Whether you prefer the first sweet spring strawberries, sun-ripened summer blueberries, or crunchy fall apples, our month-by-month guide helps you make the most of Indiana’s u-pick farms.
EDITED BY CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
PATO WHO?
At 25, Pato O’Ward has set aside dreams of Formula One racing to embrace the series that has welcomed him with open arms. IndyCar may be his chance to show the world, and himself, who he really is.
BY TONY REHAGEN
60
INSIDE JOKE
This month, Bloomington hosts Limestone Comedy Festival, which has drawn top names from Margaret Cho, to Tig Notaro, to Patton Oswalt. It’s time to put a spotlight on the town’s best-kept secret—its comedy scene.
BY JULIA SPALDING
BY
ON THE COVER
Photograph by
Jay Goldz
O’Ward channels coastal cruising in his 1965 Ford Shelby Cobra.
PHOTO
JAY GOLDZ
Life is made of hand-holds, giggles and those butterfly flutters you feel in your belly. It’s the small joys, the gentle pauses – these tiny miracles.
At Franciscan Health, we’re here to help you celebrate each and every extraordinary moment.
FIND A FRANCISCAN WOMEN’S HEALTH PROVIDER NEAR YOU
FranciscanHealth.org/LaborAndDelivery
CIRCLE CITY
After a $60.5 million renovation, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum reopened last month with a new look and refreshed exhibits just in time for May’s race tourists.
Our Indiana expert briefs us on Indy 500 pace car drivers.
For Hoosiers, basketball is a lifelong hobby. The City League and Queens of the Court give players a chance to keep competing.
Five can’t-miss events in Indy this month.
Kurt Vonnegut became a household name for writing about his military service, but he downplayed his Purple Heart.
GOOD LIFE
Going Golden’s personalized stacking ring set will have Mom over the moon.
TALK
The Local Radish relocates its mystical bounty to SoBro.
Bedazzle your look for spring.
New builds in the Old Northside and Carmel share a price tag but have distinct vibes.
A basement full of Indy 500 artifacts is a living museum.
Women don’t have to go through menopause alone.
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is a beachy dream.
Comfort food doesn’t get much better than Circle City Kolache’s sweet and savory Eastern European hand pies, especially the bacon, ranch, and cheese fusion hit.
Astrea offers drinks with a view, Twisters’ mixed sweet drinks will give you a sugar rush, and Brad Gates encourages us to get out and explore.
Fire & Ice Cafe owner Lara Cooney is spreading the love with her menu free of major food allergens, inspired by family with celiac disease.
Smash your face into these juicy, crispy, smash burgers.
Freeland’s Restaurant is a new take on a historic Carmel home and Old World fare.
EDITOR’S NOTE
The Ripe Stuff
APRIL SHOWERS bring May flowers … along with beets, carrots, asparagus, and radishes, depending on when you planted them. In my own garden beds, I keep watching for signs of perennial life: oregano and chives sprouting, rhubarb stalks forming, strawberry runners spreading. With herb seeds in hand and vegetables on order since mid-March, I (im)patiently await Mother’s Day—my official green flag date to begin planting. I could start earlier, but I learned the hard way that it’s unwise to rush, unpredictable Indiana weather and all.
Andrea Ratcliff Editor-in-Chief
What I anticipate most this year is tomatoes, six different kinds with names like Blush Tiger, Cherokee Purple, and Pink Bumblebee. While the ones I grow will never be as good as my dad’s tomatoes—he cultivated his own starts indoors over the winter—homegrown varieties picked right off the vine are always far superior to store-bought. My taste for fresh produce direct from the backyard is deeply rooted since childhood, when I would head out the back door with a little green carton, intending to fill it with cherry tomatoes, only to go back inside empty-handed. I picked the tomatoes, all right, but none of them made it into the container. Oddly enough, the same thing happened when I ventured out to the raspberry bushes. If gardening isn’t your thing, or you don’t have a dad with a green thumb, you can still enjoy handpicking the best local berries, peas, bell peppers, peaches, apples, and more starting this month. Our lifestyle editor Christina Vercelletto rounded up a month-by-month guide to u-pick farms ready to share their bounties this season (p. 42). And since this is May in the Circle City, we follow that with a profile of driver Pato O’Ward (p. 52), who might just be the top pick to capture the checkered flag at the 2025 Indianapolis 500.
( CONTRIBUTORS )
PUBLISHER Ivy Bayer
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Andrea Ratcliff
FEATURES EDITOR
Julia Spalding
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Christina Vercelletto
FOOD & DINING EDITOR
Eve Batey
MANAGING EDITOR
Camille Graves
DIGITAL EDITOR
Clay Maxfield
Art | production
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Margo Wininger
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Vu Luong
EDITORIAL ART DIRECTOR Maura Broderson
ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR Christiana Bertsch
Advertising | Business SALES DIRECTOR
Holly Whitney
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Amy Cecil, Matthew Clements, Jena Jennings, Nancy Oliphant
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Missy Beiting
IndianapolisMonthly.com/ advertise-with-us
Suzanne Krowiak
Fueled by a desire to make unique homemade gifts, food-obsessed writer Suzanne Krowiak went down a rabbit hole that ended with a Master Food Preserver certification from Purdue University Extension. She provides tips to make the most of summer produce by preserving Indiana strawberries four ways in our u-pick farms guide (p. 42).
Illustrator and letterer
Vidhya Nagarajan specializes in bright and dense line-based drawings. Her layered illustration for this month’s Body+Soul column (p. 30) conveys the often overwhelming and confusing nature of menopause symptoms. Nagarajan’s work has appeared on packaging and in magazines, books, and newspapers.
Chris Schumerth Freelance writer
Chris Schumerth tells human stories across a variety of genres. If much of his material is about sports, that’s probably because he can barely play them anymore. In this issue, he delves into the history of local basketball organization The City League (p. 14).
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Vidhya Nagarajan
65 // PRIVATE EDUCATION
Independent schools offer a hands-on approach to instruction and student development, extending to family involvement. We talked with local educators and administrators about the ways they engage parents and encourage family participation in school activities and volunteer programs.
75 // TRAVEL
The Midwest shows off both its natural beauty and historical heritage in an array of national, state, and local parks offering opportunities to hike, bike, camp, explore native flora and fauna, and pay tribute to the past. We offer this guide to road trip–worthy attractions throughout Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.
103 // ADVANCED DEGREE PROFILES
Our spotlights on Indiana colleges and universities provide information about graduate degrees and workforce certification programs. With online study, evening and weekend courses, and competency-based learning options, these entities tailor their offerings to accommodate working adults.
HOME:
Our annual Home section showcases the work of talented builders, designers, architects, landscapers, and affiliated residential pros who create and transform gorgeous indoor and outdoor spaces.
HOMETOWN: NORTH
The vibrant communities to the north of Indianapolis offer a wide range of shopping, dining, recreation, arts, sports, and cultural venues that attract visitors and fill calendars with fun, enriching activities throughout the month of June.
Start Your Engines
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has reopened after an 18-month closure transformed it into an immersive, interactive draw for all ages. It cost $60.5 million to reimagine the aging complex, whose vast and quirky collection of automotive memorabilia includes everything from a fleet of 500-winning cars, to LeRoy Neiman paintings, to a gigantic snail sculpture created for the Indy-centric racing cartoon Turbo
THIS MUSEUM STARTED OUT A MUCH MORE MODEST AFFAIR. Its first iteration—a nondescript building at 16th Street and Georgetown Road—opened in 1956. It possessed only a handful of cars, but soon donations of vehicles and other memorabilia broadened the collection. In 1976, the museum moved to its current location, a 96,000-square-foot, two-story building on the track infield.
THE BIG CHALLENGE WAS DOUBLING EXHIBITION SPACE IN THE SAME FOOTPRINT. This was accomplished by creating a 6,500-square-foot mezzanine on the first floor and turning most of the basement storage area into exhibition space.
THE SETUP IS SIMILAR TO IKEA. The interior has been transformed. Originally an open, car-packed space that could be surveyed at a glance, it now has 14 distinct areas for visitors to wind through, starting in the same place. “You’ll ask yourself if you’re in the wrong building because nothing you see is going to relate to what you used to see,” says IMS Museum president Joe Hale.
BUT ALL THE GOOD STUFF IS STILL THERE. The crown jewels of the museum’s collection are still on display, just in vastly upgraded surroundings. The famed Borg-Warner Trophy sits in the new Winners Gallery surrounded by a gaggle of Indy 500–winning cars from across the decades, including the canary yellow Marmon Wasp that won the first race in 1911.
YOU GET A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE CARS. They sit right in the middle of the Winners Gallery with nothing around them but foot rails. One could easily poke, say, the Wasp’s tires, run their fingers down its engine cowling, or touch its rearview mirror (the world’s first, invented by its driver, Ray Harroun). Unsurprisingly, the gallery is patrolled by guides.
at locations around the world, including Miami, Paris, and Stuttgart, Germany. The Stuttgart auction took place at the Mercedes-Benz Museum and featured a 1954 W 196 R Stromlinienwagen, which won two races on the 1955 Grand Prix circuit and looks for all the world like Speed Racer’s Mach Five. It alone went for nearly $54 million, the second priciest car ever sold.
THE SALES BARELY MADE A DENT IN THE MUSEUM’S VAST COLLECTION. The museum’s holdings include roughly 55,000 items, including 200-plus race cars and pace cars; around 200 works of art; 2 million feet of film; and other oddities acquired over the track’s first century.
THE TRACK DOESN’T FINANCE IT. The museum is operated by the nonprofit Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation, which pays the bills primarily via its endowment, membership sales, philanthropic donations, and sponsors. (A$125 individual membership comes with year-round free admission.)
THE COLLECTION WAS STORED SECRETLY DURING THE RENOVATION. “We didn’t broadcast the location of the cars because of their value,” says Hale. “But they were stored very securely in Indianapolis.” The other artifacts were kept in warehouses close to the museum so the curatorial staff had easy access.
VIP STORAGE AREA TOURS ARE NO LONGER. “We called it the basement collection, and we allowed six people at a time to go down there with a docent,” Hale says. “We took away their phones, so no photos were taken. We charged $150 a head. The first year that made us $400,000 in revenue.” Now, a general admission ticket grants access to the former inner sanctum.
hours to design. (The shop sells a much smaller Pagoda Lego set for the kids.)
The light fixture over the checkout is composed of 240 milk bottles. “They never turn off,” says one staffer. “We don’t even have a switch for them.”
THE QUALIFYING ZONE GIVES A HANDS-ON RACING EXPERIENCE. You can lift a racing tire, test your driving reflexes, and try out various pit stop activities. But the six racing simulators at the back of the room are the highlights. They offer a high-fidelity spin around the IMS, complete with a car cockpit that emulates (to a certain degree) the movements of a real car, plus a steering wheel that trembles and spins crazily if you lose control of your ride. “My son hit the wall for 5 minutes straight, and that’s perfectly fine,” says Jake Apollos, director of education at the IMS.
MANAGEMENT EMPLOYED A NEW WAY TO BOOST THE MUSEUM’S ENDOWMENT. The museum owns many rare and valuable racing cars, but some have very little to do with IMS racing history. So last winter, elite auction house RM Sotheby’s was engaged to sell 11 of them
THE PENSKE GALLERY SMELLS LIKE NEW TIRES. It’s worth a look, filled with victorious cars and replicas of the engines that powered them, as well as Roger Penske’s personal collection of 79 commemorative rings. “We’re hoping to make it to 80 this year,” says longtime Team Penske employee Jon Bouslog.
EVEN THE GIFT SHOP GOT A MAKEOVER. You can scoop up everything from the classic “Kiss My Bricks” T-shirt to a 7 ½foot-tall model of the IMS Pagoda that took Cincinnati-based Brixilated 120
LONG-WANTED AMENITIES HAVE FINALLY BEEN ADDED. “You can buy tickets to anything that’s happening at the track, including the 500,” says Hale. “You’ve not been able to do that in the past.” Vending machines dispense snacks and drinks in the Track Lounge, the tour-bus waiting area. This is a relatively big deal because, until now, it was impossible to buy even a bottle of water.
THERE’S MORE TO COME. Many of the museum’s cars are still drivable. In the not-too-distant future, Hale wants to build a new preservation shop, likely near the track but not on the grounds. He envisions it being big enough for 150 cars and a six-bay restoration area. “Race fans might be able to just hop on our shuttle and go across the street and pay another six or eight bucks to see more cool cars.” —SAM STALL ( SPEED READ CONTINUED )
Off to the Races
Q : DO THE INDY 500 PACE CAR DRIVERS GET ANY TRAINING?
A: Piloting the pace car is a big honor, but it’s no walk in the park. Celebrity drivers, including Colin Powell, Guy Fieri, and 2025 pick, NFL analyst Michael Strahan, must parade around the 2.5mile oval with 33 Indy cars close behind, then pull into the pits before the race starts. And they do it in front of a massive crowd watching their every move. Given the high stakes, it’s miraculous only one guy has ever choked. In 1971, the owner of a local Dodge dealership drove the pace car into the photographers’ stand. No one was seriously injured, which was lucky—his passengers were astronaut John Glenn and IMS owner Tony Hulman Jr. Since then, a professional driver (Sarah Fisher in recent years) familiarizes noobs with the vehicle and track. And no, the celebrity driver doesn’t command the pace car after a wreck or before a restart. Of late, that duty has also fallen to Fisher. —SAM STALL
( UNSPOKEN RULES )
Fishers Event Center
A MANNER-FESTO FOR THE NEW NORTHEASTSIDE ARENA
Prepay for parking at fisherseventcenter.com/ venue-info/parking. Splurge on the VIP area for access to dedicated restrooms. Get your mascots straight. Bandit = Fishers Freight; Pepper = Indy Ignite; Nitro = Indy Fuel. Leave cash at home. The venue is card- or digital wallet–only. And your go-to tote. The venue has a clear bag policy. Arrive early and hungry. Multiple eateries and food carts await, with gluten-free and vegan fare available. Grab a drink served in a commemorative glass worth keeping at the Railyard Pub. Be ready to zipper merge as you leave the parking lot.
Rainy days in May on average
Running the Indianapolis 500 in what is historically the wettest month explains why it’s been shortened or postponed 12 times—and was delayed four hours last year.
ask THE HOOSIERIST
At
Whether
We
Power Forward
THE CITY LEAGUE AND QUEENS OF THE COURT GEAR UP FOR ANOTHER SUMMER SEASON WHEN EVERYONE’S A WINNER. BY
CHRIS SCHUMERTH
AT DIFFERENT TIMES, Eron Harris and Porchia Green each found themselves home in Indy after wrapping up pro basketball careers abroad. A 2005 Arlington High School graduate, Green led Ball State to its first NCAA Tournament, while Harris got his start at Lawrence North before playing for West Virginia and Michigan State. Both had a desire to keep hooping—and they found their places in The City League and its female league, Queens of the Court.
Talk to enough players and you hear a comparison: Kobe Bryant playing street ball at Harlem’s Rucker Park after winning his third NBA championship.
TCL’s beginnings were humble. Executive director Austin Taylor was in Haiti during the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake and was invited to play in a community basketball tournament.
“The whole town came out,” Taylor says. “There was a hype man with a mic. It was so much fun. Man, I hadn’t had that kind of experience since high school, where people come out and watch. I thought, We don’t have anything like this in Indianapolis. How do we do something?”
In 2013, the Crosstown Neighborhood Association agreed that Taylor would run open gyms out of Little Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. He applied for and got a small grant that paid for basketballs, pinnies, and a scoreboard table. It wasn’t long before the open gyms filled up and led to tournaments.
The pandemic moved the league to an eight-week June through August season. Since then, games have been played at the Boner Fitness & Learning Center on the campus of Arsenal Tech High School, with a cash prize for the league winner in both the men’s and women’s divisions. The amount fluctuates year to year, but recently it has worked out to about $1,000 per player on the winning teams.
A local educator and former player at Berea College, A.D. Williams proposed the idea for a women’s league in 2021. Maddie McConnell—who works for the Horizon League collegiate athletic conference—built out some of the operations while doing an internship for her master’s degree at IUPUI. “Ultimately, [we] started an open gym at Warren Central back in March of 2021,” McConnell says. “Those open gyms grew to almost 50 people, and our inaugural Queens of the Court league started that summer.”
Teams in TCL can have no more than two former professionals to ensure some degree of parity. And unlike other leagues of its kind, TCL employs what’s called the Elam Ending. Anyone who watches basketball knows how close games are often riddled with timeouts and strategic fouls as the clock ticks down, which slow down the game. The Elam Ending eliminates the chance for those issues to arise by shutting off the clock for the end of the fourth quarter. The team with the lead keeps it, but both teams play toward a target number of points. This gives the trailing team a shot at catching up and keeps things from devolving into a foul-fest.
PLAYERS STILL HOOPING INTO THEIR LATE 30S AND EARLY 40S OFTEN HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS ON THE COURT THAT DATE BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL OR EARLIER.
Part of TCL’s mission is to initiate community-building events, from backto-school nights, to bike giveaways for kids, to basketball clinics at the Indiana State Fair. TCL is a 501c(3) organization, so donations are tax deductible. “The City League isn’t just about the game; it’s about strengthening communities, and that made them an ideal partner for us,” says Dr. Cameual Wright, whose nonprofit CareSource Indiana has been a sponsor since 2019.
Local sports broadcaster Greg Rakestraw refers to TCL (on whose board Green now sits) as “basketball Thanksgiving,” likening each season to a yearly family reunion, with loved ones catching up as if no time has passed. That characterization shows just how deep roots go in this league. Players still hooping into their late 30s and early 40s often have relationships with peers on the court that date back to high school or even earlier. The City League is the glue that keeps this “family” together, collectively doing what they all love.
Porchia Green
Eron Harris
This 18,000-square-foot luxury show home combines cutting-edge design and amenities with seclusion and natural beauty on 8 wooded acres near Geist Reservoir in Fishers. The creative teams of Carrington Homes, Revkah Design, and Emily Handke Design collaborated on the high-end signature residence that includes custom features such as a gaming lounge, indoor basketball court, wellness center, gourmet kitchen, pool and spa, and more.
(1) West Side Story
May 9–11
Meet a girl named Maria as the Indianapolis Opera closes out its 50thanniversary season with this classic production with music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim at the Bicentennial Pavilion at the Indianapolis Zoo. indyopera.org
(2) Ultimate Frisbee Home Opener
May 10
Be there when the Indianapolis AlleyCats fire up Kuntz Stadium as they start their season. Played seven-onseven, ultimate frisbee has the athleticism of soccer. It’s wicked fast yet easy to follow. myalleycats.com
(3) The Watercolor Society of Indiana Annual Membership Exhibit
May 10
The Eiteljorg Museum just finished renovating a new community space. The society will be the first to exhibit in it, showing off the paintings of its members at different skill levels. watercolorsocietyofindiana.org
(4) Indy 500 Victory Celebration
May 26
The excitement isn’t over yet. Step out at the JW Marriott where each driver in the field will be honored and awards bestowed. It’ll be a night to remember no matter who this year’s winner turns out to be. indianapolismotor speedway.com/events
(5) Pet Pride Presented by Elanco
May 31
Riverside Park is the site of arguably the most Instagrammable event of Pride season. Pet lovers can interact with local animal-centric shelters, nonprofits, and businesses. Pups prefer frolicking in the splash pools. indypride.org/event
Rooms designed by Deanna Whetstone of Whetstone & Associates
Kurt Vonnegut’s Purple Heart Medal
VINTAGE: 1945
Resides in the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library
AUTHOR Kurt Vonnegut is famous for his satirical and black humor bestsellers, but he is perhaps best-known for his writings drawing inspiration from his service during WWII. Vonnegut enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor rather than wait to be drafted. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, survived a train bombing that killed 150 of his fellow servicemen, and then was kept as a POW in a Dresden, Germany, slaughterhouse—the source for his novel Slaughterhouse-Five. During the Allied forces’ firebombing of Dresden, he took refuge in a cold underground meat locker. With the city largely destroyed, he was forced to excavate bodies from the rubble. Vonnegut downplayed his Purple Heart’s significance, claiming he got it for frostbite. But he did reference it in a 1967 letter to the Massachusetts draft board in support of his son Mark’s conscientious objector status during Vietnam and again in 1971 defending Slaughterhouse to a school board that wanted to ban it. —CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
BY
PHOTO
TONY VALAINIS
Made for Mom
Searching for a Mother’s Day gift to trigger a teary-eyed smile? Look to Going Golden, founded by three sisters and moms who share a passion for personalized jewelry. All pieces are either 14-karat gold–filled or sterling silver, customizable, and designed and handmade in their Brownsburg, Indiana, studio. Our favorite is the five-ring Opal Thick Stacking Set. It includes a delicate rose gold birthstone ring (May shown), a beaded yellow gold spacer ring, and yellow gold, silver, and rose gold name rings. Names can be engraved in your choice of six fonts. $275. going-golden.com —CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
( SHOP TALK )
Magic Touch
A FORMER BEECH GROVE METAPHYSICAL SHOP MANIFESTS IN A NEW LOCATION. BY AMY LYNCH
The Local Radish
ADDRESS
705 E. 52nd St. HOURS
Tue–Sat 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Sun noon–5 p.m.
