All Posts by this Author

You’re in for a treat with the Heartland Chamber Chorale’s Family Concert. Mr. Puppet and his crew of zany puppets is back. Yes, puppets!

In a unique collaboration, this interactive program matches singers on stage with puppets, and master puppeteer, as they take a humorous twist on choral competitions. And, you’ll have the chance to take part, too.

So, come ready to sing along to your favorite children’s songs, including: Zip-a-dee Doo-dah; a choral suite from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood including “Won’t you be my neighbor?”; Three Appalachian children’s songs like “All the Pretty Little Horses”; “Children of the World”, and more.

Heartland Sings Family Concert

February 10, 2013

2:30 pm

University of Saint Francis North Campus Auditorium

2701 Spring Street, Fort Wayne, IN, 46808

Tickets are $10 and children under 18 are free with a paying adult

Visit heartlandchorale.org for tickets.

Oliver! is coming to town. The IPFW Department of Theatre and Fort Wayne Youth Theatre are bringing the award-winning musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic story about a young orphan who runs away from the orphanage and hooks up with a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor on the streets of London to Fort Wayne’s Arts United Center.

With catchy songs, like Pick a Pocket or Two, Boy for Sale, Where is Love; wonderful dance numbers; and a classic tale with themes that still resonate today, this show is perfect for everyone of all ages.

What makes the production of this musical extra-special is the cast – 50 of Fort Wayne’s finest young talent of university, secondary and elementary age students. They will charm and delight you with their takes on the memorable tunes and choreography.

I had the chance to take a sneak peek at a video and was amazed by the talented cast, and can’t wait to see the live performance.

Oliver!

Arts United Center

303 E. Main Street

Fort Wayne, IN

February 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 8 pm

February 10, 17 at 2 pm

Call the ArtsTix Box Office for tickets at (260) 422-4226 or visit tickets.artix.org for tickets.

Adults $16

Children (under 18) $10

Seniors (over 60) $14

Groups of 10 or more $7/ticket

When it’s cold out, enjoying a wintertime treat is one of the best (and tastiest) ways to stay warm and toasty. Make your way through Fort Wayne’s most delicious cold-weather sweets:

Hot Chocolate
Warm up to a Hot Chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream at locally-owned Higher Grounds Coffee House. There’s a kiddie version, too. The brew house also offers several specialty drinks to satisfy every holiday taste craving like White Chocolate, Caramel Apple, Cinnamon Roll, Peppermint Patty and Almond Joy.

127 W. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN

6122 Saint Joe Center Road, Fort Wayne, IN

Cinnamon Roll
Indulge in Pembroke Bakery & Café’s sticky gooey dream of a cinnamon roll. A newcomer to Fort Wayne, the bakery serves up a variety of all of your favorite baked goods and specialty items with a unique healthy flair. Those with food allergies can also find many vegan (egg and dairy-free) and gluten-free items as well.

300 E. Main Street (Auer Center for Arts and Culture), Fort Wayne, IN

Apple Cider
Delight in a hot apple cider at The Bean Café & Tea House. The cider’s texture is a bit thicker than most and their secret ingredient (butterscotch) gives it a kick of tartness. Ask for a drizzle of caramel. Another must try is their S’more Latte – chocolate, gingerbread and toasted marshmallow.

1008 N. Wells Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46808

Peppermint
Refresh with a mug of the Dash-In’s new Peppermint Bark Mocha. It’s a heavenly swirl of white and dark chocolate, milk, espresso and a white chocolate peppermint topping.

814 S. Calhoun Street, Fort Wayne, IN

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Banana Split
Enjoy a taste of summer in the winter with this cupcake-twist on the traditional ice-cream treat from Vanilla Bean. The fluffy piece of heaven is filled with a trio of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate, frosted with buttercream with a cherry on top. And try their Margarita Cookie for a tropical treat (as a Florida girl, I couldn’t resist) … yum!

3410 N. Anthony Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN

These are just a few of my favorites, what are some of yours?

Travel back to the 1700 – 1890s at the Fort Wayne Historical Trade Fair: Saturday and Sunday, February 9 – 10. From demonstrations and reenactments to original items and crafts, you’ll have the chance to experience what it was like to live during this time historic era.

“What’s nice is that you really get to learn a lot about that time period especially with the historical reenacting that goes back in time. There will also be many items that people used then – a lot of which we still use today,” says Mike Radke, one of the fair’s organizers.

