Indianapolis Monthly May 2025

OUR GUIDE TO U-PICK FARMS

Pato O’Ward IndyCar’s Breakout Star

MAY 2 025

$5 .9 5

Movement that inspires

Napleton Kia of Carmel 4500 E. 96th Street, Indianapolis NapletonKiaOfCarmel.com 844-430-6877

05 2025 ON THE COVER Photograph by Jay Goldz

O’Ward channels coastal cruising in his 1965 Ford Shelby Cobra.

2

52

60

PICKY EATING

PATO WHO?

INSIDE JOKE

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.

E DI T E D BY

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.

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.

C H R I ST I NA V E RC E L L E T T O

BY T ON Y R E H AG E N

BY J U L I A S PA L DI NG

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTO BY JAY GOLDZ

42

BORN TO BE

EXTRAORDINARY 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

LOVE YOUR extraordinary LIFE

05 2025

ISSUE 9

G O OD L I F E

C I RC L E C I T Y

21

9

35

WANTED

SWOON

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.

Going Golden’s personalized stacking ring set will have Mom over the moon.

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.

12

22

The Local Radish relocates its mystical bounty to SoBro.

24

THE HOOSIERIST

Our Indiana expert briefs us on Indy 500 pace car drivers.

TRENDING

Bedazzle your look for spring.

26

14

CAMARADERIE

For Hoosiers, basketball is a lifelong hobby. The City League and Queens of the Court give players a chance to keep competing.

16

REALTY CHECK

New builds in the Old Northside and Carmel share a price tag but have distinct vibes.

28

OPEN DOOR

BEST BETS

A basement full of Indy 500 artifacts is a living museum.

Five can’t-miss events in Indy this month.

30

BODY + SOUL

18

Women don’t have to go through menopause alone.

ARTIFACT

Kurt Vonnegut became a household name for writing about his military service, but he downplayed his Purple Heart.

IM | MAY 2025

36

FIRST BITE

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.

37

FOODIE

Fire & Ice Cafe owner Lara Cooney is spreading the love with her menu free of major food allergens, inspired by family with celiac disease.

38

TASTE TEST

Smash your face into these juicy, crispy, smash burgers.

40

31

REVIEW

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is a beachy dream.

Freeland’s Restaurant is a new take on a historic Carmel home and Old World fare.

TRAVELER

107 4

T H E DI S H

SPEED READ

SHOP TALK

VOLUME 48

112

RESTAURANT GUIDE

BACK STORY

A tour of the city’s best eats, from fine dining to favorite dives.

Bronze bears on the Soldiers & Sailors Monument reveal international connections.

B E A U T I F U L M O D E R N H O M E AVA I L A B L E I N H O L L I D AY FA R M S I N Z I O N S V I L L E 10440 SOMERFORD RIDGE

|

ZIONSVILLE

◊

6600 sq ft fin/9500 under roof

◊

On hole #17 green

◊

5 bedroom/5.5 bath

◊

Spring 2025 completion

◊

Gaggenau appliances

◊

O ff e r e d a t $ 3 , 9 9 5 , 7 5 0

E DI T OR’S NO T E

PUBLISHER

Ivy Bayer

The Ripe Stuff

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

APRI L SHOW E RS 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 Andrea Ratcliff flag date to begin planting. I could start earlier, but I learned the hard way that it’s unwise to rush, Editor-in-Chief unpredictable Indiana weather and all.

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.

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

( CONTRIBUTORS )

PUBLISHED BY

Cincinnati Media, LLC, A SUBSIDIARY OF HOUR MEDIA, LLC CEO Stefan Wanczyk PRESIDENT John Balardo

EDITORIAL / ADVERTISING OFFICES

Suzanne Krowiak

Vidhya Nagarajan

Chris Schumerth

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.

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).

6

IM | MAY 2025

Indianapolis Monthly 8909 Purdue Rd., Suite 130 Indianapolis, IN 46268 317-969-6954 Subscriptions

1-866-660-6247 IndianapolisMonthly.com/ subscribe indianapolis_service@hourmediagroup.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SEC TIONS CONTENTS PAGE

MAY

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS IN THIS ISSUE

IN THE NEXT ISSUE ...

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

65

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.

8&%/&4%": .": )*-#&35 $*3$-& 5)&"53& -RLQ :)<, /LYH IRU RXU QH[W /LVWHQ 8S HYHQW 7KH 0RWK 0DLQVWDJH (DFK 0RWK 0DLQVWDJH IHDWXUHV VLPSOH ROG IDVKLRQHG VWRU\WHOOLQJ E\ ILYH ZLOGO\ GLYHUJHQW UDFRQWHXUV ZKR GHYHORS DQG VKDSH WKHLU VWRULHV ZLWK 7KH 0RWK V DUWLVWLF WHDP 7KH 0RWK FHOHEUDWHV WKH DELOLW\ RI WUXH SHUVRQDO VWRU\WHOOLQJ WR LOOXPLQDWH ERWK WKH GLYHUVLW\ DQG FRPPRQDOLW\ RI KXPDQ H[SHULHQFH 5HVHUYH \RXU VHDW EHIRUH WKH\ VHOO RXW

13&4&/5&% #:

(&5 5*$,&54 "5 8':* 03( -*7& MAY 2025 | IM

7

AS IT TU RN S OUT, IT RE A LLY I S THE THOUGHT TH AT COU NTS. Being thoughtful in building a home is about considering not just the aesthetics, but also the functionality.

It’s about understanding the needs and desires of the people who will inhabit it. It’s evident in the layout, fWXRW ^fb X]cdXcXeT[h P]S _a^\^cTb Q^cW b^RXP[ X]cTaPRcX^] P]S \^\T]cb ^U b^[XcdST CWT aTbd[c Xb P b_PRT that feels special and inviting... more than just a structure; it becomes a sanctuary, a place where memories are made and that you're proud to call home.

2^\T UTT[ cWT F^^Sbc^RZ SXáTaT]RT X] =^Q[TbeX[[Tµb BPVP\^aT ]TXVWQ^aW^^S

1 6298 G R A N D CY P R E S S D R IVE & 1 6 4 57 G LE N E AG LE S CO U R T >_T] TeTah BPcdaSPh Bd]SPh ! #

WoodstockCustomHomes.com

Copyright 2025 Woodstock Custom Homes, LLC

05 2025

ASK T H E HO OSI E RIST . . 12 UNSP OKE N RULES . . . . . . . 12

C I RC L E C I T Y

CAMARADE RIE . . . . . . . . . . . 14 BEST BETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ARTIFACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

SPEED READ

Start Your Engines

PHOTOS COURTESY ZACH DOBSON/IMS MUSEUM

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.

MAY 2025 | IM

9

( SPEED READ CON T I NUE D ) 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.

THE PENSKE GALLERY SMELLS LIKE NEW

MANAGEMENT EMPLOYED A NEW WAY TO

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.

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

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

10

IM | MAY 2025

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. 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.” — S A M S TA L L

CLIMB INTO THE CANOPY SPIN INTO THE CRAFT STEP INTO THE STORY PLAN YOUR VISIT WITH US TODAY! www.connerprairie.org 13400 Allisonville Road | Fishers, IN 46038

( UNSPOKEN RULES )

Fishers Event Center

ask THE HOOSIERIST

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. — S A M S TA L L

THE STATE STAT

12

IM | MAY 2025

13

Rainy days in May on average

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.

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.

ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN JOHNSON. PHOTO COURTESY FISHERS EVENT CENTER.

A MANNER-FESTO FOR THE NEW NORTHEASTSIDE ARENA

At Carrington Homes, we take a personal approach to homebuilding. Every project is more than just a house; it’s a custom-designed space built around your lifestyle and unique needs.

Whether you’re looking to craft a sophisticated home office, design an inviting retreat for your family, or incorporate special architectural features, we bring your vision to life with meticulous attention to detail.

We specialize in creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful. At Carrington, custom isn’t just about the house; it’s about the journey we take to create a home that’s perfectly yours.

FIND OUT WHY YOU SHOULD

BUILD WITH US.

317-336-8002

CARRINGTONHOMES.COM

CAM ARADE RI E

Eron Harris

Power Forward

Porchia Green

THE CITY LEAGUE AND QUEENS OF THE COURT GEAR UP FOR ANOTHER SUMMER SEASON WHEN EVERYONE’S A WINNER. B Y C H R I S S C H U M E RT H

14

IM | MAY 2025

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.

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.

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. 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.

PHOTOS COURTESY THE CITY LEAGUE

AT DI FFE RE N T T I M ES, 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.

COMING IN AUGUST

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.

S P O N S O R I N G PA R T N E R S

C H A R I T Y PA R T N E R

Visit IndianapolisMonthly.com/DreamHome for a preview and developing tour details.

R E N D E R I N G S C R E AT E D B Y PJ E L AW N C A R E & L A N D S C A P I N G

PHOTOS COURTESY: 1) ADOBE FILIPPO CARLOT; 2) MIKE GROSS; 3) MARY SUE VEERKAMP SCHWAB; 4) PET PRIDE: BRITTNEY-ELIZABETH; 5) JETCITYIMAGE

(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 16

IM | MAY 2025

(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

(4) Indy 500 Victory

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

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

Society of Indiana Annual Membership Exhibit

Celebration

(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 I l l u s t r a t i o n b y H AT S U E

Celebrating Over 70 Years

Rooms designed by Deanna Whetstone of Whetstone & Associates

Your one-stop shop for the life of your rug. Joseph’s Oriental Rug Imports offers cleaning, ORRA certified appraising, eco-friendly padding, conservation and restoration.

Pick up and delivery available.

Joseph’s Imports, Inc. 4230 E. Fall Creek Parkway North Drive Indianapolis, Indiana 46205 317-255-4230 www.josephsimports.com mon-sat 9-5

ARTIFACT

Kurt Vonnegut’s Purple Heart Medal VINTAGE: 1945

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.

