Two of my favorite things: GOOD jazz music and a shrimp boil. When I recently received an email talking about how the two were going to be paired up at The Jazz Kitchen, I was very excited! The Jazz Kitchen will be offering a New Orleans Night every Tuesday in Broad Ripple. Awesomeness.

Smooth jazz music on their patio paired along with a special shrimp boil (Shrimp, Sausage, Potatoes, and Indiana Sweet Corn) and $4 Sun King cans is perfect. My mouth waters as I write this blog.

The atmosphere was amazing as I devoured some great food, sipped on a Sun King beer (Cream Ale) and listened to music from The Red Hot Whiskey Sippers. This event will take place weekly through the summer on the patio. Perfect place for a nice date or relaxed evening with friends and family. If you want something different and cool to do – this is it! Be Urban.

For more information please visit www.thejazzkitchen.com or you can find them on Facebook and Twitter @thejazzkitchen.

My personal Foursquare page – Foursquare.com/benrisinger

Click Here to read my blog from the Somnium Media website

Big Ben and Tolin talk ghosts at Si Greene’s Pub

A few months later the investigation got picked up by the television show My Ghost Story and before you knew it, we were going to be featured. I flew out to California with Jerry Maple (co-owner of Si Greene’s Pub) and we did our interviews on the chair (part you see where we have this spooky looking background and are talking). Then, the show flew a cameraman out to shoot video at the bar and get general shots and some reenactment scenes with all who were involved that night. The night vision footage you see is real from that night…and very spooky. I do believe that Si Greene’s Pub is “haunted” and has spirits that live or reside there. I’m not scared and will still go back as we love our neighborhood watering hole!

A couple of weeks ago our segment aired on the Biography channel. A link to the show is below – we are the first segment up.

So what do you think Indianapolis?

Paranormal 911 Investigations website  |  DoItIndy website

I am very proud to announce that I have started a new media and communications company in the Indianapolis area with two partners! I am now a Principal at Somnium Media along with Stephanie Eppich Daily and Susan Decker. We offer public relations, social media, writing and more. Somnium in Latin means “the dream.”

Call us today at 317.643.0099 if we can help you!

@SomniumMedia  |  Facebook  |  Google +

Please click the link below to read my first blog on the Somnium Media website. Thanks!

http://www.somniummedia.com/somnium-media-came-to-be/

I really love dogs – I grew up with a dog and now I have my own beautiful girl, Nala. Last year we covered Mutt Strut with DoItIndy and walked Nala on the track of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Had a fun time.

SO…DoItIndy partnered with the humane society to give something back to YOU in 2012! We are now a proud sponsor of the event that gives back to the doggies in Indy – Mutt Strut!

If you register now through April 19th and use the promo code “DoItIndy2012″ you will receive $5 off registration! WooHoo! That is a good deal.

Please follow the link below to go to www.DoItIndy.com for more information and to learn how to register!

http://doitindy.com/2012/04/10/proud-sponsor-of-mutt-strut-2012/

I had to include Nala. She is excited for this year's Mutt Strut!

Indiana Artisan is just that – the best that Indiana has to offer. From their website (www.indianaartisan.org), “This collaborative organization brings together Indiana’s talented Artisans’ one-of-a-kind art and food creations – in stores and on trails crisscrossing the state. Their select work enriches the lives of Hoosiers and visitors.“

I think that says it all. For sure.

This weekend at the Expo Hall at the Indiana State Fairgrounds you will be able to buy art, food and drink from the best of the best. The 2nd Indiana Artisan Marketplace made the DoItIndy Top 5 urban events of the week – check out our video here (www.youtube.com/doitindy). Support local, especially in today’s day and age. Have fun and get your dose of the best of Indiana.

For more information and Artisan who will be on hand for the event click here http://indianaartisan.org/news_releases.php?nID=3

DoItIndy lost some of our best event videos which really hit us hard as a group. We are trying to get them back and hope that a good resolution comes from that soon. We will continue to keep it urban and give you the best that Indianapolis has to offer. THEN…

I took my first real vacation in a few years a couple of weeks ago which I had been planning for over six months. I went to see the band 311 play at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and it was AWESOME! Fantastic music and a great time with my buddy Jason as we met new and cool 311 fans from across the country.

We have a Facebook page and Twitter handle @excitableones for all you social media fans in cyberspace. Las Vegas was fun, how can you not have fun in Vegas right?. I made a few bucks playing blackjack and then gave them back which was ok with me. I had my small limit to gamble with and I stayed right within that limit.

What a great seven days out West and then it was back to reality…and reality hit. My sister-in-law Tami (Steve’s wife) was diagnosed with colon cancer and she has now been through surgery to remove the tumor. The tumor is removed, she is home resting and will have to go through some chemo therapy. I’m very grateful she is better now.

My other sister-in-law Meghan had a baby with my little brother Nick which is WONDERFUL! But, when little Ivan came out he had to be rushed to Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital from Anderson because he needed some extra help. The boy is much better now which is good – I’m a very proud uncle for sure. Finally we had another big event happen which I can’t say much about…but that is getting better too.  Life happens.

My first real personal blog on www.benrisinger.com and I guess it is cool. I have been a little more out there with my personal life lately on social media than what I normally share. Sometimes life hands you those times when you need to share a little bit more. I have something else that is in the works – something really cool and big. Coming soon.

Go March!

p.s. I FINALLY purchased my first iPhone. I’m learning. It’s awesome.

My interviews of the writer/director Adam Newell and Andy Maraldo (Lonnie Dean) at www.doitindy.com‘s blog!

CLICK HERE to view my Video Stop blog from DoItIndy

Great laughs, good story, and lots of Indianapolis in the movie "Video Stop"

Please click on this link to check out my blog over on www.doitindy.com

www.thelastgoodyear.com

Enjoy our video from their LIVE recording show

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.