Archive for August, 2011

Please Vote for Butters!

Author: Joe

Aug 29

Life’s been crazy around these parts lately. We’ve had some good crazy, some bad crazy, and some in-between crazy.

We’ve had all sorts of fun times in and around Cleveland with fellow Yelp Elite members and Twitter folks…we lost power for over a day…I’m preparing for a Madden 2012 tournament tonight at the Steelyard Commons Walmart…and we just had our first-ever trial this morning.

I haven’t had the chance to do any sports blogging and the stupid power outage also meant that I missed the Browns vs. Eagles game on Thursday night.

However, before I take the time to whine about the outdated nature of our power grid or put up all sorts of pics from the fun that we had with social media folks, I’d like to take the time to ask for your vote.

(No, I’m not running for office…at least not yet.)

Instead, Butters is in the running to be the next Greenies Healthy Smile Star!

I can't wait to have my name in lights!

 

Butters has had quite the journey over the past year. He was pulled off of Broadway Avenue in Cleveland by the dog catcher and then taken to the Cleveland City Kennel, a place which is only slightly better than most jails. From there, he was taken to the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter, and we were lucky enough to stop by on the first day on which he was there.

I'm so cute, I knew I'd only be here for a day!

Winning the Greenies Healthy Smile Star competition would be a great way to end his first year in the Fell household, wouldn’t it? I think so.

You better vote for me or I will hunt you down!

You can vote once per day…so please vote once per day! (Click here to vote!) Thanks!

2 Comments
Filed under: Butters

Hurrah For No Homework, and Go Browns!

Author: Joe

Aug 22

For the first time in years, I’m not preparing myself for the first day of school.

I was in college for a bit longer than four years, which turned out to be a great thing because I met Sheila towards the end of my college career.

After a break of two years, I went back to school when I started working at Case–yay for tuition benefits.

Then, I went to law school for three years.

I loved school…yes, I even loved law school. Am I a nerd? Perhaps. I learned so many interesting things that I can use to help improve Cleveland and help improve the lives of those around me. I had many amazing professors and had opportunities to do a variety of interesting things.

However, I must admit that it’s been nice not to have the proverbial albatross of homework hanging over my head every night. This past year was especially rough–I had a myriad potpourri of school newspaper and law review commitments hanging over my head every day, and it was no fun switching off the Browns game and dashing off immediately to good ole’ Cleveland-Marshall.

I have really enjoyed getting back to blogging regularly, and it’s been nice to be able to pull my share of the housework. It’s also been fun to have the time to enjoy random moments like being invited to enjoy a cup of coffee on the porch with my neighbors and actually having the time to do so, y’know, like people used to do before everyone decided that life was better if we didn’t know our neighbors.

(In case anyone thinks I’m “living the dream” and not working…don’t get it twisted! I’m looking hard for other jobs to supplement what we’re already doing with the law office. Praise God for the fact that I have a few opportunities that are shaping up to be something substantial!)

I don’t need to post a link to all of the blogging I’ve been doing on here because…you’re here already!

But I would like to post a link to my blog on Football News Now! Earlier in the summer, I was selected to be the Official Browns Blogger on footballnewsnow.com. As soon as the bar ended, I got to work on posting quality content on From the Shores of Lake Erie. I love the Browns, and I really sharing my thoughts about the team and the progress that we’re making here in Cleveland.

While I’m a bit sad knowing that I won’t get to feel the rush of the first day of school ever again (unless I get a Ph.D in History…), I am grateful and happy for all of the free time that I now have to pursue the many other hobbies and interests that were placed on the back burner over the past several years!

0 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized

Fright Night!

Author: Joe

Aug 20

I don’t really enjoy watching movies at home. There’s simply too many distractions!

My ability to get distracted by the smallest thing is a shame, because our landlord generously left his high-quality sound system in our house when we took possession last September (Have we been here for almost a year? Crazy!). It really enhances the viewing experience for horror films, and if I can figure out how to get it set up to play television audio as well, the Browns’ many victories this fall are going to sound even sweeter!

Unfortunately, the surround sound makes Mr. Butters anxious, and he tends to pace anxiously around the living room when we’re watching a movie. The only way to stop him from doing this is to cage him…and any dog owner will attest that it’s hard to unnecessarily cage their pup!

