Each year, Wichita magazine conducts a reader survey to determine the BEST OF WICHITA. Everyone should vote for his or her favorites. Maybe your picks are some of my picks.
FOOD & DRINK
Service: blueberrylemon.net (I know they mean customer service but this blog is a service to foodies and helps them determine where the best places to eat are - food, value, service, location, hours, etc…)
SHOPPING & SERVICES
Art Gallery-Retail: Center Gallery
Children’s Store: littlebluestem.com
Gift Store: Frank & Margaret
Place for a Massage: Donna Jestmore’s Health & Therapeutic Energy
PEOPLE
Local Artist: Linda K. Robinson
Local Celeb: Bucky Walters
Local Media Personality: Larry Hatteberg
Local Musician/Group: Heart of America Men’s Chorus
ENTERTAINMENT & HOTSPOT
Art Exhibit: KMUW’s Visual Discourse
Local Sports Experience: Cowtown Vintage Base Ball
Nonprofit Event/Gala: WAM Contemporaries “color” parties
Best Place to Take a Visitor: Old Town
Weekend Getaway: Lindsborg
Recycling sometimes is not the most glamorous thing in the world, but here are some signs that will help you get started off on the right foot. The files are available for download. Just click on the picture of the one you want. If you want both then you are more then welcome to them both.
Sometimes what is important is not what we do but how we do it. Case in point, the collateral that was created for MS Society’s Dinner of Champions in the fall of 2007.
2007 Dinner of Champions event collateral
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by Kris Schindler
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posted in Partnerships
| tagged as Center Gallery, Emily Christensen, Final Friday, Frank & Margaret, Gingeroot Photography, KMUW, Kris Schindler, Linda K. Robinson, Lindsey Penny, Rebecca Hoyer, start-thinking, V. Sue Peterson, Visual Discourse
Bust a move Friday night! (I stole that from Emily Christensen of Frank & Margaret - she’s having 80s flashbacks.)
KMUW is hosting “Visual Discourse” at Start-Thinking (KRIS‘ OFFICE, 916 E Douglas). New work from all ten KMUW artists will be on display during a private artist reception (boohoo, Rebecca Hoyer will be out of town) from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, and then open to the public from 7:30pm until 10:00pm. Please call 978-6789 if you would like information about tickets to the artists’ reception.
Center Gallery "left of Center" exhibition postcard
Personal friend, exceptional photographer and new business owner Linda K. Robinson celebrates the grand opening of CENTER GALLERY at 111 S. Ellis with an exhibit of professional contemporary photography called “Left of Center.” While you’re there, look for (you just might miss this slip of a girl) mosaic tile artist V. Sue Peterson and ask her for a design consultation on your home, garden or commercial space.
Our work neighbors and pals at Gingeroot Photography are also throwing a shindig. For details check out Lindsey’s September 3 blog - or just show up.
I often get quizzical looks when people find out I hold a liberal arts degree in history, but work in the public relations field. I just figure they never really enjoyed history or don’t see it as the tool that it is. Most people think history is written in books and shelved in the stacks of libraries. What they miss is the everyday history in front of them.
I have always looked at history as a study of scientific process. There are certain steps to accomplish when reporting on history. Many a historian has specialized or obsessed on periods and items in the past. The space race, military logistics, and women’s studies all come to mind. I never have focused all my energy on just one period of history. In my opinion, it is best to focus briefly on the subjects, garner the information and then fit that piece of knowledge into a larger context.
With that in mind, Start-Thinking decided to take the lead in organizing Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day in the Wichita area. Last year eight Kansas museums participated. The only local museums where Ulrich Museum of Art and Old Cowtown Museum. Through our efforts, Start-Thinking was able to encourage twelve local museums to sign up for this year’s Museum Day, which is September 27. By organizing the event collectively, we can market the institutions together.
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I set off on a nice 50 mile ride this morning. Kind of a make-up for the cancelled 150 miler. The winds were out of the NNW at 24 gusting to 36. The temp at 8:00 was about 58 degrees.
