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Dinner-for-two, prix fixe specials and competitions in 56 local eateries for weeklong event
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
The 10
Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week
will kick off this Friday, Feb. 17, in a 10-day competition between downtown restaurants for the title of Restaurant of the Year, as well as a chance for diners to shake off the winter blues and get out to enjoy discounts at some of Cleveland's best and newest restaurants.
"The whole reason we produce Downtown Restaurant Week at this time of year is because February tends to be a slower month," says Heather Holmes, marketing and public relations director of event host Downtown Cleveland Alliance (
). "It gives people the opportunity to get out to downtown and try something new."
Fifty-six downtown restaurants will participate in Restaurant Week this year — with both the old favorites and some newcomers to the scene — and will offer prix fixe lunch and dinner menus for $15, $20 and $40.
"Some of the restaurants even use those prices for dinner-for-two specials," says Holmes, adding that
Rose's Braai
in the Arcade plans to offer a two-for-$15 lunch special. Many newcomers, like
Parker's Downtown
in the Kimpton Schofield,
Nuevo Cleveland
Raving Med
the Burnham
— just to name a few of the 12 new restaurants that opened downtown last year — will also be participating.
Another newcomer,
Chicago's Chicken and Waffles
, at 1144 Prospect Ave. in Playhouse Square, chose not to participate this year.
This year, local chefs and restaurateurs in six districts — Public Square/Tower City, Gateway, Playhouse Square, Campus District, Warehouse District and the Flats — will also compete in
The Hungry Games: Battle of the Districts for the title of Best Dining District.
"It's a fun thing for the chefs to get behind, and what's better than a little friendly competition" says Holmes of the battle. "I thought it would be fun to see the Zach Bruell [places] bringing their game and competing against the Michael Symon places."
The winning district earns bragging rights, says Holmes, as well as a mention in an upcoming issue of
Cleveland Magazine
Other categories during Restaurant Week are Judge's Choice, Best New Restaurant and Restaurant of the Year. Diners can view the
participating restaurants
and their menus, as well as vote for their favorites. For every vote cast, diners earn a chance to win free downtown dining for a year.
Last year, judges chose
Johnny's Downtown
as their favorite, while diners picked
Elements Bistro
Cleveland Chop
took home Restaurant of the Year. The
Rusty Anchor at Music Box Supper Club
claimed the award for "most mouthwatering," says Holmes.
Additionally, DCA will host a
kick-off party
this Thursday, Feb. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the
Hyatt Regency Cleveland
in the
, 401 Euclid Ave. Attendees can sample selections from more than 30 participating restaurants, enjoy cocktails from the cash bar and shop the Arcade's retailers.
"Sponsors will parachute gifts off the balconies," promises Holmes, and a panel of celebrity judges will name the Judge's Choice establishment.
are $25, with all proceeds going to DCA's
GeneroCity Cleveland
, an organization dedicated to helping the city's homeless population find permanent housing, get job training and other assistance. The Kick-off party is for people ages 21 and older.
Perkoski's 'These Walks of Life' is a study in frozen motion
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Those who walk religiously know the activity can be highly personal. A walking person may be in a rush. They may be deeply engaged in thought or a complex audio experience. They may be giggling over a podcast. Perhaps they are misting up over a lover's last whisper. Maybe they're tired. Maybe their feet hurt. Maybe those feet are the only mode of transportation they have.
In a new solo show, "These Walks of Life," Fresh Water's managing photographer
Bob Perkoski
has captured the essence of walking and its nuances with a collection of more than 40 images on display at
Negative Space Gallery
, 3820 Superior Avenue. "Walks" will run through mid-February.
The practice started out casually, with Perkoski taking clandestine photos capturing images of people while he drove around town – to and from shoots, grocery runs, wherever. Eventually, it became an intentional cataloging.
"I consciously started doing it in 2012," says Perkoski. "I put my camera on a high shutter speed so I'd catch it fast without getting a blur." The entire collection numbers in the hundreds and also includes people waiting for the bus or just standing along the street. Yet another category includes photos of bicyclists.
"I have people sitting on the corner, laying in the street," says Perkoski of some of his other images that are outside the scope of "Walks."
As for those included in the show, he took them at points all across town, including Playhouse Square, Ohio City, Clark Fulton, Little Italy, Woodland Avenue and Slavic Village among others. There are also two shots from out of town, one taken in London and another in Chicago.
All of the images are evocative and ironic in the sense that they are frozen images depicting motion. To be sure, the static background in each photo lends scale and contrast to the moving subject. One of the most jarring aspects of the show is also one of the most subtle: the voyeuristic feel of the images cannot be ignored – the majority of the walkers had no idea they were being photographed.
"I try to catch people that aren't looking at me. I just want them to be natural," says Perkoski of his subjects.
"You're wondering what they're doing and where they're going and what they're thinking."
"These Walks of Life" is on view on the second floor of
Asian Town Center
, which is a fascinating mall worthy of a visit on its own. The gallery housing Perkoski's work is in an annex to Negative Space and open for visitors whenever the mall is open, which is seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contact
Negative Space
for extended evening hours.
Downtown Days rolls on with a Doggy 'Yappy Hour,' art, music, yoga and fun
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
With more than 14,000 living in downtown Cleveland today, and more residential living on the way, the
Downtown Cleveland Alliance
(DCA) decided it was time to celebrate – celebrate both the residents already settled and attract those who are thinking about moving downtown.
So this week marks the first annual
Downtown Days
, a week of community-building events for downtown residents and people who just want to get an idea of what downtown living is like. The celebration began yesterday with a retail sidewalk parade. "Think New Orleans Mardi Gras parade meets flash mob meets fashion show," said Heather Holmes, DCA director of marketing and public relations, of the opening event. And there's plenty more to come, with activities running through Sunday, Sept. 18.
"With the downtown residential community growing very fast, Downtown Days is kind of like the home days you see in suburban cities," says Holmes. "We have over 30 different events and activities throughout the week, many of which take place on a regular basis on a normal day in downtown Cleveland."
The action continues today
- particularly for area canines, as six bars in the Warehouse District will host a dog-friendly Yappy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m. "Anyone who's walked downtown lately will see almost as many dogs as people," said Holmes. "The
Velvet Dog
's rooftop will be the 'wooftop' and the
Barley House
will be the 'Barkley House.'" The establishments along W. 6
Street will also have special appetizers for the four-legged friends. For instance,
Johnny's Downtown
will be serving meatball sliders.
- For the artistic types, artist
Mac Love
will be creating another mural under the Main Avenue Bridge. Artists are invited to tag their own space in chalk with Chalk Stop on Main Avenue from 6 to 8 p.m.
- The Kimpton's famous wine hour, open only to downtown residents, is already sold out.
- North Coast Namaste will host its weekly free lakefront yoga at North Coast Harbor from 6 to 7 p.m.
On Wednesday
, North Coast Harbor will take center stage during
North Coast Rockin'
, beginning with
Rock & Dock
paddle boat racing. Chalk Stop moves to the skate park with artist
Trisha Previte
. The
Great Lakes Science Center
, which is usually closed in early September for its annual fall cleaning and maintenance, will have a variety of activities and experiments for families and children from 6 to 9 p.m.
- The
Rock Hall
will host Lower Dens during its
Sonic Sessions
from 8 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $5, which includes admission to the Power and Politics exhibit during the show.
- Regular events include
Walnut Wednesday
and a
Take a Hike Tour
of the Warehouse District. Hike over to Playhouse Square on Thursday and the Gateway District on Saturday for additional downtown tours. Regular Yoga on the Green at Public Square will take place from 6 to 7 p.m.
is all about Playhouse Square with a
Wine Walk
from 5 to 8 p.m. District bars, restaurants and retailers will offer food and drink specials. Those who register and sign up for
Downtown Center Stage
, Playhouse Square's program for special offers and advance ticket sales will get a chance to win season tickets to the 2016-2017
Broadway Series
- Chalk Stop rolls into Perk Plaza with artist Trisha Previte from 6 to 8 p.m.
will host a local craft beers and bratwurst from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The event is free but there is a $5 fee for the beer tasting. Take a photo under the store's classic rotunda and tag it using #DowntownDaysatHeinens for a chance to win a $50 Heinen's gift card.
North Union Farmers Market
will hold its weekly market at Public Square from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The weekend
is jam-packed with events, including Public Square's first
Downtown Oktoberfest
SPARX City Hop
and the
play the Detroit Tigers Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
"All of our partners kind of tried to outdo one another, and it all just came together," Holmes says of the week's events. "It really will build a sense of community among the residents."
In addition to the 14,000 currently living downtown, another 1,000 units are under construction and scheduled to be available by the end of 2017 with another 2,300 units coming by the end of 2018, according to Holmes.
"We should have 18,000 residents by the end of 2018," she adds, explaining that DCA calculates its numbers based on 1.5 people per unit. "If we're ever going to get a big box retailer downtown, we have to hit 20,000. Everyone has those nostalgic memories of retail shopping downtown."
Some businesses boom, others see a drought during RNC
Monday, July 25, 2016
When Cleveland first learned it would be hosting the RNC, business owners throughout the region prepared for a hefty increase in customers last week.
Pizza Fire
, which
a year ago on Euclid, saw steady business and the line from the just-opened REBoL in Public Square had lines out the door as attendees waited patiently for a one of 90 seats in the air conditioned space.
