Good idea-- Dave's Super Mercado.   Ohio City store essentially follows this concept, too. 

Walmart can not target specialty products and specialty markets.  If you want GOOD food, the CITY offers higher quality, high end products for less.  The West Side Market, Galucci's, Gentile's, Athens Pastries, Tink Holl are better cost-wise and, more often than not, product-wise than Heinen's in Rocky River and WALMART.

Ditto, Dave's Ohio City. Even, ALDI's carrys staples (milk, butter, eggs, orange juice--and rotates specialty products) for less.  (Don't ever buy wine, cheese, vegetables or meats at Walmart!  Unless, you truly are LOCO!)

Who better than an informed, discriminating local like Laura McShane to offer great best of Cleveland recommendations from her hood and beyond. Realneo readers/writers are my best source for such insight... thanks for this list and that of the hot spots around your place.... we really do need to get this better organized!

Disrupt IT

  The altar (also called an ofrenda) has roots in pre-Hispanic and Spanish Catholic practices.  It is central to observing the Day of the Dead and is maintained to ensure good relations between the family on earth and the family in the afterworld....

Altars are an eight-course, multi-leveled feast with enough "soul foods" set out to provide the sustenance required by the visting soul...[dishes include] chicken in red or black mole sprinkled with sesame seeds, fruit, beans, tortillas, and tamales made from fresh, hand-ground corn; soft drinks or aguardiente ( white lightening liquor); and, as always, a glass or water to refresh the travel-wearied soul.  Altars honoring children include a small bowl of milk, special cakes called mamones, copal, pieces of chocolate, little apples, miniature candlesticks, and a profusion of toys and sweetmeats. 

Once the honored guest has extracted the essence of the refreshments, they are shared with family and friends, who often have traveled long distances to take part in the family's annual reunion.

Excerpted from: Indo-Hispanic folk art traditions II : a book of culturally- based year-round activities with an emphasis on the Day of the Dead : bilingual social studies, folklore, cooperative learning activities, K-12 by Bobbi Salinas-Norman.

For a schedule of events--click here.

America--it's time for our children to learn at least more than one language.  I hear grumbling about learning Spanish and grumblings about Dora.  First off, let me tell you it is much better than the teletubbies or Barney.

And, yes, many cultures have passed through our doors and their culture has not been adopted.  Well, we should have worked harder then, too.  We can not get along and live together until we make an effort to understand each other.  Make the effort.

  Hah!  You thought I was making a clever reference to our leaders.  Well, sort of.  If you are looking for that PERFECT last minute pumpkin, gourd, corn stalks etc., say Dobar dan and head over to Ziggy's Produce Market on the corner of Schaaf Rd. and Broadview Rd.  (closed this Sunday for a christening, but open again on Monday October 29th).  The gourds and pumpkins are going fast, but you can also pick up some other strange things like frozen burek.

Also, stop into the South Hills Antique Gallery, too. I just picked up the perfect birthday gift for a large man-child and old music scores and photos!  I found the score for Woody Woodpecker and Riders in the Sky.

  The City of Cleveland Rec Centers will host fun and safe Halloween parties for parents and children 12 years of age or under.  Thanks to Sandi Mitchell in Slavic Village for the link and  thanks to the staff at my rec center Estabrook, who have outdone themselves in the ghost and goblin department :)

This year the program seems a little off kilter, because Salvador Gonzalez left Cleveland for his native Mexico. I wish that I could claim Dia de los Muerto as my own holiday, but I am not from Mexico and I don't speak Spanish very well.

Nonetheless, we all need to reflect at this time of year on the cycles of life and death. I welcome this time of year and I am glad that my neighborhood includes people from so many cultures.

We can all come together with respect for our ancestors and we don't need to speak Spanish to do it.

Recepción la vuelta de nuestras bebidas espirituosas del antepasado

Day of the Dead celebrations

When: Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1; noon-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2.

Where: The Orthodox Church, 6205 Detroit Ave., Cleveland.

Nov. 1 schedule:

2:15 p.m.: Procession departs for Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, West 70th Street and Detroit Avenue.

2:45 p.m.: Procession arrives at La Sa´grada Familia Church, West 74th Street and Detroit Avenue.

3 p.m.: Procession returns to Orthodox Church.

3:30 p.m.: Joya de Mexico mariachi band.

5 p.m.: Opening ceremony.

5:15 p.m.: Day of the Dead history talk by Hector Castellanos.

6 p.m.: Raices del Peru dance group.

6:45 p.m.: Mexclatina music group.

Nov. 2 schedule:

Noon-6 p.m.: Altars exhibition at the Orthodox Church. Decoration of a Com´munity Altar, mask and paper-flower workshops.

  Para su informaction:

!!VENGA A CONMEMORAR Y A QUE  ELEVEMOS  JUNTOS  UNA ORACION
A DIOS POR NUESTROS SERES  QUERIDOS  YA  FALLECIDOS!!
 
HABRA UNA MISA ESPECIAL POR INTENCION DE CADA UNO DE NUESTROS FAMILIARES Y AMIGOS YA MUERTOS.
 
CUANDO : LUNES  2 DE  NOVIEMBRE 2009
 
HORA :   7:00 PM
DONDE : PARROQUIA LA SAGRADA  FAMILIA
        7719 DETROIT  AVE
        CLEVELAND  OHIO 44102
 
DESPUES  DE LA MISA PASAREMOS  A CONVIVIR  UN MOMENTO EN EL SALON
DE  EVENTOS. SE  SERVIRA  COMIDA  POR LA  DONACION DE $5.00.
!!  LE  ESPERAMOS  NO  FALTE !!!
para  mayor  informacion  favor  de llamar a la coordinadora de  este  evento:
LETICIA  RAIGOZA (216) 939 -9739

FYI:  You are cordially invited to join us in prayer in honor of our beloved family and friends departed. Afterwards, join us in the events room where food will be served for a DONACION of $5,00.

Date:   November 2, 2009

Place:  PARROQUIA LA SAGRADA  FAMILIA
        7719 DETROIT  AVE
        CLEVELAND  OHIO 44102
Time:   7:00 PM
  
for futher information contact
LETICIA  RAIGOZA (216) 939 -9739
Coordinator

See also: http://www.diadelosmuertosohio.com/history.htm