Tag Archives: Good Eats

Interview: Matt Fish – The Man Behind Melt Bar & Grilled

Being from Cleveland, it’s kind of hard for me these days to not think of Melt Bar & Grilled when someone mentions the words “grilled cheese” in a sentence. Anyone who has had the privilege to devour one of the many gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches can probably agree with me – There is just something about a gigantic sandwich of comfort that is ever so addicting (oh, and the fries are pretty damn good too).

Matt Fish, proprietor/founder/pro-Clevelander/friend to all, is the man behind the grill(s) at Melt Bar and Grilled. It was he who took an idea and made it in to so much more than a place to grab a sandwich and a beer. He took a simple childhood favorite and turned it into a guilted-gourmet delight of stomach-bursting proportions.

In only four years, Fish now has two locations that have received an abundance of local attention as well as national. Wait times for a table alone reach upwards to two hours on the weekends meaning only one thing: Melt is kind of a big deal.

Recently I had the chance to catch up with Fish. The man is such a busy man it pretty much took two weather changes for this interview to finish, but in my opinion it was well worth it. Read on to get to know the man who is responsible for raising cholesterol to many Cleveland-ites, one sandwich at a time…


Photo by Chris Walters
Photo by Chris Walters

Kindly introduce yourself to the folk that have not had the privilege of meeting you yet.

Hello everyone. My name is Matt Fish and I am the owner of Melt Bar and Grilled in Lakewood and Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

What was life like for Matt Fish before Melt Bar & Grilled existed?

Definitely a little less crazy. I have always been a busy person so I was ready for the challenge of restaurant ownership. Life before Melt was a bit more relaxed though. I did more things that gave me personal enjoyment without having to worry about the restaurant all the time. The one thing that I did before Melt and I miss the most was play music. I have been playing in bands as a drummer since 1989 and I had to give that up to open Melt. Music and food have always been my passion but music has always been first. I will hopefully have time to get back into it sometime in the future.

How did the idea of gourmet grilled cheese come about?

There was no real epiphany or voice from above that gave me a vision. It was really just an innocent idea that I had. I wanted to open a restaurant that completely different than anything in the city at the time. Grilled cheese was always a big part of my life and I had always dabbled in making unique grilled type sandwiches with tons of great cheese. Bread and cheese have always been two of my favorite foods on earth. My last meal on earth will hopefully include some great artesian bread a some really sharp cheese.

How big was the original menu when you first opened about 3 years ago?

We have actually been officially open for 4 years now. Our anniversary will be on September 22nd. The menu when we opened is only a little smaller than the one at Melt today. My goal when opening was to offer 30 different gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and over 100 different beers.

Did you think Melt was going to take off like it did?

Hell No! not even my a long shot. I had no idea that the restaurant would be as popular as it has become. I thought I was opening a small little bar that served great beer and also had this really silly and unique gourmet grilled cheese menu. Right after the first opening weekend I realized that I had something pretty special.

Those sandwiches are not exactly health friendly. How is it that you are still so slim?

I actually eat Melt food at least 5 days a week. I have always had a pretty high metabolism rate but I fear that it is slowing down now as I approach 40! I still work at least 12 hours a day and I try to find time to work out a few times a week. I find it to be a great stress relief for me.

Do you have a favorite sandwich? I am a huge fan of the Big Popper and loved the last couple sandwiches of the month including the Soul Vegetarian and the Guitar Gyro.

I think my favorite sandwich on the menu right now is The Godfather. I am a freak for Italian food and that sandwich is really awesome. It combines all the elements of food that I really love. Great bread, pasta, sauce and cheese. It is so huge though that I can only eat one about once a month.

When did the whole sandwich of the month idea start?

I think the sandwich of the month started sometime during our first full year of operation. It was something that I wanted to do from the beginning but I realized that I was just too busy to pull it off at the very beginning. I worked open to close, 7 days a week for the first 2 years of the restaurant so finding time to create a special was difficult, but I eventually managed. I think the very first special was in July of 2007 and it was the Firecracker Chicken.

Has Melt always catered to vegetarians and vegans?

Being very vegetarian and vegan friendly has always been part of the Melt concept from the beginning. We are actually becoming more vegan friendly than ever. I make it a point to try to create a vegan version of every special that we offer. The vegan version of the Gyro Melt was incredible!

Who’s brilliant idea was it to put the menu on a vinyl album cover?

