Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2018 i Indianapolis Monthly

Emma Davies Dixon has nice shoes. I know this because during a break in shooting the cover of this issue, our digital editor sent me a text asking for a cellphone pic of her footwear—behind-the-scenes stuff for our social media accounts and website. “Is there any way?” he texted. “Without being creepy?” There wasn’t. “Emma,” I said, “I know this sounds creepy …” and, as those words came out of my mouth and I explained my request, the wife of four-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon looked at me like I drove a windowless van filled with candy. Thankfully, that uncertainty was momentary. With her blessing, I snapped a few pictures, and EDD and I became BFFs after the awkwardness had passed. But as I crouched on the ground for a…

“This basically sums up so many conversations a lot of us have routinely, but haven’t done much about if we’re being honest.” —JOSH ANDERSON, via Facebook “I admire his honesty. I worried about kids coming to school with unmet needs and my kids learning less/doing less because the focus of the staff was on basic needs.” —AMBER KLEOPFER SENSENY, via Facebook “We could all see the writing on the wall about two years after CFI 84 opened. I like to think this was never an intentional exclusion by IPS, but that’s how it turned out.” —MEG HORN, via Facebook “I imagine this is one of those articles where you nervously refresh your inbox or the comments section. Thanks for writing it.” —JOHN BEELER, via Facebook WHAT’S THE SOLUTION TO IPS’S DECLINING ENROLLMENT AND TEST…

YOU’RE AN ICON IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY AND AREN’T SHY ABOUT SHARING YOUR LIBERAL VIEWS. WHAT’S IT LIKE PLAYING A HARDCORE RED STATE LIKE INDIANA? I feel like everywhere you go, your main job is to be an entertainer, and that means being able to appeal to different kinds of people. There’s no jurisdiction on humor, and no real bias. Everybody laughs for pretty much the same reasons. Also, my ex’s family is from Evansville, so I’ve spent a lot of time in the area on my own. It’s a place I can definitely vibe with, though not for the reasons you might expect. I’m a fat person and a fat-acceptance advocate, so we all come together when it comes to fat. WHAT ROLE DOES HUMOR PLAY IN A MOMENT…

Looking for your very own Audrey II? Grounded Plant & Floral Co. is taking root with potted plants for all shades of thumbs. The cute shop overflows with succulents, ferns, and fiddle-leaf figs along with highly giftable items like a “Thirsty” cactus T-shirt or a tub of Moon Rivers Naturals bath soak with Dead Sea salt and black lava. Brown-thumbers, fear not: Owner Amanda Griffith will inspire you to pot up. For beginners, she recommends the structural “snake plant” (a 10-incher also called a mother-in-law’s tongue) because, unlike your mother-in-law, it doesn’t mind being ignored. And hey, if you lose your nerve, imbibe your greenery with a bottle of Seedlip, a botanical nonalcoholic distilled spirit from England, or inhale floral-scented incense from Black bird. If a botanical boutique sounds like…

THE TURF Northeast downtown BREATHE Downtown’s young professionals tote their mats to Invoke Studio (1) for more than 100 classes—and a heated room for hot yoga. In addition to mostly intermediate to advanced vinyasa classes, workouts also cover HIITs, Pilates on a Reformer, and an Invoke-designed Bar Effect class targeting the core and inner thighs. While clients love the studio’s abundance of natural light, Invoke also stretches its programming to Sun King Brewery, the Indiana War Memorial, and the canal at sunrise. 970 Fort Wayne Ave., 317-631-9642, invokestudio.com SHOP Owner Lisa Footé worked as a bartender in the area before switching gears to consignment at More Than A Boutique (2). There’s a kooky array of new and gently used men’s and women’s clothing—everything from guys’ Western-style shirts to thigh-high Jessica…

Seventy-five years ago, she was a survivor-turned-celebrity. Still is. The legendary WWII bomber B-17F Memphis Belle became a symbol of the U.S. war effort; now painstakingly restored, she stars in a new permanent exhibit at the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE U.S. AIR FORCE in Dayton, Ohio. Opening weekend (May 17–19) includes a vintage aircraft fly-in, films, guest speakers, and big-band music. nationalmuseum.af.mil…

