raannt

Ahhhhh…what a great summer it has been…especially if you’re a RAANNT boy!!! We’ve had so much fun and been able to experience so many events and been able to meet so many great people. And we’re sure this is only the beginning. So, as summer comes to it’s final days, falling away into cooler temperatures, and Heidi Klum’s voice can once again be heard on Project Runway whistling “Auf Wiedersehen”, we’d like to recap some of the finer moments of the end of our summer.
The last Friday in August found us at the Moto GP party, just hours before the race, partying at one of the most amazing houses in Indianapolis off of Kessler Boulevard. We don’t think we’ve had so much fun in a long time. Proceeds, we were told, went to the Marion County Humane Society. This was a party not to be missed with local photographers, a fashion show, several bars, several dj’s, and partying late into the night.

The previous Saturday, we were at the White Party at Talbott Street. Although it didn’t seem as if it were as crowded as the previous year, we had just as much fun and stayed almost the entire night. Although Kathy Griffin was performing that night down the street, there was still a good turnout and most of the people attending stayed true to the theme of the evening and wore white. We, of course, wore white, as should any good boys attending a White Party.

Tony Moran was the guest DJ that night, and played consistently well all night long. Consistently well? Uhhhh…he was amazing. Even more amazing was how friendly he was when we went up and introduced ourselves. He was chatty and answered our questions, even took his picture with us and introduced us to his boyfriend. It’s really nice to be treated well by a DJ, not to mention a NATIONALLY acclaimed DJ, who by the way, said he would take any requests we had, but we couldn’t think of anything we wanted to hear that he hadn’t already played or had on his playlist. Needless to say…he was a class act, an amazing DJ for Indy and an awesome choice by Talbott.
And while we’re giving out awards to Talbott…

Gotta love the boys in the drag bar…B.J., Nate and Tim, for always being in costume, being quick and lighthearted. They make the whole experience so much more fun. We don’t know if they’re asked to have a different costume or not, but we are always delighted to see what they have in store for the weekends we come to Talbott. It’s small added touches like that which make some clubs stand way out in front of the others. Way to go boys!!!(One small question…what is that we see in your parking lot? No, no, no!!! If you’re that hungry, please refer to above articles highlighting Red Eye, Denny’s and our favorite waitress Constance at Steak and Shake, not to mention our dear Willow will be returning. But no, no, no to the cart!!!)

Summer has ended at Rehab at the Palms of Bella Vita and went out with one last event, highlighting Salon O1 in Carmel. Although it rained last Sunday, the girls and guys of Salon O1 were out at Bella Vita, enjoying the last Sunday. And for those that waited around long enough, it got really nice around 5:00, and as usual, the pool at Rehab was busy and crowded.
The folks at Salon O1 were able to hand out some cards and free massages to lucky participants and one such young lady won a bag worth $100 of Salon 01 products and a free massage. But…sad to say, the lazy summer Sundays of laying around the pool at Bella Vita, or in a cabana if you’re lucky enough like us, on most days, are over.

We would most graciously like to thank the Bella Vita staff and patrons who made our summer so wonderful. (And the bikini clad wonders who we loved hanging out with and sharing their shrimp salads…haha!) Especially J.R. Peare, owner of IndyScene, who made us feel special every Sunday we were out there, and everywhere else we happen to run into him these days. Hopefully next year, we’ll be able to do a little bit more with you and Bella Vita and make it even greater than it was this summer. And just to get out a promo for J.R…this Friday, September 11th at 7pm is Indy Vinos at Blu Martini. Please attend if you can!!!
So…there are so many other small things we’d like to fill you in on…but, we’re super busy planning our fall and all of the things we have to do. Look for many more updates and hopefully more intriguing gossip, although we’ve chosen to try and stay away from that sort of trash…(hmmmm…) And as the cooler days fall upon you, the leaves change to the color or your tweed, Prada jackets and thoughts of the perfect, Halloween costume fills your every waking moment, always remember…

Eye’s Open…We’re Watching!!!

