Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2017 i Indianapolis Monthly

Reel Talk With all apologies to Gene Hackman, Angelo Pizzo, and the late, great Dennis Hopper, Breaking Away stands as the quintessential Indiana film. Yes, of course Hoosiers—a perfectly fine movie—has basketball. But if you swapped that sport for, say, badminton, and changed the names of a few towns, what have you got? Nothing about the sett ing or characters feels particularly indigenous. Breaking Away, on the other hand, is a straight-up mash note to Bloomington. But more importantly, the 1979 gem—nominated for five Oscars, winning for Best Original Screenplay—delves into the Indiana psyche by rooting its protagonist—small-town, bicycle-loving, Italian-impersonating Dave—with an inferiority complex that has a Hoosier twang and a big internal question: Am I good enough? That’s the stuff of Mellencamp songs, and one of the central reasons…

Do you know how many panes of glass are in Big Ben’s tower? Luck does. Andrew Luck THE TOUR GUIDE. During the season, NFL players are frequent flyers with a demanding road-trip travel schedule that fans them across the country and back in a matter of days, jaunts more business than pleasure. But if Andrew Luck’s along for the road trip, you might be in for a surprise treat—a free history lesson! Per a Bleacher Report story, the Stanford grad quizzed teammates on Big Ben—the bell, not the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback—and more during the Colts’ trip to London last season. Do you know how many panes of glass are in the bell’s tower? Luck does. THE WONDERLIC WHIZ. One hurdle at the NFL Draft Combine each year comes in the…

AT MANY A dance for young people, you’ll find girls and boys swaying together with a chasm yawning between them, arms held stiff and hands that never, ever drift from the partner’s shoulders. But that’s taboo for these seasoned etiquette mavens after months of manners lessons at the table and on the dance floor in Mrs. Belt’s Cotillion program, which starts up for the season this month. Later, on the night of each session’s final dance at Meridian Hills Country Club, students will gussy up in their best and show off their waltz and swing moves, continuing an Indianapolis cotillion tradition dating back to 1956; Mrs. Belt took over the program in 2006. If these kids were forced to participate, it certainly doesn’t show on their faces. “From what I…

MANY AMERICANS have struggled to move past last year’s election, perhaps none more so than the president himself. There’s actually a good reason to relive Hillary vs. Donald this month, however. In his new book, The People Are Going to Rise Like the Waters Upon Your Shore, Jared Yates Sexton, an author with strong Hoosier ties, describes the months he spent on the front lines of that crazy campaign. Sexton was raised in Linton, about 90 miles southwest of Indy. “My family was working class,” he says, “factory workers and laborers.” Sexton left Linton for college, then an MFA. He ended up writing three collections of fiction and teaching creative writing at Georgia Southern University. The last thing he expected to write was a book about the 2016 campaign. “I…

SHAN PARKER AND JAROD WILSON know their way around a wick. The unlikely candlemakers—one a digital marketer, the other with a masters in education—began the Onyx Exchange aft er years of running a side business turning recycled wine bott les into lanterns. The bott le bott oms that they usually discarded should have a purpose, too, they decided. So they began pouring wax into them. Now, using their shop at Ruckus Makerspace in downtown Indy, Parker and Wilson melt soy wax 40 lbs. at a time. Once melted, the concoction is poured into a container; the heat depends on the brand of wax, but it’s always between 120 and 140 degrees. The candlemaking, says Parker, is the easy part. It’s finding scents people want that’s tricky. Every six months or…

WHEN NEAL BROWN introduced Stella, the dreamy Mediterranean bistro that replaced his Mass Ave Pizzology in June, the announcement seemed like the tiniest plot twist in a crazy story arc of local restaurant news. In the months before and since, Indy’s dinner plans were ravaged by a string of closings. The dozens of casualties included well-established Recess, Amalfi, Tulip Noir, and Marrow. Months-old LongBranch, Mile Square Bistro, and The Owner’s Wife were also among the fallen. But at the same time, the restaurant circle of life brought fresh hope. Martha Hoover opened Bar One Fourteen; farm-to-table mogul Kimbal Musk tapped Indianapolis as a future home of Next Door and The Kitchen; Cunningham Restaurant Group announced plans to roll out two more concepts, Provision and Rize; and Brown himself teased his…

