Indy Go-Go

I can count on one hand the number of times Indianapolis, Indiana has crossed my mind. But when my date mentioned the possibility of having me join him on a business trip, my immediate response was, of course, “Yes.”

And so it happened on that on a late summer Sunday morning, I was on a flight bound for this seemingly random Midwestern city, with no expectations and no plans. I had mentioned the trip in passing to my therapist, who nodded amusingly as I struggled to recall what Indianapolis was known for (we even Googled, “Famous Indianapolis food”). It eventually dawned on us both – the Indy 500. And, as it turned out, she is an Indianapolis Colts fan. “I’ve actually been to Indianapolis once before. There’s a winery you might like, but otherwise I’m not sure about anything there that matches your vibe.” 

I sent out texts to people who came to mind with some association with Indy in an effort to help me get my bearings. “Oh, let me do some thinking,” a friend texted back. There was a slight delay. “The Speedway Museum and the Kurt Vonnegut museum and house.” 

 I turned to the man seated next to me on the plane and asked him if he knew who Kurt Vonnegut was. No idea. 

Then: any suggestions for things to do? “I think you’d love Carmel,” he said, offering up his thoughts on several restaurants.

“You should go to Carmel,” another friend texted back. “It’s more your vibe!” Uh, oh. I started to wonder… what is this place, Carmel? And what is my vibe?

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I arrived earlier than my date and had nothing yet on my agenda, so I set out on a mission to Wal-Mart Supercenter in search of sour gummy Skittles. In the expansive candy aisle, I happened upon a couple in my approximate age range and explained my “nothing to do” predicament. They looked at each other quizzically, and settled on the same suggestion: go to the shopping mall. “It’s pretty nice,” the guy said. Nodding and looking at me up and down, the girl quipped, “There’s actually Saks! And a Louis Vuitton! You’d probably really like it. It’s just your vibe!”  I walked away and couldn’t help but wonder… is that really my vibe?

I did end up at the mall, but only to bide my time. I wandered through Saks Fifth Avenue and then into Louis Vuitton, where I struck up conversation with a friendly sales associate. It was with their help that an itinerary began to take shape so that I could explore all of what Indianapolis is (or should be) known for.

Perhaps the most obvious thing to do is to visit the Indianapolis Speedway Museum. Technically, it’s actually in Speedway, Indiana, and everything in town is related to the auto-business. Pulling into the Speedway felt a lot like driving in for a race… the lanes that tunnel into the parking lot are so orderly and well paved that they almost invite you to speed up a bit with anticipation. 

The Speedway grounds cover some 600 acres and include the racetrack with grandstands to seat over 200,000 people, a museum, and a golf course. There is so much space that I found it hard to conceptualize what the place looks like when filled – it is the highest capacity sports venue in the world – and also how loud it must be when spectators and the race cars are active on the grounds. As I walked around on the lawn, there were a few cars driving on the circuit as part of the Indycar On-Track experience. The break-neck speeds at which they passed by were also ear splitting: drivers can experience between 1 and 5 Gs of force while driving on the circuit, and the roar of the engines can exceed 130 decibels when close to the track or pit lanes. I struggled to photograph or even video record the cars as they flashed by.

Inside, the museum has over 50 race cars on display for close viewing. There is, for example, the  1938 Maserati 8 CTF chassis, also know as the “Boyle Special”, driven by Wilbur Shaw when he became the first person to win two consecutive Indy 500 wins in history and cemented his status as one of the greatest race car drivers of all time. My personal favorite was the Ferrari Special Type 375. Losing is fine, when it looks this good: the car put in an abysmal performance at the 1952 Indianapolis 500. Alberto Ascari only managed to finish 42 laps before the wheel failed. 

Additionally, the museum features a short documentary film detailing the history and significance of the Indy500 and an exhibition on the race day traditions. I wonder how many years will pass before a winning driver is courageous enough to ask for oat milk?

Because the state’s history is so strongly aligned with the nation’s military strength, Indianapolis is home to the largest collection of monuments dedicated to veterans and the remembrance of wartime sacrifices. So, after a quick lunch on the patio of Convivio, I decided to walk off the decadent plate of mussels mariniéres and linguine I had consumed and take in some of them. 

I started at the Indiana War Memorial Plaza, which provides a generous green space for reflecting its multiple memorial features. The most prominent of them is the War Memorial building, made of Indiana limestone and modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Inside is a museum sharing the details of how Indianapolis’ central midwestern location made it an important industrial and logistics hub and, consequently, an important strategic location for mobilization and deployment of both resources and men in times of war.  The Soldiers and Sailors Monument, crowned by Lady Victory carrying the torch light of civilization, is another focal point of downtown and is dedicated to Indiana veterans who served in wars prior to World War II.

Having mastered the art of hosting large crowds, Indianapolis naturally serves as a great destination for business events and conferences. My date and I were in town for a multi-day business meeting and, as is often the case, our dinner plans for the first evening were foiled by lingering conversations over a late round of drinks with colleagues. We missed our reservation at Prime 47 in Carmel, and instead decided to take a walk around the busy downtown area. We stumbled into nada, a spirited Mexican restaurant with excellent cocktails and incredible tacos (!!).

The next morning, after many kisses (and much more) as we parted ways for the day, I played 9 holes at The Fort Golf Course. The course is located in Fort Harrison State Park, part of which was once the U.S. Army base Fort Benjamin Harrison. The entire property is impeccably maintained and features beautiful hills with impressive park overlooks. Had I any extra time after playing – I’m still very much an amateur golf player and, therefore, quite slow – I could’ve taken to the hiking trails after. 

Instead, I headed over to the NCAA Hall of Champions. The museum is adjacent to the NCAA Headquarters. As a fan of college basketball, I was very excited to visit the museum and learn about the history of college sports and of the NCAA. The Hall of Champions directs attention to all 24 men’s and women’s collegiate sports. While there were some curious factoids presented, I found the museum to be quite underwhelming: many of the interactive activities did not work well and there was no cohesion or path between exhibits. Disappointing but, ironically, a great representation of NCAA’s fatuity.

Nonetheless, the grounds are beautiful. The entire complex is situated next to the White River and inside of White River State Park. I would have loved to stop in the Indiana State Museum or even in the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, which contains a sizable collection of Native Art. However, by then it had grown a bit late and I wanted to have lunch and enjoy a scenic route walking along the canal and back to the hotel. 

 Our last dinner for the trip was at Livery. In a converted horse-stable, we reveled in incredible Latin-inspired fare. “We’re known for our empanadas,” the waitress advised. Empanadas are one of my guilty pleasures, so we had to order the chorizo version. Three perfectly flakey, stuffed puff pastries are served with a bright peach salsa, which perfectly complements the heat of the chorizo sausage. The dish I still haven’t stopped thinking about, though, was the skirt steak: alongside a manchego-polenta fry, a hot tomato crema sets the stage for a bed of broccolini, atop which is a skirt steak and a dollop of jalapeño butter. The preparation was incredible and the flavor was unforgettable – so much so that it outshined the churros that we had for dessert (churros are a favorite indulgence of mine!). I have tried to replicate this at home with modest success!

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And so, that’s how Indianapolis turned out to be so much better than I had expected. I loved the hospitality of the people, the food, and the memorialized pride of this charming little city situated at the “Crossroads of America”. I dare say I was disappointed to leave without having spent any time in the famed Carmel… but here’s hoping that someone will take the opportunity to make an introduction!