I've written fairly extensively in the past about my love for Urbana, IL. This city isn't just where I do business; Urbana, IL is my home, too. And every winter the city gives me another reason to love Urbana. Parking meters throughout town look like this (and will continue to look like this until the new year)... What's not to love??? 12/10/2010

---->>>  Follow the Signs to Downtown Urbana, Illinois   ---->>> This year I’ve been doing my best to attend city planning meetings on a variety of topics and have enjoyed being "in the know" about the big plans for the future of my home, Urbana IL. Last night there was a meeting on “Downtown Urbana Signage and Wayfinding.” … Sounds pretty dull, right? Admittedly, I wasn’t excited about attending. But I went anyhow with the hope of simply learning more about the master plan to bring more business and traffic downtown. And I’m glad I went! As it turns out, the consultants hired to redesign the signage system in downtown Urbana and, ultimately, create a system which would help bring more people to the downtown thought of a lot of things I simply have never considered…after all, that’s why... 11/04/2010

Holiday Market at Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana IL It's only two weeks away!! On Saturday November 13th the annual Holiday Market opens its doors inside Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana, IL. Come browse a wide variety of goods & gifts for sale, all of which are made or grown by our very own local vendors. There will be fresh produce (from several vendors who participated in Urbana's outdoor farmers market) as well as arts & crafts such as homemade candles, woodwork, photography, t-shirts, pottery, and much, much more! Each year I enjoy picking out a few unique gifts for friends and family...and often I'll even get a little something for myself :-) There's something for everyone at the Holiday Market. In addition, the shops at Lincoln Square Mall will be open giving you even more shopping opt... 10/31/2010

Gruesome, Gory, & Ghastly Ghosts & Ghouls!!! This Halloween weekend stop by the (Spooky) Spurlock Museum to hear ghost stories as told by our very own local tellers. On Saturday October 30th there will be one story told for the children, and one story told for the grown-ups…   Children’s Ghost Story for grades K-5:  2pm-3:30pm, $5 donation suggested Kids will receive bags of candy to start their trick-or-treating off right!   Grown-Up Ghost Story for ages 16 & up:  7:30pm, $5 entrance fee Refreshments will be served during intermission.   Donations and admission fees support the museum's educational programs.   Location: Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana, IL Call 217-244-3355 for more details!   10/29/2010

If You Live in West Urbana, You Might Consider Joining WUNA Take a little drive through West Urbana and it will be quite obvious that we don't have a neighborhood association that mandates how we keep our lawns. Some residents are quite creative with their lawns indeed, which is one of many reasons I enjoy living here. But you may not be aware that there actually is a West Urbana Neighborhood Association (WUNA), and it's quite active. Residents are not required to be members of the association, but there are some benefits of joining, the main one, in my opinion, being the easy and quick distribution of information. WUNA membership is only $5/year for residents and with membership, you can also join the WUNA email group. Through this group, individuals can post information on public happ... 09/23/2010

Beringer Commons Subdivision- Urbana IL Homes Beringer Commons is an upscale subdivision located in northeast Urbana with easy access to the interstate while still only a 5-minute drive from downtown. Construction began about 15 years ago and today most of the neighborhood is complete. However, there are still a few streets with lots and/or brand-new construction homes available for purchase. Many of these premiere homes are located on one of four lakes within Beringer Commons. Naturally, the views from these properties are breathtaking. The lakes are surrounded by common areas for the residents to enjoy and certain recreational activities are permissible. Residents become members of the Beringer Commons Homeowner Association and are required to pay dues for common maintenance and proje... 09/22/2010

Champaign-Urbana IL Folk & Roots Festival 2010 Starting Thursday evening September 23rd, the second annual Folk & Roots Festival here in Champaign-Urbana will be in full-swing! The festival will continue through Saturday evening with a great variety of demonstrations, workshops, and performances taking place at various venues in downtown Urbana, including bars, restaurants, galleries, a recreation center and the streets, too! Many different activities will be taking place simultaneously, so you'll have your pick of things to see and do at any given moment. The easiest way to make sure you get to see it all is by purchasing a wristband for $15.00 which will give you access to all performances and events throughout the festival. Otherwise, many individual performances are $10.00/person, w... 09/21/2010

