An amazing Hall-cooked meal for only $10

Think this deal sounds too good to be true? Feel free to give more! It really is just as simple as that. Make your contribution now, check out the pictures of people stuffing their faces from past Dinners at Indy Hall Night Owls to see what you’ve been missing, or keep reading if you want more info about the whole Hulla-baloo

Here’s the Deal:

Since the beginning, cooking at Indy Hall has been a labor of love, but it’s been a growing dream of mine to be able to make it a more sustainable business model. Cooking a massive meal from scratch is serious business; I spend anywhere from 2-4 hours shopping and cooking, and as more people started showing up, I quickly discovered that putting the money out upfront was not the best way to go about this whole operation.

Here’s How It Works:

I usually cultivate my culinary creations on the fly, inspired by everything from the weather, to what looks good in the market. I’ll provide updates of what I plan on making, but regardless, it will always be delicious. So far I haven’t had any complaints (and we can always work something out if you aren’t happy with your meal for any reason). I do my best to accommodate a wide range of palettes and dietary restrictions, just send me a note!

Past dinners have included Turkey Chili, Indian Curry Korma, a Rustic French-Andalusian Tomato Soup & Chicken Nuggets, a crazy-good lentil shepherd’s pie, and a macaroni & cheese situation that left people begging for more; I also love making A Lotta Frittata, because they are delicious, and it’s fun to say.

Thank You!

I love making fresh food from scratch, but what I really love is sharing that experience with my friends and family. So with all of that in mind, do whatever feels good in your heart, anything above the suggested $10 is a generous sign of appreciation for the effort I put forward in service to you and to my community. Thank you so much for helping me take this exciting adventure in an awesome new direction; I can’t wait to see many of your lovely faces at Dinner for Indy Hall Night Owls!

FEED ME!

Cheers,
Kara

About Indy Hall
A Better Place to Work Starts with Better Coworkers. We are a community of people who could work from anywhere but choose to work together, more productively, here at Indy Hall. Indy Hall’s community is the intersection of designers, developers, writers, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, educators, small business owners, telecommuters, marketers, videographers, game developers, and more. The only thing we’re missing is you.

If you have a basic membership Night Owls is FREE, and first Night Owls visit is on the house for non-members; it’s a great time to see the community in its natural habitat and there is always plenty of food to go around!

JELLYWEEK IS A GLOCAL COLLABORATION EVENT. JELLIES are temporary local collaboration events free of charge for coworkers of all kinds. Coworking, entrepreneur, changemaker, techie, innovation and other problem-solving networks are invited to organize a local event and to communicate, collaborate and create new partnerships and action on the global level, January 14-20, 2013

“Before we had our own office, we used to get people together in any cafe, restaurant, or venue with wifi to work. Anything was better than working alone. One of those places that we worked was our beloved National Mechanics. – Alex Hillman, Indy Hall

A HUGE thanks to all the awesome people who came out, Indy Hall for organizing, and of course National Mechanics for hosting! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many laptops, power cords, or nerds in one bar at one time. It was a beautiful thing to see and of course, be a part of; check out my complete Indy Hall Jelly at National Mechanics Photo Set on Flickr.

Kara’s Top 5 Kitchen Commandments

How you shop

My number one shopping advice for the novice home chef is to avoid the center of the grocery store at all costs. The center of the grocery store and it’s myriad of aisles aren’t only designed to make you buy stuff you didn’t really want/need they are also designed to not have to be restocked as often… and that means that’s where all the processed foods go… and processed foods are both nutritionally worthless and also sort of gross when it comes to what they do to our bodies. So whatever you do, maintain the perimeter; you’ll get fresh, REAL food and you’ll be happier for it.

Where you shop

The great thing about going local isn’t just that it takes fewer resources, is better for the environment AND the local economy, it’s that you often times you get to actually meet the people that were responsible for growing your food. You get to ask them their favorite ways to prepare their wares and you get to know exactly where your food came from. It’s a win-win-win situation.

