Saving the Schoolhouse

Love this place, love this woman, love that I got to do this story: Garden Thyme

Rallying Point

I was lucky to be able to do a story on one of the most amazing people I know, Fritz Mills.  Go here to read Fritz's story. Rallying Point

Going Strong--Crossfit Indy North has come a long way since its beginnings in a garage

I wrote this fascinating cover story for this week's Current in Noblesville. 

A long road behind him (Jan. 11)

Noblesville businessman battles back from a brain tumor

Constantly Creating--Artist Adam Parsons depicts his world and imagination in many ways

Adam Parsons : http://issuu.com/currentpublishing/docs/cin_010411/1

A Dream Fulfilled

Longtime employee Mikki Perrine now owns and operates Ginger's Cafe

Mikki Perrine was one of the first employees of Ginger's Cafe.  Now she's making her mark as the restaurant's new owner. 

The Noblesville native took over Ginger's in September in order to ensure it remained locally owned.  Call it fate, call it serendipity, call it what you will; the events that lead to Mikki Perrine becoming the owner of Ginger’s Café have all added up to the fulfillment of a dream.
Her discovery of the restaurant dates back to two years ago, when the café had just opened. Perrine was next door at the hair salon getting her hair cut when she saw the sign and decided to check it out for lunch.

“I fell in love with the place,” she said.

So Perrine, a mother of two, decided to apply for a job.

“I just came in to help out, the hours were good with my kids,” Perrine said. She has enjoyed working as a waitress at the café ever since.

Earlier this year, Perrine heard rumors that Ginger's previous owners might close or sell the café and said she was heartbroken by the thought of the restaurant closing or losing local ownership. So, Perrine did what she had to do to ensure that wouldn't happen.

“I decided to give it a whirl and put my name in a hat.”

She recalls telling the owners that if they were serious about selling it, she might be serious about buying it. Three days later, while on a business trip to Dallas for her other job as a Homemade Gourmet representative, Perrine got the call.

“I got an offer I just couldn’t refuse,” she said with a smile. After talking it over with her husband, John, she became the new owner of the café she loves.

“I’ve not looked back,” she said. “It’s just been fabulous. This is something I always wanted to do, but never thought I could, financially and otherwise. They (the previous owners) had laid the groundwork for me, and I was able to come in here and do that part that I love to do: take care of the customer.”

Having very limited restaurant experience prior to working at Ginger’s didn’t deter Perrine. She had worked at Jim Dandy’s as a teenager, but that was the extent of it. However, Jackie Bolden, who has been the restaurant’s original and current manager, said Perrine's transition from waitress to owner was seamless.

"It's worked out really well--for our customers, for us as employess,"  Bolden said.  "I'm much more the bookkeeping side, she's the people person....Half the customers didn't know, so we just went around and told thm 'Well, you know, Mikki is the owner now.'"
It’s evident that Perrine loves people and loves what she does.

“I love to eat and I love to cook!” she said with a laugh.

From the mismatched dining table and chairs that span generations, to the Noblesville memorabilia, vintage license plates and quilts that adorn the walls, to the great customer service and food, the café feels warm and comforting.

“I just love the people that come in. I want people to step back in time a little bit, not have to worry about what’s going on their life. Just come in and have a nice meal, visit with friends, and make some new ones.”


Dedicated to Service
For as much fun as she has, Perrine is serious about providing a special dining experience. How far will Perrine go? She related her latest big cooking venture:
“I spent the night here the Sunday before Thanksgiving cooking turkeys. I know there are people that don’t have a whole lot of family here, or who would be traveling, or had family that maybe wouldn’t be here on Thanksgiving.”
Perrine wanted them to be able to experience a homecooked Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, so she served the Thanksgiving meals for the three days before Thanksgiving.
“We have a tiny kitchen, so I had to cook the turkeys at night.”
“But it’s ok,” she added, after revealing that she slept on the floor. “I also got some paperwork done and was lulled to sleep by Karen Carpenter.

