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Posted November 28, 2011 - No Comment

Stratford Garage Sale Benefits Carmel Clay Library Reading Program

The Stratford in the Village of West Clay recently presented a check for $8,000 to the Carmel Clay Library Foundation. Pictured here are (left to right) Bob Meeker, Joyce Winner, Mary Jane Meeker, David Temple, Wendy Phillips, Ruth Isenthal, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard, and Jim Hehner.

As the saying goes, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Residents at The Stratford in the Village of West Clay proved that true by selling their unwanted goods in a community wide garage sale the last weekend of October. The twist to this shopping experience is all proceeds were to benefit the Carmel Clay Public Library Foundation.

According to event organizer Mary Jane Meeker, the residents wanted to organize something to build a sense of community and contribute to a worthwhile cause, so she and Margaret Shaw started planning and collecting merchandise. “We chose to support the library and its Ready-Set-Read program that teaches literacy to preschoolers so when they get to kindergarten they can read,” said Meeker. “We thought we might raise $500.”

The team of Stratford volunteers started collecting items in July, picking up donations at residents’ apartments. “A lot of people come to The Stratford with too much baggage. This was a chance for them to get rid of some things for a good cause,” said Meeker.

Library Guild Member, Joyce Winner, who owns a company called Good Riddance, helped price items and organized furniture and decorative pieces for consignment with Consigning Women. “Some of the furnishings from the models were too nice to sell in a garage sale. I knew they could raise more money through consignment,” added Winner.

And they did. At a special reception, The Stratford residents presented a check totaling $8,000 to the CCPL Foundation. “We are so pleased,” said Meeker. “It took a conglomerate of people to make this happen and many neighbors from the village came to help us.”

Mayor Jim Brainard and Foundation Board president, David Temple both complimented The Stratford residents on their efforts and thanked them for choosing to support the library – turning their trash into a valuable lifelong treasure for children learning to read.

Posted November 27, 2011 - No Comment

Watts Fine Art: Bringing Comtemporary Masters to the Midwest

John Watts retired from Wellpoint, Inc. and decided to open a gallery on Main Street in Zionsville with his wife, Shannon.

When John and Shannon Watts retired from Wellpoint, Inc., they wanted to find a second phase for their energy and passions in life as a couple. In their search, they discovered that their own interest in art most always took them out of the Midwest. They took note of this.

“When we began our search for just the right location for our new business, we kept coming back to the village of Zionsville, where we live. Our search did indeed take us to multiple areas, but we both discovered that Zionsville was where we wanted to live, and work. When this site opened up, we went for it,” John said.

“We felt that we wanted to focus on bringing nationally recognized artists to our town. It was a niche we believed would enrich and expand both communities of collectors and national artists. Business has been strong since day one, and there’s not a day that goes by that we don’t feel like sponges soaking up everything we can in the world of contemporary art. To us, we are fortunate to be able to do this,” John adds.

Watts Fine Art represents a range of painters and sculptors. ”We host a lot of artists that we have in our own collection. It’s a true labor of love,” he says.

Watts Fine Art Gallery is located in downtown Zionsville at 20 North Main Street.

John and Shannon enjoy meeting these artists and hanging out with people who also love art. Their contemporary art gallery features an artist every month with additional shows offered throughout the year that are fun and thematic in nature. A few artists for discovery would include: Roseta Santiago, Jamie Chase, GiGi Mills, Rocky Hawkins, Quang Ho and, sculptor, JD Hansen. Hansen’s bronze sculpture, The Nest is currently prominently displayed in the Gallery.

Watts Fine Art Gallery is opening a larger gallery space right next door to its current location. Visitors will see well-lighted viewing rooms and a discussion area set off with an inviting fireplace. If you want to be put on a list for future artist showings coming up, you can sign up by going to: www.wattsfineart.com.

When visiting the gallery, bring your love of art and don’t be afraid to mention your own favorite contemporary artist as the Watts Fine Art gallery offers a host of services for collectors and is more than willing to find exposure for new artists. Please know that all of the gallery art is available for sale online. We encourage you to visit their website to view all the magnificent work of artists represented by this gallery.

For more information please call: (317) 344-2534.

Posted November 23, 2011 - No Comment

Eleanor Rozella’s: My Happy Place

Tammy Daubenspeck (left), Cindy Grove, and Tina Dell model a few of the scarves available at Eleanor Rozella's

Cindy Grove, owner of Eleanor Rozella’s gift shop in Noblesville, refers to herself as the “third sister” to her two employees, sisters Tammy Daubenspeck and Tina Dell. Their camaraderie sets the tone for the fun-loving experience that is Eleanor Rozella’s and carries over to the customers. “You’re not a stranger when you walk in here,” said Cindy. “Tammy and Tina are so much fun; they’re so loving to our customers. It’s like girlfriends. Our customers end up being our friends.”

Just strolling through this gift shop puts a smile on your face because of the cacophony of colors, scents and laughter that greets you. If you’re looking for a unique gift for a favorite person, you’ll find it within Eleanor Rozella’s three floors.

Cindy didn’t have to look far to find the inspiration for the store’s name. On her piano rests a vintage photo of her grandma taken when she was in her 20s. “She was very artsy,” said Cindy. “She loved to knit and make jewelry. I loved her to pieces, and her name just had a ring to it.” So her grandma’s name—Eleanor Rozella—became the name of the shop that resides at 982 Logan Street. The current location of the shop was, as Cindy is fond of saying, “born of divine intervention.”

Eleanor Rozella’s original location was at the Deer Creek Shops, the present location of the IU Health Saxony Hospital. One day Tammy came in to explore the shop and the two struck up a friendship. As a former part owner of Corner Cottage in Noblesville, Tammy mentioned how much she missed the retail business. Cindy promptly hired her to run the store, a relief for Cindy who often travels for her other job as a flight attendant

CIndy Grove holds up a pair of Toms Shoes with a matching headband.

Not long after that, the two were informed they would have to find a new business location as their strip mall was being torn down. Through a timely tip, Cindy learned that Alley Cats in downtown Noblesville was up for sale. Attached to Eddie’s Corner Cafe, the building was 3-1/2 floors of prime location. Cindy was certain the rent would be too high.

It turns out, the worry was for nought. “It was divine intervention. I just turned it over to the Big Guy and said ‘Okay, You’ve got to show me where to go …. The way everything worked out, it’s just like we were meant to be here,” Cindy said. Eleanor Rozella’s opened August 25, 2006 in downtown Noblesville. “We looked at each other and said ‘Here we go!” laughed Tammy. Not too long after that in April 2007, Tina joined the dynamic duo. Cindy also receives support from her parents and sister Norm, Judy and Julie Wilson.

Cindy bought the inventory of Alley Cats, but slowly over time, they put their own stamp on the product line. “We wanted more of an upscale, girly-girl boutique,” said Tammy. “Noblesville had so many shops that had the country, primitive-type home decor. We were taking things in a different direction. People were really excited about it, and we heard all positive about it.”

Today the shop is known for its eclectic, fun mix of items. They carry lines they themselves love and use, and they try to keep up with the trends too. Nestled among the other displays, you’ll find Cindy’s own exclusive line of animated butterflies called Innovative Animation. Cindy also has a penchant for carrying (whenever possible) product lines that encourage “aid through trade,” product lines from Indiana business owners (she loves supporting new Indiana businesses), and made-in-the-USA products. Here’s a few of their product lines.

Photo Letters, Language Arts, Toms Shoes (they were the first shop in Indiana to carry his line), Demdaco, Nora Fleming, Magnabilities, Switch Flops, Lenny & Eva, Moving Butterflies, Alexis Angels, Holly Yashi, Mogo Designs, Sseko Sandals

They also carry horseshoe and collegiate bling for women, as well as lots of baby gift items and unique home decor items.

Overall, Eleanor Rozella’s is the place to be when you need to hear a friendly word or to find that perfect gift. Repeat customers are known to wander in just to feel better on a bad day. Cindy tells a story from one of her customers who fondly refers to Eleanor Rozella’s as her “happy place.” The customer told Cindy, “One day there was a lady in your store who was not being very nice, and I had to tell her, ‘Listen, this is my happy place. If you’re having an issue, I think you need to go somewhere else, because you’re not going to ruin my happy place!’”

Eleanor Rozella’s
982 Logan Street
Noblesville, IN 46060-2225
317-774-1213
Store Hours
M-T-W-SAT 10-6
TH-F 10-8
SUN 12-5

Posted November 10, 2011 - No Comment

Young Entrepreneurs Bring Energy to Noblesville

Noblesville is blessed with a town square and merchants that draw in visitors from around the county. But as beautiful a city as Noblesville is, what completes the draw for those who live in the area is the small-town community feel that locals love. Despite the downturn in the economy over the last few years, Noblesville is thriving in part because of some passionate, creative and dedicated young entrepreneurs who represent the heart of the city.

Leading the charge at Hare Chevrolet are co-owners and sisters Monica Peck, in charge of service, and Courtney Cole, in charge of sales.

Hare Chevrolet

Leading the charge are sisters Monica Peck, in charge of service, and Courtney Cole, in charge of sales, co-owners of Hare Chevrolet. The two have taken over running a company that was started by their family 164 years ago as a carriage and wagon making business. Over the years, Hare Chevrolet has continued to thrive, and Peck and Cole are getting ready to lead their 160 employees through their ninth expansion in just 12 years.

