Day Three, and the last, in the series of my Positively Awesome trip to Cleveland. Check out day one and day two before reading on.
Day Three was a much shorter itinerary than the previous two: breakfast, activity, then released to explore on our own (most of us had to return home; I had to go back to Akron to pick up the boyfriend). I started my day with another incredible Americano at Erie Island coffee. Ooh, first check out my new jacket from Stitch Fix [affiliate link!] — totally a winner for this crisp, late-summer day in Cleveland!
Our group breakfast was at Bon Bon Bakery in the Ohio City neighborhood, and the brunch was FANTASTIC. The table shared an “appetizer” of doughnuts. For my breakfast, I went the sweet route with French toast (that had sweet corn on it; weird, but oddly delicious!).
Afterward, we went back over to University Circle/Uptown to visit MOCA — a place that I was really hoping the fans of Positively Cleveland would recommend! We may have offset the actual decision of going to the Rock Hall, since most of us had already been there. MOCA did not disappoint! Not only is the building itself a stunner, but the collections were impressive.
I was mesmerized by the Norton Furniture guy video installation… and finding penises in the artwork — which is, naturally, my forte (I may be 14 at heart, but joke’s on you… I found one!). The postcard exhibit was one of my favorites, anywhere; and the iTunes hallway a close second (we entered the stairwell to a full-on rave dance party, apparently, which was a total sensory overload of awesomeness).
Another fun thing: in various locations around this part of Cleveland are themed pianos — available to play! — as part of the Play Me, I’m Yours series. This one was one outside MOCA on the sidewalk. I love interactive art, and this was something very unique to see (and hear). An older gentlemen stepped up and played some ragtime music by heart, just as we were walking into the museum. That’s the stuff.
While I would have spent the entire afternoon at MOCA, there was a second activity planned — a visit to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens (there were signs for a Sunday sundae bar, which we didn’t stay for… but OMG that sounds amazing). Walking around, was a good time to unwind and get to know my fellow Pittsburgh blogger on the trip, The Steel Trap. And erase all the terrible memories I already had of the CBG (no fault of theirs; I attended a wedding there several years ago that I wish I could scrub from my brain — again, nothing to do with the location itself!).
Alas…
And then, in exhaustion and contentedness, our blogger trip was complete. I stopped into CLE clothing on my way out for a couple books and CLE/browns-colors t-shirts (conveniently located at the corner of Euclid and East 4th downtown). Thanks again to Positively Cleveland for the amazing trip — I really had a blast — and I can’t wait to return to explore even more Cleveland awesomeness.
Random shout out to the Sound 87.7, which kept me entertained with an awesome mix of music on my travels into/out of the city.
Disclosure: Positively Cleveland provided accommodations, meals and admission prices for my participation in this socially-driven trip. All opinions herein are my own.