Scene December 14, 2022

COVER PHOTO OF JUNEBERRY BY KARIN MCKENNA

UPFRONT

LONGTIME ARTCRAFT BUILDING TENANTS GIVEN ONLY WEEKS TO LEAVE AFTER CLEVELAND POLICE HQ ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR SOME 15 YEARS, THE BULK if not the majority of Wally Kaplan’s charcoal or pastel portraits have come to life in a small, 625-squarefoot studio she shares with two other painters in the ArtCraft Building on Superior Avenue.

Her neighbors have been there even longer: Across the hall, painter Baila Litton has worked out of her space for 30 years; up on the fourth floor, Jesse Rhinehart’s been painting for some 28.

Come December 16, Kaplan and the majority of ArtCraft’s artistic milieu will have to find another place to work.

The 102-year-old warehouse at 2570 Superior is set to transition ownership to the city of Cleveland as the new home for the police department come 2025. Two-year-old development conglomerate TurnDev will be aiding the handoff to the city from current owner GBX in 2023 for what a recent press release called an “adaptive re-use of a vacant historic building” via a “gut-rehab renovation.”

But there’s just one minor problem.

“It’s not vacant,” Kaplan said. “I’m here. There are a lot of people still here.”

ArtCraft veterans like Kaplan, who thrived off the building’s affordable rents and warehouse window vistas, claim that, due to unreliable communication between the owner, manager and tenants, they’re being rushed to disperse a commune they’ve claimed as home for decades.

“I didn’t know anything about it until last week,” Kaplan said in her studio on Monday, regarding the city’s selection. “Obviously they knew something — they had made this proposal. But we didn’t know anything about it.”

Like ArtCraft’s dozens of other tenants, including Cleveland Offset and Baron Image, Kaplan received a letter on September 30 from TurnDev manager Jon Pinney indicating that her leasing format would be ended due to the ArtCraft’s age. Kaplan said that tenants like her had a casual, handshake agreement with manager Hanna CRE for freak buyout scenarios —

“At least six months notice,” she said.

“Given the deteriorated state of the premises,” Pinney wrote in the letter, “in order to facilitate restoration, the best course of action is to terminate month-to-month tenancy.”

He added: “This is an unexpected inconvenience to you and we are truly sorry.” (Pinney did not respond to a request for comment.)

Up on the fifth floor, where Jesse Rhinehart’s industrial still-lifes have been created and displayed since 1994, there’s a similar situation to Kaplan’s.

“I’ll never find a place this good again,” he said, noting that while he’d assumed for years a time would come when he’d be asked to leave, he’s not exactly clear how he’ll be able to clear out his 1,200-squarefoot space in the next ten days.

“The problem with all of them has been the lack of information,” he said from his workbench overlooking I-90. “They act very secretive and very quiet, and they don’t really give you much information until, ‘Well, it’s time to go!’”

Like most of ArtCraft’s artists-

in-exodus, the plan for Kaplan is to reside in the Twist Drill Building at 4700 Lakeside, along with 70 other artist tenants, many of whom were former ArtCraft’s tenants until earlier this year.

But Kaplan sighed when talking about the new space, knowing she will be paying twice as much at Twist, with half the square footage.

“There’s no question this was a bargain here for us, for artists,” she said. “Nowhere compares rent-wise. Nowhere.”

Guitar Riot is one of the few tenants who reached a deal to stay in their spot past Dec. 16. Owner Brent Ferguson told Scene they’ll be moving to a standalone building in Ohio City in “late March.”

– Mark Oprea

In GCC Event, Experts Decry Cuyahoga County’s High Rate of Sentencing Juveniles as Adults

Concerned Clevelanders gathered at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church on Tuesday, December 7, to hear

from experts and activists at an event organized by the Greater Cleveland Congregations on the controversial use of the bindovers, the process by which juveniles over the age of 14 have their cases transferred to adult court for prosecution and sentencing.

The issue is a crucial and critical topic locally: Cuyahoga County sentences more minors as adults than every other urban Ohio county combined — 97 in 2021, 94% of whom were Black.

“We stand as those who care and believe in the acorn theory,” said Rev. Dr. Jawanza Colvin. “That an acorn, and likewise a child, has everything in it to be everything it was meant to be. It just needs to be put in the right environment.”

Juvenile bindovers come in two types. In a mandatory bindover, the charges require this transfer. In a discretionary bindover, the juvenile court judge chooses to transfer the case. Both extract the juvenile from the rehabilitative focus of the juvenile justice system and expose them to the punitive adult system,

Artist Wally Kaplan, of Beachwood, stands in her studio at the ArtCraft Building where she’s worked for the past 15 years.

MARK OPREA

advocates say.

“Bindover[s] [were] used really rarely in the history of juvenile justice systems and [it] was always up to the judge,” said Leah Winsberg, staff attorney with the Children’s Law Center. “However, in the 1990s, we saw false rhetoric labeling children of color as super predators. While we know that super predator myth wasn’t true—it was debunked—and that crime wave that was predicted never arrived, we still have these laws on the books and they still predominantly harm children of color.”

Although bindovers have decreased statewide, Cuyahoga County’s cases remain high. In 2020, Cuyahoga accounted for more than 40% of all Ohio bindovers, more than Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery and Summit combined. Slightly more than 91% of these youth were Black, according to the Ohio Department of Youth Services. 2021 numbers were no better.

The potential harm for minors in adult facilities is well documented. In addition to missing educational opportunities, these minors are twice as likely to be physically assaulted, five times more likely to be sexually assaulted, and eight times more likely to commit suicide, according to Dr. Richard Redding and the Department of Justice. Because of this, many juveniles find themselves in solitary confinement.

“Beyond just the harm, or the impacts on the child, that bindover really harms our community and makes all of us less safe,” said Winsberg. “When we compare them to their peers who are kept in the juvenile system for the same or similar offenses, bindover youth are 34 times more likely to commit an additional felony offense.”

Community calls to action on bindovers are nothing new—and they’ve been successful before.

“We have eliminated and narrowed transfer laws, increased the age limit for bindover and obtained commitments from prosecutors to ban the use of bindover in their jurisdictions,” said assistant state public defender Katherine Sato.

But Sato says that more work needs to be done, especially in Cuyahoga County, where the public defender’s office represents only 2025% of juvenile defendants.

That office implemented a vertical defender model, which utilizes a team consisting of an attorney, a social worker and an investigator. However, this model is only used in cases represented by the public defender. If a judge decides to

appoint private counsel or the juvenile’s case is a conflict of interest for the public defender’s office, the child does not have access to the vertical defender model.

“We have consistently advocated for an increase in appointments and would like to see a more uniform assignment rule that would ensure greater representation of juveniles by the Public Defender’s Office,” Chief Public Defender Cullen Sweeney told Scene

The Tuesday night panel also discussed blended sentencing, the practice where a juvenile is sentenced to a juvenile facility as a minor with the potential to serve longer in an adult facility and, as bindover sentences cost taxpayers more than the alternative, urged county council to reconsider how it spends its budget.

“If the children are protected and able to rehabilitate when they make mistakes, and able to join society effectively and successfully, ready to be productive, that is our guarantee of future success,” said TaKasha Smith, executive policy director of the Juvenile Justice Coalition.

“Your county council, your county executive’s office, have already proclaimed and committed to at least trying to end structural racism. So fund programs that will do that, fund behavioral health and mental health, fund the therapy that will actually bring those changes about.”

In reaction to GCC’s panel, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Alexandria Bauer told Scene, “We find it surprising that law enforcement, prosecutors, victims, victim advocates, and sitting juvenile judges were not brought to the table to discuss such a key public safety matter.”

Bauer also said the prosecutor’s office only considers age, offense

and criminal history in deciding whether to file a discretionary bindover motion.

But for the GCC community and the experts who spoke, the harm done to children comes without benefit to the community.

“It’s not about being soft on crime,” said Winsberg, “It’s about being smart on crime.”

– Maria Elena Scott

10% of MetroHealth Employees Deal With Food Insecurity and Trouble Paying for Housing, Study Says

MetroHealth made ambitious strides to identify and improve social determinants of health in patients in recent years, but a study found that some of its employees face the same challenges – including food insecurity and financial strain — as the poorest Northeast Ohioans that it serves.

The study, published in the Journal of Primary Care and Community Health, surveyed more than 1,900 full-time employees from June to October 2021 using the same intake screening given to patients.

Employees were asked about food insecurity, financial strain, transportation difficulty, inability to pay for housing or utilities, intimate partner violence, social isolation, infrequent physical activity, daily stress, and lack of internet access.

Among respondents, 10% reported an inability to pay for housing or utilities, 11% reported food insecurity and 12% reported financial strain. These numbers increased in certain departments, with 20% of those in administrative support and 32% of those in clinical support reporting financial strain.

In 2021, the same year employees

were surveyed, ousted CEO Dr. Akram Boutros was paid $2.1 million in total, including $416,000 in supplemental bonuses the board contends were unauthorized and in violation of his contract.

