Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2022 i Indianapolis Monthly

WHEN I WAS teaching journalism at Indiana University and IUPUI, I’d often caution my students to be clear-eyed appraisers of facts. According to either John Adams or Mark Twain (it’s not totally clear which is the true source—irony alert!), they are indeed stubborn things. But, in my experience, all facts are not created equal, and just because you can string together a few of them doesn’t necessarily make something true, even if we think otherwise. Facts are ingredients that work best with other components. Regardless, we still fact-check every story here, which brings me to Benjamin Harrison, whose home is the focus of one of our stories this month (p. 13). Is he a Hoosier or no? The 23rd president of the United States (1889–1993) was born in Ohio, so…

THE PREFACE. With the recent $6 million Old Glory, New Vision campaign secured, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site has undergone significant improvements with more to come. The project includes historically appropriate maintenance and renovations to Harrison’s 1875 Italianate Victorian home, along with upgrades to the grounds that focus on visibility and community connections. A REAL PAGE-TURNER. A distinct part of the project is the Book of History in the site’s newly added Citizenship Plaza. The metal book is an effort to honor the nearly 1,500 citizens naturalized at the site over the past 20 years, along with those who will do so in the future, and features pages that turn for a tactile experience. “This is very dynamic, much like history itself,” says the site’s president and CEO, Charles Hyde,…

You have another adorable cat here in Mr. Marbles. How did you find him? I have a close working relationship with the Bloomington animal shelter, and when Mr. Marbles was brought in, they messaged me. They thought he would be a perfect fit for my family. Actually, two or three people from the shelter messaged me separately, saying, “You guys have to meet this cat, he’s perfect for you.” We weren’t looking for another, but we met him a few days before Christmas, and the whole family instantly fell in love with him. My understanding is that he was living with a lady who passed away, and then a friend of his previous owner fostered him for a few months before bringing him to the shelter. Where did his name…

Shimmer and shine in the rink or on the Monon with C7skates Icon Farrah Quad Roller Skates, popularized by retro-style social media mavens. C7skates gives the wheels of the ’70s and ’80s roller disco craze a makeover with vegan leather and shock absorbers. We fell hard for this holographic silver pair named for the ultimate ’70s pop-culture queen. Personalize them with the brand’s nature-inspired embroidered lace charms, blast “Xanadu” from your phone, and get ready for the all-skate. Hot pants and knee-highs are optional. $139, also available in gold; Saks Fifth Avenue, The Fashion Mall…

BAMBOO and plush green velvet furniture. Soft lights. New Age-y, tranquil spa music. As I stepped into Maria Renner’s office, calm washed over me. I’d been a little nervous about the next 90 minutes, but that eased when I saw—or felt, really—the soothing place where the magic happened. Abalone Holistic Therapies, owned and operated by Renner, a certified massage therapist, is one of only a handful of practices in Indiana that offers abdominal massage therapy. I’d never heard of it. Belly rubs? For what? Apparently, it stems from an ancient Mayan practice. Intrigued, there I stood, ready to find out what the buzz was all about. Renner was as warm and welcoming as her space. She explained why both men and women wind up there. “The organs of the abdomen…

WHEN SEASONED restaurant employee Michael Carter took over the 28-foot food trailer permanently parked behind popular East 46th Street watering hole Loom, he gave the menu an overhaul. Renaming the operation MC’s, he replaced the former occupant’s predominantly fried lineup with customizable quesadillas, smashburgers, green chile Parmesan grits (with optional shrimp), and the famed Star Tots from his former employer, The Sinking Ship. But Carter prides himself on his homemade meatballs in marinara sauce, served in a hoagie bun on Fridays and Saturdays. “I’m Italian, and my mom taught me some things,” he says. Open Wed.–Sun., 5 p.m.–1 a.m. 901 E. 46th St.…

