Cleveland Event

Great Lakes Urban Exchange www.gluespace.org
This is a bit of a different post. As I mentioned in my intro, I’m a part of an organization called the Great Lakes Urban Exchange. GLUE is a coalition comprised of post-boomer urbanists located in the "rustbelt," was founded to promote the power, aide in the positive transformation, and address the shared challenges of similarly-storied older industrial cities situated in the Great Lakes watershed. Among the ranks of GLUE coalition members are community organizers, urban planners, artists, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and students living and working in over twenty cities in ten states.

GLUE was developed in the fall of 2007 as a forum for people to exchange stories, ideas, and best practices between otherwise isolated cities ranging from Buffalo to St. Louis to Minneapolis. The GLUE coalition, comprised of post-boomer urbanists located in the "rustbelt," was founded to promote the power, aide in the positive transformation, and address the shared challenges of similarly-storied older industrial cities situated in the Great Lakes watershed.

GLUE has done amazing work in its near two year existence. There have been amazing conference, expert sessions and calls, monthly meetings, and civic and social gatherings. GLUE has partnered with an solicited support from some of the most respected organizations in the country. GLUE participants are dedicated citizens and leaders of post industrial rust belt cities that love and believe in this area. I would like to share an amazing event and campaign that is coming up in Cleveland called “I Will Stay If”.

The IWSI campaign is campaign to share with our city and state leadership, in all sectors, a new take on what our cities need in order to be successful. And we want that new take to come directly and unfiltered from the people who are living and working here every day.

As GLUE has gotten to know thousands people across the region, we've learned that what you care about isn't just cooler coffee houses and music venues. Rather, it's a long-term, sustainable and equitable vision for your city.

The I Will Stay If... campaign will aggregate and share, via a powerful visual format, YOUR ideas for our cities. We look at each of the photos we collect as mini-stories. And we want your voice to play a role in shaping the larger stories of our cities.

I’m sure NYC has some great organizations and events like this but I’m feeling good about this one. For more information visit: http://iwsicleveland.blogspot.com/
Cleveland or NYC, You Decide…

Great Finds

So I feel like I’ve been blasting NYC a lot so I wanted to start keeping a running list of great NYC finds. Consider this my version of the Zaggat without the expensive places. Please let me know if you have other great NYC or Cleveland finds.

-Iggy’s on Ludlow (132 Ludlow). They gave a $5 PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) shot deal (any tap shot). It seems to be one of the best drink deals in the city. For $40, my friends and I were feeling good. Be careful, there is a $25 minimum on your credit card that isn’t disclosed in the establishment. We had a little spat with the bartender over my pals bill but was cleared up. (She was actually cleared of the bill totally). Anyway, it’s a great dive with a good jukebox. See the pictures below for proof.

-Rin Thai Cuisine Chelsea 265 West 23rd St New York, NY 10011 This little find is close to the 1, C & E trains. The Spring Rolls, Chicken and Shrimp Dumplings, Pineapple Fried Rice, Basil Spicy Fried Rice and Pad Thai is to die for. The best thing about this place is that it is super affordable and in an interesting area. This is a great place for a date (not like I was on one) or meeting place for friends. The service is great and staff was friendly. The drink selection was expansive and affordable. See the pictures below for a look at the great ambiance.

For comparison sake, one my two favorite affordable and amazing Asian dining options are: LiWah http://liwahrestaurant.com/ (where the most expensive thing on the menu is $12 and the service is very fast and Phnom Phen http://www.ohiorestaurant.com/ who also has excellent food with great prices and fast services. Both of these places don’t have the most modern décor and best ambiances, but the food is cheap and tasty.
Cleveland or NYC, You Decide…


My pal Tesh at Rin

The Weather

So the weather has been a trip for early October, all over the country. It was a cold weekend in the city and I hear it was chilly in Northeast Ohio. The wind factor NYC is no joke but then again I lived on West Ninth in Cleveland, Ohio and I'm not convinced that there is a windy street in the country.
Many New Yorkers have told me that it gets cold much later than in Ohio but that didn't seem to be the case this weekend. I figured it wouldn't hurt to start comparing the weather since it's such a ping point for so many people. Let's compare.


