Table of contents for February 2022 in Indianapolis Monthly

THIS MAY SOUND familiar, but Jim Irsay is hitting the road in search of a host city (and museum to be publicly funded later) for his eclectic collection of pop culture memorabilia (p. 20). Irsay’s boomer-centric treasure trove leans heavy on classic rock with artifacts like a Paul McCartney bass and a touring piano used by Elton John. When the Colts owner acquired the Rocket Man’s Steinway last year, the master of the WTF tweet shared the news with his followers with the brevity of Hemingway and the fog of Lebowski: “Elton’s piano. Just added to the collection.” Dude. My mom makes no such pronouncements when she adds to her prized collection of boxes from old department stores, but she did take to the family iMessage thread this year to…

PURPLE MAJESTY When it opens in 2024, the Purple Line will stretch 15.2 miles along the 38th Street corridor, from downtown Indianapolis to Ivy Tech’s Lawrence campus. Like the Red Line, which opened in September 2019, the Purple Line will have electric buses, dedicated bus lanes, and in-median stations that pedestrians can access from both sides of the street. LOTS OF GREEN Purple Line construction will cost $188 million, but more than 40 percent of that money comes from a Small Starts Capital Investment Grant. In August 2021, the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, better known as IndyGo, received about $81 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration. Funding from the transit income tax, approved by Marion County voters in 2016; the city’s Department of Public Works; and…

Unleash your inner Elle Woods with bubblegum-pink arm candy from Howl + Hide’s new Color Wheel collection of hand-stitched, vegetable-tanned leather goods. Vintage-inspired bags pay homage to local streets with names like the “Keystone” knapsack, “Meridian” market tote, and this “Parkway” saddlebag. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the design process through Howl + Hide’s immensely satisfying TikTok videos of stitching, hole-punching, and edge-beveling—like Ms. Woods, they have garnered millions of views. $249, 1046 Virginia Ave., howlandhidesupply.com…

DAWN DURRETT had been a patron of homey Shelby Street Saloon in Garfield Park for years. But it wasn’t until the owners put the foursquare building and onetime feed store dating to the 1890s up for sale that the career lawyer considered running her own bar. This past June, Durrett unveiled her exacting vintage remodel of the second-floor space that had sat empty for decades, which she christened the Shelby Street Speakeasy. Dark-wood bookshelves and candelabras conspire for a darling throwback walkup that’s available for private events. In addition to a bar menu with top-notch wings and pizza, dinner specials include a fried chicken plate on Wednesdays and a classic steak dinner for just $12.99. But drinks are as much the draw, including an Old Fashioned that comes smoked with…

IF PASSERSBY last fall wondered what was going on behind that spiffy new Bocca awning at the intersection of 22nd and Talbott streets, the mirrored blackout windows provided no clues. “Are the lights even on yet?” wondered the drive-by Gladys Kravitzes. Even after the business, a restaurant serving “modern Italian cuisine,” officially opened in the middle of November, it maintained an air of mystery. Yes, the lights were on, though just barely visible. Bocca’s dusky watt age provides the appropriate mood lighting for a black-tablecloth restaurant with a menu divided into piatti primi and piatti secondi. Executive chef Ricky Martinez’s molto moderno pastas and elaborate meats are sexy accompaniments to the muted walls, textured glass partitions, and antiqued mirrors rimmed in decorative moss. The chef who made his mark on…

MAC ENGEL (Columnist, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) “One week before Super Bowl XLV, the cold front from the deepest part of hell arrived.” GREG BALLARD (Former mayor of Indianapolis) “The word ‘karma’ was definitely used.” PAUL PABST (Executive producer, The Dan Patrick Show) “I woke up the second day we were there, and it was 11 degrees and snowing sideways. Our set was outside, and we brought no winter clothes whatsoever. We basically did the show outside in a snowstorm. We made the best of it, but it was impossible to get around, parties, events, everything.” PHIL RAY (Former general manager, Indianapolis Marriott Downtown) “I used to live in Dallas, so I knew they couldn’t handle any snow at all. They were so ill-equipped that you saw people trying to shovel…

