Real Time Agent Leslie Warthman, Realtor® with Keller Williams Capital Partners

This Blog explores attention-makers in Central Ohio and creative people who envision public projects and new businesses that make our communities vibrant and collectively raise our quality of life. Visits to suburbs, outlying townships and villages provide inspiring encounters with art in public places and exhilarating programs in parks and libraries. I am a big fan of the abundant diversity of free entertainment. I inform about these lifestyle enhancing resources available to all residents!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

THE SAFEST PLACE TO TREAT COSTUMED KIDS

LOOK NO FURTHER THAN YOUR LOCAL FIRE STATION FOR A GUARANTEED SAFE PLACE TO GO TRICK-OR-TREATING!

Many local fire stations open their doors every October and invite the public in for some spine tingling fun. These family-friendly events are fit for little beggars and highly educational for souls of all ages.

As a young parent I recall the first time I almost failed in convincing my Pirate and Raggedy Ann that they would have fun trick-or-treating at the fire station. I was selling this as a SAFE PLACE for them to go trick-or-treating. They were instead more interested in knocking on doors down the block with all their friends.

It haunts me to think I almost caved. But since I insisted and won this dispute, we all benefited tremendously. The lessons we learned all those years ago have kept us safer since!

I am now a grandparent with an even deeper appreciation for these things. Besides being a worry-free Halloween event, I know I will get vital information at a fire station open house.

Over the years I have been to many fire stations at different locations in Delaware County. This year I went to two townships that have mastered the trick to scaring up huge crowds!

I again witnessed the combined ‘Forces’ of safety service entities wearing their official uniforms conjuring respect from long lines of costumed kids. All the fairies & princesses, ghosts & goblins chomped happily on free hot dogs and popcorn. Candy and cookies sweetened even the witch faces, and, some lucky beggars bagged one of the Free Beanie Babies being handed out.

While everyone is being entertained with Halloween craft activities and games, they are also being exposed to massive doses of information that could save their lives.

The Open House organizers in Genoa and Berlin townships where I attended this year, had summoned all the right key ingredients to inject emergency prevention knowledge into hundreds of vistors from nearby neighborhoods.

It doesn’t take a fortune teller to predict with certainty that many people learned about important emergency resources during these events. Some of them will find they need these resources in the future.

The threat of severe weather all weekend might have deterred a few people. But I personally braved the chill on Saturday & Sunday, crashing in on the two fire stations back to back.

I made my traditional return visit to Genoa Township. As always I found the Maintenance Department’s parking garage was one of the most popular spots people were gathered. Volunteers were stationed all along the back wall, behind the Trick-or-Treat Village. They kept busy passing out suckers and tootsie rolls.

Meanwhile, a raging fire extinguishing demonstration heated crowds up outside, and, rows of fire engines and ambulances lured visiting children aboard to get acquainted.

It was awesome seeing some of the same law enforcement, water rescue and community welfare agencies eagerly serving additional members of the public on Sunday.

Berlin Township 's community event was educational AND AGAIN another well disguised spook-tacular Halloween party! It was an honor to see public servants cooperatively handing out goodies to little people suited in Mickey Mouse attire.

Adults got armed with useful pamphlets on car seat safety and listened attentively to vendors sounding alarms about the dangers of texting and driving.

Part of the charm of these high caliber productions is the fact that they take the scare out of Halloween. But the best thing is that they teach people how to be safer all year round!

Friendly firefighters always impress me at these open houses. This year my innerds were heated up by the fiery hot stuffed jalapeno pepper I was served hot off the grill, offered by none other than a Berlin Township Trustee, Tom D'Amico, who proudly dressed the part of Grill Master during this years' event.

Both of these local townships spend a frightening amount of time and effort expanding the public’s knowledge of emergency services. They all deserve many thanks.

It was so assuring to know my one year old granddaughter was safe scavenging for her first Halloween treats. Plus, this allowed her and thousands like her to become comfortable around men in uniform. The chance to hear emergency sirens in this non-threatening environment might make her less fearful if she is ever involved in an actual accident. These are people she will know to trust in a horrifying situation, and, I can depend on her feeling at ease if they have to be called to come save her!

After a few hours of invading fire houses, I had a stuffed treat bag and a head full of tips and great advice that will help me protect myself and the lives of those I love.

