style & culture
february/march 2012
Michigan City Caviar
ROE TO SHORE BY MOLLY WOULFE
Bridal ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS SUCCESS
John Cain on a Star-Studded Evening in LaPorte
SPRING INTO EVERYTHING
SHORE BRIDE INSIDE
INCLUDING Bite into Bugs NEW MENU INSIDE GOOD LIFE A Foodie’s Guide to College Towns Rick Kaempfer’s Fine Mess COOKING WITH WINE
EXECUTIVE CHEF
RANDY BERG
CIAO BELLA RISTORANTE
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The Right Approach to
On The GOlf COurse
Private Drive on just over 1/2 acre with views of Lake Billington and golf course from every room. Large gourmet kitchen, 2 story stone fireplace, very large main floor master suite. This home is made for entertaining with its large rooms and open floor plan.
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eState area
On the GOlf COurSe
1712 Snead avenue
On the GOlf COurSe
Over 1.8 acres with 5 bedrooms, open porches front and back to take in the views. Pool, carriage house, 2 bars, finished basement, library, butler’s pantry and beautiful chandeliers. Sweeping wide staircases, gazebo and formal gardens, you would think you are at Tara!
All Brick 2 story on a beautiful 3/4 acre lot. Study, family room open to kitchen, finished basement with bar, bath and wine tasting room. Large master suite with fireplace and sitting room. Generator, 3 car garage.
Beautiful and spacious 4,300 sq ft brick 2 story on a large lot in Sand Creek’s Gated Estates section. Main Floor Master Suite, Study with Built-ins, Formal Living, Dining, and family room all on a large lot with water views and southern exposure.
This one of a kind home all brick home has 4 bedrooms and 5 baths, contemporary design and unique details. Private court yard, golf cart garage, very open floor plan, and entertainer’s delight!
Offered at $1,485,000
Offered at $895,000
Offered at $749,000
Offered at $697,018
On the GOlf COurse Golf Course, Cul De Sac and Pond Location! 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, sun room, study, 3 car garage, finished basement, huge master suite all in gated Sand Creek. Multiple Water Views, Motivated Seller.
lOts aVailable in sand CreeK ValparaisO, turtle run
New Construction located on 2 acre lot. A new 4 bedroom all stone ranch with fully finished basementt a total of 7000 sq. ft. HW floors throughout. Attached and detached garages.
Decorating allowance!
Offered at $649,000
Offered at $909,000 S O L D
On the GOlf COurse
1200 Monterey Drive. Built in 2005 this home overlooks the Marsh Course. Open large kitchen, double sided stone fireplace, main floor master, hardwood floors are just a few of the homes features. 3 bedrooms plus a bonus room. Oh those views of ponds and course!\
Offered at $469,000 Furnished 1099 MissiOn hills Ct
This one of a kind townhouse in Sand Creek. Totally updated, main floor master, den, walk out finished basement, 4 baths, and Views of the Golf Course. End unit. Lots of light and waterfall!
1712 Sotogrande Court .82A Water Views $249,900
Karen COurt, tiffany wOOds lapOrte All brick 5,000 plus sq ft. 3 Story Home 6 beds, 6 baths, in-ground pool, near express-ways and Briar Leaf Golf Club.
1361 Nelson Drive Wooded Golf Course and Creek Views .468A $175,000
Offered at $548,900
whitethOrne wOOds ValparaisO
Various Lots in Phase V, IV call for prices from $79,900
Gated Community, 1 acre wooded lot. Sprawling ranch with 3/4 beds, 3 baths. Large open great room and kitchen. Partially finished basement, 3 car garage.
1220 Ryder Road Golf Course Lot .85A Pond Views $199,000
Offered at $445,000
shOrewOOd-waterfrOnt ValparaisO
Drake Built 4 bedroom, 4 bath, 4 season room, boat dock, remodeled home with SS appliances, Brazilian cherry floors, finished basement with bar, new seawall, fresh paint, great new master bath!
Amen Corner Court 1.4 Acre Lot with Water Views. Lot 49 $299,000
Offered at $349,900
Offered at $424,900 SOLD
SAND CREEK
ValparaisO-beauty CreeK
Newer 4 bedroom, 4 bath with daylight finished basement. Fenced yard, Open floor plan, entertainment size kitchen, hardwood floors and 2 story great room with stone fireplace. Main floor master and covered front and back porches.
Offered at $357,500 ChestertOn aCreaGe
Sprawling Home with winding gated drive on 5 acres with Pole Barn and Horse Barn, In-Ground Pool, Possible 6 BR, 4 BA, remodeled kitchen Finished walkout basement with kitchen, rec room, exercise room. Private Lane
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contents
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
42
From Farm to Fork BY KIM RANEGAR
How Cory and Blair Muro combined a love of fresh food, an adjacency to the LaCrosse family farm and food preparation and service expertise to produce a unique culinary experience in Valparaiso.
photo by TONY V. MARTIN
42
34 Roe to Shore BY MOLLY WOULFE Champagne and caviar may be glamorous for the end-user, but harvesting fish eggs and infusing them with flavors like Peppar, citron and truffle---as in vodka---requires time, labor and love.
36 Bite into Bugs BY MOLLY WOULFE Chefs are experimenting with a new source of protein as insects gradually make their way and creep into the western diet.
38 Live with Regis BY TRICIA DESPRES The famous television host ponders his 50 years in show business—beginning at college in South Bend—and contemplates the future. VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM
40 Game On BY SARAH LOUISE KLOSE You don’t have to be an expert gastronomist to teach and learn using familiar edibles in games like Fruitominoes, Appletters, Slamwich and Pass the Popcorn.
45 The Kindness of Strangers
BY JOHN CAIN Ann and Doug Williams of the Williams Eye Institute in Hammond lead an intrepid group of diners to the annual charity dinner created by husband-and-wife chef team Gary Sanders and Nicole Bissonnette.
47 Spring 2012 Shore Bride
A guide to venues, transformational trends, the move towards customization and multicultural blends, with complete contents on page 50.
89 Shore’s Guide to Chefs
Getting to know top chefs: Ciao Bella’s Randy Berg, Giovanni’s Tim Merkel and Gino’s Jose Vasquez and John Graves.
ON THE COVER: CIAO BELLA’S CHEF RANDY BERG AT OWNER JOE SCALZO’S ITALIAN BISTRO IN SCHERERVILLE PHOTOGRAPH BY TONY V. MARTIN 1
96 Love and Happiness
BY LAVETA HUGHES Favorite beautiful things to celebrate love between special people from Albert’s Diamond Jewelers and Customs Imports.
style & culture
february/march 2012
Michigan City Caviar
ROE TO SHORE BY MOLLY WOULFE
Bridal ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS SUCCESS
John Cain on A Star-Studded Evening in LaPorte
SPRING INTO EVERYTHING
SHORE BRIDE INSIDE
INCLUDING Bite into Bugs NEW MENU INSIDE GOOD LIFE A Foodie’s Guide To College Towns Rick Kaempfer’s Fine Mess COOKING WITH WINE
PROFILE
EXECUTIVE CHEF
RANDY BERG
CIAO BELLA RISTORANTE
6
with
2011-2012
SEASON Kirk Muspratt - Music Director & Conductor
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The Auditorium at Bethel Church is located at 10202 Broadway in Crown Point, 3 miles south of US-30 and 1 mile north of the 109th Street exit on I-65. Name For Tickets: 219/836.0525 or Dealer nisorchestra.org
*The Wells Fargo Home Projects Visa credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Financial National Bank. Special terms apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit. The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. The minimum monthly payment for this purchase will be the amount that will pay for the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. For newly opened accounts, the APR for Purchases is 0%. This APR my vary with the market based on the U.S. Prime Rate and is given as of 0%. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. Offer expires 03/31/12.
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contents
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
13 14 22 CLICKS 28 29 29 30 30 31 31
SHORELINES 13
14
VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM
18
INTRO
Kat Barry takes hot cakes to a whole new level of healthy eating.
SHAW THOUGHTS
The intrepid eater Andy Shaw revels in a mobile feast on its way from Michigan to downtown Chicago.
Open Doors Gala ArtPrize Opening Event Global Health Initiative Annual Benefit
HOUSE & GROUNDS 19
LISTEN
Still “Crazy” for Patsy Cline as the Theatre at the Center in Munster kicks off the season with a musical bio; Mister Lucky’s becomes a Jackson 5 monument; and the Luciana Souza Trio brings Brazil to South Bend.
Edgewater Systems’ 10th Annual Gala 31st Annual Columbian Ball Northern Indiana Region Gala Chamber Music Society Benefit
20
22
CULTURE NUT
Museum of Science and Industry’s Mythbusters exhibition separates the fictions from the facts.
MOTORING
The intersection of food and cars has never been more nostalgic and Volkswagen steps back into the limelight.
THE GOOD LIFE
George Aquino’s guide to great eating in college towns, including Ann Arbor, Berkeley, Chapel Hill, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Los Angeles and New York.
24
26
27
INTERVIEW
Some sage advice, great thoughts and executive tips from Kalamazoo’s Fair Food Matters executive director Paul Stermer.
GREEN NOTES
93
A Grande Dame
BY JULIE DEAN KESSLER
Dan and Mary Nulty give new life to a Victorian painted lady in South Haven.
LAST RESORT
Change of Taste
Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is showing the way to gourmets in the Midwestern sustainable seafood movement.
104
A FINE MESS
HOTSPOTS
How a dragged husband (Rick Kaempfer) learned that he can indeed increase his culinary skills with a little help from his wife (Bridget) and… some wine.
BY KATHRYN MACNEIL
When it comes to our food habits, there are few constants in life.
32 88 98 102
Essential Events Bite & Sip Shore Things Shorecast
10 11
Publisher’s Letter Editor’s Letter
photography courtesy of [clockwise, from top left] BRIDGET KAEMPFER, BLUEPRINT PHOTOGRAPHY, REVOLUTION, GEORGE AQUINO, TONY V. MARTIN
20
27
8
New Buffalo Office 10. N. Whittaker Street New Buffalo, MI (269) 469-3950 (800) 288-7355
Benton Harbor
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Stunning 8 br, 6.5 ba contemporary masterpiece with rare 510 ft of lake frontage & exquisite gardens on more than 8 acres overlooking Lake Mich. The spacious living area has raised fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass. Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
Union Pier
$2,295,000
Douglas
$3,399,000
Spectacular 6 bedroom, 7 bath Nantucket-style lakefront home with classic interior offers every amenity you can imagine! Sleeps 22 comfortably with lake views, private baths and decks in all 6 bedroom suites. Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
Benton Harbor
$750,000
Outstanding lakefront value with 140 ft of frontage on low bluff in the Gordon Beach Assoc of Union Pier. 2 br, 3 ba home, an open concept floor plan with soaring ceilings & a cozy fireplace is perfect for entertaining. Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
Forest, Pool, Beach. 3 br, 2.5 ba Country beach home in Hagar Shores. Approx 1.5 hours from Chicago & 5 miles North from downtown St Joseph. Property is situated on approx 2 acres. 25 ft to private beach w/steps to Lake Mich. Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
Harbert
Three Oaks
$409,000
$399,000
10 acre farm just 1 mile to Cherry Beach. This updated 4 bedroom, 2 bath farm home is a perfect country retreat with a private pond & many fruit trees to enjoy. The farmhouse has 2 porches perfect for entertaining. Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
Commercial buildings with 2 bedroom, 3 bath residential living. Lower level with large showroom, office, tanning room and full bath. Upper level living area with wood floors, wet bar and tile bath. 2+ car garage. Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
New Buffalo
New Buffalo
$335,000
Significant price reduction! Beautiful 2 br, 2 ba end unit at South Cove overlooking New Buffalo Harbor and Lake Michigan. Take advantage of the wonderful lake breezes provided by the additional windows of the end unit! Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
$239,000
Timber Lane Beach Rights! Spacious and open living areas. Full basement with high ceilings waiting for you to finish. 3 br with spacious closets and lots of storage. Mud Room with laundry and half bath. 3 Season Room. Coldwell Banker 269-469-3950
For detailed information on these and other fine properties in Southwest Michigan, Northwest Indiana, Milwaukee and the Chicagoland area, log onto our website:
www.ColdwellBankerOnline.com Any house. Any time. Anywhere. Call Coldwell Banker Home Loans for your FREE mortgage pre-approval at (877) 202-8619.
PUBLISHER’S
LETTER
J
ulie just shakes her head at me on many of the things I do, and with some of my Christmas rituals and actions there is probably much justification. As many of you know, the Christmas season is my most favorite of the year and I cannot get it going fast enough. Lights go up on the first warm day in November and as soon as the turkey has been consumed I’m pulling the trees and decorations out. This is all to her dismay, as she would prefer for me to let her get the kitchen cleaned up first. But as soon as Christmas is over, I am just as ready to take those same lights down and get on with the New Year . . . even if it’s still days away. I’m not sure why I’m wired this way, but I have always been the type of person who, once something is done, is ready to move on. With that said, there are a few things from the holiday season that I would like to share: The first Saturday evening in December is reserved for Indiana Society of Chicago and the networking that goes on with that, but I have always taken the Friday evening before so Julie and I can enjoy Chicago. This year’s restaurant recommendation came from Lou Martinez, and he had a fantastic suggestion. La Luce has excellent northern Italian cuisine with a focus on the simple, traditional recipes. When Julie and I arrived for a very late lunch (around two-ish) we found the doors locked and the restaurant closed. As we peered through the windows, looking every bit of the goofy tourist not having a clue what we were doing, the door quickly opened and we were invited in. It so happened that the owner and some of the staff were in, and they noticed the cab that had dropped us off was long gone. The Tom Moretti family owns the restaurant and Mr. Moretti was insistent that we come in and enjoy a good meal. We got that, as well as a tour of the restaurant that opened in 1993. The Queen-Anne Victorian building was built in 1892 and has served as a local tavern and drug store in days gone by; Carlos, the head chef, has been with the Moretti family for 20 years. I also had the opportunity to meet Rich and Laura Ostergren, who are the owners of Serenity Springs in Michigan City. While I have not been there yet, I have added it to my Lake Michigan area bucket list of things to do. It seems like the seclusion and attention to detail makes this place the perfect getaway for a couple or a team-building company retreat. Now it’s time to move right into 2012: We’ve headed north to visit old friend George Aquino, who is the general manager of the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids. George’s team puts on a one-of-akind event for some of our special guests once a year. Working with the new mayors of the region has been fun as everyone knows it’s time to get back to work. With the New Year also come some new products. Did you know that Shore can now be found in the iPad app store? Download our nwi.com app, where you can get all the latest news, sports, health, family and lifestyle information, and what’s new on the Shore website 24/7. You can also become one of our more than 2,100—and growing—fans on Facebook and get the latest from us that way. Next issue, we will be tuning up the view from the house for Spring 2012 in our home design and architecture issue. BILL MASTERSON JR.
EDITOR’S
LETTER
L
ast year was a traumatic year in food. Cantaloupe made people sick. Charlie Trotter decided to close his restaurant. Even Mario Batali lost weight. I believe I’m beginning to make a separation in my mind between what tastes good, what is good and what becomes not so good when you have it too often or eat too much of it, too late in the day. (Everything.) These distinctions are not simple and require years of trial and error in abundance management.
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PAT COLANDER
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
This is not easy when everything you love is right around the corner, or a short drive away. (My son can actually get fresh sushi delivered in under an hour. Thank goodness that has not happened to me at home yet.) I know this is late-blooming, but I have developed a fondness for tools and process this year. My husband and I did a perfect sync of Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc brownie recipe doubled on a Thursday evening after a party and just prior to a Christmas Eve family party. And while I cannot exactly say that it was fun, we did have this sense of accomplishment with one batch out of the oven cooling and another in the refrigerator by the time we went to bed. A number of my friends officially took cooking lessons this year and enjoyed the camaraderie of a team or, in Rick Kaempfer’s case, spousal, effort. Rick writes about the impossible fun he had with his wife Bridget in his debut column for Shore—A Fine Mess. Also, check out the superlative Molly Woulfe on the trail of food scientists who are burnishing the energy supply with protein-heavy insects. While John Cain takes us through another lavish autumnal mystery dinner for South Shore Arts at the fabulous digs of the Dekkers in LaPorte, Molly Woulfe also tells the story of how a mother and daughter made their roundabout way around Lake Michigan and ended up in the caviar business based in Michigan City. We have a conversation with Paul Stermer about why locally grown is not just interesting, it is important. And finally in food, whether you are a parent, a student or just like visiting college towns, don’t miss George Aquino’s excellent critique and rating system for gastronomic tours through these hamlets: 1) on a budget, 2) when the parents pay and 3) when you are on a date. Of course, there is always food in bridal pages but our lead story has an unusual twist: it’s an Indian-Indiana multicultural wedding that must have been quite an event—it is a wonderful story. For other non-edibles this issue we have legends Patsy Cline and the Jackson 5. Since I have been so lucky and devoured too much, too good, food and wine, I am now trying to find comfort in poetry (by Christopher Reid) and magical stories (like The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern). Great writing fills your mind with images—even though they are sometimes images of irresistible food—but by themselves the warmth of stories never turns into calories or fat. A gift I will never not appreciate.
contributors JOHN CAIN has served South Shore Arts as executive director since 1993 and the Northwest Indiana Symphony as executive director since 2008. He is the host of “Eye on the Arts,” a weekly segment on Lakeshore Public Television evening news. He is an avid collector of American folk and outsider art, Chicago art from the WPA era to the present and American popular culture. John is now in his sixth decade of eating obscenely rich foods prepared by outstanding area chefs in settings both mysterious and familiar. As a result, his clothes have all been let out to the max and he is now taking Crestor daily. RICK KAEMPFER is an author/writer/blogger, and as of this issue of Shore, a featured columnist. His column “A Fine Mess” will chronicle his bungled attempts at coping with everyday life. Rick has written three books, including the recently released novel The Living Wills, which he co-wrote with Brendan Sullivan (available at eckhartzpress.com). His two previous books ($everance and The Radio Producer’s Handbook) were both about broadcasting, a world he knows quite well. Before becoming a full-time writer, Rick was a radio producer and host for more than twenty years, working alongside such Chicago radio legends as Steve Dahl & Garry Meier, and John Records Landecker. For the past five years Rick has also contributed a weekly column to the NWI Parent blog entitled “Father Knows Nothing.” His three boys (ages 16, 13 and 9) insist that column is aptly named. His wife Bridget is too nice to publicly agree. MOLLY WOULFE is an award-winning journalist and food fan based in Greater Chicago. She was delighted to talk roe with caviar queen Rachel Collins for this issue and drew the line at sampling fried caterpillars for her second feature on insect cuisine. “I appreciate the vital role that bugs—‘microlivestock’—play in the diet of many cultures and developing nations,” she says. “Yet this American appreciates a rare steak and baked potato with sour cream. Call me a picky eater.”
letter to the editor Dear Pat: I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the article on Ray and Charles Eames in the current issue of Lake Michigan Shore. I first became aware of them by seeing a black and rosewood chair with ottoman in the house of a boyhood friend. His father was an attorney. They had this chair in a “library corner” of the living room with a chrome lamp suspended above it. Every time I visited my friend I felt compelled to sit in it and the feeling was much as was described in the sidebar of your article. What a wonderful environment to read or to close one’s eyes and think great thoughts. Later, in college, I became aware of the Eameses and their other iconic furniture, films and books. When I read your article I looked for, but couldn’t find, their book. I know it is around my house somewhere and will enjoy revisiting it when I find it. Thanks for your article. I’m sure it will make many people aware of high quality design and of Ray and Charles Eames. Larry Galler
style & culture
Publisher Bill Masterson, Jr. Advertising Operations Manager Eric Horon 219.933.3346 Eric.Horon@nwi.com Senior Account Executive Lisa Tavoletti Illinois/Indiana/Michigan 219.933.4182 Lisa.Tavoletti@nwi.com Account Executive Mary Sorensen Michigan 616.451.3006 Mary.Sorensen@nwi.com Traffic Manager Tom Kacius Creative Services Manager Ami Reese 219.933.3398 Ami.Reese@nwi.com Pre-press Specialists Maureen Benak Rhonda Fancher Tracy Ferguson
Published by Lee Enterprises The Times of Northwest Indiana Niche Division 601 W 45th Street Munster, Indiana 46321 219.933.3200 Michigan/Indiana Sales 1111 Glendale Boulevard Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 219.462.5151
New Subscriptions, Renewals, Inquiries and Changes of Address: Shore Magazine Circulation Dept., 601 W 45th St, Munster, IN 46321, or 800.589.2802, or visitshoremagazine.com Reprints and Permissions: You must have permission before reproducing material from Shore magazine.
Single copy price is $4.95. One-year subscriptions $20 (8 issues) Two-year subscriptions $25 (16 issues) Three-year subscriptions $35 (24 issues)
volume 8 / number 1
Editor / Associate Publisher Pat Colander 219.933.3225 Pat.Colander@nwi.com Managing Editor Karin Saltanovitz 219.933.3230 Karin.Saltanovitz@nwi.com Assistant Managing Editor Kathryn MacNeil 219.933.3264 Kathy.MacNeil@nwi.com Design Director Ben Cunningham 219.933.4175 Ben.Cunningham@nwi.com Designer April Burford Niche Assistant LaVeta Hughes 219.933.3353 LaVeta.Hughes@nwi.com Lead Photographer Tony V. Martin Contributing Editors George Aquino Jane Ammeson Lois Berger Robert Blaszkiewicz Christy Bonstell Claire Bushey John Cain Rob Earnshaw Jeremy Gantz Terri Gordon Dave Hoekstra Jim Jackson Mallory Jindra Rick Kaempfer Lauri Harvey Keagle Julie Dean Kessler Mark Loehrke Sherry Miller Phil Potempa Kathleen Quilligan Andy Shaw Fran Smith Eloise Valadez Sharon Biggs Waller Molly Woulfe Contributing Artists and Photographers Ryan Berry Jennifer Feeney David Mosele Gregg Rizzo
Shore magazine invites readers and writers to submit ideas, comments and feedback through email at feedback@visitshoremagazine.com or the post office at Shore Magazine, 601 W 45th St, Munster, IN 46321, or 1111 Glendale Blvd, Valparaiso, IN 46383.
shorelines
listen | shaw thoughts | culture nut | motoring | the good life | interview | green notes | a fine mess
Kat Barry
KAT’S HOT CAKES TAKES HEALTHY TO A NEW LEVEL
A
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
photography by BLUEPRINT PHOTOGRAPHY
fter a swollen IBS belly forced Kat Barry home early from an exclusive and glamorous real estate industry party, she decided to finally take her diet to what some would call an extreme: veganism. But it wasn’t enough just to eat well; the St. Joseph, Michigan, resident wanted to spread the word. “I started Kat’s Hot Cakes because I want to show how healthy food has flavor,” Barry says, describing herself as a vegan yogi and kitchen goddess. “My mission in life is to teach people that you can eat healthy and it can taste good.” Barry upgrades the image of vegans from serious sorts wearing pure cotton clothing and rope sandals with her high heels, shirtwaist dresses offering a bit of cleavage, and sexy frame glasses — the same way she refines
the taste of vegan foods despite their lack of caffeine, butter, milk, chocolate and refined sugar. Indeed, these are lush concoctions with catchy names like Lick the Plate, It’s Not Chocolate Cake; Oh, Oh Orange Cake; and Bad Ass Banana Bread, served with Baby It’s Better than Butter Crème Icing. “I’ve found out that staying hot really is a piece of cake if one avoids fattening butter, eggs, cream and refined sugar,” Barry says, noting that she uses carob instead of chocolate. “Carob is nuttier in taste and it has lots of health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, contains high levels of B vitamin, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and since it’s a legume, protein and fiber.” Initially she whipped up her goodies at home, but now works out of Beachside Bakery in Bridgman with her team, adding savories to her product line like Lick Your Lips Lentil Dip, Vixen’s Vegan Ranch dressing and Burning Hot Black Bean Dip. “I started out last winter just doing word of mouth and now I have nine retail locations carrying Kat’s Hot Cakes,” Barry says. “And we are going to start expanding soon to dairy substitutes. I’m going to show that healthy can be hot.” Follow Kat on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (find the links on her website, katshotcakes.com). -JANE AMMESON
13
>> intro <<
shorelines >> listen <<
Still ‘Crazy’ for Patsy Cline
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hen picking the production to launch the 2012 stage season at Theatre at the Center, artistic director William Pullinsi and general manager Richard Friedman say it was easy to do. The duo, who make the scheduling decisions at the Munster performance venue, knew it’s been nearly a decade since the tribute story of country western music icon Patsy Cline entertained audiences on the Northwest Indiana stage at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Friedman also has the distinction of someone who is especially familiar with the draw of this real-life tale of Cline and her connection with one of her most adoring fans. “Besides a story that’s both engaging and entertaining, there’s also the bonus of audiences enjoying twenty-seven of Patsy Cline’s biggest hits performed live,” Friedman says. “This is a musical that fans enjoy as a chance to remember all the great career moments, while it also provides the opportunity for new generations to be introduced to Cline’s talent.” Always...Patsy Cline, directed by Brian Russell, is at Theatre at the Center from February 23 to April 1. It was last performed there in 2003. For Friedman, this latest run is like spending time with an old friend. Prior to accepting his position at Theatre at the Center last year, Friedman was managing director of Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois, for nine years, where Always...Patsy Cline played in 1996 prior to Friedman staging it again in 1997 and part of 1998 at the Apollo Theater in Chicago, where it ran for more than a year heralded with critical success. It offers a glimpse into the life of the legendary country singer who died tragically at age 30 in a plane crash in 1963. The show, which was written and originally TICKET INFORMATION directed by Ted Performances are 2 p.m. Swindley, is based on a Wednesdays and Thursdays and 8 p.m. Fridays with 2:30 p.m. or 4 true story about Cline’s p.m. Saturday matinees and 8 friendship with a fan p.m. Saturday performances and from Houston named 2:30 p.m. Sunday curtains. Guests Louise Seger, who can also enjoy pre-show dinners befriended the star in right across from the theater a Texas honky-tonk in lobby. Tickets are $38 to $42 at 1961, and continued 219.836.3255 or 800.511.1552 or a correspondence with theatreatthecenter.com.
Cline until her death. The production includes such unforgettable hits as “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walking After Midnight.” Friedman says the theater’s musical director Bill Woods and his musicians will appear on stage as part of the musical’s set during each performance. The musical’s name was inspired by Cline’s letters to Seger, which were consistently signed “Love Always... Patsy Cline.” “We had such a long run of this show when I did it years ago, we actually had three different actresses playing Patsy Cline,” Friedman says. “And ironically, one of our Patsy Clines was actress Hollis Resnik, whom we just had here at Theatre at the Center in December to star in our holiday show Another Night Before Christmas.” The 2012 Theatre at the Center production of Always...Patsy Cline stars Chicago native and Jeff nominee Michelle Duffy, who has starred in Desperate Housewives, House and Las Vegas. “Michelle has never done this role before, but it’s one she’s always wanted to do,” Friedman says. “And she’ll be working with Brian Russell as her director, and he directed all of the runs of Always...Patsy Cline at the Apollo Theater.”
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ounded in 1991, Theatre at the Center is a year-round professional 400-seat theater at 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, off I-80/94, just 35 minutes from downtown
Chicago.
-PHILIP POTEMPA
photography provided by [this page] THEATRE AT THE CENTER; [opposite page, top] REVOLUTION; [bottom] GABRIEL RINALDI
The Theatre at the Center in Munster launches 2012 season with a popular musical
A Piece of History Fans of the iconic Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 can still share a piece of their musical performance history in the region. Nearly 50 years ago, when the Jackson 5 began receiving attention from music lovers in the area, they graced the stage for the first time in the 1960s at Mister Lucky’s Lounge, a Gary venue located at 1100 Grant Street. Bricks from the lounge, which is currently being demolished, are being sold to music fans who’d like a piece of the historic property. In its heyday, the lounge featured musical acts such as Deniece Williams, the Chi-Lights and the Spaniels. Today, Mister Lucky’s Lounge is scheduled to be completely demolished by spring, when plans for a green space will be put into action. The Mister Lucky’s building is currently owned by Jay Lieser and John Rowady
of Munster, and Andy Young. Rowady says, “Our goal is to create a green space monument and a remembrance to 1100 Grant Street.” Mister Lucky’s spokesman Dan Lobring, of public relations firm rEvolution in Chicago, says the ongoing brick program is scheduled to continue through the year, and a portion of the proceeds from brick sales will go to VH1 Save the Music Foundation, dedicated to instilling music education in public schools. Lobring says he and the owners have found it extremely interesting to learn much of the venue’s history. “For us, it’s been fun uncovering all the great stories about Mister Lucky’s,” Lobring says. In August of 2011, Katherine and
sao bend
Joe Jackson, Michael’s parents, visited the area to attend various birthday celebrations for the King of Pop. At that time, Lobring says, they were interviewed about their memories of the venue and the Jackson 5’s early days. Joe Jackson himself removed the first brick from the building on September 6. Former Gary mayor Rudy Clay also contributed his memories to the interview, and fans can see bits of the interview on YouTube. “It was awesome having Katherine and Joe give first-hand impressions about the lounge [and the Jackson 5’s performances there],” Lobring adds. For more information, please visit misterluckyslounge.com. -ELOISE MARIE
VALADEZ
THE WARM BREEZE OF THE BOSSA NOVA BLOWS INTO NORTHERN INDIANA
While actual meteorological warmth may exercise in following her muse rather than a list yet be a few weeks (or, gulp, months) off, of commercially approved touch points, with bundled-up Midwesterners can at least take elements of classical, pop and folk all weaving comfort in the musical equivalent of a one-night their way through the prism of the singer’s jazz heat wave when singer Luciana Souza brings and Brazilian influences. her Brazilian-inspired repertoire to chilly Notre “Tide was a deliberate attempt to represent Dame. A product of the “structured chaos” of all I love in music—poetry, new original an artistic household growing up in Brazil (her music, Brazilian rhythms, jazz sensitivity,” she mom was a poet and her dad a musician), Souza says. “I just don’t see much of a distinction learned at an early age that all of life moves to anymore. While years ago I may have needed a certain rhythm, a worldview that eventually to classify a piece of music for some reason, led her to an interest in and abiding love for nowadays I listen to music differently—it is a jazz. much more sensual and quiet experience.” “I think I understood some crucial elements Listeners will experience that same kind of of jazz music very early on,” she explains. “I musical intimacy firsthand as Souza performs could sense the sophistication of the language, with a simple trio in South Bend. In her mind, the freedom of improvisation and the deep the stripped-down format is less a challenge listening that was going on between the than a great opportunity to create a real sense musicians and singers.” of connection between the musicians and the Even so, over the course of nearly two audience. decades and close to a dozen recordings, Souza “There’s a joy in the transparency with which has never been one to strictly confine herself you get to make music [in a trio setting]—to to a single musical style or genre. Like others deal with texture, volume, rhythm, melody, before it (including harmony, groove, sound, the 2007 Grammysilence,” she says. “You winning effort The can play with that, with New Bossa Nova), those shadows and light.” FOR YOUR INFORMATION her most recent Not to mention heat. -MARK LOEHRKE album Tide was an Luciana Souza Trio • 7:30pm Mar 24 DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame $15-$35 • 574.631.2800 performingarts.nd.edu
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• Noon-5 p.m. • FREE popcorn & cotton candy • Fun kid crafts • Bean bag and hula hoop fun FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
• 8 p.m.midnight • 18 years+, $10 at the door • Martini luge • Fire dancers • Dance to
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>> shaw thoughts <<
Mobile trucks spark ‘food fight’ Two young women were discussing lunch options as the elevator descended to the lobby of our Loop office building recently, and it came down to the two mobile food trucks that park outside on West Jackson—one offering Jamaican “jerk” meats, the other Asian cuisine. The meals aren’t prepared in the trucks—they’re pre-cooked and prepackaged, including the condiments—because that’s all the city allows.
