Sherri Says

Luck Be A Lady

April 25 2012 - 11:17:31 AM

I’m a lucky girl. Nearly every day, at least once a day, I stop myself and ponder my dumb luck. Some years ago, I discovered my love of gardening, and each spring, when the square footage of my garden grows, I fall a little bit more in love with creating new life from seeds. Eventually, I hope to make my way to a home in the country, trading in my current double lot in the city for land measured, not in feet, but, rather, in acres.

In the meantime, thanks to a great deal of help from my more-skilled and much-smarter partner, I have made dozens of improvements to our home. We’ve redecorated and painted rooms. He has installed wood flooring, fixed faulty garbage disposals, hauled out tired appliances and replaced them with some amazing vintage scores. Our bathroom now boasts a beautiful new glass-tiled floor (which gave me the idea for this issue’s home trends story on p. 47), and things that I didn’t even know were broken in the house are now fixed.

Our efforts to redecorate gave me the idea to showcase some of the northside’s (and the state’s) offerings in antiques (see p. 19 and p. 22), and when we weren’t in home repair and décor mode this past winter, we were in the kitchen, learning to cook our way through numerous recipes.

We have a system down now. He starts out by sautéing the onions (nearly every recipe calls for them), and I begin each new culinary adventure by washing, peeling and cutting up the (insert root vegetable here). Through teamwork, we have accomplished wonderful (and great-tasting) feats. We’ve canned spicy green beans and peppers. He has mastered his own special recipe for hot pepper jam; I’ve made sweet potato pies, sweet potato chili, sweet potato and corn chowder, mashed sweet potatoes and … well, I really love sweet potatoes, OK?

After all was said and done (and eaten), I’d noticed my jeans had become just a wee bit tighter, and so I went in search of places to up my fitness game. As it turns out, there are a lot of places to get fit in Hamilton County. You’ll find the sweat-inducing story on p. 64.

Now that it’s warm out, the mister and I have moved on to motorcycling about, as well as bicycling a little more (Must. Lose. The. Winter. Weight.), and we’ve spent a good deal of time working in the yard. Through my research, I stumbled across two talented northside folks who specialize in creating sculptures for the outdoors. Thanks to their stories (on p. 78 and p. 80), I now have several good ideas on how to brighten up the backyard.

Just in time for wedding season, reporter Ashley Petry profiled a number of terrific wedding venues in this issue (p. 84), and we have included a 16-page wedding section that’s full of ideas for brides and grooms to-be. Which is plenty helpful to me, too. My beloved and I have another task at hand this year. We’re getting married.

Luck be a lady, indeed.

Food for Thought

February 27 2012 - 09:38:03 AM

I was born to eat. No, I mean, really. Born. To. Eat.

As I write this, Kelsey DeClue, editor for NORTH’s sister publication, SOUTH, is just weeks away from delivering her firstborn. And, as conversations with future mothers are wont to do, our office chatter has regularly ventured into the “how big will this baby be?” zone. We have even made an office competition out of guessing.

And when the guessing gets going, I’m always quick to point out that however big Baby DeClue will be, he’s not going to beat my personal record. To this day, I’ve never spoken with someone who weighed more than I did as a newborn or who knew of a baby that weighed more than I did. I know there have been bigger newborns out there (and my guess is that, after writing this, I’ll hear from someone who knows of one), but thus far in my six-degrees-of-separation existence I’m still the heavy-hitter. When I came into this world, I weighed in at a very hungry 12 pounds and 3 ounces. “Born to eat,” I said.

Clearly, I made a special bond with food while in the womb, and my love affair with tasty eats has never wavered. My joy of cooking, however, has been another story altogether. I was never much for home economics classes when I was a teenager; I opted for welding and shop classes more often than not. Because of that, I’m laughable at sewing buttons on clothes, and my culinary prowess has been, how shall we say, less than flavorful.

Only recently have I begun to tread lightly around food processors and muffin tins and ingredient lists that include rosemary, sage and thyme. But I’m getting better, slowly. My interest in cooking has grown out of my love of gardening. Over the past few years, I unearthed a passion for growing my own food, and the inevitable consequence: I had to figure out something to do with all of it. Thankfully, there are a lot of folks on the northside who can help, as we’ve profiled in the story on page 52.

The northside is also chock-full of spots to find great food if—unlike me—you don’t want to cook. We checked in with Craig Huse to find out what’s cooking at the new Harry & Izzy’s on East 82nd Street (p. 29), and—if you feel like driving—we stopped in the newly renovated Eagle’s Nest downtown (p. 38). The popular rotating restaurant high atop the Hyatt Regency hotel was due for a face-lift, it seems, along with a menu and chef change.

Beyond food, there’s so much more to this issue of NORTH that I’d like to point out. We featured several crafty northside folks in our In Style section (p. 21-27), and we researched the northside’s class offerings (p. 96), so—if you’re inclined—you can be crafty, too. That’s not to mention the many media folks we met up with who live on the northside (p. 70 and p. 80) or the roundup of casinos in the region we featured on page 88. If I wanted to, I could tell you all about what’s in this issue of NORTH, but I don’t want to further spoil the surprise. And the truth of the matter is: There’s soup on the stove … and I’m hungry.

We Got Game

December 29 2011 - 11:29:21 AM

Most Sunday afternoons at my parents’ home have always been reserved for football. If my family needs to get together to celebrate a birthday … and it’s a Sunday … and there’s a football game on … that birthday celebration is going to be scheduled around the football game. Or it’s going to coincide with it, in which case we’re all going to sit and watch the game together. There are no questions asked about this routine—even if the Indianapolis Colts are losing … a lot.

