I surprised a local storeowner when I told her that I liked Topeka because it has so much more to offer than my hometown, Lawrence. Here are the top five reasons why I think Topeka has Lawrence beat:

1. Authenticity: In Topeka, there are countless hidden spots to discover – and a lot of them look just as they did 40 years ago when my mom and dad attended Washburn. 

Taco Casa at 1423 S.W. Sixth Ave. is one of these authentic places. It’s small, soiled and a little too dark but, at the same time, perfect. In Lawrence, if a building is around for 20 years, it will have been remodeled (or, as my friend Jan calls it, “restroyed”) two or three times. There are very few places that are untouched, nostalgic and authentic.

2. Affordability: Most things in Topeka, including food, houses and antiques, cost less than they do in Lawrence. Also, there are more stores to shop, antiques to find and restaurants to try.

I’m also impressed by Topeka’s enthusiasm for garage sales. There are so many I often drive around on my lunch break and find four or five. They usually start on a Thursday and go through the weekend. A friend once told me she shows up with a bag on the last day of the garage sale and negotiates a price to fill it.

Housing is cheaper here as well. In Lawrence, the median house price in the fourth quarter of 2010 was about $150,000. In Topeka, it was around $110,000.

3. Trumpet the Lamp Dancer: Although his moves are getting progressively vulgar, Trumpet continues to make me smile, dancing with his lamp on the corner of 10th and Kansas Ave. He moves like he’s possessed by music. The instant I see him, two things come to mind: First, what might it be like to dance on a street corner, sober, in daylight? And second, how great it used to feel dancing for hours with my friends.

One time I heard Trumpet say in an interview that he’s out there dancing so that people will remember to look out for one another, and that we need to prop each other up. I’ve only seen Trumpet once when he was not dancing. He was pushing a woman in a wheelchair across a street.

4. Food: I love Topeka’s love of cheap, California-style Mexican food (Tortilla Jacks, Taco Casa, Taco Villa, etc.). Topeka is also home to the first “food truck” I’ve seen. These mobile kitchens are a major trend in food/cuisine today, but Lawrence has very few of them. Lawrence has more restaurants focusing on seasonal/local cuisine, but if you’re looking for cheap and delicious, go to Topeka.

5. Diversity: When it comes down to it, Lawrence is a white, middle-class, small town. Topeka is a lively and diverse metropolis. There are so many different cultures represented here – and that can shift the way people view and appreciate each other. 

To demonstrate these points, my coworkers and I trolled Topeka on our lunch break to look for some lucky finds.

Topeka offers many unique and hidden gems. Check out Suzie’s favorite places, then tell us: What everyday Topeka wonders do you love?

If you would like to donate, stop by our office and we’ll add your support to our box of supplies. If you haven’t visited the jhP office yet, you can find us in Westboro Plaza on the corner of Huntoon and Lakeside.

The drive for hygiene supplies ends on Friday, Oct. 8, so drop off your donations soon. We look forward to seeing you!

Requested Items:

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Bath soap
• Hand sanitizer
• Chapstick
• Deodorant
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Talcum powder
• Hand/body lotion
• Cough drops
• Travel-size Kleenex

In case you missed it – I gave up Facebook for Lent.

This week, my Facebook Fast has helped me realize a new, unexpected, but clearly obvious point about the importance of traditional media. Friday I did an interview with the Topeka Capital-Journal for an article about my Facebook Fast. It ran on the front page of Saturday’s Paper and I have received an overwhelming amount of support since (THANK YOU!). It’s the support from the newspaper article that’s brought me to my next point. Just because new communication methods and advertising avenues are emerging doesn’t mean we can forget about the more traditional methods.

The way my parents’ generation communicates and engages with others is completely different from the way my generation communicates and engages with one another. My parents talk on the phone, I text on it. My parents email, I Facebook. But I also talk on the phone and email, and slowly my parents are beginning to text and utilize social networks so I’m not sure why this point wasn’t immediately obvious. New media is simply helping communication, but I’ve come to realize that that doesn’t mean more traditional methods are any less important to a relationship, be that personal or professional.

