Indianapolis Holiday Attractions

Yes, it’s that time of year again…what fun things can you find to do for the season?  This is from the Visit Indy website:

Christmas-at-the-zoo-2

Indianapolis is a city of tradition and the holiday season is no exception. Join 100,000 spectators on Monument Circle as we flip the switch on the Circle of Lights for the 52nd time. Or be a part of a new tradition and see the Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center glowing in holiday colors for the very first time.
From old to new, here are few of our favorite holiday attractions and traditions.

Christmas at the Lilly House

Indianapolis Museum of Art, November 15 – January 4, 2015

Christmas at the Lilly House

Christmas at the Lilly House on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art uses the American country house setting to explore the decorative ideas of the 1930s and 1940s. Explore this piece of history and witness nearly a century of holiday tradition firsthand.


Jingle Rails

Eiteljorg Museum, November 22 – January 18, 2015

Jingle Rails

Jingle Rails at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is a journey to the Great American West – the real West and the West of the imagination. With over 1,200 feet of railroad, watch seven trains wind past the local treasures of downtown Indianapolis, including the Eiteljorg Museum, Monument Circle, Union Station, and Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as historical sites, including Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite Falls, and Old Faithful.


Jolly Days Winter Wonderland

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, November 22 – January 4, 2015

Jolly Days

Jolly Days Winter Wonderland is a holiday treat for the whole family at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Complete with an indoor “ice skating” rink for children to skate in their socks, an ice fishing area, and a holiday train, this is an unbeatable family tradition. Mark you calendar – on November 29, Santa will arrive Indy style in a Dallara IndyCar!


Circle of Lights

Monument Circle, November 28 – January 11, 2015

Circle of Lights

Circle of Lights is the world’s largest Christmas tree, complete with nearly 5,000 lights and 52 garland strands streaming from Indy’s beloved 242-foot tall Soldiers and Sailors Monument. This tree has been named by Travelocity as one of the top five must-see Christmas trees in the nation.


Celebration Crossing

Indiana State Museum, November 28 – December 31

Celebration Crossing

Celebration Crossing at the Indiana State Museum invites you to learn about holiday traditions, both longstanding and new. Visitors can ride the Santa Claus Express, visit with Santa and get their photo taken, and participate in holiday- and winter-themed activities on all levels of the museum.


Christmas at the Zoo

Indianapolis Zoo, November 28 – January 4, 2015

Christmas at the Zoo

Christmas at the Zoo is a wintertime extravaganza everyone will enjoy. Stop by the Indianapolis Zoo for its annual light spectacular, and experience one of the nation’s top 10 zoos in a whole new way as hundreds of thousands of sparkling lights delight and inspire. Soaring 150 feet above the Skjodt International Orangutan Center, you’ll be able to spot the Beacon of Hope glowing in holiday colors from miles away.


Outdoor Holiday Adventure

Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, November 28 – January 4, 2015

Outdoor Holiday Adventure

Outdoor Holiday Adventure at Conner Prairie will take you on a winter adventure through Prairietown as you enjoy the holidays the 1830s way! Meet a variety of characters in their homes as they prepare for the holidays. Discover what holiday treats, games, and gifts were offered and even what pranks were played more than 175 years ago.

So what are

Do you have an addiction to your smartphone?

I know I do!  As a REALTOR®, I’m constantly checking emails and texts and thanks to my bluetooth, I can even do it while I’m on the phone!  This article is courtesy of the MSN Lifestyle page, but I found it to be so true!

You constantly look at it. When you aren’t around it, you feel anxious, and when you have it, it’s all you can think about. Yes, we’re talking about your smartphone. Our obsession with mobile gadgets has become epic – 1 in every 5 people in the world own a smartphone these days. And now there are a handful of new syndromes that come with that addiction.