Both of them attribute their success to the support of their dedicated customers. Neither Monica nor Courtney are content to hole up in their offices, but are out in the showroom everyday having coffee and talking with customers. As Monica explained, “We treat people right. We have customers for life, not customers for the day.”

Hare Chevrolet is highly involved in giving back to their community. Monica will be the 2012 president of the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce and has been on the Boys and Girls Club board for 9 years. Their love of community is evident in their commitment to and support of local organizations such as the Noblesville schools, Riverview Hospital, youth sports, Relay for Life, and Prevail, just to name a few.

Although Monica worked at Hare Chevrolet through her childhood and teen years, neither she nor Courtney envisioned themselves taking over the family business. Both had successful careers in other fields, but Monica found herself missing Noblesville.

“I realized that I could work hard and build someone else’s business or my family’s business,” she said. Courtney has rediscovered the jewel that Noblesville is. “I value the fact that Noblesville is an incredible place to raise a family … it’s affordable, there’s plenty to do, the people are nice, and it’s safe!” she said. Neither have looked back, and Noblesville is the better for it.

Hare Chevrolet
2001 Stony Creek Road
Noblesville, IN 46060
(888) 893-3917
Open Mon-Thu 7:30am-8pm; Fri-Sat 8am-6pm

Indiana Kitchen Company

Jon Oliver, owner of Indiana Kitchen Company, says “I like the old historic downtown, and that’s certainly a draw for me, and a good fit for the business as well.”

As a Huntington, Indiana native, Jon Oliver, owner of Indiana Kitchen Company, found it was easy to feel lost in the bigger city of Indianapolis when he moved there for business 8 years ago. As he was looking for a place to open his own design business, he hit upon Noblesville.

“Noblesville gives that small town atmosphere I grew up in,” he said. “ I like the old historic downtown, and that’s certainly a draw for me, and a good fit for the business as well.”

As a full service design and remodeling company, Indiana Kitchen Company has helped many Noblesville homeowners transform their kitchens and baths into functional, beautiful spaces. With integrity and honesty as the backbone of their business, Jon and his employees have made good communication with their customers a key to successful home improvements. That and providing a good value. His pricing is competitive with the big-box stores, yet Jon also provides design knowledge and skill as

well.

Supporting the community that he works in is important to Jon. He is active with the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce and Noblesville Main Street, participating in projects that benefit the community. Indiana Kitchen Company also gives back to the community-at-large by supporting organizations like Gleaners Food Bank and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Ultimately, Jon has found that his “customers feel good because they’re supporting the local economy. We feel good because we like to work with them on a local basis. We can relate to them. We know our clients really well by the end of a project.”

Indiana Kitchen Company
925 Conner Street
Noblesville, IN 46060-2622
(317) 773-4000
Open Weekdays 10am-6pm; Sat 8am-12pm

Uptown Cafe

Kristie Whitesell, owner of Uptown Cafe a breakfast and lunch cafe and bakery, went into business with a desire to provide her customers with a “great cup of coffee and a place for people to feel comfortable enough in to come in, sit down and get cozy.” Judging by her slew of regular customers, she’s succeeded on both parts. Uptown Cafe has its own blend of coffee roasted just for them by Harvest Cafe Coffee Roasters in Broad Ripple.

After graduating from culinary school, Kristie worked evenings as a chef for a Carmel restaurant. She tired of working every evening, and when the opportunity presented itself in 2008 to buy the cafe, established originally as Lowther’s Shoe Store in 1883, she went for it.

As she grew into her role of entrepreneur, Kristie realized the value of having her business in Noblesville. “The Noblesville community is very important to Uptown Cafe. The amount of successful businesses on the square correlates to how well we do,” she said. As a member of Main Street, Kristie meets with the other shop owners to plan and participate in events. “It’s amazing how everyone sticks together,”she said.

What Kristie did not expect about being a business owner was how attached she would become to her Noblesville customers. “I have loyal, amazing customers. We know their names, we know their families, we know how they’re doing, they ask how we’re doing; there are a few I go out to dinner with as well. It’s amazing to have their support,” she added.

Kristie in turn supports the community by providing gift cards for fundraising auctions. She also provides all the cookies from her own in-house bakery for Riverview Hospital’s Valentines Day fundraiser.

Uptown Cafe
809 Conner Street
Noblesville, IN 46060-2613
(317) 674-8668
Open Tue-Fri 7am-3pm; Sat 7am-2pm; Sun 8am-2pm

Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano

Husband and wife team Matteo and Emily DiRosa of Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano.

Another successful entrepreneur in Noblesville is husband and wife team Matteo and Emily DiRosa of Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano. Matteo is no stranger to the restaurant business. He has worked in the business with family in his native country of Italy and in Indianapolis. While working in Indy, he met his wife Emily. They left Indianapolis to open their restaurant in Noblesville, and right away noticed the difference. “I feel a lot of support from the Noblesville community,” said Matteo. Success is not just one person. It’s the team, the employees and the customers — about 80% from the community. If I didn’t have a good community, it wouldn’t happen.”

Authenticity of product and service is what Matt and Emily strive for. All their entrees are made individually from scratch, and they use traditional, Italian recipes, some of which come form Matteo’s mother, focusing on fresh, natural, high-quality ingredients. They seek out employees who take pride in their work and take care with the customers.

Matteo and Emily work to constantly improve their business and the atmosphere for their customers, which for them is really a labor of love. “This is not my job. It’s not my business. It’s my life,” Matteo said.

Indeed the DiRosas are highly involved in the community. Emily is on the board of both the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce and Noblesville Main Street and active in community projects. They frequently give away donations for silent auctions and do large food donations for groups such as the Noblesville high school football team and Prevail events.

Always looking for ways to connect with their customers, Matteo and Emily are again leading a trip to Italy (Rome and the Amalfi Coast) in March of 2012. “It’s about staying fresh and doing new things for our customers,”said Emily.

Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano
40 North 9th Street
Noblesville, IN 46060-2203
(317) 774-9771
Open Weekdays 11am-2pm, 5pm-10:30pm; Sat 5pm-10:30pm; Sun 4pm-9pm

Go ahead and take a stroll through Noblesville and stop in to see these entrepreneurs and others like them. Entrepreneurship is alive and well in Noblesville.

Posted October 24, 2011 - No Comment

Mopey Dick: Deep Thoughts From A Shallow Mind

Dick Wolfsie is an Indiana icon, a long-time WISH-TV television personality, a gifted author and syndicated columnist, and the funniest curmudgeon I’ve ever kept in my garage for six months. (Editor’s note: It was a life-sized cardboard cut out to be exact.)

There’s not a day that goes by that something doesn’t annoy or perplex Mr. Wolfsie such as: an 80-page washing machine manual he can’t understand; the creative passwords his bank says he can’t use; the 4,000 friends on Facebook he’s never heard of; finding his lost cell phone in the freezer, and the tradition in his household that says you can’t get into your pajamas until after 8 p.m. (He explains this family issue in his new book).

His readers all benefit from his zany musings on surviving daily life as he writes about all the things in life that at times befuddle most of us. He makes us laugh out loud as we digest his genuinely funny way of looking at big and small things. Eli Lily should patent his sense of humor!

Dick Wolfsie

Mopey Dick … Deep Thoughts From A Shallow Mind will make its’ debut at the Indianapolis Christmas Gift and Hobby Show opening on November 9-13. Wolfsie will be on hand everyday to meet, greet and sign a personal autographed copy of Mopey Dick from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For most authors this would be a challenging daily schedule, but for Dick Wolfsie, it’s a love fest!

In the words of another icon, health guru and workout celebrity, Richard Simmons, who reviewed an advance copy of Mopey Dick and gave a rare personal endorsement, “You will laugh your buns off!”

Title: Mopey Dick … Deep Thoughts From A Shallow Mind
Author: Dick Wolfsie
Publisher: Cardinal Publishing
Debuting November 9-13 at Christmas Gift and Hobby Show
Available in all bookstores and Amazon after November 15

You can order direct by emailing your book(s) request to Dick at www.wolfsie.com
Include your name, address, zip and phone number and the number of books you wish to order. The cost per book is $12.95, which includes shipping directly to your home or office.

Posted October 20, 2011 - No Comment

Reserve Your Ticket For Book & Author Luncheon

It’s not too late to reserve your seat at our sister community for the annual Carmel-Clay Book and Author Luncheon on October 27 at the Ritz-Charles. This year’s best-selling authors’ include the following:

Cara Black with her latest book, Murder in Passy. This is the eleventh book in the series featuring P.I. Aimee Leduc.

Chris Bohjalian, The Night Strangers just released October 4. Oprah selected this busy author’s book, Midwives for her Book Club. Chris is the author of 14-mystery books.

Susan L. Hirshman contributes with her best-selling book, Does This Make My Assets Look Fat? A Woman’s Guide to Finding Financial Empowerment and Success. Practical advice you won’t want to miss as you laugh your way through the chapters.

Mike Lawson has won a reputation as one of America’s best political thriller writers with his sixth and latest book in the DeMarco series, House Divided.

Maris de los Santos is the New York Times bestselling author of Love Walked In and Belong to Me. Her newest work, Falling Together is one of those rare, unforgettable novels.

Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of the highly acclaimed, Caldecott-honored picture book, All the World, illustrated by Marla Frazee and A Sock is a Pocket for Your Toes, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. Her newest book is Noodle & Lou.

