Visual Traveler & Chocolate Blog

    The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa lobby. Photo Credit: Lisa Waterman Gray

​What's in This Post  
1) Exploring the Hot Springs, AK Bathhouse Tradition
2) Touring The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa
3) Ultimate Relaxation at The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa
4) The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa Slideshow

Exploring the Hot Springs, AK Bathhouse Tradition

An attendant vigorously rubbed my arms, legs and back with a loofah as I sat in a deep tub full of steamy, bubbly water. After my 20-minute soak she helped me put on my terrycloth wrap, offered a small cup of ice water, and directed me to a tiny dry sauna, where I sat with several other women for about 10 minutes.

I got a great taste of Hot Springs National Park, AK's iconic bathhouse tradition during a two-hour, multifaceted spa treatment called 'The Works' - a signature offering at The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa. In the heart of town, this regal hilltop hotel has served guests amid classic luxury since the 1920s.

Touring The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa

In The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa delicately carved ornamental lintels top doorways to guestrooms favored by Al Capone, and American presidents including childhood resident, President Bill Clinton. Most guestrooms blend old-school vibe with contemporary style.

During our visit the lower level resembled a small, indoor 'avenue' of shops. A ballroom full of linen-draped tables, hefty columns, architectural arches, and massive chandeliers was the backdrop for our group's multi-course lunch. Antique wall treatments also decorated several walls here, and near the lobby bar. 

Ultimate Relaxation at The Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa

But 'The Works' figured most prominently in my hotel experience. For part two of my spa treatment I laid down before warm, wet towels wrapped my arms and legs. My attendant then covered me with a sheet and encircled my face with a cold wet towel. I almost fell asleep during the next 20 minutes.

After a shower, my massage technician led me to a tiny room where lotion bottles waited in a crock pot, and soothing Native American flute music played. With warm lotion and firm pressure my attendant straddled the line between traditional and hot stone massages. 

Vintage furnishings and fixtures, plus original copper pipes, enhanced bathhouse charm. During my visit peach walls complemented pastel floral seat cushions in the waiting room, and old-fashioned banks of lights on gold metal strips flanked a broad mirror in the dressing area. 

Here's why people flocked to Hot Springs National Park, AK by the early 1900s:

​​Long before immunizations, antibiotics, and cortisone, 47 mineral-rich thermal springs drew visitors here. Producing about 700,000 gallons of water annually, these ‘healing springs’ ushered in a thriving local bathhouse culture by the early 1900s. Soaks were reputed to cure paralysis and rheumatism, kidney and digestive problems, and other medical conditions. Today, the National Park Service considers Bathhouse Row a ‘significant national cultural landmark.’ And modern visitors primarily enjoy ‘the waters,’ for relaxation and recreation. 

                      Inside La Buvette. Photo credit: Lisa Waterman Gray

​What's in This Post  
1) Why I Visited Omaha in 2022
2) Exploring Omaha's Old Market District
3) Beer & Spirits in the Old Market District
4) Omaha's Old Market District Slideshow

Why I Visited Omaha in 2022

On a surprisingly balmy fall day in late 2022, I had a AAA assignment to explore Omaha, Nebraska's recently renovated RiverFront. I took dozens of photos amid colorful outdoor sculptures, dynamic new playground spaces, plenty of comfortable seating, and lots of natural greenery.

Exploring Omaha's Old Market District

But with a 6-hour roundtrip drive from my Kansas home - and an overnight stay - I also briefly toured the city's vibrant Old Market District, where wine, beer, and spirits, plus many tasty food and drink choices abound.

At La Buvette Wine & Grocery an 'Old World' vibe complemented dozens of wine varietals lining the walls plus delicious bistro-style meals. As I sipped gently chilled rosé and savored a fresh, meal-sized salad near open patio doors, French phrases I learned in high school crowded my head. For that brief hour I honestly felt like I was dining along a European avenue. 

A brick street led to Hollywood Candy & Fairmont Mercantile where I could have easily spent an entire afternoon if I explored every nook and cranny. One large room housed every imaginable flavor of Jelly Belly while a smaller room stocked a treasure trove of classic vinyl. In another area, a lifelike Elvis mannequin with guitar in hand stood beside a pink vintage car. House-made tiramisu truffles occupied a display case near one exit door, and a full-sized soda fountain offered plenty of menu options. And everywhere I looked, there were antique bikes or kitschy decor.
 
Beer & Spirits in the Old Market District

Amid vintage wood, and massive beer tanks housed beyond floor-to-ceiling glass walls, Omaha's original brewhouse, Upstream Brewing Company, sells lagers, ales, IPAs, and an expansive food menu, inside a 1904 fire station.

