I was REAL skeptical when Sasa opened on Center Ridge because we've had so many restaurants come and go in that strip. But I finally caved last Friday and their spicy tuna roll was actually fresh and not drowning in sauce. Anyone else give them a shot yet?
Tried everything from vinegar to baking soda and nothing worked until I added a half cup of borax to the wash cycle on hot... anyone else deal with that musty lake smell clinging to your bath linens from living so close to the water?
I used to be one of those people who thought garage sales were just other people's junk (you know, dusty lamps and old Tupperware). But my friend Karen dragged me to a neighborhood sale in Westlake last weekend, and I found a nearly new KitchenAid mixer for $40 that would've cost $300 at the store. Now I'm actually planning my Saturday mornings around the estate sales in Bay Village and Rocky River. Has anyone else had a killer find at a local garage sale that changed their mind about thrifting?
Honestly, I was out watering my grass last Tuesday and Randy from two doors down comes over and says I'm doing it all wrong, watering too often and too shallow. He told me to do one deep soak a week instead of a quick sprinkle every day, and now my lawn actually looks greener after just two weeks. Anyone else had a random neighbor drop some killer advice that actually worked out?
Went to Crocker Park last Saturday for dinner at that new ramen spot. Came back to my car and the whole front bumper is cracked. No note or nothing. Had to file a police report and everything. Insurance is gonna jack my rates up even though I didnt do anything. Has anyone else had issues with parking garages around Westlake or Rocky River?
Moved into my house in Lakewood back in 2020 and every fall I'd wrestle with those old storm windows. Last week my neighbor came over to borrow a ladder and saw me struggling. He watched for like 30 seconds and goes "you know those have a top and bottom right?" I had no idea there were little arrows molded into the frame. After 4 years of doing it the hard way I got all 8 windows swapped in under an hour. Has anyone else missed something super obvious about their house for way too long?
I've lived here since 2018 and I swear the traffic on Lake Road near the old hospital has doubled, maybe more. Before 2021 you could zip through that stretch in like 5 minutes easy, but now it's stop-and-go all the way from the library to the bike path. Part of me thinks it's cool because more restaurants and shops have opened up, like that coffee place that's always packed. But the other part of me hates sitting through three light cycles just to get past the CVS. I'm wondering if the new apartments near the lake brought all these people or if it's just everyone working from home now. Has anyone else noticed this change around the westside suburbs? What's your take on the trade-off between more business and worse commutes?
Watched my neighbor ruin his 15 year old driveway last winter with that cheap blue ice melt from Home Depot. I told him we use sand or just shovel it here in Bay Village but he didn't listen. Now he's got spalling chips everywhere and a $3000 quote to resurface. How many of you have seen this happen on your street?
I was dead set against it for months... thought it was a total mess. Then I hit the 20 minute mark going from Westlake to downtown last Tuesday, which is half my usual time. That specific number kinda shocked me, you know? I timed it three separate days and it held up. Still hate the cones and dust though... anyone else seeing better times or am I just getting lucky?
I was sitting at the light by the old Denny's last week and overheard a guy from the city talking to someone about how they keep patching the same spots on Center Ridge near Columbia Road but it never holds because the base is shot. That got me thinking about how I've been dodging those craters for like 2 years now and they just get worse every spring. My front end alignment got messed up twice last winter from hitting one I couldn't see in the dark. I even tried reporting a few on the city's website but never heard back about any of them. I'm just wondering if anyone else around here has had tire damage or suspension issues from that stretch of road too.
He just said "turn the wheel all the way when your back bumper hits their taillight" and I've never curb-checked since, anyone else have a random stranger teach them something obvious?}
I stopped at that new place on Center Ridge near Dover Center around 7:30 AM last Tuesday. Line went halfway down the block and I sat there for 18 minutes just for a basic black coffee. When I finally got to the window, they got my order wrong and the girl just shrugged. Has anyone else dealt with that mess or was it just a bad morning?
