Xapa to the World

  • Getting Married: 45 Weeks – Guestlisting

     

    Thanks for stopping back! Sorry I’m a few days late in posting this. I’ve had a lot going on but am feeling loads better than the last post. This week, I decided to scrub through my part of the guest list and get it up on our website. When looking for a wedding host website, we wanted pretty themes and all, but mostly we wanted the feature for our guests to RSVP online. We checked through the various ones, but settled on http://weddingwire.com. There might be others that would do the trick, but we really liked this one.

    Matt and I have a quandary. We both have fairly large families and we have a pretty wide base of friends and coworkers who we would want to be at our wedding. However, we have limited funds and a reception venue which can only hold a certain number of people. So, how do we get everyone there and yet only having a small portion of them? We decided to have an open ceremony and a closed reception.

    This has brought a lot of relief while we’ve been casually putting together our guest list.  Family, bridal party, and close friends are automatically put through to the reception and everyone else is allotted an invite to the ceremony. Matt and I also have attended our respective churches for years, he much longer than I, and have built a strong relationship with the family there. While I would love for everyone to be at the reception to cut up and boogie down, I’m going to have to settle with having everyone at the wedding.

    We also have a couple ideas for age-specific groups. We plan to have a kids table at the reception with favors specifically for kids 10 and under. I also have something special planned for my girls 11-18.

    Two years ago, I spent a lot of time with some girls from church. They were in my Sunday School class and all in 5th grade. I remember what it was like heading into Junior High. I had a girl scout troop with some good girl friends, but 6th grade was the year that the 5 elementary schools of our district poured all their kids into one building. It was crazy to see how many kids were my age in the city and I had gone from an average-sized fish in a little pond to another average-sized fish in a great big pond. I’m not athletic by any means, and not overly outgoing. It may surprise some of you to know that I am, in the truest sense of the word, an introvert. (We have our 10 year reunion next month and some of my friends really want me to go. I honestly have a giant fire-ball of anxiety in my chest every time I think about it.) But back to junior high: It was intimidating. I had grown to know and love these 5 girls in my class and decided that I wanted to do something special with them. For that whole year, we would do something fun once a month. I bought them journals and made fun fabric covers for them. My first big sewing project and I was so jazzed at how well they turned out. We did all sorts of neat things: tea party, gong out to lunch after church, a painting class, etc. These girls were so special to me that year and the goal was that they could have a non-family adult to talk to about whatever and they would draw close to each other. They needed a support system before heading into that great big world of junior high and pre-teendom. And it worked! Those girls are pretty close now and on track to staying close for years. They’ll probably have a blow out here and there, but what’s being a teenage girl without blow outs. Trust me, I had plenty. I want to do something special for these girls…but I’m not writing it here. It will be a surprise! 🙂

    What about you? Have you planned a wedding and had guest-list woes? Have a special idea for acknowledging people dear to you? As much as we would love to have everyone at the reception with us, it’s just not possible. We hope that there isn’t too much disappointment and that an open invite to the ceremony will make up for any hurt feelings.

    —————————–

    I’m getting married to my, you guessed it, best friend on June 1st, 2013! Matt and I are super-excited and since we have quite a bit of time to plan this thing, I decided it’d be fun to blog about it. Well, maybe not always fun, but at least informative and it might give me a welcome distraction. You can find all the posts by clicking the “Getting Married” tab on the right of this page, or by clicking here. Thanks for stopping by!

    My Pinterest Wedding Board

    Our Wedding Website on WeddingWire.com

    Related articles

     

  • Getting Married: 46 Weeks

    I was looking forward to the week following the last post since I figured we had the two big things booked and locked away, so I could relax a bit, enjoy being engaged. Sadly, southwest Ohio weather had another idea. I started getting a bit of a sore throat by Sunday night which progressed to a full-on sinus infection by Thursday. That made for a miserable week with barely any sleep, lots of coughing and a Z-pack.

