Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Bon Appetit Appalachia Gastro-Tourism Website Launches To Help People Discover Local Food Treasures


Appalachians did the hyper-locavore thing before it was trendy.

Now a single site shows the best 283 destinations for a great food experience- from restaurants to markets, festivals, farms, vineyards and breweries.

Bon-Appetit Appalachia

"During winter 2013 and early 2014 nominations were reviewed, fact checked, researched, and supplemented with additional or missing sites, especially by geography and type. The result was a balanced list of 283 sites among six categories:
  1. Farms
  1. Farmers Markets
  1. Restaurants
  1. Festivals
  1. Wineries
  1. Breweries/Spirits
The site seems easy to search by location or interest. No doubt I will be using it.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

The Pittsburgh Zine Fair 2-8pm tomorrow @ The Union Project




Vendors, who range from teens to veteran ‘zine makers, hail from all around Pittsburgh, across Pennsylvania and even from Ohio and Michigan. Launched in 2011, the fair also aims to showcase Pittsburgh as a growing new media hub for producers of ‘zine-related content across a range of subject matter, themes, disciplines and formats—from politics and photography to sci-fi and identity. Also new this year is on-stage child care provided by Yellow Bridge Collective.
Can’t wait until Sunday? Check out the fair’s week-long series of events celebrating independent artists and media makers leading up to the big day. Meet and mingle with this year’s vendors at a special ‘Zine Fair Mixer on Saturday, September 27th at Bunker Projects, where Nils “Balls” Hanzcar, Juan Fernandez, Catherine Conley/Steer Queer, Maggie Lynn Negrete, Thom Delair, Erin Oh, Natty Soltesz, and Kelly Thomas/Wild Age Press will read from their work during the social gathering.
Don’t miss a signing with international cartoonists Michael DeForge, Simon Hanselmann and Patrick Kyle on September 24th at Copacetic Comics, and a special signing and Q&A event with “Hospital Suite” and “King-Cat Comics” creator John Porcellino, along with a screening of the documentary film, Root Hog or Die, about his life and work.
Union Project
 801 N Negley Ave, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 363-4550

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Cleveland: IngenuityFest



IngenuityFest is an annual event in Cleveland featuring creative and often interactive exhibits of art and technology that blur the lines between both domains to achieve visually dramatic and awe-inspiring effects. The 10th annual festival takes place at Dock 32, just north of First Energy Stadium on the Downtown Cleveland lakefront, and will also include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Great Lakes Science Center.


Admission is free. Hours are Friday: 5pm to 1am, Saturday: Noon to 1am, and Sunday: Noon – 5pm.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

9/18 - 9/24 Weekly Arts and Urbanism Roundup

Pittsburgh:

Mayor Peduto proposes real estate ta hike to fill projected $35 million budget shortfall.

Who are Pittsburgh's best professors?  (Pittsburgh Magazine)

Ed Piskor is Pittsburgh's Hip-Hop historian (Pittsburgh Magazine)

Chicago blogger rallies in defense of a bikeable Pittsburgh (Pop City)

Pittsburgh Public Market hosts first-ever food swap. (Pop City)  .

Cleveland:

There's a reason you're hearing so much about Cleveland these days (Next City)

Cleveland State University president to move downtown, becomes first CSU head to not live in Shaker Heights. (Cleveland Scene)

Bach, Boulez and ballet highlight new Cleveland Orchestra season.

Cincinnati 

How Cincinnati's pro-streetcar campaigners won in the end. (Atlantic/ Citylab)

West Virginia

Barbara Hicks Lacey remembers Charleston during segregation. (West Virginia Public Radio)

West Virginia urged to fight for international tourists

Twelve West Virginia communities focus on abandoned and blighted properties

Other Urbanism News.

