Hotel lobby at the Westin.
The scary ride up the small two-person elevator to the top of the monument.
View from the top of the monument.
Kathy and Trent in the observation deck at the top of the monument.
Monument Circle.
Base of the monument.
Monument Circle.
A frigid Kathy at Monument Circle.
The opposite side of the base of the monument.
The observation deck that we rode the elevator to is the light near the top of the monument.
Below is a picture of Monument Circle during the lighting ceremony.
I took Friday off from work, and Kathy and I left town for a one night, child-free getaway to celebrate Kathy's birthday, since we may not get a chance to do so if the baby comes soon. The kids got to stay the night at Grandma & Gramdpa's house where they got watch movies, play the Wii, and make a gingerbread house.
We stayed for just one night at the Westin in downtown Indianapolis, only about a 40 minute drive from our house. We first visited the Circle Center Mall, which could be reached from our hotel (without having to walk outside in the cold) via second story indoor walkways. Many of the hotels in the area are connected to the Convention Center and Mall via these walkways. It was a bit of a walk, so we got plenty of exercise. For dinner, we ate at a somewhat upscale steak and seafood restaurant next to the mall called Harry & Izzy's. The food was great! Downtown Indy has a number of upscale eating establishments, many of which we would not have been dressed-up enough for that night.
Later we returned to our hotel and bundled up for a frigid outside walk to Monument Circle. Monument Circle is an area near the center of downtown that is dominated by a 250 foot tall monument to Indiana's war veterans. This area is festively decorated for the holidays, and has a lighting ceremony the day after Thanksgiving that we are never brave enough to take the kids to due to the crowds! There are carriage rides throughout the holiday season as well as some weekly musical events. We rode the 20 story elevator ride to the observation deck at the top of the monument (which was a bit scary!) and stopped at the famous South Bend Chocolate Factory for some hot cocoa and chocolate cheesecake before returning to our hotel.
