SLEEPING BEAUTy

Another shot

Thirst trap

AN A TO ZZZZ GUIDE

T H A D M AT TA & G R E G O D E N
A R E B AC K I N T H E GA M E

STUNNING BOBA DRINKS

JAN UA RY 2 023

$5. 95

If it's broken, fix it.
Find out where and
how on page 40.

M Y L A G O S M Y W AY

C AV I A R C O L L E C T I O N S

Celebrating Over

70

Years

Room designed by Matthew
Harris of MW Harris, LLC

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01
2023
ON THE COVER
Illustration by
Carlo Cadenas

2

40

58

WHERE TO GET
STUFF FIXED

REBOUND

Repairing our belongings, rather
than tossing and replacing, saves
money and helps the planet. No
matter what it is you want to hold on
to, our guide will lead you to the local
folks who can bring it back to life.

From Ohio State Buckeyes to Butler
Bulldogs, coach Thad Matta and
former player Greg Oden have
reunited in Indianapolis, where
both men are happy to be home
again and involved with the sport
they couldn’t leave behind.

E D I T E D BY 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

IM | JANUARY 2023

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01
2023

ISSUE 05

G O OD L I F E

11

21

33

SPEED READ

WANTED

SWOON

Investments in public
safety, cleanliness, and
outreach are coming
to the Mile Square.

A petite firepit casts a glow.

SHOP TALK

Hoosier fine dining is
ready for its close-up at
Plainfield’s theater-turnedrestaurant, The Prewitt.

13

Streetly brings a sense of
community to the east side.

34

ARTIFACT

23

Before cars stole our
hearts, Hoosier travelers
swooned for the luxury
of first-class rail.

Sweet sleep awaits.

14

STREET SAVVY

TRENDING

24

THE HOOSIERIST

Our Indiana expert
has a bone to pick
about dog parks.

16

TASTE TEST

26
BODY WISE

37

OPEN DOOR

Discover a hidden tiki room.

29

18

REALTY CHECK

BEST BETS

Linden House officially
belongs to RH.

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

30
TRAVELER

Knoxville, the Maker City.

98
IM | JANUARY 2023

36
Bubble tea gets serious in
these upgraded boba drinks.

28

Sue Finkam wants
to lead Carmel after
Jim Brainard’s 27year mayoral run.

FIRST BITE

Diners make a B-Line to
Bloomington’s Hopscotch
Kitchen, a TikTok star brews
success, and Cha-Cho’s
Latin Kitchen is good to-go.

Carmel City Center is more
enticing than ever.

We’re obsessed with the new
Chanel eyeshadow palettes.

ASK ME ANYTHING

4

T H E DI S H

C I RC L E C I T Y

22

VOLUME 46

FOODIE

Italian import Lucio Romani
gives back the authentic
flavors of his childhood at his
cheery bakery and takeout
on Main Street in Carmel.

38
REVIEW

As part of a small-town
renaissance, Bargersville’s
Pizza & Libations is not as
simple and straightforward
as its name suggests.

104

RESTAURANT GUIDE

BACK HOME AGAIN

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

As a hypochondriac, I make the most of my
maladies, describing them to all who listen.

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6

IM | JANUARY 2023

PHOTO BY CURIOUS COURTNEY’S PHOTOGR APHY

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local weddings, get advice
from industry experts about
planning your nuptials, and
consult our directory of more
than 140 exceptional event
spaces to set the stage for
your big day. Attend the
Indianapolis Monthly Bridal
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Ritz Charles in Carmel to
consult with an array of area
wedding vendors.

T H E F O U N TA I N R O O M . C O M

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feel ready to reboot your
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to enlist the services of a
remodeler to expand and
customize your space.

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8

IM | JANUARY 2023

I N T H E C OURS E of putting
together this issue, Indianapolis
Monthly was sold to a company
from Detroit called Hour
Media. Though the mission to
serve our wonderful readers
continues, several of the
magazine’s longtime employees
won’t be part of the new
endeavor.
Todd Urban had been our
design director since 2013.
During his tenure, he was the
driving visual force behind
every magazine cover, every big
story. In addition to being
dedicated and talented, he
possessed a kind and collaborative spirit. Todd made space for
others to be great.
Mike Botkin was the magazine’s production manager, the
crafty veteran who, for 18-plus
years, made sure we met our
print deadlines while wrangling ad sellers, advertisers, and
ads. There wasn’t a single
person on staff who didn’t love
him, which says more about
Mike than any silly job description.
Tony Valainis was our staff
photographer for 32 years. His
influence was tremendous, but,
like Tony himself, understated.
Generations of readers saw the
community through his eyes
and art, a well-deserved honor
and legacy.

As our vice president of
finance, Melinda Marshall’s
business was in balance sheets,
budgets, and numbers. But her
real passion was caring for the
people behind those figures for
the past 30 years. The moral
center of the magazine’s
leadership, Melinda was loving,
fierce, and true.
Keith Phillips was the man
who held everything together, a
transplant from Jersey who
came to Indy for college and
never left. He worked here for 31
years, first as a sales rep, then as
the magazine’s publisher. He led
us through good times and bad.
His demeanor could be gruff,
but his heart was gold. I will
never work with a better man.

Michael Rubino
Editor-in-Chief

( CONTRIBUTORS )

TERRY KIRTS

JAYDE LEARY

OWEN MADRIGAL

A lifelong tea-lover whose
grandmother started him
on sugary cups of Lipton
when he was barely a
year old, contributing
editor Terry Kirts downed
dozens of new-wave boba
drinks for this month’s
Taste Test (p. 36). Though
he’s partial to citrusy
green tea, unsweetened,
he was won over by
all of the brown sugar
syrups, cheese foams,
and fruity, popping
tapioca available in almost
every corner of town.

Originally from
Greenwood, Jayde
Leary, senior journalism
and telecommunications
major at Ball State
University, is an
intern for Indianapolis
Monthly. She wrote
the Collectibles section
in this month’s cover
package on where to get
things fixed (p. 40). “It
was by far my favorite
project,” she says. “The
best part was seeing all
the beautiful artwork
that had been restored.”

Dining intern Owen
Madrigal, who this month
reports on one of Indy’s
newest carryout ventures,
Cha-Cho’s Latin Kitchen
(p. 34), is pursuing a
journalism degree at Butler
University with a double
minor in creative media
and entertainment and film
studies. He also works as
a writer and editor for the
school’s weekly publication, The Butler Collegian,
covering issues ranging
from universal design on
campus to music and film.

PRINT | ONLINE | SOCIAL | E-NE WSLET TERS | E VENTS | PROMOTIONS
JANUARY 2023 | IM

9

F E E DBAC K

Michael Rubino

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DESIGN DIRECTOR
LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Julia Spalding

DINING EDITOR

( BUZZ WORTHY )

DIGITAL EDITOR

Dylan Lee Hodges

EDITOR EMERITA

We heard [the explosion] all
the way in New Palestine.
Absolutely insane. Loved the
way these stories were presented
in this month’s issue. I love an
oral history!

Todd Urban

Christina Vercelletto

Deborah Paul

---------

Robert Annis,
Megan Fernandez, Alicia Garceau,
Jeana Harris, Terry Kirts, Suzanne Krowiak,
Amy Lynch, Sam Stall, Adam Wren
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jayde Leary,
Owen Madrigal

EDITORIAL INTERNS

KASEY CADWEL

via Instagram

---------

Margo Wininger

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Recalling Richmond Hill
In our November issue, Adam
Wren’s oral history with the
heroes of Richmond Hill made
many reflect on where they were
that tragic night 10 years ago.

I lived in the apartments off
Shelby Street and County Line
Road. I thought it was a vehicle
collision into a building on
U.S. 31. I felt a small rumble
with the loud boom.
MARYBETH AUXIER

via Instagram

I’m just getting started on this
piece, but holy cow! What a
crazy situation.
JOEL J MILLER

via Twitter

This article was so well-written.
MARTIE GARRETT HOOFER

via Instagram

I remember this vividly. So wild.
Can’t believe it’s been that long.
LINDSAY RILEY KOSKIE

via Instagram

We lived many miles from here
but could feel a small shake in
our home and didn’t know what
happened until the next day.
CHRISTINA SORG-HUDACIN

via Instagram

PHOTOGRAPHER

Tony Valainis

--------PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER
VICE PRESIDENT / FINANCE

Keith Phillips

Melinda Marshall

David Gerdt, Joe Jarrell,
Nancy Oliphant

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Andrea Ratcliff

SPECIAL SECTIONS DIRECTOR
OFFICE MANAGER

Christy Moore

IndianapolisMonthly.com/advertise

I was a half-mile away. With
friends at a bonfire. Everyone
but two of us were inside getting
drinks. The explosion happened.
Force of the blast knocked my
friend into me. We both fell. Both
of us stunned. Both of us police
officers. We couldn’t respond
because we both had been
drinking. Sirens everywhere.
Chaos on the radio. Sky turning
white with ash covering
everything. We were north of
the blast. Prevailing winds going
north. Cars covered in ash. We all
were unharmed. So many not so
lucky. Lives changed. Lives ended.
I will never forget the sound of
the explosion. It still echoes.
DIANE MOORMAN-TRACY

--------PRODUCTION MANAGER

Mike Botkin

--------SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

Laura Kruty

SPECIAL PROJECTS ART DIRECTOR

Allison Edwards
---------

NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVES
MIDWEST / SOUTHWEST
DIRECTOR

Cheryl Schuldt, 847-251-3483

FLORIDA / CARIBBEAN / BERMUDA / MEXICO
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Whitney Dick, 954-493-7311
---------

EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS
CHAIRMAN AND CEO

Jeffrey H. Smulyan

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Patrick M. Walsh
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Ryan Hornaday
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL

J. Scott Enright

Send your feedback to letters@IndianapolisMonthly.com, or post a comment on Facebook
(Indianapolis Monthly) or Twitter (@IndyMonthly). Letters and social media posts may be edited
for length, style, or clarity. Please include your full name for the purpose of verification.

PRESIDENT EMMIS PUBLISHING

Gregory T. Loewen

---------

Indianapolis Monthly
One Emmis Plaza
40 Monument Circle
Suite 500
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-237-9288
Subscriptions: 317-237-9288

T H E D IS H
N E WS L E T T E R

Subscribe at Indianapolis
Monthly.com/newsletter
to receive a weekly guide
to the best local
food and drinks.

10

IM | JANUARY 2023

IndianapolisMonthly.com/subscribe

Member, American Society
of Magazine Editors. ASME works
to preserve editorial independence
and speaks out on public policy
issues, particularly those pertaining
to the First Amendment.

PHOTO BY MATT KRYGER/THE STAR VIA IMAGN

EDITORIAL / ADVERTISING OFFICES

01
2023

ARTIFACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
ASK T H E HOOSI E RIST . . 14

C I RC L E C I T Y

UNSP OKE N RULES . . . . . . 14
ASK M E ANY T H I NG . . . . 16
BEST BETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

SPEED
READ

Capital
Gains
This year, big
investments
focusing on
public safety,
cleanliness,
and outreach
are lined up for
downtown’s Mile
Square—the small
yet significant
doorstep to the
state of Indiana.
Are they enough?

I l l u s t r a t i o n b y C U RT M E R L O

JANUARY 2023 | IM

11

( SPE E D READ CONT I NUED )

RESCUE EFFORTS. After suffering from
what resembled a case of long COVID,
with debilitating symptoms impacting
both the economic and cultural vigor
of Indianapolis, Mayor Joe Hogsett
launched the Downtown Resiliency
Strategy last year, a program aimed
at addressing housing, infrastructure,
public spaces, and economic development with earmarked funds from the
city’s $419 million American Rescue
Plan purse. Last November, an additional $3.5 million was announced, intending to supplement ongoing efforts
in the heart of downtown through a
partnership with Downtown Indy Inc.

While the city has
over 400 square miles to consider, DII
focuses only on the area immediately
surrounding Monument Circle, totaling about a mile and a half. “We really
can help to be more flexible, to help add
resources, and to be kind of creative
and nimble in ways sometimes that
[the city] can’t be because they have
so much ground to cover,” says Taylor
Schaffer, newly instated president and
CEO of DII, adding that the longstanding public-private partnership between
these two entities is crucial as Indianapolis evolves and more residents
make downtown their home.
AT A CROSSROADS.

Mayor Joe Hogsett’s plan to bring
Indianapolis’s Mile Square back to
life after COVID is rooted in cleanliness and safety.

DESPITE A NEGATIVE PERCEPTION,
MAYOR HOGSETT INSISTS THAT DOWNTOWN
IS THE SAFEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN
THE CITY, ACCOUNTING FOR LESS THAN
5 PERCENT OF ALL CRIME.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

B.link cameras aren’t the only eyes
IMPD has downtown (there are 128
camera views and license plate readers currently), but the initial rollout of
the program—a partnership between
IMPD and the Public Safety Foundation—has already proven beneficial.
“IMPD has used it successfully to solve
cases along with other investments in
technology that we’ve made downtown
and throughout our neighborhoods,”
says Mark Bode, communications
director at the mayor’s office.

PARTNERS IN CRIME. For years, DII has
reinforced the IMPD presence downtown through off-duty bike patrols
(IMPD officers hired by DII outside of
their existing contract with the city),
explains Schaffer. Part of the $3.5 million will be used to bolster this partnership, adding more patrols for improved
visibility and reassurance to those
downtown.

A KEY TO THE CITY. During the pandemic,
a lack of public restrooms created some
pretty gross problems. While some of
this money will be utilized for expanded alley maintenance and increased
power washing, public defecation isn’t
the heaping problem it was in 2020. To
better address the issue, homeless outreach and public restrooms are also on
the agenda. Doug Stephenson, owner of
Downtown Comics, says new facilities
are essential, but only if there is a plan
to have proficient security and staffing,
suggesting, “You’ve got to have an attendant all the time, and it’s going to have
to have some rules.”

Despite a negative
perception, Mayor Hogsett insists that
downtown is the safest neighborhood
in the city, accounting for less than 5
percent of all crime. Even so, publicsafety measures are a big part of this
plan.

Crime-fighting tech will also be funded, including
grants to defray the initial cost of B.link
cameras to area business owners.
SMILE! YOU’RE ON CAMERA.

12

IM | JANUARY 2023

PILOT PROGRAM CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Reinforced by $2 million from the 2023
city-county operating budget, an allnew public-safety program will bring

a non-law enforcement, clinician-led
mental health response team to the
streets 24/7, adding to the growing list
of services designed to reform the city’s
criminal justice system by shifting nonviolent citizens toward recovery instead
of jail time.
LET ICONS BE ICONS. “I think there
needs to be more focus on Monument
Circle,” says Stephenson, who has
operated his business in the shadow of
the Soldiers and Sailors Monument for
three decades. He feels like the city is
constantly pursuing and promoting the
next big project, citing Georgia Street,
Mass Ave, and now Eleven Park at the
Diamond Chain site, leaving the Circle
to deteriorate, both physically and figuratively. “That same progress needs to
be applied here,” he says of the enigma
that is the Circle.
FULL CIRCLE. Even with its minute
representation on the map, the Mile
Square generates 20 percent of the
city’s tax revenue, making investment
in the area essential. Stephenson is
hopeful these applications will bring
more people downtown, especially to
Monument Circle. “You can’t have it all
screwed up and dirty and people are
afraid to go there. It’s the symbol of the
city.”
— SUSAN SALA Z

PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS

ARTIFACT

Monon Railroad
Silver Collections
VINTAGE: 1940S TO 1960S
Resides in the Monon Connection
Museum in Monon, Indiana

BEFORE CARS swept Americans off the railroads post–World War II, Hoosiers traveled in style
between Louisville and Chicago—at least those who could afford first-class tickets. The luxury
of the bygone era is on display at the Monon Connection Museum, believed to be the largest
public collection of railroad memorabilia in the country. The 6,500 pieces range from a private
train car that belonged to industrialist Henry Flagler (he reportedly sent the company a blank
check and asked for the best money could buy) to silver and china collections from 20 different
railroads. Among the Monon’s set of stirring spoons and relish forks, butter knives and brandy
snifters, the most curious piece is a pair of corn on the cob holders with little feet to keep the
vegetable off the table. The museum is open year-round, but the winter season is quiet, giving
the staff a chance to polish each silver item by hand. — M E G A N F E R NA N D E Z

JANUARY 2023 | IM

13

( UNSPOKEN RULES )

MLK Day

ask THE
HOOSIERIST

Call of Doody
Q: WHAT’S WITH ALL THE DOG PARKS AT NEW DOWNTOWN APART-

MENT COMPLEXES? WHY NOT JUST HIT THE NEAREST GREEN
SPACE? A: Places like White River State Park and Lugar Plaza

can indeed be “used” by leashed dogs, so long as their owners
pick up after them. But if your pup wants to run free, there’s a
distinct shortage of options. Which is kind of a problem, given
that around 27 percent of the folks living in the city’s core own
dogs. That’s the primary reason many urban complexes boast
such private parks. However, downtowners who don’t live in
such canine-positive environments have one
other option: The Dog Park at Immanuel, a
Have questions?
Send them to
private, not-for-profit setup at 382 Prospect St.,
hoosierist
just south of Eli Lilly’s campus. But given the
@Indianapolis
Monthly.com.
dearth of such pet-friendly turf, you’ll most
likely have to line up to sign up. — S A M S TA L L

THE
STATE
STAT

14

74

IM | JANUARY 2023

Number of firearms
intercepted by the
TSA at Indianapolis
International
Airport in 2021

Kid-friendly venues such
as The Children’s Museum, Eiteljorg Museum,
Indiana State Museum,
and Conner Prairie offer
free admission. Some
require advance tickets,
so plan ahead. If you
prefer the fresh air, lace
up your walking shoes
for one of local historian
Sampson Levingston’s
Walk & Talk tours that
cover points of interest
in Indy’s Black history.
For something more
solemn, make a stop at
the Landmark for Peace
Memorial in Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr. Park.
A 3-D portrait of King
and Robert F. Kennedy,
the bronze statue sits
near the spot where
the visiting RFK gave
an impromptu speech
the day King was assassinated in Memphis.

That’s more than double the 36 guns intercepted in 2020—
a number no doubt reduced by COVID travel restrictions.
Thankfully, we’re nowhere near the worst. That “honor”
goes to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Airport, which intercepted 507 packing passengers.

ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN JOHNSON; PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS

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

What has outgoing Mayor Jim
Brainard gotten right? What has he
gotten wrong?
He’s done a phenomenal job growing
a community that has so much
vitality to it, and has been a magnet
for people to move, both businesses
and residents. I don’t think he’s done
anything wrong, per se, but I think
there’s just a lot of opportunity. In
local government, you don’t have
the resources to do everything you
want all at one time. You have to
make choices. There’s an opportunity
to engage residents in a different
conversation with local leaders.
There’s an opportunity to invest
inside the walls of City Hall.
What are some of those opportunities?
It’s always referred to as “Jim’s
vision.” It should be referred to as
the community’s vision. People want
to be more engaged. They want to
be more engaged in restaurants and
street life, and have a say in where
their kids grow up and what kind of
experience they have. That’s a key
initiative for sure. And we want to
use data for more informed decisionmaking.
Does Carmel have enough affordable
housing stock, particularly as more
and more service workers flock to an
increasingly service-based economy?
Currently, they have a wide variety
of housing options for everybody
who wants to call Carmel home. And
that’s just one segment of what we
need to provide the community.
ASK ME
ANYTHING

Sue Finkam,
Carmel Mayoral Candidate
THE MARKETING EXECUTIVE AND THREE-TERM CITY COUNCILOR IS RUNNING
AGAINST FELLOW REPUBLICAN KEVIN “WOODY” RIDER TO REPLACE THE
OUTGOING SEVEN-TERM MAYOR JIM BRAINARD. BY A DA M W R E N
Like many Carmelites, you’re not
native to the area. What attracted you
to the community when you moved
here in 2007?
I was working on a project at IU
Health North while living in the
Lawrence and Geist area, and
16

IM | JANUARY 2023

my son was getting ready to go to
kindergarten. I was impressed
with the Carmel community and
just wanted him to grow up here. It
reminded me a lot of home. I grew up
in a tiny town in Michigan. One town.
One school. A lot of community pride.

But do we have enough?
I think we have opportunities to
expand that more. There’s a 99-unit
building [in Midtown] going in,
and 20 percent of that is going to be
affordable housing.
Are you concerned about the national
trend that’s playing out in Carmel
of investors buying single-family
homes?
I think what is so special about
Carmel is we have really strong
neighborhoods, something I’d like
to make sure we keep that way. And
so when you get a neighborhood
with 30 percent corporate rentals,
and you don’t know your neighbors

because they might be an out-of-state,
individual renter or corporate owner,
they’re not here to see that. The
grass is six inches tall or there are
shingles missing on the house. And
so there’s just not as great of property
maintenance. And some neighbors
have little kids and don’t want an
Airbnb next to them when people
come and go. I want neighbors to be
in love with their community.

I LOVE THAT WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO SAY
AND DO MUCH OF WHAT WE WANT. I LIKE THAT
FREEDOM. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT THE
FOCUS FOR A MAYOR SHOULD BE ON THE BASIC
BLOCKING AND TACKLING THAT MAKES A CITY
GREAT. MY FOCUS IS ON MAKING THIS THE
BEST-RUN CITY IN THE COUNTRY.

Do you think the social media service
Nextdoor has made neighborhoods
closer together or driven them
further apart?
I would say a little bit of both. It’s
provided transparency about your
neighbors, that’s for sure. I think the
good thing about Nextdoor is it’s not
quite as anonymous as Twitter where
it’s some nameless, faceless [entity].

in the Carmel School Board races,
backing Jenny Brake, Greg Brown,
and Adam Sharp, who ran on an anticritical race theory platform. Do you
think it’s appropriate for a mayoral
candidate to wade into what should
be a nonpartisan school board race?
I love that we have the freedom to say
and do much of what we want. I like
that freedom. I personally believe
that the focus for a mayor should be
on the basic blocking and tackling
that makes a city great. My focus
is on making this the best-run city
in the country. And we don’t have
jurisdiction over the schools.

In the parlance of Parks & Recreation,
has Carmel earned its reputation as
a kind of “Eagleton,” the hoity-toity
suburb that sees itself as better than
an inferior Pawnee?
I think it’s probably slightly unfair,
because it’s a caricature. And it
doesn’t do justice to people who live
here and care about the community.
Carmel is a city built on excellence,
and that should attract a wide swath
of people.
Do you identify with Leslie Knope?
No. I think I’m more of a wonk.
Why are you a better candidate than
your Republican opponent, Kevin
“Woody” Rider?
Compared to nobody, just in
general, I’m prepared. I spent the
last several years working on my
executive resume. I have marketing
and management experience,
operations, and HR. So, whenever
an opportunity came up like this,
I’d be prepared. I’m proven. I’ve
spent 11 years performing at a high
level on the city council, learning
the finance side of things inside and
out, and serving my residents to
the best of my ability. No one who’s
going to enter this race will have that
combination of real-world experience
with city council experience.
Your opponent made an endorsement

Carmel is increasingly becoming
a blue island in still-red Hamilton
County. As a Republican, how do
you govern a city that is becoming
increasingly dominated by voters
who may be of a different party?
You listen a lot. I think that’s key and
paramount to being a good leader.
And I also think that, again, you stay
in your lane. That lane is delivering
really high-quality services to
residents.
Who are some mayors—here in
Indiana or elsewhere—who you
would seek to emulate if elected?
I think from a pragmatic standpoint,
I really respect what [Fishers] Mayor
[Scott] Fadness has done next door,
because he’s tried to stay out of the
politics and focused more on the
operations, and I respect that highly.
Mayor Brainard spent a lot of time
trying to make Carmel a walkable
city. Is there room to improve when
it comes to mass transit as you think
about potentially linking the city to
Indianapolis?
It’s something I get asked regularly
about. I think we have to evaluate

all the opportunities and look at a
cost-benefit ratio. I think my big
concern is any kind of large capital
investment, especially right now
when transit is changing so much. I
look at the investments Indianapolis
and the state of Indiana and the
federal government have made in
Indianapolis, and I worry that in
five or six years it can be completely
undone by driverless cars.

