Hi all, I'm Karissa! Real quick, there are a couple of things you should know about me. First, I'm absolutely fascinated by cities. In fact, it's probably not safe to be driving behind me when say, we're on I-65 through downtown Indy. I just can't help it - my eyes drift over... And the second thing is that I love to know what's happening, all of the time. You could say I'm nosy, but I prefer curious!

My background is in communications&marketing and I work for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. My blog here is a place to talk about what's new on Indy's travel & tourism scene. And I'd love to hear from you too. So sit back, kick up your feet (In the office? Don't worry, I won't tell the boss!) and grab the link from that little orange RSS button. It'll keep you in the know too.

Not sure what that RSS lingo is about? Google will tell you all about it here!

Hey there, it's your long lost intern friend, Leah, checking back in. (I know you have been anxiously awaiting my return.)

To complement my internship here at the ICVA, I am taking a course at Butler University called Hospitality and Destination Public Relations, which focuses on marketing destinations and determining the best ways to make certain ones stand out in a country full of alluring travel picks.

Speaking of destinations standing out...we're in one that does just that! As part of a tourism immersion project, our class went out for a fun-filled evening in downtown Indianapolis last week, and visiting some major Indianapolis attractions. We had such a great time it was hard to remember that we were technically in class AND that we were not really on vacation; but right here in our own city!

First stop was the Indianapolis Museum of Art. we were given 20 minutes to explore. Let me tell you...it was most certainly NOT enough. I was memorized by the Light and Space Exhibit. It's a three-story fluorescent light installation, specifically designed for the IMA's 60-foot atrium. As you continue exploring the three gallery levels of the museum, you remain blanketed by the tunnel of light. And I loved the "Simply Halston" exhibit in the Fashion Arts Gallery. We looked at dresses designed throughout the 20th century by a Roy Halston Frowick, who was a favorite of celebrities like Liza Minnelli and Elizabeth Taylor. It was fun picking out which dresses we were most likely to see each other wearing.

After swinging by the Mass Ave portion of the Indy Cultural Trail (which is making great progress!), our next stop was the luxurious Conrad Indianapolis. Even behind the scenes, this place is impeccable! From memorizing guests' names, to individually applying intricate fruit toppings on an endless line of desserts, the Conrad showed us what makes it a truly one-of-a-kind Indianapolis hotel.

Moving on, our next stop was Bodies... The Exhibition. If you haven't seen this yet...JUST DO IT. It'll be in downtown Indianapolis through the end of the year. It really is a jaw-dropping experience.Those of us who hadn't lost our appetites after the exhibition,continued on to the Indianapolis Artsgarden (which conveniently connects the Conrad and Embassy Suites to Circle Centre mall), where we enjoyed a quick bite to eat from the Circle Center food court. Sitting there, looking through the seven-story-tall glass enclosed structure, we were able to take in a spectacular view of the city.

Finally, for those party-goers in the group, Indiana's oldest bar, the Slippery Noodle Inn, was calling! This place opened in 1850, and before that, served as a stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. Today it's a cool hang-out with live blues 7-days a week.

So the lesson learned is you don't have to leave Indianapolis to have a fun little getaway. Just imagine what you could do with a whole weekend...

More good news from Indy today! Last week the NCAA announced Women's Final Four site selections for several upcoming years, and today they announced site selections for several years of upcoming Men's Final Fours.

It's Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for 2015!

Below you can read the official release - but I thought I'd highlight one quote in particular:

“Indianapolis will be a fixture for hosting future Final Fours and those behind the bid took nothing for granted,” Slive said. [Mike Slive, Division I Men’s Basketball Committee Chair and Southeastern Conference Commissioner]

Kudos to those behind the bid!

