A Guy's Guide to Indy

For an early twenty-something guy like myself, Indianapolis has everything you could ask for and more. You want a juicy steak? Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse has you covered. Want to hit the bars with your bros? Broad Ripple has a bar for everyone. Feel like watching a basketball game? The Butler Bulldogs and Indiana Pacers will show you why basketball and the State of Indiana go hand in hand.  Obviously you get my point. There are plenty of things to do in Indianapolis that will make every guy…well, really feel like a guy.

But before we continue, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I moved here from Cincinnati a little over four years ago to attend THE Butler University right here in the heart of Indianapolis (Go Bulldogs!). After graduating in May, reality began to set in and I realized the glory days of college were a thing of the past. But lucky for me I got a job at an awesome PR and advertising agency right here in downtown Indy. Since then I have been living the dream in Broad Ripple.

There are plenty of things to do and see in Indianapolis, so stay tuned!

*As a part of blogging for this site, the ICVA does compensate a nominal fee to cover various admissions and other expenses.

I had the honor of touring two of downtown Indianapolis’ newest and coolest hotels on the day of their grand opening celebration. Now I have seen plenty of hotels in my 23 years and the SpringHill Suites and Courtyard by Marriott are two of the sweetest hotels I have ever been in (the two hotels join the recently opened Fairfield Inn & Suites and TGI Fridays). I didn’t stay the night, but man oh man would I love to crash at either of these places. It’s tough to choose which one I like better because they’re both great in their own way. However, the battle of the best room goes to the SpringHill Suites and the battle of best lobby goes to the Courtyard by Marriott. Both of them you will have to see it to believe.












The rooms at the SpringHill Suites made me feel all warm and cozy. It’s hard to explain but it was like I found my “happy place.” I loved it because of all of the modern décor, the comfy furniture, an open floor plan that tricked my mind into thinking I wasn’t even in a hotel room, and last but not least the awesome view of the downtown Indianapolis skyline. It was like a little home away from home. You obviously have your king size bed (which is great) but it acts as more than just a bedroom because on the other side of the room is a huge couch, flat screen TV and an awesome desk that would make the traveling business person wonder why they ever                                  stayed anywhere else. And I wouldn’t want to forget to mention the spacious bathrooms. Ever been in a hotel where you were scared to use the bathroom or shower? Won’t happen here. This place had a bathroom nicer than the one my own home which definitely made me a bit jealous.











The lobby at the Courtyard by Marriott is almost indescribable. They have technology that I never knew existed let alone existed in a hotel lobby. The coolest thing by far is the GoBoard which looks like a huge flat screen TV but instead is a large touch screen monitor that spotlights news, weather and local events here in the city of Indianapolis. I could’ve played with it for hours. But they also have a bar/food area called the Bistro that serves breakfast and dinner as well as alcoholic beverages, “media pods” which act as little nooks with a table and seating space with a flat screen TV that are great for getting business done outside of the hotel room, a station to print off boarding passes for your flight, and of course free high-speed wireless Internet.

I could go on forever about these hotels but regardless of which one you choose you can’t go wrong. They are both within walking distance of everything downtown Indianapolis has to offer, Victory Field, and White River State Park which includes the Indianapolis Zoo, Indiana State Museum, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, and “The Lawn,” an award-winning outdoor concert space.. Both of the hotels are connected and have an indoor pool as well as a fitness room. I can’t think of one thing that either of these hotels don’t have.

The completion of the SpringHill Suites and Courtyard by Marriott (as well as the completion of the JW Marriott) will bring things one step closer to forming Marriott Place which will offer 145,000 square feet of space, 2,248 rooms, and 5 connected hotels (as well as a connection to the new Indianapolis Convention Center which is now under construction). Marriott Place will be the place to be in Indianapolis. Never before have guests had opportunity for such great views and location. So whether you’re coming to town for the Final Four, a summer get away, a Colts game, or the 2012 Super Bowl (which is creeping up real fast) then I don’t see any reason to not stay at one of the five hotels Marriott Place has to offer.

**And a I want to give a big shout out to Nicholas Miller who gave an amazing tour. If you need anything during your stay look for this man.

