prime. A LIFESTYLE RESOURCE • FEBRUARY 2014
MUSIC MAN
Steve Crabtree on Drums 5 EASY CROSTINIS GAMING IN THE MIDDLE AGES PREMIUM SOAP CONFIDENTIAL
Amatulli & Associates “The Safe Money People”
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ONGOING Silver Sneakers Program, St.
unlimited samples of their meticulously handcrafted beer. The Crawpuppies and legendary Catherine Hospital, 4321 Fir St, East Chicago. Chicago band Mr. Blotto perform. Guests can 219.392.7086. comhs.org. This fun, energizing, enjoy an eclectic selection of food from the award-winning fitness program helps older Facebook MySpace Newsvine SlideShare buffet, as well. adults take greater control of their health by encouraging physical activity and offering social JAN 25 Salute to the ‘60s, 7:30pm, Star events. Plaza Theatre, 8001 Delaware Pl, Merrillville. ONGOING Y-Get Stronger, 11-11:30am Mon- 800.745.3000. starplazatheatre.com. Herman’s Hermits featuring Peter Noone, The Grass Roots Thu, Portage Township YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek and The Buckinghams perform and take audience Rd, Portage. 219.762.9622. ymcaofportage.org. members back to an earlier time. This 30-minute class focuses on improving total body strength, muscular endurance, balance and Yahoo JAN Dot 26 Arts with the Animals, Slash Mixx 11am-4pm, Yahoo Buzz body control. Whiting Masonic Temple, 1900 Temple Ct, Whiting. 219.616.2031. visitwhiting.com. This adoption and THROUGH MAY 10 Indoor Street Market, 8am-1pm, 2nd Sat of each month, Lincoln fundraising event is free and open to the public. Community Center Banquet Hall, 2450 Lincoln St, Visitors can shop the vendors, meet furry friends, Highland. 219.838.0114. highland.in.gov. This street win a raffle prize and enjoy baked goods from the baked sale during this event. All proceeds benefit market moves indoors for the winter. Shoppers Whiting Animal Shelter, a no-kill shelter, and can browse breads, honey, spices, dog treats and Microsoft Reddit FriendFeed MSN donations of wet cat or dog food are accepted. more. THROUGH MAR 2 Snowman JAN 27 Beginner’s Oil Painting Class, 5:30Competition, Taltree Arboretum & Gardens, 8:30pm, Hebron Public Library, 201 W Sigler St, 450 West 100 North, Valparaiso. 219.462.0025. Hebron. 219.996.3684. pcpls.lib.in.us. No prior Families can build a snowman at Taltree for a experience with oil painting is needed to create chance to win a free 1-year family membership to a work of art. Participants who attend both the arboretum and gardens. sessions will complete a 16-by-20-inch landscape. Newsvine SlideShare The Store cost includes instructionAmazon and all painting JAN 23 Winemaker Dinner with Ken Foster App from Mahoney Vineyards, 6:30pm, Bistro 157, 157 supplies for one painting. Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.462.0992. Napa Valley JAN 28 Laugh for the Health of It, 7-8pm, winemaker Ken Foster brings Mahoney Vineyard’s Lake County Public Library Merrillville Branch, world-class wines to Bistro 157 for an all-inclusive 1919 W 81st Ave, Merrillville. 219.769.3541. lcplin. dinner with food by Chef Nicole Bissonnette. org. A Certified Laughter Yoga Instructor leads this unique exercise routine where laughter is JAN 24-26 Winterfest, 3-5pm, downtown used to oxygenate the body,Vimeo reduce Buzz stress and LaPorte. 219.331.5517. cityoflaporte.com. Live ice Qik Yahoo Yahoo change moods. No mats or yoga postures needed. sculptures kick off this yearly event as artists craft unique works of art right on the streets of JAN 31-FEB 15 The Beauty Queen of downtown LaPorte. Family-friendly winter fun Leenane, Chicago Street Theatre, 154 W Chicago abounds throughout the weekend. St, Valparaiso. 