Fun with google searches

Arriving home after a day filled with staff presentations, successful client pitches, productive volunteer committee meetings, drinks with a wonderful friend and goodnight conversations with the man you love it's hard not to think that you finally have your shit together.

That is until you realize that the blog you write garners web traffic from Google search engine hits like the following....

This is straight from my blog search term analytics, and it's hilarious.

Inappropriate boner?

Yeah, sounds about right.

Happy Thursday, kids!

Win the ultimate Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 Induction Week prize package

You guys know I'm stoked about the the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum 2012 Inductions - this has been very well documented on the plum so let's just get to the good stuff.

Thanks to the fine folks at the Rock Hall I have a pair of tickets to the majority of the 2012 induction ceremony events to give to one of my very lucky readers.

Yes, you read that right.

It's like the ultimate 2012 Induction Ceremony prize package, and it includes a pair of tickets to the following shows:

- Girl Talk @ Public Hall // Saturday April 7th at 8pm (SOLD OUT)
- Rock My Soul Gospel Concert honoring Kirk Franklin @ PlayhouseSquare's State Theater // Tuesday April 10th at 7pm (SOLD OUT)
- Concert for Cleveland with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, Kid Cudi, and Kids These Days @ Quicken Loans Arena // Thursday April 12th at 7pm (SOLD OUT)
- Simulcast of the 2012 Induction Ceremony @ the Rock Hall // Saturday April 14th at 8pm

Can I get a hell yeah?

To enter:
1. Leave a comment on this post telling me which of the aforementioned shows you'd like to attend the most
2. Tweet the following about the contest: " I want to win the ultimate #rockhall2012 induction week prize package from @clevelandsaplum + @rock_hall http://bit.ly/Hdrmq5 " - you can tweet this daily for extra entries leaving a comment on this post every time you tweet
3. Share a link to this contest on your Facebook page (http://bit.ly/Hdrmq5) leaving a comment on this post telling me you did so

You have until this upcoming Monday 4/2 at 5pm to enter the contest and I'll be announcing the winner of the ultimate Rock Hall Induction Week prize package a week from today on Tuesday 4/3.

Good luck to all who enter - man do I love a concert filled giveaway!

it was the freakin' weekend and baby, i had me some fun

This is one of those weekends where I need to remind myself via foursquare check ins everywhere I was, aka a sign of a good weekend.

Thursday: happy hour (and dinner) with Moe, Janet, Seanski, CK and Mark on the Stone Mad patio in my 'hood. If you haven't experienced their patio, you're missing out - fire place, fountain, tables and chairs made of stone - it's awesome.

Friday: headed to a tip of the "Viagra Triangle", aka Panini's in Westlake, for a surprise birthday party for "Three Old Dudes" who are turning 35 in the coming days. My initial thought going into this party is when the hell did I get friends that are 35.... but as I'm about to turn 32 in the upcoming months this whole "old dudes" shit is inevitable.

The very surprised "Three Old Dudes" - timmybennett, biondi and #keithisangry

AJP and JV + the Klutz, Martha and Muffin + a vintage Ford Bronco limo found in the parking lot, let me repeat that... A FORD BRONCO LIMO.

Saturday: a day of fun with CK to say the least. We started with breakfast at Bonbon Pastry & Cafe in Ohio City where a monkey bread muffin changed my life and the breakfast was beyond good. I've had lunch a few times at Bonbon and it was delicious, but the brunch (and pastries) really did shine.

CK's traditional Irish breakfast special and my breakfast tacquitos + a shot of the nicely designed menu

Saturday continued with CK and I spending sometime at the gem that is The Cleveland Museum of Art, as a newly minted museum member I wanted to check out the Rembrandt in America Exhibit which totally exceed my expectations. My thing with art is that yes, I enjoy looking at it but what I enjoy the most is the history of it all, where it came from, who the sitter is, etc, and the Rembrandt exhibit did all of that for me. Go check it out!

No pics where allowed to be taken in the Rembrandt exhibit but I snapped some while walking the rest of the museum - that lady is my favorite piece in the museum for some reason, I'm obsessed with her + massive angelic pieces + CK getting his impressionist art on

After the museum CK and I had an early dinner at Brennan's Colony in Cleveland Heights which serves what God would even consider the best bar food around. After the Colony we tried to go to VTR but no seats were available (even at 7pm) so we bellied up to the bar at Bistro on Lincoln Park in Tremont while Pagezell and JV dined.

Plans to head to Ohio City to meet some beautiful friends got derailed as we made our final stop of the night at Flying Monkey where MOB met up with the group which is always a bonus in my book.

Sunday: a quick brunch at XYZ the Tavern with CK and then a movie (The Hunger Games), shopping and Menchie's afternoon in Crocker Park with MOB and Beaver was a perfect ending to my weekend. Also, I see what all the fuss is about surrounding The Hunger Games - it was sweet, and I officially now need to read the books to see how it ends.

And that's a wrap on the last full weekend in March, which is crazy in and of itself.

Happy Monday, kids!

bare legs in March, because I can

The weather has been crazy warm yet I refuse to put my AC on yet - it's March, not gonna happen, guys.

What did just happen this morning though is that I didn't put tights on under my dress. I thought about it but just as I was putting them on Hollie Strano from WKYC said, "It's going to be 80 degrees!" ---- annnnnnnnnnnnnd I immediately took them off.

My legs are as bare as the day I was born.

Good thing I got a spray tan recently.

Bring. On. Spring.

(and then the summer and the lake!)

THESE ARE TOTALLY MY LEGS, OBVIOUSLY!!!!

Next step, open toes shoes to work.

Happy Thursday, kids!

Cleveland knows St. Patrick's Day

The day that was St. Patrick's Day 2012 in Cleveland was everything I could have asked for. The friends, the weather, the car bombs, ya know, the important things.

Before 11am I biked (yay bikes are back in season!!) over to my friends Jess and Silk's Brian's house in Ohio City for a traditional and delicious Irish breakfast. As an added bonus my biking partner in Mrs Carmody (visiting the CLE from STL) was the best day-o-fun kick off addition, I mean what better of a St. Pat's could I ask for than spending the day with one of my favorite UD buddies?!?!?

As more and more friends came to the breakfast house party it really was starting to remind me of any sunny Saturday in the UD ghetto - oh, college, sweet sweet college. Good to know ten years later I can still hang.

Porch party in Ohio City!

The fun continued with two of the coolest siblings around Brian and Anne + Mrs Carmody and her best friend Biggie + Mrs Carmody doing some sort of Irish beer chug + Mrs Carmody posing with the new(ish) engaged couple of Brent and Anne!

In the early afternoon the whole lot of us biked over to Tremont to continue our celebrations at the Lincoln Park Pub - it was perfect. Not too crowded (unlike the downtown madness) and the Irish Car Bombs were flowing, it's like a milkshake guys.

Biking in one line is for suckers as we just dominated W14th. Additionally McKenna and I also dominated the chairs on the LPP's patio - it was a trend, much like Becky and Liz being adorable.

Becky, myself, Mrs. Carmody and Anne at LPP having the time of our lives, can't you tell?!?

It was right around here though that I stopped taking pictures... I can tell you what I did though (for the most part).

Biked over to Ahmed's in Tremont where too many of my good friends to list out were congregated in his fabulous backyard for fun in the sun and beer drinking. I must admit that playing with Bo and Babs's son Christopher was the highlight though.

When it was time to pack up Ahmed's it was now nightfall and a group of us biked over to The Harp to catch a set of the Boys From County Hell on the patio - it was packed and I couldn't even see the band but it was good times. We weren't done yet though as the Pagezell's and I headed to The ParkView, I didn't last long though, but that was probably for the best as I biked my ass home.

I'd say that 12 hours of Irish fun was more than enough.

I already can't wait till next year.

Happy Tuesday, kids and if you need me I'll be at the Q with thousands of my friends cheering on The Black Keys - yesssssssssssssssssssss.

Drink an Irish Mimosa on St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

In honor of all that is Irish I'm going to repost a video that my friend Connie and I made in my old apartment exactly two years ago today.

I know you always wanted to know how to make an Irish Mimosa, don't deny it.



I hope everyone has a safe and fun St. Patrick's Day! With it being 74, sunny and a Saturday in Cleveland I don't see how that isn't possible.

Sharing is caring

Last night was gorgeous in Cleveland, the sun shined all day, I attended the Greater Cleveland Partnership Annual Meeting and crashed JoeG's dinner at The Greenhouse Tavern... but that's not the point of this post.