It’s almost time for one of the most exciting moments of the year, tournament time in college basketball. Arguably one of the most exciting events in sports, the conference tournaments and March Madness tournament of 64 offer sports fans something no other sport can; an entire month of buzzer beaters, upsets, Cinderella stories, and memories that will never be forgotten. And this year Indianapolis is proud to say it will be home to plenty of that action when it hosts the 2010 Big Ten Tournament and the 2010 NCAA Final Four. Indianapolis hosts the Big Ten Tourney every year and the NCAA Final Four every four years. Lucky for me this will be the second time I get to experience them both since coming to Indianapolis back in 2005. And did I mention that Indiana has two teams (Butler University and Purdue University) ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25? It doesn't get much better than that.

But the games themselves aren’t the only thing taking place in the coming month. There will be plenty of cool stuff to partake in before and after everything is all said and done. If you’re planning on coming into town for the Big Ten Tournament then you won’t want to miss out on the 2010 Big Ten Hoops Day 5K in downtown Indianapolis. This will take place on March 14th which is the morning of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Championship. And you can run it or walk it, it doesn't matter because this 5K is just a like a huge tailgate party with music, school spirit, and fans having fun. You can warm up and shoot some hoops in front of Conseco Fieldhouse before the race starts and then check out everything there is to do as you move through downtown Indianapolis.

Preregistration is only $20 and the first 1,200 fans will receive an Under Armour long sleeve, event t-shirt. You can register for the event by clicking here. And make sure you sign up sooner than later before all of the shirts are gone (these shirts cost more than the registration itself) and you’re kicking yourself for dropping the ball.

Stay tuned because over the next month I will have plenty of info on where to stay, what to do, what to eat, and where to go. 

Looking for something out of the ordinary to do this weekend? Want to rub elbows with the rich and famous as well as the soon to be rich and famous? Well, in case you didn’t know the 2010 NFL Combine is coming to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis later this week. And you can bet your butt that all of the coaches, management, agents and players themselves will be out on the town ready to schmooze it up. Want to schmooze with them? Trust me, you can. Last year my buddies went out in downtown Indianapolis during the combine and they got a chance to see and chat with Rex Ryan (coach of the NY Jets), Drew Brees (Super Bowl MVP), and Tom Condon (represents Peyton Manning and was named most powerful NFL agent by Sporting News). I thought that might get your attention.

Now it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out where these guys will be heading, and I have but one word for you...steakhouse. The combine only happens once a year so these guys be living it up. My friends struck it rich last year at Indianapolis’ most well known steakhouse, St. Elmo. If you have never been here then now is as good of a time as any. They have some of the best steak I have ever eaten and famous shrimp cocktail that is the size of your head. I’m not even kidding.

Other great places to check out are Morton’s, Mo’s, Ruth’s Chris and Shula’s. But look on the bright side, if for some reason you don’t see the people you were hoping to see…at least you ate some of the best steaks Indianapolis has to offer. That’s something I could live with.

Oh, and if you see Rex tell em' Jason and Drew say hello.

Last night I fell in love. Seriously, I’m not kidding. It might have been a restaurant but I still fell in love. A few good friends and I went to a newer restaurant we had been hearing so much about called Pizzology. Just as the name suggests their specialty is pizza. And judging by the size of the crowd on a Thursday night it seemed to me that this place had already made a name for itself. Since we had to wait about 15 minutes before we were seated I moseyed on over to the bar to check out their beer list. Did I mention it’s a pub too? I love to try new things, especially new beers. They had a selection that didn’t disappoint. Some I’ve never heard of and some you can’t get everywhere. Pizzology was off to a great start and I hadn’t even been seated yet.





























It only got better. My "pizza partner" and I teamed up and ordered the “Olive and Onion” pizza. And for a couple extra bucks we added fresh fennel sausage. What can I say? I’m a carnivore at heart. The pizza didn’t disappoint. I would have to call it a tie between Pizzology and Giordano’s for my favorite pizza of all time. Two totally different styles, but equally delicious. All of that pizza and beer put me into one helluva food coma. That's how I know it was a successful evening. And I’m pretty sure we were the last one’s to leave the restaurant so this is my apology to their staff that we kept waiting. Although, I don’t think they seemed to mind.

