Last spring, I was lucky enough to be Cleveland, Ohio’s #1 tourist for a week with my tireless and infinitely excited friend Erica as my tour guide. I have never met a person that had so much pride and genuine love for their city. I soon found out that most everyone from Cleveland feels the same way.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Championship win this past Sunday, a 52-year drought of major sports championships was ended.
But even before the Cavs’ big win, fans have stayed true to their hometown teams. The Cleveland Indians, the Cleveland Browns, and the Lake Erie Monsters all have had the support of an entire city behind them. Without fail for the past year and a half, our group chat is flooded with game updates and pleas to LeBron James and Kevin Love to beat the other team.
When presented with the classic euphemism for defecating, “Taking the Browns to the Superbowl,” a true Cleveland native responded, “Yeah, because our teams scare the poop out of everyone else!” So even when presented with one of the silliest insults thrown at Cleveland Fans, they still have a great sense of humor and love for their team.
Besides sports, Cleveland gives a lot for people to love. Iron Chef Michael Symon has his brain-melting burgers at B-Spot.
The Honey Huts’ ice cream will warm your heart even if you are eating a frozen treat in a flurry of snow.
And of course the chocolates from the perfectly pastel parlor of Malley’s are a must-have if you are visiting. This city started with my stomach and won my heart over.
As a New York girl myself, I found a few traditions and sayings that were were just a little...unique.
This, is a superbly well-dressed lawn goose. Many Clevelanders will dress up these fun fowl for holidays and fun events. Some people have a full, year-round wardrobe for their geese!
And this, is no ordinary tree. This is a tree lawn. For me, coming from a small town, you had one lawn, no matter if there were trees on it or not. But Cleveland introduced me to this urban innovation.
One of my favorite days was when my friend and I found ourselves playing and posing through the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. I met a baby rhinoceros named Juba, and my heart melted.
My time in Cleveland was incredible, and I could not rave enough about it (seriously, I could go on for hours) and it was just what I needed after a tough semester. I felt excited and everything felt so new. Who knew that this humble Midwestern city would turn out to be so special.
So this past Sunday, I found myself on the edge of my seat, building the tension between myself and my sister (a Golden State Warriors fan) as the Cavs fought their way to win the championship. I hope it helps everyone else see what a special city Cleveland is.
