Great New Foodie Destination: Hodge's Downtown Cleveland

Last night was Hot Hubby's 35th birthday and to celebrate I took him to dinner at Hodge's Downtown Cleveland. This new restaurant, founded and run by food truck pioneer and proud Cleveland native Chris Hodgson, opened a couple of months ago. For the past two years, Hodgson has been feeding us on the streets from his trucks, Dim and Den Sum and Hodge Podge. Now he has a permanent location from which to serve his upscale takes on classic comfort foods.

And he does not disappoint.

The restaurant itself has a comfortable, masculine-country feel to it, with simple decorating, beautiful old-wood paneling, and perhaps the most comfortable armchair-like seats I've ever sat in at a restaurant. We sat in the smaller upstairs dining area, which afforded us a nice view of the large bar area while distancing us enough from the noise of the bar that we could actually carry on a conversation without needing to raise our voices. I really appreciated that.

Our dinner started with a gratis amuse bouche from the chef of tater tots with a parmesan & bacon topping served with creme fraiche dipping sauce. We munched on those while perusing the varied dinner menu and trying to decide what we wanted to try. We decided to start with the Hodge's Honey Ribs. These were perfectly cooked - the meat fell right off the bone, the outside had a nice crisp to it and the inside was tender, juicy, and deliciously flavorful. The honey mustard glaze provided a sharp yet sweet tang and accompanying sherry slaw was well-balanced complement.

For dinner, Hot Hubby ordered the "Unfried" Chicken and I opted for the French Onion Ravioli. We were also treated to a skillet of cornbread to accompany our meal. I adore cornbread, and this was some of the best I've ever had. This is when we discovered that the value for the price at Hodge's is better than expected. The "Unfried" Chicken was a half-chicken, beautifully roasted and perfectly cooked. Like the ribs, it was falling off the bone and incredibly juicy. The accompanying macaroni & cheese was served in a cast iron dish and was also very tasty.

My French Onion Ravioli was, not exaggerating, the best thing I have eaten in a very long time. Describing it as ravioli with a French Onion Soup sauce is too simplistic. The homemade ravioli were stuffed with ricotta and gruyere, which provided a smooth flavor and texture to balance the tang of the French Onion reduction. It was seriously so delicious. I can see myself being hard pressed to try new things the next time we visit because I'll want to eat this again and again.

We ended our meal with a brownie sundae topped with Mitchell's Hodge Podge ice cream. The brownie was crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, and we joked that Hodge's sister Catie had to have a hand in the ice cream recipe as it was chock full of the puppy chow that she sold like hot cakes on The Great Food Truck Race.

We got a laugh when our bill was delivered to us on a tray in a red envelope printed with "THE DAMAGE" in silver letters. And while the bill wasn't cheap (we'd also each had a cocktail), the value was excellent. Portion sizes were large, and we appreciate that most of the food served is locally sourced. All in all, we're already looking forward to our next visit.

Blessings of Family

My apologies for my extended absences of late. I've been taking a bit of a hiatus from regular updates because my mom is visiting from out of town.

You see, I'm a Northeast Ohio transplant. I came here for college, but had no family or other close ties to the state. My father was active duty military my entire childhood and, when he retired, my parents moved to the Puget Sound area of Washington. It's a gorgeous place to visit, but it means that I generally don't see my parents very often.


Momma w/Little Man



But my mom is retired now, which means that she now has the time to enjoy extended stays with us. Since Little Man was born, this has been a wonderful blessing. She came out before he was born to help us get ready and to be with Little Girl when Hot Hubby and I had to go to the hospital for Little Man's arrival. She stayed for some of my maternity leave before heading home.

And now she's back to help watch Little Man during the days when I'm at work. This is a tremendous blessing because infant child care is absurdly expensive! Plus, this is precious time for her, too, getting to know her grandchildren better.

My momma is one of my best friends, so I'm soaking up as much time with her as I can. This means, unfortunately, that I'm not updating as frequently. But don't despair - I'm still planning posts and do intend to update, just probably only every couple of weeks for the next two months. You all understand, right?

In the spirit of welcoming out-of-towners to our fabulous city, what sights do you think I should take my mom to see?

The Natives Are Restless

After a teaser week of gorgeous warm weather in March, we've returned to the gloomy, windy, and cold weather that is our usual early April staple. Even though the calendar says it's Spring, the rain and hail (yes, hail!) that we've received today says something completely different.

This recent cold snap has been very annoying to Little Girl, who appears to believe that the change in seasons from Winter to Spring should also mean an immediate shift in weather temperatures. She asks every day if she can wear short sleeves and shorts. She asks every day if she can go to the park. She asks every day to go outside and play. With Little Man being still so very little, I'm more reluctant than usual to go outside in 40-degree weather.

From Ubisoft

Fortunately, I think I'm stumbled upon the solution to my current problem. The Easter Bunny brought Little Girl her very own XBox 360 Kinect game called Just Dance 3. It's one of those "you are the controller games" where you dance to music - either trying to follow the computer's choreography or just free dancing however the music moves you.