Does Carmel have too much debt?
No. As a city councilor who’s looked
closely at the finances, it’s all scheduled debt. There are not things out
there or a time—as some residents
like to say—“when the chickens
come home to roost.” I don’t know
what the “chickens” are, but we’re
not gonna have any surprises.
Carmel, in some circles, has a negative reputation when it comes to race
relations. Is Carmel diverse enough?
I think what’s really interesting
about Carmel is that we look at the
kids that are in our schools, there are
about 50 different languages spoken
at home. I think that’s incredible.
And we are quickly becoming more
of an international city. I look forward to seeing that diversity grow.
Carmel is somewhat famous—
infamous?—for how its citizens
stake out spots for the Fourth of
July Parade days before the actual
event. What is the optimal number
of days to save your spot prior to the
morning of the parade?
I don’t think there’s a limit. Go for it.
The answer to this next question
could be the end of your mayoral
quest. What are some of your
favorite Carmel restaurants?
Anything with a good wine list.
JANUARY 2023 | IM

17

2

3

4

5

BEST
BETS

THIS MONTH’S CAN’T–MISS EVENTS

(1)

IU Women’s
Basketball

January 12
No. 20 Maryland
is one of several
ranked opponents
traveling to
Assembly Hall
to face the No. 4
Hoosiers.
iuhoosiers.com

18

IM | JANUARY 2023

(2)

Indianapolis
Home Show

January 20–29
The country’s oldest
home show returns to the
Indiana State Fairgrounds, where more than
400 vendors showcase
home-related products and
services. indianapolis
homeshow.com

(3) Festival of Ice
January 21–22
Professional
chainsaw-wielding ice
sculptors will carve
their way through
Carmel’s Arts & Design District and the
Ice at Carter Green.
theiceatcarter
green.com

(4) Forbidden
Broadway: The
Next Generation
January 22
This satirical off-Broadway
show, which spoofs
Broadway hits like Frozen,
Hamilton, and The Phantom
of the Opera, makes a stop
at Clowes Hall. butlerarts
center.org

(5) Beethoven

v. Coldplay
January 25
At Hilbert Circle Theatre,
the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Uncharted
Series continues with
a blend of the German
composer’s work and the
British rock band’s sound.
indianapolissymphony.org

(1) PHOTO BY GRACIE FARRALL/INDIANA ATHLETICS; (2) TONY VALAINIS;
(3) LEXINGTON ICE SCULPTURES ; (4) CLOWES HALL

1

01
2023

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January 22


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PROUD
SPONSORS

S H O P TA L K ................... 22

01
2023

T R E N D I NG .................... 23
S T R E E T S AV V Y ............ 24

G O OD L I F E

B O D Y W I S E ................... 26
O P E N D O O R ................... 28
R E A LT Y C H E C K ........... 29
T R AV E L E R .................... 30

WANTED

Hot Stuff
Snuggle up by the fire this winter, outdoors or in, with Cream & Concrete’s
personal concrete firepit. This portable (it’s about the size and heft of a big
cantaloupe) room and spirit warmer throws off a cozy, clean-burning flame. The
petite pit comes with a pad to place it on, a snuffer lid, and one refill of fuel, which
is rubbing alcohol. Who says roasting marshmallows is a summer thing?
$75, creamandconcrete.com — JAY D E L E A RY

JANUARY
MONTH 2023
2022 | IM

21

Streetly
ADDRESS

6328 E. 10th St.
HOU RS

Friday–Saturday,
noon–6 p.m.;
Sunday,
2 p.m.–6 p.m.

Dexter Clardy
Lead Vocalist,
Huckleberry Funk
( SHOP TALK )

Street Wise
A NEW RETAIL SPACE ANGLES TO BE BOTH SANCTUARY
AND STYLE INSPIRATION. B Y K AT I E M A R P L E

I draw style inspiration
from artists Lucky Daye
and Miguel. But every few
months I go shopping to
switch things up. I have to
keep the people guessing.

I N TO T H E up-and-coming eastside arts district comes

Sanctuary by Streetly. The streetwear retailer’s October
2022 opening was packed. Yet creator Justin Gordon is clear
on what’s more important than being the next hot fashion
shop: bettering the neighborhood. “The purpose of Sanctuary is to be a haven, a place to hang and talk about problems
in our community. I want all people to feel that their opinions and thoughts are safe inside these four walls,” he says.
Those four walls are adorned, gallery-style, with hoodies,
basketball shorts, and an array of accessories. Curation is
done with an eye toward “unique merchandise surrounding
the community we love,” notes Gordon. He sees his wares
as pieces of art, grounded in graffiti, hip-hop, and skate
cultures. Nothing he sells is mass produced. Sanctuary will
be home to Streetly-branded monthly drops, but it will also
host pop-ups for other independent Midwest streetwear
brands, like Hooligan out of Chicago.
22

IM | JANUARY 2023

I have to make a conscious
effort not to dress like I
do on stage. With a great
outfit on, my attitude and
vibe are that much better.
(1) The Everyday Rare
tote, $35 (2) Wild
Nueva sunglasses, $35 (3)
Streetly tee, $45 (4) “God

Bless the Street Kids”
trucker hat, $55

The first CD I bought with
my own money was 8701
by Usher. —K.M.

Purest silk wool
blankets. $900–
$1,000 each.
Parkside Linen,
1762 E. 86th St.,
parksidelinen.com
Rose petal body oil,
$44. Stardust pillow
mist, $26. Willow
and Star Flowers,
1760 E. 86th St.,
willowandstar
flowers.com

TRENDING

Nap Town
Lavender-infused
eye pillow. $40.
Willow and Star
Flowers

NEED TO CATCH UP ON YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP?
LET OUR PICKS USHER YOU INTO DREAMLAND.
BY S T E P H E N G A R S TA N G

Evening in Missoula
herbal tea. $19. Tea’s
Me Cafe, 140 E. 22nd St.,
teasmeindy.com

Deep Sleep CBD
gummies. $40.
Mona, 977
Hosbrook St.,
getwavymona.com
Silk and feather
robe. $198. Uplift
Intimate Apparel,
Carmel City Center,
upliftintimate
apparel.com
Framed artwork by Jefferson Hayman. $1,400.
Willa Gray Home, 6516 Carrollton Ave., willagrayhome.com

THE
THREAD

If a late night in Broad Ripple had a smell, what would it be? Red wine, Long Island
Iced Tea, and oak, apparently. Local candle-maker Alisha Thompson handpours SOY
CANDLES with scents distinctive to Indiana places and experiences, including A Walk
on the Canal, A Trip to the Dunes, Walker Theatre, and Hoosier Persimmon Pudding.
Shop the Hoosier Collection at shishacandles.com. —CHRISTINA VERCELLET TO
JANUARY 2023 | IM

23

T H E T U RF

Carmel
City Center

Hamilton
County

SEE WHAT’S NEW AND WORTH A FRESH LOOK AT THE SWANKY MIXED-USE
COMPLEX ON THE MONON TRAIL. B Y C H R I S T I NA V E R C E L L E T T O
CIT Y C ENT ER D R .

1

3
4
HA NOV ER P L ACE

V ET E R ANS WAY

5

R A NG EL IN E RD.

2

6

7

8
M ON ON G RE EN B LV D.

9
10
11

Former Purdue
football teammates coSTREET
own Stretch Zone (1), a
SAVVY
fitness studio where the
therapists do all the work,
and clients just lie there.
It’s hard not to appreciate an exercise plan
like that. “Assisted stretching” increases
flexibility, improves mobility, and relaxes
tight muscles that come from desk jobs. 31
W. City Center Dr., Ste. 109, 317-344-3082,
stretchzone.com/locations/carmel
EXTEND

Craig Barnum, owner of nearby Matt
the Miller’s Tavern, has a home in Hawaii,
his inspiration for the fast-casual Manelé
Cafe (2). Adorned with vibrant surfboards,
the brunchy menu includes açaí bowls,
smoked-salmon toast, and breakfast skillets, plus 50th state–inspired salads, huli
huli chicken, and ahi tuna poke. This is just
the place on a cold January afternoon. 703
Veterans Way, 317-218-7877, manelecafe.com
SURF

COO Already known among stylish moms
and doting grandmas for its curation
of eco-friendly duds in a subdued color
24

IM | JANUARY 2023

Clockwise from above: Just a few of the
chic accessories on offer at 14 Districts. No
matter which team you cheer for, The Shop
has the merch. Essential oils for every
preference and purpose are on display at
Bath Junkie. Owner and wardrobe consultant Andrew Porter displays fabric selections at Andrew Porter Fine Clothiers.

palette, Hey Little Diddle (3) has expanded
to a second location focused on the littlest
of littles: preemies through 12-month-olds.
Find sweet take-me-home outfits, organic
layettes, rattles, and teethers, plus sibling
gifts. They offer a registry for expectant
mamas, too. 736 Hanover Pl., Ste. 100F, 317564-4858, heylittlediddle.com
DON At 14 Districts (4), the chichi collection has European flair, with many
pieces from Greece, Italy, the Netherlands,
Germany, and Belgium. A Mauritius
blue lamb-leather moto jacket stands out,
but less splashy purchases are possible.
Enamel necklaces and glitter pouches ring
up at $28. 736 Hanover Pl., Ste. 100B, 317564-4789, 14-districts.com

Suit-maker Andrew Porter just
opened a bespoke men’s shop, Andrew
Porter Fine Clothiers (5), after years of
helming a mobile custom-suit business.
Using old-world techniques—one of which
is taking 25 measurements, at a bare
minimum—the tailors craft suits using
premium Italian and English fabrics like
MODEL

Clockwise from left: Gwendolyn Rogers showing off
her iconic Princess Pink Pixie Fetti birthday cake
at The Cake Bake Shop. It’s also available in Baron
Blue. Some of the impossibly cute, diminutive duds
at Hey Little Diddle, and a client is coiffed by an
expert barber at Magic Hat Barber Shop.

Ermenegildo Zegna and Scabal. Belts,
neck and bow ties, and cufflinks are available off the rack. Appointments encouraged. 736 Hanover Pl., Ste. 100G, 317-4487681, andrewporterclothiers.com

paradise of checkered tableware, serving
pieces, glassware, decor, and more, the
layout is inspired by the brand’s Manhattan flagship. 751 Hanover Pl., Ste. 159, 317253-3400, addendumgallery.com

SNIFF Posh, scented pampering products—bubble bath, body scrub, lotions,
shower gels, bath crystals, and body
mists—are custom-blended at Bath
Junkie (6). Take a whiff of Eye Opener,
a customer favorite, ripe with mandarin
and rounded out with fresh air and rain.
Private parties are good, clean fun for kids.
741 Hanover Pl., 317-805-1850, bathjunkie
carmel.com

SPARKLE The second celebration of buttercream rosettes and “pixie glitter” is as
twinkly as its frilly cottage counterpart
in Broad Ripple. But the white-on-white
wonderland that is The Cake Bake Shop
(8) has more substantial fare on its menu,
like a 12-layer club sandwich and gumbo
poutine. 799 Hanover Pl., 317-257-2353,
thecakebakeshop.com

A modern barbershop led by
celebrity groomer Justin Virgil Gramelspacher, Magic Hat Barber Shop (9) is
a haven for haircuts, beard trims, scalp
massages, and straight-razor shaves. Sip
a beverage and browse Ursa Major and
Brosh products in the industrial, loft-like
space. 885 Monon Green Blvd., Ste. 101, 317663-9413, magichatbarbershop.com
PREEN

Fanciers of MacKenzie-Childs’s
playful prints are flocking to the Addendum MacKenzie-Childs Shop (7). A
COLLECT

TAKE IT HOME

The Shop (10) is where to buy any
and every kind of hometown sports apparel and accessories. The locally owned
shop proffers T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts,
and more paying tribute to Indy teams.
Clothing is pre-laundered for a soft,
vintage-y feel. 836 S. Rangeline Rd., 317740-0021, theshopindy.com
ROOT

Roselyn Bakery
foam trucker hat.
$28. Many other
hats available.
The Shop

Albi Italian leather
glitter pouch with
zipper. $28. More
colors available.
14 Districts

The Rosette
Pixie Cake
Doll has been
sprinkled with
“pixie glitter”
and smells like
cake. $68. The
Cake Bake Shop

If all dogs go to heaven, Canine
Cloud Nine (11) is where they wind up.
The cage-free grooming salon and daycare fusses over all breeds. Staff members
are first-aid certified. Pick up toys and collars, too. 885 Monon Green Blvd., Ste. 114,
317-999-5444, caninecloudnine.com
FETCH

JANUARY 2023 | IM

25

The Big Chill

BODY
WISE

Wink Wink
Intense, warm shades are the winter makeup vibe. Hello, CHANEL
LES 4 OMBRES TWEED MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOWS . Each posh
palette is dressed up in coordinating tweed, the fashion house’s
signature fabric since Coco donned it in the 1920s. Infused with
extra-long-lasting pigments, the shadows deliver rich and cozy
color that pops. Brenda Sotolongo, owner of Pro Soto Beauty
Studios in Castleton, loves them for a smoky eye with a bright
finish. “Use the lightest color over your entire lid, then either of
the medium ones over that. Next, with the dark shade, make an
upside-down ‘7’ on the outer part of each eye, from the end of the
lash line to just above the crease. Finish with a dark liner, and
blend.” $88, a Nordstrom exclusive, The Fashion Mall — JAY D E L E A RY
26 IM | JANUARY 2023

D OES being tucked
in a minus 220-degree
chamber to ease aches
entice you? No worries.
Cryotherapy at Restore
Hyper Wellness has its
takers, but the studio
offers another way to
leverage cold. The most
booked treatment is
Cryoskin Slimming,
says owner Heather
Mesalam. It promises to
beat back another bane
of middle age, love handles. With a wand, “alternating heat and cold
is applied to stimulate
the natural process of releasing fat cells through
the lymphatic system,”
Mesalam explains. It’s
painless and noninvasive, and adherents
swear they lose inches—
over time. Four to six
treatments are typically
needed to evenly “freeze
away” fat from the front
of the belly. “It isn’t
magic, but it can make
toning up quicker,”
says Mesalam. The
2,200-square-foot studio
also has aestheticians
and RNs on staff. “Carmel gets a lot of love, but
Zionsville is an incredible community,” says
Mesalam. “People really
care about feeling their
best.” 11100 N. Michigan
Rd., Zionsville, 317-3243731, restore.com
—CHRISTINA VERCELLET TO

PRODUCT PHOTOS COURTESY CHANEL; RESTORE PHOTO COURTESY HEATHER MESALAM

Carmel native opens a
Zionsville wellness
studio where Father
Time is freezed out.

An innovative take on a traditional steakhouse.

For More Information
Please Call
317-740-0900 or Visit
www.anthonyschophouse.com

For More Information
Please Call
317-740-0930 or Visit
www.3uprooftop.com

CARMEL, INDiANA

Carmel Arts District
201 W Main St,
Carmel, IN 46032

Bring the party to new heights, all year long.
Images Provided By
Erin Feldmeyer, Erin Kay Photography LLC

EAT
DRINK
VIEWS
EVENTS

Our Tiki Bar

OPEN
DOOR

RIC MILLS AND MATT MCELFRESH OFTEN ESCAPE TO THE TROPICS: THE BASEMENT OF THEIR
MIDCENTURY-MODERN ABODE IN HISTORIC LADYWOOD ESTATES. BY M I C H E L L E M A S T R O

(1) Painted in

1945, this mural
once adorned the
men’s bar inside
Indy’s erstwhile
Claypool Hotel.
(2) The live-edge

bar top lends
warmth to the
room, offsetting
concrete floors.
(3) An elephant

sculpture bought
at the Palm
Springs shop of
midcenturymodern–inspired
artist, Shag.

1
8

5

7

(4) The spill mat

hails from Trader
Vic’s in Oakland,
California.
(5) Vintage

Hawaiian shirts
and fedoras are
standard dress for
“tikiphiles.”

6

10

4
(6) A Tiki Diablo

2

3

mug, which came
from The Inferno
Room in Fountain
Square.
(7) The couple

collects carved
wooden Polynesian tikis, the
first man created
by the gods, according to Māori
mythology.

9

(8) A vintage rain

lamp enclosed in a
bamboo birdcage
holds a faux feathered friend.
(9) The base of the

bar is covered in
bamboo fencing.
(10) The pair takes
a swizzle stick as
a memento from
each tiki bar they
visit.
28

IM | JANUARY 2023

SOLD

Showroom Stopper
RH IS MOVING FULL SPEED AHEAD WITH CONVERTING CHRISTEL
DEHAAN’S MANSION INTO A HOME GOODS HAVEN LIKE NO OTHER.
BY J E A NA H A R R I S

LI NDE N HOUSE,

the mansion of late
philanthropist Christel
DeHaan, has sold for
an eye-watering $14.5
million. It is now the
highest residential property sale in
Indiana’s history.
What buyer managed to nab this
magnificent piece of Indianapolis
history? None other than high-end furnishings giant RH (formerly Restoration Hardware). Technically, a Colorado
real estate developer, M Development,
purchased the estate. RH will lease and
operate the 150-plus-acre property as
a branded lifestyle destination, with
highly curated furniture showrooms,
an interior design gallery, an upscale
restaurant, a wine bar, and an outdoor
furniture showplace.
According to co-listing agent, Mike
Johnson at Encore Sotheby’s, multiple
offers were on the table for Linden
House, but RH’s was the most attrac-

its new incarnation this summer.
The peaceful, verdant grounds were
once home to the Benedictine Monastery of St. Maur. Trees are everywhere
you look, chief among them the Linden
species that DeHaan imported from
her native Germany, and from which
Linden House got its name. A 35-acre
lake, plentiful wildlife, an outdoor pool
that bests those at lavish resorts, and
immaculately manicured gardens all
contribute to the Italian villa feel.
The sale proceeds benefit DeHaan’s
nonprofit, Christel House International, which helps impoverished children
around the world.

PHOTOS BY THE HOME AESTHETIC, COURTESY ENCORE SOTHEBY’S
INTERNATIONAL REALTY

REALTY
CHECK

tive. With similar expansive galleries in New York,
San Francisco, Chicago,
and Boston, some might
wonder how Indiana
managed to grab RH’s
attention. To Johnson, it’s
simple. “Linden House
has no equal,” he says,
citing a number of jawdropping features in the
41,000-square-foot veritable
palace, including a main
hall large enough to seat
100 people for dinner, three
kitchens, heated floors
throughout, and two-story
pied-à-terres for guests on
each wing of the home. Its
classic elegance was aligned with the
RH design ethos that “simplicity is the
ultimate sophistication,” so well in fact
that, according to Johnson, RH will not
be making any significant changes to
the property. The goal is to open it up in

JANUARY 2023 | IM

29

From right: A vibrant mural
welcomes guests to the Maker
Exchange; The Tennessean’s
lobby; the Sunsphere glitters
over Knoxville.

Knoxville, TN
DISTANC E

362 miles
DRI V E T I M E

5¼ hours

Make A Break
TAKE A WEEKEND TO SAVOR LOCAL FLAIR AND FLAVORS
IN TENNESSEE’S MAKER CITY. B Y L O U H A R RY

Pulitzer winner, A
Death in the Family, gave
TRAVELER
us a vision of Knoxville,
Tennessee, born of images like “evening, when
people sit on their porches, rocking gently
and talking gently.”
The city’s warm, downhome reputation
is still earned, but these days, energy and
individuality also draw visitors. When
Etsy named Knoxville its first Maker
City, it began to embrace its new distinction. Take The Tennessean (thetennessean
hotel.com), a buzzy hotel with a massive
lobby that doubles as Maker Exchange
(makerexchangeknox.com), a shoppable
public gallery of jewelry, sculptures,
paintings, ceramics, and more by local
creatives. Even the hotel’s coffee mugs
and many of the furnishings, including
the shuffleboard table in the game room,
have been handcrafted locally.
Landmarks to literary luminaries with
connections to Knoxville pepper the
neighborhoods. You might stumble upon
30

IM | JANUARY 2023

a plaque with a quote from Cormac McCarthy, a statue of Alex Haley, a historical
marker commemorating Nikki Giovanni’s essay “400 Mulvaney Street,” a elegy
to her grandparents’ home, or James
Agee Park, to name a few.
Matthew Cummings embodies Knoxville’s creative spirit. A few years ago, the
accomplished glass artist made a special
glass for craft beer at the request of a buddy. Before he could say “juicy IPA,” orders
were pouring in. He soon wanted to have
a hand in what went into his glasses. Now,
Cummings’s Pretentious Glassblowing
Studio (pretentiousglassco.com) and Pretentious Brewpub (pretentiousbeerco.com)
sit in neighboring storefronts connected
by a beer garden. “We take our work seriously, but not ourselves,” says the brewer
of such beverages as Chug Life, Sveldt
(a tongue-in-cheek nod to a coworker’s
dad bod), and Big Kitty Energy. Cummings is proud to have been a pioneer in a
movement that now helps define his city.
Although, he laughs, “I’m still trying to
get people excited about lagers.”

IF YOU GO
SAVOR The Tavern at

Maker Exchange (maker
exchangeknox.com) offers
a knockout split-pea soup
with Benton’s ham and
honey-roasted carrots.
Toast innovation with a
Sunrise in the Smokies,
starring tequila and coldpressed watermelon juice.
HIKE A five-minute drive
from downtown, Ijams
Nature Center (ijams
.org) has hiking trails with
beautiful quarry views.
BIKE Knoxville is serious
about dirt biking. Join
a trek with Knoxville
Outdoor Tours (knoxout
doortours.com).
RISE Ride to the observa-

tion deck of the Sunsphere
(worldsfairpark.org), a
tower built for the 1982
World’s Fair.

DOWNTOWN PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES; MAKER EXCHANGE EXTERIOR PHOTO COURTESY
JOE THOMAS; LOBBY PHOTO COURTESY THE MAYFIELD GROUP

JAM ES AGE E’S

IMAGES PROVIDED BY

TIFFANEY CHILDS
WEDDING PL ANNING BY

PART Y LIT TLE THING

317.846.9158 | RitzCharles.com
Ritz Charles | Garden Pavilion at Ritz Charles | Coxhall Gardens
Indianapolis Public Library | Lindley Farmstead at Chatham Hills
Indianapolis Artsgarden | The Bluffs at Conner Prairie | Artisan Acres Estate

COMING SEPTEMBER 2023
Dream Home is the premier high-end show home in Indianapolis. Built and designed by teams
led by Brad Bowman of Homes by Design and Jennifer O’Connor of Dare 2 Design, the 2023
Dream Home offers visitors the opportunity to tour a custom designed residence with picturesque
views and luxurious furnishings, finishes, and amenities. Located in Zionsville’s scenic
Holliday Farms community, the house is open to the public during select weekends in September.

H O M E B U I LT BY

I N T E R I O R D E S I G N BY

BENEFITING
Firefly Children & Family Alliance
connects Indiana children, families,
and individuals with the resources and
services they need to live successfully.

ROAD T RIP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

01
2023

NEW IN TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
T HE FEED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

T H E DI S H

PI NCH OF W ISDOM . . . . . 34
TAST E T EST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
FOODI E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
REVIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

SWOON

Featured Attraction
The historical site that houses downtown Plainfield’s most ambitious new restaurant, The Prewitt,
originally served as an auto parts shop before L.M. Prewitt opened his theater there in 1927. The
venue closed in the early 2000s, but the curtain rose again in November, with executive chef Ricky
Hatfield throwing the spotlight on elegant Hoosier-inflected dishes like the Sticky Foot, a date bread
pudding with whiskey anglaise and caramel-corn ice cream that takes its name from the theater’s
former nickname. 121 W. Main St., Plainfield, 317-203-5240, prewittdining.com — J U L I A S PA L D I N G

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

JANUARY 2023 | IM

33

PINCH
OF
WISDOM
“Any fruit or herb
you like on its own
can be a great
addition to brewed
tea. For every
teaspoon of whole
tea leaves, add
2 to 3 teaspoons
of muddled fresh
fruit or half a
teaspoon of
ground dry fruit.”
—Terrell Davis, the
content creator whose
viral TikToks helped
jump-start his home biz,
Minty Bong Water

( NEW IN TOWN )
( ROAD TRIP )

Jump In
BLOOMINGTON’S OFF-CAMPUS HOPSCOTCH KITCHEN MAJORS
IN LOCALLY SOURCED CAFE FARE. B Y J U L I A S PA L D I N G
AF T E R Jeff Grant and Jane Kupersmith opened Hopscotch

Coffee B-Line Cafe along a stretch of Bloomington’s popular
converted rail trail in 2015, they eagerly awaited a restaurant
to open next door. They waited for years. “It just never happened,” Grant says. And so, a year ago next month, they opened
one themselves. At Hopscotch Kitchen, customers order from
a brief but inspired menu assembled by a staff that originally
included both a bread specialist and a fermentation specialist.
Hefty rice bowls range from a Red version that contains kimchi
and jalapeño brine and a Green one with ’shroom bacon.
Among the fine-tuned sandwiches, a roast lamb panino is layered with cheddar, pickled onion, housemade mustard, cashew
cream, fig jam, and a bright green pop of the Yemeni hot sauce,
schug. The lineup, as well as occasional movie nights and
science lectures, appeals to a clientele that Grant describes as
“college folks who are a little more settled in town.” 235 Dodds
St., Bloomington, 812-369-4500, hopscotchcoffee.com

CLAIM TO FAME

THE
FEED

34

Latin Lover
This carryout menu covers a lot of territory.
THE MENU at Cha-Cho’s Latin Kitchen transports
diners far beyond its counter inside downtown ghost
kitchen Circle City Eats. The carryout business, which
takes its name from the Spanish word muchachos,
packs up a sampling of Latin foods. That includes a
generous serving of arroz paisa, meaty fried rice filled
with chunky Colombian sausage. A bright Peruvian
ceviche of fresh fish, Andean toasted corn nuts, pickled
onions, mint, corn, and lime juice that was introduced
shortly after Cha-Cho’s
opened over the summer has
become an all-seasons fan
favorite. The Dominican RikiTaki sandwich presses tangy
lemon-adobo beef, pickled
cabbage, and egg inside
a wide ciabatta roll. “You
don’t need a passport,” says
co-owner Mario Lomeli. “You
just need one place.” 1021 N.
Pennsylvania St., 317-8003885, cha-choslatinkitchen
.com —OWE N MADRIGAL

Housed inside a historic theater in downtown Plainfield, The Prewitt
premiered in November, serving elevated comfort dishes … GLOW UP Soulshine Vegan
Cafe has taken the place of Ezra’s Enlightened Cafe in Broad Ripple, showcasing a
menu of meatless sandwiches, wraps, and tacos … RUM DIARIES The Daiquiri Factory is
expected to open this spring in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood.