“THEY CALL ME the Crystal Lady,” Brittany Spencer laughs. With good reason, apparently. Small tubs of polished and rough-hewn stones in a rainbow of colors populate shelves and tables at The Local Radish, Spencer’s one-stop emporium for all manner of mystical merchandise. Recently relocated from Beech Grove to the buzzy intersection of College Avenue and 52nd Street, the cozy space casts an enchanting spell. Spencer sets a fresh stage to showcase a diverse inventory of fair trade, ethically sourced products made by international artisans. Here, whimsical pop culture–themed cards, disco balls, and handcrafted jewelry coexist alongside Ambre Blends oils, incense sticks, unusual books, and a petite curated collection of vintage items from Regency & Rust. Spencer is also a self-professed “baby Swiftie” with the stickers and coasters to prove it. As the Radish takes root in SoBro, she welcomes new and loyal customers, not only to browse her eclectic wares but also for crafting and meditation classes, psychic fairs, and gardening education.
Holly Whitney Sales Director, Indianapolis Monthly
LOVE THE PANTS!
As soon as I put on a bright pair of dress pants, it puts me in a happy spring mood.
HOW DO YOU INFUSE YOUR WORKWEAR WITH PERSONALITY?
(1) Goosebumps books (first pressings), $9 each
(2) All-season wreath made of dried citrus slices, $50
(3) Taylor Swift coasters, $8 each (4) Beaded bracelets made by owner Brittany Spencer, $24 each
I’ve been told that I’m “very Ann Taylor.” Keeping it simple works for me. I add my personality with a pop of unexpected color in jewelry or shoes.
HOW HAS YOUR CLOSET CHANGED SINCE YOU WERE IN COLLEGE?
I’m still monochromatic with no patterns, just dressier. If I could still live in jeans or yoga pants every day, I absolutely would. —C.V.
Linden Tree, Carmel City Center, 317-7753566; 210 N. 10th St., Noblesville, 317-773-3238
211 W. Main St., Carmel, 720-441-4635
BY STEPHEN GARSTANG
Bling it On
BEDAZZLE YOUR DAYS WITH SPARKLING ACCESSORIES AND HOME GOODS.
each.
825 E. Westfield Blvd., 317-955-9908
and
clear European crystals. $275, set of two. Addendum, Carmel City Center, 317-253-3400
set of four. Addendum, Carmel City Center, 317-253-3400 1101 E. 54th St., 317-254-8883 Carmel City Center, 317-253-3400
(1) Pearl and leaf cluster bag charm $54.
(2) Retrouvai’s handmade Yin Yang Pendant set with turquoise and diamonds. $3,100. Metalmark,
(3) Alba Bijoux Vibrant Jewel Bangles handmade in Italy. $60
Grazie Mille,
(4) Olivia Riegel Windsor Flutes encrusted with
(5) Sophie Napkin Rings with pave flowers
handenameled leaves. $300,
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Tim Annee Investment Officer
Jeff Coil Senior Investment Officer
Dreamy New Builds
JEANA HARRIS
The Old Northside Standout
Among the storied dwellings in this desirable neighborhood is a sprinkling of brand-new homes whose tales have yet to be written. One such fresh offering has settled nicely into the historic backdrop thanks to a carefully designed, traditional exterior. Its simple silhouette is reminiscent of a folk Victorian, while the soft greige and white color palette emits modern warmth. Inside, the open concept main level is sunlight-soaked with high ceilings. No detail was overlooked, even across 5,000 square feet. Off the dining area sits an unexpected small parlor drenched in vibrant emerald. Its location makes it perfectly suited to be a music room. The kitchen boasts a waterfall island and Proline appliances.
The Carmel Dark Horse Moodier hues set this home apart. The dark-on-dark exterior is softened by cedar posts and stone wainscoting. Once inside, the energy shifts dramatically, as the interior is light and bright, the yang to the yin of the street view. The inky elements don’t disappear but are leveraged judiciously for maximum effect. Soaring ceilings and a wall of windows energize the living room, while a dark-paneled, monolithic fireplace keeps the space grounded. Built-ins on opposite sides of the room satisfy storage and hosting solutions. One niche includes a sink and wine fridge tucked into handsome black cabinetry. The kitchen incorporates a mixture of white and wood-grain cabinetry to create dimension. Black and gold pair nicely in a laundry room that is anything but boring.
Our Brickyard Wall
SOUTHSIDERS DAN AND PATTY DUDGEON HAVE BEEN “GOOFING OFF” AT THE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. BY CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
(1) The pair’s Speedway brick, which reads “IMS–the only place in the world to be in May!” A photo of them dedicating it is to the left.
(2) Indy 500 paper tickets. This will be Dan’s 60th year attending. He missed only 2020 due to Covid, but IMS President Doug Boles assured him that doesn’t count.
(3) Photo of Dan at the track at age 10.
(4) Cowbell signed by Danica Patrick after she and Dan bonded over a love of the old SNL skit, “More Cowbell.”
(5) Suite passes. Dan has been in “all the suites around the track.” Patty began joining him in 1981.
(6) Book on Jim Clark, who was the defending champion at Dan’s first race in 1966. “He was second in a controversial finish that was scored in error, I’ll always believe.”
(7) Authentic IMS chairs. In recent years, the duo has held five seats close to the top of Stand G.
(8) Photo from a TV news segment on the couple’s collection.
(9) Souvenir milk bottle.
Midlife Misery
KNOW THIS: YOU DON’T NEED TO GRIN AND BEAR IT. BY CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
IN HER NEW BOOK
Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause, actor Naomi Watts recounts feeling alone, a sentiment both common and counterintuitive. Roughly 3,500 women enter menopause—the life stage defined as not having had a menstrual period for at least 12 months, as if that were all—every day. Thanks to stubborn social stigma, all too many women approach midlife largely unaware of the tsunami of effects pushing toward them, which read like fine print on a prescription drug ad: day and night sweats, palpitations, migraines, urinary urgency, anxiety attacks, painful intercourse, insomnia, brain fog, tinnitus, thinning hair, fatigue, dizziness, and brittle nails.
According to AARP, only about 20 percent of internal medicine doctors and OB-GYNs are adequately trained to counsel on menopause. “Many times, we’re brushed off. … It’s become commonplace to dismiss women’s health and our
concerns,” observes Rani Ramaswamy, Community Health Network OB-GYN. Help is out there, but you may need to do a little legwork to find it. Possible starting points include The Menopause Society’s practitioner database (menopause.org), Anderson Longevity Clinic (andersonlongevity clinic.com), New Moon Center for Women’s Health (newmoondoc.com), or Southside OB/GYN of Indianapolis (axiawh.com). When you call, ask these questions, advises Christy Watson, M.D. at Body Bar MD in Carmel:
• Have you had additional training in the treatment of menopause?
• Do you stay abreast of new guidelines for genital, urinary, and musculoskeletal syndromes of menopause, as well as the importance of testosterone in women?
• Are you comfortable with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy? How recently have you been trained on it?
“Don’t just ask these questions of gynecologists,” adds Watson, “but also primary care physicians and urologists with training in sexual health.”
( REJUVENATION )
V-Day
Mid-life vaginal changes are far from hopeless.
THE MOST hush-hush menopause effects are the three that hit the vagina. Skin becoming drier and thinner is usually noticed first—when intercourse gets painful. “I had a patient crying,” recalls Christy Watson, founder of Body Bar MD. “Her doctor ignored her, saying, ‘You must not like your husband much.’” Also common is loosening of the pelvic floor, which leads to urinary incontinence. An FDA-cleared device, VTone, can improve elasticity by increasing blood flow and collagen as well as tighten muscles with electrostimulation. Lastly, owing to hormonal changes, color fades and the labia minora becomes bigger than the labia majora. “Many just want to look pretty again,” says Watson. To that end, she employs radiofrequency microneedling, a vaginal-specific process akin to “shrink wrapping,” as she describes it. Of course, not every treatment is right for every woman, but if you’re unhappy, investigate your options. The woman who was in tears? Watson vividly recalls what she said after treatment. “I got my marriage back.”
Illustration by VIDHYA NAGARAJAN
Island in the Sun
A SOUTH CAROLINA SEASIDE PARADISE RIVALS THE TROPICS FOR BALMY BLISS. BY
MICHELLE MASTRO
HILTON HEADISLAND in South Carolina’s Lowcountry has long lured vacationers. Think relaxed coastal ambiance, lush greenery, antique shops, stately oak trees blanketed in Spanish moss, and 12 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches.
The Gulf Stream–warmed waters are an indigo delight even if you only wade up to your knees. The beaches are wide enough to cruise bikes on the shoreline at low tide. You can set sail on a dolphin-watching cruise (islandskifftours.com) or a guided kayak adventure (islandwatersportshhi.com).
Lace up your hiking shoes and explore the sweeping marshes and secluded inlets of the Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge (fws.gov/refuge/pinckney-island). Keep your eyes peeled for armadillos skittering in the underbrush and migratory birds including ibis and egrets—along with American alligators sunbathing on the sand. Another
worthy trek is at the Audubon Newhall Preserve (hiltonheadaudubon.org). The 2-mile morning jaunt around a pond is led by dedicated volunteers.
Hilton Head is renowned for its oysters, crabcakes, and shrimp. Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks (hudsonsonthedocks.com) farms, harvests, and shucks its own oysters. More must-tries are the seafood gumbo, coconut shrimp with citrus Thai chili sauce, Atlantic salmon as thick as a ribeye, and hot, crispy hush puppies. It’s no surprise that owner Brian Carmines oversees the island’s annual seafood festival each February.
Fortified, make your way to the Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park (exploremitchel ville.org) to learn about the first town selfgoverned by freedmen in America and vibrant Gullah community that called this part of the island home. Finally, wind down your trip by taking in the sunset from the top of the Harbour Town Lighthouse Museum (harbourtownlighthouse.com).
IF YOU GO
STAY The oceanfront Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island (sonesta .com) offers a lagoonstyle pool, a spa, and loaner bicycles.
SAVOR Start a morning off with an apple tart from Hilton Head Social Bakery (hiltonheadsocial bakery.com), known for authentic French baked goods.
PUTT Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf (piratesislandgolf .com) courses are themed on swashbuckling adventures and dotted with koi ponds.
And you thought it was the cardinal. Go to Terre Haute to admire the real state Bird at the LARRY BIRD MUSEUM . Check out the cache of in-game memorabilia and interactives that put Larry the Legend’s prowess in perspective, then shoot a few hoops yourself. Admission is free, but a reservation is needed. larrybirdmuseum.com —CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
Hilton Head, SC
The Rev Signature Espresso Martini
Java House introduces a signature cocktail with nitro cold brew.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY HEALTH FOUNDATION is hosting its annual fundraising event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 3. One of Rev’s strengths is forging connections between community partners who may not typically intersect, including the racing, health care, and food industries. This year, the theme of connection continues with a new signature drink blending coffee with a classic cocktail—the espresso martini. The collaboration between Ketel One and Indiana-based coffee shop Java House adds a spin to the popular standard. Java House owner Ted Gelov is a Purdue graduate and the new primary owner of Ed Carpenter Racing, uniting Indy’s racing legacy with its renowned culinary scene. Gelov shared a glimpse of what goes into the cocktail and what to expect.
How does the Rev Signature Espresso Martini stand out from traditional espresso martinis?
There isn’t a better-tasting espresso martini than one made with Java House Cold Brew Coffee. We’ve taken this classic cocktail and infused it with our signature, smooth Java House Cold Brew. For Rev, we’ve elevated this experience by partnering with Kettle One Vodka. We’ve also added a nitrogen infusion to deliver an ultra-smooth frothy texture, which results in the highest quality, besttasting espresso martini.
What’s the story behind the ingredients in the cocktail?
The foundation of a truly great espresso martini starts with the coffee. When these cocktails are made with overly bitter espresso, it just doesn’t taste good. Our Java House cold brew martini mix is crafted through a 12-hour steeping process using cold water instead of scalding hot temperatures. This method naturally removes bitterness and acidity, resulting in a bold yet balanced coffee that enhances the cocktail instead of
that complements the smoothness of Ketel One Vodka and coffee liqueur.
It’s trendy! But why the espresso martini?
The espresso martini isn’t just a trend—it’s a staple of any cocktail menu. It’s not about inventing a new cocktail. It’s about making the best possible version of an already-popular drink. And with Java House Cold Brew Espresso Martini Mix, that’s exactly what we’ve done. Even people who say they don’t like coffee are surprised by how much they love our espresso martini. That’s because it all comes down to the smooth,
at the Java House Pit Stop in the North Green Room. Can’t make it to Rev this year? Java House’s single-serve cold brew is sold on its website (javahouse.com) and can be found shaken in a martini at select area restaurants and bars.
9th Street Bistro
Samir Mohammad
80 Acres Farms
80 Acres Chef
A Cut Above Catering
Amy Von Eiff
Abbiocco Pizzeria
Rene Chavez Ayala
Amazeball by Eat Surreal
Brittney Baxter
American Culinary Federation | Greater Indianapolis Chapter
Matt Jarson
Arni’s Restaurant
Antonio Vargas
Astrea Rooftop Bar
Craig Baker
Azucar Morena
Andreina Paredes
Back 9 Golf & Entertainment
Christina Holden
Bearded Bagel
Tom Race
Blondie’s Cookies
Brenda Coffman
Bluebeard
Alan Sternberg
Boba & Everything
Liza Christian
BODHI
Pen, Nicky, & Taelor
Borage
Josh Kline & Zoë
Taylor
Che Chori
Marcos C. Perera
Clean Eatz Fishers
Cassie & Jeffrey Leifel
Convivio Italian
Artisan Cuisine
Brad Gates
Cretia Cakes
Restaurants & Chefs at Rev
LaCretia & Angelo Allen
Crystal Signature Events
Matt Vogel
Daniel’s Vineyard
José Amantecatl
Easy Rider
Mycol Estrella & Jon Rivera
Fernando’s Mexican & Brazilian Cuisine
Katia Hundley
Flowers Bakery
Keith Branham
Fogo de Chão
Thales Martinelli
Forked Up Catering
Kenneth & Sharon Hardiman
Fresko
Marisa Silva & Kevin Pillco
Fundae’s Ice Cream & Sweets
Jalen Camarillo
Geraldine’s Supper Club & Lounge
Neil Andrews
Iozzo’s Garden of Italy
Kathy Jones
J’adore Pastry
Youssef Boudarine
Java House
Java House Chef
Jug’s Catering
Evan Eckert & Clayton Eckert
Just Pop In!
Mandy Selke & Carly Swift
Kim’s Key Lime Products
Kim Harvey
Leviathan Bakehouse
Pete Schmutte
Magdalena
Nick Detrich
Mambo’s Cheesesteak Grill
Ricardo Martinez
Market District
Thomas Hubbard
Mochi Joy Donuts
Tom Nguyen &
Rachel Burnett
Ocean Prime
Jose Rojas
Open Kitchen
Dexter Smith
Papa’s Pizzeria | Italian & Peruvian Cuisine
Erick & Juan Pillco
Pizza & Libations
Connor Gray
Punch Bowl Social Chadwick Sheets
Punkin’s Pies Sweet Treats
Joanna Wilson
Purely Joy Meal Prep
Karyn Joy
Root & Bone Indy
Jason Rudy & Keef
Gonzalez
SALAMAT Cookies!
Michael Williams II & Mama Odie Williams
Salt Dining
Salt Culinary Team
Sangiovese Ristorante
Francisco Garcia
Scotchy Jamaican Grill
Marlon Llewellyn & Bryce Llewellyn
Shake Shack
John Karangis
SIMPLICITY ColdPressed Juice & Cocktails
Beth McCarthy Smith
Slapfish
Mark Weghorst
Sodexo Live!
Indianapolis
Edward Yows
Spoke & Steele
Joshua Huffman
Sprinkle Joy Bakes
Jessica Fisher
St. Elmo Steak House
Karl Benko
Taxman CityWay
Cole Padgett
Team Indiana | Area 31
Career Center Culinary Program
Erin Oechsle
Team Indiana | Circle
City Sweets
Cindy Hawkins
Team Indiana | Foster’s
Café And Catering
Brady Foster
Team Indiana | Ghost
Mobile Kitchen
Justin Miller
Team Indiana | Gomez
Catering and Events
Michael A. Gomez
The Cannon Ball Lounge
Daniel Keiner
The District Tap
Juan Carlos Basurto
The Fountain Room
Ricky Martinez
The Garage Food Hall | HercuLean Meal Prep
Ben Canary
The Garage Food Hall | J’s Lobster & Fish
Market
J Wolf
The Garage Food Hall | Pig Pen BBQ
Mike Floyd
The Garage Food Hall | The Harbour
Stuart Robertson
The HC Tavern + Kitchen
Matt Wahl
The Little India Restaurant
Neeti Chaudhri
The Lounge at Conrad Indianapolis
Michael Pleines
The Oakmont
Anthony Felts
The Oceanaire Seafood Room
Marcy Breckenridge
Tinker Coffee Co.
Libby Furman
Tinker Street
Restaurant and Wine Bar
Tyler Shortt
Trax BBQ
Andrew Klein & Kyrsten Wilson
Tre on Main
Salvador Fernandez
Tulip Tree Creamery
Fons Smits
Turchetti’s
George Turkette
Up Cellar
Connor Gray
Vanilla Bean Bakery
Kristy Klinger
Vicino
Sean Day
Vida
Thomas Melvin
Wisanggeni Pawon
Bambang Aji
Wisanggeni
Indianapolis Out of the Darkness Walks
Saturday, September 6th | Military Park
Join the Indy Out of the Darkness Walk! Walk to raise awareness, volunteer to make an impact, donate to support suicide prevention, or sponsor to help save lives. Every action brings hope. All ages welcome! Sign up today: afsp.org/indianapolis
Take care of a friend, a loved one, or yourself. Call, text, or chat with a 988
Indiana Construction Hike for Hope
Saturday, May 31st | Hub and Spoke - Fishers | Family-Friendly
Learn more and Register for free: afsp.org/inconstruction
Connect with the local Indiana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsp.org/indiana | indiana@afsp.org | @afspindiana
Lifeline
THE DISH
SWOON
Round and Round
Circle City Kolache co-founder Chris Good first encountered the comforting Eastern European hand pies on the road between the Ritter’s Frozen Custard locations he co-owns with partners Brock Craig and Brant Stockcamp. The filled pastries offered a more delicious way to fuel up than other offerings along the interstate, so when the team decided to move beyond frozen desserts, kolache were their first pick. Local pastry star Hattie Shoemaker created Circle City’s from-scratch dough and menu of 28 sweet and savory kolache, and the business opened this spring. Good’s favorite, the chicken, bacon, and ranch kolache pictured here might be their biggest hit. 1521 N. Green St., Brownsburg, 317-456-2643, circle citykolache.com —EVE BATEY
Photo by TONY VALAINIS
( CHEERS )
A View From The Top
ASTREA ROOFTOP BAR OFFERS A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON MONUMENT CIRCLE. BY EVE BATEY
DOWNTOWN’S freshly opened InterContinental Hotel isn’t just a place for out-of-towners to rest, its sales and marketing director Zachary Lockett says as he walks through Astrea, the hotel’s glossy indoor/outdoor bar. Located at the top of the 11-story lodgings, it’s also Indy’s highest spot to grab a drink, with floor-to-ceiling windows that give you a broad view of the city even when you’re seated inside.