— C H R I S T I NA V E R C E L L E T T O

18

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS

Resides in the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library

$ ,2#34 4 4&. ,4,!,

1 - 4 $&. 4 + 4., ", % 4 %-*, /&' - # (,)%- . ($ , 0, 4

SHOP TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 MY LO OK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

05 2025

TRENDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 REALTY CHECK . . . . . . . 26

G O OD L I F E

OPEN D O OR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 B ODY+SOUL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 TRAVELER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 DAY TRIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

WANTED

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 — C H R I S T I NA V E R C E L L E T T O

MONTH MAY 2025 | IM

21

MY LOOK

The Local Radish ADDRESS

705 E. 52nd St. HOU RS

Tue–Sat 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sun noon–5 p.m.

1

2

Holly Whitney

( SHOP TALK )

Sales Director, Indianapolis Monthly

Magic Touch

LOVE THE PANTS!

A FORMER BEECH GROVE METAPHYSICAL SHOP MANIFESTS IN A NEW LOCATION. BY A M Y LY N C H

3

“T H EY CALL M E the Crystal Lady,” Brittany Spencer

22

IM | MAY 2025

HOW DO YOU INFUSE YOUR WORKWEAR WITH PERSONALITY?

4

scouted (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.

PHOTOS BY TONY VALAINIS

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.

As soon as I put on a bright pair of dress pants, it puts me in a happy spring mood.

Don’t live in the world and Dream... Live in the world of your Dreams!

Understanding the needs, over delivering on those needs, and you having a great experience are three separate things. You get to enjoy all three when you Dream With ProCare. 16 time winner “Best of HOUZZ” 2009-2025

Building a Heritage of Landscape Excellence since 1972 9801 Commerce Dr. | Carmel, IN 317.872.4800 | ProCareLandscapers.com

Landscape Design & Installation | Trees, Shrubs, Seed, and Sod Wood Decks, Patios, Paths, Walks, & Drives | Walls, Fences, and Structures Fountains & Water Features | Swimming Pools & Spa Environments Pool Houses, Outdoor Kitchens, Fireplaces, & Firepits | Outdoor Lighting & Illuminations

16x Winner of the Best of Houzz Award

1

2

3

TRENDING

Bling it On BEDAZZLE YOUR DAYS WITH SPARKLING ACCESSORIES AND HOME GOODS.

7

BY S T E P H E N G A R S TA N G

4

6

5

(1) Pearl and

(2) Retrouvai’s

(3) Alba Bijoux

(4) Olivia Riegel

leaf cluster bag charm. $54. Linden Tree, Carmel City Center, 317-7753566; 210 N. 10th St., Noblesville, 317-773-3238

handmade Yin Yang Pendant set with turquoise and diamonds. $3,100.

Metalmark, 211 W. Main St., Carmel, 720-441-4635

Vibrant Jewel Bangles handmade in Italy. $60 each. Grazie Mille, 825 E. Westfield Blvd., 317-955-9908

Windsor Flutes encrusted with clear European crystals. $275, set of two. Addendum, Carmel City Center, 317-253-3400

24

IM | MAY 2025

(5) Sophie Napkin Rings with pave flowers and handenameled leaves. $300, set of four.

Addendum, Carmel City Center, 317-253-3400

(6) Moss-green

(7) Lele Sadoughi

enamel frog trinket box adorned with verdant gems. $29. Surroundings, 1101 E. 54th St., 317-254-8883

Alice Confetti Headband embellished with glitter. $195.

MacKenzie-Childs, Carmel City Center, 317-253-3400

Trust is earned.

That’s why we at STAR Wealth Management listen, advise and manage your wealth as if it were our own.

Our comprehensive, personalized approach lets you make the most of your finances, without taking time out of your busy schedule to manage them.

Medina Habibic Investment Officer

So that you can leave time for what matters most, leave the investment management to us.

• Investment and retirement planning • Tax optimization • Estate management • Risk mitigation

Connect with our experienced team. starfinancial.com/investments

Tim Annee

Investment Officer

Looking for guidance on your journey?

Download our Roadmap to Financial Planning

Jeff Coil

Senior Investment Officer

• Not FDIC insured • Not guaranteed by the bank • Not a deposit • Not insured by any federal government agency • May go down in value

( THIS OR T HAT ? )

Dreamy New Builds

FOR AN IDENTICAL INVESTMENT, YOU CAN OWN EITHER OF THESE TURNKEY HOMES.

BY J E A NA H A R R I S

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.

26

IM | MAY 2025

1561 N. Park Ave. LISTING PRICE $1,349,900 BEDROOMS 4 BATHROOMS 5 SQUARE FOOTAGE 5,049 YEAR BUILT 2024 WINNING EXTRA Lower-level media room BROKER F. C. Tucker

14028 Grannan Ln., Carmel LISTING PRICE $1,349,900 BEDROOMS 4 BATHROOMS 4 SQUARE FOOTAGE 6,474 YEAR BUILT 2022 WINNING EXTRA Main level suite with spa bathroom BROKER @Properties

PARK AVE. PHOTOS COURTESY THE ADDISON GROUP

The Old Northside REALTY Standout CHECK 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.

Unique homes, uniquely for you Only 5 Lots remaining at Pemberton of Zionsville

Only Pemberton of Zionsville offers the unique quiet and privacy of a historic country estate and is still positioned just minutes from some of Zionsville’s best eateries, galleries, and activities.

EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOM HOMES FROM $1,000,000

317.660.4444 | encoresothebysrealty.com Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

OPEN DOOR

Our Brickyard Wall SOUTHSIDERS DAN AND PATTY DUDGEON HAVE BEEN “GOOFING OFF” AT THE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. BY C H R I S T I NA V E R C E L L E T T O

(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

(2) Indy 500 paper

4 3 1

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

8

by Danica Patrick after she and Dan bonded over a love of the old SNL skit, “More Cowbell.”

5

(5) Suite passes.

Dan has been in “all the suites around the track.”

Patty began joining him in 1981.

(6) Book on Jim

6

9

7

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

(8) Photo from a

TV news segment on the couple’s collection.

(9) Souvenir milk

bottle.

28

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS

chairs. In recent years, the duo has held five seats close to the top of Stand G.

ENVISION A PHILANTHROPIC JOURNEY TAILORED TO YOUR VALUES, PASSIONS, AND DREAMS.

Every day, we help people invest in the causes that ma er most to them.

Join us to amplify the power of your philanthropic dollars and make a bigger impact on our community.

Contact our team to learn how we can help amplify your charitable impact.

Jennifer Turner | Vice President of Philanthropy | jennifert@cicf.org

CICF.org | 317.634.2423

I l l u s t r a t i o n b y V I D H YA NA G A R A JA N

( R E J U V E NAT I O N )

V-Day

Midlife Misery KNOW THIS: YOU DON’T NEED TO GRIN AND BEAR IT. B Y C H R I S T I NA V E R C E L L E T T O I N H E R NEW B O OK

Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About BODY +SOUL 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 30

IM | MAY 2025

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.”

T H E 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.” —C.V.

PHOTO COURTESY BODY BAR MD

Mid-life vaginal changes are far from hopeless.

Hilton Head, SC DISTANC E

765 miles FLY T I M E

1 hour 40 minutes

Island in the Sun A SOUTH CAROLINA SEASIDE PARADISE RIVALS THE TROPICS FOR BALMY BLISS. B Y M I C H E L L E M A S T R O

TRAVELER PHOTOS COURTESY HILTON HEAD ISLAND CVB; DAY TRIP PHOTOS COURTESY IDDC

H I LTON H EAD ISLAND

in South Carolina’s Lowcountry has long lured TRAVELER 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

DAY TRIP

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 — C H R I S T I NA V E R C E L L E T T O MAY 2025 | IM

31

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH REV

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.

32

IM | MAY 2025

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 ˢ˩˘˥˪˛˘˟ˠ˜ˡ˚ ˜˧ʡ ʹ˥ˢˠ ˧˛˘ Ѓ ˥˦˧ ˦˜ˣʟ ˬˢ˨ ˚˘˧ ˔ ˥˜˖˛ ˧˔˦˧˘ 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, ˕˔˟˔ˡ˖˘˗ Є ˔˩ˢ˥ ˢ˙ ˢ˨˥ ʽ˔˩˔ ʻˢ˨˦˘ ʶˢ˟˗ ʵ˥˘˪ʡ ʴ˧ ˅˘˩ʟ Ѓ ˡ˗ ˧˛˘ ˠ˔˥˧˜ˡ˜ 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.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH REV

Restaurants & Chefs at Rev 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

LaCretia & Angelo Allen

Magdalena

Slapfish

Nick Detrich

Mark Weghorst

Crystal Signature Events

Mambo’s Cheesesteak Grill

Sodexo Live!

Indianapolis

Ricardo Martinez

Edward Yows

Market District

Spoke & Steele

Thomas Hubbard

Joshua Huffman

Mochi Joy Donuts

Sprinkle Joy Bakes

Tom Nguyen & Rachel Burnett

Jessica Fisher

Ocean Prime

Karl Benko

Matt Vogel

Daniel’s Vineyard José Amantecatl

Easy Rider Mycol Estrella & Jon Rivera

Fernando’s Mexican & Brazilian Cuisine Katia Hundley

Flowers Bakery

Matt Jarson

Keith Branham

Arni’s Restaurant

Fogo de Chão

Antonio Vargas

Thales Martinelli

Astrea Rooftop Bar

Forked Up Catering

Craig Baker

Azucar Morena Andreina Paredes

Back 9 Golf & Entertainment Christina Holden

Bearded Bagel Tom Race

Blondie’s Cookies

Kenneth & Sharon Hardiman

Fresko Marisa Silva & Kevin Pillco

Fundae’s Ice Cream & Sweets Jalen Camarillo

Geraldine’s Supper Club & Lounge

Brenda Coffman

Neil Andrews

Bluebeard

Iozzo’s Garden of Italy

Alan Sternberg

Kathy Jones

Boba & Everything

J’adore Pastry

Liza Christian

Youssef Boudarine

BODHI

Java House

Pen, Nicky, & Taelor

Java House Chef

Borage

Jug’s Catering

Josh Kline & Zoë Taylor

Evan Eckert & Clayton Eckert

Che Chori

Just Pop In!

