Right Now Downtown

THE REAL DIVINE MS. M

Meet Melissa Fast.  She’s officially on board at Capital Crossroads SID as Marketing Director.

Officially, she started last Monday.  Unofficially, she’s been supporting the downtown community for years.

As a local patron of the businesses, restaurants and arts scene, the new director has long celebrated the city’s core as its crowning glory.  She says, “I want to help promote the fact that it is a destination – whether it’s for a cup of coffee in the afternoon or a night of entertainment.”

She continues, “I really want to do my part to make sure that people embrace the fact that downtown is a cool place to be.  I think it’s important for the experience to be easy for people so they want to keep coming back.”  It’s everyone’s neighborhood.

Her favorite downtown finds have stories behind them – like the treasures from Pearl Market.  In fact, the Pearl Market itself is a great place to find a story.  The shops were just highlighted in The Columbus Dispatch… and the market caught the national spotlight when the Associated Press picked up the story for distribution.

Downtown Columbus is indeed a place with a great story.

DECISIONS ARE MADE…

Decisions are made by those who show up.

That’s usually a political battle cry – a call to voters.  In this case, it’s an earnest invitation… for TONIGHT.  As stakeholders in the future of our downtown, the whole community has been invited to participate in the core planning process for the next 10 years.

Leaders like Mayor Coleman, Councilman Ginther and Guy Worley, Director of the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, will be in attendance to begin the meeting; and MSI’s Keith Myers will provide analysis and a review.  And then?

And then it’s up to you.

According to Columbus Downtown Development Corporation’s Amy Taylor,

“It’s all about the participants.  We’ll have eight breakout tables with various topics, including revitalizing High Street, transit, mobility and connections around downtown.  This is where the public will really take over, answering questions and sharing their thoughts about strategies and goals to continue downtown’s renaissance over the next 10 years.”

She continues, “If you can’t make it to every table, or if you think of great ideas after you leave the meeting, we’ll have opportunities for feedback through our web site.”

This is it!  This is your chance to show up, your chance to be a decision-maker: Tuesday, March 2, 6 – 8 pm at Columbus State Conference Center.  Visit downtowncolumbus.com for details and a free parking pass.

ARE YOU FUNCTIONALLY FIT?

Yeah-yeah, you can do level seven on the arm machine, and your toes are seriously mighty on the calf thingy.

But are you functionally fit?  Can you move your body with power and intention through a healthy range?  Downtown Columbus is now home to Fit Club (15 W. Cherry Street), a facility and a community of people that are dedicated to real fitness.

The studio offers group interval training, yoga and mixed martial arts (and private appointments too).  Owner Mitch Potterf describes the set up.  “We’ve got barbells, kettle-bells, sand bags, heavy bags… things similar to what you might actually have to pick up in the real world.”  That’s what functional fitness is all about – developing the strength and skills for a healthy, effective body.

Potterf holds several professional certifications, including one as a CrossFit Trainer… and if he sounds serious, it’s because he IS serious.  He admits that the classes require hard work from the participants.

Any yet, Fit Club works with people from all starting points.  “Our classes are scalable for everyone.  We meet you at your level.”

How functional is functional fitness?  Members of Fit Club got to test out their skills in one of the biggest downtown snowball fights this season; you can read all about it, as well as the schedule for Fit Club classes at ohiofitclub.blogspot.com.

PUT SOME SOUTH IN YOUR MOUTH

Lots of us can do an Aussie accent; or perhaps whip out a leetle somezing zat’s French sounding.

But can you do Cajun?  That one’s tough.

Today is Fat Tuesday.  In this country, that celebration is headquartered deep in the heart of Cajun Country, New Orleans (oopf, N’awlins).  It’s high time to put a little south in your mouth, and downtown’s Pearl Market is just lucky enough to have its very own in-house expert.  Patrons can find real New Orleans Pralines made by a real New Orleans Native: Chandra Noble.

Actually, Noble was born in Ohio – but she spent the first thirty years of her life down in The Big Easy.  While her voice is usually velvety smooth, she can whip out that distinctive dialect from her roots in a heartbeat.

There is a RIGHT was to talk about her New Orleans Pralines.  While we say pray-lines, back south they say prah-lines… or worse.  Noble says, “Sometimes it’s like the L and the R are switched.”  Then she pronounces it in a silky southern style that sounds like a cross between prah-reeeeen and plah-reeeeen.

“Or,” she continues, “We just call it pecan candy.”  Only she does it with an accent again.  Suddenly pecan has three syllables: peh-cah-wnnn.

Regardless of your accent, you can celebrate in Fat Tuesday-style every Friday with New Orleans Pralines in the Pearl Market.  No worries about pronouncing the sweet confections: we all sound the same with a mouth-full.

LOVE ‘EM UP

(to cast your vote immediately, click here.  if you want to learn more about the campaign, read on…)

Time flies: it’s been a full year since DowntownColumbus.com’s Show Your Love project launched.  Back in 2009, six local eateries joined in a good natured contest to become Downtown’s Official Sweetheart.

The competition was brutal.  The love was intense.  Ultimately, Jack’s Diner emerged as number one.

But it can be number one for only one year.  Jack’s reign has ended.  Although we still love the joint, it’s time to find 2010’s Official Sweetheart.

Just like last year, we’ve sweetened the deal for the voting public.  Cast a ballot for your favorite eatery and you’re automatically registered for a set of gift certificates from all the competitors: Barrio Tapas Lounge; Burgers Dogs and Fries; Caffe Daniela; Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace; J. Gumbo’s; and Plantain Cafe.  Vote early and vote often.

(Sigh)… and it seemed like just yesterday when Jack’s claimed its award.

EDITOR’S NOTE: It was yesterday.  SOMEBODY kept hoarding Jack’s award plaque in our office.  Oops.

If you want to re-watch anyone’s video, to really take in the message, just click on the link: Barrio Tapas Lounge; Burgers Dogs and Fries; Caffe Daniela; Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace; J. Gumbo’s; and Plantain Cafe

Show Us Some Love 2010 from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Show Us Some Love: Barrio Tapas Lounge from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Show Us Some Love: Burgers Dogs and Fries from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Show Us Some Love: Caffe Daniela from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Show Us Some Love: Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Show Us Some Love: J. Gumbo’s from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.