"Adventure is Worthwhile in Itself"

Day One

Have you ever been to Fort Wayne, Indiana? I hadn’t until this past weekend. Ethan and I love to get out of the house and see as many places that surround us as we can. So Saturday we decided to head down to Fort Wayne and see what’s up.

Let me start off by saying that not all of my adventures are ones I’d recommend to friends. Dayton, Ohio, for example was not one of my favorite places I’d ever seen. So, I don’t always give new cities a rave review. That said, Fort Wayne deserves a pretty good one.

From the second you arrive, you notice how clean and well-kept the streets and buildings are. Plus, some of the architecture there is truly beautiful. If you’ve been following my adventures for some time now, you probably know I have an affinity for pretty buildings - and Fort Wayne didn’t disappoint.

Our first stop was the Fort Wayne Botanical Conservatory. As well as pretty buildings, I have also have a thing for pretty plants. If ever I were to have studied a science in school, I’m sure it would have been Botany. I’m grateful to Ethan for always taking me to places like this because, for me, seeing green things and things in bloom really does “spark joy”.

I also have a deep love for animals, especially fish. When I was a student at university I would sit for hours at a time at our university Koi pond and feed and watch the fish. They brought me so much peace. They were, in a very literal sense, my first friends at my new school. 🐟 Ethan can totally relate, being the avid Fly Fisherman that he is. I guess I found the perfect spouse then, didn’t I?

There are dozens of articles you can read that explain the many benefits of watching fish swim. It’s one of the most calming things in the world for me. I could have sat there in that garden all day.

“When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain.”

— Mark Twain

So much to marvel at in the conservatory, I didn’t know where to look most of the time. That’s the best kind of problem to have, though.

Having plenty to marvel at wasn’t the only thing that made my Indianan adventures great. I have the best travel companion on this earth. There’s always so much love on our trips together. He feeds my adventurous spirit and I couldn’t love him more for it.

He’s Catholic, which gave us the perfect excuse to wander into one of the gorgeous local churches and look around. I love a good vaulted ceiling.

As day one wound down, we decided to head to a restaurant with cuisine that wouldn't normally be associated with the Midwest. The place was called Bourbon Street Hideaway - a cajun joint with absolutely INCREDIBLE food.

Ethan introduced me to the world of southern cooking and this place definitely lived up to the title. He found this place for us and deserves all of the credit for how much I enjoyed my meal that night. I can’t get enough shrimp and crawfish, ever.

After the food coma of the century set in, we headed back to the hotel for the night.

We stayed at a quaint little place in Auburn, Indiana called The Auburn Inn. We wanted to hit the car museum the next day, and the room was too cute to pass up.

Day Two

Day two brought us to the Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn. Now, many girls probably wouldn’t find the fun in looking a rooms upon rooms of old vehicles, but I’m a car girl.

They really don’t make them like they used to, do they? Frank Lloyd Wright did it right.

There’s a certain finesse that older cars have that many new ones just can’t compare too. How adorable is this little guy above?

Thanks for showing me around, Ethan, and teaching me all kinds of facts about these historic marvels. You’re one smart cookie.

Shop my leather look

Ethan and I had a good little giggle writing each other love notes on their old-school typewriter. I might have to ask my mom if I can bring her old one back to our apartment with us next time I’m home. 🙃

Finally, we popped by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art for a quick look because, you know, I’m really cultured. 😉

We might have only been in town for two days, but I truly loved our visit to Fort Wayne. I had absolutely no idea what expect before arriving, but I’m so pleased with what we found. I can’t wait to venture back and see more of the city we missed.

When it comes to weekend adventures, it really isn’t about how far you can go. But instead, how much you can get out of where you end up.

“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.”

— Amelia Earhart

Where will you go next?