10 Things We Love- Made in Oklahoma

Ooooooo-kla-homa where the wind comes sweeping down the plains and products are shipped across America. This state shaped like a pot has been referred to as the Heartland of America. Sooners, Cowboys, Okies, whatever you want to call them, they truly have hearts of gold. These people pulled together after the Oklahoma City bombing and many horrific twisters. They are hard workers and put their hearts into those things that are made here. In 1889 people staked their claim in the Oklahoma Land Rush and it has developed strong roots of productivity ever since. My teen years were rooted in this state and I’m happy to share 10 products made in Oklahoma, a place that breathes college sport rivalry and breeds down to earth people. Ya’ll come back here and enjoy these fixins’ or just order ‘em on-line.

www.usalovelist.com/2013/05/made-in-oklahoma/

Click on the link above to read the full article about 10 products Made in Oklahoma which supports Made in America.

The Woman Behind Ben's Chili Bowl

          I wrote this story for a Social Documentary class in Washington D.C. about this woman and the business she and her husband started 55 years ago and it continues to thrive. Ben's Chili Bowl has survived during some difficult times in American history. I was honored to have met and interview Virginia Ali, a true inspiration. I believe in supporting small businesses that lend strength to our American economy. Go out today and support those Ma and Pa shops!

Ben’s Chili Bowl has seen long lines of people outside its door for 55 years. They have hung picture after picture of celebrities who have eaten there. Owner Virginia Ali sat in her chair as customers passed by and gave her compliments, shook her hand and asked for her autograph. Ali is unimpressed by her fame.

“I like to be in the background,” Ali said.

The devotion of the community, visits from President Barack Obama and France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as its biggest supporter, Bill Cosby, have helped Ben’s Chili Bowl boom and become a “must-go-to place” in D.C.

Cosby has been eating there since 1959. The friendship between the Alis and Cosby has flourished over the years. Cosby courted his wife, Camille, there at Ben’s in the ‘60s. Cosby once held a national press conference at Ben’s Chili Bowl to celebrate his number one rated show “The Cosby Show.” Ali said they used to overnight orders to Cosby on dry ice. Cosby asked Ali in September 2010 to be the one to present him to the United States Navy Memorial Foundation where he received the Lone Sailor Award. Cosby volunteered to record a voice message for customers. When they called and were put on hold, they would hear him talk about Ben’s Chili Bowl.

“Isn’t that special. He truly shares his humanity. He does very special things for people,” Ali said.

The Alis have done a special thing for D.C. It all began when Ali and her late husband, Ben Ali, opened their doors in 1958 at 1213 U St. It was built in 1910 and was the Minnehaha Theatre, a silent movie house. One of D.C.’s first black police detectives, Harry Beckley, turned it into a pool hall and the Alis bought the building from him.

“This was a very prominent, but segregated community. U Street was the heart of entertainment. There were three theatres along this strip,” Ali said.

It was known as “Black Broadway.” People such as Nat King Cole and others were known to “hang out” at Ben’s Chili Bowl after performing at the Lincoln Theatre next door.

But it suffered hard times as well. In 1968, when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, riots plagued the city and Ben’s Chili Bowl, known to locals as “the little hot dog stand,” became a place of refuge for police officers, city officials and advocates.

“It was a place where they could congregate and talk about how to stop the violence,” Ali said.

Most of the city shut down after King’s assassination. “We were the only restaurant allowed to stay open after curfew…the neighborhood deteriorated for the next 25 years,” Ali said.

She said she felt through it all, people supported their restaurant.

“There was a strong sense of community,” Ali said.

She was proud to report that no one ever broke into Ben’s Chili Bowl during a time when drugs took over the streets.

From 1987 to 1991, the restaurant went through more difficult times when the Metro’s Green Line underwent construction and U Street closed. Ali’s three sons were in college. Ben Ali felt it was a waste of time for the boys to work there, but Virginia Ali and one other employee, who has been there for 34 years, stayed and fed the regulars.

“It was hard times. Not even a single car went down this street. It was completely torn up,” Ali said.

But they continued to stay open.

Ben’s Chili Bowl has received national media attention and a lot of recognition over the years. Ali and her husband were cruising in the Mediterranean in 2009 when they heard on TV that the D.C. mayor was going to talk live and they wanted to hear what he had to say. The next thing they saw was their restaurant with then President-elect Obama getting a half-smoke hot dog just 10 days before his inauguration.

Ben’s Chili Bowl has also been a movie set for “State of Play” with Russell Crowe and “The Pelican Brief.” It has been featured in several TV shows such as Oprah, CNN, the Today Show, Good Morning America and the Food Network. Ali and her husband were inducted into the D.C. Hall of Fame in May 2001. They also received the key to the city by Mayor Adrian Fenty in 2008.

