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About that App…(and How to Find Southern Illinois Info)

Once upon a time, there was a free app that correlated with info on A Slice of Southern Illinois. Eventually, with the original app development company, it became too difficult too keep up with changing requirements for common app stores. So, I disabled the app–for now. I would eventually like to create a new one, but I am taking my time to jump into that process. 

Meanwhile, I still have pages accessible through the menu on this website for annual events, local  food  things to see, and more. I try to update these from time to time, but they are not likely going to be as current as the Facebook page.

As many of you know by now, my health is somewhat of a rollercoaster ride since covid did a number on me. (Yes, Long Haul Covid is a real thing, and I don’t wish it on anyone!) I am also doing some jewelry-making and crafting  now that are actually therapeutic for me. When possible, I participate in farmer’s markets and other venues. However, I have to do a lot of prioritizing and “energy budgeting”  for my health. With that being said, knocking myself out to keep the events page current as well as other changes can’t be my priority at this time. There is only so much energy, and after the whole near death/ventilator experience, I have a new perspective. Living life is a priority.

SO, I am attempting to make it easier to search on the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page. Hopefully, a series of hashtag terms (below) will help you to find info by town or type within Southern Illinois. It won’t be perfect (brain fog is real too,) and I may forget obvious hashtags and miss some things, but it’s a start. Even if no one else uses them, it will help me…

This is the link to the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/asliceofSoIL?mibextid=ZbWKwL

This is how you use hashtags in the search bar to seek info or types of posts:

If you are seeking info on a Southern Illinois town, try searching the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page with a hashtag. (Example: #Carbondale )

The hashtags below are to seek out posts with the types of info listed:

SIbreweries breweries

SIclosures closings

SIcares good deeds, service and volunteer opportunities, good news

SIcoffee coffee

SIentertainment entertainment

SIevents regional events

SIeventvenue event venues

SIfurbabies pet related

#SIhistory regional history

SIkids for children

SIlodging local cabins, B&B’s, etc.

SImarket Farmer’s Markets & locally made products

SIshopslocal locally owned shops & businesses

SItastes restaurants, food trucks, food-related

SItea tea

SIthingstosee things to see in our region

SIweather weather-related post

SIwineries wineries

WatermelonFalls (by A Slice of Southern Illinois) handmade jewelry, upcycles, & giftables

These search terms are currently pinned in a post on the A Slice of Southern Illinois Facebook Page. It is always a work in progress…

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Local Home Shopping is Here!

Most of us are familiar with the home shopping channels on TV. I’ll even admit to shopping and using them from time to time. Let’s face it, they do have some good things. Many years ago, after I was in a car wreck, and getting around was painful, they were very helpful to me.

Fortunately, some of our local shops and boutiques in Southern Illinois are offering a shop at home option in response to the current pandemic and its associated restrictions on businesses.

Local favorites Perfectly Posh and Splitting Image Boutique, both in Marion. are doing live shows on Facebook similar to those the national shopping channels but on a much smaller scale. People can comment that they are purchasing an item and specify if they will pick it up or have it shipped to them.

The Rusty Nail in Salem, a craft and gift shop, has a personal shopper option. People set up a Facetime appointment to have someone walk through the store and help them to shop.

Hopefully, many of the local shops we know and love will be able to keep business going with some of these options until we get on the other side of this COVID-19 thing. Please remember that although these may not be the traditional ways of shopping, we still have some options to shop local and support our friends and neighbors.

Please visit the links below to locally owned shops, markets, and more in Southern Illinois. You can also access these via the ASOSI app or the menu of this website. Ones that have recently been known to offer some type of shopping access during this pandemic are notated with an (*)

Please let us know any ones we have missed so that they may be added…

Local Shops http://asliceofsouthernillinois.com/local-shops/

Markets https://asliceofsouthernillinois.com/markets/

Artisans https://asliceofsouthernillinois.com/local-artisans-crafters/