Great Performances on Benders Night!

Hello Wichita!

I mentioned last week that there were going to be a couple of dance performances on Sunday at the Harry Reese Dance Studio. Well, the band was great and the dance numbers were incredible! Here are videos, in case you missed it:





And, because we ALL know I can't resist posting a good picture of an aerial, here's President of the Wichita Swing Dance Society Evan Borst throwing yours truly in "the Frankie."


Thanks as always to Ryan Rahn for his photo/videography.

Live Music and Dancing this Sunday!

This Sunday at the Harry Reese Dance Studio, don't miss a live performance by Wichita swing band The Benders! Even if you've never danced before, you can get your feet wet with beginner-friendly lessons from 6:30-8:00 on Sunday night, and then the band will play from 8:00-10:00.

As if that weren't ENOUGH fun for one evening, the Lindy Bombers (a small Lindy Hop dance team from Wichita) will be preforming TWO awesome dance numbers! Don't miss the chance to mingle with some of Wichita's friendliest people, hear a good band, and hit the dance floor. I hope to see you there!

The Bella Luna Cafe

Good Morning, Wichita!

In keeping with my tradition of recommending all my favorite places it eat in Wichita, today I bring you The Bella Luna Cafe. Bryan and I had dinner there before the Blues Ball on Saturday, and it was delightful! I had their baby spinach salad, which comes with enough delicious cheese, candied walnuts, and pomegranate vinaigrette to make it a complete meal:



If you like Mediterranean flavors and a fairly intimate atmosphere, you'd probably love Bella Luna! They have a few locations in Wichita, including the ones I've tried: one at Bradley Fair and one at Central and Oliver. The Bella Luna Cafe is one of my favorite places to go on Date Night with Bryan because it feels a little classy without being over-the-top or expensive. The menu is short but very diverse, and I've liked everything I've tried.

Stay tuned this week for another post about some live music this weekend brought to you by the Wichita Swing Dance Society!

Have a great week!
-Chelsea

Blues Ball TONIGHT at The Cotillion!

Hello Wichita!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that TONIGHT there is a great live music event happening at The Cotillion. It's the 12th Annual Blues Ball! I've never been to the Blues Ball before, and I am SUPER excited to check it out! I hear the music is fantastic, for both listening AND dancing. I'll be there with Bryan tonight, and I hope to see you there!

Doors open at 7:00PM, the music starts at 8:00, and tickets are 15$.

Weddings in Wichita

I spent a VERY busy weekend representing Old Town Ballroom at the Wichita Bridal Show and Wedding Expo! This is a HUGE event that happens twice a year at Century II.

Hundreds of brides-to-be (along with their friends, families, and fiances) flood the floors of Century II's enormous facility, in search of inspiration for their weddings. Vendors of every kind you can imagine - photographers, florists, designers, venues, caterers, DJs, and dancers, to name a few - set up shop to show the brides what they have to offer. Of course, as dance instructors, Josiah and I did little bit more than just set up a booth. We also performed a dance routine on the main stage to show the brides how great their first dance can be if they take lessons with us!

Here's a snapshot of Josiah and me in our bridal fair finery:


Promoting ourselves at these bridal fairs is always a little bit stressful, but it's always exciting, too. And while I'm on the subject, I HIGHLY recommend attending the fair if you're engaged or planning to become engaged soon. Many of the vendors have special deals for the bridal fair only, so you can save yourself some money and get great ideas for your wedding at the same time. Also, seeing all of the different local businesses in one place makes for easy side-by-side comparisons. The next fair will be July 24th and 25th. For more information, click here.

That's all for now! Enjoy this beautiful Monday, Wichita!
-Chelsea

Now That's a Good Sandwich

If you're heading to the East Side Mall to do any post-holiday shopping (or returns!) you have GOT to eat at The Metro Grill. I'm serious, this is not a choice, this is a necessity. Sure, it's a little food stand in the middle of a mall food court. But Mike Gonzales, who owns the place, is a master of short order gourmet cooking. My favorites include the grilled asparagus and this, which is the best steak sandwich in the city:



Don't let its appearance fool you! This seemingly hodgepodge combination of ingredients is a culinary triumph. Don't judge it until you've had a bite. I can also recommend the Pasta Mia, and I'd bet money that everything else on the menu is worth the wait. (Yes, there will be a line. But Mike or his crew will entertain you with their cooking and their bantering.)

Mike's planning on opening a stand-alone restaurant this year, so I'm really looking forward to trying that!

Better Late than Never!

Remember when I got to be Snow White for a day? Here's a picture!


I was hoping to have pictures with all the little Princesses surrounding Prince Charming and me, but I haven't received them yet. And considering that he hostess of the party is busy raising her beautiful 4-year-old, I'm not going to hassle her for them! Hope this snapshot of Austin and me is sufficient for now :-)

I Missed You, Wichita!

Happy New Year!!!!!!

I just got home from a wonderful trip to see family and friends in Pittsburgh, PA (where I went to college) and Alexandria, VA (where I did most of my growing up). We stayed with my husband's family for a few days, and got to catch up with all our college friends who are still in PA. Our close friends Mike and April hosted a TREMENDOUS Christmas party, with more good food and drink than we could have consumed in a week. (We did our best to polish it off in one night, though.) It was a blast to see everyone, and to see Mike and April's new house. (As a Realtor, of course, the house held particular interest for me! ;-) )

After Christmas, we drove town to Alexandria to stay with my parents until New Year's Day. Staying at their place is always SUPER relaxing. Bryan and I try to make them the last stop of every vacation. This time, when we walked into the house, we were greeted by a delightful and unusual sight: A Festivus Pole!



For those of you who don't watch the TV show Sienfeld, a "Festivus pole" is the equivalent of a Christmas tree for anyone who celebrates the fictional holiday of Festivus. One of the characters in the TV show says he grew up celebrating no religious holidays, and instead his family put up a bare metal pole at Festivus time, and created such traditions as "the feats of strength" and "the airing of grievances." Now, clearly, my mom's interpretation of the Festivus pole is a little more cheerful, but it still made me laugh out loud to see the thing! Mom and Dad decided not to do a tree this year, because they were in Denver with my sister Jean for Christmas Day.

Anyway, I hope all of you enjoyed the holidays as much as I did! Now that they're over, I'm back in the 'ta and ready to hit the ground running in 2010! I started the year right by showing one of my listings to a new buyer. . . hopefully that works out well! I'll keep you posted!

Stay warm!
-Chelsea