EVER SINCE WE started heating our house with wood 20 years ago, I’ve worried the place will go up in flames while we’re asleep. I’m not anxious enough to stop heating with wood, but I do think about the possibility more than I did when we heated with gas. You might think woodstoves and fireplaces would be the leading causes of house fires, but you would be mistaken. More than 40 percent of house fires are caused by cooking, mostly when people forget the stove is on. Now that I know cooking is so dangerous, I’m going to eat out more. I phoned our insurance agent when we installed a woodstove, and I could tell he was less than enthusiastic about the idea because he said if our house exploded,…

LIKE MOST great things Indiana produces, the White River has humble beginnings. A stream forms along a farmer’s field not far from Muncie, and by the time it reaches Anderson, it becomes one of the biggest watersheds in the state, with the rainwater of 16 counties draining into it. About 50 miles from that field, the White River wanders through Mounds State Park (4306 Mounds Rd., Anderson, dnr.in.gov), an unspoiled swath of land boasting some of the most unique flora in Indiana. Along with the park’s amenities— including a swimming pool, six miles of hiking trails, excellent fishing, and campsites—the nature preserve is also the site of several ancient earthworks. Built by the Adena culture around 160 B.C., the 10 mounds inside the park were used to observe solstices, equinoxes,…

Use Less Lawn Fertilizer Yes, fertilizer gives your yard that perfect AstroTurf look. But have you ever thought about where all that goes the first time it rains? Straight to your drinking-water supply. Many fertilizers contain several nutrients, the most problematic of which is phosphorus. When phosphorus gets washed into the waterways, algae blooms grow, stealing the oxygen from the water. Ultimately, this suffocates fish and can produce strange tastes and smells. Many phosphorus-free products now exist. By purchasing those and using less of them, you can make a dent in the thousands of pounds of the stuff that wind up in White River each year. Landscape with Native Plants Nobody is asking you to cut down your fussy rhododendron, but native plants such as purple coneflower and blackeyed Susans…

The very thing that makes Rocky Ripple great will one day destroy it. Tucked away from the noise of the city, the hard-to-access area southwest of Broad Ripple enjoys spectacular White River scenery. Bald eagles nest there, and mature trees line the banks. But Rocky Ripple sits low enough along the river that a 100-year flood would drown it. The last time Indy saw a flood like that? 1913. In 1996, when the Army Corps of Engineers was planning the floodwall that already protects Broad Ripple and soon will reach its endpoint at Butler University, Rocky Ripple residents voted against routing the barrier along their stretch of river. The government would have had to purchase and tear down dozens of homes in its path, not to mention the natural destruction…

THE RIVERSIDE, Crown Hill, and United Northwest neighborhoods between 16th and 38th streets have struggled with crime for decades, so it’s no surprise that their signature greenspace remains undiscovered by many. But Riverside Park (2420 E. Riverside Dr., 317-327-7171) deserves a much bigger following. Designed in the late 19th century as a sports-themed oasis, its 861 acres along the White River now include three golf courses, Major Taylor Velodrome, a soap box derby hill, a BMX track, an indoor basketball gym, soccer fields, a pool with huge water slides, and the new Colts Fitness Park, outfitt ed with NFLCombine–inspired exercise equipment for kids. Considered as a whole, it’s bigger than Central Park in New York. Like a lot of areas along the White River, Riverside Park lost its view of…

RIVER PEOPLE “I STARTED FISHING THIS river in 1968. We’d bring canned corn and chum the water. Sometimes, I’d go down by the Chevy Dam on the south side, and I used to catch the hell out of catfish. That’s some good fishing down there. Now they’re saying the water there is contaminated. A lot of people stopped fishing the river because they’re talking about, ‘The fish will give you cancer’ and ‘There’s a whole bunch of mercury in the water,’ or something. I don’t think about it. I basically just catch and release. If somebody tells me they want the fish I caught, I’ll tell them they came out of the White River. If they want ’em, they want ’em. If they don’t, they don’t. I like to fish…

