ELSEWHERE, TOURISTS ARE SWIMMING IN A WAVE POOL FILLED WITH WHO-KNOWS-WHAT.

Small Towns, Big Escape

On The Cover

58 THE HOME ISSUE Designing your home for every stage of life from growing children to retired parents. Edited by Ron Ledgard

Photo by Suzuran Photography

FEATURED

76 BASEBALL'S HEARTBEAT Remembering drummer John Adams, the longtime heartbeat of Cleveland baseball. By Annie Nickoloff and Dillon Stewart

12 FROM THE EDITOR

14 CONVERSATION

LAY OF THE LAND

17 RECORD STORE GUIDE Where to pick up your newest vinyl, CDs, cassettes and more.

20 THE LAND IN A POEM Exploring a rich and varied Cleveland culture through the poetry of Ray McNiece.

14 HISTORIC FARM RESTORATION Behind the revitalization of Cranz Farm in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

25 FAREWELL KEVIN LOVE The forward's historic run with the Cleveland Cavaliers ends.

28 CLEVELAND VR GAMING Behind the awardwinning local game, Straylight.

30 GETTING THRIFTY WITH IT Your guide to the thrifted, vintage and upcycled clothing scene in Northeast Ohio

FOOD & DRINK

39 WAFFLE-O-WAFFLE This Medina waffle stop excels with crunchy, sweet and savory.

40 WOLF PACK CHORUS The new musiccentered eatery in Little Italy sets out to be a comfortable, neighborhood hang.

42 STYLISH AND TASTY The Judith shows the posh side of French cafe life.

46 DINING GUIDE There's no shortage of delicious brunch options in The Land.

HOME & GARDEN

115 CHAGRIN GREENHOUSE The addition is for much more than just gardening.

SPECIAL SECTIONS

51 GUIDE TO COLLEGE How to win scholarships, the big- or small-school debate and more.

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Denise Polverine publisher

Dillon Stewart editor managing editor Ron Ledgard senior editor Annie Nickoloff associate editor Anthony Elder editorial assistant Becky Boban editor - at - large Colleen Smitek contributing writers Arbela Capas, Kristen Hampshire, Eric Heisig, Allison Jack, Ray McNiece, Marla Ridenour, Lynne Thompson, Gracie Wilson editorial interns Abigail Preiszig, Kiara Rodriguez, Karyssa Rose art director Erin Stinard associate art director Abigail Archer contributing artists Ken Blaze, Erik Drost, Ellen Gobeille, Karin McKenna, Casey Rearick photography intern Hayley Vitale illustration intern Emily Zhang editorial@clevelandmagazine.com advertising vice president Paul Klein senior account managers Sarah Desmond, Tiffany Myroniak account manager Julie Bialowas events and audience marketing manager Jennifer Roberts adsales@clevelandmagazine.com content marketing managing editor Jennifer Bowen Sima managing art director Rayanne Medford senior editor Ann-Marie Vazzano associate art director Megan Rosta contentmarketing@glpublishing.com production production manager Alyson Moutz Cowan production@clevelandmagazine.com digital media director of digital strategy Jacquie Chakirelis development manager Daniel Klinzing operations associate Camille Ross

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Social Hours

3-6pm, 7 days a week

APPETIZERS $3 OFF

WOOD FIRED PIZZA $3 OFF

PERONI DRAFTS $4

HOUSE WINES $6

SIGNATURE COCKTAILS $7 jor renovation — at least for me, a kid who spent more time holding books than hammers.

We chose between my home office and my wife’s getting-ready room. (Guess who won.) The bookshelves were moved and fastened to the wall. We replaced the rug and kitchen table, which were no longer fit for hosting, and painted the bathroom. The industrial wood-and-iron coffee table wasn't baby friendly, and the steps were too steep for grandma, so we installed a railing. And god forbid the baby endures a nursery with outdated, scratched hardwood floors.

Realtor dad, who deals in marriages, babies and divorces. He rolled his eyes. My parents had just finished renovations on an empty nesters' paradise — complete with a crib in the guest room.

“Get used to it,” he said, laughing.

And he’s right. As we grow and change, our spaces must also evolve to match our lifestyles.

That’s why this month, in our annual issue on home design, we ask some of Cleveland’s best designers for advice on styling and constructing a home that can grow with you and your family as you transition through life’s many phases.

Don't worry if your house isn’t magazine-ready — neither is mine. But this month, we hope you're inspired to bring a little style and a lot of comfort into your home life, so you can get back to what’s important: living.

A point on font size: We appreciate the feedback from our loyal readers who found the font in last month’s feature illegible. The production of this issue was too far along to make changes, but starting next month we’ll explore some solutions. Thanks for reading!

Dillon Stewart, editor stewart@clevelandmagazine.com

Rust Belt Ruminations

Later in this issue we feaure "Good Friday" from local poet Ray McNiece — an artist with an intense love for Cleveland and near-encyclopedic knowledge on the city’s cultural past.

Q: What is your background with poetry?

A: I didn’t go the academic route. I’m the first male to graduate college in the history of my families, either side. So, you’ll see some of that in "Good Friday." I come out of the working class. That’s probably pretty common for a lot of Cleveland.

Q: What is the value in relating to the city’s past through poetry?

A: Poetry, plus history, equals honesty. It’s important, I think, to know where you come from [in order] to know where you’re going. And to kind of celebrate that but also understand that we need to overcome our tribalism.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about Cleveland’s history with the art form?

A: This is a great poetic tradition we have here, and people have carried that. Hart Crane who lived here in Cleveland. The other giant we have, of course, is Langston Hughes. And Langston Hughes was really instrumental in the Harlem Renaissance. I think to Langston Hughes because he wrote more accessible poetry; was the guy that was sitting on the stoop and had his ears open to the rhythms of the street, the rhythms of the speech, of the everyday people.

Climate Conversation

Readers respond to the March issue's question: Is Cleveland the climate change safe haven we think it is?"

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QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE? Reach out to us at conversation@clevelandmagazine.com.

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CORRECTIONS:

In March's "Is Cleveland the Climate Safe Haven We Think It Is?" we incorrectly stated that temperatures nearing 130 degrees were common in the American Southwest, though Death Valley, California, did hit 127 degrees last year.

In March's Dining Guide, an editing mistake led to the mixup of Ohio City next-door neighbors Market Avenue Wine Bar and Pearl Street Market & Wine Bar.