Riki & Brien were married November 1st on a beautiful fall day in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The outdoor ceremony was framed by an industrial landscape and the colorful fall leaves. Guests were warmed by bon fires & vowes written by the bride & groom.

The reception took place in the adjacent warehouse converted loft where the bridal party spent the weekend. The fall theme carried through the entire event; centerpieces made of cheery tree twigs, chocolate brown table cloths, and bouquets made of cabbage, mint, vibrant lillies & wrapped in feathers. Instead of a cake, the couple constructed a multi tiered tower of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts & the food was made from local ingredients purchased at the West Side Market.

As promised here is a preview of just a few of the goods for sale at the MADE in the 216 HOLIDAY SHOPPE. Above are some vintage inspired necklaces from Océanne, below one of the many T-shirts from C.L.E. Clothing Co.

Remember the shoppe kicks off tonight, but it will be open all month long! Come by after you’ve been to the Happy Dog for Polka Happy Hour & don’t forget to visit ROOM SERVICE’s permeant location across the street. Click the link below to see more preview photos.

So blog posts have been few & far between lately … the reason? I am helping with the MADE in the 216 HOLIDAY SHOPPE, including designing the postcards for the event. (making Pierre & Fifi stand still to pose for their portrait wasn’t easy!) Made in the 216 has been a weekend long even in the past. However, this year ROOM SERVICE is taking over the empty storefront directly next to the brand new Capitol Theater in order to bring a month long shopping experience. Do not miss the kick off party November 6th! Partake in the cocktails, enjoy music from DJ Doc & buy lots of awesome presents for your friends & family! There is an after party at the newly revamped Happy Dog (who’s new hot dog/veggie dog menu is almost too good to be bar food) with live music from The Buried Wires & Filmstrip. Don’t fret if you cannot make it to the kick off party, there will be BYOB parties with live music from local bands each Friday in November at the Holiday Shoppe. And of course, you can buy your awesome hand screened Tshirts, one of a kind jewelry & things you didn’t even know you needed all month long!

MADE in the 216
HOLIDAY SHOPPE
store hours

Monday-Thursday 5-9pm
Fridays 5-11pm (bands playing in the basement & BYOB)
Saturdays 11-9
Sundays 12-7

stay tuned for more info on the event!

p.s. Please vote for ROOM SERICE on the FOX 8 HOT LIST. Much obliged!

Cilantro Lime lettuce wraps:

1 8oz package of savory flavored tofu (soyboy brand smoked flavor works well)

1 box earthboun farms orgainc butter lettuce leaves

3/4 cup of loosely packed fresh cilantro

1 cup of chopped baby bella mushrooms

1 cup of loosely packed chopped cilantro

2 garlic cloves

2 julienned carrots

2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3 limes

salt & additional lime juice to taste

Saute garlic, chopped mushrooms & 1 tsp tammari sauce in 1/4 cup water until mushrooms are fully cooked. Remove from heat, drain & discard any liquid that is left in the pan.

While the mushrooms are cooking, cut the tofu into thin strips for frying. In a separate large skillet fry tofu with enough oil to thinly coat the pan. Turn frequently to keep from burning. Squeeze one lime wedge directly on the tofu while cooking. Once the strips are crispy and browned on both sides remove from heat.

Dice tofu into smaller pieces. In a large bowl combine mushrooms, cilantro, tofu, carrots, the juice of 2 1/2 limes, 2 Tbs. tamari sauce, the crushed red pepper flakes, and salt.

To serve place the pre washed lettuce on a plate with limes as garnish & filling in a small bowl. Guests can assemble their own wraps. Serves 4 – 6

Cilantro Lime Lettuce Wraps

1 8oz package of savory flavored tofu (soyboy brand smoked flavor works well)
1 box earthboun farms orgainc butter lettuce leaves
1 cup of chopped baby bella mushrooms
1 cup of loosely packed chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves
2 julienned carrots
2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 limes
salt & additional lime juice to taste

Saute garlic, chopped mushrooms & 1 tsp tammari sauce in 1/4 cup water until mushrooms are fully cooked. Remove from heat, drain & discard any liquid that is left in the pan.

