Author Archives: Vicki Reed

Congrats to Two Chicks and a Hammer!

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As a Realtor, I have seen their rehab work and followed their business…imagine my surprise a couple of weeks ago while watching HGTV and seeing them and Indy with the pilot for their show!  Apparently the world likes them too as they have been signed to a 10 episode deal!

For those unfamiliar, Two Chicks and a Hammer is a mother-daughter house renovation team based in Fountain Square.  HGTV just signed them to a deal for a series that will follow Mina Starsiak and Karen E. Laine as they transform homes in Indianapolis.

A High Noon Entertainment talent scout found the team while searching for another company on Facebook, and after a long interview process, High Noon shot a pilot last fall.  “Two Chicks and a Hammer,” debuted May 4 on HGTV.  The first episode of the new series is scheduled to air in early 2016…read the Indianapolis Star article here:  Two Chicks and a Hammer.

Congrats to these ladies for being recognized…we’re all rooting for you!

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Vicki Reed

 

Breaking Away…

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Yes everyone…it’s that time again…IU’s Little 500 is this weekend!  An event that sparked a hollywood movie and a legacy for Dave Blase…the most famous IU Little 500 rider who almost didn’t race!  Click here to read the Indy Star article about his story.

From the Indiana University Student Foundation page:

The Little 500 is the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. Modeled after the Indianapolis 500, riders compete in four-person teams around a quarter-mile cinder track at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The men’s race is 200 laps — 50 miles — and the women’s race is 100.

More than 25,000 fans flock to the campus in Bloomington, Indiana, each April to be a part of IU’s storied tradition. And who can blame them? The excitement, the competition, the pageantry — Little 500 is an experience like no other.

The race began in 1951 as a way to raise scholarship money for students working their way through college. Since that first race, IUSF has given away over $1 million to deserving undergrads.

Now about that Hollywood movie…do you remember it?  Dennis Christopher played Dave and Dennis Quaid, Jackie Earl Haley and Daniel Stern rounded out the 4 man team.  The synopsis is quite simple, Dave, nineteen, has just graduated high school, with his 3 friends, the comical Cyril, the warm hearted but short-tempered Moocher, and the athletic, spiteful but good-hearted Mike. Now, Dave enjoys racing bikes and hopes to race the Italians one day, and even takes up the Italian culture, much to his friends and parents annoyance. Meanwhile, the 4 friends try to break away from their townie, Indiana reputation while fighting with nearby college snobs.

I just love movies set in Indiana and about Indiana events…how about you?

breaking away

Vicki Reed

 

What do you think I do to earn my paycheck?

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Think you know?  I know my friends understand that I’m busy A LOT, but reality is there is so much more to being a realtor than showing homes…this blog post by Andrew Fortune on his blog Great Colorado Homes puts it so perfectly, I wanted to share.  Click this link to read the post:  What Does a REALTOR® Do To Earn Their Commission?.

Now…want to become an Realtor?

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Vicki Reed

Indy Hosts the Final Four Next Weekend!

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Despite the negative press we are currently receiving about the Religious Freedom bill we are still hosting this year’s Final Four and by tomorrow night we will know which 4 College Teams will be playing for the championship…being the host city brings so much more to our City!  Let’s hope that the Bill doesn’t make this the last one…

So many things will happening next week, you will be seeing a lot of volunteers (me included!) toward the end of the week.  There are always opportunities to volunteer, Final Four is closed for registration now, but there are other NCAA Events, click here to learn more about ongoing opportunities!

The Indianapolis Star published the time lapse video of creating the floor at Lucas Oil Stadium, click here to check it out!

Friday, Lucas Oil Stadium will be open and FREE to the public to watch the Final Four teams practice as well as the College All Star teams tipping off at 4:30, Fan Fest will also open at Noon on Friday.

Think this is just about the games?  Check out the 3 day March Madness Music Festival, the Final Four Dribble, Youth Clinics, and let’s face it…people watching is free and a lot of fun!  You can check out all the information at the Men’s Final Four Championship website.

I’ll be in the middle of the madness, say hello if you see me!

