Zionsville, IN

A little gem north of Indy...

I’ve got a soft spot for Indianapolis.  Living in Chicago, I pass through the city on most of my journeys south, and several of the writers conferences I attend regularly end up there.  Honestly, I thought I was pretty familiar with the area.

Then one day, on a tip from a knitting friend, I ventured about 30 minutes north of the city to a quaint little town called Zionsville.  Sure, it may just look like an exit while you’re barreling down I-65 on your way to who knows where, but it’s not.  It’s adorable.  It’s charming,  It’s yummy.  And it’s worth your time.

One fact that most got to me was that evidently Zionsville had a parade for everything.  It makes sense when you look at the place—it has a picture-perfect Main Street just dying to host a parade.  As if the Powers That Be built the street expressly for that purpose.  On the sunny day I visited, I could easily envision a parade making its way down the street.  Farmer’s market, folks out shopping, brick and wood and wrought iron everywhere; it’s all that charming, really.

Spend your first hour or so wandering down the street stopping in any of the establishments that catch your eye.  If it’s a Saturday morning like my visit, stop and chat with all the folks dining alfresco with their dogs if the weather’s fine (probably not a good idea in January—but you never know).  One dog you’ll want to be sure and meet is the resident mascot at: 

Black Dog Books
115 S. Main Street
Zionsville, IN  46077
(317) 733-1747
http://blackdogbooksin.com

The shop feels like you wandered into a rabid book-lovers weekend cottage, all whitewashed and stuffed with intriguing volumes.  This is one of those great places that regularly hosts authors—a dying breed of store and very much worth your commerce.  You could walk in here, describe your Great Aunt Edith who’s so hard to buy for, and walk out with a thoughtful recommendation.  Try getting that kind of service at your ginormous online retailer!

When you’re ready for lunch, there are many choices, but I followed a local tip and ate at

Serenity
135 South Main Street
Zionsville, IN 46077
(317) 873-5590
http://www.occasionsdivine.com/

Step inside this 1868 home—one of the first in town way back then—or dine outside if the weather’s fine.  I found the servers attentive and the food deliciously creative.  While many suggested the chicken salad, I combined my longtime affection for the BLT with my New England upbringing to indulge in the shrimp and lobster BLT.   Delicious, inventive, but a bit spicy.  I paired it with a marvelous sherried mushroom soup—first rate and charmingly presented in it’s own little pot.  

Again, I put a lot of stake in how a restaurant treats a woman dining alone, and this place did it right.  Of course, if you don’t like only your own company when you eat (I know lots of people who don’t enjoy noshing alone), mosey up to the community table and make some new friends.   I’d really love to come back for the English Tea (2-4 Monday through Saturday by appointment) or the Sunday brunch.  Opt out for dessert, though—we’ve got plans for that.

Need to get your artsy side revved up?  Head to

Art in Hand
211 S. Main Street
Zionsville IN  46077
317-733-8426
www.artinhandgallery.com

I love these type of co-op shops where you can sample the fares of several local artists.  You can satisfy a variety of styles and budgets while supporting talented nearby craftspeople.  Shops like these are my favorite place for gift shopping—unique and thoughtful items that are mostly one-of-a-kind. One of my “when I’m rich and famous” goals is to give myself an entire set of locally produced tableware.  It’s not happening anytime soon, but here was a fun place to dream about such a massive and decorative purchase.

Feeling duly artistic, it’s high time to indulge in fiber shopping.  Look for the sign made from an actual sweater leading you to

The Village Yarn Shop
209  South Main Street
Zionsville IN  46077
317-873-0004
http://www.villageyarnshop.net

Some stores stun you with their size.  Others with their stock.  This one pulls you in with sheer friendliness. Everyone says hello to you the minute you walk in.  Were I beginner, I’d know instantly that support and encouragement could be found here.  After all, beginning classes are a steal at $10 for two hours, and there’s a “Sit and Knit” every Saturday.

There is a nice, diversified stock in the shelves, and plenty of projects done up to inspire you.  The place is loaded with texture—after all, that’s important to fiber folks like us.  Still, it’s not enough to overwhelm a beginner (or make your spouse’s eyes glaze over in anticipation of a multi-hour visit).  

Having said that, it’s no surprise that “people spend all day here,” says Harriett McNabb, the enormously affable former school teacher who owns the shop.  It’s a nice balance in atmosphere—you’d want to stay, but you don’t feel like you have to in order to find the perfect purchase.

