is that one must possess a current fishing permit - to learn about obtaining a permit to fish in the Metroparks go here. Another rule pertains to the size of the fish - in terms of trout and salmon the regulations require that if a fish is less than 12 inches long it must be released unharmed - immediately!

As you will note the fish that I saw caught on Sunday were much bigger than 12 inches - the largest of the four I saw was a female trout which came in at 28 inches - the smallest of the other three was a respectable 25 inches!

wordless wednesday

2012-01-25T07:57:00.002-05:00

tag tuesday

2012-01-24T08:45:00.001-05:00

I met Dylan and his human Kurt on Sunday after a lovely winter stroll at the Rocky River Reservation. Kurt proudly lets the rest of us know what he has known for years that Dylan is A #1!

daily walkers

2012-01-23T08:58:00.004-05:00

On Friday I met these three ladies on the Lakewood Park promenade- it was a cold morning - the high Friday only got into the low 20s, so before 9, the temperature was only in the teens. But weather doesn't deter Mary Carol, Sue and Julia, they told me they walk every morning! All Right!

The weather roller coaster ride continues - this morning the temperature is downright balmy and the beautiful snow we had over the last few days is melting and will soon be only a memory.

skywatch friday

2012-01-20T09:25:00.004-05:00

The view east of the Cleveland city skyline taken this morning from the Lakewood Park promenade.

For those of us living on the north coast this week we have been on a weather roller-coaster! Today's temperatures continue to be frigid, however, the forecast for Sunday and Monday calls for a return to highs in the upper 40s - which is similar to what we experienced earlier this week.

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

everything must go!

2012-01-19T07:27:00.003-05:00

.....and they mean everything! Well, with the exception of the staff! New DVDs, previously viewed DVDs, cases, tables, cash registers, printers, snacks, and I expect even the trash cans.

The Blockbuster Video in the Drug Mart Plaza on Detroit Avenue is closing forever. If you are looking to build up your home video library, check it out. I dropped in last Tuesday and picked up a copy of Monty Python and the Holy Grail - although previously viewed it was in great shape. Oh, which reminds me if you do go in and look to buy a previously viewed DVD, open it up and look at what shape it is in - for everything is also non-returnable, non-refundable!

The shop will be open until mid-February and prices on merchandise get lowered every Tuesday.

Sometime in the future, the Plaza will be getting a major facelift and a giant Quaker Steak and Lube Restaurant will be moving it and taking over the space that several of the current tenants occupy.

The address for Blockbuster is 15316 Detroit Avenue, phone 216.529.1600

wordless wednesday

2012-01-18T06:05:00.000-05:00

tag tuesday

2012-01-17T09:47:00.003-05:00

A contestant for So you think you can dance?

thinking of mlk

2012-01-16T08:50:00.004-05:00

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

(Okay, today's photo was not taken in Lakewood, but it is stored on the hard drive of my computer - so that counts. This photo was taken in September 2010 at the new Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington DC.)

Skywatch Friday Update

2012-01-13T11:30:00.000-05:00

Since "sunrise" the snow and wind haven't let up.

This snap was taken at around 11:00am from my home window.

skywatch friday

2012-01-13T08:05:00.006-05:00

This snap was taken from my home office window several minutes after sunrise - sunrise, you say?

According to the weather forecast we can expect monochromatic skies for the next couple days. This morning's radio traffic news is grim -- white out conditions have brought traffic to a crawl on area highways. All you car commuters - be careful - or better yet take the RTA if you can!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

pooch portraits

2012-01-12T08:06:00.006-05:00

Our mild winter has been a bonanza for encouraging walks and fresh air. In the last week I've snapped three portraits of Lakewoodites and their pups. I was so smitten with Rosie (the dog above) and her story (she was a rescue) that I forgot to get the name of her human - oh well, frequent visitors to the Snap know I often am so focused on the animals I take pictures of I forget to get the names of the people. Oh well....

Above is a photo of Princess and her human Jim - I actually remembered to ask this time! I spent a few minutes chatting with Jim - I met up with him on the sidewalk and asked if he remembered that I had snapped his photo with Princess a few years ago. He didn't remember right away, then as we were talking he had a vague recollection. We recreated that earlier pose (by the way, that photo was it was the 5th post for the Lakewood Daily Snap and appeared in June 2008) - alas, my memory wasn't completely accurate as to where Jim and Princess were on the porch.

