Catch Up Post, Yeah I’m Still Alive!

It’s been far too long since my last blog post so I thought I’d do a summary post detailing what’s been going on with my life…

Decided to try the iPad out again. Picked up a 32GB Wi-Fi unit and I’ll have to admit it’s far superior to the Gen 1 device I had years ago. Better screen, faster performance, and great battery life. I also purchased a Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Cover and the combination is great!  I find myself using the pair in meetings and when I’m out and about wanting to get online.

To go along with the iPad I added a Verizon “Jetpack” 4g Mi-Fi device to the tool kit.  After finding out my internal aircard in the trusty Lenovo X200 was not capable of being upgraded to a 4g data unit I took the plunge.  This is the device to have for mobile data.  Initially the battery life was pretty sub-par but the addition of the extended battery gives me all the time I need and the speeds are nothing short of amazing.

My son & I attended Dig IN A Taste of Indiana and I was VERY impressed with the event. GREAT food and a lot of variety. We’re going to make this an annual event and I encourage you to check it out next year (August 25, 2013).

International Geocaching Day was on August 18 and we made sure to log a cache that day to get a special badge on our online account.  The 2 caches we manage also got a lot of activity that day from the event.

Devour Downtown has come and gone. I was only able to make it to one place this year but Smokehouse on Shelby was a real treat.

If you’re looking for a location based app for your reminders the Checkmark app for the iPhone is one to check out (no pun intended). It reminds you of things when you are at a specific location vs date and time.  Very handy when you want to be reminded to do something when you get home or arrive at the office.

I’m working downtown with a new client and spending a few days during the week down ther  . It’s been a while sine I’ve spent this much downtown and I’m really happy to be doing it again.  Speaking of Downtown I’ve been going to King David Hot Dogs on a semi-regular basis. Not only is it a quick eat it’s delicious!  This is not your ordinary wiener.  This thing is a 1/4 pound beef dog that will fill you up.

I’m sure I’m missing a few things but as you can see the summer has been a busy one.  I was talking to Eddie V the other day & we want to start the Man fights Back Podcast up again.  Been far too long since we recorded an episode and I’m sure we have plenty of content to fill a few shows.  I’ve also thought about doing a weekly Podcast that summarizes the events on IndyScan.com. It’s still in the developmental phases but you might see it soon on the Blog.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

-Andrew-

Indianapolis Photography

My daughter & I are headed out to Crown Hill Cemetery to do some more photography experiments.  I’ve never been to Crown Hill but it sounds like a great place to photograph still life (no pun intended) as well as some great Indianapolis city landscapes.

We’re always looking for great places to shoot so if you have any suggestions we’d love to hear from you!

Public Art in and Around Indianapolis

While doing a little online research last weekend I came across the Indianapolis Public Art websiteEven better they have a Public Art Locator that pinpoints pieces on a Google map.  It’s pretty amazing the number of statues and sculptures in the area.  I wanted to share the site with the IndyScan visitors since it’s an awesome resource.

What are some of your favorite pieces in Indianapolis?  I’m a big fan of the Brick Head on Mass Ave. and the Solders and Sailors monument.

Indianapolis – Siam Square

Last Sunday my daughter and I went to Fountain Square to shoot some photos.  I asked her what she wanted for lunch & without hesitation she said “Siam Square“.  Having never been to this restaurant I was happy to go based on the glowing feedback from friends.

Note, all images in this review are from the Internet because we actually left the cameras in the car while we ate & the lighting did not work for phone pictures.  Rookie mistake for sure.

The menu at Siam Square is pretty typical of any Thai restaurant including lunch specials during the week.  I’ve wanted to try a Curry dish for a while now.  I’m usually a Pad Thai (chicken/pork) guy but I was feeling a little adventitious today.

My daughter ordered the Chicken Pad Thai and, after a brief discussion with our server, I went for the Red Curry.  I was not sure what to expect but sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind.

I’m glad I took a chance because I was VERY impressed with the Red Curry.  It was spicy (medium), sweet and had a lot of interesting flavors.  The bamboo shoots and green beans were plentiful as was the thinly sliced chicken.  Several Thai Basil leaves were mixed through the dish and they added a wonderful herbal flavor.

We’ve visited many Thai places this last year and the Pad Thai almost always is a little sweet (sometimes too sweet).  The Pad Thai at Siam square had a nice “char/caramelization” mixed in and the noodles had a great texture.  The Pad Thai has to be one of the best I’ve had to date.

