Anyone leave Indy and hesitant to come back? (Indianapolis: move, food)

[jman07]

Originally Posted by Chicago76

I went through something similar. Went to HS in Indy, then away for college, and to Chicago after school. Moving back was always in the back of my mind, but I wasn't wild about the idea for the same reason you mention now. My problem was probably a bit worse as I hadn't been there in ages and only kept in close contact with my 4 or 5 very close friends from HS, only 2 of which stayed in Indy...both married, one with kids.

In the end, I opted to stay in Chicago, but I think it would have been entirely workable to move back. In the end, it comes down to what you make of the situation and how much work you're willing to put in to re-establish a social circle. You obviously wouldn't have the number of opportunities to meet people as you would in a place like Chicago. There's just a higher concentraion of transplants and street life that practically requires that you meet people, like it or not. Indy is more spread out without as much daily human contact (home to car to work, work to car to home). That just means you need to try harder and make more of a concerted effort to do find your niche. It doesn't mean it won't happen.

Ya, I agree. The thing is, is that the close contact in Chicago is good and bad. Bad in that it just wears on me after a while and I can't imagine even raising a family the the Chicago suburbs. Just because it's so far from my family, still congested, not much bang for your buck in homes, taxes, corruption, etc. It's just that if I stay here and do find a girl, chances are she will be from the suburbs or Michigan and won't want to move to Indiana and I'll be stuck. But living here makes me realized food in Indy sucks and I would miss so much of it here.

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by jman07

But living here makes me realized food in Indy sucks and I would miss so much of it here.

Oh man, I know what you mean! It took awhile to get used to, but food isn't the only reason to stay somewhere. There are good places to eat, but you reallly need to search them out.

[bertrandandjules]

Indy probably isn't the easiest place in the world for someone in your position--I remember it never rated highly as a "city for singles", primarily because it's such a good city for families. But as long as you stay in the older parts of central Indy with the DINKs (dual income no kids) or young unmarrieds, I think you'd have much of the same vibe you get in Chicago, only at a much much smaller scale. You probably know the neighborhoods far better than I do.

And the food scene in Indy, while not great, is certainly moving in the right direction in LEAPS and BOUNDS since I first started visiting here regularly (before moving here). It seems to me that a young professional population WITHOUT KIDS is partly what drives good restaurant scenes--they have a lot more disposable income than they would if they weren't professional, or if they had kids. And young families with kids need to find family friendly restaurants, which all too often are the big chains. Trendy places like Black Market, Mesh, and the new Libertine don't exactly cater to the rugrats, who often would be just as happy eating their own boogers--or other people's, for that matter.

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Oh man, I know what you mean! It took awhile to get used to, but food isn't the only reason to stay somewhere. There are good places to eat, but you reallly need to search them out.

Just moved away from Indy a few months ago to KC. I lived there from 2006 until then and let I will just say that if you haven't paid attention to how the food scene has developed in Indy in just the last 1-2 years then your opinion is completely out of date. Leaps and bounds doesn't even describe it.

To answer the OP's question...I am from Columbus, lived in Indy for 5 years and am now in KC. Would I move back to Indy based on my experience there? In a heartbeat. Indy beats both my hometown and my new town hands down IMHO.

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

Originally Posted by bertrandandjules

Indy probably isn't the easiest place in the world for someone in your position--I remember it never rated highly as a "city for singles", primarily because it's such a good city for families. But as long as you stay in the older parts of central Indy with the DINKs (dual income no kids) or young unmarrieds, I think you'd have much of the same vibe you get in Chicago, only at a much much smaller scale. You probably know the neighborhoods far better than I do.

And the food scene in Indy, while not great, is certainly moving in the right direction in LEAPS and BOUNDS since I first started visiting here regularly (before moving here). It seems to me that a young professional population WITHOUT KIDS is partly what drives good restaurant scenes--they have a lot more disposable income than they would if they weren't professional, or if they had kids. And young families with kids need to find family friendly restaurants, which all too often are the big chains. Trendy places like Black Market, Mesh, and the new Libertine don't exactly cater to the rugrats, who often would be just as happy eating their own boogers--or other people's, for that matter.

This post pretty much nails it. I came back last month for a long weekend to visit some friends and I was STUNNED to see how many high quality new restaurants, breweries and food trucks had opened up since march of this year. Six months apparently makes a world of difference in Indy these days.

[Broadrippleguy]

Originally Posted by EmmanuelGoldstein

This post pretty much nails it. I came back last month for a long weekend to visit some friends and I was STUNNED to see how many high quality new restaurants, breweries and food trucks had opened up since march of this year. Six months apparently makes a world of difference in Indy these days.

Just an amusing question. Are you broadcasting out of Hitlers Former Bunker
Lol don't we all wish we could have bunkers. Maybe Stewie Griffin is in a bunker finalizing his plan for WORLD DOMINATION!

[jman07]

Very interesting how some of you say the restaurant scene has changed in Indy the past few years. It's good to hear. I'll be excited to see it.

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

Originally Posted by Broadrippleguy

Just an amusing question. Are you broadcasting out of Hitlers Former Bunker
Lol don't we all wish we could have bunkers. Maybe Stewie Griffin is in a bunker finalizing his plan for WORLD DOMINATION!

Haha, unless the basement of my townhouse is Hitler's former bunker, which I doubt!

[EmmanuelGoldstein]

Originally Posted by jman07

Very interesting how some of you say the restaurant scene has changed in Indy the past few years. It's good to hear. I'll be excited to see it.

Yes, it has changed a lot. It is not the chain town it used to be when I first moved here. Yeah, there are still lots of chains in the burbs but then again every city has chains in the burbs, even the uber hip cities like Portland, Austin and SF.

And the food trucks...there was maybe one or two when I left and now there have to be at least 25-30 of them, all starting in the last six months.

Breweries are a big deal now there too. Indy is really punching above it's weight in the craft beer scene for a city of it's size and is nearly in a class of it's own compared to it's midwestern peer cities.

[wh15395]

Originally Posted by EmmanuelGoldstein

Yes, it has changed a lot. It is not the chain town it used to be when I first moved here. Yeah, there are still lots of chains in the burbs but then again every city has chains in the burbs, even the uber hip cities like Portland, Austin and SF.

And the food trucks...there was maybe one or two when I left and now there have to be at least 25-30 of them, all starting in the last six months.

Breweries are a big deal now there too. Indy is really punching above it's weight in the craft beer scene for a city of it's size and is nearly in a class of it's own compared to it's midwestern peer cities.

I LOVE the food trucks! They are all so good. I've never had a bad experience at one of them.