The third pooch and human portrait is of Tino in the adorable lime green parka and her human George. I met Tino and George as they were walking on Mars - the street not the planet! It turns out that George is the owner of The Mars Bar - he says they serve up some great Gyros - it just happened that he had a photo of one on his i-phone - and I must say it looked delicious! I'm looking forward to dropping and and seeing if they taste as good as they look!

wordless wednesday

2012-01-11T08:33:00.004-05:00

tag tuesday

2012-01-10T08:18:00.002-05:00

Fitting to encounter a tag with a post script at the post office!

LYU2!

random snap

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

You may recall seeing this yard from a snap posted this summer - during the summer and fall I enjoyed walking by this front yard garden and watching the progress of the garden and its bounty.

In the late fall, the committed gardener who lives in the house put in a cold frame greenhouse to continue the growing season.

Below is a snap I took on December 1, the addition of bales of straw offer extra insulation from the elements now that it seems as if winter may have finally arrived .

skywatch friday

2012-01-06T07:47:00.003-05:00

Last night's sunset was absolutely gorgeous. There's an old adage which partly goes red at night a sailor's delight - last night we didn't quite hit red but the sky was a very pretty pink.

There may be some truth to the old saying given that today's calls for temperatures near 50 degrees! Any vestiges of this week's snow will be long gone by sunset today!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

random snap

2012-01-05T08:02:00.004-05:00

On new year's day I glance out the back window and caught sight of this hawk on the backyard fence. Undoubtedly he was checking out his lunch options it seemed as if he couldn't decide on which yard to check out. This was the only snap I was able to get - I ran upstairs to the third floor and quietly opened the window to take a pic without glass or screen - alas, either my movement or the sound alerted the hawk - before I could lift the camera he took flight heading west - undoubtedly back to the comfort of the nearby Rocky River Reservation.

The best time of the day to see hawks in similar settings is early afternoon. Since Sunday I've been looking for a return of the hawk.

wordless wednesday

2012-01-04T09:20:00.002-05:00

new year's eve - PSA

2011-12-31T17:30:00.000-05:00

I encountered this tag yesterday at the Lakewood post office - it made me chuckle given the amount of partying that will be taking place tonight! Next to St. Patrick's Day, December 31st is probably the other day of the year when there a lot of drunk people running about.

Should you not take the advice of this tag - then stay put, or find yourself a designated driver should you go out! And remember walking home while inebriated isn't necessarily a safe alternative, just check out this recent story!

Happy 2012!

skywatch friday

2011-12-30T09:08:00.004-05:00

Have a safe and fun new year's eve! See you next year!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

Sendak-topia

2011-12-29T09:30:00.001-05:00

If you are curious about the stories behind the stories of the amazingly gifted storyteller and illustrator Maurice Sendak you may want to head over to the Lakewood Public Library.

Yesterday the traveling exhibit In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak opened in the second floor gallery.

The opening reception for the exhibit takes place next Thursday, January 5th at 7 pm and will include an brief address by Rabbi Alan Lettofsky a rabbi of Beth Israel-The West Temple. Rabbi Lettofsky currently teaches Modern Hebrew and Jewish history at Kent State University. The reception will also include a performance by Lakewood-native Max Mueller of his original musical score of Where the Wild Things Are. Mueller currently is based out of Los Angeles where he is the director for the music educational initiative Music on the Verge.

In addition to next week's entertaining and educational opening, accompanying the exhibit will be worlds of other events - go here for the full list.

The exhibit will be around until February 24th.

wordless wednesday

2011-12-28T08:31:00.001-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-12-27T08:10:00.003-05:00

I especially enjoy a tag that provides helpful advice and good affirmations.

I am going to adopt this plate's wisdom as my mantra this week - I really would like to cross off some of those undone items on my to do list so I can wrap up the current year feeling lighter and brighter as I enter into the new year - which is just 6 days away!

skywatch friday

2011-12-23T08:32:00.003-05:00

Happy Holidays!

Holiday lights and the city's Christmas tree on the longest night of the year - December 22nd.

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

gingerbread house tour 2011

2011-12-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

2011 was the 2nd year Downtown Lakewood hosted a gingerbread house tour. This year eighteen downtown businesses displayed and sponsored 24 gingerbread houses.

Today's featured snaps show the front and back view of one of the more spectacular gingerbread houses I saw - Elf Mountain Lodge.
This gingerbread lodge is on display at Rozi's Wine House, it was created by the staff at Lakewood based Hotel & Leisure Advisors after work in the evening and during the weekends.

