July Jamboree: Summer Adventures in The Land
As I mentioned in my June recap post, July tends to be a quiet month for me. Work really slows down, and I tend to enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer by the pool, sleeping in, and just doing what I want. This July mirrored my usual Julys, but I did get a chance to do some awesome things in Northeast Ohio!
SAPPHIRE CREEK WINERY
The Main Floor Dining Area
One of the highlights of the vacation time I took in July was going to Sapphire Creek Winery on the East Side of Cleveland in Chagrin Falls. This winery is relatively new, as it just opened this past Spring. It is set in a wooded area in the Chagrin Valley and is absolutely gorgeous. The architecture is modern, as the large windows bring the outdoors inside, and wood, stone, and earth-toned elements tie into nature, which is just a step outside. On the website, the owners indicate that this winery was to mimic wineries seen in Napa Valley, as it takes advantage of both indoor and outdoor spaces, as you can see from the photo above of the main area.
I'm not going to lie, I was impressed by this venue--it was one of the most beautiful spaces I have seen in the Cleveland area.
Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
In addition to gorgeous architecture, I love the foundation and water elements throughout the entire space.
Gorgeous wine barrel fountain
Not only was the space beautiful, the food and wine was great! I ended up trying a wine flight and stuck with their Cabernet Sauvignon for the evening.
My Wine Flight
Sapphire Creek Winery offers a variety of appetizers, small plates, and entrees that pair perfectly with wine! We ordered their cheese plate to start and ended up splitting several appetizers, including the Margherita Pizza (pictured), shrimp (pictured), as well as chicken meatballs (not pictured). Everything was delicious and paired perfectly with the wines.
Fabulous Cheeseboard
Shrimp Cocktail
Pizza!
With it being summer, you definitely want to enjoy the outdoor spaces and being able to enjoy the indoors and the outdoors at the same time. But alas, living in Cleveland allows you the joy of experiencing four seasons, and the outdoors in the middle of January is just not possible. I think it would be awesome to sit in the main area with the large glass windows and watch snow falling. I also think it would be super cozy to sit in their wine tasting room in the wine cellar in the middle of winter and enjoy a cozy dinner.
There is also a beautiful area that allows for a wedding and wedding reception any time of year.
Reception Area
If you get the chance to visit Sapphire Creek Winery, I would definitely recommend it! It's great for date night, girls' night out, or a an evening with family and friends!
If you want to check out more about them, click here.
.DARBY'S ON 59
A place I was able to visit recently was Darby's on 59. Working in Cuyahoga Falls, I get to experience the region and the downtown area on the River (although this restaurant was not there) often. There are a variety of small businesses and trendy restaurants in the area that you definitely need to try!
For a work lunch, I checked out Darby's on 59, which is a "gastropub." The outside and the patio area are super cute! The indoor area, which is more like a bar, is pretty basic, but I'll be honest that the food is delicious! Unfortunately, I did not get any photos of the food, but I definitely recommend this place next time you're in the area. If I get an opportunity to go back again, I will take more photos and write more of an extensive review.
Check out their menu and story here!
HANDEL'S ICE CREAM
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Handel's Ice Cream is an Ohio-based ice cream company where it got its start in 1945 in Youngstown, Ohio. Handel's may have originally been based in Ohio, but it is now in a variety of other States, including Nevada and California!
We are lucky to have some AWESOME ice cream places in Cleveland, and Handel's is one of many. For National Ice Cream Day, I stopped at our local Handel's in Broadview Heights and ordered a double of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream, which was sooooo delicious! If you visit Ohio or have a Handel's in your state to visit, I definitely recommend checking it out!
ST. PAUL GREEK FESTIVAL--NORTH ROYALTON, OHIO
Baklava
One of the traditions my family always engages in during the month of July is picking up food, particularly gyros and baklava, from the St. Paul Greek Festival in North Royalton, Ohio. If you opt to attend the festival, you can enjoy food, music, and other festivities, but if you just want to eat the delicious food, you can order the food via drive-thru (which we did!)
Gyro (Not the prettiest picture, but boy, it was soooooo good!
Another view of the flaky baklava
Although the Greek fest is for only one weekend during the month of July and has come and gone, I highly recommend that you put this on your to-do list for Cleveland in the month of July! it usually falls around the same time (third weekend of July or mid-July). It is a great opportunity to eat real Greek food in Cleveland!
COLLABORATIONS
As I always mention, I feel so blessed to have consistent collaborations with awesome partners and companies! This month, I worked with TeaBloom, a company with gorgeous blooming teas! Please check this post out here.
So that wraps up the month of July!! Although it was a quieter month than most, I was able to visit some awesome places in Cleveland! Have you tried any of these places before?