Cleveland 10 Day Forecast

Tonight Oct 19 Partly Cloudy 47°

Tue Oct 20 Partly Cloudy 62° high; 49° low

Wed Oct 21 Partly Cloudy 66° high; 49° low

Thu Oct 22 Cloudy 60° high; 47° low

Fri Oct 23 Showers 56° high; 51° low

Sat Oct 24 Showers 52° high; 42° low`

Sun Oct 25 Few Showers 45° high; 41°

Mon Oct 26 Scattered Showers 50° high; 42° low

Tue Oct 27 Showers 52° high; low 43°

Wed Oct 28 Few Showers 56° high 47°


New York City 10 Day Forecast

Tonight Oct 19 Mostly Clear 42° low

Tue Oct 20 Mostly Sunny 64° high; 49° low

Wed Oct 21 Partly Cloudy 66° high; 51° low

Thu Oct 22 Partly Cloudy 65° high; 49° low

Fri Oct 23 Few Showers 58° high; 54° low

Sat Oct 24 Showers 61° high; 50° low

Sun Oct 25 Partly Cloudy 56° high; 44° low

Mon Oct 26 Mostly Sunny 56° high; 45° low

Oct 27 Scattered Showers 57° high; 45° low

Wed Oct 28 Few Showers 58° high; 46° low

Cleveland or NYC; You Decide...

Drink Prices

So this weekend was the first weekend that I was in the City as a resident. I decided that I can't get used to the city unless I actually stay here. So Friday night at 6:45 I was at the office trying to figure out what I was going to do for the weekend.

Luckily, I mentioned to some of my colleagues that I was staying in the city and that I needed to start figuring out some places to explore. After sensing their dismay from me saying that I've been studying my Harlem Zagat (I don't think the Zagat is cool to folks who consider themselves New Yorkers) I started soliciting their feedback on where I should start. By the time I had returned from the restroom they decided that we were going out for after work drinks.

The first problem is that I did not feel dressed for an early night in the city but I had to go since they were so graciously offering to get my going on the journey. The good thing is no one ever really "knows" the city so they both checked 'what's happening emails' and came up with a small list of places to visit in the area. We decided to walk to a place called Nectar http://www.nectarwinenyc.com/ that was about a 15/20 minute walk so we didn't even have to take the train.

The place was beautiful and totally what you would expect for a hip NYC wine bar. Great atmosphere, nice selection, cool crowd and small plates in case you needed a snack. The music was low so you could still actually have a conversation and the space was intimate like every place in NYC (there is no space wasted here). I was feeling my first after work drink spot. Another colleague joined us and eventually one of my best pals Celia joined.

I hadn't paid for my two glasses of Riesling because my colleagues again graciously welcomed me to the city so I wasn't aware of the prices. When Celia's bill came for her ONE glass of Riesling it was $14!!! I couldn't believe it. A good bottle of Riesling in Cleveland (even in the grocery store or wine specialty shops) runs you about $11.99 for a BOTTLE. I was shocked. Celia and I walked back to my place and got ready to meet a friend of mine downtown.

We took a yellow cab (bad idea) so it cost us $20 (with a tip) to go from 125th to 46th street. Note: this was a time for a gypsy cab as there could have been some negotiation. We waited in a short line (I hate when they do that at clubs anywhere because they just want bodies in front of the club). Though my friend gave us a pass code (!?!?!?) to give the bouncer I was starting to get nervous because the bouncer was pulling people from behind us and charging the ladies $20-$25. $20 is my max for clubs which you will see over the course of this blog that I hate paying cover charges especially when I plan to spend money at an establishment but I digress. Luckily the password cleared us for entrance with no cover, whew!

