Scene 01/28/26

UPFRONT TWO PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES CHALLENGING MARTIN SWEENEY

ON JANUARY 5, CLEVELAND CITY Council swore in three new members — Nikki Hudson, Austin Davis and Tanmay Shah — who ran campaigns centered on progressive promises for City Hall. A couple of candidates hope a similar movement might be coming for Cuyahoga County Council as races heat up ahead of the May primaries.

In District 3, incumbent Democrat Martin Sweeney is being challenged by a pair of progressives who feel that the same forward-looking ideals that made their way into City Council should find a home at the county level.

That’s the goal of Anise Mayo and Stephanie Thomas. Both made the decision to run under the belief that current county leadership has grown dull in its attention to more liberal, boundary-pushing ideas on how to better government.

“This is not specifically about Martin J. Sweeney; this is more just standing up to the establishment,” Thomas, 41, told Scene in a phone call.

“You know, it seems to me like there could be a lot more progress made with a younger, fresher approach,” she added.

Mayo, a 42-year-old community health nurse and former professor, said her decades in healthcare pushed her last year to see if she could collect signatures to influence well-being rather than just tend to it.

“This nurse got tired of watching everyone in the county government drop the ball,” she said in a call. “I’m talking property taxes, cost of living, affordability, healthcare. All the things that make everyday life possible for us all.”

To do so, Mayo said she would back even more transparency in the county’s property tax payment process; advocate for more shared policing responsibility for Downtown Cleveland; and back grants to housing nonprofits that help the county’s estimated 5,000 homeless transition to a permanent home.

Those are areas where Mayo feels the current Council is falling behind on.

“To me, progressive means progression to move forward,” Mayo said. “Concepts and ideas you can advance to help everyday people.”

Which fits Thomas’ campaign, too. A trained architect and out member of the LGBTQ community who owns a sober home for LGBTQ people in recovery, Thomas’ platform really runs the gamut as far as how to shake up county government.

She wants to create a Cuyahoga County Labor Relations Board to prevent worker abuse; form a rent control board that, like New York City’s, caps all rent increases

at 1.5 percent; and she wants to create county incentive programs to nudge smaller developers to build affordable housing over luxury mid-rises.

All ideas that Thomas, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, sees as natural extensions of her political philosophy.

“It’s all about the community, taking action to address things that we see as inequities or injustices,” she said. “We’re just very solution-oriented. That’s how I see it.”

District 3 has roughly 109,000 people, and covers an area that spans Old Brooklyn in the south, Ohio City in the north, and West Boulevard to the west. Despite rising home prices in Ohio City,

tearing up half of the alluring greenery along the way. Eighty of the 100 trees on the stretch would be uprooted.

That was the information shared on a flyer posted to social media by concerned residents.

“This is an ill-conceived plan,” it read, next to a chainsaw cutting the “CH” tree logo. “Adding a ten-foot-wide asphalt bike path to the median is unnecessary, costly and would destroy our beautiful, tree-lined street.”

Bike lanes and multi-use trails are typically embraced with open arms, sold to planning committees and city councils as win-win fixes to calm traffic, spur business and save cyclists’ lives.

District 3 isn’t wholly wealthy: nearly half of its residents are in or near the poverty line.

Reached for comment, Sweeney remained curt about his campaign for re-election.

“I’m just waiting for the filing deadline, and then we’ll stay focused. I’m confident I’ll continue serving,” he said.

“I’m excited with the current leadership,” Sweeney said. “And the ability to govern with this group. I think it’s going to prove some good results.” – Mark Oprea

Opposition to Planned Heights Multipurpose Trail is Premature, Misguided, Cities Say

For many first hearing about the plans, the information was alarming.

A bike trail proposed for the bulk of Washington Blvd., from Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights to Walter Stinson Park in University Heights, would mean

that coverage from 2011 to 2017, due to development and the cost of caretaking. The newest revelation was cause for alarm. But that concern is premature, according to officials.

City administrations told Scene that trail designs are nowhere near being rendered, a full price tag hasn’t been settled on yet, nor is the amount of trees that would have to go if the trail’s constructed.

As for the latter detail, former University Heights Mayor Michael Brennan estimated in September that only six trees would be removed in that city.

“I want to reassure you that if any trees are removed, they will be replaced,” Brennan wrote in a letter to the public, shortly after seeing the flyer posted on social media. “As they always are in University Heights.”

In an interview with Scene, Brennan chalked up the “spread of misinformation” as an attempt to “undermine the project.” All petty attempts to delay what Brennan said would be a good thing—to give cyclists a safer route through the East Side.

“The Heights communities are held back when we act provincially and we act in the interests of a small group of noisy people,” he said.

Instead of fair public comment, he added, “you got some cowardly POS who put some piece of crap flyer out there on the Internet which, you know, goes viral and it scares people.”

When reached for comment, a Cleveland Heights spokesperson denounced any speculation—especially the alarm found in the chainsaw flyer—as simple hearsay.

But in the Heights, opposition has formed ever since a Washington Boulevard Multipurpose Trail was proposed in a regional transportation plan early last year.

The flyer, first posted anonymously in a handful of Facebook groups and online forums, only managed to further inflame.

“When I saw it, I thought, ‘What the hell! Are they really going to decimate another part of the landscape?’” Kevin Horter, a 49-year-old elementary school teacher who lives near Washington and Brookshire, told Scene in a phone call.

“I couldn’t believe they would go forth with some kind of poorly thought out plan,” he said. “For just a half-mile stretch.” He laughed. “I might be chaining myself to a tree.”

Though Cleveland Heights has an above average canopy for a city in Cuyahoga County, it lost 13 percent of

“The plan’s intention to improve bike safety along Washington Boulevard does not specify a design for a ‘bike path,’ nor has any design been created,” they wrote Scene.

“The city shares our residents’ passion for protecting our green spaces and trees,” they added. “We want to assure them that, when the time comes to review [plan] recommendations, or any other proposed project, Mayor Petras is committed to developing a purposeful plan that balances the need for green spaces and strengthening our neighborhoods, and would not support a design that would cut through the Washington Boulevard median.”

About $1 million from a federal grant has been raised so far. After designs are finalized, construction of the trail itself could take two to three years.  – Mark Oprea

LAST JULY, A COTERIE OF THE city’s most formidable power brokers gathered for a topping-off ceremony for the new Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center. It was, in terms of notable moments in the region, a reason for joy.

Here, the Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Bedrock were building a state-of-the-art practice facility, erecting a gleaming new building downtown on the shores of the Cuyahoga River as another member of the city elite was plotting his escape down I-71 to the scenic enclave of Brook Park in a Brinks truck packed with taxpayer cash.

Mayor Justin Bibb rhetorically rose to the meet the moment.

“Cleveland is back,” he proclaimed to applause, smiles, and a shared sense of excitement.

Setting aside the hyperbole, the mayor had every reason to wax enthusiastic about the state of Cleveland. Plans were coming together to finally remake the lakefront. Public safety stats have steadily improved. Investment continued to pour into the east side. Most people

THE WORST OF CLEVELAND 2026

A celebration of depravity and incompetence.

By Vince Grzegorek

seemed to be working together on a better future.

But we’re not here to talk about any of that. We are instead here to recognize those who worked to thwart that progress across Northeast Ohio over the past year. The ones who left us saying, “Cleveland is going backwards.” The nefarious actors, bumbling idiots, self-absorbed morons, inept institutions, depraved ideas, and thieving bastards intent on charting a course toward regression.

This is the Worst of Cleveland. The envelopes please…

BERNIE MORENO

It would be apt and easy to simply describe Moreno as a broken gray crayon or a rusted 1995 AC Delco car battery and move along with our day. All three, after all, share identical levels of empathy and intellectual honesty. But, unfortunately for Ohio, the former car dealer with no prior political experience rode the Trump sycophancy wave to become a United States Senator and can now do real damage to the country instead of

merely casting about with idle Blockland schemes in between assorted local board meetings.

It wasn’t always this way, you’ll remember. Before Covid, the tech evangelist and entrepreneur was viewed with respect or affection by most and curiosity even by his detractors. He was politically hard to pin down. He was passionate. He was charming. Fast forward four years and he’s now simply a Trumpian clone intent on attacking immigrants, rewriting history, spreading lies, and vilifying the nation’s most vulnerable. Amid the escalating ICE tensions, it’s worth remembering Moreno’s allegiances are clear – “Deport more, much more.” He’s introduced bills to make English the national language and to ban dual citizenships (to make one’s loyalties clear, he claimed). Moreno, in his own words and in his full-throttled support of Trump, advocates for a fundamentally undemocratic country, one governed only by grudges, whims and retribution against enemies where the rule of law, if it exists, only applies to those without power, money, and access.

With that being said, were there a

yearbook for the current crop of Senators, he’d be voted Most Likely to Always Have Been Against This some years down the line. Which makes his current views all the more abhorrent.

THE CITY CLUB

Speaking of Moreno, he was at the center of one of two recent instances in which the venerated City Club of Cleveland once again showed itself to be an organization most chiefly concerned with civility above truth and proximity to power.