Ginger’s Café Info
Open 7AM-2PM seven days a week
Breakfast is served all day
Daily Lunch Specials
Sunday Specials
Breakfast with Santa December 20 from 9-11AM
Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
1804 E. Conner Street (located behind McDonald’s)
773.0303
http://www.gingerscafe.net/

Ginger’s Café Trivia
Ginger’s Café is named after the original owners’ best friend, whose name is Virginia, nicknamed Ginger.
Opened two years ago this month
Noblesville paintings and other memorabilia adorn the walls
Mikki Perrine plans to add her extensive cookbook and rolling pin collection to the Café in the new year
The Ginger’s Egg Breakfast (eggs, meat, homefries, homemade biscuit and gravy all for $7.95) is really popular

Current Online

Soul Man: Cicero jazz guitarist digs deep to evoke a certain sound and feel in his music

By Krista Bocko

Current in Noblesville

His father provided the tools and his mother offered the advice.

And guitarist Steve Newby added the passion for music that would drive him to live each day to the fullest.

“Enjoy now,” says Newby, the Cicero man who will display his musical talents in a return appearance to Noble Coffee and Tea Co., Friday night. “I play music, and, if I get hit by a car crossing the street on the way home, I hope the show was good.”

Growing up in Lapel, Newby was one of six children born to James and Mary Newby. His father had the philosophy that if there were musical instruments around the house, the kids would learn them. His mother said, “Stevie, get in there and learn to play that guitar.”

At age 11, that’s exactly what he did.

The self-taught musician was fortunate to have been around some talented musicians at a young age. Influenced initially by country guitarist Chet Atkins, he eventually shifted to jazz musicians such as Lee Ritenour, Earl Klugh, Martin Taylor and Brian Setzer.

One of the reasons for Newby’s penchant for jazz is the improv aspect of it. Forget about theory. Forget about the American heritage of it all. A jazz musician doesn’t play like that, says Newby.

“It’s literally right off your head,” he explains. “There’s a chord chart. But all that stuff you hear? Most of that’s not written. One guy I played with did an 11-minute solo. There’s no way (it was written down). That music would go from here to the river. You just let it go from your soul.”

A favorite on the Indy jazz scene, Steve Newby and Conversation Pieces first played in Cicero Coffee Company more than 20 years ago. Coffee shops such as the welcoming coffee shop on the square remain a favorite venue.

Donning tuxes and with the promise of delivering a show “so fresh it’s still wet,” drummer John Schilk and jazz organist and Westfield native Chris Bales will join Newby Friday.

There’ll be no admission charge for the show, and the band will be playing for free.

“Everybody does it because they just like to do it,” Newby says. “When you walk into a club or a coffee shop, you’re getting musicians who play because they want to be here. They have a story.”

The story is an important element to Newby and it’s reflected in his music.

“I try to capture a very heartfelt rendering of the music,” he says. “Most have a very deep meaning, either from the words or something that triggered that through something in my life. Life’s journey has offered me times that weren’t so good, like all of us.”

“When I play certain songs it evokes a certain feeling in me. I’m able to capture that exact feeling, and I’ve surrounded myself with people who have stories also.”

Newby will introduce a new song, “There Will Never Be another You,” Friday night. First published in 1942, it was written by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon for the musical "Iceland” and has been recorded by many, including Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra. Newby’s rendition will be an arrangement with improv as inspired by jazz creativity.

Guests will also hear “The Nearness of You,” written by Indiana’s Hoagy Carmichael in 1938. Glenn Miller had a huge hit with “Nearness” in 1940, and Norah Jones brought it to the forefront in 2002 on her multi-Grammy-winning “Come Away with Me.”

“There’s a lot of depth to those songs,” Newby says. “I’m not interested in flair, speed, flash. I want people to go away and say ‘What was that?’

“I read the eyes in the crowd. I keep it moving and fresh and hit it and leave it. I’ve looked into a crowd and have seen people crying. To me, it’s like ‘I win.’ They win.’ ”



Steve Newby & Conversation Pieces

When: 7 p.m., Friday.

Where: Noble Coffee & Tea, 933 Logan St., Noblesville.

Admission: Free.