To make your reservations call: (317) 814-3905. Individual tickets with lunch and author presentations and personal book signings is $60.

Schedule of events:

9:30 a.m. – Doors open, books available for purchase and author signing
11:15 a.m. – Luncheon (raffle & silent auction ends)
11:45 a.m. – Program begins
2:00 p.m. – Book sales & author signings continue
3:00 p.m. – Event ends

The Ritz-Charles is located at 12156 North Meridian Street, Carmel, Indiana

Posted October 15, 2011 - 1 Comment

Beware! Halloween Haunts Sure to Scare

What’s happening for Halloween? Have a Howl! From werewolves to witches, chilling to thrilling, haunted to headless, there’s plenty of ways to scare the heck out of your family and friends this October.

1. Cool Creek Haunted Trails

Fright Station at Cool Creek Park's Haunted Trail

Ghouls and goblins are lurking in woods at Cool Creek Park. Haunted trails twist and turn daring hikers to take their next step – which could be their last. Those who make it out of the horrifying forest gather around the campfire for some story-telling and music. Trail not recommended for kids under 12.
Date: October 25, 26, 27
Time: 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Location: Cool Creek Park
2000 East 151st Street, Carmel, Indiana 46033
Cost: $5 per person
Contact: 770-4400

2. Headless Horseman at Connor Prairie

The Headless Horseman at Conner Prairie.

A galloping ghost appears out of the dark prairie. He’s gaining on you waving a sword in the air as you beg the hayride to move faster – to get away! Screams of panic and fear fill the air as you realize it’s the Headless Horseman! After a heart-wrenching scare, enjoy The Legend of Sleepy Hollow puppet show, a bonfire calm your nerves, scary-o-ke and a caramel dipped apple. Appropriate for all ages.

Date: October 14-16, 20-23 & 27-29
Time: 6 – 9 p.m.
Location: Conner Prairie 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN 46038
Cost: Free for Plus Level Members
Thurs. & Sun. tickets=$9 presale/$11 at the gate
Fri. & Sat. tickets=$13 presale/$15 at the gate
Presale tickets are available at Central Indiana Marsh
Contact: 317-776-6006

3. House of Terror

Home Sweet Home? NOT! This horrible house is filled with ghastly ghosts. The smell of fear lurks in the air as guests tour a horrendous home unfit for humans. If you dare, be a guest of this house filled with chambers of blood-curdling scenes- mixed in with an occasional comical scare!
Appropriate for 10 and under until dark.
Date: October 7th & 8th, 14th & 15th,
20th, 21st & 22nd, 28th, 29th & 30th
Time: 6:30 p.m. ~ 7:00 p.m. nightly (ages 5 – 10)
7:00 p.m. ~ 11:00 p.m. nightly (ages 10 – Adult)
(Sunday, 10/30 7:00 ~ 9:30 p.m.)
Location: 1130 Racquet Club North Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46260
Pickwick Place Apartments on Indy’s Northwest side.
Cost: $15 individuals/$10 for groups (10 or more)
Contact: houseofterror@teamwitsken.com or 317-372-1656

4. Barn Of Terror Noblesville

Hoosiers have been scared silly since 2007 at the Barn of Terror. A 100 year-old horse barn is home to classic movie killers challenging so-called brave souls to a “Nerves of Steel” contest – if you can make it all the way through the barn – you get to live! If you survive the terrorizing without jumping, screaming, or running for dear life, you earn a certificate to get in free in 2012. What are you waiting for – chicken?!
Date/Time: Oct 26th 7-9p.m.
Oct 27th – kids night 6-8p.m.
Oct 28th 7-11p.m.
Oct 29th 7-midnight.
Oct 30th 7-10pm.
Oct 31st 8-10pm.
Location: 19807 Hague Road?Noblesville, IN 46060
Cost: $15 individuals/$10 for groups (10 or more)
Contact: 317-509-7801

5. Children’s Museum Haunted House – Vampire Vacation

A few of the “dead-stinations” on Vic and Vivs’ Vampire Vacation include American tourist hot spots such as Count Rushmore, the Ghoulish Gate Bridge, Horrorwood, Moon-hattan and New Gore-leans. Dare to travel with this devilish duo!
Date: Oct 15-31
Time:
IPL’s Lights-On Hours
Tuesdays-Saturdays: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Tuesdays: 3:30–9 p.m.
Sundays: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Halloween: 10a.m. – 3 p.m.

Defender Direct’s Frightening Hours
Wednesdays & Thursdays 3:30p.m. – 9p.m.
Fridays & Saturdays 3:30p.m. – 9:30p.m.

Location: Children’s Museum, 3000 N. Meridian, Indianapolis, IN
Cost: $6.50 at the door or $5.50 advanced purchase at Marsh, under two – FREE
Contact: 317-334-3322

6. Hanna Haunted Acres

Six chilling opportunities to scare you senseless! Since 1992, Hanna Haunted Acres has spooked even the bravest Hoosiers. 75 acres of frightful, freaky fiends wielding chainsaws and a wild assortment of witches and werewolves threateing to end it all right then- right there! Attractions include: Phantazmagoria-The Haunted House, Scare Crow Revenge, Carnevil, Blackout, Medical Malpractice and Hanna Haunted Hayride.
Appropriate for teens and adults – if you can handle the madness.

Date: Oct 9, 13,14,15,16 & Oct 18-31
Time: Sunday – Thursday Open at dark – 10pm
Friday & Saturday – dark – midnight
Location: 7323 E. Hanna Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46239
Cost: $27 for all 6 attractions, $40 Fast Pass for all 6 attractions, $13 for one attraction
Contact: 317-357-0881

7. Corpse Manor

Dare to visit the haunted attractions of Corpse Manor, Night Shadows, and Sinister Woods. Corpse Manor, an ancient mansion owned by strange Lord Henry Calvert, was built on a graveyard – its foundation composed of crumbling tombstones. Your deepest, darkest fears come to life in deathly Night Shadows while Sinister Woods winds wary walker on a treacherous trail through a spine-chilling forest filled with grotesque creatures. That’s right…there’s not a single thing to protect you from the tormented spirits that roam these grounds. Appropriate for Teens & Adults.

Date & Time: Fridays and Saturdays 7PM to Midnight.
Sundays and weekdays – 7p-10p (beginning Oct 19)
Location: Post Road Recreation Center, 4700 North Post Road, Indianapolis, IN
Cost: $15-$20
Contact:317-897-7908

8. Indy Scream Park

Six terrorizing attractions toy with your mind, Nactmahr, which means nightmare in German, features computer art and images, 30 actors and detailed scenes; Kurayami, Japanese for blackout, is a labyrinth of pure darkness; Infected, Backwoods, Bedlam 3D and Monster Midway will freak you out to the max. Appropriate for teens and adults.
Date & Time: Oct 13-16
Oct 20-23
Oct 27-31
Fridays and Saturdays 7 – 9:30p.m.
Sundays and weekdays – 7-11:30p.m.
Location: 5211 S New Columbus Road, Anderson IN 46013
Cost: General Admission $20
Contact:317-897-7908

9. Falkirk Fearscape

Sir Creepington invites visitors into his lair. Walking down a path which winds through the graveyard, into the laboratory of a crazy scientist, past two witches who have captured a young trick-or-treater, through the field of torture, by a bottomless pit and an evil pumpkin with a surprise. Eleven live actors scare the wits out of unsuspecting guests and will turn down the scare factor to make the spookfest enjoyable regardless of courage.
Appropriate for all ages.
Date & Time: Halloween Night, Oct. 31, 6p.m. – 11:00p.m.
Location: 9503 Falkirk Drive- Indianapolis, Geist Landing Neighborhood
Cost: Admission is a donation of $2 or one non-perishable food item per person. 100% of cash donations go to the Hamilton County Humane Society and food items go to Gleaner’s Food Bank.
Contact: shane@falkirk-fearscape.com

10. Frite Lodge

A not for profit Haunted House located in the 50-plus year old Masonic Lodge in Acton, IN. Each year, a new more petrifying theme is designed and implemented by volunteer zombies. 60% of ticket proceeds go to charity. The main goal for Frite Lodge is to scare up funds for the needy family fund and goblin food pantry.
Date & Time: Thursday & Sunday 7p.m. – 10p.m.
Friday & Saturday 7p.m. – midnight
Cost: $10 donation at door or $8 with online $2 off coupon
Location: Masonic Pleasant Lodge 134, 7525 Acton Road, Indianapolis, IN 46259
Contact: fritelodge7525@yahoo.com

Other Haunted Attractions:

Trails of Terror, Markleville, IN
Necropolis, Indianapolis, IN
Fright Manor, Indianapolis, IN
The Asylum House, Indianapolis IN
Scarevania, Muncie, IN
ZooBoo at the Indy Zoo, Indianapolis, IN

Posted October 10, 2011 - 1 Comment

Modern Take on the Lunch Box Note

Do you remember your first day of school as a kid? The unknown classroom. The new teacher. Locker combinations. What desk is yours? Will you sit next to a friend? Thoughts, and even more thoughts. I can remember when I was entering grade school. I still got a little bit nervous. There was always something about the first day that brought out a little anxiety in me.