By last August, Moreno hadn’t done a town hall, so the public’s first chance to hear from the Senator first-hand and to lob their own questions came at the City Club. His appearance was met with protests outside and guffaws, chortles, and jeers inside as Moreno spent an hour breathlessly defending Trump on the Big Beautiful Bill, tariffs and other topics that ran contrary to both facts and public sentiment. The crowd reaction so stunned City Club leadership that CEO Dan Moulthrop that he interrupted the affair to say, “I just want to invite everybody to take a couple of deep breaths and recognize that we all came here to hear answers, and we may not be satisfied with those answers, but we’re here to respect civic discourse.” City Club board president Mark Ross doubled down afterward, saying: “I would just off script remind everyone that if we’re going to continue to get speakers like Bernie, like Senator Moreno here tonight, we have to be a little bit more thoughtful in the way we’re acting in the audience.” It was a plea not for civility but for docility. They conveyed that reaction inside the hallowed halls must be curtailed as to limit disagreement. This is a venue for polite nods, even in the face of lies. With the threat that anything else might endanger the chances of having someone else show up and fear something approaching – god forbid – pushback on their views. Which the City Club would frame as a loss for the public but in reality, would just be a loss for them.

It wasn’t long before the City Club stepped in it again. In January, it hosted Aaron Bear, president of the Center for Christian Virtue, a virulently ant-LGBTQ group. The City Club had invited Baer because of the growing and outsized role CCV is playing in state politics. It did so, it said, in line with its mission to convene

open dialogue on the topics that matter most, to go beyond the headlines and video clips and quotes to better understand the world we live in, especially when it comes to some topics with which some people disagree. Here, as it did in 2017 when it hosted fired Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, the City Club acted as though it had to host Baer. That in order to defend the first amendment and continue to be the citadel of free speech, it absolutely was under an obligation to invite someone to tell an audience that transgender people don’t exist. The first amendment exists to protect people from the government infringing on their rights. The City Club, meanwhile, doesn’t exist as a stress test on that amendment -- its own policy, in fact, prohibits bigotry, and it has vague, undetermined limits on who they haul out to Cleveland for a marquee moment. It chooses to feature and platform who it wants. And it chose to do so here, even as myriad advocacy groups warned of the harm it would cause with no upside. CCV isn’t hurting for access, after all. It is, however, hunting for legitimacy for its brand of hate on a broader scale. Kudos, City Club. You gave it to them.

THE BLACK KEYS

Akron’s hometown boys had a rough go of it in 2024. After announcing a tour backing the duo’s International Players album, the band quickly canceled the entirety of the run due to lackluster ticket sales. The band’s management team in Irving Azoff and Steve Moir made some grave mistakes in booking venues far larger than demand existed at the time, and the Nashville-based group quickly parted ways with them in the aftermath of the debacle. Not Dan and Pat’s fault. Still churning out halfway decent fare most of the time. How would they rebound? By playing a hometown concert? Great plan. By playing a hometown concert sponsored by a shady crypto PAC intent on unseating Democrats across the state in favor of Republicans happy to rubberstamp loose crypto regulations alongside whatever other hellish policies they campaigned on? Not great.

THE URBAN AGENDA

Remember when a who’s who of Cleveland leaders gathered to sign a ceremonial memorandum of understanding promising to bring collective action from 16 non-profits and public entities to address economic mobility and the related racial disparities that have mired many Clevelanders in systemic poverty? You’d be forgiven for forgetting, as it happened nine months ago and the “unprecedented” and possibly “Nobel Peace Prize-winning” collaboration had achieved nothing at that point to merit a ceremonial anything (unless you count saying “poverty is bad” as an accomplishment) and

has apparently done nothing in the interim except create a dashboard of widely available stats on those topics. Cleveland loves a summit. Cleveland is also eagerly awaiting the next one where the Urban Agenda group shares any concrete updates, including if it has in fact solved poverty. Fingers crossed, guys!

THE GREATER CLEVELAND PARTNERSHIP

GCP’s relationship to Cleveland, and specifically working Clevelanders, has been tenuous at best for some time now. The chamber of commerce has long since set its eyes and priorities on the suburbs and the businessmen and women who prefer those enclaves to what they see as the perilous streets of the city. Two years ago, as just one example, it vigorously opposed codified community benefits agreements for developers working in Cleveland that receive taxpayer benefits. Just your basic, run-of-the-mill, widely derided horseshit that brought disparate groups together to shake their heads (you know things are seriously fucked when even Scene and Dave Wondolowski agree on something).

Things came to a head this year, however, thanks to the Browns. In May, GCP’s executive committee voted to endorse the Haslams’ plan to move the team to a new dome in Brook Park after purportedly “studying” the issue for months and coming to the conclusion it would draw two or three times more events as a downtown stadium. It was, according to Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, who both severed all ties with GCP following the news, a clear abdication of GCP’s relationship with the city.

But it was former councilman Kerry McCormack who put it most honestly and succinctly, saying, ““It is the worstkept secret in town that GCP’s leadership is disinterested in the work of revitalizing our region’s core. There should be a change of leadership at this increasingly

irrelevant organization or an acknowledgment that they are here to represent the interests of only the ultra-wealthy. Clevelanders deserve a chamber of commerce with a backbone that champions the urban core.” Hear, hear, Kerry. It almost makes us forgive you for going to work for Flock.

IDEASTREAM & CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Anytime you have a chance to take beloved college radio station and turn it into a 24/7 jazz platform while pissing off students, the community, donors and people who rarely pay attention to the news, you simply have to do it. That’s apparently what Ideastream and Cleveland State University believe as they worked in secret for months to kill WCSB in exchange for… checks notes… a board seat for CSU president Laura Bloomberg and some on-air promo spots. Good stuff. Totally worth it. Beyond the obvious, it’s galling that neither side seemed prepared for the backlash or compassionate enough to give the station’s talent a runway to say goodbye. In a world of corporate overlords and algorithms, DJs – real honest to god human beings – sharing what they love and why across a diverse spectrum of music is something to be treasured, protected, and preserved. For Ideastream and CSU, WCSB was instead something to thoughtlessly cast off and cut the cord on, another significant cut to culture and history in Cleveland made possible by some of the least curious and interesting people around.

JOHN WILLIAMS, THE BILLBOARD GUY

Few have brought the entire city together in recent memory like John Williams, the ubiquitous and tone-deaf real estate dude who erected crass, offensive and racist billboards across the city last summer. “I Buy Crack Houses” was the worst of the bunch, though references to

trash houses, divorce and more littered the city from east to west. Obstinately defiant against claims that he was a predatory investor, Williams nevertheless seems to have abandoned his billboard campaign shortly after widespread community backlash. In a city still attempting to claw out a housing crisis still plagued by out-of-state investors and absentee landlords, Williams was the last thing anyone wanted or needed.

JOE JONES

The councilman isn’t in jail, so compared to the likes of Ken Johnson and Basheer Jones, he’s not the worst we’ve seen in recent eras. But Jones did become the first Cleveland City Councilperson censured by his colleagues in the body in 50 years after string of allegations, found credible by outside investigations, that included Jones threatening to kill a council employee, touching the breast of another, making uncomfortable remarks to a female artist, and using angry, abusive language. Council President Blaine Griffin said Jones, through those actions, violated Council policies on sexual harassment and workplace violence. His “sustained pattern of inappropriate and unprofessional behavior “necessitated the escalating punishments, including stepping down from his committee assignments. This being City Council, none of it really mattered and Jones went on to easily win reelection in the new Ward 1. The “dignity and integrity” of Council remains intact as ever.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Cleveland Cliffs. Power-hungry suburban mayors not named Kahlil Seren. Cleveland Public Power. Chris Quinn’s AI columns. Ridge Road. Self-checkout kiosks. Max Miller. Concertgoers who, after all these years of complaints, still won’t shut their mouths at shows. Local influencers “discovering” hidden gems like the West Side Market, Velvet Tango Room, etc.

Date Your

Cleveland knows how to set the stage for romance. From chef-driven dining experiences and sunsets over Lake Erie to strolls through vibrant neighborhoods, the city is overflowing with incredible date-night possibilities. Handin-hand with that special someone, explore eclectic streets, savor flavors that tell a story and uncover hidden gems that make The Land the ultimate backdrop for L-O-V-E

Here’s some inspiration to help you plan a date that feels both elevated and unforgettable.

DINNER DATE

Westsiders promises refined romance vibes with a modern twist. Known for handcrafted cocktails, scratch-made pastas and seasonal dishes like salmon and scallops.

“You’ll see unique cocktails you won’t find elsewhere” says Madison Berner, director of public relations for Local Hospitality Group. “It’s a great spot whether you want the full dinner or just appetizers and drinks.”

The Rocky River favorite is a larger space but still feels private and intimate, offering three distinct areas: the lounge and bar is comfortable and relaxed, ideal for a first date or cocktails; the dining room is designed for a more traditional romantic dinner; and the garage area has low-top tables and sofa seating areas for a cozy feel. Reservations are recommended.

FIRST DATE TIP: Start with cocktails at the bar and, if sparks fly, stay for dinner. The bar is full-service and comfortable for a full meal. 19880 Detroit Road, Rocky River, 440-488-9908, westsiders.com

When you think of date night, barbecue might not be the first cuisine that comes to mind, but Landmark Smokehouse has been proving couples wrong for years.

Landmark is known for its elevated barbecue, but what truly sets it apart is its exclusive bourbon collection. With 22 custom barrel picks — including two house tequilas and 20 bourbons you won’t find anywhere else — Landmark boasts one of the best bourbon selections in the city. For bourbon lovers, this is a date night destination that surprises and impresses. With seating for about 56 guests, Landmark feels intimate yet lively. The new furniture and design create a comfortable, upscale environment where guests love

to linger. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends, as this spot is a go-to for birthdays, anniversaries and date nights. Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends, as this spot is a go-to for birthdays, anniversaries and date nights.

