Iowa Girl on the Go

I wrote a Top 10 Things to do in Burlington blog in August 2011, but I visited this river city again last week, and I think it’s OK to post a few new pictures. Burlington is historic, it’s right on the Mississippi, it has really lovely old architecture, and it has a kick-ass bridge. Take a look:

Take a hike! Even if you’re not much of a walker, Hitchcock Nature Center in Honey Creek, Iowa (not far from Council Bluffs) probably has a trail that you would enjoy.

Trails are clearly marked on a map as easy, moderate, and difficult.

Last week, I took a fully accessible boardwalk hike on Hawk Ridge. I wish it would have been warmer (a stiff north wind made it feel about 25 degrees), but even with no leaves on the trees, the walk was lovely.

Hitchcock Nature Center is a 1,268-acre nature preserve. Besides its 10 miles of hiking trails along the scenic Loess Hills, the center is also home to the Loess Hills Lodge Interpretive Facility, featuring an interpretive garden of native prairie plants, hands-on activities for the kids, and an observation deck with beautiful views.

The park offers camping, RV sites, and “camping cabins” that include air conditioning/heat, electricity, bunk beds, refrigerator, and microwave – but no running water. For that, you have to walk to the restrooms and shower houses and to a hydrant for cooking and drinking water. I’m not a camper, but this sounds fun.

To get to Hitchcock Nature Center, take I-29 to the Crescent exit and travel east to the Old Lincoln Highway. The park is located 5 miles north.

Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha’s botanical center, has added a year-round oasis to its already wonderfully landscaped gardens.

The 17,500-square-foot Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory opened last October and features panoramic views throughout its soaring glass walls. There’s a tropical garden, a temperate garden, and a garden that looks like you wish your backyard would look. There’s also a waterfall and a pond with water lilies and a gazillion enormous plants. It’s a real showplace, and it’s so great that it’s a four-season space.

The rest of the garden is, of course, slightly more seasonal. I visited once in the summertime when nearly everything was in bloom, including a spectacular flowering meadow. I loved the formal Victorian garden then, and when I visited again last week I still loved it, even though it’s really early spring. The gardens are so beautifully designed that I would imagine they make a lovely place to walk, even in the winter.

I enjoyed the model railroad garden (it’s great for kids) and the woodland trail and waterfall. There are a dozen more garden spaces to explore – I would guess they’ll be bursting with color in another six weeks.

Meanwhile, besides the conservatory, you can enjoy the visitor and education center, which is featuring the “Nature Connects 2: Art with LEGO Bricks” exhibition through April 26. There’s a giant praying mantis, bald eagle, squirrel, butterfly, humming bird, and more — and kids can hunt for all kinds of colorful sculptures throughout the facility.

There’s also a terrific gift shop. Think Mother’s Day!

Lauritzen Gardens is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. except major holidays, with some extended evenings May through September. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids 6-12.

To get there, take the 13th St. exit off I-80. Turn right and follow the signs.

Philadelphia is a great walking city. It’s a great history city. And it’s a great food city. I’ve visited Philadelphia a couple of times, and I was there again last week for a magazine editors’ conference. I didn’t have a lot of time to be a tourist because I was in sessions at the Penn’s Landing Hilton the vast majority of the time, but I did do a couple of things that I thought might be cool, and they were.

The first was to visit the historic Reading Terminal Market. This place – a mile-plus from my hotel but easily walkable – is a mecca for all things food. It takes up a whole city block (between 11^th & 12^th Streets, Arch and Filbert Streets), just a block from Chinatown.

If you’ve been to the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle or the Third & Fairfax Market in LA, it’s kind of like that: fixed shops selling mostly fresh, local, and ethnic foods, both the prepared sort and ingredients to take home and make your own meals. Reading Terminal Market is said to be the oldest continuously run market of its kind in the country.

When I first walked in on Tuesday night, about an hour and a half before the market was scheduled to close, I was overwhelmed. The place seemed so huge. There are street signs down each aisle so you don’t get lost. I loved the neon signs and the overwhelmingly delicious smells: bread, cookies, grilled onions, cheese, jambalaya, you name it.

