Broad Ripple Magazine June 2017

JUNE 2017

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THIS JUST IN

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THIS JUST IN: WTHR ANCHOR, NAOMI PESCOVITZ, IS RIGHT AT HOME REPORTING IN INDY

Eyewitness News Weekend Anchor Naomi Pescovitz believes if she can relate to a story, her viewers will too. It's a belief system that has paid off.

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JUNE WRITERS

Carrie Petty / Christy Heitger-Ewing Jon Shoulders / Kara Kavensky Stephanie Duncan / Suzanne Huntzinger

JUNE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brian Brosmer / Michael Thierwechter

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS ARE SPONSORED CONTENT

6 Tea-lovers Unite at HoiTea ToiTea 10 Scandinavian Comfort's Lars Odgaard

25 Good Bones: Indy Mother-Daughter Duo Talks Season Two of Their Hit HGTV Show

of Broad Ripple is Back After 13 This Just In: WTHR Anchor, Naomi 29 T12aste Years: Your Guide to All the Taste Pescovitz, is Right at Home Reporting in Indy

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16 Real Life Meets Real Gardening in

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Zionsville to Host 13th Annual Miss Indiana Pageant June 13-17

The Broad Ripple Magazine is published by the Towne Post Network and is written for and by local Broad Ripple area residents. Magazines are distributed via direct mail to more than 10,198 Broad Ripple area homeowners and businesses each month.

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TEA-LOVERS UNITE AT HOITEA TOITEA Writer / Stephanie Duncan . Photographer / Michael Thierwechter

Don’t miss the new shop that is bringing the tea experience to everyone — HoiTea ToiTea. Located on the corner of Broad Ripple Ave and College Ave, HoiTea ToiTea is a fun place for tea, with tons of seating space, a variety of adorable tearelated retail gifts and fun novelty British phone booths.

Alex Harris, the owner of HoiTea ToiTea, developed and appreciation for tea as a child when she would drink tea with her grandmother.

“It became a cultural thing where I always wanted to share it with my friends,” she says. “I would be 13 and making tea for my friends.”

Harris’s love for tea hasn’t seemed to waver and also owns, along with her husband, a wholesale loose leaf tea company, Nelson’s Tea. The idea to open a business came about from Harris’s tea drinking.

“My husband would say, ‘You’re drinking an absurd amount of tea, we should see if we 6 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / JUNE 2017 / atBRip.com

can get wholesale prices,” Harris says.

They opened Nelson’s tea as a wholesale business in 2012, and Harris was able to make tea her full-time passion in 2016.

“I had been to plenty of tea expos and it was really proper and there were all these rules and it was very exclusive,” Harris says. “So, we’re trying break the barriers in the tea industry and make it accessible, affordable and fun, and show people that it’s not intimidating.

“We have had the vision for awhile for people to create their own tea blends, and so that’s how Nelson’s tea came about and then inspired us opening HoiTea ToiTea and the custom blending concept,” Harris adds.

HoiTea ToiTea serves up a wide menu of tea blends, as well as serving other local coffee and food items. It has plenty of meeting space but a higher quality food and service. They also have a private room equipped with a white board for meetings and private events.

Along with the café, HoiTea ToiTea offers tea-blending classes where people are guided in making a custom tea blend, then are set free to create their own custom blend. Their custom tea blend can be submitted for a chance to be featured on the menu for 30 days.

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If you haven’t given tea a chance, Harris recommends giving HoiTea ToiTea a try. As for her favorite tea, that changes all the time.

“One of the more interesting blends was something I made around Christmastime last year, it’s a green and red rooibos with chocolate chips and orange flavoring,” she says. “I call it the Orange chocolate truffle. We made it into a latte, and people really seem to love it.”

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Scandinavian Comfort has offered unique, modern home decor for more than 33 years.

After being located in Castleton for 31 years, owner Lars Odgaard decided to move the business to the heart of where the highest concentration of his customers live — in Broad Ripple.

“It’s been overwhelming,” Odgaard says.

“The move was fantastic, as we see a big future in Broad Ripple and are very happy with the move.”

After having finished high school in Vejle, Denmark, Odgaard got a job with a Danish company that needed expertise in American marketing. He moved to Denver, Colorado in 1984.

“Scandinavian furniture was very popular

in America,” Odgaard says. “There were 13 Scandinavian stores in Denver. I discovered that Indianapolis had none, so I moved here and opened the first one.”

our warehouse nearby,” Odgaard says. “Our bread and butter has always been teakwood furniture, which I import directly from Thailand where teakwood is grown.”

Scandinavian Comfort is targeted for middle to high end customers. Odgaard says that “this has worked so far.” Thirtythree years, to be exact, Odgaard’s store has won over Hoosiers to the clean, minimalist look of European and Scandinavian-style furniture.

According to Odgaard, the best recliners are made in Scandinavia of either leather or fabric. These chairs remain a popular item for customers. Scandinavian Comfort brings in new lines of furniture every six months, with the entire store changing over bi-yearly.

