Photography – IndyScan.com

2025 April Update

Photo of The Month:

I was walking over to Enzo’s (pizza) for lunch and noticed the north section of Monument Circle was blocked off in preparation for the “Month of May“. I liked the symmetry of this shot & it’s my favorite one of the month!

What’s Going On:
I *think* we’re done with the wild temperature swings that take place this time of Thanks! year & into the early Dog Days of Summer. I’m looking forward to packing up the SUV and spending time outdoors.

It’s May in Indy & that means I’ll be spending more time at the track that I’m ready for. It’s a LOT of walking. You have no idea how big that place is until you attend a few events and realize you have to factor in 20 minutes to get from your car to the event location.

What I’m Buying:
OLIGHT Sphere Smart Night Light
Do you work in an open-style office? Do you get constant walk-ups asking if you’re on a call? Do you want a way to tell people you’re busy? I have a solution for you that is very inexpensive and works amazingly well!

The OLIGHT Sphere is under $20 and with just a tap you can change the color from Green to Red to other built in patterns. The brightness and colors are adjustable (with the free app), and it worked immediately! As soon as I put it on the corner and set it Red, the interruptions all but stopped. The Sphere comes with a magnetic charger that you can run off a USB port on your computer or dock.

BODEGACOOLER 26Qt (25L) 12-volt refrigerator/freezer
I love my Yeti Roadie 24 (I guess they don’t make them anymore?) but messing with ice can be a pain. I found a good deal on the BODEGACOOLER (under $200) that can ride in the back of my SUV and run off the 12v power port. This will be perfect for Costco runs and Farmer’s Markets. You can use it as a fridge or freezer (and even make ice!).

I tested it with my Jackery 500 and it ran for over 2-days making it perfect for camping and other off-grid activities. If I power the Jackery off the 12-volt plug in the car and the BODEGACOOLER off the Jackery it will basically run indefinitely!

NOCO Boost X Portable Jump Start Pack
Subaru is notorious for having small batteries in their Ascent model, and I don’t like being stranded. I was camping in WV a few summers ago and woke up to a dead battery, it added about 3 hours to my day to get a jump, find an auto parts store, and get a new battery installed (it was due).

I used to carry jumper cables in my car but these days it’s not a good idea to jump start another car. Too many risks of something getting fried. This battery pack might be able to help someone else one day in addition to getting me out of a jam in the middle of nowhere.

Rotring 600 3-in-1 Multicolor Pen and Mechanical Pencil
Remember the 4-in-1 pens that gave you Red/Blue/Black/Green back in the day? Who used the Green? Well, this is a more modern version that gives you Black/Red/Pencil (and a bonus BLUE refill in the box). I prefer Blue to Black so I can tell if it’s an original or a copy (don’t ask me why because I don’t know).

The 600 is all aluminum and has a nice solid feel. It has a smaller grip than the Lamy Safari I traditionally use. I like the ability to quickly switch from Blue to Red and I’ve been using pencil more lately when sketching ideas and logging tasks.

What I’m Reading:
Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobson
If you want to have nightmares, this is the book for you. It’s a minute by minute account of what would happen if North Korea sent a nuke to the United States.

The Belt Series by Gerald M. Kilby
Another great series by a talented author. It has some of the same characters from the Colony Mars series and is an easy read to get into. Really enjoying this author!

Kindle Unlimited
I had a 90-day trial offer from Amazon & once I realized I had several books on my wishlist that were available via Kindle Unlimited I decided to give it a try. So far I think it’s worth the price!

What Else:
I tried a trial of YouTube TV and while I liked it, the User Interface sucked and I can’t justify $90 a month to watch a few channels I’m interested in. I have coworkers who swear by it but it’s just not for me. If YouTube was included in the price it would make it a better option but, as of now, they are separate subscriptions.

And Finally…

2025 March Update

Photo of The Month:
This month’s Featured Image is a Weather Fax from New Orleans Coast Guard captured via Shortwave radio. It takes about 5 minutes for all the data to transfer over the air. Depending on the atmospheric conditions, the results can be quite good!