Marcos C. Perera

Mandy Selke & Carly Swift

Clean Eatz Fishers Cassie & Jeffrey Leifel

Convivio Italian Artisan Cuisine

Kim’s Key Lime Products Kim Harvey

Brad Gates

Leviathan Bakehouse

Cretia Cakes

Pete Schmutte

Jose Rojas

Open Kitchen Dexter Smith

St. Elmo Steak House Taxman CityWay Cole Padgett

Papa’s Pizzeria | Italian & Peruvian Cuisine

Team Indiana | Area 31 Career Center Culinary Program

Erick & Juan Pillco

Erin Oechsle

Pizza & Libations

Team Indiana | Circle City Sweets

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

Cindy Hawkins

Team Indiana | Foster’s Café And Catering Brady Foster

Team Indiana | Ghost Mobile Kitchen Justin Miller

Team Indiana | Gomez Catering and Events

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

Michael A. Gomez

Tulip Tree Creamery

The Cannon Ball Lounge

Turchetti’s

Fons Smits

Daniel Keiner

George Turkette

The District Tap

Up Cellar

Juan Carlos Basurto

Connor Gray

The Fountain Room

Vanilla Bean Bakery

Ricky Martinez

Kristy Klinger

The Garage Food Hall | HercuLean Meal Prep

Vicino

Ben Canary

The Garage Food Hall | J’s Lobster & Fish Market J Wolf

The Garage Food Hall | Pig Pen BBQ

Sean Day

Vida Thomas Melvin

Wisanggeni Pawon Bambang Aji Wisanggeni

Mike Floyd MAY 2025 | IM

33

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 Lifeline ˖ˢ˨ˡ˦˘˟ˢ˥ ˙ˢ˥ ˛˘˟ˣ ˗˨˥˜ˡ˚ ˗˜˙Ѓ ˖˨˟˧ ˠˢˠ˘ˡ˧˦ ˔ˡˬ˧˜ˠ˘ʟ ˗˔ˬ ˢ˥ ˡ˜˚˛˧ʡ

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

NEW I N TOWN . . . . . . . . . . 36

05 2025

CHE E RS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 T HE FE E D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

T H E DI S H

PI NCH OF W ISD OM . . . . . 36 FO ODI E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 TAST E TEST . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 REV I EW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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 — E V E B AT E Y

P h o t o b y T O N Y VA L A I N I S

MONTH MAY 2025 | IM

35

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 Gates, corporate district chef, Spiga Restaurant Group

( NEW I N TOWN )

A View From The Top

ASTREA ROOFTOP BAR OFFERS A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON MONUMENT CIRCLE. BY E V E B AT E Y D OW N TOW N’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.

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 THE FEED

36

IM | MAY 2025

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 PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS. ASTREA PHOTO COURTESY ASTREA. TWISTERS PHOTO COURTESY TWISTERS

( CH EE RS )

FAVORITE THINGS

Family Affair

(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.”

A HEREDITARY HEALTH CRISIS INSPIRED LARA COONEY’S FIRE & ICE CAFE.

BY BRI A N GA RRI D O

W H E N Lara Cooney’s husband fell ill 13 years ago, no one could FOODIE 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

1

2

3

PHOTO BY SAM HIRT

4

5

MAY 2025 | IM

37

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. B Y A M Y LY N C H

TASTE TEST

38

IM | MAY 2025

Smash’d Burger Bar

Natural State Provisions

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

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

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

FREELAND’S

875 Freeland Way, Carmel 317-400-0436 freelandsrestaurant.com

Last Course

HOURS

THE TEAM BEHIND TINKER STREET OPENS A CARMEL RESTAURANT WITH A STORY AND FLAVOR ALL ITS OWN. B Y T E R RY K I RT S NEW CARM E L spot Freeland’s Restaurant certainly shares some similarities REVIEW 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 40

IM | MAY 2025

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

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 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

+++

Clockwise from left: duck pate; the dining room; black cod with fava beans; mille-fuille; Freeland’; the Velvet Underground cocktail.

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 P h o t o s b y T O N Y VA L A I N I S

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

dumplings in a soothingly straightforward broth, and a verdant beet tartine with plenty of pickled bits on a toasted slice of Leviathan Bakehouse rye.

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.

MAY 2025 | IM

41

Fruits

of

Your Labor EDITED BY CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO

42

IM | MAY 2025

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.

june Picking Pointer: It’s best to leave your dog at home. Food safety regulations prohibit pets in the fields.

may STRAWBERRIES & ASPARAGUS

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

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

Picking Po

inte

r: Always call be fore heading out to confirm hour s, and make su re what you want to pi ck is, well, pick Availability ca able. n change from day to day based on wea ther patterns and crowds.

MAY 2025 | IM

43

july

TART CHERRIES Stuckey Farm Orchard & Cider Mill

BLUEBERRIES Driving Wind Farm

Picking Pointer:

Sitting well within city limits, this best-kept secret is a unique ost always be urban oasis. Score the freshest Crops will alm sun, so if heat blueberries bursting with sunny planted in full . But flavor, ready to plop into yogurt, in the morning bothers you, go n ee cottage cheese, oatmeal, or inging sunscr a.m. or p.m., br t. ar sm water is muffins. While you’re there, you and a bottle of 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

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.

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

44

IM | MAY 2025

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

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

Black Gold

Anderson Orchard

Flavoring Graeter’s

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

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.

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 Picking brush the gentle giants. The La Porte County Pointer : Historical Society Museum’s car collection Bring cash . Few farm draws autophiles from all over the region, s take cards, and those that while true crime fans rush to the compelling do understan dably charg exhibit on Belle Gunness, “The Black Widow ea processing fee. of the Midwest.”

5911 W. 50 S, LA PORTE, 219-362-4835, GARWOODAPPLEFARM.COM

MAY 2025 | IM

45

september

CHESTNUTS Anderson Orchard

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

ter: Picking Poin e has no

appl The size of an size is a result e; st bearing on ta ’s blooms were of how the tree fty and humble thinned. Both he us. equally delicio apples can be

Compare Apples to Apples

46

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.

Name

Traits

Best For

Who Knew?

Blondee

Crisp; not very juicy; sweet-tart

Salads; charcuterie boards; thinly sliced on sandwiches

It was first spotted as a yellow fluke on a Gala tree.

Cortland

Juicy; slightly tart

Pies; cobblers; crisps; cider

Even though its flesh is snowy white, it doesn’t brown quickly.

Empire

Firm; sweet-tart

All purposes

The name is an homage to New York, where it was created.

Fuji

Firm; sweet

Snacking; baked apples

It holds its shape exceptionally well in the oven.

Gala

Crisp; mild, floral flavor

Snacking; applesauce

It has a thinner skin than most apples.

Jonagold

Slightly soft; sweet-tart

All 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-skinned

Apple pie

It’s a long-keeping apple; flavor actually improves in storage.

Pixie Crunch

Sweet; petite; extra crisp

Snacking

It was born in a breeding program in West Lafayette.

Swiss Gourmet

Firm; mildly sweet

Snacking; chicken salad; pairing with sharp cheeses

It originated in Europe as the Arlet but is now more common in the U.S.

IM | MAY 2025

Golden Globe Award

BY JULIA SPALDING

With a focus on family, Dull’s Tree Farm makes cozy fall magic.

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

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 ca tches your eye? Choo se another.

Stemless gour ds rot faster.

MAY 2025 | IM

47

pick your own

f lowers

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 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 48

IM | MAY 2025

Picking Pointer:

Peruse all the optio ns before you start snipping. Not unlike a cruise ship buffet, you m ay face regret halfway through oth erwise.

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.

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.)

3592 HARVEST MOON LN., SPENCER, 812-585-0809, HARVESTMOON FLOWERFARM.COM

Picking Pointer: e flowers, Where there ar ly bees. ab ob there are pr ume or Don’t wear perf scented lotion.

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.

MAY 2025 | IM

49

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

grab & go

Flower Fridays at Fishers Flower Farm

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.

50

IM | MAY 2025

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.

3592 HARVEST MOON LN., SPENCER HARVESTMOON FLOWERFARM.COM/ SUBSCRIPTIONS

PRODUCE Beasley’s Orchard 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 , but

s 90 degree It may be farms d n a t e fe d sandal-cla ar W . along e do not get oes. h s le b a mfort closed, co

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.

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.

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.

MAY 2025 | IM

51

Pato who?

by TO NY R E HAG E N

IndyCar’s hottest young driver tries to show the world, and himself, who he really is.

52

IM | MAY 2025

photos by JAY G O LDZ

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.

MAY 2025 | IM

53

WINTER, MOTORISTS

INSIDE LANE

O’Ward’s home in Meridian Hills is a haven where the driver can downshift in style.

54

IM | MAY 2025

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,

MAY 2025 | IM

55

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.”

56

IM | MAY 2025

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.

O N O C T O B E R 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

MAY 2025 | IM

57

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 58

IM | MAY 2025

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 CHILDHOOD AND RACE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY PATO O’WARD AND ARROW MCLAREN

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.

T H E O N LY thing Indianapolis racing fans seem to like better than a winner is a driver who comes up just short. Think Michael

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.”

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.

MAY 2025 | IM

59

Inside Joke

Give it up for Bloomington’s surprisingly brilliant comedy scene.

by Julia Spalding 60

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTO BY ANGELA JACKSON

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.

MAY 2025 | IM

61

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

RETURNING GUEST

A Bloomington favorite, comedian Maria Bamford received a key to the city in 2017.

