Dance Videos from the Wichita Swing Dance Society Christmas Party!

As you  may recall, we had the Dave Stephens band all the way from California playing at the Harry Reese Dance studio. A good friend of mine took some video of our jam circle (that's basically where one couple dances at a time to show off for a gathered crowd) and of the dance competition. Check them out below!

Jam Circle:


Competition:


Videos by Ryan Rahn

And finally, because I can't resist posting this, here's a picture of me dancing with Evan Borst, president of the WSDS. We're midway through an aerial called "the Frankie" after Frankie Manning, the father of Lindy Hop.



Photo by Ryan Rahn

See you out there, Wichita!

THAT WAS TOTALLY AWESOME!

HELLO WICHITA!

I'm still beaming from this weekend, that's how awesome it was. I hope you all got out and had as much fun as I did!

Friday night, I did check out Cool Blue at Player's, but they weren't playing the kind of music I hoped for. So, a group of buddies and I headed over to Tommy's Restaurant and Lounge (2121 North Tyler). The DJ there always takes requests, so in no time at all the play list was decidedly dancer-friendly! We danced, we drank, and then we danced some more (probably not as well as we had before the drinks.) My husband Bryan met up with us when he finished work, and it was really nice to have everyone together in one place. By the time we got home, I was exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep.

Saturday, the Snow Ball at Old Town Ballroom was AWESOME! There was a nice sized crowd of 30-40 people, with most of whom I had the pleasure of dancing. There were delicious Christmas cookies, along with Champagne punch for everyone to enjoy. We played all kinds of music and kept the dance floor pretty packed. Our guests looked FANTASTIC in their holiday finery, and the Ballroom itself was decorated with snow flakes and Christmas ornaments just about everywhere. Even Josiah (the owner of Old Town Ballroom) and I managed to look presentable! Here's a picture:

 

Photo by Ryan Rahn

The party was supposed to end at 10:00, but everyone had so much fun that we ended up running til after midnight. Nice!

The fun continued Sunday night with the Wichita Swing Dance Society's Christmas party. The band was AMAZING, the place was full of happy people, and the dancing was incredible. I think you'd have to work pretty hard to find a group of people in Wichita more open, friendly, and enthusiastic than the WSDS. I used to think dances like the one last night only happened in the movies, but, what do you know, they're happening right here in the middle of Kansas! Sometimes I can't believe the good luck I've had that lead me here in the first place.

Well, I'm off to a meeting with one of my sellers. He's just gotten the first offer on his rental home, which is the house in my "Featured Property" section. Here's hoping for some productive negotiations!

Cheers, Wichita!

-Chelsea

Great Weekend Coming Up!

Good afternoon Wichita! There is NO EXCUSE for you to be bored this weekend; there are some great parties scheduled and you should plan on attending!

FRIDAY NIGHT: Players Sports Bar (6200 W. 21st St. N.) presents Cool Blue. Cool Blue is an awesome local band! I've seen them perform several times and they are always put on a great show. They specialize in Swing music and Rock 'n' Roll, so bring your dancing shoes! Admission is free and the band will play from 9:00PM-1:00AM.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Old Town Ballroom (630 E Douglas Ave) cordially invites you to the First Annual Snow Ball! Arrive at 7:30PM for a group dance class and refreshments, followed by open dancing until 10:00PM.
Admission is $10, formal dress is optional.

SUNDAY NIGHT: It's the Wichita Swing Dance Society Christmas Party! (1628 S George Washington Blvd) All the way from California, the incredible Dave Stephens Band will be playing from 7:00PM-10:00PM. The floor will be packed with dancers, and you don't want to miss the party! Admission is $10 for non-WSDS members,

I plan on attending at LEAST two, hopefully all THREE of these events. See you there!

-Chelsea

Gallery One Nine

This weekend, I had the pleasure of spending some time in Gallery One Nine, which is just about the nicest banquet hall Wichita has to offer! Since opening last spring, Gallery One Nine has been hosting beautiful events and exhibiting art. The gallery is located on the top two floors (18th and 19th) of the Wichita Executive Center at 125 N Market St. It is a GORGEOUS place with the best view in town. I highly recommend it for events, and as a classy place to take in an art exhibit!

So, what was a real estate agent such as myself doing at the gallery this weekend? Well, I was being Snow White. It was awesome. To explain, I'll have to back up a bit. You see, in addition to selling real estate, I also teach dance lessons at Old Town Ballroom. During a Tuesday night group Salsa lesson, I met Jessie Griffith, who happens to be an event planner for Gallery One Nine. Well, late last week, Jessie called the studio because she was in a bit of a pickle. She had been planning a special Princess Birthday Party for a family with a little girl who just turned 4 years old. They really wanted a real-life Disney Princess and Prince Charming to attend the party and play with all the little girls, but it seemed no one in town was interested in the job. She wanted to know if I would be able to take a couple of hours, wear a fancy costume, and dance with toddlers. Oh, and could I bring along a prince charming? Well, YEAH! I mean, who wouldn't want to do that?? And for this, the hostess of the event wanted to actually PAY ME? I agreed in a heartbeat. I then drafted my good friend Austin into playing Prince Charming.