West Urbana Neighborhood Block Parties: Great Company & Great Food Tonight I'm off the hook for cooking dinner because we were very well fed at our neighborhood block this afternoon. Once or twice a year a bunch of neighbors around where we live in West Urbana block off the street to what little traffic we have, and meet outside for a little get-together. Everyone brings a dish to share, so there's plenty of good food and good conversation. A block party is a great way to meet neighbors who you haven't come face-to-face with yet, and it's also a fantastic way to share information and suggestions as neighbors need it. For instance, I've been thinking lately about making some improvements to my yard, and a neighbor recommended I be in touch with an enthusiastic landscaper who lives just d... 09/19/2010

Opening Night Party at the Krannert Center, Friday Sept. 10th Join the fun this Friday September 10th at the Krannert Center in celebration of a new season! You won't want to miss the performance by Tiempo Libre, a twice Grammy nominated group who will be at Krannert to kick off the party. Los Guapos will also be there to contribute to the lively music playing non-stop throughout the evening. Start out in the lobby for a musical treat and free activities. Then make your way to the outdoor food tents where you can grab a bite to eat from a variety of local restaurants in attendance.   Doors open at 6pm and the party officially starts at 7pm. 09/09/2010

Homes in Savannah Green- Urbana, IL- Affordability Meets Function Construction began in Savannah Green in the early 2000's and now the community is known for offering spacious, affordable homes in east Urbana. As relatively newer homes, they were designed to meet the needs of modern families. Many have open floor plans combined with a surprising amount of space. The homes were built with basements and many are already finished with bonus living space. From the outside, the homes have a classic look. They come basically in two styles; either a one-story ranch, or a two-story traditional. Each home also comes with garage space accessible from an alley running behind the homes. Keeping with Champaign-Urbana tradition, Savannah Green was built with a shared park located in the center of the... 09/07/2010

Urbana Park District Employees- You Rock! Yesterday I wrote a blog just before heading over to clean up day at the Urbana dog park with which I volunteered to help. We had a great time and it was quite the success. (See the picture? That's me and another volunteer spreading huge piles of mulch which are now gone!) What I didn't realize until later that day, however, was that many of the people helping out with the clean up were employees of the Urbana park district who for the most part hold office jobs. These people were going way beyond the call of duty yesterday, in my opinion. Yes, it was a fun afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the other helpers. But make no mistake, it was HARD WORK. In a matter of about an hour and a half, we shoveled literally tons of mulch into wheelbar... 09/03/2010

Urbana Dog Park- Urbana, Illinois- It's Clean Up Day! The Urbana Dog Park is a 10-acre fenced-in space in northeast Urbana where you can take your dog to run free. And believe me, your dog will love you for it. It's the largest dog park I've ever been to, by far, and arguably the best. Most of the park is one big, open meadow, though there are a few trees centrally-located to offer a little shade. Additionally, there are a few park benches to accommodate the dogs' people, a water station, and plastic baggies available for you-know-what. The only catch is that you have to be a member to bring your dog there, or pay a small fee for a one-time visit. Membership, however, is only around $40/year for residents and it's very easy to obtain. In my opinion, the fee is well worth it simply becau... 09/02/2010

35th Annual Sweetcorn Festival in Urbana, Illinois! You can be sure you're in Urbana, Illinois when you happen upon a festival dedicated solely to sweetcorn! Urbana's annual Sweetcorn Festival will be kicking off this weekend! The event will take place: Friday August 27th, 5pm - 11pm and Saturday August 28th, 11am - 11pm The Sweetcorn Festival is expected to draw a crowd of 65,000 people this year, and that's certainly not surprising... Champaign County residents look forward to this event all year long! Everyone and their uncle will be there (including me)! The event takes place in downtown Urbana along Main Street. Food vendors, arts & crafts, and entertainment will line the streets. Most local businesses in and around downtown Urbana will have their doors open, too, so there will be ... 08/24/2010

Homes in Myra Ridge and South Ridge Subdivisions in Urbana, Illinois Myra Ridge and South Ridge are two subdivisions in a rapidly growing area of southeast Urbana. The two neighborhoods are separated by a shared park and about 15 years of age. The homes in Myra Ridge, the older of the two subdivisions, were built around 30 years ago which is evident by the mature trees lining the streets. Many of the homes have large, full trees in their front yards and the neighborhood has a very welcoming feel to it. Just to the south of Myra Ridge you'll find South Ridge subdivision where new construction continues, though the oldest of the homes in this subdivision are about 15 years of age. A ride down South Myra Ridge Drive will take you through both neighborhoods. Directly between the subdivision... 08/23/2010

