Yes…I am a fan of the band The Last Good Year. I was introduced to them from my DoItIndy co-host Tolin about a year and a half ago – they are now on my iPod. For sure. The band has been in the studio recording a new album which will be out soon. Rad.
Please click on this link to check out my blog over on www.doitindy.com
Enjoy our video from their LIVE recording show
Filed under Indianapolis, Cool Stuff To Do, Downtown, Music, Media
As anyone who is from the Indianapolis area knows, the city just hosted Super Bowl XLVI to much fanfare. The event went off without any major incidents and was a fantastic success. Way to go Indianapolis!
One of my professors at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) called me a few weeks before the big game and asked if I would be interested in volunteering for a special assignment during the Super Bowl. Heck yeah I was up for whatever?! My mind raced as to what it was and I finally found it would be assisting local civil service with the media in case of an emergency. I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the Joint Information Command Center for several days alongside members of police, fire, homeland security & more.
It was amazing to see how well organized the different entities were and how they all came together to help the city for a common cause. I cannot get into any details as to where the JICC was located or what it looked like unfortunately due to security. BUT…it was very impressive. In the case that an emergency would have happened, all information that would go out to the world would have been coordinated through the JICC by members of civil service. The operation was really amazing and efficient.
I learned some new skills and it was interesting to talk with other people when I was working to see how they were connected and dealt with the media. I am glad in the end that nothing happened to the city and game. Way to go Super Bowl 46! Working the JICC alongside my duties with DoItIndy (www.doitindy.com) made for a very interesting and no-sleep week. I will never forget how cool it was to be a part of history in Indianapolis.
I’m already looking forward to the next time we get to host a Super Bowl.
Filed under Downtown, Indianapolis, Media, Technology
I got to see the Jimmy Fallon show at the Hilbert Circle Theatre on Monument Circle on Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012. SO GOOD! My friend Becca got tickets to the show and I was privileged enough to go along. I was excited to see the show, but it was AMAZING. The live taping absolutely surpassed all my expectations.
Jimmy Fallon has been seen around town the last few days and he delivered in his first show at the theatre – he commented on how his usual audience is very small compared to the size of the Hilbert Circle. That made the crowd go wild!
It was cool to see Neon Deon Sanders, Tracy Morgan was wild, and Tim Tebow is really a class act guy. I was impressed with the way he handled himself and jabbed back with Jimmy. THEN…Tim signed a jersey that he shot into the crowd with a t-shirt gun. The JERSEY WAS FIVE FEET FROM ME!!!! I couldn’t go crazy and fly over people to get the jersey – I thought about it for a second. But, it was really cool to be see if fly by my eyes. I really wish I had that jersey now. 
Great interview from The Boston Globe with Jimmy after he finished taping some bits at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Thanks for the experience. I know that the city of Indianapolis was very happy to have you with us in the city. I can’t wait for the Super Bowl to come back to the city?!
Filed under Cool Stuff To Do, Downtown, Indianapolis, Live Shows
Today is Media Day for Super Bowl 46 and the buzz is LOUD and clear for the city of Indianapolis. You are doing a great job hosting the Super Bowl XLVI festivities.
One of the goals for this year’s Super Bowl and the Indianapolis host committee was to be connected. And…connected they are with tweets, FB, videos, the #Social46 group and more! Kudos on getting the word out, keeping people informed and running a smooth sailing ship.
The host committee developed a mobile apps that is one of the best I have ever seen! The app features a daily schedule, 3D map of the downtown Indianapolis area, traffic routes and suggestion on where to dine and shop in urban Indianapolis! Fantastic. The App is available for iPhone, Android and iPad. I have the app on my iPad and play with it every day. It helps me see the schedule and plan where I will go and what I will do. PLUS…If you are an AT&T customer, they are giving out FREE wifi to people who use their service. Too bad I’m on Sprint and I have a BlackBerry. Not easy to do social media with…I can’t wait to upgrade!!:?!.*$
CLICK HERE – to view my two minute video on how to use the Super Bowl XLVI App
Proud member of the Indianapolis Super Bowl host committee’s Social 46 team!
Filed under Cool Stuff To Do, Downtown, Indianapolis, Sports, Technology
Yesterday I noticed that Circle City Pedicabs was out on the street, I had to do a quick video. AJ was kind enough to take myself and Tiffany Benedict Berkson from Historic Indianapolis on a ride (Monument Circle to The Huddle in Super Bowl Village). We had a great time! The Pedicab had a blanket and it helped to take a load off my feet for a few minutes. Definitely worth a $15 for a neat experience and some relaxation. If you are local or in town for the Super Bowl…these guys are the real deal.
If you need help, call AJ at 317-236-9957. | www.circlecitypedicabs.com
Filed under Cool Stuff To Do, Downtown, General, Indianapolis
Wow. Three days ago I walked into Super Bowl Village and was just awestruck. Georgia Street, the Indiana Convention Center, The Huddle, Monument Circle were all amazing. Completely fantastic.
The city, Super Bowl Host Committee, Volunteers, workers, law enforcement and more welcomed the world to the doorsteps of Indianapolis. You did a fantastic job. For the last couple of days, I took a series of short, uncut, raw videos from my FLIPcam that the cool dudes at Candidio gave me. Some of the coolest things I found along the way. Enjoy Indianapolis. Enjoy world.
Let us know how you will DoItIndy at Super Bowl 46!
1. Great fireworks/pyrotechnics show every night in the Village – 9:15pm
2. I got to talk to the Colts SuperFan! This guy is amazing and he truly does love our hometown heroes – the Indianapolis Colts!
