Tabla de contenidos para November 2021 en Indianapolis Monthly

LOU HARRY’S interview with Robert Weide—the director-producer behind a new documentary on Kurt Vonnegut—was pretty, pretty good (p. 64). Did I mention that the Emmy-winning Weide, who worked for almost four decades to bring the film to screens, also directed the first five seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm with Larry David? For a creator like Weide, I can only imagine how working with one of those guys might have influenced projects with the other. In some ways, the men and the lessons embedded in their art provide the bookends to a great secular theology. Vonnegut—perhaps best known for casting a weary (and often wry) eye toward suffering and cruelty—identified as a humanist, which he said meant in part that, “I have tried to behave decently without expectations of rewards or…

JIM GAFFIGAN IS EASY TO LOVE. Forget for a moment that the world-famous standup and Chesterton native straightforwardly resembles a scruffy, dad-bodded teddy bear. The man is just nice: a devout Catholic and central-casting genial Midwesterner whose unwillingness to work blue hasn’t prevented him from making a fortune in an industry that more frequently rewards butt on-pushing provocateurs. BUT 2020 HAD A WAY OF DRIVING PEOPLE TO THEIR BREAKING POINT. Near the climax of last year’s presidential campaign, and nearly six months into a highly politicized global pandemic, Gaffigan had to speak his piece. In a lengthy Twitter rant beginning in late August, Gaffigan decried former President Donald Trump as a “liar and a criminal,” a “poison,” and a “fascist who has no belief in law,” among other borderline un-Christian…

Greet your guests with a sublimely gorgeous Flying Dirt Farm floral wreath. Farmer Bev Sharritt and her husband cut hundreds of stems every Sunday for the 18-inch door ornaments. Their Fortville flower patches yield blooms in warm, cool, and neutral tones, which are then dried and writhen into marvelous creations. If you can’t make it out to the farm, catch them at the Indy Winter Farmers Market or Garfield Park’s new winter market, or festoon your own by hosting a wreath-making party—Flying Dirt’s wreathmakers will bring all the supplies. You can rest your laurels on the finished product. $40 to $70, instagram.com/flyingdirtfarms…

JAM The Irving Theater (1) opened in 1913 as a nickelodeon and has since had a few incarnations. Today, it’s one of the city’s few all-ages music venues. Prog rock not your thing? Try comedians, poetry readings, open-mic nights, and movie screenings. The Bob & Tom Show favorite Donnie Baker and the Pork Pistols play November 24. 5505 E. Washington St., 317-356-3355, attheirving.com SHOP Plants are organized by their lighting needs (helpful!) at the Urban Houseplant Collective (2), and the store sells its own brand of pre-mixed soil (convenient!). Though it opened just this year, there is already an expansion—a “grab-and-grow” stand at The Amp. 5505 E. Washington St., 317-778-7270, urbanhouseplantcollective.com EAT Gravy whisperer Cynthia Joyner serves more than 20 combinations of biscuits, fillings, and toppings at Boujie Biscuit (3).…

WHEN CARLOS Salazar relocated his popular Lil Dumplings walk-up restaurant from the Fishers Test Kitchen to the Bottleworks District’s Garage food hall last month, he kept the counter-service vibe going strong with a few slight alterations. Salazar’s loyal fans can look forward to several tasty ramen choices—including duck and crab options—at the new Lil Dumplings Noodle Bar. The streamlined menu also lists noodle bowls and appetizers along the lines of salmon roe served over rice and okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese waffle that is paired here with smoky Mexican street corn, just another example of the imaginative Asian-fusion mashups Salazar does so well.…

IF RESTAURANTS, like movies, had a glitzy televised awards show, Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie would get a seat in the front row right next to Meryl and Leo. Windsor Park’s gleaming dinner-and-a-movie venue that raised the curtain on its in-house restaurant in August had automatic star power in executive chef Abbi Merriss. The five-time James Beard nominee at the helm of sister restaurant Bluebeard also oversees the Brasserie’s tucked-away kitchen, focusing on lusty, flavor-dense dishes like potted fish and scallops au Provence with mounds of crab mascarpone floating in its white-wine butter sauce. And the high production value of this 14,500-square-foot chunk of modern architecture with a cantilevered awning and rainbow-lit marquee, positioned so nicely at a dramatic curve in the road where industrial meets residential on the east side,…

