Racing scoots on the MotoGP track at IMS – Gasoline Rally 4

Ready to hit the road
Wearing my mustache in support of Gasoline Rally at Fox 59 on Saturday morning

Scooters rock. People kind of giggle and think whatever when I say that, but it is absolutely 100% true. There is a culture of people in Indianapolis that take scooters very seriously, are legal to ride, and have well planned out rides once a week. Black Market Scooter Club is awesome and the best thing that they do each year…have a rally. Last weekend I took past in my second Gasoline Rally (Gasoline Rally 4 – We Rally Long Time) and was blown away. I didn’t have a scooter to ride on Friday morning and a very nice man by the name of Art (75 years old too) let me borrow his vintage Honda Elite 150. Awesome. Art’s son Steve actually told me in the beginning, “let me see what I can do for you man.” Scooter people are good people.

This was the beast I rode on the track
Doesn't get any better than a big old vintage bike to ride the Indy Motor Speedway with.

On Saturday, another great friend Becca let me borrow her Yamaha Vino. A very cool and smooth ride that took me to the fun at Midwest Motorcycle Club. Fantastic. My rally was totally coming together.

The second scooter I borrowed to ride the rally
The Yamaha Vino was a fantastic ride...and she growls like a lion.

Last year we didn’t get to ride the most famous track in the world, the coveted Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This year we did. That ride was one of the coolest things I have ever done. How awesome is that?!?! The MotoGP track took you on the famous oval and around the entire IMS grounds with zigs and zags and a few 360 turns that made me yell out and scream like a kid. I will never forget that experience…thank you Gasoline Rally.

Saturday was great as I started the morning with a plug for the rally on Fox 59 during our weekly DoItIndy segment.  Lots of fun as I threw on the mustache bandanna to just be me and have a laugh. From there I drove the Vino down to the motorcycle club to help volunteer for the second day. On Friday I helped park scoots and help out wherever, on Saturday I kinda did the same thing to just help out. Always give back to organizations that do good for your community.  My dad told me that as a kid that you always have to help others. Enough ADHD writing. Scoot races, fun games, Mabel on the Move and Scratch food trucks, great drink and the best people. The night ended with a party at Radio Radio and LaRevolucion in Fountain Square. Scootin was good.

Finally, my video of the track ride is below. The wind, the sun, the perfect evening to ride your bike on the most famous racetrack in the world. You can’t hear my yells, screams and wooohooo’s as I ride the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

DoItIndy Top 5 video for Aug. 22-28, 2011: Scooters, Dig-In Indiana, Baseball, Motorcycles and Chinese Lanterns

I am very excited about our Top 5 list this week. Sometimes it is very hard to narrow down what the five events will be, but this week they kind of came to us. And…if you have not been to a show at Indy Fringe yet, this is the second and last week for the festival. Visit http://www.indyfringe.org for more information on the great art fest.

The Top 5 List…
5. The Moto GP is just cool. This is a new race to come to Indianapolis Motor Speedway just a few years ago. Along with the tradition of IRL and NASCAR there are events happening all weekend long. If you are at all interested in two wheeled fun, this is for you. www.motogp.com
4. Celebrating 125 Years of Baseball in Indianapolis. If you live in our city, you have to love the tribe. The Indy Indians have been with us  for so long, we would be incomplete without them. If you have never been to Victory Field, you must go. This is an art exhibit at the NAMOS exhibition on the IUPUI campus. What is cooler than looking at art of America’s Pasttime?  Great for all sports enthusiasts. NAMOS website at IUPUI
3. Gasoline Rally. I am a scooter rider. Scooters are absolutely awesome in my opinion and there isn’t a better time than NOW to scoot. Gas prices are way too high! Friday-Sunday you can go on scoots through the city with some of the professionals that Indianapolis has to offer. First, we get to ride our scoots on the MotoGP track (AWESOME!), second you get to hang out with all the motorcycles for Motorcycles on Meridian, third you get to meet some of the coolest and most down to earth people around. Too bad I sold my scooter earlier this year and have been off the road since. But, some of the cool scooter people have taken care of me and I will be borrowing a nice scoot for the Rally. Scootin is so much more than just fun…it becomes a lifestyle. www.gasolinerally.com

The orange bee was a Honda Elite SR50
The Orange Bee. I sold this scoot earlier this summer. Haven't been able to get a new scoot yet...boo.

2. Feast of Lanterns. This is one of my favorite festivals in the city every year.  On Saturday, August 27th you can visit Spades Park on the Eastside of the city for one of the most beautiful displays around. The entire park is lined with handmade/paper Chinese Lanterns. Food, music, community booths and the lanterns. Feast of Lanterns Facebook page

Lanterns lit up at night in Spades Park
I took this with my point and shoot camera a few years ago at the Feast of Lanterns.