You see my mom is no fair-weather fan. She’s serious about her sports, and she’s even more serious about her hometown teams. When I recently asked her what she thought of the Colts’ losing streak this season, she quickly responded: “I feel just the same; I am a fan,” she said. “If they win, they win. If they don’t, they don’t.”

Poor Mom. It isn’t just that her boys in blue are in the middle of one of their losingest seasons ever. What has probably been a bigger disappointment to my mother has been my utter lack of interest in following football. Though I played sports for most of my childhood, I hung up my jerseys and cleats around the age of 15 to pursue other, more pressing matters, like running around and giggling with my girlfriends at the mall. Yes, I have mostly left sports in the rearview mirror.

But just like in real-life rearview mirrors, sports are often closer than they may appear. In fact, this February, we’re not going to be able to get away from football. And, really, why would we want to? This year marks a big year for the Circle City. We’ll have fans flocking to our fair city by the thousands. And the rest will tune into Indianapolis through their TVs, radios and Internet connections. It’s a great time to put our best face forward and to enjoy the short-lived glory.

And so we shall. Inside this issue, you’ll find all you need to know about the Super Bowl-related happenings downtown in case you’re hoping to join the festivities. As a bonus, you’ll also have a chance to read about the lives and efforts of a couple of our own Indianapolis Colts (p. 42 and p. 48)—it turns out they’re doing great things outside the stadium, even when things aren’t so spectacular inside.

If you, like me, aren’t so sports-minded, however, we have you covered, too. We’ve hit up several locals keyed into cultural events on the northside (p. 90), and we profiled several romantic spots around Indiana where couples might want to go to celebrate Valentine’s Day (or just to get away from the game-day hoopla). As for Mom and me, I think we’ll be OK . After I finished quizzing her on her feelings about the Colts, I asked her what she felt about her youngest daughter not being a football fan. She was again quick with her response: “You didn’t even go to the basketball games when you were a student at IU,” she countered. “I’m used to it!”

So, without further ado, this issue is for you, Mom … and for all the northside’s football fans. I hope it will do you, and our wonderful city, proud.

Sherri catches her breath

October 31 2011 - 12:52:45 PM

Sometimes things happen so fast, you’re not exactly sure what just happened. That’s how I feel about this issue of NORTH. Recently, we decided to change our print schedule just a smidge, and so October’s issue of NORTH served as a stand-alone piece. Then, with only four weeks to work and several other projects also under way, we pulled off the November/December issue just in time for the holidays.

Honestly, when I think about it, I have no idea how we just did that. Thank goodness for our talented team. But all that hustle and bustle left us tired. Which is probably how most of you feel when you unplug the lights from the tree a final time and tuck the last of the holiday decorations back into their storage bins. I’m guessing you’re pretty tired. Exhausted, even. And, believe you me, I can relate.

So can the many party planners who spend their lives organizing events year-round—and not just when the holidays are upon us. That’s why we chatted with a few event specialists (p. 44) to get their suggestions on how to wow your guests this season. If you’re in need of new recipes, we have you covered there, too. Check out our story on beer-cheese soups (p. 26), if you want to warm your guests when they arrive. Or dip into one of our punch recipes (p. 30), provided by locals in the know.

And if you don’t feel like entertaining at all? That’s quite all right. There’s a lot going on around town this winter, as our regular calendar offerings (p. 118) can attest. We’ve also profiled a few high school show choirs (p. 68) and a handbell choir (p. 74), all of which will be performing around town over the next few months. Or, for something a little more spontaneous, simply grab the kids and take a drive around the neighborhood. We promise you, you’ll find plenty to see. On page 83, we featured two well-known local homes that take holiday lighting to brilliant new levels.

Whatever your reason for the season, it’s time to gather with your friends and family and celebrate the end to another spectacular year. For NORTH staffers, we’re going to tack on another reason to kick up our feet and don our party hats: We got this magazine to the printer in time. And we have no idea how we did it.

In Good Taste

September 29 2011 - 10:56:45 AM

I recently spent a week in South America. It was a mission trip for me and for the approximately 20 others who traveled with me; we went to Cartagena, Colombia, with several intents. We completed construction of a couple of homes. We operated feeding centers for hungry children. We gave out hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses to those in need.

I’d guess that the trip helped me as much as it might have helped the locals we set out to meet. It gave me an opportunity to see another side of life and to return to my post here in Indiana a little more enlightened. But it wasn’t all hard work and spiritual growth. Some parts of it just left a good taste in my mouth.

While there, I woke every morning for a 6 a.m. run along Cartagena Bay. After, I’d sit down to a quick breakfast out on the patio of my hotel, and I topped each morning’s plate with a heaping helping of fresh mango and papaya. Delish!

I returned to the United States with a healthy infatuation with tropical fruits. In the weeks since, I’ve frequented the mango and papaya section of my local grocery store, and I’ve been looking around for other South American-style treats. One Friday evening, my significant other and I joined a Brazilian cooking class at Kiss Z Cook in Carmel.

What exactly makes something Brazilian, you ask? Well, I asked, too. Beans and chorizo, chef Dwight Simmons answered. And, that night, we had both. We cooked two dishes. One featured shrimp, chorizo and spicy cheese; the other, chicken, mandarin oranges and red bean salsa. Everything we ate, including the starter sweet potato soup, was incredible.

My trip to Colombia, that night we spent at Kiss Z Cook and a recent long weekend my beau and I spent eating our ways through New Orleans got me to thinking: Life tastes really, really good.

