Friday

TGIF: THRILLER
October 29, 2010 by SJackson
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Happy Friday and Welcome to the Heartland Homes’s Blog on a special TGIF Edition!

On Fridays we typically give you fun stories and a list of all the local hot spots to hit over the weekend, but since we all know that this weekend is Halloween, there is nothing left to do but share one of the best Halloween Movies of all time: THRILLER!

Please have a Safe and Enjoyable Halloween! Remeber for a list of Trick or Treating Times in your Heartland Homes Community please check out our previous Blog: Trick or Treat Times for Your Heartland Homes’ Community

And be sure to to tag us in your Facebook pictures with your little ghouls and ghosts dressed up for trick or treating in front of your favorite Heartland Home!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from HEARTLAND HOMES!

Category: Friday
Largest Home in the World
by SJackson
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Towering over Mumbai, India’s “City of Dreams” this 27-Story House is now the largest home in the world. Taking over 7 years to build and worth an estimated, (insert Doctor Evil Voice) one BILLION dollars

Best known as Antilia, named after the mythical island in the Atlantic, this 400,000 square foot tower overlooking India’s cosmopolitan city has set the new standard in luxury living.

So what kind of luxurious features does a one BILLION dollar tower include? Let’s take a look at the numbers:

Let’s start with the garage. Antilia’s first 6 levels are PARKING! Large enough to hold more than 160 cars and believed to have a private BMW service station on the 7^th level.

Atop this 27-story high-rise are 3 Helipads! You know, just in case the first two are occupied.

Since it would take an hour to climb to the top of this home, residents will enjoy the convenient luxury of 9 Elevators. Private elevators for the family, (more…)

Category: Friday, Miscellaneous
TGIF: The Haunted Blog
October 15, 2010 by SJackson
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Welcome Back to another TGIF Edition of the Heartland Homes Blog

This post is dedicated to the ghostly, frightening, fun and the haunted!! We have compiled a list of the best haunted attractions in Pittsburgh (plus a few family friendly) that you have to visit this Halloween season!

Kennywood Phantom Fright Nights

Friday and Saturday Nights:October 1 – 30, 2010, 7 PM – 1 AM

Ages 13+

The employees at Kennywood warn patrons that something ghoulish roams the park at night. The Phantom has taken control of the park’s rides, mazes, and all of the classics that are fun during the summers. But Rider Beware! The Phantom has added scary mazes, new rides, and 3D attractions that will stop even the bravest cold in their tracks!! (Save $3 by purchasing tickets at Giant Eagle locations) www.phantomfrightnights.com

Scare House

Weekdays 7-10Pm Weekends 7-Midnight

Ages 13+

I will be honest. I love this time of year especially going to haunted houses, but the Scare Houses website gave ME the chills! Voted as one of the Best Haunted Attractions by the Travel Channel this haunted house is not (more…)

Category: Friday
TGIF: Beautiful Fall Weekend
October 8, 2010 by SJackson
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Welcome to another TGIF edition of the Heartland Homes Blog! Today’s post features the top places to this weekend in the Pittsburgh Area.

Trax Farms Fall Festival Weekend

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Mountains of pumpkins, hayrides. pony & train rides, food booths, corn mazes, apple treats, “pick your own” pumpkin & more. Fun for the whole family. Wed & Fri “Evening Hayrides” 4:30pm-6:30pm (starts Oct 1st). 412.835.3246

TangerStyle of Pink

October 1-25

Tanger Outlet Center. Tanger’s 19th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign & 25% off PinkStyle Cards. All proceeds go to the Washington County American Cancer Society. 724.225.8435

Houston Pumpkin Festival (more…)

Category: Friday
TGIFS: Thank Goodness it’s Football Season
July 30, 2010 by SJackson
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July 30^th, 2010 officially marks the end of baseball season and the beginning of STEELER’S Training Camp!! It probably isn’t fair to the Pirates to get this excited over training camp, but when your team hasn’t had a winning season since George H. W. Bush was president, Pittsburgh Steeler Training Camp can never come soon enough.

This will be a very exciting year to be a Pittsburgh Steeler Fan. With Big Ben out for the first handful of games, the resigning of past players like Antwaan Randle El, Larry Foote, and Byron Leftwich, plus the singing of top free agents, it will be a fun year of football.

The Steelers’ first practice is Saturday 8/31 at 3pm at St. Vincents College and is open to the public.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have three prime-time games scheduled so far:

at Cincinnati on Monday 11-8

New England on Sunday 11-14

at Baltimore on Sunday 12/5

Click Here for the Official Schedule

On top of all the regular excitement that comes with a new season of hard hitting, smash-mouth Steelers football, Heartland Homes is happy to announce that we are The Official Builder of the Pittsburgh Steelers!So keep an eye out for exciting contests, giveaways, and events to win some awesome Steeler gifts, gear, and games for the 2010 season!