219.464.1636. chicagostreet.org. At this point in her life, Maureen thought she’d be JAN 25 11th Annual Gardening Show, 8am-4pm, Porter County Expo, 215 E Division St, off on adventures with the man of her dreams, far away from her dreary existence Valparaiso. pcgarden.info. Sponsored by Purdue Tumblr Microsoft MSN in Leenane, WordPerss Ireland living with her selfish and manipulative University Cooperative Extension and its Porter mother. This story of love, longing and sacrifice is County Master Gardeners, this award-winning event features presentations by national, regional full of deceptions, secrets and betrayals. and local gardening experts, special lodging and THROUGH APR 6 Trucks—Recent dinner packages, a seed and bulb exchange, a Works by John Himmelfarb Brauer Museum garden photography contest, a children’s corner, of Art, Valparaiso University Center for the food service and 100 exhibitors and vendors of Arts, 1709 Chapel Dr, Valparaiso. 219.464.5365. App Store AmazonFloat Design products and services for and about gardens and Behance valpo.edu/artmuseum. Chicago-based artist gardening. John Himmelfarb showcase his whimsical JAN 25 Brews in the Barn, 5:30pm VIP entry; representations of trucks at this exhibit. His works are executed in a wide variety of media— 6:30pm-midnight, County Line Orchard, 200 including sculpture, painting and printmaking— County Line Rd, Hobart. 219.947.4477. Some and an outdoor sculpture made out of an actual of the finest brewers in the country—including truck accompanies the exhibit. brewers from all over the region—will be pouring
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volume 2 • issue 1
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publisher Digg Talk Google Christopher T. White associate publisher/editor PAT COLANDER
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2 |||||| PRIME ||||| January 21, 2014 A Special Publication of The Times Media Co.
Update #1
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
John Amatulli offers clients personal care and peace of mind with their retirement portfolios
F
ive years ago when Dave Stearns retired he and his wife Anita had two financial goals. “Basically we wanted to make sure we were guaranteed not to lose the investment that we had,” Anita Stearns said. “We wanted to be able to know that once we were gone our funds would not be depleted and there would be money for our children.” To find the right advisor to help them meet their goals, the Stearns interviewed seven different financial companies and attended many workshops before choosing Amatulli & Associates. They are more than satisfied with their choice. Not only has their money grown, they love the personal contact and care they receive from owner John Amatulli. “I like the fact that he continually keeps in contact with us,” Anita Stearns said. “He sends us mailings on different things about the companies that we are with. If there is a newsletter that goes out he makes sure that we get a copy of it. He calls us if we have any concerns. He doesn’t drag his feet, he returns phone calls immediately.” The Stearns find Amatulli to be committed to his clients and very compassionate. “Even if you are not a customer or a client of his he treats you the same,” Anita Stearns said. “He’s a very good human being and that is important.” The Stearns like that Amatulli is interested in their goals. “That is one of the reasons that we are happy with John because he is not so big that he doesn’t have time for you,” Anita Stearns said. “We have no problem letting people know that. We have actually referred several people to him.” “John is probably the best thing that ever happened to us,” David Stearns said. Amatulli and Associates, located at 8025 Wicker Ave. in St. John and Suite 150, 13701 Algonquin in Rolling
Amatulli enrolled at the Indiana University School of Business. “I’ve always loved numbers so I got into it in school and a dear friend of mine 23 years ago introduced me to the advisor world,” he said. Amatulli finds being able to give people a good night’s sleep because he’s a conservative advisor most satisfying. “Not everybody that does what I do is,” Amatulli said. “I give people the opportunity to sleep well at night and not worry so much about their retirement nest egg.” Serving on the Better Business Bureau of Indiana Board of Directors for seven years, Amatulli said he believes in conservativeness and safety. “It goes along with what I do,” Amatulli said. Amatulli, who has been in the business for 23 years and run his PROVIDED own company since 2000, believes in putting his clients’ best interest and John Amatulli