It’s Very Cool to Go Local
Our Local Jazz Festival brings revenue to many local businesses, including the venue, our local art gallery and the food courtesy of one of our local restaurants.
I can’t recall when in recent memory there has been such a concerted effort to build up the local economy. The teetering global economy no doubt has a lot to do with this trend.
While being interconnected on a global scale has done amazing things to raise awareness about the needs of our human community, the impact of global trading on our local economies has been a mixed blessing.
We’ve seen enough 60-Minutes TV specials on the impact of big box stores on the demise of the mom and pop shops in our communities, but perhaps we’re in for another change…the re-emergence of the local entrepreneur.
The local food craze and new urbanism are making it cool to work, shop, play and do business close to home. A few years ago that was a concept for the communities and cities that had their act together through chance or the will of a few.
Now “going local” has gone mainstream and we have politicians passing legislation to make it easier to start and thrive in fast growing local businesses making the best of current commercial trends like “urban agriculture.”
Just last week the Mayor of New York, Michael R. Bloomberg, passed legislation to support and protect businesses that fall under the urban agriculture category. That’s one of the few times the Big Apple followed the trend of smaller
Jazz in our Town at the McKay Art Center
cities setting the pace for urban agriculture…cities like Cleveland. Read the article I wrote about Cleveland’s experience in the Initiative for Competitive Inner Cities‘ blog.
I’m feeling a chain reaction here and I’m hoping this is just the beginning. Go local!!
TV’s “Real Housewives of…” – Not Real AND Boring
Apparently “Real Housewives of New York City” is a new reality series about the luxe and fabulous lifestyles of some wealthy New York city women who happen to be married. I must have been on Mars recently because this show follows some other popular show I’ve never heard of called Real Housewives of Orange County.
Snooze.
I’m not alone in my opinion which I guess is no surprise and that got me thinking. Life is just too full of its own twists and turns to make watching this stuff bearable. No sooner do I put on one of these reality shows or even some of the better dramas these days and my eye lids drop…almost immediately.
I haven’t always been this way…I use to watch mindless drool like Dynasty and Falcon Crest (dating myself).
I think now that I have teens, a career that keeps me hopping, great long-time friends (offline and online), a wonderful communitiy life and of course that fellow I married 20 years ago, I just don’t have the time or interest to watch TV these days. Life is just too full. I’m not saying my life is a fantasy land–just that it is full…full of excitement, successes, failures, anxiety, sadness, joy…and I as I get older, peaceful moments that I really relish.
To my friends that pop in from time to time (Elizabeth T., Angela, Michele, Sandra B., Annette, Lynette, Aurelia, Alyssa, Tiffany, Chele, Kelly, Latara, Alice, Darina, Treece, Vera, Nell, Marie, Cara, Carrie AND Kristine) - I think you guys are far more interesting then any fur clad, script-operated housewife of New York.
I’m Also Here…
