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The People Make the City

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How Authentically CLE Was Born

Dateline: my therapist’s office. On the cusp of a massive overhaul of my life, she asks what word describes my meaningful life going forward. One word, without hesitation: authentic.

Dateline: sheltering in place. Missing Cleveland restaurants and events. Watching as the small business owners that I respect so much mourned, struggled, innovated, and attempted to rise again. Thinking about the evolution happening both in the world and in my own life. Yearning for a new way to connect to the city and to you.

Dateline: a Zoom call with some of my most thoughtful and trusted friends. Where the idea for something new was born. A way to write with more depth, more intention, more authenticity.

Welcome to Authentically CLE. I wasn’t ready to leave the blogosphere. I wasn’t ready to stop creating. But I needed a new way to do it. Why CLE? is one of the things I will always be proudest of in my life. For almost nine and a half years, I shared events and meals and experiences around the city and, bit by bit, let you all into layers of my life.

And now here I am, with a brand new life ahead of me and a yearning to not only share more of myself with all of you, but also to tell the stories of all the people I’ve met and genuinely grown to love over the last nine and a half years of being a gal about town.

If the recent events in our world have taught us nothing, it’s that people are what matter. Our connections to each other will sustain beyond any one event or meal or night on the town. I want to tell the stories of the people behind the places and events and creations that we all love. I want to tell the stories of the people doing the good work day in and day out to make Cleveland the place it is.

When asked, I would unfailingly say that “the people” are my favorite thing about Cleveland. They are why I moved back twice. They are why I’ll never live anywhere else. They are why I am so passionate about this town.

So, stay with me if you were here before and hopefully gain something deeper out of the experience. And if you’re new here, welcome. We are all authentically CLE and I can’t wait to share our stories.

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April 23, 2020 by Jen 6 Comments Filed Under: Jen's life

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lainie Adamo says

    May 19, 2020 at 5:21 pm

    Thank you for sharing this. Your writing is beautiful and so are you. So happy to know you. You really are the definition of authentic!

    Reply
    • Jen says

      May 20, 2020 at 4:54 pm

      Oh my goodness, thank you so much for your kind words!

      Reply
  2. Linda says

    May 19, 2020 at 9:18 pm

    Congrats Jen!

    Reply
    • Jen says

      May 20, 2020 at 4:54 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Olivia Gruntkowski says

    May 20, 2020 at 3:25 pm

    This is quite possibly the cutest photo to ever exist. Selfishly thrilled to have a piece of home from a truly authentic gal while I’m in ATX. Cheers to you and this amazing new beginning, Jen! Can’t wait to follow along.

    Reply
    • Jen says

      May 20, 2020 at 4:54 pm

      Right? I love this photo! Thanks so much for your support! Cleveland misses you!

      Reply

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Authentically CLE: it's about acknowledging that our greatest and most certain natural resource is our people. Come read the stories of the people behind the businesses and non-profits of Cleveland

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Today on the blog (yes, I blogged!) #linkinprofile Today on the blog (yes, I blogged!) #linkinprofile...

This time, this year, has simplified life for all of us. It's stripped it down. Given us the chance to decide what matters. What stays. I'm never going to be a total homebody. I'm never going to be an introvert. But I feel definitively, and have felt for awhile, that the blogger/influencer stage is done.

So, thank you, thank you, thank you for nearly a decade of more fun, more connection, more everything than I could have imagined. You guys made this worthwhile and made it last. And now it's not you, it's me.

#flashesofdelight #clevelandbloggers #neolifestyle 📸: @jasphotographydc
Felt fierce. Felt bold. Did a thing. Thanks, @lady Felt fierce. Felt bold. Did a thing. Thanks, @ladysealegs (and @anneesquire and @riahroj) 🤫

#sharefetch #leopardisaneutral #wearamask #sparkleeverydamnday #bebold #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers
Happy 11th Gotcha Day to my favorite fuzz, my ride Happy 11th Gotcha Day to my favorite fuzz, my ride or die, my Tobey Symon George 🐶

#dogsofinstagram #tobeysymongeorge #crazydoglady #fuzzlove #adoptdontshop #whorescuedwho #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers
Calculating how many days a week I can wear sweate Calculating how many days a week I can wear sweater dresses and booties...

#fallfashion #ootd #whatiwore #hautelook #sweaterdress #itsfallyall #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers
Honoring all those who serve so bravely and selfle Honoring all those who serve so bravely and selflessly. We owe you a debt that can never be repaid, but we seek to uphold your legacy with our commitment to our highest ideals. Happy Veterans Day! 🇺🇸

#veteransday #happyveteransday #veterans #wwii #honoringthosewhoserved #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers #wbw #waybackwednesday
Two months ago, I had never heard of neuroendocrin Two months ago, I had never heard of neuroendocrine cancer. Now I’m more familiar with it than I would ever want to be.

Known as the zebra of the cancer world because of it’s rarity and the unique way it manifests in each patient, it is often misdiagnosed initially.

As happened with my mother, 46% of those diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer are at Stage IV and/or had metastases at the time of diagnosis.

@netcancerday seeks to raise awareness of symptoms both among patients and health care professionals to lead to earlier diagnosis and better treatment options.

Click the link in my profile to learn more.

#netcancerday #letstalkaboutnets #neuroendocrinecancer #incaalliance #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers #cancersucks
If you’re part of my circle, chances are you’v If you’re part of my circle, chances are you’ve sat around my mom’s kitchen table drinking margaritas and talking about everything big and small. Momma G’s margaritas are somewhat legendary that way...

So you can imagine how much I loved sharing a margarita in the sunshine with my beautiful momma yesterday 🍹

#patiodrinking #itsfallyall #fallincle #cheers #margarita #igotitfrommymomma #sundayfunday #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers
It’s a hang your head out the window kind of day It’s a hang your head out the window kind of day ☀️

#fallincle #itsfallyall #cleweather #clewx #momlife #boymom #sundayfunday #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers
Big 👏🏻 Frickin 👏🏻 Mood 👏🏻 #ridi Big 👏🏻 Frickin 👏🏻 Mood 👏🏻

#ridinwithbiden #biden #aviators #joebiden #neolifestyle #clevelandbloggers #flashesofdelight 📸: @joyfireburn
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