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4 Huge Reasons to Take Your Grandsons to Cleveland

10/08/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

I recently visited Cleveland and Canton, Ohio with a group of fellow travel writers. It was my first time in the area, but I am determined that it won’t be my last. For my next visit, I WILL take some grandsons along. They’ll have a ball!!

  1. SPORTS, SPORTS AND MORE SPORTS! — Three major professional teams have their home stadiums in Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Browns (football), Cleveland Cavaliers (basketball) and Cleveland Indians (baseball). Those stadiums are in the same general vicinity, so much so that when I visited, I walked a few short blocks to Progressive Field for an Indians game and passed an excited horde of fans heading in the opposite direction to FirstEnergy Stadium for the Browns season opener. The Indians climbed to the top of their division and made it to the playoffs this year. The Browns fans stay loyal, in spite of lackluster records. They believe in their team. The Cavaliers said good-bye to Lebron James after winning the NBA championship but still love the Cavs and their chances to bring home more wins. 

Our boys would love going to a game, and the odds are good that we’d be able to schedule our trip to see one of these Cleveland teams for a home game.

2.  PURE FUN! — Cleveland has its own zoo, aquarium and science center, but a mere hour away from downtown Cleveland in Sandusky is Cedar Point Amusement Park, calling itself “The Roller Coaster Capital of the World.” That says it all, doesn’t it? Thrills-a-million!

For a bit of quirkiness, A Christmas Story House, site where much of the iconic Christmas movie was filmed, is open for tours. Since the movie first came out in 1983, perhaps a pre-trip viewing of the movie would be in order to whet our appetites. Popcorn, anyone?

A Christmas Story House

3. LEARN ABOUT ROCK AND ROLL AND PRO FOOTBALL LEGENDS! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is on E. 9th Street in Cleveland and is one of the most popular attractions in the city. The interactive exhibits and memorabilia from famous singers are guaranteed to entertain the younger set, and maybe they will gain an appreciation for the music of their parents’ and grandparents’ days. The Beatles, Elvis, Aretha Franklin — every one you could name. This is a multi-sensory profusion.

Outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

An hour away in Canton, is the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Once again, the displays and exhibits are interactive and superbly done. My favorite display showcased the Super Bowl rings of various stars. Those bad boys are HUGE!! I can imagine the grandsons picking a favorite team and following the journey of its most famous athletes through the museum.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Super Bowl Ring

4. EAT GREAT FOOD! The first place that springs to mind is The Happy Dog at Euclid Tavern. Check out this impressive list of FIFTY, yes 50, different toppings you can order for your hamburger or hot dog.

Hot Dog toppings

The Greenhouse Tavern on E. 4th Street has an Ohio Beef Burger that would get 2 thumbs up from some hungry boys.

Ohio Beef Burger at The Greenhouse Tavern

For breakfast, I would want to take them to Grumpy’s Cafe one day and West Side Market Cafe the next. And, somewhere along the way, they would need to taste their first pierogi. THEN, they could feel that they had really walked in the shoes of true Clevelanders. 

Grumpy’s breakfast

Pierogies!

Yes, I know. Cleveland is probably NOT the best choice for a grandparents/grandchildren destination in the winter. But, for spring, summer and fall, it is bursting with ways to make amazing memories.

P.S. Never fear. There’s a whole future post about great activities the grandDAUGHTERS will love as well. 🙂

 

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5 People Who Went Above and Beyond

09/07/2018 By: CCPearson2 Comments

One of my favorite aspects of being a travel writer is getting to meet new, fascinating and passionate people. Typically, they are the owners of restaurants, B & Bs or historians and tour guides at attractions of all kinds. On my most recent trip to Canton and Cleveland, Ohio, however, the travel/tourism staff members themselves were the ones who impressed me with their professionalism, their work ethic, their knowledge and their courtesy. You might think, “Well, that’s just part of their job.” And, in some ways, you’d be right. But, five people I met in Ohio definitely went “above and beyond” their formal job description. In my opinion, they “went the second mile,” and I was the grateful beneficiary.