Info: www.reverbnation.com/stevennewby or search for Steve Newby on Facebook


Hamilton County’s best-kept secret

Every Saturday night a music happening takes place “in the middle of nowhere” and guitarist Steve Newby is often in the middle of it.

People flock from Indy, Kokomo, and surrounding communities to see a six-piece jazz band infuse a nostalgic old building, atmosphere and crowd with its special sound. The venue is the Atlanta Music Hall, about 20 minutes north of Noblesville in Atlanta.

“This is fulfilling for me and offers something to people who come to hear it,” Newby said. “The community gains from it in the fact that there’s live music. There’s not a lot of places like Noble Coffee or Hedgehog Showcase (in Arcadia) or Atlanta Music Hall.”

Shows in Atlanta are from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays, and open jam sessions are on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. There is no cover charge, but donations are accepted to assist with the operating expenses. Coffee and soft drinks are available for purchase. The hall is located at 135 W. Main St. For more information, visit http://www.theatlantamusichall.com/.

They Have It

Online version of Current is here.

You can always get what you want at Noblesville’s oldest continuously family-owned package liquor store.By Krista Bocko
Current in Noblesville



Four years ago, L.A. resident Bryan Glover returned home to Indiana for a family visit. He left with a whole new career as co-owner of a family business.

Call it fate. Call it perfect timing. Glover, frustrated with corporate America, had just “done a foolish thing” by quitting his corporate job. Being passionate about wines, and trying to figure out what to do next, he wrote a business plan to open a wine bar. He brought it with him to Indiana to get his uncle Myron’s opinion. Myron Glover, the owner of Mr. G’s Liquors in Noblesville, was in the midst of renovating the store. The plan included expanding the store’s massive wine department and, being a wine enthusiast, Bryan was excited.

So, when Myron casually suggested that Bryan consider becoming involved with the family business as a co-owner, an agreeable Bryan started making plans to move back here after almost 30 years in L.A.

“It sort of just evolved into ‘you know what? Maybe this is a really good idea. This is a great opportunity. Perhaps I can put this other idea (the wine bar) on the back burner and really get involved with this next generation of Mr. G’s to keep this family business going,’ ” said Bryan.

Mr. G’s was founded in 1977 by longtime Noblesville residents and family members Elijah, Wayne and Myron Glover. Over the past three decades, the store has evolved into a 5,000-square foot package liquor store that outgrew its previous two locations.

When Mr. G’s was founded, there were only two other package liquor stores in Noblesville, and those were the only places alcohol could be purchased. Today, the competition includes superstores, grocery stores and drug stores.

Mr. G’s takes their mission to provide great selection and customer service seriously.

“We’ve been around here a long time,” said Bryan. “A lot of our customers have been coming to this store for years, and we know them by name. We’ll carry your beer to your car for you. People like to feel special, and we try really hard to make them feel special in that way.”

“We want to have the products that our customers want,” Myron added. “There are always new products that are coming out so we keep our ears open for that.”

It’s no coincidence that the business newsletter is called “We’ve Got It.”

“If there’s something you want that we don’t have, we will get it for you,” Bryan said. “People know that ‘those guys will get me what I want.’”

Mr. G’s is like a candy store for alcohol buyers, with surprises and delights around every corner. The wine department, with many exotic and Indiana wines, is extensive. The store also stocks an array of trendy, craft beers, as well as seasonal products such as Pumpkin Spice Liqueur.

Mr. G’s offers individual bottles of craft beer for customers to build their own six- pack. General manager Kirk Baird, who has been with the store for 32 years, is an expert on them.

“We can’t possibly taste everything (in the store),” Bryan said, “but Kirk probably did taste the beer.

“There’s a lot of thought that goes into craft beer selection. There’s something different for each thing that you’re trying to do. If you’re sitting on your patio on a hot summer evening, the kind of beer you may want is very different than if you’re inside by the fireplace in December. ”

And if a customer is overwhelmed with choices and doesn’t know what to choose?