1. Text claw and mobile phone elbow

“Text Claw” is a non-medical term used to describe all of the finger cramping and sore muscles that come from continuous scrolling, texting, and gaming on smartphones. An even more common side effect: Using your phone too much can cause inflammation in your tendons and enhance existing conditions, like tendinitis and carpal tunnel. Similarly, “Mobile phone elbow” describes tingling or numbness in ring and pinky fingers after bending your elbow for long periods of time. 

If your non-stop smartphoning has you feeling sore and weak, do some stretches. Put down the phone, then try bending your wrists backward, putting your hands together like a prayer and pushing down. Then, doing some wrist flexes. If you experience pain for longer than a week, try applying heat. Or better still, see a doctor.

2. iPosture and text neck

Slouching over your phone for hours at a time is ruining your neck and hurting your back muscles. “iPosture” or “text neck” are just two of a few phrases doctors throw around to describe the excessive stress on neck muscles. According to a study of young adults in the U.K., 84 percent of those tracked experienced back pain during the last year, mainly due to being hunched over smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Fixing your posture can relieve lower back pain, and limiting your phone use can alleviate neck strain. While it seems awkward, try to hold your phone directly out and in front of your face, not on your lap where you might need to look down for minutes at a time.

3. Computer vision syndrome

Staring at the tiny font in your texts and scrolling through dozens of tweets can lead to eyestrain, blurred vision, dizziness, and dry eyes. And blurred vision plus sore neck muscles can also cause headaches.

If you’re experiencing eye discomfort, make your phone’s font size bigger. Mark Rosenfield, O.D., Ph.D., told Men’s Health that phone users should try to hold their phones at least 16 inches away from their faces. Every few minutes look up from your screen at something far away for short breaks, and don’t forget to blink.

4. Nomophobia

Short for “no-mobile-phone phobia,” this is exactly what it sounds like: the fear of being without your cell. According to a study of 1,000 people in the U.K., 66 percent of the population fears losing or being without their phones at any given time. Some of the symptoms of nomophobia include anxiety or negative physical symptoms if you have lost or cannot use your cell phone, obsessively checking to make sure you have your phone with you, and constantly worrying about losing it somewhere. Interestingly, the study found that women suffer from this more than men.

If this sounds like you, experts suggest employing common anxiety-relieving relaxation techniques like yoga and deep breathing.

5. Phantom pocket vibration syndrome

No, you didn’t just get a text message! A professor at Indiana University found that 89 percent of the undergraduates in her study experienced phantom vibrations when their phones weren’t actually vibrating. The study also found that students who were dependent on text messages and social media updates were more anxious when their phones weren’t really vibrating.

A good way to break the addiction? Try shutting your vibration function off and commit to only checking your phone during designated hours. If you have to keep your phone with you, place it in your bag instead. And try to resist checking your bag every five minutes. Otherwise, you might become the first case of phantom bag vibration syndrome.

So…do you exhibit any of these symptoms?????

smart phone

Vicki Reed

 

OMG it’s already Benton House Home Tour Weekend…

I can’t believe it’s here!  I feel like I still have so much to do, but Sunday there will be hundreds of people coming through my home as part of the tour!  This is from their website:

Irvingtons’ Benton House Tour of Homes is a main fundraising activity for the House. Proceeds from past tours have helped to provide a new permanent sign in the front yard, a new slate roof, gutters and downspouts, fifty new folding chairs, a much needed trim and removal of dead trees on the grounds and foundation repairs.

~REDEFINING LEGENDARY: IRVINGTON CELEBRATES 41 YEARS OF HOME TOURS ~

The Irvington Benton House Tour of Homes on Sunday, September 21, 2014 will showcase the history, charm, and architecture of Irvington neighborhoods while bringing inspiration, education, and home improvement ideas to the Indianapolis area. Celebrate over 40 years of outstanding home tours by touring an array of stunning historic homes in vibrant Irvington. Guests can enjoy viewing the properties of homeowners who truly fuel the Irvington neighborhoods. Many of the homeowners not only live in Irvington, but, invest further in the development of the 143 year old community.

