Perhaps you too are a native Clevelander, and perhaps you too have frequently driven by the Cleveland Public Power building on Marginal Road, right in between the Shoreway and Lake Erie. If you have, you are guaranteed to have seen it: the Wall of Whales. Or, more colloquially, the whale building.

Well, it wasn't until this very evening (coincidentally enough) that I found out that the whale building was the work of a specific artist, Wyland, who specializes in environmentally conscious, marine life artwork. The Wall of Whales on the side of the Cleveland Public Power building features swimming whales, dolphins and scuba divers in an incredibly blue ocean. He's also done manatees, turtles, fish, rays, people (in the water) and lots of different kinds of whales.

Now, we could be cynical, and point out that there is just no way that you're going to get whales in Lake Erie (sigh), but what I find more odd is why Wyland paints whales! And other maritime fishes and mammals, of course. Well, for starters, it's Whale Wall #75 - Wyland is currently painting his 95th mural of whales. These murals are for one major purpose: to raise environmental awareness about the undersea world, through the work of the Wyland Foundation. (In fact, the 95th mural is in Key Largo, Florida, and will be dedicated on Feb. 12.) All of Wyland's murals are painted in life-size dimensions, and in a wide range of sizes and locations. Power generating stations, museums, boats, department stores and piers - nothing is too weird to show us what's under the sea. I think this is beautiful, and I'm proud that Cleveland and Ohio are part of a larger, environmentally loving tradition.

Sadly, I could not give you the Ohio 5 interview that we all wanted, because Ms. Mooney foolishly decided to have a baby instead, which ate up all of her time. But that's not going to stop me from talking about her, because she is so funny, and more importantly, she's a transplanted Buckeye.

That's right, Megan Mooney is from Ohio! Don't you get that special little glow when you learn that someone you like/appreciate/think is brilliant is from your area? I always do. And mwa-ha-ha - just to put the cap on it, she's from Cleveland! She even went to John Carroll. Love it. I like to picture her originally thinking that the Improv was the pinnacle of comic existence, and now that she's a professional comic living in Los Angeles, she occasionally thinks back and says, "Are you kidding me?"

Let's see, Megan's done college tours, she's done Comedy Central specials, she's done the US Comedy Arts Festival, and in September 2007, she'll be performing on a cruise! (Is it just me, or do all celebrities now occasionally go on cruises to do whatever they do? It's probably just me.) And supposedly her website promises that she'll come to your college if you ask her. By the way, a tip: if you click on the contact button, an email will pop up addressed to her with a subject that already says "You're Hot, Megan!"

Megan, if you're reading this, I'm sorry we could never do the interview! But I wanted to brag about you anyway. Go, Mooney!

It's always interesting to find out what captures Ohioans' interests, particularly when they are Ohio transplants and originally hailed from elsewhere. When I gave Rachel Shaw, a writer's group friend of mine, the Ohio 5 questions, she described the scenery from the window of the 100 year-old farmhouse between Dublin and Plain City that she shares with her husband. "Every sunrise, every sunset was a new masterpiece that my suburban eyes were unused to. I have lots of pictures of the same scene – right between the barns – of a different more beautiful sky dotted with purple and blue and pink clouds."

The scene became her muse for her poetry . When it comes to fantasy fiction aimed for teens, she writes like a fiend. One book, The Necromancer's Scroll has been published under her pen name Sierra Torrin. Besides writing, (check out her blog) , Rachel gets around. If you're ever wondering what to do in Ohio here are her suggestions:

If it's August: "The Miami Valley Steam and Thresher Show at Pasttime Park, admission $10 (I think). The sounds of steam tractors clicking and grinding away like tiny old locomotives. . . You can find anything here. Antiques are as plentiful as old tools and crafts and Happy Meal toys. Popcorn, fried bologna, homemade ice cream in fresh waffle cones, and sausage fried up by the VFW boys are some of the smells that tempt you."

Place to Eat: "I drive my visitors to the Dutch Kitchen. Owned by the same proprieters as the Der Dutchman, it is a smaller establishment, and there is more to enjoy in a less hectic atmosphere. Here, one can enjoy the hospitality of the Amish, a large portion of the Plain City population, and enjoy the food and crafts.

