May / June 2012

Like his father, George, Ben Skiadas can work the front room. He is the perfect restaurateur for the kind of place that is the Famous Bistro on Second Street in Owensboro, Ky. The 28-year-old Ben, who now manages the bistro

I visited Café Arazu in downtown Newburgh, Ind., on a recent Saturday evening on a mission to try the coconut shrimp in sweet curry sauce over white basmati rice. I quickly learned this is not a regular menu selection. It’s

During the summer months in cities and towns along the Ohio River and throughout the area, not a week goes by without scores of amazing festivals taking place. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the weekends are filled with arts,

Logan Hass admits to a slight fear of heights. When the 23-year-old flight instructor began taking flying lessons at 16, the fear dissipated. “It’s like a drug,” he says. “Once you do it, you’re either hooked or you’re not.” With

In 1922, when their husbands joined the Kiwanis Club of Evansville, 23 women found a way to meet independently for fellowship and to engage in their own local civic projects. They created the Sinawik Club of Evansville (Kiwanis spelled backward),

One of our most basic needs, from infancy on, is to be touched. A newborn is touched, swaddled, and held not only for the practical purpose of comfort or holding body heat in, but more importantly for the tactile stimulation

More than three years have passed since Marine Corps veteran Erik Goodge’s squad was hit by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Afghanistan, leaving three dead and him with a shattered eye socket and cheek bone, a fractured

Since we started dating a year ago, my new wife (as of February), Kat, and I have made the Sunday drive an integral part of our weekly “us” regimen. We both brought children into our relationship — two daughters, ages

Terry Friedman dreamed of bringing a professional golf event to his beloved Victoria National Golf Club when he hired famed designer Tom Fazio to transform the former Warrick County strip mine into a diamond for golfers. Not just any golf

This year’s early spring has me excited about picnic outings. Evansville has great parks and other sites worthy of hosting a lovely outdoor meal. I want to upgrade the picnic concept without adding to the workload. Keep it simple: flavors,

Thanks to the stylish and effective Zoku Quick Pop Maker, the wait for the neighborhood ice-cream truck is over. Zoku’s patented design uses no electricity, and freezes ice pops (including the cream variety) in as little as seven minutes. Store

Firehouse Subs Firehouse Hero Premium roast beef, smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham, and melted provolone. Served “fully involved” loaded with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a dill spear on the side. First Impression The bread was warm, soft,

Spring arrived early in a meteorological sense across the United States, as well as in an astronomical sense, making its earliest appearance since 1896. The vernal equinox — the first day of spring — occurred March 20, a day or

At the end of a winding, paved driveway in a picturesque McCutchanville, Ind., neighborhood sits the enchanting home pottery studio of North Carolina native Denise Peyronnin, who moved to Evansville in 1994 to become the executive director of YMCA Camp

The new ottoman pouf pillows at The Red Poppy embrace style, comfort, and sophistication while adding a burst of color to every room. Making a slow comeback over the past four years, the ottoman is no longer just an accessory

It began with silk flowers, 35 years ago, as a business venture on West Virginia Street by Charles and Anna Mae Haury, a couple passionate about home decoration. Gehlhausen Floral, once an arts and crafts supplies store, now commands a

Barefoot Cottage owner Beth Martin purchased her favorite item of furniture, a relic storage cabinet, painted light green with a half dozen shelves, two years ago at a flea market during one of two annual festivals in Maeystown, Ill. The

Materials: • Planter box • Wire hardware cloth (1/2-inch mesh) • Light mixture of soil • Wire cutter • Staple gun with staples • Garden gloves • Variety of succulent plants to fill the plante Vertical Garden: Vertical succulent gardens

For many people, it’s a driver’s license. Or a cap and gown. A first apartment. It is a rite of passage into another stage of life. For my wife, Jane, and me, it’s a teardrop trailer. I tell people it

Spring came early this year. The leafy canopy that shades Evansville’s city streets from the summer heat already is mid-June dense – in early May. Astronomically speaking, the vernal equinox arrived earlier this year than it has in more than

Jake’s Wayback Burgers (115 Cross Pointe Blvd.) opened just off of the Lloyd Expressway near the Drury Inn & Suites East. A success so far, owners Phil Dzienciol and Dave Johnson say they’ve heard nothing but compliments on their customer

When more than 1,000 guests arrive at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari on May 19, they won’t be there just to ride The Voyage, 2011’s No. 1 Wooden Roller Coaster on the Planet, or to partake in the free unlimited

They’re blue — and they’re back. Next month, Blue Man Group returns to Evansville at The Centre’s Aiken Theatre for a Broadway series performance that showcases the Group’s unique musical talent. Evansvillians may recall this bald trio’s 2007 performance at

Once a year, when night falls on Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden, the family-friendly venue that’s known for its youth centric events — Boo at the Zoo, Stroller and Wagon Parade, and Or-Kid Escape, to name a few —

In the earliest days of white settlement in the Evansville region, one of the most harrowing stories unfolded in the life of a child named Isaac Knight, for whom Knight Township was named years later. The story reads like a

For 85 years, the Evansville Rescue Mission’s Camp Reveal has built upon the faith, commitment, and love for youth of its founder, Ernest “Pappy” Reveal. Staples of the summer camp, from horseback riding to zip lining, have long captured the

The Hydrangea is a wonderful shrub to fill space and add a pop of color. This gardeners’ favorite is a dependable choice for almost any garden, and new selections are being introduced that offer a broad range of color and

During a Thursday morning gathering in early April, Gerald Summers faced an audience with some tough questions. That same afternoon, he received word that he had received a national award for dealing with those tough questions — and finding solutions

Pura vida — that’s Costa Rica. Translated, it means “pure life,” but it is more — it’s like our “cool,” or the Jamaican “don’t worry, be happy.” It means “life is good,” and in Costa Rica, that’s usually the case.

In trademarked style, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville destinations offer guests a vibrant, relaxing getaway adorned in all things tropical. The festive theme is carried through each of Buffett’s 14 establishments, from Las Vegas to Cancun, Mexico. Although far from these warm

Ever since he was a child, Aaron Tanner loved the arts. “I never had any interest in sports, but I was always creating or drawing something,” says the freelance designer. As a former business owner of graphic design firm Semisans,

The history of Arabic fez hats is quite extensive, and serious, too, despite how comical a red, cylindrical felt hat with a long black tassel looks atop the neatly parted hair and distinctly Caucasian face of Matt Rowe, the director

We were out at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Ind., for the United Leasing Championship to provide daily coverage of the tournament as well as exclusive interviews. Round Four: July 1, 2012 A Dramatic Finish Peter Tomasulo wins United

To show how stories in our May/June 2012 issue fit into the broader context of world events, this edition of Link Up brings the Internet to you. No Google search required. Worldwide Festivities Out feature story, “Get Festive,” offers a