Wordless Wednesday: States United

 Wordless Wednesday: States United 9/11

Image source

Image source

 

                                           United: In Strength, Remembrance, Hope and Love. 9/11

Wordless Wednesday: Who Does Everyone Love?

Tomorrow marks the Feast of the Assumption, and beginning of one of my favorite festival weekends in CLE...THE FEAST in Little Italy! Kicking off its 115th year, be sure to stop over between August 15-18th for some of CLE's finest and authentic Italian cuisine and festivities at The Feast of the Assumption in Little Italy! Check out my Feasted: The Feast of the Assumption blog post from last year and Cleveland.com's guide to The Feast of the Assumption here. Cannolis, meatball sandwiches, cavatelli, dancing, music, family, friends, faith and fabulous food! See ya there CLE Italian loves and lovers!

So who does everyone love? Why an Italian Girl, of course!!! :0)
Circa The Feast 2005

YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank

How did 1 year fly by so quickly?! Yes... YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank is officially a year old! Gasp! 

Me too, kid, me too...
Image source: womenunlimitedworldwide.com

Last July I became involved with forming a group of young professionals to start a YP networking group in affiliation with the Cleveland Foodbank. Never did I imagine what a tremendously eye-opening experience, adventure, and friendship forming time it would be!

Not familiar with the Cleveland Foodbank or YP Pantry? No problem!

Here's a little history and my top 5 reasons why you should consider getting involved!

The Cleveland Foodbank supplies a majority of the food used in local hot meal sites, shelters, and food pantries throughout Northeast Ohio. In addition, they provide food to child care centers, group homes, and programs for the elderly.

The most astonishing thing I learned after getting involved with the organization is that there IS enough food in Cleveland. Let me reiterate that point, there.is.enough.food.in.Cleveland.for.EVERYONE! The issue or challenge, which the Cleveland Foodbank certainly advocates to overcome, is that we need to reconsider and revise the way food is distributed throughout our community.

So who does the Cleveland Foodbank serve? Are people really going hungry in Cleveland? Well, chew on this...

Image source: Cleveland Foodbank

WOW! So what can you do to help? There are a variety of ways for you to get involved and contribute. Learn about 5 ways you can help fight hunger here. And if you're a young professional, between ages 21-39 and looking for a group to get involved with, here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider joining YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank!

1) Get hands on experience! Unlike some YP groups, where you pay annual dues, slap it on your resume and occassionally go to social outings at local bars, this group encourages you to roll up your sleeves and get involved! I dig being a part of YP Pantry because there are so many opportunities to volunteer at the Cleveland Foodbank warehouse and assist with repack events.

New YP Pantry members packing their first pallet in the warehouse!

Actually sorting food, organizing crates, checking labels, and visually seeing the food to be distributed to local pantries makes a huge impact. and raises your awareness of how much need is right in our community!

2) Make a difference in our CLE community! Several YP Pantry community events take place at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lakewood. The produce you may have just recently sorted in the Foodbank warehouse is delivered to the church for hot meals and produce distribution. As a Lakewood resident myself, I was completely blown away after attending the first YP Pantry there.  Serving nearly 200 people, who are quite likely your neighbors, is very eye-opening and truly humbling as it magnifies the incredible need right in our own backyards. Make a difference, and feel good serving someone a tasty meal or hand out fresh fruits and vegetables.

Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

Peanut butter and jelly pros!
Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

Average produce distribution line
Fresh sweet potatoes, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, and apples
from the Cleveland Foodbank
Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

3) Volunteer in lieu of dues! As I mentioned before, I really appreciate the hands on experience. So in lieu of dues,  members are required to volunteer 24 hours of their time over the course of a year. And there's plenty of ways to earn it too, doing a repack in the warehouse, assisting with an on-site agency distribution day, and more--check out all of the current event/volunteer listings by visiting the YP Pantry Facebook events page and registering on Eventbrite. If you're just starting out in your career, or paying off student loans--your time is just as valuable as money! So come out and volunteer, and save your due money for other expenses ;)


4) Make new friends! Over the course of the past year, I've met some AMAZING people that I can now call friends. Our common interest was volunteering, but some of those initial volunteer experiences developed into friendships.

Meet other young professionals who enjoy giving back, having fun, and making new friends. The YP Pantry Social Happy Hour events have included some of CLE's best restaurants such as Noodlecat, Bier Markt, and Grovewood Tavern.


Slurp-a-licious time at YP Pantry Social at Noodlecat!

Ale, Cookies, and Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at Bier Markt
with YP Pantry Core Council Members, Tracy and Kate

Register for the next YP Pantry Social Happy Hour on July 30 at Light Bistro and see what it's all about. And the best part? Donate 2 boxes of your fave cereal at the event, be entered to win a pair of tickets to the Taste of the Browns, andddd 15% of your bill that evening will be donated directly back to the Foodbank too! That's a major win!