“The number of times I’ve sent champagne to tables because it’s an anniversary or an engagement — it’s definitely a date night spot,” says Cody Cammarn, general manager. “Barbecue doesn’t usually scream romance, but for whatever reason, it works.” 11637 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland, 216-230-4040, landmarksmokehouse.com

“Like, oh my God, I ordered the build-yourown sundae and all my toppings came out on a ferris wheel,” Licastro laughs. “Or our carnival crab cakes — they’re like corn dogs, but with crab cakes inside.”

Even the little details matter: The front door is a repurposed vintage meat cooler, the windows are blacked out for an immersive vibe and checks come with Hershey’s Kisses and temporary tattoos.

“Those cheeky touches open up opportunities for conversation and laughter,” Licastro says. “Even if the date’s not going great, you can still share a giggle.” Reservations are recommended. 12179 W. 11th St., Cleveland, 216-331-2724, steakcle.com

If you’re aiming for a date night that feels like an occasion, STEAK in Tremont is a showstopper. This is where you add special notes and expect a few surprises along the way.

“It’s the main event,” says Julia Licastro, VP of Operations for Hangry Brands. “We do custom menus for special events, and we try to create those wow moments — because people want places they can tell stories about.”

From cocktails served in bathtubs with rubber duckies to hidden flasks tucked inside books, STEAK leans into playful luxury.

Sometimes date night calls for a casual stop in for a slice of pie, and Geraci’s Slice Shop delivers.

Located near Rocket Arena and Progressive Field, it’s the ultimate pre- or post-game hangout.

“Perfect if you’re going to a Cavs or Monsters game and want to grab a quick bite,” says Julia Licastro, vice president of operations.

The vibe is pure nostalgia: think ’80s pizzeria style with vintage decor, Pac-Man machines and a soundtrack of throwback hits.

“It’s all about that big slice of pizza,” Licastro adds. “Served New York-style on paper plates.

Grab a beer or cocktail in a cute little flask, or just take your slice to go and keep the night rolling.” 603 Prospect Ave. E, Cleveland, 216-202-2775, geracisrestaurant.com

HAVE FUN TOGETHER

Sometimes the best way to connect is over creative cocktails, conversation and a little friendly competition. Enter Birdietown, Cleveland’s only indoor mini golf hotspot.

Located in Lakewood’s Birdtown neighborhood, Birdietown is the manifestation of a date-night dream from owners Tim and Erin Frazee. “I literally have a brown paper napkin from Bar Cento in a frame where we sketched out a corner building with a corner entrance, and it looks remarkably like what we ended up with,” Erin recalls. “That was 15 years ago.”

Birdietown more than delivers on that vision with a two-story, one-of-a-kind concept that includes stunning bars, a menu of delicious shareables and unique libations (try the FORE! Play) and two nine-hole courses (one on each level) — all packaged in a sparkling, stylish atmosphere that feels special.

“We love cozying up at a bar to have dinner,” Erin says. “So it was important that we had beautiful bars. Upstairs, it’s lively and glowing with the chandelier. Downstairs, it’s much more loungey, like a speakeasy.”

In just a year since opening, Birdietown has become a little love nest, now a popular spot for blind dates, first dates, proposals and even couples stopping in for photos on their wedding day.

Mini-golf might be a winning icebreaker for a high-stakes first date: “You have something to do with your hands,” Erin says with a laugh. “My personal favorite is when people come in, have cocktails and play golf. It’s an activity, so it breaks the ice right away. You have a drink, then dinner, and if the night’s going well, you can go downstairs and play another nine holes.”

Happy hour makes Birdietown a great after-work meetup spot, and after 7 p.m. the space becomes strictly 21+, creating a true adults-only escape. 12501 Madison Ave., Lakewood, birdietowncle.com

Want to take your date to the next level?

Visit Cleveland Rocks Climbing in Ohio City, a striking venue nestled in the historic Ohio City Masonic Temple with rock walls and skylights that feels like a hidden wonder.

The high-octane outing offers 18,000 square feet of climbing that is welcoming to both newcomers and seasoned pros. 2831 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, 216-220-9894, clevelandrocksclimbing.org

How about a book crawl to explore Cleveland’s indie bookstores. Consider Loganberry Books on Larchmere, featuring themed rooms and floor-to-ceiling shelves, the ThirdSpace Reading Room in Glenville, which celebrates Black culture and hosts reading circles, and Visible Voice in Ohio City, now located in a stunning former theater with plans for live music and readings.

13015 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland, 216-795-9800, loganberrybooks.com

1464 E. 105th St., Cleveland, 440-753-1275, thirdspacereadingroom. com 4601 Lorain Ave., Cleveland, 216-961-0084, visiblevoicebooks.com

CHEERS TO ROMANCE

For sultry, sophisticated spirits to celebrate a special evening, head to Society Speakeasy in the heart of downtown on East Fourth Street. Hangry Brands acquired this Cleveland staple in April and turned up the speakeasy vibes to full volume.

“We even moved the entrance,” says Julia Licastro, vice president of operations, explains. “Now, when you walk downstairs, it looks like a maintenance room with hard hats and work orders. Then you enter through a broom closet lined with actual brooms and mops — and suddenly you’re in this glamorous, cave-like bar with plush banquettes and bathtubs turned into tables.”

The crowd is strictly 21+, making it ideal for romantic evenings. The cocktail program ranges from adventurous craft creations to classics done perfectly.

“If you want the best espresso martini you’ve ever had, we’ve got that,” Licastro says. “But if you’re feeling bold, we’ve got experimental options too.”

Pair your drink with a snack tray of popcorn, nuts and pretzels — or indulge in decadent desserts like gold-dusted chocolate mousse cake or rotating cheesecakes.

“It’s the perfect spot before or after dinner — or for a nightcap after Playhouse Square,” Licastro adds. 2063 East Fourth Street, Cleveland, 216-930-2655, societycleveland.com

In the heart of downtown Lakewood, you’ll find Humble Wine Bar

If you’re looking for a date night that feels warm and inviting — like a fine wine and bubbling wood-fired pizza — Humble has glowing reviews as a date-night favorite.

Tucked into Detroit’s streetscape in the heart of the city, Humble offers rustic charm, globally inspired flavors and an atmosphere that makes you want to linger whether it’s a romantic evening, a first date or a night out with friends.

“We want people to feel comfortable, whether they’re sharing small plates, sipping

cocktails or just enjoying the vibe,” says Nick Deeb, who, along with Geoff Mathias, took ownership of Humble in May 2025. “Hospitality is everything to us. We love taking care of people and creating a space where they can relax and connect.”

The bar seating is especially intimate. “You’re right in front of the pizza oven, so there’s this warmth and energy that makes the experience special,” he says.

Humble recently refreshed its menu with bold, global flavors sure to get the date-night buzzing. The wine list goes beyond the basics, featuring varietals like Nebbiolo, Trebbiano,

The seasonal cocktail menu is equally creative, with options like a pancetta fat-washed whiskey and peach drink, an ube-infused egg white sour and a spiced pear daiquiri. Bourbon lovers will appreciate the curated selection featuring E.H. Taylor and Blanton’s.

End the date with the Humble’s hit dessert cocktail: The Banana Fana Fo Fini, a banana espresso martini topped with a bruleed banana slice. “People love it,” Deeb says.

15400 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-767-5977, humblewinebar.com

TOUR A NEIGHBORHOOD

Start with Poppy on Larchmere in the Greater Buckeye neighborhood. This charming restaurant offers a cozy, sit-down experience in a beautifully restored house, surrounded by walkable shops and galleries for exploring before or after dinner. 12502 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland, 216-415-5069, poppycleveland.com

Cleveland’s 29 distinct and eclectic neighborhoods offer endless ways to make date night unforgettable. Thanks to the Love Cleveland Neighborhoods campaign from Cleveland Neighborhood Progress — and stellar recommendations from the nonprofit’s marketing director, Josh Jones Forbes — we’re shining a spotlight on some of the city’s most romantic, unique and unexpected destinations. 603 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland, 216-202-2775, geracissliceshop.com

Another hidden gem is Doc’s on Harvard in the Lee-Harvard neighborhood. This intimate fine-dining spot has a fascinating backstory: It was once a neighborhood dentist’s office, now transformed into a warm, elegant restaurant. Chef-Owner Kolnita Riggins-Walker is known for her signature whitefish and decadent desserts like banana bread crumble. Reservations are a must. 16615 Harvard Ave., 216-751-0100, docsonharvard.com

Stroll through the Rockefeller Greenhouse in Glenville before dinner. It’s free, lush and full of tropical plants. 750 E. 88th St., Cleveland, 216-664-2512, rockefellerparkgreenhouse.org. Pair it with classic Italian in Little Italy at La Dolce Vita, where vegan-friendly options and OldWorld charm make for a timeless date. Don’t skip Presti’s Bakery for coffee and cannoli afterward. 12112 Mayfield Road, 216-721-8155, ladolcevitacle.com

It’s Fun BeIng

any one specific letter in an acronym. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the community, if you’re straight, gay, bi, transsexual — it does not matter to us. We want everyone to feel welcome at Twist.”

