VANITY - Lifelong Baltimorean in Praise of Cleveland

Vanity | 7/14/2014 | Matthew Collins

[scouter]

I posted this as a response in another thread, but thought I'd also post it as a vanity, in case someone else might see it and decide to look beyond the reputation of the city to see what it might really have to offer.

I've lived in Baltimore almost my whole life. And despite its problems, I love it. Those who don't know it will knock it, but it really is a great place to live, politics notwithstanding.

But Cleveland was a complete unknown to me until I forced my daughter to consider attending Case Western Reserve University for nursing school. Why I did that is a story in itself and leads me to believe without any doubt in Divine Providence. Anyway, when we went to visit we both fell in love with Cleveland immediately. On the drive back to Baltimore she decided she wanted to attend Case, both because of the school itself and because of the city. She just graduated this past May, and my whole family says we're going to really miss visiting Cleveland so frequently. Cleveland a GREAT city! There really is a lot to offer there. It has its problems, sure, but there's so much going for the city that I'm sure it'll rebound. In any case, my wife and I, along with her sister and brother-in-law, intend to go there periodically so we can visit some of the great museums and attractions. Here are just a few:

• The Zoo - Their zoo is absolutely first-rate!
• Severance Hall and the Cleveland Orchestra - World class orchestra with a world class symphony hall. Jaw-droppingly beautiful.
• The Cleveland Museum of Art - World class art museum. Again, staggeringly beautiful. Masterful job in connecting the new with the old.
• The Botanical Gardens - Beautiful and fascinating in all weather.
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Definitely worth the price of admission.
• Tower City - Great architecture and shopping.
• The Cleveland Indians - Beautiful stadium. On par with Camden Yards in Baltimore and Denver's stadium.
• Little Italy - Great restaurants, great neighborhood.
• Cleveland Museum of Natural History - Haven't been there yet, but plan to go.
• Museum of Contemporary Art - Great architecture. Haven't been inside yet, but dying to visit.
• Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights - Beautiful. Unbelievably beautiful.
• The Cleveland Browns Stadium - Not a fan of the Browns (I'm from Baltimore, after all!), but I still can acknowledge a worthy stadium when I see one.
• Martin Luther King Drive - Great concept. Really unifies the various historical ethnic communities in an inspiring way.
• A Christmas Story House - The house in the film. Definitely worth the time and money to visit!

I don't know about other universities in Cleveland, but Case Western Reserve University is fantastic. It is the "MIT of the Midwest." The nursing education my daughter got really can't be surpassed. In her freshman year, she told us in amazement "It's considered cool here to study!" If you know anyone who's looking into colleges and universities, you should definitely encourage them to consider Case Western Reserve. I highly recommend it. It's a beautiful campus in a beautiful area of the city, with a lot to offer students, both in terms of their education as well as just living. While it's expensive, their financial aid office really worked with us, especially when we suffered a significant financial setback as a family.

As far as healthcare goes... they've definitely got it going on! The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals are among the best in the world, and so they attract patients from all over the world. I've worked at Johns Hopkins Hospital (no slouch of a hospital itself) for over 25 years, and I have to say that Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals are every bit as good as Hopkins.

And I love the architecture throughout the city. They really know how to honor their own history at the same time they welcome excellence in modern architecture.

Cleveland is a great city, even if it is going through a rough time. If it weren't for the winters and the fact that my family is all in the Baltimore/Washington area, I'd definitely consider moving there.

I'm thrilled Cleveland landed the RNC convention, and even if the direct economic benefit is minimal, I hope it does a lot to restore the pride that Clevelanders should have in their city.

For your own benefit, you should consider putting Cleveland on your bucket list.

[hinckley buzzard]

MLK Drive, a parkway long before it was named for MLK, meanders pleasantly from near the shore of lake Erie to the cultural center known as University Circle, home of CWRU. It follows a winding creek through a valley, and the road is lined with an array of gardens called the Cultural Gardens, designed and maintained to celebrate the ethnic groups that settled Cleveland, mostly early in the twentieth century. Recently an African American Garden was added. Overpasses for major east-west streets are artistic creations of stone, with winding staircases from the valley to the upper street level.

Along the parkway is the city Greenhouse, and at its southern terminus is the Botanical gardens, the Art and Natural History museums and Severance Hall. The Cleveland VA Hospital sits at the edge as well.

It is continuously being maintained and improved, with pools and fountains, and is a history lesson to drive down it. Previously unfriendly for pedestrians, law enforcement has cleaned up the surrounding neighborhoods and the park today is useful and frequented by families.

One of Cleveland's well-kept secrets.

[scouter]

Don’t forget to check out the Cuyahoga Nation Valley Park.

Yeah, that's one of the things we never got to see in the 4 years my daughter went to CWRU, and one of the things we're gonna go back for. Thanks for the reminder.

[scouter]

My vacation travels have been focused on the Western US for the past couple of years. One of my favorite towns is Kanab, UT. From there, you're a two hour drive (max) from several National Parks, to include Zion and Bryce Canyon.

Yeah, the national parks are great vacation spots. I've always heard that Bryce Canyon is the one you really have to see if you can't see them all. My wife is a little older than I am, and we just got a lifetime pass into all the national parks. It only cost $10. What a bargain!

If you ever head east, you should definitely check out Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive. It's only about an hour west of Dulles Airport, in Virginia. One of the great national parks, with a fascinating history.

[ken5050]

Many times...I have relatives in Shaker Heights..I couldn’t resist the “dig_”..it was too easy.. Parts of Cleveland are really nice..the new football stadium..and the Jake is a great place for a baseball game..and of course the Rock and Roll Museum. OTOH, Cleveland is a popular venue for “The First 48”