When he opened his own business, Odgaard had contacts all over Europe from which he purchased his lines directly. Now, he buys direct from manufacturers located all over the world. There is no middle agent involved. They store their own inventory in a warehouse located in Indianapolis.

“What you see new on the floor, we have in atBrip.com / JUNE 2017 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 11

The style offered by Scandinavian Comfort is that of modern contemporary. The profiles are fairly slim, not bulky. The items are good for homes that may downscale, and they carry pieces to outfit any room of a home.

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THIS JUST IN

WTHR ANCHOR, NAOMI PESCOVITZ, IS RIGHT AT HOME REPORTING IN INDY

WTHR anchor and reporter, Naomi Pescovitz, is a proud North Central High School alumna.

Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Brian Brosmer

Eyewitness News Weekend Anchor Naomi Pescovitz believes if she can relate to a story, her viewers will too. It's a belief system that has paid off.

After three years at WTHR, Pescovitz has garnered a large following of loyal TV viewers who also follow her on Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets.

Viewers relate to her and her interest in a wide variety of people and stories.

“I have really enjoyed finding ways to share a good story with people and make viewers relate to it,” Pescovitz says. “I've been able to do fun stories such as riding in a stunt plane and also more meaningful stories such as an interview I did with former Colts Cheerleader Tessa David who had a stroke but still keep pushing herself to be the best she could be. I love stories where people are able to bounce back from a setback.

It's so inspiring.”

Pescovitz also loves continuously updating stories and keeping in touch with her viewers.

“I follow news all the time, even when I have time off,” Pescovitz says. “I'm a news junkie. I love stories and getting as much information as I can. Social media is a really important part of that. It gives you an immediate connection with your viewers.”

Pescovitz first became interested in journalism when she was in middle school.

speaking engagements at North Central,” Pescovitz says. “I love the school and enjoy going back there. It's always been a special place.”

Pescovitz later graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University with a degree in Journalism and International Studies. She was a reporter, associate producer, anchor and news director for Northwestern’s Emmy awardwinning Northwestern News Network.

Pescovitz, a North Central High School graduate, earned an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma from one of the first IB programs in the state. She was also the co-editor of North Central’s Northerner yearbook and the captain of the Pantherettes dance team.

“I knew I enjoyed writing, I liked people, and I thought television seemed like a lot fun,” Pescovitz says. “When I talk to younger people wanting to pursue a career in broadcasting, I recommend they do an internship with a smaller television market.

You can shadow a reporter because you learn to do a lot more by yourself and have more opportunities to be on television. You can also make your own resume reel and get more experience working on stories.”

“I will drop other things I'm doing for

After college, Pescovitz worked at KULR-8

“I wanted to be the editor of a fashion magazine when I was younger,” she says.

INDY METRO / JUNE 2017 / TownePost.com

in Billings, Montana. She was also a reporter at WIBW in Topeka, Kansas.

She moved on later to be a reporter at KVOA in Tucson, Arizona. While working for the station, she was first on the scene when Congress Woman Gabrielle Giffords was shot while meeting with constituents at a local grocery store.

fast as I can,” Pescovitz says. “I'm a true foodie. I love reading about restaurants and finding out what they serve.”

Pescovitz loves Garden Table, Fat Dan’s, Bruge, Flatwater, Open Society, Café Patachou and Public Greens in Broad Ripple. She is also a fan of Blue Beard, Bru Burger, Mesh and Union 50.

Pescovitz went to work for KSTP, the ABC affiliate in Minneapolis, St. Paul, next, where she was a reporter and fill-in anchor. While in Minneapolis, Pescovitz covered a wide range of stories. During her time there, The Minnesota Medical Association and LifeSource, the organ donation organization in the upper-Midwest, honored her for her medical reporting.

When the opportunity to return home to Indianapolis came up and work at WTHR, she leapt at the chance.

“It's been great to come home and feel connected to Indianapolis again,” Pescovitz says. “I've loved the way the city has grown so much over the years.”

Pescovitz says there are so many great local stories like a father and son who ran The Mini-Marathon together, and Runner Tom Harleman, who ran the Mini in full race gear in support of Race Car Driver John Andretti, who is fighting stage-4 colon cancer.

“There are so many inspiring stories of Hoosiers doing positive things to help each other,” Pescovitz says.

Pescovitz herself is dedicated to women’s health issues, particularly finding a cure for breast and ovarian cancers.

When she’s not working, Pescovitz enjoys spending time with family and friends and indulging in her favorite pastime — checking out new restaurants in Indianapolis.

“I love getting to the new places as TownePost.com / JUNE 2017 / INDY METRO

“If people are looking at what I ordered, I know it has been a successful meal,” she laughs. “It's creating order envy. I also like finding out what the popular meals are and what the servers enjoy. I love restaurants and how the food is prepared. Indianapolis has so many wonderful restaurants to choose from. I never have to worry about finding a great one, and I love the suggestions from viewers.”