    While I haven’t been up to par, that doesn’t mean we didn’t make any headway on the wedding plans. We decided to do our own invitations to save some money. I’m excited and have been brainstorming ways to make them fun and creative without going overboard. Matt met me near my work place on a half day to have lunch and hang out a bit before going in to work the afternoon. We stopped into Michaels to peruse. I’m glad we did. They were having a fantastic sale on paper and stationery. We got an amazing deal on the blank card stock and envelopes we need for invitations including some card stock for embellishments and our separate reception invitations. When I say, “We got an amazing deal…,” I mean, we got everything paper that we needed for under $50, plus some fun red/yellow flowery things that we can use to decorate for the reception. I can’t wait to start experimenting with designs and trying out different things. I will post some of the outcome on here for you all when I get them going.

    After chatting with my sister one night, I decided I should go ahead and schedule my wedding dress shopping date. There has been a great summer sale going on at David’s Bridal this week, but it seems too soon to go get my dress already. We’re planning to go on Labor Day weekend, hoping for a sale, and also hoping that I can get myself in a little better shape by that time. There are going to be 10 of us there if everyone can show up! It’ll be so much fun though, and I want to try on the truly awful dresses too, so I’ll have some pictures for you.

    Well, here’s hoping that this week is much better than the last!

    —————————–

    I’m getting married to my, you guessed it, best friend on June 1st, 2013! Matt and I are super-excited and since we have quite a bit of time to plan this thing, I decided it’d be fun to blog about it. Well, maybe not always fun, but at least informative and it might give me a welcome distraction. You can find all the posts by clicking the “Getting Married” tab on the right of this page, or by clicking here. Thanks for stopping by!

    My Pinterest Wedding Board

    Our Wedding Website on WeddingWire.com

    Related articles

  • Booked! (47 weeks)

    There were just two things that I have been stressed about to get booked for this wedding, yes, even 11 months before the aimed-for date: a reception venue and wedding photographer.

    This week’s post is to let you know that we have them booked! I am so confident about my vendors so far, that I’m going to do a quick review/plug for them.

    RECEPTION HALL – Barn N Bunk – Trenton, OH

    Borrowed from the Barn N Bunk website

    First, here is the website: http://barnnbunk.com/

    Both Matt and I have been to wedding receptions here, so when we found out how economical the place was, we knew we had to get it. Located in Trenton, OH, a very farming-heavy community in Butler County, OH, this venue is ideal for weddings and receptions. Barn weddings/receptions have become super popular in the last few years and this 1893 barn is definitely up for the challenge.

    The owners, Bev and her husband (Tom, I believe…I did meet him, but it was for a split second), have been doing this for years. their granddaughter works in one of the shops. You can tell that the whole place is a labor of love. During the growing season, the fields surrounding the barn are filled with a variety of vegetables and beans. They have a farmers’ market and a slew of community activities throughout the year.

    What amazed me was how excited Bev was about our future marriage. I’m thinking that she must see about 52 weddings a year and yet she was still so thrilled that we are getting married and having our reception there.

    Here’s the breakdown of the deal:

    For 200 people, we were quoted a price of $3200. This includes catering for those people of a hot buffet (there are two other buffet options available) with three meats (sliced ham with pineapple, turkey breast in gravy, and roast beef au jus) and four sides or salad options. We chose mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans with ham chunks, tossed salad with dressings, and applesauce. Matt hasn’t insisted on too much so far, but he pretty much said it was a deal breaker if we didn’t get those mashed potatoes. Naturally, I accommodated. I love potatoes too. They also provide iced tea, lemonade, water, and coffee.

    Any guests above the 200 is an additional $11/person, which is a very good price based on what I’ve gathered from friends and family who have planned weddings before. We can also bring in pop, if we want, but we would be responsible for clean-up and monitoring of that. They will allow alcohol, but again, you are completely responsible for organizing that. They do have china dishes and silverware available, but they typically use Styrofoam plates and plasticware. This is where I expressed some concern. We have plans for repurposing things for this wedding – reducing our waste and lowering cost. I asked her if we could buy thick paper plates instead of styrofoam, so that the material would at least be biodegradable. Bev is in a recycling mode so she was very glad to help out and said that she would price-check for us and if it wasn’t much more than the styrofoam plates, then she would just consider it in the original cost. Just a testament that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask about something that is important to you – you may not get the answer you want, but you also just might.

    I will probably do another review of the place after the wedding, but for now, I leave you with the above. I’m very hopeful for what our special day will be like.

    WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER – Images by Sadie – Sadie Hodge

    Here’s her website: http://www.imagesbysadie.com/

    Just about every one of my friends have commissioned Sadie to do photos for them. She runs the gammut of Senior pics, engagement shots, weddings, mom-to-be photos, baby and kid photo, and full family shots. She first came into our lives when my matron of honor (who will be doing our engagement photos) married her super-cool rockstar hubs. I believe that he and Sadie knew each other from school, but regardless, she did some promo shots for his band and then she did their engagement and wedding photos…then my other bridesmaid had her do mommy-to-be shots, then it seemed like just about every other of my friends had her do their engagement shots and weddings. Most recently, she has done pics of friends’ new baby boy and she was brought in for a surprise proposal session at a Cincinnati Reds game.

    I have wanted her to do my wedding pics for a long time, years even! So I was so excited to hear that she was available for our wedding date. She has some different wedding packages which are on her pricing page. I have had too many friends who didn’t get a very good photographer and their groomsmen ended up with a mullet from the shadow, or heads chopped off, or missing whole segments of the night because the photographer sat down to eat his meal during the dinner. I do not plan to be a picky bride, but a top-knotch photographer is one thing I am not willing to compromise on. Sadie is the best and has very reasonable pricing for the quality of her work.

    Another really great photography couple that I would have used had Sadie not been available is her friend Tammi Harris and hubs Rudy. You can find their website here. I really like the stuff that they come up with and as a husband/wife team, they work super well together.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    —————————–

    I’m getting married to my, you guessed it, best friend on June 1st, 2013! Matt and I are super-excited and since we have quite a bit of time to plan this thing, I decided it’d be fun to blog about it. Well, maybe not always fun, but at least informative and it might give me a welcome distraction. You can find all the posts by clicking the “Getting Married” tab on the right of this page, or by clicking here. Thanks for stopping by!

  • 48 Weeks!

    On June 26th, 2012, my boyfriend’s parents renewed their vows on the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama, after 30 years of marriage. I was floored when they invited me to come with the family on vacation, but I was even more excited to be part of their special ceremony. It was lovely, at dusk, and we were all dressed up for it. I was the designated photographer, trying to get photos of everyone from different angles. It was really sweet.

    My boyfriend and I have been together, officially, since mid-January 2012, but our second first date was December 2, 2011.

    I know. I know. That sounds weird. It’s true though! Here’s the gist:

    About 5 years ago (sadly, neither of us can come up with the specific date), we were set up on a blind date by a friend and her mother. We went on it, seem to remember having an ok time, but neither of us really being that interested. I’m blaming myself, really. He might have been more interested, but my priorities were completely different back then. It took a trip across the world to teach me that I desired a husband with a servant’s heart rather than a ministry job title.

    Regardless, it didn’t go anywhere. We became friends on Facebook, but that was the extent of it. Over the next five years, both of us went in and out of other relationships, I finished college and traveled to Japan, came back to work in a couple different fields.  We casually observed each other over that time and didn’t think much of it.

    In November, we began talking again and then talking some more. We decided to meet up for a second try at a first date. After all, so much can happen to a person in 5 years, it’s almost like meeting a brand new person. We had a great time. Chose an art festival-type event called “First Friday” up in Middletown, OH. It’s a fledgling art community, but we had a great time and there was plenty for us to talk about and see.

    We decided to keep dating, just to see if it really was going well. It was and we decided to become an official couple in January of the next year. I’ve loved our relationship so far. I have never felt so comfortable or at ease with someone else. I felt like I could tell him anything and I wouldn’t face any judgement.  When I have an important decision to make, he lets me work it out on my own, giving me his opinion, but not hounding me with it. I respect him for that.  Also, I can be the most silly thing with him and it just makes him love me even more. I try my best to return the favor and really, I’m so glad that he can cut up and be goofy without apology. With my family, that is a necessity! None of us really take ourselves seriously.

    So, after the vow renewal was over, Matt and I decided to walk down the beach while the sun slipped further below the horizon. His brother needed something out of his car, so I didn’t think anything of it when he returned with Matt’s keys before we really took off on our stroll (he was really grabbing the ring from a secret hiding place).  We walked a good way down the beach, the sky getting darker around us. I was just getting tired enough to decide to walk back to the condo when I heard Matt call out my name from behind me. When I turned around, he was down on one knee, holding out what I could just make out to be a ring, saying something about “love, heart, life, would you, me.” He had to repeat to me what exactly he had said later because I was too tickled to really comprehend the actual words. I just knew he was asking me to be his and plopped that ring on as fast as I could.