5) Stay updated! So maybe you've attended a few YP events, maybe you're new to the city. Find out other fun things happening in CLE too. Cleveland Foodbank offers other fun ways to volunteer like at Cleveland Indians games too. Fill out an application to be added to the YP Pantry monthly e-newsletter list,  check out other YP Pantry Core Council members awesome blogs all about CLE, like Amanda from Clue Into Cleveland and Jen from Why? CLE, or follow YP Pantry and Cleveland Foodbank on Facebook.

So, hope to see you at an event or volunteer opportunity soon to help support the Cleveland Foodbank mission!

*Full disclosure: I am a YP Pantry Core Council member and volunteer of the Cleveland Foodbank. All opinions expressed are completely my own.*

 

Sweet Treats at See's Candies

Last week, I was invited to attend one of the sweetest events in CLE! See's Candies recently opened their doors at Beachwood Mall.

See's Candies Media Preview Event at Beachwood Mall

Bring on the chocolate!

I was delighted to indulge in my favorite guilty pleasure... chocolate!!! Who doesn't love chocolate? I mean...c'mon. Savory chocolate displayed in pristine white glowing cases... ginger, almond, raspberry, butterscotch cream...the fillings and flavors were endless!!!

Since 1921, they've been serving up these preservative-free, wholesome chocolates (since all that high fructose corn syrup yuck wasn't used 90 years ago, they stuck with the GOOD stuff!)

Read more about See's Candies rich history here!

With See's Candies delivery service and early establishment  in the fine chocolate business, it became a favorite amongst early Hollywood stars, including the beloved Lucille Ball of "I Love Lucy." As the story goes, Lucy loved the chocolates so much that she wanted to film an episode at  See's chocolate factory.  Little did they know it would become one of the most infamous and favorite scenes from "I Love Lucy."

 Click the image to watch the famous chocolate assembly line scene

So the folks at See's Candies Beachwood shared the neat piece of history with us and then "dared" us to compete on our own assembly line of chocolates as Lucy! They taught us how to properly cup the chocolate and package it (to Lucy's credit--it is harder than you think!) Then everyone raced as teams with hairnets and paper hats on full display :)

Thankfully, we were all winners that night despite our packing skills!

See's Assorted Chocolate Truffles!

 

"Giant chocolate Easter bunnies? Yes please!" Gina

My sis and I had SO much fun at the event. From the retro vibe checkered floors, to the rows upon rows of chocolates, to the fun activities throughout the evening--we left there with sugar highs and wide smiles :)

Super Sweet See's & Sisters!

So to all my crazed cocoa-loving Clevelanders...head on over to Beachwood Mall (in the center court second floor) to scoop up some chocolate Easter bunnies and other favorite treats at the legendary See's Candies! Three cheers for chocolate!


***Disclosure: I was invited as a Cleveland blogger to this store opening preview event. I was provided a bag of chocolates and samples by See's Candies. All opinions and thoughts expressed are 100% my own.***

Tranformer Station in Ohio City, YOLO & Super Bowl Sunday, Baby!

Have you heard? The Transformer Station in Ohio City is now OFFICIALLY open! Woohoo! As an art-lover and Cleveland history nerd, I was thrilled to learn that the Cleveland Museum of Art would be opening a "satellite" branch, so to speak, on the west side.

"The Transformer Station is owned and operated by the Fred and Laura Ruth Bidwell Foundation in order to share work from the Bidwell collection and to inspire creativity and innovation in our community. The Bidwell Foundation has agreed to loan the facility for six months of every year to the Cleveland Museum of Art which will develop original contemporary art exhibitions as an extension of its programming in its home on University Circle." 

The opening exhibit, "Bridging Cleveland" by Vaughn Wascovich was the perfect choice of beautiful artwork to "bridge" the rugged industrial history of Cleveland to modern day art housed in a restored industrial facility. Rust belt chic! "The Transformer Station was built in 1924, and is one of sixteen substations built by Cleveland’s one-time private transit provider, the Cleveland Railway Company. The substation converted power for the Detroit Avenue Streetcar Line, which carried 19 million riders annually at its peak"(source).

Innerbelt Bridge

See what I mean?  Eerily stunning. Raw beauty. Cleveland captured. Bridging our past to the present day.

my favorite!

CLE love!

You should totally check out the Transformer Station in Ohio City, if you haven't already. It's a treat to have such a reputable arts organization now on the west side! Appreciate CLE beauty and art, both past and present!

After checking out the exhibit I headed over to Battery Park Wine Bar for some dinner and a glass of vino with my Mom! I'll tell you what, a girls night with your mom as an adult is thebomb.com! I'm lucky she's awesome, and hilarious!

cotton candy winter sky!