That was an idea that I came up with right before opening in 2006. I was looking for a very unique way to present the menu. All the ideas that I had were basically boring and over used. My father’s girl friend at the time (now his wife) mentioned that she had been to a restaurant that somehow used records to present the menu’s. That was all the information that I needed to start the ball rolling. I was trying to figure out how to do it the very next day. I actually raped my own record collection for the first two generations of the Melt menu’s. Michael Jackson’s Thriller was the first menu that I made!

Earlier this year, you opened a new location in Cleveland Hts. How exciting was it for you to finally expand your baby to share it with the other half of Cleveland?

It was a complete thrill. Like I mentioned earlier I never intended for Melt to be popular at all. For me to have the opportunity to open a second location in Cleveland in less than 4 years from opening the original is just a dream come true. I feel very privileged to be able to be open on either side of town in two very awesome communities.

You seem like a very hands on person at Melt. In fact when I see you most of the time you are in the kitchen. How tough is it to operate two grills now? I know your staff is amazing and all but I was just curious if you wish you could be on location at both spots all the time.

I definitely wish I could clone myself and be at both locations at the same time. Maybe make 3 of me and the third clone could be sleeping. It is very difficult running 2 restaurants sometimes but I have a fantastic staff and they really keep both places going very well.

Do you ever have a day off? What do you when you’re not working?

Days off for me are very rare. I am such a busy person and workaholic that I hardly ever stop. In fact I am answering these interview questions late on a Friday night instead of going home to relax and recharge for tomorrow. The only days off I have taken recently has been to travel to a wedding for a weekend. I try to take a few hours a week for myself to take care of personal things.

Can you tell me about some of the bands you used to be in?

The first real band that I was in was called Whatever… We were a punk band from Parma that released 2 full length records. The second was on Dr. Strange Records from Alto Loma, CA. Dr. Strange was one of the biggest independent punk labels in the mid 90’s. The last more popular band that I was in was The Chargers Street Gang from Cleveland. We were a garage-punk band that released 2 records on Get Hip! Records from Pittsburgh, PA. Get Hip! is still one of the major independent players in underground garage rock. I loved my time playing in recording and touring rock bands. Sometime I wish I could give it all up and go back to that free lifestyle.

Any special projects going on these days as far as bands go?

Nothing right now, simply not enough time. Last year The Chargers got back together to play the annual x-mas show at the Grog Shop. We practiced once a week for 4 months before the show. It was great fun and I really miss playing and hanging out with those guys. They are truly my best friends on earth.

How did it feel the first time you saw yourself on The Food Network or The Travel Channel?

It was quite odd. I really did not know what to expect so I hoped that I did not make a complete ass out of myself. I was very happy with the way both shows came out. I happen across the reruns every now and then on late night cable and it still a bit weird.

Who was cooler, Guy Fieri or Adam Richman?

That is like choosing between Gene and Paul or Ian and Guy or Steven and Joe or Mick or Keith. They are both pretty cool in their own right. Both pretty different but both heading for the same common goal. Who would I rather do another shoot with? Probably Guy.

As many of my friends and readers know, I was at that Man Vs. Food taping. Was that not the longest day ever? Did you think he was going to be able to kill the Melt Challenge?

It was an extremely long day but actually not as long as the DDD (Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives) shoot. Plus the DDD shoot was 2 killer days in a row! I had a really good feeling that he was going to kill the challenge. I watch his show pretty often and I have seen Adam destroy much more food. Not that much cheese though – that was certainly a first!

I really want to give the Melt Challenge an attempt- one day. How many people fail it? Have more people been ordering it since the premier of the episode?

The challenge has become very popular since the airing of the MVF episode. We probably serve at least 2 challenges a day in either restaurant. There is still about an 80% failure rate for the challenge. It is a lot more food that you think.

Has business increased because of it?

Business has definitely increased because of the MVF episode and also from the DDD episode. It really exposed us to people that may have never heard of Melt otherwise. We saw a lot of out of town travelers in Melt over the summer because of the shows.

What is the furthest someone has traveled to try Melt?

We see travelers coming into Melt from all over the country every week. The furthest I know about was a couple from Green Bay that just came to Cleveland to try Melt. I know that there are farther travelers but I am not sure exactly from where.

Back to the Cleveland Hts. location. How many other places did you look at before you chose Cedar and South Taylor?

