Embassy Theatre Rooftop Patio Open on Wednesday evenings in Summer

The Embassy Theatre has undergone lots of renovations recently, and it's worth taking a moment to talk about this one - the opening of a rooftop patio to the public. An elevator or stairs takes one to this panoramic view of downtown Fort Wayne, with cool breezes and a railing to look over. The Grand Wayne Center is to the north, Parkview Field and Lincoln National Corporation are within site, as is the Ash building, the Botanical Conservatory structures, and many beautiful old church steeples. There is seating, weather permitting. Because it had been rainy, the live music was not set up on the roof.

Beginning Wednesday nights in the summer of 2016, the 6th and 7th floors have been unlocked to host live music and other entertainment for patrons who bought $5 tickets. The night I went, a live combo played and sang familiar rock, jazz and blues cover songs - many of them, I noticed, with the word 'sunshine' in the title or lyrics. They really sounded great.

Music was sent through speakers to the rooftop above, so patrons sitting out on the patio could hear. Club Soda was catering the food, which was lovely. Coconut shrimp, burritos with fresh toppings, and a dessert selection all proved to be tempting. The dessert we split, a cheesecake with fresh berries, was wonderful. People spread out at tables with their drinks and food to hear the band, or took their items to the roof to look out over the city and have a conversation. It was cocktail hour, and people were partaking. I think the venue cares about its renovations and carpeting, because red wine and some other drinks were served in lidded sippy cups! That was new to me.

This lovely event will soon end for the season, so check the Embassy website, box office, or local Whatzup listings for the featured entertainment, 5 - 9 p.m. Parking is in the structure across the walkway: limited street parking is also available in the area. The year is slipping away, so get it all in if you can.

Foellinger Theatre Summer Concert Series Rocks Franke Park

I had no idea it had been in existence that long, but Fort Wayne's Foellinger Theatre was first constructed in Franke Park in 1949. According to the Parks department web site, the theatre, named for the late Oscar Foellinger, was a gift to the city from the owners of the newspaper News-Sentinel.

In 1972, the theater burned. It was rebuilt into its current incarnation in 1975 and reopened in 1976, with its wooden arcing roof and open sides, allowing summer breezes to cool attendees at events. New seating was installed and electrical systems were updated in 1994. Then in 2005, restrooms, concessions, a plaza, and entrance landscaping were all improved. The landscaping has filled in well.

By 2014, the annual summer concert series was going strong in this beautifully covered, yet outdoor, venue. That year Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Styx and the Beach Boys all sold out. And in 2015, attendance at events at this special place next to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo approached 50,000, with revenues over $1.7 million. Other improvements with structural beams, sound and rigging for equipment have kept acoustics and technology up to date.

So much smaller and more intimate than the Memorial Coliseum, the Foellinger is the place I'd rather see a concert. There are only about 2700 seats in the house. The back seats are much like metal bleachers, so unless there are no other tickets available I don't recommend seats in that section. Tickets for events can be bought online on the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation website, or at the theater box office. For concerts, there are concessions available. Drinks, including beer, wine, frozen margaritas, waters and sodas can be purchased and taken to seats. Hot dogs, popcorn, and other snacks are also available.

This year Heart played an amazing concert. Ann and Nancy Wilson have amazing voices, and included some Led Zeppelin in their final songs. Joe Walsh and Ringo Starr graced the stage this year. And I saw the band America, the founders of which have been playing together on stage since 1969. Boston also did a tremendous job this year.

I am looking forward to seeing the band Chicago for the first time next week. I'll try to get some photos and let you know how it was. Often a local performer, such as Kenny Taylor, starts the show as a warm-up act. Sometimes the opener has come along on tour with the band. Parking is free, and traffic isn't terrible when an event is over. It's just a few minutes to get out. I hope you go and see an act, and have a great time.

WBOI's reception at Ted's Wine Bar was a great chance to connect

Although late, Spring has suddenly sprung in northeast Indiana, and April 14 was a wonderful day for a meet and greet at Ted's Market and Wine Bar on the north side of Fort Wayne. If you haven't been there, it's in a reconverted building at Coldwater and Union Chapel roads.

