Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2022 i Indianapolis Monthly

Meet Bob Slawson and Nick Winings. In 2012, the two Indianapolis real estate veterans brought their unique backgrounds into a partnership called Woodstock Custom Homes. The idea? Beautiful and architecturally-detailed custom homes focused on main level living for the modern family. Unlike typical new home building that doesn’t routinely allow the customer direct interaction with the owner/plan designer, Bob meets directly with customers to ensure he designs the perfect home plan. Once the plan is created, Nick is on-site daily making sure the pieces come together in a masterful way. As co-owner of the company, Nick is your personal construction manager and his communication skills greatly enhance the process. Basically, Woodstock is custom design and fine homebuilding — up close and personal. To learn more about Woodstock and see…

Devoured Our February cover story on Indy’s “25 Essential Eats” left readers hungry for more. This is honestly a pretty great list. Good combo of the well known and more obscure things, as well as things for foodies. There are more than a couple I’ve got to try. PATRICK CUMMINGSVia Twitter I have to throw the mussels from Sangiovese in the ring as a contender. KRISTEN FIORITTOVia Facebook Technically, Gray Bros. isn’t an Indianapolis restaurant, so I’d like to offer up a replacement: The Iron Skillet. COURTNEY ROSEMEYER WHITEARVia Facebook A food list I finally agree with. COOKY GRAPHMANVia Facebook Solid list. I’ve had seven of them. Items I think should be included: Cuban sandwich from Mesh, fettuccine Alfredo from Vito Provolone’s, and the beans and cauliflower from Revery. BRYAN…

Get there early. The park shuts down admission when it reaches capacity, and then you’re stuck in St. Paul. Start small. The highest of the four diving platforms is 10 meters, and you’ll want to work your way up to it. Commit to the jump. The lines get long, and people will judge you for taking too long or backing out once you reach the platform. Leave your beer at home. Att endants will dig to the bottom of your cooler and confiscate alcohol. Wear sandals. The paths surrounding the quarry are crushed gravel. Obey the life jacket rule. There is no shallow end.…

(1) Leon Bridges May 4 Touring in support of his new album, Texas Moon, the Grammy–winning soul singer makes a stop at the Murat Theatre. livenation.com (2) Broad Ripple Art Fair May 14–15 Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the harbinger of Indy’s summer festival season returns to the Indianapolis Art Center. indyartcenter.org/braf (3) Neil Gaiman May 16 Author of The Sandman comic book series and the story that became the movie Coraline, Gaiman speaks at Clowes Hall. butlerartscenter.org (4) Ray LaMontagne May 24 Once an annual visitor to the Circle City, this singer-songwriter returns to the Murat Theatre. livenation.com (5) Indianapolis 500 May 29 At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 32 drivers attempt to prevent Helio Castroneves from becoming the only five-time winner of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. indianapolismotorspeedway.com T Interested…

It’s sexy, simple, and stylish: a jacket worn over a bralette. The hot new pairing is affectionately known as the Bracket, and we adore it. What was at first a celeb-led viral sensation—we see you, Katie Holmes—is now a street-style staple with loads of variations to fit your taste and comfort level. Go monochromatic for a polished look, pair contrasting prints to turn heads, or balance lacy frills with a lightweight blazer for a casual day out, as we’ve done here. Kozan blazer in Moon, $220, The Secret Ingredient, 5631 N. Illinois St.; Adella bralette in Spanish Chestnut, $38, Free People, The Fashion Mall…

THE THREAD Treat a maternal figure to the Mother’s Day INDIANAPOLIS CLAY STUDIO CRAWL. See floral art and pottery demos and shop ceramics and plants at Alley Cat Ceramics in Woodruff Place, Beech Grove Clay Works, Fountain Square Clay Center, Gravesco Pott ery near Spades Park, and Yellow Door Ceramics Studio, east of the fairgrounds. For each tour taken on May 7 or 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., you get a free raffle ticket.…

IF YOU’RE looking to spice up your workout routine, Bryant Beard has the class. The director of Indiana Premier Tennis at Community Sports & Wellness in Pendleton teaches salsa-cardio tennis every Monday (11 a.m.–noon, $12, $9 for members). after spending time in his wife’s native Honduras, Beard came back with a new appreciation for Honduran culture. “In my youth in Indiana, tennis was a sport that didn’t represent many cultures,” says Beard. “I want to share tennis in new ways that show it’s a global sport for everyone.” He even speaks Spanish during the hour, which consists of dancing and tennis lessons set to lively music in a “nonpressure format.” Beginners at tennis, dancing, or Spanish—or all three—are encouraged to join in the fun.…