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NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL COMMITTEE SELECTS 2012-16 MEN’S FINAL FOUR SITES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 19, 2008

CONTACT:
David Worlock
Associate Director for the Division I
Men’s Basketball Championship
317/917-6120


INDIANAPOLIS---A process that Division I Men’s Basketball Committee Chair and
Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive indicated was as grueling and competitive as selecting teams for the men’s basketball championship concluded Wednesday with the announcement of the following host cities for the 2012-16 Men’s Final Fours:

March 31/April 2, 2012: New Orleans, LA Louisiana Superdome
April 6/8, 2013: Atlanta, GA Georgia Dome
April 5/7, 2014: North Texas (Arlington/ Dallas/ Fort Worth) Cowboys Stadium
April 4/6, 2015: Indianapolis, IN Lucas Oil Stadium
April 2/4, 2016: Houston, TX Reliant Stadium

The announcement brings the year-long selection process to a conclusion, returning the Final Four to two sites (New Orleans, Atlanta) after several years, one new site (North Texas) and two cities (Indianapolis, Houston) already slated to host in the next three years....

Indianapolis will host the Men’s Final Four for what will be the seventh time in the city’s history. Market Square Arena was the site of the 1980 Final Four, while the RCA Dome hosted in 1991, ‘97, 2000 and ‘06. Recently-constructed Lucas Oil Stadium, previously picked to host the 2010 Men’s Final Four, will also be the site for the 2015 event. The stadium is also slated to host the 2009 Men’s Regional and 2011 and ‘16 Women’s Final Fours.

Read the full release here.

# # #

Brrr, did the fall season take a vacation this week?!

Well, one thing is certain - there is no denying the holiday season is upon us. Turkeys are being ordered, decorations are having the dust blown off them and wish lists are being scribbled. So once you have effectively stuffed yourself, enjoyed the festive decor and emptied your checking account on gifts, what are you going to do over the holidays?

Well, I have some Indy news to share - there are tons of events in Indianapolis this holiday season! And About.com has listed Indianapolis on their list of Great Places to See Santa. [Yes, please - I need to make sure Mr. Claus receives my wish list!]

As you'll see in the About.com article - several Indianapolis attractions are once again offering 12 Free Days of Christmas in Indy. Because while we all love the song, in today's market who really needs turtle doves and french hens? [Although I wouldn't mind having the five golden rings!] Rather, we thought you might enjoy something like free admission to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway museum or a free dessert with dinner at one of several participating downtown Indianapolis restaurants!

This week's edition of the Indianapolis Business Journal [Nov. 17] also ran a story on the 12 Days. It's not online, but grab a print copy from newsstands and flip to the Focus section on pg. 32. You'll also find an in-depth piece with the ICVA's new leader - Don Welsh. 

If you need help planning your Indianapolis vacation, call one of our Indy travel counselors at 800-974-INDY or book online with our Indy Holiday Hotel Deals.

How about some good news to start the weekend off right!

The NCAA just released future Women's Final Four rotations. In 2016, we'll host the big game and ancillary events in Indianapolis! Again, we see dividends of the long-time sports strategy - a definite coup for Indianapolis businesses as tens of thousands of visitors will flock into the city, filling our hotels and restaurants. Indianapolis is also host the Men's Final Four in 2010, and the Women's Final Four in 2011.

My colleague and long-time Indianapolis sports fixture, Bill Benner also wrote a few words and you can check them out here. And if you're looking for the full scoop, check out the official release below.

Have a great weekend all!

---
NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee Selects Women's Final Four Sites for the Years 2012-16
For Immediate Release:
Friday, November 14, 2008   

Contact:
Rick Nixon
Associate Director of the Division I Women's Basketball Championship
317/917-6539

INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee has chosen five future Women’s Final Four sites for the years 2012-2016.

The Women’s Final Four sites are:

    2012 – Denver. Mountain West Conference, host
    2013 – New Orleans.University of New Orleans, host
    2014 – Nashville. Ohio Valley Conference, host
    2015 – Tampa Bay. University of South Florida, host
    2016 – Indianapolis. Butler University, Indiana University-Purdue University                         Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Horizon League, hosts

“The women’s basketball committee invested a tremendous amount of time and effort in the Women’s Final Four site selection process,” said Jacki Silar, chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and associate director of athletics at Duke University. “It was a very difficult and important decision and it was the committee’s charge to determine which of the cities would best serve as future host sites for the pinnacle of women’s basketball – the Women’s Final Four.”

After submitting an intent-to-bid form last November, representatives of 12 cities attended a pre-bid seminar in January, and they met with NCAA staff for individual planning and progress updates in April and again in June. After selecting eight finalist cities in August, women’s basketball committee members made site visits to each finalist city in September and October 2008. Following the site visits to each prospective city, representatives of the bid committee made final presentations to the committee on Nov. 11-12 in Indianapolis.