It’s stupid to even assume otherwise, right? Haha…Well, we’ve been extremely busy, so we apologize for not updating more often. And just a quick recap to let you know what you’ll be reading this week…The White Party at Talbott…The Moto GP Party…Brittany Mason’s return to Indy(and all of her exciting gossip)…Several new places to eat and a few new local establishments we really like…
What is interesting is that we have been gaining a lot of local and national attention about our engagement and our “coupling” so to speak, so we have also been working on our new blog…The Road to Hell…which will count down the days to our wedding and bring much needed awareness and attention to GBLT centered issues. Nonetheless, we’ve still been having lots of fun…maybe too much fun, which is why we haven’t written as much lately. So we are making a commitment, dear fans, to write more regularly and keep you up to date and this week, we will fill you in on what’s been going on this summer. Hope you had an amazing labor day and end to your summer!!

Eyes Open…We’re Watching!

What do you say when your 23 year old best friend asks you to write about a fundraiser bringing awareness to suicide prevention because she lost her mother to suicide three years previously? Last year, my mother died from a rare disease which “allowed” myself and my family three months to find closure before she died. I have another close friend, who is also young, who lost his mother to breast cancer almost exactly a year ago. Death is the only certainty we have in these crazy times, and although it is difficult, many of us are given the chance to say goodbye. But not for my friend Lis Crosby and her family.
Eerily, it seems like only yesterday that I received a call from our mutual friend telling me that Lis’ mother had suicided and everyone was over at Lis’ granny’s house. When I arrived, Lis and her brother were angry, lost, emotionally distraught, deeply saddened and confused. Although her mother, Nancy, had fought suicide for many, many years, the realization was more painful than ever imagined. And worse still, they were unable to have closure and they were unable to say goodbye. Questions flooded the minds of everyone around. What were her last thoughts? What made her finally make this decision? Could anyone have done anything and could it have been prevented. The reality to many of these questions will forever go unanswered, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn from this and help others in the wake of depression and suicide. Raannt made a decision last month to focus on one fundraiser or charity each month, bringing awareness to needs that might be previously unaware or resources for others that are readily available. On our main page, you will find the links to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Also, in talking to Lis, she was extremely concerned about the impact of depression and suicide on the GBLT community, and gave me the link to GBLT information on suicide.
Every year, more than 33,000 people die from suicide in the United States and is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States of adults between the ages of 18-65. Today, someone will die in the United States from suicide every 16 minutes. An attempt will be made every minute. 90% of all people who die from suicide have a diagnosable, psychiatric illness. The statistics are even more drastic for youth, with suicide being the 3rd leading cause of death between all 15-24 year olds.

What I remember, is a vibrant woman, who cherished her children, had a quick tongue, was not afraid of strangers, loved to party and have a good time and would quickly put you in your place. She was beautiful and challenging, intellectual and hilarious. She was a true storyteller and an amazing life liver. I think about her alot on days like this, when it’s beautiful outside and trouble stirs in the air, and long for the days when my phone would ring with her on the other line…”Peter Monn…Nancy Crosby. What are we going to do about Elisabeth.” And the truth of the matter is, Lis and her brother are just fine. But they are forever without a mother. And forever without answers.
Help silence the stigma about depression and suicide. This Saturday marks the 2nd year that Team Nancy will march in The Out of the Darkness Community Walk for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For more information on the march, or how to donate to Team Nancy, all money going to the AFSP, please see the link on our main page. If you have questions or concerns about depression or suicide, please contact a local mental health agency or see my link Thoughts From The Couch on our main page as well.

Let’s be honest folks…money makes the world go around…and a little donation is all it takes to help out the cause and possibly save a life. In dedication of Nancy Crosby, lost on 9-30-06, give a little or give a lot, or just help out a friend who needs a little comfort or understanding!

Eyes Open…We’re Watching!

Deuces baby! If you can’t handle what we have to say…oh well! We’ve been so busy lately we haven’t had a second to sit down and gather our thoughts. We must first say we are SO excited to have our dear, dear friend Brittany Mason, back in town with us for a few days…for what she calls a vacation. A vacation? She’s been so busy working since she’s been home she hasn’t hardly had a second to enjoy herself. But we love that she’s home, even for a little bit, that we even took off our beloved John Deere hat and let our country girl wear it for a few…Like we said in previous blogs, she has so many exciting things in the works, when she actually allows us to begin telling everyone, we’ll definitely have the inside scoop which will be exciting to read. It’s hard to hold to something you know everyone would want to know, but needless to say, we adore her, so we’ll keep her business a secret…

It was interesting though that while Brittany and several other people, including ourselves, were talking about our night at the Fantasy 500 party, we were talking about how a local radio celebrity stated on the air that when requested, they gave out a fake phone number to Mario Lopez, who apparently was hitting up on this local radio celeb. Tisk tisk. We hear that’s not quite the case as several people saw you that night standing at quite a distance in the VIP room with a watchful eye on Mr. Lopez while he dealt with other business. I think “oggled” is the word which one person used, but we won’t quote them. We don’t know if this is true, but we found it interesting nonetheless since our inside sources aren’t really the lying type. Were your feelings hurt that Mario couldn’t be bothered or did we get the whole story wrong entirely?

