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ROAD TRIP: Nicky Blaines awaits
Not surprisingly, there are several sites out there dedicated to the world’s best bars. Places like Baobab in Santiago, Chile that sound exotic because they are. But for those Lounge Lizards like us that won’t be purchasing tickets out of the country anytime soon, there are bars that are only a road trip away worth visiting. On of my favorite bars from my travels last year is a gem nestled in the bottom floor of a building in downtown Indianapolis called Nicky Blaines (20 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, IN 46204. (317) 638-5588). Voted one of America’s Best Bar’s by Esquire Magazine … here’s what they had to say about it:
“Sitting at Nicky Blaine’s is like inhabiting a Damon Runyon sentence: dated, but at the same time eternal and full of attitude. The place is a joint, an experience that asserts something inarguable about ducking off a city street for a quick smoke and two fingers of vodka. People will always need the comfort of a basement bar where the bartenders are attentive, the barstools succoring, and the lights, well, the lights transform everything. The women look sumptuous, fleshy, and flush; the men seem to stand taller, faces stripped of weariness and pretension. At Nicky Blaine’s, everyone is sexy and full-blooded. I don’t know if it’s the wall sconces or the table lamps or the bar up lights or the candles here and there, but I am always struck by the fact that people there look the way they do in great paintings-elegant, a little sad sometimes, centered in the middle of the small gestures that make us human. Yes, there are cigars to be had, plates of cheese to be lingered over, couches and armchairs and the warm wrap of red velvet and a regular jazz quartet. Sure, you can order what you want, and it will be better than you have a right to respect. But you’ll sit to have a look, to absorb the visual comfort of a bar so thoughtfully lit.”
This is a bar you don’t ever forget. The bill at the end of the evening was somewhat steep, but it was a rare treat and proved itself worth the added expense. Should you find yourself in the neighborhood, this would be one worth seeking out. Go here for more information. If you’ve discovered any new watering holes worth telling folks about - near or far - share them here. Cheers!