The outlook isn’t the only thing to recommend Astrea, which offers a well-curated list of wine by the bottle or glass, a short beer menu, and a fun selection of creative cocktails. Executive chef Craig Baker has also plotted a sharp menu of shareable, small plates that are “substantial enough to make for a good dinner,” Lockett says. And with the city’s glittering skyline to gaze at, you’ll certainly want to settle in as long as you can. 17 W. Market St., 11th floor, 463-303-0400, astrearooftop.com.
PINCH OF WISDOM
“If you’re trying to become a better cook and feel stuck, go somewhere else and immerse yourself. Shop that place’s markets and eat at its restaurants. Taking in a new environment is the best way to up your game.”
–Brad
( NEW IN TOWN )
Spiffy Pop
Twisters Soda Bar brings over-the-top soft drinks to Noblesville.
BEST FRIENDS since their college days in Utah, Pendleton residents Jaclyn Chadburn and Kelly Klein launched the bubbling business at a local farmers market, building out a menu of familiar pop brands mixed with ingredients like marshmallow fluff, coconut cream, and berry purees. Storefronts in Pendleton and Yorktown quickly followed.
Their newest shop in Noblesville is “the first time we’re opening in a big city,” Chadburn says, and the time is right: With more people eschewing alcoholic beverages for reasons of health and faith, their sweet concoctions occupy a playful space between that Diet Coke swiftly chugged in the car and a full-on mocktail served at the bar, thrilling the kid in all of us. 1007 S. 10th St., Noblesville, 317-252-3454, twisterssodabar.com —E.B.
CRAB BONANZA Indy’s Sidedoor Bagel was recently featured in a story pitched to the world’s biggest bagel market: The New York Times wrote up its crab rangoon special, a fishy, sweet, and spicy sandwich that’s become Sidedoor’s biggest seller. NEW ATTITUDE Westfield’s Pasto Italiano has new owners after six years in business, with father-and-son team Rich and Mike Bartalone taking the reins this spring. —E.B.
Gates , corporate district chef, Spiga Restaurant Group
Family Affair
A HEREDITARY HEALTH CRISIS INSPIRED LARA COONEY’S FIRE & ICE CAFE.
BY BRIAN GARRIDO
WHEN Lara Cooney’s husband fell ill 13 years ago, no one could figure out what was wrong. “He is 5-foot-11 and weighed nearly 129 pounds. We thought it was because of his job as a carpenter,” Cooney says. Meanwhile, their daughter was also experiencing serious stomach pains. Both were eventually diagnosed with celiac disease, as were her son and stepson. When people with the disorder consume gluten, a protein found in grains such as barley, rye, and wheat, their immune systems attack the lining of their small intestines, limiting their ability to absorb nutrients and causing a wide range of serious health issues. It’s estimated that about one in 100 people has the hereditary disease, which is managed by diet.
The work they did to create delicious, gluten-free foods for their four
ailing family members inspired the two without celiac—Cooney and her youngest son, Orion—to open Fire & Ice Cafe. The restaurant, which specializes in German American family recipes, is free of seven of the nine major food allergens. Vegan options are also available.
Orion developed the recipe for the wheat-free bread, and an alternativeflour biscuit sandwich is also on the menu. Dishes such as quiche use thinly sliced potatoes instead of a pastry crust.
The restaurant’s roots in family are also reflected in its decor. Cooney’s mother’s delicate china is used for weekend teas, and its chandeliers and church pew came from her former house. “This is my labor of love,” Cooney says. “I wanted to create something where people can gather and feel cared for.” 6211 Allisonville Rd., 317-997-5774, fireandicecafe.com FAVORITE THINGS
(1) Tinker Coffee: “I love that they’re local, and they‘re a great group of people.” (2) Bugambilias: “A great Mexican restaurant in Castleton; we’re in once a week.” (3) Fort Harrison: “One of our best places to take in some nature.” (4) Cup4Cup Flour: “A superstar ingredient for gluten-free baking.” (5) Yellow crocuses: “The best sign that spring is here.”
FOODIE
Smash Hits
FRY ‘EM UP AND STACK ‘EM HIGH. PRESSED THIN AND COOKED FAST TO ACHIEVE THOSE EXQUISITELY CRISP LACY EDGES, LOCAL SMASH BURGERS SATISFY EVERY CRAVING.
BY AMY LYNCH
Daredevil Hall
This Ironworks anchor sears a mix of chuck, short rib, and brisket on a hot grill, then flips it onto a bun with traditional toppings and fancy fixings like avocado, grilled poblano, bacon—even peanut butter. We like the Juicy Brewcy: melty pub cheese sandwiched between two 5-ounce patties and garnished with pickles and onion. 2721 E. 86th St., 317757-2888, daredevilbeer.com
Smash’d Burger Bar
The quarter-pound Original Smash’d, a classic Midwestern beef cheeseburger with special sauce, is the perfect beginning. From there, move on to the more experimental, but equally delicious, burger of the month options. Also of note: waffle fries loaded with cheese, bacon, jalapeno, and aioli. 10 Johnson Ave., 317-419-2894, smashd midwestburgers.com
Natural State Provisions
The smash burger at this Holy Cross dog and dive bar is as classic as can be, with American cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles, and burger sauce. Make it a double for only $2 more and fill out your plate with tots or sweet potato fries. A meatless Impossible patty is also an option, as is a meatful bacon topper. 414 Dorman St., 317-492-9887, naturalstateprovisions.com
One Trick Pony
With shredded lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, mustard, mayo, and American cheese, the “Old John” Diner-Style Burger (founder Neal Brown’s homage to a childhood chum) is everything you want. Smoking Goose bacon and Eat Surreal dairy-free cheese spread are nice nods to local producers. 9713 District N. Dr., Fishers, 317-953-6398, otpburger.com
Workingman’s Friend
IYKYK. This decidedly unfussy 21-plus tavern has been cooking up what may just be the city’s most legendary burger for decades. Heads up—saving seats during the busy lunch rush is not allowed and the place only accepts cash. If you don’t have to go back to work, wash it all down with a frosty fishbowl-sized schooner of beer. 234 N. Belmont Ave., 317-636-2067
PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS
Last Course
THE TEAM BEHIND TINKER STREET OPENS A CARMEL RESTAURANT WITH A STORY AND FLAVOR ALL ITS OWN. BY TERRY KIRTS
NEW CARMEL spot Freeland’s Restaurant certainly shares some similarities with founder Tom Main’s Herron-Morton standard bearer, Tinker Street. There’s the same spirited chatter of happy diners packed into a modest array of closeset tables, the trademark complimentary toast that’s poured almost before you take your seat, and a consistent attention to detail, plating, and customer comfort. You might even spy familiar faces, such as sommelier Ashlee Nemeth and Braedon Kellner, the onetime Tinker Street chef who serves as Freeland’s food runner most nights. But Main has largely started from scratch at this
FREELAND’S
875 Freeland Way, Carmel 317-400-0436
freelandsrestaurant.com
HOURS
Tue–Thu 5–8:30 p.m., Fri–Sat 5–9:30 p.m., Sun 5–8:30 p.m.
VIBE
Eastern Euro date night
intriguing, one-of-a-kind restaurant inside a historic family estate.
It’s also a late-career passion project that Main nearly abandoned before it began. The story of Freeland’s dates to September of 2021. An ambitious realtor reached out to Main, hoping to get him on board for an upscale restaurant in Carmel’s developing North End neighborhood. “I was just reopening Tinker Street,” Main says of those exhausting pandemic days, “and I barely had enough energy left for that. I think I pulled out of the Freeland’s deal once, maybe twice.”
The original plan to renovate the spacious, pillared home, formerly at the end of two lush lanes of maples, into a 5,200-square-foot
TASTING NOTES
Seasonal dishes rooted in Hoosier traditions, with early-immigrant influences
NEIGHBORHOOD
North End Carmel
MUST-ORDER
Flaky, rich sturgeon with carrot puree, roasted cauliflower, and crispy potato chips; chicken heart “coq au vin”; a verdant beet tartine; and tender lamb dumplings in a comforting broth.
3-STAR RATING
complex wasn’t exactly Main’s ambition. The local community persisted, however, assuring Main he was the man for the job, and with restoration plans scaled down to closer to 1,200 square feet, Main found it hard to resist. What ultimately won him over was the spirit of this unique housing development, which includes a 40-unit share of a nearby apartment building set aside for residents with developmental disabilities, along with a program to assist with job opportunities—including some at Freeland’s.
The result is a new supper spot that
dumplings in a soothingly straightforward broth, and a verdant beet tartine with plenty of pickled bits on a toasted slice of Leviathan Bakehouse rye.
feels unlike any other in Hamilton County. The bar is the most colorful area in a somewhat straightforward, intimate space, with a backdrop of floral wallpaper reminiscent of William Morris. Darling table settings, including saucers, teacups, and dessert bowls, are all sourced from nearby estate sales and whimsically mismatched.
To shape the cuisine, Main tapped chef Matt Hamilton, a Fort Wayne native with restaurant and farming experience in Chicago, Seattle, and Houston. Hamilton dug into the ancestry of the original settlers of the North End community and discovered that many had roots in Eastern Europe, translating that into a menu in which some dishes work well, while others continue to evolve. Light, fluffy shapkat, cornmeal and leek fritters on a bed of deeply savory whipped feta, is a standout starter and pairs perfectly with the bar’s funky, well-poured elixirs. Also excellent are tender pelmeni, lamb
By contrast, a Technicolor plate of sweet carrots is a bit too al dente and a bit too charred, with a mélange of seeds and spices leaning toward bitter. Lusciously clean-tasting, fork-tender beef tongue gets lost under a hefty accompaniment of chewy Savoy cabbage, and varenyky, another traditional dumpling filled with a purée of mushrooms and red peppereggplant relish, are too simply plated under a shower of raw cabbage and radishes.
Other dishes shine with Hamilton’s light touch, such as his “coq au vin” small plate of plump chicken hearts and maitake mushrooms in a silky red wine sauce. Delectably oily, flaky sturgeon atop a luxurious carrot purée with bits of roasted cauliflower, beurre blanc (finally—butter!), and clever crispy potato chips compose the dish that most highlights his skill.
Desserts from pastry chef Molly Greenwood evoke the classics but with modern architecture. Apple strudel is a toss of lightly cooked apples with a scoop of ice cream under crisp triangles of pastry. It’s light and fresh, though perhaps more restrained than one might want. And the traditionally layered mille-feuille employs thin pastry sheets that can barely stand up against overly thick stripes of both vanilla and chocolate pastry cream.
While Tinker Street celebrates a decade in business this year, Freeland’s shows that Main still has some tricks up his sleeve. Indy diners can be happy that he has brought a new and thoughtful dinner destination to an address both steeped in the past and looking toward the future. Photos by TONY
Clockwise from left: duck pate; the dining room; black cod with fava beans; mille-fuille; Freeland’; the Velvet Underground cocktail.
Fruitsof
EDITED BY CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
illustrations by HEATHER GATLEY
Whether it’s the first sweet spring strawberries, sun-ripened summer blueberries, or crunchy apples come fall, every season brings something special at Indiana u-pick farms. Our guide will have you planning your perfect sunnyday adventure. And it’ll be more than just fun—you’ll be supporting our local farmers and communities. So grab a bucket. Month by month, memories are ripe for the picking.
may
Picking Pointer:
It’s best to leave your dog at home. Food safety regulations prohibit pets in the fields.
STRAWBERRIES & ASPARAGUS
Spencer Farm
There’s nothing like the season’s first bite of a fat, crimson strawberry, and the vibe continues with rhubarb pie and shortcake. Spencer offers three types of the beloved berry that hit peak ripeness at different times. In May, Spencer is also the place to go for a more unusual picking experience: asparagus. You can either snap the stalks off just above the soil or bring a pair of kitchen shears. Reach for thinner stalks, as anything thicker than a pointer finger is more likely to be woody.
BEYOND THE FIELD: Choose a retro apron in one of dozens of patterns in the gift shop, then enjoy live music and sip mulled wine in a yurt in the adjacent winery.
7177 E. 161ST ST., NOBLESVILLE, 317-776-1560, SPENCERBERRYFARM.COM
june
SWEET CHERRIES
Annie’s Orchard
Far fewer farms offer cherry picking than strawberry. So given the price and lackluster quality of grocery store specimens, it’s no wonder happy pit-spitters descend on Annie’s Orchard in droves come June. Look for deep, uniform color—unlike many other types of fruit, cherries won’t continue to ripen once picked. And pluck them carefully to keep the stem on. Stemless cherries don’t last as long. BEYOND THE FIELD: An array of homemade jams made from the orchard’s fruits makes popular take-homes.
9624 W. 75 S, WEST LAFAYETTE, 765-430-0405
Picking Pointer:
Always call before heading out to confirm hours, and make sure what you want to pick is, well, pickable. Availability can change from day to day based on weather patterns and crowds.
BLUEBERRIES
Driving Wind Farm
Picking
Pointer:
Sitting well within city limits, this best-kept secret is a unique urban oasis. Score the freshest blueberries bursting with sunny flavor, ready to plop into yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, or muffins. While you’re there, you can even special-order plants and shrubs for your garden. BEYOND THE FIELD: A cafe serves breakfast and lunch as well as freshly brewed coffee drinks. Or grab an ice cream bar from the cute country store. Enjoy your treat on a shaded picnic bench overlooking the farm as wagons go by. 6410 N. MICHIGAN RD., 317-492-9512, DRIVINGWINDBERRYFARM.COM
Crops will almost always be planted in full sun, so if heat bothers you, go in the morning. But a.m. or p.m., bringing sunscreen and a bottle of water is smart.
RED RASPBERRIES
Beasley’s Orchard
Grab a bucket and get going. These ruby-like berries are a fan favorite, but they’re delicate, so go easy. If they’re ripe, they should easily slip off the plant with a gentle tug. BEYOND THE FIELD: Request a tour, which includes an informative hayride around the orchard, a quick look at the processing area, free time in the farm market housed in a Civil War–era barn, and a snack. 2304 E. MAIN ST., DANVILLE, 317-745-4876, BEASLEYS-ORCHARD.COM
BLACKBERRIES
Pleasant View Orchard
Aside from popping blackberries right in your mouth—hard to beat in itself— why not consider blackberry sorbet, blackberry hot sauce, a blackberry glaze for chicken or pork, or blackberry-infused gin or vodka? Wear long sleeves to protect from thorns. A fully ripe berry is dull black, not shiny.
BEYOND THE FIELD: Locally made pickles, sugared pecans, and 18 flavors of fudge made on-premises are among the enticing edibles on offer in the shop. You can also pick up Indiana-made goods like Bluebell Farms candles. 10721 N. 850 W, FAIRLAND, 317-861-4025, PLEASANTVIEWORCHARDIN.COM
PEAS AND PEPPERS
Waterman’s Family Farm
Pluck plump pods of peas and peppers o’plenty— including poblano, banana, cubanelle, jalapeño, and habanero—at this homestead owned by the same family for more than 100 years.
TART CHERRIES
Stuckey Farm Orchard & Cider Mill
Heavenly in baked goods—albeit too sour to eat fresh for most— these petite scarlet cherries are abundant at this local standby. With high acidity that lends a bright flavor, they taste sweeter once cooked. The supple texture is another boon when baking. And dried tart cherries have a distinctive flavor that the ubiquitous sweet cherries surprisingly lack. BEYOND THE FIELD: The country store offers local honey, as well as apple cider doughnuts and slushies. 19975 HAMILTON BOONE RD., SHERIDAN, 317-769-4636, STUCKEYFARM.COM
MINT
Dollie’s Farm
Fresh mint goes beyond mojitos (though not a bad place to start). Drop leaves in lemonade or club soda for a refreshing summer beverage, make tea, or freshen up the garbage disposal. BEYOND THE FIELD: Sign up for a goat yoga session in the lavender fields on July 26. It includes a glass of iced mint lavender tea and a fresh-cut floral bouquet. 3961 COUNTY RD. 425 E, FRANKLIN, 317-797-7749. DOLLIESFARM.COM
BEYOND THE FIELD: Return for their October festival with a corn maze, hayrides, fresh baked goods, a petting zoo, live music, and caramel apple nachos. 7010 E. RAYMOND ST., BEECH GROVE, 317-357-2989, WATERMANSFAMILYFARM.COM
august
PEACHES AND NECTARINES
Annie’s Orchard
Peaches and their smooth-skinned siblings, nectarines, are synonymous with pool days, picnics, and sticky chins. Both get rounder as they ripen, so keep an eye out for full-bodied fruit. BEYOND THE FIELD: Flaky, warm pies await in the market store. 9624 W. 75 S, WEST LAFAYETTE, 765-430-0405
BLUE PLUMS
Anderson Orchard
This diminutive variety of clingstone fruit is prized both for eating fresh and for cooking. BEYOND THE FRUIT: In August, pick your own sunflowers. 369 E. GREENCASTLE RD., MOORESVILLE, 317-831-4181, ANDERSONORCHARD.COM
ASIAN PEARS
Cook’s Orchard
Often referred to as apple pears because of their shape, Asian pears are juicy and sweet with a slight floral note. They’re bigger and firmer than usual pears. BEYOND THE FIELD: Pick up local honey and maple syrup. On the way home, swing by the DeBrand Fine Chocolates flagship store 10 minutes away. 8724 HUGUENARD RD., FORT WAYNE, 260-413-9823, COOKSORCHARD.COM
TABLE GRAPES
Spencer Farm
Stroll beneath the arbors to grab glorious globes of crunchy Vanessa seedless red, as well as Concord seeded black with their trademark grapejuice taste. BEYOND THE FIELD: Sample Old World–style cheese. Good luck deciding: Among the 25 options are horseradish cheddar, havarti dill, smoked bacon gouda, and Amish butter cheese. 7177 E. 161ST ST., NOBLESVILLE, 317-776-1560, SPENCERBERRYFARM.COM
MAKE A DAY OF IT
Garwood Orchards
Yes, it’s a bit of a hike, but you’ll get produce rarely available to pick on your own: black raspberries, pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, tomatillos, and more. BEYOND THE FIELD: Take the VIP tour at Sandy Acres Clydesdales for a chance to brush the gentle giants. The La Porte County Historical Society Museum’s car collection draws autophiles from all over the region, while true crime fans rush to the compelling exhibit on Belle Gunness, “The Black Widow of the Midwest.”
5911 W. 50 S, LA PORTE, 219-362-4835, GARWOODAPPLEFARM.COM
Picking Pointer:
Bring cash. Few farms take cards, and those that do understandably charge a processing fee.
Black Gold
Flavoring Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip made it famous, but the elusive black raspberry has grassroots support. It’s smaller and sweeter than the much more common red raspberry, but it’s more aqueous and thus more perishable. It also has more seeds, inspiring some to dub it crunchy (in a good way). And it really is black, sometimes with a dusting of mauve. Today, edged out by the better-known, brawnier, and sturdier blackberry, black raspberries are a niche crop. They’re hard to find even at farmers markets, so their discovery sometimes comes with a wave of nostalgia, memories of pies and preserves Grandma made. If you’re making the trip north, bring a cooler—and gardening gloves, since you’ll have a few thorns to contend with. Stash your treasure in the fridge the second you get home and finish it up within a couple of days. Can’t get to La Porte? Garwood shares a portion of its early-season trove with Tuttle in Greenfield. You can preorder a minimum of four pints for pickup there. Call 317-326-2278 for details.
september CHESTNUTS
APPLES
Stuckey Farm Orchard & Cider Mill
A dozen varieties of apples are typically ready to pick in September. BEYOND THE FIELD: Find all manner of festive autumn fun, including a corn maze, pig races, and the firing of the apple cannon. 19975 HAMILTON BOONE RD., SHERIDAN, 317-769-4636, STUCKEYFARM.COM
Tuttle Orchards
This farm boasts more than 10 acres of dwarf apple trees—still a solid 8 feet tall—for u-pick. Choose a small, medium, or large size tote to fill. BEYOND THE FIELD: Take home a jug of cider, made in small batches with a secret blend of apple types. 5717 N. 300 W, GREENFIELD 317-326-2278, INDIANAPOLISORCHARD.COM
Picking Pointer:
The size of an apple has no bearing on taste; size is a result of how the tree’s blooms were thinned. Both hefty and humble apples can be equally delicious.
