Honestly, really I want to invite both of you to come to Cleveland. It could be for a weekend, or a week. I don't mind at all. I would love to have the ability to (1) show you why you are wrong (2) the impact of your article on the city of Cleveland.
First point of contention. Sports teams are factored in? Really? So because of this fact North Dakota was not in this mix? They have snow and horrible weather 10 months out of the year but we are worse huh? Let me take you to a game to see the Cavs, the Lake Erie Monsters, Indians, Crushers, Captains, or even the Browns. Just 2 years ago the Indians were 2 strikes away from the World Series. The Cavs have been in the Playoffs consistently with James or without him years before him. Talk to the fans on how much they love these teams and what they bring to the city.
Second point of contention: Crime is rampant in Cleveland. South Central LA and other cities are plagued with gang violence where people are afraid to walk down or even drive down sections of of these cities. In parts of Arizona they kidnap people out of their homes to hold them for ransom in Mexico. I can walk or drive down even the worst neighborhoods in Cleveland strapped with my cameras taking photos with no fear of being kidnapped, mugged, or be involved in a drive by shooting. I have been doing it for years now.
Third point of contention. Foreclosures are on the rise. Only here? Really, Cleveland is worse of than say Florida where vacant homes pepper the streets of all the so called growth cities from less than 5 years ago? How about Arizona again here, same deal. These are brand new homes we are talking about in these sunny states. The subprime mortgage crisis rippled through every state. No major city or suburb was immune to this beast. We are building up our city with housing, condos, and Townhouses in Cleveland proper. People want to live in the city again.
Fourth point of contention. Steve and Kurt here is where you can have some of that blue collar down home language. The river caught on fire. You are an asshole for even mentioning this. 1969, Kurt...40 years ago our river caught on fire. We even have a local beer called Burning River Ale in honor of this. We accept this fact and embrace it, but adding something that happened 40 years ago just to drive the point home was incredibly irresponsible. We live on a major waterway where ships pass through daily, where families take the kids to swim through the summer months at our many public beaches, where we catch fresh fish, jet ski, water ski and boat. We have an incredible resource in Lake Erie and treat it with respect now.
The reason I would like to take you to Cleveland is not to tar and feather you on Public Square but to show you the what we do have to offer and the people that love this city. We have a world renowned orchestra. We have one of the most incredible art museums in the Nation. We have the Lake Erie Science Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Zoo, acres upon acres of our public Metropark systems, and miles and miles of sandy beaches. We have restaurants that rival your big city New York pretentious ones. I would put Michael Symon's Lola and Rocco Whalen's Fahrenheit against whatever you want to compare it too, and I will guarantee you will be impressed. Want to try some Cleveland soul food? I'll take you in the heart of the crime infested city to try out Angie's. How about the best ribs you can imagine at Hot Sauce Williams? How about nightlife? I can take you to The Beachland Ballroom, Grog Shop to check out our local artists. Do you like blues? Sure let's head over to the Parkview Night Club and check that out too. How about art? I am sure I can find 100 different local galleries for you to go to. How about a spring day in the butterfly enclosure at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens on a perfect Sunday afternoon. We can grab a quick bite to eat right up the street in Little Italy, or head a couple miles up the road to Coventry to have a vegan feast at Tommy's. How about a hand crafted brew from one of the many Microbreweries in Cleveland. We can stop by Great Lakes Brewing Company and have a pint then walk across to the street to long time gem of Cleveland known as the Westside Market where you can find all sorts of fresh fruit and vegetables, choice cuts of meat and ethnic originals. How about pierogies at Sokolowski's University Inn. Let's drive by and see the leg lamp at the original Christmas Story house then take in the Tremont Art Walk. You get the picture. I can find more unique and positive things in this city than the flecks of dirt you are trying to bury it with. You just choose to ignore them because that won't sell copy now will it?
The fact here is we laughed at you and your article in spite quite a lot in the last couple of days. You forget Cleveland has a new serial killer to claim. We thought about the stupid, harmful, yet oh so witty jokes you would write about it. "Cleveland smells so bad, they think the smell of rotting murder victims is the smell of the sausage factory next store to suspects house." See, we can joke about it Kurt. It is our town. We have corrupt officials and they will be on their way out eventually. They are nothing like Ron Blagojevich but ok, maybe we have more in numbers but not in magnitude. We fear that the Medical Mart is going to fall through because of these idiots. The thing is Kurt what does an article like this really do in the long run? Who does it help when you point out the black eyes and bruises of a city trying to rebuild and shake ghosts of Cleveland past? It helps sell your magazine I am sure and since print media is a dying medium you got to do something shocking to sell your rag. I get it. It's business but it doesn't make you any less wrong. You say you pored over stats, but your stats are flawed. Sporting teams? At least we have not just one of them but three of them not counting the minor league teams, most cities have one to none. Our weather is not the worst around, move to Buffalo see how that feels. I am sure they have the foreclosures too. Kurt, our river caught fire 40 years ago, but you manged to light that fire one more time. You lit a fire under the fans and citizens of "the mistake on the lake" we love and call home. So I invite you and Steve to pop on down and I'll take you on a tour for a week so you can see how wrong you really are.
