Why? Weekends!

It was a fun, family-centric weekend! And how about this warmer weather?! We were definitely ready to get out of hibernation!

Hathaway Brown Heritage Dinner

On Friday evening, Jeffrey’s school hosted what has become one of our favorite traditions there: the Hathaway Brown Heritage Dinner. It’s essentially a giant potluck dinner, where people bring an appetizer, entree, or dessert representing their heritage.

We brought kielbasa, pierogi, and sauerkraut because Ancestry DNA confirmed I’m just as Eastern European as I thought I was!

But we also enjoyed hummus, samosas, cornbread, Mongolian beef, lasagna, and lots of other delicious dishes.

One of our favorite parts of the event is the selection of cookies and candies from around the world that you can take home. There are these delicious chocolate shortbread Scottie dogs that we just adore!

There are also crafts, games, and music from different cultures, so the Heritage Dinner is about more than just good food. The students get to experience a little bit of the world and the different backgrounds of the student body.

What a fun Friday evening!

Bowling Birthday Party

Saturday, we went to a bowling birthday party for one of Jeffrey’s friends at North Woods Lanes.

Jeffrey loved the bumper bowling and got some strikes and spares!

It’s so fun to see the kids grow up and get into different birthday activities.

Great Big Home and Garden Show

On Sunday, we stopped by the Great Big Home and Garden Show at the I-X Center.

From testing out hot tubs…

…to kids’ power tools…

Jeffrey was definitely having fun checking out all the different booths.

We all loved the Garden Showcase, which gave us a real taste of spring.

The gardens are all themed on fairy tales this year, with things like “Alice in Wonderland,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and a Magic Treehouse.

Jeffrey and Matthew also rode the giant ferris wheel, which is a must at the I-X Center!

The Great Big Home and Garden Show continues through Sunday, February 10. You can purchase tickets online and save $3 with code CLE19.

***Disclosure: I was asked to help promote the Great Big Home and Garden Show. In exchange, I received two complimentary tickets to the event. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

So, that was our weekend! How was yours? Did you get out and enjoy this mild weather?

jenclesig_pur

Why? Motogo Mobile Shop Class!

I love what a small world Cleveland can be and how you can reconnect with old friends in the most unexpected of ways. I had the opportunity to spend a morning touring Skidmark Garage last week and chatting about their new non-profit wing, Skidmark CLE. And I got my tour from my high school and college classmate, Molly Vaughan!

Molly and Skidmark owner Brian have made a name for Skidmark Garage, a community garage where people can come to work on their motorcycles and share tools, space, and knowledge in a non-intimidating environment.

From talking with Molly, Skidmark has made itself an active part of the St. Clair/Superior community where it’s located with community-based projects, a welcoming vibe, and a lounge space that hosts everything from photo shoots to comedy nights for comedians just getting started to nonprofit fundraisers.

Which brings me to Skidmark CLE, the nonprofit arm of Skidmark Garage, which is seeking to expand Skidmark’s presence in the community. Skidmark CLE is supporting a mobile shop class concept designed by Molly and Brian called Motogo. Molly and Brian both have backgrounds working in education, so Motogo is a natural fusion of their skills.

Motogo encourages hands-on learning through motorcycle maintenance, teaching real-world problem solving, critical thinking, measurement, and calculations. Many schools no longer offer shop class or only do so in a vocational setting. Molly and Brian believe all students can benefit from this type of get-your-hands-dirty, work-as-a-team education.

Motogo offers three options: a full semester program, a quarter-long program, and Motogo Light, a pop-up program for community organizations. All Motogo’s programs mirror STEAM objectives for learning.

To raise money to bring Motogo to more students, Skidmark Garage is hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, February 9 from 6-10pm. There will be food stations, open bar, live music, and dancing, all in one of the coolest, funkiest environments you can find!

Tickets are currently on sale for $100. Don’t miss this chance to have a fun evening for a great cause!

***Disclosure: I was asked by Skidmark CLE to help promote the Motogo Mobile Shop Class fundraiser. I declined a complimentary ticket due to scheduling conflicts. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

jenclesig_pur

Why? Weekends, Part 2!

The rest of our weekend was family-fun focused, so here we go…

Children’s Museum of Cleveland

Jeffrey had a parent/teacher conference day on Friday, so since he didn’t have school, we were looking for something fun to do. We went to the Children’s Museum of Cleveland to check out their two newest exhibits: Theater and Playlist.