    Let me tell you that I am so glad I was miles away from most everyone during the first few days after being engaged. We waited to become FBO (Facebook Official) about half a day until we could make phone calls to the necessary people and send out pictures of the ring. Once we did, though, our Facebook profiles went quite a bit crazy. But, being that far away from home (southwest Ohio), it was easier to ignore the phones and just enjoy being engaged to each other. Of course, it was super fun coming home and seeing all the special people in our lives for the first time and celebrate the event over and over.

    I’m going to try to be diligent and blog about each week as we prepare for the wedding. We are shooting for June 1st, 2013 (pending reception venue), so as of right now, we have 48 weeks to go. I’ve not been very good about keeping my blog the last year, but that’s because my creative writing reservoir was being used up elsewhere. I hope that I can be more proficient at this. We have an official “Wedding Website” set up, but it’s not completely finished yet, so you will have to wait a little while until we can get that put together. Until then, you can hop over to my Wedding Bells board on Pinterest and see what fun things I’m scoping out. Be sure to click on the “Getting Married” category for more posts about my wedding prep and process.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Sarah ><>

    —————————–

    I’m getting married to my, you guessed it, best friend on June 1st, 2013! Matt and I are super-excited and since we have quite a bit of time to plan this thing, I decided it’d be fun to blog about it. Well, maybe not always fun, but at least informative and it might give me a welcome distraction. You can find all the posts by clicking the “Getting Married” tab on the right of this page, or by clicking here. Thanks for stopping by!

    My Pinterest Wedding Board

    Our Wedding Website on WeddingWire.com

    Related articles

  • Culture Shock Notes

    I have gone one a few trips overseas and been to a variety of countries with varying levels of similarity to American culture. With that said, I am not an expert on culture shock, and I tend to have more shock when I come home than when I go to another country…but I have found some things to be true when dealing with the possibility of culture shock. I’ve compared notes with other vagabonds and we seem to agree in the basics.

    Also, most of my trips have been for religious/missionary reasons, so the notes that follow have that bend as well. Some would be universal for anyone traveling from home, but some are specifically for those who are Christians. If you are not a Christian, I ask you not to run away and hide, or lash out irrationally. We each can find a way to live together, but I would say that having my faith with me and knowing that God is right there with me wherever I go has been key to getting over any culture shock I have had myself. (Psalm 139:9-10)

    These points are great for groups who are going on a mission trip together, but can have application for other trips as well. I hope it is helpful!

    (Also, I did mention that I tend to get reverse culture shock, which is culture shock when you’re returning to your own culture from being in another for an extended period of time. I’ve found these points helpful for the return as well.)

    ———————————————————

    Culture Shock 

    What to watch for: 

    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Sleeping for extended periods
    • Headaches
    • Nausea Diarrhea
    • Anger
    • Apathy or irritability
    • Anxiety
    • Feeling highly critical of everything

    Keeping a Journal 

    In this, you should include your daily experiences, recaps, expectations for the day, reflections on your devotion, etc.  Your journal will be your best friend and the place for you to express your joys, vent your frustrations, and anything in between!

    Listen to familiar music 

    Do this sparingly.  I would suggest only for about 15 minutes or so.  If you have some music in the local style, listen to that as well!  It’s a good way to help you acclimate to the new culture a bit more.

    Prepare yourself to experience a different culture 

    Things are going to be different.  Get that into your head now!  The food will taste different (even if you looooooove Mexican food here).  Customs will be different.  Personal space is something that is handled very differently too.  There are going to be smells that you are not used to.  Dirtiness and cleanliness will be something you just have to deal with on your own.  You can be grossed out all you want, but try not to let it show to the locals – they will be offended.  Hand sanitizer can be your best friend, but again, don’t use it every 5 minutes in front of the kids – they will be offended.

    Keep healthy! 