needs first. He believes integrity is of the utmost Meadows, Illinois, takes a personal approach to financial planning, offering importance. “It’s not a numbers game for me,” a high level of service paired with Amatulli said. “I take every client or years of experience, comprehensive resources and support, objective advice potential client who walks through the door seriously. I am not out to get and in-depth knowledge. The company 2000 clients. I don’t want to lose the is passionately committed to service personal touch with my company nor and creating value for their clients have clients just become a number like and community. The result is unique they do with some companies around financial and retirement solutions that cater to client’s individual needs, goals here.” His referral business reflects his and vision. clients’ satisfaction. Amatulli said he loves his job. “Fortunately for us 2013 was my “I love people,” Amatulli said. “I love best referral year ever,” Amatulli said. working with people. I love taking care of people. When I get up every morning “Probably one of the most rewarding things for me as a business owner and it’s a breath of fresh air to be able to as a financial advisor is that we are do what I do.” taking care of our current client base. Amatulli said a life event and a They must think a lot of us because friend both led him to the world of they are giving referrals to friends and financial advising. family which is a good feeling.” “When I was 18 to 20 years old I A Certified Financial Educator, played the professional racquetball Amatulli gives talks and workshops tour,” Amatulli said. “I was fortunate throughout the year. to make some respectable money at a “I look at myself as a teacher very young age and I invested it with because even though I have my own an advisor. I lost it all from his lack of business, Amatulli & Associates, I also staying on top of things and the risk travel around the country speaking that he put me at. So it inspired me to at conventions and teaching financial go to college.”
A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TIMES MEDIA CO.
advisors in the industry or those getting into the industry how to conduct their business,” Amatulli said. In 2012 Amatulli was recognized by Aviva Life Insurance Company as one of the top three financial advisors in the country related to customer satisfaction. “That was probably one of the proudest moments in my career to get a national customer satisfaction award where these companies actually polled real clients,” Amatulli said. “That was rewarding.” Amatulli and Associates help clients plan, implement and enjoy a comfortable retirement, helping them to see if they can afford to retire, reviewing the safety of their funds, looking at tax ramifications and the effects of a long term illness. The company’s annuity products have the potential to create taxdeferred wealth, leave a legacy for clients’ beneficiaries and protect their retirement income. Amatulli & Associates also offers a comprehensive portfolio of competitive life insurance products that provide guaranteed coverage, may prevent financial hardships in the event of terminal illness or sudden death and help clients feel more secure in uncertain times. “Our clients benefit from immediate and comprehensive access to a team of financial professionals dedicating to addressing their needs promptly,” Amatulli said. -DIANE POULTON
For your information
AMATULLI & ASSOCIATES FINANCIAL SERVICES 8025 Wicker Ave., Suite I St. John, Indiana (219) 365-5544
3701 Algonquin Suite 150 Rolling Meadows, Illinois (866) 723-6669 (SAF- MONY) www.amatullifinancialservices.com amatulliandassociatesfs@yahoo.com January 21, 2014 |||||| PRIME |||||| 3
60-something.
Wintertime:
How the light gets in As I’m writing this in early December, 2013, 78-year-old Leonard Cohen, poet/songwriter/singer is still getting raves about his “Old Ideas” tour that is finally winding down after three years. Reviewers note his wit, charm, heartfelt grace, and the moments when he knelt down (and got up again) while singing his beautiful, insightful songs to hundreds of thousands all over the world.
