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Articles by Patsy Bell Hobson
Cold outside, but warm inside with roasted potatoes, bacon, and blue cheese
Looking back at my 1996 Southern Living Annual Recipes, I came across Patsy Hobson’s Pepper-Sage Chicken. Southern Living pictured it served it with roasted sweet potatoes and mustard greens. They say, “While the chicken marinates, wash a bunch of your favorite greens and put them on to boil. Peel, chop, and roast a few sweet potatoes, and you’ve got a meal your whole family will enjoy.” They don’t say, so I will: be sure to season your greens while they cook.
Aire Castle Inn, Unplug Here
Aire Castle Inn, Benton Kentucky, near Land Between the Lakes. Walk into Aire Castle Inn and it feels like someone flipped a switch. Magically, this weekend is all about you. Just breath. Relax.Unplug from your crazy schedule. Aire Castle Inn is remote enough to feel like a real get away and close enough to make the weekend trip a pleasure. Located in Benton Kentucky, the surrounding area has some great antiquing, fishing, and horseback riding opportunities.
Chateau on the Lake, Branson
Best Places to be snowed in the Ozarks – Chateau on the Lake, Branson Winter vacations in the Ozarks are a gift you give yourself. Savvy travelers know were to find a bargain. Bring someone you love, mom, daughter, “the girls” and, with any luck, you will get snowed in the castle on the mountain. From inside the Chateau, the Ozarks look like a winter wonderland. You will be delighted to discover Snuggle Weather in the Ozarks is a bargain.
Mosquitoes from Hell | Striped Pot
Don’t let mosquitoes spoil you summer fun. Be prepared with these tips for travelers. Record levels of rain and flooding in the Mississippi River basin, the Midwest and the Ozarks are bringing on more concerns for summer vacationers. Mosquito control experts are expecting the summer of 2011 to be the worst mosquito season in decades. Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Old tires, discarded bottles, cups and jugs are potential breeding sites.
Silver Dollar City Southern Gospel Picnic
Music rings through the Ozarks mountains August 25 – September 5 in Branson. Southern gospel music will always ring out in the Ozarks’ hills. From our country churches and county fairs to the grand stages, reunions and family picnics, we sing. Silver Dollar City hosts the largest Southern Gospel gathering ever, August 25 – September 5. Hear performances from the most famous names in southern gospel music, like The Chuck Wagon Gang and The Blackwood Brothers.
5 Great Christmas traditions in Springfield MO
Start your own family traditions with these annual Springfield events. 1. 2011 Festival of Lights – Six weeks of Holiday events, activities and family fun most of it free! The Festival of Lights celebration kicks off this Saturday, Nov. 19th with the lighting of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree in Jordan Valley Park at 5:00pm. The tree is followed by the Cardinals Christmas and Fireworks at Hammons Field and ice skating at Mediacom Ice Park from 5:30-6:30pm.
Summer in the City, Silver Dollar City
Save a Silver Dollar or two with these thrifty ideas. The simple design and woodland setting makes the air conditioned cabins in The Wilderness my idea of roughing it. To plan ahead and save on your next Silver Dollar City vacation, look for vacation packages. Ideas for vacation packages at all Silver Dollar City sister properties are suggested under More To Do* below. Stay at The Wilderness Log Cabins and Campground, owned and operated by Silver Dollar City.
Best Wine Trail B&B
This is the country home you always wanted and you’ll find it in southern Illinois. I’ve found the perfect family vacation or reunion site. Or, if you are looking for an old-fashioned country-wedding site, Water Valley Inn B&B is the spot. This huge farmhouse is a great gathering place. Make this a homebase for your wine trail tour. Innkeeper Kim Aldridge, keeps the house seasonally decorated, beautifully landscaped and well stocked.
Irish Inn, a wee bit of Europe
The Irish Inn is the perfect place to hook up or hide out. This B&B hosts a wide range of visitors including international travelers and families with well behaved kids and pets. If you are looking for a weekend wedding, leave the details to innkeepers Brian & Lynn McCreery. Nearby attractions Visit Metropolis, home of Superman, and stop by The Chocolate Factory. Don’t miss the Fort Massac State Park overlooking the mighty Ohio River from the southernmost tip of Illinois.
