5 months!

The clock just keeps ticking doesn't it?

Well I'm almost done with my 30 days without fast food.  I will say twice I got a quick sandwich due to 13 hr workdays and poor planning on my part, so I'm taking 2 days onto the end... that puts my end date at December 10th.  However, it's been easier than I thought so I'm going to still work at making fast food a truly last resort, and I will work on actually eating healthier food at home.

I've worked out once.  I know, not too great for training for a 5k, but I've got 5 months and I will get there.

I'm working on getting my finances together so I can get pre-approved for a mortgage and then I can really look into buying a home.

The 30 days of drinking 2 bottles of water has proven very very difficult.  So I'm going to start again.  I'm thinking tomorrow might be good for that.

My sales on TPT have been slower this month, but there's a huge sale tomorrow and Tuesday that I'm hoping will give me my biggest month yet!

With the amount of subbing I'm doing I've been able to put a couple hundred bucks every two weeks towards my summer savings so here's hoping I'll reach that savings goal ASAP!  I just need to get more days in and the districts that pay me just over $10 an hour.

Thanksgiving was great this year and I have so much in my life to be thankful for.

Hope the start to the holiday season is going as wonderfully for you as it is for me!


Here are some of my pic a day pics:

Nov 1: My boy Titus.

Nov 2:  I was clearly a sexy King Pig for Halloween.


Nov 3:  Driving home from Columbus- Instagram automatically flipped it so I left it.


Nov 16: (I have more pictures, just not posting all of them here.)  My first date surprise.  He got more dates :)



Nov 25: Months without working out.... I was not happy.

Summer Wrap Up

At the beginning of the summer I posted my bucket list for the months of June, July, and August.  Now that we're at Labor Day it's time to evaluate my summer...

As a reminder, here is my bucket list...

Sara's Summer Bucket List:

1. Go to Bar Harbor, ME!!

2. Attend a Wade Oval Wednesday

3. See Shakespeare in a park

4. Go to the beach

5. Crafting!

6. Girls Nights!

7. Date Nights! I'm having a lot of fun dating and figuring out who really is a solid match for me!

8. Bonfires

9. Lay out at a pool

10. Cook out

11. Outdoor runs

12. Read fun books!

13. Go to the Zoo

14. See the summer blockbusters! - So far I've seen Fast and the Furious 6, Superman, Heat, 

15. Day drink!

16. Finish my MA Essay

17. Go to Cedar Point
18. Find a job!


I definitely didn't complete everything on this list, but I have to say I'm really happy with how this summer went for me.  My trip to Bar Harbor was amazing.  I saw whales, caught up with friends, went nature creeping, and ate lots of lobster.

Lobstah!

I had several awesome girls nights with margaritas, tacos, and gossiping that made me continue to appreciate the friendships I've been cultivating for years.  My ladies are truly awesome.

This was the first summer that I really made a point of putting myself out there and dating.  I kept things casual and it's been great.  Everyone I met or gave a chance too has been awesome.  Some have stuck around, some I've let fall away, but all have been good experiences.  There have been movies, hikes, dinners, parties, cook outs, and one lucky guy even got a home cooked meal.  Now that summer is over and my schedule is going to get crazy we'll have to see how everything works out.  But I certainly have no regrets.

Homecooked!

I got to hang out with several of my co-workers this summer which was super fun.  While my job wasn't the right fit for me last year, my co-workers were stellar and I'm glad to be continuing friendships with them.  Corn-hole, day drinking, night drinking, a play, and lots of stupid snap chats made it a fun time.

My spur of the moment road trip with my bff to Gatlinburg was a perfect little get away.  We saw the most hilarious things, got caught in tourist traps, and sampled lots of types of alcohol.

Moonshine!

Perhaps most importantly I finished my MA Essay and, as of yesterday, GRADUATED graduate school!  I'm so glad to be done.  And, because I now have an MA in English, I was able to complete #18 and procure a job!  This year I'm going to be teaching college composition classes at a career college downtown.  I'm excited for the challenge but nervous too.

Other random summer highlights:

Pole dancing class!
Oktoberfest!
Taste of Tremont!
The Lion King!

Sexy, I know.

Rock Star Accordion!

Goodbye Summer... Hello Fall!