Poor guy already spent too much time in a cage before we got him!

 

There’s something about losing oneself in the viewing experience of a movie theater for a few hours that I find extremely enjoyable…no phones (well, I turn my phone off, anyway…I have no idea why people spend money on a movie only to sit and text during it!), no e-mail, just a dark, air conditioned theater and a great movie!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to work during this past summer since I was studying for the bar exam, and money was a bit tight. As it turned out, I never got to see The Tree of Life, which was the only movie I desperately wanted to see this summer. Oh well!

Needless to say, I jump at the chance when the opportunity to see a movie in the theater for free arises. I’ve been signing up for Metromix Cleveland’s free movie pass giveaways, and we finally won a pair of tickets for a sneak preview of Fright Night! Both Sheila and I love horror movies, and we were pretty pumped about the chance to see a horror film in the theater for free!

Great candidate for a Christmas card picture, don't you agree?

 

We’ve watched a string of relatively disappointing horror films in recent weeks–The Rite and Insidious among them–and we were pleasantly surprised by the fact that Fright Night was a very scary, yet very funny, horror film. Truth be told, Fright Night was one of the most enjoyable horror films that we’ve seen in a long time! I think both of us spent equal amounts of time laughing at the abundant humor in the film and tensely gripping our seats in anticipation of what was going to happen next.

Colin Farrell steals the movie as a vampire who spends as much joking with his victims as he does sucking their blood. I thought his performance was darn near perfect! The other characters were pretty good too.

If you’re looking for a good scare or to beat the heat this weekend, check out Fright Night. I think you’ll like it!

As for us, we’ll be checking out a movie at the cheap theater on Saturday night…should we see The Hangover 2 or Mr. Popper’s Penguins?

 

3 Comments
Filed under: Life, Movies

Lemon Granita

Author: Sheila

Aug 17

I’ve been hearing about granitas for quite some time now, mostly by reference of my favorite celebrity chef, Giada Di Laurentiis. A granita is a semi-frozen combination of water, sugar, and flavorings – softer than italian ice, but not as smooth as a sorbet. Tonight, I was excited to try my hand at a lemon granita as a foray back into the kitchen after a brief respite last week!

Luckily, this recipe lends itself to a little tutorial!


First, add 1 1/4 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil.

You’ll need 4 lemons. Zest one lemon…

Then juice that lemon and the other 3 lemons.


Add juice and zest to the boiling sugar-water mixture.


Boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool.


Poor into a pan and freeze for 2 hours. Then scrape ‘er up!

Freezer ‘er again, then scrape again after 2 hours and serve.
Ignore pleading eyes. Enjoy.

5 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized

Where Have the Frolicking Fells Been?

Author: Joe

Aug 15

Posting has been a bit light around these parts lately because we’ve been in Washington, DC with Sheila’s family this past week for a much-needed vacation. We’ve spent a lot of time relaxing by the pool, spending time with out-of-town family, and preparing for Sheila’s brother’s wedding!

I’ll put up a more detailed post later, but here’s a picture from the wedding that captures the endearing uniqueness and quirkiness of the couple and the fun nature of the day’s festivities:

A funny moment during the vows!

 

 

They’re such a fun couple and we were honored to have the opportunity to share in their special day!

0 Comments
Filed under: Family

We’re Off To See The Wizard!

Author: Joe

Aug 11

I’ve never seen Jaws. I’ve never seen 2\3 of the original Star Wars trilogy, and the 1\3 that I’ve seen was interrupted several times by sleep. I’ve also never seen Gone With The Wind, and I don’t remember much of The Godfather either.

However, as of this afternoon, I have finally seen The Wizard of Oz!

The fact that I haven’t ever seen The Wizard of Oz has turned into something of a joke amidst my family and friends. It’s not that I didn’t want to see it, but I just never had the opportunity to watch it. (However, I have managed to carve out the time to watch acclaimed and historically important firms such as Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie, On Deadly Ground, and When a Stranger Calls.) Sheila and I have rented it several times, but we’ve never watched it.

Sheila and her mom went shopping this afternoon, and Sheila’s sister asked I wanted to watch The Wizard Of Oz. I’m pretty caught up on our legal work and board-related work, so I figured that I should take advantage of a rare free afternoon and watch a movie that I’ve been watching to see for…30 years?

