Innehållsförteckning för January 2017 från Indianapolis Monthly

When I studied at Wabash College, sophomores had to take a class called “Cultures and Traditions.” In a way, C&T was a campus-wide Oprah’s Book Club. But instead of reading schlock like Five Ponies You Meet in Heaven and gett ing showered with care packages of Oprah’s Favorite Things (that’s how it works, right?), we pored over Agamemnon by Aeschylus alongside guys who, generally, didn’t shower. (It was an allmale school, okay?) I’ll be honest: I absolutely hated Agamemnon. And today, I couldn’t tell Clytemnestra from Cassandra—now it’s all Greek to me. But what I do remember is gathering in small groups and having a discussion about that text and many others, sharing ideas about meaning. Above all, we listened to each other. Oh, sure, the conversations were sometimes heated.…

Vonnegut Fest GO ON A CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-PUB CRAWL. Ten bars are serving Vonnegut-inspired drinks through April 1. Stop by Hotel Tango for a Sherman Krebbs, named after the Cat’sCradle character, or The Libertine for a Hartke, a fancified Rob Roy built around coconut-and-green-tea-infused single-malt scotch (in Hocus Pocus, Hartke has a son named Rob Roy, after the cocktail, and there’s a quote about wanting a sweet take on it). A recurring Vonnegut character gets his own drink at Spoke & Steele: Kilgore Trout’s Drano is made with scotch (when poured with water, the author’s own drink of choice) and a dash of activated charcoal, a subtle nod to the darkness of Trout’s fate. AND TREAT YO’ SELF. The Best Chocolate in Town will start selling truffles adorned with an asterisk—the meaning…

BIG BRIGHTSTEEL ARTISTS: Jennifer Rileyand Emily Kennerk » This 47-foot-long bandof painted steel, madefrom laser-cut remaindersfrom the Cumminsmanufacturing process,graces the first floor. “Weliked the idea of usingthese byproducts as foundobjects,” Riley says. “Wehope it adds a moment ofplayful color for passersbyin the Market EastCultural District.” THE WISDOMOF TREES ARTIST: Odili Donald Odita » Inspired by the gardensof the Miller House(former home of CumminsCEO J. Irwin Miller),Odita’s six-story-highmural (one story of whichis shown here) resembles agiant tree growing throughthe center of the building.“I kept going back in mymind to the beautiful magnoliasand honey locustson that property,” he says.“I’m using the symbol ofthe tree as a metaphor foradaptability and change.” TORQUE MOMENT TORQUE MOMENTUM ARTIST: Kendall Buster Hanging from the lobby ceiling, these circular aluminum frames wrapped in white cloth bring to…

TRAILSIDE GENERAL STORE 871 Massachusetts Ave.,trailsidegeneralstore.com DON’T MISS Workshops on calligraphy,making bath bombs,bookbinding, and more. POP IN to “just browse.” Leave with handmade bath bombs, the tiny cactus you planted at the pott ing bar, a cozy blanket handwoven in Mexico, and a piece of Woodblock Chocolate roasted, poured, and wrapped in Portland. Trailside General Store has everything you’ll need for your next at-home spa day— and then some. Inspired by trips to Oregon and L.A., owner Jessie Eskew filled this Mass Ave storefront with good vibes and a bohemianminimalist aesthetic. Next to the pallet wall adorned with twinkle lights and palm leaves, you’ll find handcraft ed products from around the country. Every nook and cranny holds something new to discover—crystals and geode slices, sleek serving spoons carved from cherry…

Road Trip WHEN SICILIAN DAMIANO PERILLO came to Indiana to visit a friend in the late 1990s, he couldn’t predict he would find work at a Hendricks County tratt oria. Or that he would one day head up the kitchen at his own self-named spot in North Salem, serving the deep-pan pizzas and well-sauced pastas he had made in restaurants for years back home. But he did just that when he moved from Frank’s Place, the Italian standard in Danville (where he also met his wife and future co-proprietor, Meredith), to open Perillo’s Pizzeria, a renovated 35-seat pastaand-pizza joint that just marked its fift h anniversary. Housed in a brick 1890s former doctor’s office, Perillo’s draws crowds (especially in summer, when seating opens to a landscaped patio). Some come for…

For more on LATE HARVEST KITCHEN (8605 River Crossing Blvd.), see page 127.…

KEY 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 1986, when it opened in Broad Ripple, and it hasn’t really needed to.…

Blooming Love Cake by Ritz Charles 12156 N. Meridian St., Carmel 317-846-9158 ritzcharles.com Once Upon a Dream Cake by Classic Cakes 1752 E. 116th St., Carmel 317-844-6901 classiccakescarmel.com Pearls Before Wine Cake by Heavenly Sweets 293 S. 8th St., Noblesville 317-770-9399 heavenlysweetscakes.com Dressed Up Sweets Cake by Heavenly Sweets 293 S. 8th St., Noblesville 317-770-9399 heavenlysweetscakes.com Gold Standard Cake by Classic Cakes 1752 E. 116th St., Carmel 317-844-6901 classiccakescarmel.com…