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 62

IM | MAY 2025

“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.”

PHOTOS COURTSY THE COMEDY ATTIC

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.

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 MAIN CHARACTER or the next Tom ThakENERGY kar—and to bring top-tier A proud Comedy Attic alum, Emil comedy to town. Maybe Wakim is a cast even show it off a little. member on this When fellow nationally season’s Saturday Night Live. 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.

ROCK STARS

Every summer, Bloomington hosts the Limestone Comedy Festival, a huge draw for both performers and audiences.

MAY 2025 | IM

63

23AP

95% Grad Rate

79

Dual Credit

Courses

49 State Championships

Courses

7 23 Industry Certifications

$500M

in capital improvements

13x

National Titles

8 IDOE STEM Schools

Best Community

for Music

Education

4

NAEYC

$300M BUDGET

accredited early learning centers

strong fiscal

4x

IDOE Excellence

Award Winner

management

STRONG SCHOOLS. STRONG COMMUNITY. Learn more about Lawrence Township Schools at LTschools.org

PRIVATE EDUCATION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Private Education UŴĞħƚħŴĞħŴƱȬƧėŃžžŦƧȬžǹħƟȬ÷ȬŃ÷ŴĞƧɂžŴȬ÷ƚƚƟž÷ėŃȬƱžȬŌŴƧƱƟƻėƱŌžŴȬ ÷ŴĞȬƧƱƻĞħŴƱȬĞħǘħŦžƚŰħŴƱȯȬħǣƱħŴĞŌŴĽȬƱžȬƚ÷ƟħŴƱ÷ŦȬŌŴǘžŦǘħŰħŴƱȮȬ ÛħȬƱ÷ŦŠħĞȬǛŌƱŃȬŦžė÷ŦȬħĞƻė÷ƱžƟƧȬ÷ŴĞȬ÷ĞŰŌŴŌƧƱƟ÷ƱžƟƧȬ÷ēžƻƱȬƱŃħȬ Ǜ÷ǦƧȬƱŃħǦȬħŴĽ÷ĽħȬƚ÷ƟħŴƱƧȬ÷ŴĞȬħŴėžƻƟ÷ĽħȬĻ÷ŰŌŦǦȬƚ÷ƟƱŌėŌƚ÷ƱŌžŴȬ ŌŴȬƧėŃžžŦȬ÷ėƱŌǘŌƱŌħƧȬ÷ŴĞȬǘžŦƻŴƱħħƟȬƚƟžĽƟ÷ŰƧȮ

PHOTO COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA

By Lori Roberts

MAY 2025 | IM

65

PRIVATE EDUCATION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

QUALITY TIME

A mother helps her daughter create an art project at the International School of Indiana.

F

66

IM | MAY 2025

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 ÷ȬĞŌǹħƟħŴėħȬŌŴȬƱŃħŌƟȬėŃŌŦĞƟħŴɕƧȬħǣƚħƟŌħŴėħȮ

“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 ĞŌǹħƟħŴƱȬĻƟžŰȬħŴƟžŦŦŌŴĽȬ÷ȬėŃŌŦĞȬŌŴȬ÷ȬƚƻēŦŌėȬƧǦƧƱħŰȮȬ Indianapolis has many private school opportunities,

PHOTO COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA

or 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’ ƧėŃžžŦƧȯȬǛŃŌėŃȬėžŴƱƟŌēƻƱħƧȬƱžȬƱŃħŌƟȬžǛŴȬžǹƧƚƟŌŴĽɕƧȬ growth and development. Volunteer opportunities žǹħƟȬĻ÷ŰŌŦǦȬŰħŰēħƟƧȬ÷ȬėŃ÷ŴėħȬƱžȬēħȬ÷ėƱŌǘħȬ 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 Ɵ÷ŴĽŌŴĽȬĻƟžŰȬƚƟħɂfȬƱžȬėžŦŦħĽħȬŦħǘħŦȬƱžȬȃŴĞȬžƻƱȬ how parents can best participate in their child’s

Imagine a community of curious, compassionate people who lead by example and seek connection łŝǐƭǘǘ ŤƋͳŨǐŨƥŝŨǘ ʾ ƭſ ƭǎƋƥƋƭƥ˚ ƭſ ƝƋȃŨŤ 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.

DEPAUW.EDU

PRIVATE EDUCATION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GATHER ’ROUND

Families from The Orchard School warm up by a fire table during an ice skating event at Holliday Park.

68

IM | MAY 2025

SUPPORT SYSTEM

Parents and siblings are welcomed at International School of Indiana events to show support for their children enrolled there.

of admissions and enrollment, to determine their values. What type of curriculum are they seeking? Is Ļ÷ŌƱŃɂē÷ƧħĞȬħĞƻė÷ƱŌžŴȬŌŰƚžƟƱ÷ŴƱȵȬ At the college level, families who reach out to the University of Indianapolis may be assigned ÷ŴȬ÷ĞŰŌƧƧŌžŴƧȬėžƻŴƧħŦžƟȬ÷ǼŦŌ÷ƱħĞȬ with their geographic location, Ƨ÷ǦƧȬf÷ƱħȬ žǹŰ÷ŴȯȬ÷ƧƧžėŌ÷ƱħȬ 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

PHOTOS COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA AND THE ORCHARD SCHOOL

beginning at the preschool level and continuing through college. Some ƧėŃžžŦƧȬžǹħƟȬƚƟħɂfȬƱžȬȉȊƱŃȬĽƟ÷ĞħȬ education, while others may focus on the primary or high school grade levels.

“It’s a tough decision,” says Grace µƟ÷Ń÷Ŵɂ£žĞħė÷ƚȯȬĞŌƟħėƱžƟȬžĻȬ 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, ƚ÷ƟħŴƱƧȬŌŴƱħƟħƧƱħĞȬŌŴȬªƱȮȬ£ŌėŃ÷ƟĞɕƧȬ Episcopal School in Indianapolis can ƧŌƱȬĞžǛŴȬǛŌƱŃȬfŌŰȬy÷ƚŌħƟȯȬƱŃħȬƧėŃžžŦɕƧȬĞŌƟħėƱžƟȬ

NOW ENROLLING AGE 3 - GRADE 8 ORCHARD.ORG/VISIT

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.

PRIVATE EDUCATION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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 ƧƱƻĞħŴƱƧȬ÷ƟħȬžĻƱħŴȬēƟžŠħŴȬžǹȬȬĻƟžŰȬƱŃħŌƟȬƚ÷ƟħŴƱƧȬ during tours, giving the younger generation a chance to talk with their potential peer groups while parents spend time with administrators and ħĞƻė÷ƱžƟƧȬƱžȬȃȬŴĞȬžƻƱȬŃžǛȬƱŃħǦȬǛŌŦŦȬŴ÷ǘŌĽ÷ƱħȬƱŃħȬ 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,” žǹȬŰ÷ŴȬƧ÷ǦƧȮȬɒªžȬŃ÷ǘħȬ÷ȬėžŴǘħƟƧ÷ƱŌžŴȬǛŌƱŃȬ 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 ƧƚħėŌȃȬėƧȬ÷ēžƻƱȬǛŃ÷ƱȬŌƧȬŃ÷ƚƚħŴŌŴĽȬŌŴȬƱŃħȬėŦ÷ƧƧƟžžŰȮȬ Most parents can stay on top of their child’s schedule by checking the school’s website, watching social

70

IM | MAY 2025

media feeds, and reading regularly sent emails.

“It’s very important for parents to read anything that they get at the school,” Trahan£žĞħė÷ƚȬƧ÷ǦƧȮȬɒMŌĽŃȬƧėŃžžŦȬŌƧȬƧžȬĞŌǹȬħƟħŴƱȬ 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 “A healthy partnership involves about the classroom. Napier conversations and connections advises attending fall and with what is happening in spring school conferences, the classroom, as well as what ǛŃŌėŃȬžǹȬħƟȬžƚƚžƟƱƻŴŌƱŌħƧȬ is happening at home.” for one-on-one, inperson conversations.

Ed Hollinger, head of school However, as students for The Orchard School move into adolescence and adulthood, parents should prepare to let their children do the talking. Discuss ƱžƚŌėƧȬƱŃ÷ƱȬƧŃžƻŦĞȬēħȬėžǘħƟħĞȯȬ÷ŴĞȬħǘħŴȬžǹȬħƟȬƱžȬ Ɵħ÷ĞȬ÷ŴĞȬƟħǘŌħǛȬħŰ÷ŌŦƧȬēħĻžƟħȬƱŃħǦȬĽžȬžƻƱȯȬ žǹȬŰ÷ŴȬ says. But encourage students to be proactive in communicating with their teachers and professors.

“I think professors don’t want to hear ĻƟžŰȬƚ÷ƟħŴƱƧȯɓȬ žǹȬŰ÷ŴȬƧ÷ǦƧȮȬɒUĻȬ÷ȬƧƱƻĞħŴƱȬŌƧȬ having trouble and they want their parents to do something, the parent has to teach their child to advocate for themselves.”

PRIVATE EDUCATION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TEAM SPIRIT

PHOTO COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA

The International School of Indiana celebrates its senior year athletes during a basketball game against Central Christian Academy.