Try your hand at weaving, spinning and broom making, and even learn how to play the dulcimer. Enjoy artwork by artists specializing in the time period. Take home a piece of history and stop by the craft tables where many pre-1890 items will be on sale – furniture, cookware and plates, clothing and shoes, lanterns and lamps, books and music, toys and dolls, early firearms and supplies, tomahawks and knives. And learn more about the Indian history in the area.

Food and drinks will be available – sloppy joes and hotdogs, chili, vegetable soup – plus a bake sale by the ladies group of the Old Fort.

Fort Wayne Historical Trade Fair – Allen County Fairgrounds

2726 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46818

Saturday, February 9, 9 am – 5 pm

Sunday, February 10, 12 pm – 9 pm

Admission at the door.

Adults $3

Children 6 – 12, $1

Children 5 and under, free

Calling all sweet tooths! If you’re anything like me, sugar-coated confections are hard to resist. I love all things chocolate, candy, and treats glazed, covered or dripping with delicious goodness. So we’ve rounded up a few Fort Wayne favorites for you to delight in. And after you satisfy your tastebuds, of course, you can pick up a few treats for gifts and to take home as an edible souvenir.

Abby Brown’s Chocolate Christmas Trees

Abby Brown’s Candy Shoppe

www.abbybrown.com

Chocolate lovers will fall in love with this quaint candy shop. A Fort Wayne staple since 1976 with a goal of making candy fun, Abby Brown’s offers an array of bonbons and chocolates of a variety of flavors, shapes and designs: milk, dark, white, truffles, cordials, nuts, even edible greeting cards. Whimsical sweets made especially for the holidays include chocolate Santa and Christmas tree lollypops; peanut butter, caramel and chocolate Santas; Christmas tree-shaped chocolates; and snowflake Oreos.

1415 E. State Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Nut House

http://www.nuthousefw.com/

Every tastebud will be satisfied with the Nut House’s selection of delicious gourmet popcorns and fresh roasted nuts, and your sweet tooth with delectable cheesecake. Their popular popcorn tins come cove seasonal-themed scenes, great for gifting. The peanut brittle, glazed nuts, salty-sweet mixes, toffee and almond barks, are also perfect for sharing. They offer sugar-free versions of their treats, and other most-wanteds like chocolate-covered pretzels, cookies and caramels.

Jefferson Pointe, 4510 W. Jefferson Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46804

DeBrand’s Holiday Wreath

DeBrand Fine Chocolates

www.debrand.com

DeBrand’s is a heavenly must-stop for all visitors. Known for their fine and beautiful chocolates, this time of year you can fill your tummy with their famous holiday collections such as Holiday Medley, Milk Chocolate Santa Coins, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Chocolate Thoughts Bars and an elegant Truffle Wreath Box filled with an assortment of truffles. Their sets of mini chocolate bars, caramel and chocolate pretzel rods, tasting bars, and hot chocolate on a spoon make great stocking stuffers, too. You can also take a behind-the-scenes tour of how they make their chocolates on Tuesdays and Thursdays at their Auburn Road location ($5 per person).

10105 Auburn Park Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46825

5608 Coldwater Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825

Jefferson Pointe, 4110 W. Jefferson Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Inside Scoop

You’ll go back to your kid days in this colorful candy store. Make it one of your first stops when you get to the mall so you can enjoy a quick sugar rush before you shop. You can fill up your treat bags with giant scoops of all of your sweet favorites like jelly beans, Swedish fish, licorice, gummy bears, sour patches, and every other candy your palate desires, and also make custom mixes as token gifts for other kids at heart.

Glenbrook Mall, 4201 Coldwater Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Chocolate Thimble

Chocolate Thimble

www.chocolatethimble.com

Tucked away in a corner just a short drive outside of Fort Wayne, this hidden gem is a small family-owned shop brimming with a variety of big flavors. Run by sisters and their daughters they sell their homemade confections, and, as their clever name suggests also offer sewing andlting classes. The ladies handcraft their brittles and barks, sophies and caramels the old-fashioned way. Pick up their chocolate Christmas trees, charms snowman and Santa for family and friends back home. For parties, their chocolate assortment trays are always crowd pleasers. And while you visit, enjoy their nut clusters, buckeyes, peppermint bark, toffee, and my favorite – chocolate-covered cherries.

2384 Shoaff Road, Huntertown, IN 46748