Magazine

CHIHULY SCULPTURE: COURTESY INDIANAPOLIS CONVENTION & VISITORS ASSOCIATION; OTHERS: RICHARD CUMMINS/LONELY PLANET IMAGES that crisscross the inner city. It features an outdoor concert venue, a fine zoo and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art (touted as one of the best collec- tions of Western and Native American art in the United States). Through May 6, another of the park's off erings, the Indiana State Mu- seum, is exhibiting Colts owner Jim Irsay's remarkably diverse collection of cultural ephemera, from the original, 120-foot-long scroll manuscript of Jack Kerouac's beat classic On the Road, to Rolling Stones gui- tarist Keith Richards' fi rst ax , to, naturally, Peyton Manning's game jersey from Super Bowl XLI. Every venue and attraction men- tioned above — and many more that aren't — is located an easily walkable distance from the city's iconic and photo-friendly center point, Monument Circle, where the historic, towering Soldiers and Sailors Monument gives tourists spectacular views of Indy's compact but attractive skyline and cityscape. As you would expect, dining and night- CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Illinois Street, site of the city's best-known steak house, St. Elmo; Fireworks of Glass , Dale Chihuly's 43-foot sculpture of 3,200 individually blown pieces of glass at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis; Union Station and the Pan American fountain life have come along to cash in on the sight-seeing, event-going crowds. You can't toss a football in downtown Indianapolis without hitting a restaurant or bar, and popular high-end chains, brewpubs and unique, locally owned independents are all represented in good measure. One recently opened indie spot, the Libertine, oozes the kind of cool you'd fi nd in more urbane cities. Here, hipsters sip vintage cocktails like old- fashioneds while foodies nibble on deviled eggs with smoked fi sh and caviar. Of all the dining options, though, steak houses are best represented, perhaps ap- propriately, as this is a meat-and- potatoes town. Best known is St. Elmo Steak House. Opened in 1902 and famous for its famously hot shrimp cocktail, the brick-walled, wood- paneled classic retains quirky turn-of-the- century traditions such as serving a small glass of tomato juice with every steak. It's a haunt of the city's power set — and visit- ing NFL types — and, to meet demand, it expanded into the space next door with a swinging bar called Harry & Izzy's (co- owned by Peyton Manning) and, up top, with the darkly lit, speakeasy-style 1933 Lounge . Just south of Monument Circle, the Wholesale District, a former commercial area dating to the 1800s, is now a trendy nightlife hub with sleek ultralounges (Blu, Subterra Lounge); raucous dance clubs popular with the 20-something set (The Ugly Monkey, Tiki Bob's Cantina); and 48 JANUARY 15, 2012 AA.COM/AMERICANWAY

• Cover