Urbana Restaurant Review: Siam Terrace- Thai Cuisine This past weekend my hubby was out of town which left me with a house to myself and a great excuse to order take-out. So I ordered food from one of my favorite local restaurants and sat back at home with a glass of wine watching something girly on Netflix... But back to the point of this article, which is to give Siam Terrace a rave review :-) Yes, I went with Thai cuisine this weekend, and the best place hands down to get Thai food here in Champaign-Urbana is Siam Terrace. It's a small locally-owned restaurant located in downtown Urbana on Main Street. When we go there, I usually order either the chicken Pad Thai or the cashew nut stir fry. However, my husband and I have each tried a variety of dishes on our numerous visits to Siam T... 08/18/2010

Open House in Urbana, Illinois Sunday August 1st, 2-4pm Please join us for an open house this Sunday August 1st from 2-4pm at 507 E. McHenry Street in Southeast Urbana, Illinois! This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is located in desirable Ennis Ridge just a 3-minute walk from Yankee Ridge Elementary School. Amenities include: 2-Car attached garage Spacious fenced-in backyard Great fireplace in the family room Separate, large living room Screened in sun porch out back Listed at $169,900 this all-brick home offers great value in Urbana! Be sure to stop by our open house Sunday at 507 E. McHenry in Urbana, Illinois! Directions: Go south on Vine Street from Florida, and turn east on McHenry. Home will be on the right side. Look for our Open House signs! View Larger Map 07/29/2010

Black Dog Smoke & Ale House- Urbana, Illinois- Look no further for great BBQ! My husband and I just enjoyed another delicious meal at Black Dog Smoke & Ale House in Urbana, and it's been official for some time now: This place is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. We like to go on "off" days (like today, a Monday) as it gets quite busy there on the weekends and even during peak lunch/dinner hours...but I'm certainly not complaining. I love that they're busy because it means that they're here to stay! At this point, I'm just not sure I could live without them. How do I love Black Dog Smoke & Ale House? Let me count the ways... I'm from southwest Virginia where we have great BBQ. Trust me, I know great BBQ, and Black Dog Smoke & Ale House has GREAT BBQ. They offer not one, not two... 07/26/2010

Urbana Named a Bicycle-Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists   Congratulations to the city of Urbana for being awarded recognition as a Bicycle-Friendly Community! Urbana was cited as having the highest bicycle-commuting rate of any city in Illinois. In addition they were recognized for their Bicycle Master Plan which outlines Urbana's goal to triple the bicycle network throughout the city over the next 5 years. As a resident of Urbana, I can attest to seeing large numbers of commuters on bicycles each day both in my neighborhood and out on the main roads. Urbana's encouragement of "green" commuting is one of many qualities that make this city a great place to live!   Check out the full recognition page on the League of American Bicyclists website! 07/21/2010

Open House Video- Country Squire Subdivision in Urbana, Illinois In case you missed our open house this past Sunday at 1108 Rainbow View Rd. in Urbana, Illinois, you can take the tour now! This 3 bedroom, 1 bath home is located in Country Squire Subdivision. Listed at $105,900 it's an affordable option for the future homeowner looking for a smaller home in great condition! Features include a cathedral ceiling, open layout, and oak hardwood floors!   Interested in taking a LIVE tour? Give me a call today!   07/14/2010

Open House Sunday July 11th, 2-4pm in Urbana, Illinois   Located at 1108 Rainbow View, this 3 bedroom, 1 bath home in the Country Squire area of Urbana, Illinois is a great value at listed at $105,900! The vaulted ceilings and open floor plan give this unique home a spacious feel. Oak hardwood floors are gleaming throughout and the updated kitchen will help you feel right at home.   Come fall in love with this home! Open house Sunday July 11, 2010 from 2-4pm at 1108 Rainbow View in Urbana, Illinois.   Directions: Take Washington east past Philo Road. Turn right onto Rainbow View and the home will be on the left.       View Larger Map 07/08/2010