With so many buff ets and fusion spots offering curries and rice dishes around Indy, it would be easy to miss another storefront Indian joint at the city’s edge. But the bright, well-stocked Noor Indian Grocery & Kitchen, opened in November by Sarbjit and Satbir Bhangu, is a great place to pick up the goods for an Indian dinner party. True to its name, the shop also offers a surprisingly verdant menu of thalis and dosas. Just don’t ask for chicken tandoori or lamb korma; everything here is vegetarian, from the rich and flavorful matar paneer with cheese and peas to the roasted-eggplant baingan bartha to breads like simple roti or potato-stuff ed paratha. A small selection of chaat items, popular Indian street-food favorites, includes the vibrantly garnished samosa chaat…

YOU KNOW THE scene in every teen movie where the popular jock struts down the crowded halls of his high school, waving in one direction, winking in the other, and high-fiving his buddies while a British New Wave song provides the bouncy soundtrack? That’s what it’s like watching chef Neal Brown work the sushi bar just inside the door of his new SoBro showpiece, Ukiyo. He can barely compose a nigiri without someone interrupting him on the way in or out to tell him that everything he does is magic, magic, magic. “Hey, Neal—six thumbs up,” one customer calls over as he guides his two young sons toward the exit, past the midcentury wood-frame chairs arranged under glowing feather-boa pendants. Another diner lingers at the live-edge wood counter to talk…

NOT LONG AGO, my nephew stopped by our home, flopped down at the kitchen table, and began lamenting his lot in life. He had landed a job the month before, but was already talking of moving on. “I just can’t see myself doing this another 40 years,” he said. I love my nephew, but no one group of people has disappointed me so keenly as today’s Millennials. Just when our nation faces great challenges, they seem unable to endure even the slightest hardship. When I was my nephew’s age, I had, for all intents and purposes, nearly hiked the Appalachian Trail, all 2,190 miles of it, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, an endeavor that had claimed the lives of men far stronger than I. My…

AS INDIANAPOLIS HAS PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN, every time May rolls around, the city sure knows how to throw a party. From the Snakepit Ball and 500 Festival Parade to the mini marathon and race itself, May is packed with opportunities to gather your friends, crack open a few cold ones, and throw a party in honor of the greatest spectale in racing. “People really enjoy celebrating something that is uniquely Indiana, and there aren’t a lot of events with as much civic and state pride as the Indy 500,” says Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Whether you plan to brave race day with your tailgate crew, throw down in the Snake Pit, open your doors for a watch party, or pre-game at one of the events…

“Seems like the perfect track for a tricycle race in May. Although those bricks might be a little bumpy.” —DANIEL S. COMISKEY, DEPUTY EDITOR “Cirque de Circle. High-wire artists cross a tightrope that runs from Lady Victory to the top of Circle Tower.” —ALLISON EDWARDS, SPECIAL PROJECTS ART DIRECTOR “I haven’t given up on a La La Land opening scene flash mob.” —JULIA SPALDING, DINING EDITOR “Food truck central.” —JAKE ZIOLKOWSKI, ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR “Gladiators!” —TODD URBAN, DESIGN DIRECTOR…

Direct flights from Indianapolis to Paris launch this month on Delta, and no one is more excited than Simon Pagenaud. The 2016 IndyCar Series champion is a native of Montmorillon, a French city renowned for its macarons, and has been exploring his country’s capital since age 6. Here’s his Paris. Simon Pagenaud’s Paris YOU HAVE A 24-HOUR LAYOVER IN PARIS. WHERE DO YOU START? “Not enough time!” says Pagenaud. “But the first thing I would do is go on one of those boat tours, because as touristy as it sounds, it’s the best way to see Paris from the inside.” From the Seine, you’ll get stellar views of the Louvre, Notre-Dame, and everything in between. Next stop: the Eiffel Tower, of course. In Pagenaud’s book, it’s a sin to pass…

These Drapery Street digitally printed curtains have an uncommon thread: precise color matching based on a paint hue. Once available only on cheap polyester, the technology can now be applied to high-end fabrics. Just tell Drapery Street that your walls are Sherwin-Williams “Coming Up Roses,” and your window treatments can incorporate the exact shade. Ombré is just one of the many stylish patterns that can be color-customized 10 weeks from the time you order. Digital printing is also available for throw pillows. Save your swatches. 96” drapery panel, $625. Indiana Design Center, Carmel, 317-816-9774, draperystreet.com…