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imilar food trucks have sold basic pre-packaged meals and snacks at industrial work sites for years, but cuisine options are expanding, and the operators are now lobbying City Hall to prepare and serve the food where the trucks are parked, so it’s fresh, and that’s sparking a figurative “food fight” with downtown restaurant owners who consider food trucks unfair competition because they don’t have to maintain facilities or pay real estate taxes. The restaurant association wants to limit on-site food preparation trucks to the city’s “food deserts,” low-income areas with a scarcity of supermarkets and restaurants that serve healthy food. First Lady Michelle Obama visited one on the city’s South Side in October to push for more fresh and healthy food options, which could certainly include mobile food trucks. But the operators want to prepare and serve their meals all around the city. And the new mayor, Rahm Emanuel, is trying to work out a compromise, like other big cities have. Philadelphia, for instance, had food trucks preparing and selling meals on the streets around the Penn campus fifteen years ago, when I came through on a college visit with my oldest daughter. We enjoyed some tasty ethnic food, and those trucks still co-exist peacefully with the nearby restaurants, according to Penn freshman Samantha Bronner, a former intern at the anti-corruption watchdog organization I run. Samantha says the trucks “remain very popular on campus and in the city of Philadelphia in general.“ Her breakfast favorite is Bui’s, which allows students to text-message their breakfast sandwich orders for faster service. She calls them “unhealthy, but a very popular option for students in a rush,” adding that one classmate “is so addicted he personally offered to compensate Bui to keep his truck open 24 hours a day.” Sounds like the fast food chains ought to sample a Bui sandwich when they’re researching additions to the Egg McMuffin genre of morning fare. I mentioned that Chicago’s new mayor will be refereeing the city’s food fight in the coming months, and I suspect that Mr. Emanuel, who weekends in Union Pier, will be inclined to support the preparation of fresh food in the trucks themselves after tasting the spectacular pizzas Jim Chaddock and Andrea Georgian bake in ovens that sit atop the old Studebaker cars they retrofitted to give their Beverly Shores-based Rolling
Stonebaker business a panache as irresistible as the pizzas themselves. Their signature item is the “Purple Pig,” which tops barbecued pulled pork with tangy purple coleslaw. It’s so good that Samantha’s friend would probably beg Jim and Andrea to operate 24/7 after he’s consumed one. And that, in fact, was the reaction over the summer when our friends Mike and Betsy Miner hired them to cater their daughter Joanna’s pre-wedding party at their Union Pier home. Mike is the longtime media critic for Chicago’s venerable free weekly newspaper the Reader, and he’s a tough customer, but he was thrilled. “It was a sensational success,” Mike says, “because of the pizza and because of the novelty. The line was never-ending, but nobody had to wait long enough to become short-tempered. I bet a lot of people were like me—in line for the fun of pizza from a truck in someone’s side yard.” I won’t dwell on Jim and Andrea’s fast-growing business, because Shore magazine is ahead of the news about them and an article on their pizza truck already appeared last year, but I will say you’ve got to admire young entrepreneurs who follow a dream in a tough economy without watching it turn into a nightmare. They probably won’t ever make it out to Philly, but I do hope they roll around the lake to Chicago if a compromise ordinance opens the door to food preparation at the point of purchase. As the Chicago Sun-Times wrote in an editorial supporting a compromise plan, “like sidewalk cafes and street musicians, small amenities add a nice flavor to a world-class city like Chicago. We think it’s time to add mobile food trucks to the list.” The editorial goes on to reflect the spirit epitomized by Rolling Stonebaker: “We like the idea of up-and-coming chefs, who maybe can’t afford a bricksand-mortar spot, getting a chance to wow us with meals on wheels.” I think Mayor Emanuel agrees. And that Jim and Andrea would be smart to retrofit another Studebaker for a tour of duty in Chi-town. I suggest a spot on Jackson between Wells and Franklin, where our fight for better government is headquartered. One “Purple Pig” pizza and I’ll wipe out corruption single-handedly. -ANDY SHAW
illustration [this page] by DAVID MOSELE; photo [opposite page] courtesy of MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY AND DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
shorelines
FACING FACT AND FICTION
MSI’s ‘MythBusters’ exhibit unravels common yarns of yesterday and today
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or those who thought today’s advanced technology and the advent of the Internet would kill many carefully spun hoaxes and myths, both new and ages old, from around the globe, the reality is just the opposite. “Today’s instant communication and the web just serve to spread these stories quicker than ever before, rather than to dispel them like you might expect,” says Chris Wilson, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry director of exhibition project management and maintenance. “And everyone loves to be the first one to tell someone else something that’s so amazing, it sounds unbelievable. And as you know, there are times when the reason it sounds so hard to believe is because it’s not true.” Wilson is one of the exhibit developers working with Discovery Communications, the world’s number one nonfiction media company, and Exhibits Development Group (EDG), in a partnership with MSI for the launch of MythBusters—The Explosive Exhibition,, making its MSI debut March 15. Just like Discovery Channel’s Emmynominated series MythBusters, MythBusters Wilson says the exhibition promises to uncover the truth behind popular myths by mixing scientific method with gleeful curiosity and old-fashioned ingenuity to create hands-on, interactive experiences for guests of all ages. Now garnering a devoted fan base of TV viewers,
MythBusters features cohosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman taking scientific investigation to exciting new levels by proving or exploding myths using their highly experimental approach and extensive backgrounds in special effects. Both have been heavily involved throughout the development of the exhibition to allow guests what they describe as “a true MythBusting experience.” “MythBusters fans continue to support the program and invite us into their homes season after season,” Savage says. “Now there’s the opportunity for families to do their own ‘MythBusting’ in our first hands-on exhibit. We are excited to give guests a chance to enter our world and test our favorite myths in a live setting.” Guests will learn about myths, the MythBusters mission and experimenting while participating in a series of fun, hands-on experiences and live demonstrations. “We hope guests will
come ready to bust a myth and explore science in a whole new way,” Hyneman says. Experiments will cover topics such as flight, friction, gravity, speed and combustion, with an 8,000-square-foot showcase that includes: • BLUEPRINT ROOM Based on the real-life operations room of the iconic MythBusters set, this room acts as an introduction to the concept of questioning others’ assertions, and is filled with gadgets, props, video and, of course, blueprints used by Adam and Jamie to explore myths on the show. • WORKSHOP This is the place where guests turn into investigators and use real science to test myths. Is it true that an airplane won’t be able to take off if it’s on a conveyor belt running in the opposite direction? Will you get less wet if you run rather than walk in the rain? Is a house made of brick less likely to fall victim to wind than one made of sticks? These are just a few of the questions guests will be challenged to answer. “To be able to witness the scientific excitement of MythBusters live is a rare and unique opportunity, and we are thrilled to bring this experience to the public,” says Amy Noble Seitz, founder and CEO of Exhibits Development Group. “Supporting Discovery Channel, its talented team and the ‘MythBusters’ themselves on the debut of their first major traveling exhibition is an honor. We truly hope this exhibit will spur scientific curiosity, thought and experimentation for all ages.”
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he exhibition tour will leave Chicago and visit 14 additional cities within the U.S. and Canada. “We’re thrilled to be the premiere site for this one-of-a-kind of exhibit experience,” says David Mosena, president and CEO of the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. “The MythBusters share our vision of inspiring young people to achieve their full potential in science, and we’re excited by this unprecedented collaboration with MythBusters,, Discovery Channel, EDG and partners.” -PHILIP POTEMPA FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
MYTHBUSTERS—THE EXPLOSIVE EXHIBITION
WHERE: Museum of Science and Industry, 57th St and Lake Shore Dr, Chicago // WHEN: Mar 15-Sept 3 HOW MUCH: In addition to museum admission, this exhibit requires an additional ticket with a specified entry time. Adults/Seniors: $10 and children (3-11): $8 // FYI: msichicago.org or 773.684.1414
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>> culture nut <<
shorelines SodaDog Drive-in in Michigan
City, Indiana
Owner Robe rt Lutz in fr ont of Lutz’s in Dowagia c, Michigan Drive-in
aDog
go-style
d Chica
>> motoring <<
Hot Dogs — Cool Cars The intersection connecting fast food and the car culture created in the 1950s with neon-lit drive-ins stays menu-driven with the next-generation eatery where hot dogs are still the top choice and appetites are limited only by the available notches on a customer’s belt. Today’s spin on the hot dog takes a gourmet twist that goes beyond a weenie in a bun garnished with mustard. The modern day “red hot” comes laden with layers of flavorful fixin’s and over 16 billion are enjoyed by Americans annually. Robert Lutz of Dowagiac, Michigan, has been serving hot dogs to hungry patrons since he opened Lutz’s Drive-in north of town in 1962 at the corners of M-152 and M-51. “We’ve been serving hot dogs and hamburgers here for a long time. Ours is one of the few drive-ins across the country that is still run by the original owners,” he says. In 1982, Lutz expanded his drive-in for year-round operation with an attached indoor restaurant that seats over thirty customers. The interior décor reflects the flavor of the 1960s with an eclectic mix of wall adornments and western-style tablecloths that add a bright touch to the dining room. In summer, carhops hustle hot dogs and other summertime food favorites to awaiting cars under the red and white awning. “Our carhops still serve sandwich baskets on old-fashioned window trays that hang on the car window. Problem is, today’s car windows aren’t square like the crank windows of the early cars were,” Lutz reflects. “The curved door glass on today’s cars doesn’t hold the tray as securely. And every now and then somebody accidentally touches their power window button, sending the window down along with the tray and their meal to the ground.” Lutz’s traditional hot dogs can be accompanied by a variety of sides that range from classic fries to breaded cauliflower. Hot dogs start at $1.75. Add fries and a root beer for a tasty bite that costs less than $5.00. But don’t reach for your credit card to pay for your meal. Much like Lutz’s salads the only green accepted for payment is cash. Lutz’s Drive-in is open all year—closed Monday and Tuesday.
NEW-WAVE GOURMET DOGS Michigan City is home to the SodaDog drive-in located at Highway 212 and Fryer Road, where old-world authentic
franks and sausages are the sole menu items. Here, the common frank is transformed into a culinary masterpiece with multiple varieties that bring a taste twist to patrons hungry for something beyond the run-of-the-mill hot dog. How about biting into a Windy City, Detroiter or Wagon Train dog? Hungry for more? Try a Southern Living, Tail Wagger or Cottage Frank. Classic beef and pork wiener varieties include the All American, Chili Cheese and Corn Dog. A Spicy Corn Dog is also available. Hot dog lovers smacking their lips for something with a European flair can enjoy an Italian sausage taste experience with the Italian Stallion or Mediterranean Miracle. SodaDog also wags a German theme past patrons’ palates with a natural-cased German brat in a bun SodaDog calls “It’s Noon Somewhere.” The Windy City hot dog is SodaDog’s specialty menu item made from a natural-cased all-beef frank formulated by a small company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a blend of seasonings created by owner Chris Bardol for a unique Chicago-style taste all its own. Prices range from $2.25 for a standard SodaPup to gourmet dogs that cost $3.00 to $3.50. Fresh-cut skin-on fries, cottage cheese, chili, dill spear, coleslaw and sauerkraut are the only sides offered. Cones, floats and shakes cover SodaDog’s frozen treat needs. SodaDog also boasts an assortment of micro-crafted bottled sodas along with Jones and Faygo Soda varieties to quench the thirst of hot dog aficionados. Old-fashioned fountain creations and raspberry sweet tea rounds out the beverage selection. “SodaDog is a drive-in with carhop service,” says SodaDog co-owner Kristy Bardol. “People know that when they pull up they’re going to be greeted by a carhop.” A small indoor dining area is likewise available. Outdoor picnic tables are made of 100 percent recycled material. “SodaDog is a new-old carhop dining experience with a contemporary twist.” SodaDog is open May through September, and credit cards are accepted. -JIM JACKSON
photography by [this page, clockwise from left to right] TONY V. MARTIN, TONY V. MARTIN, JIM JACKSON, JIM JACKSON; [opposite page] provided by CHRYSLER LLC
A loade
m Sod dog fro
MODERN UPDATES REFLECT NOSTALGIC ERA
present
Drive-ins wouldn’t be drive-ins if patrons didn’t show up in a car. About the time Robert Lutz opened Lutz’s Drive-in, two fun-to-drive small car brands were darting across the American landscape tagged with Fiat and Volkswagen nameplates.
f
ifty years later those iconic brands are still turning heads and into drive-in entrances donned as the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio and 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. Both cars are modern-day interpretations of the originals with styling cues that reflect back to a nostalgic era when drive-ins were destinations and getting there was more than half the fun. The Italian-built four-passenger 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio (convertible) comes in Pop and Lounge models with a power retractable cloth roof that glides along a track in the solid upper body of the car to offer three open top positions. When fully open, the top is stowed in a folded fashion over the trunk lid. Squeezing the lid release automatically powers the soft top forward to provide clearance for the trunk to be fully opened, offering 9.5 cubic feet of cargo volume. Price for the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio opens at $19,500.
A NEW BUG
Volkswagen takes to the street with the redesigned 2012 VW Beetle base priced at $18,995. The German automaker has done an excellent job keeping true to the Beetle look while updating the car inside and out. The 2012 version is larger than the previous model to better accommodate four occupants’ comfort. Ride quality and handling is also improved by the new size. Hard edges now replace rounded shapes and a higher door line creates narrower windows and a sleeker profile. Curvy contours and redesigned tail lamps highlight the rear fascia for a fresh look. -JIM JACKSON
healthy mind... healthy body... healthy you. The key to healthy living begins with small changes and smart choices.
Saturday, March 24th
The Avalon Manor
3550 East Route 30 • Merrillville 9:00 a.m. • Pre-registration required
20 ExpErtly lEd SEminarS: Style | Fitness | Nutrition | Environment Health & Wellness
as a guest/attendee:
Choose 4 of our 20 expert-led seminars Visit with participating vendors Sample healthy food & beverages • Win door prizes
$85/person
student / senior / group discounts available
Our charitable partners:
2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio
Namaste’ Center • St. Jude House • Humane Society Calumet Area
Vendor & Sponsorship opportunities available.
21
www.YourHealthyU.com
You can also purchase tickets at The Times offices.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
For more information and to order tickets visit:
shorelines Diners waiting for their tables at the Purple Pig in Chicago
>> the good life <<
A Foodie Guide to College Towns
Grilled squid at Chez Panisse
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ollege towns in the U.S. come in different sizes, from the tree-lined streets of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to New York City, arguably the cultural and business epicenter of the country. For foodies, each town offers vast options of eateries from food trucks serving Korean tacos to whitetableclothed varieties with biblical wine lists. My mission with this article is to guide you through some of the nation’s college towns and offer my suggestions for the three best places to eat for each city. I kept budget in mind, so I have categorized my suggestions into three categories: Student Budget (SB), Date Night (DN) and Parents’ Treat (PT).
Ann Arbor, Michigan Tomukun Noodle Bar (SB) is a sleek take on the typical Japanese noodle house. Tomukun serves amazing pork buns and big bowls of Asian noodles to satisfy your desire for comfort Asian food. For the faint of heart, beware of the delicious Spicy Seafood Ramen. There is no question that this soup is “Asian Spicy.” For a first date night, skip the romantic traps and have some incredible Indian cuisine at Shalimar (DN). The wonderful aromas of cardamom and turmeric permeate the dining room like a Mumbai bazaar. This restaurant is always packed for good reason. If someone else is picking up the tab, you might as well go all out at the Chop House (PT). This classic steak restaurant is an AA institution with USDA Prime steaks and a Lobster Bisque to die for.
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Cheeseboard Pizza Collective (SB) the first time I encountered this joint located across the street from Chez Panisse. A few dollars will buy you a slice and a half (that’s correct) of the best thin crust pizza in America. No need to worry about making decisions, as CPC makes only one kind of pizza each day. The pizza is so good that it’s worth the price of admission to Cal. The dining scene in Berkeley is all about eating locally sourced products. Gather (DN) epitomizes the abundance of local products in a warm and cozy environment. Your date is a vegetarian? No problem, as Gather’s menu is 50 percent vegetarian while not disappointing the other half of the spectrum with dishes such as the half chicken with spicy beluga lentils and salsa verde and the Prather Ranch Burger. Don’t forget the bacon. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse started the whole Farm-to-Table movement in 1971. Let’s just say that she made FTT cool way before everyone else followed. Chez Panisse (PT) is one of my favorite restaurants in the world. Every dish, whether the grilled calamari or the daily pizzetta, tastes like it was plucked out of its own environment before landing on your plate.
photography by GEORGE AQUINO
Berkeley, California I could not believe the line at the Dishes at Vimala’s Curryblossom
Chapel Hill, North Carolina My best restaurant discovery this past year is the charming Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe (SB) in downtown Chapel Hill. Okay, I admit I love Indian food, but chef/ owner Vimala’s food has charismatic powers in every presentation and flavors unlike any other place I have encountered. It helps that Vimala serves up her dishes alongside her daughters in this over-the-counter restaurant. If your intent is to transport your date to a foreign place, then Talulla’s (DN) is your destination. This romantic Turkish restaurant in Chapel Hill’s main drag is filled with carpets and dimly lit lanterns to help you cuddle with your date while enjoying traditional Turkish dishes like the Coban Salatasi salad and the Kuzu Pirzola (grilled lamb chops). The prized foodie destination in Chapel Hill is Lantern (PT) on Franklin Street. Chef Andrea Reusing is a press darling, from Gourmet magazine’s Top 50 to features in Saveur. My daughter Margaux and I had the most incredible Salt & Pepper Shrimp appetizer here during our college tour. Imagine munching on crispy NC shrimp with shells, fried jalapenos, coriander and sea salt. Oh, it was heavenly!
Chicago, Illinois Time to face reality, NYC. Chicago can stand up to every foodie capital in the world. Chicago’s time is now, and it couldn’t get better than the Purple Pig (PT). The oneto two-hour-long wait is definitely worth it. Have a bottle of Rioja with the standing-room-only crowd and salivate as dishes like the Chicken Thigh Kabob with fried smashed potatoes and the sultry Pig’s Tails in braised balsamic pass you by. A sexy destination for a date without breaking the bank is the wood-covered Avec (DN) in the meatpacking district. This smallplate haven is home to the best appetizer in America—Avec’s Chorizo Stuffed Dates. You just have to trust me on this one. It’s an umami sensation. About a mile west of the glitz and glamour of the downtown is Uncle Mike’s Place (SB). This neighborhood breakfast/lunch institution is a stone’s throw from Rush University Medical Hospital. Uncle Mike’s serves up all the traditional American breakfast and brunch classics, but its claim to fame is the restaurant’s Filipino breakfast dishes of Tocino (cured pork), Longaniza sausage, garlic fried rice, fried eggs and vinegar dipping sauce.
Grand Rapids, Michigan I know, I know . . . you didn’t expect GR to be included in this illustrious list of college towns, but with fourteen colleges in the area and my current home base, I am including this rising foodie town in my list. A great place to chill with your buddies on a budget is Stella’s (SB), home of cheap brews (PBR, Stroh’s), stiff drinks and veggie dishes carnivores would give thumbs up to. The underground punk bar motif and quarter slot classic ‘80s video games makes this pub an epic collegiate institution. Grove (PT) is the latest restaurant to come into the scene in GR and there is no question that Grove is one of the best in the city. The menu is so deep with star items it makes me dizzy to narrow down my choices. The Parisian Gnocchi with Michigan chantrelles, chioggia beets, Brussels sprouts and white pumpkin jus is my wife’s favorite, while mine is the Korean Kimchi Stew. Save room for the devilish Grove Cinnamon Roll to top off your dining nirvana. Of course, I have to plug six.one.six (DN) restaurant into the mix as the JW Marriott’s signature farm-to-table restaurant. The most addicting dish on the menu is also a crowd favorite, the Tempura Tuna Roll with spicy fireball sauce. The seasonal menu
always offers a tantalizing seafood dish such as the Crab-Crusted Whitefish. The menu’s knockout punch is the Char-Crust NY Strip with seasonal vegetables.
Los Angeles, California Food trucks have become commonplace in the City of Angels, but none epitomizes this culinary trend beyond Kogi BBQ (SB). Twitter blew up Kogi BBQ’s following beyond anyone’s imagination. Throngs of people line up for bulgogi tacos and quesadillas on any given night, regardless of its location in the OC or LA area. For a bonus food truck experience, up to forty of the best food trucks in LA line up along Abbot Kinney Avenue in Venice Beach on the first Friday night of each month for foodie heaven on wheels. Sitting under the stars in the terrace of Wilshire (DN) restaurant in Santa Monica with a glass of Sancerre and a plate of the Wilshire’s Whole Grilled Branzino entrée is more than enough to illustrate the appeal of the SoCal lifestyle. The outdoor fireplace and cozy al fresco bar add to the appeal of this West LA hotspot. Rivera (PT) in downtown LA offers the best handcrafted cocktails in America. This modern Latin restaurant beautifully presents each dish as if it’s a Picasso masterpiece. The Flan de Elote is a luscious corn custard with black quinoa. The Quechua sweetbreads with Peruvian potatoes is another delectable dish worth the experience.
New York, New York Sheng Wang Noodle House (SB) is a hole-in-the-wall Chinatown spot worthy of a visit for inexpensive noodles and dumplings. A glass window allows diners to check out how the chef miraculously converts a ball of dough into milelong stretched noodles. A wonderful date-night foodie restaurant is chef Daniel Boulud’s DBGB (DN). Quotes from famous chefs fill the floor-to-ceiling bar while guests in the dining room are surrounded by kitchen mise-en-place in DBGB’s version of the open kitchen. The Frenchie burger with confit pork belly and pomme frites is amazing. The best view of Central Park is located thirty-five flights above at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. While immersing yourself in the spectacular scenery, brace yourself for an incredible dining experience at the superb Asiate (PT) restaurant. Chef Brandon Kida delivers on all levels, from the Tuna Sashimi to his Wagyu Beef Tenderloin. -GEORGE AQUINO Chef Brandon Kida’s beef tenderloin at Asiate restaurant
shorelines >> interview <<
PAUL STERMER
The executive director of Fair Food Matters shares his origin story For many people, confirming that the food on their plates didn’t come from the dreaded “back of the fridge” is enough to satisfy any curiosity or concern about its origin. But the organization Fair Food Matters (fairfoodmatters.org) believes that the question of where our food comes from and how it gets to us is a bigger issue than that—an important community issue, in fact—which is why for the past decade the group has been working to raise awareness about local food choices and to promote causes related to sourcing and sustainability in and around the Kalamazoo area.
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xecutive director Paul Stermer has been working with Fair Food Matters for only the past two and a half years, but his connection to the movement is something that he was practically born into.
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What made you want to first get involved with Fair Food Matters? I don’t know if I made a conscious decision to “become involved” in this organization or the local food movement, because food has played such an important role in my personal history. My dad owned and operated a “hobby farm” in Southwest Michigan, my mom worked in food service (back in the days when every school had a kitchen), we always had a summertime garden, we ate fresh meat and home-grown produce, and we “put up” fruits, vegetables, sauces, jams and jellies for winter. Then, four years ago, I married into a family of “foodies” from the East Coast, who love to visit the best restaurants, eat great food, and treat each meal as a social event. So I don’t know if fate played a role in how I found this job, but it certainly speaks to something that has always been important to me.
The farm-to-table ideal can seem almost quaint to some people—sort of “great, if you can do it, but what’s the big deal?” Why does Fair Food Matters think it’s such an important community concept? Reconnecting to our local food system may have a sense of quaintness about it. That isn’t surprising, since in many ways, we’re working to rediscover the food production and consumption habits that sustained us for many years—things like growing one’s own food, eating local, preparing meals at home, and home canning. But there are a number of compelling reasons for all of us to change the way we eat, such as: • Buying local food supports local businesses • Growing our own food (or getting it from trusted sources, like a farmers’ market) increases food safety • Small-scale food production, and especially organic farming, tends to be much kinder to the environment than commercial operations • Food that is grown or processed close to home typically is more nutrient-dense, and can help us address some of the great public health challenges of our day, including diabetes and obesity • Growing, preparing and sharing food almost invariably leads to people connecting with their families and neighbors in positive ways And local, fresh and organic food just tastes better than its commercially grown cousins! Anyone who’s ever compared
the taste of a fresh-picked heirloom tomato with a swamp-grown, ripenedin-transit pseudo-tomato purchased in January has undoubtedly discovered that. How would you characterize the impact that Fair Food Matters has had on the community in and around Kalamazoo in its first ten years? Even though we’re a small (and still-growing) nonprofit organization, we serve thousands of people each year through our programs and partnerships. Our data, both qualitative and quantitative, show that our community is working hard to reconnect ourselves to our food system, and to eliminate some of the inequities of the current system.
Which project or initiative do you consider to be among the most pivotal to the organization’s mission and ultimate success? Our Growing Matters Garden and Woodward School Garden programs have been part of what we do since we began our work ten years ago, and we are proud to have helped thousands of kids discover the benefits of growing and eating local food over that time. In addition, our Can-Do Kitchen grew from a simple idea into the region’s only commercial kitchen/business incubator in just three years. That program now has two graduates who have started their own small businesses. Are there any programs over the years whose popularity or impact really caught you by surprise? It shouldn’t surprise any of us that people want to eat good food, but the popularity of some of our programs like cheesemaking workshops, backyard chicken sessions, and canning classes maybe indicates that not only do people want to eat good, healthy food made from local ingredients, but they want to get that food from their own gardens and kitchens as well.
$63 per day...
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What are your goals for Fair Food Matters over the next ten years? We plan to continue serving this region, bringing about positive social change through local food, as long as the need exists. We are working more intentionally to try to address issues of social justice, such as whether low-income families can afford to eat healthy food, and whether farm workers and food entrepreneurs are paid a living wage. We recognize that most people in this nation have become accustomed to being quite disconnected from their food sources. However, the challenge to re-engineer our food system is vital to our future as a community and even as a species. Our organization, our supporters and people all over the world doing similar work are prepared to meet this challenge. -MARK LOEHRKE
shorelines >> green notes <<
Going Gourmet the Green Way Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is leading the way in the Midwestern sustainable seafood movement
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hen Dean Zanella, executive chef at Rhapsody in Chicago’s Loop, started asking about the origins of the seafood he was buying for the restaurant, he wasn’t pleased with the answer. “Sometimes my fish purveyor said, ‘My supplier is catching plenty,’ and that’s great, but how are they catching them?” he says. Zanella was one of the first chefs in the city to sign on to the Shedd Aquarium’s Right Bite program. The project, which began in 1999, provides education for Chicago-area restaurants, retailers, caterers, purveyors and culinary schools in the importance of sustainable seafood choices. Brooke Havlik, Right Bite educator for the Shedd Aquarium, defines sustainable seafood as “choosing fish that are caught in the wild or farmed using environmentally friendly practices.” Today, Right Bite has more than twenty-five partners pledging to offer at least two sustainable seafood choices at all times and, if applicable, to remove at least one nonsustainable item from their menus or inventories. Right Bite offers a wallet card, which can be downloaded on the Shedd’s website, which More information about the uses a traffic signal approach to seafood Shedd Aquarium’s Right Bite choices for consumers. Items on the green list program is available at are the best choices, with those on the yellow sheddaquarium.org/3155.html
online
Barramundi with Spiced Carrots and Mint Yogurt (Makes 4 servings) 1 3
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pound carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds tablespoons olive oil, divided Salt and black pepper, to taste teaspoon ground coriander teaspoon ground cumin tablespoons fresh mint, minced, divided U.S.-farmed barramundi fillets tablespoons lemon juice teaspoon ground cinnamon cup plain yogurt tablespoons honey
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a separate bowl, toss carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, coriander, cumin and 1
being good alternatives and red being those to avoid. Havlik says 68 percent of seafood in the U.S. is consumed outside of the home, making the restaurants and purveyors critical partners in the outreach effort. Zanella—who has worked at a host of top Chicago restaurants including Charlie Trotter’s, Grappa and 312 Chicago—says working with sustainable seafood “is definitely different.” “It’s got its good and its bad,” he says. “It forces me to be more creative.” Marketing the sustainable seafood dishes, the chef says, can also be a challenge. “People still want Chilean sea bass and I stopped using that twenty years ago,” he says. “I wish more people would buy into barramundi. I could call it sea bass and it would sell a ton, but it wouldn’t be right.” Havlik says shellfish is a great example of a low-cost, sustainable seafood item to prepare in the home. Shellfish are filter feeders, she says, meaning they strain water and produce cleaner water in the process. “It’s a great, nondestructive way of farming,” she says. “From a culinary perspective, you can mix it with linguine or another pasta and create a really elegant, inexpensive dish.” Zanella says since becoming a Right Bite partner, he has educated others in the industry as well. “When I started doing it, I turned my fish purveyor, who is doing $6 to $7 million [a year], on to it,” Zanella says. “They understand now, too.” -LAURI HARVEY KEAGLE
tablespoon mint. Spread carrots in single layer on oiled pan and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Cook the carrots until tender. Brush fish with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Once oil is heated, carefully add the fillets to the pan. Cook until the fish becomes lightly brown, about 3 minutes, and flip it over. Cook an additional 3 minutes or until fish is firm and flaky. In a small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons mint, cinnamon, yogurt and honey until well blended. Divide carrots and fish among 4 plates. Spoon mint yogurt over carrots. SOURCE: SHEDD AQUARIUM RIGHT BITE PROGRAM
>> a fine mess <<
Wine Keeps the Whine Out of the Kitchen
on me, I suddenly couldn’t do it. I was choking under pressure. That’s when my buddy Mike made a suggestion that rescued me: “Maybe we should open the wine.” I now have an answer to the question “What is the earliest you’ve ever started drinking?” My answer: “10:15 a.m.” (Paging Dr. Phil.) Mock me if you will, but after the wine began to flow, I really got into the class. I learned how to properly julienne vegetables (as I suspected, I had been doing it incorrectly). I learned how to correctly poach an egg (something I’ve never been able to do before). And I learned how to make a soufflé that didn’t fall. We created an incredibly beautiful four-course lunch; tilapia wrapped with prosciutto and julienned vegetables, cauliflower au gratin, fresh salad with a poached egg, and chocolate soufflé. And most importantly, we got to eat it. It tasted as good as it looked. The tilapia was heavenly. The cauliflower was complex and delicious. And though I never would have ordered a salad with a poached egg on top, it was a really interesting combination of flavors. Plus that soufflé was sinful, and if I can pat myself on the back for a moment, it was perfectly prepared. But if you are ever invited over to dinner at my house, don’t expect me to serve this meal. I couldn’t possibly julienne a vegetable, separate an egg white without a hint, whiff or whisper of yolk in it, or poach an egg again. That knowledge was gone by dinner that night. I’m thinking that the 10:15 a.m. wine might have been a contributing factor. At least that’s what Dr. Phil told me. -RICK KAEMPFER
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What she didn’t tell me was that the class would be held on a Saturday morning. Even someone with a low “it’s gotta be happy hour somewhere in the world” threshold like me has a hard time justifying pulling the cork at 10 a.m. By the time I found out, it was too late to renege. The cooking class was at Au Vin on Elston Avenue in Chicago. There were six couples in the group. My wife and I, our old college buddies Mike and Lynee, a mother-in-law and her brand new daughter-in-law, and three young hip couples from the city. All of us were given aprons and chef hats, and instructed to write our names on the hats so our classmates could identify us. The teacher/chef was named Cecil, a twentysomething tattooed bon vivant with gigantic earrings. He was enthusiastic and passionate about the matter at hand: French cooking. “The first thing we’re going to make is a soufflé,” he said. If you’ve ever watched an episode of Top Chef (I’m a devoted follower), you know that soufflé is one of the most difficult and delicate things to make. Even Top Chef contestants get it wrong all the time. Cecil immediately warned us how easily it could happen to us: “If there’s even one tiny—and I mean even the slightest hint—a whiff, a whisper or drop of yolk in the egg whites, the entire soufflé will be ruined.” I think that’s when I started panicking. I cook dinner for my family every night—but I’m entirely self-taught, and I hate it when anyone watches me. I know that my food will end up tasting good, but I’m a little insecure about my techniques. The way this class worked, we all took turns separating the egg whites while everyone else watched. With all eyes
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
photo [opposite page, bottom] courtesy of BRENNA HERNANDEZ, SHEDD AQUARIUM; [this page] BY BRIDGET KAEMPFER
When my wife told me that she wanted to sign us up for a cooking class with another couple, I must admit, I wasn’t thrilled by the prospect. • “It’s going to be a lot of fun,” she said. • I’m not 100 percent positive I said anything out loud, but I most certainly groaned on the inside. Then she said the magic words to stop the groaning: “Every person in the class is supposed to bring a bottle of wine.” • “You mean the two of us would bring two bottles?” I asked, as a matter of clarification. • “Yes.” • “I’m in.”
EDGEWATER SYSTEMS’ 10TH ANNUAL GALA, MERRILLVILLE • 31ST ANNUAL COLUMBIAN BALL, CHICAGO • NORTHERN INDIANA REGION GALA, CHICAGO • CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY BENEFIT, DOUGLAS • OPEN DOORS GALA, CHICAGO • ARTPRIZE, GRAND RAPIDS • GLOBAL HEALTH INITIATIVE ANNUAL BENEFIT, CHICAGO 1
The Time is Now to Focus on Mental Health Edgewater Systems’ 10th Annual Gala Merrillville
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photography by tony v. martin
Approximately 300 guests enjoyed an evening filled with appetizers, dinner, a raffle and silent auction held at the Radisson Hotel. Academy Award-winning actress and mental health activist Patty Duke was the guest speaker. Proceeds from the black-tie event support Edgewater Systems’ youth programs.
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1 Richard Murdach and Chuck Hughes 2 Percy Thorbor of Posen and Nikki Kimbrough of Gary 3 Kristen O’Brien of Crown Point and George Dluhy of Chicago 4 Shelice Tolbert, Alesia Pritchett, LaVeta Hughes, Arlene Pearson and Vaughan Pritchett, of Gary
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5 Steve and Aimee Tetens of Oakbrook Terrace
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6 Mike Pearce and Patty Duke 7 Marion and Diane Moore of Crown Point 8 Julie Masterson and Mark Maassel
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9 Art Norman of NBC 5 Chicago and Terri Diggs of Chicago 10 Danita Johnson Hughes and Chuck Hughes of Valparaiso WANT MORE? please go to visitshoremagazine.com to view and purchase click photos
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WANT MORE? please go to visitshoremagazine.com to view and purchase click photos
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Inventing the Future
31st Annual Columbian Ball | Chicago photography by r. carl and j.b. spector
More than 800 guests enjoyed an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner and dancing at the Museum of Science and Industry’s annual black-tie event. The Honorable Rahm Emanuel was an honorary co-chair and Chicago journalist Bill Kurtis served as celebrity auctioneer. “Month at the Museum 2” winner Kevin Byrne assisted with some of the auction items, which raised more than $217,000. Live entertainment was provided by Generation: the Sixties Experience.