Earlier this week I had the privilege of attending the VIP grand opening for the new Buffalo Wings and Rings in downtown Indianapolis. As if Indy didn’t already have a plethora of sports bars and restaurants, it just added another one to its arsenal. What really got me pumped about this place were the flat screen TVs at all of the booths. Every man’s dream, right? They have everything you could ask for from a sports bar: an insane amount of TVs, plenty of good beer (duh), awesome food, and a great location to go along with it all. They’re located less than three blocks from both Lucas Oil Stadium and Victory Field, which makes BWR a perfect place to stop before or after the game. And you know how some sports bars can be really dark or always have the lights dimmed? Not here. You can actually see what you’re eating and who you’re talking to. Sorry, that's a pet peeve of mine. But moving right along...

If you decide to check it out I recommend the Buffalo Chicken Wrap with the onion rings. I figured since the place has “wings and rings” in its name it might be a good idea to actually try them. Good call by me. All of it was amazing.

Buffalo Wings and Rings got its start in Cincinnati, OH (Holler!) in 1988. And 20 years later it was rated the #1 fasted growing restaurant chain nationwide by Restaurant Business. What that means to me is that they must be doing something right. Wouldn’t you say?

One of my favorite aspects of visiting other cities is checking out all of the eateries that can't be found by searching the internet. I think the same is true for most people when traveling. They want to go to a place where they can experience something unique to that city. If you come to Indianapolis and want to get a Big Mac for dinner then that’s your decision, even though it’s pretty freaking lame. If you’re visiting Indianapolis, I suggest you check out Ripple Bagel Deli in Broad Ripple Village. Its menu is a bit overwhelming, but order the Big N or the Weekapaug and I guarantee you'll be satisfied. 

Originating on the campus of Miami University in Oxford, OH (not far from where I come from…holler!) Bagel Deli has been a long standing establishment there for well over two decades. What makes Ripple Bagel Deli special is that all of its sandwiches are steamed.

Have you ever had a steamed sandwich? I didn’t think so.

My favorite part about this little shop is that it's open late on the weekends. See where I'm going with this? It’s the perfect place for young twenty something’s (like myself) to finish off a night of drinking in B-Rip. (Just ask Miss Indy Under 30. I'm sure she can tell you a little bit about midnight Bagel Deli escapades.) There’s just something pretty satisfying about fourth meals, especially if it's a warm, juicy, steamed bagel sandwich. Don’t believe me? Just try it for yourself. And if you go there on a busy bar night, it's quite the hotspot for people watching too. Dinner AND a show? Done and done.

Ripple Bagel Deli is located at 850 Broad Ripple Ave. It's the bright turquoise building with a huge bagel on the roof. Pretty inconspicuous, right?

I haven’t written about the Broad Ripple scene in a while so figured I would give some love to my favorite bar on the "strip."

There are so many reasons why I will have an endless loyalty to Broad Ripple Tavern. For those of you who have never been to the bars in Broad Ripple, you're missing out. It has a wide variety of bars and clubs that will suit just about anyone. You have your "clubs" where you can dance and get crazy. Then you have your "chill bars" where you can just relax and have a few drinks. (At these spots outrageous behavior would be frowned upon, plus people would probably just stare at you.)

But Broad Ripple Tavern allows a little bit of both. You can go there and just take it easy OR after you’ve had a few too many beers, act a bit absurd. Either way you are bound to have a good time.

They always have great drink specials, the food is great, there are plenty of flat screen TVs, the bartenders are friendly as can be and people who frequent it are always having a good time. So if you are new to the Broad Ripple area and don’t know where to go, the Broad Ripple Tavern is a great choice.

Broad Ripple Tavern is located at 745 Broad Ripple Ave right in the middle of all the action.

If you asked me to describe Spanish cuisine to you I wouldn’t know where to begin. I've never been to Spain, but that didn’t stop me from going BARcelona Tapas with a great group of friends over the weekend. I always tell people I will try anything once, when it comes to food that is. So I was definitely excited to try something new. As soon as you walk in you are immediately immersed in the Spanish culture. And the authentic Spanish décor gives your body a warm feeling as soon as you sit down (which was great because it was 20 degrees and snowing outside). 