I believe in being a contributing member of society. My professional contributions are presently varied; assisting clients with real estate buying and selling transactions, as well as, performing current property value appraisals for the Delaware County Sheriff. I teach & enjoy exercise and I am a professionally certified fitness instructor at the Westerville Rec Center; I also love to write and blog! My goal is to continue making productive use of my former journalism background and public service skill by remaining active in the community. Prior expertise in zoning & development was gained working in local government. I wish to remain active in the planning arena for the rest of my life! I am always expanding on the knowledge I offer & always ready to put any of my professional skills to work for a new good cause. If you need dependable assistance- call me. I am available to be put to work immediately, so, please, feel free to get in touch with me at your earliest convenience! For Real Estate Help or Otherwise...call me. I look forward to joining you and taking care of delegated project needs. Thanks.
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100 East Wilson Bridge road
Worthington, Ohio 43085

Saturday, October 27, 2012

FALL TIME FAVORITES

I heard the annual Oktoberfest Um-Pa Pas coming from Columbus’ German Village and just could not resist noticing all the other festivities that make October a time to get outside to enjoy fall foliage and so much more! The luring list of attractions added to my busy must-do list. My favorite fall fun include the corn mazes I can master and after hour bon fire bonding with friends!

I am having real difficulty this year deciding what venue to visit! I know I will be indulging in several pumpkin picking play dates in order to multiply my pleasure!
It is fantastic to see so many pumpkin patches featuring full blown festivals. Children and adults of all ages are promised hours of family-friendly enjoyment!

I could personally spend hours on a hay wagon crunching on kettle corn. It’s awesome running into neighbors loading the backs of their minivans with the fruits of this season's harvest. Many memories I cherish were made meandering a local farmer's field in years' past. I always do some serious scouting for my perfect carving specimen before Halloween.

I have had many pumpkin pleasure visits at Freeman Farms in Galena; I stopped by this past weekend to initiate this season’s fun for me. I was not surprised by the big turnout they already had. I could not stay long, but, I did get to say hello to the owner, Bill Freeman, who was one of many workers making sure the flock of pumpkin pickers that day were all smiles.

Although today's visitors tote smart phones and other electronic devices for taking pictures, it was evident that good old fashioned fun of picking pumpkins got them to head to the farm. Modern-day distractions were the farthest things on people’s minds as they spent quality time enjoying the atmosphere at Freeman’s, which included face-to-face time with the petting zoo livestock .

I also managed a quick visit to Sambuca's Italian Greenhouse on Saturday. I was drawn there by the giant inflatable cat in front of their pumpkin display, visible from State Route 3. They were in the middle of a fall festival of their own and I was offered a tour of their "Haunted Tunnel"... Beware!

The colorful mums and ginormous pimply gourds I got to see and photograph made up for the scare their mummy gave me!

Another very tempting Community Event I decided not to miss was this year's fourth annual Mosher Apple Butter Festival.

I arrived as the apple press began dripping sweet liquid, which was also when it began to drizzle. The event just got underway out on the grounds of McVay Elementary School in Westerville.

Even in the rain others were arriving and there was a warming reception at the wood burning fireplace inside the log cabin, which is tucked into a gated preserve area of this school site; a fitting place to have the Apple Butter Festival event!

The demonstrations of apple-cider and apple-butter making continued under umbrellas held high. It was decided that it would be good-hearted to continue on with the day's plans in honor of Ned Mosher, the outdoorsman and Westerville City Schools teacher whose efforts led to moving and rebuilding the log cabin 30 years ago. Mosher took his former students to the cabin to conduct science lessons. It’s been used ever since to teach about history of syrup-making in Ohio.

What I also learned about this original 1840 log cabin, was that it used to sit across the road from one of Westerville's more widely known Historical structures, the present Everal Barn at Heritage Park on Cleveland Avenue. Moving this smaller piece of Ohio history was done courtesy of the local Lion Club’s past "cabin raising" on one of their annual World Lion Club Service Days.

Other quick facts I discovered were that some of this log cabin's former owners deserve to be thanked for helping Otterbein College become the successful campus it is today. And, that another one of the cabin's former residents was the first African-American to graduate from high-school courses.

This years' Apple Butter Festival taught me about the hard working accomplishments of these special people. It also supplied me with the taste of some ‘mm-good’ fresh apple-butter, which I will be spreading on my morning bagels and savoring in the days ahead.

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Keller Williams Capital partners
100 East Wilson Bridge road
Worthington, Ohio 43085

For INTERACTIVE FUN, Hollywood Casino Columbus is a Sure Bet!

FOR INTERACTIVE FUN, COLUMBUS CASINO IS A SURE BET!

Columbus rolled out a huge crowd pleaser on October 8th. A heavy stream of visitors entered the doors of the Hollywood Casino Columbus on the night I went. It was one week after this Las Vegas-style gaming club’s Grand Opening and the incoming seemed to never let up all night.