Strange cloud over St. Louis turns out to be a huge swarm of butterflies. (Atlantic/Citylab)

Want to see more Millennials as home owners? Ease FHA condo restrictions. (Next City)

The Pink Zone: Why Detroit is the new Brooklyn (Fortune Magazine)

Placemaking and street design for conservatives  (Urbanism Speakeasy)

If so many people support mass transit, why do so few ride?  (Atlantic/ Citylab)

Walking through the art of black radical Brooklyn (Next City)

Why cities should strive for streets that "fail"  (Streetsblog)

Private owner of Indiana Turnpike files or bankruptcy

Bi-partisan Senate bill would give locals more control of transportation spending. (Streetsblog)

Art News: 

Hyperallergic talks with longtime Pittsburgh based artist, Christopher Kardambikis @ The New York Art Book Fair. (Hyperallergic)

Do Mexican drug lords buy art?  (Hyperallergic)

The esoteric world of print collecting (The New York Times)

Great piece on museum and gallery no-photo policies (Business Insider AU)

In London,showcases for self-taught artist's works  (Hyperallergic)

Unfinished work by Leonardo nearly restored. (The Art Newspaper)

Fashion photography is the art world's rising star  (The New York Times)

Paleolithic art at Spanish, Altamira Caves to remain open until February 2015 (The Art Newspaper)

Two new Mayan cities discovered in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. (The Art Newspaper)

Banned Books week: Comic books and literary censorship.  (Reason Magazine)

Banned Books Week: Guess which book topped the list again?  (Reason Magazine)


Monday, September 22, 2014

Bay Village, Ohio hosts first History, Mystery Bike Tour: October 4th



An Interesting way to tour and learn about this Cleveland, suburb's history while raising money for the town bike cooperative
"The first annual History Mystery Ride (HI MY) to support the Village Bike Cooperative will be held on Saturday, October 4th in Bay Village, OH. The inaugural ride will have three route options, including an easy-paced, family friendly 12 mile History Mystery [HI MY] cruise.
This ride includes stops designed to educate riders about Bay’s History as well as to sharpen detective skills.
  • Bicyclists desiring endurance options will have 25 and 50 mile routes.
  • All three ride levels will end morning travels with a meal at the Village Bicycle Cooperative where riders will enjoy a historic style picnic experience.  
  • VBC Volunteers will host programs in the afternoon.
The Cooperative is adjacent to the Bay Skate and Bike Park, Disc Golf Course, and Huntington Beach Reservation, so we welcome you to ride, learn, eat and enjoy some fall fun in Bay... a lovely place to visit.
All riders will receive a ride packet that will include a T-Shirt. Cost for the ride, packet, and food is $40.00. For more information, contact Rebecca @ 440.346.0560"

Details & ticket info:

Friday, September 19, 2014

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

9/10- 9/17 2014 Weekly Arts and Urbanism Roundup

Cleveland 

The Cleveland Museum of Art celebrates 25th chalk Art festival. (Cleveland.com)

The link between Northeast Ohio's flooding and its sprawl. (Streetsblog)

Akron

New loft apartments and Brew Pub planned for old Tire factory.

Other Ohio Arts and Urbanism News

Columbus Dispatch Writer cycling and blogging across Ohio.

Pittsburgh 

Pittsburgh poet, Terrance Hayes named MacArthur fellow. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood celebrates 200 years!  (Essential Pittsburgh)

Does the city's high self-esteem create new problems?  (Essential Pittsburgh)

Pittsburgh cyclists concerned about redesign of Schenley Drive in Oakland (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Artists from Mattress Factory discuss making it in Pittsburgh. (Pitt News)

Kurt Shaw reviews 2014 Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors annual @ Panza Gallery. (Tribune Review)

Pennsylvania DEP estimates there are 40 active underground coal fires burning across the state- including one under Pittsburgh Airport. (PA Independent)

West Virginia

Five free things to do in West Virginia in the fall. (Houston Chronicle)

Other Arts and Urbanism News 

Indiana campus police acquire massive amounts of surplus military gear (JC online)


The Bronx is booming with boutique and luxury hotels (New York Daily News) 

The new donut - decline of the inner ring suburbs. (Urbanophile)

"We can't have density there because there's not enough transit." (Human Transit)

How Germany's ban on Uber hurts the poor. (Business Week)