Cleveland Heights was my first choice for the second Melt location. I knew if I really wanted to cement myself in the Cleveland restaurant scene I needed an east side location. Cleveland Heights was the logical location for the second Melt. Very similar city to Lakewood with a very diverse demographic and a very solid hometown feel.

That place used to be the Rhythm Room and a Peabody’s at one time. Had you ever attended a show there?

Yes, I actually attended a few shows there back in the early and mid 90’s. I really don’t remember much except the stage being in the basement. The huge hole in the floor is really all most people remember from The Rhythm Room.

How difficult was it to cover up that huge hole?

It wasn’t really difficult but it was a bit time consuming. Our walk-in coolers now occupy a majority of the basement area. We needed to actually build the coolers first and then fill in the hole second. Looking at the room now it is hard to believe that there was a 20×25 ft hole in the floor.

I need to comment on your staff. They are all wonderful and very personable people at both locations and appear more friends than coworkers. I love how Melt is not full of skinny fake model looking folk which is such a relief, leave that for the W. 6th district. The idea that they are all different one way or another from appearance to attitude is also a nice touch. Is this something you look at when hiring someone?

We actually look at personality first and work history second. I really want the entire staff to be filled with very interesting individuals with a strong personality. You can teach and train most people to do what you need them to do but you can’t teach someone to have an outgoing personality or a strong work ethic.

Was it your idea to have mostly retro movies playing and a constant stream of good music?

Yes. I believe that the atmosphere of the restaurant needs to be as interesting and colorful as the food and staff. I wanted to visually overload guests with fun things to look at and listen to. Melt is all about comfort and nostalgia.

Did you think that many people would actually get a variation of the Melt logo tattooed on them for life?

I never dreamed that the tattoo promotion would grow as fast and large as it has. I originally thought that maybe 20 people would do it and then it would fall off. We are up to over 160 family members so far in just over a year since the promotion begun. I really think that is incredible! The idea came from my favorite band Rocked From The Crypt. They have a rocket logo that they began suggesting their fans get tattooed to get into shows for free. It has grown into a world-wide tattooed fan base with hundreds and hundreds of tattoos. They created a family around the tattooed fans. I always loved that idea and I actually have a RFTC tattoo that I got many years ago. I wanted to capture the same family idea for Melt so I launched the Melt tattoo promotion in Sept 2009.

Has the question “If I get 2 Melt tattoos can I get 50% off” been asked yet?

Oh yes! We hear it quite often. No matter how many Melt tattoos you get, you still only receive the 25% off. I will however consider a larger discount for a full Melt body suit.

So do you have one (Melt tattoo)?

A very common question asked to me and the answer is no. In the tattoo world getting the name of your parents, significant other etc… is bad luck. I choose to not get a Melt tattoo for that very reason. I do not want to welcome any bad luck onto Melt.

This might be too early to ask but any expectancy on adding a 3rd Melt anytime soon? Maybe Akron?

The plans for a 3rd Melt location are already in the works. I am searching the city right now for a location. I plan to stay in the Cleveland area with the 3rd location and then hopefully branch out farther to cities such as Akron. Keep your fingers crossed!

If someone has never been tried Melt before how would you describe it to them?

It is like reliving all your favorite childhood memories again… Only better! The ultimate comfort food fantasy land where all your grilled cheese dreams become a reality!

For more information about Melt Bar & Grilled, head on over to their website and see what you have been missing out on!

Babble Blog: Melt My Day

Odds are if you live in or around the Akron/Cleveland area of good ol’ Ohio you have probably heard of a little place called Melt Bar & Grilled (aka Melt).  Honestly though if you have no idea of this Melt I speak of you might live inside a box and do not read this blog very often.  As many readers of BHP know, I have a slight obsession with the establishment.

How obsessed you ask?  Well not only to I try and make it there once a month but I also am one of those folk who prove their undying love for Melt by sporting a Melt tattoo (25% off for life yo).  I even have gone so far as to attend a filming of a Man vs. Food episode at the Lakewood, OH location just a couple months back and will enjoy watching myself scream/cheer at Adam Richman as he took on the Melt challenge.  The episode will be showing sometime this summer on the Travel Channel as the all new season is starting on June 16th.

I love the place and I can honestly say I am not the only one.  With a 2+ hour wait on most days just to be seated to grab a delicious bite to eat, I would say that most folk in this neck of the woods have at one time enjoyed some Melt.  The gourmet grilled cheese restaurant, owned and operated by Matt Fish, recently spawned (pun intended) across Cleveland for a second location in Cleveland Hts.

