The 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500

One of my favorite things about living in Indianapolis is all of the hype that surrounds the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," the Indy 500. If you had told me ten years ago that I would fall in love with a car race, I never would have believed you, but it's the truth. May in Indianapolis is simply magical and this year was no exception.

On Friday of race weekend, Wheat and I ventured downtown for the Carb Night Burger Bash, which was sponsored by Steak 'n Shake. For a couple hours, we sat on Pan Am Plaza, ate burgers, fries, and milkshakes, and watched as various drivers (including Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, Sage Karam, Josef Newgarden, Pippa Mann, JR Hildebrand, Graham Rahal, and others) were interviewed. Over the years, it has been fun to get to know the drivers on the IndyCar circuit, thanks to events like these.

Unfortunately, while my favorite driver (Tony Kanaan) was being interviewed, it started to storm and the event came to an abrupt end. Trent Harmon, the final winner of American Idol, was supposed to close the night with a free concert, but due to the weather, the show was canceled. However, thanks to my scary impeccable stalking skills, we learned that he was doing an acoustic show at a Steak 'n Shake nearby. After a little begging on my part, we stopped by for a few songs and I can confirm that listening to live music while eating at Steak 'n Shake is just as awesome as it sounds. I even got to meet Trent afterward and tell him that his version of "Chandelier" kills me.

The next morning, we walked over to the 500 Festival Parade to watch the drivers, marching bands, floats, and celebrities cruise by. If you're ever in the area on race weekend, I highly recommend checking out the parade because it's free (though you can pay for actual seats with an unobstructed view) and gives you a great taste of the race action. Plus, if you're an oversized child or celebrity stalker like me, you'll love seeing all the floats and celebrities.

This year, the parade featured Holocaust survivor Eva Kor as Grand Marshal and also included US gymnast Madison Kocian, WWE wrestler and manager Ric Flair, Pacers shooting guard and 2017 Dunk Contest champion Glenn Robinson III, and iCarly actor Nathan Kress. Most importantly, however, Jeffrey Dean Morgan took part in the festivities, which was my personal highlight of the entire weekend. As he rolled by with his son and girlfriend Hilarie Burton (umm..am I the only one that didn't know he was in a relationship with Peyton from One Tree Hill?!), I shrieked, "NEGAN!!!!," which elicited the exact reaction from him that I wanted: a gorgeous smile and a bonus thumbs up. I melted on the spot.

Ed Carpenter, Tony Kanaan, Pippa Mann (the only female driver in the field)

Hours after the parade, my brother and Elizabeth showed up so that we would be ready to go early in the morning. In previous years, we have always paid to take a shuttle from downtown to the speedway, but this year, they got rid of the downtown depots. This forced us to buy a parking pass and drive ourselves to the race. This was a mistake. We literally sat in traffic for three hours before arriving at the parking lot, despite leaving at 5:00 AM and only living four miles away. I'm not sure what we'll do next time, but it certainly won't be this.

Once we finally arrived at the speedway, things went much smoother. We staked out our usual spot on the viewing mounds at Turn 4 and enjoyed the pre-race festivities, interviews on the red carpet, and vibrant atmosphere. We wandered around the track for a while then found our seats before the race began. Elizabeth was thrilled to learn that Jake Gyllenhaal was on-hand to wave the green flag and I was happy to hear Chicago Blackhawks national anthem singer Jim Cornelison sing "Back Home Again in Indiana."

The race itself wasn't lacking for storylines. F1 champion Fernando Alonso, who decided to miss the Monaco Grand Prix to participate in the 500, kept the crowd on the edge of their seat as he contended for most of the race before blowing his engine. We witnessed the worst crash I've ever seen in person as pole sitter Scott Dixon's car was launched into the air, smashed into the barricade, and rolled a couple times. Miraculously, he wasn't seriously injured. Only 19 of 33 drivers were able to finish the race and the winner happened to be Wheat's favorite driver, Takuma Sato. Somehow, he was able to hold off a strong surge by three-time winner Helio Castroneves in the closing minutes, becoming the first Asian driver to win the Indy 500. Wheat's reaction really says it all.

We battled another three hours of traffic to get home, but as always, I can absolutely say it was worth the effort and the slight sunburn. It was especially awesome to have my brother and Elizabeth there for their first 500 and the thunderstorm that everyone was expecting never came. Further proof that there's something magic about Indianapolis in May.

If you're interested, here are my other race recaps:

99th Running

100th Running

A St. Louis Wedding.

Can you really complain about being busy when all the things you're busy doing are awesome? I think not, but man, I'm tired. In the last few weeks, I've gone to a wedding in St. Louis, had my in-laws visit, tried a new dinner theater and saw Shrek the Musical, hosted my brother and his girlfriend for the Indy 500 festivities, and attended Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Unbelievably grateful is one way I'm feeling. Exhausted is another.

So, let me start from the beginning...

