La Esperanza is a Mexican restaurant on East Jackson Blvd in Elkhart serving tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and traditional plates for dine in, takeout. La Esperanza Elkhart, Indiana La Esperanza is a Mexican restaurant on East Jackson Blvd in Elkhart serving tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and traditional plates for dine in, takeout, or delivery. Address 601 E Jackson Blvd, Elkhart, IN 46516 Phone 574-522-7340 Menu Popular menu items listed on the La Esperanza menu include: Carne Asada Carnitas Crispy Flautas Taco De Alambre Signature Quesadilla Chile Relleno and Carne Asada Enchiladas Torta The menu also includes tacos, burritos, chimichangas, fajita burritos, seafood dishes, salads, hamburgers, and chicken sandwiches. About La Esperanza La Esperanza is a Mexican restaurant located at 601 E Jackson Blvd in Elkhart, Indiana. The restaurant serves traditional Mexican meals made with fresh ingredients and offers dine in, takeout, and delivery. The menu includes common Mexican favorites like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and fajitas along with combination plates and family friendly options. The restaurant focuses on quick service and casual dining, making it a common stop for lunch or dinner in the Jackson Boulevard area. La Esperanza offers a wide range of meals that work for groups or families, with options ranging from classic street style tacos to larger plated dishes with rice, beans, and grilled meats. This page was last updated on Jul 9, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is a photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana, who documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday places across Indiana and the Midwest. To request a visit or license images, email Corky at corkylorenz@gmail.com

Roller skating at NIBCO Water and Ice Park in Elkhart with skate rentals, pricing, and weekly hours. Evening and weekend sessions, weather permitting. NIBCO Roller Skating in Elkhart Seasonal roller skating at NIBCO Water and Ice Park with rentals and evening and weekend hours. Roller Skate at NIBCO Water and Ice Park Roller skating is available at NIBCO Water and Ice Park with on-site skate rentals and set weekly hours. Skate Rental Prices Adults: $3 per hour Youth: $2 per hour Requirements Must be 16 or older to rent skates Photo ID required Parent or guardian must sign waiver Hours Thursday and Friday: 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm Saturday: 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm Sunday: 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm Hours are weather permitting. Location NIBCO Water & Ice Park 301 NIBCO Parkway, Elkhart, IN This page was last updated on Mar 31, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is an independent publisher and photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana. She documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday life across Indiana and the Midwest.

Pre-washing fabric for clean dye results. Prewash process Washing fabric before dyeing to remove finishes or residues that might block dye absorption. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .

Learn how to ice dye using soda ash, powdered MX dye, tall scrunch folds, and a fleece backing for smoother flow. This guide walks through folding, ice height, dye placement, and when to rinse. How to ice dye To ice dye, soak your shirt in soda ash, fold it tightly, cover it with a tall layer of ice, and sprinkle powdered dye over the top. As the ice melts, it carries the dye through the fabric and creates a flowing pattern, Supplies needed for ice dye Usually, when people are ice dyeing, they use powdered dye called MX fiber reactive procion dye. This is what I use and it is a professional grade dye that gives you permanent vibrant results as long as you don't bleach your shirt or leave it out in the sun. You'll need to pre-soak your shirt in something called soda ash solution. This is water with sodium carbonate dissolved in it at a ratio of one cup of soda as per 1 gallon of water. Soak your shirt for about 20 minutes and then hand wring it before applying dye. Folding for ice dye A common way that people like to fold their T-shirt when ice dyeing is to just crumple it, to get organic watercolor results. I like to lay a piece of fabric called polyester fleece under my shirt before folding it in order to get smoother results with the dye flow. Tall scrunches with fleece I'll grab several bunches of shirt and pull it up and then smoosh it all together so that it's nice and snug before being put into a basket. Generally, I like to have 5 to 7 peaks of fabric on the shirt, for the density in the design that I like. Rack vs Muck Next, I put the shirt that's been folded with the fleece into a basket that allows for the ice to melt and drain through. So, the excess dye and water will drip off and the shirts not going to sit in a puddle. Sometimes people don't use a container that drains, and when they do that it's called ice dyeing "in the muck." How much ice to use Next, I add an amount of ice that is almost as tall as the item is that I'm dyeing. That's my general rule of thumb for how much ice to use. I put the ice on first and I don't sprinkle on any soda ash anymore. This something I used to do but I have discovered that I prefer the results of the way the dye flows through the shirt without extra soda ash sprinkled on the top. Ice dye color splitting For the shirt, I'm trying out a new color from Jacquard products called Black Opal. It's formulated for ice dye in mind. They've added a few component colors together, into one jar. The powder will split into different colors as the ice is melting and pushing the dye through the fabric. Some powdered fiber-reactive dyes contain multiple pigment molecules. When ice melts, the water flow can separate these molecules on the fabric, creating color splitting. This is why colors like Deep Purple, Raven, and Peacock Blue often break into unexpected reds, blues, or greens. Dye placement I like to sprinkle the dye over the ice in clusters rather than making it evenly spread out over all of the ice. You can experiment with sprinkling it in different patterns to see what you like. If you're using more than one color, you can usually get great results by alternating bands of dye color. Flow change with incline Before leaving the ice and the dye to melt and set, I usually like to prop up one end of the basket to create an incline. This uses gravity to change the direction of flow through the shirt. It's fun to experiment with different angles to see how it affects the final flowing lines. Some of my favorite tools for creating inclines are mega blocks that my kids no longer play with. Batch time This is what the ice dye set up looks like after the ice has melted. it took about 8 hours to full melt in my cool basement. Wait for the shirt to sit for about 24 hours, from the time of setting it up, before rinsing. This is called "batch time" and allows for the dye molecules to permanently bond to the natural fibers. Rinse the dye out After 24 total hours of sitting, after setting up the ice to melt, I rinse the shirt. I toss it in my utility sink and spray it with cold water until it runs mostly clear. It will bleed off blue dye for a long time, do you don't need to worry about blue tinged water for the initial wash out. I rinse with hot water for a few minutes to further encourage excess dye to bleed out of the shirt. With my tall rubber kitchen gloves, I aggitate the shirt in a small amount of water. This part is enjoyable because I get to see the vibrant colors for the first time. Ice dye results After washing and drying on hot, in my normal home machines, here's what the shirt looks like! Black Opal is a beautiful dye color for ice dye. You can use this straight out of the jar, without needing to use other colors with it. The blue dye travels father than the reds and yellows, so there is a nice multicolor effect. This page was last updated on Jul 19, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is an independent publisher and photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana. She documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday life across Indiana and the Midwest.