As a report from the law firm of Tucker Ellis commissioned by the board notes, Boutros used benchmarks in social justice, including improving outcomes in underserved communities, in the self-evaluations that determined those supplemental bonuses.

For his former employees, in addition to financial challenges, 48% of respondents reported social isolation and 58% reported daily stress.

The study concluded that, “Health systems should routinely screen employees for social determinants and adjust salaries, benefits, and assistance programs to address their social needs.”

For its part, MetroHealth said in a statement that it “hired a social worker to help employees connect with community resources related to food assistance, financial literacy, transportation, and childcare” and that two of MetroHealth’s locations “share space with community-based organizations to facilitate social assistance.”

For the employees facing food insecurity, housing insecurity or financial hardship, MetroHealth says they “are referred to the MetroHealth Opportunity Center to enroll in financial coaching services.”

– Maria Elena Scott

Board Recommends

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Daniel Gaul Be Removed From Bench by Ohio Supreme Court

After years of sharply criticizing

Racial breakdown of Ohio bindovers in 2020. Data from the Ohio Department of Youth Services.

defendants, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Daniel Gaul himself was last week urged to be punished for his own misbehavior.

On December 9th, about a year after a complaint was filed against him, the Board of Professional Conduct in a 63-page report recommended that the Ohio Supreme Court remove Gaul from the bench and suspend his law license for one year for violating a host of judicial rules of code and conduct.

The three-person panel detailed inappropriate commentary by Gaul in eight cases from 2014 to 2021.

Gaul, who has been on the court since 1991, made distasteful asides to the Black Lives Matter movement, called Black defendants “brother,” and referred to women involved in civil stalking order cases as”mistresses,” among other things, the report said.

In one case from 2017, Gaul addressed a defendant during his sentencing hearing after the judge found him guilty of two charges of owning weapons under disability.

Before entering a minutes-long soliloquy riffing on Grand Theft Auto’s effect on “latchkey kids” and “Rocket Man” Kim Jong Il’s “bringing the curtain down on us all,” Gaul told the defendant, “Lucky man. Lucky man. If I was standing at the window of a car with a gun on you, you wouldn’t have quick drawn me. I would have busted a cap in you.”

Some of the findings were far more serious: In one case from 2016, he allegedly coerced a guilty plea from a defendant who was later acquitted in a new trial.

Gaul’s language, the board said, goes against expected judicial practice. Besides noting Gaul violated a rule that “a judge shall be patient, dignified and courteous,” it also suggested his “impartiality might be reasonably questioned.”

This isn’t the first time Gaul has been reprimanded for his behavior. In 2010 he was given a stayed six-month suspension by the Ohio Supreme Court.

He didn’t much change after that.

Serial, in its third season focusing on Cuyahoga County’s criminal justice system, delved into Gaul’s rich history of color commentary and his apparent “political incorrectness.”

Host Sarah Koenig wondered, given universal agreement that Gaul acts and talks inappropriately, from concocting apparently

unconstitutional probation conditions to berating defendants, why he hasn’t been held accountable.

That day might be coming. The Ohio Supreme Court is expected to decide on Gaul’s case in early 2023.

The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association on Monday issued a statement supporting the report’s findings.

“We support the Board’s recommendation which calls for accountability for the misconduct and will await the final determination by the Supreme Court of Ohio which represents the final step in the disciplinary process,” it said.

Gaul’s violations, they explained, “can lead the public to question the evenhandedness of the administration of justice and the integrity of the judiciary.”

– Mark Oprea

Little Italy’s Development Chief Steps Down After Three Decades as Neighborhood Debates Future

After 27 years overseeing development in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood, development that in recent years has included modern condos and townhomes and angry phone calls from people who would prefer the neighborhood not change, Ray Kristosik last month announced his resignation as president of the Little Italy Redevelopment Corporation. He will be moving on to become general manager of Baci Winery, in Madison, on January 1st.

In a statement posted on Little Italy’s Facebook page, Kristosik expressed gratitude to the city and the neighborhood for allowing him to act as a mediator between Little Italy’s Old World charm and its evolution.

The latter tended to lead to heated emails from old-time residents and comments at monthly neighborhood meetings ever since LIRC’s founding in 1994.

Kristosik’s job shift comes as the neighborhood aims to release a new feasibility plan to take up where Kristosik left off.

“Maybe we didn’t get everything correct for all, but I believe LIRC did a good job in effecting change,” Kristosik wrote in a letter November 30th, “bringing in new neighbors, stakeholders, and making our neighborhood the vibrant place it is to live.”

Little Italy 2000, LIRC’s predecessor, was created in 1994 to monitor the design review process, and to communicate with the Cleveland Landmarks Commission, as new construction permits began

to pick up in the mid to late 1990s.

As Kristosik explained to the Plain Dealer that year, “We want to make sure that what they build is going to enhance the area.”

The enhancement turned out to be relative. As Case students and University Circle doctors relocated to Murray Hill and Mayfield, developers grew hip to the residential change. In 2003, the 20-unit Villa Carabelli townhomes project was built on Murray Hill, followed by 15 hypermodern lofts on Random Road in 2005.

As the NIMBYisms hit his inbox, or showed up to design review meetings, Kristosik hired a consultant to draft a master plan in June 2004, hoping to please the neighborhood’s two sides, architecturally speaking. Kristosik said the change was healthy.

“Some of the people yelling at the meetings have been yelling for 40 years,” he told the Plain Dealer in 2004. “If we don’t do this stuff, we fizzle.”

Angela Spitalieri Ianiro, director of the Northern Ohio Italian American Foundation, who will hire a consultant team to help decide LIRC’s next chief, said she agrees with Kristosik’s eye for evolution, which includes Panzica’s low-rise building on Cornell.

“It’s a neighborhood with a lot of old blood and some new blood, and we try to do the best we can to make

sure everyone’s happy,” Spitalieri said. “Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we don’t, but we do try to make everybody in the neighborhood happy.”

Pamela Dorazio, the curator of IAMCLE, a Little Italy-themed museum that Kristosik helped bring to the space next to Presti’s Bakery on Mayfield in 2019, said Kristosik always kept the neighborhood’s century-old history in mind.

“He tried to find a compromise between the new developers who want to go completely to the nth degree with their developments and taking up a whole block,” she said. “So he’s really worked to try to keep it within the guidelines.”

Roughly 170 Little Italy residents, past and present, convened in the basement of the Holy Rosary Church in November to honor Kristosik and talk openly about future preservation.

Along with praising Kristosik for “the credit that he is due,” Council President Blaine Griffin, whose Ward 6 includes Little Italy, spoke about what’s to come after Kristosik officially departs.

In a speech, Griffin proposed a new community benefit agreement, which riffed heavily on tax abatement language. He also suggested pursuing LOOP legislation — a Longtime Owner Occupants Program — that, Griffin said, could “freeze taxes for longtime homeowners as new development comes in.”

After the speeches concluded, participants who recalled the old “STOP BULLDOZING LITTLE ITALY” sentiment said Griffin’s assessment is long overdue.

“Changing the tax abatement program?” Celeste DeSapri, whose family spent decades in Little Italy, said. “That should have happened a long time ago.”

“Oh absolutely — like five years ago!” her friend, Joyce Baratucci, said.

Kristosik, who spent most of the ceremonial block club meeting standing near the church kitchen, said it’s been difficult over the past three decades.

His parents still live in a single-family house off Fairview and Murray Hill, but he sees the necessity for evolution.

“Sure, there are those that are exhausted from the construction,” Kristosik said after the meeting. “But you live in a dense area, and not all density is bad. It’s not all bad — in fact, most of it is good.” – Mark Oprea

The Best Things We Ate in Cleveland in 2022

By Douglas Trattner

DINING OUT MADE A FULL-THROATED RETURN to Cleveland in 2022, with exciting new openings all over town. It was a satisfying year to write about food, filled with memorable experiences and dishes that made a lasting impression. These are a few of my favorites.

P me St p Steak at JoJo’s Bar

After Gamekeeper’s Tavern gave way to Bull and Bird, and Bull and Bird transitioned to Jojo’s Bar, Chagrin Falls finally landed the restaurant it deserves. Rick Doody treats guests to an impeccably remodeled interior, attentive but unhurried service, and food that exceeds expectations. The setting makes everything taste better, including the prime strip. This well-marbled beauty arrives charred on the outside, mid-rare within, and paired with crispy onion straws. Tack on orders of creamy horseradish or bearnaise.

Cornmeal F es at Martha on the Fly

In 2022, Martha on the Fly graduated from a weekend popup to a sticks-and-bricks venture, transforming a nondescript Tremont storefront into a shiny micro-diner. Martha dishes out killer breakfast

sandwiches and hearty lunch hoagies, but it was the heavenscented cornmeal fries that bowled me over. A crispy exterior gives way to a creamy polenta-like core. The corny fingers come with a side of the house Sunshine Sauce for dipping but fork over a couple bucks for the indulgent black pepper gravy.

Burger Box at Cordelia

Lola was a tough act to follow, but the crew at Caordelia on East 4th has more than risen to the occasion.