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Vicki Reed

Indy Drivers…it’s time to talk…

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…when you are in a left turn lane…turn left!  Do not go straight and run the drivers going straight off the road!

…when you are turning right and there are 2 lanes of traffic turning left that have the light…don’t try to “beat” the first one coming at you!  It just ticks us off!

…when it is evening, but not quite dark, but there is no sun…turn your lights on!  Last night at about 4:30 on my way home, I needed to change lanes on a city street and thankfully caught a glimpse of a car to my right just before I would have pulled into him…dark gray day…dark gray car…no lights…really thankful I didn’t hit him!

…it snowed a bit last night, city streets weren’t horrible this morning, but they weren’t dry…drive accordingly.  Even the interstates weren’t in great shape, hence the huge backups around town.

…the “slow” or right lane on the city streets or the interstate is not the passing lane – if we are in that lane and driving the speed limit or slower if the road conditions warrant it, GET OFF MY A**!  Your lack of planning to have enough time to arrive at your destination is not my problem, but it could get you injured or killed if you don’t slow down!

…Emerson Avenue runs North/South through the city and from 10th street to Kessler is a 4 lane road…THE SPEED LIMIT IS 40 MPH and there are a couple of SCHOOL ZONES…please at least drive the speed limit and slow down for the school zones!

Rant over and “let’s be careful out there” everyone, remember, getting somewhere quickly is not worth your life!

Lets-Be-careful-Out-There

Vicki Reed

2015 Home Show!

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Thank you Fischer Homes for the VIP night last night and a sneak peek at the centerpiece home for this years Indianapolis Home Show!  Great food, wine and networking!

At the Indiana State Fair Grounds Exposition Hall, this years show starts today at 11:00 a.m. and runs through Sunday, February 1 and boasts appearances by Ty Pennington from Exteme Makeover Home Edition (“Move that Bus” sound familiar?) on January 31 and Matt Muenster from DIY Network’s Bath Crashers and Bathtastic will be on site January 23 – 25 as well as others, click here for the full list and bios!

The Centerpiece home is beautiful – but a couple of things struck me as wrong…the master closet is very small and the upstairs laundry is huge!  Would love to have the back yard – outdoor kitchen, pool…just beautiful! Click here for a time lapse video of the building of the home.

Planning to go?  Would love to hear your thoughts on the event overall and the Centerpiece Home!

Home show

Vicki Reed

 

Time for Devour Downtown Winterfest!

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Celebrating 10 years, it’s time for for Devour Downtown, launching on MLK Day and running through Feb. 1. Participating Devour Downtown restaurants will offer guests pre-fixe menus ranging from $10 – $35 while showcasing specialty dishes and highlighting popular items. Several lunch and dinner menus are two for $30.

Who’s participating this year?  Click this link for the full list:  Devour Downtown.  New participants include: Burgerhaus, Spoke & Steele, Chilly Water Brewing Company, Tow Yard Brewing Company and more.

Several Downtown venues will offer special discounts during Devour Downtown, including: NCAA Hall of Champions, Rhythm Discovery Center, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Eiteljorg Museum, Indiana Historical Society and Theatre on the Square.

Great opportunity to get out of those post holiday blues that January inevitably brings about and do something fun!  So where do you want to try?

Devour Downtown

Vicki Reed

Did you know…

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…that Indianapolis has a thriving live theatre community?  It can be anything from the Broadway Series to local actors/actresses in local productions and the list of 2015 productions is amazing!  We have so many options in Indy, large to small…

Clowes Hall at Butler is always a great place to see a play, this year hosting Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Beauty and the Beast and for those of us of a certain age…Dirty Dancing!

There are a number of smaller community playhouses us in the area – Spotlight Theatre in Beech Grove, Putnam County Playhouse, Buck Creek Playhouse – all great opportunities for a night out, a little culture, for a very reasonable price!  Want to try out your own acting abilities, many of these smaller playhouses have opportunities for auditions!

One of my favorite productions every year is the University of Indianapolis Dinner Theatre – always entertaining, my friends and I have been going for years!  This year’s performance is the female version of The Odd Couple!  I expect that the food will be good, the production excellent and the company even better.  UIndy hosts a number of productions throughout the year, I’ve seen several and never been disappointed.