Suppose you’re going to an entirely new school. New everything. That can be quite an adjustment at any age. Imagine you’re stepping into the cafeteria at lunch time looking around for someone to sit with. You find a couple of familiar faces from your classroom, sit down, open your lunch box, and suddenly the fear goes away. Why? A little note from your mother or father, tucked carefully away in your lunch box, wishing you a great first day of school. Makes that peanut butter sandwich taste a little bit better, doesn’t it?

Add a modern twist on the lunch box note and you have Lunch Box Scribbles^TM.

“Lunch Box Scribbles are a great way to leave a personal note in your little ones’ lunch bag each day. They are reusable chalkboards in fun foam shapes and are the perfect way to remind your children that you are thinking of them throughout the day,” said creator Carolyn Carter.

How much fun is that?

Carolyn started CaitiMac Creations^® in 2007 with her first product, called the Clingy Cord^TM, after realizing that her firstborn, then a toddler, loved to throw anything she could get her hands on. “I was tired of picking up her sippy cups off the dirty floor, worried about losing her bunny blanket and concerned about how many germs she was coming into contact with after she had thrown her items to the ground at the park or mall. My husband and I had an idea, and created the first Clingy CordTM to address the problem. People began stopping me everywhere I went to ask me where I got it; the word spread, and it grew from there.”

Carolyn has gotten all the motivation for running her business from her customers and three beautiful children. “My kids are my inspiration; without them I never would have conceived my product ideas. As far as role models go, I really look up to other mom entrepreneurs who have created wildly successful businesses in the midst of the hectic schedule that being a stay-at-home mom brings.”

“Being a business owner can be very challenging, especially with three young kids at home. But inventing a product that is not only unique but helpful is extremely rewarding. Hearing how my Clingy Cord has given extra security to a mom who was terrified of losing their child’s precious blanket while at Disney World is very reassuring that my product is really worthwhile. And hearing how excited a child was to get a “cool note” in their lunch box gives me the motivation to keep my ideas coming and my confidence high. I love being a mom business owner,” says Carolyn.

Love the idea and need the products? Log on to www.CaitiMacCreations.com.

For more information, contact Carolyn at CaitiMacCreations@yahoo.com.

Posted September 28, 2011 - No Comment

ASG: Delivering Dealership Quality Without The Fancy Price

Automotive Service Group owner Craig Douglas.

Automotive Service Group offers exceptional quality that you would expect to receive at a reputable car dealer, as it was strategically designed to give you all the amenities of a dealer, but at price points dramatically less than your local car dealer’s service center.

“You can expect up to 30% off dealership prices,” says Craig Douglas, owner of Automotive Service Group (ASG). “In addition to the savings, we offer many communication comforts that the dealers just don’t have. We have invested in technology that allows you to book your appointment online through our Facebook page and website, and receive a text reminder when your car is ready for pick up. You can even talk with our friendly technicians about your service so you understand what is going into the work on your car.”

The address for ASG is easy to memorize since the street name features an American automotive icon, the Thunderbird. ASG is located at 5841 Thunderbird Road (Suite 3) near the intersection of Pendleton Pike and Sunnyside Road.

“What sets us apart from other car repair shops is our three-year or 36,000 mile warranty,” says Douglas. “We feel that when we repair your vehicle, the parts and work should hold up as well as when your car was new.”

Furthermore, ASG is on the cutting edge of technology. Douglas explains, “Everyone has their world on their phone. We’re trying to make it easier for customers to maintain their cars by scheduling appointments online and receiving communication of their car’s progress/service appointments by texts.”

Here are some of the special advantages you will find at ASG:

• Warranty for all service (3 years or 36,000 miles)
• Ease of scheduling appointments online
• Service reminders/service updates via email and/or text messages
• Convenience of Saturday service from 8am to 3pm
• Saturday Price Special – 10% off all scheduled maintenance performed on Saturday
• Servicing all makes and models
• Same software and updates for equipment programming capabilities as dealers (on 12 different makes of cars)
• Abundant coupons/website specials through the U.S. Mail, online, email/text and Facebook
• Price Guarantee – Bring in any dealer estimate and ASG will beat their price by at least 20%
• Extended warranties are honored
• Family-owned with friendly, honest staff who recognizes you by name instead of by number
• Spacious waiting room with free wireless internet, computer work station, and complimentary beverages
• Free shuttle service while your car is being serviced

Simply put, Craig Douglas represents a risk-taking car enthusiast who is passionate about buying, building, modernizing, collecting and even racing cars. Douglas laughs as he says, “I love cars. I’m like the kid that never grew up. People collect dolls, baseball cards… but I collect cars.” He rebuilt his first engine at 13 years old. That was only the beginning of his engine building success. He also built all of the engines in the championship winning cars that he raced as well as several of those of his fellow co-racers.

“My dad’s custom ‘54 Ford is in my shop right now,” boasts Douglas, who loves to modernize any chance he can get. “My dad brought it in for a new gas gauge but we are redoing the dashboard and installing a touch screen flip-out navigation DVD player that plays iPod and videos.”

Douglas bought his first car, a ’67 Charger, at the age of fifteen. He raced it and won several championships. After owning it for 23 years, he sold it to someone in Hawaii. Later, his fateful wheel would steer him in a different direction.

One day, he got a phone call from a man named Jimmy Ray who was looking for someone to race his car because he had been terribly hurt in a motorcycle accident, leaving him a paraplegic. As a result, Douglas became half owner of a ’67 Camaro with Ray, completely transforming the car within a five-year period getting it to the top of its class, all the while, racing it in Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, Orlando, and Indy. Douglas recalls the coincidence of how he and Ray both owned their first cars at fifteen, and both raced cars and motorcycles in drag races.

“I always try to be the best that I can,” says Douglas, who once raced a NASCAR in the “Richard Petty Experience” at the Indy 500 track, and got the fastest time of the day. He has also raced a NASCAR truck at the Indy Raceway Park. He admits, “I prefer drag racing as I don’t like going in a circle.” But he is very competitive, even when he goes go-karting with his kids.

Ironically, in 2008, Douglas was also involved in a motorcycle accident. He was badly hurt with many broken parts such as ten broken ribs, four vertebrae, a collarbone, a shoulder and a punctured lung. Although he owns a 2009 Challenger SRT-8 and 2010 Camaro SS and has raced them, he has not raced in a head-up series since his accident, yet remains open minded to the idea again someday.

Douglas lives in Greenfield with his wife, Jenn, and four children: Kyle (14), Korah (12), Emma (12) and Chase (10). He invites you to come by ASG, say “hello,” and take advantage of receiving dealership quality service at much lower prices.

For more information, visit www.asgindy.com.

Posted September 16, 2011 - No Comment

Italian Cuisine Comes to the Carmel Arts & Design District: Donatello’s

Father-son duo Adam and Patrick Aasen bring their family-owned Italian restaurant to Carmel.

On its website, the proprietors of Donatello’s Italian Restaurant describe their establishment, in the heart of downtown Carmel’s newly minted Arts and Design District, as “a new romantic destination” and “an homage to dining in a classier time. The days of ‘Mad Men’-esque executives enjoying a carefully cooked meal made from fresh ingredients. Servers treat you like royalty as you sit at tables with crisp white cloths… no TV’s to be distracted by sports. No drunken locals trying to pick up women….”

I know my bride of more than three decades would find such an invitation alluring, having long despaired of enduring a romantic dinner with her dubious significant other at a contemporary restaurant, as he gazes lovingly into her azure blue eyes with his pea soup green left eye, while the right eye of the presumed same color drifts past her left earlobe to the hi-def TV looming over the bar area like a Diamond Vision screen at Lucas Oil Stadium, to see if Tiger, Phil, or Rory makes this tricky downhill, 8-foot birdie putt on 17 to take the lead in the third round of the Charlie Sheen Desert Classic in Modesto.

You come to expect a good chicken marsala from a fine Italian restaurant, and Donatello's delivers just that.

Said proprietors of Donatello’s Italian Restaurant bring lofty credentials and credibility to the concept of romantic dining with undivided attention on the cuisine and on the person you brung (or brung you). For Patrick and Beth Aasen presided over the fine dining jewel, Arturo’s Italian Restaurant, which enjoyed an acclaimed 12-year run in the classy Woodfield Center retail center off 86th and Keystone Avenue from 1991 to 2003, before essentially being forced out with other high-end tenants for a never consummated redevelopment plan that has rendered Woodfield Center Indianapolis’ classiest vacant retail center. Patrick, a chef and co-owner, assumed majority ownership when his co-owner, Arturo Di Rosa, left to open the renowned Amalfi Ristoranti off West 86th and Ditch Road.

Di Rosa was just one of many legendary dining impresarios who gave Aasen his culinary education in fine dining kitchens in the area, including John Macri of Italian Village fame, and Italian-born Rudy Nucilla, who presided over the much beloved Rudy & Rosa’s bistro in the late 1980’s.

Donatello’s opened just in time for New Year’s Eve last year, on Carmel’s Main Street, just east of South Rangeline Road. It most reminds me of the relaxed, intimate country bistro ambiance achieved by Rudy & Rosa’s than the fine dining formality that marked Arturo’s. Beth Aasen brings a warmth to the décor, with tomato red walls adorned with soothing Impressionist land and seascape paintings, and tables covered in white linen. Operating on a very small start-up budget, the Aasens, along with their son Adam, did all of the internal construction, wiring, and decorating and whatall to craft their cozy Italian bistro. And by cozy, we’re talking just a 32-seat capacity – no bar, not a hi-def TV in sight… nothing to distract from the matter at hand, except for what the diner brings onto the premises in the form of smart phones, lap tops, iPads, and other electronic marvels best left in the trunk or glove compartment for the dining duration.

