Showing posts with label restaurant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurant. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Visiting the Reimagined St. Louis Union Station

I’ve wanted to visit St. Louis Union Station since it was remodeled a few years ago and the attractions were added. I had heard nothing but good things about it. When I was invited to cover a Yellowcard concert in the Gateway city, I decided it was the perfect time.

Brittany and I went straight from the concert to the Hilton at St. Louis Union Station, a Curio Collection Hotel. I was impressed the moment we walked into the lobby, with the high ceilings and light show that magnified all the art. I could only compare it to the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.


We were exhausted and went right to sleep. In the morning, we had breakfast at Station Grille, one of the hotel’s restaurants. It was quite a meal, starting with freshly made pastries. Brittany had Chicken & Waffles. I ordered the Egg, Avocado & Quinoa, which was covered lightly with a balsamic dressing, and I loved it.


After breakfast, we met up with our friend `Amanda and headed over to the other side of the hotel for the activities. Our first stop was at the St. Louis Aquarium. It’s better not to explain how it’s done and let you be surprised, but I can tell you the entrance is an experience in itself!

The Aquarium is filled with hands-on experiences and also has animal shows. We got to see the training of an armadillo.

We then went to check out the Mirror Maze and Union Station Selfie Express before heading outside to The Wheel. This Ferris wheel towers over the area and provides quite a view of the city, including the new soccer stadium.

We stopped at the Soda Fountain for some unique milkshakes and fries, before going to miniature golf and on the carousel. You can buy packages that include all of the attractions so it doesn't get too expensive. Amanda had to leave, and Brittany and I headed to lunch at the Train Shed.

 
We always like to get different things so we can get a better feel for restaurants, but the Grilled Chicken, with fresh mozzarella, pesto aioli, basil, roasted tomato, arugula, and balsamic on whole wheat caught both our eyes. Brittany ordered it and it was as good as it sounded. I enjoyed the Pulled Pork sandwich.


We went back to the room to rest for a while and to gain our appetites back before we went to dinner. We were going to the hotel’s newest restaurant, The Pitch. It is a sports bar that focuses mostly on soccer as the stadium is right across the street from it.

 


The Pitch does look like it belongs in an episode of Ted Lasso. Even the menu has a touch of British, with Fish & Chips, Fried Bologna, and Chicken Pot Pie, which I really enjoyed. Brittany had the Salmon BLT. We also ordered the huge pretzel (I took most of it home) and Fried Ravioli, which is a dish St. Louis is known for.

When we finished dinner, it was back to the hotel to check out. We watched one more light show. There were some families checking in as we checked out. The hotel has everything for all ages and is also dog friendly. I will definitely be back.

 

I was hosted on this trip for most of the activities, food, and accommodations, but views are my own.

Friday, October 13, 2023

24 Hours on Navy Pier in Chicago

 

Since I’ve been traveling in a wheelchair or mobility scooter the last few years, I have not gone many places alone. I decided to go for it when I was invited to spend a day – and night – at Navy Pier in Chicago.

I have been to Navy Pier many times, but was never able to stay there until Sable, a Curio Collection Hotel by Hilton, was built. I always wondered why there wasn’t a hotel there, and after spending time scooting my way around the property and the pier, I can attest that it’s a fun and unique experience.

The hotel is at the end of the pier and the entrance is right next to one of the parking lots. It was easy to park my van and take my scooter right into the modern lobby. Once inside you’ll be surprised at just how big it is, with a Kisbi Coffee and the Lirica Restaurant close to the entrance.

It did take me a little while to figure out how to get to the elevator to my room, but once inside, I found my biggest draw to this hotel – the windows. Every room has floor to ceiling views of the blue water of Lake Michigan and the Chicago Skyline.

If it wasn’t for that famous skyline I could have just as easily been on a Caribbean Island. That view can bring a sense of relaxation, a touch of romance, or the beginning of a family enjoyment of Navy Pier.

I didn’t have too much time to stare out the window before my reservation at Lirica for dinner.  It’s a comfortable, but classic, restaurant at Sable Hotel at Navy Pier. The menu is modern Latin.

