May 2010

style & culture

may 2010

Manitou TALL SHIP SAILING

BY JACOB WHEELER

Authentic Guatemala

The Remote Appeal of BRITTANY

BY VIRGINIA MULLIN

CHICKEN BUSES TO COASTAL RESORT

visitshoremagazine.com THE TIMES

nwi.com

4.95

INCLUDING Aquino on GREAT HOTELIERS Bushey on FAVORITE SITES Dunne on DESTINATION RESTAURANTS

CAN A SIMPLE DRAWING MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN CANCER SURGERY?

IT DID FOR MARY CARLENE SHEDD. Imagine being told you have cancer. It’s scary. Terrifying even. Now imagine your doctor taking the time to teach you all about your disease and treatment, going so far as to sketch a diagram of your surgery. That is exactly what Mary found at the University of Chicago Medical Center after her diagnosis of colon cancer. And not only did she receive the latest treatments combined with the skill of a team of expert surgeons, but she found the confidence and comfort only knowledge can provide.

At the University of Chicago Medical Center, we think educating patients is an essential part of treating them.

DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF. discover.uchospitals.edu 888-UCH-0200

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600 W WATER, NEW BUFFALO 9652 S BERRIEN, NEW BUFFALO Sleeps 6! 2 blocks to beach, furnished, Marina Grand Hotel Condominium. 1st flr sleeps 6. 3rd flr unit - lakeviews. screen porch, sleeping loft, low fees. $375,000 - $399,000 M. Zarantenello / G. Winn $159,000 Bobbie Cavic

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contents MAY 2010

156

Brittany, France

BY VIRGINIA MULLIN

Brittany’s heritage of isolation and independence has protected and nurtured a unique culture and history that extend far beyond France.

photograph by SARAH MULLIN

56

50

The Manitou BY JACOB WHEELER

54

Where to Go for Info

Sailing the Manitou Windjammer Cruise out of West Grand Traverse Bay takes wine-tasting and locally grown feasting to a new level of luxurious getaway.

BY CLAIRE BUSHEY AND SHARON BIGGS WALLER

Too much information is the watchword of would-be travelers everywhere.

Our writers detail some of their favorite sources of great adventures and disaster avoidance.

62 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM

64

Hotelier Reviews Hoteliers BY GEORGE AQUINO

A hotel general manager with 20 years in the business can still learn a thing or two from the industry’s pioneers.

An Insider-Outsider Trip to Guatemala

BY CAITLIN ELSAESSER AND DAVE HOEKSTRA

Two intrepid Chicago writers take separate but equally fascinating tours of Guatemala by land and by sea.

74

Classic Destination Dining BY JANE DUNNE Food, environment, service and ambience combine to make a memorable experience worth the time, travel and distance.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CAITLIN ELSAESSER

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contents MAY 2010

83 24 16 22

CLICKS 32 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

Little Black Dress Party Delta Theta Tau Gala Second Season Ball Winter Delights Mardi Gras Carnivale Ice Carving Festival Fire and Ice Reception Challenger Open House Have a Heart Gala

HOUSE & GROUNDS 83

SHORELINES 15

INTRO

16

LISTEN

18

VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM

20

22

24

26

SHAW THOUGHTS

CULTURE NUT

28

Driving the Pacific Coast Highway in California behind the wheel of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing.

LAST RESORT 96

30

31

HEALTH CLUB

Experts recommend cleaning the tools you use every day to apply makeup, and sticking to your exercise routine even when you are in a different environment.

HAUTE PROPERTIES

The best way to keep your home safe is to take these simple precautions to make it seem as if you are home.

Head Trip

BY KATHRYN MACNEIL

A family vacation to Hawaii is symbolic, nostalgic, hyperbolic and completely original all at once, depending, of course, on your state of mind.

GREEN NOTES Travelocity and the Conservation Fund team up to offer travelers a way to offset their carbon footprint.

A road trip with a former president and first lady; and the people of Sawyer are immortalized.

MOTORING

After a complete rescue of their historic American Foursquare on College Avenue in Heritage Hill, Jane and Reid Taylor have continued to retrofit and redecorate with objects found through their travels.

WHERE TO GO If the words “management team training exercise” send a chill down the collective spine of your management team, the Grand Rapids J.W. Marriott would like to help.

The Purdue Varsity Glee Club wraps up a busy, tuneful year on the road with a stop in Munster.

Lessons learned, near-death experiences, best-worst, and the most interesting and awesome travel experiences of a South-North American guy and his family.

BY TERRI GORDON

INTERVIEW Blue Plate’s Jim Horan never forgot his roots in customer service, in spite of building $500 and a van into a $30 million catering business in Chicago.

Allen Mitchels’ training niche in equestrian sports has taken him around the world, but Michigan City is still home to him.

A House on Heritage Hill

HOTSPOTS 42 78 88 94

Essential Events Bite & Sip Shore Things Shorecast

10 Publisher’s Letter 12 Editor’s Letter

photography courtesy of [clockwise, from top left] ROBERT WRAY, JIM HORAN, PURDUE MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS, RICHARD HELLYER, MERCEDES-BENZ

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publisher’s T U M M Y

letter

T U C K

I

almost can’t believe the warm weather is ramping up so soon. Our clan was on the road throughout the entire season, just as though winter never came. I did enjoy giving a few snowplowing lessons and our family worked its way through some canceled flights and changed plans due to weather, but nothing dramatic.

Chicago’s “absolute leading surgeon” -Dr. Phil

Go her e e for details

BEFORE

AFTER

www.cossmediccclinic.com m This procedure removes excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen and tightens the abdominal muscles.

This reduces a protruding abdomen.

Consultation will involve a thorough discussion of the risks and benefits of the procedure as well as an exam, which will aid in Dr. Platis informing

Dr. Platis

0 visitshoremagazine.com 1

you how he will perform your procedure.

210 East 86th Place | Merrillville, IN 46410 | P: 219-795-1255 58 East Walton | Chicago, IL 60611 | P: 312-377-3333 www.cosmedicclinic.com Dr. Platis has also been featured on: 20/20. NBC5 Chicago, WBBM Fox News Chicago and WGN

The Red Arrow Highway corridor, St. Joseph and the Lake Michigan Wine Trail are already sending invitations and save-the-dates and we haven’t even finished with the hockey and basketball season in Chicago yet. I am beginning to wonder where the outdoor recreation schedule fits in between graduations, weddings, anniversaries and family reunions that are already on the calendar.

This crowded party schedule will not deter me from cleaning up my fishing gear and getting my clubs ready to try the new Jack Nicklaus golf course at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor this year. And I doubt that Julie will be too tired to make it to the Women’s Weekend in St. Joe (April 23-25) or pick up a few things at the Sawyer Home and Garden Center on the way home. There will be no missing the Epicurean Classic or the Krasl Concours this year, where my friend Dr. Paul Miller has applied to enter his beautiful 1962 Thunderbird. And of course, we are heavily into the idea stage on transporting the entire family who do not yet know about the fun you can have in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this summer (Right, George?).

Internally, we are gearing up for our annual Best Of edition, with online voting underway in late March. The voting will be very interesting when it comes to Italian food. Any time I have the chance to enjoy Benny and Hilda’s cooking at Gamba’s, I feel like I have died and gone to heaven. With that said, I have had a chance (well, several chances) to enjoy the new restaurant Ciao Bella in Schererville. Owner and Chef Joe Scalzo amazed me by putting on his chef jacket and making a special dish that was my favorite in Rapid City but I have not been able to get here. Finally, I have not been to the new restaurant Amoré in Crown Point, but my wife Julie has been and loved it. Partners Larry Kolodziej and Barb Sexton have invited me down to eat and I plan on enjoying some Italian food with them very soon. Like I said, it is going to be a very competitive category and we all win with these excellent restaurants.

Going over the surprisingly expanded ballot for this year—more new businesses than ever—was a welcome challenge. Take a look online and you will see what I mean.

Voting for the Best Of will inspire you to support your favorite new places as well as renew that commitment to those folks who have always been there for you with quality work, great customer service and excellent products. Like Shore magazine.

I am sure I will be seeing you around some warm weekend soon. Until then, happy trails to you.

Bill Masterson

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Here’s what you’ll find at the new website for Shore Bride magazine: Directory of bridal vendors serving Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan. ?

Photography of brides and grooms in our region. ?

Advice from the area’s top experts on wedding planning, relationships, finances, wedding entertainment, and more! ?

Videos about local bridal businesses, events and engaged couples. ?

Blogs from local brides. ?

Ideas about the little details that make your big day special!

GO TO SH OREBRIDEONLINE.COM TO PL AN YOUR WEDDING TODAY!

EDITOR’S

LETTER

Y

es, the moviemakers nailed it in Up in the Air. Who doesn’t want to be in the George Clooney 10 million mile club, where everyone knows your name and your cell phone number and a kindly Sam Elliott-like pilot takes you under his wing, literally, and treats you as though you are his long lost child? Who doesn’t want to go straight to the head of the line and first class all the way? Who wants to be exposed to potential underwear bombers, pay extra for luggage or the privilege of possibly having to open a 40-pound emergency door and be a key person to help the crew in saving every passenger’s life? The downside of modern air travel is well known and documented. I am certain it has had its very own Congressional investigation many times.

But I would like to indulge the upside of travel for a moment . . . actually, for an entire issue of this magazine: Consider what is available in research opportunity alone. You can make any travel plan you dream about come true efficiently, economically and usually instantly or semi-instantly. Without winning the lottery or refinancing your house you can get a deal on a week at a seaside home in the Bahamas that comes with a staff and is fun for the whole family. I have a child who found himself stranded in France for a couple of months, who contacted his entire alumni association to see if any of them were living within train-riding distance, and of those, which ones might be interested in accommodating him for a few days. Instantly, he had more than a dozen invitations and ended up visiting five countries and staying in good hotels, rural bed and breakfasts and even some spacious private homes. He had one of the most memorable Thanksgiving dinners of his life at a villa just outside of Rome.

Looking forward to great travel experiences is a reasonable expectation that adds great joy to a regular life. You can look forward to travel vacations and savor and remember them afterwards. There is nothing wrong with time off of reality that is inevitably harsh at times. Visiting people and places that are interesting, educational, enjoyable, healthy or fun is a reason to live. Inevitably this involves doing things like walking for five miles, climbing stairways and bridges, taking trains and planes, examining old and new things that you sure don’t see every day. What we have here is part guidebook and part stories of action-packed adventures: Dave Hoekstra and Caitlin Elsaesser see different sides of Guatemala, Virginia Mullin visits Brittany in France, Jacob Wheeler has a culinary experience on a Tall Ship out of Michigan and Jane Dunne revisits classic destination restaurants you may have forgotten about.

We have also included an important relatively new, must-visit place of interest that is within driving distance. The Schilling family has built an amazing sculpture garden in St. John, Indiana, depicting the story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ called the Shrine of Christ’s Passion. The garden setting with key figures and scenes in the story sculpted in bronze and set in coves along a half-mile trail is as inspirational as it is beautiful. Visitors, pilgrims and educational groups from all over the country—and lately the world—are coming to see this unique attraction. (To learn more, see page 48.)

Our next issue is a who’s who and what’s what of music.

Until then, keep up with Shore by subscribing to our e-newsletter at visitshoremagazine.com.

PAT COLANDER

Publisher Bill Masterson, Jr. Director of Product Development Christopher Loretto 219.933.3243 cloretto@nwitimes.com Senior Account Executive Lisa Tavoletti Illinois/Indiana/Michigan 219.933.4182 ltavoletti@nwitimes.com Account Executive Mary Sorensen Michigan 616.451.3006 msorensen@nwitimes.com Traffic Manager Tom Kacius Pre-press Specialists Maureen Benak Rhonda Fancher Tracy Hanson Advertising Designers Dave Annable Ryan Berry Kathy Campbell Jacqueline Murawski

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 6 / number 3

Editor / Associate Publisher Pat Colander 219.933.3225 pcolander@nwitimes.com Art Director Joe Durk 219.933.3277 jdurk@nwitimes.com Managing Editor Julia Perla 219.933.3353 jperla@nwitimes.com Assistant Managing Editor Kathryn MacNeil 219.933.3264 kmacneil@nwitimes.com Designers April Burford, Matt Huss Online Editor Ashley Boyer Contributing Editors Jane Ammeson Heather Augustyn Lois Berger Sue Bero Robert Blaszkiewicz Christy Bonstell Claire Bushey John Cain Laura Caldwell Donna M. Chavez Tom Chmielewski Juli Doshan Jane Dunne Rob Earnshaw Jeremy Gantz Terri Gordon Dave Hoekstra Seth “tower� Hurd Jim Jackson Rick Kaempfer Lauri Harvey Keagle Julie Dean Kessler Mark Loehrke Joey Marburger Sherry Miller Virginia Mullin Andy Shaw Fran Smith Megan Swoyer Sharon Biggs Waller Contributing Artists and Photographers Lloyd DeGrane Jennifer Feeney Richard Hellyer Callie Lipkin David Mosele Johnny Quirin Gregg Rizzo Christina Somers Robert Wray

april 2008

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.

13

style & culture

shorelines listen | shaw thoughts | culture nut | motoring | interview | where to go | green notes | health club | haute properties

>> intro <<

Allen Mitchels

Midwestern King of Cowboys

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15

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT WRAY

MAY 2010

ucked away down a rural road in Michigan City, Indiana, sits a humble farm filled with not-so humble horses, owned and trained by one of the top Western trainers in the world. Allen Mitchels is a master of two Western equestrian sports: reining and cutting. Cutting horses are the border collies of the horse world, “cutting” a cow away from the herd with precision skills and then preventing it from rejoining the group. Reining horses are obedient enough to work off very light cues, called aids, which ask the horse to sketch a pattern filled with spins on the spot, sliding stops from a gallop and directional changes at speed. Included in the highechelon of equestrian sports and governed by the world body called the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), reining has increased in popularity throughout the world.

Although Mitchels grew up with horses, he planned on becoming a lawyer in the ’70s. But a job teaching horsemanship through the physical education department at his alma mater, Indiana University, reawakened his love of horses. He purchased his family home back in Michigan City and set up his business training students and elite quarter horses in cutting and reining.

Mitchels briefly toyed with the idea of moving to Texas, which is the heart of Western riding, but family roots run deep, and Mitchels chose to diversify by working with amateur and junior riders instead of with large breeding farms. And Mitchels has become one of the most sought-after teachers, judges and trainers in the world, traveling to far-off locales like Brazil, New Zealand and Switzerland, and counting German Formula One champion driver Michael Schumacher and his wife Corinna among his clients.

“My daughters and wife have become really well traveled through my judging and training,” Mitchels says. “They’ve met like-minded people through horses and lots of friends, and have been able to see the world.” –SHARON BIGGS WALLER

shorelines

>> listen <<

Barnstorming Boilers at the End of the Singing Road Trip

6 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 1

photography courtesy of PURDUE MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS

W

Evansville and Goshen to Zionsville and Fort Wayne, these concerts hile pop culture shooting stars like the help solidify the Glee Club’s status as a worthy ambassador for television shows Glee and The Sing-Off Purdue throughout the Hoosier state—a fairly amazing feat might suggest that the popularity of considering the University does not have a music school and the choral music is something of a newfound Club’s members earn no academic credit for their efforts. phenomenon, audiences around the state “For these young men, it’s really a matter of carrying on the of Indiana have been on top of this trend pride and tradition of the University,” says PMO director of for quite some time, thanks in large part operations Steve Schlenk. “They’re in it for their love of the music to the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. and their desire to carry on the commitment to excellence that the The oldest and most storied faction of the larger Purdue Glee Club represents.”

Musical Organizations (PMO) collective, the Glee Club has been That commitment has long been appreciated in Northwest entertaining crowds in and around its West Lafayette campus Indiana, where the group’s performances in Valparaiso and since as far back as 1893, with traditions like its fall First Nighters Munster tend to sell out well in advance. Schlenk points to the and spring End of Season shows. Meanwhile, the annual PMO significant number of Purdue alumni living in the Region as a Christmas Show—with the Glee Club as its harmonizing holiday big reason for the Glee Club’s popularity here, but he also centerpiece—will celebrate its 77th anniversary this December understands why even listeners with no with an expected turnout of more than 16,000 affiliation to the school come back year after listeners over four blockbuster performances. year to be equally wowed by a powerful But the Glee Club has long been more than rendition of “Hail Purdue” from the tuxedosimply a house band for the University locals.

PURDUE VARSITY clad singers.

The group takes great pride in hitting the road, GLEE CLUB CONCERT “We try to keep things very fresh and with sponsored national and international May 11 entertainment-focused whenever we go on tours that have taken its members to far-flung The Center for Visual the road, so you’re hearing some really serious places like South Africa and China in recent and Performing Arts sound but in a way that’s always fun,” Schlenk years. However, the road shows that often hold 1040 Ridge Rd says. “I think it’s that variety and sense of the most meaning for both the singers and Munster, Ind. adventure that keeps people coming back their audiences are those that bring the Club 219.836.3255 for more.” —MARK LOEHRKE to the various corners of its home state. From cvpa.org

REGION BOYS While Munster represents the final road show of the 2009-10 academic year for all 55 members of the Glee Club, it holds an even greater distinction for the four singers who will be making the trip home to perform just minutes from where they grew up.

CALEB LARSEN Voice: Baritone Year: Freshman Major: Management Hometown: Highland On the rewards of being a member of the Glee Club: “It’s really awesome being part of something that has so much tradition.

One of my favorite things is when former members talk about their experiences, and you can just tell how much they value that time, often more than anything else in college.”

MARK KNIGHT Voice: First Tenor Year: Sophomore Major: Math Education Hometown: Munster On becoming interested in the Glee Club: “I saw them at this same show in Munster two years ago—my mom thought it was something I’d like, and she knew I wanted to go to Purdue, so she got tickets. I saw them, loved it, and here I am today.”

MAY 2010

KEVIN NORMAN Voice: Second Tenor Year: Junior Major: Entomology and Agronomy Hometown: Dyer On the difficulty of balancing school with rigorous touring and rehearsal schedules: “The Club teaches its members things that cannot be taught out of a textbook, like social skills and adapting to realworld situations. This is why so many men stick with the program. They realize that while it is difficult to juggle roughly 100 shows a year on top of their schoolwork and other things, the Glee Club will offer them something greater than the classroom.”

17

JEREMY CHANCE Voice: First Tenor Year: Senior Major: Public Relations and Mass Communication Hometown: Hammond On connecting with the audience: “I love seeing the reactions after a show and seeing how much we’ve truly touched [the audience members’] lives and affected them. It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve experienced, knowing that what we do on stage can have such a profound impact on them.”

shorelines >> shaw thoughts <<

Get Thoughts and Tips for Traveling the Americas

T

he joy of column writing is a freedom to go where you want, following mind and muse on journeys that unfold along the way and frequently end up in unexpected places.

Kind of like travel, which breaks up the monotony of daily life by teaching, stimulating and exciting us, and by leaving us with thoughts to ponder and memories to savor.

I’m not a world traveler—haven’t been to Africa, the Far East, Russia, the Baltics, Spain or Greece. (I will, eventually.) But the places I have seen resurface in my consciousness randomly in clearly defined categories: lessons learned, out-of-body experiences, best and worst, most awesome, most interesting. So in the spirit of guidance, advice and entertainment, here are a few:

8 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 1

LESSONS LEARNED Pay attention to the bug warnings. On islands like Roatan, off Honduras, a wonderful scubadiving paradise where no-see-ums in the sand slowly bore their way into your feet and ankles, creating an excruciatingly painful delayed reaction that manifests itself in the middle of the night.

And if you book an all-inclusive resort on Margarita Island, off Venezuela, where I met one of my daughters a decade ago, avoid the ice in the drinks at the beach bars. I missed the memo and the penalty is a virulent intestinal bug that bedeviled me and the antibiotics for months.

And speaking of critters, think twice about eating the worm at the bottom of a Mescal bottle. That macho move in Mexico, fueled by the fiery liquid atop the worm, knocked me out for a week.

Finally, travel early and often with your kids, rough it a bit and don’t over-plan in advance.

It helps them gain a confidence and esprit that serves them well later. So when we’re left without water in rental houses in Mexico and Costa Rica, we improvise, showering at a hotel pool, drinking a lot of pop (beer for me) and laughing our way through the ordeal. And Christmas Eve in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, 20-plus years ago finds Mary and me inadvertently recreating the Nativity Scene as we schlep three little daughters from one soldout hotel to another, until we finally find one dump with one room. I’m thinking now that straw in a manger might’ve been better.

OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE Driving south on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia at 3 a.m. in July of 1968. My college buddy Charlie is crashed in the back seat—we’d been drinking earlier in the evening—but I motor

on, dozing as the engine hums hypnotically until Charlie suddenly wakes up and screams, “Look out!”

I’m heading over the cliff, but his yell wakes me up and I instinctively jerk the steering wheel back to the middle of the road. That night convinces me the universe does indeed have forces that defy rational explanation.

BEST OF New Orleans—decadent and seedy but blessed with a vibe that’s irresistible. Third World city in our First World country. Enjoy the food, the music and the people. And forget the Lower Ninth.

Charleston and Savannah—New Orleans light.

And San Francisco—up and down, cool and way cool.

(I could include all of the worldclass cities, but that’s too obvious.)

WORST OF Las Vegas. Outdoor escalators? You gotta be kidding!

Mexico City—get me an AK-47 or I’m not going out.

And most of the other world capitals outside of Europe and

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Standing on John Miltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grave in Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Westminster Cathedralâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;centuries of English literature coursing through me.

Visiting the hidden city of Petra, Jordan, which should be the Eighth Wonder of the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;carved out of rock inside a mountain.

Complete with a coke-sipping camel available for photos.

Jogging through the early morning mist on the periphery of the Taj Mahal in Agra, Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; mystical irreverence.

And squeezing into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where Jesus is taken after the crucifixion â&#x20AC;&#x201D;what a moment!

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MOST INTERESTING The communication tower in Havana, Cuba. A sagging sevenstory brick building with a control room on the top floor and a live television location on the roof. The elevatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unreliable, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier to walk up past giant spools of cable left behind by the Russians to a room with a single light and one phone, to do live TV like it was done in the early days. And paying for everything in cash because Fidel doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take American Express.

Dungarvan, on the south coast of Ireland, ancestral home of the Daleys. Tiny town where they still speak Gallic, the wind howls, rain falls in torrents and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find a suitable mirror to get ready for an on-camera bit while Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m covering Rich Daleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1989 roots trip.

19

MAY 2010

T

raveling around the U.S. and Canada with Mary in the summer and fall of 1972. Four months and 15,000 miles in an old pickup truck with a camper top. No radio, air conditioning or cell phone. But the best adventure of our lives.

Go for it! â&#x20AC;&#x201D;ANDY SHAW

shorelines >> culture nut <<

HARRY TRUMAN’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE June 19, 1953, was probably a quiet summer day for most Americans.

(Though an armistice would be signed in July ending the Korean War and the big story of the summer would be the executions of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for treason.) For one retired couple, the morning was spent packing for their version of an American vacation tradition, the cross-country automobile road trip. They had a new vehicle for the trip—a 1953 black Chrysler New Yorker. Although airconditioning was available, this car did not have it, so the trip would be made through the sweltering heat with the windows down.

T

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hey seemed like any overprepared couple as they loaded eleven suitcases for the nineteen-day, 2,500-mile round trip to New York, except they weren’t. The driver was the 33rd president of the United States, and riding shotgun in the big Chrysler was former First Lady Bess Truman. (They were by themselves; Congress did not authorize Secret Service protection for former presidents until 1965.)

Matthew Algeo has written a wonderful account of this trip, Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure [Chicago Review Press, May 2009]. In an interview he recalled how he traced the Trumans’ trip in stages: “I drove where the Trumans drove, ate where they ate, and slept where they slept. I saw the sights they saw and, whenever possible, met with the people they met.” For Harry and Bess Truman, anonymity didn’t last long. They were called out when they stopped at Osborne’s Café in Hannibal, Missouri. Harry was identified first by an old Marion County judge who said, “Why, there’s Judge Truman!” Harry Truman had served on the Jackson County bench, thirty

The Trumans took a road trip in their Chrysler New Yorker.

years earlier. The Trumans were promptly swamped with autograph-seekers and photographers and that pattern continued through the rest of the trip.

Algeo writes, “On the afternoon of July 5, 1953, a slightly bored state trooper named Manley Stampler was patrolling a lonely stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Around three o’clock Stampler spotted a gleaming black Chrysler ahead of him in the left lane, with a line of cars behind it.

The Chrysler was blocking traffic. Pennsylvania requires cars to keep to the right except to pass. Stampler motioned for the

Chrysler to pull over . . . In the trooper’s estimation, it was as routine as a routine traffic stop could be. Stampler stepped out of his cruiser, adjusted his wide-brimmed hat and strode back toward the Chrysler.

When he looked inside he immediately recognized the couple as Harry and Bess Truman. ‘Shit,’ Stampler thought to himself.

‘What am I going to do now?’” Stampler didn’t give them a ticket.

I

n New York the Trumans stayed at the Waldorf Astoria as guests of the management. At the time of the Trumans’ NYC visit, former President Herbert Hoover (no love lost there) and former General Douglas MacArthur (whom President Truman had publicly and dramatically fired) were residents of the Waldorf. Matt Algeo speculates the staff at the hotel must have done very careful planning to keep the three illustrious guests from running into each other. The Trumans had a fine time in New York going to plays, the United Nations and visiting their daughter Margaret, who then lived at the Carlyle. On July 5th they pulled out of the Waldorf Astoria’s garage and headed home. Vacations always come to an end.

Harry and Bess continued to travel, but never again in their car. Harry Truman traded in the 1953 model for a 1955. The present location of the 1953 is unknown, but it is believed to be in the hands of a private collector. Two of his Chryslers have been restored and are on display at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri.

Harry Truman died on December 26, 1972.

He was 88. –JEFFERY A. KUMOREK

Sawyer People

Sawyer People

21

Available at Schlipp’s Pharmacy and Sawyer Home and Garden Center for $45.

There will be a book signing on April 17, 2010, at the Sawyer Home and Garden Center.

MAY 2010

Richard Hellyer believes that the story of a place is best told through photos of the people who live and work there.

So Hellyer, a commercial photographer who frequently contributes to Shore, snapped pictures of the people he saw in Sawyer, the Michigan hamlet where he lives and works. The result is his self-published book Sawyer People.

The book was the idea of Hellyer’s good friend John Trusk.

The two were drinking coffee in Hellyer’s studio one Saturday morning and watching people walk by.