“We can tell by that look in your eye that you don’t know what you’re looking for and we make an effort to talk and make suggestions to you,” Bryan said. “We really try very hard to get to know you in some way and remember when you come back the next time what it was that you tried.”




Mr. G’s

2209 E. Conner St, Noblesville

Hours: 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-12:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Tastings every Saturday and sometimes Friday from 4-6 p.m. Open Thanksgiving Day 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Info: 317.773.3471, www.mrgsliquors.com



What’s hot

Craft beer -- Particularly IPA’s, Stouts, Belgian style ales

Wines -- From Chile, Argentina, South Africa and Spain

Spirits –Vodka’s flexibility for mixing makes it a versatile choice. Irish whiskeys, Kentucky bourbons and Canadian blended whiskey are also popular.

Ready-to-Drink Cocktails—Skinny Girl Margarita made with Agave Nectar. Low in calories.



Locally produced brands at Mr. G’s

Distillers: Heartland Distillers, makers of Indiana Vodka and Prohibition Gin (Indianapolis)

Wineries: New Day Meadery (Elwood), Oliver (Bloominton) and Easley (Indianapolis)

Breweries: Barley Island (Noblesville), Sun King (Indianapolis), Brugge (Terre Haute), Upland (Bloomington), Three Floyds (Munster)







Mr. G’s favorites

Red Wines

Kaiken Ultra Malbec - $19.99

R. Gassier Les Piliers Syrah - $14.49

Santa Ema Reserve Merlot - $11.99

Routestock Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon - $19.99



White Wines

Snoqualmie Naked Gewurztraminer - $12.49

Loosen Bros “Dr. L” Riesling - $11.49

King Estate Pinot Gris - $16.99

Toho Chardonnay - $15.99



Beers

Ommegang Abbey Style Ale - $7.99/bottle

J.K. Scrumpy Organic Cider - $6.49/bottle

Sun King Osiris Pale Ale - $10.99/4 pack

Three Floyds Gumball Head - $9.99/6 pack



Thanksgiving dinner picks

Mr. G’s tried and true options for the dilemma of what to drinks to serve with Thanksgiving dinner:

White wines – Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Riesling and Gewurztraminer

Red wines – Pinot Noir, Zinfandel or Syrah

Sparkling wine – Sparkling Vourvray or California Extra Dry

Beers – Amber ale, brown ales or Tripel ales for traditional turkey.

Scotch ale or Porter for smoked turkey.

Weizen, dubbel ale or dark lager for ham.



Pumpkin-Tini
1 part vanilla or plain vodka

1 part Pumpkin Spice liqueur

Coat rim of glass with cinnamon-sugar. Combine ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into martini glass and serve.

Triple players--Local musicians push musical boundaries with new ‘Typewriters and Tarantulas” CD

                                                          image by Lucky Willow Photography

image by Melissa Glenn Photography

By Krista Bocko
Current in Noblesville


They had no name, and they didn’t know how to play their instruments.

But that didn’t stop two friends and a fellow guitar teacher from forming an eclectic, acoustic trio for accordion, upright bass and classical guitar that pushes the boundaries of genre and resists definition.

Call it “jazzpop Eurofolk,” for a lack of a better label. The Noblesville-based Tonos Triad does. Tonos (an ancient Greek musical concept about tension and pitch) and Triad (a three-note chord) is a name the threesome gave themselves when they needed one for their first gig in 2007 at an annual dinner for the Noblesville Preservation Alliance at Forest Park.

The name stuck, and four years later the threesome is poised to release its second full-length recording, “Typewriters & Tarantulas” at a CD release party Nov. 5 at Radio Radio in Fountain Square, near downtown Indianapolis.

“This new album has pushed more of those boundaries,” says Aaron Ransdell, the trio’s bass player. “We’ve got a reggae-ish vibe, the drop-D heavy metal, funk, and mixed in with that funky trilogy is a cowboy thing -- some rockabilly.”

It’s definitely a long way from the “Irish-sounding drinking songs” Ransdell and Noblesville resident Rod Schindler played four years ago. “That’s all we knew,” said Ransdell.

