Rooftop Dance Party with the Pacers

You know the fun introduction videos that arenas or stadiums show to hype up the crowd before a game starts? Well, I absolutely love them. Whenever I see a montage of great tackles by the Bengals defense or amazing touchdown catches by AJ Green, I feel like running through a brick wall. Last year, the Pacers had a phenomenal pregame video, which we like to call 'Pacers Prom' because it features the players dressed in suits and awkwardly dancing by themselves to "Mobbin" by Grandtheft. It was, without a doubt, my favorite part of every home game. Enjoy.



This year, the Pacers decided to film their new introduction video outside...on the roof of a parking lot near Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Staff constructed a practice court, which was flanked on both sides by bleachers that overlooked the gorgeous city skyline. A local DJ was hired to emcee the event and the players spent an hour shooting around, practicing dunks, and playing knockout and 2-on-2. Employees were allowed to invite family and friends to the event and I was lucky enough to attend. I'd say it was a perk of dating an employee, but really, I accept it as repayment for Wheat's ridiculous schedule as of late.

Taken from official @Pacers Instagram account.

It was awesome to see the players socialize with each other in a non-game setting. They played around, danced like crazy, and interacted with the fans. Rookie center Myles Turner went out of his way to talk with any and every kid in the crowd, even inviting them to take a couple shots on the court. Despite the strong wind (which had an obvious effect on their shooting), we saw a few spectacular dunks and other shots. The highlight of the event, however, was how quickly this kid transformed into a dance machine when "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" came on. Watch the Pacers' reactions to him. You can also hear me dying in the background.


Honestly, the entire event felt like a strange, yet comforting bonding experience for me - a personal consolidation I didn't even know I was craving. As I looked around at the crowd enjoying their team and their city, I was overwhelmed by this perfect union of the guy I love, how hard he has worked to get where he is, and the wonderful city that brought us together. I often question if I'm where I should be and yearn for new experiences elsewhere, but in that moment, I felt perfectly at home in this place with this incredible life we've already begun to build together.

Taken from @therealnichendrix Instagram account.

...and it didn't hurt that the event was followed by free pizza, dessert, and drinks from Papa John's. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I make an appearance in the video.

Return of the Recap

In an effort to be an actual blogger again, I'm doing my duty and posting a weekend recap. Fortunately, this exciting weekend in Indy actually warrants one. Between Oktoberfest, the Irish Festival, Latin Fest, and the IUPUI regatta, it was the perfect weekend to be downtown. We kicked off Friday with pizza at our favorite Italian cafe and a long walk on the canal.

We followed that with a trip downtown for Oktoberfest on Monument Circle. Somehow, I'd never been before and we absolutely loved it. The band was great (and covered Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer"), the people-watching was even better (so many people dancing like maniacs), and we somehow lucked into a lot of free German food (think: potato pancakes and apple strudel). I embarrassed Wheat by doing the chicken dance and mortified him even more by wobbling between band sets. In fact, the DJ exclusively played group dances and songs straight from middle school (ex. "Hot in Herre" by Nelly) and it was glorious to see middle-aged people grinding to Usher's "Yeah."

Saturday was IUPUI's annual regatta on the canal, but let me clarify - in this case, regatta means intense canoe races, not sailboats. Wheat and I spent several hours watching the participants race down the canal, switch rowers, and even capsize. It was wonderful to see so much activity on the canal and it made me wish the gorgeous space was utilized for more big events. Highlights of the day included watching a dog meet a massive turtle named Sheldon, hopping in a free photo booth, and watching Josh Kaufman, the season six winner of The Voice, perform practically in our backyard. It was a blast to watch the races and, as an employee of IU, I'm seriously considering partaking next year.

The rest of the weekend was filled with a quick stop at the Latin Fest in Military Park, lunch at Elbow Room, WNBA playoffs for the Fever, and, of course, football. Speaking of football, my Bengals are 2-0 and heading into a tough stretch of the season. Can I get a WHO-DEY?!

How about you? What did you do this weekend?

Here's what you missed on Brittany...

Obviously I've gotten really bad at blogging. It took me weeks to finish my Texas vacation recap, then it took me weeks to write two posts on one of the best days of my life. I'm not going to feed you excuses. I'm just busy and lazy and exhausted and overwhelmed and all those other happy things. So, if you're even remotely interested, allow me to catch you up on all things Brittany:

- I got a new job. Sorta. It's actually the same job at the same place, but I went from working 29 hours to working 40 hours. Hence, the exhaustion. I also have benefits now and my bi-weekly paycheck doubled, so that's been a positive change around here.

- I'm getting married really soon and we might even have a wedding planned for the occasion. I mean, I still don't have a florist or transportation for pictures. I still haven't done a hair trial or picked up the rings or the dress. I did send out invitations this week, though. So hopefully someone else will be there to witness it.