Others see Toronto as a success. Why don't we?  (The Toronto Star)

Europe's big airlines no longer want to fly in Europe. (Business Week)

Wisconsin's famous Amish and Mennonite, Kolona, cheese "factory" closes due to government regulations.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Rockin' Akron's Highland Square


Devo. Howard Hewett. Chrissie Hynde. James Ingram. The Black Keys. Akron, probably best known these days as the birthplace and home of NBA superstar LeBron James, also happens to be a wellspring of much musical talent and creativity. This weekend pays homage to these local and other performing legends, both established and aspiring, during the city's third annual Porch Rokr Music and Art Festival, hosted by its Highland Square community on September 20. More than 70 acts will be featured from dawn through dusk at points--many of them literally porches--throughout Highland Square.


On the eve of Porch Rokr Saturday, Friday, September 19, David Giffels, author of The Hard Way on Purpose: Essays and Dispatches from the Rust Belt will lead a film and panel discussion of new documentary It's Everything and Then It's Gone: History of Akron Rock. Film screening and panel session with crew and producers Phil Hoffman, Harvey Gold, Ralph Carney, Bob Ethington, Kurt Reed and Steve Felix will run from 8pm to 9:30pm at Akron's downtown Main Library. Tickets are available same day at the Main Library from 5:30pm to 6pm.

The Beatles: Cleveland Sheraton Hotel Press Conference, September 15, 1964

50 years and one day ago.



I doubt the films of many press conferences exist.

This Sunday marks the 50th anniversary of their only show in Pittsburgh.

There is also an exhibit of photos of their Cleveland show, which I should post about.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Canton Arts District

A genuine renaissance is taking place within the central business districts of Rust Belt cities large and small. The Pro Football Hall of Fame city of Canton is no exception.


While probably best known for hosting the NFL's annual Hall of Fame induction festivities and museum, the real story unfolding now in Canton is the success of its downtown Arts District. The special improvement district created to staunch the decline into obscurity of the city center has far exceeded expectations with a program focused on restoring Canton's civic spirit and cultural fabric through support and promotion of local art and artists, visual, performing, and culinary.







A few frequently occurring events showcase what Canton has to offer:

Each Saturday from this week up until October 18, 2014, between 8:00am and 11:30am, the downtown Farmer's Market located at Timken High School features 30 local vendors offering produce, bakery items, coffee, tea, and artisan goods, as well as live music. The Canton Farmer's Market typically begins its run in June.

On the first Friday of each month, year-round, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm, Canton hosts its First Friday downtown art walk. Take a tour of the unique exhibits, shops and galleries the Arts District hosts while enjoying a range of live music, performances and events that change to reflect each month's special artistic theme. Great food, coffee & tea, and beverages, too.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

New Gallery, BE2 opens Saturday in Lawrenceville



This is sort of an extension of Borelli Edwards Gallery. I think it will be run by long time Pittsburgh area curator, Vicky Clark.

Few people know more about regional art than Vicky- she also knows some good Cleveland area artists.





Wednesday, September 10, 2014

9/5-9/10 Weekly Arts and Urbanism Roundup

Pittsburgh 

Downtown finally gets bike lanes. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

New community ideas for the August Wilson Center (Essential Pittsburgh)

Meet the performance artist who "married Pittsburgh"  (Essential Pittsburgh)

Steeltown Anthem visits Carnegie Coffee Co.  (Steeltown Anthem)

National Forum in Pittsburgh focuses on art's role in improving education (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

In Pennsylvania, buying beer out of state makes you a bootlegger. (Pennsylvania Independent)

Cleveland 

Beachland Ballroom and Space"ROCK Gallery celebrate 50th anniversary of Beatles landing with concert and photo exhibition.

