EVENTS CALENDAR

Local Theater, Gallery and Art News in Cleveland, OH

Dinner, Drinks and a Movie: Austin's Wood Fire Grille, jalapeno margarita at Lopez Southwestern Food Club, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

by The Plain Dealer

Thursday August 21, 2008, 1:39 PM

Yummy treats like an appetizer of blackened ahi tuna await at Austin's Wood Fire Grille in Brecksville.

Austin's Wood Fire Grille
8121 Chippewa Road (Ohio 82), Brecksville, 440-546-1003 
The centerpiece of Austin's menu is a stunning 14-ounce New York Strip Steak ($29.99), dry-aged for 21 days in the restaurant cooler then mesquite grilled. It is served crusty and caramelized on the outside, juicy and buttery on the inside and perfectly done to order. It certainly didn't need a sauce and that's a lucky thing, because none was offered. -- Beth Segal

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Cleveland State University graduate and comedian Basile headed for Hilarities, plus Sebastian Maniscalco and more: Laugh Track

by Michael K. McIntyre

Wednesday August 20, 2008, 2:56 PM

Basile

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the host of the Laugh Track column, a man who can't stop Googling himself . . . Mike McIntyre. Thank you, Cleveland. I have to admit, Googling myself is fun. I hear it's even better with a computer and an Internet connection.

Greek to him: A Cleveland State University graduate who got his stand-up start in Cleveland, is treating his gig this week at Hilarities as a homecoming. "I got my family coming and we're so excited to be coming up. I know we'll be hitting some of the Greek festivals," said Basile, a Long Island native who used to visit Cleveland frequently because he has so much family here.

"My parents lied to me and told me we were going to Hawaii ," said Basile, who jokes that when the Cuyahoga River caught fire, "I said 'Oh my God, it's lava.'"

ONLINE AUDIO: Basile

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Hard Rock Cafe rocks out with new apparel

by Laura DeMarco

Tuesday August 19, 2008, 5:11 PM

HARD ROCK CAFEHARD ROCK STYLE: The Rock Couture T-shirt has become the chain's top selling shirt -- ever.

MORE INFO
Hard Rock Cafe Rock Shop
Hours: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday.
Where: 230 West Huron Road, in Tower City Center, Cleveland.
Contact: 216-830-ROCK (7625).

Wearing a T-shirt from a Hard Rock Cafe hasn't been very rock 'n' roll in a long time. It seems every other dude working out at the gym and all the moms in your neighborhood have one, usually faded and always baggy.

But now the Florida-based chain is trying to put the "rock" back into their wares with a revamped merchandise line.

"We've taken a look at what's happening in the marketplace and have done what we consider a more fashionable line for men and women that is authentic to the rock 'n' roll lifestyle," says Kitsy Phillips, International Director of Merchandise Development for the Hard Rock Cafes.

The classic city-logo tees are still there, if you're looking, but the new fashion-forward looks skew much younger and more body-conscious.

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Russian model Irina Voronina comes to Cleveland to pitch Germany's St. Pauli Girl beer

by John Petkovic

Friday August 15, 2008, 6:45 AM

COURTESY OF ST. PAULI GIRL

Russian model Irina Vornina is bringing her bier tour to Cleveland.

I've had my share of St. Pauli Girls. And yet, I must say, I'm taken aback by this one.

Whoa, she's alive!

She has a name.

And the madchen is, get this . . . not even German!

Was ist los???

Her name is Irina Voronina, a.k.a. the "spokesmodel" for St. Pauli Girl beer.

On Wednesday, the Russian model-turned-actress-turned-German-garb-wearing-pitchwoman will hit Cleveland to party, hang out and reveal the finer aspects of the German beer.

You may have seen Irina before. She's acted in flicks like "Reno 911!: Miami" and appeared in Playboy and the "Adult Swim" Cartoon Network show, "Saul of the Mole Men."

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Dinner, drinks and a movie: Jefferson 150, Dead Guy Ale at Brothers Lounge, "Tropic Thunder"

by The Plain Dealer

Thursday August 14, 2008, 10:34 AM

Jefferson 150 owner/chef Shawn Grieves serves up yummy dishes such as pork chops Florentine.

DINNER

Jefferson 150
150 Jefferson St., Amherst 440-988-0330

Our entrees included a twice-baked lasagna bolognese, filled with stringy mozzarella, savory meat sauce, wild mushrooms and roasted red pepper ($14). The dish came out extra hot, sizzling in a cast-iron skillet. A huge serving of meatloaf and smashed potatoes cost $12. The accompanying country gravy was nothing like the heavy glop you might expect. Instead, the dish was paired with a delicate stock broth with a hint of lemon. -- Bob Migra

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J. Anthony Brown, Bobby Collins and more -- It's Laugh Track for Aug. 14-17

by Michael K. McIntyre

Tuesday August 12, 2008, 2:00 PM

J. Anthony Brown

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the host of the Laugh Track column, a man who lost every last dollar on a vacation get-rich-quick scheme ... Mike McIntyre.

Thank you, Cleveland! I don't know what kind of marketing genius this Suzie is, but I can tell you from experience: Nobody wants to buy seashells by the seashore.

Off the air: J. Anthony Brown brings his variety act of a stand-up show to the Improv this weekend. He'll even find a remote studio to do his day job on Friday as co-host of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Radio Show.

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Hudson merchants offer tax-free shopping days

by Julie E. Washington

Tuesday August 12, 2008, 1:51 PM

Get paid to shop during Tax Free Days in Hudson, as selected merchants will pay your sales taxes on purchases made this Friday through Sunday, Aug. 15-17.

The idea behind the promotion, sponsored by Merchants of Hudson, is to encourage shoppers to spend locally and help take a bite out of back-to-school costs. A list of participating merchants is at www.merchantsofhudson.com.

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Dinner, Drinks and a Movie: Barley House, Velvet Tango Room, "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired"

by The Plain Dealer

Thursday August 07, 2008, 6:55 AM

Roman Polanski is the subject of this week's movie pick.

The Barley House
222 S. Main St., Akron, 330-374-0925

The Guinness Irish BBQ Burger ($8.95 almost every item on the menu is less than $10) is a beef burger slathered with a sweet yet piercing barbecue sauce, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, onions and a potato pancake. Its a remarkable experience, especially when washed down with a sip of Shock Top wheat beer, one of the more than two dozen drafts available. -- John Campanelli

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