In Canton, I encountered Tonja Marshall, the Executive Vice President for Marketing and Communications at Visit Canton. She supervised the necessary details of my trip and devised an itinerary that made sure I saw as much as possible in the time I was in her city. But, here is where she “went beyond.” One attraction on the itinerary was a visit to the Gervasi Vineyard. I wrote about it here on Monday’s blog. It turned out to be a wonderful few hours, and I’m very glad I went. But, I was nervous about it. I don’t apologize or regret my decision to abstain from drinking alcohol, but I didn’t want to cause embarrassment or awkwardness for Visit Canton, for Gervasi Vineyard or for my fellow travel writers in the process. I had communicated with Tonja before I arrived that I was looking forward to seeing the vineyard but that I didn’t drink alcohol, but I had no idea how that scenario would play out. When we got to the wine-tasting event, we were seated in an amazing room with a stunning chandelier made out of wine bottles. Understandably, this place was ALL IN in terms of wine. Imagine me fidgeting and perspiring a bit by now. But, no, as the various wines were served to my fellow travel writers, I was never even offered a glass. My water glass was kept full, but no wine appeared at my place setting. What a huge relief! Tonja had discreetly and carefully handled the situation for me. I didn’t have to say or do anything. She made the experience easy, relaxing and extremely enjoyable. Thank you, Tonja.

Later that same afternoon, our group traveled to Cleveland where we were joined by four more travel writers. That is where I met the staff of Destination Cleveland/TheCLE/ThisisCLE/ThisisCleveland or whatever name you want to give them. 🙂

Kristen Jantonio, Communications Specialist, was indeed a “special communicator” before I set foot in her town. My emails received her prompt attention, and she patiently answered all my questions. (That’s saying a lot when your nickname is “The Queen of Questions.”) I mostly think of Kristen as the person responsible for an exquisite night of dinner at LockKeepers and a concert by the Cleveland Symphony at Blossom Music Center. She saw my elation at having such a wonderful experience. She joined us on other tours and helped me set up my very first Uber appointment, too, but I see her face when I think of that music. Thank you, Kristen.

Nick Urig, Communications Manager, led an informative walking tour of downtown Cleveland, showed us the ropes for ordering dinner at The Greenhouse Tavern and took us to breakfast at the West Side Market Cafe. That is where Nick REALLY came through for me personally. I saw pierogis on the menu (not for breakfast, of course, but yet it was on the menu). And I had never tried a pierogi. Not only did Nick goodnaturedly explain the making of and various types of pierogis, he ordered some for our table, and I got to taste my very first one. It was great! I’m ready for another one! And, as a side note, Nick is tall, attractive and exceedingly polite. I felt safe in that big city when he was with us. That’s huge when you’re a prissy Baby Boomer from Alabama traveling without your husband. Know what I mean? Thank you, Nick.

Stephanie Sheeley, Communications Coordinator, is a fun-loving young woman with a mass of shiny black curls and what I would call “statement fingernails.” Last week they were long and yellow. I found her to be very self-confident. That trait came through one morning when she walked out the door of her house, only later to discover that the zipper on her dress was broken. Her exposed skin in the back didn’t slow her down one bit. She carried on as if nothing was wrong. She also gave me some helpful hints about the hair of my own Ethiopian granddaughter. In other words, she related to me as a person, not just as part of her job, and I liked that a lot. Thank you, Stephanie.

Emily Lauer, Senior Director of PR/Communications, was the one I got to spend the most one-on-one time with. The two of us attended the Indians/Orioles baseball game on a warm Friday night at Progressive Field. That girl knows her Indians!!!  She taught me about the HotDog Relay — when the mustard, ketchup and onions race from 3rd base to 1st base. She knew the names and a good bit of the history of each player. She pointed out the guy way up in the stands behind the outfield who played the drum to encourage every Indian batter — and has been doing that same thing for FORTY YEARS!!! She sang along with me to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “Hang on, Sloopy.” She let me talk about my family and show her pictures of my new house, and I heard some about her life and career path. She walked for blocks and blocks with a cast shoring up her sprained ankle and then chauffeured me back safely to my hotel after the Indians pulled out the win. I hope I wasn’t too boring of a companion, but mostly I know Emily went out of her way to be nice and to be sure I had a great time — which I truly did. Thank you, Emily.

I wish I had gotten pictures of all these special people. I do have pictures of them in my mental images of Canton and Cleveland.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked a lot about doing the unexpected things, about going beyond what is required, about being exceptionally generous and kind. “Love your enemies.” “Pray for those who persecute you.” “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.” And the admonition that applies today: “And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two.” (all verses found in Matthew 5)

I’m so glad I got to visit a part of the country I’d never seen before, but mostly I am glad I got to meet these people who made a deep impression and represented their organizations so very well.

VisitCanton

This is Cleveland

 

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Rust Belt or Bible Belt: People Are Passionate

08/31/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

The Rust Belt refers to a northern section of the US comprised of states formerly associated with the steel industry and heavy production hovering on or near the Great Lakes — Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Rust Belt was also known as the Factory Belt.

The Bible Belt runs through the southeastern portion of the U.S. with the “Buckle” of the Bible Belt settling in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama — four states considered to be the most conservative or fundamentally Christian in the country.

