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Downtown Cleveland Alliance | 2010 photo challenge | iCarabout.com

For the third year in a row, Clevelanders have a chance to submit their best photos to win $500 and much more!  Don’t forget to submit your amateur photographs to the 2010 Downtown Cleveland Photo Challenge before August 20th.

To enter to win, please visit http://www.downtowncleveland.com/photochallenge/. All entries must be submitted digitally, limit 2 photos!

Your photographs will be judged by local Cleveland professional photographers who are highly respected in the area. It’s a great opportunity to get your creative visions out there and show your city what you’ve got! So, don’t be shy – submit your photos today!

You have 3 photo theme options to chose from:

1. Living City: Cleveland would be nothing without Clevelanders. Whether it’s large scale events, small informal happenings, spontaneous moments on the street, interactions among friends or between strangers… it is people that bring the city to life. Submit your best images of Cleveland’s great citizens and visitors to this category.
2. Urban Landscape: From classic Cleveland vantage points to views of the city all your own, we want to see the Downtown environment through your eyes. Submit your best shots of Cleveland’s architecture, green spaces, waterfronts and streetscapes.
3. Future Forward: In this category we are looking for images that exemplify growth, optimism and positive change around Downtown. What are Clevelanders doing to make the best of hard times? What types of projects are people taking on? How are businesses weathering the economy? What are people doing to stay positive? Submit your photographs that you feel show a bright future for our city! These shots may be altered to allow for creative expression.

For more information about the contest, prizes and rules, please visit http://www.downtowncleveland.com/photochallenge/.

GOOD LUCK!!!

I know I’ve been blogging about the Weapons of Mass Creation Fest A LOT, but I love it — SO SHOOOSH YOUR MOUTH! Just kidding.

Anyways, there have been some changes since I last posted about WMC.  The festival was going to be held at the Go Media studio but, some fire and safety codes have made that impossible.  Although it’s a bummer, I’m sure everyone would rather be safe than sorry.  Plus, if you want to keep having this awesome event yearly, it’s better to stay on the city’s “good-side”.

After lots of searching and options, WMC Fest will be held at the Parish Hall and Church in the Gordon Square Arts District!

Parish Hall and Church

6205 Detroit Ave.

Cleveland, OH 44102

Jeff Finley, WMC Fest Founder, couldn’t have said it better:  ”It’s actually a much better area for the festival because there are many cool businesses, coffee shops and restaurants right there.”  Here’s a great little video explaining why they had to change the venue and why they’re even more excited now.

In other fun news, Weapons of Mass Creation have had a photo contest going for a while now with Positively Cleveland that ends this coming Tuesday (May 11th)! You have until then to enter a photo of yourself and friends with a creative sign that says, “See you at WMC”. The more creative, the better!

Here’s what you can win:

Grand Prize: THE ULTIMATE WMC CLEVELAND VIP EXPERIENCE

1. 6 VIP/Backstage Passes to WMC Fest, so you and your friends can enjoy the ultimate VIP experience.
2. 6 WMC Gift Bags with shirt, poster, buttons, and other goodies donated by our talented WMC Guests.
3. 2 tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
4. 4 tickets to Cleveland Indians game on 5/19 or 6/8 (great seats behind home plate!)
   -
   Not only do you get to see every band, film, artist, and speaker at Weapons of Mass Creation Fest, you’ll also be granted access to the 3rd floor VIP level where all the bands, artists, and filmmakers hang out. Pretty sweet deal for you and 5 friends!

And to make the deal even sweeter, we teamed up with Positively Cleveland to give you Tribe and Rock Hall tickets!

Second Place: The WMC Cleveland Experience

1. 4 Weekend Passes to WMC Fest
2. 4 WMC Gift Bags with shirt, poster, buttons, and other goodies donated by our talented WMC Guests.
3. 2 tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
4. 2 tickets to Cleveland Indians game on 5/19 or 6/8 (great seats behind home plate!)
   -
   You and 3 friends get to see every band, film, artist, and speaker at Weapons of Mass Creation Fest. And to make the deal even sweeter, we teamed up with Positively Cleveland to give you Tribe and Rock Hall tickets!