“John mentioned how unique Sawyer people are and suggested that I photograph them,” says Hellyer, who first dismissed the idea.

But the more Hellyer thought about Trusk’s proposition, the more it made sense.

The book’s success convinced Hellyer to make it a series, and he is currently working on Three Oaks People, due out this summer. His ultimate goal is to create similar books for the rest of the towns that comprise Harbor Country.

Raised in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, Hellyer moved to Sawyer twelve years ago and opened a studio next to the historic Schlipp’s Pharmacy. “I have everything I need here,” he says. “I can walk to the grocery store, the pharmacy, the post office and the restaurant in just a few short steps. It’s one of the things that makes living in Harbor Country so perfect.” –JANE AMMESON

shorelines >> motoring <<

Taking Flight A Gullwing Odyssey

Flying low. Most Shore readers have a good perception of what those words meanâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and they know that it has nothing to do with air travel . . .

B

ut you say there’s no time for a California coast driving trip or private laps around Laguna Seca this summer? No problem.

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing is right at home on Red Arrow and Blue Star Highways hugging the shores of Lake Michigan to the Straits of Mackinac and beyond.

Oh, and while in South Haven, make a pit stop at GingerMan Raceway and talk to Phil Mirenda at the CGI Motorsports High Performance Driving School, where he and his team of professional instructors teach sports car driving techniques under safe and controlled conditions—and where learning to “fly low” takes wing. –JIM JACKSON

MAY 2010

photography courtesy of MERCEDES-BENZ

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

There, I joined other automotive journalists on an International Press event to be among the first to drive the $200,000 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing not just on public roads, but laps around Laguna Seca’s 2.25-mile serpentine road course for a total 34 miles—hurling through the infamous “corkscrew” and reaching triple-digit speeds on the front straight for the ultimate supercar driving experience.

The rear-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing is a purpose-built performance car that joins the world’s exclusive exotic car segment. From its racy profile to the 571 horsepower 6.3-liter V-8 engine beneath its near six-foot long hood, arrives a distinctive thoroughbred that will raise the awareness and heart rate of owners driving other world-class sports cars.

Mercedes-Benz SLS engines are hand-built by highly trained technicians at Mercedes’ in-house AMG performance division in Germany. Each AMG engine is assigned to a single builder for assembly from start to finish.

When completed, the technician places his signature on the top of the engine block as a personal seal to perfection.

The SLS AMG engine is mid-mounted—that is, positioned behind the front axle, with a rear-placed seven-speed twin-clutch transmission to balance a perfect front-to-rear weight distribution for superb handling. Ride quality is equally compliant, courtesy of on-board driving modes ranging from touring to taut and sporty.

23

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unlit landscape and palm-swept beaches of Southern California are more than postcard dreams for most Shore readers— they are destinations. In California, reaching that sand is part of the romance as driving picturesque Highway 1 seduces travelers to fall in love with sweeping S-curve pavement, seaside hamlets and the glorious sunsets of a Pacific Coast driving trip.

One recent visit to the Golden State raised my love affair with the open road to new heights while on a drive down the historic oceanside two-lane from Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, to my destination in Monterey, California—behind the wheel of the magnificent 2011 MercedesBenz SLS AMG Gullwing.

Born from the legendary 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe, the race-inspired SLS AMG heralds the return of SL’s “gullwing” doors that soar skyward from their rocker panel position for cabin access.

The Gullwing doors rise up 70 degrees with use of a flush outboard door handle and are closed from the inside with an integrated grab bar on the bottom of each door panel. When open, the lightweight doors extend 14 inches beyond the sides of the car.

A regal head bow becomes the practice when getting in or out of the SLS so as not to crown your cranium.

SLS occupants are greeted by an aviation-inspired leather-wrapped twin cockpit dressed in Mercedes’ upscale fashion with clean linear design, an aircraft-like center console and available two-tone leather upholstery combinations with black accents that are absolutely stunning.

“Mercedes-Benz is presenting an exhilarating super sports car in the guise of the new SLS AMG, which is bound to set the pulses of all car enthusiasts racing,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, head of Mercedes-Benz cars. “The SLS AMG is pure emotion for the Mercedes-Benz brand and is set to become one of the most alluring sports cars of our era.”

Alluring, indeed.

Beyond the fairways of Monterey’s famed Pebble Beach rolls Highway 68 across the hilly terrain of Monterey County to a different kind of course—one conquered by such names as Andretti, Castroneves, Mears, Rahal and Unser at the hallowed grounds of

shorelines

Jim Horan

NOT CATERING TO THE RECESSION

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Twenty-six years ago, Jim Horan shed his career as a clinical social worker to chase a hobby. He enjoyed cooking for friends and organizing outings, but never expected it to turn into more. The Blue Plate CEO used $500 and a van to turn his hobby into a multimillion-dollar catering business. Horan’s company has catered for film crews on location in Chicago, businesses, associations and cultural institutions like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Center. ¶ Shore visited Horan recently at his seventh-floor office in Chicago to talk about his work and the impact of the economy on his industry. Horan’s office was a study of his varied interests, with stacks of colorful artwork by Matt Lamb, a framed chef’s jacket signed by Julia Child and assorted sports paraphernalia.

H

ow did Blue Plate get started? I got in this business by accident. It officially started in 1983. I did cooking and entertaining as a hobby. I’d put together trips [for friends] and sell packages—a meal, a ticket and transportation. I’d cook for 50 to 100 people.

It was successful and became 200 to 250 people. In 1983 . . . I took the summer off and bought a van and worked. After the summer was done, I didn’t go back [to social work]. I did it out of my house until 1987 to 1988, when I bought a building and became a legitimate business.

How did you get from there to where you are today? I’ve just really always done something I liked doing—working with people, identifying problems, solving problems and growing. It’s personal growth, but you also grow with other people.

I simply responded to opportunities we’ve come across. The first order was just about an opportunity. One order, one person and I got along well with them . . . In 1992 we were selected to be on an exclusive cater-

photography courtesy of JIM HORAN

>> interview <<

What impact has the economy had on your business and the hospitality industry as a whole?

It’s definitely had a negative impact on us in a lot of ways. There are also positives, but we will realize those as we go . . . We are going through a depression—if nothing else, a psychological depression. From a dollars standpoint, people are spending less because of the social need.

People today are not as secure living in America as they were five years ago. People are feeling it. They announced the recession a year and a half into it and they will announce the recovery a year and a half after it happens. There’s been a significant financial impact on our industry and our world. The catering industry is one of the hardest hit because it is one of the first [businesses] cut.

Once businesses feel they’ve hit rock bottom, they will start to spend again. But people won’t spend as much or be as lavish as they were . . . I think this downturn has been good for us as a business, industry and culture . . . Hidden beyond all this downturn and chaos is some positive. I hope there’s been a massive wake-up call for us all. We don’t need four cars and three homes. We need our health.

AL

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and

MAY 2010

How has your business averted the downturn? We haven’t. We recognized the downturn. It’s like taking a punch—you prepare yourself for it. This year is not about being profitable. We are looking for sustainability. When things come back, and we believe they will, we’ll be in a good position.

ANNU H T 6 1

25

ing list for cultural institutions. In every one of those sites, we treated the people we interfaced with well—from the janitor to executive management. Our business grew.

Word of mouth is the way we grew our business. We moved from the [kiddy corner to] Wrigley Field spot where we were probably at $600,000 to $800,000 in catering to a total close to $30 million. But it’s incremental growth . . . We embrace our role as being a servant. We like serving people . . . I did not think at all 26 years ago that I’d be sitting here talking to you about a $30 million dollar business.

>> where to go <<

Training Day

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER

A

First night of ArtPrize weekend 2009

6 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 2

crew of artists, customer service people in uniform, and managers in very nice suits, white shirts and ties, are working together— effectively, as it turns out—to move a giant red rubber ball into the atrium lounge of the J.W. Marriott in Grand Rapids. Organizing and leading this ad hoc group is J.W. Marriott General Manager George Aquino, who until a few minutes earlier had been telling me some interesting success stories about the hotel.

George’s number one most favorite success story is about team training. The J.W. Marriott in Grand Rapids has trained more than fifty groups in the past year and the GR property is the only J.W. outside of the Orlando property that offers this particular service.

Basically, you bring your management team into the hotel, divide into teams and play Iron Chef. That sounds absolutely great, I’m saying, what a terrific idea. George says the key is you have to keep quiet about what the training is. “You can’t tell anybody, because that ruins the surprise and the surprise is a big part of this,” he says, looking me directly in the eye.

Now if there is any person in the world who loves good surprises more than my boss, Bill Masterson, I would love to meet that person. Not only does he love being surprised himself (only if it is very good and very positive, of course), but if he can be in on a secret of giving another person a good surprise, that’s even better. He surprises his family, his staff and his friends as much as possible. He is a man who always has a plan. And if you are the object of the surprise, that means he cares about you and you are a lucky person. So it doesn’t take long for Bill Masterson to get on board with this very fun idea for team training that George

Aquino—who has trained a lot of people during his career—swears by, because it works. “I have situations where one team just blows the other away,” George says, “and nobody cares, they just have a ball.”

Scheduling

Quickly we trade dates with the J.W. and arrive at a weekend in January that will work. The next part is harder.

If you have ever tried to get twelve very, very busy people of different genders, age groups, life situations and career stages to do any one thing over two days in a specific place that is a two to three-hour car ride away, you have an idea of how this is going to go. Now, add to that mix vagueness about what will happen during the time they are away and then just to make it sound even more enticing, tell them it is a “management team training exercise opportunity.” Oh, also, half of the great opportunity is on a Saturday. Perfect.

O Suspicions

bviously, getting the plan across must start weeks and months in advance. Of course, the secret will be at risk during the entire planning period.

These people are not morons; they are your managers. A good part of their jobs involves getting good and bad secrets out on the table immediately. Bill Masterson starts the process by making one thing clear: this is not optional. I am not in the room when the subject of the mysterious trip to Grand Rapids is first announced. But right away I am under suspicion, because out of all the team members, I go to Grand Rapids the most. Stealth ambush interrogations, trick questions were relatively mild and easy to deflect for one reason: there is no one on earth I can talk with about this team training or I will be killed. I do not want to die; it’s that simple. I don’t say anything. One day I wake up and realize the others don’t want to know. If they accidentally happen to find out, they could also be under suspicion and killed for telling the secret. They think this training will be terrible, so they hold their nose and move on with their lives. What is now

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT WRAY

[from left] Brett Riley and Barb Mason clueless on fingerling potatoes; Bill Masterson prepares steaks; Lisa Daugherty and Pat Colander missing something while Bill Nangle contemplates next move; Pamela Sutko sautés on the big grill.

unfolding is the critical part of George Aquino’s master plan for fun.

Training day

Getting to Grand Rapids on the January Thursday before the Friday of the training is a big relief for me. Pretty soon the secret will be out. Our team has arranged to check in, get changed into jeans and tennis shoes—this attire directive also has a slight negative effect—and meet in the lobby to have a hotel tour with the general manager. Eyes roll. We gather solemnly in the lobby. Bill and I start a vague nervous conversation, both realizing we may have been keeping the big secret, but we don’t really know what’s going to happen, either.

We have taken George Aquino on faith and Bill Masterson has never even met George, so he really is taking him on faith. When George arrives to pick us up for the hotel tour, he seems wired like everybody in the group. The good news is that our team members who have never been to Grand Rapids or stayed at the J.W. are pretty impressed—that was the no-brainer part. George says that we’ll start our tour in the back of the house. We walk around the lobby to the staff entrance to the main kitchen and a black-curtained area. There is a lot of noise coming from behind the curtain, people talking, shouting, applause. Believe me, every single one of us was surprised by what happened next. And I’m not going into detail right here because if you decide to do this with your team, you need to be surprised and I will not wreck that for you. But I will tell you this: we cooked our butts off, laughed a lot and had an excellent time.

T Epilogue

27

MAY 2010

he judging could not have been more serious, detailed or competitive and it was a very close race between our two teams, less than one percentage point. (If you want to see how hard we worked and what a good time we had, check out the short video at visitshoremagazine.com.) But we made a delicious meal and shared it that evening with our significant others and most of us got pretty tired.

The next morning, we had a productive discussion about real world challenges and opportunities. But we were changed.

And it was more than treating each other with respect. It was a subtle warming trend, just maybe, possibly good fellowship, even friendship? The cooking contest required creativity, imagination, thinking and working together. Our team got to know itself in new ways and saw individuals in a different light from that afternoon on. And that good feeling has not gone away. What a surprise. —PAT COLANDER

shorelines >> green notes <<

Travel for Good A PLAN TO OFFSET YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

W 8 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 2

hen you’re planning a trip, chances are your thoughts are focused on the destination, not on the impact your travel will have on the planet.

But Travelocity and the Conservation Fund are hoping to change that.

The online travel company and environmental organization have partnered to create Travelocity’s Travel for Good carbon offsetting program, which allows customers to make a contribution to the Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program with just the click of a mouse. When making an online travel reservation, customers can calculate the impact of their trip on the environment and offset that with a donation to support the planting of trees in the lower Mississippi River Valley.

“We really wanted to partner with someone that had a deep link to travel and the environment,” says Alison Presley, manager of Travelocity’s Travel for Good program. “I love that they focus not only on reforestation but that they did it here in North America in the U.S.” The program plants trees in national wildlife refuges in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas with the cooperation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which provides biologists and other experts to direct the plantings and select the species to be planted.

“That river is not only important from a water quality standpoint, but as a flyway for migratory birds as well,” says Jena Meredith, director of the Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program. “The lower Mississippi has been massively altered,” she says.

“Twenty million acres of native forest land

have been lost over the last 100 years.”

The native trees are also helpful in slowing and reducing floodwaters. “Trees act like sponges,” Meredith says. “When natural forests are turned into agricultural land, there is no natural hydrology to slow the waters and clean them up before they go into the river.”

Since the program’s inception in 2006, 23,000 trees have been planted, which will help trap 28,000 metric tons per year of carbon dioxide over the life of the forests.

That’s like taking 5,354 passenger vehicles off the road for one year.

While the ultimate goal is to make a positive impact on the environment, Travelocity works to make it fun, too, with the help of the company’s Roaming Gnome mascot. The gnome, who has his own Facebook page with more than 32,000 fans, posted photos of a January trip to Louisiana to “help” plant trees, complete with a shot of the little guy sitting on a tractor.

On a more serious note, Peg Kohring, director of the Midwest Peg Kohring, regional office of director of the Conservation the Midwest Fund in Sawyer, regional Michigan, says office of the people living along Conservation the Lake Michigan Fund in shoreline should Sawyer, care about the tree Michigan, says plantings in the people living lower Mississippi along the Valley for one Lake Michigan simple reason: shoreline “We all breathe should care the same air.” about the “People like to tree plantings know that their in the lower money is being Mississippi spent efficiently,” Valley for Kohring says. “If one simple you’re giving a reason: “We dollar here in Sawall breathe the

same air.”

yer or anywhere, really, you want it to have the greatest impact and the best place for recapturing carbon here in the U.S. is in that Louisiana area.”

S

ome environmentalists argue that efforts should be focused on reducing carbon emissions, not offsetting them. Meredith says, “They’re right.”

“We’re not going to make a dent if we don’t reduce,” she says. “We’re at a point in our economy and our global consciousness where we have to make these types of decisions.

“Will it be a silver bullet for climate change? No, but can we make a difference in the way people understand their impact? Yes. This program works because people get it. If you can get somebody stomping around in the forest or remembering what it was like to hike around as a kid in those special places that aren’t there anymore, you can get them to understand.”

The Conservation Fund expects to plant its millionth tree through the program this year. “You don’t have to get out there with a shovel and plant a tree,” Presley says. “There are so many easy ways to take steps to make a difference when you travel. We all love to travel, but we have to do it better. We have to make it easy and we have to make it fast and that’s exactly what we’ve tried to do and it has proven to be successful.” –LAURI HARVEY KEAGLE

To learn more, vis The Con it: serv

ation Fu nd conservatiGo Zero Progra ’s m onfund.o rg/gozero Traveloc ity’s Trav e l fo travelocity r Good prog ra .com/Tra velForGo m od Traveloc ity Roam ing Gnom Face e’s facebook book fan page .com/trave locity

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shorelines >> health club <<

Makeup Cleanup

You apply makeup to keep your face looking pretty and polished, but if you’re using the wrong brushes —or if you’re not cleaning them properly— they could be having the reverse effect on your skin.

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or some women, a standard makeup brush might be too harsh for the skin, leaving redness and blotchiness that can’t be fixed with powder or blush. Women with sensitive skin might consider using brushes with animal-free bristles, such as those created by EcoTools, a company that makes eco-conscious cosmetic brush and bath accessories.

To clean makeup “EcoTools’ cruelty-free synthetic bristles are ultra brushes, Nicole Love, of soft, making them a great option for sensitive Dermatology and Cosmetic skin,” says Sarah Cooper, product development Specialists in Munster, manager for EcoTools. Plus, “the brushes’ soft Indiana, recommends the bristles deposit a sheer, buildable layer of product following steps: for ultimate control.”

And how long has it been since you’ve cleaned • Run the brush under water. your makeup brushes? Days? Weeks? Months?

Don’t immerse the whole Experts recommend cleaning your brushes at brush; instead, hold it into a least once every other week. That might be a downward stream of water. daunting realization for those of us who have Also, don’t hold it upside postponed this little chore. But leaving your down, because water will go favorite makeup tools uncleansed may have more into the handle, loosening of a detrimental the glue and causing the effect than brush to detach. you think.

According • Rub a dab of mild baby to esthetician shampoo (one without Nicole Love, of conditioner in it so that it doesn’t leave oils on the Dermatology brush) in the direction of the and Cosmetic bristles, not against them.

Specialists in Rinse thoroughly.

Munster, Indiana, makeup brushes • Reshape the brush into its can “spread original shape and hang bacteria, debris upside down to dry. (If that’s and buildup,” not possible, lay flat to dry on which can cause a clean towel.) acne. “Just as you would wash • In between cleanings, Love your face daily,” suggests swiping your brush Love adds, “you on a baby wipe, or onto a tiswant to keep your sue that’s spritzed with water. brushes clean.”

This will remove color and –JULIA PERLA

cleaning how-to

any superficial debris.

Exercise?

On Vacation?

You’ve spent the past few months getting into tip-top shape for your vacation. But what happens to your fitness routine while you’re on vacation? Shore spoke with Debi Pillarella, exercise program manager at the Community Hospital Fitness Pointe in Munster, about how to incorporate exercise into your travel itinerary.

What is the harm in forgoing fitness while traveling? Taking a few days off won’t do much harm, especially if you’re a regular exerciser, but if you go longer than that, you could see a decline in aerobic capacity and/or muscle mass as well as your motivation.

So my motto is: “Something is always better than nothing.” It doesn’t have to be your traditional hard-core workout routine, but it does have to get you up and moving.

What are simple ways to get a quick workout in? There’s no easier time than now to stay fit while on vacation, you just have to think outside the typical exercise box. Most vacation places have workout areas; hotels have fitness centers, and cruise ships offer a variety of fitness classes as well as gyms. There are even vacation packages that offer adventure/active vacations. Walking sightseeing tours, hiking, water sports and biking are just a few of the many choices available. In addition, portable exercise equipment, such as bands, tubing, jump ropes, DVDs and iPod workouts are easily accessible and not very expensive.

How can travelers maintain motivation to exercise? You should look toward your vacation as a break from your usual exercise routine, and an open door to new and different experiences. For example, if you’re vacationing south of the border, why not check out local fitness classes to not only get a workout, but enjoy a cultural workout experience, too? –JULIA PERLA

shorelines >> haute properties <<

Keeping houses safe while you’re away appear that someone is home. “Burglars, by their very nature, don’t want to confront the homeowner,” Lain says.

The Sheriff’s Department, a few years back, got a young thief they caught to explain what goes on in a criminal’s mind.

The boy explained that he targets homes that are not well-lit and are located far apart from each other. He also said he looks for valuables that are unsecured in yards or are in unlocked vehicles.

Police say the public can learn from what the teenager said. If people would consider locking their homes and cars (cars often contain garage door openers), adding additional lighting and securing their property, thieves might move on to another location.

“If people would stop to put themselves in the mind of a burglar and do a self-assessment they would come up with a lot of solutions to make their home less attractive to burglars,” Lain says.

People should keep lights and radios on timers so there are lights and sounds in a house. Outdoor lighting is also important, as is the trimming of bushes, so burglars don’t have hiding places, Lain says.

Lain also recommends that people get to know the neighbors on either side, the neighbor across the street and the neighbor to the rear. If neighbors met and exchanged emergency contact numbers, they could call each other if a suspicious person or vehicle is spotted at one of their homes.

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he best systems also have a cellular phone backup, so that if a burglar cuts the landline, the security system still communicates. Hawkins says Videotec, which serves clients from Chicago to Michigan, has seen increased demand for services from not only homeowners, but also from businesses looking to protect their investment.

“People want to make sure they keep what they have,” says Hawkins, a former Valparaiso police officer. –KEN KOSKY

Sharon Halliburton's

SECURITY TIPS FOR AN EMPTY HOME • Stop any newspaper subscriptions and have the mail held. Or, if the mail and papers are being delivered, arrange to have them picked up.

• Have the local police department check on a home or consider hiring a private company that specializes in house sitting or checking on houses.

• Remove trash and perishable food from the home.

• Let a trusted neighbor know about where and when you will be traveling.

MAY 2010

• When vacationing or selling a home, don’t shut off the water, and make sure to keep using the heating or air-conditioning. Of course, people leaving for the winter can winterize their home.

• Arrange to have snow shoveled in the winter and the yard mowed in the summer.

• Put lamps on timers throughout the house to give the appearance of activity.

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ure, the economy has forced more people to opt for “stay-cations”— taking advantage of local attractions rather than spending money on a traditional vacation. But when it finally comes time to break into the piggy bank and take a real trip, the last thing a person needs is to return home and find they need to spend hundreds or thousands of additional dollars because their home was burglarized, a water pipe burst or some other calamity occurred.

For advice about protecting an empty home, we turned to the experts—the police, a security system expert, a thief (hey, he knows how to make a home less of a target) and a real estate professional who often deals with unoccupied homes.

Sharon Halliburton, a broker associate for American Homes in St. Joseph, Michigan, says the best advice is to have an empty home look and feel like an occupied one.

Porter County, Indiana, Sheriff David Lain agrees that the most important thing a person can do to ward off burglars is to make it

Burglars often knock on the front door of a home and, if nobody answers, they break in. If someone answers, the burglar usually has a story handy that he is looking for a specific person or looking for work, Lain says. If people would call police when a suspicious person comes to the door—providing a description of the person and his vehicle, and a license plate if possible—they might prevent a burglary down the road, Lain says.

Lain also says security systems, whether professionally installed or put in by the homeowner, add another layer of security.

Curt Hawkins, vice-president of Videotec security company in Highland, Indiana, says the security business has actually done well during the down economy.

Hawkins says security systems range from the inexpensive (like the use of a canine or the purchasing of a basic system from an electronics store) to the higherend installed systems that cost about $15,000. The best systems can alert the homeowner via their computer or handheld device whenever a motion sensor is activated, and the homeowner can access video feeds from the home to see if anything is amiss.

LITTLE BLACK DRESS PARTY, ST. JOSEPH • DELTA THETA TAU GALA, VALPARAISO • SECOND SEASON BALL, LAPORTE • WINTER DELIGHTS, BENTON HARBOR • MARDI GRAS CARNIVALE, SOUTH BEND • ICE CARVING FESTIVAL, ST. JOSEPH • FIRE AND ICE RECEPTION, BENTON HARBOR • CHALLENGER OPEN HOUSE, HAMMOND • HAVE A HEART GALA, MERRILLVILLE 1

warm winter

little black dress party st. joseph

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photography by gregg rizzo

Port 412’s Little Black Dress Party helped heat a cold winter’s night for approximately 200 guests in St. Joseph. The social affair was highlighted by music, dancing and raffles. Attendees who wore a black dress also entered into a raffle with a chance to win one of two Coach purses.

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1 Emily Foster and April Voffi, both of Coloma 2 Peter Lamberta of St. Joseph with Amy DeProw of Coloma 3 Cary Worley and Erica Roach, both of St. Joseph 4 Jenna Petrie, Katen Camelet, Julie Benya and Heather Kolesar, all of St. Joseph

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5 Cheri Lesauskis of Benton Harbor

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6 Amanda Withrow of St. Joseph 7 Laura and Mark Kozlowski of St. Joseph 8 Jen Ellegood of St. Joseph with Bailey Brautigan of Toledo, Ohio

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9 Amay DeProw, Amanda Daniel and Rachel DeProw, all of Coloma

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10 Eric and Trisha Magnuson of St. Joseph

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all clicks compiled by sue bero

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evening of red

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delta theta tau gala valparaiso photography by bernie zemen

The 489 guests at the Delta Theta Tau Valparaiso chapter’s 18th Annual Winter Gala, which supported Opportunity Enterprises, enjoyed an evening “full of red and more red.’’ Decorations carried a red and black theme, with the color white also playing a role. The evening included a silent auction, dinner and dancing.

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1 Ellen DeMartinis, Gary Mitchell and Linda Hazen, all of Valparaiso 2 Amanda Orlowski and Mart Brent, both of Milwaukee

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3 Carrie Rapley of Valparaiso and Kelly Kruger of Chicago 4 Louis and Terry Hodnik of Crown Point with Evan Rodgers of Valparaiso

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5 Jen and Steven Jovanovic 6 John Oberman, Barbara Fluder, Kathy Wehling and Curt Cichowski 7 Carol Ronneau, Gary Mitchell and Kris Trapp, all of Valparaiso 8 Isabelle Doneff, Debora Doneff, Irene Bacvar and Donna Verde

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9 Dale Clapp of Valparaiso with Rene and Jim Martin of Chesterton

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tasteful affair second season ball | laporte photography by joe durk

A celebration promoting the New Buffalo area drew some 200 guests to the seventh annual gala. Attendees enjoyed appetizers provided by local restaurateurs, bid on silent auction items and sipped champagne flowing from a fountain.Ty Stone and Just Soul brought everyone to their feet and to the dance floor.

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1 Karen and Chris Poff, both of LaPorte

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2 Pete Donnelly and Kate Craig, both of New Buffalo 3 Sheila Soler and Tom Jennings, both of St. Joseph 4 Susan Hudson of LaPorte with Linda Henderson and Sharon Hamann, both of New Buffalo 5 Dani Lane and Migs Murray, both of New Buffalo

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6 Marilyn and Paul Siebenmorgen of Archbold, Ohio

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MAy 2010

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touting tourism

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winter delights benton harbor

photography by gregg rizzo

Winter Delights attracted some 600 visitors from all over the Midwest to sample wine and cuisine offerings provided by local restaurants and wineries, in an effort to boost Southwest Michigan tourism. A festival of wine, food and jazz in the Grand Upton Hall of the Mendel Center delighted guests, who also received a souvenir wine glass.

