Previews and Reviews
THE WEEK ON WATERLOO WATERLOO IS LIVELY
All the gallery shows I saw last Friday will hang through December 5, as (I believe) will Fragments of Fall at Waterloo 7. Enjoy!
Friday evening on Waterloo: three openings, a concert in the Arts Collinwood Art Center, the Arts Collinwood Café jammed and jammin’. The arts village was on display. At the Arts Collinwood gallery, the Casey-Omaitz show was as rewarding as expected; Jen Omaitz’s constructions play off Amy’s meticulous prints and soft-toned paintings of urban chaos and breakdown, adding dimension and color in the form of orange barrels, wood and ropes. The artists’ statements on the AC Web site illuminate the thinking behind their mixes of falling apart and being tied together. (If you want to own a Casey, move soon! Her prints are very reasonably priced.)
At the other end of the street, Adam Hoskins’ armoured squirrels, sword-wearing rabbits and helmeted mice suggested Beatrix Potter illustrating Tolkien, in compositions framed in the beautiful scrolling of early 20th century illustrators. Andrew Shondrick’s anxious figures matched my mental pictures of Maria Doria Russell’s aliens in The Sparrow – big heads, enormous, sad eyes, impossibly slim necks and long, long fingers – all attuned to the paintings’ mood of urban alienation and angst.
Two very interesting shows, and for an added treat, the customized wood shapes in Shoparooni’s BigShot ToyWorks’ show. Artists’ interpretations ranged from robot to mummy to rather charming girls, and from $150 to $300. Unpainted kits are rather cheaper. And to round out the evening, a choice between the shows at the Beachland and an Asian drumming concert at Arts Collinwood.
Arts Collinwood 15605 Waterloo Road, 216-692-9500, www.artscollinwood.org. Gallery hours are Thur/Fri 6-9 p.m.; Sat/Sun 1-5 p.m., and whenever the Café is open.
LowLife Gallery, 16101 Waterloo. Thursdays: 6p.m.-10p.m., Fridays: 6p.m.-11p.m., Saturdays: 5p.m.-11p.m.
Shoparooni, 15813 Waterloo, 216.383.3633., www.shoparooni.com. Winter hours: Monday – Closed; Tues, Wed, Thurs - 3 pm - 9 pm; Friday - 3 pm - 10 pm; Saturday - 12 pm - 10 pm; Sunday - 12 pm - 4 pm
AROUND AND ABOUT
New at the Grovewood
Too long to include here, go to the Web site! (I did note that my favorites --spicy sesame noodles, grilled Caesar – are still with us, and the under-12 specials include Lavender Chicken for $7 (grilled chicken breast, with seasoned fries, fresh vegetables, and honey lavender dipping sauce – elegant enough for the most sophisticated six-year-old).
WINE DINNER WITH MAISON JOSEPH DROUHIN
The kitchen has been working on this menu since March, when they tasted the 2007 wines at a pre-release luncheon. Finally they have arrived in Ohio. The meal appears to have been designed with me in mind; despite having a root canal scheduled for that date, I may have to attend just to get the complimentary recipe booklet. I mean -- Fried Oyster, Chervil'd Sabayon. Colossal Shrimp in beurre blanc with wine-poached apricot and haricots verts. Confit of Chicken, thyme & bacon-scented white beans. Pork Tenderloin, stuffed with dried fruit compote, roasted butternut & wilted arugula. Steak Frites, Roquefort, bacon & endive salad. Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse, Salted Hazelnut Brittles.
This Lucullan evening takes place on Thursday, November 19, at 6:30 p.m. for $65 per person, by reservation only.
Grovewood Tavern & Wine Bar 17105 Grovewood Avenue · 216-531-4900, www.grovewoodtavern.com
This Week at the Farmers Market
The Coit Road Market will be open on Wednesdays until Thanksgiving and on Saturdays all winter long – which most farmers’ market aren’t. On Saturday I came home with Stayman apples (crisp! juicy! flavorful! not Red Delicious!), big orange carrots, onions, that insidious cashew brittle, eggs, an Amish cream stick for Emma and me plus an apple pie for Miles, a crisp head of romaine (to make my very scaled-down version of grilled Caesar salad) and two creamy, fresh cauliflower.
Something to look forward to. Terry Mitchell (the jewelry guy), will return to the market on November 21 for his annual November Jewelry Sale. Man (certainly Woman) cannot live by vegetables alone.
Coit Road Farmer's Market is located at the corner of Coit & Woodworth Road in East Cleveland. Open year-round Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. till Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Eve Jam Session
November 25. All musicians are welcome in the Kenik Room of the Slovenian National Home on St Clair. Doors Open at 6:30 p.m. Music starts at 7 p.m. Refreshments available.
Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame Awards Show
November 28. The theme of this year’s awards show is the several national flavors -- Slovenian, Italian, Polish, and German -- that are part of the Cleveland sound. Ray Somich II directs; a buffet dinner will be served from 12 noon until the show starts at 2 p.m., and again afterward. (The dinner includes roast chicken, sausage and sauerkraut, stuffed cabbage, vegetable, potato, salad, dessert and coffee, for a modest $10 in advance, $12 on the day. Call the Home at 361-5115 for dinner tickets). Liquid refreshments also available. Tickets for the show are $15 from the Polka Hall of Fame, 216-261-3263.
Slovenian National Home, 6417 Saint Clair Avenue, 44103, 361-5115
WEEKENDS ON WATERLOO
Ladies and gentlemen, start your lists! Arts Collinwood’s annual holiday art extravaganza is on its way. More than two dozen of the area’s top artists will bring you jewelry, wearables, glass, paintings and photography on December 11 (5-11 pm), 12 (11 am – 11 pm) and 13 (11 am – 5 pm). Kids can create their own holiday masterpieces in a supervised corner of the Art Center while you shop, and you can treat them (and yourself) to goodies in the Café (open all hours of the art sale).
The café, BTW, is introducing some seriously delicious food; on Friday I had gingered tomato soup and a most elegant plate of crostini with olive and white bean tapenades.