INDY SIGHTSEEING

It's not as if we went from the zoo to dinner. We took ride around a few of the areas. Indianapolis has a record for the number of monuments, although we didn't go to all. There was the Indiana Veterans Memorial Plaza and Monument Circle with the Soldier's and Sailor's Monument which I took a photo from two angles.

Loads of construction going on due to next year's locale for the 2012 Superbowl. Not too much of a deterrence though.

Saw a few cars representing the Indy 500 around, one near the Monument Circle and the other in the parking lot of Meridian restaurant.

Oh yeah, we went back to Long's Bakery a few more times.

Although they weren't sights, there were a few "sites" that I must mention. Had to take a break by going to a spa. Studio 2000 Spa, that is in downtown Indianapolis. This is an historic Art Deco salon and spa located on the second floor of the Circle Tower at the Monument Circle. The spa is "the show place of the Circle Tower Building designed in 1929 by the noted architectural firm of Rubish & Hunter. The salon operated as a men's barbershop from 1929 to 1989 under two successive owners. Then, Linda Williams and Mel Brandenburg acquired the space, updated and expanded the salon and reopened in December 1989 as Studio 2000." The original Art Deco interior of the barbershop now used as the "relaxation room" where our robed guests lounge between spa services.

So what was my indulgence? A package called The Cleopatra: Full Body Exfoliation,
Redefine Nourish Body Wrap, Vichy shower, Anti-Oxidant Mask with Lip Blooming Treatment, Face & Foot Massage, 1/2 Hour Moisturizing Massage, Salon Shampoo and Style. It was a total of 3 hours with relaxation in between. I was ready for the rest of Indy.

Then there was the night that we went to see the musical Chicago at the Studio Theatre located at the Center for the Performing Arts. What a trek! We got the the Center but couldn't find the theatre. We went to the main theatre and thought it was odd that people were so dressed up. Special concert and wrong theatre. Had to go across but due to construction had to walk all the way around. Saw the name of the theatre (which was passed when parking) but there was no sign that said that Chicago was the performance.

The theatre is a not large and looks more like an indoor amphitheater. As for the show, it was good but not great as compared to Broadway. Not that anyone was off key or such and the two female leads gave the best performance.

INDY DAY2, INDY ZOO

We couldn't miss going to the Indianapolis Zoo. There are actually three attractions to take in beginning with the aquarium, the zoo and the gardens. It seems that the "in" thing to purchase are pieces of art done by animals. It's common to have them done by elephants. Here they have all kinds of species showing off their talent. Mine was done by meerkats.

INDY DAY2, PART 1 IT'S A LONG DAY

How best to tour White Water State Park than with Executive Director Bob Whitt and on segway. The Segway Hut is located just near the parking, along side of the Dr. Frank P. Lloyd, Sr. Visitors Center...how convenient. Although the park is 250 acres of urban greenspace we did not tour all.

The most prominent are the cluster of museums and abutting Indy Zoo, which I later visited all. There are also two outdoor entertainment spaces. One is called the Celebration Plaza and Amphitheater. The other is The Governor's Lawn where major concerts are held. No events were scheduled during my visit. I guess I'll have to return to Indy. I absolutely loved the segway and it becomes easier each time I ride one. You can get lots of info on the park by going to www.inwhiteriver.wrsp.in.gov.

One of the attractions is the Indiana State Museum, where the IMAX theatre is located. I saw one of the best movies called Born To Be Wild and in 3D to boot! It is about orphaned baby elephants and orangutans being brought to areas to grow up and go back into the wild.

Time for lunch and just right there at the Tea Room. Had to indulge in the Velvet Chicken Soup, a salad and tea, of course as we spoke with Kathy Moore. Aside from Indianapolis tourism there is one devoted to downtown Indy as well.

I took a quick tour of the museum to see one entranceway exhibit of women from the Indy 500 and the facade of a public school that was formerly on this location.

AIR TRANNING TO INDY DAY 1

Indiana was my next destination as I "Air Tranned" to Indianapolis and then whisked off to the Omni Severin Hotel in the downtown area. Then met up with fellow writers Melody Schubert and Leroy Worley. Let me tell you that it is much easier to dine with others in order to taste more on the menu. Time for lunch at Harry and Izzy's just down the block from the hotel. I was dared to try the shrimp cocktail as the sauce is made with fresh horseradish. If steam could have come out of my ears it would have, but you can see the expression on my face. The steak encrusted in black pepper wasn't mild compared to this.

I keep finding a taste of Italy wherever I seem to travel. I had first come across an organization called the Indiana Italian Heritage Society. There is a canal connected with the White River State Park, the perfect opportunity for a ride on a gondola. I briefly met up with Ralph Tambasco, the President and V.P. Joe Giacoletti who gave me a book from Author Carol Faenzi, who wrote The Stonecutter's Aria. We all later chatted on my radio show.

Jeff Hutson is the owner of Old World Gondoliers. Old, open, black and made of wood. What's different about this one is that you don't get to hear a tour of Indy or the houses but Jeff singing live and without any music. One is asked to turn off their cellphones and simply enjoy. Check out the website at www.4gondola.com



Got word the Long's Bakery was on the way to our first attraction stop. The bakery is all about donuts! I think we wound up going there four times during the trip. Absolute best donuts I've eaten!

Now, we are off to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum with legendary cars including one that had the first rear view mirror. I got there about a week before Indy 500 was happening.

After exploring a bit and noticing that the streets and sidewalks were free of debris it was time for dinner. Sensu was another restaurant just down the block on Meridian. Sushi with an upbeat. We didn't really get a chance to walk around the entire restaurant as it was a nightclub atmosphere in the later p.m. I was more interested in the food.

Our intelligent waitress Heather Shaw chose a tasting menu for us which began with a fabulous sweeter tasting unfiltered sake. Here is a description of what we ate and in no particular order.

Specialty Dishes: Red Snapper Sashimi with Jalepeno, garlic chip and Ponzu sauce; Surf and Turf Roll of shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber topped with Kobe beef Tataki and eel sauce; Baked Snow Crab Hand Roll of cooked snow crab mixed with dynamite sauce and tempura crunch then rolled in sesame rice paper.

Cold Plates: Spicy Tuna Poke on Crispy Wontons is tuna with chile pepper, green onion, ginger and soy served on crispy wonton; Lobster tacos using lobster tail with avocado, red tomato salsa and cilantro in a warmed tortilla and a Maki Sushi roll called Krusty Crab of spicy tuna, krab and avocado drizzled with dynamite sauce and sweet soy battered and delicately fried.

Hot Plates: Toast and Jam of crispy shrimp toast with a spicy tuna jam; Sea Bass Enpapillote had the bass cooked "in a paper pouch" with sake braised shitake mushrooms; Kobe Beef Toban Yaki is a combo of kobe beef, enoki mushrooms, shitake mushrooms and asparagus. I believe that I will be returning to Indy!

The evening ended with us seeing the show The 39 Steps at the Indianapolis Repertory Theatre in downtown Indy.