In the kitchen, chef Vinnie Cimino reminds diners that eating out can still be daring and daelicious with items like fish toast, popcorn chicken livers and whole fried chicken.

The Burger Box, Cordelia’s take on the smash burger, is a four-slider pull-apart affair that features the customary beef, pickles and special sauce, but it’s the epic griddle-melted cheese sakirt that tips the scales.

Basque Cheesecake at Sophie la Gourmande

Even in bakery-blessed Cleveland Heights, Sophie la Gourmande made a splash. A quick glance at the display cases proves that this beautiful stranger is aiming at a different target. Colorful, intricate and flawlessly executed French pastries sit alongside savory Danishes, melt-in-your-mouth croissants, lemon-poppy coffee cakes and ropey Jerusalem bagels. Don’t miss Sophie’s ethereal Basque cheesecakes, which are crustless, characteristically dark on top, and dense but creamy within.

Big Breakfa at e Spot on Lakeshore

The Spot in Mentor is a gastro-diner that melds the come-as-you-are comforts of a neighborhood hash house with a gently elevated menu grounded by local ingredients and chef-driven technique. Reservations make it a breeze to slide in for weekend brunch, where a full bar and occasional live music await. The Big Breakfast is a meat- and carb-lover’s feast, combining three eggs, a choice

of biscuit, waffle or short stack, crispy hash browns and a choice of meats that includes local Serbian cevapi.

Chicken and Wa les at Juneberry Table

Juneberry Table is a showcase for chef Karen Small’s unfussy style of cooking. In this sun-splashed Ohio City diner, breakfast and lunch plates star humble Appalachian ingredients like buckwheat, sorghum, cornmeal, fruit preserves, fermented veggies and cured meats. In the exemplary chicken and waffles, local chicken is picklebrined, dredged in panko and fried to the perfect chestnut brown before joining the Ohio cornmeal waffles. To dress it up, there’s Ohio maple syrup and earthy-sweet sorghum butter.

Goat Mandi at Damas Eatery

Yaseen Allaham fled war-torn Syria, made his way through Jordan, and settled in Northeast Ohio, where he and his family opened Damas Eatery. Thanks to this quiet westside restaurant, the local Syrian community has a place to go for comforting, traditional and often

Photo courtesy Amba

celebratory dishes that taste of home. In the soul-satisfying goat mandi, mellow, sweet and tender bone-in meat is arranged on a bed of fluffy, seasoned rice. Be sure to ask for a side of the spicy pepper puree.

Jerk Chicken at Gar and Mar

When the Campus Grille in Berea closed, Garry and Nadette Lawson swooped in to open a place of their own. Born and raised in Jamaica, “Gar” and “Mar” set about making the foods of their native home, going so far as to build a traditional Jamaicanstyle drumpan behind the restaurant on which to cook foods. Emanating from that grill is exceptional jerk chicken. Marinated, spice-rubbed and grilled to a chestnut brown, the meat is firm, slightly smokey from the

flames and intensely flavored.

Paneer at Amba

Diners are ripped from their comfort zones the moment they cross the threshold of Amba in Ohio City. From the shadowy, lounge-like interior to the menu of Indianinspired foods, this edgy eatery encourages culinary exploration. While one could toss a dart at the menu and come up roses, the paneer stands out for its beauty and depth of flavor. Arranged like jewels on fine ceramic, honey-colored cubes of cheese are dotted with mustard seeds and arranged in creamy dal.

Any Slice at City Slice Pizze a

City Slice Pizzeria is the closest

Buy/Sell/Hold

thing Cleveland has to an authentic New York slice shop. This bustling westside storefront offers a ready selection of gigantic 40-inch pies. Massive slices are reheated to order in the brick oven until they’re blistering hot and crisp. The thin, chewy crust is soft enough to fold, which prevents flopping, but sturdy enough to support the toppings. A thin but even layer of salty lowmoisture mozzarella barely covers the mildly seasoned red sauce.

Aunt Gay at Tommy’s

Earlier this year, Tommy’s Restaurant on Coventry celebrated its 50th birthday, surviving three fires, 9/11, the Great Recession and Covid. Swept up in the anniversary hoopla, I revisited some of my favorite dishes at one of Cleveland’s

most enduring and endearing institutions. Founder Tommy Fello was a vegetarian foods pioneer, selling dishes like hummus, baba ganoush and falafel before Nate’s Deli and Aladdin’s. For meateaters, there is the comforting Aunt Gay filled with lamb, beef, onion, cheese, veggies and sesame sauce. Everything Bagel at Nubagel

There is always room for another great bagel, as evidenced by the lines at this new Cleveland Heights bakery. Israeli emigrant Josh Admon keeps things blissfully straightforward, offering plain, sesame, poppy, everything and spicy everything bagels that are hand-rolled, boiled and baked. Bagels can be purchased individually, by the dozen, or as cream cheese schmears with various flavors and add-ons.

e Cleveland dining trends we love, hate, and want more of

FOR A DECADE NOW, WE’VE been looking back at year’s end to examine the trends – good, bad and debatable – that have taken root on the local dining scene. Previous years have seen the upswell of “Disposable Everything” and the blessed decline of Mason jar glassware and sheet pan plates. We’ve prayed for more great barbecue and lamented the proliferation of seafood-in-a-bag joints. Without further ado.

Buy: A Real New York Slice

Last year was a zero-sum game for New York-style slice lovers in Cleveland. On the one hand, we lost 40-year-old legend Vincenza’s Pizza downtown. On the other, we gained City Slice Pizzeria, which is selling immense and immensely delicious pizza by the slice on the west side. While Cleveland has a small handful of solid New York-style pizzerias, we have precious few slice shops.

Buy: Blowing the Budget on Design

If, like us, you were growing bored of the spare, clean, monochromatic restaurant design that dominated the marketplace the last few years — we’re looking at you, white subway tile — 2022 arrived like a technicolor dream. At places like Jaja, Cordelia, Bartleby, Amba, Filter, Bright Side, Juneberry and Edda Coffee, guests are immersed in a visually appealing and intentional environment that sets the mood.

Hold: Smash Burgers

Not long ago, every burger arrived

with an egg on it, a peculiar trend mentioned in the very column. These days, every burger is actually two burgers, smashed thin as doilies and topped with cheese, pickles, lettuce and special sauce. It’s not that we don’t love smash burgers, it’s that we value variety a little bit more.

Buy: Cajun/Creole

There was no better crawfish etouffee north of Lake Pontchartrain than the brew dished up at Battiste & Dupree Cajun Grill in South Euclid. Sadly, we lost that peculiar gem in 2022 and what’s left in its wake is a sparsely populated field that leaves diners wanting more. If we can have 100 taco joints, surely we can muster a few places that make killer gumbo, shrimp Creole, jambalaya, barbecue shrimp, etouffee and all the other deeply flavorful foods of that cuisine.

Hold: Breakfa Bonanza

Covid ushered in an entirely new way of working for many people, one that tolerates remote working and increased flexibility. Coinciding

with this new framework is an upswell of gourmet breakfast places that cater to those folks. We have been absolutely digging places like Juneberry Table, Cleveland Breakfast Club, Sleepy Rooster, Martha on the Fly and The Spot on Lakeshore.

Buy: Breakfa /Brunch Reservations

As much as we love dining at the aforementioned breakfast places, not to mention our favorite bustling diners, we loathe uncertainty. Getting up and out on weekends is hard enough, but when you toss in the likelihood of a long wait on the other end it approaches unbearable. Some higher-end brunch places accept reservations, a trend we’d love to see more widely adopted.

Buy: Food Halls

Food Halls have a permanent spot on these yearly wish lists because, well, Cleveland sucks when it comes to food halls. The one dedicated food hall we had flamed out after a couple years, leaving the wonderful but lonely Market Hall at Van Aken District. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new Asiatown food hall from restaurateur Sheng Long Yu, but the lack of other options is depressing.

By Douglas Trattner

Hold: Bake es

It’s been a glorious year for carb and sweets lovers. Over the past 12 months or so we’ve watched ambitious and homespun bakeshops open their doors, instantly improving the neighborhoods around them. Floressa Café added a spark to Clark-Fulton, Sophie la Gourmande gave Cleveland Heights a tasty boost, and Larchmere got the perfect corner bakery in Honey Birch. Soon, Lakewood will welcome Gray House Pies and U.K. Pies.

Hold: Small Plates

Small plates have made an enduring presence on this list for a decade. It’s been a long-fought battle but Clevelanders, at long last, appear to have embraced the trend. Some of the toughest tables to nab in town are at joints like Amba, Zhug, Salt, Bar Oni, Last Page and The Pompadour, places that traffic in small plates. Recently, Umami in Chagrin Falls converted to the small-plate focused Reserve and others are following suit. Take a bow, Cleveland.

