What does your entryway say about you?

An entryway says so much about a building. It is space that is often overlooked, but sets the tone for what is ahead.

Urban Indigo    Oakland, CA

What does yours say about you? It can tell us what type of business is in there. If it  is open or closed.

Is yours welcoming?  Does it tell a story? Spark the imagination? Tempt you?

An entryway can also be art. It can be so many things!

In Berthoud, Colorado a joint effort between the city, businesses and homeowners produced Entryways of Berthoud to showcase art and their community. They invited folks to submit photos of entryways and these were then turned into notecards and posters.

An entryway for a business has many functions and is an important part of the establishment itself.  It may act as the local bulletin board in a rural community, or set the tone of the business.

An entryway can provide a striking entrance with uses of color and architectural details. Or lead into a more formal atmosphere with more subdued touches.

Chop & Wok Scottsdale, AZ

 

Similar to the beginning a chapter in a book, an entryway establishes a story that has yet to unfold.

An entryway is also a very affordable way to change a businesses dynamic.  It is a spot where risks can be taken, and even on a limited budget, have a remarkable effect.

Think about the places you frequent. How do they make you feel? Welcome? Not so much?

We like our homes to be welcoming and inviting. Our businesses should be too.

How can you use your entryway to enhance your business or community?

~Katy~

Katy is a rural and small town /small business speaker, consultant, advocate & writer.  She believes many small communities can grow from within using resources already at hand and creative strategies and leverage those to attract new families, businesses and customers.  Do you want Tait & Kate to come speak to your community or group? Email us at info@taitandkate.com

 

 

 

 

 

Poor man’s red beans and rice

My sons… You drive me crazy when you call at 4pm  to ask how to fix a roast for dinner at 6pm!

Tonight we had red beans and rice for dinner. A dish the Boyz enjoy. A 100% non-traditional version.  Simple. Fast. Filling. Cheap. All things great for folks on a budget!  Bare with me- most the recipes I post here are also for the kiddo-s benefit and read like a children’s book.  (They both live on their own and call… How do ya??? )

*Double everything if you’re feeding the roommates too!*

1 link sausage      2 teaspoons oil (whatever’s on hand – yes- butter is an oil)       1 can red beans (drained and rinsed)**AKA Kidney Beans**               1 medium onion (diced)    1 can diced tomatoes  (or a few fresh diced)     some diced green pepper (about a 1/2 a one)   1 or 2 cloves garlic -minced      2+ cups water        1+ cup rice      2 chicken bullion cubes (if you have them or stock- fine- if you don’t, that’s fine too.    *seasoning- a tablespoon or so of Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning  – but use whatever you have… Chili seasoning, taco spice.. whatever.  If you want it spicy.. lay it on!

Slice sausage into  bite size pieces and fry in oil.  Toss in onions, garlic and peppers and sauté. Pour in water and add bullion cubes or a little chix stock if you have it. Add tomatoes, beans and seasoning and bring to a boil. Add rice. Turn down and simmer about 10 minutes or so (assuming you’re using minute rice) … serve with sour cream and fresh diced tomatoes if you like.

Viola! Poor mans Red Beans and Rice….

Some notes : *you can mince  garlic without a garlic press! simply use the side of your knife to flatten the clove and then dice really small.  *red beans (kidneys) are in the canned veggie isle right next to the Great Northerns. *onion is relative- red, yellow, white-I just use whichever one I have on hand. -white= hot, yellow=medium, red=mild (usually) *we usually add whatever we want.. like mushrooms or some (sautéed) celery if we have some on hand.

~Katy~

 

 

The heartbeat of a community

 

I just came back from a whirlwind trip through parts of California. Most of my jaunts out there are like that.(I grew up there)  Have to squeeze them in between calves and crops, you know!

While I was there I treated myself to a morning stop in Lincoln. This gem is +/- about 30 miles North East of Sacramento on Hwy 65.

“Downtown is the heartbeat of a community”

At the turn of the 1900’s Lincoln was a “boom town”.  I would imagine it began it’s decline in the 1970’s or so.  Back in the 80’s I bought my horse hay at

I used to buy hay in this beautifully revamped building!

the feed store on the corner and the standing joke was that Lincoln had to “borrow” its Saturday night police from Marysville.

Over the years Lincoln has grown. And grown. And Grown.  OUTSIDE of the city border. Downtown became sadly neglected. Building were run down. Store fronts empty.

About a dozen years ago the good people of Lincoln- many of them “old timers” came together to revitalize the old section.  Building were revamped, they enticed people to come and see the possibilities and did some creative wheeling and dealing to get the storefronts filled.  Here’s a great video on it:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/51921847

Several years ago a friend of mine asked if I had been to Lincoln lately, and I said Not in years, nuthin’ there!  So she cheerfully informed that there was indeed plenty there.

Everything from food and antiques to a fab quilt shop. -All things to pique my interest.

I found much to like and did some shopping 🙂 much to hubby chagrin.

Fast forward another few years. This trip I had time to spend the entire morning and early afternoon.  So, my morning was spent having coffee with my son at a sidewalk café and walking all over Old Town. We had a wonderful time exploring and visiting with shop owners! Everybody was so friendly and helpful. Our only bummer was that we were there before the museum opened, and by the time it was, we were already around the corner at Kim’s Café having late ‘brunch’ (an outstanding café with heaping plates of down home cookin’.)with other family in the area.

Lincoln boasts a number of eateries, antique stores, boutiques, thrift shops, wineries, brewpubs, gardening/gift shops and more.  It is quite the bustling area, offering something for everybody.  Even my son was practically giddy when he found a shop that interested him.

Nearly every single store has outdoor seating and all have wonderful signage designed to attract attention. Several of the buildings have beautiful murals on them. Even the lone ‘box’ store is in keeping with the Old Town vibe.

~ The seating is amazing. Just by sitting down outside the coffee shop, people TALKED as they went by! And when People talk, Community happens.~

“Honoring the past while embracing the future”

Lincoln also hosts many events to draw people and have a good times- Everything from antique car shows to food truck extravaganzas and in between.

When you’re not busy eating, visiting or shopping in one of the great shops, take a little time and drive around the ‘heart’ of Lincoln and its neighborhoods.  The architecture in amazing.

A stop in at the Lincoln Area Chamber was on my way around town and I had a wonderful visit with Tom Cosgrove, Chamber director. We had a few minutes to chat about the creativity involved with attracting businesses back to Downtown, and how rosy the future looks.

Rebuilding Lincoln wasn’t (and still isn’t) all sunshine and rainbows. It took loads of grit, outside the box creative thinking, vision , dreams, browbeating and hope.

Success feeds on success. Each small step lead to the next one and each one was progressively better and bigger. The energy in this beautiful town is incredible.

I will definitely be back again. Hopefully sooner rather than later!

Art, Architecture, Geography, Commerce, People, History, Customs and Cuisine– Yep! Covered ALL of “Kate’s 8” items that all communities begin with.

~Katy~

Katy is part of Tait&Kate– rural and small community speaker and advocate. TaitandKate can help your community fill your empty store fronts with outside the box strategies and build community from the inside out.  

Want to book us for your next meeting or conference? email us at  info@taitandkate.com