The plan was to head north to Newton and then back. 50 miles round trip. It was immediately apparent that this wasn’t a great idea because of the strong head winds but we persevered. Normally a stop every 10 miles is about right but we made it just over 7 before it was time. A drink of water and a stretch did the trick and we headed west. Quite a relief even though using only half of a 12 foot wide lane was somewhat challenging with the gusts. When we headed north again it was painful. I needed a couple more bigger gears but they weren’t there. I just had to push on. We found a new water tower going up so it was a good excuse to stop and check out how the pieces fit together. That was probably only another 4 miles. We headed west again, then north again. We stopped about 15 miles in for another water break. We had a choice to keep going west but the town of Sedgwick was only 4 miles and the roads past there were probably flooded so the 50 miles wouldn’t be possible that way. We turned into the wind and kept chugging along almost straight into the high pressure system. It was going to be a nice return ride. It took forever to go just a mile and a half. Then it was 5 miles further and then 9 with sights of the next gas station and bathroom break. A quick stop at the BP station and it was a little down hill into Newton. All along we kept saying it was going to be worth the reward of accomplishment, and a nice ride with the wind on the way back.
We left at 8:00 and arrived in the largely Mennonite community of Newton. The coffee shop was closed as was the sandwich shop. It was truly a reward when we found Reba’s open. This was a nicer restaurant than we’d prefer, especially with our helmet hair and at least steady scent. Expecting the regular menu of great natural foods and scratch cooking we were greeted by the Sunday buffet brunch. The food was exceptional as usual but it was time to ride the wind back to the south.
We found the Newton streets to be exceptionally smooth on the bike tires and my sore hands. People were in their front yards greeting us as we passed. The sun was out and the trees sheltered us from the wind but we still had 25 miles to get home.
Our conversation continued the whole way back, the average speed doubled with the natural push. We passed farm fields, fuzzy worms, squashed frogs and turtles, beautiful landscapes, and a car stuck on top of a tree stump from the flooding two days before. We had time to look, enjoy, and experience the world around us. The sun was pretty warm and as hoped, the ride much easier.
It was no accident that the hard work, frequently considered ridiculous on the north-bound leg, was rewarded with great satisfaction of accomplishment and pleasure on the way back. After all, great things don’t come free and easy.
I recently rode my bike to the West branch YMCA , a first for me. It was part for the exercise and part because I wanted to save gas. Other than a leisure ride around the neighborhood with my kids, I have never ridden any sort of distance. Granted, according to Mapquest, it was a hair less than 4 miles. So I figured how hard could it be? I’ll be using “human powered transport” to work my muscles and reduce my carbon footprint.
An interesting thing happened as I was riding past the Farmers Market at 21st and Ridge Road. A man waved and simply said “keep up the good work.” I don’t know if he was talking about the exercise or that I was saving money, gas and helping the environment by riding a bike instead of driving. Either way, it felt good that someone (a stranger, no less) noticed my efforts!
I try and do my part to help the environment…I recycle as many products as I can. Our family switched our light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs as our other bulbs burned out. We use canvas bags and have designated “no drive” days at home.
At Start-Thinking, we’re doing our best to save the planet too, and have been since day one. We too have a bike…it is lemon yellow and is prominently parked in our office. And yes, we do use it for short errands around downtown Wichita and Old Town.
We recycle too: plastic, paper and aluminum (download our cool signs). In fact, our six-person office produces only one small plastic grocery sized bag of trash a week. We use both sides of our office paper and file folders. We keep the temperature a notch warmer in the summer and a notch colder in the winter, and implemented a host of other initiatives to help reduce our impact on the environment.
But the thing is, this is not a new practice for us. We’ve always done this. Recent local news stories have highlighted companies and their green efforts as if it is the latest craze. Even the Direct Marketing Association announced its efforts to “go green.” Is this just a fad that will fade away after the excitement wears off? I hope not. It doesn’t take much to change something in your life to be earth friendly. Buy a reusable cup and fill it with water instead of drinking bottled water. Ride your bike to Dillon’s for that loaf of bread and use a canvas bag instead of answering the question “paper or plastic?”
Just start with one thing…and maybe someone will tell you to “keep up the good work.”
College football is becoming one of the biggest sports in the United States - if it’s not there already. The fan base is growing each and every year and to compete with one another, colleges are running their sports departments more like companies than mere pep clubs. Like every smart businessperson knows, a key element in owning a successful business is having a strong image or brand. The same holds true with college football. Take for example, my favorite team, Kansas State University, who has completely re-branded the athletic department from baseball to volleyball and in the middle of it all, K-State football.
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The delete button is the bane of history.
I have memories of looking through old photos and negatives in Grandpa’s shoebox “picture album.” He had lots of prints mounted in the over-sized books with paper corners and black pages. Pictures of Mom’s first day of school, some school dance of Aunt Helen’s, and the family pictures. They were all pretty well composed and properly exposed. They were the good pictures. Presentable pictures. Exactly what Grandpa wanted to show. Read More »
