The days are getting chilly, but you still have time to stock up on fruits and veggies and other great stuff, right downtown. Come on down to Pearl Market and see plenty in full bloom and harvest ready.

The 2011 season wraps up at the end of the month, so plan now to shop every Tuesday and Friday while farmers and merchants are still in Pearl and Lynn Alleys. If you tell us what you’ve enjoyed the most this year or what you would like to see in Pearl Market next season, you’ll be entered to win 30.00 in Pearl Market tokens (they spend just like cash!).

Having a hard time narrowing it down? Take a peek here to see some of your choices. And enter a comment below by Friday, October 7 for a chance to win.

Fourth of July was months ago, but there’s no typo when we say save the date for Independents’ Day.

The fourth annual Independents’ Day lights up Cbus to celebrate entrepreneurial spirit and all things independent on Saturday, September 17 from noon to midnight at Gay Street and Pearl Alley.

CaffeineDaddy.com is new to Pearl Market this season. Entrepreneur Jeffrey Foulke created CaffeineDaddy.com and sells all kinds of caffeinated products. Whether you’re looking for caffeinated soap, toothpicks, lollipops, beef jerky, or more; if you can name it, CaffeineDaddy has it. Want something to slow you down? CaffeineDaddy has that too. To learn more about CaffeineDaddy.com visit their website and check out our weekly vendor spotlight video. 

Spring has been a long time coming, and you deserve a treat.  We have a fantastic way for you to celebrate the arrival of warmer temperatures – ice cream, perhaps?  Oh and by the by, Pearl Market opens one week from today.

Hmmm… wonder what they two have in common?  Here’s a hint:

It could be worse; we could live along the Ohio River where they are getting even more rain.  All the green stuff on the other side of the window pane loves it; so as you watch the grass grow, we’ve thought of a few more things you can do to make life less soggy.

10.  Clean out a desk drawer and spiff things up a bit.  Graham’s Office Supply has just what you need.  Besides, new Post-Its will help distract you while you’re waiting for that gargantuan file that your boss just emailed you to download.

9.  Pick up a few growlers of beer from The Elevator and invite a few friends over to start construction of a mini-ark.  Mmm, Dopplebock.

8.  Head on over to the Ohio Theatre to see Mary Poppins.  The umbrella that Mary uses on stage is big enough to keep your entire office dry.

7.  Dream about warm sunny days when you Kick It Up at Columbus Commons for Downtown Kickball.  Have you sent your registration yet?

6.  Hire a trainer at your favorite gym.  It may not lift your attitude, but you’ll be too exhausted to really care.

5.  Hit every downtown restaurant for happy hour specials.  Cocktails abound downtown; start creating your list here.

4.  Stroll down Gay Street and take a whiff of all the spring flowers.  Heck, Gay Street is also a good place to begin your Happy Hour Hop.

3.  Stop at our very own award-winning Columbus Metropolitan Library for a great read.

2.  Take your inner child to the Center for Creativity at the Columbus Museum of Art and recharge your artistic self.

And the number one thing that will help get you through this rainy season…  Lunch on us and here’s your chance.  Post a comment about how you like to spend your time downtown and you’ll be entered to win lunch from a variety of downtown restaurants, worth more than 30 bucks.  Yum.

It’s spring and time to spruce things up a bit – maybe even paint over some of that boring beige that covers every nook and cranny of your house or office.

Need some inspiration?

Well, look no further than Pearl Alley because the team at Crimson Design Group brings experience and creativity to the showroom and retail store at 51 North Pearl Street.  What?  You never noticed they were there?  Well, stop on by for the open house this Thursday from 3 – 7 p.m., and in the meantime, see what Crimson owner Cheryl Beachy Stauffer has to say about collaborating with clients and why she loves downtown.

We would love to hear what’s on your mind.  How about writing a guest blog for Right Now Downtown?  Your post will reach tons of people interested in Cbus, so whether you want to move people toward action or just let us all know what you’re thinking, we are opening up a platform just for you. 