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1 2011 Columbian Ball at the Museum of Science and Industry 2 Bill Kurtis 3 Glenn and Jackie Tilton, Dr. Diana Strassmann and Jeff Smisek
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4 Dean and Alison Chung 5 Kevin and Melonese Brookins of Olympia Fields
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6 Kevin Byrne and Mayor Rahm Emanuel
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7 R. Eden, Sharon Martin, and Janet and Robert Froetscher of Glencoe
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Benefit on the Pier
Northern Indiana Region Gala Chicago 3
photography by tony v. martin
1 Dr. Neha Patel, Amit Trivedi and Dr. Alpa Chandarana of Chicago 2 Dan Vessell and Mary Wells of Crown Point
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3 Virginia and Fred Martinez of New Lenox
5 Gary and Shar Miller 6 Thomas Sarnecki and Veronica Kacmar-Fedorchak of Crown Point 7 Bonny Claussen of LaPorte, Diana Bridges of Orland Park, and Michelle Arvia of Schererville
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4 Frank and Gail DeLuca of Western Springs with Gene, Mary and Hannah Diamond of Palos Park
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Over 1,000 guests attended this event at Navy Pier in the Grand Ballroom and enjoyed a four-course dinner and a dessert table, followed by dancing to music by Together. Guests also participated in jewelry and cash raffles and were delighted by the Navy Pier fireworks. Proceeds from the event support programs at the Northern Indiana Region hospitals.
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An Evening of Note
Academic Possibilities
Chamber Music Society Benefit Douglas
Open Doors Gala | Chicago photography by steve becker
photography by gregg rizzo
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Dinner, music, and a silent auction filled with arts and entertainment packages were highlights of this gala held at the Button-Petter Gallery. Catering was provided by Chris Ferris and entertainment by Fabulous Entertainment. Proceeds from the event support the Joan Conway Young Artists Program. 1 Chandra Aalderink of Holland
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Over 250 guests attended Columbia College Chicago’s blacktie gala, raising nearly $700,000 for Chicago Public Schools graduates to attend Columbia. Held at the College’s Media Production Center, the evening included cocktails, dinner, desserts and performances by Columbia’s student artists. Linda Johnson Rice was presented with Columbia’s inaugural Chicago Legacy Award.
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2 Charlie and Diane Ferry of Glenn
1 Serafin Lopez
3 Julia and David Marckini of West Olive
2 Sylvia Neil and Richard Kiphart
4 Glenn Fowler of Douglas with Jenny Walvoord and Andrew Le of Holland
3 John and Desiree Rogers
5 Jesse Padgett of Holland with Mary Schaf of Douglas
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4 Dr. Warrick Carter, Linda Johnson Rice and Allen Turner 5 David and Brenda Solomon
6 Joan Conway of Holland, Arthur Frederick of Douglas and Julie Rubin of South Haven
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Creative Expressions ArtPrize | Grand Rapids photography by gregg rizzo
Hundreds attended the opening event for this city-wide art competition featuring 1,582 artists from 39 countries and 43 states.
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The best things in life are free. . . but you can’t take your health for granted. An annual wellness exam is a great investment. Your doctor can determine your baseline health today and work with you to set goals for a healthier future.
1 Marcia and Stephen Peterson of Grand Rapids
At Obstetrical & Gynecological Associates, Inc., we’re here to help. Our Board Certified Obstetricians / Gynecologists specialize in • Annual Wellness Exams • Pregnancy Planning and Care • Urogynecological testing and treatment
2 Jacqueline and Craig Gilmore of Grand Rapids 3 Jennifer and Matt Reinsma of Rockford
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weunderstandwomen.com
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L. Jennifer Murphy M.D., FACOG
Healing the World
Global Health Initiative Annual Benefit Chicago photography by tony v. martin
203 guests attended this 4th annual fundraiser at the Peninsula, featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder. 1 Tom and Gretchen Monticello of Glenview 2 Sandra Barreto and Tem Horwitz of Chicago
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Cheryl Short M.D., FACOG
Crystal Strickland M.D., FACOG
Chrys Davis
M.D., MSN, FNP
We also offer the latest technology and procedures, including • DaVinci® Robotic Surgery, the most advanced, highly effective, minimally invasive treatment option for hysterectomy • Novasure® Ablation for excessive menstrual bleeding • Adiana® Tubal Occlusion for non-surgical, permanent birth control • MiniArc®/MonArc® Slings, out-patient treatments for urinary incontinence. Best of all, we understand women. As an all-female, Board Certified Obstetrical and Gynecological group, we are women—sisters, mothers and daughters—just like you. We understand you and want you to remember. . .
You’re Worth It!
3 Lex Su and Christina Tai of San Francisco
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Glendale Medical Center 1101 E. Glendale Blvd., Suite 102 Valparaiso, IN 46383 (219) 462-6144 (877) 462-6249 Most Insurance Accepted
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
Now Accepting New Patients
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essential events HAPPENINGS 32
EXHIBITIONS 33
PERFORMANCE 33
Mar 10-18 18TH ANNUAL CHICAGO FLOWER & GARDEN SHOW Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago 312.595.5400. chicagoflower.com
In the style of high fashion and wearable art, this event celebrates “Hort Couture.” Designed to inspire, educate and motivate, the Garden Show will reflect the influence of fashion and design in floral, plant and landscape creations.
CALENDAR COMPILED BY LAVETA HUGHES
happenings Indiana
Jan 28-29 28th Annual Hammond Outdoors Sports Show, 9am-5pm Sat, 9am-4pm Sun, Jean Shepherd Community Center, 3031 J.F. Mahoney Dr, Hammond. 219.554.0155. gohammond.org. This event features free goodie bags for the first 300 attendees each day, plus door prizes and other giveaways. Activities include the Trout Pond, minnow races, bobber pond, and chain saw wood carving demonstrations. Mar 4 Maple Sugar Festival, noon-4pm, International Friendship Gardens, 2055 US Hwy 12, Michigan City. 219.878.9885. friendshipgardens. org. This free event features a sugar-making camp, demonstrations, nature hikes and plenty of sweet treats. Pets on a leash are welcome. Mar 31 American Chamber Trio, 7:30pm, Duesenberg Recital Hall, Valparaiso University, 1700 Chapel Dr, Valparaiso. 219.464.5454. valpo.edu. This free performance features June DeForest (violin), Daniel Morganstern (cello) and Eric Larsen (piano).
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Jan 26-29 Michigan International Auto Show, 3-10pm Thu, 11am-10pm Fri, 10am-10pm Sat, 10am-6pm Sun, DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids. 616.447.2860. showspan.com. This popular show features more than 300 new vehicles and soon-to-be-released models, representing more than 36 car manufacturers from around the world. Feb 3-5 Ice Breaker Festival 2012, downtown South Haven. 269.637.5252. southhaven.org. Celebrate “The Four Seasons of South Haven” in the city’s downtown winter wonderland with pro and amateur chili cook-offs, an ice sculpting competition, a Mardi Gras dinner, kids’ crafts, wagon rides and open skating.
Feb 4 Bev’s Second Season Ball, 1933 E 800 N, LaPorte. 888.660.6222. newbuffalo.org. This event will feature an open bar with free signature chocolate martinis from 6:30-7:30pm, appetizers by local restaurants, a delicious meal and two chocolate fountains for dessert. A spectacular silent auction will include vacations and cruises. Feb 4-5 New Buffalo Winter Fest, various times and locations, New Buffalo. 888.660.6222. newbuffalo.org. This festival offers winter fun activities including free sleigh rides through town, ice skating, ice-carving demonstrations and more. Feb 10-12 8th Annual Magical Ice Carving Festival, various times and locations, downtown St. Joseph. 269.983.7248. sjtoday.org. This creative event allows spectators to watch sculptures being carved while enjoying shopping, dining, wine tasting, kids activities and magic shows. Feb 25 The Great Food & Wine Symposium, 7:30-10pm, Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St NW, Grand Rapids. 616.456.3977. At West Michigan’s premier wine-tasting event, guests can enjoy more than 300 wines and beers from around the world, gourmet selections and classical music.
warmer weather version, food and hot beverages will also be available.
Illinois
Through Feb 12 Winter on the Green, 1-3pm every Sun, downtown Frankfort, Breidert Green, White and Kansas St. 815.469.2177. villageoffrankfort.com. The Village of Frankfort, along with the Frankfort Park District and Frankfort Chamber of Commerce, are sponsoring this 17th annual program featuring ice sculpture displays, trolley rides, carnivals, sled races, a chili cook-off, Superbowl party, and Valentines event. Feb 10-20 Chicago Auto Show, First Look for Charity: 6:30-10:30pm Feb 9; Show: 10am-10pm Feb 10-18, 10am-8pm Feb 19, McCormick Place, 2301 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago. chicagoautoshow. com. Auto enthusiasts trek to this annual convention—celebrating its 104th anniversary this year—of more than 1,000 of the newest cars, trucks, SUVs and concept cars, all displayed within the colossal confines of McCormick Place.
Mar 1-4 2012 West Michigan Home & Garden Show, 3-9pm Thu, noon-9pm Fri, 10am-9pm Sat, 11am-6pm Sun, DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids. 616.742.6500. showspan. com. Visitors will find myriad exhibitions for home products and services, interior/exterior design and remodeling, and seminars for home improvement, gardening and cooking.
Feb 12 Be My Valentine, 10am-1pm, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 160 E Pearson St, Chicago. 312.926.7133. lynnsage.org. This fifth annual event for the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation features a scrumptious family brunch buffet, Valentine’s activities for children and special concert by award-winning children’s musician Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players. The event will also include music, dancing, makeovers, cookie decorating, a silent auction, raffle and special performance by Pinkalicioius—The Musical.
Mar 13 Antiques Below the Bluff, 11am-4pm, Shadowland on Silver Beach, 333 Broad St, St. Joseph. 269.985.1111. sjtoday.org. The popular summer event, Antiques on the Bluff, will make a few appearances in the winter this year. Featuring all the favorite attractions and select vendors of its
Feb 24-26 2012 IKC Dog Show, 8am-5pm, McCormick Place, 2301 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago. ikcdogshow.com. More than 100,000 visitors will get the chance to see approximately 8,000 purebed dogs from 150 breeds demonstrate their ability in a variety of competitions, as this show celebrates its 151st year.
photo by CHARLES CHERNEY
The information presented in Essential Events is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify the dates and times. Please note that Illinois and most Indiana events adhere to central time, and Michigan events are eastern time.
Through Feb 26 A Grand Flourish— Drawings of Architectural Ornament from the Permanent Collection, The Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame. 574.631.5466. sniteartmuseum. nd.edu. Organized by art history graduate student Elizabeth Peterson, this focus exhibition explores the decorative principles established in Italy by the Renaissance humanist and architect Leon Battista Alberti (1401-72) and their dissemination to France in subsequent centuries. Also, Mar 18-May 6: A Strange Enterprise—Drawings of the French Theatre from the Permanent Collection. Through Mar 11 Earth from Space, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, 101 W Second St, Michigan City. 219.874.4900. lubeznikcenter.org. Satellite imagery of earth reveals the swirling arms of a massive hurricane, triangular shadows cast by the Great Pyramids, and the grid-like pattern of Kansas farmland in this exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution. Also, through Mar 11: Andy Plioplys & Peter Gray; Mar 16-May 20: Ladies & Gentleman, Children Of All Ages, Step Right Up!
Michigan
Through Mar 18 Infrared Photography by Christopher Light, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo. 269.349.7775. kiarts.org. In this exhibition of his recent work, photographer Christopher Light explores the urban and natural world through infrared digital photographs. Also, through Mar 4: The Strange Life of Objects— The Art of Annette Lemieux; Through Apr 7: Hefner Collection of East Asian Art. Feb 3-May 20 Robert Rauschenberg in Context, Robert Rauschenberg at Gemini, and Synapsis Shuffle, Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center, Grand Rapids. 616.831.1000. artmuseumgr. org. A chronicler of contemporary life, most especially the American experience, Rauschenberg’s great themes were the city, technology, multiculturalism, and the environment. Also, through Jan 28: Chris Stoffel Overvoorde; Feb 10-Apr 22: Michael Pfleghaar.
Illinois
Through Mar 4 The Marguerite Michaels Collection—Japanese Prints of the 1960s and 1970s, The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago. 312.629.6635. artic.edu/aic. The artists on display are all members of the Creative Print (Sôsaku Hanga) movement that began in the early 20th century but truly flourished in the 1960s. Also, through Feb 27: Rough, Blurred, and Out of Focus; Mar 11: Sharon Hayes; Jan 28-Apr 15: The Last Harvest—The Paintings of Rabindranath Tagore.
performance Indiana
Chicago Street Theater, 154 W Chicago St, Valparaiso. 219.464.1636. ctgonline. org. Now in its 56th season of bringing live theatrical entertainment to the greater Northwest Indiana region, the CST presents
Footlight Players, 1705 Franklin St, Michigan City. 219.874.4035. footlightplayers.org. This community theater group has been entertaining audiences in Michigan City for more than 50 years with its productions of dramas, comedies and musicals. Feb 3-5, 9-12: Chapter Two. Horseshoe Casino, 777 Casino Center Dr, Hammond. 866.711.7463. horseshoehammond.com. World-class gambling and top-name entertainment combine to create an unprecedented experience at this 350,000-squarefoot casino. The Venue, the casino’s 90,000-square-foot entertainment facility, hosts some of the hottest Chicagoland entertainment. Jan 23: Mung Tuoi Me—A Lunar New Year Vietnamese Concert; Feb 18: Hitz Boxing Presents Fight Night; Feb 19: Gospel Buffet w/Blind Boys of Alabama; Feb 23: 3rd Annual Chicago Poker Classic; Mar 10: Kelly Clarkson wsg/ Matt Nathanson; Mar 24: Aisha Tyler; Apr 22: Trans-Siberian Orchestra. LaPorte County Symphony Orchestra, performances in LaPorte and Michigan City, 614 Lincolnway, LaPorte. 219.362.9020. lcso. net. This exciting orchestra offers a variety of concerts throughout the season—including classical, pops, chamber, children’s and family. Mar 4: Celestial Splendor; Apr 21: Pop Stars. The Morris Performing Arts Center, 211 N Michigan St, South Bend. 574.235.9190, 800.537.6415. morriscenter.org. The home of the Broadway Theatre League, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and the Southold Dance Theater, the 2,560-seat Morris Performing Arts Center has enraptured audiences in the heart of downtown South Bend for more than 75 years. Jan 28: South Bend Symphony Orchestra Presents “The Stuff of Legends” w/ Gabriel Schlaffer, viola; Feb 11: Romance at the Symphony; Feb 12: Golden Dragon Acrobats present Cirque Ziva; Feb 14: Blast!; Feb 24-25: My Fair Lady; Mar 3: Inspired by the Bard; Mar 9: Disney Live! Presents Three Classic Fairytales; Mar 21: Riverdance; Mar 31: The Texas Tenors. Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, various venues. 219.836.0525. nwisymphony. org. Conducted by the charismatic Kirk Muspratt, this professional orchestra performs concerts that range in atmosphere from the whimsical pops series to the edifying and inspirational maestro series, many of which offer pre-concert discussions with the conductor an hour before the concert. Feb 10: A Valentine’s Tradition; Mar 9: Beethoven 6. Star Plaza Theatre, I-65 & US 30, Merrillville. 219.769.6600. starplazatheatre. com. With 3,400 seats arranged in two intimate seating levels, the theatre consistently hosts premier performers year-round. With its convenient location in the heart of Northwest Indiana’s shopping and dining district and its proximity to the adjoining Radisson Hotel, the Star Plaza offers a total entertainment package to area theatergoers. Feb 3: Salute to the 60s; Feb 11: American English—Beatles Tribute Band; Feb 18: Jerry Butler, The Chi-Lites; Mar 10: Chi-town Blues Festival; Apr 3: Imagination Movers Rock-O-Matic 2012; Apr 5: An Evening with Coach Bob Knight. The Theatre at the Center, Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.3255. theatreatthecenter. com. This theater, just 35 minutes from
downtown Chicago, has the distinction of being the only professional equity theater in Northwest Indiana, and showcases the artistry of professional actors, musicians and designers from throughout the Midwest. Jan 23-27: The Color of Justice; Feb 23-Apr 1: Always...Patsy Cline. Towle Community Theater, 5205 Hohman Ave, Hammond. 219.937.8780. towletheater.org. To honor its mission of nurturing and celebrating local talent in the arts, the Towle Community Theater presents exhibitions, theatrical productions and musical performances in the heart of downtown Hammond. Feb 24-26, Mar 2-4, 8-11: Ordinary Days.
Michigan
The Acorn Theater, 6 N Elm St, Three Oaks. 269.756.3879. acorntheater. com. The 250-seat Acorn is home to a carefully reconstructed, rare Barton Theater Pipe Organ and boasts bistro tables and occasionally offbeat entertainment options. Feb 17: North Mississippi Allstars Duo. Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra, DeVos Performance Hall, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids. 616.454.9451 ext 4. grsymphony.org. Recognized as one of America’s leading regional orchestras, this Grammy-nominated symphony provides the orchestra for Opera Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. The orchestra’s eight concert series with performances designed for young children through adults feature a wide range of repertoire. Jan 27-28: Mozart and Beethoven; Mar 3: Symphony with Soul—Celebrating Sarah Vaughan with Dianne Reeves. Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, various venues. 269.349.7759. kalamazoosymphony. com. Founded in 1921, this outstanding ensemble entertains the Kalamazoo area with a classical subscription series, annual holiday presentations, chamber orchestra concerts, free summer park concerts and various educational programs. Jan 29: World of Saint-Saens; Feb 3: Wicked Divas; Feb 11: Berlioz the Bear; Feb 17: Symphonie Fantastique; Mar 10: Spanish Rhapsody; Mar 25: Carnival of the Animals; Mar 30: Spring Evening; Apr 14: Tribute to Motown. The Livery, 190 5th St, Benton Harbor. 269.925.8760. liverybrew.com. As its name suggests, the Livery is a former horse stable, residing in the Arts District of downtown Benton Harbor. Not content to just offer its twelve taps of microbrew, an outdoor beer garden, an appetizing soup and sandwich menu, and a coffee bar, the Livery is also a venue for an eclectic variety of musical performances. Feb 4: Women With Heart—Rock! Van Andel Arena, 130 W Fulton, Grand Rapids. 616.742.6600. vanandelarena.com. Ranked second on Billboard Magazine’s 2003 Top 10 Arena Venues for its size, this $75 million 12,000-plus capacity arena offers world-class family shows, concerts and sporting events to the increasingly popular Grand Rapids area. Feb 16: Casting Crowns: Come to the Well Tour; Feb 26: Disney Live Presents Three Classic Fairy Tales; Mar 9-11: Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam Thunder Nationals; Mar 18: The Black Keys; Mar 22-25: Disney On Ice Presents Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey; Apr 1: Winter Jam 2012 Tour Spectacular.
Illinois
Broadway in Chicago, various venues, Chicago. 800.775.2000. broadwayinchicago. com. A joint venture between the two largest commercial theater producers and owner/operators in the U.S., Broadway in
Chicago offers the finest of professional stage productions in multiple theaters, all residing in Chicago’s lively Loop. Through May 27: Pinkalicious, Broadway Playhouse, 175 E Chestnut; Jan 24-29: Mama Mia!; Feb 7-19: American Idiot; Mar 13-18: Riverdance; Mar 27-Apr 8: Fela!, Ford Center Oriental Theatre, 24 W Randolph; Feb 14-26: South Pacific; Mar 6-25: Bring It On—The Musical, Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W Randolph St; Apr 5-Jun 2: Jersey Boys, Bank of America Theatre, 18 W Monroe St. The Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University, 1 University Pkwy, University Park. 708.235.2222. centertickets.net. The Center for Performing Arts is celebrating 11 years of promoting cultural enhancement on the South Side of Chicago through world-class performing arts productions and arts education. Jan 29: Golden Dragon Acrobats; Feb 8: The Color Purple; Feb 19: Lift Ev’ry Voice. The Chicago Theatre, 175 N State St, Chicago. 312.462.6300. thechicagotheatre. com. The Chicago Theatre has been a prototype for area theaters since 1921. With its lavish architecture and an elegant stage, the Chicago Theatre seats 3,600 and stands seven stories high. Jan 27: Joe Rogan; Jan 28: David Garrett; Jan 31: Lenny Kravitz; Feb 2-4: Barry Manilow; Feb 25: Peter Frampton; Mar 3: Stephanie Miller’s Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour; Apr 13-14: Creed. The Goodman Theatre, 170 N Dearborn St, Chicago. 312.443.3800. goodmantheatre. org. Since 1925, the Goodman Theatre has provided entertainment to the Chicago area; however, a new, state-of-the-art two-theater complex was completed in 2000—75 years to the day after the dedication of the original—and resides in the vibrant North Loop Theater District within walking distance of fine hotels and restaurants. Through Feb 19: Race; Feb 25-Mar 25: The Convert; Mar 3-Apr 8: Camino Real. Lyric Opera of Chicago, Civic Opera House, Madison & Wacker, Chicago. 312.332.2244 ext 5600. lyricopera.org. The world-class Lyric Opera enraptures audiences with its spectacular artistry, performing in one of the most unique theaters in the world. The recently refurbished Civic Opera House not only is an elaborate treasure on the inside, but it is architecturally distinctive as well, shaped like a throne facing the Chicago River. Through Mar 25: Aida; Feb 12-Mar 17: Show Boat; Feb 29-Mar 24: Rinaldo. Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E Main St, St Charles. 630.584.6342. pheasantrun. com. Acclaimed throughout Chicago and the Midwest for its entertainment, Pheasant Run Resort features theater at its new Mainstage and Studio theaters, comedy at Zanies Comedy Club, and live music, entertainment, art exhibits and shopping at its own version of Bourbon Street. Through Mar 11: Moonlight and Magnolias; Mar 24: Reely Dan; Mar 29-May 20: Breaking Up is Hard to Do. Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N Halsted, Chicago. 312.335.1650. steppenwolf.org. The Chicago-based cast is an internationally renowned group of 43 artists, committed to the art of ensemble collaboration. Now in its 35th season, Steppenwolf continues to fulfill its mission by offering intriguing performances and taking artistic risks. Through Feb 5: Penelope; through May 13: Time Stands Still; Feb 2-Apr 8: Garage Rep 2012 Thumbnail.
For more events and destinations, please go to visitshoremagazine.com.
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
Through May 6 David Hartt, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago. 312.280.2660. mcachicago.org. David Hartt’s project Stray Light inaugurates a new series of media-based exhibitions at the MCA. Also, through Jan 24: Scott Reeder; Through Feb 16: Dieter Roth; Through Mar 25 and Apr 15: The Language of Less (Then and Now).
a variety of plays and musicals each season, in addition to regularly scheduled theatre classes for both adults and children. Jan 27-Feb 11: The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?; Apr 13-28: The Cherry Orchard.
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exhibitions Indiana
RoeShore A MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO BRINGS DOMESTIC CAVIAR TO THE MASSES
WORDS BY MOLLY WOULFE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD HELLYER
TO
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he Caviar Queen of the Great Lakes does not stand on ceremony. Just side by side with burly fish-cutters with long sharp knives. Rachel Collins, 47, rolls up her sleeves and guts salmon and whitefish in commercial fisheries every fall in the Upper Peninsula. Her mission: “To cherry-pick the best caviar as it comes in,” she explains. “The other companies get what we don’t want.” Not that the owner-president of Collins Caviar, based in Union Pier, Michigan, is a micro-manager. Just a chip off the old block. Back in the mid-1980s, her mom met charter boat skippers in parking lots in Kenosha and Racine,
Wisconsin. Carolyn Collins sized up catches and wrote checks on the hoods of cars. Mother and daughter then lugged coolers of raw roe (fish eggs) to their gold Trans Am “with the big Firebird decal on the front,” Rachel laughs. “We started out with salmon caviar, adding whitefish the first year,” she recalls. “By the second year, we discovered by accident how to infuse caviar and began expanding our line of flavored caviars. We now had six flavors: Peppar (infused with Absolut Peppar vodka); citron, truffle, grand passion—that’s a dessert caviar, nearly saltfree—ginger, and mango-infused.” The pair has since sold a boatload of their signature delicacy, establishing the Great Lakes as a premier source of American freshwater caviar. Fancy that: Lake Michigan as a pipeline to gourmet fantasies.
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Rachel Collins
MOTHER-DAUGHTER ACT
BLACK GOLD, ORANGE GOLD
For more information, recipes and upcoming caviar events, visit collinscaviar.com.
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Among gourmets, beluga caviar is black gold, one of the rarest delicacies on earth. The roe of the endangered beluga sturgeon, a fish that swims in the Caspian Sea, is banned in America. The caviar commands $3,500 to $5,000 per pound overseas. Not so the caviar of its U.S. cousins, which has the advantage of being legal, delectable and highly delicious. WHETTING APPETITES An ounce of light-gold Collins whitefish caviar is $10; an ounce North Shore chefs bit hook, line and sinker. The widowed Carolyn of soft, sweet, orange berries of the Great Lakes chinook (King) went into business, building and expanding her cottage industry salmon is $14. Collins Caviar also carries paddlefish, bowfin and into a six-figure empire. Demand from North Shore restaurants hackleback sturgeon caviars and crème spreads. spawned a Chicago headquarters-warehouse in 1985, a mail-order Peanut butter is cheaper, but caviar adds instant panache to any service in 1992, and an ever-expanding line of classic and smoked event, Rachel observes. To know caviar is to love it. She herself caviars. The mother-daughter duo has since been written up by the loves to discuss tastes, hues, grain size and textures. likes of Vogue and the New York Times. The hackleback sturgeon “is the true American sturgeon. Unlike traditional caviar houses, Collins is light on the salt, the Flavor-wise, the caviar is similar [to beluga]. Visually, it’s natural traditional way to “cure” the highly perishable roe. As a result, the black. It has a very smooth, nutty taste, buttery finish. It has a warm sweet to earthy-tangy taste of caviar swoons the senses. flavoring,” she advises. “The paddlefish is a little bit stronger, with Rachel, who served as general manager and oversaw daily a slightly metallic finish. The lexicon is very much like wine’s.” operations for more than a decade, decided to expand her culinary Note: Champagne is fine, but the best pairing for caviar is vodka horizons in the mid-1990s by working as an apprentice chef at “straight out of the freezer, ice-cold,” Rachel instructs. Jenny’s Restaurant in Union Pier. When her mother opted for semiDon’t be shy with caviar, whether it is garnishing a toast point, retirement, Rachel returned to the family biz. In love with Union Russian blini or canapé. Treat it as a one-bite gift from the gods. Pier—where she’d moved, and where she shares a 1920s cottage Pop it into your mouth and savor the rush of sensations. “Caviar with two rescue mutts—she relocated Collins Caviar to a brick extranscends food,” Rachel says. “It has flavors and textures you just brewery in Michigan City in 2005. don’t have every day. There’s nothing else like it.” When the recession nibbled at sales like toast points, Rachel She believes that caviar makes every occasion an event. Suck decided to downsize, casting her eye toward the East Coast. She it off a spoon. Dab it on a hoecake. Dollop partnered with an established New York caviar it atop pasta and watch guests’ eyes pop. Tell house in late 2009, striking a pact that keeps them to twirl the caviar into the pasta with her lines independent yet consolidates packing, their forks. shipping and billing operations. Her mother, Her own favorite, non-princess-y combo: FOR YOUR 74 and living in Crystal Lake, remains active in caviar and spuds. “Garlic mashed potatoes,” she promotional events. INFORMATION says dreamily. “Fabulous.”
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
photo [this page, inset] provided by RACHEL COLLINS
When the tall, blond Rachel says “we”—and she says it often—it’s genuine, not a royal pronoun. She credits her semi-retired parent for turning a hobby into a six-figure business twenty-eight years ago. “Mom,” she says simply, “was the one who created this.” Mom also bequeathed her hands-on work ethic to her kid. Carolyn Collins tripled as chef, sales rep and courier when the pair founded Collins Caviar in 1983 in their kitchen in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The daughter of Italian immigrants, Carolyn learned how to fish, grow vegetables, and forage for dandelion greens and mushrooms. Rachel did in turn. As a teen, she also accompanied her mother on salmon runs on Lake Michigan. During the fall spawning season, they’d clean fish “and out would fall a three-, four-, or five-pound skein of roe,” Rachel remembers. Rachel Collins and “When fish are gravid—pregnant—the roe can her mother Carolyn be 25 percent of their body weight. Skippers are shown with their threw the roe away. About 1 percent of sports friend Don Newcomb, president of the fishermen take it home.” ChicaGourmets. And her mother was among them. “She said, ‘I’m going to figure out how to make caviar out of this if it’s the last thing I do.’ There were a lot of horrible mistakes before we figured it out.” The pair learned to hand-detach roe from skeins (egg sac membranes), rinse the “berries,” and lightly cure them with superfine salt. They learned to freeze the highly perishable stuff quickly. And they learned to market it. Carolyn befriended skippers to ensure a steady influx of raw roe, staking a Midwest claim on the tiny, tangy pearls once reserved for tsars. Her mother “would throw some caviar in a cooler, put on her mink coat, and go to the fanciest restaurants in downtown Chicago, knock on the back door, and ask to see the chef,” Rachel recalls. “This was in the early ’80s when you could do something like that.”
ULFE OLLY WO M Y B S WORD
bugs bite into
BUG-STUDDED MENUS: ONE DINER’S YUCK IS ANOTHER’S YUM
photo [this page] provided by UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO NEWS OFFICE/JASON SMITH
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he new culinary buzzword: bugs. Adios, tequila worms. Gourmet, insect-inspired entrées are swatting such novelties aside and vying as hip-healthy alternative food sources. Even the meat-and-potatoes Midwest is biting, cautiously. Surprise, bugs don’t taste like chicken, say local fans of entomophagy (insect eating). Each of the 1,500 edible varieties has a distinct taste and texture. Ants are citrusy, grasshoppers are nutty. Like tofu, stir-fry mealworms absorb the flavor of spices. Deep-fry the beetle larvae for a crunchy, curly fry-style treat. Crickets taste like almonds and walnuts, advises Tom Turpin, professor of entomology at Purdue University in West Lafayette. See for yourself. Whip up a batch of Chocolate Chirp Chip Cookies at home. Follow your own chocolate chip cookie recipe, substituting half the chips with dry-roasted, shucked crickets. “If you don’t know what you were eating, you’d think, ‘I just had a bit of almond,’” says Turpin, cofounder of Purdue’s annual Bug Bowl. Giant water bugs have the sweet-sour taste of green apples, says Matthew Krisiloff, a sophomore at the University of Chicago. Male bee larvae “taste like a combination of honey and bacon,” adds Krisiloff, founder of Etom Foods, a student-run business exploring ways to process insects into College sophomore Matthew palatable forms. Krisiloff displays the Malaysian The adventurous Law, jungle nymph. Letters and Society major, 20, buys insect-ingredients online at sites including flukerfarms.com and sdwaxworms.com. He does draw the line at “stigmatized” creepy crawlers like roaches. “Flies are another example,” he admits. “They’d be particularly gross.”
CRICKET CRICKET CRICKET
Hold that gag reflex. Insects are members of the phylum Arthropoda (Greek for “jointed feet”), which includes crustaceans such as shrimp, crabs and lobsters. It’s one small evolutionary step from munching a bug to feasting on a wood-grilled Maine lobster. Thus the “ick factor” and cultural taboo of bug-eating—staples of Survivor and Fear Factor vignettes—are illogical, entomologist May Berenbaum notes. “Why are insects ickier than, say, lobsters and crabs?” asks Berenbaum, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. What’s certain is they’re cheaper. Suppliers sell bulk live crickets and mealworms for a few bucks. As a bonus, bugs are the bee’s knees in natural health food. They’re low-fat, low-cholesterol and low-carb. Yet they’re rich in B vitamins, calcium and iron. “Nutrition-wise, they stack up to red meat,” Berenbaum says. Take grasshoppers. According to a University of Iowa study, the jumpy critters have 20.6 grams of protein per 100 grams, close to the 27.4 grams of protein in 100 grams of ground beef. But ’hoppers contain half the amount of fat of 90/10 lean ground beef. Edible insects are earth-friendly, too, more ecologically and environmentally sustainable than cattle, pigs and poultry. “They produce far less waste and don’t generate greenhouse gases,” Berenbaum observes.
A GLOBAL RESOURCE
Bug-munching is nothing new. Nearly 80 percent of the world relies on insects as manna from heaven. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reports the most-consumed insects fall in four main groups: beetles; ants, bees and wasps; grasshoppers and crickets; and moths and butterflies. While considered “emergency food” in some regions, they are menu fixtures in thirty-six countries in Africa, twenty-nine in Asia and twenty-three in Central and South America. Many cultures prize certain species as delicacies. Native Americans feasted on cicadas. The Japanese nosh on fried silk moth pupae and boiled wasp larvae. Queen termites are a gourmet treat in West Africa. But Americans turn up their noses because they can afford to. There’s a chicken in every pot, a steakhouse on every corner. No one has to grub for grubs. Berenbaum credits Europe for heightening awareness of edible bugs this side of the Atlantic. The European Commission has offered a $4.3 million prize to the group that submits the best plan to parlay proteinrich insects into green superfoods. The EC’s reasoning: The more bugs we eat, the more we curb famine, carbon footprints, and water and land shrinkage. The Netherlands is a major hub of insect cuisine research.
GULP, GULP
On the local front, the best-known restaurant offering bug-luscious specialties is Sticky Rice, a Thai joint at 4018 North Western Avenue in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood. Start with the fried-worms appetizer. A serving of bamboo caterpillars, a delicacy in Northern Thailand, is $5.50. For the main course, order a fluffy egg omelet seasoned with sacs of black ant eggs for $6.50. Next to curries, the deep-fried caterpillars are the top draw, server Pariya De says. They remind her of French fries. As for the ant eggs, they have the taste and texture of masago, the roe of Icelandic smelt. The caviar is a popular sushi garnish in Japan. “And it’s high-protein,” De says. Patrons run the gamut from thrill-seeking frat boys to dating couples to epicures. “They know they will be getting something they can’t get anywhere else in Chicago,” De says. Alas, hybrid Mexican restaurant Las Fuentes-Tepatulco in Lincoln Park has shelved its famous minced-grasshopper appetizer. “I don’t know why,” a waitress apologizes. Picaditas de chapulines, a specialty of the Oaxacan region, starred little corn masa boats stuffed with black beans and “succulent grasshoppers.” The $7.50 snack was topped with chile de arbol tomatillo salsa and queso fresco.