    This is very, very, very important.  First priority is water.  You must stay hydrated. Carry around your water bottle with you at all times.  Bring a nice durable one that you can set on the ground anywhere (preferably with a belt clip).  If you think you may have trouble, then take individual powdered Gatorade packs with you.  Electrolytes are your friend.

    Also, do not be afraid to eat the food.  You need to stay healthy and strong.  Try new things, but if you’re having a hard time stomaching something, take some snacks/comfort food in your suitcase to munch on.

    Lastly, PRAY! 

    God’s grace covers all things.  He will give you strength to get through whatever is troubling you.  Pray for teammates.  Have times where you pray for each other in a group or by yourself.  You will be amazed how much better you will feel after you have blanketed yourselves with prayer.  And don’t forget that you have people at home who are praying for you diligently.  You are loved and cared for, especially by God.

  • Photos and Words

    I have a little book that I write various quotes/Scripture/songs/poems and such in. It’s pretty fun, and I thought, why not share them with others by inlaying them on photos I’ve taken over the years? So here are a couple I made early this morning. They’re on Pinterest, so if you click on the image, you will be taken to my board and able to repin it. Enjoy 🙂

    (ok, this next one’s not my photo)

    I’ll try to get some more on here soon. It’s pretty fun!

  • Poem: Cold Winter 7

    7
    January 22nd, 2012

    The ice came and took its victims.
    Freezing and snapping and catching,
    Holding us hostage until it so pleased.
    But the sun came and rescued us.
    And in response, the ice melted,
    Exhaling a mist into the sky –
    At night, obscuring the sights
    And refracting the lights so they scatter
    And blend and flood as much as the water.
    Red and white and yellow and green,
    Bright and obtrusive,
    Tainting the scene.
    But the lake is near untouched
    With the haze rising above
    And weaving its way through the waterlogged trees.
    They never drown.
    And the train awakens and the white lights
    Between the cars like buck teeth
    Flash and pulse and faster and faster
    And gone.

     – Sarah ><>

  • Review: Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis

    This is part of a series of reviews from my time in Indianapolis this past weekend.  There’s nothing so fun as a quirky, hipster, neo-boho shopping district in a big city.  Nashville has its Hillsboro Village, but in Indy, why keep the joy to just a couple of blocks?  Massachusetts Avenue stretches, at 45 degrees, across 7 intersections – fully walkable and chock-full of great shops!

    Here are the specs:

    Massachusetts Avenue
    Entrance to the South begins at the corner of Delaware St and New York St.
    Indianapolis, IN 46204
    317.637.8996 ext.202 – Riley Area Development Corp.
    Facebook

    There are too many shops to see in one visit or to write about in a blog (I count 71 listed on the map), so I’m going to only put up the places I visited with a short description. First up!:

    Stouts Footwear
    318 Mass Ave – 317.632.7818
    Oldest, coolest shoe store in the nation, holding fast to personal service, quality shoes, and tradition.

    This place is pretty fab.  It’s basically the first shop you encounter if you choose the Japanese route of going up the left side of the street first.  We only went inside because of the cool sign out front telling us that it is, in fact, the oldest shoe store in the nation.  You can see why when you go in.  The shoes they sell are great quality, and they built their reputation on custom fitting shoes from the manufacturer for their customers.  But this isn’t the only cool thing about the place.  First, there’s a parrot who is semi-friendly.  It let me pet it until it apparently had had enough and didn’t want any more.  Second, there is a pulley and basket contraption that spreads from a crows nest in the center of the shop to various spots in the rest of the store.  The floor staff puts the shoes in the basket, pull a cord, the basket lifts up to the top, they pull the cord again, and the basket flies off to the crows nest.  There, another attendant carefully removes the shoes from their box, checks everything out and, I only assume, wraps it up to send it back down, the same way, to the cashier.

    At Home in the City/Silver in the City
    434 Mass Ave – 317.955.9925 – Website | Facebook
    Jewelry, gifts and home decor. Voted Indy’s Best 2006-2008.

    I went to Silver in the City/At Home in the City some years ago when they still had a store in Lafayette, IN. This place is a great combo of jewelry, Eco-friendly home furnishings, and the ridiculous novelty items. They carry one of my favorite silly/awesome brands, KnockKnock. They also have Jesus Bandaids, which feel like they work faster than other brands. There’s just a plethora of items; I highly recommend a stop through bc its next to impossible to really describe all of it. BTW, this is their only store now. I’m not really sure how Lafayette is surviving without them.