Hamilton County River Clean-Ups (September 9) In Noblesville, Carmel, and Fishers, groups of volunteers will pick up trash along the banks on the opening day of the festival. Afterward, the White River rubber duck race in Noblesville rewards everyone’s hard work with a few laughs. White River Stewardship Celebration and Fundraiser (September 26) The festival’s capstone event has a new twist this year: Attendees paint and decorate themed canoes at the Biltwell Event Center. The White River Alliance, which organizes the festival, uses the money raised to improve the waterway. Next spring, some of the boats will join the White River Canoe Company’s active fleet. Fly-fishing Clinic and Paddle (September 29) Local fly-fishing gurus will teach amateur anglers how to tie their own flies, cast, and fish for smallmouth bass.…

WONDERING HOW TO DETERMINE WHICH private school might be the best fit for your elementary-school child? There’s more to look at than its awards, sports programs, and extracurricular activities. Two key elements to consider are the school’s philosophy and its approach to teaching students. The school’s philosophy sets the tone for everything, including what it teaches and how it educates students. And its approach to teaching can provide different benefits. Here’s a look at how these two key elements play out in three local private schools. Sycamore School, situated on 16 acres on the northwest side of Indianapolis, serves approximately 400 academically gifted children from age three to grade eight. “Our philosophy is that academically gifted students have special needs—academic, social, and emotional—that need to be met,” says Glenna Lykens,…

NEW & UPDATED Main Street Poké...................161 Stompin Barley...................162 BurgerFuel..........................163 Tried & True Alehouse..........167 DOWNTOWN INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Mile Square B’s Po Boy CAJUN Known for its po’ boys in crusty, airy bread from New Orleans, B’s brings laid-back bayou cooking to Fountain Square. The chicken- and-sausage gumbo comes laden with meat and green peppers in a rich stock filled with just the right amount of delayed heat. Loyalists take it easy on the savories to leave room for housemade beignets. Lunch and dinner daily. 1261 Shelby St., 317-916-5555, bpoboy.com Bazbeaux PIZZA As we watch some of Indy’s most celebrated restaurateurs open pie places all over town, we haven’t forgotten where we first found artichoke hearts and goat cheese on our ’za. Bazbeaux has changed little since…

ANDY COOK Westfield Mayor WE ARE EXCITED ONCE AGAIN to host Home-A-Rama in our community! Westfield has been named one of the “Top Ten Places to Raise a Family” by Family Circle Magazine and has also been recognized as one of America’s “Best Places to Live” by CNN Money. We think you’ll agree! While you’re in Westfield, we encourage you to visit our downtown just minutes away. Here, you’ll find great local restaurants, pubs, and shops to fill your free time with a unique Westfield experience. You can also enjoy our award-winning trails and parks system, too. If you like sports, don’t forget to check out the Grand Park Sports Campus. With 1.5 million annual visits, this sports complex is a key part of an overall strategy to make Westfield…

Eldon Lindsay Eldon Lindsay has spent years behind the camera. Some subjects, like tattoo artist Alice Guerin (p. 48), make his job easy. “It was clear that Alice has a passion for her work,” he says. “There are two walls of drawings in her studio, just waiting for the right canvas. It seemed fitting to photograph her surrounded by the artwork she loves.” Lindsay has contributed to Outdoor Life and Country Living. Kate Franzman Writer Kate Franzman can relate to Angie Wendricks, whose home she highlights in “Cottage Industry” (p. 82). “Angie ditched her old life and most of her possessions when she built that tiny, country-modern house,” Franzman says. “It’s not so different from what I did a few years ago, when I left my job at an ad…

If you value your marriage, go solo. Take your shopping list to the restaurant— and use the bathroom—before grabbing a cart. Try the lingonberry soda. Look for marked cut-through doors to avoid serpentining through the entire store. Unless you’re trying to accumulate 10,000 steps on your Fitbit. Get the gift wrap. Your present will look like it’s from Orla Kiely. Think about wear and tear. If you have three strapping teenagers at home, those bar stools probably aren’t for you. The popular Poäng chair is bouncier than the Poäng rocker. Don’t spill the beans about the As-Is clearance section. Starting now.…

