Larchmere PorchFest in Cleveland this Saturday Transforms Porches into Stages

The best events in Cleveland share the same kind of unpretentious neighborhood feel of many of Pittsburgh's best.

Larchmont is a neighborhood in Cleveland, close to Shaker Heights and University Circle. For five years they have invited people to turn their porches and front yards into into low key music venues. Walk around, breath the summer air and move from concert to concert. Even if all the bands suck, chances are this is gonna be fun. Did I mention that many of Cleveland's awesome food trucks will be out there too?

More Info on Larchmere

Event website: Larchmere PorchFest, with schedule, map and all other details

Create A Local City Guide For Cleveland, Youngstown, Akron, Canton, Pittsburgh: Deadline Tomorrow

Crap, I didn't know about this, till now when Bill Peduto tweeted about it.

Most of the time our cities are defined by the official powers that be, tourist offices, major advertisers and the like. Here's a chance to tell the world about the places and things you think make your city great.

Good Magazine is sponsoring a contest.

the OBJECTIVE

Create a guide for your city highlighting the best your community has to offer.

the REQUIREMENTS

Your guide has to fit on a standard page. Upload your submission here. We’ll accept submissions through Sunday, July 3. Afterwards we will post a collection of our favorite submissions and ask you, the GOOD community, to vote. The winning entry will be announced on GOOD.is, featured on our homepage, and printed in the next issue of GOOD. We’ll also send a GOOD T-shirt and a free subscription (or gift subscription) to the winner.

Aside from that, get as creative as possible using photos, drawings and anything else you can.

From Pittsburgh City Councilman, Bill Peduto's blog

"You, as a savvy Burgher, know the best that our city has to offer. Not just the places in the tourist guides, but those off the beaten path. The places that you’d want an out-of-town friend to see — the inside scoop from a local. Here’s your chance to show off your knowledge and tell the world what makes Pittsburgh special. GOOD.is is sponsoring a contest to create a “local’s guide” that showcases the very best of Pittsburgh. What makes your must see list? The ToonSeum? The Waffle Shop? Gertrude Stein’s birthplace and nearby Millionaires’ Row? Or how about your favorite neighborhood bar?"

Ex Cleveland Ad Man Tells Us Why He Thinks The City's Neighborhoods Have So Much Potential

From Freshwater Cleveland

OK this guy, Alan Glazen seems smarter, harder working and more creative than average by a long shot. He's now in the Avertising Hall Of Fame! Still, his take on how Cleveland neighborhoods like Ohio City, Tremont and Detroit Shoreway offer a great stage for authentic craft businesses rings very true to me.

He's now taking his thinking to the bank by starting a second career involving himself in new local restaurants and other ideas.

"It's the same story now. Shoppers are growing tired of soulless big box stores and contrived "lifestyle centers." These places lack any ties to the community. They have no local personality. There is no desire for excellence; no quest to be the best; no locally sourced foods. If you opened a Friday's or Applebee's in Ohio City, it would be a ghost town."

Like me, Glazen sees parts of Cleveland that remind him of Brooklyn.

"The question of which neighborhood was easy: Detroit Shoreway. Having lived in Brooklyn, I felt right at home. Detroit Avenue was just like Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, where many New York chefs were opening indie bistros."

As he says--only come with an A game. This isn't about what's in the place already, as much as about what you are willing to bring to the table.

"And I assure you -- there is money to be made. You can absolutely make a living in these urban neighborhoods and others. Just do ordinary things extraordinarily. Offer exceptional things accessibly. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Why should you open your bicycle repair shop in a Cleveland neighborhood rather than in a suburb like Solon or Westlake? Because you share a spirit with the bike messengers and people who ride to work each day instead of drive."

Images Of Cleveland's Amazing/Interesting Tremont Neighborhood

OK, I can finally admit that until last weekend, I had never been to Cleveland. We did get there and spent an active weekend. Sadly, the weather and need to see Cleveland Museum and Rock Hall impacted some of my ability to explore. We also planned this trip last minute and didn't scope out a local guide.

Here are some images from the beautiful, strange, historic neighborhood called Tremont on Cleveland's West Side. The diversity of building types is stunning. The deep handcrafted ways people are adding and preserving the place in many small ways, come across. This is not a wealthy area, or a place the city seems to have shown much care for. Tremont, reminds me of Polish Hill, in being both centrally located and yet isolated.



FYI, we were rushing around without much clue--few formal city guides or handouts at the hotels point out this place. Actually, getting a good guide or map to much beyond just the downtown/Stadium/Rock Hall/Business district and University Circle area was hard. Lucky for you, the locals have placed many wonderful plaques and maps around the area.

There were also many nice shops, cafes and the like that I didn't capture. Tremont and nearby Ohio City are great places for eats.

"Originally settled by Eastern Europeans, Appalachians, Greeks, Polish and African-Americans, Tremont is one of Cleveland’s oldest neighborhoods with architectural gems evoking its rich cultural heritage.

Tremont was once named University Heights in tribute to the hosting of the city’s first institution of higher learning - Cleveland University - which operated in the neighborhood from 1851 to 1853. The current street names “Professor,” “College,” “University” and “Literary” are remnants of this period.

The name of the neighborhood was changed later to Lincoln Heights to commemorate the area’s role as the site of two Union Army camps during the Civil War.The small town character fostered by the isolation created by the development of the interstates along with the unique mix of architectural styles and proximity to Downtown, has spurred a renewed interest in urban living in the neighborhood."

More neighborhood Info

Restore Tremont

Tremont Art Walk

Tremont Gardeners

Tremont Oral History Project

Tremont Wikipedia


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