Ali shared some of the favorite quotes she’s heard through out the years about Ben’s Chili Bowl. Since it’s open until 4:00 a.m. on the weekends, people want a place to eat after dancing and drinking so people would say, “Sober up with a chili dog!”

“We had TV ads with slogans such as, ‘The chili that will make your hot dog bark,’” Ali said.

They no longer have ads. It’s mostly word of mouth now. Ali said she’s heard people say to those running for office, “If you haven’t sat in the corner of the front of the restaurant at Ben’s with the locals then you’re not really running for office.” It truly has become a local hot spot as well as a family business.

All three sons and two daughters-in-law are involved at Ben’s Chili Bowl. One son and his wife have opened up a restaurant next door that’s called, “Ben’s Next Door.” It has a more extensive menu. There is also a gift shop upstairs and an on-line store: www.benschilibowl.com where people can order chili, half smokes, T-shirts and hats. Ben’s Chili Bowl also has a place in the Washington Nationals baseball stadium. The alley adjacent to Ben’s was named, “Ben Ali Way” by city council member Jim Graham in 1999 and is being painted with a mural.

Ali pointed to the outline on the wall of her and Ben, who were married for 51 years, “I didn’t know it was going to be THAT big. Sometimes I look around and think, how did this happen,” Ali said. 

10 Things We Love, Made in Colorado

I want to thank USA Love List and my friend Ana Bogusky aka Mrs. American Made (check out her blog where she puts together cute whole outfits of American made clothes http://mrsamericanmade.tumblr.com ) for giving me this opportunity to work on this project. I loved researching these companies and learning what they are all about. You don't have to live in Colorado to enjoy these products. When we buy Made in the USA products we do our part to strengthen our economy and support job growth.

Colorado is the Wild West of historical mountain towns where slopes are shredded and home-brewed beer is guzzled. It’s the land where people from everywhere come to challenge ski slopes. With time their lungs adapt to a mile high altitude. People are Rocky Mountain high on the amazing outdoor living here in Colorado. It boasts as being one of the healthiest and sunniest places in the USA. Our state not only has natural beauty, but has man-made products worth shedding light on. Fortunately, we have been able to narrow it down to 10 for our Colorado Love List of products.

http://www.usalovelist.com/2013/02/10-things-we-love-made-in-colorado/

Click on the link above to see the 10 products Made in Colorado.

The Water Glass Man

     I wrote this story during my trip to Washington D.C. for  a social documentary class. I want to share this story because it just brought a smile to my face. I love the way this man has lived his passion and enjoys sharing it with the world. Every one of our lives is a story and this is my passion, to TELL the stories of ordinary people who do extraordinary things. There is a link to a video at the end of the story where you can marvel at his talent. Enjoy!

The Water Glass Man

   A glass of water isn’t just for drinking. If you’re Jamey Turner, you make a symphony with science and about 60 water-filled glasses on wood blocks and a wobbly table.

   For 34 years this 71-year-old musician has been playing songs from Mozart to the Star Wars theme by wetting his fingers with distilled water and gracefully rubbing the rims of stemmed glasses. Turner doesn’t just play on a corner in Alexandria, Va., but all around the world from “The Tonight Show” to the National Symphony Orchestra. He’s played the clarinet in the Army, taught U.S. history and lifts the spirits of those who hear him play.

   “Beauty has been the passion in my life,” Turner said.

   Turner first heard the water-glass sounds when he was 6 years old in his home in Lewistown, Mont.

   “The Hunter family, another musical family, had dinner with us. I was just leaving the table when everyone began to play because they were all musical. They started playing harmonies on the glasses,” Turner said. “That moment the sound of glass became my favorite sound and it has remained so ever since.”

   He developed a passion for music. He not only plays the glass harp by ear, but the musical saw and the clarinet as well.

   Turner moved to Boulder, Colo., from Montana during his junior year in high school and graduated from Boulder High School in 1958. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in humanities from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1969. Between high school and college he served in the Army for three years in Germany and played in their band as a clarinetist.

   “That’s what bands are all about, lifting troop’s spirits,” Turner said.

   Now, he is a one-man band. Turner taught himself how to play the glass harp.
   “First I handed out separate glasses, tuned with water, to friends and audiences. They accompanied me as I played clarinets or saws,” he said. “Then in 1977, I put together my first glass harp, with eight glasses, soon adding four more glasses in order to have one full chromatic octave. As I added new pieces of my music to my glass harp repertoire, I added glasses to meet the requirements of each new piece. The glass harp thus grew quite organically. Now I have 60 glasses forming four chromatic octaves.”

   While he sat on his stool, Turner gave a brief history of each song before he played music by Mozart and songs such as “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Perhaps this comes from his background of teaching U.S. history at Metropolitan State University of Denver for three years. He explained how Benjamin Franklin invented a variation of the glass harp after hearing it in 1757. Composers such as Mozart were fascinated with it and contributed to its popularization and refinement.