RTA introduces Ohio City Connector, making it easier to travel between downtown and Ohio City. (Freshwater)

Northeast Ohio Skate Parks attract skaters and bike riders of all ages (Cleveland.Com)

Interview with owner of Cleveland's Upcycle Parts Shop (Cleveland Scene)

Johnny Manziel racks up 10th trademark filing with Johnny Cleveland. (Cleveland Scene)

Cleveland Rock and Roll half marathon cancelled. (Cleveland Scene)

The New York Daily News will no longer publish, The Cleveland Indian's Chief Wahoo logo.

Richmond Times Dispatch travel writer tours Cleveland's quirky side. (Richmond Times Dispatch)

Columbus

Downtown's population growth slowly attracts restaurants and shops. (Columbus Dispatch)

Other Ohio News

Hocking Hills Zip Line makes USA Today list of best zip lines in America. (USA Today)

Storming the beach at Conneaut: (Belt Magazine)

West Virginia and Appalachia News

Will legal pot end Appalachia's biggest cash crop?  (The Revivalist)

Carrie Williams, West Virginia's little known civil rights hero (The Revivalist)

Other Arts, Architecture and Urbanism News

Extensive archive of avant-garde and modernist magazines available online.  (Open Culture)

Why walking helps us think (The New Yorker)

New Orleans' Afterschool scene has a transportation problem (Next City)

Are we approaching peak land use control?  (Planetizen)

It's OK to build transit oriented development before transit (Streetsblog)

Here's what Silicon Valley can learn from good old Midwestern Values.

Should you say you are from the city if you live in the suburbs? (article3)

What smart cities can learn from Denver. (Pop City)

Pinterest accidentally congratulates single women for getting married. (New York Magazine)


Saturday, September 06, 2014

More Cincinnati Posts on the way.

No, I did not love Cincy more than Pittsburgh, but it is a beautiful city with lots of untapped potential.

A few more posts on Cincinnati neighborhoods and history still on the way.

Friday, September 05, 2014

No-No: A Dockumentary about Pirates Pitcher Dock Ellis plays @ Harris Theater

A film about one of Baseball's great characters

From Entertainment Weekly

"Dock Ellis was an All-Star pitcher for the powerhouse Pittsburgh Pirates teams of the early 1970s, but he’s best known for a rather dubious athletic feat. On June 12, 1970, he pitched a no-hitter, one of only 286 in the history of the game. But most likely, his gem was the only one recorded while under the influence of LSD."
Few people probably lived life harder or experienced more than Dock Ellis.

"I pitched every game in the major leagues under the influence of drugs."
So says Dock Ellis, the Pittsburgh Pirate who threw a no-hitter while tripping on LSD. "N0-No: A Dockumentary" is an intelligent look at Ellis' up-and-down career and the treatment of African American baseball players in the mid-'60s and '70s.
Ellis could be considered their unofficial spokesman. He was a black militant and controversial: He got in trouble for wearing curlers, and considered himself theMuhammad Ali of baseball."

After years of abuse, even Ellis admitted he had a problem. and became an addiction counselor. How much did the death of his close friend, Roberto Clemente  affect him?



Harris Theater
September 5 to September 18
  • Showtimes for Sept. 5-11
  • Fri: 7:30 | Sat: 5:00 & 7:30 | Sun: 3:00 | Mon-Thur: 7:30




Thursday, September 04, 2014

Conneaut, Ohio Hosts the Nation's Largest D-Day Reenactment

From Belt Magazine:


It's easy to laugh at the hobby of civilians recreating, long ago battles but beneath it is often a sincere attempt to honor and experience what others might have felt.
"D-Day Conneaut now the largest D-Day reenactment in the country, began in 1999 when a small group of reenactors at Conneaut Park recreated “Operation Overlord,” the code name for the 1944 Normandy operation. The annual event was not made public until 2007 and was later moved to Conneaut Township Park, just north of State Route 531. D-Day Conneaut is funded entirely through donations. Its organizing staff and participating reenactors are unpaid."
The town sits on Lake Erie almost exactly at the Pennsylvania, Ohio border now draws thousands from all over the country including the last few, who actually did live through D-Day.

