Welcome to this week’s issue of Nan’s Neighborhood News, featuring the community news, events, and announcements for North Collinwood and it’s neighboring communities.

In this Issue:

ART

• Arts Collinwood Is Five!
• FREE Life Drawing in the Art Center
• Feedback, Please
• LowLife Gallery
• Waterloo 7 gallery: Call to (Very) Young Artists
• Dreamcoat Coming to Waterloo
• Bluegrass on Waterloo
• Pruning Is an Art, Too

FOOD

• Those Friday Fish Fries
• St Patrick’s and Lent at the Grovewood
• Farmers’ Market

NEIGHBORHOOD PARTIES

• Shore Acres at the Grovewood  March 15

GET INVOLVED

• Summer Scoop
• Hall of Fame

SENIORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

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ARTS COLLINWOOD IS FIVE!

And to celebrate, it’s throwing five (5!) FREE events (listed below)for current members. If you’re not a member, become one! Membership starts at $10; go to the Web site at www.waterlooarts.org and sign up there; or call 216-692-9500. Or bring your $10 to a class, and join on the spot.  And do download Meredith’s brilliant flyer; if nothing else, it’ll add color to your refrigerator.

Wednesday March 25, 6:30-8:

SKETCHBOOK JOURNALING with Karen Sandstrom. Karen is a former Plain Dealer writer who often illustrated her own pieces, and encourages all of us to record significant events, large or small, with sketches. The journals are fun to make, and even more fun to look at later. No drawing experience required, Karen has a technique for everyone. Free to members!

Go to Karen’s gorgeous Web site at http://karensandstrom.blogspot.com to see her work. You’ll probably want to visit every day!

Thursday April 2, 10-noon:

MOMMY AND ME WORKSHOP. Creative toddler time. Let small people explore and play in our wide open space with others their age. For parents and their children four and under. Free to members!

Saturday April 25, 1-3 pm:

FAMILY OPEN STUDIO. Come play with clay! Have fun making art with your family in our new community Art Center, and let us clean up the mess. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Free to members!

Saturday, May 16, 6-9 pm:

ARTS COLLINWOOD 5TH ANNIVERSARY BASH. Saturday, May 16, 6-9 pm. Rock the Art Center with live music, free food, prizes and goodies. Our way of saying thanks for helping us come so far in such a short time – we couldn’t have done it without you! Free to members!

MONDAY: JEWELRY AND STAINED GLASS

Michele is also leading a series of 90-minute sessions in stained glass and jewelry on Monday evenings, 7-8:30 pm, through April 6; $15 a session. As noted last week, this can easily become a potluck party; get your friends organized and call 216-692-9500 to tell them you’re coming.

THURSDAY: LIFE DRAWING (FREE!)

Open sessions in life drawing are being offered on Thursday evenings (7:15-9:30) at the Art Center (15605 Waterloo Road). Pat’s flyer is headlined Practice Practice Practice Practice, so I think you’re being encouraged to come often. Flyer attached. And the sessions are free (I was wrong last week), so you can practice practice practice at no cost.

TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS: AFTER SCHOOL

From 3 pm to 6 pm, two days a week, Arts Collinwood is encouraging the local young to think and behave like artists. Will Pruitt is instructing them (gently) in capoeira, that fascinating mix of dance and martial arts believed to originate on Brazilian slave plantations. Accomplished capoeiristas spin and cartwheel, the children are equally energetic but not quite so dramatic.

At the other end of the Art Center, Alexis is explaining artistic concepts, teaching techniques and developing a gallery of her students’ work. A good (if sometimes messy) time is had by all.

FEEDBACK, PLEASE!

Also in the works are plans for half-day workshops in jewelry and garden art, as an absorbing alternative to several shorter classes. Would you like to spend several hours learning techniques and completing several small projects or one big one? Let us know! Go to www.waterlooarts.org and share your thoughts. Or call 216-692-9500 – we’re never too busy to hear from you.

SAM FORTNEY AT LOWLIFE

Sam Fortney’s work is showing at LOW LIFE GALLERY through March 26.  Low Life is located at 16001 Waterloo Rd.  Gallery Hours are Thursday-Friday-Saturdays from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

A ROOM FOR KIDS AT WATERLOO 7

“Expressions of Art” runs through March at Jerry Schmidt’s gallery in the Zaller Building, offering a varied menu of media and styles. On April 3 it will be replaced with “Art in Full Bloom,” spring as seen through the eyes of artists.

But that’s not all. Jerry and Miles are opening a gallery For Children Only; Wunderkind will show work  by artists five to sixteen, and its first opening will be also on April 3.