We had a great time at the Indiana State Fair and although we aren’t really country boys at heart, even in our western shirts and trucker hats, we fit right it. And it wasn’t Pride day at the fair when we went! We hung out with friends, ate a corn dog and lemon shake up and saw Kelly Clarkson. Ok, first of all, let us just say we were a little amazed the concert wasn’t more packed. Honestly, American Idol winner or not, she’s still a mainstager, but the bleachers weren’t even filled, and most of the audience was early high school girls and their gay boyfriends who knew every word to every song. The amazing part was that she is absolutely an incredible performer. She played to the audience the entire night, reading fan’s signs, singing happy birthday with the crowd to a fan…even pulling a fan onstage to sing the entire set of “Since You’ve Been Gone.”

She played about 20 songs, even adding in an acoustic “Walking After Midnight” by Patsy Cline and a powerful rendition of Janet Jackson’s “If”. We would never have gone if we hadn’t been given free tickets, but we’re extremely happy we did. What a great night we had with our friends! There’s still a few days left so make sure you make it out to the fair before it’s gone for another year. Let us know how the chocolate covered bacon is…we’re just not that country, sorry!

Hmmmmmm…scratch our back and we’ll scratch yours? Ever heard that saying? Well, we’re tired of scratching some people’s backs and giving props where they aren’t deserved and getting nothing in return. So before we put this out there, let us make this loud and clear. This is not about Talbott Street. At all. We just think you need to take a look at your dance floor last Saturday night and think about a few things. First of all, when we arrived at Talbott at 12:00 A.M. it was packed. The drag room was packed. We had a nice conversation with BJ and the show director, who had sent us a wonderful, unsolicited message thanking us for our reviews. Before and shortly after the show, we were upstairs and it was packed and then BOOM! Empty. No one dancing on the dance floor…nothing. We happened to check our facebook at that time and noticed that the DJ of the moment had just updated her status; while spinning above the dance floor. Ten minutes later…another update. We were utterly amazed. Could not believe it. Here you had a grade A DJ, who we have loved in the past, spinning downstairs, with an emptying crowd…

…and nothing near the DJ booth, but an empty set…literally!
Ok, we probably would never have even said any of this tonight if one of Talbott’s employees and close friend of the DJ’s hadn’t commented to us that we should “be nice”…That is a load of crap! We are being nice. We should have walked back up front and demanded $3 of the $5 we payed back for the poor music and the lack of attention. The drag show was great. We were excited to see Alyssa Edwards here again(Hello folks…do you know who she is! This is a big deal! She’s a National title holder! And quite possibly the next Miss Continental!). Everyone at Talbott was wonderful. But we had several straight girls with us that were ready for a fun night of dancing and there was none to be found. We danced anyway and made the most of it, but come on! We had been asked to go to some other places and decided to come to Talbott because we wanted to be surrounded by people we knew and have a good time and hear good music, especially since she has been so consistent in the past. But really? Let’s not beat a dead horse…It’s just not the same as it used to be and we’re not sure what’s happened…but that’s none of our business. Give DJ Jackola a chance…

Next Saturday is the White Party at Talbott Street and we’re sure it will be packed again and will be just as much fun as last year…uhhhh, wasn’t that where we met last year? Yeah, I think it was…Ahhhh, a year in romantic bliss. (If you have questions about the White Party at Talbott, just hit the link on our page)…but back to what we were saying…Don’t tell us to be nice! You may go to the June 24th issue of the NUVO and read their review of Paul Van Dyk at Talbott and see that the NUVO, like raannt, just gives a review. It has nothing to do with being nice. So here’s the truth…

