A friendly gnome by the name of Olim just “walked in” to visit us at einmaleins.

He’s from Gnomediaries.com and comes with a special message about climate change and how you can do your part in making sure this planet stays as beautiful as it was intended to be!

Come and stop by tomorrow during First Friday and say Hi to him!

And visit www.everydayolympia.com for more info. 

mathias & Olim - the Gnome.

einmaleins

Locals, Internet Savvy geeks, world peace lovers, art fanatics - all of you!!

einmaleins has a very special announcement for you:

Olympia Artswalk 2008 will go Live, Worldwide, on the Web.

And you can be a part of this!!!

We installed a live web-cam at einmaleins, which will send Arts Walk across the wires all around the world!

How fantastic is that??

Here is the link for a preview:

http://www.everydayolympia.com/events/artswalk/index.php

So, tell your folks and friends from near and far. Logon yourself if you can't make it downtown this weekend or if just want to see why Arts Walk is Olympia's biggest party of the year!

And, if you want to let out that inner actor/actress in you, swing by einmaleins ans say Hallo to the world!

The camera awaits you!!

mathias

einmaleins

Wouldn't it be great, if we could create a huge directory of local artists from all over Olympia.

Well, we listened to your ideas.
Here it is:
Everyday Olympia just created a supercool local artist directory .
All local artists are invited to send us their contact information and we add them to the directory.

It is FREE!!!

Here is what we need:
Artist First and Last Name*
email*
Studio Name/Business name/Artist alias
W ebsite address (don't have one? Contact us, on how you can get a simple "electronic business card" through EverydayOlympia.)
Contact infomation ( phone, address etc.)
Medium: so we can see what you're doing, and for later use, when we want to add a directory by genre!!
Location: Gallery, where you art is displayed/ local store where your art is for sale.

Why did nobody warn me...?

Dang, I totally didn't think about it... me so stupid....

Anyway, it's an hour later than yesterday.

Spring forward!!!

mathias

einmaleins

What a great night we had.

After we closed shop at einmaleins, we walked around a bit, to take in the atmosphere downtown.

It was really awesome!

Considering everything that we should be thinking about the event, downtown and safety, the economy, Bush and Riots and Karma and everything in between. It was cool to meet new people, friendly people. People being excited about being out in downtown on a Friday night.

The Black Front Gallery had a great show and their place was humming.

Many stores that I hadn't connected with in regards of First Friday were open, their stores lit up new shop owners were gracious hosts and showed us their space and welcomed us in.

Ahhh,

it's a good time to be in Downtown Olympia! 

Friendly Reminder:

Tonight is First Friday night!!

Lots of places downtown are participating in this great event.

Have nothing to do tonight - come out and join the fun.

Participating locations include:

... more to come...!

Check http://www.everydayolympia.com for more information.

see you there.

:: explaination ::

I posted this earliers as a comment and response to a previous blog entry of mine.

it seems worth of it's own entry, so I modified it slighlty and reposted:

I have had serveral conversation regarding this idea, but so far hadn't written anything down.

Now I feel it's the right time to open things up and get some more feetback on it:

Downtown Olympia - what it is and what it might become (investing money into infrastructure or events?):

Infrastructre improvements are necessary to beautify Olympia downtown.

But aren't they very expensive?

I think we need more people in downtown walking, shopping, enjoying the infrastructure to make it worth the expense?

I, for one, need more people to walk by my store and stop and shop. Now, that's where my bias comes in - I chose that location and it's my responsibility to make it work.

Now, not all events are helpful, for example the Downtown for the Holiday event was a joke, the decorations ridiculous and if hear of one more parade I might throw up.

So, what it comes down to for me is this: We need to BRAND downtown in a new fashion.

A good branding can overlook lots of little shortcomings but gives people a new way to look at something that is already great. If we always talk about that we need a cleaner and more secure downtown than we give people the impression that it's unclean and a scary place.

So, this is what First Friday is supposed to be:

A lowcost, family-friendly, regular, community event that celebrates the beauty of downtown in the way it already exists and gives downtown business owners a chance to promote their businesses in the way they see fit.

Now, I see the First Friday as a first step of a much larger picture of what is going to happen with the city:

I want First Friday's main focus to be GREEN.

Alright,

as a downtown business owner and ODA member and someone in love with the city I started First Friday in Downtown this December with a few other businesses.

Every month we've grown. More stores have been participating and more people have been out and about, enjoying this regular event and the possibilities to meet people, walk around a city "alive", and shop and dine till late into the evening.

Now, so far I've been managing the event from my computer in the store and keeping everything electronic and simple, but now we're at the brink of growing this into a "funded" event as the PBIA and the ODA both have been approaching me, asking me to present the idea and let them help support it.

I've got some ideas of what this event could turn into, and am presenting those next week to both committees to see what they think, where they stand and if it makes sense for them and me to work together.

Here is my challenge for all of you:

Creative visionaries of Olympia - here is your chance!

Tell me what you would like to turn this event into!!

Give me ideas, dreams - help me color the rough draft and be a part of something that can and will be a huge hit for Olympia.

Even some testamonies or letters of recommodation if you will would be great, so I don't sound like a lonley voice, but "represent the people"!!!

Now, obvioulsy I sound way to excited for this blog and will receive alot of comments and responses about why this event will suck, fizzle and die. Why Olympia is a lost cause and why the ODA and PBIA are the devil. Save your breath, I know where you stand and don't care - because I still believe in this city and in the power of people to make a change for the better.

'Nuff said - now it's your turn!

mathias

einmaleins

The Downtown Shopper has arrived.

Everyone, and i think we mean around 70,000 household around Olympia should have received this week along with the Shopwise Mailer the 2nd official Downtown Shopper.

So, grap the mailer, head on downtown and shop the amazing stores participating offering a great variety of discounts and deals.

See you out there,

mathias

einmaleins

PS: The sun is shining, what are you waiting for, it's such a rare chance...

I just found out yesterday that my business neigbour Otto's Bagel Shop closed.

It's a sad day for downtown Olympia.

From unabonger's flickr file: