Beard Spotlight: Adam from Professional Book Nerds

You’re going to recognize this person and I promise we’re not biased (ok, we probably are). Our friend Adam Sockel is a jack of all trades. He’s the host of the very popular Professional Book Nerds podcast and writes for Destination Cleveland. He and his wife Alex also often accompany us on our beer adventures, whether it be traveling across the country or conducting at-home beer tastings.

Adam is a Marketing & Communications Specialist at OverDrive and in the simplest terms, he basically promotes their reading app (Libby…try it out, we use it!) and he finds new users all around the world. Also if you don’t know what OverDrive is: “OverDrive is a technology company based in Cleveland. We work with 41,000 libraries and schools all around the world to provide free eBooks and audiobooks to people. All you need is a library card and if you’re reading this in Cleveland… our app Libby will get you a library card in 30 seconds so try it out and start reading more!” Adam also writes OverDrive’s blog and co-hosts the Professional Book Nerds podcast where they interview awesome authors and offer book recommendations (find that here or anywhere you listen to podcasts).

Additionally, Adam writes for Destination Cleveland where he talks about all the cool things to do around the city and the events going on. As Adam puts it, “Thankfully, I hang out with Beard & Broad so I know about said cool things.” Stop sucking up, Adam, we already told you we’d write this thing.

Now let’s see what he loves about Cleveland!

What’s your favorite at-home drink?
Rye on the Rocks. Bulleit is my go to affordable one but really any whiskey with some ice is what I drink mostly at home.

What’s your favorite drink to order when you’re out?
It depends! If we’re with Beard & Broad we’re usually at a brewery, so we’ll do flights of their beers to sample. If I’m at a standard pub I’ll always drink Guinness. In the summer I’ll never turn down a Pacifico with a lime. Also the weather changes everything! Summer is a beer-drinking-on-the-patio season. Winter is a whiskey-to-stay-warm season.

What’s your favorite CLE restaurant when you’re on a budget? When you’re feeling fancy?
Ughhhh so much pressure. My favorite restaurant is Prosperity Social Club in Tremont. It’s an old timey, Eastern European place that looks like a grandmother’s basement, has 2 tiny black and white televisions and a jukebox loaded with Rat Pack jams. Some of my favorite food memories come from there. It’s not super fancy but it’s not the cheapest place ever. If we’re talking budget you can’t go wrong with Barrio. Cheap tacos and guac? Yes please.

Favorite CLE food item?
Edison’s mushroom pizza with the honey on the side to dip your crust. I’ve had pizza in NYC, Chicago and the west coast. Literally nothing is as good as Edison’s. I’ve waited for two hours at 2 am for that good good.

What’s your favorite CLE bar?
I have two and they’re both Irish pubs. The Old Angle Tavern on W. 25th and Parnell’s Irish Pub in Playhouse Square. I have watched countless soccer matches very early in the morning at the Old Angle that lead to wonderful day drinking events. Parnell’s is our haunt for all Broadway shows we see (with B&B) and my wife and I also will stop there for a pint and live Irish music after Indians games.

Favorite Happy Hour?
We don’t do many happy hours because my wife tends to work super late BUT I will say the east bank of the flats is probably my favorite place to drink while the sun is still out, so let’s go with Collision Bend.

Go to meal when you’re cooking for yourself? For a group?
We’re vegetarians (as a vegetarian I’m required to smarmily tell you that) so our diet is very plant based. I do all the cooking and my wife loves my Curried Quinoa with poached eggs. I also love making Butternut Squash and Chickpea curry. For a group it’s probably pasta. I make bomb pasta sauce and there’s nothing like a house that smells like an italian restaurant all day while it’s slow cooking.

What’s your favorite travel destination?
Our collective trip to Asheville, North Carolina was my favorite group thing but my heart will always be in Lahaina on Maui where my wife and I honeymooned and plan to someday retire to.

What would be your last meal and drink?
A loaf of fresh french bread, the sharpest Irish cheddar cheese you can find and a bottle of Templeton Rye.

Your friend is in Cleveland for one day, what should they do?
YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE TO ASK THIS!
Wake up early and go to the west side market to wander around. Cross the street and get a coffee at Koffee Kafe.
Breakfast at Town Hall – Sweet Potato Pancakes.
Bar hop down west 25th hitting Great Lakes Brewing Company, Market Garden, Old Angle and Nano Brew.
Head the East Bank of the flats and pick your favorite restaurant style on the water and hop around there before taking an Uber or Lyft to Gordon Square for evening drinks at XYZ Tavern and a then late night donuts and beer and Brewnuts.

Special thanks to Adam for taking time to chat with us about his favorite Cleveland things…even though he talks to us basically everyday anyway. Reminder to check out his podcast, Professional Book Nerds, and also keep an eye out for his next piece for Destination Cleveland!

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