ON THE TIP OF OUR TONGUES?
Industry watchers suspect that the insect-eating trend—the buzz of Los Angeles to Washington, D.C.—is destined to appeal to a niche market. As is the case in Chicago, ethnic restaurants—“the ones with cuisines that traditionally incorporate insects”—will carry bug-centric entrées, spokeswoman Annika Stensson predicts. The rest will cater to mainstream foodies who find the concept hard to stomach. “There is most definitely an ‘ick factor’ with dishes containing insects,” Stensson says. “It is just not a traditional food in America— much like brains, chicken feet and similar items—so it’s likely to remain on the fringe of our culinary landscape.” Krisiloff believes Americans will spread their wings. It just takes time to educate palates. He expects eco-conscious foodies will start by adding a pinch of ground bugs to recipes—he makes killer grasshopper cookies—and advance to full-blown insect entrées. “They will transition into eating them as main dishes,” the UC student says. “Right now, there’s no contest.” If bug farms becomes a reality, insect-eaters could prevail, Turpin agrees. “All those birds, frogs and toads can’t be wrong,” he deadpans.
REGIS
Live with WORDS BY TRICIA DESPRES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY V. MARTIN
A NOTRE DAME GRAD SHARES HIS GRATITUDE
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“Mom, Dad—don’t say anything. You’ve waited a long time for this, so now I’m going to tell you what it is I want to do for the rest of my life. Come with me.” It was these words that greeted Regis Philbin’s parents as they arrived on the Notre Dame campus on a stormy spring day in 1953. Twenty-oneyear-old Regis Francis Xavier Philbin had been anticipating their arrival and was eager to break the news that, after four years spent pursuing a sociology degree at one of the most prestigious universities in the country, Philbin wanted to be a singer. Specifically, he wanted to be Bing Crosby. And so began a somewhat tense walk across the Notre Dame campus for the three Philbins, ending outside of a rehearsal room that Regis had spent the last two weeks in, practicing for this big moment. Once inside, he began to sing the chorus of “Pennies from Heaven” . . . and his mom started to cry. Things were looking good. The song ended, and the silence in the room began. And just like any worthwhile story, the day would eventually end drastically different than what Philbin had pictured. In fact, he would end up going to the Navy before ever reaching the doorstep of Hollywood. But what did occur in that room was substantial, because it was in that rehearsal room that Philbin says he finally mustered up the confidence to change the trajectory of the rest of his life, and begin the journey of one of the most storied careers of any entertainer.
IS
Since then, Philbin has accomplished much and continued to thank all who have helped him get to where he is today. But out of all the celebrities and dignitaries he has come to know, perhaps no one person has received as much credit for his success as has the hallowed halls of the University of Notre Dame. You see, anyone who knows “Reege” knows he loves Notre Dame. Scratch that. He’s passionate about it . . . and with over five decades in show business, he’s been eager to share his love for Notre Dame with anyone who would listen. Granted, his love transcends many people’s understanding. Yet, Philbin continues on with his vocal gratitude for everyone from the coaches that taught him to the classrooms where he made the crucial decisions that would affect the rest of his life. After leaving the wildly successful Live with Regis and Kelly this past November, Philbin once again finds himself at a crossroads of sorts. At an age when most men have stored their ties away and gotten to know their recliner as well as the wife and family, Philbin remains in the public eye, constantly looking forward to what still just might be on the horizon. During a recent book tour in support of his new memoir How I Got This Way, Philbin sat down with Shore magazine to talk about all that he has learned, and now . . . what he wants to teach the rest of us. “I am the beneficiary of a lot of amazing things that I learned at Notre Dame, but unfortunately I didn’t take advantage of my college career,” he explains from a cramped room filled with television cameras and print journalists. “I just didn’t have the confidence. I couldn’t tell anyone back then what I wanted to do with my life . . . and having no confidence certainly was a tough way to start out a career in television. But through it all, I’ve always been proud that everything that has occurred in my life is because I went after it myself. I worked like a dog and slowly things began to develop on all different levels of my life.” At the age of 80, Philbin is still the epitome of class and integrity. He has a wrinkled, yet still sculpted face and a perfectly tied tie. But in recent years, Philbin has struggled physically. A triplebypass heart surgery in 2007 and a hip replacement in 2009 could have been reason enough to slow down. Yet, despite it all, Philbin says that daily workouts and his nightly escapades are his key to staying young, both physically and mentally. “I think working out has really paid off for me through the years,” says Philbin, who has been married to his wife Joy for the past 41 years. “When I was doing [Live with Regis and Kelly], those first 20 minutes partly relied on me telling
the viewers what I had been up to the night before. So, there were many times that that would be the reason that I would force myself to go and enjoy a show on Broadway or go out to dinner somewhere. I was always looking for something to talk about the next day.” Indeed, stories have long made up the fabric of Philbin’s incredible life, with many focusing on his longtime friend and Hoosier, David Letterman. When asked who would win in a celebrity boxing match, Philbin’s eyes lit up. “I’d cold cock him . . . BANG!” he says in his recognizable and emotion-filled voice. “Aw, who am I kidding? He has the range and the reach . . . plus he can run five miles and I can’t.” And while he continues to have the uncanny ability to make any story funny, Philbin does have a serious side, seldom seen by many. In fact, he often refers back to a story regarding childhood hero Bing Crosby that seemed to teach him one of his most important, yet painful lessons. “As a little boy, I was crazy about the voice of Bing Crosby,” he recalls. “I loved the sound of his voice and when I met him, it meant a lot to me. He inspired me to get into show business. He was once a guest on The Joey Bishop Show and I really couldn’t believe I was sitting next to him.” In 1977, Bing Crosby dropped dead of a heart attack at the age of 74. “You know what? I never took the opportunity to thank him for what he did for me, and that’s one lesson that I can highly recommend to everyone. Thank the person that you have learned from, because once they die, you will feel terrible that you didn’t.” Silence suddenly fills the room. Philbin stops for a moment. “Let’s talk about Notre Dame again, huh?” he asks. Indeed, while some may assume that the life lessons he learned in South Bend were via the teachers who taught him, it was really the coaches that gave him the nuggets of advice that he has carried in his suit pocket all of these years. “I have found that many times, the coaches mean more to the students than the actual teachers themselves,” Philbin explains, citing Notre Dame legends such as Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian and Lou Holtz. “Now you can say that that’s unfortunate and it certainly doesn’t mean they were bad teachers, but it’s just that there were certain coaches at Notre Dame that, during their time, meant a great deal to those students. They taught them more about being good students and how it was important to take advantage of their education. Even in my later years, I can appreciate what they were teaching me.” Undoubtedly, the shaky Notre Dame football program of late has caused Philbin much frustration. “When I talk about Notre Dame, most of the time it has been about their football program,” says Philbin, who visits the university two or three times a year. “But for the last twenty years or so, it’s been a bit of a problem since Lou Holtz left, but they are getting a little better. This new coach [Brian Kelly] seems as if he might able to do something for them.” These days, Philbin says he’s thankful that his new memoir allowed him the time to look back at all he has accomplished. But rest assured, there is much more ahead for this dynamic personality. “Hindsight can be a great gift,” he concludes. “All of us have met people in our lives that impress us and that make a difference in the way you live your life.” You’re so right, Reege. And thank you.
CHOCOLATE FIX
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V. MARTI WORDS BY SARAH LOUISE KLOSE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY
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ugar is sweet, and logic is, too. With Chocolate Fix, you get both. This logical deduction game features challenge cards, with clues to guide the proper placement of sweet chocolate pieces. “It’s like Sudoku, in a hands-on fun way,” says Charlotte Fixler, communications manager at ThinkFun. “This is a game you’ll want to keep out on your coffee table.” Educational games like Chocolate Fix may just as well be kept on the kitchen table. That’s because food-themed board games feature everything from playing cards shaped like slices of bread, to vowels and consonants packaged in a screaming yellow banana, to playing pieces shaped like real candy. The goal of Chocolate Fix is to arrange the chocolate, vanilla and strawberry candy in a tray according to shape (triangle, circle, square) and color (brown, white, pink). Forty challenge clue cards, which range from beginning to expert, provide chocoholics with hours of tactile fun. “We do have Chocolate Fix apps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod, but we want people to think of the apps as a supplement to hands-on play,” Fixler says. Chocolate Fix, which retails for $19.99, was named one of Dr. Toy’s Best Picks 2009. It was created by ThinkFun, a company that takes game play seriously. ThinkFun’s cofounder and CEO Bill Ritchie is a member of the IPP (International Puzzle Party), a Mensa-like club for puzzle experts. ThinkFun takes prototypes to retailers and local schools for feedback. Families test their games. Today, prospective buyers can give Chocolate Fix a taste at
Marbles—the Brain Store. There are eighteen Marbles stores nationwide, including six in the Chicago area. Marbles allows customers to try out any of their fun, easy-to-use, brain-teaser games prior to purchase. “You need to work out your brain, just like any other muscle,” says Geoffrey Carlson, store manager of Marbles in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood. “With Chocolate Fix, the process of elimination works on the frontal lobe [where problem-solving takes place].” Pass the Popcorn, another game carried by Marbles, is a fast-paced trivia game for two or more players. The goal is to name a familiar film, based on cast, character, story and quote. “Any time you are recalling information or making new connections, you are working on the temporal lobe of your brain,” Carlson says. With Pass the Popcorn, it’s a mad, mad, mad, mad race to match a player’s hand of cards to one of 250 box office hits. Clues range from the quote, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” to “a musical starring Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Hudson.” In addition to the board game, there are
SLAMWICH
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
he Bananagrams company later created Appletters, a strategic word game that is a cross between dominoes and Bananagrams. A red apple pouch houses the letter tiles. There are three levels of play. In Appletters, players append words to the first or last letter of a word “snake,” until one player uses all of his or her tiles. Applescore gives bonus points for big words, and Apple Turnover allows words to be replaced with longer words. PAIRSinPEARS is a variation for younger folk. Players connect word pairs in matching patterns. With PAIRSinPEARS, children can develop memory and cognitive skills while learning the alphabet and building their vocabulary. In Fruitominoes, players connect six colorful fruit patterns. With its zipper pouch packaging, this twist on dominoes is travelfriendly. None of these Bananagrams games require a die, game board or fancy extras. Similarly, neither do new games by other manufacturers. Crazy Cheese, a puzzle with yellow-colored pieces that fit together in various ways, and Sardines, a memory matching game, have simple designs. But they require concentration and brain power. For younger children, the focus is often on fun. There’s Take the Cake, a game that features a sprinkle shaker, thirty-two wooden decorations and sixteen cupcake cards. Players ages 4 and up collect cupcakes by matching brightly colored shapes to frosting decorations. The first to fill in their toppings wins. Gamewright won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for this
sugary game. It’s a fun confection of shape and color recognition. Order’s Up, which retails for $15.99, is an ideal game for children ages 6 and older. Gamewright calls it “the ringa-ding diner game,” and that’s not too far off. Players observe and react, racing for the right to ring the bell and match menu offerings to restaurant guest checks. Dishes, which are pictured on circular cards, include scrumptious spaghetti, slices of cake and strawberry ice cream sodas. Those hungry for lunch can also check out Slamwich. The card game reinforces visual discrimination and hand-eye coordination. Slamwich comes in a collectible lunchbox. “A lot of these go out the door,” says Shara Phillips, salesperson at Timeless Toys on North Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. “The case is great for travel, and the cards are very easy to play with on an airplane.” With Slamwich, players flip over bread-shaped cards that picture ingredients like pickles and gummy worms. They stack them in a center pile to build slamwiches (i.e., alternating cards, such as lettuce, tomato, lettuce) and double deckers (two FRUITOMINOES of the same cards, such as bacon, bacon). But beware: thieves and munchers can slow down the collection of cards. Timeless Toys also carries Tea Party, by eeBoo, which features a teapot spinner and real fabric tablecloth. Players spin for tea sandwiches, desserts, fruit and tea. Gather a Garden, which retails for $19.99, is a board game with stand-up pieces. Players move from vendor to vendor, gathering flowers and herbs. Then there’s Wok ’N’ Roll, a game that improves children’s motor skills. Players remove food shapes from a plastic wok, using little chopsticks. But it’s not all sheer fun and silly games. For intellectual kids, there’s Potato Chip Science. The mini-science kit touches on physics, biology and chemistry. It was developed by Allen Kurzweil, who has been honored by the Guggenheim and Fulbright Foundations. He and his son Max call themselves “snack food scientists and overseers of the Chip Science Institute (CSI).” Potato Chip Science is a grab bag of twenty-nine “snacktivities.” Kid scientists can perform acid analyses of potato chips and take fingerprints with potato chip powder. There are the shrunken spud mummies and other creepily delightful things to create. Kids simply need to follow the instructions, and combine items in the potato chip-type package with household odds and ends. Whether it’s a board game or a card game, food-themed play can provide more than just a quick snack. From Chocolate Fix to Potato Chip Science, there’s plenty to chew on.
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Facebook, website and mobile versions. Another favorite educational toy is Bananagrams, an anagram word game in a banana-shaped pouch. Creator Abe Nathanson wanted a simple, fast, fun game that his family could play together. But Scrabble took two hours. Nathanson changed it up and sped it up. “He was sort of a renaissance creative genius,” says his daughter Rena Nathanson, CEO of Bananagrams. “He consciously developed the game to be simple. And my mom designed the washable fabric banana package. We hate plastic.” To play Bananagrams, letter tiles are turned face down. Everyone takes a fixed amount of letters to begin. Players race to make their own set of connected words. They take additional tiles and repeat, dismantling and reforming words as needed. The game can be played on a table or on the floor. It’s a fast-paced, fluid game. “We found people with dyslexia love it, because it’s very hands-on, and not static,” says Nathanson. “[Kids with] ADHD love it, because it’s quick and the focus keeps on changing.” The game debuted at the 2006 London Toy Fair. Nathanson’s young son and daughter dressed up in banana costumes, and the company set up tables so people could play the game. Bananagrams caught on like wildfire, and won the 2009 Game of the Year award from the Toy Industry Association. The company has sold 5.5 million of the games so far. Bookstores, large stores like Target and small shops all carry the game. “Independents are really our bread and butter,” Nathanson says. “We wouldn’t be where we are without them.”
from
Farm
The opening of the Valley Kitchen & Bar in October was more than the beginning of another new eatery in Valparaiso. For owners Cory and Blair Muro, the venture is a dream come true. Valley’s commitment to locally grown, fresh ingredients is a recipe that combines Blair’s background in hospitality with Cory’s culinary expertise—all in a location near the LaCrosse family farm where Blair was raised.
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“We really wanted to do something simple, affordable, fresh and locally sourced,” says Cory Muro, 27, Valley’s owner and executive chef. This commitment to freshness means the menu at Valley will change with the season, taking advantage of the local harvest. The Muros have worked at finding the finest local sources, including poultry from a family-owned operation in Orland, Indiana, beef from Joslin, Illinois, pork from Logansport, Indiana, and fish caught in Lake Ontario. “We’re fortunate to have such great local sources,” Cory says. “Customers notice a difference and may not know why they like it so much. Being fresh has a lot to do with it. The chicken that we serve was alive the day before we serve it,” he explains. “You taste that difference.”
what ’s to eat?
The menu is simple, yet imaginative. Suppertime begins at 4:30 and includes full-table service. Choices include the “Chicken 2 ways” plate with a grilled chicken breast and fried leg, pork chop marinated in apple juice, a wild caught pan-seared bluegill,
fork m to
WORDS BY KIM RANEGAR • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY V. MARTIN bone-in Kansas City strip steak or house-made sweet potato ravioli. Suppers are served with twice-baked potato and a side salad with house champagne vinaigrette dressing. Valley’s bar is open through a closing time listed as “late” and customers can also grab a meal or salad to go from the fresh market at the restaurant’s entrance.
homegrown interior, too
The homegrown concept also applies to the restaurant’s interior. The couple was very hands-on in transforming the 121-year-old building from dated scuba shop to hip, yet homey dining space, with family and friends joining in like an old-fashioned barn raising. In fact, Valley’s two bars were created from barn wood salvaged from nearby Gorski Farms, the farm Blair’s family has owned for generations. “Cory, my dad and one of my uncles went out and gathered the wood from a barn that had been hit by a tornado years back,” says Blair, 30, Valley’s owner/ operator. Cory’s uncle flew in from Florida to help construct the restaurant’s long banquette and many friends and family members contributed to the down-home décor. The transformation included refinishing maple hardwood floors that had been buried beneath layers of carpet and tile as well as uncovering exposed brick walls revealed behind aged sheetrock. “We chiseled away at that wall for two weeks,” Cory says of the demolition. The result is a space that draws you in like a family supper. The homespun light fixtures in the dining area were lovingly created using inverted floral buckets while the lights above the bar area are repurposed oil funnels. Chalkboards announce the daily specials for supper, as well as specialty cocktails to celebrate the season. Authentic Hoosier cabinets dot the dining area.
taking the long way home
Valley is a venture that’s been in the works since Blair and Cory met in Colorado. Blair, a Purdue grad with a degree in hospitality, was working in an upscale hotel in Vail’s valley when she met Cory, who was working long hours in the kitchen at Vail’s renowned restaurant Sweet Basil. Cory was catering on the side to foster his own creativity and he needed a server for a private party. “He said he just needed a pretty face and he’d teach me to serve,” she says. “I got to see him early on in the kitchen and I was intrigued,” she says. The couple began dating and splitting their time between
Colorado mountain towns and Indiana. “Spring and fall were down times in the mountains, but back here it was planting and harvest seasons. So we’d come home and Cory would work the farm with my dad. The days would start early and end late—a lot like running a restaurant,” Blair says. She and Cory were married in 2010 and decided to return to Blair’s hometown—even moving into Blair’s grandparents’ old farmhouse just three weeks before the restaurant opened. “We knew we’d have support here. My family is huge. Counting cousins, there are over a hundred of us,” she says.
trained in the field
Cory Muro’s culinary training has also been in a field of sorts. He began learning from his grandmother, who was from New Orleans. “She taught me the fundamentals when I was still super short in her kitchen. I learned things like how to make a roux and how important it is to put your protein into a hot pan,” he says. After a short stint at community college, where he decided a career in computers wasn’t his passion, Cory began pursuing an education in cooking, interning in many restaurants and learning from the likes of Paul Anders and Brian Brouillard of Sweet Basil, and Kate Button, who IF YOU GO served as pastry chef at Napa Valley’s French Laundry restaurant. VALLEY “I got my training by taking very little money KITCHEN & BAR 55 S Franklin St or no money to learn alongside great chefs,” Valparaiso Cory says. “A lot of chefs see someone who 219.531.8888 wants to learn that eatvalley.com badly and they’ll Open daily take you under except Sundays, their wing and help 4:30 p.m. to late. you learn,” he says. Suppers range Cory has worked in from $13 for restaurants, catered house-made and even served as a sweet potato private chef for the ravioli with likes of Tom Clancy. local butternut “For a while I was squash to $23 for bone-in Kansas a private chef for a City strip steak. family on an island Catering and in Honduras. They private parties would fly me in and are also available. helicopter me to their No reservations. home where I would Valley is located cook breakfast and in the heart of dinner and then fish Valparaiso’s during the day, serving downtown what dining district.
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I caught,” he says. “Working in food taught me that I wanted to have a restaurant, but I needed time to figure out the business side and the subtle points of service,” he says. “I wanted to figure out the little things that you taste but don’t realize. Like a lot of people might say they don’t like a pork chop because it’s dry, but I marinate mine with apple juice and that sweetness cuts the fattiness of the pork. It’s subtle, but customers notice.” These days Cory is working 16-hour days at Valley, but still connected to the farm through the food. “Blair holds the front and I do the back. We get to see each other all day,” he says of their partnership. Once they get all the plates spinning at the restaurant, the Muros hope to add another by working their own small farm, beginning with a small greenhouse to feed the restaurant. “It makes sense for us to provide our own produce, especially herbs. Maybe we offer our own green beans in our market up front,” Blair says. Cory adds, “I’m excited for the new seasons. In the summer we hope to include things like our own cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes. I grow twenty-five different kinds just in our garden. I don’t want to compromise on quality.” “We would have loved to open in the spring with all the abundant fresh produce, but we’re still doing pretty well finding local ingredients. We’ve found sources for local peppers, squashes, leeks, garlic and cabbage, plus a local source for hydroponic grown lettuce that’s grown in Indiana all year round,” Cory says. He’s looking forward to the days when his own produce is on the plate, but for now Cory has traded his overalls for a chef’s hat, saying, “I miss the farm, but I’d rather be cooking.”
Husband and wife executive chefs Gary Sanders (Bartlett’s) and Nicole Bissonnette (Bistro 157)
t he
SSA in soup stands for South Shore Arts
Celebrity server John Cain with Liz Valavanis, Kent Kirk and Sylvia Cantwell
LAPORTE HOME OF ANNEKE AND JAN DEKKER IS THE SITE OF THIS YEAR’S MYSTERY DINNER
Kindness of Strangers
For the third consecutive year, generous patrons of the arts have opened their home to complete strangers, guests of South Shore Arts, who had purchased an evening of gourmet cuisine in an undisclosed location. The Mystery Dinner, as we call it, had been auctioned at last June’s Beaux Arts Ball, the annual black-tie gala that raises $175,000 for the “everykid” arts education programs of South Shore Arts. The lucky winners were ophthalmologists Ann and Doug Williams of the Williams Eye Institute and Hearing Center in Hammond. The dinner, prepared by executive chefs Gary Sanders and Nicole Bissonnette, was held on Saturday, October 22nd, at the rural LaPorte home of Anneke and Jan Dekker, who were probably not altogether sure of what they were in for. The venue is always what the mystery is about: in this case, the Dekkers’ rebuilt and landscaped home with multiple outdoor, tiered stone terraces and a long, wide living space with windows that open onto a water view, extending a dining room, reception and living area, with back-lit artwork alcoves. There’s even a cozy Casbah corner lit by candlelight and strewn with pillows like something out of the Arabian Nights. Speaking of pillows, I once saw one in a shop window in East Hampton, New York, needle-pointed with the saying, “Guests of guests may not bring guests.” This rule does not apply to the Mystery Dinner, where a whole raft of people get involved: in addition to the hosts, there are the guest hosts who get to bring six guests, the cooks and the (so-called) celebrity servers, who are, in reality, just guests themselves. The way it works is that the people who won the auction and their guests are treated really well. They get to sit at the
grown-up table and are appropriately served each course on fine china. They drink the best wine out of real wineglasses. The Williamses invited friends Liz and Chris Valavanis, who bought the dinner last year, Denise and Kent Kirk from River Forest and Sylvia and Bob Cantwell from Chicago. After each course has been served, the servers serve themselves family-style in the comfort of a separate part of the house and out of sight of the honored guests. It’s practically a class system! While the official guests get to drink the good wine, the serving staff gets to drink, too (and boy do we need it). But we drink what I like to call “serviceable” wine provided by South Shore Arts, the kind of stuff typically served at our exhibit openings, i.e. not expensive, but it’s free and therefore good enough. We’re a nonprofit, after all. Pat Colander, a co-conspirator and organizer of the event (and originator of the idea), reported in these pages that this year’s Mystery Dinner set another higher bar. The fact is, it takes a village to put on one of these things, and for the master puppeteers whose lot it is to pull the strings where there are no strings, it’s a freaking fret-fest! Maybe that’s what we should call it: Fret Fest I, II or III. But would anybody bid? I felt very honored to be in the Dekkers’ home. Jan Dekker is one of the world’s leading authorities on specialty vacuum applications, one of which was originally used in the gold mines of South Africa. The Dekkers came to the United States in 1979 for Jan to open up a vacuum division for Sullair. He and his son Rick founded Dekker Vacuum Technologies (nothing to do with vacuum cleaners) headquartered in Michigan City in 1998.
WORDS BY JOHN CAIN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY V. MARTIN
Dinner guests Chris Valavanis, Denise Kirk and Bob Cantwell
Preparing butternut squash ravioli
Mystery Dinner homeowners Jan and Anneke Dekker
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to eat at the adult table? (No!) Are they to be treated as guests in Like her husband, Anneke Dekker-Olthof is Dutch by origin, their own home? Well, yes, sort of. In any event, this being a civilized African, as she says, by osmosis and American by assimilation. crowd, everybody did what came naturally—they mingled. Alcohol Working under the name of ANKO, Anneke’s full-time passion is helped, and the chefs had concocted a special cocktail for the for art. She is a visual artist who draws from her experiences as a evening that proved enormously popular: the Fallen Angel martini, Chicago fashion designer and her lifelong interest in travel and consisting of Three Olives Apple Vodka, County Line Orchard apple photography. ANKO was also the name of Anneke’s fashion business cider and a splash of brandy. and store in Franklin Square in Michigan City from 1980 to 1995 Passed hors d’oeuvres kicked off the feeding frenzy out on the and her outlet stores called ANKO ALSO. Anneke has always been deck: beef au poivre on Parmesan shortbread, olive tapenade, raisin an avid gardener and now divides her time between the Chicago pecan crostini with Maytag blue cheese and port wine mousse, area and Southwest Florida, so that she can garden year-round and County Line Orchard apples and prosciutto, Quail Scotch Eggs with stay in touch with the earth’s vegetation in all its fascinating aspects grained mustard aioli, Louis Roederer Cristal 2002. as a continuous inspiration for her paintings. The idea is that the people who bought the Mystery Dinner at The Dekkers’ home in Indiana reflects these interests. The the auction pay to come because a) it’s for a good cause, b) there house sits within 32 acres of cultivated and wild gardens. Perennials will be really good food and c) it’ll be fun. For the past two years, abound—ajuga, hellebores, hostas—and myriad specialty gardens: the party has been enhanced to a high degree by the excellence of a moss garden, a succulents garden, a ball garden (or “The Ball the wine provided by the people who won the dinner, in each case Park”) where everything alive or inanimate is in the shape of a ball oenophiles with their own impressive (boxwood, granite, pottery and cement), cellars. This year’s menu consisted of six an azalea garden and a forest garden. scrumptious courses, including dessert, Anneke says, “We wanted as little grass as which were complemented by exquisite possible.” FIRST COURSE: wines provided by Ann and Doug A wisteria-covered arbor goes all the Butternut squash ravioli Williams. way up the back of the house, and every Apple cider brown butter sauce, As a server, one is uniquely positioned summer when the flowers are in bloom, arugula, spiced nuts and crispy sage to eavesdrop on the guests; it’s like Big the Dekkers host a wisteria party where Brother without the gratuitous nudity everybody comes dressed in purple. Domaine Dublere Chablis or overall repulsion. Discourse at the Anneke and her sister, who lives in Les Preuses 2007 table included subjects ranging from the Australia, laid all of the home’s extensive SECOND: Michael Jackson trial (“Guilty!”) to the stone terraces and retaining walls—even Truffled porcini mushroom bisque capture of Muammar Gaddafi (“Finally!”) a working waterfall across from the (insanely delicious, I might add) to Chaz Bono’s performance last week pond—over a three-month period, three Marcassin Blue Slide Ridge on Dancing with the Stars (“Poor Cher!”). consecutive summers. Pinot Noir 2003 Guests were animated (some with great In order to enjoy the external THIRD: authority) until, finally, a hush fell over surroundings while there was still light, Beluga lentil and quinoa the table with the arrival of the meat the event kicked off a little earlier this duck confit salad course. year. Pat, her husband Jeffery Kumorek At the evening’s end, the guests all and I arrived at five, but the chefs were Roasted beets, Mission figs and pomegranate-sherry vinaigrette climbed back into their pumpkin, while already there, cooking away. The Dekkers Nicole and Gary went home to look after had been putting everything in order— FOURTH: Lucien “Luc” Sanders, younger brother the table, the kitchen, the house and the Seared day boat scallops 32 acres—for who knows how many days. of the famous Ian Marcel Sanders and over whipped maple-chipotle sweet potatoes By 5:45, we were all in high suspense: not yet three months old. We servers when would the guests arrive? Would their did the last few dishes, so as not to leave Pear-cranberry relish chauffeured transportation to and from our hosts with a mess. Jeff admitted that Mulled port wine reduction the mystery location, compliments of Gary he’d had a great time in spite of his and Shar Miller of Southlake Limo, be Colgin IX Estate Syrah 2003 unfounded fear of being a server, and able to find us? At 6:00, there was a great I, stuffed to the gills as I am each and MAIN COURSE: sigh of relief; they were here—thank the every year, just lay back like a baby and Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Lord for GPS! waited to be powdered, grateful for the raisin port demi-glaze Guests talked amongst themselves on kindness of strangers and friends alike. Parsnip Potatoes the deck and hosts met hosts. This part Thanks to everybody’s generosity, this Shafer Hillside Select 2004 is always a little tricky: do the actual hosts year’s Mystery Dinner was yet another get to mingle with the guests? Do they get unmitigated success! DESSERT: Rustic apple galette
Valpo Velvet pumpkin ice cream Almond tuiles
spring 2012
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VOLUME 6 – ISSUE 1
PUBLISHER BILL MASTERSON, JR. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/EDITOR PAT COLANDER ADVERTISING OPERATIONS DIRECTOR ERIC HORON MANAGING EDITOR KARIN SALTANOVITZ DESIGN DIRECTOR BEN CUNNINGHAM ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR KATHRYN MACNEIL
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DESIGNER APRIL BURFORD
HAPPILY EVER BLENDED
How an Indian Boy and an Indiana Girl planned their multicultural wedding. By Christine Kraly
contents 58
66
78
58 IN EVERY ISSUE Inspire 52 List 69 Capture 87
PLAN Beautiful backdrops, getting stepchildren involved with the wedding, donations in lieu of gifts, and grand venues.
ANTICIPATE Taking care
of your personal dreams before the big day, reducing stress, and pampering parties.
CELEBRATE Adding modern
touches to the wedding celebration and customized wedding foods.
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RELAX Try a romantic destination
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LIVE Finding the right gift to
close to home without breaking the bank.
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS HEATHER AUGUSTYN, CHRISTY BONSTELL, DANIELLE BRAFF, TRICIA DESPRES, JULI DOSHAN, CAITLIN ELSAESSER, JEN PALLAY, CASANDRA RIDDLE, CARRIE STEINWEG, SHARON BIGGS WALLER
NICHE PUBLICATION SALES SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Illinois/Northwest Indiana LISA TAVOLETTI ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Michigan MARY SORENSEN ADVERTISING MANAGERS DEB ANSELM, LISA DAUGHERTY, JEFFREY PRECOURT PUBLISHED BY Lee Enterprises/The Times of Northwest Indiana Niche Productions Division 601 W 45th Ave, Munster, Indiana 46321 // 219.933.3200 2080 N Main St, Crown Point, Indiana 46307 // 219.662.5300 1111 Glendale Blvd, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 // 219.462.5151 Copyright, Reprints and Permissions: You must have permission before reproducing material from Shore Bride magazine.
celebrate your anniversary.
COVER CREDIT WEDDING FOOD
photography by Kristen Lynn Photographie, kristenlynnphotographie.com bride and groom: Christine Kraly and Ram Luthra photography by [top] KRISTEN LYNN PHOTOGRAPHIE, [bottom] SOUTH BEND COUNTRY CLUB
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CUSTOMIZED BECOMES STANDARD MORE Grand Venues Modern Touches Transformational Trends
Indian Meet s Indiana A Multicultural Wedding
INSPIRE
real weddings
compiled by KARIN SALTANOVITZ
Stephanie Wallace Photography “I love weddings, and I get excited about every wedding that I photograph. My goal is to capture all the details, special moments and emotions that tell the story of your wedding day so that you will be able to look back and share those memories for years to come.” -STEPHANIE WALLACE [clockwise from top] Wedding of Amanda and Nate Susdorf, Valparaiso, Ind.; Rebecka and Jeff Shore, Chicago, Ill.; Wedding of Megan Sulok and John Bronsteen in Michigan City, Ind. Stephanie Wallace Photography 219.510.2300 stephaniewallacephotography.com
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For the Most Wonderful Day of Your Life... 1 0 4 0 Planned to Last Detail RIDGE ROAD MUNSTER, IN 4 6 3 2 1 PHONE 219.836.1930 1 0 4 0 FAX RIDGE ROAD MUNSTER, IN 4 6 3 2 1
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• Unique Setting for Weddings, Showers, Private Parties, Banquets, Art Gallery, Theatre, Beautiful Atrium & Outdoor Garden for Photos • Cuisine Superbly Prepared, Elegantly Presented by our Executive Chef • Accommodations for parties with 30-500 guests
INSPIRE
borterwagner photography “When the spirit of the day exposes itself to our canvas, its nature is truly poetic. We see every wedding as a chance to create a masterpiece.”-JOHNNY BORTER AND TINA WAGNER [clockwise from top] Megan and Justin Farrell, Chicago, Ill.; Anna and Matt Dyson, Grand Beach, Mich.; Holly and Jack Chamberlin, Three Oaks, Mich. borterwagner photography 312.339.3909 or 269.586.2009 borterwagner.com
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PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Elegance Wedding & Evening Wear is your One Stop Dress Shop
The Gown of Your Dreams is Here
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SIMPLY LIKE:
• IDEAS • INSPIRATION • RESOURCES
ou have shopped for dresses countless times for countless occasions....but nothing is quite as special as the shopping trip you take to discover your very own bridal gown. Not only do you desire the perfect dress...but the perfect experience. Creating unforgettable shopping experiences for brides is what family-owned bridal boutique Elegance Wedding & Evening Wear is known for. Opened in September 2000 by bridal expert Charlott Sitarski and located in the heart of Hammond, Indiana, Elegance Wedding & Evening Wear has long been known as one of the area’s premier bridal shops. Besides offering an unsurpassed variety of bridal designs from brands such as Maggie Sottero, Casablanca, Mori Lee, and Enzoani, the ‘one stop shop’ also carries everything for the bride and her bridal party, including invitations, gifts and tux rentals. “Our goal is for brides to feel pampered the moment they walk through our doors,” explains Charlott. “We pride ourselves in the way we are able to create a real relationship with our brides and their families that continues long after they walk down the aisle. We are here to make sure their search for all of their wedding attire and accessories is a perfect one.” And on the off chance you are unable to find the perfect bridal gown while you are there, Elegance and their skilled staff of seamstresses are there to customize areas of their gown to make the final product the dress of your dreams. In fact, armed with a degree in fashion design, Charlott has been known to make the “impossible... possible” for a countless number of loyal clients. Her vast knowledge of fabrics, beading and any extra costs that might accrue helps to keep the bride fully informed. “I have seen firsthand how Charlott can change necklines and add jackets in a way that no one would know it wasn’t originally that way,” remarks Elegance Wedding & Evening Wear consultant Kristen Sturges. “Giving brides those sorts of options is really priceless.” Elegance Wedding & Evening Wear is located at 2820 Highway Avenue in Highland, Indiana. Store hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 8pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm. For an appointment to make your ELEGANCE wedding dreams 2820 Highway Ave come true, call them Highland, Ind. at 219. 923.0977. 219.923.0977
Bridal gowns | Headpieces/veils Bridesmaids | Mothers' dresses flower Girl Dresses | shoes & Jewelry tuxedo rentals | Invitations & more!