Theater and Playlist opened at the end of November and give children new ways to explore their creativity at the museum. Theater has everything you need to put on a play, from a ticket booth to a tech area that controls lights and sound effects to hair and makeup stations and costumes.

Children can put on plays, musicals, puppet shows, or concerts. The creativity I saw in the different types of shows and costumes was awesome! What a cool spot for kids to explore!

Playlist incorporates shadow walls and wooden “instruments” to let children express themselves in dance and instrumentation. Playlist has different musical themes, from Latin to African to Americana.

Much like Theater, Playlist encourages individuality and creativity. It was so cool to see Jeffrey dance and perform (and not even want to leave those two areas).

If you haven’t been to the Children’s Museum of Cleveland in a bit, you’ll find all the favorites you loved, plus new exhibits to spark the imagination!

***Disclosure: I received two complimentary passes courtesy of the Children’s Museum of Cleveland. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Children’s Theater Series

On Saturday, we enjoyed the next show in the Children’s Theater Series at Playhouse Square: “The Rainbow Fish.”

Put on by the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, this bright and engaging puppet performance was a wonderful way to enjoy a story that Jeffrey was well-familiar with from the children’s book.

Every time we take Jeffrey to the theater, I see him become more invested in the storytelling and it’s truly a wonderful experience for the whole family!

Open House

On Sunday, we took Jeffrey to an Open House to see where we applied for him to be in Kindergarten. I honestly can’t believe we’re at the Kindergarten application point!

He really enjoyed getting to see where his “big boy school” may be. Plus, we all enjoyed going out for pizza and pasta at Pizzazz on the Circle with his best friend afterwards.

So, a win-win all around!

That was our weekend, in two parts. How was yours?

jenclesig_pur

Why? Weekends!

This was Jeffrey’s last weekend of summer break, so we decided to continue a tradition we started last year by taking a weekend away as a family. It was a pretty easy choice where to go: Cedar Point, which is easily Jeffrey’s favorite place to go these days.

Jeffrey had been requesting both beach time and to see the rides lit up at night, so we decided to stay at Hotel Breakers. This provided us some lovely beachfront access, as well as the chance to stay late at the park and be just a quick walk away from our beds.

When we arrived on Saturday, the afternoon decided to be stormy, so we started out at Breakers’ indoor pool, then had lunch at TGI Friday’s there.

By the time we finished lunch, the rain stopped and we were able to go enjoy the park.

Jeffrey is tall enough now to ride so many of the “bigger” rides, like the Matterhorn, Scrambler, Tiki Twirl, and Troika. He’s definitely a thrill-seeker!

We spent Sunday at Cedar Point Shores, soaking up the last of the summer water sliding fun.

It was so nice to get away as a family and celebrate the end of summer break together! This is definitely one of my favorite family traditions!

And today, Jeffrey starts his last year at Hathaway Brown‘s Early Childhood program.

I can’t believe he’s going into Pre-K! I’m so proud of him and excited for all the things this year will bring!

How was your weekend? Is your summer break winding down too?

jenclesig_pur

Why? Weekends!

It was another busy and fun weekend in Cleveland, so let’s dive right in!

Mad for Plaid

The Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society recently opened a new exhibit, Mad for Plaid.

This exhibit takes you through the history of plaid in fashion, starting in the time of Queen Victoria.

Mad for Plaid takes you from the early days of plaid in fashion through iconic UK designers, such as Alexander McQueen and Burberry through plaid in grunge and rock (there are even pieces on loan from the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame) through 1970’s fashion to today.

There are even examples from plaid on the silver screen in the form of two costumes from “The Greatest Showman,” which were designed by a local costume designer and worn in the film by Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron.

Mad for Plaid is now open and is a visually elegant way to experience the history of plaid in fashion. Also, check out StyleMe Saturdays, with monthly free programming including exclusive curator tours, themed discussion, and hands-on demonstrations from Praxis Fiber Workshop.

***Disclosure: I was invited to attend a complimentary curator tour of Mad for Plaid. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

John Carroll Reunion Weekend

It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since I graduated from John Carroll University (probably because I’m still up on campus so often). This weekend, John Carroll celebrated Reunion Weekend, bringing together graduates from class years ending in 3 and 8.

Saturday morning, I attended a yoga class and the family picnic up on campus. The family picnic had great food, as well as face-painting, balloons, a bubble artist, and a sketch artist to keep everyone entertained.