I had intentions to get to all of the gingerbread houses, but you know how it goes with good intentions ! Enjoy the slide show of the houses I did get to see

wordless wednesday

2011-12-21T08:55:00.001-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-12-20T08:25:00.000-05:00

Hey Mr. Ray!!

Anyone remember this tag we spotted back in May? Do you think they are connected?!

all that jazz

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend the Georgetown rolled out their new live music program - live jazz every Friday and Saturday night starting at 9 pm.

Since Friday was a special day for my husband and I (our 33rd wedding anniversary), and we decided to celebrate by topping off our evening with a late supper and attending the debut of Georgetown's night of jazz. The duo who preformed on Friday, Evelyn and Bob, were simply wonderful.

Sometime in the spring of 2012 Georgetown owner Mickey Krivosh plans on opening an jazz club which will be named Club 1006. The name is a tribute to the Bell family which once owned the property that Georgetown (formerly known as 3 Birds) and the upcoming jazz club is on. The Bonnie Bell cosmetic company started in Lakewood in the late 1920s by Jesse Grover Bell and he named the company after his daughter. One of its more renown products is a skin cleanser the Bonnie Bell 1006.

shop local, shop handmade

2011-12-16T09:00:00.003-05:00

Lakewood is buzzing this weekend with special holiday markets - I'd like to give a shout out to three that are worth checking out.

First, there is a wonderful unique trunk show happening at the Root Cafe. As the placard above details this market runs from 4-7 pm and runs through Sunday.

I popped in last night and saw some wonderful stuff - different artists will be coming in each day, which maximizes one's chances of finding just the perfect gifts for the special people in your life!

2) Saturday, December 17th the Screw Factory, located at 13000 Athens will be holding the annual Last Minute Market and screw factory open studio, this market which is organized by Cleveland Handmade which runs from 10 am - 6 pm.

3) The Breakneck Gallery at 17020 Madison Avenue is having a Handmade Holiday Show tonight December 16th (7 pm - 10 pm) and tomorrow December 17th (10 am - 5 pm). This special market is organized by the Cleveland Craft Coalition (who incidentally has one of the best logos around!)

bear-y fine

2011-12-15T07:30:00.001-05:00

Above a few of Rockflower Studio art students (and their brothers) strike a pose with a some of the bears looking for loving homes.

If you are looking for a soft cuddly present for that special cuddly person in your life? You don't have to go far, Rockflower Studio is now the local headquarters for bears, bears, and more bears (in addition to a few other animals).

Rockflower Studio is located at 15707 Madison Avenue, hours are variable, so please phone Chris Hill at 216. 407.9963. Mrs. Hill can provide information about how you can check out the bears and other critters and if you wish to learn about on-going and up-coming art classes and studio gatherings.

wordless wednesday

2011-12-14T08:00:00.002-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-12-13T08:29:00.003-05:00

One step at a time!

random snap

2011-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

When Santa isn't donning his red suit one might just find him strolling around downtown Lakewood enjoying a fine winter day!

skywatch friday

2011-12-09T09:00:00.005-05:00

I snapped this busytown scene yesterday morning while I was out - not a cloud in the sky - perfect weather for roofing a house.

I wonder how much progress yesterday's roofing team made over on Arthur Avenue?

This morning I woke up, looked out the window - here's what today's sky looks like!

What a difference a day makes!!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

random snap

2011-12-08T07:28:00.003-05:00

Sign spotted on Warren Avenue a few blocks from Mars - it has been two months since Jax went missing and the sign is still up - not good, not good at all. However, it could be that Jax is happily back with his humans and they simply forgot all the places they put up the missing cat signs.

Wow, I must say one can tell how much Jax is loved - we don't often see such professional looking notices - full color and laminated!

wordless wednesday

2011-12-07T08:39:00.002-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-12-06T08:19:00.002-05:00

I caught sight of this tag the other day and met the proud mother behind the plate. Deb told me that her "boys" are now all men - and range in age from 18 to 24. She said they tell her to dump the plate; but what do you think, I bet you that they love the love that is behind the plate.

Deb told me that maybe when her sons are all out of school and are starting families of their own she may replace the plate - I suggested that when that happens and her boys start having kids of their own, she'll have a new generation to shine on! 1 GRNKD - 2 GNDKD - 3 GNDKD

2011-12-05T09:50:00.002-05:00

The Twilight Boutique recently opened at 15715 Madison Avenue - principally a 'smoke shop' Twilight also carries a wide array of vintage rock and reggae posters, clothing, and other items that transport the shopper back to the heady days of the 1960s.