I
was thinking about Cohen because of a quote from his song, “Anthem,” which introduces a book I just
read. “Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering. Denise Declue There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” “How the Light Gets In” is the ninth book in a series by Louise Penny who writes cozy, small town detective stories set in Canada. Her book title reflects the fact that her characters have cracks and imperfections. The title is an apt choice, because Penny’s characters are “of a certain age”—and older. They may drink, dream, be afraid or talk too much, but they’re interesting, living their lives without complaining about aging or longing for youth. Lots of Cohen’s songs are about life lived maybe boisterously, maybe carelessly, but seemingly, without regret. Louise Penny herself knows about light slipping in through a crack. After years as a journalist and radio host with the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, she admitted she was an alcoholic, sought help and has been recovering for
Robb Cohen, AP Leonard Cohen performs on the Old Ideas World Tour, at The Fabulous Fox Theatre on Friday, March 22, 2013, in Atlanta. decades, one day at a time. There was a crack in her armor where the light got in. One of her cracks is that she wants to live in a perfect little village like the town she made up, Three Pines, Quebec. Brick and fieldstone homes, along with a butcher, a baker, a bookstore and a general store ring the village green, where children play hockey all winter, neighbors stop to chat, and dogs and ducks frolic. Life inside a snow globe. Besides always-available flaky croissants, homemade sausages and jams, this little village (about an hour south of Montreal, Quebec), has another unique feature—a disproportionately
large body count. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec, a tough-as-nails experienced detective, and his team, including handsome and intelligent Jean-Guy Beauvoir, mean-spirited Yvette Nicole and attractive young mother, Isabelle Lacoste, regularly ride in to solve the wanton, ugly crimes which unhappily collect in this bucolic setting. Recently the CBC filmed “Still Life,” the first of Penny’s Inspector Gamache series with Nathanial Parker in the lead role. Penny says that like her husband, “Gamache understands perfectly well how cruel the world is. He has evidence of it every day. The reason he is kind is because he chooses to be kind. He stands in the light because he knows where the darkness is.” Some of my friends think the Three Pines is just a little too perfect. Some days I agree with them, but other times I’m in the mood for goodness and flaky croissants triumphing over evil. Penny said her books are inspired by two lines from a W.H. Auden poem, an elegy to Herman Melville: “Goodness existed: that was the new knowledge His terror had to blow itself quite out To let him see it,” As these gray winter days go on and on, I thought, if you didn’t know about Louise Penny, I’d point you to her snow globe village. Make a cup of hot chocolate, pull a cover over your knees and don’t look outside. The book on your lap is how the light gets in.
4 |||||| PRIME ||||| January 21, 2014 A Special Publication of The Times Media Co.
device devotee.
Playstation 4 or Xbox One?
I
am sure you fine folks have heard about the new Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, the most recent gaming systems to hit the market. (According to a recent study by the Entertainment Software Association, 37 is the average age of a game player and 41 is the average age of a game buyer.) But the important question is which is better? When the first Microsoft Xbox debuted it was met with criticism; for the first time a heavy hitter from the computer world decided to branch out and create its own gaming console. It was a huge success, and Microsoft soon launched the Xbox 360. That was eight years ago, though, and now the Xbox 360 has been replaced by the all new Xbox One. The new system is reminiscent of the original Xbox, with massive, bold design that makes it stand out on your entertainment system. Xbox One features a 500GB hard drive, an 8 core Jaguar CPU and 8GB of ram. The way to imagine it best is having a computer tower hooked up to your television, desperately trying to do everything from turning the channel to actually playing games. The system functions by using the gamer’s voice as well as a controller. However, both forms of control are tricky and when you add the Kinect that comes standard with the system, headaches are ahead for sure. With every new system, the companies that make games are playing their own game of catchup. Some new games look gorgeous and sharp, while others just seem like faster versions of the games we played on Xbox 360. Now the other guy. PlayStation 4 is the latest and greatest game console from the Japanese powerhouse of electronic gadgets and goodies, Sony.
The first PlayStation came to us in 1994 and since then has become a household name for gaming. This year Sony updated its now 7-year-old PlayStation 3 with a much slimmer, more angular system they predictably named the PlayStation 4. Much like the Xbox One, the new system features an 8-core AMD Jaguar processor with AMD Radeon GPU, 500GB hard drive and 8GB of ram. Sony has a record of not always choosing the best move to keep customer retention; they made the system non-backwards compatible, meaning you can’t play old games on this new system. So if you have a gamer in your family, tell them not to rush tossing the old system out of the window if they have older games they would like to play. Sony’s internet connectivity has become a point of emphasis; not being able to run 802.11 ac wifi or 5Ghz wifi isolates the new system from its competitor. While the system can stream its PS4 games to Sony PlayStation Vita portable gaming console, the system’s user interface can be clogged when searching for titles. It more than makes up for it with speed. Finally, the system comes with its own camera. and although it is much more basic than Microsoft’s Kinect game console, it has limited voice controls and no clear function in its games. Though each system has its share of quirks, there are pros and cons with both systems—the most evident is the price. Xbox One comes in at a high price of $499 while the PS4 is $100 the less. If the consumer was to look at the overall amount of functions each can perform, the price becomes clear. With Sony and Microsoft fighting over your television and home entertainment system, the only choice is what would you rather stare at for the next eight years. -Travis Kipper
A Special publication of the Times Media Co.