A cut above; meat matters

When you first start out cooking, do your self a favor and choose better quality meat – cooking cheap cuts is an art, and one you’ll surely master, once you have the basics down. The same is true of the really fine cuts of meat, so go with something middle of the road to high end.

Whatever your feelings are on organic, in meat you really can taste the difference, especially when it comes to grass fed beef and chickens who were able to actually walk around and be chickens. It is also worth noting that there are currently no labeling laws for foods that contain antibiotics – so who knows what you’re putting into your body (and potentially passing on to your future gene pool). It’s a personal choice, but I figured I should throw it out there.

Foods that grow together go together

The best way to start thinking about flavor profiles is to think about regions of the world or countries. The best example I can think of is India, or Mexico, where the spices and flavors are very connected to the culture and environment in which they have been developed.

It’s OK to cheat sometimes

Look… I’m no June Cleaver; sometimes, I’m really squashed for time or energy, or motivation… and I will happily deviate into the prepared section of my local grocery (note, I said PREPARED, as in made by the store, preferably one that I’m not concerned is going to use anything less than what I would use in my own cooking). And it is entirely ok to plop down a container of potatoes or some other veg on the dining room table.

If it goes bad it’s good for you;
if it doesn’t go bad it’s bad for you.

It’s also fun to consider the possibilities of doctoring up something someone else made; letting them do the heavy work, while you put on that final flourish that really makes the dish sing. Or using the prepared ingredient as an element to a larger dish. This is also true of leftovers, making something new out of a previous creation can be a fun challenge; there are a lot of possibilities when working with leftovers and/or prepared foods!

So go crazy, experiment, do it up; whatever you do in the kitchen…
make sure you’re having fun!

Over the past year I’ve been undergoing something of a spiritual growth spurt, and this time when I picked up the book, it stuck. The writing resonated more, the insights were more applicable; I understood and was open to the idea of facilitating change for it’s own sake, for wanting to make a good thing better. So as it turned out, I ended up reading it exactly when I was supposed to, as Gretchen often repeats in the book:

When the student is ready, the master appears

The Happiness Project is an interesting mix of academic research, scientific study, historical reference and personal experience, written in a comfortable, colloquial style, that I quite enjoyed. I am mindful and open to understanding actions and events as they unfold, and the motivations behind them. I often find myself absentmindedly reflecting on meditations inspired by a particular section, or subconsciously acting out resolutions. I am actively joyful now, focused on the positive aspects of particular life challenges and willing to seek out the good inherent in the universe at large.

I don’t know that I’m going to start my own Happiness project, but I do plan to continue to strive to be a good person, to be more aware of the happiness of others, and to think presently about allowing happiness into my world. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to shake things up and change how they approach life, think about the world around them and how they can have a greater impact on their own happiness and the happiness of others.

From the Publisher:

Filled with practical advice, sharp insight, charm, and humor, The Happiness Project manages to be illuminating yet entertaining, profound yet compulsively readable. But The Happiness Project isn’t just an engaging and provocative book. Gretchen’s passion for her subject jumps off the page, and reading a few chapters of this book will inspire you to start your own happiness project.

Gretchen has a wide, enthusiastic following, and her idea for a “happiness project” no longer describes just a book or a blog; it’s a movement. Happiness Project groups have sprung up from Los Angeles to Enid, Oklahoma to Boston, where people meet to discuss their own happiness projects. More than a dozen blogs have been launched by people who are following Gretchen’s example. On her companion website, the Happiness

Have the courage to change your life.

But what it really takes is making the decision to put one foot in front of the other, to get up when you’re feeling down, and to do it at your own pace. Make a plan and stick to it, cut through the bullshit, and power through your excuses. And it’s true that sometimes it’s hard, but the important thing to remember is that you are doing this for you and you are worth fighting for.

Willpower is neither inherent nor epic in nature, it is formed by the struggle between doing what we want vs what we need.