In addition to being the headquarters for fun day-glow posters the shop has a friendly and welcoming group of employees. Last time I walked by the store is accepting applications for employment - with hours of 10 am to midnight - that is a lot of hours to cover!

skywatch friday

2011-12-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

The Lakewood City holiday tree stands before clear blue skies yesterday. Today I expect workers will be busy festooning the tree with lights in preparation for tomorrow's festivities.

On Saturday December 3rd downtown Lakewood will be filled with merriment as the city residents and friends come out for the annual Light Up Lakewood Festival. From 5 - 8 pm part of Detroit Avenue will be closed for the fun - activities include music, ice carvings, jugglers, crafts for kids, and of course the annual holiday parade. I expect Santa will be leading the parade which is followed by the Holiday Lighting festival and a city wide party.

Click here for more information Light Up Lakewood!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

random snap

2011-12-01T09:25:00.002-05:00

There are lots of buildings in Lakewood that bear a first name - I wonder if anyone has ever catalogued just how many buildings in town have a name. It is probably too much to hope for that there exists a record of all the backstories to the names - but who knows maybe the Lakewood Historical Society has a list and the stories behind the names!

By the way the building named Marjorie is located on Detroit Avenue - I love The Marjorie Building as it is home to a few of my favorite local destinations - including Lion and Blue and The Root Cafe!

wordless wednesday

2011-11-30T08:41:00.002-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-11-29T07:59:00.003-05:00

A pair of bug-gy plates today - and the cars are in holiday colors no less!

by the way, the second snap was taken with my phone, explains the less than ideal color quality....

unveiled

2011-11-28T09:10:00.003-05:00

I was out of town the day Peter Diepenbrock's sculpture was unveiled in front of the Lakewood Public Library so I didn't have a chance to talk with the artist himself. The work is entitled Transversion. Since I missed the ceremony, I had to rely on the dictionary to find out the meaning of the word transversion; this is what I discovered: a

genetic mutation in RNA or DNA that results from the substitution of a purine base for a pyrimidine base or of a pyrimidine base for a purine base

Works for me! My initial impression upon gazing at the beautiful twisted shape of textured bronze and stainless steel was of a DNA double helix.

What is quite wonderful about the piece is how it seems to move - in fact, one librarian I was chatting with last week said at first she thought it did move. Each morning when she walked from her home to work she would be greeted by the new sculpture and appeared to have moved a bit from where it was the previous day. She discovered movement is just an illusion, the sculpture is firmly rooted; any movement we sense is a play of light and shadow on the work.

According to a news release “a transversion throws open the doors of possibility — utterly unpredictable and often furiously beautiful” - quite fitting for doesn't a good public library do just that also - throw open the doors of possibility!

All the funding for this project was raised through private donations by the Lakewood Public Library Foundation - to learn more about this work , other public art projects at the library, and the foundation, visit http://lakewoodpubliclibrary.org/art/

skywatch friday

2011-11-25T08:33:00.003-05:00

Sometimes when you feel someone is watching you, someone is watching you!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

happy thanksgiving

2011-11-24T08:52:00.005-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's snap offers some excellent advice as seen in the window display at the Goddess Blessed shop.

wordless wednesday

2011-11-23T07:59:00.002-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-11-22T09:13:00.003-05:00

Depending on the skill level of the archer, sometimes it is good to have a full quiver when going out to snap that TURKEY!

Happy Thanksgiving Friends of the Lakewood Daily Snap!!

skywatch friday

2011-11-18T07:45:00.001-05:00

The Clouds above Lake Erie seem to stretch to the Canadian shore we know it is on the other side but can not see.

Although the smallest of the Great Lakes, Erie is plenty big.

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

random snap

2011-11-17T09:15:00.000-05:00

The other day some weird bird activity brought down a big squirrel nest that was in the tree in the front yard. Finding the nest in pieces on the ground made me sad, the front yard squirrels lost their home and there is no sign of rebuilding.

Curious about where squirrels live in the winter? If so here's what the portal has to say:

Ground squirrels' (like chipmunks and prairie dogs) live in ground burrows, and many become dormant in winter (hibernate). Most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, Asia, and South America are 'tree squirrels'. These prefer the heights of the trees and spend little time on the ground.

Tree squirrels do not hibernate during the winter months, but they keep all activities to a minimum to conserve energy. Hence, they often seem almost completely to disappear during the winter months. Winter tree nests (called dreys) are often shared for warmth where tree squirrels keep warm by snuggling with their family members. When they sleep, they use their big furry tails to cover themselves to keep as warm as possible.