"A ceremony commences to honor Raymond Woods, of Ottawa, Ohio, who served aboard the USS O’Brien on D-Day. “Mr. Woods, to show its eternal gratitude, the government of the French Republic has decided to award you the Legion of Honor,” says the French Consul Honoraire, atop the stage with Woods. “The award of France’s highest honor is most appropriate for someone who helped liberate France’s soil. How appropriate that we honor you today, in part for your service on the beaches of Normandy, at this wonderful celebration of D-Day on the beaches of Conneaut.”"
The whole piece, is well done and pretty moving.

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

8/28- 9/4 Weekly Arts & Urbanism Roundup

Pittsburgh
What a trip: Living it up in Pittsburgh, hidden-arts-and-culture jewel (Washington Post)

Hop to it on microbrew tour (Toronto Star)

Allure showcase represents 34 Pittsburgh area artists (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

110 Artists gather for Fair in the Park (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Let's Talk About Art: Review of Blaine Siegel's Pittsburgh Biennial Show (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Pittsburgh area fall family activity guide (Pittsburgh Mommy Blog)

Murals give youngsters a chance to shine, memorialize Pittsburgh playwright (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

Cleveland

Cleveland police shooting may have been "suicide by police". (Cleveland.com)

Black, white and stuck all over: Identity politics are keeping Cleveland a two race town in a multi-race world.  (Belt Magazine)

Cleveland House of Blues to host benefit for documentary film about famed rock writer Jane Scott. (Cleveland Scene)

Cleveland joins meatless Mondays trend. (Cleveland Scene)

Mansfield, Ohio

Thousands of movie fans expected to celebrate 20th anniversary of The Shawshank Redemption

Akron

Goodyear says it won't build new $500 million factory in Ohio.

Other "Rust Belt News"

Repurposing old train stations in the rust belt. (Belt Magazine)

Ferguson, race and the inner ring suburb. (Belt Magazine)

Other Architecture, Urbanism and Arts News

The art of Burning Man (but is it art?) (Hyperallergic)

The Subsidy Show: Colbert, Fallon and the crony capitalism of the creative class.

The Highway to Serfdom

Chinese authorities shut down Beijing Independent Film Festival. (Hyperallergic)

Designing mobile homes for the new wanderers (Hyperallergic)

The war on Airbnb

Building bigger roads actually makes traffic worse (Wired)

Second American journalist beheaded by ISIS (UK Daily Mail)

Bahrain tortures award winning photojournalist (Hyperallergic)

Tiny Cleveland Browns Player Glitch in Madden NFL 15 Creates Accidental Conceptual Art



From Cleveland.Com

"Rookie linebacker Christian Kirksey is listed at 6-2, 235 pounds on the team's roster.
That appears to be a gross exaggeration ... at least on the "Madden NFL 2015" video game."

Which made him a 14 inch tall micro-superman still able to take out, NFL giants.

The result of a code glitch- is now wildly popular- If they choose not to fix it, they may have created one of the world's most loved works of conceptual art.

You may wonder why he is playing for the Titans if he is with the Browns? Another glitch or just another way to make Cleveland feel small? It won't happen.


Tuesday, September 02, 2014

Call for Submissions: Essays, Nonfiction for Youngstown Anthology

Belt Magazine is gaining a reputation for putting out great writing and reporting about the "Rust Belt".
Next Anthology: Youngstown!

A call for submissions and proposals

Proposal deadline: October 1, 2014
Submission deadline: November 1, 2014
Publication date: Fall 2015
"We are accepting nonfiction contributions, including essays, profiles and reported works between 500 and 2,000 words that fit with the vision expressed above. Proposals of no more than 300 words are also welcome. We will work with writers on pieces that show promise.Payment will be $100* upon publication.


Contributions are needed for the following sections:
  • Family (culture, neighborhoods, attachments)
  • Loss (violence, steel, racial and ethnic conflict)
  • Transcendence (arts, sports, religion)
  • Work (new business, new politics, redevelopment)
We are also looking for work from documentary photographers and graphic artists with a Youngstown connection. Work will be published in black and white. Poetry will be considered, but the bar is extremely high. Please do not submit works of fiction."