Wine and Spirits Travel

My friend Joan and I headed a few hours away to Itasca, Illinois, for a short girls’ getaway at Eaglewood Resort & Spa . You could see the golf course from the balcony in our room. The Deluxe Room is quite large and suitable for a small family. The spa and fitness center are located in a building across the parking lot from the rooms and other common areas.  The pool center at  Eaglewood  is set up to be enjoyed year-round. It’s totally enclosed in the winter and one side opens up in the summer so you can sit around a patio and enjoy the Olympic-sized pool with accompanying whirlpool. During the warmer months, they also serve cocktails and snacks out there. Three separate rooms were in the fitness center, all with all new equipment. One room had state-of-the art machines.  The second was all about weights, and the third was for classes. We saw someone in there stretching. Within the fitness and spa area  Eaglewood Resort  also has its own bowling

My friend Jaimee and I had arrived in Lafayette, Indiana , the previous day for a quick getaway. It had been a few years since I was here and I had no idea how much there was to see – and eat. We woke up in our spacious two-bedroom accommodation at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Lafayette . Although the hotel offers a big complimentary breakfast, we already had plans for brunch at Town & Gown Bistro. Town & Gown is much bigger than it looks on the outside. It has two floors and they were both full of patrons. Matt O’Neill, former innkeeper and chef at Walden Inn, and author of “Seasons at the Walden Inn,” has made a name for himself in this city. It was easy to figure out why after we finished eating.  Chef O’Neill uses fresh and local ingredients and puts his touch on common brunch items.  Jaimee raved about her eggs benedict, and I thought the house-made corned beef hash was fantastic, as were my latte and eggs. After we f