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1 Lori Sweeney of Holland with Monika Reimers of St. Joseph 2 Kenny and Angelique Petersen of Baroda 3 Steve and Julie Schlutt of St. Joseph

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4 Michael deSchaaf of Benton Harbor, Pam Davan of Paw Paw and Sarah Robinson of Kalamazoo

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5 Jackie Gideon of St. Joseph with Mark Samson of Battle Creek 6 Zach Pillszuk of Niles with Nicole Rappaport of St. Joseph 7 LeAnna Koerner and Jim Nelson of St. Joseph 8 Lisa Rostar and Mark Reece of South Haven

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9 Morgan Clint of Sawyer with Rhonda Riebow of DeWitt 10 Daren Samplawski and Sharon Stirling, both of St. Joseph

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big easy fun

mardi gras carnivale | south bend photography by gregg rizzo

Mardi Gras Carnivale served up plenty of good food, provided by some of Michiana’s finest chefs, and music in the name of a charitable cause—Life Treatment Centers, a South Bend organization that provides support for St. Joseph County residents who need drug or alcohol treatment.

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1 Steve Nebus of South Bend with Steve Szaday of Niles

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2 Kip Peters and Eddie Hernandez, both of South Bend 3 Christyne Woolridge and Phil Bird, both of South Bend 4 Beth Baker of South Bend and Stacy Birk of Mishawaka

an Aveda concept salon

5 Tina Waller and Lou Scymanski of South Bend

be yourself. be beautiful.

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6 Cary DeVall of Granger with Dallaena Johnson of Indianapolis

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FUN TO DO THIS WEEKEND? Shore’s own Joe Durk and Julia Perla talk about what’s going on in the Lake Michigan area, in the Shore Weekender video every Thursday.

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visitshoremagazine.com / nwi.com

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with joe & julia

may 2010

WEEKENDER

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icy warmth

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ice carving festival st. joseph photography by jennifer feeney

The annual Magical Ice Carving Festival brought hundreds of people to the downtown area of St. Joseph. Guests milled the town to shop, dine, view ice sculptors doing their work, and participate in a number of family-friendly activities. A heated hospitality tentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;new this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;offered respite and warm food and drink.

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1 Monica Misenar of South Bend and Brian Smith of St. Joseph 2 Courtney, Casey and Tracy Zinsmaster of Kalamazoo, Norah and Melissa Gregersen of Kalamazoo, and Kyle and Melissa Plummer of St. Joseph

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3 Erin Moerler of Fennville

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4 Erik, Kristin and Bridget Muntzing of Valparaiso 5 Debbie and Laura Stama of Bridgman 6 Mark Goldy of Stevensville and Laura Yates of Baroda 7 Nancy and Jim Kodis of St. Joseph 8 Mary and Jim Rabbers of Stevensville

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9 Michelle Elliot and Loralyn Bunce of Holland 10 Amelia and PJ Marciniak of Stevensville

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glassy artistry

fire and ice reception | benton harbor photography by gregg rizzo

Fire and Ice showed off the talents of seven students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago who created art using molten glass along with ice and snow at Water Street Glassworks in Benton Harbor. The students showed the 150 guests the results of a two-week glass intensive program in which they participated at Water Street.

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1 Traci and Jason Kachorek of St. Joseph

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2 Teresa Moran of Mishawaka with Christine Monteleon of Granger 3 Bekah Johnson and Mark Sauers of South Haven 4 Kathryn Fox of Belle Mead, New Jersey

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5 Paul Fletcher and Nancy Hourigan of St. Joseph 6 Alice Tsoi of Hong Kong with Esther Kwan of Northbrook

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MAY 2010

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learning launch challenger open house | hammond PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT WRAY

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The 60 past and new donorguests at the Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana’s “Launching into a New Decade Open House’’ viewed simulated space missions and enjoyed planetarium and laser shows. Refreshments and a silent auction also were part of the fun.

1 Karen and Clyde Compton of Ogden Dunes

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2 Mary Schoenheider of Joliet and Janis Westlund of Orland Park 3 Elayne and Roger Tyderek of Hammond 4 Rob and Amanda Maynard of Portage 5 Kristin McKone and Janice Malinowski

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6 Dan Candiana of Dyer and Marsha Wells of Merrillville

New Spring Selections in the Hottest Colors Arriving Daily!

Great Selection of “Not Your Daughter’s Jeans”

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Jackets, Wraps, Great Sweaters, Evening Wear, Purses, Hats, Jewelry, Scarfs, Leggings, Shoes, and much more!

XS-XL Regular & Petite

Post Inventory

Jackets

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Sale!

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Owners: Judith Kaye & Nancy C. Goodwin

613 N. Main St. M-Th 10am-5pm Crown Point Fri 10am-7pm

(Across from Wendy’s)

219-661-8094

Sat 10am-5pm

New Extended Parking Enter & Exit Off Court St. Evening Hours By Appointment.

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heartfelt help

have a heart gala | merrillville photography by bernie zemen

The approximately 175 guests showed a lot of heart as they raised funds to benefit the Cancer Support Center at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza.

A shopping bazaar, gourmet dinner and Vegas-style entertainment, featuring an Elvis tribute

by Curt Lechner, helped the cause.

1 Vin Beechin of Hobart and Tracy Heiser of Crown Point 2 Sherley Lechner and Carla Pheiser-Pete, both of Hebron

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3 Donna Molchan of Crown Point, Curt Lechner of Hebron, Sue Hayes of Crown Point and Janet Curley of Crown Point 4 Candy Lockridge, Steve Wasmund, and Vickie and Jeff Nelson, all of Cedar Lake

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5 Gina Tuttle of Beecher, Kay Adams of Lowell and Corinne Rhein of Cedar Lake 6 Marcia Quale of Lowell and Irene Vagnone of Crown Point

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essential EVENTS

HAPPENINGS HAPPENINGS 52 EXHIBITIONS 42 EXHIBITIONS 55 FILM 44 56 FILM 46 PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE 56 46 INTEREST 58

Through May 9 Garfield Park Conservatory Spring Flower Show 9am-5pm, Garfield Park Conservatory 300 N Central Park Ave, Chicago garfield-conservatory.org.

Visitors can experience the beauty of spring before the weather warms up at this free annual flower show. Featured flowers include the direct descendents of the great azaleas that once bloomed at the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, and spring flowering annuals and perennials.

CaLenDar CoMPiLeD BY JULi DoShan

happenings Indiana

Ongoing 4th Friday Arts, 6-9pm, every 4th Fri, Crown Point town square. 219.662.3290.

4thfridayarts.com. The historical downtown square of Crown Point is alive and active with the arts.

Stroll through the town square and visit the local businesses that turn into artistic sanctuaries every 4th Friday of the month. See website or call for specific events.

Apr 17 Spring Blooms Hike, 1-3pm, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center, State Rd 49 & US 20, Chesterton. 219.395.1882. nps.gov/indu. Nature enthusiasts can explore the forest for wildflowers and other signs of spring at this free event. Participants will meet with a ranger at the visitor center before going to the most vibrant trail to see the sights.

Apr 18 Art Outdoors, 11am-6pm, Bendix Woods, Timothy Rd, South of US 20, New Carlisle.

574.654.3155. sjcparks.org. Artists of all skill levels and creative types can interpret the beauty of Bendix Woods in the spring with their pencils, pens and paintbrushes during this plein air program. Visitors can also observe techniques of the other artists in the park or take an interpretive hike. Children can participate in their own workshop.

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Apr 22 The Midwest Smoke Out, 4-10pm, The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, 777 Casino Center Dr, Hammond. 888.226.0330. midwestsmokeout.com.

After a three-year hiatus, the second-largest cigar show in the country returns. With dozens of big brands of premium cigars, spirits and luxury items, this event also allows participants to network with Fortune 500 executives and VIPs. Apr 24 April in Paris, 11am-3pm, Old World Market, 76 Washington St, Valparaiso. 219.476.0700. oldworldmarketonline.com. A free wine tasting and more than 200 cheeses in stock will help participants

learn how to pair different wines and cheese. Guests can also enjoy live music, pastries and chocolates.

May 1 10th Annual Native Plant Sale, 9am-2pm, Gibson Woods Nature Preserve, 6201 Parrish Ave, Hammond. 219.844.3188. lakecountyparks.com.

This annual sale features more types of native plants than ever before, with more than 100 species of wildflowers, grasses, sedges and ferns sold on a firstcome, first-served basis. Proceeds from the sale go to benefit resources, projects and programs for Lake County Parks and other community projects.

May 2 Cinco de Mayo Celebration, 5-10pm, Oakwood Hall, Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Rd, Portage. 219.762.7607. ci.portage.in.us. This family-friendly event includes a taco dinner, kids’ activities and musical entertainment by My Brother’s Salsa Band.

May 8 Faces of Tourism Unveiling Reception, 7-10pm, Indiana Welcome Center, I-80/94 & Kennedy Ave S, Hammond. 219.989.7979 or 219.743.0182. southshorecva.com. Guests can enjoy a mix of hospitality, arts and ballet at this unveiling reception for photographs by Edda Taylor and Royce Chenore. Refreshments will be served and ballerinas will perform in celebration of National Tourism Week. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Indiana Ballet Theater and their Classical Arts Centre.

May 15-16 Voyageur Rendezvous—A Travelers’ Gathering, 10am-4pm, Grand Kankakee Marsh County Park, 21690 Range Line Rd, Hebron.

219.769.7275. lakecountyparks.com. Peek into the lives of the travelers and merchant traders who traveled the Grand Kankakee River 250 years ago at this weekend reenactment. Activities include kids’ games, historic demonstrations, contests, musical entertainment, concessions and more.

May 22 Night in Venice 2010—A Masked Ball, 6pm-midnight, Pottawatomie Country Club, 101 W

2nd St, Michigan City. 219.874.4900. lubeznikcenter. org. This Venetian Carnival-themed annual event is the premier fundraiser for the Lubeznik Center for the Arts. The perfect combination of culture, tradition and celebration, the event features a live band, dancing, entertainment, fine food, cocktails and a live auction. Proceeds benefit educational programs and exhibits at the center.

Michigan

Apr Culture of Japan Festival, Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St, Saugatuck. 269.857.2399. sc4a.org. The Saugatuck Center for the Arts celebrates the rich culture of Japan throughout April with classes, lectures, live performances and exhibits.

Through Apr 26: The Art of the Kimono; Apr 13, 20, 27: Aikido Class; Apr 13: Antiques Road Show— Japan; Apr 15: Sake Tasting Workshop; Apr 22: Stars of Japanese Cinema—Films with Global Impact; Apr 24: Tea Ceremony and Wearing of the Kimono, and Nagata Shachu Japanese Drumming Ensemble.

Through Apr 30 Butterflies Are Blooming, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E Beltline NE, Grand Rapids. 616.957.1580 or 888.957.1580. meijergardens.org. The largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibition in the United States celebrates its 15th year. More than 40 species of butterflies and moths from three continents can be viewed flying and drinking nectar, and guests may even catch a glimpse of a transformation.

Apr 13-May 13 Gilmore Keyboard Festival 2010, various locations, Kalamazoo area.

296.342.1166, 800.347.4266. gilmore.org. Gilmore, an organization that supports keyboard music and artistry, is sponsoring its 10th world-class festival that showcases more than 100 events, including concerts, recitals, lectures, films and master classes. Among the artists performing in this year’s event are Phyllis Chen, Jonathan Biss and American Idol contestant Matt Giraud.

photograph courtesy of GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY

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.

May 1 Blossomtime Grand Floral Parade, 1pm, downtown St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. 269.926.7397. sjtoday.org. The Blossomtime Festival is the oldest and largest multi-community festival in the state of Michigan. For 104 years, communities have come together to watch marching bands, floats and grand floral arrangements stroll down the streets of downtown St. Joseph.

Apr 17 Art Dart, Water Street Gallery, 98 Center St, Douglas. 616.834.4686. waterstreetgallery.com. Visitors to this unique art event can purchase a dart from the Water Street Gallery. When the dart is thrown, it hits a number. When guests hear their number, they can grab their favorite piece of artwork from the gallery wall to take home.

May 2-Oct 3 Antiques on the Bluff, 10am-3pm every Sun, Lake Bluff Park, St. Joseph. sjtoday.org. Held along the tree-lined Lake Bluff Park, overlooking Lake Michigan, this antique show is the premier event for antiquers and collectors around Southwest Michigan. This event offers free parking and no admission.

Apr 17 Herb Society High Tea, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, 13988 Range Line Rd, Niles. 269.423.4901. fernwoodbotanical.org. Guests to this event can enjoy exotic teas and sweets served on fine china in the style of a traditional high tea, as well as a lecture from Annick Hivert-Carthew, who will be speaking on her passion for medieval gardens. Sponsored by the Michiana Unit of the Herb Society of America, proceeds will benefit Fernwood’s Herb Garden Restoration Project.

May 6-15 Dowagiac Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, throughout Dowagiac.

866.490.2847 or 269.782.1115. dogwoodfinearts.org. Enjoy fine art throughout this annual festival. This year’s events include novelist Dennis Lehane, the “Original British Invasion Band” Herman’s Hermits, storyteller Doug Elliot, Chicago Tap Theatre, the Dogwood Tea and the first ever Culinary Arts event with the Food Network’s “Big Daddy” Aaron McCargo, Jr.

Apr 17-18 Kalamazoo Antique Show, 9am-5pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun, Kalamazoo County Expo Center, 2900 Lake St, Kalamazoo. 616.363.2856. kalcounty.com. This annual spring event features many true antiques from a variety of dealers in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.

Apr 24 Harbor Country Open House, noon-4pm, various locations in Harbor Country. harborcountryopenhouse.com.

More than 50 realtors are collaborating to make it seamlessly easy to tour the second-home market in Harbor Country and stimulate interest in second-home ownership. More than 150 vacation homes, income-generating properties, cottages and condos will be available for viewing, all in one day.

Apr 25 Lakeshore Blessing of the Bikes, Ottawa County Fairgrounds, 1286 Ottawa Beach Rd, Holland. 616.399.4904. blessingofthebikes.com. Motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists gather with bikes of all makes and models to kick off a safe riding season while supporting local charities. The day also includes music, awards and vendors to promote a sense of community and fellowship.

May 15 WSL Athena Scholarship Golf Outing, registration begins at 12:30pm, The Golf Club at Harbor Shores, 400 Klock Rd, Benton Harbor. 269.927.4653. Golfers of all skill levels will relish the chance to be the first group to golf the newly opened 15 holes at the Golf Club at Harbor Shores, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Sponsored by the Women’s Service League, this event will feature a shotgun start and prizes for the top men’s, women’s and mixed teams. After golfing, participants can enjoy dinner, a silent auction and a comedian act.

May 20-Oct 3 Niles Bensidoun French Market and Artisan Fair, 9am-2pm every Thu, Sat, downtown Niles. 269.687.4332. nilesmainstreet.org. This legendary open-air European public market comes to Niles, offering merchants selling food, arts and crafts, clothing and more.

Illinois

Ongoing Chicago Neighborhood Tours, 10am, tours begin at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E Randolph St, Chicago. 312.742.1190. chicagoneighborhoodtours.com. These half-day bus tours allow visitors to explore the history, traditions and people of Chicago

through the diverse neighborhoods in which they live. Twenty-five different tours are featured throughout the year. Some walking is required.

the bike path in historic downtown Frankfort, this open-air farmers’ market focuses on early crops, gardening items and specialty items for the spring season.

Apr 16-18 Chicago Botanic Garden’s Antiques & Garden Fair, 10am-5pm, Regenstein Center, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe.

847.835.6944. chicagobotanic.org. “Great American Gardens” will be the theme of the tenth anniversary of this signature spring event. New to this year’s fair are five of Chicago’s best floral designers, showcasing their talents along with the best in antique garden furnishings, botanical art, inspirational exhibit gardens and more than 100 dealers from Europe and the United States. Also, Apr 24-25: American Daffodil Society Annual Show.

Apr 30-May 3 Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair, 11am7pm Fri-Sat, 11am-6pm Sun, 11am-3pm Mon, The Merchandise Mart, 8th Floor, 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago.

800.677.6728. merchandisemartantiques. com. Acclaimed interior and home furnishings designer Thomas O’Brien will kick off this timeless event with a lecture and book signing at 10 a.m. on Friday.

More than 100 of the world’s top dealers of antiques and fine art will then be on hand to showcase a wide range of antique genres from which to shop.

Apr 16-18 International Quilt Festival, Donald E. Stephens Center, 5555 N River Rd, Rosemont. 713.781.6864. quilts.com.

The convention features more than 100 education classes and demonstrations, and quilt and textile art, and attracts quilt artists, aficionados and collectors from around the continent.

Apr 17 Chicago Sinfonietta’s Ball, The Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, Chicago.

312.284.1559. chicagosinfonietta.org.

This reception features cocktails, a silent auction and a gourmet four-course meal.

For entertainment, attendees can enjoy a performance by the Sinfonietta Orchestra and special guests.

Apr 17 3rd Annual Message of Hope, 6:30-11pm, InterContinental Hotel, 505 N Michigan Ave, Chicago. 312.222.8900 ext 12. unicefusa.org/messageofhope. This inspirational evening will feature cocktails, dinner, dancing, entertainment from the Little Big Men band, a live auction and raffle packages, all in the name of helping save the lives of children and improving health care facilities for the future.

Apr 20-25 Chicago Early Music Festival, various venues, Chicago. 877.244.2246. chicagoearlymusicfest.org. Debuting as the city’s first festival dedicated to the music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras, this six-day collaborative event has both free and ticketed performances, lectures and master classes by internationally renowned musicians, and community events.

Apr 25-May 30 Frankfort Country Spring Market, 10am-2pm Sundays, Oak & Kansas Sts, downtown Frankfort. frankfortcountrymarket.org. Located along

May 1 4th Annual German Heritage Celebration, noon-9pm, Founders Center, 140 Oak St, Frankfort. 815.469.2177. villageoffrankfort.com. This celebration of Frankfort’s rich German heritage will include authentic German food and beverages, live music, folk dance demonstrations, and a traditional Maypole dance.

May 7 Fashion 2010, 2pm, 6pm and 9pm, Griffin Court, Modern Wing, The Art Institute of Chicago, 159 E Monroe Ave, Chicago.

312.899.1439. saic.edu/fashion. Cuttingedge garments by the next generation of up-and-coming designers will be the focus of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s 76th annual show. Fashion and art lovers will see more than 200 innovative studentdesigned garments on the runway in three shows that will coincide with an evening gala and a late-night fashion party.

May 8 Gala 2010—Choose to Believe, 6:30pm, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 1650 N Halsted; Structured Development’s TruServe Building, 1460 N Halsted, Chicago.

312.654.5632. steppenwolf.org. This unforgettable annual black-tie event to benefit the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre includes a showcase of scenes from the theater’s production of Endgame. Guests will then be shuttled to this year’s new reception venue, Structured Development’s TruServe Building, where they can enjoy cocktails and fine cuisine. The evening concludes with a live auction of once-in-a-lifetime adventures with Steppenwolf ensemble members and entertainment by Steppenwolf cofounder Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band.

May 22 Goodman Theatre Annual Gala, 6:30pm, The Fairmont Hotel, 200 N Co-

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Apr 16-18 Cottage & Lakefront Living Show, 3-9pm Fri, 10am-9pm Sat, 11am5pm Sun, DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids. 616.742.6500. cottageandlakefrontliving.com. In addition to more than 300 vendors, this show features such unique attractions as a wooden boatbuilding demonstration, free seminars and an art show.

essential EVENTS lumbus Dr, Chicago. 312.443.3811 ext 586. goodmantheatre.org. Tony Awardwinning and multi-Grammy Awardnominated performer Heather Headley will headline this black-tie event. Guests can enjoy a cocktail reception, dinner, dancing and Headley’s performance while raising money for the Goodman’s Educational and Community Engagement programs.

May 22 Human First 2010, 7:30pm, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph, Chicago. 773.661.0787. centeronhalsted.org. Lily Tomlin will headline the performance at this gala that benefits programs at Center on Halsted, the largest LGBT community center in the Midwest. Oleta Adams will also perform and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will make a special guest appearance.

May 28-Sep 6 Cirque Shanghai— Cloud 9, Pepsi Skyline Stage, Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago.

312.595.7437. navypier.com. Cirque Shanghai returns for a fifth straight season with a brand new theatrical experience that features gravity-defying ladder balances, spinning platform roller skating, juggling, contortion, choreographed aerial daredevils on sway poles suspended high above the stage, and more.

May 29-30 Randolph Street Market Festival, 10am-5pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun, Beaux Arts Plumbers Hall, 1340 W Washington St, or enter at 1350 Randolph St, Chicago. 312.666.1200. chicagoantiquemarket.com. Serious antique collectors, style-setters and shoppers will find the most decorative and wide array of merchandise from vintage to modern at the opening of the 7th season of Chicago’s Ultimate Antique Market, Indie Designer Market, Fancy Food Market, Vinyl Swap Meet, Global Goods Bazaar, and more.

exhibitions Indiana

Through Apr 18 The New Moderns—In Search of Form, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, 101 W 2nd St, Michigan City. 219.874.4900. lubeznikcenter.org.

Works by seven internationally known artists, including Tom Brand, Eleanor Himmelfarb and Richard Lange, will be on view at the Lubeznik Center. Each piece is done in an abstract manner in the artists’ exploration of form. Also, through Apr 18: Seeing the Light; Apr 24-Jul 11: Tony Fitzpatrick—No. 9 A Journey in Progress; Carl Holzman—New Still Lifes; Drawn to Tattoos.

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Through Apr 25 Caroline Chiu— Polaroids as Chinese Ink Painting, Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame. 574.631.5466. nd.edu/~sniteart. This exhibit features a selection of photographs taken from Caroline Chiu’s larger series that portray her collection of objects representing the material culture of traditional China. The Hong Kong artist’s graphic photographic images evoke the brushstroke of traditional Chinese ink painting. Also: through Apr 25: Yin Yu Tang—A Chinese Home; through May 16: 2010 BFA/MFA Candidates’ Theses Exhibition.

Through Apr 25 Some Assembly Required—A Margaret Wharton Retrospective, South Shore Arts, The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Rd, Munster. 219.836.1839. southshoreartsonline.org. The third

installment of the Outstanding Midwest Artist Series features renowned Chicago sculptor Margaret Wharton. Curated by John Cain, this exhibit displays more than 80 pieces from the artist, who focuses on the manipulation of objects such as chairs and books into witty and critical works of art.

Through May 1 Paint the Parks100, Indiana Welcome Center, I-80/94 & Kennedy Ave S, Hammond.

219.989.7770. southshorecva.com.

As part of the PaintAmerica National Exhibition Tour, 100 paintings depicting the very best aspects of America’s National Parks were chosen for display.

These paintings illustrate the beauty and significance of the parks while providing a premier, national showcase for the country’s most notable artists, as well as upcoming emerging artists.

Michigan

Through Apr 25 Abstract Organic— Ceramic Sculptures by Yumiko Goto, Gallery III, Krasl Art Center, 707 Lake Blvd, St. Joseph. 269.983.0271. krasl.org.

Drawing upon a childhood connection with nature, Yumiko Goto creates ambiguous and abstracted organic ceramics. Her unique artwork evokes transcendence, beauty and softness.

Also, through Apr 25: Grand Valley State University Ceramics Exhibition— Instructors, Students and Alumni.

Through May 23 Fear and Folly— The Visionary Prints of Francisco Goya and Federico Castellon, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 314 S Park St, Kalamazoo. 269.349.7775. kiarts.org.

Although their lives were separated by more than a century, Francisco Goya and Federico Castellon have more in common than most of their contemporaries. Both artists created dark and fantastic works, many of which will be on display in this exhibit. Also, through Apr 18: Woodcuts in Modern China, 1937-2008—Towards a Universal Pictorial Language.

Through May 30 James Allen French—Eclectic Imagery, Clark Lecture Hall and Gallery, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, 13988 Range Line Rd, Niles. 269.695.6491. fernwoodbotanical.org. James Allen French’s approach to nature photography creates images that celebrate the subject it captures while featuring compositional themes centering on patterns, textures and colors. Working only with natural light and no lens filters, French represents nature just as he found it.

Apr 30-Sep 30 Chihuly—A New Eden, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 E Beltline NE, Grand Rapids. 616.957.1580 or 888.957.1580. meijergardens.org.

Thousands of colorful glasswork pieces from the legendary Dale Chihuly will adorn the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park as it celebrates its 15th anniversary. Chihuly’s second exhibition at this site will include chandeliers, glass towers up to 30 feet high, the sun, the moon, a rowboat full of glass and more.

Designed to be fused with nature, these pieces will evolve with the surrounding nature as the season changes.

Illinois

Through May 30 Production Site—The Artist’s Studio Inside-Out, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago. 312.280.2660. mcachicago.org. The artist’s studio

destination:

SOUTH HAVEN

essential EVENTS becomes the subject in this interesting exhibit, which features work that documents, depicts or reconstructs artists’ spaces. These works reveal how the studio functions as a place where research, experimentation, production and social activity intertwine.

Through Jun 20 Matisse—Radical Invention, 1913-1917, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago.

317.443.3600. artic.edu/aic. Nearly 120 paintings, sculptures, drawings and prints from a major turning point in Henri Matisse’s career will be on display at this world premiere exhibit. The first exhibition exclusively devoted to this period in Matisse’s life explores everything from his early working process to his revolutionary experimentation. Also, through Apr 18: Heart and Soul—Art from Coretta Scott King Award Books, 2006-2009; through May 31: In the Vernacular; through Jun 30: 500 Ways of Looking at Modern.

Through Sep 6 Mammoths and Mastodons—Titans of the Ice Age, The Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago. 312.922.9410. fieldmuseum.org.

Through monumental video installations, interactive displays and the best-preserved baby mammoth in the world, museumgoers will be able to explore the lives of the fascinating creatures that once roamed the earth. Guests will learn the difference between the behemoth animals, what may have caused their extinction and how today’s scientists excavate and analyze their findings.

Through Jan 2011 Steelroots—Tobin at the Morton Arboretum, Morton Arboretum, 4100 Ill Rte 53, Lisle.

