Carmel Excursion With My Cousin

When my cousin Karin wrote to say she would be coming to Indiana in July, I began to eagerly anticipate her arrival. Karin is not just a cousin, she's a marvelous friend. She's the type of individual I feel instantly at ease with. Moreover, she has the most encouraging and positive spirit of anyone I've ever met. What a privilege to spend a few days visiting together!

As soon as she arrived on Friday afternoon, we relished our chance to reconnect (the last time we got together was almost nine years ago). We took her out to our favorite Mexican restaurant and then talked more, well into the night. On Saturday, she and I ventured out for a shopping excursion in Carmel, Indiana's Arts and Design District. We had a splendid time together!

We stopped in the tiny art galleries and shops along the main road and found a wide assortment of interesting pieces. I had never been before, but now I will make a point of it when Christmas draws near, as we found so many unique gift items. Karin ended up buying a small ring and a beautiful painting of a bee. In the antique mall on Main Street, I purchased an adorable vintage Samsonite overnight case in a beautiful marbled blue:

We loved viewing the art on display in the various galleries. When we arrived at the Hoosier Salon Gallery, I noticed a sculpture made of ash wood. It immediately brought to mind a Welsh folk tune called "The Ash Grove" and the lyrics The Salvation Army often uses with that little tune - "He Giveth More Grace as Our Burdens Grow Greater." I am obviously thoroughly at ease with my cousin because I burst into song right there in that little gallery and the acoustics of the room were astounding.

We were thrilled with the Norman Rockwell-esque sculptures found along the streets:

My favorite part of the day was our lunch at Woody's Library Restaurant (Karin's treat). The small brick building with an impressive front stairway was built in 1913 with monies from a grant from the Carnegie Corporation as Carmel's Public Library.

The restaurant, with a pub and outdoor patio, boasted charming library decor and gave me the thrill of eating (and talking openly) in a library. Our server graciously snapped a photo for us to commemorate the event:

Whenever I eat out, I tend to scan the menu in search of food made with spinach. I was thrilled to find and order the grilled cheese florentine with a side of buttered broccoli and a small serving of potato chips. The sandwich was delicious (think a BLT altered to a BST). To round out our dining experience, Karin ordered two of the dessert duo samplers and thus we were able to try four different desserts from the menu (we tried the Baked Peach Crumble, Chocolate Mousse, a Mississippi Mud Brownie, and - my favorite - a Vanilla Crumb Blondie).

It was a fabulous day for walking and window-shopping. The food was delicious and the company delightful. I can't wait to visit Carmel's Arts and Design District again. If you live anywhere near Indianapolis, I highly recommend this unique experience. Take your favorite cousin. You will have a marvelous time!