BRYN JONES (Director of marketing/retail, St. Elmo Steak House) “To have both competing teams, at the same time, one floor apart, and having the same dining experience was pretty wild.” CRAIG HUSE (Co-owner, St. Elmo Steak House) “What I didn’t want was for St. Elmo to become the most popular bar on Homecoming weekend in a college town. We wanted the inside of the restaurant to be as normal as possible and the craziness to be out on Georgia and Illinois streets.” WILL CARROLL (Writer, Sports Illustrated) “People kept asking me, ‘Will, can you get me into St. Elmo?’ I was like, ‘No! I can’t get you into St. Elmo. Hell, I can’t get myself into St. Elmo!’ If you weren’t, like, an NFLowner, you weren’t getting in there.” EDDIE…

ALLISON MELANGTON “In the fourth quarter, with the Patriots still ahead, I thought to myself, No, the movie doesn’t end this way.” ELI MANNING “Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz were covered up pretty well, so I looked to my left, and I had a shot to Manningham. It was a throw where either he gets it or nobody does. Considering the length of it and to put it in a spot like that, it’s one of my favorite throws.” MITCH DANIELS (Former governor of Indiana) “A college classmate of mine, Laird Hayes, was officiating his third Super Bowl and was the side judge on the Manning to Manningham play, so he made the critical call on the Giants’ game-winning drive. The people around me were saying, ‘Were his toes in?…

WHEN FRENCH Country was a reigning interior design style in the early aughts, no one did it better in Indianapolis than Cherri Colby. The owner of Colby Antiques and Interiors and a high-end decorator for many years, she had a special place in her heart for the color blue, a signature of the look. When she passed away in 2008, her son, Nick Colby, inherited many of her beautiful heirlooms. Then they became the starting point for a dramatic renovation of an English Tudor named Fair Oaks in Meridian-Kessler. Nick and his wife, Kelly, hired designer Tiffany Skilling—Kelly’s boss—whose job was to modernize the home for the family of four, preserve its charms and original architecture, and weave Colby’s cherished china and antiques into a style that reflected Nick and…

THIS PAST FALL, I was visiting a friend who had an app on his smartphone to identify the stars and planets. My friend is a research biologist at Indiana University, so I wasn’t surprised he had such a thing. It illustrates the wide gap in our intellects. His favorite app enables him to better understand the universe, while my favorite app, YouTube, permits me to watch reruns of Gunsmoke. Then again, knowledge comes in many forms, so who’s to say Marshal Dillon, Miss Kitty, Doc, and Chester don’t have something to teach us. When I purchased my smartphone, I didn’t anticipate using it for anything but phone calls, even though it came with maps, something called a wallet, a flashlight, a news feed, a handy-dandy compass, and a dozen other…

DAWN OLSEN Freelance writer Dawn Olsen lives car-free by choice. Since selling her “silver tortoise” in 2016, Olsen has mostly traveled the city by foot, bike, and bus—and has been just fine. An avid IndyGo rider, she’s keeping an eye on the construction of the Purple Line (p. 15). “Buses are more than people-movers,” she says. “They provide access to essential services and encourage development.” DEREK SCHULTZ From his seat on Radio Row at the JW Marriott, freelance writer Derek Schultz spent most of Super Bowl XLVI week in 2012 pinching himself. “I was just in awe of everything that happened that week,” he says of the subject of his oral history this month (p. 58). “While all the landmarks and buildings looked the same, it was like New York…

Q: WHERE DOES INDIANA’S STATE SEAL COME FROM? A: Versions of this august symbol of power have been around since before there was a state, appearing on Indiana Territory documents as early as 1801. But while both of Indiana’s constitutions (1816 and 1851) called for a seal, neither described exactly what it should be. A century of design anarchy ensued, with the seals varying as widely as Indiana’s weather. The bison on it might run to the left or the right, and some included a setting sun. Finally, in 1963, the legislature got around to adopting an official template, featuring a sun setting over a series of hills with a man chopping a tree and a bison jumping a fallen trunk. And thus it remains today—in spite of two attempts…

WHEN WINTERFEST pours forth this month (see p. 22), dozens of local breweries will represent Central Indiana’s thriving craft beer scene. But nearly a century ago, one beer maker dominated sales of suds here: the Indianapolis Brewing Company. This Genuine Gold Medal Lager can, one of IBC’s most popular products, belongs to Steve Paddack. A local painter and vintage Indiana beer can collector, Paddack says its near-perfect condition makes it “perhaps the best-known example in existence.” IBC operated on and off from 1887 to 1948, and was one of the few brands to can beer here before Sun King came along in 2010. So, who knows? Maybe that can of Sunlight Cream Ale will be worth something someday.…

IT’S COMING up more than just roses at Willow and Star Flowers, a new floral design boutique in Nora, across from North Central High School. Owner Allyson Wells Podell’s affinity for flora started young, when she would pluck stems from her grandparents’ garden and arrange small bouquets for her family. In recent years, she enlisted her brother’s help to construct a mobile flower cart and brought the DIY floral arrangement concept to pop-ups at West Elm, Pottery Barn, Homespun: Modern Handmade, and Parkside Linen. That mobile cart lives on in spirit at Willow and Star’s Flower Bar, inviting shoppers to build their own in-season bouquets with carnations, lilies, leafy eucalyptus, and other locally sourced blooms. Gardening gurus can also pick up velvety alocasia plants and tools for spring planting—the shears…

THE OLD Rad Brewing space in Holy Cross has a new resident, as King Dough owners Adam and Alicia Sweet gear up to open what they’re calling a “psychedelic Cracker Barrel” this spring. “The inspiration comes from my upbringing in Arkansas,” says Adam, who will helm the kitchen of Natural State Provisions, overseeing soulful lunch and dinner offerings like fried chicken, collard greens, bread-and-butter pickles, and a pimento cheeseburger. Renovations to the property will show off an updated look heavy on exposed wood, concrete, and steel. Four-legged friends will be welcome in a fenced dog park just off the patio. “I think I’m most excited about what the space will do for the neighborhood as a destination for families,” Adam says.…

Despite being in a northern city, Super Bowl XLVI organizers were determined to develop a unique, outdoor space for visiting fans to enjoy—rain, snow, or shine. After watching the calamity in Dallas a year prior, that was obviously a huge risk. But clear skies and unusually mild temperatures instead greeted those descending upon downtown for the start of Super Bowl week in February 2012. It was the perfect setting for the newly created Super Bowl Village, which Indy planners had envisioned as ground zero for all the week’s revelry. The idea was such a hit that it’s now an NFLstandard for any city’s Super Bowl bid. ALLISON MELANGTON (President, Super Bowl XLVI Host Committee) “We wanted to erase winter. We dreamed up this idea of a center nucleus outside, like…

(BUZZWORTHY) Making Waves Dave Lindquist’s December story about Alison Tavel’s documentary on her father and his synthesizer invention resonated with a lot of readers. I remember Don Tavel having me over to his house to show me the Resynator. It was very cool, and seemed like it would be a big deal. DAVE FULTONVia Facebook I got my copy in the mail yesterday and really enjoyed this. Great article. SCOTT RUDICELLVia Facebook Don was on the cutting edge of many things. I worked with him on designing the wiring of his home under construction—distributed audio, video, etc. He had an unbelievable vision of how technology could be integrated. TOM DOHERTYVia Facebook Dave Lindquist always finds the most interesting stories. AMANDA KINGSBURYVia Facebook You had me at “Peter Gabriel used it.”…

The free parking is on Gant Street. Weekday lunch hours are hopping. So is the Indy Winter Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. More than 50 percent of the businesses are owned by minorities or women. Ask them about their stories. Watch vendors on social media for short-term collaborations, like handpies and mac and cheese balls. Try your first “noffee”—a mushroom-blended coffee drink—at The Food Architect. Other musts: Fried Brussels and a burger at Beast, a five-spice latte at Tinker Coffee, a cheesecake-crunch strawberry at Punkin’s Pies. The facility is pop-up central, so keep an eye on the calendar of events.…

