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It’s been said that there are no atheists in foxholes. I wonder, then, if it’s true that there are no vegetarians in smokehouses. I think from time to time about becoming a vegetarian, I really do, but my lack of any real food-related willpower always seems to get in the way (and I have the Heath bar addiction to prove it). Recently, I discovered yet another reason not to give up meat “cold turkey” – Blue Stack Smokehouse.

A family-owned and operated restaurant, Blue Stack Smokehouse has only been open for a few months, but it has quickly become one of my go-to lunch destinations. I’ve tried the pulled pork (my usual), the chicken, and the brisket, and they’re all incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful. The meat comes to you dry, but don’t be shy about adding one of Blue Stack’s two homemade barbecue sauces, either mild or spicy. They’re both quite tasty, but I prefer the extra kick of the spicy sauce.

The meat’s not the only thing Blue Stack does well. On the menu are a number of sides that are equally as enticing as the entrées. I’ve tried two of them, but to be honest, they’re so good I don’t ever see myself ordering anything else. Macaroni and cheese is already one of my favorite foods, but their smoked macaroni and cheese makes an old favorite something even better. My other side choice? Without a doubt, the best baked beans I’ve ever had.

Get to Blue Stack Smokehouse as soon as you can. Seriously. If you don’t get there early, there’s a decent chance they’ll be out of something (the jalapeño poppers always seem to be the first to go). Every time I eat there, I notice the line is a bit longer than the last time. This is a hidden gem that isn’t going to stay hidden much longer. Blue Stack Smokehouse is located at 3620 North Clinton Street here in Fort Wayne. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, call (260) 755-6328 or visit www.bluestacksmokehouse.com.

Beer is like a lot of things in life – when you’re young (or don’t know any better), you settle for the cheap stuff. As you get older, though, your tastes refine and your wallet gets a little thicker. I remember drinking in my college days, and I certainly wasn’t drinking craft beers. My weekend nights probably went a little something like this: Hey, what’s in that keg? Really? I can drink that? How much? Free? Pass me a red Solo cup!

But you don’t have to live that kind of meager existence, not when you can attend Beoir Go Leoir (Gaelic for “lots of beer”), an upcoming craft beer festival sponsored by JK O’Donnell’s, one of Fort Wayne’s favorite bars. The beer will be flowing freely on Saturday, May 18 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Over 75 breweries will be represented here, and many of them will have folks on hand to answer your questions. Those breweries will have over 150 craft beers to sample, and the beauty of it? The samples are unlimited! But don’t worry –  you may have to pay to drink, but your designated driver gets in for free.

General admission tickets are $40 and include a commemorative tasting glass. VIP tickets are $65 and include that commemorative glass and early admission (an hour earlier, at 1:00 p.m.), a tasting glass lanyard, a T-shirt, appetizers, and special beer tastings. But be sure to order your tickets now: Day-of ticket prices are more expensive – $50 for general admission tickets and $75 for VIP tickets – and may not even be available.

Sorry, kiddos, this is a 21 and older event. All attendees, including DDs, must show a valid photo ID at the door. To purchase advance tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com or stop in to JK O’Donnell’s, 121 West Wayne Street in downtown Fort Wayne. For even more information, check out http://www.visitfortwayne.com/event/beoir-go-leoir or www.jkodonnells.com.

I think each one of us has a genre of music we consider formative – that music, those artists, that spoke to us at a time we needed to be spoken to. Whether we were disaffected youth, hopelessly in love with the wrong girl, or just not sure where we wanted our lives to go, someone had already lived through it, come out on the other side, and put it to wax (or cassette, or digital audio…).

For those of us of a certain age, that genre was alternative, but more specifically, it was grunge. Yes, I wore flannel. Yes, I had a pair of combat boots. And while grunge fashion died years ago, the music lives on.

One of the seminal bands to come out of the Seattle scene, Alice in Chains, will be performing live at the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne on Tuesday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m.

Alice in Chains

Alice in Chains, like fellow Seattle rockers Nirvana, have seen their fair share of tragedy over the course of their career. Lead singer Layne Staley and original bass player Mike Starr both died after long battles with addiction – Staley in 2002 and Starr in 2011. But the band soldiers on, with original members Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney; Starr’s replacement since 1993, Mike Inez; and William DuVall, lead singer since 2006. Famous for hits like “Man in the Box,” “Them Bones,” “Would?,” and my favorite, “I Stay Away,” they will release a new album, The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here, later this month.

Two things of note: First, man, Alice in Chains made some great rock ‘n’ roll songs, and second, it saddens me that the bands of my youth are now considered classic rock.

