REMINISCE
In an area locals call NoFo (north Fortville, demarcated by the railroad tracks), soda fountain Indulge (1) lives up to its name. Share the Pink Elephant, a giant sundae of sorts: two softball-sized scoops of strawberry ice cream with fruit topping, whipped cream, red rock candy, and Sprite. 10 S. Main St., 317-660-4460, indulgecafe.us
RIDE
Trail-riders, 4-H’ers, and anyone who dreams of hunting with royals would want to browse The Stable Tack Shop (2), packed with the accoutrements of English riding—including sweaters, blazers, and boots for those content to look the part. 18 S. Main St., 317-747-4979, thestabletackshop.com
ACCESSORIZE
Keep tabs on the Facebook page of The Gypsy Chicks Boutique (3) so you don’t miss out on overdyed Vigoss jeans before they’re gone. Owner Gina Kammerer runs her cozy clothing shop from the back of her husband’s dentistry office, so you have to know where to look. 106 S. Main St., 317-747-4916
CREATE
Neverland-grade whimsy colors Kathy Blake’s cheery shop, At Home with Us (4). More than a dozen vendors offer vintage china, jewelry, antique furniture, and custom-ordered clocks and quilt ladders. Blake’s love of gardening shows in a selection of birdfeeders and concrete art, as well as supplies to create your own mystical fairy garden. 202 S. Main St., 317-333-9654
PLAY
Clothing stores don’t get any cuter than Kewpie’s Kloset Children’s Boutique (5), both a kids’ crafts workshop and a purveyor of vintage-inspired onesies, jumpers, dresses, sleep sets, and personalized pillows. Monthly sewing and painting classes make for family fun. 212 S. Main St., 317-987-3700, kewpieskloset.com
DINE
FoxGardin Kitchen & Ale (6) owners Toby Shelton and Jake Burgess have gotten Indy’s epicurean crowd hooked on their nostalgic chili and open-faced burgers served with crispy “cafeteria” chips. The whiskey lounge begs for special occasions—or just a slice of bourbon-pecan pie. 215 S. Main St., 317-485-4085, foxgardin.com
SIP
On Saturdays, neighbors—some wearing pajamas—crowd Java Junction (7) for local coffee and $3.99 plates of biscuits and gravy. Other days, customers order croissants stuffed with grape-and-walnut-studded chicken salad—like the kind at the storied L.S. Ayres Tea Room. 226 S. Main St., 317-485-0085
PAMPER
Two-time cancer survivor and ordained minister Rose Langford offers up her line of “products with purpose” at What a Girl Wants (8), a boutique loaded with dresses, scarves, hats, shoes, and a large selection of safe-metal jewelry and organic skincare products. Bath bombs come in novel scents, including blackened amethyst and sweet almond. 230 S. Main St., Unit 9, 317-941-5336
REDECORATE
An eclectic mix of old and new home furnishings makes for languid rainy-day browsing at Best of What’s Around (9). Budding home craftsmen can find designer paint for upcycling an old chalkboard or milk crate. 230 S. Main St., 317-747-4920, bestofwhatsaroundshop.com
SHOP
There’s nary a plank of old barn wood or vintage light fixture that carpenter Jason Miller can’t refashion into a conversation piece at Renew Design & Construct (10). Distressed shelves, garden decor, and shabby-chic wall art stand out among the ready-made pieces in Miller’s gallery. 305 S. Main St., 765-520-5246, renewdesignandconstruct.com
DABBLE
Whether you aced your high school art class or preferred to watch Bob Ross reruns rather than paint, Herron School of Art and Design sculpture grad Sheri Jones will make you feel at home at Studio 309 (11), a beautifully restored two-story home where she holds frequent wine-and-art classes. You could create a garden sign, string-art project, or wood-slab painting. 309 Noel Ave., 317-362-4536, sheristudio309.com
MUNCH
Choosing among sugar-dusted cake doughnuts, fruit-filled croissants, and UFO-sized fruit fritters can be tough at Sunrise Bakery (12), inside a revamped service station. But deciding where to get your morning pick-me-up is a no-brainer when you can lose yourself among the vintage tin robots, toy zeppelins, and Lionel trains arranged in a futuristic pastry landscape straight out of Fritz Lang. 101 W. Broadway St., 317-485-7574, sunrisebakeries.com
