If you know me in person, you probably recognize that. And if you are a blog reader who has read any of my past posts, you most likely have picked up on that as well.

I was not always a foodie, however. I grew up on a diet of meat and potatoes, refusing to try anything green, spicy or ethnic. Seriously, as a kid, eating a taco was a very big deal. It really was not until six or seven years ago that I began experimenting with my taste palate and discovered my love for Indian food, sushi, spinach, mushrooms and various produce.

Then, four years ago, after much research and thought, I decided to go vegetarian, which forced me to look into new protein sources; thus opening my eyes to the world of beans, tofu, tempeh and nuts! I had to find a new way to make a “go-to” meal upon arriving home from a ten to twelve hour day of organizing (this time period was during my Union organizing days!) that replaced my frozen chicken breast on the George Foreman grill with something else just as protein-rich and filling. I would peruse various cookbooks, complete online recipe searches, and wander the aisles of Horrock’s looking for new items to try and new ways to combine some of my favorite foods to create a meal with extraordinary flavors- meals that would not only fuel my body but bring enjoyment while eating. I started to host dinner parties to test out some of my new culinary creations and began to appreciate the dishes I ordered at restaurants more than I had when I was ordering the standard cheeseburger at the nearby chain.

I learned that I love to try new foods, experiment with different ways to prepare my favorite food choices, and dine out. I just so happen to think that there is not a more intimate way to bond with friends and/or a partner than cooking a meal together, then enjoying said meal in amazing company. I began to look into where my food was coming from and the impact it has on not only my body, but my community. This led me to trying to  grow my own veggies in Anika’s garden last summer and spend a lot of time learning about where my food comes from at each restaurant I choose to patronize.

For all of these reasons, I decided to register for Lansing’s third annual local food system conference, “Everybody Eats: Cultivating Food Democracy”. This conference builds on earlier local food system conferences and will bring people together to explore opportunities for optimizing local resources, supporting local farmers and businesses, addressing health, hunger and food sovereignty issues in our community.  

The overall theme of this year’s conference is food democracy. According to the conference press release,

This is a topic of critical importance to all citizens including our elected officials, our health policy teams, and our area businesses.  As interests and approaches to food and farming proliferate, there is a need to take stock of the process and to critically reflect on what has been happening, individually and collectively.  Has it been an inclusive process?  Are all the voices within the food system being heard?  Can people throughout the food system make a decent living? In short, are we moving toward greater self-reliance and deeper food security – and what do such things look like? These are among the topics that will be discussed.

There is so much that goes into a meal, besides the preparation on our part. As I mentioned in a previous post, in terms of creating a sustainable community, it is increasingly important not to rely on large corporation-run farms (agri-business) to genetically modify our produce, while using cheap labor to do the harvesting, then ship the product across the country (and sometimes world!) so that we can then make dinner. We often feel like we do not have a say in how this all goes down, but attending a conference like “Everybody Eats” gives us a chance to not only learn first hand about many of these issues, but educate ourselves on many other components of “food democracy.”

As the conference planners boast, this conference is not just for growers, restaurateurs, cooks, grocers, processors, distributors, emergency food providers, and institutional food preparers, but for interested citizens as well, because let’s face it, everybody eats. And because we all eat, we should all have a chance to be included in the process of where our food is coming from, how it is being farmed, and how that effects us- as individuals and as a community.

I encourage you all to join me the weekend of February 10th at this one of a kind conference! With a free keynote on Friday night and a $15 registration fee for the Saturday workshops- lunch included!-you are getting a lot for your money! Look to the details below and consider it!

Title: Everybody Eats: Cultivating Food Democracy

Date: Friday, February 10th-Saturday, February 11th, 2012.

Location: Pattengill Middle School, 626 Marshall St., Lansing, Michigan.

Registration: Friday’s keynote speaker, Katherine Kelly, founder and Executive Director of Cultivate Kansas City is free, Saturday’s workshops are $15, lunch included. Register online at: http://www.every-body-eats.com/ 

Some sessions include: “Local Fair Trade”, “Democratizing Drinks: Who Owns Our Beverages?”, “Finding Your Niche in Your Local Food System”, “Increasing inclusion in urban gardening”, “The 2012 Farm Bill and how it affects eaters and farmers alike”, and a yoga session from Belinda at Just B, with some ideas for how to tie that into the the greater food system.

I hope to see you there, #lovelansing!

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My dogs show more love every day than most people muster in a lifetime.  I was moved by the passion exhibited by these pet lovers, who make their mission to create a better life in Lansing for pets and owners alike. Don’t have a pet? Get one. Then read this.

1. Who are you? No, really who are you? Business-wise, personally… how do you see yourself in relation to the #lovelansing movement?

Business-wise and personally, we are, at our core, dog-lovers. Ann Andrews and I are both lawyers, with full time jobs outside of AnnaBelle’s, who started this business three years ago because we saw something missing in Downtown Lansing – dogs.

As busy lawyers who worked in downtown Lansing, we both wanted a place downtown to take our own dogs and, at the same time, we just wanted to see more people with dogs in the Downtown area.  To us, that is a sign of vibrancy and life that every city needs.  And, that is how the plan for AnnaBelle’s began to take shape in early 2007.

AnnaBelle’s has become a unique environment for dog people, it is not just day care, or training, or grooming. It’s more of a collective of like-minded people who care about the human-animal relationship. Our clients have become family, just like our staff and trainers. Most of our business is referral based and we think is because we are support and nurture relationships, internally and within the community.  To us, to #lovelansing means making an effort to support the Lansing community and helping make it a better place to live and work for everyone.

2. What is a “cool city dog?” What makes a city dog cool, in your eyes?

The concept of a cool city dog stemmed from the Michigan “cool cities” initiative. In our view, no city is truly “cool” unless you see people with dogs all over town.  So, we wanted to help bring a dog-friendly cool city atmosphere to Lansing not just by building our business, but by educating people about how they can have a well-behaved, well-socialized dog that they are proud to take with them anywhere and everywhere.

The number one reason dogs are surrendered to animal shelters is due to behavior problems.  Most of those problems are easily addressed with education and expert advice.  Part of AnnaBelle’s mission is to intervene in these situations before surrender seems like the only option by offering behavioral counseling, training classes, and doggie day care.  We have experts in all types of training and behavioral problems.  We also strongly encourage people to socialize their dogs by offering a dog activity group, where most of the activities are cheap to free, and we started a community website where people can find dog friendly places and activities in the Lansing area.

Some people seem to object to a place or community becoming “dog friendly” because a lot of people don’t have well-behaved dogs.  We want to help people have dogs who plainly overcome that objection. Through these efforts, we hope to help Lansing become a “dog cool” city, which is not just dog-friendly, it’s a community that has standards for animal behavior, animal care, and the human-animal bond.

3. You’re a social media monster… what are your thoughts on how social media has helped you, hindered you, connected you?

I love social media! Grrrrrrrr! But it’s a good monster.  It has helped us so much to connect with real people in the community about all kinds of issues – not just dogs.

I love to be a “goto” person on twitter for all matters dog related, but I’ve given recommendations on restaurants, shopping, and other cool stuff in town too.  And I make an effort to share that information and to connect people with common interests.  I love when I’m at AnnaBelle’s meeting a client for the first time and I pause and say….”Don’t I know you from Twitter?”  I already know how much they love their dog, along with some of the issues they might be having.

Facebook has really provided us with an easy way to readily communicate with our clients and provides a wonderful forum for clients to pose questions, post information, and for us to simply share what is happening at AnnaBelle’s, whether we’re having a big event or we want people to see fun video of the dogs playing with bubbles!  I don’t see social media as a hindrance, because I personally enjoy it.

4. Talk about your charitable work. You mentioned dog rescue, etc…

All of AnnaBelle’s – owners, trainers, staff, are involved in animal rescue work to some extent.  Some volunteer at the shelter, some teach classes for shelter dogs, others offer free or discounted behavior evaluations for shelter dogs. We also offer discounted classes for dog foster parents so they can help their foster dogs get adopted.

Our pet first aid instructor, Sheila Laing, offers free Pet CPR and Rescue Breathing courses for rescue and animal welfare groups.  Our lead trainer, Carol Hein-Creger, puts on a 2-3 hour Canine Problem Behavior Seminar every class term, which is open to the public and to rescue groups and shelters. We encourage people to come with their questions and problems!

Each of us do these small things that somehow add up to real money and real assistance to our local rescue groups and shelters.  Last year, we had a donation based Wash & Wear dog wash, where all proceeds (about $800) went to the Animal Placement Bureau and Voiceless-MI to help their rescue efforts.  People gave what they could for the washing services (anywhere from $5-$50) and also bought raffle tickets for the fun prizes we gave away.  This effort required amazing team work by our staff, along with Voiceless and APB volunteers.  It was such a hugely successful and fun event – we can’t wait to do it again this summer!

We did a similar event last Christmas with the MSU PRSSSA called Paws with Claus, where your pet got his or her picture taken with Santa.  All proceeds were split between the MSU PRSSA and the Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter. We raised almost $700, which we were very excited about.  We also attend and support events put on by local animal rescue and welfare groups.

We try to be a presence, donate prizes for raffles, and help them get what they need to have a smooth and successful event.  We want to tell people that yes, we’d love for you to be a client of AnnaBelle’s, but even if you’re not, we still care about the health and welfare of your canine friends and family.  See some specifics at: http://www.coolcitydogs.com/home/community-involvement. And, we encourage our clients and activity group members to attend these events, not just to support local animal welfare and rescue, but to take advantage of great dog socialization opportunities.

5. What do you want us to know? What message do you want to get out there?

Our primary message is simply our mission, which is “to make dog ownership easy, fun and fulfilling so that everyone who lives and works in the Lansing community has the opportunity to enjoy the health and family benefits of owning a dog.”  It is really as simple as this: We love dogs and we want everyone else to experience the love and joy of owning a dog too.

6. Aside from yours, what is your favorite community-focused business in Lansing?

Without question, Preuss Pets. Rick and Debbie Preuss have been in business in Lansing for a long time and have been through all the imaginable ups and downs of owning a business. They provide such an inspiration to the small business community. They also make such a huge effort in the community in Oldtown and beyond. We admire their work ethic and their community involvement very much and love to partner with them on activities and events.  Preuss Pets is expanding their dog-related product line all the time and they carry high-quality, affordable, and unique items, which we love to recommend to our clients.  We demonstrate many of their interactive dog toys during the Canine Problem Behavior Seminar offered by our lead trainer, Carol Hein-Creger, during every class term.

7. To you, who are the three people everyone needs to connect with? There can be more than three, but who do people need to know and why?

We just couldn’t figure out how to answer this because there are so many people who’ve helped us along the way with advice and so much more. And what we’ve learned is that sometimes the people you “need to know” to be successful actually surprise you and just somehow come into your life. We’ve had so many instances where some connection was made years ago or just last week and turns out to be so important to us.

For example, I took classes with Carol Hein-Creger for years before we decided to start AnnaBelle’s. I just called her up and said “we’re looking for a trainer, are you interested?” She sure was! With Carol, came Erinn Hadley, who was her assistant.  Erinn is now our conformation instructor and staff Team Leader.

Angie Falcsik, one of our other trainers, works part-time with Ann Andrews at her “day job” and that’s how she came to work with us at AnnaBelle’s. Another trainer, Dawn Archer Pizzoferrato came to us through a connection with Jan Szur, a local small business woman that we met through inForum.  Sheila Laing, our Pet First Aid instructor, came to an obedience class with Angie Falcsik as student – and they’ve know each other for 20 years! One thing led to another, and we now offer Pet First Aid classes with Sheila.  One of our day care staff, Erica Kaplan, moved here from Washington State with her boyfriend while he attended Cooley law school.

Just after we opened day care in January, 2010, she showed up and said “I want to work here.” We didn’t have a spot for her right then, but she decided to volunteer for a short while and now she’s a full-time employee.  These are just some examples how every day (and often random) connections have been so important for us.

We definitely believe in karma!

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You really are being watched.

At first, you might not even notice Rachael Zlomak Parker taking her typical wallflower role in the corner of the room. But if you find yourself amazed that your favorite song is on the radio once again on a another Saturday night out on the town, or if you find yourself smiling and tapping your toes to the beats being seamlessly integrated into your evening, then she’s already had a profound impact on your evening even though you never even noticed her.