Buy: N/A Bevvies

These days, countless guests are abstaining from booze for any

December 14-27, 2022 | clevescene.com |

number of reasons, such as being pregnant, taking medication, accepting the DD role, in recovery or simply sitting this round out. Fortunately, today’s N/A options go well beyond O’Douls, water or soft drinks. Many Cleveland bars and restaurants have begun to offer greattasting low-alcohol or N/A beers and cocktails. Hopefully, more will follow.

Sell: Taco Joints

The bad news: Condado Tacos plans to open 100 restaurants by 2026. The good news: They’re not all bound for Cleveland. If you haven’t noticed, there’s been a proliferation of taco restaurants in Northeast Ohio with names too numerous to list here. Many offer fantastic

products. Others do not. If you believe that Cleveland needs any more taco joints, you are firmly in the minority.

Hold (Dearly): Cleveland Classics

In 2022, we went out of our way to highlight some neighborhood

restaurants that have stood the test of time. Titled “Cleveland Classics,” the ongoing series chronicled visits to Le Petit Triangle, Big Al’s Diner, Scotti’s Italian Eatery, Marie’s and the chicken houses of Barberton. If there’s one thing we learned in recent years, it’s that no restaurant is safe from disappearing, so visit your favorites while you still can.

What Happened to Late-Night Dining in Cleveland?

e city’s always gone to bed a little earlier than mo , but closing time keeps moving up

IN 2000, A DINER COULD stumble out of a Tremont bar or gallery well after midnight and have his or her pick of prime places to eat. Maybe you wanted to post up at Lola for a dozen oysters and a lobster club sandwich. Across the street, Mojo would still be slinging flavorful small plates like Thai beef salads with zippy red curry. If you were in the mood for an even hipper vibe, you would head over to Lava Lounge for some calamari and cavatelli with a side of DJ-spun vinyl.

For modern-day diners in search of late-night food that isn’t a burger, pizza or gyro, the options have all but dried up. Sure, there’s the all-night diner, but even those are vanishing faster than the coral reefs.

What the hell happened to late-night dining, you might be wondering. Depending on who you ask, the phenomenon is a casualty of shifting demographics, increased restaurant competition and a labor pool that still hasn’t recovered from Covid.

Ricardo Sandoval recalls those golden years with glee. As the owner of Fat Cats and Lava Lounge, he would regularly host diners clear up until 2 a.m. most evenings, often doing his best business in those wee hours of the day.

“In my case, all the guys from Lola basically subsidized Lava Lounge for me,” he explains. “When they were finished with their shift, they would pile into that place and drink everything we had and eat everything on the menu.”

Tremont in the early aughts was

By Douglas Trattner

more of those residents were edged out of the neighborhood, Sandoval argues, the slower and slower his late-night business became.

“The whole demographic is changing,” he says. “There was a major demand for late-night dining, especially among artists and service people. But the people who used to live in this neighborhood got pushed out by families and professionals.”

Few industry vets boast more first-hand experience than Randy Kelly and Linda Syrek. Before opening ABC and XYZ Taverns, the couple worked together at the Parkview Nite Club when that joint was balls to the wall right up until close every single night of the week.

“Back when we were at the Parkview, the bands wouldn’t even start until 10 p.m. and people would order full meals until 2 a.m. seven days a week,” Kelly recalls.

It was a trend the couple would rekindle a few years later in Ohio City, when that neighborhood was really taking off as a drinking and dining destination.

“At ABC, we were seven days a week until two in the morning, with the kitchen, and it was always worth it,” says Kelly. “Sometimes, that last hour in the kitchen was our busiest hour all weekend.”

But as more and more restaurants

open, the pie of late-night business gets carved into thinner and thinner slices until the economics no longer works out in the owner’s favor. ABC still serves food until 1 a.m., but the days of operation have been whittled down to five per week.

“We pay our staff well and offer them benefits, but it’s a big financial commitment,” Kelly adds. “If the demand was there, no doubt we would stay open until 2, at least on weekends.”

For a provider of late-night food to even stand a chance of succeeding, the operator needs either to be in the business of selling booze or be in close proximity to others who do.

“That’s how we started our concept, by doing this outside of the bars from 11 p.m. until 3 in the morning,” says Natalie Bata, who along with partner Keene Cockburn runs Cocky’s Bagels.

Camped outside Around the Corner bar in Lakewood, Bata and Cockburn made their living off the bellies of tipsy bargoers, who would grab a filling bagel sandwich or two on their way home. But even a business plan as seemingly watertight as that one has its flaws, says Bata.

“The demand is at 2 a.m., but not until,” she explains. “We would sit idle from midnight until after the bars closed. People would rather keep drinking for as long as they can and then drunkenly stumble upon us before hopping in their Uber.”

Bata and Cockburn parlayed the money they earned from the food truck into a brick-and-mortar shop

in North Olmsted. This year, the team expanded once again with a second Cocky’s Bagels in the Flats. But this time, instead of subsisting on the post-bar crowd, Cocky’s is the bar. Originally, the aim was to revive the 3 a.m. last call that started it all but staffing challenges have put those plans on the backburner for now, says Bata.

In addition to upending the hospitality industry on the labor side, Covid has undeniably affected the way consumers interact with restaurants, say owners.

“Two years of Covid has changed people’s habits on the customer side,” Kelly argues. “They start earlier, end earlier and hang out at home more often. Happy hour is huge, but coming in to eat at 8, 9 or 10 p.m. is just not there.”

Sandoval has been in this business long enough to still believe that if you build it, they will come. But he doesn’t see the same level of interest and commitment from chef-owners that existed in the gutsy late-`90s and early aughts.

“If you want to succeed at latenight dining you need to have the product and the service,” Sandoval says. “If you have good food and service, you’ll be busy because the people in this business are still starved to go out to those places. It seems easy, but that’s the hardest part of it. But I don’t think the desire is there.”

filled with artists, musicians and service industry workers, precisely the sort of people who prefer rowdy late nights over clear-eyed mornings. As more and

GET OUT Everything to do in Cleveland for the next two weeks

WED 12/14

Hamilton

With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, the Broadway hit returns to the State Theatre. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 p.m., and the play runs through Jan. 15. 1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Home Alone Concert

Brett Mitchell conducts the Cleveland Orchestra as it plays the John Williams score to the holidaythemed film at 7:30 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall.

11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

THU 12/15

Pete Lee

The first standup comedian to get a standing ovation on The Tonight

Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, comedian Pete Lee likes to joke about how he’s such a huge people pleaser, he even hugs Uber drivers goodbye and offers to drive for them. The nerdy comic is currently a cast member of TruTV’s Greatest Ever and hosts NFL Rush on Nickelodeon’s Nick Toons. He performs at 7 tonight at Hilarities, where he has shows scheduled through Saturday.

2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

FRI 12/16

Christmakwanzakah 2022

Local comedian Bill Squire headlines this annual event that features performances by fellow comics Mary Santora, John Bruton, Mike Polk Jr. and Jasmyn Carter. The comedy starts rolling tonight at 7 at the Agora. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.

Elf the Musical

Elf the Musical centers on Buddy, a guy who grew up in the magical North Pole after stowing away in

Santa’s bag as an orphaned infant and whose excitable and naive character is in for the culture-shock of a lifetime as he searches for his biological father in New York City. Buddy’s ecstatic nature, and elf suit, leaves him sticking out like a sore thumb in the big city but Buddy must find a way for his family to embrace the spirit of Christmas. Performances take place tonight and tomorrow night at 7:30 at the Beck Center for the Arts. A performance also takes place at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The play runs through Dec. 30. 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 440-933-6210, beckcenter.org.

Holiday Lantern Tours

From 5 to 9 p.m. today, tomorrow and Sunday at Hale Farm & Village, you can learn about the history and folklore of gingerbread while on a candle-lit tour through our historic grounds. You’ll also see village residents as they prepare for the holiday season in the 1840s. Reservations are required. The event repeats next weekend as well.

2686 Oak Hill Rd., Newton Falls, 330666-3711, halefarm.org.

SAT 12/17

Beachland Holiday Flea

The Beachland Ballroom will host its annual Holiday Flea today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Several vendors specialize in music-centric items such as vinyl, band merchandise and art. But that’s not all. There will also be vendors selling vintage clothing, jewelry and more. It’s free to shop.

15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.

Monsters vs. Laval Rocket

The Laval Rocket come to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse today at noon to take on the Monsters in the first of a two-game series. The two teams will go at it again at 6 p.m. tomorrow. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

SUN 12/18

Breakfast with Santa

This holiday tradition takes place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. There will be a limited, seating breakfast inside the magically decorated gardens. Following breakfast, meet Santa for a, photo and to share your wish list. There will be an array of crafts, including creating a custom, cookie plate for Santa when he visits. Advance ticket purchase is required.

11030 East Blvd., 216-721-1600, cbgarden.org.

Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens

The Browns era with Deshaun Watson got off to a rocky start earlier this month in Houston, where the quarterback didn’t look sharp despite the Browns’ win. Today, Watson leads the Browns as they take on Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, their division rivals, at 1 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.

