On the cover: Marissa Benge, who embodies the spirit of our Sophisticated Grads special section, honoring a new generation of standout seniors. As she graduates, she reflects with gratitude on the people and experiences that have shaped her.
Photographed by Shelly Ruth Photography
Current Issue
A comprehensive guide to non-profit organizations and philanthropic initiatives in Indianapolis.
Interested in having your charitable organization featured? Contact Jeffrey Cohen at 317.565.4555 | jeff@slmag.net.
Sophisticated Giving Charity Register
Highlights from the May/June 2026 Issue
Cheers to 15 Years!
This issue marks the 15th anniversary of Sophisticated Living, which feels both improbable and exactly right.Fifteen years later, I’m still learning, but the magazine has never looked better.
First, I should thank my wife, Jen. When I decided at 49 years old to pivot back to what I studied in college—a move typically reserved for people with fewer obligations and less gray hair—she didn’t flinch. She’s lived through long hours, uncertain outcomes, and more “one quick edit” conversations at dinner than anyone should have to endure. Simply put, this magazine doesn’t exist without her. And she’s been gracious enough not to remind me of that daily.
When Sophisticated Living became my full-time pursuit, I had enthusiasm, a steep learning curve, and just enough confidence to be mildly dangerous. What I didn’t have, then or now, was the ability to do any of this alone
Text: Jeffrey Cohen
Cover Story: Sophisticated Grads, presented by
A few months ago, I was sitting down to lunch at Caffè Buondi in Carmel, enjoying a quiet moment between meetings, when I picked up a copy of Sophisticated Giving Charity Register. As someone who cares deeply about both community and thoughtful planning for the future, I was immediately drawn in. I remember commenting to the manager how beautifully it was done, and how rare it is to find something that feels both polished and purposeful.
She smiled and said, “You know, the publisher is in here all the time. I’d be happy to introduce you.”
Not long after, I found myself sitting down for coffee with Jeffrey Cohen. What began as a casual introduction quickly turned into one of those energizing conversations where ideas seem to flow effortlessly. We discovered we were very much like-minded—particularly in our appreciation for family, legacy, and the moments that define both.
Out of that conversation came this section, one I’m truly honored to sponsor. From the beginning, I felt strongly that it should center around families, and especially families in transition. Because while this season is filled with celebration, pride, and excitement, it also marks a meaningful shift. These remarkable high school seniors are stepping into a new chapter, and their families are too, right alongside them
Text: Patricia “Patti” Parker, Wealth Management Advisor
Let My People Eat (Très Bien) at Mon Ami Gabi
The first glass of wine had barely touched the table when it began—that familiar, comforting choreography of recognition. A smile from across the room. A wave from behind the bar. A waiter greeting us not with practiced hospitality, but with the easy warmth reserved for old friends. Which, by now, we are.Passover at Mon Ami Gabi has quietly become our family tradition.
Text: Jeffrey Cohen
Summertime Skin Care
Protecting the hands and décolletage from the sun’s
Text: Dr. Melanie Kingsley
Photograph: Dave Pluimer
BENGE’S HARDWARE COMES HOME TO BUTLER-TARKINGTON
Where neighborhood continuity meets modern purpose.
Written by Jeffrey Cohen
Lake Season, Perfectly Timed
Why early spring gives discerning lake homeowners a quiet edge.
Written by Traci Garontakos
Sophisticated Celebrations: Presented by Reis-Nichols Jewelers
Sophisticated Celebrations: Presented by Reis-Nichols Jewelers
Text: Caroline Mosey / Photo: The Shalom Imaginative
Text: Caroline Mosey / Photo: Maddie Patton Photography
Text: Caroline Mosey / Photo: Tim Sencu
Where Vision Meets Timing
Linda Mordoh and Brad Bowman bring a Holliday Farms new build to life.
Text: Jeffrey Cohen / Photography: Dave Pluimer
10 Things I Can’t Live Without: Dr. Melanie Kingsley
Melanie Kingsley, MD, FAAD, is the founder and director of cosmetic dermatology and laser surgery at MK Dermatology in Carmel. Known for her results-driven yet natural approach, she specializes in advanced aesthetic treatments and personalized skincare, while also serving as an adjunct professor of dermatology at Indiana University School of Medicine. Below, she opens up about all the things—big and small—that help her sustain a joyful and balanced life
Written by Bradford Jeffries / Photographed by Dave Pluimer
Bazbeaux at 40
The table is small, the pizza is hot, and the air smells like garlic, tomato sauce, and anticipation. Someone is pouring a glass of red wine, someone else is negotiating over the last slice, and a server slides a pie onto the table like it’s the most important delivery of the day.