 Home Tour Tickets are now available at pre-sale prices ($12) at the following Irvington businesses:

 Central Ace Hardware, 10th & Arlington Ave.
     Bookmama’s, 9 S. Johnson Ave.
     Black Sheep, 5626 E. Washington St.
     Dufour’s, 5648 E. Washington St.
     Antique Mall (Jack & Jill’s), 5501 E. Washington St.

Tickets are $15.00 the day of the tour. For more information call 317 506 6808.

This year’s Tour theme: “REDEFINING LEGENDARY”! The Tour is Sunday, September 21st, from noon to 5pm. We hope to see you there!

 

We are very grateful to the following sponsors of last years’ tour.
Please click on the businesses below to go to their website.

Ace Hardware ~ 1025 N. Arlington Ave.
Downey Avenue Christian Church ~ 111 S. Downey Ave.
The Legend Cafe ~ 5614 E. Washington
Snips ~ 5731 E. Washington
George Thomas Flowers~ 5609 E. Washington
Dufour’s Eatery ~ 5648 E. Washington
Hart Bakery & Gifts ~ 7030 E. 10th
Black Sheep Gifts ~ 5626 E. Washington
Bookmama’s ~ 9 Johnson Ave.
Oakley – Hammond Funeral Home ~ 5342 E. Washington

The Weekly View 

Cupckake 911, Valparaiso, IN

Volunteer Opportunities include:

  • Home Selection
  • Publicity
  • Sponsorship
  • Signage
  • Brochures
  • Flowers
  • Docents

I personally want to thank The Windowbox Gardener and my friend Gretchen Jacobs for the beautiful flowers they added to my front porch – these ladies are so incredibly talented, check out these pics:

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I’ll be hanging out at home on Sunday talking about the wonders of Irvington…will I see you there?

Vicki Reed

Time to Sell?

Thinking about selling your home?  Just a few things to think about…

Renovations: The changes that make your house work for you may not appeal to potential buyers. Not everybody loves that bright blue paint color — no matter how much you personally adore it. Make sure any big changes you make will increase, rather than decrease, your home’s value.

ALWAYS leave during open houses and showings: No hovering!  Current homeowners hovering over potential buyers as they tour the house…it’s a lot of pressure and can prevent them from giving honest feedback that could ultimately help you sell your home.

Waiting to list in the Spring: Most people house hunt in the spring and summer, but that’s also when most people list their homes. List yours when it’s available and you’ll reach those buyers who need a home now and aren’t finding much on the market.

Setting the price too high: What your home is worth to you and what it’s worth on the current market can be vastly different. Take a good look at the comparables provided by your REALTOR® and follow their advice…we are the experts!  Ignore Zillow…the Zestimates they offer are just WRONG!

Not doing enough marketing: Just putting up a “for sale” sign isn’t enough. Talk with your REALTOR® about other options, like online listings with virtual tours to attract buyers who aren’t looking on Craigslist!

Not getting a real estate agent: Unless you’ve had plenty of experience, going the “for sale by owner” route is probably not a smart bet. A REALTOR® can give you insights, marketing advice and, most importantly, can get your property on the multiple-listing service (or MLS or if you are in Indianapolis, BLC), which gets it in front of other agents.

Not staging your house: You need to help buyers envision themselves in your home. This includes removing any clutter and overly personal items (like family photographs) and making sure furniture flows well and demonstrates the purpose of each room.  Don’t go overboard, sometimes you can declutter and depersonalize to the point that the potential buyers can’t envision anything!  Discuss with your REALTOR® and if they don’t have a good eye, bet they know a good stager!

Okay, now are you ready?  Call, text or email me and let’s get started!

sold

Vicki Reed

 

Are you from somewhere else?