What’s Going On:
You gotta love the early spring weather in Indiana. 70’s one day and snow the next. You really need to keep an eye on the forecast so you, literally, don’t get stuck out in the cold. I keep cold weather gear in my car, and it’s always a gamble to remove it before Memorial Day.

What I’m Buying:
Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch from Ton Bihn (TB). I had some points to spend and there were a few accessories I have been looking at on the TB website. Since my favorite TB wallet is no longer being produced, and people are trying to sell them for $200 on eBay, I thought I’d look for an alternative. While I was initially looking at using the Ghost Whale to organize some small items in my backpack, it turns out it makes a great minimal (and inexpensive) wallet!

Custom leather money clip wallet from Mitchell Leather Factory. I had ordered this before the Ghost Whale above and it had a longer lead time (also got held up at the USPS hub in Indy that’s weeks behind getting things delivered). As soon as this arrived, I turned the Ghost Whale back into an accessory organizer and moved everything to this money clip wallet. The wallet is made from high-quality Horween Dublin leather, and it fits all my daily carry cards and cash perfectly. The version I purchased is natural on the outside and navy blue inside. This should get better with age and custom form to its contents in a few weeks of carry. For the price (under $100), this is a great product and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the market for a new wallet.

Horizon Helvetica from Kickstarter. Billed as the “Swiss army knife of sketch tools”, it was yet another campaign that took twice as long to deliver as initially quoted. I’ve backed several Kickstarter campaigns over the years, and I like the idea of helping a small startup get their idea off the ground, but the execution always gets screwed up. It’s either suppliers, manufacturing, or in this case, shipping issues. I think I’m done for a while (until the next “must have it” thing comes along). 🙂

Although it took forever to finally get the sketch tools, they did end up turning out pretty nice. I like to have a straight edge when I use small notebooks and I’ve been using little 6-inch rulers. The Helvetica has additional options and allows for more creative drawing options. I’ll report back later this year on how useful they are compared to what they replaced.

What I’m Eating:
Earlier in March I picked up another bag of soup mix from U-Relish. This time it was White Bean Rosemary, along with a smoked Ham Hock from Schacht Farms to make a pot of Ham and Beans. Another excellent product from this husband-and-wife duo. This is my third purchase from them, and they just keep getting better.

A new location of the Culinary Dropout chain opened in Indianapolis. We stopped by for dinner in March and were impressed with the atmosphere and quality of the food. It’s a fairly large space and they did a good job managing the sound. It was easy to have a normal conversation, even will a full-ish house.

Where I’ve Been:
March was a pretty quiet month. We checked out the new L.L. Bean in the Keystone area. It was dead & they still had a lot of winter gear out. I was hoping to find some new spring/summer clothes but did not. I did end up getting a couple pairs of their traveler pants which I’ll be testing soon. Details next month.

What I’m Watching:
I watched the first episode of Severance Season 2 and realized I needed a refresher, so I found a 14-minute recap on YouTube that got me back up to speed. and back into the Severance “mindset.”

Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations is one of those shows where you can scan through the episodes, find one that sounds interesting, and go to another place for 40 minutes. It’s always been a favorite of mine and it will always be one of those shows I turn on when I need to decompress.

Northern Exposure was a favorite of mine when it was on originally in the 1990s, and it all but disappeared for 25 years. It showed up on Amazon Prime Video one day and I wasn’t sure it would still be any good, but it’s aged very well and is another easy watch at the end of a busy day. I’m slowly making my way through each episode.

What I’m Reading:
Spare by Prince Harry – I’m not a big (auto)Biography fan but I remember the day Diana died, and seeing Harry all grown up, became interested in his story. This book was not popular within the Royal Family but I thought it was a pretty good read, and seemed to be a genuine reflection of how he has lived his life.

The Belt Series by Gerald M. Kilby – I enjoyed the Colony Mars series so much I naturally moved to the next set by this author. These are quick reads and not too far out there with the Sci-Fi, so they are easy to follow along and enjoy. Entanglement was the first book of the series and I enjoyed reading that over a long rainy weekend. I’m already looking forward to book number 2 in the series.