 

I started with one of their many mojitos, the house special Passion Fruit Vanilla. It was fantastic and not too sweet. It was the perfect accompaniment to their house guacamole, arbol salsa, and chips.

For a main course, I had the braised short ribs, served in a mushroom, garlic, and wine sauce. On the waiter’s recommendation I added in a side of roasted potatoes, which came with an aioli sauce for dipping, and a warm cauliflower salad. It all went ideally with a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.

 


I wasn’t anxious to leave the food, but I was excited to check out Offshore at Sable, the rooftop venue at the hotel. Fortunately, I had reservations because this place, as huge as it is, fills up.

 

I was immediately taken with the open-air indoor area, with tables all around a large bar. I had asked for a table outside so I could see if the sunsets here were as breathtaking as I had heard. I was not disappointed as I sampled an ice cream sundae and tried one of the many cocktails on the menu.

It was an easy ride back to my hotel room on my scooter and I was more than ready for sleep.

 

In the morning, I headed back to Lirica Restaurant. This time I sat outside and did some people watching on Navy Pier. The Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes were as good as the food I had the night before. When I finished most of the large portion and my coffee, I decided to do some exploring.

 

It’s hard not to love Navy Pier. There’s just no other city that has the views and activities like this. I went all the way to the beginning where the 13-acre Polk’s Brothers Park, is one of the newer gathering places. Indoors, I noticed that the Kilwin’s Fudge was added to the food options since my last visit.

I had done the Centennial Wheel not long before, so I skipped it on this trip. I did notice a new addition to the ever-changing interactive exhibits and caught a sign about the latest music series. There was also the start of the Halloween preparations, which was always followed by the beginning of the set up for Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier, held every holiday season.

The one thing I have yet to do at Navy Pier is take one of the boat rides. The sunset cruise has been on my list of Chicago things to do.

 

Maybe next time.

 

I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own. 

 

Friday, September 27, 2019

More Cheap Trick, Gardens & Brew in Rockford


When I planned my trip to Rockford, I heard from quite a few people that I must have breakfast at The Stockholm. I was a bit disappointed when it wasn’t on our (very full) schedule, but a twist of fate brought us there anyway. 

The first stop of the day on the Rockford itinerary for Brittany, Amanda, and I was the Anderson Japanese Gardens. We were to have brunch there and then explore. 


Since they were also having an event that day, there was no brunch. That opened up our chance to go to The Stockholm. This restaurant is on the Cheap Trick Trail because of the Rick Nielsen connection. He’s a part-owner and full lover of this restaurant. 

The menu is huge, reminding me of a New York diner, but Swedish specialties where you would see Greek ones. Due to the breakfast mix-up, we were starving by the time we sat down. I ordered a Swedish Coffee Cake for us to share while we waited. 


It was as scrumptious as it looked and certainly whet our appetite for the rest. I always go toward the sweet and I continued with the Swedish pancakes with lingonberries, which are well worth an order at The Stockholm Inn

I also got the potato bake. Although it was delicious, it was a bit too rich for me to have more than a spoonful of. I did pass the rest around the table. 


Brittany and Amanda went for more traditional egg and meat breakfasts and were enjoyed their choice.

The trails were all filled with beautiful plants and flowers and the lakes had colorful fish and ducks. It was a bit warm, but the scenery was tranquil.


We then headed to the Anderson Japanese Gardens. I knew there would be a lot of walking and took my scooter along. Almost all of the garden paths were very accessible. 

With the Japanese Festival taking place there were also booths and additional tea ceremonies taking place (they do have authentic tea ceremonies at other times too). 


The Midway Village is a most unusual place that is a great experience for children and adults. In addition to the recreated 19th century village, representing a typical Northern Illinois town, there is a museum dedicated to the history of Rockford. 

I asked Brittany and Amanda to explore the village while I walked around the much smaller Dollhouse exhibit. We then met up in the museum.

I was really amazed at the history of Rockford after going through the Midway Village Museum. 