630.968.0074. mortonarb.org. This exhibit marks the first-ever comprehensive display of the Steelroots sculpture series by Steve Tobin. It is made up of 15 dramatic sculptures created with massive rolled and bent steel pipes that soar up to 40 feet high so visitors are free to touch, walk through and even lie beneath the artwork.

film Indiana

Cinemark at Valparaiso, 700 Porter’s Vale Blvd, Valparaiso. 219.464.0260. cinemark.com. Opened in May 2008, this brand new theater has 12 screens and digital sound and the all-stadium seating has comfortable chairs that rock to your comfort.

Portage 16 IMAX, 6550 US Hwy 6, Portage.

219.764.7569. portage16imax.com. The brand-new Portage 16 IMAX showcases blockbusters as well as electrifying 3D films that are uniquely suited to the IMAX format.

With projected images up to eight stories high and a spectacular, wraparound digital surround-sound system, this theater offers a total-immersion moviegoing experience.

The Town Theatre, 8616 Kennedy Ave, Highland. 219.838.1222. towntheatre.net.

This charming movie house in downtown Highland has been screening fine American, independent and foreign films since 1946.

Filmgoers in the 425-seat vintage theater— complete with bright red seats—are offered the opportunity to stretch their legs during the unique intermission, at which time they are encouraged to discuss the film and savor a free treat.

Michigan

The Vickers Theatre, 6 N Elm St, Three Oaks.

269.756.3522. vickerstheatre.com. Home of the annual “Sound of Silents Film Festival,” this painstakingly restored turn-of-the-century art house screens a variety of notable independent films. A lofty, two-story gallery space, showcasing the works of Midwestern artists, is open to the public before and between shows. Further enhancing its art-house cachet, the Vickers hosts live music, performance art and poetry readings on its stage.

Illinois

The Gene Siskel Film Center, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 164 N State St, Chicago. 312.846.2600. siskelfilmcenter.org.

This film center—renamed in 2000 for its most passionate supporter, the late film critic Gene Siskel—has been exhibiting critically acclaimed, as well as entertaining “motion picture art” in its state-of-the-art facilities since its inception in 1972. Presenting more than 100 films each month, the center showcases cutting-edge, independent features and classic revivals, as well as premieres of new American and foreign films. From hosting the “Annual Festival of Films from Iran” to The Grapes of Wrath, the diverse offerings have quality in common. A focus on education is supported by guest lecturers, discussions and courses, and film-related exhibits can be viewed at the on-site gallery/café.

performance Indiana

Chicago Street Theater, 154 W Chicago St, Valparaiso. 219.464.1636. ctgonline.org.

Now in its 55th season of bringing live theatrical entertainment to the greater Northwest Indiana region, the CST presents a variety of plays and musicals each season, in addition to regularly scheduled theater classes for both adults and children. Apr 16-May 1: And Then There Were None; May 28-Jun 13: The Heidi Chronicles.

DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame Campus.

574.631.2800. performingarts.nd.edu. The state-of-the-art, 150,000-square-foot facility, newly opened in 2004, is host to some of the world’s most celebrated artists. In addition, its stages showcase student, faculty and community performers, as well as the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, Southold Dance, the Notre Dame Symphony, the South Bend Civic Theatre, and more. Apr 17: Dianne Reeves; Apr 24: Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Anne-Marie McDermott; Apr 30: Cristina Branco; May 15: Notre Dame Glee Club Commencement Concert 2010.

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. Apr 15-18: Oldest Living Graduate.

Front Porch Music, 505 E Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.464.4700. frontporchmusic.com.

This self-proclaimed “Picker’s Paradise” is the mecca for guitar and string instrument players in Northwest Indiana, offering instrument sales, repair, instruction and a coffee house for frequent live performances. Apr 17: Alan Rhody; Apr 24: Flintlock.

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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-square-foot casino. The Venue, the casino’s 90,000-square-foot entertainment facility, hosts some of the hottest Chicagoland entertainment. Apr 16: Huey Lewis & the News; Apr 18: The Platters and the Coasters; Apr 23: Eddie Griffin; Apr 29: The Gipsy Kings; Apr 30: Ramon Ayala; May 16: An Evening with Lucille Ball—Thank You for Asking; May 18-21: Charlie Prose.

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. Apr 17: State Fair—A Blue Ribbon Event.

The Memorial Opera House, 104 E Indiana Ave, Valparaiso. 219.548.9137. memorialoperahouse.com. As the name suggests, this renovated, 364-seat building—with red, white and blue stained-glass windows—was built as a living memorial to the Civil War veterans of Porter County.

Built in 1893, the theater has a rich history as a venue for musical and dramatic performances, including appearances by John Philip Sousa and the Marx Brothers. Apr 16-18: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast; Apr 23: Hotel California; Apr 25: John Berry; May 15: Billy Joel Tribute Show.

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. Apr 16: Girls Night—The Musical; Apr 19: David Sedaris; Apr 23-24: Avenue Q; May 1: South Bend Symphony Orchestra presents Grand Finale; May 11: The Goo Goo Dolls.

Experience the difference.

Star Plaza Theatre, I-65 & US 30, Merrillville.

219.769.6600. starplazatheatre.com. With 3,400 seats arranged in two intimate seating levels, the theater consistently hosts premier performers yearround. 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. Apr 17: Keith Emerson and Greg Lake; May 4: Joe Bonamassa; May 5: Jesus Christ Superstar.

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. Apr 22-May 23: I Do! I Do! 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. Apr 24-25: Indiana Ballet Theater and IU Northwest Dance Company; May 7-8, 14-16, 20-23: Kissing.

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

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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. May 20: A Cole Porter Celebration.

essential EVENTS Theater Pipe Organ and boasts bistro tables and occasionally offbeat entertainment options. Apr 24: Cathy Richardson Band; May 1-2: Mark Twain and the Laughing River; May 13: The Judy Show; May 21: Special Consensus; May 30: Jeanne Scherkenbach.

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 Grammynominated 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. Apr 16-17: Hear the Now; Apr 18: Percussion Explosion; Apr 23: Brahms and Haydn; May 7-8: Verdi’s Requiem; May 14-16: Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans.

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. Apr 17-18: Conductors’ Festival; Apr 30-May 1: The Gilmore Festival Concerts; May 15-16: The World of . . . J.S. Bach.

Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, various venues. 269.982.4030. smso.org.

This versatile orchestra offers a traditional Mendel Mainstage Series, small ensemble works in the Around Town Series, and the Performing Artists series, which showcases a wide range of styles with guest artists. Apr 17: American Versatility; May 8: American Virtuosity; May 9: Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra; May 15: Up, Up & Away.

Illinois

Anne and Howard Gottlieb Hall, Merit School of Music, Joy Faith Knapp Music Center, 38 S Peoria St, Chicago. 312.786.9428. meritmusic. org. The crown jewel of the stateof-the-art Joy Faith Knapp Music Center, this 372-seat theater has excellent acoustics and a projection screen sized for the stage. Opened in 2005, it has quickly become one of the premier chamber music venues in Chicago. Apr 18: Avalon String Quartet, featuring guest musician

The Shrine of ChriST’S PaSSion 10630 Wicker Ave, St. John, Ind. 219.365.6010. shrineofchristspassion.org.

This peaceful, prayerful environment consists of an interactive halfmile winding pathway that takes visitors from the Last Supper to the Ascension of Christ. The journey features 40 life-size bronze statues that are accompanied by a listening station that gives a description of the scene. The inspirational attraction is open year-round, weather permitting, and the pathway is illuminated for use in the early evening.

The Visitor’s Center and Gift Shop, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., carries a unique selection of books and gifts for people of all faiths.

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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. Apr 16: Stone River Boys; Apr 18: Bruce Katz Band; Apr 24: Jeff & Vida Band; May 30: Midwest Hype.

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. Apr 23: Carrie Underwood; Apr 24: Elton John; Apr 28: Smucker’s Stars on Ice; May 19: Nickelback.

Saugatuck Center for the Arts, 400 Culver St, Saugatuck.

269.857.2399. sc4a.org. This notfor-profit arts center hosts highquality arts programming year-round.

Activities and events include art exhibits, classes and workshops for adults and children, and both intimate smaller performances for up to 50 people in their performance studio and larger performances in the Bertha Krueger Reid Theatre.

With 412 seats arranged in only 13 rows, it retains the intimacy of a small venue. Apr 24: Nagata Shachu Japanese Drumming Ensemble.

West Michigan Symphony, Frauenthal Center for Performing Arts, 425 W Western Ave, Muskegon. 231.727.8001. westmichigansymphony.org. With eight pairs of concerts a year, the West Michigan Symphony has played a leading role in the region’s cultural community for almost 70 years. It has helped bring a renewed vitality and life to the center of Muskegon and with it, the historic Frauenthal Theater, a 1,729-seat venue with extraordinary beauty, excellent acoustics and sight lines. Apr 16-17: Water Music, “Experience the Lake Effect.”

Anthony McGill.

Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E Parkway, Chicago.

312.902.1500. auditoriumtheatre. org. A National Historic Landmark and a mainstay of Chicago architecture and theater since 1889, the Auditorium continues to provide unparalleled ballet performances and a variety of artistic productions.

Apr 28-May 9: The Joffrey Ballet presents Eclectica.

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. Auditorium Theatre, 50 E Parkway. Beginning May 21: Fuerza Bruta—Look Up. Bank of America Theatre, 18 W Monroe. Apr 27-May 2: STOMP; May 4-9: Avenue Q; May 19-30: The 39 Steps. Ford Center for the

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. Apr 30: Whose Live Anyway?; May 15: The Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Centre East, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie.

847.679.9501. centreeast.org. The Centre East presents an outstandingly diverse selection of multi-genre entertainment for audiences of all ages in its state-ofthe-art facility. Apr 17: Mike Burstyn and Mal Z. Lawrence; May 1: Whose Live Anyway?; May 15: Mark Russell; May 22: One Man Star Wars Trilogy.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier, 800 E Grand Ave, Chicago.

312.595.5600. chicagoshakes.com.

Prominently located on Navy Pier in Chicago, this venue mounts renowned productions of the plays of William Shakespeare, as well as works from distinguished American and international playwrights and directors. The theater’s mission to reach out to younger audiences is well accomplished with its offerings of children’s productions and student matinees. The architecturally dynamic structure, new in 1999, houses both an engaging, 500-seat courtyard theater and a 200-seat black box theater. Through Jun 6: The Taming of the Shrew.

Chicago Sinfonietta, Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, 2205 S Michigan Ave, Chicago. chicagosinfonietta.org. In its pursuit of “Musical Excellence through Diversity,” the Chicago Sinfonietta—the official orchestra of the Joffrey Ballet— presents compelling, innovative works, often by composers and soloists of color.

May 16-17: Harlem Renaissance.

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. Apr 23: Mark Knopfler; Apr 24: Anthony Bourdain; May 1: Craig Ferguson; May 8: Joel McHale; May 19-20: Conan O’Brien.

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 Apr 18: A True History of the Johnstown Flood.

Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago. 312.397.4010. mcachicago.org. Reflecting the modern atmosphere of the adjoining museum, the state-of-the-art MCA Theater features elegant oak-paneled walls and tiered seating, which guarantees that every one of the 300 seats can boast the best seat in the house. Apr 30: Intergalactic Beings; May 15: Spring Benefit Concert; May 19: Ilya and Emilia Kabakov; May 22: Kerry James Marshall.

The Paramount Theatre, 23 E Galena Blvd, Aurora. 630.896.6666. paramountarts.com. The Paramount Theatre is an opulent historical landmark that boasts superior acoustics and luxurious seating, and offers an array of celebrity entertainers, world-class Broadway shows, challenging cuttingedge performances, and respected comedians. Apr 17: Smokey Joe’s Café; May 22: Synergy Brass Quintet.

Pegasus Players Theater, 1145 W Wilson Ave, Chicago. 773.878.9761. pegasusplayers.org. Located in one of Chicago’s most historical entertainment destinations, this not-for-profit theater company strives to produce the highest quality artistic work and to provide exemplary theater, entertainment and arts education at no charge to people who have little or no access to the arts.

May 6-Jun 20: The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!).

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.

Apr 22-Jun 13: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N Halsted, Chicago. 312.335.1650. steppenwolf.org.

The Chicago-based cast—recently joined

by William Petersen—is an internationally renowned group of 42 artists, committed to the art of ensemble collaboration. Now in its 34th season, Steppenwolf continues to fulfill its mission by offering intriguing performances and taking artistic risks.

Through Apr 25: Garage Rep (Merle Reskin Garage Theatre, 1624 N Halsted); through May 23: The Brother/Sister Plays; through Jun 6: Endgame.

Victory Gardens Theater, various venues. 773.871.3000. victorygardens.org.

As one of the country’s most respected midsized professional theater companies, this Tony Award-winning theater is dedicated to serving playwrights and producing world premiere plays. Programs include five mainstage productions with emphasis placed on the development of an ethnically and culturally diverse community of arts. Through Apr 25: The Lost Boys of Sudan; Apr 19: The Neo-Futurists’ Too Much LADY Makes the Baby Go Blind; Apr 26-May 1: Mike Daisey’s How the Theater Failed America; May 14-Jun 20: Jacob and Jack.

For more destinations, please go to visitshoremagazine.com.

MAY 2010

Harris Theater, 205 E Randolph, Chicago. 312.704.8414. harristheaterchicago.org. Now in its fifth season at its home in the Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Millennium Park, this modern state-of-the-art theater guarantees that the audience will enjoy a wide variety of performances in an intimate setting. Apr 17, 21, 23, 25: Mosè in Egitto; Apr 24, 28, 30, May 2: Giasone; May 7: Gloriously Baroque—

Telemann and Bach; May 10: An Evening with Frederica Von Stade; May 8, 12, 14: Three Decembers; May 19: Fulcrum Point New Music Project Machines— Computers Come Alive!

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Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre, 24 W Randolph. Ongoing: Billy Elliot the Musical.

wordS and photography

by Jacob Wheeler

Sailing the freShwater SeaS

The ManiTou Not long after the tall ship Manitou pushes away from the dock on West Grand Traverse Bay and points her bow toward open water, the vibrant sun forces its way through the clouds above, and Mother Nature offers us a strong northerly wind.

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Heaving hand over hand, obeying command after command, the three-member crew hoists the Manitouâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sails high, and ties them so taut that barely a ripple appears in her 3,000 square feet of heavy canvas. They catch wind and she cruises forward at 12 knots. At the helm, Dave McGinnis smilesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the reaction of a captain the moment his ship finds its groove.

Cheyenne Dutcher climbs down the mighty ship’s ropes to hoist up the anchor.

maY 2010

The Manitou is a traditional gaff rig two-masted schooner, the likes of which once sailed up and down the eastern seaboard of the United States in the 1800s. She is 114 feet long, weighs 82 tons and was retrofitted with a steel hull in 1983 to preserve her lifespan. The Manitou boasts western red cedar masts, a deck made out of Douglas fir and a steering wheel of cherry wood. Put simply, she is beautiful.

This vessel sailed Lake Champlain in New England until 1990 under the name Homer W. Dixon, after the uncle of the original owner. McGinnis, who had been first mate on the Dixon, brought her in 1991 through the shipping canals, 40 locks and the Great Lakes to Traverse City on behalf of the Traverse Tall Ship company, which he now owns.

Since those days, Traverse City and its surrounding counties—Leelanau, Benzie and Grand Traverse—have blossomed from a post-lumber industry backwater, known mostly for hunting and fishing, into a vibrant tourism Port of Call. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (part of the National Park Service) on the state’s west coast, pristine beaches, rolling dunes, lush forests, inland lakes, quaint villages and boutiques, gourmet food, European chocolates, numerous wineries, bike races and cultural events draw hundreds of thousands of seasonal visitors every year.

Michael Moore put an exclamation point on this with his annual Traverse City Film Festival. And Pure Michigan’s advertising campaign targeting out-of-staters (especially in the Chicago region) with enticing videos of Michigan’s pristine nature has helped guide the state through a painful

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I

t’s a Friday morning in mid-September, just days before the fall equinox sheds leaves on a Midwestern summer that began late and will end soon. We are embarking on a fourday “Windjammer Cruise” from the northwest-lower Michigan tourism destination of Traverse City and to wherever the wind will take us. The guests on this weekend’s winetasting cruise include six middle-aged and retired couples, our aspiring sommelier and me. We sip strong coffee served in a hot pot on the port side of the ship and watch as Captain Dave and the crew practice the ancient craft of the mariner, which has been passed down through the ages.

“Stand by to tack,” Captain Dave announces as the Manitou nears the coast of the Leelanau Peninsula to the west.

“Stand by to tack,” the crew dutifully responds and jumps to their battle stations. Because we’re sailing north, into a northerly wind, we have to sail at angles, west, then east, and “tack” back and forth when we near shore. This is the tortoise’s approach to the journey. We’re not moving fast.

But slowly and steadily, we’ll get there.

McGinnis calls the Manitou a simple boat, without the complications of electrical or mechanical systems. “We’re trying to give people a taste of what it was like to sail on one of these boats one hundred years ago,” he says. “So simplicity is key. We don’t need generators and refrigerators and Cuisinarts on board. Her beauty is in her simplicity.”

The Manitou is a traditional gaff rig two-masted schooner, the likes of which once sailed up and down the eastern seaboard of the United States in the 1800s. She is 114 feet long, weighs 82 tons and was retrofitted with a steel hull in 1983 to preserve her lifespan.

economic recession and establish tourism—more than the automobile industry—as the state’s future growth engine.

Amanda Danielson, who would lead the wine tasting on this weekend’s cruise, owns the Italian restaurant Trattoria Stella, together with her husband Paul, on the former grounds of Traverse City’s old state mental hospital. The Danielsons are among many who have taken advantage of the region’s interest in gourmet and local foods.

Originally from the Detroit area, the couple opened Stella’s six years ago with the intention of promoting local farmers and sustaining the local economy. They knew that Michigan’s geographical location on the 45th parallel— the bountiful region halfway between the Equator and the North Pole—and its abundant farmland make it the second most agriculturally diverse state in the nation, following California. They also knew they wanted to emulate southern European cuisine, where the food on your plate is never far from the farm. And they knew that with a couple dozen wineries located on nearby Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas, they could pair tasty, locally harvested grapes with fresh food. (Danielson is studying to take the sommelier exam.)

Since opening in 2004, Stella’s has worked with nearly sixty local farms and producers, and the summer of 2009 was their best one yet, which Danielson owes as much to tourists as to the support of the local community. “There’s a population of people here who appreciate good food from the backyard,” she explains.

This is Danielson’s third wine-themed Windjammer Cruise aboard the Manitou. This fall the schooner has hosted three other similar weekend trips: an astronomy

Chef Wendy Foss and first mate Brendan O’Donnel look on as guests indulge in a gourmet buffet prepared by Foss.

tour, a folk music trip, and a chocolate and storytelling cruise (courtesy of my mom’s business, Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, and my dad’s storytelling troupe, the Beach Bards). Captain Dave McGinnis has considered a yoga and meditation-themed cruise as well.

Danielson’s first year on board she stuck to a 45th parallel theme, with wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Bordeaux (France), Piedmont (Italy) and this region. In 2008 she highlighted indigenous grape varieties that grow well here, such as Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc, and compared them to grapes from Europe.

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he theme this weekend would be peninsular wines—appropriate, as we sailed north between the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. Danielson had also included wines from other famous peninsulas around the world: the boot of southern Italy, the Iberian Peninsula including both Spain and Portugal, and Greece, which has developed more high-end table wines in recent years.

The weekend’s wines were paired with delicious dinners prepared on a wood stove by the Manitou’s chef, Wendy Foss. On Friday night, after we docked in Omena Bay, between the towns of Suttons Bay and Northport on the Leelanau Peninsula, Danielson began the celebration by opening a bottle of local winemaker L. Mawby’s “Sex” sparkling wine, proceeded to a white with hints of salt from Cinque Terre, Italy, wowed us with a sweet Rosé from Toscana and, finally, seduced us below deck with a delicious red table

Crew members must climb the ship’s tall ladders to adjust the sails.

for several years and occasionally spent winters in the islands near Florida. Five years later he met the ship now called the Manitou and brought her to the freshwater seas.

“I feel very fortunate to be her caretaker,” McGinnis says.

“It’s about stewardship. This boat, if she’s cared for, will certainly outlast all of us. There are boats still sailing the coast of Maine that were built in the 1870s.”

By 1995, Captain Dave and his wife Mary—who met on a boat called the Angelique—felt burned out by the shipping life and decided to take a break and return to Maine.

McGinnis went to work as an assistant manager at a 30room bed and breakfast on Penobscot Bay. But by July of that year, he recalls, watching all the schooners he had known for years sailing up and down the bay while he was chained to a desk in the lobby showed him that the shipping life was still his calling.

Perhaps he heard the words of English poet John Masefield in his mind: “I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, and the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking, and a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.”

A year and a half later Dave and Mary returned to Traverse City and the Manitou, and he’s been behind the wheel ever since.

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wine, where we enjoyed fresh, southern Italian cuisine of pasta cooked with clams, fresh vegetables and portabella mushrooms. The dinner was simple, yet fresh and tasty.

Homemade tiramisu awaited us when we resurfaced above deck and watched the sun set over land just beginning to show the slightest hints of fall colors.

That night a crisp fall air made the Milky Way galaxy above seem all the more clear.

The wind died on Saturday, and Captain Dave needed the motor to get us around the tip of Leelanau County and over to North Manitou Island before dusk. This was good news to a few of the passengers who didn’t yet have their sea legs. Whereas they’d spent Friday balancing on two feet, waiting for the boat’s next rock, Saturday’s calm inspired yoga on the deck, books, cold beers, laughter and storytelling. One of the passengers, Vic, himself an amateur sailor, told stories that drew everyone’s curiosity. He had been born early in the Second World War to Polish parents exiled to Siberia by the Russians. Vic was one of the few children to survive there, and his family eventually returned to Europe using creative means. There on the Manitou, in Sleeping Bear Bay, he taught us Polish drinking songs.

Without enough wind to fill the sales, Captain Dave found time to reminisce about his love for sailing as he manned the wheel. While studying photography at age 19 at an art school in New York City, the New Jersey native spent six days as a passenger on a tall ship cruise off the coast of Maine. He was instantly smitten and emptied his meager college savings to return. In 1985 McGinnis got a deckhand job on the same vessel, sailed the coast of Maine

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omehow, despite the lack of winds today, by mealtime, Danielson and Foss managed to transport us from Italy across “I feel very the Mediterranean Sea to the Iberian fortunate to Peninsula. And on the second day we ate be her caredelicious roasted chickens with potatoes taker,” McGinand green beans, washed down with a nis says. “It’s Portuguese Vinho Tinto, which followed about stewa Rosé from Old Mission Peninsula and a sampling of ardship. This whites from both Spain and Portugal. boat, if she’s cared for, That evening, the Manitou’s life raft made several trips will certainly ferrying people to North Manitou Island, an uninhabited outlast all of part of the National Park, for evening strolls along the us. There are beach. According to Ojibwe legend, North Manitou and boats still sailher sister island to the south were formed when two bear ing the coast cubs, trailing behind their mother swimming across Lake of Maine that Michigan to escape a forest fire in Wisconsin, grew tired were built in and drowned. The great god Mishe Mokwa took pity on the 1870s.” the cubs and turned them into the Manitou Islands. Meanwhile, sand covered the mother bear as she lay in mourning on the shore The Tall Ship Manitou sails four Windjammer of the mainland, and her body weekend cruises in the fall. During summer became the Sleeping Bear Sand she takes passengers on two-hour tours in Dunes.

West Grand Traverse Bay and also functions After combing the beach for as a bed and breakfast. For information visit Petoskey Stones, and knowing tallshipsailing.com or call 231.941.2000. that by mid-September Lake Michigan is warmer than the evening air, I opted to swim back to the Manitou, which rested peacefully 100 yards offshore. From a distance she appeared to be set in a painting from a bygone era, her white hull and majestic masts sharing the canvas with a vanilla sky and a shade of pink from the setting sun. Was I swimming toward a mirage? No, thankfully, she was real.

Sunday, another day without much wind, we returned to the mainland, and by evening found ourselves dining and drinking in Greece.

where To go for info

An Official Guide to an Editor’s Choice of Websites, Books, Fail-Safe and Unconventional Sources of Information on How-to-Travel

Tourism and social media Regional tourism offices are using the Web’s social media tools to reach new audiences and entice them to visit Illinois and Indiana.

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t’s a cost-effective tactic during a recession, since unlike traditional advertising, producing social media doesn’t cost much beyond the price of an Internet connection. “We don’t have to buy commercials,” says Erika Scheeringa, director of public relations for the South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority. “We can produce a YouTube video and reach people that way.”

Social media is the catch-all name for a host of technologies that let people share information with one another. Websites like Facebook allow users to broadcast updates about their lives to friends, family and high school classmates they haven’t talked to in twenty years.

Flickr lets people share photos; YouTube does the same for video.

Though social media use started with individuals, organizations like Scheeringa’s and the Chicago Office of Tourism have gotten into the act to spread their own messages. In this case, the message happens to be, “Come visit us on the shores of Lake Michigan.”

Chicago’s tourism office targets its traditional advertising toward women between 35 and 54, because they make travel decisions for their family, says office director Dorothy Coyle. But the office’s social media forays are reaching

a younger, more tech-savvy demographic who “would be less likely to access some of our other services, for example, coming into our visitor’s center.”

The Chicago tourism office uses its Twitter account (username: explorechicago) to provide “concierge service.” Twitter users send each other short updates of information, all 140 characters or less. The city’s visitor representatives answer “tweets” asking for dining recommendations or suggestions on where to take the kids. They’ve also fielded odder questions, like where to find a Germanlanguage newspaper, or the name of a 24-hour emergency dentist.

The South Shore Visitors Authority also is using social media creatively.

Recently the organization used Flickr when it put together a photo exhibit.

The exhibit, Sanctuaries, highlighted the region’s places of solitude and reflection.

The authority asked the members of its Flickr group for submissions, and several were included along with the work of other local artists.

The new tools allow tourism offices to build relationships with potential visitors, Scheeringa says. “When you build a relationship with someone, whether it’s via Twitter or Facebook, there’s more trust,” she says. “They aren’t opening up a magazine and seeing an ad we purchased.” –Claire Bushey

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seeing is BelieVing

Travel books have a certain mystical quality to them: they are a traveler’s best friend, helping to navigate unfamiliar sites and customs in faraway lands. And when the traveler returns home, the book becomes a scrapbook filled with train tickets, museum brochures, menus from exotic cafes and even dried flowers from foreign meadows. Here are some of our top picks.