The Ministry of Time – Before moving on to the next Belt book, this one became available via Libby at the local Library so I jumped on it. It follows a time travel project where the Ministry of Time reaches into the past and grabs subjects right before they die, bringing them to the current time. These historical figures are paired with a mentor (called a Bridge) and taught how to live in their new timeline. If it were not for all the accolades this book received, I probably would not have given it a try.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR SCIENCE FICTION • A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, VANITY FAIR, ESQUIRE, VOX, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, THE INDEPENDENT, PARADE, KIRKUS REVIEWS, AND MORE…

It’s been interesting enough for me to keep picking it up! I’ll be curious to see how it ends, or if it turns into a series (or maybe a movie?).

What Else:
Do you ever wonder how much snow costs us? Neither did I until I ran across this article in the Hustle (a pretty good newsletter!). Hint: It’s a LOT! $$$$$

And Finally…
On a dry lakebed in the Mojave, a group of friends build a practical scale model of time: 13.8 billion years of cosmic evolution, and our place within it.

2025 February Update

Photo of The Month:
Our featured photo this month is the backside of an Acura I was sitting behind at a light while driving to work. This is a current photo but that license plate is almost 5 years expired!

Still can’t top this gem I spotted while in line at Costco waiting for gas back in 2021…

What’s Going On:
Del Taco unveils plans to open 10 restaurants in Indiana – I’m excited for this. We tried these for the first time several years ago while in Las Vegas and immediately noticed how much better they were than Taco Bello Bell (I know that’s a low bar).

It does not look like any of the new locations will be in my city but I’ll drive a little bit to get some more of those tacos.

The battle over AG1—the influencer-famous, $100-a-month green supplement—is coming to a vending machine or grocery store near you – If you’ve watched any YouTube videos in the last few years you have no doubt seen the AG1 sponsorships. I had a co-worker that shared some with me and it was much better than I expected (a little gritty), but not worth $100 a month, in my opinion. I’ll be curious to see how it’s packaged and sold in retail & if it will make it to the shelves of Costco anytime soon, where I might give another try.

What I’m Buying:
I finally decided to get an Air fryer. I know, I’m really late to the game, but I jumped onboard early with the Insta-Pot and was disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it will cook a good meal, but it misses the depth of flavor you can only get from a long slow braise in the oven. I’m told it makes excellent yogurt and spaghetti (not together).

So far I’ve only experimented with a few things like frozen personal pizzas, French fries, and potato skins but it’s turning out to be a really good (processed) food cooker! I need to roast some chicken breasts for an upcoming dinner so we’ll see how that goes.

I was surprised at how quiet it was and how quickly I could cook a batch of (frozen) potato skins. Cleanup was really easy too with the parts being dishwasher safe. While not a substitute for a real oven, it’s been handy during the week when I just want something hot for dinner and don’t want to spend a lot of time making it.

What I’m Eating:
Tous Les Jours – I saw this place was opening a location on Main Street in Carmel and we checked it out on MLK day. WOW, this is a great little bakery with some unique items. While at the store enjoying some sweet treats, I looked them up on line and discovered that not only were they a chain they has a mother location in Castlelton, of all places. Turn out this is the same little French/Asian bakery inside the Saraga International Grocery store! In fact, the local kitchen is in Saraga and they bring the pastries to Carmel from that location.

Hanna’s Banh Mi bakery and Cafe – This place was originally going to open on Allisonville Rd (north of 116th), but the “coming soon” signage disappeared. Fast forward about a year & I find it in Castle ton, next to Saraga! We stopped in for an early(ish) lunch and ordered a bowl of Pho and a roasted pork Bahn Mi. Both were delicious but the Bahn Mi stole the show with the delicious combination of fatty pork, creamy sauce and the lightly pickled vegetable ton top of the freshly baked French roll. By the time we left, the Saturday lunch rush had shown up with a line to the door.

Bubbies Pickles – Babish Culinary Universe has been doing these Ranking videos where he trues every variety they can find of a particular product. I really enjoyed the pickle ranking episode & after seeing how well the Bubbles Spicy Kosher Dill Pickles scored I decided to grab a jar to try. I found them at my local Fresh Thyme, and while on the higher end of the pickle purchasing spectrum have found them to be a delicious addition to the refrigerator shelf. Just a noticeable spice that goes well with a sandwich, or alone as a snack. They have a very satisfying crunch and a very clean pickle taste. The brine is a little cloudy (from the lacto-fermentation) so don’t let that keep you from trying these!

