Every July, we’ve featured trips about our current home, the city of Austin and the state of Texas. This year, we decided to keep the tradition alive, but with a twist. We're sharing the place we grew up and called home for 20+ years, Indiana.For our adult/professional lives, Texas and Austin have been our home and we love it here. But for over 20 years, Chase and I grew up in a much different environment and we explain to almost everyone we meet (because where you grew up is a frequent conversation starter here in Austin) that we were raised in Indiana. Fort Wayne, Indiana The city we grew up in, Ossian, was about 20 miles south of Fort Wayne. Surrounded by corn fields and having only two gas stations, a small community market, a pizza place and a Subway, it was just part of life to drive the 30 minutes north to Fort Wayne. Chase attended K-12 grade at a private school in Fort Wayne so clearly he visited frequently! And, I had family in Fort Wayne so it was normal to drive there during the week. We’d even stop to get groceries or dinner since the selection was better. And, once we were able to drive, many Friday and Saturday nights were spent taking highway 69 to get a bite at Steak and Shake, go bowling, do a couple rounds at Putt-Putt or see a movie at one of the theaters. Fort Wayne was always the big city for us and in recent years, it’s continued to make strides to bring more industry, technology, and out-of-towners to the Hoosier state. Some of the changes began while I was in college. The Fort Wayne Wizards baseball team had been relocated from the north side to the heart of the city and was given a beautiful new field (as well as a new name). Many buildings downtown were being renovated. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to go to the Fort Wayne library, which got revamped, again, during college. A few years after we moved to Austin, our friends and family started mentioning new restaurants, food trucks popping up around the city, and a lot more development happening to the actual downtown scene of Fort Wayne. Even though we are limited on time when we go back to visit, we try to make it to one new place (and revisit some of the old favorites) when we can. Old Favorites: Pint & Slice - Grabbing a slice of Pepperoni pizza and a local beer with friends was a favorite in my early 20s. It was one of only a few places to eat in downtown, but that's rapidly changing. However, Pint & Slice just has an old school charm that a lot of newer places lack. Club Soda - We didn’t get to enjoy this place as much as we could have. Date nights at a martini bar during college didn’t exactly fit our budget! However, we did celebrate one anniversary there and we try to convince our friends to have dinner with us when we go back for the holidays. Tin Caps Stadium - Watching some baseball at the Wizards stadium was a rite of passage for many young Fort Wayne kids. With the stadium now downtown, you are walking distance to good food and watering holes after the game. Plus, the city as a backdrop is a nice added bonus! The Fort Wayne Embassy - This historic gem is worth seeing no matter what is playing. Home of the FW Philharmonic, the Embassy also has broadway tours, concerts from rock and top 40 bands, comedian shows, and much more, plus seasonal events and a wonderful venue for weddings. Coney Island - Whenever my brother was allowed to pick the restaurant, if it wasn't Cindy's Diner, it was Coney Island Weiner Stand. It's been in the some location in downtown Fort Wayne for 101 years! It's a simple hot dog, soda shop kind of place with true history and love for its city. There's something deeply refreshing about that! DeBrand Fine Chocolates - Simply put, great chocolate. If you live in or close to Fort Wayne, go have a dessert night and order the DeBrand Sundae! And in the fall, their chocolate and Carmel apples are incredible. They source the apples from Washington state... They can be shipped nation wide, people! Zesto Ice Cream - A Fort Wayne original and staple for summer treats! I grew up going to this Zesto on Broadway St. and now, rarely get to enjoy it since it's only open during the summer months. However, from time to time, we take a trip back to Fort Wayne during June or July and a pitstop to order a banana split is a must for me! Lakeside Park & Rose Garden (cover photo) - Growing up, I spent a lot of time visiting Foster Park. We would go in the early spring to see the tulips bloom. My mom loved to spend an afternoon there and it holds such fond memories for me. Another place that now Chase and I hold dear, is Lakeside. When I was a young teen, I remember my dad driving by Lakeside Rose Garden and it was so captivating that I told myself I would get married there. Then, Chase came along and it didn't take more than a duplicate drive by to convince him that it was the most perfect spot for a summer wedding. They have a large pond, a couple covered pavilion areas for get-togethers, and a few dozen rose bushes as well as other seasonal flowers to walk around! New to the Scene: Fortezza Coffee - One of the first "craft" coffee houses to pop up in the city, Fortezza has a great selection of roasts and some really nice baked goods! It's right downtown, actually across the street from Pint & Slice. This is our go to coffee stop when we visit. Although, some friends have told us about a couple other good spots that have opened nearby! Excited to try those next time! Fancy and Staple - If you're familiar with the setup of a Fancy and Staple, then you know the gist. This place is an eclectic catch all for local artists selling things from home goods, clothing and accessories, greeting and post cards, mugs, candles, etc. The beauty of a fancy and staple is that each one is different because the owner gets to dictate who is represented in their shop! Obsessed! The Find - I believe they brand themselves as a Trove store. Very similar to Fancy and Staple in that they carry local artists and handmade goods, The Find is more focused on men and women's clothing, accessories, and accent pieces for the home. It's a great place to find a gift for someone, pick up a new favorite piece for your wardrobe, and/or grab a cool pair of pint glasses for game night. The Golden - Located right next to The Find, The Golden is a farm to table restaurant focused on bringing local and seasonal fare front and center to their rotating menu. When we went this past spring, Chase and our dear friend, Nate, both ordered the skate wing. I instantly regretted trying a bite because I wanted to devour the whole plate! The Golden strives to have fun. You can be dressed up if you want but blue jean wearers are welcome! It's all about the food and good times! The Hoppy Gnome - Our knowledge of this place was great tacos and beer. When we went, we were a little thrown off by their menu. We were expecting tacos but realized quickly that they have a large variety of food options. To us, that can be a red flag. We like restaurants with more defined menus because they can't hide... everything has to be top notch. We stuck with our gut and ordered a few tacos and some hoppy IPAs. Considering the options for tacos in Fort Wayne, the Hoppy Gnome is doing justice to the dish. We enjoyed our experience there. The beer selection was great, lots of local and regional options plus the view of the Allen county courthouse was stellar. Saving the best for last, Heyerly's Bakery - I need to just mention that Fort Wayne doesn't get to claim this beautiful baked good gem. Our hometown, Ossian, is the location for this bakery with unbeatable donuts. We both grew up riding our bikes to Heyerly's. As a kid, I always went for a sprinkle cake donut and munched on the free donut holes while the sweet ladies behind the counter rang me up. Chase, on the other hand, went with a sour cream or chocolate sub (eclair)! Having a bakery with righteous donuts right down the street engraved the idea that donuts just made sense for breakfast. When we travel, donuts are a must find for us. Some people search for ice cream or chocolate, We look for donuts. And still, no one can do a cake donut better than our sweet little Heyerly's Bakery in Ossian, Indiana.
What are some of your hometown favorites? Until Next Time, C + D
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