Saturday evening, I attended the Reunion Weekend Mass at Church of the Gesu, then headed to dinner and dancing on the Quad. My friends and I made it a girls night at Reunion and had so much fun reminiscing about people and places from our college days.

We all met on our very first day at John Carroll, when we lived on the same floor in Dolan Hall. To be able to stay friends for all these years and celebrate Reunion together is truly something special!

The dinner, desserts, drinks, and DJ were all perfect! From toasting to National Rose Day to enjoying mini donuts from Donut Lab to catching up with friends, Reunion Weekend was filled with sweetness!

We’re already talking about our 20th Reunion, although no one quite wants to do the math on how old we’ll be for that!

Great Lakes Science Center

On Sunday, we met up with friends for a play date at the Great Lakes Science Center. Since we attended the member preview of TapeScape, Jeffrey has been asking to go back for more sticky, slide-y fun!

In addition to TapeScape, we enjoyed classic Science Center favorites like the Polymer Funhouse and checked out the cool duct tape photo opp, too.

The Great Lakes Science Center always offers something fun and educational that captures Jeffrey’s imagination and attention. It’s a favorite play date spot for sure!

***Disclosure: I received four complimentary tickets, courtesy of the Great Lakes Science Center. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

So, that was our weekend! How was yours?

jenclesig_pur

Why? Weekends!

It was a busy and fun weekend in the CLE! Here’s what we were up to:

John Carroll University Alumni Awards Dinner

On Friday night, I was honored to receive the Rev. William M. Bichl, S.J. Alumni Volunteer Service Award from my alma mater, John Carroll University.

I served on the Cleveland Alumni Chapter Board for six years and was so humbled to receive this award as I completed by board term. John Carroll means so much to me and has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom received her Masters in Education from Carroll, so being able to share the Awards Dinner with her was particularly meaningful.

The dinner itself was lovely, with good food and good conversation with the other award winners and their families. The other award recipients were so deserving and have accomplished so much that it was truly amazing to be mentioned in the same breath.

I am so grateful for the chance to give back to John Carroll, to receive the award, and to get to share it with the people who mean the most to me and who supported the time and effort I put into my volunteer work.

Day Out with Thomas

Saturday morning, we boarded a train for Sodor at Day Out with Thomas at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

We got to enjoy a thirty minute train ride on Thomas himself, along with lots of other train-themed fun, including train tables, model trains, and the chance to ring a real train bell!

One of my favorite parts of Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad events is that they are volunteer-driven. The volunteers care so much about making the experience fun for the kids, which just adds to how special the memories made are.

Tickets are still available for this weekend’s Day Out with Thomas events, happening Friday, May 25 through Sunday, May 27. Click here to purchase tickets.

Happy Dog

You can keep our family happy with the food at Happy Dog! We popped in for a quick lunch after our Thomas adventure for hot dogs, tots, and craft beer for Matthew and me. I highly recommend Masthead Falling Fruit!

Matthew and I both got Chef Symon’s Favorite, with alien pickle relish, chunky peanut butter, and Sriracha drizzle. So good!

Dazzle Awards

On Saturday evening, I attended the third annual Dazzle Awards at Playhouse Square. The Dazzle Awards celebrate high school theater in a Tony Awards-style event, handing out awards for everything from set design and costumes to acting. The winners of the Best Actor and Best Actress awards get to travel to New York City to compete in the National High School Theater Awards on Broadway!

I was so impressed with the talent up on stage and with Playhouse Square’s commitment to celebrating these young people. Playhouse Square Partners helps to support the Dazzle Awards, among other Playhouse Square Education and Community Outreach initiatives, so it was cool to see what our donation dollars support.

***Disclosure: I am the co-chair of Playhouse Square Partners. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Moms, Manis, and Mimosas

Sunday, I hosted a little brunch party to celebrate my lovely mom friends. I’m so lucky to have women who are supportive and understanding and funny and caring. I’ve really found my mom tribe!

So, what better way to celebrate these fabulous friends than with brunch (I made this almond French toast and this crab strata) and Prosecco sangria and manicures?

We had time to eat and chat and pamper ourselves and it was just lovely! It’s so important to celebrate our friends and I’m glad I had a chance to do it!

It was a great weekend with family and friends! How was yours?

jenclesig_pur

Why? Weekends!