Saturday, August 15th, 2009 at Talbott, DJ Deanne was not herself. Or, actually she was herself as of late. Yawn! She did not have a posse of dancers around her DJ booth, only people grabbing her attention away from doing what she does best. She played a lot of old music, somewhat in the style that DJ Jared Curry has done lately, but not as well. The beats were not as deep or house played as we had loved in the past and she didn’t seem to exhibit the same spirit as she usually does. What’s happened Deanne? Where did you go? And why oh why would you be on facebook while spinning…major DJ’s don’t do that, right?(We actually just sent out several emails to some of close friends who are well known national DJ’s to make sure, and if we’re wrong, we will retract our statement.) We’re confused. We’re used to seeing you grind your fist down, get into the vibe and really feel it…but the past several times we’ve seen her, there’s been no vibe. And everyone we encounter says the same thing. In fact, some of our friends won’t go when DJ Deanne spins because it’s been so bad this summer. So pick it up so we can write a good review. (And if Kelly had sucked, we would have said it, and she would have gotten over it!) And that is exactly why, instead of going to the Vogue tonight, as we were asked to do, we chose to stay at our friend’s house, barbecue and play Wii…and honestly, it was more fun. Because last night, we wanted to move, but there was death on the dancefloor…

And that, children, is the truth…
Eye’s open…we’re watching!

This will be short and sweet. Classy. Just like the couple we’re talking about. Zach Reeder and Stephanie White. We’ve been keeping our eye on several couples in Indy, just to see who the next big deal will be, and yep folks…this is the one. We have the luxury of having been able to get to know them quite well in the last year, but needless to say, they deserve a Silver Carpet Award.

It’s easy today to get distracted by flashy rhinestoned shirts or skin tight $400 jeans, stilettos and Louis Vuitton bags…and miss what is right in front of your face. Zach and Stephanie. A refreshing fall back to old school luxury, charm and class. And we love every minute we get to be with them.

Zach is a local singer who only last month won Indy Idol at Bucky’s Grill and Pub in Westfield. We’ve seen Zach perform tons of times and he is truly amazing every time. Recently, we heard of someone who questioned his winning Indy Idol and we were absolutely amazed. Everywhere we go, whether it’s Mo’s Irish Pub in Noblesville or Champps or Bucky’s, Zach receives a standing ovation. He is absolutely humble and a consummate performer. He is also probably one of the sharpest, if not the sharpest, male dresser in Indiana, and is currently working on possibilities for building his own style firm. Zach has big plans in his future…shhhh…we can’t say, just stay tuned…Whether he is singing Journey or Stevie…this dude has some of the best pipes this side of the Mississippi…NO LIE!

And his longtime girlfriend Stephanie White is a class act herself. Not only does she mix current trends with old school class and charm, she is calm and reserved when needed, with a splash of wild to bring the rosiness to her cheeks, her trademark beauty! Stephanie is a stylist at Salon O1 in Carmel located at 200 City Center Drive…(the link is on our page). In the past, she has focused on updo’s and color, but recently has said she loves cutting as well as working with different blond coloring techniques. She is absolutely amazing and her work for bridal updo’s has been featured in local magazines.

What we hold so dear about this couple, other than that Stephanie is at EVERY ONE of Zach’s performances, or that they stand behind their moral and ethical belief systems in today’s world, is that they are humble, kind and compassionate while being trendy, classy and exciting. It is never a dull moment with them and even tonight, coming home from another friend’s house, we were commenting that we wished Zach and Stephanie could have been there.

Although it has it’s place, we’re a little tired of the couples with flashy jewelry, cars and no depth. We want some old flavor charm. And well…I think we might just have found it!

Eyes Open…We’re Watching!

So Ya’ll, we’ve been on vacation in Tennessee…and although we had a much needed relaxing week, we’re extremely happy to be back to the “Big City”! So many exciting things to do…The Indiana State Fair…Corn Dogs, Tenderloins, Elephant Ears and the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever at the dairy bar! We just don’t understand why the fair starts so damn early year after year and the kids go back to school so early year after year??? Right! So all the adults can have one month of summer to themselves!