This new entertainment venue will draw in an estimated annual attendance of more than 3 million people according to officials.

I witnessed a standing-room-only crowd. Curiosity seekers converged on this facility’s public space to poker around. I imagine everyone left with the same electrifying impression.

My parking was free. I didn’t expect that. I figured that savings would be spent inside!

If all the people packed in there this past Saturday night were as wowed AS I WAS, the numbers they are expecting this year in attendance could easily be exceeded?

This is THE PLACE to go for a high energy good time! There was no shortage of action-packed excitement. All my senses were engaged and titillated immediately as I entered. There wasn’t even a cover charge. My mood continued to elevate during the duration of my visit.

The casino sparkles inside and out. Out in the parking lot the reflecting pool multiplied the gigantic images of famous Hollywood actors projected on the building’s huge exterior movie screen. There were hundreds of various sized video screens inside too; the visual choreography of all the videos was amazing and hypnotic… my focus was demanded and it was difficult to stop staring with a bedazzled look.

Everywhere my eyes could see there were other eye-catchers. Gorgeous chandeliers competed with the videos screens for my attention. An inviting glow pulls you in from the entryway; the filled seats I saw instantly told me a big audience had already been fully captivated.

Music was manageably blended. The beat of the Reaganomics, that night’s live band, seemed to mix properly with the 3000 thousand slot machines making constant dinging sounds.

I kid you not; every seat in the house was taken, and, every Blackjack, Roulette, and Craps table was surrounded by additional onlookers all eagerly waiting to lay down chips, or, take a turn at spinning a wheel for their chance at winning a fortune.

The stakes were high at all of the 30 live poker tables. Lines of people ready to hit on some big money moved with the evening. The atmosphere obviously motivated people with “cents”!

It appeared everyone was having a whole lot of fun. There were ways around the stalled drink lines, so I managed my temporary discomforts. I was entertained by more than enough diversions and invigorated by the atmosphere during the time spent waiting to be served.

I was provided every bit of the heart pounding stimulation I expected while navigating the entire first floor’s 200,000 square foot public facility level. I had to keep moving, to keep in the flow of all the foot traffic parading down row after row that night.

Thrill seekers will be satiated. I will definitely take friends and family from out of town when they come to visit Columbus in the future. This has the makings of becoming a big time hit. It will appeal to a generation of people who grew up being overstimulated at entertainment centers like Chuck-E Cheese's, either as a kid or chaperoning offspring.

This is a fun seeker’s paradise and I know tons of people will come here in busloads. It is a must-see awesome new group destination that I am happy is here in central Ohio. No doubt Ohio crowds will support a good game house with hundreds of featured games of chance!

The casino was as much an economic gamble as any multi-million dollar development ever is, but, this has the smell of success written all over it! Now time will tell...

Columbus has seen its share of new entertainment facilities opened in the last decade. The casino is not just one more of the same. This is the Big Daddy of places to go, to have interactive fun.

There are plenty of “well-wishers” who will come to test their skills. Whether everyone who checks the place out comes back for more of what’s offered, is a question for the future. Those who DO come WON’T be disappointed.

The Hollywood Casino Columbus had everything I wanted to see. It has the glitz & glamor you expect from a trip to Hollywood. But this is all here in our town now… It is a major planning accomplishment.

My evening was fast moving as I meandered my way around. I went down aisle after aisle being absolutely awed. Bathrooms were numerous and luckily those lines were manageable. I joined with others in filling the complex with bodies wall to wall; yet, everyone was still able to comfortably keep about tending to their own business, because the spaciousness of this facility accommodated the booming business they had that evening!

There is an outer pathway that I took; it led to views of the whole place. I came to the retail shop where I stopped to purchase a token memorabilia, to remind me of my encounter with the Golden Age of Hollywood here in this casino.

I am a big fan of art-deco. I was indeed impressed by the Casino’s architecture. But, I marveled most at the cutting-edge video technology systems. The audio-visual equipment set up in there is massive. I couldn’t help notice the sophisticated operation it required to master these mega-computerized systems. That alone took my breath away.

There was exquisite decorum around every corner. I peeked in corridors and found Restaurants & Lounges beckoning for people to take a look-see. These include:

• The Final Cut Steakhouse – a 124-seat fine dining restaurant & 37-seat lounge

•                     The Epic Buffet – which has 350 seats, including a 100-person private dining room
•                     The Take 2 Grill – that offers 86-seats for enjoying grab-and-go sandwiches, burgers, salads and desserts
•                     The o.h. which is located smack dab in the center of all the action and has oversized couches and booths for seating 300 around the entertainment stage, bar & lounge
•                     And the Event Center that was actually not in use that evening, but, has over 10,000 sq. feet of event space (promenade, function rooms and terrace) that can be rented out.