100 Alfred Lerner Way, 440-891-5000, clevelandbrowns.com.

MON 12/19

Cavaliers vs. Utah Jazz

Donovan Mitchell takes on his former team today at 7 p.m. when the Utah Jazz, a team that has played well this year despite losing Mitchell and other key players in the offseason, come to Rocket Mortgage

A special holiday event, Twinkle in the 216 — Together Time takes place at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. See: Thursday, Dec. 22.

Credit: Bob Perkoski

FieldHouse to play the Cavs.

One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

TUE 12/20

Those That, at a Distance, Resemble Another

In conjunction with Contact, an exhibition conceived and organized by Renée Green for moCa Cleveland as part of FRONT International 2022, Green has curated a film series expanding on the exhibition’s exploration of the poetics of relation. The series takes place in Case Western Reserve University’s Strosacker Auditorium, and it includes a wide breadth of films by Green, her peers and filmmakers who have been influential to the artist’s practice. Jessica Sarah Rinland’s Those That, at a Distance, Resemble Another screens tonight at 7. Admission is free. 2180 Adelbert Rd., 216-421-8671, mocacleveland.org.

WED 12/21

The 10 x 3 Singer-Songwriter Showcase Hosted by Brent Kirby

The concept of 10x3 is a pre-arranged line up with 10 songwriters/ bands performing three songs each. Two of the them required to be original, and the third can be the artist’s choice. Local singer-songwriter Brent Kirby hosts the event, which runs from 7 to 9 tonight at the Bop Stop. Admission is free. 2920 Detroit Ave., 216-771-6551, themusicsettlement.org.

THU 12/22

A Charlie Brown Holiday Tribute

Cliff Habian Quartet presents a special show with selections from the songbook of pianist Vince Guaraldi of Charlie Brown/Peanuts fame. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Music Box Supper Club. A performance takes place tomorrow night too. 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.

Monsters vs. Utica Comets

The Monsters play the Utica Comets tonight at 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as they wrap up a twogame series against the team. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

Twinkle in the 216 — Together Time

At this event that takes place from 6 to 8:30 tonight at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, you can make

your own luminaires. There will also be a DIY hot cocoa bar. It’s all a way to celebrate the winter show exhibit, Twinkle in the 216. This event is included with general admission.

11030 East Blvd., 216-721-1600, cbgarden.org.

FRI 12/23

Frank Amato’s Cleveland All Stars

Frank Amato of Beau Coup fame has put together a lineup of all-star local musicians to play this holiday show at the Music Box Supper Club that benefits the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland. The concert begins at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $30 in advance.

1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.

SAT 12/24

Browns vs. New Orleans Saints

The Browns get a break this week as they take on the New Orleans Saints, a team that has sat near the bottom of the NFC South for most of the season. The two teams go at it today at 1 p.m. at First Energy Stadium.

100 Alfred Lerner Way, 440-891-5000, clevelandbrowns.com.

MON 12/26

Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets, a team that boasts two terrific players in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, come to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse tonight at 7 to take on the Cavs.

One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

TUE 12/27

Lyrical Rhythms Open Mic and Chill

This long-running open mic night at the B Side allows some of the city’s best rappers and poets to strut their stuff. The event begins at 8 with a comedy session dubbed 2 Drinks & a Joke with host Ant Morrow. The open mic performances begin at 10 p.m. Tickets cost $5 in advance, $10 at the door., $5.

2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com.

scene@clevescene.com

t@clevelandscene

EAT BITES

Proof Bar-BQ to move from Tremont to former Nick’s Diner space in Ohio City

By Douglas Trattner

PROOF BAR-BQ WILL RELOCATE to Ohio City from Tremont, according to co-owner Michael Griffin. Griffin and partner Dave Ferrante have purchased the Nick’s Diner property at 4116 Lorain Avenue, and will commence an extensive renovation project before opening sometime this coming spring or summer. Nick’s Diner has been closed since last August when the property changed hands. Proof will shutter its Tremont location on December 23rd.

“You can’t pass up a piece of property over there right now,” says Griffin.

Proof opened its doors right before Covid arrived and has struggled to gain traction ever since, adds Griffin. Its location in the basement of the building it shares with Crust and Visible Voice Books presented additional challenges because of its dimensions and lack of usable kitchen space.

“When we had to shut down two weeks after our original opening due to the pandemic, it seemed that we were never really able to find solid footing in our Tremont location,” he explains. “It made sense to move Proof over there because we can do more with the kitchen. It’s so hard to come up with creative menus with that kitchen space at Proof.”

Griffin says that the new property will allow them to offer a more extensive menu of items to complement the wonderful barbecue.

The owners intend to open some sealed-off windows, relocate the entrance and expand and renovate the patio at the old Nick’s Diner space.

“We are very excited about the opportunities the new neighborhood offers and are looking to do our part to contribute to the continuing development of this neighborhood in Ohio City,” says Ferrante.

Chef Andrew Mansour to Open Artis Restaurant in Former SideQuest Space in Lakewood

Andrew

property (17900 Detroit Ave.) in Lakewood. The chef, formerly of Zhug and Edwins, is planning to open Artis Restaurant, which he describes as a contemporary, shareable steakhouse.

“We’re going to be a steakhouse but absolutely not what you think about, where you get a big-old slab of meat and everybody ordering their own thing,” he explains. “We’ll be very shareable and approachable – a steakhouse that’s not a steakhouse. We’re putting a new spin on America’s favorite concept.”

Mansour says that Artis will be fine dining, but without the white tablecloths. Inside, the bar and dining room will sport a Miami Art Deco Revival décor, with ’80s colors like coral and teal. Outside, the reimagined façade will mimic the smooth lines and rounded corners of Art Moderne structures like the Cleveland Greyhound station and the Cleveland Coast Guard building.

A large horseshoe bar divides the main room into semi-separate lounge and dining room spaces. Between bar and lounge seating, traditional tables, communal tables and banquettes, there will be seating for 65 to 85 guests.

That number will grow when residential spaces in the rear of the property are converted to a private dining room and a speakeasy in future phases. Similarly, patio seating will start at around 40 but jump to 100 or 140 after future landscaping projects are completed.

“We have the whole building and the entire property other than three of those garage bays out back,” Mansour says.

The estimated opening day is slated for late spring or early summer.

Mansour says that he was attracted both to the property and the neighborhood around it.

“I love the fact that it’s on the west end of Lakewood,” he notes. “I like the fact that there’s a lot of good competition. I like that we’re in a super-dense, walkable neighborhood. There’s so much going on out here.”

Geraci’s Slice Shop to Open in Former Vincenza’s Space Downtown

This summer, downtown Cleveland lost a 40-year-old legend when Vincenza’s Pizza & Pasta abruptly closed its shop. But come spring, another local legend will take up the mantle to provide hot slices for all.

Geraci’s Slice Shop (603 Prospect Ave.), an extension of the 60-yearold brand, launched this summer in Willoughby as part of The Yard on 3rd. The expanded downtown spot will offer more in terms of food, beverage and setting.

The fast-casual operation will feature classic Geraci’s pizzas –either by the slice or whole – plus appetizers, salads, subs and desserts like Italian ice and tiramisu.

“The menu is designed for quality, speed and deliciousness,” explains partner Bucky Spoth. “We have been a pizza staple in Cleveland for over 60 years. The slice shop model allows us to have fun and is an affordable option right in the heart of the city that I love.”

Guests can look forward to a fun, funky décor modeled after an `80s pizzeria, complete with full bar and game room.

“The design will be super casual — comfortable for a business lunch, a family grabbing a bite before a big game or meeting friends before seeing your favorite show,” says partner Jason Beudert.

In the off season, Geraci’s Slice Shop acquired “Manager of the Year” Terry “Tito” Francona as an investor.

“I’m an Italian who loves pizza and loves Cleveland,” Francona states. “Geraci’s is such a beloved brand it is just the right fit. Plus,

it’s a short scooter’s ride from the ballpark.”

When the doors part this spring, Geraci’s will be open for lunch, dinner, late-night service as well as major concerts and events.

Sushi En Opens in Former Sung’s House Space in Playhouse Square

This past summer, Sung’s House in Playhouse Square announced that it was closing after a decade of operation by the Ohio Theatre on Euclid Avenue. But it didn’t take long for another Japanese restaurant to take its place.

For 15 years, Sushi En has been a popular destination for sushi in Columbus, where the restaurant consistently earns “Best Sushi” nods from local diners. The family owned eatery recently opened a second location in Twinsburg, which has also been received warmly. For location number three, Sushi En chose downtown Cleveland (1507 Euclid Ave., 216-716-8654).

While Sushi En is best known for its wide-ranging sushi options, which includes sashimi, nigiri and raw, cooked and vegetarian rolls, the restaurant has a full kitchen. The menu offers a blend of traditional Japanese dishes along with some Korean entrees, as well as some more creative fusion-style dishes. Noodle lovers can choose between ramen, udon and soba bowls.

Sushi En is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.

