Local and Global - Blue Summit

Hello Friends,
Thanks to a tip from a fellow tourist, I discovered another gem in my hometown this week.  I'd driven by it many times before, but it had never caught my attention.  On the outside, it's a rather plain looking store - a small, square island on an ocean of concrete on South 120th Street.  But looks can be deceiving.

Inside Blue Summit (4101 S 120th Street), I found a treasure trove of unique items created by artisans from around the world.   Better yet, I learned how Blue Summit is a member of the Fair Trade Federation.  Their goods comes from over 50 developing countries - including Haiti, Vietnam, Uganda, and Nicaragua - and every artisan represented in the store has received a fair, sustainable wage for his/her work. 

The sales clerk I talked with was very welcoming and knowledgeable about the store's merchandise and the people who created it.  When I mentioned that I've always been interested in Vietnam, she showed me a number of pieces, including the green and white planter below (in the center of the top shelf) and the tart burner (lower level on the left).  My favorite was a blue and white tea set, but I'm not posting a picture of that.  (I'm hoping it will still be there when I go back!)

Many items have a story that goes with them.  For example, the bangle picture frame and box below have a card explaining how women in India collect broken glass from the streets and transform that "trash" into these beautiful, functional pieces.  (Click on the photo to see it larger.)

This purse by Global Girlfriends is another great example of "fair trade" meeting "earth friendly."  The artisans recycled plastic to make the fabric for the purse.  It's also cute and practical.  The inside has a zippered pocket for storing personal items and an open pocket for a cell phone. 

 These orange peel dolls from Bolivia were too cute.  (And they smelled good, too!)

The children's corner had some cute books, toys, and instruments.  I was excited about the drums...

Near the front counter, necklaces and bracelets by Bead for Life hang in two colorful rows.  The clerk explained that the beads are made by Ugandan women from recycled paper.  In addition to providing jobs for women in poverty, the company also supports vocational training, affordable housing, and health programs in Uganda. (I had no idea recycled paper could look like this...)

Other items in the store included coffee, chocolate, baskets, clothing, sculpture, lotions, candles, stationary, and more.  The prices were comparable to what you would pay in other stores.  You can find great products with great stories behind them and know that your money is going to support a great cause.  Having a store like this in Omaha makes me feel proud of our community.  Hope you'll stop in and check it out soon. 

Special Concert This Weekend - Seanachai

Hello Friends,
I wanted to let you know about a very special concert at the Holland Performing Arts Center this weekend.  It's called Seanachai - Gaelic for "storyteller."  The concert will feature a collaboration between Omaha-born singer/actress Jill Anderson and the studio choir from Northwest High School under the direction of Curt Isaacson.  Together, they will present a range of songs from traditional Scotch-Irish music to more modern pieces with Gaelic roots.  The common thread?  Each song tells a story.

If you've watched Glee or any of the High School Musical movies, you know how talented high school students can be.  Personally, I'm not a huge fan of show choir music - although I admire the talent of the performers.  But I am a big fan of Curt Isaacson, and his choir performances are unlike any other I've seen.

I first met Curt when we were freshmen in college.  Even back in the dorms, he was building his own stringed instruments and composing music on them.  He's the only guy I know who could write a song on a strum stick and have it sound amazing.  He also wrote and performed songs on a lap dulcimer that he built himself.  And he started listening to and playing Celtic music.

When I saw one of his show choirs at a competition last year, it was no surprise that they focused on traditional and world music with tight harmonies and varied acoustic instrumentation.  I don't own the soundtracks from Glee or any of the High School Musical movies.  But if Curt Isaacson's choir produced an album, I would probably buy it. 

The following video explains a little bit more about how Seanachai developed and shows highlights from the rehearsal process.  (If you can't see the full width of the video below, click here.)


As good as they sound through my computer speakers, I can't wait to hear them live in the Holland Center.  As some of you know, I've been watching my pennies and looking for "Free to $5" events for the last couple of months.  But I'm splurging on this one.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening.  All tickets are general admission, and they are $15 each (plus a $4 handling fee per ticket if you order by phone or internet.) 

To order tickets or hear some of the songs you can look forward to, go to www.TicketOmaha.com or call (402) 345-0606.

For more sound clips, visit the Northwest Choral Music homepage.

You can also find Jill Anderson's cool of the day album on Amazon.

Hope to see you there!

Holmes Lake - Lincoln

Hello Friends,
Tonight I visited a friend in Lincoln, the city that first inspired me to become a hometown tourist.  Actually, it was leaving Lincoln that provided the inspiration.  I lived there for three years.  In the weeks before I moved back to Omaha, I got to thinking about all of the restaurants, shops, and museums I meant to visit but never had.  (I've still never been to a Huskers game, and I could have gotten tickets as a grad student.  Sad, huh?)  That's when I realized that I should have been a tourist in the city where I lived.  And I decided to do better when I moved back to my hometown. 

I may have missed a lot in Lincoln, but one spot I visited often was Holmes Lake (70th and Normal Blvd).  My dogs and I stopped there before we headed home tonight.  We braved the storm clouds and the gusting winds, and we were rewarded with a beautiful walk.

Some of the clouds looked a little menacing, but they only splashed us with a few drops.  The wind was powerful, though.  It forced me to turn my baseball hat around backwards to keep it from flying off - a funny sight, I'm sure.  Even the ducks at the far end of the lake were sticking close together.  "Safety in numbers" as my mom always said.  I guess duck mothers give the same lecture.

The lake is encompassed by a gravel trail.  It has a rural feel even though it's tucked into southeast Lincoln.  Images like this always getting me thinking about shadows and light - and how the interplay between them makes the world so beautiful. 

There is a dock and a couple of landings where boaters can get onto the lake.  Fishermen (and women) have easy access to the water on a number of rocky outcroppings.  

Holmes also has baseball diamonds, volleyball courts, picnic shelters, and a playground for the kids.

Notice the trash can there by the tree.  Not a beautiful sight, but the presence of trash receptacles spaced out around the lake is a definite plus for those of us who travel with dogs.  (Not that I don't enjoy carrying a nice bag of dog poop for a mile or two...)  

I thought about sitting here to watch the sunset, but I'd left my jacket in the car, and the wind was getting cold.  Still, you can't beat a view like this.

By the time we came full circle - about a 45 minute walk, including pauses for the dogs to take care of business and for me to take pictures - the storm clouds had all moved out.