“A DJs job is to read the crowd and try to make as many people stay in the bar as possible, and at somewhere like the Tavern, that’s not easy. There’s not a dance floor and crowd is very eclectic,” says Rachael, who DJs at Tavern on the Square every Saturday night. “When I see somebody I know walk in or somebody that I remember from another night and some song that they requested, I will try my best to play it immediately before they ask for it. And they totally perk up, smile and start dancing. That just completely makes my day.

“The most difficult thing in DJing is that you have to judge people by their appearance and try to guess what kind of music they would want to hear. And I’m wrong every single time. But that’s all that you have to go on at first. You know, in that split second when you have to choose another song to play and you look for very subtle reactions to whatever song you’re playing. If your first guess as to what they might want to hear is wrong, then you try a different genre but make sure that it mixes. It’s multi-tasking to nth degree. It’s fascinating and I love it.”

If it seems like Rachael has a lot of insight into DJing and a lot of experience, that’s because she does. But she didn’t earn her stripes initially in Lansing. Her first experience was in London.

Born and raised in Lansing in the Waverly School District, Rachael was your typical teenager in that she complained that there was nothing to do in her hometown and she couldn’t wait to escape to the big city. She wanted out so badly that she took college courses from Lansing Community College while still in school so that she could graduate early. After a couple of years, she transferred to Grand Valley State University, which did nothing to whet her big city appetite.

So after graduation when a good friend told her about an internship program in the United Kingdom intended for students finishing up college but requiring no classes to be taken while across the pond, it sounded like a great idea. What Rachael didn’t bargain for, though, was her friend bailing on the idea. After borrowing money from her Grandmother, trying to setup an internship and applying for the program, Rachel called up her friend to schedule their departure.

But she never called back.

“So I was kind of like, oh okay. Do I lose all this money and time from my application process and just back out, or do I go by myself?” recalls Rachael. “And I don’t know how I had the guts to do it, but I went by myself.”

The catch? Rachael did not yet have an internship lined up when she crossed the Atlantic. The competition was stiff because as part of the European Union, potential applicants from other members didn’t have hoops to jump through and had a leg up on applying for jobs.

Luckily, she did manage to find an internship. She landed a six-month contract for London South Bank University in a marketing and public relations position for a particular division that they managed called Local Economy Policy Unit. For those six months, Rachael was responsible for arranging seminars and events on topics such as public transportation.

The job was a great experience, but what Rachael really loved was living in the big city, which meant public transportation, museums and a vibrant music scene. Every little bar had its own DJ and Rachael couldn’t help but think, “Hey, I could do that!” So when she left her internship, her coworkers gave her the best going away present ever – enrollment in a course to learn how to DJ.

Learning how to DJ, however, wasn’t the only thing she brought back to the States. She also got engaged.

After a moving back to Lansing for a year and dating long distance, they got married in her mother’s back yard. A few days later, Rachael moved back to London with her new husband.

For five years.

But after a while, Lansing came calling. Rachael started feeling homesick for Michigan – partly because her family was there, partly because it was comfortable and familiar. She knew how to handle herself in pretty much any situation, compared to a foreign country where she was never completely comfortable and never completely understood how to conduct herself as an American working in a foreign country. It was a totally different ballgame.

So Rachael moved back to Lansing, but without her husband, or should I say ex-husband. She really wanted to come home and he really didn’t want to leave London, so they made a difficult decision.

“I moved home just a little over two years ago and I haven’t regretted one minute of it,” says Rachael. “It was a good experience. He was a great guy but it just didn’t work out. We’re too different.”

Back in Lansing, Rachael found something that she never expected; she didn’t miss the big city at all and really loved living in the town that she grew up in. It didn’t take long for her to meet John Beltran, local DJ and music producer extraordinaire, who took Rachael under his wing and helped refine her DJing skills. Pretty soon, she was filling in for his usual spot on Friday nights at Tavern on occasion, which in turn led to the establishment offering her the same gig on Saturday nights. You can also find her every second and fourth Friday on the fourth floor of the Big Old Building (B.O.B.) in Grand Rapids.

While Rachael loves her DJing life, that’s not all she’s found to love in Lansing. After a short stint at a marketing and public relations firm in Jackson while living in a loft downtown, Rachael struck career gold by landing a job at TechSmith – a global software firm based in Okemos. Now, she is the Global Public Relations Manager for the company and gets to, “work with lovely, lovely nerds, and I mean that in the most lovable, great way. Just super intelligent people. It’s a great company to work for and it’s challenging.”

Despite her former urge to move to the big city, Rachael isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. She bought a house a little ways north of Old Town. She helps take care of her family and enjoys a strong network of friends.

So what changed from her high school days to now?

“I wonder how I would I feel about Lansing if I didn’t get to DJ sometimes, because I’m absolutely obsessed with DJing,” says Rachael. “But I still think I would absolutely love Lansing. It’s because of the people I’ve met. And it’s funny, I feel somewhat hypocritical because I used to hate it here. I said that there was nothing to do and that it was so boring. And I feel it’s completely opposite now.

“It was very different 10 years ago and I still haven’t been able to figure out exactly what is different in my mind. I don’t know that I can honestly say that Lansing itself has changed, or if it’s the residents and the people that are involved in the community that have changed. It’s almost like a generational shift. And the crowd I see while DJing downtown is so eclectic.

“I get absolutely lost in DJing. How do I explain it? It’s my therapy. It’s my outlet. It’s my stress relief. It’s just a constant challenge. It’s a totally different kind of challenge. Like I can actually shut my brain off and just turn my ears on. That sounds so lame, but it’s using totally different senses then I use during my work week. So it’s just the best therapy ever. And I get to do awesome events, like I DJ all of the Derby Vixen home bouts and that’s so much fun. I got to DJ in an airplane hangar for Ignite Lansing. I’ve DJed live yoga sessions for Just B. And I love it when my friends come in. I get so much ridiculous levels of joy out of seeing my friends dance.

“I have no intention of leaving Lansing. I love it.”

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I want to talk about self-care and the importance of finding time for the practice in our daily routine, not just on vacation.

It is clear to many that taking time out of the every day routine and spending some serious “R&R” time in a sunny, warm environment, away from the hectic pace of the daily grind can bring about an overwhelming sense of calm; but how is it that one can make this calming sensation a part of that stressful “every day”? Why is it that we so often need to escape in order to find that inner peace?

A vacation allows us time to focus solely on ourselvses. We do not have the obligation to put others before ourselves as frequently as in every day life, thus allowing us the time to pursue our leisurely passions, interests and relax. Taking this time for ourselves brings about a sense of inner peace and calming that is hard to come by when we are running on empty- waking up early on far too little sleep, running out the door into a Michigan winter with wet hair that you didn’t have time to dry, rushing through traffic- only to be 15 minutes late to work, skipping lunch to get through your to-do list, grabbing a quick bite on the way to your after work appointment, heading from that appointment to two of the four events that evening on your calendar, then crawling into bed after consuming one too many cocktails at said events, only to set an alarm for six hours from now to do it all again. Sound familiar? I know I cannot be the only one who has become used to living a fast-paced lifestyle resembling some variation of the aforementioned activities. It can be full of fun, but also very stressful. I have had many weeks where I am running solely on coffee, yet still feel exhausted, lethargic and unaccomplished. Vacation was my time to re-set and fill my time with relaxing activities that nourish- mind, body and soul. I woke up feeling rested, did basic yoga in the sun, ate a leisurely breakfast of fruit and cereal, read for pleasure, took long walks, went shopping and got a de-toxifying, lavendar infused mud wrap. I felt spoiled. But I also felt completely rejuvenated and ready to head home and take life on with a newfound sense of energy and passion.

As I boarded my flight home from LAX to DTW, the flight attendant began her safety speil…you know the one. The speech where they talk about the importance of wearing your safety belt, explain how to put the belt on and off, highlight emergency exits and discuss oxygen masks. Well, it was during a portion of this routine speech that I had heard many times over, that it hit me. In order to always  approach life with a sense of peace, happiness and feel fully energized, we have to practice self-care.

Let’s break this down a bit more. It was this portion of the speech specifically that brought upon my realization:

In the event that the oxygen level in the main cabin becomes unstable, oxygen masks will drop in front of every passenger. Passengers are to take them, secure them to their heads using the elastic band and breathe through the masks normally. Passengers are instructed to make sure their masks are on first before assisting other passengers or children.

Of course one would not be helpful in assisting children to the best of their ability if they were unable to breathe themselves. Thus it is important to take care of yourself above all else, then expend your energy to help those around you. This concept works not only in case of emergency on a plane, but can be applied to our every day life as well. How are we supposed to make a difference in this world, if we are running on empty ourselves? I made a decision right then and there to take time for myself every single day upon my return to Lansing, allowing my body, mind and soul to rest, my spirit to feel uplifted and my productivity to sore. I realized I work best when I feel happy and well-rounded, not only does my productivity at work increase when I take time out every two hours or so to take a quick walk around the parking lot or make an actual meal in the work kitchen, but my passion and vigor for the work I do remains at a high. I feel less stressed and burnt out. I appreciate the time with those I care about in my social life more when I am feeling relaxed, and cut out the things I do out of a sense of obligation, while instead focusing my time and energy on the things I do because I want to truly be there.

I encourage you all to think about taking a bit more time for self-care in your daily routine and see how it will affect you:

• Wake up fifteen minutes earlier and allow yourself time to stretch and drink a cup of hot tea before starting the day.
• Visit Horrocks or the Lansing City Market to pick up some fresh food and pack a lunch to enjoy, rather than running out to whatever is nearest you and scarfing down a fast meal on a half hour lunch break.
• Pencil in some time to do what you love each day, whether it be reading a book, writing, painting, going for a run, playing with a pet, etc.
• Cut out events and/or appointments you feel obligated to attend, and spend that time doing what you want to do instead. It is much better to actually focus and enjoy your time somewhere with friends and family, than to make five quick appearances because you don’t want to disappoint anyone.
• Try out a basic yoga or guided meditation class at Just B or Hilltop Yoga. This is a guaranteed way to recharge and appreciate your body.
• Treat youself to a stress relieving treatment or massage from either Douglas J or Creative Wellness.
• Schedule a few minutes several times a day to just take a few deep breaths and consciously think of something you are grateful for at that exact moment, whether it be your health or if you are having one of those days, that you only spilled ONE cup of coffee down your new shirt.

Whatever it is you do to make yourself happy, remember to do it unabashedly. You are absolutely wonderful and deserve the very best.

“And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” - Nelson Mandela

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I’ve heard people “poo poo” the project. These criticisms were mostly in the Lansing State Journal news comments, where niceties and reason go to die. This project brings excitement and revitalization to a neighborhood that needs just that. This amazing group of community-minded individuals turned an abandoned bakery into a hub of creative and intellectual activity. Points of interest include; the home base one of Lansing’s photographic gems, a building company that seems as focused on revitalization and pushing the city forward in a sustainable manner as it does about the bottom line, and bright open spaces for co-working and creative outlet as well as networking and support services for tenants past and present.

The founding members who were willing to take a huge chance to bring this project to fruition, I thank you. May your risk be a rich reward to the city of Lansing and those who love it.

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As we approach the holiday season, there is a sudden hum of anticipation amongst shoppers getting presents for gift exchanges, people planning visits to see their families and friends, and right about now we start anticipating the embrace of a new year. Breaking form the norm, this upcoming weekend,  65 Lansing residents will spend most of their Saturday volunteering their time to give back to the community. A few incredible community volunteers have come together to organize one of my favorite Lansing events; HELP Portrait.

Help Portrait was founded by Jeremy Cowart, a revolutionary Nashville photographer. The project is based on the idea that pictures are for giving. Even with the omnipresence of the digital camera in our day-to-day lives, many people never get the opportunity to have professional photographs of themselves and their families.

These portraits are not for your portfolio, website, or for sale. Money isn’t involved here. This holiday season, you have the chance to give a family something they may have never had before—a portrait together.  -Jeremy Cowart

Help Portrait transcends the question, “May I take your picture?” to  ”May I take your picture in a studio, edit it, print it, frame it, and give it to you for free?”. This idea has created a worldwide community of photographers and volunteers working towards a goal to give people free high-quality pictures.