A few weeks ago, Wheat and I drove to St. Louis to celebrate the marriage of our good friends Hannah and Connor. We spent the night before the wedding at the swankiest bar I've ever seen, Three Sixty on the rooftop of the Hilton at the Ballpark. With the famous Gateway Arch on one side and Busch Stadium on the other, the views were unbeatable and the ambience was perfect with couches and fireplaces all over the place. Pictures do not do it justice, but it was such a wonderful spot to wind down and catch up with all of our friends in town for the weekend's festivities.

We may look like it, but we aren't your college English professors.

The next morning, Wheat, Jenn, Paul, and I decided to venture over to the Delmar Loop for lunch at Blueberry Hill. The restaurant/bar has become an institution in St. Louis and not only because Chuck Berry used to perform there on a monthly basis. The place is filled to the brim with an eclectic collection of memorabilia and boasts a truly impressive 'Wall of Fame' filled with pictures of celebrities that have visited in the past. They also earn bonus points with me because they have an entire room dedicated to Elvis. The Delmar Loop area is filled with trendy restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as the St. Louis Walk of Fame, sidewalks filled with stars that highlight notable Missouri natives (heck yeah that includes Nelly).

After lunch, we rushed back to the hotel to get ready before heading to Kuhs Estate and Farm for the wedding. The ceremony was held outside underneath a gorgeous tree and fortunately, the weather was absolutely flawless for the occasion. I couldn't stop myself from admiring the pristine countryside and kept soaking in the hilltop view of a massive river. Again, pictures don't do it justice.

The reception, which took place in a tent on the farm, was a blast and Hannah covered everything imaginable with her planning. There were hors d'ouevres (including toasted ravioli, a St. Louis favorite) in a gazebo overlooking the river, a photo booth and a fire pit, and a variety of petting zoo animals, which entertained me far more than they should have. The rustic, country decor was the perfect match for the venue and Hannah (and her bridesmaids) looked absolutely gorgeous. Mostly, we loved dancing and hanging out with some of my very best friends. In other words, it was a dreamy, dreamy night.

The next morning, we woke up early to check out of the hotel and get brunch at The Wheelhouse with some of our friends. Although St. Louis had experienced flooding earlier in the week, the weather continued to be perfect during our visit, so we decided to check out the St. Louis Zoo before heading back home. Surprisingly, the zoo offers free admission (aside from $15 for parking) and we were totally blown away by the quality. We spent the next several hours wandering around its grounds, snapping pictures, and laughing at the chimpanzees as they were fed. We also got to see a baby kangaroo in its mother's pouch! I'd highly recommend checking out the zoo (and Forest Park where it is located) if you're town, especially given its lack of a price tag.

...and just like that, the weekend was over. I'm still trying to figure out how to enjoy the weekdays as much as the weekend. Let me in on your secret if you do. Until next time, St. Louis.

She's a wild one.

A full month ago (**world's worst blogger award**), my niece turned one and we celebrated with a precious birthday party at Elizabeth's parents' house. The party had a 'wild one' theme and the decor and Scarlett's outfit were too cute for words. I mean, look at the skirt that Elizabeth made for the woman of the hour.

We socialized, watched Scarlett "open" presents, and begged her to smash a massive cupcake into her face, which she basically refused to do. Instead, she picked sprinkles off one-by-one and ate them like a real lady. It took some serious convincing and someone physically pressing the cupcake into her face for her to finally get started.

Oh, do you remember Jagger, the boy baby racer that befriended Scarlett at the Pacers game? He (aka his parents) gave us a birthday present to give to Scarlett! Since he "won" the race, their prize was a cart full of baby items from Kroger and they decided to give the girly things to Scarlett with a note thanking her for keeping him company at the start line. How cute is that?

After the birthday party, Wheat and I met Jenn, Paul, Kenzie, and Zoey at Liberty Center for dinner. I hadn't been to the new-ish outdoor shopping center before and I was absolutely blown away by it. There was an impressive variety of stores and restaurants and the design of the public space had me asking myself, "This is Ohio?" A highlight for me was the amazing toy train track set up in the central park area. I could have watched it for hours.

That was convenient because we had to wait two hours to get a table at Pies & Pints, but the food was actually worth it. We split an order of pizza skins (do I need to say anything more than mashed potato pizza?) and I drooled my way through the chicken gouda pizza. Needless to say, we'll definitely be back to sample some more.

Pacers & Racers

Blogging once a month is a good policy, right? I'd say I need another couple hours in the day, but I'm a realist. I know I'd just fill that time with sleep.

I have so many things to share and no time to do it. My niece turned one (OMG). I traveled to St. Louis for a dear friend's wedding. The Penguins have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. I found an amazing podcast, Terrible Thanks for Asking. I saw Magic Men Live (bonus OMG). For now, I'll stick with sports.

The Cincinnati Reds actually played the Baltimore Orioles in Ohio this year, so Wheat and I agreed that we'll sleep when we die and drove to Great American Ballpark for a Tuesday night game between our teams. We splurged for good seats right behind the Orioles dugout (because I love him) and he didn't throw a total fit when the Reds won, 9-3 (because he loves me). It was a beautiful, spontaneous night and the perfect excuse for some Cincinnati chili in my life.