1. 2nd Dig-In A Taste of Indiana. (Showcase of local Indiana food, beer and wine). 32 local chefs from around the state along with brewers and winemakers will descend upon White River State Park to showcase their products. Food will be in abundance and you are bound to find numerous dishes that will tempt your palate, along with some great drink! The bonus for me is that my guys from Fermenti Artisan will be on hand with their all natural and local food and drink. Chef Shua and Mark Cox are friends of mine, so I help assist them with their social media in exchange for food. Hey, I’m a broke graduate school student…it works. Check out the urban farm boys at http://www.facebook.com/fermentiartisan.
For more on Dig-In, vendors, directions and more visit www.digindiana.org

DoItIndy Top 5 video Aug 15-21, 2011 – sausage, fun, buying local, art and Indy Fringe!

Sometimes the events just come to us. I have spent hours before looking up events that I would deem “worthy” of being in our Top 5 list, this week they kind happened. Lots of great activities happening in urban Indianapolis this upcoming weekend with something for the entire family. We try to keep items in our lists each week that attract more than just people like us. Art, the media, sports, non-profits – we love it all. I’m especially excited for our No. 1 urban event this week, Indy Fringe. Watch the video for more on this fantastic two week festival that draws people from across the country.
And…this week we were going to film at the Indiana State Fair, but thought it wouldn’t be the best in light of the stage collapse. I would just like to say a big thanks to all of those who helped the night of the terrible event. I was following the Colts preseason game via the internet when I saw the first tweet come through my Tweetdeck.  I was stuck, my eyes couldn’t move from my screen. I couldn’t believe it, and as all the stories have unfolded over the past few days I just feel a loss for our city. Indianapolis is tough though…and our people are first class. My prayers still go out to all those affected by this tragedy.

Who loves BBQ…Big Ben sure does!

I recently had the honor to taste some of the most FANTASTIC BBQ I have ever tasted. Smokehouse on Shelby is a small, local bbq restaurant located in the historic Fountain Square Arts District (Fountain Square Theatre Building). The pulled pork was totally juicy, amazing and the bbq sauce is homemade and lip smacking good. I suggest the mild and hot sauce, they both made me happy. My second runner up was the beef brisket, followed by the bbq chicken and finally the bbq rubbed ribs.
AND…I can’t forget the fried biscuits with homemade apple butter. I ate six. Dang. Mouth watering goodness.
No matter when you come to check out this wonderful gem in Fountain Square, there is always TONS to do in the area. Music, nightlife, art, small local shops…you name it and Fountain Square has it. The new Cultural Trail is currently being constructed in the area (Summer 2011) and the businesses need your help more than ever! For some Indianapolis fun and culture, make a night out of the Smokehouse and then some Duckpin bowling!
Who loves BBQ…I do! Ummm….good!

Smokehouse on Shelby website:
http://www.fountainsquareindy.com/smokehouse/index.asp

Amazing meat - a must try!
The wonderful and amazing spread from Smokehouse on Shelby
Yummy.
Another shot of the food as I devoured into all the bbq from Smokehouse on Shelby!

DoItIndy Top 5 video Aug. 8-14, 2011

This week we had the chance to visit both Palomino and The Oceanaire Seafood Room to help promote Devour Downtown Summerfest 2011. I love this local event, I’m very happy to be a sponsor and help promote it. Thank you very much to both restaurants for hosting us and the wonderful food. Hey, it was lunchtime and we had to eat?! 🙂 This week’s list covers the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Kurt Vonnegut Library benefit concert, the Indiana State Fair, Radio Radio in Fountain Square, Drum Corps International Championships, and FOOD!

DoItIndy Sponsors Devour Downtown Summer 2011

Big Ben, Tolin and Director KC
Having a great time at Palomino for Devour Downtown Summer 2011

Since I moved back to Indianapolis in 2007, one of my favorite activities has been to eat during Devour Downtown. I’ve now visited Fogo de Chao, Morton’s, 14 West, Palomino, The Oceanaire Seafood Room and Smokehouse on Shelby. AWESOME! Usually, I would not have been able to dine at such exclusive, local restaurants because I simply couldn’t afford them. $30. How cool is it to get great food (3 courses) at 48 local restaurants for that price??!! Even better, all the restaurants are conveniently located with downtown Indianapolis. You can go from Meridian to Mass Ave. to Fountain Square to the canal…they have it all covered.
My show, DoItIndy, has been honored to be a sponsor of this wonderful event. Over the past two days, myself along with Tolin, Director KC and Susan Decker (Devour Downtown PR rep) have been eating our way to happiness. I’m a foodie, and this is the perfect foodie event.
Be on the look out over the next two weeks for interviews, food reviews and a Top 5 list LIVE from Palomino and the Oceanaire.

