Higher Grounds rocks the locally owned coffee business

The whole idea of a 'coffee shop' has changed over my lifetime. As a child in the 1960's, it had a connotation of existing as a bohemian place, where poets and beatniks gathered to pound bongo drums and discuss intellectual thoughts.

But I suppose the idea of U. S. coffee shops go back at least to WWII and before. Always a gathering place; now with the inception of the Internet, laptops and cell phones, coffee shops are hubs of activity for all generations. Commuters, soccer moms, grandmas and kids even frequent them. Teens and pre-teens want lattes and mochas. Please, parents - get the kids hot chocolate or something else age-appropriate.  Caffeine is simply too strong for younger kids.  I admit I drank too many sodas as a kid without knowing better.  But times have changed.  Coffee is big business. In the age of Starbucks and national franchises, it's nice to see locally owned shops in the area.

Leo has the modest Higher Grounds business on Amstutz, near Dollar General and CVS. A patron can sit inside or pull up to the drive-through window. The Leo location reportedly roasts all the beans for the other Fort Wayne locations. I was told by a clerk the local owner sold his successful store in IPFW's college campus to the school (or a contractor, I'm not sure). But there are other locations at 6122 St. Joe Center Road in Fort Wayne, and at 127 W. Berry Street. 630 E. Dupont also houses a location - and I think there are other spots, maybe in hospitals or even large churches. I couldn't make a clear search on the web for all the locations around here - I think they need to update their online search information.

I liked their Creme Brulee coffee that was one of the daily specials when I visited. It was mid-morning, and the coffee was served out of a thermos. It wasn't quite hot enough this way, but I did like the flavor, and would order it again. I also bought a pound of French Vanilla beans to grind. Sold in an environmentally-friendly brown paper bag, I will have to seal it in something else at home, but I can do that. When I brewed the French Vanilla, I found it to be disappointing. I couldn't discern much in the way of vanilla aroma or flavor. I won't buy it again - instead, I'll go back to buying Starbucks Vanilla I can get at some grocery stores.  But that's just me - and otherwise I do so like the idea of patronizing a local coffee shop.

There's also lots of wonderful, established shops in Fort Wayne, such as The Firefly Coffee House on North Anthony, the Dash-In on South Calhoun, and others on the southwest side with which I am less familiar. Many of these have live entertainment and a more complete menu of food. If you have any good recommendations, please let me know.  Whether you call it Java or Joe, coffee is my friend.  I try to keep it to morning only, because it can interfere with my sleep if I overdo it. Debate may continue whether coffee is a virtue or a vice, but I think whichever you weigh out on that matter, we can probably agree coffee is going to stick around.

Aveda Experience Center in Fort Wayne Sparkles

There are plenty of decent cosmetics available at local salons and nice department stores in the Fort Wayne area.  But if you've tried Aveda products, you understand why so many high-end spas, salons and hotels choose to carry the Aveda line exclusively.

Recently, longtime Aveda representative Alicia Clark opened Fort Wayne's only Aveda Experience store at the stylish Jefferson Pointe shopping center, next door to the posh Von Maur and near De Brand's chocolates.  Aveda products consist of organic plant and flower botanicals combined to create impressively natural, lovely scented products.  They don't have the  cheap filler ingredients that dilute the average cosmetics.  The Aveda line costs more but I think it's worth it.  So at home we just use these lotions and shampoos sparingly; it's so good, a little goes a long way.

The small store is beautiful and clean with the products easy to find. There's a wood table and chairs, and the decor has a clean, nature-like feel. At the table settings are bowls designed for cleansing one's face, and there's herbal tea for relaxing.  Alicia introduced me to a product I just loved - and I'm extremely picky about lotions on my skins.  I don't like many smells and some textures don't feel right.  But this 'stress-fix' Aveda body lotion is luscious.  It really does have a stress-relieving aroma, and using it is like taking a mini-aromatherapy session.  I have used some on my hands and forearms every day since I got it; for me it's both relaxing and refreshing.  I've started walking around rubbing a bit on the back of family members' hands in the evening if I think they appear stressed from the day.  It's kind of an "ahh" experience.

Another new product we tried was Rosemary Mint shampoo.  One younger member of our household experiences rather oily hair, and we wanted to try something different than department store shampoo. Aveda offers lots of specialty shampoos and hair care products, and this one delights with the scents in its name and also includes essences of lavender and marjoram. It's an invigorating shampoo that leaves a nice shine, and a person can use just a small amount to get results. One 8 1/2 ounce bottle was $12.