This little babble blog is about that new location.

A few weeks back I had received a piece of mail with the Melt logo on it.  Having no idea what it was I opened it up and there it was, an invitation to a pre-grand opening to the new location.  I seriously felt like Charlie from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory as this was my “golden ticket” to a special event.  I was invited to check out the new location before the public and might have been a little excited about it.

So about a week later I headed out to Cleveland Hts. to check out the new eatery.  I had heard bits and pieces about the location and the extent of the renovations it took to turn what used to be the Rhythm Room (RIP) at one time into the new Melt.

Anyone remember that place?

The Rhythm Room was less of a room and more of a a hole-in-the-floor bar.  When you walked in the bar there was a large opening that peered down into the basement where the stage was.  There is more to that of course with rails and a stairwell but it was always interesting to see a punk show there.  You would either cram in the basement or hang out above and lean on the rails to watch the shows.

I miss that place a lot and have some fond memories thanks to my good friends who used to be in the “Clevland” punk rock band The Narcoleptics x5.  I used to hang out there a lot actually and saw my fair share of local independent punk acts as well as even caught The Unseen there.  Sadly the place stopped hosting punk shows and morphed into a reggae club before finally calling it quits.

Enter Matt Fish and his idea to expand his amazing creation.  I am not sure how or why he chose the location but I am in the works of interviewing him so that will be told at a later time.  Knowing though on what the place used to look like I was highly curious to see how he was going to pull it off.

Walking up to the building nested on the corner of Cedar and South Taylor I started having mini flashbacks of fun times with my pals usually fueled by cheap beer but it all stopped as soon as I looked up and saw the giant Melt sign located just above the entrance.  Imagine if you would a giant grilled cheese and crossbones…  All I could do was smile as I opened the doors and made my way in.

I was wowed by what I saw.  The place looked nothing like the Rhythm Room and was completely renovated.  There was a large bar in the center of the building that spanned over where the hole-in-the-floor used to be.  Retro decor graced the walls of the much larger new restaurant including a giant Dairy Queen sign on the wall over by where I sat.  There were arcade signs incorporated into the liquor racks, old advertisements, and of course random plastic light up pumpkins and other holiday items that make Melt so unique over many other places.  I even spotted some broken bottle stained glass windows over the entrance – sounds crazy unless you have seen them at the Lakewood location.  Flat screen TVs hung about showed The Goonies while music blasted from a very impressive PA system.

The place looked like the Lakewood Melt in a sense but was much larger and just…new.  Staff ran around the floors seating other special guests and basically getting a preview for what they were hired for.  With in about 20 minutes of me being there the place was packed.  It was no surprise to me at all and I can see this being a trend from here on out.

In the back left corner at the pick-up window I could see that Matt Fish in the kitchen area showing all of the new cooks how it was done helping prepare countless amounts of various grilled cheeses.  Plate after plate was picked up by the waiters and waitresses and delivered to happy customers.

I wanted to try something new on the menu but went to my default and grabbed a Big Popper.  I lied to myself and said it was healthy for me.  There is nothing good for you about a jalapeno grilled cheese sandwich that is battered and then deep fried other than the guilty pleasure and the taste for that matter.  The fries and cole slaw too make it a pretty kick ass meal.

As I destroyed the sandwich I saw some familiar faces some of who were staff from Lakewood that came out to help train and others who were at the Man vs. Food event.  As if I was not full enough I decided to try the fried Twinkie for dessert and must say…amazing.  I left that place a full and happy man…maybe a little too full.

If you live in the Cleveland area you really have no excuse to hit up a Melt Bar & Grilled and try one of their gourmet grilled cheeses.  The new Cleveland Hts. location is located on the corner of Cedar Ave. and South Taylor Rd.  Parking is available on the streets or in a small metered area that is free after 6pm if I am not mistaken.  If you are not from the area and are worried you might not be able to find the restaurant,  just look for the giant Melt sign at the corner.  You can not miss it.

Babble Blog: Spending My Friday Night w/ Grandma, NOFX, & Friends

So as many of you know last weekend I took Friday off of work and headed down to Cincinnati/Covington, KY with my pals to take in a NOFX show.  My previous post obviously is the review of the show itself but sometimes I feel the need to review my weekend for everyone’s entertainment.  After having an interesting yet busy week I was stoked to just get away even if it was for just one night.