A squirrel will come out now and then to search for hidden stores of food. These stores of nuts and other items (like pine cones in the case of the red squirrel) are buried by a squirrel in the ground in late autumn, a period also spent on instinctive binge eating. Often the hidden nuts are not found at all and later may grow into new trees.

Well this perhaps answers one of my questions - the front yard squirrels may just move in with some neighbor squirrels - the more the warmer!

wordless wednesday

2011-11-16T07:49:00.002-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-11-15T08:00:00.005-05:00

When I ran into Grace last week at the post office, I asked her if her name was Grace or if she was making a statement. She told me her name was indeed Grace. We had a lovely discussion about the popularity of names - this was set off by a story she told me about how she taught for thirty years and only in her last year of teaching did she have a student whose name was Grace.

Our discussion reminds me the website that the Social Security Administration sponsors where you can enter a name and track it's popularity over time, check out what the popular names are for a particular year, and even see what names are popular by decade or by state. If you aren't familiar with the site - click here to check it out . I also enjoyed looking at this chart which shows the top 5 names for girls and boys over the last 100 years - it is amazing how consistently popular some names are!

By the way, along with the SSA website is NameVoyager which is really fun as it provides interactive graphs for names - if you plug the name Grace into the NameVoyager wizard it is easy to see how Grace didn't encounter any other Graces during the years she was teaching!

random snap

2011-11-14T08:45:00.000-05:00

Enjoying mild November weather, fresh air and friendship are (from left to right) Mama Julia and her daughter Lilith and Mama Kate with her daughter Abby on the lawn in of The United Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church on Detroit Avenue.

skywatch friday

2011-11-11T08:30:00.000-05:00

....or should I say SNOW watch Friday! What a surprise to wake up look out the windows and see a dusting of the white stuff on the roofs, on the piles of leaves raked on the tree lawn, and on the windshields of parked cars. But no worries should any more snow falls it won't amount to much - today's high will be in the 40s.

Tomorrow the temperature is to return to the high 50s or maybe low 60s - a good thing as earlier this week I went out and bought a few dozen tulip bulbs to plant (good deals are to be had on bulbs seeing that most people have "been there, done that" - I need to get the bulbs planted before cold weather really settles in and the ground freezes. I was pushing things this year!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

on the street

2011-11-10T08:15:00.001-05:00

Captain, a young Labrador Retriever, and his human Jim glide along Arthur Avenue Tuesday afternoon which was an absolutely beautiful November day.

Temperatures more consistent with November are moving in today and there's even the "s" word in the region's forecast - but only for areas with higher elevations - so none of that stuff for the lowlands of Lakewood!
Hmmm, I wonder if Jim and Captain are training for a new street version of the ice capades - concrete capades?

wordless wednesday

2011-11-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

tag tuesday

2011-11-08T11:14:00.002-05:00

Who would like to hazard a guess?

don't forget....

2011-11-07T08:05:00.004-05:00

....to vote tomorrow! Tomorrow's forecast for Lakewood is for mild 60 degree temperatures and a mostly sunny day. Perfect weather for exercising your right to vote and exercising your body to get to your local polling place.

Don't know where to go? Don't fret, just click here and enter your full home address.

Up for election in Lakewood are 5 seats on the Lakewood City Council and 3 seats on the Lakewood Board of Education, and 8 ballot measures for proposed changes to the city charter. In August the Lakewood Patch published candidate profiles and links to all of the proposed changes to the city charter - go here if you wish to do some prep work for tomorrow.

Polls are open 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM and don't forget to bring proper identification.

In terms of Statewide issues, I encourage everyone to vote NO on Issues 2 and 3! (click here to read an argument as to why you should vote NO on Issue 3; and here for an excellent editorial on why to vote NO on Issue 2)

skywatch friday

2011-11-04T08:37:00.003-04:00

In addition to having Fridays be skywatch, here on the Snap in the fall it seems as if Fridays are also leaf and boat watch Friday!

Today's photo was taken looking north from the Detroit Avenue bridge - although we are in November, surprisingly most of the leaves are still on the trees. But the colors have changed dramatically since just a month ago when this snap was taken and posted.

The leaves may still be with us - but the boats are gone.

Given how the leaves are still primarily on the trees, I wouldn't be very surprised if this area so close to Lake Erie is its own special ecosystem with a micro-climate distinct from my house which is a little further inland. At my house the leaves are mainly off the trees.