Saving Money

You all know by now I like to save money wherever possible.  One area I've started exploring more is Restaurant.com.  I've used it a few times, and especially when they're running their promotions it ends up being quite the deal.  Basically, like with other deal sites, you pay significantly less than a gift card is worth.  Often with Restaurant.com you can't apply it towards alcohol and have to spend a minimum amount but you still save lots of money or can have a nicer meal for the same price you'd normally be willing to pay.  Here's a link to their current promotion:




And here's a list of some of the restaurants they have gift certificates for that I like here in Cleveland!

Reddstone
Barrocco
Latitude 41N

And these that I haven't been to but would like to try:

The Nauti Mermaid
La Strada

There are numerous other places as well.  Check it out!

Another First/Last Date...

Last night I went on another First/Last Date to Dave and Busters.  We'll call him Mr. Spikey Hair.  I want to preface with this wasn't an awful date.  It just wasn't going to lead to a second date for several reasons.  Single men, consider the following a general guide to first dates/dating in general.

1. Texting your date the day of and saying "I think we should hold of eating there because it is mucho expensive" makes you come across as cheap.  I by no means was expecting an expensive dinner but putting it this way was just awkward.  Try saying, "let's meet for a drink" it's clear and doesn't make you sound like a cheapskate.
2. Super gelled spikey hair screams immature (but this would not be a deal breaker- hair can be fixed.)
3. Three mixed drinks (2 margaritas and 1 mojito) in the first hour, especially on a Tuesday and when your date is obviously only having 1, might be over kill.  Do you need to be buzzing to be with me?


I suppose none of these things were deal breakers for me it was just a lack of chemistry in addition to these misjudgments that have me decided that Mr. Spikey Hair will go into my archives of one date wonders.


I met this guy on www.okcupid.com but I've had much more success using Chemistry and Match.

On my 14 day free trial I met a guy that I casually dated for a year.  And, on a free communication weekend I met a guy I dated exclusively for a few months.  Sign up for the free trial- then if you like it I believe you should be able to get 3 months for the price of 1 right now!


On my 3 day trial of Match I managed a few dates with one guy.  Not the guy for me, but really nice.

Product Review: Match.com and Chemistry.com

Happy Valentine's Day!  In honor of this "day of love" I thought I'd post about dating! Recently a few people have asked me about my experiences with online dating.  So I thought I'd review two of the sites I've used.

First up is Chemistry.  I found a  14 Day Free Trial to Chemistry.com online (this link will take you to a free trial as well) and decided to test it out.  I created a profile and started searching.  Chemistry strikes me as a mix between Eharmony and Match.com.  The program gives you a "type" and then "matches" you to people they feel you could be compatible with.  I'm not sure how accurate their matching is but I met a few people off of the site and two of them led to a little bit more.  One I ended up dating on and off for a year.  I'm not sure either of us was really in a great place for a relationship but we got along great and had a lot of fun together.  The other guy was "the dude" who I've previously mentioned on here and we dated for 2 months and it was great while it was lasted.  Perhaps we didn't have long term potential but I don't blame Chemistry on that.  If you're thinking about trying online dating check this free trial out and it might even be worth your money!  My friend's dad met his new wife on Chemistry!

 

 I also did a free trial of match.com and then later paid for the service.  I  had several dates from Match.com though none of them went past a second date.  I'm not sure what to attribute this to.  There were A LOT of people to choose from on Match but I had less responses from my matches on there.  So maybe it was just me or how I had my profile filled out.  On Match you put in all the things you want in a partner and sort the sea of people that way.  It gives you more control, though your own thoughts about what you must have or can't have might keep you from seeing some keepers.  Here is a link to 15% off of your fees.  It is probably worth a look!

What services have you tried?  Is online dating the only way to meet people these days?  Thoughts on Match or Chemistry?

2011 in Cleveland- The Good Stuff

Every year is filled with hits and misses, positives and negatives, successes and failures.  But today, the last day of 2011 I want to reflect on what went right this past year so I can enter 2012 on a positive and cheery note. (And, I guess not all of these things happened in Cleveland, but they all happened to a Clevelander!)

In 2011 I...