The market and kitchen is up on the patio level, and the wine bar is downstairs. Our wonderful local NPR affiliate radio station, WBOI 89.1 FM, had put together a nice reception, and I spoke to several of the on-air hosts, members, listeners and board members.

Katy Anderson, Program Director, was there, as was on-air host Zack Bernard. Lea Denny came up and said "hi," and I had a long conversation with Julia Meek, renounced host of Folktales and Meet the Music, radio shows based out of Fort Wayne and now syndicated.

We chatted about Prairie Home Companion's upcoming loss of Garrison Keillor when he retires this summer. We talked about recent music events in Fort Wayne and the great venues here. Board members came up and said "hi," and we talked about volunteer opportunities at the station, such as for telephone workers on the upcoming fund drive beginning April 21.

We love it when Julia Meek introduces us to the new voices on Meet the Music, and spins her grand stories and themes in our Saturday night favorite, Folktales, featuring music from around the world. From her humble local beginnings in Fort Wayne, she has built her personal brand as an artist and an on-air host, and her show is syndicated all across Indiana and beyond. Folktales is heard locally at 8 p.m.

Ted's Market had great wine choices, and upstairs they offer savory fresh breads and bakery products, sandwiches, a cafe, coffees, hand-carved meats, and all kinds of treats. Fresh vegetables and deli items made for great browsing. The lower level wine bar is open Tuesday - Thursday 5-10 p.m. and Friday & Saturday 5 - 11 p.m., with private rental available days and Sunday - Wednesday evenings.

A fun time was had by all - a jokester named Tim worked the crowd, taking photos and spreading cheer. I assume he'll post some of these pictures for WBOI, or use them for a newsletter. I hope to go back to another one of these receptions for listeners, contributors, and staff. It was a success. Good to see all of you!

Coming of Age in Fort Wayne

Our invitation to our friend's bat mitzvah included helpful hints for non-Jewish folks, including what to wear. We went to the ceremony on a Saturday morning, where our friend and neighbor girl had gone through Hebrew school and was ready to become an adult in her religious faith at age thirteen. Much of the service was in Hebrew, but there was a printed English translation that we used to follow along. The girl, Guine, led part of the service, including a section in which the Torah, in this case two large rolled scrolls in the tradition of Judaism, are taken out and carried around.

It was wonderful, seeing a young neighborhood girl grow up and come of age in her faith and tradition. There are two Jewish synagogues in Fort Wayne; this, the more traditional one of the two, is at a beautiful location in southwest Fort Wayne, easy to find from West Jefferson Boulevard. A female at this time is called a bat mitzvah, which means daughter of the commandment.

Guine was called to the Torah and in Hebrew, chanted her part in the morning service. There were readings from the Torah, and all the audience and attendees rise in respect when the scrolls, the Torah, are carried around the room. Guine and her parents helped the rabbi carry them. Many prayers and speeches were given, including those given by grandparents, officers in the synagogue, and combat service veterans.

Candy is distributed and then thrown toward the celebrant near the end of her performance to "ensure a sweet life." After the service, a traditional Kiddush luncheon was served. Bread was blessed and a variety of quiches, salads, casseroles, breads, French toast, and more was served.

After sundown and the end of the Sabbath, the congregation returned to the synagogue for the big party - dessert and dancing. For this celebration from 8 - 10 p.m., chairs had been moved and replaced with round tables. The synagogue had been transformed into a dance hall. A technician played popular dance music.

To the familiar Jewish folk song Hava Nagila, the party started with a call of everyone to the dance floor, celebrating Guine by dancing the Hora. Guine was lifted by her father and an uncle as she was seated in a chair, and they raised her over their heads. She hung on to the chair, and they danced around with the chair aloft. The participants held hands, formed a circle, and became links in a chain around the dance floor. It was so fun, and charming. An inner circle formed inside the larger outer one. The inner circle moved in the opposite direction, and it was great to see these dancers facing us. The smiling faces of the circle in front of us were fun to see.

The circle broke off and a chain slinked out into the table area, and on around the back of the room. Threading out among the chairs, the Hora kept going until the music finally stopped.

