There’s More Than Corn in Indiana

by Nate Price | posted at 2010-03-11 01:12:00
tagged: MTG, Magic, Magic the Gathering, StarCityGames, StarCity, SCG, Open, StarCityGames.com, Nate Price, Indianapolis, Travel Guide

 

So you want to play some Magic, do you? Well have I got news for you. The StarCityGames.com Open Series is coming to Indianapolis, and I can’t wait! My name is Nate Price. I’m a Magic writer who covers events for Wizards.com, as well as posting some of my travel stories on MTGOAcademy.com, and Indy is my home. A little shop in Glendale mall on the northeast side of town is where I bought my first pack of Revised. The Game Preserve in the Keystone Fashion Mall was where I played in my first Friday Night Magic. One lucky day during Mercadian Masques Block Constructed, I got my first Top 8 pin in a PTQ at the Indianapolis Convention Center. I’ve had a lot of good times in this city, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

 

Situated about two hours from everywhere, Indianapolis is a wonderful central location for events. This is part of the reason that we host Gen Con every year. It’s also one of the major contributing factors to the fact that the most recent Grand Prix-Indianapolis was the largest North American Grand Prix by a large margin. Being in the middle is a good thing.

 

Unfortunately, being in the middle also means that you draw a lot of comparisons to the areas surrounding you. To the north, we have Chicago. South are Louisville and Nashville. West will get you to St. Louis. Go east and you hit The Cleve. Surrounded by so many major cities, it’s no wonder that Indianapolis often fails to get recognized for the great place it is. I’m going to change all of that.

 

Indy is the fourteenth largest city in the country. In fact, only Chi-town and Detroit are larger in the Midwest. And despite the rep, there is a wealth of things to do in the city. After all, we’re getting a Super Bowl in 2012, and they don’t just hand those out to anybody. For us to wrest the bid away from the sandy beaches of south Florida, we have to be doing something right.

 

For those of you getting into town a little early, or just looking for something to do on the weekend after you’re done slinging cards, I’ve put together this little guide to help you find some things to do while you’re here.

 

For those of you sports fans out there, this weekend is a great time to be in town. As the home of the NCAA Hall of Champions, Indianapolis has a special place when it comes to college athletics. This weekend we’re hosting the Men’s Basketball Big Ten tournament. The tournament runs Thursday through Saturday, with games starting around noon and running most of the night. The Championship game is being held Sunday at 3:30. One of the coolest aspects of this is that eleven bars throughout downtown have been designated “Big Ten” bars where fans of the respective teams can all group up to watch the games and have a good time. The games themselves are taking place at Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers, and just a three block walk from the Convention Center. 

 

Speaking of the Pacers, for those of you wanting to catch a pro game (Yeah, yeah. The Pacers are bad right now. Don’t rub it in.), you can catch them Friday night against the Celtics or Sunday afternoon against the Bucks.

 

Maybe you’re more of a music person (like me!). If that’s the case, the near-downtown area has some of the best spots in the city for live music. Just north of 38th and Illinois, you can find the historic Melody Inn Tavern. The Mel has been an Indianapolis landmark for the past 75 years. Most famous for the Saturday night Punk Rock Night, the Melody Inn really does have something for everybody, boasting a never-ending cavalcade of music encompassing all different genres of music. One thing is certain, if you show up, the show will rock, and you will have a good time.

 

On the slower side of things, the Slippery Noodle Inn is the spot for live blues every night. Another of Indy’s historic music venues, it’s been voted one of the best spots in town for a drink and a show virtually every year. Another great spot for some smooth Jazz is the Chatterbox, located on Massachusetts Avenue just south of Michigan St. Massachusetts Ave is known through Indy as one of the big arts districts in town, and the Chatterbox is one of its marquee draws. Seven nights a week, you can hear live jazz flowing out the door and wafting down the street.