IM | JANUARY 2023

Bubble Up

TASTE
TEST

A GROWING CROP OF BOBA SHOPS IS TAKING
THIS TEA-BASED ASIAN REFRESHER TO THE
NEXT LEVEL WITH LUXURIOUS SYRUPS, FOAMS,
AND BUBBLES. BY T E R RY K I RT S

Send It

Orange Creamsicle

Cocoa Cream Wow

Ann’s Boba Tea, Paula Curia’s
boba stand inside Plaza Urbana
on the far east side, whips up
bright, true-to-life flavors such
as this pleasantly refreshing
version of the icy orange treat
you devoured as a kid, here
enriched with extra-chewy
bubbles. 3827 N. Mitthoefer Rd.,
317-681-3143

The drinks at Kung Fu Tea,
an international chain with
outlets in Cambodia and
Taiwan, always reflect the
latest boba innovations, such
as this delightfully understated
caramelized brown sugar tea
with warm, fresh tapioca bubbles,
a salty milk cap, and a dusting
of cocoa. Multiple locations,
kungfutea.com

Oreo Green Tea Matcha

Crème Brulée
Matcha Latte

The matcha in this shake-like
treat at Kotoyama Ramen lends a
grassy, earthy edge that balances
the crushed Oreo cookies
arranged on top. 13398 Tegler
Dr., Noblesville, 317-588-1888,
kotoyamaramen.com

36

IM | JANUARY 2023

The clever barkeeps
at Bodhi: Craft Bar
+ Thai Bistro like
to take diners on a
journey with their
internationally
inspired elixirs,
as in this recent
seasonal concoction
of Icelandic Askur
Yggdrasil gin, hints
of orange black tea,
peach liqueur, lime,
and both lychee jellies
and juicy bubbles. 922
Massachusetts Ave.,
317-941-6595,
bodhi-indy.com

The specialty drinks at the
elegant two-story Latea Bubble
Tea Lounge on Mass Ave
recall your favorite fine-dining
desserts, none better than when
crème brulée syrup enlivens a
full-bodied matcha base. 530
Massachusetts Ave., 317-4058138, latealounge.com

Mango Jasmine Green
Milk Tea with Cheese Foam
The classic gets an upgrade at
Harmony Tea Shoppe, an Indy
chain, when aromatic jasmine
tea mingles with sweet mango
and fruity pops of soft bubbles,
capped with a creamy foam with
cheesecake overtones. Multiple
locations, harmonyteashoppe.com

Canary Boba Shake
There’s a whiff of secrecy and
internet insider intel to the Uber
Eats/Grubhub menu offered by
Boba Milk Tea Snob, an offshoot
of Liftoff Creamery. If you’re old
school, you can stop by the ice
cream shop for this bubbly take
on strawberry cheesecake with
bits of graham cracker. 111 E.
16th St., 317-426-2641

Rome
Service
ITALIAN IMPORT LUCIO ROMANI
GIVES BACK THE FLAVORS OF HIS
CHILDHOOD AT HIS CHEERY BAKERY
AND TAKEOUT. BY T E R RY K I RT S
FOR LONGT I M E

chef and restaurateur
Lucio Romani, a love
FOODIE
affair with all things
American began
almost the moment
he stepped off the plane. Schooling his
customers on the true, authentic cuisine of his native Italy, however, took a
little longer. Growing up in the seaside
town of Ladispoli, about 20 miles west
of Rome, Romani enjoyed classic
dishes such as pasta carbonara and amatriciana, as well as fresh seafood from
the Mediterranean coast. In the States,
Italian food meant chicken Alfredo and
spaghetti with meatballs. “At the first
Italian place where I worked,” Romani
says, “they still threw pasta against the
wall to see if it was done.”
But Romani is no purist, and he
started his career in food with an Italian dairy company that produced highend cheese and yogurt, as well as less
expensive grocery-store brands. His
introduction to America came in 1995
when his older sister, a doctor, came
to do research on diabetes at Method-

FAVORITE THINGS
(1) 101 Beer Kitchen. “The pierogi, soups,
fish, and burgers are great.” (2) Chinese

food. “My dream is to go to Beijing to try
the real stuff.” (3) Amarone wines. “A bold
red wine that always makes me happy.” (4)
Sushi. “Wherever we go, we always try to
find the great sushi spot.” (5) Artichokes.
“My Italian hometown has a festival for
them every year.” (6) Italian cookies. Try
Romani’s recipe for crispy white wine cookies
at IndianapolisMonthly.com.

ist Hospital, and Romani paid a visit.
Instead of returning home, he began a
series of kitchen jobs, eventually opening his own place, Ristorante Roma,
with his pastry specialist girlfriend,
Christine Jourdan.
Seeing a lack of quality gelato in
the area, the couple then opened
Mammamia Gelato, featuring frozen
treats and indoor seating. During the
pandemic, Romani added takeout
pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches, and
Jourdan perfected the recipes for Ital-

ian cookies, pastries, and cakes. While
Romani makes plenty of concessions to
American tastes (like putting chicken
with pasta), he goes to lengths to keep
the dishes as truly Italian as possible.
His slightly thicker Roman-style pizza,
for example, is the same style he grew
up eating at a pizzeria in Ladispoli. “I
even found the woman who owned the
place and called her to ask for tips,” he
says. “She said she couldn’t take the
recipe to her grave, so she read it to me
over the phone.”

Slice of Life
AT BARGERSVILLE’S PIZZA & LIBATIONS, ONE MAN’S DESTINATION DINNER
IS ANOTHER MAN’S HOMETOWN PIZZA SHOP. BY J U L I A S PA L D I N G

PIZZA & LIBATIONS

75 N. Baldwin
St., Bargersville,
317-771-3165,
pizzaandlibations
.com
HOURS

Mon.–Thurs., 4–10
p.m.; Fri.–Sun.,
noon–10 p.m.
VIBE

Pizza lounge
TASTING NOTES

BACK I N 2014, Nathan and

Leah Huelsebusch chose
the sleepy Johnson County
REVIEW
town of Bargersville as the
site of their first Taxman
Brewing Company gastropub. Inspired by the three years they lived
in Belgium for business, the couple started
serving small-batch dubbels and steak frites
in the shadow of the hulking Umbarger &
Sons grain elevators across the road, a farmtown metropolis that is equal parts Marvel
Universe and Petticoat Junction.
The Huelsebusches’ southside base kept
its rural charm while they added taprooms
on Fortville’s main drag and in a renovated
38

IM | JANUARY 2023

1850s livery building downtown, as the Taxman brand grew to include a robust line of
Belgian-inspired beers, farmhouse ales, and
Midwest saisons sold around the state and
beyond. It should have come as no surprise
when the owners returned to Bargersville
for their latest venture, Pizza & Libations,
or that the bartender would tell me, as she
prepared Leaning Tower of Piscos and Fig’
Get About Its one Saturday afternoon less
than a month after the restaurant’s lateOctober opening, that they were expecting
yet another packed house that night.
“Who in the world is coming all the way to
Bargersville for pizza and libations?” I asked.
“Bargersville,” she replied. Duh.

Individual-sized
fermented-crust
pizzas, fresh
pastas, and housebrewed beers.
NEIGHBORHOOD

Bargersville
MUST-ORDER

The classic
Margherita or
delicate whitesauced P+LT pizza
with mozzarella,
prosciutto, capers,
and a sprinkle of
smoked sea salt.
Order a Prosecco
spritz, and save
room for gelato.
3 STAR RATING

+

Clockwise from top right: The octopus with blistered tomatoes and squid ink sauce; owners
Nathan and Leah Huelsebusch; classic tiramisu;
the Hen of the Woods pizza; and the Fig’ Get
About It and Juliana’s Last Word cocktails.

The owners knew what they were
doing when they planted their flag
beside the Indiana Rail Road tracks 20
miles south of downtown Indianapolis.
The acres of new, well-off residential
development surrounding their quiet
dip in the road supply a steady stream of
customers hungry for Neapolitan-style
pizza and Prosecco spritzes in their neck
of the woods. “We kind of modeled this
after our own personal story,” Nathan
says. “When we moved from Belgium to
Indiana, we ended up living right outside
of the Bargersville city limits. Both of
us worked at Cummins, and there were
a lot of people like us in these communities who have corporate jobs.” The
Huelsebusches envisioned that the area
would continue to grow, that people like
them would keep moving to the south
side. “Fortunately, that’s exactly what
happened,” Nathan says.
Presumably, the residents of Saddle
Club South, Kerrington Proper, and
Banta Road Estates will claim all of the
spots in the dusty gravel lot that edges
P&L’s patio buildout that, come spring,
will be able to seat 72 diners beside a
sleek linear fireplace. Inside, the dining
room designed by DKGR Architects is
all muted blacks and natural wood tones,
filled with dreamy murals by Liverpool
artist Danny O’Connor. Later this year,
the pizzeria will connect to a bakery and
upper-level speakeasy with a rooftop
deck. Customers get a tease of these two
upcoming businesses when they enter
the Pizza & Libations lobby, a gleaming
atrium of shiny white tile and exposed

brick. It’s hard to ignore the two particleboard door cutouts, where temporary
signage explains that Cellar’s Market
bakery and a lounge named Up Cellar
are coming soon.
In the meantime, executive chef
Daniel Keiner’s menu of blistered-crust
pies and housemade pastas should hold
people’s attention. As Taxman’s culinary
director of operations, Keiner leaned
hard on the Campania motif here, delivering classic flavors in his red-sauced
Margherita as well as an understated Bianca laid with ricotta, fresh mozzarella,
Capriole goat cheese, and sea salt.
The menu also goes way off script. The
Light Em Up layers on the heat mercilessly with chili oil, ’nduja, spicy
pickle, Calabrian chili, and
hot honey. You can order both
a BBQ chicken ranch and a
buffalo chicken pizza, and even
the Hawaiian pizza fortifies
its pineapple with fig jam and
spiced almonds. Some of those
risky flavor combinations work,
as in the well-balanced P+LT
that calibrates the saltiness of
prosciutto, Parmesan, capers,
and smoked sea salt with the
smoothness of white sauce and
mozzarella. Others—like a pizza riff on the Cuban sandwich
slicked with Dijon mustard and
dotted with pickle slices and
unwieldy cubes of city ham—
take too many liberties with the

fermented-crust canon. If you want to try
something a little different, opt for the
Hen of the Woods pizza, or the olive-oiled
That’s My Jam, which combines the
standard mozzarella, Asiago, and capocollo with fig jam and goat cheese.
The 12-inch pies bake in what Nathan
describes as a “super-high-temp deck
oven” that goes up to 932 degrees (though
these cook at 700 in about two minutes).
In addition to the pizzas, Italian-style
pasta dishes like carbonara and scallop
linguine are assembled with housemade
noodles. Nicely crusted Faroe Island
salmon shares the plate with pestocoated pappardelle. For the Bolognese,
Keiner melds tender pasta rags with
Fischer Farms beef and pork. He offers
octopus with squid ink sauce along with
mushroom risotto and sage-spiked sweet
potato gnocchi. And if all of this sounds a
little too fancy for the far-south suburbs,
you must not be from around here.
JANUARY 2023 | IM

39

´ Even if something can be replaced, you might not want to. Maybe
your item has sentimental value, or they just don’t make ’em like they
used to. Repairing things, rather than tossing and buying new, saves
money and helps the planet, too. From stuffed animals to sewing
machines, screens to stained glass—and just about anything else—this
guide will lead you to a local shop that can bring it back to life. Find new
favorites or rediscover old standbys that are always worth a shoutout
(hey, Kimmel!). These 62 handypeople and craftspeople will give a
second chance to whatever it is you want to hold on to.

Edited by CHRISTINA VERCELLETTO
Written by MEGAN FERNANDEZ, JAYDE LEARY, AMY LYNCH, MICHELLE MASTRO,
EMILY UDELL, AND NIKO VERCELLETTO

Photography by

TONY VALAINIS

Anthony Ray, brass
and percussion
repair tech at
Musicians’ Repair
& Sales, does a
final check on a
customer’s tuba.

JANUARY 2023 | IM

41

HOUSEHOLD GOODS
GRANDFATHER CLOCKS

POWER TOOLS

CUSTOM TIME, 1586 E. 400 S, LEBANON,
317-508-8463, CUSTOMTIME.NET

VAMACO TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT, 6718 E.
38TH ST., 317-632-2208

Time might be eternal, but a grandfather clock isn’t. It’s possibly the most
delicate item in your house, believe it
or not. Bill Moore has been repairing
them for 42 years. He is one of
Indiana’s few licensed and certified
clock-makers (the certification program
itself ended in 1989.) For three
generations, his family has been fixing
timepieces. The average grandfather
clock repair takes 90 minutes to three
and a half hours, and costs about $350.

If you have a vintage workhorse made
with metal parts instead of plastic, it’s
worth a visit to Joseph Fowley at Vamaco
Tools and Equipment to see if new parts
exist. Either Joseph will do—father or son.
The elder Fowley is 83, still at the bench
repairing cordless drills, pressure
washers, sanders, miter saws, and
anything else you use to fix stuff at home.
Vamaco is also an authorized repair shop
for most top brands. Basics—new
switches, fresh brushes—cost around $50
to $100 and take three days.

SEWING MACHINES
SELECT SEWING MACHINE, 2415 E. 65TH
ST., 317-255-6332, SELECTSEWINGSER
VICE.COM

Owners Karen and Jim Bennett see a
steady stream of “traumas,” a machine
with a garment stuck under the
presser foot or knotted up around a
needle. The service technicians—some
have worked at the second-generation
business for more than 35 years—can
usually rescue a curtain or a school
costume from ruin, so don’t try to yank
it free. Plenty of bigger jobs come in
from Butler Ballet and Beef & Boards,
but a quick fix runs $35 and usually
just requires oiling or resetting the
tension. And that’s about all the
Bennetts can do for an heirloom
cabinet model—the parts aren’t
available anymore.

MARIE HARNISH QUILT CREATIONS, 317-650-6388, MARIEHAR
NISHCREATIONS.WORDPRESS.COM, QUILTGUILDINDY.NET

Quilts

The fourth-generation quilter behind Marie Harnish Quilt
Creations loves to label quilts, so in addition to replacing
stitches, securing shredded sections, completing an
unfinished heirloom, or taking off a row to remove damage
beyond repair, she will embroider or print the quilt’s entire
provenance on a swatch and attach it to the back. Whole
obituaries and photos can go on a label. She once deconstructed an entire
quilt to replace innards destroyed by a cleaning product.

MIRRORS
BULLDOG GLASS AND MIRROR, 464
SOUTHPOINT CIR., BROWNSBURG, 317858-7246, FURNITUREFIXINDY.COM

Seven years is just the beginning of
the bad luck when it comes to broken
mirrors. That little chip is often
evidence of an invisible crack underneath the surface, and flaking silver
that causes black spots is a lost cause
unless it’s close enough to the edge to
be cut off and repolished. But Bulldog
can replace glass, including with the
smoked looks often found behind bars,
as well as the low-iron type salons use
for maximum clarity. Owners Candice
and Rob Staley, who installed the
elevator mirrors at Hotel Carmichael in
Carmel and can custom cut any shape,
often surprise clients by uncovering a
stamp on the back of an antique mirror
that reveals exactly when and where it
was made.

WOODEN FURNITURE
CARMEL CUSTOM REFINISHING, 4275 W.
96TH ST., 317-872-3999, CARMELCUSTOM
REFINISHING.COM

Most clients of Carmel Custom
Refinishing have a rocking chair or a
dining set that they’d like to maintain
for future generations. But occasionally
movers put a forklift through an
armoire, and the 32-year-old business
can handle that, too. And don’t toss out
that chair with a wobbly turned leg—
owner Jason Haggery can match an
ornate design. Dresser refinishing runs
$975 to $1,200; 60-inch tabletop
refinishing, $1,000; chairs, $250 each.
Turnaround time on a full dining room
set is six to 10 weeks. Pickup, delivery,
and shipping are available.

LAMPS AND LAMPSHADES
ZIONSVILLE LIGHTING CENTER, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, 317-733-0233,
INFO@ZIONSVILLELIGHTINGCENTER.COM

If you’re still using incandescent bulbs, those will burn out a lamp socket
eventually. LED bulbs won’t. Zionsville Lighting Center swaps those out
(along with bad and brittle wiring) in no time. The owners also convert
showpieces purchased in Europe to American wiring. But no lamp is too
ordinary to shine again. Lampshades can also be relined once the bulb
burns through them, or re-covered with provided or special-ordered fabric.

JANUARY 2023 | IM

43

TRUNKS
KASNAK RESTORATIONS, 5505 N. COUNTY RD. 1000 E,
BROWNSBURG, 317-679-3650, KASNAK
RESTORATIONS.COM

In more than 40 years, master craftspeople Bob and
Leslie Kasnak of Kasnak Restorations have never
turned down a job, whether the work came from
Newfields, the SullivanMunce Cultural Center, or the
proud owner of a late-19th-century steamer trunk.
Those old travelers were built to last and are
surprisingly tough, Bob says, so they usually just
need a deep clean, new latches, and fresh leather
handles, which run $450 to $850. He’s been known to
use his own belt for the handles if it had the perfect
age. More extensive damage to the wood is in good
hands, too—Bob studied antique furniture restoration
at the Smithsonian Institution and Winterthur
Museum, handling Chippendale furniture valued at
millions.

RUGS
ROYAL GALLERY OF RUGS,12345 OLD MERIDIAN ST., INSIDE
JOHN KIRK FURNITURE, CARMEL, 317-848-7847

Most handknotted rugs only need to be cleaned every 10
to 15 years, and Royal Gallery of Rugs will take care of popping out the furniture dents at the same time. (A high-quality, thin rug pad is a better choice than thick pads, which
cause deeper dents.) Other common repairs include fixing
the stitching around the edges or replacing the fringe—or
just removing it altogether, a more modern choice. Those
everyday fixes run about $200. For heavier jobs, like
patching moth-chewn holes, replacing worn spots, cutting
rugs down to a smaller size, and restoring color, owner
Dave Farahan sends out the rug to a specialist. Cleaning,
though, is done in house, by hand, in a way that will remove
the odor or stain without damaging the wool.

44

IM | JANUARY 2023

UPHOLSTERED
FURNITURE

FROST UPHOLSTERY, 4024 E. MICHIGAN ST., 317-3531217, FROSTUPHOLSTERY.COM

Did any couch survive COVID without lumps? For
nearly 50 years, Bessie Carter, with help from her
sons, Gregory and Jeffrey, has been plumping
cushions back up, usually by just steaming the foam
and adding an extra layer of Dacron. The service
costs less than $100 per cushion. Re-covering a
standard skirted armchair with supplied fabric runs
$600. Odors, though, are a tough ask. Try this: Cover
the furniture with a sheet and place a bowl of white
vinegar under it overnight. They offer free pickup
and delivery in Indianapolis, with a one-day turnaround on cushions, a month on bigger projects.

KNIVES

VACUUM CLEANERS

CHINA

MIKE BILLINGS KNIFE SHARPENING, 1317
S. EAST ST., 317-597-0126, MIKEBILLINGS
KNIFESHARPENING.COM

A-1 VACUUM, 9235 CRAWFORDSVILLE RD.,
317-347-0214

SNODGRASS & DAVIS STUDIO FINE ART
RESTORATION, 2123 BOULEVARD PL., 317722-0343, SNODGRASS-DAVIS.COM

Funny thing about expensive kitchen
knives—the owners are never the ones to
damage them. It’s always someone else.
But the owner of Mike Billings Knife
Sharpening won’t judge. He’ll just fix
those chips, dents, and broken tips by the
time you’re ready to swing back around
and pick up your blade. Rusty straight
razors can be reborn, pocket knives
repaired, and paper cutters made
menacing again. He gives referrals for
antiques restoration, but for the customer
who just wants his Civil War sword to look
good, Billings makes the cut.

Whatever’s stuck in your Hoover’s
hose, A-1 Vacuum owner Tony Stahl
can usually free it for about $25 while
you wait. Don’t be embarrassed,
whatever it is—you won’t be the first
person who has tried to vacuum up a
dead mouse. Stahl will also tell you
bluntly why he hates bagless models,
and what the gold standard in vacuums
really is: a classic Titan machine that
was reissued in 2016.

Let’s say you knock a piece of your
mom’s beloved china off the rack and
want it to be your little secret. Turn to Guy
Davis. You don’t have to have every last
shard—he can fill in a few small spaces.
As long as you have the big pieces, Davis
can cover your tracks by gluing, filling,
coloring, and glazing. A simple break
costs $80 to $120. Whatever you do, don’t
try to glue it yourself. That just makes his
job harder, and the cost higher.

JANUARY 2023 | IM

45

PERSONAL EFFECTS
LEATHER CLOTHING, WEDDING DRESSES,
VINTAGE LACE AND BEADING
ALEX’S TAILOR SHOP, 5858 E. 82ND ST., 317-594-8982,
ALEXSTAILORSHOP.COM

Sonia Garcia and her sister, Luz, have more than two
decades of experience sewing and tailoring all types of
clothing, including leather, wedding gowns, and dresses with
vintage lace and beading, all notoriously tricky to work with.
“We do magic,” Sonia says. “People laugh when I say that.”
She recalls a bride and her mother coming in just a few
weeks before the wedding, crying because another tailor had
cut the front part of the dress too short. “When they picked it
up, they cried again, from relief.” A simple hem starts at $12;
more complex alterations scale up from there, depending on
the garment.

SWEATERS
LEON TAILORING, 809 N. DELAWARE ST., 317-634-8559,
LEONTAILORING.COM

Every mover and shaker in the state has patronized this
Mom-and-Pop business at one time or another, according to
a former Indiana governor. Founded by European immigrants,
Leon Tailoring has been a downtown fixture for more than a
century. The shop offers repairs and alterations on men’s and
women’s clothing of all types, including sweaters with frays
and holes, which can be particularly tricky. They will even
alter sweaters that are too large. This is also the place for
custom-made suits.

SHOES
KIMMEL SHOE REPAIR, 733 BROAD RIPPLE AVE., 317-255-0740,
1327 S. RANGELINE RD., CARMEL, 317-846-9996; KIMMELSHOE
REPAIR.COM

“We save soles everyday but Sunday” is the motto of this
family-owned business offering the full spectrum of repairs.
Founded in 1942 and originally located in the basement of
L.S. Ayres, Kimmel Shoe Repair now serves two locations
(and the family running it these days is the Tomasellos). In
the spring, summer, and fall, service takes about a week, but
winter turnaround times may be up to a month. Thank
punishing rock salt—and the rush to spiff up shoes for the
winter holidays.

LUGGAGE
GREENFIELD SHOE REPAIR, 70 MCCLANNON DR., GREENFIELD,
317-477-7463

If your suitcase has gotten into too many brawls with
baggage carriers, Valdonero Martinez can fix the stitching,
zippers, leather, and more in his small shop. For more than
nine years, he’s been extending the lives of shoes, boots, and
handbags as well.

Where can I donate books?
Indy Reads (1066 Virginia Ave., 317-384-1496, indyreads.org) accepts
donations of new and gently used books the first Friday of every
month from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Check the donation guidelines on the
website before you head in, though. It’s also possible to sell a book
here on consignment.
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BOOKS

WALKER RESTORATION BOOKBINDING, 1920 DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ST., 463-202-5519, WALKERRESTORATION-BOOKBINDING-LLC.BUSINESS.SITE

Family Bibles and valuable books are the bulk of
this small bindery’s business, with one of its oldest
cases being a 1634 edition of the New Testament.
“Someone had stuck some awful kind of cover on it.
I made it look a whole lot more respectable,” recalls
owner Teresa Walker. A simple book repair could
cost $50, but most jobs average between $200 and
$400. A large family Bible could run upward of
$1,000. More intensive projects might take months,
as certain steps need drying time.

STUFFED ANIMALS AND DOLLS
INDIANA DOLL HOSPITAL, 679 W. 375 N,
GREENFIELD, 317-326-2229, DOLLREPAIRLADY.COM

Has a timeworn teddy or childhood doll seen better
days? Carol Ratliffe has decades of experience transforming worn old friends back to like-new, huggable condition.
When one client’s mom fled Germany during World War II,
she could only bring the head of her favorite doll. At the
Indiana Doll Hospital, she got a whole new body, complete
with a period-appropriate outfit. “They took it to the
nursing home for her birthday, and she cried,” Ratliffe
says. A head-to-toe restoration starts at $110, and
typically takes a while, since Ratliffe is both the sole
proprietor and a perfectionist. “It won’t go home unless I
love it, and it’s display-worthy.”
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PHOTOGRAPHS
PICTURES TO DIGITAL, 1717 E. 116TH ST., CARMEL, 317-6074984, PICTURESTODIGITAL.COM

WATCHES AND
JEWELRY

RUDY’S WATCH AND JEWELRY REPAIR, 124 E.
NORTHFIELD DR., STE. G., BROWNSBURG, 317-2936698, RUDYSWATCHANDJEWELRYREPAIR.COM

When the tick tock stops, the founder of this
independent shop, Rudolph Hollein, will draw on
his extensive education in Germany, arguably the
land of clocks, to get it started again. Revive your
retro wristwatch with its inventory of vintage
parts. Services also include jewelry resizing and
remounting.

Finally ready to restore that photograph of your grandparents’ wedding or digitize those shoeboxes full of prints?
Owner John Moeller does bulk scanning of slides and
negatives, videotape conversion, and digital restoration of
photographs and documents. Average prices are around $50,
and jobs take a week or two. When a former Marine needed a
high-quality photo of his time in the service for an event in
his hometown, Moeller was able to clean up a 1949 image
well enough to enlarge on a banner.