Scenes like this have been unfolding at Bazbeaux Pizza for nearly forty years.
Spend enough time around town and, sooner or later, a Bazbeaux pizza finds its way to your table.At the center of it all is Jeff Berman, who opened the first Bazbeaux in Broad Ripple in 1986, long before farm-to-table was a thing and years before pizza developed its full-blown “artisanal” identity crisis. Later this month, Bazbeaux will celebrate its 40th anniversary—a milestone few independent eateries reach, and one that feels especially fitting for a place that has grown up right alongside the city
Text: Jeffrey Cohen Photography: Dave Pluimer
A Home Reimagined
It begins—as the best homes do—not with a blueprint, but with a feeling.For the homeowners, the house already carried familiarity and ease. What it lacked was a seamless connection—to light, to landscape, to the way they actually wanted to live. Enter Gradison Design-Build, a firm known for approaching its work with equal parts discipline and imagination for more than 40 years, led today by brothers Joe and Mark Gradison.
Written by Jeffrey Cohen / Photography by Derek Kemp
Courtside Society
Our readers showed up for the Final Four in Indianapolis—and showed out. From sharp looks to spirited moments, these photos capture the style and energy in the stands, not the scoreboard. A courtside glimpse at the weekend, as seen by Sophisticated Living readers.
Redefining Success
What achievement looks like inside our house.
Written by Kay Anderson
Mastering the Market
Spring 2026 is ushering in a new era of outdoor living—one defined by luxury, sophistication, and seamless design. Today’s homeowners are no longer satisfied with a simple patio or backyard grill. Instead, they’reinvesting in curated outdoor environments that rival high-end resorts. From architecturally striking pools to private pickleball courts and fully appointed outdoor kitchens, the modern backyard is becoming a refined extension of the home.
Text: Matt McLaughlin
As I write for this 15th anniversary issue of Sophisticated Living, I am struck by how seamlessly this publication has always woven together design, community, and the textures of everyday life. It has never felt like a magazine that simply observes from a distance; it feels like one that lives within the spaces it covers.
My own professional world as a plastic surgeon is rooted in precision, in careful attention to proportion and detail. Yet the life I return to at the end of the day is guided by something far less structured and far more intuitive—most often, by my dog, Louie.
Louie has a way of insisting that every moment matters. A short walk is not short when he’s involved. A visit anywhere is not routine. He moves through the world with the absolute conviction that connection is his primary responsibility, and I have long since stopped trying to argue otherwise. In many ways, he has become a gentle reminder to slow down and notice what might otherwise be misse
Sophisticated Pets, Presented by Emily Hrisomalos, M.D.
Society Calendar: Presented by Reis-Nichols Jewelers
Happenings of note in May & June
Sophisticated Society, presented by Reis-Nichols Jewelers
As May arrives, the season of blooms and brunches, I find myself thinking about dance. Not the kind that happens on a stage or in a ballroom, but the kind that happens in living rooms, kitchens, and on lakeside decks—where the music is just loud enough to make your neighbors wonder if you’ve lost your mind.
When I was a little kid, my mother would dance with me—or more accurately, she danced me. I had two left feet, no rhythm to speak of, and yet she spun me around with such abandon that I felt like I was flying, the world a blur of laughter and sunlight through the kitchen window. I didn’t know then that those moments were gifts, little capsules of joy I would carry with me for
Text: Jeffrey Cohen
From the Publisher & Editor-In-Chief
Get to know us.
At Sophisticated Living, we are dedicated to and passionate about all the finer things life has to offer. Whether your interests are close to home or in far-flung places. each issue shares highlights of the good life in Indianapolis and beyond.
Jeffrey Cohen, Publisher & Editor-In-Chief
Advertise
Sophisticated Living readers are affluent, educated, capable, and influential consumers. Our award-winning editorial, full-page-only ad format, and unique direct-distribution method give our advertisers ample opportunities to maximize their message in front of the highest-income earners in Indianapolis.
For more information contact Jeffrey Cohen at 317.565.4555 | jeff@slmag.net.
Media Kit