THAT POP OF COLOR IS PERFECT FOR SPRING. WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES FROM? One of my favorite designer duos, Eckhaus Latta in collaboration with Camper. DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE. I have a uniform of basics: Everlane’s boxy tees, jeans, and wide-leg crop pants. For special occasions, I gravitate to pieces with an interesting shape, fit, or cut, or by a designer I admire, like this black jumpsuit by Paloma Wool. AS THE CO-OWNER OF PRINTTEXT CREATIVE STUDIO, HOW DOES FASHION PLAY INTO YOUR WORK? We’ve spent the first part of the year designing publications with some great artists. Currently I’m into ’70s colors, clean lines, and geometric shapes.…

You might assume, from its strip-mall locale and brisk drive-thru business, that Della Leva Espresso Bar is just another chain. Breathe in the steam from a cinnamon-dusted Havana cappuccino or sink into a lipstick-red swivel chair, and you’ll realize coffee-shop veteran Bridget Edgeworth is doing her Italian grandmother (for whom the place is named) proud. Iced Vietnamese coffee and locally sourced croissants, plus scones baked in-house daily, set this stylish new spot apart. You’ll be glad you dropped in before hitting nearby Ikea. 8220 E. 106th St., Fishers, 812-219-6757, dellaleva.com…

CARPACCIO Crimson-rare Wagyu beef is sliced razor-thin and fanned out on the plate at Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, creating a delicate but densely flavored base for the capers, shaved pecorino, horseradish cream, and lightly dressed arugula salad precisely arranged on top. 51 N. Illinois St., 317-536-0270, hydeparkrestaurants.com FRESH OYSTERS Amid the elaborate seafood house plates at Noah Grant’s Grill House & Oyster Bar, chilled bivalves bursting with the salty flavors of the sea get their own dedicated menu and daily half-price happy hour. Sauces range from the classic cocktail (but with a hit of tequila) to several booze-based granitas. 91 S. Main St., Zionsville, 317-732-2233, noahgrants.com CEVICHE Scooped into the bottom of a tiny tortilla cup with cucumber slices and avocado, the bright citrus finished seafood served as a starter…

Check out TXULETA BASQUE CIDER HOUSE’s full description on page 140.…

THERE’S A PLACE in Central Park (New York, not Carmel) where a large group of “dance skaters” boogie in a circle on nice summer days. You see hippies, old men, ballroom partners, street performers, parents and their safety-padded kids, rhythmic people, clumsy dorks. In costumes or cargo pants, denim cutoffs or sequined gloves. Butt-wigglers, line-dancers, one-footers, and figure-eighters. On YouTube, one guy weaves through the crowd hoisting an American flag with a basketball spinning on the end of the pole. It’s the land of the free-spirited. The spectacle can amuse for hours—all walks of life, gliding and grooving to a DJ, literally dancing as if no one is watching. It’s one of my favorite things to do in New York. While looking up the event schedule for a recent trip,…

SUMMER’S COMING, AND IT’S TIME TO HIT the Hoosier highways and escape to a great getaway. There are lots of fantastic locations within easy driving distance from Indy. How about a family-friendly location with tons of activities and options for kids? Does a laidback tour exploring a city’s architecture, museums, and history make your eyes glow, or is trail hiking or kayaking more your thing? Here’s a snapshot look at three cities—their attractions, food and drink, and lodging options. And if you have your heart set on getting far away, we’ve got that covered, too.…

DOWNTOWN INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Mile Square 1913 Restaurant UPSCALE COMFORT Farm-to-table standards get a glossy do-over at this hotel restaurant tucked just off of the polished marble lobby of the Omni Severin. The dining room, all dark lacquer and leathery browns, feels a bit stuffy, but diners easily warm up to a menu that includes a root beer–cured pork chop topped with bacon marmalade, and half a chicken roasted to a juicy, rosy hue and plated with succotash and a little pan of sweet-corn “milk” for dipping. The sides—such as macaroni-and-cheese pie and sautéed brussels sprouts—get passed around the table. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. 40 W. Jackson Pl., 317-634-6664, omnihotels.com Bakersfield Mass Ave TACOS & BOURBON This hip spot done up with splintery timbers, steel…

