2 More Days of 2007 ! Return to the R & R: Rockin' A' Round Cleveland Time

In two more nights, the streets of downtown Cleveland will be somewhat crowded with those ringing in the new year. I will either be working a private house party serving and helping the hostess OR sitting around with family in silk jammies and drinking home made egg nog and playing board games, listening to music, singing together awaiting the ball drop in Times Square OR all of us getting in our cars and going downtown for the xmas lights. Whatever we do driving by Cleveland's famous legend-housing rock and roll performers museum, brings me back into events I got to cater there for. A few times this place and I linked to a special harmony between architecture and natural beauty of the shore on Lake Erie, 2007 has been splendid in various avenues all leading down to the universal link between spirit, mind and body: the song & its performer.

I believe to truly appreciate the music industry's greatest achievement in Ohio, you have to venture out to Cleveland. You land yourself on the shores of Lake Erie where a simple yet attractive building hails an architectural design grounding you in appreciation of simplicity, elegance and a reason to know why Clevelanders believe in themselves. The design is sturdy that includes a front pyramid of glass encased in a metal frame creating a 'window-pane effect." The allowance for reflections and shadows is fantastic but tonight it is especially mesmerizing. Tonight while I am looking out, at this time of night, I cannot adopt a clear view. But I do recall remembering how while I was looking into those panes of glass, then in 1995, the rock and roll legends gone but not forgotten, looked out . . .

Cleveland has bait and the public has bit on it with hook, line and sinker ! Tonight, November 10th, a corporate awards ceremony is being held for an automotive company. The employees to be recognized have been with the company a long time and are held in special consideration for sales, leadership and teamwork performance demonstrated well above standard operating procedure. In my line of business, fine food and excellent service is a must and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum is a perfect place for your family's new years eve reunion. The upstairs floor serves comfortably room for 120 people and some more room to boogie. An anniversary party, a barmitzvah, a company picnic even a coporate event that honors its employees can be a source of entertainment here at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum.

These people were considered 'heroes' in their company and that night, in a reception catered by the wonderful Executive Caterers of Landerhaven, owned and operated by Harlan Diamond, these people will feel forever remembered. Mr. Diamond is a long-time resident of Ohio and has been providing top-quality service in the hospitality management arena. With his elegant dining service, highly-professional staff and six-star food and hospitality management efficiency, an event is never boring ! For a real New Years Rockin' Eve with your family you can schedule your event through Executive Caterers and R & R, together your night will shine ! The Rock Hall Museum, contracted with Harlan Diamond on many occasions before, allowed me the opportunity to meet up and work with the crowd again. This particular event brought memories back of opening day here.

"Then, our city was brimming with excitement as practicing and warming up for the concert was loudly undulating within the waters of lake Erie. She herself was even rocked into awakedness. Everyone listening to Bon Jovi, Chuck Berry and Melissa Etheridge who would rock into wee hours of the night celebrating a 'freedom through music'. "

Off in the distance I hear music and an emcee organizing an acceptance speech for the award winners of the recognition ceremony going on tonight. I am bounced back to reality of a patron having a nosebleed in all the excitement. But it was quiet and he was not being cheered so how did the nosebleed and 'excitement' evade me.

Authority, leadership and compassion for this man stepped in, towels and some blood and words of caution exchanged, our patrons go back to enjoying themselves. The event goes unscathed and the newly-created memories are a bliss for encouraging addendum to fueling harmony with excitement and recognition. I exit the floor using the far-right escalator down and go back into the first floor where the guitars in glass cases await to be stared at.

Jerry Garcia owned a very special 1967-Guild which was replaced by a black 1957 Gibsons Les Paul that now stands in this glass case I was looking into. I was never much into the "Grateful Dead" but Jerry had ideas that not just a musician hears but a lyrical visionary brings into a harmonious effort to change the world. Touching some of the finger tipped marks that left smudges on the glass, I felt a sense of wonderment and positive connection.

I also felt this way when I reached over and touched a handle-bar of one of the many Harley motorcycles Jon BonJovi owns and donated to places such as the Rock hall. It was good to be back in a good place where music was my best friend and life was certainly not as complicated as now. I remember the first time I came out here, the opening of this huge place along our Erie shore. A place where musical memories were born and more were ready to be collaborated upon by fan and performer alike. It fueled reflection when I was . . . "now close enough to touch the glass. It appears that everyone else has done this too, for there are thousands of fingerprints higher than even we can reach. Fans are looking from the outside in, while rock n' roll legends look out."

But that was then and here I am now standing in the grand ballroom where hundreds of performers walked through and greeted one another, I felt artistically significant. There was no dose of sunshine added to this step into reality tonight, for the time was a few hours before midnight and a chilled moon lit the streets surrounding the rock hall. I watched for my car as it had to be driven by someone else because parking is rather scarce around here while security is 24/7. As I waited for the driver, I managed to resist the chilling difference between solstices that welcomed me back to glorious Cleveland, Ohio.

In the car, I realized it was only two more days until 2007 was over and because of great work and fine networking skills, I managed to elaborate on the better parts of what made 2007 really stand out for me !

Happy New Year Clevelanders !