Top Out Cafe’s chilled smoothie bowl might be the only dish in town that requires a signed waiver, being you can only get it at the cantina on the second level of the North Mass Boulder climbing gym. Versions of the 24-ounce post-workout meal vary from a bright-pink blended dragonfruit beauty to the classic Island Açaí decorated with a mosaic of fresh-cut fruit that puts the “top” in toppings. 1411 Roosevelt Ave., 317-953-6669, topoutcafe.com…

GOOSE THE MARKET Once a week, meat monger Shelva Floyd switches gears to roll out a new pasta using traditional 00 flour and other in-store ingredients to form the foundation of a memorable meal. Think pappardelle flavored with Meyer lemon and black peppercorn, ’nduja-infused tagliatelle, and tomato-fennel fettuccine. 2503 N. Delaware St., 317-924-4944, goosethemarket.com IOZZO’S GARDEN OF ITALY Chef Alan Sternberg joined Iozzo’s last year to modernize a dinner menu that now highlights more than a dozen freshly rolled and extruded noodle dishes, including crab tortelli with Marsala brown butter and tagliatelle ladled with short rib ragu. 946 S. Meridian St., 317-974-1100, iozzos.com NICOLE-TAYLOR’S PASTA MARKET Rosa Hanslits’s team turns out 500 pounds of vegan-friendly pasta a week for local restaurants and to accompany a dozen housemade sauces at the…

DOWNTOWN INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Mile Square Aroma INDIAN Familiar tandoori and tikka masala staples mingle with heartier, more elevated offerings at this elegant pan-Indian spot that opened in the former Rook location in early 2021. Lunchtime lamb and chicken rolls in crispy flatbread wrappers stand out, as do hearty chaat dishes dressed up with yellow peas, yogurt, and chutneys. An impressive lamb shank is the highlight of the chef’s specialties and easily feeds two or more. A full bar and an artful array of desserts help round out a special-occasion meal. Opt for the orange pudding, a creamy, lightly sweet rice pudding served in an orange shell with a chocolate tuille. 501 Virginia Ave., 317-602-7117, aromaindy.com Ash & Elm Cider Co. Restaurant and Cider Bar GASTROPUB…

AT THE RISK OF sounding like a Cialis ad, I have some special news for our male readers over 40: You can still compete against people half your age and come out on top. I learned that by reading Tony Rehagen’s profile of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves (p. 54). At 43, Tony’s still got it. To be honest, I never had any doubts. Tony was our star staffwriter when I started at the magazine in 2007. Though there’s an eight-year age difference between us, we hit it off almost immediately, mostly because we are both perpetual 15-year-olds. We like to gossip with the girls, skip out of the office to drink beers, and gush over television shows and movies when there’s work to be done. But we also…

PAVING THE WAY. The Major Taylor Velodrome was the city’s first structure built with public money and named after an African-American. As a teenager here in the early 20th century, Marshall “Major” Taylor began a cycling career that led to a world championship. Although he faced relentless racism at the time, he is now embraced by his hometown, with a new mural of him on Washington Street and a current exhibit at the Indiana State Museum. LET’S BACKPEDAL A BIT. Opened on July 15, 1982 (back when Indianapolis was building its brand as the “Amateur Sports Capital of the World”), the velodrome was constructed for the U.S. Olympic Festival. It would later host the 1987 Pan American Games’ cycling events and other competitions, and is one of fewer than 30…

WHEN INDY Eleven’s W League team steps onto Field No. 2 at Westfield’s Grand Park on May 6 to play Cincinnati’s Kings Hammer, they’ll make U.S. sports history. The match will go down as the first-ever game for the new United Soccer League’s women’s teams. The Eleven’s inaugural women’s side is an effort to grow the club’s female fan base. Even as women’s soccer is exploding across the U.S.—viewership of the National Women’s Soccer League increased 300 percent in 2020—the Eleven’s fan following skews 65 percent male to 35 percent female. Attendance at the men’s home games, which are played at Michael A. Carroll Stadium, averaged just 6,000 fans a match in 2021, a little more than half of what it had been before the pandemic. “We certainly hope it…

