Category: Inspiration (page 7 of 7)

April 1, 2016

The Ties that Grind

Originally published in the April 2016 issue of (614) Magazine

Can something as simple as a cup of coffee really save the life of a child?

Sisters Victoria Calderon Nunes and Virginia Nunes Gutierrez think so, and they’re ready to put their passions to the test this month with the opening of Bottoms Up Coffee Co-op in Franklinton.

“Bottoms Up Coffee Co-op’s mission is to use coffee and coworking as a means to social change by reducing infant mortality and increasing workforce development,” explained Calderon Nunes, whose career combination of marketing and community outreach are an ideal fit for the ambitious endeavor.

Coworking, for those new to the parlance, is a shared home base for freelancers and microbusinesses too small to need a dedicated office, but too big to get by operating off of the kitchen table any longer. They’re hives of collective energy where the creative class mingles, finding complementary expertise and opportunities to collaborate. Prices and amenities vary, but the principle is the same. If Apple were founded today, odds are it would have happened in a coworking community instead of a dingy garage.

But bottomless coffee and a place to plug in your laptop are also a means to an end. Columbus’s near west side isn’t called “The Bottoms” simply because the low-lying land was once ravaged by floodwaters a century ago. It’s an area of recent revitalization, as well as multigenerational poverty that a fresh coat of paint can’t easily cover up.

“We come from humble backgrounds. We don’t just know poverty—we know third-world poverty,” Nunes Gutierrez confessed. Her experience as a community health worker offers a first-hand perspective on social factors that contribute to systemic poverty. “We want to create tangible change, and Franklinton is a neighborhood that desperately needs it.”

The sisters came to Ohio by way of Philadelphia. Victoria worked remotely for a local marketing agency while living in Cleveland. Virginia started a niche tourism operation in the Canary Islands. But family ties eventually pulled both back to Columbus. Their family owns El Arepazo, the quaint Venezuelan grill tucked away on Pearl Alley and Gay Street, with locations now in German Village and a wine and tapas concept in Gahanna.

Bringing something both familiar and unexpected to Columbus may be in their DNA. But coupled with an accidental blend of hospitality and marketing experience, there is also a contagious optimism that small changes can make a significant impact.

Franklinton has among the highest rates of infant mortality in Central Ohio, and the sisters have aligned their mission with the City of Columbus’ nonprofit, CelebrateOne, of reducing those rates by 40 percent countywide in the next five years.

“Simple opportunities to connect people in need, like résumé review or mentoring opportunities, are also part of our workforce development purpose,” Calderon Nunes noted.

Memberships that fund the co-op’s causes come in several levels. In addition to the traditional desk and data options for entrepreneurs and socially minded startups, Bottoms Up offers a monthly coffee subscription for patrons who stop in often for a cup and want to make the next level of commitment. There is also a “Franklinton Legacy” membership for those who would like to make a more substantial recurring contribution. All memberships include access to networking events and community engagement opportunities.

“We built it for ourselves, but we also wanted to create a safe space to talk about solutions,” noted Nunes Gutierrez. The two also own a small marketing company specifically focused on serving nonprofits and social enterprises. Like many café consultants, having a place to meet clients was always a bit of a struggle.

Even the building itself is a metaphor for this spirit of renewal. It was built as a post office following the flood of 1913 that wiped out homes throughout the neighborhood. (Cowork tenants will notice salvaged brass post office boxes, a hat tip to the building’s former self.) Beneath the ornate tin tile ceiling and skylights, are the brick walls and heavy beams of a fortress. Even the floors have been repaired with reclaimed lumber from Franklinton. It will take more than a hard rain to topple this red brick behemoth.

“We’d already decided on the name of the business, both as a reference to the act of drinking coffee and the community reinvestment,” Calderon Nunes explained. “But when we found a photo of the two homes that used to be on this spot literally ‘bottoms up,’ we knew it was perfect.”

The exterior wall of Bottoms Up features a mural inspired by that image and a visible reminder that better days are ahead for Franklinton.