Link to the summer edition of Devour Downtown: www.devourdowntown.org/summer.html

DEVOUR DOWNTOWN SIGNATURE DRINK COMPETITION
(click link to see KC Goshert photography pictures)

Having a great time judging for Devour Downtown
The judges talk, drink and come up with a decision on the best drink Devour Downtown has to offer.

 

I was also very lucky to be a part of Devour Downtown’s signature drink competition. Many thanks again to Susan Decker for letting us be a part of this great event. Last Wednesday we converged on the Omni Hotel with bartenders from some of the BEST restaurants in Indianapolis. After sips of some fantastic beverages, winners were chosen for the Hendrick’s Gin, Grey Goose Vodka, and Knob Creek Whiskey categories. The Paradise Peach Froth was by far my overall favorite, it was the perfect summer drink in my opinion.

THE WINNERS:
Grey Goose: Peach Paradise Froth from Tavern on the South
Knob Creek Whiskey: Bitter Creek from The Elbow Room
Hendrick’s Gin: Scottish Right from Scotty’s Brewhouse

My first movie review

So a good friend of mine has a viral video entertainment show called Even More Useless Information, great name! 🙂 I love the content, I’m a fanboy, movie buff myself and just thought it would be cool to do over Skype. Yep…he was in Champaign, Illinois and I was here in Indianapolis at my desk. Very cool.
I was a little nervous, not knowing exactly what to say and I can get long winded. The show is already over 10 minutes in length and he told me one minute! So I was a little over on time and said the words, “You Know?” about a zillion times. Oh well, I’m used to being on camera now with DoItIndy, I just didn’t get my flow down this first time. My review was on the Green Lantern, who happens to be my favorite comic book superhero EVER. It is amazing that he draws his powers from the imagination of his mind. Right on.
If you like entertainment news…Even More Useless Information is for you! You can find them on Twitter (@macewinduism), Facebook (group page), YouTube (macewinduism). Thanks for the invite Jason and Mark. Keep being cool and letting everyone know that useless info they need to know!

To get this out, the same person who did their animated intro designed our DoItIndy logo and animation! Thanks Lyndsay McCully!
Check out the 3:5o minute mark for my Green Lantern movie review.

DoItIndy Top 5 video Aug 1-7, 2011

The video this week was filmed at Si Greene’s Pub who came on as one of our first sponsors! So, we are proud to  have an “official bar” of DoItIndy. Located at 10th and Emerson, the establishment has a lot of history and stories that could keep you there for hours on end. We have come to know Si Greene himself, kind of an Eastside legend, and you can find him on any random day drinking his wine and saying hello to all that walk through the doors. He is an owner who cares about his bar, the people who visit it, and truly makes you feel at home.

Great drinks, fun bartenders who will always make you laugh (they’ve even gotten into planking lately), and some of the best bar food in town. All of this along with DJ Jammin Joe on Friday and Saturday nights makes for a great night out and an experience you will not forget. If you are by the near Eastside or Irvington, stop in for a local, urban treat.

Ohhh…and check out the dude who almost walks in front of the camera at the end of the No. 4 event from Tolin. Made me laugh. 🙂 Be urban. DoItIndy.

six band for six bucks promo video

I get to meet a lot of cool people and see some awesome events in Indianapolis with my DoItIndy show. Tolin introduced me to Ricky Potts when we first started and we instantly started talking cool social media stuff. I knew right away I liked this guy’s vibe. Last February we had the opportunity to help him promote a local event (six bands for six bucks) that features SIX local bands. It was awesome. And only six bucks!
After a great February show, Ricky approached us to become the title sponsor for his next six4six, happening this Saturday, Aug. 6th. We jumped on the opportunity and now we are even going to emcee the night. Hope we pull it off ok?! 🙂 Needless to say, I am very excited and stoked to be a part of this show. If you can’t be there – the entire event will be LIVE streamed on the internet! Awesome.

Come out for some good, local, cheap fun.
Birdy’s Bar & Grill – 71st Street and Keystone Ave.
$6  Doors Open at 7pm, music starts at 8pm.
For more information, bands, sponsors & more: www.rickyleepotts.com/six4six

Greatest Spectacle in Tortoise Racing – Zoopolis 500

I had the opportunity in May to watch the BIG tortoises race in the 2011 Zoopolis 500 at the Indianapolis Zoo. The event was one that would work for the entire family, and I knew it had to be in the DoItIndy Top 5 urban events list when I saw it listed.  Fun, great to see Tony Kanaan and the announcer from the track. We really strive to do family events and non-profit events with our show. It is always good to give back in some way.
This was a fantastic time for young and old…and who doesn’t like the zoo?