Social networks aren’t the ONLY place your audience is at. They are just one more touch point to get a message out there. When radio came along, it was used to support advertisers’ print campaigns; similarly when television came along. With social networks you are just using one more method to support the other, often times more traditional, advertising methods. Take the newspaper article for example. The newspaper article supported my blog series, which I promoted through Twitter and my colleagues promoted through Facebook.

It really goes to show how they all tie together proving that networks, like Facebook, are allowing businesses to build relationships with their customers and potential customers. Without that you’re probably not top-of-mind to your audience. Your conversations are similar to speaking with an acquaintance – you talk when something sparks your interest but you don’t engage on a regular basis. Those interactions with your acquaintances rarely spark lifelong friendships because you’re not engaging with them regularly. That’s why social media marketing is so important to the success of some business’ overall marketing strategies. You’re not just interacting with acquaintances; you’re building relationships with your customers. Can you feel the brand loyalty?

One more week! Here’s what you missed this week:

• Thank you for another AMAZING concert, John Mayer. This may have been my 3rd but you are still, by far, one of the most talented musicians out there.

• The Flint Hills Discovery Center is going to be such an amazing place for students, families, tourists and more – can’t wait until it opens. Check it out!

• I love small towns and picnics in the park with friends! They all remind me of home.

• The jhP team just met with a client about Hispanic Marketing efforts! I love my job – I’m never bored and am always learning something new.

In case you missed it – I gave up Facebook for Lent.

Three and a half weeks down; three to go. Giving up Facebook has given me some unexpected extra time on my hands. At first that was refreshing, but after the newness wore off it quickly became lonely. Within just a few days of giving up Facebook I had an epiphany – Facebook’s so much more to me than just a time waster or a gossip/news site. It’s about being a part of something bigger than myself. That’s why people get involved in groups right? For me, it’s about staying connected with friends, and being included in a conversation I would not normally be included in. I may not engage in the conversation but that doesn’t mean I’m not following it – which is similar to standing with a group at a big party and listening to a conversation but not adding anything (come on, we’ve all perfected our head nods!). So needless to say, these past three weeks could have been pretty lonely. By day two it felt a little like I was already out of sight, out of mind.

Last week’s point was that if you can’t communicate with your customers/potential customers then how can you expect them to continue utilizing products or services they don’t even know about? Then, last Monday, my friend Melissa exhibited this point perfectly when she told me that if I give up Facebook again for Lent we can’t be friends anymore. Obviously, she’s kidding, but she showed me another way to look at last week’s message. Much like my lonely feelings from being unable to take part in the Facebook conversation, a business can be pretty lonely if it isn’t communicating with its customers. And if you’re like me – you might be trying to communicate with your audience, but if you’re not using the same communication tools they are, then it can get pretty lonely pretty fast!

So start talking. Find out where your audience gets their news and gossip. Learn where they spend their time and get a presence there. Make yourself top of mind and become part of the conversation. That’s just a little piece of the success puzzle.

A week’s worth of my rambling mind:

• I think I’m falling in love … with the band Safetysuit. Thank you Pandora for yet ANOTHER amazing recommendation!

• I just finished speaking to three VERY bright classes at Washburn University about jhP, marketing, advertising and, of course, Google’s Fiber Network Experiment.

• I’ve got SO many weddings and baby showers in the next three months that I just don’t think I’ll be able to knit everyone afghans … how about anniversary/1-year birthday gifts?

• I love Topeka, but I miss Manhattan. I need to get myself another one of these shirts! www.imissmanhattan.com

In case you missed it – I gave up Facebook for Lent.

This week was even more difficult than last. Last week my Facebook fast was top-of-mind to all my friends and family – this week the newness has worn off. People keep talking to me about things I would normally know about – expecting me to have a clue. But when I stop them and ask them to fill me in, I get the resounding “oh, that’s right, you’re not on Facebook.” And then there’s The Face.

“The Face” is the eye–squinting, wrinkled-forehead, pressed-lips look that you get when people feel sorry for you. I’m fairly certain I’ve used this look many times. Usually to communicate a feeling with others – typically when something has happened and I’m trying to show empathy to someone. Is that what my friends are doing to me? Feeling sorry for me? (NOTE: I’m exaggerating with that last line for effect – just go with it.)