—sharon BiGGs Waller

RICK STEVES’ EUROPE THROUGH THE BACK DOOR

riCKsTeVes.CoM As seen on Public Television, Rick Steves is one of the most trusted names in travel.

Like having a friend in your back pocket, Steves brings his humor and affordable sensibility to his forty-plus European guidebooks, discussing which sights are worth the time and money and encouraging travelers to connect with the country as “temporary locals.”

DK EYEWITNESS TRAVEL SERIES

DK.CoM With their beautiful illustrations, DK books show you what other guidebooks tell you.

Travelers feel like they have experienced the country before they even leave home.

With nearly 300 titles spanning cities and countries throughout the world, the guidebooks cover history and customs of the area. Information is easy to access; simple maps, foreign language phrases and traveler’s emergency information are included.

LONELY PLANET

lonelyPlaneT.CoM Creators of Lonely Planet, Tony and Maureen Wheeler, met each other during a backpacking trip in England, and decided to bring their knowledge to other travelers.

Lonely Planet’s original Shoestring guides help people stretch their traveling budgets, appealing to backpackers, students on the cheap and even families who want to immerse themselves in a new culture without breaking the bank. Books cover information on whole continents or regions written by writers and journalists with practical knowledge of the area. Lonely Planet doesn’t scrimp on advice and the hefty books include budget calculators, tips for first-time travelers, and pre-trip itineraries.

THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO CRUISES

Wiley.CoM Stories of pirate attacks and onboard illnesses can make even the most intrepid voyager think twice about stepping aboard a cruise ship, but The Unofficial Guide to Cruises demystifies the cruising industry.

The authors discuss shopping for and booking a cruise, and planning and preparing for the trip. Behind-thescenes information about twenty cruise lines and 350 ships are discussed, including alternative choices such as rivers and barges, adventure and cultural, sailing ships and freighters.

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pril 2008 found me in Stratford-upon-Avon getting a private tour of the costume shop of the Royal Shakespeare Company. My delight was only enhanced by the fact that I had no business being there at all.

My guide, the charming Zarah Meherali, was a costume maker for the theater. She guided me from room to room in the rabbit warren-like building, past bolts of cloth higher than my head, past dressmakers’ dummies and an entire department just for hats. I passed a pink confection of a dress that I next saw on Bianca in the following night’s performance of The Taming of the Shrew.

Meanwhile, I made profound comments like, “Wow,” and, “This is so cool.”

You might ask how I, a bottom-rung traveler with no clout, no connections and absolutely no cash, managed to score a behind-the-scenes tour of one of the world’s greatest theater companies. The answer? Couch surfing.

Couch surfing—slang for sleeping free in the home of a friend or stranger—is a digital update of an old idea. Before the Internet, travelers met locals by pestering acquaintances for the names and numbers of their overseas friends, or by joining global hospitality clubs like Servas International that linked people by mail.

Now, that matchmaking takes place A growing website is using on the Web. Travelers read through high-definition video to allow online profiles at Couchsurfing.com, travelers to check out their looking for friendly folks at their final hotels before they check in. destination willing to host them for TVTrip.com was founded in 2007 free, then email the ones who sound by a group of former expedia.com interesting. (I always search for fellow employees, says steve stollerman, writers first.) If the host agrees, the the company’s vice-president in north traveler spends a few nights sleeping america. Veteran travelers all, the on the new friend’s couch. (Or spare founders were well acquainted with hotels that failed to live up to their bed, if you’re lucky.) brochures, with the moment when The nonprofit company that runs “we’ve gotten out of taxicabs and Couchsurfing.com started in 2004. said, ‘What the hell?’”

There are now more than a million stollerman and his colleagues couch surfers sprinkled over 230 want to save other travelers countries. Whether you want a bed in from that moment. Their Botswana or Biloxi, you can find it. website has videos of 5,000 Obviously, it’s nice to save a few hotels in twenty-three markets, dollars on accommodations. But primarily in europe, but also in the united states and asia. couch surfing is so much more than Travelers can examine hotel a free place to sleep. I’ve stayed or lobbies and rooms before met with people in Peru, Australia, deciding whether to book.

England and Chicago. Each meeting The site isn’t marketing the opened a window to another life, hotels, stollerman says. another culture, that I wouldn’t have TVTrip.com is independent of otherwise experienced, whether it the hotels it lists. The company hires was Zarah giving me a tour of her its own camera crews to shoot the workplace; going shopping with my videos to avoid the hazard of hotels trying to hide their warts.

Cuzco hostess for a coat to protect Video gives travelers more to go against cold Andean nights; or on than a photograph, stollerman comparing notes on English versus says. “once you’ve experienced American journalism over drinks at video it’s very hard to go back to the Billy Goat Tavern with a visiting still photography,” he says. “it’s like English editor. going from old black-and-white If the best things in life are free, footage to Blu-ray . . . [Video] really couch surfing just may be the best brings you in and shows you the way way to travel. –Claire Bushey the hotel really is.” –Claire Bushey

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couch surFing

a guide For guide BooKs

Brittany,

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France

Rich History Lives On Brittany, or Bretagne to the French, is known to be a place of magic and enchantment; of castles, beaches, special festivals, quaint medieval towns, and prehistoric monuments.

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Virginia Mullin PHotograPHY BY Sarah Mullin WordS BY

est of all from the traveler’s standpoint, modern transportation has ended the area’s longstanding isolation. A region and former province of France, Brittany is a triangular part of northwest France that juts into the English Channel (La Manche). Its remoteness kept it cut off from mainstream France for centuries. Thus, its people, of Celtic origin, developed a unique independent spirit, unrivaled in other parts of France.

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Today, however, Brittany is easily accessible. For example, on the TGV—an express train that travels at speeds of 200 mph or so—travelers can reach the capital, Rennes, in about 2 hours and 15 minutes from the Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris. I’m a frequent rider, because my daughter, her husband and young son live in Rennes.

The TGV passenger is treated to views of lush French countryside with cows grazing in pastoral settings, glimpses of villages that date back to the early Middle Ages, and also towns well-known in modern times such as Le Mans, the legendary racing center. Perhaps while sipping a lovely glass of French wine?

The history of Brittany, as far as we know, began between 3500 and 1800 BC with the building of Stonehenge-like circles of stones, believed to have been constructed by early people related to the Druids. Indeed, the legends of King Arthur and Merlin the Magician, as well as Tristan and Isolde, who provided the inspiration for the Wagnerian opera, are traced to this mystical part of the island.

Celts later settled in the area, and in 56 BC were conquered by Romans led by Julius Caesar, who ruled what was then called Gaul. Roman influences still remain, not the least of which are the coins that are frequently found that date back hundreds of years to antiquity and welltraveled roads ending in “ac,” from the early Latin names given in the days of Caesar’s rule.

The Anglo-Saxon invasions in Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries drove increasing numbers of Celtic refugees to Brittany. The most dominant of these tribes of people were related to the people of Cornwall. The second most numerous were related to the Welsh. In 1992, it was estimated that approximately 25 percent of the population was able to speak a Celtic language, which the French government at various times in the past attempted to suppress. Today, there is new interest in this past, and encouragement for increased study of this valuable heritage and its language. Actually, a third language which is Latinbased, Gallo, is also spoken in some regions.

With the French and the British often competing for rule of Brittany, the Bretons fought to retain their independence from both. In 1532, the region was formally

incorporated into France. However, its ethnic roots and independent spirit are evident to this day.

A sense of uniqueness is also seen in the topography, since Brittany is surrounded on three sides by rugged coastline. Traditionally, the Bretons have been sailors and fishermen. Many a church here contains a chapel dedicated to the memory of those lost at sea. Today, the North Atlantic offers lovely seaside resorts, often frequented by

Breathtaking sights abound in Brittany, whether in nature, architecture, food or the people themselves. Examples include [clockwise from left] mystical Celtic stones; the fortress in Cap Frehel; sailboats lining the waters of Cancale; one of many hilltop churches; fresh foods in the market; Bretons performing in a festival; and the intricate, colorful buildings of Rennes [opposite].

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Seafaring is a prominent way of life in Brittany, as displayed by the spectacular sailboats in Morlaix [above].

Brittany’s markets [opposite] are equally as prominent, featuring everything from meats to cheeses to pastries.

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oday, the sacrifices made to liberate Brittany are not forgotten, and visiting Americans will find the locals quite friendly and accepting of them. A quartier, or neighborhood, of Rennes is called Patton, and the main transportation artery entering the city is called Avenue Gen. George S. Patton.

American cemeteries are respected and well maintained.

Architectural treasures are abundant in Brittany. Rennes, once renowned for its beautiful halftimbered buildings, was almost completely destroyed in the tragic fire of 1720 and again suffered major losses in WWII bombing raids. In the Middle Ages it housed a ducal court and, after the 1532 Treaty of Union between Brittany and France, it was the home of the governor who managed the province in the king’s name.

Perhaps today the most beautiful and intact town is Dinan, a medieval fortified village on a defensive site on the River Rance. Dinan is still encircled by an unbroken line of the oldest and most extensive ramparts in Brittany.

Historically, it was economically important as a textileproducing town. Merchants and craftsmen from far and wide were attracted by its famous fairs. Dinan proudly displayed its wealth and created a unique architectural heritage of half-timbered houses built between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Golden Age of Dinan.

Other treasures in this old town include several historic churches. Saint Saveur church is alive with carvings of elflike creatures and mermaids. The sanctuary houses the heart of Bertrand du Guesclin, a local knight who later

became Constable of France. He died of what is believed to have been dysentery about 1380.

To visit Dinan and other well-preserved towns is truly to step back in time. Old homes, made crooked with time, are crowded along narrow streets, with the Horloge (Clock) Tower, overlooking all.

If one is fortunate in the timing of a visit to this region, attending a local festival will help to relive history. In addition to the distinctive architecture with its overhanging second stories and display windows, traditional Brittany is seen in its costumes, with beautiful handmade lace, music with traditional instruments such as bagpipes and the bombarde (similar to the oboe), foods such as crepes, galettes (a thin buckwheat flour pancake), a sweet pastry known as kougn amann, apple cider, particularly the hard variety known as Calvados, clafoutis made from prunes, and a type of mead.

The famed country markets are a gastronome’s delight.

Among the specialties we enjoyed were freshly made saucisse, organic chicken and other meats raised without hormones or feed additives, an amazing variety of cheeses, many unpasteurized, beautifully displayed fruits and vegetables, traditional baguettes and other breads, delicious pastries and sweets.

A fun personal story is the pizza mix-up, wherein our order of a traditional mushroom pizza was accidentally switched with the local specialty—pizza avec gesiers, or pizza with chopped chicken gizzards and raw eggs on top.

Those who ordered this one were probably m-a-d to be given something so mundane by mistake!

While the uniqueness of Brittany has been emphasized in this article, one must remember the big picture, i.e., that it is part of France and also exemplifies French culture and lifestyle. In one recent study, the 2010 Quality of Life Index, as rated by the “Staff of International Living,” France is ranked Number 1 in the world for its quality of life for the fifth year in a row, with the U.S. ranking 7th this year.

To quote, “Its tiresome bureaucracy Criteria for and high taxes are outweighed by an judging: unsurpassable quality of life, including 1. Cost of living what is often considered the world’s 2. Culture and best health care. Romantic Paris has leisure the best of everything, but services 3. Environment don’t fall away in other parts of the 4. Freedom— country. As would be expected, cost of political living outside Paris is much less.” rights and While I am a fan of our patriotic civil liberties song, “Proud to Be an American,” 5. Health Brittany sounds pretty good to me 6. Infrastructure sometimes.

7. Safety and risk 8. Climate

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residents of Britain, who are well-accepted by the French.

Cancale, as one example, is special to all in the area in that it is the home of a variety of oyster beds, catering to a taste that transcends cultures. The town is one of the biggest suppliers of these delicacies to the rest of France.

In summer, the sea is often dotted with colorful sailboats.

Several small islands, visible year-round, are well worth visiting. Mt. St. Michel, the subject of several paintings by French Impressionist artist Claude Monet, is also visible offshore, in the northeast coast. However, the island actually lies close by, in Normandy.

With its geographical location as a neighbor of Normandy, an account of its history would be incomplete without references to WWII. Utah Beach and other D-Day landing beaches on the North Atlantic are only a short drive from the coast of Brittany. A few months after the greatest land invasion in history of June 6, 1944 (D-Day), U.S. General Patton’s Third Army broke through the hedgerows and liberated Brittany.

To continue with war stories, the Port of Brest, with its prime location facing the English Channel, was occupied by the Germans and was a major supply and U-Boot (submarine) center. A fierce battle ensued when the Third Army reached this city, with the Allies emerging the victors.

However, to complicate matters, Brittany’s conservative politics encouraged a large number of local Nazi sympathizers, who believed that their Celtic background exemplified the concept of Aryan superiority and racial purity. Some of them attempted to thwart Patton’s attempts.

After the defeat of Brest, the leaders of this group relocated in Ireland.

Hotelier Reviews Hoteliers

BY GEORGE AQUINO

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A hotel general manager with 20 years in the business can still learn a thing or two from the industry’s pioneers.

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have to be honest with you. I am a bit embarrassed that a twenty-year hotelier like me knows very little about the history of my industry. I am also a travel, food and lifestyle blogger; I guess it comes naturally in my line of work.

I have stayed at the most beautiful historic hotels in Italy, exotic villas in Bali, and the most luxurious hotel properties in the United States. But ask me about how Miami Beach evolved from a mangrove swamp into the hopping destination that it is—I don’t have a clue.

Stanley Turkel’s Great American Hoteliers—Pioneers of the Hotel Industry tells the stories of sixteen American hoteliers, including John Bowman, J.W. Marriott, Sr., and Kanjibhai Manchubhai Patel, and how through their early contributions the industry

evolved into the fantastic, international culture we have today. Turkel writes that the great hoteliers emerged as the result of growth and innovation in travel, tourism and transportation.

Hotels by Henry Flagler, Fred Harvey, George Pullman and Henry Plant emerged when the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869.

The U.S. highway system triggered hotels by Carl Fisher, Ellsworth Statler, Kemmons Wilson and Howard Johnson. For Juan Trippe, John Bowman, Conrad Hilton, Ernest Henderson, A.M. Sonnabend and John Hammons, it was the airplane.

John Bowman, the developer of Biltmore hotels, initiated many firsts, including the modern luxury convention hotel with 2,000 rooms (the Commodore, now the Grand Hyatt in NYC) in 1917; the concept of commercial air rights; big events like the John

photography courtesy of AUTHORSOLUTIONS/GREAT AMERICAN HOTELIERS; Conrad Hilton photo courtesy of CONRAD N. HILTON COLLECTION, HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ARCHIVES, UH

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[opposite page] Marriott Motor HotelTwin Bridges was the first Marriott Hotel. [this page, clockwise from top left] The Hotel Florence in Pullman, Illinois, was built in 1881 and named for George Pullman’s daughter; Conrad Hilton; The Montauk Manor was opened in 1927 with 178 guest rooms; The Flamingo Hotel, Miami Beach, was opened in 1921 with an 11-story tower, a glass dome and multi-colored spotlights visible for seven miles.

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he founding fathers of the hotel industry were innovators who brought to the general public amenities once only reserved for the wealthy of the time: comfortable beds, private baths, heated plumbing, air-conditioning, swimming pools, sleeping cars, spas, airline food service, gourmet dining rooms, dynamic architecture and exquisite interiors.

Service and quality defined the early decades of the hotel industry, and it is very much true to this day. It’s still about the little details; the touches of “magic” that make the guest come back over and over.

“Success is never final” is a mantra within the Marriott world. This persistence in perfection is what continues to drive our industry to innovate and create moments of wonder for our guests.

Great American Hoteliers is a testimony to the resilience of American creativity, innovation and spirit. It is a good companion on your next business trip. Better yet, while sipping a dry martini in the Peacock Alley at the Waldorf-Astoria.

George Aquino is general manager of the JW Marriott hotel in Grand Rapids. He also writes a blog about being a hotelier—and about his passion for food and travel—at myhotellife.com.

Interesting hotel trivia from Great American Hoteliers Fisher Island in Miami was originally designed to be a resort for blacks that were prohibited from Miami Beach.

Did you know that 50 percent of economy lodging properties and 37 percent of all hotel properties in the U.S. are owned by members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)—the majority of whom are of Indian descent from the Indian State of Gujarati?

The French chef, Jacques Pepin, credited his nine-year stint with the Howard Johnson chain as his most valuable apprenticeship.

Traveling Wisconsin salesmen John H. Nicholson and Samuel E. Hill ended up sharing a room at the Central Hotel in Boscobel, Wisconsin, in September 1898.

They prayed together in the room after discovering they were both Christians. In May of the following year, in Janesville, Wisconsin, they met again, and joined by a third, William J. Knights, founded the Gideons. The Gideons started placing Bibles in hotel rooms in 1908.

Around 1908, some hotels embarrassed nonpaying male guests by cutting off their trousers at the knees and making them parade in the lobby with sandwich signs that proclaimed them as “deadbeats.”

In 1927, A&W Root Beer awarded the very first franchise agreement to John Willard Marriott, Sr., and his partner, Hugh Colton.

Conrad Hilton admitted three major mistakes in his life: the sale of Hilton International in 1964, the failure to acquire the Plaza Hotel in New York permanently and marrying Zsa Zsa Gabor.

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in Palm Beach, Florida, black bicyclists pedaled guests seated in attached wicker chairs called “Afrimobiles” in the early 1900s.

While these hoteliers generated enormous personal wealth, they all gave back just as generously: John Willard and Alice Sheets Marriott served on many civic boards including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Ballet Society.

The University of Utah has also received generous donations from the Marriott family.

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Ringling circus with elephants and wild animals held in the Commodore’s ballroom; product placement—the L.A. Biltmore has been in more than fifty movies since 1923— and the grand opening extravaganza. (Bowman shuttled his wealthy friends from New York via private train cars for the debut of the Atlanta Biltmore in 1924.)

Conrad Hilton wasn’t born into wealth, but made money through hard work and sheer guts. Hilton bought his first hotel, the small Mobley Hotel, in Cisco, Texas, for $5,000 in 1919. Hilton was the consummate dealmaker: his first international hotel was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1947 when Hilton agreed to design and operate the hotel financed with government bonds. This was the genesis of the modern management contract.

I was most fascinated with the story of Carl Fisher. A Midwesterner from Indiana, Fisher developed the Indianapolis Speedway, the plush Fisher Island, Montauk, Long Island, Miami Beach and the Lincoln and Dixie highways. Fisher made millions selling compressed-gas automobile headlights, PrestO-Lite, before he built the Lincoln Highway, which linked New York to California. In 1912 he traveled south to Miami, which was then a swamp. He told his wife Jane, “I’m going to build a city here! A city like magic, like romantic places you read and dream about, but never see.”

Unfortunately, Turkel also exposes us to the deeply rooted reality of racism in our culture. All the black porters in George Pullman’s “Hotel Rooms on Wheels” were “carefully selected as a docile servant class always at the beck and call of white passengers.” The porters were called “boy” by their wealthy white passengers or, even more suggestive, they were called “George”—as it was common to name slaves after slave masters. At Henry Flagler’s Royal Poinciana

AN INSIDER-OUTSIDER TRIP TO

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IEW T S OF V N I O P AND FERENT TH DIF IGINAL I R W O S E R H TE . ONE NTIC, T O WRI ATION AU T H E CH TW N I I E H T H S W T E , F IN G D SCENIC LETS O KENIN N THE THE IN N AWA S S A O N R TAKE I I S -C U ES L OMICA T CRISS OTHER A N E H O H T C T E S , AT THE ANTO W N S LIC BO MERIC ASTAL A O HE PUB C A T I E S V E D S I N U LAKES RTATIO FUN. LCANIC ANSPO O R V T E E HAD E L H N Y T O T Y S R E LAN . EV GUATEMA T CHICKEN BUSES BUIL

A Day at the Lake GUATEMALA’S PRIZED ATITLAN

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY

BY CAITLIN ELSAESSER

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MAY 2010

t’s a warm evening in July, and I have decided to take a kayak out for a ride on Lake Atitlan, one of Guatemala’s largest lakes. It is the beginning of a weeklong vacation here, and the kayak is available for anyone staying in my lakeside hotel. After perusing some beautiful shore houses from my kayak, I go for a dip in the mild water, then dry off in the waning sun from the hotel’s private beach. Letting the last bit of water dry as I walk, I stroll up to the hotel’s outdoor restaurant, which provides a breathtaking view of the lake, and, sitting in the resort’s tropical garden, a staff of four makes my friend and me made-to-order dinner and cocktails.

We are the only ones in the restaurant tonight, and it feels like we are also the only ones on the lake.

Sounds pretty luxurious, but this evening was part of a vacation in which I spent about $40 a day. And I wasn’t cutting corners: it is easy to spend little but vacation well on this mysterious lake.

Lake Atitlan has long been a draw for foreigners.

Famously designated by Aldous Huxley as the most beautiful lake in the world, the shore is framed by too many volcanoes to count, a setting that makes for breathtaking beach lounging. Along the deep crater lake’s 18 kilometers are thirteen small towns, a source of rich cultural tradition. Many Guatemalans here still wear traditional dress and speak the local Mayan dialect. It is easy to understand why gringos, as foreigners are called here, have been coming steadily to this place since the 1960s. And with them, ex-pats have brought a whole different kind of allure: yoga, dance lessons, gourmet food and massage.

FIVE MUST DO HIGHLIGHTS VISIT THE MARKETS AND CHECK

OUT THE LOCAL ART AND CRAFTS— DON’T FORGET TO BARGAIN

(BEST BET: SANTIAGO).

RENT A KAYAK AND PADDLE ALONG THE LAKES, THEN BE SURE TO TAKE A DIP (ANYWHERE, BUT FARTHER AWAY FROM PANAJACHEL).

TAKE A WALK AND OBSERVE WILDLIFE IN THE NATURE RESERVE IN

PANAJACHEL.

GET A FIVE-COURSE EUROPEAN MEAL—ONE OF THE BEST YOU WILL HAVE IN YOUR LIFE— FOR $10 (HOTEL ARCA DE NOE IN SANTA CRUZ).

LISTEN TO SOME LIVE JAZZ OR WATCH A MOVIE WHILE ENJOYING

BLIND LEMON (SAN MARCOS).

GOOD FOOD AT THE

WHERE TO STAY ON A BUDGET PANAJACHEL

HOTEL UTZ JAY FOR $30/NIGHT, THE CHEERFUL CLEAN ROOMS AND PEACEFUL COURTYARD MAKE FOR THE PERFECT LAUNCH PAD FOR EXPLORING

PANA’S BUSTLING STREETS (HOTELUTZJAY.COM).

SANTA CRUZ

ISLA VERDE FOR $30/NIGHT, ENJOY THIS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

PARADISE, WITH YOGA CLASSES,

INCREDIBLE HOME-COOKED FOOD, AND A BREATHTAKING WATERSIDE PORCH FOR OPEN-AIR LOUNGING (ISLAVERDEATITLAN.COM) OR, OF COURSE, LA IGUANA PERDIDA (LAIGUANAPERDIDA.COM).

SAN MARCOS

HOTEL JINAVA BAY FOR $30/NIGHT, GUESTS GET INDIVIDUAL CABINS WITH WINDOWS FACING THE LAKE.

ENJOY MADE-

TO-ORDER COCKTAILS, A PRIVATE

BEACH, AND AN IMMACULATE TROPICAL GARDEN

(HOTELJINAVA.COM).

SANTIAGO

POSADA DE SANTIAGO A SMALL SPLURGE AT $40/NIGHT, THIS PEACEFUL RESORT BOASTS GOURMET FOOD AND A HOT TUB

(POSADADESANTIAGO.COM).

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ne of the greatest appeals of visiting this lake is the easy ability to hop between different lakeside towns, each with a unique flavor. For about $2, regular public boats leave frequently between nearly every town, making transportation itself part of the vacation.

Almost certainly upon arrival, you will start in Panajachel, where the shuttles and buses arrive from the airport. The largest coastal town, colloquially known as “Pana,” is full of street side vendors peddling jewelry, pottery and textiles that range from tacky to exquisite.

Pana also has a wide variety of restaurants and a raucous nightlife, a rarity on this tranquil lake.

Just a ten-minute boat ride from Pana, San Marcos has become a mecca of sorts for New Age healing and artists. This very small town is a good getaway for a person looking to relax: a walk down the main path reveals countless options for massage, yoga and alternative medicine.

The town also has a few quiet lakeside cafes, where you will encounter other travelers reading, chatting and sipping smoothies or espresso. Santiago is the town farthest from Pana, but the 40-minute boat ride to this tiny town offers a full panoramic view of the volcanoes. Santiago has a remarkable story—it launched the first successful protest against occupiers during the civil war in the ’80s. It is also the best place to shop on the lake, and is particularly known for the locals’ brightly colored— and affordable—paintings of Guatemalan markets.

Santa Cruz perhaps offers the most peaceful and unadulterated view of the sunset over the lake. This is a view that 13 years ago so captivated Deedle Ratcliffe that, at age 27, she bought a small hotel here after staying for only a night.

Now, she runs La Iguana Perdida, a hostel that attracts an array of backpackers and adventure seekers.

Deedle knows that Atitlan could have been a Cancun. “Had Guatemala not had a civil war, we would have been loaded with a lot more tourists,” Deedle says. The bloody civil war stretched several decades and ended in 1996. But Deedle says that Guatemala gets a worse reputation than it deserves.

The visitors at La Iguana have figured out that Atitlan is a safe place.

Any given afternoon will find groups of friends drinking coffee and playing board games on the resort’s broad porch overlooking the lake. The family-style dinners are the perfect opportunity to get to know some of the diverse travelers. Eating with interesting strangers, overlooking the sunset over the lake, it is easy to understand why people choose to stay here a weekend, a month, or even a year.

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MAY 2010

Chicken Buses AN UNCONVENTIONAL RIDE OFF THE BEATEN PATH

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WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE HOEKSTRA

o one can say for sure how the famous Chicken Buses of Guatemala got their name.

Most locals will tell you they are Chicken Buses because people are crammed into them like chickens in a coop. Others claim they are Chicken Buses because riders transport live roosters on the bus.

I say they are Chicken Buses because a trip can be a scary deal. During a Christmas vacation to Guatemala we boarded a Chicken Bus in the transportation port of Antigua, near the city’s marketplace. Our destination was the fishing village of La Barrona (pop. 900) along the Pacific Ocean. The excursion would have taken us a little less than three hours by car.

I think it took us about six hours via Chicken Bus, although I did lose track of time. But the buses are timeless. Most of them were built in the 1960s and ’70s in the United States.