Uhhh…we also HEAR the word on the street is that Sunday nights could be the next hot night out. The Vogue is hosting their new “alternative” dance night while Blu downtown is hosting some dance party with DJ Deanne. We attempted to look it up on their website after we heard about it from Facebook, but their website is so outdated that they are taking New Year’s reservations for New Year’s 2008. Also, Tuesday’s are not listed as “Tantric Tuesday’s” but Industry nights for people that work in the field…bartenders, waiters, etc. In 2009, where everyone’s business is on the internet, you gotta keep up! And to the people at The Vogue…folks, we didn’t even know you were starting today and we offered you our help, free of charge, to get people there?? It’s interesting to us, while receiving sometimes hundreds of readers daily, that some clubs don’t take us up on our free marketing? It’s like “Word of Mouth Productions”, right here…don’t come crying to us if it doesn’t work out, but we sure as hell will raannt about it!

Oh well…we can’t all be winners! Speaking of…we’d like to remind everyone to drive safe when partying. We’ve seen so many accidents and police officers roaming around the streets late at night. We rather enjoy witnessing someone walking a crooked line or handcuffed, sitting on the sidewalk, but we don’t want anyone to end up dead as a result of drinking and driving. Always be safe and have a designated driver, as we do, BUILT in, might we add! You should also ask the bar or club you go to if they give out free soda and juice for the designated driver. Recently, Shae at Talbott Street told us they didn’t charge for soda for designated drivers and we were extremely impressed. The little things go a long way!

Be Safe!
Have Fun!
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!

P.S…Our Dear Friend…Brittany Mason, who will be back in town for some work this week, just attended the Midsummer Night’s Dream Party at The Playboy Mansion. She told us she wasn’t allowed to take a camera with her, but filled us in about the rest! So happy things are going great for you in Vegas baby! Can’t wait to see you this week! Stay tuned to Brittany as she will most definitely be the next big thing to come out of the Indy area…besides us!

So…the night didn’t exactly turn out the way we had planned, but we ended up in all the right places…at least for once. We had decided, along with the newly crowned Social Queen, Nneka, to head downtown to a birthday party at Subterra. Although we hear it’s small, we hear great things about it, so we thought we’d give it a try. On the way downtown, a friend texted us that the female impersonator, Shannel, was performing tonight at Talbott Street. We had all seen her on the reality show, Rupaul’s Drag Race, so we thought we might stop in for a minute and see what she was really like and then head down to Subterra. Well…needless to say, we never made it to Subterra. When we drove up to Talbott we were amazed. The parking lot was completely packed and it appeared to be more crowded than some Saturday nights. We went inside and headed upstairs, which was also packed. While ordering drinks, we were confronted by Shelly, the bartender, about having called the Talbott Street staff “elitist”. Uhhhh…let sleeping dogs lie…we thought we were past all that. But, Shelly is always so great and at the time, we hadn’t really meant her anyway(I wish you had known Shelly that in the past you were one of the ONLY bartenders we would go to), but now everyone is so nice so we don’t care. I hope she was joking though as we’re trying to get past all that and haven’t heard any complaints about any bad behavior from any readers. (By the way, we want to congratulate you and Miss S on your recent engagement!) Ok…enough of that, on to the show…(Although we must comment that the temperature in the club felt great tonight so whatever you guys did…we’re extremely pleased…)

Honestly…probably one of the best shows at Talbott in a long time. Not to mention the nationally famous Shannel was performing. And for anyone that knows anything…did you notice little Miss Tommie Ross on stage too! Legend! Vicki and Asia both looked more spectacular than we think we have ever seen them look and the audience responded in kind to their performances.(Sad that some people, for reasons unknown we guess…couldn’t make it??) We don’t know what the real story is behind all of this drag battle madness, but obviously you gals are feasting on some blood won…we only wish we had brought out some of our girls that had never seen a show before because tonight would have been the night to see one for the first time…Whoever is hiring the guest talent is doing an amazing job these days…we’re just sad we won’t be in town to see local legend Jamie Hunter…

We got to Talbott late so we didn’t get to see her whole performance, but for anyone that watched Rupaul’s Drag Race and have seen Shannel perform, you now know we didn’t get to see an inch, so to speak, of what she was really like on the show. Purple Vinyl? Loved it…and then walked up and down the stage juggling. Truly a showstopper. I think sometimes we forget how much work they all put into what they do and how they are really great entertainers. We talked with Shannel after the show and she was just as down to Earth and personable as we had imagined she would be. We had hoped we could maybe send our friend Brittany Mason over to see her in Vegas, as she now lives there and has many exciting projects(shhhhh!)in the works…but it appears that Shannel will be moving to Seattle. Well…we’re just happy we got to see you before you headed out west…all the best!