- Football season is in full swing and I'm over-the-moon excited. We did a live fantasy draft a couple weeks ago and it was a blast. Any excuse to talk about football and stuff my face with food, right? We even followed the draft with some euchre, so I was in my hometown happy place. On top of that, the Bengals, the Packers, the Buckeyes, and my fantasy team (Watt Me Whip, Watt Me JJ) are undefeated.

- This probably doesn't deserve its own bullet point, but Wheat, LP, and I each received a free large one-topping pizza from Pizza Hut because apparently no one else watches College GameDay. On the opening day of college football, they announced before a commercial break that Pizza Hut was giving away 10,000 free pizzas with a special promo code. We assumed that by the time we ordered, the pizzas would be gone, but we each got one. We felt a little bad when we showed up together to pick them up, but FREE STUFF IS EVERYTHING.

- The past few weekends have consisted of: trips to Ohio for wedding planning, a full round of golf (where I didn't play, but drove the golf cart), a Bengals preseason win at Lucas Oil Stadium (which was technically on a Thursday), pumpkin pie blizzards from Dairy Queen, Fear the Walking Dead, a free root beer float from the Boy Scouts of America, a quick trip to Iron's Fruit Farm for apple cider and cinnamon-cider donuts, a stroll through IMA's incredible art park, and lots of quality time with my family. It's been really nice.

I also feel obligated to point out that fall is coming and I can feel it in the air. I can also taste it in my mouth because I'm currently devouring everything pumpkin-flavored within a 30-foot radius. I'm anxiously awaiting the first day where I can finally switch from looking like an overheated summer mess to looking like a presentable girl with a cardigan, boots, and scarf. It's coming, friends.

Jerry Pope Lachey and more bachelorette fun.

After the surprising appearance of the JJ Watt cake, my tame bridal shower spontaneously combusted into a full-fledged bachelorette party. Mere moments after regaining my composure, I was informed that a male stripper had been hired for the occasion. Complete and utter shock doesn't accurately describe my reaction, but this picture does a pretty good job:

A few guests left early to avoid the show, but most girls stuck around for the hour-long 'performance,' which took place in front of my mother...at 3:00 PM...in the living room of the house where I was raised. So, I can check that off my bucket list. The stripper, who we mistakenly called Jerry Pope all evening, actually had a brief cameo in Magic Mike XXL. His role, however, was not as a male stripper, but as a guest at the pool party that opens the film. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this was highly indicative of his stripping ability.

After setting up his equipment (a boom box and a strobe light), he strolled out dressed as a police officer and took the next few minutes to slowly undress and accost me in various ways I'm sure you can imagine. Fortunately for me (and unfortunately for them), his routine heavily included all the other girls, so I spent most of the show laughing hysterically as he gyrated on their faces and poured more sweat than I thought was humanly possible without suffering a heat stroke.

You know the feeling you get when you watch Magic Mike and Channing Tatum is dancing to Ginuwine's "Pony" or Matt Bomer is singing D'Angelo's "Untitled (How Does It Feel)?" Imagine the opposite of that. In fact, imagine that a drunk stranger at the bar is shaking his crotch at your group of friends and nodding suggestively. That's what it was, but with way fewer clothes and concerning phrases like, "Hold still. I'm going to use your body as leverage." In other words, it was hilarious. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm really so glad it happened...because memories. Precious, precious memories with most of my favorite girls.

Also, have any females ever had a stripper encounter that wasn't hilariously awkward? I've realized that this is a major difference between men and women - men hire strippers for sexual fulfillment/intrigue while women hire them for comedic purposes. Unless the stripper is Joe Manganiello, of course. I've since been informed that the stripper was hired as cosmic retribution for years of posting Man Meat Mondays on this blog, to which I respond, "I understand."

Once the group picture was taken (I will not post many pictures of the show on this blog because a) I've learned my lesson about sharing too much here, and b) my wonderful friends are respectable people - school teachers, lawyers, managers, etc.), Jerry packed up and sped away in his Jeep Wrangler. Due to Jenn's loaded schedule, we had no time to waste and promptly jumped in cars and headed downtown for the night. My incredible friends had split the cost of a two-floor penthouse suite at Garfield Suites, so we spent some time relaxing, enjoying the view of the city from the balcony, and changing before the game. I also opened up even more gifts from them - these of the bachelorette variety - before heading to Tin Roof for dinner.

After delicious nachos dinner, we found our seats at Great American Ballpark for the Reds vs. Diamondbacks game. The Reds ended up losing, 11-7, but we left in the sixth inning to get ready for the night. One highlight of the game: A man named Cletus scanned our tickets and Jenn refers to Wheat as 'Kleetus.' We rushed back to the hotel to get dolled up, then walked to Lachey's, the sports bar owned by Nick and Drew Lachey (of 98º fame), in Over-the-Rhine.