ASCENSION ST. VINCENT Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital ASCENSION ST. VINCENT ANDERSON Ascension St. Vincent Anderson Regional Hospital ASCENSION ST. VINCENT CARMEL Ascension St. Vincent Carmel Hospital ASCENSION ST. VINCENT FISHERS Ascension St. Vincent Fishers Hospital ASCENSION ST. VINCENT HEART Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center ASCENSION ST. VINCENT WOMEN’S Ascension St. Vincent Women’s Hospital COMMUNITY Community Health Network COMMUNITY ANDERSON Community Hospital Anderson COMMUNITY EAST Community Hospital East COMMUNITY HEART Community Heart & Vascular Hospital COMMUNITY NORTH Community Hospital North COMMUNITY SOUTH Community Hospital South ESKENAZI Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital FRANCISCAN HEALTH Indianapolis, Carmel, Crawfordsville, and/or Mooresville hospital locations HANCOCK Hancock Regional Hospital HENDRICKS Hendricks Regional Health IU HEALTH BELTWAY Indiana University Health Beltway Surgery Center IU HEALTH METHODIST Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital IU HEALTH NORTH Indiana University…

The Mole Agent “The film accomplishes what Vonnegut’s books do—it leaves you laughing one minute and crying the next. A heart-stealer and a perfect gem of a film, from Chile.” Hollywood “These 13 hours are captivating and informative, and leave you wanting to see every film referenced in this love letter to the silents.” The Act of Killing “This film can be a hard watch, but it’s worth it. It reinforced everything I’ve always believed about what terrible animals humans are (to use Vonnegut’s phrase), and I’ve never quite shaken it.”…

EVERY THURSDAY, I have lunch with my friend Jim, whom I met in 1988 at Christian Theological Seminary when we were studying to be pastors. Jim has since jumped the Christian ship and is now, in his words, an “apatheist”—one who doesn’t care whether God exists—a surprisingly common occurrence among those who’ve worked in the church. Despite our religious differences, we’ve remained friends and still find plenty to talk about, undeterred by the diligent efforts of restaurants to make their establishments so loud that normal conversation is impossible. I once discussed the topic of loud music with the owner of a restaurant, who explained the reason for it. “We don’t make any money when people sit at a table gabbing for hours on end,” he said. “We have to feed…

ALICIA GARCEAU Contributing editor Alicia Garceau has spent much of the past year and a half writing about COVID-19, trying to educate the public about a sometimes misunderstood disease. “Talking with doctors, it’s clear the misinformation out there is taking a significant toll on them,” she says. But with any luck, she adds, “this month’s Top Doctors (p. 51) will be the last time I cover it.” LOU HARRY When freelance writer Lou Harry interviewed filmmaker Robert Weide about his documentary on Kurt Vonnegut (p. 64), Harry was reminded of his fondness for the writer as a kid. “I didn’t enter Vonnegut’s world thinking of it as literature,” he says. “In my teenage mind, he was a really good science fiction writer who knew how to engage readers without intimidation.”…

Q: DOES INDIANA HAVE ANY WILD BOAR? IS THERE A HUNTING SEASON? A: As it turns out, Indiana is hog heaven for feral-pig hunters. For a couple of decades, their numbers have grown locally, fueled by escaped domestic pigs and local pinheads who intentionally release porkers to increase their hunting options. Unfortunately, the pigs immediately set about tearing up farm fields and harassing native wildlife. If you’d like to hunt them, have at it. No license is required, and you can pursue them 365 days a year. Your best bet is to head to the southern part of the state, where most of our thousands-strong population resides. The Indiana herd is increasing, but it’s not as big a problem as in Texas, where 1.5 million wild pigs cover the entire…

VINTAGE: 1930S WHEN EDITH EVA FUCHS’S husband was recovering from a bad car accident in 1988, the family needed a new way to pay the bills. Rummaging through her house looking for things to sell, she came across a few cookie jars that went for a reasonable price at the local flea market. What began as a money-making scheme quickly became an expensive obsession. Over the past 33 years, Fuchs—owner of Grannie’s Cookie Jars & Ice Cream in Metamora—has accumulated 3,200 of the treat containers, the largest collection on Earth, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. This one was made in Indianapolis by Ransburg Pottery, a major manufacturer of cookie jars during the Great Depression. At 86 years old, Fuchs continues to collect them, run her ice cream…

