Eating Well in the City: West Side Market

One thing is for sure; the city offers some amazing spaces, great architecture and interesting places.  We live only 40 miles away from Cleveland and manage to go downtown every once in a while.  When we do, discovering the food it has to offer has to be top on our list. 

The food doesn't have to just come from a restaurant either.  As a matter of fact, visiting its city market is one of my favorite places to go.  With roots going back to the 1840's - this market boasts of not only great food, but is full of history as well.  I end up feasting with my eyes as well as my appetite.

 

It is home to over a hundred vendors and believe me, they sell everything.  It's an eater's paradise.  The variety is endless and begs of repeat visits to at least get a glimpse of all that is for sell.

This leads me to my next thought...Eating well in the city is actually easier than I would have thought.  Sure, you have to walk past all the racks and displays of cookies, pastries, cakes, and candy (it's really ok to nibble along the way) to find some vendors that offer artisan breads, cheeses, and produce.   

A city market does so much for the local economy.  It provides small businesses great opportunities to thrive and grow.  It provides an outlet for small farmers and gardeners who need to sell produce.  It encourages artisanal foods and recaptures old world methods of growing, baking, cooking and eating. 

 

 It also is a vast artistic display that encourages creativity not only in food but in the way we think about food.  There's no way I'm thinking about french fries and pizza here...too many other great foods to discover and explore.

It really is a center and a gathering place for young and old alike to celebrate ethnic heritages, great food and learn new traditions.

 

With this constant traffic flow of produce and food from the burbs and countryside, it ensures the quality of food for many urban dwellers.  I am almost thinking that it's a bit easier for them to eat well at least when it comes to having more healthful choices.  

 

 

I know we ate really well that day and came home with some prizes too.  With new vendors selling Black Tuscan Kale and other organic produce, I felt as if I was walking through a garden. Looks like city pavement owners have their own bit of livin' in the green as well.

 

What's your favorite town or city market space?  Blessings!



For more info on the West Side Market, click here.

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Tea Time at Rosepoint Cottage

Every year for Mother's Day, I will take my mom, mother-in-law and sister to a local tea house for lunch.  I don't know what it is about tea houses; they are all so frou-frou and lacey with ruffles and every shade of pink and blue imaginable.  But they are also irresistible to my feminine side.   I can't help but enjoy the bone china and sugar cubes in crystal bowls...too fun.  We always have a great time together...catching up on news for the past few months and getting reacquainted in the process.


Tea houses were a big fad in the late 80's and early 90's when dusty rose and country blue were all the rage.  Victorian was big back then and it was the perfect showcase for tea.  I started going to teahouses when I became obsessed interested in tea lots of years ago.  I love tea in flowery china or sturdy asian cups depending on the type served.  

This year I was missing my mom who passed away in April at the wonderful age of 86.  It was hard to see her go, but so glad she was my mom for the time she was here.  She was an amazing lady full of love, encouraging words for everyone and abundant smiles.  I know she's in a great place now and I'll have only the best memories of her for the rest of my life.

But keeping the tradition going, I went to one of few teahouses still open in the area with my youngest son and wonderful mother-in-law.  We had a really fun time together and the day outside was sunny and beautiful.  So, here are a few highlights of the tea house we went too called Rosepoint Cottage in Chardon, Ohio.  It's a small century home remade into a really great place to spend an afternoon.

We all decided on the "Cottage Chicken Pot Pie" for lunch.  It was hearty, creamy and delicious topped with puffed pastry.  Yum.  

Edible garnishes with the pot pie

Digging in to deliciousness.

Old meets new...tea and texting

A really great day together...lots of love and fun!

Thanks for hanging out with us for our time together...I can't believe how blessed I'm am with such an amazing family!! 

Happy Mother's Day to you all!  Blessings!

Love you Mom!

Check out these posts on tea parties as well...Vintage Tea Room Fun 
and Mother's Day Tea Party.



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Cleveland: A Day in the City

Even though I'm a "girl from the burbs," I love to explore this city that is located only 40 miles west of us.  It's like a new frontier to me and even though it lacks somewhat in the color "green," it explodes with symmetry,  textures, and shapes that entice me to want to explore.

I have a few shots that I edited to capture the feel of some of the places we visited in the month of February of last year.  We were attending a ministry school then and were in the Cleveland area every weekend.  We spent one Saturday touring different sections of the city and learning about its history and getting to talk to a few people there as well.

One of Cleveland's historical colleges

  
One of my favorite stops was at the Baldwin-Wallace College.  It's a small campus but has the most amazing old buildings that make you stop to look and contemplate.

Cleveland was founded in 1796 and named after one of its directors, founders and surveyors - General Moses Cleaveland.  Surely not as old as our east coast cities and a real babe when compared to Europe; it still makes the city even more interesting as we realize that we're glimpsing back at our own historical beginnings.
 

The best place to take a break from a day trip...a local coffee house in the historic section of Tremont in Cleveland.  The woodwork was rich and dark; reminding me of the deep colored oaks of my grandparent's house.  Oh, and the coffee was pretty amazing too.
 

After a pretty great lunch at Mama Santa's , a simple place but one with award-winning Italian cuisine, we took a stroll outside to soak in the local atmosphere of this immensely charming neighborhood.  Full of cafes, art shops and bakeries; you could easily spend a whole day here alone.
 

