This club is actually called the University Club of Indianapolis…read more This club was founded in 1890's and President Benjamin Harrison was the club's first president.  It is located in the old Marmon house-on Delaware Street.  The Marmon family owned a car company whose car won the first Indianapolis 500 car race in 1911. It is primarily  a lunch club that opens around 11 am and goes all afternoon.  Lunch ends- but one can have beverages till late in the evening.   Food is good- especially Prime Rib with all the accompaniments-salads, potatoes, etc- that is held on the first Thursday of the month frequently . It has a number of well attended events such as the 500 Race Party and Calcutta which is one of the top social events of the year.  Many members also go to the Indianapolis 500 race every year. It also has a newly refurbished squash court in a separate building. The club has reciprocity with a few similar clubs around the world including: the University Club of Boston, the University Club of Phoenix and a few others. It has a small tight knit membership-with members of the most illustrious Indianapolis families going back generations.  If you want to meet "old money" Indianapolis-this is your club.

Vibes are pretty modern and simple (we were seated in the side room, the outside looked like they…read morehad a bit more fun furniture going on) Service felt elevated. Appetizers - pretty yummy WTF roll - 9/10 had dried Wagyu which made it more savory, rice is chewy (in between sushi rice and sticky rice) could be a little less rice; the potato threads were crispy and yum Wagyu Perogi - 7.5/10 was good, but not as meat focused as I was hoping, filling was very soft but I like the pasta dough (had some chew) Entrees were cooked well, I think the flavors were straightforward and not too complex. Chicken Wellington - the pastry dough was as buttery as biscuits. Sauce had dates and the dish was on the sweeter side (I prefer more savory entrees so this was not my taste) My partner ordered this and he loved it Miso Black Cod Fish was done well and not dry. Broth was a bit one dimensional to me. I thought my soba noodles were gonna be the brown ones but they were thicker like ramen white noodles The herbs really captured the pho broth well. I've noticed the effort put into the menu was done really well. I feel like with food fusion, I noticed a lot of things do end up getting misspelled but I noticed the accent and spelling were all correct on the menu. Liz was our server and she was very knowledgeable on the menu also!

The Easter Brunch Buffet at Aberdeen Social House is a "must" for those seeking an "elevated"…read moreholiday experience. While the restaurant is known for its upscale American food and extensive bourbon selection, the Easter buffet shifts the focus to a high-end spread. The buffet Isn't your typical brunch fare offering: - carving stations that had selections like lamb, ham along with prime rib and glazed salmon. - brunch staples included blueberry stuffed French toast and chorizo biscuits. The service was amazing and our server made sure we were taken care of. Eventhough it was a bit pricey we did enjoy the atmosphere and service.

I was here recently for an event that was put up by my university. Coincidentally, there was…read moreanother event at the Skyline Club also affiliated with my university, so that made it quite crowded across the whole floor. I think in terms of the provisions by the Club, everything was covered well enough. They had catered meals for us that were fine, and it looks like there's a restaurant up there for other patrons. My only complaint was that there wasn't anything to indicate where to put used dishware that I was done with. The views here are really cool, being able to see the monument and Lucas Oil stadium from above. This definitely makes for a cool event space.

Such a great view of the circle! We came here before seeing a show at the Hilbert Circle theater…read more We were able to find street parking and it was a quick walk to the theater-very convenient! We tried a bunch of appetizers and drinks. Everything we had was very good. Drinks were excellent. Our server was excellent. We will be back for dinner and to see that view again!

I hadn't been to the red room in YEARS and YEARS but was invited to a 50th Birthday party here,…read morewhich I didn't even realize was a thing. So apparently you can rent the facility prior to them opening at 10pm. So the party was from 6-10. You have access to the entire place and the outside area as well. You can also cater in your own food, so it's not like you have to use their contacts, but it does have to be catered, you can't bring in homemade food. You can also bring in a DJ. This particular party had a cash bar but you can make arrangements for it to be an open bar if you would like. The most exciting thing is you only have to have I think a $400 liquor minimum. Well if you have a decent crowd, I'm sure that's pretty easy. I also wasn't aware that they actually have a parking lot for your guests as well.

This place has always been hands down so much fun! The service has always been so great with the…read morestaff being so kind and attentive. The ambiance is fun and upbeat. I would highly recommended red room for a fun upbeat vibe and always kind staff. They also have a fun salsa night on Wednesdays. During the warmer temps of nights they also have an outside lighted patio!

I joined Better off Bowling for a spring league and so glad I did! I joined solo and got connected…read moreto a random team. It was so fun! We met weekly at Woodland Bowl for 6 weeks. We got to bowl for an hour and a half and got a team t-shirt. Am I a good bowler? Not so much. Was 4 strikes in a game my best bowl? Yes it was. Did anyone care that I wasn't strong? No. I definitely plan on getting my friends together for a team to do the winter league!