HANDBAGS AND EQUESTRIAN ACCESSORIES
RON’S SHOE REPAIR, 8512 WESTFIELD RD., 317-255-6370

This father-and-son shop, which once removed barbecue
sauce from the Christian Louboutins of an IndyCar driver,
repairs and restores purses and equestrian gear, including
replacing zippers and buckles, rebuilding straps, and
reconditioning the leather. Most repairs wind up costing
between $30 and $40, but can reach 10 times that in
unusually time-consuming cases.

ARCHITECTURAL
ANTIQUES
SLATE ROOFS
BLACKMORE AND BUCKNER, 9750 E. 150TH ST., UNIT 1700,
NOBLESVILLE, 317-263-0707, TECTAAMERICA.COM

Being of a certain age has its perks. The slate on older
Indianapolis homes is a stone material that doesn’t wear
away as easily as asphalt shingles, says Matthew Cole, vice
president of business development. “Slate is much more of a
specialty and difficult to work with, but it will last hundreds of
years.” Falling trees tend to be what takes out a slate roof.
Started in 1919, Blackmore and Buckner merged with the
largest roofing company in the U.S., but the Noblesville
outpost still retains that local feel. They never contract out
work, and the family still oversees much of the operation.

LIGHT FIXTURES AND CEILING FANS
ZIONSVILLE LIGHTING CENTER, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, 317-7330233, INFO@ZIONSVILLELIGHTINGCENTER.COM

This respected shop restores chandeliers and antique
pieces, as well as new high-end fixtures—as long as they can
be brought into the shop. (They don’t handle onsite repairs,
but can dispatch a trusted electrician.) One Old Northside
homeowner brought in the parts of a deconstructed chandelier, but didn’t even know what it was supposed to look like.
With 35 years of experience, owners John Spurgeon and Tim
Overmyer were able to figure it out—a 3-foot-by-4-foot
design with 12 arms and tiers of prisms.

WOOD CABINETRY
N-HANCE, 1601 COUNTRY CLUB RD., 317-273-8500, NHANCE.COM

White kitchens are everywhere, but wood grains are
experiencing a revival, notes owner Kevin Jones. N-Hance can
color-match your wood cabinets and add a colorless polyurethane for protection. Or just opt for new hinges, knobs, and
handles, which in itself can freshen up your kitchen. Jobs start
at $1,500 and one business day, depending on kitchen size.

BATHTUBS
SUZETTE’S TUB SAVER, 5610 S. CONCORD ST., 317-710-3228

Owner Suzette Dewey has been repairing and resurfacing tubs, including old-fashioned cast-iron clawfoot tubs,
for 25 years. Whether your tub has chipped or faded over
time, or both, reglazing is a simple solution. That’s true
whether your tub is finished in classic vitreous china,
glazing, or porcelain. “Once reglazed, they look new again
and can last another 20 years,” she says. Repair time can
take one to two days and prices range from $225 to $850
on average, based on the tub’s condition and what
supplies Dewey needs.

FLOORS
MIDWEST FLOOR RESTORE, 1361 MADISON AVE., 317-6369316, MIDWESTFLOORRESTORE.COM

If you have a classic floor in your home, wear and tear is
no longer an issue. Midwest Floor Restore specializes in
stone floors like granite, travertine, terrazzo marble, and
polished concrete. Polishing can wear away, and staining
and grout tend to be porous, making these pieces discolor
over time. Pricing varies depending on square footage,
the condition of the floor, and what it’s made of.

FIREPLACES AND WOODSTOVES
ELY STOKES, 4720 N. KEYSTONE AVE., 317-259-4084,
ELYSTOKESFIREPLACE.COM

The first certified chimney sweeps in Indianapolis, Ely
Stokes has been in business since 1977. The showroom
has been a North Keystone Avenue fixture for decades.
The logo, with a top-hat-tipping gentleman, isn’t just for
show. “My dad would wear the top hat and coattails to job
sites,” says co-owner Stephanie Brinkley. Ely Stokes
restores masonry and chimneys, and they can build you a
new fireplace, too. Repairs can run from $200 all the way
up to $10,000.

METALWORK AND RAILINGS
SCHOUTEN METALCRAFT IN PENDLETON, BY APPOINTMENT
ONLY, 317-546-2639

While period-specific fixtures can look great, today’s
building codes often don’t play nice with them. “A 4-inch
gap is the max on any railing on a second-floor stairway,”
notes owner Paul Schouten, whose expertise extends
back to his ancestors in the Netherlands. Schouten
spends much of his time updating older railings to
modern codes. He recommends maintaining and
repairing any exterior wrought iron, rather than replacing
it. “It handles the elements better than carbon-steel
railings, which just rust away.”

DOORS
HEARTWOOD ENTERPRISES, 3317 W. 96TH ST., 317-8720756, INDYDOORS.COM

Little-known fact: Doorframes tend to sag as the house
settles. But Heartwood Enterprises has been perking up
these old beauties since 1989. They also replace older
handles, and help ensure doors seal properly by adding
new copper weatherstripping. They can fix antique locks,
as long as they’re not a mortise style, since parts are
exceedingly scarce. Repair jobs can take from a few hours
to a full day.

Stainesds
G la

Got a craftsman-style built-in hutch or a
Tiffany lamp from a flea market needing
repair? “We can find a close match for just
about every glass,” says owner Kevin
Phillips. Historic glass can be a challenge,
since the chemical composition of today’s glass is
different. But you’ve got your best shot with Camden. Back in
2019, the team restored the stained glass of Holy Cross
Church on Oriental Street, taking the original panes apart,
repairing them, and releading them. A true craft, stainedglass repair can take anywhere from six to eight weeks.

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49

COLLECTIBLES
ANTIQUE TOYS
RANDY’S TOY SHOP, 165 N. 9TH ST., NOBLESVILLE, 317-776-2220, RANDYS
TOYSHOP.COM

If you’re a sucker for antique toys and need a few wheels tightened and
painted, dents repaired, or a windup key replaced, you might want to make a
stop here. A retired diesel mechanic, Randy Ibey began collecting antique
toys and soon grew to love restoring them, as well as the boxes they came
in. With expertise in paint matching and aging and custom parts fabrication,
Ibey is a repair whiz, but he also sells vintage toys on consignment.

MODEL TRAINS, RC, AND RIDE-ON VEHICLES
HOBBYTOWN INDIANAPOLIS, 8265 CENTER RUN DR., 317-845-4106,
HOBBYTOWN.COM

HobbyTown is both nostalgic and futuristic, catering to enthusiasts of trains,
models, and vehicles. The starting price for repairs on ride-ons is $50;
everything else starts at $25. “My favorite jobs are the ones that can be a
little more challenging, so I can better understand the products we work
with,” says one of the owners, Dustin Collins. “For instance, I had one oddball
repair recently, on a kid’s Power Wheels vehicle with a controller. The
customer wanted us to switch out the electronics to make it faster.”
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PAINTINGS

SHARON D. BATTISTA PAINTING
CONSERVATION, 5430 N. NEW
JERSEY ST., 317-989-2133,
SDBATTISTA.COM

Battista regularly repairs
punctures, tears, cracks, flaking
paint, and discolored layers
from even the most fragile
paintings. She strictly adheres
to the American Institute of
Conservation’s Code of Ethics,
which requires that the work is
documented and photographed.
“Having been in business for 35
years, I have worked on an
amazing variety of paintings,”
says Battista.

e
Arcamdes
Ga

DOC PINBALL, 285 W. 200 N, GREENFIELD, 317-326-3533,
DOCPINBALL.COM

Mark Wagner received his electronics training in the military.
He later opened up Doc Pinball, where he fixes and restores
coin-operated amusement machines. Mark’s son, Jason,
began following in his father’s footsteps at 14, and it’s his
full-time job now. “I can even recall being a toddler, sitting and
‘testing’ equipment,” he says. “I guess you could say it’s in my blood.”

TEXTILES AND CERAMICS
EASTER CONSERVATION SERVICES,
1134 E. 54TH ST., STE. J, 317-3960885, EASTERCONSERVATION.COM

Jean Easter has led her own
conservation business since 2001.
She devotes much of her time to
rejuvenating textiles, whether
that’s a tapestry, a piece of art,
vintage draperies, or an upholstered footstool. Repair of ceramics
is also in her repertoire. Pricing can
be hard to determine with certainty
at the outset. Some items respond
well to minimal techniques, while
others wind up needing a more
comprehensive process, explains
Easter. But each piece is given a
condition report, and the price is
determined from there. The most
common repair she sees is the
result of artwork falling due to
incorrect hardware.

HUMMEL/GOEBEL FIGURINES
SNODGRASS & DAVIS STUDIO FINE ART RESTORATION, 2123 BOULEVARD PL., 317-7220343, SNODGRASS-DAVIS.COM

Snodgrass & Davis Studio offers an array of art restoration services, but can be a
particularly valuable resource with a niche specialty, like restoring historic documents,
renewing fire- or water-damaged items—and fixing rare, collectible figurines. “There
are two price ranges,” says owner Guy Davis. “One is if the husband has tried to repair it
and left old glue on it. The other is if the wife brings it in with clean breaks.” The latter
range is $150–$250. The other can cost up to $450.
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ELECTRONICS
TVS, VCRS, AND STEREOS
CIRCUIT SQUARE TV, 9613 COLLEGE AVE., 317-844-4000

Circuit Square TV is a family business, but the timeline wasn’t
typical. Mark Greenspan started it 45 years ago, and then his
parents joined him after they retired. Circuit Square repairs TVs,
VCRs, and stereos, starting at $35. They can take three to four
weeks, longer than in the past due to supply issues with parts.
Greenspan says that the most common problems he sees are
due to clumsiness—an item’s been dropped.

Turn-s
table

AFFORDABLE HIFI IN SOBRO, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, 317-209-5838, AFFORDABLE
HIFIAUDIO.COM

After being dethroned by cassette
tapes and then compact discs, the
vinyl record once seemed bound for
extinction. And now … Taylor Swift’s
Midnights came out in four vinyl versions.
Keeping those platters spinning is the mission of John
Sheets. He tackles everything from “the least expensive
turntables to ones that cost more than my car.” His hourly
rate is $65; house calls are an additional $70. Many
turntable problems, he says, are caused by faulty cables,
which are almost always due to age or mice. Sheets
originally wanted to call his business The Needle
Exchange, but then wryly adds, “That name was taken.”

How can I get rid of my castoff electronics?
It’s against the law to toss electronics into your regular trash.
The city hosts recycling days for anything with a cord, as long
as it works. Broken electronics can be dropped off on the first,
second, or third Saturdays of each month, but locations differ. Go
to indy.gov/activity/electronics-recycling-sites for details.
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CAMERAS

ROBERTS, 220 E. ST. CLAIR ST., 317-707-6193, ROBERTSCAMERA.COM

Roberts Camera is one of the largest photo specialty stores in the
country. This third-generation business repairs cameras, as well as
individual lenses and video equipment. All repairs take at least three
weeks. Roberts hasn’t seen a loss of business since phone photos
became ubiquitous. Employee Meredith Reinker actually refers to the
mobile phone as the “gateway drug.” Phones pique interest in photography, and people upgrade, she explains. “This especially happens during
life episodes like marriage, a new baby, or a dream vacation.”

COMPUTERS AND PRINTERS
A+ AFFORDABLE COMPUTER DOCTOR, 549 FLEMING ST., 317-9387711, INDYCOMPUTERDOCTOR.COM

Steve Freeze once taught computer technology. Twenty-five
years ago, he gave those chops to the public, opening A+ with his
late wife. Freeze cures problematic laptops, desktops, and any
printer besides 3-D, making repairs at residences and places of
business. Failing hard drives are always an issue, he reports. But
by replacing those with a solid-state drive, he can almost always
save the day. When asked if people still use printers, he has a
ready answer: “Every package has a label on it.”

CELLPHONES
CPR CELL PHONE REPAIR, 5971 E. 82ND ST., 317-842-2000,
CELLPHONEREPAIR.COM

CPR resuscitates just about any phone: Motorola, Apple,
Samsung, OnePlus, and LG. Average repair prices are
$89–$220 for an iPhone, $210–$319 for a Samsung Note,
and $150–$250 for a Motorola. The typical repair takes
less than two hours if parts are in stock. Spokesman
Matthew Burton says that CPR sees broken screens all
day, every day, adding that many repairs could be avoided
if everyone would protect their phone with an outer case.
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53

SPORTS AND HOBBIES
GUITARS
ARTHUR’S MUSIC STORE, 931 SHELBY ST., 317-638-3524, ARTHURSMUSIC.COM

With a rich 70-year history, Arthur’s Music Store has been a fundamental
part of Indianapolis. Linda Osborne and Amy England, daughter and
granddaughter of the original owners, now run the shop. The repair
department can do everything, from basic cleaning and restringing to
crack repair and electronic fixes. You won’t be waiting long; basic services
are finished in two days and more repairs are finished within the week.
England recalls the most memorable customization on a guitar. “A
collector asked us to recreate the iconic red guitar played at the dance
scene in Back to the Future. He even got the original cast to sign it.”

TENNIS
RACQUETS
IRC PRO SHOP AT
INDIANAPOLIS RACQUET
CLUB, 8249 DEAN RD.,
317-712-3099, INDY
RACQUETCLUB.COM

Voted the best tennis
pro shop in the nation
by the Tennis Industry
Association, the IRC Pro
Shop has a solid
reputation. Opened in
1965, IRC will restring
and regrip your
racquets within two
business days, so you’ll
get to your next straight
set faster. You can also
take advantage of its
Frequent Stringer
Program to earn credit
toward future repairs.

PIANOS
BARBARA MARTIN
PIANO SERVICE, 5425 W.
71ST ST., 317-293-3410,
BARBARAMARTIN
PIANO.COM

They do way more
than tune a piano.
Scratched Steinways
and square grands with
sticky keys are no
problem for the
mother-and-daughter
duo that runs this
long-beloved service
shop. They even provide
full restoration services
on vintage pianos; the
cost will vary based on
size and condition.

DRUM SETS
INDY DRUM PRO, 6305
ENGLISH AVE., 317-2893492, INDYDRUMPRO.COM

Broaodswsind

MUSICIANS’ REPAIR AND SALES, 332 N. CAPITOL
AVE., 317-635-6274, MUSICIANSREPAIR.COM

This family-run shop, opened in 1948 by
Maurice Oldham and eventually handed down
to his son, services all brass instruments, as
well as woodwinds. As the oldest music store in
Indianapolis, there aren’t many problems that
Musicians’ Repair hasn’t seen and conquered. Head in
to replace your sax neck cork, have a missing water key soldered
on, or for help with anything else that’s keeping you from making
beautiful music.
and w ument s
instr

54

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Yes, drums are made
to take a beating. But
Indy Drum Pro knows
how to treat them with
care when they’ve
taken one too many.
Damaged bearing
edges, stripped cymbal
stands, and cracked
cymbals are no match
for their team of
drummers and
technicians. Have a
vintage kit? Take it in to
be restored.

FISHING RODS
TACKLE SERVICE CENTER, 246 E. WASHINGTON
ST., MOORESVILLE, 317831-2400

Anything that has to
do with fishing,
including fly fishing, the
folks here can handle.
The team will cheerfully and speedily fix a
broken fishing rod,
replace the tips and
guides, provide a new
cork handle, and will
even repair trolling
motors. They may
request you bring in
your equipment before
providing a quote.

BICYCLES
BICYCLE GARAGE INDY,
242 E. MARKET ST., 317612-3099, BGINDY.COM

It would be hard to
name a wheeled
challenge that the team
at Bicycle Garage Indy
has not faced. Sameday repairs include flat
tires, gear adjustments,
and wheel repairs.
More complex repairs,
like bent handlebars or
accident damage,
require an appointment,
but many are completed on the same day.
The shop’s regular
customers include local
commuters and
delivery folks. The shop
services all types of
bicycles and “sometimes, things that are
not bicycles,” says sales
manager Sean Hawk.
Unicycle? Scooter?
Tricycle? Bring it by.
(They’ll take a look at
e-bikes, but in some
cases the electric
variety can’t be
serviced.) And when it’s
finally time to upgrade,
Hawk will have your
back. “We had one
customer who used to
ride a bike that was so
old. Eventually we sold
him a new cargo bike
for his deliveries. We
don’t see him often
anymore,” he laughs.

CLASSIC CARS
POOL TABLES
EXTREME BILLIARDS INDY, 9529 CORPORATION DR., 317-436-8072, EXTREME
BILLIARDSINDY.COM

In business for more than 25 years,
Extreme Billiards takes the game of
pool seriously. Its team has extensive
experience in helping clients maintain
their billiards tables and accessories
in top playing condition, and looking
beautiful, too. The team here has
expertise in table releveling, bumper
replacement, wood refinishing, and
felt re-covering.

VAIL’S CLASSIC CARS, 2633 W. MAIN ST., GREENFIELD, 317-462-7705,
VAILSCLASSICS.COM

Who doesn’t love seeing a fully restored classic car coming down the street?
It’s even more fun to be driving one. And if yours needs an extra dose of
tender loving care these days, head to Vail’s Classic Cars. Specializing in
classic Ford models, especially Mustangs, the shop has been restoring and
repairing pieces of Americana since 1985. One of its more recent projects is
a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible. “That car is getting a full restore done on
it,” says owner Ron Vail, whose clients include several of the Indiana Pacers.
“After the paint is finished, we will be putting this car back together to make
it exactly like the customer wants it.”

VIOLINS

GOLF CLUBS

MOTORCYCLES

VIOLIN SHOP OF OLD CARMEL, 1121 S.
RANGELINE RD., CARMEL, 317-818-2326

FAIRWAY CUSTOM
GOLF, 12500 BROOKS SCHOOL RD.,
FISHERS, 317-842-0017,
FAIRWAYCUSTOMGOLF.CO

HARLEY-DAVIDSON OF INDIANAPOLIS,
12400 REYNOLDS DR., FISHERS, 317-2038474, HDOFINDY.COM

Self-described as a shop that unites
American tradition with European
expertise, the Violin Shop of Old Carmel
handles the servicing of most orchestral
string instruments. Tuning, chin-rest and
shoulder-rest fitting, and restringing are
the most common requests, but more
services are available. They even deftly
handle foreign instruments, recently
making a large, damaged Taiwanese
cello as good as new.

Keeping golf clubs in peak condition
is more time consuming than some
may think. Fairway Custom Golf
provides new club heads and shafts
or grips. They will even adjust the
swing weight and loft and lie of your
club. Did we mention the custom
wedge grinding and paint fill?

The service experts at Harley-Davidson
of Indianapolis have been fixing problems with Hogs for 42 years. While they
will only service Harley-Davidson bikes,
they will tackle any problem, including
brake repairs, chain replacement, and
even full rebuilds. Free pickup and
delivery is offered as long as you live
within 10 miles of the shop. Farther out?
A modest fee of $70 to $140 is required.
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55

GARDEN PATHS
AND PATIOS
PRECISION OUTDOORS,
317-691-8663, PRECISIONOUTDOORS.COM

Repairing a cracked or
uneven garden path or patio
can take from several hours
to four or five days, depending on how extensive the
damage is. Prices run the
gamut, too, wholly dependent on size of the area and
materials used. Options are
concrete ($15 per foot), sand
concrete ($25 per foot),
pavers ($45 per foot), and
tile or stone ($60–$70 per
foot). According to managing
partner and founder Caleb
Harbert (who began his
career at the age of 10 as
“the local lawn care kid”),
damage is often caused by
cutting corners at the
get-go. “People scrimp on
the foundation, then the
patio or pathway degrades
over time. The ultimate
result is settling and
cracking.”

POOLS
OUTDOORS

GARDEN STATUARY

SNYDER’S CONCRETE STATUES, 7570 STATE RD. 46,
GREENSBURG, 812-663-5041

Rick Snyder and his son, Elliott, work together to
lovingly restore weathered outdoor statues. So
whether it’s a deer family, a gnome, or a bird bath
that needs mending, they’ll replace broken horns,
heal chipped ears, and repaint. Timing for job
completion is running about two weeks. Rick
emphasizes that their pricing is based on their
motto that “getting it fixed should be cheaper than
a new one.” But if you want to add, say a garden
fairy to your collection, they can accommodate
you on that, too.

PATE’S POOL SERVICE AND
SUPPLY, 5016 E. 62ND ST., 317541-1300, PATESPOOL
SERVICE.COM

Pate’s repairs pumps,
heaters, liners—everything
poolwise except for the
concrete around it. (Caleb at
Precision Outdoors can help
you out there.) The average
repair takes an hour or two,
according to spokesman
Daniel Schumann. Labor
generally is between $200
and $300, while equipment
usually runs from $500 to
$1,500. The most frequent
pain point, Schumann says,
is pumps that leak, make
noise, or just stop pumping.
Pate’s installs winter safety
covers, which will help keep
problems from cropping up

What about plants and trees?
They’re part of the reason we like to be outdoors in the first place. And while they
can’t technically be repaired, even those without a green thumb can take lifesaving measures with help from the Purdue Plant Doctor (purdueplantdoctor.com).
Just enter the name of your tree, shrub, or houseplant and its “symptoms,” and
get actionable information.
56

IM | JANUARY 2023

in the first place. And the
company is in the process of
branching out into hot tub
servicing.

FENCES
RICHARD WARREN INDIANAPOLIS FENCE COMPANY,
3909 ALODA ST., 317-893-6465,
TOPFENCECOMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS.COM

When you have a damaged
fence, time is a big factor,
especially if you have kids or
pets. One of Richard
Warren’s priorities is
building flexibility into his
schedule, so if you need your
repair quickly, he can
accommodate you. He fixes
any kind of fence, both
commercial and residential.
Generally, repairs take about
a day. Fallen tree limbs take
the biggest toll on fences,
with drunken drivers a close
second, says Warren. This is
a true family business:
Warren’s dad and his
brother join a few other
employees in doing repair
work, while his mom
manages the front office.

LAWN MOWERS AND
SNOW BLOWERS
SHARPMOWER, 317-340-3637,
SHARPMOWER.COM

Sharpmower services
residential lawn equipment,
snow blowers, and wood
chippers with small gasoline
engines. The business
makes house calls; indeed,
that’s its norm. A repair
typically takes about an hour
on site. “We try to do repairs
as fast as possible,” says
spokesperson Kevin DeWitt.
The complaint they hear all
the time is simply, “It won’t
start!” It’s easier to prevent
problems than to correct
them, so Sharpmower offers
a simultaneous tuneup for
lawnmowers and snowblowers in November, with a
guarantee that the mower
will start the following
spring. Pro tip: Never leave a
mower sitting all winter with
fuel still in the tank.

FOUNTAINS
AND PONDS
AQUATIC SERVICES OF
INDIANA, 17903 SUN PARK
DR., WESTFIELD,
317-889-6363

Electric motors and
aquatic environments
don’t always mix well.
Damage to fountains and
ponds can also be caused
by critters, in particular
muskrats. Aquatic
Services’s specialists are
trained through the Office
of Indiana State Chemist.
Their team not only
repairs broken fountains
and ponds, but they
maintain them, so they
stay clean and in good
working condition. Aquatic
Services also has a
winterization program to
protect your fountain
when the cold comes.
They will take it to their
facility, where it can
hibernate in climate-controlled conditions until it’s
time to put it back into
action.

SCREENS
SULLIVAN HARDWARE &
GARDEN, 6955 N. KEYSTONE
AVE., 317-255-9230; 4838 N.
PENNSYLVANIA ST., 317-9244050; SULLIVANHARDWARE
.COM

What is a screen’s enemy
No. 1? Pets, says Mark
Brown, who oversees
screen repair at Sullivan’s,
an Indy mainstay since the
1940s. If your screen has
had a run-in with a surly
tabby or terrier, Brown
can replace it within the
existing frame or build a
whole new frame. The
average cost of a repair is
$20 to $25, and, come the
spring rush, will take a
week to 10 days. That wait
is due to the volume of
repairs. The actual fixing
usually only takes 20
minutes.

If It is Broken,
Don’t Fix It
As much as we’re all about upcycling and reducing waste, sometimes a repair just doesn’t
make any sense. Unless you’re handy enough to do the repair yourself, remember the half
rule. Consumer experts often advise that if it’s going to cost more than 50 percent of the
value to fix it, you’re better off replacing it with a new one.
“When something breaks, take a deep breath and think logically, not emotionally,”
advises Naomi Bechtold, a Purdue Extension Specialist in Financial Resource Management. “Doing a little consumer research can help you make an informed decision.” That is
especially true when it comes to these six types of products.

MICROWAVES
Small issues like a broken door handle or cracked rotating plate
probably aren’t a big deal to fix. However, operational malfunctions
may be more trouble to repair than they’re worth, especially if your
unit is more than five years old, and you’ll need to have someone
wrestle it out of its built-in home above the stove.

GAMING CONSOLES
Swapping out a joystick is one thing. Overhauling a serious hardware issue is another. A repair may buy you some time, but for serious gamers, upgrading is usually the way to go.

BOATS
If the structural bones of the boat are still good, your trusty vessel
may be worth holding onto. However, if you don’t love it like you used
to, or don’t see yourself using it as much going forward, it may be
time to bail out. Just make sure to disclose any needed repairs and
potential safety issues to prospective buyers.

SMALL APPLIANCES
Countertop mainstays like coffeemakers, waffle irons, and air fryers
that cost less than $100 to begin with are easy to replace, especially
if you can wait for a sale. Exceptions include pricey stand mixers and
high-end espresso machines, although you may be hard-pressed to
source replacement parts and service on those.

