Jun. 14, 2009 - LostValleyLakeResort

Had a great time yesterday (6/13/09) as we headed to Lost Valley Lake Resort to meet a friend and take a tour of this 500 Acre resort. It took is an hour and a half (with pit stop) to get there. It's about a 75 mile trip from Manchester, with some highway and some pretty curving & rolling hills.
They have so much to do there, your kid's will never be bored, that's for sure. It's a time share type of resort, so you buy in, and then can come and stay when you want (make reservations!). Options include apartments, Tenting, Tepee's or buying into a condo. I hadn't been there for about 25 years and was pleasantly surprised at all they had to offer. Holidays can be crowded with about 6,000 people coming in to "party" & have fun, so if you go make those reservations early.

Our friend Chele (who lives there with her husband, Jerry) took us for a tour of the resort. We also had lunch at the Creekside Inn and Chele picked up the tab. What a nice, unexpected treat for us. We really enjoyed her company and had quite a few laughs. Prayers for her too, as she is fighting cancer. Another strong woman who keeps on, keeping on!

The Inn is run by Shiela, a fun and lively gal who seems to know what she's doing when running this cafe! Great simple food (served hot & fast), and good times were had by all. We all ordered different items and we all agreed, it was very tasty! Our complements to the cook! They also do some catering for parties (on site).

We've got to do more of these little side trips and enjoy what we have here in this great state of Missouri! Here's a Visual Tour for you to view soon, but I have a feeling you'll want to visit it in person yourself!

Nov. 16, 2008 - Kimmswick_MO

Kimmswick...a place to check out crafts and antiques and enjoy some of the best home cooking and desserts! Just be sure to put your name in early as you can easily have a 2-2 1/2 hour wait to eat! What's your hurry anyway? It's a nice easy drive to get there and you can take your time shopping and viewing the quaint shops or bed & breakfasts (turn off your cell phone & enjoy being!). At the Blue Owl Restaurant, outside they had a musician playing a guitar and singing for your enjoyment and to wile away the time.
We found Kimmswick quaint and clean but also needing to have some of their old places "fixed" up or torn down. It's located on the Mississippi river so when it floods, most likely, parts of Kimmswick will be flooded too. Kimmswick was voted as one of the best small towns in the Midwest in June 2007. We took a ride over the river and there found some interesting stone work that I took photos of too. I'd like to have stopped at the Chamber of Commerce there, but it was closed when we visited. All the shops are closed on Monday, so keep that in mind if you decide to take the trip. It was a nice relaxing day and we look forward to going back again.

Nov. 29, 2006 - Wineries

One thing nice about our midwestern area is that we can take some nice drives here and find ourselves in wine country!

If you know wine, you already know that Missouri  is giving California a run for their money! You might have heard but some of the award winning wines that are coming out of these winerys. Germany never seems too far away, when you take a trip out to Hermann . The rolling hills and spectacular views here will take you on a mini-vacation! Stop by the wineries at: Hermannhof, Stone Hill, St. James, or Mount Pleasant (located in nearby Augusta ). Blumenhof Winery is located in Dutzow, just off the Katy Trail. Some of the wineries charge a small fee on summer weekends, but tours during the week, there is no charge.

Out in Marthasville, you'll find the grape growers, Connie and Dan Burkhardt hard at work on their vineyards. Stop by for a tour at Bethlehem Valley. Did you know that grape growers and wine makers are usually 2 separate businesses? Dan sells his grapes to a winery and they make his own label with the state grape Norton (or Cynthiana) a robust red wine.

Now if you're planning a romantic weekend, you might want to check out the nearby Bed & Breakfasts that are in that area too. Don't delay in getting a date scheduled. If you like antique shops and river views, you're gonna love visiting here.

  Register NOW for the 2007 Midwest Grape and Wine Conference, Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach, Missouri taking place on February 3 - 5, 2007. Have a grape time!

For past award winning wine suggestions: