Good Things Happen When Food & Place Meet

As a part-time fundraiser for some clients, one of my favorite mantras is: "Money follows good ideas."

The same could be said for food: "People (and money) follow good food."

(Photo: Matthew Jose, owner of Big City Farms, greeted shoppers at the Indy Winter Farmers' Market.)

It's no coincidence that the once salvage yard at 24th St. and Central Ave. is now home to City Yoga. Yes, a developer did a good job revitalizing that site. However, it was the Indy Winter Farmers' Market that opened there last November that brought hundreds of people every Saturday to this urban neighborhood, many of whom had only driven through it previously on their way downtown. It didn't hurt that Goose the Market, another huge food success, is located just around the corner, suddenly making the area of 24th St. and Central Ave./Delaware St. a one-stop shop for weekend foodies. Housing the winter market even temporarily convinced tenants like City Yoga that its clientele will come to that location while also making it more profitable for the developer and landlord.

This year, that same developer, Larry Jones, is housing the Indy Winter Farmers' Market in his latest investment at 9th and East St. I have no doubt that this will draw the increasing number of downtown or near downtown residents who have only one grocery store in the mile square.

There are several other great examples of how quality food influences place, builds community and boosts economic development. The key is to learn from these great examples and multiply them across our community.

With this in mind, I invite you to join me for a 2009 Spirit & Place Festival dinner and discussion:

Local Food Trends: Growing Community, Economy and Mutual Delight

Sunday, Nov. 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

2442 N. Central Ave. (former location of Indy Winter Farmers' Market)

Bring your favorite dish to share for a potluck dinner and learn about how food influences places, builds community and boosts economic development. Neal Brown, former chef owner of L’Explorateur, will prepare a main course.

Speakers & Presentations

David Wu, policy director, City of Indianapolis – “The Power of Place and Food”

Panel discussion: Neal Brown, Laura Henderson, founder/market manager, Indy Winter Farmers’ Market; Matthew Jose, founder/owner, Big City Farms CSA; Chris Eley, owner, Goose the Market; and Janine Betsey, executive director, King Park Area Development Corporation. Facilitated by Gail Payne, owner, The Goods: Thoughtful Marketing, Authentic Living and Marc McAleavey, Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center.

Round-table discussions: Participate in small group conversations about various local food initiatives such as “Dig In” (the new Taste of Indiana event), a food vision for east 10th Street, urban farming, Indy farmers’ markets, community kitchens, and “Food for Thought,” theme for 2010 Spirit & Place and Indiana Humanities Council initiative.

The event is free. Donations accepted to benefit the Indy Winter Farmers' Market

Space is limited. RSVP by Nov. 12 to Gail Payne: 317.985.5523 or Gail@TheGoodsLife.com.

The Goods Inaugural Celebration

January 20, 2009 was a very special day. It was the day that the United State of America inaugurated its first African American President, Barack Obama. On that day, we all celebrated, regardless of our differences, to take in, just for a moment, the history that you and I were living to tell our children and grandchildren when they ask: "Where were you on that day?"

I did not intend to go to Washington, DC, but I also did not want to celebrate this once in a lifetime event alone just watching tv. As I did with the campaign, I wanted to share it with my friends and even strangers who wanted to be with kindred spirits, too.

Ironically, or coincidentally, this could also describe what I aim to achieve with The Goods: Authentic Living. It will be a series of events that combine my areas of interest: arts, culture, fitness, the environment and the local food economy with those who also seek a deeper understanding, experience and desire to know others like them.

The inauguration provided the perfect opportunity to officially launch "The Goods: Thoughtful Marketing, Authentic Living" and to host the inaugural Authentic Living Series event.

The evening achieved all of my goals: beautifully prepared local food by chefs and artists Regina Mehallick and Greg Hardesty and hosted in Regina's wonderfully authentic neighborhood favorite, R'Bistro; wines selected by next-door-neighbor, Jill Ditmire at Mass Ave Wine Shoppe; personal toasts from Harry McFarland and Lisa Keenan; a colorful keynote speech by historian Dan Miller president of Historical Solutions, who wove the similar plights of Abraham Lincoln and MLK to President Obama; and a sell-out crowd of nearly 60 kindred spirits who enjoyed meeting for the first time or getting to know each other better.

Its about building community, expanding our networks and minds while supporting local businesses and causes.

Don't just take it from me. I've received good reviews, including this one from Pam Velo:

"This is such a magnificent concept and you deserve a medal for conceiving it and implementing it in such a classy, thoroughly enjoyable way. This is something this community will really benefit from. ...This concept captures really interesting new people to meet, and excellent food and wine (necessary components to a great time in my book!). Congratulations for coming up with this and making it happen. It was the perfect end to a perfect day."