REAL LIFE MEETS REAL GARDENING IN THE CITY Writer / Carrie Petty

This little boy was not going to help. He was not there to plant anything. He was stuck in the midst of his own anger and life trials.

Damien was in the third grade but appeared to be older than the other boys. His shirt was navy blue and dirty but not from the garden work at the school’s newly installed learning garden.

At the age of 44, Kimbal Musk is waging war on the American food system. More power to him! He is striving to change the nutrition of our children by teaching them about clean, garden grown produce. His high-end bistros are sweeping the country with one right here in Indianapolis on Mass Avenue. One of my favorite joints, the Kitchen Garden.

I tried to connect with him as the day went along. We were at a new build site installing a Kitchen Community Learning Garden for these great kiddos.

There are now five of these Learning Gardens installed in IPS Schools. Not so much here to solve hunger issues but to teach elementary children about the love of gardening and growing your own clean food.

Urban garden projects have been in Indianapolis for a long time.

First Lady Judy O’Bannon and I worked on several projects in the late 1990’s together, but I have never witnessed one like this. The Kitchen Community is a newer 501c3 nonprofit co-founded by Kimbal Musk, the brother to Elon Musk of Tesla fame and fortune.

Both South African-born business magnates, each are changing the world in their own way.

Many great partners are helping with this project here in Indianapolis.

Gardens of Growth are the company contracted in Indy to do these unique installs. Large white raised bed containers sit of hard-poured or paver surfaces, a well-engineered design. They also find many other partners like Greendell Mulch to donate supplies and materials for the projects. The goal is to build 20 learning gardens by the end of June and 100 gardens are planned for IPS.

INDY METRO / JUNE 2017 / TownePost.com

At IPS School #63, Wendell Phillips, a Third grade class of about 21 kiddos is standing in order around the planting beds. Damien is standing among his peers.

Rules are very preset, and the children are respectful of their instructors and the rules given. There is transference of ownership going on here. They get that this is their place to care for. Garden Educator Joris or “JoJo” to the kids is teaching the children to be the ‘guardians of the garden’ and teach others to follow the rules. This gives these kids some form of control in their often manic home lives.

Soil is the very first lesson taught to the kids. “Bring a handful of the soil up to your nose and smell it, what does it smell like!”

The children giggle and all yell out fun answers like, “Worms!” or “Sunshine!”

Schools have an entire garden team. Garden team leaders get everything started. The STEM K-12 program is deeply tied to

the learning garden program and is in partnership with the STEM Connection Program.

Common threads of learning and growing are woven together throughout the day, as well as some deep life lessons.

As the project got started, Damien was truly having trouble with his day. The emotions from some outside life stress were very present. He was angry and not engaging. I could feel his pain. I found myself saying a prayer to myself, “God, please let this sweet little boy have a moment of reprieve from whatever is going on in his life, to just see the beauty of your garden here today.”

The lessons continued. The garden instructors second lesson was, “How to keep seeds happy. You need soil, air, water and sunshine!” Just like people. The learning garden really holds the children’s interest for long periods of time. Damien was starting

to plant his first seeds. He asked lots of questions like, “why’d ya build this for us?”

The children’s hands were moving the soil aside to make a trench for their seeds. Everyone had something different.

Tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, peppers and celery were being spaced out to plant.

Damien was planting Chard, and he learned it has an edible stem. He was most interested in the Salsa Garden the kids planted in one box with peppers, onions and tomatoes.

I witnessed children digging their hands deep into the soil and connecting with something larger than their own lives. You could see something awakening in some of the children’s faces. It was a beautiful day, and it was evident that the garden is a place of rest and healing.

If you want to learn more about the Kitchen Community, visit their website at TheKitchenCommunity.org.

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JUNE'S LUCKIEST ALIVE Dave Hawkins

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A LUCKY ACCIDENT Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing

On December 5, 2012, Dave Hawkins, a CPA, had just finished a grueling two-day tax seminar when he got into his car to head home.

“It was dark, but the roads were dry,” Hawkins says. “I remember looking up and seeing this car going off the road.”

Before he had time to process what was happening, Hawkins’ vehicle collided, head-on, with the other. Though he was fortunate to not sustain internal bleeding or severe injuries, he suffered six broken ribs — a pain so searing that Hawkins likens it to a root canal.

At the emergency room, Hawkins had a CT scan. Then he sat and waited for what seemed like an eternity before the doctor returned with unsettling news.

“You’re pretty busted up with those broken ribs,” the doctor said. “But in addition to that,” the physician continued, “I see a tumor down by your abdomen, so I’ve paged a surgical oncologist to consult.”

Hawkins had six weeks to let reality sink in as he recovered from his broken ribs. Then he went in for a biopsy, at which time he learned he had testicular cancer. Not only is the cancer, itself, rather uncommon, with just 85 to 100 new cases identified nationwide each year, but given Hawkins’ age (60) at the time, it was especially surprising.

Though Hawkins initially tried to shield his diagnosis from his elderly mother because he didn’t want to worry her, he found himself in a tricky spot when his hair began falling out.