Third Place: WMC Cle Fun Pack

1. 2 Weekend Passes to WMC Fest
2. 2 WMC Gift Bags with shirt, poster, buttons, and other goodies donated by our talented WMC Guests.
3. 2 tickets to Cleveland Indians game on 5/19 or 6/8 (great seats behind home plate!)
   -
   You and a friend get to see every band, film, artist, and speaker at Weapons of Mass Creation Fest. And to make the deal even sweeter, we teamed up with Positively Cleveland to give you Tribe tickets!

For more information on the WMC Fest and to see the 2o10 Art/Design/Music/Film line-up, go to http://www.wmcfest.com/#

Fact: Pearl Jam is coming to Quicken Loans Arena this Sunday, May 9, 2010.

Fact: I’m a little biased towards Map Room because I work there, love everyone I work with and just love the bar in general. Deal with it.

Fact: Gillespie’s Map Room is hosting THE OFFICIAL PEARL JAM TEN CLUB PARTY on Sunday before the concert!!

Gillespie's Map Room | Cleveland, OH | iCarabout.com

The party is also hosted by Jib Machine Records and The Wishlist Foundation, a Pearl Jam fan nonprofit organization and trust me, it’s going to be HUUUUUGE.  I could go on and on talking about this amazing event and how they’re helping various breast cancer support organizations in honor of Mother’s Day, BUT I’ll let you just read this instead:

Sunday May 9th Starting at 11:30 am

The Wishlist Foundation, a Pearl Jam fan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is hosting pre-concert fundraiser at Gillespie’s Map Room / Jib Machine Records from 12-7 PM to celebrate legendary rock band Pearl Jam’s stop at the Quicken Loans Arena on Mother’s Day, May 9th. In honor of Mother’s Day, the fundraiser will benefit various breast cancer support organizations. Canned food and dried goods will also be collected for local food depository organizations.

Attendees will be able to make donations at the event and receive incentive items like Pearl Jam inspired t-shirts, posters, wristbands, mouse pads and ticket albums and can enter a raffle to win fan-donated Pearl Jam memorabilia. There will also be a silent auction that features autographed items donated by band members as well as items donated by our sponsors. All proceeds from the raffle and auction will go to aid in breast cancer advocacy and education.

The day kicks-off at 10 AM at Studio 13 when Charlie & Regi of JibNation will do a special one-hour broadcast on Scrub Radio (http://www.scrubradio.com). The Map Room opens at 11:30 AM and will feature Wishlist Foundation activities, Jib Machine Records/13 Recordings/Hold On Recordings catalog display, BEER TUB specials featuring Craft products from Premium Beverage, extra coverage by Majestic Tents, DJ spinning live PJ shows and more.

All ages are welcome to attend the fundraiser at Gillespie’s Map Room / Jib Machine Records in Cleveland’s historic warehouse district at 1281 West 9th Street (216-621-7747) from 12-7 PM. Canned food and dry goods will also be collected. For more information, please visit www.wishlistfoundation.org.

Pearl Jam Pre Party | Map Room Cleveland | iCarabout.com

So get on down to Map Room this coming Sunday, even if you don’t have tickets to the concert!! The party will be amazing, you’ll be helping a great cause AND I’ll be bartending.

I cannot express to all of you how inspiring it was to read all of the wonderful things Clevelanders are doing to help the needy of our city. When I started this contest, I didn’t realize how much these stories were going to touch me, but they truly have. There are amazing people in Cleveland making a difference everyday and I am so proud.

On that note, after LONG deliberation and thought, I’ve chosen a winner of the two tickets to Cleveland’s Market Under Glass event, April 22, 2010. CONGRATULATIONS Bridget Callahan! Your story about what your parents do everyday to help people in Cleveland was incredible. I really hope they enjoy the tickets to this wonderful event, which also helps the needy in our city. Please contact me ASAP with your information so I can get you these tickets.