Patrick is a long-time Italian chef having co-owned Arturo’s Italian Restaurant at Woodfield Crossing.

For nothing should distract from the cuisine, and the sparkling conversation and romantic cooing designed to accompany it. The proceedings are nicely launched with slices of hot, fresh bread to be adorned with a mixture of olive oil, diced tomatoes and garlic. Highlighting the appetizer menu are deep fried cheese ravioli with tomato dipping sauce ($7); the lightly fried calamari ($8), best shared to avoid appetite decimation; and my appetizer option of the evening, the Ravioli Gorgonzola ($7), large ravioli squares filled with a tasty five-cheese blend and emboldened in a flavorful cream sauce. It was very much what you look for in an appetizer, solid flavors but not so rich as to undercut your desire for the courses that follow.

The calamari, along with shrimp, is a star attraction of the Zesty Seafood Salad ($8), featuring romaine lettuce, olive oil and basil. Other salad attractions include the Italian Chef rendition ($8) of lettuce, turkey, prosciutto, peppers, and mozzarella and parmesan cheeses tossed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar; and the Gorgonzola Fruit Salad ($7), with the showcased gorgonzola cheese accompanied by tart apples, dried fruit, onion, walnuts and croutons in a fat-free raspberry dressing. Seeking to take advantage of the summer embellishment of the Indiana tomato, I reveled in the Tossed Caprese Salad ($6), the enriched combination of sliced tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella on a bed of lettuce with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, an excellent seasonal salad preliminary.

A lunchtime favorite, gorgonzola fruit salad.

Donatello’s pasta entrees give Aasen a chance to show off his imagination and dexterity with the sauce pan. With his Tortellini Michelangelo ($16), he applies a thick blush cream sauce to the large cheese-filled tortellini pasta rings, topped with mushrooms, onion, bacon flecks, and parmesan. A spicier sauce featuring tomato, kalamata olives, pepperoncinis, capers, anchovies, and garlic, adorns penne pasta bearing the muscular moniker of Penne Puttanesca ($16). Penne pasta is also featured in a dish ($18) that takes in shrimp and a pesto sauce of olive oil, pine nuts and basil. A sauce made of cream, egg, bacon, and parmesan cheese graces the Spaghetti Carbonara ($16), while a rich creamed and cheesed sauce is the prime motivation to order the classic Fettuccini Alfredo ($17), infiltrated with sliced chicken, shallots and peas. A risotto dish with wild mushrooms ($16), with a 20-minute preparation time, features of sauce of stock and wine reduction.

Meat entrees includes Veal Parmesan ($20), the hand-breaded veal topped with mozzarella, parmesan, and tomato sauce; veal scallopini ($22) topped with spinach and ricotta and mozzarella cheeses in a blush wine sauce; chicken breast cooked in Marsala wine ($18), highlighted with artichoke hearts, pistachios, and a white wine sauce; and the Shrimp Francese Fandango ($22) of shrimp in a light egg and flour batter cooked with capers in white wine sauce.

On this night I focused on the sole beef entrée, the Bistecca al Pepe, at $24, the priciest dish on Donatello’s reasonably priced menu, entailing an eight-ounce filet in a peppercorn Dijon mustard sauce. This appears to be one of Aasen’s most popular entrees, enhanced by the extreme tenderness of the beef, the zesty kick provided by the crunchy peppercorns in the sauce, and the flavorful bite of the smooth Dijon sauce, fully complementing, not overwhelming the flavor goodness of the filet. Sliced roast potatoes and a vegetable (on this night, zucchini), provide the low key supporting cast.

The dessert menu changes daily, with Aasen’s tiramisu already possessing a solid word-of-mouth, taste-of-tongue reputation, in tandem with the Italian cream cake, a specialty and valuable contribution of Beth’s mother, Susie Brunner. The moist, delicately sweet white cake is effectively iced in a cream frosting sprinkled with flakes of coconut. This cake has a surprising lightness that helps assuage any guilt one might have with age- and waistline-related dessert indulgence… or so I convinced myself. And all I really needed to know is that Mrs. Brunner’s Italian Cream Cake won the first place blue ribbon in the 2002 Indiana State Fair.

With just 32 seats, it doesn’t take long to achieve a full house just about any night at Donatello’s, with patrons arriving around 7 p.m. usually confronted with a fairly lengthy wait – with no bar to belly up to while biding one’s time, charming the companion with streams on bon mots, one eyed cocked on ESPN sports intelligence, and fingers poised to tweet and text. Thus, reservations are a very good idea, especially on the weekends, with the Aasens inviting diners-in-waiting to stroll Main Street and environs and take in the galleries and merchants that comprise the Carmel Arts and Design District. The establishment, located on the south side of 9 Main Street, has ample parking in the back.

An early arrival should fit well in any dinner and theater plans you have as it applies to productions at the nearby Palladium. And Donatello’s is also open for lunch, offering further opportunities to patronize an independent, family affair restaurant that again includes the Aasen’s son, Adam, a former and recovering newspaper reporter, fully prepared to help keep his parents’ restaurant on Main Street thriving and memorable.

DONATELLO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
9 West Main Street, Carmel
317-564-4790
Hours: Lunch, Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.;
Dinner, Monday-Thursday, 5-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m.
Closed Sunday
Entrée price range: $14-$24
Credit cards: Major cards accepted
www.donatellositalian.com

Posted August 30, 2011 - No Comment

Pole Up: New Fitness and Dance Studio That Puts the WOW Back Into Getting in Shape!

Pole Up instructors Jenee Michelle, Laura Meyer, Marcy Kerr and Karri.

Lifting one’s own body weight can seem daunting, but if you’re ready to really accept the challenge of getting in shape and redefining what exercise can be, then a visit to Pole Up is a must!

Owner Laura Meyer’s family had a tradition of attending the prestigious male dominated military academy, The Citadel, located in South Carolina.

“It was tough going through the physical training and challenging course instruction, but I loved it,” she said. “I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and went on to get a master’s in Exercise Science,” she added. “I was looking for something new when my husband (Andrew) and I relocated to Indianapolis. I had a traditional fitness business in the Chicago suburbs, but we wanted to open a different type of studio here that would combine all the elements of exercise and dance instruction, while adding in the sheer FUN experience that fitness provides.”

Pole Up owner Laura Meyer wanted to incorporate her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and master’s in Exercise Science when she created Pole Up Fitness.

Pole Up does just that, as women gain confidence in themselves while gaining control over their bodies in workouts that are designed to promote the athletic and artistic side of pole dancing. The pole fitness and cabaret dance classes are fun, flirty and will give you an incredible calorie burn and muscle toning workout. Women of all ages are participating in a variety of classes taught by experienced fitness and dance instructors who focus on whole body strengthening, movement choreography and a routine that will help shape a hot new body.

There is indeed a variety of course instruction available. A sampling of these classes includes:

Pole Dance & Fitness – Six levels of pole fitness, each providing eight weeks of classes where you will learn a progression of moves and skills while toning your body.
Cabaret Tease – Release your inhibitions in this intermediate level, choreographed 8-week session. Learn an entertaining routine that will help you shape a dancer’s body.
Belly Dancing – Shake your hips to a slender and toned waist! This class is for all fitness levels. A fun class that achieves a great overall workout.
Bombshell Burlesque – Classic style burlesque class where students learn to walk, turn and tease, all while breaking a sweat using classic burlesque choreography and music. A new routine will be offered every week so students are always challenged.
Booty Camp – Ongoing class for all fitness levels. Involves lots of cardio. High intense training, body weight exercises, core training, flexibility and some pole exercises. Be prepared to sweat a lot, lose weight and tone up!
Cardio Vixens – This is an ongoing class for all levels. Full of flirty and sexy moves that will get your heart pumping and your body rocking.
Sensuous Flow & Flexibility – Once you are warmed up, our instructor will guide you through deep relaxing stretches that will help increase flexibility in targeted areas. This class is designed to increase flexibility for pole dance performances by introducing deep stretching with use of multiple stretching tools.

Add to this list parties and special classes that use chairs, feather boas and high heels in choreographed dance routines. Pole Up also offers Girls Night Out parties for up to 20 women. Come in, hang out with your girlfriends in a comfy, contemporary lounge to open gifts, share a glass of wine and chat. Then head into the studio for some fun and pole dance instruction.

“Pole Up will help you plan the evening, be it dinner and drinks, a visit to a spa or out at a club. Girl’s Night Out should be special,” Meyer says with a smile. “What I enjoy most is seeing the dramatic change in our clients’ self confidence when they complete one of our Pole Up courses. You can see the difference in their body and their attitude. That’s what Pole Up is all about – changing how a woman feels about her body – inside and out,” she adds.

You can sign up for classes online at www.poleupindy.com or by calling direct at (317) 845-4286. You can also send an email to info@poleupindy.com. Classes are filling up so if you want to experience a new way to exercise don’t delay your Pole Up registration. Grab a girlfriend and get in shape together with a fun new form of exercise and dance programs developed especially for women.

Pole Up is located at 7035 E. 96th Street (in front of Menards), Suite F2, in Indianapolis.