What wasn’t unusual, however, was the way in which Hawkins learned of his condition.

Physicians told him that it’s not uncommon for work or athletic injuries to reveal the often-elusive form of cancer.

After six months, Hawkins’ strength returned. He had to have routine blood tests and chest X-rays to ensure the cancer had not spread to his lungs or brain. Thankfully, all tests have come back clear.

Ultimately, doctors confirmed that the tumor they saw on the CT scan was actually three lymph nodes that had expanded — one 4.5 centimeters and the other two just over three centimeters. Hawkins was given the option of either undergoing radiation or chemotherapy. He was told that the recurrence rate for chemo patients is five percent, whereas the recurrence rate for radiation is 50 percent.

Eight months after the accident, Hawkins knocked on the front door of the man who smashed into him that fateful December night.

“Those numbers helped me make up my mind real quick,” Hawkins says.

Hawkins’ eyes widened. A bit later, when the surgical oncologist confirmed that Hawkins had lymphoma, he was rendered speechless.

He had surgery on his ribs, then endured 15 rounds of chemotherapy treatments, which depleted his energy.

Wincing in pain yet dazed and confused, Hawkins sat dumbfounded in the ER, absorbing the shocking diagnosis. None of it made sense as he had experienced no lower back pain or night sweats — typical symptoms of cancer.

“Chemo is hard to explain,” Hawkins says.

“There’s no pain associated with it, yet the nausea and fatigue is incredible. You sit in a chair, thinking about how you really ought to get up and do something, but you literally cannot move because your body is so fatigued.”

“One day she asked me why I was always wearing a hat,” Hawkins says. “I couldn’t keep it a secret any longer.”

“I explained to him how grateful I was that the accident happened because it actually saved my life,” says Hawkins, a resident of Noblesville.

Hawkins and his wife are eager to go to Hoosier Park Casino so he can play blackjack and she can play the slots. The awesome prize package is partly why he entered the Luckiest Hoosier Alive Contest.

“I’m not sure if I’m the luckiest Hoosier alive, maybe the most blessed Hoosier alive because I really do feel blessed,” says Hawkins, who credits both his amazing medical team and the unwavering support of his family and friends during the bleakest days of his journey. “They were crucial to my recovery. I’m grateful for literally every day I get.”

Concept: B Photography

AND THE CROWN GOES TO… ZIONSVILLE TO HOST 13TH ANNUAL MISS INDIANA PAGEANT JUNE 13-17

Writer / Kara Kavensky Photography Provided

The Miss Indiana pageant has evolved since its inception. While early records are fuzzy, documentation commences in the early 1900s and took a hiatus during World War II, with consistency since the end of the war in 1945.

While the location for the Miss Indiana Pageant has changed over the years, this will be the 13th year Zionsville has hosted the event. Since 2005, Zionsville has celebrated the state’s road to Miss America with dinners, a parade, competition and many other events culminating in the Miss Indiana finals on the Saturday night of pageant week.

Even though Zionsville played host, it did not have its own event for local contestants. A few community members approached (then) Zionsville Town Council member and Lions Club member, Dr. Jeff Papa, to help remedy that. In 2011, Papa founded the Miss Fall Festival’s Outstanding Teen pageant, held in conjunction with the Lions Club Fall Festival, as part of the Miss Indiana’s Outstanding Teen Pageant.

“It made sense for Boone County to host its own local competition to increase awareness and involvement,” says Papa, who has served on the Zionsville Town Council and served as the first Mayor of Zionsville.

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“Deciding to hold the Outstanding Teen pageant during the Fall Festival, which is the largest fundraising effort of the year for the Zionsville Lions Club, made sense in a lot of ways with attention drawn to the event,” says Louanne Giralte, Miss Fall Festival’s Outstanding Teen Director.

The decision was made to have the Miss Fall Festival’s Outstanding Teen pageant be a “closed” pageant, meaning its only open to local young women living in Boone County.

© 2017 VIACOM

“This seemed the most logical filing for the competition based upon increasing local awareness of the pageant system,” Papa says.

Where Legends Grow | IndyIndians.com Towne_Post_TMNT_June.indd 1

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INDY METRO / JUNE 2017 / TownePost.com

Gail Robbins, President of the Zionsville Lions Club, has helped with the Miss Fall Festival’s Outstanding Teen and with Miss Indiana Week in various capacities since it began.

“The addition of the Miss Fall Festival’s Outstanding Teen pageant to our Fall Festival has helped the community feel more a part of Miss Indiana Week,” she says.

The Miss Indiana program engages girls and boys of ages 5-12 through participation in the non-competitive

This year's Miss Indiana parade will take place on Saturday, June 17 in downtown Zionsville.

Prince & Princess Camp. Pre-teens, age 10-12 can sign up for Preteen Princess Camp to learn more about becoming a contestant. The competitive levels for young women begin with Teen (ages 13-17), and the Miss (ages 17-24) pageant.

