CULINARY TRAVEL Tasting Notes: The Story of Lavender Crest Winery in the Quad Cities Posted on December 17, 2023June 18, 2024 Lavender Crest Winery in Colona, Illinois, is a good spot to savor lunch and a glass of wine. However, following my visit, I’m left pondering the winery’s legitimacy. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the wine flight I ordered—it was pretty good. And we discovered a bottle that suited both our palates. The problem occurred when our server seemed less versed in the wines and couldn’t answer any of our questions. She took our order, handed it to the bartender, and left us to our own devices. Having had such a delightful time at Old Oaks Winery in Milan last week, we decided to explore another local winery.
PLACES Where to Stay During Your PCS to Rock Island Arsenal Posted on December 11, 2023July 19, 2024 While there are several hotels in the Quad Cities, especially if you are a Bonvoy Marriott member like us, we used our 14 days of permissive TDY to stay at three. As a result, we stayed at the Residence Inn Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois, and the Blackhawk and The Current, both Autograph hotels in Davenport, Iowa. Here are my reviews of all three hotels as a Gold Elite member with the Marriott franchise. However, you might be surprised by which hotel I recommend for relocating to Rock Island Arsenal. Furthermore, one of these hotels might work for you if you are preparing to move to Rock Island.
PLACES Driving Solo Across Canada: Rochester to Grand Rapids Posted on December 6, 2023June 27, 2024 We’re finally on the last leg of our drive across America to visit family. And today, I am driving from Rochester to Buffalo and across Canada to Grand Rapids, Michigan. The drive covers most of southern Ontario, and between today and tomorrow, the drive will take me past 4 of the five great lakes. Today, the drive straddles parts of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Lake Superior is the only lake I won’t see on this road trip because it is the northernmost and westernmost of the Great Lakes of North America. The Peace Bridge is located near the center of downtown Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie, Ontario, separated by the Niagara River. It was one of the most scenic bridge crossings I’ve ever done.
PLACES A Historic Stay: Experiencing the Hotel Saint Louis Posted on December 2, 2023September 15, 2024 After nearly three years in South Korea, we’re back in the US! Our first stop was picking up our shipped car. We rented a car at O’Hare International Airport and embarked on the 4-hour drive to the distribution center and one of our favorite hotels– the Hotel Saint Louis in downtown St. Louis. As a boutique-style hotel in the Marriott Autograph Collection, it marries beauty and style with the perks Marriott Hotels are renowned for. For us, it’s the perfect blend of luxury, amenities, and convenience. We also love that it is located in a historic building built over a century ago, in 1893.
CULINARY TRAVEL 5 Pretty Cafes and Coffeehouses in the Quad Cities Posted on November 30, 2023September 12, 2024 Embarking on our first coffeehouses in the Quad Cities, Steven and I chose Vibrant Coffeehouses and Kitchen as our destination. Housed in a spacious warehouse-style setting, the coffeehouse offered a delightful array of coffee, desserts, salads, and sandwiches. The reasonably priced avocado toast, priced at $4.95, stood out on the menu, and the experience of ordering in the States without breaking the bank was a pleasant surprise.
CULINARY TRAVEL Scenic Route Bakery: A Route 66 Cafe Pitstop on Your Next Road Trip Posted on November 25, 2023June 18, 2024 Discovering Des Moines: A Road Trip Adventure We made an unexpected yet delightful pitstop in Des Moines during our road trip from Kansas to Illinois. Moreover, it’s a city we had never explored before. However, little did we know that this charming city would hold a culinary gem that would…
CULINARY TRAVEL Celebrating 15 Years and Vegan Treats at SweetArt in St. Louis Posted on October 7, 2023October 13, 2024 Discover SweetArt Cafe in St. Louis – A Vegan Oasis for Food Lovers! Indulge in delectable vegan treats and more at this from-scratch bakery/cafe. Join us in the Shaw neighborhood near the Missouri Botanical Garden and Tower Grove Park. Owned by Reine Reis, SweetArt has been serving the community for 15 years.
PLACES Layover Road Trip to Chicago Navy Pier Posted on October 17, 2018July 7, 2024 I’ve never been to Chicago. Well, technically, I’ve been to O’Hare a dozen times. But I never left the airport. We drove in yesterday and decided to check out one of its iconic landmarks— the Navy Pier. Take a ride on the Centennial Wheel or river cruises. Visit the Children’s Museum…