“We did a lot of the work ourselves, tearing out sheet rock with sledgehammers. But when we were refinishing the floors, people from the community all came to help—friends, local residents, fire fighters from across the street, members of St. John’s Episcopal Church,” Nunes Gutierrez said. “Now they have a connection to the building, too. We’re not even open and it’s already a community coffeehouse.” ▩

Bottoms Up is located at 1069 W Broad St. For more, visit bottomsupcoffee.com

April 1, 2016

Stranger in a Strange Land

Originally published in the April 2016 issue of (614) Magazine

How does a nice Catholic schoolboy from Canada become a Mormon missionary in Broadway’s longest running “knock-knock” joke?

Ask Ryan Bondy, the former understudy now starring as Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, returning to Columbus this month at the Ohio Theater.

Understudies are the second-string quarterbacks of the theater. They put in all of the same hours and sweat as the stars they shadow, but they only get to play when illness or injury suddenly push them from the sidelines into the spotlight.

When an understudy tells you to “break a leg,” he might just mean it.

“If Mormons had a poster boy for their religion, it is Elder Price,” Bondy explained. “Then he has a bit of a rude awakening. He presumes he’ll be sent on the mission he thinks he deserves, which in the play is Orlando. But instead, he’s sent to Uganda.”

That strained plot probably sounds like the worst idea for a Broadway play imaginable — maybe even worse than the hip-hop biography of Alexander Hamilton.

You’d be wrong on both counts. (The worst idea is still singing cats.)

In case you’ve been away on your own overseas mission, The Book of Mormon is the creation of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the same evil geniuses behind South Park. If a Fight Club-style faceoff between Jesus and Santa Claus or Satan spooning Saddam Hussein wasn’t your idea of enlightenment, put down your protest signs right now. The Book of Mormon isn’t that kind of religious experience. But the soundtrack isn’t exactly the Osmond Family Christmas either.

“When my family learned I was going to be part of the show, there was a little bit of concern,” Bondy confessed. “Growing up Catholic, I understood what it meant to be devout to a faith. Every religion may have its absurdities, but this story itself isn’t meant to offend. It’s really about learning to love your neighbor—with some potentially offensive lyrics.”

Bondy’s own mission of sorts has taken him from his familiar upbringing in Ontario to a strange land south of the border, patiently waiting for that big break—leg or otherwise.

“Obviously being a stand-by, you have to be ready at a moment’s notice. That’s part of the stress—you don’t get to go on every night, but when you do, you kind of have to carry the show. That’s the intensity of the mid-show swing,” he explained. “You may hear or see something earlier in the show and you know you need to start warming up.”

That’s exactly what happened several times on the road, when a pulled muscle or failing voice of the show’s lead was Bondy’s cue to tighten that tie and find religion fast. (Never mind that he was stepping in for someone who was blonde, and significantly shorter.)

“You worry about taking the audience out of the show. But once there’s that forgiveness of a different person taking over, you know they’re back on your side,” he said. “There was a little ad-lib at the top of the second act to acknowledge that. Elder Cunningham simply says, ‘Elder Price, you look different?’ Then, the audience erupts and we all move forward.”

“I’ve been with the show for almost two and a half years, and I’ve been with all three companies—the two touring companies and Broadway. I’ve seen different portrayals of Elder Price and each actor brings a different authenticity to the role,” Bondy explained. “As an understudy, you trail those performances and try to maintain the integrity of the show.”

“Now that I’ve been given the chance to do the show nightly, one of the biggest things you realize is when you only do the show every two months, you’re really stepping into someone else’s shoes and someone else’s show,” he said. “When you become the lead, the cast starts to become familiar with your cadence and your humor. They feed you, you feed them, and there’s a bounce back and forth on stage that you never really get to experience as an understudy.”

“Being Canadian, I really didn’t understand how much U.S. audiences change, even in just a four-hour drive. Some places, like Florida, that have an older audience, there may still be that shock value. By the time we get to the second act, we’ve warmed them up,” Bondy explained. “I’ve also performed to some of our loudest audiences in the ‘Bible Belt’. But there are also places with protestors who only know it’s ‘those guys from South Park’, or have only listened to the soundtrack and taken the show out of context without even seeing it.”

“There are also cities with a strong Mormon presence where they come out to support the show. A big part of their faith is just to start a conversation. There isn’t a quota,” Bondy said. “They actually take advertisements out in our programs, ‘You’ve seen the play. Now read the book.’ They’ll often wait outside after our show to talk about their faith and answer questions.”

Among the most unexpected audience endorsements Bondy revealed was from a conversation he had with one such missionary following a recent show.