“We have our largest number of contestants ever competing this year,” says Aren Straiger, Executive Director of the Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant. “Zionsville is so good to us!

Most of our food donors are local caterers and restaurants in the area. The Miss contestants will visit the Zionsville Lions, Lebanon Elks Lodge and the Boys and Girls Club, while our Teen contestants visit the R.O.C.K. Program at Zionsville United Methodist Church.

On Saturday of the Miss Indiana Week, the Main Street Parade takes place through Zionsville. The contestants get to ride in convertibles through the town, followed by an autograph session in Boone Village.

“This offers the young women an opportunity to meet the community and encourages Zionsville residents to buy tickets,” Straiger says. “I believe we have the best entertainment for the price, which is affordable. These women are so talented, well-spoken and are wonderful role models.”

All participants in the pageant raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network benefiting Riley Hospital for Children.

For more information, please visit missindiana.org.

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SEE “SHREK, THE MUSICAL” AT BEEF & BOARDS NOW THROUGH JULY 2 The hilarious, Tony Award-winning stage production based on the Tickets range from $42.50 to $67.50 and include Chef Odell Ward’s Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, “Shrek”, runs now family-friendly dinner buffet, fruit and salad bar, unlimited coffee, through July 2 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. tea and lemonade. Free parking is also available.

As the 2017 Family Show, “Shrek, The Musical” also features $10 discounts for kids ages 3 to 15.

Peter Scharbarough stars as the title character, with newcomers Emily Grace Tucker as Fiona, and Julius Thomas III as Donkey. John Vessels and Kelly Teal Goyette return to the Beef & Boards stage in the roles of Lord Farquaad and the Dragon, respectively.

For reservations, call the box office at 317-872-9664 anytime between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays.

For complete show schedule and more information, visit beefandboards.com.

CONNECT WITH US! INDY METRO / JUNE 2017 / TownePost.com

GOOD BONES: INDY MOTHERDAUGHTER DUO TALKS SEASON TWO OF THEIR HIT HGTV SHOW Writer / Suzanne Huntzinger Photography provided by HGTV

Fans of the show Good Bones have been hanging from the rafters waiting for more episodes of the Indy-based HGTV show, but the wait is over. Season two of the home-flipping hit kicked off May 30.

HGTV and the show’s sponsor, Berkshire Hathaway, came to Indy to celebrate the upcoming premiere of season two of Good Bones. As the execs from HGTV and Berkshire Hathaway got a peek at Indy’s hometown secrets, the show’s stars, Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak, spilled secrets about season two.

Fans of the show know that the two have tackled a load of unforeseen construction issues and they simply go on handling whatever life throws at them.

Laine and Starsiak say they handled life before the show in a similar way. It was 2007, and Starsiak had just graduated from Indiana University. Without a plan, she returned to Indianapolis, began working a part-time waitress job, and decided to buy a

home. The home was priced low and needed the end of season one, the two didn’t know if they would be picked up for season two. lots of renovations, so Starsiak asked her “The hard part wasn’t waiting to hear if we mom to help her with it. got picked up for season two,” Starsiak says.

Laine was working as a full-time prosecutor “We had to be prepared with 10 houses in inventory ready to go as soon as filming at the time, a job she still holds today, began because filming for the next season but one for which she now only devotes begins about a year ahead. It will be the limited hours. Laine’s job provided little same way for season three.” free time, so she helped her daughter on weekends to get the job done. Laine also Among the challenges in season one was bought a little house in Fountain Square having a production team that had to shoot that they eventually fixed up. After they completed both makeovers, the two formed from the hip as they shot scenes, working to create a format for the brand new show.

Two Chicks and a Hammer, and with the help of some savings account funds, they “It was like the blind leading the blind, slowly started off rehabbing two houses a because they didn’t really know the recipe year. They even set up a Two Chicks and a for the show,” Starsiak says. “But now Hammer Facebook page. that we know what the format is, we can accomplish a lot more in a much more That’s when HGTV found them. manageable amount of time.”

“Someone from the show reached out The ladies have found a rhythm to finding in 2014,” Laine says. “We did a phone their properties, too. interview, a Skype interview and finally arranged to do a pilot.”

“We choose our properties based on After all the waiting, the network gave Laine location and price,” Starsiak says. “If it’s in and Starsiak the thumbs up. Filming of the right location at the right price, we can season one began shortly after that. After make it work.”

TownePost.com / JUNE 2017 / INDY METRO

Along the journey, the two have encountered plenty of adventure.

Through all their adventures, the ladies seem to have gotten by all in one piece.

Season two promises to continue their adventures.

“There’s always something new,” Laine says.

“We never know exactly what the problem is going to be, we just know there’s going to be one. It could be a sewer line, a gas line or a foundation.”

“We always have cuts and bumps and bruises and scrapes,” Starsiak says. “We have scars all over our hands, and usually our fingernails are really dirty. But we’ve never gotten badly injured. We’ve both hit our heads a few times.”

