John and Meg Celebrate at Dunaway's

Proving that he cannot forget where it is that he comes from, Bloomington rocker John Mellencamp treated his girlfriend, actress Meg Ryan, to a 50th birthday party at Dunaway’s Palazzo Ossigeno (351 S. East St., 317-638-7663) on Saturday. In town for a performance at Clowes Memorial Hall, Mellencamp also flew in Ryan’s pal Kathy Najimy (of Sister Act fame), who ordered an undressed salad and vegetable plate. The party of 11 sat at a long table in the fireplace room, under the chandelier. Bottles of wine were ordered for the guests, “but he had Sierra Mist, and she had water,” says the restaurant’s office and events manager, Connie McDonald.
The couple both dined lightly on soup: he cream of mushroom, and she tomato-basil. The birthday cake, a carrot cake, was sliced and served before Mellencamp left at 6:30 for his concert. The rest of the party stayed on for another hour. “And chuckled and laughed,” McDonald says, “and just had a good time.”