Posted August 22, 2011 - No Comment

Mother/Daughter Team Stitches Together a New Business: The French Seam

Mother daughter duo Linda Compton and Courtney Young turned their love of fabric and fashion into the French Seam.

Opening the French Seam in May of this year was a dream come true for mother Linda Compton and daughter Courtney Young. After years of tireless research and business planning, the two seamstresses dove right into their exciting venture.

Courtney proudly said, “My mother and I are both self-taught sewers and have been sewing our whole lives. My grandmother taught my mother and my mother taught me. Sewing has seen such a resurgence over the past few years, as people are looking for new ways to express themselves creatively. We felt that there was a need to offer the creative community in Indiana an option for finding quality fabrics locally, as well as supporting independent pattern designers by carrying their products in our shop.”

Courtney has a business degree from Marion University, and her mother has started several successful businesses. They are thrilled to be working on this venture together.

The French Seam offers fine fabrics including woolens, cottons, linens, silks, designer fashion fabrics, European fabrics from France and Italy and a wide selection of modern cottons. “We also have a wide variety of sewing patterns, books and notions. The shop is also currently getting ready to launch sewing classes in our studio for all skill levels, including introductory classes for those new to sewing,” Courtney added.

The main goal for the The French Seam is to be able to continue to offer fine fabrics to sewers throughout the region. They have attracted customers from outside of the state and would like to become a destination shop for people seeking the best fabrics for their creative projects. They want to reinforce that the Indianapolis community is thriving, and sewing is a hobby/art that anyone can learn at any point in their life.

Like any new business, the sewing duo has had some challenges. One of the biggest challenges was developing an idea of what the store should be like. To their knowledge, a new fine fashion fabric store hadn’t opened in this part of the country for the past 10-20 years.

When asked about any advice she might give a new business owner, Courtney said, “The most important thing that we did was over two years of market research on our business. We travelled all over the country exploring different types of hobby stores. It was so important in helping us develop our version of what a modern fabric store should look like. Without that research, this venture never would have happened. The short answer is… do your homework.”

Courtney’s favorite quote? Smiling, she quickly said, “If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun” (Katherine Hepburn). It certainly looks that way!

For more information on The French Seam, go to: www.thefrenchseam.com or call (317) 841-1810. Drop an email to dana@thefrenchseam.com.

Posted August 20, 2011 - No Comment

MacKenzie River Pizza Co. Brings New Experience for Gourmet Pizza Lovers

Brothers and owners Jon and Mike Shuel were born in Indianapolis, raised in Bozeman, Montana, and moved back to bring the family restaurant to their native land.

In the early 1990’s, after 17 years with a local advertising firm, Steve Shuel, in the spirit of Horace Greeley’s clarion call of “Go West, young man!” departed Indianapolis for Montana with his young sons John and Michael. He soon partnered with restaurant owner Don MacKenzie to help introduce and promote the concept of “gourmet pizza” to wary and skeptical sausage-pepperoni-and-mozzarella-besotted Montana pizza mavens. According to company lore, it took a while for Montanans to get their tongues and teeth around the idea of such alien toppings as artichokes, toasted pine nuts, pesto, barbecue sauce, spinach, chicken, and mandarin oranges making themselves at home on their pizzas, as emanated from the first MacKenzie River Pizza Co. restaurant Don MacKenzie unveiled in 1993 in downtown Bozeman.

A winning ensemble called the Thai Pie with basil chicken and Thai peanut sauce flavored with peanuts, scallions, mozzarella, red peppers, and a few Mandarin oranges.

But the concept eventually gained traction, allowing the MacKenzie River Pizza Co. to grow to a dozen restaurants throughout Montana over the next two decades, with outposts in Idaho and Washington State. Shuel assumed full command of the operation in 1997, ultimately selling the chain to Montana business titan Bill Foley three years ago. Shuel’s sons came back to Indiana to attend Indiana University where John eventually met his wife and decided to stay in his native home. Through a host of planetary alignment circumstances, Jon and Michael decided to bring the MacKenzie River pizza experience to Indiana, setting up camp in the far west end of the sprawling Clearwater Springs Shopping Center, off the southwest corner of East 82nd Street and Allisonville Road.

MacKenzie's southern dining area overlooks a bevy of trees and foliage.

They opened in late May in a 6,270-square feet forum that has seen at least three other restaurant and bar ventures come and go in recent years, two of them with breathtaking speed. A third, the Chicago-based upscale Mexican restaurant, Adobo Grill, elected to move downtown. However, this site is aesthetically in tune with MacKenzie River Pizza’s décor theme of the Montana fly fishing camp, even with no body of water, be it river, lake or stream, in sight. For MacKenzie’s southern and western outdoor deck exposure overlooks a bevy of trees and foliage presumably spared during the construction of the shopping center, providing a woodsy ambiance that fits the theme. Adding to the theme are chairs and tables constructed primarily of small, winsome logs, large photos extolling the Montana great outdoors, and such artifacts as a vintage fishing float boat dangling from the ceiling and an initially disconcerting statue of a brown bear holding a recently acquired fish, greeting patrons at the front door.

In all, it’s a pleasant forum in which to nibble or wolf down pizza, aided by a gregarious, eager to please staff, with the outdoor deck quite fetching (but vacant on a recent visit), as I and my fellow diners preferred to immerse ourselves in the Great Indoors and its manufactured balmy breezes, wimping out from the Saharan heat gripping our tender Hoosier summer sensibilities.

Practicing vegans should be pleased to note that MacKenzie’s signature pizzas include a quartet with no adornment of meat, taking in the “MacKenzie River” mozzarella-based arrangement of roast zucchini, spinach, olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes; the “Veggie,” with similar ingredients, augmented by broccoli and pesto; the Greek-accented “Athenian,” with the olive oil and garlic accessorizing spinach, tomatoes, red onions, and Kalamata olives; and perhaps the most potent veganistic ensemble of the group, the Sequoia, featuring artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh pesto, mozzarella, and of all things, toasted pine nuts, which provide a nice crunchy touch and slight flavor zing. The artichokes and pesto dominate the flavor with an enjoyable salted flair.

A delicious cobb salad can be a lunch all in itself.

Also providing a winning ensemble is the Thai Pie that lays on basil chicken, an excellent Thai peanut sauce that could stand to be more flavor dominant, peanuts, scallions, mozzarella, red peppers, and most effectively, a few Mandarin oranges. My only hang-up with the Thai Pie, and admittedly irrational and perhaps beyond, was the appearance of cilantro herbs on the pizza. Fortunately, they are applied as an easily extracted garnish and not an essential topping ingredient, but for some twisted reason, cilantro continues its assault on my culinary psyche with its overbearing minty herb wang that seeks to dominate, if not hijack, the flavor of all other ingredients in whatever it infiltrates or hovers over. Based on its ubiquity in so many Asian and Hispanic dishes and cocktails, I guess I am in a distinct minority about the necessity, desirability, and popularity of the ebullient cilantro herb, but I am glad to get this off my digestive tract.

As to the “Traditionals” pizza offerings, Mackenzie knows well to lavish attention. There is a pepperoni pizza appropriately dubbed the “Good Ol’ Boy,” and two Italian sausage showcases, with the brawny monikers of “Branding Iron” and “Bear Tooth Sausage.” The spicy Italian sausage is the star attraction of the “Stockman,” MacKenzie’s primary meat lover’s ensemble, including steak strips, pepperoni, and bacon atop and intertwined in a mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend. It’s not an edge-to-edge arrangement, but a well balanced blend of traditional meat toppings, and comforting to old school pizza carnivores who might have to be sedated upon confronting a mandarin orange or an artichoke heart wallowing in the mozzarella.

The pizzas come in two sizes, a 9- to 10-inch, four-slice individual ($8.50-$9.75), and a 13- to 15-inch large ($11.75-$17.00, depending on toppings), in eight slices, offered with thin crusts, or the thicker “original” and natural grains trusts. Based on my samplings, the thin crust is crispy and tasty, while the original, at least as it applied to the small Thai Pie on this night, seemed a bit too thick, adding little to the flavor mix. It may come across better on the large pizzas. I was a bit intrigued to note the thin crust pizzas costs 25 cents more than the original crust, even though thin crust appears to entail considerably less dough than the original. I can only presume the increased amount of muscle labor expended to flatten the dough to thin crust proportions accounts for the larger tariff.

MacKenzie, being a full-service eatery, lays on other familiar foodstuffs of casual Americana and Italiana cuisine, including barbecue ribs; bacon and cheddar infused meatloaf; blackened salmon; grilled chicken breasts; several pasta dishes; a wide assortment of salads, including a lettuce wedge in commendable bleu cheese dressing; and a sandwich line-up that includes a pulled pork hoagie, meatloaf melt, and roast beef, grilled chicken, and smoked turkey renditions.

You can launch the proceedings with appetizers of chicken wings, pulled pork nachos, and Mackenzie’s “lodgepole” sourdough square bread sticks, tastily adorned with olive oil, garlic, and melted mozzarella. On the plate, the lodgepole looks akin to a small cheese pizza, and perhaps is best enjoyed with non-pizza entrees. Apple cobbler, cheesecake, coffee ice cream and gooey fudge “Mud Pies”, and hot chocolate chip cookies comprise the guilt fest dessert menu. And the bar offers Hoosier blessed nectars on tap to wash all this down, including Bloomington’s Upland brews, Indy’s Sun King, and Munster’s Three Floyds.