Bloom Bakery
, a social enterprise venture to help low income and disadvantaged adults achieve self-sufficiency through employment run by
Towards Employment
, opened its
Public Square location
in March and decided to stay open 24/7 during the convention week.
"Staying open for a convention like this is a gamble, says Logan Fahey, Bloom co-founder and general manager. "But for us it was more about the visibility of our mission and employing people." The bakery added an additional eight employees, hired from the
Salvation Army Northeast Ohio
, to its 15-person staff for the week.
The gamble paid off. "On Monday we had a steady flow of convention guests, and then Tuesday through Thursday it really picked-up and we had built a loyal convention customer base that sustained us through the week," Fahey says. "Most of the customers were international media guests who utilized Bloom's chic cafe atmosphere and free Wi-Fi."
Fahey reports that media tended to stay in Bloom until 2 a.m., before catering to the bar crowds in the wee hours of the morning.
seven temporary retail stores
that set up shop in the
for the RNC saw a steady stream of business as visitors popped in and out of the historic mall on Euclid. Actress and Cleveland native Monica Potter was on hand in her
Monica Potter Home
pop-up location for most of the week.
Store employee Stephanie Dietelbach said business was good last week, but they had yet to make a decision on whether the store would make the Arcade a permanent home. She said the decision would be made in early August.
While businesses around the city center saw a hefty draw of customers, anything outside of a two-block radius was a ghost town. Even area bars and restaurants that had booked private events during the convention reported that they saw a decrease in their regular clientele.
in Playhouse Square, which brought in a "security dog" – Reagan, an eight-year-old Dachshund – to greet and protect biergrarten guests, was popular with the few guests who opted to patronize the near-empty restaurant.
Yet Hofbrauhaus spokesperson Andrea Mueller was upbeat about the week. "Business was slow," she says. "A lot of the folks that would normally come down didn't. We did have some private parties, so those were our saving grace. But, it's the price we had to pay for such a great event to come into town."
The bars along West 25
Street in Ohio City, many of which had secured the 4 a.m.
provisional liquor license
, sat open, waiting for business. While many of the bars along the strip had booked
private parties for the RNC
Market Garden Brewery
, among other establishments, saw a marked lack of traffic and begged folks to come out on its
Facebook page
, posting photos of an empty bar at 4 a.m.
"We've been very busy, but our business volume has been inverted," owner Sam McNulty said last week. "Instead of a lot of foot traffic and a few events, we've been tremendously busy with events and have seen very little of our local guests and regulars."
By the time RNC came to a close and the visitors cleared out of the city, business was back to normal and the regulars began flocking back to their usual haunts.
"I miss my regular customers," said the young woman manning the cash register at Jake's Pizza last Tuesday. "I can't wait for Monday."
Local venues brim with bookings for RNC
Monday, May 09, 2016
Some 50,000 people are expected to descend on Cleveland for the
Republican National Convention
this summer, including 2,470 delegates, 2,302 alternate delegates and 15,000 members of the media. As the July 18-21 dates draw near, many of Cleveland's popular entertainment and arts sites are seeing a great deal of interest in, and reservations for, private events.
About 70 establishments have registered as preferred venues in the RNC
official venue guide
Fresh Water
talked to event planners at just a handful of locations around the city about their RNC private event bookings. And while organizers won't divulge all the details, excitement is definitely building.
The Breen Center
One event that officials can talk about is the announcement that Comedy Central's
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
will be taping from July 19 through 22 at the
Breen Center for the Performing Arts
at St. Ignatius High School.
"They approached us some time ago looking for a venue," says St. Ignatius director of communications Lisa Metro. "It's a beautiful venue. It's the most comfortable place to see a show."
While the Breen Center parking lot will be reserved for the show's trucks, the St. Ignatius student parking lot will be reserved for audience members. Metro says the center seats more than 300 people and has wheelchair access.
Other than the parking accommodations, Metro says the other details are being left up to
The Daily Show
staff. "The proceeds [from the rental] will be reinvested in the St. Ignatius education fund," she adds.
Tickets for all four days of taping have already sold out.
Nearby on W. 25
Street, Nathan Carr, events coordinator for
Market Garden Brewery
Bar Cento
Nano Brew
Bier Market
, has booked events at all the bars, mostly for state delegates, he says.
"Our arrangement is a little unique because we are multiple locations in one city block," Carr says of the restaurant group. "One state requested beers from their home state. [The groups] want a lot of the same stuff, but we're tweaking it a little to make it unique for everyone."
Carr says that, beginning in July, they are making menu changes to give conventioneers a true taste of Cleveland. "We're creating really neat new things to give them a unique Midwest/Cleveland experience," he says. "They're coming from all over the country and maybe haven't had the Midwest farm-to-table experience."
One parameter Carr says they must follow for the delegate events is that no forks, knives or spoons can be used. "They aren't able to use utensils on the premises," he says. "It's an opportunity to create mouth-sized kinds of food, snackable finger food kinds of items."
For instance, Carr says they are partnering with
Mitchell's Ice Cream
to give guests a scoop of ice cream as they board their transportation back to their hotels, but they had to order little wooden paddle spoons for eating the ice cream.
Carr says he has booked groups ranging from 80 people to a complete buyout of one location for an event for 700. They are still in the process of booking additional groups. However, Carr urges the locals to come out to W. 25
as well.
"With all the hype," he says, "it's really important for Clevelanders to come out and see how this week-long event really benefits the city and really highlights the city."
The restaurant group is also working on a special brew for the convention: the GOP Pilsner, "as a shout out for the reason everyone's here that week," says Carr.
University Circle
University Circle's cultural attractions are also garnering interest from conventioneers. The
Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society
has already booked two events and has had "a number of showings," says center director Angie Lowrie, adding that they are hosting a delegate luncheon for about 100 people that will include a self-guided tour and an evening event for about 250.
Lowrie says the center will host a cocktail party paired with a tour of nearby
Lakeview Cemetery
. "There will be a big focus on Rockefeller and his roots in Cleveland," she says. "Weather-permitting, we will hold the cocktail hour in the outdoor garden and we will have a Rockefeller impersonator."
The center will also have a Rockefeller exhibit open during the convention week.
The History Center is also partnering with other WRHS facilities, such as the
Crawford Auto Aviation Museum
for a dinner and tour and the
Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel
for a fun diversion.
Elsewhere on East Boulevard, the
Cleveland Botanical Garden
has booked three events ranging from 120 to 400 people and has had "multiple groups come out for site tours," says rental facility associate Bridget Hays.
Hays adds that the Botanical Garden can host up to 500 people on the
Katherine Philipp Geis Terrace
for a cocktail reception, or smaller events in its meeting rooms or gardens.
"It's a great neighborhood," says Hays. "It's a fun side of Cleveland over here. This is a chance to show off to the delegates such great culture in the city and leverage our collection to raise visibility."
Playhouse Square
In Playhouse Square,
has made a few group bookings and is anticipating more. "We've received event inquiries and we're getting everything secure," says marketing and sales manager Andrea Mueller.
Mueller says some groups have rented the entire Hofbrauhaus space, which seats 1,600 and includes the bier hall, bier garden and the Hermit Club, while others have booked just one specific space for an evening.
While Mueller says she's heard that a groups tend to wait until the last minute to book their events, the Hofbrauhaus staff is already in planning mode. "We have customized menus with each of the groups," Mueller says. "We've been working very closely with our executive chefs. "We want to put our best foot forward."
Mueller says they have also gotten calls from other venues in the area who want to partner with Hofbrauhaus. "It's impressive how we come together to hold each other up," she says. "I've never experienced such outreach and symbiotic support. We're very excited to have this opportunity to show Clevelanders and guests alike what we have to offer."
Ohio Theatre returns to its 1921 splendor with renovations nearly complete
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
The restoration of
Playhouse Square
Ohio Theatre
lobby is almost complete, with the space returned to its original grandeur. The May completion will mark the final project on the Playhouse Square theater renovations list.
Last Saturday, Tom Einhouse, Playhouse Square's vice president of facilities and capital, led members of the
Cleveland Restoration Society
on a tour of the lobby, which has been shielded from public view by drywall during the restorations. He detailed the painstaking research and physical work that went into re-creating the 1921
Thomas Lamb
design. Restoration began in June 2015.
"This is the transformation of the Ohio Theatre," Einhouse told the group. "We're just putting the finishing touches on it."
Einhouse explained that the theater lobbies were often updated every 10 years in the early days, sometimes covering the original design. Then the Ohio Theatre was damaged by a fire in 1964. A 1980s attempt at remodeling on a limited budget left the theater with painted drywall, dropped ceilings and linoleum floors.
"The happiest time of my life was getting rid of those," Einhouse told the group. The $5.5 million project was funded with a $3 million grant from the
George Gund Foundation
and $2 million from Playhouse Square's $100 million
Advancing the Legacy
campaign for capital improvements, endowment growth, neighborhood transformation, education programming and new productions.
Saturday's tour began in the State Theatre lobby and auditorium, where Einhouse pointed out the restored ceiling – painted in 14 different colors and used 6,000 sheets of metal leaf – plastering and new chandeliers. Twenty-five painters, 20 of them locals from