Hessville Family Care Center Expands Immediate Care Hours!
Walk-Ins Welcome!
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday - Sunday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Get In. Get Out. Get on your Healthy Way! Getting expert care for minor illnesses, bumps and bruises is now more convenient than ever. Just walk in. Our doctors will see you with no appointment. While getting sick is never convenient, we have a quick and simple solution right here in the Hessville neighborhood, across from Morton High School. At the Immediate Care, we treat cold/flu, bronchitis, ear infections, minor lacerations, burns, sprains/strains, sports physicals, urinary tract infections and more. Other services at Hessville Family Care Center include physician speciality(Family Practice, OB/GYN), Diagnostic Services and Outpatient Lab.
For more information, call (219) 844-9060
Across from Morton High School
January 21, 2014 |||||| Prime |||||| 5
middleagezz
Close encounters with premium
Premium soap may not be the first place to cut corners. • Yes, I am one of the people who ordered premium French handmilled soap for about $8 by the bar through Amazon Prime. (There are only a few brands that you can still order this way on Amazon.) So early in the history of the membership free delivery model, I learned that even Amazon has its limits.
A
soap
fter a couple of times ordering a bar of soap, even very expensive soap, you could get cut off. But showering and washing my hands with good soap has meant a lot to me over the years. For a period of almost 36 months I used nothing but Aveda’s Caribbean Therapy. (For a long time I comforted myself with the thought that Caribbean Therapy lasted longer than just about any other soap I had ever used. Not a lot of lather, but that never bothered me.) The $20+ sticker shock eventually got through to me somehow and I finally managed to wean myself off of it through a judicious application of spa resort soap. But, to be perfectly honest, I don’t go to resorts that much anymore. My next stop along the soap road was Zum Bar Goat’s Milk Soap, which had a lower price tag ($6) and came in an alluring assortment of aromas, and even had exfoliating properties that I learned to depend on. But Zum sometimes melted unevenly and made kind of a mess and the soap supply needed frequent replenishing. So that brought me to the point that I determined the do-it-yourself route was simply unavoidable. By that time, there were numerous items like Oatmeal Glycerin Soap-Making Kit from Growandmake.com for $39.95. The kits come with high-quality ingredients including lavender, sage, vanilla and other “essential oils,” molds and a very scary “thermometer.” But another faster and less complex way to learn about soap-making is to go on Pinterest where I found photo after intricate and beautiful photo of soap with recipes to match. There are a lot of folks out there who like soap that looks good enough to eat. I am not that much a fanatic. But then a miracle happened, just before I boiled the oil. While visiting my daughter in New Orleans, we came upon a pop-up night market on Frenchmen Street. And that’s where I found soap created by Kelsey Foreman who makes soap in Slidell, Louisiana and sells it in her first retail location, an occasional night market and on the web at Cake.FaceSoaping.com. I have since ordered kind of a lot of soap—probably
Tara McElmurry Soap made by Kelsey Foreman near New Orleans, Louisiana. Kelsey makes other skin products and also does the art work for her very distinctive labels. Find out more about her products at Cake.Facesoaping.com From the left: The Firefighter ($7), Sugar & Spice ($7) and a wedge of Deodorizing Coffee Soap ($11) by Cake. FaceSoaping.com a year’s supply—from Kelsey and it’s all good. Furthermore, I have tried her moisturizer, which has no scent but does a great job on my face, keeping it from drying out in the winter weather. So my do-ityourself project turned out to be a lucky break with a small amount of web research added on the side. Cake Face soap is $7 a bar, but it lasts a long time, it melts evenly and there is a wide range selection of scents and ex-foliating match-ups. There is even a deodorizing coffee soap to use in the kitchen that looks like a wedge of cheese. Click on cakefacesoaping.com if you don’t want to do it yourself either. - Pat Colander
6 |||||| PRIME ||||| January 21, 2014 A Special Publication of The Times Media Co.