Ummmmm…what has happened to Asia LaBouche? She was the emcee tonight and blew the audience away with one hilarious comment after another. We can’t even recap everything she said, but needless to say, she got her digs in…deep. We are choosing to stay out of the chaos we have read as we believe in LOVE, but let us be the first to say…we love a gal who can laugh at herself first! This might be an appropriate time to remind you that those who laugh on Friday cry on Sunday; but in this instance…we don’t think you will. You showed true class and got one up. Good for you and may one day everyone come together and we can have ten hour drag shows at some bar watching every queen from Indy, Carmel, Martinsville and Prince Lakes perform until we can’t stand another second. And then everyone can stop bitching about the equality of drag in Indy…bore!!! The reality is…there just isn’t enough room at the top and you girls, Vicki and Asia, were at the top tonight with Shannel and Tommie Ross! Amazing!

We decided not to stay out too late tonight, sorry Subterra…maybe next time, but the TRIBE did hang around Talbott long enough to dance some and then we took Miss N over to the gay sex store for a quick tour in case she ever needed any supplies! Ahhh…Fridays in the Summer…we’re gonna miss them…

Starting in August…as the summer winds down…we’ve decided to review two clubs or restaurants a week that we haven’t been to before or haven’t reviewed. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And as we close down the night, we want to give a special comment of appreciation for Tim at Talbott Street. Whether waiting tables or manning the door of the drag room, he is always hilarious and courteous…a true character that makes the night even more enjoyable. Sometimes, it’s these small things that make the night even more enjoyable and we always love seeing you Tim…

Alright everyone…remember…
Eyes Open…We’re Watching!

Hey Folks…We have received a special request from Mass Avenue Video, to send out a message to Indy readers in hopes of saving a failing business. They have informed us that if they do not raise $4000 by Saturday, their doors will close forever. We actually thought long and hard about writing this blog because we weren’t sure it was the message we wanted to send out about RAANNT, but we believe that anyone asking us to help their cause, as long as their request is positive, deserves our support. We would be more than willing to put our name behind anyone ballsy enough at a time like this to stand up and ask for help. Times are tough out there and we believe Mass Avenue Video, especially a business that has been around since 1999, deserves all of our help. Sometimes, we must all put small differences aside for the cause of the greater good.

In this failing economy, many people are unfortunate and many people have had to cut back on their spending habits. Mass Avenue Video is currently offering several deals regarding their video/dvd collection to raise the money needed and might be willing to entertain any offer. If you have more questions, they can be contacted at 317-951-7195. They are located at 922 Massachusetts Avenue. They can also be found on Facebook. Remember…we’re just trying to make Indy a little more enjoyable and hopefully a place where everyone can prosper and have fun! We wish you guys the best and hope the next few days brings you everything you need to stay around!

Eyes open…we’re watching!

Recently we’ve had a lot of people ask us for more and more suggestions for what they should do throughout the entire week based on what we do and where we have the most fun. While it probably often seems like we write about some of the same places over and over again, because we do obviously have favorites, there are so many options for a great social week, assuming that for one week you might go out every night. If that were the case…here is what we would suggest.

Monday…is definitely, without a doubt, dinner night. Honestly, we both have Monday’s off, so we typically sleep in and then lay out at the pool depending on the weather. We go out to eat so often that it’s hard to make a great suggestion, because we honestly go to some of the same staples, such as Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Changs, on a regular basis. But if we had to list our number one summer suggestion…it would be Bazbeaux Pizza in Carmel followed by ice cream at Bub’s across the street. While there is also a Bazbeaux in Broadripple and downtown, recently, we’ve really enjoyed going and sitting outside at the location in Carmel. The city of Carmel has done so much work renovating the “artist’s district” that it is finally, after many years, enjoyable. All of the old favorites are offered at Bazbeaux, although we suggest greek salads, garlic bread, and plain cheese pizza. For an amazing sandwich try the Popeye. The location downtown is still great fun, but the one in Broadripple always seems to have thousands of kids running around. No thanks.

