Exploring Fort Wayne - Hidden Hangouts

Hey friends! I apologize (once again) for the lack of posts that have been occurring over the past few weeks. I had recently hosted an exchange student from Japan who stayed with my family and I for about six days. During that time, it was my responsibility to show her around Fort Wayne – the local shops, cafes, monuments, buildings, parks, malls, restaurants, etc. Prior to meeting my exchange student, I was extremely excited to be a tour guide for a week & be able to show a visitor what makes my city special. What I did not expect was the amount of "Fort Wayne Favorites" I would soon fall in love with. If you're anything like me when it comes to weekend outings, you know that making a trip to the "popular" venues in the city is definite no-no. In my opinion, many of these newly established places in Fort Wayne tend to be hyped-up and overrated. It seems that Fort Wayne is now beginning to cater to the younger crowd by constructing centrally located apartments, hip bars, boutiques, yoga studios, as well as a substantial amount of support for the arts. Don’t misunderstand my previous statements...I am all for this! It makes me incredibly happy to see how Fort Wayne has developed from "Fort Lame" into a place where young adults want to come back, start a career, and settle down with a family. With that being said, it does disappoint me when I discover insanely trendy, new places that are completely overlooked or have never been spoken about. It may be due to poor advertising that these "underground" joints are not the talk of the town, but that does not excuse the fact that people do not like to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. Therefore, it is with my pleasure to give you all an inside scoop on some of the hottest, upcoming locations in and around Fort Wayne to check out. Especially with Spring Break making its long-awaited return this week, anyone who may be unfortunate enough to stay in Indiana can now fill their time with a few of these worth-while spots.
 JAI JUICE
        1301 Lafayette St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Ever since wandering downtown late last summer, I had never been exposed to a smoothie bowl. I had thought that these magical, delicious treats only existed on social media, let alone in a 10-mile radius from where I live! Now that I have finally gotten my hands on these healthy, organic, and filling creations – my life is complete. Located beneath the floors of Prana Yoga, Jai Juice is single handedly one of the best places in Fort Wayne to stop in and enjoy a nutritious lunch, juice, nut mylk, or fruity snack. So, for all of you that message me on Snapchat asking where you can pick up one of these bowls, this one’s for you!
 THE CULTURAL EXCHANGE BUILDING
127 W Wayne St, Fort Wayne, IN 
The Cultural Exchange is easily one of the best places a visitor or FW native can spend an afternoon. Inside this hidden building (and when I say hidden I’m not lying), includes a unique and funky & thrifty boutique, a bakery, a fairly large local candy store, a poptique, handmade soap counter, and multiple male clothing stores. Coincidentally, a second juicery named, “Juice Jar” is located directly at the entrance. Although these smoothie bowls are KILLER, Jai Juice has a better vibe and all around atmosphere.
JUST CREAM - ICE CREAM BOUTIQUE

338 E Dupont Rd, Fort Wane, IN 46825
As many of you are aware, “Yummi Bunni” has quickly won over the hearts local ice cream lovers. For those who don’t want to get caught in the 15 minute wait, small selection, and basic white girl stereotype, try Just Cream! Just Cream is not your average ice cream parlor. Creamy coffee creations, colorful waffle cones, sweet and salty treats, and most importantly… CRAZY SHAKES. These insanely Instagram worthy desserts have taken a timeless drink to a whole new level. Every month, a new flavor is released to mirror the seasonal tastes and toppings. Stop on in if you’re looking for a cute date idea, hangout spot, or late night cravings!
THE FIND
210  Wayne St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Similar to recently established downtown boutiques such as “The Trove” & “Urban Hippie”, “The Find” brings a new element to the typical lifestyle store. This one-of-a-kind place is the ultimate gift giving, collectible, statement piece shop that is promised to keep you busy for hours. Discover things such as locally crafted candles, handmade jewelry, Daniel Wellington watches, vegan leather bags, exclusive reading glasses, and more! Perfect for holiday shopping or birthdays, “The Find” is destined to help you ~find~ that special piece.
STUDIO SEVA YOGA
3511 N Anthony Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Yes, there comes a time where we all need to work off that “Just Cream” crazy shake we just devoured. So what better place to do that at than Studio Seva? Located on the north side of Fort Wayne, Studio Seva not only provides incredible yoga classes, but a form of this art Fort Wayne has not yet been exposed to. Aerial yoga has recently become a major craze across the world, and it’s about time our city hopped on the bandwagon, too! Build upper and lower body strength with ropes, hoops, trapeze, and my favorite: silks. I have to admit, it is quite intimidating trying to maneuver your way around the apparatus the first go around, but with the help of the encouraging instructors, your experience at Studio Seva is one you’ll never forget!

 CONJURE COFFEE
701 Columbia Ave B, Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Before stumbling across Conjure, my go-to café was undoubtedly “Fortezza Coffee”. Now that I’ve broadened my horizons and explored more in my free time, my days with Fortezza are in the past. Just under a year old, Conjure Coffee has already made a name for itself in the Fort Wayne community. Not only do they brew the best cup of joe in town, they also specialize in mastering flavor combinations within their lattes and chai teas. Taking it a step further, Conjure caters to the vegan and vegetarian crowd by producing animal-friendly doughnuts, cookies, macaroons, muffins, quiches, beignets, scones, and a variety of other dishes. Whether you need a place to study, hold meetings, read, or just bask in the glory of the contemporary architecture, Conjure Coffee is the place for you.


*Thank you all for reading this weeks entry! In the comment section, let me know if you do decide to visit one of the locations listed, or you may tag me in your posts on social media @belle_ross!

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