Better Off Bowling is a very fun league to hangout with your friends or coworkers. I enjoy getting…read moretogether with my coworkers on Wednesday nights to challenge everyone at their bowling, poker (when I remember my cards), and trivia skills. The Main Event isn't my favorite bowling spot, but the location is great. The website can be a bit confusing. We ordered shirts last spring and this fall it was difficult to change my shirt size. I love my award we got in the spring and proudly wear it around the office, often!

I have tried every year for at least the last four years to cancel a membership that I never…read moreactually signed up for and every year again at the end of November I get a charge to my bank account. I have to dispute it every year and try to cancel and I'm tired of it.

Such a blast! When I heard it was a beer tasting type of event, I pictured only being there for…read moreabout an hour or so, but ended up staying the full three hours because of how much fun it was. I wasn't at the first Tasting Society event, but this second one featured Books & Brews, Taxman Brewing Company, Sanctuary, and J & J Winery. Sanctuary is an up-and-coming brewery and will donate a percentage of their sales to animal sanctuaries- pretty cool! The cups they used had a hole on the bottom with a magnet over it, and then they would push the cup down on a button and the cup would fill from the bottom up. It was fascinating. I tried the "Honey Badger" beer and it was light and summer-y. Books & Brews had some of the coolest beers on tap that I've ever heard of. There was one called "Bertie Bots" where they had added candy to their brew and it was incredible. I know what you're thinking... It sounds weird. But no, it came out as a light, sweet beer and I loved it. They also just released the "Poo-Tee-Wheat" with apricot wheat, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. SUMMER IN A GLASS. There was also a syrup beer and a 9.6% bacon-infused imperial stout that was revealed later in the evening. The owner was awesome to talk to and enthusiastically told about some of the crazy concoctions he has made. We also learned that Books & Brews holds movie nights once a week and releases a new brew once a week as well. The place also has games and used books and therefore would be a great place to hang out. I didn't get to talk to Taxman Brewery or J & J Winery as much, but I did also enjoy their options. I tried a Blood Orange wine at J & J which was very sweet and unlike anything I'd had before. Definitely enjoyed all the unique options at Tasting Society. There was also the "Scratch" food truck which had a variety of food, live music, and an art display that really added to the event atmosphere. Everyone was super friendly and my friends and I ended up meeting a lot of cool people. We will definitely be back at the next one. $12 was a deal considering how many drinks we got.

I was coaxed here by the wonderful Bavarian lady and president of the Damenchor (women's choir)…read morenamed Margit. They put on many dinners and concerts throughout the year and I have always looked forward to attending. The building is tucked back slightly off East Washington Street, about a mile east past the exit. The exterior is charming. Well painted with flower boxes hanging below the windows in that lovely German fashion. The food is all made by the members with meat contributions from Claus' German Meat Market. And it is really good! This past dinner/show (Bunter Abend, which is German for colorful evening) we enjoyed rouladen, creamed chicken, parsley potatoes, spaetzle with gravy and green beans with some nice dessert choices. Nothing fancy. This is like a pitch in or family reunion with a true German flair. The bar, which is quite beautiful and historic, is stocked with some great and well priced German import bottles. There is also Spaten lager and Warsteiner Dunkel on tap with decent prices on glass and pitcher. The scene is definitely mature, as in 40-90+ year olds with a smattering of 30 somethings thrown in. However, this is my kind of scene, to be sure! These folks will put anyone to shame with their enthusiastic ways and dancing the waltz and polka into the wee hours. Everyone was friendly and, like I said, nothing fancy, but it just felt right. Cozy. The choir, by the way? Fantastic. These ladies can sing and they are directed well. The show, focusing on birds, was cute and lively.