Whether you come solo or with friends, expect a packed dance floor, laser lights, and DJs spinning every Friday and Saturday night starting at 10 PM. The party goes strong until 2:30 AM every day of the week. 11633 Clifton Blvd., Cleveland, 216-221-2333, twistsocialclub.com

MEET SOMEONE — OR SOMEONES

Ready to ditch the endless swiping and meet real people in real time? You can find speed dating pop-up events throughout the city. They’re a structured and engaging way to meet multiple people in one night, minus the pressure of awkward first dates. Cleveland Speed Dating brings singles together every month for age-targeted events. Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or beyond, you’ll rotate through some of the city’s best restaurants and chat one-on-one with 6 to 12 (sometimes more!) singles in a series of six-minute “Pre-Dates.” After each mini-date, you simply mark who you’d like to see again, and you’ll get your matches emailed to you within 24 hours. clevelandspeeddating.com

TELL YOUR OWN STORY

Feeling creative? Step into Story Wars — a monthly mashup of quirky prompts and quick-fire imagination at Jukebox in Ohio City. Over three rounds, you’ll get offbeat prompts, craft your masterpiece in minutes, and (if you’re feeling bold) share it with the crowd. You can pen a story, choreograph a dance or even belt out a song. It’s the ultimate way to shake off self-doubt, break out of your comfort zone and maybe even start writing your own love story — Cleveland style. 1404 W. 29th St., Cleveland, 216-206-7699, jukeboxcle.com

Berries & grapes are back.

There is no reason to spend Valentine’s Day or any of the wintery days of February alone. Call your friends and meet them indoors somewhere fun and entertaining.

DIPS, SIPS AND MORE

Is there anything more decadent than a plump, juicy strawberry dipped in dark chocolate? But maybe you and your best friend would prefer dipping grapes, bananas or pineapples into melted chocolate. On Valentine’s Day, The Winery at Chateau Hough presents Dip & Sip, an activity that pairs three holiday favorites — wine, chocolate and fruit. Two time slots (12:30 to 3 p.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m.) are available with reservations.

Can’t make Valentine’s Day? “Let’s Make Wine,” on March 14, is perfect for a group of friends who use kits to explore the entire winemaking process and go home (after four sessions that extend into May) each with their own gallon of wine. Also, “Suds and Sips” is the winery’s soap making session on April 11.

The Winery at Chateau Hough was founded in 2019 and supports the nonprofit

Neighborhood Solutions Inc. The winery’s manager, Brenda Frazier, urges friends to “come, have fun and meet people.” Also, wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a little rose wine on if you do “Let’s Make Wine.” Participants can get pretty enthusiastic, warns Frazier. 1650 E. 66th St., 216-438-0964, chateauhough.com; use exploretock.com for reservations

ROLL IT OUT

“People don’t just want something to do, they want something to remember,” says RollHouse Entertainment’s Chef Marketing Officer Phil Carpenter. That means tons of laughs and a menu stacked with casual favorites, including smash burgers, sliders, pizza and craft cocktails. With locations in Solon, Mentor and North Olmsted, RollHouse offers “high-energy experiences including Cosmic Bowling, escape rooms and a great arcade,” says Carpenter.

“RollHouse is a place to celebrate the people you love spending time with. It’s where fun lives,” he says.

Valentine’s Day reservations are available online. 7300 Palisades Parkway, Mentor,

mentor@therollhouse.com; 24488 Lorain Road, North Olmsted, northolmsted@ therollhouse.com; 33185 Bainbridge Road, Solon, solon@therollhouse.com

BUILD YOUR OWN CANDLE

Maybe you and your bestie would enjoy a visit to The Cleveland Candle Company in Ohio City, where you can breathe in any of the amazing 150 to 200+ scents that can be chosen to create a custom candle.

David Gin, a partner at The Cleveland Candle Company, recommends Rose Petals, Sacred Sandalwood and Cabernet Sauvignon. But about 30 choices of candle jars are also available. Still, Gin says he’d “probably go” with the Vintage Glass options or the Colored Ceramic jars for a February 14 creation.

“It’s the adventure of smelling through our vast scent collection and having the shared experience that makes every candle-making session so satisfying,” says Gin. “Every time you light the candle you made, it brings back the memory of who you were with.” 2032 West 25th St., 216-471-8477, clecandleco.com

VISIT AN URBAN WINERY

CLE Urban Winery is known for its many and varied top-notch activities, educational events and entertainment. This month is certainly no exception at the working winery and tasting room.

A Valentine’s Wine Flight and Food Pairing experience will be offered that holiday weekend along with live jazz performances on the 13th (7 to 9 p.m.) and 15th (6 to 8 p.m.). (Advance tickets for the wine tasting and food pairing available on Eventbrite; a limited number of tickets available for walk-ins.)

The Cleveland Heights winery provides a relaxed environment for besties and buddies to learn more about Ohio-made wine and enjoy time together. (How can anyone pass on a specialty wine called Hopped in the Heights?) But if you choose to abstain that is ok, too.

“In addition to a full bar, we have non-alcoholic beer, wine, cider and spirits for delightful mocktails,” says owner Destiny Burns. “We also offer premium Italian sparkling sodas and other soft drinks.” 2180 Lee Road, 216-4178313, cleurbanwinery.com

Cleveland has a wealth of creative bakers, candy makers, florists, jewelry designers and others who can help make you look like the best gift giver ever. Meet several:

ALL CITY CANDY

“Heart-shaped candy is my favorite candy. (It’s) made with love and truly makes my heart full. It’s timeless, joyful and instantly brings a smile,” says Elisabeth Sapell, founder and president of All City Candy in Richmond Heights. “My favorite conversation heart saying over the years has always been, ‘You’re sweet,’ which feels especially appropriate for a candy lady.”

But the “premium chocolates from the fine chocolate cases are always a great hit for Valentine’s Day — they are beautiful, indulgent and meant to be shared,” according to Sapell. She also suggests a bouquet of chocolate roses, “which lasts a little longer than the real thing,” and the hand-dipped strawberries that are made only twice a year (Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day).

Sapell, a lifelong chocolate lover, opened her family business in 2013. She now sells an endless variety of candy at her retail location (curbside pickup is also offered) and online. That includes cinnamon jelly hearts, cherry-flavored lollipops and milk chocolate marshmallow hearts. She also loves to make gifts combos “that feel thoughtful, nostalgic and fun” and suggests:

• $25 to $40 – a sweet mix of conversation hearts, retro Valentine candy, gourmet chocolate bars and seasonal treats

• $50 to $75 – Valentine gift box with chocolate-covered pretzels, caramels and premium chocolates

• $100 – deluxe gift assortment with premier chocolates, chocolate-dipped Oreos, nostalgic favorites and seasonal Valentine treats. 746 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights, 216-487-7070, allcitycandy.com

THE URBAN ORCHID

Expect the unexpected if you order a Valentine’s Day floral arrangement from The Urban Orchid. “We try to make every flower arrangement specific. You can’t just say, ‘I want the Have-a-Nice-Day bouquet.’ We

ask about the person you are sending it to, maybe their favorite colors, style, flowers,” explains owner and designer Brandon Sitler, whose shops are in Tremont and Ohio City/ Hingetown. “Of course, you can’t wait too long to order or some things may be gone.”

Sitler incorporates lots of “bright and cheery, vibrant jewel tones” into his floral creations. But more February 14 traditional colors are also available, of course. Winter designs may feature roses, peonies, hydrangeas and orchids, plus a surprise or two with an unusual choice of vegetation not often seen in creations.

“Our clients are looking for that Urban Orchid design, look and feel,” says Sitler. “That means super textured and unique.”

Sitler teaches floral design classes and holds events at the Tremont location, while Ohio City is more of a walk-in shop. But each sells gift baskets, locally made candles, chocolates, indoor plants, containers and Cleveland-themed items.

The designer has two suggestions. Don’t limit fresh flowers to just the living or dining rooms. They are beautiful in any room. And if you put them in a bathroom, they’ll love the moisture in the air from the shower. Also, don’t forget to add water to any container and/or replace it with fresh, clean water no matter where it is displayed.

“The flowers will last longer,” he says.

Tremont Design Studio, 3154 W. 14th St., 216-785-3618; Ohio City/Hingetown, 1455 W. 29th St., 216-589-0788; theurbanorchid.com.

SWEET BEAN

Sweet Bean, a chocolate studio and shop in Cleveland’s Collinwood neighborhood, opened in February 2021. If all goes according to schedule, owner and founder Kristin Barnes will be in her new spot this February, only four blocks away. The move from just under 1,000 square feet to 3,000 square feet will allow expansion for larger and more frequent tasting classes and other events. (Barnes may temporarily operate both locations until the move is settled.)

For an extraordinary Valentine’s Day gift, Barnes invites shoppers to “build a box of hand-painted bonbons,” the chocolates she

calls the “rock stars” of her business and which have brought her local fame.

“Some people call them jewels, crystals, planets, bowling balls. The bonbons are shiny and bright and our tagline is that they are almost too pretty to eat,” says Barnes, who began making fine chocolates in 2013. “The most popular assortment is the nine-piece gift box. You can find Sweet Bean chocolates at some other locations across the city, but those are pre-mixed. If you come in and build a box yourself, that’s part of the excitement.”

Barnes says what sets her chocolate apart from “grocery store chocolate” is her product’s “really high cocoa butter content which makes it decadent and luscious.” One or two pieces is all someone needs to feel full and satisfied — it’s not like eating handfuls of M&M’s, she says. Usually, 24 painted bonbon varieties are available at any one time in the shop. But do think about Hazelnut (Barnes’ personal favorite), Salted Caramel, Brownie Batter and one the chocolatier said is coming on strong — Mexican Hot Cocoa. present location: 819 E. 185th St.; new location: 701 E. 185th St.; 216-795-5561; sweetbeancandies.com

MISHI LIFESTYLE

Tracy Burnett is founder and owner of Mishi Lifestyle in Lakewood. The home décor and gift store opened in 2021 and is a soothing source for those who wish to surround themselves with objects that evoke tranquility. That includes furniture, home and body scents, jewelry, barware and pet items.