Ask about our Wedding Party Value Packages! 2820 HigHway avenue HigHland, in | 219-923-0977 m w f 10-5 • tue thur 10-8 • sat 10-2 spring 2012
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INSPIRE
Andrew Robert Photography “Simply documenting a wedding image by image does not cut it. I take pride in bringing a level of quality to my wedding work. I’m a blue collar artist striving for magazine quality images by treating each event like a commercial project.” -ANDREW KNIES [clockwise from top] Krista and Kyle Irwin, Valparaiso, Ind.; Brittany and Andrew Kuehnert, Chesterton, Ind.; Michelle and Cody Math, Valparaiso, Ind.; Engagement photo of Ashley Villa and Aaron Flores, Chicago, Ill. Andrew Robert Photography 219.508.6479 andrewrobertphoto.com
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PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Have an Event to Remember at Villa Cesare
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ou know you’ve made a terrific choice for your special event when arriving guests want to linger in the entryway. Villa Cesare’s foyer has European elegance that tells your guests that this event is something to be remembered. In fact, it’s not unusual to find guests sitting in the foyer after dinner, visiting with friends and enjoying the warm and wonderful atmosphere. From the plush, beautifully arranged seating to the Italian paintings on the wall, the warmth, luxury and elegance of the newly repainted Villa Cesare can be felt throughout the facility. Planning is everything for your special occasion. Well-established in its present location for 21 years, Villa Cesare is famous for accommodating your tastes and needs. “Villa Cesare knows how important it is to choose just the right menu,” says manager Gino Baldin, “so our chef is happy to meet with you and custom-design the menu. We provide quality food, in abundance. And we’re proud of our service—we have a really top-notch waitstaff.” Menu options include providing individual choices for every guest, and also family-style meals, all prepared with the same expertise. You’ll find traditional home-style dishes, authentic Italian fare, and mouth-watering selections like the tender filet mignon and lobster tail. An amazing array of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres guarantees each guest will find a favorite—you may select from 22 choices in all. Truly important occasions belong here— your treasured memories of anniversary parties, graduation parties, bridal showers, weddings—any occasion when you want everything to be just right.
photograph provided by VILLA CESARE
ROMA, VENEZIA AND PALERMO ROOMS “Villa Cesare’s larger rooms, the Roma and Venezia, are newly remodeled,” says Baldin. “They’re just beautiful—bright, spacious, beautifully coordinated.” The Roma, Venezia, and Palermo rooms will accommodate parties ranging from 200 to 800 guests. The setting of each room is inviting, with many windows featuring nicely appointed window treatments and beautiful lighting— so important for imparting a pleasing atmosphere. With the table presentation of linens, fine stemware and china, all placed to perfection, the combination of lovely
décor and tables creates an ambience your guests will remember long after the event. Plush carpeting adds to the elegance, too, and marble dance floors make dancing irresistible. The smaller, more intimate room, the Palermo, will accommodate 50 to 110. This beautifully appointed room is perfect for showers, birthdays, anniversaries, funeral luncheons, rehearsal dinners, small weddings, christenings, graduations and family reunions. Villa Cesare offers the extras that make your occasion easier to plan. Your event includes a champagne toast for the main table and two bottles of wine per table during dinner. Waitstaff will take care of cutting or wrapping the cake if you wish, and you may add your personal touch with chair covers. And now, the facility is 100 percent smoke-free.
VILLA CESARE IS WELCOMING The building is handicapped-accessible, with ramps leading from several areas of handicapped parking. The sizable parking lot is paved and very well lighted, and features islands planted with flowers, bushes and trees. The main entrance is enhanced by a canopy for protection from the weather and is complemented by a lovely fountain imported from Italy, as well as stone benches in a garden-like setting. At the south entrance to the parking lot is a large computerized sign announcing your event as your guests arrive!
OUTDOOR SPACES At the back of our building before a huge pond is situated a large, tastefully built, beautiful gazebo for brides who prefer to have the marriage performed in an outdoor natural setting, available at an extra charge. Villa Cesare staff have remained open to the
needs of brides in this area by updating the facility to accommodate the requests of local clientele for that memorable day.
CHEF AND HIS STAFF Our chef, Jack Lencioni, is capable and eager to create that “special” meal for you, whether it be a breakfast, luncheon, brunch or dinner. Special food requests are honored. Villa Cesare’s capable staff will do their utmost to guide you through the process of putting together that extraordinary event. They can offer assistance in finding DJs, bakeries, florists, hotel accommodations, and limos as well as other needed services to make that special day a memorable one. For your convenience Visa and Mastercard are happily accepted. “We don’t add on a gratuity—but you know, our clients always leave a nice gratuity, so I guess we’re doing something right,” says Baldin with a big smile. “Another way we know we’re pleasing our guests—making the occasion memorable? Bridal showers will come back for a baby shower,” Baldin says. “That says a lot—it makes us feel so great to know we made their special occasion so wonderful.” Please do not hesitate to call us at 219.322.3011 or email us at info@villacesare. com in order to fully explore all the options available to you. VILLA CESARE 900 Eagle Ridge Dr Schererville, Ind. 219.322.3011. villacesare.com
spring 2012
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PLAN
first things first
Beautiful BACKDROPS Wedding of Megan Sulok and John Bronsteen in Michigan City, Indiana
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hese days, the backdrop of one’s wedding photos can tell your love story like never before. “I recently shot an engagement session for a couple that isn’t from Indiana, but who met at Valparaiso University and wanted to have their portraits shot there,” explains Stephanie Wallace of Stephanie Wallace Photography. “We used recognizable landmarks from around the city and the university campus in their portraits. These portraits will help them share the story of how and where they met with future generations.” And for many area couples, the vast and lush landscapes of the Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan areas also offer an endless array of options. Some Indiana favorites of area photographers include Deep River County Park in Hobart and Centennial Park in Munster.
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“These locations offer a wide variety of backgrounds all within a few hundred yards,” explains Rick Bella of Bella Photography in Valparaiso, Indiana. “This allows us to capture many different scenes by simply walking around the park. Not many other places have such beautiful natural resources like Lake Michigan and the beachfront that is available to us here in Northwest Indiana.” Often, skylines and historic buildings not only offer a unique backdrop for wedding photography, but also a chance for the wedding couple to capture history on canvas. “It is important to highlight city landmarks for the long memory of the images,” Bella says. “Wedding photography will be around for almost longer than any other type of photography and in some cases, city landmarks will offer the memory of the day and highlight the location of the wedding. Who knows, in thirty to fifty years from now, some of those landmarks may even be gone, allowing the wedding photos to archive images for the couple and the couple’s family for generations to come.” —Tricia Despres
photograph by STEPHANIE WALLACE
NORTHWEST INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN OFFER ENGAGING LANDSCAPES
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Your Wedding is Welcome at Glenwood Oaks Restaurant
G Gotta Have
FAITH Those in the know offer a strategy for Notre Dame’s Basilica Monday
Tia Torres dreamed of marrying at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. That’s where fiancé Mark Pienkos first asked her out. But on Basilica Monday—the first Monday in March, when the reservation lines opened—scores of blushing brides would call Basilica’s wedding coordinator at the University of Notre Dame. To book her nuptials, Torres would need to rely on a little help from her friends. “I thought people were exaggerating, but oh no, they weren’t,” Torres (now Pienkos) says. “After four hours of calling, my cousin texted, ‘I got it. May 14. 9 am.’ It was crazy, getting up at 5 a.m. for my wedding.” Beginning on Monday, March 5, Basilica weddings can be booked for 2013 by calling Amy Huber, the Basilica’s wedding coordinator, at 574.631.4288, from 8 a.m. EST to 4:30 p.m. EST. “Be patient, and keep hitting redial until you get through,” Huber says. Basilica weddings are scheduled on Saturdays at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., plus Fridays at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the summer. June, July and August afternoons are in high demand. To book their Basilica wedding, Notre Dame grads Tim and Erin Ponisciak generated a list of possible dates, and gave it to their friends. “We probably had fifteen people calling for a Basilica date on our behalf—brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, parents, bridesmaids,” says Tim Ponisciak. Saturday afternoons in the summer were full by the time Erin’s aunt got through, so the couple celebrated their nuptials at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 26, 2009. Their wedding cake resembled Notre Dame’s gold dome. To marry at the Basilica, either the bride or groom must be Catholic, and be a current student, Notre Dame alum, or Sacred Heart parish member. There is a $750 church fee. The ceremony is capped at 90 minutes, including a full Catholic mass if desired. There are restrictions on flowers. Candles and pew decorations are not permitted. Showering the new Mr. and Mrs. with rice, birdseed or bubbles is not allowed. Maria Candelaria, a 2005 Notre Dame graduate, wants to marry at the Basilica because “a lot of my faith formation came from there.” Plus, she says, the South Bend destination appeals to friends who want to see the university and the Basilica’s majestic ceiling murals, stunning stained glass windows and 1876 gold-colored Gothic altar. When Candelaria booked her wedding date, she took a leap of faith. “He hadn’t officially asked me to marry him yet,” she says. Three weeks later, the sparkler was on her finger. They’ll make it official on July 14, 2012. —Sarah Louise Klose
lenwood Oaks Rib & Chop House, known for its great banquets and special events for 35 years, has the experience and the dedicated staff to create and enhance your family or bridal celebration, whether it’s on or off the premises. The private dining rooms at Glenwood Oaks can accommodate any crowd from a festive table for 20 people to a major party with 250 guests. Candles and fresh flowers accent the crisp linens on each table. The table of honor is accented with silver candelabras and silk table skirting. Valet parking is available at Glenwood Oaks and the staff is prepared to recommend services for invitations, special occasion cakes, music and photography when planning your wedding. Every detail is important. And the catering menu at Glenwood Oaks is just as friendly and helpful. Brides and grooms can create their own packages from the menu, which offers multiple options including a wide variety of chicken, ham and beef, but also a range of pasta varieties and ethnic specialties like polish sausage, pepper steak, chicken alfredo, John’s special ribs and smoked and jerked chicken. John is John Jarosky, who works closely with his family and staff to make sure your event is as perfect as it is memorable. “You have my word that you will GLENWOOD OAKS be treated to the best in professional service 106 N Main and provided the highest quality food found Glenwood, Ill. anywhere. Very simply...You cannot make a better 708.758.4400 choice than Glenwood Oaks.” glenwoodoaks.com
VALUE Dinner Banquet Packages Start as low as
21.95
$
per person
5 1/2 Hour Bar Packages Start as low as
34.95
$
per person
CUSTOM PACKAGES AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATIONS UP TO 200 GUESTS
Over 30 Years of Personal Service spring 2012
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a time for bonding
GET STEPCHILDREN INVOLVED WITH THE WEDDING Incorporating stepchildren into a wedding can take some thought. But, done with care, this day can be fun for them and meaningful for you, says Angie Anderson of Belle Behind the Ball Wedding and Event Planning in Mishawaka.
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wo years ago, Anderson married a man with a 9-year-old son. While it was a first marriage for both, they were sensitive to making sure the wedding was about family and not just the couple. She recommends including kids right from the get-go by trading the names of the bride and the groom for family names on the invitations. And, she says, include them in any pre-wedding fun as well. “You have a great opportunity to bond with your future stepchildren,” Anderson says. Prior to the wedding, do your best to make peace with the other parents involved in the child’s life. “The best way to honor your children and stepchildren is by treating the other parents with respect. Then they can really enjoy the wedding day,” she says. “If the grown-ups can make a step to show the children that this is okay, they have a better chance of accepting it. If you’re mature enough to invite that other parent to the ceremony, I
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think that’s fabulous.” As for how to include children on the actual big day, you need to consider how many children there are, their ages and the type of wedding you’re planning, says Jessica N. Pennington, owner and lead planner of Stella Event Design in St. Joseph, Michigan. One easy way to get the bride’s children involved is to have them walk her down the aisle and give her away. Or, if you’re having a bridal party, you can have the kids stand in. For a blended family welcoming many kids from each side, it’s easy to tweak the traditional sand ceremony to include the whole lot, Pennington says. Just give each family member a different color sand (let them pick their own) and have each one take a turn adding theirs to the vase. At the end you’ll have a physical representation of your blended broods to keep and admire. “I think most of all it is important to find ways to include the children,” Pennington says. “That seems to make a real difference in the tone of the entire day.” —Christy Bonstell
The Blue Dress Barn
IN LIEU OF GIFTS
photography [this page, top right] by JOHNNY BORTER AND TINA WAGNER, BORTERWAGNER
What if you could have the wedding of your dreams and make that money do double duty as charity? Well, you can. With a little forethought and creativity you can make the byproduct of your wedding that you, as a couple, make the world better. For those who may have accumulated enough stuff, a registry can seem like an indulgence. But Allie House, owner and coordinator of Weddings Now in Chicago, says you can visit the I Do Foundation online and allow guests to donate to your favorite charity in lieu of a gift. One couple set up donations directly through the Humane Society Northwest Indiana in Gary, where the couple had adopted their puppy. They encouraged their wedding guests to donate to the shelter instead of providing them with gifts. “How many toasters can you use? But we sure can use supplies here,” says Betty Clayton, executive director. “You celebrate your wedding and then celebrate the fact that you’re a very generous person. I think that’d be the best feeling in the world.” If you’re a couple just starting out, then you may not want to give up those gifts. Make a small impact by replacing guest favors with a donation to a cause of your choice. Then leave a letter on each table to make it personal. “I don’t think any guest comes to a wedding for the favors,” House says. One of the easiest ways to get the best of both worlds is to pick a venue whose proceeds do good. For example, Camp Blodgett in West Olive, Michigan, has a gorgeous facility with a private deck and beach, perfect for that Lake Michigan wedding. The money from rentals goes to support the camp’s mission of providing poor, urban youth with a week of camping on the lake. “Without that income we could not offer the programs we do,” says Jim Guilfoyle, executive director. Wedding sites with charitable ties are also beautiful and unique, allowing your personality as a bride to shine a little brighter, says Judy Benjamin of Weddings Plus Events in St. Joseph, Michigan. She recommends the Krasl Art Center and Sarett Nature Center. “The brides see the value in it,” she says. “It’s an interesting place in that you’re giving back.” —Christy Bonstell
Grand Venues BLUE DRESS BARN 3893 Territorial Rd Millburg, Mich. bluedressbarn.com 269.944.1751 The Blue Dress Barn offers the tranquility of the countryside with a full-service reception and ceremony venue. The former dairy barn was purchased in 2000 and restored by its artistdesigner owners. Located 15 minutes from St. Joseph and the Benton Harbor area, the venue seats 280 guests in a 4,600-square-foot space. Guests can overlook gardens and fields from the second story deck or dance beneath a vast open timber roof. THE FIELD MUSEUM 1400 S Lake Shore Dr Chicago, Ill. fieldmuseum.org 312.665.7600 Weddings at the Field Museum combine history and beautiful spaces. Guests can explore exhibitions and dine among elephants in the museum’s multiple reception locations. Stanley Field Hall, the premium event site, features two levels of reception and dining space as well as access to “Sue,” the famous T. rex. The architecturally elegant East Atrium Pavilion features a sky-lit atrium. Revenue from all special events is used to continue the work of the Field Museum. SOUTH BEND COUNTRY CLUB 25800 Country Club Dr South Bend, Ind. 574.282.2527 southbendcc.com South Bend Country Club offers
elegant wedding backdrops for couples dreaming of a country club wedding. Located on rolling hills and adjacent to a chain of lakes, the venue offers sites inside the clubhouse and on its private golf course. Receptions for up to 200 guests can take place in its dining room, or quaint champagne receptions can be hosted on its patio. Menus can be customized to the bride and groom’s specifications. MEYER’S CASTLE 1370 Joliet St Dyer, Ind. 219.865.8452 meyerscastle.com The 10 acres of land that make up Meyer’s Castle include a swan pond, garden with waterfall, terraced archways and trees. Peacocks and emus walk amongst guests in this fairytale setting. Wedding ceremonies can take place on the grounds, and there are two banquet canopies for receptions. All services, ranging from catering to florists to bakery and DJ, are available. CASA DEL ROMA AND OLD TOWN BANQUET CENTER 712 Calumet Ave Valparaiso, Ind. 219.465.0478 casadelroma.com The atmosphere at Casa del Roma is patterned after an Italian lifestyle, and all food is home-cooked in the tradition of an Italian family. This full-service facility serves up to 700 people in its five banquet rooms. An on-site chapel in the Old Town Banquet Center is available for small wedding ceremonies.
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Dunhill Tuxedos — Larger Stores, More Selection, Better Service
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arger stores, larger selection and more service make Dunhill Formal Wear a part of a wonderful wedding. “On your wedding day, you want things to go right,” says John Zandstra, the secondgeneration owner of Dunhill started by his father, John, and cousin, Bill Zandstra, in 1963. “Our mantra is ‘Saving men from themselves,’” he says. “We want you to look as great as it is in our power to help you.” That philosophy stems from years of experience knowing that men are not as detail oriented as women, especially when it comes to the wedding day. Putting that philosophy into practice involves having thousands of items in stock, featuring nine dressing rooms in the stores and paying attention to the smallest detail when it comes to choices, the fit and even how the tux is put back on the hanger, Zandstra says. “We have 10,000 tuxedos, 5,000 pairs of pants, 4,000
shirts,” he says. “If there’s an emergency on any Friday or Saturday, we can get the items to the church.” The nine dressing rooms encourage customers to try everything on prior to the event, whether it’s a wedding or a prom. “We can fix problems then. We want to know about problems immediately,” Zandstra says. That includes shoes that are being rented. With a huge shoe selection, there’s no reason a pair of shoes should be uncomfortable, he says. Those dressing rooms also don’t have mirrors in them, for a reason. “You’re not trying on the outfit for yourself. You’re trying it on for me,” he says. “I tell customers that we have plenty of mirrors in the store. Come out here. That way I can see if the pants are too long or the shirt sleeves are too short. We can fix that right then.” The nine dressing rooms also keep
customers happy during “pick-up days” prior to the big event. “If you go into a store and there are long lines to get into the dressing rooms, you might just decide never mind and go somewhere else,” he says. Another “rule” is “don’t hang the clothes back up. Just put them on the hook,” Zandstra says. “There are two reasons for that. We can make last checks of everything, and we will hang up the clothes properly,” he says. “We’re saving that guy from himself. If something’s wrinkled, the bride will notice. The guy won’t say, ‘I hung it up wrong.’ He’ll say, ‘The guy in the tux shop gave it to me that way.’ We care because it’s a family store. We now have the third generation working here.” Service is also a natural part of the way Dunhill does business, Zandstra says. “We run our business according to Christian principles. I’m not afraid to say that. We treat people according to the Golden Rule. Do to the other guy what we want done to us.” Every groom receives a “blaze orange” emergency card when he is measured for his formal wear and instructed to keep it handy. “It has two rules on it: ‘Don’t tell the bride’ if there’s a problem and two, our phone numbers are on the cards. We’ll take care of the problem,” he says. “And that’s not just for the groom. It’s for every man in the wedding party.” That attention to detail is exactly the same for high school students renting formal wear for proms. “We hire high school students as sales people because they’re working with high school kids,” Zandstra said. “We treat all our customers with respect.” DUNHILL TUXEDOS 7140 Broadway, Merrillville, Ind. 8926 Indianapolis, Highland, Ind. 219.923.6446 7966 Wicker Ave, St. John, Ind. 219.365.8159 dunhilltuxedos.com
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PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Albert’s creates the perfect environment for selecting engagement, wedding, special occasion rings
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hoosing the perfect diamond is an individual experience, and Albert’s Diamond Jewelers creates the perfect environment for the happy couple. “The ‘perfect diamond’ is the perfect diamond for you,” says Josh Halpern, graduate gemologist and owner of Albert’s Diamond Jewelers. A man may shop for a diamond engagement ring for his soon-to-be-fiancée or as an anniversary gift for his wife. Or the couple may choose to select a diamond together. What is important is what the guest wants. “That’s why we have a consultation when we first meet the guest,” Josh says. The kinds of questions the diamond specialists at Albert’s will ask the guest depend on a number of factors, he says. “Nine out of ten times, the man already knows she will say ‘yes,’” Josh says. “If the man is coming in alone, we will ask about what her likes and preferences are. For example, with the shape of the diamond, does she like round, Princess or cushion cut?” Often the man has a good idea of his loved one’s preferences because “she may have hinted what she’d like, or left magazines or an Albert’s flyer for the man to see,” he says. Perhaps they have looked at diamonds already.
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colorless,” Josh says. Carat is the weight of the diamond. One carat is divided into 100 parts called “points.” “In the last 15 to 20 years, the diamond industry has changed. Two- to five-carat diamonds are common today. We specialize in diamonds. We have a selection of diamonds ranging from small to very large diamonds. There are thousands of diamonds to choose from at Albert’s,” Josh says. “The guest can decide if he or she wants bigger or better. We truly have something for everyone.” For example, one spectacular Albert’s diamond is 47 carats and is showcased mounted in a fabulous ring setting. Price, of course, is always important, especially in today’s economy, and Albert’s carries diamonds in all different price ranges. “Because of our longevity in the diamond business and the amount of diamonds we purchase, our diamond buyers have the first choice when diamonds are offered.” Diamonds are manufactured every five weeks. What Josh buys are “the best. The most beautiful diamonds are here. What is offered on the Internet is what expert diamond buyers won’t consider,” he says. “We are competitively priced and when you buy at a local, family-owned store, the money stays in the local economy. At Albert’s you have the best price backed by unbelievable service seven days a week.”
Josh Halpern, graduate gemologist and owner of Albert’s Diamond Jewelers.
By asking specific questions, the expert Albert’s staff knows what to show the guest. In addition, the staff can use their expertise to make specific recommendations. Generally, a man wants to buy the best diamond for his fiancée or wife he can afford while a woman often wants the biggest diamond he can afford, Josh says. The four “Cs” in selecting a diamond are color, clarity, cut and carat. How well the diamond is cut refers to how the gem maximizes light return. “The better a diamond is cut, the more light is reflected,” he says. According to Josh, gemologists refer to two qualities of light reflection — dispersion and scintillation from the diamond. Dispersion is light broken up into the spectrum of colors while scintillation is flashes of white light coming from the diamond. There should be a perfect balance between the two. Clarity grade indicates the size, type, location and amount of naturally occurring characteristics of the diamond. “When we talk about ‘color’ we are referring to the lack of color. Most of the diamonds we offer are colorless or near
ALBERT’S DIAMOND JEWELERS 711 Main St Schererville, Ind. 219.322.2700 Southlake Mall Merrillville, Ind. 219.769.1976
AND THEY LIVED
711 Main St. • Schererville, IN • 219-322-2700 • Southlake Mall • Merrillville, IN • 219-769-1976
www.albertsjewelers.com
ANTICIPATE
before the wedding
A
Check
on the
Bucket
LIST
MANY COUPLES TAKE CARE OF PERSONAL DREAMS BEFORE THE BIG DAY
Dress? Check. Church? Check. Reception hall? Check. • Brides and grooms have a lot to check off their lists before their wedding day, but their to-dos don’t always have to do with the wedding itself. For some, it’s personal dreams that have to be achieved before starting the next chapter. Charlotte Allen of Michigan City plans to wed in September, but has some other plans in the meantime. “Before getting married I wanted to graduate college with my bachelor’s degree in English literature and determine my military career,” she says. “It was important to me, because it was the foundation to my future both as a successful adult and as a partner to my future husband. I will have completed both of my goals before we get married.” She says her fiancé, Daniel Krause, was supportive of her goals and helped at every step. They became engaged in May 2011 and Allen continues to work on her degree. Their formal engagement party will take place during her commissioning as a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army and her college graduation. “I would advise brides to set themselves up for success in the future both individually and as a partner to their husbands by completing their lifelong goals. After completing your dreams you are motivated and dedicated to starting a dream with your husband. Otherwise, you punish people you love with regret for not completing your dreams.” Raquel Perez of Highland also had educational goals she needed to achieve before tying the knot with Juan Torres on November 11, 2011. She wanted to complete her bachelor’s degree in organizational communication with a double minor in hospitality and human resources. She did just that in May 2011 at Purdue University Calumet. “I thought it was something to have for myself before I moved into a fully committed relationship with someone else,” she says. Her fiancé, Juan Torres of Highland, supported her along the way and worked hard so she could focus on school, she says. Torres worked full-time and also went to Purdue Calumet full-time while Perez worked part-time and studied full-time. The groom’s education also provided inspiration for his pre-wedding bucket list. Torres, who is working toward a degree in international studies focusing on Spanish translation, says his goal was to study abroad. “It’s actually part of my degree in my major, so I wanted to get that out of the way before the wedding,” he says. In June 2010, he studied for a month in Spain. “I just felt like it was a way of doing something big for myself.” Torres says grooms should definitely take one last adventure. In his case, he says it strengthened his relationship because he and his fiancée had to learn to deal with a long distance relationship, living in totally different time zones. Their dedication to their goals has paid off. After Perez graduated, she began her first full-time career as special events manager at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority. She says brides and grooms should definitely do something for themselves and focus on goals. “Be situated on your own,” she says, before taking the next big step. —Jennifer Pallay
ANTICIPATE
Crashers Wedding
COUPLES CAN LESSEN THE IMPACT OF FAMILY DRAMA AND STRESS
H
appy doesn’t always equal stress-free when it comes to events such as weddings. “It’s a misconception that happy events aren’t stressful,” says Diann Binns, MSW, LCSW. “It surprises people sometimes. Any major change in life, anything involving that much time and effort, is stressful.” Binns, who is in private practice in Valparaiso, says the stress can arise from conflicting wedding concepts and financial issues, as more couples are shouldering the burden of expenses. “Couples may not only deal with different cultures and family traditions, but within the couple, one might want a romantic getaway and the other a big elaborate family event—this creates stress trying to blend those two,” Binns says. Jamie Monday, MA, LPC, cites expectations as another avenue to stress. She is a clinic therapist at Franciscan Alliance’s Employee Assistance Program. “We don’t always communicate what our expectations are, and make assumptions that others know what we want,” Monday says. “Couples need to sit down together and get on the same page.” Feuding family members and existing drama can take stress
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to an even higher level. Binns says couples need to figure out how best to handle divided families—from holding separate parties to establishing clear boundaries between the fighting members—in order to preserve their special day. “It has to be a deep discussion that they have when they start talking about getting married: these people don’t get along and how to incorporate that,” Binns says. “They need to protect what the day is supposed to mean: the starting of a life together.” Couples need to accept that these tensions exist, Monday adds. “Just because this is a special, wonderful day, it’s not going to perform miracles,” Monday says. “Couples need to learn to detach from their families in a healthy way. The goal is a new family unit.” Binns and Monday both recommend premarital counseling, especially if tensions are rising. “Dealing with the wedding shows you how you are going to be under stress together and how you work with family problems,” Binns says. Among any chaos, couples need to stay connected and spend time together. “You need some downtime. If the wedding starts to overtake your whole life—that’s not balance,” Monday says. “If you neglect other areas of your life, including the relationship, that is not healthy.” —Lesly Bailey
Pampering
PARTIES
When the wedding bells begin to toll too loudly, a spa event can be the right mix of relaxation, fun and friendship. For a bachelorette party, bridal get-together or on the big day, area spas offer a range of services for a special experience. Owner Laura Ott says that the Retreat at Serendipity Province, located at 293 North 250 West in Valparaiso, is “tucked away and definitely a retreat.” “We are in an old house on a country road and the bridal party gets the whole spa entirely to themselves,” Ott says. She sees the customized gatherings as a way for her guests to connect leading up to the wedding. “It’s a really good bonding session,” she says. “Weddings are very stressful. You can take a possible disaster to absolute relaxation. You cannot have drama when you have massages.” Spa consultant Peaches McCahill says Spa Blu at the Blue Chip in Michigan City has packages available to help with planning and a private transformation suite. On-site venues, such as the casino and entertainment spots, blend partying and pampering. “We sit down with the brides because we can customize and offer food-service tailored to what they want,” McCahill says. “For anyone who wants the traditional bachelorette party, you can come to the spa, get ready and go out to It’s Vegas Baby! and you look and feel good. We have many venues to create the total experience.” While the Cinnamon Tree Spa and Salon at 505 Silhavy Road in Valparaiso has a party package, owner Nikki Roe says guests can create their own event. She closes the doors for the parties and offers space for guests to bring in their own food and drinks. “Each person within the party can pick what she wants to do. I want to offer them personalized service to give them the experience they are looking for,” Roe says. Zen Wellness owner Jackie Primos can bring the spa directly to guests. She offers customized packages at an outside location as well as on-site parties at the spa located at 425 Joliet Street, Suite 212, in Dyer. The staff works with the Camron Nico Salon to go beyond spa services to include hair and makeup offerings. Primos says, “Spa FOR YOUR INFORMATION parties are a great way serendipityprovince.com to prepare for the big bluechipcasino.com day and treat your thecinnamontree.com bridal party.” —Lesly zenwellnessandretreat.com Bailey
LIST making your list and checking it twice shops & services
Newly engaged and don’t know where to start? We’ve listed some of the area’s best in the categories of apparel, beauty, receptions, photography and more. Highlight, circle and start shopping! eat CATERING...BY DESIGN South Bend, Ind. 574.631.7859. food. nd.edu. This custom catering company is the official caterer for Notre Dame University weddings. They can cater everything from a formal dinner to midmorning brunch. CIAO BELLA 1514 US 41, Scherer ville, Ind. 219.322.6800. ciaobellaonline.com. The cuisines of three different regions of Italy are featured at Ciao Bella, a ristorante, pizzeria and wine bar. The extensive wine list focuses on European and Californian wines. Delivery and take-out available. GINO’S STEAK HOUSE 1 2 5 9 W J o l i e t S t , D y e r, I n d . 219.879.0760. 600 E 81st Ave, Merrillville, Ind. 219.769.4466. ginossteakhouse.com. The chefs at Gino’s use only the freshest ingredients in their homestyle cuisine. A premium selection of wine, beer and cocktails is available at the full-service bar, and there is a special children’s menu so the entire family can enjoy the dining experience. GREAT LAKES CATERING 701 Washington St, Michigan City, Ind. 219.898.1501. greatlakescatering. com. With a combined 75 years of experience, father and son Matt and Ed Kis are some of the area’s leading caterers. Services include catered food and beverages, hall rental assistance, flowers, DJs, bands, tents, tables and more. pamper CENTER FOR OTOLARYNGOLOGY 9120 Columbia Ave, Ste A, Munster, Ind. 219.836.4820. Dr. Bethany A. Cataldi
specializes in general otolaryngology, nasal/sinus surgery, allergy and facial plastics and cosmetics. Dr. Cataldi offers Botox, otoplasty, liposuction, face-lifts and blepharoplasty through the most advanced, precise and cutting-edge procedures. party AVALON MANOR 3550 E US 30 Hwy, Merrillville, Ind. 219.945.0888; theavalonmanor.com Along with exceptional service, the Avalon Manor boasts elegant interior décor, exclusive bridal suites and a stunning staircase that leads into a beautiful ballroom. BLUE CHIP CASINO 777 Blue Chip Dr, Michigan City, Ind. 219.879.7711; bluechipcasino.com. Blue Chip’s Stardust Event Center offers 20,000 square feet of space, to accommodate a wedding of any size. For smaller affairs, two additional ballrooms are available. Pre-wedding pampering is offered at Spa Blu, and guests can stay at the luxurious highrise hotel. THE BOULEVARD INN AND BISTRO 521 Lake Blvd, St. Joseph, Mich. 269.983.6600. theboulevardinn.com. St. Joseph’s famous hotel is available for small, intimate wedding receptions, as well as for bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, and morning-after brunch. The inn can also be a place for guests to stay, no matter where the wedding takes place. CASA DEL ROMA 712 Calumet Ave, Valparaiso, Ind. 219.465.0478. casadelroma.com. This full-service banquet facility offers a wedding chapel, catering services for up to 700 people, and a quaint Italian
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ambience. There are five banquet rooms from which to choose, to accommodate any size and style of wedding.