Exercising WILL make you feel happier, eating better WILL make you feel better. You don’t have to starve yourself, but you don’t have to eat a pint of ice cream in one sitting either. You don’t have to go to the gym 4 hours a day, a 30 minute walk 3x a week can make a HUGE difference (and set you up for the Couch to 5k schedule!). It can take serious effort on our part to move past our own internal struggles with healthy and happy as well as right and right now, but those feelings are a choice, and we are all capable of making them. It really is as simple as making what we need into what we want for ourselves.

How I did it

I started running and I stopped eating. Well, not entirely, but I stopped eating the stuff that was actually damaging my body. I cut out processed foods (accept granola bars, which are totally my weakness) and started eating whole foods, whole vegetables, good quality meat, little to no bread or pasta. I stopped eating just to eat and started actually listening to what my body needed and wanted. I started to take the time to enjoy my food instead of just shoveling it happily into my face. I ate less because more was unnecessary, and now I find myself having to share meals because I can’t possibly eat a normal restaurant sized plate of food by myself. I try everything, but only until I am full; life is a tasting menu, not a buffet.

What’s next

In July I ran my first 5k, the Color Run, after 2 months of being on the Couch to 5K program. Last week I decided to do the Broad Street Run next year. I started training with the Couch to 10k program and after the Le Grand Continental performance weekend was over I started shifting my focus from weight loss to strength training. My next goal is 20 more lbs, a size 8, to regain some serious muscle definition, and generally be as bad-ass as possible.

A year ago, I never would have said that I’d be climbing waterfalls, or passionately motivating others to take up running. (I mean, I never thought my midsection would see the light of day ever again, and here I am, posting a pic of it on the internet! lol) It has taken me the last 6 months to get to the point where I felt that I could actually do the work required to completely transform my body.

Trust me, there were some dark days, there were plateaus, and even upswings in my weight and downswings in my energy that just plain sucked. But I powered through and took each day one at a time, each weigh-in for its own merit. I started tracking other measurements like inches, BMI and resting heart rate (which has gone down by about 25 bpm in 3 months) and my former per-hypertension blood pressure has even started to enter the “athletic” zone. I have so many good things coming my way because I had the courage to change, and that courage may have very well saved my life; if I can do it, you can absolutely do it too you just have to believe that you are capable of anything, because you are.

What have you done today that seemed impossible yesterday? What will you be able to do tomorrow?

Two hundred people dance their hearts out, what’s not to like?

I started this crazy journey after successfully completing my first 5k, but still severely out of shape. After 2 months of making friends and laughing out loud at sweat drenching rehearsals twice a week, it’s safe to say that none of us are anything less than lean, mean, dancing machines, and we can’t wait to share all that we’ve accomplished culminating in this weekend’s exciting performance.

200 dancers, 30 minutes, a crowd of over 1,000 people, at the iconic steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. It’s going to be exactly as epically amazing as you could ever image, and I can’t wait to see all of your lovely faces cheering us on!

UPDATE: For those of you interested in getting an up close and personal view of the Indy Hall dance troop, be sure to sit on the risers facing the museum on the LEFT side!

Le Grand Continental

by Sylvain Émard Danse
September 8 at 4:00 and 8:00 pm;
September 9 at 4:00 pm
Philadelphia Museum of Art steps,
26th Street at Benjamin Franklin Parkway. FREE!

Le Grand Continental is a festive—and FREE—30-minute outdoor adventure that has assembled nearly 200 local dancers of all ages and backgrounds to show off the talent, charisma, and personality of Philadelphians. First created for Montréal’s renowned Festival TransAmériques, the Philadelphia version promises to be one of the largest presentations of its kind in the world. Le Grand Continental in the news

What other Live Arts shows are you excited to see during the 16th Annual Festival taking place from September 7-22, 2012?

