Before I die…

            I love historic homes, buildings, neighborhoods, all of it. Well, maybe not ALL of it, as I look at my endless list of house projects and wonder where I’ll find the time and cash. Last week was the Annual NPA Home Tour and before that was the Upstairs Downtown tour. We are drawn to these spaces that give us a sense of place—these spaces that have history and beauty and a richness to them unlike any other. I feel like these buildings and homes have so many stories and secrets to share, and we need to be innovative and find ways to utilize them fully in our ‘modern day’ times.

            I recently watched a TED talk by Candy Chang, who has begun a movement in her home city of New Orleans that resonates with me and makes me wish I would’ve thought of it.

            Chang was reflecting on the lightening pace of every day life as she mourned the loss of a friend, and she wished she could make her life and those around her more meaningful. “We don’t bump in to every neighbor (often, if at all), so a lot of wisdom never gets passed on. But we DO share the same public spaces.”

            “How can we lend and borrow more of our things without knocking on each other’s doors at a bad time? How can we share more of our memories of our abandoned buildings and gain a better understanding of our landscape?” Chang lives nearby an abandoned building that made her wonder how she could use it as a catalyst for others to gather and share a part of themselves. She painted one side of it with chalkboard paint and the words: Before I die, I want to….

            The side of the building filled up by the next day. It became a space of giving and taking—of sharing. I’ve written before about things I want to see in Noblesville, and it’s that sort of gathering spot and sharing our voices in public spaces that makes me go, “yeah, that’s what we need here right now. That’s the sort of world I want to live in.” 

Diva Night on the Square

Fifteen merchants on and around the downtown Noblesville Square have teamed up to offer a special evening of shopping, food and prizes to women who come out and join in the celebration. Diva Night will take place Thursday, March 10 from 5-9 p.m.

Peggy Kumler, owner of A Corner Cottage located at 895 Conner St. said of the event, the first of its kind, that “we all worked together and we’re having the best time. We have another event in the works, too.” Kumler is thrilled with the merchant response and participation for the event, so that they can pool resources and offer more to their customers.

When asked “what’s special about coming to Square?” Kumler replied, “everything. It’s historic, we have a wonderful courthouse, and each shop has its own unique feeling. There is something for everybody.”

Flyers listing the events and locations can be picked up leading up to the event at any of the participating merchants, as well as that night. “Shoppers will pick up their punch cards and their maps and then go out and play,” Kumler said.

Merchants include: A Corner Cottage, Carriage House Antiques, J’Ann & Co., Kiln Creations, Linden Tree, Logan Village Mall, Martha Jane’s, Old Picket Fence, Barley Island, Goyer Photo, The Hamilton Restaurant, Indiana Kitchens, Platinum Living, The Ruby Pear, and Uptown Café.

Shoppers and merchants will meet at Barley Island at 8 p.m. for the raffle. Fifteen raffle prizes will be given away, and the first 25 shoppers to meet at Barley Island with their punch cards will receive a swag bag with a gift from each store or restaurant in it.

In addition, Cindy Goyer of Goyer Photo will be photographing attendees against a Hollywood backdrop that evening at Barley Island.

Kumler invites all to come and enjoy themselves. “The stores look so pretty right now. It’s all so bright and cheery,” she said. “We’re just hoping for good weather.”

Contact Peggy Kumler at 770.7577 with questions.

Art Lives Here

I've been anxiously awaiting this post--my first cover story for Current in Noblesville:  Art lives here

Our friends, Kandi and William Jamieson and their children Elizabeth and William, started Arthouse.  We're thrilled to know you and wish you all the best!

Arthouse blogged it here.

Ideas for a better downtown? Start with these three now

I love Noblesville. I really do. And because I love it, I’m always thinking of what I’d like to see downtown to make it better. Friends and I have discussed many times what we’d like to see on the Square and what we’d do if we had a million magical dollars to just make it happen.
So here we go, in no particular order:

• Have a downtown Farmer’s Market on the Square on a weeknight. Many people want this. Saturday mornings for our family are usually booked solid, as they are many families. If you can’t make it one Saturday, or any Saturday, how can you get fresh, local produce from the farmers? But if there was another day and time for the market—like from 3-7pm on Wednesday, there you go! I just got back from rural New England where it’s common to have Farmer’s Markets six days a week!

• An anchor grocery store, like a Trader Joe’s or a Whole Foods. Most of my friends shop these stores and we have to travel to Castleton or Carmel. If one of these were on the square, we’d think we’d died and gone to heaven. Heck, an independent natural foods store would be just as awesome, if not more so.

• An independent pharmacy on the Square. I know I’m really tired of seeing those two giant drugstore chains competing to see who can populate Hamilton County more densely. You know who I’m talking about. There are, I believe, only 2 indie drugstores left in the whole county, one of which is in downtown Westfield.

Thoughts? What would you like to see downtown? I’d love to hear your comments. I have more ideas for what I’d like to see, but I think this is a good start.

PS--the new facebook page for bring a weekday Farmer's Market downtown is  here.