Compare Apples to Apples
Blondee Crisp; not very juicy; sweet-tart
Salads; charcuterie boards; thinly sliced on sandwiches
While also a fine farm for apples, Anderson is one of the few places where you can pick chestnuts—up off the ground. They’re not ripe until they fall from the tree. (Wear gardening gloves; the outer hull is spiny as a sea urchin.) The sweet flavor and nutrition profile of the glossy nuts make them both a scrummy and good-for-you snack. Roasting on an open fire not required: Score them on the flat side, and two or three minutes in the microwave will do the trick.
BEYOND THE FIELD: Head to the concession stand for caramel fondue, elephant ears, fried pie, or fried biscuits with apple butter. 369 E. GREENCASTLE RD., MOORESVILLE, 317-831-4181, ANDERSONORCHARD.COM
These September beauties each have their own charm.
It was first spotted as a yellow fluke on a Gala tree.
Even though its flesh is snowy white, it doesn’t brown quickly.
The name is an homage to New York, where it was created.
It holds its shape exceptionally well in the oven.
Gala Crisp; mild, floral flavorSnacking; applesauceIt has a thinner skin than most apples.
Jonagold Slightly soft; sweet-tartAll purposes
It’s a triploid cultivar with three sets of chromosomes, which accounts for its large size.
McIntosh Juicy; crisp; tart-sweet Applesauce; apple butter; apple cake It breaks down extra quickly when cooked.
Melrose Coarse; juicy; thick-skinnedApple pie
Pixie Crunch Sweet; petite; extra crispSnacking
Swiss Gourmet Firm; mildly sweet
Snacking; chicken salad; pairing with sharp cheeses
It’s a long-keeping apple; flavor actually improves in storage.
It was born in a breeding program in West Lafayette.
It originated in Europe as the Arlet but is now more common in the U.S.
october
PUMPKINS
Dull’s Tree Farm
Whether you like your pumpkins rotund, tall and trim, fun size, or squat and quirky, the ideal gourd for your porch is waiting to be cut off the vine during Dull’s sixweek Pumpkin Harvest festival. BEYOND THE FIELD: For families with children, Dull’s is tough to beat. It has dozens of activities to choose from, starting with a big slide, mazes, face painting, a ropes course, and a train ride. Snagging a warm, gooey stroopwafel from the Sugar Shack on the way out is strongly encouraged.
1765 W. BLUBAUGH AVE., THORNTOWN, 765-325-2418, DULLSTREEFARM.COM
Russell Farms
Pumpkin Patch
The adventure starts on the hayride out to the pumpkin patch. Whether you’re seeking a classic Great Pumpkin for carving, a yellow one destined for pie or soup, or a distinctive green or white variety to become a decorative ghoul or ghost, you can find it here. And why should kids have all the fun? Pedal carts are
Golden Globe Award
BY JULIA SPALDING
With a focus on family, Dull’s Tree Farm makes cozy fall magic.
Dull’s Pumpkin Harvest began with a love story. After meeting through a 4-H exchange program in the Netherlands, Tom and Kerry Dull made their home in a historic post-and-beam house in Boone County overlooking Tom’s family’s grain farm. They first focused on corn, soybeans, and hogs but faced tough times in the 1980s, prompting the couple to plant their first Christmas trees in 1985 in hopes of saving for their children’s education.
Fast-forward to 2013, when their son, Lucas, and his wife, Dana, left their corporate lives to return to the farm. Armed with a background in agritourism, Lucas focused on developing Dull’s fall season. Now, in addition to Christmas trees, the farm yields 30 types of pumpkins from pink Cinderellas to warty heirlooms across 8 acres using drip irrigation and
sized for children and grown-ups, and the 10-acre labyrinth is fit for the most serious of corn maze fans. (The 5-acre version lets you start slow, if you’d rather.) BEYOND THE FIELD: Hit the country store for fudge, homey autumn decor, scented candles, and apple butter. 12290 E. 191ST ST., NOBLESVILLE, 317-773-9078, RUSSELL-FARMS.COM
cover crops to keep them thriving. “When we started, we were hand-planting pumpkins—making mounds and dropping seeds,” says Dana. “Now we ride the planter but still have people on it dropping the seeds.”
Nostalgia comes with the territory. “We all grew up on farms,” says Dana. And some of the people who visit the property are just a generation removed from that lifestyle. “Giving people the ability to come back to the country and walk into an old barn—sometimes that will remind them of a barn their grandpa had or spark a memory.”
Dull’s also inspires curiosity. One young visitor had an aha moment after spotting fallen apples under one of the trees, saying, “Wait … is that where apples come from?” recalls Dana. “Our ultimate goal is to create memorable experiences.”
Picking
Pointer: Stem missing from the pumpkin that catches your eye? Choose another. Stemless gourds rot faster.
pick your own
Anderson Flower Farm
From late June through September, amble through alleys of peonies, lilies, bells of Ireland, snapdragons, and cosmos, to name only a few.
BEYOND THE FIELD: Wedding in the family? The Bridal Bouquet Workshop includes nibbles, beverages, and all supplies.
2284 W. COUNTY RD. 300 S, FRANKFORT, 765-532-4841, ANDERSONFLOWER FARM.COM
Anne-Marie’s Flower Farm
Starting in July, this is the place to be if you’re into zinnias. You’ll find 19 varieties of the dahlia dupes, including Benary’s Giant, Queeny, Oklahoma Mix, Uproar Rose, and Zowie Yellow Flame. Also score unusual fillers like dill and frosted explosion grass. BEYOND THE FIELD: Sip-and-Clip events are perfect for a girls’ day out. Or reserve a private picking event for a birthday or bridal shower.
1125 S. 900 E, ZIONSVILLE, 260-693-7930, ANNEMARIES FLOWERFARM.COM
Dollie’s Farm
flowers
Who needs Provence? In June, Dollie’s is alive with the soothing smell of lavender. You’ll be supplied with a bucket and clipper to snip the Mediterranean natives, then wrap your stems up for the trip home. But first take a moment to relax under the pergola in a lavender haze. BEYOND THE FIELD: Visit the cozy shed for lavender bath salts, massage oil, and more indulgences, as well as fresh eggs courtesy of the resident “Dollie’s Ladies,” chickens you can feed. Also, kite flying is encouraged. 3961 COUNTY RD. 425 E., FRANKLIN, 317-797-7749, DOLLIESFARM.COM
Fishers Flower Farm
Mom-and-daughter duo Mackenzie and Kayti built their farm from the ground up to create a place to slow down and reconnect with nature. Their wide variety of flowers is sustainably grown. Since the farm, tucked into 8 acres of
Picking Pointer:
Peruse all the options before you start snipping. Not unlike a cruise ship buffet, you may face regret halfway through otherwise.
woodlands, is also their residence, picking is by appointment only.
BEYOND THE FIELD: Join a nature-centric craft workshop in the Flower Sanctuary or snag a posie-themed tee, hoodie, or cap designed by Mackenzie or Kayti and made locally. FISHERSFLOWERFARM.COM
Harvest Moon Flower Farm
Expect a kaleidoscope of color from July until September—along with many a monarch butterfly.
BEYOND THE FIELD: The folks here have been making custom wreaths—floral, of course, but also pussy willow, herbal, and harvest— for decades. Order one in advance. When you go to pick it up, feel free to bring a picnic. (There are no restrooms, so plan accordingly.)
Where there are flowers, there are probably bees. Don’t wear perfume or scented lotion.
Bouquet YOUR WAY
Local pros share their top flower-arranging tips.
Once you’ve got those pretty posies at home, it’s time to show them off. Here’s how.
1. Decide which blooms will be “feature” and which will be “accent.” Typically, feature flowers are the largest or showiest specimens, while accent stems are smaller and more delicate. A balanced, eye-pleasing bouquet needs both. Jennifer Treadway, owner of Jen’s Floral Design in Fishers (jensfloral.com), especially likes peonies, roses, gerbera daisies, lilies, ranunculus, and blue or purple irises as features.
2. Choose a vase that complements, not competes with, your blossoms. “My favorite containers have texture within the design and a natural color, such as glass or wood in white or gray,” says Treadway. Whatever vessel you choose, make sure it’s squeaky clean. Any bacteria left behind from the last bouquet will cause your flowers to deteriorate quickly.
3. As you play around with your arrangement, take careful note of optimal heights before you start cutting. “As my carpenter dad always said, ‘Measure twice; cut once,’” advises Treadway. Cut stems with a clean knife at a sharp angle for maximal water absorption.
4. If your home has a salt-based water softener, your tap water isn’t great for flowers. In that case, Treadway suggests keeping spring water—sold in jugs in any big grocery store—on hand for bouquets.
5. Change the water every single day—don’t wait for it to look cloudy, recommends Meredith Fleming, co-owner of SoBro’s Posh Petals (posh-petals.com). Using cold water rather than room temperature prolongs the life of cut flowers, she adds.
grab & go
Short on time but big on summer’s bounty? These farms coordinate pickup or even delivery of the best fruit, veggies, and flowers of the moment. Let them gather while you savor.
flowers
Dollie’s Farm Bloom Club
While Dollie’s specializes in lavender, it grows others blossoms and incorporates them into the bunches club members receive. Bouquets are delivered every Friday from early June to midSeptember. (Lavender skincare products and fresh eggs can be ordered for porch pickup yearround, by the way.)
3961 COUNTY RD. 425 E, FRANKLIN DOLLIESFARM.COM
Flower Fridays at Fishers Flower Farm
Need a bouquet to bring to a dinner host or just want to brighten up your space after a long work week? Preorder one for private farm stand pickup in Fishers near 116th Street and Allisonville Road. FISHERSFLOWERFARM.COM
Harvest Moon Flower Farm
Table arrangements delivered to home and business subscribers arrive in a different elegant vase each week. (The old one is swapped out.) Bouquet deliveries can also be set up.
A veritable parade of seasonal goodness can be preordered in bulk for pickup from late May to late August. Get strawberries, blueberries, green beans, blackberries, peaches, bicolor sweet corn, white sweet corn, and tomatoes.
2304 E. MAIN ST., DANVILLE, BEASLEYS-ORCHARD.COM/ PREORDER-PRODUCE
Picking Pointer:
It may be 90 degrees, but sandal-clad feet and farms do not get along. Wear closed, comfortable shoes.
Ironwood Farms
Sign on for a five- or 10-week subscription. Expect four or five pieces of perfectly ripe produce along with a little something extra waiting for you at Ironwood. (Think local jam, honey, popcorn, and apple butter.) You can pick up at a designated location in Carmel or Zionsville for a minimal upcharge.
5441 U.S. 52, LEBANON, IRONWOOD-FARMS.COM/ PRODUCE-SUBSCRIPTION
Spencer Farm
Preorder and pick up a variety of produce that rotates based on availability. Call for the latest information.
7177 E. 161ST ST., NOBLESVILLE, 317-776-1560, SPENCERBERRYFARM.COM
Tuttles Tote Program
Grab a small, large, or monthly sampler box full of seasonal produce from late May to late August. (The monthly sampler also includes a pantry item and fresh bakery goody.) You just need to embrace the element of surprise. Tuttle adds produce from trusted growers to its own to make sure boxes are filled with whatever is best that week. You may see celery or Brussels sprouts only once, say, but the most popular picks like sweet corn or tomatoes may show up multiple times. Choose from nine pickup locations. 5717 N. 300 W, GREENFIELD, INDIANAPOLISORCHARD .COM/SEASONAL-PRODUCESUBSCRIPTION
strawberry Fields Forever
BY SUZANNE KROWIAK
Everybody knows the summer party starts when the strawberries show up. The season is fleeting, so grab them by the pound. But don’t worry whether you can use them all right away. Here are four easy methods for preserving that sweet berry-liciousness.
PUMP UP THE JAM.
The strawberry-vanilla jam with black pepper, that is. You can cook a one-jar batch in a large skillet. No special equipment is needed.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
1 whole vanilla bean
2 tablespoons lemon juice zest of one lemon fresh ground pepper
1. Split the vanilla bean down the middle with a small knife and scrape out the paste inside.
2. In a 12-inch skillet (or a wide-bottom Dutch oven), combine the paste with the berries, sugar, juice, and zest. Stir well.
3. Bring to a full boil over mediumhigh heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and add three twists of pepper.
4. Maintain a low simmer until the temperature of the jam reads 220 degrees on a kitchen thermometer, which should take 10–20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and carefully scrape any foam from the top of the mixture. Add more pepper to taste.
6. If you prefer smoother jam, use a potato masher to break up chunks.
7. Transfer jam to a pint-size (16-ounce) jar.
GET YOURSELF INTO A PRETTY PICKLE.
Pickled strawberries are an unexpected addition to enliven your
go-to charcuterie board. They can also be served as a kicky side dish, dropped into salad dressing, or spooned over ice cream. Just use your imagination.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced in half (quartered if large)
1 cup champagne vinegar
½ cup water
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1. Put strawberries in a quart (32-ounce) jar.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat only until the salt and sugar dissolve.
3. Pour the heated brine into the jar.
4. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving.
TAKE A DRY RUN.
Dehydrated strawberries are the secret meal-prep weapon you didn’t know you needed. Flakes can be added to granola, stirred into yogurt or cottage cheese, sprinkled over salads, mixed into cream cheese for your Sunday morning bagel, or used as you would any dried fruit.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and thinly sliced
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the slices on the baking sheets.
3. Bake three to four hours, rotating the pans every hour, until the slices pull away easily from the parchment paper.
JUST CHILL.
Freezing strawberries seals in their nutrition and flavor. Year-long smoothies, anyone?
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and thinly sliced
1. Lay slices individually on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Put the baking sheet in the freezer until slices are frozen solid, at least 90 minutes. This step is critical to avoid a big icy clump to wrestle with later.
3. Quickly transfer slices to an airtight storage bag or container for long-term freezing.
Pato
by TONY REHAGEN
IndyCar’s hottest young driver tries to show the world, and himself, who he really is.
photos by JAY GOLDZ
EMERALD MINE
Pato O’ Ward’s 1965 Ford Shelby Cobra is a gem—the sleek ride is custom painted per his own design and holds a 5.0L V8 engine.
WINTER, MOTORISTS
heading west on 16th Street in Speedway were confronted with a mysterious question. If they managed to look up from dodging chuckholes around North Rochester Avenue about a mile east of the dormant Brickyard, they no doubt spotted a black billboard hovering just behind 500 Guns emblazoned with two massive words and a punctuation mark: Pato Who?
The simplest answer: He’s the owner of the billboard.
Born in Monterrey, Mexico, IndyCar driver Patricio “Pato” O’Ward has, at just 25, fast become a fan favorite and media darling for the series. For years, he has lobbied for the league to schedule a race in his native Mexico. Last September, IndyCar CEO Mark Miles was quoted in The Indianapolis Star, saying track officials in Mexico City told him that neither the series nor O’Ward were “wellknown enough” to draw a crowd in his home country. Soon after, O’Ward won the Milwau-
kee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin, taking his third checkered flag of the season. During the post-race press conference, O’Ward wore a wide, black sombrero with his logo stitched on the front. Runner-up Will Power needled the winner about Miles’ comments.
“We should be in Mexico City, not NASCAR,” Power said, turning to O’Ward. Thirdplace finisher Conor Daly let out a playful “Ohhhh!” and joined Power in laughing at the burn, two veterans razzing the youngster.
O’Ward shrugged it off, smiled wryly, and winked. Leaning into his microphone, he responded, “Yeah, Pato who?”
The clip went viral (or at least as viral as anything related to IndyCar goes these days), and O’Ward and his marketing team doubled down on the trolling, printing and selling Pato Who? hats, stickers, and T-shirts through his online shop. Then he bought two billboards in Speedway (the second along Crawfordsville Road on the other side of the IMS). “Mark Miles said I wasn’t famous enough because I wasn’t on enough billboards,” O’Ward tells me via a late-February video conference. “So,
INSIDE LANE
O’Ward’s home in Meridian Hills is a haven where the driver can downshift in style.
RIDDLE ME THIS
The Pato Who? sign at 16th Street and Rochester Avenue—one of two westside billboards the racer purchased—begs for an answer during the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 26.
I purchased two billboards. It’s just me having fun with it.”
Whether intended as a joke, a jab at authority, or a makeshift guerilla marketing campaign, Pato Who? might be the most important query in all of IndyCar at the moment. The series has been searching for a mainstream splash since the days of DanicaMania, with Danica Patrick gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated, and a banana-suited Helio Castroneves dancing with the stars on national TV. IndyCar is entering the first year of a historic and record-breaking media rights deal with Fox Sports, and it’s no coincidence the network dedicated an entire 40-second Super Bowl commercial to O’Ward (with its narrator proclaiming, “Pato looks like a oneman boy band, he charms like a British spy, he smells like burnt rubber, and he doesn’t have fans—he has groupies.”). He combines a boyish innocence with an uninhibited wit and candor in the spotlight, laying his emotions bare whether he’s celebrating on the podium, crying in the pits, or jabbing at authority in a post-race press conference. He was IndyCar’s top merch mover even before the Pato Who? swag hit the shop. Last October, a little over a month after the Milwaukee press conference, he showed up for a last-minute appearance at a Mexico City mall during Formula One weekend expecting 120 people—only to be swarmed by more than 4,000 screaming fans spilling out of the building, some waving giant floating Pato heads, others holding signs identifying themselves as “Patties” (a play on Taylor’s Swifties). “It was insane,” O’Ward says. Then, with no small amount of hubris: “After that, a race in Mexico City shouldn’t even be a negotiation.”
Even stateside, O’Ward draws fervent crowds. “Last year in Portland, we were in the trailer trying to debrief, and the fans outside chanting, ‘Pato!’ were so loud we struggled to hear each other,” says Nick Snyder, performance director for Arrow McLaren and race strategist for O’Ward’s No. 5 Chevrolet. “I’ve been doing this since 2003, and that’s the biggest support I’ve seen for an IndyCar driver. It even rivals some F1 drivers.”
But despite 38 top five finishes and seven wins in his first five seasons, O’Ward has yet to win the one race that could shift his fame into a higher gear—the Indy 500. He has also struggled to put together the week-toweek consistency required to win an overall IndyCar season championship. Part of that is just youth. O’Ward seems to be undergoing the type of identity crisis most young people deal with, especially those thrust into early success. Specifically, he appears torn between his childhood dreams of Formula One and an opportunity that seems his for the taking here in Indy. He admits to sometimes being unable to live in the moment and focus on what’s in front of him.
So who is Pato O’Ward? That’s a question the driver might be asking himself.
ON OCTOBER 15, 2022, a baby-faced O’Ward stood in the garage at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, California, in a blissful daze. His eyes were particularly bright and wide, his tussled crop of dark hair freed from his racing helmet. He had just completed an exhibition run in Ayrton Senna’s 1990 Formula One Championship McLaren MP4/5B car, and he looked like a kid who had just unwrapped the only bigticket gift on his wish list. “I’m still giggling, man,” he told an interviewer. “I can’t express how different this is. This is so alive!”
“You’re getting a chance to do more F1 stuff here coming up soon,” said the interviewer, referring to the announcement that O’Ward would make his F1 debut in free practice at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the following month. “You’re living your best life, Pato O’Ward.”
“I wouldn’t want to be in any other position, man. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of. I feel very grateful for what I’ve been able to accomplish so far and stoked to see what the future might hold.”