In the last two years Help Portrait has grown to:

• 10,574 photographers
• 12,654 volunteers
• 1,062 locations
• 54 countries
• 101,596 portraits given

I am  ecstatic to be a part of this event and even happier to know that Lansing, MI is on the Help Portrait map. As many of my friends know, my camera is always by my side. Whenever I am not at my day-job, I am thinking of lighting and composition. I couldn’t be happier partaking in one of my favorite activites while giving back to the community. Along with 14 other incredible photographers and ~ 50 volunteers, I will be at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church this weekend. I can’t wait to meet the people of our beautiful city and to capture gleaming smiles on my camera.

If you are not busy this weekend, be sure to pay us a visit. Also, look forward to an update from the Lansing Collective after the event.

much love.

Event Details

St. Pauls Episcopal Church 
218 W. Ottawa Street
Lansing, Saturday

Help Portrait
December 10th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m

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Who are you interviewing, Lansing Collective?

Here’s a hint: Yep. We’ll be talking to a very special someone, whose name starts with B, with a big spirit and a penchant for community action, mind-body fitness and philanthropy. Stay tuned next week! Can’t wait until next week? Join me for some Thanksgiving Day yoga and get to know the force behind Just B well before the article is published.

BOOM! Flexed.

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Purchasing power is huge.

Buying items, for oneself, or for others as we spread the joy of the holidays and search out that perfect gift to bring a smile to a loved one’s face, is more than just dropping a few bucks here or there. It is an investment and a show of support for the type of economy we want to thrive. Where we decide to spend our money is one of the most significant ways we can build up an economy and create the type of society we want to live in.

For example, buying local can mean a lot of things for Lansing, such as:

1.) Reducing the economic impact on our Mother Earth. By purchasing from local businesses, we get rid of the need to transport items around the world to get into our hands. Even if you are picking up an item from your “local” big business, such as Walmart, it has had to travel across the world to get into that store. Not to mention, big businesses are a main factor in pollution, loss of habitat, and sprawl.

2.) Buying local helps to keep our community unique. One of the best things about Lansing is our assortment of absolutely wonderful local boutiques, bakeries and restaurants. I know that when I entertain out of town friends and family, the first thing I do is take them to The Soup Spoon Cafe and other local diners. If we are not providing these types of amazing businesses the income they need to sustain, we will lose them, and our beloved city will be overun with generic strip malls.

3.) Putting our money into the local economy helps us fight corporate greed and

Image from "The Story of Stuff"

media ownership of our beliefs, values and persepctives. Now, this argument could be an entire post within itself, but let’s take a minute to discuss this. We live in a society where advertising and media are bombarding us with unrealistic images and goals (think standards of beauty and violence for starters…) and working to make us constantly feel inadequete so that we buy more stuff. This constant desire to need more things is exemplified nicely in this 20 minute animated film called “The Story of Stuff” (which I strongly urge you all to take the time to watch!) but while it makes us worse off in terms of lack of personal capitol and polluted environment, it makes big corporations better off. They can then afford to buy more land, build more generic stores, and ship in more products made overseas where they pay employees less than a living wage, then overcharge us, so that they can keep the profit and hence, the rich fat cats get richer.

While I am well aware that these arguments seem simplified, and we could delve much futher into each of them, these three points are my basis for encouraging all of you to buy local for the holidays!

And in order to not just “talk the talk”, but “walk the walk” as well, I have decided to purchase the majority of my holiday gifts for friends and family this year from local Lansing businesses and etsy artists. Plus! I am going to share a few local gift ideas from Lansing businesses with the hope that you too, will share some local gift ideas. This way, we can get great ideas from one another of creative and unique ways to find the perfect gift this holiday season, yet do so while fighting the corporate powers and supporting our friends and their businesses here in the city!

Some great stocking stuffer and gift ideas:

1.) Gift cards! Gift cards from our local restaurants and coffee shops can make a perfect stocking stuffer. I suggest purchasing a to-go coffee mug from a local coffee shop, such as Deckers or Gone Wired Cafe, and sticking a gift card to that same establishment in the mug with a bow!

2.) Cravings Popcorn and individual sodas! Who would not love to pull out a package of delicious popcorn and a soda to go along with it? This can make for a great holiday time treat. Try packaging this with a dvd or a gift card to Video to Go, located in Frandor, for a “Night In Gift Basket” to encourage time spent with loved ones on a cold night.

3.) Michigan made salsas, pancake mixes, chocolate covered cherries and wine from Michigania!

4.) Bath and Body products from the lovely, organic, local shop Soulful Earth Herbals! I know I have the Earth Butter on the top of my wish list!

5.) Gift your loved ones books from Everybody Reads! I can not get enough of this wonderful local book shop and happen to think that a book is one of the best gifts you can give. Whether it is one of your favorites to share, or that new release you know your loved one has been waiting to get their hands on, encourage someone to get lost in a great book and they will forever be thankful. Think about combining a great read with a cute robe or pjs from one of the local boutiques around town or some bubble bath and tea!

6.) Wine and Cheese basket! Stop by the City Market and stock up on some of the amazing breads, cheeses and locally made wines to create a classy gift basket. I made one last year and it was a huge hit! (Right, Dad?!)

7.) For the fashion-forward people in your life, swing into Grace Boutique or October Moon! These boutiques, along with Katalyst and many others, offer some great handbags, clothing, accessories and decor.

8.) Take someone out for a night on the town! Plan a night out to visit a great, local

A lovely, holiday evening spent at the DIA a few years back!

restaurant or bring someone to an art gallery or museum. Some of my favorite gifts have been “experiences”, such as a trip to wander through the beautiful exhibits at the  DIA and

go ice skating at Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit, or catch a show at the Wharton Center on the campus of MSU!

What are some other great, local, gift ideas, Lansing?! Do you have any other reasons you will choose to buy local this holiday season? Please share with me in the comments section!

Happy Holidays, all!

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Moving to a new location has led to many revelations for me, but the biggest being the realization that neighborhoods can offer a sense of community that can make the greater Lansing community not only a safer place for us all, but a happier place as well.

Let me go back a bit and refer to a NPR story I heard a few months ago on the Averill Woods Neighborhood Association. This Association was featured on the “What’s Working” segment of the NPR radio show, in which “Michigan Radio has been spotlighting people and organizations that are trying to improve life in Michigan.”

One of my favorite Michigan Radio segements.

As I was driving to work a few months back, coffee in hand and NPR on the radio, a particular “What’s Working” segment came on air and it most definitely caught my attention. (These segments are always a highlight for me since this optimistic gal loves to take a break from the negativity of the current state of national and international affairs in the news, and become uplifted with brief segments of people and/or organizations doing some good!) This particular segment on the Association is described as follows, “In 2004, residents of the Averill Woods neighborhood in Lansing started an association. Their goal was, in part, to promote a positive quality of life, to help neighbors connect with each other, and to improve safety.”

This got me to thinking… I had been living in the same apartment for approximately one year at this point, and had yet to meet more than one pair of neighbors. It had not struck me as weird, however, because this was something I had grown quite accustomed to over the years. For the most part, I feel like we live next to people, sometimes totally amazing people, yet we don’t know who they are. It has become a part of our lifestyle to keep to ourselves and do our own thing, mind our own business if you will, but that leads to a lack of community.

There was one time in my last place of residence, when we had a piercing fire alarm go off late afternoon. This was a false alarm, however, the shrillness of this alarm was enough to make you run out of the building and head to the parking lot. This was twelve months into living there and was the very first time I met many of my neighbors. And it was a shame. It shouldn’t take a fire alarm to get you out of your home and talking with the people you share a hallway, or street with. Knowing your neighbors gives one a sense of accountability. You become a part of something bigger than just you, and feel the need to make the place you live better. Not just for you, but for the people you have connected with.

It was clear that just living next door to people is not what creates a neighborhood, but what was it that does? And in a state of terrible economic times in the city, how can we create neighborhoods?

This is when I turn to the Averill Woods Neighborhood Association for insight.

2009 Averill Woods Neighborhood Association Woods Clean-up

This group of individuals realized that they are not powerless in creating a sense of community within their neighborhood, just because the city is unable to do it for them. They took things into their own hands and devised a method of “environmental design” to bring their neighbors out of the woodwork and into the “neighborhood”, while at the same time increasing the safety of their streets and a sense of pride in their “‘hood”. This was done by creating ownership of their neighborhood by cleaning up the abandoned areas. The group came together to vamp up the playground, clean up the nature trails, and build a community garden. These areas drew people in, from both inside their neighborhood, as well as others in the Lansing area, and that in turn creates a type of “natural surveillence” of their streets. People are out and about, they know one another, hence crime is less likely to happen. Not many people can get away with crime when the vacant spaces are no longer vacant, and people are out on the streets, enjoying the renovated space. And the individuals who are a part of this community now feel a sense of pride for what they are a part of, they want to keep it up, keep the streets safe and continue to build relationships with those they share a “home” with.

This seems like such a simple concept, yet it is something I feel we are lacking in many of the neighborhoods of Lansing. I would love to see our “neighborhoods” of Lansing truly become communities within themselves- have people who happen to live in the same area get to know one another and become true neighbors. And it starts with each of us.

I love tea! And company! Come on by and say hello!

I challenge you to get to know your neighbors this week. Introduce yourself. Strike up a conversation. I bet that once you do, you will feel more comfortable in your community space. And I also bet you will start to realize little things we can all do to make it a better place for us all, whether it be to call the cops if you see someone who is not your neighbor hanging suspiciously around a neighbor’s house (and you will know it is not the owner, because you will have taken the time to learn who it is that is living in your community!) or just say a simple “hello” that could potentially make someone’s day.

So go ahead, Lansing, let’s build up our community one neighborhood at a time! And if you happen to live on the east side, come on over for some tea on my front porch, I’d love the neighborly company!

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After being gone for a week, I immediately went to Hilltop and embarked on a 2 hour guided meditation class with studio owner, Hilaire Lockwood. I’d been sitting in my car for the last four hours, but I didn’t mind sitting for another two. She guided me through beaches, the road less traveled, my family history, and dedication. I smiled, I cried, I felt grateful for everything in my life.

Next, I bicycled back home along the river trail, taking in the sight of the fallen leaves, kids throwing rocks into the river and neighbors walking their dogs. 

I make it home, say ‘what up’ to my cats, unpack my suitcase for the 4^th time this month, enjoy a glass of mango orange juice with my housemate and then off to a friend’s house to make fajitas, catch up and have a group study date.

It feels so good to be home because I feel the love in this city.

As I travel the eastern seaboard, sometimes thinking I’m missing out on what the rest of the world may have to offer, I realize that every time I come home from weeks of travel, I’m always back where I need to be.

Even though I’m here for less than a week before my next adventure, I’m excited that my days are already filled with a birthday celebration at the local Irish pub, a visit to my favorite local bicycle shop, Spin Cycles, a meal at the new local artisan diner, A Fork in the Road, teaching yoga to the sunrise at Just B Yoga and a yoga asana practice to live music with artist Girish at Hilltop.

Thank you Lansing for everything you have given me over the last year. Taking me in, providing me the opportunity to make a home here, and having me feel proud to call this place my home, no matter what metropolitan I may find myself in. 

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If this quote sounds familiar to you, then you’ve probably been around me in the past couple of months.  If not, then let me give you some back-story.  Two months ago, I suffered a knee injury, tearing ligaments in my right knee.  It’s been an uncomfortable two months, wherein I was desperate to get out of the house and interact with other people, but also been extremely uncomfortable whenever I did so.  Car rides were miserable. Especially because I’m a better driver than everyone else and haven’t been able to drive for two months.

Yet whenever people asked me how I was doing, I’d answer with “Worse things have happened.”  I knew that my injury was going to be a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.  I knew that people have suffered far worse injuries than I have, or suffered far greater loses than loss of mobility in one leg.  I also knew that people didn’t want to hear me say “I’m f***ing miserable. I’m tired of sleeping on the couch.  I hate not being able to carry my own dishes to and from the kitchen. I hate that going to the bathroom is an exhausting ordeal.”  Yet, those were all real thoughts that went through my head.