For more information about all of these productions and venues, click the links within the post or visit Indy Arts Guide or Indianapolis Theatre for more information…I’ll be checking out some of them…will you?

theatre

Vicki Reed

 

Common Sense

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Saw this on Facebook the other day and as a farm girl, this advice reminded me of my Dad and my Pappa…and makes a whole lot of sense!

Advices from An Old Farmer
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
Keep skunks and bankers at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered… not yelled.
Meanness don’t jes’ happen overnight.
Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads.
Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
It don’t take a very big person to carry a grudge.
You cannot unsay a cruel word.
Every path has a few puddles.
When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
Most of the stuff people worry about ain’t never gonna happen anyway.
Don’t judge folks by their relatives.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life… Then when you get older and think back, you’ll enjoy it a second time.
Don ‘t interfere with somethin’ that ain’t bothering you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin’.
Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin’.
Always drink upstream from the herd.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin’ it back in.
If you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around..
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.
Most times, it just gets down to common sense.

Farm

Vicki Reed

Cabin Fever????

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Looking for something fun to do when the extreme cold and snow is keeping everyone indoors?  Check out these ideas:

• Sky Zone

Sky Zone is an indoor trampoline park, offering what they describe as a “3-D play experience”. The facility is both an amusement attraction and fitness facility, offering people of nearly every age, size and fitness ability, a fun way to exercise. Jump times are every 30 minutes and online reservations are recommended. The jump times do sell out on a regular basis so purchasing timed tickets online will assure you get the time you want. This activity is great for parents that want to join in on the family fun.

Where: SkyZone – Fishers – 10080 East 121st Street, Fishers, IN 46037

Where: SkyZone – Plainfield – 851 South Columbia Road, Plainfield, IN 46168

• Incredible Buffet & Fun Center

Incredible Buffet & Fun Center offers plenty of indoor fun. Their attractions include laser tag, mini-bowling, mini golf, bumper cars, go karts and of course, a large arcade. In addition to all the fun activities, the center also features a large all-you-can eat buffet which includes drinks and desserts.

Where: Incredible Buffet & Fun Center  8707 Hardegan St, Indianapolis, IN 46227

• Climb Time Indy

If you’ve never tried rock climbing, you might want to check out Climb Time Indy. The facility is for climbers of all degree of expertise from beginner to advance. There are over 4,000 different holds and the routes change weekly. They offer over 30 ropes and more than 8,500 square feet of climbing surface. In addition, we have a members only workout area, a rope for climbing, and an area designated for rappelling.

Where: Climb Time Indy – 8750 Corporation Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46250

• Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

Indianapolis is home to the world’s largest children’s museum. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is 472,900-square feet of adventure! Families will find plenty exercise opportunities throughout the four floors of kid friendly exhibits. There’s plenty of playground equipment and on-your-feet activities that will keep visitors hopping! Despite it’s large size, the museum can get quite busy during holidays and special free days. The first Thursday of every month, the museum opens its doors with free admission from 4 – 8 p.m. If you don’t mind the crowds, this is a great free event – including free parking.

Where: Indianapolis Children’s Museum- 3000 North Illinois Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208

• Pinheads Entertainment Center

There are a lot of bowling allies throughout the city, but one of the best is Pinheads Entertainment Center. Pinheads offers 32 open bowling lanes and 2 private bowling suites with 4 lanes each. They also offer duck pin bowling for the younger kids and an arcade. In addition, Pinheads has its own pub, Louie’s, famous for its tenderloin sandwich and otherpub-style foods. They offer birthday parties and various special nights in a newly renovated space.

Where: Pinheads Entertainment Center –  13825 Britton Park Rd, Fishers, IN 46038

• The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis

If you are a member of the YMCA, or even if you’re not, you can survive the cold or damp weather indoors at one of the many locations throughout the city. The local Ys feature everything from indoor pulls, indoor gym, racquetball courts, indoor playgrounds and much more. While there, take advantage of the fitness center and get some exercise.

Where: The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis – Address: Various locations throughout the city

For more you can visit the About travel page for Indianapolis

Stay Warm!!!!

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Vicki Reed