The CR recommends

What’s next?

That question comes to mind a lot.

You might be looking for a new television show to watch,

a new book to read or a new drink to enjoy.

We’re here to help.

This marks our third year of “The CR recommends,” our answer to the litany of top-10 lists that publications put out to fill pages during the usually quiet last couple of weeks of December.

Inevitably, the feel of our list changes as employees come and go.

(This year, we added a category for favorite beers.)

What follows is a selection of personal favorites from

editor and publisher Ray Cooney, president Jack Ronald,

sports editor Chris Schanz, reporters Riley Eubanks and Bailey Cline,

advertising representative Katie Lyons and board member Louise Ronald.

We hope it provides you with ideas for some

new things to try as we head into the new year.



Local interest

The Loblolly

My new dog Scooter and I walk a lot. Unlike my golden retriever Sammy who died in the spring, Scooter refuses to go outside by himself. (Once alone, he whines and jumps like a kangaroo.) Thus, I’m walking with my yellow lab morning, noon and night. When I can, I try to vary the locations, including Hudson Family Park, Jay County High School, Portland Memorial Park and Jay County Fairgrounds on my list. But nothing quite beats Loblolly Marsh Nature Preserve with its miles of trails and relative solitude. — Ray Cooney

Beer (and more)

Boiler Gold by Purdue University and People’s Brewing Co.

Boiler Up! Hammer Down! As a Boilermaker fan, there are very few beers better than a beer with ties to Purdue. This golden ale is made with products researched by Purdue and grown by farmers around the West Lafayette area. The beer is then brewed by People’s Brewing Company. It is a tribute to encapsulating what agriculture can include: research, food science, production and final goods. Overall, this beer just tastes good, but it also has a fantastic story behind it. — Katie Lyons



Good Rich Caster’s Three-Legged Squirrel IPA

The microbrewery in Portland is just getting going, but I had a chance to sample a growler of the Indian Pale Ale. The name is based upon past use of the microbrewery’s building and the fact that a three-legged squirrel was seen during the construction period. It’s an outstanding IPA, less hoppy than most but with just enough bite. Cheers! — Jack Ronald



Goose Island Bourbon Stout

Let me tell ya, this is the best beer I’ve ever had.

Aged for a year in some fine bourbon barrels, this seasonal stout from Chicago-based Goose Island is enough to make you go back to wherever you found it and buy more.

I found one, surprisingly, at the Jackson Street liquor store in Muncie, and I’d probably spend my last dime in there on this beer if I was thirsty enough.

Concocted with vanilla extract to offset the perfect amount of bitterness, this beer lives up to its perfect rating on beeradvocate.com

It’s only around for a limited time each year, so if you find one out in the wild, buy it (and call The Commercial Review’s office to let us know so we can get some as well). — Riley Eubanks



Woodchuck Hard Cider: Amber

I’ve never been a beer kind of gal. But I do like a good hard cider from time to time. I tried my first Amber Woodchuck at The Herot, a bar in Muncie, about a year ago. With notes of red apple, it’s tastier than some of its alternatives. The container’s long bottleneck and tint is also reminiscent of the classic beer bottle, ensuring you’ll never feel alone in a group of beer drinkers again. — Bailey Cline



Tech (and more)

BookBub

This is for all the readers who enjoy ebooks. While it doesn’t sell books, after taking a little quiz to gauge interests, BookBub offers daily recommendations on ebooks at deeply discounted prices. It is compatible with Amazon’s Kindle Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook store, Apple books and others. It’s a great way I’ve been able to build my ebook library — I recently joined the e-reader ranks — because there are generally books that are free! — Chris Schanz

“Control”

This is such an important video game that continues to be plagued by a bad rollout and poor marketing. Despite being muddled with next-gen optimization barriers, “Control” is a spacey masterpiece of an action game that sees actress Courtney Hope deliver a stunning performance as Jesse Faden, who is on her lifelong journey to find out what the fictional Bureau of Control had to do with her brother’s disappearance. The physics-based combat is fun enough, but anybody who picks this up will want to stay for the intriguing and loopy story and ever-expanding universe that somehow involves 2010 cult-classic “Alan Wake.” — Riley Eubanks



Nancynall.com

Nancy Nall Derringer was an award-winning columnist for The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne about 15 years ago or so. She continues as a thoughtful blogger, now based in Michigan. — Jack Ronald



PictureThis

One of my favorite things in life is flowers. I’m not one to enjoy receiving flowers, but more growing them and learning more about them. I was constantly finding myself seeing a flower and not knowing what it was. I downloaded PictureThis on my iPhone. It has 98% accuracy identifying plants. The only downside to this app is that it isn’t free. There is a free trial period, but from there it goes to $1.99 a month or $19.99 for the year. I find it worth the investment. — Katie Lyons



“Trivial Warfare”

I like trivia. In the inaugural version of this list in 2018, I recommended local trivia at The Tipsy Glass and Asbury United Methodist Church. With so many in-person events canceled this year, I went searching for podcasts. This was my favorite. The four Jacksonville, Florida, based hosts do a great job of quizzing each other, and guests, and having fun in the process. I especially enjoy listening to them talk out the possible answers. There are three spin-off podcasts — “Trivial Warfare Blitz,” “FourPlay” and “Things that are Blank” — that offer trivia in smaller doses. — Ray Cooney



Television

“The Crown”

The Royal Family has a fascinating hierarchy. This show brings to light even more uncanny traditions and rules that they must follow. Queen Elizabeth holds the spotlight for the majority of this Netflix original as you take a back-seat ride through her journey as the queen. The historical drama has four seasons available, but fifth and sixth seasons have been confirmed. You will have to devote your attention to the show to keep up with the information. Keep your phone or computer nearby if you need to fact check what is actually happening or why it is happening. — Katie Lyons