Across the street is Bub’s Burger’s and Ice Cream. Ok, honestly, this place is amazing. Inside it looks like something you might find in upstate Michigan on the lake or in some small coast town on the East. We haven’t tried the burgers, but they have this huge hamburger and if you can accomplish eating it, they take your picture and put it on the wall. The ice cream parlor is even more fun, and the ice cream is some of the best we’ve EVER had. Try the cinnamon coffee cake. Unbelievable.

And then if you aren’t too full…you can always rent a movie and go crash in bed watching it. New favorites we’ve loved so far are Push and Madea Goes to Jail…Ohhhhh…and Coraline comes out this week. For old, summer favorites…try Jaws 2 or Stand by Me…

Ok…this is getting lengthy…

Tuesday…We’ve tried Tantric Tuesday at Blu and after talking to the promoter, we’re willing to give it another try…also, it’s been suggested that we attend Subterra…Apparently there is no cover, drinks and bottles are half off and it’s House music all night…we can’t wait as we get somewhat anxious on Tuesdays trying to find something fun to do…

Wednesday…Well…we’ve been planning to write about Wednesday’s for quite some time and we plan to this week. There are so many options on Wednesday’s but so far, we’ve found only a few that are still fun. By far, Champps on the northside next to the Fashion Mall, is the best option. The place is always, always packed…even if it rains. People usually start filling the place after 8 and stay until about 12, when they start heading over to either LuLu’s or the Vogue. While we love the Vogue as venue, we could care less for Retro Rewind, or whatever it’s being called these days. How about rewind to a new night. (Although we’ve heard through the proverbial grapevine that the Vogue is revamping Sunday’s alternative night…and we are VERY excited…Indy has needed a Sunday spot for some time now.) Retro rewind seems to pack in the younger, crowd and crowd is the definitive word, but not in a good way. Champps is packed, but everyone is friendly and chill. Afterwards, head across the street to LuLu’s or down the street to Manhattan. We haven’t been to Manhattan yet but are planning a surprise visit one of these nights. LuLu’s is a lot of fun…right Gabriella? (The last time we went we didn’t spend a cent and closed it down…thanks too the friendly guys we met defending our girl’s honors…Ahhhhh Nneka, the new social queen! Remember…you NEVER touch a girl’s ass unless asked!)

For a completely different kind of Wednesday night, try Mo’s Irish Pub. We’ve been going there for some time now and we always have a great time, although the atmosphere can be a little Cougarish from time to time…but as one of us nears 40, who are we to pass judgement. Wednesday’s at Mo’s are karaoke nights with some of the most hilarious and heartfelt singing you have ever encountered. No, we do not grace the stages, except for one grand performance of Summer Nights from Grease…it won’t happen again…

Thursdays…Well, we discussed Scholar’s Inn in our previous blog, so we won’t revisit it, but it was interesting how we received some comments stating that they had not been treated very well in the past by the staff at Scholar’s, but were willing to give it another try. They all said they loved Nick. Come on guys, if we’re gonna endorse you, work out the problems, we want you to stay around! 45 Degrees also has half-price martini’s on Thursdays. Ok…now one suggestion. 45 Degrees? Beautiful environment…great music…friendly staff(sometimes)…half-price martini’s on the same night as Scholar’s?? Either extremely competitive or not very creative. Have a theme night on Thursday nights, market the shit out of it…we’ll even help and get everyone in there. We have some ideas if you’re interested…

Down the street between Meridian and Pennsylvania on 10th Street is The Ten. Now mind you, this is a lesbian bar, but all kinds of people are there. The cover is $4 and all drinks are half off…THE PLACE IS ALWAYS PACKED!!!(Just a side note…you will get “wanded” down at the door.) They play great hip hop music and the environment is crazy. You’ll probably encounter at least one fight while you’re there and they’re usually trying to sell Glamour Shot/High School Photo ops in the back corner. Ok folks, we’re not gonna sell this place on being classy, because it isn’t…but it’s a total blast. And it stays crazy right up until it closes and flows right out into the parking lot. The bartenders bust their asses and also smile and grunt at the same time…Try it!

For a little Indy secret…try The Jazz Kitchen…Thursday’s are the Latino Dance Night and the music is all latino. Don’t be intimidated if you don’t know the dances; free classes start at 9pm before the main dance floor opens. The ambiance is sexy and everyone’s sweaty and chill…Probably one of the best places in Indy. Also a restaurant, we’ve heard they just revamped their menu and are even more diverse than before. Also every night, they have live jazz…We have never been disappointed and absolutely love this place.

