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January / February 2015

Evansville Living

Best of Evansville 2015

The writing is officially on the wall and the readers of Evansville Living have spoken. Each year our readers cast ballots and we, as editors of the magazine, share some favorites, too, as we learn the people, restaurants, stores, and

Snow Men

Scot Wichser, a Darmstadt, Indiana, native who still calls the incorporated town in Vanderburgh County home, watches a lot of weather online and on television and reads — and puts stake in — “The Old Farmer’s Almanac.” It’s part of

You Had Me at Recliner

While researching times for the latest installment of “The Hobbit,” I had so many choices: stadium, 3D, IMAX, and the Royal Suite. Watching a movie in a recliner while someone brings me food and drinks — where do I sign

Let There Be Light

More than a century ago, when the bricks that paved the streets in the residential area just east of Downtown were still new, gaslights burned each night, providing a soft, yellow glow for the surrounding homes. Over time, those lights

Giving Back

Eight years ago, Old National Bank, headquartered in Evansville at 1 Main St., set out to offer more charitable help to the communities it serves. Already a philanthropic-minded corporation, its new CEO, Bob Jones, wanted to see its contributions expanded,

Like Father, Like Son

When Scott Poynter’s father Jack died in 1994, Scott pledged to not only take over his father’s business but his dream of its success. In 1978, Jack opened The Glass Factory of Owensboro, Kentucky, as a part-time business while he

Restoring ‘The Farm’

When Meg Diekmann realized her husband’s grandparents’ farmhouse in western Vanderburgh County was to be theirs — for her and Doug to restore and in which to raise their three boys — she immediately thought of filling it with lots

Secret Recipe

If secrets pique your interest, Sarah Bruggeman, the pastry chef at Vecchio’s Italian Market & Delicatessen, will have your mouth watering. She refuses to reveal the recipe for the chocolate ginger cookies, which are the most popular cookies sold at

Out of the Vault

The Vault 329 has an extensive bar and a menu as rich as the venue’s history. Evansville native Chris Calhoun owns the Downtown restaurant and says the diversity of his other restaurants is evident on The Vault 329’s menu. Next

Cooking Up Some Light

You’d probably assume Dan Nix knows a thing or two about making beef kabobs. After all, Nix owns Western Ribeye & Ribs on Evansville’s East Side. And if you’d like to know his secret recipe, all it will cost you

How We Roll

When I entertain, I like to keep things simple. That way it’s easier to execute everything on time before and after the guests arrive. But that doesn’t mean the flavors still can’t be complex, even with so-called “party food.” Reducing

Perfect Combination

Soups and sandwiches — it’s a combination that rivals some of the greats — salt and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, and cheese and crackers. In Southern Indiana, we embrace this pairing at our many local and chain restaurants that

Mapping History

Like most cities, Evansville is made up of neighborhoods. From the long-forgotten Babytown to the often-discussed Jacobsville, the city’s history comes from its small but distinct districts. For the first time, the Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development, with help from

Center of Attention

Building a Legacy

When it first opened to students in September 1965, Indiana State University Evansville was cramped inside the old Centennial Elementary School building, constructed in 1876 on Evansville’s West Side. A total of 412 students enrolled that year in an experiment

Editor's Letter

Market Research

I hope the year 2015 is off to a great beginning for you. Again this year we bring you the Best of Evansville. This is the 16th year of publication (Volume 16, Issue 1 is printed on the spine); with

Chew On This

Chew On This

Salad World Grill and Deli East, 724 N. Burkhardt Road, is now open. The location serves salads, wraps, potatoes, chicken dishes, soups, and more. La Cabana, 821 S. Green River Road, has reopened to offer authentic Mexican entrees and seafood.

Chew On This

Ambartaj (4951 W. Lloyd Expressway) is now open on Evansville’s West Side. The Indian restaurant serves lunch and dinner buffets daily and offers carry-out and catering. Fester’s Sportsbar & Grill (10301 Old Highway 62 E., Mount Vernon, IN) opened in

Check It Out

Night at the Gala

Each year, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church Annual Gala grows bigger — and better — says Christine Gilles. “It’s actually a lot of fun,” says Gilles, Holy Rosary’s volunteer and stewardship director. “Everyone looks forward to it every year, and

Swing and Shag

Evansville resident Tammy Jacobs and fellow members of the Evansville River City Bop Club wanted to bring a dance convention to Evansville. Similar events are common in bigger cities like Nashville and Louisville, but nothing like it had ever taken

Epilogue

TV Goes to the Internet

The last time we checked in with Marx Pyle, he was helping make movies like “Silence of the Belle” and Michael Rosenbaum’s “Back in the Day” in Newburgh, Indiana. But the independent filmmaker has plenty of his own work to

Encyclopedia Evansvillia

Walk This Way

One has to be at least 60 years old to remember driving Evansville’s Main Street as a two-way thoroughfare with four lanes, regular streetlights, and lighted department store windows lining the wide street. Main between Second Street and what was

Evansville Centric

Preserving History

Evansville Hose House No.9 was once manned entirely by African-Americans. Zerah Priestly Carter was the first African-American woman to graduate from Evansville College in 1938. George Buckner was born to a slave woman, but later came to Evansville to serve

Digging In

A New Season

I have a client who some people might refer to as a plant hoarder if they saw the amount of plants delivered to his house on a yearly basis. I like to refer to him as a “plant collector,” but

Departments

The Living Record

Father Time eventually catches up with us all. Every year, we mourn the passing of members of our community who have made contributions to their jobs, their families, to civic organizations, and much more. And it is altogether appropriate that,

On the Water

When the Great Chicago Fire raged furiously, killing 300 people in early October 1871, more than 100,000 residents were left homeless. Chicago residents found refuge 90 minutes north in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The first recorded sighting of Lake Geneva, which

Culture

Silent Strength

Behind the political force of Frank Underwood on the Netflix original series “House of Cards” is the stoic and ever-present force of Edward Meechum. University of Evansville alumnus Nathan Darrow plays Meechum, a U.S. Capitol Police officer assigned to protect

On With the Show

A slice of New York City culture has made its way to the big screen in Evansville — but it’s far from the only way to get some world-class viewing opportunities on the local big screen. Even as huge blockbusters dominate

Creating

Seeking Serenity

One glance around textile artist Laura Foster Nicholson’s studio reveals her love for fabrics. Pieces of cloth, thread, and draperies occupy every corner. As she apologizes for the mess of her creative workspace, the Chicago native says she finds her

Online Exclusives

Cover Model

When we asked WEHT and WTVW Eyewitness News Meteorologist Ron Rhodes to be photographed for the cover of Evansville Living, little did he know that he was voted the Most Colorful Community Character in the Best of Evansville 2015 contest.