BARcelona Tapas is like the name suggests, a tapas style restaurant. That means they don’t deliver all of the food at once like a traditional restaurant, but instead the food is prepared to order and brought to the table a few plates at a time. They do this to encourage lots of good conversation, sharing and yes, drinking. Tapas in Spain are always accompanied by wine. The wine is supposed to act as the medium that holds the conversation, the friends and the food together.

Now that you know a little more about the restaurant let’s move on to my favorite part of the evening, the food. My partner and I (my eating partner) had some great food. My favorites were the baked goat cheese in tomato sauce with garlic bread, the sautéed garlic shrimp, and the grilled asparagus. No matter what you get at a place like this it’s going to be delicious. And make sure you get the sangria. It won't disappoint.

BARcelona Tapas is located at 201 N Delaware St. in downtown Indianapolis. You can head to its web site to make reservations or check out its menu.

If you don’t win the Powerball this Saturday (an estimated $140 million) and still want to bring home some cash then you might want to head out to Hoosier Park Racing and Casino on Super Bowl Sunday. During the Colts game on Sunday they will be raffling off $500 every 15 minutes. Imagine the feeling you will have after the Colts bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Indianapolis and you are coming home $500 richer. Doesn’t sound like a bad time to me. And even if you don’t win one of the $500 drawings it doesn’t mean you can’t bring home some dough from some of their 2,000 slots and e-table games.

Aside from gambling, Hoosier Park Racing and Casino has nine restaurants and lounges including a first-class steakhouse and expansive buffet. They have plenty of high-definition TVs so you won’t miss a minute of the big game. And not to mention you will be kicking back and enjoying some ice cold beverages while you watch and play to win.

Hoosier Park is just minutes north of Indianapolis off of I-69 at 4500 Dan Patch Circle in Anderson. They are Indiana’s first-ever, one-stop destination for gaming, racing, dining, and entertainment.

If there is one place in Indianapolis that offers you a truly die hard Colts experience 365 days a year it is the Blue Crew Sports Grill. They take Colts football serious and as soon as you walk in you will know why. They have memorabilia covering their walls with pictures, jerseys and horseshoes everywhere you look. Not to mention they have a Mack fire truck in the parking lot that is decked out in blue and white.

This Super Bowl weekend they will be celebrating in style like only die hard Colts fans can. On Saturday they will have a huge tent outside with music from the Daniel Joseph Band from 2-5 p.m. The tent holds up to 600 people; it will have tables, televisions, and my favorite…a draft beer truck parked right next to it. There will also be plenty drink specials as well as some pretty cool prize giveaways for those in attendance.

Blue Crew Sports Grill is located at 7035 East 96th Street on Indy’s north side. Having the Colts represent our city in the Super Bowl isn’t an everyday occurrence. So if you want to want to have a Super Bowl experience that you will never forget I suggest checking it out. It's a smoke free environment so feel free to bring the whole family and the kids because Colts fans of all ages will appreciate this shrine to Indianapolis football.

Planning a Super Bowl party is something most men take a lot of pride in. It's important they have the best beer, the best food, and the biggest TV. Call it an ego booster, but to us it's one of the few chances we get to impress guests. Standard light beer can usually get the job done but when it comes to meat there's no room to slack. The difference between frozen and fresh meat is undeniably a pivotal choice when hosting. So let me share with you a certain place in Indianapolis that will elevate you above your competitors in terms of food. That place is Claus’s German Sausage and Meats. Starting today (Wednesday) at 3 p.m. they will be selling “Colts Blue” brats until 3 p.m. on Saturday. They are $4.55 per pound, the same price as their traditional white brats.

Claus’ German Sausage and Meats is located on the south end of Fountain Square at 1845 South Shelby Street, only two miles from downtown Indianapolis. And if brats aren’t your cup of tea then don’t worry because they have plenty of other options. Claus’ specializes in beef, pork, veal & lamb products, homemade German sausage, lunch meat, and fresh & smoked meats. They also cure and smoke their own meat. You can't say that about many places.

So if you’re looking to wow your guests this Super Bowl Sunday then you’re going to need some top notch food. And nothing will impress them like quality meat from a trusted Indianapolis meat shop. Especially one that bleeds blue.