The National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky, Quilt City USA
The National Quilt Museum (NQM) in Paducah, Kentucky celebrates their 20th anniversary. Guests from all states and several countries are expected to visit this year. The NQM is impressive. As you enter in the lobby, you will see quilt patterned stained glass windows. The international museum showcases contemporary, miniature, and antique quilts. In the three galleries, there may be as many as 150 quilts on display on any day.
San Damiano Retreat Center
The right choice of retreat center for your next getaway or vacation may provide you with one of the most relaxing and renewing experiences ever. At San Damiano Retreat Center, you set the pace, using your stay for rest, relaxation, prayer or meditation. Enjoy peaceful prayer gardens with scenic walks located on almost 200 acres in the Shawnee National Forest. Check in at Visitor Center where you will also find a religious gift center, religious art display, and dining room.
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody's Wild West - Cody Museum Denver, CO
Buffalo Bill’s legend, life and times are some of the most colorful illustrations of the American Old West. His skill as a buffalo hunter earned William F. Cody the nickname “Buffalo Bill.” Catch a glimpse of that authentic Wild West at Cody’s museum and grave site near Denver. William Frederick “Buffalo Bill” Cody (February 26, 1846 – January 10, 1917) was a United States soldier, bison hunter and showman.
Walnut Street Inn, Springfield's Premiere B&B&B
Celebrate summer in the city at Walnut Street Inn’s Bed & Breakfast & Baseball. If you have never stayed in a B&B, make Walnut Street Inn your first experience and “Spend a few precious hours to retreat, rest, restore and rediscover the poetry in life.” Who can resist an invitation like this? Walnut Street Inn Bed & Breakfast offers all this and more. If you want to include a little surprise or treat for your sweetie, the innkeepers at Walnut Street are willing accomplices.
Get your gifts on Route 66
Christmas Shopping for Route 66 devotees is easy in Springfield, Missouri. Find some of the best gifts in these unlikely places. Who would have thought that the airport, a campsite, and a candy store would be the best Route 66 gift shops? I know, me neither! Candy House – The third amazing place to find Route 66 gifts in Springfield is The Candy House. As if Route 66 gifts for friends is the only reason you want to come here. We can pretend, can’t we?
The Beautiful Bellefontaine is Buried in St Louis History
Probably not your first thought when planning a vacation location, but Bellefontaine Cemetery in Saint Louis is worth a stop while you are in town. Travelers interested in genealogy and history can spend hours at this beautifully landscaped historic site. One of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country, Bellefontaine Cemetery is 314 acres that looks like a park. Established in 1849, Bellefontaine Cemetery has a renowned collection of art and architecture in a garden-like setting.
Apple Orchards around Kansas City
Several traditional families own and operate orchards surround Kansas City. Bring your kids and your camera, u-pick orchards are a family tradition in the Kansas City Area. Kids learn where their food comes from, and they love to pick their very own fruit. Call the orchard and check the hours before you make the drive. Alldredge Orchards – Pick your own apples, choose a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, visit with the animals, and play at spacious playground.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, Denver Colorado
Red Rocks Park is a unique transitional zone where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains. The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is located in Red Rocks Park near Morrison, Colorado, 15 miles west of Denver. The famous amphitheatre is known for the unobstructed view of the stage and perfect acoustics in every seat (all 9,450 of them.) Entertainers like the Steve Miller Band, Lyle Lovett, John Prine, and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have played here.
The American Queen Steamboat is born again thanks to the American Steamboat Company
The American Queen, First Lady of the Mississippi If you have been missing those regal riverboats on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, I have BIG NEWS. A new Great American Steamboat Company is bringing the American Queen back to service. Her inaugural cruise sails from New Orleans on April 13, 2012. The American Queen is an authentic paddlewheel steamboat, the largest steamboat ever built. After a four year absence from the cruise scene, word of her return is spreading fast.
Flood Information for Missouri Travelers
Most Missouri vacation and travel sites are not affected by the Mississippi River flooding. “While I can’t speak to the flooding on the drive to the St. Louis metro area, once you arrive in St. Louis flooding will not impact tourist activities,” said Donna Andrews, Public Relations Director, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission “The Mississippi River is out of its banks and covering Lenora K. Sullivan Blvd.
Eckert’s Country Store and Farms
Drive to Illinois apple country, just minutes away from St. Louis Missouri. Eckert’s began as a simple roadside stand in 1910. Today, the seventh generation of the Eckert family oversees retail, pick-your-own crops, and entertainment operations at locations in Belleville, Millstadt, and Grafton, Illinois. It’s apple and pumpkin picking time at all three farms Enjoy the drive; leaf peeping color peaks in October. Belleville Farm – 951 S.