I can’t wait to share my excitement with a group of friends next time I go. This place will make any occasion more fun.

As odd as it might sound, I personally have no desire to go back to do any gambling. But that’s because I don’t gamble. My recent visit was in fact a no-game-encounter experience and it was fabulously entertaining. I will return many times to the Hollywood Casino Columbus knowing a really good time will be had just watching all the action. That was A BLAST, coupled with the food and drink and musical entertainment I absorbed.

I did not need to hit the jackpot at the Hollywood Casino Columbus during my first visit. Everything else I was offered was to my utmost gratifying satisfaction. I hope in a big way that this mega development succeeds well after the next enlargement phase, when the planned future hotel comes to life here at home with all the Hollywood hoopla I want to experience!

Seasons Change Ohio Village

Fall arrived this past weekend right on cue and brought the colors of autumn to the trees in time to set the stage for a picture-perfect day at The Music & Arts Harvest Festival at Ohio Village, which was held on the grounds of the Ohio History Center on October 6.

Ohio Village was the ideal setting for my up close encounter with the first fall weekend of 2012. This event gave me a virtual tour experience of a historical harvest celebration. I gained new knowledge about festive activities enjoyed during the fall season by some of Ohio’s early inhabitants.

I spent the day taking a step back in time on a particularly gorgeous fall afternoon. I left with the distinct feeling I had experienced the joy of a harvest celebration exactly like the people who welcomed fall many years earlier.

Later this month I plan on going back to the Ohio Village for a whole different experience. It will be a spooky trip down memory lane. The Ohio History Center kicks off their annual premier event called All Hollow’s Eve on October 13.

Every visit to Ohio Village results in a different firsthand view of what life was like in Ohio during the American Civil War. The recent Harvest Festival event, as designed, shared the high value this historical population placed on fall festivities.

My leisure stroll of the 15 acre grounds encompassing this living history museum site brought me face-to-face with fall in present day, but, it had a special feeling amongst a setting that taught a lot about how the former residents of this recreated 19^th Century Ohio Town embraced this change of seasons during their lifetimes.

I have previously attended various different events at Ohio Village and experience something new every time. There are sixteen buildings, including, craft shops, residences, and offices; an entire working village is comprehensively outfitted with realism.

Depending on the time of year and theme of the event, there are always new encounters with different sights and sounds portraying the past life that was lived there. The fall season came to life with historical accuracy this time.

I like the fact that I get a different point-in-time taste of the past each time I visit. This was the first time I saw how beautiful fall looked when this was an actual active rural community and I was captivated by visions of people engaged in festive harvest celebrations. I sensed significance of the harvest season with a historical perspective, which impacted my own personal feelings. Being historically connected and part of a traditional celebration of fall seemed very real that afternoon and will be remembered fondly.

As I was witnessing fall in present day, I felt the euphoria it brought as I was looking through the eyes of someone who lived in the 19^th Century.

Every visit to Ohio Village is a life like experience of community life in Ohio during the American Civil War. I would highly recommend visiting this living history museum during the harvest celebration season as well as other times of the year when the scenes are different.

After this last encounter I will feel something more meaningful when fall arrives in the future. I will be able to think back on how I shared the values of Ohio’s earliest inhabitants and their enhanced appreciation of fall.

The rest of this month Ohio Village will be evoking very different feelings. There are upcoming Halloween events that will change the history learned there then. Scary stories about headless hauntings will be retold during these events.

Ohio Village typically draws its biggest crowds every October. The most popular annual signature event is All Hallow's Eve which is about to get started. This 1860s-style celebration of Halloween is reenacted complete with fortunetelling, costumed interpretations and a Grand Parade for the Dead.

Put this on your list of places to go see creepy roaming spirits this month and you can catch their production of Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow! Alll these event details are n the Ohio History Center’s website at: http://www.ohiohistory.org/programs--events/ohio-village/all-hallows-eve

Leslie Schultz Warthman 614.769.3816

Procure Expert Real Estate Knowledge!
Keller Williams Capital partners
100 East Wilson Bridge road
Worthington, Ohio 43085

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Debate cities: Tale of three housing markets

About Leslie Warthman

Leslie Warthman, REALTOR with Keller Williams Capital Partners Realty, has a professional journalism background (former news anchor at Sunny-95; and freelance contributor whose articles have been published in many special Dispatch publications and ThisWeek local newspapers. She was also employed by two townships in Delaware County overseeing community planning & development, which provided specialized knowledge she now shares with clients buying & selling real estate, to help with their important decision-making.