About Town -- Photographer, David Vernon

If you ever have the opportunity to learn a thing or two about photography from David Vernon, do yourself a favor and seize it. He is an amazingly talented and extremely patient soul who will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about lighting, composition, and art. And, grain silos, abandoned buildings, and city dumps. He's just good like that. 

He's also one of my best friends in the world and I am excited for him that he was the inaugural story on a new blog called Playing in Peoria, by another local photographer, Craig Stocks. David is a photographic legend in these parts and we are lucky to have him sharing his talent and experience with all of us in the community. 

To see David's work and read about what's happening in the world of Central Illinois photography, visit his photography site and blog. 

Congratulations, David!

About Town - Jim Henson's Fantastic World Exhibit - Lakeview Museum

When I heard Jim Henson's Fantastic World exhibit was coming to Peoria's Lakeview Museum, I knew I had to attend. I was able to stop by on Tuesday and was captivated by the variety of drawings, videos and artwork displayed. 

From the museum's website: "Jim Henson’s Fantastic World offers a rare peek into the imagination and creative genius of this multi-talented innovator and creator of Kermit the Frog, Big Bird and other beloved characters. The exhibition features original artworks, including drawings, cartoons and storyboards that illustrate Henson’s talent as a storyteller and visionary. Among the variety of exhibition objects are puppets, television and movie props, photographs of Henson and his collaborators at work and original video productions, including excerpts from Henson’s early career and experimental films."

I was expecting, and was not disappointed by, the drawings and puppets on display. It was inspiring to see a simple pencil sketch and how it was transformed into a three dimensional character with a personality. What I wasn't expecting, though, was the number of items showcasing what I referred to as "the other side of Jim Henson." I didn't know before walking through the exhibit that he had developed other types of film and created other types of art. Two things really stood out to me, the first being a film that he created in 1964 called, Time Piece. It was an unusual and unique film of images, that didn't entirely flow together but somehow it did as your brain processed what you were watching. You can see a clip from Time Piece here. 

The second thing, and the one thing I most wanted to bring home was a three-piece collection of silkscreen on paper titled, Hilarity, Melancholy and Conceit, in which Mr. Henson "represented human emotion through visual metaphor." The art was simple, yet so impactful. I stood mesmerized for several minutes on this one display alone. 

I should confess right now and admit that I've never seen an episode of Sesame Street. Yes, I know who Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster and Elmo are but that's just from their appearances on other shows and random videos I've seen on YouTube. It's amazing how pervasive those characters are in the media, even outside Sesame Street, which is a testament to the marketing and business savvy of Mr. Henson and his production company. But my lack of pop culture viewing aside, I have always had great respect and admiration for Jim Henson and his work. I think anyone who makes learning fun and widely available to children all over the world is a hero. His talent and creativity cannot be denied and he will forever be a legend in his field. 

Jim Henson's Fantastic World is on display at Lakeview Museum through May 1, 2011 and the hours are:

• 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tue., Wed., Fri., Sat.
• 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Thu.
• Noon – 5 p.m. Sun.
• Closed Mondays

The museum is located at 1125 W. Lake Avenue, Peoria, IL and admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors aged 60 and over, and $4 for children 3-17. 

Another Plug for The 3/50 Project

Saturday I stopped into one of my favorite shops (a locally-owned and independent business, I might add) to look for a gift and check out the winter sale items. The place is like a candy store to me. I want at least two of everything whether I need it or not, so it wasn't surprising that when my total was rung up, I had spent close to seventy dollars. 

However, the credit card machine was not working and as fate would have it, I hadn't brought my checkbook and had only a few dollars in my wallet. Before I even had a chance to get sad and ask for a minute to say goodbye to all the lovely treasures I was going to have to leave behind, the owner told me it wasn't a problem. I could take the bag of goodies and just mail her a check later. 

I'll let that sink in.

This woman who didn't know me, knew only that I had patronized her business before, (and knew that because she took the time to talk with me during my visits), let me walk out of her shop with quite a bit of merchandise that I didn't pay for and had no idea if I ever would. I'm still flabbergasted. 

I'm not promoting the idea that everyone should manage their business like this because let's face it, you could go to the poorhouse pretty quickly if you were a bad judge of character... however, how refreshing and uplifting to know that somewhere in this cold, cynical world there is someone who believes in the good in people. Someone who believes that putting good karma into the world is what brings the greatest joy in return. Someone who thinks seventy dollars is a small price to pay for the chance to make a loyal customer for life. 