DINE Feast on Campfire Fett uccini, applewood chicken salad, or wood-fired pizza in the cabinlike atmosphere of Cunningham Restaurant Group’s Boulder Creek Dining Company (1), a local eatery with the crowdpleasing variety of a chain. Take the bartenders’ advice and try the Green Chile Vodkaritas or Cucumber Cosmos. 1551 N. Green St., 317-858-8100, bouldercreekdining.com SHOP Moms, you’ll want to sit down for this one: customizable decor (hello, folksy wood-framed signs with your last name), prett y maxi dresses and jumpsuits that are easy to play with the kids in, and wardrobe consulting for family photos, all at Ella Mae’s boutique (2). The cherry on top: a play area for the litt le ones. Now it’s your turn to ask, “Are we there yet?” 19 N. Green St., 317-939-0151, ellamaes.com BUY…

BISCUITS & SPICY KALE GRAVY Love Handle 2829 E. 10th St., 317-430-5004 Love Handle’s rotating menu of biscuitsand- gravy options is as delicious as it is unexpected. The spicy kale gravy gets its kick from jalapeños and black pepper, and the hearty green vegetable burns mildly in the pan with flour, emulating the texture of sausage. If you’ve got meat on the mind, you can always supplement your dish with any of the proteins on the menu, from pork belly to beef tongue made in-house. BROWN BUTTER & SAGE BISCUIT Vida 601 E. New York St., 317-420-2323, vida-restaurant.com Pastry chef Hattie McDaniel uses flavor wizardry to combine the elements of biscuits and gravy into one treat, a perfect balance of salty and sweet. Sage, the classic sausage ingredient, is cooked…

For more on THE LOFT (9101 Moore Rd., Zionsville, 317-733-1700), see page 170.…

ABOUT 250 TIMES a day at Fair Oaks Farms, someone reaches into a large and uncomfortable gilt and pulls out a piglet. Usually, this happens in full view of tourists, who come by the busload and make the noises people make when they watch someone remove a baby from a pig. It’s daily life in the Pig Adventure, one of the most popular attractions at Fair Oaks, a 33,000-acre farm that has grown into the largest agritourism site in the country. The farm buses visitors to a massive facility that tracks the animals’ lives from birth to motherhood. Rows of pink pigs—chatt ering, dozing, and bumping each other around— reach out from the observation windows, while staffers tend to the animals’ feeding and astronomic levels of waste removal. (Naturally, the…

RIVER PEOPLE “I HAVE A LONG HISTORY with Mounds. In high school, I would train for crosscountry meets here, and I used to run 500 miles each summer. So I probably know it bett er than anyone who works here. Although my degree is in meteorology, I’ve been interested in plants my whole life. In 2010, a Ball State professor and I decided to survey the park and create a floral inventory. We documented 584 unique species, and 478 of them were native, which is exceptional diversity for a 280-acre park. I love the river, and people don’t always appreciate how nice it is since being radically cleaned up in the ’70s. John Craddock started the Muncie Bureau of Water Quality in 1972 and mitigated a bunch of horrific industrial…

RIVER PEOPLE “I grew up on the banks of the White River in Ravenswood. It’s a lot cleaner than it was when I was a child. There used to be oil floating on top, old clothes, washing machines. They got rid of all the septic tanks along the river, which was a great thing. We have species coming back now that were long gone. The boat was sitt ing on the bott om of Morse Reservoir for years, with just the bow peeking out of the water. I drove by it one day and thought, I’m going to salvage that thing. So I bought the vessel at auction, and let me tell you, there weren’t too many people bidding against me. The renovation took three years, but I like a…

With all due respect to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy still doesn’t have a signature piece of architecture with a world-famous pedigree. We almost did, though. In 1981, city planners commissioned César Pelli to design a landmark called Indiana Tower for its new White River State Park. Pelli had worked for Eero Saarinen on the JFK airport terminal and would later design Kuala Lumpur’s Petronas Towers, among the world’s tallest buildings. He imagined that his Indiana monument would become an icon on par with the St. Louis Arch. At 750 feet high, it looked like a perforated obelisk, with arched openings giving it an airiness that Pelli was known for. But locals didn’t like it. They thought it was too severe and resembled a corn cob. One man even started…