Hence this CALL FOR YOUNG ARTISTS!

“Here we grow again!  Waterloo 7 is expanding its gallery to include an exclusively Children’s Gallery named “Wunderkind.”  To be included in the April 3 show, submit framed or matted art by March 28.”

For more information call Jerry Schmidt at (239) 293.9548. Gallery hours are Friday 6-10  Sat 2-10  Sun 1-6. Phone 239-293-9458. 16006 Waterloo

DRAMA ON WATERLOO

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, April 3, 4 and 5 at the Slovenian Workmen’s Home on Waterloo. Tickets from Bud Hilf, Tickets, 891 E337 St., Euclid 44123. Or use the ticket form in the attached flyer. 15335 Waterloo, 481-4378.

UPSTAGE PLAYERS IMPROV GROUP meets from 6:30-8:00 in the Slovenian Home on Waterloo Rd. All are invited.   www.upstageplayers.com

MUSIC ON WATERLOO

This performance isn’t just music, it’s a reunion of old neighbors. Michele Biondo’s son Patrick will bring his band, Cabinet, to the Beachland Ballroom this Saturday (March 14) at 10 pm for a session of great bluegrass. The evening opens with Cornmeal at 9.

PRUNING IS AN ART, TOO

Where do I cut?  How much do I cut?  And when do I cut?  Pruning can make a person panicky.  Get some answers at the March meeting of the Collinwood/Lakeshore Garden Club, watch a video and share tips with seasoned gardeners.  Noon  at Lakeshore Golden Age Center, 16600 Lakeshore Blvd.  The club welcomes all; dues are only $8 a year.

FOOD ON WATERLOO

THOSE FRIDAY FISH FRIES

At Fotina’s Friday fish fry, for $7.50 you’ll get French or home fries plus coleslaw along with your fish, and if you don’t like fish, the full breakfast menu is available. Dine in or carryout; 4PM till 7PM Fotina’s Restaurant, 400 East 156th Street, (216) 692-1375

And at the Slovenian Workmen’s Home, you can have fried fish for both lunch and dinner; they serve from 11:30 am to 8 pm, and offer pork chops and polenta as well as slaw and potatoes.

THE FARMERS’ MARKET

“It’s kinda warm outside,” points out The Spice Guy, “ and Burton Floral are making their triumphant return to the market with some hints of spring, including flowering bulb plants, begonias and primrose. Stop by and not freeze for a change.”

That was last Saturday, I’m trusting that Burton Floral will appear regularly for the rest of the season – they’re a great source (a great source!) for bedding plants of all sorts.

Coit Road Farmer’s Market is located at the corner of Coit & Woodworth Road in East Cleveland. www.coitmarket.org. Winter hours: Saturdays 8am-1pm

THE GROVEWOOD CELEBRATES ST PATRICK

The Grovewood will celebrate St Patrick’s day – on St Patrick’s day -– with Irish-style beers matched with delicious riffs on traditional Irish dishes. 6:30 pm, $53 per person. No green beer (but there will be watercress soup).

AND LENT

Every week a Fish Fry. And every week a grilled fish special. This week it’s Tilapia with Zippy Pineapple Slaw. The regular menu also features fish and vegetarian options, such as goat cheese souffle, grilled gouda, stuffed trout, seared scallops, etc.

And don’t forget the 12 months of Grovewood thankyou’s – go to the Web site to find out what’s offered for March. Grovewood Tavern & Wine Bar  17105 Grovewood Avenue · 216-531-4900. www.grovewoodtavern.com

PARTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

SHORE ACRES AT THE GROVEWOOD

The 3rd Annual Shore Acres Association Parks and Projects FUNDRAISER will be held at the GROVEWOOD Tavern Sunday, March 15th from 2-5pm. Tickets are $25 per person/$20 for seniors. Included in the ticket price is a smorgasbord of delicious snacks from the Grovewood’s catering menu. As in years past, there will be a raffle and cash bar. Bring your friends to celebrate and support our neighborhood parks and projects!

SENIORS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

There’s a new and energetic director at the Paul W. Alandt Golden Age Center at 16600 Lakeshore Blvd (to be referred to as the Lakeshore GAC, for brevity) and she’s already in the swim: senior aquacise sessions are now available Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:45 am -1:00 pm, at Glenville Rec Center. Bring your swim suit, towel and shower shoes, have lunch at the Lakeshore GAC at 11:15, and a bus will take you to the rec center and bring you back after you’ve enjoyed the aquacise AND the sauna. Call Lynn at 216-481-0631 to pre-register.