In this issue, we’ve profiled a number of tasty places to eat. Caroline Mosey stopped in The Local Eatery and Pub in Westfield for a story on page 25, and I got to sit down for a couple of meals at The Farmhouse in Nineveh for a Worth the Trip piece on page 35. That’s not to mention the many eateries you voted into our Best of the Northside feature (page 52) in this issue. With so many spots to visit, and with weekly cooking classes available at places like Kiss Z Cook, northsiders have no excuse but to be eating well. Further proof that life, as is so often said, is sweet.

Tales of Hope

July 29 2011 - 10:15:08 AM

This month marks a year since my two cats, a brother and sister pair, arrived home from the Humane Society for Hamilton County. My kittens have since made an incredible addition to my happy house, and they’ve entered their second year of life like prizefighters. Dempsey, the boy, feels it his rightful duty—as my unofficial alarm clock—to traipse across my face and meow every morning around 6:30 a.m. His sister, Louise, nuzzles her way onto my lap every time I sit down with my laptop. She’s an underpaid NORTH employee, you might say—she often provides the encouragement and support I need to trudge through severe cases of writer’s block. Together, these tiny creatures have now inspired at least two Editor’s Notes out of me.

And to think: I have the crew at HSHC to thank for my feline family. For this month’s article on Rebecca Stevens (p. 56), I briefly talked to the executive director about some of the special cases she sees while on duty at HSHC. Even hearing the stories about the many abused animals Stevens encounters made me shudder. I can’t imagine having to face those circumstances head-on—and on a daily basis. It takes a special kind of human being to be able to look past the hurt these animals experience and see only the hope that their little lives can still claim. I applaud Stevens on her many accomplishments. I also thank her for the personal happiness her efforts have brought to my life.

While I was feeling especially sentimental about my own four-legged friends, I decided to assign a reporter to look into the other—more unusual—animals of the northside. This issue, we also feature pet owners who have chosen less-conventional animals as additions to their homes (p. 62).

During reporter Ashley Petry’s exotic animal searches, she met up with Gary Sampson, a pet whisperer who serves as one of the nation’s only veterinarians specializing in behavior modification of household pets. Sampson’s story (found on p. 64) is both amusing and enlightening—and it differs ever so slightly from this issue’s other animal “whisperer.” (Yes, we were lucky enough to have not just one pet whisperer in this issue, but two.)

Indiana first lady Cheri Daniels dubbed herself a “pig whisperer” some years back after a photo shoot she endured to help promote the Indiana State Fair (featured on p. 44). We’ll let you read Daniels’ story, told in her own words (on p. 52), to find out how she earned her unofficial title.

As for me—while I hope to one day move, acquire a little more land and build my stable of animals to include a few chickens and ducks and a dog or two—I’ll stick with my kitties for now. We are, indeed, a very happy family … a little party of three.

Sherri Cullison Feels the Love

May 31 2011 - 08:31:21 AM

This is the summer of love. I can feel it. The sun is shining (thankfully, after a spring filled with gray skies and rain), and new beginnings are in bloom. For many young couples, it’s time to say “I do.” In our focus section this issue (p. 40), we met with several Hamilton County wedding planners to find out the latest tricks and trends in wedding planning this summer. But my favorite part of this section isn’t what we learn from the event professionals, but instead what we take away from our other experts … the northside’s authorities on love. We chatted with couples who have spent decades of their lives together, and they told us the whys and wherefores of making relationships last. I’m a romantic, I admit it, and I admire the hard work and commitment these couples have invested in order to make their relationships successful.

There’s also another story of love in this issue: It’s a tale about Scott and Amy Wise, the owners of the Indiana-based Scotty’s Brewhouse restaurant chain. I interviewed Scott and Amy in their home (p. 56) for our Home & Family feature, but what I got from the interview was less about the style of their abode and more a lesson on life. Once upon a time, Scott and Amy broke up, but Scott told me he quickly realized how much he’d lost in losing not his girlfriend—but his best friend. He returned to Amy on bended knee, and the life they have since built not only includes their three young children, but also a larger family made up of approximately 800 employees scattered across his growing list of restaurants. Love, and having a good foundation from which to grow, Scott says, is the reason behind his success.

And then we found Andrew Newport (p. 50), who has spent his adult life committed to a love he found when he was just a kid. Newport fell head over heels for live music back in 1995 when he attended his first concert at Verizon Wireless Music Center. Since, he has worked his way up the chain of command to the position he holds now: as the manager of the nationally known entertainment venue.

When it’s true, there is nothing we won’t do for love. This summer, I hope you all experience true love, too.

Sherri Cullison confesses

March 25 2011 - 11:24:22 AM

Listen up. I have a confession. Yes, you heard me right. I need to admit something here. I’ve made this magazine all about me.

As an editor, I usually try to keep the balance of content square on the side of you, the reader. I send our freelance writers out into the world to unearth everything going on around the northside, and there’s usually so much happening that it’s downright easy to find whole magazines’ worth of narratives to tell.

But it’s spring. And spring, I’m convinced, was created solely with my interests in mind. It was, wasn’t it?

This all started last year, when I planted a garden for the very first time. Little did I know how much I would fall in love with playing in dirt. There are many benefits to gardening—you can grow organic food, free of pesticides, and it costs less than buying the same food at a store. Having a garden also encourages you to—gasp!—eat more vegetables. (You’ll have so many of them, in fact, that you won’t know what to do but keep eating them!) And growing your own food helps you reconnect with nature. When I fell in love with it, I immediately started planning the story for this year’s spring issue (see page 58). I hope you fall in love with gardening, too.

