November / December 2018

Features

Once Upon a Time

Zipping around in a two-seater sports car always is fun. It is more fun if it is with your first grade teacher — even more fun if she’s taking you around to see some of her favorite storybook homes in Evansville. “If it looks like it could go in an Arthur Rackham fairy-tale book, then it might be a storybook home,” says Deborah Wagemann, local storybook style enthusiast. “To a certain extent, it is a Tudor with some extra flair.” Some call it Disneyesque. Some call it Hansel and Gretel. Some call it a fairy tale.

Arts and Events

Seasoned Dancers

Evansville native Janet Stovall opened Jan’s School of Dance in 1959 when she was just 19 years old after graduating from Bosse High School. Since then, hundreds of dancers have been trained at the studio under various owners in styles like ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, tumble, acro, and hip-hop. In July of last year, Lauren Daniels and her parents Susan and Chuck Daniels purchased Jan’s School of Dance when Lauren also was just 19 years old. She began taking classes at the studio as a little kid and by 17 was teaching her own classes.

Joyfully Crafted

Joyse Rivers has given her creative touch to thousands of greeting cards since 2000. The long-time Evansville resident started Joy Designs with photographs from travels with her husband Nelson. Her dual inspiration came from viewing photo cards in a Santa Fe art gallery and dealing with stacks of excess photos.

Business and Industry

The Spice of Life

The rich aroma of Indian spices wafts through the air as the warm, sweet scent of curry engulfs the senses. These delectable smells and tastes can be found at Bombay Spice Bar and Grill, located off Diamond Avenue, an eatery bringing authentic Indian dishes to Evansville. Owner Jagtar Singh opened the restaurant May 1, 2018, because he noticed the area lacked choices from the cuisine of his heritage.

The Pie Plot

Nothing is sweeter than digging in to a giant slice of your favorite pie, so we gathered some of the nicest slices around town to make your dessert shopping easy as ... well, you get the picture.

Home and Garden

A Home for Hosts

If plenty of space for entertaining is on your “must-have” list, this 6,751-square-foot home off Darmstadt Road will not disappoint. With more than 3 acres of land nestled against a 5-acre lake, the possibilities for outdoor adventures and family memories are endless. “This home offers the purchasers a backdrop for the perfect entertainment paradise,” says Janice Miller, the listing agent with ERA First Advantage Realty, Inc.

Chew On This

Chew On This

Mr. Bubble Tea, 503 N. Green River Road, now is open and pouring up Asian beverages like bubble tea and boba. The Wine Down, 8666 Ruffian Lane, Newburgh, IN, is open and offers a wide range of wine with appetizers, light dishes, and desserts. A new bakery has opened in Newburgh, Indiana, Because Bread, 300 W. Jennings St., Newburgh, IN, baking up breads, pastries, and desserts. Nibbles

Epilogue

A Historic Honor

Stanley Madison, founder and chairman of the Lyles Station Historic Preservation Group, recently recieved recognition for his long dedication to the Lyles Station Consolidated School. This fall, Indiana Landmarks bestowed Madison with the Williamson Prize for outstanding individual leadership in preservation.

Encyclopedia Evansvillia

Uphill Push

For years Thanksgiving Day has been linked with sports. In Evansville, that has not been an exception.

Education

Kings of the Court

If anyone disproves the common adage “Those who can’t do, teach,” it is the four head coaches for the men’s and women’s basketball programs at the University of Evansville and the University of Southern Indiana. In fact, the coaches do everything in the name of team building for their players and the community. Walter McCarty

Cultivating Care

Fifteen years ago the idea of a learning garden planted itself in the heads of Caze Elementary School faculty and Southwestern Indiana Master Gardeners Association members. Recently, the school set this plan into motion. “These kids need to know the community cares about them,” says Samantha Potts, social worker at Caze Elementary School, located at South Green River Road and Pollack Avenue. From hauling bricks and planting various vegetables to raising caterpillars and releasing them as butterflies, students harvest more than produce.

Good Living

Tidings of Joy

The small town of Santa Claus, Indiana, is known for family fun at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, but it also is beloved by children sending Christmas lists to Santa. The town receives more than 20,000 letters to Santa every year with more than 200 volunteer “elves” spreading Christmas cheer and responding to each and every letter sent in from believers across the world.

Real News

As a self-proclaimed book person, it is no surprise Keach Hagey wrote one of her own. Her new work “King of Content” explores the life and story of Sumner Redstone, majority-voting shareholder of media companies CBS Corporation and Viacom.

Homage to the Brave

Each November brings about a time of remembrance for those who fought and served in the U.S. armed forces. Throughout Evansville’s cemeteries, many markers can be found indicating a person’s service to our country, including markers made of marble and granite. Oak Hill and Locust Hill cemeteries both lay claims to military plots, where rows of the white headstones rest.

Dining

Near and Deer

Chuck Johnson has been working in the restaurant industry for 26 years. His first restaurant job was at Turoni’s right before he turned 16, and now he is the owner of Deerhead Sidewalk Café.

Cuppa Grog

While the chilly fall weather ushers in all things pumpkin spice, Donut Bank rolls out a coffee blend pulling inspiration from the Scottish Highlands. The Highlander Grog roasted coffee blend finds its way onto the menus of Donut Bank’s nine locations throughout the Tri-State in November and December. “It has delicious fall flavors of caramel, butterscotch, maple, and vanilla,” says Donut Bank administrative assistant Kaylea Gibson. “It’s the perfect cup for watching the leaves change.”

Turkey Stack

I was raised to not be wasteful. “Leftovers” were the next day’s lunch. When dealing with extra food, a bit of creativity is necessary in order to achieve the same culinary delight as the first time — especially with Thanksgiving. In this biscuit sandwich recipe, I’ve taken the salty/savory side of a turkey dinner and paired it with the delightfully sweet tang of fresh cranberry sauce and richness of a southern-style biscuit. For the biscuit, any southern-style recipe or canned biscuits will do. I leave the stuffing and gravy to your discretion.

Historic Preservation

No Finer Diner

For those on the hunt for a good item to fill your home with a one-of-a-kind story, Salvage Candy is right up your street. Their inventory is stocked with many aged antiquities (think doors, windows, and bars) dating back to the late 1800s, waiting for the right person to come along and give them new life.

Trim the Tree

As the turkey and fixings are put away after Thanksgiving, many families dig straight into the Christmas spirit by purchasing one of the most festive decorating pieces of the season — a Christmas tree. And in Evansville on the West Side, the most popular stop for fresh balsam pine, Frasier firs, and Christmas wreaths is Boy Scout Troop 399’s lot on the grounds of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The idea for the tree lot began decades ago with troop leader Bert Miller, a legend of Troop 399 according to current leader Roger Nurrenbern.

Collectibles

Home for the Holidays

When Dennis and Marcia Au purchased their Downtown Evansville home on Southeast Second Street in 1998, it was in complete disrepair. After extensive renovations and remodeling, however, the home will be a stop on the Old Evansville Historic Association Christmas Home Tour.