We have to enjoy Cleveland virtually for the time being. We’re all spending more time at home of late. Quarantines and stay at home orders are, unfortunately, a new reality. If you’re like me, chances are you can’t wait for “normal” life to resume. That said, there are still ways to make the best of a bad situation. Sure, most businesses and institutions are closed to the public. But that doesn’t mean we still can’t explore them! Lexi Hotchkiss put together an outstanding piece for Destination Cleveland. In it, she highlights ways to explore Cleveland and interact with others, all from the com ..read more

Angelo’s Pizza | 13715 Madison Ave | Lakewood Credit: Angelo’s Pizza on Facebook Just last weekend, even before Ohio’s “Stay-at-Home” order was officially imposed, the missus and I were feeling a bit stir crazy. And hungry. Stir crazy and hungry … not a winning combination.  To combat this, we decided to go for a drive and order pizza for carryout. Where to go, where to go? We both wanted to do something different and to head somewhere that wasn’t right around the corner. “What about a place in Lakewood?” Tiffany blurted out. I liked that idea.  Chances are, when you think of pi ..read more

The coronavirus pandemic has caused stress, anxiety and hardship for millions of people. COVID-19 is affecting 183 countries and territories around the world, with the number of confirmed cases growing each day. Social distancing, isolation, quarantine and economic uncertainty—these are scary and unsettling times. Simran Sethi of The New York Times interviewed noted psychologist and author Dr. Harriet Lerner. They discussed ways to tackle the panic caused by the novel coronavirus. While many COVID-19 reports are alarming, Sethi notes that there is room for at least a bit of optimism. In ..read more

With restaurants forced to close their doors during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ole’ blog is taking a respite from restaurant reviews. I have a few in the hopper, and my fingers are crossed that those establishments—as well as businesses everywhere—can reopen once the ban on public gatherings is lifted. In the meantime, we’re going to focus on interviews. I’ve talked with a lot of interesting people in the area lately. They have worthwhile stories to share. I’ll be posting them in the coming weeks. Today’s post/interview will focus on one of life’s great escapes—sports. We could all use a break ..read more

Greetings, friends. This weekend is shaping up to be a good one. That said, make sure to contact the organizers of the events below as the weekend nears—with the spread of the coronavirus, more and more large-scale gatherings are getting altered or canceled. For instance, I was planning to write about the Mid-American Conference basketball tournament at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse this week. Unfortunately, the games have been closed to the public. United We BrunchSaturday, March 14 / 11 a.m. The Madison Image via scenebrunch.com I was impressed with this event when I attended two years ago. Sp ..read more

Bakersfield Tacos, Tequila, Whiskey | 2058 W 25th St| Cleveland A video summary of Bakersfield. Have you ever had a day where you have insatiable cravings? That was me on Sunday. First it was a bagel sandwich from Dunkin’ Donuts when I woke up. Next was a New York-style pizza from Domino’s for lunch. Then it was Mexican food at dinner time. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—this body is no accident.  Bakersfield is on Lorain Ave. in Ohio City. About that Mexican dinner craving … Tiffany suggested we hit up Bakersfield in Ohio City (or West 25th as the younger crowd likes to ..read more

Happy Wednesday, friends. Last weekend in Cleveland was all about food. This weekend, while different, isn’t any less exciting. Without further delay, let’s get to it. Brainstorm and BrewsThursday, March 5 / 6 p.m. Noble Beast Brewing Co Credit: IDSA Ohio Northern Community engagement, networking, socialization, prizes, food and beer. Sign me up. Members and nonmembers are invited to join the Ohio Northern Chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America at Noble Beast Co. Guests will enjoy a drink, socialization and complementary appetizers. At 6:30 p.m., a brainstorming session will co ..read more

Hibachi Japanese Steakhouse | 6901 Rockside Rd #133 | Independence Video Summary Everyone loves hibachi, right? Entertaining chefs, open flames, getting food thrown at your face – it’s fun. You know what else is fun? Happy hour. Happy hour at a hibachi restaurant … my head is going to explode. My mom and her group of friends – the self-titled Happy Go Lucky’s – visited Habachi Japanese Steakhouse in Independence for happy hour. Here’s all you need to know, straight from my mom: Hibachi Japanese Steakhouse is conveniently located in Independence. Located in Rockside Corners Shopping Cente ..read more

On the Davenport is a new feature on happydayscleveland.com Welcome to On the Davenport—the newest feature on Happy Days Cleveland—where, each week, we’ll cast a spotlight on area residents. (For my younger readers: couches were called “davenports” back in the day, hence the name of this new series.) There are lots of interesting people in Greater Cleveland, and they have compelling stories to share. I stumbled upon my first guest by accident, as I randomly discovered J.P. Sorma and his company—Got Baseball CLE, a top-level training organization—on Instagram. I did some digging and was intrig ..read more

Happy Wednesday, friends. This weekend looks like heaven for foodies. There’s no time to waste—let’s get right to it.  Image credit: Downtown Cleveland Alliance Downtown Cleveland Restaurant WeekNow through March 1 Downtown Cleveland A showcase of downtown Cleveland’s food scene, guests can affordably check out the city’s top dining destinations. Participating eateries—including Alley Cat Oyster Bar, Chocolate Bar, Johnny’s Downtown, Mabels BBQ and Republic Food & Drink—will offer special three-course meals for lunch and dinner at $15 and $30, respectively. A full list of restaurant ..read more