“The committee appreciated the work and effort of each of the cities that participated in this bid selection process,” Silar said. “Committee members evaluated each prospective host city based on many criteria, weighing each element’s importance and what is critical to successfully host a Women’s Final Four.”

When evaluating prospective host cities, the committee reviewed each city’s competition venue, convention center, hotel community, transportation plans, legacy programs and financial commitment, as well as the community’s and prospective host institution/conference’s overall commitment to the event.

“This is an exciting time for the game of collegiate women’s basketball and this was evident by the number and quality of cities that participated in the bid process as prospective 2012-16 Women’s Final Four hosts,” said NCAA President Myles Brand.  “Congratulations to the five cities selected as these cities represent the future for this great event. In 2016, the NCAA will celebrate the 35th anniversary season of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. With cities such as Denver, New Orleans, Nashville, Tampa Bay and Indianapolis serving as future hosts, we believe the Women’s Final Four will continue its growth as a marquee event and continue to be the ultimate experience for our student-athletes.”

The cities selected represent a blend of cities with past Women’s Final Four hosting experience in Indianapolis (2005), New Orleans (1991, 2004) and Tampa Bay (2008), while Denver and Nashville will be hosting the event for the first time.

“We would like to express our appreciation to the prospective host cities and bid committees that participated in the bid process for the 2012-16 Women’s Final Four,” said NCAA Executive Vice President Tom Jernstedt. “The time, effort and enthusiasm in each of their bids were noteworthy and because of this kind of commitment and engagement, the Women’s Final Four will continue to be the outstanding ’celebration’ of women’s basketball that it has become. This was a difficult decision by the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, and I applaud their efforts in determining the five cities that will serve as the future host cities for the pinnacle event in women’s basketball.”
 
About the NCAA:
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.
 
###

We're checking in with USA Today for this installment of Look Who's Talking Tuesday.

Airport Check-in: Indianapolis readies $1.1B terminal
By Roger Yu, USA TODAY
New features at U.S. airports

The new main terminal of Indianapolis International will formally open on Tuesday after three years of construction. The $1.1 billion facility — named Col. H. Weir Cook Terminal — will be able to handle up to 12 million passengers a year. The airport says the 1.2 million-square-foot terminal, with two 20-gate concourses, is the largest LEED-certified building (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in the Midwest. It will also feature 50 retailers and restaurants, plus free Wi-Fi.

Some flights will still arrive at the old terminal on Tuesday, and airport employees will be stationed at both terminals to direct passengers. All flights will operate from the new terminal starting Wednesday. Ground transportation will be available until Nov. 26 for passengers who parked at the old terminal.

---

I just returned from the opening ceremonies and ribbon cutting of the new Indianapolis International Airport. During his remarks, Indianapolis Airport Authority President Randall Tobias also gave a "Look Who's Talking Tuesday" report [who knew my theme would catch so quickly?]. What I found the most interesting and noteworthy wasn't the glowing review he shared, but rather the source of the review - The Urbanophile blog, not a traditional media outlet. Huh, perhaps there is something to this blogging thing after all. I snapped a few pictures and thought I'd share. You can also read my colleague's thoughts here.

INDeed it's (almost) here. And I don't want you to miss the biggest pieces of news taking flight from Indy!

In case you haven't heard [here, here, oh, and here], the new Indianapolis International Airport officially opens tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 11. Arrivals are set to transition to the new terminal around 8 p.m.. We're honored that this first arrival at the new IND will be a homecoming for one of our troops in Iraq. Departures will begin taking off from the new Col. H. Weir Cook Terminal bright and early Wednesday morning.

If you have some Indianapolis travel plans in your future, be sure to check out the Taking Flight user guide from The Indianapolis Star. They've got you covered, from getting to your interstate exit point and checking in to passing through security and finding departures and arrivals. They've also got the scoop on airport retail, where you can indulge in a famous St. Elmo shrimp cocktail between flights and the anticipated LEED certification for the environmentally-friendly terminal. And it's still just a short 15-minute drive from the airport to downtown Indianapolis!

And while you're at it -- take a look at some great Indianapolis package deals for your travels!