RIVER PEOPLE “WHEN I FIRST MOVED to the Valley 24 years ago, it was a litt le rough. But there was plenty worth fighting for, too. A lot of really good people have been here on the river for generations. And we’ve embraced the populations that have moved in, like the Hispanic community and the Ethiopians. It’s nice to see children riding their bikes through the neighborhood again. In the Valley, we identify with the river. In 1913, the whole neighborhood was flooded. That’s how we got the ‘Valley Rats’ nickname. It was so mud-ridden for so long. When the previous mayor announced the amphitheater plans for the GM site a few years ago, we were devastated. The noise level was going to be 90 decibels. That’s like a vacuum…

IN HER LATER YEARS, my mother hung two dog portraits on her wall, of a Scottie and a Westie. Looking at these onedimensional creatures was as close to having pets in her home as she could get. Actually, Wire Fox Terriers were her favorites—those cheeks!—but whenever we, her children, suggested she get an actual dog, she followed her head rather than her heart. People get emotional when considering pet companionship, dreaming of sunny walks together along a garden path, a fireplace blazing while you sit with a loyal black Lab asleep at your feet. The truth is, there is poop pickup to consider, as well as vet visits, accidents on the rug, and shoes destroyed. As much as Mom wanted a dog, she knew caring for herself was all she…

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1999, First Internet Bank has built itself on the idea that even if the branch is virtual, the customer support can be very real. As a leader in the online banking industry, First Internet Bank recognizes the importance of balancing digital capabilities with personal service in order to build and deepen customer relationships. Whether you are setting up that first checking account, establishing an investment portfolio, looking for a mortgage lender, or applying for a home improvement loan, First Internet Bank combines interpersonal communication with cutting-edge technology to bring its customers the best banking experience available. CUSTOMER FIRST When David Becker, president and CEO of First Internet Bank, originally came up with the concept for the company, he was sitting at his kitchen table asking friends…

“You have 19 different kinds of apples? Give me three good ones.” BILL WEGHORST GLANCES around the Noblesville market he’s run for 23 years, Broccoli Bill’s. Pointing out the on-site businesses he recruited into the building in the last year—Caplinger’s Fresh Catch & Cuts, Natural Born Juicers, and Rene’s Bakery—he doesn’t mince words. “I like people that give a shit, that are here every day,” he says. “These people have a passion for what they do.” A member of the O’Malia family of iconic Indiana grocers that operated local stores from 1966 until 2001 (when it sold to Marsh), Weghorst started bagging groceries for his uncle Joe O’Malia at age 15. He worked his way up to director of produce operations, a position he retired from in 1994, weary of…

Bur Oak LATIN NAME Quercus macrocarpa WHERE TO LOOK Everywhere. But they like to keep their distance from other plants, so they won’t be in any densely wooded areas. Take Trail No. 2 from the Mounds visitors center down to the river, and you’ll walk past a pair of massive oldgrowth bur oaks. Their 3-to-5-foot diameters indicate they’re about 350 years old. FUN FACT Bur oaks are among the most fire-tolerant trees. Their unusually thick bark protects them. River Otter LATIN NAME Lontra canadensis WHERE TO LOOK In the river, of course, especially at dawn or dusk because otters are most active then. FUN FACT Otters weren’t always easy to find in Indiana. In 1995, the DNR began a reintroduction program for the species, and it wasn’t removed from the state’s endangered list until…

RIVER PEOPLE “WE BOTH GREW UP IN Noblesville, so we knew that’s where we wanted to raise our family. We found this house on the river and fell in love with it right away. You walk into the backyard, see this panoramic view of the water, and think, Wow. This is so peaceful and beautiful. We’ve been doing renovations to take advantage of the views. Originally, there was one small window in the master bedroom, but when we were having new windows installed, we expanded it to more than three times the size. Now, as the evening sunlight hits the water just right, the river reflects into our house in an amazing show of light and movement. There used to be a rope swing tied to one of the tree…