• partied with and made new friends when I spent NYE in Las Vegas
• was recalled to my job
• met a guy and had a fun couple of months going on unique dates
• went on a road trip to IKEA with a coworker
• got my first coach purse
• saw my cousin get "hooded" as she finished veterinary school
• went to Missouri and spent a week with some of the best people in the world with www.familysummits.com
• partied with my ladies on Kelley's Island for an awesome bachelorette party
• attended a rocking wedding at the House of Blues
• travelled to St. Joseph Michigan to see my big cousin get hitched
• was the maid of honor in my lil cousin's wedding
• witnessed a friend of 16 years marry the love of her life 
• attended my first professional conference in Chicago! NCTE 2011!
• shared a family holiday with a boyfriend for the first time
• applied for and registered for grad school
• maintained three blogs
• went completely dairy free
• performed twice in front of my entire school as part of the all staff group "the pepettes"
• helped my special ed students perform and film Hamlet
• got a Droid
• adopted Titus (my adorable new kitty!)
• read 14 books!

What went right for you in 2011?  

Restaurant Review: B-Spot (Crocker Park)

Last night my date Mike took me to B-spot at Crocker Park.  This is the third full-fledged location of Michael Symon's burger spot.  For those of you not in the know, Michael Symon is Cleveland's resident Iron Chef!  We got to the restaurant a little after nine following a movie and were seated immediately.  The place was filled, but not over-crowded.  Our waiter was very prompt and though it took us a few minutes to decide on what we wanted to eat our food came in less than 10 minutes after we ordered.

Mike ordered the Shroomage which had portabella mushrooms, blue cheese, Lola steak sauce, and griddled onions on it.  At one point he commented that the blue cheese was rather strong but that certainly didn't stop him from eating the entire burger.  I ordered the Thin Lizzy which comes with griddled onions, cheddar, mayo, and pickles.  Again, due to my dairy issues I asked for no cheddar.  The waiter offered to add something on instead so I asked for lettuce and tomato.  My burger was cooked a perfect medium, just as I asked.  It was very juicy and tastey- albeit a bit on the messy side.  We also shared an order of Lola Fries which were thin cut fries with rosemary and salt.  I liked them a lot.   Mike and I both ordered Pepsi but it should be noted they have some delicious sounding cocktails and offer what they call "bad a**" milkshakes that can be made "adult" by adding different liquors.  Last night was definitely one of the times I really missed being able to have dairy.

The ambiance was great.  The place was casual but not too casual.  Stainless steel, wood, and a few spots of color were all part of the decor.  On our table, and I believe all of the tables was a full roll of paper towels (ingenious if you ask me) and a basket of condiments.  There was a young fun feel that made me feel right at home.  Oh, and their prices are very reasonable!  The cheapest burgers go for $6 and the most expensive burger is $11.

I would definitely recommend B-Spot to anyone.  It'd be a great place to grab a bite with friends, or like we did, on a date.  Enjoy!

Via www.bspotburgers.com

Here's the info for all of their locations:

Crocker Park- 20 Main Street- Westlake, OH 44145


Eton- 28699 Chagrin Boulevard- Woodmere, OH 44122

Strongsville- 18066 Royalon Road- Strongsville, OH 44146

The "Q"- Downtown Cleveland (Only open during Cavs games)

Free in Cleveland: The Cleveland Zoo

Many people know this, but some may not.  The Cleveland Zoo is FREE on Mondays!  And, the Rainforest is available at a reduced rate!  This would be a fun unique date or outing with friends!

Here's how it works: (taken from www.clemetzoo.com)

On Mondays, the Zoo (not including The RainForest) is FREE for residents of Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township.* From Memorial Day through Labor Day, if Monday is an observed holiday, free Zoo admission applies on Tuesday instead. If you qualify for free Zoo-only admission on Mondays, tickets for The RainForest may be purchased at the following rates: Adults (12 and older) are $5.00, Children (2-11) are $3.00, and Children under 2 are free.

*To confirm your residency, bring your driver's license or state I.D. or a current utility bill with your Cuyahoga Cty. or Hinckley Twp. address along with a photo ID.

Are you going to wild out at the zoo this fall? Haha... like my play on words?

Free in Cleveland: Lakewood's Friday Night Flick's

As a child my family and I would walk up the street to Lakewood Park a few times a summer to see the Friday Night Flick!  It's a great family event and each week a different movie rated G or PG is shown.  Here's the schedule for the rest of the summer!

July 8 ~ Despicable Me (PG) at Lakewood Park
July 22 ~ Yogi Bear (PG) at Lakewood Park
July 29 ~ RV (PG) at Lakewood Park
August 12 ~ Toy Story 3 (G) at Madison Park
August 13~ Finding Nemo (G) at Foster Pool in Lakewood Park (Dive-In Movie)

In the event of inclement weather, movies will be shown at in the Lakewood City Hall Auditorium, 12650 Detroit Avenue, at 8:00 p.m. To find out if a movie has been moved indoors., tune into Lakewood Radio 1660 AM, call (216) 529-6650 after 5:00 PM or visit www.onelakewood.com.