Where I’ve Been:
The Pioneer in Brookville, Indiana – We visited earlier in the month to continue exploring the Indiana Chicken Trail. Brookville actually has 3 stops on the Official Trail. The other two are the Dairy Cottage (also home of the Super G, their version of the Big Boy) and the local VFW (website link not working). I ordered the chicken planks and they were batter dipped and quite tasty. My parents ordered the chicken dinner which they really enjoyed. We were talking so much I forgot to take any pictures!

Carmel Winter Farmers Market – These Winter markets are MUCH better than they have been in years past. I was very impressed with the Broad Ripple market and equally impressed with what we found in Carmel! A lot of vendors have booth in both, and some alternate between the two. Either one will get you some good quality products and even a freshly cook breakfast if you’re hungry.

What I’m Watching:
Reacher season 3 is on Prime Video and this year Anthony Michael Hall (from the Breakfast Club) plays the bad guy. Episode 1 was very good and left me wanting to watch more.

What I’m Reading:
Frostbite by Nicola Twilley – The study of “Fridgenomics” was a fascinating read about how the invention of refrigeration, something we take for granted today, was feared in the beginning because it was making people sick!

Tower Dog: Life Inside the Deadliest Job in America by Doug Delaney – We have been lead to believe Alaskan Crab Fisherman had the deadliest job in America, but back when the telecommunication network was expanding across the nation with cellular services, Tower Dogs (climbers) were dying at alarming rates, often falling to their deaths from dizzying heights, as they built the backbone we all use today. It was told from the perspective of a former Tower Dog that needed to return to the business to make money to support his family while also trying to sell his story to Hollywood.

What Else:
Spotify Premium has 15-hours of Audo Books available every month for Premium subscribers. I thought this was something new but evidently it’s been available for over a year. I did a little digging and found several newer titles that I was waiting for on Libby to be available right now on Spotify, so this is a good alternative for the casual Audio Book listener (like me).

And Finally…
Meanwhile at a Cincinnati Bengals game…

2025 January Update

Photo of The Month:
This month’s featured image was taken facing West on Ohio St in Downtown Indianapolis while I sat at the light. I enjoyed the blue-skied sunrise behind me and the moon’s brightness above the horizon to the west.

What’s Going On:
A lot has happened since my last post in June 2024 (mostly good!). 2025 is a new year, and I was fortunate to have 2.5 weeks off work at the end of the year to reflect and reset. I felt it was time to fire the blog back up with monthly updates and a familiar format that allows me to add to it as the month progresses. I also decided I should start adding context to the Featured Image each month when it’s a picture I took.

What I’m Buying:
I rearranged my reading nook in the front room to make it more cozy and added a few elements. I’ve been dedicating at least 2 hours most evenings to reading and reducing my TV time (which consists of many YouTube videos). The Kindle Paperwhite has been getting a workout. I’ve seen wireless page-turners previously and was intrigued. Since you have to touch the screen of the Kindle to advance to the next page, it limits how you can sit and hold the device. With the page tuner, you can sit however you want, prop the Kindle up (I put it on a raised leg or a small folding stand on the end table), and push a remote button to advance pages. It’s a small thing, but I can sit for hours reading without interruption or discomfort.

I also picked up a mug warmer to keep my coffee/tea warm when I’m really into a book. I got tired of grabbing a cold mug after 30 minutes. I thought the rechargeable Ember mugs were interesting but they are really expensive. The mug warmers are under $20 and the one I purchased has 3 heat settings and an adjustable auto-off timer.

I bought the new iPad Mini 7 in October, which has 512 GB of storage and a cellular modem (basically the maxed-out edition). It was not cheap, but I have been amazed by the little mini’s versatility! The cellular modem allows me to have always-on internet and not have to try to find Wi-Fi (or hot-spot off my phone) when I’m out and about.

What I’m Eating:
I guarantee I’ve eaten every day since my last post, so I won’t bore you with that. Lately, I’ve been visiting Broad Ripple to check out the Winter Farmers Market and Ripple Bagel & Deli on non-market days and on the way into the office.

