Sock monkeys got their start here. It was home to one of the best teams in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Its original name was Midway. These are some of the fascinating facts I learned about Rockford, Illinois, when I visited the Midway Village Museum. Read more
A salad of crisp mixed lettuces tossed with golden and red beets, all locally grown. A diner so small it has room only for a counter and a few tables. A Celtic public house where fish and chips are served wrapped in newspaper. Sunday brunch in a mansion. South Bend and neighboring Mishawaka don’t lack for dining options. With more than 400 restaurants in the area, you have plenty to choose from whether you’re looking a simple, casual diner or a more upscale fine dining establishment. Here are several South Bend restaurants that we tried during our three-day visit to the area. Read more
What better place to hold a murder mystery dinner than a haunted castle, especially as a prelude to a ghost tour? A murder mystery would certainly set the mood for the haunted tour that we would attend later that night. We approached the daunting limestone Pythian Castle just before dusk, walking up the stairs toward the massive wooden entrance doors. Read more
We passed the giant Cross at the Crossroads dozens of times over the years. Repeatedly, we commented that on one of our trips we should stop to check out the cross that soars into the sky just off the interstate where I-57 and I-70 intersect at Effingham, Illinois. We finally visited recently following our visit to another giant cross in Groom, Texas, the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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A good farmers market is a foodie’s gold mine. Veggies and fruits, organic meats and eggs, artisan breads and organic honey brought to the market directly from the growers and producers are as fresh as you’ll find. The Farmers Market of the Ozarks (FMO) brings all of that, and more, to you each week, year-round. The impressive market opened in April of 2012. Only one year later it was named the number 15 farmers market in the country by The Daily Dish. Read more
Oozing with sweet blackberry filling spread over a layer of cream cheese, the blackberry stuffed French toast was the tastiest I’ve ever eaten. A crispy coating (I’m not sure what it was—they said it was secret) contrasted nicely with the filling. Read more
