Weekend in the City

We have had a marvelous weekend.  September has hit its stride with cool nights and crisp sunny days and this weekend, Cleveland put on its party dress and celebrated fall in style.  The city was alive with festivals and sunlight all weekend, and our family was out loving it every chance we got.

Saturday was the Sparx City Hop.  It is one of my favorite days of the year because for that day, downtown Cleveland becomes alive and busy and vibrant, the way it should be every day.  Trolley's tour around four downtown neighborhoods and people of all ages and colors ride around together, hopping on and off to see the houses, take walking tours, shop sidewalk sales, or take in an art festival.  I love watching the sidewalks full of people, love the way everyone talks together, love how this day lets me be a tourist in my own town.  Plus, its free!

We discovered this year, though, that two mobile, opinionated, independent-yet-impulsive children lead to a different City Hop experience.  The last time we did this day, Ivy was a little mush in the front pack and Jack could be strolled around.  We hit all 4 nieghborhoods and were out for about 8 hours, if memory serves.  This year, while children did love the trolleys and music, their objectives were centered more on exploring fire hydrants and steps, climbing on things, and spinning in circles, than on taking in restaurants, architecture, and performances.  It's slower going this way, and it took some serious adjustment of expectations on my part to realize that 2 out of 4 neighborhoods was going to have to do it this year.  Next year?  We bring a stroller, just in case.  And we see if a certain grandma wants to pick up the kids on the west side while Nat and I do the rest of the day on our own. :)

Daddy and Ivy on on the West 25th street trolley.

Ivy and Jack loved the Flamingo dancers at Market Square. "Mingoes!", as Ivy called them.  The kids spent some time imitating the dance on our way to the next trolley.

We took the opportunity to visit the observation deck of the Terminal Tower, which I haven't done since I was a kid, and Nat has never done.  We ate lunch there and the kids loved the view.  Well worth the price of admission.

We put Jack in charge of an old digital camera and he took his job very seriously...

This photo was taken moments before we heard Jack say, "Lick it, Ivy!"  Yep.

Climbing through walls at CSU.

Investigating the lights in the steps at the Arcade.

You'd never know they were exhausted at the end of the day, from this picture...

We headed home at 4, and despite the fact that there were 3 other art festivals going on in the area, stayed home for the evening.  You can only do so much in a day.... Next year...

Sunday, not to be outdone, brought a morning playdate with Tiffany, Greg and Jeff (and a spontaneous rearrangement of our living room), followed by a trip to the Ingenuity Festival.  The location has moved this year, from under the bridge to several warehouses and docks at the Port Authority.  It was pretty neat to visit a space I have never even laid eyes on, and we were pleasantly surprised at what a great venue it was for this event.  The warehouses were well suited to the random and often expansive displays of art and technology, which included an old bus-turned-movie theater, a giant cardboard castle to draw on, and free form sculptures from Lake Erie tumbled bricks.  We heard two bands, and enjoyed one so much that we bought a CD.  And the sunshine out on the Lake was divine.  We spent a good deal of time perched on folding chairs at the edge of the docks, watching the boats drive by and eating a snow-cone.  The children had a ball with each part of the experience, and managed to get themselves completely filthy as they sat and decorated that cardboard castle.  As we left, Jack said, "I didn't know it would have so much fun things there!"

On the way down the hill to get there...

Snow cone!  Jack has been wanting one of these since Wade Oval Wednesdays.  Some times its nice to make a kid's dreams come true.

Our view as we ate the Snow Cone.  Not too shabby.

Art!!

Jack enjoyed making a sock puppet....

She fell asleep before we got back to the van.  Poor, filthy little chicken.

This one?  Energy to spare.  I blame the snow cone.

Today has found us staying near home, cleaning and playing and recovering a bit (if you can call working on rearranging and cleaning our basement for two hours "recovering.).  It's been a marvelous weekend and I have never been so happy for a Monday off from school!