I also hated the fact that my friend Thomas, who felt responsible for the injury, felt so torn up about the event that caused the ligament tears.  (A bit of advice for all of you: Don’t wrestle people who know Judo if you do not know Judo.)  He tried to pay for my emergency room visit. We refused, and not just because I’m lucky enough to have a wife who is a nurse which offers us excellent insurance benefits.  He insisted on other ways to “make it up” to me.  However, he did nothing wrong, and I refused.  He did state that he was going to buy me a “s**t load of beer” at a recent beard and moustache competition we were both in attendance at.  I relented, because I knew he was going to keep offering things, and I happen to really, really like beer.

Throughout this whole ordeal though, I’ve been humbled by the generosity of my friends, as well as strangers.  I’ve been offered the most comfortable chairs in the house.  Doors have magically opened for me everywhere I’ve gone.  People who may have normally avoided gentlemen with giant beards have offered their empathy and shared stories of similar injuries.  My friends Ian and Kate purchased two fanny packs for me to cart around my various snacks, drinks, and a bottle of Tylenol 3.  It is the most hilarious, yet practical, gifts I’ve ever received.  And my wife, Kate (different from my friend Kate mentioned above, but also my friend…my best friend in fact) has done the best she can hiding her disgust with my insistence on doing things for myself that I had no business doing for myself while on crutches.

But now, I’m off crutches, and have graduated to a cane.  And not just any cane, but one built by Jack L. Smith, Jr., SSG (Staff Sergeant) – U.S. Army,  a man I’ve never met.  On April 26, 1989, Jack was killed during a training exercise for the Persian Gulf War.  While I never had the chance to meet Jack, he has had a profound impact on my life, more so than most.

You see, Jack is my wife’s dad.  He helped raise her, helped shaped her world view, and is largely responsible for who she has become today.  And who she is today is someone who is not only beautiful, but fiercely intelligent, hilarious, kindhearted, generous, incredibly stubborn, and my best friend.  She is my favorite.

Using Jack’s cane offers me a connection to him.  And as he is, in a large part, responsible for who I am today, it makes me smile to know that even though I’ll never get a chance to meet him, that he is helping hold me up today.  And I never would have been able to connect to Jack in this way if I hadn’t injured my knee.

You see, it’s all about perspective.  When life gives you a lemon, make Cran-Apple Juice.

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The SlutWalk movement was born this past Spring in Toronto, Canada after a police officer told a group of college women that if they hoped to escape sexual assault, they should avoid dressing like “sluts.” An angry group of young men and women took to the streets to rally around an end to victim-blaming, many dressed in bras, corsettes and other attire that our culture perceives to be “slutty” or “suggestive”. (To be fair, there are also many protestors who take to the streets in jeans and hoodies.) While these invidividuals march, they demand an end to blaming the victim for their assault, while hoping to strip the world “slut” of its misogynist sting and reclaim female sexual power. This grassroots movement has spread from Toronto to over 70 cities worldwide, with activisits turning to social media to organize.

To start, I think it is great to see so many young activists rallying around such an important cause. We live in a world where women are blamed for their own assault. (I am using gendered language here, because in most instances, victims of sexual assault are female and perpetrators are male. I recognize that this is not always the case, yet, for the sake of writing, I plan to use these pronouns.)  We are taught that conforming to a standard of beauty that is unattainable for most is advantageous, yet when one looks or acts sexy, they are “asking for it.” In our world, “no means no and yes means yes”, unless the woman is “playing hard to get.” Or really wants it and just doesn’t know it yet. Or has had an alcoholic beverage…or two…or three. Or is wearing a revealing outfit. Or let her partner get to first base…or second… or third.

Okay, you get the point.

There always seems to be a “gray area” when discussing a sexual assault, when in reality the question asked should be did the victim consent? No? Then it is sexual assault. Regardless of anything else. End of story.

This group of feminists is angry. And they damn well should be.

While taking to the streets may not be creating policy change, it is most definitely creating social change in my opinion. According to Samhita Mukhopadyay, Executive Editor of Feministing, an onling feminist blog,

“Sometimes the purpose of activism is in the theatre, in the noise and in the exaggeration….Women marching around in “slutty” outfits (when they do, I have heard they don’t completely and the point is really about wearing what you want) yelling about injustice is in a way a type of mockery of conventional ideas about sexuality that is wholly refreshing. For many a young woman, a Slutwalk could be the gateway drug to other feminist thought and activism and we can’t deny the power and importance of this.” (quote taken from this article)

SlutWalks are shedding light on an important issue and getting conversation started. Many young men and women are plugging themselves into the movement to end sexual assault and stop victim blaming and could very well become more invested in the movement after participating in a SlutWalk. Grassroots organizing is taking place on a whole new level, incorporating virtual organizing as well as taking to the streets to reclaim sexual power. While it is true that we most definitely need more mainstream approaches to end violence against women, I think Emily May, Executive Director of Hollaback, an organization dedicated to ending street harrassment, highlights the significance of grassroots movements like SlutWalk when she says,

“Nonprofit mainstays like conferences, funding and strategic planning are essential to maintaining change — but they don’t ignite change,” she says. “It’s easy to forget that change starts with anger, and that history has always been made by badasses.” (quote taken from this article)

So yes, the SlutWalk movement is filled with angry badasses, but I am not naiive enough to say that this is an all encompassing, feminist movement.

For many, the word “slut” is something that does not ressonate with them. Slut is a word that is associated with white women, and women of color are often more affected by other misogynistic terms, like “hoe.” Not to mention, for some the importance of dignity in public is unquestionable, and associating with a movement that encourages one to protest in scantily clad attire if they so choose, is just not a movement some women can take part in. I think this piece from the Huffington Post, which is an open letter from black women to SlutWalk organizers, puts it best when it declares,

“We know the SlutWalk is a call to action and we have heard you. Yet we struggle with the decision to answer this call by joining with or supporting something that even in name exemplifies the ways in which mainstream women’s movements have repeatedly excluded Black women even in spaces where our participation is most critical.” (quote taken from this article)

So, I am curious, Lansing- what do you think of the SlutWalk movement? Will you be participating tomorrow?

If so, the march will get started at The Rock, located on Farm Lane on the campus of Michigan State University from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The march will continue on the the MSU Union.

Whether you agree with the movement or not, I think the idea behind SlutWalks is one to get on board with and am proud to see so many young feminists rallying around such an important message.

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My soul told me that I had to produce a beautiful, respectful art show that “celebrated” people with flesh decorations.  My soul told me that the goal had to be to improve the definition of the human family, to bring people together, to create new support groups, to make new friends, to improve understanding that would make first contact more loving.

These words are taken from Suellen Hozman about her latest photography exhibit at Art Alley in Lansing, MI. I had the pleasure of attending the opening ceremony two weeks ago and I left it in absolute awe of her work. Suellen is a Lansingite and a sweetheart with a loving personality. She is among the dying breed of photographers who are still shooting and developing film. I met her a year and a half ago at a lecture and I was immediately drawn to her way of making people feel comfortable. Suellen takes truly stunning and captivating portraits, and uses available light to capture her subject. The people she photographs seem incredibly at ease in front of her lens; however, this comes as no surprise since Suellen’s bubbly personality is the perfect ingredient for making insta-friends.

The Fleshtones exhibition is a perfect example at how skillfully Suellen is able to capture her subject’s personality. Her portraits are engaging and tell stories beyond what words can describe. This photography exhibit is a celebration of our flesh and how each of us live in our skin in unique ways. Each image in this show is a portrait of someone with skin decorations ranging from beards, wrinkles and tattoos to aleopecia and albinism.

The show is especially interesting because these portraits are accompanied by autobiographical profiles of each of the subjects about their life experiences in their flesh. Suellen told me that this is the subjects’ exhibit as much as it is hers. Each of these profiles are presented adjacent to the respective portraits and each subject use used their raw, unedited voice to describe what their flesh means to them.

Suellen hopes that this exhibit will give the audience a glimpse beyond a person’s skin. Almost everyone in the exhibit had gone through a transition when they abandoned influence by societal norms regarding what they should look like. This exhibit was a reawakening about our visually-centric judgements for people we see.

I highly recommend visiting this local exhibit. I feel fortunate to have visionaries like Suellen in Lansing and the luxury to see exhibitions like this just a few blocks from Downtown Lansing. The exhibit will be running until October 12 and the gallery can set up viewing times by appointment.

NOTE: Suellen has is very respectful of people she photgrahs. She has asked that we also respect these digital versions of her image and not copy them.

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I hate to admit it, but it’s true—Lansing has not felt like home sweet home until recently. Not until Sunday June 13^th to be exact. So why did I wait until late August to tell you about it? And why have I been writing about loving Lansing on the Lansing Collective if I didn’t truly and genuinely love Lansing until two months ago? Well, for two reasons: 1) I have been in an intensive 8 week yoga teacher training for the last two months, and 2) I was ‘loving’ Lansing because I knew my time here was temporary. The former has made an impact on the latter.

Hilltop’s 200 hour yoga teacher training program was the medium through which I realized that I truly and genuinely LOVE Lansing. For 8 weeks I spent every Friday from 5-10pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 7am-5pm with a group of 9 other people, all of which were Lansing residents at some point in their life, to dig deeper into yoga philosophy, and thus, dig deeper into ourselves and our lives beyond the yoga mat. You wouldn’t think that yoga teacher training would have such a therapeutic element to it, and most people have asked me ‘why’ that is after the fact, but I assure you, yoga is not yoga, unless you are truly in it. That is how I came to realize that unless I stopped thinking of living in Lansing as temporary, I could never fall in love with being here.   

My Amazing Lansing Family

It was the Sunday of our first weekend in training. The sun was creeping through the windows of the beautiful Old Town studio as I sat with everyone who had decided to dedicate the next 8 weeks of their lives to this practice. I realized in that moment, that whatever it was that I didn’t like about Lansing did not matter. What mattered was that I lived in a community that took me in when I needed a place to be and that I had the opportunities to be heard and make it home. I have everything I need, but never knew I wanted– I have amazing friends and neighbors. I live in a beautiful home that is incredibly affordable. The river trail allows me to ride my bike to work in under 20 minutes. I can eat locally from several food trucks right outside my work every week. I get paid a living wage to advocate for a better life for all Michigan residents. And I can walk to the river, the local ice cream shop, the barber, a donation-based yoga studio, the Michigan Brewing Company and the City Market all in under a half an hour. The list goes on, but sometimes I forget, and yoga helps me remember that I am here and not somewhere else, for a reason.

The 619 Household

Yoga means ‘yoke’ or union. Yoga is different for everyone, but fundamentally, it’s about coming back to a place we have already been, to remember what we already know, and to ultimately find ourselves again. It’s easy to forget how distracted we can become and how lost we can feel within our own thoughts at times.

So yoga not only helped me find home, it helped me…well, find me. Now, I can truly say that I love Lansing.

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The event turnout was great and there were stellar beats being dropped by DJ Rachael and Jake Pechtel, plus absolutely delicious celebratory treats provided by Bake ‘n Cakes and The Purple Carrot Truck and great shots being taken by the one and only Khalid Ibrahim!

We at the LC are so thankful for everyone who came out to celebrate, our amazing sponsors for donating entertainment and treats, and all of our readers/support base for helping us do what we do and shed light on the city that we love! We have had one fantastic year! Keep on reading and we can guarantee bigger and better things to come!

Enjoy some pictures from the event and keep it real, Lansing!

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I grew up in Kalamazoo. I went to Plainwell High School, had good friends, and did silly things. Until a few years ago, saying “I’m headed home” meant I was going to Kalamazoo. My transition to Lansingite was a slow one. Lansing didn’t become my home because of time spent here, or buying a house. I knew Lansing was home when I met Betsy Weber and Robin Miner-Swartz.

But, Jess! Those are people! They’re not things!

Yep.

But, Jess! You’re nuts! Do you even know what home MEANS?!?

Yep. And, yep.

You see, what makes Lansing my home is the amazing people I’m surrounded by. People who don’t talk about doing things, they actually haul their kiesters up off the couch and do something. Robin and Betsy embody this idea, and they motivate others around them to do the same.

SCIENCE TIME!**

Say something to Robin on Twitter. @robinmswartz. Go ahead, try it. Anything at all. You’ll get a response. If you’re being a jerk, however, hold onto your pants, because you might hear about it. Trying to get something done? Try Robin. Looking to brainstorm ideas about how to improve the Lansing area? Again, Robin.