Schindler bought his first accordion for $80 out of the back of a van in a Steak ‘n Shake parking lot in Anderson. Ransdell, an old friend Schindler had known since their days as security guards at the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 2002, met guitarist Yevgeny Baburin when Baburin brought his guitar into the music shop to get it restrung.

They all had guitar -playing and teaching in common, but picked up different instruments for the band.

Influenced by the accordion-guitar-violin group Tin Hat Trio, Schindler chose accordion (he has since graduated to a full size vintage accordion he purchased on eBay). Ransdell wanted the experience of playing a fretless instrument, so, he began with the cello and later switched to upright bass. Baburin had never played classical guitar, and a guitarist wasn’t even in the band’s original plans, but “Yev has a unique style and similar tastes and was a good fit,” Ransdell explained.

Schindler, who teaches guitar (wife Amy teaches piano) at Schindler School of Music in Noblesville, plays mandolin and drums, in addition to accordion. He enjoys the process of collaboration in building a song.

“The fun thing about it for me is figuring out what the instrumentation is going to be,” he said. “ The band’s energy and passion for what they do is unmistakable. When asked why they do this, Ransdell responded: “Why wouldn’t we do this? We get to wear suits. We look cool. Playing music is what I have to do to feel like a person.”

“There are no agendas,” added Baburin. “ It’s just for people’s enjoyment.”

And the most difficult thing about what they do?

“Getting paid for it,” Baburin answered with a laugh.

Fountain Square, with its First Friday events that draw foot traffic, art, artists, musicians and people that “get it,” said Schindler, and the band considers it somewhat of a birthplace.

“It’s where we got the idea for putting the band together,” added Ransdell. “It’s where we met the artists who did our (album) artwork. We played in coffee shops and started building a fan base.”

On the other hand, the band is just as comfortable playing in a club as in a symphony hall like the Hilbert Circle Theater, where the band will play a series of dates next spring. That’s quite a leap from the early days when the trio played anywhere it could for free with a repertoire of only five or six songs -- repeating some of them the same night.

“We used to have to constantly seek out bookings,” recalled Ransdell. “Now people come to us.”



Tonos Triad Trivia


Artist William Lawson, who lives in Wheeler Arts Community in Fountain Square, designed the cover for “Typewriters & Tarantulas.” He collects them both.
Aaron Ransdell calls his upright “Val,” short for Valencia.
For more information and to purchase the new CD, visit http://www.tonostriad.com/
CD’s are available for online digital download, for purchase at the show at Radio Radio at Indy CD & Vinyl (www.indycdandvinyl.com) or at Luna music (www.lunamusic.net).



CD release party


Where: Radio Radio, 1119 Prospect St., Indianapolis

When: Doors 8 p.m., show 9 p.m., Nov. 5.

Cover: $5.

CD’s: $5 at the show.

Opening act: The Accordions with magic and comedy by Ryan Siebert at intermission.

Website for Radio Radio: www.futureshock.net



Schindler School of Music

What: Founding their school in 2004, Rod Schindler teaches guitar and Amy Schindler teaches piano to more than 60 students of all age and skill levels. “Our business model is different from the drop-and-drive music stores,” said Rod Schindler. “We know our families pretty well. They come here to sit on the porch. There’s room to sit and listen in and not be obtrusive. Parents can walk downtown. That was part of my vision, to give lessons in a place where I would like to be.”

Where: 1039 Logan St., Noblesville

Info: 317.774.8228, theschindlerschool@gmail.com

Rates: $20 per lesson, sibling discount of $5 per lesson

Life, Liberty, Cake for All

Inspired by son's autism, Noblesville woman opens gluten-free bakery

By Krista Bocko
Current in Noblesville

To most people, ordering and eating a bakery birthday cake is a fairly ordinary event. But when Jennifer Wiese took the order for a gluten- and dairy-free frosted vanilla birthday cake – with the image of Yoda on it – she had no idea the reaction her creation would create.

Her customer had searched online, found the BeeFree Bakery website and was thrilled to find a local gluten- and dairy-free bakery like Wiese’s. The customer loved Yoda and asked Wiese if it were possible to put the Star Wars character on her cake. Wiese called a cake-decorating friend who printed a picture of Yoda on gluten-free edible rice paper.