Located inside the old BR High School (now a middle school?), the market is bigger than I remember in years past, and it has a nice mix of vendors. Shout out to Schacht Farm for having some of the best meat I’ve had in a LONG time. Their sage breakfast sausage, chorizo, bacon, and sandwich ham are all very high quality, and each one is delicious. I plan on dedicating a shelf on the garage freezer to their products soon.

Another vendor I was very impressed with was U-Relish Slow Cooker Meals. They used to have a stall in the Indianapolis City Market, and I honestly never paid much attention to them. Shame on me because I have been missing out on their products! I picked up a black bean chili mix, and the owner recommended I add some chorizo to it if I wanted a little kick. So you know who I visited next!

Ripple Bagel & Deli has a dizzying array of options on its expansive menu!

When I was in London in 2023, the Salted Beef Bagel was a game changer, and the Brick Lane Beigel Bake will be my first stop when I return. Ripple Bagel & Deli has a menu item called the Monon Roadkill that is about as close to the London sandwich as I can get in Indy. It consists of Pastrami, double Swiss, and horseradish on an onion bagel, and it scratches that itch for now. I need to remember to add pickles the next time I order it.

Where I’ve Been:
Since the last post, I’ve not traveled much, but I ended up in Boston for work last September. I really enjoyed the food we had there. Our group tried to catch a game at Fenway, but it ended up gettingrained out.

I attended a Teivery Corporation concert at the Vogue. It was my first time seeing a show there, and it was the best concert venue I’ve ever been to. I’m not much for loud noises, and the acoustics and sound levels for this show were very nice. I had a very enjoyable time.

During the holiday break, I traveled over to Dayton to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum (an amazing facility that everyone should visit at least once)

What I’m Watching:
I use TV Time to track all the shows I watch. It allows me to find out when new episodes become available and to remember where I left off when I don’t watch for a while.

Anthony Bourdain – No Reservations (rewatch from the beginning)
Hell’s Kitchen Season 23
Below Deck Sailing Season 5
Northern Exposure (rewatch from the beginning)
Squid Game Season 2

What I’m Reading:
Colony Mars (7-book series) by Gerald M. Kilby
I’m through the fourth book and was hooked from the first one. I’ve never thought of myself as a sci-fi fan, but this series is a good way to dip your toes in because it’s not so far-fetched. I could see this being somewhat realistic in 20 years (if not sooner).

What Else:
I traded in the trusty Subaru Crosstrek for a new Subaru Ascent. It’s a night and day difference in size and performance, with that familiar Subaru look and feel. I only have a couple thousand miles on it so far, but just about everything about the car is perfect. Gas mileage is much less than the Trek’s, but it’s worth it for the capabilities and capacity I’ve gained with their flagship larger SUV.

I’m still “playing radio” (Amateur “Ham” Radio) when I have time. So far I have been in contact with 127 countries and have exchanged QSL (post) Cards with about 50 stations from around the world. I may make a gallery on the Blog to showcase more interesting ones I’ve received.

And Finally…

2024 May Update

What’s Going On:
WHERE did May go? I’m sitting here today doing my weekly Review, and it finally hit me that it’s JUNE (and halfway through June at that)!

What I’m Buying:
My Everyday Carry (EDC) is pretty standard: wallet, watch, keys, phone, knife, and light. Sometimes, I pocket some pepper spray, depending on the situation. The individual items rotate (like a dive watch vs. an Apple watch or a money clip vs. a wallet), but they’re always consistent and in their respective pockets.

My blade of choice this last year has been the 945 Mini Osborne (in Green Aluminum). It’s a great knife and has held up well for daily carry. But it’s a little on the heavy side when wearing lightweight clothing.

While walking back to the car from the Broad Ripple Art Fair, we stopped at Rusted Moon Outfitters to look around (and to see if they still had their 20% off sale going on). I missed the sale but still walked out with a new (and much lighter) Benchmade. The Mini Bugout (CF-Elite) is a perfect summer pocket carry since it only weighs 1.5oz. The weight saving comes from the Carbon fiber-reinforced scales. Add to that a Cerakote blade & you’re looking at a nice low-profile and versatile slicer.

