Alan Carmichael, left, and Richard Ford on the sidelines of the Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens game.
Our friend Richard Ford was raised in Kentucky and grew up a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan. But, in all his 70 years, Richard had never in person seen the team play. With that big birthday occurring last month, Richard’s wife, Dawn, my husband, Alan, and I decided to rectify that situation. With the help of some friends in the Browns’ organization, we planned a trip to Cleveland based around Richard’s favorite things.
We had a fantastic time. And, since so many in Knoxville now have a Cleveland “connection” due to the Haslam family’s ownership of the Browns, we thought we’d share some of our favorite Cleveland experiences.
In addition to loving the Browns, Richard also loves a certain movie, which just happens to have been filmed in Cleveland: “A Christmas Story.” We penciled in a tour of the house where the movie was filmed. And Richard loves rock and roll music, thus, of course, we planned a trip to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And great restaurants always are an important part of our itinerary.
Huge guitars are displayed all over Cleveland, including this one at the airport.
Who knew that Superman was from Cleveland? Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created him in Cleveland in the early 1930s. Upon seeing this display at the airport, Richard immediately got into the spirit.
Here’s FirstEnergy Stadium, where the Cleveland Browns play. This picture was taken from our hotel room at the Marriott downtown. That’s Lake Erie in the background.
Richard and Dawn outside the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It was a blast from the past — and the present!
So, why is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, we wondered. A guide explained it to us. Cleveland put in a bid, and USA TODAY had people vote on where it should be built. Cleveland killed the next runner-up, Memphis, by more than 80,000 votes. And there are other reasons. Alan Freed, a Cleveland DJ, first used the term “rock and roll” and Cleveland was the first city Elvis played north of the Mason Dixon Line. So there you have it.
A drum set of The Beatles.
The museum is extremely interesting and well done. Currently on display is an exhibit of photographs by one of rock’s best known photographers, the late Herb Ritts. It’s worth the price of admission in itself.
Here’s a Herb Ritts photo of Jackson Browne.
Alan with ZZ Top’s “Eliminator” coupe.
Yikes! We must be in the Pink Floyd exhibit!
Other fabulous “don’t misses:” the Elvis section, the Beatles section and the video about American Bandstand. Plan to spend about three hours there. It’s definitely worth the investment.
Dawn had researched restaurants and kept running across rave reviews of Pier W in nearby Lakewood. From the windows of this landmark eatery, you can see the lights of Cleveland twinkling across Lake Erie. Everything about Pier W was over-the-top excellent. Dawn had mentioned Richard’s birthday when she made the reservation and asked for a table by the windows.
Richard’s menu had a special birthday message printed on the top!
Pier W’s beautiful dining room. Can you see the lights of Cleveland out the window?
Two of Richard’s favorite foods are scallops and Brussels sprouts. So when he saw these pan seared diver scallops on the menu, his choice was made.
My Prince Edward Island mussels in garlic and white wine with bacon were rich and flavorful. I wish I had some right now!
Even after we enjoyed the peanut butter mousse in a chocolate shell and the devil’s food cake with coffee ice cream, Richard got a special little treat.
Dawn was enchanted by the diver stationed outside the ladies’ room.
This is our waitress, Ellen C. Ask for her if you go. She is funny and honest and full of great suggestions on the food and wine. She’s worked there 35 years.
Do you recognize this house from the movie “A Christmas Story?” Richard watches this movie at least once every single Christmas season. The outside scenes were filmed in Cleveland.
The subject of “A Christmas Story” is a 9-year-old boy named Ralphie who only wants one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. You can buy one in the gift shop at “A Christmas Story” house.
These bunny slippers play a role in the movie, too.
Maybe you’d like a stuffed Ralphie?
Dawn and Richard re-enact a scene from the movie. Right after this scene in the film, the next door neighbors’ dogs eat the turkey!
Richard with the signature leg lamp from the movie.
We literally stumbled across a fantastic lunch spot: Market Garden Brewery located next door to the 100-year-old West Side Market. The vibe was cool and casual, but the food was as good as any we’ve had at a white tablecloth restaurant.
Market Garden Brewery is located at 1947 West 25th Street in Cleveland.
Alan enjoying the signature product.
The guys in our group ordered Progress Pilsner and said it was delicious. “The foam on top tasted like ice cream,” my husband declared. The women had pinot grigio and thought it very good as well. But it was the food that blew us away.
Richard ordered confit chicken wings and the bones literally fell out of the chicken. The confit process took 12 hours, which is why we’ll never have this dish at home!
Dawn had chorizo cheddar pierogies, which we all tasted and loved.
But the piece de resistance, if you ask me, was my order: roasted squash flatbread. Don’t laugh. Crispy grilled flatbread was topped with butternut squash puree, Ohio apples, roasted butternut squash, spiced walnut and sage. It was delicious.
There’s a great exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art right now: Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse, Imagining the Garden. It was stunning. But we weren’t allowed to take pictures of it. Boo.
Lunch at the museum’s cafe was relaxing.