The Aire Castle Inn B&B Land Between the Lakes
Make your own vacation souvenir at this B&B. Aire Castle Inn is located in western Kentucky, near Land Between the Lakes. (LBL) The Aire Castle Inn B&B offers stained glass workshops, or you can commission a special piece by artist and innkeeper Mike Driver. Create custom cabinet doors, built-in or free-hung windows or stained glass window sun-catchers. Commemorate a wedding or anniversary by building a stained glass project together.
Confederate Soldiers Home of Missouri
Confederate Soldiers Home of Missouri This site was once home to the Confederate Soldiers Home of Missouri, which provided comfort and refuge to 1,600 Civil War veterans and their families from 1891 to 1950.Needy and incapacitated former soldiers and sailors from across the South resided at the home after proving their service record, financial need and Missouri residency. The first veteran was admited in 1891. Soldiers resided there for the next 59 years.
Treehouses for Grownups | Striped Pot
Luxurious, intimate and romantic are words you seldom hear about tree houses. But The Grand Treehouse Resort is an upscale tree house for grown ups. It’s an exclusive retreat just outside of “the marriage capital of the south,” Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Perfect for a honeymoon or anniversary. These posh tree houses feel miles away from everyone and everything in this Arkansas woodland, with a Trolley stop across the street.
Askinosie Chocolate - eating your way to a better world
Askinosie Chocolate is a small batch bean to bar chocolate manufacturer located in Springfield, Missouri. Because it’s Christmas, I want to share the amazing Askinosie Chocolate story. I’ve taken the tour a couple of times because I love Askinosie chocolate, and I admire entreprenuer Shawn Askinosie. My BFF just sent The Chalk-late Box.™ It has a chalkboard-top that is a perfect way to send a message to friend. Chalk-late Box.™ is a top selling gift item on the website.
The Art of Walking in Paducah KY
Put on your walking shoes for the best views of Lowertown, Paducah’s historic downtown district and, the renowned National Quilt Museum. Paducah offers a variety of transportation choices, but if you have time to stroll through the Downtown or Lowertown districts, do it. This river city is an arts and artists mecca. The Lowertown Arts District – Paducah’s oldest neighborhood, is the home of the award-winning Artist Relocation Program.
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis
I just visited Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis and it is indeed a coincidence that Frommer’s and I should make the same recommendation at the same time. Frommer’s Outdoor & Adventure Newsletter June 2, 2011. Park of the Week: Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, St. Louis. “Commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War with a visit to this National Historic Site in Missouri, where Ulysses S. Grant once lived with his wife.” View Frommers newsletter.
All New Showboat Branson Belle
There is an all new live show and menu aboard the Branson Belle. If you have seen the Showboat in previous years, its time to come back. There’s new energy and talent on stage and the Belle has upgraded the menus. With a mix of comedy, live music, and two headlining acts, the Showboat Branson Belle will keep you entertained during the whole dinner cruise. Showboat’s signature live band, the Rockin’ Dockers open the entertainment.
Zen 3 is your Spa and Bodyworks
The Springfield Missouri Spa Source to Heal, Soothe, Nurture – Zen 3. Zen 3 Spa and Bodyworks is the storefront to paradise. Come for the everyday miracles that “Heal the Body, Soothe the Mind, and Nurture the Spirit”. This happens right here at the corner of Pickwick and Cherry. No time for a spa treatment or massage? Come in and introduce yourself to Zen 3. The staff will help you find the best experience and scheule a time devoted exclusively to you.
Mayas Mexican Restaurant
Everything I ordered was served hot, fresh and beautifully presented. To start, the usual three: If these three things aren’t good at a Mexican restaurant, pay your bill and leave. At Mayas, this is just a taste of the good things and great service to come. I tried several dishes and everything I ordered was served hot, fresh and beautifully presented. Enchiladas Rancheras, three cheese enchiladas is not as light of a meal as it sounds.
Sparky’s Roadhouse Cafe
If we are in Eureka Springs for an extended weekend, chances are that we’ll be eating at least one meal at Sparky’s. Nobody gets food without answering questions. Don’t expect to fling an order at the wait staff. Burger, fries and a beer are just entry level suggestions. The result of the culinary interrogation, is that a plate of perfection will be served to you. Sparky’s has 25 beers on tap. Even more amazing, the knowledgeable staff can guide you in selecting a beer you will probably enjoy.