At Brickway Brewery & Distillery the beverage menu included six house-made tap beers, 10 house spirits, and cocktails. I enjoyed a Tamagotchi cocktail (Brickway Libertas Colonial Rum, Aperol, pineapple, lime juice, passion fruit purée and tiki bitters)  alongside warm pretzel bites and two dipping sauces. I even received a copy of the Tamagotchi recipe to take home!

I barely scratched the surface of this vibrant neighborhood. But here are several more tasty destinations for you to check out during your Omaha visit: 

- Godega Market & Coffee Bar
- LL Bouillon Restaurant & Raw Bar (French)
- Cibo Vino (Italian)
- Ted & Wally's (scratch-made ice cream)

Enjoy!

                               Omaha's Old Market District Slideshow

​Disclaimer: As a writer I may receive complimentary stays, admissions, meals, transportation, and, occasionally, products I am asked to review. However, I make every effort to report my experiences fairly and honestly.

​Please note these photos are older. While they accurately reflected this destination during my visit, specific details have undoubtedly changed.

                                     Photo credit: Lisa Waterman Gray

​What's in This Post  
1) Education Meets Delicious Meals at Broadmoor Bistro
2) Education Never Tasted So Good
3) Broadmoor Bistro Slideshow

Education Meets Delicious Meals at Broadmoor Bistro

In the early days, we sampled delicious and gorgeous meals crafted by culinary students at Broadmoor Technical Center (in the Kansas City metropolitan area) amid cafeteria surroundings - a decision that made perfect sense given this program was part of the Shawnee Mission School District curriculum. 

But when the school district opened a brand new LEED-certified building, in 2017, the culinary program moved to its current Broadmoor Bistro space at The Center for Academic Achievement. The only high school to partner with the James Beard Foundation, its students serve customers amid an upscale space full of curved walls, linen napkins, and windows onto a kitchen that would be the envy of any culinary professional.

'Education Never Tasted So Good'

Available on most Wednesday evenings during the school year, online reservations to dine here disappear so fast that walk-in customers aren't feasible. It's no wonder. From the moment your first plate arrives at the table this stellar program's apt tagline - Education Never Tasted So Good - rings true. 

I've enjoyed several multi-course dinners there with coworkers, in recent years, when the only thing missing was a great glass of wine. Alas, having wine available isn't likely to happen given in this restaurant primarily run by high school students. 

The menu varies significantly, depending on the evening's theme - and perhaps whether a guest chef is sharing their passion and recipes with students on a given evening. Meals typically begin with fresh bread and butter, and perhaps housemade jam or jelly.

Several dishes I and co-workers enjoyed have included:
​ -Butternut Squash Soup – a gorgeous, velvety smooth dish incorporating roasted apple bits with toppings of maple cream and bright green peppercress (see slideshow photo)
 -Pumpkin Ravioli featuring braised rabbit plus tiny, ultra-soft Brussel sprouts with Chardonnay mustard beurre blanc and plenty of Parmesan
 -Skin-on Pan Roasted Sturgeon served atop linguini and garden vegetables, in rich seafood beurre blanc
  -Seared Duck Breast with Heartland grains, broccoli rabe and huckleberry peppercorn syrup

But there's always room for dessert at Broadmoor Bistro. Here are several that I and dining companions have tried: 
       - Flourless Chocolate Cake
       - Bread Pudding with stewed peaches and whipped cream
       - Crustless Sweet Potato Pie with maple cream and ginger walnut ice cream

Is your mouth watering yet? Whether you live in the Kansas City area or are just passing through on a Wednesday night, treat yourself to a top-notch meal at Broadmoor Bistro. 

       Banners at Alcazar Hotel/City Hall celebrating St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
                                       Photo credit: Lisa Waterman Gray
​What's in This Post  
1) Learning to Love Hispanic Architecture
2) Celebrating St. Augustine's 450th Birthday
3) Beyond Hispanic Architecture
4) Historic St. Augustine Slideshow

Learning to Love Hispanic Architecture

During elementary school, my family and I moved to Walnut Creek, CA, near Oakland. After living in Providence, RI, Pittsburgh, PA, Hartford, CT, and Grand Rapids, MI, we had 'landed' in a place that looked far different from our previous hometowns.

