The Hick from French Lick

Saturday, November 14 2009

Thanks to Wikipedia I'm reminded that Larry Bird is from French Lick.  That makes me feel better.

Decades ago there were two ritzy resorts in French Lick--the French Lick Spa and the West Baden Spa.  The latter went into decline years ago, and was a deserted, vandalized building until Bill Cook, a local boy who invented the stent and became one of America's richest men, decided to restore and revive it.  At the same time, the French Lick Spa was in a severe downward spiral, so he bought that, too, and refurbished it at the same time.

In 1964 my husband and I spent a weekend at the French Lick Spa.  When I found myself in southern Indiana, I succumbed to the need to revisit it.  So here I am.  But I didn't know about the West Baden restoration until I got here.  And it's pretty damned lavish.  I'm told it's the largest domed building in the world.  While I have no objective way of proving it, I swear to its vastness.  And to its ornateness.  In fact, both facilities are so enormous that they don't lend themselves to amateur photogrpahers.

Both resorts have wraparound verandahs with hundreds of rocking chairs so on a beautiful day like today one can sit outside reading a book.  This morning I splurged on two spa treatments--a pomegranate body scrub followed by a hot stone massage  Both were pretty terrific, and the massage relaxed me so much that I feel almost brain dead.  Or maybe it's just being in southern Indiana.  Whatever, it feels good.

French Lick restored

Friday, November 13, 2009

Well, I was wrong.  The two-hour tour of Columbus's famous architecture today did not enlighten me.  The docent was so unfocused that I think I actually lost information.  It's hard to be a responsible tourist when the guide can't tell left from right, 19th century from 20th century, and has to ask the bus driver to help her out.  Sigh.

She was so ditzy that she didn't even mention that the Sycamore Place housing unit was designed by Jacob Alpeter of Gwathmey Siegel. 

It wasn't until I went back on my own to find it to take a shot of it from my son Greg who used to work for Gwathmey Siegel that I realized who had designed it.  It was that kind of tour.

I did learn that Columbus is ranked the 6th most important architectural city in America, behind NYC, Chicago, SF, WDC and another (?).  Six of the buildings there have been designated as National Historic Monuments.  Kevin Roche, who inherited a lot of the current building commissions after Eero Saarinen's death, is well represented in town.  Harry Weese, another Eliel Saarinen disciple, designed the most buildings.  I didn't know his name but became impressed once I learned that he was the architect of the WDS Metro stations.

Were a person to visit Columbus for the architectural sights, I'd recommend stopping in at the Visitors Bureau, picking up their free and well designed map, and just driving around on one's own.  The tour this morning mostly just gave me a headache.  I learned a lot more on my own yesteday.

After lambasting road food in earlier posts, I feel compelled to report that there are some excellent restaurants out here.  Proof, the 21C Hotel restaurant, is simply super.  I had three delicious dinners there.  Louisville has other good restaurants, including Mayan Cafe and Jack Fry's (where I ate lunch twice).  Last night I had a very tasty dinner at Smith Row in Columbus.  And today on the road I stumbled across a good Chinese restaurant.  So it's not all franchises.  But you've got to be patient, and it helps if someone reliable gives you advice.

I took back roads from Columbus to French Lick, where I'm now ensconced at the famous old resort that's been lavishly renovated.  I was last here in the summer of 1964.  The wide verandah with its rocking chairs is still inviting.  Tomorrow I'm taking a day off of sightseeing to indulge in some spa treatments.  One can get grungy on the road.