In standard Friday fashion, I’m sharing some of my favorite eats, reads and activities from this week.

A Real Christmas Tree

This year James and I picked out our first real Christmas tree together, and it makes me remember why I loved having a real tree every year growing up. The beauty and smell just can’t be replicated! One of the reasons I suggested trying the real deal is because one of our cats actually chews on our fake Christmas tree every year and ends up getting sick. I hoped the taste and texture of a real tree would stop her from trying to eat it. So far, so good! We are on the hunt for a Christmas tree collar to help keep our pets out of the water in the tree stand. We’ve found several we like, but we need one with a hinge on it so we can put it around the tree stand without having to pick the entire tree up. If you have any other suggestions for keeping pets out, send them my way!

Concerts

This week has been full of so much great, live music. It started out with our friends making their debut performance as a couple at Cardinal Spirits. Mark and Ashley are both so talented, but they’d never performed a gig together before. They blew everyone away with their renditions of classic and modern Christmas songs, which definitely heightened my excitement for the holidays. We also hadn’t been to the distillery for a while, so it was nice to try out some of their seasonal cocktails and finally try some of their new food. We’d already eaten dinner, so we just split the creme brûlée. But, it was excellent! We’re hoping to return soon for a proper meal.

We also drove up to Indy to see one of my favorite bands, The Secret Sisters. This was our third time seeing them in concert, and they never disappoint. Laura and Lydia write some of the most beautiful lyrics I’ve ever heard. Their voices serve as impressive instruments, which makes even the solo guitar that backs them seem unnecessary. I’m so happy to hear they’re nominated for a Best Folk Album Grammy this year! While we made the trip for the Sisters, we were pleasantly surprised by the opening act. Brian Dunne’s got some killer pipes! Many of his songs have thoughtfully-written lyrics and brutally honest themes that make me so drawn to country and folk music. We snagged his record at the show, and I think I’ll be playing it on repeat for a while.

The Couple Next Door

My mom lent me a few books to read and the description of ‘The Couple Next Door’ immediately intrigued me. From the moment I started the book, it was hard to put it down. While it’s certainly no literary masterpiece, it’s a quick, suspenseful read. The book follows a married couple who arrives home to discover their baby is missing. The book is full of unexpected, and oftentimes unbelievable, twists. But, sometimes that’s just what you need. I made it through this book in just a couple of days because I was so hooked!

Nashville

We made a quick trip to Nashville to see my brother over the weekend and, as usual, I fell even more in love with the city during our visit. I dragged the guys to 12 South for lunch and shopping. Popping into the shops and indulging ourselves in gourmet burgers and donuts was the best way to spend an afternoon. We knocked a few items off our Christmas shopping lists and sampled no shortage of local brews.

What are your favorite things from this week?

The post Friday Favorites: Concerts & Christmas Trees appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

5. Bare Hands Brewery: Sleeping Lion

We know this Northern Indiana brewery from our time living in South Bend and miss being able to easily find their unique beers. Their Thai P.A. is among one of my favorites, so when I saw Hop Cat pouring Bare Hands at the festival, I quickly got in line. I’m not a big Porter drinker, but their hoppy version called Sleeping Lion was delicious. It’s dry-hopped with Centennial hops and has the perfect punch of citrus to make me a big fan of this dark beer.

4. Evil Czech: Nefarious Harbor

Evil Czech was one of several breweries at the festival that’s deciding to embrace the hazy, New England style IPAs. Hazy IPAs are coming back in style because people realize all of that cloudiness = deliciousness. And, Evil Czech’s version didn’t disappoint. It had the perfect balance of citrus and pine flavors.

3. 450 North: Dank Candy – Gummy Haze

Calling this a “dank” beer is deliciously appropriate. I’d been wanting to try this Double IPA from 450 North for quite some time because I’d heard rave reviews. The juicy hops hit you up front, which is just how I like it. This brewery’s also teasing a special 420 Juice New England IPA that I’m dying to get my hands on!