LARGE APPLIANCES
Once a fridge or dishwasher conks out, you’re on a slippery slope if
it’s not under warranty. If possible, try to time your purchase with
the best times for sales on new appliances: Fourth of July, Labor
Day, and Black Friday. And keep an open mind about brand names.
“A well-known brand is not necessarily going to be the best value or
have the best reputation,” Bechtold adds.

CARS
Had an accident, but the vehicle’s not totaled? Get your insurance
company’s advice about how the damage, even if fixed, might affect
the resale value of the car. Low inventory and high interest rates can
make purchasing a new car unappealing right now, but it may be
well worth it to bite the bullet for safety and peace of mind.
JANUARY 2023 | IM

57

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JANUARY 2023 | IM

59

THAD
M AT TA

60

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disabled, his right foot dragging when he walked. He was unable
to put on or take off his own shoes and socks, useless to follow
his daughters at cross-country meets, confined to a special chair
when coaching his players. He had gritted through a decade of
bus rides, recruiting flights, and long days and nights in the film
room, his office, and on the bench only to be cut loose. If Ohio
State was done with him—or basketball in general, for that matter—so be it. “It was time,” he says. “It was just time.”
It took four years after his firing for Matta to even get close
to basketball again, when in March 2021, he accepted a job as
associate athletic director for Indiana University. But as far as
returning to coaching and limping up and down the sideline,
Matta was less than enthusiastic.
Then his phone rang.
On the other end of the line was Barry Collier, Matta’s former
coach and boss as a fledgling assistant at Butler. Collier was
now longtime athletic director for the Bulldogs, and he wanted
to know if Matta thought it was time to come home.
G R E G O D E N was in Columbus, Ohio, when he heard that his

former coach had accepted the position of head coach of Butler
men’s basketball. For Oden, the announcement came “out of
the blue.”
He was surprised because, as a student manager for Matta’s
2016-17 Ohio State team, Oden had had a courtside seat for his
mentor’s demise. He witnessed what had once seemed destined
to be a Hall of Fame coaching career gradually diminish over the
course of a season before burning out. He saw the mental and
physical toll it took on his friend. And perhaps more than anyone, Oden understood how Matta felt in that frustrated, defeated
moment. That’s because at the precipice of his own promising
basketball career, Oden’s body had turned on him, too.
Even before he had helped launch Matta’s coaching trajectory
by becoming the highest-rated basketball recruit in Buckeye history, Oden was pegged for mega-stardom. He was National High
School Player of the Year, a two-time All-American, and Mr.
Basketball USA at Indy’s Lawrence North High School. More
than that, he was being featured on ESPN and written about
in Sports Illustrated; widely hailed as the next LeBron James; a
court-smart, quick-stepping 7-foot, 250-pound force of nature
who was bound to make an immediate impact at the highest
levels of the game. After one season at Ohio State, during which
he was named first-team All-Big Ten, Portland made him the
No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Then, little more than a month before his scheduled NBA
debut, Oden was sidelined with a microfracture in his right
knee. He missed the entire season. The following year, he left
his first-ever professional game with a foot injury after 13 minutes. Two months into his third campaign, he injured his left
knee and was hauled off the court on two stretchers strapped
together to fit his massive frame. It was, for all purposes, the end
of his playing career before it began. The next four years were a
blur of surgeries, a failed comeback attempt, and a very public
arrest for punching his ex-girlfriend. That’s when he got a call
from Matta inviting him back to Columbus to be student manager. “I was in a bad place mentally after the arrest,” says Oden.
“I didn’t know which way my life was going. Coach Matta’s was
the call that got me back around the game and back to college
to finish my degree.”
The move back to Ohio also put Oden on a path to being a
coach. He was a graduate assistant for the Buckeyes when
Matta called again last April offering Oden a position as Butler’s
director of basketball operations. More than a job offer, Matta

PHOTO COURTESY OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

was finished with
coaching. It was April
2022, and the 54-yearold for me r c o ac h
was vacationing
on Florida’s Marco
Island—literally on
the beach—while the
NCAA Final Four
was going on in New Orleans. Not that the college basketball
calendar mattered much to him anymore.
He was five years removed from an unceremonious split with
Ohio State University, where, over 13 seasons as head basketball
coach, he had won five conference titles, made nine NCAA tournament appearances and two Final Fours, won Big Ten Coach
of the Year three times, and amassed a school-record 337 wins.
The divorce was abrupt and complicated: The student-athletes
had suddenly stopped responding, five top-rated recruits left the
program, and for the first time since Matta’s first season, the
Buckeyes had missed postseason play. But underlying all of that
was the fact that Matta’s own body had simply betrayed him.
For years he’d suffered through back discomfort. But in 2007,
a botched surgery to alleviate that pain left him permanently

was inviting his protégé back home to Indy, where together the
two of them could try and start the second act of their respective careers.
MAT TA NEVER wanted to leave Indy in the first place. He remem-

bers walking through Hinkle Fieldhouse in 2001, during his first
season as a head basketball coach at his Indy alma mater, on his
way to the office of then–athletic director John Parry. He stopped
at a framed photo of the arena’s namesake, who had coached the
Bulldogs for the better part of five decades. “I told myself, I’m not
leaving,” says Matta. “I’m going to be the next Tony Hinkle.”
At the time, it was an audacious claim. Matta had been a twoyear starter as a player at Butler, a team co-captain his senior
year. After graduation and a quick detour at Indiana State, he
spent three years as an administrative assistant under then–
head coach Collier, before leaving for his first full-time assistant coaching gig at Miami of Ohio. In 1997, Collier brought

Matta back to be his top assistant.
Together, they led the Bulldogs to
three straight seasons of 20-plus
wins and three consecutive postseason berths—the first time that had
ever happened at Butler.
The success carried Collier to a
head coaching job at the University
of Nebraska in 2000. Parry named
Matta as Collier’s successor. “I
thought he would get the job—if he
hadn’t, I definitely wanted to take
him with me to Nebraska,” says Collier. “To succeed at Butler, you’ve got
to recruit well and develop the individuals. I think he was a really good
recruiter. It’s one thing to believe
that the school you’re recruiting
players to is a great place; it’s another
to have lived it. Thad has lived it as
a Bulldog. He’s always loved Butler,
and the longer he’s been associated
with the school, the deeper that love
has become.”
Matta believed that feeling was
mutual, especially after a rookie
season that saw his Bulldogs finish with a school-record 24 wins, a
Midwestern Collegiate Conference
season and tournament title, and
Butler’s first NCAA tournament
win since 1962. He was named MCC
Coach of the Year. His wife had just
given birth to their second daughter, and after paying homage to Mr.
Hinkle’s shrine, Matta walked into
Parry’s office looking to negotiate a
long-term deal that would keep him
at Butler at least until his youngest
child graduated from college a Bulldog. But it was not to be.
“The meeting didn’t go well at all,”
says Matta. “At the time, I was told
that I hadn’t proven myself. They
only offered me, I think, four years
or something. I came out and was
Once Matta’s top recruit
like, My God, I think I need to go.”
at Ohio State (opposite
So when Xavier approached that
page), Oden is now a
offseason with an opportunity to
valued member of his
coach in the Atlantic 10 Conference,
former coach’s staff at
Butler as the director of
a clear step up from the little MCC,
basketball operations.
Matta took the gig. He moved his
family out of their dream house in
Indy to a new home in Cincinnati.
Looking back, he says he has no regrets, and if he did at the time,
it certainly didn’t impact his performance. He immediately led
the Musketeers to three straight 26-win seasons and consecutive conference titles in 2002 and 2003. They made the NCAA
tournament all three years, advancing as far as the Elite Eight
in 2004. He was also a finalist for the 2002-03 Naismith National
Coach of the Year Award.
That was enough to draw the attention of major programs,
including Ohio State, which was emerging from a scandal
JANUARY 2023 | IM

61

involving improper benefits being given to players, a clear
NCAA rules violation. The school had fired its previous coach
over the affair and was looking for someone young, with a clean
record to pick up the pieces. From Matta’s position, this was
more than just a promotion, it was a chance for the Hoopeston,
Illinois, native to coach in the Big Ten, the conference he grew up
watching. The Buckeyes announced Matta’s hiring in July 2004.
In his first year at Ohio State, Matta cleaned up the mess
left from the NCAA ruling fallout, even though the team was
banned from postseason play, and won 20 games, including an
upset of top-ranked and undefeated Illinois. In 2005-06, the
Buckeyes won the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Matta set to building the
program’s future. This was going to be a new test of his recruiting expertise. At schools like Butler and even Xavier, the task
was to find players who had been overlooked by bigger schools,
usually raw talent that could be developed over the course of
four years. But to compete at the highest levels, teams in the
Power Five conferences gamble on blue-chip prospects with the
knowledge that, if they are as good as advertised, they’ll jump to
the NBA after only a year or two. This meant that coaches had
to repeatedly reload year after year to stay on top. Complicating
that situation was the fact that in 2005, the NBA instituted a rule
requiring all players to be out of high school for a year before
entering the league. That meant even prep stars who might be
NBA-ready were now fair game for college coaches.
Matta responded by landing the second-highest-rated recruiting class in college basketball, the so-called “Thad Five.” He got
commitments from in-state natives David Lighty and Daequan
Cook, and junior college transfer from North Carolina, Othello
Hunter. But for the crown jewels of the class, Matta went back
to Indianapolis, where he had been scouting two AAU and high
school teammates since his days at Butler. One of them was
Mike Conley Jr. The other was the top prize in the country, Mr.
Basketball himself, Greg Oden.
I N DY H A S always been where Oden fits in. Obviously, that’s no

easy feat for someone 7 feet tall, let alone a 7-foot-tall teenager
who is hyped as a future basketball Hall of Famer before he’s
old enough to drive.
Mark Titus grew up in Brownsburg and played AAU ball with
Oden from middle school on. He remembers how quickly the
circus of scouts, coaches, and media started following Oden’s
every step. “With the snap of a finger, we went from playing in
front of just our parents to gyms packed to the gills with people
to see Greg and [Conley Jr.],” says Titus. “It was a whirlwind for
him and for me too. My friend was being pulled away from me.
We’d go on these trips, and he suddenly wasn’t as available as he
used to be. People were always noticing him, always bothering
him when we’d go out to eat. They’d come up to him for a photo
or an autograph.” By the time Oden got to high school and the
hype machine reached critical mass, just about every student
at Lawrence North knew the big man. But in those hallways,
Oden could tower over the masses and not be hounded—even
when ESPN or other national media invaded to chronicle his
every move. He was allowed to just be the quiet bookworm he
wanted to be. He was allowed to just be Greg. The same went for
Lawrence and even much of the larger city in the places where
he and his mother, brother, and closest friends would frequent.
Strangers would obviously notice him, even shout out his name,
but then they’d move on and let him be.
Perhaps that’s part of the reason why Oden was drawn to
Matta, someone he had been familiar with and seen in the crowd
at AAU games from the earliest days when the coach was still
62

IM | JANUARY 2023

at Butler. Matta certainly possessed the Hoosier sincerity that
Oden had grown to appreciate. “Once you meet the guy, his personality, his humor, and his storytelling are second to very few,”
says Oden, looking back. “He’s genuine.” For instance, whenever
Oden would call Matta, he’d introduce himself as “Greg Oden
from Indianapolis.” Matta would quickly reply: “Who?”
Columbus wasn’t Indy, but it was close, both literally and figuratively. By bringing in Conley Jr., Oden’s teammate at Lawrence North; Cook, whom Oden and Conley had played with in
AAU (both stars and coveted recruits in their own right, by the
way); and Titus, who enrolled and walked on to the Buckeyes,
Matta had, in effect, transplanted a piece of Oden’s Indiana to
Ohio. The rest was just two and a half hours west on Interstate
70. Still, Matta remembers Oden was reluctant to leave his comfort zone. “Greg called me the summer when he was getting
ready to come to Ohio State and said,
‘Coach, I’m kind of nervous that the
Oden, a former Mr. Basguys won’t like me,’” says Matta. “I
ketball, took a long and
told him, ‘Greg, if they don’t like you,
winding road to happiI’ll get rid of them.’”
ness and a job at Butler,
which included an injuryOden’s “one-and-done” year at Ohio
shortened professional
State wasn’t eye-popping from a stacareer and a bout with
tistical standpoint. He didn’t even
alcohol and painkillers.
play until December due to a wrist
injury he’d sustained his senior year

of high school. But he still averaged a double-double, was still an
All-American, and, further, it was the flashes of greatness he
showed in his time, particularly during the Buckeyes’s NCAA
tournament run to the finals, that really excited NBA front
offices. He had a game-saving block in the Sweet Sixteen win
over Tennessee, and 25 points and 12 rebounds in the championship loss to Florida. Before he would solidify his own greatness
as head coach of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr
wrote of Oden on Yahoo Sports: “[He] is a once-in-a-decade–type
player, and if a team has any chance of getting him, it has to hang
on to that chance.”
After the NCAA championship game, Oden announced he
would enter the 2007 NBA Draft, in which the Portland Trailblazers picked him first overall, ahead of future Hall of Famer
Kevin Durant. Before Oden’s first practice, he signed a contract
for four years and $22 million. But while the world saw it as the
next step in Oden’s inevitable rise, Matta knew better. He knew
that Oden was largely doing this because he felt he had to. He
didn’t want to go.
P O R T L A N D , O R E G O N , is 2,263 miles from Indianapolis, city

center to city center. But today, when Oden talks about the
loneliness he experienced almost immediately upon arrival in
the NBA, he’s not referring to geographic isolation or even the
awkwardness of being a painfully shy 19-year-old showing up
to prove himself among grown men on the world’s
biggest hardwood stage. He’s remembering what
it was like to be sidelined from your life because
of injury.
When a professional athlete is hurt, not only are
they not playing, they’re not participating. While
their teammates are practicing on the court, they
are in the training room getting checked out or in
the gym rehabbing. While the team is traveling
nonstop to and from away games, the injured stay
home. During that missed rookie season, Oden
had nothing but time to dwell on his misfortune
and fret about his future alone. “I was lonely and
missing family,” he says. “It definitely got to me
sometimes—more than few times.”
Oden has been open about his use of alcohol and
painkillers during this period of his life, to ease the
physical pain, the loneliness, and, eventually, the
creeping notion that by not living up to the impossibly high expectations heaped on him since he
was in middle school, he was letting everyone
down. Adding to the frustration was the fact that,
when he was able to step onto the court, he was
showing promise. In 2008-09, his belated rookie
season, Oden had 16 double-doubles, averaging
about nine points and seven rebounds in 61 games.
But four days after setting a career high with 20
rebounds, he chipped his kneecap, which sidelined
him for three weeks during the season and led to
his second surgery. Just 21 games into the 200910 season, the team announced Oden’s year was
over due to another knee surgery. He renegotiated
his contract. Three more knee surgeries later, the
Trailblazers waived him.
After a year of rehabbing his physical injuries,
Oden caught on with the Miami Heat in 2013-14.
Playing alongside LeBron James, the wunderkind
to whom he was once compared, Oden played in 26

“[GREG’S] IQ WAS ALWAYS SO GOOD AS
A BASKETBALL PLAYER. I KNEW THAT
HE COULD TEACH THE GAME. AND I LOVE
HIM BEING AROUND THE GUYS. GREG HAS
SEEN EVERYTHING, FROM THE TOP TO THE
BOTTOM. FOR HIM TO BE AS HUMBLE AND
EVEN-KEEL AS HE IS, IT BLOWS MY MIND.”
games, including three playoff games in which he pulled down
a single rebound. After the season, the Heat let his one-year
contract expire.
That summer of 2014, Oden called Matta one night after midnight. He told his old coach that he didn’t think he could do this
anymore. Matta invited him back to Columbus to volunteer on a
summer tour with the team, but Oden backed out. Weeks later,
police responded to a 911 call from Oden’s mother’s house in
Lawrence. Oden told the cops that he had hit his then-girlfriend
after an argument. He later pleaded guilty to felony battery and
got probation, a fine, and an order to attend counseling.
This time, Matta called Oden, urging him to come back to
Columbus, to come back to basketball. This time, Oden followed
through.
WH I LE M AT TA watched the prolonged heart-wrenching down-

fall of a favored pupil from afar, he also had a basketball program
to run and a reputation to uphold.
On the backs of Oden, Conley, and company, he had launched
Ohio State basketball into the national spotlight. But only two of
the Thad Five, Hunter and Lighty, stuck around for an encore
Buckeye season. The next year’s team missed the NCAA tourney altogether and ended up winning the NIT. Since this was
officially Matta’s first full-time tenure of more than four years
at the same school, the gift for recruiting talent that Collier had
spotted more than a decade prior was about to tested again.
He passed. The buzz from the Thad Five created some momentum that Matta was able to carry over from year to year for the
next decade. Oden and Conley Jr. were followed by a cavalcade
of McDonald’s High School All-Americans (Kosta Koufos, William Buford), future first-round NBA draft picks (B.J. Mullens,
Jared Sullinger, and D’Angelo Russell), and others who would
eventually work their way into the league or play professionally
abroad (Dallas Lauderdale, Jon Diebler). And they weren’t all
one-and-done guys; many were three- and four-year studentathletes whom Matta was able to develop, like Evan Turner, who
was only a four-star recruit that left after his junior year at Ohio
State to be drafted second overall by the 76ers.
Matta characterizes his recruiting approach as specializing
in guys “who don’t want to be recruited.” In other words, they
just wanted to be treated like a human being. “As a recruit, you
could be talking to him, and 20 minutes go by and he’s hardly
talked about basketball,” says Diebler, who played four years
for Matta between 2007 and 2011 and is now Matta’s director
of recruiting at Butler. “It’s not just about basketball. He cares
about his players as individuals. And that’s why former players
continue to talk to him, continue to come back and support him
and the culture he develops.”
Of course, a great selling point of any program is sustained
CONTINUED ON PAGE 97
success, which seemed to come
JANUARY 2023 | IM

63

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551 W Merrill St, Indianapolis 46225

events@thecranebay.com 317.423.2999
thecranebay.com

THE INDIANA ROOF BALLROOM
Where History Meets Elegance
Known for its rich history and elegant grandeur, The Indiana Roof
Ballroom stands as the city’s preeminent events venue. For more than 75
years, The Roof has provided an unparalleled experience for weddings,
corporate functions, nonprofit galas, and social events ranging from
150-1500 guests. The venue offers amenities such as the ballroom,
balcony, promenade, reception areas, updated A/V and lighting, and a
convenient location in the heart of the city’s business district with direct
connection to hotels and the Indiana Convention Center.
140 W. Washington St., Indianapolis 46204

events@indianaroof.com 317.236.1870
indianaroof.com

T H E H E I R LO
O O M AT N . K . H U R S T
Modern Events. Vintage Charm
The Heirloom at N.K. Hurst offers a historic industrial aesthetic
featuring elements of the building’s original 1906 construction. Original
brick walls, polished wood floors, and exposed wood beams have
been preserved to create a beautifully nostalgic and warm ambiance.
Immediately adjacent to Lucas Oil Stadium, The Heirloom offers
spacious green rooms/bridal and groom suites, an outdoor terrace with
downtown views, a house sound system, and turnkey, in-house amenities
such as farm tables, vineyard chairs, lounge furniture and more. The
space is capable of hosting up to 325 seated and 600 reception style.
230 West McCarty Street, Indianapolis 46225

events@theheirloomindy.com 317.585.3955
theheirloomindy.com

Since 1977, Crystal Catering has led
Indianapolis in elevating culinary
experiences and executing premier
events. Today, we are proud to unveil
our expanded brand, which now
ref lects our continued commitment
to these full-service signature
offerings, including event planning
and execution, venue management,
event promotion and, of course, our
renowned catering services.
With three distinctive, premier
downtown Indianapolis venues,
Crystal offers unrivaled expertise
and flawless execution of turnkey
events, from start to finish. We invite
you to raise your glass with Crystal
Signature Events and let our expertise
bring your unique vision to life.

S P EC I A L A DV E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Dearrly
Belloved
THIS ALBUM OF FIVE INDIANAPOLIS–AREA WEDDINGS
INCLUDES DETAILS ABOUT THE VENUES AND VENDORS
THAT MADE THESE EVENTS MEMOR ABLE.

OPENING PHOTO BY

Curious Courtney’s Photography

JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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Nicole + Andrew
AUGUST 30, 2022

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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

ARTISAN ACRES ESTATES

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Details
Curious Courtney’s Photography • VIDEOGRAPHY For All Time Films
• CATERING Ritz Charles • CAKE Circles ice
cream • FLOWERS Posh Petals, Hawaiian
Lei Company • STATIONERY Blu3 Designs
• FAVORS Penn & Beech custom candles
• COORDINATION Carrie Batic • MUSIC Kathy
Hershberger String Quartet, Rob Dixon
Band • ARTIST Alicia Zanoni Lawrence
• TRANSPORTATION Royal Transportation
• HAIR Studio KG • MAKEUP JW Makeup Artistry • WEDDING GOWN Luxe Redux Bridal
• ALTERATIONS Something Wonderful
• BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Hello Molly
• SUITS/TAILORING Carmel Tailoring
• JEWELRY Reis-Nichols Jewelers
PHOTOGRAPHY

JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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Max + Brandon
SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

INDUSTRY

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Details
Jennie Crate, Photographer
• VIDEOGRAPHY Kelli White Photos & Films
• PHOTO SITES Newfields, downtown Indy
• CATERING Nameless Catering
• CAKE Circle City Sweets, Nothing
Bundt Cakes • FLOWERS Flower Boys
• COORDINATION Robin Chalmers
Coordination • MUSIC The Simple DJ
• STATIONERY Designed by groom,
maxcatterson.com • HAIR Drybar at
Ironworks • TUXES Sophia’s Bridal & Tux
• GROOMSMAIDS DRESSES Azazie
• RINGS Shane Co.
PHOTOGRAPHY

JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Hailee + Jacob
OCTOBER 15, 2022

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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

RITZ CHARLES

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Details
Wandering Heart
Photography • VIDEOGRAPHY Replogle
Studios • CATERING AND CAKE Ritz
Charles • FLOWERS Custom Blooms
Indy • PLANNING Lisa VanHorton
Weddings • INVITATIONS Blu3 Designs
• MUSIC Track Seven DJ • ARTIST Art
by Elise Kate • CIGAR BAR Smoke Easy
Cigar Lounge • HAIR Nicolette Jones
• MAKEUP M.A.L.T. Makeup & Lashes
• WEDDING GOWN Marie Gabriel Couture
• BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Lulu’s, Nordstrom
• TUXES Jordan Yocum Custom Clothier
• RINGS Jared Greenwood
PHOTOGRAPHY

JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Pai tyn + Alexander
OCTOBER 21, 2022

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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

THE SIXPENCE

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Details
Von Film Co.
• CATERING A Cut Above Catering
• CAKE Market District • FLOWERS Flower Boys
• LINENS A Classic Party Rental • MUSIC My
Yellow Rickshaw • COORDINATION Ellie Albert
• INVITATIONS Handmade by the bride’s mother
• HAIR AND MAKEUP Indy Bridal Co.
• WEDDING GOWN David’s Bridal • BRIDESMAIDS
DRESSES Gretchen’s Bridal Gallery
• MOTHER OF THE BRIDE’S DRESS Bella Bridesmaids
• SUITS Men’s Wearhouse • RINGS Moyer Fine
Jewelers, Brilliant Earth, and Etsy
PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY

JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Danielle + Belinda
OCTOBER 22, 2022

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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

INDIANAPOLIS ARTSGARDEN

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

Details
Tushona Monét Photography • PLANNING & FLOWERS Tori Leigh Events
• CATERING Ritz Charles • DJ DJ DayDay • MUSIC Saxophonist Curtis Williams
• OFFICIANT Simone • HAIR Bae Bar Indy, Magichands Mitch the Barber • MAKEUP Jon Gregory
• WEDDING GOWN House of Breton • BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES Bella Bridesmaids
• TUXES Formally Modern Tuxedo • RINGS Fair Trade Jewellery Co.
PHOTOGRAPHY

JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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COME TOGETHER
A WELL-CHOREOGR APHED WEDDING REQUIRES GOOD TIMING, RESEARCH, AND
COORDINATION, BUT THE END RESULT MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE.

Kristen and Patrick were married
July 23 at the Indiana Statehouse.
Their reception, held at the iconic
Indiana Roof Ballroom, was catered
by Crystal Signature Events. Photo
by Jessica Strickland Photography.

BY LORI ROBERTS
HAVE YOU EVER PLANNED A PARTY
for a couple hundred guests? A fancy dinner
for friends you want to impress? For most
people outside the hospitality industry, a
wedding is the first experience with coordinating an event of this magnitude. How can
you stay on top of pre-wedding tasks while
enjoying this special time in your life?
Relax. We have a to-do list ready for you.
Whether you’re taking a year or more to iron
out details, or you have only a few months to
plan the big day, we have expert advice from
pros in the business. The good news is your
wedding can be as extravagant or simple as
you want. The better news? At the end of it
all, you’ll be married to the love of your life.
“Don’t overcomplicate your day,” says
Cody Bailey, owner of Rogue Images
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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

Photography. “The most important thing
that has to happen on your wedding day is
you get married. The rest is just semantics.”

