Ribs + 80's music = Summer in CLE!

There are many signs of summer in Cleveland.  Patios are once again full of patrons enjoying drinks.  The Tribe is once again underway at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.  Boats once again float along Lake Erie.  Sundresses and sandals make their way out of hibernation.  Temperatures (in theory) get warmer and days get longer.  Kids and teachers countdown the remaining days of school.  For many, Memorial Day Weekend signifies the unofficial start to summer.  Communities hold parades to honor those lost defending our freedom.  Families have their first official cookout of the season.  There is one event that has marked the unofficial start of summer in Cleveland for the past 22 years, The Marc's Great American Rib-Cook Off & Music Festival at Jacob's Pavilion.  Once again, hungry Clevelanders will be welcoming summer on the West bank of the Flats May 24-27.

Highlights this year will include:

• Marc's amateur grilling competition on Saturday, May 25
• Greatest Ribs in America, Greatest Sauce in America, and People's Choice awards on Monday, May 27
• The new Riverside Dining area and terrace
• Performances by Mega 80's: The Ultimate 80's Reto Party (Friday night), Rick Springfield (Saturday night), Buddy Guy (Sunday night), and Bret Michaels (Monday evening)

I love the 80's

Tickets are $5 for adults and kids under 12 are FREE.  Fox 8 is also sponsoring a Rock & Ribs dining deal for $31 which includes $40 worth of food and two general admission tickets.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.fox8.com/rib or at area Marc's stores.  Entertainment is included with admission, however prime reserve tickets for Rick, Buddy, and Bret are available at livenation.com.  I also have two general admission tickets that YOU can win right here!  There are three ways to enter!

1. Tell me your favorite way to kick off summer in Cleveland. (Tribe games!)
2. What is your favorite 80's band and/or song? (Tough one here...I have to go with "Don't Stop Believing" but I love it all!)
3. Tweet "I want to kick off summer in #CLE and rock out with @HungryInCLE at #TheGreatAmericanRibCookOff! http://bit.ly/11gttda"  (You can tweet daily.  Please leave a comment telling me you did so)

Contest ends Sunday, May 12 at noon.  Winner will be announced Monday morning.  Good luck!!!

**Disclaimer:  I was asked to promote the Marc's Great American Rib Cook-Off and Music Festival. In return, I was given two general admission tickets for myself, and another pair to give away on the blog.  All opinions are 100% my own!**

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

May your Thanksgiving be filled with family, friends, good food, good wine, good beer, and many blessings!

The Hungry in Cleveland 12 Days of Christmas

Merry (almost) Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!  Yesterday morning, I received a delicious surprise from a Secret Santa (and if you are reading this, even though I have no clue who you are, thank you!)

Yes, there were a dozen LaBella cupcakes there before two hungry scientists enjoyed cupcakes for breakfast.  I later realized that "12 LaBella Cupcakes" sounds like it belongs in a parody of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" which lead me to come up with this fun little variation.  Enjoy!  

The Hungry in Cleveland 12 Days of Christmas

12 LaBella Cupcakes

11 Types of cheese (The Melt Challenge)

10 toppings on a Happy Dog

9 Parma pierogies

8 Malley's Milk Chocolate Bars

7 fabulous food trucks 

6 Lilly Truffles

5 scoops of Honey Hut!!

4 Farmers Markets

3 Michael Symon restaurants

2 Dinner in the Dark tickets

And a keg of Christmas Ale!!

Oh, and my favorite version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is John Denver and The Muppets

**Side note!  The Chubby Cook has been adding more fun cooking classes to the January schedule!  Remember, use the code ALF2012 to donate 40% of the cost of the class to my Liver Life Challenge fundraising effort!  Or make a donation right on my fundraising page!  My deadline has been extended to January 31, 2012!!**   

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your (holiday) hunger!

Cooking for a Cause

Perhaps you are wondering what to give that cook/food lover in your life for Christmas.  There are the obvious choices of fun kitchen gadgets, restaurant gift cards, and foodie friendly gift baskets.  Have you ever considered a cooking class??

Maybe you are wondering how to incorporate raw foods or vegan dishes into your diet.  Or maybe you want to learn to cook some of your favorite steakhouse meals.  

So what am I getting at here?  Beginning in January, The Chubby Cook will be offering a variety of cooking classes ranging from raw foods to "Basics of Braising" to  "Learn to Bake with the Pie Lady".  There is something for everyone.  I just may take the pie one myself (who's joining me??).  Classes are $65 and can fit into anyone's schedule.  The complete schedule and how to sign up can be found here.  Also, The Chubby Cook has agreed to donate 40% of the cost of the cooking class to my Liver Life Challenge fundraising goal for any January class.  When you check out, enter the code: ALF2012 by "gift certificates and coupon codes".  Not only will you be giving a great gift to a loved one (or yourself) but you will be helping the over 30 million Americans and their families who are battling liver diseases.

From The Chubby Cook's facebook page

Please remember you can also donate here until January 31, 2012.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!

***Disclaimer:  I responded to a posting by The Chubby Cook in regards to fundraising with cooking classes.  I was invited to a media preview back in the spring to see what The Chubby Cook was all about.  I am participating in Liver Life Challenge by choice.  All opinions are 100% my own***

Where I've Been and Where I am Going

"As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost.  And when that happens, I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going." ~Carrie Bradshaw


This quote from "Sex and the City" pretty much sums up my feelings towards blogging and such the last month or so.  I found myself lost and struggling to set myself apart from all the other great blogs out there.  In the past month, I have been to many fun events, ate alot of great food, and had some crazy culinary adventures.  However, as I was writing these up, I realized something was lacking.  Heart.  I end each post with "Follow your heart...fulfill your hunger" which I have adapted as the motto or tagline or whatever for this blog.  Writing and posting something that lacks heart is just not acceptable for me.  Blogging should not feel like a job or an obligation.  It takes the heart out of it.

I am here to share my love of Cleveland and love of food with my own personal twist.  I have two rules:
1: Give credit where credit is due
2: Fulfill my hunger to share my passions with you

There may be an occasional non-food related post every now and then but I will never forget the main concept of this blog.  Hopefully, a little more of ME comes through in my posts too.  It is time to go back to passions and inspirations which make me WANT to blog.  I guess this could be considered my "Declaration of Blogger Independence" in the spirit of Fourth of July.  Have a great weekend friends!  Enjoy the food, beer, fireworks, friends, family, picnics, baseball, and just being free!

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!