Like so many wee ones, Little Girl loves to dance and move her body. We gave the game a spin for the first time last night and, ladies and gentlemen, WE HAVE A WINNER! She was laughing and squealing and moving her body. She and Hot Hubby danced together to three songs and, even though they were on the Easy level, both were pretty wiped out by the end of it. Little Girl was most excited that the game has Party Rock Anthem on it - that was the first song she wanted to dance to.

I wish I had snapped a picture of them - but Little Man was in a put-me-down-and-I'll-scream mood at that time. I'll just have to do a follow-up post!

So, even if you don't have a video game console, get through this current cold snap by cranking up the radio and shaking your booty!

What's your favorite indoor activity for the restless little natives?

Memories Are Made of This

It's Opening Day for major league baseball today. For the first time in many years, Hubby and I did not go to the Indians' Opening Day together. 


A sunny day for the return of baseball in Cleveland

 While I was disappointed not to share this day with my husband, I relinquished our tradition in order to make way for a new, and probably better, tradition. For today, Little Girl attended her first Opening Day.

We told her on Sunday that Daddy was going to share one of his favorite days of the year with her, and every day since then she'd been asking, "Is today Opening Day?" Her enthusiasm and excitement for this new experience reminded me of the joy that can - and should - be found in the everyday.

Each day this week, Little Girl's anticipation grew. Hubby and I were both eager to see her reaction when we reminded her this morning that today was finally the Big Day. Her grin could have lit Manhattan - she danced around her room chanting her excitement and then began digging excitedly in her dresser for her Shin Soo Choo t-shirt.
 As I completed my tasks at work this afternoon my thoughts often jumped a few miles west to downtown and Progressive Field. I wondered how Little Girl and Hubby were faring on their Daddy-Daughter Date. I wished I could see her face as she drank in the colors, sounds, and pageantry that are always part of this day at the ballpark. As I drove home from work I eagerly awaited hearing my daughter's impressions of the day. I cherished the moments as she told me all about what she saw and what she ate and then showed me the pink mini bat Daddy bought her as a souvenir.

Family traditions are important. We work to honor the traditions that have been passed down to us, but I believe firmly that the development of new traditions is also important. While the specific details of this day will likely fade as Little Girl grows older and attends more Opening Days, I have a strong suspicion that she will always remember her excitement at being asked to share one of her Daddy's "most favorite days" with him.

Were you at Opening Day today? What new family traditions will you start this year?

Will You Be Voting Today?

It's election day in Ohio and several other states today. Will you be voting?

This blog is not a political blog and will never be a political blog. But I decided I had to blog about the election today in the hopes of catching some of you fellow Lake County, Ohio, residents - specifically those of you in the Willoughby-Eastlake School District.

There's a super-important levy issue on the ballot today for Willoughby-Eastlake voters. Please vote in favor of it. Our school district needs the money. Our district has long operated on a very lean budget. The poor economy coupled with rapid increases in unfunded federal mandates have put our district in a bad spot. They need this levy. Cuts will be coming whether this levy passes or not. Many argue that the quality of a Willoughby-Eastlake education will be impacted whether the levy passes or not.

But if this levy doesn't pass, our children and your neighbors' children will be the ones who will, in the end, pay the price. Sure, they'll still get an education, but it will be without the benefit of free access to team sports, without robust arts programs, in classes with higher student-to-teacher ratios, and more. And perhaps most concerning to me - kindergarten will now carry a price tag of $2900 for the year. This early childhood education is a critical foundation to future student success and there are many in our district for whom $2900 is unaffordable.

So, that's my plea. I don't care what politician you're voting for today or in November. But I do hope you'll get out and support our schools.

And you have now read a post that is the closest I'll ever get to talking politics on this blog. Now, go get out and vote!

And We Hold Our Babies Tighter

We woke this morning to news that a second student passed away after being shot at Chardon High School yesterday. I was going to blog about my goals or something fluffy today, but I look at Little Man playing in his gym and I can't do it.

I wasn't planning on blogging about Chardon High School either, though, as the news outlets and other blogs have already done so quite eloquently. But I look at my son and I think of my daughter off at her preschool and I wonder how I'll explain things like this to them as they get older.

We talk frequently with our daughter about the blessings God gives us in life. And I know someday - probably sooner than I'd like - she'll ask me why God lets horrific things like this happen too. And I wonder whether I'll have an answer she'll be able to accept.

For now, I sit here and I cherish my children, grateful I got to hug and kiss them last night and greet them with a smile this morning.

And I send up prayers in support of all those for whom the world changed forever yesterday.

Spring in February?

Just popping in quickly (Little Man is due to wake up from his nap at any moment) to share the beautiful sunshine that is pouring down on us today.

The tree in our front garden is starting to bud already! On February 1! That's just wild.

I hope that all of you are having a fantabulous Wednesday and that you are able to get out and soak up some of this fabulous Vitamin D. Lord knows we don't usually see the sun this much this time of year.

What's your favorite thing to do on nice winter days?