Welcome to the time of year where every weekend is so packed with fun and festivities that they might burst. So, let’s get right to it!

Pajamas and Popcorn

On Friday night, Jeffrey’s school hosted Pajamas and Popcorn, a family movie night with pizza, popcorn, kids in PJs, and cookies.

The movie was “Horton Hears a Who,” so there were also cute Dr. Seuss photo opps. It was a really cute idea and a fun way to ease Jeffrey into the movie theater experience.

The Capital Grille

On Saturday night, we met up with my parents to celebrate my Dad’s birthday with dinner at The Capital Grille.

I started with the Blackberry Bourbon Sidecar, because apparently I like cocktails with bourbon now. I’m clearly growing as a person. Matthew and I also shared the lightly-breaded calamari with cherry peppers that give it a nice kick.

For my entrée, I decided to be the only non-red meat eater at the table because I just couldn’t resist the evening’s fish special: grilled swordfish topped with crab gratin.

Paired with a nice Sauvignon Blanc, this meal had lots of delicate flavors that were executed perfectly. Swordfish is one of my favorite fish and when you top it with crab…wow! My dad ordered the lamb chops, which received rave reviews!

For dessert, Matthew ordered the warm double chocolate cake with port-wine cherries and I had the apple crostada.

Each was the perfect compliment to our meal. We have never been less than totally impressed with the food and the service at The Capital Grille. And during the holiday season (until December 30), The Capital Grille will also be open for lunch from 12-3pm.

Breakfast with Santa

Sunday morning, we attended the John Carroll Alumni Breakfast with Santa. The event includes a Mass, a toy collection for Bellefaire JCB, breakfast, and of course a visit with Santa!

My favorite part of this event has been how my friends and I have used it as a chance to gather with our kids. I spent the morning with people I’ve known for 18 years (whoa) and got to see our kids forming friendships with each other too. It’s really special, especially being up on campus with our future Carroll students!

If you’re a John Carroll alum, you have another chance to celebrate the season on campus at the annual Christmas Reception this Wednesday, December 6. It’s truly one of my favorite events of the year, so don’t miss it!

Om for the Holidays Cleveland

While Jeffrey was napping away his Santa-induced exhaustion, I headed to Om for the Holidays Cleveland.

The rainbow in this pic. I just can’t. @namastenik led an awesome flow!

Om for the Holidays was the brainchild of Angela from Universal Architect and Scare Your Soul. It brought together not only some amazing merchants for holiday shopping…

…but also live music, coaching, community-building, and yoga.

What better way to kick off the busy holiday month than with an opportunity to not only accomplish some holiday gift-buying, but also a chance to nurture your soul with like-minded folks?

Merry Everything, indeed!

So, that was our weekend! How was yours? Is Christmas crazy starting to creep into your life yet?

Why? Terrestrial Brewing Company!

Last night, the John Carroll Cleveland Alumni Chapter hosted a happy hour at Terrestrial Brewing Company.

Not only is Terrestrial Brewing a hot new brewery on the Cleveland craft beer scene, it’s also co-owned by Ryan Bennett, a John Carroll alumni from my class (you don’t need to know what year that is ;-)).

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Ryan partnered with Ralph Sgro, who worked at Platform Beer Co. previously, to open a small-batch, neighborhood brewery in the Battery Park Powerhouse. Terrestrial Brewing does very little distribution, but rather focuses on creating unique beers that draw people in to their bar for pints and conversation.

For my libations yesterday, I enjoyed the Feisty, a Belgian blonde brewed with jalapenos that really had a kick. I also had the Space Chimp, a witbier with guava and passion fruit. The small-batch system at Terrestrial Brewing allows the brewer to be creative and experiment with different flavors and styles. Ralph even created a beer brewed with gummy worms!

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Terrestrial Brewing seeks to be a easy-going, neighborhood brewpub catering to the residents of the Battery Park area. It’s dog-friendly, as evidenced by the water bowl club (your pup can have his own water bowl with his name on it there).

It’s also a business that knows the value of partnering with other local businesses. The Terrestrial Brewing mug club features beautiful, hand-crafted mugs from The Glass Bubble Project. Terrestrial Brewing is also co-hosting Carnivore Christmas with Saucisson on Monday, December 11.

It was great to not only check out a cool new brewery, but also support another John Carroll alum. If you’re looking for unique beers in a relaxed atmosphere, head on over to Terrestrial Brewing!

