In the heart of Haughville on the corner of North Holmes Avenue & West St. Clair Street on the near westside of Indianapolis, Indiana.

I helped my husband get himself adjusted to being up for the day, prepared his breakfast and got everything set up and within easy reach so he would have the items he needed while I was on my adventure with Young at Heart.

Next it was on to meet my Young at Heart group for our trip to the Indiana State Museum and lunch at the Ayres Tea Room.  It had been many, many years since I had been to either place and neither was in its original location, so I was really looking forward to this adventure with Young at Heart.  I have to confess, I was also looking forward to Chicken Pot Pie.

Well, what I had thought was frost or rain drops on my car’s windshield turned out to be ice.  Ice that, the big custom ice scraper that Norman had made for me, would not budge.  So, there it was, just a tiny little opening in the ice for me to peer though as I drove to St. Anthony to meet my fellow Young at Hearts.

I didn’t see many cars when I arrived.  I rushed around to three different doors.  All were locked.  The church door had a note from Father John saying, “We are on our way to the State Museum.  See you there.”  Uh-oh.  My arrangements had been that I was going to ride with someone else.  Now, I was on my own.  Okay, I backed off and regrouped.  I thought, “I am Young at Heart.  I can do this.  I can find the Indiana State Museum.”  After all, Chicken Pot Pie was calling my name.  I could hear it saying “Kathy, remember, Chicken Pot Pie.” 

I knew the general vicinity of the museum; it was west of downtown.  I was pretty sure I had seen it while driving on Washington Street on the same side of the street as the Zoo.  I didn’t think it was the Zoo entrance though so I went to the next “entrance”, which was not an entrance at all.  It was a winding road that led to the GM Metal Center.  I knew that wasn’t where I wanted to go.  I turned around and decided to go to the Zoo after all.  I did know how to get into that place.

Once I got to the Information Desk, I was told I needed to go one entrance after the “winding road entrance”.  I was getting discourage, but I kept hearing “remember, Chicken Pot Pie” and thinking, “I am Young at Heart.  I can do this.  I can find this place.  This is going to be fun!  And, there’s going to be Chicken Pot Pie.”

I left the Zoo and drove one entrance past the “winding road entrance”.  This entrance looked like the Eiteljorg Museum entrance.  Boy, I was really getting confused, but still remembering “I am Young at Heart” and Chicken Pot Pie is expecting me.  I must hurry.”  I parked in an underground garage facing doors that were marked “Eiteljorg Museum”.  I noticed some other people were headed in that direction also.  I hurried to catch them and asked, “Do you know how to get to the Indiana State Museum?”  They said that was where they were headed, so I followed them.  Ta da.  There is was, quite a little walk though.  (I should have worn my pedometer that day.)

After getting into the building, right away I say Father John.  I hurried over to him before he was out of sight.  He handed me a program guide and directed me to the counter to pick up my ticket and pointed me in the right direction to get started on the tour.  Everything was okay though . . . this was not a guided tour, it was a go at your own pace tour . . . . Thank goodness, because at this point my pace was not going very quickly.

The items, stories and displays were extremely interesting.  On the second floor I found a display telling about the Slovenian immigrants from Europe settling in Indianapolis and an old-timey picture of past members of KSKJ.  At the bottom of the display was the name of our very own Paul Barbarich.  I thought this was just wonderful and rushed to find Father John to point out this particular display to him as well.

Then I made a visit to the Gift Shop for a little browsing.  And, then I had to wait.  Even thought the Chicken Pot Pie was expecting me, I still had to wait.

The Young at Heart party consisted of about 17 people, some parishioners from Holy Trinity and some parishioners from St. Anthony.  Our group was finally seated in The Tea Room.  It was exciting to go back in history and imagine I was in the same place I had been many, many years ago as a little girl with my mother.  From the menu provided, I ordered the Chicken Velvet soup, I also ordered coffee.  I don’t drink coffee very often and always think of brewed restaurant coffee as a special treat.  I knew my instructions quite well . . . . I must order the Chicken Pot Pie, and I did.  I also ordered what I think was called a Pecan Ice Cream Ball.  That really didn’t excite me too much.  But, I didn’t want to pass it up without knowing for sure what it was all about.  Well, it was a ball of vanilla ice cream rolled in crushed Pecans and topped with Hot Fudge and Whipped Cream.  Oh, no!  I wasn’t about to pass that up.  After all, it was topped with Hot Fudge.  And, that very topping seemed to close the deal for many others of the Young at Heart.

All the food was absolutely delicious!  The Chicken Velvet Soup was not quite the way I remembered it, but very delicious.  I would like to have it again.  They bring the coffee to you in little shiny pots that look like a “baby” coffee pot, how cute?  The Chicken Pot Pie . . . . oh, my goodness.  The crust looked like the biggest, hugest “airy nothing” I had ever seen.  And, talk about delicious.  What’s the other word for delicious that means even more delicious than delicious?  Oh well . . . . I shouldn’t have eaten it all but I had to, I just could not help myself.  After all, this may have been my last chance to be at The Tea Room.  And, talk about the dessert.  I think that after hearing Hot Fudge, nothing needs to be said.  Num Yummy!

The Tea Room was much smaller than I had remember the original at Ayres; but, it did bring back many fond memories of when my mother and I would travel downtown the beginning of every school year to buy me a few new clothes and school supplies, with a final stop at The Tea Room, before going home.  Those were the days my friend.  We thought they’d never end. 

For one more time, I was Young at Heart and this was an adventure not missed.

- Kathy Ivancic