Then there’s the beautiful, modern home on 116th Street in Carmel that we feature on page 36. I am a big fan of mid-century modern living. Andy Castleman and Stephanie Leonhard Straiger’s new home was built in honor of the past architectural style, yes, but it also offers a nod to the future: They had it built to be green. The residence boasts a 95-percent efficiency rating in the heating and cooling system alone. When I sat down with them to discuss the many other eco-friendly features of the home, I very suddenly and not-so-subtly announced I wanted to move in. They were kind enough to not kick me out immediately. Thanks again, Andy and Stephanie! P.S. I’m also available for house sitting!

And speaking of travel … consider also our story on the best cities to visit with a bicycle in tow. I ride my bike with a regular group of friends every chance I can get. By now, I’ve ridden all over Indianapolis and several surrounding cities, and if I had more time, I’d head off to every one of the places we featured on page 90. Biking allows you to slow down and take in the scenery with just a little more attention to detail. Life passes us by pretty quickly—it’s nice to just cruise around once in a while. And if you should head to Portland, Ore., or Davis, Calif., or one of the other cities we featured? Send a postcard. I want to hear all about your trip.

But who am I kidding? I know this magazine can’t really be all about me. So maybe what I love most about this issue is that it’s about you, too … and your young ones. NORTH magazine is rich with stories about kids this issue. We met several sets of twins who all live in one Fishers neighborhood (page 70); we got to know a busload of smart teens in our Whiz Kids story on page 24; and we even sat down with Harold Owens (page 104), who has perfected the art of yo-yoing to the point of earning Indiana state champion status. And that—I guarantee you—has nothing to do with me. Most days I marvel that I’m coordinated enough to tie my shoes, much less master a spinning disc on strings.

Sherri Cullison finds her happy place

January 31 2011 - 11:04:31 AM

You might say I’ve found my happy place. I never imagined my happy place to look like this … and, to be honest, it isn’t just one place. On a daily basis, it’s any number of them.

Sometimes this place is here, where I am sitting right now, at a mostly empty desk, which holds only my black MacBook, a bottle of water and a stack of recent publications. Other times, my happy place finds me behind the steering wheel of my well-traveled car. I might be headed north on the newly revamped Keystone Parkway or sitting idly at a stoplight on 116th Street in Fishers. It matters not where I am when the mood strikes. I could be stopping into any one of several northside coffee shops, or at other times, my happy place might have me behind a camera, taking pictures of folks attending a local event.

The point is: I’ve had other jobs, my friends, and this—as the editor of North magazine—just might be the mother lode. I have employers who consistently encourage and support me, a publication that continues to grow and a community—filled with a never-ending supply of interesting faces, places, events and stories to be told—with which to populate it. That’s a pretty good place to be.

Which is what I felt when I stood in the near-empty Lucas Oil Stadium one recent weekday and shot a picture of its imposing space with my iPhone. I was a little distracted from the task at hand: overseeing a photo shoot of this issue’s cover subject, Josh Bleill, but I couldn’t help it. I was standing at the 10-yard line of Lucas Oil Stadium!

By now, you might have heard about Bleill, the new Indianapolis Colts spokesman who lost his legs as an enlisted soldier stationed in Iraq. We met up with him at Lucas and then had a second chance to visit with Bleill and his wife, Nikki, at their Carmel home. The resulting pictures and story about the happy couple you’ll find on page 22.

Then there’s Kevin Raber, a Carmel resident and professional photographer who travels the world teaching other photographers how to use their equipment. As Raber and I chatted for this issue’s travel story (see p. 82), he explained that he counted his blessings regularly because “I do a job that I actually like. It’s a happy business.”

Yes, exactly. A happy business. His sentiment rang true.

In this month’s focus story on staycations, we encourage you—and offer you approximately 60 reasons—to stay at home this winter. And as for North magazine? I think I’ll stay put, too. It feels a lot like home to me.

Sherri Cullison does a little dance

November 29 2010 - 09:29:03 AM

I just did the jig. I admit I’m not exactly sure how to properly perform the lively folk dance, but I did spontaneously launch into a little shuffle-shuffle-tap-tap number while the magazine’s publisher, Chuck Wells, looked on. He offered me a small smile and, I suspect, questioned my sanity just a bit.

But that’s OK. I am sane … and happy enough to do a little jig. As I sift through the pages of NORTH magazine, I am secretly patting our little staff on its collective back. What with all that this issue offers—a new dining section called Quick Bites (p. 70), a fun and fact-filled chat with Hamilton County historian David Heighway (p. 24) and a gorgeous travel story on ski adventures in and around Indiana (p. 86)—we’ve created quite a handsome publication. If I do say so myself.

This need to do a jig must be a little like what Mayor Jim Brainard has felt as he’s watched the Center for the Performing Arts’ Palladium go through its final stages of construction. Approximately 14 years ago, Brainard started creating a master plan for the redevelopment of Old Town Carmel, and slowly but surely it is all coming together.

The doors to the massive, 1,600-seat theater will swing wide at the end of January, and, just in time, we here at NORTH get to offer you a look at the other men responsible for making things happen there. In our “Center of Attention” section (p. 42), we offer a variety of features, including a chat with the Palladium’s architect, David Schwarz, a profile of the center’s artistic director, Michael Feinstein, a visit to the home of the center’s president and CEO, Steven Libman, and a few questions with David Jackson of Premier Events, who has all the details covered for the Jan. 29 opening night gala at the theater.

