Since I started blogging well over a hundred years ago, I have received thousands of requests to promote products on this blog. At the beginning getting free shit was totally cool but then I saw how there really was a price. By reviewing anything sent my way I could possibly alienate the people who come here everyday to ready my brand of crazy.

No bueno.

So I stopped with the random reviews of stupid crap and promised myself to only review things I really could stand behind. Then I got asked to have a potato chip party.

I don’t do potato chips.
I make potato chips from scratch and I sure as hell don’t buy ‘em.

When Shearer’s contacted me to host a potato chip party, my immediate reaction was absolutely not. How could I have a party where I served food that I don’t even have in my house. I wrote back explaining my view on potato chips and why I couldn’t take part. I soon received an email explaining that not only was Shearer’s a local company but they were also the greenest food plant in the world. She obviously had done her homework when choosing bloggers. It’s very hard for me to say no to a company that takes environmental stewardship seriously.

I accepted the challenge and started planning a party. I knew my girl OhMommy had accepted the potato chip mission so I inquired How about we do a blind wine tasting party and have potato chip palette cleansers? Can’t get much classier than that…

She was OBVIOUSLY in.

Our Share the Shearer’s blind wine tasting party was an absolute success. Everyone loved the wine and the chips were gone within no time at all. I even ate some!

Big thanks to Shearer’s, OhMommy, The Greenhouse Tavern, and all of you ladies who made it out for the fun!

xo

Even when we were in NYC briefly last fall, I went out to GoCityKids and found an amazing puppet show blocks away from our apartment, the next day we walked to Prospect Park and went to the Zoo, the day after that we went to storytime at Brooklyn public Library. I never once had to worry about what to do with the kids. It was AWESOME.

It’s not that Cleveland doesn’t offer events for the kids, it does. This city has an incredible amount of options for introducing culture to the kids. From museums to art classes, to story times and plays, Cleveland has options. The problem in my humble opinion is the amount & consistency of the events the city offers.

I think that the lack of events in our fair city is the lack of demand. The modern day suburban family goes downtown for two reasons, sports and shitty pop concerts. The majority of these suburban families would rather spend their time walking around a mall eating at TGI McHoulihan’s then walking and living through the fantastic city of Cleveland.

I know exceptions to this broad generalization of course, for example my friend OhMommy. OhMommy is a suburbanite (whether she likes to admit it or not:) with three kids. She regularly searches out events for her family to participate in that are located downtown. She wants her children to know both lives, urban and suburban. I can’t speak for her but I think our philosophies are close to the same. The more cultural experiences our children have, the more ready they will be for the real world. I stress the word experiences as I believe each urban experience plays a huge role in the lives of our children. It introduces them to a new part of life, one they don’t will not see in the suburbs. OhMommy and myself live this mantra. We take our kids downtown, we introduce them to foods they won’t find at Crapplebee’s, we walk the streets with our kids and we are proud to do so. Our simple belief in the future of downtown drives us to do so and if every suburban family would mimic OhMommy’s passion for downtown, I am sure the calendar of events for children downtown would surge.

Well my friends, I think that surge has begun. It is starting off slow but it’s there. I know this when I hear that one my favorite events from last year is back.

The International Children’s Festival is held by Playhouse Square and it is one of those events that makes me believe Cleveland is on the right path towards growth again. This is the second year and I am so proud to say that my kids will get to experience this incredible festival brought to our city by Playhouse Square. Last year’s festival was a highlight in our year. The intimacy of each show we saw made my kids feel like they were the only ones in audience. The talent this year is equally if not more stunning than last. There are countless shows from all over the world that will entice each and every one us, big or small.

5 Days in May will feel like we live back in the big city. As a family, we will walk the streets of downtown Cleveland thinking about what our city can grow to be. We will know that we are a part of our city’s future, that each thing we do in Cleveland contributes to our bringing our city back to life. We will walk to Playhouse Square and I will tell me kids that someday they will be walking their own kids down this same street, only instead of it being a monthly or weekly trip downtown, they will live here. They will raise a family here.

I encourage you to fall in love with your city. Embrace what it has to offer. Go downtown! Go to Playhouse Square! Take your kid’s to the International Children’s Festival! Be a part of re-building our once was thriving city.

One of you lucky peeps is gonna get to see how great the CLE is first hand.
I am giving away 4 tickets to the Saturday (May 7) show, Room on a Broom.

You can win these tix a few different ways:

• First way to win is to leave a comment telling me your favorite thing to do in the CLE with your kids. If you don’t have kids, just tell me your favorite thing about the CLE.
• Tweet the following:”I wanna win @playhousesquare kids festival tix on @chefswidow http://tinyurl.com/3op94lk ” Make sure to leave me a comment with your tweet.
• Share this blog post on FB. Again leave a comment with your link.
• Link this post on a your blog. Leave a comment with your blog post link.