Speaking of perfect purchases, here are some of the projects that caught my eye:

Churchmouse at Home Basic Christmas Stocking

And why shouldn’t you be thinking about next holiday??  Think how calm and accomplished you’ll feel heading into the holiday season with some of your Christmas knitting out of the “in progress” pile!  This pattern from the lauded Washington shop knits up Lambs Pride Worsted into a cherished family heirloom.

Ann Budd Alpine Tweed Cardigan

Ready to show off some mad knitting skills?  Strut your stuff with Ann Budd’s classic cardigan.  I like the nice scoop neckline on the “Chickadee” version.  Knit up in Berroco Vintage’s sturdy washable wool, this will be a garment that will see lots of love and use.

Our knit-along from Village Yarn Shop marks a rare foray into home decor knitting:

Churchmouse Yarn Wreath Kit

I’m not much of a decorator, but even I know it’s hard to find something for the winter seasons that doesn’t scream “Christmas.”  Not that you couldn’t make a holiday version, but I love the universal nature of this white fiber.  I might accent it with some little knitted hearts for Valentines Day or shamrocks for March.  The possibilities of this versatile kit are endless.

Once the fiber’s been acquired, well, that’s when I head for desert.  And oh, is there delectable desert in store for you in Zionsville! 

My Sugar Pie
40 E. Pine Street
Zionsville, IN  46077
317-733-8717
www.mysugarpie.com

Pie.  Three letters that go straight to my heart.  They even have a pie of the month club—anyone want to pitch in and buy one for me?  They had a lot of mouth-watering flavors, but this trip introduced me to Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie.  Hey, it’s the official Indiana State Pie—it’s my journalistic duty to investigate!  Delicious.  You’d think it’d be over-the-top sweet, but it’s not.  Just the perfect pairing for a cup of coffee as an afternoon treat.  They do everything from taking one home for dinner to full scale corporate gifts.  You know what they say—everything’s better with pie.

Still, if sweet’s not your thing, there’s salty just down the block at

Inga’s Popcorn
140 South Main Street
Zionsville IN  46077
www.ingaspopcorn.com

They had me at Snickerdoodle.  That’s all I’m saying.  Awesome.  Of course, there are lots of other flavors, but where-oh-where else are you going to score Snickerdoodle popcorn??

Take in some more shops until dinner, where I have two suggestions:

Cobblestone Grill

160 S Main St

Zionsville, IN 46077

(317) 873-4745

www.cobblestonegrill.com

When the weather’s nice, Monday nights are Dog Nights, so you can dine with your furry friend—how fun is that? They also have live music on the weekends.

Friendly Tavern

290 S Main St

Zionsville, IN 46077

(317) 873-5772

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Friendly-Tavern/185313448158462

“It’s been around for ages.”  Places like these don’t stick around for no reason—they’re good.  My sources say they are known for their burgers or tenderloin, and that this places serves “the best homemade vegetable soup around.”

Now, when next you visit Indianapolis, you can augment your standard tourist stuff with a quick day visit to this wonderful town.  Or, I can’t think of a better way to break up the endless trek up and down I-65 than with a long, leisurely lunch and shopping expedition in Zionsville.  A hidden gem to be sure!

Next up, we tackle the knitted wreath from The Village Yarn Shop.

Knit Along: Super Scarf from Broad Ripple Knits - Day 3

I have the blues...but are they yours or mine?

Life is like a box of crayons.  There are always more colors than you think.  Even when you’re talking about the same colors.

Take blue, for instance.  People seem to get really invested in their blues.  Knitting my Super Scarf at the Kentucky Book Fair this weekend (where blue and white mean University of Kentucky, not the Indianapolis Colts, so you get into a lot of fun conversations), I had the opportunity to explain the concept of the massive public effort to “enscarf” the Super Bowl volunteers.  All the knitters loved the concept.  The idea of 8,000 hand-knit scarves is entrancing.  You could literally watch their minds imagine that mass of blue and white yarn.  I know I’ve been doing it every time I pick up my scarf.  Often, people would ask if I was knitting UK neckwear, because the colors are so close.

Notice I said close.

One woman eyed it carefully, and then pronounced that it couldn’t be a UK scarf because it wasn’t really “Wildcat blue.”  Now, over the seven hours hours of the fair I had a large sampling of UK blue--hats, sweatshirts, t-shirts, even baby clothes--and I thought them darn near identical.  Like I said, though, people are picky about their blues.  While I couldn’t see it, I suspect more than one UK fan could have easily explained to me why it was Colts blue, not UK blue.