I always walked past Cleveland Vegan on Detroit Ave thinking it was just for hardcore plant-based people (which I am not). Last Tuesday I was in a hurry and my usual sandwich shop had a 20 minute wait, so I gave it a shot. I ordered their buffalo cauliflower wrap for $12 and honestly it was better than any chicken wrap I have had around here. The texture was actually crispy, not that soggy mess I expected. Now I have gone back three times in two weeks and I am trying to convince myself it is not becoming a habit. Has anyone else had a go-to meal there that surprised them?
They added a whole boardwalk through the wetlands off the main trail, and I saw a pair of blue herons standing right next to the path - has anyone else spotted more wildlife out there since they opened it last month?
I thought it would help the cardinals but the base split open after the first hard freeze out here in Westlake. Has anyone found a model that actually survives a Lake Erie winter?
Took the back roads from Lakewood to Avon on Tuesday. Saved 10 minutes but hit every damn pothole on Detroit Road. Anyone else finding new routes just to avoid the construction on 90?
I swear I remember 10 years ago when I could walk into Deagan's on a Friday night and actually get a table, now it's a 45 minute wait even on a Tuesday. Meanwhile they're building those new apartment complexes on Detroit like there's no tomorrow, but nobody's widening the roads or adding parking. Am I the only one who thinks we're trading neighborhood charm for density too fast, or is this just what a popular westshore suburb has to look like in 2024?
I was sitting down to pay my bills last night and noticed a line item called 'Stormwater Utility Fee' on my water bill from the City of Bay Village. It's been there for years, and I always just paid it without thinking. But this time I actually looked it up on the city website. Turns out the fee is based on how much hard surface you have on your property, like your driveway and roof. My neighbor's house is half the size of mine but his lot has less pavement so he pays almost $20 less per quarter. I had no idea it was calculated that way. It makes sense when you think about runoff and drainage, but it was a surprise to me. Anyone else look into how their stormwater fee is figured out?
I've been running the Lakewood section of the Shoreway path for about 6 months now (just a mile or two at a time). Yesterday I finally pushed myself to the Rocky River bridge and back, and my watch showed exactly 150 total miles since I started. That's more than I'd done in the whole 5 years before that living in Westlake. Anyone else tracking their miles on this path and surprised when they added them up?
I planted a couple of Better Boy tomato plants back in May, just kind of hoping for the best. I've never had much luck with gardening, honestly my black thumb is kind of a joke in my family. But I watered them every day and used some of that cheap tomato fertilizer from Home Depot on Rocky River Drive. Yesterday I went out and found this huge red tomato hiding under the leaves, must have been almost a pound. I sliced it up for lunch with just salt and pepper and it tasted nothing like the ones from Giant Eagle. Now I'm wondering if I should try peppers and zucchini next year, or am I just getting lucky with tomatoes? Has anyone else in Westlake had good luck with raised beds vs just planting in the ground?
I was going over my escrow statement last night and noticed my tax bill went up like 15% compared to last year. Called the county auditor's office this morning and they said it's because of a city-wide reassessment they did back in March. Nobody sent me a letter or anything about it though. Has anyone else in the Westshore area seen a similar bump or did I just get unlucky with my specific street?
Last Tuesday I went to leave for work and my garage door just sat there when I hit the button. Turns out one of the torsion springs snapped clean in half, and that thing sounded like a gunshot when it went. Anyone know a good local company in Westlake that won't charge an arm and a leg for spring replacement?
My golden retriever was constantly getting muddy and stressed at the crowded dog park by the water treatment plant, but after trying the wooded trail with fewer people and more smells, he actually listens off leash now - has anyone else found a quieter spot for their reactive dog out here?
Totally spaced on the street sweeping schedule last Tuesday in Lakewood. Parked my truck on Detroit Ave right where I always do. Came out that afternoon and had a bright orange $150 ticket on my windshield. Didn't even see any signs up on that block. Called the city and they said the signs got knocked down by a storm last month. Still gotta pay it though. Anyone else get popped by the Lakewood street sweepers lately?