Service was very attentive and the prices were on par with other Thai places in the Indy area.  We spent some time exploring the Fountain Square District and identified several places to try next time we’re in the area.  I think Duck Pin Bowling is on the agenda for the next visit!

Siam Square on Urbanspoon

Indianapolis – 96th Street Steakburgers

Indianapolis has a lot of great places to get a hamburger and one of my Northside favorites is 96th St. Steakburger.  It’s been there for a few years and it seems to stay pretty busy.  On my last visit I ordered a double cheeseburger, fries and a drink ($6.99).

The burgers are thin like Steak & Shake so a double is a good way to go.  The standard toppings of lettuce, tomato and “special sauce” complete the burger.  You can “Styilze” your burger and get it Lettuce Style, Mustard Style or Monster Style.  I stuck with the classic this time around.

Lettuce Style replaces the bun with, you guessed it, lettuce.  Mustard Style has mustard grilled into the bun.  Monster Style has grilled onions and uses a Mustard Style bun.  I’ve had the mustard and monster styles and they’re a nice option if you want something different.  For $0.99 you can add a variety of toppings such as bacon and blue cheese.

The french fries are fresh-cut with the skin on.  They’re similar to Penn Station only thinner.  On this visit my fries were a little under cooked.  Not by a lot but they could have stayed in the fryer another minute.  Bottles of malt vinegar are available to add a little tang.  The fries do not come seasoned so a little salt helps too.

Service is usually fast and your order takes 4-5 minutes to get ready.  That’s plenty of time to fix your drink and grab some condiments.  Seating is a mixture of booths, free-standing tables and high-tops.  If you’re in the 96th & Keystone area and want a pretty decent burger give 96th St. Steakburger a try.

96th Street Steakburgers on Urbanspoon

Indianapolis City Market – 3 Days in Paris

Table with a view

My son & I ventured downtown last Saturday to check out the Indy Winter Farmers Market that’s now in the historic Indianapolis City Market.  The plan was to do a little scouting around and then head to the Torta shop I reviewed the other day.  The Torta shop ended up being closed because they are expanding (good news!).  We both immediately decided to go back to the City Market and check out 3 Days in Paris.

We had a great experience at Findlay Market’s Crêpe Shop in Cincinnati so we were hoping for something similar.  Like the other shop the food is made in front of you and it takes about 5 minutes to make it.  Like Cincinnati there was a gathering of people waiting on their food and watching the crêpe makers in action.

Sweet Crêpe

We ordered one sweet and one savory crêpe.  The sweet being one of the day’s specials ($5.00).  It consisted of chocolate, bananas, marshmallows and crushed graham crackers.  The savory called “Red Eggs & Bacon” ($6.50) was filled with Egg, Bacon, Havarti, Spinach and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.  I put a little squirt of Siracha sauce on the savory plate just in case it needed a little flavor boost.

One of the things I like about the City Market is the ring of balcony seating on the second floor.  It gives a great view of the facility and it’s out of the way of the crowds.  We headed upstairs and grabbed a table with a great view.

Savory Crêpe (almost gone!)

We were both very happy with our decision to return to the market for lunch.  I liked the Indianapolis version of my crêpe better than the one in Cincinnati, mainly because it had more flavor.  I did end up using a little Siracha towards the end though.  The sweet crêpe was very good and the dark chocolate kept it from being overly sweet.

The Indianapolis City Market is located at 222 E Market St. and if you’re looking for something to do on a Saturday morning check out the Indy Winter Farmers Market.  I will warn you that a lot of the shops at the City Market are closed on the weekends but parking is free in the lot to the east and the Farmers Market has a lot to offer.
Note to self: make sure to wipe off the fingerprint smudges on your camera phone before shooting pictures for a review!  One of the very few design flaws on the Blackberry 9930.

3 Days in Paris on Urbanspoon

 

 

Sriracha sauce

We’ve Joined the Indianapolis Bloggers Group!

I found this group by chance through a mention on another site I follow.  The Indianapolis Bloggers group’s mission is to become a gathering place for fellow bloggers in Indianapolis and the surrounding cities.   Just looking at their site has led me to discover even more area bloggers with a lot of different interests.

Check it out & be sure to join if you have an active Indianapolis area blog!