Cleveland's gleaming development projects garner enough ink to fill one of the new condos going up downtown. However, it's the people living in the neighborhoods surrounding these headline-grabbing ventures who are the subject of a new book released by Cleveland Neighborhood Progress.

Read about it here. 

Cleveland is home to confectionary pleasures of all sizes, shapes and flavors, meaning area bakery owners need to get creative in how they brand their businesses.

Check out Cleveland's fresh selection of uniquely themed bakeries here. 

Summer is the season for vacations, relaxation and general fun in the sun, or so the brochure tells us. The hot months don't have to be spent just lazing about, however, because Cleveland is positively smoking with educational summertime programs, and Fresh Water is burning things up with this enticing workshop roundup, with everything from creating mysterious accordion books and building video games to snapping out flash fiction.

Get the whole list here. 

Now in its 28th year, the Star-Spangled Spectacular draws folks of all ages and backgrounds downtown. This year's event will be held on Friday, June 30., and includes free family workshops ahead of the fireworks and festivities.

Preview all of it here. 

Welcome to "Over The River," a monthly calendar of exciting activities taking place throughout the area. Have a fun event you want to share with your fellow Clevelanders? Drop us an email.
 
Our June listing is packed with summer movie goodness, poetry and a little bit of yoga.

Get all the 411 here.

As Cleveland's restaurant and bar scene is heats up alongside the temperatures, Fresh Water is pleased to share a few of the unique outdoor patios where adventurous patrons can sip a Manhattan or hoist a craft beer.

Get our list here. 

For some people, golf is a slow-moving sport that's expensive to take up, is neck deep in boring etiquette, and requires at least one good pair of dress shorts. Fortunately, the Cleveland Metroparks has come to the rescue with a golf-like alternative where tank tops aren't frowned upon and you never have to worry about plucking the wrong club from your Callaway Odyssey bag.

What's a golf-challenged Clevelander to do? Why .... FootGolf of course! Read all about it here.

Michael Symon's Mabel's BBQ has smoked up plenty of press since the much anticipated meat emporium opened its doors on East Fourth Street last year. Mabel's may be Cleveland's go-to barbecue joint at the moment, but the city boasts a growing list of savory options for folks seeking to satisfy their carnivorous cravings. Fresh Water is happy to deliver the deliciousness with these BBQ hot spots at points across the 216.

Get the smokin' list — including the 411 on Proper Sloppers and chicken cupcakes here. 
 

As a former stand-up comedian and co-founder of the humor-fueled speechwriting startup, Laugh Staff, Josh Womack knows funny.
 
Sure, it's been years since Womack took the stage, and he doesn't write for Laugh Staff as much as he used to, but that doesn't mean he's lost his edge. Quite the contrary, as Womack's new job as a copywriter for Progressive has kept him sharp, inspired and motivated to take on new creative challenges.

Get his whole story, including what it's like to write for Flo, here.

A new food truck concept is rolling through Cleveland this summer, one that emphasizes lickety-split service, child-friendly meals, and locally sourced favorites while a single proprietor keeps watch.
 
That man is Jason Lawenda, who recently launched his Food Buggy retro concession trailer as part of All Culinary Services, a small events catering company. The buggy — an Airstream trailer that resembles an oversized sleep pod from a science fiction movie — transports fare prepared by local food artisans as well as the owner.

Read what he's dishing up and where you can find it here.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of "Over The River," a monthly calendar of exciting activities taking place throughout the area. Have a fun event you want to share with your fellow Clevelanders? Send us your freshest happenings.

Click here for our May listing, which is full up with a confluence of art and poetry, live mural painting and even a Frog Bride.

Before launching her OY-L skincare business,  Andrea Pierce-Naymon learned all she could about what ingredients went into the cosmetics women use daily. What she discovered was disturbing to say the least.
 
Many of the products Pierce-Naymon and millions of other women use contain synthetic preservatives called parabens, typically found in foods as well as personal care items such as deodorants, moisturizers and shampoos. Parabens mimic estrogen and disrupt the body's hormone system, which has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive problems.  

Find out what she did about it here.

Shuffleboard is sliding its way into Cleveland later this month with a side order of food, drink and puck-flinging good times.

Forest City Shuffleboard Arena & Bar, the mindchild of owner Jim Miketo and his wife, Kari, is scheduled to open May 18 at 4506 Lorain Avenue in Ohio City, the former site of the Supermercado Rico grocery. As part of its 7,500 square feet of fun, Forest City Shuffle presents seven regulation shuffleboard courts and two 22-foot-long shuffleboard tables. Game-playing patrons can enjoy a selection of local and regional beers along with a rotating cast of pop-up food providers such as Half Moon Bakery.
 
Cleveland's nightlife scene boasts the occasional shuffleboard table or small court, says Miketo, but there's nothing in the area like what he has to offer.
 
Get the rest of the story here.

The Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging has launched a new program that allows early-stage dementia patients to participate in their own care planning, potentially easing the burden for both the person with dementia and their concerned family members.  
 
Known as SHARE, the program outlines a care plan for loved ones to follow as the condition progresses. Based on two decades of research by Benjamin Rose, the SHARE toolkit includes an iPad app which lists tasks in a set of color-coded circular diagrams.  Under the guidance of SHARE counselors, duties can then be assigned to caregivers, whether they're family, friends or professional service providers.  
 
"It's a pictorial expression of the communication," says Benjamin Rose president and CEO Richard Browdie. "The app captures the evolution of the conversation so you're not going to back to zero the next time you meet."
 
Browdie says SHARE enables early-stage dementia patients to contribute in planning of daily activities such as finance management, food shopping and preparation, and personal hygiene. Planning these tasks is also a stress reliever for people who feel overwhelmed by a family member's diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease of other form of dementia.
 
"It builds confidence that they're doing the right thing, because they're doing all they can," says Browdie. "That can be empowering for the caregiver when guilt or self-doubt creeps in."
 
Investigation conducted by the Benjamin Rose Center for Research and Education indicates that early-stage dementia patients benefit from active participation in their care plan. Ongoing communication increases knowledge about available services, and preempts difficult questions regarding care that may be embarrassing for the recipient, such as feeding themselves or using the bathroom.
 
SHARE - an acronym for Support, Health, Activities, Resources, and Education — is currently available to professional organizations that serve families and individuals living with dementia in its earlier stages. Utilizing this technology, proponents say, can give people diagnosed with dementia the confidence that their needs will be met down the road.  
 
"People used to think Alzheimer's was a switch off/switch on kind of disease, but it's progress is gradual" says Browdie. "Communicating with a care recipient while dementia is advancing can alleviate some of those stresses."