Life + Culture

Shining a Light

Carmel Celebrates Its Many Vibrant Cultures Article by Amy Adams When I was a kid, there was a Coca-Cola ad this time of year where people from all walks of life joined hands and harmonized, “I’d like to teach the world to sing.” Though I am no longer under the assumption that a drink or a song can bring world peace, the sentiment has stayed with me. I see it alive and well right here in Carmel. For many locals, the holidays are synonymous with Christkindlmarkt which celebrates the German...

Life + Culture

The Giving Machine

Like Santa's Sleigh, It's Shiny, Red and Full of Gifts Article by Amy Adams The red vending machine is back at Clay Terrace this holiday season, but it doesn't offer drinks, snacks or stocking stuffers. Instead, the Giving Machine provides a convenient way to give to those who need it most.  Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Giving Machines in 106 locations across the world allow people to purchase and donate items ranging from $5 to $250 and from baby items to...

Arts + Culture

Making A List, Checking It Twice

Kits & Kaboodle Shares Award-Winning Toys That Will Be In Santa's Sack This Year Article by Amy Adams | Photography by Brianna Richardson Photography Each year, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association selects finalists for the ASTRA Star Toy Awards, and winners are voted on by neighborhood toy stores, including Carmel’s Kits & Kaboodle. Here, owner Teneen Dobbs’ recommends award-winning toys for babies all the way up to “kidults.”  Air Toobz from Fat Brain Toys —This STEM toy...

Arts + Culture

gift giving: All Wrapped Up!

The Westfield Wrapper Shares Her Gift Article by Amy Adams | Photography by Brianna Richardson Photography Ribbons and bows. Tags and tape. So much goes into wrapping the perfect present.  Amber Blakley should know. She’s been doing it since she was 10.  Growing up in Carmel, Blakley started learning how to wrap gifts as a fifth grader through Hamilton County 4-H.  “Never in that time did I think I’d be doing this as a career,” Blakley says. However, when she found herself without a job...

Entertainment

5 MUST SEE Holiday Shows

It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas Article by Amy Adams 1. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Civic Theatre 11/29 to 12/24, The Tarkington  2. Enjoy the Holly Days Indianapolis Wind Symphony 12/8, 4 PM, The Palladium 3. A Viennese Christmas and A Holiday in Vienna Carmel Symphony Orchestra 12/15, 2 PM & 7 PM, The Palladium  4. Handel’s Messiah Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra 12/19, 7:30 PM, The Palladium 5. Festival of...

Food + Beverage

Turkey: Take Two

Chef Jack's Cranberry Compote Adds To Your Thanksgiving Meal and Takes Leftovers Up a Notch Article by Taist Chef Jack’s Cranberry Compote ingredients: 2 cups (200g) fresh washed cranberries or thawed frozen cranberries ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar 4 tablespoons citrus juice (Try clementine or tangerine!) Zest from half a larger citrus fruit or whole small fruit ½ teaspoon vanilla extract directions: Stir ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and...

Wellness

Putting Pen to Paper

Take a Thirty Day Thankfulness Challenge And Put Your Gratitude in Writing This Thanksgiving Season Article and Photography by Amy Adams Thanksgiving offers us the opportunity to count our blessings. But beyond thinking about what makes us thankful, writing about it can be even more beneficial. Try a Thirty Day Thankfulness Challenge and see how putting your gratitude in writing can improve your wellbeing and even bless others in the process. Here are several ideas for expressing your...

Health + Wellness

Best Face Foward

From Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery to Aesthetic Treatments, Dr. Emily Hrisomalos and Her Staff Help Patients Celebrate the Skin They're In Article by Amy Adams | Photography by Logan Clark (Thynk Creative) Dr. Emily Hrisomalos is one of a select group of double board-certified facial plastic surgeons. She specializes in reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries of the face and neck.  Hrisomalos feels as if she owes a debt of gratitude to wonderful mentors throughout her childhood. “Being...

Life + Culture

A Life Lived in Service

Retired General Works to Make Life Better For Veterans Article by Amy Adams | Photography by Brianna Richardson Photography General James Bauerle has committed his life to serving our nation, and that commitment didn’t end when he retired in 2000.    The Past Having grown up on the southside of Indianapolis, Bauerle was drafted in 1968 during the Vietnam War. He retired 32 years later as the commanding general of the 88th Regional Support Group. During that time, Bauerle graduated from...

Food + Beverage

Drinking Up Good Vibrations

Refreshing and Unique, Bollygood Serves Up a Modern Twist on a Traditional Indian Drink Article by Amy Adams | Photography by Brianna Richardson Photography Carmel resident Maxine Henderson spent her childhood summers with her large extended family in southern India, where her parents grew up. Her memories are filled with the tantalizing sights, sounds and tastes of those summers in India. “One of the drinks I fell in love with was Nimbu Pani,” Henderson says. “It’s a beverage known for...