Defending Cleveland

According to Forbes magazine, Cleveland is the worst place in America to live. I have not read the article - in fact, I refuse to read the article - and I am not quite sure what their objective was in rating cities as best and worst....perhaps the old "kick 'em when they're down" mentality? After all, if a city is going through a rough time, nothing is going to make it even worse like the rest of the world thinking, "Ugh, I don't want to move there!" So, really, thanks Forbes. Appreciate the love.

The truth is, however, that Cleveland is a wonderful place to live. I grew up here...my parents grew up here. My husband grew up here...and so did his folks. People who live in Cleveland often stay, or return home. Why?

There are plenty of reasons. Come to Cleveland and you will find fantastic ethnic neighborhoods, beautiful restaurants, world-class cultural institutions, a town immersed in classical music, nationally ranked hospitals and universities, clubs and organizations for every interest under the rainbow, historical churches, a calendar of festivals.....get the picture? What you will not find is Clevelanders lining up to go the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! It seems many non-Clevelanders think that is all we have here! Well, they would be wrong...

Let's just start with my favorite subject. Clevelanders love to eat. Due to the many cultures here, you can find a different cuisine for every day of the week. Craving Vietnamese? Check out #1 Pho. The only problem is, you will want to go back every single day. Really. How about when you are craving some delicatessen goodies? Hit Corky and Lenny's and don't pass on the mish-mosh soup. For pizza, it has to be Mama Santa's in Little Italy, with a stop at Corbo's for a cannoli or Presti's for a gelato. Mexican lovers gotta eat at Luchita's, while those who need corned beef just say one word: Slymans. And the best place for yummy, authentic ribs? You need Hot Sauce William's Barbecue

When it is upscale dining you prefer (or at least, no BBQ sauce), check out the Michael Symon's restaurants Lolita or Lola's. Clevelanders are very proud of our resident Food Network guy, and with good reason. He is a culinary genius. Johnny's is known for it's innovative food and wonderful atmosphere. Muse at The Ritz-Carlton is an elegant place on a winter's evening, while for summer, dining on the patio at John-Q's is your best bet.

For all the moaning and groaning about Cleveland weather, let's just get a grip here. There are four seasons, and we experience them all. The winters are tough, and long, but also, quite beautiful. Nothing can be quite so pretty as a snowfall on Christmas Eve outside The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on East 9th Street. Our springtime is absolutely breathtaking. One afternoon at Wade Oval and you'll see why - city planners knew what they were doing when they put in flowering trees and bushes all over the city. And Lakeview Cemetery (I know how it sounds, but trust me, it's an institution) has Daffodil Hill; tens of thousands of daffodils that bloom every April, signaling at last that the change has finally come.

Then there's summer; blissful, beautiful, wonderful summer. The pools open, the beaches around Lake Erie are cleared and ready, the playgrounds are swarming with kids. Take an afternoon and shop at the West Side Market, a Cleveland tradition since 1915. (Warning: Not for the weak stomach-ed people! Sides of beef and the like are normal here). Set up camp at Mentor Headlands, one of the best beaches on the lake, which, after the dedication of Clevelanders who care, is now clean and sparkling. While we're talking lake, take a ride on the Goodtime to get a tour of Cleveland history, or charter a boat or jet skis for the day. Dock at the flats and party the night away....or my personal favorite: go to Edgewater and watch the sunset on your left and the twinkling lights of the city on your right.

Fall means taking a drive out to the country and picking apples at Patterson's Fruit Farm. Or savoring the leaves changing - every bit as beautiful as you would find in Vermont. When winter comes, Clevelanders know they are in for a long, cold season, so they make do with sledding in Cain Park in Cleveland Heights or taking in the Christmas lights at the Terminal Tower.

Sure, Cleveland public schools leave a lot to be desired, and that's a shame. But did you know that Cleveland and it's surrounding suburbs boast hundreds of private schools, including three time national football champions St. Ignatius (ranked 18th best Athletic program in the whole country)? For an all-girl high school experience, try Hathaway Brown, Laurel or Beaumont, each nationally ranked schools. Looking for higher education? Case Western University is a world-renown college, where 15 Nobel laureates teach and Fulbright scholars walk the halls. Cleveland State University recently underwent a $250 million expansion and boasts over 85 acres of campus, hosting 16,000 students from around the world. Academically, the school is sound, with notable alumni and professors, plus students with majors from law to medicine to women's studies. After graduation, many students head over to the Cleveland Clinic or University Hospital Health System - internationally known hospital systems that are consistently ranked as top in the country. If you venture out of the city limits, you'll find John Carroll University, Ursuline, Kent State, Baldwin Wallace and more. For those who can make the grade, The Cleveland Institute of Music is home to some of our nation's finest musicians; while The Cleveland Institute of Art offers a degree for those who appreciate the finer things in life, like sculpture, drawing, fashion design or painting.