2. Function Brewing: Codex

Codex exemplifies what I love about Function’s beers. I read the description and think, “Can all of these flavors really work well together without detracting from the overall beer?” And I’m never let down. This stout has flavors of chocolate up front, with the perfect hint of cayenne at the end. The spicy flavor isn’t overpowering — it just makes you want to take another sip.

1. Four Day Ray Brewing: Hobo Series #2

I tried several beers from Four Day Ray Brewing and had a hard time nailing down my favorite because I was a fan of several beers. I’d never heard of this brewery before, but I’m so glad I gave it a try. I was impressed by their lineup and the complexity of their flavors. Hobo Series #2 is another one of those trendy New England IPAs. It has the perfect amount of haze with powerful citrus notes. Now I need to make a trip to the taproom in Fishers!

What was your favorite beer from the fest? Tell me in the comments below!

The post Bloomington Craft Beer Fest 2017 appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

I especially love trails that end near the water, so I knew I was going to be a fan of this one. The journey to the lake and back is just over two miles — and it was a decent workout! James and I both woke up the next day with sore legs, thanks to a few hills you’ll face going out and back.

Because we’ve had a decent amount of rain lately, the beginning of the trail was quite muddy. Luckily, another hiker told us it would only be that way for a few hundred yards before we came to a wider, more stable path. My philosophy with hiking is if you come out clean, you’re doing it wrong! It only took us a few minutes to walk through the muddy portion before we got to the main path.

I was so impressed by the walk down to the lake — I can’t imagine what it will look like when colors are really popping during the rest of the year. You make your way down the middle of the tree-lined peninsula, meaning you’re surrounded by water for much of the time. I always feel more calm and peaceful when I’m near the water, so I loved being able to take in different views of the lake during our trek.

After about a mile the trail spills out to the shores of Lake Monroe. It was overcast and foggy while we were on the peninsula, but the lake was still so beautiful. We saw families there walking dogs and a couple of people skipping rocks. I have a feeling this will be an extremely popular trail during the spring, summer and fall. The scenery is breathtaking.

We spent some time taking in different views of the lake before making the return hike back to our car. We grabbed a couple of walking sticks to help prevent ourselves from slipping in the mud toward the end of our hike, which I would recommend if you’re visiting on a wet day.

I can’t wait to get back out to this trail for another hike. And, I have several more preserves to check off my list!

What are your favorite hiking spots? Tell me in the comments!

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It was Katie’s birthday weekend, which gave us all the more reason to celebrate being together. She’d been to Bloomington before, but in the middle of the winter. It was so nice to be able to walk everywhere and spend some time outside. We started the day with lunch at Upland Brewing. Katie was wowed by the size of their flights. We all had great meals and fell in love with Purple Reign, a saison that won this year’s Up Cup. Upland hosts a homebrewing competition each year and the winner gets to come in and brew a production batch. We are big fans of Brandon Schaefer’s creation!

After an amazing lunch, we headed out to Oliver Winery. It’s one of my favorite places to take out-of-town guests because the grounds are beautiful and there’s a good variety of sweet and dry wines, meaning there’s something for just about every kind of wine drinker.

We did a tasting before buying a bottle of Catawba and heading outside for a little afternoon picnic. The weather was absolutely perfect and we had a blast catching up while sipping wine and demolishing some cheese. It doesn’t get much better.

If we could have, we would have spent hours at the winery. It’s such a peaceful setting and the perfect place to spend a summer or fall afternoon. It was Katie’s boyfriend’s first time in Bloomington and I’m so glad we were able to make it to Oliver.

We headed back to our house to relax for a bit before braving the Welcome Weekend crowds and walking down to Kirkwood. There were, of course, a couple rounds of Sink the Biz. It’s a game we rarely partake in, but visitors are always interested in trying it out. Luckily, I’ve gotten pretty good during our two years in Bloomington.

