June 28: landing in Cleveland

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Sylvia beaming in on Wednesday evening, June 28, from Cleveland, Ohio.  This morning I had a 7:30 a.m. flight to Philadelphia, where we landed at Terminal B.  From there I had to clip along, then take a bus shuttle to Terminal F, where a "baby planelet" American Eagle did the 1 1/2 hour run to Cleveland.  Alexandra was front and center, and we connected immediately.  She had just come from work, and she and I were both hungry, so we agreed upon a cuisine and went to a Turkish restaurant called Anatolia.  Alexandra had a beautiful shrimp sauté, and I had lamb with rice and a kind of red cabbage slaw.  Temps were very reasonable (in the mid 70s), and a light breeze was blowing.  

After lunch, we went back to Alexandra's and I unloaded my luggage, after which she pointed out new items in her apartment--she had painted one of her bedrooms, hung a few new posters and pictures, added a new chair for her desk, and had acquired a new hammock with stand and a new bedspread.  The place looks wonderful, and all her plants on her balcony, and the Adirondack chairs with orange cushions, make her place look more vibrant than ever.  

Subsequently, we got back in the car and traveled to Chagrin Falls, a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and a suburb of Cleveland.  The village was established and has grown around a natural waterfall on the Chagrin River.  As of the 2010 census, the village population was 4,113.  The village was incorporated in 1844 from parts of three townships in two counties.  

We walked through the town and down by the waterfall, and, it being the shank of the evening, the rush of the silvery water cascading over stones and streaming beyond was exhilarating.  We stopped by a place called Jeni's, which is reputed to have the best ice cream in Ohio.  Alexandra had brown butter almond brittle, and I had mocha berry chip, containing small pieces of chocolate and deadly good!!!!!  For our road trip tomorrow, we went into Dewey's Popcorn Shop and acquired two varieties: Sriracha Cheddar, and popcorn popped in herb-infused oil (my choice).  

We returned home, discussed our road trip tomorrow, had a bowl of Alexandra's chicken tortilla soup, and now we are calling it a relatively early night for our 9:00 a.m. departure tomorrow!  As ever, Sylvia