The first bus broke down about halfway through our journey.

The “accelerator is bothered” is what I learned through translation from Spanish. We switched to another bus. That bus went down within an hour of La Barrona (Spanish for

“sandbar”). There was no explanation for this stop, although I saw the bus driver and ticket taker pour countless quarts of oil into the engine.

Next we boarded a rickety pickup truck. We joined a dozen other displaced passengers for a bumpy, open-air ride through the country in the back of the truck to the Guatemala/El Salvador border town of Pedro de Alvarado. We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies.

Finally, at Pedro de Alvarado (named after the first Spaniard to invade Guatemala circa 1524—he hung and burned the natives), we switched to an airport-type passenger van that took us five miles south to La Barrona. We were visiting La Barrona to explore sea turtle conservation. La Barrona is an outback destination for sea turtle season, which runs from July to January. Chicken Buses?

How about Turtle Buses?

The Chicken Buses are tripped-out, pimped-up, lowdown moving pieces of folk art.

I love them.

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BLUE BIRD STEEL-BODIES Chicken Buses are retired coach and school buses. Most of the ones I rode were built by the Blue Bird Corporation in Fort Valley, Georgia. The Blue Bird emblem was still entrenched near the front door of the Chicken Buses. In 2008 Blue Bird No. 1 (built in 1927) was donated to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. It is the first-ever steel-bodied school bus. The school bus company started in 1927 as the Blue Bird Body Company in Richmond, Indiana, under Christian principles. An original sign from company founders reading, “God is our Refuge & Strength” still hangs in the corporate headquarters in Georgia.

Perhaps the Chicken Buses are blessed.

Each all-steel bus is custom designed and painted in bright red, yellow and evergreen. More than seventeen private bus companies operate the vehicles and each company chooses its own colors.

“People seem to love it, especially the Maya population,” Antigua tourism spokesperson Marco Vinicio Marroquin says in an email.

Our first bus has ““Dios te bendiga Paquita” scrawled in cursive above the windshield. Roughly translated, that means “God bless the bus Paquita.” Gobs of shiny chrome are attached to the front. Most of the buses have names like intrepid explorers’ ships. We rode The Cubanita (the little Cuban girl or woman). The Princescita rolls back and forth between La Barrona and Guatemala City.

Many of the buses play loud mixes of cumbia, reggaeton and ranchera music, a perfect soundtrack for hairpin turns down the mountains of Antigua. The driver gets to pick the music. Flavored with a bold and somewhat touristy New Orleans landscape, Antigua is nestled between three volcanoes.

During planned passenger stops, rural vendors come on board the bus to sell fruit, juice in a plastic bag, plantain chips, panes (sandwiches) and water. I hear fried chicken is also sold on the

bus, but I did not see it. One vendor carried a stack of newspapers on her head.

It’s just like flying a domestic airline back in the states.

The bus is operated by one piloto (driver) and one ayudante (assistant/spotter/ticket taker). Bus tickets range between $1 and $3 U.S. (8-25 Quetzales) depending on the length of the trip.

AMERICAN-MADE DURABILITY “We are in at least sixty countries,” says Ron Smith, Blue Bird director of marketing. “We sell them through dealers to school districts. The school districts use them between ten and fifteen years. The buses are really well made to meet federal safety standards in North America. They have a lot of life left in them. So a dealer or school district sells them to a broker who takes them to Third World countries. We see a lot of them in Latin America.” Smith EACH ALL-STEEL BUS IS CUSTOM says 225,000 miles is a DESIGNED AND PAINTED IN good lifetime run for a BRIGHT RED, YELLOW AND EVERGREEN. Blue Bird bus in North MORE THAN America. moving he climbed out the SEVENTEEN PRIVATE BUS COM PANIES Most of the buses front door, crawled across OPERATE THE VEHICLES AN D EACH the top of the bus and reare shipped to GuaCOMPANY CHOOSES ITS OW N COLORS. entered through the back. temala across the “PEOPLE SEEM TO LOVE IT, ESPECIA LLY I daydreamed of a Ralph Atlantic Ocean. Smith THE MAYA POPULATION,” ANTIGUA Crammed-In Reality Series. studies the Chicken TOURISM SPOKESPERSON The Chicken Buses are Bus photos I took. He MARCO VINICIO MARROQUIN SAYS. built to top out at 65 mph, even puts one on his although sometimes our screen saver. He estibuses rolled at a faster pace. mates the buses were It was thrilling to see the bus built in the 1960s, cut around mountains. Smith ’70s and ’80s. “I can says, “They’re built to see out tell from the chassis the windows and children that it was prior to our crossing in front of buses.” models of the last ten years or The Jungle Medic Mission uses a Chicken Bus to provide mediso,” he says. “You can tell by the conventional front engine hood. cal and dental care for Mayan Indians living in the remote villages They’ve been out there a while. But they’re built to transport stuin the jungles along the Rio Dulce River, about a six-hour bus ride dents. It’s a cage within a cage. It is beautiful to see how the ownfrom Antigua. Jungle Medic Bryan Buchanan, a native of Muncie, ers and drivers take wonderful care of them.”

Indiana, morphed a 1997 Blue Bird bus into a medical clinic. The The website antiguadailyphoto.com suggests that “Chicken bus all-white bus is equipped with two complete dental operatories for is the derogatory term used in many guides to refer to the rural fillings and restorative work and two stations for extractions on public transportation buses in Guatemala and in many parts of teeth that are infected and non-restorable.

Latin America.” I do not use “Chicken Bus” in negative tones. As “The bus goes up mountains like a 4 by 4 and is great,” Buchanthe only gringos on the crowded buses, I found Guatemalan riders an says later in an email. “The United States Air Force flew it from to be courteous, warm and engaging. Women let their babies Charleston to Guatemala on a giant C-19 for free.” ride in the welcoming laps of my girlfriend and her sister. I must have spent a dozen hours on Chicken Buses in Guatemala and not once did someone blow snot in my face. I can’t say that about ow do the Guatemalan bus operators find vintage parts? my rides on the CTA. “That’s a good question,” Smith says. “We’re looking A few men boarded the buses with machetes and leather whips. at doing more business abroad. I imagine they trace the At one stop the bus driver requested that the gentleman leave his bus back to the dealer and buy some parts and/or fabrimachete at the front of the bus. I squirmed a lot. I am 6’2” and cate on site. As for the music on the bus, we have a P.A. most Guatemalans are around five feet tall. And remember, most system option on our buses. They could also rig up their of the buses were built for kids. I did not bring an iPod and hardly own sound system.” had space to read a book or a magazine. I gazed out the window The folks in Georgia are proud of their buses’ reincarnated at the blue countryside, a quilt of modest farms and roadside huts. life. “There’s a pride in this industry that I’ve not seen in former Guatemala means “land of the trees” in the Mayan language. lives,” says Smith, who used to live north of Detroit, Michigan.

The most entertaining moments came during the initial stretch “It’s precious cargo. You’re taking children to school. Everyone from Antigua to Chiquimula, a rural area known for its cattle is passionate about the durability of the bus. When the bridge and local cheeses. Three people sat on faded vinyl seats meant collapsed in Minneapolis, a Blue Bird bus fell 37 feet. Every for two—in the slim and trim 1970s. Others were crammed into kid walked off that bus. I learned that I would never look the aisles. Sweat was everywhere. The seventy-seat bus was too at a school bus as I did before.” crowded for the ticket taker to work the aisles. So as the bus was That lesson is still being taught on the roads of Guatemala.

H

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style & culture

A ST. JOSEPH Summer A shopping extravaganza in DOUGLAS

may 2010

DREAM GLOBAL TRAVEL LOCAL

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dream global

travel local

Discover: Southwestern Michigan

The perfect ending to a fun day in Southwestern Michigan

cream cones and buttery European-style pastries.

Fill weekend after weekend with our festivals and fairs. Have a hot-diggity time hunting for painted dogs in St. Joseph’s outdoor art exhibit. Whirl around and around on our new carousel. Jam with the live music in our parks. Retrace history in our museums. See, sniff, hear, taste and touch our science exhibits. And discover good times in ways only you can create.

Come to where the fun starts . . . and never stops. Visit swmichigan.org or call 269.925.6301 for lots more fun ideas and great places to stay.

may 2010

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ou need to get away and have some fun. And there’s no place more enjoyable than nearby Southwestern Michigan. Fun comes naturally here. It starts at our Lake Michigan shoreline, where you race your kids down a towering dune. Splash in the mist of our new Whirlpool compass fountain. Invite your friends to go kayaking.

Reel in a fighting salmon. Walk out to our historic lighthouses. Dive for a volleyball in the soft sand. Open the throttle on a speedboat until your tubers squeal with delight. Or hold the one you love as the sun dips below a crimson-lavender-gold horizon night after night.

Your fun doesn’t stop at our water’s edge. Come play our golf courses with tee times to fit your schedule and holes to challenge your game. Bike our winding river roads. Shop in our Victorian towns. Hunt for antiques.

Find remarkable art. Win at our gaming resort. Feel your heart pound at the roar of our motocross races.

Hungry? Fill baskets with plump, juicy berries, sun-sweet peaches and crisp apples, and fresh-today vegetables. Let renowned chefs’ recipes tantalize your taste buds. Sip free tastes of our award-winning wines.

Satiate your sweet tooth with hand-dipped chocolates, mountain-high ice

Alden J. Ho Photography

Summer fun StartS here

dream global

travel local

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Discover: Douglas

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ith waterfront activities and entertainment, historic cottages and B&Bs, and shopping and dining at every turn, why travel far away from home when Douglas, Michigan, has it all?

Since the village was established in 1851, visitors have been traveling to Douglas for its perfect blend of history and modern resort living. The village’s diverse offerings make it a great getaway, close to home.

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Shopping in Douglas Douglas has shops for every curiosity, including antiques, art galleries, clothing, gifts and collectibles, home décor, home and garden, jewelry and more. Parking is always convenient in Douglas, and everything is within walking distance. The shopping season kicks off in full effect in May; it’s recommended that patrons call ahead for store and gallery hours.

Douglas’s shopping and cultural district is recognized for its upscale retail mix including Brackett & Company Home Accents. Owner Lincoln Brackett says they specialize in items for the home that can’t be found anywhere else. “We’re an upscale home accessory store, different from most and reasonably priced. We carry a lot of lamps, art, mirrors, furniture—we complete your home, in every style,” Brackett says.

Parrot in the Square on Center Street offers classic women’s and men’s apparel, accessories and hand-crafted art for the home and garden. The warm and inviting atmosphere, personal service, unique furnishings for your home and great gift ideas will make your visit to one of downtown Douglas’s most inviting shops a truly unique experience in shopping.

Thomas A. Greene offers fabulous and fun home accessories and great music. Water Street Gallery represents national and regional artists— featuring paintings, glass and sculpture. Finally, no stop to Douglas is complete without visiting Phillip & Son Jewelers, which offers surprisingly affordable designer-inspired jewelry and accessories with a fashion-forward style.

photos by Rene Growney

a great getaway,CLOSe tO hOme

Summer eventS in DouglaS may 1 Spring preview, 5:30-9pm, downtown Douglas. this annual event kicks off the beginning of summer, with shop and gallery open houses, food and drinks.

July 1, 15, 29, aug 12, 26 DouglaS SocialS, 5:30-9pm, Beery Field on center St, downtown Douglas. at these bimonthly socials, guests will enjoy free admission to family fun in a smalltown atmosphere with food and drink vendors and music. auguSt 19 taSte oF DouglaS, noon-4pm, Beery Field on center St, downtown Douglas. Delicious cuisine from local restaurants and specialty food shops are offered at this popular event. auguSt 19 SiDewalk Sale, 9am-5pm. patrons at the sidewalk sale will experience lots of fun, great bargains on merchandise, giveaways and entertainment. a trolley travels between Douglas and Saugatuck all day long.

Lodging in Douglas Staying in Douglas is simple with a variety of options, from cozy B&Bs and lakefront cottages, to longer-stay apartment rentals

in the heart of downtown. The Pines Motorlodge is a completely renovated 1940/50s style motor lodge in the heart of Douglas.

The Center Street Guesthouse is situated in an 1870s building that underwent an awardwinning restoration and is located in the upscale Downtown Douglas Design District. Guests have the ease of walking right out their front door into the heart of fantastic dining, delightful cafes and shopping in Douglas. The Peregrine Apartments on Center Street offer wonderful views of the busy street scene below and a unique “open air” design inside.

Other lodging is abundant in Douglas, for couples as well as families.

Dining in Douglas Whether one’s palate craves gourmet fine dining, or a morsel on the go, Douglas prides itself on culinary creations through its variety of dining offerings.

The Everyday People Café offers eclectic-comfort food with suggested wine pairings, in a casual, hip and upbeat atmosphere. The Respite Cappuccino Court is located in downtown Douglas in a historic building where guests enjoy coffee, tea and sandwiches.

The Wild Dog Grille sets a new standard in Southwest Michigan for casual, relaxed dining that’s innovative and refined. Entrées include sandwiches or stone oven pizzas, pastas, steaks, ribs, seafood, and even a hearty roasted chicken pot pie.

Yum Yum Café has moved to Center Street and is a favorite lunch spot, also featuring Palazzolo’s gelato. For a sweet taste of Douglas, do not miss Cookies on Call. Douglas also offers pizzerias, ice cream parlors, and a large number of other dining feature establishments.

For more information, visit douglasmichigan.com.

bite & SIP

FooD FeaTure

BY JANE DUNNE

classic destination dining

AT TALLGRASS AND THE CA RRIAGE H OUSE What separates a “destination” restaurant from the local corner bistro? At the bistro, you know the menu by heart and hope the new owners won’t fiddle with it too much. It’s a place you visit often, sometimes twice or more a week. Then it’s off to the movies, the mall, or home for the latest American Idol. The bistro is a familiar stop in an evening’s busy agenda.

A “destination” restaurant is where you come to make memories, often driving for miles in order to do so. It is where important family occasions and romantic dinners are celebrated. Couples get engaged at destination restaurants. Wedding anniversaries are toasted over dinners for two.

Whatever we call them, a number of destination restaurants persevere through good and bad economies, sometimes through decades, owned by the same smart people who came up with the original “bright idea” or by their descendants in the next generation.

The cuisine is often based on classic French techniques with contemporary touches to please an increasingly sophisticated dining public.

the carriage house souTh BenD, inDiana

In the summer of 1975, rumors that Gulf & Western would soon buy out Associates Investment Company and move it from South Bend to Dallas became fact, leaving Evelyn C. George, the manager of the Associates Investment executive dining room, with a problem and a challenge. With a glowing local reputation for her excellence and creativity in a corporate dining setting, the solution seemed obvious.

She set up a catering operation, was busy from the outset, and soon needed more space.

While helping her mother search for a proper venue for the growing business, Judy George, then 18, saw a simple ad in the classifieds offering a restaurant for sale out beyond

photography courtesy of The Carriage house

may 2010

here are two examples—one in indiana and one in illinois.

Both have stood the test of time and remain in a class by themselves.

the outskirts of South Bend. “The Carriage House,” it read, “Complete with Contents.” She checked it out on behalf of her busy mother and, within days, the circa 1851 church and Grange Hall-turned-lunchroom belonged to Evelyn George.

Over time, the family uncovered the ceiling of the old church with its untouched original walnut beams, created a wine cellar within the building’s mid-19th-century stone foundation and added on to the existing structure, as the Carriage House evolved from a catering business to a fine dining restaurant.

Filled with fine antiques, original Persian carpets and a museumquality collection of early 20thcentury Indiana Impressionists oil paintings, the restaurant, by the early 1980s, had become one of the most celebrated in the state. Evelyn’s son, Peter, became her sommelier.

He inaugurated a series of tasting dinners with prominent winemakers, which still continue to this day. For more than 20 years, the Carriage House has been a recipient of the AAA Four Diamond Award, a record achieved by only three other restaurants in the region (all in Chicago). For the past 25 years, it has

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“Destination” restaurants provide ambience, impeccable service, award-winning wine lists, imaginative menus and superb food, the entire package worth the tariff at the end of the evening. here you dress up and devote an entire evening to the fine-dining experience. You choose these restaurants because they are so special. perhaps “designated” would be a better term than “destination.”

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received awards from Wine Spectator, in 2009 a Best of Award of Excellence.

Thirty-five years after its founding, the restaurant is owned and managed by daughter Judy and her husband, Adrian CotĂŠ. Judy is the only professional sommelier/ owner in Indiana and one of only a handful in the country. To honor the memory of Evelyn George, Adrian designed and planted a 4,000-square-foot perennial garden, where thousands of peonies bloom every spring. Early this summer, the couple plans to open an outdoor bar and patio near the gardens, with a separate brick oven, serving artisan pizzas, roasted chicken and rustic tarts, beginning with strawberries and ending with apples.

For seasonal dinner menus, please check the website.

And in case youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wondering, the Carriage House never was a carriage house.

Indiana Chevre Cake with Michigan Strawberries (8 Servings) For the cake: 11 ounces fresh Capriole goat cheese (softened) 3/4 cup sugar, divided 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons finely chopped zest of lemon 1 teaspoon pure vanilla 6 large farm fresh eggs, separated 1/4 cup sifted flour 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Dust a 9-inch springform pan with granulated sugar.

In a mixing bowl, combine goat cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until smooth.

Add one egg yolk at a time until all egg yolks are fully mixed, then add flour.

Set aside.

Whip all egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and mix thoroughly.

Gently fold egg whites into cheese mixture.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean.

For the fruit topping: 1-2 quarts fresh Michigan strawberries Zest of one lemon 1 cup strawberry jelly 2 tablespoons Marie Brizzard Creme de Fraise

Heat jelly until melted, then simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in strawberry liqueur.

Remove from heat. Cool.

Hull and wash fresh strawberries. Cut in half. Fold jelly mixture with strawberries.

To complete:

The Carriage House 24460 Adams Rd South Bend 574.272.9220 carriagehousedining.com

Remove cooled cake from springform pan.

Place on serving stand. Just before serving, cover generously with strawberry topping.

Garnish with lemon zest and fresh mint.

Best served the same day; do not refrigerate.

tallgrass Lockport, Illinois

For the salad: 6 ripe sliced tomatoes 3 ripe avocados, halved 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced into six pieces Basil leaves Kosher salt Extra virgin olive oil For the deviled eggs: 12 hard-boiled eggs 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon white pepper 6 egg shells (Carefully tap off tops of raw eggs and empty content; wash and dry empty eggshells, and save raw eggs for another use.)

In a food processor, place 1 whole hardboiled egg, 11 hardboiled egg yolks, mayonnaise, cheese, salt and pepper, and process until smooth. Fill empty eggshells with egg yolk mixture.

On each large plate arrange sliced tomato, basil leaf, deviled egg, cheese slice and avocado half. Sprinkle with kosher salt and olive oil.

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photography courtesy of [opposite page] THE CARRIAGE HOUSE; [this page[ TALLGRASS

Parmesan Egg, Tomato and Avocado Salad

MAy 2010

Tallgrass 1006 S State St, Lockport 815.838.5566. tallgrassrestaurant.com

In 1997 the New York Times wrote: “Tallgrass is one of those restaurants—small, elegant, intimate—that you cherish and come back to again and again, not only for the superb cuisine of owner and master chef, Robert Burcenski, but also for the warm welcome extended by co-owner, J. Thomas Alves, who acts as both maître d’ and erudite sommelier . . .”

That salute is as deserved today as it was 13 years ago. Tallgrass, now in its 29th year of operation, is still a gem, its food vibrant and memorable and its service caring and impeccable.

Bob Burcenski was born and raised in Lockport, considered to be the best-preserved 19th-century canal town in the Midwest. He and his partner, Tom Alves, a Joliet native, taught school in the area—Bob, art and design; Tom, an organist and choir master, taught music. As food and wine aficionados, they hosted frequent dinner parties, with Bob often reproducing dishes enjoyed during their gastronomic trips to Europe. Their lucky dinner guests urged them to “open a restaurant.” Being very busy men, a restaurant, they felt, was out of the question, but they could fit in a little catering on the side. Due to instant success and demand, they soon outgrew the home kitchen and began looking for a building or space.

What they found was an empty late Victorian building on the main street of Lockport’s historic district. Built in 1895, it had long served as a saloon with a residence above. The exterior was in great shape. It didn’t take long before they decided to turn their find into a restaurant. The building was gutted, but the tin ceiling in the main dining room remained.

Rich fruitwood wainscoting and period gas chandeliers were found and installed. Bob Burcenski designed the floor, service plates, bowls and platters.

Tables were beautifully set with green napery, crystal stemware and heavy silver when the restaurant, named Tallgrass, after Illinois’ tallgrass prairie, opened November 19, 1981.

Dinner is still served Wednesday through Sunday, by reservation only, at 6 p.m. The charming dining room seats a total of 40, and the Tallgrass Loft in the Norton Warehouse on the canal, restored by the two in 1995, is used for private parties and events.

Tallgrass was elected to the Fine Dining Hall of Fame in 2002. In 1995, these dedicated connoisseurs also won the top statewide honor as dedicated preservationists.

Robert Burcenski’s innovative seasonal menus at Tallgrass can be found on the website.

bite & SIP Butch’s Restaurant

44 E Eighth St, Holland, Michigan 616.396.8227. butchs.net Two distinct menus and a vast array of wines have made this friendly wine shop and bistro a lakeshore favorite.

Tomato basil soup, gorgonzola Caesar salad with housemade dressing, and a white meat chicken with toasted almonds, grapes, celery and creamy dressing served in a pita roll are just a few of the house lunch specialties. Chicken or vegetarian quesadillas wrapped in 14-inch flour tortillas are the best. The dinner menu is even more expansive, with the addition of salmon, scallops, chicken, steak, lamb and filet mignon entrées; elaborate salads such as chicken with house greens; a half-pound Angus beef burger; and meal-sized appetizers such as pan-seared tuna, brie backed with cranberries and Michigan maple syrup, and stuffed portabella. A sandwich with soup or salad at lunch costs about $10. Dinner entrées come in under $35 and appetizers are usually less than $12.

Indiana

AMORÉ RISTORANTE AND 109 SUSHI & MARTINI LOUNGE 109 Joliet St, Crown Point. 219.663.7377. amore109. com. The ultimate two-for-one, this sleek restaurant features Italian cuisine on its first floor at Amoré Ristorante and Japanese cuisine, including sushi and sashimi, upstairs at the 109 Sushi & Martini Lounge.

But eating at one doesn’t preclude ordering off the menu at the other as the food goes both ways—up and down the stairs. Carnivores will want to try the monster-sized 20- to 22-ounce bone-in rib eye steak, the 16-ounce Kansas City bone-in strip steak or the braised pork shank osso bucco. Seafood lovers get to order lobster in a myriad of ways, including in the sushi, bisque and linguini as well as the decadent twin 6-ounce lobster tails served with drawn butter. Other seafood favorites are the seafood risotto piled high with shrimp, scallops, mussels and more lobster and the peppercorn-encrusted fresh ahi tuna. Save room for bananas foster, crème brûlée and a quadruple assortment of cupcakes—chocolate, vanilla bean, black and white (swirled chocolate and vanilla) and red velvet topped with cream cheese frosting.

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ASPARAGUS 7876 Broadway, Merrillville.

219.794.0000. asparagusrestaurant.com. Interpreting the flavors of Thailand and Vietnam with a French flair, chef/ owner Tammy Pham has created an extensive menu at Asparagus, named 2008 Restaurant of the Year by the South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority.

Luncheon items are extensive and range from the Satay Bar, which offers, among others, skewers of Street Hawker—lightly grilled prime rib-eye seasoned with Chinese five-spice seasonings—or Bangkok Boar, grilled pork with a sweet-hot sauce. Noon entrées include five-spice duck, chicken fricassee with figs and pork sauce, and the Asparagus lunch special served with the soup of the day and a Thai chicken eggroll.

The dinner menu options, as creative as what’s for lunch, also include the Satay Bar and a selection of curries as well as their signature Fish Cake Delight appetizer—seasoned Chilean sea bass, salmon and

swordfish, served with greens and grand mustard sauce and signature entrée—lobster, shrimp, mango, asparagus, peapod and onion in a gingered soy sauce.

The extensive wine list includes port, cognac, imported and microbrewed beers, and a creative selection of martinis, many with an Asian touch. Lunch entrées, curries and noodle dishes range from $12 to $26; dinner items are slightly higher. Carryout is available, and the Chocolate Truffle Eggrolls are not to be missed.

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.

CIAO BELLA 1514 US 41, Schererville.

219.322.6800. ciaobellaonline.com. The cuisines of three different

regions of Italy are featured at the newly opened 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. 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.

EVELYN BAY COFFEE COMPANY 3800 N Calumet Ave, Valparaiso. 219.510.5802. asipabove.com. This coffee shop—which feels like it should be nestled in the Rockies rather than in Valparaiso, Indiana—offers much more than its specialty teas and coffees, although patrons would be satisfied with just that. Its food menu is equivalent to anything you’d find at a gourmet café. Breakfast offer-

photograph by ROBERT WRAY

The information presented in Bite & Sip is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify listing information.

GINO’S STEAK HOUSE 1259 W Joliet St, Dyer. 219.865.3854. 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.

JACK BINION’S STEAK HOUSE at HORSESHOE CASINO 777 Casino Center Dr, Hammond.

866.711.7463. horseshoehammond. com. The Horseshoe facility, a slice of Las Vegas on Lake Michigan, prides itself on customer service and consistently ranks first in every category, including fine dining. The tiered tables and luxurious booths at Jack Binion’s overlook an expansive, panoramic lake view, where the impeccably attired waitstaff helps you choose between the Australian lobster, pan-seared sea scallops and rich thick filets that just make you wonder if Dr. Atkins would really be all right with this.

Pick the decadent cheesecake for dessert if you want the best of everything. It is more fun, though, to opt for a postdinner cocktail and go play. Entrées are $35 on average.

MILLER BAKERY CAFÉ 555 S Lake St, Gary. 219.938.2229. For two decades this famous stop on the Lake Michigan shore has introduced the gateway community to the beach, and to the versatile and eclectic menu.

Part European, part New Orleans, and all clever. The lightly sautéed crab cakes and the signature molded polenta and pepper appetizer; wood-grilled steak with peppercorn sauce; salmon coated with a sweet tangy glaze; rack of lamb over garlic smashed potatoes; and cafe chocolate, a slab that tastes like the center of a truffle, are always on the menu. Selections of wines by the glass are as creative, and the waitstaff are connoisseurs of food and drink by hobby as well as trade. The bar has a complete martini and cocktail menu and frequently hosts live jazz on weekend nights. For a special occasion or telling secrets, reserve the very private table in the glassenclosed wine cellar. A two-course lunch averages $18, dinner entrées $25.