The point is that I've recently been reflecting on exactly how long I've been blogging (since January 1st, 2008), how many posts I've written (this is #924) and how my audience (and my writing) has evolved over the years.

More specifically how the things I wrote in 2008, I'm guessing 95% of you haven't read, so I'm going to share some random ass things about myself because I can - it's my blog after all. It's like a online getting to know you exercise...

Things you may or may not have known about me:

1. I have three 6 inch pins in my left hip holding it in place from a surgery I had in the 6th grade. This surgery also gave me a 7 inch scar down the length of my hip, sexy.

2. Less than five short years ago I was a pack a day smoker. Parliament Ultra Lights, mmm, I still get the cravings, but I'm so happy I quit. Full disclosure: I still may bum a smoke here or there when I have some cocktails in me.

3. I love Phish. I first came in contact with the band in high school, got heavier into them in college but was terrified of seeing a show or really getting into "the scene" as I always thought I was too preppy to like Phish. I just like the music, man. That being said, I'll be seeing Phish for the second time this summer and I may wear Tory Burch just to weird out the phans.

4. I can eat an entire box of cereal in one sitting. No description needed for this one, I just really like cereal.

5. I played Mrs. Banks in a version of Mary Poppins in elementary school. I also was in Bye Bye Birdie, Godspell, and Once Upon a Mattress in high school - your general choir/drama kid, I was awesome. I also may or may not have sung the Star Spangled Banner before my high school's boys basketball games.

That's it for now - anyone else feel like sharing?

Happy Thursday, kids!

Rock Hall Induction Week + Crav Spirits

Let's talk about how much I love the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum for a second.

It's a beautiful addition to Cleveland on the waterfront, it supports an education mission that I totally get behind and every three years Cleveland gets to host the induction ceremony. And this year just so happens to be that year - bring on the rock stars!


The induction ceremony will be taking place on Saturday April 14th at Cleveland Public Hall and will be the conclusion of a week long celebration filled with tons of events - some even free to the public.

I personally plan on attending Girl Talk at Public Hall, the opening of the Grateful Dead: The Long, Strange Trip exhibit opening and of course the Induction Ceremony.

As a Rock Hall Member I was lucky enough to be able access to a handful of member's only (not the jackets) pre-sale tickets and I may or may not have a countdown to the concert in my office.

I also may or may not fantasize about the opportunity for Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers to play the base and Slash from Guns 'N Roses to play the guitar on Sabotage while the Beastie Boys perform it. Dreams, I have them - the collaborations with this group of inductees are endless.

Anyways, even though I have a pair of tickets to the induction ceremony I'm sure a lot of you out there would love a chance to attend as well. And thanks to Cleveland based Crav Spirits you could be there too.

Crav Spirits is sponsoring the Night of Your Life Sweepstakes where you and a guest could win a pair of tickets to the induction ceremony plus a limo ride to and from the event. Fun right?

It's a simple entry over on their website so stop what you're doing and enter for your chance to win.

Whether you get to attend the induction ceremony or not, be sure to check out all the fun events happening in during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Week, it's going to be a fun week to be a Clevelander.

All my friends + all the fishes makes me a happy plum

I had the best weekend, you guys. It must have been the weather, or the company, or the friends, or the drinks, or the food, or the....

You get the point.

Friday night CK and I headed over to our friends Patti and Anthony's new house in Bay Village for a good old fashioned house party. All my Dayton connection besties in Cleveland were in attendance and while CK and I had every intention of going to see Zoso at HOB once the wine was flowing, and the good times were being had how could we leave?!?

Little Vera and Foxxy + Rose peaking at what her mom, Patti is serving (SO adorable) + our hosts Anthony and Patti + Poo Poo (visiting from Chicago), Jesse and Muffin

All the girls in attendance (minus a very preggers Jilly who had just left) tried to be serious and take a group shot, as you can tell from above that didn't work very well. I mean, tebowing? Oh, Poo Poo. That's Foxxy, me, MOB, Beaver, Muffin, Patti, Poo Poo and Melinda for the record.

Saturday during the day CK and I brunched at Grumpy's Cafe in Tremont, shopped at Steelyard Commons and chilled out before the fun of Saturday night was to begin.