Ladies, if you’ve ever thought about wanting to do something, but feared the glass ceiling, Betsy’s your girl. She’s a force, not only locally but worldwide. If you say you can’t, she’s the first person to tell you you CAN, and show you how. And while she’s telling you how much you can do, she’ll organize social events at which you can do the stuff. Seriously. Knitting happy hours, tech camps, user groups, photo walks, geek field trips, Michigan Girl Geek Dinners, tweet ups, Ignite Lansing… the list honestly goes on and on and on. Lansing is NOT a boring town, and Betsy has a lot to do with that.

But, Jess? What do these two awesome sounding chicks have to do with Lansing being your home? Have you sustained a head injury?

Think about it. Robin tells you WHAT to do, while Betsy tells you you CAN do it. Couple this with some friends and the will to make a difference? You’re unstoppable.

If you’re on the fence about Lansing, I dare you go go out there and try something new. If you need ideas, talk to Robin and Betsy. Then go out and make an effort. Get up off your couch, put down the remote and go enjoy your surroundings. Go to Cravings Popcorn, or go shopping in Old Town (Grace should have its own category in my household budget). Grab some lunch at the Soup Spoon Cafe, or a beer at Michigan Brewing Company. Look at the city from a different perspective. Once you’re fed and happy, do something to give back. Pick up some trash, plan a fundraiser, plant a tree. Stop by Lansing Happy Hour or attend a TweetUp.

If you don’t like Lansing? It’s because you’ve never tried. Robin and Betsy are the ones who taught me that Lansing can be whatever I make it. So that’s what I’m doing. I’ve never  been happier. #lovelansing

**Not really.

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During this last year we have been joined by incredible writers like Anika Fassia,  Ken Kingery and the famous Jess Knott; each of them bring a unique voice and unrivaled sass. I can’t go on without mentioning John Buckler; he is an *incredible* personality and an even better writer. I have learned a lot from each of the contributors. As I spend more time with them, I feel fortunate to be living in this city. Look forward to posts with Anika, John, Ken and Jess’s signatures.

To celebrate our one year anniversary we are having a celebration at the Waterfront Bar and Grill‘s patio in Downtown Lansing. DJ Rachel and Jake Petchel; two of Lansing’s best DJ’s will be spinning hoppin’ tunes. I am resisting a digression about how much I love DJ Rachel with Herculean strength . . . Gah! I freakin’ LOVE this woman! She can read the dance floor like no other and spins the most perfect tunes. She also has an amazingly loving and giving personality. If you haven’t met her yet, you should.

The Purple Carrot Truck and Bake ‘N Cakes have generously donated gourmet cake pops and cupcakes for the event and Waterfront Bar and Grill has given us the warmest welcome. We really hope you can join us for this celebration.

What: The Lansing Collective Birthday Bash

When: August 24th, 2011 (WEDNESDAY) at 7pm

Where: Waterfront Bar and Grill

325 City Market Drive| Lansing, MI 48933 (Map)

Much Love,

The Lansing Collective

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For those of you that do not know, my sister moved to Chicago this summer. She gave in to the alluring lights and sounds of the big city and left mid-Michigan to start her life in a bustling and hip neighborhood of Chi-town. (Along with countless other friends, there was a mass exodus from Lansing to Chicago, I swear…)

My sister and I in Chicago

Naturally, I have ventured into the city on a few occasions this summer to spend long weekends with my sis and her roommate (who just so happens to be one of my best friends) and fell for the appeal of the hipster parts of the cute little neighborhoods- the vegan bakeries, bike friendly streets, locally owned pubs, boutiques and restaurants lining every street, the fashion of the passersby as I dove into my pitcher of brunch margaritas- needless to say I felt I knew exactly why so many of my friends and acquaintances have left the small streets of Lansing to start fresh in a bigger Midwest town. That is until I hit the road to reluctantly return to my home in Lansing. That’s when it happened.

As I got into about hour two of my three and a half hour trip, my heart began to flutter. I started to think about the amazing community of people we have here in Lansing. I thought about the fact that while we are lacking in veg friendly restaurants and bakeries, could use some work making our city more bike friendly, and the city is a bit lacking in terms of crowds on the streets (unless it is around noon Monday through Friday or a Thursday evening near Tavern on the Square or Wild Beaver Saloon…and I won’t even get into my beef with that Saloon…), I realized that what is most wonderful about our city is that we get to be the catalyst in remedying the aforementioned issues. We see what we want to change to make our city even better and we get to be an active participant in making that change happen, whether it be by supporting fresh faces in the race for city council candidates (and get to actually meet and/or hang out with them to boot!), attending city council meetings to advocate for better bike lanes/racks, joining organizations like the Mid Michigan Environmental Action Council, patronizing locally owned and delicious establishments such as Decker’s, Soup Spoon Cafe, Sawyer’s, Golden Harvest, etc., shopping at the MSU farmstand, Allen Community Farmer’s Market, City Market, or grabbing a quick bite from one of our amazing food trucks around the city. Obviously there are no shortage of ways to become involved in making our city the best it can be!

Me and my city!

It was approximately when I took the exit to 496 Downtown Lansing that it hit me. My heart is here in Lansing. And while I cannot say that I will never move to a neighborhood in Chicago, or anywhere else for that matter, I can say that Lansing is my home sweet home. I love the people here. I love the sense of community here. And I love that I can get to where I want, whether by foot, bike or car, without fighting crazy traffic and anxiety inducing crowds.

For the time being my heart will reside in Lansing and whether I stay or go, a piece of it will forever live on here.

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The Vixens proudly repping Lansing in the 2011 Michigan Pride Parade! Photo by Ryan Knott

Hi there. I’m Jess. This is my first post for the Lansing Collective. I’m an instructional designer, a 2010 Lansing Chamber of Commerce Ten Over the Next Ten recipient, a TEDxLansing organizer, and several times a week I beat the living heck out of my friends in the name of sportsmanship.  Perhaps I should rephrase that first sentence. Hi there. I’m Addie Mortem, #93 of the Lansing Derby Vixens.

Here’s the thing about roller derby: it’s more than a sport. Don’t even know what derby is? Watch this video to get the gist. What you don’t realize is this: when you’re asking me

Not giggling during photo shoots is the biggest challenge in roller derby. Photo by Jena McShane

whether I punch girls in the face, or if I’ve broken any bones, I’m happy to talk about it. But what I really want to be telling you about is what a positive force in the community my teammates and friends are. I want to tell you about the thousands of dollars we’ve been able to raise for charities like EVE, Gateway Community Services and the Capital Area Humane Society. I want to tell you how much fun my derby sisters, brothers and I have had this summer volunteering for events like Be a Tourist in Your Own Town, the Hawk Island Triathlon, Ele’s Race, Max’s Race, Potter Park Zoo’s Wild One Run and Relay for Life. I want you, in your encounters with the Lansing Derby Vixens, to feel the heart-swelling joy we feel when we hear not only “Great win, ladies” but also “Hey! Wow, you guys have really been volunteering all over this summer!”

Our volunteering tasks are varied. At the DeWitt public library, we told stories to kids at story time. For the Wild One Run? We cheered on future athletes as they ran the race. I was at the halfway point of the course, and it was amazing to see what a little encouragement could do to motivate the tired, straggling children as they worked so hard to get the best time possible on their mile. Making them laugh, or seeing them speed up when we told them they should keep trying so they could be Vixens themselves one day was amazing.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ll gladly chat about the adrenaline, the pain, the hard work, and the

Cake fight to celebrate our one year birthday, May 2011! Photo by Kevin Fowler

time I broke a girl’s collarbone. I’ll go on until I’m blue in the face about our first season’s 6-2 (so far) record, and how we’re so proud to be surprising leagues throughout the midwest with our level of play.  Why? Because when we win we win for Lansing. When we lose, we show the other team that Lansing embodies class and sportsmanship. When we win an afterparty, we win it for Lansing, because we want people to know what a warm, embracing community we represent.

So, what’s the point of this over-wrought, weepy-emotional-sappy post? It’s this: how can the Vixens help? Where should we be? What are the causes that are important to you? The #lovelansing movement is the heart and soul of our mission. Please pipe up in the comments below, let us know how you can help us share your visions for Lansing. Help us bring it home.

You still have one more chance to see the Vixens in action at home in 2011. Dazed and Contused: The Lansing Derby Vixens versus NEO Roller Derby takes place this Saturday at the Lansing Center. Come check it out, and as you’re watching the action know that there’s so much more than booty blocking and hard hitting happening beneath the surface.

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This kernel of truth comes from the mind and experiences of John Krohn. And if anyone has the perspective to speak intelligently on the subject, it’s John.

Born in Las Vegas but raised in Stockbridge, a small town roughly halfway between Lansing and Ann Arbor as the crow flies, it didn’t take long for John to strike out on his own. After graduating high school, he spent a year in college at the University of Hawaii. He’s lived and worked in California, and toured with bands all over the country and across Europe.

But in the end, he chooses to call Lansing his home.

“I loved living in Hawaii; it really changed my outlook on life,” says John. “The economy is terrible there. Most people live multiple generations in one household. It’s not the American dream we think of where everyone has a big old house. It’s different, but it’s great too. They live poor but they live happy and slow. Hawaii has its charms but Lansing has its charms too.”

For John, Lansing’s charm was the local music scene. In 2003, he made the permanent switch to Michigan’s capital and began recording local bands in his home studio. He started by recording his favorite bands for free to get experience, build a network and help out the local music scene. Once he built his reputation, John expanded his budding record label Lower Peninsula Records.

Some of his records do very well while others lose money. However, it’s all the same to John. Most bands in Lansing can’t afford the high prices of most recording studios, and the project is really a labor of love to grow the local music scene.

In the meantime, John also was busy going back to school. Beginning at Lansing Community College and finishing at Michigan State University, he earned a degree in Environmental Policy and Political Science. After graduating last May, John immediately jumped into a job with AmeriCorps.

“It’s not really a job, though, it’s volunteer service,” says John. “You get paid less than five dollars an hour. But I knew that I would meet a lot of other people that were really involved in what’s going on in Lansing while trying to make it a better place, so I thought it would be a win-win situation.”

It certainly has been a winning situation for Lansing. John teaches sustainable agriculture and health nutrition in a school in southwest Lansing for kids who have been involved in the court system. The program tries to help these kids who otherwise likely would fall by the wayside.

Though the program’s end goal is to get the kids a diploma, John’s role is more specific. He describes it as basically teaching urban farming. In about an acre of space, John has a small farm planted with kitchens, compost heaps and a few animals. The farm markets some of its produce and uses the money to employ some of the kids who show the most interest in the garden.

John isn’t just about growing vegetables, young minds and the local music scene, however. He also wants to make a bigger difference in the city. As if he weren’t busy enough, John has thrown his hat into the ring as a candidate for an at-large seat on Lansing’s City Council.

“I’m the sort of person that sticks my neck out and does things. I always have been. I’ve always taken initiative to do things when nobody asked me to, I just want to help,” says John. “I believe in getting involved wherever you are and trying to make it a better place. I didn’t really feel like I had the time to do it right now, but knowing the kind of person that I am, I knew that I would never feel like I had the time. But I at least feel that right now I’m not too committed – I don’t have a family or anything like that. I just turned 30 this past year and I have a lot of energy still, so I feel that it was as good a time as any to start getting involved.”

The issues John speaks about most often are home ownership and cooperation in Lansing. He wants to see more programs to help people move into homes so that they have a vested interest in making their neighborhoods a better place and so that the city can raise some revenue through a larger tax base. And he wants the neighborhoods and downtown areas to begin to cooperate more – to realize that it’s not an “us versus them” game.

“Even if people realize that there are a lot of great houses that are inexpensive in Lansing, it’s still very intimidating, and the process is still very intimidating for a class of people that frankly aren’t college educated,” says John. “They’re intimidated by paperwork; they’re intimidated by meetings with people who wear suits and ties. I think we’d see a great return on investment if we’d invest a little bit on really reaching out to those people. Not just saying. ‘Hey it’s available, just come to us and we’ll help you,’ but actually going out to those people and saying, ‘Hey would you like to own a house in Lansing? How can we make it happen?’