3. The magicians from IndyFringe that entertain people in Super Bowl Village.
4. The NFL shop is the BEST store ever for a football fan. Enjoy!
5. Monument Circle – Every night the XLVI boards give you a Super Bowl show!
6. Warmth along Super Bowl Village
Don’t forget to follow DoItIndy and our Super Bowl 46 coverage at www.doitindy.com/superbowl46
Filed under Cool Stuff To Do, Downtown, Indianapolis, Sports, Technology
DoItIndy (www.doitindy.com) was recently recognized as one of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee’s Social 46 group. What is the Social 46? It is a group of communications & social media minded people that were selected to represent the city and state of Indiana. The members were chosen via their Klout score (www.klout.com) which measures social media influence across the web. The group consists of social media professionals, PR professionals, Blue 2 from Butler, Indiana radio and television personalities, bloggers and more! What an incredible group of people to be associated with…and to work on such a cool project together!
It is amazing after only two days to see how the group of #Social46 has come together. We are already having open dialogue on how/when/what outlet to promote, what to cover now and who will be doing what during Super Bowl week to coordinate our efforts. These individuals truly love our city, social media and understand the impact that we have on the world leading up to Super Bowl XLVI! Again…I can’t wait to work more hand-in-hand with others in the Social 46 group from Super Bowl Village. Did I mention that I’m kinda excited for the Super Bowl?!
DoItIndy will bring you daily updates from Super Bowl Village, The Huddle, The NFL Experience and more in downtown Indianapolis. If you live in the city, we can tell you what you need to know! It is gonna be a wild ride, but I know that the people of Indianapolis will do the world proud. Let’s have a great Super Bowl!
DoItIndy Super Bowl XLVI page (Updates from Super Bowl village)
Filed under Cool Stuff To Do, Indianapolis
The Indianapolis based rock group, Borrow Tomorrow has a new full-length album out for the public. Too Far to Feel. We recently featured them in our DoItIndy Top 5 Urban Events of the Week!
Click Here to read Big Ben’s DoItIndy blog
Filed under DoItIndy Top 5 Lists, Indianapolis, Music
This device makes my work and productivity SO much easier. I never thought I would use it as much as I do.
I have had a friend tell me for years when I finally go with an Apple product (other than my 80GB iPod classic) that I will never want to go with a PC product again. My friend Jason might have been right on. My dad was recently going on about the iPad and he wanted to check them out. We went to the Apple Store in Keystone on December 18th for him to make his purchase – I was just along for moral support. As my dad kept talking with the salesman about the iPad and all the cool stuff it had – my uber geek fanboy mind started racing. I want an iPad!!!
So…after some thought and a very nice zero percent financing for one year – I purchased my first BIG apple product. Wow. Rad. Amazing. Unreal. Can I tell you that it has really almost changed my life?! I love it. I use it everyday. I want to get an iPhone now (well I already wanted that, but more now). I have a small Dell netbook that used to go everywhere with me, no longer! My iPad makes the netbook seem bulky, slow and not good enough anymore for a presentation on the go. This device is so streamline, small and can connect very easily to the internet.
I’m already using this for grad school, the calendar, presentations, watch movies , check-in on Foursquare and SO much more. Thank you Apple. My next step will be to get an iPhone when my cell contract is up. I can’t wait. I’ve been done with my Blackberry since about one month after I got it. Jason People if you read this…my next computer will be an Apple.
My favorite features: FACETIME (This is SO much better than Skype), two sides camera, fast dual core processor, magnetic cover.
Filed under General, Technology
This is one of my favorite times of the year – Devour Downtown. The local restaurant showcase happens every summer and winter to give Indianapolis a flavor of the best food in the urban city.
$30 gets you a GREAT meal at some of the best restaurants in Indianapolis. Even better – a few are 2 for $30 and available at lunch! DoItIndy is a proud sponsor for the second time of Devour Downtown Indianapolis! Doesn’t get any better than this…
www.DevourDowntown.org
Director KC and I ate some wonderful food from The Oceanaire last August.
I recently had the opportunity to be a judge of the Devour Downtown Signature Drink competition. Awesome. This was my second time to help choose what fine beverage you can try at every DD restaurant! Who wouldn’t want to do this, right? It was fun to try some fantastic mixes that the local bartenders came up with! Many thanks to Grey Goose Vodka, 1800 Tequilla and Canadian Club Whiskey for being the gracious drink sponsors this winter. All the drinks were comprised of one of the three spirits along with mixers. The final result=they all were delicious.
I don’t want to give away the winner just yet! But…my favorite is a very smooth Grey Goose drink that is PERFECT for the wintertime. I’m going to have another for sure.
Cameraman KC’s pictures of the event: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.206795309403533.50608.131119996971065&type=1
Nothing but the best for the Signature Drink of Devour Downtown Winter 2012!
Devour Downtown gives me the opportunity to visit some of the best restaurants that urban Indy has to offer (I normally would never be able to afford some of these too)! My list to date includes: Morton’s, Fogo de Chao, Palomino, 14 West, Smokehouse on Shelby, St. Elmo, The Oceanaire, Creation Cafe and Scotty’s Brewhouse. I’m already excited to try some new editions for this go-around! Remember – every winter and summer this culinary treat is around for two weeks. Here is a link to the Devour Downtown Winterfest 2012 menus: www.devourdowntown.org/winterfest/index.htm
Thanks again to Devour Downtown and National Wine & Spirits for the great competition.
Eat Up Indy! Be urban. Have fun…try something new. $30=a great time in the city. I guarantee you’ll eat well Indianapolis!
DoItIndy videos from Devour Downtown Summer 2011:
Smokehouse on Shelby in Fountain Square
Oceanaire seafood room downtown
Palomino downtown
Filed under Cool Stuff To Do, DoItIndy Top 5 Lists, Food, Indianapolis