Welcome to the very first installment of Look Who's Talking Tuesday!

A big part of my team's work involves partnering with journalists while they're visiting Indianapolis. They check out Indianapolis attractions, museums and sports [a trip the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is almost always on the itinerary], dine at our restaurants, stay in one of downtown's hotels and experience the fun there is to be had on a visit to Indianapolis.

Talk about a cool job - that's all research for the stories they'll write! Once their stories run in publications all over the country, we hope their readers will be enticed to plan their own Indianapolis vacation.

This week I want to share with you a story that recently hit the Web at Travel Industry TODAY. Travel Industry TODAY is a Canadian-based news journal publication. Ilona Kauremszky traveled to Indianapolis and it sounds like she had some fast times at the race track - and mmm, she dined at my favorite sushi place too!

Happy reading, and Indianapolis vacation planning!

I was out to the IMA on Saturday to see the just-opened Power and Glory exhibit. Because my friend was gifted an IMA membership for her birthday [and decided to share her good fortune with me], we had free passes to see the show a day before  Sunday's public opening. The Power and Glory exhibit takes a look at court arts from China's Ming Dynasty. And some of these pieces have never been shown outside of China. As you walk through the exhibit, large plaques offer  some historical notes of significance -  background on the time, culture and lives of the Dynasty's people and leaders. I love this part. Seeing parts of a grand world from long before Columbus even sailed the ocean blue. And considering the passing of. that. much. time.

After walking through the exhibit, we headed downstairs for a lecture by Yale University professor, Jonathon Spence, one of the foremost scholars on Chinese civilization. Arts, music and sports were of utmost importance in the Ming Dynasty. And those who exhibited exceptional talent in these areas were often granted positions of power. I wrote down a few notes and item numbers from Mr. Spence's talk, but I wasn't able to go back upstairs to the exhibit after he finished. I plan to go back before the exhibit closes on Jan. 11, 2009 and find a few things he discussed last weekend. Here's what I have --

• Watch for gardens throughout, they were important in the Ming Dynasty.
• Catalog #144, a depiction of 4 children with Buddah. There are questions as to if the children are in worship or mocking him.
• A scroll, depicting women playing soccer. The ball is use is modern-looking soccer ball.
• Catalog #62, I hurridly wrote down the number, but I wasn't able to catch what the piece was. Let me know what you find!

The IMA is one of my favorite Indianapolis attractions. The galleries and special exhibits, paired with the beautiful grounds at the IMA - I could spend countless hours wandering. The next time you find yourself looking for things to to do in Indianapolis, head over to the IMA at Michigan Rd.& 38th Street. Here, I even made you a map!

Here's my news for the day.

1 It's raining. Not too hard now. But first thing this morning when I was en route to a meeting? It was raining hard. And my umbrella broke. I was still about 3 blocks from the coffee shop.

I was meeting with Sarah, from Compendium. Sarah and I, along with a couple other folks in the coffee shop had some good laughs as I soaked myself [moderately] dry with a stack of napkins. [Quick shout-out to Eric too, thanks for stopping down to say hello!]

And this brings me to my second piece of news on this wet Friday morning:

2 Traffic to the Indy Blogs has doubled in our second month since going live! We had nearly 4,000 visitors during the month of September. Great work team, and thanks to all of you out there reading! We hope you're having fun, learning a little about Indy and coming back for more! Remember to subscribe to our RSS feeds over there on the right.

Happy Friday, and stay dry!

Mayor Greg Ballard has declared Friday, Oct. 24 to be "Indy Loves FFA Day."

If you've been around downtown Indianapolis in the past couple of days, you've seen the blue jackets - all 54,000 of them. Each October, for the last 3 years, and for the next several, the National FFA Convention has made its home in Indianapolis. They fill our streets, our convention center, our hotels and our restaurants with a blue sea of  corduroy jackets.

From the release:

“These students from across the nation are among the best and the brightest and we are so pleased to have them here in Indianapolis,” Ballard said. “This organization is committed to education, community and to improving the world in which we live.”

Mayor Ballard has also called citizens to don blue and gold, the official FFA colors, and recognize the students visiting Indianapolis.