And then there’s more: We’re unveiling a new section called “Just Married” with this issue, which features the newlyweds of Hamilton County. We’re also introducing the creative works of several northside students—some you might even know—in the section “Student Views” (p. 114). That’s exciting stuff, if you ask me. I hope this issue gives each of you something to talk about. And if it should make you want to dance? Trust me: I understand.

Sherri Cullison Looks Back on the Year

September 30 2010 - 10:23:44 AM

It was around late summer when it hit me: I felt ready to love a new four-legged friend. Earlier in the year, you see, I’d had to put my cat to sleep. The loss had knocked the wind out of me. In the 16 years I’d known her, she’d carved a place for herself squarely in my heart, as pets are wont to do, and she’d seen me through the turbulent air we refer to as “life.” When I had to make the decision to put her to rest, I wondered to myself how I’d make it without her. It still sometimes mystifies me that I do.

You might say it has taken me some time to recover. Every time I unlocked my front door, I thought of her. When I walked through the kitchen, where her water bowl once was, I thought of her. I must have driven my boyfriend mad—I made it a point to casually mention at least once a day how much I missed that beautiful cat.

Then one of those days, I changed my tune a little. “I think I’m ready,” I announced. He headed to The Humane Society for Hamilton County and, hours later, arrived back home with a brother and sister pair of kittens, about 3½ months old.

Of course when I saw them I fell in love. I also quickly started recalling the crazy things kittens do. Evidence A: The housewarming plant I received six years ago when I moved back to Indianapolis began taking a turn for the worse. These kittens—filled with kittens-full of energy—were nose-diving into the 4-foot-tall plant on a daily basis.

And when they weren’t doing that, they were scampering across our faces at 5 in the morning. Or making death-defying leaps in hopes of actually reaching and hanging off the 8-foot-high curtain rods. Or they were skidding through the dining room at top speeds. They were fearless, I tell you. And unpredictable. And full of joy.

And as soon as I started realizing all the trouble they could cause, I also began thinking about how one day soon I’d miss these early days of their lives. Soon they’ll grow up. They’ll slow down. They’ll sleep a little more (and I will, too). And they’ll settle into adulthood. I imagine it’s a lot like having children. I’ll love them no less, but I’ll miss their babyish charms and their foolish ways. I’ll miss their refreshing spirits.

It’s also kind of the way I feel about NORTH magazine—my “baby,” if you will. With this issue, we celebrate our first birthday, and it’s a milestone I can hardly believe is already here. We’ve brought six issues to print now, and in each publication, we’ve accomplished great things. In this issue, we meet up with Beef & Boards owner Doug Stark (on page 104), who also celebrates an anniversary this year. We also sat down with some very special northside ladies: Nancy Irsay (page 26) hosts annual getaways for women, and Jennifer Pickett and Robin Walsh (page 46) both lost loved ones to cancer but found a way to turn their losses into gains for future victims of the disease.

We’ve also made some exciting changes here on the home front. We’re introducing two new staffers to our advertising team: Susie Love and Maribeth Wood bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the NORTH stable, and with this issue, we introduce Jason Chastain, who will contribute a health- and fitness-related column each month.

In the first Editor’s Note I ever wrote for NORTH magazine I told you I was hungry—hungry for news, for information, for help from our readers. It was North’s inaugural issue, and I wanted to know everything I could about the northside. I needed your help to get our magazine off the ground, and you’ve come through for me in ways I could have never predicted. I have received phone calls and e-mails. I’ve been blessed with talented photographers and on-the-ball writers. I’ve even been so lucky as to sit down to lunch with a friend who handed me a list of amazing story ideas. It doesn’t get much better than that.

As the editor, I’ve gotten to know every nook, cranny, cul-de-sac and roundabout of the northside, and it’s been a great adventure. And as for now? I’m still hungry. So, bring on the birthday cake, and let’s eat.

My Garden Runneth Over

August 2 2010 - 11:44:16 AM

My garden runneth over. Yellow squash and mammoth zucchinis are popping up by the dozens. Tomatoes, spaghetti squash, green beans, blueberries and peppers of every flavor are making their ways into this world. It’s harvest time—a tasty time of year, indeed.

Each morning, I sit in a chair next to my garden. It’s my morning moment. I breathe a little deeper. I take stock of my life; I give thanks for all that I have. I ask for guidance and good health, and I cast my face skyward and feel—really feel—the sun as it beats down upon my cheeks.

I make sure I start each day this way … with a visit to my garden. There, I can appreciate all that this life has offered me. It’s the one place in this busy world where I can steal a moment of peace. And find homegrown green beans. Hundreds of them.

Certain philosophies teach us that our minds are like gardens. Plantings represent fruitful and blossoming ideas; seasons symbolize fluctuations of our feelings. We must weed, feed and water our gardens … and our minds.

This summer’s garden is my first attempt at growing my own dinner, and it’s been successful beyond my wildest dreams. (Through no magic of my own, I must admit; my better half has helped me out greatly, and I’m told I have good soil.) As luck has it, however, I’ve found that I can’t possibly eat fast enough to make use of my garden’s many gifts. And so I’ve started accompanying handshakes with handouts of yellow squash. I’m bagging up beans and delivering them to my friends. Family members find pillars of tomatoes inexplicably appearing on their kitchen counters. Life is good. And bountiful.

And I suddenly understand the joy that Todd and Kathleen Jameson must get from working with the earth, from sowing, growing and plucking life’s tastiest treasures from the soil. The story (p. 24) of how the Jamesons started Balanced Harvest Farm makes complete sense to me now. And, quite frankly, it makes me a little jealous.