Dependable Painting
, stood on $140,000 worth of scaffolding to get the job done.
Einhouse also talked about the conversion to LED lighting, which provides better illumination, requires less maintenance and costs less.
The tour then moved on to the Ohio Theatre lobby. Before entering the Ohio Theatre lobby space, which is still surrounded by drywall, Einhouse made the group raise their right hands and swear they would not look up until he gave the word.
When he did, the group collectively inhaled at the ornate 150-foot long, hand painted ceiling. Jeff Greene, owner of
EverGreene Architectural Arts
in New York, worked with Cleveland architect firm
Westlake Reed Leskosky
and Einhouse to painstakingly research and recreate the original paint colors, plaster ornamentals, columns and other décor to accurately replicate the original design.
Turner Construction
and the
Coniglio Company
were the contractors on the job. The project took six months to complete.
The acrylic paint and glazes were all hand applied and wiped. Two of the painters on the EverGreene team, Mike and Jaime Carpenter of Hudson, were particularly pleased to be involved. While they normally travel the country for restoration projects, Einhouse said they were pleased to be working closer to home.
Research included delving into the Thomas Lamb archives at
Columbia University's Avery Library
. "We were able to find the original drawings," boasted Einhouse. Other reference photos came from Architectural Digest. Elements of the original ornamental plaster were found in a cove of the theater lobby and photos helped them match the look. Nearly, 8,500 hours of plaster sculpting went into the project. The sprinklers and air returns are cleverly hidden in the plaster ornamental elements of the ceiling.
"We were able to recreate it pretty accurately," says Einhouse. "Everything was created by hand. We used modern building techniques to recreate something very authentic."
Walls will be adorned with three 30-foot by 10-foot murals, recreated from the originals that were inspired by 17
Century French painter
Nicolas Poussin
. Six EverGreene artists worked on the canvas murals, which will be shipped from New York and installed in April.
Two fireplaces, four-foot high marble and mahogany accents will adorn the walls, in addition to display cases and columns. Historic chandeliers, although not the originals, will be restored, cleaned and rewired. The original carpeting is being recreated by
in England.
In addition to the lobby, a $900,000 restroom project included capping the sewage pipes and expanding the women's restroom by 40 percent. The entire restoration will be completed by May 15, ahead of the
Restoring the Legacy benefit gala
There were no snags along the way, said Einhouse. "We were able to peel back everything and get back to the original room," he says. "And we kept the theater open the whole time." While at times parts of the project were exposed, theatergoers only got "sneak peaks now and then" of the work going on in the Ohio.
"This could last 50 years," said Einhouse of the restoration.
Parnell's Irish Pub expands alongside Euclid Avenue development
Wednesday, March 09, 2016
Ever since
Parnell's Irish Pub
opened three years ago in Playhouse Square at 1415 Euclid Ave., it has been a hotspot for the working crowd, serving up perfect pours of Guinness Stout and a selection of 90 whiskeys and bourbons. The pub has been so popular that owner Declan Synnott decided it needed more room, so he bought the vacant restaurant space next door and began building an 800-square-foot addition in January, which is expected to open later this month.
"It turns out business is better than I thought it would be," Synnott says. "What we really need now is just more space so people can be more comfortable."
The original Parnell's Pub opened in Cleveland Heights in 1995 after Synnott moved to the city from his native Dublin, Ireland. He opened his second location in Playhouse Square in March 2013 to take advantage of the area's nightlife scene. The upcoming extension, Synnott suggests, takes influence from the recent development on Euclid Avenue.
The renovations, which were carried out by
Turner Construction
, were funded by Synnott and
Playhouse Square
. His wife, Liz, did the interior design, the majority of which features repurposed items. For example, the extension includes a 250-square-foot private room with an 18-foot-long U-shaped table made from old church pews. Light pendants fashioned from old bourbon-barrel wood and sconces made from the barrel's aluminum wrap illuminate the space. They also rescued barn doors from an old downtown firefighter training facility, which they are using to section off the room.
Parnell's is slated to host live bands and folk sessions in the new space by September.
Adding three new employees and space for about 45 additional patrons, Synnott is sure adding the new space was a no-brainer, especially because he estimates as many as 4,000 people on any given night descend on the district's five block radius.
"It's nice being shoulder-to-shoulder," Synnott says, "but I want my patrons to be, first of all, comfortable, you know? That's the atmosphere we've projected since we started [in Cleveland Heights] 19 years ago: a place to go after a hard day's work."
While Synnott planned for a St. Patrick's Day finish, city permit delays – due to construction projects for the RNC – pushed completion to a late March opening, but Synnott, who's awaiting his second child, isn't too bothered by missing the St. Patrick's Day goal.
"Would I like the space done? Yeah, of course," he says. "But one day ain't going to make us or break us."
Up to 250 new sharing bikes coming to the 216 ahead of the RNC
Tuesday, December 01, 2015
Bike Cleveland
has teamed up with the
Cuyahoga County
Department of Sustainability to secure 250 bikes for a bike sharing program in time for the Republican National Convention next July. The move is part of a larger countywide initiative.
"Over five years we need 700 bikes in 70 stations," explains Mike Foley, executive director of Cuyahoga County's Department of Sustainability.
In order to get started on that tall order, last month the team identified
as the preferred vendor for the new bike share system. Negotiations are ongoing, although Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (
) awarded the county $357,000 in federal funding to bring the plan to fruition. With 20 percent in matching funds, the group has $446,000 available to purchase the bikes.
"The federal government requires us to own these things at least for their usable life," explains Foley, "which is deemed five years." The program in its entirety will cost more, he adds, and will depend on a private-public partnership that relies on business and other private sponsors adopting stations and systems. Downtown will be the initial focus area for the first wave of bike stations.
The CycleHop-SoBi brand is a collaboration of two entities.
"CycleHop operates the system,"explains Foley. "SoBi manufactures the bikes," which he describes as sturdy and equipped with GPS systems. "Heaven forbid a bike is stolen or not returned," he says, "they'll be able to find it. It also helps figure out routes. They call it a smart bike. We were impressed with technology."
The bikes can also be locked anywhere.
"You don't have to go to a SoBi bike station," says Foley. "You can lock it up at regular bike stop and go get your coffee."
The versatility doesn't stop there. Although still tentative, Foley sees the program having flexible membership options, with yearly, monthly and weekly fee structures available, as well as an hourly rental system for one-time users.
As the program expands to reach that 700 number, Foley sees it reaching across the county.
"There are suburban communities that I know are interested in this. Cleveland Heights is chomping at the bit to be part of it," he says, adding that Lakewood has also expressed interest.
"We want this to be larger than just the city of Cleveland."
PRE4CLE issues grants for four new classrooms
Monday, August 24, 2015
, an extension of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District that
to expand high-quality preschool options across the city, has awarded three grants totaling $120,000 to start four new classrooms, each of which will house 20 preschoolers.
Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland
will open two of the new classrooms at the Oakwood Child Development Center, 9250 Miles Park Avenue. Another will be the first preschool classroom at
The Citizens Academy
, 10118 Hampden Avenue, which is operated by
The Centers for Families and Children
. The fourth will be at the Buckeye-Shaker Fundamentals Academy, 12500 Buckeye Road, under the umbrella of the Fundamentals Early Childhood Development Academy.
"The grants cover things like furniture, small tables, chairs and shelves," says Katie Kelly, PRE4CLE director, adding interactive toys, enrichment activities, books, puzzles and blocks to the list. "It's all the basic -- but very critical -- parts of a high-quality early childhood classroom."
The grants, which total $30,000 per classroom, will not cover any new construction, but the funds may be used to cover minor facility upgrades to make the spaces safe, healthy and inviting. In addition, the funding will cover staffing, but only for a short time.
"They have to hire the staff and have them on board before the state will give them their license," says Kelley of the chicken-or-egg dilemma. "That is a upfront cost; so the funds from the grants will also cover very short term staff costs that are related to that startup effort."
The areas impacted by the grants (Glenville, Buckeye-Shaker Square and Union-Miles) all have a demand for those preschool slots and are near the top of their supply capacity.
"Part of our effort is to strategically expand high quality programs in neighborhoods that are in the highest need," says Kelly. "These neighborhoods that were chosen have a variety of needs. We wanted to make sure that we continue to build access."
The Buckeye Road classroom is slated to open this November, with the CEOGC classrooms in Union-Miles opening by year's end. Citizens Academy in Glenville expects to have its preschool classroom ready for an early 2016 opening date. All of the grantees have space that's available and ready to be used for programs.
"These early childhood programs that are community based (and not within the public school district) operate on tight margins," says Kelley. "So something like opening up a new classroom can be cost prohibitive. We don't want that upfront cost to be a barrier and often it is."
While the grants do not fund tuition, which is usually covered by the families, childcare subsidies and federal and state funding, Kelly is glad to be creating high-quality learning spaces for the area's preschoolers.
"The grants are only for classrooms, but we think it's a great start," she says. "This is really our first brick and mortar venture into making sure that those neighborhoods have what they need," she adds. "This will serve 80 children, which we're really happy about."
