Cleveland . . . Soccer & Rock n Roll

The Bruce Springsteen Exhibit (part one)

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Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum1100 Rock & Roll Blvd.Cleveland, OHPH: 216-781-ROCKwww.rockhall.comAs I sat in my hotel room on Saturday night, I found myself thumbing through the Cleveland tourist guide. When I reached the fifth or sixth page, there was a half-page ad for the Bruce Springsteen special exhibit "From Asbury Park to the Promised Land." All I could think was how could I come to Cleveland and leave without seeing what the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame had to share regarding the life and music of one of my all-time musical inspirations. While I do not agree with his political positions on most things (more on that later), I do feel th...Read More

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The Bruce Springsteen Exhibit (part two)

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Special Exibit - Bruce Springsteen Photo - Cleveland, Ohio

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continuation . . .On up to the sixth floor, there is a huge screen playing concert footage which doesn’t seem to be from any particular show that I recognize. There is a round bench area in the center of the room facing the exhibits along the walls throughout, making it a nice way to sit back to enjoy the music. On one entire wall are scads of handwritten lyric sheets, mostly in or from spiral bound notebooks. In some cases ("The River" and "Darkness on the Edge of Town" albums) the entire notebooks are on display, opened to one of the many familiar songs. Other displays are photocopies or full poster sized displays of the scribbled lyrics. Perhaps as fascinating as the words th...Read More

continuation . . .

On up to the sixth floor, there is a huge screen playing concert footage which doesn’t seem to be from any particular show that I recognize. There is a round bench area in the center of the room facing the exhibits along the walls throughout, making it a nice way to sit back to enjoy the music. On one entire wall are scads of handwritten lyric sheets, mostly in or from spiral bound notebooks. In some cases ("The River" and "Darkness on the Edge of Town" albums) the entire notebooks are on display, opened to one of the many familiar songs. Other displays are photocopies or full poster sized displays of the scribbled lyrics. Perhaps as fascinating as the words themselves are the stories that go along with the notebooks as Springsteen was often inspired to write more than what might reasonably fit on an album (or CD).

Case in point is the heart pounding "Murder Incorporated" which was released in 1995 for the first time on his "Greatest Hits" collection. WOW – a song not previously released going straight to "greatest hits" status. That is impressive. The song was written however in 1982 as part of his "Born in the USA" work, but was subsequently held for later. Springsteen’s lyrics notebook for the album documents the origin of the song even if it wasn’t released for over 10 years.

In that same room, on the adjacent wall are displays of the iconic blue jeans, white tee shirt and red baseball cap worn on the cover of "Born in the USA." Also on the wall is blue and white plaid shirt he wore on the cover of "The River." Of course, he had cooler threads too including the uber- cool black leather jacket worn on the "Born to Run" cover. As I walked around the assortment of wardrobe items on display, I couldn’t help but to realize what a small man he is. While he has bulked up through obvious work in the gym sometime between the "Born to Run" and "Born in the USA" releases, he really has a slight frame. As I looked at that leather jacket, I thought it looked like about a size six.

No rock and roll museum exhibit would be complete without the instruments used to create the wonderful music enjoyed by millions from around the world. There are several guitars on display, including the 1968 Gibson Les Paul that he traded in 1973 because it was too heavy. The exhibit also includes a couple of his harmonicas, as well as a guitar from Miami Steve/Little Steven Van Zandt, an early saxophone from The Big Man himself (Clarence Clemons) and an accordion from the late Danny Federici.

All and all, the "Asbury Park to the Promise Land; the Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen" special exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum was well worth the price of admission ($22 for adults less a $2 discount offered by their local CVB to our US Youth Soccer group). If there is a negative, it is the fact that you cannot take photos inside the museum. In fact, when the wristband person noticed I had a small camera around my wrist, she made me take it to the coat check for the duration of my visit. HUGE BUMMER!

The entire facility is accessible via escalators and elevators. There is a café serving food & beverages on the third floor; and a gift shop on the main level where you buy your admission tickets. I look forward to wearing my Bruce Springsteen Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum tee-shirt to his Milwaukee show in just two weeks!

Hours are 10:00am to 5:30pm with extended hours on Wednesdays. They are open seven days a week, year round and are only closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days. Come in the summer and enjoy a picnic lunch there by the shores of Lake Erie.

Note there is limited street parking adjacent to the museum; so you may need to park in the parking deck that is caddy-corner from the entrance.