With tech that makes its cars lap those in other series, face-melting speeds, and global renown, F1 is widely considered the pinnacle of motorsport. Many drivers, especially those with international backgrounds, consider piloting the futuristic machines their ultimate goal. O’Ward is no different. “My dream of
CAREER MILESTONES
From early wins during childhood (above) to a victorious finish in the 2024 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (below and opposite page), O’Ward has paved a path to success in IndyCar and beyond.
being a racing driver has always had F1 as the backbone. That’s what I’ve strived for,” O’Ward tells me. “They’re the greatest race cars you’ll ever lay your hands on. You want to go as fast, corner as fast, brake as late as possible, all these little things they allow you to do. It’s like the acceleration wants to kill you. It gives you such a sensation that really is addicting. You don’t want to get out of the car.”
Growing up, O’Ward did everything he could do to get into one. He split his time between Mexico and Texas karting and then open-wheel racing, including in the LATAM Fórmula 2000 and Formula Renault 1.6 NEC. In 2014, at 15, he moved abroad to compete in the French F4 Championship, a first stepping stone to F1. He finished seventh in points, with one win and two podium finishes, despite only participating in 15 of 21 races. It drew the attention of Team Pelfrey, the Indybased racing team that lured O’Ward to the Pro Mazda Championship, later rebranded Indy Pro 2000, the third rung on the ladder to IndyCar. “They gave me the option to get back to the U.S. from Europe,” says O’Ward. “My first test was on the road course at IMS. They guided me toward IndyCar.”
While Formula One is more of a competition between makers that rewards the innovation and investment of the people who build the cars, the machines used in IndyCar and its feeder series are spec, meaning they use
the same or similar car parts. That means the drivers make the difference—and they get the lion’s share of the glory. O’Ward shined early and often in Pro Mazda, winning six of the first seven races, including two at IMS in 2016, just his second year. From there, he climbed to IndyLights (now Indy NXT), the next rung up the IndyCar ladder, one step away from the main series. Again he shone in his sophomore season, winning nine races and securing the IndyLights championship for Andretti Autosport. “He was very passionate, very aggressive,” says former IndyCar driver and 500 champion Tony Kanaan, who is currently team principal at Arrow McLaren. “He was a raw talent that could adapt to anything and still make it go fast, which is very rare.”
O’Ward has a knack for adapting to any style of racing, be it on a road course, a street course, or an oval—which makes him ideal for IndyCar. But sponsorship issues scuffled
his would-be rookie year in the big-league series with Harding Steinbrenner Racing, forcing him to patch together races with Carlin in 2019. Just before the Grand Prix of Indianapolis that May, O’Ward announced a surprise deal with the Red Bull Junior Team to race in Formula Two, the penultimate level before F1. He then failed to qualify for the 500 with Carlin. That October, Red Bull dropped O’Ward after the FIA, the world motorsport authority, determined that he hadn’t accumulated the necessary points for the Super Licence required to race in F1.
Suddenly without a seat, O’Ward called Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, one of the oldest and most successful teams in F1, which also operates Indianapolis team Arrow McLaren. Brown signed O’Ward to the latter going into the 2020 IndyCar season, during which the driver grabbed three podiums and finished fourth in overall points. The following season, Brown promised O’Ward that if he actually won an IndyCar race, he’d get to test a McLaren F1 car. He won two, in Texas and Detroit, good for an eventual third place in the championship standings. True to his word, Brown put him in McLaren F1 machines for postseason and private testing and eventually the free practice in Abu Dhabi. Following the 2023 season—in which O’Ward reached a career-high seven podiums, though he continued to struggle with consistency, finishing fourth in points once again—O’Ward finally earned his Super Licence. McLaren named him its F1 reserve driver and folded him into the F1 driver development program as his IndyCar star continued to climb the pole.
Andretti, who could never quite get to Victory Lane in three decades of trying; Danica Patrick, who launched her career by leading 19 historic laps and finishing fourth; or Kanaan, Will Power, or Josef Newgarden, who all finally got their sip of celebratory milk after more than a decade of near misses.
If heartbreaking Brickyard losses endear drivers to fans, it’s no wonder O’Ward is so popular here. After finishing sixth in his 2020 debut and earning Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, he returned the following year to finish fourth. In 2022, he led 26 laps before finishing second. He led 39 laps in the 2023 spectacle before crashing on lap 193 of 200 in a battle for second. And then last year, he took the lead in the first turn of the final lap, only to be passed in Turn 3 by eventual winner Newgarden. “So close again,” O’Ward told reporters after the race, tears in his eyes. “So. Fucking. Close.”
But the fan outpouring during and after that race—people crying with him, waving signs and Mexican flags—seemed to overshadow the celebration in Victory Lane and certainly made O’Ward feel as though he’d won. He has embraced this welcome, buying a home in Meridian Hills late last year to be near his IndyCar team and the track where he’s seen the most consistent success in his career. “It’s a special event to be a part of,” says O’Ward. “The Month of May for me is the only month where I can live in the present and absorb everything. All year long, you’re always looking forward, looking forward. It’s easy to lose sight and push forward for what you want. You forget the best moments are where you are currently. ... It feels like time stops.”
Being more present in IndyCar, and not just in May, might be O’Ward’s secret to finally winning the 500 and earning a points championship. And it could help give the series notability approaching that of F1—both here and abroad. “Anything you cannot filter and use to your benefit is a distraction,” says Kanaan, who frequently counsels O’Ward.
“Why are you living in the future and not enjoying the present? His desire to go to F1 and that opportunity not presenting itself, that was the case a few years ago. Now, I think he’s dedicated to us and to the series, putting it in a position to grow. Win in the present, win here, and that will put you in the position for the future if the opportunity comes.”
“I’m definitely not as antsy to get to F1 as I was three years ago,” O’Ward says. “Maybe that’s me maturing. Maybe that’s me seeing I’ve got it so good here.”
THE ONLY thing Indianapolis racing fans seem to like better than a winner is a driver who comes up just short. Think Michael
Meanwhile, O’Ward has paid for his Pato Who? billboards to remain up at least through the Month of May. He, his team, and many in IndyCar hope that by the end of the month, the answer to that question will be clear.
Inside Joke
Give it up for Bloomington’s surprisingly brilliant comedy scene.
by Julia Spalding
THIS MONTH, Bloomington hosts the Limestone Comedy Festival, one of the country’s most respected indie events for stand-up comedians and the people who get their jokes. Limestone alumni include some of the top names in the business—Margaret Cho, Tig Notaro, Maria Bamford, Patton Oswalt, Fortune Feimster, James Adomian, Rachel Bloom, Bob the Drag Queen—comedians’ comedians who are part of a tradition that continues May 29–31. Headliners such as Chris Fleming and River Butcher will perform this year alongside a cast of rising stars in venues both cozy (The Back Door) and grand (the historic BuskirkChumley Theater). Fans can buy single tickets or purchase the $160 VIP badge for benefits that include guaranteed seating and a ticket to Friday night’s Karaoke With The Comics After Party. Now in its 12th year, Limestone is still killing it.
But how did such a small-scale, grassroots festival in the middle of cornfields and conservatives, beer kegs, and college hoops become such a darling of the stand-up community? Like so many great performances, it would be nothing without a terrific warmup act.
The town of Bloomington first stepped into the brick-wall spotlight 17 years ago because Jared and Dayna Thompson, two locals, decided to try out some new material. Jared was working as a regional sales manager for a cable business in Bloomington that was acquired by Comcast. With a company transfer to Fishers looming, the Thompsons opted to stay put. “Bloomington is where we live. It’s who we are,” Jared says.
Also, they wanted to open a comedy club. A comedy club? Was that some kind of joke?
The hometown crowd was dubious. Bloomington wasn’t a big enough town, people said. There was no nearby airport for traveling comics to fly into, and the Thompsons would be competing for talent with the larger Midwest markets of Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago—The Second City itself.
Undaunted, the Thompsons found a location right downtown on Walnut Street, a former Christian coffee shop on the second floor of a historic Knights of Columbus that Dayna recalls “was in pretty bad shape.” They did their own renovation work, ripping out accordion folding doors, removing siding from the walls, tending to a damaged roof, and building a stage from scratch. Some of their DIY projects proved fortuitous, adding to the scrappy charm of what would become The Comedy Attic (comedyattic.com). Behind that old siding, they discovered brick—the stand-up comedian’s emotional support wall. The dropped ceiling they installed to cover up all the water damage overhead not only improved the acous-
tics of the room but changed its whole vibe, making the space feel warm and intimate (a quality that would become one of The Comedy Attic’s trademarks). The Thompsons painted it black for good measure.
Jared, who already had some side experience booking punk bands, knew how to reach out to managers and agents to bring in acts. Working with comedians would be something different, but he had a good eye for talent and one guiding principle: “The thing that I’m always looking for as a booker is, ‘Can anyone else do what you’re doing?’ And most of the time with what we book, the answer is no,” he says. “To me, that’s what makes a great show.’”
Any other questions Jared had about the themes and tone of their new club were answered when the great Maria Bamford— already beloved in alt-comedy circles— performed her first show there in 2009. Perhaps best known for her semi-autobiographical Netflix show Lady Dynamite, Bamford’s humor is unapologetically weird and self-aware, touching on issues of mental health, family dynamics, and social awkwardness.
Something clicked between the Bloomington
HIGH ART
Jared and Dayna Thompson’s second-story club showcases local acts as well as big names in comedy touring the U.S.
RETURNING GUEST
audience and Bamford, even though her material—equal parts raw and sweet—was nothing like the raucous Bob & Tom morning radio style of humor Jared thought he might need to bring in to satisfy his Hoosier audience.
“Maria’s first visit laid the groundwork for what we became,” Jared says. By the time Bamford returned the following year, the venue had found its identity: smart and original, with a high regard for one-of-a-kind voices. “She’s sort of the queen of comedy in this town,” Jared says. She has also become one of its recurring characters, returning to the Attic on several occasions—on one visit leading a workshop for local comics and giving them personal feedback and on another visit receiving a key to the city on a date declared by the town’s then-mayor John Hamilton as Maria Bamford Day.
Bamford’s reverence for the craft left a lasting impression. The Comedy Attic earned a reputation as a sanctuary for serious stand-up and a place that would book comedians representing all racial, sexual, and gender identities. From the beginning, the club adopted a firm code of conduct: no table chatter, no heckling, no distractions, no disrespect. Before every act, these rules are laid out in a pre-show announcement that is delivered with all the ritual weight of the Pledge of Allegiance. But this is a social contract the audience willingly enters into.
In addition to the out-of-towners, a surprising amount of Midwest talent has stepped off this stage, including Emil Wakim, one
MIC DROP
Over the years, Bloomington’s intimate, low-ceilinged club, The Comedy Attic, and its owner Jared Thompson have become cult favorites among comics across the country who consider it a spot where audiences actually listen, and the laughter bounces off the walls—which isn’t hard to do in a 2,300-square-foot space. Here, some of the biggest names in stand-up share why they keep coming back to this little Indiana room that punches way above its weight.
MARIA BAMFORD
“Jared is a visionary pillar. I adore that he does a video pre-show that tells people to ‘Get Out’ if they don’t behave. He is so kind and thoughtful with the local community, and the comedy festival is a showcase of fresh up-and-coming talent nationwide that you’ll soon see on TV. I am biased—as an older comedy dog that Jared still books—but that said, ask any comedian and they will name The Comedy Attic headlining position as something on their vision board.”
GUY BRANUM
“The Comedy Attic has cultivated a perfect environment for comedy. The audiences are smart, engaged, and always have high expectations. The club has built a community of excellent local comics who keep the Bloomington scene thriving, and the green room is always buzzing with an intense fascination and engagement with the larger comedy community. It concentrates the intellectual, playful, curious spirit of Bloomington to an intoxicating level.”
LAURIE KILMARTIN
“I love the Attic. Jared is obsessed with comedy. He wants the best possible audience, for the best possible comedians. And Bloomington isn’t easy to get to—flying from LA, you’re guaranteed a layover just to get to Indy, and then there’s that 70-minute drive down a two-lane highway. But Jared creates a curated comedy experience, and it’s worth the journey, every time.”
JIMMY PARDO
“My favorite club in the country. Bar none!”
JACKIE KASHIAN
“Comedy clubs are often owned by men who, for the amount of interest they have in the point and purpose of making people laugh, should have invested in a chain of liquor stores. Jared has built, purposefully, a place where comedy can continue to reinvent itself, out of real comic motivation, not just to be spectacular. The way he’s established and grown his club often makes me laugh because it’s so honest and full of hope.”
A Bloomington favorite, comedian Maria Bamford received a key to the city in 2017.
of the new cast members on Saturday Night Live—a guy who has a Comedy Attic tattoo on his wrist. As an Indiana University student, Wakim worked on some promotional material for the Attic and spent a lot of time just hanging out there, absorbing the sets, and eventually jumping onstage at open mics. His sharp writing and low-key delivery stood out early, and he started touring, working alongside the likes of Nikki Glaser and Kyle Kinane. When he found out he’d been cast on SNL, Wakim immediately hopped on a video call with the person who gave him his first stage time: Jared Thompson.
Another successful graduate of the Attic, comedian Tom Thakkar has been featured on Conan and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He lives in Los Angeles now and is married with a mortgage and a new podcast, You Hurt My Feelings (on which guest comedians share stories about mean comments, slights, and moments that got under their skin). But he credits The Comedy Attic with helping him develop his comedy chops. Originally from Bloomington, Thakkar attended IU and performed improv with one of the university’s student troupes, HoosOnFirst. He had his sights on medical school, but then The Comedy Attic opened during his final years of college. It was a game changer.
The club became his training ground, pushing him to write smarter material and mine his Hoosier roots for jokes. His backyard trampoline stories land particularly well. But Thakkar, who describes himself as “the son of a great, Red Lobster–managing mom and a
deadbeat Indian dad,” thinks Bloomington is— surprisingly—a uniquely great comedy town. “The audiences in Bloomington are smart,” he says. “They like big comedy, and they supported what we were doing pretty early.”
In fact, Bloomington’s funny bone is welltickled. In addition to The Comedy Attic’s three weekly shows, local bars like Hoppy Wobbles Pub and the Orbit Room host regular open mics, and IU students fill out the casts of improv and skit comedy troupes with names like Full Frontal Comedy, Improv Bloomington, Brick by Brick, and Fabuloso.
MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY
It’s fertile soil for a comedy festival, and that’s exactly why Thompson joined forces with his friend Mat Alano-Martin to launch Limestone in 2013 (later joined by Indianapolis-based comedian Dwight Simmons). Their vision was to foster local talent and create a supportive environment for performers—the next Emil Wakim or the next Tom Thakkar—and to bring top-tier comedy to town. Maybe even show it off a little.
A proud Comedy Attic alum, Emil Wakim is a cast member on this season’s Saturday Night Live
When fellow nationally touring performers ask Thakkar what to expect when they visit Bloomington for a show, he tells them not to underestimate it, that “Bloomington is special.” He urges them to go beyond the hotel and club and explore the town—eat a meal at Upland Brewing and browse some local shops in this “weird little town where they put sweaters on the trees.” He knows that to an outsider, especially one flying in from LA or New York—it might sound like just another small town in Indiana. But he promises it’s more than that. It’s artsy, warm, and full of charm. “It breaks my heart,” he admits, when comics come through and never see beyond the gig, because they’re missing one of the most delightful stops in stand-up.
Every summer, Bloomington hosts the Limestone Comedy Festival, a huge draw for both performers and audiences.
ROCK STARS
Private Education
By Lori Roberts
For many families who choose private schools, the acceptance letter is just the beginning of their educational journey.
From reading to kindergartners to selling tickets to basketball games, parents become deeply invested in their kids’
growth and development. Volunteer opportunities
participants in their children’s education, as well as contributors to the school’s overall success.
How can a parent get involved at their child’s school? The answer changes depending on the student’s age, the parent’s availability, and the school’s opportunities for family participation. But one thing remains constant: Parental involvement can have a powerful impact on students.
“There’s tons of research out there that shows that students across the world have higher levels of achievement when parents are involved in their education,” says Elizabeth Head, the head of school for the International School of Indiana, a pre-K to grade 12 campus in Indianapolis.
We reached out to several private institutions
how parents can best participate in their child’s
QUALITY TIME
A mother helps her daughter create an art project at the International School of Indiana.
education without becoming the dreaded “helicopter parent” who micromanages every step of the student’s educational path. We discovered that local private schools value family involvement and have ample open doors allowing parents to step into the learning environment and make
“There’s tons of research out there that shows that students across the world have higher levels of achievement when parents are involved in their education.”
Elizabeth Head, head of school for the International School of Indiana
recruitment and enrollment
Selecting the right independent school is much Indianapolis has many private school opportunities,
Imagine a community of curious, compassionate people who lead by example and seek connection experiences, of academic interest.
DePauw University offers areas of study across three schools:
• College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Creative School
• School of Business and Leadership
You’ll also find:
• A top 50 national liberal arts college – and #1 in Indiana
• 75+ majors, minors and programs
• 100+ student clubs and organizations
• 23 NCAA Division III varsity athletic teams
• 23 Greek-letter organizations
• 84% of students complete an internship
• 90% of students study abroad
Located in Greencastle, Indiana, just 40 minutes from Indianapolis, our 1,900 students are pursuing their passions –and discovering new ones – in a community where they feel both challenged and supported.
beginning at the preschool level and continuing through college. Some education, while others may focus on the primary or high school grade levels.
“It’s a tough decision,” says Grace marketing for Cathedral High School. “We have so many great schools in Indianapolis. You want to make sure you’re making the right choice.”
Most recruitment and enrollment communication begins electronically. Word of mouth leads parents to the internet, where they can request additional information and schedule campus tours. Even at the beginning, most schools work to tailor initial visits to individual families. For instance,
Episcopal School in Indianapolis can
of admissions and enrollment, to determine their values. What type of curriculum are they seeking? Is
At the college level, families who reach out to the University of Indianapolis may be assigned with their geographic location, vice president of marketing and enrollment support for UIndy.
During initial campus visits, parents are encouraged to ask questions beyond inquiring about tuition costs and scholarship opportunities, although those are certainly pertinent queries.
“Families should feel comfortable asking questions that really get to the heart of a school’s culture and values,” says Ed Hollinger, head of school for The Orchard School. “I recommend asking about the mission, teaching approach, and what success looks like for students. … Most importantly, trust your instincts—pay attention to how you feel when you’re on campus and interacting with our community. That can tell you a lot.”
This is also a good time to plug into the parent network. “We have a parent ambassador program,” Head says. “We connect our interested families with those parents who can share their knowledge and
SUPPORT SYSTEM
Parents and siblings are welcomed at International School of Indiana events to show support for their children enrolled there.
GATHER ’ROUND
Families from The Orchard School warm up by a fire table during an ice skating event at Holliday Park.
HANDS-ON LEARNING SPARKS CREATIVITY
Preschoolers are using applied learning in Orchard’s Makerspace to complement their in-classroom curriculum. Our youngest students are exploring a new space and learning how to use real tools—clamps and saws.
Respecting the tools and space at a young age will provide many opportunities to dive deeper into creativity as students get older and projects become more elaborate and technical.
enthusiasm for ISI. Along the way, these families are always meeting and talking to parents.”
As students get older, parents may want to step back and let the kids take the lead during campus visits. Prospective high school and college-aged during tours, giving the younger generation a chance to talk with their potential peer groups while parents spend time with administrators and school once their child is enrolled. This is especially important for parents of college students.
“Once your child is 18, the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act basically doesn’t allow the college to inform you about certain things,” your child to sign the release so you can get information on what’s going on at school.”
Faculty and Staff Connections
Private schools are committed to open communication with parents, whether they’re giving a preview of the school week ahead or sharing
Most parents can stay on top of their child’s schedule by checking the school’s website, watching social
media feeds, and reading regularly sent emails. “It’s very important for parents to read anything that they get at the school,” Trahan-
from middle school. There’s so much going on, and you don’t want to miss anything.”