***Disclosure: I am the president of the John Carroll Cleveland Alumni Chapter. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

jenclesig_pur

Why? Weekends!

It was a fun and busy pre-Halloween weekend! Here’s what we were up to:

Story Time and Cupcakes

On Friday morning, Jeffrey and I attended a sweet event at White Flower Cake Shoppe in Solon. We were treated to two Halloween stories…

…and instruction on how to decorate Halloween cupcakes with White Flower’s famous and fabulous buttercream icing.

Each child attending received 4 cupcakes to decorate.

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And while ours didn’t quite look like the example cupcakes…

…they were still VERY tasty!

Story Time and Cupcakes was only $10 and was a fun and unique activity. The next Story Time and Cupcakes is scheduled for Friday, December 22 with a holiday theme. Click here to learn more!

Playhouse Square Children’s Theater Series: Hansel and Gretel

For the second year, we bought tickets for the Playhouse Square Children’s Theater Series. The Series includes 4 shows between October and May. The shows are age-appropriate in theme and length and are a great way to introduce children to live theater.

The first show of the Series was “Hansel and Gretel: A Wickedly Delicious Musical Treat.” The show was fun and engaging, with lots of great musical numbers, creative costumes and sets, and a talented cast. This was Jeffrey’s first exposure to a true musical and he almost immediately asked if he could get up and dance during the show!

Tickets are still available for the other three shows in the series: “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” in January, “The Gruffalo” in March, and “Guess How Much I Love You and I Love My Little Storybook” in May. If you have a child that you want to introduce to the theater, this is the perfect way to do it!

Willoughby Brewing Company

After the show, we stopped for lunch at Willoughby Brewing Company. Matthew and I always enjoy their in-house craft brews (he had the classic Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter and I had the Pumpkin Ale) and Jeffrey enjoys the trains and cheeseburgers!

Matthew ordered the BrewCo Burger, with bacon jam, fried egg, marinated tomatoes, and beer cheese.

It was messy and delicious!

I had the lemon garlic parmesan shrimp pasta, with a generous amount of shrimp, red peppers, spinach, and pappardelle.

It was light and flavorful! We all enjoyed our post-show lunch!

John Carroll University Homecoming and Family Weekend

On Sunday, we all headed up to my alma mater, John Carroll University for Mass and brunch as part of Homecoming and Family Weekend. I always love having Jeffrey up on campus running around my old stomping grounds! This time, he tried to open up my old mailbox.

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I had the worst mailbox location!

If you’re an alum in the Cleveland area, join the Cleveland Alumni Chapter for a social at Terrestrial Brewing Company on Thursday, November 16 starting at 5:30pm. Registration is free and there will be complimentary appetizers and a cash bar. Click here to learn more and register.

Halloween Party

From there, we had more Halloween fun in store for Jeffrey. My grandfather recently moved into an assisted living facility, which hosted a Halloween party for the families of the residents. There was trick or treating, a piñata, and pizza, punch, and cookies.

But the best part was seeing Jeffrey have quality time with his great grandfather! Jeffrey is lucky enough to still have two great grandfathers and time with them is so valuable and enriching.

So, that was our weekend! Are you ready for Halloween? Like us, are you already on candy overload?!

***Disclosure: I am the president of the John Carroll University Cleveland Alumni Chapter. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

jenclesig_pur

Why? Pete the Cat!

One of the projects at Jeffrey’s school involves the storybook “Pete the Cat.” The kids got really into the story and even created their own class version of it. Then, Pete himself appeared and every child got a chance to take Pete home for a few days. So, here’s what Pete did at our house:

Pete got to know the natives. While he and the dogs are on uneasy terms…

…Pete was able to find some feline friends in Cali and Halloween Cat.

He also found some familiar reading material to make him feel comfortable.

Jeffrey treated Pete to a concert, a cookie, and some play time with friends.

Since the weather was so beautiful, Pete also spent lots of time playing outside!

As a member of the Hathaway Brown community, Pete of course attended Light the Night to support the Blazers.

He played games…

…and even found a guitar to strum.

The line for the East Coast Frozen Custard truck at Light the Night was a bit long. And since ice cream is like catnip for Jeffrey, his momma, and Pete, we headed to Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream for a sweet treat.

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Pete has an adventurous streak, so a trip to Cedar Point seemed the best way to spend our Saturday. Pete rode the carousel and the “crazy corner cars” (as Jeffrey calls them)…

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