Fox Briar in Paduccah Kentucky
Winter vacations are the exclusive privilege of the savvy traveler. In Snuggle Weather reservations are easy to come by, and vacation time just seems more relaxed and luxurious. I found a great getaway location that kept getting better and better after we arrived. Fox Briar Inn is just steps away from the Convention and Visitors Bureau office. Stay in the heart of the historic downtown area in the elegantly restored Fox Briar Inn at RiverPlace.
Great places to get snowed-in
Best Places to be snowed-in the Ozarks – Big Cedar Lodge Bring someone you love and, with any luck, you will get snowed in a cozy private cabin in the Ozarks woodlands. From inside the Cabin, the Ozarks look like a winter wonderland. Beautiful and glittering (and in the snow, we can only hope!) In the Ozarks you can cozy up in a private cabin for an affordable and luxurious winter getaway. This is Branson, Missouri’s most Luxurious Resort.
Joplin Benefit Concert & Telethon
If your Branson vacation is coming up, don’t miss the Branson Cares fundraiser for our neighbors in Joplin. The Joplin Benefit Concert & Telethon is at Branson’s Mansion.Tickets for the Sunday, June 26 concert are on sale now. Doors open at 5:30pm; live broadcast on tv, radio, and streaming web begins at 7pm. The live broadcast is airing in Joplin on KOAM/Fox14, in Springfield and Wichita on the CW channel, on Mediacom Access Channels, and on RFD-TV. The concert is 6:00pm – 10:00pm Sunday June 26.
Get Married in Eureka Springs Arkansas
Eureka Springs is a romantic Victorian village of 2,000 residents. So why are more than 4,000 wedding licenses issued here every year? Eureka Springs, the “Wedding Capital of the South,” is at the ready to grant your every wedding wish. Spring brides and grooms can reserve a historic hotel, glass chapel, or get married in a flowery garden setting. Find caterers, florists, musicians or leave the details to a wedding planner.
Brides, Where to Stay and What to Eat in Eureka Springs
There are dozens of choices for places to stay and get married in Eureka Springs. Here are a couple of my favorites in the Wedding Capitol of the South. This packages features two nights lodging in a premium room, reception, cake, punch, minister and your ceremony in the Wedding Court. They do it all here. Lovely landscaped grounds. Who wouldn’t want to get married in a Treehouse. Specializes in small weddings for two. They can accommodate up to four wedding guests.
Florida's Grapefruit League for Spring Training
The 2012 Florida Spring Training season begins in late-February/early-March. First, pitchers and catchers head to the Sunshine State. Then, the teams migrate to Florida. This triggers the fans who will be there to see the first full slate of games set for March 3. Schedules are posted for all 15 teams and tickets are on sale throughout January. Major League Baseball’s spring training warm up is played in March at 14 in Florida stadiums.
The Gourmet Solution to No-Cooking Vacations
Time off and away from the usual routine does not mean always eating out during the entire vacation. Passing through Springfield MO on the way to the lake, we make a stop at Meal Makers for no hassle vacation dining choices. “I’m not cooking! It’s my vacation too.” said a mom who walked into Meal Makers while I was there. “I like having something fast and easy for them (the kids) but healthier that fast food,” she said.
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows Light display
The nation’s largest outdoor shrine, Our Lady of the Snows drive through Christmas lights display is only 15 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Other points of interest include a life-size nativity created of Lego Blocks. On site restaurant and hotel packages (coupons online) and horse drawn carriage rides. Lego Display – daily and nightly See a life-size nativity created of Lego Blocks.
Road Trip Tip: Listen to Audio Books
Road trip travel tips After a few miles, even the most congenial companions will run out of fascinating conversation and road trip trivia. One of our favorite road trip pastimes is Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores “Books-on-Audio” program. There are over 200 titles at every Cracker Barrel location. Enjoy the broad selection of audio books, including New York Times best sellers, childrens books, and crime fiction.
The Civil War in Independence Missouri
The first and second Battle of Independence In Jackson County, two major battles took place within the city of Independence, Missouri. The first Battle of Independence, one of the first urban battles of the Civil War, was August 11, 1862. The second Battle of Independence/Battle of the Little Blue, was October 21-22, 1864, when the Union and Confederate armies fought along the Little Blue River in Eastern Jackson County. First Battle of Independence Marker is located: 39° 5.537? N, 94° 25.001? W.