THE MURAL spans an entire two-story wall, making tables and white-oak banquett es look like dollhouse furniture against its billboard scale. When you round the corner into The Elm’s wide-open dining room, this rogue wave of turquoise and jade with patches of frothy white and captured light is stunningly disorienting. For a moment, you’re standing alone on a mist-shrouded beach … or maybe you’re floating. The reality—that you have found such a nice restaurant in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Bloomington—somehow feels equally mind-bending. Owned by David and Martha Moore, local art collectors who also run Bloomington’s FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, The Elm opened in late March, following a years-long rehab of a former Bloomingfoods Market & Deli. Rhode Island architecture firm Malane Benedetto (whose founder, artist…

GRIFFIN BIKE PARK GRIFFIN Bike Park for mountain biking and trail riding is really cool. It gets a lot of national attention. People come from around the country to ride over there. They have some warrior trails, or adaptive trails, which is rare. I’m blind, so I rode on a hand-crank cycle following a paralyzed guy, just following his sounds. I’ve also been on the back of my tandem bike with a headset, following instructions. I’ve taken others out there and have watched the thrill come back into their life. They can go up and down these trails just like everyone else. That’s really cool. —Lonnie Bedwell, 57, motivational speaker and extreme-sport athlete WHERE Terre Haute, Indiana Various distances GOVERNOR DODGE STATE PARK IT’S REALLY REWARDING when you get up there…

KEY SYMBOLS NEW Recently opened establishment. ADDED Open for more than five months but making its first appearance in the guide. UPDATED Recently revisited and reevaluated. 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 TheDish@IndianapolisMonthly.com. DOWNTOWN INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Mile Square Aroma INDIAN Familiar tandoori and tikka masala staples mingle with heartier, more elevated…

AMANDA KINGSBURY Freelance writer Amanda Kingsbury has been obsessed with writing about fashion designer Stephen Sprouse (p. 66) since 2019. That’s when Newfields textile and fashion arts curator Niloo Paydar invited her to go “Sprousing” and see dozens of his shoes being treated by the museum’s conservation staff. “I felt like I was in the presence of religious icons,” she says. “His designs were so clever and imaginative—even the insoles were worth admiring.” MARC ALLAN Freelance writer Marc Allan was working at The Indianapolis Star when it was sold in 2000, so he knows how the artists at the Stutz felt when their building recently changed hands (p. 20). “There’s such a feeling of uncertainty,” he says. “Even though it’s not your home, it feels like your home has been…

Q: EVERY JULY, ROADSIDE FIREWORKS TENTS POP UP ALL OVER THE STATE. CAN ANYBODY GET A LICENSE TO SELL THIS STUFF? A: Because this is “anything-goes” Indiana, and also because FREEDOM, applying for a fireworks tent license is fairly straightforward. First, put in a call to the Indiana State Fire Marshal and fill out an application for a “certificate of compliance.” This will set you back $1,000. But this certificate is far from a rubber stamp. Your canvas-roofed shrine to poor life choices must also meet a list of requirements before it sells its first Eyebrow Scorcher. For instance, it can’t be larger than 1,500 square feet, sell fireworks for more than 45 days, or contain more than 3,000 pounds of product. Which doesn’t sound like nearly enough ordinance for…

MOVIE PROP VINTAGE: 2014 Resides at the James Dean Gallery in Fairmount BY THE TIME James Dean came home to visit his cousin Marcus Winslow in the mid-1950s, the actor from Fairmount was one of the most famous movie stars in the country. Winslow had made a toy car from wood and metal, and a photographer named Dennis Stock captured an iconic image of Dean pushing his young cousin down a hill in the vehicle. “Jimmy got a big kick out of it,” Winslow recalls. “We used to shoot down that big hill, and one day we just left it there. It fell to pieces.” This replica of the car, owned by the James Dean Gallery in Fairmount, was used in the movie Life, which chronicled the relationship between Dean…