ISTOCKPHOTO
zest-food-drink.
Baked apple crostini.
party-perfect
CROSTINI O ver the years, I’ve often served crostini with pre-dinner drinks or at cocktail parties, but I never thought of using them as accompaniments to soup until one of my brilliant friends did so recently at lunch. Her soup was a smooth and velvety cream of cauliflower with just a hint of curry...a perfect foil for the platter of colorful, flavorful toasts that centered the table. Here are the crostini Sarah presented with her soup but you could go on and on with this, right? Check out the apple crostini at the end. MAKE TOASTS: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice a baguette into 1/3-inch slices and place them on a sheet pan. Brush lightly with olive oil, season with some coarse salt and bake until golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Spread with some of the following toppings: Beef-horseradish Whisk equal parts horseradish and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper and spread on toasts. Top with thinly sliced roast beef from the deli and sprinkle with minced chives. Smoked trout Flake 5 ounces smoked trout into a bowl. Stir in 1-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Spread
on toasts. Top with a drift of chopped dill and crown each toast with a thin slice of grape tomato. Olive, orange and mint Spread Dijon mustard on toasts, then a light layer of mascarpone cheese. Top with chopped oil-cured black olives, an orange segment (pith and membrane removed) and finely chopped fresh mint. Honey Sriracha chicken Spread mayonnaise on toasts and top with shredded chicken from part of a rotisserie chicken from the deli. Whisk equal parts honey and sriracha (Asian chile sauce — check your supermarket) and drizzle over chicken. Top with chopped cilantro or parsley. AND, FOR DESSERT: Baked apple crostini Heat oven to 450 degrees. Peel, core and cut 2 pounds Granny Smith apples into quarters. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 cups unsweetened apple juice and a good sprinkling of cinnamonsugar. Bake the apples for about 20 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Reduce heat to 350. Mash apples coarsely until chunky. Bake the apple puree, stirring occasionally, until thick and brown, about 1 hour. Remove the apples puree from the oven and cool. Spread on toasted baguette slices and top with a tiny slice of blue cheese and some chopped hazelnuts. -JANE DUNNE
A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TIMES MEDIA CO.
The Assisted Living Community at Hartsfield Village is ideal for people who maintain their independence, but can benefit from assistance with some of life’s everyday tasks. We offer studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Assisted Living at Hartsfield is distinguished by quality care from licensed and trained professionals, located in a beautiful and safe Munster campus setting. The real advantage?...The opportunity to maintain your independence at the highest possible level.
Call Today to schedule a Personal Tour with a senior living counselor. Complementary lunch included. (219) 934-0750 Hartsfield Village • Maintenance Free • Worry Free Visit us on the web: www.Hartsfieldvillage.com JANUARY 21, 2014 |||||| PRIME |||||| 7
work/after work.
