Day 15, In Cleveland, Tuesday June 22

12 miles :: trip total 469 miles

Tudor Arms Hotel Double Tree by Hilton, 10660 Carnegie Ave

We could never have anticipated how special our final cycling day would be!  From about 1926-1936 Marney's maternal grandparents lived in Shaker Heights, having built their dream home. Our goal for the day was to see that home on Manchester Rd. and the nearby Malvern Elementary School, attended by her mom and her sister.We found their beautiful house, took pictures, and Marney talked briefly through a downstairs window with Benita who has lived in the house for 27 years. She, still in her PJs at 11:00 am, was wary of the two strangers with helmets and dressed in yellow who had rung her doorbell. We chatted briefly, explaining our reason to be there and left. 

 

Since 2003, the preserved and renovated Malvern School has  been home to the Hanna Perkins Center for Child Development.
The banner flying outside reads: The Right Start Lasts a Lifetime. It offers pre-school, kindergarten and a toddler-parent program for children struggling with

developmental hurdles. Each child and family is matched with a therapist from the second floor Hanna Clinic which has been helping kids and families for 70 years.

Jocelyn Benson, staff person in the main office, graciously offered to show me the beautiful old classrooms, the gymnasium, and the glass case in the front foyer with photographs of elementary alums from years ago. (Later, we had the opportunity to meet the director of the school and other staff and learn more about their wonderful work here.) 

 

My eyes teared up as I saw a 4th grade class picture from 1929, and realized that my aunt Betsey Ann was one of the pictured students. What a gift that moment was! Jocelyn was as moved and excited as I was.

   

 

 

 

 

During lunch at the Cleveland Breakfast Club on Shaker Square, newly opened in February, we enjoyed talking with owner Shawn Wynn about the Amish corrugated barn metal that had been used for the interior decorating details. He highlighted the metal frieze over the bar with a isportrait of  his daughter, Ayah, and niece, Akina.

 

In 1898 Vincenzo Guarino arrived in Cleveland from Sicily and after marrying in 1918 opened a restaurant, Guarinos, in his family home.

We ate well on the patio of what is reportedly the oldest restaurant in Cleveland. "Little Italy" is a lively place with music piped onto the street. We could not resist the cannoli at a bakery afterward.