The Greater Cleveland Aquarium = Awesome

We finally made it to the new Greater Cleveland Aquarium on Saturday, the one-week anniversary of its opening. My first impression as we walked from our car to the Powerhouse was, "Holy smokes, I am SO glad we purchased our tickets online."

Quick tip: Purchase your tickets online at the Aquarium's website. This allows you to go straight to the front of the line and enter the aquarium immediately. Also, please note that strollers and wagons are not allowed in the aquarium most days right now because of the large crowds.

I wish that I'd had my camera available to take a picture of the monstrous line waiting to get in when we arrived. There were easily 200 people waiting in line. It was so wonderful to see such an interest, especially because we didn't have to wait in that line.

The visit was a surprise to Little Girl; she knew we were going somewhere but she didn't know where until we actually entered the aquarium and she saw the first tank of fish. My first thought was how peaceful the aquarium felt, even teeming with hundreds of people as it was that afternoon. The lighting is subdued, with the focus being on the tanks and the fish. Most of the tanks are open at the top which, weird as it may sound, added to the tranquility of it all. You could almost imagine yourself sitting lakeside or pondside and just watching the fish swim.

Little Girl was like a child transported. She absolutely loves fish and I thought her little body was going to explode with excitement when she realized where we were. She was so excited to see each and every fish in all the tanks. She wanted to know what each fish was called and I'm fairly certain that she made my mother take a picture of just about every fish in every tank in the building. Even Little Man, snug in his carrier, was enthralled by the sights and sounds around him.

As someone who remembers Friday and Saturday nights at the Powerhouse eating dinner at TGIFridays and then hitting Howl at the Moon for some drinks and dueling piano entertainment, I was very interested to see how they had incorporated the original character of the power plant into the design of the aquarium. I wasn't disappointed. You definitely feel as if you're walking through a historical building as you travel from area to area within the aquarium, and one of my favorite features was the skylight that let you look up the side of one of the 200-foot-tall smoke stacks. I also got a kick out of the spiny lobster tank that now occupies the base of one of the other stacks of the building.

As someone who has been to many great aquariums in the country, including the National Aquarium, the Boston Aquarium, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I was particularly pleased to see how the touch pool was designed and implemented. Gone are the days, apparently, of shallow pools and people just sticking their hands in the water, lifting out sea creatures, and poking and prodding at them. This is a wonderful thing. The touch pool here is about five feet deep and staffed by folks in wetsuits who slowly bring around bins of sea life that remain submerged in the water. This is so much more respectful to the creatures and also more beneficial to the visitors as they now have a knowledgeable member of the aquarium staff to talk to as they examine these animals more closely. The other side of the touch pool is of the sort that you put your hand in the water, but it contained only sharks and rays and was also staffed by an aquarium employee who was ensuring that the animals were treated respectfully and the visitors were behaving properly.

The walk-through tunnel in the final room of the aquarium was also very impressive. The biggest shark in the tank didn't seem to have any interest in swimming over the tunnel but he did make a few close passes on the sides, during each of which Little Girl jumped up and down and begged my mother to take "just one more picture". The smaller sharks and rays were more than accommodating, though, swimming back and forth over our heads many times. We even got the bonus of seeing a couple of divers cleaning the other side of the glass. Little Girl thought that was hysterical.

All told, we spent about 90 minutes in the aquarium and I'm already looking forward to our next visit. On the drive home we asked Little Girl what her favorite part of the aquarium was. Her response? "I can't decide. I loved it all." I completely agree.

One Fish, Two Fish... in the new tank

This weekend marks the grand opening of the long-awaited Greater Cleveland Aquarium. While I won't be there this weekend (bummer!), I'm looking forward to taking my daughter soon. She's enamored by fish of all sorts, especially sharks, and will watch the fish in the Cleveland Zoo exhibits for ages. Now I'll be able to take her to a place dedicated to showcasing some of the region's and world's diverse marine life and educating about the importance of conservation of these treasures.

The new aquarium features 10 exhibit areas and more than 40 different tanks, including a 500,000 walk-through tank! I can't wait to see my daughter's face as she watches fish swim all around and above her.

If your child is like mine and loves to learn new things, you might be interested in some of these websites that provide learning tools about fish and aquariums. I'm planning on introducing some of these things to my daughter before we go to the aquarium to help her get excited for the visit.

• The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California has several lesson plan units designed for teachers leading field trips to the Aquarium, but they can easily be used by parents with their own children.
• The website Teaching Heart has a full unit on ocean life, including printable activities, reading suggestions, and activities across subject areas, all focused on teaching elementary-age children about the creatures and habitats of the oceans.

When I first moved to Cleveland in September 1994, I was surprised to learn that the city didn't have an aquarium, especially one featuring the marine life of the Great Lakes. This new aquarium has been a long time coming and is just one more feather in Cleveland's cap as a great city of the midwest.

So if you're reading this blog post and are looking for something new and different to do with your family, I encourage you to plan a trip to Cleveland and the new Cleveland Aquarium.

Want other suggestions of great places to go in Cleveland? Just leave a comment and I'll be happy to reply!