CUSTOM DRUM BUILDER
Steve CRABTREE
rocks on WORDS BY DIANE POULTON
B
Founder, owner and builder of custom Beat Boogie Drums, Steve Crabtree. TONY V. MARTIN PHOTOS 8 |||||| PRIME ||||| JANUARY 21, 2014
eat Boogie Quality Drums owner Steve Crabtree has loved drums since he was a young boy and heard Sandy Nelson’s classic “Let There Be Drums” for the first time. “I was smitten and now Sandy Nelson is playing a snare drum that I built for him,” Crabtree explains. Growing up during the golden era of rock and roll, Crabtree received his first snare drum in the early 60’s. Five decades later Crabtree has become a custom design drum builder, percussionist and drummer who has made drum sets for many celebrities. Crabtree said his first snare drum was held together with springs. “Being one of ten living in a house on the south side of Chicago taught me the persistence to stick with it. This was just prior to the ‘British Invasion.’ There was a group of musicians who would get together and jam in a garage near our house. The drummer had a maestro snare and high hat.” The group played Americana-type songs and the guitar player/drummer Cedric Carlson showed Crabtree a shuffle beat and roll. “It was like throwing gas on a fire,” Crabtree says. “Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich were a big influence. That maestro snare became my next level drum for about $7.50 cents.” The first wave of classic rock had landed on American soil: the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five and the Zombies. “My next snare was a jump to a silver sparkle Ludwig,” Crabtree says. “Soon it was a red sparkle Kingston drumset. It was The Who, Cream, Jimi, The Doors, Big Brother, just non-stop great music.” After that there was a Ludwig kit and set of Premiers. “I played in a few rock bands in the later ’60s and began working with original rock bands in the ’70s and ’80s but the brass ring was nowhere to be found. Later I worked for a gear manufacturer in Chicago and became a product manager for a gear line that I sold through distributors. I enjoyed the challenge of seeing the production of parts to the packaging and shipping, the cold calls and selling to a A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TIMES MEDIA CO.
orthopaedic specialists
Beat Boogie Drums built by Steve Crabtree and displayed in the Beat Boogie Showroom.
bigger and bigger distributor base.” Crabtree took what he learned along the way and put his efforts into the Beat Boogie Drum line. He likes working directly with the musicians. “I network with them online, in person, from my trunk, whatever it takes. I have an opportunity to make a rim-shot heard round the world with my Beat Boogie Psychedelic Air Drum.” A video of the Psychedelic Air Drum is available on the company website at www.beatboogie.com. “If it works out it will send ripples throughout the industry,” Crabtree says. “If it doesn’t, I’ll continue to be a boutique drum builder. My dad once told me that I have this little target way out in outer space and that it’s going to be difficult to hit it. He said to bring it in closer and make it a bigger target.” Crabtree’s passion for drums led him to become a boutique drum builder.“In March of 2010 I created my first snare drum and wanted to offer an affordable primary or alternate snare drum that has bling and pop,” he says. “Most drummers own more than one snare drum as they are the most integral part of a set. It requires a lot of work and time to build and assemble drums, for example a typical snare drum uses over 240 components depending on the type of lugs used. It requires over 40 holes to be precisely drilled. I’ve taken a similar approach to the drums sets I build and use wood, steel, assorted retro wraps and wood veneers.” Drum-making may have started as a hobby, but Crabtree provides drums for numerous regional musicians who perform in many musical genres—as well as other drummers as “far away as Germany.” The Beat Boogie drummers list continues to grow including a number of well-known names who perform with Prince, Kansas, Styx and the Buddy Rich Big Band. Crabtree knew the founding drummer of Styx, the late John Pannozo, back in 1973 when he was still working a second job at Just Music on
of Northwest Indiana
I have over 25 years experience with hip replacement surgery.The majority of hip replacements in the US were taught using posterior or lateral approaches to the joint and these have an excellent track record of successfully relieving pain from severe arthritic hip joint disease. Those techniques position the patient on their side and require some dissection (cutting) near muscles that can lead to postoperative limping. The posterior approach also had the problem of a higher rate of post-operative dislocations than other techniques. Our local hospitals now have the HANA traction table (see above), which extends the surgeon’s ability to perform the Anterior Approach to heavier and larger patients.
