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It had been a while since I had driven through Covington Plaza on West Jefferson Blvd. to peruse its shops. I was pleasantly surprised to notice the numerous high-quality shops and cafes and stores located within it.

While space does not permit me to mention each place in detail, I wanted to mention several by name, starting with the restaurants. Covington Plaza has some of the city’s best dining!

Chappell’s Coral Grille (260-456-9652) is known for its fine seafood dishes. After being located in downtown Fort Wayne for several decades, it secured a convenient location in this spot in which thousands of people drive by daily. Plan to stop in soon.

Catablu Grille now serves lunch from 11 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Evening meals are served from 4:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. 260.456.6563.

The Olive Twist sells olive oil and balsamic vinegar condiments to enhance your home cooked culinary experiences. (260.436.3866). Visit their second location in Auburn or order online at www.theolivetwist.com.

Taj Mahal and Yen Ching both offer delicious Asian influences with moderately priced menus.

As for fashion, Covington Plaza has it covered. Ha! Jophiel Style is well-known for offering fine women’s clothing in Fort Wayne for many years.

Susan’s was voted by participants of the Fort Wayne Newspapers Reader’s Choice Awards as the #1 Best Women’s Clothing Store and Boutique in Fort Wayne!

B. Mitchel Fine Jewelry and Merle Norman and Sizzorworks Style Studios add accents to a great appearance.

After an afternoon of shopping, skip just a few steps away to Woodhouse Day Spa. Just looking at the website for this place helps me relax! Indulge in a detoxifying seaweed wrap, organic sugar scrub pedicure and a rejuvenating Shirodhara scalp massage. Ah!

From high fashion stores to international cuisine restaurants and a day spa, the stores at Covington Plaza offer a plethora of services and pleasures,

Quiz: What American music group did The Beatles borrow from as the model for their name?

Answer will be provided at the end of this post. Keep reading!

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The Brits are coming! It’s a British invasion!

OK, it’s not British soldiers. It’s BritBeat, a Beatles musical tribute band!

Just in case you’re wondering, the term British Invasion was coined by TV reporter Walter Cronkite to describe the Beatles’ arrival in the United States in 1964. Their public appearances soon led to Beatlemania in the U.S.

The British Invasion continued during the next two years as Petula Clark, Herman’s Hermits, the Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark Five and others had one or more Number One singles in America.

Even if BritBeat’s music was not impressive, this group would get an A+ from me for their bodacious attempts to recreate the sights, mannerisms, accents, costumes and sounds of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll group of all time.

Between 1963 and 1970 the Beatles released 22 singles and 12 LPs, many of which became Number Ones:  “Can’t Buy Me Love” (1964), “Yesterday” (1965), “Paperback Writer” (1966), “Hello, Goodbye” (1967), “Hey, Jude” (1968), “Let It Be” (1970).

Being a loyal follower of The Beatles’ music, I have to admit the musical selections heard from BritBeat on a short vid at www.Reverbnation.com sounded pretty good. They played songs from The Beatles’ early years around 1964 through Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road. I even heard some Paul McCartney and Wings tunes.

BritBeat will appear at the Foellinger Theatre onSaturday, June 30 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets cost $12.00. For more information contact Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation, 705 East State Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805; 260.427.6000; www.fortwayneparks.org.

Answer: After a series of names for their group including “Johnny and the Moondogs” and “The Silver Beetles”, Paul McCartney and his fellow musicians chose “The Beatles” in mid-August 1960. They modeled their name after the American group Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

Talk about a fun educational experience! School-aged children are invited on a personalized tour of one of Fort Wayne’s most beautiful landmarks – The Embassy Theatre.

This special opportunity is an especially meaningful adventure for children who have visited the Embassy for special events, like Christmas or even attended a silent movie with the Embassy’s historic Grande Page organ. Children who have never visited the Embassy will find it equally amazing to observe this gigantic musical instrument and its home for the past several decades.

In addition to examining the Page organ, kids can participate in art projects like creating mosaics and rubbings. Games are planned, including a Scavenger Hunt! I might have to join them as I love scavenger hunts! There’s even popcorn! What could be more appropriate for a movie theater setting?

Behind the Screen takes place on June 27, 28 & July 17. Time: 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Tickets are $5 per person and available at the Embassy box office. Group rates are available by calling the Embassy box office at 260.424.5665.

This is a totally cool creative and educational program for kids. Kudos to the Embassy Theatre staff for opening this precious historic landmark and allow our city’s youngest residents to experience it up close through this organized activity. Hopefully it will inspire a love for the Embassy Theatre and loyalty for its contribution to Fort Wayne’s quality of life.

Go to the Embassy Theatre website for more information.

Embassy Theatre
125 W. Jefferson Blvd.

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art extends its hospitality to visitors by opening wide the doors of Paradigm Gallery, its museum store, for extended hours on the Second Thursdays of each month.

Hours for Second Thursdays are from 5:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Each month in 2012 Second Thursdays have offered different shopping options: items for gardens and lawns; new artist debuts; area jewelry artistry; sales of items under $100; demonstrations of wood turning by area artisans.

The lovely gift shop is a highlight of the Museum of Art.

June’s Second Thursday will offer views of the Paradigm Gallery with its doors literally wide open under the sky’s magnificence at sunset.

There is free admission during Second Thursdays.

Fort Wayne Museum of Art
311 East Main Street

Regular hours for the museum are Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sun 12-5. Closed holidays.

For additional information, call 260.424.6467 or go to www.fwmoa.org.

The Arcola Tractor and Truck Pull takes place on Thursday, June 28 – Saturday, June 30, 2012.

The Arcola Tractor and Truck Pull sponsored by the Arcola Volunteer Fire Department has been held since 1954 when it was part of the Arcola Days annual festival. The festival was the major fundraiser for the Arcola Volunteer Fire Department. Later, the Arcola Days festival ceased, but the pull continued as a fundraiser. During the 1970s, volunteer firefighters constructed a permanent clay pull track on private property for a park where the event was held each year. In 2011 the park was donated to Lake Township, which is part of Allen County. The Arcola Volunteer Fire Department was granted access to the park for the Arcola Truck and Tractor Pull.

Feel the power!

The Arcola Truck and Tractor Pull is still the only fundraiser for the Arcola Volunteer Fire Department. No one on the fire department staff is paid. No one helping with the Pull is paid. It’s pretty noteworthy that this small area produces more than 300 volunteers who coordinate the Arcola National Tractor and Truck Pull each year.

Schedule of Events:

On Thursday, June 28, the gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the pull starts at 7:00 p.m.

The classes for this day’s pull include 6,200 lb. 2-Wheel Drive Super Stock; 9,500-lb. Hot Farm Tractor; Big Block Modified Rails; 8,000-lb. 2.6 Diesel.

On Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30, gates open at the same times as Thursday. The Pull starts at 7:00 p.m. Classes include Mini Rods; Super Farm Stock; 4-Wheel Drive Trucks.

Ticket prices vary by day and age:

June 28

Ages 13 and older – $10.00
Children 5 to 12 – $5.00
Children 4 and under – free

June 29-30

Ages 13 and older – $15.00
Children 5 to 12 – $5.00
Children 4 and under – free

Weekend Passes

Weekend passes will be available on the grounds the night of Thursday, June 28th at the ticket booth
Ages 13 and older – $30.00
Children 5 to 12 – $10.00

Note: There are no advance ticket sales. You may bring your own cooler, but it may not contain alcoholic beverages of any kind.

For additional information, please visit the Arcola Tractor and Truck Pull website.

Location: Branning Park, 11202 Reed St in Arcola, west of Fort Wayne.