(all information taken from the blog at www.onelakewood.com)

Free in Cleveland: Wade Oval Wednesdays

Looking for a fun Wednesday night out?  Check out Wade Oval Wednesdays.  At University Circle on the green space every Wednesday from 6-9 is a free concert!  Each week features a different group with a different style of music!  On select weeks they offer free family friendly movies as well.  This is a great event for families, couples, or groups of friends.  Pack a dinner and make it a night.  You might even want to come early and check out a museum before the concert starts.

I went last night and had a great time with a couple of friends and their family.  I was surprised to see such a large turn out.  The crowd was very diverse and was great for people watching.  I discovered upon arrival that you are permitted to bring wine/beer/libations along with your picnic dinners which is neat.  There were several food vendors set up as well selling anything from noodle bowls to gyros to hamburgers and hot dogs.  I enjoyed a freshly made freshly squeezed lemonade like you get at a county fair!  Mmmm delicious. 

There is meter parking on the streets in the area and plenty of lot parking as well, but head up early for the best spots.  My friend and I parked at the Severance Hall garage which was a short walk away and cost us 5 dollars for 2.5 hrs. 

Here's the schedule for the rest of the summer!

July 13*

Speedbumps (Indie Rock)

July 20*

Please note schedule change: New Barleycorn (Irish Celtic)

*Movie Night: The Karate Kid

July 27

Chris Allen & the Guilty Hearts with Austin “Walking” Cane (Alternative Rock)

August 3*

Carlos Jones & The P.L.U.S. Band (Reggae)

August 10

Mo’ Mojo (Zydeco Jam Band)

August 17: GREEN WOW

Cats on Holiday (Rockabilly/ Swamp Rock)

*Movie Night: Wall-E

August 24

Son Gitano (Latin/Salsa/Rumba/Flamenco/Merengue)

August 31

Sultans of Bing (Rock and Roll)

*PNC Grow Up Great Mobile Learning Adventure will be onsite. For more information, click here.

Free in Cleveland: The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival

As I am now on a tight budget, and in general am a frugal person I've been looking into free things to do in Cleveland for the summer.  Here is a great one!  The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival!  Each summer this group puts on two Shakespearean classics for free at various outdoor venues.  I remember going several times as a child but haven't gone in recent years.

This summer they are doing Othello and Love's Labour's Lost.  Othello is being done in the traditional fashion but Love's Labour's Lost is being put on in an abridged and gender-reversed manner which should be interesting.  This would be a great date!  Pack a picnic dinner or go out to eat before or after! Here's their schedule for the rest of the summer:

July 9th Othello
July 10th Love's Labour's Lost 

Lakewood Park

July 16th Othello
July 17th Love's Labour's Lost
Shaker Hts. Colonnade

July 23rd Othello
July 24th Love's Labour's Lost
Lorain County Community College Stocker Center for the Arts

July 30th Othello
July 31st Love's Labour's Lost
The Kulas Stage at Wade Oval 

August 6th Othello
August 7th Love's Labour's Lost at Lincoln Park

Curtain for all shows is 7pm.

Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and seat themselves prior to each outdoor performance.  Rain spaces have been secured for every venue except Wade Oval, allowing performances to proceed, rain or shine. (Taken from The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival website)

Stay tuned for other free activities posts and reviews!  What other fun free things do you like to do in the summer?

Date Night in Cleveland

The Warehouse District has come together to present Friday night Date Nights at 14 restaurants in Downtown Cleveland.  Each of the restaurant offers either $59 or $89 (or both) price fixe menus for two.  Ampco parking is offering $3 parking and nearby hotels are offering special rates.

Whose participating?

Barley House, Blue Point Grille, Brasa Grill Steakhouse, Cleveland ChopHouse, D'Vine Wine Bar, Johnny's Downtown, John Q's Steakhouse, Mallorca, Nauti Mermaid, Osteria di Valerio, Sushi Rock,  Waterstreet Grill, XO Prime Steaks , Zdara

For all the details and to check out all the menus go to: www.datenitefriday.com

Make sure to look at the menus because some definitely seem like better deals than others.  Some include more courses, alcohol etc.

This promotion is running till Labor Day!  Enjoy!  Happy dating everyone!