A group of friends, including Seanski, Nugget, Reena, Jody, Becky, Tim, JoeG, Katherine and me and CK took over a massive table at Lava Lounge in Tremont for dinner and drinks. Man do I love me some Lava, it's always good food, moderately prices and tasty drinks - check it out if you haven't.

After dinner the whole group headed to Ohio City for Janet's 30th birthday party at ABC the Tavern - so many friends in attendance and Makers Mark was flowing. Mmmm, bourbon.

Jody, Reena, Tim and Becky being awesome + the birthday girl Janet and Moe + Seanski, being Seanski and JoeG not drinking...

Sunday the gorging on food continued (as I'm starting a biggest loser competition at work today) with brunch at Luxe. I had the grilled cheese which may or may not have changed me life, I'm dreaming about it already - gruyeye, avocado, bacon, tomato, mmmmm.

After brunch CK, his little one, and I headed to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium for some fun with the fishes. WE HAD A BLAST. The entire visit was amazing, the staff was beyond friendly, the kids were having a blast plus it was educational. The best part was the shark tube and the creepiest part was everything having to do with eels, omg, I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it - but they were cool to see.

Adults and kids alike will love the Aquarium, as it's such a great addition to Cleveland and I highly recommend everyone check it out! To get a feel for the place, check out this video documenting opening weekend.

CK, his little one and me getting our photo snapped upon walking into the aquarium. I'll give you one guess as to who's idea it was to make fish faces.... ME. Also, I laughed so hard at this pic that I had to buy it - we look so ridiculous, I love it.

The touch pool + SHARKS! + pretty fishes!

CK staring at some of the creepy eels + manta ray, swimmin' + crocodiles, chillin' + me in a giant ancient shark jaw, natch

Sunday was such a beautiful day in Cleveland we headed to Edgewater Park after the Aquarium for "rock climbing" and gorgeous views of Downtown Cleveland.

I really like it here, I think I'll stay.

Happy Monday, kids!

Cleveland Museum of Art is a gem

Last night I headed over to the gem that is the Cleveland Museum of Art for an orientation meeting for a new young professionals group that I'm now a part of - I'm beyond stoked for the experience but more on that later.

While roaming the exhibit halls all I could think about was how flippin' fly the museum is and how everyone needs to take an afternoon and walk through it - you guys know IT'S FREE to the public, right? So, go, like now.

This shot pretty much sums up the evening, @jseabury really knows who is boss.

I may or may not have had a moment with the Degas ballerinas + the sword is as tall as Gina.

A sneak peak of the museum atrium construction which is to be completed on 12.31.13 - this is a shot from the CMA board room and is only a quarter of the atrium courtyard which is the size of a football field!

After our meeting the group headed to L'Albatros Brasserie for some malbec and noshing where I may or may not have eaten my weight in chicken liver and fois gras.

The night was filled with good company, amazing surroundings and lots of ideas - nothing like a new project to get one excited, right?

Happy Thursday, kids.

Turn it up to 11

I always like to rename Wordless Wednesday.

Well this Wednesday I'm going to leave the words to work and instead share a handful of my current heavy rotation songs for your listening enjoyment. Confession, some of these I'm proud of and some of these I know are purely pop fun and frankly, don't give a damn.

Gotye, Somebody That I Used To Know:

Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris, We Found Love:

The Civil Wars, Barton Hollow:

Kelly Clarkson, What Doesn't Kill You:

Jay Z + Kanye West, Ni**as in Paris (EXPLICIT):

Fun, Some Nights:

So those are some of the songs currently in my ear, what are some of yours? Mama needs some new tunes!

Happy Wednesday, kids.

'twas a family fun weekend in the CLE

Before I get into the weekend recap I have a couple housekeeping items to discuss.

1. Congrats to Alana who won the pair of tickets to see Cirque du Soleil Dralion at the Wolstein Center - sad you didn't win? You can still purchase tickets online here to one of their 7 Cleveland performances.

2. The lovely Cleveland Magazine decided to pick 32 of Cleveland's best and brightest bloggers for a March Madness style "Nothing But Net" blogger bracket competition. Cleveland's a Plum is fittingly in the lifestyle blogger group and I would really appreciate your vote, which you can do here. Thanks in advance for your time, because this blog is nothing if not a labor of love - it's not always fun, it's not always easy, but the pros always outweigh the cons and I keep coming back for you guys. So, thanks! Now, vote ;)

And now, to the weekend.