 

One final place to check out is the Fountain Square district of Indianapolis. Located southeast of downtown, just down Virginia Ave, Fountain Square is one of the oldest parts of Indianapolis. Recently renovated in parts, it’s one of the premier arts districts in town. Bars like the Brass Ring and Deano’s Vino really have their own unique flair. One of the most popular music venues in town, Radio Radio, calls Fountain Square its home. For the underage, which I’m sure many of you will be, there are even some great attractions like duckpin bowling to provide a little extra entertainment.

 

For those of you just looking for a good place to eat after a mentally exhausting day of Magic, the immediate downtown area offers the full spectrum of choices. From the various fast food joints that litter the blocks (for those looking to keep it cheap) to St. Elmo’s Steakhouse (for those looking to splurge a little), everyone can find something great. Here are a few of my recommendations:

 

Cajun: Yats, 659 Massachusetts Avenue 

Incredibly quick, reasonably priced, and mouthwateringly delicious, Yats is the place to go if you’re looking for something just a little outside of most peoples’ norms. A bed of rice topped with the etouffee of your choice and a slab of garlic bread…what could be better?

 

Sushi:  Sushi on the Rocks, 235 South Meridian Street

After a couple of trips to Japan last year for Pro Tour and Grand Prix coverage, I thought I was spoiled for life as far as sushi goes. Just a couple of weeks ago, I came here for the first time with some friends and was blown away. The ingredients were so fresh and well prepared that I forgot I was in downtown Indy for a second. In addition, it’s got one of the cooler atmospheres of the downtown restaurants, including live blues played while you eat. On top of this, considering it’s sushi, the prices are pretty damn good.

 

Churrascaria: Fogo de Chao, 117 East Washington Street

It’s Fogo. If you don’t know what that is, you’d better find out quick. Bring an empty stomach and your carnivorous side. It’s a tad pricy, but it’s so worth it.

 

Pizza: Bazbeaux Pizza, 334 Massachusetts Avenue

OMG Bazbeaux. Let me start by saying that I love my pizza almost as much as Gerry Thompson. Bazbeaux has the best pizza I’ve had outside of Giordano’s. Their menu is massive, and their pizzas are delicious. With dozens of specialty toppings to choose from, I recommend the BYO option, but you honestly can’t go wrong here. They also have a fantastic wine selection.

 

Italian: Agio, 635 Massachusetts Avenue

Eating at Agio is quite the experience. It has great Italian and Mediterranean food, but I think the thing that makes it so memorable for me is the interaction. Chef Joseph is a pretty badass cook, and he frequently takes the time to come out and chat it up with the customers, and it’s more than just the “how are you, what do you think, I clearly am just making small talk” kind of chatting. It’s a pretty engaging conversation. If you stop in, ask your server if he’s available. I guarantee you’ll enjoy yourself.

 

Steak: St. Elmo Steakhouse, 127 South Illinois Street

This was one of the harder ones to narrow down. After all, just down the street from St. Elmo is a Ruth’s Chris and just beyond that is a Shula’s. As far as I’m concerned, though, nothing beats St. Elmo. In addition to being a world recognized steakhouse, St. Elmo boasts the best shrimp cocktail you will ever eat. That isn’t hyperbole, just a simple statement of fact. Everything here is fantastic, but, as you would expect from a steakhouse, it’s fairly pricy.

 

Burgers: Scotty’s Brewhouse, 1 Virginia Avenue

While it’s called a brewhouse, Scotty’s is an all-ages restaurant, and one of the finest purveyors of burgers and the like in Indy, let alone the downtown area. My personal recommendation is actually a chicken sandwich: the Mo’ Fo’ Cluck. But be warned, they don’t call them the seven deadly spices for nothing!

 

Well, I hope this has given you newcomers something to go on for your trip into my beloved hometown. If you want to, I’ll be at the event site all weekend, more than likely wandering around. If you have any specific questions or are just looking for directions to a good time, come find me. I promise that this will be an Open Series to remember!

 

Read Nate's regular column on MTGOAcademy.com here.

 

Questions for Nate about Indianapolis? Ask them in our forums using the link below!

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