THE ESSENCE OF LIFE AND LINE

First Friday Reception, Friday, Sept. 7th – 5pm – @ Indy Hall

Curated by: Sean Martorana

Inspired to explore representations of life in a spontaneous fashion, Sean began stripping away all but the most basic aspects of animals and objects, recreating each with the bold, visually stunning lines that have come to define his most powerful work. Each piece – ink on paper, devoid of color and the third dimension – completely re-imagines the subject in rugged beauty and savage simplicity. The images stare back at the viewer, filled with raw emotion, comprised of incredibly intricate patterns and lines that practically vibrate with energy. The show on September 7th, featuring more than two dozen works in the series, showcases the Essence of Life and Line, and how raw and powerful simplicity can truly be.

The show is mainly comprised of 19.5” x 27.5” ink-on-paper interpretive drawings, as well as several older, larger drawings that were the origin of the technique and inspiration for the collection. The range of subjects cover the living, the ethereal, and the static.

Mohawk Monkey. A short film made during production for Sean’s solo show at Indy Hall: The Essence of Life and Line

First Friday Reception: September 7, 2012 • 5:00 – 9:00
22 N. 3rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
Facebook Event Page

A lot of amazing things happened today, I landed an exciting new client and scheduled a meeting with another awesome potential client, I figured out how to make coffee at the place I’m staying, I went for a run, I got caught up on personal correspondence and articles I had been hoarding in my instapaper account, I cleaned the kitchen, I sold a photograph currently hanging at Indy Hall, I crossed off every single item on my whiteboard list for the day; I even managed to fit in a nap! I scheduled lunches and coffee dates with people I haven’t seen in ages and as soon as I’m done here, I’m going on my first solo Metro adventure then walking across the Brooklyn Bridge to meet friends for a drink.

And let me tell you, after the month I’ve had,

today felt… GOOD. Amazing in fact, today was the type of day that you look at and realize that it was perfect; the weather was beautiful, there was a great soundtrack, and Get Stuff Done was the order of the day.

These are the days that you really need to take a moment, to see what is happening all around you. The amazing moments aren’t always contained within the big major, hyped up days and life events. Sometimes they happen in between, when everything is quiet and still… and utterly perfect. The moments when you just stop & realize that everything is going to be amazing.

The only problem was… I couldn’t run to save my life. If faced with zombies, a rampant stampede of lamas on the loose, or an ice cream truck slowly pulling away from the curb, I wouldn’t have stood a chance outpacing any of them. With the amazing support from my friends and family I found the strength, and more importantly, the courage to undertake something outside of my wildest dreams.

The first step is always the hardest

Last Fall Ezra, a geek and aspiring adventurer, ran his first full marathon after loosing nearly 100 lbs. This incredible transformation was thanks in no small part to taking up running the year before. I was so proud of him, and at the same time, more than a little jealous; while he had lost 100 lbs, I had found most of them.

Slowly but surely, all the stress, lack of exercise and poor eating habits I had become accustomed to over the years added up. While Ezra was training for the marathon, I weighed the most I’ve ever weighed in my life. Things had gotten serious, and I knew I had to do something. I made major lifestyle changes including how I think about food, and becoming much more aware of the body’s inherent need to get up and move around. I started seeing a big difference in how I looked and felt every single day as I started loosing weight and becoming more active.

The pivotal moment was when I realized I hadn’t just gained weight, somewhere along the way, I had lost my sense of self

Today I have officially lost my first 30 lbs thanks to making those changes and making the decision to attempt Couch to 5k, an 8 week program “designed to get just about anyone from the couch to running 5 kilometers or 30 minutes in just 9 weeks.”

I never thought I’d be able to run more than 50 feet, but every day it got easier, and the idea of running 3 miles became more and more attainable. This new attitude was contagious; a few of our friends were so inspired by our determination and subsequent transformation that they also started eating better and going to the gym in solidarity and we marked off each day of the Couch to 5k together.

But really, it all started with Ezra, and the day he crossed the finish line of his first marathon, a mere 12 months and countless pairs of running shoes after he had started seriously running towards that goal.

