larissadong

Liberty Market

            I grew up in the town of Gilbert, Arizona, and until a few years ago, it seemed like a boring old town because there wasn’t much to do there.  However, it has been rapidly developing and growing in the last few years.  Though it is considered one of the fastest growing communities in the nation, this town really values the small town atmosphere.  Gilbert has kept up the small town feel by maintaining The Heritage District, Gilbert’s historic downtown.  A few years ago a historic market reopened as the new and improved Liberty Market restaurant.

            The Liberty Market was opened in 1935 as a family-run grocery store.  In 2008, the store was renovated and reinvented into today’s Liberty Market, an up-scale café.  The atmosphere of the restaurant incorporates the small town feel of the market with the new urban feel of the restaurant itself.   Joe Johnston, the owner of the restaurant, has a niche in the business world.  He started The Coffee Plantation in 1989.  It grew rapidly and he and his partner sold it in 1993.  Since then, he has opened Joe’s Real BBQ and Joe’s Farm Grill, both of which are successfully growing.  Johnston’s businesses not only have been from the great food, but his desire to humbly serve his customers also keeps people coming back.

                            Street View of Liberty Market

Liberty Market is located on the corner of a small intersection in the middle of The Heritage District.  The old-fashioned street lamps flood the path with light to lead up to the Market where green and pink neon lights frame the name of the establishment.  The brick walls and large windows give the restaurant an old diner feel.  As you walk into the restaurant, the smell of fresh baked pizzas and desserts fills your nose as you notice bar stools line the front window with a table facing out to watch walkers pass by, along with small tables throughout the room.  The chatter of the guests echoes through the room to compliment the sound of food being cooked behind the counter. 

Liberty Market attracts people of all ages and backgrounds.  After talking to a few different customers at the restaurant, Johnston seems to have succeeded in this area because the people that I was able to speak to were returning customers.  A young couple from California said that they wanted to try Liberty Market because they often drove by it and the look of the building always caught their eye.  Not knowing any other good places in town, they gave it a shot and fell in love. 

Although the atmosphere of a restaurant is very important because it is the initial attraction of customers, there is more to a restaurant than what it looks like and the atmosphere that it has developed for itself.  [What I look for in a restaurant is the quality of food, the variety in the menu, and the service.]  The quality of food is important because people won’t return to a restaurant if the food isn’t delicious.  Liberty Market has a wide variety of foods including wood-oven pizzas, savory pastas, and hand-tossed salads.  One of the most popular items on the menu is their white pizza.  Also, they have a wide assortment of bottled drinks such as Italian sodas that makes anyone feel like a kid again.  Not only is their quality of food incredible, but also the service is unforgettably hospitable.  The owners state in their principles that they are servants and desire to “provide exceptional and genuine service to each customer” and this is definitely shown by all of their staff.  When ordering your food, the cashier greets you with a smile.  If it’s your first visit and you can’t decide on what you want to order, any staff member would be happy to let you know what they recommend.  If you’re wondering whether or not you’ll fall in love with this restaurant, go try the food for free on your birthday!  

Many people love this restaurant because it is different from most restaurants today.  On the website, their principles they live by as owners and employees are clearly stated.  They exemplify the care and qualities that go into providing good service.  They have declared that they are “Christians… craftsmen… professionals… hospitable… teachers… servants.. and design-oriented.”  As Christians, they expect a moral code of conduct from the employees to be evident in how they treat customers.  As a customer, these moral standards are important because people know that they can bring their children into an environment where the staff isn’t dressed provocatively.  As craftsmen and professionals, they take time and effort to create the best quality of food they can in a clean environment, which is very important to customers because we want to know that we can trust that the preparation of the food was safe.  They are hospitable, teachers, and servants by making people feeling welcome, willing to hold classes that teach customers how to make some of their foods, and by providing humble service to all of their customers.   Service is extremely important to customers because people want to know that their opinion matters.  Their unique style exemplifies how they are design-oriented.  This is seen in their innovative restrooms that have unisex stalls set up along with community sinks.  When walking into the restrooms, there is a line of sinks across from stalls that can be used by either men or women.

