Who Says You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky January 1, 2014April 2, 2018Alton Hauntings Tour, Illinois attractions, Louisville Mega Cavern Zip Line, Natural Valley Ranch, Summers Riverview Mansion, Willis Tower Ledge 0 Comment

2013 was a year of learning for me, a year full of firsts. Fairly new to travel writing, having only begun to write regularly for Examiner.com in the fall of 2012, and having started my own Midwest Wanderer blog in May 2013, I went through the trials and tribulations that new technologies bring, and I’m still learning. Heavens knows I’ve made more than my share of social media blunders and I’m certain there will be more. But most of my firsts have been wonderful experiences in the exciting world of travel and travel writing. Here are some of them:

Stepped out onto the Willis Tower Ledge, with just a piece of glass between my feet and the ground 1,353 feet below, facing my fear of heights

Zip lined, underground no less, at the Louisville Mega Cavern, another challenge to my phobia

Went horseback riding at the Natural Valley Ranch, actually my second time on horseback but the first time in a downpour

Stayed in a bed and breakfast, the Summers Riverview Mansion

Experienced the paranormal (just a whiff of perfume, but it was unmistakable) on the Alton Hauntings Walking Tour

Attended a polo match at the Oak Brook Polo Club

Parasailed on the Mississippi and Kayaked on the Rock River. You’ll find out more about both this spring.

Besides all the firsts, I’ve discovered museums, theaters, shops, markets, parks, restaurants, wineries and more in small towns throughout the Midwest, many towns that I didn’t even know existed. But best of all are the people I’ve met, from tourism bureau reps and fellow travel writers to shop owners, museum curators, other travelers, so many more I’ve crossed paths with, and especially you, my readers.

I’m looking forward to more new experiences in 2014 and to sharing them with you, to help you in your search of great places to wander.

Happy New Year and safe travels.
Connie Reed
Midwest Wanderer

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Hiking Starved Rock State Park in the Winter

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois December 31, 2013April 2, 2018Eagle watching, Illinois attractions, Illinois state parks, Starved Rock Illinois, Starved Rock Lodge 0 Comment

I’ve been to Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois, in every season, each season with a beauty of its own. Spring brings the promise of warm summer days, life bursting forth again after dormancy, the bright green of new leaves on trees, tiny wildflowers poking through the ground, the scent of spring in the air. In the summer, a canopy of shade cools, the sight and sound of rushing waterfalls mesmerize, and coneflower and black-eyed Susan add bursts of color to the green foliage. In the fall, the most popular time to visit, leaves turn to shades of crimson and amber, leaves that have already fallen crunch under your feet with every step you take. My favorite time of year to visit, though, is winter.

A feeling of stillness envelopes the winter woods as you hike some of the 13 miles of snow blanketed trails, the shining sun warming the brisk air enough to keep you comfortable.

Climb to the tops of sandstone bluffs to take in breathtaking views of canyons with waterfalls of solid ice, as still as if frozen in time, and the wide Illinois River that flows adjacent to the park, eagles soaring overhead, diving into the water to catch their next meal, roosting in nearby trees.

Then hike down to the bottoms of the canyons—there are 18 of them within a four mile area—and walk on the frozen streams to see the waterfalls up close.

When you’re ready to warm up, head to the rustic Starved Rock Lodge, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where you can relax in front of the two-sided fireplace in the Great Hall.

Enjoy a meal in the dining room, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Or choose to dine in the casual Back Door Lounge.

I had the Chief Pontiac sandwich, shaved prime rib and smoked cheddar on Focaccia bread with barbecue cilantro sauce, served with homemade chips. it tasted as good as the description sounded.

If you need something a little warmer to wear when you go back outside, pick up a colorful scarf, hat or sweater in the gift shop.

Be sure to stop in the visitor center while you’re in the park, too, where you can get information on park activities and learn the history of the park, about the Native Americans who inhabited the area and explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet.