Speed Dating Tips and Tricks!

So the results are in, out of 15 men, 14 of them indicated that they were interested in me.  I feel bad that I wasn't interested in more of them, but alas that's how the cookie crumbles.  I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think I did a few things that led to this number of dates wanting to spend more time with me.

Ladies, listen up- maybe these things will work for you too:

1.  I dressed cute with a touch of "sexy."  I wore a black top, skinny jeans, red patent leather heels, and a tan blazer.  A few guys told me I looked nice, and I think the red shoes gave them something to remember me by.

2.  Even when I wasn't 100 percent interested I made a conscious effort to keep smiling.  It had been a very long day and I was exhausted, but I tried very hard not to let it show.

3.  I shook everyone's hands, immediately, and with a firm grip.

4.  I tried to let them do most of the talking.  I of course answered all of their questions but always brought it back to them.

5.  I kept it light.  Laughing and joking is good.

Now, unfortunately some of the guy did not do these things... so here's some advice as to what guys SHOULD NOT DO when speed dating- or dating in general.

1.  Do not wear a "free" t-shirt (you know what I mean, those XXL shirts that get handed out on college campuses and sporting events) and have it tucked into outdated jeans.

2.  Do not start the date by speaking in a foreign language. (Didn't happen to me, but did to a friend.)

3.  Do not mention that in your free time your favorite hobby is playing with your two cats.  (I like cats but I hope you have more interesting hobbies. - again this didn't happen to me but to a friend.)

4.  Don't have a weak handshake.  You're a man, shake hands like one.

5.  Do not reference your ex-wife.  Especially do not reference her more than 3 times in a 3 minute date.

6.  Do not interrupt other people's conversations.

Have you tried speed dating? Would you?  What advice do you have for daters?

Sara Goes Speed Dating...

Last night I crossed something off of my "bucket list."  I went speed dating. 

My friend and I arrived at D'vine Wine Bar downtown around 7pm.  When we signed in a coworker of mine was there and scored me free entrance*! (Pre-pay is $35, at the door is $40!)  We were each given a name tag with a number on it and a folder that held a sheet on which we could write down each of our "dates" and whether we wanted to have further contact with them, along with any other notes to help us remember everyone.  After sitting around looking at the people that were showing up it was announced that the dating was about to commence.  After one last fist bump with my wing woman I took my place at table #2.

As I sat at my table nervously, I watched men come and sit at all the other tables but alas, table #1 and I were left man-less.  I commented to the woman sitting next to me, "I can't believe I'm getting stood up at a speed date!"  She laughed and agreed.  While all the couples around us began their first three minute round she and I conversed with each other- good practice for our upcoming dates.  The three minutes went by quickly and soon my new friend found herself with a date, while I sat dateless again.  Throughout the first half of the speed date I had about 4 dateless sessions, but the other dateless girls and I got together to chat.  There was a pretty decent sense of camaraderie throughout the event.

Finally, at round three, I had a date.  I'll call this one TD.  TD sat down at the table and was immediately smiling and shook my hand.  I was nervous, not quite sure how to start.  Luckily he took the lead- though I could tell he is a little shy too.  He asked me about why I was speed dating and what I do for a living.  I in return asked the same.  We didn't get too deep into anything, and at the end of our three minutes I decided that while he was nice he just wasn't the guy for me and I circled my first "no" of the evening.

The mix of men that I met was very interesting.  There were guys who were still in college or had recently graduated to men who worked at banks, worked for NASA, or who were divorced.  There were tall guys, shorter guys, bald guys, cute guys, fat guys, skinny guys, red heads, blondes, and everything in between!  I definitely felt like I was attracted to the guys who were confident from the get go and didn't seem to be relying on me to lead the conversation. 

Later in the evening, after the 10 minute break we were granted, I felt I really hit my stride.  I was being more friendly, didn't only focus on what people did for a living, and felt more relaxed.  It was during the second half that I met "Forge".  During our three minutes all we discussed was my hobbies (reading and photography) and our mutual enjoyment of travel.  Forge smiled the entire time, held his own in the conversation, and seemed to be enjoying himself.  He was one of my 4 yes votes! 

People might see that out of 15 or so guys I only said yes to 4 and take that to mean that it was a waste of time.  I don't think that is the case at all.  I had a great time, and most of my "no's" were still really nice guys, just not what I thought would be a good fit for me.  If I were a guy I'd look at the forty dollars as being way cheaper than taking 20 girls on 20 first dates! 