As a society, we have become very transient…there was a time when you grew up, got married and stayed in the same town you grew up in…personally, I have lived in Indy longer than I lived in my hometown, yet when someone asks where I’m from, I tell them Madison, Indiana.  We meet a lot of people on our travels through life, become friends, some stay there forever, some drift away…I think this poem really says it best…

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

Just this week I have had the opportunity to reconnect with two friends, the first I have know for 25 years, we started our post-college life in the same apartment building and remained friends through her moves to other cities, I was even in her wedding!  But as often happens, life gets in the way and while we have spoken regularly on the phone over the years, I had only seen the oldest of her three children and she was a toddler at the time and is now 10!  She happened to be attending a conference in Indy and her husband and children were with her, nice surprise, when she got her schedule for the conference, she called to let me know she was here and arranged time to meet for dinner – so great to talk face to face and meet her children!  She and her family currently live in Springfield, Illinois, but she is from Sharon, PA!

The second reached out only yesterday on Facebook, we actually went to college together and have known each other for nearly 30 years, but lost touch a number of years ago.  Thanks to the popularity of Facebook, I have the opportunity to reconnect with someone who was a great friend.  She’s from Rushville, IN, we met at Ball State University in Muncie and she now lives in Crown Point, IN!

For me, being on Facebook was a way to stay connected to my nieces, as a Realtor, I use it for marketing and business development, but have found it to be a great way to stay connected to many people who have been friends in my distant past as well as my present life, work friends from my corporate life, keeping up with them and their growing families.  Facebook has made our world a much smaller place – many of my classmates are all over the United States, it’s a great way to keep in touch even though we rarely actually speak to one another!

I love my local friends, The Group saves my sanity on a regular basis, funny though, we are all from somewhere else and landed in Indy…so…where are you from?

GiftofFriendship

Vicki Reed

Do you believe?

I read this story on Facebook today…don’t know if it’s true, but I choose to believe that there there is a greater being guiding our lives.  Many of you know (many of you may not…), but I have struggled with my faith for some time and have only recently began the trek back to the fold and putting my faith and future into God‘s hands.  The beginnings of this journey have been amazing and the more I walk in faith the greater my life is becoming.  Read this story, it may warm your heart…it may make you cry (I did, but I cry at commercials!) or you may not care, but I do and hope to be able to repay all of the love and support my family, friends and fellow Keller Williams agents have shown me during this past year…enjoy:

Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on the ground.

The man slowly looked up.

This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.

His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.. “Leave me alone,” he growled….

To his amazement, the woman continued standing.

She was smiling — her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. “Are you hungry?” she asked.

“No,” he answered sarcastically. “I’ve just come from dining with the president. Now go away.”

The woman’s smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.

“What are you doing, lady?” the man asked angrily. “I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up. “Is there any problem, ma’am?” he asked..

“No problem here, officer,” the woman answered. “I’m just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?”

The officer scratched his head. “That’s old Jack. He’s been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?”

“See that cafeteria over there?” she asked. “I’m going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile.”

“Are you crazy, lady?” the homeless man resisted. “I don’t want to go in there!” Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. “Let me go, officer. I didn’t do anything.”

“This is a good deal for you, Jack” the officer answered. “Don’t blow it..”

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived…

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. “What’s going on here, officer?” he asked. “What is all this, is this man in trouble?”

“This lady brought this man in here to be fed,” the policeman answered.

“Not in here!” the manager replied angrily. “Having a person like that here is bad for business..”

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. “See, lady. I told you so. Now if you’ll let me go. I didn’t want to come here in the first place.”

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled……. “Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?”

“Of course I am,” the manager answered impatiently. “They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms.”

“And do you make a godly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?”

“What business is that of yours?”

I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company.”

“Oh.”

The woman smiled again. “I thought that might make a difference.” She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. “Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?”

“No thanks, ma’am,” the officer replied. “I’m on duty.”

“Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?”

“Yes, ma’am. That would be very nice.”

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, “I’ll get your coffee for you right away, officer.”

The officer watched him walk away. “You certainly put him in his place,” he said.

“That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this.”

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently.. “Jack, do you remember me?”

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. “I think so — I mean you do look familiar.”

“I’m a little older perhaps,” she said. “Maybe I’ve even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry.”