SISTERS, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters as Heidi Heldt and Gretchen Harter. The Kokomo natives started building a following in 2013 with pop-up shops in Zionsville and Carmel to sell their supply of both vintage goods and new home accessories. Once COVID-19 hit, their traveling days ended, so they settled into Clay Terrace—it’s the spot with the 1988 Jeep Wagoneer parked out front for selfies. Inside, the design-savvy duo has created a relaxing shopping experience ruled by the seasons—there may be a wooden canoe display for fall, then antique sleds and snowshoes a month later, plus the perfect complementary scent from their own popular line of soy wax candles. A constantly rotating inventory of one-of-a-kind items, peppered with new gift ables and tabletop pieces, keeps customers coming back…

INDIANA NATIVE Leslie Lupton had the ultimate New York City experience of working out alongside Kelly Ripa. Lupton recalls the starstruck stares and passing remarks of adoration—but she especially remembers the independence the TV host enjoyed at the studio. “She was just like any other client,” Lupton says. “People were there for their own wellness.” Physique 57 allowed the famous and the normal fitness junkies alike to have just one empowering hour to themselves before they reentered their noisy world. When Lupton left New York for Carmel in 2019, she wanted to bring that feeling with her, so she opened the only Physique 57 franchise currently outside of Manhattan. Named for its 57-minute classes and locational origins on 57th Street in New York, Physique 57 is a swanky barre fitness…

Chicken wings and fries have long been the mainstays at Tia Harrison’s Creole and Cajun-inspired restaurant, Chef Tia and Co. So while her original spot was being remodeled this fall, Harrison and business partner Zion Ferguson opened a carryout counter dedicated to customer favorites. Chicken Scratch, which made its debut in September, offers wings with varying heat levels, as well as uptown fries tossed with truffle seasoning or lavished with garlic butter or shrimp alfredo. But it’s the honey hot wings that sing here, meaty and tender with just the right sweet heat. You can get them “naked,” but the breaded version delivers a satisfying crunch that soaks up the luscious sauce. 5308 N. Keystone Ave., 317-426-3457, chickenscratchindy.com…

GARLIC BUFFALO CHICKEN HAND PIE Cayenne cranks up the heat while cream cheese softens the filling of this luscious, meaty pastry that packs an entire Super Bowl party into every bite. Leviathan Bakehouse, 1101 N. College Ave., 317-493-1879, leviathanbakehouse.com ZHUG KITE Slivers of zucchini marinated in zhug—a cilantro-forward Yemenite pepper sauce—nestle into the basket of this jumbo kite pastry. Amelia’s, 653 Virginia Ave., 317-686-1583, ameliasbread.com PIZZA SCONE A high-tea version of the classic pepperoni pie, this golden pastry is extra hearty and yet surprisingly dainty. Amelia’s HAM & CHEDDAR SCONE Plenty of butter in the mix richens the flavor while bits of sizzled cheese that escaped during baking add bonus nibs of flavor. Amelia’s PARMESAN SQUASH KITE The lamination is buttery and brittle, but you’ll want to catch every crumb…

ADDICTION MEDICINE TIMOTHY KELLY, MD Clear Vista Recovery Associates, 7250 Clearvista Dr., 317-621-7390 ➜ Community Special Expertise addiction/substance abuse ADDICTION PSYCHIAIRY ROBERT CHAMBERS, MD Adult & Child Health, 362 W. 15th St., 317-882-5122 ➜ IU Health University, Community South Special Expertise addiction/substance abuse, dual diagnosis ADOLESCENT MEDICINE LANETTE BROWN-JONES, MD Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis Joshua Max Simon Primary Care, 8414 Naab Rd., 317-338-7510 Peyton Manning, Ascension St. Vincent ERIC MEININGER, MD Riley Physicians Adolescent Medicine, 1002 Wishard Blvd., 317-274-8812 ➜ Riley Special Expertise LGBT health MARCIA SHEW, MD Riley Physicians, 575 Riley Hospital Dr., 317-274-8812 ➜ Riley, Eskenazi Special Expertise adolescent gynecology, reproductive health REBEKAH WILLIAMS, MD Riley Physicians, 1002 Wishard Blvd., 317-274-8812 ➜ Riley, Eskenazi Special Expertise adolescent gynecology ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY JOHN DUPLANTIER, MD Allergy Partners, 965 Emerson Pkwy.,…

(BUZZWORTHY) Secondhand Smoke Readers lit up social media with praise for our September feature on the allegedly fraudulent business practices of Rebecca Raffle. Such an intriguing story. I want more, and in podcast form. This is like the Indiana version of Elizabeth Holmes.OLIVIA SELKEVia Twitter Indy Monthly’s story about a CBD entrepreneur’s web of lies touches on the common theme of these startup grift ers believing there is a ‘thin line between lying and vision.’ That line, as it turns out, is actually quite clear to most of us.NICHOLAS GILMOREVia Twitter This woman is going to end up with a crazy Netflix documentary about her.ABHI REDDYVia Facebook I’m speechless. ‘I’m from California’ is the most ridiculous and lazy excuse for what she did.LAURA BARCELOVia Facebook My favorite part is how…

