That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed when the gales of November came early

OK, it's no Edmund Fitzgerald, but it's close. If it's boats you like, Cleveland has it's share. In addition to a retired WWII submarine, Cleveland has the William G. Mather steamship museum. Located not far from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Mather is an authentic 1925 Great Lakes bulk freighter. This museum allows visitors to learn more about life and commerce on the Great Lakes.

As for the Mather herself, she was built in Detroit to be the flagship of the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company (now Cleveland Cliffs, Inc.). The ship, named for the company's owner, was state-of-the-art at the time and noted for its elegant accommodations and power.

The William G. Mather is 618 feet long and 62 feet wide. The ship has a 14,000 ton capacity and was one of the first Great Lakes freighters to be equipped with radar. The William G. Mather remained the company's flagship until 1955 and stayed in service until 1980.

This post goes out to my friend Paul, who himself is a Cleveland native heading to greener pastures in Dallas. May the north star continue to guide your journey and always lead you back home. Best of luck in Dallas. See you again soon.

Holmes County (Amish Country)

Just over an hour south of Cleveland you'll find Holmes County, home of the world's largest concentration of Amish settlements. As you drive through the county it's easy to forget any worries or problems as you take in the beautiful rolling hills and changing fall colors.

While it's possible to see everything the county has to offer in a day, I would recommend spending a weekend in the county by viewing the shops on a saturday and either staying at a bed and breakfast or renting a cabin in the area for a nice quiet evening and laid back sunday morning.

As for shopping, there are numerous furniture and food stores that dot the area around Millersburg. In addition, the area also contains exquisite Dutch and Swiss restaurants (my favorite being the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Walnut Creek).

Next time you need a break from the hustle and bustle of life, take a weekend and travel out to Holmes County....where life is rich and simple and relaxing there.

Get Crazy with the Cheese Wizz!

The oldest indoor/outdoor operating market in Cleveland, the West Side Market is home to over 120 tennents selling produce, meats, bakery, fish, spices, sauces, and prepared food ranging from, but not limited to, Irish, German, Slovenian, Italian, Greek, Polish, Russian, and Middle Eastern cuisine. The market is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 7am to 4pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 7am to 6pm.

With affordable prices and diverse menu, the West Side Market has something for everyone. Whether you want to spend an hour shopping or take an entire afternoon looking browsing the various vendors, it's one place that should not be overlooked when visiting Cleveland.

Located on the corner of West 25th Street and Lorain, the West Side Market has been open since 1912 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Witness

With the Browns in a tailspin here, most Cleveland sports fans are preparing for the start of the 08-09 NBA season and the return of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Although the market here in Cleveland is small, it's a perfect place to watch the greatest player in the NBA, LeBron James. Thus far since moving to Cleveland, I've been to two Cavs games and both have been amazing to watch. The atmosphere is electrifying and the intensity of the games are explosive. Although King James is no Air Jordan, he definitely deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence.

Make time to visit the Q and 'witness' one of the greats to ever play the game. Who knows, you just might see LeBron break another NBA record as he helps lead the Cavs to a championship.

We all live in a yellow submarine

Well, not quite, but we do have a submarine. Located right on the lakefront in Cleveland is the decommissioned World War II submarine U.S.S. Cod.

Brought to Cleveland in 1959 to serve as a naval reserve training vessel, she was later turned over to Cleveland Coordinating Committee to Save Cod Inc. in 1976 to serve as a floating memorial. The Cod is one of the finest restored submarines on display and is the only U.S. submarine that has not had stairways and doors cut into her hull for public access.

Designated as a National Historic Landmark, the U.S.S. Cod is open to the public from May 1st through September 30th

A symphony is no joke

Known as one of the "Big Five" orchestra's in the United States, the Cleveland Orchestra is also one of the most reknown orchestras in the world.

Founded in 1918, the Cleveland Orchestra is led by Franz Welser-Möst. Depending on the time of year, the symphony can be found performing at Blossom Music Center, an outdoor venue located just south of Cleveland, or at Severance Hall, located in University Circle on the east side of the city.

Most concerts are held between Thursday and Sunday and ticket prices range from $36 to $110. Prior to the show, feel free to view some of the other sites around University Circle such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, or the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

There's no crying in baseball!!!!

Yeah, tell that to baseball fans here in Cleveland. The Cleveland Indians haven't won a World Series since 1948, but that hasn't stopped the city from cheering for their ball team.

While I will admit that being from Cincinnati and a baseball purist, it's hard to cheer for an American League team and designated hitters. However, this city does have a passion for it's sports teams, and it's love for the Indians draws you in. There's no place better to see this first hand than at Progressive Field.

Progressive is located on East 9th street in the heart of downtown Cleveland, and the city offers a beautiful backdrop as you watch a ballgame. The size of the stadium isn't overbearing and it offers a sense of intimacy that takes you back to the stadiums of the Golden Era of baseball like Wrigley and Fenway.

Concessions are relatively affordable and there's not a bad seat in the stadium. In fact, Progressive field has been ranked #1 in the 2008 Major League Baseball Fan Survey by Sports Illustrated Stop in and catch a Tribe game sometime....you won't be disappointed.