>

You can do one, two, are all of these things. Each comment left will be one entry. Please remember to put your email in the comment so if you do win I can actually get the tickets to you! xx

I will be picking the winner next Monday May 2nd.

Good Luck!

Our restaurant rocks man. Not only do we serve kick ass food but the majority of our staff are seriously the most creative people in the CLE. Nathan and David, our most dedicated lunch servers, show us that they are for reals, the funniest people that work out The Greenhouse Tavern.

If you don’t know The Lunch Servers be sure to friend them on the FB or check them out on the YouTube. They are freakin’ hilarity.

Happy Hump Day yo.

In our quest for optimum health, the Chef & I have gone veg. Not sure how it happened but I can honestly say I like it.  I have never been that big of a carnivore so it’s not too different for me, but watching the Chef eat only fruit and veggies all day is somewhat shocking.  The man is the definition of carnivore.  However, he made a life decision, that was only strengthened after his mother , a lifelong carnivore, had a massive health scare due to her cholesterol.

He made the change and is not only 30 lbs. lighter, but more energetic as well!  Granted I am sure he will go back to carnivore once he gets down to his ideal weight.  I think his intake of meat will lighten but his love of animal is too great to be a veg forever.

The Chef, now consuming a massive amount of vegetables decided that my grocery shopping couldn’t keep up with his calorie burning metabolism. He decided to call his buddy Farmer Lee. Farmer Lee, if you don’t know, is by far the most infamous farmer in the world.  He provides veggies for some of the best chefs in the world as well as the President of these old United States.

Not too shabby.

The Chef & Farmer decided that a weekly vegetable box would probably be a good fit for our family. We are now on our second box and I cannot believe we didn’t do this sooner.  The veggies are frankly, phenomenal.

Last night the kids and I went to town on Farmer Lee’s root veggies.  The boy had wanted pancakes so we decided to mix it up a little.  We decided to make Rainbow Root Cakes, a play on traditional potato pancakes using root veggies.

It’s an easy dish, full of vegetables & nutrients, and the kids LOVE it!

Rainbow Root Cakes

3 Cups of Shredded Root Veggies (let sit in a colander for about 30 minutes to drain excess water)

(we used carrots, potato’s, parsnips, radish, and turnips)

3 Green Onions (white parts sliced only)

2-5 Tbsp Flour (we used whole wheat flour)

1 egg

1 egg white

Tsp Salt & Pepper

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Beat the eggs in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, add the shredded veggies, egg mix, flour, salt & pepper, and green onions.  Let sit.

While veggie mixture is sitting, heat frying pan with olive oil.  Be careful not to burn the oil.  Once pan is hot, add veggie mixture.  We used an ice scream scoop to measure.  Flatten down scoop with a spatula and let cook.  Flip and repeat.

Serve w/ sour cream or yogurt.

Bon Appétit!

If you are interested in getting farm fresh vegetables delivered to your home, please check out Chef’s Garden.  They have quite a few different boxes to fit  your lifestyle.  I am madly in love with Farmer Lee & Chef’s Garden and am so happy they found a place in my kitchen.

I take my holiday cards seriously.

I have vivid memories of our family getting a Christmas letter each year from my dad’s friend Skip.  I had never met Skip or anyone in his family for that matter, but every year I raced to the mailbox looking for that letter.  You see, Skip and his family worked in the peace corps and lived in Swaziland.  Thir adventures and life were so foreign to me, but every Christmas, I got to walk in their shoes, even if for only a moment.

When the Chef and I started our family, I couldn’t wait to introduce the world to our new son.  I remembered Skip’s amazing letters and cards and let them inspire me to do the same.  Starting in November I begin the search for my favorite card.  When I first had Catcher, our card list maxed out at 50.  Now the Chef and I send over 200 Christmas cards.

When deciding on the holiday card I will send to over 200 people., I look for the following features:

• Recycled paper (this is #1 because we do send so many cards)
• Design, design, design!  I love me so cool looking cards.
• Price.  Obvy.  We send over 200 cards and I really don’t want to be financing them.  Meh.

This year I have decided to use Shutterfly for my holiday cards.  While perusing the interwebs I noticed that their holiday photo cards were right up my ally, gorg in design and way affordable.  The only problem, is that there are so many cards to choose from, I am having a hard time picking my fave.

That’s where you come in friends.  I need your help.  I’ll tell you my top three and you tell me your favorite holiday photo card. Ready?

Set?

Go!

1.  

2.  

3.  

So friends, which card is Team Widow gonna be sending out this year?

Shutterfly is offering YOU 50 free cards. Check it. All you have to do is blog about their cards.  Sounds pretty good to me!

This post is part of a series sponsored by Shutterfly. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.