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 ĻžƻƟƱŃȬžƟȬȃĻƱŃȬĽƟ÷ĞħȯȬǛŃħŴȬƧƱƻĞħŴƱƧȬƧƱ÷ƟƱȬƱžȬƚƟħĻħƟȬ Ǜ÷ŦŠŌŴĽȬŌŴȬǛŌƱŃȬƱŃħŌƟȬĻƟŌħŴĞƧȯȬy÷ƚŌħƟȬƧ÷ǦƧȮ Schools rely on parent volunteers for many Ʊ÷ƧŠƧȯȬĻƟžŰȬĞħėžƟ÷ƱŌŴĽȬėŦ÷ƧƧƟžžŰƧȬƱžȬŃħŦƚŌŴĽȬ ǛŌƱŃȬŃžŦŌĞ÷ǦȬĻħƧƱŌǘ÷ŦƧȬ÷ŴĞȬėŃ÷ƚħƟžŴŌŴĽȬȃħŦĞȬƱƟŌƚƧȮȬ µŃŌƧȬŌƧȬħƧƚħėŌ÷ŦŦǦȬƱƟƻħȬĻžƟȬǦžƻŴĽħƟȬĽƟ÷ĞħƧȯȬǛŃħŴȬ 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 ēħƱǛħħŴȬƧƱ÷ǹȬ÷ŴĞȬƚ÷ƟħŴƱƧȯȬMžŦŦŌŴĽħƟȬƧ÷ǦƧȮ “A healthy partnership involves conversations and connections with what is happening in ƱŃħȬėŦ÷ƧƧƟžžŰȯȬ÷ƧȬǛħŦŦȬ÷ƧȬǛŃ÷ƱȬŌƧȬŃ÷ƚƚħŴŌŴĽȬ÷ƱȬ

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

GOCATHEDRAL.COM/VISIT MAY 2025 | IM

71

RINGING UP

Middle school students from The Orchard School sell branded and creative merchandise with the help of their parents.

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 Ű÷ǦȬȃȬŴĞȬĻħǛħƟȬžƚƚžƟƱƻŴŌƱŌħƧȬƱžȬƚŦƻĽȬŌŴƱžȬėŦ÷ƧƧħƧȬ ÷ŴĞȬ÷ėƱŌǘŌƱŌħƧȮȬ ƟħƱħħŴƧȬŰ÷ǦȬēħȬŰžƟƱŌȃȬħĞȬƱžȬ 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.”

40+

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

90+

UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Find an entire community invested in each student success story.

72

IM | MAY 2025

Schedule your visit to campus!

UINDY.EDU

PHOTO COURTESY THE ORCHARD SCHOOL

PRIVATE EDUCATION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PHOTO COURTESY ST. RICHARD’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

PRIVATE EDUCATION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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 ēǦȬžǹȬħƟŌŴĽȬŌŴĻžƟŰ÷ƱŌžŴȬĻžƟȬė÷ƟħħƟȬ 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.

At this IB World School, education goes beyond the conventional. We emphasize interdisciplinary thinking, personalized learning, and global perspectives, cultivating communityminded individuals prepared for any challenge. Our approach provides unparalleled preparation for higher education and ensures our students are equipped to face any challenges the world presents. After all, why stop at the Crossroads of America when you’re prepared to go anywhere?

TH A WIT

MID MIDDLE DDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SSCHO OOL AT ISI Discover Discove er what what makes ISI an exceptional exceptiional choice choice for your child's education education n and growth. explore Scan to o explo ore our unique programss and opportunities! program o

/PX BDDFQUJOH BQQMJDBUJPOT

100% 00% 50+ 20+ 8+ College Acceptance Rate

Clubs & Activities

Athletic Teams

Yearly Arts A Showcases Showcas ses

5

Annual Culture and Service Trip Opportunities

50+

Nationalities in our Community

1 CLASS per day in language learning MAY 2025 | IM

73

GO BOILERS!

125+ pieces of public art

Enjoy two water parks, public pools and our scenic waterways.

More to Experience Wolf Park

Award winning golf!

Prophetstown State Park and The Farm at Prophetstown

Columbian Park Zoo

Vibrant downtown nestled along the Wabash River.

Just a short drive away...

One-of-a-kind attractions, located an hour north of Indianapolis, along l-65.

Purdue University • Prophetstown State Park & Aquatic Center • The Farm at Prophetstown Vibrant Downtown • Wolf Park • Columbian Park & Zoo • Tropicanoe Cove • Public Art Trail Celery Bog Nature Area • Hiking & Biking Trails • 7LSSHFDQRH %DWWOHðHOG 0XVHXP *DOOHULHV 0XVHXPV • Annual Festivals • Theater & Nightlife • Breweries and a Winery Agritourism Adventures • Golf courses include designs by Pete Dye and Hale Irwin

Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette • 301 Frontage Road, Lafayette, IN 47905 • 765-447-9999 • homeofpurdue.com

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY (TOP) CONSERVANCY FOR CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

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 ǡ ǡ ǡ ϐ ǡ past. We offer this guide to more than 50 road trip–worthy attractions throughout Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.

MAY 2025 | IM

75

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

OHIO

ǯ Ƭ Peace Memorial

the ranks of the U.S. Army despite racism ͳͺͲͲ ͳͻͲͲ Ǥ ǯ 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 76

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (TOP RIGHT) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ZACK FRANK / (TOP LEFT) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/XXCXXC / (BOTTOM) FIRST LADIES NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

president. Guided tours of the house and self-guided cellphone tours of the grounds are available. In Cincinnati’s Buckeye Delights Mount Auburn district, the William Ohio is home to a half-dozen national

historic parks, sites, monuments, and (nps.gov/wiho) includes the home and memorials commemorating the lives ʹ͹ Ȅ of Native Americans, political the only person to ever serve as both ϐ ǡ ǡ U.S. president and chief justice innovators. Among Ǥ them, the Dayton

Aviation Heritage ϐ National embark on a tour of Historical Park the property. At the (nps.gov/daav)

celebrates poet Historic Site Paul Laurence ȋ Ǥ Ȁϔ Ȍ in Canton, Dunbar and the guests can visit Saxton

ϐ House, the family home Historic Site and Wilbur Wright ϐ ϐ Ǥ ǡ ʹͷ the Huffman Prairie and President William McKinley.

Wright-Dunbar interpretive Rotating exhibits in the visitor centers, stroll through Carillon center highlight the achievements and Historical Park, and tour the Wright ǯ ϐ Cycle Shop and Paul Laurence Dunbar throughout history.

House Historic Site.

Named for a distinguished brigadier Past U.S. presidents and their spouses ϐ take center stage at a trio of Ohio national park superintendent, the destinations. Ǥ ϐ

National Monument (nps.gov/chyo) National Historic Site (nps.gov/jaga) in Wilberforce salutes the legacy of a in Mentor showcases the preserved Kentucky-born soldier who rose through Ǧ ʹͲ Ǥ Ǥ

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Hocking Hills State Park

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. ϐ 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) ϐ ǡ ǡ hickory trees that provide a canopy of shade in the summer and explode with color during fall. More than 125 miles

Kelleys Island State Park 78

IM | MAY 2025

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 ϐ ͳͷ 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

Shawnee State Park

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

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.

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.

Sign up today to receive the 2025 Play + Stay Travel Guide

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

(conservancyforcvnp.org) and Inn at Brandywine Falls (theinnatbrandywinefalls.com) provide homey accommodations with historic charm within the park.

Lake Hope State 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 ϐ 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 Ǥ ϐ 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 ǡ ǡ ϐ center, and a gift shop is available for overnight stays. The park also offers campgrounds and cabins.

Maumee Bay State Park 80

IM | MAY 2025

Mohican State Park

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, ϐ ǡ ǡ 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 ͳͷ ϐ 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

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Known for scenic rivers and dense forests, Mohican State Park (ohiodnr .gov/mohican) in Loudonville is a prime ǡ ϐ ǡ ǡ

It seems horses excel at people skills.

From celebrated horses and equine farms, to spectacular museums and outdoor adventures, you’ll be awed by all the experiences you can share in our new Kentucky home.

Plan your sensational getaway today.

KentuckyTourism.com

L AN E’ S EN D FAR M , VERSAI LLES

kentuckytourism.com

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.

0DUN \RXU FDOHQGDUV IRU D ZHHNHQG ĆOOHG ZLWK EUDVV PXVLF community spirit and excitement. Don’t miss out on the largest celebration of brass music in the U.S. this year! danvillekentucky.com

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, OLYH HQWHUWDLQPHQW VKRZV FDUQLYDO ULGHV ĆUHZRUNV DQG PRUH 7KLV 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

WINE, WHISKEY, ALE AND FOREST TRAILS bm7 +o u v1-r; bm ѴѴb o m| 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 \RXU RZQ SDFH 7KHQ YLVLW .HQWXFN\èV RIĆFLDO VWDWH arboretum, Bernheim Forest, which boasts more than 16,000 acres of wildlife sanctuary, landscaped gardens and arboretum. travelbullitt.org

kentuckytourism.com

SUMMER ADVENTURES |7oou m bm -uv_-ѴѴ o m| 0HPRULDO 'D\ ZHHNHQG LV WKH RIĆFLDO NLFNRII WR VXPPHU DW .HQWXFN\ /DNH 1RW WR PHQWLRQ 0D\ LV SULPH ĆVKLQJ IRU VKDOORZ EOXHJLOO DQG VKHOOFUDFNHU ĆVKLQJ RU DQJOHUV FDQ ćLS EXVKHV RU WU\ WRSZDWHU OXUHV IRU ODUJHPRXWK RU VPDOOPRXWK EDVV DV .< /DNH UHDFKHV IXOO VXPPHU SRRO Book your stay now! visitkylake.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

MOTHER NATURE IS CALLING ol; Ѵ- b|_ &v 5DIW KLNH DQG ĆVK DPLG WKH SULVWLQH EHDXW\ RI &RUELQ .< å WKH 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

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!

VISIT KENTUCKY STATE PARK PARKS and fall in love with our New Kentucky Home.

LODGES • CABINS • RESTAURANTS • CAMPGROUNDS MARINAS • MUSEUMS • TRAILS • GOLF COURSES • FUN

PARKS.KY.GOV

#kystateparks #kystateparks #newkyhome #newkyhome

Dale Hollow Lake SRP

John James Audubon SP

Barren River Lake SRP

KY Dam Village SRP

“the nation’s finest” “the nation’s finest”

Pine Mountain SRP

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (TOP) CONSERVANCY FOR CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK / (BOTTOM) INDIANA DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Salt Fork Lodge & Conference Center (saltforkparklodge.com) houses guests in its main lodge and nearby cabins.