“People are naturally made for connection, belonging and closeness,” says Burnett. “Love, in all its forms, gives life meaning. But peace and serenity create the space to truly feel and receive that love.”

If someone is looking for a gift that shows they care or one that makes the recipient know they are loved, Mishi Lifestyle is the place. One of Burnett’s favorite items is a mug with the words, “I Wish you Lived Next Door.”

“It’s a beautiful reminder to a friend or family member that they are missed and loved every time they use it,” says Burnett. “We sell many of these locally in our shop, but we also have shipped them to loved ones all over the country.”

Burnett also suggests the Mishi Lifestyle Amber Grove Candle “that really sets the stage for a romantic moment.” Think a combination of Egyptian Amber, Himalayan Bamboo and Caribbean Teakwood scents. The soy candle has a 55-hour burn time and is sold in a matte black glass vessel. 15602 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-304-3832; mishilifestyle.com

OCÉANNE

“It’s a heart, but it’s something you can wear all year,” says Anne Harrill, Océanne owner and designer, describing her brass-casted Verona Signet Ring. “It’s classic, one of our best sellers and now we can offer engraving.”

French native Harrill owns three Northeast Ohio jewelry and gift stores, in addition to her online business. Her minimalist, but sophisticated and sometimes whimsical, jewelry designs have made her original work a favorite across generations. Even though she spotlights the heart ring, Harrill says the symbol doesn’t have to be incorporated into jewelry given for February 14. It’s more important that jewelry is selected with the recipient’s taste in mind and not the giver’s, she says.

Also, for that extra special Valentine’s Day experience, consider Oceanne’s Forever Jewelry. The recipient chooses a chain at the store, the wrist is measured, a little ring is added and then the clasp-less bracelet is welded closed, to be worn 24/7.

“It’s a very meaningful experience. We have had couples, mother and daughters, BFFs, bridal parties and three generations make appointments. And it’s affordable. You can choose from several chains, from gold filled to and sterling silver,” says Harrill, adding that if the piece must be removed for whatever reason, it can simply be cut and later a new ring can be attached if desired.

Océanne also offers about 40 different chains and charms in-store including: Heart Padlock, Moon and Star Pearl Charm, Gold Daisy, Evil Eye, Snake, Bee, Four-leaf Clover, Zodiac Signs, Coffee Cup, Fish and more. Crocker Park: 295 Main St., Westlake, 216-802-9981; Pinecrest: 411 Park Ave., Suite 137, Orange, 216-778-9268; Gordon Square: 6519 Detroit Ave., 216-862-7043; oceanne.net

GET OUT EVERYTHING TO DO IN CLEVELAND

WED 01/28

Cavaliers vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The Cavs take on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers at Rocket Arena in what should be a good battle. The Lakers are one of the better teams in the Western Conference, and James continues to play at a high level despite being 40+ years old now, but the Cavs arguably have more depth. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com

THU 01/29

Alingon Mitra

This standup comedian has written material for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Adam Ruins Everything. A semi-finalist on Last Coming Standing back in 2014, Mitra, who has a very low-key delivery as he tells stories about the trials and tribulations of being picked on in high school, performs tonight at 7 at Hilarities.

2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com

No Chill Trivia Live!

Contestants will be taken on a journey of R&B through the decades. The first round will be ‘80s and ‘90s. The second round will be 2000s to 2010s. And finally, the last round

will be modern hit songs. The live, interactive event takes place tonight at 8 at the B-Side in Cleveland Heights.

2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com

FRI 01/30

2026 Opening Night Celebration at moCa Cleveland

The Museum of Contemporary Art celebrates the opening of four new exhibits with this special party that takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free.

11400 Euclid Ave., 216-421-8671, mocacleveland.org

Flanagan’s Wake

Part improv, part scripted, this interactive Irish wake is back again at Kennedy’s Theatre at Playhouse Square. Performances are set for 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org

The Great Big Home + Garden Show

The 10-day Great Big Home + Garden Show is back at the I-X Center through Feb. 8. It features a whopping 600 exhibits centering on how to “renew, refresh and restore” your home and garden. In addition, landscaping experts will present daily gardening seminars.

Check the show’s website for hours and a complete schedule of happenings.

One I-X Center Drive, 216-676-6000, ixcenter.com

Legends of Country

Singers Rachel Potter and Patrick Thomas join the Cleveland Pops Orchestra for this special show that’ll feature tunes by icons such as Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Hank Williams. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall. 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com

Monsters vs. Belleville Senators

The Belleville Senators come to Rocket Arena tonight to face the Monsters at 7 p.m. The two teams will go at again at 7 tomorrow night at the arena.

One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com

Mike Vecchione

An actor and comedian who’s had roles in films such as The King of Staten Island, Mike Vecchione has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon numerous times. The fast-talking comedian who likes to joke about being in his 40s performs at 6:30 and 9:15 tonight and tomorrow night at Hilarities. 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com

SAT 01/31

The Baldwin Wallace Conservatory Opera Presents “A. E. Reverie” and “Rise”

The Baldwin Wallace Conservatory Opera presents two operas that “highlight the pioneering American spirit of determination, independence and freedom,” as it’s put in press materials. Performances take place at 3 p.m. today and tomorrow at the Cleveland Museum of Art. 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org

SUN 02/01

Katie Hanningan

The comedian who had a hit with her debut comedy album, 2022’s Feeling of Emptiness, performs at 7 p.m. at Hilarities. 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com

MON 02/02

The Winchester Presents Locals Only This event that takes place the first Monday of the month at the Winchester in Lakewood will showcase local bands. The $5 cover will go directly to the band. Doors open at 7 p.m.

12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/ TheWinchesterMusicTavern

TUE 02/03

Monsters vs. Toronto Marlies

The Monsters play a rare weekday game as they take on the Toronto Marlies at Rocket Arena. The puck drops at 7 p.m. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com

Suffs

The Tony Award-winning musical about women who fight for the right to vote comes to Connor Palace for an extended run. Tonight’s show takes place at 7:30 at Connor Palace, where the play runs through Feb. 22. 1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org

WED 02/04

Chamber Music in the Atrium Artists from Case Western Reserve University’s Historical Performance Practice Program will perform at this free concert that takes place at 6 p.m. in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Atrium. 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org

THU 02/05

Hadelich Plays Mendelssohn

Violinist August Hadelich joins the Cleveland Orchestra for this special concert that features pieces by Mendelssohn, Schoenberg and Schubert. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall, where performances repeat tomorrow and Saturday. 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com

FRI 02/06

The Heart of Robin Hood

This retelling of the Robin Hood story will offer “daring feats, electrifying action and a hint of romance,” as it’s put in a press release about the story that famously takes place in Sherwood Forest. Tonight’s performance begins at 7:30 at the Hanna Theatre, where performances continue through Feb. 22. 2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org

MIX: Peace, Love, and Soul

DJ Kristyles and the Kinsman Dazz Band will be on hand for this edition of MIX, the Cleveland Museum of Art’s monthly party. The event serves as a celebration of Black History Month. It begins at 6 p.m. 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, levelandart.org

Jay Pharoah

When Jay Pharaoh was on Saturday Night Live, he did very funny impersonations of President Obama, Jay Z, Denzel Washington, Kanye West and Daniel Frye. He performs at 6:30 and 9:15 tonight and tomorrow night at Hilarities.

2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com

SAT 02/07

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 1975 film that still draws an exuberant, costumed crowd that likes to throw rice and dry toast and sing along to the songs in the movie, still draws big crowds to local showings. Expect a throng to show up for tonight’s screening that takes place at 9:30 p.m. at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights. 2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-528-0355, clevelandcinemas.com

SUN 02/08

Primary Trust

The Cleveland Play House presents this play about a guy who loses his job and “discovers new beginnings” as a result. Today’s performance takes place at 2 p.m. at the Outcault Theatre, where performances continue through March 1.

1407 Euclid Ave, 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org

MON 02/09

WWE Monday Night Raw

The popular wresting event returns to Rocket Arena. The bill includes CM Punk, Becky Lynch, Jey Uso and Dominik Mysterio, and the action begins at 7:30 p.m. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketarena.com

TUE 02/10

Lyrical Rhythms Open Mic and Chill

This long-running open mic night at the B Side in Cleveland Heights allows some of the city’s best rappers and poets to strut their stuff. The event begins at 8 with a comedy session dubbed 2 Drinks & a Joke with host Ant Morrow. The open mic performances begin at 10 p.m. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com

HALF PRICED HAIRCUTS AND $1.00 FACIALS EVERY WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY 11AM TO 3PM Expires 3/31/26 Must Present Coupon

DAILY SPECIALS

Tuesday-$1 Hot Lather Shave/Beard Trim Day with a purchase of any haircut

Wednesday- ”Ladies Day” Buy a basic haircut at $8 and recieve a Shampoo, Eyebrows or Facial for $1

Thursday- $1 Facial Day with the purchase of any haircut

scene@clevescene.com @clevelandscene

REGULAR MEN'S HAIRCUTS $7 HAIRCUT WITH LINE-UP $8 FADES $10

THE SCHOOL THAT BARBERS RECOMMEND!

