FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 22, 2010 – Greg began his foray into the arts as a young teen when he purchased his first camera from Mack Camera store in downtown Lima.  For the next 30 years, he used photography as a way of expressing his artistic side, winning several awards including being named a semi-finalist in “W’ Magazine’s Obsession national photography contest and holding several photography exhibits throughout the country.  As an award winning filmmaker, he wrote, produced and directed 8 short films which have won awards and been featured in film festivals throughout the US and internationally.  One of his award winning films “Eight Thirty” was inspired by Greenlawn Roller Rink that was a centerpiece of the Lima community during Greg’s teenage years.

For the past 3 years, Mr. Pitts has been painting.  He is an abstract expressionist artist.  One of his first clients told him that his style reminded her of Jackson Pollock and dubbed him “The Black Jackson Pollock.”  

Greg Pitts is currently on exhibit in Miami n the Wynwood Art District  and Ft. Lauderdale FL in the Fat Arts Village.  He is one of the featured artists to exhibit at this year’s Art Basel Miami.   Art Basel Miami is an annual contemporary art art exhibition held in Miami, Florida, and is a sister event to Art Basel in Switzerland.  Art Basel Miami  has been held annually since 2002, has been held throughout the city each December. Along with associated events, It has eclipsed the original Art Basel in size, popularity, if not importance. Events for Art Basel Miami are held in art galleries in the Miami neighborhoods of Wynwood and the Miami Design District.

Greg is donating a portion of proceeds of the sale of his artwork to the United Way in honor of his grandparents who migrated from Alabama and were very strong, hard-working people.  He is also offering a limited number of custom designed coffee mugs featuring his first published piece of artwork.

The exhibit runs August 27 through the month of September.  There is an opening reception on August 27, 2010 6:30-9:00 and the artist has taken time from his schedule to be present for this event.

The Meeting Place is featuring a coffee drink for the month of September to coincide with the art exhibit.  

The Meeting Place is located at 220 West Market Street at the corner of West and Market in Downtown Lima, Ohio

Visit their website for more info   www.meetingplaceonmarket.com

 

 

 

UPDATE:  Meet the Artist Event is canceled due to death in the artist’s family.  Art will be on display throughout September, however.

The Lima City Chess League is open to all ages and skill levels!  The program runs September 2nd – November 4th, with weekly match play at The Meeting Place on Market on Thursdays, 4-6 pm.

A tournament will begin at 9 am on November 6th, 2010 with awards given to the top two finishers.

The program costs just $30 to join, and includes a T-shirt, weekly chess matches, and chess tournament entry.

For more information, contact the Lima Recreation Department at 419-221-5195.

To register, download and print the registration form here:   Chess League Registration Form (Fall 2k00)

Heartland Payment Systems provides a secure, industry-leading credit card solution.  When you enter your credit card after selecting your gourmet coffee, you will be entering it directly ino an SSL-enabled, encrypted web portal hosted by Heartland, all within the look and feel of the KaffeeScape web site.

Use KaffeeScape.com to order flavored and decaf coffees, origin, organic, and fair trade coffees, unique gift baskets, and other gifts!

The public is invited to an opening night reception for this year’s ‘Adventures in Art’ exhibit at the The Meeting Place, 220 W. Market Street in Lima, on Friday, July 30^th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Lima Adult Day Support program participants will be featuring their artwork at the exhibit.

Local artist Joan Barnes started “Adventures in Art’ in 2006.  She visits the adult day support center once a month and leads an individual or a group art project with the Lima program participants. This year, a dozen participant artists will exhibit their work in the show.

Easter Seals Adult Day Support Program in Lima is a day habilitation program serving adults with developmental disabilities. This program encourages community interaction through on-going community access and participation; maximizes the fullest potential of each individual by building upon their unique skills, talents, and interests; and promotes personal choices through the development of a wide array of meaningful activities and opportunities.

The free art exhibit is open to the public and will run from July 30, 2010 to August 26, at the The Meeting Place, 220 W. Market Street in Lima. Hours are Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

More information is available online at www.meetingplaceonmarket.com.

Contact

Kim Bramlage
k.bramlage@gesmvorg
937-528-6330
Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley
Marketing Communications Specialist

What is Fair Trade Coffee?

Fair Trade coffees are grown and processed by cooperatives run by small, family farmers which earn a guaranteed price for their beans.  They in turn must meet the criteria of fair labor conditions for all people working on the farm – freedom of association for farmers and workers, democratic decison making processes, and follow the environmental standards that restrict the use of agri-chemicals and foster sustainability.  This is an effort to improve the lives of the workers and that of their families, and the country the coffee is grown in.

What Does the USDA Organic Label Mean?

The USDA Organic label is regulated by the USDA, and requires proof that the product is produced without the use of synthetic chemicals.  The producer must also show a plan that addresses issues of bio-diversity, water-shed management, and the creation of buffer zones to prevent any cross-contamination in growing or processing of the coffee.  No chemicals or synthetic pesticides are used at the coffee plantations.

At The Meeting Place on Market, we do our part by offering our customers fair trade and organic coffees:

Fair Trade/ Organic Ethiopian

Grown in the Yirgacheffe region which balances flavor, acidity, and body.  A smooth, well-balanced coffee. 

