Community Blend

If your group chat has existed longer than some marriages, you’ll appreciate a club that’s been going strong for 100 years.

The Lakewood-born organization—now known as College Club West (CCW)—is turning 100 this April and celebrating at the Cleveland Yachting Club with dinner, history, and enough memorabilia to make your high school yearbook feel underdressed.

Founded in 1926 as the Lakewood College Club, CCW was created to connect college-educated women at a time when that was…less common. Today, the mission is still social and educational—but scholarships have become the headline act. The club now counts 150+ active members and nearly a century of Westside roots.

Here’s how the centennial year is shaping up:

• April 24 Centennial Celebration: Dinner + a “Through the Years” program featuring historical reenactments and a slideshow of past members (yes, there are custom centennial shirts).

• Library Memorabilia Tour: Displays rotate through Lakewood Library in January, Rocky River in February, and Westlake’s Porter Library in March.

• Scholarship Grants: Up to six awards ranging from $2,000–$5,000 for Greater Cleveland women age 25+ pursuing or completing four-year or graduate degrees.

• Application Deadline: March 16, 2026, with winners announced in June.

• Membership Snapshot: Open to women with bachelor’s degrees or registered nurses, with monthly interest groups meeting in members’ homes.

Interested?

They’re hosting a valentine luncheon on Wednesday February 11 where the theme is ‘Have a Heart Full of Happiness’. It will be held at Wagner’s
Country Inn. More information

Short Takes

Congratulations, we made it to February!

The full column lives on our blog but here are the highlights worth your coffee break.

Avon

Tacos, tequila and music: After a great debut last year, the Tacos & Tequila Festival is returning to ForeFront Field (home of the Lake Erie Crushers) July 25.

Headlined by Shaggy, this year’s lineup also features Chamillionaire, XZibit, Trina, Ying Yang Twins, Bubba Sparxxx, and Murphy Lee, delivering the hits that defined an era and the ultimate throwback day party for Cleveland.

Garden club meeting: The Avon Garden Club will meet Feb. 17 in the Orchid Room at Miller Nature Preserve, 2739 Center Road. Summit County Master Gardener Lee Paulson will present, “Women Who Impacted Horticulture and the Environment.”

Doors open at 6:30 pm with the free program starting at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.

Play ball!: City Council recently voted unanimously to approve funding for upgrades at Little League and Veterans parks. Avon Little League presented the City of Avon with a check for $75,000 to cover the cost of the new batting cages, through a donation from the Ford Motor Company.

Avon Lake

New ownership: After announcing last year the pizza shop was struggling, Pizza Cutter (33501 Lake Road) owners recently announced they sold the business to the Edacious team, owners of Edacious Kitchen and Bar and Goonie's Dog Shop.  

Bay Village

Closing up shop: After 60 years in business, the current owners of Arthur's Shoe Tree, 27235 Wolf Road, announced they are closing the store at the end of the month.

A portion of the social media post reads, “We have done everything we could as a single storefront-brick and mortar, to survive the many hurdles and roadblocks within our industry for 11 years.

The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and everything inside will be on sale including the furniture, rugs, and signage.

Art exhibition: BAYarts Annual Juried Exhibition is a community tradition, highlighting a diverse range of artwork selected by jurors and created by artists near and far.

Artists are invited to submit work for consideration from now through Feb. 21. Selected works will be featured in the exhibition opening March 13.

North Ridgeville

Recycling contest winners: Students and staff at North Ridgeville’s Ranger High Tech Academy collected 100 pounds of plastic bags and won the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District’s Plastic Bag Recycling Collection Contest.

Nearly 300 pounds of plastic bags were received during the month-long contest. The school will receive a picnic table made from recycled plastic. Coming in second place was Avon Heritage Elementary School.

Shout-out: Thank you to the North Ridgeville Corn Festival Committee for their $3,984 donation to the police department for two AEDs (automated external defibrillators).

Westlake

Longevity: Congratulations to Mayor Dennis Clough on his re-election and the start of his historic 41st year in office.

As he enters this new term, Mayor Clough cements his legacy as the longest-serving active city mayor in Ohio.

Mayor Clough will present the annual State of the City address during a luncheon sponsored by the West Shore Chamber of Commerce. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 25 at the Tri-C Westshore Campus, 31001 Clemens Road.

A link to purchase tickets will be available soon.

Dementia friendly: Westlake recently achieved national designation as a Dementia Friendly Community. Through partnerships with Carolyn L. Farrell Foundation and Westlake Porter Public Library, the city offers wraparound support, including arts programs and social activities.

Additionally, police and fire personnel are receiving specialized training to provide compassionate care to residents affected by dementia and their families.

Caption Contest

An unfortunate person parked their car on the corner of Madison and West Blvd when a water main broke and encased their car in ice like Han Solo frozen in carbonite.