Discover the Sims Education Center at Fernwood Botanical Garden, a peaceful library and event space featuring nature books, bird watching stations, sensory play areas, and modern design. What is the Sims Education Center at Fernwood? The Sims Education Center at Fernwood Botanical Garden is a library and event space. It focuses on nature education, with books about plants, wildlife, and conservation. It also includes bird watching stations, hands-on learning areas for children, and rooms available for community events and private gatherings. The Sims Education Center at Fernwood is basically a library with many interesting and eye-catching books about plants, wildlife, and preservation. Some of the books look like knowledge you wouldn’t be able to find easily anywhere else. The education center also has several bird watching stations with binoculars and chairs positioned in front of large windows. You can sit and watch birds land in the trees or near the feeders outside, which makes it a peaceful stop during your visit. There are multiple seating areas, including one room with a rug and rock-shaped pillows that look like a toddler’s dream. The rock pillows match the rock stacking activity in the same room, creating a fun balance between sensory play, exploration, and learning. It feels thoughtfully designed for families. If you have multiple kids, it’s a great spot to rest while they explore in a contained, safe space. Whether you’re just arriving or taking a break from the trails, the education center offers a calm place to plan your next activity at Fernwood. This building also serves as an event space for weddings, receptions, and private gatherings. Each room has a different capacity, and the atmosphere fits everything from small meetings to elegant celebrations. I especially liked the lighting design and the use of raw materials in the flooring, simple but sophisticated in a way that suits Fernwood’s natural setting. This page was last updated on Feb 6, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is an independent publisher and photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana. She documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday life across Indiana and the Midwest.

The blanks I have used for tie dye, and what I recommend them for. Blanks for tie dye A list of shirts, sweatshirts, dresses, and clothing that I have used for tie dye, and my thoughts on them. Crewneck sweatshirts 90/10 These are solid for consistent quality. They dye very nicely for flowy ice dye. Not great for geodes if you want clean white lines. I have gotten them from Jiffy and Amazon without issue. Gildan G-500 Unisex Heavy Cotton Quality can vary. Most of the time they are soft and dye without any issue. Sometimes, there will be white splotches where the dye doesn't bond to the fabric. They are great for testing colors quickly. In my experience, the quality is usually better if purchased NOT from Amazon. LAT 3519 - Women's Hi-Lo Tee I loved the fit of this shirt but the hems are often wonky. They are finished with a blind stitch and if the tension is off, the hem will pucker. If that doesn't bother you, these are a very nice option. The neck line is nice. I'm not an affiliate for Jiffy, just using their site as a reference. I will be back with more blanks to add to the list, soon! :D This page was last updated on Feb 6, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is an independent publisher and photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana. She documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday life across Indiana and the Midwest.