There were displays on the Emerson Carriage Company, the immigration to this area from Norway, Sweden, and Italy that was recruited through Ellis Island, and the dedications to the Rockford Peaches, the baseball team you may remember depicted in A League of Their Own. 

Also at Midway Village is another Cheap Trick shoutout, this one a Sock Monkey (Sock Monkeys were also made in Rockford) in their honor. 



We drove through downtown to look at some of the nine murals created in the Rockford CRE8IV project. They are well-worth a look. 

Our last Rockford stop was at Prairie Street Brewing Company, located in the spot Englishman Jonathan Peacock arrived in 1849 with the dream of building a brewery. 



Prairie Street has a large selection on microbrews, with the Peacock, Passion Fruit, and Peach Wheat all getting accolades from Brittany and Amanda. I enjoyed one of their mules, and their house made non-alcoholic root beer. 

The menu is very large and has some interesting things on it. The Poutine was a huge hit and Amanda raved about their creative Trolley Burger, with Applewood bacon, fried egg, provolone, thousand island dressing, and an onion ring. 



For dessert, we shared a rich and chocolatey S’mores Tart. 

Rockford is another Midwest spot that outlived my expectations with so much to see and do. The team at the CVB really put together a great trip for us!

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Fairmont, Kayaking and BBQ in Chicago

Brittany and I were heading to Chicago for a quick getaway. We had an early morning adventure with the team at Shedd Aquarium so decided to stay over the night before.

I had never stayed at the Fairmont Chicago before and was excited when they decided to host me. It is a luxurious hotel in an ideal location, overlooking Millennium Park and Lake Michigan.

As someone with allergies, I also loved the idea of their “Pure Room,” which are hypoallergenic, using sanitizing technologies to improve the air quality.

Our room was great, and we enjoyed dinner and cocktails at The Bar, the hotel’s lounge.

In the morning, we headed to the Kayak Chicago location. It was a beautiful day for a trip on the Chicago River and I was a bit jealous that I was not longer able to do anything like that.

I did get to watch and photograph, as Brittany learned about the Kayak for Conservation program through the Shedd Aquarium.

This was just introduced in 2018 and is rapidly expanding. Its purpose is to teach visitors about the waterway while working with the non-profit Urban Rivers to build a new habitat.

Through this program (which you can sign up for on the Shedd website), guests kayak along the river and collect water and plant data that can help bolster future biodiversity.

While you do this, you also learn about the birds, wildlife, and vegetation that can grown here.

Eventually, the end result will be a mile-long eco-park.

After Brittany returned from her kayaking, we headed over to another place I had been wanting to try for a while, Jake Melnick’s Tap. We were not disappointed.




This family-friendly restaurant has been named the “Top Chicken Wing Spot in the U.S.” by the Today Show. While the wings alone are worth a trip, this place has plenty more to offer.

Jake Melnick’s Tap graciously brought us a selection from the menu that turned into  scrumptious feast, with plenty of leftovers to take home. Everything that came out was so good!

We started with drinks, Peach Sangria (made with sauvignon blanc) for me and Ace Pineapple Craft Cider for Brittany, while we nibbled on the Loaded BBQ Nachos.

Then, a platter of wings arrived. We were able to try everyone of the nine sauces and decided the Firecracker, a sweet Thai chili with siracha, the Nashville, which is hot and sweet at the same time, and the PB&J, Thai peanut sauce with raspberry chipotle jelly, were our favorites.

We had a lot of wings left, but we had a feeling there was a lot more to come. That is when Jake’s Ultimate Feast came to the table.

The platter is easily enough for six and includes brisket, hot links, baby back ribs, and pulled pork. It came with cornbread, coleslaw, baked beans, and mac & cheese.

It was all tender and flavorful.

We were pretty stuffed and couldn’t even imagine dessert but tasted the Fried Oreos when they arrived at the table. They were done in a sweet funnel cake batter and worked perfectly with ice cream and chocolate sauce.

It took a while to get up from that table after such a meal. We took our bag of leftovers and vowed to come back. Jack Melnick’s Tap is definitely at the top of my Chicago restaurant list.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Literature and History in Hannibal, Missouri

After a big, complimentary breakfast at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Hannibal, Missouri, Brittany, Amanda, and I got ready for a jam-packed day.