It wasn't exactly the traditional going out, dining out and champagne drinking weekend that I'm used to. Nope, this weekend was chock full of family friendly and fun activities which was ok by me considering I had lots of adult play time during the work week.

Friday, my plans of attending Allison's birthday party at Battery Park Wine Bar were squashed once I came home to my supposedly fixed windows leaking, AGAIN. Thanks to the rain on the inside of my house my mood was not suitable for anyone, so I stayed in. Actually as I type this I'm still fuming, but all I can do is call my contractor, right? And the saga continues....

Saturday though made up for it as a wonderful day was spent with CK and his little one where we lunched at Aladdin's in Crocker Park, saw The Lorax with Cara, Keith and their little one, and munched on Menchie's.

By the time CK and his little one got back to my house my Mom was in the driveway and more visiting commenced as we Just Danced and painted nails till we worked up an appetite. The "party" continued at Latitude 41N for dinner and then my Mom and I headed to Capitol Theater to take in a showing of The Artist, better late then never right?

Sunday brought more family fun time as CK and the little one headed South to spend some time with my family in Canton. We went to church, but not my normal Greek Orthodox one, we went to Faith Family Church - a "mega church" to say the least, something I've never experienced, something totally different then I'm used to but it wasn't bad. If my cousins Cathi and Greg like it, it's worth a visit so we did and I didn't hate it (surprisingly).

Brunch at Samantha's, visiting my Mom at Arhaus Furniture and cooking CK this fancy brandied peach pork chop dinner rounded out the day. With the peach sauce looking like this, you know it was good.

I told you it was family fun weekend. Too bad I can't share all my fun pictures, sigh.

That being said, I can assure you I'll be back to my normal raucous self this upcoming weekend.

Happy Tuesday, kids!

Memphis the musical in Cleveland with a side of The Greenhouse Tavern

I was supposed to go home and do laundry, clean my house and watch TV last night. Emphasis on supposed.

Instead, I made my way to The Greenhouse Tavern to meet MOB, Lisa and Foxx. It is Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week after all, right?

We drank malbec, ordered lamb burgers, gravy frites, and duck meatball soup, my old favorite the steak tartar and my new favorite the raw kohlrabi salad. In fact I'm still thinking about the kohlrabi salad which is impressive considering I didn't even know what kohlrabi was less than 24 hours ago.

mmmmmm. raw beef. mmmmmm. kohlrabi

I was supposed to go home after dinner to do laundry, clean my house and watch TV after dinner. Emphasis on supposed, yet again.

Instead, I made my way to PlayhouseSquare for a performance of Best Musical Tony Award winning Memphis in a fancy loge in the Palace Theater courtesy of MOB.

Thank God I didn't go home.

Memphis was the best new musical I've seen in years and it officially now holds a place in my top three musicals right there with RENT and Wicked - Memphis, welcome to the club, you are amazing.

The music, the dancing, the voices, the plot - all moving. So much so that when the curtain raised for intermission I was wiping away tears and couldn't wait for the performers the take the stage all over again.


I'm telling you Cleveland, trust me, if you do one thing between now and Sunday March 11th (when the show wraps in Cleveland) go see Memphis. You can buy tickets online here.

Trust.

On that note, with all my fun during this past work week I'm thinking a leisurely weekend of all that laundry, cleaning and TV watching I didn't get to the last few nights sounds about perfect.

Or at least that's what I'm supposed to be doing... but we all know how that can end up.

Happy Friday, kids!

Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week

After eating a three course meal at Lola for lunch and a four course meal for dinner at Johnny's Downtown yesterday you could literally roll me out of my car by the time I got home last night.

Why was I eating like a mad woman you may be asking yourself?

It's Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week!


With more than 40 Downtown Cleveland restaurants participating in the 5th annual week long event you have the opportunity to have $15 lunch specials and $30 multi-course dinners at some of the best restaurants in the city.

Additionally, after you dine you have the opportunity to enter a contest online to win a foodie dream package of free monthly meals downtown for an entire year and a Vitamix 5200 blender.

Seriously, what are you waiting for?

You have until Sunday night to head out and eat some delicious food, have good times with friends and family and enjoy everything that's great about Downtown Cleveland.

Happy restaurant week, you guys!

p.s. Don't forget to enter to win a pair of tickets to see Dralion by Cirque du Soleil by commenting on this post.