The Local Awesome

You guys know I’ve got a thing for words, right? Well, I’ve got a friend who also has a thing for words, but she takes that love a step in the crafty direction, and handcrafts these words into awesome jewelry that is destined to hold special meaning for each wearer.

Meet Kashoan. She’s the super-creative lady behind KraftyKash, an Etsy shop (and blog) with some antique, wordy fare. Kashoan makes jewelry out of vintage dictionaries, atlases, sheet music, and Bibles. When I asked her what she loves most about her business, she replied,

“The stories and kind words from my customers, are my favorite thing about this business. I love being a part of helping create memories through my jewelry. I am a lucky girl.”

I love hearing stuff like that. More people should feel that way about what they do for a living.
Now, come on guys. Vintage dictionaries. I’ll bet if you open up one of those pendants you can smell the old pages. (In case you didn’t know, old pages are one of my favorite things to sniff.)

So, anyway, I’ve been quietly eyeing these pendants for a long time, but I’ve been stressing out about which word to choose. I mean, seriously? How do I even do that!? Do you know how many words there are out there? Eventually, though, I realized which word was the one, and I felt like an idiot for not thinking of it immediately.

You see, I’m not really a tattoo kind of lady. It’s not that I hate tattoos or anything . . . I just don’t like pain. I’m also terribly indecisive, and could see myself looking at my hypothetical tattoo in the future and banging my head against a wall because of it. HOWEVER, I’ve always had an “if I ever got a tattoo I’d get . . .” option in my head.

So, if I ever got a tattoo, I’d get one of the word “aesthetic.”

But that’s just not going to happen. I don’t really want a tattoo. I do, however, love that word. “Aesthetic” is defined as “having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty,” or “pertaining to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality.”

Now, at the risk of sounding like an idiot-bimbo-girl, I’m going to admit that I’m notorious for favoring the pretty over the functional. Not really in a “stab-someone’s-eyeball stilettos vs. practical flats” kind of way, but in a personal happiness kind of way. Something that makes me happy is generally going to be something beautiful and emotional, rather than well-thought-out and logical.

This is the pendant Kashoan sent me. It’s perfect. I love that towards the end of the definition, it’s got all the right words. I also like the little pearl embellishment . . . it gives it a nice feeling of completeness.

Mostly, though, I love knowing that an old, forgotten book got opened up and reincarnated into something that can go wherever the owner goes. It’s like the dictionary’s been saving up all its life and is now finally able to travel the world.

So, here’s the awesome part. Kashoan is offering a discount to you guys, my very special readers! All you have to do is visit her Etsy page, make your selections, and use the coupon code FAMILY for 20% off! How rockin’ is that? And make sure you like her onFacebook and follow her on Twitter . . . you never know when she’ll be having a “fill in the blank” contest with a discount as the prize!
Don’t forget, Kashoan makes custom pendants . . . so which word would you choose? Why? I’d love to know!!!

So, here’s the deal: An awesome lady, who happens to be a family friend that I’ve only met through Twitter, has released a folk album this year. She, being kick-ass and all, sent me a CD to review…Blogview? Reblog? ReBlogview? Whatever you want to call it, I’m going to talk about it. Here’s the thing, though…I’m not a professional music critic by any means. So, if you’re looking for technical terms and relevant jargon…you’re just not going to find it. I like music, I like writing, and I’m going to write about some music…that I like.

So, let’s do this.

I was born in the 80’s, but I’m definitely a child of the 90’s. The TV was (mostly) awesome, the clothes were pretty much terrible, and the music was straight-up spectacular. I don’t know, there was just something about listening to music in the 90’s that made you feel like you were part of something significant.
I am aware, of course, that we are now in the 21st century, and that Jennifer Haase’s album, No More Invitations is very much a modern release.
It doesn’t feel like it, though, and that’s what I think is so awesome about it. After I gave the CD a listen, I could almost smell the Strawberries n’ Cream Glade scented candle I had down in my old basement bedroom. I remembered the crush I had on that guy, and how I was pretty sure that he was made in a mold specifically stamped “Lauren Blessing’s SoulMate. Do not touch or she will kill you in a hormonal fit of terrifying rage.”

Turns out I was totally wrong about that, but that’s not the point.

No More Invitations has all the perfect elements that are inherent to a well-rounded, kick-ass album. You’ve got to have songs that make you dance around…songs that make you walk through a particularly long room like you’re the protagonist of a romantic comedy walking to your awesome-but-not-totally-emotionally-fulfilling job. You’ve got to have a couple songs that make your heart hurt…and you’ve got to have songs that simply bring a smile to your face while you wash the dishes.