“Meanwhile, some people want to complain about tax incentives for businesses because those people are already millionaires and we’re giving them tax breaks. They want to know where their tax break is. Well, they’re also spending millions of dollars on making the town a better place to live. And over time, their investment of millions of dollars is going to equal millions of dollars of revenue for the city through taxes and added business expenditures. People will be working there and frequenting local businesses, and all of that helps pay for the essential services that people in neighborhoods rely on. It’s all part of the same system, and there hasn’t been enough understanding of how it’s all part of the big picture. There have been these factions and people want to fight, like it’s the neighborhoods versus downtown, and it’s not.

“I work from the ground up. I work in the neighborhoods with volunteering and trying to support the local art, culture and expression scene, but I know we also need the top down too, which is the investment. It requires both kinds of solutions. A lot of people want to tell you that one way is the way to go and that’s all there is. We have real divisiveness in politics and it’s not helping anyone. You see it in the council, you see it in the nation, and it’s unhealthy.

“We have this tremendous asset next door with the University. It brings in tons of money and tons of talent and energy. And the more we do to make Lansing a cool, appealing, safe, community-oriented place to live, the more those talented and energetic individuals are going to want to stay here.

“To me, living in the city, buying from local businesses, starting your own business here in Lansing rather than somewhere else even though the taxes are a bit higher – it’s all worthwhile. It’s all part of building momentum. There has to be a certain amount of density for things to really happen. I think people would find that if they put their money where their mouth is and move into Lansing and invest their business here in Lansing that we’d reach critical mass and really become a world-class city.

“I don’t agree with some of the decisions that she’s made, but Carol Wood has done an excellent job being in touch with her constituents. Being responsive, answering phone calls, going to neighborhood meetings and other avenues are all lines she keeps open. I want to be just like that except I also want to vote in an intelligent way on things that are smart for our city. I have my cell phone here that’s my constituent hotline where people can always call me and I’ll answer. If I can’t I’ll call them back. I want to be super accountable and super accessible. I want to work for the people in a way that is not so divisive.

“Some people want to make it out like it’s like the little people versus the big people, us versus them, but no, it takes everyone. The rich people have investment that they can offer that benefits us all. And those people also need to know that it’s the poor people that keep them rich. It’s a big system. But rich or poor, everyone has the opportunity to talk to me, no matter where you live, whether you’re downtown or deep on the south side, and if anyone wants to meet me I’ll make it happen. I’m sure that if they take the time to meet me, that they’re going to like me.”

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Not to mention someone who enjoys four-hour bike rides.

Born and raised in Haslett, Rory loves the state and region she is from. However, it didn’t quite have everything she needed to stick around for college, i.e., a school with a women’s hockey team. So she packed her bags and headed for Connecticut, where she played hockey for Yale University and discovered her love for community development.

“I first became engaged in community development and urban policy issues in college,” recalls Rory. “New Haven is actually a city that is in many ways a lot like Lansing. It’s a little bit bigger, but it has some of the same challenges. It has a manufacturing history; they used to make Winchester rifles there. And now it’s kind of trying to rebuild itself into a city that can compete in a 21^st Century economy.”

Rory pursued her new-found interest and graduated with a degree political science before moving to Chicago. There, she worked for a nonprofit organization that helps low and moderate income families through programs like the earned income tax credit and asset building. But before long, she decided her ambitions would be best served by going back to school.

After a year in urban planning at the University of Pennsylvania, Rory decided she preferred to work less on design and more on policy. She made an educational change and moved back to Chicago, where she earned a masters in public policy from the University of Chicago.

After graduation, she decided to take all of her knowledge and experience and bring it back to the area she grew up in and loves.

“I really have enjoyed moving back here,” says Rory. “The city has changed a lot and I think there’s really exciting things that are happening here. There is a lot of potential regionally for Lansing to be a really vibrant place.”

Initially, Rory worked for the Michigan Environmental Council, but didn’t feel her position’s responsibilities had the focus she was looking for. She left for a year-and-a-half to join a national organization to work on safe routes to school issues. But when an opportunity came up back at her former place of employment that matched her skills and goals, she jumped at it.

Rory recently began a second stint with the Michigan Environmental Council, where she coordinates a transportation coalition called Transportation for Michigan. It’s comprised of a diverse array of organizations from faith-based and equity organizations like the NAACP, to entities interested in transportation with an economic development angle like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the coalition is to focus on improving transportation in Michigan so that the state is more vibrant as a whole.

“It’s nice to be working on Michigan issues again,” says Rory. “I mean, that’s the whole reason I moved back here. I’m from here. I care a lot about this state. Chicago is a wonderful place to live but my heart wasn’t really in it. It’s nice to be engaged in Michigan issues again.”

Aside from her job working on state-wide transportation issues, Rory has also taken an active role in local Lansing issues as well. Besides joining several community boards, she is beginning her third season as a coach for a 12-year-old city league soccer team and fighting her self-described “problem” of collecting bicycles.

And now, by throwing her hat into the ring for an at-large seat on the City Council, Rory hopes to get involved in the cities future to an even greater degree.

“Because we have several higher education institutions, we have even more cultural activities than other cities and regions that are bigger than us have,” says Rory. “There’s a lot to do – there’s too much to do – which I think is wonderful. Unfortunately, I think some of the current leadership on council is disconnected with the momentum and the energy that is growing in the area.

“I think the tenor and the tone of council right now is too often negative. There is great momentum here and I think council should reflect that. I want to be a person who is coming to the table to find solutions. You can’t just say no. If you want to see something done differently you have to have a vision for how you’d like to do it.

“I talk about it through a lens of walking or biking, but I do a lot of work on place-making. People in this economy are choosing where to live first and then getting a job. So we need to be an attractive region. And it’s not just about economic development; it’s about being socially connected to other people and living a healthy lifestyle. I think we too often ignore the connection between our health and lifestyles and the types of communities we live in. I believe this is a great place to live and could be even better.

“We live in a very competitive global society now and people want to live in the cities again, especially in the U.S., and it’s exciting to see young people want to live in cities. I think we have to be competitive and we don’t have a lot of time to waste. We have to be pushing the envelope to attract people to want to live here and work here. And I think we need a bit more of a sense of urgency.”

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Whether dealing with the challenge of a new consulting gig as the CEO of a company he founded, building a new small business incubator from the ground up or running for an at-large seat in Lansing’s City Council, the framework for meeting the challenge stems from the time spent on the floor with his father.

“I relate business to board games,” explains Tom. “The ideals and strategy needed to succeed always stay the same, but the rules change. Once you understand the rules, though, and know how the strategy works, you can be successful at anything.”

Born in Bath and a product of Michigan State University’s psychology department, Tom certainly was not always on an entrepreneurial path. After graduating, he worked the store fronts of several East Lansing businesses before enrolling in the University of Phoenix’s online course for an MBA. But it was a path he never finished walking, due in part to an internship he landed in the Human Resources department of Neogen Corporation.

For the first time, Tom was given complete freedom on a project. He was responsible for the research, development and execution of a training curriculum for employees. Though the company didn’t have a full-time position for him after it was completed, they were impressed enough with his work to keep him on part-time as a consultant, and Tom’s first consulting firm was born.

Over the next couple of years, Tom helped with similar work of organizing thoughts and ideas into executable plans and communications for the State of Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources and the MSU Fish and Wildlife division. But the doors to his first private enterprise closed when he was hired by the Demmer Corporation, a major outfit for military vehicles. However, just two years later, the position turned out to be a bad fit, and Tom began looking to reopen his consulting business.

Though he wanted to help small business in Lansing thrive, there was a major obstacle.

“Small businesses have a hard time hiring consultants because there’s no shared risk,” said Tom. “They can like what I tell them to do or hate it. It can work out well or it can fail miserably. But either way they owe me money for my ideas.”

The solution was the consulting firm Commonwealth Enterprises, founded in 2009. Instead of money up front, the agency negotiates for a small share of ownership of the company.

That way, if his ideas suck, it’s his own ass on the line.

A year-and-a-half later, Commonwealth Enterprises has four businesses under contract with another two on the way. One company – The Rock Star Factory – is spearheaded by Tom’s former boss at Demmer. The company’s goal is to match job seekers with job openings based not only on their technical skills, but their fit with the company’s culture and climate.

Or as Tom puts it, “It’s like eHarmony for jobs.”

Other ventures include a local video production company called Good Fruit Video and Tom’s own baby, the Center for New Enterprise Opportunity, or NEO for short.

NEO is the result of an attempt to build bridges and communications between the different business incubators in Lansing. As Tom soon found out, however, there was a glaring problem; there was really only one already operating in Lansing.

So he set out to build another one for small businesses.

Currently under construction at 934 Clark Street, the NEO Center already has commitments to fill the top floor of the facility that features shared business services like consulting and legal advice as well as shared physical services like printing and a giant slide.

Hey, everyone needs a break now and then.

All of these experiences have led Tom to take one more step in his quest to serve his community; he’s running for an at-large spot on the Lansing City Council. His decision to run was not an easy one to make, but it’s one he stands firmly behind for all of the same reasons that he’s still in Lansing in the first place.

“I feel it’s time for new leadership in the council; new perspectives and more professionalism,” says Tom. “I currently see a lot of personal agendas being put in front of service to Lansing, and I feel it needs to be cleaned up a little.

“Win or lose, I’ll still keep doing what I’m already doing. I feel running for City Council is just stepping my commitment to Lansing up another notch. It’s a lot of time and hard work, but it’s worth saying yes to the opportunity for the sake of Lansing.

“I don’t think Lansing is the place for someone who just wants a job. It’s not for someone who’s content with being just another face in the crowd. Between its proximity to cities like Detroit and Chicago, to great beaches around the state and to educational opportunities at LCC and MSU; it’s a perfect storm. And we need to figure out how to make all of that work for the city again.

“There’s a spirit in Lansing; a change in the winds. Our generation is taking action; inspiring each other and feeding off each other. The more people start walking the walk, the more people start to catch on. There are friendly people and great neighborhoods here. The night life is growing slowly but surely. There’s a lot of momentum, and I want to do everything I can to make sure people notice and jump on board.”

To learn more about Tom and his bid for City Council, visit www.tomforlansing.com or his business incubator’s website at www.neocenter.org.

And remember to vote for whoever you want to represent you in City Council at the primaries on August 2.

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Downtown Lansing Inc. (DLI) asked me to take photos at the annual Taste of Downtown event this past weekend. As I scan through these images I am realizing that this was a well organized and really fun event. This summer was the second time around for the Taste of Downtown, with last summer being the inaugural event.  There was something for adults and children alike. There were more than 1,000 people in attendance, and it was great to see so many people packed downtown!

Tickets for Taste of Downtown were $15; attendees got a wine glass and food tickets upon entry. The event took place on Washington Sq, with a few bocks of the street blocked to accomodate all the festivities. Restaurants from the principal shopping district came together to present the best of what they had to offer, and they exceeded expectations.  In addition to great food from Lansing’s best restaurants there were around 100 wines to choose from. To top it off, the air resonated with tunes from from Kuugana African Drum & Dance, Hot Club of Lansing, Third Coast Steel, and Orquestra Ritmo. There was also a kids corner with Nifty the Clown and face painting.

I bike through downtown pretty often, and patron many of the local establishments, but I was shocked to see all the different kinds of food Lansing has to offer in one place. There was everything from Troppo’s  delectable cannoli and Eden’s Juice’s smoothies, to soup from the Nuthouse. Anqi sushi had one of the busiest stalls at Taste of Downtown. In fact, I even met a few people who used all their food tickets on sushi alone!

Since I don’t drink, and it would be unfair to write a post about Taste of Downtown while omitting the great wine that was available, I called upon one of my favorite Lansing foodies; Tim Schmitt, to discuss some of the highlights of the wine tasting at the event. He eagerly responded and said he is always “happy to talk about booze for [his] non-boozy friends”!

Hello Sir, I saw you volunteering at the Taste of Downtown this weekend. How did you like the event?

Loved the event. This is the second time they have done it and I have volunteered at both. The crowd was great this year and really excited to try new wines. And the food this year was really good. Chilled watermelon soup on a hot day…divine.

What kind of wines did you have to offer?