A Boardwalk WHAT Brian Payne’s wife, Gail, came up with the idea of a boardwalk running from the Monon Trail to Broad Ripple Park along the river, and the Central Indiana Community Foundation president has been championing it ever since. The city got as far as designing the curved path on piers in 2015, but the money disappeared when Mayor Greg Ballard left office. Now Brian is trying to fold the concept into a larger $100 million plan he and Gail have for building bike paths throughout the city. HOW MUCH $3 million (of the larger plan). THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE Besides raising $100 million? Gett ing neighborhoods citywide to buy into it. A Music Festival WHAT Dan Ripley founded Broad Ripple Park’s WARMfest in 2013. And while the music died…

RIVER PEOPLE “I’VE PADDLED THE downtown stretch of the river several times to watch the Fourth of July fireworks, but it’s not a section I recommend to inexperienced paddlers. The dam at 16th Street is dangerous. Our club is pushing the city to remove that and other dams to return the river to its natural flow. Most of the White River is prett y user-friendly, though. The current is modest, perfect for beginners. For more experienced paddlers, the Hoosier Canoe and Kayak Club has been encouraging the creation of a few whitewater parks. Basically, you add boulders to the river to create rapids in which boaters can play. These parks are very safe, even if you fall out. South Bend has one of the best examples in the Midwest. We…

1) Southwestway Park Packed with forested hiking and mountain-biking trails, this 587-acre park 10 miles south of downtown is second only to Eagle Creek in size. Mann Hill’s 820-foot elevation makes it one of the highest points in Marion County, and provides great views of the White River valley below. Winding River Golf Course abuts the park, which includes baseball and soccer fields. 8400 Mann Rd. 2) McCormick’s Creek State Park With miles of hiking trails, this Southern Indiana oasis is a shady respite for sunsoaked paddlers. Indiana’s first state park remains a geological heavyweight with a spectacular limestone canyon and a 10-foot-high waterfall (a rarity in flat-asa- pancake Indiana). Adventurous souls can climb the nine-story fire tower or cross the arched limestone bridge. If you’re packing up the kayaks…

FOURTH STREET FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS AND CRAFTS Just after students return to classes at Bloomington’s Indiana University, the nearby Fourth Street neighborhood transforms itself into a work of art. More than 100 artisans display their wares and compete in a juried art show. A music stage showcases several acts, including the Bloomington Community Band, Hoosier Youth Philharmonic, Bloomington Peace Choir, and the Swing Time Big Band. This year’s festival will also include a spoken word stage— a venue for poetry, storytelling, fiction, and radio theater. An eclectic mix of speakers includes high school students and tenured IU professors. The festival, which draws close to 40,000 people each year, is run by artists and showcases fellow creators from around the country. Free. September 2–3. 400 E. 4th St., Bloomington, IN,…

STEVE LAINS BAGI Chief Executive Officer CRAIG JENSEN CalAtlantic Homes 2017 BAGI Board of Directors President THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER Indianapolis is thrilled to welcome you to this year’s First Internet Bank Home- A-Rama. This show is nothing short of remarkable, featuring five custom-built, fully decorated and landscaped homes in The Lakes at Grassy Branch neighborhood in Westfield. These homes, built by members of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis (BAGI), showcase all the latest trends in technology, design, outdoor living and landscaping, and much more. You’re sure to leave with plenty of ideas for your new or existing home. The builders will be on hand to answer questions, provide advice, or discuss their uniquely built showcase home. Many of the designers and suppliers will also be on hand…

MELANIE WOODARD SAYS CANCER MAY not play fair and it may not play by the rules, but it doesn’t have to win the game. A little more than a year after her last treatment for uterine leiomyosarcoma, which she was diagnosed with in 2012, she learned she had chronic myelogenous leukemia and would have to battle back once again. “I won the cancer lottery,” she says. “In fact, when my oncologist told me how rare both conditions were and that the chances of the same person getting both were one-in-amillion, my brother went out and bought me a Powerball ticket. Unfortunately, my winning streak was limited to cancer.” It is that quick sense of humor paired with a strong faith and the support of her family and friends that helps…