Taste of Lakewood
(click photo to enlarge)
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As I get there I notice a familiar shape in the shadows.
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Thomas has made it to Taste of Lakewood and is already tweeting hundreds of 140 perfectly formed tweets of 1/4 thoughts out to the masses.
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As I turn and walk in, it looks like a nice laid back day at Madison Park.
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The 800lb Gorilla in the event Matt Fish, Lakewoodite, owner of Melt, caught working!
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At Around the Corner, Mickey Krivosh, owner of Around the Corner, Vosh and Georgetown, with a huge smile as wings flew out of the booth, and it was barely 1:05pm!
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The gang at Dewey's Pizza with full pies. This would not last long. For a brief moment from about 1pm - 2pm you could stop and talk, and all the vendors were smiling.
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KB Confactions looking good.
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Brandon turns, as
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Our new friends of "Keep It Local" This national groups promotes keeping buying local.
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Ahh, that first hour, those were refreshing fun relaxed time.
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I mean when you can get "Bob Evans" coming out of Thomas' eyes, you just have to run the picture.
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People standing back, realxing, reading the signs wondering should we eat here or there? Let's walk around.
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Lakewood High Jazz Band played.
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BoGo Pizza, look it, everyone smiling, laughing, no long lines.
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India Garden, Cleveland's #1 Indian Restaurant for the past 6 years.
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Pepper's, a great little Italian restaurant capturing that small restorante feel.
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Nature's Bin, ready with good healthy food.
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Mahall's booth one!
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The VIP tent started to fill up.
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Seldom seen or heard LO Webmaster Dan Ott, with his beautiful wife Emily.
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Julie, and Brandon, It is like Julie could see the mob coming. But I am sure she can, she has worked enough festivals to understand, tons of food, warm weather, I sell the cool drinks!
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And suddenly, lines! Lines that would never stop. First noticed at Gatherings, which makes sense, they make some damn good food.
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Then, behind John Russell at Around the Corner that would never end!
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I have always thought for local food, instead of truckers you follow Firemen to find the good food. Sure enough Fire Inspector Tim Dunphy heads not just to Cerino's Casual Italian Dining, but straight to Eddie himself!
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Oh, it was not only the good food that got Tim here, but he was working, and let me tell you, Lakewood Police and Fire worked their asses off at this show.
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Jim Sprenger, owner of Jammy Buggar's, one of Lakewood's favorite spots just outside of Downtown, smiles, as suddenly sales and the lines pick up.
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Lines at the Grey Dog.
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Kevin Mac, looks happy, again, right now it was getting busy, soon the madness started.
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As I turn to the stage, Thomas! The guy is everywhere!
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The gentleman working The Sweet Spot, turned to his neighbor and said, "I told you it would pick up!"
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At India Garden they are looking a little more rushed.
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Valerie Mechenbeir and Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, President, Patty Ryan, take a break to smile. The lines were forming. To be honest it got so packed, it was pointless taking pictures.
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Lines were now 5, 10, 20, Barrio's line was almost always 20-30 long!
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Fire Chief Scott Gilman and some of the boys, talk with Tim.
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And the corwds just kept building and building.
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People taking to the grass and the shade, any shade they could find.
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LO's Editor In Chief, Margaret Brinch arrives with her husband Troy Bratz, carrying what was judged to be the second best gourmet guacamole in the land. Well in the contest.
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And the crowds kept building and building. Soon vendors were running out of food and running back to the shops for more. The favorite places just crazy packed, with lines going on for ever.
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A view to the front of the back of the line at Barrio.
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In VIP was my good buddy Mawali, owner of Tease Hair Salon with his wife, some stylists and friends.
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Matt comes out from behind the grill for a little advice. "Baby, hmmmmmm, yeah I would use Swiss Raclette to start with the nutty flavor would offset, the baby just enough that after grilling he would still have that new baby smell, but a little heat and a little nutty flavor would kick in..." Just kidding.
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More photos coming but by 4, some places had run out of food, and others were panicking. No matter, it was a tremndous success, good work Val, Patty, the volunteers and of course the City of Lakewood.
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