Favorite Event and Place: Ohio Renaissance Fesitval and Ravenwood Castle, "a bed and breakfast just south of Hocking Hills on the edge of Vinton County. This wonderful place has been designed to look like a castle with small keeps surrounding it. Our honeymoon was spent in the King Arthur Suite, a splendid three-room apartment with a Jacuzzi bath, a sitting room upstairs, and a balcony.

And where she sees Ohio's wonder the most: "I've found pockets of beauty by the Scioto River and in its tributaries. I've discovered southeastern Ohio, the foothills of the Appalachians and the limestone caves."

Clearly, this movement is way bigger and more permanent than I imagined. I thought it'd be like how for a while all girls knew how to knit - like all girls were going to want to be in a roller derby team? Well, the fad is not ending, and there's an Akron team starting up!

The team is called the Rubber City Demolition Dolls (so fitting, and feisty), and they want roller girls, coaches and volunteers! According to the flyer I was given, all derby girls must be over 21, be willing to learn, be dedicated, and have health insurance. And from what I know about derby girls, I'm pretty sure that that need for health insurance is pretty valid. Check them out! At the least, hopefully soon, Akron will have another rip-roaring event to go to on a Friday night.

I do not often to go to Akron, even though I do have family that lives near there - thankfully, it's not like they're on campus! And I have to say, I remembered Saturday night why I don't go to Akron more often: it takes forever to get there. Seriously! It's something like 45 minutes to an hour away from Cleveland, but let me tell you, it felt much longer.

But I had a big plan! Sidekick Girl had gotten hired to do a gig at Max McQ's bar, billiards, poker and apparently stand-up comedy club, and as a valiant friend, I wanted to support her. So I also dragged along another friend Kathleen, and we all sucked it up and bundled up and headed out to Akron. Max McQ's, I found out, is in a quaint area of Akron called the Valley, and I'm not going to lie - I still don't really know what that means. What does it mean? How much of a valley are we talking about here? I think it's because it's part of the larger Cuyahoga valley region, but I can't find this out for sure. Any Akron residents reading, please enlighten me. But surprisingly, Max McQ's had great martinis (and the drinks were so big, they were called maxtinis on the menu), and the comics worked hard against the poker game in one part of the room, basketball games on tv, and the lure of the pool tables next door. Rough.

So after a rousing hour or so of comedy at Max McQ's, we were still alert and looking for fun. So we did what all twenty-somethings in Akron do: we went downtown, towards the University, and hit the street of bars! We ended up at Thursday's Lounge, which had dancing. And while it took a really long time to fill up (what else was going on on a Friday night in Akron?! I kid!), the DJ had great choices and it was nice to kind of just get and shake it up while not wearing a giant winter coat.

Akron, I apologize. I assumed that with an hour's drive, there was nothing fun there! I was so wrong.

Valentine's Day? You're asking the wrong person. That's for sure! I'm happily single and past that stage. But I'll gladly offer an opinion on just about anything, so here we go.

We'll start with restaurants. If you want an in-depth discussion, you could look at Toledo Restaurant Reviews, a local blog. It hasn't been updated in a while but it's useful.

For world-class continental cuisine you couldn't go wrong with Fifi's. It's even listed in Ochsner's Pocket Guide to the Finest Restaurants in the World. If your taste runs to Italian food, like mine Carrabba's and Ciao are good choices. Steak? You'll find that, and just about anything else you want, at one of the four Mancy's Restaurants.

How about a romantic atmosphere with good food, as well? No question there. Any of the restaurants at The Docks, in International Park will provide both. You can find seafood, Mexican dishes, Italian, Cajun, and who knows what else. While eating, you can watch the lights of Downtown Toledo reflect off the Maumee River. It's an impressive sight.