Amenities include indoor and outdoor ǡ ǡ ϐ 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

Fort Harrison State Park

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 ϐ a second-growth forest that includes oak and hickory trees and plentiful ϐ Ǥ 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).

MAY 2025 | IM

85

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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 ǡ ǡ ǡ ϐ ǡ and even scuba diving. Cyclists can take to the Calumet and Porter Brickyard bike

trails in the national park, while design ϐ 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.

Brown City State Park 86

IM | MAY 2025

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, Ƥ Ǥ waters and sandy beaches make them ideal for swimming and sunbathing, and George Rogers Clark National Park 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 Ǧ Ƥ Ǥ ơ overnight stays.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (TOP/BOTTOM) INDIANA DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION / (MIDDLE) NATIONAL PARK SERVICES

Indiana Dunes National Park

ShelbyKY has the best of Kentucky.

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.

Shelbyville | Simpsonville | Shelby County, Kentucky

Explore Your Bourbon Destination® • visitshelbyky.com

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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 Ƥ Ǥ ǯ 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 ǯ beauty and amenities.

ǯ ͳ͸ at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (nps.gov/libo) in Lincoln ǡ ǯ formative years in Indiana through the ǡ 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 Ƥ ǡ Lincoln Amphitheatre (lincolnamphitheatre .com), which hosts seasonal live music performances. The 2,200-seat outdoor entertainment venue hosts Steven Adler ǯ Shepherd Band among other classic rock and country acts in 2025.

ǯ ϐ ǡ 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 Ǥ ǯ 88

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY INDIANA DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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 ǡ for independence stretched all the way Ǥ ϐ ǯ ǡ ϐ the Wabash River where a British fort was captured in a dramatic maneuver.

Y O U R G E TAWAY Y O U R H O M E C O M I N G South Walton’s turquoise water, 26 miles of sugar-white sand, and 1 6 beach neighborhoods in Nor thwest Florida ef for tlessly blend natural beauty, modern amenities , world class cuisine, and s m a l l tow n c h a r m t h a t d r aw g e n e r a t i o n s to g e t h e r ye a r a f te r ye a r.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW From resor ts to boutique hotels , South Walton is home to unique architec ture, breathtaking views and accommodations to suit any style.

Experience The Lodge A – South Walton’s only select-service hotel at Seagrove’s Greenway Station. Enjoy affordable rates, a convenient location, in-room kitchene es and access to our outdoor pool and fitness center – everything you need for a perfect A stay.

TheLodge A.com • -

Situated on the pristine sugar-white beaches of South Walton, WaterColor Inn perfectly encapsulates coastal comfort while providing distinguished service and family-friendly resort amenities for a memorable beach vacation.

WaterColorResort.com • -

The Pearl Hotel brings luxur y and sophistication to South Walton, featuring beautifully appointed accommodations, destination-worthy cuisine and a welcoming spa. Guests also enjoy complimentary beach chairs and oversized umbrellas.

ThePearlRB.com •

-

MIRAMAR BEACH • SEASCAPE • SANDESTIN • DUNE ALLEN • GULF PLACE • SANTA ROSA BEACH • BLUE MOUNTAIN BEACH • GRAYTON BEACH • WATERCOLOR

STEP AWAY AND GE T CLOSER South Walton has a way of slowing down time…an ease that invites you to relax and play. From the moment your feet touch the sand, you’re home. Find your perfect beach at VisitSouthWalton.com.

SEASIDE • SEAGROVE • WATERSOUND • SEACREST • ALYS BEACH • ROSEMARY BEACH • INLET BEACH

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Dz dz

vistas, Brown County State Park (on.in.gov/browncountysp) ǯ ͳ͸ǡͲͲͲ Ǥ ǡ ǡ Ǥ ơ ǡ Ǥ Ǧ ǡ

Ǥ Abe Martin Lodgeǡ ǯ ǡ ǯ ǡ

Ǥ The Nashville House (nashvillehousebc.com)ǡ ͳͺͷͻǤ ͳͻͶ͵ǡ

92

IM | MAY 2025

ǡ ǡ Ǥ Turkey Run State Park (on.in.gov/ turkeyrunsp) Ǥ ǡ ǡ Ǥ ǯ ǡ Sugar Valley Canoes ǡ ǡ (sugarvalleycanoes.com)Ǥ

Ǧ ǡ ǡ ǯ Ǥ ǡ Shades State Park (on.in.gov/shadessp) Ǥ ǡ ǡ ǯ Ǥ

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY INDIANA DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

ǡ ơ

Ǥ ǡ ǡ ǯ Canyon Innǡ ǡ ǡ ǡ Ǥ

Your Perfect Stay Awaits at North by Hotel Covington Experience the perfect blend of comfort and sophistication at Hotel Covington. Of our 167 elegant rooms, North by Hotel Covington’s 53 uniquely designed, apartment-style suites offer spacious layouts and beautiful decor, ideal for both short getaways and extended stays. Enhance your visit with a craft cocktail at The Knowledge Bar & Social Room, where a vibrant, energetic atmosphere meets a relaxed, inviting vibe. Adjacent to the Lightwell, this space creates a dynamic backdrop for unwinding or socializing.

Whether you’re here for business, a honeymoon, or a special event, we promise an unforgettable stay.

Book Now

U.S. News #1 Hotel in Kentucky • #1 Hotel in Best of Cincy 2025

and

638 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY 41011 | www.HotelCovington.com | 859.905.6600

BEST OF CINCY 2025

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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 Lincoln Boyhood ơ unique karst features, National Memorial including caves and sinkholes. Travelers can explore the park’s nature center, enjoy activities like Ƥ ǡ 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.

In the southeast part of Indiana, Clifty Falls State Park (on.in.gov/cliftyfallssp)

Ì ÌÖÉÆ ÈÆ Ímb ÈË Ímb

near Madison is renowned for its ϐ 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 Inn 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.

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

Island Loop Trail takes visitors to the site of the Rose Island Amusement Park, a 1920s theme park that was nearly ϐ 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 ϐ 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

ĚĚĘĚ ĚĘĚĝ ĝ ĘĚ Ę Ěĝ Ě Ì Ímb Ï Ímb

6)&)/%, 4%6/ -7 03'%8)( %8 2 '3928= 63%( 2) +6))27&96+ -2 6 )& )& &) )/% %, , 4 4% 4% %6 6 6/ / --7 - 7 0 0 3' 3 '% ' % 8 )( ) ( % % 8 %8 2 2 '3 '3 39 9 2 8 = 6 6 3% 63 3 % ( 2) 2 ) + + 6) 6)) )2 2 27 7 7& & 9 6 + -2 - 2

7432736)( &=

ŠŎīĖƊɑ EìƃƳĖƺɑ ËìŎŋĖƃɑ ŠĈĈĶŖƊ ɚ lìďďƙƹ lŠƳĶŖĬ ¡ƓŠƃìĬĖ ʸ ƙĉƓĶŠŖ ŠŎīĖƊɑ EìƃƳĖƺɑ ËìŎŋĖƃɑ ŠĈĈĶŖƊ ɚ lìďďƙƹ lŠƳĶŖĬ ¡ƓŠƃìĬĖ ʸ ƙĉƓĶŠŖ Šďƺ ɚ EƃĖĖŖƊĈƙƃĬ ŠƴĖƃ Šī ƓIJĖ ìƊƓ ɚ !ŠĈĶì ¡ŠŎìƃ dd!ɐ 0ŖŖĖŋĶŖĬ ƙƓŠ Šďƺ ɚ EƃĖĖŖƊĈƙƃĬ ŠƴĖƃ Šī ƓIJĖ ìƊƓ ɚ !ŠĈĶì ¡ŠŎìƃ dd!ɐ KŠƃƊĖƊIJŠĖ OŖďĶìŖìƀŠŎĶƊ ìĉĶŖĬ ʸ !ìƊĶŖŠ ɚ ¡ĉIJƙƓƓĖ 0ƹĉìƳìƓĶŖĬ ƀ Ĭ Ĭ

94

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

is a prime site for hiking, bird-watching, and photography, with trails that lead to gorgeous views of Sugar Creek.

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY STOCK.ADOBE.COM/COY ST. CLAIR

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park

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 ϐ 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.

taking the scenic route, sharing a meal, shopping local, and creating adventures to remember.

Plan your trip and make it yours today VisitElkhartCounty.com MAY 2025 | IM

95

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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.

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

96

IM | MAY 2025

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

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY I(TOP) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/HENRYK SADURA / (BOTTOM) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/EWY MEDIA

Mammoth Cave National Park

Pine Mountain State Resort 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

Red River Gorge Geological Area

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

PICTURE YOURSELF IN MEDINA COUNTY õõõƣq¬Ý¬äA ¬Å ËéÅäûƣ ËÄ

,Q 0HGLQD &RXQW\ 3DUN 'LVWULFW FHOHEUDWHV \HDUV RI HQKDQFLQJ WKH TXDOLW\ RI DOO OLIH WKURXJK HGXFDWLRQ FRQVHUYDWLRQ DQG WKH SURWHFWLRQ RI QDWXUDO UHVRXUFHV

98

IM | MAY 2025

ϐ Ǥ 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 ǡ ϐ ǡ

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (RIGHT) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/MICHELE / (LEFT) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/KENNETH KEIFER

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY INDIANA DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

bird-watching. Accommodations include guest rooms at the on-site DuPont Lodge, cabins, cottages, and campsites. ǡ ϐ ǡ 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 ǡ ϐ ǡ 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 Dale Hollow Lake ǡ ϐ ǡ State Resort Park 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). ǯ ϐ ǡ in 1924, Pine Mountain State Resort Park (parks.ky.gov) in Pineville provides mountaintop Appalachian views of the

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.

