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(04/07/06 1:38pm)
Canine owners who travel and are tired of asking friends or family to play dog-sitter now have an alternative. On March 11, the Howling Dog Inn, a hotel for dogs, opened near Nashville, Ind. \nKaren McCarell, the owner and founder of the Howling Dog Inn, said she has been wanting to start a dog hotel "forever," and "things kind of fell in place" and was excited to see the opening of her facility.\n"This has been a 20-year dream for me, and it finally came true," she said.\nMcCarrell said that her facility is the only pet hotel in the area that she's aware of. The building is 1,575 square feet and features rooms of three different sizes. The smallest rooms are three by five feet, and the largest ones measure six square feet. Also, a 15-by-15 foot "playroom" is located in the building.\n"For the most part, the people who have been here so far have said, 'This is the coolest place.' You really have to come here and see it to get a sense of it," McCarrell said.\nAs for the service, McCarrell said they "like to keep it personal," referring to the Inn's family ownership and four-person staff.\nBeyond simple lodging, the inn provides a multitude of other services to its clients and their dogs.\n"We do boarding, grooming, doggy daycare and training," McCarrell said. "We also do pet weddings. It sounds bizarre, but people do it." \nMcCarrell said she added the service because she thought it would be "something neat to do." The animals appear in dress and tuxedo for the ceremony, which an ordained minister performs. McCarrell has held two weddings in her pet-care career, one for her own dogs and one for those of a friend. She said even pets of different species could be married at the inn. \nA ceremony has yet to be performed at the Howling Dog Inn, but the staff will be offering the service to anyone interested. The cost of the rituals starts at $200, a price which includes video-taping service, wedding cakes for the bride and groom, music, a pretend marriage certificate and flowers for the bride. The staff will also help write vows for the couple, McCarrell said. \nWeddings can be more expensive depending on what additional features pet owners might want. A night in a honeymoon suite or a ceremony in which other pet and human friends are present would be more expensive, McCarrell said. The facility doesn't currently have a honeymoon suite, but McCarrell said they could create one in a day if necessary.\n"I've never had anyone request anything like that, but you never know," she said. \nAnother unique service the Inn offers is "color enhancements," or dye jobs for pets. \nMcCarrell said fluorescent colors, like hot pink and vivid purple, have been most popular lately. She also dyed many animals green for St. Patrick's Day.\n"We have a poodle in here right now that is purple," McCarrell said.\nIn addition to the inn's basic grooming services, the facility also offers spa treatments for pets, such as jacuzzi soaks, hot oil treatments and massages. \nDarlene Dugan, one of the first customers of the inn, recently dropped her three Yorkies off for a 10-day stay.\n"(McCarrell) called us because we were old customers," said Dugan, who previously entrusted her dogs to McCarrell for grooming service. \nDugan had a trip planned and, thanks to the inn, instead of having to stay behind and watch the Yorkies, Dugan's husband was able to accompany her on the trip she said.\nDugan said that they were leaving their pets for the first time and that she had complete trust in McCarrell's pet-caring abilities.\n"She's very, very, very good, very gentle and knows what to do if (the dogs) have a problem," Dugan said. "She's a great lady with animals." \nIn addition to founding the inn, McCarrell is a "master groomer" of 35 years, a title she received from the National Dog Groomers Association of America. Prior to working in the Nashville area, McCarrell was a groomer at Delilah's Pet Shop in Bloomington.\nAs well as being highly skilled and professional in her handling of pets, McCarrell tends to the lighter side of dog care with unwavering emphasis as well.\n"We play with them, talk to them, and my husband makes gourmet dog treats," McCarrell said.\nThe Howling Dog Inn is located on Hwy. 46 in Nashville. There is a two-day minimum for overnight boarding time but no maximum, so extended stays are welcome.
