Cleveland. Plus Me.

It goes without saying, I’m sure, but I love Cleveland. While I have certain issues with living downtown (as many of you recollect from my stream of tweets), I wouldn’t give up the experience for anything. Moving out of the ‘burbs was is the best decision in housing I have ever made.

Bonus: it came with a long-term boyfriend, of course.

I grew up on the east side, then I moved FAR west to Strongsville after finishing junior college, then moved the other side of the South to Solon, then to Lakewood (back to Solon again), more Lakewood… and ended up buying a condo in Rocky River where I spent four years. I knew a year after purchasing that thing I may have made a mistake, but certainly didn’t anticipate how the housing market crash would impact my living arrangements… Wow, I’m getting off topic.

Cleveland, I love thee.

I love that I can walk out the door of my apartment, into an eclectic and lively entertainment neighborhood (East 4th, for those unaware).

I am mere blocks away from a newly-discovered, amazing (and FREE!) public library. My post office is in the historically-beautiful Arcade. I shop every week and have developed lifetime relationships with local vendors and farmers at the West Side Market — a market that is not replicated ANYWHERE in the country (most people think of the market as a tourist destination but I get to do nearly ALL of my grocery shopping here. How awesome is that?).

If I need a “bodyguard” to walk with me anywhere downtown, I can contact the DCA. I can run in the mornings and view such a gorgeous sunrise coming up over Lake Erie — and feel safe doing so alone and in downtown. The panhandlers know me (and most are kind)! My cab rides to anywhere I need to be cost me around $5. In the warmer months, I can ride my bike there. (Yet, I still pay $165 to park my car monthly — I KNOW! But seriously, it’s cheaper than any other city!).

Our exclusive collection within the Cleveland Museum of Art is FREE! Every. Single. Day. There are events at any given night of the week, in all of the Cleveland neighborhoods, that are inexpensive or FREE. There’s even a free trolley that will take you from one side of downtown to the other.

Meeting people, making connections and doing business is incredibly easy, with surprisingly, many willing to network, inform and support. We adopted our cat, Rudy, from the Cleveland APL.

I love Presto’s spicy tomato soup. I love cheap breakfast at PJ’s Luncheonette. The best sushi place downtown is one block away! Theresa’s Pizza delivers (I know, how lazy is that)! Greenhouse Tavern will let us in to grab some beers even when they appear to be closing down. There are so many fun local beer & wine charity events, and we end up with a case of Christmas Ale… and it’s almost March! (OK, that was the boyfriend, but he’s nice when he shares… ahem, LOVE YOU!). Erie Island Coffee Co. —  just downstairs.

But Mitchell’s ice cream? GET THEE COLD-YUMMY-MAKING BUTTS in a downtown location. That is all.

Like anyone backing the Positively Cleveland campaign to “stick it” to Forbes, there are endless reasons why I love Cleveland, why I stay in Cleveland — why I moved once for a couple months and came back. One blog post cannot justify, which is why I spread the love here always.

You know, until the Sax Guy learns another new song…

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.