A large event space that hosts weddings, conventions, expos, cars shows, and community events, in downtown South Bend. Century Center South Bend, Indiana A large event space that hosts weddings, conventions, expos, cars shows, and community events, in downtown South Bend. Address 120 S Doctor M.L.K. Jr Blvd, South Bend, IN 46601 Phone (574) 235-9711 Event Venue This space is very unique because it has large windows on one wall and along the peak of the ceiling. So, at all parts of the day, there will be light shining into the space from some direction. During the most recent South Bend auto show this was very aesthetically pleasing, on the vehicles. The brick walls and floors with the light shining in offers a warm, pleasant glow. Parking The Century Center has its own parking lot with an attendant that collects a parking fee for usage of the lot. If you don't want to pay for parking, you can find street or garage parking nearby. This page was last updated on Jul 9, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is a photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana, who documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday places across Indiana and the Midwest. To request a visit or license images, email Corky at corkylorenz@gmail.com

Documentation of your event, for press, marketing, or sponsorships South Bend Event Photography Documentation of your event, for press, marketing, or sponsorships Purpose Use this content for your website, social media, or for thanking/acquiring sponsorships. 1-2 hours of on-site photography coverage for small or recurring events. Content Interior & exterior shots (important for Google) Crowd particpation Vendor spotlights (great for networking posts) Candid shots of event staff & coordinators Performance highlights Detail shots relevant to your brand Files Highlight images sent within 2 hours of event for you to post. Full download folder within 7 days. Vertical images for social posts Horizontal images for banners and website hero images Sized for fast loading on websites High res files (for large print purposes) Notes I prioritize operating in a way that preserves guest experience and privacy. I will never take front-on photos of children's faces without consent. When possible, I will get info for vendors or people in prominent images, so posts can be made with networking tags. Price $400 This includes 1-2 hours of on-site event photography. Professional image editing and file managment Easy download link within 7 days How to book You can call, text or email me to confirm I have your date available. 574-612-8223 corkylorenz@gmail.com

The Blueberry Bike ride takes place September 7, 2026 with 16, 31, 41, and 62-mile routes starting at Menominee Elementary School in Plymouth, Indiana. Rolling countryside, limited signage in some areas, and water/snack stations at a few points along the ride. Blueberry Festival Bike Ride The Blueberry Bicycle Cruise is an annual ride held during the Marshall County Blueberry Festival weekend, offering 16, 31, 41, and 62-mile routes starting from Menominee Elementary School. Riders can expect rolling countryside, a few water and snack stations, and route markings that may feel sparse in some areas. Event: Blueberry Bicycle Cruise Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025 Start time: Historically early morning (around 7am), but exact times for 2026 have not been confirmed Location: Menominee Elementary School, 815 Discovery Lane, Plymouth IN 46563 Routes offered: 16-mile family ride, plus 31, 41, and 62-mile routes Registration: Details for 2026 not yet posted; riders should check back for updated registration info On-route notes: Some riders have reported minimal or unclear route markings; water and snack tables appear at a few support points Terrain: Gently rolling rural roads, with longer routes extending toward Twin Lakes, Culver, and surrounding countryside For reference on how it's gone in past years, here's the website used to sign up for the 2025 event: https://www.bikereg.com/blueberry-bike-cruise See more information about the Blueberry Festival Event, in Plymouth, IN. Corky Lorenz December 9, 2025

Howard Park in South Bend offers a large playground, open green space, a splash pad in summer, and an ice skating trail in winter. A central downtown spot for families and events with easy access along the river. Howard Park South Bend, Indiana A multi-purpose park and community space for families, festivals, and everyday leisure. Located in South Bend, IN, Address 219 S St Louis Blvd, South Bend, IN 46617, USA Phone 574-299-4765 Ice Skating In the winter, you can enjoy the ice skating trail. Rather than one big rink, it's like a lazy river of ice for guests to skate on. There are sliders beginners can hold on to, to not fall while learning to ice skate. See photos below, of ice skating at Howard Park. Summer This park has large green spaces for events and festivals. It's nice for kids to run around and get energy out on the big playground. There is a splash pad free to use during the warm months. You are not required to wear a bathing suit to play in it, normal clothes are fine. This was very nice when we went to a festival and it ended up being really hot. Kids were cooling off in the water and parents got a moment to take a break. This page was last updated on Jul 9, 2026 About the author Corky Lorenz is a photographer based in Elkhart, Indiana, who documents parks, restaurants, festivals, and everyday places across Indiana and the Midwest. To request a visit or license images, email Corky at corkylorenz@gmail.com