I could go on all night here, but that's enough to get you started. Oh, wait a minute. Maybe you're a gourmet cook and want to make your own romantic dinner. Don't go overboard and wear yourself out. Pick up dessert at Wixey's Bakery, on Glendale. They're the best in town. The only thing they lack is a website. The same can be said about my last suggestion, Superior Chocolate. Believe me, it is superior. How do chocolate covered strawberries sound?

I honestly really like winter. I like snow, I don't mind being cold, and if it wasn't for how dirty my car gets, I wouldn't mind if it was winter for a lot longer! The only problem with winter is what to do! It's so cold, so why go outside unless you have to? Sometimes you've made a New Year's resolution for yourself (bad idea), and then you feel even more like you need to get out of the house! "I said I was going to take a cooking class/go to Pilates/learn how to identify flowers, how can I do that in the house?" That's one of the many reasons I don't make New Year resolutions.

So! Let's think of some things to do. How about that Pilates class? If you're in Cleveland, you can hit up a couple of different places, and I'm going to be attempting a class at Studio 11 in Tremont. How about some other kind of class? I've been recently thinking about getting into web design (nothing like working for a blog to make you frustrated when you look at how other websites are designed!), and so I gave a quick glance over the Cleveland State University and Cuyahoga Community College open class schedules. Never underestimate community classes! They're not any more expensive than anything else, and you learn something! And the favorite winter pasttime of all twenty-somethings, going to a bar. I've recently taken a shine to a restaurant/bar near my house called Melt - their food specialty is grilled cheese sandwiches. I kid you not. But their mojitos are pretty good too!

And all of that gets you out of the house. What do you do to get out of the house?

Because we've grown so close over the years, I have no problem in admitting to you, Blogging Ohio, that this will be the first time in almost nine years that I've been single on Valentine's Day. Quite honestly, I'm a-ok with it. I think I'm going to buy myself a plant, maybe one of those tiny rose bushes, and buy myself a burrito. Maybe I'll make some guacamole - anyway, it'll be a decent time, without all the trappings and over-expense of the couple's version of Valentine's Day.

But! If you are a hopeless romantic, or you happen to be dating someone, and you want to go out, now is the time to start planning! It's only a little more than two weeks, and this is something that you really need to be on time with. I remember one time, my significant other and I had completely not prepared for Valentine's Day, so we went out to a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant, and strawberry daiquiris in honor of the day. But, really, you should plan better than I do. So I will be giving you several suggestions for three kinds of Valentine's Day restaurants in Cleveland.

The traditional, fancy route: If you would ask me what defines a fancy meal for me, it usually involves Italian food. So, I will first suggest Maggiano's Little Italy in Beachwood, OH. Very tasty, very classy. Also, there's a high quotient of delicious food that doesn't necessarily involve pasta, which means you won't feel too heavy! So, for a new review, let's talk about Parker's New American Bistro, in Ohio City. Their menu varies from season to season, as well as what's available from various local farmers and growers - that just sounds so tasty to me. Their menu does seem slightly vaguely French, with American touches, so very classy. Perfect for impressing a young lady with your taste.

Just after I apparently revealed my massive ignorance by not knowing that Columbus already had a soccer team, I luckily found it that it doesn't matter. As much as I do love soccer, which I do, I love another rough-and-tumble sport more. Hockey!

Not just hockey, but hockey being played in Cleveland! A hockey team called the Lake Erie Monsters! Yes! The Lake Erie Monsters are part of the American Hockey League franchise, and will be playing the 2007-2008 season at Quicken Loans Arena. The Monsters are actually owned by some of the same people that own the Cleveland Cavaliers, so we're keeping all Cleveland teams close together. The team will be playing as the affiliate team for the Colorado Avalanche, and they just don't know how lucky they're going to be.

Apparently, a ton of market research was done to decide upon the name the Lake Erie Monsters, a name chosen for its fun, its aggressiveness, and its obvious ties to the region. The logo is a very spiky M with a glaring eye monster eye - ha ha ha, for an actual monster! Like we have in Lake Erie! Team colors will be wine, yellow, blue and black, which to my mind is an odd combination of colors, but maybe I'll be surprised. I'm just happy they didn't try to tie in orange and brown for the Browns. Who cares, though, because hockey is back, and it'll be here this October! Yay!