“The production team nailed it in season two,” Laine says.

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Laine explains that along with improving homes and neighborhoods is an aspect about the show they never expected. Fan feedback reflects that the show is already crossing generations.

“It makes us very happy to hear about two generations watching the show together,” Starsiak says. “We have a lot of fans who are 12-15 years old watching the show with their mom or dad, and it’s adorable.”

Another aspect of the show Laine didn’t expect to hear from fans was its affect on relationships. Laine explains that at a show they did for a small audience, one fan had a strong reaction.

“The lady started crying, saying the show makes her think of her relationship with her mom and how troubled it’s been,” she says. “She told me she’d love to have the kind of relationship the two of us two have. I told her, go find a way to get it. Don’t give up, keep trying. If the show can do that for people, heal a relationship, that’s better than houses.”

“It’s crazy how much of an impact HGTV has on people’s lives,” Starsiak adds. “Not just on our show, but so many different levels of inspiration. It didn’t start feeling meaningful to mom until we started getting all this feedback.”

Laine credits the network for doing more than inspiring people. She says she realized the impact when visiting friends in the hospital who were caring for their sick child.

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“They were watching HGTV in the waiting room,” Laine says. “They needed a break from it all. The shows give people that respite, because they’re uplifting and they’re positive.”

Tune in throughout the summer for season two of Good Bones on HGTV.

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Indiana’s Longest Running Juried Art Fair Moves to the Middle of June The Talbot Street Art Fair, is moving to the third weekend in June. This decision was made by the Fair Committee as more events were scheduled for the second weekend in the popular month. Since there are several other art festivals on the second weekend, many artists have had to make a decision as to which city they will exhibit. By moving the show, more artists will be able to bring their talents to Indianapolis.

Celebrating it’s 62nd year, the fair features over 250 artists both locally and nationally. The artists exhibit on Talbot Street between 16th & 20th Streets presenting work in various mediums. These include sculpture, glass, painting, jewelry, photography, ceramics, wood, printmaking, mixed media and fiber.

The host neighborhood, HerronMorton Place has planned a special food-court area at the fair this year. Located near the Herron High School, this area will provide some seating and shade for attendees.

This is a family -friendly event and, as always, the admission is free!

to master the weather. Many good conversations have been held in artists’ tents during a rain shower.

This year’s fair will be held June 17–18.

Hours on Saturday are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hours on Sunday are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Talbot Street Art Fair provides scholarship programs to various educational institutions in the fine art disciplines. This fair is administrated by all volunteer help and all proceeds, after expenses, are donated to the above.

For more information about the fair, please visit talbotstreet.org.

The fair will be held, rain or shine.

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TASTE OF BROAD RIPPLE IS BACK AFTER 12 YEARS YOUR GUIDE TO ALL THE TASTE HAS TO OFFER Writer / Jon Shoulders

After more than a decade since the last Taste of Broad Ripple festival occurred, the event will be back in full force on June 17 from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Organizer Steve Ross says the timing is perfect for an open-air event featuring local food and entertainment to help showcase what he feels is an increasingly well-rounded Broad Ripple Village for residents throughout the city and state.

“With what’s been going on recently in Broad Ripple from the new Fresh Thyme to some of the eclectic new restaurants over the past year or two, it was the right timing — both for those who live nearby and are familiar, and for people who have been looking for a reason to come to the area,” says Ross, an Indy native and owner of The Vogue Nightclub. “It’s exciting to bring it back, and it’s what Broad Ripple needs to show people we’re still here and we’re a great place to be.”

The Broad Ripple Village Association (BRVA), with Ross as a board member, originally launched the Taste event for three consecutive years beginning in 2003 before deciding on a hiatus to focus on other programs and initiatives. Two years ago, Ross began pondering the idea of relaunching the event and reached out to BRVA Executive Director Brooke Klejnot to get the ball rolling.

“It seemed like the right time, and at the last three we had an average of about 9,000 people per event,” Ross

says. “Everybody was on board to bring it back — the IFD (Indianapolis Fire Department), the IMPD (Indianapolis Metro Police Department) — they all wanted to make it work.”

Attendees can expect a wide range of food selections from 20 vendors including the Jazz Kitchen, La Chinita Poblana, BRICS Ice Cream, Delicia & La Mulita, 317 Burger and more. Four live music acts, including Chicago-based Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press, The Easthills, Audiodacity and the Kyle Bledsoe Trio, will perform on the official Colts Stage, donated specially for the event by the Indianapolis Colts organization.

“It’s been years since Broad Ripple has done a big festival of this type, so we’re excited to be a part of it,” says Nicole Harlan-Oprisu, co-owner of Delicia & La Mulita at 52nd Street and College Avenue, and The Northside Social near 65th and College. “We’re greatly supported by the Broad Ripple area, so when something like this comes up we want to lend our support back to the community.”

Ross says the festival will include a Colts interactive museum, a kids pizza-making contest from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and a separate children’s area with face painting, a balloon artist and a bounce house.