The night took us to the Root Cellar for dancing and to Rockit’s for late-night pizza before we came home to celebrate Katie’s birthday with some homemade funfetti cake. It was the perfect way to end a ridiculously fun day.

Saying goodbye after such a quick visit is always hard, but I’m already looking ahead to December when we’ll be able to see each other again.

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But social media can also be powerful in a really good, amazing way. I was reminded of that this week.

Our realtor sent us a text about someone who posted a photo of our new home on Facebook. The man, named Jim, wrote about how happy he was to see the former home of his paternal grandparents restored. They lived there from 1932-1953 and Jim and his brother have many fond memories of the home before his family moved out and it eventually fell into disrepair. We ended up connecting with Jim through e-mail and he sent us an impressive history of the home, along with several photos.

James and I both love older, historic houses — it’s part of what drew us to this place. The architecture and quirks give older homes so much character. So we were tickled to learn about some of the stories behind our house.

Jim sent us so much amazing information about the home and the neighborhood. But, I’m going to focus on the people. As my husband says, “Buildings are made of wood and stone, but homes are made of memories.” Here are some of the memories from Jim’s time at 322:

The home at 322 belonged to his grandparents, Harvey and Myrtle Terman, for two decades. It was built before they moved in, sometime during the 1920s, and featured white siding and a garage in what is now the full basement.

The Terman family moved from Johnson County to Bloomington after Harvey got a job working at the prominent Jewel Tea Company. They had two sons, Bill and Howard. Howard worked for Central Business College in Indianapolis and Bill joined the Indiana National Guard. By the time Bill’s unit was activated in 1941, he and his wife, Leota, had one son named James William, or Jim. They spent much of their time at 322 between assignments to army camps. During the same time period, Howard married his wife Shireen.

Bill’s unit was activated in 1943. By 1944, they were in the South Pacific. That same year, Leota went into labor and their son Phil was born in the front room of the home. The expanded family moved around the corner while Harvey and Myrtle remained in the bungalow. At times, the couple rented a room to IU students or employees.

Like his brother, Howard also spent some time in the Army, working in the finance division. He and Bill spent time together in the Philippines while deployed. They were both discharged by 1946. But, nearly two years later, Bill reactivated his army commission after tiring of his work as an accountant. He was deployed to occupied Japan in 1949, where Leota and the boys would eventually join him. Bill was transferred to a combat unit in Korea the next year and Leota, Jim and Phil headed back to the states. They stayed with Harvey and Myrtle at 322 before reestablishing themselves.

One afternoon while Jim and Phil were at their grandparents’ home, a taxi driver showed up and refused to speak to anyone but Leota. The taxi driver was redirected to the home of Leota’s mother and the rest of the Termans followed. It was then they learned Bill was killed in action on August 22. It would have been Leota and Bill’s 13th anniversary.

Leota took a job at IU when she felt ready and eventually built a home of her own, leaving 322 to Harvey and Myrtle. The senior Termans decided to downsize and left the bungalow in 1953.

“Thus, after 20 years of many events and changes wrapped up with the relationship between a family and a particular residence, the connection was broken,” Jim wrote in his history of the home. “That connection, however, remains deeply planted in the minds and feelings of two small boys.”

Jim says when they last visited the home in 2012 it was nearly impossible to see from the street, thanks to overgrown bushes. It served as a rental property for some time before it was renovated.

“Overall the house looks darker, older, and more squat; in short it looks its age, which in a short time will be 100 years,” Jim wrote of the home before it was renovated. “We like to think, however, that its Terman years were its good years.”

Here’s hoping 322 sees just as much happiness during the Brosher years. As the first home of our own it already has a special place in our heart.

The post Our House: Inside These Walls appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

We’ll check quite a few things off our summer bucket list over the next few days. We’re road tripping south with my family to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins for a week. They live in Arkansas and own an amazing houseboat business on Lake Ouachita. We’ll spend a few nights on the boat and almost all of our time on the water. After a crazy summer, it’s just what we need!

