Potato Pizza, Free Baseball, Flawed Art, & More (CLE Weekends, Pt. 5)

I don't know that "CLE Weekends" is the right name for this series, after all. It's essentially a round-up of anything fun, tasty, or otherwise notable that I've done lately... & often not on the weekends at all. With summer in full-swing, we've been going out with friends (& each other) a lot, not just on Saturdays & Sundays but during the work week, too.

I'm feeling a bit burned out, to be honest, because as extroverted as I am, I also need a lot of alone time to recharge, to write, to sleep, to just be. I don't have quite as much planned in July as I did in June, so I'm hoping things will slow down a bit while remaining fun.

Here's what I've loved lately. How about you?

Luxe pizzas from Chatty's

We met up with some of Mike's coworkers for dinner at Chatty's Pizzeria in Bay Village, where I'd never been. I once interviewed the owner, though, & he was super nice, so I knew I wanted to check it out. And it did not disappoint. Right across from Lake Erie & with breezy outdoor seating, this place has vibes as great as its food. 

The potato pizza is the closest approximation I've ever found to my all-time favorite pizza (from Pizzeria Paradiso in D.C.), & Mike called the Sweet Meat "maybe the best pizza [he's] ever had." He got it on "Grandma-style crust," which is thick & focaccia-like, topped with burrata. And I also loved the white peach sangria wine slushie!

Artsy things from Moonfish Studios 

I popped into Brewella's, as I like to do on the weekends, for a coconut cream cold brew & a crepe, & while I waited for my food, I browsed the items for sale near the register. I spotted this little hand-painted pot from Moonfish Studios containing a small, flowering succulent... for only $3! 

It has a very small flaw in the paint, so the artist had apparently put it on super-sale. But I felt like I was stealing it, so I paid $5 instead, which honestly still felt like stealing. It's so cute, & the flaw is so teeny-tiny that it barely exists.

Upscale casual vibes at Michael Angelo's 

I took off work for my mom's birthday, & we met up at Michael Angelo's, a winery/eatery/bakery in Richfield, which is about halfway between us (& Mike's hometown). It's a nice spot, with a fancy air to it (& slightly fancy prices) but an overall casual, chatty atmosphere. 

It's café-style, not a full-service restaurant, so you order at the counter. We split crab cakes, coconut shrimp, & the summer mix salad with peaches & blue cheese, plus a bottle of white wine. Then we each picked out our desserts: a lemon tart for her, a pineapple macaron & two chocolate-covered strawberries for me. Everything was delicious!

Uterus cookies from Sweet Costo x Lekko

When I saw that pro baker Sweet Costo was making uterus cookies to raise money for Preterm, a local abortion clinic, I knew I had to get one. Her desserts are always incredible, & I love cookies for a cause. I snagged the last one that day. 

They're $4 apiece at Lekko Coffee in Hingetown, & they taste just as good as they look. Because these are specifically for a fundraiser, might I suggest buying something else from Sweet Costo, too? She works hard, & her sweet treats are unparalleled. 

Cheering on the Cleveland Guardians 

My work's marketing department rented out the second floor of The Corner  Bar at Progressive Field, home of the newly rebranded Cleveland Guardians. I hadn't yet been to a game, so it was a nice opportunity to go for free and to spend time with my coworkers, who I rarely see in person. 

Food was provided, so I didn't end up getting any fun stadium food, though one of my coworkers did get Barrio nachos that looked pretty delicious. The Guardians won in the ninth inning, which we of course missed, as we'd left a little early to beat traffic. 

Happy hour with friends at Condado 

Speaking of Barrio... I prefer Condado Tacos, its closest competitor, but it's only on the far east & west sides, which aren't very close to me. I was excited for an excuse to go, then, when some friends decided to meet up for a weekday happy hour. 

I only got one taco, & if I'm being honest, it wasn't that memorable. But that's OK because I filled up on the chips & salsa verde (so good) & a prickly pear frozen margarita (so good). It was a hot, sunny day, & the restaurant opens from the side, so the whole place felt like a patio. Perfect!

Where have you been lately? Anywhere fun? Anywhere I need to try? And if you're not in Cleveland, what kind of spots have you been loving lately?