Read more from the release here.
---

The National FFA is Indy's largest annual convention, leaving behind an estimated $40 million in economic impact. [About the equivalent of hosting an NCAA Men's Final Four.] That's big business.

But this group leaves behind more than dollar bills.

FFA students spend time throughout their visit making our community a little better than when they arrived. During last year's convention, I had the opportunity to serve as a site leader for the FFA National Days of Service. I spent 2 days with a group of students on a home site with Habitat for Humanity. We worked hard - painting, hanging siding and installing cabinets. And never have I encountered such a hardworking and respectful group of teenagers.

This year, I've spent some time reaching out to FFA students through the social community, Facebook [Join my Indy Loves FFA group!]. I've seen many discussions among students, chatting about their excitement for the convention and meeting up with friends. I found one post said, simply: "It's about the people."

That's a pretty good summation.

Welcome to Indy, FFA!

Hey Indy residents -- Forbes ranked Indianapolis as the #3 BEST Bang for the Buck City.

It's a tough world in this economy we live in today. [Hi. That was my obvious statement for the day.]  But when Forbes scoured the nation to find where people could get the most value out of their dollars they turned up a list of best, and they turned up a list of worst.

Well I think Indy is a pretty swell place too. As Forbes noticed, our housing is more affordable, the job market is more vibrant and we pay less for gas. No doubt, those are all good and important. But who wants to live somewhere based on those reasons alone? When work is done, is there anything else to do? While I can't tell you what it's like to live in another place; I can tell you what it's like to live in Indy.

I live in Broad Ripple, a neighborhood just about 6 miles north of downtown Indianapolis. And I love my neighborhood. It's filled with cafes&restaurants, boutiques, nightlife and the Monon Trail, from which I can walk or ride my bike to downtown, or all the way to the northern suburbs. I work downtown, and since I'm able to live so close, my commute is short. Saving me both gas and time. [Which I can spend doing things more exciting than sitting in my car.] And stepping out of my office - the streets are busy, the people are friendly and there is always a good chance I'll run into someone I know on the sidewalk.

So Indy is #3, just behind Austin and San Antonio, Texas.

But no matter where you live, chances are you've felt the pinch in recent days, weeks and months. I at least am a little comforted to know however, that the old adage doesn't always hold true. The grass isn't always greener. Unless you're somewhere other than Indianapolis [or Texas], in which case - the house across the street from me is on the market!

Allow me to [re]introduce myself -- I'm Karissa. I once was the author of a blog called New(s) in Indy. Then I went on vacation and you met Leah. Isn't she great? I think so, although I can't believe she didn't save any chocolate for me. She's still around here and my Magic 8 ball tells me it’s likely she'll be popping into the blog every so often too.

I spent 3 weeks in Europe – I saw and experienced Germany, Austria and Paris. It was. Absolutely. Fantastic.

And I spent 13 hours traveling home [and across a few time zones] at the end of those absolutely fantastic weeks.

As we taxied down the runway, my seat mate, a business traveler to Indianapolis, and I struck up a conversation.  And I couldn’t help but point out the new Indianapolis International Airport as we passed by the terminal structure. [Yep, never far from work even on my European vacation!] He asked me a couple questions and then made a statement/question – It’d take him what, 30 minutes or so, to reach his downtown hotel from the airport, once he’d picked up his rental car?

30 minutes – are you kidding me?! As soon as we get off this plane you’ll see the downtown skyline. And that drive won’t take you more than 12-15 minutes.

Two things:

1 This Indy fact isn’t the case in many places where the airport is located so far outside the city, you feel you’ve left it entirely. The new IND will truly be a showcase for Indianapolis [read Leah’s post here].

2 Once you get to your downtown hotel, you’ll drop your rental car with the hotel valet and won’t see it again until you leave. You don’t need a car when you’re in downtown Indy. So save the hassle, save the money [something we’d all like to hang on to a little more of these days] and skip the rental car altogether. The newly expanded IndyGo Green Line offers daily service from 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. between the Indianapolis International Airport and 8 downtown stops. Those stops serve 16 major Indianapolis convention hotels, as well as the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium. Buses run every 20 minutes and the estimated travel time is 15 minutes. Airport drop-off/pick-up is located at Ground Transportation from the current terminal, and when the new terminal opens [Nov. 11]. There’s room for your luggage and it’s only $7 each way! You’d pay that just to refill the gas tank of the rental car you only drove from the airport and back.