    Global Gifts (Fair Trade Shop)
    446 Mass Ave – 317.423.3148 – Website | Facebook | Twitter
    Fair Trade store providing hope and opportunity for artisans from 35 countries.

    This shop is excellent. Tons of artsy and unique home furnishings and they are, wait for it…fair trade! I was told that a lot of the work comes from rescued victims of human trafficking. They have all sorts of goodies – home decor, fashion, chocolate, etc. Everything is priced very reasonably, so be sure to stop in.

    Best Chocolate in Town
    880 Mass Ave – 317.636.2800 – Website | Facebook | Twitter
    Hand-made chocolates, specializing in truffles and locally made gelato.

    Ok, so I definitely pulled an Elf with this one. We walked in and all I wanted to do was say, Congratulations! Indy’s best chocolate! But then I saw them. Sitting there, in perfect little rows, hundreds of them. Truffles. Gobs of them. And the Cinnamon ones were calling my name. After having a great discussion on the health benefits of cinnamon with the two staff members, I went ahead and bought one. It was $2+ for one, but it was so worth it. It took 4 bites to finish, partly because I was trying to savor the amazingness of it. It’s a definite top on my list.

    Aesop’s Tables
    600 Mass Ave – 317.631.0055 – Website
    Mediterranean restaurant. Fifteen years on the avenue.

    We had just been saying how we wanted to find a good Mediterranean restaurant for dinner and our answer was Aesop’s Tables. Unfortunately, by the time we got back to the restaurant, we weren’t all that hungry. We stuck with some appetizers, and sorry, I didn’t catch any pics of the food. The service was lacking though. The place wasn’t packed, so I’m unsure what his issue was. The food was pretty good, but not the best I’ve had. I would recommend it though if you’re in the area. There are other restaurants too, though, so be sure to check the map (view online or get one from any of the Mass Ave stores).

    Market

    We also managed to get there while an Artist/Food Market was going on. Lots of different items: bath products, hair and fashion accessories, organic teas, jewelry, and, my personal fave, worm poop. Check out on the website for any other cool events that might be happening.

    Here’s the breakdown:

    The Street:  Very fun. Lots to check out. The website lists a lot of the events going on.  There are also some comedy clubs and such there, and restaurants have offer live music too.
    For kids: There’s a toy store.  Enough said.
    For pets: There are some doggie/pet specific shops on the street as well.  If you are curious, go to the website and check out all the shops on the list. You’ll be amazed at what they’ve come up with.
    The cost:  Moderate to high-priced.  If you’re going to shop, you’ll spend a good amount.  Window shopping is fun too though.
    The food: Tons of restaurants there, running the gamut of styles and tastes.
    The help:  Most of the places we stopped into, the staff was helpful and accommodating.  They would usually tell us of another shop up the street where we could find such and such and was run by a friend of theirs.  They really put a lot into the community-feel of the place.
    The parking: There is parking along the street and on adjoining streets.  If you’re like me and enjoy walking, you can park somewhere downtown and walk all the way there.  Just a few blocks away and it’s all flat.
    The accommodations: There’s a B&B right on the street!  I so want to stay there some time.  Like most B&B’s expect to pay more than you would for a hotel, but it looks totally worth it.
    Returnability:  This is definitely on my Favorite Places list (which I guess I should post at some point on here) and whenever I’m in Indy, or even passing through, I know I will try to get in there for a quick walk and peruse.

    I’ll try to get some more pics up, but I just don’t have them right now.  Enjoy the review anyway!

  • Review: Eiteljorg Museum, Indianapolis

    This is part of a series of reviews from my time in Indianapolis this past weekend.  Growing up in southwest Ohio, one of the major projects we had to do ( a couple of years) in school was a study of Native American culture.  Several tribes have trekked across the area that I live in and the culture is so rich – while I may not have fully enjoyed having to do the work, the knowledge gained was worth it.  I was excited to see that there is an American Indians and Western Art museum in Indy, so it was top on the list to visit.