Evan West Although executive editorEvan West has been profilingsubjects for 17 years, reportinghis story on Dan Wakefield (p.60) was a little nerve-racking.Wakefield may be best known forthe novel Going All the Way, but hebegan his career as a magazinewriter (The Atlantic, The Nation). “Ifelt the pressure of knowing thepiece would be read by someonewho reached the pinnacle of myprofession,” West says. Erin Loechner Blogger Erin Loechner does alot of running, but her new book(excerpted on p. 54) highlightsher past efforts at the figurativekind. “I spent years chasing thenext big thing, sprinting after thelife I thought I wanted,” she says.“Now I’m learning to want the lifeI have.” Lately, she laces up hersneakers to chase her toddlers,Bee and Scout, around her kitchenisland in northern Indiana. Craig Fehrman Freelance writer Craig Fehrmaninterviewed Mike…

We’re just going to spell it out for you: The QLOCKTWO timepiece is a musthave for any design enthusiast. Handmade in Germany by award-winning makers Biegert & Funk, the clock turns the hour into words across a glass screen. Choose from two sizes ($1,450 for large, $695 for small) in-store, or for more variety—more than 20 languages and seven colors—place a special order. Being on time never looked so good. Baker’s Fine Gifts & Accessories,433 Washington St., Columbus, 812-372-9635…

ROSS KATZ grew up among the stainless steel countertops of restaurant kitchens. His parents met as teenagers while working at a hot-dog stand in Chicago, and when it was time to open their own place years later, they plopped their son right beside them, giving him firm instructions to “sit here while we cook.” Now Katz is doing the cooking at his own restaurant, Rooster’s Kitchen, living the chef/owner life he’s longed for since the age of 13. “I got my first real restaurant job answering phones at a pizzeria,” says Katz, “and I would daydream about what I would do if I had my own place.” It turns out what he would do is return to those days of sitt ing beside his mother in the kitchen. Her family…

THERE’S A MAN in my town I’ve known since we were in Mrs. Mann’s first-grade class together. He spent his youth targeting the weaker children at the edge of the herd, the lion singling out the smallest zebra, sniffing out vulnerability, then moving in for the kill. I left town shortly aft er high school, then returned 20 years later to find him still here, no longer knocking books out of arms or twisting ears, but mugging people electronically, appointing himself the judge of our patriotism, propping up Old Glory on Facebook, pecking out his att acks in capital lett ers, exclamation points, and run-on sentences. This man who, in all the years I’ve known him, never devoted himself to serious thought or earnest eff ort, believes his rants are…

AS A WOMAN OF a certain age, I might be expected to have a bucket list, but I do not. Although there are adventures and destinations I’ve never experienced, having sett led into my present lifestyle of home management, seasonal retreats, reading and writing, favorite TV series, and restaurant meals, I like things the way they are. The only item on my nonbucket list is more of the same, for as long as possible. I admit with a lack of national pride that I’ve never visited Mount Rushmore or the Grand Canyon. My husband has seen both, which means any trip for me would be taken solo. Given my general impatience, it is likely I would stand at a lookout point by the gorge and, aft er a few seconds,…

“This is grim. The admission charge is reasonable as a driver to membership, but the museum has made a complete mess of it, from PR to implementation.” —JEREMY HATCH, via IndianapolisMonthly.com “Important look at the IMA admission fee and attendance. Used to love how it felt like a museum for the people.” —SARAH LAYDEN, via Twitter “I really appreciate this story. It sheds light on an important institution that is going through changes many of us find troubling.” —WILLIAM WATTS, via IndianapolisMonthly.com “Cloistering the museum and its grounds for the ‘haves’ leaves the rest of the city without an art museum to visit.” —ANNE MURPHY, via IndianapolisMonthly.com Love it? Hate it? Send us your feedback to letters@IndianapolisMonthly.com, or post a comment on Facebook (Indianapolis Monthly) or Twitter (@IndyMonthly). Letters and…

YOU’RE ONE OF INDIANA’S MOST VERSATILE WRITERS—ABLE TOTOGGLE FROM A NEW YORK TIMES COLUMN ON BLACK LIVES MATTERTO A HILARIOUS REVIEW OF MAGIC MIKE XXL. WHEN YOU SIT DOWNTO WRITE, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT GENRE TO USE? When I get an idea, I already know which genre it willbe in. I don’t have a good way of explaining it, but it oft encomes down to the type of urgency I’m feeling that dictateswhether I write about something through fiction ornonfiction. YOUR NEW COLLECTION FEATURES AN IMPRESSIVE RANGE OFCHARACTERS—A FITNESS INSTRUCTOR IN A GATED COMMUNITY, AJOHNS HOPKINS STUDENT WHO STRIPS ON THE SIDE, A STRUCTURALENGINEER WHO SPECIALIZES IN CONCRETE MIXES. HOW DO YOUCOME UP WITH THIS SPECIFICITY AND VARIETY? I have an active imagination. I love imagining the lives ofothers…

