My birthday month has finally past, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Turning a year older has taught me to enjoy and embrace life in the season you are in. I had the pleasure of celebrating my birthday at the luxurious MARBLE ROOM STEAKS & RAW BAR inside The National City Bank formally The Garfield Building in Cleveland, Ohio. Here's a small history lesson of the restaurant: National City Bank was founded in 1845 in Cleveland, OH and moved into the renovated Garfield Building. It has a very Romanesque and Victorian style. The Garfield Building now partially the Marble Room is a 150-foot, 13 story high-rise on the corner of Euclid Avenue and E. 6th Street. The MARBLE ROOM is the most elegant and gorgeous restaurant I have ever seen. That’s a lot to say because I've dined at many luxury restaurants in my adult life. From its lavish ambiance, tall columns, beautiful architecture, and exquisite décor, the place is beyond surreal. Once you walk behind the tall steel doors, you’ll instantly forget that you’re in Cleveland. That's the thing about Cleveland, it has so many hidden gems that make the city worthy of its historical sites reputation. My birthday reservation was on a Saturday night at 10:00 pm. This was due to various events that took place within the city which meant that the entire weekend was booked. Please keep in mind that if your reservation is on a weekend (particularly on a Saturday), there will be live (blaring) music. Along with the music, there was a violist and saxophonist walking around the entire floor all night playing to a packed restaurant. Although it was hard to hear over the music, we didn't mind. We still loved the experience despite having to yell at one another throughout the night. I ordered the Handmade Spaghetti Lobster, with cognac cream and chives. It was very good. Keep in mind that this dish has a Thai peanut base thick sauce which was not my favorite. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the pasta. My favorite sauce was the garlic creamy white sauce. I would give the dish an A/B grade for taste and presentation. The restaurant itself is beyond "grand." In my opinion, it doesn't matter what they serve. You would be in awe of the sophisticated ambiance and the surreal architecture will have you mesmerized. The guest in attendance were friendly and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves along with the music. I celebrated with 3 of my closest girlfriends, (minus one) but we had a marvelous time. I believe for the first 45 minutes, we were in such disbelief that we were in such a grand restaurant located in Cleveland. We felt more like extras in a Gatsby movie scene. After being taken back by the scenery, we soon settled in all its glam. The service was phenomenal as is to be expected with any fine dining experience. Despite its grandiose, the Marble Room is surprisingly a high-end lavish affordable restaurant. The dishes are around $50.00 and over per entrees. The photos are unable to capture the true grandeur of this restaurant. I would highly recommend dining here, although I would rather dine on a weekday. If you get a moment, visit the vault which is located beneath the floor level. It is beautiful! When making your reservation, if you aren’t a fan of the high energetic atmosphere scene, inquire about the weekly schedule for live music. My reservation was booked using www.opentable.com.Disclaimer: I am not a food critique nor am I being compensated for my review.

THIRTY.TWO

Yes, I launched my online store!

SIMPLY, JUST ME.

JULY BIRCHBOX

What is Birchbox?

Chapter 31

Ciara Jolie

"My style is

simply classic, feminine &

chic."