Can’t make it to Miami for the Super Bowl this Sunday? Yeah, me neither. But have no fear because there are plenty of places in Indianapolis where you can cheer for the Colts while getting your eat and drink on for the big game.

Scotty’s Brewhouse will be partying all day long come Super Bowl Sunday. They will have $10 60oz blue Coors Light pitchers, $10 all-you-can-eat wings, and autographed Indianapolis Colts apparel giveaways! They have two Indianapolis locations, downtown on Virginia and one on the north side at 96th St. Scotty’s has quickly become a popular spot here in Indianapolis and is embraced by many of the city’s locals. From supporting local breweries to all of our city’s sports teams, Scotty’s Brewhouse has become one of Indy’s biggest fans.

So let's recap:
What: Super Bowl
Where: Scotty’s Brewhouse
When: Super Bowl Sunday
What: $10 60oz blue Coors Light pitchers and $10 all-you-can-eat wings plus special Colts giveaways.

Check back in the rest of the week to see other recommendations for good times and good deals on Super Bowl Sunday.

I’m not hard to please when it comes to food, nor am I picky about what I eat. Thus, I don’t eat at nice restaurants very often. But recently I ate at one of the best seafood restaurants I think I have ever been to. I went to The Oceanaire Seafood Room in downtown Indianapolis. Easily the swankiest place I have been in years. Aside from the good food, the restaurant itself is an experience. From the charming waiters and waitresses to the classy atmosphere, they have everything you would want in a fine dining experience. The waiter encouraged me to get the Panamanian Mahi-Mahi Oscar and I am glad he did. I will swear by that stuff. But at a restaurant like this no matter what you get it's going to be delicious. Plus, you can’t help but feel as though you're rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. And since I’m not the least bit rich nor am I even close to being famous it was a great feeling to say the least.

And fellas, don't forget Valentine’s Day is coming up VERY soon. The Oceanaire is the perfect place to take your date. So if you want to impress your lady then make reservations for this place before they are all filled up. It will be a decision you (and she) won’t regret. It won’t be cheap, but for food like this, what do you expect? So don’t be a cheapskate and take her somewhere nice. She’s worth it.  You can check out their Valentine’s Day menu to see what they will be having.

So for the past couple of months we've had the privilege of hosting some rather impressive football games at Lucas Oil Stadium. Even though the Colts won't be showing off yet another victory on the home turf this weekend (they're saving that for Miami), there is still something worth checking out at LOS. This Saturday evening the Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam will be heading to Lucas Oil Stadium. What is that you might ask? It’s a monster truck rally, duh. And it’s your weekend dose of manliness.

This year local favorites Tom Meents and Maximum Destruction will be taking on the infamous Grave Digger. Some of the other trucks include Superman, Blue Thunder, El Toro Loco, Bounty Hunter, an Escalade and plenty more exciting stuff. Don't miss the best monster trucks in the world showcase racing and phenomenal freestyle competition. The event starts at 7 p.m. but the Built Ford Tough Party in the Pits is from 2-5 p.m. You can buy tickets online or you can get them at the gate. Prices range from $15 to $125 and pit passes cost $10 but don’t wait until you get there because last year the tickets sold out in advance.

This past weekend some of my friends and I ventured into downtown Indianapolis the night before the big AFC Championship game between the Colts and the New York Jets. We headed down there for two reasons, A.) We wanted to partake in all of the excitement and banter going on between both cities' fans and B.) It was my friend Doug’s 23rd birthday. And downtown was packed! There was a great showing from Colts fans but seeing all of the New York fans made me feel like I was in the middle of a Jersey Shore Reunion. What up Snooki? Let’s just say the Jets fans lived up to every stereotype I could think of. Very entertaining as I’m sure you can imagine.

The birthday entourage laid claim to Kilroy’s Bar and Grill and we stayed there for the majority of the night. This was my first time going to Kilroy’s, a place I have heard so much about, especially from those who frequent their Bloomington location near the Indiana University campus. The place was awesome. Now I know why everyone loves it so much. Not to mention the place is huge…this coming from a guy who frequents the bars in Broad Ripple. (I love B-Rip, but they just aren’t that big.) It was nice to be in such a big place and see so many people having a great time. And for a downtown bar, drinks weren't all that expensive. So of course, I loved it.