I'll try to remember to take another shot from this perspective in early December - I bet the leaves will be gone by then and maybe even the boat slips!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

here today, gone tomorrow

2011-11-03T08:36:00.005-04:00

This week the weather has been mild and lovely - the forecast calls for more of the same at least through this weekend. This is a good thing as the city of Lakewood's leaf collection season officially begins on Monday, November 7th.

The "season" for gathering leaves goes from November 7th through December 16th. There will be no leaf collection on November 24 and 25 due to Thanksgiving.

To make the process as effective as possible, the City asks residents to please rake leaves onto tree lawns as close to the curb as possible. Raking leaves into the street will slow the process and may cause basement flooding.

For daily leaf collection schedule updates, visit www.onelakewood.com/leafcollection. If you visit the Lakewood website, you can also download a large version of the colorful map below which divides the city into leaf collection zones.

wordless wednesday

2011-11-02T08:53:00.003-04:00

tag tuesday

2011-11-01T08:50:00.002-04:00

That's good to learn!

But I do wonder about the back story that inspired this tag.

happy halloween!

2011-10-31T08:55:00.000-04:00

Boo!

Janet Wonder Woman and her Homeslice Erin enjoy an adult beverage - or should we say some spirits on Rozi's Wine House's Front Porch before heading off to a Halloween party this past Saturday evening. I think they look just absolutely boo-ti-ful!

Although the Rozi's Front Porch has been operating for a while the official GRAND OPENING is scheduled for Saturday, November 19th with a special wine and beer tasting. But don't have to wait until November 19th if you want to drop in to try a glass of something new or enjoy a bite from the Cafe's menu.

Rozi's Wine House and Front Porch Cafe is located at 14900 Detroit Avenue and is open M-T-W until 7 pm; Th-F-S until 9 pm; and Sunday until 5 pm.

skywatch friday

2011-10-28T09:30:00.000-04:00

Since I returned home late Monday night from the sunny, blue-skied American Southwest the sky over Lakewood has been anything but sunny and blue-skied. (Bet you didn't even realize I was gone! ha ha)

Sorry today's photo isn't very dramatic - I snapped it on Tuesday as I was walking across the Detroit Avenue bridge - what I like about the photo is seeing the progression of our leaf-season and how there are fewer and fewer boats in the marina than the last time I checked in on the scene a couple days before I left town.

I'm happy to report there were quite a few workers working on those luxury townhouses - maybe they will be done before the decade is out!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

happiness is.....

2011-10-27T08:37:00.006-04:00

cuddling with a new puppy....

playing with a new puppy....

meeting the rest of the pack.....

....catching a little puppy nap!

wordless wednesday

2011-10-26T08:34:00.002-04:00

tag tuesday

2011-10-25T08:33:00.004-04:00

When I saw this tag my immediate thought was that it read thankful and thought what a lovely sentiment - however, when I showed the snap to someone else said they read think full - which given the space and the extra L, I have to admit that's probably what was the driver was expressing.

skywatch friday

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Lakewood's now closed St. James Catholic church is set against a crystal clear blue autumnal sky. Despite a healthy congregation and being designated as a historically significant structure, Bishop Richard Lennon closed St. James parish in June 2010. What is to become of this outstanding building remains a mystery. Almost a year and a half after the parish conducted its last mass, "Save St. James" signs can still be found throughout the city.

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

waiting....

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sometime later this month Peter Diepenbrock sculpture will be erected in front of the Lakewood Public Library. I don't know about you, but I'm getting quite anxious to see what shape Mr. Diepenbrock's will take.

Does anyone know when the unveiling ceremony will occur?

wordless wednesday

2011-10-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

Tag Tuesday

2011-10-18T08:30:00.002-04:00

Nice Ass!

boo!

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Some folks really pull out all the stops when it comes to decorating their yards and homes for Halloween.

I wonder if Halloween has now exceeded Christmas in terms of decorations.....

skywatch friday

2011-10-14T08:21:00.003-04:00

Today's photo was taken yesterday from the Detroit Avenue bridge looking down at the Emerald Necklace Marina. For the last few days the sky has been heavy with clouds and we've had bouts of intermittent rain. One can see the leaves just starting to turn, the boats are still in the marina and the luxury condos are still under construction (the first photo of this construction project appeared on the snap in August 2010!)

