2010 Best of Indy Awards

This has been an up-and-down year for adult continuing education in Indianapolis. I had lots of great class experiences (see below), but I also had a lot of duds, such as no-show instructors, over-priced classes and closed venues.

This coming year, I resolve to take even more classes -- such as that blacksmithing class I've been putting off -- and to keep learning new things.

And now, the winners of the 2010 That'll Teach Me "Best of Indy" awards:

Best class -- Hands down, this award goes to the new Wine and Canvas. The nomadic painting class, which meets at restaurants and its new studio, is a fun, low-commitment outing. Instructors walk through the painting process step by step, making the classes perfect for all skill levels (even my kindergarten-level art skills).

Best continuing education venue -- For the second year in a row, this award goes to IU's Mini University, a week-long "summer camp" of classes for adults. I had another phenomenal experience this past June, learning about such topics as stem-cell research, Bob Dylan and the exploration of Mars. With the thriving Bloomington restaurant scene and the beautiful campus, I can't think of a better way to spend a week.

Best instructor -- As it turns out, playing the blues harmonica isn't really my thing. But instructor Allen Stratyner, who teaches the class through the IUPUI Community Learning Network and the JCC, was a methodical and patient instructor. He set clear goals for each class, gave us useful homework assignments and -- most important -- communicated his passion for the blues.

As always, let's take a moment to mourn our losses this year: chiefly, the cooking classes at Frasier's Gourmet Foods. We wish the owners a wonderful retirement!

Best of Indy Awards 2009

Yes, my friends, it's time once again to recognize our city's best classes, best educational venues and best teachers. The envelope, please ...

Best class -- The IUPUI Community Learning Network offers scads of great classes, but my favorite this year was the Immersion Spanish Institute, taught by Amy Bomke-Keating. The class, which runs for a full week, offers almost 40 hours of intense Spanish instruction, and yet it manages to be fun and engaging. Now, I can finally hold a conversation in Spanish, instead of just asking where the bathroom is.

Best continuing education venue -- This year's undisputed winner is the IU Mini University program, hands down one of the best educational experiences of my life. In a single week, I learned about piracy, Shakespeare, great hoaxes, the history of puzzles and so much more. It's summer camp for grown-ups, and I can't wait until next year!

Best instructor -- Instead of honoring an individual teacher, this year's award goes to the entire "cast" of Conner Prairie's annual Conner Prairie by Candlelight event. As participants travel from house to house in the pioneer village, these actors tell stories of their families' holiday traditions. They're always ready with answers to guests' questions, and they do a wonderful job of fostering holiday spirit. This year, my husband and I stood out in the cold on purpose, just to sing a few more carols with these skilled "pioneers."

Strangest class topic -- The Eiteljorg Museum wins again, this time for a birch-biting workshop with artist-in-residence Kelly Church. The gist of the class: Create designs (such as turtles, butterflies and dragonflies) in birch bark ... with your teeth. It may be an artistic tradition, but to me it sounds pretty unsanitary.

Just as they do at the Academy Awards, let's take a moment to remember the losses in our educational family this year. The most difficult is the death of Joseph Allford, who taught at Frasier's Gourmet Foods and took home last year's award for best class. I think of him every time I scrape a vanilla bean or make raspberry fool with his recipe.

The other loss is the closing of Lawrence Township Community Education, where I learned to read tarot cards, make mosaics, and cook the world's best biscuits. I'm going to miss this venue's eclectic mix of inexpensive classes.

Finally, I owe a thank you to the thousands of readers who have made this blog so successful. Here's to another exciting, educational year!

Quick Updates

Whew! Thanks to my giant pile of end-of-semester grading, I'm a bit behind on posts. Here's a quick round-up of some tidbits I've missed:

• The December issue of Indianapolis Monthly includes an article on Joseph Allford, the pastry chef and cooking teacher who died earlier this year. One of Allford's classes at Frasier's Gourmet Foods took home our Best of Indy award last year, and I had looked forward to taking many more of his classes.

• Last night we enjoyed another wonderful experience at Conner Prairie by Candlelight. In 1836 Prairietown, we learned about historical holiday traditions, sang carols, and snacked on cookies and hot chocolate. It's truly a magical experience, and it's the perfect reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.

• I just read a great article in Travel + Leisure about the School of Artisan Food in Nottinghamshire, U.K. One-day courses include "Artisan Cheesemaking Fundamentals," "Artisan Chocolate Making" and "Artisan French Baking." Pardon me while I drool ...
  

A Loss in our Educational Family

Last July, I gushed about a cooking class at Frasier's Gourmet Foods, taught by local pastry chef Joseph Allford. Later, I gave that class the 2008 Best of Indy Award for the best class of the year. So, I've been looking forward to taking a few more of Allford's cooking classes (and visiting the new restaurant he said was in the works).

Unfortunately, Allford passed away at his home May 12. I'm still a bit stunned by the unexpected loss. He was a truly wonderful teacher, not just of continuing education classes but also at the Chef's Academy here in Indianapolis. For more information about Allford, visit the always wonderful Feed Me/Drink Me blog.

Meanwhile, classes at Frasier's Gourmet Foods will continue. Erin Kem, the sous chef at R Bistro, is offering classes on Thai food and hors d'oeuvres. And Brad Sullivan, of the Carroll Company, has a series of "Wine Staycation" classes starting next month.

2008 Best of Indy Awards

Drum roll, please! It's time to present our 2008 That'll Teach Me Best of Indy Awards, recognizing the best continuing education classes, teachers and venues in the city.

Best class - The Summer Fruits cooking class at Frasier's Gourmet Foods. Taught by pastry chef Joseph Allford, this was the most educational -- and tasty -- two hours of my year. I still use several of the recipes Allford demonstrated, and I now know everything there is to know about vanilla harvesting.

Best continuing education venue - This was a close one, but the award goes to the IUPUI Community Learning Network for its tremendous variety of engaging, relevant classes (including the spectacular flower-arranging classes). Runner-up: The Indianapolis Art Center, which truly offers something for everyone.

Best instructor - I've taken several classes with floral designer Sara Thompson, and they are always a delight. Thompson is well prepared, attentive to her students, and skilled at fostering class camaraderie. My only disappointment: I've already taken every class she offers.

Best educational museum experience - No question about it: The winner here is the Follow the North Star program at Conner Prairie. The experience, which puts you in the shoes of a runaway slave, is memorable and powerful. It's not fun, but it's like nothing else you'll ever experience. Runner-up: Conner Prairie's delightful Conner Prairie by Candlelight holiday event.

Strangest class topic - We saw some bizarre classes this year: how to make your own canoe; how to build a dulcimer. But the wackiest of our Things You Didn't Know You Wanted to Know feature was the series of birch bark art workshops at the Eiteljorg Museum, including how to make birch bark picture frames and how to do birch bark etching. To each his own.

Finally, thank you to the hundreds of readers who have made the first year of this blog so successful. It's been fun to share my learning experiences with you and build this community of like-minded people. I'm looking forward to an educational new year!

Accepting Nominations: 2008 Best of Indy Awards

As we wrap up our first year together, it's time to start what I hope will become an annual tradition: the That'll Teach Me Best of Indy Awards. Let's recognize the best classes, instructors and venues -- the ones that have taught us something new and expanded our horizons.

Submit your nominations now in the following categories:

• Best class
• Best continuing education venue
• Best instructor
• Best educational museum experience
• Best spot for cooking classes
• Best spot for art/craft classes
• Strangest class topic

Want to see a different category included? Just let me know!