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

I

t’s not mandatory, but most wedding
planning starts with the bling. Dana
Friedman, owner of Petite G Jewelers,
says happy couples tend to come together to
choose an engagement ring.
“These days, people usually have something in mind,” Friedman says. “There’s usually a Pinterest page.”
Friedman encourages couples to select
jewelry that speaks to them, regardless of
whether the style is currently popular. If

anything, Friedman tells couples not to worry about the design becoming dated. Weddings are trendy, she points out. Think about
the Art Deco or Edwardian periods. Changing aesthetics during those times resulted in
lovely pieces people treasure today.
Couples now are moving away from the
tungsten and titanium wedding bands in
favor of traditional gold, Friedman says.
Brides may mix materials between engagement rings and wedding bands, eschewing
the matched and soldered versions from previous decades.
“The rings can stand alone,” Friedman
says of engagement and wedding rings.
“With today’s active wearers, we want them
to be able to wear their wedding band independently.”

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

SITE MANAGEMENT

B

efore you start interviewing vendors and touring venues, take some
time to think about who you want
nearby on the big day. That’s going to dictate
your budget and, in turn, narrow your venue
options. What sounds better? A big blowout
wedding in downtown Indianapolis, or a
smaller group surrounding you at a destination ceremony? How many people should
you invite? Can you afford to feed them all?
“There are going to be some hard decisions,” says Bethany Hill, a wedding planner
and owner of Bethany’s Classic Events.
Once you have a theoretical budget, it’s
time to start shopping for venues. If your
heart is set on a specific officiant or house
of worship, start there. Then you can begin
looking at site schedules to find spaces with
availability on your chosen date.
The Indianapolis area boasts many different wedding venues, from the ultra-fancy Indiana Roof Ballroom to more industrial settings like The Heirloom at N.K. Hurst and
The Crane Bay Event Center. Couples may
want to visit several potential venues, because the ceremony of their dreams may not
be the type of event they really want once
they’ve considered all their options. Ideally,
you’ll be making this important selection 12
to 18 months ahead of the big day to give you
a greater selection, says Kile Shaw, a sales
manager for the Indiana Roof Ballroom specializing in weddings and social events for
Crystal Signature Events. If your heart is set
on a Saturday wedding in the spring or fall,
give yourself more lead time, she advises.
Those are peak dates.
“Everyone’s priorities are different,” Shaw
says. “We love Friday weddings. If you have
a smaller group, you can benefit from lower
food and beverage minimums on Fridays.”

P

worked a friend’s wedding or a professional
recommended by the venue.
“We’re very lucky in Indianapolis,” Shaw
says. “There’s a strong network of vendors,
from photographers to bakeries, DJs, and
bands. We have great outlets and get to
know each other.”
Bailey suggests interviewing several photographers before making your choice. The
pros bring an array of different styles to
wedding photos. Some are more artistically
inclined, while others focus on traditional
portraits. Don’t take chances with this investment. Ask prospective photographers
about details like file storage policies and
methods of delivering proofs and final images. Find out how they’ll operate on the
big day. Are they willing to act as the heavy
when annoying relatives try to photobomb a
special moment with your parents?
“We need to understand family dynamics
and who needs to be important on that day,”
Bailey says.

B

ALL DRESSED UP

y the time you have chosen a venue and photographer, you probably have a good idea about the
ideal look of your wedding. Are you getting
married in a field of flowers or a stately cathedral? Keep these styles in mind as you
shop for your wedding attire. Spoiler alert:
Chances are, your gown isn’t going to be the
one you’ve always imagined.
“Try on every dress you can possibly get
your hands on,” Hill says. “Try on all different kinds of dresses. Nine times out of 10,
the bride ends up buying a dress that is nothing like what she thought she’d wear.”
Most bridal boutiques can give you an estimate of how much lead time you will need
to ensure the gown arrives in time. Consider
alteration time as well. Are you planning
to lose weight before the wedding? That’s
great, but it’s wise to go ahead and order the
size you usually wear.

PHOTO READY

hone cameras are great, but you
want to make sure your wedding
is commemorated by a professional
photographer. That’s why this key personnel
selection should happen early, typically after
you’ve nailed down a venue and date. Many
people find their photographers through
word-of-mouth, whether it’s someone who

A qualified wedding photographer can capture and highlight the tone, mood, and scenery of a
couple’s nuptials. Photo by Rogue Images Photography.
JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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them. Some brides want
their party to wear identical
dresses, while others might
simply ask their attendants
to select dresses in a coordinating color or palette. You
can shop department stores
or online sites that allow you
to order dresses in different
sizes and colors.
Allie and Kevin,
married Nov.
5, 2021, chose a
coordinated look
for their party
featuring shades
of rose, crimson,
and navy to
complement the
bride’s gown from
Blue House Bridal
in Carmel. Photo
by Kyle Helmond
Photography.

“Unless you’re on a weight-loss journey
and truly making progress, buy a dress that
fits you right now,” Hill says. “It’s always easier to take it in. You can’t let it out as easily.”

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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

Bridesmaid dresses are a little easier
to choose. Hill recommends scheduling a
lunch or virtual call with your bridesmaids
to share ideas and find out what works for

KITCHEN
CONFIDENTIAL

T

alk to your venue
before you start to
interview caterers
and bakeries. Some sites require you to use an in-house
caterer or choose from a list
of approved vendors. Take
advantage of group tasting events, which
many caterers schedule periodically.
“Taste many bakeries. Taste many caterers. Don’t stop at one,” Hill says.

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

BLOOMING BUSINESS

F

lorists are a lot like photographers—
their calendars can fill up quickly,
depending on the time of year and
date you want. But choosing flowers can be
one of the most enjoyable aspects of wedding planning.
“When they reach out to us, we suggest
they send in their color palettes,” says Karen
Morgason, senior wedding designer with JP
Parker Flowers. “If they have some inspiration photos, feel free to send them as well.”
Good florists often have connections
around the world to ensure that you carry
your favorite flowers down the aisle. Even
so, there may be some limitations. If you
have your heart set on a bouquet of fragrant
peonies in November, you might be disappointed. Fortunately, florists can often offer
substitutes or alternatives like weaving finequality silk flowers into the bouquet.
“I do my best to accommodate what
they’re looking for,” Morgason says. “I don’t
try to steer brides away from their favorite,
because that’s why they’re coming to us.”

PLANNING ON THE FLY

L

ife happens. Some couples don’t have the luxury of time when it comes to
scheduling and coordinating their weddings. They are no less deserving
of a special day, though. Our vendors offered the following tips for planning a wedding in three months or less:

• Choose a non-traditional day or time. There are 52 Saturdays in a year, but
the total number of days is 365. Opting for a Friday evening or Sunday brunch can
open up a wider variety of venue options.
• Use what’s available. Most florists can create a lovely bouquet and other decorations with flowers they have on hand. The same philosophy applies to wedding
attire. You can look just as beautiful in a borrowed dress as you do in a custommade frock. Plus, you’re already covering the “something borrowed” requirement.
• Accept your second or third choice. If your preferred venue isn’t available on
the day you need it, keep looking. You may discover an alternate location that is
even better than you imagined.
• Let go of perfection. This applies to every happy couple, whether they’re
pulling together a quick gathering or planning an extravagant event. Sometimes
things don’t happen according to plan, and that’s OK. “If the best man forgets
his tie at the hotel, it’s not the end of the world,” Hill says. “If there’s not enough
greenery in your bouquet, it’s not the end of the world. You don’t want your wedding to be boring. You want it to be memorable.”

Tents | Tables | Linens | Chairs | Chair Covers
China | Flatware & Glassware | Dance Floors & Staging
8020 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268 | 317.251.7368 | aclassicpartyrental.com
JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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the bride
MORE THAN 140 INDY-AREA CEREMONY AND RECEPTION
FACILITIES EQUIPPED TO HOST GATHERINGS OF ALL SIZES

Alexandra and Brad were
married Oct. 16, 2021, at
the Hotel Carmichael in
Carmel. Photo by
Tiernae Salley
Photography.

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INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

BALLROOMS &
EVENT FACILITIES
416 WABASH
416 E. Wabash St.
317-389-5455 • 416wabash.com

502 EAST EVENT CENTRE
502 E. Carmel Dr., Carmel
317-843-1234 • experiencebyrds.com

THE SITES LISTED IN THIS SECTION are in Indianapolis unless otherwise noted.

This roster is not fully inclusive of all wedding and event venues in the area,
and a listing does not imply a recommendation or endorsement by Indianapolis
Monthly. Does a particular space appeal to you? Call the listed phone number
or check the website for specific information about details like guest capacity,
vendor policies, and availability well in advance of your preferred date.

THE ATRIUM BANQUET
& CONFERENCE CENTER
3143 E. Thompson Rd.
317-782-4467 • theatriuminc.com

THE BALMORAL HOUSE
10101 Hamilton Hills Ln., Fishers
317-288-8741 • thebalmoralhouse.com

BASH
1235 N. Keystone Way, Carmel
812-994-1052 • bash.828venues.com

BEESON HALL
396 Branigin Blvd., Franklin
317-736-3689 • franklin.in.gov

BILTWELL EVENT CENTER

Anderson Madison County

Wedding Guide

950 S. White River Pkwy. W. Dr.
317-916-6000 • biltwelleventcenter.com

BLACK IRIS ESTATE
5801 E. 116th St., Carmel
317-542-8333 • blackirisestate.com

THE BLUFFS AT CONNER PRAIRIE
13080 Allisonville Rd., Fishers
317-846-9158 • ritzcharles.com/venue/
the-bluffs-at-conner-prairie

BULLSEYE EVENT CENTER
723 S. Capitol Ave. • 317-800-5689
bullseyeeventgroup.com/bullseye-event-center

COMMUNITY LIFE CENTER
10612 E. Washington St.
317-396-3728 • monumentalweddings.com

THE CRANE BAY EVENT CENTER
551 W. Merrill St.
317-423-2999 • thecranebay.com

DALLARA INDYCAR FACTORY
1201 Main St., Speedway
317-243-7171 • indycarfactory.com

FORUM EVENTS CENTER
11313 USA Pkwy., Fishers
317-558-6060 • forumeventscenter.com

THE FOXHOLE AT
HOTEL TANGO DISTILLERY
670 Virginia Ave. • 317-653-1806
hoteltangodistillery.com/venues/the-foxhole

THE HEIRLOOM AT N.K. HURST

800.533.6569
VisitAndersonMadisonCounty.com/weddings

230 W. McCarty St.
317-585-3955 • theheirloomindy.com
JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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INDUSTRY

VISIONLOFT EVENTS

545 Kentucky Ave.
317-561-0028 • industry.828venues.com

235 N. Delaware St.
317-762-4233 • visionloftevents.com

IRON & EMBER EVENTS

THE WELLINGTON FISHERS BANQUET
& CATERING CENTER

12120 Brookshire Pkwy., Carmel
317-776-2300 • ironandemberevents.com

9775 North by Northeast Blvd., Fishers
317-712-3475 • thewellingtonfishers.com

MAVRIS ARTS & EVENT CENTER
121 S. East St.
317-917-9999 • mavris.net

MILL TOP BANQUET AND
CONFERENCE CENTER
802 Mulberry St., Noblesville
317-219-3450 • milltop-indy.com

MONTAGE
8580 Allison Pointe Blvd.
317-577-3663 • themontage.info

ONYX EVENT CENTER
7545 Rockville Rd.
317-591-9936 • onyxeventcenter.com

THE PALOMINO BALLROOM
481 S. 1200 E, Zionsville
317-769-4180 • palominoballroom.com

PRIMO BANQUET &
CONFERENCE CENTER

1503 N. 10th St., Noblesville
317-846-9158 • artisanacresestate.com

AVON GARDENS
6259 E. County Rd. 91 N, Avon
317-272-6264 • avongardensweddings.com

AVON WEDDING
AND EVENT BARN
7424 E. County Rd. 100 N, Avon
317-430-5391 • avonweddingbarn.com

BARN AT BAY HORSE INN
1468 W. Stones Crossing Rd., Greenwood
317-760-8778 • barnatbayhorse.com

THE BARN IN ZIONSVILLE
8556 E. 300 S, Zionsville
317-732-1998 • thebarninzionsville.com

REGIONS TOWER

COXHALL GARDENS
AND MANSION

RITZ CHARLES
12156 N. Meridian St., Carmel
317-846-9158 • ritzcharles.com

SAXONY HALL
13362 Pennington Rd., Fishers
317-618-5478 • playfishers.com/226/saxony-hall

THE SILVER CENTRE EVENT HALL

11677 Towne Rd., Carmel
317-846-9158 • ritzcharles.com/venue/
coxhall-gardens-and-mansion

EAGLE CREEK PARK
7840 W. 56th St.
317-327-7193 • eaglecreekpark.org

FINLEY CREEK VINEYARDS
795 S. U.S. 421, Zionsville
317-283-2776 • finleycreekvineyard.com

10202 E. Washington St.
317-969-6555 • thesilvercentre.com

GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY
AND SUNKEN GARDEN

SKYLINE CLUB

2505 Conservatory Dr. • 317-327-7183
garfieldgardensconservatory.org/
wedrentphoto

One American Square, 36th Floor • 317-263-5000
invitedclubs.com/clubs/skyline-club-indianapolis

THE SPEAK EASY
5255 N. Winthrop Ave.
speakeasyindy.com

THE SYCAMORE AT MALLOW RUN

INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

ARTISAN ACRES ESTATE

2615 E. National Ave.
317-788-4140 • primobanquetsouth.com

211 N. Pennsylvania St.
317-348-0006 • jpsevents.com

22

BARNS, GARDENS &
OUTDOOR VENUES

KENNEDY ESTATE
525 N. State St., Lizton
317-646-9191 • kennedyestate.com

LINDLEY FARMSTEAD
AT CHATHAM HILLS

7070 W. Whiteland Rd., Bargersville
317-530-6463 • sycamoreevents.com

20820 Lindley Farm Rd., Westfield
317-836-3801 • chathamhills.com/events/
lindley-farmstead

THE TINKER HOUSE EVENTS

LIZTON LODGE

1101 E. 16th St.
317-607-2521 • tinkerhouseevents.com

1392 Wyatt Way, Lizton
812-414-1830 • liztonlodge.com

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

MUSTARD SEED GARDENS
77 Metsker Ln., Noblesville
317-776-2300 • mustardseedgardens.com

Beginning to the very end
wedding planning assistance:

THE SIXPENCE
4400 N. 1000 E, Whitestown
317-296-8200 • thesixpence.com

GOLF & COUNTRY CLUBS
THE BRIDGEWATER CLUB
3535 E. 161st St., Carmel
317-399-244 • thebridgewaterclub.com

Full planning & day of
management options
to fit your needs.

Wedding Planning Services
317-702-7305

“Be present, enjoy your day…
Let Bethany handle the details!”

BETHANYSCAKES@YAHOO.COM
WWW.BETHANYSCLASSICEVENTS.COM

BROADMOOR COUNTRY CLUB
2155 Kessler Blvd. W. Dr.
317-251-9444 • broadmoorcc.com

THE CARDINAL ROOM AT
GOLF CLUB OF INDIANA
6905 S. 525 E, Lebanon
317-550-3990 • thecardinalroom.com

THE CLUB AT CHATHAM HILLS
1100 Chatham Hills Blvd., Westfield
317-836-3800 • chathamhills.com/
events/weddings

THE COUNTRY CLUB
OF INDIANAPOLIS
2801 Country Club Rd.
317-291-9770 • ccindianapolis.com

HARBOUR TREES
GOLF & BEACH CLUB
333 Regents Park Ln., Noblesville
317-877-3612 • harbourtrees.com

THE HAWTHORNS
GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
12255 Club Point Dr., Fishers • 317-806-5016
thehawthornscountryclubevents.com

HILLCREST COUNTRY CLUB
6098 Fall Creek Rd.
317-251-1425 • hillcrestccindy.com

INDIANAPOLIS YACHT CLUB
12900 Fall Creek Rd., McCordsville
317-335-2588 • indianapolisyachtclub.org

PLUM CREEK GOLF CLUB
12401 Lynnwood Blvd., Carmel
317-993-3924 • plumcreekgolfclub.com

PRAIRIE VIEW GOLF CLUB
7000 Longest Dr., Carmel
317-816-3100 • prairieviewgc.com

PURGATORY GOLF CLUB
12160 E. 216th St., Noblesville
317-776-4653 • purgatorygolf.com

VALLE VISTA GOLF CLUB
& CONFERENCE CENTER
755 E. Main St., Greenwood
317-882-2955 • vallevista.com
JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

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WOOD WIND GOLF CLUB
2302 W. 161st St., Westfield
317-502-8082 • woodwindgolf.com

WOODLAND COUNTRY CLUB
100 Woodland Ln., Carmel
317-846-2588 • woodlandcc.com

HISTORIC LANDMARKS
1899 VENUE
164 Steeples Blvd.
317-426-0576 • 1899events.com

ALLISON MANSION AT RIVERDALE
3200 Cold Spring Rd.
317-955-6324 • marian.edu/conference-andevents/wedding-and-special-events

THE BENJAMIN HARRISON
PRESIDENTIAL SITE
1230 N. Delaware St.
317-631-1888 • bhpsite.org/visit/rentals

THE BENTON HOUSE
312 S. Downey Ave.
317-357-0318 • thebentonhouse.org

THE CYRUS PLACE
237 N. East St.
317-721-4555 • thecyrusplaceeventcenter.com

THE EVENT CENTER AT
HISTORIC SAINT JOSEPH HALL
617 E. North St.
463-206-2127 • northstevents.com

THE CABARET

THE FOUNTAIN SQUARE THEATRE

924 N. Pennsylvania St.
317-275-1169 • thecabaret.org

1105 Prospect St. • 317-686-6010, ext. 2
fountainsquareindy.com/fountain-square-theatre

COLUMBIA CLUB

THE HISTORIC AMBASSADOR HOUSE
AND HERITAGE GARDENS

121 Monument Circle
317-761-7515 • columbia-club.org

CONNER PRAIRIE
13400 Allisonville Rd., Fishers
317-776-6000 • connerprairie.org

10598 Eller Rd., Fishers
317-201-6359 • ambassadorhouse.org

INDIANA LANDMARKS CENTER
1201 Central Ave.
317-639-4534 • indianalandmarks.org

INDIANA ROOF BALLROOM
Lauren and
Thomas were
married
October 15 at
the Bottleworks
Hotel. Photo
by Alison Mae
Photography.

140 W. Washington St.
317-236-1870 • indianaroof.com

INDIANAPOLIS PROPYLAEUM
1410 N. Delaware St.
317-638-7881 • thepropylaeum.org

LAUREL HALL
5395 Emerson Way
317-275-3390 • laurel-hall.org

THE MANOR AT THE CHILDREN’S
MUSEUM OF INDIANAPOLIS
3050 N. Meridian St. • 317-334-3314
childrensmuseum.org/visit/events/weddings

MORRIS-BUTLER HOUSE
1204 N. Park Ave.
317-639-4534 • indianalandmarks.org

THE NEIDHAMMER
2104 E. Washington St.
317-759-0602 • neidhammer.com

THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE
CENTRE & BALLROOM
1124 Meridian St., Anderson
765-642-1234 • andersonparamount.org/rental

PIPERS AT THE MAROTT
2625 N. Meridian St.
317-926-2600 • piperscatering.com

THE RATHSKELLER
AND ATHENAEUM
401 E. Michigan St.
317-636-0396 • rathskeller.com

THE SANCTUARY ON PENN
701 N. Pennsylvania St.
317-602-3264 • indysanctuary.com

SCOTTISH RITE CATHEDRAL
650 N. Meridian St.
317-262-3110 • srcevent.com
24

INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

HOTELS & INNS
THE ALEXANDER
333 S. Delaware St.
317-624-8200 • thealexander.com

BOTTLEWORKS HOTEL
850 Massachusetts Ave.
317-556-1234 • bottleworkshotel.com

CONRAD INDIANAPOLIS
50 W. Washington St.
317-524-2552 • conradindianapolis.com/weddings

EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON
INDIANAPOLIS NORTH
3912 Vincennes Rd. • 317-872-7700
indianapolisnorth.embassysuites.com

FORT HARRISON STATE PARK INN
AND THE FORT GOLF RESORT
5830 N. Post Rd. • 877-937-3678
in.gov/dnr/state-parks/inns/fort-harrison-inn
-at-fort-harrison-state-park/groups

THE GRAND HALL AT
HISTORIC UNION STATION

5447 East 82nd Street
Indianapolis
317.849.9980
gretchensbridalgallery.com

123 W. Louisiana St. • 317-236-7456
downtownindianapolisweddings.com

HILTON GARDEN INN
INDIANAPOLIS/CARMEL
13090 Pennsylvania St., Carmel • 317-581-9400
indianapoliscarmel.gardeninn.com

HILTON INDIANAPOLIS
HOTEL & SUITES
120 W. Market St.
317-972-0600 • indianapolis.hilton.com

HOTEL CARMICHAEL
One Carmichael Sq., Carmel
317-688-1700 • hotelcarmichael.com

HOTEL INDY
141 E. Washington St.
317-735-2527 • hotelindy.com

HYATT REGENCY INDIANAPOLIS
1 S. Capitol Ave.
317-632-1234 • indianapolis.hyatt.com

INDIANAPOLIS MARRIOTT
DOWNTOWN
350 W. Maryland St.
317-822-3500 • indymarriott.com

INDIANAPOLIS MARRIOTT EAST
7202 E. 21st St.
317-352-1231 • indianapolismarriotteast.com

IRONWORKS HOTEL INDY
2721 E. 86th St.
463-221-2205 • ironworkshotelindy.com

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JW MARRIOTT
10 S. West St.
317-860-5800 • jwindy.com
JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

25

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

LE MÉRIDIEN

book your stay
for the big day
Explore your boutique options at the
Bottleworks Hotel & Ironworks Hotel

123 S. Illinois St.
317-737-1600 • marriott.com/en-us/hotels/
indmd-le-meridien-indianapolis/overview

MARRIOTT INDIANAPOLIS NORTH
3645 River Crossing Pkwy.
317-705-0000 • marriott.com/hotels/travel/
indno-marriott-indianapolis-north/overview

OMNI SEVERIN HOTEL

EVENT DESIGN

40 W. Jackson Pl.
317-634-6664 • omnihotels.com/hotels/
indianapolis-severin

DÉCOR • FLORALS • RENTALS • TENTS

PRAIRIE GUEST HOUSE
BED & BREAKFAST
13805 Allisonville Rd., Fishers
317-634-6664 • prairieguesthouse.com
É ÖÛ Û Ó Ì ÞÖ Ù Ò Ú Ï ÖÛ Ì Ó ÊÖ Ô  ¼  !  %  # # $   ! "

RENAISSANCE INDIANAPOLIS
NORTH HOTEL
11925 N. Meridian St., Carmel
317-663-8728 • marriott.com/en-us/hotels/indbr
-renaissance-indianapolis-north-hotel/overview

SHERATON INDIANAPOLIS
CITY CENTRE HOTEL
5353 W. 79TH ST., INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46268
ACEITINDY.COM | INFO@ACEITINDY.COM
OFFICE: 317.872.8368

31 W. Ohio St. • 317-635-2000
marriott.com/en-us/hotels/indsc-sheraton
-indianapolis-city-centre-hotel/overview
ironworkshotelindy.com • 463.221.2200

SHERATON INDIANAPOLIS HOTEL
AT KEYSTONE CROSSING
8787 Keystone Crossing • 317-846-2700
marriott.com/en-us/hotels/indsi-sheraton-indiana
polis-hotel-at-keystone-crossing/overview

THE WESTIN INDIANAPOLIS
241 W. Washington St. • 317-262-8100
marriott.com/en-us/hotels/
indwi-the-westin-indianapolis/overview

WYNDHAM INDIANAPOLIS WEST
2544 Executive Dr. • 317-248-2481
wyndhamhotels.com/wyndham/indianapolis
-indiana/wyndham-indianapolis-west/overview

NBͥA οåĈåőåœĈĀĎāāå χ ƶƶƶ͟åĈåőåœĈĀĎāāå͟āŜő χ ĮĎʼnʼnŜοåĈåőåœĈĀĎāāå͟āŜő

MUSEUMS & CULTURAL
DESTINATIONS
BUTLER UNIVERSITY
4600 Sunset Ave.
317-940-9352 • butlerartscenter.org/
facility-rentals-services/weddings

THE CENTER FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS
1 Carter Green, Carmel
317-819-3526 • thecenterpresents.org/venue-rental

THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
OF INDIANAPOLIS
3000 N. Meridian St. • 317-334-3314
childrensmuseum.org/visit/events/weddings
26

INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

EITELJORG MUSEUM OF AMERICAN
INDIANS AND WESTERN ART
500 W. Washington St.
317-275-1329 • eiteljorg.org/event-spaces/wedding

EUGENE AND MARILYN GLICK
INDIANA HISTORY CENTER
450 W. Ohio St. • 317-234-0081
indianahistory.org/explore/facility-rentals

GALLERY FORTY-TWO
42 E. Washington St.
317-213-6171 • galleryfortytwo.com

GERMAN AMERICAN KLUB
OF INDIANAPOLIS
8602 S. Meridian St.
317-888-6940 • indianapolisgak.com

HARRISON CENTER
1505 N. Delaware St.
317-396-3886 • harrisoncenter.org

HILBERT CIRCLE THEATRE
45 Monument Circle
317-231-6798 • indianapolissymphony.org/visit/
private-events

INDIANA STATE MUSEUM

31 SOUTH RANGELINE ROAD
CARMEL, IN 46032
317.683.3574 • BluehouseBridal.com

650 W. Washington St. • 317-233-9983
indianamuseum.org/facility-rentals

INDIANAPOLIS ART CENTER
820 E. 67th St.
317-255-2464 • indyartcenter.org/weddings

INDIANAPOLIS ARTSGARDEN

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110 W. Washington St. • 317-624-2565
indyarts.org/artsgarden/rent-the-artsgarden

INDIANAPOLIS CENTRAL LIBRARY

`ÁúĆÚÁě `ĩġäĢőʼn Ćʼn Á ùŖěě

40 E. St. Clair St.
317-275-4200 • indypl.org/event-meeting-rentals

ʼnäŅŪĆÚä ūäààĆĢú ÁĢà
äŪäĢő łěÁĢĢĆĢú ÚĩġłÁĢű͠

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR
SPEEDWAY MUSEUM

©ä ÁŅä Á ġĩőĂäŅ àÁŖúĂőäŅ
àŖĩ ĂäŅä őĩ Ăäěł űĩŖ

4750 W. 16th St.
317-492-6784 • imsmuseum.org

INDIANAPOLIS ZOO AND
WHITE RIVER GARDENS
1200 W. Washington St.
317-630-2001 • indianapoliszoo.com/visit/
private-events/weddings-receptions

àäʼnĆúĢ ÁĢà ÚĩĩŅàĆĢÁőä Á
ĩĢäͿĩùͿÁͿėĆĢà͡
äŰőŅÁĩŅàĆĢÁŅű äŪäĢő͠

17 Indiana
Locations
fitting affiliates
coast-to-coast

MADAM WALKER LEGACY CENTER
617 Indiana Ave. • 317-236-2099
madamwalkerlegacycenter.com

NCAA HALL OF CHAMPIONS
700 W. Washington St. • 317-917-6467
ncaahallofchampions.org/our-conference-center

NEWFIELDS
4000 Michigan Rd. • 317-923-1331
discovernewfields.org/about/event-rentals

FREE GROOMS RENTAL

Plus save $50 on every rental package

www.louiestuxshop.com

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JANUARY 2023 | INDIANA BRIDE

27

S P EC I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S U P P L E M E N T T O I N D I A N A P O L I S M O N T H LY

OLD NATIONAL CENTRE
502 N. New Jersey St.
317-536-6507 • oldnationalcentre.com/events

RESTAURANTS,
BREWERIES & WINERIES
DANIEL’S FAMILY
VINEYARD & WINERY
9061 N. 700 W, McCordsville
317-248-5222 • danielsvineyard.com

HARRY & IZZY’S
At Rogue Images Photography, our goal is
to make your photos 100% about you.