We went to the Liederkranz for their 3rd annual Oktoberfest offerings of brats & beer & live music…read moreand ended up falling in love with this wonderful old German club and the people involved with it. The Liederkranz is located in a very plain looking, nondescript building downtown on East Washington. As soon as we entered the building we were cheerfully greeted by society members, most were wearing traditional German Oktoberfest attire. One member talked to us for quite a bit about the history of the Liederkranz and he showed us the small theater/concert area downstairs and the quaint bar upstairs. The Indianapolis Liederkranz was founded in 1872 and was a German club dedicated to singing. But, the choir was for men only. Not until 1997 was a women's choir added. Upstairs in the bar and dining area for club members they have a very cool, very old jukebox filled with German records and we were told that it is the oldest still-functioning jukebox in Indianapolis. There are lots of really interesting framed large historical photos upstairs of the different generations of the Liederkranz hall and of the members and choirs. Downstairs, the large banquet room where the Oktoberfest was being held was rather plain but was decorated for the festival. There were several large tables and folding chairs scattered around, a stage with the German band Alpine Express playing, a chow line filled with trays of Claus's brats & sausages, the absolute best homemade sauerkraut and German potato salad and also some various other sides, and another table filled with cakes & pies. Also, a booth serving German beer on draft or in bottles. The admission for this event was $7 for non-members but all of the food was ridiculously inexpensive and there was also the live entertainment. This was a family friendly event but 90% of the people were older, like grandparent age older. Everyone was so pleasant and nice. And, happy. I've never seen a bigger group of people smiling, laughing, dancing and just having the time of their lives. We really had a great time here and will definitely return for other events and concerts. There are 2 Christmas concerts coming-up in December that sound like fun, one is the men's choir and the other is the women's choir. And, we'll definitely be returning for the Bock Beer Fest. And, of course, the Liederkranz's 4th annual Oktoberfest. Check out their website at www.indyliederkranz.org for more info about the organization and a list of upcoming events.

Whether you want to do something active with people you know or you're new in town and looking to…read moremake friends (or you're single and you'd like to meet someone good looking....wink, wink), CCA is a blast. They have about 20 different sports leagues from dodgeball to kickball to bowling that run throughout the year. After the game, they have a sponsor bar where you can meet with your team and take advantage of drink specials. One of the kickball umps is an arrogant show-off who plays favorites in order to recruit players for his own kickball team....Other than him, CCA rules though. The owner is a great guy who has done a wonderful job starting the league from scratch and making it the predominant recreational league in town. I highly recommend CCA.

My review is for the CCA soccer leagues, specifically played at the Orchard School fields. The…read moreleague is $65 a person with 6 weeks of regular season games and 1-2 weeks of playoffs. Let me lay out some numbers for you before I explain what happened. There is a requirement of 12 players per team, which is at least $780 per team. I know our team had 4 additional players and so did others. There were 10 teams. That is a minimum of $7,800 for the required 12 per team, so lets stay there were about 10 additional players. This brings the total to $8,450 in fees to CCA. Two hours of games on two fields for 8 weeks which is only 16 hours of field use and 64 hours of ref time (if your game actually has the two required refs). Starting to wonder "why so expensive" yet? Now listen to my experience. The fields weren't mowed/lined until the 3rd week of play. Most of our games only had one referee when they are suppose to provide two. They don't provide game balls and every game we played with a flat or lopsided ball. There was a CCA rep at the first game to take our picture and then never again. The t-shirts have sponsors on them, so are virtually free of cost. The fields don't have lights on them so if you have the later game, you can't see the last 10 mins of the game. They extended the league two weeks due to too many teams/bye weeks, but didn't tell anyone, so hopefully your whole team is available those two weeks when the league was suppose to be over already but they wanted to make extra money. Have you figured out what i'm paying $65 for? Because I can't figure it out. There are so many better leagues out there. Find them and don't look back. I know that's what I'm doing. CCA is unorganized and overpriced.

Death. Taxes. Public Speaking…read more It's hard to make death or taxes fun, but Broad Ripple Toastmasters is doing their best to make public speaking less painful, and sometimes, yes... even fun. This group meets every Tuesday morning upstairs at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 52nd and Central. Official start time is 7:00 am, although true to the relaxed nature of this group, the actual start time is closer to 7:10. Who gets up at 7:00 am to practice public speaking? If this group is any indication, it would be some mixture of the following: accountants, lawyers, small business owners, a Children's Museum manager, a nonprofit director, and more. The thing I love about this group is that the people are so great, you can't help but feel completely comfortable as soon as you enter the room. You can really see that everyone in the room genuinely likes each other and the good-natured ribbing is fun to watch. This group knows that public speaking is hard and they are good about being encouraging while at the same time gently pointing out areas for improvement. So why wait until you have to give the Big Speech before you figure out how to do it? Wouldn't it be better to hang out with some new friends and get comfortable speaking so that when it counts you're not covered in flop sweat, avoiding eye contact, and mumbling? I've found Broad Ripple Toastmasters to be a great way to help me improve my speaking skills and develop some great new friendships in the process. *Note: I am a member of this group, although there is no financial incentive to be gained here. Membership fees are minimal and nothing is bought/sold as a result of membership.

Every Friday from 7-9 pm the Legion hosts a Bingo night that is really fun and affordable! For $18…read moreyou get two solid hours of game play with a chance to win hundreds of dollars! The crowd is a little on the older side but us younger folks were still welcomed with a smile. $1 bottled beer certainly doesn't hurt either!