Indianapolis

[Rob Luter]

Spent the weekend in Indy to attend a wedding. What a depressing sight. Blocks of plywood storefronts, graffitti, closed businesses, and empty streets downtown. The monument area used to be so vibrant. The riots destroyed it. Thankfully they at least scrubbed the graffiti of the monument in the middle of the circle.

[Christopher Herzog]

I thought that was a great tribute. The little museum inside was nice and free if I remember correctly. That town was rough before, going to be a challenge ahead.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Here (Raleigh NC) downtown is boarded up after riots / looting. Bad thing is police just stood by, and let it happen. Last week protestors blocked traffic and surrounded cars with people inside. Police just stood by, until they surrounded a police car. Under NC law holding anyone against their will is felony kidnapping. Our "Stand Your Ground " law allows for the use of deadly force in this case. One driver did such, started to drive off, when protester jumped on hood of car. Driver sped up to about 30 MPH, and then hit the brakes, throwing protestor to the pavement. Protestor has no recourse against driver, as we have a law that says if you are hurt in the commission of a crime (kidnapping) it's your fault.

[Matt Day]

Indy has some great neighborhoods and is a fun place to visit. The zoo is great for kids too. I live about an hour away, but have only lived in IN for a year and a half so haven’t spent too much time there yet. Heck, my little town outside Cleveland boarded up their storefronts.

Regarding the protests and riots, every major city had/has them, not just Indy. People want social change. It’s not an excuse to vandalize but I can only try to understand their frustration and anger. You would be too if your family has been suppressed for the passed 300 years.

[David Sochar]

I live 16 miles North of the Circle, in Westfield, out where the countryside is fast turning into housing developments.

Indianapolis is a really nice place, when it is not boarded up. There is the drug wars and idiots shooting each other all the time like any large city. But anyone wanting to can walk downtown with no fear. Don't know where you stayed, but they should have been able to guide you better. The City really goes out of its way

The Circle has a great Civil War museum inside it, and you can take stairs or elevator to the top. Go to the Columbia Club for lunch or dinner, and you will see some of the finest woodwork in the city. Or go to the museum at the 500 track - surprisingly good museum with many cars and good exhibits. From there, you can ride around the track in a van and check out how banked those turns really are. The Eiteljorg is full of Western art, very good walk. And the State Museum, and the Conservatory with plant exhibits and then there is the Zoo. All along the canal walk, with a great memorial to the men of the USS Indianapolis - the ship that delivered the Bomb out to the Pacific.

Then there is Mass Ave, Virginia Ave, Georgia Street, and Broad Ripple for the restaurant and bar scene. St Elmo's is one of the finest restaurants in the US.

I would say you need to come back, call me, and I'll make sure you enjoy the visit. My daughter used to run the desk at a large Hotel downtown, and she prided herself on making sure the guests she dealt with knew all their options and places to go. Whether it was a business groups, family with kids, singles, couples, young, old....

[Brian Elfert]

Downtowns in most major cities are deserted right now due to COVID-19. Normally, about 200,000 people work in downtown Minneapolis. I would bet there are 40,000 people working downtown at most right now. My employer has about 500 workers downtown and an average day right now has about a dozen people physically in the office. I had to spot by the office for an hour last week and I was able to park at a meter right in front of the building. Normally, it would be like winning the lottery to even find a meter open anywhere within a few blocks. Downtown was still pretty deserted.

[Rob Luter]

I live 16 miles North of the Circle, in Westfield, out where the countryside is fast turning into housing developments.

Indianapolis is a really nice place, when it is not boarded up. There is the drug wars and idiots shooting each other all the time like any large city. But anyone wanting to can walk downtown with no fear. Don't know where you stayed, but they should have been able to guide you better. The City really goes out of its way

The Circle has a great Civil War museum inside it, and you can take stairs or elevator to the top. Go to the Columbia Club for lunch or dinner, and you will see some of the finest woodwork in the city. Or go to the museum at the 500 track - surprisingly good museum with many cars and good exhibits. From there, you can ride around the track in a van and check out how banked those turns really are. The Eiteljorg is full of Western art, very good walk. And the State Museum, and the Conservatory with plant exhibits and then there is the Zoo. All along the canal walk, with a great memorial to the men of the USS Indianapolis - the ship that delivered the Bomb out to the Pacific.

Then there is Mass Ave, Virginia Ave, Georgia Street, and Broad Ripple for the restaurant and bar scene. St Elmo's is one of the finest restaurants in the US.

I would say you need to come back, call me, and I'll make sure you enjoy the visit. My daughter used to run the desk at a large Hotel downtown, and she prided herself on making sure the guests she dealt with knew all their options and places to go. Whether it was a business groups, family with kids, singles, couples, young, old....

We get to Indy at least a couple times a year for a long weekend, and have for several years. I'm up near South Bend so it's a short drive. The Eiteljorg is a favorite, as are the various steakhouses. Shapiro's Deli is a can't miss too. Our disappointment was rooted in knowing what it was compared to how it looked this weekend. Hoping it heals.

[Matt Day]

Oh and don’t forget the Children’s museum - best I the country they say! It is pretty amazing, and huge.

[Jon Nuckles]

Regarding the protests and riots, every major city had/has them, not just Indy. People want social change. It’s not an excuse to vandalize but I can only try to understand their frustration and anger. You would be too if your family has been suppressed for the passed 300 years.

It is important to distinguish between the protesters and the looters. They are not the same. Most people are peacefully protesting, not rioting or looting. Some bad actors are using the protests as cover for their thievery. Some people with large collections of guns are mass shooters, but you would be offended if I suggested that all NRA members are murderers. (And I am not.)

[Andrew Seemann]

Downtowns in most major cities are deserted right now due to COVID-19. Normally, about 200,000 people work in downtown Minneapolis. I would bet there are 40,000 people working downtown at most right now. My employer has about 500 workers downtown and an average day right now has about a dozen people physically in the office. I had to spot by the office for an hour last week and I was able to park at a meter right in front of the building. Normally, it would be like winning the lottery to even find a meter open anywhere within a few blocks. Downtown was still pretty deserted.

A couple weeks ago at about lunch time, I was down there to drop off some equipment to one of our offices.. It was quite eerie how deserted it was at that time of day, zombie apocalypse like,. Normally it takes a while to get across downtown, and it took me only a few minutes that day. Now that I think about it, that was the fret time I have been downtown since before COVID,


Fortunately downtown didn't get hit too hard in the riots. Lake Street on the other hand, looked like it had been shelled when I was down there a few weeks ago.