By the way, today's photo is from the same bridge as last week's skywatch Friday photo, just looking in the south instead of north!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

zoom, zoom

2011-10-13T08:36:00.005-04:00

Located on the corner of Detroit and Mathews Avenue in western Lakewood is the Pride of Cleveland, the place to fulfill all your scooter dreams. When I walked into the showroom the other day I was first struck by the dazzling array of two wheeled vehicles - primarily scooters, but the shop also carries electric bikes, and motorcycles (Royal Enfield and vintage).

The next thing that caught my attention was the no pets t-shirt worn by James. Animal lover that I am was instantly aghast, so of course I asked James what's up!

Contrary to my impression, and many others I was told, the shirt isn't an expression of anti-animal sentiment at all. In fact quite the opposite and a cheeky Vespa promo. If one opens the storage compartment of a Vespa scooter one will discover a little 'no-pets' icon - the company included the sticker after reports came in of people putting small pets into the storage compartment - seeing that the compartment sits right on top of the engine not a good thing to do.

Along with selling scooters, electric bikes, and motorcyles, the shop services said vehicles. The shop is located at 18636 Detroit Avenue - check out their website to learn more.

wordless wednesday

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

tag tuesday

2011-10-11T07:55:00.003-04:00

Jeff says peace & love, man!
Woo Too!

harvest time

2011-10-10T08:26:00.006-04:00

According to Scott, the fire fighter shown in today's snaps, the garden in front of Firestation #2 was most bountiful this year.

While talking with Scott I was most impressed with the richness of the soil and asked if they are composting. He said the soil was indeed rich but as of yet the firehouse hasn't started composting, although he then went on to say, that starting up on-site composting is on his list of goals for the firehouse.

In addition to peppers and tomatoes, the firehouse has a nice harvest of fingerling potatoes. Unfortunately my conversation with Scott was cut short, while we were talking a call came in and as we all know when a call comes to a firehouse, time is of the essence!

skywatch friday

2011-10-07T09:09:00.004-04:00

For the last few days the sky above has been crystal clear, the trees are slowly turning -- in a week or ten days they should be at their autumnal peak of color.

The forecast is for a perfect Indian Summer weekend. Have a good one!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

tailgating

2011-10-06T09:00:00.001-04:00

I stopped to chat with a couple of the hard-working crew from the "Lakeland project" yesterday. They were enjoying a bit of sun with their lunch.

Foundation work for the new CVS building has started, but surprisingly there's still a building left on the block. Curious cat that I am wondered what the skinny is about this last building. I was informed that demolition work is proceeding but at a cautious and diligent pace - there's asbestos in the building so proper abatement is ongoing to remove the nasty stuff. If you are walking by this corner, cross the street and give the building a wide berth!

wordless wednesday

2011-10-05T08:00:00.001-04:00

Tag Tuesday

2011-10-04T08:30:00.004-04:00

"YOU'RE FIRED!"

You have a bad comb-over!

random snap

2011-10-03T10:13:00.002-04:00

It appears that there is more than one Edward Scissorhands in Lakewood!

busytown

2011-09-30T09:24:00.004-04:00

As promised an update on what I'm calling "the Lakeland project" - the photo above was taken this week.

Bye, bye trees.

The photo below was taken two weeks ago.

open case

2011-09-29T08:15:00.003-04:00

The Case of the Summer Reader at the Lakewood Public Library is closed but a new case is open - this time it is the case of the missing mouse. Sitting on the librarians desk in the Children's & Youth Services area is a colorful stuffed mouse - until the wee human returns to claim his or her mouse, it will be well cared for - hmmm, I wonder if this is a book mouse!

This week the Library's Fall Programs begin. It is not too late to register - unless a session is full, registration is continuous.

The Fall session continues until mid November. For more information on the library's programs for children simply click here. Children's programs include Just Baby N Me (9 months - 2 years); Storylore (for children 3 1/2 and up); Shake, Rattle, and Roll (2-6 year olds) - descriptions of these and other programs can be found on the link above.

wordless wednesday: morning mew

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

Tag Tuesday

2011-09-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Could that be Fulton J. Sheen with a buzz cut?

random snap

2011-09-26T08:00:00.002-04:00

Who knew Edward Scissorhands moved to Lakewood!

power lifting

2011-09-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

I'm always quite impressed by the creativity and ingenious methods the trainers at CrossFit Cleveland come up with to add variety to their group work-outs. The other afternoon I passed a couple of their team members coming and two hours later another couple going. One thing that I noticed is they sure look happy, well postured and strong - gotta be strong if you're walking around holding a 45 pound weight over your head!