“Ma’am?” the officer said questioningly. He couldn’t believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

“I was just out of college,” the woman began. “I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn’t find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat.”

Jack lit up with a smile. “Now I remember,” he said.. “I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy.”

“I know,” the woman continued. “Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble… Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right.”

“So you started your own business?” Old Jack said.

“I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered.” She opened her purse and pulled out a business card.. “When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons…He’s the personnel director of my company. I’ll go talk to him now and I’m certain he’ll find something for you to do around the office.” She smiled. “I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet… If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you.”

There were tears in the old man’s eyes. “How can I ever thank you?” he said.

“Don’t thank me,” the woman answered. “To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus…… He led me to you.”

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways….

“Thank you for all your help, officer,” she said.

“On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,” he answered. “Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And.. And thank you for the coffee.”

God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor.

God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close..

Thoughts?  Would love to hear from you…

Motorcycle Details

Vicki Reed

 

Downtown Winter Dining on a Budget!

It’s that time again…Devour Downtown!  Held semi-annually, Winterfest is January 21 – February 3, this event encourages us to savor fare from more than 50 downtown restaurants and get special deals from entertainment venues and attractions including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indiana Ice and many more! For more information and a list of participating restaurants and their special menus, visit http://devourdowntown.org.

How about topping the evening off with a carriage ride?  Yellow Rose Carriages are at your disposal to take you on a horse drawn carriage tour of Indianapolis.

Rather stay indoors?  Retreat to one of the many live music venues in downtown…Blues?  Slippery Noodle Inn is Indiana‘s oldest bar, and home of the Blues in Indiana features live local, regional and national Blues seven nights a week.  Prefer Jazz?  Check out the Chatterbox Jazz Club in the heart of the Mass Ave Arts District hosts live, local jazz seven nights a week!  Sing-a-long?  Try Howl at the Moon for a night of dueling pianos and high energy singing.  The list goes on and on…

Want to live downtown in the midst of all this energy?  Let’s talk!  Downtown has a variety of properties, starting as low as $60,000 all the way to $2,790,000…what’s your budget?  Check out my website to search for available properties!

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Vicki Reed

Wish # 4

In light of the recent tragedies, my fourth wish is that we, as a society, remember the victims of these senseless acts of violence and make changes in how we treat ourselves, our loved ones, and one another.

On Christmas Eve, 1989, my 16 year old brother was killed in a car accident.  He was the youngest of 4 and the only boy and our lives have never been the same.  I look at my beautiful nieces and think how much fun he would have had being their uncle, I wonder who he might have married, if he would have had children and what they may have been like…to those who have lost loved ones tragically and unexpectedly…the pain subsides in time, but will never leave you.

Despite how you feel today, life does go on and as hard as it is, you must move forward…create a credo to live by and to honor your lost loved one:

I will tell those I love…that I love them on a regular basis.

I will be purposeful in my life and take responsibility for the results.

I will stretch myself past my limits daily, I will not wait for perfection, and I will act now.

I will learn from my failures and my successes.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families and community of Newtown, CT.

 

Vicki Reed

 

12 Wishes of Christmas…

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is behind us, everyone is in overdrive for Christmas…the Hallmark, Family  and Lifetime Channels have been running Christmas movies nonstop, some since before Thanksgiving!  ION Television has added one to their line-up that sounds intriguing (bear in mind that I have not watched it yet!), “Twelve Wishes of Christmas” Lately things haven’t been going right for Laura, an aspiring fashion exec. With her professional and personal life crumbling, and willing to try anything to help, she follows her best friends suggestion and sets up a session with a life coach, who tells Laura to return home and make a list of twelve wishes for positive change in her life.

If you had 12 Wishes for Christmas, what would they be?  Would you be selfish and wish for just yourself? Or altruistic and wish mostly for others?  I suspect that most of us would have a little of both on our lists…

Between today and Christmas, I will be working on my list and will share them, one at a time, with all of you.  Will you share with me?  I’m easy to reach – you can comment on this blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or my website