Exclusive first look: the Creswell
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
A new boutique apartment building with a quirky history,
the Creswell
, 1220 Huron Road, is set to open with 80 luxury one- and two-bedroom apartments in Playhouse Square.
Move in dates will commence in September on the first six floors. Units on floor seven will be available in October. Floors eight through 11 are scheduled to start coming online in November, with all the apartments slated for completion by year's end. Thus far, 54 have been released to the market, and they are going fast.
"We have 44 hard reservations out of 80 units," says Jon Mavrakis, managing director of
CITIROC Real Estate Company
, who is representing the project partners, the Slyman Group and the
Dalad Group
Units will range from 773- to 1,162-square feet with rents from $1,275 to $1,920, although rents for the 11
floor two-bedrooms will top $2,000. North-facing apartments on the second floor will feature historic leaded windows.
Construction started in January.
is the architect on the project, which was awarded a $3.55 million state historic tax credit in 2013, and
Dalad Construction
is the contractor. The total cost is expected to be about $16 million.
The 1920 Creswell was originally constructed as a garage for
your great-great granddad zipped around in. Per the Aug. 15, 1920 Cleveland Plain Dealer (PD): "The south side of Huron Road at E. 12
Street is being improved with an eleven-story fireproof concrete structure with brick and terra cotta trimming that will house 800 cars." The Creswell was also built to last, with a footing of concrete piles that extended down 50 feet on account of quicksand (per the PD on Nov. 7, 1920).
"The subfloors are all about two-foot-thick concrete," says Mavrakis of the building's solid construction. "It's very quiet."
Hence, residents of the Creswell will not need to worry much about hearing the goings-on of their upstairs neighbors, which may include the four-footed variety. Two pets up to thirty pounds each will be allowed per apartment.
While the building has endured these 95 years, the garage went out of business in 1923, after which the structure was quickly reborn as the
Carnegie Hall Building
and was home to a host of businesses in the entertainment industry and local legends such as the
Cleveland Recording Company
Wyse Advertising
. The style back then? Just plain
The new Creswell will have plenty of cool of its own, with a 1,000-square-foot fitness center and a rooftop deck that is scheduled to open in spring of 2016. Parking will be available at the Halle Garage for an additional charge. The first floor will have a 4,000-square-foot restaurant, a tenant for which has yet to be placed.
"We're engaging some local operators," says Mavrakis. "We have a lot of interested people"
He adds that one of the best parts of bringing these unique and modern apartments to a vintage building in Playhouse Square is the storied surroundings.
"We feel this is the best neighborhood in the city."
Every Cleveland property to be photographed and rated
Monday, June 15, 2015
In a collaborative project between the City of Cleveland and the Thriving Communities Institute (
), which is a program of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy (
), more than 150,000 properties within the city (virtually every single one save for those dedicated to things such as roads, railways and utilities), will be visually assessed by September by a team of 16 people who are canvassing the city in teams of two. They started earlier this month.
"Their goal is to get 150 records a day," says Paul Boehnlein, associate director of applied geographic information systems for WRLC. That translates to 2,400 a day for the entire team. "They're doing really well. They're right up at that pace."
"They're almost done with all of Collinwood," adds Jim Rokakis, vice president of WRLC and director of TPI. "They're moving into Glenville."
Team members are equipped with mobile devices that have an array of information on each property, including the address, owner, whether or not there is mail service and utility service, tax delinquency status, etc.
"All the public data is there," says Rokakis.
They then make an assessment on whether or not the property is occupied or vacant and assess the general condition via a list of questions: Is there a structure? Is it boarded? Are there broken windows or doors? Is the siding damaged? Are there dilapidated vehicles in the yard? What is the condition of the porch and garage? Is the structure open or secure?
"The last step for them is to take a photograph," says Boehnlein.
"It will be the first survey of every property in the city attached to a photo and a rating system," adds Rokakis.
Data collectors are logging an estimated four to six miles a day, all on sidewalks or public right of ways. They were selected from a pool of more than 60 applicants and strive to keep their partner, who is usually working the opposite side of the street, within sight at all times.
"Safety is a really important consideration for this project," says Boehnlein.
Now for a bit of gloomy foreshadowing.
Last year, TPI was involved in
the same sort of survey for the city of Akron
that included more than 95,000 parcels. About 700 of them were categorized as being in need of demolition. That's less than one percent. When the organization conducted this sort of survey for the Saint Luke's Foundation on 13,000 properties in Cleveland's Mount Pleasant area (near Buckeye Road), "Eleven-hundred of them need to come down," says Rokakis. That's nearly 10 percent, which is a very troubling number and one that illustrates why the survey is so important.
"We need to know," says Rokakis, adding that estimates of the number of structures in Cleveland that require demolition go as low as 8,000, which would cost about $80 million.
"But what if it's actually 14,000 or 15,000?" poses Rokakis. "Well, do the math."
Boehnlein sees the project, which is supported in part by the
Cleveland Foundation
, as having another gentler impact. In addition to collecting valuable data for the WRLC and its partner organizations, he notes that those who own a vacant or abandoned property are struggling with a really difficult situation.
"If our work can help alleviate that situation," he says, "I'm pretty happy about that."
Small scale projects can be a big deal for downtown, says neighborhood group
Tuesday, June 02, 2015
In recent years, cities have utilized the concept of "tactical urbanism" to enhance downtown neighborhoods with short-term, community-based projects like pop-up parks and street art campaigns.
Cleveland planners have engaged the metro in its own urban improvement endeavors including
, an initiative that changed refurbished 8 foot by 20 foot shipping containers into startup small businesses. Livable city advocate Mike Lydon will discuss both local and national urbanism trends during a
June 11 luncheon
sponsored by
Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation
, Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation and PlayhouseSquare District Development Corporation.
Lydon is an internationally recognized urban planner as well as a partner in the
Street Plans Collaborative
, a group aiming to reverse suburban sprawl through walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. Lydon's talk is opportune for a downtown aiming to jumpstart ambitious change via low-cost, potentially high-impact techniques, says Tom Starinsky, associate director of both the Warehouse District and Gateway neighborhood organizations.
"Cleveland has a very strong community-led urban design community," Starinsky says. "(Lydon) is bringing these innovative ideas here so the city can stay in step with what's happening in the world."
Among other projects, the Cleveland organization has transformed parking spaces adjacent to the small-box stores into a pocket park. The park, decorated with shipping pallets converted into funky furniture, will host mini-concerts and other events, and is designed to be enjoyed by residents, office workers and visitors alike.
The Gateway District group, meanwhile, has plans for a
parklet and bike corral
on Euclid Avenue that will repurpose parking spaces in front of several businesses and create a semi-enclosed respite for pedestrians. In addition, the group is planning to build sidewalk parks throughout the neighborhood in areas where the pavement is especially wide, using a variety of seating types where people can sit and eat lunch.
Urban planner Lydon, who has promoted similar efforts throughout the world, believes tactical urbanism projects can scale up without losing their connection to the neighborhoods that spawned them. This connection is a vital condition for any enduring successes locally, says Starinsky, particularly if new projects can empower a generation of engaged citizens, urban designers and policymakers.
"People involved with the city know more than anyone what will make it livable," he says. "There are infinite ways to make Cleveland better long-term."
Flashstarts move aims to create centralized innovation hub on Public Square
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
business accelerator and venture fund recently moved from Playhouse Square to a much larger location in Terminal Tower for two basic reasons, says cofounder Charles Stack.
The first reason was to make it easier for startup companies to find stable office space. The second was to condense newbie entrepreneurial efforts into StartMart, a single, highly energetic nucleus where water cooler moments can foster new ideas and economic growth.
This concept of "engineered serendipity" began May 16th when Flashstarts, which provides coaching, funds and other resources to new companies that participate in a 12-week program, left for its new 30,000-square-foot headquarters on Public Square, a space six times larger than its previous office.
"I've been doing this for 30 years, and I've never been more optimistic about startups having the opportunity to turn this region into a powerhouse," says Stack, who began planning StartMart with fellow Flashstarts founder Jennifer Neundorfer last spring. "This move is a small step in that direction."
Flashstarts itself will be the hub's first official tenant in the lead-up to a public launch in September. Over the summer, the accelerator will engage the community for feedback on StartMart's design and begin identifying and communicating with potential members. Though the group's focus is on use of software and technology, Stack expects a diverse range of occupants to fill the space.
"It's wide open to anyone who wants to join," he says.
Participants will work in a flexible space where privacy is an option even as collaboration is encouraged. Ultimately, StartMart will stand as a focal point for large-scale innovation.
"We want this to be a global center for startups," says Stack. "Cleveland can be a great home base (for small businesses), and we need to play up that strength."
Odeon Concert Club to reopen in May after nine year hiatus
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Before it closed its doors in 2006, the Odeon Concert Club was a famous Flats entertainment venue that once hosted such eclectic acts as Nine Inch Nails, Björk and the Ramones. This spring, the sound of rock music will be shaking the walls of the East Bank club once more.