INDY Shakespeare Company artistic director Ryan Artzberger admits that fusing Shakespeare with hip-hop is not a completely original idea, pointing to shows such as The Bomb-itty of Errors and the UK’s on-the-nose-named Hip-hop Shakespeare Company. “But all of those are really adaptations,” he says. “I’m interested in the correlation between Shakespeare’s actual text and hip-hop beats.” That interest sparked the development of Ricky 3: A Hip-Hop Shakespeare Richard III, which the ISC will stage July 21–30. The company has made a home for itself at Riverside Park’s Taggart Memorial Amphitheatre, which recently underwent renovations thanks to a $9.2 million grant from the Lilly Endowment. The amphitheater is part of a larger $120 million Riverside Regional Park Master Plan, which organizers hope will help revitalize the surrounding neighborhood that has seen…

JAKE RUPP AND JAKE SMITH have blooms in their blood. Rupp’s family has run a seed company for generations; Smith’s grandfather, a Dutch farmer, would hop atop trucks to hawk tulips. It was little wonder when the friends started a floral-design business from a cart at City Market. Five years later, they’ve opened Flower Boys in a long-vacant, 120-year-old building. The exposed-brick interior is complemented by a clawfoot tub full of floral bath bombs. Nods to Smith’s heritage include a windmill in the logo and “A Flower for You” in Dutch on the glass front door. Dozens of cut flowers, from roses and hydrangeas to less common blossoms like Peruvian lilies and sea holly, line the shelves, ready to be tucked into an bouquet at the workstations. You can sign…

A simple mixed drink becomes a chilly masterpiece when it’s poured around good ice—dense, crystalline, and unlike anything from the depths of your kitchen freezer. “In the 1800s, they would harvest ice out of lakes, and it was quite clear,” says Trevor Scovel, founder of bespoke ice maker Cubeicle Ice & Co. The mixology-minded Indiana company uses the same solid-lake physics (in which water freezes gradually from the top down, pushing out impurities), along with industrial Clinebell block ice makers and an arsenal of chainsaws and bandsaws to chisel flawless cubes and rectangles that fit perfectly into short and tall bar glasses. “Clear ice is colder, and it melts slower so that you can control the water content of your drink,” says Scovel, a former electrical engineer–turned-bartender. Cubeicle’s ice has…

KAYAKING ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN I’M THE ONLY person who has paddled solo across Lake Michigan six times. Last summer, I did it three times within 33 days. I don’t tell more than a couple people before I leave because I don’t want them to worry. No one thinks it’s a good idea. But I love having the lake to myself. For about 40 miles, it’s all mine. No boats, nothing besides shades of blue. When the wind’s not moving, the lake is like glass. It’s just incredible. One big reason I do this is to inspire adventure in others through my photography. The first time, I left at 3 p.m. and paddled overnight because the lake is typically calmer in the evening. Paddlers don’t train on lakes, so they don’t…

IF MY LIFE GOES as planned (something it rarely does), my wife and I will have just returned from Alaska when this magazine hits newsstands. I have avoided Alaska for 61 years, there being no compelling reason to go there. But now my younger son, Sam, and his wife, Kelsea, are residents of that remote and perilous state, and they requested our presence before the arrival of their first child, a boy yet unnamed. For four generations, our branch of the Gulleys was content to live in Indiana. Then I foolishly told my sons they could become whatever they put their minds to, and now one of them has put his mind to living in Alaska and keeping my first and only grandson there, instead of in Indiana with his…

Middle Ground Philip Gulley’s April column on political civility and his small-town newspaper drew praise from readers on both sides of the aisle. Civility is hard to find in America, but remains vital, especially in the current environment. Thanks for the reminder. TERESA JAYNEVia Facebook Nice article. Maybe someday people will be able to look beyond the end of their noses and acknowledge more than one point of view. MARY CUMMINSVia Facebook I currently live in assisted living, and I have to explain to the staff here why I get both a newspaper called The Republican from Danville and also mail from Joe Biden. Great piece. LYNN HOPPERVia Facebook Kudos to you, David Winters, and [The Republican owner] Jerry Vornholt for that series of political columns you write. KEVIN MICHAEL…

