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.

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Are you following Visit Fort Wayne on Facebook?

If you aren’t yet, now’s the time to do so! Join close to 3,000 others who love learning about Fort Wayne and happenings around the city on a daily basis. Looking for a restaurant suggestion? Maybe an idea for date night? Or perhaps you want to know what events are going on in the city the weekend you will be in town. You can find it all here.

On the Visit Fort Wayne Facebook page, posts from the Visit Fort Wayne blog are shared on a regular basis. Locals share their tips and reasons why they love Fort Wayne. You can even find mentions of Fort Wayne in the local and national press here!

Everything you want to know about your hometown is here. For visitors, following the Facebook page is a great way to plan a trip to the Summit City. In short the Facebook page is like a mini-news center for everything Fort Wayne and Allen County. Be the first to hear about “insider” tips and upcoming events here too. Don’t delay. Click “like” and join in on all the fun and fellowship with others who love this great city!

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Pinterest isn’t just for crafters and cooks.

If you haven’t joined in the fun on this social media website yet — you are missing out! Pinterest allows users to save images and hyperlinks to favorite websites, products, locations and images of all kinds. If you can find it on the web… you can save it here! Visit Fort Wayne even has it’s own page on the site. Follow it here.

Visit Fort Wayne is at the heart of all the fun and activity going on in the area – for both locals and visitors alike. By following the Visit Fort Wayne Pinterest board you will find ideas for planning your next family getaway… ideas for Fort Wayne fun and even local images and art related to those passionate about the area!

Have you ever seen a Fort Wayne quilt? Or maybe a T-shirt proclaiming love for Indiana? Find them here! Other boards will give you the inside scoop on all the sports and recreation activities Fort Wayne has to offer, from Tin Caps games to visits to the Allen County Memorial Coliseum to see the Mad Ants and Komets play. “Taste of Fort Wayne” guides you on where to grab a bite to eat in this great city.

Other boards include suggestions for Fort Wayne nightlife, date night ideas in Fort Wayne and the really fun “Hidden Fort Wayne” showing you areas of the city you may never have heard of or been to! These sometimes overlooked locations really make the city shine — visit one on your next visit!

And lastly, have you ever wanted to support local artisans and companies? Visit Fort Wayne has a pin board just for that, “Shop Fort Wayne” which groups together locally produced goods. Shop at these locations to support the local economy. The Visit Fort Wayne Pinterest boards are constantly growing and evolving. Check them out today!

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3 Rivers: Harrison Square is located on Jefferson Blvd in front of Parkview Field

Downtown’s newest bank is a visitor’s best friend!

Three Rivers Federal Credit Union recently opened their Harrison Square branch at Parkview Field, which has allowed many visitors to have access to their accounts while traveling. “The key to making it accessible to visitors is that we’re part of the Shared Branching network,” said Three Rivers Vice President Jim Johnson. “If your home credit union is part of the Shared Branching Network you can bank with us just like you do your credit union at home. People never believe how easy it is until they try it for the first time. We’re happy to help visitors access their accounts and make it as easy as it would be if they were at home.”  To find out if your credit union participates in Shared Branching, check their website.

A “typical” meeting room at 3 Rivers Harrison Square

In addition, Johnson tells me the branch is equipped with an outdoor “in-network ATM” saving visitors those pesky usage fees. Tens of thousands of community banks and credit unions are part of the three networks that make up the “in-network ATM” family. Simply check with your financial institution to see if they’re part of Alliance1 ATMs, CO-OP ATMs, or CU24 ATMs. If your financial institution is part of one of these networks no fees will be applied to your transaction. In fact, you won’t even see the fee screen during your transaction. Johnson tells me this network encompasses over 50,000 ATMs around the country.

The state of the art new branch is located in one of the most visited sections of Fort Wayne. Three Rivers President and CEO, Don Cates is pleased at how accessible the branch is for visitors, “We’re happy to be located in the heart of things.” Located directly in front of Parkview Field, across from the Grand Wayne Center, within two blocks of the Hilton and Courtyard hotels, and near major employers such as Lincoln Financial that brings in many visitors.

Need to get away from the office and get some work done? Check out the Cyber Cafe at 3 Rivers Harrison Square

In addition to allowing for Shared Branching transactions and in-network ATMs, Cates tells me they’ve added even more visitor friendly perks like Saturday hours from 9am – 1pm and a cyber café with free Wi-Fi. “If visitors want to get out of the their hotel room but still need access to Wi-Fi, they’re welcome to stop in during regular business hours and get some work done,” Cates tells me.

Enjoy complimentary hot cocoa, coffee, tea, and bottled water while visiting 3 Rivers Harrison Square

For a complete list of Three Rivers FCU’s hours and locations go to their website www.3riversfcu.org

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Are you a fan of authentic, wood-fired pizza? If so, odds are you’re familiar with 800 Degrees Wood Fired Pizza on Lima Road. But did you know that there is a second location to satisfy your craving for delicious Napolese cuisine? Located at 5212 Illinois Road, 800 Degrees Three Fires has all the charm and authentic food as the original north restaurant, but offers a slightly different menu as well as full sit-down service.

On a recent visit to Three Fires, my husband and two sons and I had a wonderful, memorable meal. As Executive Chef Matt Rogers is a friend of ours, we were able to take a peek into the kitchen and see the famous wood fired ovens–the boys really enjoyed that. Once we were seated, the boys had Bambino Cheese Pizzas (perfect portions for both nine-year old and toddler-sized appetites), while my husband had his favorite artisan pizza, the Salsiccia with extra sauce. It’s a spicy, flavorful meat-topped pizza–and Kevin swears by requesting more of the tangy, homemade sauce to make it even more spectacular.

I decided on my usual, the Mista Salad, which is a mix of fresh greens, pine nuts, Parmesan, julienne carrots and fennel, plus a handmade dressing that is out of this world. At the north location, I always have the pasta with pesto, but since it wasn’t on the regular menu at Three Fires I was treated to a chef’s specialty salad of roasted squash, goat cheese and walnuts. Topped with a sweet-yet-savory dressing, I couldn’t get enough. I paired my meal with a nice Carmenere (a rich red wine), while my husband selected one of the countless IPA’s on the menu.

When dinner was over, my older son convinced us to get dessert. He selected the chocolate gelato, which he says is some of the best ice cream he’s ever had. A sweet, decadent finish to a terrific dining experience.

Whether you’re looking for a new date night option or a family-friendly place to take the kids, 800 Degrees Three Fires is a perfect choice. Though the artisan wood fired pizzas are the specialty, you can’t go wrong with a gourmet salad, vegetable dish or tasty pasta. And don’t forget to save room for dessert.

800 Degrees Three Fires

5212 Illinois Road

800degrees.net

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