Roll out the Barrel

Quick quiz: What was once known as the brewing powerhouse of the Midwest?? Well I know this can be the claim to almost every Rustbelt enclave, but Milwaukee takes the cake. That and its claim to fame of the setting of a multitude of tv classics, and the mother of them all (Lavergne & Shirley if you haven't guessed it) involves both brewing and manufacturing so it's the best of both worlds. Also found out that up until fairly recently Milwaukee had a quasi-Socialist government. Hurray for public works.
(Yes that is a beer chalice)

Ohio in Chicago...

Well I'm off to live in yet another Rustbelt city. The grand dame of them all: Chicago. While I'm sad (kind of, it's that love/hate relationship thing) to leave Ohio, I was in Chicago the other weekend and came across a marvelous place called the Ohio House Hotel, a throwback to the era of the motel heyday if there ever was one. I thought of it as a sign (no pun intended) of reassurance from the Buckeye state, casting its glow of approval to my most recent change of locale. Must be some sort of Manifest Destiny, to reach the western-most point of the red zone...

Cookies

I was in NYC over the weekend and came across the cutest cookie bakery called Eleni's. We got there just in time for the half-price sale (AKA: getting rid of the old stuff). Still good, but next time I'll stop in first thing in the morning for the fresh baked goodies...

Rustbelt Sway

Apparently Hillary has paid her dues in the Rustbelt over the past week. Speaking to a large union audience in Youngstown, OH, she said something to the extent of "Some people may think of this as the Rustbelt, but I see it as an area of opportunity".

It made me stop and think that my Rustbelt Rambler post name may conjure up images of despair and neglect. For clarification, I would like to say that I hope this is not the case and I would like to use it rather as a term of endearment and use this forum to highlight the positive aspects of this area. So, political beliefs aside, thank you Hillary for paying a tribute to the iron oxide region. Now Obama better get over here to do the same!!

Rustbelt Defined

Ever wondered what "officially" defines the rustbelt? Well here's a visual for you straight from Wikipedia:
(It kind of looks like one of those maps of your body where the problem areas are in red. Hmm, I wonder what that means...)

I recently found out that the Rustbelt starts "west of the Bosnywash corridor and running west to eastern Wisconsin". What is this Bosnywash??? Just a fancy word for the Northeast megalopolis. I propose that a similiar term is coined for the Rustbelt. How about Paohmiil? Or just Pail for short. Or maybe Ohpa. Or Chicmich. I think I'll have to work on this.

Obama/Clinton Debate in Cleveland

Finally, they're focusing their efforts on the Midwest! It's about time...

I'm leaning toward the change agent. Oh wait, which one was that again?

Buy Handmade!

I've decided join the handmade revolution that has swept the nation, otherwise known as Etsy. Check out my online shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5545506 where you can buy handmade dolls and quirky plush items. Skeptical of buying something handmade over the internet instead of going to your holiday craft show or neighborhood store?? Well, I was too until I found out that you can still support the locals, just click on the "Shop Local" tab to find other crafters/artists in your area!!

A few of my favorite things...

I don't know about you but this long, cold winter has definitely got me down. So, as the song goes, I'll simply remember my favorite things and then I won't feel so bad. As this is an ode to the Rustbelt, I'm going to share a few of my favorite places that can be enjoyed all year long so we don't have to wait until the sun starts shining again to venture out.

First off is the Westside Market in Cleveland, a fabulous city landmark on the corner of W.25th & Lorain if there ever was one. If the food isn't enough to entice you the historic structure is definitely a draw for architecture buffs.

Now, if you find yourself in Southeast Michigan, I would highly recommend a stop in Ypsilanti's Depot Town. Often overshadowed by its larger neighbor Ann Arbor, historic Depot Town is a quaint village with a nice selection of shops and restaurants. I've yet to get there during the summer but apparently there are quite a few festivals and events including an Elvisfest!!
Check out those cute, colorful buildings and visit www.depottown.org.



This next one takes the cake: Rustbelt Books in Buffalo, New York. I mean it has rustbelt right there in its name, what pride! I haven't been there in quite some time but I remember it to be one of those cozy corner bookshops with an atmosphere that you just can't find at a big box conglomerate. It's on Allen St. in downtown Buffalo, so check it out next time you're in that neck of the woods.


Ok, so it might not be that exciting but next time you are in downtown Perrysburg, Ohio, I highly suggest you stop by and take a gander at the immortalized Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry overlooking the great Maumee. As the "Hero of Lake Erie" he was quite the handsome brut back in his day when he was in the Battle of Lake Erie (1813). Take a look at those mutten chops, not to mention that his middle name is "Hazard"!!


A few more of my favorite things:



Beer and blimp lovers out there: a blimp-shaped beer tap! This used to be at the Lime Spider in downtown Akron, I'm not sure if the new owners of Lockview have kept it or not but it is worth a trip to find out!





Right in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio is a slice of the Southwest. On Chestnut St. is what I call
"Adobe Row", the cutest houses you've ever seen:

Welcome to the Rustbelt Rambler!

I'm new at this blog thing, so it will take a day or two to get this up and running... check back soon for posts, comments, etc.