Eight years after opening Black Market (922 Massachusetts Ave., 317-822-6757) with restaurateur Ed Rudisell, chef Micah Frank has decided to take a break from the executive chef life and will leave the restaurant on November 9. Frank has a few ideas about other projects he wants to pursue down the line, but for now he says “priority number 1 is taking some time off.” Rudisell will make an announcement about Frank’s replacement later this week.
Mother-and-daughter team Karen E. Laine and Mina Starsiak, better known as Two Chicks and a Hammer on HGTV’s “Good Bones,” are getting into the retail and bar business. The Indianapolis Business Journal reports that Laine and Starsiak will open a 2765-square-foot store at 1531 S. East St. in early 2019, with home goods on one side and a bar with small bites on the other.
West Fork Whiskey (1660 Bellefontaine St., 317-672-7468) is celebrating the first anniversary of its tasting room with a party and barbecue on November 3. Free admission to the event opens at 2 p.m., with live music, giveaways, and a corn hole tournament. There’s an optional $35 ticket for the Black Metal BBQ, including an all-you-can-eat hog roast, spiked cider and hot chocolate bar, appetizers, and a cocktail.
Daniel’s Family Vineyard & Winery (9061 N. Carroll Rd., 317-248-5222) in McCordsville is closing its winery and tasting room to the public on November 1. It will continue to operate, focusing on private events, Cellar Club memberships, and wine distribution. Owner Daniel Cook said a change in the noise ordinance and other other restrictions by the town council made it impossible to operate in the current location. Cook left the door open to reopening the tasting room somewhere else in the future.
Abacuc Garcia has run the busy Garcia’s Hot Dogs cart on the east side of Indianapolis at 16th and Emerson streets for seven years, and he’s turning to his customer base to help fund an expansion to a food truck. According to the Indianapolis Star, Garcia launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his truck (raising nearly $2,000 of his $15,000 goal so far), and has the help of neighborhood residents who designed and sold t-shirts to help. Garcia hopes to expand his menu and stay open year-found if he reaches his fundraising goal.
WNBA All-Star Tamika Catchings is hosting “Tea with Tamika” at her Indianapolis shop, Tea’s Me (140 E. 22nd St., 317-920-1016) on November 3. Tickets are $30 and include bite-size sandwiches and exclusive tastings of seasonal teas with Catchings.
Three Carrots (920 Virginia Ave., 317-403-5867) in Fountain Square is hosting a vegan Thanksgiving dinner on November 13. Tickets are $60 per person and include a seven-course holiday menu. Tickets are almost gone, so move quickly if you want a space.
Cholita Tacos is opening on November 9 at 1001 Broad Ripple Ave., serving L.A.-style street tacos on house made tortillas. Details are sparse, but social media updates also promise Latin cocktails, margaritas, and Mexican beer.