There was quite a bit to do in the city made famous by Mark Twain, who was known in his hometown under his real name, Samuel Clemens.

We had seen some of Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home & Museum the previous day and went back to visit some of the buildings we missed.

It was interesting to see Becky Thatcher’s House, the Huckleberry Finn House, and J.M. Clemens Justice of the Peace Office. 

Becky and Huck Finn were popular characters in the Mark Twain series, but J.M. Clemens was the actual name of Samuel Clemens father.










One of my favorite exhibits within the Boyhood Home buildings was something I’d love for every child to see. It was called “Growing Up to Fast.”

Using the examples of Becky, Tom, Huck, and Jim, all growing up in different levels of income, it examples how their life would be at that time. It explained their ability to go to school, and if (and when) they might have to leave to go to work. 

Many children during this time in Hannibal would have to forego finishing school to help support their family.

Within the block with the recreated houses is also the Haunted House and Wax Museum. 


It’s worth a visit to look through the museum, especially the life-like replicas of the characters Mark Twain wrote about.

The Hannibal History Museum shows the industry passing through this Missouri City, as well as other famous people who lived here. Among them were “Unsinkable Molly Brown” who survived the Titanic, and performer Cliff Edwards, who is best known as the voice of Disney’s Jiminy Cricket.

We walked down to the dock to take a scenic cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat. The trip, which runs along the Mississippi River, straddling Missouri and Illinois, was very relaxing. There is narration throughout, telling you all about the area and Mark Twain.

Mark Twain Riverboat’s sightseeing cruise is an hour and they have a snack bar with some food, soft drinks, and alcoholic drinks. There is also a dinner cruise. You do not need to worry about the weather as the boats are completely enclosed. It’s also very accessible and I had no trouble taking my scooter on and off.

When we left the boat, we headed over to Mark Twain Caves and Cave Hollow West Winery. While Brittany and Amanda explored the caves, I tasted the offerings at the winery.

I was pleasantly surprised at just how good Cave Hollow West wine is. There were two wines that were so good I went home with bottles: An Innocent Broad, a slightly sweet blend of Vidal and Vignoles, and Lighthouse White, a sweeter white with citrus notes.

When they returned from the Cave, which is celebrating its 200th birthday this year, we sipped some more wine and enjoyed some snacks on the patio.

I needed some rest, so we went back to the hotel for a bit, deciding to have dinner after the show.

I was very impressed with Mark Twain Himself, a one man show in which actor Richard Garey, dressed as Mark Twain, presents an impromptu look at the author’s life through his writings. The show changes with each performance so you never know what part of his life you will be learning about.

We were more than ready for dinner at Mark Twain Brewing Company.  I nibbled on giant pretzel with beer cheese sauce while Brittany and Amanda sampled the beer.

In addition to their brews, this eatery is known for its barbecue. 

We sampled the brisket and the ribs, with smoked in house and topped with their own BBQ sauce. They were all good.
Mark Twain Ramblers Red Ale, Scotch Ale, King Arthur IPA, Chocolate Coffee Stout

For dessert, they had one of my favorites, pecan pie.  

I went back to the Holiday Inn & Suites to turn in for the night. 

Brittany and Amanda headed downtown to take the Haunted Hannibal Tour. They had fun with the combination of ghost tours and history, which ended at Hannibal’s Old Baptist Cemetery.


Thursday, August 1, 2019

Discovering Mark Twain in Hannibal, Missouri

After major spine surgery in January, I had hardly left my house. Travel in general has been cut down the last few years because of my health, but now I needed to once again take another step down.

When I felt I finally could go somewhere, I was careful to pick a place that’s very accessible and would allow me lots of rest and breaks. 

With Brittany taking pictures, and Amanda accompanying her on active activities, it was a perfect mix.

The two were very helpful to me with my medical scooter.




I thought I had all the plans in place for this first trip of the year (even though half the year was over).

Then, less than a week before we were to go, I received an email that the place had overbooked, and they couldn’t accommodate us.