MacKenzie River Pizza Co. comes into an intense Central Indiana pizza market that is fully saturated in mozzarella, and it may take awhile to set itself apart from the throng, but well worth checking out in a lively setting in your continuing pursuit to find who does pizza most blissfully in all of its body-sculpting permutations.

MacKenzie River Pizza Co.
4939 E. 82nd Street, Indianapolis
317-288-0609
Hours: Lunch-Dinner, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Daily
Entrée price range: $8.50-$19
Credit cards: Major cards accepted
www.mackenzieriverpizza.com

Posted July 12, 2011 - 2 phản hồi

Carmel Chiropractor Strives for Perfect Alignment

Dr. Hillary Hushower of Rangeline Chiropractic

Dr. Hillary Hushower opened Rangeline Chiropractic in December of 2007. She purchased the practice from the existing chiropractor. “I always wanted to work for myself and knew I would succeed. The office I purchased wasn’t doing well, and I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me to get it going in the right direction,” says Dr. Hushower. “I had never owned a business before purchasing Rangeline Chiropractic – unless you count a lot of lemonade stands.”

Rangeline Chiropractic offers gentle chiropractic care for the entire family. They also offer massage therapy by a licensed massage therapist, physical therapy, custom orthotics, custom pillows and vitamins.

When asked about her goals for Rangeline Chiropractic, Dr. Hushower said “I would like to grow the practice and hire another chiropractor on staff. I also see another practice in my future. We currently see patients from infants to those in their nineties, but I would like to see more pediatric cases.”

Dr. Hushower is very active in the community, and enjoys being involved in activities with the Arts and Design District. She has been a member of the Lions Club, and served in the past as the Executive Director of Fundraising for Young Professionals of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Carmel. “I am a member of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce and Indy Referral Group. Every month I have a special at my office that raises money for local and nationwide charities. This year we have donated over $1,000.00 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” she says.

Dr. Hushower went on to say that being a business owner is hard work, but she has found the best things in life are worth the hard work. She said there were a lot of new challenges in the beginning, including business loans and marketing, and each day continues to be a learning process.

When asked about the people that inspired her, she said “All the women I meet every week that have a business and a family. As one of my patients recently stated, ‘I deserve it all, a career and a wonderful family.’ It’s the women that do it all that amaze me every day. I strive to be a productive member of the community and a wonderful mother at home.”

Posted June 2, 2011 - No Comment

Nothing Mixes Better than Wine and Canvas

Pat Carlini (right) with her new best friends and fellow painters at Wine and Canvas.

So, you haven’t painted since kindergarten? Perfect! You will love “Wine and Canvas” — a new social event that involves a paintbrush, a glass of wine and no previous experience.

It’s a simple process; you book your spot in front of an easel for one of the classes and an artist will help you step-by-step to replicate the painting of the day … all while you sip some wine/beer and socialize with friends.

I recently checked out a class, along with about 30 other guests, at the Keystone Crossing location. Some came fresh from the office; others were on a well planned night out; and one couple made it a date night. No kids – little Picassos have their own event called “Cookies and Canvas.”

Then the fun begins. Owner Tamra Scott introduces the artist for the evening and points out the apron, brushes and palette of acrylic paint at each seat. “We use acrylics because it will come out of your clothes,” explains Tamra. “Just in case!”

Local artist Eric Swenson then takes the stage to start the instruction of painting a scene of tree tops against a blue sky. “The leaves should just be blotches of color,” says Eric. “Don’t think about painting leaves.”

There were a couple of breaks so the class could let their paint dry and refresh their wine/beer. After a little over two hours we had all completed a masterpiece. Although mine looked more like black sticks stuck to the canvas instead of beautiful long-limbed trees reaching for the sky, it was still a lot of fun.

You can come back as many times as you like; one guest was on her 12th visit and gives the paintings away in lieu of gifts. Another guest said it wasn’t about the art; it was just a fun night out with the girls and an alternative to going to the bars.

Wine and Canvas costs $35-$40 per session, depending on the night. You can register online at www.wineandcanvas.com, and choose the painting you would like to recreate. Wine and Canvas also can set up at restaurants and private parties. They are franchising this around the country, so if you haven’t heard much about it until now, you will probably see a lot more of Wine and Canvas in the future.

So go ahead, unleash you inner Picasso, and enjoy a fun night out!

Posted May 9, 2011 - No Comment

Owner of IndyAsh Aims to Save Indiana’s Trees

Owner of IndyAsh Aims to Save Indiana's Trees

In the fall of 2007, local certified arborist Joshua Taflinger had no idea that his future would involve pesky green bugs. In fact, no one would have predicted that this successful owner of a tree trimming and removal company would sell his business and focus all his time and resources plotting the demise of the emerald ash borer (EAB).

“My friends thought I was crazy,” says Taflinger. “But the more I learned about this epidemic, the more passionate I became about saving Indiana’s trees and making a positive impact on our communities.” Taflinger now owns and operates IndyAsh, a small family-operated company that provides EAB treatments for private and commercial properties as well as entire neighborhoods.

In 2004, when the invasive and devastating EABs were first confirmed in Indiana, Taflinger had never heard of them. But after a conversation with a colleague a couple of years later, it became his mission to learn more. As additional cases were identified over the next year, local media increasingly reported on the infestations in the area. But as news cycles shifted, the coverage began to dwindle, and the majority of residents assumed that the problem had been taken care of.

“People don’t realize that if they have an ash tree and do not have a treatment plan in place, quite simply, their trees will most likely be dead within two years,” says Taflinger. “And they won’t see warning signs until it’s too late.”

Taflinger regularly appears at neighborhood association meetings, community fairs and public events where he assists in educating the public about the seriousness of EABs and the future of Indiana’s ash trees. It has become his passion.

It’s the passion of state agencies as well, as Purdue Extension has been recording the rapid progress of EABs, and has issued warnings and recommendations for treatments. It is estimated that over 60 million ash trees have been killed in the Midwest since 2006, while the EAB population increases annually at the rate of 5,000 percent. In addition, officials estimate that this epidemic will last 12-15 years, until EABs have eliminated all unprotected ash trees in the state. There are currently 39 counties in Indiana under quarantine, including Marion and Hamilton counties.

So what is a landowner to do? According to the Coalition for Urban Ash Tree Conservation, treatment is the way to go. The group’s official EAB Management Statement concludes that, “…treatment [is] a sensible and effective tool for managing healthy ash trees in urban settings. In many cases, tree conservation is economically and environmentally superior to tree removal.”

Taflinger couldn’t agree more, and his message to Hoosiers is that it’s not too late. “Many problems in our world have no apparent solution, but this one does,” he says. Taflinger’s best defense, and what research continues to prove to be the most effective treatment available on the market, is a product called TREE-Age (pronounced triage).

Taflinger says that his treatment plan, which is ideally put into place in the spring, provides multiple-year protection because he injects the solution directly through the trunk into the tree’s vascular system. “It’s kind of like receiving an I.V. at the hospital,” he says.

The product is then carried to every healthy part of the tree, coating and protecting from the inside out. More importantly, Taflinger says that the chemicals are contained within the tree, making it safe for use in environments where children and pets are at play.

“I just want people to know that there is hope,” Taflinger says. “I would encourage everyone to be proactive, seek help and act now in order to help save our trees.” If you’d like to know more about EABs, suitable treatment plans or ash tree identification, visit www.IndyAsh.com, or call (317) 524-1660.

Posted May 5, 2011 - No Comment

Wedding Stationery Tips

Jill Westwood Sowder, owner of Westwood Paper, offers some paper and stationery tips for brides and grooms to be.

The wedding papers you create for your special day are the first tangible item a guest receives and one of the few things about your wedding that your guests can hold in their hands. Express yourself right from the beginning with wedding invitations to suit your wedding day style with paper, colors, printing, design, and words and let that all come together to help convey your personality and make a personal connection between you and your guests.

Your wedding venue should inspire your design. Hosting your wedding atop a mountain, by the lake or in your backyard? Make the invitations match the atmosphere with a woodland inspired or floral suite. Are you being married in a modern building? Contemporary lettering along with a minimalist design will make for an invitation they won’t soon forget. If you love architecture, tradition, fancy lettering, ribbons or sparkles, these elements can be the focal point of your invitation and will make it truly yours. You’ve dreamt about this day for decades, so instead of opting for your run-of-the-mill classic invitation, show your personality!

But how do you actually begin the process of choosing your wedding stationery? The internet is full of online stationers and that is probably the best place to start, but not always the best place to order. Purchasing something as important as your wedding invitation without feeling the paper and seeing the true colors can be a costly mistake. A local stationer can advise you in ways that the online business cannot, such as letting you see and touch your invitation papers before printing and give you advice on wording and etiquette, along with other time and money saving tips.

Jill Westwood Sowder helps Amanda and Robert Cermak select invitations for their upcoming wedding.

Shop early for your invitations, as custom orders can take several months to complete. Before visiting your stationer and shopping for your invitations, gather your guest list from the parents and both the bride and groom. Count the number of addresses, not the number of guests, and order extra invitations for unexpected additions to your guest list and for keepsakes. Reprints can be costly. Order extra envelopes too; most calligraphers require an additional ten to twenty percent. Also, know the time of day for the ceremony and reception, along with the addresses of both venues.