Reply to this email with your best caption. The winner will get a 1 of 1 Westside Buzz Crew Neck Sweater!

Real Estate and Building

Tower City is going all in on downtown events. Real estate firm Bedrock just launched Tower City Events, a new booking platform that opens two of the complex’s most recognizable spaces to businesses, community groups, and everyone in between.

Think wedding ceremonies, tech conferences, and 3 on 3 basketball tournaments minus the Auntie Anne’s aroma.

Here’s what’s changing:

• Two Main Venues: The Skylight Concourse (nearly 20,000 sq. ft. under the giant glass ceiling) and the English Oak Room (about 5,000 sq. ft. with historic wood architecture).

• More Floor Space: Bedrock plans to remove the current Skylight Park fountain setup to open up additional room for large-scale events.

• Light Renovations: The English Oak Room is getting modest updates

• Partner Network: Event planners can tap into nearby heavy hitters like the Ritz-Carlton and Rock Entertainment Group (aka the Cavaliers’ orbit).

• Event Range: Conferences, weddings, cultural festivals, private receptions, and sporting activations are all on the menu.

Construction is already underway, with bigger build-out work ramping up in the coming weeks.

Zoom out: Tower City is betting that Cleveland’s comeback includes more gatherings, more celebrations, and fewer empty concourse. We’re all for that!

Westside Pour Over

Edgewater: Drone_216 captured this awesome footage of a frozen in ice Edgewater pier that looked like something otherworldy.

Port of Cleveland: The port secures $4.2 Million in State Grant Funding to Strengthen Maritime Infrastructure and Drive Economic Growth. What will the funds go toward?

Kamm’s Corners: Working Class Brewing has officially closed its doors after 8 years citing a decline in taproom revenue.

Real Estate Strategy

How to Win a Home in a Multiple-Offer Situation

Here is some friendly advice from our community partner realtor Chris Schlenkerman

Today’s housing market can feel like driving yourself crazy trying to buy Harry Styles concert tickets… It’s ultra competitive, but having an expert in your corner can be the difference between getting the keys… or refreshing Zillow at midnight wondering what happened.

Here’s how to prepare before you fall in love with a house and realize eight other buyers did too:

Get prepared early. Strong financing and a solid pre-approval letter matter. Cash is powerful, but a well-structured loan can absolutely compete with the right agent and lender guiding you.

Be flexible with timing. Sellers often choose offers that match their ideal closing or move-out dates. If your timeline can bend, your offer instantly looks stronger.

Understand inspections. Buyers want them. Sellers fear them. There are middle-ground options that protect you without scaring off the seller — but you need to know your comfort level ahead of time.

Know your numbers. List price isn’t always true value. Some homes are intentionally priced low to spark bidding wars. Appraisal gaps, escalation clauses, and earnest money deposits can all strengthen your offer when used wisely.

Choose an agent before you need one. Interview early, learn the market, and avoid scrambling when the right home appears.

And one underrated strategy? Sometimes the best way to win a bidding war… is to avoid one. Older listings, different neighborhoods, or homes that need light updates often mean less competition and more negotiation power.

Preparation + flexibility + smart guidance = your best shot at the keys.

Chris Schlenkerman has helped Westside families navigate these decisions for over 20 years. Dive deeper in the full article.

🍽️ Business & Restaurant News

Jaja is back!

After a 15-month closure following a devastating car crash in late 2024, Jaja restaurant in Ohio City is ready to welcome diners back today!

Because Jodie has been pestering politely asking their social media team about the reopen date over the last year, we got to enjoy a sneak peek on Saturday.

Stepping in the elevator feels like a warm hug due to the green textured jungle wallpaper. The space transports you straight to a happening New York hot spot.

Executive Chef Logan Abbe, who previously worked at The Last Page and the iconic Greenhouse Tavern, has crafted an all-new "Med-West" menu that blends Western Mediterranean cuisines with Midwest sensibilities.

We sampled three shareables, a main, and a dessert: The milk bread rolls with house-churned butter and fig jam, the basque mushrooms, steamed middleneck clams, the campanelle, and the Basque cheesecake.

The highlights

I probably could’ve eaten 15 milk bread rolls. They are perfectly cooked, pillowy soft, and the spread is salty and sweet.

The Basque mushrooms were a surprise in the best way, with a charred, almost-Brussels-sprout texture instead of the usual soft mushroom route.

The clams were beautiful, came with a dash of chili oil, and bathed in a dippable broth with bread that made the trek in from Pennsylvania farm country.

The campanelle was a Moroccan lamb bolognese dish that was absolutely perfect for a night when the wind chills were disrespectful. On to the star of the night, the basque cheesecake with honey three ways was one of the best things we have ever eaten…no joke.

We are pumped that Jaja is back. We recommend it for second or three-hundreth dates, entertaining clients, and bringing out of town friends.