CATHY DIETZ PHOTOGRAPHY
Catering by Design Helps Tie the Knot at Notre Dame
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he University of Notre Dame offers a beautiful, sophisticated setting perfectly suited to celebrate your wedding at any time of year. Our historic campus boasts unique reception spaces, elegant accommodations, and of course, the incomparable Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Whether your dream is a traditional or a contemporary celebration, the Notre Dame staff will meet your needs and attend to every detail. We can make your wedding weekend effortless by organizing and managing all the details. With the Notre Dame team behind you, your wedding weekend will flow seamlessly. Let our bakeshop create your unique wedding cake or CATERING BY DESIGN a custom 574.631.2200 dessert weddingplanner.nd.edu display. With wedding@nd.edu our many distinguished venues we can arrange your rehearsal dinner, cocktail reception, picnic lunch at the golf course or a relaxing post wedding brunch. By making Notre Dame your wedding destination, you will render your guests speechless.
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CASTLE FARMS 5052 M-66 North, Charlevoix, Mich. 231.237.0884. castlefarms.com. This historic venue, known for its unique charm, elegant décor and outstanding customer service, boasts spectacular architecture, stunning outdoor courtyards, lush gardens and more. Couples can choose from six beautiful rooms, all with views of the gardens and courtyards. Capacity: Up to 500. THE CENTER FOR VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster, Ind. 219.836.1950. cvpa.org. Up to 450 guests can share in your joy at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, which features a variety of table options, glass and crystal table settings, and elegant extra touches. The center offers visually stunning elements, including crystal chandeliers, floor-toceiling windows and an outdoor brick terrace. FIESTA PALACE 2 0 0 5 B r o a d w a y, E a s t C h i c a g o , I n d . 219.743.7333. 6220 Broadway, Merrillville, Ind. 219.887.3377. fiestapalacebanquethall.com. This remodeled banquet hall can serve from 25 to 400 people. There are four catering packages available — including a family style meal — and couples have a choice between American and Mexican cuisine. GLENWOOD OAKS 106 N Main St, Glenwood, Ill. 708.758.4400. glenwoodoaks.com. The private dining rooms at Glenwood Oaks can accommodate 20 to 250 guests. Valet parking, complimentary wedding cake and free limousine services are available. THE HERITAGE MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER 601 Main St, St. Joseph, Mich. 269.983.1191. theheritagemcc.org. This historical venue— which features 20-foot ceilings with white pillars, hardwood floors and crystal chandeliers—is ideal for formal weddings. Guests can also roam the museum space during cocktail hour. LUBEZNIK CENTER FOR THE ARTS 101 W 2nd St, Michigan City, Ind. 219.874.4900. lubeznikcenter.org. This art center is a sophisticated venue that can transform a wedding into its own work of art. Located on Michigan City’s lakefront, the building features impressive architecture both inside and out. With fine art, photography and sculpture as a backdrop, its three galleries, including the library with its lake view, provide a variety of spaces. Capacity of main gallery: 150 banquet, 250 cocktail. SERBIAN SOCIAL CENTER 18550 Stony Island Ave, Lansing, Ill. 708.895.8998. serbiansocialcenter.com. The well-trained servers at the Serbian Social Center guarantee outstanding service for the bridal party and guests. The ballrooms can comfortably accommodate up to 700 guests underneath the magnificence of the brilliant crystal chandeliers. VILLA CESARE 900 Eagle Ridge Dr, Schererville, Ind. 219.322.3011. villacesare.com. Villa Cesare can accommodate both large and small parties with its bright, spacious and beautifully coordinated
larger rooms—the Roman and Venezia—and the more intimate Palermo, which seats 50 to 110 guests. Capacity: Up to 800.
AvAlon MAnor BAnQUET CEnTEr
view DGS PHOTOGRAPHY Kouts, Ind. 219.508.8319. This Northwest Indiana photography company offers 10 years of portrait and wedding experience, specializing in outstanding quality without the outrageous prices. wear ALBERT’S DIAMOND JEWELERS 711 Main St, Schererville, Ind. 219.322.2700. albertsjewelers.com. Albert’s Diamond Jewelers is a family-owned firm that specializes in loose diamonds, bridal jewelry and bridal gifts. The store features names such as Scott Kay, Bez Ambar and Tacori. BRIDES A LA MODE 1229 E University Dr, Granger, Ind. 574.855.3494. bridesalamode.com. Whether searching for a dream wedding gown, bridesmaid or flower girl dress, or formalwear, Brides a la Mode offers a wide selection of styles and price ranges. DUNHILL TUXEDOS Multiple locations in Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan. 800.445.1889. dunhilltuxedos.com. Names such as Ralph Lauren, Claiborne and Perry Ellis fill the six different locations of Dunhill Tuxedos, with special wedding deals that include free groom tuxedos and invitations.
Outside catering available to your destination for any occasion!
Celebrating our 11th Anniversary. Tour our newly remodeled venue.
3550 E. US RoUtE 30 www.avalonmanoR.com For more information call Jayne, Katie or leticia at 219.945.0888
ELEGANCE WEDDING AND EVENING WEAR 2820 Highway Ave, Highland, Ind. 219.923.0977. elegancewedding.net. With a dedication to its customers and commitment to excellence, Elegance Wedding & Evening Wear is a one-stop shop for all bridal needs, including gowns, jewelry and invitations. ENGSTROM JEWELERS 3 Lincolnway, Valparaiso, Ind. 219.464.4040. With locations in Valparaiso and LaPorte, Engstrom Jewelers offers beautiful engagement and wedding rings. The store also offers a wide variety of items to purchase for members of the wedding party. L.R. MEN’S CLOTHIER & TUXEDOS 205 Lincolnway, LaPorte, Ind. 219.324.5072. lrclothingco.com. High-quality menswear and tuxedos are the highlight at this shop, which is one of the only men’s clothing shops in downtown LaPorte. Tuxedos come from brands like Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis and Ecko, while menswear designers include Austin Reed and Tallia. MARTIN BINDER JEWELER 23 Lincolnway, Valparaiso, Ind. 219.462.5931. martinbinders.com. Martin Binder Jeweler travels the world to bring the best values in diamonds, jewelry and timepieces, with honesty and integrity—since 1940. travel ALL ABOUT TRAVEL 8671 Wicker Ave, Ste B, St. John, Ind. 219.365.3500. 10724 Broadway, Crown Point, Ind. 219.661.8500. allabouttravel1.com. For more than 15 years, Denise Zencka’s travel agency has been “the Premier Agency in Lake and Porter Counties,” offering travel packages that include resort and destination information. spring 2012
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How an Indian Boy and an Indiana Girl Planned Their Multicultural Wedding
Happily Ever
bleNded
The first thing I mourned was my shoes. I scoured stores and websites, and discovered satin, midnight blue, 4-inch wonders. My lace dress tickled its little jewels just so. Was I really giving these up? Was the love of my life worth standing through my ceremony, inches shorter? I hadn’t imagined this as the kind of moral dilemma I would face, as I planned a Hindu-Catholic wedding. But my husband and I learned that when trying to blend and preserve two different cultures, compromise is king. (Or, Lord—we’ll come back to that.) WORDS BY CHRISTINE KRALY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN LYNN PHOTOGRAPHIE
I
what’ll you give me for the shoes?
was raised in an Irish-Catholic family in Northwest Indiana. My husband, Ram, comes from a Texas-based Indian family. For our September 2011 wedding, we chose to have a ceremony blending Hindu and nondenominational elements. Where to hold the ceremony and just what it would entail weren’t easy decisions. Wherever we could, we tried to highlight our backgrounds. Some choices were easy: there’d be Indian and “American” (as it was referred to) food; Indian sweets and shamrock cookies. My bridesmaids wore bangles and I wore earrings by an Indian designer. The groomsmen wore ceremonial Indian suits and later changed into tuxedos. Our rehearsal dinner was the mehndi, a party during which an Indian bride is painted with henna designs. When it came to the ceremony, choices carried more
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weight and, thus, greater need for compromise. How would we deal with “God”? Could we share a kiss? Wait... no shoes? We asked my dear family friend to officiate the nondenominational vows. Ram and I met with a priest, or swami, from Merrillville’s Indian American Cultural Center to plot the Hindu half. He was kind and funny, and helped me understand the meaning behind each step. Including those I would have to make barefoot. Worship in a Hindu temple requires removing your shoes. Our gazebo serving as a temple, those blue wonders would sit lonely for a while. What I found scarier was repeatedly walking around a small fire, meant to symbolize life. (I bought my gown at an Illinois bridal shop that burned to the ground months earlier. Who was being paranoid?) As we customized our ceremony, we were excited for the bharat, during which a groom typically rides a horse to the bride’s house, followed by his family in a festive, dancing caravan. In our version, Ram’s side danced up a hill to the gazebo to greet my family. I loved that our families were joined, even before we were.
he’s my what?
There we stood, under our gold linen-draped gazebo. As we neared the end of the ceremony’s Hindu portion, I began basking in the uniqueness of our wedding. Then, our priest handed us a piece of paper that neither of us saw coming. We knew we would be saying traditional vows, but neither of us knew exactly what they would be. The first line seemed innocuous; something about loving and honoring. Then in crept words that make me sweat: “obey,” “serve,” “Lord.” Wait a second . . . was I saying . . . he was my LORD? Panic. Sure, Ram was calling me his “beloved,” but to be “beloved” is not to be “subservient.” I glanced at our families nearby. Salvation. His aunts and female cousins were quietly laughing. They seemed to be assuring, “We know this is killing you. Go ahead, laugh.” So, I did. It was as if I was let in on a joke everyone else knew: accepting and blending cultures doesn’t have to be so scary, or so serious.
Countless other couples had uttered these important words, and they had loved their spouses in the same, equal way as I loved mine. It was about the commitment, not necessarily the word choice. I slipped back into my heels and stood facing Ram. “I do.” Smooch.
to have and to hold
I’ve thought a lot about those “surprise” vows. There was something perfect about how they reflect on our coupledom. Our strength as a pair comes in part from appreciating our differences, understanding them when possible, and finding laughter in all of it. We took the meanings in both vows seriously, even those that challenged our progressive minds and senses of humor. More than anything, we are proud we celebrated our cultures and introduced our loved ones to new traditions. At the very least, one everyday task has since changed: I now sign cards from “Lord and Lady Luthra.”
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VaLParaiso
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LaPorte
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Engstrom Jewelers helps celebrate life’s milestones
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elebrate life’s milestones and relationships with loved ones with a gift from Engstrom Jewelers. There is a wide selection of bridal jewelry, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and men and women’s watches available to provide the perfect one-of-a-kind gift for the occasion. Whether buying a personal gift or something special for a loved one, Engstrom representatives ensure that customers leave the store confident in their selection. The store’s friendly and knowledgeable sales team will answer any questions and help pick the best jewelry for the occasion and budget. Options include twelve months with zero interest financing and layaway which provides customers with purchasing flexibility. Engstrom’s experienced jeweler and design teams can also help custom design jewelry for an exclusive, personalized piece. Our vintage jewelry selection also offers unique ENGSTROM JEWELERS pieces, rich with history. Three Lincolnway Also cleaning and repair services will help Valparaiso, Ind. keep daily and special occasion jewelry in 219.464.4040 mint condition. Expedited repair services are also available. 820 Lincolnway At Engstrom’s we look forward to LaPorte, Ind. 219.369.36580 your visit!
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CELEBRATE
the big day
trends transformational
Adding modern touches to the wedding celebration Every bride wants her wedding to feel one-of-a-kind, so naturally traditions and trends have to change over time. Wedding traditions considered a must-have a few years ago have transformed into something new or disappeared altogether. Here are some trends that have come and gone over the years. FAVORING SWEET FAVORS
Katie Kucharski, sales representative for Avalon Manor in Merrillville (avalonmanor. com), has noticed new favorites when it comes to favors. Years ago, personalized CDs and disposable cameras filled the tables, but now she sees more sweet treats. “Half of the brides are doing candy tables, so that’s really popular,” she says. Personalized candy bars and favor boxes with candies are also appearing at place settings. Another thing guests might go home with: a late-night snack. “We’ve done White Castle a few times recently or pizzas,” Kucharski says. For fancier snacks, a couple might choose to serve finger sandwiches. “It’s a little
different. We’ll put the White Castles on the silver platter in novelty boxes. It’s just a cute, fun idea.”
CAKE EFFECT
The traditional tiered wedding cake has been a standard for decades, but in recent years, brides and grooms have dared to do away with this trend. Kim Eldridge, owner and designer of Kim Eldridge Special Events Inc. in Chesterton (219.926.1332), has been in the wedding business since 1996 and says cupcakes are booming. “I’ve had a lot of events in the past two years where they’ve gone with cupcakes. It’s been really different and cool,” she says. The bite-sized desserts are extravagantly decorated and can also be more economical, usually costing less than a wedding cake, she says. Couples can also have a small single layer cake for cutting, but serve cupcakes to guests. Other new desserts also break the cake tradition. Cheesecakes and sweets tables on exquisite displays have also hit the reception scene. “Even a couple years ago, you had to have the wedding cake, and now it’s a little different,” Eldridge says.
Sweet
ADDING SOME SPARKLE
Standouts
Walking out of church amid handfuls of rice was a staple for past generations, but today couples have found new ways to start their day as husband and wife. Eldridge says a new popular option is walking out to guests holding giant sparklers. Even during daylight, the light and movement from the sparklers makes for some beautiful and cool photos, she says.
Make the day unique with customized wedding foods
LOVE BEYOND SATURDAY Weddings on a day other than a Saturday are not as taboo as in the past, Eldridge says, noting Fridays and Sundays are growing in popularity. “Guests are more accepting of it now,” she says, and brides are definitely saving money, because halls have fewer events on those days and charge less.
photograph courtesy [this page, far right] of D’S SWEET BERRIES
CLOSE CAPTURE
Before the digital camera age, many weddings featured disposable cameras that allowed guests to capture memories of the day. Today, photo memories are still important but have taken on new form. Photo booths are quickly gaining popularity, says Paul Segal, entertainment coordinator for 219 Productions (219.545.4747). His company added a photo booth option in the fall because of customer demand. “Photo booths allow photos of your guests to be taken when they want and how they want,” he says. “If the guests want a family photo, a funny photo, a couples photo or more, they now have those options.” The photos can then be used for a memory booklet or party favors and are great
Meg & John keepsakes that last after the special day, he says.
CHANGING THE ROLES
Walking a bride down the aisle isn’t just for dads anymore, Eldridge says. Lately, it’s the mom and dad walking beside their daughter on her big day. “Before, everyone had traditional roles, and now brides and grooms are recognizing that moms usually have a big input into the wedding. They’re recognizing that and saying, ‘Hey, mom should walk me down the aisle, too.’ You don’t just have to have those traditional roles.” —Jennifer Pallay
Everyone wants to make their wedding truly unique. One way to make your special day memorable is to offer custom foods during your reception or pass them out as favors. Wedding planner Rachel Ramos, of EVENTS by September’s Bride in Holland, Michigan, has seen an increase in custom foods and sees it as a great way to mirror your personal style and creativity. “Because custom food is one more aspect of a very cohesive event, choosing what you will be serving and how it will be presented will also make other decisions easier,” she says. Custom culinary treats can come in many forms, such as Nana’s 1940s recipe passed down through generations, or individual cakes that match your wedding’s theme and colors. The sky’s the limit. Here FOR YOUR are a couple of examples: Much like the chocolate INFORMATION truffles we all know and love, CONNIE’S CAKE TRUFFLES a cake truffle consists of fully cawester1@comcast.net baked cake rolled into small D’S SWEET BERRIES balls, dipped in chocolate dssweetberries.com and then decorated. Connie Westerhausen of Connie’s SEPTEMBER’S BRIDE Cake Truffles in Valparaiso, septembersbride.com Indiana, hand makes these delectable sweets in every flavor, from Butterfinger to red velvet and everything in between. Westerhausen suggests offering cake truffles as an alternative to the traditional wedding cake as small cakes to be used as favors. Danielle Kirin, of D’s Sweet Berries, gives Chicagoland brides the opportunity to have desserts created especially for them. “Anything custom is always great, because it gives the customer the opportunity to create their own special desserts,” she says. “It makes their day even more special, because the desserts were created just for them. They get to pick the theme, the taste, as well as any designs.” While her menu offers many delicious options, Kirin’s standout wedding treat has to be her undeniably cute bride and groom berries. These adorable strawberries come dressed in tuxedos and gowns made from dark, milk or white chocolate and can be customized in a plethora of colors. Also available are custom flavors ranging from Boston crème pie to brownie. As a wedding planner, Rachel Ramos understands couples’ “deepened excitement for personalizing their wedding day.” In addition to choosing colors, flowers and table settings, offering a unique culinary experience is just one more way to assure that your special day will be a meaningful and intimate event that your friends and family will never forget. —Sharon Biggs Waller
Family Style to CuStom menu exeCutive CheF indoor CeremonieS multiple roomS ShowerS anniverSarieS rehearSal dinnerS Seating For over 700
219.465.5444 7 1 1 C a l u m e t Av e .
The Perfect Setting for Your Perfect Day Specialists in Wedding & Event Planning Wedding Receptions ✦ Indoor Ceremonies Rehearsal Dinners ✦ Showers ✦ Anniversaries ✦ Parties
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When only the best will satisfy, the extraordinary atmosphere and culinary expertise at Casa del Roma’s beautiful facility, with a private entrance and parking, will make your most important day the most memorable.
Welcome to our Home 712 Calumet Avenue | Valparaiso | 219.465.0478 | www.casadelroma.com
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Family-Owned Fiesta Palace Will Make Your Day
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ind beautiful ambiance, atmosphere and Italian architecture at Casa Del Roma. Make the next special event memorable in one of our elegantly decorated private rooms. We pride ourselves on making delicious, traditional Italian-style, home-cooked food. Quality, service and presentation of your special meals are of utmost importance. Take a tour of the Casa Del Roma facility to experience the environment here, where you can also witness our top-notch kitchen and CASA DEL ROMA culinary team in action. 712 Calumet Ave We believe that Casa Del Roma Valparaiso, Ind. customers deserve the best for their 219.465.0478 parties, so our event coordinator will casadelroma.com assist with all the details. Our years of experience will make any occasion a OLD TOWN CENTER memorable one at our venue. 711 Calumet Ave Thank you for considering Casa Del Valparaiso, Ind. Roma for your very special event. 219.465.5444 FACILITY AMENITIES: Dance Floor, Bar, Occupancy of 700 people, Buffet Line, Podium, Gift Tables, Private Bathrooms, Centerpieces, DJ Services, Cake Cutting
uperior service combined with classic luxury makes Fiesta Palace the premier choice for hosting the most special occasions. For over twenty years, Fiesta Palace has graciously helped couples plan their special day to create memories that will last a lifetime. Fiesta Palace is a family owned and operated business; we guarantee that your occasion will be spectacular! Whether you envision a simple gathering with your closest family and friends, or an elaborate formal affair with hundreds of guests, discover everything you need for your ideal wedding, including rich reception rooms with spacious dance floors and savory culinary selections. Our packages are designed to include elegance and affordability. We specialize in American and Mexican cuisine. Our expansive menu options range from individually plated to family style meals, hors d’oeuvres, chocolate fountain, ice cream sundae bar, nacho bar and a variety of bar options. A professional and friendly wedding specialist, will work with you throughout the wedding planning process until the final moments of your event. Fiesta Palace promises to make your special day more than you could have ever dreamed possible. The celebration will be as FIESTA PALACE spectacular as your love for one another. We wish you 6220 Broadway sincere congratulations and look forward to working Merrillville, Ind. with you as you prepare for a lifetime of happiness. 219.887.3377 or Please contact us for more information on our 219.743.7333 wedding packages.
Fiesta Palace Banquet Hall
www.fiestapalacebanquethall.com
COMMONLY USED FOR: Holiday Parties, Showers, Meetings, Wedding Receptions We Do our Best to Make Your tiMe With us an enjoYaBle MeMorY For Years to CoMe • Recently renovated banquet facility • Accommodates 75-400 • Superior service • Ample Dance floor • Picturesque Outdoor Ceremony Area • Affordable Wedding Packages
• Free Centerpiece Rental with any Package • Weddings Showers • Corporate Events • Charity Banquets • Private Parties
6220 BROADWAy | MERRillvillE, iN | 219.887.3377 | 219.743.7333
spring 2012
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RELAX
the honeymoon
written by CARRIE STEINWEG
CHICAGO
explorechicago.org
To enjoy the thrill of the big city, settle into a hotel with a view of the lakefront, take in a play, dine in style, shop ’til you drop and see the great city through a tourist’s eyes. For the ultimate in romantic dining, check out the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Center for an exquisite meal while you watch the sun set over Lake Michigan.
Close toHome Couples don’t have to break the bank to take a honeymoon
This sluggish economy is having an effect in every area, and weddings are no exception. Couples are looking for ways to get the most for their dollar and cut back where they can. However, the honeymoon doesn’t have to be something that is omitted from the celebration or put on hold. Couples-friendly destinations and romantic hideaways can be found not far from home, allowing newlyweds to spend a few days connecting without jumping on a plane.
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SERENITY SPRINGS LAPORTE, INDIANA serenity-springs.com Tucked away in our own backyard is a secluded romantic getaway that is an ideal place for a couple to reside for a couple days to start off their new life together. The site has 36 cabins that include a king-size bed, sunken whirlpool tub, gas fireplace, mini-fridge, two-person shower, heated floors, gas grill and gas campfire. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll even provide freshly laid eggs in the morning to make breakfast on your deck grill. Horse-drawn carriage rides can be taken through the 85-acre grounds. A Wedding Night Package is available with late check-in, a 4 p.m. late check-out, champagne, silk rose petals around the tub, gourmet chocolates, bubble bath, candles, massage oils and a breakfast basket. Package is $350 and additional nights can be added for $150 per night.
GALENA, ILLINOIS | visitgalena.org Loaded with the natural beauty of rolling hillsides and a river, outdoor recreation is plentiful year-round along with historical tours and shopping and antiquing opportunities. Cruises on the Mississippi are a popular activity. Lodging ranges from quaint bed and breakfasts to a full-service resort.
photography [this page, top] provided by SERENITY SPRINGS
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA visitindy.com Another big city bursting with culture, fine dining, nightlife, history and attractions is Indianapolis. Visit an art or history museum, take in a sporting event together or just nestle into your hotel room after a romantic canal ride being serenaded on a gondola by Old World Gondoliers.
WEST BADEN SPRINGS HOTEL, WEST BADEN, INDIANA frenchlick.com
NEW BUFFALO, MICHIGAN newbuffalo.com A great spot for long walks on the beach without heading to the tropics, you’ll also find ample shopping and quaint eateries as well as a nearby casino) if you’re looking for more action.
One step into this magnificent masterpiece boasting an enormous freestanding dome and you’ll feel like you’re traipsing around Europe. An awardwinning luxury hotel with awardwinning spas and breathtaking gardens, it offers a taste of distant opulence with a fascinating history. Live entertainment and fine dining are just down the road at the French Lick Casino, where another historic hotel sits. Once the premier Midwest destination for celebrities and the wealthy who traveled to the area by train, it’s now affordable for the less famous, but without sacrificing any of the charm or luxury. Golf, bowling and horseback riding are additional activities available. A railway museum sits between the two hotels.
Bed and Breakfasts If you’re looking to spend your honeymoon in a quaint bed and breakfast rather than a stark, boring hotel room, you’ll find many options. Here are a few: The INN AT ABERDEEN in Valparaiso is full of inviting Victorian touches in this farmhouse-turnedbed and breakfast that will make your time there a memorable one.
SHIPSHEWANA, INDIANA shipshewana.com To truly get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy some closeness without distractions, plan to visit Northern Indiana’s Amish communities of Shipshewana and nearby Nappanee to enjoy the customs of a different time, see a show, enjoy Amish meals and appreciate a simpler way of life.
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photography [top left] by APRIL BURFORD, [top right] provided by FRENCH LICK
innataberdeen.com
Chesterton’s GRAY GOOSE INN is off the beaten path with lovely pond views in a historic home with suites made just for honeymooners. A spa just around the corner offers relaxing massages for couples.
graygooseinn.com
Oozing with the charm of a bygone era, the SCHENCK MANSION in Vevay, Indiana, is a 35-room bed and breakfast dating back to 1874. Some rooms have fireplaces available to cozy up in front of and a long wraparound porch is an inviting spot to enjoy a glass of wine and chat.
schenckmansion.com
See the lateSt faShionS by the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S next great deSignerS
saturday
May 26, 2012 2pm est
heritage MUSeUM & CUltUral Center St. joSePh, MiChigan featuring the best of the top student designers from colleges and design schools in the Chicago, northwest indiana, and Southwest Michigan area. nwi.com/fashionontheshore for tickets and more information.
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after the wedding
written by CARRIE STEINWEG
Commemorating the
BIG DAY
Finding the right gift to celebrate the anniversary The traditional first-year gift would be paper. It could be something In 1922, Emily Post penned the first list for anniversary gift giving. In as simple as a classic book or framed copy of your wedding invitation, 1937, the American National Retail Jeweler’s Association modified it as heartfelt as a hand-written poem, or as creative as a photo journal and created a modern list, which has since been altered a bit. of your first year together. Shutterfly.com and Blurb.com offer small Recognizing the anniversary of the wedding day is something purse-sized flip books up to hardcover, professional-grade bound that varies by couple. Although the traditional and modern lists give books. some guidelines and suggestions for appropriate gift selections, many On the modern side, the first-year gift would be clocks. It could couples choose to celebrate in a way that has meaning to them. range from a wristwatch to a desk, wall or even grandfather clock, Sometimes it is an experience, rather than a gift that is chosen to and allows the opportunity to engrave a special message to your acknowledge the anniversary. JoAnn Kijewski of Lansing married her sweetheart. husband 52 years ago and says they prefer to spend time together Christmas ornaments that reflect each year’s theme are also with family and have fun rather than purchase items. For several thoughtful gifts that can be enjoyed for years to come. years, an anniversary weekend was spent camping in Michigan. A repeat honeymoon or bucket list of vacations to check off each year is a great way to celebrate while creating lasting memories. At the Wayside Chapel in Palos Park, Illinois, a popular anniversary dinner/vow renewal takes place one Sunday evening a month. Many of the couples who attend this group event were married at the chapel, but it is not required. A dinner precedes a vow renewal service in the chapel. The cost is $60 per couple and advance reservations are required by calling Laura at 708.361.3650. Perhaps the first thing to come to mind to celebrate an anniversary is jewelry. At jewelry. com, you’ll find which anniversary metals or stones are recommended for each year (first is gold, second is garnet, third is pearl, etc.). A bracelet that can have charms added TRADITIONAL GIFTS each year or a piece that allows for added 1st PAPER stones is a popular choice, according to Mary 2nd COTTON Colville, chief marketing officer for Albert’s 3rd LEATHER Jewelers. “You can start building a Pandora 4th FRUIT OR FLOWERS bracelet and do something personal to that 5th WOOD individual and add a bead for Mother’s Day 10th TIN or Christmas,” she says. “It’s the modern 20th CHINA charm bracelet.” 25th SILVER She also recommends a diamond eternity 50th GOLD band or three-stone ring with stones to MODERN GIFTS represent the past, present and future. 1st CLOCKS There is also a list of anniversary flowers 2nd CHINA that coordinate with each year. The list 3rd CRYSTAL OR CLOCKS recommends carnations the first year, daisies 4th APPLIANCES on the fifth, daffodils on the tenth, and so 5th SILVERWARE on. Find a full list at flowershopdeals.com. 10th DIAMONDS If you choose to honor tradition and 20th PLATINUM follow the gift lists, there are ways to 25th SILVER 50th GOLD personalize items to suit your spouse.
What To Give
Source: Gifts.com
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a moment in time
CAPTURE
photographed by JON L. HENDRICKS PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC
November 11, 2011
Natalie and Dino Northway Prairie Avenue Gallery Chicago, Illinois
spring 2012
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bite & sip Chef Rudy Paniagua shows off a selection of plates from William B’s Steakhouse at the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City.
WILLIAM B’S STEAKHOUSE at BLUE CHIP CASINO
2 Easy St, Michigan City 888.879.7711 ext 2118. bluechip-casino.com. Named after Boyd Gaming Corporation’s chairman and CEO William S. Boyd, William B’s is a world-class steakhouse in the tradition of the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas. Executive chef Rudy Paniagua advises that you should not over-grill a great steak: “The flavor of the meat and the marbling should speak for themselves.” Rib eyes, T-bones, filet and porterhouse are the centerpiece of the menu—and all the little extras are available, including creamy horseradish, sautéed onions and mushrooms, and au poivre sauce with shallots, butter, cracked peppercorns and cognac—but you will also find fresh seafood, occasional exotic selections like ostrich, and exquisite pasta dishes, prepared in-house. There is a complete cocktail menu (the traditional martinis are excellent), as well as a five-star wine list and complete appetizer and dessert selections. The average cost of dinner is $25, and reservations are highly recommended.
Indiana
BARTLETT’S GOURMET GRILL & TAVERN 131 E Dunes Hwy 12, Beverly Shores. 219.879.3081. eatatbartletts.com. Bartlett’s is a new gourmet grill by husband-and-wife team Gary Sanders and Nicole Bissonnette-Sanders. Located in the heart of the National Lakeshore, Bartlett’s has a cozy but very modern ambience. The menu is an exceptionally creative take on upscale roadhouse-type food. Starting off the meal are appetizers such as andouille sausage corndogs and surf & turf potstickers, as well as family style offerings like Low Country spiced boiled peanuts and smoked venison sticks. Entrées include 5-hour pot roast, whitefish fillet and linguine bolognese, ranging in price from $10 to $20. The wine list is modest but well-crafted. BISTRO 157 157 W Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.462.0992. bistro157.net. Trained in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu, chef and owner Nicole Bissonnette-Sanders has created a menu of classics—like a decadent sautéed veal and gulf shrimp, a pork rib chop with apple horseradish ham, and an herb-rubbed roasted half chicken—combined with her own creative takes on nouvelle cuisine with a number of fresh fish selections. Desserts include black chocolate-infused confections that have become standard for fine dining, and also sorbets and ice cream made from fresh fruit. There are some treasures on the extensive list of bottle wines, and many solid choices by the glass.
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BUTTERFINGERS 2552 45th Ave, Highland. 219.924.6464. 921 D Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.4202. Every day, Butterfingers prepares a selection of ready-to-heat-and-eat entrées, along with freshly baked breads and salads, all without preservatives. The chicken almond salad has long been a crowd favorite, but the rest of the lunch menu is equally gratifying. What Butterfingers is best known for, however, is their famous desserts. The restaurant’s two pastry chefs—whose training hails from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island—create an array of gourmet
desserts, which includes beautifully decorated and delicious cakes (the double chocolate mousse cake is a must), and an assortment of cookies and brownies, all of which have been satisfying dessert lovers for more than twenty-five years. And to every party planner’s delight, Butterfingers does offer catering. CIAO BELLA 1514 US 41, Schererville. 219.322.6800. ciaobellaonline. com. The cuisines of three different regions of Italy are featured at Ciao Bella, a ristorante, pizzeria and wine bar. Patrons can sample a 12-inch gourmet pizza with a creative array of toppings like the Pizza Quattro Stagioni—tomatoes, artichokes, prosciutto and black olives—or the sauceless Pizza Al Fichi topped with goat cheese, figs and onions and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. For those who like more traditional pies, there are thin-crust options with toppings such as sausage, fresh garlic, salami and jalapeños. Or try such entries as Ciao Bella’s signature dishes, Rigatoni Boscaiola—spicy Italian sausage and rigatoni noodles topped with a tomato cream sauce—and the Chicken Pollo Ala Romana, a chicken breast sautéed in a white wine sauce with roasted tri-color peppers and then sauced in a tomato cream. There’s also a great selection of seafood, pork and beef. Desserts change frequently, but the tiramisu is always on the menu. The extensive wine list focuses on European and Californian wines. Delivery and take-out available. DON QUIJOTE 119 E Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.462.7976. donquijoterestaurantandimports.com. Proprietor Carlos Rivero’s authentic Spanish cuisine, lively and friendly atmosphere, and conviviality with his return customers make this downtown Valparaiso restaurant a destination for Chicagoans and Michigan residents alike. The exciting menu features dozens of small courses, including a well-known classic paella with saffron rice and fresh-grilled seafood chunks. Grilled steaks and lamb and veal chops are abundant and cooked according to family recipes handed down for generations. The house specialty is a flan-textured vanilla cake. Lunch entrées average $15, dinner $25.
