Although largely a social media construct, the idea that “value is a perception and perception is a value” applies to our everyday lives. Everything around us is a patchwork of considerations, competing for our attention and resources, and in Cleveland, there’s a lot vying for both. OhioAuthority’s Fresh Start helps you, the reader, sort through those options. This week, our attentions turn to the nouveau historical – something old wrapped up in something new – from the amazing music and student-musicians coming from the world-renowned Cleveland Institute of Music, to the buzz drawn by a proletariat auction house on the Lakewood-Cleveland border. Throw in the annual fundraising/awareness shindig by PlayhouseSquare Partners, the young professionals group tasked with “succession planning” for the vital arts organization and theater district, and you’ve scored yourself a week full of value and perception.

Dirty Composition

Ariadne auf Naxos showcases late Romantic-era composer Richard Strauss at his most quick-and-dirty. This romantic comedy is a spin on Molière’s play Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, offering insight into what might happen when a “serious opera” company and comedy troupe are plunged into working together. There’s plenty of Bacchus, burlesque and nymphs in this behind-the-scenes, opera-within-an-opera, which is brought to life through the fine musical craftsmanship of CIM students. You need not be an opera fan to enjoy this. It starts Wednesday, February 24 and runs through the weekend at the institute’s Kulas Hall. Call 216-791-5000 for tickets.

Get Back to Where the Art Belongs

There’s little doubt that the generation studying at CIM will go on to participate in (and patronize) the fine arts. That’s what makes PlayhouseSquare Partners, and what they do, so vitally important to the community. This group of young professionals works tirelessly to insure that future generations of northeast Ohio residents will have their venerable arts district to enjoy. The Partners’ Jump Back Ball 2010 is a top-shelf benefit, a formal evening with panache, cocktails, live music, an epicurean buffet, gambling, and much more. The Ball benefits the theatre district, and it definitely brings out the crowds. Nearly 1,000 people are expected Saturday, February 27, so we suggest getting on the horn and snagging some tickets for yourself and friends. This is real social networking, and for a worthy cause.

Throw the Gavel Down

With an amazing array of fine art, antiques, home furnishings and decorations in their auctions the folks at Gray’s Auctioneers pride themselves on providing a second life for antiquities. This Saturday, February 27 at 1PM, your life and living quarters will be poised for a little lift. Previews of the current auction start on Thursday at noon. Think you’ve got something that might be “Antiques Roadshow”-worthy for the next auction? The website has all your details on getting an appraisal. We think Gray’s Auctions are beyond price. But you should judge for yourself.

Maybe it’s Springsteen’s “Working on a Dream” on the radio talking, but this week’s Fresh Start seems to be all about Americana. When holidays like Independence Day, Memorial Day and Veterans Day roll around, we’re collectively full of patriotism and honor for our country and its rich history, and the people who serve it. Consider our country’s cultural hodgepodge, and the folklore and traditions of a nowhere-else-on-Earth place like New Orleans. Consider the Great American Songbook, and the stories and people from it that embody our hopes, dreams and struggles. Consider the direction we’ve moved in as a more consumer-minded society. We can all appreciate the American Experience in very different ways, but these options offer an open door to something more.

Baubles and Blue

Clevelanders know that there’s only one place to be on Fat Tuesday that beats Fat Fish Blue, and that’s New Orleans. The FFB Mardi Gras menagerie begins Tuesday, February 16 at 11 am, headlined by the four Bs: an all-day buffet, beads, bands and bevvies. Classics, such as gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée, red beans and rice, and muffuletta sliders (zesty sandwiches with meat, cheese and tapenade), will be present and accounted for. While you’re not likely to get flashed at FFB, expect a hearty helping of indigenous New Orleans blues and jazz, balloon artists, stilt walkers and the usual party vibe this arena district local is famous for. It’s no visit to New Orleans, nor is it an immersion in the music of Congo Square, but it's as close as you'll get on the North Coast, and it's a great time. 

Walk the Line

Marc Cohn is a Grammy-winning Beachwood High School grad best known for his 1991 hit single “Walking in Memphis." Cohn is sure to perform “Memphis” alongside songs from his four albums on Wednesday, February 17 at 8 pm at the Kent Stage – a popular home away from home for many of Cohn’s adult alternative ilk. (We’re surprised he’s not been spun more at the new WNWV “Boom” 107.3-FM, but we digress). It’s been a while since Cohn’s made headlines, and even longer since he made any he was happy about: In 2005, while opening a show for folkie Suzanne Vega, Cohn was shot in the head during a failed carjacking. His latest album Join the Parade reflects on this experience.

Community Spotlight

Photographer Andrew Borowiec has been shooting the social landscape of the Midwest and Middle America for many years, and to grand effect. The University of Akron’s Myers School of Art prof has shown his work at the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Smithsonian and at scads of other locations. The Akron Art Museum is the latest to feature Borowiec’s color photography, digital prints and gelatin silver photography with Looking for the American Dream: Andrew Borowiec’s Ohio Photographs. The exhibition opens Saturday, February 20, featuring a dozen large-scale images from his The New Heartland collection, and twice as many prints included from his Along the Ohio series. Borowiec’s meditations on commercial and suburban development, and the “lifestyle center” phenomenon hold the same punch as his post-industrial work; this exhibit is not to be missed.

Love is a many splendored thing, and this week’s Fresh Start is chock full of amour, with three events that will help you break out of the dinner-and-a-movie – or, for some, leftovers and Netflix – doldrums. We all know that love isn’t exciting and new (a la “The Love Boat” theme) all the time. But a little bit o’ Rio de Janiero, My Funny Valentine and flat-out kinky fun never hurt anyone. In fact, it might just restore the balance. 

Let's Get Tropical

To paraphrase the Young Gunz lyrics, there ain’t no party like a Carnaval party, cuz a Carnaval party don’t stop. To wit, attendees of Tropical Cleveland’s annual Brazilian Carnaval will tell you that the shindig this Saturday, February 13 is one of the hottest parties in town. This year’s edition features Brazilian band Chicago Samba, the Batucada drum line, sassy samba dancing and lessons, a Rio-inspired costume contest and access to inspired adult beverages at View Nightclub. Best of all: You score all of this action for one recession-busting Andrew Jackson per person. Call 216-280-0407 for details.

CLE and Mr. Jones 

It's all love as The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra continues its glorious transformation. With a new home (the splendid Hanna Theatre) and a new artistic director Sean Jones at the helm, the group seems poised for a full-blown renaissance to coincide with their 25th anniversary season. Their debut at the Hanna in December was completely sold out. Soak up the group’s new groove Saturday, February 13 at 8pm, as it delivers a heartfelt Valentine’s Eve showcase of love songs from the great American songbook. Swooning balladry meets Cleveland’s most capable group of jazz virtuosos at the stunning PlayhouseSquare Center venue. Call 216-241-6000 for details.

A Few Kinks

Do Champagne, flowers and chocolates leave you wanting more? If everything V-Day sounds hackneyed and boring to you, maybe this is the year to turn Cupid on his ear. On Saturday, February 13 at 10pm check out the Valentine’s Day Fetish Playland 2010: Feathers, Fans and Floggers. Sounds racy, yes? It is. Think of it as a kinky, miniature version of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Exotic Erotic Ball. Leave your preconceived notions and inhibitions at the door, but dress to impress or sport fetish attire. Burlesque models, demos, adult toys and kinky fun abound, all while DJ Feima keeps the beat. Look, if Oprah Winfrey is interviewing adult film stars, Oscar-winning writer-director Steven Soderbergh is casting them for his movies, and you can buy porn queen Jenna Jameson’s “Heartbreaker” fragrance at your local mall, perhaps America is a little less uptight in the 21st century.  The naughtiness happens at Dream Nightclub (formerly Metropolis; 2325 Elm Street, Cleveland).

Whether it's walking into a wine retailer, aimlessly walking aisles of bottles, looking for familiar words and attractive labels, or faced with a hopelessly long restaurant wine list, few potables have the ability to confound more so than wine. There is plenty of literature available on the subject, but structured tastings and courses led by those in the know make learning an entirely enjoyable enterprise. When the wine learning takes place at one of Cleveland's best restaurants, it's a match made in gastronome heaven. 

Starting February 16, L'Albatros Brasserie + Bar general manager Brandon Chrostowski, certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, will lead a series of introductory wine classes, Wine 101, at the popular French boîte in University Circle.

"When you break it down, which we are trying to do, to the fundamentals, it's simple," says Chrostowski. "Through five consecutive Tuesdays, we'll run our guests through the major regions, the things that are talked about in the news, or in the wine shops - help people feel comfortable ... with talking wine." 