During the school year, parents are encouraged to reach out to individual teachers to discuss questions or concerns about the classroom. Napier advises attending fall and spring school conferences,
“A healthy partnership involves conversations and connections with what is happening in the classroom, as well as what is happening at home.”
for one-on-one, inperson conversations. However, as students move into adolescence and adulthood, parents should prepare to let their children do the talking. Discuss
Ed Hollinger, head of school for The Orchard School
says. But encourage students to be proactive in communicating with their teachers and professors. “I think professors don’t want to hear having trouble and they want their parents to do something, the parent has to teach their child to advocate for themselves.”
Maintaining a Presence
Most teachers and administrators will tell you they can’t operate a successful school without engaged parents. Many private schools have an open-door policy allowing parents to stop in and check out their children’s classrooms. Parents may be able to join their children for lunch—even if that means they share the day’s cafeteria meal of chicken nuggets and chocolate milk. Many parents at St. Richard’s Episcopal School walk their children into their classrooms
each morning. This cozy practice continues until
Schools rely on parent volunteers for many
teachers can use an extra set of eyes on the students and children are excited to see their parents in the classroom. It also advances the partnership
“A healthy partnership involves conversations and connections with what is happening in
Visit Today
2024 IDOE Education Excellence in Academic Gains Grant 2024
Hatchell Cup Recipient • 4-Time
National Blue Ribbon Award
Recipient • Nearly 40 AP and Dual Credit Classes
TEAM SPIRIT
The International School of Indiana celebrates its senior year athletes during a basketball game against Central Christian Academy.
home,” Hollinger says. “It’s important that parents share their hopes and dreams for their child with their classroom teacher, along with their child’s strengths and challenges. Building these healthy partnerships starts with candid conversations at the start of each school year with ongoing dialogue and frequent updates throughout the school year.”
As children approach middle school, parents
think of their parents showing up and having conversations with their friends in the classroom. At the same time, schools focus on nurturing children who are growing into young adults, and in-classroom volunteer roles dwindle.
But schools still need parent volunteers, perhaps even more as children progress through high school. Extracurricular activities are often more extensive and require a lot of behind-the-scenes work. Marching bands need parents to help with props and providing meals during competitions, and sports teams rely on parents to coordinate spirit day activities and run concession stands.
“Be ready to be involved in your children’s extracurriculars,” Trahan-Rodecap says. “Join the boosters and be there for the tailgate parties. Be that involved parent. This is a great way to not only support your student but also to get to know other parents.”
Middle school students from The Orchard School sell branded and creative merchandise with the help of their parents.
Not every volunteer role involves working with students. Parent-teacher organizations seek family members who are invested in the school’s continued success. Parents play a major role in annual fundraisers that supplement tuition fees and make scholarships available to families in need of assistance. Also, parents who might not be able to get away during the day to read in the classroom can still impact the school days or volunteering their professional skills to make special events a success.
“For parents of older children, we have volunteer opportunities where the parents can be involved but not directly in the classroom,” Head says. Students don’t necessarily have to see their parents physically show up at school to appreciate that they care enough to become involved.
“It’s important for students to see that you’re partnering with the school, that you have a common goal to educate and give them high academic standards,” Napier says. “I think it’s important for the child to know that they’re important to us and they’re important to their parents, and we’re working together.”
FUN IN THE SUN Festivals and other school celebrations allow families of St. Richard’s Episcopal School students to engage in leisure activities together.
Wabash River.
Wolf Park
Prophetstown State Park and The Farm at Prophetstown
Columbian Park Zoo
Parks & Recreation Parks & Recreation
The Midwest shows off both its natural beauty and historical heritage in an array of national, state, and local parks offering opportunities to past. We offer this guide to more than 50 road trip–worthy attractions throughout Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
OHIO
Buckeye Delights
Ohio is home to a half-dozen national historic parks, sites, monuments, and memorials commemorating the lives of Native Americans, political innovators. Among them, the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park (nps.gov/daav) celebrates poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and the and Wilbur Wright the Huffman Prairie and Wright-Dunbar interpretive centers, stroll through Carillon Historical Park, and tour the Wright Cycle Shop and Paul Laurence Dunbar House Historic Site.
president. Guided tours of the house and self-guided cellphone tours of the grounds are available. In Cincinnati’s Mount Auburn district, the William (nps.gov/wiho) includes the home and the only person to ever serve as both U.S. president and chief justice
embark on a tour of the property. At the
Historic Site in Canton, guests can visit Saxton House, the family home
President William McKinley. Rotating exhibits in the visitor center highlight the achievements and throughout history.
the ranks of the U.S. Army despite racism
Past U.S. presidents and their spouses take center stage at a trio of Ohio destinations.
National Historic Site (nps.gov/jaga) in Mentor showcases the preserved
Named for a distinguished brigadier national park superintendent, the National Monument (nps.gov/chyo) in Wilberforce salutes the legacy of a Kentucky-born soldier who rose through
pays tribute to free speech.
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial (nps.gov/pevi) in Put-in-Bay honors soldiers who fought in the Battle
Historic Site
Peace Memorial
Historic Site
of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. The granite-encased memorial, which towers 352 feet above lake level, includes an observation deck at the top that provides views of the surrounding islands. Nearby attractions like the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy (lakeerieislandsconservancy .org) and Lake Erie Islands Nature & Wildlife Center (lakeerieislandswildlife .com) are prime picks for bird-watchers and conservationists.
Observe ancient Native American earthworks and mounds dating back 2,000 years at Hopewell Culture National
Historical Park (nps.gov/hocu) in Chillicothe. Ohio’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site offers educational guided tours led by park rangers and archeologists.
state parks in Ross County: Great Seal, Paint Creek, Pike Lake, Scioto Trail, and Tar Hollow (ohiodnr.gov)
Between Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (nps.gov/cuva)
hickory trees that provide a canopy of shade in the summer and explode with color during fall. More than 125 miles
of hiking trails lead visitors to star attractions like Brandywine Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Blue Hen Falls. Cyclists who want to cover even more ground will outside the park, or they can stick to the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, which traverses 20 miles of old canal remnants through some of Cuyahoga’s most scenic forests and wetlands. A more relaxing route to view the park’s beauty comes via the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (cvsr.org), which offers 90-minute and 3-hour rides in a vintage rail car with an onboard cafe. The Stanford House
Kelleys Island State Park Shawnee State Park
Hocking Hills State Park
Always in Season? IT’S
A SHORE
THING
Shores & Islands Ohio is a year-round destination, just a short drive away. Immerse yourself in culture through a variety of diverse community events. Indulge in local cuisine, from upscale to casual, even dine by the lakeside. Play in one of the three water park resorts, take a ferry ride to a Lake Erie island, explore miles of beaches and natural trails, enjoy quaint downtowns and museums, and experience the beauty of the changing seasons across the region. Make memories that’ll last a lifetime. Find your Lake Erie Love at SHORESandISLANDS.com.
(conservancyforcvnp.org) and Inn at Brandywine Falls (theinnatbrandywinefalls.com) provide homey accommodations with historic charm within the park.
Well-known in the Midwest for its scenic caves, gorges, rock formations, and waterfalls, Hocking Hills State Park (ohiodnr.gov/hocking) near Columbus is one of the top spots in Ohio to enjoy nature. The park features multiple hiking trails
levels. One of the most popular trails is the easy, quarter-mile Ash Cave Gorge path leading to a wide, horseshoe-shaped recess cave with a waterfall. It can be combined with the more moderate Ash Cave Rim trail to trail, Cantwell Cliffs, is a narrow trek winding through a deep gorge with lots of elevation changes, stair steps, twists and turns, and tight squeezes to reach the bottom. Nearby Hocking State Forest (ohiodnr .gov) provides rock climbing and rappelling opportunities for extreme-sports enthusiasts. An on-site lodge with amenities like indoor and
center, and a gift shop is available for overnight stays. The park also offers campgrounds and cabins.
Known for scenic rivers and dense forests, Mohican State Park (ohiodnr .gov/mohican) in Loudonville is a prime
mountain biking. A Registered National Natural Landmark, the Clear Fork Gorge Scenic Overlook provides panoramic views of the area. Adventurous souls can cross the pedestrian Swinging Bridge connecting the Gorge Overlook and Hemlock Gorge trails. The surrounding Mohican-Memorial State Forest (ohiodnr.gov) is home to a wide array of wildlife including white-tailed deer, red foxes, dusky salamanders, American toads, and more than 15 species of birds.
Touted as “the most scenic state park in Western Ohio,” John Bryan State Park (ohiodnr.gov) is close to the town of Yellow Springs, known for its twiceyearly street fairs (yellowspringsohio.org). The park features 10 hiking trails, perfect
for viewing the breathtaking limestone gorge of the Little Miami River. Visitors also enjoy rock climbing and rappelling, golf. Specialty hikes, including evening full-moon and nocturnal outings, and stargazing sessions showcase the scenery after dark.
Covering more than 17,000 acres of land and nearly 3,000 acres of water, Salt Fork State Park (ohiodnr.gov) in Cambridge is Ohio’s largest state park. Among its level, the Storybook Trail takes visitors on a short walk lined with displayed pages from a nature book. While exploring the forest, guests can stop by the Kennedy Stone House to get a glimpse of an 1840s home turned museum. The
Mohican State Park
Maumee Bay State Park
Lake Hope State Park
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Can’t-Miss Events in Oak Grove
On May 24-25, 2025, the Annual Spring into Summer Salutes Fort Campbell Festival provides attendees with world-class musicians,
two-day festival is completely free. Then, on July 12, 2025, the Kentucky Bands Bourbon & Wine Festival features wine, bourbon and spirit vendors from across Kentucky and live music all day!
visitoakgroveky.com/festivals
THE BRASS IS BACK! Celebrate Music in Danville
The 2025 Great American Brass Band Festival returns to Danville May 29-31. Enjoy performances by top brass bands from across the nation, bringing vibrant sounds and festive energy to downtown. Experience music, food and family-friendly fun while exploring the charm of Danville. From a lively parade to evening concerts, this FREE event promises unforgettable moments for all.
community spirit and excitement. Don’t miss out on the largest celebration of brass music in the U.S. this year!
danvillekentucky.com
WINE, WHISKEY, ALE AND FOREST TRAILS
Bullitt County, Kentucky, offers seven distinctive sensory experiences within nine miles of each other along the Wine, Whiskey & Ale Trail, including guided or self-guided tours and tastings to enjoy at
arboretum, Bernheim Forest, which boasts more than 16,000 acres of wildlife sanctuary, landscaped gardens and arboretum.
travelbullitt.org
SUMMER ADVENTURES
Book your stay now!
visitkylake.com
MOTHER NATURE IS CALLING
destination for outdoor adventure. Refuel your body at one of the many locally owned restaurants in revitalized Downtown or choose a familiar favorite such as Harland Sanders Café and Museum, the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Mother Nature is calling, will you answer?
corbinkytourism.com
EXPERIENCE WINCHESTER’S BEER CHEESE BLISS!
Explore
With Our Digital Passport
Escape to Winchester, nestled between Lexington and the Red River Gorge and brimming with original experiences. Sip iconic Ale-8-One, indulge in the famous Beer Cheese Trail ® and savor local flavor. Explore scenic trails, quaint shops and warm hospitality. Perfect for day trips or overnights, Winchester invites you to unwind and embrace unforgettable memories.
visitwinchesterky.com
UNFORGETTABLE BLUEGRASS VACATIONS
Known as the Horse Capital of the World and the epicenter of Bourbon Country, the Bluegrass State is also a land of immense natural beauty. Sip centuries of tradition in the birthplace of bourbon. Stroll through rolling horse farms and catch a race at the track. Explore waters, caves and trails, offering endless adventure. With so much to see and do, the Bluegrass State is the perfect place for your next vacation. Come see our new Kentucky home!
PARK PARKS
Dale Hollow Lake SRP John James Audubon SP
KY Dam Village SRP
Barren River Lake SRP
Pine Mountain SRP
Salt Fork Lodge & Conference Center (saltforkparklodge.com) houses guests in its main lodge and nearby cabins. Amenities include indoor and outdoor center, and game room.
Located on Lake Erie just outside Toledo, Maumee Bay State Park (ohiodnr.gov) in Oregon features boardwalk trails through swamps and marshland, perfect for birdwatchers who want to observe hawks, eagles, great blue herons, egrets, swans, and warblers. The recently renovated
Trautman Nature Center includes a children’s play area and interactive exhibits devoted to local wildlife species. Overnight accommodations at the park include an on-site campground as well as the sprawling Maumee Bay Lodge & Conference Center (maumeebay lodge.com)
While Indiana refers to Brown County as its “Little Smokies” park, Ohio labels Shawnee State Park (ohiodnr.gov) in Portsmouth with the same nickname as a nod to the area’s rolling Appalachian
foothills. The former hunting grounds for Native American Shawnee tribes is also home to the 63,000-acre Shawnee State Forest, the largest such property in the state. In addition to hiking and biking, visitors can go horseback riding, backpacking, birding, swimming, and boating. Alongside the A-frame nature center, the historic Civilian Conservation Corps log cabin explores the park’s Indigenous history.
Nestled in the valley of Big Sandy Run inside Zaleski State Forest, Lake Hope State Park (ohiodnr.gov) in McArthur provides a rustic escape in nature. The former iron smelting and a second-growth forest that includes oak and hickory trees and plentiful
in the lake and taking in sun and sand on the beach, visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and pontoons from the Lake Hope Boat House (lakehopeboathouse.com). On-site camping is available at the park with a wide range of cabin options.
Explore Ohio’s geological history at Kelleys Island State Park (ohiodnr .gov) on Lake Erie. Accessible by ferry, the island has a limestone base that features unique grooves and striations caused by glaciers. The park includes trails for hiking and biking, a swimming beach, picnic areas, and a campground with yurts and cabins. The charming island community is also home to Charles Herndon Galleries & Gardens (charlesherndon.com) and Kelleys Island Wine Co. (kelleysislandwineco.com).
Fort Harrison State Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
INDIANA
Hoosier Hot Spots
Stretching along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Park (nps.gov/indu) in Porter and Indiana Dunes State Park (on.in.gov/ indianadunesp) in nearby Chesterton showcase towering sand dunes, diverse ecosystems, and miles of pristine beaches that rival coastal destinations out of state. They are ideal locations for hiking, bird-
and even scuba diving. Cyclists can take to the Calumet and Porter Brickyard bike
trails in the national park, while design Century of Progress Homes originally built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. Designed to exhibit innovative building materials and architectural styles of the time, these homes serve as unique windows into mid-20th century design trends. The futuristic House of Tomorrow is newly restored and scheduled to reopen later in the year.
While it is well-known for its famous toboggan run in winter, Pokagon State Park (on.in.gov/pokagonsp) in Angola is another Northern Indiana locale offering plenty of sun and sand at Potawatomi Inn Beach, as well as scenic trails for hiking. Three area lakes—James, Jimmerson, and Snow— provide a picturesque setting for aquatic recreation including boating, jet skiing,
waters and sandy beaches make them ideal for swimming and sunbathing, and paddleboat, pontoon, and rowboat rentals are available. Charming restaurants and shops in the area add to the appeal. The lakefront Potawatomi Inn at the state park features 126 guest rooms and 12 cabins with two dining options, an indoor pool, a hot tub and sauna, and a game room.
Perfect for paddlers who enjoy kayaking and canoeing, Chain O’Lakes State Park (on.in.gov/chainolakessp) in Albion features nine interconnected lakes. Hikers can explore over 20 miles of trails, while anglers will appreciate plentiful
overnight stays.
Brown City State Park
Indiana Dunes National Park
George Rogers Clark National Park
Handcrafted bourbon, graceful Saddlebred horses, and iconic Southern comfort food perfected by Colonel Sanders himself. Designer shopping and luxurious places to stay. Close to the city without being in the city and full of small town charm. Paired with our authentic Southern hospitality, it’s easy to see why ShelbyKY is known as Your Bourbon Destination® and the Saddlebred Horse Capital of the World. In other words, ShelbyKY is everything you love about Kentucky.
One of the largest municipal parks in the U.S., Eagle Creek Park (eaglecreekpark .org) on the west side of Indianapolis offers visitors convenient access just off I-465 to hike wooded trails, paddle on the 1,400-acre reservoir, or participate in ziplining and sailing. The park hosts nature centers, a bird sanctuary, and educational events throughout the year.
On the other side of Indy, Fort Harrison State Park (on.in.gov/fortharrisonsp) was once a military fort that now includes miles of hiking and biking trails, a 238acre Pete Dye–designed golf course, and Museum of 20th Century Warfare and historic buildings provide a glimpse into its military past. The historic Fort Harrison Inn accommodates guests and puts them beauty and amenities.
History and political science buffs can also delve into the past at George Rogers Clark National Historical Park (nps.gov/gero) in Vincennes, which honors an American Revolution military leader. The Revolutionary War may bring for independence stretched all the way the Wabash River where a British fort was captured in a dramatic maneuver.
at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (nps.gov/libo) in Lincoln
formative years in Indiana through the Memorial, and Lincoln Spring. Across the road is Lincoln State Park (on.in.gov/ lincolnsp) featuring campsites, cabins, 10 miles of trails, a nature center, boating and Lincoln Amphitheatre (lincolnamphitheatre .com), which hosts seasonal live music performances. The 2,200-seat outdoor entertainment venue hosts Steven Adler Shepherd Band among other classic rock and country acts in 2025.
McCormick’s Creek State Park (on.in.gov/ mccormickscreeksp) is a haven for hikers and nature lovers. Located near Spencer, the park features stunning limestone canyons, waterfalls, and scenic hiking
YOUR GETAWAY YOUR HOMECOMING
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Turkey Run State Park (on.in.gov/ turkeyrunsp)
State Park (on.in.gov/shadessp)
vistas, Brown County State Park (on.in.gov/browncountysp)
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Sugar Valley Canoes (sugarvalleycanoes.com)
Canyon Inn
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is a prime site for hiking, bird-watching, and photography, with trails that lead to gorgeous views of Sugar Creek.
A restored pioneer village complete with a working grist mill is the centerpiece of Spring Mill State Park (on.in.gov/ springmillsp) in Mitchell. Paths like the Donaldson Cave
unique karst features, including caves and sinkholes. Travelers can explore the park’s nature center, enjoy activities like
take a boat tour, and pay tribute to a NASA astronaut and Mitchell native at the Gus Grissom Memorial Museum. The newly remodeled Spring Mill Inn features thoughtful updates in its rooms and common areas, including the Millstone Dining Room.
near Madison is renowned for its formations. The park’s trails range from moderate to challenging, with highlights including Trail 2, which passes near Big Clifty Falls, and Trail 8, which winds through Clifty Creek’s gorge. Guests can stay at the pet-friendly Clifty overlooking the Ohio River to keep close to the park’s hiking trails and waterfalls. A more urban option is the Chandler Hotel (thechandlerhotel .com), a boutique property in downtown Madison that previously served as a livery stable, bottling factory, and newsprint warehouse.
Island Loop Trail takes visitors to the site of the Rose Island Amusement Park, a 1920s theme park that was nearly 1937. Architectural remnants including stone pillars, metal archways, a fountain, and a swimming pool serve as ghostly reminders of a bygone time.
KENTUCKY
Bluegrass Beauty
In the southeast part of Indiana, Clifty Falls State Park (on.in.gov/cliftyfallssp)
About 30 miles away from Clifty Falls, Charlestown State Park (on.in.gov/ charlestownsp) on the former grounds of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant is a secluded spot for hiking, bird-watching, and viewing fossil outcrops. The Rose
Mammoth Cave National Park (nps.gov/maca) in Central Kentucky to explore the world’s longest known cave system. The 52,830-acre park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, contains more than 420 miles of mapped passageways and 80-plus miles of hiking trails. The site offers a wide array of outdoorsy activities including cave tours, hiking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, stargazing, and camping. Visitors can stay in The Lodge at Mammoth Cave (mammothcavelodge.com), which offers
Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
rooms in its main lodge as well as charming individual cottages.
