For the health-conscious among us, it may seem impossible to maintain a weight-controlled holiday, without putting a damper on the festive occasion. After all, who wants to eat brussel sprouts in place of mashed potatoes and gravy?

I know nearly nothing about sports—I’ve just recently come over to the Dark Side—so, naturally, the ALCS playoffs puzzled me. Apparently, it helps to know the rules. After much confusion, I finally found something I could focus on and comprehend: the intriguing variety of spitting techniques among the players. Here is what my research has uncovered thus far.

Planning for a spectacular community event is well underway. Be sure your calendar is marked for Friday, November 30th, when the city’s holiday lighting ceremony returns to downtown Lakewood.

On September 28th – 30th, Recycled Rainbow, a temporary autonomous zone, will emerge at the Hide-A-Way campground in Leavittsburg, Ohio.

Bela Dubby, The Hi Fi Concert Club, Now That’s Class, The Phantasy Concert Club, The Spitfire, and The Winchester Tavern

The Lakewood Kar Kulture Show, Now That’s Class, and The Winchester Tavern

Lakewood Community Progress Inc. (LCPI) hosts Lakewood's 1st Annual Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, August 11 starting at 9 a.m. The event will be held at the parking lot located at the corner of Mathews and Detroit in the West End Entertainment District.

Reviews of Drago and Tilt 360 at The Hi Fi Club and Brody’s Militia, Midnight, and Nunslaughter at Now That’s Class

bela dubby, The Hi Fi, Now That's Class, The Symposium, and The Winchester

World renowned tenor saxophone player (and Lakewood resident) Ernie Krivda is now in his fifth decade as a professional musician, but he shows no signs of slowing down. He regularly plays gigs as the leader of several small jazz ensembles and the 19-piece Fat Tuesday Big Band.

? and the Mysterians claim to be the world’s greatest garage rock band, and on Saturday May 19 at The Winchester here in Lakewood, the group made a pretty strong case for themselves. Dressed in a midriff-baring, leopard-print blouse, black leather pants, a cowboy hat, and his trademark wraparound sunglasses, lead vocalist ? (that’s his legal name) led the band through a rousing set of songs drawn primarily from their two late '60's albums.

The Hi Fi Concert Club and The Winchester Tavern,

Rick Ray has been a fixture on the NE Ohio music scene since he started performing at the age of 13 in 1972. Influenced heavily by musicians like Robin Trower and Frank Marino, Rick used his six-string abilities to play with the bands Riot Act and Neurotic, as well as the eponymous Rick Ray Band, in the years spanning 1973 to 1996. In 1999 Rick started Neurosis Records to release some of his old material as well as new solo recordings. Then in 2000 he put the Rick Ray Band back together, and has to date released 5 albums with the group.

bela dubby, the Hi Fi, the Phantasy, and the Winchester

A Lakewood-area filmmaker isn't waiting for Hollywood to come calling. She's making movies here and now in Cuyahoga County.

Lisa Seelinger's latest film, “Kings and Queens,” is about a chess game played between two people, with each strategic move igniting or stifling possibilities between them.

The Hi Fi Concert Club, The Phantasy Niteclub, and The Winchester Tavern

Flogging Molly recently played Cleveland on Sunday, March 4th as part of their tour in support of their third album, Within a Mile of Home. For those who have not yet become acquainted with the band’s unique sound, imagine the Irish festival meets the Clash. The band fuses instruments ranging from the Tin Whistle and the mandolin to electric guitars and drums to create their inimitable sound.

The Hi Fi Concert Club, The Phantasy Niteclub, and The Winchester Tavern

The Hi Fi Concert Club and The Winchester Tavern,

The Hi Fi Concert Club, Mocha Dreams Café, The Phantasy Concert Club, and  The Winchester Tavern

Lakewood's own Uncle Scratch’s Gospel Revival have been spreading their unique version of the “good news” via trashy garage rock since 2001, simultaneously winning new converts and leaving others confused. This is a band that has done absolutely nothing the way you’re supposed to. They’ve been known to simply set up their equipment on the street and start playing, guerilla style. When they do get a real gig, they’re more likely to be playing on the floor of the venue next to the bathroom than on the stage. They don’t even have a real drum set, their percussion consisting of a collection of cardboard and metal junk.

“Y’know, we’re conditioned, weaned on, and addicted to 'looking like' rather than actually 'being' or 'feeling.' The fact that we prize beauty is the reason that we live in a perpetually disposable society. We worship something that is nothing but transitory. The standards for beauty have changed more over the ages than the names tattooed on Johnny Depp’s arm.” --Dennis Miller, Ranting Again, 1998

Colorforms, Dead City, The Guns, and the Lords of the Highway DVD

The Hi Fi Concert Club, The Winchester Tavern, The Sachsenhiem, and the Literary Cafe