After dropping of my dogs at my folks I headed to Columbus with my pal Kolb to pick up Pete and Mary Alice aka The Electric Grandmother and from there the trip would be in full effect.  Weeks earlier we agreed that it would be awesome to take a road trip to see NOFX, Tony Sly, and Teenage Bottlerocket.  Hang out with old friends and see one of my favorite punk bands?  Yes please.  To make matters even better I had just found out a couple days prior to the show that a band I recently became an instant fan of, The Menzingers, were opening!  I was just thrilled and could not wait for Friday night at the Madison Theater.

Before continuing our drive we of course had to stop at one of my favorite bars in Columbus to grab a late breakfast.  Granted I had only been to The Blue Danube once before I deemed it my favorite place for breakfast in Columbus after trying their vegetarian breakfast burrito.  I wish I would have taken a picture of it but my stomach was too quick and I devoured the huge burrito full of eggs, potatoes, and all sorts of veggies and cheese.  I took a chance eating that monster of a meal and getting trapped into a food coma but I lucked out and was fine.  Once we were all nice and full we hopped in the car and proceeded to Covington, KY to our hotel.

It was about 4pm when we got to our hotel and with time to kill we all decided to chill out for a bit.  I took the opportunity to check my email and discovered I was supposed to interview the Menzingers.  Although I did not have my gear for an interview I decided to give the band a call anyways and see what we could work out.  Man am I glad I called them.

Greg, the guitarist, answered the phone and after a couple of confusing seconds he realized I was not just some random person and we started chatting.  He sounded stressed out and I soon found out why when he said he and the band were running late on account of their drumming having what they thought was food poisoning.  From what I learned the drummer might have eaten some bad shellfish and was not in good shape causing multiple stops along the highway.  Greg did not know if he should take him to the hospital or just let him rest but he did know that he was having a tough time getting in touch with the tour managers and that the band was going to have to sit Friday night out.

Not wanting to take up too much more of their time I wished them luck and told him we could do an interview another time.  With all the hell going on Greg was super cool through the phone conversation and even texted me later in the evening letting me know that they were in fact not going to make it and were able to get a hold of Teenage Bottlerocket to let them know.  As bummed out as I was to not be able to see the Menzingers that night I was not about to be selfish about it and knew that health is way more important that rocking out.

I am just glad I checked my email when I did.

At around 5:30 we regrouped and headed over to my favorite Irish pub in Covington, Molly Malone’s.  Grabbing some dinner and a couple pints we just relaxed for a bit and talked about what we thought we would expect during the night.  I can tell you this, if you are ever in Covington, KY go to Molly Malone’s and get a pint of Guinness.  They pour it perfectly and even embed a shamrock on the head of the beer.  The food is pretty damn delicious too.

Deciding to hoof it to the Madison Theater we made it there in no time.  The place was like the Agora but with less isles to access the standing areas.  I already wrote about the show so if you missed it click HERE and read away.  Sadly I did not take a lot of photos at this venue but the couple I did are enough to remind me of the awesome evening.

Towards the end of the show a girl who sat by us in the balcony invited us to the Mad Hatter for a Loudmouth after party.  They were the band that started off the concert that night in case you missed my review of the show.  She kept saying NOFX was going there too but honestly I was not sure if that was really going to happen.  She was cool as hell to talk to and very nice but after talking with my gang we decided to skip it after we saw people handing fliers out for it.  I doubted my self a couple of times throughout the rest of the night but honestly I was happy with our decision to head back to Molly Malone’s for $1 Killians.

As we walked back to Molly Malone’s we kept talking smack to one another and bragged how much Killians we were each going to drink. As we rounded the corner we ran into a sketchy looking fellow who started talking to us about the Mad Hatter.  He kept eying up my camera I had in my hand and looked to size up Kolb.  For a brief moment I thought that there might have been an incident brewing up but soon realized the kid was just hammered and so was his friend who was pissing in the alley.

Molly Malone’s was packed when we got there.  I bought the first round and as we drank our tiny little plastic cupped Killians we realized we would rather just go back to the hotel.  Good thing we did because they closed the patio as we were finishing up and I really did not want to listen to the cover band that was playing in the pub.

Me and Pete with special guest Kolb in the back...