After the event was over my friends and I stayed and chatted with a few of the guys we found interesting before heading home.  It was nice to get a little more conversation out of people.  While I was talking to Forge some more, another guy, who I'd like to call "Orange" came up and stood by us.  When "Forge" asked him if he needed something he said, "I just came to listen to Sara tell stories."  We both smiled awkwardly and I responded, "I do tell really awesome stories" and then continued on with my conversation.  He ended up quietly slipping away taking his awkward social skills with him. 

If you're thinking of speed dating do it.  It was fun and an interesting way to spend a Tuesday evening.  And who knows, maybe you'll be like another coworker of mine and meet your future spouse at the event!  I'll update you all when I get my email telling me who was interested in me!  I will also be writing a post of "tips" for speed dating... especially what guys should and shouldn't do...




*Even though I got in for free it had nothing to do with me writing this post as neither the coworker nor the woman running the event knew that I would be talking about it on this blog.  It was just a surprise perk!

Sara Thinks...

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin—real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. ~Souza

 

 A few days ago I was reading a post on Wedding Bee and saw this quote.  It struck me, because several times lately I have told friends that I feel as if I'm in "limbo" and am "waiting for my life to start."  As I've searched for a steady job in my chosen career and for a steady relationship I've felt that when I find these things I will finally be an "adult."  My life will begin.  

This, is stupid. 

The random jobs I've had, if even for a year have been a part of my life.  They have helped form my life.  

The numerous first dates?  The short term relationships?  They've taught me a lot and have provided me with some pretty fun experiences.  Movies, plays, music, restaurants all that I might not have seen.  

I need to stop waiting and just enjoy what my life is now.  Of course I will keep pursuing my things, but I can also be satisfied with where I am now.  I can at least recognize that this is my life- imperfections and all, and THAT is O.K.  

Enjoying life, in the moment, on my last day at my first school of the year.

Restaurant Review: Momocho

Last Saturday The Dude and I met up with two of his friends and their ladies for dinner at Momocho in Ohio City!  I hadn't been there in three years so I was super excited to go.  Apparently we had the time wrong and everyone else had to wait for a half hour.  While there were waiting they ordered the smoke trout guacamole with bacon and chile poblanos along with the blue cheese guacamole with garlic confit and chile verde.  I decided to be brave and try the smoked trout.  I'm not normally a fan of smoked things, but I enjoyed this guac a lot.  Of course, due to my dairy allergy I could not try the bleu cheese version.

To drink I ordered a pomegranate margarita, on the rocks, with salt.  Nom, nom, nom so good.  It tasted like a margarita with just the right amount of pomegranate flavor.  Next time I go I'll have to try a new flavor.

For my entree I had the grilled hanger steak taquito.  The steak was great and I asked for a side of the original guac to go with it.  The tortillas that came with were my one complaint.  First off mine all had a weird slice in them so they were falling apart.  Secondly their edges were very hard- as in too hard to eat.  Others at the table had no problems, so I'm not sure what happened to mine.  Overall the food was great and I can't wait to return!

Entertainment Review: Play House Square- The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

On the 12th after our fabulous dinner at Bricco my date- henceforth referred to as "The Dude"- took me to The Hanna Theater at Play House Square in downtown Cleveland to see The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).  First off, from the time he ordered the tickets our experience was fantastic.  After ordering the tickets he received an email intended to help us plan our entire night downtown.  It included helpful links about the show, activities they host surrounding the show on varying nights, information about parking, and a comprehensive list of places to either eat or get drinks before or after any of their performances.  I thought this was a great touch that helped get us excited about our upcoming visit.

I had not been to the theater district since the winter of 07/08 to see Wicked.   And I'd forgotten what a cute little area it is.  The Palace and Ohio Theaters were the first two we saw after parking and they had bright marquees that seemed so "big city" to me.  There were several nice looking restaurants and casual eateries and the vibe was great.  Around the corner from the bigger theaters was The Hanna which also boasted it's own marquee.

Having printed our tickets at home we were able to go directly to our seats which were in the first row of the balcony slightly stage left.  We could see the stage perfectly.  The play was super engaging from the get go.  The three actors did a fantastic job of being high energy while going through all 37 of Shakespeare's plays in 2 hours.  There were tons of Cleveland specific references from the Indians, to LeBron, to Tom Hanks (he acted in the Great Lakes Theater Festival for 3 years back in the late 1970's when it was located at the Civic Auditorium in Lakewood- coincidentally I performed there for several years in high school :) )  I was laughing out loud for the majority of the show, and my only complaint was based on my own lack of knowledge of Shakespeare's comedies- the tragedies are covered so much more thoroughly in school. 