It was the first time our neighborhood had palm trees, and our Bay Area incorporated plenty of Hispanic architecture. The red tile roofs and adobe especially captivated me. However, we returned to Pittsburgh after only a year and half, leading my parents to call that time 'our California vacation.' But my love of such architecture would continue into - and throughout - my adulthood.​

                                      Photo credit: Lisa Waterman Gray​

When I interviewed for my first full-time professional position, in Kansas City, my prospective boss treated me to lunch at a restaurant situated amid the Country Club Plaza, where block after block of lovely buildings from the 1920s mimicked the look and feel of Seville, Spain - from tiled roofs to ornate iron work, and mosaics (see above). And I felt like I was home again.

       Photo credit: Lisa Waterman Gray - Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm

I later had a similar feeling during multiple trips through  New Mexico and Arizona. Little did I know St. Augustine's architecture would appeal to me the same way.

Celebrating St. Augustine's 450th Birthday

As our group of journalists toured St. Augustine, the architecture in this historic city thoroughly captivated me. Bright crimson and yellow banners celebrated its monumental birthday, from dozens of small ones hanging and flapping in the breezy courtyard of our 1700s-era hotel, the St. Francis Inn, to long dramatic banners hung along the front wall of the magnificent Alcazar Hotel/City Hall (see above photo).

Perhaps my favorite collection of Hispanic-style architecture appeared throughout the small, private Flagler College campus. Warm red tones punctuated tile roofs and exterior window treatments and complemented pale concrete/shell/stone walls and occasional brick towers, as tall palms swayed nearby.

Beyond Hispanic Architecture

From a stories-tall rooftop we caught a breathtaking view of what was once the Hotel Ponce de Leon. Now an integral part of the campus it included a garden area encircled by college buildings displaying quintessential late 1800s Spanish architecture. We even had undisturbed views of Alcazar Hotel and other city buildings, along the periphery.

In a city this old, plenty of other historic architecture filled historic neighborhoods. We toured the Oldest Wooden School House Historic Museum and (lovely!) Gardens, viewed Castillo de San Marcos National Monument from a distance after bright lights cast a ghostly nighttime glow on the historic limestone fort, and admired a plethora of shops amid the adobe-wrapped Colonial Quarter. 

There are plenty of fun activities to keep you busy during a St. Augustine visit. And if you appreciate gorgeous architecture, it's a terrific place to spend time too.

                                    Historic St. Augustine Slideshow
​                          
Disclaimer: As a travel writer I may receive complimentary stays, admissions, meals, transportation, and, occasionally, products I am asked to review. However, I make every effort to report my experiences fairly and honestly.

​Please note these photos are older. While they reflected the character of this destination during my visit, specific details have undoubtedly changed.

                                             Above photo by Lisa Waterman Gray

What's in This Post
1) What Put the Surf Ballroom On the Map 
2) How the Surf Ballroom Became Iconic
3) The Surf Ballroom Today
4) Slideshow

What Put the Surf Ballroom On the Map​

My eyes widened and pulse quickened as I read Don McLean’s handwritten lyrics on the wall, for part of his iconic 'American Pie' song. But this wasn't the only famous lyrics or signature written inside the greenroom at the Surf Ballroom. In fact, hundreds of additional musical performers had left their handwritten marks too, covering entire walls and even spots on the ceiling. 

Operating in Clear Lake, Iowa since 1933 (and less than a two hour drive from Des Moines), the Surf Ballroom had already become a hugely popular live music venue when winter weather put this amazing performance space in the history books because of an incident nobody would wish for.

How The Surf Ballroom Became Iconic

After Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson performed here before an enthusiastic crowd - on February 3, 1959 - the small plane destined to carry them to their next tour stop crashed in a nearby field during treacherous weather. Two years later, the Surf Ballroom & Museum was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Before becoming a not-for-profit the Sulf Ballroom provided a vibrant entertainment venue across the decades, with a move, a long dormant period, and several private owners previously at the helm. A robust concert schedule remains while vintage décor still evokes an old-school beach vibe, and museum pieces range from donated guitars to gold records. 

The Surf Ballroom Today
​
Today, 'The Surf' typically hosts three to four shows per month, while offering a wide variety of musical styles that include big band, blues, and country, as well as classic rock and modern rock, plus ‘50s tunes and ‘60s music. It's also a popular place to hold private events such as prom and political gatherings. 

But the Surf’s signature event remains the Winter Dance Party. What began as a Buddy Holly Tribute, in 1979, now draws fans from more than 40 states plus multiple foreign countries. This annual four-night music and dancing event takes place on the closest long weekend to the date when that fateful plane crash occurred. 

Whether you take in a live performance or simply visit and tour the Surf Ballroom & Museum, you'll walk away with huge appreciation for the legendary music that has shaped this destination.