Friday…who care’s right? It’s Friday…same goes for Saturday as well…although we would definitely suggest again that you trek out to Indiana Live! Casino and try Mosaic. As everyone knows…we’re typically at Talbott Street, usually after a very long nap…just because we love it and always have such a great time…(and funny that some of the same people that gave us shit about going there or blogging in Talbott’s favor, because of other unmentionables, are typically there too. Just be honest and admit you have fun!) Actually, as we’re typing this, we’re getting ready to head out to Talbott, so hopefully we’ll see you there!

Sundays…are usually Rehab at The Palms at Bella Vita, followed by a nap and dinner and a movie…We would recommend Bruno, The Hangover and Up…

Honorable mentions to some great places to eat after going out…Red Eye or Steak and Shake at 75th and Binford…If you go to Steak and Shake, treat Constance well…she works the world’s worst hours…

Also…restaurants we’ve enjoyed recently and would recommend…Wolfsies in Noblesville, Miyagi’s sushi at 96th and Keystone, The Nickel Plate in Fishers, Stir Crazy at Castleton…and of course, our all time favorite, Bella Vita at Geist! (We recently tried our old favorite Acapulco Joe’s downtown after going to the zoo, and I’m still not sure why we had to squirt salsa onto the chips because they didn’t give us a bowl…absolutely the last time we’ll go back!)

Anyway, this might sound like a crazy week and honestly, four nights out of the week, we are typically in, with the dogs, watching tv and movies like the rest of you…

We’ve been given some great suggestions of places to go and review and we’re excited about trying some new places…while sticking with the old. So, try a few of our suggestions and see what you think…but hands down…go to The Ten!

Eye’s Open…We’re Watching!

So…Is the martini craze over? We don’t necessarily think so, but by the way it looked at Scholar’s Inn tonight, some might think otherwise. And we must say, we’re incredibly surprised. (We hope it was just the Def Leppard concert.) When we started going to Scholar’s Inn, long ago, for their half-price martini Thursdays, it was always packed. We have introduced so many people to Scholar’s and whenever we take new people they always comment how much the interior looks like a bar in The Hills; and now Miami Social. And the reality is, for Indy, it is Miami chic. And the music is amazing and lounge crazy! But, over the summer, it has continued to die down. We would always start our night off at Scholar’s and continue down the road to 45 Degrees, who also has half-price martini’s on Thursdays, or to The Ten; which is one of the best hip-hop nights in town…don’t question, just go.

Not only is the interior of Scholar’s Inn alluring and sensual, but the staff and bartenders are fast and extremely friendly. Nick Ilieff, one of the waiters at Scholar’s, typically waits on us and typically has our drinks ready for us only minutes after we walk in the door. He continues, as do the other waiters, to be attentive throughout the night, “making rounds” and keeping our drinks filled. He is hilarious and professional…and probably one of the best waiters we have ever been waited on in Indianapolis. If you go to Scholar’s, make sure to ask for Nick and sit in his section. And as always, tip BIG…these guys and gals need to earn a dollar.

On colder nights, Scholars has a huge fireplace outside which is fun to sit around with your friends making it the perfect place for early fall or late spring. Not only is Scholar’s a full service bar, but they are also a full service restaurant and have an amazing area upstairs perfect for hosting events or parties. At half the price as other bars in Indianapolis, everyone should be heading out to Scholar’s on Thursday nights. We miss the old faces we used to see every week! Let’s pack it up again and make it the perfect beginning, or ending to a Thursday. It’s sad that we have such an amazing bar right here and it isn’t full like it used to be!

While we were at Scholar’s tonight, Nick informed us that on August 7th, he and several other artists will be displaying their work from 5-8 pm. The show will display photography, jewelry, paintings, installation art and all kinds of interesting stuff to enjoy a different kind of evening. All proceeds will go to the It Happened To Alexa Foundation which financially aids the families of rape victims during their travels to the rape trials of their family members. More information about the It Happened To Alexa Foundation can be found on the link on our blog. If you have any questions regarding the art show at Scholar’s Inn, please contact Nick at 317-847-8892.

So many things to do…ahhhhh….so seriously folks…head over to Scholar’s next Thursday…and give 45 Degrees a shot too!

Remember, eyes open…
We’re watching!