Saturday morning, we got up, drove to Gallery One Nine, and sneaked past all the party guests to change into our costumes. Jessie helped me do my makeup just like Snow White: rose-red lips, pale skin, bright pink circles on my cheeks, and Hollywood Glam eyes. Prince Charming and I made a grand entrance into the banquet hall, where a dozen ADORABLE mini-princesses were waiting. The birthday girl and her guests all wore princess dresses and tiaras (although the tiaras proved a bit impractical) and they were SUPER excited to see Snow White. Austin and I did a waltz to the theme song from Cinderella (thankfully nobody asked why Snow White was dancing to the wrong music) and then we danced with the little girls. After that, we moved into a separate room decked out with games, mini-tea sets, and dress up clothes for the little ones. As Snow White and Prince Charming, all we had to do was sit in our thrones and take pictures with the guests, and talk to all the little girls. The birthday girl came running up to me, gave me a big hug, and said "I LOVE YOU!" It totally cracked me up! Our two-hour shift flew by, and Austin and I bade our farewells and returned to reality. I gave the hostess my card in the hope that she'll pass it to someone else who wants to hire a Princess for the day :-) Coolest job ever!!

Have a great day Wichita!
-Chelsea

Thanksgiving on Ice

Good afternoon Wichita!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving - I sure did! It was an unusual one, though, so I thought I'd tell the story here for anyone who's interested.

Every year, my family gets together in Philadelphia, PA, at my aunt's house to celebrate Thanksgiving. It's a huge affair - 27 people this year - and I'm sure you've all got a fairly good idea of what a family Thanksgiving looks like. Well, this year was different, because Bryan and I didn't go. That's right, we stayed here in the 'ta! ("The 'ta, by the way, is hands-down my favorite nickname for Wichita, with "the dub-K" coming in as a close second.)

Anyway, we decided the flight back east this year was just too much for us to handle. Frankly, we've both been so busy since the beginning of fall that we've barely spent a day together. Thanksgiving seemed like the perfect excuse to take time off, be lazy, and just spend time together in our apartment with our ridiculous cats. Luckily for us, my family wasn't upset about losing us this year. They were happy for us! It's that kind of support that makes my family something I'm incredibly grateful for :-)

So on Thanksgiving morning, Bryan and I slept late. It was glorious. When we finally got out of bed, we ate cookies for breakfast. And by "cookies," what I mean is "cookie dough." Salmonella be damned, dough is just plain better before it gets baked! We stayed home all morning and watched movies, sitting on the couch with the cats. At around 3, I baked some potatoes and fried some ham for our dinner. So much for "turkey day"!

After we ate, we went to the Wichita Ice Center for open skating from 4:00-6:00. It was my first time there, and we got 2 hours of skating plus rental skates for $5 a piece! I was pretty happy with that. Bryan used to play ice hockey, so he was his element zipping around the ice like a pro. I tried not to fall on my backside or run in to any of the children ;-) It was actually a really fun way to spend our Thanksgiving afternoon, and I think we should make it a tradition! "Thanksgiving on Ice," I like the sound of it.

After skating, we had sundaes at Braum's and came home for the night. It was the perfect day off, and the perfect opportunity to reflect on all I'm thankful for.

Whether you spent your Thanksgiving with a big crowd or just close friends, I hope you found something to be grateful for this year. Until next time. . .

-Chelsea

Hu Hot

When I started Chelsea's Wichita, I promised recommendations for restaurants. I would be remiss if I left out Hu Hot Mongolian Grill, which is located at 21st and Rock. It's CONVENIENTLY close to my office at 22nd and Rock, which probably has something to do with my undying love for the place.

At Hu Hot, you can order appetizers like Crab Rangoon, or soup or salad, but there are no entrees on the menu. That's because you choose ALL of your own ingredients from Hu Hot's massive buffet. The buffet includes meats, different types of pasta, fruits, vegetables, and a vast array of sauces. You pick whatever you like, and the cooks at Hu Hot will stir-fry your ingredients on a massive cook top. If you're not a culinary master, don't worry; there are recipe cards and guidelines provided by the restaurant.

Personally, I like to go for chicken, pad thai noodles, pea pods, a ton of water chestnuts, min-corn, plenty of pineapple, and some mandarin oranges. I mix 1 spoonful of peanut sauce with 4 spoonfuls of teriyaki, a spoonful of ginger sauce, and sometimes a spoonful of lemon juice. After it's cooked I top it with Hu Hot's crushed peanuts and shredded coconut. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Click here for a menu. See you out there, Wichita!

-Chelsea

Tax Credits in a Nutshell

Hello Wichita!

There has been a flurry of legal activity over the past couple of weeks dealing with tax credits for home owners and home buyers. The complete laws are complex, and reading them makes an excellent treatment for insomnia (trust me, I've tried). So to save you some time, here is some bottom-line information about the current tax credits:

* First Time Home Buyers (that means you haven't owned a principle residence in 3 years or more) are eligible for up to $8,000 in tax credit when they buy a home. For details, visit my tax credit page.

* Five-Year Home Owners (that means you've lived in the same principle residence for the past 5 years or more) are eligible for up to $6,500 in tax credit when they buy a new home. For details, visit my tax credit page.
 
* Home Owners who are NOT buying new homes may STILL earn tax credits if they make improvements which make their homes more energy-effecient. Home owners may earn up to 30% of the cost of improvements ($1,500 maximum) for improving certain home features and up to 30% of the cost (with no upper limit) for other improvements.  For details, click here.

This sort of policy is the silver lining to our economic struggles, so I highly recommend taking advantage of them if you can! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in a comment on this blog entry.

Cheers!
-Chelsea

Welcome to Chelsea's Wichita!

Since this is a brand new blog, I thought I'd start by telling you what you can expect to find here! Chelsea's Wichita is where I plan to write about the local news and events that make me love this town so much. Check back for updates and recommendations from me about places to go, restaurants to try, movies to see, and OF COURSE real estate tips, tricks, and news.

I call this blog "Chelsea's Wichita" because there is going to be a pretty strong Chelsea-filter on what gets posted here. I'm sure there are many people living in this city who love it just as much as I do, but I plan to selfishly, shamelessly post about the things that make ME love it. So, be prepared to get to know me at the same time as you get to know Wichita!

-Chelsea