After a few technical snafus, we got the movie up and rolling. It was great! To be honest, the entire experience was more like a lesson in American history than watching a movie. I knew that the movie had a pervasive influence on American life and culture, but its influence really didn’t dawn on me until I watched the film in its entirety.

One thing I particularly liked about the film was its sincerity and innocence. Sure, I love character development and multifaceted characters with rich, intricate personalities. However, I think there’s something to be said for a simple, enjoyable film every now and then, right?

I’m glad I had the chance to watch this film. Now that law school is over, hopefully I’ll have the time to chip away at the long list of historically important films that I’ve still yet to see! Feel free to leave any suggestions for films that I should see in the comments!

1 Comment
Filed under: Life, Movies

Great Evening With a Great Couple!

Author: Joe

Aug 10

Sheila and I had a great night with her sister Sara and Sara’s boyfriend Brad tonight!

We started the evening off with a delicious dinner hosted by Sara and Brad at his house. I always like to be surprised when I go to dinner parties. Frankly, if the food is going to be bad, I don’t want to dread the evening before I get there and walk in with a bad attitude…and if the food is going to be good, I enjoy sharing a genuine smile of delight with the host\hostess when I see a great dish appear on the table!

There were conflicting reports of what was going to be served. I thought I heard Sara mention that they were making Eggplant Parmigiana, which is one of my favorite dishes, but I also heard Sheila’s mom say they were making a casserole. Fortunately, the former was made, and large amounts of the former were consumed by yours truly.

We also enjoyed two delicious wines, a side dish made from freshly picked squash and zucchini, and a peach tart made by Sheila and her mom. I really need to get better at taking pictures of our food before diving right into it like a mad dog, especially when the food is quite remarkable!

After we finished dinner, it was karaoke time!

I’ve always loved karaoke. Despite having next to no musical talent and a voice that would make Helen Keller grateful that she was deaf, I really enjoy singing my favorite songs and seeing people either heckle, cheer, or do something in between. Unfortunately, I don’t get the chance to do it very often, so I always make the most of it when I do!

I sang three songs and everyone else sang two songs. I’m sure the other patrons probably wish that I had only sung one song, though! I did manage to get pictures of the four of us rockin’ out, and here they are!

Sheila sang Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard and Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers!

Sara sang Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus and Like a Surgeon by Weird Al Yankovic!

I sang Son of a Son of a Sailor by Jimmy Buffett, Welcome to the Jungle by Guns ‘N Roses, and Home Sweet Home by Motley Crue!

Brad sang Friends in Low Places by Garth Brooks and Hook by Blues Traveler!

 

We had a great night with Sara and Brad! We also had a fun day with Sara too, but the pictures from that outing are on our camera and I am literally so tired that I am going to fall asleep on the floor and wind up sleeping next to Butters, so you’ll have to wait for those…

1 Comment
Filed under: Family

Drive-In Trip!

Author: Joe

Aug 6

We had a crazy week this week. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, both of us worked almost 12 hour days. Sheila recently picked up a temporary part-time job coordinating a program for a local community development corporation, so I’ve been handling all of the legal work that a law clerk is permitted to do.

On top of all that, we’ve also been working to plan Scranton Road Ministries Community Development Corporation’s upcoming Health Fair, which is coming up on September 17th. We’ve already gotten some great help from Poise in Parma with regards to lining up potential speakers, but I’ve also been trying to find a mobile health unit.

Needless to say, all of this activity has made us want to sleep like a dog at night!

I was a bit worried that all of this work would lead me to fall asleep during our trip to the Midway Twin Drive-In on Friday night! Watching a movie at a drive-in s one of the activities on Sheila’s list of 101 Things in 1001 Days, and I was excited to help her check off another activity on her list.

Fortunately, one extremely stressful legal matter was cleared up right before we headed out for the evening, which was a major blessing and an answer to many prayers. Once that happened, I felt like an immense burden was lifted from my shoulders and I knew I’d enjoy the evening.

Last November, a group of us went to see Harry Potter and we saw the preview for Cowboys & Aliens. After laughing through the preview, I doubted that any of us would ever seriously wind up seeing it…but sure enough, we were speeding along country roads in Summit County on Friday night in order to make sure we got there on time! However, I was actually more excited about seeing the second feature, Captain America.