It turned out to be a very successful birthday night for my friend Doug and a successful weekend for the city of Indianapolis as our Colts drilled the New York Jets and clinched a Super Bowl berth. Hopefully in two weeks I will be writing about the celebration in downtown Indianapolis after the Colts get another Super Bowl victory under their belts.

In my opinion a bar is a bar. There isn’t much they can do to differentiate themselves besides good music or drink specials. But in Broad Ripple (Indianapolis’ Disneyland of bars) there is one bar, or should I say pub, that stands out. That place is Union Jack Pub. Not really a place where I would go to party hard but more of a place where I would go to watch a game or enjoy some good food and beer. The beer selection is amazing and abundant.  They carry stuff from all around the world. There are too many beers to name, but go to their web site and scroll to the very bottom and you can see a list of everything that they have.

Recommendations? Well, my "go to" at Union Jack includes an order of their fish and chips along with a few Warsteiners. Nothing beats it. Throw in some football (or futbol) and I am in heaven. It wouldn’t be a true English pub if they didn’t carry all of the international soccer channels. So if you’re jonesin’ for some soccer then they can certainly help you get your fix.


Bars and restaurants come and go in the Broad Ripple area but Union Jack has stood the test of time. They been here for over 30 years which means they must be doing something right.

It’s that time of year again and everyone is putting their New Year’s resolution into action. This year my resolution was to not have a resolution. Weird, I know. Instead I am just trying to be healthier for my own well-being not just because it’s a new year. I’m not trying to knock resolutions but mine have never worked in the past so I decided I would try something different. But if resolutions are your thing and this year you want to get in shape then you are in luck because Indianapolis has fitness centers all over the city. Two fitness clubs that my friends belong to and love are LA Fitness (seven Indianapolis locations) and Cardinal Fitness (16 Indianapolis locations) and they have tons of good deals going on for first time members. You can check their web sites for all of the locations and pricing options but your best bet is to join sooner than later before all of the year’s initial deals are done and you lose that motivation.

Why don't I join a gym you might ask? Well, I'm trying to get in shape on my own by way of P90-X and by “trying” that means I have done one session and I already feel like I got hit by a truck. So wish me luck because I am going to need it to stick with this routine.

I would love to hear about how you stay fit in Indy so feel free to post a comment or let me know what your resolution is and what you’ve done to make it work.

Don’t have tickets to Colts game on Saturday? Yeah, me either. BUT, if you are still in the mood for heading downtown and want to catch a game the Pacers are taking on the New Orleans Hornets at Conseco Fieldhouse. Start time for the game is 6 pm so by the time the game is over you just might be able to catch the kickoff. Which means you will be able to check it out at one of the bars in downtown Indy.


Not a bad idea if you ask me. Going to see a Pacers game and then partaking in the celebration after a Colts victory…sounds like a good call. Some places I would recommend are Kilroy's, Cadillac Ranch, or Hooters. There are too many to name so here are some more. 

You can get tickets to the Pacers game on their web site or go to TicketMaster.com.

We are only two days away from the big Colts game here in Indianapolis. But there are some exciting things going on before then. Mayor Ballard has declared this Friday “Playoff Blue Friday” here in the Circle City. So all of you Colts fans out there need to make sure you represent and wear your jersey or something blue tomorrow. But even better news is that Circle Centre Mall will be hosting the Bud Light Tailgate Tested, Tailgate Approved event with lots of great stuff to see and do.

The highlights of the event include live music from Dave and Rae, appearances from alumni Colts players, Colts Cheerleaders, the chance to win Colts Prizes, free giveaways, and a chance to donate to the United Way of Central Indiana. The Indianapolis Colts are asking every fan to “Help a Hoosier” so make sure you get down there to enjoy the fun and give a little back to those Hoosiers in need.

It will take place from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm tomorrow. So if you’re working in downtown Indy stop in on your lunch break. And if you aren’t then make it your priority to be there. That is if you call yourself a Colts fan…

Playoff Blue Friday
Circle Centre Mall
3rd Floor Food Court
49 West Maryland Street
Indianapolis, IN  46204