And we’re all trying to be a bit more “green” these days, so even if you aren’t concerned with saving time or money [Ummm?] – ride the bus and take a few more cars off the road.

Happy Indianapolis travels!

Hi-It's Leah!

Indianapolis went INternational, as the London based British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) came to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week. BBC is the UK’s largest broadcasting company, covering news, sport, film, music and more.

                

For his radio program called 5 Live, Simon Mayo and his crew traveled to five U.S. cities in five days to gather insight on the economy, the election and to get a feel for Midwest American culture. I think it’s pretty amazing that Indianapolis was chosen as one of five cities and even more interesting that people in the UK actually care about the opinions and passions of our citizens.

Although one goal of the broadcast was to preface the upcoming election, BBC also wanted to paint a picture of our city and there couldn’t have been a better location to capture the true essence of Indianapolis culture.

Some of the star players interviewed were Bobby Plump, 1950’s Indiana basketball star and the inspiration for the hit movie, Hoosiers; racecar driver Sarah Fisher; VP of IMS, Joie Chitwood; NCAA VP Dennis Cryder; University of Indianapolis senior track & field athlete Amy Schmitz; and IMS historian Donald Davidson; as well as some influential political voices of the city.

I loved meeting Bobby Plump. There’s something about him that just exudes enthusiasm for Indianapolis and a love for its history. (Probably because he IS a huge part of Indianapolis sports history).

Plus it was so cool to see the way UK does radio! They have so much high-tech equipment and efficiency. Pictures and podcasts from the trip were even posted the very same day of the interviews.

Listen to the broadcast here  and see pictures here!

   It's stiiiiill Leah!

So I just ate a bacon chocolate bar. You read that correctly-- little bits of smoked bacon inside of milk chocolate. When passed around the office, everyone made a similar face which I believe translated to…Ew! On the other hand, it was a refreshing change for me to, once in my lifetime, taste a desert and not even want to finish it.

Where did this exotic treat come from, you ask? Well, I got a “sneak peak” of the Indiana State Museum’s Chocolate Exhibit, which officially opens Oct. 4 and stays until Jan.4. While the bacon chocolate was nothing to melt over, the exhibit itself was sweet!

Upon entering, I felt like I was in a rainforest, as the exhibit takes visitors through chocolate during all of its stages of life (the most important for us, as consumers, being the day that chocolate met its good friend sugar). With videos playing (you can sit on little chocolate truffle stools to watch), interactive activities, blown-up photos and antiques showcased along the way, the exhibit made the story of America's favorite sweet come to life.

I never really realized how big of a luxury chocolate used to be or all of the work put into its production, from fields to factories. Like the sign said, “Behind every luscious mouthful are years of hard work.”

Although the exhibit has a lot of interesting information, the best part for me was the Chocolate Shoppe at the end. In addition to the bacon chocolate, the shop has other unusual flavors as well as high-end selections and unique gifts for your beloved chocoholics. I also got a chocolate bar called “Emergency Chocolate” to keep in my desk drawer…you know, just in case!

Ok…let’s close with a little trivia: What country consumes the most chocolate? (Don’t peak below)

…Switzerland. They have 23 pounds per person, each year! Talk about indulging! 

                         

Leah here...

There's a cool new Indianapolis event this weekend. The first-ever Knollfest will take place from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 4 on the grassy knoll behind Berkley Place, between Sunset Avenue and Haughey Road, slightly off of Butler University's campus (Check here for a map).

Knollfest will bring in more than a dozen bands with live music of all different genres, as well as art galleries, face painting, beer gardens, food and a variety of activities and competitions--Rock Band, beer pong tournaments,a breakdancing competition, Cornhole and ballroom dance instruction, to name a few.

The neat part about this celebration (maybe I'm biased) is that it was created and organized by two Butler University business students with the objective of fostering arts appreciation in the community through culture, music and education. All event proceeds will go to music and art departments at area schools.

Tickets are $15 for students of any level and teachers, and $20 for everyone else. They can also be purchased online ahead of time for just $10.

Don't let the fact that this event is (sort of) on a college campus scare you away. There should be no keg stands or chugging contests- just a really great effort to bring together the Indianapolis community for a good cause, and have some fun.

