Indianapolis Ideas Sought

OK, it's been three hours and I gotta know: Did NOBODY get the Jaws reference, or was it funny only to me?

 

Ah. Ship was the USS Indianapolis. Pretty obscure, I guess.

Oh, well.

Farewell and adieu to you fair Spanish ladies...

 

One of the sights along the canal downtown is a USS Indianapolis memorial. Don't know if Quint's name is on there. Really, with all the war memorials, Indianapolis is a great place to get an idea of how many people have been killed in wars.

I've always liked Mass. Ave., which starts right behind the Indianapolis Star building. The Chatterbox is always a cool little jazz joint, and there are some good restaurants along there. Speaking of restaurants, this is where I always take the opportunity to pimp Jockamo's Upper Crust Pizza in Irvington (east side), which is owned by a good friend, former roomie and IUPUI Sagamore mate of mine.

Since someone brought up the Casbah, I must share how that was the climatic spot of my brother's 21st birthday, the world's shortest 21st birthday celebration (multiple shots, one big mixed drink, four bars, 45 minutes). I went to the Casbah jukebox when suddenly I heard the sound of furniture crashing and a buffalo roaring. The buffalo was my brother, violently puking to fill a whole Casbah table (no mean feat -- also, it was clear he had had Chinese for dinner), and the crashing furniture was people fleeing the place. Ah, memories. Last time I was in town I went by the place, including the spot where we drew a chalk line around my brother, who was incapable of walking, but what I was more struck by was the Wellington closing. Sigh. Great darts place, that was.

One more recommendation -- Fountain Square. Especially Radio Radio, a cool music club owned by the former bass player for the Zero Boys. If you don't know the Zero Boys, look 'em up. Also, there's duckpin bowling, another thing Indy stole from Baltimore.

 

Two suggestions:

Get a haircut and straight razor shave at Red's Classic Barber Shop.

Then walk around the corner to Nicky Blaine's for a cigar and a martini.

 

It's not downtown, but see if you can sneak into Hinkle Fieldhouse and snoop around for a bit. Just an immaculate place, even from the outside.

 

I enjoyed it, but I just now visited this thread. It was basically, "There's no way that's a two-page thread without people screwing around. I have to go see."

I like to go swimmin' with barenaked women and swim between their legs ...

 

Nothing like checking out a WNBA game over the weekend to show a friend the city...fantastic idea...

 

If you go to Hinkle, then you also should head over to the Red Key Tavern, a great neighborhood bar nearby.

Which reminds me, it's worth a trip to Knightstown (about 40-50 miles east) to see the Hoosiers Gym:

http://www.thehoosiergym.com/

It's $25 an hour for rental, if you have enough buddies to play a game. Or you can recruit here (http://infinitehoops.com/).

Or if you want the Indiana pickup experience, go to the courts at Ben Davis High (west side), or the ones behind the IU Natatorium on the IUPUI campus, or pay the fee to get into the Jordan Y on the north side.

 

GIgantic is an understate. You can put four RCA Domes in the new place and still have room.

 

That amazed me on a trip to Houston a couple of years ago. On the flight in, I spotted Reliant Stadium, then noticed the smaller building next door. Waitaminute ... that couldn't be the Astrodome, could it? "Eighth Wonder of the World," and all that? Not quite the ratio you suggest with the Indy stadiums, but I was still surprised at the difference.

That fascination quickly wore off as we trudged up the ramps to the nosebleeds for a Texans game ...

http://www.photohouston.com/houston-sports-stadiums/Reliant-Stadium-B13-11.jpg