The first class will tackle viticulture and vinification, along with sparkling wines of the world, from cava to Franciacorta. "It sounds like a lot to bite off, but having taught these classes before, there are major points you want to hammer home," says Chrostowski. "It's going to be full of definite points. Why does wine from California have more alcohol than wine from Germany? What does malolactic fermentation mean and what does it do?" 

The initial course will introduce the most important, though often overlooked practice of enjoying wine. "It will outline how to taste - what's in the class, what to look for," says Chrostowski. "Every time they taste, they can start to look for three or four factors to describe the wine.

The second class will cover France, specifically Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Loire Valley. "It's simple things: how is Bordeaux divided? What's the difference between a Left Bank and a Right Bank wine? What's with the grand crus, and how do they differ from a premier cru in Burgundy?" The classes are designed to provide a framework, so a class attendee may see Gevery-Chambertin in a retail situation or wine list, and immediately think "Cote d'Or, Burgundy, and pinot or chard," says Chrostowski. 

The third class will focus on Tuscany and Piedmont, with a bit of Spain, namely Rioja, thrown in for good measure. The fourth class will explore the ever-popular New World wines of South America and the United States, focusing on California's varied offerings. 

The fifth class will discuss dessert wines, including fortification, sherry, port, Cognac, Armagnac and Madeira.

Each class will include six to eight tasting wines, with hors d'oeuvres that are representative of the wine regions being highlighted. "David Uecke is the chef de cuisine, and he's got a really nice touch with food," says Chrostowski. "The flavors speak for themselves, so, without actually going to places like Tuscany, you'll be immersed in its wine and little bites of its food." 

Chrostowski will provide study materials condensed from his wine studies, featuring maps and outlines, which will provide guests cheat sheets and a place to take additional notes. That classes are limited to 25 spaces, and the cost for all five classes, from February 16 to March 16, is $150, inclusive of tasting pours, hors d'oevures and study materials. Call the restaurant (216-791-7880) to make reservations. 

If the future of northeast Ohio depends on critical thinking – done very much outside the box – then putting thinking into unobstructed action is the best way to live towards expectations. The future of the region is also the subject of this week’s Fresh Start selections. Whether your fancy is classical music, environmentally conscious living or understanding important political shifts with local implications, these events are sure to serve you (and your community) well.  All you need to do is avail yourself.

CityMusic Cleveland

If the best things in life are free, CityMusic Cleveland most certainly is a case in point. Since 2004, this chamber orchestra has delivered classical music to neighborhoods all across northeast Ohio at no charge. Under the leadership of music director James Gaffigan, CityMusic Cleveland’s performances have astounded critics and residents, with an impressive oeuvre featuring the likes of Mozart, Rossini, Stravinsky and Verdi. Their regular season is a tour de force of performances in non-traditional locations stretching from Willoughby Hills and Slavic Village to Rocky River and Elyria. In addition to free music performance, there is no-cost parking, no-cost childcare and no ticketing – now that's accessible! Score the latest “tour” schedule, which starts Tuesday, February 2 and runs through the weekend, here.

The League of Women Voters

Ohio’s Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is the first woman Secretary in the Buckeye State’s history. Awarded the coveted John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for her work in 2008, Brunner will speak about her three years in office and her work to ensure the integrity of Ohio voting in the 2008 presidential election. The League of Women Voters’ “First Thursdays” speaker series hosts Brunner at the gorgeous Trinity Commons (the Art Gallery) at Cleveland's Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, on Thursday, February 4 at 7 pm. Her lecture, A View From the Top, is free, open to the public and will feature a post-talk Q&A. She’ll likely talk about her decision, made one year ago, to run for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by Senator George Voinovich.

2010 Cleveland Botanical Garden Sustainability Symposium

The 2010 Cleveland Botanical Garden Sustainability Symposium isn’t free like the first two programs, but the return on investment for the registration fee is almost instantaneous. This day-long, eco-minded happening is packed with amazing local, regional and national speakers, environmental exhibitions and a dynamite vegetarian luncheon. Want to know how to decrease your impact on the earth? Learn what a single person can do to help the environment on Saturday, February 6 at 9 am. Teachers, students, horticulturalists, gardeners, landscapers, conservationists, homeowners and concerned citizens are all promised to learn a thing or 20 about protecting the planet, and their little corner of it. Speakers and program outline can be found here.