GINO’S STEAK HOUSE 1259 W Joliet St, Dyer. 219.879.0760. 600 E 81st Ave, Merrillville. 219.769.4466. ginossteakhouse.com. The chefs at Gino’s, who have more than thirty years of combined experience, use only the freshest ingredients in their homestyle cuisine. Starters include traditional minestrone soup from a family recipe, salads with fresh, locally grown produce, and crusty bread with crocks of butter. The nine-ounce prime steak tops the menu and is itself topped with Roquefort cheese in its most popular rendition. All main dishes are served with the restaurant’s signature marinated peppers, and entrées include fish and lobster delivered daily. The dessert menu features créme brûlée and various cheesecakes, but the housemade tiramisu is the highlight—a rich blend of coffee, chocolate and cream cheese flavors. A premium selection of wine, beer and cocktails is available at the full-service bar, and there is a special children’s menu so the entire family can enjoy the dining experience. GIOVANNI’S 603 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.6220. giosmunster. com. This classic upscale Italian bistro is a local favorite, with charm, gracious service and an extensive menu. Innovative selections include a variety of appetizers, and specials are paired with recommended wine by the glass. A crab cake salad with fresh mozzarella and Bibb lettuce is a staple for lunch, and all entrées are accompanied by hot and crusty garlic Parmesan cheese rolls. You can indulge in a traditional multi-course Italian dinner or order by the item. For lighter fare, soups, salads and pizzas are served with cheerful dispatch. Sumptuous dinners include a renowned Veal Scallopine Piccata, served in a white wine sauce, and scampi sautéed in garlic, lemon, thyme and butter. The wine list is extensive but educational, and the desserts range from classic tiramisu to real Italian gelato. Lunch entrées average about $12, while dinners cost $18 to $25. KELLY’S TABLE 5727 N 600 W, Michigan City. 219.872.5624. kellyscreekwood.com. Tucked away amidst 30 acres of woodland, the Creekwood Inn, built in the 1930s as a
photo by CASEY RIFFE, FILE | THE TIMES
The information presented in Bite & Sip is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify listing information.
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1514 U.S. 41, Schererville, IN 219.322.6800 Monday-Thursday: 11am - 10pm Friday-Saturday: 11am-11pm | Sunday: 11am-10pm www.ciaobellaonline.com
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Executive Chef Randy Berg has practiced his artistry with food for 26 years, the last two years at Ciao Bella Ristorante-PizzeriaWinebar, 1514 U.S. 41 in Schererville. His passion for creating culinary delights developed while he was in high school. Following his high school graduation in 1989, Berg enrolled in the culinary arts degree program at Ivy Tech’s Hammond campus. Even after receiving his associate’s degree in culinary arts, Berg continued to learn, reading and working alongside other chefs and restaurateurs. “I was at Café Borgia for five years with owner Mike Jesso. I learned how to make pasta sauces from him,” Chefs Randy Berg and Luis Hernandez of Ciao Bella restaurant. Berg says. Creating special dishes using all fresh foods remains a passion for the 44-year-old chef. “I can show my expressions, my positive flow through food,” Berg says. At Ciao Bella, the culinary staff focuses on regional Tuscan cuisine, featuring a wide range of such original recipes as Rigatoni Boscaiola (mushrooms, Calabrese sausage and peas sautéed in a tomato cream sauce), Pesce Bianco (white wine in a lemon caper sauce with bed of spinach garlic) and Tagliata Toscana (NY strip steak with rosemary, peppercorn, broiled and served with arugula and rosemary potatoes). Teaching others how to release their own artistic side is another specialty of the chef, and Ciao Bella Ristorante owner Giuseppe “Joe” Scalzo encourages that passion. “Once a month on a Tuesday, we have a cooking class, a demonstration. There are four courses, each served with a different glass of wine. We talk about how the ingredients blend, and we give guests the recipes,” the chef says. Those courses include a salad, appetizer, entrée and dessert. Berg also discusses how each wine pairs with the course it accompanies. “It’s fun,” he says. “I’ve been doing this for 10 years.” The monthly cooking demonstrations cost $45 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and reservations are required. Entertainment is also part of the package, with Jim Bulanda performing. Other special themed celebrations are offered throughout the year at Ciao Bella, which is affiliated with Rosebud Restaurants. In February, for example, Carnivale di Venezia will transport guests, gastronomically, to the traditional “Carnival of Venice.” Ciao Bella (which translates to “hello, beautiful”) is a reminder that Italian food can be much more than lasagna, ravioli and spaghetti, Berg says. “The Mediterranean diet is one of the best in the world. Just good, authentic food made with love and passion. Pair with a beautiful wine and it’s wonderful,” Berg says. Everyday diners will find a tantalizing array of choices at Ciao Bella Ristorante CIAO BELLA featured on the extensive lunch, dinner 1514 US 41 and take-out menus as well as a large Schererville, Ind. wine list and lavish dessert menu of Italian 219.322.6800 specialties. ciaobellaonline.com
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For 28 years, Chef Tim Merkel has been creating the signature cuisine at Giovanni’s, a landmark Italian fine dining restaurant at 603 Ridge Road. His training, however, started with a decidedly French flavor. During high school in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Chef Merkel lived with the owners of a Crown Point French restaurant and trained under their tutelage. “We offer specials for lunch and dinner every day,” he says of the veal, pasta, seafood and other Italian delicacies featured daily. The chef decides early each morning what those specials will be based on the availability of the market. “I especially like to do dessert work,” Chef Merkel says. Preparing the array of cuisine featured at Giovanni’s taps into his creativity, the chef says. “It is creating different things you can do for people. Foods are interesting,” says the 47-year-old Crown Point resident. Chef Merkel says encouraging others to show their creativity with food is another important part of his own career. A member of the American Culinary Federation Chefs of Northwest Indiana, he helps promote the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education among GIOVANNI’S culinarians at all levels, from apprentices to the 603 Ridge Rd most accomplished certified master chefs. Munster, Ind. “We provide three $500 scholarships each 219.836.6220 year for culinary arts students,” the chef says. giosmunster.com
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603 Ridge Road, Munster, IN (219) 836-6220 www.giosmunster.com Finest Italian cuisine “Be prepared to fall in love!”
second home, is a delightful spot for those wanting to get away. But you don’t have to spend the night to enjoy a great repast at Kelly’s Table, located inside the inn. It’s here that chef/proprietor Patricia Kelly Molden creates a seasonal menu using the local bounty of the neighboring farms and orchards. Recent appetizer offerings include a rich Onion Soup Savoyarde with egg yolks and cream, topped with Gruyère toast as well as crabmeat and artichokestuffed mushrooms. Entrées range from the simple but delicious chicken tetrazzini to grilled cumin-crusted tuna with a mango habanero salsa, and rabbit braised in wine and served with summer vegetables. Fresh pumpkin custard-topped with whipped cream and flavored with Grand Marnier and crystallized ginger-and chocolate mousse served in chocolate tulip cups accompanied by a berry sauce are among Molden’s to-die-for desserts. For cocktails, consider Kelly’s Table Cosmopolitan: a delightful concoction of Absolut Citron, Triple Sec, Chambord, lime and cranberry or a capirinha made with Brazilian cachaça, fresh limes and turbinado sugar. LUCREZIA 428 Calumet Rd, Chesterton. 219.926.5829. 302 S Main St, Crown Point. 219.661.5829. lucreziacafe.com. Lucrezia has been a Northern Italian favorite since owners Michael and Nada Karas first opened it in the mid-nineties, in a historic downtown Chesterton building. Several years later, the couple renovated the William Barringer Brown Mansion just off the downtown square in Crown Point, continuing their fine dining tradition. Signature dishes include slow cooked Chicken Vesuvio, slow cooked chicken served in a rosemary garlic sauce with roasted potatoes and fresh vegetables, and roasted lamb shank braised in its own juices accompanied with roasted potatoes and braised red cabbage. Specials include veal medallions with mustard and mushrooms topped with a roasted brandy cream sauce. Not to be missed is the zuccotto, a sinful domed-shaped chocolate sponge cake filled with white chocolate mousse and pistachios and sauced with both chocolate and raspberry. Lunch entrées average $20, dinner $30. STOP 50 WOOD FIRED PIZZERIA 500 S El Portal, Michigan City. 219.879.8777. stop50woodfiredpizzeria. com. Just north of US Hwy 12 and west of New Buffalo, this café enjoys a well-deserved reputation—including being named one of the top four pizzerias in the Midwest by Rachael Ray magazine—for authentic Italian pizza baked “Naples-style” in wood-fired hearth ovens. Customers return again and again—it’s only difficult to find the first time. The recipes are traditional, and the ingredients are fresh daily. In addition to the Napoletana pizza, sandwiches and salads are available to eat at Stop 50, or you can get your snack or meal to go. Try the banana peppers stuffed with house-made sausage or a fiery tomato and goat cheese dip with hand-cut fried chips. Owners Chris and Kristy Bardol, who rehabbed the 50-year-old beach community grocery store into a restaurant, stick to strictly locally grown food. Average entrée cost is $15, but you can make a satisfying light meal out of the generously proportioned starters at $8-$12. STRONGBOW INN 2405 E US 30, Valparaiso. 800.462.5121. strongbowinn.com. The menu at this classic institution still includes a wide variety of turkey selections, but with daily specials that include barbecued
pork ribs, seafood choices, prime rib and other comfort foods, one would never guess that the bakery and restaurant started as a sandwich stand during the Depression. Many families have had Thanksgiving catered by Strongbow—the meticulously prepared traditional meal that can be ordered as take-out is virtually indistinguishable from that produced by a family team working in the kitchen for ten hours. Also, the bakery has exploded with a range of treats created daily, including cinnamon rolls, cakes, pies, brownies, fruit tarts, truffles, crème brûlée and strawberry napoleons. Lunch entrées average $8, and dinner is $18. SVAGO RISTORANTE 1103 Joliet Rd, Dyer. 219.322.7305. svagoristorante.com. Svago owner Leslie Dianda and executive chef Tony Sanfilippo are committed to carrying out the traditions of their families. Leslie’s grandfather was a baker in Chicago. “I’m third generation in the restaurant business,” says Sanfilippo, noting that his father was a master sommelier and that his grandfather not only ran a restaurant in Palermo, Italy, but also grew grapes and made his own wine. Taking the recipes used by their ancestors, Sanfilippo and Dianda want to create the ultimate ristorante, one where people come for good times, good service and good food. That’s why the food at Svago, which means “entertainment” in Italian, focuses on slowly braised foods, long simmered sauces and great salads and soups. For those who want a quick bite or simpler fare, there’s the café in front which features sandwiches and is also a place to sip coffee and enjoy a sweet. “Tradition is very important to both Leslie and me,” says Sanfilippo. “And that’s what we hope to create here as well.”
Michigan
BISTRO ON THE BOULEVARD 521 Lake Blvd, St. Joseph, Michigan. 269.983.6600. theboulevardinn.com. This French bistro on Lake Michigan has a well-deserved and unrivaled reputation in Southwest Michigan. The view through the French doors overlooking the bluff is spectacular no matter what season, though dining outside on the porch has its own special charm, particularly at sunset or on a starry summer night. The interior of the dining room and cozy adjacent bar is impeccable, right down to the tinted water glasses, burnished wood and wood-burning fireplace. The menu changes frequently to accommodate seasonal, fresh and available fruits and vegetables, much of which are grown locally, but the basic entrée list—created by executive chef Ryan Thornburg, who worked as the restaurant’s sous chef for three years when it first opened—is extensive. Thornburg returned last year after working as executive chef at Tosi’s Restaurant and then the Orchard Hills Country Club, to replace longtime executive chef Ali Barker, who moved from the area. Thornburg’s menu items include Horseradish Crusted Faroe Islands Salmon accompanied by sautéed spinach in a Michigan cherry vinaigrette, Steak Frites—a tallgrass 8-ounce top sirloin with pomme frites and herb butter—and Crispy Duck Confit with sautéed garlic potatoes and mixed greens dressed with an aged sherry vinaigrette. Prices are reasonable, starting at $17 for the macaroni and cheese made with aged white cheddar, mascarpone, gruyere and country ham topped with garlic bread crumbs, to steaks for around $30. Be sure to check out the Wednesday sushi menu for such delights as Black Dragon—broiled eel, shrimp tempura, avocado and cucumber with
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BLENDING FRESH INGREDIENTS WITH YEARS OF EXPERTISE TONY V. MARTIN
GINO’S Committed to serving you the Juicy USdA Prime Steaks, Freshest Seafood & Pastas and More. All the home-style cuisine you love dAily. our main courses are served with our house special marinated peppers, served as you sit down! our locally owned and operated restaurants offer the best home-style cuisine at the best prices.
• Full Bar • ExcEptional WinE list • Daily spEcials • livE EntErtainmEnt FriDay & saturDay • opEn For luncH 11 am
ginossteakhouse.com
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1259 US 30 | Dyer, IN | 219.865.3854 600 East 81st | Merrillville, IN | 219.769.4466
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
At the two Gino’s Steakhouse locations in Northwest Indiana, the chefs blend fresh ingredients to create exciting dining experiences for customers using the talent they’ve honed from a young age. Chef Jose Vasquez of Gino’s Steakhouse at 1259 W. Joliet St. (U.S. 30) in Dyer hails from the Mexican resort city of Puerto Vallarta. That’s where he first learned to create the signature sauces that are his specialty. Vasquez began his association with Dean Frangos, who owns the two Gino’s restaurants, at Jelly Pancake House in Crown Point in 1997. Jelly’s is also owned by Steve and Nick Vlahos. “In 2001, I moved to California and trained with one of the best chefs in California,” says Vasquez. He brought that expertise back to Gino’s in 2004. Among his specialty sauces are a vodka-based sauce and ones created with champagne, which is wonderful served on fish or chicken, he says. The meat served at Gino’s Steakhouses is the canvas for these sauces, the chef says. “Gino’s has the best meat around town. It’s U.S. prime meat. One of the favorites is a meat that takes 21 days to dry-age,” Vasquez says. Desserts are also diners’ favorite at Gino’s Steakhouse, says the 44-year-old Crown Point resident. “All our desserts are made here. We have cheesecake, tiramisu, crème brulee,” Vasquez says. At Gino’s Steakhouse at 600 E. 81st Ave. in Merrillville, executive chef John Graves brings both family traditions and experiences gained at other fine dining restaurants to his cuisine. “My mom runs a restaurant in Iowa where I grew up. I was running around the restaurant when I was a little kid,” Graves recalls. “At 15 years old, I started working in the kitchen.” He moved to Indiana in 1998 and gained expertise working at a variety of restaurants in Winfield, Valparaiso, Chicago and New Buffalo, Michigan. Six months ago Graves came to the new Merrillville location of Gino’s after a five-year association with Gamba’s Restaurant. In creating cuisine at Gino’s Steakhouse, the chef says, “I want to keep it simple. I like a little bit of everything. I like modern cuisine.” Bringing food to the next generation involves “simple, good food and great products and techniques,” he says. In addition, today’s customers are becoming more savvy, especially with the Internet and being so close to Chicago, says the 36-year-old Crown Point resident. “Here at Gino’s we specialize in steaks and Italian food. Our goal is to keep people wanting to come back,” he says. “The chef is only 50 percent of the plate. The product is the other 50 percent,” Graves says. Training the next generation in culinary art careers involves a dose of reality, he says. “It’s a tough business,” Graves says. “You have to really enjoy it. Do what you love because it’s a commitment. Get your hands in it. It’s the only way to learn.” Gino’s Steakhouse in Dyer and Merrillville GINO’S are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday 1259 US 30 through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 Dyer, Ind. p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The restaurants 219.865.3854 are closed on Sunday. The lunch menu features a variety of appetizers, soups and 600 East 81st salads, sandwiches, main course salads, Merrillville, Ind. Gino’s Italian favorites, pastas and main 219.769.4466 course selections.
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bite & sip wasabi topikiko—as well as the choice of sakes. Reservations are always helpful, especially on the weekends. THE PHOENIX 1 2 4 Wa t e r S t , B e n t o n H a r b o r. 269.925.8060. thephoenixbh.com. For those wanting to taste Elizabeth Frost’s exquisite, freshly made croissants, timing is everything at the Phoenix, her cafe in the Arts District of Benton Harbor. Frost starts rolling out the laminated layers of butter and dough in this historic building, with its large windows overlooking the blossoming neighborhood, at a time when late-nighters are just thinking of going to bed. Since she first opened, word of mouth has spiked demand and the French pastries sell so quickly that Frost, who is dedicated to quality, often can’t keep up with the demand. Currently she’s offering three varieties—plain, ham and Gruyere cheese, and chocolate. But even those that miss out on her croissants can still enjoy her other baked goods, like the wonderful scones—often made with fresh fruit when in season—and such breakfast offerings as the One Eyed Jack—bread with a hole cut out of the middle to accommodate a cooked egg—and Egg McPhoenix, two organic eggs with a blend of cheeses served grilled on Challah bread. As with all the breakfast breads, lunch items are made with breads shipped in from the famed Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor and include grilled pimento and cheese, and turkey, havarti, bacon and avocado with mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. There’s freshly brewed coffee, lattes and cappuccinos, Boylan sodas and an array of teas. Outdoor seating completes Frost’s croissant dream. RESERVE WINE & FOOD BAR 21 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids. 616.855.9463. reservegr.com. Sleek and sophisticated, Reserve Wine & Food Bar in downtown Grand Rapids is a food lover’s dream. It is here that executive chef Matt Millar, a James Beard nominee and owner of the now-closed, muchloved Journeyman in Fennville, takes his culinary skills to an incendiary level. The restaurant, located in an old bank (the vault is now a wine cellar with private dining options), has a soaring two-story main floor with a charcuterie bar where Millar creates such wonders as his Riesling poached foie gras and housemade boudin blanc sausage. The tasting bar, with its Cruvinet preservation system dispensing more than 100 wines by the glass, was designed to showcase the larger-than-life painting Open Water #24, winner of the first ArtPrize competition sponsored by the DeVos family, who also co-own the restaurant. Upstairs, the lively buzz is more muted for those who want intimate dining. But no matter where you sit, the food is amazing. With a menu reading like a who’s who of locavore and artisan food producers, there’s Blis handcrafted Michigan-made smoked steelhead roe, Mangalitsa ham from Baker’s Green Acres in Marion, Michigan, and goat cheese from Dancing Goat Creamery in Fennville. And, of course, there’s the wine-try samples by ordering wine flights and types. TABOR HILL WINERY & RESTAURANT 1 8 5 M t . Ta b o r R d , B u c h a n a n . 800.283.3363. taborhill.com. Tabor Hill Winery’s restaurant is all at once elegant, urbane and semi-casual. Its windows afford ample, rolling vineyard views; the menu is sophisticated. Chef John Paul Verhage, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, gives a modified California-cuisine touch to signature dishes
like raspberry chicken and the salmon wrapped in grape leaves. The extensive appetizer menu includes items like mini Morel Mushroom Pizzas and Kobe Beef Carpaccio. Though the restaurant is easy to find—just a half hour north of South Bend and 20 minutes east of New Buffalo—it’s not always easy to get in. Reservations are suggested—but those who wander in unannounced can sip at the complimentary wine bar or purchase a glass and enjoy it on the stone terrace overlooking the vines. Tabor Hill produces a wonderful variety of award-winning wines, but for those who desire a harder libation, a full bar awaits.
Illinois
BALAGIO RISTORANTE 1 7 5 0 1 D i x i e H w y, H o m e w o o d . 708.957.1650. balagio-restaurant. com. This popular Italian restaurant has changed its menu offerings, with many entrée prices now under $12.95. Some of the specialties created by chef/owner Mike Galderio include chicken scaloppini—thin breast cutlets quickly sautéed with white wine—Italian sausage and roasted red peppers served with braised escarole, and a salmon club sandwich with broiled salmon, crisp bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato. There are also Galderio traditional family recipes like the chopped salad with chicken, salami and hearts of palm, housemade marinara sauce and spaghetti and meatballs. There’s an extensive wine list as well as live entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings. Private dining is available for any group from 10 to 200, either family style or custom designed. THE COURTYARD BISTRO 21 S White St, Frankfort. 815.464.1404. The ambitious menu is inspired by the cooking of Italy, France and the American Southwest, but this south suburban bistro adeptly meets the challenge of its own making while getting results that delight both newcomers and regulars. Signature dishes include Santa Fe lasagna and artichoke ravioli on the Neapolitan side, and onion tart and gorgonzolaseared beef tenderloin are straight out of a sidewalk café near the River Seine in Paris. The martini menu is as innovative as the food, and the wine list is better than average with interesting possibilities for complementing the entrées. The seafood is very fresh and well-prepared with garnishes and light sauces, and main dishes are economical in the $9-15 range. The atmosphere is always friendly and can range from celebratory for special luncheons on the weekends to cozy, romantic couple dinners in the evening. But it is the attention to detail at every level from customer comfort to the dessert selections and coffee service at the end of the meal that gets the repeat customers. SIAM MARINA THAI CUISINE 80 River Oaks Center Dr, Calumet City. 708.862.3438. 1669 Sibley Blvd, Calumet City. 708.868.0560. Chef-proprietor Tammy Pham has evolved into a legend for her mastery of a full menu with dozens of vegetarian options as well as traditionally spiced and marinated poultry dishes. The spring rolls and peanut sauce are prepared in-house daily, along with special soups. The authentic pad Thai has a loyal following, and fresh coconut works in many of the dishes, including dessert. A multi-course lunch averages $12, dinner $15.
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Turrets and a wraparound porch recall the Queen Anne-style era, while lots of new windows reflect today’s desire for expansive views of Lake Michigan.
A grande DAME
house&
GROUNDS
WORDS BY JULIE DEAN KESSLER • PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREGG RIZZO
Dan and Mary Nulty give new life to a Victorian painted lady in South Haven When a five-year search for a place along Lake Michigan’s shoreline ended with the choice of a Queen Anne-style home, Dan and Mary Nulty were to discover the Victorian painted lady had her share of secrets . . . some delightful, some suggesting she’d seen better days.
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y house&
GROUNDS
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Yearning for a house on the edge of the lake— handy for boating—the site on a dune in South Haven, Michigan, was perfect, even if the house wasn’t. And “the house had the ambience we were looking for,” Mary says. The exterior, with its two turrets and wraparound porch, is typical of the Queen Anne style, but without the flamboyance indulged in by the show-off industrialists of the day. What the Nultys loved: the lake just past the bluff, and the four-level home with views of dunes and lake at every level. What the Nultys didn’t love: an antiquated electrical system that didn’t meet code and plumbing that couldn’t possibly accommodate their plans for new kitchens and baths. St. Basil Catholic Church across the street had purchased the house in 1950 to serve as a convent for St. Basil nuns for 40 years. In 1990 a Chicago couple purchased the house; in 2001 the Nultys bought it, and despite their ongoing remodeling, moved in just a year later. The original modest dwelling—smaller, carpeted, compartmentalized—is now an expansive grande dame. The old galley kitchen with two tiny windows now accommodates a double oven and gas grill, one of four dishwashers in the home, and a clear view to the lake past a sitting area with lots of windows. The open arrangement is “totally set up for entertainment,” Mary says, which is essential for their large family and the charity events the couple hosts. Ripping up the old carpeting revealed beautiful golden oak flooring. The Nultys had it sanded and stained to match oak flooring in the new section added to the home; the quarter-sawn woodwork is also oak. Less exciting discovery: Removing several layers of wallpaper brought the plaster down with it, “and behind there were these tiny pipes; no way were they going to be able to support our plans for this house,” Mary says, with those plans including five baths and three laundry rooms. Still, maintaining the integrity of the original four-level home remained a priority. Wherever possible, original windows, ropes and all, were left intact, though they do let in drafts and some sand. Mary is philosophical about it: “That’s just part of what one has to put up with in an older home.” One of the two turrets is a butler’s pantry that became a small chapel for the nuns. Now, along with stored goods, Mary keeps a statue there, with a stained-glass
Clockwise from top: Mary Nulty’s restrained use of frills warms an elegant guest bedroom. Bed linens and blankets are kept handily together and stored in the chest for guests’ convenience; An informal dining area off the kitchen offers an elegant chaise lounge and panoramic view of the lake; Dan Nulty and guests enjoy his lowerlevel “Irish bar,” designed so that even here, windows provide natural light and lake views; The former galley kitchen is transformed into a spacious, open area with floor-to-ceiling cabinetry and double ovens.
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window she bought at the Vatican. “I feel it kind of honors what this place was,” she says. The other turret had been enclosed; Dan and Mary want to open it and add a window. In the dining room and living room, old heating registers were uncovered. “I saw how beautiful they were,” Mary says, “so I refinished them and painted them gold.” True to tradition, there is a front parlor—formal, with piano and fireplace— and an informal back parlor, with pocket doors closing it off on both sides. Two of five staircases have a sculpture on the newel post, typical of a Victorian home. Her collection of old marbletopped occasional tables holds family photos and artworks. The Nultys refurbished a plastered-over fireplace in the formal dining room, and Mary renewed the graceful bas-reliefs of festooned ribbon, once painted white like the ceiling but now in warm, glowing gold. One staircase goes to the old master suite of two separate bedrooms; back in the day, it wasn’t proper for couples to sleep in the same room. Four tiny bedrooms for the nuns have been opened into one spacious room. Mary thinks the two adjacent baths had been one; now separated, they’re convenient for guests, who can choose a big room with ten windows, or yet another bedroom. Antique light fixtures everywhere recall the era. Another staircase leads to the new master suite, with sitting room, double closet and laundry room. The bath, elegant with fireplace and marble flooring and tile, has an architectural feature even Victorians might not have envisioned: Walls flanking the bathtub are round-outs with plants near the ceiling, and a sitting area has seven windows with a lake view. In the spacious attic, Victorian gives way to bright, cheerful primary colors for grandchildren’s play and sleepovers, with three sets of bunk beds, two double beds, and two toddler beds. Kids can color and draw in a tiny room with six antique school desks. In the basement is Dan’s Irish pub, with wraparound bar, tables and a stand-up bar; light pours in from seven lakeview windows. A large area is set aside for kids’ lounging, snacking and movies. An antique cabinet holds rolled beach towels—”If you’re going to live with antiques, you have to find a way to use them for modern times,” Mary notes. She loves that the old coal bin has been converted to a pretty wine cellar. The manicured backyard overlooking the lake has a fire pit and patio, perfect for nighttime revels or the couple’s charity events hosting 200 to 300 people. Taking a satisfied, appraising look at her home, Mary is quietly pleased. “The charity events mean a lot, helping urban youth. The places for our kids and their kids to gather are wonderful. And having our upstairs level for Dan and me to relax, talk, fix dinner . . . we love it.”
Love Happiness! shorethings STYLE
Celebrate the love of your life!
Whether it’s a spouse or partner, family member or friend, or even the greatest love of all—yourself—here are a few gorgeous items that will melt hearts and look almost as sweet as a box of chocolates. Enjoy! BY LAVETA HUGHES
AND
Red Suede Liquid Metal Purse By Sergio Gutierrez, $325
Sterling Silver and Turquoise Ring, $120
Customs Imports 430 S Whittaker, New Buffalo, Mich. 269.469.9180. customsimports.com
Customs Imports
Men’s Tag Heuer Mercedes-Benz 300 Watch with Brown Leather Band, $5,100 Albert’s Diamond Jewelers 711 Main St, Schererville, Ind. 219.322.2700 albertsjewelers.com
Red Print Scarf, $18 Customs Imports
Claudia Lobao Gemstone Earrings, $138 Customs Imports
Rina Limor White Enamel Earrings with 3.20cttw Multi-Colored Sapphires, $800
Ladies’ Cartier 21 Chronoscaph Small Pink Dial Watch, $3,750 Albert’s Diamond Jewelers
Albert’s Diamond Jewelers
Rina Limor Red Enamel Bangle with 6.50cttw Multi-Colored Sapphires, $1,500 Albert’s Diamond Jewelers
Claudia Lobao Gold and Emerald bracelet, $450 Claudia Lobao Gold and Emerald earrings, $235 Customs Imports
shore things BLUE GALLERY
16 S Elm St, Three Oaks 269.756.9338. bluegalleryart.com Run by owner and art director Judy Ferrara, this well-known gallery features the works of more than 15 artists, including local notables like Joe Hindley and Kellie Pickard. Several art-related events take place here, including a gallery walk every third Saturday of the month (starting in April), when the facility is open until 9 p.m. Winter hours are Thursdays to Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.
build Indiana
MARUSZCZAK APPLIANCE 7809 W Lincoln Hwy, Schererville, Ind. 219.865.0555. maruszczak.com. For decades, this award-winning, family-owned company has been selling and servicing major home appliances in the Munster area. Its broad inventory includes refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, washer/dryers and more, made by virtually every brand in the market. The company is factory-authorized to service everything it sells, and professional in-house delivery and installation services are also available.
Michigan
WATER PLACE 188 W US 12, Ste 3, New Buffalo. 269.231.5153. The Water Place is a decorative plumbing and hardware products superstore. With whirlpools, faucets and cabinets, this destination has “everything you need for plumbing services.”
design Indiana
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INDIANA FURNITURE 1807 E Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.465.0545. athomeatlast.com. Since 1980, this family-owned and operated company has offered quality home furnishings and customer service. A wide range of home furnishing providers are represented here, including Ashley, Lane and La-Z-Boy. STRATA SHOPS 800.985.9495. stratashops.com. StrataShops, based in Elkhart, Ind., operates multiple online stores featuring furniture for all tastes and budgets. Six of the stores offer outdoor furniture—made of wicker, recycled polywood, teak, eucalyptus and other sustainable materials—and the company’s newest store features modern indoor furniture. StrataShops prides itself on fair prices, fast shipping and an easy online shopping experience.
TILLES 901 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.1530. For more than sixty years, this family-owned and -operated retail furniture store has been embedded in the Northwest Indiana community. Tilles carries middle- to upper-end brands of furniture, including a full range of accessories and window treatments, and the staff adds a personal touch by helping clients through the entire decorating process.
Michigan
CUSTOMS IMPORTS 430 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo. 269.469.9180. customsimports.com. This exotic gallery hosts a large, distinguished inventory of global art, furniture and antiques from India, Indonesia, China, Morocco and Vietnam. Dee Dee Duhn’s new showroom features teak root benches, textiles, Indonesian pottery, unique new furniture and an extensive mirror gallery. Claudia Lobao’s Global Dreams jewelry—popular with the stars of Desperate Housewives—can also be found here. HARBOR TOWN INTERIORS 613 Broad St, St. Joseph, Michigan, 269.983.7774. harbortowninteriors.com. Harbor Town Interiors offers home decor items such as furniture, mattresses, bed coverings, rugs, and home accessories. Gift items and full service design consultation are available. RED ARROW GALLERY 13648 Red Arrow Hwy, Harbert. 269.469.1950. redarrowgallery.com. Red Arrow Gallery is the largest gallery in southwestern Michigan dedicated to bringing art lovers a vast selection of art from the most talented and unique artists in the area. The collection includes oils, acrylics, sculptures, jewelry, art lamps and sculptural furniture. Furniture artists are available to design and construct one-of-a-kind pieces that could be the centerpiece of a home. SANCTUARY at CUSTOMS IMPORTS 430 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo. 269.469.9180. customsimports.com. Born out of a desire for inner peace amidst the nation’s current economic turmoil
is Sanctuary, the new store-within-a-store at Customs Imports. Owner Dee Dee Duhn has dedicated this space to feature items promoting quiet and tranquility, including art, music, candles fountains and incense. Patrons will receive a CD of the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra, chanted by the Dalai Lama, with any purchase. SAWYER HOME & GARDEN CENTER 5 8 6 5 S a w y e r R d , S a w y e r. 2 6 9 . 4 2 6 . 8 8 1 0 . sawyergardencenter.com. The Sawyer Garden Center offers a large inventory of items for the garden, including annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees, plus a variety of high-quality lawn accessories. A large gift shop and gourmet shop—featuring produce, breads, sauces and cheeses—are also on site.
drive Indiana
DORMAN GARAGE, INC. 1317 Lake St, LaPorte. 219.324.7646. dormangarage. com. With more than twenty years of experience, Dorman Garage specializes in classic car restoration. Aside from offering restoration services, there is also a large inventory of restored classic automobiles for sale. HARBOR AUTOMOTIVE GROUP 9911 W 300 N, Michigan City. 219.879.6789. harborcars.com. This auto dynamo features new and pre-owned vehicles by Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Honda, Jeep and Pontiac. On-site parts, servicing and financing are also available. THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON SHOP OF MICHIGAN CITY 2968 N Hwy 421, Michigan City. 219.878.8885. hdmichigancity.com. While the Harley-Davidson brand needs no introduction, the Michigan City store stands out in the crowd, being a member of the largest Harley dealer in the state. A large selection of new and preowned motorcycles are available for purchase or for rent. The store also offers accessories, repair services and periodic events.
photo by TONY V. MARTIN
The information presented in Shore Things is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify the listing information.
SCHEPEL AUTO GROUP 2929 W Lincoln Hwy, Merrillville. 866.724.3735. schepel.com. This renowned auto dealer in Northwest Indiana offers new and pre-owned vehicles by Cadillac, Hummer, Saab, Buick and Pontiac. The experienced sales staff, plus the extensive online inventory, helps consumers find the car most suited for their needs. Repair services are also available.
Michigan
RUSSELL’S FOREIGN CAR REPAIR 8754 US Hwy 31, Berrien Springs. 269.473.3088. This dealer alternative provides service, repairs and maintenance during the vehicle’s factory warranty and beyond. Russell’s Foreign Car Repair services all imported car makes, but specializes in upscale European and Asian vehicles.
eat Indiana
GREAT LAKES CATERING 701 Washington St, Michigan City. 219.898.1502. greatlakescatering.com. With a combined 150 years of experience, Ed Kis and family have formed one of the area’s leading catering companies. A full range of services is available for all kinds of events, including catered foods and beverages, bands, tents, tables and more. For 10 years in a row, Great Lakes Catering has been voted Northern Indiana’s premier caterer and special event planner. KILWIN’S Multiple locations in Illinois and Michigan. kilwins.com. For more than 60 years, Kilwin’s has been a quality confectionery shoppe in northern Michigan, providing quality products and excellent services. Despite growing throughout the United States and changing ownership, they still use only the finest and freshest ingredients in their hand-paddled fudge, custom chocolates and truffles.
heal Indiana
CENTER FOR IMPLANTS, SEDATION AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY 890 Richard Rd, Ste A, Dyer. 219.322.2171. chicagonodentures.com. The doctors at this state-of-the-art dental office—Dr. Irfan Atcha, Dr. Jasmine Sandhu, Dr. Nilofer Khan and Dr. Romal Sediq—specialize in full or partial implant services. The staff at the center is up to date on the latest technology and offers a pleasant, peaceful and even fun experience with friendly service and a gentle touch.