I’ll let you in on two of my favorites:

New Pink Sweater: Have you ever been listening to a CD while doing something lame (picking up toys, sweeping the floor, flossing) and had a song come on that makes you feel sexy and saucy, regardless of your humdrum activities? (Come on Dudes, I know you feel saucy every once in awhile, too.) This song did that to me. AND not only does the song make you dance with a swagger, but it was endorsed by Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) on Twitter. By endorsed, I mean, she liked it and she told her followers. I don’t mean officially. (Please don’t sue me, Kirstie.)

3000 Miles: For those of you who know me really well, you know I’ve got a thing for Victorian Literature, and painful love stories full of unrequited love. This song is a great fit for me. The perfect amount of haunting, the perfect amount of gentle Folkiness, and a blend of voices between Jennifer and singer-songwriter Stephen Kellogg that can melt butter (or your heart).

Chapter You: A great, bluesy feel, a reversed fairy-tale, and all of the appropriate relationship insecurities. Love it. That’s all. I just really like this one. Possibly my favorite on the album.

See, I could do a little blurb for each song, because I like them all. You’d get super-sick of reading, though, when you should really be listening.

Why, Lauren, how can I do that? How do I get my hands on this sexy little piece of East Coast Folkery?

How, you ask? Why, dear friends, by clicking here. You can also visit Jennifer’s websiteand sample a couple songs first, if that’s your bag, baby. Oh, and you can check out her fabulously honest blog, if you need to add a little more reading into your daily schedule.

Whether you buy it or not, you owe it to yourself to give No More Invitations a listen, and expose yourself to Jennifer Haase’s talent, honesty, and general Awesomeness. This album’s got a beautiful feeling, and when you add to that some guest appearances from people like Rosanne Cash and Stephen Kellogg, you just can’t go wrong.

As most of you might know, we moved to Omaha about a month ago. It’s a little overwhelming, but I think once I get the hang of driving here, I’m going to be pretty pumped about all of the things Omaha has to offer. There are more restaurants, stores, bars, and parks than I know what to do with. There’s one thing, however, that will have me driving back to Lincoln every time.

A haircut.

I’m not one who has a history of being loyal to a salon. I’m never too concerned about getting the same stylist every time, and as long as I’m not crying when I leave, I’m pretty happy. So what salon could possibly have me driving an hour out of my way? That’s easy.  Salon Muse.

Here’s the thing with salons and me. I hate walking in, looking around, and feeling like a total hair-idiot. You know what I’m talking about, right? The, “Oh, here’s my four o’clock, looking like a possum decided to die on her head. Sweeeeeeet.” look. I hate that look. Then there’s the, “What could I possibly talk to this hair-noob about? I’ll just ask about her bratty kids, I guess.” small talk. I hate that, too. It all makes me feel the way I did when I peed my pants in front of the class in 3rd grade. A total idiot.

Here’s the thing with Salon Muse and me. I walk in, get greeted like a favorite cousin, sit down, get a rockin’ haircut, and have an actual, interesting conversation with the girl cutting my hair. That, to me, is worth its weight in gravy. Gravy is much more important to me than gold.

I got to sit down (well, continue sitting down, as I had foils in my hair) with Angela Kazas (she’s on the left in the yellow), the owner, to ask her my usual questions.

What do you love about what you do?
You’re always making someone feel good about themselves, and keeping up with the latest trends. It’s kind of one of the simple pleasures of making someone feel good about themselves without having to do (in your mind) too much.

What makes Lincoln the perfect place for Salon Muse?
Clients are very loyal here. We’re a family-friendly business, and people in Lincoln are friendly, so they appreciate that.

Do you have anything coming up that you’re excited about?
We’re constantly going to shows that keep us up to speed. We’ve got a show in Omaha coming up about keratin treatments…it’s a way to straighten hair without using chemicals.

In case you were wondering, Angela’s spectacular. But don’t just take my word for it…I’ve got pictures.

This is me (and the possum, but nobody said anything).

This is me after Angela cut my hair (she got rid of the possum and humanely released it back into the wild).

This is me (sorry for the super-crappy picture quality) after she put in some fabulous auburn low-lights. I used to dye my hair every other week in college. After about 2 years of NODYE AT ALL, I was a little scared…can you believe that? Lauren (formerly Blessing) Bonk, afraid of hair dye!?

Here’s a close-up of said low-lights.

Something you should know: Angela is awesome. But, she’s got other girls working there who are equally as awesome. I’ve had my hair cut by these fine ladies, as well, and left the place practically whistling (whistling…think about gravy…either way I was happy).

Why is this? Because one of the main priorities at Salon Muse is quality. Angela puts a lot of thought into the people she hires, the products she uses, and the environment in which she works. The place is always clean and the stylists are expected to be friendly and welcoming. This all can be traced back to how she was raised in both business and family. (And speaking of family, have you met her brothers?)