THE THREAD NOW OPEN Jewelry design boutique BlumLux has relocated to the recentlyrenovated Blum building (740 E. North St.) near Mass Ave. TRENDING Green thumbs: Check outHomespun, Blooms & Linen, and Trailside General Store for succulent terrarium workshopsand DIY pott ing bars. NEW LINES Indy’s favorite natural fragrance brand, Ambre Blends, willrelease a new scent and baby products this spring. BUZZ Look for more stores and studios at 54thand the Monon soon, including a Mod Home Ec furnishings boutique. —LESLIE BAILEY Get theHot List ofgreat buys in localboutiques everyWednesday atIndianapolisMonthly.com…

EAT While fluffy croissants and biscuitsare on hand at Rolling inthe Dough (1), the mom-and-popbakery also serves up deliciousdishes like artisan pasta withsun-dried-tomato basil sauce.Craving something sweet? Sinkyour teeth into the strawberrycream cheese–stuffed toast.1502 Main St., 317-974-9366,rollinginthedoughmarket.com SHOP You’ll find a litt le bit of everythingat Three Sisters and aTrunk (2). From vintage booksto oversized bags to adorablerompers, the collection is pulledtogether by owners Toni Meyerand Marie Hall, who sourcefrom Los Angeles. The boutiquekicks it up a notch with “sip andshop” (yes, wine plus browsing)on Thursdays, beginning at4 p.m. 1434 Main St., 317-515-7929, threesistersandatrunk.com GAWK It’s not exactly like having agarage-access bronze badgeat the Indianapolis 500, but ifthe front door at Ed CarpenterRacing (3) happens to be open—office hours vary—then thepublic is welcome to pop in andsee show cars and…

For those unfamiliar with the praline—Indy is a bit far from the home ofthe classic Southern confection—itlooks like a cookie, feels like fudge,and tastes like icing (right before youget a savory hit of toasted pecans).Candymaker Carrie Abbott of NewfangledConfections started makingthe treat at the request of Yats ownerJoe Vuskovich, who wanted it forhis eateries. Abbott knew she hada winner thanks to feedback fromher Southern customers, never shyabout speaking their minds. “Theybite in with such skepticism, afraidit won’t live up to their childhoodmemories,” she says. “But we alwaysget their blessing. That means somuch to us.”…

JOHN UPDIKE once gave this sage advice about literary criticism: “Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.” That same rule applies to eating dinner at The Mug on a crisp autumn night in Irvington, when a pieced-together table of 11 can manage to order almost everything on a menu that drifts from farm-raised pork tenderloins to softserve ice cream to wine by the (plastic) glass, and leave happily un-wowed. If this no-frills, familyfriendly new kid on the block fails to blaze any epicurean trails, it did not attempt to do so, either. We happened to be just one of two big parties on that packed Sunday night—everyone crammed into a space no roomier than a…

The author, now 84, gave up driving several years ago when he still lived in Miami Beach, before he retired his faculty position at Florida International University and, in 2011, moved to Indianapolis, back to the city where he grew up and found a sett ing for the novel that would give him his greatest literary fame. IF YOU KNOW DAN WAKEFIELD LONG ENOUGH, CHANCES ARE, SOONER OR LATER, YOU WILL GIVE HIM A RIDE. The story of that homecoming should be deeply satisfying to anyone who appreciates a strong narrative arc, which goes something like this: Wakefield’s sardonic and sexually explicit breakout book about Indianapolis, Going All the Way, also made him a pariah here, until time healed old wounds on both sides, and he could finally return, triumphant,…

Bombshell Beauty Martina Liana style 807 gown, veil, earrings, “Athena” necklace, and “Paris” bracelet from The Wedding Studio, 14250 Clay Terrace Blvd., Ste. 120, Carmel, 317-815-2000, theweddingstudios.net. Bouquet of green gerbera daisy, yarrow, veronica, Matsumoto aster, lisianthus, limonium, roses, stock, tulips, kalanchoe, larkspur, leucadendron, brunia berry, and greenery by Bokay Florist, 5890 N. Keystone Ave., 317-253-2323, bokayindy.com. Pretty in Pink Legends Romona Keveza style L6108 gown, earrings, and “Celeste” bracelet from The Wedding Studio. Bouquet of garden roses, peonies, Oriental lilies, Italian ruscus, and French tulips by McNamara Florist, several locations, mcnamaraflorist.com. PHOTOGRAPHY by Tony Valainis MODELS Jade Hogan, Samantha Kazmier, and Chase Foster, courtesy Helen Wells Agency HAIR by Ashley Stacy for Salon 01 MAKEUP by Brenda Sotolongo and Patsy Havens for Pro Soto Beauty Studios LOCATION The Crane Bay Lovely Lace Wtoo “Elise”…