    **Be sure to check out Anthony’s (PR manager) comment after the review.  He shares some good information that I missed on my trip.**

    Here’s the specs:

    Eiteljorg Museum
    500 W Washington St.
    Indianapolis, IN 46204
    317.636.9378
    Facebook | Twitter

    The Eiteljorg, pronounced “I-tell-zhorg”, Museum is located right along White River State Park.  This makes it easy to access from pretty much anywhere in Downtown Indy, whether by car or on foot.  We got there on foot, so I can’t comment on the underground parking garage, but the woman at the counter asked if we were parked down there, so I’m thinking there’s a discount or voucher they offer.  Museum hours are Mon-Sat 10a-5p and Sunday noon-5p.  Sometimes this can vary depending on events in the city, so call ahead to double-check.

    A lot of it is art – paintings, sculptures, etc. Some are examples of handmade items such as textiles, pottery, weaponry, and beadwork.  If you are into that kind of stuff, then this is a really neat museum.  On the second floor, there is a full gallery depicting native tribes from around the continent.  Historical details and traditional clothing, art, shelters, and lifestyles are shown throughout the exhibit.  I personally love history, so this was a really interesting part for me.

    There was an interesting exhibit on the 1st Floor called “Red/Black” and it was all about Native and African American combined heritage and multi-ethnicity.  One thing that I liked about this exhibit is how they show a person’s ethnic identity as being their culture and something personal, rather than a person’s blood and physical features.  As a Christian, I believe that all people come from Noah and his wife and therefore, there are not different ‘races’ of man, but one race with many cultures.

    This wasn’t my favorite part of my trip, but I think I just wasn’t in the right mindset.  We didn’t plan to spend a lot of time there and maybe would have done better to eat in the cafe as well.  Also, I didn’t see anything for kids, and though I am an adult, I learn a lot from the creative exhibits made to help children learn.  They seem to have a lot of community events going on in partnership with the museum.  One such event is West Fest 2011, which will be September 24, 2011.  Check out the website for more information!

    So here’s the breakdown:

    The museum:  It’s an art museum, mostly, and then there are informational exhibits on native American tribes across the continent.  It’s quiet except for some of the kids who were dragged through it with parents and we crying to be let out.  I didn’t blame them.  Some photography is allowed, but you have to check the entrance to the exhibit to see if there is a “no cameras” sign.
    For kids: I didn’t see much for kids to do.  Granted, we didn’t explore all of the museum, but from the sounds of kids who were going through the primary exhibits and areas, it didn’t sound like much fun.  Not sure I would have enjoyed it as a kid either.  Not much to touch or explore, although there was one spot you could build your own mini-teepee (a little high for younger kids to reach, though).  Check the website if you want more info for family features.
    The cost:  It’s a moderately-priced museum.  Adults are $8.  Seniors, 65+ are $7. Kids 5-17 and college students (with ID) are $5.  Kids under 5 are Free, as are Members (about $50 for one year) and IUPUI folk.
    The food: Sky City Cafe is in the museum with access from the outside.  We didn’t eat there since we had just had some delicious Cuban food downtown, but from the menu, the options are mostly around sandwiches from about $8-$9.50 each of the southwestern style.  There are also some salads and a Mexicana section.  I went to a native American museum in Wichita and they had traditional Indian food, which was fun.  I don’t see anything like that on this menu.
    The help:  Attendant at the admissions counter tried every way possible to get us a discounted ticket. If you are staying at a hotel in the city, you can get a dollar knocked off the price.  One woman in the Red/Black exhibit kind of rudely told me to put away my camera, but I didn’t take it too personally.
    The parking: Parking garage underground, parking at White River State Park, and parking at various garages throughout the downtown. If you park in the State garage, know that you can only use cash to pay.
    The accommodations: It’s an Art Museum, comfort isn’t really high on the priority list, but there are a lot of pretty things to look at.
    Returnability:  I probably won’t go back. I feel like I saw enough of the museum.  The Museum Store had a lot of neat things though, especially some traditional tea blends (my favorite is the Warrior Brew). I’m pretty sure you can go in there without getting a ticket to the museum.

  • Review: Indianapolis Children’s Museum

    This is part of a series of reviews from my time in Indianapolis this past weekend.  It has been ages since I’ve been to the Children’s Museum and the last memory I have of it, I stubbornly did not want to leave the puppet show with my family and so purposely missed the elevator, leading my family on a wild goose chase.  This time, though no family was with me and we are about 22 years beyond that trip, I had to promise that I would not let myself get lost.