I’m telling you, friends, this is the place to take your mane. Not convinced? You should just give it a try. In fact, if you mention this blog post, Angela’s offering %25 off your first service with Jessie or Ashley…pretty sweet, right?

If you go, please take pictures and share them with me! That would make my day!

Oh, hey, remember that time I made a big ole hullaballoo about my fantastic pictures?

Oh yeah, and then I kind of went off the map for a week?

Yeah…Well, better late than never, right?

Now, as much as we all love self-taken photos that have been edited on Picnik (in order to pretend that my camera/skills aren’t terrible), I thought it was time to throw a little Pro in the mix.

Sometimes, choosing a professional can be a tough job. For this situation, however, Rutheah from Blue House Fotos was a…what do you call it?

Oh, yeah. NO BRAINER.

Rutheah is fabulous. She’s based out of Kearney, NE, where she resides with her husband, adorable munchkins, and munchkin-to-be. Rutheah specializes in on-location, natural-light photography. And she is skilled. She should also be honored to be my very first non-food related Local Awesome. That’s how much I recommend this lady.

So, in typical Local Awesome style, I asked her some questions. Warning: She’s allergic to capital letters, and in this particular instance, I find it adorable. I hope you’ll forgive me if I just scatter the fabulous pictures willy-nilly throughout this post. Cuz’ that’s what’s going to happen.

Me: So, Rutheah, how long have you been interested in photography?
Ru: loved photography since my early teens. my father is an avid photographer and used to take my sister and i to the dark room and taught us how to develop photos the old fashioned way. i remember one summer in particular, when dad let my sister and i take his fancy cameras and shoot whatever we wanted. then we got to process the photos ourselves. it was such an experience. that was when my interest was sparked.

Me: I know that you attended a workshop this summer, to help fine-tune your skillz. How was that?
Ru: the workshop i went to was awesome! its intention was to teach people with dslrcameras exactly how to shoot in manual. it was with a photographer and mommy blogger i highly respect. i learned how to use my camera better; with all those fancy buttons, now i know exactly which ones to use. it’s nice to have full control over my camera and to be able to use it as a tool.

Me: What is it that you love so much about taking photos?
Ru: i love everything. i love the sound the shutter makes. i love capturing little moments that would otherwise vanish if they weren’t photographed. i love photography because it makes me see things from new perspectives. i will always be learning new things and growing in my “style” which is neato. and most of all i love that i can do something that brings joy to others.

With as many pictures as I’m posting, I don’t think I should type much more. Since the photos totally speak for themselves, I’ve got no problem shutting up.

However, I have to say this: Run. Run screaming with glee to Blue House Fotos’ webpage.It’s the whole package: Website, Blog, and Facebook page. Trust me on this one. If you live in Central Nebraska and need some beautiful pictures taken, Blue House Fotos will be the best decision you’ve made in a long time.

Have you ever walked into an establishment and just known, right then and there, that you were about to get really happy?

Sometimes it’s the smell of the place that gets you…sometimes it’s the décor…sometimes it’s this intangible something that just emanates the promise of Awesome.

In this particular instance, it was the bratwurst. It had me at Guten Tag. It wasn’t loud or fancy. It wasn’t screaming, “Heyo! I’m a bratwurst!” It simply whispered quietly to me, “Oh, hello. I was made right here, in this very building. And I’m awesome.”

What kind of sausage heaven had I stepped into? Could it be true? Had I really just set foot in a restaurant that butchers, smokes, and prepares all of its meat right on the premises? And…no…in that display case…could it be…

Gourmet CHOCOLATE!?

Why, yes. Yes, it’s all true. This miraculous place is Greta’s Gourmet, and it’s right here in Lincoln, NE. Built and run by Kevin Mandigo and Shalla Powell-Mandigo, Greta’s Gourmet is a butcher shop, deli, and catering service all rolled into one.

Now, I know you’re all starting to salivate…I know you want to know about the food, but there’s even more Awesome to address first.

Many families have been built on love, loyalty, and understanding. The Mandigo family was built on love, loyalty, understanding…and meat. Kevin’s father, Dr. Roger Mandigo, has been a professor of Meat Science at UNL for 45 years. He pioneered the meat-binding process that allowed for the birth of the legendary McRib. No, for real. He’s been inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame. And he’s retiring this June…June 30th, to be exact. This means you’ll be seeing him around Greta’s, lending an (expert) helping hand, so you should probably come in and compliment him on being completely Awesome.

Okay. Food. Finally. When I asked Kevin what it is he loved about the food they make, he replied:
“We use the word ‘handcrafted’ a lot around here. All of our meat products are made from scratch, and they’re made here in the shop. We take the ingredients that we have in front of us, and we use them to create the food that we offer.”