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

Tailored Journeys, Refined.

Enjoy zero markup on accommodation bookings.

travelbymrbijoy.com MAY 2025 | IM

99

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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, ͺǡʹͲͲǦ ϐ ǡ ǡ ϐ ǡ ǡ Ǥ ǯ 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, ǡ ǡ 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.

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park

Mammoth Cave National Park

100

IM | MAY 2025

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (CENTER) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/PATRICK JENNINGS / (TOP) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/JIM VALLEE / (BOTTOM) STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ALISTAIR

Red River Gorge Natural Bridge

TRAVEL SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FROM THE PARAMOUNT PICTURES ARCHIVE & THE TRUMBULL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Grant County, KY Where your next big adventure begins!

MAY 31 – AUG 31, 2O25 6SPPMRK LMPPW PEOIW JSV ǖWLMRK ERH FSEXMRK LMOMRK XVEMPW TEVOW WTIGMEPX] WLSTW ERH PSGEP VIWXEYVERXW FREE ADMISSION • Wed–Fri, 11AM–4PM • Sat & Sun, 1–4PM

145 E. Main Street | Lancaster OH | 740-681-1423 | decartsohio.org

* 5$177 &2817< 7RXULVW &RQYHQWLRQ &RPPLVVLRQ

visitgrantky.com 800-382-7117

Streetsboro!

Best

See you in NE Ohio’s

Vacation Value!

• Directly off Ohio Turnpike, Exit 187 • 8 Affordable HOTELS • 2 Serene CAMPGROUNDS • Over 60 nearby ATTRACTIONS • 50+ RESTAURANTS • NUMEROUS Annual Events Get Your FREE Vacation Value Packet & Coupons at www.StreetsboroVCB.com!

888-558-5580

MAY 2025 | IM

101

Just south of Indianapolis, you’ll find the sovereign state of Festival Country, where the national pastime is having a good time. With 1,000 festivals and events, Instagram-worthy alleys, and an always festive vibe, you’re sure to find your fun.

FESTIVALCOUNTRYINDIANA.COM

A DVA NCED DEGREE S SPECI A L A DV ER T ISING SEC T ION ADVANCED DEGREES

Advanced Degrees Learn about Indiana colleges and universities offering graduate degrees and workforce certification programs.

These schools tailor their delivery to accommodate working adults.

MAY 2025 | IM

103

A DVA NCED DEGREE S SPECI A L A DV ER T ISING SEC T ION ADVANCED DEGREES

EARLHAM COLLEGE & EARLHAM SCHOOL OF RELIGION

801 National Rd. W, Richmond, IN 47374 765-983-1200 / earlham.edu

Take the next step toward your future at Earlham.

Our Graduate Programs in Education aim to do more than just provide licensure for teachers. Are you ready to awaken the teacher within, become a leader in your school communities, and be a morally conscious educator? If so, one of our advanced degree programs is right for you.

Explore how to use your unique strengths to thoughtfully address global challenges in one of Earlham School of Religion’s advanced degree programs. Founded on Quaker values, our school and its programs are designed to prepare you for a life of meaningful work and impact in the world.

PROGRAMS FOR WORKING ADULTS: Religion: M.Div., M.A. with a concentration in religion, theopoetics and writing, or peace and social transformation, plus certifi cate programs; Education: M.A.T., M.Ed. ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMS: M.A. in theopoetics and writing can be completed entirely online.

NIGHT & WEEKEND CLASSES: Earlham School of Religion offers evening classes and weekend intensive courses.

Awaken the teacher within and become a morally conscious leader in your school communities when you complete the: • Master of Arts in Teaching • Master of Education

Explore how to use your unique strengths to compassionately address the world’s problems in the: • Master of Divinity • Master of Arts in Religion • Master of Arts in Peace and Social Transformation • Master of Arts in Theopoetics and Writing

104

IM | MAY 2025

Scan to learn more about how to apply.

A DVA NCED DEGREE S SPECI A L A DV ER T ISING SEC T ION ADVANCED DEGREES

INDIANA TECH

1600 E. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46803 888-832-4742 / online.indianatech.edu/

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.

Career-advancing online degrees are offered at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, as well as certificate programs, and are aligned with in-demand careers including project management, engineering, business, cybersecurity, accounting, information technology, computer science, health care administration, health information technology, criminal justice, supply chain management, and more. The university’s programs are fully accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and many programs hold discipline-specific accreditations.

ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMS: More than 100 online programs at multiple levels, including Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Doctor of Business Administration programs NIGHT & WEEKEND CLASSES: Regional service centers offer on-site evening classes, and most online coursework is available 24/7.

WORKFORCE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS: Indiana Tech is an approved education provider of Indiana’s Workforce Ready Grant, offering free training in industries like manufacturing, construction, health sciences, business, IT, and more. Qualifying students can have the entire cost of an undergraduate certifi cate covered by the grant.

INDIANATECH.EDU/DBA

Indiana Tech’s online, project-based DBA is designed for professionals eager to drive change, equipping you with advanced business and research skills to tackle real-world challenges. Choose from concentrations in Marketing, Health Care Management or Business Strategy.

Earn your DBA in as little as three years, with no dissertation. Save time and money by transferring up to nine credits from an accredited master’s degree program.

Introducing the Doctor of Business Administration:

A Difference-Maker of a Degree

ENROLL TODAY. Kristin Conley, MSL 260.344.4395 | KNConley@indianatech.edu Students must have earned their master’s degree within the last ten years and graduated with a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0.

MAY 2025 | IM

105

A DVA NCED DEGREE S SPECI A L A DV ER T ISING SEC T ION ADVANCED DEGREES

INDIANA TECH

1600 E. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46803 888-832-4742 / online.indianatech.edu/

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.

Career-advancing online degrees are offered at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, as well as certificate programs, and are aligned with in-demand careers including project management, engineering, business, cybersecurity, accounting, information technology, computer science, health care administration, health information technology, criminal justice, supply chain management, and more. The university’s programs are fully accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and many programs hold discipline-specific accreditations.

ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAMS: More than 100 online programs at multiple levels, including Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Doctor of Business Administration programs NIGHT & WEEKEND CLASSES: Regional service centers offer on-site evening classes, and most online coursework is available 24/7.

WORKFORCE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS: Indiana Tech is an approved education provider of Indiana’s Workforce Ready Grant, offering free training in industries like manufacturing, construction, health sciences, business, IT, and more. Qualifying students can have the entire cost of an undergraduate certifi cate covered by the grant.

INDIANATECH.EDU/DBA

Indiana Tech’s online, project-based DBA is designed for professionals eager to drive change, equipping you with advanced business and research skills to tackle real-world challenges. Choose from concentrations in Marketing, Health Care Management or Business Strategy.

Earn your DBA in as little as three years, with no dissertation. Save time and money by transferring up to nine credits from an accredited master’s degree program.

Introducing the Doctor of Business Administration:

A Difference-Maker of a Degree

ENROLL TODAY. Kristin Conley, MSL 260.344.4395 | KNConley@indianatech.edu Students must have earned their master’s degree within the last ten years and graduated with a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0.

MAY 2025 | IM

105

05 2025

R E S TAU R A N T S

R

new and updated B ORAGE ........................................... 109 BEST CHO COLATE IN TOWN....... 110 MAGDALE NA .................................. 110 MARRIOTT WESTIN.. ................... 111

Magdalena’s Pink Moon oysters (p. 110)

P h o t o b y T O N Y VA L A I N I S

MAY 2025 | IM

107

key

BR 2024

Named one of IM’s Best Restaurants in 2024

Brunch Outdoor seating Reservations V Vegetarian friendly

NEW New addition to the guide

$$$$ $50 and up $$$ $30–$40 $$ $20–$30 $ Under $20

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 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 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 $$$ BR 2024

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

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 $$

STEAKHOUSE The interior of this swanky

Auberge

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

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.

108

IM | MAY 2025

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 V $$ .com

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 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 BR 2024

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, V $$$$ beholderindy.com

Bluebeard 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 $$$ BR 2024

Bodhi Craft Bar + Thai Bistro BR 2024

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

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

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 $$ BR 2024

of the White River and purchased by Charles Bonge a little over 10 years later, Bonge’s Chin Brothers Tavern has been a part of Indiana dining BURMESE One of the oldest Burmese history for more than 90 years. In the fall of restaurants in town, this brightly lit and 2023, Burgess Restaurant Group purchased friendly spot attached to a large, well-stocked it and installed Dean Sample as executive market serves as a cultural chef. The centerpiece of the center for immigrants from menu is still the signature the Chin state of Myanmar. tenderloin, appropriately named Invigorating refreshers such as the Perkinsville Pork. Other SMALL BITE sweet tea with condensed milk favorites include a stuffed duck and a cane syrup beverage with breast and a fresh fish entree. puffed rice offer a colorful taste Chef Sample inflects his own of Burmese culture. Fried rice ideas into the menu, with a and soups are solid standards Southern influence. It’s worth As restaurants adjust here, as well as luscious and the risk to order whatever to Indiana’s new tender curried goat. Their delightful special he adds to happy hour laws, Lahpet Thohk salad, made the menu. Make sure to grab a local favorites are with fermented tea leaves, reservation long before you plan beginning to offer greens, and spices, may be to go—they go quick—and arrive some stunningly one of the best in the region. early enough to tailgate in the affordable food 2320 E. Stop 11 Rd., 317-888parking lot with other diners, a and drink specials.

1850, chinbrothers.com V $$ Bonge’s tradition worth keeping.