Send us your thoughts, and you might just see your name in print.  No more than 400 words, please, and keep it clean.  Email your post to Melissa Fast at mlfast@sidservices.com.  Now check out what YP extraordinaire Steve Michalovich thinks about these cold temps and getting around town… 

THROW ON A JACKET AND EXPERIENCE OUR DOWNTOWN

We had a taste of spring, but winter is far from over. It’s gloomy, and everyone is sick of the ice and snow. We long for warm, sunny days – but those days seem so far away.  And the foot traffic on our downtown streets has also taken a hit with the wintry weather. 

So I am challenging my fellow urbanites to brave the elements, walk out the door and take advantage of everything our urban core has to offer. We have so many convenient options available to us downtown that are only a short walk away. 

Nowhere in town is there such a dense mix of vibrant dining options. Don’t settle for the drive-thru – take in a meal at a unique place you haven’t been before. Whether you are after a traditional diner, Asian cuisine, deli sandwiches, fine dining, or simply a burger and fries, downtown’s many eateries can satisfy your taste buds. 

It is also important to take advantage of the many services offered in downtown. Downtown is our neighborhood, so why not get your clothes dry cleaned, pick up household products, purchase local produce, and buy gifts from our downtown neighbors? Supporting our local businesses promotes a thriving downtown, which leads to a stronger community and city at-large. 

The chilly weather should not scare us into our cars and out of downtown. Let’s instead bring the feeling of spring to our downtown in February, by putting our boots to the pavement and showing that we can still enjoy what our downtown has to offer even when the conditions outside are less-than desirable.

Has this election season worn you out with all the political ads blaring on every radio and television station you turn to?  Well, today is the last day (for awhile anyway) and regardless of your political affiliation or the outcome, there’s a way to relieve stress right around the corner – and that’s a promise we can keep.  Best yet, it won’t even require campaign finance reform.  All you need is 10 bucks and 10 minutes.

The folks at Take Ten for Life offer massages for as little as $10 for 10 minutes and in return you get mind-numbing relaxation.  If you can spare a few more dimes and a couple more minutes, they offer great massage deals designed to fit everyone’s busy schedules from 10 to 30 minutes.  Don’t stop there, though.  They also have traditional Swedish and therapeutic massage, or you can show your tootsies or arms some love with a 15-minute foot or hand massage.  It’s a great way to take care of yourself before you head into a hair-pulling-stress-inducing holiday season.

For the month of November, they sweetened the pot and the massage table – buy one gift certificate and get the other one for half price.  Win some points with your mother-in-law by giving her a gift certificate and grab a little solitude for yourself at the same time, or skip the altruism altogether and treat yourself like a king or queen.  The special runs through November, so don’t wait long.

Make good on your own I-promise-to-take-better-care-of-myself campaign slogan and make an appointment today.  It’s not too late.  No need for political rhetoric, just pick up the phone or schedule an appointment online and let the folks at Take Ten help you de-stress, de-compress and de-light with a massage in as little as 10 minutes.

This message has been approved by the I Need to Relieve Stress Today movement, not affiliated with any major political candidate.

Small towns in the U.S. are generally designed to be pedestrian friendly, with central business districts surrounded by residential neighborhoods on a tight street grid.  Wal-Mart and other big box retailers turned small town economies inside out.

Tables will turn at $14 per gallon.  Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Home Depot and other retail chains will abandon their huge warehouse stores, creating 10,000 “ghost boxes” nationally.  Growth in small towns will implode.

Because construction materials will become expensive, towns with intact early 20th century neighborhoods and downtowns will recover quickly.  Towns on rail lines and navigable water will flourish.

Production of goods, including food, will become more localized as transportation expenses increase.  Manufacturing in the United States will become less expensive than producing goods in China and shipping them around the world.  Wal-Mart, which orders 80% of its merchandise from China and is the country’s eighth largest trading partner, will die.

Everything will cost more, but the beneficiaries of a less disposable and more localized society will be the environment and blue collar workers.  On balance, Steiner argues, Americans will be better off.