The Odeon is scheduled for a grand reopening on May 1st, in the same 1,100-capacity spot it held in the old Flats. Cleveland-based heavy metal group
will headline the event, kicking off what owner Mike Tricarichi believes can be a new era for the much loved rock landing place.
"I don't know if people are going to expect a nostalgia trip or whatever," says Tricarichi. "This is going to be a destination compatible with what's forecast to be on the street with the (
Flats East Bank
) project."
The Odeon's interior is getting revamped for its new iteration, Tricarichi notes. Though the room's basic design will remain unchanged, a new sound and lighting system will be installed. In addition, inside walls will be painted and the club's infamously grotty bathrooms will get an overhaul.
"Everything's going to be fresh," says Tricarichi. "We're trying to make people more comfortable."
Tricarichi, president of Las Vegas-based real estate company Telecom Acquisition Corp., owns both the Odeon and Roc Bar, a 250-capacity club located nearby on Old River Road. He bought the Odeon building in 2007, one year after it shut its doors. The decision to reopen Odeon came in light of early success Tricarichi has had booking acts at Roc Bar, which itself reopened in December.
"We opened Roc expecting it to bring people down here, and it did," Tricarichi says.
Along with Mushroomhead, the Odeon has set a date for a Puddle of Mudd show and is working on bringing in horror punk act the Misfits for an appearance. Tricarichi, who spends part of his time in Las Vegas booking hotel shows, also expects to host comic acts at the refurbished Cleveland club.
"I've produced Andrew Dice Clay shows in Vegas, and he wants to play here," he says.
As Tricarichi owns the building, he views re-opening the Odeon as a worthy, low-risk experiment that can be a key component of a revitalized Flats entertainment scene.
"It's a stepping stone," he says. "We can be a piece of what's happening down there."
reimagining cle tour highlights benefits of citywide grant program
Monday, July 28, 2014
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
recently offered a tour of its
Reimagining Cleveland
projects to showcase its successes and solicit ideas for the future of the program, which funds projects that reutilize vacant land for gardens, orchards, parks and yard expansions. CNP is currently completing an evaluation of Reimagining Cleveland, which has awarded three rounds of funding in five years.
Leaders say that these small-scale greening projects are critical to Cleveland's future because they fight blight, grow local food and even create jobs.
"We saw that there was a proliferation of vacant land and knew that we needed to have a response, to look at it as an asset rather than a liability," said Linda Warren, Senior Vice President of Placemaking with CNP, guiding a Lolly the Trolley bus. "Now the city is seen as a model for others around the country."
To date, Reimagining Cleveland has fostered 144 projects on 248 parcels of land. Warren admits that this is a drop in the bucket compared to Cleveland's vacant land problem -- there are more than 12,000 parcels in the city land bank, and an estimated 29,000 vacant parcels citywide. But she adds that already the program has made a significant impact in beautifying neighborhoods, increasing access to fresh, wholesome food, creating passive green space and stimulating local food startups.
For example, market gardeners in the program are banding together to launch a website to market their produce to restaurants. This is just one example of concepts that are being brought to scale thanks to Reimagining.
"This is about seeding -- pun intended -- entrepreneurs and concepts for what they can do with vacant land around them," said Warren. "It's also about seeding our own thinking. We want to figure out what's replicable and what's not."
Here are some of the highlights featured on the Reimagining Cleveland tour.
Watterson-Lake Learning Garden.
Special education teacher and Detroit Shoreway resident Michelle deBock helped create a school garden on W. 75th Street. Prior to receiving funding from Reimagining Cleveland, there was a vacant lot here, and before that, an empty house that was the target of arsonists. The narrow lot culminates in an arbor and picnic area that feels like a natural oasis.
League Park Garden.
Community gardens may be small, but they can have a big impact.
Veronica Walton
, an urban farmer in Glenville, created League Park Garden and named it to honor her father, who loved baseball. Her market garden uses harvested rainwater and contains hoop houses that allow farmers to grow crops 10 months a year. Walton sells produce at farmers markets in University Circle.
Chateau Hough.
Easily the most colorful project funded by Reimagining Cleveland is Hough resident Mansfield Frazier's
, which is now yielding its first grapes. The ex-con-turned-social-entrepreneur recently bottled his first vintage of wine, which he says is not only good, he can't make enough.
Frazier said that he was able to produce 1,000 bottles from his first vintage. He can't sell them yet, because the State of Ohio has not yet issued a liquor license. He claimed that demand is so high he could sell that amount five times over.
"When I applied to Reimagining Cleveland, I asked for the largest amount of money, and they said, 'What do you know about wine?'" Frazier said. "I told them I was an expert at taking the cork out of the bottle. That's all I know. But the vineyard is turning out great, and I've got the wine to prove it."
Frazier detailed the process he underwent to ensure success, including planting cold-hardy varietals and ensuring that the soil drained properly. The wine is made using a 60/40 blend -- 60 percent of the grapes are from his vineyard, 40 percent are from California. "People ask me, 'Why'd you do grapes?'" he said. "Because if I'd done bell papers, all you fine people wouldn't be standing here."
The entrepreneur says that he's employed 26 people so far, mostly young men who live in Hough and have been incarcerated or in trouble with the law. He's helped many of them find jobs. His next project, the
world's first biocellar
, is now under construction atop the foundation of an old house. Frazier expects to begin planting shitake mushrooms this fall, when the new League Park opens.
What's next.
Warren said that the success of Reimagining projects has often hinged on having an individual champion or group of champions. Yet how do leaders sustain these greening projects over a long period of time? In the most recent round of funding, the focus turned towards side yard expansions, because this is a simple, impactful way of reclaiming green space. Warren said that to continue the program, CNP must identify new funding sources, and that the focus will turn to making sure projects are sustainable and leveraging them for impact.
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Last week, two lucky girls had the chance to spend the day at Cambio. Ani and Kerri got to spend the day at Cambio to see how we work and even meet a few celebrity guests we had in studio. Check out their blogs about their day and some pictures. Thanks for coming in Ani & Kerri!
Ani's blog:
Today is Tuesday, June 21, 2011 and this day I go to Cambio with my friend Kerri Medders. We came here at 9:45 in the morning and went to the 3rd floor where the Cambio group is. Later Kerri and her mom came and we waited in the lobby, it was a nice lobby. Then a nice lady named Priya was the producer of Cambio and she took Kerri, my mom, Kerri's mom and I to her office and our moms were talking to Priya to get our exciting day started. We first watched the meeting they did in a room and talked about the schedule for the week. Then it was time to go down stairs on the 1st floor to see 2 studios. One was so echoey and one was a photo area slash a live chat room. We were about to watch a live interview with a women named Katie Cassidy from the new movie "Monte Carlo" coming in theater soon. I took a picture with her and one with Kerri. Then it was lunch time at 12:00pm.
We walked for a little bit so we can find a place to eat we finally found a place near the building and I ate was chow mein, fried rice, and orange chicken. It was really good and we ate near a cafe near the building. It was 1:31pm and we went to the 3rd floor and we went to see the social media department, news department, talent department, and editing department. It was really interesting and I learned so much from it. I liked how nice the people were that worked there. They spent a lot of time explaining things to us.
We went to see a real live chat with the boys from "Pretty Little Liars". Me and Kerri took some pictures with them and it was time to go. I really did not want to go but it was the end of the day and time to say goodbye. They gave us a big goody bag filled with autographs, books, t-shirts, and rubber braclets. I loved them all and I'm going to wear the t-shirt forever and I will always be a cambio fan. I will be back one day and maybe my new friend Lisa will interview me!! And we look like each other. Thank you Cambio
Kerri's blog:
My Day at the Cambio Office!
I was very excited about going to hang out at the Cambio Office and the anticipation of who we would meet and what we would do for the day was very exciting. As I walked through the doors I was greeted with warm smiling faces. Ani and I met Priya and she took us and introduced us to all the many different departments...then we sat down with the producers and staff for the morning meeting to talk about the events of the week ahead. Just like we belonged there and rang the bell a few times during the meeting.
In the morning we got to meet Katie Cassidy and watch her interview while in the studio. Katie is starring in the movie "Monte Carlo." After that we watched the editing process for the interview and to be able to view the finished product is going to be really cool. Then off to the social media /news department which it is a small space but it has a great impact to keep the viewers of Cambio in the know! Thanks Lisa and Tyler for answering my questions! Tyler even took a picture of Ani and I and posted it on Facebook! Then we chatted with the talent department and how the process of booking the talent works. It's very interesting!
Then it was time to watch the live chat with Ian Harding, Keegan Allen and Tyler Blackburn, the guys from "Pretty Little Liars." I even twittered a question during the chat to see how it worked. I had an awesome time learning the media side of the entertainment industry. Big Thanks: Cambio for letting me hangout with you and for my Cambio bag full of great stuff (Goody Bag)! As I left the office I had one thing left to do.......Ring the bell! I hope to see you in the future maybe I will be the one being interviewed! Peace and Blessings, Kerri Medders
Kerri & Ani are also up-and-coming singers. Check out Kerri's latest song/music video and a video of Ani singing the National Anthem below. Thanks again for coming in girls! We hope to see you again soon!