    Here are the specs:

    Indianapolis Children’s Museum
    3000 N. Meridian St
    Indianapolis, IN 46208
    1.800.820.6214
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    The museum hours are typically 10a-5p daily until Labor Day, and the same hours Tues-Sun through Feb 2012.  However, we were lucky enough to be in town on the 1st Thursday of the month which means, FREE FAMILY NIGHT!  The museum opens for a special 4-8p time with free admission.  We got there around 5:30 and the parking garage was packed as were the first few parking lots, and the museum was packed as well, but it was worth it!

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    There are several special exhibits.  One being DINOSAURS, as evident of the building as you are approaching it.  It’s all about digging and exploring and going back into history.  As a creationist, however, this exhibit misses the mark when it begins going on about millions and billions of years.  That’s a different point that doesn’t need to be discussed here.  If you would like more info about it, though, you can check out this site: http://answersingenesis.org/.

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    Another cool exhibit was about Egypt!  Having been there a couple years ago, I’ve seen my fair share of the relics and the touristy spots of Cairo – I also really enjoy history and so have gone to see other Egypt-y exhibits and watched documentaries about the history.  We all have had the pharoanic exposure and mummies and mysteries of ancient Egyptian history.  However, the children’s museum took a really unique and gratifying look at modern life in Egypt.  The photo to the right is of a traditional ceremony welcoming a new baby into the family and world.  I liked a saying that was on the wall as you left the exhibit: “When we get to know how people in other cultures live their daily lives, we can accept and respect our neighbors – next door or around the world.”

    They also had a cool exhibit called Treasures of the Earth by National Geographic.  This one ran the gamut of discovering and restoring terra cotta soldiers in Xi’an, China to recovering treasure and artifacts off a pirate ship in the Caribbean.  It took me back to the days I spent watching and playing the game Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Oh, I miss that show.  Oh and for the girls…I mean, the girlie girls…there’s also an exhibit on Barbie.  But seeing as neither me nor my friend were really inclined towards Barbies, we did not go in, so I can’t comment on it.

    The last special thing I want to mention is the Fireworks of Glass exhibit.  This amazing piece of artistry is the focal point of the roundabout ramps which lead people to the various levels of the museum.  It’s permanent and deliciously colorful!  It stands 43 feet tall and includes 3,200 individually blown glass pieces in the tower by artist Dale Chihuly.  From below the tower, you can also sit on a rotating couch that will allow you to look above at all the colors and various types of glass pieces.  There is a chart on the wall of some special kinds to allow you to spend an hour on a scavenger hunt of sorts.

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    Last but not least is one of my favorite parts of the museum.  I remember being amazed by it as a little kid and knowing more of what I do about physics and science, I’m even more curious about how it works.  It’s called the Water Clock and it helps keep the museum time going ship-shape. It’s mesmerizing to watch the pendulum swing back and forth, adding water into the pipes, shooting back and forth to keep the seconds, minutes, and hours.

    So here’s the breakdown:

    The museum:  It’s a great time for the whole family.  There were so many parents and kids running all over the place – the organized chaos is something unique that this museum is able to create. 
    The cost:  Well, since I got in free, I kind of feel that anything else is too expensive, but alas, here’s the cost list:  Ages 2-17: $11.50. Ages 18-59: $16.50. Seniors 60+: $15.50. 
    The food: I didn’t check out the cafe, but looking at the website, it seems that they take care to make food and snacks healthy and tasty.  They take cash, Visa, Mastercard and American Express.  They are just fine with people bringing their own food to enjoy in the food court area.
    The help:  The people were very helpful.  Since we were there on a free evening, there was a lot going on.  It’s said that they even give out emergency diapers at the Help Desk.
    The parking: There is a parking garage right across the street from the museum but also several lots down the street which are dedicated to museum visitors. 
    The accommodations: One big place.  I didn’t feel crowded at all. Places to sit down and and such.
    Returnability:  I totally did not see there was a planetarium until we were walking passed it on our way out.  I want to go back to see that.  It would probably be funner with kids in tow, which I have none, so I was able to be a kid myself (in a lot of ways, more fun).