Diamond Jubilee: culture in Cleveland

East Side

The second day in Cleveland AQ wanted to show me something nice. We drove out to the neighborhood near Case Western Reserve University and once again I was blown away by what I saw. The Cleveland Art Museum and the park fronting it were absolutely world-class. Given what I had seen of the city the day before, I shouldn't have been surprised. Such great wealth usually meant investment in public institutions in the past.

The museum opened on June 6, 1916, after many years of planning. Its creation was made possible by Cleveland industrialists Hinman B. Hurlbut, John Huntington, and Horace Kelley, all of whom bequeathed money specifically for an art museum, as well as by Jeptha H. Wade II, whose Wade Park property was donated for the site. The endowments established by these founders continue to support the museum. The original neoclassic building of white Georgian marble was designed by the Cleveland firm of Hubbell & Benes and was constructed at a cost of $1.25 million. Located north of the Wade Lagoon, it forms the focus of the city’s Fine Arts Garden.

https://www.clevelandart.org/about-museum/museum-history

Due to COVID, the museum tickets were on timed entry and we gave it a pass. The weather was spectacular and I preferred we keep our visits outdoors anyway. We walked around the museum and park. I could not believe such a fantastic museum existed outside of the traditionally "rich" East Coast cities (or Chicago).

Cleveland Museum of Art

Fine Arts Garden

We also walked by the home of the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. What a venue!!!

Severance Hall

When I was in high school, I received a lot of information from Case Western Reserve University. At that time, I had never heard of it and didn't even realize it was in Cleveland. I only thought the name was strange. It was 40+ years later that I finally visited the campus and realized what a large and important university it was. Again, two Ohio industrialists established universities that were eventually merged (leading to the unusual name). Honestly, had I visited the campus I might have considered it - the setting is stunning.

AQ and I made sure to see the Frank Gehry building on campus. (I wasn't impressed).

Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University

Little Italy

Near the museum and university is Cleveland's own "Little Italy". We arrived right about noon and looked for a place to eat. All of just a few blocks, the place isn't large, but it is nice that Cleveland retains a small neighborhood from its past as an ethnic melting pot. We enjoyed a delicious lunch (out on the terrace).

Then we headed downtown again.

Downtown

It was my turn to recommend a place to visit and I picked Heinen's Grocery Store. Every one of my friends who knew I was in Cleveland told me it was a "must see". Located in the former Cleveland Trust Building, the supermarket is now a temple of high-end food shopping. Bother Wegmans or Trade Joes - none are located in a neo-classical building (with an entire floor dedicated to wine). AQ was floored (and he had never heard of it) and I was flat out amazed. I had never been in such a fantastic supermarket in my life.

Heinen's Downtown Cleveland - very big check.

Heinen's Grocery Store. June 2021

We headed back to the room to relax a little bit. We planned to go out in the early evening. Cleveland was non-stop impressive.