subset: commoncrawl


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Full list of Sabre results
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OC Pepper Spray from SABRE - Cell Buster Puncture Wand–
Reduce the need for 'Hard Entries'! Watch this demonstration of the SABRE Cell Buster with puncture wand. Penetrates dry wall, wire mesh screen, sheet metal, aluminum siding, mattresses, partical boards and hollow interior doors.
SABRE OC Pepper Spray: Deployment Training–
This video demonstrates the proper deployment of SABRE OC pepper spray - Watch proper deployment technique, signs the product has taken effect, visualization process, how to restrain without contaminating yourself & fellow officers.
SABRE DECON - Guidelines for Proper Use–
SABRE Decon's step 1 Cleanse helps prevent the "OC Hangover" while step 2 reduces redness, swelling & pain. This video discusses and shows step by step how to properly use SABRE Decon.
SABRE DECON: Advantages & How to Evaluate–
SABRE DECON effectively uses two unique solutions to combat the effects of chemical agents, prevents reactivation (exercising/hot showers) and further contamination of unwanted areas. SABRE Decon's step 1 Cleanse helps prevent the "OC Hangover" while step 2 reduces redness, swelling & pain.
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Here is a short demonstration of SABRE pepper gel versus SABRE pepper foam. The advantages of both spray patterns are discussed and shown.
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Check out less-lethal tools from SABRE. They've got a cross-fire gel, an OC spray, and crowd management applications. Originally aired on 05/03/2011.
Sabre Refill System Set Up–
The SABRE Refill System is the solution, enabling a practical, environmental friendly and cost effective training tool.
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Check out these three new less-lethal tools from SABRE. They've got a cross-fire gel, an OC spray, and some new crowd management applications.
SABRE's New MK-60 vs. Traditional MK-46–
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SABRE Phantom OC Demo–
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adult to be overachiever, always setting and superseding their goals, living to their utmost human potential and then some? Do you respect your overachieving child more than your underachieving child who never seem to hit the mark, never having no ounce of initiative, and just being content ?
I expect my child to be a true human being , someone who has faith in humanity, who is kind to others, who respect religion and faith of each and every person , who is not money-oriented and last of all, who is not selfish serving his own interest only. I wish him to achieve his goal but he must not be a robot set to supersede his goal. I will never disrespect my underachiever child and consider my overachiever child as someone superior to the other, because achievement in life has nothing to do with humanity. .
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Whether it's getting beyond the silos or just thinking outside the box, we all benefit from stretching our boundaries—both figuratively and sometimes literally speaking.
Case in point, I just came back from the Yukon. As an HR consultant and immigration specialist, I travel fairly frequently to present on various business-related topics and, in turn, to learn about the challenges and solutions of others. Most recently, that led me to facilitate a workshop on strategic recruitment in Canada's true North.
What we touched upon on were the similarities and differences for employers in more rural parts of the country compared to their urban counterparts. Where we focused though was on strategy. While every geography and industry comes with its own challenges and opportunities, the strategic approach to recruitment remains a common success driver.
Authenticity Defines the Right "Fit"
Higher volumes of applicants willing to relocate from afar are not the ultimate benchmark of a recruiting strategy's success; more key is the ability to identify those who want to be there and are motivated to perform.
Employers and candidates alike are always looking for the right "fit". The key for employers is to be authentic, informed and involved. Creating a great recruitment strategy starts with understanding the organization and its business goals.
The employer needs to be clear about its company culture in order to know how to present itself to the right individuals; your culture is a living brand and plays an important part of this equation. It, therefore, also pays dividends to listen to the front lines and managers within your organization to gain even greater clarity—and better, lasting results.
Systematic Thinking vs. Systemic Failure
Hiring and retention requires a systematic way of thinking. Employers should always be in hiring mode; interestingly, successful recruitment correlates to effective retention and provides a strategic pool for succession potential.
Similarly, a failure to hire or retain might also be viewed in a systemic light. Business leaders need to participate and remain invested in evolving and fine-tuning their internal processes. After all, beyond the initial hiring and honeymoon period, there is the full career cycle to be considered.
Retention Built By Leadership (Some Assembly Required)
Those who think their job is finished when the applicant becomes an employee are missing the due diligence and opportunity. This is when everything is just getting started. Bringing the best and brightest into the organization is not enough if there is not a structure to support the rest of the employment experience.
In addition to bringing in the right people, maintaining the conditions in which they will thrive is essential. Employees need accurate job descriptions, onboarding, and ongoing feedback. These HR tools do not have to be complicated or time-consuming, but they need to exist in some form to maintain ongoing employment engagement—the key to productivity and profitability.
Otherwise, the cost of bad hires or constant turnover is the price to be paid, along with further searching for the right fit.
Ongoing Recruitment Anchored in Relationships
Ownership in any business requires a connection and partnership with your employees beyond paystubs and approvals. Creating ongoing touch points for dialogue and feedback ensures engagement and retention remain high.
While this strategic approach brings with it changes to both the hiring and management systems currently in place, it also brings different results.
When specifically applied to hiring, it means that "recruiting" never stops, but is far more likely to be addressing growth than attrition issues. This is how to strategically recruit and grow your business from within.
Read more about Amelia's fascinating experience travelling to the Yukon to speak about recruitment strategies for HRMA.


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The mayor's office has sent over 50 letters to parents of Oswego State students that were arrested in the city of Oswego for alcohol and vandalism-related incidents since the practice began in mid-September.
According to Mayor Randy Bateman, the purpose of informing students' parents when they are arrested is to make them more accountable for their actions.
"Hopefully it'll tell them that if you do this, there will be consequences," Bateman said.
While the mayor's office sends the actual letters to parents, the process is a collaborative effort between the mayor, Oswego City Police and Oswego State, according to City Police Captain Tory DeCaire
"If a person is arrested for an offense in which alcohol is a factor, and if the defendant is currently a student at SUNY Oswego, a letter is sent from the mayor's office to the defendants parents informing them of the incident," DeCaire said.
The letter sent by the mayor's office is a form letter with the charge filled in and details provided.
The students are usually cooperative, admit that they attend Oswego State and voluntarily provide police with their home address.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) allows schools to provide personal information to other organizations or agencies in similar instances.
"We've never been asked to provide a student's home address, but we would help them if they needed it," James Scharfenberger, Oswego State's dean of students, said.
Scharfenberger admits that while the college's involvement is minimal, it is part of a broader effort to promote good relations between the city and the college community.
Many of the arrests that occur involve issues such as open container law violations, underage drinking, public urination and vandalism.
"You have citizens who are not thinking about the consequences of their actions," Scharfenberger said.
Students often don't initially realize the impact of their actions in the city of Oswego beyond their own personal consequences.
"They represent us and every student is part of the community," Scharfenberger said.
Most students have been relatively quick to admit that their actions were inappropriate, and the feedback from parent has been mostly positive, Bateman said.
"We've had a couple of parents that have questioned the procedure, but many have said they were happy to know about the incident," Bateman said.
Oswego City Police have also received a good deal of positive feedback from parents that have received letters.
"We have received a lot of positive feedback from parents who appreciate being informed," DeCaire said. "I personally am unaware of any negative feedback from the practice."
The city, police, and the college are all concerned with improving the relationship between the college and local communities.
"By keeping parents informed as to their son or daughter's unlawful actions and/or alcohol use on and off campus, we have taken a step toward strengthening our relationship and improving the overall quality of life for everyone in the city of Oswego," DeCaire said.
Bateman said that none of the letters mailed have been to students from the immediate area and that he plans to continue the practice of notifying parents.
"You wouldn't do this at home and we want to send the message that when you come to our community, we expect you to act the same way," Bateman said.
According to Scharfenberger, despite the program's success, the college will continue to evaluate it for the future.


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Following up on the success of MEREDA's Real Estate 101 and 202 breakfast events, join MEREDA June 22 from 7:30 - 9:00 AM at the Clarion Hotel in Portland as our panel presents Financing the Deal and Forming the Capital Stack, an inside look at what goes on behind the acquisition of a commercial property.
Jed Harris from North Atlantic Properties will present a case study on the acquisition and sale of one of his firm's investments. He'll offer a detailed explanation of how investors look at a property, how he approaches investment partners, the particular issues and opportunities with this investment, and ultimately the disposition. Mark Stasium from Camden National will discuss financing from a bank's perspective and what key terms an investor should consider. Joel Shaw from Bernstein Shur will talk about legal considerations and potential structures that can be used if taking money from third party investors.
If you've ever considered buying a commercial property or wondered how investors analyze potential acquisitions this is a breakfast you'll want to attend.
About the Panel:
Jed Harris left Wall Street in 2004 and moved to Portland to pursue a lifelong passion for real estate. He is the founder of North Atlantic Properties, a firm focused on acquiring and re-positioning commercial properties in downtown Portland. His current major project is the former JJ Nissen bakery building on Washington Avenue in Portland. Jed is on the MEREDA board and also serves on the board of Rippleffect. He enjoys cycling, skiing, and being on the water. He is a graduate of Middlebury College. Jed lives with his family in Falmouth, Maine.
Joel T. Shaw, Esq. has been in private practice for 15 years, the last 12 of which have been with Bernstein Shur. As a Shareholder in firm's Business Law Practice Group and the Chair of its Private Capital subgroup, Joel focuses on structuring joint ventures and partnerships and assisting operating companies and private investment funds with raising capital. As a former state securities regulator, Joel has deep experience with federal and state securities compliance, while balancing the practical business needs of his clients. A
moderate portion of Joel's practice consists of representing general partners and investors in private equity-style real estate funds and targeted real estate investment projects throughout New England.
Mark Stasium is a Senior Vice President in the Commercial Real Estate Lending Division of Camden National Bank. Mark works with commercial real estate investors and developers and is responsible for originating commercial real estate loan transactions in northern New England and northeastern Massachusetts. Mark has 28 years of commercial lending and commercial credit experience, and prior to joining Camden National Bank, he was previously employed by Peoples Heritage Bank and TD Bank. Mark and his family reside in Portland, Maine, and Mark currently serves on MEREDA's Conference and Seminars Committee.
This event is sponsored by:


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Over the last week I've been catching up on reviews of beers I drank with friends Ben and Nicole. Tonight's review is of one of the last beers I tried that evening, and as such, I can almost guarantee that it's the most unfair review of the bunch. While I wasn't completely schmammered at the point in the evening when I tried the beer, I certainly wasn't sober. So, take my commentary (at least what there is of it) with a grain of salt.
The beer in question is Captain Lawrence Frost Monster. This is an imperial stout, and holy hell, is it 'imperial"…all 12% ABV of it. This is a prime candidate for cellar aging. We drank it quite fresh. My notes are embarrassing and read as follows: "I drank a lot of beer". Yup. That's my entire "review". Other than that, I noted that I liked it and Nicole liked it. No idea what Ben thought.
So yeah…not my most thorough review. If the opportunity presents itself at a later date, I will surely re-review this one.


text: Thomas <2002 at weholt.org> wrote: > I'm doing this : > > [os.path.join(path, p) for p in os.listdir(path) if \ > os.path.isdir(os.path.join(path, p))] > > to get a list of folders in a given directory, skipping all plain > files. When used on folders with lots of files, it takes rather long > time to finish. Just doing a listdir, filtering out all plain files > and a couple of joins, I didn't think this would take so long. How many files, what OS and what filing system? Under a unix based OS the above will translate to 1 opendir()/readdir()/closedir() and 1 stat() for each file. There isn't a quicker way in terms of system calls AFAIK. However some filing systems handle lots of files in a directory better than others. Eg reiserfs is much better than ext2/3 for this purpose. (ext3 has a dirhash module to fix this in the works though). Eg on my linux box, running ext3, with various numbers of files in a directory :- /usr/lib/python2.3/timeit.py -s 'import os; path="."' \ '[os.path.join(path, p) for p in os.listdir(path) if \ os.path.isdir(os.path.join(path, p))]' Files Time 10 3.01e+02 usec per loop 100 2.74e+03 usec per loop 1000 2.73e+04 usec per loop 10000 2.76e+05 usec per loop 100000 2.81e+06 usec per loop Which is pretty linear... much more so than I expected! The above timings ignore the effect of caching - will the directory you are enumerating be hot in the cache? Something similar may apply under Windows but I don't know ;-) -- Nick Craig-Wood <nick at craig-wood.com> -- http://www.craig-wood.com/nick


text: Hey I just dyed my hair yesterday with Boots own hair dye. But i want to dye it again because i'm not happy with the colour because i didnt leave it in long enough Will it be ok if i dye over it straight away? On the box it does say it is "Gentle and can be used over dyed hair as long as it is well kept". So do you think it will be ok to dye it so soon? TIA Kaiie,x


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27 02 2010
There are many programs that come with MSI installer and not every installer is free of bugs or small problems. If you are building your own installer using Visual Studio you may want to change it before publishing it to users. Here is little overview of my main free tool called Orca.


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How can State and Federal governments work together more effectively to improve the services they deliver? What are the real distinctions between federalism (a theory of government) and intergovernmental relations in a federation (how the theory works in practice)? What are the real relationships between the different levels of government and how does this affect policy making?
The Intergovernmental Relations conference in Canberra, ACT July 21 -22 will bring together public sector practitioners from national, state and local governments, peak bodies and academics to examine these questions and rethink cooperative federalism.
Conference Topics include:
- Commonwealth-state reform
- Best practise policy development
- The role of the Council for the Australian Federation (CAF)
- Maximising the benefits of federalism through intergovernmental cooperation
- Achieving national policy that meets local needs
- Roles, responsibilities and constitutional frameworks
See the full line-up of speakers or register now for the Intergovernmental Relations conference.
2009 Intergovernmental Relations Conference
July 21 – July 22, Rydges Lakeside Canberra
Centre for Policy Development members are entitled to a 10% discount on their registration fee. Quote CPD10 when registering to get your discount.


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Clean & Crisp
Posted by jennifer in Uncategorized | No Comments »
9 October 2015
Sorry (once again) for lack of posts, but been crazy busy getting NoHu country house buttoned up for winter months and NOW focusing on getting the NoLo place puppy-ized and ready for Harry.
Speaking of domiciles. This just came across my desk this AM and I need to share this with you.
I love the quiet simplicity, clean lines and attention to detail (the hidden doors in the raised paneling make me weak in the knees). The strong exterior to interior relationship is always important to me and the windows and many doors pull this together perfectly.
I would revise some of the furnishings, hardware and pendant lighting — but beyond that– very JLE & Harry. Don't you-in-the-know think so too.
See full post from Dering Hall here.
This entry was posted on Friday, October 9th, 2015 at 10:23 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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Appeals Court Revives Homebuilder's Drywall Coverage Suit
The dispute stems from homeowners' lawsuit filed in 2009 against Tallow Creek and several other companies associated with the construction of the home, in which faulty Chinese drywall — the subject of a massive multidistrict litigation settled for $1 billion in February...
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text:
What would you like to do now?
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2.5
Sq Feet: 2,508
City: Chandler
Zip: 85249
Sub Division: Lone Tree
To start a new search please click: Start New Search
Property Description
Brand New Lone Tree a premier Active Adult Gated Golf Community-Luxurious Pulte Journey model w/ thousand's of dollars in upgrades-Beautiful single level great rm floor plan w/ 2 bed, den, 2.5 bath & formal dining-This home is truly made for entertaining & enjoying the lifestyle you have always dreamed of-Gourmet island kitchen w/ elegant quartz counter's, pendant lighting, staggered cabinets w/ crown molding, gas stainless steel stove & hood, double ovens, walk in pantry, B/I vacuum & water softener-Designer two tone paint, plantation shutters, 10' coffered ceilings, stunning hard wood flooring-Private master suite w/ full bath, dual vanity & walk-in closet-All this on a GOLF COURSE lot w/ lush landscaping, fountain, remote controlled patio sunscreen, paved sitting area & endless views
General Information
School Information
Community Information
Lot Information
- Directions:
- West o Riggs. South on Pinaleno Pl through gate. Go right at T. Stay on Pinaleno Pl to home on
- Cross-Streets:
- East Riggs Rd & S Lindsay Rd


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Yordie Sands
I'm an avatar in Second Life where I star as the heroine of a virtual fantasy life. In the real world, I'm writing my debut sci-fi novel.
- Follow Being Yordie Sands on WordPress.com
My Community
My Top Posts
My Social Network
Tag Archives: Blogging
Linden's Extra Prims
It wasn't revolutionary, but it got my attention–Linden properties have 33% more prims. I've continued to own my Linden Home even though I'm rarely in SL, but the extra prims drew me in. For my property gained about 60 prims … Continue reading
Posted in Journal Tagged Blogging, Photography, Second Life 2 Comments
My Blogging Journey
Strawberry Singh has a blogger challenge that triggered my urge to write a bit, its called "My Blogging Journey Challenge" (Check it yo!). Anyway, here's my responses to the challenge. 1. Which electronic devices do you use to blog with? I … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging Tagged Blogging, Identity, Perspectives, Second Life, Writing 9 Comments
Six Years of Being Yordie Sands
It slipped right by me a couple days ago. I guess I was so wound-up in "Tomb Raider" that I forgot, but on February 14, 2008, this Being Yordie Sands blog began. In those days I was in that phase … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging Tagged Blogging, Second Life, Writing 19 Comments
2013 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog. Here's an excerpt: "The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2013. If it were a … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging Tagged Blogging, Perspectives, Writing 1 Comment
Happy Holidays to Everyone!
I haven't been around in Second Life much this year but was lucky enough to join the iRez Salon authors for a happy holiday photo. Strawberry Singh shot the photo, that's her in the roller skates with Vaneeesa Blaylock (iRez … Continue reading
Posted in Journal Tagged Blogging, Holidays, Photography, Second Life 1 Comment
Why Do I Blog Meme?
Strawberry Singh has a lot of thought provoking posts. Several months ago she did one called "Why Do I Blog Meme?" and she encouraged fellow bloggers to give it a try themselves. Well, here I am and here it is. How long … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging Tagged Blogging, Perspectives, Second Life, Writing 2 Comments
Some Change Is Good
Domain Name: yordiesands.com If you are reading this post you may not have noticed that the domain name is now yordiesands.com, even though your link might still say yordiesands.wordpress.com. I've been planning to make this change for a long time but now … Continue reading
Posted in Blogging Tagged Blogging, Writing 15 Comments


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If you use social networking site Twitter then I would be highly surprised if you haven't heard of the StalkDaily/Mikeyy worm that was running wild on there a few days ago.
You may be tempted to turn to the search engines in order to find out more.
If so, be careful :
According to Patrik Runald, chief security advisor at F-Secure, some of the results returned by your favourite search engine may not lead to the content you were expecting.
Instead, through a series of redirects, searches for Mikeyy lead to malware.
Whatever you may think of spammers, they tend to be anything but stupid.
Mikeyy presented them with an opportunity to put their fake anti-virus products and other related junk in front of a huge number of eyeballs.
Via F-secure's weblog Runald said –
'No surprise at all that Google searches for information about the Twitter worm would lead to malware sites; it was really just a matter of time.
Especially not after all the talk about it over the weekend and the guy behind it confessing everything.
Malicious search results about popular news are something we see very often unfortunately.'
F-Secure's article then proceeds to show how at least one of Google's first page results for 'Twitter worm' could ultimately lead to the installation of a security product known as WinPC Defender which reportedly returns fake malware results when it is run.
Runald said –
'Like all rogue security products it will tell you that you have malware on your PC and that you have to buy the product to remove them.'
Of course the need for the spammers' solution is false and the price is over the top too – $69.99 is significantly more than that charged by reputable anti-virus and anti-malware vendors.