The more I thought about it, the more it rang true.  If you ask my son--or anyone who goes to his school, or even went to his school--what ths school colors are, he’ll say “Columbia Blue and silver".  Not light blue, or sky blue, or just plain blue, but “Columbia Blue.”  My daughter’s fascination with periwinkle blue as a young girl is the stuff of family legend.  Other than Kermit the Frog, I wonder how many people who are as passionate about their green?  I suspect there might be some loyally finicky purple people out there, too.  

Why is it that “what is your favorite color?" is a universal question?

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

INDIANAPOLIS, IN

Gentlemen, start your....

First off, my regrets in advance for some wacky font troubles.  I'm trying to get the fixed but didn't want to delay the post.


Anyway, everyone knows Indy for the race-car thing, but I was impressed with the city during a recent visit.  My affection for small and mid-sized American cities is no secret, mostly because of the discoveries one can make when you take the time to look beyond the standard tourism sites.  And from a fiber (and, okay, a caffeine and sugar) perspective, Indianapolis has a lot to offer.  

Because Indianapolis is one of those affordable cities, I recommend staying downtown.  You will need a car for this city, so if it makes you nuts to pay premium for parking (I married one of those but wasn’t traveling with him this time), choose an option farther out, but for me there’s always something energizing about staying in the city.  Indy also has several good tourist-shouldn’t-miss spots, so a downtown location makes catching those sights easy.  VisitIndy.com will happily point you to your choice of these, but a few of my favorites are Connor Prairie living history museum, the top-notch Indianapolis Zoo, the surprisingly stirring Soldiers and Sailors monument, and my personal favorite, the Canal Walk (come on, they’ve got gondolas!).

Day One:

Pick a standard tourism activity for your morning, but rest assured, we’ve got your afternoon covered.  When you’re ready, head for the five blocks or so of diagonal Massachusetts Ave that make up the “Mass Ave” district.  Have lunch anywhere that suits your fancy (there are lots of choices), but save coffee and desert for:

The Flying Cupcake

715 Massachusets Avenue

Indianapolis, IN  46204

317-536-0817

theflyingcupcakebakery.com

The sheer pinkness of the place makes you smile--we were tipped off by the bubble-gum pink van parked out front as we were looking for it--but the baked perfection of their cupcakes will take you over the top.  Big, wonderful confections that were the perfect balance of moist and sweet.  The coconut and chocolate ganache ones I had were spectacular.  My friend had a very unique one called The Bee’s Knees that was a pear cake with honey and ginger.  We ordered about twelve in all and every single one of them was delectable.  The t-shirts sold here, with lines like “Real Men Eat Cupcakes” are just as irresistible as the sweets.  Their specialty, the Red Velvet Elvis cupcake, was fabulous--and I don’t usually care for red velvet cake.

As the sugar courses through your veins, consider your choice of not one but two excellent--but different--coffee spots.  Need caffeine NOW? walk a little further down (or is it up?, we are on a diagonal here) to :

Yogulatte

755 Massachusetts Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46202

http://www.yogulatte.com/

A surprisingly good latte awaits you, even if this is primarily a frozen yogurt place.  Don’t be fooled by the mechanized coffee machinery--lattes are about precision anyway, and the guy behind the counter will make sure you like what you get or he’ll make it again (when’s the last time you had THAT kind of customer service?).

If you really need the artisan coffee experience (and many of us do),  head on down to our day’s second destination, the funky artsy neighborhood called Fountain Square and pop into:

Calvin Fletcher's Coffee Company
615 Virginia Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46203
(317) 423-9697
http://www.cfcoffeecompany.com

These people take their coffee and their community very seriously.  The store regularly donates proceeds from a tip jar to a local charity.  If you’ve got a non-coffee person with you (bless you for including the unenlightened!), the store boasts no less than eleven flavors of Boylan soda.  Our sources tell us the raspberry bar is the treat of choice here.

Ready for your fiber fix?  Keep your eyes peeled as you travel down Virginia Avenue...you need to look closely to catch

Mass Ave Knit Shop

862 Virginia Ave

Indianapolis, IN 46203-1705

(317) 638-1833

massaveknitshoponline.com

Yes, the Mass Ave Knit shop is on Virginia Ave...get over it.  They moved to a bigger place, and you should be grateful they did; this place is enormous.  Big enough to hold in-store retreats twice a year!  They do “overnighters”--this produced gasps of “I wish I lived closer” from every single one of us.  The kicker for me was the “men's room" spousal entertainment center with recliners and a television.  The massive table filled with projects and sweets tells you this is a community store, cozy and welcoming.  Owner Susan Brennan welcomed us with open arms and infectious energy.  The store's massive...and I do mean massive...inventory is arranged by gauge with loads of project samples to tempt you. 