While the mushrooms are cooking, cut the tofu into thin strips for frying. In a separate large skillet fry tofu with enough oil to thinly coat the pan. Turn frequently to keep from burning. Squeeze one lime wedge directly on the tofu while cooking. Once the strips are crispy and browned on both sides remove from heat.

Dice tofu into smaller pieces. In a large bowl combine mushrooms, cilantro, tofu, carrots, the juice of 2 1/2 limes, 2 Tbs. tamari sauce, the crushed red pepper flakes, and salt.

To serve place the pre-washed lettuce on a plate with limes as garnish & filling in a small bowl. Guests can assemble their own wraps.

Serves 4 – 6

A new addition to the family! I found this love-seat at an antique store on Lorain Ave. this weekend. At $100 this was steal, especially because it is in like new condition. Take that hours of searching on Craig’s List! I guess you find the things you need when you stop looking for them.

 

Don’t let a dull knife get in the way of good cooking. Today Kevin Noon will be sharpening knives at the Tremont Farmers’ Market. Bring your knives, scissors, sheers, and even food processor blades. He will make them like new again using old world techniques. Don’t worry, if kevin is not there, he and Garth Proctor alternate weeks at the market. Also, each freshly sharpened knife comes with a complimentary BAND-AID.

Lincoln Park, on W.14th Street between Starkweather & Kenilworth Ave.
Tuesdays from 4:30 – 7:30 pm
June 16 – October 20
www.tremontfarmersmarket.com

Make a seasonal center piece with fruit, greenery and flowers from your yard. (or your neighbor’s.) Simply place your findings in a bowl of water and arrange the way you like. When styling the center piece remember to group things in threes or odd numbers. Symmetry is not always pleasing to eye! Floral foam & picks are ideal but not necessary, as the life expectancy of your clippings may be short. 

Finally some dinning hall relief! This makes me so happy. I wish they had this when I was attending school, especially since most of the CSU dorms have a kitchen in each suite. I am glad Cleveland State is making it easy for both students who live on campus and busy commuter students to eat healthfully. Thursdays is great day because the West Side Market is closed that day. If you are need of fresh veggies or will be busy over the weekend you can just stop here. If you work downtown this is also a great thing for you too! ($1 parking?!) Thank you CSU!

Living in small city apartments has always inspried creative uses for conserving and creating more space. The best method I believe is converting rooftops into patios and outdoor living areas. In Hong Kong, an apartment with roof access is usually considered the crown jewel of real estate. With warmer temperatures all year long, a great rooftop is a wonderful place to entertain friends and familys, hold bbqs and just step away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city streets. Out of my bedroom window I can view my neighbors rooftop (see below) which is absolutely breathtaking.

(For the record, I have never ONCE seen them use said rooftop which is just a shame). Note the built in stone bench, the Large Potted plants. The enclosed space to shield from rain (as Hong Kong is also known for its overcast skys during typhoon season), is made out of bamboo a favorite building material in this country. If I were the owner of this rooftop not only would I be throwing a lot more rooftop parties and all out shindigs, I would also spice up the plants with more color. On my own rooftop I have a beautiful bougainvillea bush which is easy to maintain and blooms with these spectacular pink blossoms all summer long. Sunflowers, daisies, or a lilac bush are also great ideas for some cheerful color. For the green thumb, a small garden is also an idea, even if it is just herbs. Or for the un-green thumb, maybe a rock garden. Most importantly these ideas don’t require a rooftop and can easily be translated to a more suburban tradition of a patio. No matter what you choose … Happy Roofing!

—Stephanie Hauk

Ms. Hauk is a native Clevelander, but is guest bloging from Hong Honk. She is obsessed with all things beautiful. See her blog here http://vicioushawk.blogspot.com/