“It’s going to be a family event – we’ll have a beer garden but there will be tons of food and stuff for people to do,” he says.

From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., a local celebrity 30 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / JUNE 2017 / atBRip.com

chef cook-off will take place with 12 contestants showing off their chops including Craig Baker of Bent Rail Brewery and Restaurant, Neal Brown of Ukiyo and Dean Sample of The Northside Social. The contest will consist of three timed rounds, and each chef will cook enough food to serve approximately 50 VIPs. Indianapolis-based Second Helpings, a hunger relief and job training organization, as well as Yuengling Beer and Broad Ripple-newcomer Fresh Thyme Market, are sponsoring the event.

“Fresh Thyme will have their own tent with a wine tasting and food giveaways,” Ross says. “We’re really excited. We’ve got a great marketing group on board. We’re also using the Bohlsen Group that does the Pacers and Colts.”

The BRVA and The Vogue have partnered with Do317 and Sun King Brewery to help relaunch the event, and Ross says convincing some of the newer commercial faces in the Broad Ripple area to participate presented a challenge in the initial event planning stages.

“There was such a long hiatus that some restaurants have come and gone, and management has changed in some existing restaurants, so a lot of people didn’t remember how successful the Tastes were,” he says. “So, trying to get them to invest in it and join as food vendors was a challenge. But I told them it worked before and we’ll make it work again.”

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW When: Saturday, June 17, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., rain or shine.

Where: In the heart of Broad Ripple Village, from the intersection of North Guilford Avenue and Broad Ripple Avenue to the north side of Rainbow Bridge on Guilford, and part of Westfield Boulevard to North Winthrop Avenue.

Traffic will be blocked off starting at the intersection of North Guilford Avenue and Westfield Boulevard.

Ticket info: $7 (free for children 10 and under). A percentage of ticket sale proceeds will go toward Second Helpings hunger relief programs. Tickets can be purchased online at tasteofbroadripple.com. or at The Vogue Nightclub box office, Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets purchased at event entrances are cash only.

Parking: Free parking will be offered at the Glendale Mall, and a complimentary shuttle service will run every 20 minutes to and from the mall. Paid parking is available at the corner of Broad Ripple Avenue and North College Avenue.

Additional details: No outside alcoholic beverages or coolers will be allowed into the event.

Handicap-accessible restroom facilities available. The Indianapolis Metro Police Department and paramedics will be onsite for safety and medical assistance.

Contact: (317) 502-1250 For further information and a full schedule of events, visit tasteofbroadripple.com.

ANCIENT IRISH SPORT COMES ALIVE IN BROAD RIPPLE H U R L I N G I S A B I G H I T AT B R O A D R I P P L E PA R K Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography / Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association

Hurling is a traditional Irish sport that involves driving a ball down a field with a wooden stick in order to score against the opposing team. Created 3,000 years ago as a way to train Irish military, over time it has become modernized, and in the 1880s it became an official regulated sport in Ireland.

“It’s a cross between lacrosse and field hockey in that you’re using a stick to move a ball up and down a field,” says Tim Cabeen, who first got into the activity after spending a semester in Ireland.

(Indy GAA) to introduce the sports of hurling, Camogie (women’s hurling) and Gaelic football to the local community.

The league, which participates in inter-city games and national tournaments, initially started out with just two teams but has grown steadily in the past decade. Currently, there are nine hurling teams, each one sponsored by an Indianapolis business.

Paul Romer joined the Indy GAA because he grew up playing competitive team sports and sought an outlet for athletic competition as an adult.

Cabeen isn’t the only American who has come to embrace what is considered to be the world’s fastest field sport.

“I [appreciate] the welcoming and hospitable culture, the fantastic family atmosphere at matches and events and the availability of multiple levels of competition to suit every athletic ability,” Romer says.

In 2005, Steve Quigley helped form the Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association

Though the sport is traditionally played with 15 people per side, this league plays 11 32 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / JUNE 2017 / atBRip.com

per side since they use high school football fields rather than the sprawling fields of Ireland. Hurling has gained popularity in the Broad Ripple area because from day one the Indy GAA has held practices at Broad Ripple Park.

“We acquire a lot of players simply because people are walking through the park, see us practicing, and ask what we’re doing,” says Cabeen, who is not only a participant in both hurling and Gaelic football but also acts as the Public Relations Officer for the Indy GAA. “We put a hurling stick in their hand, teach them what to do, and if they think it’s fun, they ask to join.”

The league also recruits a lot of new players at the Indy Irish Fest (indyirishfest.com), held this year from September 14-17.

In addition, the Indy GAA offers youth teams that practice, concurrently, with the adults.

“ W E A C Q U I R E A L OT O F P L AY E R S S I M P LY B E C A U S E P E O P L E A R E WA L K I N G T H R O U G H T H E PA R K , S E E U S P R A C T I C I N G , A N D A S K W H AT W E ’ R E D O I N G . ” “That’s a big draw [because no one is] sitting in a waiting room [or] stuck in childcare,” says Jessica Rhodes. “We’re active and happy together.”