Category: About Heartland, Events, Friday, Pittsburgh
TGIF: Heat Wave!
July 23, 2010 by SJackson
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Happy Friday to our faithful followers here on Heartland Today. It has been quite some time since we have done a TGIF edition of Heartland Today, and I cannot think of a better day to do something cool than a TGIF post in the triple digit heat!

To keep you cool in the summer here are 10 quick tips to keep you cool in the heat wave!!
1. Have a water balloon fight
2. Spend the day at a water park
3. Make homemade ice cream in a Ziploc bag.
4. Sip some sweet iced tea and enjoy a cool book or magazine
5. Make fresh lemonade
6. Go swimming in a pool, beach, or lake
7. Splash around in a plastic kiddy pool
8. Run around in the sprinklers
9. Make popsicles in your freezer
10. Stay inside and enjoy the cool AC in your ENERGY Star Heartland Home!
No matter what you do this weekend we know you will be cool!! But try some of these helpful hints to beat the heat!!

Don’t Forget!! Our Decorated Model Homes also have crisp, cool, and refreshing air conditioning, so stop out and visit us this and every weekend from 12 until 5!
Category: Friday
TGIF: A Menagerie of Goodness
June 11, 2010 by SJackson
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Hey!! Welcome to another edition of Heartland Today and a special TGIF edition!!

There isn’t a whole lot to talk about on a specific topic this week, so I hope you enjoy this collection of random and delightful topics in spite of all the bad reports we have been hearing on the news lately. So sit back, kick your feet up, and try not to think about bills, shrills, or spills for the next couple of minutes.

July 4th

We have less than one month until Independence Day!!! Is time flying or what? So since you have been made aware of this holiday in advanced, it’s time to grab the kids, or the dogs, and plan your holiday!! Western PA, Eastern Ohio, and Northern, WV all offer some great places to camp, explore, or relax. You can learn more about what each state has to offer by visiting their official websites: Pennsylvania Ohio West Virginia

Father’s Day

A little over two-weeks away is Dad’s Day!! Uh oh, you didn’t lose track of time did you? Luckily, we have you covered. Check out our previous blog post for some ideas that will bring a smile to your father’s face on his special day: Gifts for Dad

What to do this weekend?

Not really sure what to do this weekend? Again we got you covered!! Pittsburgh, Yes Pittsburgh!! Right in your back yard, there are an infinite amount of things to do. Want to know what’s going on this weekend? How about the Three Rivers Arts Festival: June 4-13 in downtown Pittsburgh. Enjoy live music, crafts, food, dancing, paintings, sculptures, drawings and photographs in a venue that suits the size and popularity of the festival itself: downtown Pittsburgh. OR Check out Hellopittsburgh.com for an up to date list of all things going on in the ‘burgh. OR Visit our previous post and check out some Pittsburgh Classics

Football Season

So we are a little more than two months out from Steelers Football, but if you still have that urge to grunt, yell, and scream at your television this weekend, may I suggest a new type of Football. The World Cup Soccer Tournament (or Football to those who live outside the US) began this week and will continue over the next couple of weeks. So go out to a local pub and pretend you know whats going on, or relax at home and cheer on the USA.

Weekend Food for Thought: “A new broom sweeps clean, but the old brush knows the corners.”

Category: Friday
TGIF: Memorial Day Weekend
May 28, 2010 by SJackson
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Happy Friday, Happy Long Weekend, and Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and a holiday notorious for sitting in traffic, but other than the bbq, beer, and bocce let’s not forget the reason why we are celebrating Monday. Take a moment to remember loved ones, lost ones, and those who made sacrifices to give us the freedom that we celebrate today. To learn more about the tradition behind Memorial Day visit the History Channel Website.

As you might have noticed every Friday we take a break from the typical blog post about the housing market and talking about Pittsburgh, but I cannot help but to share this story from a Pittsburgh Nun who made national headlines:

AP: A Pittsburgh thief turned out to be no match for a little nun with a commanding voice.

Sister Lynn Rettinger didn’t even have to break out a ruler for a man who reached into an opened car window and stole a wallet Tuesday. She just needed the tone of voice she’s used for nearly 50 years in Catholic schools.

After a teacher saw the man swipe the wallet, the 5-foot-3 principal of Sacred Heart Elementary School went outside and firmly told the man: “You need to give me what you have.”

The thief turned over the wallet, apologized and walked away.

Rettinger said she merely talked to him as she would to students when she knows they have something they shouldn’t.