Save-the-date cards are a fairly new addition to the bridal needs. Since many guests do not live in the same area where the wedding will be held, it is a courtesy to give your guests ample time to make hotel and travel arrangements. Destination weddings definitely require more than six to eight weeks’ notice for your guests and you should plan on sending information early to your guests. Include hotel information on these cards along with your wedding website if you have one.

Wedding invitations are not the place to include wedding registry information. This is one of the biggest etiquette mistakes brides make. Some stores will give you cards to include in your invitations, but please do not use them. They are not thinking of etiquette, they just want your guests to shop in their store! Your invitations should be about the wedding, not the gifts.

There are ways to get the word out to your guests, such as a link to your wedding website in your invitation. This is a great place for information about the event, hotel information and where you have registered. Bridal shower invitations can include gift information. No matter what you do, you’ll always have people who decide that they know best about what you need.

Don’t attempt to save time and effort by using your computer to print out a merged list of all your wedding guests and then just stick the labels on the envelopes. It doesn’t matter how pretty a font you have, or if it looks just like calligraphy. Labels are a big no-no in wedding etiquette, and even though the rules of etiquette are bending in many areas of a wedding, this is still one area where a rule is a rule. Tradition dictates that envelopes must be hand addressed, so hiring a professional calligrapher or finding a friend or family member with pretty handwriting is advised. But, printing directly onto the envelopes with a typestyle that looks like hand calligraphy or one that matches the invitation is becoming more acceptable.

I have a passion for helping my clients make something truly special for their weddings. I help couples who want something entirely all their own and others that get the designs as they are shown in the many albums I have because it fits their wedding day style. No matter what category you fall into, I can help everyone find the right stationery for their event.

Westwood Paper Company
www.WestwoodPaper.com
Located inside Basket Pizzaz at the Village of West Clay
2159 Glebe Street, Suite 125
Carmel, IN 46033
(317) 843-1212

Posted April 25, 2011 - No Comment

Second Story Playhouse – Building Sweet Success Through the Creative Arts

Co-owners Jill Zaniker and Bernie Szuhaj stand in their Second Story Playhouse, atop the Simply Sweet Shoppe in the Carmel Arts & Design District.

You could say that Carmel’s Second Story Playhouse has a sweet location. It’s conveniently located on North Rangeline Road in the bustling Carmel Arts & Design District on the second floor of a converted house dating from 1872, right above the Simply Sweet Shoppe, a sugar lover’s dream complete with a wide assortment of candy and a coffee bar. But sweeter still is what goes on at Second Story.

“Everything is designed to be hands-on upstairs,” said Bernie Szuhaj, co-owner of the two businesses. “Because we strongly believe that art is doing, it’s a place where kids can constantly flex their muscles in acting, doing improv, painting, sculpting and fiction writing … they even have workshops for lesser known arts such as puppetry.”

Jill Zaniker, the other owner of the Simply Sweet Shoppe and Second Story Playhouse, added, “I grew up in Carmel, and it has always been sports centered. But not every kid is an athlete.”

They both agreed that the Second Story Playhouse was born out of the need for it in the community. “This is a community building,” said Zaniker.

The main area at the top of the stairs opens into a small theater. Seats wait invitingly for students or audience members to file in, and the stage is a traditional black box theater (a stage created with thick black curtains on three sides) with one notable exception: The curtains are a deep, rich brown instead of black … fitting for the place which is lovingly dubbed “the chocolate box.”

In addition, the upstairs boasts two art studios, one with a ceiling that looks like a blue sky punctuated with fluffy clouds, a reminder to all who enter that at Second Story, the sky is the limit on creativity.

Classes are taught in eight-week sessions conveniently timed for a great after-school activity, and summer programs are also popular. “You’re getting licensed teachers and trained professionals teaching the classes,” Szuhaj said.

They get to teach it the way it’s meant to be taught,” Zaniker said. That means classes are capped at about 10 students so everyone gets plenty of personal attention.

“They’re going to build skills in these classes and workshops that will stay with them for life,” said Szuhaj, whose background is in theater. “Twenty-first century skills.”

“We don’t turn anybody away,” he added. “We help them find their muse and then grow it.”
The classes are a huge plus for parents too. While their children are broadening their creative horizons and honing their communication skills, moms and dads can get errands run.

“Mothers who are in play groups bring their kids for classes and they have a coffee hour downstairs,” Zaniker said.

And the classes are a great way for both kids and parents to make new friends. “If they didn’t know each other before, they will have made new friends by the end of day,” said Szuhaj.

In the spirit of community, the Second Story Playhouse is used often by other groups. Area scout troops sometimes use the space for patch earning activities and ceremonies. Every third Saturday members of Indy Improv come to put on a family friendly performance. Some Second Story loyalists make a point of coming to every show.

To be sure, this is a place where community and creativity flourish. “Give us a try,” said Zaniker. Then you can discover for yourself the truth to their motto, because inside this cheerful house is indeed “where life is sweet and everyone deserves a second story!”

Posted April 20, 2011 - No Comment

Sweet Dreams with the Carmel ‘CakeZen’

CakeZen owner Jama Finney says that baking cakes takes her to "a happy place."

So you want to have your cake and eat it too? Well, of course you do … especially if it is a sugary sweet creation from CakeZen. However, these cakes are more like works of art and you may be afraid to take a bite!

“I hear that all the time,” says CakeZen owner Jama Finney. “But, I tell my customers that these cakes are made to be eaten, so go ahead take a bite!”

Finney is a master cake maker who grew up baking Jiffy box mix cakes with her grandmother. She’s been whipping up sweet creations for special occasions for the past seven years while in culinary school, and more recently found kitchen space in the heart of the Carmel Arts & Design District to open “CakeZen.”

“I named my business CakeZen because baking and decorating cakes takes me to my happy place!” laughs Kinney.

Finney’s cakes are made with all natural ingredients and real butter. Her sweet creations are stacked, tiered, spray painted, air brushed and adorned with unique fondant work and gumpaste flowers. “Each cake is designed specifically to the client’s vision,” says Jama. “No two cakes will ever be alike.”

Finney created this 25th anniversary cake for the Indianapolis Zoobilation.

Her edible delights come in a variety of gourmet flavors and fillings, such as wedding white cake scented with citrus zest and filled with vanilla bean buttercream. Her cakes start at around $200 and go up, depending on size and decorations. On the day I met Jama, she was delivering the Indianapolis Zoo’s 25th anniversary celebration cake. The cake weighed 35 pounds and took over seven hours to complete.

Finney lives in Fishers with her husband and two boys, who sometimes help with the cake business. “My 5-year-old likes to bake and my husband helps carry the cakes,” says Jama. “Sometimes the delivery is the most challenging part of the job!” She recalls one difficult delivery in Seattle where she had to hang onto the cake herself in the back of the delivery truck while the driver maneuvered the steep, hilly roads.

So if you have visions of a fancy cake for your next special occasion dancing in your head, call CakeZen for a consultation. Jama tackles only a few projects at a time since so much attention to detail is needed for each cake.

You can reach Jama Finney at CakeZen at 317-721-2253 and you can go to www.cakezen.com for more information. Sweet dreams!

Posted April 16, 2011 - No Comment

Invest in Your Nest – A Master Bath Makeover

Splish, splash, taking a bath has never been such a treat until now in the Davenport home. That’s because the northside couple decided to invest in their nest and remodel their master bath, and they are glad they did!

“It was a little dated,” says Craig Davenport. ”But more importantly, it was just not functioning well for us. The toilet and shower were in the same room, limiting use to one person at a time, and the doors seemed to be hitting other doors all the time!” Jamie Davenport agrees and added that the shower always felt so closed in. “It was kind of like showering in a cave!”

So, the Davenports called Case Remodeling and Design in Carmel for a little help. Case owner Larry Greene says he begins every project by listening to what the homeowners say they want, and then figuring out how to get it done. “The Davenports explained how they lived in Japan for a few years and like a sleek, clean design throughout their home,” says Greene. “They wanted that same feel in their master bath.”

Case turned their attention to the shower area first and decided to leave the existing toilet in its own room, but remove the dated saloon doors and replace them with a frosted glass door. Then, in a move that opened up the entire master bath, the shower opening was moved to the adjacent wall for a walk-in, spa- like shower complete with frameless glass doors and new fixtures. The cave shower was gone!

The shower was tiled ceiling to floor and coordinating tile was wrapped around the new adjoining bathtub. The his and her vanity got a new look with a subtle color palette of espresso cabinets, tenby cream cambria countertop, fresh grey and taishan ivory tile and brushed nickel fixtures and accessories.

The linen closet, which had doors that constantly hit the bedroom doors, was changed to a linen cabinet which eliminated the door completely, while matching the style and color of the vanity. The result was added storage and no more banging doors.

The Davenports then added a little something extra for themselves to enjoy – a towel warmer mounted to the wall between the shower and the bathtub. “There’s usually a little splurge here and there when families decide to remodel,” says Greene. “There’s also usually a challenge of some sort that pops up along the way, too. In this case, during the demolition phase, we discovered that the wall we wanted to turn into a grand entrance to the new shower was actually a load bearing wall. It added just a little expense to the project, but we got through it and the job was completed as planned.”

The end result is a sleek, updated spa-like master bath that takes the “ordinary” out of a daily routine. And that towel warmer means never having to face a cold chill right out of the morning shower or bath again!