The Mini Bugout needed to be broken in a bit to get that trademark Benchmade open/close action, but it didn’t take long, and it’s been in my pocket every day since.

What I’m Eating:
Babish Culinary Universe has been posting some interesting “Ranking Every…” videos lately, and one caught my eye: Ranking 46 Kinds of Ramen. If you’ve visited an Asian Speciality store, you have undoubtedly seen the mind-numbing combinations and variety of Ramen. We’re not talking about the standard Top Ramen found at the local Stop-and-Shop for $0.50 a pack.

Spoiler Alert, his favorite turned out to be Buldak Quattro Cheese Ramen Hot Chicken Flavor. I turned to Amazon to help me find it.

Spotted when I visited Thailand in February 2024

This stuff is GOOD! It’s like Kraft Mac & Cheese powder meets ramen noodles, but it also has another pouch of flavor that brings the heat. I must warn you, this stuff is HOT! I used half the hot packet on my first bowl and regretted it immediately. I backed off quite a bit the next time I fixed it, and it was a delicious bowl of instant spicy cheesy ramen!

I thought the packaging looked familiar, and I went back and looked through my Thailand Trip photos from earlier this year. Sure enough, I had sent the picture above to my son while I was there.

If you’re into Instant Ramen, I recommend checking out the Buldak Quattro Cheese Ramen Hot Chicken Flavor. If you do, let me know what you think!

If you’re looking for a good quality lunch, I recommend you check out Slapfish in the Fishers District. I’ve gone there for lunch the past couple of Fridays (working from home) and had some really good fish and chips! Lunch out for under $20? I’ll take it.

Lastly, the old O’Charley’s in Fishers has been turned into a Sports Bar called Walk-Ons. We visited a few weeks ago to try out the Shrimp PoBoys. They were pretty tasty. We were looking for a substitute for B’s Po Boy, who used to be in Fountain Square Pre-COVID. These were very close with the bread (from New Orleans) being the missing ingredient (although the hoagie roll at Walk-ons is decent). For a basic Po Boy, they scratch that itch. In fact, I went back the following week and got another one for lunch! The sleeper item on the menu at Walk-Ons is the HUSH PUPPIES! Get them as an app or a side & thank me later.

Where I’ve Been:
The first weekend in May found me in Marion, IN, attending a small regional Amateur Radio swap meet. I didn’t have very high expectations, but it turned out to be a nice show with a few radio guys I’ve talked to on the air and was able to meet for the first time. I also got a good deal on some antennas to use with my receiving equipment (scanners and stuff).

Of course, in May, you go out to the track! I was out there for some work events & didn’t go to the race. It ended up raining & delaying everything anyway, so that would have been an awful time at IMS this year. I ended up watching it on TV like everyone else when they lifted the blackout. Indy Car will be on Fox next year & I’m hearing people say the Indy 500 will be televised live. I’ll believe it when I watch it.

At the end of May I went camping with a good friend of mine down at Hardin Ridge. We had a good time catching up and playing around with some Amateur Radio equipment once the sun went down.

Lastly, I checked out the Fishers Farmers Market a few Saturdays ago. The markets keep getting better! I walked away with a package of pepperoni Rolls from one of the Amish vendors. They were really good!

What I’m Reading:
Jenny Lawson is back with another introspective into her life called Broken (in the best way possible). It’s been a great read so far. I got about 25% through it in the first sitting. It can be a little dark as she walks you through her mental and physical disorders, but she has a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that make the book a must-read. Her previous books have been just as enjoyable to read as well. If you’re looking for a light-hearted look at life from someone with a very active imagination, Jenny might be an author you’d like to read!

What Else:
That’s about it for May. It went WAY too fast & June is already half over. The weather is finally catching up to us, with 90+ degree days in the forecast for the next couple of weeks. A group of us are going over to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch the Olympic Swim Trials. We were able to get suite tickets, so that should be enjoyable. We also arranged a behind-the-scenes tour to see how they pulled this event off. I should have some pictures in the next blog post.

And Finally…
The maddening mess of airport codes.

2023 Week 49 – This is the Voice of America

What’s Going On:
Lots of things getting in the way of blogging recently. All good, but this time of year can get very busy as we plan for the holiday festivities and try to complete outstanding projects before winter break.

