November / December 2017

Eat, Drink, & Be Merry

The fall and winter months are about gathering — whether it is for family holidays, out-of-town visitors, or long-time friends, one thing is for certain: we like to get together during this time of year. No matter the guests, occasion, or season, everyone wants to throw a fabulous party. But putting together a get-together can be a tad stressful. Have you invited more people than usual this year? Maybe you’re throwing a soiree for the first time? Or perhaps you’re looking for ways to impress those family and friends who are used to the same dishes each year?

Into the Woods

The plans for Nathan and Noelle Mominee’s dream home were not ones that were finished quickly. In fact, the couple took the better part of three years putting their ideal home down on paper before they even found a site to build. “I tell people when designing homes, ‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and design something until you find your land.’ But I had the idea of the land I wanted, so I had the cart in front of the horse,” says Nathan. “The whole time our intention was to find something with some woods and trails.”

Ring in the Season

There’s nothing quite so welcoming as a beautiful wreath hanging on your door. The history of wreaths dates back to ancient Rome and Greece when the decoration was worn to indicate occupation, rank, and achievements — back then, laurel was the most commonly used element.

Wild Card

If you ask Peggy Kincaid how long she’s been a member of the Evansville Duplicate Bridge Club, she’ll say not that long. Ask anyone else, and they’ll inform you Kincaid has been a member for 12 to 15 years — at least. Her membership in the bridge club, however, is nothing compared to how long she’s played the card game. The 96 year old learned as a child from her father. She’s been playing ever since.

Driving Miss Winnie

Brian Wildeman hardly can sit at an intersection these days without drivers shouting out compliments about his new ride. The new addition to his landscape business Wilde Horticulture isn’t new at all. It’s a fully restored 1949 Chevrolet 6400 farm truck named Winnie. “People always say, ‘It reminds me of my dad,’ ‘It reminds me of my grandpa,’ or ‘I learned how to drive on that car,’” he says. “It really brings back those memories.”

Spring to Life

Wander into the courtyard of McGary Middle School on a fall or spring Wednesday afternoon and you will see kids running through sprinklers, pulling weeds, loading wheelbarrows, and picking vegetables from various garden beds. The students are part of McGary’s Garden Club founded and run by Soozi Scheller, an inclusion English, resource, and special education teacher for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Scheller began the club in 2012, which was awarded the City Beautiful Award by Keep Evansville Beautiful that same year.

Home Spirits

What is a broke college kid supposed to do when he wants good vodka but can afford only cheap spirits? In Adam Quirk’s case, he infused his own. “I would buy cheap vodka and filter it through a Brita pitcher, then infuse it with fresh fruit, spices, things like that,” says the Evansville native who has a passion for distilling spirits.

Fall Flavors

Oh no, summer’s over! No more farm fresh veggies and produce for another six months at least. Can I keep up my healthy eating trend without these choices? Of course. Fall not only comes with all things pumpkin and delightful cool nights to warm yourself by a campfire, it also has a seasonality that is fantastic.

Raising the Steaks

When Harold and Carolyn Nix opened Western Ribeye in 1975 at 1401 N. Boeke Road, the menu offered only small, medium, or large rib-eye steaks; baked potatoes; and a salad bar — only the second offered in the city of Evansville. “In 1975, that was enough to be a good steakhouse,” says David Nix, who now owns the restaurant along with his brother Dan after taking over from their parents. “One of the things we’ve seen now is you really have to have something for almost everybody.”

Breakfast of Champions

On a Tuesday night in February, Renee and José Jimenez quietly opened Nellie’s Restaurant in Newburgh, Indiana, without any announcement. The next day, the restaurant was bombarded by eager customers lined out the door and starved for a taste of the town’s newest spot. The restaurant has remained popular since its opening earlier this year, serving home-style favorites like chicken and waffles, French toast, breakfast skillets, breaded tenderloin, pork chops, and rib-eye steaks.

Expanded Experience

EVSC Foundation executive director Maureen Barton finds she is challenged by narrowing the foundation’s purpose into a one-minute speech to new people. “We are not a one-issue, student benefit organization,” she says. “We tackle everything from poverty and hardships to professional development for educators.”

Best Guests

What was the most memorable party you’ve ever been to or hosted? Now, think of that question as you ponder the “Party of the Century,” Truman Capote’s famous Black and White Ball held on Nov. 28, 1966, to honor Katherine Graham, president of the Washington Post and Newsweek, and to mark Capote’s success with, “In Cold Blood.”

Cosmic Wonder

The temperature was a hot and humid 93 degrees in Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, on Monday, Aug. 21. Only a few minutes out of the car, I already was sweating as I, Staff Photographer Zach Straw, and Marketing and Circulation Coordinator Jordan Evans trudged up the inclines of the state park, hoping to find a place on one of the bluffs overlooking the Ohio River.

Christmas on Main

In a time before malls and online shopping, the holiday season in Evansville meant you were in need of a trip Downtown. The stores were not only for Christmas shopping, but also places to see holiday window displays and decorations. In the early 20th century the season kicked off with the openings of Toyland in stores along Main Street. Beginning in 1902, both The Boston Store and Lahr Bacon had competing Toylands. Competition escalated in 1913, when The Boston Store advertised that “a real live Santa Claus is in our Toyland every day.”

Fighting an Epidemic

The U.S. is in the midst of a public health crisis that kills approximately 142 people every day (1), sparking an epidemic on a local, state, and national level. The culprit is opioids.

Florida Pearl

The Sound of Christmas

After the Thanksgiving feast is cleared away, telltale signs appear proving it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Whether it’s the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual Peppermint Pops, Bunny Bread Candy Cane Express, Handel’s “Messiah,” or Evansville Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker,” the philharmonic’s Christmas shows have become classic traditions for many area families.

Music Notes

Melodic Virtue has been a name Aaron Tanner has recycled since his early forays into creative businesses. It began with a record label, which quickly turned into a graphic design business. Now, it continues as Tanner steps into the world of book publishing.

Mystery Solved

Caroline Fardig had a bit of a problem — every time she finished reading a book, she found herself thinking of how she would have ended the story instead. “I was doing that over and over again,” says the Boonville native and University of Evansville graduate. “That was part of my push to start writing — to see what I could do with an idea.”

Hang On

From framing to spacing, there is much to consider before hanging a piece of artwork and putting a hole in your wall. “There are a lot of rules to follow if you go down that rabbit hole of Googling things,” says Andrea Adams, gallery director at the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana. “But sometimes it’s just how does this make you feel when you’re looking at it as a whole.” The general rule of thumb is to hang the midpoint of a piece 60 inches above the ground, which is a happy medium for most audiences.

Culture Club

Stuff makes a big difference — especially when you are selling a home or trying to move into a new one. As my close friends know, I have a lot of stuff in my garage. It’s not a maze of Rubbermaid storage containers stacked precariously to the ceiling with holiday decorations and the family’s least important material possessions, but a curated collection of keepsakes, family heirlooms, local history, humorous oddities, and pop cultural ephemera.

Nothing Bundt The Best!

Professional caterer Denise Rapp mixed up several delicious dishes for our cover shoot of the November/December issue. One particular recipe that intrigued our taste buds was her Pumpkin Bundt Cake. We asked Rapp to share her recipe with us, which she was more than happy to provide. You can upgrade your holiday celebrations this season with tips and tricks from Rapp and others in our feature “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!” on newsstands now!