But seriously, this past week proves one point I had hoped to make with this experiment – that you can’t communicate with your audience if you’re not using the communication tools your audience is using. If I could had been on Facebook this week, you’d know that I became of fan of my bank’s new Fan Page – CoreFirst Bank & Trust. Instead I have to wait until April to do so! And I would have known that Jayhawk Café, a new café in downtown Topeka’s Jayhawk Tower, had their grand opening. But I missed it because I didn’t know about it – I heard about it later that evening on the 10:00 news. Regardless, I’m managing. Not as effectively, or efficiently, as normal, but I’m making it through with a little help from my friends, family, co-workers and local media. Thanks everyone!

Here are a few other things you would have known if I could have been on Facebook this week:

•  WHAT!?!? There’s a Twilight “Scene It!” board game. How do I NOT have this?
•  Headed to the Heartland Visioning meeting! Can’t wait to hear all about their wonderful plans to revitalize Downtown Topeka.
•  Why are some stoplights in Lincoln horizontal and some vertical … did they just decide to buck consistency or does this madness have a real purpose?
•  Stupid friends – why aren’t you ALL on Twitter?! Okay you’re not stupid but my life would be easier if you were!

In case you missed it – I gave up Facebook for Lent.

It’s become painfully obvious to me that I’m going to have to start using the phone more often … even more so now that I’ve officially worn out the letters i, e, t, o and h on my cell phone, making texting a little difficult to say the least. It will be interesting to see how painfully awkward my friends and I are in phone conversations. My generation had just started talking on the phone when Yahoo Messenger became popular … and we quickly stopped talking and started typing. I’ve had the Internet since I was in 4^th or 5^th grade so you can understand why it may be hard for me to communicate outside of email, texting, social media, instant messaging or in person. The sad truth is that I’m not even sure I have some of my best friends’ phone numbers! (P.S. if you’re one of those people please drop me an email at bengelken@jhpadv.com – I miss you, friends!).

I’m still habitually typing facebook.com into the URL and have actually ended up at the sign in page several times. I did finally set up a folder in my gmail account. It’s called “Facebook – Lent” and I’m putting ALL notifications I get in that file to check on April 4. So no – I’m not cheating and reading my notifications to get around being on Facebook.

The hardest night so far was the night of the K-State v. Nebraska Men’s basketball game. I didn’t know what to do with myself. It didn’t feel like enough just to rant to my Dad (who was watching the game with me). And my Twitter followers for the most part don’t care about K-State sports or follow me for my ranting. I thought about Google Buzz, but well, let’s be honest – no one’s on Google Buzz yet and why should they be when they can do everything on Facebook right now? So for now all my perfectly crafted, witty banter will go unacknowledged.

Here’s a little of what you would have seen this week if I could have logged in:
• Copywriting without Facebook breaks or Diet Coke do not make for a happy Brie

• Basketball 101 – Dribbling the ball – Learn how to!!

• Go nominate Topeka to be a test community for Google’s Fiber Network! Just imagine – Internet speeds that are nearly 100 times faster than what we currently have – and faster than anywhere else in the whole WORLD! ThinkBigTopeka.com

• DANG my job for holding me accountable (with no facebook updates) – this is one of the only times I’ve EVER been able to say that!

To join in the fun, we’d like you to drop us a line with your favorite memories about Washburn. To help you get started, please allow us to share a few of our favorite W.U. reminiscences.

“I love going to the Mulvane Art Fair. I enjoy looking at all the creative work and listening to some great music. I look forward to the event year after year.” – Mindy Armstrong

“I have a lot of favorite memories about Washburn, some of which go back to my childhood and watching basketball games in the old gym! What  stands out in my recent memories, are the great Washburn students that have gone through our internship program. I have really been impressed at how prepared they are to jump right in to assignments!” – Linda Bull

“I have great memories of my time at Washburn. But now, more importantly, I am very excited to have my son living in the dorm and enjoying campus life while getting a great education at Washburn.” – Michelle Cuevas-Stubblefield