Did you know that in Kentucky they stop selling alcohol at 1am at most gas stations and stores?  We didn’t.  We found that our rather quickly and chose to try and find a bar within walking distance to have a couple more drinks.  While doing so we met up with these two guys who said they saw NOFX too.  We all thought we found a sports bar but it was closed.  The two guys pointed down the street to another bar they said they just came from and told us they would meet us there.  After a failed attempt at buying beer at a BP we decided to head over there.  The place was called Joy’s and it was DEAD.

For about an hour we sat and had drinks and started talking about 9/11 of all things.  Funny what alcohol does to bring back those memories you try and not think of often.  Still, it was good conversation with some of my favorite people in the world.  Joy finally asked us to leave around 2:30 in the morning so we thanked her for letting us hang out at her bar and were going to call it a night – or so we thought.

Late night hunger crept up on us all.  Kolb decided to go back to BP for snacks and the rest of us were going to try and fight the urge until we saw there was a White Castle right in front of our freaking hotel.  We must have waited 10 minutes before we came to our senses and got out of there.  During that 10 minutes we made fun of drunks who were passed out at various tables including one guy who was old enough to be my grandfather.  We were not that drunk and we sure did not need stomach aches so back to the hotel we went and we grabbed some overpriced snacks at the front desk.  Yum…Combos.

Saturday morning came way too soon but as much as I wanted to sleep in I knew I had to get up and start the day.  What better way to start the day than an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet???  Let’s just say there is nothing like a giant Belgian waffle, a made-to-order omelette, and a pot of coffee to get your day started.  I did not eat nearly as someone else who’s name I will not mention did but lets just say a dozen eggs may have been used up rather quickly…

Pete and Mary Alice wanted to check out some place called the Creation Museum that was about 20 minutes away.  I will be sure to put a link RIGHT HERE once they post something on their blog about this place.  From what they told me later on this place believed dinosaurs and humans coexisted and Earth was only 4000 years old.  Now I am not that religious but I studied my ass off in science and history classes and spite what my folks think paid attention in Sunday school…  I was not having it and did not want to go.  Plus I heard they take their beliefs very seriously and if you make a mockery out of them the place will ask you to leave.  I am not about to pay money only to be thrown out after three minutes from laughing my ass off.

So I dropped Pete and Mary Alice off at the Creation Museum and headed to Newport, KY with Kolb to catch a movie while they learned about dinosaurs and bibles.  Kolb and I caught The Losers (I thought it was great in case you were wondering) on the big screen and then returned to the Creation Museum to pick up the happy couple.  I kept my fingers crossed that they would not be in white robes waiting for me outside the establishment.  Luckily they were not brainwashed when I picked them up and even bought me a bumper sticker!

Time was speeding by so we canceled our trip to Ikea and Shake-It Records in favor of having dinner with a very close friend of mine and his soon to be new family.  We opted to have Thai at some mom and pop place down the street from his house.  The place was frigging amazing.  That might have been the best pad thai with tofu I had ever had in my life.  Their sushi was less than desirable but the main encore was perfect.

I really wish we had more time to kill as we were all enjoying ourselves at dinner but we all had to head home after dinner.  We said our goodbyes and headed back to Columbus.  We said goodbye to Pete and Mary Alice and continued home.

It was the quickest day in history if you ask me and before I knew it the sun was setting and I was just getting on to I-76 about to get back to reality.  It was a great hangout with friends that included a great punk show.  I needed that…

I am already thinking about my next road trip.  Gaslight Anthem in Detroit or Columbus this July anyone?

May The Fourth Be With You – Weekend Follies In Fours

There is nothing better than having a four day weekend. Well maybe there are some other things out there that can be better, but one of them is definitely not having to work for four straight days and getting paid for one of them as it is a holiday. Add buying stuff, hanging with friends, and good eats and I would have to argue that nothing could be better.

Anyways…

Thursday the lady and I went for an amazing lunch at Yellow Tail in Fairlawn.  For $10 a person we got to engulf as much sushi, salads, desserts, and other buffet quality foods.  It was awesome and I am going back there very soon.  I was obsessed with the seaweed salad as well as the sushi tempura.

After we stuffed ourselves silly we stopped at Square Records in Akron for a quick look around at what was good.  I left there with some sweet finds including a Judgement Night soundtrack single and some Thom Yorke remixes from his album Eraser.

It was a nice little date for the two of us.  She had plans to go to go over to a friends for movie night and I just kicked it in the bedroom for the rest of the night.  It was a perfect way for me to start the weekend.