“It kind of threw me because he hadn’t even see the show that night. ‘Entertainment’ is prohibited during their missions,” he said. “But he told me he’d seen the play three years earlier, and it made him curious about the religion—enough so that he eventually ended up becoming a Mormon and is now bringing that faith to others.”

How’s that for a religious experience? ▩

The Book of Mormon runs at the Ohio Theatre from April 19-26. Tickets are on sale now through the CAPA ticket office and Ticketmaster. For more, visit capa.com.

March 15, 2015

Strip Mall Surprise

Originally published in the Spring 2015 issue of Stock & Barrel

For adventurous eaters, Columbus holds its own when it comes to top-notch food trucks slinging what’s next in curbside cuisine.

But in the waning days of winter, shivering on the sidewalk isn’t the only option for those hungry for something exotic and new. Hiding in plain sight from Westerville to Georgesville are strip mall surprises — unassuming ethnic eateries where the menus are deep and the rent is cheap.

“It’s easy to see strip malls as complete drive-bys,” notes Nick Dekker, local food legend and acclaimed breakfast serial blogger. “Strip malls offer small spaces with inexpensive rent, so they’re a natural draw for family-owned restaurants. Some of my favorite restaurants over the years are all located in strip malls: Los Guachos off Bethel Road, Huong Vietnamese on Morse or Fortune Chinese on Olentangy River Road.”

That’s the story behind one of the latest additions to the local food landscape, Hoyo’s Kitchen, tucked away in Columbus Square on the Northeast side. Breathing new life into the spot once held by Solay Bistro, former fans will find the renovations hide a restaurant reinvention — fast casual Somali. Owner and recent OSU grad, Abdilahi “A.B.” Hassan wants to share his culinary heritage with Chipotle’s simplicity. Choose from a wide selection of traditionally prepared entrees and expertly seasoned sides. Play it safe with cubed chicken or beef “suqaar” or go for the goat — hearty and fork tender, with heaping helpings of rice, chickpeas, lentils and a hot cup of Somali ginger tea to bring all of the flavors together.

Right down the same strip is Mi Li Café. It’s everything a Vietnamese lunch counter should be — limited menu with excellent execution of every item. The phở bo vien is as rich and complex as any in town, but the banh mi thit nuong still steals the show. The culture clash of regional tastes served on a crusty baguette is the culinary convergence of Vietnam’s French colonial history on a bun. Grilled pork and peppery pâté compete with the crunch of cucumbers and carrots in a sandwich that has a fierce following for good reason.

Not far, yet a world away, is Mezze Middle’terranean Cuisine on North Hamilton Road, right on the edge of New Albany and Gahanna. The format is familiar, but the fare is formidable. To suggest you simply select from a list of proteins and build your meal around it, is unjust. The Israeli-inspired shawarma is as sumptuous as the grilled tilapia is delicate. Gyro and chicken may go equally well wrapped in a pita, but the mujadara is not it be missed — a Lebanese blend of rice and lentils. Baba ghanoug, matbucha and tabouli compliment any choice, but you probably want to leave room for their homemade desserts. Everything is better with baklava.

Papaya Fusion Grill strikes the balance between eastern influences and western customization, with a menu that may offer the most choices per square food of any restaurant in greater Columbus. Stir fry, soup or sandwich, you’ll find strange “platefellows” indeed off 161 just east of Sawmill Road. Why not order a tandoori chicken panini or firecracker shrimp po’ boy with a side of drunken lo mein or cup of lemongrass soup? If those decisions are too daunting, stick with the red curry chicken bowl — a spicy sweet blend of coconut milk, bamboo shoots, zucchini and peppers served with rice — then work your way through the menu the next time.

With arguably the best taco truck scene in the Midwest, it’s easy to overlook places like La Super Torta. But do so at your peril. Just down the road from Hollywood Casino, that’s where La Super Torta hits the jackpot. You’ll find all of the food truck favorites there, but the two-fisted tortas are what set them apart. The torta asada comes on a roll roughly the same dimensions as a slightly deflated football, piled with seasoned steak, sliced avocado, lettuce, tomato and peppers. And whoever thought to smear refried black beans on the lid of a torta deserves a Nobel Prize in Sandwich Craft.