Adele Poudrier As a French citizen and Hoosier resident, editorial intern Adele Poudrier was more excited than most when she found out Indianapolis was adding direct flights to Paris. After interviewing French IndyCar driver Simon Pagenaud and getting his tips on the place (p. 17), however, she realized there’s a lot of Paris she has yet to experience. “I feel like I have a new city to explore,” she says. Michael Koryta New York Times best-selling author Michael Koryta drew inspiration for his latest book and this month’s essay (p. 82) from his Bloomington roots. The writer grew up not far from where Jill Behrman disappeared. “I’ve thought about the people involved with the case for half my life now,” he says. “The lasting power of that definitely guided me…

Lower your expectations. The “yacht” size is more kiddo carnival ride than KarJenner family vacay. The “captain” sings ’80s hits upon request. Michael McDonald, ahoy! Styx playlist: “Come Sail Away,” yes. “Mr. Roboto,” no. Croon along. But remember, any drunken butchering of “Rapper’s Delight” will carry over water. Use the bathroom at Fresco cafe, the boarding point. No dips in the canal to “cool off.” Check out the urban hammocking at St. Clair Street. And ducklings using special ramps installed last year at Vermont Street to climb out of the water. On serenades: Don’t steal a gondolier’s thunder.…

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AFTER SOME “good breaths of black powder smoke” via his first muzzle-loading rifle shoot as a boy, Jim Prather was hooked. He had known little about muzzle-loaders then. But—with childhood heroes like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone—Prather soon would. He built his first Kentucky long rifle from a kit in 1975. Prather has craft ed about 50 rifles since. “It’s just a hobby—an art,” he says. “I love doing it.” Retired from the building trade, the Indiana Artisan only makes about four rifles per year. “I like to use maple, walnut, and cherry,” he says. “Those were most common back in the day.” The hardware tends to be made of brass and iron. Some rifles are elaborately carved and engraved. “It just depends on what the customer wants,” he says.…

ITS MIDDLEBURY FLAGSHIP is said to host 100 tour buses a year. Let’s hope, for the sake of southside traffic, that Greenwood’s first Central Indiana location of Rise’n Roll Bakery doesn’t become quite such a foodie destination. The business that launched on the front porch of a young Amish couple in 2001 is famous for a soft yeast doughnut with caramel glaze and a dusting of cinnamon powder, but the pies and preservative-free breads are just like the ones Grandma made, and the Dutch Country hand-rolled butter is legendary among the home-baking crowd. (Did we mention you can order your doughnut filled with soft-serve vanilla ice cream? It’s an option. Kale smoothies are not.) Everything is made fresh at a production facility in Middlebury by a staff comprised mostly of…

“A lot of times people just want comfort, and tacos bring a lot of comfort.” GEORGE MUÑOZ KNOWS the restaurant business from every angle. He’s worked for big companies, owned a tiny taco joint, and covered every job from line cook to general manager. His stint at the Chicago-based behemoth Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group served as a kind of grad school. So it made sense when restaurateurs Peter George and Thomas Main asked him to take the reins at Festiva, their Mexican fine dining spot on the near-east side. He said yes to the offer of operating partner, shuttered his La Chinita Poblano taco shop in Broad Ripple, and got to work turning Festiva into the lively neighborhood Mexican darling he knew it could be. That meant ditching the…

A HOME FULL OF TREASURES AWAITS those who visit the 2018 Decorators’ Show House and Gardens in Butler-Tarkington. The stately Tudor-style home sits quietly in a wooded setting, looking out on its surroundings like a benevolent grandmother. Inside, the home hosts a rich collection of furnishings, accessories, and artwork that reflect nearly every era, from its earliest days in the 1920s to the modern-day setting and conveniences. Like previous Show Houses, the Wainwright-Cochran House has been turned over to local designers, who took a space and made it their own. The home still has a dark-wood, pub-type feel, but designers used paint, wallpaper, furnishings, and accessories to add color and light. A common gold thread weaves itself through the home, tying spaces together with gold polished light fixtures, accessories, fabrics,…

THERE ARE WORSE things to be than a Star Wars contingency plan. In 1978, science fiction writer Ray Bradbury promised to finish his friend Leigh Brackett’s script for The Empire Strikes Back if she passed away before she was able to complete her portions of the story. (Stricken with cancer, Brackett had good reason to worry.) The two authors had hit it off at a Los Angeles Science Fiction League meeting in the early 1940s. Bradbury never had to act on his assurance to write the script, as Brackett lived long enough to complete a draft before dying in March 1978. But the studio gave this copy to Bradbury as a thank-you for his promise. And those who say the screenplay for Solo: A Star Wars Story, in theaters this…