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 woodfired 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. Now open is SodaDog, the Bardols’ newest venture, which specializes in authentic hot dogs and sausages and microcrafted soda, all served via carhop service. SodaDog is located at 171 Hwy 212 in Michigan City.

Ranked top 4 in the Midwest and top 16 Nationally – Rachael Ray Magazine 2010 Ranked top 8 Neapolitan-style pizza – Chicago Magazine Recommended by The Hungry Hound – ABC 7 Chicago Recommended by South Bend WNDU’s Unique Eats

STOP 50 WOOD FIRED PIZZERIA 500 S. El Portal | Michiana Shores, IN 219-879-8777 Indoor & Outdoor Seating | Carry-out Spring Hours: Fri 5-10pm; Sat 11am-10pm; Sun 11am-8pm www.Stop50woodfiredpizzeria.com

Come enjoy a memorable afternoon or evening of fine dining at Amoré Ristorante.

Serving exquisite Italian cuisine.

WEDNESDAY’S ENDLESS PASTA STATION FROM 11:00AM-2:00PM AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE, STEAK, CHOPS, SEAFOOD AND SUSHI EXTENSIVE WINE LIST OPEN DAILY AT 11:00 AM | RESERVATION RECOMMENDED

VISIT OUR UPPER LEVEL SUSHI & MARTINI BAR

SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY 1/2 PRICE APPETIZERS 4PM-6PM • BAR ONLY • OPEN DAILY AT 4:00PM

109 JOLIET STREET | CROWN POINT | 219.663.7377 | www.amore109.com

MAY 2010

LIGHTHOUSE RESTAURANT 7501 Constitution Ave, Cedar Lake.

219.374.WAVE. cedarlakelighthouse. com. Stunning water views through floorto-ceiling windows is perfect for sunset aficionados and is just one more reason to stop at this recently opened restaurant nestled on the eastern shoreline of Cedar Lake. Executive Chef Ken McRae draws upon his 25 years of culinary experience in creating a menu with such signature dishes as steaks—offered blackened or Cajun style upon request and served at a sizzling 500 degrees for the ultimate in flavor—plus lake perch and Chilean sea bass. For more casual fare, offerings include burgers, salads and pastas.

There’s an emphasis on local products from nearby farms and ice cream from Fair Oaks Dairy Farm. Bottles of wine are half price on No Whine Wednesdays.

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. (In fact, Lucrezia won a 2006 and 2008 ROSE Award for “Putting Porter County on the Map.”) 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 domedshaped chocolate sponge cake filled with white chocolate mousse and pistachios and sauced with both chocolate and raspberry. Lunch entrées average $20, dinner $30.

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ings include artisan bagels, fresh muffins and a breakfast wrap—which is made of scrambled egg, cheese, bacon or sausage and wrapped inside a grilled tomatobasil wrap. And for lunch? The California Dreamin’ Sandwich—turkey breast, swiss cheese, avocado, tomato, red onion and ranch cabbage on sourdough bread— or the Michigan Wrap—grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, dried sweet cherries, shredded parmesan and raspberry vinaigrette on a 7-grain wrap—are among the many choices that will delight the taste buds. Daily soups and fresh salads are available as well, as are dessert items like gelato, truffles and baked goods. Evelyn Bay also offers catering and coffee and tea delivery, but you’ll want to indulge in an actual visit to this cozy establishment at some point.

bite & SIP 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.

Voted Best Steakhouse Specializing in USDA prime steaks, fresh seafood & pasta Full bar Exceptional wine list Live Entertainment Friday & Saturday

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GINO’S

1259 US 30 | Dyer, IN | 219.865.3854 600 East 81st | Merrillville, IN | 219.769.4466 ginossteakhouse.com

T-BONES PIER 11 1111 Lakeside, LaPorte. 219.362.5077. pleastshore.com. This Italian steakhouse is carefully tucked into a cove of scenic Pine Lake, the newer of the two restaurants that are traditionally very popular with guests at the inn as well as the summer folks who make LaPorte a home away from home. The spacious dining room is reminiscent of a traditional supper club, but a terrace overlooks the harbor and instead of being at a roadhouse, you are on the beach. As expected, the seafood hits a high standard; some of the recommended starters ($9) are sautéed blue crab and shrimp cakes, plump snails baked with Pernod garlic butter, oversized shrimp served martini-style, and deep-fried calamari and mussels steamed in white wine. A range of salads, pizzas and pasta selections ($10) round out the lighter supper fare, but if boating, water-skiing and swimming make you hungry, this is the place to indulge in a Tbone, New York strip, filet mignon or flat iron steak grilled over a wood fire. Choice of sauces include Gorgonzola cheese, whiskey peppercorn, wild mushroom brandy or blueberry port. Likewise, the fish selections—which can be grilled or sautéed—include scallops, red snapper, salmon, swordfish, mahimahi, walleye and even a lobster tail that can be served with lemon dill butter, warm mango chutney or tomato garlic sauce. If you prefer ordering house specialties you can pick from sautéed beef medallions, duck breast, Chicken Roman, Chicken Saltimbocca, pan-seared Veal Limone or a slow-cooked Italian pot roast (average price $15). A light dinner will probably cost under $20 and a complete 4-to-6 courses will vary from $25 to $35.

THEO’S STEAK & SEAFOOD 9144 Indianapolis Blvd, Highland.

219.838.8000. theoshighland.com. A classic steak and seafood house, Theo’s also offers a great selection of chicken, pasta and veal dishes as well as such timeless culinary favorites as shrimp de jonghe, steak Diane, veal Oscar and oysters Rockefeller. Helping round out the menu are several Greek favorites such as saganaki (Greek cheese doused with brandy and flambéed tableside), a Greek country salad piled high with kalamati olives, feta, tomatoes and more, and grilled lamb chops marinated in kalamati olive oil and seasoned with oregano, garlic and lemon. For dessert, disregard the calories and go with the Death by Chocolate, layers of chocolate cake with a decadent mousse filling.

Michigan

THE 1913 ROOM and CYGNUS 27 at AMWAY GRAND PLAZA HOTEL Pearl & Monroe Sts, Grand Rapids.

1913 Room: 616.776.6450. Cygnus 27: 877.668.1675. amwaygrand.com. The 1913 Room is the only restaurant to earn the coveted AAA 5-Diamond rating in the state of Michigan for its classic service, a fine list of wines, cordials and liqueurs, top quality steaks, baked goods and numerous specials. Creative menu-planning results in a daily lunch buffet of hearty soup, comforting vegetable and potato sides, beef, turkey and salmon on the carving block, and a sideboard of a wide-ranging cheese selection with smoked fish and garden vegetables for accompaniment. At the top of the hotel, the newly renovated Cygnus 27 features a breathtaking river view, an expanded “ice” bar, and an unusual dropped ceiling lit with rectangular boxes. Chef Werner Absenger’s menu is as innovative as ever, with wine and food pairings and off-beat contrasting flavors—a small plate of baby iceberg lettuce comes with green goddess dressing and Michigan cherry bread croutons, and a dozen escargot are served enveloped in a light, buttery sauce packaged in pastry.

Featured main courses include a salmon Wellington, veal meatballs with pasta, smoked pork tenderloin, and marinated grilled chicken. Have dessert of chocolate cake with apricot glaze, apple cinnamon tiramisu or pecan pie à la mode served parfait-style, or adjourn to the mahogany and leather cocoon of the Lumber Baron Bar downstairs. There are more than 1,000 bottles in the Amway wine collection and dozens of port, cognac and dessert wine selections. Lunch entrées average $18 and dinner entrées $25.

PORT 412 412 State St, St. Joseph. 269.982.0412. port412.com. Port 412 features two stories, including a rooftop patio with a view of Lake Michigan. The first floor is characterized by a lively bar atmosphere, while upstairs is a lounge with couches and brick interior. The top floor is also available for parties, wedding rehearsal dinners, and corporate events. “There’s nothing like it in St. Joe,” says Ryan Van Arkel, concierge manager. Lunches include starters like hearty crab bisque or spring greens and duck breast with orange ginger vinaigrette. Enjoy a Mediterranean portabella wrap or Cuban pork tenderloin sandwich served with homemade chips, fresh fruit, redskin potato salad, or coleslaw. Pizzas and small dishes such as crab cakes and antipasto are also featured. Dinner entrées include pan-roasted tomato ragu, duck breast with sweet plum glaze and stir-fry veggies, and pork tenderloin brochettes with soy ginger glaze. Steaks, chicken and seafood dishes round out the menu.

Dessert selections include crème brûlée, chocolate Saint Germaine, and Black Star Farms sirius pear, along with ice wines and ports. The cocktail menu includes a generous selection of martinis, regional and international beers, whiskeys and scotch, and a full wine list.

SALT OF THE EARTH 112-114 E Main St, Fennville.

269.561.7258. saltoftheearthfennville. com. Rustic American cooking—using local produce and meat from the farmlands dotting Western Michigan— reflects the food philosophy of the recently opened Salt of the Earth, which is located in Fennville, a tiny town with a serious food presence. “Our style is to keep a core menu and do a fresh board daily with seasonal and regional dishes, many of which are cooked in our wood-

WILD DOG GRILLE 24 W Center St, Douglas.

269.857.2519. Sam Kendall, coowner of the Wild Dog Grille, says their Italian-inspired cuisine, with a new-age twist, has been delighting the public ever since they opened their doors in June 2007. Start out with fresh spring rolls stuffed with crab meat and wrapped in a thin rice paper, or try the crab cake served with three dollops of Creole remoulade for a flavor enhancement.

Another tasty option is the pesto spinach cheese dip served with flat breads fired fresh in the stone oven.

Their trademark stone oven pizzas are fired in the best stone oven on the market for an old-world, thincrust flavor. Fresh-cut steaks, such as the popular filet mignon and New York strip, are exceptional. Finish the meal with a vanilla panna cotta made from scratch from the chef’s family recipe, the Oregon berry cobbler or a key lime tart. The restaurant has a liquor license, and the owners pride themselves on offering a laidback atmosphere with the quality of high-end restaurants. Prices go up to $25.95 for the filet mignon, with most selections under $20.

Illinois

BALAGIO RISTORANTE 17501 Dixie Hwy, Homewood.

708.957.1650. balagio-restaurant. com. Now in a new location, 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.

CIBO MATTO at THE WIT HOTEL 201 N State St, Chicago.

312.239.9500. cibomatto.therestaurantsatthewit.com. At the corner of State and Lake, in the heart of the Loop, a new and beautiful finedining restaurant offers sophisticated traditional Italian dining with a twist.

Cibo Matto means “Crazy Food” but there is nothing off the wall here— just plenty of innovation by Chef Todd Stein in a setting with many seating options: a 12-seat counter-height chef’s table overlooking the kitchen, cozy leather booths, or free-standing tables with views of the 2,000 bottle glass-enclosed wine tower. There are window tables with a western view and, above, a 30-foot ceiling fresco by prominent artist Todd Murphy.

Start with a rabbit terrine served in two pancetta-wrapped slices over orange and white pureed carrots. Try the short ribs topped with gremolata and served with a flavorful ricottacreamed spinach, or the perfectly grilled veal tenderloin. Fish, pastas and desserts are all amazing. Dinner nightly, reservations necessary.

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 gorgonzola-seared 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. Chefproprietor Tammy Pham has evolved into a legend for her mastery of a full men 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.

Ristorante | Pizzeria | Winebar Parties of 6 or more book your reservation now.

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Book Your Parties Now! Semi-Private up to 20 guests Catering available Let us personalize your menu

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Award Winning (Gourmet Magazine) Authentic Italian Restaurant Extensive Wine List

1514 U.S. 41, Schererville, IN

219.322.6800 M-Th 11am-10pm | F-Sat 11am-11pm Sun 10am-10pm

MAY 2010

SIX ONE SIX at JW MARRIOTT HOTEL 235 Louis Campau Promenade NW, Grand Rapids.616.242.1500. ilovethejw.com/dining. Bringing the best through the door on the front end is the hallmark of this brandnew luxury hotel, located in this Michigan town on a growth trajectory. The menu is simple, and Executive Chef John State—trained at Chicago’s Washburne School and a veteran of the legendary Lake Creek Inn in San Francisco wine country and the California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Orlando, Florida—uses a light touch on the high-quality, mostly local goods.

Size, freshness and outstanding taste characterize the seafood. The mussels,oysters, salmon, tuna and scallops are cooked flawlessly and served in a variety of ways, including raw, grilled and poached in herb and broth combinations that coax out and mix perfect flavors. Locally produced poultry, particularly the duck breast, gets an excellent treatment with specially designed, hand-cut vegetable sides. Steaks, chops and filets are held to a high standard, and the wine pairings exceed expectations, even when the JW gets together with an executive chef who has worked in Napa. But the extras make the entire experience so memorable: the perfect martini with a choice of olives; spiced butter and cheese selections served with a variety of fresh-baked crackers and breads; a cheese plate presented with separate garnishes for each type and slice; and housemade desserts, including a thick, rich and dense crème brûlée in multiple flavors.

Even the coffee is a treat, especially when complemented by an aged Porto. The architecture, spacious interior design, orchestrated and technically perfect lighting, and impeccable service combine to create an atmosphere that enhances the experience. Entrées average $25-$35.

The specialty drink (the bar features a wall of blue Skyy Vodka bottles) and the wine list, like the menu, are highquality and carefully chosen. Reservations are a very good idea; while the restaurant, Mixology bar and the atrium lounge fill the vast expanse of the first floor, at certain times on the weekends every seat is taken, and there may be a short wait.

WHEATBERRY RESTAURANT & TAVERN 15212 N Red Bud Tr, Buchanan.

269.697.0043. wheatberrytavern. com. Nestled on a bend of the slowmoving St. Joseph River just north of Buchanan—a town transforming into trendiness with its historic downtown filled with eclectic shops—the owners of the recently opened Wheatberry Restaurant & Tavern see their place as a gathering spot for lovers of regional American cuisine. “We cook everything from scratch,” says Mike Hoyland, one of the restaurant’s owners. Besides a dedication to using the best of local farms and food producers, there’s also an emphasis on the smoked ribs, pork and chicken that come out of the large Southern Pride Smoker in the back of the restaurant. Other entrées include prime sliced sirloin topped with Wisconsin’s wonderful Mindoro blue cheese, basil and toasted pine nut butter, as well as cedar-planked salmon and woodroasted chicken Vesuvio. Soups, sandwiches, salads and killer hamburgers, thick and juicy and cooked to order, are also on the menu. Dessert specialties include Texas sheet cake—a dense, rich brownie-like cake—and Key lime pie.

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burning oven,” says owner Mark Schrock who, with his partner Steve Darpel, opened the restaurant in the space formerly occupied by the Journeyman, a popular farm-totable restaurant that closed last year.

The partners hired Executive Chef Matthew Pietsch, formerly of Detroit’s Roast, who carries on the traditions of that restaurant, such as handcutting some of the meats and fish.

Pietsch also adds his interpretation of pork bellies, one of the mainstays of the Journeyman, by glazing them in Dijon mustard and maple syrup with apple mash and pickled sweet corn accompaniments. Also not to be missed is the Wood Fired All Natural Chicken stuffed with the restaurant’s artisan seedy salt bread along with apples and pork sausage and served with onion gravy. Michigan craft beers are on tap and the wine list includes Michigan wines as well. Even if you can’t stay to eat, stop by to pick up freshly made bread and a selection of cheeses. Live music is offered on Friday nights.

house&

GROUNDS

From the mid-1800s through the early 1900s, Grand Rapids, Michigan, experienced great growth. Timber was abundant, and the town became known for its fine furniture. The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affluent soon made their mark, building homes befitting their stations. One of these men was George Keeler, of the Keeler Brass Company. Keeler built an American Foursquare on College Avenue. It is thought he built it as a wedding present for his daughter, and he died shortly after its completion.

a house on HERITAGE HILL

PRESERVING HISTORY AT AN AMERICAN FOURSQUARE

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may 2010

words by TERRI GORDON photography by ROBERT WRAY

house&

a

GROUNDS

4 VISITSHOREmaGaZINE.COm 8

As time marched on, the neighborhood fell out of fashion and into disrepair.

Under urban renewal plans in the 1960s, many of the homes were razed, others converted into apartments.

Still, there were folks who valued the history represented and fought for preservation. The Heritage Hill Historical Association formed in this milieu, and in 1971, the area was registered as a National Historic Site. Destruction stopped, but the neighborhood was less than it had been during its heyday.

By the time Jane Taylor bought the American Foursquare George Keeler had built, the neighborhood was turning a corner. It was the ’80s. Restoration was newly in vogue, and she was ready to join the movement. She married John Vriend in front of the fireplace a week after moving into the home, and together they set about correcting violations done to the house over the years.

American Foursquare is simple in design. It features a four-room floor plan that is mirrored on the second story.

While the basic plan is always the same, it is often decorated with features from other styles. In the case of the Keeler/ Taylor home, Arts and Crafts movement elements were used and are seen in the woodwork and cabinetry.

When Jane and John bought the house, they were keen to be a part of preserving its historical value. “We decided it would be a wonderful thing to renovate an old house,” she says, “and for the most part it was. It took a lot of time —more time, more money, more effort, more energy than anticipated.” In addition to righting wrongs, the couple made some changes. They installed more usable closets and added a fireplace to the master suite. They vaulted ceilings to open up spaces, and they removed walls to expand smaller rooms into larger spaces. In making these changes, they were careful not to destroy the character of the house.

Probably the most drastic renovation took place in the kitchen, where they not only vaulted the ceilings, but added skylights, and created an atrium effect with ceiling to floor windows on a back wall. While these were not restorative changes, they worked to enlarge the space, increase natural

Skylights and a large atrium window open the space and allow natural light into the kitchen [above]. The home’s original style has been imitated in the cabinetry, including the use of brass hardware. Table, chairs, and barstools are Stickley. On the stairway [opposite], hand-knotted runners cover the steps. Dancing firelight [previous] is reflected in this Heritage Hill home’s original oak floors—the perfect spot for a snack, served on vintage 1903 Royal Doulton, a pattern called “Old Leeds Spray.”

lighting, and provide views of the backyard garden.

When John died suddenly of a heart attack, Jane learned she lived not only in a special home, but in a special neighborhood. As she struggled with her grief, she noted that sidewalks were mysteriously shoveled, and later, the lawns were mowed. Then she met someone new—Reid Taylor.

They married in 2005. She was delighted when he wanted to join her in the house. They have worked together to make the home more livable, and more comfortable, all with a deep respect for its history.

In keeping with the Arts and Crafts theme, they have added Stickley furniture—reproduced in cherry with Harvey Ellis-designed inlay. Many of the rugs are Stickley, also.

Souvenirs from their travels are abundant. There are Nicholas Mosse dishes from Scotland in the kitchen. In the dining room, crystal designed by Orrefors for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize dinner honoring Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan. The chandelier is from Germany. In the sitting room a tea set from St. Petersburg is on display, with an etched pattern called Catherine the Great Cobalt Net.

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house&

GROUNDS

A vaulted ceiling adds space to the master bedroom [top]. Furniture is Stickley with Harvey Ellis inlay, in cherry. Lights accent the crown molding (original to the house). The rug is a reproduction William Morris produced using the same techniques and materials as the original. Music is abundant in the Taylor home with a piano in the living room [above left].

The dining room table is set with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Toscaâ&#x20AC;? by Lenox [above right]. Ceiling fans and lights fill the attic peak [right], and a tumbled marble mosaic fills the stovetop backsplash with color [far right].

There is Murano glassware from Venice.

All the woodwork in the house—the crown molding, the baseboards, the doors and window frames—is original, though much of it painted. “We go back and forth as to whether we want to go through the trouble and expense of having them stripped,” Jane says. The wooden floors are original too, primarily quartersawn oak, except in the maid’s room, where the floor is pine.

t

The third floor attic [left] remained unfinished until 2007. It now contains reading, office and recreational spaces, as well as musical instruments and a recording studio.

The floor is bamboo.

The lights are modern, in Arts and Crafts style, which blends well with the Stickley furniture [bottom left] and other distinctive accents [below].

Two years ago they finished the third floor attic, turning it into another sitting area, office and recording studio. “We were just going to insulate the open space, and one thing led to another,” Taylor explains. They installed bamboo flooring and added drywall to the rafters. A caribou head hangs high above the drums (Jane’s), and a bearskin rug lies on the floor, both “bagged” by Reid, although as a rule, he is not a hunter. The rug is a favorite with the couple’s two cats, Lillian and François.

In a neighborhood where ghost stories abound, Taylor is grateful for the home’s “good aura,” and is relieved hers is not haunted. “If there is a resident ghost, they are very kindly and don’t show themselves,” she says. Perhaps they are content to live peaceably in the house she has made a home.

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shore THINGS 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 Labao’s Global Dreams jewelry— popular with the stars of Desperate Housewives— can also be found here.

build Indiana

HORIZON AWNING 2227 E US 12, Michigan City. 219.872.2329. horizon-awning.com. For more than 25 years, this company has built canvas and aluminum awnings for the home and business, plus custom boat covers. Canvas awnings are made of long-wearing, faderesistant fabrics, and the aluminum variety come with whimsical scalloped edges.

HULTMAN FLOORING 35 E US Hwy 20, Porter. 219.926.1966. Hultman Flooring, a member of the National Wood Flooring Association, specializes in the design, installation and refinishing of real wood floors.

J KREMKE CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISES 314 Spring View Dr, Porter. 219.309.0360. mygreenbuildingsolutions.com. This construction company specializes in sustainable eco-friendly and energy-efficient homes at reasonable rates. Aside from new construction, remodeling and land development, J Kremke Construction also provides maintenance for bank-owned properties.

8 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 8

MARUSZCZAK APPLIANCE 7809 W Lincoln Hwy, Schererville. 219.865.0555. For nineteen years, Maruszczak has been selling and servicing major home appliances in the Munster area.

Its broad inventory includes fridges, stoves, dishwashers, washer/dryers and more, made by virtually every brand in the market. The company is also factoryauthorized to service everything it sells.

NOVA BASEMENT SYSTEMS 465 N State Rd 39, LaPorte. 800.668.2026. nova-inc.com. For more than 30 years, Nova has been one of the largest basement waterproofing and foundation repair contractors in the area. The technicians here also specialize in crawl space sealing and sump pump installation.

TRAINOR GLASS COMPANY 202 N Dixie Way, South Bend. 574.855.2380. trainorglass.com. Since 1953, Trainor Glass has specialized in commercial glass and glazing. Their stateof-the-art glass can be installed just about anywhere, from partitions, walls and doors, to the shower and bath. Trainor serves all of Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan.

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 has “everything you need for plumbing services.”

design Indiana

NO PLACE LIKE HOME 110 Elmwood Dr, Michigan City. 219.879.9140. 400 E Randolph St, Ste 3414, Chicago. 312.938.9140. nplhinc.com. This eco-minded interior design firm has multiple specialties, including space planning, architectural design consultation, kitchen and bath design and renovations, custom cabinetry design and installation, and selection of additional materials, plus decorating and staging services.

SUN CATCHERS 1348 119th St, Whiting. 219.659.6666. As its name suggests, Sun Catchers is the place to go for stained glass. A large variety of stained glass décor items are available—either readymade or custom-designed—as well as florals, candles, and high-end bath and body products by Caswell-Massey. The staff at Sun Catchers also host and teach occasional stained glass classes.

TRIAD DESIGN ASSOCIATES 110 N Broad St, Griffith. 219.924.9755. triaddesignassociates.com. This design firm specializes primarily in commercial design, with services includ-

ing space planning, furnishings, lighting and project management. Designers and space planners on staff have been professionally trained and are experienced in the latest technology.

Michigan

BAYBERRY COTTAGE 510 Phoenix Rd, South Haven. 269.639.9615. One of South Haven’s most well-known shops, Gwen DeBruyn’s Bayberry Cottage features home furnishings and accessories which include furniture, wall décor, rugs, florals and bath and body products. Interior design services are also available, and items can be special ordered if not in stock.

GROUNDWORKES 15486 Red Arrow Hwy, Lakeside. 269.586.2133. groundworkes.com. Roger Boike, former master gardener at Susan Fredman Design Group, has branched out and started his own business in garden design throughout Southwest Michigan and beyond.

SAWYER HOME & GARDEN CENTER 5865 Sawyer Rd, Sawyer.

269.426.8810. 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.

SEA GLASS COTTAGE 402 Eagle St, South Haven. 269.639.1200. seaglasscottage.com. As its name suggests, this specialty shop features hundreds of collected sea glass items, along with a tasteful collection of beach-inspired home furniture and décor. Purses, jewelry, sunglasses and other accessories are also available here.

drive Indiana

DORMAN GARAGE, INC.

photograph by ROBERT WRAY

The information presented in Shore Things is accurate as of press time, but readers are encouraged to call ahead to verify the listing information.

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.

MAXIM POWER SPORTS 5901 E 81st Ave, Merrillville. 219.942.0548. maximpowersports.com. This showroom, which spans more than 30,000 square feet, includes brands like Kawasaki, Polaris, Yamaha and Suzuki. It can suit multiple outdoor sporting needs, including street, dirt, watercraft and snow vehicles and gear. The parts and service departments are also helpful and knowledgeable.

SCHEPEL AUTO GROUP 2929 W Lincoln Hwy, Merrillville.

866.724.3735. schepel.com.

This renowned auto dealer in Northwest Indiana offers new and preowned vehicles by Cadillac, Hummer, Saab, Buick and Pontiac. The experienced sales staff, plus the extensive online inventory, help 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.

219.898.1501. greatlakescatering.com.

With a combined 75 years of experience, father and son Ed and Matt Kis 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.

Michigan

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 fi nest and freshest ingredients in their hand-paddled fudge, custom chocolates and truffles.

OPULENT VODKA opulentvodka.com. This award-winning vodka, made of a grain distinctively native to America, is fermented and distilled

RIBORDY LIQUORS 2 W Dunes Hwy, Beverly Shores.

219.871.1111. 1454 W Hwy 30, Valparaiso. 219.465.7507. This upscale liquor store features fine wines, top-shelf liquors, and import and craft specialty beers. Kegs and ice are also available.

ST. JOHN WINE & SPIRITS 9540 Poplar Ln, St. John. 219.558.8911. stjohnwineandspirits.com.

Both the connoisseur and the beginner alike will feel comfortable in this shop, which features a wide variety of fine wines, beer and spirits. The staff is trained to assist customers with selection needs, in order “to take the intimidation out of shopping for wine and spirits.” Wine tastings are held here often, and gifts and accessories are also available.

