🍸 Cleveland’s cold war has a clear winner

Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop: Another local spot is turning out the lights, and it never gets easier to write these 😔💔🍺

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John Petkovic & Jude Perez

We are fighting a new Cold War – against the biting air coming from Canada, and sub-zero temperatures expected to hit by Saturday.

 Ah, it’s a walk in the park for Alex Shneyder, a native of Omsk, Siberia – where the average winter temperature is -13 degrees and once hit -90, in 1933.

He’s also the co-owner of Europa, a Pepper Pike bar-restaurant that specializes in European comfort dishes and is, no doubt, the Czar of vodka drinks.  

It boasts an array of brands to go with house-infused concoctions – sometimes with horseradish or cinnamon, jalapeno and ginger.

Europa also rolls out a ‘Prohibition Jail Cell’ for those that partake and want an Instagram post to document the shot.

“Some people in Siberia can do a shot a minute to stay warm,” says Shneyder, who does not recommend it for Clevelanders.

Check out our guide to bars that roll out vodka drinks that hit the spot in the 216 Rundown down below.

It’s one of the most dramatic moments in Cleveland lore. Even if you weren’t there, trapped in a pile of snow amid a pile of cars, you no doubt heard about it from someone in the family.

The Great Blizzard of 1978 – aka, the Cleveland Superbomb – has come to define Cleveland’s idea of a snowpocalypse.

It ranks as one of the most severe blizzards in U.S. history.

Barometric pressure plunged to a record low, with winds gusting to 82 mph at Cleveland Hopkins Airport (and higher over Lake Erie).

Heavy snow fell atop existing snow from earlier January storms… 12 inches of new snow but hurricane-force winds created massive drifts up to 15–25 feet high, burying cars, homes, and roads in whiteout conditions.

The storm caused 51 deaths, many from exposure, heart attacks while shoveling, or being trapped without heat.

The Ohio National Guard mobilized over 5,000 members for rescues, and civilians with snowmobiles or 4WD vehicles helped transport emergency personnel.

Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages to watch photos and footage from the event.

You thought odds at the casino were bad. The so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” law is a bad bet for sports gamblers.

It requires betters to pay taxes on losses – by allowing them to only write off 90% of them against their winnings.

In other words, if you lose $10,000 you can only deduct $9,000 against winnings – and must pay taxes on $1,000 or your losses.

A new bi-partisan bill co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Max Miller (a Republican from Bay Village) would re-instate the longstanding 100% write-off.

Laws make it a tough game

The legalization of sports betting has created $100-150 billion a year juggernaut.

But it has also opened the door to unprecedented scandals in the NBA, NCAA Basketball and Major League Baseball. (Yes, as in, Emmanuel Clase.)

Who compensates bettors who lose on rigged outcomes?

Under U.S. gambling laws, the burden falls squarely on the bettors – since bets are settled based on the official result, even if manipulation is later uncovered.

In response, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has called for restricting prop bets in Ohio, one of the country’s top five gambling states.

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Vodka is the inverse of ice cream in the summer. And because it’s odorless and colorless, it makes for an easy-going companion in dozens of drinks.

These spots roll out some of the city’s finest and most unique cocktails:

Moscow Mule at Corleone's: Torn between a Moscow Mule or a dirty martini? Both are great at this popular hang for cocktail hounds.

Vesper Martini at Vault: Great cocktail list… Boom, it also serves snazzy vodka potions, including this dignified elixir.

Dirty Martini at Never Say Dive: Attention, high rollers: This elixir comes with caviar.

Lebowski at Society Lounge: A rich and indulgent take on the White Russian.

Pink Elephants on Parade at Speakeasy at Quintana’s: A grapefruit-infused Vodka cocktail at an old-fashioned joint that looks and feels like something out of an old movie.

Alert the Press at Encore: The just-opened spot in Playhouse Square boasts an olive-oil washed vodka paired with vermouth and peppercorn Champagne and olives.

Caipiroska at Batuqui: A Caipirinha is fine, but this vodka-and-passion-fruit version of the classic Brazilian elixir hits the spot when it’s cold outside.

John Daly at Fairmount Cocktail Bar: The Black tea infused vodka comes with fresh lemonade and packs a punch.

Golden Daze at LBM: Raspberry Infused Vodka, Madeira, Papaya, Lime, Coconut Vanilla Tea.

Smaller Acts at Cloak and Dagger: The nutty elixir mixes coconut oil-washed vodka with coffee, hazelnut, red miso, aquafaba, sea salt and nutmeg.

The Pier W at Pier W: This longtime fave consists of vodka, champagne and Chambord.

One Time at Sarita: Haku vodka with chai and maple syrups and lemon.

👉 View Listing on Zillow

We await the shiny new spots with anticipation. But the last six weeks have seen more closings than openings.

The latest: Midnight Owl Brewing in Shaker Heights.

“After 2 1/2 years, we have made the difficult decision to close Midnight Owl effective January 25,” said Midnight Owl management in a post.

The economy has posed a variety of challenges to bars and restaurants, and especially to breweries.

Declining alcohol consumption has weighed on craft beer sales. So has the rise of seltzer drinks.

Cars on Lake Shore Boulevard during a storm in 1938.

Ooh and don’t forget! Tag @The216Scoop on Facebook & @scoopcle on Instagram to get your photos in the Scoop!

33 °F 🌡️ 20 °F | 🌨️ (PM Snow Showers / Breezy) | 60% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 20 mph (≈ 17 knots)

25 °F 🌡️ 14 °F | 🌨️ (Lake Effect Snow / Windy) | 55% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 22 mph (≈ 19 knots)

21 °F 🌡️ 10 °F | 🌥️ (Cloudy / Frigid) | 20% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 15 mph (≈ 13 knots)

_{Please note that weather conditions can change rapidly. For the most up-to-date information, consider checking a reliable local weather service.}

Away vs. Hornets, 7:00 PM January 21 (Wednesday)

Home vs. Kings, 7:30 PM January 23 (Friday)

Away vs. Magic, 7:00 PM January 24 (Saturday)

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