Monday, December 12, 2011

#ThinkKit11 Day 11: A night on the town with friends ...

Ok, Ok ... so I'm a couple of hours late with this one. Christmas shopping + a little laser tag against 9-yr-olds. I'm not as young as I used to think I am. Nevertheless, here it is Monday, so let's make the most of it:

Sunday, Dec 11: Gathering
When you want to gather with friends, where do you go and why?

The one great thing about Indianapolis is that there's a plethora of great places to eat/drink/hang. Unfortunately, my school work, in combination with unemployment, limited my "going out on the town" opportunities in 2+ years. It wasn't that I was anti-social or anything ... I recognized there were activities higher up in the priority list than what I preferred at that time. However - there were times I was able enjoy an night out, especially when I had out-of-town guests arriving.

Anyway, here are four places I like to head out with friends & family to:

1. Bazbeaux Pizza (all 3 locations): I hooked my two sisters on their style of pizza a few years ago. Now, it's become ritual for the night before both the Indy 500 & Brickyard 400. Great ambiance, a large variety of pies, decent selection of beers. Just a great night is in store. I preferred the Broad Ripple location, but my sisters love the outdoor life up in Carmel


2. Broad Ripple Brew Pub: This fine establishment has been a regular for my high school friend & his wife and our annual Big Ten Tournament weekend. While he stays traditional with burgers, I really enjoy the bangers & mash. Plus, they have brewing down cold (figuratively & literally). That's usually where we start our "Broad Ripple" experience.


3. Ram Restaurant & Brewery: While I know this is a chain brewery, this is the designated "establishment" for the Illinois Fighting Illini during the Big Ten Tournament. Yes, I'm one of those wackos that'll be decked out in orange & blue all four days, and when this place is jumping with Illini fans, it's fantastic. #OskeeWowWow #Illinois


Now that we've gotten our eat/drink on, the next morning rolls around, and it's time to enjoy one final Indianapolis staple. I try to take new Indianapolis visitors by IMS, esp. if they've never been to Indianapolis before, or don't know the city well, and then - we end up either going to Long's Donut Shop on 16th St., or here ... a mecca of breakfast:

4. Charlie Brown's Pancake & Steak House: Words cannot fully describe this little place on Main St. in Speedway. A little greasy-spoon diner that oozes racing. Go for the coffee, stay for the biscuits & gravy, fall in love with the omelets, take in the walls of photos/posters/memorabilia, go home stuffed. All is right in the world after a hearty breakfast here.


No comments:

Post a Comment