4050 E. 82nd St. • 317-915-8045
153 S. Illinois St. • 317-635-9594
harryandizzys.com

Your wedding day. Your images.
Your photographer.

HOLLYHOCK HILL
8110 N. College Ave.
317-251-2294 • hollyhockhill.com

LATE HARVEST KITCHEN
8605 River Crossing Blvd.
317-663-8063 • lateharvestkitchen.com

MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY

317.749.6333 | Zionsville, Indiana
noteworthy-expressions.com

info@rogueimagephoto.com
317.964.1619
www.rogueimagephoto.com

3550 E. 86th St.
317-814-0727 • locations.maggianos.com

MATT THE MILLER’S TAVERN
11 W. City Center Dr.
317-805-1860 • mtmtavern.com

THE MELTING POT
5650 E. 86th St.
317-841-3601 • meltingpot.com/indianapolis-in

MESH ON MASS
725 Massachusetts Ave.
317-955-9600 • meshrestaurants.com

RICK’S CAFE BOATYARD
4050 Dandy Trail
317-290-9300 • ricksboatyard.com

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE
2727 E. 86th St. • 317-844-1155
45 S. Illinois St. • 317-633-1313
ruthschris.com

ST. ELMO STEAK HOUSE
127 S. Illinois St.
317-635-0636 • stelmos.com

SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE
3316 E. 86th St. • 317-580-1280
sullivanssteakhouse.com/indianapolis

TRADERS POINT CREAMERY
Custom bags and tins from
Kernels Gourmet Popcorn are
perfect for welcome baskets, bridal
showers, and wedding favors.

Let us help you make your day a success
with our beautiful charcuterie boards! Our
boards are perfect for small gatherings—
like your shower—and weddings of all sizes.

KERNELSCARMEL.COM

WINEANDRINDCARMEL.COM

28

INDIANA BRIDE | JANUARY 2023

9101 Moore Rd., Zionsville
317-733-1700 • traderspointcreamery.com

WEST FORK WHISKEY CO.
10 E. 191st St., Westfield • 317-643-1103
westforkwhiskey.com/book-your-event

THE BLUFFS AT CONNER PRAIRIE

IMAGES BY

DANIELLE HARRIS
PHOTOGRAPHY

317.846.9158 | RitzCharles.com
Ritz Charles | Garden Pavilion at Ritz Charles | Coxhall Gardens
Indianapolis Public Library | Lindley Farmstead at Chatham Hills
Indianapolis Artsgarden | The Bluffs at Conner Prairie | Artisan Acres Estate

|

|

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 63

easy to Matta. Through it all, he maintained the same laidback approach as
a coach that he brought as a recruiter.
“He’s one of the worst yellers I’ve ever
seen,” says Titus, who played four years
for Matta between 2006 and 2010. “He
can yell, and his face will turn red, but
you don’t trust it. You’re so used to him
being a lovable guy. He’d drop-kick a ball,
and it’s almost funny. I’d have to hide my
face in my jersey. He wasn’t there to get
you to fall in line. He was there to help
you become the best version of yourself.
That made you respect him.”
But as the years went by, and Titus
returned to Columbus to visit, he noticed
a change in his former coach. “My freshman year, he’d be diving after loose balls
to make a point to his players about not
hustling,” he says. “After I graduated,
there’d be times during halftime of
games when he’d be laying on his back
trying to figure out how he was going to
make it through the rest of the game.”
Matta had had back issues that dated
back to his playing days at Butler. In
2007, a surgery that was supposed to fix
the issue instead left his back as messed
up as ever and with a “drop foot” on his
right side that required a metal brace to
help him walk. He never made excuses,
in public or private. He didn’t have to—
he was winning.
That changed quickly in 2015-16,
when the team still won 21 games, but
finished seventh in the conference and
missed the NCAA tournament. Worse,
that offseason, four players from a 2015
recruiting class that had ranked fifth in
the nation left after their freshman year
for other schools. A fifth just quit the
team altogether before being arrested on
misdemeanor charges of public intoxication and criminal mischief. The next
season, what was left of the Buckeyes
won only 17 games, finishing 10th in the
Big Ten. “I saw players not gravitating to
the guy that I’ve known,” says Oden, the
student manager for that final season.
“The younger kids that didn’t appreciate

the type of coach that he is and the type
of motivation he used. It definitely felt
like selfishness in the players. He was
still trying to be Thad, to teach them
how to play the game the right way and
put them in the best spot to get them to
wherever they wanted to go in life. It just
wasn’t clicking. And it seemed like it
beat him up.”
After his firing, Matta moved back
to Indianapolis, to a house not three
minutes from Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse. But he didn’t even want to look at
a basketball.
IT ’S E A RLY November 2022, and the

light of a waning afternoon streams in
through the windows of Hinkle Fieldhouse. Matta walks through the glass
door of the Butler men’s basketball
offices, past a miniature billboard with
his picture next to bold white type:
WELCOME HOME, THAD MATTA.
The ever-present brace beneath his
black running pants notwithstanding,
the 55-year-old coach walks briskly, with
purpose, still wet from a post-workout
shower and ready to get to work at 3 p.m.
practice.
Matta’s abstinence from the game
lasted little more than a year. He
couldn’t resist checking in on Butler
basketball, as he had done periodically
throughout his career in Cincinnati
and Columbus. After a couple years he
even entertained some offers to coach,
but none was a fit. When he accepted
the front office job in Bloomington last
year, Collier took notice, though he had
no opening for his old protégé at the
time. When the Bulldogs parted ways
with head coach LaVall Jordan at the
beginning of April, Collier figured he’d
give Matta a call. “Anytime you get the
chance to hire a Hall of Fame coach
who’s got a bunch of gas in his tank,
you do it,” says Collier. “I had never
discussed the job with him and had
no idea if he’d take it. But you don’t do
something for 20 years and not like it a
lot. Beyond that, he loves Butler, and he
knows Butler.”
As Matta enters the gymnasium
cacophonous with bouncing basketballs, squeaking sneakers, and shouting
student-athletes, he’s aware he’s stepping
into a completely different job from the
one he left. Butler is no longer a barely
mid-major MCC program vying for the
only bid that its conference will get to the
Big Dance. It is now a nationally recognized brand and member of the Big East

conference—more like Ohio State than
the Butler of 2001. The many banners
that have been hung since his departure,
including two NCAA tournament runners-up, attest to the new expectations.
Matta won’t try to live up to them by
himself. Following behind the head
coach, Oden ducks his head through the
doorway and onto the Hinkle hardwood. He’s carrying a stack of papers,
one-sheet rundowns of practice, and he
hands a few of them out to some alumni
who have been invited to observe.
They all smile in recognition and a few
exchange fist bumps with the Hoosier
celebrity, happy to see him. Oden says
that’s indicative of most of his interactions since returning home to Indy,
where his support group now extends
beyond family and friends who knew
him when. “The people who recognize
him in Indy, it’s different,” says Titus,
who has gone out to dinner with Oden
since the return. “Part of the reason he
loved Ohio and he loves Indianapolis is
because they are the two places where
no one cares how many points he scored
in the NBA. They’re all strangers, but
they talk to him like he’s a native son. It’s
an understood thing: You fist bump and
move on.”
But Oden isn’t here to hide or even
just get on with life. He’s here to coach,
to help these players succeed, and, he
hopes, one day follow in the path of his
mentor. Matta didn’t hire him out of pity;
he believes his friend is wise beyond his
34 years. “His IQ was always so good
as a basketball player,” says Matta. “I
knew that he could teach the game. And
I love him being around the guys. Greg
has seen everything, from the top to the
bottom. For him to be as humble and
even-keel as he is, it blows my mind.”
Neither is Matta here as some sort of
coach emeritus, easing into his sunset
years. He wants to get Butler back to
winning, a tougher ask in the Big East
than in the MCC. But just because he’s
driving toward the future doesn’t mean
he doesn’t feel nostalgic for his beloved
alma mater. Interestingly, he thinks
back to the promise he made himself in
front of the portrait of Tony Hinkle, that
he’d be coach here when his newborn
daughter graduated. As it turns out, that
daughter is scheduled to walk with her
degree from Butler this spring.
“These guys go out in the world, and
they see success and failure,” says Titus.
“But either way, as you get older, where
you want to be is around your people.”
JANUARY 2023 | IM

97

01
2023

new and updated

R E S TAU R A N T S

EASY RIDE R DINE R . . . . . . . 99
NATURAL STATE
PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
FIE LD TO FORK . . . . . . . . . . . 103
QUE E N EGGROLL. . . . . . . . . 103

Field to Fork’s Franklin
Jam croissant, p. 103

98

IM | JANUARY 2023

designed to melt on the tongue, as well as buttermilk fried chicken with wildflower honey. The
labor-intensive cocktails are spot-on. 1844 E. 10th
St., 317-419-3471, beholderindy.com V $$$

DOWNTOWN
INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square,
Mass Ave, Mile Square

broken-yolk sandwiches are a perennial lunch
favorite. 225 W. Washington St., 317-632-0765,
V $$
cafepatachou.com

The Capital Grille ++
Bluebeard +++

Aroma ++
INDIAN Familiar tandoori and tikka masala staples mingle with heartier, more elevated offerings at this elegant pan-Indian spot that opened
in the former Rook location in early 2021. Lunchtime lamb and chicken rolls in crispy flatbread
wrappers stand out, as do hearty chaat dishes
dressed up with yellow peas, yogurt, and chutneys. An impressive lamb shank is the highlight
of the chef’s specialties and easily feeds two or
more. A full bar and an artful array of desserts
help round out a special-occasion meal. Opt for
the orange pudding, a creamy, lightly sweet
rice pudding served in an orange shell with a
chocolate tuille. 501 Virginia Ave., 317-602-7117,
aromaindy.com V $$

Bodhi: Craft Bar + Thai Bistro +
THAI Three generations of women form the culinary foundation of this Mass Ave restaurant
serving a small, focused menu of Thai dishes
like Massaman curry with braised beef and
Bodhi’s own version of non-Americanized pad
thai. Cocktails get a lot of attention on a drinks
list designed by Ball & Biscuit’s Heather Storms.
Try the Thai Iced Tea cocktail with bourbon, rye,
spiced ginger liqueur, demerara sugar, orange
peel, and housemade Thai iced tea. 922 Massachusetts Ave., 317-941-6595, bodhi-indy.com V $$

Ash & Elm Cider Co.
Restaurant and Cider Bar ++
A long-awaited move to the historic former Ford Assembly Plant building
on East Washington Street not only brought
Indy’s premier cider-maker a few blocks closer
to downtown but also ushered in a full menu
of snacks and dinner dishes created by chef
Tracey Couillard. Start with a cider slushie or
a cidermosa (peach, mango, or guava) to enjoy
with tangy, rich deviled eggs or crisp, light
elote fritters with a bright cilantro crema. Then
move to a flagship cider such as the semi-sweet
or tart cherry for the main courses, including a
standout roasted chicken breast with a crispy
hasselback potato, hanger steak with chanterelles, or pan-fried walleye. But don’t pass up
the apt apple-cheddar melt or the burger of the
moment, lavished with crab dip or garlic scape
pesto. 1301 E. Washington St., 317-600-3164,
ashandelmcider.com $$

GASTROPUB

A theme of decadence permeates this
steakhouse adjoining the equally posh Conrad
hotel, from the gilded-framed pastoral paintings
that hang on its dark-paneled walls to the selection of elaborate steaks (one of them drenched in
a Courvoisier cream sauce, another flavored with
aged balsamic—and some of them dry-aged). The
servers are exquisite, of course. 40 W. Washington
St., 317-423-8790, thecapitalgrille.com $$$$

CLASSIC

Bluebeard opened in 2012, and
crowds still roll in for chef Abbi Merriss’s take
on seasonal comfort food. Start with the bread
baked next door at Amelia’s—it’s especially
delicious slathered with anchovy butter—and
build your meal from the ever-changing menu
of small and large dishes. Fried morels may
show up on a spring picnic plate, while winter nights call for a comforting butcher-shop
Bolognese. For a special-occasion meal, rent out
the private upper-level dining room. 653 Virginia
Ave., 317-686-1580, bluebeardindy.com V $$
CONTEMPORARY

Bru Burger Bar ++
GOURMET BURGERS The generous patties here
combine sirloin, chuck, and brisket and are
paired with cocktails and craft beers. Highlights
include the signature Bru Burger, with bacon,
Taleggio, sweet tomato jam, and porter-braised
onions. 410 Massachusetts Ave., 317-635-4278,
bruburgerbar.com $$

Easy Rider Diner +
Chef Ricky Martinez oversees
this colorful Fountain Square diner that
connects to the HI-FI music venue. The
daylight menu applies some Latin flourish to
breakfast and brunch dishes, including a chorizo omelet with roasted tomato salsa, queso, and
lime crema, shrimp and grits, and a waffle flight.
For dinner, Martinez spotlights fried chicken
and steak sandwiches, along with an appropriately indulgent late-night lineup of garbage can
nachos and Cubanos from 10 p.m. until the entertainment next door calls it a night. 1043 Virginia
V $$
Ave., 463-224-0430, easyriderindy.com
DINER

NEW

Fat Dan’s Deli ++
MEAT AND POTATOES Brisket cooked for 14 hours
is a mainstay of the made-from-scratch menu, as
is the house corned beef. Get an order of tender
smoked wings and some tots for the table, served
no-frills on a spread of craft paper. Whatever
you do, don’t miss the plump Vienna dogs that
will transport you straight to Wrigleyville. 410 E.
Michigan St., 317-600-3333, fatdansdeli.com $

Gallery Pastry Bar ++
Cafe Patachou +

Beholder ++
CONTEMPORARY A former car-repair shop sets
the stage for daring performance art that has
featured pig-skin noodles and granita-topped uni

The second location for the popular Broad Ripple bakery and brunch spot specializes in European-inspired pastries, brunch,
dinner, and cocktails. 110 S. Pennsylvania St., 317$$
820-5526, gallerypastryshop.com

CONTEMPORARY

The original Meridian-Kessler “student
union for adults” continues to draw in the morning crowds and has inspired citywide offshoots,
such as this sleek downtown location, a huge
hit with the business and weekend hordes alike.
The cinnamon toast remains as thick as a brick;
the produce is still locally sourced; the massive
omelets continue to have cheeky names; and the
CAFE

Harry & Izzy’s ++
Craig Huse’s casual alternative to
big brother St. Elmo holds its own as a clubby

STEAKHOUSE

key
NORTHWEST p. 103

69

College Park
Lafayette Square
Traders Point

65

MERIDIAN STREET

96TH STREET

DOWNTOWN p. 99
Fletcher Place
Fountain Square
Mass Ave
Mile Square

Carmel
Fishers
Noblesville
Westfield
Zionsville

31

465

74

NORTHEAST p. 102

465

38TH STREET

70

WEST p. 103

10TH STREET

Brownsburg
Plainfield

465

SOUTH
SUBURBAN p. 103
Greenwood

NORTH
SUBURBAN p. 101

Broad Ripple
Castleton
Geist
Herron-Morton
Kennedy-King
Keystone at the Crossing
Meridian-Kessler
Nora
SoBro

74

70

EAST p. 100

31

65

Beech Grove
Irvington

SYMBOLS
Brunch
Outdoor seating
Reservations
V Vegetarian friendly

$$$$
$$$
$$
$

$30 and up
$20–$30
$10–$20
Under $10

+++ Excellent
++ Very Good
+ Good

NEW

ADDED

UPDATED

Recently opened
establishment.
Open for more than five
months but making its first
appearance in the guide.
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.

JANUARY 2023 | IM

99

hangout worthy of destination-steakhouse status itself. The marbled bone-in ribeye sizzles in
its juices, a smart umami-rich pick among the
high-quality (and high-priced) Midwest-sourced
prime cuts. The menu expands to thin-crust pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and seafood selections
like pan-seared scallops. 153 S. Illinois St., 317635-9594, harryandizzys.com $$$

King Dough ++
PIZZA Chewy and with just the right flop in the
middle, the pizzas are bona fide craft, from the
dough to the quality toppings. Standouts include
the Stinky Pete with wild mushrooms, gorgonzola, and plenty of garlic and herbs. Burgers,
including one made from chorizo and topped
with manchego cheese, play surprisingly close
second fiddles to the pies. Cocktails concocted
from boutique liqueurs and aromatics are reason enough to drop in, and they make for perfect
sippers while you wait for your pie on the patio.
452 N. Highland Ave., 317-602-7960, kingdough
pizzas.com V $$

doors. Sip a Singha or a citrusy Tokyo Exchange
Rate under the glow of dangling pendants and
soak up the thoughtfully preserved vintage vibe.
850 Massachusetts Ave., 317-316-0470, modita.com
$$$

Nesso ++
ITALIAN Highly stylized seafood and meats
paired with small pasta courses and shared a la
carte sides add up to a sumptuous dining experience inside the Alexander hotel. Pass around a
plate of prosciutto-wrapped prunes or crab arancini, but keep the tortelloni and sea bass to yourself. 339 S. Delaware St., 317-643-7400, nesso-italia
.com $$$

Ruth’s Chris Steak House ++
STEAKHOUSE While nightly specials at this stately

steakhouse include innovative seafood and poultry options, supper-club classics abound, from
the succulent, fat-marbled ribeye to a delicate
petite filet, all served on sizzling-hot plates. 45
S. Illinois St., 317-633-1313, ruthschris.com $$$$

Livery ++

Shapiro’s Delicatessen +

This place feels like a hidden urban treasure, especially when the mezcal cocktails are
flowing and the partially open kitchen is sending out plate after plate of contemporary Latininspired fare. Favorites have included a salad
tucked inside a folded manchego crisp, meltingly tender steak fanned over a block of polenta,
and a silky tres leches cake to die for. Snag a
spot on the upper-level deck for a real treat. 720
N. College Ave., 317-383-0330, livery-restaurant
.com $$

DELI Slide your tray along and take your pick of
kosher comfort foods at this downtown institution. Hot pastrami and corned-beef sandwiches on rye have drawn long lines for more than
a century. The Reuben contends for the city’s
best, and heartier fare such as potato pancakes,
stuffed cabbage, and matzo-ball soup are perennially satisfying standbys. Load up on a
massive wedge of pie, or you haven’t really had
the proper Shapiro’s experience. 808 S. Meridian St., 317-631-4041, shapiros.com $$

Love Handle ++

Spoke & Steele ++

Daily lunch and brunch features
such as schnitzel and waffles and a pulledchicken Hot Brown are the main draw at Chris
and Ally Benedyk’s cheeky sandwich shop. The
chalkboard menu also offers side options in the
form of braised greens and potato salad with
roasted tomatoes. 877 Massachusetts Ave., 317384-1102 $$

CONTEMPORARY

LATIN

SANDWICHES

Maialina Italian Kitchen + Bar ++
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, opened by Ambrosia heir
Francesca Pizzi and stepbrother Lawrence
Green. Meatballs, from a family recipe, are
always a good choice with a solid house marinara. Pastas range from a straightforward
toss of rigatoni with sausage and broccoli rabe
to a rich, three-meat Bolognese lavished atop
plump gnocchi. The Torta della Nonna, a light
and lemony ricotta sweet, is the perfect way
to end a meal. 1103 Prospect St., 317-982-7676,
maialinaindy.com $$$

ITALIAN

Milktooth +++
This diner-style cafe has a playfully
gritty vibe. The early-morning counter service featuring pastries and coffee gives way to
a full-service brunch menu with daytime craft
cocktails. 534 Virginia Ave., 317-986-5131, milk
V $$
toothindy.com

BRUNCH

Modita ++
ASIAN-INSPIRED The lavish restaurant in Bottleworks District’s showpiece slot gets extra style
points for its gorgeous industrial-sleek decor that
is equal parts silk wallpaper and factory-grade

100

IM | JANUARY 2023

At the sleek lobby restaurant
of Le Méridien, French classics with fusion
touches imagined by chef Joel Scott Johnson
include a spiffed-up bouillabaisse with wasabi
tempura cod, steak tartare with fennel and watermelon radishes, and a Niçoise salad with
fried potatoes standing in for the traditional
tuna. Entrees feature hearty pastas, steak au
poivre lavished with bone marrow butter, and
chicken paillard accompanied by broccolini.
A perfectly cooked burger made with Fischer
Farms beef is crowned with Colby and shaved
garlic. 123 S. Illinois St., 317-737-1616, spoke
$$$
andsteele.com

St. Elmo Steak House ++
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 generous
martini; a shrimp cocktail with that infamously hot sauce; the bean soup or tomato juice;
the wedge; and one of the large steaks. 127 S.
Illinois St., 317-635-0636, stelmos.com $$$$

cheesy shrimp and grits. 310 S. Delaware St., 317734-3107, taxmanbrewing.com
$$

Tinker Street ++
NEW AMERICAN Reservations are a must, so snag
whatever date you can get and hope there’s a
warm-night seat on the twinkling patio. Then
settle in for small plates such as surprisingly
light and flavorful chickpea ravioli with vegan
ricotta and a host of colorful garnishes. Or try
one of the always-vegan soups or a seasonal
salad such as a refreshing mix of greens with
asparagus, pickled rhubarb, and tangy blue
cheese. Fall-apart pork belly with kimchi, forbidden rice, and a duck egg is perhaps the star
of the main dishes, though shrimp and grits
with green-tomato chow-chow and a refreshing halibut with carrot soubise are excellent
bets. 402 E. 16th St., 317-925-5000, tinkerstreet
V $$$
indy.com

Upland Brewing +
GASTROPUB Bloomington’s Upland Brewery
brings its casual-dining experience to Indy’s
near southside, with an open-concept dining
room and a popular dog-friendly patio. The Upland repertoire gets proper representation in the
wall of taps behind the bar. You can casually sip
a flight of sours and snack on smoked chicken
wings, or get busy with dishes plucked from the
chef’s rotating seasonal menu. 1201 Prospect St.,
V $$
317-672-3671, uplandbeer.com

EAST
INCLUDES Beech Grove, Irvington

10th Street Diner ++
Surprisingly familiar and hearty plantbased takes on diner classics occupy the entire
menu at this rehab of a former pawn shop, a
comfy backdrop for enjoying such tasty fakeouts
as a gooey and satisfying seitan Reuben, a
“chicken” pot pie, and house chili that rivals
your favorite con carne version. Showstoppers
include the many-layered lasagna with plenty
of fresh veggies, a bright tomato sauce, and a
tangy “cheese” concocted from tofu and cashews.
Arrive early, before the day’s supplies run out.
3301 E. 10th St., 463-221-1255 V $$

VEGAN

STEAKHOUSE

Taxman CityWay +
Soaring ceilings, rustic candelabra
lighting, brick walls, and a 3,000-square-foot
beer-garden patio make this one of Indy’s most
welcoming drinking spots. The gastropub menu
includes some of the city’s best frites, served
with more than half a dozen sauces or loaded
with bacon, beer cheese, and scallions. Liège
waffles are topped with hearty add-ons like fried
chicken and rosemary-scented maple syrup or
GASTROPUB