I worked two different tables: one with mostly red wines and one with mostly white. I served a Malbec, a Shiraz, two Cabernet Sauvignons, four Carmeneres, 5 Chardonnays, a bottle of bubbly, Pinot Grigio, a white blend, and a red blend. Throughout the event there was about every kind of grape you could imagine being served. There was even a table of just Michigan made wines, which was great.

What was your favorite wine at this event?

2009 Casillero del Diablo Carmenere. I actually tweeted @DowntownLansing to make sure they got some Carmenere wines and they added four! This grape has a really cool history (check it out) and is a very accessible red wine. Since they had four of this varietal, I had to make people drink all four to try them out. The fourth of the group, a Marques by Casa Concha, was phenomenally good and I will definitely be enjoying a bottle of that in the future.

Summers in Lansing are filled with so many great festivals! I saw many other Lansingites at the event and I’d love to hear your thoughts on Lansing’s Taste of Downtown! Feel free to share your take on the event in the comments.

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(Okay, so the first aid gear wasn’t quite that ridiculous.)

The event I’m speaking of was the 2^nd annual running of Dirty Feat, Lansing’s own adventure race. Armed with a map marked with checkpoints and a list of clues, teams of two set out to locate each point and stamp a piece of paper at each to prove they were there.

So it was with great gusto that I sped off with my fearless partner, Cheryl, in my Vibram FiveFingers on my borrowed mountain bike from the starting gates at 8:00 AM, while most of the city was still warm in bed.

I should add that the Sisu Swampers (our team name) was lucky enough to have scored a sponsorship for the race. The notorious Yooper Steez was kind enough to design a brand new shirt for us, and provide us with a couple at no cost, in addition to some 906 stickers.

Starting line photo courtesy Tim Potter's Facebook page. Thanks Tim!

Early checkpoints included the top of the funky parking garage in downtown East Lansing, Bailey School (the first school built in the city), and The Rock on MSU’s campus. After quickly brushing myself off after a failed attempt to jump a curb – which I obviously can’t do – all three of the first checkpoints in East Lansing were quickly completed. The map next featured a series of checkpoints along the River Trail, beginning just south of I-496 and continuing down to Hawk Island Park.

It was at this point that Cheryl and I, being so familiar with Lansing and thinking ourselves clever, decided to take a short cut, stick to the roads, and come at the checkpoints from the south. Unfortunately, there are a lot of fences, trees and weeds in the way, and the idea failed miserably. We convinced ourselves – and several other teams – that one of the clues intended us to hit up a compost heap filled with logs, woodchips and sawdust at the north end of Fidelity Road. As you can see in the picture below (click to enlarge), we were painfully close to the River Trail, but could never quite get to where we were going.

Demonstration of how close - yet of how far away - we were.

After wasting way too much time, we plowed ahead by circling back around to the River Trail and found the two checkpoints we spent so much time searching for in the wrong spot. They turned out to be on small dirt trails running south of the River Trail. It was fascinating, though, because I’ve run that section a countless number of times and never realized the trails were there.

To pick up our spirits, we quickly knocked out a series of check points in Potter Park Zoo. The clues included the Latin names of the animals where the flags were located. I had never run through the zoo before, but it was a great experience and a ton of fun.

Nearing the halfway point in the race, we motored south on the River Trail to Hawk Island park, picking up several check points hidden off in the forest along the way. Once at the park, we hopped in a row boat and headed to Hawk Island to pick up two more check points. Actually being on the island is somewhere I never thought I’d be!

Cheryl and I at the Hawk Island checkpoints.Check out those awesome uni's!

All that remained was a series of “urban” points in downtown Lansing, a few outliers in REO Town and Old Town, a canned food drop-off at the Greater Lansing Food Bank, and a couple on the way back to East Lansing.

However, that was when tragedy struck.

Something got caught in Cheryl’s wheel, causing her to stop suddenly and fly over the front of her handlebars. I had a similar experience earlier with the curb, but I was lucky enough to escape with scraped and bruised palms. Cheryl, on the other hand, ended up with a fractured radial head in her elbow, a slightly dislocated shoulder and a torn ligament, and our race took a detour to the Lansing Urgent Care.

Though we didn’t hit all the checkpoints, Cheryl toughed it out and we still managed to eat some fresh fruit and drink some Founders and Shorts beer at the finish line before everyone went home for the day.

Despite the unexpected detour, Dirty Feat 2011 was an amazing event. Some teams were competitive and out to win it all, others were on a leisurely stroll to explore the city, and some even stopped for lunch (or so their team name claimed!) The course took me places I’d never been before and the clues taught me things I never knew, like Stevie Wonder went to the Michigan School for the Blind formerly located in Old Town.

Smiling during the race, and still smiling after despite the difficulties!

What also struck me was how helpful and positive everyone was. After the accident, everyone passing by stopped to offer help, despite the fact they were on the clock. And during the race, other teams offered helpful hints and clues in order to help find the check points, even though we were their competition. The finish line was full of happy, smiling faces who had just completed a 4-6 hour event and loved every second of it.

I love that I live in a town that has an event like this and is full of people who want to participate. I’m fully looking forward to next year, so look out for the return of the Sisu Swampers!

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So many places to go in Old Town!

It has been more than awhile since my last post, but I am pleased to say that I have not had time to write because I have been so busy enjoying all that Lansing has to offer now that the nice weather has arrived! I would like to meet the person who says there is nothing to do in Lansing… just this weekend alone brought “Be a tourist in your own town”, a chili cookoff, Meridian Township and Old Town Farmer’s Markets, art exhibit openings, Lansing Lugnuts, the Hawk Island Triathalon and more to our great city! While I was out of town for part of the weekend, I decided to take Sunday to explore the capitol city on two wheels. I want to share what a spring weekend in Lansing looks like with you all!

My new ride, all locked up in Old Town

To start off, I want to note that after many months of pondering the idea of a new bicycle, followed by a few weeks of intense research on the kind of bike I wanted, and a visit to almost every bike shop in the Greater Lansing area for test rides, I decided to purchase a new ride! I did this so that I can commute around town in a more eco-friendly way, while taking in my surroundings at a slower pace and enjoying the amazing weather. I settled on a 2011 Specialized Crossroads Sport Low Entry, which I purchased from Denny’s Central Park Bicycles in Okemos and I could not be happier with my decision! Denny’s Central Park Bicycles has a huge selection of every type of bike imaginable, and a large staff of friendly individuals that are willing to go above and beyond to help you out! This weekend brought the first of many explorations of the city on two wheels, and like Khalid has mentioned in an earlier post, it is really a one of a kind experience!

I headed out early Sunday morning and started the day with a leisurely ride around downtown Lansing and all of the lovely neighborhoods. When I commute by car I go from  point A to point B, not necessarily taking in my surroundings, but when I was on bike, I rode through streets I have never been down and took the time to discover new routes and areas- it was a lovely start to my day.

Biking through Lansing!

Next up was a ride to the Absolute Gallery in Old Town to check out the opening of a new art exhibit, Fleshtones. Fleshtones is an absolutely amazing display of portraits, and accompanying stories, taken by Suellen Hozman, which explores the concept of flesh. According to the description of the project:

“We all have flesh, we all have our own flesh color, and we all have flesh decorations including that horrible pimple I had in the middle of my forehead on prom night. But I’m not a pimple, I’m Suellen first. Let’s celebrate people first. When I was a child, I picked out the Crayola crayon labeled “flesh” and held it next to my flesh. It didn’t match my flesh. Stereotypes tend to exclude individuality. Flesh comes in infinite colors and decorations. All are individually beautiful.”

The crowd at Absolute Gallery

I walked into a packed exhibit, just a tad past noon, and while I expected a wonderful display, I was still taken aback by the beauty I was surrounded by. Each portrait was beautiful, and I was especially moved by the brave stories that accompanied each one. The exhibit really makes the viewer question their pre-conceived notions about flesh and how they treat others based on those notions. This exhibit was moving, thought-provoking and left me with renewed sense of pride in my own flesh. I encourage you all to visit it, the exhibit runs through June 30th at Absolute Gallery located at 307 E. Grand River, Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. (To read more about this exhibit, check out this great City Pulse piece!)

The Purple Carrot Truck

My delicious salad, loaded with beets!

After an hour at the exhibit, checking out the art and mingling with friends, I walked across Turner st. with my bike securely locked up on a parking meter, to grab a bite to eat from Lansing’s own Purple Carrot Truck! This food truck stands as “Lansing’s first farm to table food truck”, according to their facebook page, and offers a changing menu of local, farm fresh food on a daily basis throughout the city. The location of the food truck changes, so it is wise to follow them on facebook or twitter (@eatpurplecarrot) for their daily location and menu. This was my first experience with the food truck and I was greeted by a very friendly woman who helped to whip up a Michigan Beet Salad, at a reasonable price ($6), which I enjoyed at a picnic table across the street. While they were out of the carrot cake pops, which were highly recommended to me, I would say that I was beyond impressed with my lunch and plan to visit them again in Old Town this upcoming Wednesday (and try my much anticipated cake pop!)

After my lunch, I walked back over to the Old Town Farmer’s Market, located at the corner of Turner and Grand River, where I browsed the stands and picked up some cage-free, farm fresh eggs and dino kale! While there seemed to be less variety at this farmer’s market than

Old Town Farmer's Market

the Allen Street Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays, there were still some great products and many smiling faces!

After my lunch and a bit of shopping at the market, I walked on over to Craving’s Popcorn, where I picked up a tall bag of signature and white cheddar popcorn mix. I figured it would be a great treat for later in the afternoon on a break from riding along the River Trail! At that point I spent the next hour or so just biking along the trail, taking in the scenery of the beatiful day in Lansing and greeting many of my fellow River Trail bikers along the way.

My basket of goods from the day!

As the afternoon wound down, I took a detour to visit my friends’ beautiful new home on the west side of the city before heading back home.

I will say that the city is completely renewed upon Springtime- there are people everywhere and events every weekend. Even though I took off on my bike solo, I ran into so many friends out and about in the city (shout out to Suban, Julie, Kyle, John, Kate and Stef!), it is hard not to be overwhelmed by the simple joy of running into people everywhere you go while living in a small city!

And while I am sad that I missed some of Saturday’s great Lansing events, I would love to hear all about them in the comments! Do any of you have #lovelansing weekend or biking stories!?

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Last year a group of Lansing residents, local officials and graffiti artists took a decapitated motel and turned it into one of the coolest attractions in town. Deluxe Inn was a motel in REO Town and was planned for demolition in late summer. Until that fast approaching demolition deadline the motel was an eyesore for hundreds of people who drove by it everyday.  Deluxe Inn was located at the gateway from Downtown Lansing into REO Town and was an ill-representation for what REO Town has to offer.

In order to turn this abandoned building around, local organizers invited some of the best graffiti artists from all over the US and a few artists from abroad. With the seemingly omnipresent hissing of spray cans, the motel’s blank walls were converted into a giant piece of art. A once abandoned building became a major attraction. Local residents went there for picnics, photographers took models there to take advantage of the ambiance and others pulled in right from the highway to see all the art.

When the time came to demolish the building, I wasn’t alone in feeling a huge sense of loss. Seemingly overnight we were to lose a beautiful display of art. The demolition was inevitable and eventually the building became a flat piece of land.

In celebration of Hip Hop week and graffiti, the REACH studio art center has organized an event to display the works of Tom Sheerin, a local artist that has created new art on 3D wood and metal sculptures. Pieces from last years graffiti project will be installed on 3D metal sculptures along REO Town’s commercial corridor on Washington Sq. “The materials used go hand in hand with REO Town. It has a rich history in industry and by recycling and reusing materials it is acknowledging that history,” Sheerin said.

Tom Sheerin has some other pieces juxtaposed to Lansing landmarks:

• “Live, Work and Play” at Holt park (Holt and Aurelius)
• The Hubcap project at Friedland Industries
• Tin Can’s sign (Michigan Ave)
• Our beloved Geno’s Pizza sign (Washington Ave)
• Ernestos Hideaway’s sign (Washington Ave)
• The Katalyst Gallery sign (Turner Street)

Future plans are being made to have an annual event where graffiti artists are invited annually to create new art for the sculptures and continually renew REO Town.

The Lansing Collective will be at Deluxe Inn Graffiti REO-vised tomorrow in order to check out the amazing work Tom Sheerin has to display, as well as support the REO town renewal efforts. We hope to see you there!