I was feeling pretty good from the 2 glasses of wine so I didn’t buy anything in addition to being cheap but Celia needed a pick up. We made our way to the bar (which was no easy task). Celia order A shot of Jose Quervo tequila (she would have ordered Patron in Cleveland but she knew better) as to take the more inexpensive route. She gave the bartender a $20 and get $6 back, a measly $6.

So apparently alcohol in NYC is NOT CHEAP but $14 for A shot of tequila and we haven't even talked tip (which if you give 20% is $3) so a shot could run one $17?!?!? This is going to take a lot of getting used to.

So let's compare.
Shot of Jose Quervo in downtown Cleveland (no tip): $4-$9; Shot of Jose Quervo in downtown NYC (no tip) $14. Since this is the only shot I've been witness to I'll check back if I find a cheaper price to provide a range. Glass of Riesling in downtown Cleveland $6-$10; Glass of Riesling in NYC $14. The same range explanation applies to the wine.
Cleveland or NYC...You Decide

Cleveland/US World Cup Bid

I must admit that I am not a huge soccer fan but since this is so cool, it deserves a post of it's own.

Soccer has been a passion in Cleveland ever since England's famous Corinthians came to town in 1906 to play the Cleveland Soccer Football Club. Professional soccer was first introduced to Cleveland in 1929, and has existed in various forms ever since.

During a ten-year stretch in the 1970s and 80s, the Cleveland Stars/Cobras of the American Soccer League hosted some of the best international teams of the day. The impressive list includes: the Canadian, Polish and Israeli Olympic teams, Glasgow Rangers (Scotland), Santos (Brazil), Eintracht Braunschweig (Germany), Preston North End (England) and more than a dozen others.

Today the USL First Division Cleveland City Stars, PASL Ohio Vortex and PASL Cleveland Pride carry on the tradition of soccer in Cleveland.

No nation embodies the values and spirit of the FIFA World Cup™ quite like the United States.

Whether you choose to call it soccer, football, or futbol, it is a game that, in so many ways, tells our nation's story.

It is a game where individuals shine through participation, talent and creativity—but team success results from hard work, sacrifice and dedication to a common cause.

It is a democratic game that requires nothing more than a ball, a patch of ground and the passion to play.

It is the world's game, and America, with its rich diversity, is a uniquely globalized nation. We are the world's melting pot, and we have brought the game with us from every corner of the earth.

This is why the game has captured the imaginations of so many Americans and continues to grow at an astonishing pace. It is in our schoolyards and stadiums, our church parking lots and cornfields, our back alleys and beachfronts, pulsing through our cities and suburbs and countryside alike.

The game has grown and never before has there been an opportunity to unify all the diverse passions that live within our borders.

The game is everywhere. The game is in US. We are Americans and we are ready to welcome a FIFA World Cup™ that makes the game part of the everyday social consciousness of our country.


To learn more about Cleveland US World Cup Soccer bid visit:
http://www.gousabid.com/city/local/cleveland-oh/
http://www.gousabid.com/


World Cup in Cleveland? You Decide...

Physical Fitness

So most of us are on a health and physical fitness kick right now and I am not exempt. The average gym membership in Ohio can range from $20-$100 per month. I was lucky in Ohio to have a great gym in my building that offered a free boot camp class (which if offered more than once a week would have produced a great body because I actually went). There were the usual suspects in Ohio: Bally’s, YMCA, City Club Gyms and the suburban gyms with big windows for the beautiful and perfectly physically fit to taunt us in that honestly weren’t worth the drive to. Most of those options were relatively pricy if you didn’t go all the time and often a little ways away.
When I moved here last week, I notice a fairly hip looking gym called planet fitness. My mom has been on my back about getting my NYC body which I hoped would be taken care of by the insane amount of walking that the average person does everyday (I guess I’m not that person since I only live 4 blocks from work). I decided to check planet fitness out and I couldn’t believe what I signed up for.
$1 down, $29 per year annual fee to be paid October 1st of every year, $10 per month with unlimited access (the gym is open 24 hours 5 days a week plus Saturday and Sunday), and the actual gym is underground, so there are no street level peeping Tom’s. Included in my $10 monthly membership are 30 free classes offered throughout the week. The best thing is planet fitness is just 2 blocks from my house. No, actually the best thing is the membership is $10 per month (for the life of the contract) so if I don’t make it I don’t feel to cheated. I’m not sure if there is a planet fitness coming to Cleveland or if there’s one already there but it’s feeling like a sweet deal. Maybe I’ll head there now (or not).
Cleveland or NYC, You Decide…

