December
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Unspoken Rules: AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration
Doors open an hour before showtime, so get there early to see costumed characters, hear holiday tunes on the Wurlitzer organ, and grab treats to nibble on. Bring a credit card along with your appetite. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra shows are cashless, from the bars to the cookie counter. If you have little ones, head upstairs […]
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Taste Test: Nog-Offs
Lick Ice Cream Lick does not skimp on ingredients, throwing cognac, rum, and fresh nutmeg into this noggy ice cream. “Before we added booze, it was missing that oomph!” owner Meredith Kong laughs. The Garage food hall; 1049 E. 54th St.; 317-979-0237 Tulip Tree Creamery Dutch dairy king Fons Smits flexes his culinary skills by […]
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The Hoosierist: Where’s The Beef
Q: IS IT TRUE THAT THE ROAST BEEF MANHATTAN WAS INVENTED HERE? A: It’s a strong possibility. The dish (a diagonally cut roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes between its two halves and beef gravy over the whole works) has two Indiana origin stories. In one, the sammie came about during World War II, when […]
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My Look: Maxie
Who’s your favorite fashion designer and why? At this moment, I’d say my favorite fashion designer is Matthew Sims. He’s a local fashion designer, and his brand is called Slumhaus. I’ve been working with that brand for almost a decade, and I’ve seen their growth firsthand, from the graphic designs to the messaging to the […]
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Shop Talk: Baseline Social
EVERYONE is wearing tennis skirts these days, whether they’ve ever set foot on a court or not. Kristyn Davidson (middle, above) brings the retail expertise she gained at Oliver’s Twist Weddings to the only tennis specialty store in Indianapolis. She has teamed up with two friends from Carmel Racquet Club (Rodie Zalaznik, left, and Katy […]
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Review: Up Cellar
Photos by Tony Valainis OF ALL THE spinoffs of the original Taxman Brewing Company concept—far-flung gastropubs, farm-to-table fare, Neapolitan pizza, and, as of late spring, a bakery featuring flaky croissants and house-made gelato—steak was the one we didn’t see coming. It wasn’t exactly in Leah and Nathan Huelsebusch’s crystal ball, either. They had their […]
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Speed Read: True Blue
IT WAS A HUMBLE BEGINNING. The Blue Crew began as a small tailgating club in the mid-1990s. Randy Collins, Tim Millikan, Tony Payne, and Eric VanWagner would meet in an empty parking lot just south of the RCA Dome (then home to the Colts) on game day. They recall only three or four other tailgate […]
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Foodie: Samir Mohammad
DINERS AT 9th Street Bistro in downtown Noblesville got an early taste of chef Samir Mohammad’s fascination with Asian broths during the restaurant’s occasional ramen pop-ups. Mohammad used the dinners to workshop his next venture, The Ramen Shop. Expected to open early next summer, the noodle restaurant will focus on soups and appetizers. Mohammad and […]
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Traditions: The Polar Distress
THE TRADE, as it were, of Santa Clausing goes back to 1890, when the first live Father Christmas appeared in a Boston department store. Fast forward to a decade ago when stores were getting away with conscripting random sullen employees to don fake beards and suits stuffed with pillows. But those days are gone. Shoppers, […]
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Swoon: Key Ingredient
Succulent strawberry slices sit perched atop a generous portion of luxurious vanilla-scented Chantilly cream—a delicate, delectable adornment to the Tipsy Mermaid’s house-made Key lime pie. A generous sprinkle of Key lime zest and toasted coconut finish off this thick slice, making one’s mind wander to ocean breezes with each bite. Pair it with a piña […]
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Best Of Indianapolis: Culture
COMMUNITY SPACE Sure, downtown’s newest gathering space, Bicentennial Unity Plaza at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, looks great, with its large, gleaming metal sculptures and mural of notable Hoosiers. But its versatility is what we’re most excited about. The sunken basketball court, which will transform into an ice-skating rink this winter, has already hosted fitness classes, a concert, […]
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Best Of Indianapolis: Dining
NEW ICE CREAM SHOP Occupying a corner storefront tucked deep inside a Southport strip mall, Paradise Mx dips out a delightful introduction to the sweet tradition of Mexican ice cream parlors. Jumbo scoops of dense guava, tequila, and Ferrero Rocher flavors are gateway treats at this spacious spot that covers a lot of dairy-based territory […]
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Realty Check: Break the Bank
FOR THE elite few shopping for homes in the eye-watering $8 million range, here are two glorious palaces. Their square footage is so vast that you may wonder if intercom systems should make a comeback. The Fishers Mansion If modern vintage style is what you’re after, then this beauty in the Hamilton Proper neighborhood will […]
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Road Trip: Outstanding in Its Field
IN THE MIDST of a bunch of 900 wests and 200 norths, desolate four-way stops, and rows and rows of cornfields northeast of Indy, you’ll come upon a bright red barn with a green tin roof. You have successfully found the near century-old Bonge’s Tavern. It’s a ready reminder that you aren’t lost, and you […]
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Best Of Indianapolis: Shopping
FURNITURE MAKER After learning his trade fixing up his century-old home, John Kirchner began building furniture for friends and family and eventually for paying customers. Kirchner sits down with each client and discusses their tastes and aesthetic, as well as the intended function of the piece, before any wood is cut. While his personal tastes […]
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Best Of Indianapolis: Lifestyle
NEW OLD SCHOOL BARBER Cody Potter opened Wild’s Barber Shop with the goal of “making you feel like you’re walking into a shop from the 1960s.” That means a set of original chairs from the era, a vintage fridge and pool table, and walls covered with classic advertisements. Potter initially operated a much smaller shop […]
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Back Home Again: Pass the Potatoes
FOR THE PAST 25 years, my wife and I have celebrated Christmas at our home in Danville where we raised our sons. My brothers and sister visit on Christmas Eve, and we sit in the living room and make fun of one another like we did when we were kids. When we’re done agitating each […]
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The Next One
CEDDERICK DANIELS settles into an upper suite at Lucas Oil Stadium, a basket of chicken fingers in his hands. It’s one hour before the Colts’ home season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the former Gainesville (Florida) Eastside High School football coach is here to watch quarterback Anthony Richardson make his first NFL start in […]
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Cheers: In High Gear
TWELVE YEARS ago, Steve and Brian Lindsay cranked into town with their first HandleBar, a 16-seat bicycle imported from Amsterdam that cruised the streets of downtown while its beer-swigging occupants provided the pedal power for a party on wheels. This summer, the brothers opened a warehouse-style bar, restaurant, and bicycle garage, The Hangar. The 7,500-square-foot […]
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The Uncle I Never Knew
I USED TO SEE HIM on family visits to my grandparents’ house in Mooresville: an angular kid in a turquoise tank top, peering from a picture frame through time and tragedy. His name was Forest Kenyon Rusie—Kenyon to his loved ones—and he was my uncle, or at least the boy who would have become my […]
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The Beat: A New Leaf
CO-OWNERS of Wild Birds Unlimited Jim and Nancy Carpenter like to walk on the wild side. That’s why they bought the abandoned Wolf Run Golf Course, located at North Michigan Road and State Road 32, from a developer for $5.5 million in 2020. Their plan for it? Nothing. They simply believed the property should be […]
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Traveler: Spring to Life
Hot Springs, AR Distance: 635 miles Drive Time: 9.5 hours “THE GRASS is greener on the other side” takes on new meaning in Hot Springs. One side of town is Hot Springs National Park and Bathhouse Row, a National Historic Landmark, while across the dividing line, Central Avenue, is a bustling downtown of shops and […]