Here are the details:

When: Monday, May 16 · 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Where: Art Alley (1133 South Washington Ave. Lansing, MI 48910)

Why: Because hip-hop and graffiti go together like chai and biscuits . . . I mean . . . coffee and scones.

This event is sponsored by REACH Studio Art Center and REO Town Commercial Association, with the support of the City of Lansing Arts & Cultural Grant Program funded through the Lansing Economic Development Corporation with help from the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, Inc

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April 13^th, 2011 was just the day this city needed to wake from it’s winter slump and remind us all what mid-Michigan has to offer. That afternoon brought sun shining on residents from all over the state gathering together to make their voices heard on the capitol lawn. In the evening, the sun set to yogi’s practicing together at an art gallery to a local DJ surrounded by art made affordable for working people.

I couldn’t have asked for a better day and a more solid validation to why I have been able to find home in Lansing.

The “We the People” rally was being held to provide a forum for residents to speak out against recent bills being proposed in the legislature. Even though I was saddened and angry about what has been happening to low to moderate-income residents in Michigan, from the proposed elimination of the Earned Income Tax Credit, the proposed time limits to the Family Independence Program (cash assistance), the upcoming 6-week reduction in unemployment benefits (Michigan was the first state to enact), and the attack on collective bargaining rights, I was really grateful to see the thousands of people that came to defend their rights.

I left the rally feeling inspired and determined to move forward in our collective attempt to preserve the rights of workers and the poor. With this new determination flowing through me, I hopped on my bike and pedaled down Washington Square to REO Town, my neighborhood, and where the Just B Yoga studio was holding it’s first fundraiser. I wouldn’t normally have the energy after a full day working at a rally to be ready to embark on a 2-hour yoga session, but the sun was shining after being dormant for four months and the city was crawling with advocates, both things that fill me with positive energy.

Community yoga in Lansing started in the basement gym of the Shabazz Academy, a charter school in the Moore’s Park neighborhood. In order to give back, and thank the Shabazz academy for helping Just B Yoga be what it is today, Yoga Solstice in the Alley was being held in their honor.

Yogi’s with various skill levels gathered into the beautiful Art Alley studio space to practice to the beats of DJ Rachael, surrounded by art from local resident Juanita Kennedy, and be rewarded with catered food from the local gluten free company, Feed Your Karma, and quench their thirst with beer from the Michigan Brewing Company.

Photo Courtesy of Jena McShane

The fundraiser was closed out by some inspiring words from local artist, Juanita Kennedy. She said that she takes pride in creating art for the hardworking people in Lansing and that if she has to work three jobs, she is here to stay.

Let this day be a reminder to us all that even in such tough times, when working families in Michigan continue to struggle, and our voices don’t feel heard, that we have each other and our communities.

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In an effort to increase our visibility, revamp our image, and increase involvement with the community, the Lansing Bike Co-op is hosting a logo design competition. Entries are due by May 1, 2011.

The Lansing Bike Co-op (LBC) is located in Basement 414, on Jay Street, right off of Cedar St. behind the Nuthouse.

“The LBC empowers our community through bicycle education and access. We provide a welcoming space for taking transportation into our own hands.” Our tagline is “Love your bike; fix your bike.”

Open bike repair hours are Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. during winter months, and Wednesdays and Thursdays during the summer. We host bike maintenance classes with teachers from around the community on a monthly basis.

Four finalists will be selected to be reviewed by LBC’s board of directors. The winner will be announced at the end of May.

Winners will receive complimentary bike tune-ups at the LBC, t-shirts and other gear with the logo prominently featured, and your winning design and brief bio on our website.

Below is our current logo. We are open to all new ideas, color schemes, and graphics. Let your imagination run wild!

Please send entries or questions about the contest to capitolcitybikecoop@gmail.com or you may post them as comments on our facebook. We can’t wait to see your great ideas!

To learn more about your local bike co-op, check out their website, their facebook, and their twitter.

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While I choose to live a vegetarian lifestyle (and will share why), there are plenty of other ways to consume cruelty-free food, while supporting sustainability- particularly buying local, “Meatless Mondays” and becoming an “ethical omnivore”, not to mention vegetarianism/veganism.  In this post, I plan to take a few minutes to detail these options for you, and share ways to purchase local, cruelty-free products in Lansing, so I encourage you to take some time to read on!

Why go cruelty-free?

I came across this article approximately one month ago by Mark Bittman in the New York Times, and it really got me thinking: why do we treat animals raised as pets so differently than we treat animals raised as future food? In short, Mark examines the fine line between “companion” animals and those raised for food, questioning why a pig that is raised as a pet has protection against, say, a pet owner kicking it; whereas a pig raised to become someone’s breakfast bacon has no real regulated restrictions as to how they can be treated. Many people, including industry farmers, agree that “animals are sentient, thinking, feeling beings, often with complex emotions, abilities and relationships”, as expressed in this piece from Yes! Magazine. So why do we not recognize them as so? Perhaps we lose the connection of animals being sentient beings in the process from seeing them on a farm to seeing our pre-packaged hamburger in the grocery aisle at Meijer? Whatever the reason, it is important to recognize that the industry, rather than lawmakers, get to define what constitutes animal cruelty; which in turn leaves many animals on industry farms left to live a short life of torture before being processed for our consumption. (For more details on these practices, visit this PETA site. Warning: the images are graphic.)

How does industry farming affect MY health?

Besides the animal cruelty factor, eating meat from animals raised within industry farms can be dangerous to our health. According to the PETA website,

Animals on factory farms generate many times the amount of excrement produced by the entire U.S. population, and this waste pollutes the air we breathe and the water we drink. Every second, our nation’s factory farms create roughly 89,000 pounds of waste, which contains highly concentrated chemical and bacterial toxins—all without the benefit of waste-treatment systems.

Don’t buy the PETA statistics? Well let’s try this one from a 2009 report from Worldwatch Institute,

… it is estimated that livestock production generates close to 51 percent of global greenhouse gasses.

These contaminants pollute the air we breathe and the water we drink; yet due to the dirty game of politics- and the industry big whig lobbyists, whom fight for no regulation of these pollutants- no such regulations for this are in place.

What can I do to practice a cruelty-free, responsibly minded eating practice?

1.) Well the first recommendation would be to go veg! This can mean going vegetarian- eliminating meat from your diet, or vegan- eliminating all animal product from your diet (including dairy). It is much simpler than one may think to eliminate meat from your diet. Replacing meat with protein-rich foods such as eggs (if non-vegan), beans and tofu can be a delicious and healthy way to fill up. Not to mention, buying whole grains (like quinoa or barley) and beans in bulk can add up to just pennies per meal, which is a bargain!

2.) If cutting meat (and potentially dairy!) out of your diet is just not a possibility for whatever reason, you can always limit the amount of meat that you consume by practicing “Meatless Mondays”.  A 2008 Carnegie Mellon University study showed that avoiding red meat and dairy one day a week achieves more greenhouse gas reductions than eating a week’s worth of local food. Experiment with your meals just one day a week by eliminating meat on Mondays and creating vegetarian meals for yourself, family and friends!

3.) Another option would be to become an “ethical omnivore”. While this may seem like an oxymoron to some, there is a movement that exists to buy one’s animal product from local, sustainable farms, that treat the animals humanely and process their product in conscious ways.

It is important to note that responsible consumption also inlcludes buying local!

Buying from and supporting local farmers is a very important element of responsible and sustainable eating practices. This site does a great job of breaking down the many reasons why buying local is pertinent, but I will highlight a few. First of all, in terms of creating a sustainable community, it is increasingly important not to rely on large corporation-run farms (agri-business) to genetically modify our produce, while using cheap labor to do the harvesting, then ship the product across the country (and sometimes world!) so that we can then make dinner. When we do this, not only does the majority of our money leave our local economy, but we lose many of the nutrients from those fruits and veggies in the shipping process. This is simply because in order to have an appealing, ripe product on the shelves of our grocery stores, those fruits and vegetables need to be picked up to a week prior! So why not put the majority of our dollars back into the Lansing economy by buying fresh produce from local farms? This way we know where our produce is coming from and can purchase organically grown vegetables while supporting local businesses!

So, where can I purchase my produce and cruelty-free meat around Lansing?

I took this question to the #lovelansing community and received many wonderful responses!

1.) I’d first like to share an amazing website my friend Ash turned me onto- Local Harvest. This website allows you to type in your city or zip code and then search for  farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other products. When I did a search for meat near Lansing, I got a result of over 500 options! While not all of these options are going to be the most “convenient”, since many of the farms are outside of the Greater Lansing area, it is a great way to find options and farmers markets around town!

2.) Another great way to get cruelty-free meat came from my question to ethical omnivores on twitter! I was told that Creswick Farms does drop offs in Lansing 10 Saturdays a year! If you are able to plan your meat purchases out and buy in bulk, I think this is a very convenient option!

3.) Then there are your local farmer’s markets throughout the summer, including the Old Town Farmer’s Market, MSU Student Organic Farm Stand and Meridian Township Farmer’s Market, among many others. And then, of course, there is the Lansing City Market for year-round local goods!

4.) Yet another great option for fresh, local produce year-round,or seasonal, is to become a member of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. Here is how it works: a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. There are some great options for purchasing a CSA in Lansing on your own, or with others. The most highly recommended seem to be shares from Titus Farms and the MSU Student Organic Farm.

5.) Lastly, if you simply want to purchase cruelty-free products at your local grocery store, you can look for cage-free, vegetarian fed eggs, various brands of soy/rice/almond milk and vegan dairy in specialty sections. I’ve also learned that certain brands of chicken are for sale at Meijer that is certified humane. For meat to be truly certified humane, it must be labeled as so, and you can easily locate where certified humane meat is available here. While these items may be a bit more expensive than their less-humane competition, I happen to think the cost is worth it. ( Note: I understand that some may not be able to afford the privilege of purchasing specialty items, but I wanted to put all options on the table!)

Happy Eating, Lansing!

I hope that you will find this post to be helpful in preparation for the opening of many of Spring’s farmer’s markets and farm stands! And if it causes you to think about your consumption habits more than before, then I will consider my summary to be successful! Meals should be a time to enjoy the company of friends and family, fuel your body and/or create a sense of joy- and if we can do this all while being responsible for our planet, supporting our local farmers, respecting the animals that give their lives for our meals and helping to create a sustainable environment, then I think we will all be better off! So…happy eating, Lansing!

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In a matter of months, I’ve met several amazing people and have become involved in various efforts around the city. However, one aspect of Lansing will always stand out to me, and this is the story of how I came to find it, or how it found me.

During my first month living in Moore’s Park, I came across the community garden one day, and saw the sign for the neighborhood association. I went to the website and learned about a weekly, community-centered, FREE yoga class at a school nearby. I was sold. This yoga class was my first exposure to a future community and continues to be my present salvation. Belinda Thurston, now owner and founder of Just B Yoga, a donation-based studio focused on community-centered yoga and tai chi, had a presence that was captivating, a yoga style that was nothing like I had experienced before, and a welcoming spirit that kept me coming back.

As a frequent new resident to cities across the Lower Peninsula with a career in politics, my life is always on the move, and my need for community is rarely met. Yet I found it, in my backyard, on my mat, with others and with myself.

I practiced yoga for 7 years prior, but not until Belinda’s community yoga class did I really experience the empowerment and calm that my yoga practice now provides me. As a cyclist, I started practicing yoga to strengthen my core, but I found out soon enough that physical strength alone would not get me through 90 minutes of intentional breathing, postures of pure balance, and standing on my head. Belinda’s community-centered yoga movement has inspired me to reach into the depths of my practice both physically and mentally, taking me to a new level of physical activity, release and stillness.

Belinda started her vision of community-centered yoga with a weekly class and almost a year later has started her own studio with a following that has her turning people away due to an overflow of aspiring yogi’s filling her unique space in REO Town.

The people I’ve met and those I’ve taken to Just B Yoga are all motivated by this experience, now viewing yoga as an attainable and valuable practice for anyone willing.

The appeal is simple; we practice together, not just next to one another.

I urge you to explore this new movement that is happening in Lansing, you wont regret it.

You can find out more information from their website: JustBYoga.com.

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