How much more patriotic can you get with breakfast than the Freedom Waffle? That’s what I ordered the first time I dined at Gailey’s Breakfast Café in Springfield, Missouri. The thick Belgian waffle, topped with loads of sweet strawberries and blueberries and striped with whipped cream, was made to resemble the America flag. It was as delicious as it looks.
Chicago has deep-dish pizza. Philadelphia has Philly cheesesteak. And Springfield, Missouri, has Springfield style cashew chicken. Springfield style cashew chicken, a regional favorite, was invented in the 1960s by David Leong. You can find copies of Springfield style cashew chicken all over town, but you can get the original only at Leong’s Asian diner.
One fun part of travel is learning interesting facts about the places you visit. Following are bits of trivia I’ve picked up about each of the Midwest states.
2015 has been another great year of firsts for us. We’ve visited new destinations, enjoyed new experiences, and had several “who knew?” moments.
Here are some of our favorite 2015 experiences:
The Air and Military Museum of the Ozarks often comes as a surprise to visitors. Tucked into a strip mall, you would never expect it to be filled with not only 5,000 artifacts, but also to include military aircraft and vehicles.
The Hotel Vandivort, Springfield, Missouri’s first urban boutique hotel, is built in a former Masonic Temple. Giving a nod to the building’s history, the 50-room upscale downtown hotel incorporates Masonic symbolism throughout the building. It also focuses on the local community, displaying works by local artists. In addition, the hotel’s restaurant, The Order, uses locally-sourced food as much as possible.