“My fondest memories of Washburn aren’t just specific events or moments. Instead, I appreciate the lasting friendships that were formed with some of the staff and faculty. I also enjoyed the opportunity to anchor the Washburn TV news and participate in the study abroad program.” – Dustin Dean

“I love going to the Mulvane Art Fair, and I enjoy just walking around the campus. One of my favorite scenes is in the winter when the fountain freezes and the lights twinkle off the ice.” – Linda Eisenhut

“As a fairly new resident of Topeka I am continually impressed by the culture at Washburn. I love spending time at the Mulvane Art Museum, and have enjoyed SO many events held at W.U. – most recently the Race Against Breast Cancer’s 5k. It’s great to have their students, faculty and staff so involved in our community!” – Brie Engelken

“My wife and I both attended Washburn in the early ’80s and very much enjoyed our time there. We have been quite impressed with the dramatic changes on campus in recent years. Now our oldest son, a WU junior in psychology, is getting the benefits of those improvements.” – Kurt Eskilson

“My fine arts professors at Washburn gave me a high level of support and encouragement that I probably wouldn’t have received at a larger school. My time at W.U. helped me build my knowledge and love of the arts and was a great foundation for continuing into graduate studies.” – Gary Jones

“I’ll never forget when the Lady Blues beat the defending champions, the Tampa Spartans, during the quarterfinals of the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championship. It was a great feeling to see the Lady Blues do so well.” – Angie Marquart

“My father was a Washburn grad and a former athlete so my memories of Washburn go back to when I was just old enough to attend all of the WU basketball games with my parents. I continued to attend all the basketball games during my time at Washburn and even now manage to make it to several each year. My husband and his father are also both Washburn graduates (and they are from Long Island).” – Leslie Palace

“I loved walking through campus in the fall, admiring all of the sculptures. As a Washburn art major, I thought it was pretty cool that W.U. had a whole new collection on display each year.” – Alissa Sheley

“Washburn holds a lot of fond memories for me. My son was 18 months-old when I graduated.  When they started to play Pomp and Circumstance at the graduation ceremony, he thought Barney from the children’s show was about to come on the stage. He then proceeded to scream for Barney during the ceremony. It was quite hysterical for everyone in the stands. I also met my husband at a WU football game.” – Tracey Stratton

More than 335 people completed the Visit Topeka, Inc. logo survey last week, and it’s unanimous, Visit Topeka is the winner!

We used our social media networks to recruit participants through our blog, Facebook Fan Page and Twitter accounts. Visit Topeka also distributed an email blast. Eighty-nine percent of the participants were between the ages of 18 and 64. Just over two-thirds were women, and over 80 percent lived in or nearby Topeka.

The most popular logo received 42 percent of the votes. Here’s how the various logos fared:

For the full results, check out this page.

Congratulations to Taylor Clauson, winner of the hotel package giveaway drawing. Enjoy your night’s stay in the great city of Topeka!

The short survey will take about five minutes. Upon completion, you will automatically be entered into a drawing for a free hotel package including: a one night stay at Senate Luxury Suites, a lavender sachet, two Ghost Tour tickets, $10 off at Brick Oven Courtyard Grille, two tickets to Great Overland Station and scratch-off tickets to Jersey Mike’s.

The winner will be drawn Monday, June 15. The winner will be contacted directly by phone and email, and will be announced via Twitter and the jhP Facebook Fan Page.

Click here to get started.

Thank you for your time!

With temperatures rising so are the number of activities in our day planners. The idea of lazy summer days sounds great but with so much going on we ALL have bigger and better plans than a little R&R. Here’s how the jhP team plans to enjoy the next few months of extra daylight.

