The narrow two-lane road turned from asphalt to gravel, miles off the main highway, and we wondered if we were in the right place. There were no streetlights or billboards, only thick forest, tall grasses and delicate wildflowers. Then we spotted a bright orange sign: Exotic Feline Rescue Center. We had arrived at our destination. […]
Clauss Bakery & Café Rensselaer, Indiana When traveling the interstate highways, dining choices are pretty much limited to fast food and truck stops. We prefer to off-ramp toward small towns in search of eateries that cater to local folk. That’s how we found Clauss Bakery and Café in downtown Rensselaer, Indiana, about mid-way between Chicago […]
The countryside is gorgeous, the eating is divine, and outdoor adventure awaits on water and land in the Highland Lakes Region of Texas. Read my story in Urban Matter Chicago here.
Canyon of the Eagles is a rustic resort and nature park with amenities and cuisine befitting a luxury hotel. That’s what “glamping” is: A glamorous take on the campground lifestyle. Tucked within the picturesque Texas Hill Country is the Highland Lakes region of Burnet County. Canyon of the Eagles sprawls over 940 acres overlooking the […]
Longhorn Cavern is a spectacular natural wonder in the heart of Texas Hill Country. It’s an underground labyrinth formed eons ago when a rushing river sculpted the limestone bedrock. Left behind are gravity-defying rock formations, dazzling crystals, ancient fossils and an anthology of folklore. You’ll see and hear it all at Longhorn Cavern State Park […]
Waterparks are for kids, right? I mean, all those slides and chutes and tubes and stuff. All that splish-splashing around and loud shrieking noises. All that wetness. Such was my thinking before I was invited to spend a couple of days at Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort in New Braunfels, Texas. I hadn’t been to a […]
Ron Schluter, a former postmaster, and his wife, Sara, unpredictably created an award-winning upscale restaurant in small-town Nebraska. Neither one had previous food-service experience. Ron tells the story, interspersed with his signature belly laughs. First a bit of intro: Scottsbluff was founded in 1899 along an important landmark, now called the Scotts Bluff National Monument, […]