I hadn’t seen an action movie in a long time, and it was really great just to be able to sit back and enjoy two entertaining movies. While I still haven’t seen The Tree of Life, which is the only movie that I truly wanted to see all summer long, I don’t think my brain was ready to handle a deep, intense movie of that nature last night. Cowboys & Aliens was just OK, but Captain America was awesome!

Here’s a picture of the Midway Twin Drive-In, taken from their Facebook page:

Personally, the night was darn near perfect and we were very blessed. Despite the fact that all three cars of our group arrived at vastly different times, we all managed to sit together. The weather was great–not too hot, but not too cold, and one of our friends had the foresight to pack an extra blanket that came in handy when Sheila got cold at the end of the night. (Thanks Steph!)

I hadn’t been to a drive-in for something like 10 years, but last night’s experience helped me remember that one of the most enjoyable things to do in the summer is to enjoy a double feature at the drive-in. We love horror movies, and since Final Destination 5 is supposed to be showing there later in the summer, we just might wind up making a return trip!

 

Have you ever been to a drive-in? If so, what was your first movie that you ever saw at a drive-in?

0 Comments
Filed under: Fun With Friends

What Happens When a Lawyer and Her Law Clerk Work Too Hard?

Author: Joe

Aug 3

While we were engaging in preparation for some upcoming contentious legal matters, we started to feel a bit predatorial…

The Lawyer

 

The Law Clerk

 

The Security Guard

0 Comments
Filed under: Craziness!

Tremont Farmer’s Market!

Author: Joe

Aug 3

One of the best things about living in Tremont is the Tremont Farmer’s Market, which occurs every Tuesday evening in Lincoln Park from May-October. Last fall, when I had an epic day of classes from 9:30AM-4:00PM, our weekly trips to the Farmer’s Market made for a relaxing end to the day. This year, our weekly trips to the Farmer’s Market have been a welcome study break for me and a great opportunity to give Mr. Butters a walk.

Of course, the wonderful food and produce is the main reason that we attend the Farmer’s Market. We enjoy giving our money directly to Ohio’s great farming community, and the freshness of the produce makes Sheila’s already delicious food taste even better!

Our visits have given us the opportunity to purchase all sorts of interesting and unique foods. My favorite has been the kale chips! Mama Pea over at Peas and Thank You has put up several recipes for kale chips, and when I finally saw kale chips for sale, I was thrilled. Except for the homemade chips at B Spot, I could seriously never eat another potato chip again if kale chips were as plentiful and easily available as potato chips. Perhaps I will try making my own! They’re better for me and more delicious too…and to quote Rachael Ray, “I like to eat better…so I can eat more!”

Yesterday, the weather was steamy and hot, and both Sheila and I were looking for a drink. Much to our delight, one of the vendors who sells unique beverages attended the Farmer’s Market today! He offered both Watermelon Jalapeno Juice and Grapefruit Mint Juice. Tough decision, if you ask me! We finally went with Watermelon Jalapeno, which was very refreshing…I don’t think it lasted more than 5 minutes. I tried to take a picture of it but Butters hopped in front of the glass, probably because he wanted to enjoy it too!

 

We’ve had some interesting times with Butters at the Farmer’s Market. Since he was snatched right off of Broadway Avenue by the local dog catcher, we have no idea if he grew up with other dogs or had bad experiences with other dogs prior to his arrival in our home. Unfortunately, his experiences with other dogs at the Farmer’s Market haven’t been very pleasant; he usually winds up barking at them and pulling the leash towards them, which makes walking with a full pint of blueberries or chatting with the vendors a real challenge!

Much to our delight, today was different! Maybe it was because he spent a few days with my cousin’s Golden Retriever last week while I was taking the Ohio Bar Exam, or maybe it was because he knows I’d like to get another dog and wants to show us that he can get along with other dogs. Whatever the reason, Butters was very friendly and accommodating to every other dog at the Farmer’s Market today! I was so proud of him that I let him beat me at checkers…and you all know how much I hate losing.

If you’re in the Cleveland area and you’d like to join us at the Tremont Farmer’s Market, let us know!

2 Comments
Filed under: We Love Tremont! | Tagged as: ,
View more posts »