First of all, I really loved the bar. The DJ played great music (and took requests!) and the vibe was excellent for a Saturday night. Our spot, which was reserved in advance, made me feel like an absolute rock star. There were bottles of rum, vodka, and mixers on two side tables while an enormous vat of buffalo chicken dip and chips served as the centerpiece of our roped-off area. Honestly, the night was perfect, even though our personal waitress informed us that we had missed Nick Lachey by "a couple minutes." We laughed for hours, whipped and nae naed, wobbled, and fended off clingy guys. Have I mentioned how gorgeous my friends are?

My favorite part of the night, however, was completing a picture scavenger hunt devised by CJ. Over the course of the evening, we made a human pyramid, posed with a bouncer, asked random guys to flex, posed in O-H-I-O form, tracked down other bachelor/bachelorette parties, and competed against complete strangers in a Chinese Typewriter dance-off, among other things. It was a blast and I'm so happy to have these special memories in picture (and video) form.

I'm actually still processing the day (hence why it took me so long to recap) and how lucky I am to have so many incredible people in my life. Chances are you're one of them, so you should probably reward yourself with a YouTube break and watch those videos I linked to up there. You deserve it. Trust me.

The bridal shower to beat all bridal showers

I'm sure everyone feels like their bridal shower was absolutely perfect, right? I mean, unless your aunt gets trashed on mimosas and reveals an embarrassing secret or something, it's probably one of the best days of your existence. So many loved ones gathered together to celebrate you marrying the love of your life? What can top that besides actually marrying the love of your life or welcoming a new addition to your family? I have honestly never felt so overwhelmed with love in my life.

In fact, I was so overwhelmed by all the attention that my blood pressure shot through the roof and I was in a constant cold sweat for most of the day. Anxiety through the roof for this usually-not-the-center-of-attention girl. I had dear friends travel from Chicago, St. Louis, Toledo, Atlanta, and even Tucson for my celebration and they all came bearing gifts. Cue the guilt. I'm not worthy.

But first, let me back up. My best friend (and co-maid of honor) planned every detail of the jam-packed day, from who was invited to what we did and when. With very little input from me, she absolutely nailed it. I think she knows me better than I know myself and if she's ever looking for a new career path, party planning should be at the top of the list. For the execution part, she enlisted the help of several important girls in my life, chief among them my beloved Mommles. It completely melts my heart to imagine my amazing mom staying up all hours of the night (which I know she did) to set up the brunch table, clean, make decorations, and prepare party favors. My sister (and other co-maid of honor) flew in for the weekend and spent most of the night before preparing the house for the event. How I was blessed enough to have not one, but all three of these incredible women placed in my life, I'll never know.

The decorations were flawless. Pretty colors, a banner that read 'Hotchkiss the Bride,' balloons that had various Instagram pictures of me and Wheat on them, bride and groom teddy bears, bride and groom rubber ducks, massive bride and groom balloons, and framed answers to questions that Jenn had secretly asked Wheat. Many, many tears.

The food was delicious. My mom woke up extra early to make waffles for everyone, which guests completed with syrup, whipped cream, fruit, and nuts at the Make Your Own Waffle station. Fresh fruit, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, bagels and various cream cheeses, delicious parfaits with precious mini spoons tied to them, and muffins filled the kitchen table. More than enough to feed an army. There was also a massive sheet cake which read 'Hotchkiss the Bride' (thanks to Mrs. Koenig) and my very own Pinterest dream come true, a mimosa bar. Champagne, tons of fruit, and several different flavors of juice and lemonade - I don't even drink and it was absolute heaven.

Once everyone had arrived, we stood in the kitchen and did introductions. In other words, I cried and felt so special while some of my very best friends talked about our relationships and what they like most about me. Like I said, overwhelming. We followed that up with a fun mustache game, where Jenn read questions that she had previously asked both me and Wheat and the girls had to decide who said which answer by holding up either a pink or black mustache. I was pleasantly surprised to see how tricky it was! Next, we indulged my superfan heart and played Brittany-and-Wheat-themed Jeopardy! My mom prepared the Jeopardy board on a dry erase board with question cards and answers written underneath. Of course, there were also prizes (lotions, candles, and wine) for the winners of all the games.

Next, we moved into the living room where I spent thirty minutes opening gifts, trying to express my gratitude, and feeling spoiled beyond belief. I really can't believe how kind and generous my friends are - their sweet words warmed my heart and they put a serious dent in our wedding registry. When gifts were over and I had somewhat regained my composure, we played another game, where everyone had written marriage advice on spoons (recipes for a good marriage) and I chose my two favorites. With the bridal shower portion of the day winding down and party favors distributed (a diamond ring key chain and a precious heart-shaped purse hook), I walked back to use the restroom and noticed a massive poster of Texans defensive lineman JJ Watt on the table...and an anatomically correct cake, courtesy of Tasha, TJ, and his parents, strategically positioned underneath. I may or may not have shrieked in shock/happiness.

I didn't know it at the time, but the cake served as the perfect segue from my calm, classy bridal shower to what was about to transpire at my bachelorette party...