“No longer do you need to be situated along High Street, with a huge marketing budget, to be a successful eatery,” explains Bryant Miller, Community Manager for Yelp Columbus. “When you’re not afraid to grab a tiny table in the back of an Asian market, you’ll find the best pad thai in the city. That’s why we’re not afraid to go somewhere new — we might just find the best meal we’ve never had.” ▩

November 1, 2014

Picture Perfect

Originally published in the November 2014 issue of (614) Magazine

The advent of camera phones has in many ways undermined the charm and formality of traditional family photos. But for those of lesser means, a family portrait isn’t just special — it’s sacred.

This was the stark realization that inspired celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart to create Help-Portrait six years ago. Since then, the simple gesture of offering a portrait to someone in need has grown into an international movement.

The first Saturday in December, in hundreds of cities in more than 60 countries, local photographers organize events to provide free individual and family portraits. Help-Portrait Columbus has been involved in the project since the beginning, offering more organized shooting locations than any other city in the world.

Most local photographers were initially drawn to the group through a mix of online interest and personal contacts. It’s a tightly-knit community in a town where everyone already seems to know everyone.

“I first found out about Help- Portrait from following Jeremy Cowart on Facebook,” said Amanda McKinley, who has been involved since 2008. Cowart and several colleagues organized a test event in Nashville that September, then posted a documentary short on YouTube to inspire fellow photographers. “After seeing videos of Jeremy sharing his own experiences, I knew right away this was something in which I wanted to take part.”

Unlike most cities, where only a single event is organized, Help-Portrait Columbus has offered more than a dozen different shooting locations that change slightly from year-to-year based on availability. Recognizing Central Ohio’s mass transit limitations, photographers create partnerships with community centers, clothes closets, food pantries, and homeless shelters that serve those in need.

Extending the original scope of Help-Portrait, Columbus photographers also provide portraits for families with children who have developmental challenges – families who often struggle not only financially, but also to find a photographer patient enough to coax a smile from a reluctant child.

Another unique shooting location is Rebecca’s Place, which offers temporary housing for women in crisis and transition.

“Rebecca’s Place is probably my favorite venue on Help-Portrait day because it is such a challenge,” McKinley said. “Over the years, we have refined how we accomplish our work in this small space.”

“Some are young mothers just trying to get their feet on the ground while looking for employment. Others have endured the depths of substance abuse and are on the mend. The short amount of time we spend with these women gives them all a chance to feel equal. We want them to feel important, we want to leave them feeling confident, and most of all, we want to see them smile.”

Typically, Help-Portrait cities offer a single portrait. Columbus organizers have always provided two, so no one has to choose between keeping or sharing them. Photographers also release their rights to the portraits so recipients can reprint as many copies as they’d like, wherever they’d like. It’s never been about taking pictures – it’s about giving them.

The innovative implementation of Help-Portrait Columbus has made it a model for other cities, attracting photographers from throughout Ohio and neighboring states.

“When I first learned of the event, there was no one in Cleveland or Akron involved,” said John Saraya, a photographer from Northeastern Ohio. “I looked around and found the group in Columbus. I return because I have made some great friends, and the group is extremely well organized. There’s a reason the locations keep asking us to come back.”

The event has also provided opportunities for experienced photographers to mentor those new to portrait photography.

“I’ve been able to teach and offer suggestions to those behind the camera, as well as interact with those in front of it,” Saraya said. “I was helping a less experienced photographer with posing a woman, and joking with both as to how I was doing so. After the woman saw the images, she sought me out to give me a hug and say thank you for making her look so good.”

Though it’s easy to take family photos for granted, for some, they are still a luxury.

“Initially, many of our clients have never had the means to have a professional portrait taken. It turned out, many of them had no pictures of themselves or their families at all,” said Ben Simon, also a founding photographer with Help-Portrait Columbus. “Over the years, we’ve photographed many of the same families. They can now document their individual growth and that of their families through the images we provide.”

“Reactions have always been mixed with raw emotion and gratitude,” Simon said. “I truly believe when you’re down on your luck, sometimes all it takes is the kindness of a stranger to remind you how special you are.” ▩

Photographers interested in joining Help-Portrait can learn more at help-portrait.com. Events will be held on December 6 at Rebecca’s Place, the Childhood League, Urban Concern, and additional locations throughout Central Ohio.