Kent, Cleveland, Bar

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Overnight Megabus to Cleveland from Chicago. Not bad - took a Tylenol pm.

Cleveland, Akron, Day 1

Arrived early to downtown Cleveland. My friend is lost and is very late. I walk around.

Friend arrives - we get some grub at Cafe-Ah-Roma. Server is cute; I flirt. I got a pumpkin spread bagel.

There is a church next door - I explain to my friend my enjoyment of gothic church architecture.

We are in the University circle on our way to North Chagrin Reservation. Still cannot pronounce Chagrin correctly. There is a castle.

The park is very pretty. Leaves are almost all off the trees. We park, get a map and start walking to the castle. My friend and I have diarrhea of the mouth - we go the wrong way.

There are dogs - lots of them. And babies, toddlers even.

We get to the Squire's Castle. I look disgusting in all these pictures. I need a shower.



We walk back to the car. It is beautiful weather out - even for November in Ohio.

We are driving and see a sign for waterfalls. Not very interesting.

We drive to Lake View Cemetery. We park and walk. We see famous peoples graves like John D Rockefeller.

We go into the chapels. There is Tiffany's stained glass. We walk more.

We get to James Garfield's monument. It is his birthday - he is 170 today. The boy scouts put on a ceremony preventing me and friend from getting inside. We walk around some more.

We get inside the Garfield monument. It's dark but ornate. The views from the top are breathtaking. I'm glad we came here.

The plan was to eat Italian in Little Italy but we are not hungry.

We go to downtown Cleveland to walk around some more. Great Lakes Brewery for dinner and it is on the other side of the city. We are not hungry.

We walk around; check out the library - the sculpture garden next door. We go to the Arcade - I was excited for this and deeply disappointed. This is my friend's favorite thing so far. We look for antique and thrift stores - they are no longer here.

Great Lakes Brewery for dinner. This part of town is very congested and we have difficulty finding a parking spot. My friend is a terrible driver - I want to park. We find a side street for free parking.

5 minute wait. I am really excited - text to twitter and my father immediately. I LOVE BREWERIES and Great Lakes is kinda famous. My dad says "be careful." My friend does not drink at dinner.

I get pizza - pizza and a brewery and I am in heaven. I get the pumpkin ale. It is rather delicious. Our server is great. 3 beers later and we are off - need a shower.

Get home and relax. Shower is what I needed. We start drinking for tonight. Friends roommate will join us - she is not here yet.

We take a cab for a haggled rate for 30 minutes to the bar. The college ladies driving our unmarked minivan cab say Monday is the night for this bar - not Saturday. They were correct - we were the party and made the best of it. There were go-go dancers and drag queens. At one point the drag queen dragged friend into the men's stinky bathroom for a photo-op. Good lighting but I can't stand the smell.

We meet some girl named phoenix or something. She tells me she is allergic to alcohol and cigs but coke does the trick. She is decked out in glow sticks.

I dance. I make the lesbians dance. Midwestern lesbians are testy.

We go home. I order lots of food and manage to spill all over my shirt. I'm obsessed with Raindrops by Basement Jaxx. I text.

Kent, Strongsville, Cleveland, Day 2

We go shopping at a TJ MAXXesque store. It's across the street. I find some great shoes and a hooded sweatshirt.

We go to the mall in Strongsville to meet my cousin. We are very early. I shop and get things from H&M. Bought a blue & orange plaid shirt on sale for $10. This is my favorite shirt.

We go to Macaroni Grill to meet cousin and her kids. I enjoy this. Food was good - I had pizza.

We leave - dinner was fine but it seemed short. I love this cousin; her fabulousness.

We go back to Cleveland to drop me off. Friend and I talk in the car for a bit. She leaves. She doesn't want to. We both have to work tomorrow.

I go to Hard Rock Cafe for beers and a roof over my head. I lost my book which is discerning. My phone will die if i use it. I watch the music videos on the tv. Beers are expensive.

I leave and have an hour to kill before bus picks us up. I have to pee. I make it. I'm tired.

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