Wine and Spirits Travel

Branson, Missouri has been on my list of places to visit in the Midwest for years. Since it was a bit of a drive (about seven hours) and there is a ton to see and do there, I wanted to make sure there was enough time. I planned the time and the crew for a perfect five days girls’ getaway, that would end with an extra-special birthday. Brittany has traveled with me many times, but this was my friend Marsha’s first adventure with us. Marsha and I had actually met on social media when I saw we had mutual friends and a very similar name. She’s Marsha Lynne and I’m Marcia Lynn. As we became closer, our friends started referring to us as ML1 and ML2. So, this was the first of many trips for ML^. We picked up Amanda in Alton, Illinois , and decided our lunch stop was going to be our favorite barbecue place in Missouri, SuperSmokers in Eureka. Their BBQ Nachos, corn chips topped with brisket, chicken, pulled pork, tomatoes, cheese, and baked beans, are not to be match

My trip to Memphis with my friends was a very full one, and we were enjoying it all. On day three, we were up bright and early to pack up and check out of the Madison Hotel . We had enjoyed our stay, but we’d be checking into Big Cypress Lodge in the afternoon for a completely different atmosphere. My breakfast stop with Brittany, Angela, and Kylie had a very familiar name, Frost Bake Shop . Ironically, it was not a relative and not anyone’s name (it’s owned by the Kloos family), it was a play on words for “frosting.” Although the bakery was a bit out of the city, I had received a tip that it was well worth the trip and it certainly was. Frost Bake Shop provides cheesecakes to William Sonoma and also makes cupcakes, pies, and other baked goods that are loved all over Memphis . We were able to sample all types of goodies, including their top sellers – Gooey Butter Cookies and the Memphis Cream Cupcake. I didn’t leave without also tasting the delicious