“She had never had a birthday cake,” explained Wiese. “I put it (the image of Yoda) on the cake and delivered it to her, and she was in tears. She was literally crying.”

“Everyone should be able to enjoy life, liberty, and cake.”

Wiese, the owner and baker of BeeFree Bakery, a Noblesville gluten-and dairy-free bakery, has been baking gluten-free products for her family for the past five years. She started when she heard about how going gluten-free food might be able to help her oldest son, who is on the autism spectrum.

“The impact on him was huge,” she said.

Since then, she’s had a passion for baking treats just as delicious as their gluten-containing counterparts -- not just gluten-free baking.

Wiese, who opened her bakery in January, wears her black-and-white checked apron and churns out delicious sweet treats in the commercial kitchen in Logan Street Marketplace in downtown Noblesville.

Following hours and hours of research, she understands the challenges of gluten- and dairy-free baking. She has substituted gluten-free flours in her family’s favorite recipes before finally finding the right combination of five different flours that lend just the right texture and taste to sweets.

“When I first started baking, I would buy the flour mixes in the grocery and was never happy with it,” she said. “When you look at the ingredients, a lot of them contain bean flour, and I didn’t like the taste they created in baked goods. It took me awhile to find just what I was looking for.”

“Having to feed someone that has these dairy- and gluten-free needs is difficult. So, every time I wanted something sweet and freshly baked for my son, I had a hard time finding something that was really tasty. Over those years of experimenting, I felt like there was a need for this kind of business.”

The response from customers, including her participation in the Indianapolis Winter Farmer’s Market, has confirmed that she’s on to a good thing.

“People really do seek this type of product, and I have something that people like and enjoy,” said Wiese.

Her products are used by Green B.E.A.N. delivery, a local grocery delivery service.

“It’s nice to work with them (B.E.A.N.) because they have local fresh products that I can work with, like zucchini for my zucchini bread, so I purchase some of my ingredients from them. I believe in supporting local growers and producers and using as many local and organic ingredients as I can.”

Wiese’s vision is also to make her products more readily available for the community.

“My hope is to grow,” she said. “I can’t do it all on my own. I did this so I could offer really good-tasting fresh gluten- and dairy-free foods. Realistically, I can’t do all of that, bake it, market it and sell it. My goal is to find somebody to bake it so I can go out and sell it.”

What’s the best part of what she does?

“It’s nice to make that connection through food,” she said. “Food is such an integral part of everyone’s life. If you can make it really special, it’s a neat gift to give somebody.”


About BeeFree Bakery

Where to purchase: Logan Street Marketplace, 937 Logan St., Noblesville (call BeeFree Bakery ahead to place your order); Blu Moon Café, 200 S. Rangeline Road, Carmel; Green B.E.A.N., www.greenbeandelivery.com, 317.377.0470

Products: Let it Bee…John Lemon cake, Chocolate Dream cupcakes, Chocolate Crinkle cookies, Vanilla Velvet cake, frozen pizza dough, all purpose flour mix (to substitute in favorite recipes). Products may change seasonally.

Info: http://www.beefreegf.com/,
mailto:jenniferwiese@mac.com,  
317.402.1019

Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

½ cup Earth Balance buttery spread

½ cup Earth Balance shortening

1 ½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ¾ cup BeeFree flour mix

2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
4 T. sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
1. Cream together first 3 ingredients, then add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
2.  Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to above. Mix well.
3.  Shape dough into rounded balls (an ice cream scooper works well).
4.  Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and roll balls in mixture.
5.  Place dough balls 2 “ apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
6.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes until set, but not too hard. They will appear not quite done, but will firm as they cool.
7.  Remove from cookie sheet before they cool.

Art Lives Here

I've been anxiously awaiting this post--my first cover story for Current in Noblesville:  Art lives here

Our friends, Kandi and William Jamieson and their children Elizabeth and William, started Arthouse.  We're thrilled to know you and wish you all the best!

Arthouse blogged it here.