You don’t have to break the bank to see professional theatre and dance in Cleveland. I’ve bought “Smart Seats”, just $10 each, for several performances during the last few years. Sure, the seats are awful, but I’d rather see a really good Broadway show from a bad seat for $10 than miss it because I can’t afford the $70 tickets. Seats are available for a variety of shows, from musicals to dance to comedy. http://www.playhousesquare.org/default.asp?playhousesquare=21&urlkeyword=Smart-Seats
My annual plug for “Smart Seats”
February 8th, 2012Now accepting credit cards!
February 7th, 2012Thanks to my new “smart” phone, I’m now able to accept Mastercard, Visa, AmEx and Discover in my studio. Provided of course I brought my phone there. And I can find it. And it’s charged. “Smart” phone but absent-minded owner!
A video peek inside “Summit Artspace”
February 7th, 2012If you’ve never been inside the Summit Artspace building, check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeZ-_i5Fmh4&feature=share It shows the galleries, creative business space and three of the five artist studios in this art deco building that I like to think of as my “happy place”. I’m kind of bummed that my studio, or that of my “neighbor” Katina Pastis Radwanski, was not included. Maybe the filmmaker was afraid we’d break the camera?
Old letters: another girlfriend’s reaction
February 7th, 2012There was a girl I worked with in the summer of 1985. She had just started dating a guy, who she later married. We wrote to each other the fall of 1985 and spring of 1986 when things were still new and all lovey-dovey between them, so her letters have a lot of sweetness to them. What a great reminder of your “falling in love” time. Anyhoo, I met her for breakfast this morning and we chatted for a while about things like how much she loves her new cat. After chatting, we read some of the letters aloud. Ironically enough, the first letter I pulled out had her writing about how much she hated cats. They were too sneaky and independent and she’d take a dog any day, she wrote. We also found a letter where she mentioned her mom telling her “to save the weird stuff with sex” until after marriage. What??! Her mother is so prim and proper I can’t imagine her ever saying that. My friend couldn’t remember either. But she was thrilled to have the letters and said this was a perfect week to read them because her husband is out of town. I’ll be curious to see what other nuggets she unearths …
“May cause dizziness”
February 7th, 2012That’s what my last two antibiotics warned. However, I don’t need antibiotics to make me “dizzy”. For example … over the weekend I misplaced my planner, which is very bad as it contains all my “to dos”. I was kind of winging it and hoping I wasn’t forgetting anything too important. Fortunately, I found it buried in my studio this morning. Yay, right? Except guess who left it behind at the studio again??? I didn’t even get a good look at what was on it. Argh!!
Indy’s turn in the spotlight
February 6th, 2012When I found out last week that Indy was hosting the Super Bowl this year, I was shocked. My family and I had just visited the city right before Christmas and didn’t see any signs of the upcoming big event. (You know how some towns promote upcoming events with billboards, posters, signs, etc. around town YEARS before the event.) Anyhoo, it was weird to see photos of all the rich & famous who were in the city for the weekend. Indy is just so down-to-earth and gosh darn midwestern — as far away from LA or NYC as you could get. It would be like Cleveland or Columbus hosting the Super Bowl. Could you imagine that? Although if you would want rabid and crazy fans at your game, this would be the place to host it…
Trying to “buy local” …
February 6th, 2012… is not easy because of the habits you get into. But in the last couple weeks I got a slice of pizza from Capri Pizza in Highland Square (yum!), iced sugar cookies and coffee from Angel Falls in Highland Square (also yummy!), my nails done at QV Nails in the Valley (which doesn’t really count because I used a gift certificate I had received … but someone else bought locally at least and BTW they did a great job!), my hair and my kids’ hair cut at locally-owned shops, art supplies at Pat Catan’s, lots of food and other stuff at Marc’s, and I ate at Lockview in downtown Akron and On Tap in Cuyahoga Falls. I still do a whole lot more shopping and eating at national chains, but I really am going to make a concerted effort to keep more dollars in my community.
I know my cough is annoying …
February 6th, 2012BELIEVE me, if ANYONE is annoyed by my cough, it’s ME. It’s not like I’m not trying to get rid of it. I’ve been on antibiotics and cough suppressants, drank honey and tea, put Vicks on, etc. etc. In public I try to hold my coughs in as much as possible, but if I do have to cough, I cough in my arm. However, people act like I’m coughing on purpose and I really don’t appreciate all the dirty looks I’ve been getting as I go about my business in public. ESPECIALLY the woman who was walking by me today and snarled, “Don’t cough until I pass you.” You know, I already have felt like garbage for weeks. I don’t need some woman’s attitude on top of it.
Live music at Summit Artspace
February 5th, 2012
Thanks to the Kyle Magilavy Trio who performed this afternoon on the third floor of Summit Artspace. The talented group did a super job playing music, talking about jazz and letting the kids (and some grown ups) “jam” with them at the end of the show. I just love when there’s live music outside my studio.
Speaking of live music at Summit Artspace, if you know of anyone who might want to play during the Akron Artwalk (first Saturday night of the month) or the Sunday Sampler (first Sunday afternoon of the month) for exposure and tips, let me know and I’ll pass your info along to the “powers that be”. (sunthingspecial@gmail.com)
Floridians happy to move here
February 5th, 2012Last night at the Artwalk I talked with a family who had moved here from Florida for the dad’s job. He had moved here in November; his wife and daughter arrived last weekend. They lived in Florida — right by the water — their whole lives but are SO excited to be here. In just two weekends, they’ve already been skiing, to Winking Lizard in Peninsula and on the Artwalk. They said everyone has been so nice to them, though they get a lot of comments like “Why on earth would you move HERE?” Come on, Akronites! We have a lot to offer — let’s be proud!!