The Observation Deck

Is anyone up for some field trips?

I have noticed that many of us speak diferently about different areas and different places.

Anyone up for group field trips?

Maybe we could arriange it a s series.
1) Birdtown at night, Dinner at Mahalls, a nice walk with Ken Warren narrating and end up at Bela for a coffee.

2) Legacy Village, is it a good copy, is it better? Is the parking better?
Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, Naration by Ken and Joan

3) Crocker Park via Great Northen. Take the drive we took through Metro Park to Famous Dave's, then wander through westlake until we arrive at the promised land Crocker Park. A book signing at Borders, and a nice drive home along the lake. Is this drive as bad as some say?

4)Casinos in Erie PA or Buffalo. I mean if we are going to cmpare, let's be fair.

5) Friday night at McCarthy's and Johnny Malloy's. Beer and wings followed by a late night walk through the neighborhood.

6) Council meeting followed by dinner and drinks at Sullivan's

7) Planning Commission meeting followed by bowling at Mahalls

Any thoughts on this. I mean let's get into this drill down.

peace


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Suggestion added to the above. How about field trips in and around our own city too?

It seems that the people that live, say, around W.117th west into Lkwd, along the lake, might not be very familiar with for example the area around Madison and Hilliard intersection. Then going east, along Madison and up and down a few of the North - South streets between Madison and Delaware or Lakewood Hts, maybe talking to the people that might be outside, about whatever comes to mind, asking some questions in the name of getting to actually know whats on their minds.
We could note the condition of this and that, and after the trips, I'm sure we all would have a lot more topics to bring up, just from hitting the side streets and not just the main East-West streets.

The same would go for the people who live in southwest Lkwd, being unfamiliar with Birdtown or the area around the Winchester etc etc etc, in a hands or feet on way.

Possibly, we could divide the city into squares, and each trip take in a square, with those that live inside that square doing the narrating.
If a square doesn't have a LO member inside it, then we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

The reason I suggest this, is while maybe we all might drive through an area for years, do we ever really talk to someone that lives there? We would be knowing our city better than most any group of people this way.

Just a suggestion.
I like your suggestions too, btw, Jim. Mine isn't as "exciting" sounding, but it might be informative for us all, noting sidewalk conditions, parking, or lack of, on and on, or this or that, as we caravan, and get out, caravan and get out, stopping for a cold drink when we want etc.

You have some great ideas, Jim.

some more preliminary suggestions:

walking tour of the gold coast, followed by Swingos (could go on half price appetizer or $5 mussels night) or else the Water's Edge - only thing is, I don't know how strict the dress code is at Swingo's, and I'm not wearing crocodile dress shoes for the walking tour

tour of western Detroit/Sloan and the blight zone, including the new dollar store, Nature's Bin, the obnoxious mattress store, maybe Sweet Threads, followed by pizza in the new parking lot at Donato's (alternate rain location Harry Buffalo)

birdtown walking tour of Dowd, Quail, Lark, Robin, Fedor Center (aka Birdtown Towers), bowling at mahall's, followed by pizza at the former Kraus'

eastern Detroit - tour of Rockport, some of the troubled apartment buildings near St Ed's, city hall, and sexual predator haven Newman Ave, followed by Diana's or Dough Boy's (not sure of hours)

western Madison - tour including Ohio Cannabis Connection, Goddess Blessed, Chain Link Addiction (heard they moved, not sure where), new Sherwin Williams building, followed by Malley's chocolate

Clifton from W117 to Belle, quick tour of Lakewood Park's exciting new ramp to the lakefront (if it is open), then up Belle while enjoying the view of the nice concrete street, finishing at Pacers

Eastern edge tour along W117 - could include former Scientology church (Cleveland side, I know) Giant Eagle, Twist, Diana's, new DeLorean Aldi's, Subway, RTA train station, followed by Home Depot and the infamous Lido Lounge

Western edge tour - meet at ATC for pre-walk snack, walk down to Rocky River (the river, not the city), then back up and across the bridge to Bahrain-backed Caribou Coffee, followed by a tour of those tiny overpriced stores they have across the street, optional fish dinner at the seafood place

Meet at RTA train station - take circulator all the way around (45 minutes, I think), take train to W65th station, walk around the area, and take the 25 or 326 back to Lakewood

Doug

I think these sound like great ideas!

Mark/Doug

We can do all of that and more. Many of the trips you both suggested are trips many of us do now. A Mama Mia's Calzone is always followed by a walk through Birdtown. Many a night at Bela is followed by a walk of the area as well.

As Mark points out, we drive through these areas, and never stop to get the thoughst of those living there.

Of course those of us that deliver the paper, always get slowed down by good neighbors wishing to talk about their neighborhood. It is these talks that give me so much hope for this city.

I will work on this.


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Let's go for a bike ride!

Recently, Ed Favre acquainted me with a bike route he felt would be ideal for Lakewood. It starts at West 117th and Franklin and ends at Madison and Riverside. Ed put a lot of thought into this and when I reviewed and rode it, frankly I believe it could be a BIG WIN for Lakewood, and at very little cost.

The route is described in some detail here.

Please join me at Franklin and West 117th on Wednesday, July 5th at 7:30 PM to ride this route. You'll see how easy it could be to create Lakewood's first bike route. No road reconstruction, just re-striping and signs. I'm open to suggestions for post-ride refreshments.

If it's raining at 7:30 we'll ride another time. The pace will be leisurely. Please wear a helmet. We will obey all traffic laws.

P.S. Here's what Westlake is considering. Lakewood should be more active in promoting bike-friendliness, don't you think?