     Turner’s audiences not only enjoy music with a twist of history, but they learn a bit of science as well. Each glass is set on square wood blocks that are tied down with thick rubber bands and wrapped through holes on the table. He and his friend, Steve Robinson, who is a boat maker, experimented with approximately two-dozen kinds of wood in Robinson’s studio in Pensacola, Fla., before finding the right one that would resonate the sounds he wanted. Together they concluded that juniper, surrounded by an oak edging, was the strongest and best-sounding combination. Turner describes how the pH level of his skin is important as well.

      “The more acidic, the more friction I get on the glasses. The more alkaline, the more slick my fingers are on the glasses. I have to get just the right balance,” Turner explained.          
     About six months ago he discovered that hot water dissolves the natural oil on his hands. He is talking with various glass blowers, including one in West Virginia, to create glasses that will be his harp’s fifth octave. For 14 years, Turner acquired a patent on his set-up configuration.

     Tuning is another aspect of Turner’s glass harp.

     “I tune by ear using five perfectly tuned empty glasses, they are exact notes without having any water in them, as my reference points,” Turner said. “I have relative pitch, which means I just need to have one exactly tuned glass to start with. Then I can do all the rest just by hearing the sounds as I put the water in the glasses. It takes me about 10 minutes for the actual tuning. The whole set up and tuning takes about 40 minutes.”

      Turner has acquired a long list of venues since he played on Pearl Street in Boulder, Colo. from May to August in 1979. He has been a guest soloist in several orchestras. He made two appearances in the Denver Symphony Orchestra in the ‘70s where he played the musical saw. Turner has appeared on several shows such as: “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” BBC-TV and more. The list of places he’s played is extensive and impressive with locations such as The Kennedy Center, Disney World, the Smithsonian and many other venues.                       

     “That’s beautiful! Have you ever heard anything like that in your life? That is wonderful,” Johnny Carson said.

     This is Carson’s quote of Turner’s performance on “The Tonight Show” on Turner’s website, www.jameyturner.com where you can also find his CD titled, “That Your Joy Might Be Full.” It includes 24 songs from Beethoven to Bach. Turner plays at birthday parties, churches, synagogues, reunions, bat mitzvahs, festivals, military bases, college campuses and more.

     Bob Brennis, an audience member on the corner said he saw Turner for the first time 10 years ago.

     “You wouldn’t think you could do this with water and glass,” Brennis said. 

     He brought his two sons to hear Turner when they were younger. They are now in their 20s and both of them are musicians. One son is now residing in Boulder and plays the trumpet professionally. Turner is a man who has touched the Brennis’ lives and thousands of others through his passion.

     When asked if he was retired, Turner replied, “Retired? That’s a swear word.” 

You can watch his geniuseness here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wAjtzO62xo

Putting Myself Out There

I have decided to come out and hop on the blogging bandwagon again. I got caught up in going back to school, mommy stuff and well, just plain LIFE. Now that I’ve finally finished college just shy of my 40^th birthday, I have a little more time on my hands. I’ve decided that blogging is a pure form of entrepreneurialism of putting your own thoughts and ideas out into the world. I’ve titled my blog “TAYLORED TANGENTS.”  I have many interests and don’t want to block myself into one particular topic. I have a tendency to go off on tangents. People who receive my Christmas letters each year know this about me. I write how I would carry on a conversation. With blogging, I’m not trapped into a structured writing format. I write in a way that hopefully can bring you in where you catch yourself having a conversation in your head WITH me.

My tangents are not “TAYLORED” (yes, I’m using the play on words thing) to any particular audience, but they are Taylored because the blurbs come from me (for those who are a little slow and haven't had their caffeine fix for the day). Some have blogs on cooking, fashion, or experimenting with things they’ve found on Pinterest. My blog will be whatever tangent is getting my creative electrons flowing. My audience can be anywhere from housewives who are NOT so desperate to professionals who just love reading feature stories on ordinary people who do extraordinary things. I find people to be inspiring. Well, some, haha. My tangents could be on teenage issues (since I have one) to people who are trying to make a difference in fashion in Boulder, Colo. Those who live in Boulder know this can be quite a feat since it’s known to be a yoga pant-wearing community. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. I choose to “fit in” once in awhile. See... this is what I mean. I can go off onto another tangent just like THAT! My point is that my writing is all over the place and this is why I love freelance writing. The list of tangents is endless.

So… please hop on my blogging bandwagon and offer your ideas, opinions and comments. Follow me where I hope to uplift and inspire with other’s stories, learn from many and put a smile on some of your faces. But, not ALL of your faces because I don’t want that kind of pressure. Enjoy!