The Jamesons, champions of the slow-food movement here in Indianapolis, are much like some of our other local heroes: our teachers (p. 48). Daily, hundreds come to the aid of northside parents to feed and weed the minds of our youngsters. These folks are, in essence, gardeners for our future generations, and—unfortunately, I’d say—we don’t very often remember to appreciate the successful harvests of their efforts.

With that, I’d like to ask a favor. As you read this issue of North, take a moment to reflect on the beauty of life. Appreciate the efforts of everyone who makes a difference in this world. And, when you’re done with all that, take just one extra minute by the garden to feel—really feel—the late-summer breeze as it blows across your cheeks.

Tomorrow is D-Day

July 15 2010 - 01:45:33 PM

We’re less than 24 hours away from sending our August/September issue to the printer. On deadline days, I head to the office to wait while Amanda finalizes all the last-minute ad and design details. Once she burns everything to disc, I take that CD and drive it to our printer near downtown Indianapolis. It’s always a great feeling to drop off another issue of North.

It’s a mission accomplished, and the August/September issue feels like a bigger feat than usual. My delivery to our printer illustrates a conversation I had the other day about the many hats I wear for this magazine. Because we’re a small staff, I regularly fill the roll of reporter, writer, photographer, editor, and…on some days…delivery driver. Amanda, our senior art director, and Amy, the director of advertising, do this, too. We all fill in wherever we can to make this magazine happen. And when we can’t do it ourselves, we hire from a terrific pool of freelancers to cover the bases for us.

This issue I got to branch out a little more than usual. There were so many events taking place around the northside that I headed to CarmelFest with camera in hand. I also arrived at the CarmelFest Freedom Ball ready to photograph the ball’s guests. We decided recently to add a couple of fashion pages to our magazine, and so I also added the task of pick-up and delivery to my workload. I headed to Sak’s, Delaney’s and Mary and Martha’s Exceedingly Chic boutique to pick up and then drop back off the merchandise you’ll find featured in this issue.

Adding these new responsibilities excites me. No day is the same, and the opportunities allow me to get out in the community, to meet new people, to form new relationships, and to better understand the people we’re writing for. I’ve also decided to really learn how to use the Nikon that Home News Enterprises has given me for use with North. If I’m going to be taking pictures, I want to make sure they’re good ones.

All in all, I had my hands in nearly every aspect of this issue. It feels like a giant accomplishment for me, personally, and for the North magazine team. As always, we have wonderful photography provided to us by our freelance photographers, and well-researched articles created by our writing crew. Amanda, our designer, continues to amaze me with her creative ideas to story design, and Amy goes above and beyond the call of duty to connect with the community’s advertisers and to make sure their needs are being met within these pages. We may be a small, but we are mighty. I hope, after reading the August/September issue of North, that you will agree.

Deadlines & Anniversaries

June 24 2010 - 10:35:02 AM

We’re quickly approaching deadline for North’s August/September issue. This means we’re nailing down the last of our interview subjects, scheduling photo assignments, and editing and designing layouts. The closer we get to our print deadline, the hairier this all seems. But it feels good to be productive, and it feels good to know we have a growing relationship with the northside community. Once done, we’ll be starting the October/November issue—or more specifically—our one-year anniversary issue. It’s a special time for us … to celebrate the great beginning we’ve had, to take stock of where we’ve come from and where we plan to go, to reflect on what we’ve done well and what we could have done better. Please feel free to help us along the way. We’d love to hear what you think, what you want to see us do differently, and what you’d like to see more of in North magazine.

Sherri Cullison Feels the Love

May 20 2010 - 09:13:44 AM

Pardon me, but I’m about to spread a little cheer here. When the temperatures warm, I always find myself a little happier, a little snappier, a little zippier. Maybe it’s because of the many walks I have been afforded in my local park. Or the Zen-ful moments I spent tilling the land behind my kitchen, where now a small vegetable garden grows. Or maybe it’s being able to open my car windows as I cruise the city’s highways. Maybe, just maybe, it’s all that Vitamin D suddenly coursing through my veins.

I believe it’s all those things. And something else. As this issue of North attests, there’s all this stuff to do. And nearly nothing makes me happier than being able to do all that stuff outside. It’s nothing short of wonderful, I tell you.

Across Indiana, you’ll find countless strawberry festivals, antique shows, outdoor flea markets and even an All-American Country Hoedown or two. There are music festivals (Bill Monroe Bean Blossom Bluegrass Music Festival, June 12-19), vintage car events (Goodguys 22nd Annual Hot Rod Nationals, June 11-13), and arts and crafts fairs (Indieana Handicraft Exchange at the Harrison Center, June 12). I’ll be squeezing all of these events—and more—into my schedule. In this issue’s Focus section, we highlighted 12 other festivals and fairs where you can take the family for a little fun this June and July.

In this month’s North, we also got to know the Cluster Busters, one of the oldest car clubs in the nation, which will be hosting a hot rod show in conjunction with Sheridan’s sesquicentennial anniversary celebration this year. You can also find everything you need to know about Madison, home to the much-celebrated Regatta Unlimited Hydroplane Race. The quaint town of Madison offers plenty of options for fine dining, shopping and taking in scenic views—when those speedboats racing past you at almost 200 miles per hour don’t have your attention.

When all is said and done and entered into my ever-filling calendar, what I’m trying to tell you is this: Summer is here. And, listen up, people. It’s music to our ears.

Rain or shine, I’ll see you there!