 As we made our menu choices, my Mom noticed the catchy pop culture company menu tagline. YOLO. Of course, she wanted to know what it stood for. "You Only Live Once," I told her. She loved it. She then dropped the best knowledge bomb dating advice a mother could possibly offer and it went like this, "Jessie, you're mature for your age. Don't date anyone under age 30, because they're all just a bunch of pant-peers. YOLO."

I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. Man, I love her. Yes, crybabies, please keep it moving!

Battery Park Wine Bar
Grape, camembert cheese, pesto, & balsamic reduction pizza...YUM!

Our delicious menu choices! 

Battery Park Wine Bar
Stuffed grape leaves...always a big fan

We had a wonderfully good time and I was home and in bed by 9pm. Sometimes, those are the best weekend nights!!!

Pancakes, baby, yeah!!!

I started off my Sunday early and grabbed brunch with my besties and nieces. Seriously, I can't get over how quickly they grow after each week that I see them. They always bring me back down to earth, and really remind me of that "YOLO" theme. The world is their oyster! (...or  chocolate chip pancake for that matter!)

Open wide!

Sharing is caring! And these little love bugs always brighten up my day! They are officially becoming big girls and even using fancy utensils. Haha.

Get it, Chloe!!

Got the sassy smile down, sister :)

Post-brunch with the babes... I headed out to my sister's for her annual Super Bowl Party. Everyone brought their favorite Pinterest recipes (yes, finally made something we pinned!) I meant to take a picture of all the pinned party apps...but let's be honest, I hoovered that stuff down! Gina's Slow Cooked Pulled Chicken Sliders were a HUGE hit. Get the recipe here! And follow her BeautyFoodie finds on Pinterest.

Hahahaha!

As we chowed down, cracked jokes, soaked in the creative advertising during the commercials, and (semi)-watched the game, all of us girls were anxiously awaiting Beyonce's stellar redemption half-time performance. And seriously she worked it. <so much she blew out the stadium power, flipped the "off switch" from all those Bootylicious moves, insert the endless punchlines you read on social media during the power outage> As the guys all yelled at the TV because of the game delays, compared stats and checked their squares...we cheered... GO TEAM BEYONCE!

Left to right: Kayla, Gina, Jenna, me, Gizelle and Donna (Julie, pictured in spirit)
Go Team Beyonce!!!

Did you dig the Beyonce/Destiny's Child performance? I wish I could rock a Super Bowl dance routine/performance post-baby like that. YOLO, right? Work it, girl!

 And in case you live under a rock...catch the 2013 Super Bowl Halftime Performance here! How did you spend your Super Bowl Sunday? Have you been to any of Cleveland's awesome new art exhibits? Share your thoughts! And keep JAMmin!

Monday Meditation: What Drives Your Future?

 

Happy Monday, MLK Day, and Presidential Inauguration! I absolutely LOVE this MLK quote and could not agree more. At times, when I struggle to focus my energy towards positivity, this quote serves as a great reminder for me. Dwelling in the negative, accepting the status quo, or remaining in a rut will not promote productivity, passion, or peace. Period. When we grieve from loss in our personal life, or mourn as a nation from violence in our schools, we must seek the light from within to drive out darkness. Otherwise, "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." Sharpen your focus-- on healing, love, light, compassion, and progress. Move forward, with light and love. So with this Monday Meditation, what drives your future? Lead wisely.

Wordless Wednesday: A "Political" Message Courtesy of JAM

In light of the Presidential Debates this evening and endless bombardment of political Facebook statuses, campaign attack ads, and endless mud-slinging on both parties sides,  ...may I bring to you, this "very important political" message:


Obama, "Jay-Z now knows what my life is like. We both have daughters. And our wives are more popular than we are...We've got a little bond."
vs.

Romney, "I'm kind of a Snooki fan. Look how tiny she's gotten. She's lost weight. She's energetic. Just her spark-plug personality is kind of fun."

Chew on that during the political debates tonight, 'Merica....

Ohhhh boyyyy! I am REALLY looking forward to Wednesday, November 7, 2012...

St. James Reopening

"Word(less) Wednesday" Post

Feast of St. James and reopening mass:

"We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed."

- 2 Corinthians 4:7-15

  

   

Celebrate 'Merica

"Wordless Wednesday" Post

by Thomas Ramey
dribbble.com

Happy 4th
source:funnyjunk.com

10 Things to Do Before 10am in CLE

The Ultimate Summer
in the City Checklist!
As luck would have it--I have been waking up very early on Saturday mornings (even when I can sleep in! Welcome to adulthood...) So rather than lying in bed scolding myself for not being able to fall back asleep, I've decided to embrace it. Everything looks different in the early morning bleary-eyed hours. Golden, fresh, and undiscovered. So here is the list of activities I have compiled of awesome things to do during dawn hours for my fellow early risers!