Like last year, COVID-19 is requiring Tonic Ball to jam online to raise money for Second Helpings. Stream 15-some concerts at home on the Mandolin app. Upside: No waiting in lines to hop between venues in Fountain Square. Also: Dancing like no one is watching (no one is). The theme is No. 1 hits, so you’ll know the words. Sing along. Donate the gas money and late-night taco bucks you’re saving. Reminiscing in the chat about Tonic Balls past is fun. String up some lights, invite friends, and bust out the leather pants. No need for a babysitter! Let the kids stay up aft er bedtime and party.…

ARE MATCHING SETS HERE TO STAY OR JUST TRENDY? I think they are here to stay in all forms. I love sets because they are effortless. There are days when I want a look, but just don’t have time to create or think. YOU KNOW HOW TO PULL THEM OFF. I use accessories to switch things up. I have some sets that I will first wear with heels and then pair with sneakers. ANY FASHION FAUX PAS TO AVOID? Your Apple Watch does not go with that outfit. I’m done debating with the Kim Possibles. BEST PLACE TO TAKE AN OUTFIT-OF-THE-DAY PIC? I like city vibes, streets, brick walls. The Just Pop In cafe has a cool indoor vibe.…

YOU SAY you want a skincare revolution? J.D. Grove, the creator of Granola Girl Skincare, sold in dozens of stores around the country, takes her inspiration from a love of 1960s culture and rejects traditional ideas of beauty, gender, and sexuality. “It’s a back-to-basics recipe that is more natural, less beauty-industry hype,” Grove says. A longtime beekeeper, she incorporates honey into products like the Bee Bar soap and the Queen Bee Cream lotion. Granola Girl is made and sold at Greencastle’s Conspire, a maker hub with roots in the queer community, and you can find it at the airport’s Enroute Spa locations, should you need a groovy gift during holiday travel. granolagirlskincare.com…

COMMANDING a small corner space in the sleek racing-themed Guggman Haus taproom near Speedway, The Cabin Kitchen got the green flag in August with executive chef Arin Motter behind the wheel. “Arin enjoys putting his own twist on classic dishes and incorporating beer into recipes,” says co-owner Courtney Guggenberger. That includes the Haus Schnitzel brined in wheat-based Guggenweizen and a crunchy bar mix laced with Winner’s Milk Jug Stout. Shareables range from soft pretzels with beer cheese to a rotating hummus of the week served alongside sliced veggies and warm pita bread. Dinner options expand to feature a local Claus’ sausage on a pretzel bun with beer mustard and sauerkraut; a hearty Guggenburger topped with bacon, grilled onions, arugula, and sweet peppers; and a decadent Among the Figs flatbread garnished…

ON HIS FIRST night as a Wabash College study-abroad student in Spain, Levi Kinney took a seat at his host mom’s table inside a tiny upstairs apartment in Segovia. “She lifts the top off of a plate, and it’s this steaming serving of paella—real Spanish paella,” Kinney recalls. “So I sat there and ate a meal in Spain, looking out at the wall of a fortress that has been around for 400 years, and I was just blown away. Are you kidding me? A kid from a trailer park west of Detroit is in Spain all of a sudden?” That was a life-changing meal for Kinney, who also traveled throughout Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina while playing high school rugby. It’s no wonder he developed a taste for the cuisine that…

METHODOLOGY Indianapolis Monthly’s annual Top Doctors guide takes months to produce, but in the end, it makes finding great specialists easy. The whole thing starts with a question that’s about as reliable a measure of quality as it gets: Which doctors do physicians turn to for their own care? Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., a healthcare research and information company, compiled this year’s honorees by asking physicians to recommend someone they would see themselves or suggest to a family member in Central Indiana. More than 1,000 licensed medical professionals in the area, representing dozens of specialties, met Castle Connolly’s qualifications. This year’s list for IM considered physicians in Marion, Hamilton, Madison, Boone, Johnson, Hendricks, Hancock, Morgan, and Shelby counties. Castle Connolly was founded in 1991 by a former medical college board…

DOWNTOWN INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Mile Square 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 and a host of vibrant garnishes. 501 Virginia Ave., 317-602-7117, aromaindy.com Ash & Elm Cider…