IndyStar.com: Living
Indiana's leading news source for all the top stories, local news, sports and weather.
Shepherd center works to break cycle of poverty
The roots of Shepherd Community Center, says its director, lie in a banquet. Jay Height, head of the faith-based organization on the Near Eastside, said the idea arose 25 years ago this month when Westside Church of the Nazarene was planning its...
When there's cash flow, churches aren't 1st choice
Never mind the homeless lining up for food at East 51st Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. Never mind high vacancy rates at nearby office towers caused by companies folding and jobs evaporating. Never mind abandoned shops and shuttered...
Home energy audit reveals where owners can conserve
Even a new residence has areas that can be made more efficient I bought my townhome in Fall Creek Place seven years ago. Naturally, I implemented several green systems right away, like vermicomposting (using worms to create the vegetable and food...
Window film provides privacy
OK, I’m going to declare right now that this project solves both an interior design and home-improvement conundrum. Sidelights (the tall skinny window panels next to the front door) tend to be a difficult decorating dilemma. If yours are clear...
Appliances: repair or replace?
As the owner of Broad Ripple Appliance, Bill Krier has seen kitchen ranges still working well after 30 years, but he’s also worked on dishwashers not worth repairing after just a year of ownership. His customers often face the difficult...
Former inmates get help in learning the game of life
Board games usually teach players about cooperation, following instructions, and winning and losing. “Checkpoints and Challenges,” developed locally by Volunteers of America, John P. Craine House and WFYI, is all about role-playing....
Strawflower can be cut and dried
Name: Strawflower, Helichrysum bracteatum . Season: This annual produces lovely flowers from midsummer until frosty conditions prevail in the fall. As an added bonus, the flowers can be cut and dried and made into dried floral arrangements. The...
What's new
Want to make your holiday house guests feel at home? Enhance their room decor with a luggage rack. Part of the Cindy Crawford collection for JC Penney, the solid wood rack, similar to a hotel accessory, allows guests to comfortably unpack and...
Today in history
On this date: In 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. In 1922, Rebecca L. Felton of Georgia was sworn in as the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. In 1927, six miners died when state police fired on...
Tomo's menu makes it a spot worth checking into
If this weekend’s International Festival at the Indiana State Fairgrounds inspires you to check out some of the city’s ethnic restaurants, keep in mind that looks can be deceiving. Tomo Japanese Steak House&Sushi Bar opened in July in...
Experts say flu virus may be on the wane
Although six Indiana residents died last week from H1N1 influenza , state health officials say they continue to see “encouraging” signs that the disease is on the wane for now. The six deaths – which included the state’s first death of a person 65 or...
Some are skipping the vaccine out of distrust
Some skeptics are choosing to skip the H1N1 vaccine Thousands of Hoosiers are lining up at clinics offering the H1N1 vaccine, yet distrust — in various forms — has spurred many others to forgo the vaccine for themselves and their...
Signs give parents clues about vision issues
Dr. Mary VanHoy is a developmental optometrist with Eyes for Wellness, a private practice in Carmel specializing in vision rehabilitation. Question: Do many children have undiagnosed eye problems? Answer: As many as one in four school-age children...
Get rid of TV . . . and pounds
If you’re trying to lose weight and keep it off, you might consider shedding a television or two as well. People who had fewer televisions in their homes were more likely to keep the weight off for five or more years, a study in a recent issue...
Don't let medical conditions keep you from exploring the world
At first, Jeremy Warriner was reluctant to travel. A bilateral amputee after a 2005 car accident, he uses prosthetic legs and needs a wheelchair, too. But now he knows how to get what he needs and doesn’t hesitate to fly or travel. “A lot...
By adjusting his eating habits, and running, he's a new man
Chris Conrad, 43, Noblesville, director of church planter development, The Wesleyan Church I fought a weight issue much of my life. I didn’t play many sports and didn’t have a whole lot of physical activity. About 10 years ago, I finally...
3 ways to teach your child to be thankful
It’s the time of year when we are thankful, but how do you teach a child what being thankful is all about — and sustain that year-round? Imparting such lessons is particularly challenging in our current society, said Charles A. Smith, a...
Chest press abdominal crunch
Exercises that strengthen more than one muscle group at the same time are smart to do as much as possible. You get more bang out of your exercise and make better use of the time you have to work out. Jennifer Willis, a certified personal trainer at...
Geothermal savings negate upfront costs
I would have to totally diagree. No doubt that...
Sauteed pork chops made simple
As I learned in my early days as an apprentice chef, one of the first tasks performed every morning in a top restaurant kitchen is filling huge stockpots with meaty bones, aromatic vegetables, herbs, and water. Gently simmered for hours, these yield...
Reader recipe: Crab and Artichoke Dip with Parmesan Croutons
J.P. Jones, executive chef at Morton’s the Steakhouse, recently introduced new goodies for the restaurant’s Bar Bites menu, served 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 to 11 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Crab and Artichoke Dip with Parmesan Croutons (Makes...
Five things I love
Jessica Wright and her husband, Jason, owners of Indy Adventure Boot Camp, get hundreds of questions from their fitness boot camp participants about making healthy choices when life is so busy. Here are their five favorite foods for keeping fueled...
Thanksgiving turkey on the grill frees up the kitchen for side dishes
Get out the platter and the placemats — it’s almost Thanksgiving. The big day is rapidly approaching, and with it comes the annual scramble for oven space. But plenty of cooks are planning to opt out of the typical kitchen traffic jam by...
Food and culture at International Fest
Looking for some great ethnic fare? Check out this weekend’s International Festival at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The event, which includes food, music, dance and cultural exhibits, takes place in the West Pavilion 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 20;...
'Hungry Girl' entrees tame holiday binges
We’re heading into the holidays, and that can spell trouble for our waistlines. Sure, a splurge here and there won’t kill you, but eating meals low in fat and calories at home between parties is a recipe for success. The recently released...
Grilled turkey shares the table with colorful sides
Make the Thanksgiving bird on the grill and free up oven space for side dishes. Be sure to prepare the cornbread for the stuffing the day before serving. » Thanksgiving turkey on the grill frees up the kitchen for side dishes » No...
Be safe about cooking
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Meat and Poultry Hotline, (888) 674-6854, answers questions from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Thanksgiving Day hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more info, join the USDA at 3 p.m. Thursday in a live...
Should you grill with charcoal or gas?
When you head out back to fire up the grill, is it gas or charcoal — or are you like the nearly 30 percent of Americans who own both? Cookbook author and barbecue expert Steven Raichlen offers the pros and cons of gas and charcoal on his Web...
Ambrosia opens eatery Downtown
New restaurant focuses on Italian classics Local restaurateur Gino Pizzi, who opened Broad Ripple’s popular Italian restaurant Ambrosia in 1979, recently launched a Downtown Indy location. Ambrosia Centro, 15 E. Maryland, will focus on classic...
New advice: Skip mammograms in 40s
Federal panel’s stance draws outrage from some doctors Women in their 40s should stop having routine mammograms, an influential federal task force said in a controversial report released Monday. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which...