Here some other things I want to do before the summer’s over:

1. Take advantage of Tiki Tuesday. 

Every Tuesday during the summer the amazing bartenders at Cardinal Spirits serve up some impressive beach-themed drinks. Just sipping them makes you feel like you’re on vacation. We went to Tiki Tuesday a lot last summer, but somehow we haven’t made it once this year. That needs to change!

2. SUP at Lake Monroe.

I haven’t been standup paddle boarding in a while and I’m dying to rent a board for an afternoon out at Lake Monroe.

3. Attend Cork & Fork.

I’ve only made it out to Oliver Winery once this summer and I want to make a return trip to hear some live music during their Cork & Fork series. The event is actually at their Creekbend Vineyard in Ellettsville, which I’ve never visited.

4. Hike at McCormick’s Creek. 

I absolutely love McCormick’s Creek State Park. It’s a short drive from Bloomington and offers great hiking trails and camping. We rented a cabin there with some friends last summer and had a blast.

5. Go camping. 

I have no idea how we’ve gone so long without doing this, but we have to take advantage of all the amazing camping spots near us! In addition to McCormick’s Creek and Lake Monroe, we’re a short drive from the beautiful Brown County State Park.

6. Participate in Tour de Upland.

We’ve talked about signing up for this event ever since we moved to Bloomington but have always had other plans. This year we’re free! Tour de Upland is a weekend of cycling, beer and camping. Does it get much better? There are several different routes to choose from based on your cycling level. If we’re going up and down Brown County hills, I think we’ll go for one of the shorter rides!

7. Plan a picnic. 

We’re lucky enough to live within walking distance of several great city parks at our new place. I’d love to throw together an easy picnic and walk down to one of them for dinner one night. There’s something about eating outside that’s just so relaxing and enjoyable — at least when there isn’t 90 percent humidity.

8. Bike to the Scenic View.

The Scenic View is a great restaurant that overlooks Lake Monroe. I’ve been wanting to bike out there forever and a summer evening is the perfect time to do so. You can’t beat the view or the food!

9. See a drive-in movie. 

When I was a kid my parents would take us to a drive-in movie theater about 30 minutes away from my hometown and it’s an experience I still absolutely love. We have yet to go to the Starlite Drive-In in Bloomington, so I’m keeping my eyes on their schedule over the next few weeks.

10. Host a cookout. 

We don’t have a grill, which means we only cookout when we’re at a friend’s house or visiting my parents. But we’re not going to let that stop us! I think it would be a blast to get a group together at a local park that’s equipped with grills and throw an end-of-summer cookout. You can’t beat hot dogs and s’mores.

What’s on your summer bucket list? Chime in by posting a comment below!

The post End Of Summer Bucket List appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

The goal of the festival is to bring unique films to the Midwest and make Bloomington a true film destination. In addition to movies, the festival features panel discussions, Q&As and AFTER PARTIES. My favorite types of events are those that expose me to new perspectives and experiences and it sounds like that’s exactly what Middle Coast is all about.

The list of feature-length and short films on display this weekend is impressive. I’m looking forward to checking out movies I might not otherwise take a chance on. I’m no film critic, but here’s a list of the movies I’m looking forward to seeing most this weekend:

The Fits

I’m especially excited for this film after hearing the NPR piece on it earlier this summer. The movie centers around Toni, who trains with her brother at a boxing club in Cincinnati. She becomes interested in a dancing group that practices in the same building and eventually ditches boxing to dance. Not long after making the switch, Toni starts to witness an odd trend: girls in the group keep having episodes where they pass out or start shaking.

Krisha

This trailer looks so good. And, it’s being applauded by critics. It won the Grand Jury and Audience awards at SXSW this year. The story follows a former addict’s return home and the impact her absence and reemergence have on her family. The lead actress in the film, Krisha Fairchild, will be at Saturday’s screening of the movie and will stick around to interact with festival-goers. It’s a rare opportunity to get to hear about the film from someone so involved in the process.