The Indy GAA also has an indoor winter league, which plays at Sports Zone in Indianapolis. In that league, they play six to a side because the fields are so small.

Cabeen describes it as a fast-paced way to introduce the sport to new people.

“We call ourselves a ‘pub league’ because when we first started, all of our sponsors were pubs,” says Cabeen, noting how Connor’s Pub has been a sponsor since the club’s inception. “More recently, however, we’ve moved in the direction of breweries and now have six breweries sponsoring us.”

Other Broad Ripple businesses that support the Indianapolis GAA include Bier Brewery, atBrip.com / JUNE 2017 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / 33

Smoking Iron Alterations, and Good Earth Natural Foods — the only business in Indianapolis that sells hurling and Gaelic football equipment. Rudy Nehrling, president of Good Earth, maintains that the Indy Hurling Club has been one of the best parts of his life for the past decade.

“It’s provided great exercise, camaraderie, Irish Culture, social events, and trips [to] Ireland,” Nehrling says.

In 2013, the Indy GAA sent a team to Galway, Ireland to play at the Aer Lingus International Hurling Festival, where they played against non-Irish teams from all over the world.

“We won that tournament,” Cabeen says.

On June 17, the Indy GAA will hold the Indianapolis Invitational — the second largest Gaelic Games tournament held in the United States every year. Sponsored by Bier Brewery and held at the Indianapolis World Sports Park, teams from all over the U.S. and Canada will compete in all three sports — hurling, Camogie, and Gaelic football.

By far the best thing about the sport, however, is the way it forges friendships through fitness. Tylyn Bremer, who met her fiancé in the club, says that the Indy GAA has provided her with a close-knit social and athletic community.

“I’ve made lifelong friends, learned two sports, and have had the opportunity to travel and compete against teams from all over the country,” Bremer says.

FOR MORE I N F O R M AT I O N ABOUT THE I N DY G A A , V I S I T I N DYG A A . C O M

34 / BROAD RIPPLE MAGAZINE / JUNE 2017 / atBRip.com

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The reason Porch Light Public Relations has thrived as a boutique public relations and marketing firm since it was established in 2013 also happens to be the reason its founders came together to start the company in the first place — to form personal connections.

Before the idea of launching a public relations firm had entered either of their minds, founders Myranda Annakin and Jennifer Chan got to know each other through their involvement as parents with Northside Montessori and Spring Mill Elementary schools. Each with three children, the two formed a friendship and eventually discovered they had arrived at a similar career crossroads. Annakin had spent 13 years as a newsroom manager at Fox 59, and Chan, a Lawrence North High School graduate, had worked for PR firms in San Francisco and Chicago before returning to her native Indy in 2000 to work in marketing. Both were ready for a fresh start and a new challenge.

“We clicked on a personal level, and I think we were both ready for that next step in our careers,” recalls Annakin, a Shelby County native. “We got to talking and decided starting our own company would be the next move given our different strengths — me with media relations and Jennifer with PR. We felt we could help a lot of companies that could use our combined skill sets, be our own bosses, create our own destiny and make it as big or little as we wanted it to be.”

Since opening the doors to Porch Light on East 54th Street in Broad Ripple four years ago, Annakin and Chan have accumulated a diverse list of Indianapolis business and non-profit clients including the Boys & Girls Club, IMS Productions, Allisonville Garden & Home and the Domestic Violence Network. Annakin says the company’s successes stem from a level of personal customer service lacking in many larger firms.

“First, we sit down with a new client and hear what they’re looking for, what has worked in the past and what hasn’t and how they foresee public relations helping them,” Chan says. “It tends to

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be different for most everyone, and after that initial meeting, we do a proposal for that individual client. We’ve noticed in the Indianapolis market that there are a lot of larger agencies, so it felt like there was a niche we could fill as a smaller, boutique company with personalized service every step of the way.”

Having developed a strong reputation in the non-profit arena, Porch Light recently signed with the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP), an Indianapolis-based organization that advocates for community partnerships to combat homelessness in the greater Indy area.

“A lot of our clients want media coverage as part of their PR plans, and because of my background I have a lot of connections,” Annakin says. “A lot of people sometimes think that a press release is enough, but we really take the time and send personal emails to people instead of just relying on that press release to get clients coverage. We did a project recently for Joella’s Hot Chicken on 96th Street and we had almost every news station out there.”

Porch Light occasionally welcomes interns and contract employees when the workload gets heavy, but the company remains primarily operated by Annakin and Chan themselves, who feel that staying personally connected to each and every client sets the company apart from the competition.

“We feel that’s one of the strong points of why people are continuing to turn us, because they like that they’re not going to get turned over to someone else,” Annakin says. “Referrals are really coming through the door now, just from word of mouth. Down the road we might have to reevaluate hiring more people because we can only take on so much, but for now we really try to sell ourselves on that personal service.”

For more information on Porch Light Public Relations, visit porchlightpr.com.

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