@dougtrattner

Photo courtesy Proof

Mansour has taken possession of the former SideQuest

MUSIC

A NORTHEAST OHIO TRADITION

Ohio City Singers to again bring their spirited holiday jams to the Rock Hall

By Jeff Niesel

IN 2003, LOCAL SINGERsongwriter Chris Allen, his sister Molly Allen and local singersongwriter Doug McKean worked up four original Christmas tunes and then threw a big Christmas party to which they invited their musician friends. They played the four original tunes they had penned as well as a few covers, recorded them and delivered them on a CD to their families as a Christmas gift. That signaled the birth of the Ohio City Singers.

The band would expand to include some of the best musicians in the region. It plays holiday shows each year and continues to record and release new material too.

Recently, the group’s members, Chris Allen and Austin Walkin Cane Charanghat, met up at the Westside coffeehouse, Ready Set Coffee, to discuss the band’s distribution deal with a German label as well as the Ohio City Singers’ upcoming concert that takes place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18, at the Rock Hall.

You played the Rock Hall for the first time last year. What was that show like?

Charanghat: It was a pretty great show. The band was on fire that night.

Allen: It was. Something with that band being in that room was kind of awesome. It’s a beautiful space.

Charanghat: The band had been playing together for an entire month.

We hit that groove.

Allen: At the end of the season, when we really get cooking, it’s really fun. Everyone is on fire and knows all the parts and all the tunes and the set flows really well.

Charanghat: And then, it’s over.

Things weren’t quite back to normal at that point.

Allen: They weren’t. We were set to play the year before that, and it got cancelled. Even that show last year was touch and go up until the day of the show. It was when things were surging. We were lucky to get that one in.

Charanghat: We were really happy to be around each other.

Allen: We felt lucky to be out playing again.

Talk about the deal that the band recently inked with Hoboville Records.

Charanghat: I have lunch once or twice a month with [locally based music executive] David Spero. Some people he knows asked him if he knew a blues guy. He gave them my name, and I sent them some stuff, and they liked it. They wanted stuff from my whole career. That was rough! But it was cool to see the growth. I met them when I was playing in Sweden. I then met them in Cologne. Holger Koch owns the record label, and Thomas Ziegler is the right hand man. I met them at a restaurant bar. Thomas

3 P.M. SUNDAY, DEC. 18, ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME, 1100 EAST 9TH ST., 216-781-7625.

TICKETS: $25, $20 FOR MEMBERS, ROCKHALL.COM.

says something like, “Your music is blues-based, but you do a lot of different styles.” I told them that I even had a Christmas band. They both lit up a little bit. They asked if I did “Silver Bells” and covers. I told them we were the greatest original rock ’n’ roll Christmas band in the world. I told them that we write our own songs because we are tired of everyone else’s. They wanted to hear some of our stuff. They listened to our albums with everybody in the office, and they loved it.

Allen: Thomas said he loved it because it was like regular music and wasn’t so Christmas-centric. The theme is Christmas, but the feel is whatever makes a good song. I thought that was interesting. We don’t think about this stuff so much because we’ve just been doing it.

Talk about the “Love & Hope” single. What inspired it?

Allen: I think that’s the first song that me and Austin wrote together. Austin came to my house in Tremont. He started playing that riff and we wrote it. It was one of those quick songs. Forty minutes later, the song was done. We went to make

the record and had [producer/singersongwriter] Don [Dixon] singing it.

Charanghat: He tears it up. One year, we did a Christmas party. The people at the party didn’t give a shit about what we did, so Don was entertaining us. He got up on a stool and was singing it. He went apeshit. It was one of the coolest live performances I’ve ever seen, and it was in our own band! He’s an entertainer. He’s so good.

The Love & Hope album was recorded in 2008. What stands out about those sessions with Don Dixon (the Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw)?

Allen: I There were a lot of singers and players in the band, and it was good to have someone like Don who helped us meld those voices together and construct those harmonies and make sure that all of this stuff made some sense. We had 15 songs on the album, but many more to choose from. We had done four or five house parties at that point, so there were four or five records to choose from. Don’s line was “if you have 40 original Christmas songs, you should probably do something with them.”

Charanghat: He knows how to record a live band. You have to make it sound like a record, which is his terminology. It sounded live and had energy, but we had to make it sound like something you would want to hear again. He kept the house party elements but also tightened up some things.

The album has never been widely distributed, has it?

Charanghat: No. We’re just a Cleveland band.

Allen: [Hoboville Records] is doing a CD and the digital. They’re talking about doing one of our albums every year.

Have you been working on new tunes?

Charanghat: So many.

Allen: I think next year we’ll have time for recording new songs. But if something is being re-released, like it is this year, we need to concentrate on that.

Charanghat: We could tour Europe maybe.

Allen: It would be great to go to some small town in Germany and have people go crazy over our music and get the same reception there that we get here.

OHIO CITY SINGERS

Photo: Amber Patrick Ohio City Singers

MUSIC

GREAT SCOT

Rock Hall Inductee Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter taps into his ethnic roots for first-ever solo album

By Jeff Niesel

A ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME

Inductee, guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, known for his work with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers and for the many hit recordings he’s performed on as an in-demand, firstcall studio musician, just released his first-ever solo album, Speed of Heat, earlier this year.

The single, a hard-driving remake of Steely Dan’s “My Old School,” features a rare lead vocal by Baxter himself and suggests the wide range of material found on the album, which also includes a handful of original tunes.

Baxter, who performs at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Kent Stage, recently spoke about the album in a phone interview from his Los Angeles home.

You’ve been playing music professionally since the 1960s. What took you so long to put out a solo album?

I guess it was just a question of what made sense. I have never been a huge fan of the idea of running out and making a solo record after you leave a successful band. For me, there was so much other work to do. There was a lot of studio work as well as producing records as well as the work I do for Roland and other companies. It didn’t leave a whole lot of time.

You worked with guitarist and producing/music partner C.J. Vanston on the disc. What was that like?

C.J. is just an incredible musician and producer. We co-produced this record together. He’s a composer and all-around talented musician. We met doing jingle sessions in Chicago many years ago. We decided we should maybe work together in the future. We had done a session where the producer of the session didn’t have any music for the jingle. We made it up as we went along. I thought that was pretty amazing. I said to C.J. that if I ever do a solo project, I would like to work with him. He has a full

schedule as well. But when we had the time, we would get together and see what we could come up with. The best metaphor I could use is that you fill a jar with pennies and you get to the point that you have to roll them up. That’s kind of what happened.

When did you start putting the material together?

The first track we did, “Insecurity,” was cut in 1989. We’ve been doing this for a while.

Where did you go to record?

Most of the recording was done at C.J.’s studio in North Hollywood. It’s called the Treehouse. It’s a great spot. It obviously sounds pretty good, and people enjoy working there.

That opener, “Ladies from Hell,” rocks pretty hard.

My heritage is Scottish, and I thought it might be fun to do a musical journey through Scotland. As you listen to it, there are different approaches to the music. It has a very Celtic feel to it. At the end, you can hear the Scottish pipers marching through the mist through the moors and down the mountain. It was a fun idea to be able to describe Scotland as best I could musically. The actual term comes from the Germans who said that in World War I when they saw the Scots coming over the trenches with their pipes screaming and kilts swaying like they were crazed maniacs. They called them the “ladies from hell.” The whole track was so much fun to put together.

What made you want to cover “My Old School”?

Well, I had sung the song live with Steely Dan when we toured. Every time we would perform it, it would gain a little more energy. I thought that someday it might be interesting to revisit it with an arrangement that had a lot more punch. I put together an arrangement for it. I wanted Steven Tyler to sing it. When I sent it to

him, he said that whoever is singing on it should do it. I said, “That’s me. I just did it as a scratch vocal.” He said, “Why don’t you do it?” I said, “I’m not a singer.” He said, “You should do it.” I said, “You know a lot more about this stuff than I do.” He’s a friend, so I trusted him.

There’s a nice balance of instrumentals and songs with vocals.

I’m happy with the record. I’m not always happy with how things turn out, though I’m proud of everything I’ve done. The end product was pretty much what I wanted it to be.

You’ve been inducted into the Rock Hall and many of the musicians, including now Dolly Parton, have been inducted as well. What does the honor mean to you?

I think that anytime you have recognition from your peers is something that we all as human beings care about. I’m sure some people say they don’t. I think deep down inside everyone would like to be recognized by the folks that they work with. I think it’s a great honor.

Will you have a live band with you when you play here in Cleveland?

Yeah. It’s myself and C.J. and our bassist Hank Horton, who is also our lead singer. He’s an amazing musician. He’s a killer bass player. Plus, he plays bass with the Detroit Symphony, so he’s no slouch. Mark Damian, our drummer, turns out to be a great singer as well. He sings “Insecurity” live and does an amazing job. We have a lot of fun. There are lots of stories in between. We got a million stories. You can’t be in the studio for sixtysomething years and not have stories. We play the music on the record, and there will be some surprises as well.

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter

Photo: Jimmy Steinfelt

MUSIC

AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS,

Rekindle, a relatively new non-profit in Cleveland, aims to “rekindle” the partnership between the Black and Jewish communities that existed during the Civil Rights Movement, a time when rabbis walked in solidarity with Martin Luther King Jr.