The Pacers were swept by the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. In full disclosure, this made me pretty happy because it meant that Wheat returned to some semblance of a normal work-life balance. I know this is selfish of me, but it was also fun to see LeBron go into full-on cheat mode in Game 3. Seriously, if you ever get the chance, you must see him play in-person. It's like he's playing a completely different game than his opponents.

For Game 4 of the series, Wheat entered our niece, Scarlett, into a baby race that would take place on the court between the first and second quarters. After quite a bit of convincing on my part, my brother finally relented and agreed to allow her to participate (this might have been because FREE TICKETS to watch LeBron in the playoffs, but who knows?). Guys, I don't know how I'm going to handle being an actual parent because I was a total. nervous. wreck. right before the race started. I anxiously sat on the edge of my seat in the upper level, recording my brother and his girlfriend as they pleaded with Scarlett to crawl across the floor in her little personalized jersey.

Spoiler alert: None of the eight racers crossed the finish line. Scarlett did, however, make friends with Jagger, the racer next to her (and Wheat's co-worker's baby). Wheat was able to get his hands on the video board footage of the race and I don't think I'm being biased when I say that it's totally worth watching. I will be biased, though, and stress that my niece was obviously the star of the show.



Please note that the only progress she made was to crawl out and retrieve her headband to hand back to my brother, who had thrown it like a game of fetch. Tremendous. I don't think he was complaining too much - all the participants got a $50 Kroger gift card.

If you, too, think that Scarlett is the best human on the face of the earth (hi, Elizabeth, Wheat, and Mommles!), then you've come to the right place...because her first birthday party is coming in hot.

Odds and Ends. Lovers and Friends.

I know I sound like a broken record, but WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?

Whenever I find myself thinking, "Hmm...maybe I should try to keep up with my good ole blog," I'm suddenly heading to the grocery store or cleaning the bathroom mirror or folding laundry or driving somewhere for the weekend or unexpectedly asleep on the couch out of sheer exhaustion. When someone finally figures out how to perfectly balance work, relationships, self-maintenance, chores, and hobbies, please alert me immediately. Again, how do parents do it?

Lately, my life has been a little heavy on the work and hobbies side...and lacking in the relationships, self-maintenance, and chores areas. Let's just say it's starting to show around the apartment and on my waistline and toenails. I see a pedicure in my future.

At any rate, the last few weeks have been busy - busy at work and busy at home. Here are some highlights:

- My mother-in-law visited. She's a college professor and we were thrilled to have her in town for part of her spring break. We visited the Indy 500 museum, showed her some of the best food and hidden treasures in the city, and watched our brackets implode over a ton of March Madness games. Wheat's family lives in Texas, so it was wonderful to finally spend some time with her in our natural habitat.

- Speaking of family, we also took a weekend to visit Ohio. As expected, that mostly consisted of watching Scarlett crawl around, laugh, and generally be perfect, but we also got a nice lunch with some of my hometown best friends. Scarlett turns ONE YEAR OLD this month, which fittingly brings me back to the question at the top of this post.

- Whose Live Anyway? On Friday, Wheat and I went to the Whose Line Is It Anyway? tour at the Murat and we had an absolute blast. We both love improv comedy and these guys blew us away with their quick wits and creativity. Four performers (Joel Murray, Jeff Davis, Greg Proops, and the legendary Ryan Stiles - yes, the Ryan from the show!) took turns acting out skits and singing songs based on audience suggestions. They did several games from the TV show and even called volunteers onto the stage to provide sound effects for one skit and move their bodies for another. Although I left a little embarrassed for Indiana (ex. "What is something you see a lot of when walking around downtown?" "Heroin!" and "Make the sound of a goose." "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"), we had an incredible time and Ryan absolutely killed it.

- Bloomington. Wheat and I also took a day trip to nearby Bloomington to explore. Despite the fact that we have degrees from IU and I work for IU's business school, we haven't really had the opportunity to explore the school's main campus. The Midwest has finally decided to feel like spring lately, so we traveled south to walk around the beautiful campus, admire the picturesque Sample Gates, and check out Kirkwood Avenue. We stopped at Nick's English Hut, a 90-year-old sports bar/IU institution, for lunch (where we learned all about a drinking game called Sink the Biz) before venturing to Lake Monroe. I searched everywhere for Ben Higgins and/or Mark Cuban (both IU alums), but had no luck and was forced to console myself with ice cream from Bruster's. Darn. We'll definitely be back soon to explore some more.

So, as you can see, life has been pretty kind lately, but also very busy...and it shows no signs of slowing down. Pacers playoff season is upon us, so my husband will soon disappear from view until that's over. That's just as well because the Penguins also begin their playoff quest to win back-to-back Stanley Cups tonight...and I think he'd much prefer to not watch those games in the same room as me.