My weekend trip to Cleveland had LOTS going on — read more about it here and here.
Before I started my day with the group, I headed over to Erie Island for a fantastic Americano. Sitting on the cafe’s outdoor patio on East 4th in the early morning was just perfection.
Day Two itinerary:
We started off with brunch at Lucky’s Café in the Tremont neighborhood (my favorite! yes, I have also previously been to Lucky’s). There was no swaying me away from my breakfast burritos either. I know how good those things are.
Afterwards, we stopped by the Christmas Story House (we did not do the tour) and shopped its neighboring gift shop — leg lamps galore! The movie was on loop too, naturally.
Our next stop was the Westside Market, which is probably the number one “thing to do” on a tourist guide to Cleveland. Every visit I find something new to see or eat. And I always leave with meat sticks from Mel’s Deli (which is now some strangely-named Tony Baloney’s or something). Man, do I wish I saved room for one of those giant apple fritters though. We also toured the neighboring City Farm, which has its own farm stand.
Still walking off all that incredible breakfast, we went back east to tour Lakeview Cemetery. This was definitely on my Cleveland Bucket List, and it an amazing place to explore. Garfield, the Rockefellers, Higbee: they’re all buried here. Garfield has a massive monument built here — he is also interred there with his wife and some family members — it’s a magnificent structure, really, with winding stairs up to a beautiful lookout point of the city skyline.
Also within the cemetery is the historic Wade Chapel. You need to enter solely for its Tiffany-designed interior; it is breathtaking to see in person.
The rest of the group went off to the Cleveland Museum of Art for the afternoon (jealous!) and Hodge’s for dinner, while I had to get ready for a game down in Akron (we won!).
When I arrived back to CLE, the group was turning in for the night (they also had a nightcap at Society, which I need to put on the list for my return visit). I needed some grub (and still smelled like stinky, sweaty derby pads). Thankfully, Greenhouse Tavern has late-night food options (and a bar seat for a casually-dressed guest like myself). This hungry, hungry hippo ate up a local beef burger with pommes frites and a Mikkeller I Hardcore You beer. I also took a cheese plate and can of Dale’s Pale Ale back to my hotel for “dessert.” I usually get pretty wired after game days, so I knew I wasn’t going to sleep any time soon (Love it or List it marathon, what’s up?!).
There’s still more Cleveland! Day Three coming up in the next post.
Disclosure: Positively Cleveland provided accommodations, meals and admission prices for my participation in this socially-driven trip. All opinions herein are my own.