STORE HOURS Tues-Sat 9am-5pm

2546 Lorain Ave, Ohio City One block west of the Westside Market 216-241-6684 allstatehairstyling.com

EAT A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD STAPLE

With attention to detail and a convivial atmosphere,

56 Social is a dream all-day cafe

By Douglas Trattner

PEOPLE WHO LIKE EGG SALAD really like egg salad. Landing squarely in that category, I was intrigued by the egg salad sandwich ($13) on the menu at 56 Social. It’s not something I would typically order at a restaurant, but this one came on house-baked milk bread, a detail that sealed the deal. When the sandwich landed, I noticed that the bread wasn’t toasted and there were zero crunchy add-ins such as celery, relish or capers. To bind the ingredients, the kitchen reaches for Kewpie, an egg yolk-enriched Japanese mayonnaise. The end result is like eating a fluffy egg-flavored cloud, where not even the slight resistance of toasted bread stands in the way.

If this much thought and attention go into a plain-old egg salad sando, what else must be at play.

When it comes to shoes that need filling, few were larger than the former J. Pistone Market, a Shaker Heights staple that fed the neighborhood for 25 years. But partners Jay Leitson and Izzy Schachner not only were up to the task, they are uniquely suited for it. They’ve been feeding the Eastside since 1998, when they opened their first Cafe 56 in Mayfield. That shop was ground-breaking for its ability to make salad appealing thanks to a roster of 56 different iterations.

If you’re looking for a recipe for success, it’s hard to top a seamless blend of variety, quality and value. Toss in hospitality and local ownership and you too might make it to the 28-year mark. Along the way, Leitson and Schachner have opened 56 Kitchen locations in Solon and Mayfield, 56 Tavern in Aurora, and Elle in Solon.

There have been countless versions of the famed Pewter Mug salad floating around since that iconic tavern was established in the 1960s. Leitson’s claim of ownership is better than most: his father ran a Pewter Mug location in Beachwood. The version ($17) served at 56 Social is a bountiful chef’s salad with cold, crisp iceberg topped with tomato

and julienned turkey, ham and swiss, garnished with the requisite pretzel bagel and served with garlic vinaigrette on the side. There are eight other leafy creations, from a classic Caesar to a romaine-based blend with grilled flank steak and crispy potatoes.

56 Social is a true all-day café, one that can take diners from bacon and eggs in the a.m. to a burger and beer in the evening. On a particularly brutal weather day, I was stunned to walk into a fully occupied dining room at midday. The draw is a menu that blends deli items, tavern fare and Mediterranean bistro dishes that are open to customization.

Slender polenta fries ($10) are stacked Lincoln-log style, arriving hot and crispy outside and corny, creamy within. They are served with a charred-scallion aioli. 56 makes a mean latke ($9), again served hot, crisp and golden brown – with the classic accompaniments of sour cream and apple sauce.

In addition to that fluffy milk bread, 56 bakes its own focaccia, which finds its way into pizza-style flatbreads such as the tomato, basil and mozz-topped Margherita ($13) and another with prosciutto, whipped feta and pistachio. For the pastrami Cuban ($19), the focaccia is split, loaded with pastrami, roasted turkey, swiss, pickles and mustard aioli, and toasted in a panini press until hot and melty. There are a dozen savory sandwiches – from creamy pesto chicken salad to a house-blended kofta burger with tzatziki – and they all come with dark and crunchy housemade chips.

Selective diners will appreciate the “craft your comfort” section that allows diners to build their own entrée by pairing one of six proteins with one of five presentations. While short of 56, the 30 different possible combinations are impressive. We combined a well-seasoned chicken schnitzel ($19) with the warm potato and arugula salad. Other proteins include grilled flank

steak, salmon and housemade falafel, and other presentations feature pesto gnocchi, warm couscous and herbs, and hummus with tabbouleh.

Skip the diner and head to 56 Social for your morning meeting, where items like milk bread french toast, cheese blintzes and breakfast burritos await. I’m eager to sample the eggs Bene-stein, a Jewish take on eggs Benedict that tops potato pancakes with pastrami, over-easy eggs and hollandaise sauce.

The owners did a great job of making a cavernous space feel warm and inviting – even on the coldest of days and nights. An open kitchen brings warmth and transparency into the equation while a new bar in one corner gives solo flyers a comfortable perch. Display coolers show off the pastries of the day, ideal for graband-go enjoyment.

EAT

BITES

Joe’s

By Douglas Trattner

NORTHEAST OHIO BARBECUE

aficionados know that tiny Brimfield Township in Portage County is home to one of the legends of the game. That’s where Joe Menendez has been holding court, dishing up unmatched brisket, ribs, pulled pork, turkey and more, which are smoked low and slow in a 1,000-gallon wood-fueled smoker.

Since launching his business in 2017 with little more than a small smoker and pop-up tent – erected on a gravel lot at a busy intersection – Menendez has upgraded to larger smokers, built a trailer to house them, and installed a food truck to serve as a makeshift carryout restaurant.

For nearly as long as he’s been slinging meat, Menedez has been focused on a larger prize: opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant on the same parcel of land. Now, after nine years of consistent results, those plans are nearing fruition. This week, Menedez will welcome guests to his new, proper restaurant.

“We’re excited,” says Menedez.

The new structure has allowed Menedez to once again up his game. He has added a second 1000-gallon offset smoker as well as a wood-fired rotisserie smoker that he will use for ribs, chicken and other quicker-cooking foods like his special brisket burgers.

In addition to the smoked meats, customers can look forward to a wider selection of sides, desserts and other items. The regular lineup will include smoked mac and cheese, buttermilk bacon potato salad, charro beans, Oreo pudding and bourbon banana pudding. Pastrami lovers know to show up on Saturdays.

The new Joe’s Barbecue is a fast-casual setup with indoor and outdoor seating. However, Menedez says that he will hold off on the indoor seating until things even out, but once they do, there will be room for about 80 guests in the spacious dining room.

To start, Joe’s will be open Fridays through Sundays only – until sold out – with more hours and days added when he “irons out the kinks,” he says.

Proof Barbecue in Ohio City to Close on February 1

Proof Barbecue (4116 Lorain Ave.) in Ohio City will close its doors after service on February 1st. Owner Dave Ferrante says that he

just could not get the business over the hump.

“We were doing really well the first half of the year, but starting in September, the numbers just started really dropping off – and they did not improve,” he explains.

It’s been a bumpy road for the barbecue business, which Ferrante and partner Michael Griffin opened in Tremont just days prior to Covid. After an initial period of stop and go, the owners announced in 2023 that the restaurant was relocating to the Nick’s Diner space on Lorain Ave. After a year and a half of work, Proof 2.0 opened in spring of 2024 – in a striking space that gave the business a new spark.

But it wasn’t enough, says Ferrante.

“I feel the product is good, the chef is good, the front of the house is good – for whatever reason, I could not get this thing consistently over the finish line,” he says.

It didn’t help that Platform Beer closed its taproom across the street prior to opening, Ferrante adds.

“That was the piece that didn’t give us the opportunity to hold on for the neighborhood to develop,” he says. “They didn’t have a chef, they didn’t have a kitchen.”

After all the hard work that he and his partners have put into the newly refurbished property, Ferrante is confident that there will be plenty of interested shoppers. He says that he will do everything he can to land one that will be beneficial for neighboring businesses, including his own, Visible Voice Books and Café.

“I hope I’m in a position to be particular about who goes in there because I want to enhance that section of Lorain,” he says. “I’d like to be able to get something that I feel fits the narrative of what’s going on on Lorain.”

Oyster-and-Martini Bar to Open in Ohio City Hangars

The Creative Hangars (2808 Church Ave.), the cluster of semi-circular buildings in Ohio City, is gearing up for its next act. The small business incubator opened in 2022, was transferred to Ohio City Inc. a year and a half later, and then ceased operations a year ago this month.

Now the structures at the corner of Church and State are in the hands of Graham Veysey, the property’s owner, who is shepherding all future developments. In addition to City Goods, the makers’ marketplace, the cluster now hosts Parallel Universe Books and an Airbnb. Veysey says that he’s in talks with a national sneaker brand and is thrilled to welcome a new tenant in the former Hangar space.

In early February, Niko Atheneos and Ian Barrie will open Bar in that building, which is the largest structure of the group. With roughly 500 square feet on the main floor and another 200 square feet on the mezzanine, the bar can accommodate about 45 guests.

Atheneos says that the main attraction will be oysters and martinis, with a rotating selection cold-water oysters paired with an assortment of martinis. Of course there will be some bubbles – including champagne slushies – along with white and red wines by the glass.

The oysters will be joined by a concise menu of items such as shrimp cocktail, tuna tartare, charcuterie, salads and a handful of hot foods that will come from the new, small kitchen on the mezzanine. Guests can look forward to regular and special items such as oysters Rockefeller and lobster nachos with housemade chips.

The timing is ideal for a new neighborhood spot, where diners can enjoy a snack and glass of wine while waiting for a table at Amba and the soon-to-open Rosy.

Veysey says that he’s aiming to attract other creative businesses for the remaining spots while planning additional spring and summer programming.

Osteria Downtown is Closed — For Now

After 20 years on St. Clair Avenue – then referred to as Osteria di Valerio & Al – that popular Italian eatery relocated to the former One Walnut space on East 9th Street in 2020. And that’s where Osteria has been for the past six years, quietly delivering a refined Italian dining experience in the heart of downtown. All that ended at the start of this year, according to management, which announced the sudden closure of the restaurant earlier this month. The outcome was out of their control, they stated, as the fate of his location remains in flux.