The Dude also seemed to enjoy it.  He had said this was his first visit to the theater in his adult life.  He commented that it seems as if it'd be a good idea to be a season ticket holder as they seem to put on a variety of shows that would appeal to a wide range of people.  I concurred.

In short, this show is going on for 7 more days, and you should try try try to see it!  I would say it would appeal to any one with a decent knowledge of Shakespeare's plays, and who is in their 20's to 30's as many of the jokes included pop culture references referring to Facebook, Jersey Shore (I think) and other such things.  If you go let me know how you like it.  And remember, the theater doesn't have to be an expensive night out.  Playhouse square offers Smart Seats for $10 or $20 dollars to many of their shows- though look in advance because it seems like they sell out fast!

What are your favorite shows to see?

Restaurant Review: Bricco (Downtown Cleveland)

Last night I was treated to a wonderful meal at Bricco in the theater district downtown.  We did not have reservations but had heard, rightfully so, that they maintain a few tables to be first come first serve and we were seated after sitting for about 15 minutes at the bar. (We arrived at approximately 5:45pm)  Their menu is rather extensive with a nice sized appetizer section, several types of pizza, a few salads, a large pasta section and, their entrees.   The interior was split into three sections- one side had table cloths and a bit more of an upscale vibe.  In the middle was the bar area, and on the other side was a slightly more casual area where we sat.  The tables were some sort of brushed aluminum, and it still had a very nice atmosphere.

Our server was very prompt and helpful.  After we ordered she brought us a basket of bread and butter.  This is the one place during the meal I was disappointed.  The bread did not seem fresh and was a bit heavy for my taste.  Finally our meals came.  I had ordered the grilled sirloin steak.  It was supposed to come with a smoked mozzarella potato cake, in addition to a sesame truffle vinaigrette and fresh vegetable- but as I'm allergic to dairy I asked for the potato cake to be substituted.  The waitress suggested substituting with orzo, which I'd never had, and I agreed to try it.  I'm so glad I did.  The orzo was prepared plainly with just a little butter or olive oil and was delicious.  My steak was a very nice size and was prepared a perfect medium rare as ordered.  I even ate a few of my green beans, the fresh vegetable of the day, which were nice and crisp and sprinkled with sea salt.

My generous dinner date ordered the grilled maple glazed center cut pork chop with a sweet potato risotto cake and fresh vegetable, much to my chagrin.  (Pigs are my favorite animal- so I rarely consume them!)  He said that it was very good and commented that the maple glaze made him feel like he was eating breakfast.  He also ordered the half wedge salad and enjoyed that as well.

After eating at Bricco we both agreed we would gladly return.  It was the perfect spot for a nice date.  Immediately after dinner we headed to the Hanna Theater for a show- a review of which is forthcoming!

The Weekend of the Groupon

I suppose the title of this post is a bit misleading because really it was a weekend filled with Groupons AND  Living Social deals! 

First on Friday I attended the Lake Erie Monster's game down at The Q.  My date had stolen my idea and bought a Living Social deal to get two $28.75 tickets for $12 each!  That's a savings of $33.50!!  Then, on Sunday we went to see The Adjustment Bureau at Crocker Park using a Groupon where I got 2 Fandango tickets for $9.  This ended up saving me $9.50!! And after the movie we went to TGIFriday's where I used another Groupon that had cost me $10 for a $20 certificate thus saving me $10.  Total savings for the weekend: $53 dollars between the two of us!  I saved just under $20 on my own.

I'm signing up for every deal website I can find, and I'm trying to be careful to only buy deals that I know I will use and are in line with my lifestyle already.  Here are some links to local deal sites for Cleveland.


Living Social- Cleveland

Groupon- Cleveland

Less.com- Cleveland

Daily Deal Cleveland



What are some of the best deals you've found?

Flowers Make Me Happy

 

Flowers, in my favorite color, definitely make me happy.  As did the great company and live music that followed.  

Being happy is proving to be pretty easy this February!

Sara Dating Tip for Men: Flowers while not necessary are ALWAYS appreciated by a woman and may just win you some bonus points!