#GOODVIBES
Yes, 1718 Bates-Hendricks Housebar is exactly what it sounds like: A house-turned-bar in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood. It opened late 2019, and this cozy modern rustic restaurant bar is the very definition of neighborhood pub. The friendly and industry-experienced owners live a short distance away, and they’ll know your name/story/drink within three or fewer visits. You might be tempted to judge the booze selection based on this housebar’s cover, but you’d be super, duper wrong. The cocktail menu rivals that of any mixology bar in town, and an extremely well-curated and ever-changing craft beer and wine selection means you’ll find something new and interesting every time. And a small, solid rotating food menu of sandwiches, soups, and baked potatoes pairs well with any of the above. Though they’re reopening with the rest of the city, 1718 Housebar KILLED it with meeting customers’ quarantined needs. Easy online ordering with street-side pickup, and a variety of “walking cocktails” to enjoy on your way home (assuming you walked there).
1718 S. East St., www.1718hb.com/
MASK UP
We already highlighted brilliant costume creator Jess West’s Masked Hope Collection in our list of local masks to buy, but there’s so much more to say about these creations. For one, Jess’ craftsmanship is like no one else’s. These masks are extremely high quality and shaped to your face, to be as un-annoying and unobtrusive as a mask could possibly be. Second, and probably most important, therefore I’ll be using caps to express said importance: SOME OF THE MASKS ARE HYPERCOLOR. Yes, that’s right. Jess somehow managed to make wearing a face mask fun — at least for those of us ’90s kids who miss their beloved heat-sensitive color-changing T-shirts. Anyway, Jess’ masks come in a variety of unbelievably unique patterns to match just about anyone’s style or interest.
Jess West Costumes Masked Hope Collection, $12-$28, www.jesswestcostumes.com/face-masks
PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
There were few things more exciting during quarantine than opening my front door to see a box filled with fresh fruits and veggies waiting for me each week — especially when, in those early pandemic days way back in March, I worked hard to avoid grocery stores. So, to say we lived on our Imperfect box delivery of produce is an understatement. And we still do. The idea is simple: Imperfect Foods intercepts groceries that would’ve become food waste for any variety of reasons, from slight imperfections to surplus supplies. You can choose your own veggie adventure, or allow Imperfect to build it for you. Depending on how I’m feeling that week, sometimes I’ll let the Imperfect gods decide my order — which oftens ends in me learning how to prepare a vegetable I never knew existed. The best part is the ticker on the website indicating how much food you’ve saved since joining Imperfect. So far, I’m at 1,011 pounds. My one small gripe, though? I’m bummed at how often my fruit and veggies look normal. I always hope for wonky-looking produce. Maybe next week.
Imperfect, cost of box plus $4.99 delivery fee, www.imperfectfoods.com
AU NATURALE
I’ve apparently decided that my summer 2020 obsession is to find the perfect natural deodorant. I know I’m late to this hunt, so I’m finding all the deo-failures. It’s almost impossible to find an aluminum-free deodorant that doesn’t irritate my skin or leave behind little gloopy chunkies (you know what I’m talking about). Above all, I had yet to find one that actually works. Until I finally tried Ambre Blends’ Natural Deodorant. A long-time fan of all things Ambre (I’ve been known to make conversation with strangers wearing the essence oil in airports, cookouts, and…public restrooms), this was an easy choice. A little bit pricier than your Secret, for sure, but once you try it, you’ll see why. No irritation. No gloopies. And it works. For what it’s worth, this week, the Ahnu scent is my favorite. Next week I’ll probably be back to Unmasque.
Ambre Blends Natural Deodorant, $19 to $34 https://shop.ambreblends.com/collections/natural-deodorant
THE PLACE TO BE
So, I was supposed to get married in August. It’s that weird purgatory time period where, although the city has reopened and we’re technically allowed to host a wedding, it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for us to do. Ultimately, we realized if we couldn’t hug or dance with our loved ones on our wedding day, then it wouldn’t be the celebration we wanted to share with our family and friends. We booked Industry, 545 Kentucky Ave., an industrial warehouse of sorts just south of Lucas Oil Stadium, more than a year ago and in July finally made the decision to postpone. Our venue coordinator (MASSIVE thank you to Andrea Conway) worked with us every step of the way to not only make it an easy process, but she added some very, very necessary comfort and understanding as we worked through our indecisive period toward the right answer for us. And come October 2021, we’ll have the best party ever in this beautiful space.
Industry, 545 Kentucky Ave., https://industry.828venues.com/