Michigan

LAMBRECHT’S LIQUORS 2926 Niles Ave, St. Joseph. 269.983.5353. lambrechtsliquors.com. Lambrecht’s features a comprehensive selection of wines, beers, spirits, cigars, pipes and tobacco products. Specialty items include beer and winemaking equipment and supplies and gourmet coffees and cheeses. Occasional tasting events and seminars are offered as well.

Illinois

NATHALIE’S INTERIORS & GALLERY 2009 Ridge Rd, Homewood.

708.647.1177. A wide array of gifts can be found here, including Vera Bradley items, Pandora jewelry, Thymes fragrances, dishware, baby gifts, All That Jazz statues, and art by Edna Hibel, along with an assortment of art prints.

heal Indiana

CENTER FOR OTOLARYNGOLOGY 9120 Columbia Ave, Ste A, Munster.

219.836.4820. 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.

EAGLE EYE OPTIQUE 449 E Summit St, Crown Point.

219.662.1600. eagleeyeoptique.com. This optical boutique and private optometry practice—run by Gary W. Scearce, O.D.— specializes in eye care including spectacle lenses, contact lenses, and co-management of cataract and Lasik surgeries. The optical boutique features frames from designers such as Prada, Coach and Fendi.

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.

John Kremke has been featured in National, Regional & Online Publications!

3 1 4 S p r i n g V i e w D r. | P o r t e r, I N | 2 1 9 . 3 0 9 . 0 3 6 0 w w w. m y g r e e n b u i l d i n g s o l u t i o n s . c o m

NEW CONSTRUCTION • REMODELS/RENOVATIONS CUSTOM DESIGN SERVICES • OUTDOOR ROOMS/LANDSCAPING MULTI-FAMILY CONSTRUCTION • LAND DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PUBLIC SPEAKING/SEMINARS "We are a full service General Contracting and Design firm specializing in

providing green, eco-friendly and sustainable building solutions for new home construction and home remodeling projects in Indiana, Michigan and Illinois."

Green Certified, Sustainable and Energy Efficient Construction Certified Green Builder, NAHB

MAY 2010

give Indiana

“five times for a purity of less than 1 micron,” according to the website, which also hosts an extensive list of cocktail recipes.

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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.

shore THINGS PORTER HOSPITAL 814 LaPorte Ave, Valparaiso. 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.

ST. ANTHONY MEMORIAL 301 W Homer St, Michigan City. 888.879.8511. saintanthonymemorial.org. This acute care hospital, serving LaPorte, Porter and Berrien Counties, boasts an integrated healthcare 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.

Illinois

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICAL CENTER 888.824.0200. discover.uchospitals.edu. Since 1927, the University of Chicago Medical Center has been one of the Midwest’s most reputable hospitals. Aside from basic health care, the Medical Center consists of a children’s hospital, a maternity and women’s hospital, multiple outpatient facilities, and the renowned Pritzker School of Medicine.

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.

learn Michigan

OX-BOW Campus: 3435 Rupprecht Way, Saugatuck. 269.857.5811.

Administrative offices: 37 S Wabash Ave, Chicago.

800.318.3019. ox-bow.org. This 96-year-old summer school of art and artists’ residency is located in Saugatuck and is affiliated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ox-Bow offers one- and two-week intensives for aspiring and experienced artists in six studio areas.

live Indiana

COTTAGE CONNECTIONS 422 Franklin St, Michigan City. 219.393.9986. cottage-connections.com. This vacation rental company appeals to both the vacationer and the homeowner.

Vacationers can expect clean and cozy accommodations, as well as expert customer service. Homeowners can rely on Cottage Connections to do the busy work of managing the vacation rentals.

HARTSFIELD VILLAGE 10000 Columbia Ave, Munster. 219.934.0750. hartsfieldvillage.com. Hartsfield Village offers a full continuum of care that supports a variety of lifestyles, including independent living, assisted living, memory support and nursing care. Amenities include private patios and balconies, lounges, gardens, activity centers and fitness centers. Residents receive many benefits, such as laundry, housekeeping and dining services.

Michigan

CAMP BUFFALO COTTAGES 106 S Franklin St, New Buffalo. 269.469.9090. campbuffalocottages.com. At Camp Buffalo, cozy cedar-shaked cottages resting in lush woodlands outline a property that promises sanctuary and solitude. The center clubhouse, naturally landscaped amphitheater and inground swimming pool bring the community together for fellowship and fun. Residents may choose between five spacious cottage plans.

HARBOR SHORES RESORT 269.932.1600. harborshoresresort.com. Southwest Michigan’s biggest, most talked-about 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.

MERCHANT STREET COTTAGES 222 Merchant St, New Buffalo. 888.588.6424. merchantstreetcottages.com. Located just two blocks from downtown New Buffalo, this charming neighborhood consists of seventeen cottages that are built with green materials for simpler, more cost-effective living. Each cottage is created with thoughtful design and attractive features.

PINE SIDE RESORT 246 Broadway Ave, South Haven. 269.639.9998. pinesideresort.com. Pine Side Resort has partnered with Big Art’s Log Homes & Furniture and Don Hoyt Contracting to create a gated community on a private lake, situated among 1,449 acres of nature preserve. Residents can choose between a waterfront or wooded site, and among four log home packages.

Illinois

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

CHICAGOLAND CENTER FOR COSMETIC SURGERY 2134 S Calumet Ave, Hammond. 219.218.2001.

7863 Broadway, Merrillville.

219.736.2047. chicagolandcosmetics.com The doctors at this cosmetic surgery facility specialize in multiple beauty treatments, including Botox, wrinkle fillers, face lifts, liposuction and body sculpting.

THE CINNAMON TREE 505 Silhavy Rd, Valparaiso.

219.548.8383. thecinnamontree.com. A long-time community favorite, this luxury spa offers multiple body care services, including massage, body polish, specialty soaks, body wraps, facials and nail care. Spa packages and parties are available.

COSMEDIC SKIN & BODY CLINIC 210 E 86th Pl, Merrillville. 219.795.1255. 58 E Walton, Chicago. 312.377.3333. cosmedicclinic.com. Available by 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 non-surgical cosmetic procedures, particularly breast surgery, body contouring and facial aesthetic surgery. Less invasive procedures include tanning, waxing and facials.

ELLE SALON 113 W 8th St, Michigan City. 219.874.3553. This upscale salon, situated in Michigan City’s historic district, offers full-service hair care, plus manicures, pedicures and facial waxing. Retail products include skin care, body care, a men’s line, wooden styling tools, a full line of Aveda products, and other calming items such as Aveda teas, candles and oils.

HEALTHY 4 LIFE 101 87th Ave, Ste 420, Merrillville. 219.756.1100. healthyme4life.com. Healthy 4 Life is a weight loss program—supervised by medical experts Paul and Christine Stanish and Lorri Field—that focuses on therapeutic lifestyle changes. Unlike many other related programs, this one is backed by medical knowledge and support.

NAVII SALON & SPA 316 E US 30, Schererville. 219.865.6515. navii.com.

Deriving its name from the Sanskrit word for “replenish” or “rejuvenate,” Navii offers both salon and spa services, including hair care, skin care, body treatments and makeup application. A Loyalty Program and online appointment

REVERIE SPA RETREAT 3634 N 700 W, LaPorte. 219.861.0814. spareverie.com. Located on more than fifty acres of deep woodlands, this spa retreat offers an imaginative menu of personal luxury care which includes facials, massage therapy, reflexology, botanical treatments, envelopments and azulene waxings. There are five guest rooms blending calming Asian and classically antique influences and a dining room, which serves twenty-six people vegetables from the garden and other goodies.

TIMOTHY JEFFRY SALON 2411 St. Lawrence Ave, Long Beach.

219.872.6567. timothyjeffrysalon. com. This quaint Aveda concept salon is situated near the lake in Long Beach and features hair and spa services, including unique options like hair damage remedies, exfoliating scalp treatment for men, Caribbean therapy pedicure and makeup application.

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.

Michigan

YOGA GLOW 6 Linden St, Three Oaks. 269.697.4394. yogathreeoaks.com. This renowned yoga studio features group yoga classes and private lessons for all levels, plus workshops every month. Patrons are encouraged to visit Yoga Glow’s website for class schedules, teacher bios and other yoga-related information.

party Indiana

DEVOTED WEDDINGS & EVENTS 219.309.1943. devotedweddings.com.

Owner Christina Page and her staff of professionals specialize in wedding and event planning—from a small baby shower to a large, full-scale wedding. A large array of party products are available as well, including invitations, accessories, favors and rentals.

JEFF BROWN TRIO 219.465.0638. jeffreycbrown.com. In the music business for more than 30 years, Jeff Brown has earned legendary status in the Valparaiso area and beyond. The Jeff Brown Trio, which performs a varied repertoire that is ideal for both listening and background music, is available for private functions throughout Illinois, Indiana and southern Michigan.

play Indiana

BRIAR RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB 123 Clubhouse Dr, Schererville. briarridgecc.com. 219.322.3660. The homes, condos and homesites on this country club property are situated among three nine-hole championship golf courses, dining facilities, banquet and meeting rooms, tennis courts, a playground and an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

LOST MARSH GOLF COURSE 1001 E 129th St, Hammond.

219.932.4046. lostmarshgolf.com. This 330-acre, 18-hole championship course features various tee positions on every hole, making it desirable and challenging for both experienced and new golfers.

The acclaimed Youth Golf Academy at Lost Marsh teaches young people looking to learn the sport, and an environmental recreation area offers outdoor activities to golfers and non-golfers alike.

Michigan

FOUR WINDS CASINO 11111 Wilson Rd, New Buffalo, Michigan.

866.494.6371. fourwindscasino.com.

With 3,000 of the most recent types of slot machines and more than 100 tables games, including blackjack and craps, New Buffalo’s Four Winds is the only casino in the area that offers million dollar jackpots. This brand new casino also has the Midwest’s only World Poker Tour poker room.

NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK 319 Center St, South Haven.

269.637.8216. southhavenneedle.com.

This cozy shop not only offers natural fiber yarns for knitting and crochet, but patrons can also hang out there to knit.

There are several knitting and crocheting classes as well as group knitting events.

Kits and gifts are also available.

stay Indiana

BLUE HERON INN 1110 Lakeside St, LaPorte. 219.362.5077. pleastshore.com. Situated on scenic Pine Lake in LaPorte, the Blue Heron Inn features luxury rooms with jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces. Guests can choose from a variety of room selections and special packages. Floating boathouses—with a queen bed, sofa and outside deck—are also available for lodging during the summer.

Michigan

THE BOULEVARD 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.

CANDLEWOOD SUITES 2567 W Marquette Wood Rd, Stevensville.

269.428.4400. candlewoodsuites.com/ stjosephmi.

With accommodations for overnight, corporate housing and relocation, the Candlewood Suites appeals to the business traveler and vacationer alike. Each room comes with a full-size kitchen, high-speed Internet and a selection of DVD movies. Free laundry, a hot tub and fitness center and a private patio grill area are also available for all guests.

MAY 2010

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.

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booking are extra perks for patrons.

shore THINGS view Michigan

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. With its impressive permanent collection as well as changing exhibitions, this 125,000-square-foot facility is truly a gem in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.

RUBINKAM STUDIO 109 N Barton St, New Buffalo. 269.469.1620.

20 E Center St, Douglas. 269.857.7100. rubinkam.com. Steve Rubinkam’s bright, whimsical Impressionist paintings of florals, landscapes and boats have been enchanting visitors and residents of New Buffalo for years.

Rubinkam also displays works from respected colleagues, including photographers, potters and jewelers. Rubinkam’s newest gallery in Saugatuck has an expanded selection of glassworks, art objects and pottery.

visit Michigan

a showcase of articles on leading professionals

FERNWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN & NATURE PRESERVE 13988 Range Line Rd, Niles. 269.695.6491. fernwoodbotanical.org. Situated on 105 acres of cultivated and natural land, Fernwood is composed of gardens, forests

and trails for visitors to peruse. An art gallery, fern conservatory, nature center, cafe and gift shop are also on site, and there are several learning and enrichment opportunities as well.

ST. JOSEPH TODAY 120 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.

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,

and the store’s entire back wall is devoted to bridal jewelry and accessories.

belt buckles, buttons, purses, hats and body jewelry are available as well.

AMY LAURIE’S ECLECTIC BOUTIQUE 613 N Main St, Crown Point. 219.661.8094.

This boutique features clothing for women of all ages and sizes, including jackets, wraps, sweaters, evening wear, accessories and shoes. Owners Judith Kaye and Nancy C. Goodwin update the inventory regularly, while also offering frequent sales.

LUX & MIE 404 E Lincolnway, Valparaiso. 219.464.3330. luxandmie.com. Fashions and accessories in contemporary, trendy and casual-chic styles come together at Lux & Mie, an upscale boutique owned by mother-daughter pair Kate and Jamie Salan. The fashionable selection appeals to both men and women, from high school age to those in their 50s and 60s. Featured designers include English Laundry, Covet and Wish Collection.

HUNCH FURS 2021 W Lincoln Hwy, US 30, Merrillville.

219.769.4270. Situated in a quaint, cozy brick home, this family-owned company has been selling furs, fine leathers and motorcycle apparel since 1938. Along with extras like hats, purses, scarves and gloves, Hunch Furs also offers repair and cleaning services.

INDIAN SUMMER 131 S Calumet Rd, Chesterton. 219.983.9994.

126 S Whittaker St, New Buffalo, Mich.

269.469.9994. This women’s clothing boutique offers casual and contemporary clothing and jewelry from around the world.

Indian Summer features brands such as Sympli, Jag Jeans, O My Gauze, San Miguel Shoes and Minnetonka. The new space in Chesterton offers a larger selection of summer apparel, jewelry and accessories, while the original New Buffalo storefront continues to feature its quality inventory for those on the other side of the lake.

THE JUNKYARD 1309 119th St, Whiting. 219.473.1501. thejunkyardstore.com. The Junkyard offers fun and trendy tees, ready-made or customdesigned and lettered. Accessories such as

JULY 2010

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Michigan

DK BOUTIQUE 213 State St, St. Joseph. 269.983.7313. dkboutique.com. This contemporary women’s clothing boutique in downtown St. Joe offers limited edition designer apparel, cool new accessories and the latest designs in jewelry from Pandora Jewelry. With something for everyone, from teenagers and older, DK Boutique provides the most current styles that are full of flair.

MOXIE’S BOUTIQUE 321 State St, St. Joseph. 269.983.4273. moxiesboutique.com. This fun and festive boutique features women’s fashions, accessories and gifts. Apparel—from designers such as Belamie, Flashback Couture and Nic & Zoe—comes in a range of styles and prices. Many local artists’ works are available here as well, including handbags, scarves, jewelry, furniture and art.

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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.

comedienne TINA FEY

[taurus] APRIL 21-MAY 20 KEY WORDS in May: Center Stage.

You absolutely love this time of year— more to the point— this precise month.

And in a way that you love no other month of the year.

Depending on where you live, the weather is always clear; at best, warm. All green things have started to grow.

And just about everything is going your way. Now’s the perfect moment to advance in whatever way current circumstances will benefit most.

Be focused. Be steady. Know that time is on your side—and have a great game plan in hand. SIDESTEP an uncharacteristic disregard for detail.

[gemini] MAY 21-JUNE 20 KEY WORDS in May: Private Strategy-Planning Sessions.

You do this effortlessly, since you normally function in this manner—privately and away from prying eyes. Others are often fooled by your outgoing nature. But beneath that vivacious exterior, lies a bedrock personality of secret plans and extraordinary ideas. Only now you need to work in private—quite possibly, with a secret associate. Your goal is what to do next that will move your life and its content— ahead. Plot and plan. June will be your month. SIDESTEP the thoughtless, worse still, the sarcastic, remark. [cancer] JUNE 21-JULY 22 KEY WORDS in May: Your Secret Agenda—which always contains your heart’s desire. While you’re the magnificent listener who’s able to follow complex conversations—and ask questions!—you’re forever absorbed with your own complexities. And although these complexities vary, love and an unrelenting control (on your part)—whether of a person, a place or an idea—are at the core. Vital to success in getting what you want: forget the past (yesterday is the past). And using your own no-nonsense style, go after it!

SIDESTEP giving way to overindulgence—in anything. [leo] JULY 23-AUGUST 22 KEY WORD in May: The Summit. Just what you’ve been waiting for. Go back in thought. And retrieve that closeto-the-heart idea or the fabulous career objective. Got it?

Well, now’s the ideal time to update it; then, reactivate it.

Seriously, strongly, and with all the divine power that you possess—or have ever possessed—advance on a specific situation that will affect your work and its environment.

Best, however, to keep this venture confidential. And let others broadcast the favorable results. SIDESTEP refusing to budge even an inch—when you know you should. [virgo] AUGUST 23-SEPTEMBER 22 KEY WORDS in May: Special Plans and Projects—near and at a distance. So much is involved here—your work, your loves, your desire for a steady and reliable existence.

Settle down—and while you’re not one to let chips fall where they may—allow matters to proceed in an orderly way. This, you can do—after you’ve laid the groundwork for new plans and projects. Follow through where it’s called for—and then watch. And wait. You’re superb at this. In the meantime, move on to a new career endeavor.

SIDESTEP scattering your energy—without regard for tomorrow.

4 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 9

[libra] SEPTEMBER 23-OCTOBER 22 KEY WORD in May: Revitalization, on all levels—mental, emotional, physical, financial and spiritual. Now here’s something that you can truly use—a wonderful new outlook. Time now to rid yourself of the dreariness of winter. And since this new outlook occurs on five different levels, you’ll have your work cut out for you. But first, take inventory of what you actually need as well as what you want. The two aren’t the same. And this month, you may have to be a bit strict with yourself. Never a favorite.

SIDESTEP a reluctance to take action in vital matters. [scorpio] OCTOBER 23-NOVEMBER 22 KEY WORDS in May: Good Agreements; possibly, the desired Contract. You can do this. Given the straightforward quality of even your glance, others haven’t the slightest idea of how sensitive you really are. And group encounters (particularly, the significant ones) aren’t your

favorite. Still, this year is different: you have planetary backup from Jupiter (Lady Luck) in your 5th house of close relationships, creativity and speculation—taking a chance. Go in there; talk to the nice people. They’ll love you. SIDESTEP keeping too low a profile when you should be seen and heard. [sagittarius] NOVEMBER 23-DECEMBER 21 KEY WORDS in May: The Work Scene—and everyone/ everything in it. Time now to get involved in the details of work itself—the facts and the figures, plus the calls, the emails, the text messages, the outlines, the proposals, the presentations, the reports—the list is endless. And it seems as though you’re the only one who can do this. In truth— you are. That’s okay. Much can come from your efforts.

Know that what you’re so gifted at doing is rare. And those in power positions are watching. Good. SIDESTEP allowing yourself to be rushed into ill-advised travel plans. [capricorn] DECEMBER 22-JANUARY 19 KEY WORDS in May: Love Is in the Air. Although you may appear somewhat distant to the outside world, you, of all people, actually live for love. Oh, yes, it’s true. You’re one of the original romantics—a fact that you keep hidden from just about everyone else. Still, the month of May affects you as little else can—and you take that step. The definition of that step is an extremely complex one and applies on a per person (worldwide) basis. But whatever form it takes, it is always incredible. SIDESTEP spinning out of control—physically, mentally and emotionally. [aquarius] JANUARY 20-FEBRUARY 18 KEY WORD in May: Home. As you leave the winter months behind, you now turn your attention to your base of operations—where you live and where you work.

There, several core issues exist—ones that must be dealt with before you can move on. Stop! And apply your own problem-solving skills—which you use so easily to counsel friends and associates—to your own highly personal lifestyle. Develop a blueprint—a detailed plan of action— and give yourself every advantage possible. Then, take action. SIDESTEP going North, South, East and West— simultaneously. [pisces] FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 20 KEY WORD in May: Communications, of every kind. This can work well, especially as it involves two (possibly, three) developments now underway. Situations, personal and professional, dominate. Go slowly, as you sort through this. And keep a list of priorities; namely, which is the most important item right now. Focus on that, being careful to keep all things separate. Above all, keep your own counsel now; don’t discuss any of this with friends. It’s a time for keeping your own secrets, secret. SIDESTEP issuing an ultimatum that you don’t intend to keep. [aries] MARCH 21-APRIL 20 KEY WORDS in May: Your Financial Affairs. This is a promising time for you. But first, you must slow down (considerably) your mental, emotional and physical equipment. And dare to relax—really relax. Here, money is the center of attention—what you earn, spend and save.

But most important: how to increase your income? About this, a basic system exists. Advance slowly—and make changes only if that change feels right and comfortable. It’s not easy—but it’s a distinct necessity. SIDESTEP ignoring how important your personal bookkeeping really is.

WANT MORE? please go to page 42 or visitshoremagazine.com for a full listing of the area’s best events and watch the Shore Weekender with Joe and Julia for the absolute best picks for a great weekend.

May 1 4TH ANNUAL GERMAN HERITAGE CELEBRATION noon-9pm, Founders Center 140 Oak St, Frankfort 815.469.2177 villageoffrankfort.com.

This celebration of Frankfort’s rich German heritage will include authentic German food and beverages, live music, folk dance demonstrations, and a traditional Maypole dance.

May 1 10TH ANNUAL NATIVE PLANT SALE 9am-2pm, Gibson Woods Nature Preserve, 6201 Parrish Ave, Hammond. 219.844.3188. lakecountyparks.com.

This annual sale features more types of native plants than ever before, with more than 100 species of wildflowers, grasses, sedges and ferns. Proceeds from the sale go to benefit resources, projects and programs for Lake County Parks and other community projects.

May 1 BLOSSOMTIME GRAND FLORAL PARADE 1pm, downtown St. Joseph and Benton Harbor 269.926.7397. sjtoday.org.

The Blossomtime Festival is the oldest and largest multicommunity festival in the state of Michigan. For 104 years, communities have come together to watch marching bands, floats and grand floral arrangements stroll down the streets of downtown St. Joseph.

Lake Michigan

shore PICKS May 7 FASHION 2010 2pm, 6pm and 9pm, Griffin Court, Modern Wing, The Art Institute of Chicago, 159 E Monroe Ave, Chicago.

312.899.1439. saic.edu/fashion.

Cutting-edge garments by the next generation of up-andcoming designers will be the focus of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s 76th annual show. Fashion and art lovers will see more than 200 innovative student-designed garments on the runway in three shows that will coincide with an evening gala and a latenight fashion party.

last resort

Head Trip

hours. It’s not that I have a “fear of flying”— that would be silly and cliché. It’s just that once I’m on a plane, I’m a white-knuckled nervous wreck about every single instance of turbulence, become tearful for no good reason, and literally count the minutes until we land. But I wouldn’t call it “fear.” I prefer to think of my panic as a simple manifestation of my “control issues.”

To get psyched, I decide to examine my favorite pop culture travel touchstones for inspiration, starting with television, where it just

by KATHRYN MacNEIL so happens that two of my favorite series are travel-related. For example, it is well known that Lost is filmed in Hawaii—but then again, the I have a confession: my favorite place in entire premise is based on a violent plane crash, the whole world is my home. I’d love to go so maybe that’s a bad example. The Amazing Race features harried teams scurrying across on vacation every day—as long as I could the globe—but they are relentlessly mocked by come home to my own bed every night. locals when they reveal their ignorance of native customs and cuisine, and I’m already starting to get anxious trying to remember the difference between poi and a pupu platter.

Air travel has wasn’t always this way. I took a solo trip enjoyed a rich to Europe in my early twenties, spent cinematic history as madcap weeks in Florida, Vegas and well, where it has morphed Santa Cruz with friends, and later, with from a glamorous luxury for the my husband, went horseback riding in sophisticated elite the Rocky Mountains, and to a monotonous lounged poolside in Palm form of mass Beach and Phoenix. transit. In this But then reality intervened, year’s Oscar and conversations about contender Up in the vacations started to Air, incorporate scary Air George Clooney boards a plane as domestic words effortlessly (and like “potty chair,” often) as I jump in “carsick” and my Honda for my daily “water wings.” The commute. His casual attitude spontaneity was definitely towards flying is admittedly gone. For the next decade, we reassuring, but it’s mildly laboriously packed up the minivan and went on the disturbing to be reminded of the required family vacations—Disney World, Grandma and elaborate security rituals that I’m going to Grandpa’s house, and even Myrtle Beach (but only because have to endure. I’ve always tried to make it a habit to avoid we lived in Ohio at the time, and it’s the law there. No paying thousands of dollars to get in line for an activity that one asks you if you’re going to Myrtle Beach each summer; requires a pat down and a metal detector. they merely ask which hotel you prefer.) Last year, we No, if I’m going to be inspired by a pop culture moment, even embarked on a mini-“vacay”—a stunning two hours maybe it should be one that doesn’t involve travel at all. In away—to Key Lime Cove, an indoor water park in tropical fact, it was Ferris Bueller who said, “Life moves pretty fast.

Gurnee, Illinois.

If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you Suddenly, the kids are a couple years away from leaving the could miss it.” nest, and they recently asked if we could—just this once—go somewhere for spring break that would “sound” cool to their friends, like Bermuda or Jamaica. The reasoning may appear o I’m going to get on that plane, and when shallow, but I had to grudgingly agree. It was now or never.

I reach my destination, I’m going to stop This was going to be the year for a family excursion to an and look around. It’s as simple as that. actual exotic locale.

If you look up the word “trip” in the But where? Cancun, the Bahamas and Miami seemed dictionary, you’ll first see the definition appealing, but decisions must be made logically and with self“voyage, journey”—sounds promising, awareness, and my logic reminded me of two things: first, especially if I overlook the nagging Titanic that I am irrationally camera-shy and don’t want to get my vibe I get from those words. But then I read picture taken for a passport, and second, that the bugs and on, and the word takes on a deeper meaning: “to walk with humidity are too massive in Florida. We decided on Hawaii. light quick steps; an exciting or unusual occasion; to make a Now the trip is only two weeks away, and I’m paralyzed mistake or false step; an intense visionary experience; to cause by the realization that not only do I have to initiate a smackto stumble; a state of mind.” down with a pile of bathing suits in a brightly lit fitting room, You know, no matter what happens, I have a feeling that but—a fact that I’ve been secretly avoiding for months—I’m at different points on our upcoming trip, each one of these going to voluntarily board a plane and stay on it for hours and definitions will apply. And suddenly, I can’t wait.

QUIT THINKING AND GET ON THE PLANE

I 6 VISITSHOREMAGAZINE.COM 9

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ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTINA SOMERS

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