Where We Ended Up Going
So, despite your many good suggestions, we ended up going to Blake's Seafood at Crocker Park (our friends live somewhere out in CLE+, which was somewhat of a hike for us but still shorter than my Queens - Manhattan daily commute).
It was meh. I probably wouldn't go back.
But before you throw rotten tomatoes at me for going to Crocker Park, let me defend myself. I think places like Crocker Park are fascinating. On Friday nights, they transform into these fake villages full of milk-fed, identical-looking teenagers. It's like a movie set - I kept thinking about the 1950s town square in Back to the Future.
A friend's mom once commented to me that she didn't like Sesame Street because she thought it was much too NYC-centric, that it didn't represent most American kids' lives because most American kids live in the suburbs, without stoops and corner stores and (although this part remained unsaid) diversity.
Thing is, when I was a kid watching Sesame Street I longed for those things. I wanted to go live on Sesame Street and I didn't care if I had to rent a garbage can to do it.
Is this the same impulse that drives places like Crocker Park?
It was meh. I probably wouldn't go back.
But before you throw rotten tomatoes at me for going to Crocker Park, let me defend myself. I think places like Crocker Park are fascinating. On Friday nights, they transform into these fake villages full of milk-fed, identical-looking teenagers. It's like a movie set - I kept thinking about the 1950s town square in Back to the Future.
A friend's mom once commented to me that she didn't like Sesame Street because she thought it was much too NYC-centric, that it didn't represent most American kids' lives because most American kids live in the suburbs, without stoops and corner stores and (although this part remained unsaid) diversity.
Thing is, when I was a kid watching Sesame Street I longed for those things. I wanted to go live on Sesame Street and I didn't care if I had to rent a garbage can to do it.
Is this the same impulse that drives places like Crocker Park?
posted by Christine at 6:12 AM
4 Comments:
For seafood, Blake's used to be pretty good, but lately I've been unimpressed, as it's sunken into mediocrity. Which is a shame, they had been quite good, and a good value in terms of prices.
Salmon Dave's in Rocky River has excellent seafood, though their prices are a tad higher. My in-laws love to eat there when they visit Cleveland, and since they usually eat their seafood in Cape Cod, they're pretty good judges! Pier W is good, though some times I think they try a little too hard to have their food be "cute," rather than worrying about how good it is. However, the view from the restaurant is breathtaking, and it's worth the visit.
As for Crocker Park, the people-watching is good, and there's a Trader Joe's there. But the big benefit is those two bookstores, though Liberty Books in Rocky River has a better magazine section than the two big chain stores. The best thing about Crocker Park is that it's 10 minutes from my tree-lined old-school urban neighborhood ... I can drive there, shop amidst the crowds, and then return to my front porch where it's peaceful and quiet.
You're right, Salmon Dave's is great, but really pricey. It's become a New Year's Eve night out place for us. And I'm glad you mentioned Liberty Books. After driving by it several times, I finally made it in there for a two-hour visit last week, and found it to be easily among the best bookstore experiences in the Cleveland area. Everything about it is appealing--from the massive magazine section, to the high ceilings and free coffee and tea to the staff that doesn't bug you. Just a first-class experience. The only bummer is that it arrives just as my favorite West Side deli (Max's) moved out of the neighborhood. It would have been great to visit them both on one trip to the neighborhood.
Liberty is right over the bridge from my store, so I end up going there all the time, particularly for specialist magazines like the crafty ones. Magazine selection alone does it for me!
Christine, I just noticed an ad that mentions there's now a Blake's overlooking the falls in Chagrin Falls. That ought to be worth a drive sometime to check out. In fact, perhaps that's where I'll take you for dinner to celebrate when you've landed your next job, which I imagine will be shortly.
Post a Comment
<< Home