Tony Valainis
SAMPLE
The name may indicate a place for inspirational knitting, but New Day Craft (1102 Prospect St., 888-632-3379) is actually the primary place in Indy to sample housemade mead. For the uninitiated, mead is in the wine ballpark, only using honey instead of grapes. That leaves plenty of room for variations, including the strawberry-and-rhubarb Shelby Blue Ribbon and the espresso-infused black-raspberry Breakfast Magpie. Hard ciders, too.
BOWL
You’ve got an upstairs/downstairs choice at the Fountain Square Theatre Building, home to Action & Atomic Duckpin Bowling (1105 Prospect St., 317-685-1955). Action’s on the fourth floor; Atomic’s in the basement. Both feature vintage alleys with smaller balls, stumpy pins, and three rolls per frame (making it even more frustrating when the pins remain standing). For retro fun, either offers pleasures to spare.
NIBBLE
Indulge in n’duja, a spicy spreadable salami, or get lost in the layers of The Rosino, a sandwich of finocchiona salami, Calabrese salami, capocollo, prosciutto, and provolone, at Turchetti’s Salumeria (1106 Prospect St., 317-426-3048). But time your appetite carefully: The wholesaler/caterer is only open for retail Friday to Sunday.
GEEK OUT
New comic-book releases draw hardcore collectors on Wednesdays, but Hero House Comics (1112 Prospect St., 317-636-7990) also offers a playfully odd selection of ancillary items, like a toy figurine of Dart the Demodog from Stranger Things.
TASTE
You can still get a cup of java at the former site of Funkyard Coffee. But now the attractions at Litterally Divine Chocolates (1114 Prospect St., 317-822-3865) are made-on-premises truffles. The “How Chocolate Is Made” wall educates those who thought it all happened courtesy of Oompa Loompas.
WATCH
Trivia brawls, album releases, burlesque acts, drunken spelling bees, and gender-swapped readings of movie scripts (e.g, Top Hun) are just some of the creative offerings at White Rabbit Cabaret (1116 Prospect St., 317-686-9550), Indy’s most eclectic live-performance showplace.
DRINK
When the line for The Inferno Room is too long to handle, head for the neighborhood’s original tiki bar: Revolucion (1132 Prospect St., 317-423-9490), where the beach theme is broadened to include tacos.
LIVE
You’ll have to wait at least until Labor Day to unload your moving van, but Edge 65 (1234 Prospect St., 317-226-9500), a development by Milhaus, will feature 118 apartments, bike storage, a makers’ room, and rentable office space.
ROCK
For some, Radio Radio (1119 Prospect St., 317-955-0995) is just a key stop during Fountain Square’s annual Tonic Ball. But the joint offers live music all year, often with tickets $10 and under. April 5 brings a reunion show with The Born Again Floozies, Extra Blue Kind, and Dorsey.
GORGE
Many burger joints offer a dare-you challenge featuring a massive patty that seems to exceed an average human’s stomach capacity. At Kuma’s Corner (1127 Prospect St., 317-929-1287), the first out-of-state location for the Chicago-anchored restaurant, just about every burger seems that daunting. We’re talking meat mountains here, devoured to blasted heavy metal music.
MAKE
Heirloom Classics (1311 Prospect St., 317-495-1102) boasts that it’s “where beads become jewelry.” It’s also where the curious can become beaders, thanks to classes built around your schedule.
SHOP
Whether or not you believe that burning a Palo Santo Stick Bundle will clear old energy from yesterday, you have to agree that Onatah (1339 Prospect St.) is unlike any other retailer in town. Where else can you pick up a bamboo toothbrush, a French lavender face-glow mask, soy nail-polish remover, and peach-pineapple gummy bears?
FEAST
The margaritas at Loco Mexican Restaurant (1417 Prospect St., 317-384-1745) are served on draft, and the vast menu of standards features recipes developed by owner Erick Carrasco, including a version of carne asada from his native Chihuahua region, a focus on homemade soups, and five types of hot sauce.