First point of contention. Sports teams are factored in? Really? So because of this fact North Dakota was not in this mix? They have snow and horrible weather 10 months out of the year but we are worse huh? Let me take you to a game to see the Cavs, the Lake Erie Monsters, Indians, Crushers, Captains, or even the Browns. Just 2 years ago the Indians were 2 strikes away from the World Series. The Cavs have been in the Playoffs consistently with James or without him years before him. Talk to the fans on how much they love these teams and what they bring to the city.
Second point of contention: Crime is rampant in Cleveland. South Central LA and other cities are plagued with gang violence where people are afraid to walk down or even drive down sections of of these cities. In parts of Arizona they kidnap people out of their homes to hold them for ransom in Mexico. I can walk or drive down even the worst neighborhoods in Cleveland strapped with my cameras taking photos with no fear of being kidnapped, mugged, or be involved in a drive by shooting. I have been doing it for years now.
Third point of contention. Foreclosures are on the rise. Only here? Really, Cleveland is worse of than say Florida where vacant homes pepper the streets of all the so called growth cities from less than 5 years ago? How about Arizona again here, same deal. These are brand new homes we are talking about in these sunny states. The subprime mortgage crisis rippled through every state. No major city or suburb was immune to this beast. We are building up our city with housing, condos, and Townhouses in Cleveland proper. People want to live in the city again.
Fourth point of contention. Steve and Kurt here is where you can have some of that blue collar down home language. The river caught on fire. You are an asshole for even mentioning this. 1969, Kurt...40 years ago our river caught on fire. We even have a local beer called Burning River Ale in honor of this. We accept this fact and embrace it, but adding something that happened 40 years ago just to drive the point home was incredibly irresponsible. We live on a major waterway where ships pass through daily, where families take the kids to swim through the summer months at our many public beaches, where we catch fresh fish, jet ski, water ski and boat. We have an incredible resource in Lake Erie and treat it with respect now.
The reason I would like to take you to Cleveland is not to tar and feather you on Public Square but to show you the what we do have to offer and the people that love this city. We have a world renowned orchestra. We have one of the most incredible art museums in the Nation. We have the Lake Erie Science Museum, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Zoo, acres upon acres of our public Metropark systems, and miles and miles of sandy beaches. We have restaurants that rival your big city New York pretentious ones. I would put Michael Symon's Lola and Rocco Whalen's Fahrenheit against whatever you want to compare it too, and I will guarantee you will be impressed. Want to try some Cleveland soul food? I'll take you in the heart of the crime infested city to try out Angie's. How about the best ribs you can imagine at Hot Sauce Williams? How about nightlife? I can take you to The Beachland Ballroom, Grog Shop to check out our local artists. Do you like blues? Sure let's head over to the Parkview Night Club and check that out too. How about art? I am sure I can find 100 different local galleries for you to go to. How about a spring day in the butterfly enclosure at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens on a perfect Sunday afternoon. We can grab a quick bite to eat right up the street in Little Italy, or head a couple miles up the road to Coventry to have a vegan feast at Tommy's. How about a hand crafted brew from one of the many Microbreweries in Cleveland. We can stop by Great Lakes Brewing Company and have a pint then walk across to the street to long time gem of Cleveland known as the Westside Market where you can find all sorts of fresh fruit and vegetables, choice cuts of meat and ethnic originals. How about pierogies at Sokolowski's University Inn. Let's drive by and see the leg lamp at the original Christmas Story house then take in the Tremont Art Walk. You get the picture. I can find more unique and positive things in this city than the flecks of dirt you are trying to bury it with. You just choose to ignore them because that won't sell copy now will it?
The fact here is we laughed at you and your article in spite quite a lot in the last couple of days. You forget Cleveland has a new serial killer to claim. We thought about the stupid, harmful, yet oh so witty jokes you would write about it. "Cleveland smells so bad, they think the smell of rotting murder victims is the smell of the sausage factory next store to suspects house." See, we can joke about it Kurt. It is our town. We have corrupt officials and they will be on their way out eventually. They are nothing like Ron Blagojevich but ok, maybe we have more in numbers but not in magnitude. We fear that the Medical Mart is going to fall through because of these idiots. The thing is Kurt what does an article like this really do in the long run? Who does it help when you point out the black eyes and bruises of a city trying to rebuild and shake ghosts of Cleveland past? It helps sell your magazine I am sure and since print media is a dying medium you got to do something shocking to sell your rag. I get it. It's business but it doesn't make you any less wrong. You say you pored over stats, but your stats are flawed. Sporting teams? At least we have not just one of them but three of them not counting the minor league teams, most cities have one to none. Our weather is not the worst around, move to Buffalo see how that feels. I am sure they have the foreclosures too. Kurt, our river caught fire 40 years ago, but you manged to light that fire one more time. You lit a fire under the fans and citizens of "the mistake on the lake" we love and call home. So I invite you and Steve to pop on down and I'll take you on a tour for a week so you can see how wrong you really are.
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