Fishers/Hawthorn Hills - Noblesville, IN

The Indianapolis suburb of Fishers has grown incredibly fast since the early 1960s, when the town could boast just 350 residents. With a population approaching 80,000 at the start of the 21st century, small subdivisions like Hawthorn Hills have contributed to the city's recognition nationally as a safe and affordable community to raise a family. Community leaders have long sought to change the status of Fishers from town to city and were finally successful in 2014.

The Fishers Freedom Festival commences every summer and provides a variety of contests, activities, food and parades for residents to enjoy. Fans of trains, young and old, appreciate the Indiana Transportation Museum located in Fishers. Access to the Indianapolis Symphony, Indianapolis Museum of Art and options for live drama all exist a short trip away in downtown Indy.

While Hawthorn Hills may not feature one central location for nightlife and dining, many options exist in the area. St. Yared Ethiopian Cuisine & Coffee House serves spicy and savory food and coffee which many consider the birthplace of the beverage, Ethiopia. St. Yared's has breakfast, lunch and dinner menus featuring a great selection of beef, lamb and chicken dishes. The doro wot, two marinated chicken drumsticks stewed in a spicy sauce, tops a list of favorites. Vegetarians find plenty on the menu as well with dishes such as ye-misir wot, featuring red lentils and berbere sauce. Keeping with the multicultural theme, residents in Hawthorn Hills take advantage of Bento Café for Japanese appetizers of gyoza and tempura shrimp and a nice selection of hand rolled sushi, including the dynamite roll made with salmon, asparagus and kani wrapped and lightly battered.

For a good pizza that won’t disappoint, locals love Passione Pane. This restaurant's wood oven bakes the best pies in the area, from a simple pizza margherita, with mozzarella and tomato, to the pizza parmigiana with grilled eggplant, Parmesan and basil. Their pane rustico and focaccia breads are also quite heavenly.

The Chatham Tap aspires to be an authentic English pub and succeeds. Plenty of English and American beers can be found on tap along with bottles of microbrews from different parts of the Midwest. No matter how early the soccer match starts, the Chatham Tap remains the go-to place to watch the English Premier League.

To listen to live music and enjoy a choice of tap beers and pub food, folks in Hawthorn Hills head to Casler’s Kitchen and Bar. For larger events, the Klipsch Music Center has been bringing nationally known touring acts to its outdoor amphitheater since 1989.

For travel in and out of Hawthorn Hills residents typically drive their cars. While it may be safe to bike and walk around streets in the community, connecting to other subdivisions requires accessing busier roads and may not be as safe. For biking options beyond the neighborhood, Indianapolis does have some streets with designated bike lanes and many miles of paved trail can be found around the city. The residents use their own driveways to park, but free public parking can be found on streets throughout Fishers without too much trouble. Public transportation around the greater Indianapolis area can be accomplished via IndyGo buses, run by the Indianapolis Pubic Transportation Corporation. Uber ride sharing is available throughout Indianapolis but getting a cab in Hawthorn Hills requires phoning for service

Interstate 69 lies to the north of the neighborhood, which can be used for travel northeast to Muncie or to make connections with the hub of roadways that encircle Indianapolis.

Fort Harrison State Park lies south of Hawthorn Hills and gives residents many choices for outdoor recreation. Several hiking and horseback riding trails are located here and the park also features an 18-hole golf course. Fees vary according to the activity. For a free public park closer to home, Billericay Park features several athletic fields for soccer, softball or baseball games, picnic shelters and a playground and splash pad for kids to enjoy. For dog exercise, folks take their mutts to the Tom Wood Dog Park. This small free park allows dogs to run off-leash and provides plastic baggies to encourage owners to clean up any mishaps.

There’s plenty of outdoor fun available at the Indiana State Fairgrounds every summer when the State Fair draws thousands of people to the area to enjoy food, music and games from local companies.

The cost of living Hawthorn Hills falls in line with the rest of Fishers and sits higher than the city of Indianapolis and the rest of the state. Gas prices sit about 5 percent higher than the national average. A bottle of domestic beer at a local bar costs about $3, with a bottle of import priced at about $4. A one-bedroom apartment can be rented for about $750 per month. A ride downtown on an IndyGo bus costs $1.75 for adults and 85 cents for students, seniors and the disabled.

The Fashion Mall at Keystone provides the largest concentration of upscale and casual boutiques for men and women as well as electronics, bath and body and home decor stores. Other gems can be found scattered in and around the area. Delaney’s Studio and Gifts provides residents a choice of women’s clothing and accessories from jewelry and boots to blouses and jackets. For upscale women’s fashion and lingerie, Soma features a wide selections of bras, dresses and swimwear. Local gardeners visit Allisonville Nursery for a variety of indoor and outdoor plant and gardening supplies and accessories.

Several choices for everyday grocery shopping needs can be found in Hawthorn Hills. Kroger and Marsh Supermarkets both have locations nearby. For healthy choices in produce and ingredients, Earth Fare in Carmel is an excellent choice, and Vom Fass offers a great selection of oils, spices, syrups and other ingredients for home gourmet cooking.

The Noblesville Farmer’s Market commences every Saturday from May to October in the overflow parking lot of Riverview Health. A great selection of produce, fresh-cut flowers and homemade bread, soaps and other items can be found for sale from a number of local vendors.