9830 W. 280 N, Perkinsville, 765Borage, for example, Chopped Cheese Boys 734-1625, bongestavern.com $$$ offers half-off apps, DELI New York’s beloved $5 pints, and priceBorage bodega snack is the eponymous slashed bottles on ALL-DAY CAFE Josh Kline specialty at this no-frills specific days. Check BR and Zoë Taylor’s Irvington convenience store 2024 your favorite spot’s long-awaited all-day cafe, and takeout deli. True to form, social media (or dinner spot, and market took well-seasoned ground beef gets give them a call) years longer to open than they chopped on a sizzling flattop, for similar deep expected when they chose its then pressed into a sub sandwich discounts.

GET HAPPY

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 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 BR 2024

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 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 BR 2024

MAY 2025 | IM

109

Brazil. Enjoying a flight of fruit-infused exhibition pizzerias so popular in the 1980s. caipirinhas and a plate of crisp, savory chicken But this is present-day pizza, bubbly and croquettes on Fernando’s spacious sheltered charred, with seasonal toppings such as truffles patio is still a warm-weather delight, and dishes and imported Taleggio cheese. Multiple like feijoada with fall-apart-tender pork and locations, kingdoughpizzas.com V $$ rich stewed black beans, as well as chicken Lone Pine stroganoff and a delectable Brazilian take on the STEAKHOUSE Beholder partner Josh homey pot pie, remain hearty staples that are Mazanowski’s solo restaurant pulls inspiration hard to find elsewhere. Fare such as queso from his background at West fundido and arroz con pollo more Coast and Indy restaurants, than hold their own against the married to a Montana ranch best, and refreshing desserts sensibility. The end product is a such as an ultra-creamy flan and SMALL cutting-edge chophouse with a Brazilian-style guava cheesecake BITE menu that has a range as wide are worth saving a few bites of as Mazanowski’s palate, which your entrees to make he’s honed during his career as a room for. 834 E. 64th St., sommelier. While steaks remain 317-377-4779, fernandosindy.com The last remaining $$$ a mainstay, much of the menu storefront of Indy is a rotating feast. Watch for candy shop The Gather 22 items like a cassoulet with Old Best Chocolate in CONTEMPORARY This Major Toulouse sausage, smoky BR Town shuttered colorfully cozy all-day roasted carrots with tahini, or 2024 on May 1. Parent hangout and cocktail creamy local greens with miso. spot in Fall Creek Place from Desserts are made in-house and company Newfangled Byrne’s Grilled Pizza owners include a stellar panna cotta, Confections says Adam Reinstrom and Pablo and the wine list leans heavily though the Fashion Gonzalez draws on Reinstrom’s on Napa Valley’s best, with some Mall shop has gone love of interior design and notable bottles from France dark, many of the Gonzalez’s background in and Italy to also consider. 710 S. company’s handmade innovative mixology. Vibrant Rangeline Rd., Carmel, 317-907confections—much of wall fixtures by creators such as 0177, lonepinecarmel.com $$$ which can be stored Bootleg Signs & Murals and or frozen for later— Love Handle revolving works by locals from will be available online SANDWICHES Daily lunch the LGBTQ art community through late 2025. and brunch features such as provide a funky backdrop for sipschnitzel and waffles and a ping seasonal elixirs; salads pulled-chicken Hot Brown are the main draw include a wedge with smoked blue cheese and at Chris and Ally Benedyk’s cheeky breakfast roasted-poblano ranch. Byrne’s original pizzas, and sandwich shop. The chalkboard menu cracker-thin and charred, are on offer, as are (which is also updated online) offers a list thicker-crusted Roman-style oval pies with of side options such as braised greens and well-chosen toppings. Fresh takes on shareable potato salad with roasted tomatoes. Fridays plates include crispy-skinned salmon with kale often see a fish special, and weekends are and quinoa and intriguing scallop sliders with a chef’s playground of eggy experiments, Asian-style slaw. On Sundays, the brunch satisfying hashes, and sweet sides. 877 menu features classics such as egg dishes and Massachusetts Ave., 317-384-1102 $$ French toast. There are also breakfast pizzas such as the Chilaquiles, a thin crust topped Magdalena with chorizo, salsa, eggs, and fried tortillas.

SOUTHERN Westside born-and-raised Coffee drinks and a solid sandwich list anchor the daytime menu, and desserts feature a NEW Nick Detrich has returned to Indianapolis after decades running luxe take on the Hoosier classic sugar cream restaurants in New Orleans—and he’s brought pie. 22 E. 22nd St., 317-258-2222, gather22.com $$ the French Quarter back with him. This seafood-heavy Fountain Square spot leverages Julieta Taco Shop its building’s crumbling brick and exposed MEXICAN Gabriel Sañudo and Esteban infrastructure to create a moodily lit space that BR Rosas’ taco shop in the Stutz Building makes for a great date night, but a solo dinner 2024 shows the pair’s skill and fine dining at a bar seat is just as satisfying. Start with experience in little details such as the some oysters, then order an assembly of small marinades for meats, tortillas handcrafted from plates to share, or head straight to the heirloom corn varieties, and surprisingly substantial list of mains paired with an expertly flavorful vegetarian options. Their tender crafted cocktail. The dessert list also nods to the grilled or braised meats are excellent but the Lowcountry, with puddings and possets that are signature taco al pastor is the star. 1060 N. big enough for two. 1127 Shelby St., 317-691-8021, Capitol Ave. $$ magdalena.bar $$$

SWEETBITTER

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 110

IM | MAY 2025

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 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., V $$ 317-986-5131, milktoothindy.com BR 2024

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 $$

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 V $$$ St., 317-824-1231, oakleysbistro.com

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 $$$

BR 2024

Tinker Street

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

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, 317-215V $$$ 4164, reveryrestaurantgroup.com

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

Sam’s Square Pie

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 $$$

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, V $$$ tinkerstreetrestaurant.com BR 2024

Vicino 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 BR 2024

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 SMALL wings. The cocktails are strong, BITE the music is loud, and while dinner is delightful, brunch is the real scene. 2380 E. 54th St., 317-974-9288, shadowloungeindy. com The Indianapolis $$$ Airport Authority has approved a new, Shapiro’s Delicatessen $205.85 million DELI Slide your tray along and Marriott Westin take your pick of kosher comfort that will connect to foods at this family-owned the west side of the downtown institution, which is building, complete just as well known for its food with a full-service as it is as a cozy, comfortable restaurant and a gathering place for generations rooftop bar with of Hoosiers. Hot pastrami and views of the airfield. corned beef sandwiches on rye Suddenly, “Will you have drawn long lines for more drive me to the than a century. The Reuben is airport?” sounds like a contender for the city’s best, fun, not a chore. and heartier fare such as potato

DINE AND FLY

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

V $$

Wisanggeni Pawon 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 BR 2024

V $$ INDIANAPOLIS MONTHLY (ISSN 0899-0328) is published monthly ($24 for 12 issues) at 8909 Purdue Rd., Suite 130, Indianapolis, IN 46268.

Copyright © 2025 Cincinnati Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Hour Media, LLC, 5750 New King Dr., Ste. 100, Troy, MI 48098. The Indianapolis Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text,

VIETNAMESE Deep bowls of the namesake

photograph, or illustration without written permission from the publisher

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 $$

is strictly prohibited. Opinions in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent management views. The magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. For subscription orders, address changes or renewals, write to INDIANAPOLIS MONTHLY, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071, or call 1-888-6606847. Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send forms 3579 to INDIANAPOLIS MONTHLY, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071. If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year.

MAY 2025 | IM

111

BAC K S T ORY

Soldiers and Sailors Monument Bears THE BRONZE BEARS ON THE CANDELABRAS ON INDIANA’S MOST FAMOUS MONUMENT REVEAL A LINK TO INDY’S INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS. B Y C A M I L L E G R AV E S DE DICAT E D 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 112

IM | MAY 2025

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.

P h o t o b y T O N Y VA L A I N I S

Wherever you are in life,

"U ' $ 5VDLFS XF CFMJFWF UIBU i)PNF )BQQFOT )FSF w 8IFUIFS ZPV SF MPPLJOH UP mOE B OFX IPNF SJHIU TJ[F ZPVS DVSSFOU POF TFDVSF mOBODJOH JOTVSF ZPVS IPNF PS OFFE UPQ OPUDI DMPTJOH TFSWJDFT XF SF IFSF UP NBLF JU IBQQFO GPS ZPV )PNF JT XIFSF ZPVS TUPSZ CFHJOT BOE mOEJOH UIF SJHIU POF JT PVS TQFDJBMUZ 0VS FYQFSU BHFOUT IBWF UIF MPDBM LOPXMFEHF BOE SFTPVSDFT UP NBLF UIF QSPDFTT PG CVZJOH PS TFMMJOH B IPNF FBTZ "OE PODF ZPV IBWF GPVOE UIBU QFSGFDU IPNF mOBODJOH ZPVS ESFBN TIPVMEO U CF DPNQMJDBUFE 0VS JO IPVTF NPSUHBHF UFBN XJMM IBOEMF UIF EFUBJMT BOE IFMQ ZPV mOE B MPBO UIBU JT UBJMPSFE UP ZPVS MJGFTUZMF "U ' $ 5VDLFS XF SF DPNNJUUFE UP CFDPNJOH ZPVS SFBM FTUBUF SFTPVSDF GPS FWFSZ NJMFTUPOF

REALTORS

A HOWARD HANNA PARTNER

NMLS# 101561. Tucker Realtors is not a mortgage lender. Offer of credit is subject to credit approval. Contact Howard Hanna Mortgage Services for mortgage products and eligibility. Howard Hanna Mortgage Services is licensed by The Indiana Department of )LQDQFLDO ,QVWLWXWLRQV Ó /LFHQVH QXPEHU &RQWDFW D +RZDUG +DQQD 0RUWJDJH /RDQ 2ULJLQDWRU IRU IXOO GHWDLOV *DPPD 'ULYH Ó 3LWWVEXUJK 3$ DQG 3DUNODQG %OYG Ó 0D\åHOG +WV 2+ PRUWJDJH#KRZDUGKDQQD FRP

LOVE IN VERONA