“Due to circumstances beyond Osteria’s control, our building is being shut down by the owner, until the building is either sold or repurposed.”

Management stresses that the closure is “temporary” in nature, lasting only as long as it takes to secure a new home.

“It is Osteria’s intention that this closure is temporary, and that the restaurant will be relocated to a suitable space in the near future.”

In the meantime, the restaurant sends their thanks for all the support he’s received over the past quarter century.

“A sincere ‘thank you’ goes out to all of Osteria’s loyal customers for making Osteria a resounding success story for the past 20-plus years.”

We’ll report back when Osteria finds a new home.

dtrattner@clevescene.com

MUSIC

SUMMERTIME VIBES

Badfish aims to warm things up with winter tour that comes to House of Blues

By Jeff Niesel

BADFISH SINGER-GUITARIST

Pat Downes has lived on Maui since 2011, but he knows what Cleveland winters are like and sympathizes with our situation. It’s one reason why the group regularly comes to town in the dead of winter.

This year, the band’s Blizzy Tour includes a Feb. 6 stop at House of Blues.

“We do an annual winter tour and just cover a ton of ground from mid-January to spring,” Downes says via phone. “The only time we are slow is October, November and December. So, we like to start the new year fresh. It’s a good time to get out when it’s cold and people need some good summertime vibe entertainment. The holidays are over, and we’re ready to light it back up and hop in the van and hit the road. We love coming through Cleveland. We have grown that area

so much. We’ve been coming there for more than 20 years. It’s great to come back and see familiar faces and places.”

Initially, the group formed in Rhode Island in 2001. In the wake of the death of Sublime singer Bradley Nowell, the band decided to do a one-off set of Sublime songs, paying tribute to the influential SoCal band that mixed rock, rap, and reggae.

“The place packed out, and it was a party,” says Downes. “The thinking was that if it worked in one place, it would work in another. That steamrolled into what it is now.”

Downes wasn’t part of the first lineup. At the time, he was in another band based in Boston. He grew up playing saxophone and joined the group after finishing high school. That band opened for Badfish at a gig in Northampton, MA, and he got on

stage with Badfish guys and jammed on the Sublime tune “Date Rape.” Badfish needed a keyboardist, so Downes pivoted instruments and joined the group.

“I took over sax and keys, and our singer wanted to part ways,” he says. “I said I could play guitar and sing. I’m one of those multi-instrumentalists. We booked a tour, and the chemistry was really good with the band, and we started touring really heavy.”

At the time, the group jammed a bit during rehearsals but exclusively played Sublime tunes at the shows. Over the years, it’s started to include original material.

In 2023, it released “High with You,” a Sublime-like tune that features guest artist Little Stranger.

“It’s self-explanatory,” says Downes when asked about what inspired the track. “We just wanted to write a fun reggae anthem. It was our first go. We didn’t want to get too weird with it. We wanted a big simple song with a simple chorus and this marching heavy reggae vibe that we enjoy. That’s really it. When you are in the studio creating music, we want to do it for you. Without that, there is no authenticity in it. Danny [Torgersen], who is our fourth guy on keyboards and trumpet, wrote it. We jump all over the place. I play sax on it a bit. He’s been doing writing with other people. Our chemistry was really good.”

The band continues to develop its new material, and it recently released the whimsical “Bad Things,” a track that features a guest appearance by DJ Hoppa, an L.A.-based artists who’s released several solo albums.

He effortlessly adds turntable scratches to the tune, a woozy reggae number with a 311 vibe.

Downes says the group is inching toward a new album.

“I come up with basic chord structure and melody and meet up with Danny [Torgersen],” he says. “We call him the Lego Man. He’ll take my pieces and arrange them into more of a song. We don’t have to hire a horn section or a percussion guy. We are schooled in all of that. We will be the backup band too. I can be the singer-songwriter. We don’t have to find some guys who understand it. It’s a fluid way of doing things. Danny is going to come out here after the holidays, and we’ll do some writing before the tour. We have stacks and stacks of ideas at the moment.

Onstage, Badfish plays the best of Sublime and now it adds the best of Badfish to the mix thanks to its growing catalog or original music.

“Putting out original music alongside being a tribute band has always been a point of interest to us,” says drummer Scott Begin in a statement about the upcoming tour. “It’s been a tricky path to walk, though. Yet as the years have gone by and we’ve gotten to witness our little show turn into somewhat of a movement within the scene, we are at the point where we feel we have something of real heart and value to add not only to our show but to the American reggae scene.”

LIVEWIRE

WED 01/28

The Infamous Stringdusters

The bluegrass-y band performs at 6 p.m. at Globe Iron. The group recently paid tribute to singer-guitarist Lester Flatts and banjo man Earl Scruggs with the aptly titled album A Tribute to Flatt & Scruggs. In the past, it also cut a tribute record to bluegrass great Bill Monroe. Expect to hear a mix of covers and originals from the band. Mountain Grass Unit opens. 2320 Center St., globeironcle.com

THU 01/29

Atmosphere

The hip-hop duo brings its Winter Carnival Tour to House of Blues. Their latest project, Jestures, features 26 songs written in alphabetical order and embraces the different genres the Minneapolis duo has explored throughout its career. The show begins at 6 p.m. 308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com

Bloomer

Indie electronic artist Sage Douglas tours and records as Bloomer, an act which comes to Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood as part of its first-ever U.S. headline tour. The trek supports the new album, Clouds, a collection of shimmering, synth-y tunes that should translate well live. The show begins at 6 p.m. at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood. 13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com

FRI 01/30

Bumpin’ Uglies

The ska/reggae/punk band swings into town for a two-night stand. The group performs at 7 tonight at Beachland Ballroom with Land of Panda and Sandwich Boiz and at 7 tomorrow night at Globe Iron with Joey Harkum, the Palmer Squares and Damn Skippy. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com

The Eric Roberson Improv Sessions

The self-proclaimed “king of independent soul” brings his Improv Sessions tour to Music Box Supper Club. Press materials for the tour describe the show as part concert, theater and conversation. In addition to playing songs from his back catalog, he’ll also read passages from his book, Beautifully All Over the Place. The show begins at 8 p.m. 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com

SAT 01/31

The JiMiller Band

The local band known for its marathon sets featuring covers of Grateful Dead tunes comes to the Winchester in Lakewood. The show begins at 8 p.m.

REAL MUSIC IN THE REAL WORLD

12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/ TheWinchesterMusicTavern

THU 02/05

OPIUO

A New Zealand native, this producer has churned out electronica hits for more than a decade now. A festival favorite, he’s played Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Electric Forest and Splendor in the Grass. He performs at 7 p.m. at Globe Iron. Parkbreezy and rSUN. open. 2325 Elm St., globeironcle.com

FRI 02/06

Badfish — A Tribute to Sublime: The Blizzy Tour

The Sublime tribute act has started to write original material that draws from rock and reggae. The group has a few singles that it’ll incorporate into the mix when it plays tonight at 7 at House of Blues.

308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com

Montgomery Gentry Featuring Eddie Montgomery

The Southern rock/country group dates back to the late ‘90s when it formed as a duo. Now, in the wake of the death of founding member Troy Gentry, singer Eddie Montgomery leads the band as a solo act. It had several huge hits in the late ‘90s and early 2000s when rocking songs such as “She Don’t Tell Me” and “Hell Yeah” became crossover successes. The group performs at 7:30 p.m. at MGM Northfield Park’s Center Stage.

10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark. mgmresorts.com/en.html

SAT 02/07

Bayker Blankenship — The Mile Marker Tour

The up-and-coming country artist performs at 7 p.m. at House of Blues. Singles such as the twangy “My Truck, Some Weed, and a Guitar” and the ballad “Everything She Does” suggest Blankenship’s straightforward approach. At only 20, Blankenship does write with a great deal of introspection, but he sings with confidence and comes off as authentic on account of the way he embraces old school country (“Everything She Does” benefits from generous banjo).

308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com

Mardi Gras Party with Mo’ Mojo

This local band that effortlessly plays alt-country and zydeco is the perfect group to host a Mardi Gras party at Music Box Supper Club. Band leader Jen Maurer sings and plays accordion; she’s led the group since its formation in the ‘90s. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com

Mr. Jeff

The local musician and educator known for making kids’ music that appeals to listeners of all ages comes to the Akron Civic Theatre’s Knight Stage. The show begins at 2:30 p.m. 182 South Main St., Akron, 330-253-2488, akroncivic.com

Ninajirachi

With the release of last year’s I Love My Computer, Australia’s Ninajirachi garnered all kinds of praise in her homeland. It received several ARIA nominations and launched her as a national act. Songs such as the undulating “London Song” feature sophisticated production and recall the best drum and bass from the ‘90s. The show starts at 7 p.m. at Globe Iron.