In the heart of the industrial section of Cleveland, right by the Cuyahoga River.  Not only is Cleveland located right along Lake Erie, but the river runs through it as well making it a logical place for industry and transport.  It quickly grew in the 1800's.

Sorry I have no shots of the downtown area, but we didn't go there that day.  However, it was fun being able to see some of its neighborhoods and checking out some local places instead of heading only to a museum or play.

Overall, Cleveland has had its ups and downs economically through the years, but it continues to grow and revitalize as many of the districts are slowly being rebuilt and restored.

A very enjoyable glimpse into another "world."  

Blessings!

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Winter's Blues

As we head into this winter season, nature's color palette shifts to beautiful blues.  Winter seems to slip into these colors as easily as we put on our most colorful denim jeans and leave us with the same comforting feelings as well.  Frosty turquoise and brilliant periwinkle shimmer in the glint of ice and snow; on land and in the sky. So in ode to these tranquil blues; here are a few photos to warm up any azure chills...

The shores of Lake Erie, northeast Ohio in January

I carefully made my way to the beach through a rutted snow covered path to take these few photos.  It was getting on in the afternoon, so the light wasn't very good but I couldn't resist taking a few pictures anyway.  The glinty ice covered boulders (used as a surf break) and the bracing north wind reminded me in seconds that it was a full on winter blast here on the northern shore. 

The wind was especially strong on this day and though it's hard to tell in the photos, the waves were big for our "little" great lake.  Bigger than I've seen them for sure, at least since Hurricane Sandy came through, and those waves were scarily amazing.  
Because of the way the lake and where we live are situated, we are able to receive lots of "lake effect snow" here.  It has to do with temperatures, warm for the lake and cold in the air, wind patterns coming across the lake and the lake NOT being frozen.  So, open water means lake effect snow can come at a moment's notice.  Because we live so close to the shore, we normally don't get dumped on as much as those a little south of us do...but it's still shoveling just the same!

So, snow season is upon us and I have to say, once the roads are clear, I don't really mind.  It's so much prettier to look at then the mossy dark green of the hibernating grass and brown muddy paths throughout the landscape.  Give me the brilliant blues of winter...perfect for resting and dreaming of springtimes to come...

What do you enjoy about winter?  

Be blessed! 

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Fall-ing for A Covered Bridge...

  Out for lunch on a chilly fall day, my mom and I decided to drive the long way back home and drove by this local park and covered bridge. 

I think fall is the perfect time to visit historic places, something about the color of the leaves and general feel of the season that draws you a bit closer to history.  Even though the day was cloudy and drizzly, I managed to snap a few photos of our fall at its peak.  

 

Here are some wild aster flowers alongside the bridge... I love the beautiful blue color of its petals.  It's not a color you see often in plants, especially in the "wild."

Here's the bridge entrance on foot.  Wood never looked so good against all the golds and reds of the trees.

The bridge was built in 1868 with some repairs through the years...

You know I had to sneak in another flower picture somewhere.... :)

 

 This cantilevered walkway was added in 1992 during a large renovation on the bridge itself.  It beckons its visitors to come and take a walk...and I couldn't refuse the invite!

 

There's a park and picnic area along the shore to the left in this photo.  The bridge always attracts plenty of fisherman in the summer as well.

It's pretty amazing to be driving across a wooden structure...you really need to roll down the windows a bit to capture the sound of the boards creaking as you go across.

Coming out the other side; a burst of sunlight and beautiful fall foliage.

The whole drive around the bridge was full of lots of beautiful trees...ahhh; this is why we love autumn!

Where's your favorite place to visit in the fall? 

Blessings! 

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The Great Geauga County Fair: An A-Fair to Remember

A curious thing happens every time September rolls around...we get this tremendous hankering to go to our favorite fair.  Not sure why it happens.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that we live in a tightly packed lakefront community with nary a chicken around.  The only beasts that inhabit our neighborhood space are the canine variety (in all the largest sizes) and your random three wheelers that roar down the streets at any time of day.  We love where we live, but there is something very compelling about visiting the barnyard animals, crafts, and food of the fair.  This fair has the distinction of being the oldest county fair in Ohio and it's the vintage parts of the fair we enjoy the most.

 

So, join us for a quick visit around.  I tried to condense as many of the pictures as possible so you get a good idea of what it's like.  If you live locally by this fair, you will really want to make it next year...it's too fun and sweet to miss.

 

On our way!  First stops are at the fair buildings housing all the art, crafts, baked goods, and produce...

The apples looked amazing..

 

 I always think I'll enter some of my vegetables like this Delicata winter squash pictured above right, but I never remember in time.  However, there's always next year!

One of my next favorite stops; gardening, arts and crafts.

  

SERIOUS arts and crafts!

 

And it's not the fair without all the animals..

  

 This wascally wabbit won a blue ribbon...had to get a picture of him.

Drawing inspiration from the duck barn, we have the classic "duck face" pose.

We love to support 4-H and milkshakes seem like the perfect opportunity...

The fair has a huge section complete with man made lake to showcase the park system of the northeast area of the state.  They have dog demos showing retrievers in action, fishing for the kids and archery.  Not to mention nature/bird displays as well as a few classes.

Music, from folk to classic band is always around the corner.  This shady spot away from the midway was a great place to relax and take a break from the sweltering heat that day.

Just a glimpse inside a fabulous day but I must leave you with one more memory....

Visit the Great Geauga County Fair and you can own your own too...blessings!!

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