THE SIBLING vocal group Girl Named Tom is no stranger to touring. A couple of years ago, before COVID-19 shut them down, the trio of Bekah, Josh, and Caleb Liechty crisscrossed the country in an old van, playing one small concert after another. “A lot of times, we would be playing in people’s backyards or their basements,” says Bekah. “Sometimes, 12 people would show up, and we were more than happy with that.” The scale of their performances has changed radically since last October, when they were crowned champion of the 21st season of the NBC talent show The Voice. Now the Goshen College alumni and South Bend residents have an agent, a backup band, and a long list of gigs at venues that accommodate thousands of fans. Which has…

ANTIQUE MALL Retro Metro lately catches the eyes of passersby as a newly restored navy and red barn house. At the top of the unimposing staircase at the back of the lobby, Notorious Vintage greets nostalgic shoppers. It’s helmed by vintage veteran Tori Sandler, a co-owner of the erstwhile Rebel Vintage. She curates only the loveliest unique items from her own collection, plus those of funky purveyors including Lady Marigold and Beads By Dre. Home goods born of macrame, Lucite, brass, and ratt an, and resurrected relics like midcentury tea sets and jazzy light fixtures abound. It’s among the best spots to unearth wearable treasures, too. Find ’60s mod floral garb, ’70s peasant blouses and ponchos, and ’80s bold silhouett es in bright hues. The sheer abundance of garments and…

FOR MONTHS, the papered windows of Tortas Guicho Dominguez in Fletcher Place left Mexican food–lovers wondering. Was something new in the works? Would customers still be able to get loaded tortas named for Pamela Anderson and Megan Fox? In January, they got their answer, as new proprietor Jesus Metlat unveiled his homier redo, La Eskina. The name translates as “alley” or “corner,” owing to the restaurant’s cozy location. The menu gets indulgent, topping guacamole with braised pork belly, and offering fried plantains dressed with mole and crema alongside street tacos filled with smoked pork, mushrooms, and huitlacoche, and the Instagram darling birria with dipping broth. While Metlat, who plans an upstairs salsa dance studio and apartment kitchen for cooking classes, waits on a liquor license, you can sip a “Macho…

LOC “RICKY” PHAN may have spent most of his life taking measurements and hemming suits in tailor shops, but he always dreamed of one day owning his own restaurant. That’s because the native of Da Nang in central Vietnam has a deep affection for the ultra-fresh cooking style of his hometown. “In Da Nang, you don’t cook out of your freezer,” Phan says. “You go to open-air markets and get things fresh that day.” It’s a style of cooking without a lot of sugar or bottled sauces, mostly fresh chiles and herbs, an approach that Phan hopes to embrace at the new upscale steakhouse and hot pot restaurant, Eating Fresh, that he’s opening with his wife, Andrea, a longtime fashion quality-control designer. The Phans’ College Avenue spot features two types…

SUMAYYAH MUHAMMAD Editorial intern Sumayyah Muhammad was intrigued by the 1920s racecar on the lid of the makeup compact that is this month’s Artifact (p. 28). “When I saw it, I immediately wanted to learn the history behind the item,” she says. “Although I’m not from Indiana, I’m fascinated by how much Hoosiers love the 500. I hope to visit the track and see the spectacle for myself.” TONY REHAGEN St. Louis–based freelancer Tony Rehagen is always excited to return to the subject of the Indy 500, which he covered as an IM staff writer from 2005–2011. For this month’s issue, Rehagen revisited the subject of Helio Castroneves (p. 54), whom he profiled back in 2008. “It’s amazing to see how much we’ve both changed,” Rehagen says. “But in many…

Q: I HEAR GUESTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO WALK AROUND WITH KANGAROOS AT THE INDIANAPOLIS ZOO’S NEW EXHIBIT. ISN’T THAT DANGEROUS? A: Kangaroo Crossing, which opens this month, does indeed feature an unfenced area where you can rub elbows with red kangaroos. These are the largest of all ’roos, with male “Reds” (famous for their musclebound physiques) topping out at 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. Also, if they feel like it, they can use their powerful hind legs to kick you into the next county. Fortunately, zoo officials insist that’s something wild Reds do and not the mellow ones (many of them smaller and less aggressive females) that will be in this exhibit. They’ll be shadowed closely by keepers, and likely are more interested in what they’re having for…

