The Cleveland Museum of Art

11150 East Blvd
Cleveland, OH 44106
(216) 421-7340

by Beau Cadiyo

OK, advertising execs, this one is for free:

I don't know why April Fool's Day isn't a bigger television advertisement day than the Super Bowl.  It offers SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES for celebrities and companies to trade millions of dollars, have fun, and get viewers and customers, and it would make television advertising relevant again.

Think about it.  First, the companies can hire people that they normally wouldn't - Justin Bieber plugging for the AARP, for example, or LeBron James for Summer's Eve.  They can make ludicrous advertisements - ones that are over the top absurd, worthy of Dali.  They have a day to compete for viewers and plaudits.  Then, the next day, the celebrities claim it was all in good fun, that it wasn't serious, and their brands won't be tarnished.  They get paid.  The companies get attention, and are known for having a bit of fun at, and for, their own expense.  Viewers are glued to their TVs or computers.  It's like Will Ferrell doing Old Milwaukee, but for every company that exists.  Stars could be born; new companies could come out of nowhere.  We could have an award for the best commercials.

God, it makes SO MUCH FARKING SENSE.  I need to be in advertising.  Someone effing hire me.

Also, the burger at the museum is pretty average, all around.  The lettuce tasted incredible - that was the best thing that could be said for it.  If I was going to go back, I'd get one of the naan rolls - they looked delicious and didn't take nearly as long to make.

Also, I don't know why they aren't using the atrium to grow produce for their kitchen, though.  That's also an obvious thing for them to do, year round.  That's TWO FREEBIES IN ONE POST PEOPLE.

Wexler's Tavern

4555 State Rd
Cleveland, OH 44109
(216) 398-5000
www.wexlerstavern.com/

by Beau Cadiyo


I received the following question today from the owner of the Oberlin Market, which we reviewed several years ago:

Hello, this is the owner of The Oberlin Market. How long do you leave your comments up? Much of this business has changed since 2007, so I'm not sure how relevant this is. 
Also, in this review you comment on several factors other than the food. These comments are snarky at best, and I don't think they follow good ethics. 
Please consider whether you a providing a dis-service by leaving this up. Thank you.

The author, of course, is named "Anonymous," so we have no idea whether he or she is actually part of the Oberlin Market or not.  Also, there is no indication as to how the restaurant has changed; I'm sure the air is different, and perhaps the menu, but we have no way of knowing.  There is obviously a date on the review, which people can use to judge whether the review is timely or not.  Also, there is no analysis of how this does not "follow good ethics" - instead, our correspondent simply says it's not "good ethics" and lets it stand at that.  There is obviously an argument to be made that, by writing an inane, poorly-worded, poorly-reasoned comment, they were trying to cast the real owners of the Oberlin Market in a poor light; if so, well played.

But I'll bite.  I also don't know why this would provide a "dis-service."  It simply states facts and opinions, as any review does, and is necessarily a product of its time.  However, this might be a good discussion: do any readers have any opinions as to whether this follows "good ethics" or does a "dis-service" to anyone or anything?  If not, I'll accept a well-deserved victory in the court of public opinion.

Also, I do declare, I'm a big fan of the burgers at Wexler's Tavern.  They are large, juicy, well-constructed and, as Frank Shoop pointed out, "there's nothing wrong with them."  The buffalo chicken salad is also delicious, the waitstaff is friendly to the point of being endearing and comfortable, and the owner was in this evening so I got to exchange a few words with him; he seemed like a solid guy.  Their beer selection is smaller than some places, but with an excellent range and stellar prices - for example, two Vanilla Porters were $2 a piece, and I got a delicious beer brewed in Salt Lake City, Utah.  (The girl I was with, upon hearing that her porters were $2, got angry - not at Wexler's but at all of the other bars in town.)  It's a great sandwich in an easy-to-access location with cheap beer and a fun vibe.  If you're in the neighborhood, stop by.