Landlocked Baking Company +
CAFE What began life as a production bakery
along Irvington’s tucked-away Audubon Road
has expanded into a full-service daytime spot
serving sandwiches and plated entrees. The
menu keeps things brief, with a special focus on
the array of fresh-baked carbs. The LGBT is a
BLT enhanced with guacamole and tangy fried
green tomatoes, and the focaccia grilled cheese
includes local ham and cheese, plus pickled
peaches. Gorgonzola grits topped with poached
egg and hot honey, crispy-skinned confit potatoes, signature lattes, and a brunchy cocktail
list make this sunny dining room more than
just a neighborhood favorite. 120 S. Audubon
V $$
Rd., 317-207-2127

Natural State Provisions ++
NEW

CASUAL Customers order at the counter
and find a table inside this former microbrewery reinvented as an endearingly

kitschy eatdrinkery. The food is rooted in homestyle Arkansas cooking from co-owner Adam
Sweet’s native state, heavy on the deep frying
and sweet-tea brining. Order a Sling Blade cocktail, get a side of collard greens with your fried
bologna sandwich, and don’t miss the daily soft
serve ice cream flavor. 414 Dorman St., 317-4929887, naturalstateprovisions.com $$

NORTH SUBURBAN
INCLUDES Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville,
Westfield, Zionsville

101 Beer Kitchen +
CASUAL The energy is high and the flavors are
forward at this Ohio import. In a dining room
that combines the best parts of a craft brewery
and an unfussy family haunt, crowd-pleasing
dishes like loaded tater tots, Andouille sausage–
spiked shrimp and grits, and brown-buttered
pierogies have lots of moving parts, complex but
more fun than fancy. The Yard at Fishers District,
$$
317-537-2041, 101beerkitchen.com

9th Street Bistro +++
BISTRO In a snug cafe off Noblesville’s town
square, owners Samir Mohammad and Rachel
Firestone Mohammad create meals worth lingering over, from a lamb shank slow-smoked
to buttery tenderness and served on top of fresh
pappardelle pasta to a housemade burrata that
makes several appearances on the menu. Hyperlocal ingredients fill out thoughtful seasonal
dishes, such as butternut squash bisque and duck
confit toast. Chef Samir’s rotating Fried Thing of
the Day (from tofu to artichoke hearts) should not
be missed, and neither should the rustic desserts.
56 S. 9th St., Noblesville, 317-774-5065, 9thstbistro
.com $$$

1933 Lounge ++
STEAK AND COCKTAILS This clubby cocktail
lounge offers a younger, sexier take on finedining institution St. Elmo Steak House. The
twist here is that the black-vested servers deliver Oysters Rockefeller and 45-day dry-aged
ribeyes to diners tucked into noir-lit corners
where no one can see their faces melt into a
brief ugly-cry at that first bite of incendiary
shrimp cocktail. The Yard at Fishers District,
$$$
317-758-1933, 1933lounge.com/fishers

Brunch · Lunch · Dinner
Carmel at Proscenium
The Yard at Fishers District

Anthony’s Chophouse ++
The interior of this swanky heavy
hitter along Carmel’s Main Street has the
polished gleam of a new Vegas hotel, with an
upper-level lounge containing the salvaged
mahogany bar from The Glass Chimney, a
fine-dining legend. The food has equal flourish.
Lobster bisque with a hunk of tempura-fried
meat begins a meal that might include a cowgirl ribeye, a flight of filets, or a domestic Wagyu
smashburger. Black-suited servers and wellcomposed cocktails keep the high-dollar meal
running smoothly. 201 W. Main St., Carmel, 317$$$$
740-0900, anthonyschophouse.com

STEAKHOUSE

Auberge +
Brick Street Inn’s classic French bistro
installed talented chef Toby Moreno (The Loft
at Traders Point Creamery, Plow & Anchor) in

FRENCH

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JANUARY 2023 | IM

101

early 2022 and immediately sent him to Paris,
where he trained in the kitchens of famed chef
Alain Ducasse. Moreno has added that continental know-how to the vintage dishes he
makes fresh with as much local produce, meats,
and cheeses 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
stars among entrees, especially crispy-skinned
roasted cod with browned-butter sauce, though
diver scallops with asparagus puree, showered
with herbs and toasted almonds, also impress.
Quiche of the day is a solid choice, as is the house
burger, made with Angus steak and slathered
with a tarragon aioli that’s especially good on a
side of pommes frites. Old-school cocktails are
even better when enjoyed on the streetside patio.
175 S. Main St., Zionsville, 317-733-8755, auberge$$$
restaurant.com

The Cake Bake Shop ++
The fairy tale continues at Gwendolyn
Rogers’s second tribute to layered cakes and
buttercream icing, a pristine Carmel expansion
dripping with chandeliers. There are hints of
the twinkly, cottage-like Broad Ripple original
in the white-on-white-on-white decor, but Cake
Bake 2.0 is polished to a brilliant sheen, and the
patisserie menu has expanded to include delicate
fare like the esteemed Chicken Velvet soup and
frites. 800 S. Rangeline Rd., Carmel, 317-257-2253,
$$
thecakebakeshop.com
ELEGANT

The HC Tavern + Kitchen ++
The term “tavern” hardly captures this swank addition to the Huse Culinary
Group/St. Elmo family. A hit among starters is
the lobster “cargot” with lumps of lobster meat
in garlic butter and melted Havarti. Chops
include the supper-club darling steak Diane
with mushroom cream sauce and horseradish
mashed potatoes, though equally regal is the
Wagyu meatloaf enriched with pork and veal,
sauced with a truffle mushroom demi-glace. The
Yard at Fishers District, 317-530-4242, atthehc
$$$
.com

CONTEMPORARY

Moontown Brewing Company +
The craft beer and barbecue come
with a side of Hoosier hoops nostalgia at this
popular Boone County hangout. Its location,
a former high school gymnasium, drips with
vestiges of its hardwood past, but Moontown’s
house-brewed beers are constantly evolving,
from the Moon Lite Cream Ale quencher to
Moontown’s robust porter, Into the Void. The
food is kissed with just the right amount of
smoke, served on paper-lined trays, and not
limited to conventional barbecue. Though the
beef brisket and pulled pork have that thick
Southern dialect, the adobo brisket nachos,
smoked Portobello burger, and Nashville hot
chicken sandwich prove that nothing should
be sacred. 345 S. Bowers St., Whitestown, 317-769$$
3880, moontownbeer.com

BREWPUB

Noah Grant’s Grill House
& Oyster Bar ++
The sushi list is solid at this
packed surf-and-turf spot, but even better bets
are super-fresh oysters and savory short rib
wontons to nibble on while you explore the voluminous menu. It’s hard to go wrong here. Entrees
range from fish and chips to coconut-crusted
mahi mahi to internationally inspired dishes

CONTEMPORARY

102

IM | JANUARY 2023

like Korean bibimbap. 91 S. Main St., Zionsville,
317-732-2233, noahgrants.com $$$

Osteria by Fabio Viviani ++
You would never guess that the Top
Chef alum’s modern Italian restaurant takes up
residence in a dining room connected to Carmel’s mega Market District supermarket. Rustic
fresh pastas, including pesto gnocchi with pistachio and a creamy pasta alla boscaiola with
nubs of sausage and mushrooms, share the
spotlight with oven-fired, Neapolitan-style pizzas. 11505 N. Illinois St., Carmel, 317-689-6330,
$$
osteriacarmel.com

ITALIAN

Sangiovese Ristorante +
ITALIAN The ebony walls, gilded frames, and
soft glow from pendant orb light fixtures set
a dark and sexy scene at this longtime Indianapolis favorite. The food is luxuriously authentic—a tribute to Italian pastas, from the
showstopping lasagna with both béchamel
and marinara to the delicately sauced linguini
frutti di mare, a light, luscious, garlicky tangle
of shrimp, calamari, mussels, and clams in
white wine. 2727 E. 86th St., 317-757-5913; The
Yard at Fishers District, 317-219-6413, sangiovese
ristorante.com $$$

IPAs. The menu is always filled with fun surprises (a Taco Bell–inspired pizza, for example,
or a “horseshoe of the week” inspired by the
gloppy sandwich of Springfield, Illinois) as well
as excellent poutine, salads, and sandwiches,
none more macho than the Nashville Hot
Chicken. 1435 E. 86th St., 317-672-3503, biglug
canteen.com $$

Bocca +
A dark and sleek renovation of the
former Shoefly Public House location, this
modern-Italian eatery shares DNA with siblings Ambrosia, Maialina, and Blupoint Oyster
House—all branches of Indy restaurateur Gino
Pizzi’s pasta family. Executive chef Ricky Martinez adds some flash to the date-night calamari standards. His seared scallops share the
dish with little cheese-filled sacchetti dumplings, and the lasagna is a light, mushroomlayered variety sauced with bechamel. The
hulking lamb shank served with polenta is a
showstopper, though. After dinner, descend
the stairs behind the host stand to the basement speakeasy, for some sofa lounging and
mixology magic. 122 E. 22nd St., 317-426-2045,
$$$
boccaindy.com
ITALIAN

Delicia ++

NORTHEAST
INCLUDES Broad Ripple, Castleton, Geist,
Herron-Morton, Kennedy-King, Keystone at the
Crossing, Meridian-Kessler, Nora, SoBro

Apocalypse Burger ++
The Patachou crew repurposed its
shuttered Crispy Bird location into this modern-day diner. The focus is on a handful of
burger variations and clever greasy-spoon sides
like Old Major bacon–loaded fries and blocks
of fried macaroni and cheese washed down
with canned wine. For dessert, it’s a toss-up between Ding Dong cake or a root beer float with
gelato. 115 E. 49th St., 317-426-5001, apocalypse
V $$
burger.com

BURGERS

Aroma ++
See Downtown listing for description.
4907 N. College Ave., 317-737-2290, aromaindy
.com V $$
INDIAN

Baby’s ++
This playful, family-friendly joint limits its menu to smashburgers, broasted chicken,
milkshakes (spiked or not), and cocktails, which
means it hits every pulse point for its faithful
Herron-Morton clientele. Housed in a former
drag-show bar, it also has fun with the building’s artsy legacy—the house burger is called a
Strut Burger, and all of the cocktail names come
straight from the RuPaul meme factory. Sip a
Tongue Pop or a Sashay Away as you polish off
the last of the Talbott Street Style fries dressed
with bacon, cheese sauce, white barbecue sauce,
and pickled jalapeño. 2147 N. Talbott St., 317-600V $$
3559, babysindy.com

BURGERS

Big Lug Canteen +
BREWPUB In this spacious hangout steps from
the Monon Trail, seasonal beers and house
standards include spins on wheats, ales, and

NEW LATIN Since it opened in 2013, this sexy
SoBro spot has served up classic sips and easyon-the-eyes Caribbean dishes to a chic and boisterous crowd. The Fire ’n’ Ice is still the go-to
cocktail for its chile-dusted rim and mix of tequila, hibiscus, and basil. Standards include tender,
smoky octopus tostones; bright guacamole dusted with pistachios; and rich, aromatic enchiladas
de pato filled with tender shredded duck and
topped with habanero sauce, lime crema, and
plenty of bubbling Chihuahua cheese. Churros
with chocolate sauce make for the perfect finale.
5215 N. College Ave., 317-925-0677, deliciaindy
$$
.com

Diavola ++
Pies emerge expertly bubbly and charred
from a centerpiece brick oven. Ingredients
are simple but top-shelf, including homemade
meatballs, which join the likes of spicy sopressata, smooth clumps of fior di latte, torn basil,
and EVOO. Deep booths are perfect for leaning in over a luscious mound of burrata. 1134 E.
54th St., 317-820-5100, diavola.net V $$

PIZZA

Fat Dan’s Deli ++
MEAT AND POTATOES See Downtown listing for
description. 5410 N. College Ave., 317-600-3333,
fatdansdeli.com $

Big Bear Biscuits +
Longtime supper club specialist Dean
Sample turns his focus toward brunch at this colorful 96th Street spot where the classic Southern
biscuit serves as his canvas for culinary improvisation. Sandwich-style stuffed versions have
some of the more ambitious fillings, whether a
pork chop with fig jam and brie for breakfast or
fried bologna, jalapeño jelly, and mornay sauce
for lunch. And open-faced platters such as a spin
on the Kentucky Hot Brown with turkey and
bacon or the playful Petting Zoo with roasted
tomatoes, avocado, and goat cheese will satisfy
your midday cravings. But perhaps the best way
to appreciate Sample’s buttery, fluffy biscuits
big enough for a bear is simply straight up with
homemade strawberry jam or apple butter, lo-

BRUNCH

cal honey, fruit, and candied pecans. Salads,
omelets, and selected favorites from Sample’s
previous kitchens, including his always-excellent shrimp and grits, broaden the offerings at
this full-service morning and afternoon pleaser.
3905 E. 96th St., 317-343-2103, bigbearbiscuits
$$
.com

caroused a bit too much the night before, a wellstuffed breakfast burrito or the Huevos Divorcé,
with fried tortillas and two salsas, hits the spot.
1435 E. 86th St., 317-735-1293, theroostindiana
.com/nora V $$

Festiva ++

NORTHWEST

This lively Latin spot puts a gourmet
flourish on south-of-the-border fare. The menu
includes tacos, plus an old favorite: poblanos
stuffed with housemade chorizo and queso. 1217
E. 16th St., 317-635-4444, festivaindy.com $$

INCLUDES College Park, Lafayette Square,
Traders Point

Grump’s Slice Stop +

Byrne’s Grilled Pizza +

Futuro’s emo brother pays tribute to
the extra-wide New York slice in a fun, colorblocked industrial space connected to Black
Circle Brewing. The menu is posted over the
cash register and mentions just a handful of
judiciously adorned options. But every one of
them is a hit, from Grump’s balsamic-drizzled
take on a margherita pizza to the bold, banana
pepper–dotted TurboKid. Nurse a basket of
stretchy mozzarella sticks while you wait for
your slice to cool off, and order a pizza puff to go.
2201 E. 46th St. V $

PIZZA What began as a food truck became one
of Butler-Tarkington’s most popular brick-andmortar eateries in 2015. The simple menu here
focuses on a tasty gimmick: Pizzas are grilled
over an open flame, which chars the thin crust in
a manner familiar to Neapolitan lovers. The Hey
Zeus (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onion,
banana peppers) is a favorite. 5615 N. Illinois St.,
317-737-2056, byrnespizza.com V $

MEXICAN

PIZZA

Half Liter ++
In the airy back half of the complex
that houses its sister event center, Liter House,
owner Eddie Sahm’s Bavarian-themed barbecueand-beer hall has all the rollicking energy of
Oktoberfest with the laidback charm of a Texas
brisket pit. 5301 Winthrop Ave., 463-221-2800, half
literbbq.com $$

BARBECUE

Oakleys Bistro ++
CONTEMPORARY The meticulously plated fare
at Steven Oakley’s eatery hails from a culinary
era when sprigs of herbs and puddles of purées
provided the flavor, and every single element on
the plate served a purpose. The presentations are
wild, with menu descriptions giving little more
than clues as to what might arrive at the table.
Heads-up on anything that appears in quotes,
such as a creative “Coq au Vin.” 1464 W. 86th St.,
317-824-1231, oakleysbistro.com V $$$

Late Harvest Kitchen ++
CONTEMPORARY A luscious comfort-food menu
delivers top-shelf versions of family-table dishes,
such as chunked kielbasa (on a base of mustard
spaetzle browned in dill butter) and braised short
ribs. Dessert is all about the sticky toffee pudding. 8605 River Crossing Blvd., 317-663-8063,
$$$
lateharvestkitchen.com

SOUTH SUBURBAN
INCLUDES Bargersville, Greenwood

FRENCH-INSPIRED The sweet-or-savory crepe dilemma is no contest: dessert. The brown-sugar
version delivers gooey caramelized filling, velvety bananas, and sugar that crystallizes as you
eat. 823 E. Westfield Blvd., 317-259-0765, petitechou
bistro.com V $$

The Roost Nora +
Locally inspired bennies, dolled-up pancakes, and a variety of cheesy midday melts top
the menu at the recently converted Sahm’s Alehouse along the Monon Trail in Nora. The second
location of The Roost in Fishers, opened in 1996,
the new spot next to the popular beer draw Big
Lug has its own unique menu and feel, as well
as plenty of options for the brunch set. Big Lug’s
beers are still on tap, but don’t resist the bottomless mimosas or your choice of four brands of
bubbly. For gut-busting day-after nourishment,
try the two-egg Hoosier Benedict with a pork
tenderloin and loads of sausage gravy on a buttery biscuit. The Roost’s spin on chicken and
waffles, with a savory bacon-and-cheddar waffle,
is a good bet, but be sure to add some fluffy flapjacks, whether or not you dress them up with cinnamon apples or pecan granola. A la carte eggs,
sausage, and toast, as well as breakfast combos,
are available for the purists. And for those who

BRUNCH

SUSHI/MONGOLIAN STIR-FRY This fresh take on
Mongolian barbecue adds solid sushi offerings
to mix-and-match stir-fry bowls in a well-appointed storefront setting. First-time customers
should opt for building their own bowls from a
buffet of ingredients, with suggested sauces and
seasonings that are then stir-fried and brought to
your table. 8810 S. Emerson Ave., 317-586-8212,
yummybowl.business.site $$

WEST
INCLUDES Avon, Brownsburg, Plainfield,
Speedway

Big Woods Speedway +
Pulled-pork nachos reign among
starters at this Main Street Speedway reboot of
the Brown County fave. While pizzas and street
tacos get the most attention on the menu, ribs
and chicken may be the best bets for dinner. Of
course, you will want to finish the meal with a
Nashville fried biscuit tossed in cinnamon sugar
and served with apple butter and toasted coconut
rum sauce. 1002 W. Main St., Speedway, 317-7573250, bigwoodsrestaurants.com $$

BREWPUB

Che Chori ++
ARGENTINEAN Marcos Perera-Blasco’s colorful
westside drive-thru restaurant offers a delectable introduction to full-flavored Argentinean
street food. A selection of traditional butterfliedsausage sandwiches and warm empanadas filled
with seasoned meats are the focus of the menu.
But do not overlook the seasoned burgers and
cook-at-home sausages, from Spanish-style chorizo with smoked paprika to rich Argentinean
black sausage. 3124 W. 16th St., 317-737-2012,
chechori.com $$

Queen Eggroll +
Field to Fork +

Petite Chou ++

Yummy Bowl +

This gourmet market and
NEW
local meat counter that set up shop along
Franklin’s small-town main drag puts
its inventory center stage in a bantam menu
of sandwiches, including the Well-Dressed Italian that is built around thin-sliced salami, provolone, and banana peppers and the fig-forward
Franklin Jam that puts thick-sliced Fischer
Farms ham and Gruyere to delicious use. 90 W.
Jefferson St., Franklin, 463-710-6170, fieldtofork
.shop $$
SANDWICHES

SmockTown Brewery +
Brother-in-law duo Mark Sublette and
Ken Johnson’s Old Town Greenwood brewery and Attic Hardware walk-up speakeasy do
double duty for day drinking ambers and porters
or sipping Old Fashioneds in the evening on the
second-story veranda. Hot Pink Pepper Catering
has been adding some beer-worthy eats, including snackable fried pickle spears with a kicky
dipping sauce, Everything pretzel bites with
Scottish-ale beer cheese, and a meaty flatbread.
But don’t pass up the rich and well-dressed short
rib nachos, with all of the garnishes and a bright
cilantro-lime crema. Slider combos and tacos are
also great for staving off the munchies, but save
room for some cinnamon-dusted fried biscuits.
223 W. Main St., Greenwood, 317-215-4836 $$
BREWERY

Fans of Filipino-style food can
get their lumpia, pancit, and teriyaki-ona-stick fix at this small Brownsburg business. The selection does not venture far beyond
the name of the place, focused on plump eggrolls
packed with both standard meat and veggies and
creative innards like crab rangoon and strawberry cheesecake, offered alongside the finger-sized
Filipino version called lumpia, filled with perfect
bites of beef or pork. 773 E. Main St., Brownsburg,
317-286-7049, queeneggroll.net $
FILIPINO

NEW

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JANUARY 2023 | IM

103

BAC K H OM E AGA I N

Sick With
Worry
I SWEAR TO MY DEARLY DEPARTED GALLBLADDER,
2022 PUT ME THROUGH THE RINGER. THANKFULLY,
I’M A HYPOCHONDRIAC. BY P H I L I P G U L L E Y

NOW T HAT we’ve safely arrived in 2023, I can say
that 2022 was an utter disaster for me, healthwise, due
to a gallbladder that went south the first part of April
and was eventually removed in August, after a midnight visit to the emergency room where the pain was
so intense I jumped out a hospital window to end my
life. Unfortunately, I was on the first floor and hit my
head on the sidewalk, though not hard enough to die,
just to get a headache. My wife leaned out the window,
saw me lying in a heap holding my head, then told me
to get my butt back in the emergency room if I knew
what was good for me, so I did, and a nice doctor gave
me Oxycodone and I felt really good really fast, until
I got nauseous from the Oxycodone and barfed on the
nurse, giving her COVID, which I didn’t know I had,
but had apparently picked up in Alaska while visiting
our son and his wife.
If that had been the extent of my poor health, I
104

IM | JANUARY 2023

I l l u s t r a t i o n b y RYA N S NO O K

wouldn’t complain, but a
of all evil. Electricity, she
month before my first
explained, escapes from the
gallbladder attack, I had my
wall outlets and wreaks all
annual eye exam and was told
kinds of mayhem on the
I had cataracts, which
human body—cancers,
explains why the world had
cavities, tumors of various
turned blurry the last few
sorts, baldness, and even
years. The surgery for
erectile dysfunction, which
cataracts involves the patient
she refers to as “wiener wilt”
(me) lying flat on a table while
and cures using lanolin from
the eye doctor straddles my
sheep’s wool, applied directly
chest, pinning me down,
to the affected area. She and
while scouring the lens of my
her husband had nine
eyes with a belt sander. As
children, so I assume it works.
bad as that is, it used to be
Despite the blows to my
even worse. When my
health this past year, it wasn’t
grandmother had her cataract
altogether unpleasant. As a
surgery, she had to lay on a
hypochondriac, I made the
workbench with her head in a
most of my maladies, describvise for three weeks while the
ing them to anyone who
eye doctor removed her
would listen, including
cataracts with a hammer and
strangers in line at the grocery
chisel.
store. I start by describing my
As painful as cataracts and
midnight trip to the emergeninfected gallbladders are,
cy room, culminating with my
they’re a walk in the park
gallbladder removal, then
compared to my other health
catch my breath before
challenge, type 2 diabetes,
lamenting my cataract-cloudwhich will eventually lead to
ed vision, caused, no doubt, by
blindness and the amputation
rogue electrical currents. If
of my legs so I’ll end up a glob
I’m talking with an older man,
of human tissue unable to do
I’ll ask, with a knowing wink,
anything but nap and eat Ding
if he’s had any problems
Dongs, which is how I got type
“down there,” and tell him
2 diabetes in the first place.
about my Amish herbalist and
My wife has already told me
her theories regarding lanolin.
she’s not going to take care of
At this point, the store
me if my legs get lopped off,
manager is usually sumbut she’ll change her mind
moned, and I’m escorted to
once she sees me dragging
the door and warned never to
myself across the floor to use
return.
the bathroom and feels sorry
Yes, I’ll admit it’s disapfor me.
pointing that so many people
Weary of the folly that is
these days seem resistant to
Western medicine, I’ve since
scientific research, but it’s not
fired all my doctors and am
my job to make people accept
now using an Amish herbalthe truth. That’s up to them.
ist, who heals
All I can do is warn
people right and
them about electricity
Philip Gulley is
left using tonics she
and promote the
a Quaker pastor,
concocts in her
curative powers of
author, and
barn. She believes
pickle juice and lanolin.
humorist. Back
Home Again
my bad gallbladder
I wish I had known
chronicles his
could have been
about pickle juice when
views on life in
cured by drinking
I got COVID in Alaska.
Indiana.
pickle juice, a
Instead, I wasted all my
veritable miracle
money on bleach,
cure, one glass a day for 30
which, in addition to tasting
days, while not using electrichorrible, did nothing to cure
ity, which she says is the root
my COVID.

10TH ANNIVERSARY

CELEBRATION
Indiana University Health Foundation invites you to the
starting line of the greatest month in racing at Rev 2023,
presented by Fifth Third Bank and hosted at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway.

Join us in celebrating our 10th anniversary event as the city’s
best chefs, restaurants, art, entertainment and partnerships
come together.

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT REVINDY.ORG

REV 2023
FEATURED
SPONSORS

Fifth Third Bank
Equities First Holdings
AES Indiana
Gibson
Valeo Financial Advisors
AECOM Hunt
Care Institute Group
Cornerstone Companies, Inc.
ERMCO, Inc.
F.A. Wilhelm Construction, Inc.
Guidon Design
HMH Contractors, Inc.
Indiana Corn Marketing Council
Indiana Soybean Alliance

Indiana University Health
Anesthesiology
Indiana University Health Foundation
Joe and Shelly Schwarz Cancer
Center
Messer Construction Co.
Meyer Najem Construction, LLC
Republic Airways
Ryan Fireprotection, Inc.
The Boldt Company
The Cellular Connection
The Hagerman Group
The Heritage Group
Wurster Construction

#REVINDY #REV2023 #THISISMAY @REVINDYEVENT