While many people say the words "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" and "Cleveland" all in the same breath, the real musical backbone of the city is our orchestra. Led by Franz Welser-Möst , The Cleveland Orchestra is the jewel in Cleveland's crown. Playing at Severance Hall, a music hall rich in history and architectural beauty, they wow Clevelanders from the beginning to end of each season - then they keep up the fun by doing outdoor concerts at Blossom all summer. Just around the corner from Severance Hall, you'll find University Circle, where Cleveland's museums are bursting from the treasures within. Recently renovated and stocked with hundreds of new pieces of art, the Cleveland Museum of Art is a goldmine. Unquestionably one of the greatest art museums in the country, possibly the world, no visit to Cleveland would be complete without a stop there. Paintings from the Dutch masters to the Cubists; from the Renaissance to Impressionism; from ancient African tribes to 21st century sculpture - you'll need a couple of days to thoroughly see the place, although you can spend an enjoyable afternoon if you really focus. When finished, walk over to The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, or The Western Reserve Historical Society. Pause in one of Cleveland's dozens of historic temples or churches. (Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood is home to the largest concentration of historic churches in the country). Visit Wade Chapel, where you'll see the awe inspiring Flight of the Souls window - designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Come evening, catch a play or musical. After all, Cleveland boasts the largest theater community between New York and Chicago. Plus, the city is home to Karamu House, the oldest African-American theater in the US, plus the critically-acclaimed Cleveland Play House, a theater that draws top actors, directors, and writers from all over the world. If you time it right, you may be here for the Murray Hill Art Walk (usually held in June) or the International Piano Competition (July), Cleveland International Film Festival (held in March), Parade the Circle (early summer) or any of the other hundreds of cultural events that take place here each year.

Some might say Cleveland is a suburbs town. Many of the immigrants who helped build the city moved to suburbs in the mid-20th century - or their children or grandchildren did. While there is plenty to do and see within city limits, it is true that Cleveland's suburbs have a heartbeat all their own. Drive east to find Coventry in Cleveland Heights, where the city's hippies and alternative-types have been holding court as long anybody can remember. Head out further and enjoy the nostalgic old mill town Chagrin Falls. Here historic homes, dynamic shopping, an old fashioned town square and excellent schools make for a desirable place to live and raise a family. (Don't forget to stop at The Popcorn Shop for an ice cream). Past that, you'll find yourself getting into the country - Burton, for the best maple syrup in the country, or Middlefield, for homemade Amish pies. If you travel west, you're likely to be impressed by Lakewood, where tree lined streets and picture perfect homes are nestled minutes from the city; or Bay Village, secluded on the wooded banks of Lake Erie. Travel further west to Sandusky for the weekend, where boaters have a community all their own and thrill seekers from around the globe make pilgrimage to Cedar Point.

This city may struggle economically, burdened by political corruption or loss of jobs. Yet, if we are judged on the people here, I'd say we are a mighty city indeed. Just about every ethnic found around the globe his represented here. There are entire neighborhoods of Poles, Italians, Irish, Russians, Hungarians....I remember in my old neighborhood seeing Orthodox Jews by the dozen walking to Temple every Saturday, while my own Catholic Church was packed every Sunday. As an abolitionist stronghold, Cleveland became home for many African-Americans in the late 18th and 19th centuries (In fact, Cleveland elected the first black mayor of a major American city, Carl Stokes.) Many who live in Cleveland are dealing with poverty, yet driving just east of the city to Shaker Heights, one finds multi-million dollar mansions surrounded by acres of manicured lawns. But whether rich, poor or someplace in between, the people of Cleveland share many things: we love our sports teams, even when they break our hearts. We love our diversity. We're proud of our cultural institutions and restaurants, and we patronized them gladly. We accept that there needs to be some changes, but we suspect that if people give us the chance to impress them, they won't be disappointed.