Getting Around

So I guess it’s time to delve into some of the obvious difference between these two great cities and what better place to start than getting around. Let’s talk about Cleveland first. Northeast Ohio and actually all Ohio is in desperate need of public transportation. Take Youngstown Ohio, where I grew up. There is one public busing system that’s service has greatly decreased over the last 10 years. There was a point in time that there was talk of eliminating the bus system all together. Fortunately the service was saved but it runs fewer routes during reduced hours. Ohioans are generally very dependent on our cars. Take my family for instance (a proud GM & union family). When I was growing up we had four cars for a family of three. I had a car, my father had a truck, my mother had a car, and for some reason there was often an extra car. We were all going in different directions at different times of the day, but in retrospect it was pretty ridiculous. However, without adequate busing or public transportation, it’s difficult not to have a car.
Cleveland is much better. During my two years in Cleveland I saved a lot on gas and automobile maintenance in general. There was a fairly comprehensive transit system in that traveled east and west. (I guess too bad if you have to go north or south, just have to find a ride). Then there’s the bus in Cleveland which seems to run everywhere at all hours of the day and night (I don’t know that to be a fact because I’ve honestly never ridden the bus in Cleveland). In 2008, Cleveland RTA (Regional Transit Authority) was rated on of the best in the country. I don’t know what the ratings were based on but from my experiences the system seems great. My favorite service was the downtown free trolley. The trolley runs 7am to 7pm (it should run later for downtown) and takes you virtually anywhere in downtown Cleveland. It runs about every 10 minutes with about 4-6 cars for the two different routes. As a downtown resident and working in downtown, I loved the trolley. It picked me up and dropped me in at my front door and took me anywhere I needed to go (in downtown). The funny thing is on a nice day, every place I needed to go in downtown within reasonable walking distance (which I deemed a 25 minutes of less).
Then there’s NYC. You can get ANYWHERE on the MTA (the subway) in the 5 boroughs. It’s amazing to be in a place that you really don’t need a car. It is much more of a hassle to have a car in NYC considering the unbelievable parking costs, the need to move your car for street sweeping and trash collection purposes, and the sheer volume of traffic in NYC. The tough thing is learning the subway system (it’s not easy to learn quickly like DC). There are so many lines that take you so many places. There are letters, numbers and colors which confuses me so terribly. People keep telling me that I’ll figure it out soon, I’m trying to trust them but I’m not feeling so confident. The train is ALWAYS packed with people that reminds me that this is truly the city that never sleeps. When you don’t feel like taking the train there is are a myriad of bus lines that run everywhere too. There is the very convenient M60 bus that amongst many other places goes from LaGuardia airport to 125th and Lennox (four blocks from my place). Lastly there is the unbelievable cab system. There are yellow cabs, gypsy cabs, and car service that are all available 24/7. Cabs are everywhere. I’ve found that the different options are better for different reasons. For general travel within the city (loosely defined) the gypsy cab is great. There seems to be some level of negotiation on the gypsy cab before you get in. They often seem to be cheaper as well. I’ve found that the yellow cab is best for trips to landmarks specifically the airport because there’s a set price so you can’t be hussled too much. Lastly there’s the car service. It seems that the car service is nice at night and for entertainment purposes (travel to midtown, the club, shows, etc). So that’s my synopsis of getting around in the Midwest and the Big City.
Cleveland vs. NYC, You Decide…