I have theatre tickets for the summer – so I plan to spend my time enjoying fabulous show-choir tunes under a gorgeous blue sky while I dream of the cool temperatures October will bring! – Brie Engelken

My family has softball and/or baseball games through the middle of July.  We’ll be eating a lot of baseball dust during the summer.  Although I’m pretty sure we had plenty this past weekend.  I don’t wash my vehicle until the season is over. – Theresa Knapp

This summer I will be enjoying the fact that we took our pool out last year! No more expensive chems, no teenagers sneaking late night swims and no high water bills! We will just enjoy our green grass, gardens and the AC when we need to cool off! – Linda Bull

Softball games and tournaments for my daughter and preparing to send my son off to college, so paperwork, dorm shopping and spending a bit of extra time as a family. – Michelle Stubblefield

I’m leaving Thursday for Bike Across Kansas. 545 miles across our beautiful state with 800 of my friends. Fun, food, Kansas scenery, great communities and bicycling. Can’t get much better than that. – Jake Huyett

Summer is a time to enjoy family. I’m looking forward to bike rides and swimming with the kids. And what would summer be without my annual rash. (just kidding about that last part) – Dan Billen

Other than the usual yard work, lounging in the pool and entertaining I am most looking forward to the family vacation on Fire Island in August with our kids and grandkids. – Leslie Palace

I’m going to spend as much time as possible with my family – going on walks, grilling out and taking Leo swimming for the first time. – Alissa Sheley

My family is going to a reunion in Ruidoso, New Mexico in July. I’m especially looking forward to leading an expedition to the summit of Sierra Blanca, a 12,000-foot extinct volcano that’s nearby. From the online photos, it looks like it’ll be a beautifully scenic trek. – Kurt Eskilson

My family is going on a family vacation with friends in July to Disney World. Other then that you will find us at in the yard or on the lake. – Linda Eisenhut

I’ve got a long “to-do list” but I’ll probably spend most of my summer jogging or trying to find my lost golf balls. When I’m out of the sun, I’m going to try learning Japanese (again) or maybe some 3D software. – Dustin Dean

We’re planning on going out to see my son-in-law perform for Pilobolus in New York City. – Gary Jones

We’ll spend as many weekends as possible camping. Otherwise, you’ll find us at home trying to get rid of the junk we seem to accumulate. My daughter’s answer to this was, “buy a bigger house.” Instead, we’ll be busy making the house we already have seem bigger. – Sherri Wilson

I have a dozen books to read and one to write, design, and draw. Summer will have to wait til’ September or so. – Brian Wells

My son turns 16 in November, so this summer I will be riding shotgun in the car with him, white-knuckled, forcing myself not to scream and cover my eyes. – Tracey Stratton

The Armstrong’s will be busy doing housework!  Finish building our fence, finish landscaping, finish unpacking, and enjoy our new home! – Mindy Armstrong

The Weichert clan will be playing baseball just about every night until the end of June and then we plan on kicking back, barbequing and just enjoying the kids. – Lyn Weichert

The jhP team has produced creative elements for the event, including photographs, cards, and posters.

Everyone at jhP is honored to help Meals on Wheels with their efforts to feed elderly and homebound in Shawnee and Jefferson Counties. Please join us this weekend for Sumptuous Settings 2009!

Mindy Armstrong, jhP associate photographer, was recently awarded First Place for the Regional non–master group and First Place for the Kansas non–master group at the annual conference for the Heart of America Professional Photographers Association. At the conference, Mindy’s piece was compared against work by photographers from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Her winning image was titled “United We Stand,” and she took the photo in the summer of 2008 for the United Way of Greater Topeka’s 2008 campaign materials.

Mindy was also awarded a Gold ADDY from the American Advertising Federation of Topeka for the same image in February 2009. Mindy joined the jhP team in the fall of 2007. She has been a member of the Heart of America Professional Photographers Association since 2005.

Congratulations Mindy!

jhP determined early in the planning stages to do what we do best – be creative! Our theme was the Orangeland Express – to highlight our brand and Topeka’s history of being a railroad city. With the entire team on board we quickly created a train out of our bed with a fully functioning smoke stack that blew orange smoke.

A good time was had by all as our locomotive rolled along the parade route in downtown Topeka.

5. Take in an evening of theater. With four great stages in the city, a person can find a live performance almost any day of the week. Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC), Topeka Civic Theatre (TCT), Georgia Neese Gray Theatre and Helen Hocker Center for the Performing Arts are all great venues that host a score of shows for all ages. And it’s not just your run-of-the-mill comedy or drama, performances also include musical acts, experimental theatre and improv comics.