May 20 2010 - 09:06:54 AM

Seventy-nine degrees. That’s what the weather people predict for Saturday’s high—and I’m ready for it. The sun has been hiding out for much too long now, and yesterday—when I grabbed my coat on the way out the door—I realized I’d had enough already. It’s nearly the end of May. It’s Farmers Market time. I’m tired of these warm-weather teases we’ve been getting. I need a commitment from summer—I need to know it’s here for the long haul. According to www.weather.com, we’re also supposed to see a few a.m. showers on Saturday, but I’m going to remain in denial about that one.

Instead, I plan to rise early and head out to the City Hall parking lot in Carmel, where May 22 kicks off the twelfth season of the Carmel Farmers Market, scheduled to run until Oct. 2. Organizers expect a whole mess of goodness to be on sale this year, including homegrown fruits and vegetables, cheese, dips, and salsa, flowers, baked goods, honey, syrups, and more. Held from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the market will host approximately 50 vendors, with live entertainment also on hand. For more information, visit www.carmelfarmersmarket.com.

Rain or shine, I’ll see you there!

Come say hi …

April 27 2010 - 01:30:40 PM

As the weather warms, we’re heading out and around the northside to better get to know our readers. This weekend, representatives from NORTH magazine will be at two events. Stop by and say hi, take a look through our latest issue of NORTH, and talk to us about what you’d like to see in upcoming issues. Look for the NORTH table at the following events:

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Noon to 3 p.m.

Spring Fling at Clarian North, held in the atrium and north parking lot

 

Sunday, May 2, 2010

2 to 5 p.m.

ACE Party Rentals Bridal Show, held at Lions Park, Zionsville

 

We hope to see you there,

Sherri Cullison

Sherri cleans up her act

March 31 2010 - 09:39:02 AM

My arms hurt. My back moans. And, oh, my aching pride. I spent one of the first warm-weather days of the season tending—in this pathetic, I’m-never-going-to-tackle-this kind of way—to my backyard. The space, which surrounds the west and rear portions of my home and which we shall call a “yard” for lack of a better word, is … well, let’s not beat around this bush any longer … it’s a hot mess.

I’ve allowed last autumn’s fallen leaves to linger for way too long, and Old Man Winter beat on my mature trees so much that dozens of branches dropped—and then went ignored. In my defense, it was much too cold to scurry around, picking up those crazy sticks. Yessiree. I stayed warm this winter, beautiful backyard be damned.

And now I’m in a bit of a pickle.

I’ve made a mountain out of a molehill, you see. Now, when the weather is beautiful and I should be enjoying my increasingly green backyard, I am left with mighty trees to fell and even mightier piles of tree branches to untangle. I have grass to fertilize, leaves to rake, dead weeds to pick and debris to haul … somewhere. My backyard, I do believe, needs to be gutted before anything will be able to grow there.

And these tasks might take me all spring … and summer … and fall … to finish. If all goes well, I’ll be able to enjoy my newly minted and beautiful backyard by, let’s say, December, when all is bare again. Fire pit, here I come—I will need you to stay warm!

Luckily, Indianapolis is rife with providers of all things earthen, and I plan to hire several caretakers of cultivation to get me out of my fix. Thanks to the research of Brett Halbleib and Garrett Kelly for our spring-cleaning story (p. 40), I now know whose expertise I can call upon to liven up my backyard. Even better, when I finish outside, I can hunt down the good souls at Simplified Spaces or California Closets to help me tidy and organize the ever-growing collections of stuff I’ve allowed to gather dust inside my home. (What can I say? I’ve little time for all that—gasp!—upkeep.)

Now if someone could only clean up my attitude.

Blinded by Love

January 26 2010 - 02:45:28 PM

In 2009, I experienced a little bit of heartbreak. I call it “a little bit,” but, honestly, it sure felt like a lot. To heal my many aches and pains, I did the only things I knew to do. I spent time with myself. I read a bunch, I completed some much-needed introspection and then I did a lot of talking—to myself, to my friends, to my family members, even to potential future mates. Through it all, I learned to love life again, even if rather tentatively. And, more importantly, I learned to love myself a little more than before.
     With Valentine’s Day upon us, I began to once again think about this thing called love. Though I now move a tad slower when it comes to affairs of the heart, I still believe in love at first sight. I certainly felt it when, a month or so ago, I accompanied photographer Eddy Price into The Monon Center for a photo shoot. Mere steps inside the front door, I was overcome with a quickened pulse, a tingling sensation in my fingers, and beads of sweat pooling in my palms. I felt weak in the knees, a little nauseous, and it wasn’t a heart attack I was having there. At least not in the general sense.
     Instead, I walked into that recreational center and fell deeply, madly in love. I questioned why all these other people were making use of this special place, which—most assuredly—was created just for me. How could I shoo them away, I silently wondered, so that I might enjoy all 146,000 square feet of its beauty, its state-of-the-art amenities, its indoor aquatics center, its running track and numerous dance studios alone?
     I was in love, all right. And I was feeling rather possessive about it.
     Can you blame me? This newfound relationship was going to leave me fit and trim. There’d be no late-night eating or lazing around on the couch watching bad romantic comedies. Nope. You also wouldn’t find the crushed hearts and self-esteems—nor the accompanying crumpled tissues—that you might see in other relationships. Instead, this love affair would afford me hours on one of the dozens of treadmills or elliptical trainers, quality time spent with one of 14 stationary bicycles, and glorious minutes upon balance balls and stretching mats. I’d swim laps in the 25-yard lane pool. I would joyously glide down water slides. My mind spun with the opportunities for spinning. Oh, the possibilities for this, my new (and finally healthy) relationship!
     I was combing the corridors when Eddy’s voice cut through my daze. “You ready to go?” His query snapped my endorphin-addled brain back to reality. This was it. I had to leave. My newfound love was too good to be true.
     Love blinds us from those little details … like the truth.
     As the editor of North, I often meet interesting folks on Indy’s northside. I visit new restaurants, shop at little-known boutiques and enjoy various attractions in and around Carmel, Fishers and Geist. And, the truth is, with each new visit I fall in love. So much so, in fact, that I am using this issue to tell you all about it.