                       The innovative unisex stalls in the restroom.

The goal of the Liberty Market is to attract customers by the unique appeal of being old-fashioned with an accent of urban and snag them as a regular.  From the old-town exterior to the unisex restrooms, this place has hit their goals on the dot.  The attitude of the staff and the heart of the owners is what really give this restaurant a small, cozy, hometown feel.  I think people enjoy being taken back a couple generations by the appearance of this restaurant and the wholesome service that the staff provides.  I enjoy eating at Liberty Market because the food is absolutely delicious and I know that whenever I go, I know that I will be taken care of.  Liberty Market may be a little far from the big city, but making a trip out is definitely worth the drive.

http://www.libertymarket.com/index.html

The Growing Begins!

Hi friends!

The wedding has passed and it was a blast!  hehe.. gotta love the rhyme! :]

Just to remind you all, Brenton and I are officially growing out our hair for the next SIX MONTHS!  Our sister, Lexi, will also be joining us, as well as our friend Natasha.  

For details, refer back Share Your Hair!

Remember, our goal is to get 6 to 10 ponytails so that a full hair piece can be made with our donations.  **Also, just to clarify, Brenton probably won’t be donating his hair.  He probably won’t be able to grow it out long enough to donate by May.  However, he will be shaving it all off with the people that donate! :]

Happy hair-growing! 

Friendship, The Real Deal

Sometimes I wonder why God has kept me where I am today, especially when my closest friends have moved away.

Today, He reminded me that even though my friends could be hundreds of miles away, this invention called the internet (or the telephone) can bring us closer together (even my close friends).  :]  I’ve spent time talking to people over various types of communication the last couple of days, and I feel so blessed to know that true friends are literally just a call away.

I hate the pain of being so far away, but I love the blessings and joy that come from the efforts to make it work.  

I thank the Lord for all of the sincere friendships I have in my life!  Though it seems tough now, I know that He is making us stronger. :]

Share Your Hair!

Hi all!

My brother, Brenton, and I would like to invite anybody and everybody to grow your hair out with us!

Why, you might ask?  

Over the summer, I really wanted to put together a huge event where people came to donate their hair to a cause.  I told Brenton about it, and he was quickly on board!  However, we soon realized that this would take a lot of planning, support, and effort that we feel like we don’t have at the moment.  However, we still want to donate our hair!

Here are the details.  

It takes about 6 to 10 ponytails and/or braids to make a hairpiece.  Our goal is to get at least six people to donate hair long enough to be included in a hairpiece.  BUT, if you don’t have hair long enough and you would still like to participate, we will be shaving heads or giving girls short hairstyles (I guess a girl can shave her head if she reeeally wants to… Totally up to you! :]).  

What do you need to do to your hair in order to donate it?

—Hair needs to be cut, stored, and sent in a ponytail or braid.  

—The ponytail needs to be at least 8 inches long pulled straight.

—Donated hair can’t be chemically treated or permanently dyed.  

—Girls: Always condition your hair after shampooing in order to keep it in good shape, and don’t brush it when it’s wet!  Use a wide-toothed come in order to prevent as much damage as possible!

—Boys:  I guess you should always condition your hair too. :P

We’ve decided to donate our hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths and this is where these donation requirements are from.

**We would also like to let you know that we won’t be starting until November.  We will be in a wedding in the beginning of November, so Brenton can’t be rockin’ the Jon Foreman hair.  

**We won’t start until November 6th, but you can start now! :] **

The estimated time we will be cutting our hair is May 2012, but the date is negotiable.

Let us know if you would like to join us in donating/radically cutting your hair!  We would love for you to experience this with us! :]

Sincerely,

Brenton and Larissa