It is a place I hope to visit someday so I’m not going to go into details, but I was ready to finally get out a little and I didn’t have much time to plan.

The wonderful team at Visit Missouri and their PR agency, Handl Partners, worked quickly and diligently when I asked if they had a location that might work.

They came up with the perfect one: Hannibal.





Hannibal had been on my radar for a few years, so I was very excited. It was the perfect time to go because, in 2019, the city is celebrating its bicentennial.

The drive to Hannibal, Missouri, took less than three hours in perfect weather.

Our first stop was at the Hannibal Convention & Visitors Bureau, to pick up our tickets and passes to attractions.

We hadn’t stopped for lunch and the Mark Twain Dinette was right there, so we went in for something to eat. Our eyes immediately went to the beverage menu.

For Amanda and me, it was the homemade root beer that was calling, and I had to have mine as a root beer float, with ice cream. It was as delicious as it sounded and came with free refills on the soda.

Brittany decided on something a bit more exotic, trying one of the diner’s boozy floats. She had the Coffee-Milk Stout, with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, topped with a fresh-baked glazed donut!
  
From there, we were going to meet Henry Sweets, Director of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum at Museum Gallery.

We got a bit confused with all of the historical sites and ended up at the Interpretive Center instead.

We checked in, thinking it was the right place, and began to acquaint ourselves with the biggest star to every live in Hannibal, MarkTwain, aka Samuel Clemens.

The Interpretive Center had some very interesting exhibits to give us a preview into the family history. 

It was also in a complex of buildings that includes the Becky Thatcher House, JM Clemens Justice of the Peace Building, and other “famous from the books” spots, such as Tom Sawyer’s Fence, where he convinced his friends to pay him to whitewash.
When a guide at the center found us, she relayed the message that we needed to go to the Museum Gallery a few blocks away. We headed straight there to meet with Henry Sweets.

He told us about the importance of the Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens family to the town and all the connections they made. 

We also learned about exhibits in the Museum Gallery that were must-see. I certainly agreed as I especially loved the Norman Rockwell galleries, the Life Magazine covers featuring Twain characters, and artifacts from the Clemens family.

We checked into the new Holiday Inn Express & Suites after leaving the museum.

It’s a very comfortable and modern hotel, with an open lobby where you can use computers, buy snacks, pour yourself some coffee.

I took a nap before we left for dinner to meet Hannibal CVB Director Gail Bryant and Assistant Director Megan Rapp. They had chosen LaBinnah Bistro and it was just perfect.

LaBinnah (Hannibal spelled backwards) reminded me of a genuine Parisian bistro. I loved the paintings and the décor, and the way they managed to make it comfortable with only 28 seats.

This restaurant is family owned and was rated the “Best Bistro Under the Radar” in Missouri by MSN.com. I can’t disagree.

We started with a toast of Country Red from Missouri’s St. James Winery. Although the restaurant has a selection of wines from around the world, I wanted something from the state.

The owner brought around some Dolmas (a Greek dish, with rice inside grape leaves) for us to try. They were the best I’ve ever had.

As for the main courses, even with the elimination of seafood because of my allergy, I found half a dozen items that sounded wonderful.

I finally settled on the Queen Victoria, a pork chop in blueberry and cranberry chipotle sauce. It was tender and flavorful, with the chipotle just adding a very slight kick.

Brittany loved her salmon, in fact everyone was more than pleased with their meal. I was the most impressed with the Chicken Tikka Masala. It was served different than I’ve ever seen, with the sauce on a full chicken breast. It’s a local favorite and, after tasting it, I agreed with the accolade.

Not only were the desserts looking to good to pass up, but it was pretty difficult to even make a decision on what to get.   

We ended up with four different ones and couldn’t help sharing: Belgium Chocolaterie, handmade truffles from Belgium with fresh fruit and whipped cream, House made Baklava from a family recipe, Godiva Double Chocolate cake, rich, fudgy, and sinful, and a creamy White Chocolate-Red Raspberry Cheesecake.

Needless to say, we did not walk out of LaBinnah Bistro hungry!