Here is Bridget’s submission, in case you missed it:

I don’t want these for myself, but I would really like to win them for my mom. She’s a nurse at the County Hospital, working with HIV positive patients, and I’ve never seen anyone more devoted to her patients. At certain times, she even puts people up in her house until she gets them into a home. She takes her vacation every year and uses it to go to Catholic orphanages and schools in other countries to volunteer. So I know it’s not exactly food oriented activities, but she’s done a lot.
And then there’s my dad, who’s spent his entire career working on computer access for the underprivileged. Can we add his worthiness to hers for the win?
But of course, she doesn’t have a lot of money for going out. I think I go out more than she does. So once again, it would be really cool to send mom and dad there.

Also, visit her blog at http://www.bridgetcallahan.com/

Although this year is the 15th Annual Market Under Glass event, I’m really surprised how many Clevelanders know so little about it!  This has to be one of my favorite events in this city because at the heart of it, we’re helping a great organization that in turn, helps people in need.  What better investment to make, especially when you get to thoroughly enjoy yourself with local restaurants, vendors, celebs and prizes?!

Market Under Glass will be held in The Galleria at Erieview with the proceeds going to benefit Harvest for Hunger’s annual campaign coordinated by The Cleveland Foodbank.  This year its Thursday, April 22nd from 6-9pm and will be chock FULL of yummy food from local restaurants, live entertainment, local celebrities, a Continental Airlines silent auction and raffle, and MORE!

Market Under Glass | Cleveland, OH | iCarabout.com

There are general admission pre-sale tickets available now until the end of March for $75/ea. If you wait until next month, they’ll be $85/ea and $100/ea at the door the day of the event. General admission tickets entitle you to unlimited food and beverages from the over 50 fabulous, Cleveland restaurants there. If you’d like to treat yourself to VIP tickets for $150/ea, this ticket grants you access to the VIP suite including specialty drinks, entertainment and an after-party from 9-10pm (party like a rockstar).

I’m particularly excited about this year’s event for TWO special reasons:

1) I was asked to volunteer my time as a local celebrity server! Can you believe it? Now, I don’t think anyone will be buying a ticket just to see little old me, BUT there will be plenty more (and COOLER) celebrities there!

2) I was given TWO tickets from the Cleveland Foodbank to Market Under Glass, Cleveland’s Premier Event to give away on iCarabout! This is a REAL steal because obvious this event is INCREDIBLE, but also these tickets are worth $100/ea!  If you were dying to go, but couldn’t afford to, here’s your chance! Just let me know what you’ve done this year to help the needy in Cleveland and why you’d like to go! Also, don’t forget to leave me a way to contact you about the tickets!

GOOD LUCK and hopefully I’ll see you there! (Free tickets or not!)

For more info: Tickets to Market Under Glass may be purchased online at http://www.cleveland.com/marketunderglass or by calling (216)738-2046. Here’s a list of this years participating Cleveland Restaurants:

• 56 West
• Americano
• AMP 150 at the Cleveland Airport Marriott
• Bar Cento
• Bistro 185
• Café Sausalito
• Corleone’s Ristorante & Bar
• Cornerstone Brewing Company
• Cream n’ Sugar Bakery
• Danny’s Organic Marketplace and Catering
• David’s at Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center
• Don’s Lighthouse/Don’s Pomeroy House
• Duet, Fine Catered & Prepared Foods
• Executive Caterers
• Firelands/Specialty Wine Company
• Flannery’s Pub
• Great Lakes Brewing Company
• Grovewood Tavern
• Heidleberg Distributing/Wine Group
• Hunan by the Falls
• ICASI International Culinary Arts & Sciences Institute
• L’Albatros Brasserie
• Lucy’s Sweet Surrender
• Marigold Catering
• Melange
• The Melting Pot Restaurants
• Metro Bar & Kitchen
• Muldoon’s Saloon & Eatery
• Orlando Baking Company
• Pearl of the Orient Restaurant
• Pickwick and Frolic Restaurant & Club
• Ponte Vecchio/Zinc
• Potpourri Fondue Restaurant
• Private Reserve
• Sans Souci
• Shinto Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
• Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Inc.
• Solstice Distributors, Inc.
• Spice of Life Catering Co.
• Stancato’s
• Susy’s Soup and Deli
• Tastebuds Restaurant
• Three Birds Restaurant
• Umami Asian Grill
• Verve Restaurant
• Wine Trends
• XO Prime Steaks