“We want there to be a modern Civil Rights movement that’s fighting for social justice and the only way to do that is for the two groups work together,” says Rekindle co-founder Matthew Fieldman in a recent Zoom call, who adds that the group has just graduated the fifth cohort of fellows (meaning that 70 people have now graduated from the program).

To increase awareness about its cause, the group has booked rapper Nissim Black to perform at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Grog Shop.

Since Black, a veteran rapper who converted to Judaism a few years, ago, was on a U.S. tour, the group reached out to his booking agency in the effort to bring him to Cleveland for the first time.

“He encapsulates the best of both cultures,” says Fieldman of Black. “He is a rapper and comes from the hip-hop world. His rap has Jewish themes to it. We want to do this as part of a continued journey of bringing the two cultures together.”

Prior to the concert, Black will visit the Rock Hall and spend Shabbat in the Jewish community. Fieldman says the concert will likely

REKINDLING

7:30 P.M. SATURDAY, DEC. 17, GROG SHOP, 2785 EUCLID HEIGHTS BLVD., CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, 216-321-5588. TICKETS: $20, GROGSHOP.GS.

Jerusalem, shows off his rapid-fire delivery and ability to alternate between singing and rapping.

Nissim Black

“[Black] will be here to spread his message of perseverance and love and hope,” says Fieldman. “Resilience is a theme of all of this. He found something in Judaism that spoke to him. A lot of us are just born into our religion. He looked at numerous religions and chose Judaism. It’s valuable for white Jews to think about our religion and our values. That’s the conversation he sparks. He asks, ‘Are you living the values you espouse and what your message is in the world?’”

By Jeff Niesel

be the first of many Rekindle events featuring prominent Black Jews.

Born Damian Jamohl Black, Black grew up in a musical household and put out his first official recordings when he was only 13. A former gang member, he chronicles his troubled youth in songs such as “Mothaland Bounce.”

Black, who began running a hip-hop label when he was only 18,

changed his stage name to Nissim Black after his conversion. As Nissim Black, he’s released a number of socially conscious albums and singles.

His latest mixtape, Love Notes, features everything from ballads such as “Win” to pop-inspired numbers like “Best Friend” and “Hold Me Down.” All the while, Black, who currently lives in

The concert also serves as a kickoff for the recruiting of Rekindle’s sixth cohort, which will launch in Spring of 2023.

“We’re really focusing on local collaborative action,” says Fieldman. “We’re volunteering for some local nonprofits and doing some local social change work together that will hopefully make a better Cleveland for everyone.”

NISSIM BLACK

Photo courtesy of Nissim Black

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THU 12/15

The Sheepdogs

The Sheepdogs are a band that looks back fondly to the classic rock past. The Canadian group is most notorious as the act that won Rolling Stone magazine’s “Choose the Cover” contest, and as a result will go down in rock history as the first unsigned band to appear on the magazine’s cover. Not that they stayed unsigned for long after that. After getting the attention, the band signed a deal with Atlantic and recruited Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney to handle production duties on their major label debut. As part of a tour in support of their latest power pop-leaning effort, Outta Sight, they perform tonight at 8 at the Beachland Ballroom. Tickets cost $18 in advance, $20 at the door. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.

FRI 12/16

The 14th Annual Holiday Hangout

Hosted by Ryan Humbert

This annual holiday concert that takes place tonight at 7:30 at the Goodyear Theatre in Akron will feature full-band holiday-themed sets from the local alt-country outfit the Shootouts, a band led by local singer-songwriter Ryan Humbert, as well as Northeast Ohio favorites such as the Labra Brothers, Angie Haze, Hey Monea, Marc Lee Shannon, Ohio Weather Band and Shelby Olive. 1201 East Market St., Akron, goodyeartheater.com.

SAT 12/17

Jim Brickman

Pianist Jim Brickman plays this part of the country every holiday season. Expect to hear both holiday favorites along with Brickman’s own holiday songs like “The Gift,” “Sending You a Little Christmas,” “Angel Eyes” and “If You Believe” when Brickman performs at 2 and 8 p.m. today and at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Hanna Theatre.

2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Ward Davis

A singer-songwriter outta Monticello, AR by way of Nashville, Ward Davis has had songs recorded

by Trace Adkins, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Wade Hayes, Sammy Kershaw, Bucky Covington, Jimmie Van Zant, Buddy Jewel, Carolina Rain and the Roys. Most recently, Ward Davis co-wrote “I’m Not the Devil” with Cody Jinks. He comes to the Beachland Ballroom tonight at 8. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.

Donnie Iris & the Cruisers

Pittsburgh-based Donnie Iris found his early success while performing with the Jaggerz and Wild Cherry, which had a massive hit with the single “Play that Funky Music.” Iris released his first album, Back on the Streets, in 1980 through Clevelandbased Midwest Records. Thanks to the track “Ah! Leah!” receiving airplay, MCA Records took notice and signed Iris to a five-album deal before re-releasing the album. Since then, Donnie Iris & the Cruisers have gone through lineup changes but have soldiered on, releasing 11 studio albums, one EP, two live albums and two compilation albums. The band returns to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage tonight at 7:30. 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark. mgmresorts.com/en.html.

SUN 12/18

Turn Blue! A Benefit for Chris Yarmock Metrolight, Home and Garden, California Speed Bag, David Loy and the Ramrods, Val Seeley and Mike DeCapite will perform today at 3 p.m. at the Beachland Tavern as part of

real world

group plays its annual holiday show tonight at 7 at House of Blues. 308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.

Signals Midwest

The indie rock act with Cleveland roots put out a punk-leaning new album this summer and has lined up a slew of dates for 2023. It closes out the year with this show that takes place tonight at 7:30 at the Grog Shop. The Grievance Club, Low Morale, Hunden and RRRIOT!!! share the bill, and the concert serves as a benefit show for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.

SUN 12/25

a special benefit for Cleveland punk rock icon Chris Yarmock. Tickets cost $10.

15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.

THU 12/22

Straight No Chaser: The 25th Anniversary Celebration

Straight No Chaser, a musical group that features the “sound of nine unadulterated human voices coming together to make extraordinary music that is moving people in a fundamental sense,” as it’s put in a press release, has two RIAA Gold Certified albums, more than 1.5 million concert tickets sold, more than one billion streams on Pandora, and more than one million albums sold worldwide. The male a cappella group’s concert begins at 7:30 tonight at the Akron Civic Theatre as part of a 25th anniversary celebration tour.

182 South Main St., Akron, 330-2532488, akroncivic.com.

FRI 12/23

The Boys from the County Hell

When local rockers the Boys from the County Hell first got together in the late ‘90s as a Pogues cover band, they were just supposed to play once and call it a day. But after selling out their first show at the now-shuttered Euclid Tavern, the group’s popularity escalated, and it’s been going strong ever since. The group has performed in Las Vegas and in Thailand. The

13th

Annual Christmas Night Latke Party

Special guests Hank Mowery and Tom Moore and DJ Pete London join this local group as it plays its annual Latke Party concert at the Beachland Tavern tonight at 7:30. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $18 at the door.

15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.

Unknownphrazes

It’s a Grog Shop tradition to host a concert on Christmas Day, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Cleveland Heights will not only be open but will feature a concert. Tonight’s show includes an appearance by Unknownphrazes, a Cleveland rapper who has opened for acts such as Dom Kennedy, Vince Staples, Curren$y and AbSoul. The concert starts at 9 p.m., and tickets cost $10 in advance, $15 day of show.

2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.

MON 12/26

Carlos Jones & The P.L.U.S. Band Holiday Revival

First in I-Tal and then in First Light, local singer-songwriter Carlos Jones has been at the forefront of the local reggae scene for more than 25 years. The popular local reggae singer brings his annual holiday show to Music Box Supper Club tonight at 8. 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.

Credit: Jimmy Fontaine

Straight No Chaser brings its 25th anniversary tour to the Akron Civic. See: Thursday, Dec. 22.

BIKINI ISLANDS

By Jeff Niesel

MEET THE BAND: Kyle Wacker (guitar, vocals), Eric “Natty” Neugebauer (drums, vocals), Oskar P. Karst (guitar) and Dave Romero (bass, vocals).

NO BASS, NO PROBLEM:

Neugebauer and Wacker started the band around 2014, but the group was just a trio at the time. “We only had one other guy in the band, and he played guitar, and we even recorded an album without a bass player and without playing any live shows,” says Wacker. “Fast forward a couple of years, we did find a bass player. Right around when the pandemic started, we started talking to Dave [Romero] and were supposed to meet up and start playing and recording more, but everything go shut down. We eventually were able to start practicing as a foursome.” While Wacker says that Pittsburgh has always been a big metal city, he adds that the city’s music scene is now more diverse. “There’s a lot of new psychedelic rock bands and punk bands and horn bands are popular,” he explains.