An amazing band like Alice in Chains performing at an intimate venue like the Embassy Theatre? That’s a show you can’t miss. There are still tickets available at the $45 price level. Additional fees may apply. For more information, check out www.aliceinchains.com, http://www.visitfortwayne.com/event/alice-in-chains, or www.ticketmaster.com.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s comic convention time again here in Fort Wayne. This is the third year I’ve covered our local con, and while it wasn’t the first post I wrote for the Visit Fort Wayne blog, it was close enough that I use it to mark my anniversary with the organization. For the last three years, the Summit City Comic Con has been the place to meet locally- and nationally-recognized comic creators and collect original artwork and prints. Last year I snagged a wicked cool commissioned Daredevil sketch and a hand-signed fantasy art print, both of which are now hanging on my wall at home. Along with providing great artwork, it gives comic and toy collectors an opportunity to track down back issues and collectibles (like Minimates, my toy addiction).

This year, a new, refocused convention will take its place – the Appleseed Comics & Arts Convention (Appleseed Comic Con for short). The con will be held Saturday, May 11, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Grand Wayne Convention Center.

One of the Appleseed Comic Con’s purposes is to spotlight the inclusivity of the comics community. Seriously, even if you don’t know a soul at the con, you can make friends very easily and very quickly. Heck, it’s a week after Iron Man 3 opens, so that’ll give us all something to talk about. There’s also a concerted effort to reach out to young fans. The comic book industry, much like the video game industry, has grown up with the kids of my generation. Comics today are more “adult” – and, sure, that does mean that there may be sex and violence and salty language. But it’s not just that. The themes comics today deal with are often more adult too. It’s not just about Spider-Man stopping the Vulture from robbing a jewelry store anymore¹. And that’s not to say there aren’t comics for kids, but most “mainstream” books really aren’t. When I go to the comic shop on Wednesdays, it’s mostly folks my age and older (I’m 36). The Appleseed Comic Con, like the industry as a whole, is trying to make sure that kids today get the same excitement from comics as we did when we were young.

So what’s new? What should you be looking for? Well, Marvel’s big “universe-changing” event, Age of Ultron, is currently just past its halfway point. What changes will we see when it’s finished? Only a few people know, as Marvel has kept details tightly under wraps. Hot on the heels of Age of Ultron is Infinity. Starting later this summer, it features Thanos, the villain teased at the end of 2012’s blockbuster movie Marvel’s The Avengers. DC’s “New 52” is approaching the start of its third year, and this summer will see Trinity War, a crossover running through Justice League, Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark. What are the best books I’m reading right now? Well, it’s a great time to be a fan, which means I’m reading a lot. I won’t list them all, but here’s a sample of the best of the best: Animal Man, Green Arrow, and Swamp Thing (DC); Avengers, New Avengers, Uncanny Avengers, and Hawkeye (Marvel); The Massive (Dark Horse); & East of West and Saga (Image).

2013 Appleseed print by Dave Wachter

Be sure to attend the Appleseed Comic Con. Tickets are $10 each. If you pre-order yours at www.appleseedcon.com, you’ll get a copy of the Dave Wachter-drawn convention poster and be entered for a chance to win an exclusive print. See you there!

¹ Don’t get me wrong – adult themes aren’t new to comics. A fine example of this is the classic Iron Man story “Demon in a Bottle,” published in 1979, which dealt with Tony Stark’s alcoholism.

Ah, spring! It’s nice to finally be able to say that after what felt like the longest winter ever. It means I can get back outside and do some planting (and some mowing, a necessary evil) and I can start wearing shorts and flip-flops again, probably earlier than I should.

It also means that a very particular kind of person awakens from his or her hibernation: the golfer. Golf courses around the city are coming to life just like everything else does this time of year, and I get it – there really is something to be said about a golf course on a sunny day.

Sycamore Hills Golf Course

Golfers (and golf enthusiasts) should also look forward to the other side of summer – which is not as far off as it seems – when Sycamore Hills Golf Course in Fort Wayne, Indiana, will host the inaugural Hotel Fitness Championship, August 26 through September 1, 2013. This is the first of four Web.com Tour Finals events that will determine which 50 golfers will earn cards to join the PGA TOUR for the 2013-2014 season. It’s a big deal, it’s right here in our backyard, and you can participate. Here’s how.

Putting together an event as big as this – around 150 golfers will be participating – requires a heck of a lot of manpower. That’s where you come in. The Hotel Fitness Championship is looking for about 800 volunteers to fill a variety of roles, like volunteer hospitality, admissions, marshaling, scoring, and more. Volunteers will be required to work a minimum of three (3) shifts, or about 15-20 hours, over the course of the week. And while volunteers will have to purchase a $50 Volunteer Package, it’s a real deal. Each volunteer will receive:

• Two (2) Championship golf shirts
• A Championship ball cap or visor
• Tournament credential valid all week that allow you to watch when you aren’t working
• One (1) Weekly Grounds guest ticket
• Catered food and drink
• Free parking

And if you’re wondering where the money goes, the proceeds will be donated to the Evans Scholarship Fund, which provides college tuition and housing scholarships for caddies with financial need, and to various local charities.

If this sounds like fun – and really, who wouldn’t think this was fun? – please visit http://www.visitfortwayne.com/meeting-professionals/hotel-fitness-championship, http://www.hotelfitnesschampionship.com, or contact Sally White, tournament manager, at (224) 260-3786 or white@wgaesf.org, for more information.