(1) Winterfest February 12 The Brewers of Indiana Guild returns to the Indiana State Fairgrounds, where its massive craft beer tasting event is on tap after a year off. drinkin.beer (2) Greetings From Italy February 18–19 At Hilbert Circle Theatre, principal violist Yu Jin leads the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra through Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4—also called the Italian. indianapolissymphony.org (3) Trevor Noah February 20 The Daily Show host brings his standup act to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. livenation.com (4) Imagine Dragons February 21 This world-conquering pop-rock band, touring in support of its new album Mercury—Act 1, makes a stop at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. livenation.com (5) Jazz at Lincoln Center February 27 At the Palladium, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis’s group performs both classics from the likes of Thelonius Monk and new jazz compositions. thecenterpresents.com T Interested…

WHAT A STATEMENT OUTFIT! WHERE DID YOU WEAR THIS? To the Indiana Fashion Foundation’s honors gala. [Weston is the president.] It’s Stylenspire by local designer Yemi Sanni. MOST FREQUENTLY WORN ITEM IN YOUR CLOSET? I have this denim-washed Levi’s jacket. Put it on and suddenly you’re the coolest guy in the room. It’s so versatile. WHAT DO YOU WISH INDY HAD MORE OF? Boutique hotels. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE HOOSIER FASHION SCENE TO AN OUT-OF-TOWNER? A piñata. Sometimes it takes intention to get to it, but once you do, it’s such a treat.…

The trio of physical therapists that dreamed up a stand serving the kind of freshly fried, sugar-dusted mini doughnuts they remembered from street stalls back home in the Philippines never imagined the hit they would have on their hands. Home baker Esleen Dacanay, along with friends Rica Castro and Deanna Bautista, thought they would try out their concept, Yay! Donuts, for a season at the Fishers Farmers Market, topping their made-to-order golden dough balls with custom sugars and scratch toppings like matcha, mango, and ube (mashed purple yam). Lines immediately formed, and social media posts drew doughnut lovers from as far as an hour away. When winter closed the market, their customers clamored for more. For the time being, they offer their sweets, now with natural glazes and seasonal sprinkles,…

NAMED AFTER an herb native to the Mediterranean, Borage (rhymes with forage) is the next project from pastry chef Zoë Taylor, whose sweet artistry as Milktooth’s original patissier received praise from the likes of Bon Appétit and Condé Nast Traveler. The neighborhood market—envisioned by Taylor and her partner, chef Josh Kline, as a one-stop source for all things casually gourmet—will sprout in Speedway sometime this summer, sharing a few traits with its botanical namesake. The couple is not native to Speedway, for starters. “Borage was brought over to the states,” Taylor says. And it turned out to be a very beneficial plant, easy to grow yet non-invasive, and one of the highest nectar-producing blooms in the garden. “That’s what Josh and I want to do in Speedway. We want to…

When Indianapolis was selected as the host city of Super Bowl XLVI in the spring of 2008, there was little excitement outside of the Hoosier State. Given that the event is predominantly held in warm destinations like New Orleans or Miami, one could understand the national aversion to jet-setting to Central Indiana in early February. In fact, we had just been passed over by a sexier locale a year prior, when Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones used his influence (and wallet) to push his Super Bowl XLV bid over the goal line with his fellow NFLowners. But Indianapolis didn’t need beaches and fancy nightclubs to host one of the biggest sporting events on the planet. Innovative planners here created one of the most widely praised Super Bowl experiences in recent…

DOWNTOWN INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Mile Square Ali’i Poke POKE Follow the IUPUI students to this delightfully fresh fast-food spot just off campus. The scooped-to-order poke bowls have a rice base (sticky or brown) over which customers layer the Hawaiian raw-fish poke and a rainbow of add-ons. Fresh mango, edamame, avocado, pickled ginger, seaweed salad, and unagi sauce are just a few of the available toppings. Go crazy ladling them on, or get yours “Island Style,” with just rice and fish. 910 W. 10th St., 317-602-3632, aliipoke.com 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,…