Last week this prissy Southern Bible Belt girl found herself in Cleveland, Ohio, which, if you don’t count Pittsburgh, might be the “rustiest’ city in the Rust Belt. It was my first visit to this metropolis touching Lake Erie, and I was thoroughly entertained by all I discovered about the city and the Clevelanders themselves. They are a passionate bunch.

I was surprised to learn that they still love Lebron James, even though he left the Cavaliers to go to the Los Angeles Lakers after winning the Cavaliers their first NBA title in 2016. After all, he’s a local boy — one of their own. In addition to the Cavs, they are also avid fans of the Cleveland Browns (in spite of a lackluster record) and the Cleveland Indians (who are currently at the top in the American League standings, central division). Go, Tribe!! I got to see the Indians in action against the Baltimore Orioles, along with a packed house of enthusiastic, hot dog-eating fans. Friday nights are $1 dog nights at Progressive Field. You might want to make a note of that information tidbit.

Watching the Cleveland Indians game.

Dressed up hot dog. Actually this one was served at Happy Dog Euclid Tavern, but you get the idea.

Clevelanders are proud of the famous people who were born in their town — Halle Berry, Paul Newman, Bob Hope, Cy Young, Tim Conway, to name a few, and, of course, James Garfield, the 20th President of the United States. The Garfield Monument at Lake View Cemetery is stunningly beautiful.

Garfield Memorial

Cleveland’s Museum of Art houses more than 45,000 pieces in its collection, and they represent some of the most famous artists ever known. You can spend several spellbound hours gazing at the unbelievable displays, and it’s absolutely FREE to the public!! There is passionate support in Cleveland in order to provide residents and visitors with such a privilege.

One of 45,000 works of art at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Perhaps my favorite of Cleveland’s treasures is its outstanding symphony. The Cleveland Symphony, always ranked among the Top 5 in the country and recently mentioned as #1, just celebrated its 100th anniversary as an organization. I had the chance to hear them at their Blossom Music Center, the orchestra’s summer home. The orchestra has a passionate following, as evidenced by the fact that I listened completely enthralled along with approximately 10,000 others — many of whom were sitting in lawn chairs on the grassy knoll outside of the large amphitheater and pavilion area. The precision, the skill, but mostly the sound captured and mesmerized me. If I lived in Cleveland, I’d do whatever I could to attend every concert. The passion was completely understandable.

Cleveland Symphony at Blossom Music Center.

I was in Cleveland with 7 other travel writers from around the country, but I was the only one from Alabama. They laughed as I tried to turn them into Auburn fans, explaining that in the State of Alabama allegiance to either Auburn or Alabama is practically required at birth. After all, isn’t that what many of US are passionate about?

The whole trip led me to think a lot about passion and what my passions are. Isn’t it a good thing to be a passionate person? But, am I passionate ENOUGH about the things that truly matter.

I found this thought in JollyNotes.com – “Daily Inspiration for Joyful Living.”

Dear Friends, We need passion to survive. We need passion to thrive! Passion is a wonderful motivator to live life abundantly and to the fullest. On the other hand, the passion for the wrong things can destroy us (God forbid!). I am praying that God will ignite and develop a passion in us for everything in line with His ultimate purpose for our lives, and remove the passion for anything and everything that is not in His purpose for us. May we live passionate, joyful, and fulfilling lives – to the glory of God.

I like that, don’t you? Lives without passion are colorless. Having passion for the things of God, though, will bring us to life — deep, satisfying life.

Here are some Bible verses that point me toward more passion:

1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Matthew 6:21 – “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Romans 12:10-11 – “ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”

Psalm 84:2 – “My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”

Psalm 27:4 – “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

 

 

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Connie Collier Pearson, travel and food writer and blogger

Connie Collier Pearson, travel and food writer and blogger

Travel tips on Mondays and devotionals on Fridays.

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9-11 Memorial Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association Asheville NC Bay St. Louis Birmingham AL Brooklyn Tabernacle cajun Canton OH Cartersville GA Charleston SC Charlotte NC Cleveland Indians Cleveland OH Columbia TN creole Denver Florence AL Franklin TN French Quarter fried green tomatoes GA Georgia restaurants Gervasi Vineyard grandchildren Gulf Shores AL Gumbo Love by Lucy Buffett Hartselle AL Helen GA Huntsville AL Matthew 7:12 N.C. New York City Niffer's Old 96 District Orange Beach AL Radio City Music Hall Rockefeller Center seafood Smoky Mountains The Church at West Franklin The Plaza Times Square TN Toomer's Corner World Food Championships

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