And let me tell you, this food is great. Has a chicken salad sandwich ever made you close your eyes and made you sing a little happy-song in your head? My dad had the chicken salad, and then I decided to have it the next day.

That’s right, my family got Greta’s for lunch two days in a row.
Imagine. In-house-smoked chicken…golden raisins…red onion…sharp cheddar…a light, flavorful mayo…complete with a buttery, flaky croissant. Trust me, this is not your typical community-picnic chicken salad. This stuff might even make you cry just a little bit.
Paul got the smoked salmon salad. Delicious, apparently. (I hate fish, so…you know…) I also got the BBQ pork. Totally yummy. Mom got the smoked turkey and bacon sandwich two days in a row. What did we get for sides? Marinated veggie salad and caprese salad. Fresh, crisp veggies, giant hunks of fresh mozzarella, and delicious vinaigrettes.

Oh, and also, they sell Christopher Elbow chocolates. If you’re familiar with Christopher Elbow, you understand. If you’re not, go here after you’re done reading this. Kevin is friends with the talented Christoper, and this chocolate is mind-blowing. You should probably get a few of these for dessert.

Next, I asked Kevin why he chose Lincoln as the setting for the business:
“Lincoln is a tough market for this concept, but the reason that it’s perfect, is that we fill a completely untapped niche. Lincoln doesn’t have any full-service delis or butchers, and very few gourmet grocery options. We wanted to create a place to which we would want to go. If I were just a random customer on the street, my wife and I would be here every chance we got.”

Now that’s not arrogance, folks, that’s somebody simply loving what they do…and I don’t know about you, but that’s a quality I look for in a business. Especially a restaurant.

Be sure to come in for their $4.00 lunch, Friday burger meal, and their hot dinner special. That’s right, you can call in, reserve a dinner special, and have it ready for you as you walk in the door.

Here are a few things coming up at Greta’s that you should definitely be aware of:

Official Ribbon Cutting
Today, June 16th, at 10:45

Cappy’s Annual Outdoor Bike Show
Sunday, June 26th, 12-6 pm. Greta’s will be serving ribs, beans, and some other yummies.

Wurstmacher 101
Friends, this is TOTALLY AWESOME. For $50.00, you can learn how to (and help) make sausage with a couple of experts. And then you get to eat sausage. And then you get to take some of said sausage home. They only have a few slots left for their upcoming session, but will be making this a regular institution. Can you say, “Most perfect Bachelor (or Bachelorette!) party EVER!?”

Okay, class. Raise your hand if you had heard of Greta’s Gourmet before. Hopefully, now that you’ve learned of this glorious meat-heaven, you will flock to it in droves, gleefully squealing and grabbing passersby by the shirt collars, dragging them all the way to Greta’s…and after you experience the deliciousness, you should write them a Yelp review. I hear through the Meatvine that Kevin rewards people who bring in their reviews…rewards them in a gourmet chocolate kind of way. I’m not saying that he does or doesn’t… I’m just saying he might. 🙂

Finally, after all of this meat discussion, I still haven’t gotten to the sweetest part.

Who, you might be asking, is Greta?

If you come in, you’ll see some gorgeous pictures of a beautiful, smiling, little girl playing with kitchen utensils. This is Kevin and Shalla’s daughter, Greta. And she is CUTE…and obviously adored by her parents…and probably adored by anyone who gets the chance to meet her.

Their meat may be amazing, and the chocolate may be sweet, but the most important ingredient used at Greta’s is family…and nothing, my friends, is sweeter than that.

There are some things going on at The Parthenon Greek Grill and Taverna that I just couldn’t keep quiet about.

If talking about their amazing desserts, food, desserts, atmosphere, and desserts wasn’t enough to get you to immediately drive to this restaurant, then maybe knowing you’d be eating in one of the cleanest kitchens in Lancaster County will.

That’s right, The Parthenon has been awarded the Lincoln-Lancaster Country Health Department award for Food Sanitation Excellence!

I don’t know about you, but I find this to be pretty exciting. I knew the place was awesome, but knowing I can camp out on the floor of the kitchen (without catching food cooties) and stuff my face with Gyro gives me some serious motivation…granted, I’d probably get kicked out for eating on the kitchen floor, but you know what I mean.

Also, this is kind of short notice, but you simply have to vote for the Parthenon in KLIN’s Munch Madness! It’s the Lincoln, NE food version of that basketball phenomenon that plagues my life every March. Since this is food, however, the event has my full support. Anyway, you have until 8:50 AM Friday, March 25th to vote!

So go out there and make me proud; vote for the Parthenon, tell all your friends to go to the Parthenon, and then go pig out on some Gyro…

…and then bring me some.