SURF’S UP, SORT OF: While the band’s name suggests surf rock, and the guys like that type of music, the group’s influences are more wideranging. Influenced by alt-rock acts such as the Strokes, Arctic Monkeys and Weezer, the group also draws inspiration from classic rock acts such as the Beatles and Pink Floyd. “Everyone assumes we’re a surf-rock band based on our name, but I like the neo-psychedelic bands too and really like bands like King Gizzard and Tame Impala,” says Wacker.

WHY YOU SHOULD HEAR

THEM: Since the band wanted to have more control over how its recorded music sounds, it decided to

self-produced its latest effort, Simple Pleasures. “We did record it all ourselves in our practice space,” says Wacker, who adds that he’ll have vinyl copies of the album for sale at the upcoming Grog Shop show. “I read books on recording and microphone techniques and all that nerdy stuff. If we didn’t like one of our takes, we could go back and record it and didn’t have to spend a couple of hundred dollars to re-track it. It allows us to be more experimental too.” “Modern Pop” might have some psychedelic vibes, but it’s also very accessible. “As a songwriter, I naturally fall into writing songs that are in a standard pop structure,” says Wacker. “I know where it’s going to go most of the time. The song ‘Bowie’ might have a chorus per se, but the lyrics change throughout it. ‘Skeleton’ has a verse and maybe a chorus and maybe goes into a slow bridge part and ends on a verse.” The band tends to mostly play newer tunes when it plays live. “We have enough of an eclectic mix of songs that we will look at the venue and the bands we are playing with to see the energy of the set,” says Neugebauer. “We haven’t written a set yet [for the Grog Shop show], but we’ve been talking about it at practice. Some of the songs are heavier and some are more chill. We’ll probably play a mix of both.”

WHERE YOU CAN HEAR THEM: bikiniislands.bandcamp.com.

WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM: Bikini Islands perform with the Vumms, Simon & the Apparatus and Oongow at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22, at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights.

jniesel@clevescene.com

t @jniesel

Courtesy photo

Bikini Islands

Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter Sat. Dec. 17

Neko Case Thurs. Jan. 26 Standing Rock Film Fest Sat. Jan. 28

Dave Mason Tue. Feb. 14 Wishbone Ash Sat. Mar. 11

John Waite Fri. Feb. 3

SAVAGE LOVE

THE BIRTHDAY BOY

By Dan Savage

Hey Dan: I’m a 50-year-old cis straight female writing with a question about my son. He’s 19 and in college. I’m a single mom and we are very close. When he was eight, I found him on my laptop looking at videos of “strong women” wrestling with men. Since then, that’s all he looks at online and fantasizes about. There is a particular woman he follows. For a fee, you can wrestle with her. She engages in other acts as well (BDSM), but according to my son, sex is not permitted. He says her website is very clear about this. He assures me she’s legit and has only positive online reviews. I asked to look at her website, but he was reluctant to show me due to embarrassment. I didn’t push it. Then for his upcoming birthday he asked if I would split the cost of a session with this woman: $600! My first concern is for his safety. Maybe I listen to too many true crime podcasts, but I’m worried that something bad will happen to him and I’ll never see him again. I know that many people visit sex workers and live to tell the tale. And now, as I sit here writing this, I realize that it’s sex workers who are the more vulnerable ones. So, maybe his safety is a non-issue. Still, I’m his mom and I worry. My other concern is that engaging with this woman may mess him up sexually. He hasn’t had any prior sexual experiences and I’m worried that if this woman is his first experience, it will make ordinary, reallife pedestrian sex uninteresting for him in the future.

I have no one to talk with about this which is why I’m reaching out to you. I’ve always maintained an open and non-judgmental relationship with my son, but I’m really struggling with this. He already has an appointment and I’m super ambivalent about this and need your reassurance. They Grow Up So Fast

“I’ve always been kinky,” journalist and author Jillian Keenan wrote in her 2016 memoir, Sex with Shakespeare. “My fetish appeared early, long before I knew anything about kink or the diversity of sexual lifestyles. As a child, I pored over any book that mentioned spanking, paddling, or thrashing. Tom Sawyer and The Whipping Boy went through many early reads, as did, believe it or not, key entries in the Oxford

English Dictionary…. I looked up the definitions for spank, paddle, thrash, and whip so often that, after a few years, my dictionary automatically fell open to those pages.”

Keenan’s memoir tracks her two lifelong obsessions: the plays of William Shakespeare (way kinkier than your high school English teacher ever let on) and her love of spanking, obsessions that have intersected and informed each other in surprising ways throughout her life.

Reading Sex with Shakespeare might give you some comfort, TGUSF. Because Keenan, who like your son was raised by a single mom, found a community of like-minded kinksters as an adult, found love and lost love and found love again, and along the way made a name for herself as a fearless foreign correspondent. And like Keenan, TGUSF, your son is kinky and always has been. Now, not every pre-pubescent child’s obsession becomes a full-blown kink in adulthood; if that was the way it worked, there would be a lot more dinosaur fetishists out there. (And there are some!) But your kid’s kinks, like Keenan’s kinks, were hard-wired early and a first sexual experience that’s strictly vanilla won’t erase them. He is who he is, TGUSF, and while dating is going to be a little bit more of a challenge for him, TGUSF, you son is gonna have a much easier time finding like-minded perverts out there — friends, play partners, and potential romantic partners — than kinksters did before the Internet came along.

All that said, I don’t think you should get your son a sex worker for his birthday (or go halfsies on one), TGUSF, and I don’t think your son should’ve asked you to. Being close is fine — being close is wonderful — but you can be close and have or establish healthy and appropriate boundaries. “There are things a mother has a right not to know,” my mom liked to say. She knew her kids, once we were adults, were out in the world taking risks and exploring our sexualities and making mistakes and sometimes getting into trouble. Mom was there for us when the shit hit the fan, but she didn’t want to know where we were, who we were with, or what we were getting up to at all times. Because she didn’t wanna worry more than she, as a mom, was going to

anyway. So, when I called my mom once from a sex dungeon in Berlin (on her birthday!), and she asked where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing, I lied to her.

If your son is old enough to book a session with a sex worker, TGUSF, he’s old enough to pay for it himself. And if he needs to talk about it with someone and he doesn’t have a friend he can confide in about his kinks, well, that’s what Reddit and Twitter and sex-advice columnists are for. His sex life isn’t your business, and he shouldn’t make it your business. Also not your business: how your son chooses to spend his birthday money. If he spends his birthday money on a PS5, that’s something he could share with his mom. If he spends his birthday money on a sex worker, that’s something he should lie to his mom about. If your son doesn’t know he should lie his mom about that kind of stuff yet — if he doesn’t know there are things a mom has a right not to know — then you’ll have to tell him.

P.S. My first sexual experiences were exactly what my mom wanted them to be — very straight and very vanilla — and they didn’t make any less gay or any less kinky. That’s just not the way it works.

Hey Dan: I’m feeling a little lost about something. I’m a 42-year-old gay man and I’ve been married for nine years. My marriage has been very rocky, and I should’ve had the courage to end it much sooner. I have now made the decision to do so and will be filing right after the holidays. We took a break last year and separated and during that time I briefly met an incredible guy. More recently, I’ve come to know him better and I think he is really special. I’m not divorcing because of him, but sometimes it takes meeting a special person to realize what you’re lacking in your own relationship. I’ve talked with him about the situation, and we will remain friends whatever happens, but he doesn’t want to be a “rebound.” I don’t want to be that either. I’ve only come to know him better in the last couple of weeks, and I’m scared of asking him if he’d be open to dating me when the divorce is final. I’m afraid that if I do that, I will scare him off and I don’t want to lose him as a friend.

Dreaded Rebound Relationship

Here’s the funny thing about rebound relationships… when they work out, no one remembers they were rebound relationships. They’re just relationships. But when two people get together shortly after one or both got out of prior relationship and it doesn’t work out, everyone stands around saying, “Oh, yeah, those rebound relationships, they never work out.”

I say this as someone who has been in a rebound relationship for almost three decades. I met my husband the first night I went out after getting my heart broken. I almost didn’t give the guy who would eventually become my husband a chance, DRR, because I’d heard — again and again and again — that rebound relationships never work out.

Maybe rebound relationships would have a better reputation if people like me occasionally referred to the men we married as “rebound husbands,” if only to remind people that, yes, rebound relationships sometimes work out. And since very few of us wind up married to the first person we dated seriously, most of us are in rebound relationships that somehow worked out.

All that said, DRR, it’s Mr. Incredible who has qualms, not you. He’s the one who’s worried about getting into a potential “rebound relationship” with someone who just got divorced. Maybe he believes what everyone assumes to be true, i.e., rebound relationships never work out, and getting into one that does work out might be the only way to convince him otherwise. Getting into one that doesn’t work out, on the other hand, could wind up confirming his priors. It’s also possible he isn’t interested in dating you — bound or rebound — and his stated wariness about being your “rebound” is a white lie meant to spare your feelings. But there’s only one way to find out how he really feels: initiate that divorce, follow through, get it finalized, and then ask Mr. Incredible — assuming he’s still single — how much more time has to pass for your relationship to be out of “rebound” territory.

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