I’m fortunate that my company closes from Christmas to the New Year so that should give me some time to get things caught up and, hopefully, back on a better blogging schedule.

What I’m Eating:
Wurst-n-Weinet at the Fishers Test Kitchen has a HUGE soft pretzel on the menu on Thursday nights. It’s worth checking out if you’re in the area, but get there early, they sell out every week!

Where I’ve Been:
I visited the Voice of America museum in Cincinnati a few weeks ago. What an amazing place! The history is very interesting and the museum tour was a lot of fun! They also have a very nice Amateur Radio station setup that I enjoyed checking out too.

And Finally…
Henry Kissinger, who died this week at 100, outlived the obituary writer of his obituary writer…

2023 Week 43 – Bohemian Bobbleheads

What’s Going On:
I had the opportunity to join my lovely partner on a trip to the Austin TX area a few weeks ago. We went down to check out the Original Round Top Antiques Fair, in Round Top, TX. The entire place had a Texas-type Bohemian feel to it (hats, sun dresses, and cowboy boots) that we dubbed the “Bohemian Boobblehead” look.

Where I’ve Been:
We rented a sporty little Audi A5 and stayed in an Air B&B that could not have been nicer. It was in the middle of nowhere, next to a Longhorn ranch, and a perfect place to relax and unwind.

What I’m Eating:
We tried a local BBQ place, and it was just OK. But, the local bakery was delicious, and the local butcher had steaks and loaded baked potatoes so good we had them two nights in a row.

Round Top is a small town with a normal population of 90 people. The antique fair brings in around 200,000 people over a few weeks. One of the local food attractions is Royers Pie Haven, which deserves all the accolades. After waiting for 10-15 minutes, we each got our little slice of heaven to enjoy for dessert later that night.

It was raining when we flew out of Austin and back to Indy; we skipped the line at Franklin BBQ, visited Terry Black’s, and had some of the best BBQ we have ever had. I didn’t get any decent pictures because I was chowing down!

And Finally…
I am heading down to Cincinnati in the next couple of weeks to visit the historic Voice of America Bethany Station.

2023 Week 41 – London Calling

What’s Going On:
Leaving Paris was not bitter-sweet. I was ready for the next stop in my travel back to the U.S., London, England. I took another ridiculously long Uber ride to the train Station & boarded Eurostar #9027 for the 2-hour trip under the English Channel.

As I wrote last week, once I got to the station, it was time to wait. There was a (unusual?) delay because of a broken down train, so I was in a queue for about an hour while they got things back on track (pun intended), and I was off to London!

There was a little confusion because the station didn’t update the electronic board, so many people, myself included, thought we were in the wrong area. After numerous announcements in various languages (English was one, thankfully), we were all relieved to find we were right where we needed to be.

The train from Paris to London was not as nice as the Zurich to Paris train, but it was still nicer than most commercial flights, and there was plenty of legroom to stretch out and relax.

We hit 334.7 km/h (207.97 mph) at one point but slowed considerably once we got to the Chunnel. The 31.35 mi trip underground and water was a lot faster than I expected, and shortly after we entered the tunnel on the French side, we emerged in England.

I walked a short way from the train station and quickly obtained an Uber to take me to my hotel. I was getting a little hungry, so I opted for an early dinner at a pub on the Thames River.

What I’m Eating:
I chose Captain Kidd mainly because of its location on the water and decent reviews online. The pub itself was what you would expect. Lots of wood and small groups of friends talking about their day and local events.

The food was disappointing. I ordered fish and chips (when in Rome), and I received their version (the dark nuggets in the bowl on the left are “Shrimp Scampi”). They tasted OK but definitely NOT what I was expecting.

The house brew, on the other hand, was deliciously light and hit the spot.

The next day, I set out to explore the city. I had a general idea of where I wanted to go but no agenda once I got there. I started my day at the Brick Lane Bakery and ordered a Salted Beef Bagle.

Salted beef (think corned beef) on a freshly made chewy bagel with mustard and pickles. I hit the jackpot with this dish. It was new but familiar at the same time and was a delicious way to start the day.

As I walked around London, I found many covered bazaars with vendors selling all kinds of items as well as food stalls scattered throughout.