“Goliath”

Until about a month ago, I had nothing for this category. Then I started my annual one month (or two if I forget to cancel) subscription to Amazon Prime. Goliath was one of the first shows that popped up, so I decided to check it out. It’s dark at times, both literally and figuratively, but I loved it. Billy Bob Thornton is at his best as a down-on-his-luck lawyer who gets pulled into a lawsuit and ends up fighting against his former firm. — Ray Cooney



“In The Dark”

Murphy, a blind woman in her 20s, has just two friends, her roommate Jess, and Tyson, a drug-dealing teenager who once saved her from being beaten to death. When she discovers a corpse she believes is Tyson, she takes it upon herself to help solve the murder when the police don’t seem like they want to. The show, which premiered on The CW and now has the first two seasons available on Netflix, follows her in her quest to find answers about her friend while managing an eclectic dating life. — Chris Schanz



“You”

This series will have you on the edge of your seat. “You” focuses on the experiences of a charming-yet-neurotic young man hopelessly in love. A friend of mine once put it well: we often idealize that love is defined by what a man (or woman) would do for their significant other. “You” stretches those thoughts to the extreme. Is it for love, or is it an obsession? — Bailey Cline



Music

“Alfredo”

There’s a reason Gary-based Freddie Gibbs is known as the Big Bunny Rabbit. His fast delivery and lyrical nimbleness even convinced the Grammys to nominate “Alfredo” for rap album of the year. A rekindling of the duo that also made Fetti with Curren$y, “Alfredo” (a mix of their names) sees Gibbs once again team with The Alchemist to deliver a fast-hitting, raw 35-minute tape that is highlighted by Gibbs going toe-to-toe with members of Griselda, Rick Ross and Tyler, the Creator. — Riley Eubanks



Buena Vista Social Club

Rocker Ry Cooder took it on himself years ago to put the spotlight on Latin jazz music from Cuba. It’s impossible to listen to this music without starting to move. You might dance. You might just snap your fingers. But the music will get you moving. — Jack Ronald



Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson creates coffee house music. When Googled, he is described as a soft rock and acoustic pop artist. When I’m in a bad mood, I play Jack Johnson. If I’m in a good mood, I play Jack Johnson. Even when I don’t feel like music, Jack Johnson is the perfect option. His pleasant and melodious music has been in my life since he composed the soundtrack for “Curious George” in 2006. A handful of my favorite tracks are Better Together, Big Sur, Bubble Toes and Washing Dishes. — Katie Lyons



Books

“How Baseball Happened”

Not sure how I learned about this book, but I put it on my Amazon Wish List and received it as a birthday present. For anyone who loves baseball and anyone with an interest in American history, it is a must. It offers tremendous insights into the cultural, racial and geographic influences on the early amateur game in the decades before the Civil War. Be prepared to have your baseball myths shattered. Do you hear that, Abner Doubleday? — Jack Ronald



“The Last Correspondent”

This Soraya M. Lane historical fiction centers on three women during World War II. Ella, a journalist, makes it her mission to report from the front lines of the war. Danni, a photojournalist, is determined to photograph the action. Chloe, a model, finds herself part of the French Revolution. Their paths intertwine, and then they must rely on one another to get out alive. — Chris Schanz



“Riviera Gold”

The most recent offering in the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King. If you’re a Holmes fan and haven’t encountered the series yet, you’re in for a treat. It’s great fun. But don’t start here. Go back to the beginning, The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. Riviera Gold is the 16th Russell/Holmes book, so you’ve got a lot of enjoyment ahead. — Louise Ronald



“Where the Crawdads Sing”

With not much to do during a week of vacation visiting my family in June, I got back to reading for pleasure. That led to picking up this spectacular book later in the summer. I was hooked from the beginning by this story of a girl from the North Carolina swamp struggling for survival and acceptance. It has elements that remind me of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” one of my favorite books. — Ray Cooney

I’ve never read a book like this before. Delia Owens had me so entranced that at one point I thought I was sitting next to the main character Kya as I dove deeper into her life. The storyline, set throughout the 1950s and ’60s, left me agape. When you sit down to read this, make sure that you have enough time to finish it before you consider doing anything else. — Katie Lyons



Movies

“1917”

What intrigued me the most about this movie is the fact it was intended to be shot to give the viewer the feeling of it being one long take. Most movies use multiple cameras to capture multiple angles of each scene, but this one did not. It really gives you the feeling you’re actually alongside the soldiers in this World War I piece. I saw it in theatres this year prior to the pandemic, and it did not disappoint. If you’re a fan of war movies, this is a must watch. — Chris Schanz



“Boys State”

The whole time I watched this, I thought it was a movie, filmed in the likeness of a documentary.

Turns out, it was actually a documentary about a year at Texas Boys State (akin to Hoosier Boys State) in the heart of the at-the-time new Trumpism movement.

Finding out this actually happened made it all the more revealing, heartfelt and enlightening.

“Boys State,” streaming on Apple TV+, especially rings true for anyone who has raised boys or spent days in Scouts of America or a debate club of some kind and is particularly fascinating for anyone interested in politics or psychology. — Riley Eubanks



“The Impossible”

Although this 2012 film is not new by any means, it is currently on Netflix. I almost forgot about this movie, but when I saw it while choosing what to watch on Netflix, all of the emotions I felt when I watched it the first time rushed back. It is based off a family’s preposterous true experiences while vacationing in Thailand. Their lives were turned upside down and almost completely lost on Boxing Day in 2004 because of a natural disaster. The film highlights their heart and gut-wrenching endeavor as they try to reunite. — Katie Lyons