After I moved out of my parents’ house at the ripe age of 21, I knew immediately I wanted to live in Old Town. Why? There is always something going on. Between the summer concerts in the Old Town Market Square, the various street performers, being within walking distance of all the bars and restaurants and a 15-minute drive from every side of Wichita, there are many benefits to living in Old Town.

Where to eat: From American cuisine to Mediterranean dining, Old Town has numerous dining options, including, Playa Azul, a great place to try authentic Mexican food. Like most Mexican restaurants, Playa Azul offers free chips and salsa the moment customers are seated at the table. The extensive menu has a variety of unusual dishes, including one of my favorites, cocktail de camarones (a cold soup consisting of shrimp that is served in a margarita glass with a spoon). They also have the usual enchiladas, flautas, fajitas, and salads, as well as combination plates and a la carte items. Most dishes are between $7 and $10. The entrees are large and are often enough to make a second meal. Make sure to try the fried ice cream, which, according to a picture on the wall, is “better than sex.” Other great dining options: Sabor, Hana Cafe, River City Brewery and The Anchor.

Where to shop: LuCinda’s in Old Town Square sells women’s clothing and accessories, bath and body products, knick-knacks, jewelry and other various items. LuCinda’s offers shoppers a unique experience; many of the items found within the store can’t be found at the local malls. The store stays open until 11 p.m. during the weekends to accommodate shoppers. I’ve bought several dresses from LuCinda’s because I could not find anything similar at other stores in Wichita. More shopping can be had at Aida’s for the ladies, Ceros Candies for chocolate lovers, and Beyond Napa for wine drinkers.

Where to drink: Old Town is known for its many bars and clubs. Each one of them is different and caters to different crowds. If you’re looking to drink, dance and party with a large group of people, I would recommend Heroes Sports Bar at 117 N. Mosley. It’s packed every weekend and it’s impossible not to run into someone you know. If you’re more interested in kicking back and relaxing, The Alibi Room, 919 E. Douglas Ave., is a great choice. While it does get fairly busy on the weekends, the atmosphere is mellow, the music isn’t ridiculously loud and the drinks are very reasonably priced. Or knock back a few at Club Indigo, Mort’s, Oeno or Finns.

Where to live: Granted, there are not a lot of choice when it comes to living in Old Town. However, I recommend Mosley Street Apartments or Innes Station. The apartments are newly renovated and remodeled and each apartment has its own storage unit, walk-in closets and appliances are included. The only drawback is that many of these apartments do not have balconies and forget about a swimming pool. One of the big benefits to living in Old Town is being able to walk home after a night out. It saves cab fare and the anxiety of those dreaded sobriety checkpoints. Other places to call home? Harvester Lofts, The Lofts at Old Town Square or Eaton Place.

Where to take a date: Essentially, most places in Old Town are dateworthy. The Old Town Warren is a great place for dinner and a movie. Emerson Biggin’s offers pool, shuffl board, dinner and drinks. Caffe Moderne is also a good place to have coffee or dessert and chat with your date. Taking walks through Old Town Square is fairly romantic. On any given summer night, there’s usually live music playing and the fountains in front of the Warren are on full blast. I have been known to take a date or two running through the fountains… More great date spots? Larkspur and Uptown Bistro.

Where to go for fun: While I maintain that there is always something entertaining going on in every corner of Old Town, Mosley Street Melodrama, at 234 N. Mosley, is known for their interactive productions and comedy. They serve drinks and a BBQ buffet is available prior to each evening show. The actors and actresses of Mosley Street Melodrama make sure their audience gets involved in the show. You’ll cheer for the hero, boo for the villain, and laugh at their witty antics. More fun options: Cabaret Old Town, City Arts and the Museum of World Treasures.

I’ve lived in Old Town for a little over two years now and have met many wonderful people and neighbors who have helped to make it a welcoming and friendly place to live. Old Town isn’t home to many large corporations. Instead, it supports the many homegrown businesses that make Wichita unique and stand out from all the chain restaurants and stores. My favorite thing about living in Wichita’s Old Town is the upbeat atmosphere and excitement that it has to offer at any given time.

Photo courtesy of Eric Wittman

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