After exploring 3 or 4 of these, I turned a corner and discovered London has an Eatly location!

After exploring Eatly, I settled in for a quick cup of espresso in the coffee shop downstairs to get my bearings & choose what to do next. I was now close to the Thames again, so I headed south to check out the London & Tower bridges.

All this walking was wearing me out, so I found a riverside restaurant to get a light lunch and a well-deserved glass of wine.

I spent another day in London before heading back to Indianapolis. I’ll admit I wasn’t in London long enough. There are a lot of things to explore, and I’m looking forward to another visit in the upcoming years to see and do more.

Because the City was participating in a Car Free Day the day I was leaving, the entire downtown area was gridlocked. A 14-mile direct drive to the airport turned into a 90-minute trip around the outskirts of the city to get to Heathrow.

Once inside and through security, I felt like I was in Vegas. This airport was over the top!

My seat was upgraded to business class, and I ended up in the front of the section behind the bulkhead. THIS is the seat to have on the 6-hour flight back to the U.S. LOTS of legroom, and very easy to get up and move around without disturbing the person next to you. I’m looking for these seats on my next international trip.

I returned to Indianapolis around Midnight and was wide awake when I got home. I managed to get some rest and didn’t have any jet lag effects the next day.

All in all, this was a great trip. Zurich is a place I would have never visited on my own, but I’m ready to return. I could have skipped Paris for another day in London, but I’m glad I at least passed through. The train travel in Europe is no joke. It’s cost-effective and fast. I wish we had 200+ mph trains in the US between major cities. I would use those whenever possible versus flying in all but the longest trips.

What Else:
Since I returned from Europe, I passed my Amateur Radio General Exam (I only missed two questions on the 35-question test) and now have privileges to use radio frequencies that allow me to talk all over the world.

My simple setup with a wire antenna in the 2nd-floor attic has allowed me to make over 550 contacts in 94 countries. I should have done this a long time ago.

And Finally…
The New Yorker had a fascinating article (with clever graphics) about the world’s seafood supply. It’s very eye-opening and I learned a lot by reading it

The Crimes Behind the Seafood You Eat

I also encourage you to take a look at the Outlaw Ocean Project as well.

2023 Week 38 – International Travel

What’s Going On:
I just flew into Zurich and, boy, are my arms tired! Sorry for the old joke but crossing the Atlantic is no joke! I’m visiting for work and part of the support staff for a Leadership Exchange trip bringing approximately 100 CEOs and elected officials to Zurich Switzerland to learn about the apprenticeship process that’s so popular there.

I had a 4pm departure from Indianapolis, and a short layover in Philadelphia (enough to smash a cheesesteak and beer) before flying overnight to Zurich. The flight was uneventful but I could not get more than a few minutes sleep at a time. The older couple sitting next to me were pleasant and after a long 8 hours we arrived.

Customs was a LONG wait as several big flights arrived around the same time and they were short staffed. Several of the passport stations were manned by people in training (as evident from the signed in the window). As soon as it was my turn the employee in training was replaced buy a guy who was not too happy to be at work that day.

Him: “Business or Pleasure”
Me: “Work Conference”
Him: “How many days in Europe?”
Me: “11”
Him: *Thunk-Stamp* “Wellcome to Zurich”

Pretty simple process! It’s 9am and the plan is to stay up all day, have a nice meal and crash around 11pm to get acclimated to the time change.

What I’m Watching:
I watched Murder Mystery 2 on the flight over, It wasn’t as good as the first one (sequels rarely are) but it helped pass the time.

I was impressed with the selection available for inflight entertainment, and they even had seat to seat chat so I messaged a couple co-workers that were also on the flight.

What I’m Reading:
Still working on the Grocery book by Michael Ruhlman, and started reading Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. I want to finish that one before the AppleTV series comes out later this year.

What Else:
This is my fourth Leadership Exchange trip and it usually consists of early mornings, late nights, and a lot of good food and group activities. This year we are spending time at the FIFA Museum, and Lindt Chocolate Factory. But first, I need to head down to the dock to hop on a pleasure cruise out on Lake Zurich with 100 tired travelers and coworkers. More to come soon!