VINTAGE: 1920S Resides in a private collection LOOKING TO CREATE a special ensemble for the Snakepit Ball on the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 a few years ago, local race fan Jody DeFord came across this compact at Southport Antique Mall. “I was absolutely over the moon to find it,” she says. “It looked so unique.” As it turns out, the IMS handed out quite a few of these in the early 20th century to the wives and girlfriends of drivers. This one, which is more ornate than most, features a racecar from the roaring ’20s with a driver inside. The tradition of gifting the compacts ended in the 1950s, but DeFord’s tradition of donning hers hasn’t. “It’s on display in our house most of the year,” she says,…

JADN “We met David Vogel, the lead singer for JADN, on The Voice,” Josh says. “We love this band’s style and can’t get enough of their original music.” Sadie Gustafson Zook “We got to know Sadie when Caleb and Josh were in college,” Bekah says. “We’re inspired by her talent for thought-provoking lyrics and beautiful melodies.” Mick Dimitri “We connected with this singer-songwriter on Skype at the start of the pandemic,” Caleb says. “With his fine-tuned ear, Mick has created a contemporary pop sound that’s all his own.”…

WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS FUN DRESS? A funky boutique in St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s one of two possible Rev dresses I got while at the Firestone Grand Prix. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE REV TO SOMEONE WHO’S NEVER BEEN? The best party at the best location in town. People wear things like hand-painted dresses. A lot of creativity comes out. BEST REV ACCESSORY? I usually run the Mini that morning, so my medal. HOW MANY CONSECUTIVE 500s HAVE YOU BEEN TO? This is my 53rd. My first was Mario Andretti in 1969.…

THE HISTORIC heart of Greenwood has no shortage of independent breweries. None of them do double duty like SmockTown Brewery. The ground floor of this shotgun storefront that opened last fall offers the feel of a cozy Main Street bar, with live music and bar bites provided by Hot Pink Pepper Catering. But steal up the stairs some evening, and you’ll see a spiffier side to brothers-in-law Mark Sublette and Ken Johnson’s watering hole. A tricked-out speakeasy that the partners affectionately call Attic Hardware (owing to the building’s past life) features a fully stocked bar lit by chandeliers, a patio deck, and an atmosphere that will take you back to the Roaring ’20s. 223 W. Main St., Greenwood, 317-215-4836…

INDIANAPOLIS IS IN a complicated relationship with its pizza. As a constant supply of new pie shops open, we hold on to our lifelong allegiances to Pasquale’s, Arni’s Restaurant, or the House of Pizza King, preferences that divide us, right down to the Litt le League team we played on. If you came of drinking age anywhere near Broad Ripple, Union Jack Pub will forever hold a place in your beer-soaked, carb-craving heart. Meanwhile, some people get nostalgic when they catch a whiff of Papa John’s sweet, tomato paste perfume. For me, a Greek’s Pizzeria smells just like college, and on the occasion that I tear into a warm, salty Noble Roman’s breadstick … just like that, I’m back in high school during the John Hughes Sixteen Candles era. after…

THE INSIDE of the Hunt family’s house doesn’t look like what you’d expect when you’re standing in front of the 1928 Gothic Tudor in Forest Hills. Owner Bridget Hunt cues this departure from that design era the moment you enter. Straight ahead, a Picasso-style painting of a face hangs on the wall, popping with vivid color and provocative shapes. It’s whimsical and modern, a look that Bridget, an artist herself, layers together from room to room. Once a show home, the brick beauty’s layout is virtually unchanged—it’s not open concept—which Bridget finds cozy for her family of five. She loves the generous light spilling in through leaded windows with original stained-glass details. In the upstairs bathroom, the general contractor who had once lived there nestled a large tub inside a…

A FRIEND OF MINE in Indianapolis recently asked if he and his family could stay at our farmhouse for a weekend. I said yes, then emailed him the pertinent instructions for life in a country house. Unlike city houses, whose services are seamlessly provided by a public utility, the country dweller must master the intricacies of water supply, septic tanks, intermittent electricity, and, should the need arise, policing and firefighting. These duties require several pages of information, including directions to the farm and instructions on finding the farmhouse key once they’ve arrived, in case I accidentally locked the door. In our city house, I turn the faucet on, confident the Danville Water Department has performed its duties flawlessly and that clean, pure water in ample amounts, hot or cold, will…