Gummy rats, bacon soda, and a five-foot-tall Spider-Man offering candy ropes are just some of the goodies encountered when entering Monument Circle newcomer Rocket Fizz (52 Monument Circle, 317-822-3499). The shop, a chain with most of its locations in California, is stocked wall to wall with glass-bottled sodas, colorful candies, and even childhood pranks, like mustachioed disguises and plastic vomit.
Dust off those old boxes in the attic and try to unearth that favorite childhood item—The Children Museum’s new interactive project, “100 Toys (& their Stories) that Define Our Childhood,” is taking votes from the public to decide which should earn the title of best plaything of the past 100 years.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves is dancing his way back to reality TV. ABC announced today that Castroneves will join the cast of Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars for the show’s 15th season. Castroneves, the season-five champion, will compete against other past celebrity favorites of various ilk and levels of fame for the chance to hoist the Mirror Ball trophy. Among his competitors: Bristol Palin, Drew Lachey, Joey Fatone, Kirstie Alley, Apolo Anton Ohno, and Pamela Anderson.
Bloomington Greek restaurant Topo’s 403 (403 N. Walnut St.) is set to open during the first week of August. Chef de cuisine Jason Shoulders will head the menu, himself a former member of the culinary team at Oakleys Bistro and sous chef at Restaurant Tallent (which is owned by Topo’s consulting executive chef, David Tallent). Right now, the staff is busy getting table tops and flatware and finalizing the menu.
In the early 2000s, I was a Pokemon addict. I carried my beloved cards in a Lisa Frank binder and built a shrine to Pikachu, the game’s most iconic character, on top of my dresser. I wasn’t alone—the country was so addicted to Pokemon that TIME had featured the characters on its cover in 1999. But as I grew up, Pokemania faded. I thought my childhood obsession was something children no longer cared about.
Editor’s Note: We must be sadists. IM intern Myrydd Wells had never been to a Carb Day concert. So today, without mercy, we sent her—alone—to the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at IMS. When we cautioned that it might get rowdy, and asked if she was sure she wanted to go, she reassured us. “I went to IU,” she said. “I’ve seen it all.” This is what she brought back.
