Jeff Speck has dedicated his career to determining what makes cities thrive. And he has boiled it down to one key factor: walkability. The very idea of a modern metropolis evokes visions of bustling sidewalks, vital mass transit, and a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly urban core. But in the typical American city, the car is still king, and downtown is a place that's easy to drive to but often not worth arriving at.  In this essential new book, Speck reveals the invisible workings of the city, how simple decisions have cascading effects, and how we can all make the right choices for our communities. Bursting with sharp observations and real-world examples, giving key insight into what urban planners actually do and how places can and do change, Walkable City lays out a practical, necessary, and eminently achievable vision of how to make our normal American cities great again. Jeff will be presenting his ideas and promoting his new book at the Old Stone Church on February 20, 2013. To register for the event and more information please go to the Old Stone Church's Hope For The City 2013 page.

Read Rustwire.com's interview with Jeff Speck and his thoughts on healthy urban spaces.

So many people have been bringing in used books to sell us, and we don't usually take them all, so we're guessing that you all may have some books lying around that need homes. Bring in a book and take a book. Bring in two books, take two books... trade with other readers and have a discussion over a beer or a glass of wine.

"We are of opinion that instead of letting books grow moldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read." -Jules Verne

Join us for a monthly reading series held at The Market Garden Brewery with books provided by Visible Voice. This month, the Brewery will have a panel of local food experts to answer questions and discuss the food scene in Cleveland. This panel features Noelle Celeste, Elaine Cicora, Joel Crea, and Laura Taxel.

Noelle Celeste's most recent endeavor is Edible Cleveland, a brand new quarterly publication focused on celebrating Northeast Ohio's local food community. With a growing team of freelance professionals, Edible Cleveland tells stories that honor local heroes and inspire healthier community. Noelle Celeste also organizes the Film Forum series for the Cleveland International Film Festival, volunteers on-air for WCPN, serves on the boards of the Yale Alumni Association and Zygote Press, and continues to support projects she helped to found, such as the Civic Commons and the Cleveland Colectivo.

From 1998 to 2008, Elaine Cicora provided award-winning coverage of Cleveland's emerging dining scene from her post as restaurant critic for the alt-weekly Scene. In 2010, Elaine became the Arts Editor for Scene, overseeing theater, visual arts, and restaurant coverage. Currently, she is involved in a variety of freelance undertakings including restaurant communications and occasional reviews for Cleveland Magazine. Her writing has been included in the anthology Best Food Writing 2008, and recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists (Best Critic in Ohio), the Association of Food Journalists (restaurant criticism), and the James Beard Foundation (Best Newspaper Feature Writing without Recipes).

Since 1998, Joe Crea has served as Food and Restaurants Editor for The Plain Dealer. With nearly 30 years of newsroom experience, Crea has previously served in a similar capacity for the Orange County Register, Florida Times-Union, Daytona Beach News-Journal, and the Toledo Blade. Crea is past chair of the James Beard Foundation Awards Committee as well as chair emeritus of The Beard Foundation's Journalism Awards. For nearly a decade he served as member and former chair for the Foundation's Book Awards Committee. He has also chaired the membership and ethics committees for the Association of Food Journalists.

Laura Taxel reviews restaurants and writes about chefs and winemakers; food, beverage and dining trends; and culinary movers, shakers and innovators for many local and nationally circulating publications. Her work has been chosen for the annual anthology The Best Food Writing in 2004, 2006, and 2008

The Sign Guys paints salt shakers, fire breathing "Catzillas", and other bright cartoony creatures that often have a slightly mischievous (sometimes even malevolent) edge. And he does it all on repurposed materials and found objects. The Sign Guy was and is foremost a graffiti artist, but the well-deserved interest in his distinctive creations are giving him a more legitimate outlet for at least some of his inspirations.

James Arthur's poems have appeared in The New Yorker, The New Republic, Poetry, and Narrative. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, and raised in Toronto, Ontario, he earned degrees from the University of Toronto, the University of New Brunswick, and the University of Washington. He is a recent recipient of the Hodder Fellowship from Princeton University and lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
 

Dave Lucas is the author of Weather (Georgia, 2011), which received the Ohioana Book Award for Poetry.  He has also been awarded a Henry Hoyns Fellowship from the University of Virginia and a "Discovery"/The Nation Prize.  Recently Rita Dove selected him to be featured on BillMoyers.com as a "young poet to watch."  A PhD candidate in English language and literature at the University of Michigan, he lives in Cleveland, where he was born and raised.

Cheers!