drumroll please

2011-09-22T08:00:00.003-04:00

In July the Snap mentioned that earlier this year Mickey and Ryan Krivosh assumed ownership of Lakewood's 3 Birds restaurant. They have made a commitment to maintain the excellent service, food, and reputation of 3 Birds; however, under the conditions of the sale, the new owners were obligated to change the restaurant's name. On Tuesday Mickey and Ryan threw a party for a few hundred friends in order to ceremoniously announce the new name. At precisely 5:30 PM Mickey and Lakewood Mayor Michael Summers pulled back the curtain and unveiled the restaurant's new name - Georgetown.
In the photo above accompanying Mickey and the Mayor when the curtain was raised, to the left of the Mayor is Mickey's son and co-owner Ryan and long-time Executive chef Rachael Spieth.

The inspiration for the new name comes from the restaurant's location and Lakewood history. The complex of buildings where the restaurant is nestled is referred to as Georgetown Row based on the architectural sensibility of the buildings. The building complex was once home to the Bonnie Bell cosmetic company. Mickey also mentioned on Tuesday that he will continue paying homage to the city's history and the legacy of the property when he opens an adjacent jazz and blues club in 2012 - he announced that the name for the new music venue will be Club Ten-O-Six .

In case you missed the party, here's a little taste of the fun!

wordless wednesday: morning mew

2011-09-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

tag tuesday

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Found her!!

random snaps

2011-09-19T08:22:00.004-04:00

Seasonal games....

...good catch!

skywatch friday

2011-09-16T09:15:00.000-04:00

While cutting through a nearby park yesterday I experienced a bit of skywatching excitement. Some of the excitement came from just watching the heavy cloud mass move east - leaving behind a beautiful blue sky littered with puffy bright white clouds. However, more excitement came from watching two hawks at play with a group of crows (or which every wordlover knows is properly called a murder of crows). The top snap focuses on one of the crows and one of the hawks frolicking against the clearing sky.

No sky in the photo below but I thought it was cool how after chasing each other the birds then chilled together in a line on a nearby fence. If you look closely you can count 5 crows and two hawks.

In addition to playing with the crows, the hawks also played with each other. To my amateur birdwatching eye, the hawks appear to be Northern Harrier hawks - which are also called Marsh Hawks.

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

busytown

2011-09-15T08:59:00.007-04:00

There are a lot of people wearing green-shirts working along Detroit Avenue these days! Many of these folks are part of the various crews working on a project aimed at reducing the number of overhead wires crisscrossing the streets and intersections.

For the next several months work will be taking place on Lakewood's main drag to replace the suspended traffic lights that hang over intersections with the armed type of traffic lights that require underground wires instead of overhead wires.

Both of today's photos represent workers involved in this city project. In the short run this project may be a bit of an inconvenience, but in the long run we will all be grateful to the enhanced and streamlined feel of our main street.

Thanks guys and good luck with the work!

wordless wednesday:morning mew

2011-09-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

tag tuesday

2011-09-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Okay, anyone have a clue as to the message of this tag?

never forget

2011-09-12T08:40:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of the horrific events of 2001. Like many communities Lakewood had a ceremony to mark the occasion and to honor and pay tribute to those who died.

A new memorial statue was unveiled yesterday in front of the main firehouse on Madison Avenue. The memorial is constructed from steel beams which were recovered from the World Trade Center in NYC. I wasn't on hand for the ceremony as I was out of town, but did drop by later in the day when after returning home. You can see a brief video of the ceremony at the News Channel 5 website in addition to reading their brief account of the event.

skywatch friday

2011-09-09T08:08:00.004-04:00

The sky doesn't look afire like last week, but it is still dramatic with subtle peachy undertones and rolling banks of clouds.

Lots of clouds and rain this week - if only we could send some of this rain down to fire-ravaged Texas!

To see more photos of the sky around the world, visit here.

random smiles

2011-09-08T08:35:00.005-04:00

Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it.

~Author Unknown

I met these two sisters from Thailand last week while on one of my walks - I was smitten by their colorful clothes and radiant smiles.

Lakewood has always been home to people immigrating to America from distant lands. At the turn of the 20th century, Lakewood's immigrant groups came from Europe - today in the early years of the 21st century, the groups that come and reside in Lakewood come from all over the world - Asia, Africa, Europe, and Central and South America! According to an article in the recent newsletter from the Lakewood city schools, there are more than 40 language groups represented by the student body.

wordless wednesday: morning mew

2011-09-07T07:00:00.001-04:00