It's still Leah!

...Please keep your seats and tray tables in their upright and locked positions for departure. Once we have reached our full cruising altitude the captain will turn off the seatbelt sign and you will be free to move about the cabin.

Are you excited yet?!

November 11 the new Indianapolis Airport will officially be open. This will mark the completion of the largest city development project in Indianapolis history, as well as the first airport built since 9-11.

Members of the Indianapolis tourism industry were invited for a sneak peak Thursday evening, and it definitely passed with flying colors! Open space, plenty of outside light shining in, and a modern and fresh feel are the main factors that stood out for me.

The new airport will feature more than 40 new and returning national brands including Starbucks (of course), McDonald's, Brooks Brothers, Borders, Qdoba and Cold Stone Creamery. There will also be one-of-a-kind shopping and dining that showcase some of Indianapolis' top restaurants, art and culture, and sports organizations. In other words, the retail and food at the airport will represent the city. I think that's a great idea, because those who are just stopping through, or who are here for just a quick trip, will get a true Indianapolis experience.

For example,"Cultural Crossroads" will offer merchandise and displays from eight leading Indianapolis museums and cultural institutions including the Children's Museum, the Indiana Historical Society and the Indianapolis Zoo. Look for the first-ever Indianapolis 500-Grill and Brickyard Authentics (a sit-down restaurant with a collectibles shop and Indy 500 museum attached) as well as Patachou on the Fly (a take-off of Indianapolis' beloved Cafe Patachou).

For a complete list of retailers, reataurants and more facts about the new Indianapolis International Ariport, check this out.

You are now free to move about the cabin.

The Dome is now dead. But like former Mayor William Hudnut said, it will forever lie in the spirit and hearts of the Indianapolis community. 

                   
I (Leah) just wanted to bring an outsiders perpective to today's RCA Dome Deflation. Because I, unlike many of you, do not have a lifetime of memories involving the Dome. It was not an icon or symbol of my city. And it was not a familiar or reassuring part of hometown's skyline.

But today I saw something inspirational...

I saw a community of individuals coming together for one common reason: to say goodbye to a part of their city, and a part of their lives, that has been so dear to Indianapolis citizens for 25 years. Although it was an emotional day for some, I thought it was refreshing to see so many people who care so deeply about their city. To me, this shows that Indianapolis is a special place.

Today confirmed for me that three years ago, I moved to a city with passion. A city with true pride in who they are and where they are going. And again, although today marked the end of an era, it can only mean the beginning of great things to come.

I had the privelege of cheering on the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday. It was my very first visit to Lucas Oil Satium. It is absolutely incredible.That's why today was not just sad; it was exciting. Saying goodbye to the past is so much easier when you can welcome in something new, especially something with so much potential to make positive changes.

So, RIP RCA Dome. You will be missed by many. And welcome to the city, Lucas Oil Stadium. We anticipate your impact on our already thriving community!

Leah here.

Golf Magazine calls Indianapolis a destination "where great golf value takes the checkered flag," ranking it number three on U.S. cities with affordable public golf.

Fall is here. Pool days are gone. But golf is still in the green.


Enjoy the pre-snow days by playing golf in Indianapolis on some of the Midwest's most beautiful courses, for cheap!

This article intrigued me because I was raised around golf. As a kid, I spent weekend afternoons watching tournaments on TV with my dad. Evenings when I wanted to watch Nickelodeon, I had to wait for him to finish his golf instructional videos. 

When I was 12, he enrolled my sister and I in our very first golf lessons at a local course. (They didn't last long though, because as soon as my friend's ball hit and shattered a car windshield in the parking lot, we all quit.)

I did not return to golf until Nintendo Wii came into my life. Wii golf boosted my confidence enough for me to take a few more swings at the game this past summer.

Anyway, my dad didn't realize that when he sent his daughter to school in Indianapolis, he was setting himself up for some great weekend golf trips. (Or wait...maybe he did!)

On his next trip here, when thinking of things to do in Indianapolis, I might just have to fill him in on places like Brickyard Crossing Golf Course or Prairie View Golf Club...But then again, if I did that, I would be lucky if he ever even made his way to campus to see me!