Something tells me we will have a new Nun joke to add to the joke book!!

We hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of TGIF we will see you on Tuesday!! Have a wonderful and safe weekend, wear your seat belts, always have a designated driver, and most importantly enjoy your time with your family!!

Something to thinkabout this weekend: “The flower that follows the sun does so even on cloudy days”

Category: Friday
TGIF: 1 Month to Get Dad the Perfect Gift
May 21, 2010 by SJackson
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Happy Friday and thanks for visiting Heartland Today for another special TGIF edition!

This Friday’s blog post is all about DAD. With Father’s day exactly one month away (June 20^th) we have compiled some of this years best gift ideas, with plenty of time left to purchase or plan ahead!!

When we think Father’s Day the first thing that comes to mind is Grill’n. What dad wouldn’t love a new Weber, Jenn-Air, or Charbroil grill? Do your research online, or stop into a local home improvement store to find the perfect grill for your outdoor chef.

Does your Dad golf like Arnold Palmer, or just look like him? Give him a day of golf at one of the top golf courses in the area. Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio offer some of the best golf courses for Dad’s at any playing level. A quick Google Maps search will show hundreds of courses in the Tri-State area. If you are still not sure which golf course is the ideal, ask the old man his favorite course, chances are he doesn’t realize Father’s day is so soon.

IPods, Plasmas, and Pocket Gadgets are the perfect gift for the tech-savvy father. Get your father an MP3 player and download all of his favorite music, or hook him up with a new entertainment system!! If your dad is always getting lost on family trips, a GPS makes the perfect gift for the father that is always taking a “detour”.

Spend a Day with Dad!! Plan a weekend getaway or a simple day trip. Take Dad to the museum, a state park, or some place that is special to him like his hometown or the college he went to. And if you get him that GPS, chances are he won’t get lost (as easy).

No matter what you decide to give your Dad this Father’s Day we are sure he will love it, but please refrain from gifting light up ties, and World’s Best Dad socks, nobody wants to see those!!!

If you have the perfect Father’s Day gift idea, share it in the comment section below!!

Category: Friday
TGIF: Classic Pittsburgh Attractions
May 14, 2010 by SJackson
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Happy Friday!!!

What an awesome week it has been!! We had a very special very VIP event at Brookfield Manor, TWO PPG Color Presentations, and were building all types of dream homes inspired by YOU!! Love this time of year!!!

So what are your plans for the weekend?

After our PPG Color presentations I am sure most of you might be stopping out to pick up a gallon or two of new paint. But if interior design is not on the “honey-do” list this weekend how about some classic Pittsburgh spring activities.

Kennywood is OPEN!!

Now open on weekends, and open daily starting April 20th!! Take the kids and enjoy a day of fun water rides, rollercoaster’s, fun carnival games, and great eats!!

The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium

Fun for all ages, 4000 animals representing 475 species on 77 acres, includes children’s zoo. Want to find out where penguins live, what a Komodo dragon likes to eat, or how the spectacled bear got its name. Then come to the Zoo to see your favorite animal up close! Also check out the PPG Aquarium’s NEW Sand Shark Tunnel!! The Zoo is open from 9am to 5 pm

Phipps Conservatory

Since 1893, visitors have been drawn to the natural wonder and beauty contained within the 19 indoor and outdoor gardens of Phipps Conservatory, as well as to the structure itself. Phipps is open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm and until 10 pm on Friday. Prices and special exhibits are posted on the Phipps Conservatory website.

The Carnegie Science Center

4 floors of education and entertainment!!! From robots to railways and submarines to stars the Carnegie Science Center is the perfect place for your school aged children to explore. Several exhibits and new shows daily, spend a spring day at the museum!!

Fallingwater

Nothing you have read or learned about Fallingwater can compare to the experience of visiting in person. The Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, nestled within the lush, wooded Bear Run Nature Reserve, is a timeless monument to organic architecture at its absolute best. Take a house tour of masterpiece architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright. Reservations required. Cost of admission is $10 per person Tuesday through Friday, and $15 weekends and holidays. Regular tours are approximately 45 minutes. Visit the Fallingwater website to RSVP, hours, and travel tips. Note: This is not the most kid friendly tourist attraction, for questions and concerns visit the Fallingwater website.

Heartland Homes

An Open House every weekend with Heartland Homes. Stop by any of our locations throughout Pittsburgh and Morgantown, or Contact Sara, your online concierge for more information about our quality built custom homes

Whatever you do this weekend have fun, enjoy the classic hotspots that this area has to offer and we will catch you on Monday (Unless we see you at our open house first!!)

Final Thought: “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.” – Walt Disney

Category: Friday