One of the jets flow by Ohio's Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, sets in front of the Ohio Historical Society's Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta.

My friend, Ann has mentioned to me several times, "Let's go to a karaoke bar," and then talks about the fun we had several years ago when we did hit one. My husband belted out a fine rendition of "Danny Boy" that night. Me? I'm partial to "Proud Mary." I seem to manage to stay on tune with that song, sort of. Once, years ago, my husband pretended it was my birthday and got the people in the karaoke bar that we happened upon, to sing to me. My birthday was months away. I gamely smiled while I watched the ball bounce across the words.

Now, my friend is in a real band, Magic City. I wonder if one day someone will be singing one of her band's songs? If this happens, I wonder what the background video scenes will be? Will there be some obscure unrelated scenes like people rolling around in ocean waves?

I do hope Ann's not too busy with her band that she doesn't have time to karaoke anymore. I found a couple bars that look promising. Jilly's Saloon in Reynoldsburg, for example, has a secret song contest and Largest Little Bar In T has over 20,000 song options. I wonder if it has "Proud Mary?" If so, I'm there.

To find a karaoke bar near you, Ohiokaraoke.com has an extensive listing. Click on the map of Ohio where you live for names, addresses and details. For a clever look at karaoke bars and the people who go there, check out the documentary Karaoke Dreams by Robert Davidian. A fun clip is on You Tube.

The Steel Valley Triatholon Club is a not for profit group in Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania that is interested in developing multisport disciplines like triatholons for the area.

Originally the YMCA Tri Club, which began in 2004, the SVTC has over fifty members now. As stated on their website, the club's mission is to provide training information and opportunites and to increase the number and quality of racing options in the area. Members of the club receive discounts at their sponsors' places of business, such as chiropractic offices, massotherapy, podiatric offices, cycle shops, and much much more. It's also a great place to make new, like-minded friends and acquaintances. So if you're intro running, cycling and swimming, you should definitely check out the SVTC website for more information.

Ready, set, go!

InterAct Cleveland is an organization that I've never heard of, but is one that I'm so interested in that I'm thinking of joining! It's a coalition of more than sixty five Baha'i, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, Sikh and Unitarian Universalist congregations, other faith communities, campus groups and community organizations. Technically, InterAct stands for InterReligious Partners in Action of Greater Cleveland. What a lovely long name for a interreligious community of people working together for social justice!

InterAct has a two-fold mission of equipping individuals to act on their faith tradition to help those living in poverty, and of working together to help those in poverty. And coming up in mid-February is the Homeless Stand Down! The Homeless Stand Down is a winter festival of resupply, reconnection and respite! It also provides hospitality, entertainment, clothes, toiletries, haircuts, medical consultations, massages and other sundries.

The Stand Down is going on from February 10 (at Pilgrim Congregational Church), February 16 (Cleveland Convention Center), February 18 (Trinity Cathedral) and February 19 (First Church Cleveland UMC). As with any volunteer event, they need more! Donated items and volunteers! Check out InterAct's website, or email sommers@interactcleveland.org.

In one of my favorite Simpson's episodes, Homer coats his mouth with candle wax so that he can tolerate eating the world's hottest pepper. I don't suggest this tactic, but you might start thinking about your strategy in preparing for the upcoming Fiery Food Festival in Columbus.

In its fourth year, the festival will again bring together chili devotees and other capsicum fans to the North Market near downtown Columbus on February 17th for a day of feasts and firey farts. On the schedule is a salsa (the food) competition, a chili cook-off, a Chef Chili Challenge and the old standby chili pepper eating contest.

Also on tap is music (accordion, Latino and Caribbean) and entertainment for the kids.

A fee is charged for sampling the chili entries.

I really liked this statue that is just sitting in a random garden in the Gordon Square Cultural Arts District, in the Detroit Shoreway area. I have got to tell you, I have no idea who made it, or what it's of, but I was on my way to Gypsy Beans & Baking (because I go there. A lot), and I saw and thought it was fabulous!

photo credit: katherine galo