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Wood-plastic composite (WPC) is a kind of new composite material developed in recent years. It is light, rigid, acid and alkali, waterproof and pest control, environmental protection, which can be the same as wood, Saws, gluing and paint, but also like thermoplastic molding and surface decoration printing, the current building materials, municipal facilities, packaging materials and other fields is widely used.
Wood-plastic material excellent waterproof performance determines its unique use value. Bathroom decoration and the overall high price of the kitchen to the wood-plastic materials to enter the furniture market to enter the opportunity to bathroom furniture for the development of wood furniture, a breakthrough is to let consumers know and accept wood-plastic material shortcut.
Outdoor furniture on the material weather resistance requirements are higher, wood-plastic materials to meet this requirement. UV in the sun so that most of the plastic products to accelerate aging, but wood-plastic material in the wood powder can effectively block the UV into the material inside, so that wood-plastic materials can be used in the outdoors longer. From the economic factors, wood-plastic materials than wood and metal materials, production costs and maintenance costs are low, so use it to develop outdoor furniture is very promising.
how to build railing on a deck
wood plastic outdoor wall board manufacturer in Nigeria
uv resistance composite wood flower box


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text: Functional outcome after prosthetic rehabilitation of children with acquired and congenital lower limb lossÜlger, Özlem; Şener, GülJournal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B: May 2011 - Volume 20 - Issue 3 - p 178–183 doi: 10.1097/BPB.0b013e3283449362 Evidence and Outcomes Abstract Author Information The purpose of this study was to compare the functional status of children with acquired and congenital lower limb loss after 3 weeks and 6 months of prosthetic rehabilitation. Forty-one children aged between 8 and 17 years participated in the study. The children underwent prosthetic fitting, prosthetic training and rehabilitation after physiotherapy evaluations. Gait patterns and weight bearing values were assessed, and the Amputee Mobility Predictor (AMP) Questionnaire was applied. The congenital group had better gait patterns, weight bearing values and AMP scores in the initial assessment and after 3 weeks. The statistical analyses of the same parameters after 6 months showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). It was determined that all congenital patients and only 16 of 20 acquired patients were wearing their prostheses for more than 8 h a day. When the outcomes of the first assessments were compared, the congenital group showed a better functional level, gait pattern and weight bearing value. At the end of 6 months, an improvement was observed in the functional level, gait pattern and weight bearing value in both the groups. The functional state, gait pattern and weight bearing value of children with limb loss can be improved if they actively use their prosthesis. Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey Correspondence to Özlem Ülger, PhD, PT, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, 06100 Samanpazari, Ankara, Turkey Tel: +90 312 3243847; fax: +90 312 3052012; e-mail: email@example.com © 2011 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.


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Sweet Liar--Book on Tape read by Mel Harris, 2 Cassettes, 3 hrs
1992 · New York
by DEVERAUX, Jude
New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992. Very Good/Very Good. Book on tape. Very good in very good dustwrapper; Tapes in excellent condition, missing one plastic case, cardboard case badly bumped. Please Note: This book has been transferred to Between the Covers from another database and might not be described to our usual standards. Please inquire for more detailed condition information. (Inventory #: 239199)


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Hello out there!
Here's a quick card to show you and then the winner of the VROOM MFPS stamp set! Funness!
- A2 size card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
- Black mat cut @ 4 1/8" x 5 3/8"
- Green mat cut @ 4" x 5 1/4"
- Black mat cut @ 3 3/4" x 4 3/4"
- Spider mat cut @ 3 5/8" x 4 5/8"
- Circle punch used for sentiment and matting
- TRICK OR TREAT Cricut LITE cart for Frankie 4 1/4"
- CARDZ TV STAMPS "More Spooky Sayings" for sentiment
Thank you all who left me comments on the VROOM Halloween stamp set by MARK'S FINEST PAPERS AND STAMPS! It was so fun to read what everyone had to say.
The winner (chosen by random.org) is
Please send me an email to 66cricket at gmail dot com with your USA mailing address!
NOTICE TO WINNERS: If you are a prize winner, and you do not claim your prize within one week of winning, the prize will go back in the pot to be re-drawn at a later date.
Have a creative, fun day, everyone!


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Naked Holidays In Theater: Unwrap This New York
New York, New York – a helluva town! And if you happen to find yourself in the midst of the magically festive holiday heartbeat of the world, you'll have the opportunity to catch a little Christmas cheer in the Ace of Clubs theater – if you can "bare" it.
"Naked Holidays" is New York's newest show in the vein of "Saturday Night Live" where the performers sing, dance, and jump through sketch comedy skits occasionally clad only in holiday spirit. Talk about your jingle balls.
According to TheaterMania, the show opens "with brief snapshots of familiar Christmas and Hanukkah moments — a man struggling through one of the less popular dreidel songs and continues with a very long imagining of how Adolf Hitler celebrated Christmas, entitled, 'No One Enjoys Christmas More Than Hitler.' "
Not everybody is feeling this cast's mistletoes though. In fact, New York Post theater critic, Frank Scheck, really beat up the show writing, "nearly two dozen highly enthusiastic and uninhibited young performers, this misbegotten attempt at a Christmas-style 'Oh! Calcutta!' reveals far more bare skin than talent. Its mixture of comic sketches and a smattering of holiday songs manages to be witlessly vulgar and unsexy at the same time." If any of our naked little elves are reading this, cheer up, take a deep breath, and take into consideration, this is coming from a man with the name, Scheck – which let's face it, sounds like an unsexy sound one might make while passing gas and and getting punched in the stomach at the same time.
TheaterMania's, Chris Kompanek, goes on to review that in the finale, " 'The Naked People Play,' tries to deconstruct the impact and intentions of having nudity in a show, but ultimately, the people who hold our attention are the ones without clothes." There's a shocker!
Kompanek further says that, "the biggest problem, however, is the show's structure. Because there are so many disparate parts, there needs to be something holding it all together. If the opening emcees came back throughout, some of the transitions might not feel so jarring." Okay okay… so "Naked Holiday" didn't get rave reviews. But the show does give away complimentary eggnog. There's something Spiderman on Broadway doesn't do. The most you can hope for at that show is that a cast member doesn't snap another cord while flying through the air and land on your chestnuts. I say three wise-men cheers for "Naked Holiday" unwrapping their gifts for us. Listen, if someone asks you when you're sitting on their lap what you want for Christmas… you might as well be honest. Am I right?
(Image of Cast by Kaitlin Dale)Tags: broadway, christmas, Naked Holidays, New York City, sexy, theater, Weird News


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Tallinn is basically the popular city located in the Estonia and also on the northern coast of the Finland country. It is the capital of Estonia and really the most beautiful place to enjoy your holidays. This Tallinn is the most favorite and perfect holiday destination of many friends and families who want to have enjoyable time with their loveable persons. When the individuals would want to combine both the modern world and also greatest comforts in your trip, it is really a very nice city at all. Tallinn city of Estonia is also best known for the luxurious adventures and versatile nightlife with the rich local historical settings and cultural scene.
Top tourist attractions in Tallinn:
The following are the top tourist attractions of the tallinnaan city to enjoy your holidays with your friends and family members.
- Tallinn Old Town – It is really the most beautiful place to see the real beauties of the city and its traditional cultures. One can able to get completely city trip experience with all facilities in this Tallinn old town.
- Lennusadam Seaplane harbor – Whenever the individuals would often like to enjoy the truly interesting architecture and arts of atmosphere, it is a perfect place at all the times.
- Toompea Hill – If you want to enjoy the climate and sceneries of the hill station in this city, this Toompea hill is a perfect destination where you can surely get the wonderful view of the ancient town. The views at the top of this hill are really amazing and iconic to give the natural treats to your eyes.
- Kadriorg Park – It is really the nice park to visit with your family, pair or friends where there are several adventurous events found to give enjoyable pass time to every visitor.
- Town Hall Square – In this destination, the tourists can able to get the nice atmosphere to walk and relax yourself completely. Everyone has to visit this place especially in the Christmas season to enjoy a lot in this amazing little town square.
Different activities in Tallinn city:
In this tallinnaan city, one can able to do the following activities to have better and enjoyable time pass with your loved ones.
- When the individuals would like to buy the architectural things and various other shopping for your needs, you can go to the Long Street where there are hundreds of shops for your different purchases.
- If the tourists want to completely relax yourself by reducing your stress and depression in this tourist destination, you can have the best walking tours in the different parts of the Tallinn city. Walking is really the popular activity in this destination to enjoy your time.
- KGB museum – In order to have better time with the extremely interesting experience, you can go to the KGB museum where you can see many good and interesting things of the ancient city people.
Through this best travel guide to Tallinn city, the tourists can definitely plan your trip better to enjoy your holidays.


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It's 6:30 pm on Monday and I'm just getting a chance to write today. It's not like there was anything crazy happening, I just didn't sit down and write about being healthy and stuff.
I'm feeling pretty healthy lately. How about you?
I think staying busy, getting out for a walk, and cooking my own food has helped me stay healthy. I know I'm tempted to eat nasty things. But, I avoid buying those tasty morsels at the grocery store and keep on driving when passing any fast food joints.
So, really, I've been pretty much doing nothing. Nothing different.
What's your secret for staying healthy?