Halsted Street in Chicago. “I bought a big set of Premier Drums, Keith Moon style, from him,” Crabtree says. “After 1978 I lost touch with him and they went on to be a world-wide success.” Beat Boogie Customized Snare Drums are geared for drummers seeking an affordable alternate for a primary snare drum. Percussion is the heart and soul of any song, Crabtree believes. Whether it’s a pulse-pounding heavy metal track or cool and classic rock and roll, the drums are there, setting the pace for the entire band and injecting energy into the sound. With such a vital role to play in the performance, the right acoustic drum kit is one of the most important investments a drummer can make. Beat Boogie Quality Drums’ custom snares come in a variety of colors, wraps and wood and metal shells. Crabtree is proud to play a small part in an industry he loves. “The people you meet, the things you learn from drummers, the various drum manufacturers and masterdrum builders throughout the world,” Crabtree says. “It’s truly a small, tightknit world that I’m grateful to be part of.” Crabtree will have a booth at the Chicago Drum Show in May, the world’s biggest and longest running show of its kind. The Beat Boogie Quality Drums Schererville showroom is accessed by appointment only. There is a link on the website for contacting Crabtree or he can be reached by e-mail at BeatBoogie@BeatBoogie.com.
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X-Ray’s intra-operatively are facilitated with the traction table, confirming proper positioning of the replacement components and confirmation of leg length equalization.
Direct Anterior Hip Replacement Although most minimally invasive hip techniques involve a single incision that can be as small as 3-4 inches, the benefits of the Direct Anterior approach other than small incision include: ♦ Slightly lower risk of post-operative blood clots, possibly because there is less twisting of the leg during surgery. ♦ Patients lie on their back during surgery rather than their side. This makes it easier for the anesthesiologist to monitor the patient during surgery. ♦ Lying on your back (supine), during surgery also makes it easier for the surgeon to measure and match leg lengths. This means there’s a smaller chance of needing a shoe lift after surgery. ♦ Finally, some patients are walking without a limp or cane in as little as 2 weeks because the “walking muscles” were not directly affected during surgery.
ARTHRITIS UPDATE:
ADVANCES IN JOINT REPLACEMENT ♦ Residency/Training: Univ. of Chicago ♦ Diplomate of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons (ABOS) ♦ Member American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS)
For more information about Direct Anterior Hip Replacement Surgery, I can be contacted at:
Joseph Hecht, M.D
Orthopaedic Specialists of Northwest Indiana 730-45th Street, Munster, IN 46321
Phone 219-924-3300 Fax (219) 922-5424 January 21, 2014 |||||| Prime |||||| 9
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photo finish.
with Dr. Jared L. Moon, DPM
Come learn How Your Feet can Carry You to Great Health! Tuesday, January 28th at 2:00 p.m. Residences at Deer Creek 401 E. U.S. 30 in Schererville
Space is limited, please RSVP to 219.864.0700 to reserve your spot today! Refreshments Provided.
First Place: “A Ways Off Yet” by Dennis Gray
Are you a photography addict? Do you carry your camera with you wherever you go, looking for the perfect shot? If so, send your photos in to prime@nwi. com and you will be entered for a chance to win a $50 giftcard to the Times advertiser of your choice. The photos will also run in an upcoming edition of Prime. The photos should be no larger than 4 MB in Jpeg format. Please provide your full name, address, telephone number and caption information for the photo. Good luck, and happy shooting!
Dr. Jared L. Moon, DPM, a native of the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, received his medical degree from DesMoines University College of Podiatric Medicine & Surgery. He completed his podiatric medicine and surgery residency at the DeKalb Medical Center in Georgia in conjunction with the Podiatry Institute, with added credentials in reconstructive rear foot and ankle surgery. During his residency, he volunteered in El Salvador with the “Healing the Children” organization, performing surgery on underprivileged children to treat clubfoot. Dr. Moon’s expertise is featured in a chapter of “McGlamry’s Comprehensive Textbook of Foot and Ankle Surgery” which is widely used as a reference source by both surgeons and podiatry students. Dr. Moon’s areas of interest and procedures are ankle trauma, bunion surgery, charcot foot reconstruction, flatfoot reconstruction, foot trauma, hammertoe surgery, heel pain, pediatric flatfoot reconstruction, revision of failed surgical procedures.
Second Place: “Double Rainbow” by Mary Thorne
Third Place: “Sunset in Chesterton” by Sherri Morrison
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Minutes East of 41 on U.S. 30 401 East U.S. 30 Schererville, IN 46375 219.864.0700 www.ResidencesAtDeerCreek.com
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