Finally, one of our other ladies was there for the trademarked 'be curly' curl enhancing hair spray.  There are different products like this on the market, but many of them don't seem to be very effective. If one has natural curl or wave in one's hair, one can bring out the curls and set them in place using the right products and drying the hair correctly. After shampooing, you work a bit of Aveda's 'be curly style-prep' through damp hair.  Scrunch, lift, or squeeze hair with towel a bit to make spring: encourage hair to lift and coil and don't straighten with comb or regular dryer. You can use a diffusing dryer with minimized motion to speed drying. Lift hair and apply the curl enhancing spray both during the process and as you finish working the hair.  It will continue to set.  I find this a nice alternative to straightened or set hair.  Even for a person whose hair is mostly straight, one can add a little variety to a look by working in some waves this way.  It's nice to change our hair styles from time to time!

Alicia and her staff are trained and so knowledgeable - I've known Alicia for years, and she has worked in fitness, wellness, is trained in cosmetology and business - she's great with make-up and nails - and spiritual wellness!  I'll make another visit back to the local Aveda Experience Center soon.  The address is 4206 W Jefferson Blvd in Fort Wayne.  This is really a nice new store, and a great addition to Fort Wayne.

Sushiya - us has steak also

I'm glad a new sushi place has opened on the north end of Fort Wayne, although I am told Sushiya-us actually has been there for nearly a year, near Trolley Bar. It's an Asian fusion restaurant, in which new flavors are introduced into traditional sushi, Japanese or other Asian dishes.

Americans are supposed to be fond of these modern flavor combos, and I'm all for trying something new once in a while. Traditionalists can still get hibachi (grilled) entrees, bento boxes with teriyaki and katsu dishes, and noodles (udon or donburi). There is a lot on this menu, and it's augmented by a spacious restaurant with lots of windows.

The decor is pleasant and simple, and the sushi chef in white hat is poised and visible at his station. Next time I want to try the bibimbop, which is usually a Korean dish in which rice, egg, vegetables and meat are cooked in a hot stone bowl that is brought to table.

On this occasion I went for "special roll," an elaborate sushi fusion roll. I chose the Mountain Fuji. It was salmon, crab, tuna, avocado, more and a spicy sauce. Flying fish roe gives it an orange snow-capped look. It was delicious, as was the clear soup and ginger salad that came with it.

It's fun to see what the chefs are naming their new creations. One wonders what was going on for someone to dub a roll "IPFW," or Harry Potter, or Dune Palm, or 007, or Yam Yam (no sweet potato involved).

I suggest you check out their website at www.sushiya-us.com or just go to the location at 2882 E. Dupont Road in Fort Wayne. For a long time Yokohama was about the only sushi restaurant in Fort Wayne; then Asakusa has ruled the market for years. I was really impressed with sushiya-us: I'm not sure about it's odd name, but maybe I'll ask them what it means the next time. I will be back.

Colts post-Manning gain momentum with Coach Pagano

Lucas Oil Stadium is massive.  With seating for 63,000 fans, it sits on a total site of 39 acres.  Two giant HD screens highlight all the action below the retractable roof and wide-angle windows that open to a view of the downtown Indy skyline.

It's always a sea of blue jerseys, from the crowd walking in to the seats in the top rows.  The main walkways are marketing 'ops' and street parties with live bands, games for kids, and proudly displayed Lucas Oil sponsored racing machines.  Cars, motorcycles, four-wheelers, souped-up tractors - anything that can run on Lucas Oil products are mounted in the entryways.  Colts fans have really come together with their brand, and the Indy team spirit is electric.

New quarterback Andrew Luck has been living up to his name as he has turned the Colts around since the loss of famed Payton Manning.  Up to this last regular season game on Dec. 30, Luck had completed 325 passes this year for roughly 4200 yards. Star receiver Reggie Wayne had caught 102 passes for 1315 yards.  So the Colts had momentum coming into the last regular season game against the Texans.

Indy's own Sandie Patty sang the national anthem, as servicemen unfurled the enormous U. S. flag shown in the photo.  It was all NFL theatre, as good as it gets.  The halftime show was singularly unusual:  Tim Lepard, a rodeo performer, wrangled a trio of border collies herding sheep.  The dogs, on top of this, were ridden by capuchin monkeys.  I'm sure kids watching thought this was great; the monkeys sat their saddles perfectly as the dogs wove and dodged abruptly.  I guess we have to be shown something new, n'est pas? It was kind of odd, but we seem to be in an 'anything goes' culture.

Another thing notable about this game was that head coach Chuck Pagano was back for the first time after being treated for cancer.  To honor and support his struggles, two of the glamorous NFL cheerleaders had shaved their heads.  On the 'JumboTrons' they stood out, cute and sassy with butch haircuts next to all the long Barbie-esque locks on their squad mates.  Pagano's return had ignited the team and fans, and helped push them to overcome the Texans this day.

Maybe the day will come again the Colts are Superbowl champs.  Maybe one day people will stop stealing street signs that say "Manning."  Time marches on, and any given Sunday..