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Beer is just Beer….. Right?

by Sara Marrs, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Athens County Economic Development Council

I attended my first 2010 Ohio Brew Week event last night, Sparbock keg tapping at Jackie Os. The pub was full of brew-goers eager to taste the craft brews that will be offered all week at many of the drinking establishments in Athens. I was really excited to be among the group of people who were there tasting, scoring, and talking about the beers. As I listened to the folks at the tables around me, I realized that there is an entirely different jargon that I was previously unaware of when discussing beer and its flavors. It was really entertaining to hear statements like; this one is really hoppy, that one has a sweet nose but a bitter finish, perfect balance.
I have to say, I am a person who knows what she likes. I never really thought beyond that when drinking my beer. I was introduced to a different perspective last night. So, here is a little of what I learned;

*IPA – An ale brewed in England for British troops stationed in India in the 18th century. It was brewed very strong to survive a voyage that could take as long as six months. Highly hopped.

posted in: arts, athens, athens county, balance, beer, brew week, brewers, drinking, economic development, entertainment, entrepreneur, events, family, food, fun, music, people, quality of life, specialty foods, unique, uptown
July 13, 2010 | comments (1)
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Nerve

by Russell Chamberlain, Broker/Owner, The Athens Real Estate Company

I just finished reading what is for me a transformational book: Ed Friedman’s “Failure of Nerve.” It’s NOT a bestseller. Friedman’s died in ’96 and left behind an unfinished manuscript that his family and friends “finished” for him. It’s not a perfect book, but neither was “Huckleberry Finn.”

I discovered the book at my dad’s house, borrowed it and haven’t returned it. I can’t return it now: the book is completely marked up w/my own annotations and highlights, and the binding broke half-way through in the course of reading it, to the point where I began using chunks of pages as bookmarks for the next section. Talk about “well thumbed.” It’s that good.

posted in: , balance, economic development, leadership, strategy
February 23, 2009 | comments (0)
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Dial-Up Land

by Sarah Conley, Market Manager, Athens Farmers Market

Remind me, next time you see me, to thank my lucky stars. Yes, I need reminded from time to time that life works out, and that my list of blessings is truly endless. Life in our country home is a dream come true and I’ll never look back on the chance we took two years ago to buy nine acres in the hills of Southeastern Ohio.
That said – I will take the next three sentences to complain.
Dial-up internet is for the birds. No, perhaps even the birds would complain, because they can certainly fly faster than the time it takes for me to upload one simple webpage. There are days when I actually consider applying for a tech job with Verizon simply to infiltrate the business and run hi-speed internet service to me and my neighbors.

Living in rural Athens County, such is life. Roads are paved with tar and cinder and may become impassible with a hard rain. Access to utilities is not a guarantee, some places just now getting pipelines installed. Ridges are steep, bridges narrow, but there’s nothing like the view from atop Hooper Ridge.

posted in: , athens, athens county, balance, development, infrastructure, place, quality of life
February 16, 2009 | comments (0)
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Viva Athens

by Tanya Conrath, Coordinator, Ohio Skills Bank

I’m not sure why we even bothered taking a taxi. There was so much traffic on the Vegas Strip that a group of guys stumbling down the sidewalk, spilling their beer as they went, were making more forward progress than we were. Stuck in traffic and late for our dinner reservations, I asked the cabbie where the locals like to eat. “Anywhere but here.” he said. “Would you come here on your day off?” Sensing that this was more of a rhetorical question (because, actually, yes, I did come to Vegas on my day off), I let it go.

But I knew what he meant. The noise, traffic, lights, hordes of people, and a 28 story high billboard of Donny & Marie* can take a toll on your senses. It doesn’t take too many days in Vegas to reminded me of why I love living in Athens.

posted in: balance, living in Athens
February 6, 2009 | comments (0)
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