 Projects that caught my eye include:

Parisian Ribbed Wrap

An exclusive pattern in 5 or 6 skeins of Plymouth Chunky alpaca, short rows create a unique wrap with an eye-catching back. Perfect for showing off your collection of pins.  My friend and fellow author/knitter Camy Tang models it here for you.  Camy, by the way, proclaimed Mass Ave Knits "the best yarn store I've ever been to."  And she's been to a lot.

Looking for something on a slightly smaller scale?  Ask Susan about the two-button headband. You’ll want an excuse to access the store’s outstanding button selection, believe me.  See all those? 

Our Knit-Along from Mass Ave Knits will be dramatic Cabled Hand Mitts, using a skein of South West Trading Company's Saphira yarn.  Perfect for keeping knitting hands warm as the fall weather hits.

You can spend an entire afternoon in here; it’s that big.  So go ahead, linger, chat, wander the nooks and crannies that make this large store still feel warm and cozy.  When you’ve bagged up all your purchases, we’ve got something truly unique planned for your evening.

Dinner:

Santorini Greek Kitchen
1417 E. Prospect St
Indianapolis, IN 46203
(317) 917-1117 

One of my favorite things about DestiKNITions is that I get to feature places I’d never have found without the recommendations of our savvy shop owners.  Fun, warm, neighborhood kinds of places that aren’t just meals, they’re experiences.  This is one of them.  Owner Taki Sawi and his wife Jeanette are just plain amazing...everybody loves them, and they seem to love everybody.  Eat hearty; you’re going to burn some calories after your meal.

Okay, so when was the last time you went Duck Pin Bowling?  Ever?  Well, now’s your chance.  The cool Fountain Square Theater venue hosts not one, but two duckpin bowling allies:

Action Duckpin Bowl & Atomic Bowl Duckpin
1105 Prospect Street
Indianapolis, IN 46203
(317) 686-6006

Unique doesn’t begin to describe it.  Action has a 1930’s vintage vibe while Atomic has a 1950’s feel.  Just in case you were wondering, duckpin is a smaller ball without holes (yea! I won’t break a fingernail!) about the size of a large grapefruit.  The pins are shorter and squatter, too.  Lady-sized bowling; the perfect girls’ night out. One caution:  chances are you’ll need reservations, so call ahead.

You couldn’t ask for a better funky, artsy, retro fiber day.

Day Two:

One of the neatest things about Indianapolis is its many distinctive neighborhoods.  If feel like I could spend several weeks here exploring the many different atmospheres.  Today, we’re traveling to the other end of town to a different artsy vibe in the Broad Ripple neighborhood.

Start early, you’ll want lots of time to explore.  Grab some coffee but save breakfast for later and drive up Meridian Street.  Sip your coffee as you enjoy the parade of huge historic homes that line this street.  Cut east along the canal and park along Broad Ripple Avenue.  Notice that even the crosswalks are artsy here.  

Stop for an ecclectic breakfast at: 

3 Sisters Cafe

6360 North Guilford Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46220 

(317) 257-5556
http://3sisterscafe.wp.net/

I liked the mismatched, laid-back vibe this place gave off, even though it can be packed on weekends and not a place for fast-paced service.  And the food was quality stuff.  Lush omelets with build-your-own ingredients, lemon corncakes with fresh blueberries and lemon curd, rave-worthy french toast, not to mention eggs a dozen inventive ways and seriously good scones.  If you’ve got a vegan in your group, she’ll especially appreciate this menu.  (Tip: If you end up here for lunch, my sources rave over the creamy avocado gazpacho and the humus appetizer. ) Don’t worry if it’s taking a while to polish off your meal; you don’t have far to go:

Across the street you’ll find:

Broad Ripple Knits

6367 Guilford Ave

Indianapolis, Indiana 46220
(317)255-0540

http://broadrippleknits.com/

I love this place.  It’s like you stumbled into a good friend’s home and she owns more yarn than you can imagine.  It’s as charming as the whole town--and as friendly, too.  “We expect to see our customers come in a lot and hang out,” declares owner Karin Lyons, who hosts lots of classes.  I’m impressed that they start off beginning knitters on a cardigan, getting them to pattern literacy pronto.  That’s the kind of service that grows life-long fans of the craft, not just someone who knocks off a scarf or two for the holidays.  Customers range from very young to very “seasoned,” and you know a store likes folks to hang around when they have drinks available.  Speaking of drinks and atmosphere, it’s store policy to celebrate when you finish a project (I believe I heard something about a bubbly beverage, but I’m not confirming any rumors)!