Hunter Gatherer

I’m always fascinated by any stories involving prison or life after incarceration, so I’m intrigued by this film. It follows a man named Ashley Douglas after he’s released from prison. With no support from family and friends, he has to start over. He tries to win back his girlfriend and, along the way, gains a new friend.

Lady Parts

Middle Coast will show several shorts from this project, which started as a blog. A NYC-based actress started chronicling the awful, sexist casting calls she went on and eventually transformed her experiences and those of other actresses into short videos. The project aims to call out stereotypes and the exploitation of women in the entertainment industry. And, the videos are pretty darn funny.

There’s much more planned for the weekend; you can find the full Middle Coast schedule here.

If you’re heading to the festival, what films are you most excited to see?

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It feels amazing to be in our house (still crazy to call it ours!) after months of searching and then waiting. The homebuying process was frustrating at times, but went relatively smoothly for us. The house we bought was actually the very first one we saw. We drove past it with my parents one day and fell in love with its curb appeal. The bungalow looked even more amazing inside. It was listed out of our ideal price range at the beginning of our search, but the price dropped significantly as the weeks went on and we knew it was a sign the place was meant to be ours!

We learned a lot during the search and buying process — some things we wish we would have known from the beginning. I’m far from an expert, but I thought I’d share a few tips for other first-time homebuyers now that I’ve been through the process.

1. Do your research before starting your search.

James and I started talking about buying a home in Bloomington last year when we decided this is a community we would like to stay in for a while. But, we weren’t quite sure if we were ready financially to take the plunge. Before contacting a realtor or a lender, I signed up for a free homebuying class through the City of Bloomington. The class met for several hours on two Saturdays and walked me through everything from starting the search to properly maintaining a home. There are also grants available to help with downpayment costs for graduates of the course who meet the income restrictions. I walked away knowing much more about the process and feeling optimistic about our prospects.

2. Shop around for realtors and lenders.

There are two things that will make the buying process a whole lot easier: a good lender and a great realtor. We chose to work with an Indiana-based mortgage lender and were really happy with their services. They gave us a competitive rate and promptly answered the long list of questions we sent their way. I suggest calling around to a couple of local realtors and setting up in-person meetings before deciding on one. That will give you the opportunity to get to know the realtor and how he/she works. It’s crucial to have a realtor you feel comfortable with and who prioritizes your needs.

3. Don’t be afraid to speak up.

This is something I struggled with during the process, but it’s so important. If you can’t afford a house, don’t go see the place. If the houses you’re seeing aren’t what you’re looking for, tell your realtor. Buying a home is a huge decision and an enormous financial commitment. That means it’s important to be honest with yourself and your realtor. Don’t feel bad about asking to see dozens of properties or constantly e-mailing back and forth.

4. Make a list of must-haves.

Whether you’re buying a house on your own or with someone else, it’s crucial to have a list of what you absolutely need to have in a house. It’s easy to fall in love with places quickly, but you don’t want to be seduced by how a house looks if it won’t be functional for your lifestyle. James and I sat down and made a list of what we both needed in a house and then a second list of features we wanted but that weren’t essential. As we saw more houses and learned more about the local market, our list of priorities changed. We decided we were willing to sacrifice space if it meant living walking distance to downtown.

5. Be prepared to act quickly.

We were shocked to find out just how competitive the home market is in Bloomington. We actually made offers on four houses before landing on our dream home and in some cases we were outbid with cash offers or didn’t act quickly enough. Our frustrations sparked a story at work and it made me feel a bit better to learn we weren’t alone. The number of homes on the market is extremely low, which means buyers don’t have time to go home and mull it over for long before making an offer. If a house comes on the market that you’re interested in, see it as quickly as possible. There were several properties we were interested in that sold before we even got a chance to step foot inside. Once you do find a home that meets all of your criteria and you love it, make an offer. If you don’t, it will likely be gone soon.