Continue the cave exploration tour at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (nps.gov/cuga) in Southeastern Kentucky along the Virginia and Tennessee borders. In addition to being Appalachian Mountains used by Native Americans and pioneers, including Daniel Boone, the Cumberland Gap was the site
of military occupation during the Civil War. Its Gap Cave reveals fossils from gastropods, horn coral, brachiopods, and crinoids embedded in its walls, as well as rock formations such as stalactites and stalagmites. Hikers can traverse 80 miles of trails while taking in the scenery and views of wildlife including deer, beavers, foxes, bobcats, bears, and birds.
Our 16th president made multiple Midwest states home during his lifetime.
The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (nps.gov/abli) in Hodgenville commemorates the place where he was born in 1809. Visitors can pay respects to Lincoln at the memorial building, which houses a symbolic cabin, in the Birthplace Unit of the park. The Boyhood Home at Knob Creek Unit boasts a log cabin similar to the one where Lincoln lived as a child. On-demand, selfguided audio tours are available, as well as periodic ranger-led programs.
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Passing through multiple states including a section of Southwest Kentucky, the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (nps.gov/trte) observes the history of the forced removal of Native American tribes, including the Cherokee, from their homelands in the 1830s. The Trail of Tears Commemorative Park (trailoftearshopkinsville.org) in Hopkinsville includes the gravesites of chiefs Whitepath and Fly Smith and a restored log cabin that serves as its Heritage Center. Visitors to the area can also explore Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park (parks.ky.gov) in Dawson Springs for hiking, swimming, boating, golf, and bird-watching. Its stone lodge offers 24 guest rooms and 13 cottages for overnight stays.
The Red River Gorge Geological Area (redrivergorge.com) in Stanton is a natural canyon system formed over millions of years by waterways cutting through the area’s sandstone bedrock. A favorite spot for rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, zip-lining, and UTV tours, the National Natural Landmark spans 29,000 acres within Daniel Boone National Forest (fs.usda.gov/dbnf). One of the area’s highlights, the Natural Bridge is a 65-foot-high sandstone arch that stretches
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
78 feet in length. Natural Bridge State Resort Park (parks.ky.gov) in Slade allows visitors to explore this landmark by hiking the scenic trail or riding the Skylift to access the bridge. The park’s Hemlock Lodge offers rooms with private balconies overlooking the wilderness and individual cottages for guests.
Carter County in Northeast Kentucky is home to the largest concentration of caves in the state. Carter Caves State Resort
Park (parks.ky.gov) in Olive Hill welcomes visitors to tour its scenic Cascade, X, Saltpetre, and Horn Hollow cave systems. Bat Cave—the largest in the park— accommodates around 40,000 Myotis bats who hibernate in the cave during the winter. The state park features 33 miles of nature trails that provide views of stunning rock formations, arches, cliffs, sinkholes, and natural bridges. Travelers can book rooms at the Lewis Caveland Lodge or reserve space at one of two
Affectionately known as the “Niagara of the South,” Cumberland Falls State Resort Park (parks.ky.gov) in Corbin showcases a 125-foot-wide waterfall with a 68-foot vertical drop. One of the few places in the world where you can view a moonbow—a rainbow at night during a full moon—the park is also a great spot to go rafting, hiking, horseback
Red River Gorge Geological Area
Pine Mountain State Resort Park
bird-watching. Accommodations include guest rooms at the on-site DuPont Lodge, cabins, cottages, and campsites.
and a full gamut of water sports, Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park (parks.ky.gov) in Burkesville also includes a nationally ranked golf course and 12 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Birding enthusiasts can keep an eye out for eagles as well as Cooper’s hawks, northern bobwhites, ring-necked ducks, green herons, and indigo buntings among the area’s many species. The park’s Mary Ray Oaken Lodge sits atop a bluff overlooking the lake and offers 60 guest rooms, some of which are pet-friendly.
Named for the legendary French American naturalist and onetime Kentucky resident, John James Audubon State Park (parks.ky.gov) in Henderson allows visitors to explore the grounds where Audubon studied birds in the 1800s. The site includes a museum with three galleries displaying family artifacts, original artwork, and a full set of Audubon’s Birds
of America watercolor paintings. Visit the attached nature center to observe
in environmental and art education activities, then venture outdoors to stroll the boardwalk overlooking the wetlands.
Home to one of the largest man-made lakes in the country, Lake Cumberland State Resort Park (parks.ky.gov) in Jamestown is a relaxing watery retreat for
jet skiing, swimming, and simply enjoying beautiful sunsets. The park features a scenic lodge, cabins, and cottages, and houseboat rentals can be arranged through State Dock (statedock.com)
Kentucky Ridge State Forest (eec.ky.gov). The park includes 12 miles of hiking trails leading to landmarks like Chained Rock, Hemlock Garden, and Meditation Point. The Laurel Cove Music Festival (laurelcovemusicfestival.com) in June takes place at the on-site amphitheater, bringing country artists, craft vendors, and food trucks to celebrate creativity in nature.
in 1924, Pine Mountain State Resort Park (parks.ky.gov) in Pineville provides mountaintop Appalachian views of the
Featuring Ice Age fossils and a live bison herd, Big Bone Lick State Historic Site (parks.ky.gov) in Union is known as the “birthplace of American paleontology.” The bones of prehistoric mammals such as mammoths, mastodons, ground sloths, and stag-moose have been discovered in the area. Big Bone Lick’s museum and diorama pit share history and artifacts from the site and include models showing the previous animal inhabitants in their environment. Guests can explore the grounds, observe
Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park
the bison herd, and participate in orienteering—a woodlands navigation sport—on one of two courses.
Anglers delight in Green River Lake State Park (parks.ky.gov) in Campbellsville,
the water without a reel, houseboats, jet skis, pontoons, and ski boats are available to rent, and the campground includes a beach for sunning and swimming. Landbased activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, miniature golf, and bird-watching. Hawks, eagles,
been spotted here. Fans of the TV series RV There Yet? (rvthereyettv.com) recognize Green River Lake from an episode highlighting sights and attractions around Campbellsville, such as My Old Kentucky Home (visitmyoldkyhome .com) in Bardstown and the National Corvette Museum (corvettemuseum.org) in Bowling Green.
Red River Gorge Natural Bridge
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
Advanced Degrees
Learn about Indiana colleges and universities offering graduate degrees and workforce certification programs. These schools tailor their delivery to accommodate working adults.
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Founded in 1930 in Fort Wayne, Indiana Tech is a nonprofit, comprehensive university that excels at educating students of all ages and from all walks of life for all kinds of meaningful work. The university strives to create a truly inclusive community of learners and to ensure that students are supported and empowered to maximize their job prospects and advance in their careers.
Indiana Tech educates students beyond its campus in Fort Wayne with online programs that meet the needs of working adults worldwide. Class schedules allow students to take one class at a time and still make rapid progress toward their degree, and sessions start every six weeks so students can begin their education at any time of year. Coursework is available 24/7, letting students fit their education in with the rest of their busy lives.
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Photo
TONY VALAINIS
Magdalena’s Pink Moon oysters (p. 110)
BR 2024
Named one of IM’s Best Restaurants in 2024
Brunch Outdoor seating Reservations
V Vegetarian friendly
New addition to the guide
$$$$ $50 and up
$$$ $30–$40
$$ $20–$30
$ Under $20
Restaurants included in this guide are selected at the discretion of the Indianapolis Monthly editorial staff based on food quality, innovation, atmosphere, service, value, and consistency. IM does not accept advertising or other compensation in exchange for dining coverage. Price symbols indicate the average cost of a meal per person (without tax, tip, or alcohol). Due to limited space, this list does not cover every evaluated restaurant. For a more comprehensive guide to Indianapolis dining, visit IndianapolisMonthly.com/Dining Feedback? Please email ebatey@IndianapolisMonthly.com
9th Street Bistro
BR 2024 SEASONAL Co-owners Samir and Rachel Firestone Mohammad’s tiny innovator is almost always packed by fans eager for the duo’s globally inspired Midwestern dishes. In response, the pair has created a community dinner series to allow even more patrons to sample their takes on the local farmstead ingredients that inspire their dishes. Mussels in aromatic broth, house-made burrata with of-the-moment garnishes, and pasta with shrimp and lemony cream sauce still anchor the menu, but it’s better to let the creative duo keep you guessing. 56 S. 9th St., Noblesville, 317-774-5065, 9thstbistro.com V $$$
Abyssinia
ETHIOPIAN This spot—where diners use a spongy sour flatbread known as injera in lieu of utensils—provides a thorough introduction to Ethiopian cuisine. Aficionados of East African food will be impressed by the seasoning of the stewed lamb, beef, and spicy chicken; vegans and vegetarians will appreciate their greens, lentils, and chickpeas. 352 W. 38th St., 299-0608, abyssiniaindy.com V $$
Ali’i Poke
POKE Follow the IU and Purdue students to this delightfully fresh fast-food spot just off the now-separate schools’ Indianapolis campuses. The scooped-to-order poke bowls have a rice base (sticky or brown) over which customers choose their proteins (chicken or tofu are also on offer) and add-ons. Fresh mango, edamame, avocado, pickled ginger, seaweed salad, and unagi sauce are just a few of the available toppings. Go wild ladling them on, or get the Hawaiian Style with just rice and fish. Multiple locations, aliipoke.com V $$
Anthony’s Chophouse
STEAKHOUSE The interior of this swanky heavy hitter along Carmel’s Main Street has the polished gleam of a new Vegas hotel, with an upper-level lounge containing the salvaged mahogany bar from The Glass Chimney, another fine dining legend. The food has equal flourish. Lobster bisque with
a hunk of tempura-fried meat begins a meal that might include a cowgirl ribeye, a flight of filets, or a domestic wagyu burger. Take note—the steak menu also lists a spinalis. You may never eat another steak this perfect. Black-suited and professional servers, an impressive wine list, and well-composed cocktails keep the high-dollar meal running smoothly. 201 W. Main St., Carmel, 317740-0900, anthonyschophouse.com $$$$
Aroma Experience
INDIAN Vinita Singh’s portfolio of restaurants expanded in March 2024, when she brought a new location of her Aroma mini-chain of restaurants to Carmel City Center. Those who enjoy her Aroma Indian Cuisine and Bar spots in Fountain Square and SoBro will find plenty to like in this glitzy, date-night venue. The other locations’ daily dinner menus of Northern Indian dishes such as tikka masala and Kerala-style curry are on offer, as are ambitious entrees including a lehsuni prawn dish that plays notably with Aroma’s coconut and cashew naan. (There’s also a chili garlic naan so engaging that one could enjoy it unaccompanied.) Lunch, which is served daily, is a more concise affair of bowls, rolls, and wraps. There’s also a full bar and some standout, homemade ice cream–based desserts. Multiple locations, aromaindy.com V$$$
Ash & Elm Cider Co.
CIDERY Ash & Elm’s array of complex and quaffable ciders gets broader all the time, with funky cocktails demonstrating a flavor profile well beyond sweet apples in the vibrant tasting room at the former Ford Assembly Plant on Washington Street. The food pairs beautifully with the drinks, from the now legendary elote fritters made with Indiana corn and cilantro crema to the crispy fried Brussels sprouts flavored with cider vinaigrette. A thick-cut Cuban and an Italian hoagie with all the meats are great choices among sandwiches, though the pimento cheeseburger with pickled green tomato is hard to beat. But more uptown offerings, such as ricotta gnocchi with seasonal garnishes or a lunchtime bulgogi noodle bowl, showcase how cider brings out the flavors in world cuisines as deliciously as fine wines. 1301 E. Washington St., 317-600-3164; 525 North End Dr., Carmel, 317-740-1991; ashandelmcider.com V $$$
Athens on 86th
GREEK Whether you select a large chicken gyro or the kota psiti—a roasted chicken with green beans and Greek potatoes—add an order of the fries, served here with feta, Mediterranean spices, and Greek dressing. Their gyro pizza is a fun marriage of the craveable classics, and it’s hard to argue with their multiple takes on the classic Greek salad. For the hungry, indecisive, or just plain adventurous, the sampler platter gathers nearly everything in the expansive menu onto one plate. 2284 W. 86th St., 317-879-8644, athenson86th.com V $$
Auberge
FRENCH Brick Street Inn’s classic French bistro installed talented chef Toby Moreno (of The Loft at Traders Point Creamery and Plow & Anchor) in early 2022 and immediately sent him to Paris, where he trained in the kitchens of famed chef Alain Ducasse.
Moreno has added that continental know-how to the vintage dishes he makes fresh with as much local produce, meats, and cheeses as he can. That translates to an impressive plate of buttery escargot topped with croutons, seasonal salads, and a deeply flavorful French onion soup with a rich broth. Seafood shines among the entrees, especially crispy-skinned roasted cod, though diver scallops with asparagus puree showered with herbs and toasted almonds also impress. 175 S. Main St., Zionsville, 317733-8755, auberge-restaurant.com $$$$
Baan Thai Bistro
THAI Roxanna Williams’ cozy Thai eatery, which she opened in a former house and hair salon in late spring of 2023, is a welcome addition to Wanamaker’s dining offerings, bringing aromatic flavors and artful presentations to dishes like the lightly breaded and fried Son-in-Law Eggs (Kai Look Keuy), which is drizzled with earthy-sweet tamarind sauce, and generous summer rolls that come with a trio of tangy dipping sauces. Less expected starters to split include rich and flavorful Isan Thai Sausage with just the right amount of spice, served with a not-too-hot dipping sauce and a darling bamboo basket of sticky rice; a Crispy Rice Salad that crackles and pops; and airy steamed dumplings. Hearty Boat Noodle Soup and Crispy Pork Belly Ramen with a light mushroom-scented broth are good bets for main dishes, as are the kicky Crying Tiger Steak and more typical curries and noodle dishes. Adventurous diners will want to try one of three fish dishes redolent of ginger and basil, and a sumptuous mix of whole chicken drumsticks and sweet curry noodles makes for a comforting supper. 8705 Southeastern Ave., 317-759-8424, baanthaibistro .com V $$
Bearded Bagel
DELI Food truck veteran Tom Race opened this brick-and-mortar bagel deli on Indy’s northeast side in late 2021, featuring his signature steamed bagel sandwiches with dozens of topping combinations. Breakfast versions, such as the Slammin Sammy with bacon, egg, and American cheese or the Hangover Helper with spicy cream cheese, bacon, egg, and three slices of cheese are a no-brainer. But whimsical tributes to fast-food favorites, such as the R-Bee’s with roast beef and extra cheddar, are great lunch choices. Vegetarians can opt for the Urban Farmer with “all the veggies,” avocado, and cheese, and traditionalists can sink into a cream cheese–schmeared bagel with lox, tomato, capers, onions, and cucumbers. Puffy cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, and loaded potato tots complete the menu, along with a short list of cookies and brownies. 7305 E. 96th St., 317-516-5938, beardedbagel.com V$$
Beholder
BR 2024 CONTEMPORARY You never know what to expect from restaurateur Jonathan Brooks’ Windsor Park kitchen, aside from one of the most innovative and wellexecuted meals in town. The menu is difficult to track, mainly because Brooks builds his dishes around seasonal ingredients that are fresh and of-the-moment. Impeccable servers will guide you through the evening’s offerings, which start small at the top of the menu (fresh
oysters, perhaps, or pork rinds with kimchi and chicken liver mousse) and bulk up toward the bottom (think wild boar Bolognese or a massive pork Wellington portioned for two). Finish with the most exotic flavor of house-made ice cream. 1844 E. 10th St., 317-419-3471, beholderindy.com V $$$$
Bluebeard
BR 2024 CONTEMPORARY Tom and Ed Battista’s charming little restaurant has led the charge in getting Indy’s dining scene on the national radar. A perennial nominee for the James Beard Awards with mentions in outlets such as The New York Times and Bon Appétit, Bluebeard—which takes its name from one of native son Kurt Vonnegut’s novels—still delivers on the hype. The menu has settled into a comfortable groove, starting with shareable small plates such as house-frizzled chips and French onion dip, gourmet bar nuts, and grilled bread from sibling bakery Amelia’s served with a flight of slatherings. A plate-spanning Faroe Island salmon, beef-and-pork Bolognese, and other larger entrees make for a nice, lingering dinner accompanied by ambitious cocktails in a dining room decorated with shelves of books and Vonnegut-era typewriters. 653 Virginia Ave., 317-686-1580, bluebeardindy .com V $$$
Bodhi Craft Bar + Thai Bistro
BR 2024 THAI This Mass Ave restaurant serves a small, focused menu of Thai dishes like massaman curry with braised beef and Bodhi’s own version of pad thai. Cocktails get a lot of attention on a drinks list designed by beverage director Dalton Lineback. 922 Massachusetts Ave., 317-941-6595, bodhi-indy .com V $$$
Bonge’s Tavern
AMERICAN Opened in the 1930s near the rush of the White River and purchased by Charles Bonge a little over 10 years later, Bonge’s Tavern has been a part of Indiana dining history for more than 90 years. In the fall of 2023, Burgess Restaurant Group purchased it and installed Dean Sample as executive chef. The centerpiece of the menu is still the signature tenderloin, appropriately named the Perkinsville Pork. Other favorites include a stuffed duck breast and a fresh fish entree. Chef Sample inflects his own ideas into the menu, with a Southern influence. It’s worth the risk to order whatever delightful special he adds to the menu. Make sure to grab a reservation long before you plan to go—they go quick—and arrive early enough to tailgate in the parking lot with other diners, a Bonge’s tradition worth keeping. 9830 W. 280 N, Perkinsville, 765734-1625, bongestavern.com $$$
Borage
BR 2024 ALL-DAY CAFE Josh Kline and Zoë Taylor’s long-awaited all-day cafe, dinner spot, and market took years longer to open than they expected when they chose its
Speedway site. Some even despaired that the couple in business and life—who met while toiling in the kitchen at Milktooth—might never see their dream realized. But suddenly last summer, Borage threw its doors open, and all worries vanished. Every menu lineup, from breakfast to dinner and everything in between, is a collage of standby ingredients, such as polenta or milk bread, reimagined into well-portioned small plates that will fill your table. Mussels float in kimchi-flecked coconut broth alongside a meatloaf sandwich made with brisket and bacon. Every aspect of the restaurant, its bakery, and the attached retail space feels thought-through and intentional. Borage was worth the wait. 1609 N. Lynhurst Dr., 317-734-3958, borageeats.com V $$
Che Chori
ARGENTINEAN The focus of the menu at this colorful drive-thru is a selection of traditional butterflied-sausage sandwiches and warm empanadas filled with seasoned meats. Make sure to pick up the house-made dulce de leche, which is sold by the jar, as well as their churros and specialty Argentinian shortbread cookies. And don’t overlook the cook-at-home sausages, from Spanish-style chorizo to Argentinean black sausage. 3124 W. 16th St., 317-737-2012, chechori.com $$
Cheeky Bastards
BR 2024 ENGLISH Co-owners Michael Rypel and chef Robert Carmack fell in love with British culture and cuisine during travels abroad. Their Geist restaurant is a true tribute to the food, serving not only a classic full English breakfast and sausage rolls made with imported meat but also a very convincing fish and chips featuring crispy planks and hand-cut potatoes. Don’t forget to ask for the malt vinegar or the HP Sauce for the full UK experience. 11210 Fall Creek Rd., 317-288-9739, cbindy.com $$
Chin Brothers
GET HAPPY
As restaurants adjust to Indiana’s new happy hour laws, local favorites are beginning to offer some stunningly affordable food and drink specials. Borage, for example, offers half-off apps, $5 pints, and priceslashed bottles on specific days. Check your favorite spot’s social media (or give them a call) for similar deep discounts.