You can purchase a souvenir or snack at the Trailheads Concessions in the visitor center, too, like fresh fudge made right there. The orange-chocolate flavor was delicious.

No matter in which season you choose to visit Starved Rock State Park, you’ll find natural beauty in surroundings unlike any other park in Illinois.

Starved Rock State Park, less than 100 miles from Chicago, is a popular day trip for Illinoisans, but you may want to make a weekend of it. Stay in one of Starved Rock Lodge’s 69 guest rooms or in a cabin, some of which have fireplaces. (Saturday night stays require a two night booking.) Check the Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center web site for details.

American Harvest Eatery: Best Chef in Springfield

Connie Food & Drink, Illinois November 24, 2013American Harvest Eatery, restaurants Springfield Illinois 0 Comment

The sea scallops almost melted in my mouth, they were done so perfectly, with a hint of the smoky pork belly that accompanied them offset by the sweet-savory of pear mostada and cider gastrique. Plated on a bed of smoked carrot puree and garnished with miniature carrots and marcona almonds, the dish was as pleasing to the eye as it was to the palate. It’s no wonder that Jordan Coffey, executive chef at American Harvest Eatery, was named the 2013 Best Chef in Springfield by the Illinois Times.

Coffey and his wife, sous chef Aurora, both began their careers at Augie’s Front Burner in downtown Springfield and learned the business from the ground up, starting as a dishwasher and cashier, respectively. Today, at not even 30 years old, Jordan and Aurora partner in the food design and preparation at American Harvest Eatery, Augie’s second Springfield restaurant, a restaurant whose mission is to use only the freshest ingredients sourced from Illinois farmers.

The menu changes seasonally to showcase the seasonal ingredients. For instance, the salad I chose was a beet salad with baby greens, raisins, pistachios and a ginger vinaigrette. Other first course options included autumn ingredients like butternut squash, kale and brussel sprouts.

Desserts are no exception to the goal of using seasonal local ingredients. The dessert menu for fall includes Pumpkin Tiramisu, Pear Butter Sorbet, and Mike’s Caramel Apple Cake, never your ordinary desserts. One dessert I tried was vanilla bean and goat cheesecake with salted caramel, apple compote and honey cashew bleu cheese ice cream.

American Harvest Eatery, open six days a week for lunch and dinner (closed Sundays), is located about 15 minutes southwest of downtown Springfield at 3241 W Iles Avenue. Its strip mall location may seem ordinary from the outside, but once you taste the extraordinary food, you’ll realize why Jacob Coffey was named best chef in Springfield.

Enjoy this post? Click the Subscribe2 button to the left to be notified whenever I publish another post on MidwestWanderer.com. (Be sure to click the link when you get the e-mail asking you to confirm.) Visit the Midwest Wanderer Facebook Page, and check out my Examiner.com page, too, where I’ve had over 80 articles published.

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Frank Lloyd Wright Dana-Thomas House, Springfield IL: 12,000 Square Feet of Phenomenal

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois November 18, 2013Dana-Thomas House, Frank Lloyd Wright, Illinois attractions, Springfield IL, Springfield IL attractions 0 Comment

The year was 1902. Susan Dana had inherited $3 million and wanted to renovate the Renaissance Italianate home she grew up in. She heard of an up-and-coming architect named Frank Lloyd Wright and hired him to “renovate” the house. What she ended up with two years later was one room left from the original structure within 12,000 square feet of a brand new Frank Lloyd Wright prairie style home, a home with elements unheard of at the time, a home that everyone wanted to be entertained in. Today the home is owned by the State of Illinois, open to the public for tours, and guests are still awestruck by the architectural genius of this mansion.

Wright’s signature traits are all over the house: horizontal lines; a lot of open space and windows, inviting nature into the home and the home into nature; and art glass everywhere—in doors, windows, light fixtures, even in ceiling panels. The one Wright trait that is missing is an entry door hidden from plain view. Susan Dana loved to entertain, and she insisted on a grand entrance for guests. And grand it is.