OBSTETRICAL & GYNECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATES, INC. 1101 E Glendale Blvd, Ste 102, Valparaiso. 219.462.6144. 3630 Willowcreek Rd, Ste 1, Portage. 219.364.3230. The boardcertified obstetrician-gynecologists—Drs. Short, Strickland and Murphy—at this clinic specialize in pregnancy care, family planning, infertility and menopause, along with general women’s wellness. Patients are made to feel at ease because of the clinic’s state-of-the-art equipment and a skilled staff. PINNACLE HOSPITAL 9301 Connecticut Dr, Crown Point. 219.756.2100. pinnaclehealthcare.net. This acute care hospital prides itself on its small facility; with only 18 beds and five operating suites, each patient receives high-quality care and undivided attention. Owned and operated by physicians, Pinnacle offers a full range of specialties, including orthopaedics, spinal surgeries and women’s health, and is the home to the Indiana Breast Center, led by Dr. Marylyn Rosencranz.
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PORTER HOSPITAL 8 1 4 L a P o r t e A v e , Va l p a r a i s o . 219.263.4600. 3630 Willowcreek Rd, Portage. 219.364.3000. 650 Dickinson Rd, Chesterton. 219.926.7755. porterhealth.org. Since opening in 1939 as a community-owned, not-for-profit hospital, Porter has served area families by providing quality care and programs. With ten facilities in two counties, Porter provides health care that is recognized on local, state and national levels and offers a continuum of specialized services such as emergency/trauma, cardiology, family medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, orthopedics, oncology, sleep lab, physical rehabilitation care and more.
This innovative collection of cosmetic brushes allows you to conceal, bronze, contour and buff. EcoTools “Beautiful Expression” Kabuki Set, $14.99
ST. MARY MEDICAL CENTER 1 5 0 0 S L a k e P a r k Av e , H o b a r t . 219.942.0551. comhs.org/stmary. Innovative women’s health services are available here, including complete gynecologic and obstetrical care, plus treatment for high-risk pregnancies and menopause. Functional, metabolic and nutritional medicine is practiced wherever possible.
invest Michigan
MUTUAL BANK, KATHY SELLERS 307 W Buffalo St, New Buffalo. 269.469.5552. bankwithmutual.com. Kathy Sellers is a Mutual Bank agent who services both first-time home buyers and seasoned investors. Mutual Bank specializes in investments and wealth management for businesses and personal clients.
live Indiana
COLDWELL BANKER, DAWN BERNHARDT 748 E Porter, Chesterton. 219.241.0952. dawnbernhardt.com. Dawn Bernhardt is the go-to agent for homes in Chesterton’s luxurious Sand Creek subdivision, along with other properties in Porter, LaPorte
Release the impurities of wintry, wind-blown skin with this earth-friendly 2-in-1 dynamic duo. One side is a soft, exfoliating loofah, which gently polishes to reveal fresh and radiant skin. Use the reverse side of this powerhouse to lather and cleanse with 100% recycled EcoPouf netting (complete with a reversible strap for a comfortable grip). EcoPouf Cleansing Pad, $2.99
www.ecotools.com
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
CENTER FOR OTOLARYNGOLOGY 24 Joliet St, Ste 302, Dyer. 219.865.4368. Bethany Cataldi, D.O., specializes in ear, nose and throat surgery and facial plastic surgery. In fact, she is the only female facial plastic surgeon in Northwest Indiana who’s been specifically trained in surgery of the face, head and neck. Dr. Cataldi’s expertise in such procedures exclusively ranges all spectrums, from topical treatments like skin peels, to hair removal, to full nasal construction.
FRANCISCAN ST. ANTHONY HEALTH — MICHIGAN CITY 301 W Homer St, Michigan City. 888.879.8511. saintanthonymemorial. org. This acute care hospital, serving LaPorte, Porter and Berrien Counties, boasts an integrated health care network that is made up of an intensive care unit, a new birthing unit, emergency department, behavioral medicine, rehabilitation services, surgery units, oncology, pediatrics and a multidiscipline physician practice.
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LEXUS OF MERRILLVILLE 3957 US Hwy 30, Merrillville. 219.769.4545. lexusofmerrillville.com. Lexus vehicles and customer-service focused sales teams can be found at this dealership, which features new and preowned vehicles—including luxury and sport sedans, SUVs and convertibles. Financing, vehicle services and parts and accessories are also available.
shore things and Lake Counties. The website offers an abundance of resources for both buyers and sellers. COLDWELL BANKER, DONNA HOFMANN 219.331.1133. dhofmann.com. Donna Hofmann specializes in helping clients with buying and selling lakefront properties in Ogden Dunes, Dune Acres, Porter Beach, Beverly Shores, Chesterton and Valparaiso.
Michigan
AMERICAN HOMES, SHARON HALLIBURTON 4532 Red Arrow Hwy, Stevensville. 269.983.2526. sharonhalliburton.com. For 30 years, Sharon Halliburton has specialized in property management, having been licensed as a real estate agent and a broker more than 10 years ago. Her expertise covers residential, lakefront and vacation properties, plus farms, golf courses and vineyards. CAROL BRYCHTA REAL ESTATE 1 3 6 6 1 R e d A r r o w H w y, H a r b e r t . 269.469.7766. carolbrychta.com. Carol Brychta Real Estate is a family business with a reputation of 27 years of excellent service. Their primary mission is to find the right buyer for each property that they list so that both parties walk away from the table well satisfied with the outcome. COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE 10 N Whittaker St, New Buffalo. 269.469.3950. coldwellbankeronline.com. This New Buffalo real estate firm features more than 200,000 properties in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Both the inoffice staff and the Coldwell Banker website offer multiple services and resources for buyers and sellers. HARBOR SHORES RESORT 269.932.1600. harborshoresresort.com. Southwest Michigan’s biggest, most talkedabout project is underway in Benton Harbor. The residential community will include a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, marinas, an indoor water park and a luxury spa. The property is surrounded by two rivers and five beaches. Custom homesites and cottages are available. PRUDENTIAL RUBLOFF PROPERTIES 439 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo. 888.257.5800. rubloff.com. Since 1930, Rubloff has been one of the premier real estate firms on the local scene. Serving clients all along Lake Michigan’s southern coast and beyond, the certified sales associates at Rubloff proclaim great success in buying, selling and renting properties along the lakeshore.
Illinois
0 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 10
DEWITT PLACE 900 N DeWitt Pl, Chicago. 312.642.7020. dewittplace.com. This 82-unit vintage building, built in 1924, offers corporate housing, temporary furnished apartment rentals and long-term temporary housing solutions. These studio and one-bedroom apartments come with a variety of amenities, including a fully equipped kitchen, wireless Internet access, DirecTV satellite service and an exercise room.
pamper Indiana
COSMEDIC SKIN & BODY CLINIC 210 E 86th Pl, Merrillville. 219.795.1255. 58 E Walton, Chicago. 312.377.3333. c o s m e d i c c l i n i c . c o m . Av a i l a b l e b y appointment. Dr. James Platis, who has been featured on local and national news
programs and has been applauded by Dr. Phil, specializes in all forms of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, particularly breast surgery, body contouring and facial aesthetic surgery. Less invasive procedures include tanning, waxing and facials. VANIS SALON & SPA 221 US 41, Ste J, Schererville. 219.322.5600. 1620 Country Club Rd, Valparaiso. 219.465.6414. 107 N Main St, Crown Point. 219.663.5200. vanis.net. One of Northwest Indiana’s premier salons, Vanis features a well-trained, professional staff for hair care, nail care and spa body treatments. Group and corporate retreats (for four to twenty people) can be arranged.
play Indiana
BLUE CHIP CASINO, HOTEL & SPA 777 Blue Chip Dr, Michigan City. 888.879.7711. bluechipcasino.com. The casino portion of Blue Chip features 65,000 square feet of gaming, all on one level, including more than 2,100 slot games and all the classic table games. Brand new to the facility is the 22-story Spa Blu Tower, which features a state-of-the-art hotel, luxury spa and convention center. Dining options include It’s Vegas Baby! and the Game, along with the fine-dining restaurant William B’s Steakhouse. INSPIRATION WOOD INC. 6 4 2 E I n s p i r a t i o n R d , We s t v i l l e . 219.983.9922. inspirationwood.com. Inspiration Wood is a serene, private environment perfect for a retreat, meeting or reunion. Whether planning a business meeting or a family celebration, visitors will be enchanted by the surroundings. Nestled among 60 acres of soaring pines, woodlands and grassy meadows, it’s a tranquil and peaceful setting perfect for any occasion. FOUR WINDS CASINO RESORT 11111 Wilson Rd, New Buffalo, Michigan. 866.494.6371. fourwindscasino.com. Four Winds offers 130,000 square feet of gaming. Patrons can enjoy 3,000 slots, featuring the area’s biggest progressive jackpots and a large selection of table games including blackjack, craps and traditional and automated poker in a World Poker Tour poker room. Dining includes four restaurants, from Copper Rock Steakhouse to an all-you-can-eat buffet. FERNWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN 13988 Range Line Road. Niles. 269.695.6491. fernwoodbotanical.org. Fernwood is a special place where people, plants and nature come together. Beautiful gardens surrounded by forest are tucked into a landscape of 105 acres of cultivated and natural areas along the scenic St. Joseph River valley. Miles of trails await, and indoors, visitors may enjoy an art gallery, fern conservatory, nature center, cafe and gift shop. Fernwood offers many possibilities for learning and enrichment, including classes, workshops, lectures, concerts, trips, exhibits and special events. LOST DUNES GOLF CLUB 9300 Red Arrow Hwy, Bridgman. 269.465.9300. lostdunes.com. The Lost Dunes Experience begins at the front gates and glides past the rolling natural grass dunes into some of the most dramatic golf of the Midwest. Tucked just off the Southeastern tip of Lake Michigan, Lost Dunes is a truly privileged golf experience. The centerpiece is a 6,900-yard, par-71 course, where acclaimed architect Tom Doak molded 18 distinctive holes to the contours of a reclaimed sand quarry engulfed by 60-foot dunes.
NEW BUFFALO BUSINESS ASSOCIATION 888.660.6222. newbuffalo.org. The New Buffalo Business Association is made up of more than 100 members representing New Buffalo and neighboring communities.
stay Indiana
INN AT ABERDEEN 3 1 5 8 S S t a t e R d 2 , Va l p a r a i s o . 219.465.3753. innataberdeen.com. Located in the beautiful and prestigious Aberdeen neighborhood, just minutes from downtown Valparaiso, the Inn at Aberdeen is a comfortable and convenient place to stay. A variety of unique rooms and suites are available, as well as a Flavia coffee and tea bar, a full gourmet breakfast every morning, and all of the amenities needed for both a personal and business stay. A conference room is available for business meetings and private parties.
Michigan
THE BOULEVARD INN 521 Lake Blvd, St. Joseph. 269.983.6600. theboulevardinn.com. Warmth and coziness are a theme at this historic hotel in St. Joseph. From the plush furniture in the lobby to the comfort food at the Bistro, to the luxurious amenities in the hotel’s suites, the Boulevard offers more than just a place to stay. Business and fitness centers are also available for use.
view Michigan
GALLERY ON THE ALLEY 611 Broad St, St. Joseph. 269.983.6261. The works of over 175 of the country’s most talented artists are beautifully displayed in this charming and pleasant art boutique. Gallery on the Alley specializes in the unique and unusual-from whimsical windsocks, furniture and clocks to exquisite blown glass, elegant lamps and distinctive handcrafted jewelry. Visitors will also enjoy the framed color prints of St. Joseph in the early 1900s and the black and white photos of downtown St. Joseph and Silver Beach in the 1950s. GRAND RAPIDS ART MUSEUM 101 Monroe Center, Grand Rapids. 616.831.1000. gramonline.org. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is the first art museum in the world to be certified by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Its glass walls, natural light, and reflecting pool further illustrate the fusion between the indoors and outdoors, ehancing its impressive permanent collection as well as changing exhibitions.
visit Indiana
CITY OF WHITING 1417 - 119th St, Whiting. 219.659.0292. whitingindiana.com. Whiting is “A lakeshore destination embracing traditional values.” Located twenty minutes from Chicago, the city offers a rich ethnic heritage and a multitude of festivals, summer concerts and parades. LAGRANGE COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITOR’S BUREAU 780 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana. 800.254.8090. backroads.org. Great food, fun and hands-on experiences await individuals and groups in Shipshewana along the Amish Backroads. Visitors may dine in a relaxed atmosphere of family-style restaurants or in an Amish home, shop the
quaint specialty shops downtown, tour the beautiful countryside, visit the famous outdoor flea market, auctions and antique shops, or attend one of the many festivals or events throughout the year. PORTAGE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Rd, Portage. Portage Yacht Club, 1370 State Rd 249, Portage, Ind. 219.762.1675 ext 300. ci.portage.in.us/parks. Portage Parks & Recreation Department offers a multitude of activities for people of all ages, and the Portage Lakefront & Riverwalk is the crown jewel of the park system. Amenities include a pavilion with an educational classroom, a cafe, restrooms, boardwalk and a pier.
Michigan
ST. JOSEPH TODAY 421 State St, St. Joseph. 269.985.1111. sjtoday.org. Visitors to St. Joseph will find a variety of helpful information—on shopping, dining and events—at this welcome center. St. Joseph Today is a nonprofit organization that assists and encourages local business and tourism development. SILVER BEACH CENTER 333 Broad St, St. Joseph. 269.982.8500. silverbeachcarousel.com. Brand new to St. Joseph is this family-friendly center, which features an abundance of fun and unique activities for people of all ages. The primary attraction is the Silver Beach Carousel, a spectacular structure that features 44 colorful, hand-carved horses. Also at the center is Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone, the Shadowland Ballroom, Whirlpool Compass Fountain, and Michigan’s tallest kaleidoscope. SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN TOURIST COUNCIL 2300 Pipestone Rd, Benton Harbor. 269.925.6301. swmichigan.org. The natural attractions of Southwest Michigan—the dunes, miles of scenic Lake Michigan beach, rivers and parks with hiking trails and biking paths—offer beauty in every season. The friendly staff at this nonprofit organization can assist travelers whether they seek solitude or a group learning experience.
wear Indiana
ALBERT’S DIAMOND JEWELERS 711 Main St, Schererville. 219.322.2700. albertsjewelers.com. Besides the fact that Albert’s showcases 5,000 square feet of jewelry, the store in itself is an entertainment destination. A bar, large-screen TV, dance floor and karaoke are among the many ways that patrons can let loose while browsing every type of fine jewelry imaginable. Brands include Tacori, Bulgari, Cartier and Bez Ambar, plus bridal jewelry and accessories. URBAN SOLES 6 2 4 F r a n k l i n S t , M i c h i g a n C i t y. 219.221.6508. urbansolesinc.com. This brand new boutique—located in Michigan City’s downtown arts district—features a diverse array of high-quality shoes and accessories from brands like Poetic Licence, Dansko, Ugg, Toms and Sanuk. Jewelry, hats, purses and scarves are available, and there’s even a men’s room with men’s shoes, hats and sunglasses, plus comfortable seating, a TV and a stocked refrigerator. Art from local and Chicago artists is featured throughout the store.
For more business listings, please go to visitshoremagazine.com.
nwi.com
Your Automotive Source for Northwest Indiana
Locate Auto Dealers with Ease, in NW Indiana & Chicagoland ACURA
HONdA
TeaM chevRoleT • 48
paT FiTzgibbon’s MiTsubishi • 41 113 W. 159th Street, South Holland, IL
1856 W. U.S. 30, Valparaiso, IN Joe Rizza acuRa • 3
219-462-1175 • www.teamchevyinc.com
8150 West 159th Street, Orland Park, IL 708-403-7770 • www.rizzacars.com
CHRYSLER
AUdi
gRiegeRs chRysleR • 5
3990 E. RT 30, Merrillville, IN
shaFFeR MiTsubishi • 43 1000 W. U.S. Hwy. 30, Merrillville, IN
HYUNdAi
219-736-2277 • www.shaffermitsubishi.com
shaFFeR hyundai • 43
ThoMas chRysleR • 11
219-736-2277 • www.shafferhyundai.com
1000 W. U.S. Hwy. 30, Merrillville, IN
9604 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN
BUiCK
708-333-1060 • www.FitzMits.com
219-462-4117 • www.griegersmotors.com
(One mile east of the mall) 888-805-3689 • www.teamvwaudi.com
Just 10 minutes from the IN border!
219-947-3900 • www.teamhondaon30.com
1756 U.S. 30 West, Valparaiso, IN
TeaM audi • 50
TeaM honda • 51 4613 East Rt. 30, Merrillville, IN
NiSSAN souThlake nissan • 34
219-924-6100 • www.thomasautogroup.com
webb hyundai • 45
Rt. 30, 1 Mile E. of I-65, Merrillville, IN
9236 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN
888-471-1241 • www.southlakeautomall.com
dOdGE
219-923-2277 • www.webbhyundai.com
gRiegeRs dodge • 5
JEEP
ciRcle buick • 65 2440 45th Street, Highland, IN
SUBARU
IN. 219-865-4400 • IL. 773-221-8124 www.circleautomotive.com
nielsen subaRu• 22
1756 U.S. 30 West, Valparaiso, IN 219-462-4117 • www.griegersmotors.com
CHEVROLET
5020 U.S. Highway 6, Portage, IN
1756 U.S. 30 West, Valparaiso, IN
888-710-9159 • www.nielsen.subaru.com
219-462-4117 • www.griegersmotors.com
ThoMas dodge • 11
aRnell chevRoleT • 14
gRiegeRs Jeep • 5
SUZUKi
9604 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN
U.S 20 & I-94, Burns Harbor, IN 866-593-0997 • www.arnellmotors.com
219-924-6100 • www.thomasautogroup.com
ThoMas Jeep • 11
chRisTenson chevRoleT • 2
FORd
219-924-6100 • www.thomasautogroup.com
sMiTh FoRd • 36
KiA
RichaRdson suzuki • 38
9604 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN
9700 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN 888-999-9141 • www.christensonchevy.com
9110 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN 219-923-4000 • www.richardsonsuzuki.com
TOYOTA
1777 E. Commercial, Lowell, IN aRnell kia • 14
219-769-1090 • www.smithautogroupusa.com
Mike andeRson chevRoleT • 4 The Chevy Giant on I-65 I-65 and 61st Avenue, Merrillville, IN
webb FoRd • 71
219-947-4151 • www.mikeandersonchevy.com
9809 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN
I-94 AutoMall, Hey. 20 & I-94, Burns Harbor, IN
TeaM ToyoTa • 44
219-787-9200 • www.arnellmotors.com
9601 Indianapolis Blvd., Highland, IN 219-924-8100 • www.teamtoyota2000.com
souThlake kia • 34
888-869-8822 • www.webbford.com
Rt. 30, 1 mi. East of I-65, Merrillville, IN
ToyoTa on 30 • 46
GMC
888-478-7178 • www.southlakeautomall.com
4450 E. RT 30, Merrillville, IN
ciRcle gMc • 65
ThoMas kia • 16
Ridgeway chevRoleT • 1 17730 Torrence Ave, Lansing, IL 60438
219-947-3325 • www.toyotaon30.com
708-474-4990 • www.ridgewaychevy.com sMiTh chevRoleT - haMMond • 37
2440 45th Street, Highland, IN
9825 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland, IN
6405 Indianapolis Blvd., Hammond, IN
IN. 219-865-4400 • IL. 773-221-8124
219-934-2266 • www.thomasautogroup.com
219-845-4000 • www.smithautogroupusa.com
www.circleautomotive.com
2
VOLKSwAGEN
2
MiTSUBiSHi
(One mile east of the mall)
sMiTh chevRoleT - lowell • 7
888-805-3689 • www.teamvwaudi.com
nielsen MiTsubishi • 22
700 W. Commerical, Lowell, IN
TeaM volkswagen • 50 3990 E. RT 30, Merrillville, IN
5020 U.S. Highway 6, Portage, IN
219-696-8931 • www.smithautogroupusa.com
888-710-9159 • www.nielsenmitsubishi.com
3
3 SOUTH HOLLAND ORLAND PARK
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ContaCt your sales representative to feature your 4 business in the times auto DireCtory
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38
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11
45 2
22 44
VALPARAISO 71
65
4
16
50
46
48
43 MERRILLVILLE
5
34
51
CROWN POINT • (219) 662-5300 MUNSTER • (219) 933-3200 5 poRTagE • (219) 762-1397 VaLpaRaISo • (219) 462-5151
5
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shorecast predictions by fran smith
For more astrological advice, be sure to check out Fran Smith’s regular blog on visitshoremagazine.com.
basketball legend MICHAEL JORDAN
[aquarius] JANUARY 20FEBRUARY 18 KEY WORDS in February: A New Beginning. This is good, as the month of February always marks the start of your personal New Year. So, be the courageous You, as you now initiate a daring plan that others would find overwhelming. It’s perfect for you! SIDESTEP a sudden bout of shyness. KEY WORDS in March: Possessions and Lifestyle. Your focus now is on your income. Signs of improvement exist; in fact, an actual increase may be tangible. Excellent! However, be aware of its scope. And see exactly where you now need backup. SIDESTEP criticism—of others, of yourself.
KEY WORDS in March: Confidential Matters and Closed-Door Strategy-Planning Sessions. Take this time to reevaluate and to research your plans for the New Year. It’s advisable now to keep your own counsel, as much can be accomplished in the silence. SIDESTEP ongoing indecision. [taurus] APRIL 21-MAY 20 KEY WORDS in February: Your Career and Its Advancement. Look for—and expect—the prize. Applies to your professional and personal worlds. You’ve worked hard to get to this point. And this is the cycle in which your efforts are about to be rewarded. SIDESTEP not enough actual rest. KEY WORDS in March: Getting What You Want. It’s advisable that this particular cycle start with one of your lists. In fact, this is essential, if you’re to have the desires of your heart. Know that nothing is too small or insignificant. Include it! SIDESTEP a point of view other than your own. [gemini] MAY 21-JUNE 20 KEY WORDS in February: People, Plans and Projects. Take your own plans and projects seriously. Life may be fun, but it’s nothing to be toyed with. Know that you have the skill and the ability to create a viable proposal—and launch it. Successfully! SIDESTEP over-delegating significant research. KEY WORDS in March: Reaching the Mountain Top. And it’s an endeavor that you can accomplish this month—if you maintain self-discipline and focus. These two elements plus clarity and interest will take you exactly where you want to go. SIDESTEP an attitude that’s counterproductive.
actor WILLIAM PETERSEN
[pisces] FEBRUARY 19MARCH 20 KEY WORDS in February: Working Behind the Scenes. There you are—hard at work, planning, plotting and creating one (possibly, two) new projects destined to be launched next month. Stay with this—and allow nothing to distract you at this time. SIDESTEP the truly boring routine.
2 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 10
KEY WORDS in March: Great New Beginnings. Here you are, right on the threshold of your personal New Year, as the Sun and the Moon are both perfectly aligned in Pisces—creating a New Moon (new starts) in your own sun-sign. Initiate those plans right now! SIDESTEP a lack of focus.
[cancer] JUNE 21-JULY 22 KEY WORD in February: Revitalization, on all levels— mental, emotional, physical, financial, spiritual. Apply your innate vision to whatever area or situation demands your immediate attention. Then, reestablish your direction. It’ll be easier than you imagine. SIDESTEP being out of reach. KEY WORDS in March: New Ideas and New Plans—near and at a distance. Following the dictates of your heart, you’re now able to construct the ways and means by which you advance. Take nothing—and no one—for granted. Just quietly follow that straight line. SIDESTEP a lack of interest. [leo] JULY 23-AUGUST 22 KEY WORDS in February: Agreements and Special Arrangements. Fortified with your natural grace and style, you now contact a cross-section of associates—because you have the reworking of an agreement (written or verbal) in mind. Stay with this. It works. SIDESTEP the sharp answer. KEY WORD in March: Renewal—mentally, emotionally, physically, financially and spiritually. Your sense of the right moment is about to impress others—in precisely the ways that work to your benefit. Listen to your own superb intuition. Then, follow it. SIDESTEP being difficult to find.
[virgo] AUGUST 23-SEPTEMBER 22 KEY WORDS in February: The Work Scene and Its Direction. Since you’re no stranger to work-related involvement, this cycle finds you absorbed with getting what you want. Look closely. And you’ll discover that what works best now is the light touch. SIDESTEP discordant notes and people. KEY WORDS in March: Alliances and Excellent Agreements. Time now to stay in the mainstream of emails, calls and meetings—even if those meetings are last-minute. You’re about total resolution, so move ahead at a very even pace. It’ll be effective. SIDESTEP confusion and uncertainty. [libra] SEPTEMBER 23-OCTOBER 22 KEY WORDS in February: Love, Laughter and Joy— which describes your fifth house (where the Sun is) of love, close relationships, and creative matters to perfection. Leave the past—in the past. And strive to create a loving environment, more to your liking. SIDESTEP total unavailability. KEY WORDS in March: Your Working Environment. Whatever the task, you can do it—once you decide that it is yours to do. Now is such a time. Save the day from a dilemma—and see if an adjustment can be made. Try. You’re so very good at this. SIDESTEP staying only with the familiar. [scorpio] OCTOBER 23-NOVEMBER 22 KEY WORD in February: Home. Included is your base of operations—where you live and where you work. And since the planet Uranus (the unusual and the unexpected) governs this sector, a fantastic new development is likely. SIDESTEP letting your record-keeping slip. KEY WORDS in March: Close Ties and Creativity. A desirable month, March can be close to heaven on earth—if you allow it to be. Means that your temper and your disinterest must be put away and replaced with your overwhelming warmth. SIDESTEP high drama at the wrong moment. [sagittarius] NOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 21 KEY WORDS in February: Many Words. Every form of communication—emails, texting, calls, meetings, even the personal phone call—is part of this month’s intense and high-level activity. Be very clear now about what you want— and do not want. SIDESTEP canceling at the last minute. KEY WORDS in March: Your Base of Operations—where you live and where you work. This is a go-with-the-flow time. Means that in order to have the type of environment that you now desire, you’ll have to be the incredibly flexible You. It’s possible. SIDESTEP having no real budget. [capricorn] DECEMBER 22-JANUARY 19 KEY WORDS in February: Coin of the Realm. At the core of this month are your personal earnings, your possessions and your lifestyle. Survey the entire scene—and see where an adjustment is called for. Then, make it—quickly, quietly and thoroughly. SIDESTEP scattering your energy. KEY WORDS in March: Opening the Lines of Communication. Never a problem for you, as very little ever escapes your attention. However, you may want to pace yourself during this cycle. And know that new ideas now serve your new plans—beautifully. SIDESTEP unnecessary calls.
photos courtesy of THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
[aries] MARCH 21-APRIL 20 KEY WORDS in February: Your Secret Agenda. It’s time to choose your close friends, your associates and your current plans with great care. Although laughter may be everywhere, drama is still lurking in those unsuspected places. SIDESTEP too many new people, too much activity.
For more about what’s going on in the firmament, check out Fran Smith’s website at starcast12.com.
WANT MORE? please go to page 32 or visitshoremagazine.com for a full listing of the area’s best events.
Jan 28-29
Feb 10-20
BEV’S SECOND SEASON BALL 1933 E 800 N, LaPorte 888.660.6222. newbuffalo.org This event will feature an open bar with free signature chocolate martinis from 6:30-7:30pm, appetizers by local restaurants, a delicious meal and two chocolate fountains for dessert. A spectacular silent auction will include vacations and cruises.
Feb 10-12
8TH ANNUAL MAGICAL ICE CARVING FESTIVAL Various times and locations Downtown St. Joseph 269.983.7248. sjtoday.org This creative event allows spectators to watch sculptures being carved while enjoying shopping, dining, wine tasting, kids’ activities and magic shows.
Lake Michigan
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
3
Feb 4
CHICAGO AUTO SHOW First look for charity: 6:30-10:30pm Feb 9 Show: 10am-10pm Feb 10-18, 10am-8pm Feb 19 McCormick Place, 2301 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago chicagoautoshow.com Auto enthusiasts trek to this annual convention— celebrating its 104th anniversary this year—of more than 1,000 of the newest cars, trucks, SUVs and concept cars, all displayed within the colossal confines of McCormick Place.
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28TH ANNUAL HAMMOND OUTDOORS SPORTS SHOW 9am-5pm Sat, 9am-4pm Sun Jean Shepherd Community Center 3031 J.F. Mahoney Dr, Hammond 219.554.0155. gohammond.org This event features free goodie bags for the first 300 attendees each day, plus door prizes and other giveaways. Activities include a Trout Pond, minnow races, bobber pond, and chain saw wood carving demonstrations.
shore picks
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR EATING HABITS, THERE ARE FEW CONSTANTS IN LIFE BY KATHRYN MACNEIL
Whether or not we’re willing to admit it, the planning, acquisition, preparation and consumption of food dominates our lives. The most disciplined of us briefly interrupt our daily routines three times a day to eat a sensible breakfast, a light lunch, and a nourishing dinner. Those of us who are slightly more infatuated with food, however, generally supplement these three squares with a continuous comestible intake that includes a wake-up pre-breakfast frappuccino, a late-morning work bagel, mid-afternoon energy boosts, an after-dinner chocolate infusion, the prime time TV graze-a-thon and occasional “midnight munchies.”
W
e eat when we’re happy, sad, nervous, content, busy and bored (oh, and sometimes when we’re actually hungry). But as we age, although the frequency remains the same, our circumstances and food preferences evolve, changing everything about what we eat . . . except for the one constant: pizza. As young children, we baby boomers were mostly left out of the decision-making process, and found ourselves at the mercy of our parents’ best nutritional intentions. Dreaming of fast food and milkshakes, we dutifully renewed our membership in the “Clean Plate Club,” consuming tuna sandwiches, pot roast, mashed potatoes and spaghetti. I was a picky eater, and suspiciously poked at casseroles in an attempt to identify their components, surreptitiously sliding anything greenish (or “too tomato-y”) over to the side of the plate. A trip to a restaurant or “pizza parlor” was a special occasion during our childhood, and we were even allowed to order pop, although family diners never gave free refills back then, and our practical-minded parents wouldn’t think of splurging on frivolous “seconds.” After this bounty of solid home cooking, our college years and young adulthood brought what seemed like crushing poverty. (In other words, we started paying for our own food.) Suddenly ramen noodles (purchased in bulk) and macaroni and cheese were staples. Creative ideas to fill up our bellies for under a dollar were shared like a secret handshake; I once had a friend who prepared a box of Stovetop stuffing for his entire dinner meal at least twice a week. As shocking as it may seem to the current Food Channel-bred generation, the only celebrity chef at that time (besides Julia Child) had a last name of Boyardee, and his signature entrée was called “Beefaroni.” Because we lacked reliable transportation, our salvation often appeared on our doorstep in the form of the pizza delivery boy—and sadly, we were terrible tippers. Once we landed “real”
PIZZA
jobs and spouses, we started eating like grownups again, mostly because we had to justify the ownership of all of those mysterious cooking gadgets we boldly requested on our bridal registries. (I thought the Crate & Barrel “poultry shears” were just quirky scissors. Having come of age in the “boneless, skinless chicken breast” generation, the idea of using a tool to violently dismember the bird was unthinkable to me.) We used complicated machines to make our own pasta, and prepared exotic ethnic meals utilizing dozens of ingredients in a misguided attempt to distance ourselves from our mothers’ comfort food. We made our own “gourmet” pizzas, topped with roasted red peppers and pesto, on expensive Pampered Chef baking stones. But come holiday time, we were determined to emulate traditional family recipes, taking on the ultimate rite of passage: cooking our first Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd, which inevitably resulted in well-documented psychotic breaks known as Turkey Thawing Drama, Giblet Confusion and Gravy Panic. During our child-rearing years, we bragged to other parents about how our kids consumed all of their food groups with gusto. Of course, sometimes we had to fudge (no pun intended) those food groups in our minds, telling ourselves that a balanced meal consists of dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets (protein) with ketchup (vegetable), a Pillsbury crescent roll (grains), and ice cream (dairy) with chocolate syrup (carbohydrates) and a cherry on top (fruit). Too neurotic to hire a babysitter, we fantasized about all of the fancy restaurants we were going to patronize when the kids moved out, and consequently overindulged to the point of gastronomic misery on our annual Date Nights. Right around this time, we also jumped on the diet roller coaster (see: “syrup,” “ice cream,” and “overindulged,” above). We still ate pizza religiously . . . it was just the Lean Cuisine variety. Now that I’m well on my way to empty-nesthood, all of the physical and mental energy that once went into obsessing over cooking meals has been supplanted by the demands of real life; quick prep, carryout and pizza (of course) are my buzzwords. I’m not proud of the deterioration, just realistic: rather than come home for dinner before marching band practice, my son would really rather walk over to the Walgreens by the high school and purchase beef jerky, a can of Pringles and a frosty can of Java Monster energy drink. And my daughter is equally indifferent; she recently admitted that while babysitting the other night, she shared her tiny client’s Gerber Graduates toddler food, and “it wasn’t bad at all.” Soon, they’ll both be in college, but the tuition bills will prevent us from going to those high-end restaurants that we finally have the time for. And that’s okay. After all, I know it’s just another phase. And I happen to know a great pizza place...
illustration by RYAN BERRY
last resort
Change of Taste