The Apartment Search

Okay, I’m back. My first week of work got me away from my posting. Let’s get down to the real talk of my transition; it began with the apartment search. From the time I accepted the position to the time I started the position was only 3 ½ weeks. Now in Ohio, that’s plenty of time to find an apartment. Basically, in Ohio, you go to the area you are interested in, go to the leasing office, look at an apartment and move in almost immediately. New York City is a bit of a different story. There are many factors that have to be considered. The number one and most important, how much can you afford to spend (which in NYC doesn’t get you a lot)? How close do you want to be to a train? How many flights of stairs are you willing to walk? How far do you want to be from work? Do you want to be uptown, downtown, midtown, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island, or even Jersey?
When I started looking for apartments I was shocked. My $1500/month (plus electric, internet and cable) in downtown Cleveland got me: 1400 square feet, two beds, two full baths, large open kitchen with plenty of cabinets and new appliances, large living room, dining room, hardwood floors, high ceilings, an amazing view of Lake Erie, the biggest residential gym in downtown Cleveland, a grocery store in the building, and underground heated parking. Not to mention I was on one of the busiest and most populated residential streets (by many young professionals’ standards) in downtown Cleveland. The most important thing is once I decided I wanted to live in downtown Cleveland, it took me one day to view the buildings I was interested in and determine the rent I could afford. Once I decided on a place there was a simple application fee and one month’s rent security deposit. For the two years I lived in the Bingham I had great maintenance service and the convenience of all the downtown amenities and the ability to walk to work.
Okay. $1500 doesn’t get you much in Manhattan. I decided that I wanted to be close to a train and near work. I decided I wanted some space and didn’t want to spend more than $1500 a month. I had no idea what I was in for. The short version is it took me 3 weeks to find an apartment after I was seeing some of the worst places I could imagine that met none of my requirements. For two apartments that I was initially looking into I had to give the brokers $150 applications fees and in one case after you submitted the $150 app fee and were accepted, then you got to look at an apartment that you would actually be able to live in (after the fee). $1500 in NYC doesn’t get you much space. Most apartments that I found in that range are about 450-800 square feet. The most shocking thing is that when you go through a broker, you have to give them 15% of the annual rent in addition to the first months rent and a security deposit. And apparently no one takes a personal check in NYC. WHAT?!?!?!
Luckily for me, I have a friend who is interested in rooming. After 3 weeks of searching I got desperate and literally started walking up and down the streets of Harlem and calling numbers. I finally found a place in Harlem four blocks from work and four blocks from the 2 and 3 express trains (which means I can get to midtown quickly, what we know as Ohioans as NYC). My place is in a brownstone and has 2 beds, 2 full baths, a connecting patio off both bedrooms, an open kitchen, and nice size living room. The biggest sale point for me was the energy efficient washer dryer in the unit! The price tag $2000/month plus utilities. The funny thing is I really lucked up. My apartment could easily go for $5000 plus a month in other areas of the city.
So let’s quickly review the similarities (I think the differences are apparent). I have about the same amount of square footage give or take. I have a patio in NYC which is great, I didn’t have one in Cleveland. I’m on the second floor in contrast to the 9th floor in Cleveland. I like being closer to the street. There’s no elevator in the apartment which isn’t a problem. The obvious difference is the difference in price. Every street in NYC seems to be very populated. It only takes me 5-7 minutes to walk to work as opposed to 15-20 in Cleveland. You can get anywhere by train which is certainly not the case in Cleveland. There are tons of places to eat and entertain within a 5 minute walk of my front door which is not so much the case in Cleveland either. We’ll see how the relationship goes with the building superintendent (which is a new concept in itself). The saga continues.
Cleveland or NYC? You decide…