BURMESE One of the oldest Burmese restaurants in town, this brightly lit and friendly spot attached to a large, well-stocked market serves as a cultural center for immigrants from the Chin state of Myanmar. Invigorating refreshers such as sweet tea with condensed milk and a cane syrup beverage with puffed rice offer a colorful taste of Burmese culture. Fried rice and soups are solid standards here, as well as luscious and tender curried goat. Their Lahpet Thohk salad, made with fermented tea leaves, greens, and spices, may be one of the best in the region. 2320 E. Stop 11 Rd., 317-8881850, chinbrothers.com V $$
Chopped Cheese Boys
DELI New York’s beloved bodega snack is the eponymous specialty at this no-frills Irvington convenience store and takeout deli. True to form, well-seasoned ground beef gets chopped on a sizzling flattop, then pressed into a sub sandwich
roll, and finally topped with plenty of gooey cheese and mayo, which makes for a rich and flavorful mashup of the smashburger and a Philly cheesesteak. But be sure to dip into the eye-popping menu of wings, chicken tenders, fried fish, and—another Big Apple food cart favorite—chicken over rice (tender grilled chicken breast meat with a signature white sauce slathered over rice) with falafel. 1520 N. Arlington Ave., 317-377-4951 V $$$
Commission Row
BR
2024
FINE DINING This glossy spot from Indy’s near-ubiquitous Cunningham Restaurant Group is just steps from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and it reflects its neighbor’s baller vibes with a three-figure seafood tower, caviar service, and an eight-steak menu (which offers add-ons such as foie gras and lobster tail). Sure, you can play small with its excellent burger or sizable salads, but if you do, you’ll be missing the point. Appropriately, its wine list leads with bubbles by the glass or bottle, while its cocktail list boasts eight takes on a classic martini. 110 S. Delaware St., 317-550-2500, commissionrow.com $$$$
Convivio
ITALIAN With a menu that traces the geographical regions in Italy, this is not your average red-sauce joint. The pasta, including curled nests of black squid ink spaghetti and purple beet-infused fettuccine, are all made in-house. The torchietti pasta, tossed with dried figs, black olives, basil, goat cheese, and parmesan, has been known to induce deep cravings in the weeks after eating, and the frutti di mare packs a generous serving of mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, and calamari with tonnarelli pasta in a spicy and bright tomato sauce. Beyond pasta, the menu offers Neapolitan-style pizzas served blistered and hot from the imported Italian pizza oven, rotating regional specials, and an easy-to-navigate, Italian-heavy wine list that makes picking a bottle for the table a pleasure. 11529 Spring Mill Rd., Carmel, 317-564-4670, convivioindy.com $$$
A Cup of Chai
TEAHOUSE Punjab native Pravy Nijjar’s cozy, funky teahouse, which opened in July of 2023 on a secluded section of Shelby Street in Fountain Square, offers a true taste of Indianstyle chai with several different spice profiles. For the genuine article, go for the masala chai, a dairy-forward drink that features ginger, cardamom, fennel, and cloves, equally good hot or iced. Pair that with one of Nijjar’s street food–inspired snacks, such as golden, aromatic samosas or tasty kati rolls (tender paratha stuffed with spiced chicken, paneer, or potatoes). Coffee drinkers can get an espresso or cappuccino, and those avoiding caffeine can go for a spice-infused golden latte, mango lassi, or minty pineapple lemonade. 1028 Shelby St., 317-998-4463, acupofchai.us $
Fernando’s Mexican & Brazilian Cuisine
BR 2024 LATIN AMERICAN A subtle name change in the last year, owing to a legal request from the international fast-food chain Nando’s, has done nothing to diminish the spirit and vibrant flavors of this Broad Ripple restaurant featuring the cuisines of Mexico and
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Brazil. Enjoying a flight of fruit-infused caipirinhas and a plate of crisp, savory chicken croquettes on Fernando’s spacious sheltered patio is still a warm-weather delight, and dishes like feijoada with fall-apart-tender pork and rich stewed black beans, as well as chicken stroganoff and a delectable Brazilian take on the homey pot pie, remain hearty staples that are hard to find elsewhere. Fare such as queso fundido and arroz con pollo more than hold their own against the best, and refreshing desserts such as an ultra-creamy flan and Brazilian-style guava cheesecake are worth saving a few bites of your entrees to make room for. 834 E. 64th St., 317-377-4779, fernandosindy.com
$$$
Gather 22
BR 2024 CONTEMPORARY This colorfully cozy all-day hangout and cocktail spot in Fall Creek Place from Byrne’s Grilled Pizza owners
exhibition pizzerias so popular in the 1980s. But this is present-day pizza, bubbly and charred, with seasonal toppings such as truffles and imported Taleggio cheese. Multiple locations, kingdoughpizzas.com V $$
Lone Pine
SWEETBITTER
The last remaining storefront of Indy candy shop The Best Chocolate in Town shuttered on May 1. Parent company Newfangled Confections says though the Fashion Mall shop has gone dark, many of the company’s handmade confections—much of which can be stored or frozen for later— will be available online through late 2025.
Adam Reinstrom and Pablo Gonzalez draws on Reinstrom’s love of interior design and Gonzalez’s background in innovative mixology. Vibrant wall fixtures by creators such as Bootleg Signs & Murals and revolving works by locals from the LGBTQ art community provide a funky backdrop for sipping seasonal elixirs; salads include a wedge with smoked blue cheese and roasted-poblano ranch. Byrne’s original pizzas, cracker-thin and charred, are on offer, as are thicker-crusted Roman-style oval pies with well-chosen toppings. Fresh takes on shareable plates include crispy-skinned salmon with kale and quinoa and intriguing scallop sliders with Asian-style slaw. On Sundays, the brunch menu features classics such as egg dishes and French toast. There are also breakfast pizzas such as the Chilaquiles, a thin crust topped with chorizo, salsa, eggs, and fried tortillas. Coffee drinks and a solid sandwich list anchor the daytime menu, and desserts feature a luxe take on the Hoosier classic sugar cream pie. 22 E. 22nd St., 317-258-2222, gather22.com $$
Julieta Taco Shop
BR 2024 MEXICAN Gabriel Sañudo and Esteban Rosas’ taco shop in the Stutz Building shows the pair’s skill and fine dining experience in little details such as the marinades for meats, tortillas handcrafted from heirloom corn varieties, and surprisingly flavorful vegetarian options. Their tender grilled or braised meats are excellent but the signature taco al pastor is the star. 1060 N. Capitol Ave. $$
King Dough
BR 2024 PIZZA This industrial-feeling pizza spot began as a student-friendly Bloomington destination in 2014; now it’s a local mini-chain with three locations. The huge wood-burning pizza oven (it’s named Thunder Dome) is the first thing diners see when they enter the space, and the open kitchen feels like a grown-up version of the
STEAKHOUSE Beholder partner Josh Mazanowski’s solo restaurant pulls inspiration from his background at West Coast and Indy restaurants, married to a Montana ranch sensibility. The end product is a cutting-edge chophouse with a menu that has a range as wide as Mazanowski’s palate, which he’s honed during his career as a sommelier. While steaks remain a mainstay, much of the menu is a rotating feast. Watch for items like a cassoulet with Old Major Toulouse sausage, smoky roasted carrots with tahini, or creamy local greens with miso. Desserts are made in-house and include a stellar panna cotta, and the wine list leans heavily on Napa Valley’s best, with some notable bottles from France and Italy to also consider. 710 S. Rangeline Rd., Carmel, 317-9070177, lonepinecarmel.com $$$
Love Handle
SANDWICHES Daily lunch and brunch features such as schnitzel and waffles and a pulled-chicken Hot Brown are the main draw at Chris and Ally Benedyk’s cheeky breakfast and sandwich shop. The chalkboard menu (which is also updated online) offers a list of side options such as braised greens and potato salad with roasted tomatoes. Fridays often see a fish special, and weekends are a chef’s playground of eggy experiments, satisfying hashes, and sweet sides. 877 Massachusetts Ave., 317-384-1102 $$
Magdalena
NEW SOUTHERN Westside born-and-raised Nick Detrich has returned to Indianapolis after decades running restaurants in New Orleans—and he’s brought the French Quarter back with him. This seafood-heavy Fountain Square spot leverages its building’s crumbling brick and exposed infrastructure to create a moodily lit space that makes for a great date night, but a solo dinner at a bar seat is just as satisfying. Start with some oysters, then order an assembly of small plates to share, or head straight to the substantial list of mains paired with an expertly crafted cocktail. The dessert list also nods to the Lowcountry, with puddings and possets that are big enough for two. 1127 Shelby St., 317-691-8021, magdalena.bar $$$
Maialina Italian Kitchen + Bar
ITALIAN Straw-wrapped chianti bottles, wooden cross-back chairs, and family photos give a throwback trattoria feel to this addition to the city’s Italian scene. Meatballs from a family recipe with a solid house marinara are always a good choice. Pastas range from a straightforward toss of rigatoni with sausage and broccoli rabe
to a rich, three-meat Bolognese lavished atop plump gnocchi. 1103 Prospect St., 317-982-7676, maialinaindy.com V $$$$
Max & Tilly’s
BRITISH A traditional UK-style chip shop from the owner of Tilly’s Tea Room, Max & Tilly’s serves traditional pub classics such as cock-a-leekie soup and mushy peas alongside house-baked scones, spotted dick, and Bakewell tarts. It’s the fried offerings that transport you to a cozy mystery mindset, especially the Filthy Fries with hot shredded roast beef and, of course, the golden planks of beer-battered cod over hand-cut chips. 8701 E. 116th St., Fishers, maxandtillys.com $$
Milktooth
BR 2024
BRUNCH This airy diner-style cafe has a playfully gritty vibe and a menu that changes with both the seasons and the whims of its chef. The early morning counter service featuring pastries and coffee gives way to a full-service brunch and lunch menu—if they’re serving a Dutch baby pancake, get it. Daytime craft cocktails are also on offer, pairing well with a rotating selection of substantial savory offerings such as latkes, sandwiches, and salads. 534 Virginia Ave., 317-986-5131, milktoothindy.com V $$
Mr. Patakon
COLOMBIAN The name of Diana Moreno and Brenda Sánchez’s cheerful, authentic southside Colombian eatery comes from the popular Latin and South American dish patacones— flattened, fried plantains filled with everything from shredded barbecue chicken criollo to cheese, corn, and shredded beef. Or try the Super Perro hot dog, which is topped with every meat in the kitchen, quail eggs, and a special house sauce. Mazorcada (heaps of sweet corn topped with meats, cheeses, and potato sticks) is a delectable side dish. Fruit drinks and desserts, especially obleas (wafer cookies filled with dulce de leche and cheese), are worth the extra calories for a flavor experience like no other in the city. 7415 U.S. 31, 317-6929829, mrpatakon.com $$
Negrill Jamaican Restaurant and Bar
JAMAICAN You’ll need to come early to this spirited island spot if you want to score some of the day’s tender, rich oxtail stew or aromatic curried goat, served up in “lickle” (little) or larger portions dressed with rice and peas, steamed cabbage, and sweet fried plantains. Jerk chicken has just the right heat. Beef patties, fried or “escovitch” fish garnished with tangy veggies, and soups, depending on the day, round out the menu. 3701 W. 10th St., 317-602-8553, negrillrestaurant.com $$
Nowhere Special COCKTAIL BITES Dan Cage’s funky cocktail lounge and small bites spot is far from its all-too-modest name. Sleek banquettes in earthy greens and brushed brass tabletops provide an elegant backdrop to classic pours and a host of elixirs created by the talented bar staff. Menu items include fancy hot dogs, crostini and dip, and a rotating ice cream dessert. The cocktail menu regularly rotates its theme, and balances experimental new concoctions with a solid list of classics. 608 Massachusetts Ave., nowhereindy.com $$
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Oakleys Bistro
CONTEMPORARY The meticulously plated fare at Steven Oakley’s eatery hails from a culinary era when sprigs of herbs and puddles of purees provided the flavor, and every single element on the plate served a purpose. The presentations are wild, with menu descriptions giving little more than clues as to what might arrive at the table. Heads-up on anything that appears in quotes, such as a creative “Coq au Vin.” 1464 W. 86th St., 317-824-1231, oakleysbistro.com V $$$
Our Table
CONTEMPORARY The strip mall location is suitably cozy and out of the way for one of Bargersville’s most popular fine dining destinations. Chef and owner Joe Miller focuses on gorgeous, rustic plates of steak, seafood, and Old World lasagna made with fresh pasta and generous layers of beef Bolognese, mozzarella, and creamy ricotta. The brioche sliders (containing buttermilk fried chicken or beef tenderloin with crispy onions and horseradish creme fraiche) are little bites of heaven. 5080 State Rd. 135, Bargersville, 317-847-4920, ourtablerestaurant.com V $$$
Revery
CONTEMPORARY This Old Greenwood bistro inside an 1800s-era drugstore offers approachable fine dining, with a more casual bar on the historic building’s back end. Small plates have included beets with whipped goat cheese and wasabi, while entrees are seasonal and skew toward seafood, with lobster, halibut, and mussels on recent menus. Whiskey drinks get priority on the cocktail menu, and their old fashioned feels fresh and new. 299 W. Main St., Greenwood, 317-2154164, reveryrestaurantgroup.com V $$$
Richard’s Brick Oven Pizza
PIZZA When husband-and-wife team Richard Goss and Meg Jones first fired up their restaurant’s massive brick oven in 2009, chain pizza ruled the Central Indiana landscape, either delivered within 30 minutes or served in a cavernous room with a singing, mechanical rodent. Franklin was a risky place to launch their vision of high-quality Neapolitan pizza made with fresh, often local ingredients—but the gamble paid off, and 15 years later, it’s become a destination for diners. Fantastic garlic knots, pastas, custom calzoni, and lasagna round out the menu, which boasts a solid wine list and locally made sodas. 229 S. Main St., Franklin, 317-738-3300, richardskitchen.com V $$$
St. Elmo Steak House
BR 2024 STEAKHOUSE Since 1902, this stately house of red meat has served as the unofficial ambassador of downtown Indianapolis—the walls carry decades’ worth of celebrity photos, the burnished bar hearkens to an earlier era, and the servers remain starched and bow-tied. The drill remains the same, as well: a martini or bottle from its vast and lauded wine list, a shrimp cocktail with that notoriously hot cocktail sauce, the bean soup or tomato juice, the wedge, and one of the well-aged, gorgeously marbled and completely legendary steaks. 127 S. Illinois St., 317-635-0636, stelmos.com $$$
Sam’s Square Pie
BR 2024 PIZZA Detroit-style pizza obsessive Jeff Miner’s pop-up pie shop now has a permanent home on Indy’s near east side, giving followers and newcomers easy access to his square-cut pizzas. Just don’t expect a long list of available toppings or side options like salads and wings. This spot is a single-minded homage to pan-baked pizzas with a signature crown of well-browned cheese around the edges of the chewy, sturdy crust. Topping combos include the signature El Jefe with two styles of pepperoni, kicky Italian sausage, dollops of ricotta, and a drizzle of spicy honey. Slightly thinner and larger Sicilian pies occasionally appear on the menu, so snag one if you can, especially the sausage-topped High Plains Drifter that garnered second place at Las Vegas’ Pizza Expo. Cheesy garlic bread made with Miner’s pizza dough and garlic knots slathered in butter are also available, but it’s best to save room for the main attraction. Carryout is available, but dining in is always a good time. 2829 E. 10th St., samssquarepie.com V $$$
Shadow Lounge
SOUL FOOD After a major renovation, the former Marco’s Restaurant and Lounge has been transformed into a rollicking dining destination. Chef Tia Wilson, late of wing spot Chicken Scratch, is in the kitchen, serving Southern and soul-infused dishes such as lamb lollipops, Cajun penne, and garlic-parmesan wings. The cocktails are strong, the music is loud, and while dinner is delightful, brunch is the real scene. 2380 E. 54th St., 317-974-9288, shadowloungeindy. com
$$$
Shapiro’s Delicatessen
Tinker Street
BR 2024 NEW AMERICAN Diners are in for a delightful treat at this cozy, detailoriented restaurant where the open kitchen almost feels like part of the dining room. The menu changes with the seasons, but the soup is always something lush and vegan, the Duck & Dumplings (featuring duck confit and truffled dumplings) sells out fast, and the person who orders the pork chop will be the most envied diner at the table. The cocktails are delicate, the wine list well-curated, and its bar staff ready to offer mocktails. Don’t skip dessert, especially if it involves a scoop of ice cream. While Tinker Street sets aside some tables for walk-in diners, reservations are available online and are a good idea Thursday through Sunday. 402 E. 16th St., 317-925-5000, tinkerstreetrestaurant.com V $$$
Vicino
BR 2024 ITALIAN More than filling Mass Ave’s pasta needs, this modern, colorful trattoria from the owners of The Oakmont measures up to some of the best Italian spots anywhere in the city. Pastas are rotating and seasonal, as is a menu of substantial mains and blistered, wood-fired pizzas, many of which are tweaked for a fun weekend brunch menu. A solid wine and craft cocktail list rounds the experience out nicely. 350 Massachusetts Ave., 317-798-2492, vicinoindy.com
V $$
Wisanggeni Pawon
BR 2024
DINE AND FLY
The Indianapolis Airport Authority has approved a new, $205.85 million Marriott Westin that will connect to the west side of the building, complete with a full-service restaurant and a rooftop bar with views of the airfield. Suddenly, “Will you drive me to the airport?” sounds like fun, not a chore.
DELI Slide your tray along and take your pick of kosher comfort foods at this family-owned downtown institution, which is just as well known for its food as it is as a cozy, comfortable gathering place for generations of Hoosiers. Hot pastrami and corned beef sandwiches on rye have drawn long lines for more than a century. The Reuben is a contender for the city’s best, and heartier fare such as potato pancakes, stuffed cabbage, and matzo ball soup are perennially satisfying standbys. If you don’t load up on a massive slice of cheesecake or pie, you haven’t really had the proper Shapiro’s experience. 808 S. Meridian St., 317-631-4041, shapiros.com $$
Shiba Pho
VIETNAMESE Deep bowls of the namesake aromatic noodle soup get top billing at this no-frills Brownsburg spot, which also makes a special vegetarian broth for those who skip meat. Starters like spring rolls and dumplings set the tone, while deep-fried wings (served with three sauces) are standouts even in our chickenrich region. Don’t miss the chef’s specials or the sensibly stuffed banh mi sandwiches, served on fresh baguettes. 578 W. Northfield Dr., Brownsburg, 317-286-7018, shibapho.net $$
INDONESIAN The talents of chefs Bambang Wisanggeni and Putri Pratiwi make dining at Wisanggeni Pawon a superb experience. The husband-andwife duo presents the complex, spice-forward dishes of their homeland, as well as some hibachi favorites drawn from their experience at nearby Japanese restaurants. Split a platter of martabak telor, a hearty beef omelet encased in crispy wonton skin, or share some steamed Indonesian dumplings with a rich peanut sauce. The signature beef rendang also stands out. Save room for the ube spring rolls dessert. 2450 E. 71st St., 317-756-9477, wpawon.com V $$
THE BRONZE BEARS ON THE CANDELABRAS ON INDIANA’S MOST FAMOUS MONUMENT REVEAL A LINK TO INDY’S INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS. BY
DEDICATED ON May 15, 1902, downtown Indianapolis’ soaring, 284 ½ -foot-tall Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the most recognizable icon of the Circle City. Staring up at its imposing facade, it’s easy to miss individual details among so many, like the powerful anthropomorphic bronze bears at the base of its 40-foot candelabras. They stand in an unnatural, Atlas-like position, posed on two feet with their arms raised to support metal bands that surround the candelabras, as if the structures will topple over if the bears let go. Even easier to miss is the fact that these are Eurasian brown bears—which don’t live in Indiana. That’s because the monument’s designer, Bruno Schmitz, and his team of artisans including sculptors Rudolf Schwarz (who created the statuary groups) and George Brewster (who sculpted the figure of Victory that tops the monument) were all
CAMILLE GRAVES
German. Talk of building a memorial to honor Indiana’s Civil War veterans began before the war was over, but plans didn’t truly come to fruition until 1887, when the Indiana General Assembly formed a monument commission and established an international contest to solicit designs. Renowned throughout Europe, Schmitz was the unanimous winner despite his ignorance of American culture. As a result, numerous German symbols appear: bears as emblems of strength; eagles, which coincidentally have significance in both cultures; panthers and serpents, which are popular in German heraldry; and others. In fact, says Indiana War Memorials tour manager Jason Edwardson, beards on the sculptures of soldiers had to be removed because while facial hair was common among German soldiers, it wasn’t among Hoosiers.
