Strangely Appealing

Here's another shot from my Larchmere shopping trip. For some ineffable reason, I find this sign very appealing. My husband has frequented this barber shop ... the proprietor is a thirty-ish woman. Barber shops have always seemed to me to be the exclusive province of the masculine, so this amuses me. She gives a good haircut, I must say.

Shopping Trip

Yesterday I had a little time alone and some birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. So I went to the Larchmere Boulevard shopping area. The area is home to a number of antique (and antique-cum-junk) stores, a lovely used bookshop, a yarn shop, restaurants, and other interesting places. I didn't go in this boutique, but I was struck by the window display.

This Should Be a St. Patrick's Day Post...

... but instead you get a neon sign. Indeed, we drink espresso here in Cleveland and we even know how to spell it. This sign is at the Yours Truly restaurant on Shaker Square, and is one of those places with kids' menus and crayons. Also, an awesome patty melt.

Winter's Last Gasp?

Two days ago, it was over 70 degrees Fahrenheit here. This morning, we woke up to snow. Ah, the joys of living alongside a big lake.

Free

Next to City Hall downtown is our city's most unusual piece of public art. It's a giant rubber stamp marked "FREE." Designed by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, the sculpture was a gift to the city from the Standard Oil Company of Ohio, which has since been taken over by British Petroleum. Click the link for more pictures and a brief history of the controversy surrounding this piece.

Icy

This tree on a street in my neighborhood had the misfortune of growing near a water leak. On the street in front of the tree was a huge puddle and the tree was sprayed each time a car passed by. The result -- a very thick coating of ice.

Spring seems to have arrived in Cleveland this weekend, though. It's about 50 degrees Fahrenheit here today, so I'll bet this tree has shed its winter garb.

Fire in Snow

Fire is a popular restaurant in Shaker Square, which is near my home. I've never eaten here, as (1) I have children and (2) it appears not to have crayons at the table. (I'm only partially kidding.) Anyhow, I liked the warm name and the chilly weather in the picture, as well as the little architectural detail above the window.

Shaker Square is one of those partially successful attempts at (quasi-) urban renewal. A number of businesses have moved in and then out again, but it seems to be on a bit of an uptick.