Creating buzz in the art world is the museum’s Gallery One, a unique interactive experience. Here, Dawn checks it out.
Another restaurant we tried — this one on the recommendation of friends — was Fahrenheit, located in the Tremont district.
In the entrance was perhaps the biggest pumpkin I’ve ever seen up close and personal.
Fahrenheit is cool and charming and noisy and trendy. The patrons are young and hip. The service we had by a young waiter named Dylan was sweet and attentive. He had only been on the job a week, but we think he’s going to be a big success. Unfortunately, the food was a little more problematic. Those of us who ordered meat (Richad’s grilled strip steak with haricot verts, roasted potatoes, basil pesto and pecorino romano and Dawn’s braised veal shoulder and pappardelle pasta with mushroom conserva, Brussels sprouts and ricotta salata) were delighted with their meals. But those of us who ordered seafood were disappointed. The seared halibut with braised cauliflower was dry and overcooked and the mussels in tomato and white wine broth were fishy tasting and had to be sent back.
The cool interior of Fahrenheit.
Dawn and Richard at Fahrenheit. They are the lucky ones who ordered meat dishes.
This appetizer, called Cleveland nachos, was a big hit. Everyone at the table enjoyed it. The nachos are made with homemade potato chips.
And Alan was crazy about his dessert: apple and pear crostada with cranberries, powdered sugar and cinnamon streusel with churned vanilla ice cream.
We would definitely go back to Fahrenheit. But we wouldn’t order seafood.
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, we discovered that the Cleveland Browns’ rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, were staying with us!
Richard was delighted when we saw Ozzie Newsome, former tight end for the Cleveland Browns, inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and current general manager of the Baltimore Ravens.
Richard got to shake his hand.
Here’s Ravens running back Terrance West.
And defensive end Lawrence Guy.
The next day, when the guys bundled up to go to the game, Dawn and I were on to more great culinary experiences.
We started at this cool craft cocktail spot called Society Lounge. Fantastic martinis.
The fellows reported in from Karl’s Inn of the Barristers across the street from the stadium where they were enjoying famously huge corned beef sandwiches.
Then we went across East 4th Street to celebrity chef Michael Symon’s bistro, Lola.
The restaurant features a lively open kitchen.
And a cool bar.
We had fun. The food was good. But not as great as that we had at Pier W or the Market Garden Brewery.
During the evening, the boys kept emailing us pictures from the stadium. Like this selfie, which Alan entitled “Happy clams.”
Here’s some play action from their seats near the 50-yard line.
Unfortunately, the Browns lost the game on the last play. Here’s the Cleveland Plain Dealer from the next morning.
But we didn’t care. We had a blast. And I think Richard’s birthday will be one he will long remember. (As will we!)
The Cleveland Browns hired a new coach yesterday and are hoping for a turnaround next season. And we think Cleveland itself is in the midst of a turnaround. You should consider going for a long weekend. Go to Pier W and tell Ellen hello for us.
Cleveland was fun. The corned beef sandwich at Karl’s was so large that Richard and I had to split it. It was delicious. The game was exciting even though it had a ridiculous ending. Richard is planning for a better year for the Browns next year. It was a great experience.
Cleveland is much underrated as a destination. Pier W opened when I was in a college and always offered superb food and service-glad that has not changed. The Browns will make a comeback-good that Richard has stuck with them. I went to a playoff game when the temp was 0* and the wind was howling off the lake-never been so cold in my life. Browns fans never surrender.
Alan: I hope Richard’s optimism pays off!
Brenda: I didn’t realize your connection to Cleveland or the Browns! Nice to know. It was a fun, fun weekend.
Three comments:
1) You made Cleveland sound and look much more fun than I would have thought. My mother was raised there (in Lakewood).
2) I would never lose weight traveling with you people
3) Dawn is the new Alan for the Blue Streak!
Katie: Haha! I didn’t know your mom was from there! Believe me, we never lose weight when we travel with Dawn and Richard! But it sure is fun.
My nephew went to college in Cleveland and I got to visit twice and loved it! But I know I could never weather the winters. I’ve visited some of the places you went and agree, they’re worth the trip. I think my favorite photo is the one of Dawn patting the “diver,” and getting a little close by the way! 🙂
Jeannie: Haha. I see what you mean!
We lived in Lakewood in The Carlyle on Lake Erie for years right next door to Pier W, which was not necessarily a good thing! We loved taking visitors to the Rock Hall, West Side Market and lunch at Shooter’s on the Water by boat. If you get an opportunity to return, take a short ride over to Vermilion and have a bite at one of the finest restaurants in the Great Lakes region, Chez Francois. Thanks for the memories! (Did I actually mention THREE restaurants in this paragraph??
Pat: I am glad you did mention 3 restaurants! We will go to them on our next visit! Thanks so much for your comment.
It was a great trip and exceeded expectations. Thanks for coming with us to celebrate a memorable year!
Looking forward to many more, Dawn!
About the Author
 What You’re Saying
What’s Hot
My Favorite Blogs
Archives