If you’re visiting both Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari, head straight to the water park and get a locker to store your gear. The park famously offers free Pepsi products, so keep track of the 18 bathrooms—no one wants to be that person in the wave pool. They also offer free sunscreen. Bring your own anyway. Those jugs are gross. Invest in water shoes. Flip-flops aren’t great for walking in, and they’re not allowed on the new Thunderbird. The “Holidays in the Sky Spectacular” is worth hanging around for aft er dark. Hundreds of LED-equipped drones and fireworks put on quite a show.…

“Monster” By Kanye West “Nicki Minaj eats this track alive. Masterful wordplay plus a wildly playful performance. It never gets old.” “Roses” By Outkast “My gay, little middle-school self wore this song out! It’s delightful and devious storytelling, and I’m a sucker for every bit of it.” “This is America” By Childish Gambino “The contrast of the bouncy tune against the brutal social commentary is brilliant. It’s exactly how America likes to see its problems: sugarcoated.”…

DO YOU HAVE A LUCKY OUTFIT FOR BIG COMPETITIONS? If I show up in red, look out! It gives me confidence. WHOSE ON-COURT STYLE INSPIRES YOU? Serena Williams has amazing style. She isn’t afraid to push the boundaries. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SHOP FOR TENNIS GARB? The Indianapolis Racquet Club, which is the largest pro shop in Indy. WHAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE ABOUT TENNIS? It doesn’t just come down to physical ability. It’s a mental game as well. It’s really more of a chess match.…

BEER, BARBECUE, and bar food may take center stage at Sahm’s Hospitality Group’s most recent expansions. But it was a no-brainer when plans were announced to turn the longtime Sahm’s Alehouse in Nora into the second outpost of The Roost, the Fishers breakfast draw that has been Sahm’s sole morning-focused spot since 1996. Much of the same vibe has been imported to the new Monon Trail location, down to the psychedelic 1970s stripes. The menu reads a lot more 2022, with four styles of bubbly and a carbonated margarita to kick-start your morning, as well as a Bee Sting latte (with local Metal Honey) and a strawberry açaí refresher for the healthy set. Skillets and Benedicts include a Hoosier Benedict with a battered pork tenderloin and plenty of sausage gravy…

TLAOLLI Tamales were once the flagship dish at Carlos Hutchinson’s tiny, vegan-friendly spot. In addition to savory beef, pork, and chicken (with calabacita squash) bundles, Tlaolli offers meat-free soyrizo, pinto beans, or poblano-and-cheese tamales made with lard-free masa. 2830 E. Washington St., 317-410-9507, tlaolli.net EL GIGANTE TAMALE SHOP Five varieties of open-ended tamales (most notably, the elusive chicken mole) are plucked from a giant lidded pot behind the counter. They are tight, no-nonsense, and portable enough to peel and eat between warm sips of thick, chocolatey champurrado. 8335 N. Michigan Rd., 317-280-7838 ALPHA NEVERIA & TAMALES A vibrant menu of Mexican ice creams and fruity drinks greets you at the door, but the fat tamales nestled inside either corn husks or tender banana leaves deserve just as much love. A…

OWEN-PUTNAM STATE FOREST TRAIL RUNNERS and ultra runners try to find the hardest thing possible. That’s how they get their kicks. The Owen–Putnam State Forest is where the Indiana Trail Running Association has a 50-mile race. I was the director for a few years, and I coined it the toughest race in Indiana. It’s straight up and down, you’re taking lots of water, and it’s all horse trails, which can be very muddy. —Terry Fletcher, founder of the Indiana Trail Running Association WHERE Spencer, Indiana 18 miles…