Try finding that at a national chain store. 

The 3/50 Project

I'll be the first to admit, I love shopping on the Internet. I appreciate the convenience, the delivery right to my door and the fact that I can do it all while sitting on my sofa in my pajamas. If I were to tell you how much I spent with Amazon last year, you would be shocked. I would be embarrassed. It's just so darn easy and almost anything you can think of is right there at the click of a mouse.

But, I am also an independent business lover. If I'm going to buy locally, I'm going to support independent businesses over chain stores whenever I can. I prefer locally-owned eateries like Cyd's at Junction City, One World on Main, or Freidalicious in Morton over any restaurant chain. If I want a cup of tea, I'm certainly not going to Starbucks. I'll head to Eli's in Morton or Leaves 'n' Beans in Peoria Heights. The same for furniture and appliances. Our locally-owned independent retailers are usually always able to meet or beat the big box store prices and their customer service is usually going to be over and above what anyone else can offer. I'm not saying you won't see me in Target or Kroger or Walgreens because you will but when I can, and the merchandise is available at independent shops, I do my best to patronize them. 

To help support our local businesses, I wanted to pass along some information I found about this organization called The 3/50 Project. The 3/50 Project started from a blog post written about two years ago by a woman named Cinda Baxter. I'll let you read more about that on The 3/50 Project's website, if you care to. Essentially, what this project is asking people to do is spend $50 a month in three of their favorite local independent businesses. You don't have to spend $50 more than you already do, or $50 at each of the three stores... just funnel $50 of what you would spend anyway into local businesses, rather than national chains or online. 

From the website, I learned for every $100 spent in locally-owned independent businesses, $68 of that remains in the community. If you spent the same amount in a national chain, only $43 stays here and if you spent that online, no money benefits your local area. See? It's good for you and your neighbors. 

Who is with me? Can we all agree to try to spend at least $50 of what we would normally spend anyway at our favorite local independent businesses? There are some amazing shops out there that I think we all want to see stick around and where we choose to spend our money directly impacts that. 

I'd love to hear what your favorite locally-owned independent businesses are and what makes them special to you. Do you think you could spend $50 a month at your favorites?

About Town - Relics

I can't remember when I started following this local business on Facebook but I do remember thinking "I really need to find this place and stop in." Today I got my chance. The moment I opened the door at Relics, I was enchanted with the whimsy and the impressive variety of items on display. I found everything from hair accessories to antique mirrors, from books on creativity to an old manual typewriter, and from refrigerator magnets to a Victorian casket stand. There were jewelry pieces, scarves, lamps, artwork, chests, stamps... and I'm not even scratching the surface. 

As I was browsing, it struck me that this would be a place that Lorelei Gilmore would probably frequent, although her taste tended to be more kitschy and Relics is more funky and hip. Where Lorelei had a monkey lamp, Relics had a lamp base that looked like a stack of glass bubbles. You can see the difference...

The shop owner, Deb Opyd, greeted me warmly when I entered and chatted with me while ringing up my purchases. She told me that the shop had been in this location since May and was pleased to learn that I found her shop on Facebook. We talked a bit about the neighborhood I'm wanting to move to (which is quite close to the shop) and she agreed, it's completely charming. (I ask everyone I see about the town and haven't heard a negative comment yet. Good sign!)  I will definitely be coming back to Relics, for the shopping and to support such a friendly, personable owner. I imagine with the eclectic pieces they had today that the merchandise changes frequently so it will be fun to see what's there next time I stop in. 

Relics is located at 3410 NE Adams Street, Peoria, IL and is open 10am-5pm Monday through Friday, 10am-3pm Saturday, and closed on Sunday. They have a website here and can be found on Facebook here. 

(Photo from their Facebook page)

About Town - I Know You Like a Book

I would rather do anything than mention a Meg Ryan movie but even I have to admit that there are two redeeming qualities to You've Got Mail, in an otherwise mundane Nora Ephron plot:  

• Brinkley, Tom Hanks' character's dog, (even irritating men are lovable with a dog like that) and,
• The Shop Around the Corner, the longstanding bookshop that was driven out of business by the big, bad Fox Books. (F-O-X... okay, the kid was cute, too.)