Feel free to chime in with your own advice for first-time buyers in the comments section — I’d love to hear what you wish you would have known at the beginning of the process. 

The post Buying Our First Home appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

We close on and move into our new house Friday. Our life is packed up into boxes and we’re frantically crossing items off our to-do list. We’ve been going through the home buying process for several months, so it’s hard to believe all of the paperwork will soon be over and the keys will be ours. We’re so anxious to get into our new place that it’s hard to fall asleep lately — too many thoughts swirling of how we will make the house our own. I can’t wait to give you a tour!

More than anything, I can’t wait to get settled into our new house so I can get back into my regular routine. Cooking is a huge stress reliever for me, but there’s been little time and virtually no equipment for me to prepare meals with since we packed the kitchen up last week. We’ve been grabbing meals at local restaurants (the above picture is the Flavors of Jerusalem platter from Falafels and it’s amazing)  and making a few trips to the grocery store salad bar, but it’s starting to get old. When I was a kid I would always beg my parents to go out to eat; now that I’m an adult I prefer preparing a nice meal at home. Food is fuel and I can tell my body is craving more variety and sustenance. I can’t wait to unpack my cast iron skillet and get cooking!

My workouts have also been pretty inconsistent over the past week, so I’m also looking forward to heading back outside for runs, bike rides and swims this weekend. It’s crazy how much exercise improves my mood and energy level and I’ve been missing it desperately. Luckily, we’re staying pretty active moving boxes around and knocking out last-minute projects. But, my goal is to set aside at least 30 minutes Wednesday and Thursday to squeeze in a quick workout. I think I’ll need it to help keep me sane!

How do you stay sane when life gets hectic?

The post Moving Week appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Much of my weekend was spent packing up our rental house. My parents are amazing and came over Friday and Saturday to help with the daunting task. We managed to pack up the entire kitchen, two giant closets and put a good dent in the master bedroom. James and I still have a bit to do next weekend, but my parents are rockstars and tackled the toughest parts.

We worked up quite the appetite Saturday after a day full of packing and cleaning, so we took a break and headed downtown to grab dinner. We decided to try Le Petit Cafe, a local French restaurant that’s been on my list of places to try for a while. We occasionally grab crepes or pastries from their window on our way to the Farmer’s Market, but I’d never stepped foot inside.

The quaint mom-and-pop restaurant is situated along Bloomington’s B-Line trail on W. 6th Street and has a casual and inviting atmosphere. Unlike most restaurants, Le Petit Cafe doesn’t have an extensive menu — and that’s a good thing. The owners offer a steak, poultry and seafood option every night, with a fourth special. The meals come with a soup or salad to start and are accompanied by the side dishes of the day. They also offer appetizers of pate and cheese pastries, which we regretted not trying.

I decided to start my meal with the chilled strawberries and cream soup, the description intrigued me. It was excellent. Not too sweet and extremely refreshing on a summer night. I would love to try recreating this at home — it would be wonderful to serve as a first course for a summer brunch.

My dad and I both ordered the steak special of the night, topped with blue cheese butter. The steak was cooked perfectly, and the butter was so delicious you could eat it off a spoon. I would highly recommend this dish if you find it on the menu during a visit. It was served with a side of roasted potatoes and salmon quiche, which were also amazing. My mom ordered the salmon and raved about the sauce, which was a mixture of mayonnaise, tuna and capers.

The meal was one to remember — and not just because of the delicious food. The owners are charming and the experience is unlike anything you’ll find at another Bloomington restaurant. It felt as though we were coming into someone’s home for a lovingly-prepared meal rather than dining at a restaurant. It’s safe to say we’ll be making a return visit to Le Petit Cafe very soon. They have a popular lunch buffet on Thursdays and offer family-style dining for Sunday lunch.

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