Tuesday was a relaxing and enjoyable day spent in the company of Patricia and Frank in coffee shops, restaurants and bars – oh, and sightseeing the rebirth of Cleveland.  We steered clear of the major tourist attractions, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, because I had already visited them on previous trips to the city, and spent time walking in downtown Cleveland then moved east to see the Cleveland Clinic, University Circle, Little Italy, Lake View Cemetery and countless interesting spots in between.

Everywhere you go in Cleveland seems to be  newly renovated or under construction. Some of the current improvements are in response to the city hosting  the Republican National Convention next June but the huge number of new restaurants, breweries, coffee shops and other small businesses are a testament to the ongoing investment in the city. We went all over town and the story was the same but I was most impressed by the development or restoration of previously abandoned buildings downtown.

The four theaters that make up Playhouse Square represent the largest performing arts center in the US outside of New York City. They were built in the 1920s but closed completely in the late 60s and were vandalized or burned. The restoration of these theaters is still ongoing but they are now fully reopened and we managed to sneak into a couple and see their full glory with the lights on. Innovative companies, such as Heinen’s grocery store chain, have re-purposed beautiful old bank buildings in intriguing and creative ways and the many arcades in the city center have been restored.

Visiting Lake View Cemetery, where President Garfield has a soaring monument and John D. Rockerfeller and Eliot Ness are among the many famous names resting there, was a highlight. The weather was cool and damp creating the perfect atmosphere to ponder the lives and view the extravagant memorials built to honor the wealthy of past generations.

It was a great day with no driving. I will post about Wednesday and Thursday tomorrow as the video has not finished rendering due to my late arrival in Detroit.

A view of downtown Cleveland from the west as the clouds threaten.  One of the magnificent arcades of shops in downtown.Although it was impossible to capture in a single photograph this grocery store made wonderful use of the circular rotunda of a former bank. Above the arcade of pillars is the magnificent dome of glass
The Rocherfeller memorial in Lake View Cemetery with the headstones in the foreground.