1) Go for a bike ride. I love crusing around when newspapers lie unopened in driveways and the bikepaths are wide open for the taking. Best places to bike in CLE: Shaker Lakes, Edgewater Park, Cuyahoga Towpath.

Shaker Lakes sunrise
Photo by JAMinCLE

Shaker Lakes
Photo by JAMinCLE

 2) Life's a garden--dig it. Beat the heat and get working in your own garden or visit any of these gorgeous gardens in CLE for an instant mood boost: Cleveland Cultural Gardens, Petitti's Garden Centers, GardenWalk Cleveland, and Cleveland Botanical Gardens (opens at 10am).

Dahlia at Petitti's Garden Center
by JAMinCLE

Gerber Daisies at Petitti's Garden Center
by JAMinCLE

 

 Foxglove at Petitti's Garden Center
by JAMinCLE

3) Go to a yoga class. Whether it is hot yoga or yoga in the park, Cleveland offers a variety of ways to stretch into Saturday: Outdoor Yoga with Pink Lotus, Yoga for Every Body at Atma Center,  Inner Bliss Yoga.

Photo Source: Whole Living

4) Visit a local market. The West Side Market is Cleveland's oldest (and best) market, celebrating 100 years in 2012 (check out the Market Guide here or the centennial events). If you want your specialty cuts of meat or to connect with your family's ethnic cuisine, definitely must stop here. The earlier the better because the hustle and bustle kicks up! Or looking for your local farmer's market? Try North Union Farmers Market early on Saturday. It is just a rapid ride or bike ride away at Shaker Square! It's authentic, it's fresh, and supports the local farmers. Win!

Empanadas gallore at Orale! in West Side Market
Photo by JAMinCLE

The West Side Market offers all sorts of specialty cut meats, even ones for your pet!
Photo by JAMinCLE

5) Enjoy the wildlife. You'd be suprised how many animals are still milling about your neighborhood in the early morning hours. Check out this giant turtle I befriended while on a bike ride at Shaker Lakes last week. No neighborhood wildlife? No problem. Hit the CLE Met Zoo to visit the home of more than 3000 animals, or the Coliseum Grasslands for bird watching.

Photo by JAMinCLE

6) Grab (local) brunch. Lucky's is the quintessential brunch, but you gotta get there early! (Try the biscuits and gravy! To.die.for.) They offer locally grown food, housemade sauces, and outside picnic table seating. Latitude 41N in the Gordon Square Arts district is good food and cozy, but the sweetest part--the map tables! Definitely a great way to keep you entertained while you work up your appetite and plan your next travel adventure too!

Lucky's Cafe in Tremont
Photo Source: Trip Advisor

 7) Grab some coffee with character. Sure every city has local coffee shops, but Cleveland's offer such wonderful atmosphere! Favorite people watching with a cup of Joe: Presti's in Little Italy. With small cafe tables, old world architecture, and adorable old Italian men catching up with their buddies as they go for a morning neighborhood stroll, you easily become immersed in the Little Italy culture. Or try Phoenix Coffee, it's made locally, they have tremendously friendly (and equally hip staff). They offer not-the-average flavors and the collective mix of customers makes everyone feel welcomed. From Case grad students, to Coventry hippies, to business professionals--everyone comingles at Phoenix, united through coffee with character.

Phoenix Coffee on Coventry
Photo Source: Cleveland.com

8) Catch a breathtaking view. Lakeview Cemetery boasts one of the best views for our former President Garfield. Climb the spiral staircase inside Garfield's monument to the ultimate lookout deck, the spanse of the lake and view of downtown are spectacular...and you can get a history lesson too! Or visit Voinovich Park. It is an urban oasis--clean, surprisingly quiet, and the perfect juxtaposition between the city and the lake. Good place to read the newspaper and let your feet dangle over the water.

View from Voinovich Park
Photo by JAMinCLE

9) Go to a castle. On an early morning last summer, my sister and I hiked 5 miles to finally find this castle (doh!) in the metroparks in Willoughby Hills. Squire Castle is a beautiful yet eerie castle that dates back to the 1890s. Another cool piece of CLE history and good source for some spooky ghost stories too. My recommendation, go in the early morning hours to avoid the things that go bump in the night!

Finally made it to Squire's Castle

Photo by JAMinCLE

Photo by JAMinCLE

 10) Go kayaking. 41 North Coastal Kayaking is located on the border of Lakewood and Rocky River. It's a good upper body workout and a fun way to explore the coastline. The earlier, the better, otherwise you will face boat traffic on the river.

Photo by JAMinCLE

So that's it, CLE, after three nights of compiling and editing--those are my top 10 things to do before 10am in our great city! I challenge you to try some of these activities yourself! Hope to hear about your own early morning discoveries soon! Keep on jammin!