Fair Trade/ Organic Guatemalan

Has great aromatics, good acidity and an excellent flavor.  A medium roast coffee perfect for a mellow evening.  Quickly becoming a customer favorite! 

Fair Trade/ Organic Ring of Fire Coffee

A dark, smokin’ blend of high mountain beans from the active volcanic soils of Indonesia, Timor and Papua-New Guinea. Eye-opening!  Our customers love this coffee. Its flavor is distinct, yet not bitter. As if it had been refined through fire!

Fair Trade/ Organic Peruvian

Grown high in the Andes Mtns this coffee has a rich, mellow flavor that’s similar to the High Andes coffees.

1. When your light bulbs go out, replace them with energy efficient light bulbs.

2. When you need new curtains, buy cellular shades or lined curtains, to reduce heat loss.

3. Start a simple recycling program at home by recycling plastic and cans. 

4. Buy fair trade and organic coffee. (check out KaffeeScape’s website for some great varieties)

5. Shop for organic groceries and staples at the grocery store.

6. Take re-usable grocery bags to the grocery store.

7. Take your plastic coffee mug to your local coffee house to fill up, instead of using disposable.  Ditto at work.

8. Shop at your local farmer’s market – you support your local economy, plus energy is saved because goods aren’t shipped across country, and no commercial packaging is required.

9.  Visit local antique and thrift stores for furniture – not only is it fun to search for just the right piece, you’re saving yourself cash and the forest, lumber!

10.  Grow an herb and vegetable garden in your backyard.  Even a couple containers of herbs and tomatoes can produce enough to share!

• 16 oz. glass or travel mug
• Ice
• Chilled, fresh-brewed, good quality coffee.  We recommend French Vanilla KaffeeScape® Coffee  Tip:  Put your leftover coffee from the morning into the fridge to use during the day
• Choice of milk
  Tip:  use sweetened condensed milk for a rich, sweet drink
• French Vanilla Stirling Flavored syrup, or flavoring of your choice
• Whipped cream (optional)

How To:

1. Fill glass with ice

2. Pour chilled brewed coffee until half full

3. Pour choice of milk until full

4. Add 1 Tbsp Stirling Flavored syrup and/or 1 Tbsp sugar if desired

5. Stir well

6. Top with whipped cream, if desired

7. Serve with straw

Q: Why did you start performing? 

A:  Started performing at school talent shows when I was in sixth grade largely because I wanted to be a rock star like Billy Joel.

Q:  What is your inspiration? 

A:  My greatest inspirations are my parents who are both accomplished musicians and who taught me how to humbly and joyfully present my gifts as a musician.

Q:  Where would you like to be in 5 years with your music?  

A:  In five years I would like to be doing regular performances around the Allen County area. It is somewhat dependent on my wife and four kids, however!

Thank you for answering our questions Philip!  We very much enjoy when you perform at The Meeting Place on Market!

Starts with the right coffee bean:   

• Choose coffee made from Grade A Arabica beans. 
• Choose coffee that has been recently roasted.  This is the most important element – coffee tastes the best within one month after roasting. 
• Smell the coffee beans – a strong smell indicates fresh beans.
• Invest in a coffee grinder and buy whole beans.  Grind your coffee immediately before brewing.  Once the coffee is ground, the flavor dissipates more quickly.  We highly recommend investing in a burr grinder.
• When buying decaffeinated coffees, look for coffees that have been decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process.

How to Store Coffee:

1. Storage is integral to maintaining your coffee’s freshness and flavor. It is important to keep it away from excessive air, moisture, heat, and light – in that order – in order to preserve its fresh-roast flavor as long as possible. 

2. Coffee beans are decorative and beautiful to look at but you will compromise the taste of your coffee if you store your beans in ornamental, glass canisters on your kitchen countertop.  Doing so will cause them to become stale and your coffee will quickly lose its fresh flavor.

3. It is important not to refrigerate or freeze your daily supply of coffee because contact with moisture will cause it to deteriorate. 

4. Instead, store coffee in air-tight glass or ceramic containers and keep it in a convenient, but dark and cool, location. Remember that a cabinet near the oven is often too warm, as is a cabinet on an outside wall of your kitchen if it receives heat from a strong afternoon or summer sun.

5. The commercial coffee containers that you purchased your coffee in are generally not appropriate for long-term storage. Appropriate coffee storage canisters with an airtight seal are a worthwhile investment.

How to Make Coffee: 

1. Begin with freshly roasted coffee beans.

2. Grind the beans right before brewing.

3. Use filtered water.

4. Ideally use a French press, although you’ll get a good cup of coffee from a drip maker too.

5. Use approximately 1 rounded teaspoon of coffee per 8 oz. of water, to your taste.

Brew, and serve!

In this decaffeinating method, green coffee beans soak in hot water to draw off the caffeine.  The resulting solution, which contains caffeine as well as other flavor and aroma elements, is separated from the beans and sent through a bed of activated charcoal to remove the caffeine.  Next, the water containing the remaining flavor compounds is returned to the beans. The beans are then dried.  The coffee industry often refers to this decaffeinating method as “Swiss Water Process” because a Swiss company originally developed and patented the procedure.  No chemicals are used in this method.

We offer a wide variety of Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffees to buy in our store, or online at www.kaffeescape.com.