Here are some photos from the event. (Special thanks my assistant cameraman, Greg Perry).

Thanks to all who attended, and even those who couldn't be there, who have helped me reach this milestone.

Future Authentic Living Series events are underway.

Tell me what you want you think would make a great Authentic Living Series event.

"the way things used to be"

Funny how a financial crisis makes you nostalgic. The more I tell people about The Goods and my sincere quest to engage the public in arts and culture, fitness, the environment and the local food economy, the more I hear (and feel) an aching for "the way things used to be."

Through my work with the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, we're promoting a lifestyle that challenges you to see how many days you can leave your car at home and walk, bike, roller-blade or Segway to ...where-ever you may be going. It's estimated that forty percent (40%) of all U.S. urban travel is two miles or less. For example, it's only about 1.7 miles from the Chase Tower on Monument Circle downtown Indianapolis to the fountain in Fountain Square.

In "the good ol' days," our cities and neighborhoods were designed so that you could walk to work or the grocery store or to church. Over the last 30 years (or more), many cities, including Indianapolis, have removed sidewalks from their budgets to make more room for car-centric roads and their pot-holed maintenance. Now, fuel prices are forcing us to consider these other "good ol'" options.

In "the good ol' days," before modern television, video games, and movies, we spent more time with our families in the kitchen learning grandma's spaghetti sauce recipe made from tomatoes and basil fresh from her garden (or maybe how to make the best cake, like mine proudly displayed by my mother in the photo). Now, global warming and the increasingly toxic environment are forcing us to consider these "good ol'" ways of buying, growing and preparing food locally.

In "the good ol' days," we spent time learning to play to the piano, the trumpet, or maybe guitar as a child and endured our uncle singing his favorite Irish tune tune or accompanied mom's tentative yet beautiful voice singing the latest Broadway ballad. Now, there's little time for music and the arts between soccer, basketball, football, homework, birthday parties, video games, movies and tv. Worse yet, our schools and cities are cutting funding for arts, making me and most performing arts organizations wonder: where will our future audience come from?

When did "the good ol' days" become "ol'?" When did this become "renaissance" to the point of seeming upper-class, snobbish and expensive?

I don't know about you, but I long for the good ol' days. Or maybe I'm just ol' fashioned.

Thoughtful Marketing, Authentic Living

The Goods offers thoughtful marketing and authentic living focused on arts, culture, fitness, the environment and the local food economy.

"Thoughtful Marketing" == listening to your organization's situation and understanding how marketing (or communications, public relations, branding or fundraising) can help you be more successful. It's looking at your organization wholistically as well as looking at the individual programs or projects where you need a boost. You will be most successful when all of your efforts are working towards your success instead of against it. By focusing on specific areas, "thoughtful marketing" allows The Goods to 'go deeper with fewer' by offering deeper expertise, best practices and cross-area collaborations that can help you raise money, reach new audiences and/or fill seats.

Established in 2007, The Goods "Thoughtful Marketing" clients have included:

-- Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick

-- Keep Indianapolis Beautiful

-- Young Voices of Indianapolis

-- HARMONI - Historic Midtown Neighborhoods Initiative

Look for stories on these projects in upcoming blog posts.

"Authentic Living" == offering high-quality, unique experiences in arts, culture, fitness, the environment and the local food economy. The Goods "Authentic Living" series will engage all age groups and levels of expertise in opportunities to expand your knowledge, build community with others who share your interests and inspire you to live more authentically -- to make more time in your life, everyday, for what inspires you.

Check back soon for more details on upcoming "Authentic Living" events.

Send us your questions and suggestions!

Living "The Goods Life"

We all have to work to survive - not the other way around, I hope. But if you didn't have to work, what would you do?

For me, it would involve some combination of enjoying my family and friends over a lovingly prepared meal with that perfect cocktail, wine, or beer. It might also include some type of exercise or outdoor fitness, singing or seeing a live artistic performance or maybe a show in a local gallery. I also love to garden, or at least learn about gardening, so some of my time might be spent there, too.

In such a busy world, I believe most Americans are really striving to live like more Europeans, or at least those who seem to appreciate the simple, beautiful, art of living everyday life. There is time for working hard, but also enough time to take in the beauty of the world around us and to cherish each moment. It's time to live our lives more authentically; more true to who we are and what we dare to become. That's what THE GOODS is all about.

Through my experience helping for-profits and not-for-profits craft strategic communications and marketing initiatives to achieve their goals, I want to promote and advocate for the arts, culture, fitness, the environment, and our local food economy. I want to help people live a more healthy, balanced life. I want to position Indianapolis, my hometown, as a competitive, global city that offers these quality of life values.

Check back. I'll be sharing stories about my clients, friends, and other resources that help all of us live "the goods" life.