2325 Elm St., globeironcle.com

MON 02/09

Say Anything and Motion City Soundtrack

Emo rockers Motion City Soundtrack took a break in 2016 but reformed after a threeyear hiatus. In the wake of the release of The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World, their first record in ten years, they embarked on a national tour last year with Say Anything. Like MCS, Say Anything broke up for a short time in the late 2010s before deciding they were better off touring and recording. They released their tenth album, The Noise of Say Anything’s Room Without, last year. This winter, the two bands are back on the road

for another 17 shows that include tonight’s gig at the Agora Theatre. Sincere Engineer opens, and the doors are at 6 p.m. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com

TUE 02/10

Mike Dawes

The fingerstyle guitarist who’s toured and recorded with Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues brings his solo acoustic show to the Beachland Ballroom. The tour supports his latest effort, 2024’s Galactic Acid, a collection of meticulously crafted instrumentals that recall the work of the late, great Michael Hedges. The show begins at 8 p.m. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com

Monaleo — Who Did the Body Tour

Last year, this Houston rapper returned with Who Did the Body, an album that yielded hits such as “Sexy Soulaan,” “Life After Death” and “Freakshow (feat. Lizzo).” She performs at 7 p.m. at House of Blues. 308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com

scene@clevescene.com @clevelandscene

SAVAGE LOVE

THE PARENT TRAP

By Dan Savage

I’M A GAY MAN IN MY FIFTIES, comfortable in my skin, but I suffered severe bullying throughout school, which was often abetted by teachers. A recent class reunion prompted me to write a tell-all letter to the current school director regarding that trauma. His gracious response was incredibly healing.

My family has accepted me since I came out in my 20s, but they don’t know the full extent of my ordeal. While I shared the letter with my supportive brother, I’ve hesitated to show it to my parents, who are in their 70s. They claim ignorance (“We didn’t know you were suffering!”, “You never told us you were gay!”), yet they acknowledged long ago that I was “different” from toddlerhood, and they often criticized my “un-boyish” behavior when I was a child.

To give you one concrete example: some older kids called me a gay slur when I was seven. I asked my mother what it meant. I can still vividly picture her shock and horror. So they knew I was gay but never initiated a conversation with me about it, and I was too ashamed to speak up back then. Since writing to the school, I feel an urge to finally have a “warts and all” talk with my parents to understand their perspective. Should I open Pandora’s box with my elderly parents now, or leave things be for the sake of family peace? What is the best approach to having this conversation? Thank you in advance for your perspective.

Pandora’s Box Opener

I have three siblings, PBO, two older brothers and a younger sister. When we became teenagers, our parents started to give us experiences for our birthdays instead of toys. When my brother turned thirteen, he asked for tickets to a Bears game at Soldiers Field; when my other brother turned thirteen, he asked for tickets to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field.

When I turned thirteen, I asked for tickets to the national tour of A Chorus Line at the Schubert Theater.

My parents aren’t much older than yours, PBO, and I was about seven years old — just like you — when other kids started calling me a faggot. When I was ten, my homeroom teacher called me a faggot in front of the entire class because I said “baking” when we went around the room and shared our hobbies. One of my uncles called me a sissy at family gatherings. But my parents were surprised when I came out — despite those Chorus Line tickets, despite all those faggots and sissies, and despite the obvious ways I wasn’t like other boys.

My parents were kind and decent people. It sounds like yours were too. My parents didn’t bully me, but they didn’t help me. I don’t think they could. Because my parents, like other kind and decent people at the time, believed the worst thing you could possibly think about a person was that they were a homosexual. My parents didn’t think — they didn’t let themselves think — that Liberace was gay. They certainly couldn’t let themselves think one of their own children was gay.

Like your parents, my parents criticized my un-boyish behaviors. They thought they were helping. All they knew about homosexuality — besides that was a sin — was that it was something a child might drift toward and that a boy who seemed to be drifting in that direction — a boy who was soft — just needed a gentle little shove in the right direction. They pushed me to play sports, which I hated, and they made their views on homosexuality clear to me. They believed these were loving things to do. But each one of those shoves, however gentle, opened a wound that left a scar.

I was angry when I came out. I had been miserable for a long time, and I thought the reason seemed obvious. Years later, they would both say they always knew, deep down. But even if they had allowed themselves to name it at the time — even if they could’ve said it out loud to each other when I was seven — what could they have done? Every time I got called a faggot by another kid or a teacher or a relative, I denied it and retreated more deeply into the closet. If my parents had come to me when I was thirteen and in so much pain and asked me if I was gay — if they had attempted to initiate a conversation about it — all I would’ve heard was, “But you are a faggot, Danny, aren’t you?” And I would’ve denied it to them and retreated even further into the closet. It probably would’ve taken me longer to come out to myself, much less to them, if they had asked me if was gay before I was ready to tell them myself.

After my husband and I founded the It Gets Better Project, we returned to the high school where he had been bullied. He’d been beaten up, shoved through plate glass windows, and had his face ground into the ice and rock salt in the parking lot. When his parents complained to the school, the principal blamed Terry. It was his fault for acting that way. It meant so much to Terry when the school’s principal apologized to him on behalf of the school decades later. So, I understand why that apology meant so much to you and why you want one from your parents.

I was angry when I came out to mine, PBO, and we had some “warts and all” conversations about how alone I felt as a child. And I could sense the shame they felt before I came out. That was part of it too. Their fear of being judged for raising a gay kid prevented them from helping me. But they didn’t know what they couldn’t know. They were doing their best in a world before Will & Grace and Ellen and PFLAG and the It Gets Better Project. Unlike today’s parents, our parents couldn’t get online and read about homosexuality and figure out how to help us. My parents felt awful about the way they failed me as a kid, as I’m sure your parents do. But what I

saw in time was that they were set up to fail me. They weren’t intentionally, maliciously awful to me, they were just — in this regard — in no position to help.

Still, if there’s something you need to say to your parents, you should say it. If it’s an apology you want them, you should ask for it. But I would encourage you to go into that conversation ready to do what it took me years to do: forgive them. I was an angry teenager when I came out to my parents, PBO, but you’re a grown man. You don’t have to be the adult in the room, but you need to be an adult in that room.

My mom and dad got me those tickets to A Chorus Line. They got three tickets, actually, even though they were expensive, and my parents didn’t have a lot of money. They both came with me to the show. It took me too long to see that I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was as a closeted and miserable gay kid. My parents there with me. I hope you feel the same way about your own.

Hey, 24-year-old cis lesbian here. I recently started talking to a girl at my university. We’ve been talking for about three months, and we see each other almost every day. She leans more on the timid side, and I can’t tell if she wants to sleep with me or not. I think we’re both kind of weird about intimacy and afraid to make each other uncomfortable. I’m not sure how to initiate things with her without stepping out of line. If I had to guess, I’d say we’re both switches. The lack of communicating sexual interest is making me kind of self-conscious. How do I go about bringing it up or finding out just how interested in me she is?

She Wonders If This Could Happen

Kiss the girl.

P.S Point of order: by “kiss the girl” I mean “ask the girl if you can kiss the girl.” Don’t lunge at the girl — don’t lunge, never lunge — but Jesus Fucking Christ, ask the girl already. It’s the only way you’ll find out whether she’s interested in you sexually (and so GenZ paralyzed by the fear of a moment’s discomfort that she won’t make the first move) or she isn’t interested in you sexually (and that’s why she hasn’t made the first move). Someone always has to make the first move — someone has to take action based on their best guess about another person’s interest — before anyone can get laid. It’s especially important for lesbians to learn how to make the first move, SWITCH, for reasons so obvious you should be able to work them out for yourself.

P. P.S. Being a little self-conscious is good, SWITCH, because a little self-consciousness motivates us to scrutinize our own feelings and take a moment to assess — with as much objectivity as we can possibly muster while cockstruck and/or cunt-struck — how the other person might be feeling. But being so self-conscious that you can’t bring yourself to ask the girl isn’t good. If you guess wrong and she’s not interested, SWITCH, you didn’t “step out of line” by asking. If she tells you she’s not interested (directly or indirectly) and you ask again and again, then you’ve stepped out of line.

This is a question you frequently get but from a different stage of the process: My partner’s asexuality came out AFTER we got engaged (long story) but BEFORE we got married. I found myself at the “cheat or leave or ask” point more quickly than I’d ever expected to. And I did ask, and the answer was, “Sure, if that’s what it takes,” and we’re a year into opening our relationship. It’s probably gone as well as it could, but now I’m faced with the decision of whether I positively choose a companionate marriage rather than settling into one over time. It feels like we speed-ran the process to what you call “sibilingification,” which near as I can tell is where she WANTED to get to as quickly as possible. My questions for you: Do you know anyone who chose something like this? Can it work? Would you recommend it?

Completely Overhauled Marriage Proposal

My answers to your questions: No, yes, maybe.

My question for you: Is it working?

You say you’re a year into opening the relationship. So, have you actually dated and fucked other women or not? Are we talking about a relationship that’s open in practice or only open in theory? Because if you haven’t already dated and fucked other women — if you’re still negotiating terms of your surrender — you don’t know how your fiancée will react to you dating and fucking other women, COMP, and that’s something you need to know before you get married. There are two important reasons why you need to stress-test your relationship for actual non-monogamy: calling off an engagement is a lot easier than ending a marriage and you need to see — with your own eyes — that your fiancée is cool with you getting your sexual needs met elsewhere. She may have some big feelings after you’ve fucked someone else for the first time, COMP, and you will need to talk through things with her, set and re-set boundaries, and make sure she feels like she’s still your first priority. But if she has a meltdown or picks a huge fight about a seemingly unrelated subject every time you date and fuck some other woman, COMP, that’s not something you’re going to be able to make work.

P.S. I keep hammering away at “dating and fucking,” because there are very few women out there who will risk having anonymous with straight men. If your fiancée is asking you not to get emotionally involved with the women you fuck on the side, then she’s asking you to be functionally celibate, and I definitely don’t think that will work for you.

Got problems? Yes, you do!

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Or record your question for the Savage Lovecast at savage.love/askdan! Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22 11am