🍝 Little Italy’s Biggest Feast Turns 126

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It’s one of Cleveland’s most charming neighborhoods – where food, faith, history and heritage conspire to create an experience that connects the past and present.

There’s no event that brings it all the charms of Little Italy together like the Feast of Assumption.

The 126^th installment of the city’s biggest festival opens Thursday and runs through Sunday.

What a way to pasta the time away: 100,000 revelers honor the ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven while indulging in enough fun to make Caesar jealous. It’s a religious observance, food fest and street carnival all rolled into one.

“People come to pray, others come for the food,” says Terry Tarantino, owner of La Dolce Vita, an eatery that boasts Roman vibes and neighborhood hospitality. “There’s also the aura -- Little Italy has pizzazz, heart and history.”

Started in 1885, the fest looks like a scene in a Scorsese movie – from Holy Rosary Church to the cigar shop, eateries and bakeries.

Dean Martin lived on Mayfield Road and hung out there. It was also home to Cleveland’s most famous chef, Ettore Boiardi – aka Chef Boyardee – and the inventor of the pasta machine, Angelo Vitantonio.

Of course, there are also the legendary racketeers, like Vegas titan Moe Dalitz and mob don James Licavoli, who would sip wine in Guarino’s.

“Little Italy was home to Cleveland’s most colorful characters,” says Tarantino, who opened La Dolce Vita 36 years ago. “And it’s home to many more people that kept the heart and soul of it alive.” Info.

Technological godsend or a job killer? We’ve heard both sides when it comes to AI. But can it become your own personal sommelier?

For months, West 25^th restaurateur and beer guy Sam McNulty has used AI for places like Bright Side and Market Garden. It started with basic tasks… then came the wine lists.

Enter The NY Times, which features McNulty in a story about unique ways people are using AI at work.

“I’ve always considered myself a luddite and more a beer guy,” says McNulty. “So I asked ChatGPT to give me top-rated wines in the Mediterranean region – things you wouldn’t find in a grocery store.”

He was taken aback with the response: “I found a wine from Portugal that people love.” The response to using AI to find it was more mixed.

“Some people loved the story. Others said, ‘That’s not the way it should be done,’” says McNulty. “At the end of the day, AI is a tool – and I’m inspired by it.”

Las Vegas tourism is tanking. The consumer is stretched. Might as well stay at home…

Hey, let’s go to Cleveland.

The city has been named one of the top destinations for cost-conscious travelers by Travel Noire.

The site, which caters to Black travelers, highlights the Forest City’s mix of cultural amenities and natural wonders, from its rock ‘n’ roll heritage and Cleveland Museum of Art to Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Rocky River Nature Center.

The kicker, of course, is the price: cost of living and entertainment expenses that are 8% and 4% lower than the national average, respectively.

Other cities in the report include New Orleans, Orlando, Albuquerque and San Diego

CLE Market, a monthly pop-up that celebrates a shop-local attitude, shines a light on artisans, makers and entrepreneurs. At 4 p.m. today, it hits Coe Lake in Berea that rolls out vendors out food trucks – and dogs are welcome. Info.

Sazarac hits the spot, always. But Bourbon Street Barrel Room is giving you a reason to party. Today through Sunday, the Tremont ode to the Big Easy is going all out with Halfway to Mardi Gras bash that lasts five days – today through Sunday. Info.

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The biggest light show of the summer stays plugged in.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has extended its Asian Lantern Festival by two weeks “due to overwhelming demand,” says Cleveland Metroparks Chief Marketing Officer Kelly Manderfield. It runs through Sept. 13.

On Sept. 14, the Zoo will host Wild Ride, a one-night-only event where visitors can ride their bike through the Zoo after-hours to experience the illuminated lanterns one last time.

The attraction features 40 large-scale, illuminated creations – from a four-story-tall hydrangea to a massive butterfly tree, walk-through tunnels and ocean creatures.

Before he achieved fame as Chef Boyardee, the man behind the sauce was as a resident of Little Itay named Ettore Boiardi. The Italian  immigrant opened his first restaurant,  Giardino d'Italia, in Cleveland, 1924, at the intersection of East 9th Street and Woodland Avenue.

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82 °F 🌡️ 72 °F | ☁️ | 55% | 💨 NNW 9 mph (8 knots).

79 °F 🌡️ 70 °F | ☁️ | 25% | 💨 NE 4 mph (3 knots).

82 °F 🌡️ 70 °F | ☀️ | 1% | 💨 ESE 7 mph (6 knots).

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

Home vs. Marlins, 6:40pm Wednesday

Home vs. Marlins, 6:40pm Thursday

Home vs. Marlins, 7:10pm Friday

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