(02/02/06 5:00am)
Despite the acquisition of new guitarist Ryan Mendez, it is not his play which distinguishes this new release from the Yellowcard's prior albums. Rather, it is the fact that nine out of the 14 tracks on Lights and Sounds feature string parts, each one written by utility bandsman Sean Mackey. The violins, violas and cellos proudly outline Yellowcard's solid core, but likely wear out their welcome in the ears of many rock purists. \nThe album's intro is a slightly out-of-place piano/orchestral tidbit which lasts a minute and a half. Then arrives the power pop, which is Yellowcard's expertise, with the titled track and current single.\nOn the three minute, 30 second "Lights and Sounds," the initial rough energetic punk-guitar pattern sounds like Goldfinger-meets-Queens of the Stone Age, and brilliantly builds up to vocalist Ryan Key's pointed entrance. As Key delivers confrontational lyrics and an infectious chorus, this track seems destined for radio success.\nThe majority of the album is composed of power pop numbers with strings entering somewhere around the second chorus. It's a bit top-heavy, as tracks two through six offer the strongest 20 minutes on the disc. "Sure Thing Falling," is the album's strongest point, a catchy anthem devoid of strings. This near four minute track has a well-produced pop structure, complete with an infectious, singable chorus with a delicious chord change. \nThe next song, "City of Devils," a catharsis focused on the band's So-Cal home of five years, opens with a well-placed and stylish mandolin part provided by Sean Mackin. Longineu Parsons then pounds out a sneakily poignant and finely-nuanced drum beat, leading the listener through a misery-ridden tale, declaring "It's hard to find angels in Hell." \n On "Two Years From Twenty," rather than simply accounting a breakup, the song tells a tragic, fictional tale of a young man whose most logical career option was to enlist in the military, a move which seals his tragic fate. The track's jazzy chords and varied phrasing are unique amongst the album, and the words "There's still no shame / From the man to blame," (presumably about Bush) are inciting. \n"How I Go" is a ballad, with unfortunately vague lyrics, narrated from the perspective of an aging father professing his care for his son. It is the only track to feature strings as early as the first verse, and also uniquely opens with an acoustic guitar. \nThe consistency of Lights and Sounds will appease all Yellowcard fans, and its diverse musicianship may just gain the band some new support.
(02/02/06 12:08am)
Despite the acquisition of new guitarist Ryan Mendez, it is not his play which distinguishes this new release from the Yellowcard's prior albums. Rather, it is the fact that nine out of the 14 tracks on Lights and Sounds feature string parts, each one written by utility bandsman Sean Mackey. The violins, violas and cellos proudly outline Yellowcard's solid core, but likely wear out their welcome in the ears of many rock purists. \nThe album's intro is a slightly out-of-place piano/orchestral tidbit which lasts a minute and a half. Then arrives the power pop, which is Yellowcard's expertise, with the titled track and current single.\nOn the three minute, 30 second "Lights and Sounds," the initial rough energetic punk-guitar pattern sounds like Goldfinger-meets-Queens of the Stone Age, and brilliantly builds up to vocalist Ryan Key's pointed entrance. As Key delivers confrontational lyrics and an infectious chorus, this track seems destined for radio success.\nThe majority of the album is composed of power pop numbers with strings entering somewhere around the second chorus. It's a bit top-heavy, as tracks two through six offer the strongest 20 minutes on the disc. "Sure Thing Falling," is the album's strongest point, a catchy anthem devoid of strings. This near four minute track has a well-produced pop structure, complete with an infectious, singable chorus with a delicious chord change. \nThe next song, "City of Devils," a catharsis focused on the band's So-Cal home of five years, opens with a well-placed and stylish mandolin part provided by Sean Mackin. Longineu Parsons then pounds out a sneakily poignant and finely-nuanced drum beat, leading the listener through a misery-ridden tale, declaring "It's hard to find angels in Hell." \n On "Two Years From Twenty," rather than simply accounting a breakup, the song tells a tragic, fictional tale of a young man whose most logical career option was to enlist in the military, a move which seals his tragic fate. The track's jazzy chords and varied phrasing are unique amongst the album, and the words "There's still no shame / From the man to blame," (presumably about Bush) are inciting. \n"How I Go" is a ballad, with unfortunately vague lyrics, narrated from the perspective of an aging father professing his care for his son. It is the only track to feature strings as early as the first verse, and also uniquely opens with an acoustic guitar. \nThe consistency of Lights and Sounds will appease all Yellowcard fans, and its diverse musicianship may just gain the band some new support.