Last Friday was a day I really need to recap with a little more detail seeing how on much fun it was.  For starters I decided to head out to the good shops on Waterloo Rd. in East Cleveland where I dropped some $$$ on some vinyl at Music Saves (new Dinosaur Jr & Against Me! if you were wondering) and then killed some time at Shoparooni and Blue Arrow before heading to Lakewood to meet up with my pal Matt.

Once Matt and I met up we decided to grab a bite to eat but not before making a stop at My Mind’s Eye where I snagged up a couple more records (Coner Oberst & another Against Me!).  With my wallet feeling a little lighter we headed across the street to Angelo’s where for the first time I actually tried something other than the pizza.

Feeling full thanks to devouring my shrimp fettuccine alfredo and a slice of tiramisu, Matt and I ventured out to the Gordon Square Arts District area and made way in to the Happy Dog, a quaint little bar where Chris Allen & The Guilty Hearts with very special guest Don Dixon were to play a show that night.  Earlier in the week Matt had asked me if I wanted to join him as he was very excited to see Don Dixon live finally.  Figuring he would never make it down my way unless someone else drove him I happy oblidged to join him.

After dropping over $80 on records and a sweet Music Saves pint glass earlier in the day I feel as if I was given a break by the door-lady at the Happy Dog as she kindly waved us in saying it was not 9pm yet so no cover charge was needed.  Scoping out the bar we found a booth that was pretty close to the stage and parked it there for the night.

A very young and green opening act (their band’s name escapes me) took the stage and cranked out some original tunes as well as a Tom Petty cover and even a bold Wilco cover of “Jesus Etc.”, I was impressed with the kids.  I almost felt bad for them seeing how nervous they were but they really did a good job and everyone in attendance made sure they they let the kids know they were doing a good job.

Chris Allen was joined on stage by Don Dixon for the whole set.  Where as I am not familiar with any of their music I just relaxed and enjoyed the music.  Good times.

When Chris Allen and his band left Don Dixon to be alone for a while I became intrigued.  I was aware, thanks to Matt, that Don Dixon produced the Smithereens and R.E.M. back in the day so it was pretty clear the man was a veteran musician.  I was not sure what he was going to sound like as he started playing his acoustical guitar but was soon answered that question when he started to sing.  He had, to me, a very Elvis Costello resemblance and I really enjoyed the few songs he played.

Chris Allen and band joined Don Dixon back on the stage for play the second half of their set.  The mostly middle aged crowd there was going nuts.  The locals who use the Happy Dog as a Friday night drinking hole were not too excited, especially the ones who learned they needed to pay to get in the doors.

It was about at this time that another person was added to our table.  The very cool Emily who runs The Cleveland Caper met up with us to enjoy some of the tunes.

Honestly I think we had more fun making jokes at one another and surrounding people.  Regardless it was a good time.  Emily’s boss even met up with us for a couple of drinks after the band finished playing their songs.  We all sat snugly in the booth and continued to poke fun at one another as well as just engage in good conversation.

At one time Matt was telling us about how he and the Cleveland Bachelor went to see Kevin Costner play at the House Of Blues.  Somewhere in the conversation Matt hollered “Waterworld” where Don Dixon heard us and walked over to join our small party.

It was awesome just to sit there and talk to this guy who has a lot of music history running through his blood.  Trying not to talk to much I just let Matt and Don Dixon chat for a moment because I knew Matt was really excited to have him sit with us and talk shop even if it were only for a few minutes.

Having drained my iPhone battery earlier in the night from posting tons of Twitter lies about Matt, I had just enough juice to take a photo of Matt and Don Dixon.  After a warm shake for the guys and a more gentleman kiss on the hand for the ladies Don Dixon bid us a good evening and went back to collecting his gear.

Back to a table of four we kept conversing for a bit and before I knew it the time was after 2am and I really needed to get a start on that almost hour drive home.

Friday night was an awesome night even if I hardly slept.  I needed a night like that and I thank Matt and Emily for being a part of it (and Emily’s friend/boss too).

Saturday of course was the 4th of July. Woo, a day where people can go up to local fireworks stores, lie about where they are going to blow them off at since it is illegal to discharge fireworks in Ohio, and return home only to narrowly blow off a finger while carelessly lighting off M-80’s after a full day of drinking…

The day does not mean much to me as far as a drinking aspect goes so it was more like a day off from the work.  I did however have to go to my work as I left a flash drive there and needed it for review purposes.  After picking up my much needed storage device the lady and I headed up to the grocery store to buy junk food and grill food.  Jalapeno Cheetos are the bomb by the way.

