The first glass of Great Lakes Brewing Company's Christmas Ale will be poured during a release party starting at 11 a.m. Oct. 25 at the Great Lakes Brewing Company Brewpub, 2516 Market Ave., Cleveland. Info from the brewer's website:

Illustration by Duncan Scott/
DScott@News-Herald.com

It's good to keep Christmas in your heart all year long, but like Old St. Nick, Christmas Ale comes just once a year.

Cleveland's favorite holiday nectar will touch down in the GLBC Taproom on October 25 at 11AM for all the good over-21 boys and girls. Come dressed in your reindeer sweater and ring your jingle bells as we give a warm, festive welcome to a fresh batch of spiced holiday goodness.

Look for a special appearance by Santa Claus (played by jolly Brewer Luke Purcell), ready to listen to your Christmas list (more beer, right?). Co-owner Pat Conway will recite the winning poem from our First Pour Poetry Contest in the fashion of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" before one of our bartender elves serves the season's first glass to the winner and we kick off another joyous season of Christmas Ale!

Christmas Ale will be poured while supplies last. Reservations not accepted. Sorry, no jug or growler fills. Details subject to change without notice. 

So what's that about the first pour poetry contest? It's a chance for you to show off your creativity and your love of Christmas Ale, and get the first glass poured at 11 a.m. Oct. 25. More details on the First Pour Poetry Contest:

It's good to keep Christmas in your heart all year long, but like Old St. Nick, Christmas Ale comes just once a year.

Cleveland's favorite holiday nectar will touch down in the GLBC Taproom on October 25 at 11AM for all the good over-21 boys and girls. Come dressed in your reindeer sweater and ring your jingle bells as we give a warm, festive welcome to a fresh batch of spiced holiday goodness.

Look for a special appearance by Santa Claus (played by jolly Brewer Luke Purcell), ready to listen to your Christmas list (more beer, right?). Co-owner Pat Conway will recite the winning poem from our First Pour Poetry Contest in the fashion of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" before one of our bartender elves serves the season's first glass to the winner and we kick off another joyous season of Christmas Ale!

The News-Herald's Mark Meszoros wrote his own "Ode to Christmas Ale" in the style of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" for the Dec. 20, 2009, edition of The News-Herald. It was published as the centerpiece of our Sidetracks feature page:

Check out his poem for inspiration, but, please, don't plagiarize any of his poetic art.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Check out the news release I received today regarding Sterles Slovenian Country House's relaunch party:

Since it’s opening almost sixty years ago, Sterles Slovenian Country House has been a Cleveland tradition, serving traditional Slovenian fare to thousands of patrons.  With the recent sale of the establishment to new owners, and the culmination of a successful Thursday evening music series, Sterles plans a Grand Relaunch Party for Thursday, October 18 from 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm.

The party is open to the public and tickets are $35 per person, with only a limited number available.  Guests will enjoy substantial hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine and tours of the iconic restaurant.  Local favorites, Harmonia and DJ Kishka will perform beginning at 7:00 pm. With a large parking lot, plenty of convenient parking is available.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.thursdaysatsterles.com   

Rick Semersky, Sterles new owner, states, “Clevelanders have embraced Thursdays at Sterles in such a remarkable way.  We’ve had fantastic crowds on Thursday nights, so much so that Thursdays at Sterles including our “Not Your Grandma’s Schnitzel” baskets will now be an ongoing tradition each and every Thursday night.”

“The enthusiasm and energy in and around Sterles has been great and we are looking forward to sharing that with everyone at our Grand Relaunch Party on October 18th.  With a menu of traditional food, beers and wines along with great entertainment, the Grand Relaunch party will be a great way to cap off the last eight weeks and help to move Sterle’s forward while honoring all that is great about our last 60 years.” 

The highly successful Thursdays at Sterles will continue with a winter series.  Dates and music to be announced soon.

For more information, please visit www.thursdaysatsterles.com or contact Andrea Wedren, Boom, 216.272.1084, andrea@boomideas.com.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Zoup! in Mentor officially opened for business today, but I got to try it yesterday during the soft opening.

4 Cheese Melt sandwich and Roasted Tomato Bisque

One thing I really liked about the restaurant is you can sample the soups — though that didn't exactly help me make my decision because I enjoyed every soup that I tried. I'm really looking forward to going back to get the Ginger Butternut Squash, which was fantastic. I love getting a good soup that isn't something I would make at home.

This place is going to be some competition for Panera, which is located at the other end of Points East Plaza. Both offer soup, sandwiches, salad and wi-fi. But, both have fairly different atmospheres. Zoup! is a place I will go for lunch and leave. Panera is a place I will go for lunch and hang out reading after I finish eating. Also, Panera has coffee and bakery treats. Zoup! will have the better soup selection (as it should). I don't think Zoup! will have much of an impact Panera's business, but it will give midday diners another option.

I'm looking forward to stopping at Zoup! when I take my lunch break at work.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I was sent this email for Euclid Culinary Bistro and I had to share. Everything sounds delicious.

Euclid Culinary Bistro menu


According to the Shore Cultural Centre's website, the bistro's opening day is Oct. 19, and reservations are required for the grand buffet, which has a different menu than the one embedded above. But again, everything sounds delicious.


— Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Dreamz Sweet Shoppe has opened at 1525 Madison Ave., Painesville Township.

Submitted photo

Jean Bonchak has written a story about the new business — opened by self-proclaimed chocoholic Jack Tarantino and her husband, Rich. Read more about it at Chocoholic opens Dreamz Sweet Shoppe in Painesville Township.

Panera has brought back its Pink Ribbon Bagel this month to support the fight against breast cancer. The bakery-cafe writes:
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, participating Northeast Ohio bakery-cafes will donate a portion of the proceeds from every Pink Ribbon Bagel sold to the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute. But since Pink Ribbon Bagels are only available for a limited time, we hope you'll enjoy them soon.

Not only that, but there's also a Cleveland-Pittsburgh competition going on: "The city who purchases the most Pink Ribbon Bagels will receive an additional $10,000 charity donation from Panera Bread."

Find more information on Panera's website, Go Pink With Panera Bread This October.