Everything I'll Miss About Living in Tremont

Friday, January 14, 2022

The news is out: We've moved to Lakewood. I'm thrilled, really! But I'm also kind of devastated to say goodbye to Tremont, where we'd lived since 2015. It was the first place in Cleveland I called home, & I loved it.

Yes, we'll get used to Lakewood life (Brewella's, here I come!), but for now, I'm sending out a little extra love to all my Tremont faves. Here are the things I'll miss the most — & miss already, to be honest.

My favorite coffee shop

Sure, there are coffee shops everywhere, but Civilization is something special. My first apartment in Cleveland was about 20 steps away, & I'd spend all day, every day working from the cafe. I've come to know the owner, & I've seen their baristas come & go (& come back!); I consider some of them friends. Civilization is my place. If Tremont has been home, Civilization has been its living room.

The regulars at my favorite coffee shop

These are different things, I swear! There's a group of mostly retired, older men who gather at Civilization almost every single day, in some iteration. They've come to know just about everyone who walks through those doors with any regularity, myself included. One of them, my friend John, even sent us a Christmas card this year! I'll miss those hellos & that hospitality.

Being downtown-adjacent

Lakewood isn't far from downtown, just about a 15-minute drive (& typically an inexpensive Lyft ride). But living in Tremont, we're just about two miles from downtown, which makes it a long walk or a very quick ride, which I always loved. It takes a little bit more work to plan a downtown outing when you don't live that close to downtown!

The view of downtown Cleveland

You may recall that Mike & I got engaged at the script Cleveland sign in Tremont, which overlooks the (minimal but beloved) Cleveland skyline. I love this little spot, which is just at the top of the Towpath Trail (more on that in a moment) & is a great place to take visitors, to watch fireworks, & just to feel connected to & proud of Cleveland. 

Living in Cleveland proper 

Honestly, I still have mixed feelings about leaving the City of Cleveland itself. For years, I insisted that the only non-Cleveland place I'd consider living is Lakewood, so I'm glad that panned out. But it still feels weird & a little sad to have left Cleveland itself, especially because Tremont was such a great place to live.

Being so close to the Towpath

The Towpath Trail is part of a 101-mile trail that follows the historic route of the Ohio and Erie Canal, & the Tremont portion is the only part in an urban area. In the last couple of years, it's been completely redone & has come together so nicely. 

Mike went for walks there daily, & while I did so, uh, a little less often, it was really nice to be so close to such a great walking trail, which goes right along the Cuyahoga River.

Neighborhood festivals 

Sure, COVID put these on hold, but I always loved being right in the center of the action for Taste of Tremont, which took place right outside our front door, & for the beer festivals & art festivals & other events held in Lincoln Park, just around the corner. I even loved looking out my window the week of Christmas to see the Santas in Tremont Run go by. (Imagine many, many drunken Santas taking to the streets!)

Some of the best local haunts

While Civilization deserved an individual call-out, there are so many places in Tremont that I absolutely love & frequented: Lucky's Cafe for a midday chicken salad sandwich & Corner 11 for lunchtime veggies; affoGATO Cat Cafe for weekend coffee & cute cats; Bar Oni IzakayaFat Cats for date nights & Ginko for big events.

Prosperity Social Club for pierogies & polka; Edison's for the occasional pizza dinner; Crust & Proof when we couldn't decide between pizza & BBQ. Hi & Dry when we just wanted a quick drink in a fun spot & Cloak & Dagger when we want to feel high-brow. South Side for brunch with friends, & Dante Next Door for brunch with in-laws; Visible Voice for a quick book pick-up & Banyan Tree for last-minute gifts & killing time with good sales...

Suffice it to say, I miss Tremont already, & this post is making a little sad. But I'm trying to focus on how much I love our new house, & I know that in time, we'll find our place in the neighborhood, too. In the meantime, if you need Tremotn recs, I'm your girl!

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