Kristina Pratt, REALTOR® - GoshenRealtyGroup.com

There are so many things that make the vibrant city of Edwardsville one of the best places to live and work in Madison County.

Here are my top ten things I love about Edwardsville:

1. Pantera's Pizza. When I grew up, my sister worked at the Pantera's in Alton while completing her education at SIUE. I was raised on the stuff. Unfortunately, there is only one Pantera's left in the area - fortunately it is in Edwardsville.

My favorite? Sausage, cheddar cheese, bacon bits and pepperoni on thick crust.

Pantera's Pizza
1522 Troy Rd
Edwardsville, IL 62025
618-692-6000

2. Leclaire Park. When I was in high school, I worked at the old Edwardsville K-Mart. It's now Kohl's department store. My friends and I used to grab a burger at one of the fast food joints and head over to Leclaire Park on our lunch hour. I still love the lake view and the tranquil feeling you get even though you're in the middle of an active neighborhood. Great memories.

3. Shopping. A few short years ago a great day of shopping meant making a trek to Fairview Heights. Lately though, Edwardsville has become a great option. In just one shopping center Edwardsville is now home to Borders, Old Navy, Ashley Furniture, Shoe Carnival, PetCo, Michael's, Starbucks, Best Buy, 54th Street Grill, St. Louis Bread Co, Dierbergs, Buffalo Wild Wings, Red Robin - I know I've missed more stores than I've listed. This area is coupled with great shopping across the street at Kohl's, Target, Hallmark and Fashion Bug.

4. Location. Edwardsville is close to downtown St. Louis, and a quick drive to Collinsville, Maryville, Troy, Glen Carbon, Wood River and Bethalto.

5. Historic Homes. From the St. Louis Street Historical district to Leclaire and the side streets in-between... if you love historic homes, you'll love Edwardsville.

6. Speciality Shops. I love shopping at locally owned places. I know shopping has already been on the list, but I'm a woman and I love it. ;) I like Joe's Market Basket, a small family-owned store featuring fresh groceries and all your outdoor needs. Avon on Main, 222 Artisan Bakery, Sacred Grounds Cafe and various boutiques on Main Street are also a great treat.

7. Nature. Even though Edwardsville is a large town, there are still plenty of places to escape. With over 10 parks including the Watershed Nature Center and too many bike trails to count, Edwardsville was made for nature lovers.

8. The downtown vibe. Laurie's Place is a great place to catch live music. Erato, Bigelo's Bistro, The Stagger Inn... if you like nightlife, downtown is the place to be.

9. Fine dining. You don't have to go to St. Louis to experience fine dining. Fond is the newest addition to the scene, but you can also find tasty treats at Neruda and Bella Milano.

10. Sense of community. The residents of Edwardsville take great pride in their parks, schools, SIUE, bike trails, shopping and entertainment. If you choose to make Edwardsville your next home, you'll find that you can have all of the big city amenities with a small town feel.

____________

About the Author: Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com

With spring all around us in Madison County, it's time for outdoor festivities. There is no better time of year to enjoy a family friendly night of entertainment in the Edwardsville City Park.

The city park is over 2 acres and is bordered by Kansas, Park, Buchanan and Vandalia streets. The park is home to the Edwardsville Public Library, the Cleaon Etzkorn bandstand, a fountain donated by a local family and the Madison County Centennial Monument.

This installment of SIUE Party In The Park features carnival games, arts and crafts, attractions, inflatables, food and drink along with 80's cover band The Brat Pack.

Party In The Park starts at 6:00 on Saturday April 25th and runs until midnight.

____________

About the Author: Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com

____________________

About the Author: Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com.

If you don't know a Tudor from a Victorian or a raised ranch from a bi-level, you've come to the right place.

Sometimes, it seems like real estate has it's own language. There are contract terms, financing terms and style terms. This will be an on-going series of posts helping you - the buyer - focus on the style of home you are most drawn to. First up is an introduction to my personal favorite, the Craftsman style home.

Craftsman style homes can be found all over Madison County. There is a large concentration of these homes in the historic Leclaire district. You can learn more about what makes Leclaire special here.

American Craftsman style was born out of Britain as a way of "rebelling" against the grandeur and over-decoration of the Victorian era. Many British people felt that the Victorian era brought about poor working conditions during the Industrial Revolution. The birth of the Craftsman style was the European way of bringing skilled craftsmanship back to the forefront. The focus of this movement was to place special emphasis on handmade over mass produced.

When you think Craftsman home, think Frank Lloyd Wright. These homes are distinctly recognizable because of their archictectural details such as gables and deep eaves. Low, sloping roofs are common on one-story homes. One and a half to two story homes have unique angles and sometimes dormers. Large front porches with square pillars are a characteristic of the Craftsman style.

Bringing in many earth tones and natural building materials was important as well. Stone, hardwood flooring, built-in cabinets, fireplaces with tile surrounds and simple geometric shapes can also help you spot a Craftsman home.

Want a Craftsman home of your own? This home pictured here is for sale. It has four big bedrooms with original woodwork. This home is also on a 1.5 acre lot in the Edwardsville, Illinois school district. Priced at $154,000 Click here for more details.

_________________________________________

About the Author: Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com.

I'm heading across the mighty Mississippi river this weekend to St. Charles, Missouri for Missouri Tartan Day.

This annual event is held by a non-profit organization to promote Scottish-American culture. They also collaborate with Scots For Tots, a community organization dedicated to helping children in the greater St. Louis area.

There is a great variety of events to enjoy at Missouri Tartan Day. Traditional Scottish cuisine is just one of the samplings of Scottish culture you'll find this weekend. You'll also enjoy a parade, traditional dance and various bands will round out the entertainment.

If you have Scottish heritage in your family tree, you'll particularly enjoy the displays from the various clans of Scotland. Clan Henderson is the Honored Clan for 2009, but more than fifteen other clans will be present. Unfortunately, the clan of my husband's ancestry won't be there this year but it will still be a great time.

If you're a lover of all things historic, be sure to bring your checkbook. There will be vendors featuring Celtic jewelry, clan badges, photography, medieval weapons and hand-woven tartans.

Starting Friday night at 5:00, you'll be able to hear the sounds of the 'pipes along the banks of the Missouri River at Frontier Park in St Charles. Missouri Tartan Day runs from Friday through Saturday this weekend. For a full schedule of events, vendors, hours and directions you can check out their website at http://www.motartanday.com/

______________________

About the Author: Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com.