Life is an adventure

December 1 2009 - 10:27:39 AM

Over the course of several days in late October, I pestered my friend Dan Huffman about a group of us taking a spur-of-the-moment trip east for the weekend. And for good reason. His son Logan has a starring role in the ABC television series, V, which kicked off Nov. 3. Someone had sent Dan a photograph of his son on a giant promotional billboard in New York City’s Times Square. In my mind, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stand there next to my friend, a proud dad, as he looked up at his son’s face in such a monumental place. I can think of no better reason to spend 24 hours in a car just to stand around.

For many reasons—one, because life was already too busy—we didn’t go. But not for my lack of trying. (Sorry, Dan. I know I was a little pesky about it.) It’s just that I have this sense of adventure in me, and, given half a chance, I’ll jump in the car and head out on the highway with only a moment’s notice. What’s the fun in life, after all, without a little spontaneity?

And one person I interviewed for this magazine also reminded me of this. I chose to highlight the Nickel Plate Arts Trail this issue not just because the trail offers plenty of places to shop during the holidays, but also because of this love I harbor for hitting the road. For the article, I gathered a few friends—two of whom, Haley Neale and Eddy Price, were photographers. We all climbed into the car, and I hit the gas. I had no idea who or what we’d see along the trail, but I was ready to find out.

I certainly didn’t expect to meet Gerry Hiatt. Inside a warehouse in Arcadia, Hiatt invited us to look over his many belongings—some treasures from his own storied past. Everything was for sale; some items cost up to a cool 24 grand or so. Each object was unique, thus, the steep prices. Hiatt owns first-edition books by Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and more—many of the books signed by the authors. He possesses a sailboat that once belonged to Eli Lilly, and Hiatt is the current caretaker of a dozen or so taxidermied animal busts (including those of an elephant, a giraffe and a zebra). Nothing I can write here will do all that we found at Lake & Lodge Outfitters (the name of Hiatt’s store) justice. And the 10,000-square-foot building we explored was only one of five warehouses that store the seasoned collector’s stuff.

Everything Hiatt, now 75, has purchased has come from his own adventurous life. A black-and-white photograph on the wall marks a trip he took one summer when he was just 16. Hiatt, along with five friends, set off to examine Indiana’s rivers and lakes with two canoes and little money in tow. Since, his adventure zone has grown to include not just Indiana, but the world. Hiatt has crossed the equator several times. He has traveled to Africa five times. He logged a transatlantic voyage in 1992.

An entire book needs to be written about Gerry Hiatt—not just a short mention of him and his store (which you can find on page 105). But even if we don’t have the pages to dedicate to this man and his many stories, there is an ever-simple moral to his tale: Life’s an adventure. If only we remember to get out once in a while … and live it.

Creating a new magazine

October 6 2009 - 11:00:49 AM

The hours dragged. The midnight oil burned. Our stomachs grumbled. As the creators of a new magazine entering the Indianapolis market, we were hungry. Hungry for information. Hungry for food. 

Lucky for us, then, when the Newcomers Club of Carmel came to our rescue. The group, which serves as a welcome wagon of sorts for newcomers to the city, provided us with fall-inspired recipes to comfort our minds and bodies while we toiled with last-minute changes and page proofs. After all, being the new kid on the block isn’t always so easy. At first, we made our rounds, we joined Chambers of Commerce, we shook hands, we explained our purpose, and we dove in wherever we could, offering to lend an ear or a pen to anyone who might have a story to tell, an acquaintance to profile, a news tip to share. 

Having to start from scratch is something we’re getting used to. Home News Enterprises launched South magazine five years ago to showcase life on the city’s southside. HNE had hoped to produce a magazine that neighbors would embrace—a goal that proved successful. And it’s an ambition we hope to replicate for our northside neighbors.

And to those neighbors: We hope you enjoy all that North has to offer. For this issue, freelance writer Neal Taflinger met up with Denny Thomas, a bartender at The Glass Chimney in Carmel. With more than two decades spent behind the bar, Thomas has become as much of an institution as the popular restaurant itself. Within these pages, readers can also get to know Nikki Sutton, owner of Level Interior Architecture and Design, and catch a glimpse of one of her latest projects, the majestic and modern Shalit residence on the city’s northside. Plus, say hello to two meat men, Joe Lazier and Adam Moody, in a piece by Matt Gonzales on page 94. With these stories, along with articles on home trends, fashion, travel, health and cuisine, there’s a lot of food for thought in our premier issue.

We have so many people to thank for that. Along with our full-time staff, several photographers, writers and contacts in the community came through to help us produce this magazine. And we will always need your help. Feel free to visit our Web site, www.indynorthmag.com, where you will find information on current and future issues, as well as blogs and contact information for our staff and writers. We are committed to remaining relevant and to featuring the great people and stories of the Carmel and Fishers areas within these pages. You are invited to write or call with ideas for stories, features and photo opportunities. We’re always listening. And hungry.

So on behalf of North magazine, we thank you, Newcomers Club of Carmel. Our bellies thank you. Our hearts and minds thank you. And we hope our readers, who can share in your recipes on page 90 of this issue, thank you, too.