I have watched the movie a handful of times and every time I am mesmerized by the concept of a tiny, independent bookshop, surviving for decades on the endless book-loving knowledge of its staff and its tiny patrons and their parents. The movie portrays an image of a bookshop that, let's face it, is rare to find these days. 

There are a handful of bookstores in the Peoria area and other than the Big B's (Barnes & Noble and Borders) most of them deal exclusively in used books. I don't want to disparage the name of any local business because anyone making it in this trying economy deserves kudos and patronage, however, some would do well to take lessons from I Know You Like a Book, the delightful little bookshop in the downtown area of Peoria Heights. (And have you ever heard of a better name for a bookshop? I didn't think so.)

If ever there was our own The Shop Around the Corner, I Know You Like a Book is it. You are greeted warmly every time you enter, the rooms and shelves are meticulously orderly and clean, you are directed exactly to where you need to be to find the book you're looking for and the staff will not only have comments on the books you've selected but will also tell you what other books you are going to want to read based on what you've chosen. If for some reason you can't find what you're looking for, they will gladly order it for you. The shop is a large supporter of local area authors and at least once a month has one in to promote their current release and to sign books for shoppers. They also put out a newsletter on area reading/writing news and host the monthly meeting of the Midwest Writers' Group. 

I Know You Like a Book sells both new and used books and offers a warm, cozy atmosphere that is much like wandering into someone's den, rather than a business. You can even have a glass of wine and pet the affable store mascot, Ringo, the dachshund who will most likely be lying in his bed beside the counter. All in all, you will enjoy your time there, even if you leave empty handed. I can't speak to that personally as I have never left without a bag of books, but I am sure that it is true. 

I Know You Like a Book is located at 4707 Prospect Road, Peoria Heights, IL and is open 10am - 6pm, Monday through Saturday, with special holiday hours during the Christmas season. Street parking is available.  You can find them on Facebook here. 

Looking for a Hug

When I moved into this home eleven years ago, it felt like me. It probably sounds ridiculous but the moment I stepped over the threshold the first time, it felt like the house hugged me. I knew I was going to buy it at that moment, before even seeing the rest of it. Thankfully, I loved everything about it, from it's angled walls and vaulted ceilings to its dark cherry cabinetry and curved staircase. Everyone who came over said the same thing, "It looks like you, Debra." 

I'm not going to say that the decision to buy this house was completely emotional because it wasn't. I also knew it was going to be a good investment. It has a two car attached garage, three bedrooms and two and a half baths so it is a perfect size for a range of buyers. It's also in a good location in a town known for the quality of its schools and affluent community. When I refinanced this year, the appraisal showed I had been right so yay, let's hear it for increased equity.

However, while I still love my place, it hasn't felt so much like me in recent years. I've been wrestling with moving for quite a while. Part of me wants to sell everything, quit my job and move to... and that's where I get stuck. Move to the mountains? The ocean? The city? They all sound equally appealing depending on my mood that day. And what about a job? I could quit my job and hope to find something in a place I would love to live which would most likely mean significantly less pay in a higher cost of living area. So, yeah. I had better love that new job because it would be the only thing I could afford to do.  I've looked for jobs within the company in many different locations but I'm either too far up the salary grade ladder or, you know, not an engineer, so the jobs options are slim the farther you get from headquarters. 

Or, my other option, and the one I'm favoring now, is to continue to live and work here so I can afford to do all the things I love to do... like weekends in Chicago and trips to Maine and the UK and whatever else I care to do. It just seems to make the most sense, financially and personally.

However, there's still the matter of this house and feeling the need to move. So, I think I've found a great compromise. There is a place here locally that I would love to move to. I've always gotten a great vibe from the neighborhood and last weekend I was able to spend several hours in one of the local businesses and actually witness the interactions of community members. It reminded me exactly of one of the Chicago neighborhoods that I love to visit. It has some beautiful little bungalows with wooden floors, dormer windows and enough character to keep me entranced for a long time and it has everything within walking distance that you could possibly need... restaurants, shopping, library, bookstore, grocery, drugstore... just like a city neighborhood. 

Now I just need to find a realtor and start seriously looking at homes. I don't have a pressing need to move so I should be able to take my time and find that perfect little cottage that will feel like the me I've become. And as crazy as it sounds, I'll know it's the one if I walk across the threshold and it hugs me. I can't wait to find it.