UPDATE 1/27/10: This special exhibit was scheduled to run through April 2010. It was announced this week, however, that it will remain through the end of the year. Read Less

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ChopHouse & Brewery

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Restaurant | "Perfect Setting for a Large Group"

Cleveland ChopHouse & Brewery Photo - ChopHouse & Brewery, Cleveland, Ohio

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In town for the US Youth Soccer Region II fall meetings; there were 40 of us ready for a great meal. Our hosts Ohio Youth Soccer/North made arrangements for us to dine at the Cleveland ChopHouse & Brewery, which was a short walk from our downtown hotel.The restaurant itself is spacious, with several somewhat private booths, as well as tables throughout. Our large group had a nice room that was not really closed off from the rest of the restaurant so it afforded us the privacy for the group and yet allowed us to see and experience the rest of the ambience of the restaurant. The tables set in rounds of ten were perfect for conversation around the table or with a nearby table mate....Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 2, 2009

ChopHouse & Brewery
824 West Saint Clair Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
(216) 623-0909

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Sans Souci

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Restaurant | "Delicious Mediterranean Cruisine - Not Your Typical "Hotel Restaurant""

Entrance Into Sans Souci Photo - Sans Souci, Cleveland, Ohio

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Upon our arrival my board president and I were ready for dinner. A bit tired from the day, we agreed the restaurant in our hotel (The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel) would suffice. Suffice it did . . . and then some! It was outstanding!There were three in our group, as another state president joined us. It's always nice to meet with other soccer leaders from around the county, or in this case the Midwest Region. We generally get together or see one another three or four times a year and the fall meeting of the Midwest Region is really focus on just our 13 states.While we didn't have reservations for a Friday night, we were immediately seated. The dining room was simply exqui...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 2, 2009

Sans Souci
24 Public Square, Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216-696-5600

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Renaissance Cleveland Hotel

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Hotel | "Historic Building Turned Hotel in Downtown Cleveland"

A Nearby Lobby of the Renaissance Hotel Cleveland Photo - Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio

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The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel is located in the historical warehouse district in the downtown area of Cleveland. As part of the Public Square, the Renaissance Hotel is adjacent to the Tower City Center, a large shopping area with many upscale stores, boutiques and restaurants. The hotel is lavish and stylish, rich in appointments throughout whether it is in the ballrooms (we met inside the Ambassador Ballroom), the lobby and open areas, or the beautiful staircase.Onsite they have two restaurants, San Souci (check out my separate review of our dining experience) and Brasserie (breakfast and lunch). We did breakfast with our counterparts from Minnesota on Sunday morning and thoroughly e...Read More

The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel is located in the historical warehouse district in the downtown area of Cleveland. As part of the Public Square, the Renaissance Hotel is adjacent to the Tower City Center, a large shopping area with many upscale stores, boutiques and restaurants. The hotel is lavish and stylish, rich in appointments throughout whether it is in the ballrooms (we met inside the Ambassador Ballroom), the lobby and open areas, or the beautiful staircase.

Onsite they have two restaurants, San Souci (check out my separate review of our dining experience) and Brasserie (breakfast and lunch). We did breakfast with our counterparts from Minnesota on Sunday morning and thoroughly enjoyed their full buffet offerings including eggs and omelets cooked to order, fruits, bakery goods including muffins, croissants and pastries and breakfast meats. There is also a lobby bar where folks could be found enjoying a cold adult beverage and sports on the TV's.

As for the sleeping rooms, mine was very nice. I love the Marriott bedding package, very comfortable. The bathroom was also spacious and well supplied. The work area was also adequate for the business traveler needing to do some work in their room. With that being said, I think their $13 price tag for the "business communications package" is a rip-off. For that price you receive internet connection and free local telephone calls, so essentially you're paying the money for internet because most business travelers are with cell phones or other personal communication devices that are more cost effective than paying local (or long distance) phone charges.

Speaking of other rip-offs, let me preface this comment with I generally have a good idea of how the hotel and meeting industry work relative to "REVPAR" and making their financial model work. That being said, $500 per day to provide wireless access in a meeting room is highway robbery!

To meeting planners considering this property, pay particular attention to the full cost of meeting here. I found that the $119 group rate was not special as it was their featured online price for the weeks leading up to our meetings.

All in all, I enjoyed the hotel. Their staff was exceptionally helpful and friendly. The location is perfect, right on the RTA (local rail) which makes it accessible from the airport for just $2.50, versus a cab for $33-$35. There are over 35 restaurants within walking distance, including nationally known chains such as Morton’s Steakhouse, Hard Rock Cafe, Houlihan's and House of Blues.
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 2, 2009

Renaissance Cleveland Hotel
24 PUBLIC SQUARE
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216-696-5600

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