Strengthened by your aquacise, you can attend the Seniors Give Back Tuesday sessions (12:30 at the Center), for arts and crafts, materials supplied. First project: Easter toiletry gifts for VA hospitals. And you can keep up the physical conditioning on Thursdays with gentle seated exercise to strengthen the upper and lower body. 12:30 at the Center.

There’s lots more at the Center: free healthcare talks plus Wii bowling (!), March 17, noon-2 pm; songs from Broadway shows by a talented local cast (March 19, 2-3 pm); bus trips to casinos; Access to the Arts programs on selected Thursdays.

The Lakeshore Golden Age Center is open Monday through Thursday. Membership is only $8 a year; many of the entertainments are open to all ages. Call 216-481-0631 and ask for Lynn. Or go to www.gacgc.org

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

THE NORTH COLLINWOOD HALL OF FAME

If you get involved enough – say you rehab a building or try to save an art gallery or spend hours and hours chipping up old floor tiles, that sort of thing – you might end up in the North Collinwood Hall of Fame – as did darling Miles, at the Northeast Shores Awards Dinner last week. We were all very thrilled, especially Emma, who escorted her grandfather to the platform (there is nowhere Emma would rather be than on a platform).

THE SCOOP ON WATERLOO – AND ELSEWHERE

Remember last year’s Scoop on Summer, that colorful brochure with details of everything neighborhood? The 2009 edition is looking for community organizations to send details of their summer programming, and for neighborhood businesses to sponsor and distribute the guide. They’d also like to hear from volunteers interested in assisting with the production of the guide — artists, photographers, writers, delivery people, you name it! The whole production is done by volunteers, and it’s no small job.

Go to  http://scooponsummer.wordpress.com for this year’s quick and easy online submission form, and submit your organization’s events or your willingness to help. Or both, of course.

RECYCLE FOR ART

Instead of throwing away empty printer cartridges and used cell phones, recycle them through Arts Collinwood FundingFactory, and help us earn art materials for our Community Center.  The list of accepted cartridges is attached.

Business supporters can get FREE prepaid shipping labels sent to their location free of charge. Then they simply load collection boxes, apply the FREE prepaid shipping labels and leave them for the next UPS pickup.

If you would be interested in supporting Arts Collinwood in this way, please call FundingFactory toll-free at 1.888.883.8237. Give the customer service representative AC’s identification number, 141215, and they’ll set you up to support our account.

If you don’t use enough cartridges to set up your own account, you can set up a collection box in your office and we will pick it up when it is full. Just call Amy Callahan at 216-692-9500 and let her know you are ready for a pick up. Arts Collinwood will recycle the cartridges and cell phones through the FundingFactory to earn new art supplies for our afterschool program.

For more information, or to drop off your own cartridges or cell phone, contact Amy Callahan at Arts Collinwood, 216-692-9500. The after-school teachers will bless your name!

ANOTHER WAY TO RECYCLE

Many recycled plastic containers with the caps on are sent to recycle centers; however, there is no provision for the cap to be recycled and if it does not pop off during compression the bottle is tossed from the conveyer into the garbage and ultimately into the landfill. If this bothers you, you might like to join the Lakeshore/Collinwood Garden Club in collecting bottle caps and delivering them to Aveda, which has persuaded its bottle makers to use them as raw material. Check out the project at http://aveda.aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp.

UNDERGROUND RAILWAY HISTORY

In 2002 and 2003, Joan Southgate, inspired by whispers from the ancestors, walked the 519 miles from Ripley, Ohio to St. Catharines, Ontario, to honor the freedom seekers who trudged along that route as “passengers” on the Underground Railroad.

That walk led to the creation of Restore Cleveland Hope and a campaign to save historic Cozad-Bates House, believed to be an Underground Railway stop, in University Circle. University Hospitals has donated the house to University Circle Inc., and Restore Cleveland Hope wants to establish an Underground Railroad Education and Resource center there.

In an effort to raise $250,000, Joan has set off on another walk, the 220 miles from St Catharines to the Cozad-Bates House, and is asking supporters “buy a mile” and to speak with co-workers, friends, family, fellow church members, block clubs and book clubs; in short, anyone who might want to help.  They are also looking for people to start training to join Joan as she walks the last few miles of her journey. (If that doesn’t inspire you to start exercising, nothing will!)

For information on the Cozad-Bates project, go to www.restoreclevelandhope.org. Information on Joan Southgate’s current walk is at www.intheirsteps.org.