Projects to keep an eye out for:

Alison’s Cardigan

Ask for this exclusive pattern fashioned by store instructor Alison Jester.  Done up in sport weight like Fresco by Classic Elite or Ultra Alpaca Light by Berroco, this basic-yet-snappy garment can show off a great color or an interesting fiber in style.  Three cool buttons complete the look.

Fringed Edge Scarf

One skein of Plymouth Yarn’s Kudo gets you this distinctive accessory with a very simple cast-on-cast-off pattern.  Excellent for gift-giving season!

Want to get literary?  Later this year you can ask for the Ahern Shrug, a retro piece out of Giselle Classic Elite to honor local author Elizabeth Stuckey French’s January novel, Revenge of the Radioactive Lady.  Heroine Marylou Ahern would be so pleased---if she weren’t fictional. 

Our Knit A Long is part of a city-wide yarn and needles effort called SuperScarves.  If you’re looking for a reason to move to Indy, this might be reason enough.  Host to the 2012 Superbowl, the city’s entire knitting community has committed to hand-knitting the 8,000--yes, you read all those zeroes right--scarves needed to deck out the entire expected Superbowl volunteer corps.  8,000 hand-knit scarves.  To honor this fiber fanaticism, the city’s unofficial mascot, StructureMan, received his own giant-sized scarf (even though I find it endlessly amusing that StructureMan doesn’t have a neck) knit by Allison and Karin with died rope and paint-roller handles.  Mine’s a bit smaller, thankfully, done up in local company Alpaca With A Twists’s specially-died-for-the-occasion yarn.  

Once your loaded down with your knitting treasures, take some time to wander the neighborhood.  I found Broad Ripple to have an inexplicable “beach town” feel to it...laid back and entertaining.  Just a few of the shops you wouldn’t want to miss:

Artifacts

6327 Guilford Ave

Indianapolis, IN 46220

317.255.1178 

http://www.artifactsindy.com/

The kind of place where I could spend my next book advance in twenty minutes flat.  I aspire to afford this kind of stuff in my home, on my wrists, all around me.

Big Hat Books
6510 Cornell Ave. 
Indianapolis, IN 46220

(317) 202-0203

www.bighatbooks.com

An unusual, uncluttered small bookstore with an art gallery and yoga studio upstairs. Look on top of the bookshelves for an admirable collection of...naturally...hats.  People seem to either love or hate this place...and that alone makes it worth a visit in my opinion.

Marigold

6512 N Cornell Avenue, 

Indianapolis, Indiana 46220

(317) 254-9939

marigoldclothing.com
Fab-u-lous.  Friendly.  Artsy-elegant but not fussy.  They talked me into a pair of black JAG jeans.  I hate jeans.  You know what?  I love these jeans.  The mark of a great boutique is when they know what you need even when you don’t.

When you’re shopped out--or just need to hit the “pause” button on your shopping, head over to France.  Well, not really to France, but to something very much like it:

Petite Chou

823 E Westfield Blvd

Indianapolis, IN 46220-1715
(317) 259-0765


A serious oo-la-la vibe...in fact, a couple next to me was dining alfresco with their poodle!  The kind of atmosphere that makes you want to have a chic little scarf tied around your neck and a man in Italian shoes paying you smooth compliments across the table.  I’m especially fond of restaurants where they don’t make you feel odd for dining alone, which I do often, and this place was wonderful.  If you like this place, don’t hesitate to check out its sister establishment, Cafe Patachou, while you’re here.  But don’t get desert...I’ve got plans for that at:

Back behind Broad Ripple Knits, in a rehabbed train station, is some of the best ice cream you’ll ever have.  

BRICS

Broad Ripple Ice Cream Station

901 East 64th Street,

 Indianapolis, IN 46220|317 257 5757

www.bricsindy.com

I had a double dip of the heavenly Caramel x 3 and Whistle Stop Wake Up as instructed by the folks at Broad Ripple Knits.  Absolute heaven--worth every calorie and then some.

Should you need some coffee--and who doesn’t, ever--relax, we got it covered:

Monon Coffee Co.
920 E Westfield Blvd

Indianapolis, IN 46220-1718
(317) 255-0510

www.mononcoffee.com

I’d never let you go a day without a really good latte, you know me.  And I was impressed that you can submit a drink suggestion on their website.

Well, there you have it.  Two lovely days in a surprising city, and not a racing reference, pun, or metaphor in the entire episode. And I’m married to a car guy so I deserve extra points for that.   

Up next?  My crack at a SuperScarf.