Everyone danced: the rabbi and his wife, as did teenagers, members, family, and children. So many dances: the Hokey Pokey, the chicken dance, line dances, the limbo - the gambit. And the food! So many desserts: cakes, mousse, cookies, lemonade, coffee, soft drinks. Another treat was a chocolate fountain for fruit - it was so heavenly.

Men wore Yarmulkes, the traditional caps for the head, that were distributed at the door, with clips or pins. Guine received a few presents, and there was a selfie photo booth. It was a fun, and not over-the-top, party.

What a great experience for a thirteen year old. Memories were created for a lifetime. We were so glad we went and danced the dances; and shared this special time with Guine, her parents, family, and congregation.

Eckhart Public Library and The Window Nook Studio are Fun Places to Visit in Auburn

The top photo here is an upstairs view of one set of the many stained glass windows in the Eckhart Library. This public library in Auburn, Indiana is truly one of a kind. Featuring Arts and Crafts style architecture, it was built in 1910, and made use of Bedford stone and salt-glazed brick.

Automobile executive Charles Eckhart financed the ambitious design project. Architecture firm Patton & Miller was hired: the firm had designed prominent buildings in Chicago, southern Indiana, and other parts of the county. The Auburn library is impressive, with 18-inch thick brick walls, four-feet wide concrete foundations, and Spanish green tile on the roof, laid with wide overhangs.

Entrances were made of mosaic tile and marble, and the stairway is heavy iron. One of the most striking features of the library is the array of stained glass windows mentioned above, which were designed by artist Gustav Brand.

The library now includes a campus of buildings, including separate buildings for teens, a genealogy department, and an annex. Children's programs are a highlight, with a beautifully designed "secret garden" space carved out in a basement. The library park features a fountain, terrace, sundial, and sculpture. It's easy to tell patrons and staff are very fond and proud of their library - it certainly is one of the brightest stars in the sweet town of Auburn.

The last place I visited on my local town tour was an art studio where one of its artists works and lives. She has created a lovely, multipurposed space that contains a kitchen as well as a bedroom loft. The artist and an art teacher offer painting parties, art lessons, a kids' club, woodworking projects, and custom work. The studio is in a place over a business in the town square district. The day I visited the studio, a bottle painting class had been conducted the night before - what a beautiful way to repurpose empty glass containers into reusable works of art.

You see me standing in the studio space in the lower photo above. This space on 215 N. Main has housed a lot of businesses since it was built in the late 1800s. One of its most famous occupants was photographer Kelso Davis and his wife Margaret. Beginning in 1938, it is reported this war service veteran, Kelso Davis, ran an Auburn studio for over 60 years, and lived and worked in the upstairs area from 1938 - 1947.

Davis' work is generally well known in the Auburn area. Margaret employed her art background to hand-tint the studio's brown toned prints with oil paints for a distinctive look. One of the Davis' three daughters was available to speak about Kelso's history and work the day of the Auburn walking tours. For more information about The Window Nook Studio, write windownookstudio@gmail.com.

Auburn is a charming place to explore, chock-full of American history. All over the square are businesses, shops and eateries, each one a unique jewel worth visiting. It's just a short drive north of Fort Wayne, with two exits off Highway I-69.

Historic Auburn Hotel Has a Colorful Past

On the southwest corner of the town square in Auburn, Indiana is a landmark - a large, old hotel. Construction began in the 1860s, and by the 1870s it was called the Swineford House, offering up 36 guest rooms. One report I read said that it had primarily been built for traveling salesmen. By 1919 it was remodeled into the Auburn Hotel. Auburn started booming with its carriage and then automobile factories, and this hotel developed a reputation of being one of Indiana's finest.

Th Historic Auburn Hotel is open for business today, but it gets most of its occupancy during the annual Auburn Cord Duesenberg festival, held Labor Day weekend. At a recent downtown business event, I was surprised to learn the hotel is now open for business year-round, and some of the customers are regulars with extended stay deals, rather than the conventional nightly arrangements.

Rooms in the hotel look much like they would have in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. There are some cracks in the walls; much of the furniture and rugs are antiques, and not all the rooms have bathrooms or showers. But even with all that being said, the place has a wonderful charm. I was fascinated to see it. It looked like a perfect, authentic set for an old movie. I could have roamed the halls of the three floors and peeked in doors for hours.