Knowing the goal changes the game

Watching The Color Run promo video instantly sparked something in me, and I knew I’d found my inspiration. It just so happened that the timing of the program and the run meant that we would be on the last week of C25k just in time for The Philadelphia Color Run. Given the spirit of the event it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate the epic victory of completing the Couch to 5k; we were stoked and every run took on new purpose and meaning.

In the weeks leading up to the big day, I watched that video practically on repeat, and every time it became more inspirational, celebratory, impactful, and somehow seemed to make the finish line even more attainable. I’m known for being able to laugh at anything, most of all myself, and what struck me from that video the most was how amazingly full of light and laughter the people were as the color exploded around them in a perfect moment of pure joy.

Simply put, the day of the run rocked our sweat-wicking socks off. Team “Good Running Words” (a play on this piece of Aziz Ansari comedic gold) was a dorky, grinning, healthy, happy, colorful, hot mess, taking pictures and laughing as we piled into my tarp covered car. Our color streaked faces and powder filled hair signified so much more than running 3 miles, which is to say, more than we could have ever dreamed. I’m so glad we made it this far and can’t wait to do it again next year!

In the mean time, I’m looking forward to my next challenge. If you’re looking for some good, dorky, fitness-related activities, this list of The 21 Most Incredible Races is a great place to start!

As you may have heard on the Internet, Indy Hall recently expanded to include the first and second floors of the Daniel Building in Old City. The communal decision to expand onwards & outwards (which included cutting a hole in the floor to accommodate some locally crafted bad-ass looking stairs) took place over the course of a month, and the transformation has been nothing short of amazing.

With this new front and center addition, “N3rd Street” continues to grow and it means good news for creative geeks everywhere!

Over the past few years, art has been slowly but surely infiltrating the Hall thanks in part to unofficial artist-in-residence, Sean Martorana and various industriously creative members, starting with a small but strong POST (Philadelphia Open Studio Tours) participation a few years ago. Sean really took things to the next level however when he started quite literally applying paint to any available surface in the place from murals to space dividers, interchangeable art and movable vinyl decals. It’s gotten to the point where art is literally spilling down the stairs into the new space.

As part of the opening party extravaganza, which also happened to fall on a First Friday, Sean and I curated a show of

IH members, friends & family, which focused on the lesser-known artistic side of the community. With the help of fellow artist Kirsten Harper, we pretty much pulled the show together in under 48 hours (including on-going painting parties and contractors miraculously tearing down an extra wall 24 hours before go-time). The opening party boasted hundreds of well wishers and celebrations to inaugurate the new space. (It was a seriously killer party – the art looked great & we sold several pieces!)

What this means for Indy Artists

 
Independent’s Hall has opened up a tremendous opportunity for the creative community at large. Sean, Kirsten and I have a fairly passionate vision for the direction we’d like to see the space take and are excited to be able to bring our friends along for the ride. Now that there are actual desks downstairs, we’ve opted to use only the front area for openings (though trust me, it’s plenty of room to have a solid gallery showing), and work will continue to be rotated throughout the space.
 

We’d love to become a valuable resource for the creative community, with dreams of workshops on how to price your work and live successfully as an artist, tools to help with marketing & self promotion and maybe even apps to help artists identify with their inner entrepreneur. Our goal is to help grow a diverse creative community extension to Indy Hall and more! (We dream big over here, haha).
 

And if you’re interested in becoming a member, now is a great time to get in on the ground floor action, so to speak. Being a member of Indy Hall at any level means being a part of a great community of thinkers, doers and makers. From my own personal experience, I’ve found that it is so much more than a physical space to GSD; it’s a sounding board, a support group, an extended family, drinking buddies and so much more all rolled into one. Plus, as someone who often works from home, I find it keeps me from talking to plants, pets and inanimate objects like they’re people.

Are you an artist interested in showing work at Indy Hall?
Get in touch!