The day (as well as the next day, Sunday) was all about hanging out with friends and family (and the pups) and was something that I needed.  I had some good eats, good sleeps, and just overall good times.  When I had down time I took a few moments to spin a couple of the records I had purchased.  I also joined the lady in some long ass naps.  I never nap so it was even that much more special.

So now that I have some alone time once again I thought it would be best to reflet upon about the weekend as well as relax a little bit more once again with the needle on the record…

Good Friday?

Yea I guess it is a good day.  Minus my dog Zeus and his terrible gas today has been just one of those days where I sit back and think of what to do…  I have been having a rough week with personal stuff going on so I have been not doing much lately and think today should be a productive day.

I could get a tattoo.
In fact it’s been over a month since I last got some work done so this may be a winner.  Persistence Tattoo is where I go.  Ronnie and crew rule.  I really want to finish up my sleeve.  I also want a Dick Goddard tattoo…and I am dead serious.  The guy is a Cleveland icon.  Not sure if it will be portrait or not.

I could go to Half Price Books.
It’s only been 5 years if not more since I last stepped foot in one of those stores.  I know, I suck but there is not one very close to me.

I could go to a park with the dogs and take a hike.
It’s been raining non-stop today and is a wee chilly so I am pretty sure I am going to skip that idea.

I could listen to music all day.
Well so far I have been listening to a ton of music today.  I checked out the new Doves album which is amazing, listened to some rarities from Strung Out‘s latest release, rocked out to Iron Maiden, and now for whatever reason have decided to listen to Metallica‘s Live S#it Binge & Purge.  Scratch that, I got sick of it and hit the random button…

I could hit up the local mall.
The local mall scares me.  In fact this city I live in right now scares me.  The water must be contaminated.  I have lived here for over 5 years now and only am friendly with my neighbors on both sides of my house.  I do want a new hat though…  I am torn.  Every year for the last few years I get a Cleveland Indians hat even though I am not a huge fan like I used to be in the mid-nineties.  I found one I kind of like for unknown reasons…it’s bright orange and Chief Wahoo is lime green.  Yeah, I know, no team colors there.

I could make lunch.
Food is always good.

I could play video games.
I can not even tell you the last time I picked up a controller and played some games.  Maybe today is a good day for that.  My brother did challenge me to Guitar Hero: Metallica on Easter Sunday, I mean Zombie Jesus Day.  As I still have yet to play that game I still have older ones and can work on my awesome finger tapping skills.

I could organize my vinyl.
I could do that but I would rather not today.  That requires a thought process and I am staying away from that right now.

I could…stop blogging about what I could do and get off the internet and do something…
Yeah that is a good idea.  I’ll be back later folks with some stuff to keep you entertained on this good Friday.


UPDATE: (For all of you who were biting your nails wondering what I was going to do…)

So after listening to some more music I opted to make a nice lunch for the lady and I.  After watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations I decided to call my tattoo guy at Persistence Tattoo and set up an appointment for later in the evening.

Since the weather never cleared up we ventured to Half Price Books to see if we could find anything cool.  I searched through the records and found an English Beat Wha’ppen LP and also grabbed a copy of Swingers as a certain someone in my household had never seen it.  I love that movie.

Before we headed for some tattoo fun, we stopped at Roly Poly in Mayfield Heights.  If you like your sandwiches fresh and healthy check this place out.  Annie had mentioned it to me in the past and said they make wraps and sandwiches.  We split a Nut & Honey wrap that was amazing.  It was a wrap with cream cheese, raisins, sunflower seeds, cashews, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, avocados, sprouts, and honey mustard dressing.  Needless to say it was delicious.

Running late we arrived to Persistence Tattoo in Eastlake where I got a beheaded St. Valentine on my right arm.  I’ll take a picture once it heals up if any of you are interested.  I think it looks sick and had a great time while getting it.  When I say great time I am not referring to the actual tattoo as I hate getting tattooed.  The fun was had in the conversations between all of us in the shop.  Crude, rude, and hilarious.

Headed home we decided we needed a dessert before watching Swingers so we made a pit stop at Handels Ice Cream and grabbed some deliciousness.

So it was a good Friday after all.  It really was the day I needed to end the week in a positive way.