While there, a young manager gave me a tour, and showed me a typical corner room, with a birds eye view of the downtown square. He then asked me if I knew the history of the criminal John Dillinger in Auburn, and I told him I did not. He then told me a gripping tale which I will recount for you here.

It seems as though some of Dillinger's associates rented that very corner room, and spent nearly a week spying on the town, watching the comings and goings at the local police station which was easily visible down the block. Dillinger, who had been born in Indianapolis, was locked up in a jail in Lima, Ohio. Apparently, some of JD's gang broke him out of said jail by posing as Indiana State Troopers. The bunch then hightailed it back to Auburn. JD's prison breakout was on October 11, 1933.

By having watched the Auburn Police Station in secret, the henchmen knew the schedules, habits, comings and goings of the local officers. On October 14, the gang knew just when to try to catch the Auburn police unaware. They busted into the station, held up the deputies at gunpoint, and forced them into a jail cell. They then got the keys to the arsenal and took bullet-proof vests, a Tommy gun (machine gun), about eight rifles and revolvers, and a lot of ammunition.

Here I had trouble collaborating the details of the rest of the story, but I will tell it the way the hotel manager told it to me. At this point, JD and his gang ran around Auburn, robbing banks and otherwise causing mayhem before leaving town. JD had a 'Robin Hood' reputation at the time, and may have gone into a poorer section of Auburn to dump a bag a cash for the delighted citizens there. Then, according to the story I was told, most of the gang members took off for Chicago in a car, while JD surreptitiously made his way north through Indiana and then Michigan by hitchhiking on his own.

From Michigan, he took a ferry to Wisconsin, and eventually showed up in Chicago. Of course, a year later, he was killed in the famous shoot-out at the movie theatre in Illinois. Thus ended the career of JD, and so ends my story. My next blog post will be another story about delightful Auburn, Indiana - so stay tuned.

Post-Valentine's Day - are you an Einstein with your Relationships?

A new book caught my eye at the Grabill Public Library yesterday. Of course there are tons of self-help, psychology and relationship books on the market, but this book grabbed me. It is written by married couples: an MD couple and a PhD couple. The book is based on, most significantly, 40 years of research with real-life couples.

The book is called The Man's Guide to Women. I recommend reading the whole book. It's pretty entertaining, and very up-to-date. The story I would like to share today is a little piece from near the end of the book, about Albert Einstein and his wife.

We all know who Albert Einstein is, correct? The scientist who developed the theory of relativity? Yeah, that guy. A lot of people think he may have been the smartest man that ever lived, and was certainly thought of as being a great genius. But even this great guy didn't seem to well understand women and marriage.

Our authors tell a tale from another book, Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson. Isaacson reports that Eistein gave his wife Mileva a list in 1914. These were his expectations of her if she wanted to stay married to him.

I'm going to change his format and paraphrase here a little, but this is the list from him to her:

You will make sure that my clothes and laundry are kept in good order, that I receive my three meals in my room, my bedroom and study are kept neat, and that my desk is left for my use only.

You will forego my sitting at home with you, and my going out or travelling with you.

You will not expect any intimacy from me, nor will you reproach me in any way. You will stop talking to me if I request it. You will leave my bedroom or study immediately without protest if I request it.

There is a little more to the list, but you get the idea.

Even though this was 1914, at a time when women didn't have many rights of their own and divorce was highly stigmatized, Mileva left Albert a couple of months later. She took their two children and filed for divorce. Isaacson reports that in the settlement, she received all his Nobel Prize money.

Einstein may have been brilliant, he may have known a lot of things, but he didn't know how to keep from losing his wife. I think the good news here is it doesn't take an Einstein to do the things that make a relationship work. The average Joe can do these simple things if he is willing to learn, if he cares, if he tries and continues to make an effort.

It works both ways, of course. Women need to do their part equally as well. I'm not going to try to teach a course here, so I'll stop. If you're interested, get the book and read it. Or read any one of a large number of books on the subject. It's really up to you. Is it work? Maybe. But aren't marriages and relationships work? That is what I have always been told. For me, it is a very rewarding type of work. Peace!