Apple orchard tours in Southeast Missouri
Make it a day trip or just head to the nearest orchard for an abundant supply of apples. Apple Care – Bring a cooler for your apples and keep them in their plastic bag, if they come that way. The bag helps retain the juiciness of the apples. Store the bag in the refrigerator crisper. Apples ripen ten times faster at room temperature than when refrigerated*. Cool air helps prevent decay and helps maintain quality, juiciness, and crispness. *Missouri Apples has history, varieties, recipes.
Laura Ingles Wilder's Little House
The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum is where Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote her famous “Little House” books at Rocky Ridge Farm. It’s a beautiful Ozarks drive to Rocky Ridge Farm. Just a short trip from Springfield, the countryside still has wildflowers growing along side the highway. The best known Little House book is the Little House on the Prairie. Made famous by the television series and starring Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle and Melissa Sue Anderson.
Chuck Berry Rocks
The first person inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Chuck Berry, is still drawing a crowd. And, he is still rockin’ and a rollin’ at Blueberry Hill. The landmark restaurant is in the heart of St Louis’ Loop neighborhood. Berry is one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. Eric Clapton, Brian Wilson and Mick Jagger have acknowledged Berry’s influence on their own work.
Grants Farm-Hardscrable, St. Louis, Missouri
Ulysses S. Grant’s Cabin is only a small part of what makes up Grants Farm today. Grant’s Farm is operated by Anheuser-Busch, Inc., and has been a St. Louis tradition for over five decades. The Farm takes its name from the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant. In the 1850s, Grant founded and farmed a portion of the 281 acres that make up Grants Farm today. Ulysses S. Grant and his new bride, Julia Dent, received 80 acres of Dent family land as a wedding gift.
5 Scary Kansas City Adventures
It’s a frightening but fun night in Kansas City on Halloween. Some Halloween Adventures are open now ’till Halloween and others only on specific dates. Check the web sites for dates and times. Here are five scary adventures for all ages…. 1. The Beast Founded in 1991, The Beast is America’s largest haunted house. It pioneered the open-format design that allows for ghosts, spooks and other creatures to lunge out at you at any time.
A Spa Weekend In Branson
For many of us, a two week vacation is out of the question right now. Still, there are ways to have a special occasion weekend with all the pampering and luxury you desire. Visit the castle in the Ozarks where “excitement reigns, service rules and your wishes are our commands”. Chateau on the Lake is Branson’s only AAA Four-Diamond Resort, Spa & Convention Center. The Chateau offers some affordable spa packages that can turn any weekend into a celebration.
Bruno's for Italian in Springfield MO
Brunos feels as comfortable as a neighborhood restaurant should. Casual and familiar regulars don’t even need a menu when they order. I like reading the simple authentic menu selections. Gathering Place – Bring a friend to Bruno’s. It is a great restaurant for a glass of wine and conversation. As you linger perhaps you order something light and flavorful like brick oven-baked La Margherita pizza. Homemade sauce and fresh basil make this pizza a perfect light lunch.
Ghostly Stories from Southeast Missouri
Fall seems like the best time for ghostly gatherings. Days are shorter. Nights are cooler. And nights, of course, are sometimes scarier. Nationally renowned storytellers Regina Carpenter and Gayle Ross will regale you with eerie, family friendly stories on the banks of the Mississippi River beneath the boughs of the ancient Beech Tree at the River Campus. Bring your own blanket or a lawn chair.
Cameron's Crag for Laid Back Leaf Peeping
Bed and Breakfasts have the advantage because the Innkeeper will always have information, advice and share tips only a local would know. B&Bs are a little removed from the hectic tourist areas. When you visit a B&B, it’s a peaceful, relaxing stay. All these advantages are deciding factors when I look for accommodations. It’s doubly nice when your favorite B&B gets those well deserved accolades. If you are headed to the Ozarks take note.
Discover Cahokia and Kincaid Indian Mounds in Illinois
Once the largest prehistoric Indian city north of Mexico, Cahokia includes an interpretive center, woodhenge solar calendar and regular activities. Before you go: Learn what to bring, what to wear, how to get there. Check out the programs available for kids, families and adults. Most activities are free. For example, enjoy an hour long Storytelling Program presented by a Native American storyteller. Or, take a 3-mile nature hike led by an archaeologist and naturalist.
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