As you walk through the home, from one area to another, you’ll feel the various moods that Wright meant to evoke. A low ceiling on one side of a room creates a comfortable alcove. Move over a few feet, to where the ceiling is much higher, and you’ll feel the space open, a perfect party space. A long dining table, when expanded to its full length could seat up to 40. A little beyond, a small table in a nook could be curtained off for an intimate family meal.

Landings between levels become balconies, perfect spots from which musicians could entertain. It seems everywhere you turn there are more architectural surprises, including three barrel vaulted ceilings and an extensive use of butterflies, a favorite of Ms. Dana. The butterflies aren’t obvious, but you can detect them in some of the art glass and in the shape of the lamps. Surprises even extend to the lower-level library, where Ms. Dana often entertained children on Saturday mornings. A guest touring the home once said that as a child he had his first ice cream cone here and pointed out the spot of a secret cooler that kept the ice cream cold. The lower level includes a duck pin bowling lane and a billiards room, too.

No photographs are allowed to be taken inside, so you’ll have to take the tour yourself to see the house, the Wright-designed furniture and original sculptures. No doubt, you’ll be awestruck, too, as you walk through the Dana-Thomas House’s 12,000 square feet of phenomenal.

The Dana-Thomas House is located at 301 E. Lawrence Avenue in Springfield, Illinois. Tours are conducted Wednesdays through Sundays. Visit the web site for further details.

Enjoy this post? Click the Subscribe2 button to the left to be notified whenever another post is published on MidwestWanderer.com. (Be sure to click the link when you get the e-mail asking you to confirm.) Visit the Midwest Wanderer Facebook Page, and check out my Examiner.com page, too, where I’ve had over 75 articles published.

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Alton Hauntings Walking Ghost Tour: I Smelled the Jasmine

Connie Attractions & Events, Illinois October 17, 2013October 10, 2016Alton, Alton Hauntings, Alton Illinois, Alton Illinois haunted, ghost, Ghost Tour, ghost tours, ghosts, haunted, Haunted Alton, Haunted Alton tours, Haunted Illinois, hauntings 0 Comment

“There won’t be someone chasing you with a chain saw on this tour. This is the real deal,” said Len Adams, head tour guide for Alton Hauntings Tours, during his pre-tour talk. Read more

Haunted DeSoto House Hotel, Galena IL

Connie Illinois October 15, 2013March 21, 2024de soto hotel, desoto galena, desoto hotel, desoto hotel galena, desoto house, desoto house galena, DeSoto House Hotel, desoto house hotel galena, desoto house hotel galena il, galena hotels, Galena IL, galena il hotels, galena il lodging, galena ill, Galena Illinois, galena illinois hotels, galena lodging, haunted desoto hotel, haunted desoto house, haunted desoto house hotel, haunted Galena hotel, haunted hotel in galena, Haunted hotels, hotels galena il, hotels in galena il, hotels in illiois, hotels near galena il, illinois hotel, lodging in galena il, places to stay in galena il 49 Comments

You picture Abraham Lincoln descending the sweeping curved staircase, stovepipe hat in hand, following his speech orated from the hotel balcony in 1856. Or perhaps you imagine townspeople greeting General Ulysses S. Grant at Grant’s welcome home reception following the Civil War. The DeSoto House Hotel in Galena, Illinois, was truly a grand establishment in the mid-1800s. The five story hotel was the center of both social and political events. Then with a fire and a boiler explosion ten years apart and an economic decline when railroads replaced steamboats, the DeSoto House fell into disrepair.

Fast forward to today. The hotel is fully restored. The top two floors were removed years ago and private baths added to all rooms. But reminders of the hotel’s glory days remain, like the sweeping lobby staircase and some of the guests who apparently never completely left.