I wasn’t there to buy anything, really. Just checking it out for the next morning, when I planned to walk back for breakfast and also buy some food to have in my hotel room. It was hard not to just buy everything in sight. I wanted a whoopie pie in the worst way. But I held out, just walking around, deciding what to eat the next morning, taking pictures. Until I started out the door and a cookie vendor announced that (because the market was closing) all remaining cookies were just a dollar. I can’t pass up a dollar cookie, so I bought an oatmeal pecan chocolate chip cookie and happily munched it as I walked back toward my hotel.

The next morning when I arrived at the market again I was so excited that I went directly to Beck’s Cajun Café, a New Orleans-style restaurant that I scoped out the night before, for an order of beignets and café au lait, just like they serve at Café Du Monde on Decatur Street in NOLA.

Except that they weren’t. The server was friendly and kept my coffee cup filled, and the beignets (six of them) were hot from the fryer and covered with powered sugar. But they were heavy and had a greasy taste and let’s just say that I’m glad the market had a bathroom because they did not set well with me. Ugh.

But I still had a swell time at the market. I bought a shopping bag and filled it with Philadelphia-style pretzels, cheese, a whoopie pie (yay!), and some chocolate. Everything looked so good, and the market was fresher and busier than it had been the night before. The Amish (Pennsylvania Dutch) stands were open, too. Though most of the vendors are open daily, the Amish merchants from Lancaster County are only there four days a week.

I looked longingly at the breads and cheeses, produce, crepes, deli sandwiches, pastries, candies, flowers, coffee, Middle Eastern falafels, gyros, Indian specialties, and a bunch of other yummy stuff. There were also a lot of Philly cheesesteaks, meat – both raw and cooked – and fresh fish at the market – but these are not my thing.

After that trip, I hunkered down at the hotel for the next two days, and when I emerged at the end of the conference, I took a taxi to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, famous for its “Rocky” steps. This is a big, comprehensive art museum with American art, European art from the 12^th century to the 1900s, modern and contemporary art, Asian art, and special exhibitions.

The museum also had a terrific – and I mean really terrific, by real restaurant standards, not by museum café standards – restaurant called Granite Hill, just one of several places to eat in the museum. I had the appetizer-sized gnocchi tossed with olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, butternut squash, and toasted pumpkin seeds, and it was so wonderful I wanted to lick the plate.

After that it was sort of hard to get in the mood to walk slowly and look at paintings, but the museum is huge and filled with lovely Impressionists and whatnot, so it was a good time. I especially enjoyed the special exhibit “Represent: 200 Years of African American Art.”

The bonus in all of this is when you walk out of the second floor exit, you have this fabulous view of the city (the museum is located at the very end of the Parkway Museums District), with monumental structures everywhere and statues and flags and fountains. The architecture is cool in every direction.

I walked back to the hotel, taking my time (it’s a couple of miles at least) and stopping at the Rodin Museum (below), the entry to which was included in my admission to the Museum of Art. There are a dozen other museums that beckoned – the Barnes Foundation, Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Franklin Institute among them – but I needed to get back, grab my bags, and head for the airport.

I have to backtrack just a bit and mention a few other places I ate dinner when I was in Philadelphia. I highly recommend any of these:

• FarmiCiA, a farm-to-table restaurant at 15 S. 3^rd There I had wonderful squash risotto croquets atop roasted mushrooms (pictured above), a selection of breads and herbed butter, and a glass of pinot noir. This place had lots of vegetarian and vegan options along with plenty of choices for meat eaters. And it was really cute and cozy.
• City Tavern, established in 1773, at 138 S. 2^nd This is one of those seemingly touristy places where the servers dress in Colonial garb, and I’d had a bad experience there before (with a nasty waiter who would not offer separate checks to my table of unconnected strangers). This time I was treated to dinner at City Tavern by one of the conference sponsors, so separate checks were not a problem and our group of 18 had a wonderful time. Unlike FarmiCiA, the menu at City Tavern is almost 100 percent meaty. The lone vegetarian entrée is fried tofu, described thusly: “In a 1770 letter to Philadelphia’s John Bartram, Benjamin Franklin included instructions on how to make tofu.” Really? All the editors at my table thought that was a fact that cried out to be checked. But I ordered it and it was actually pretty good, and the bed of linguine underneath was delicious. Others in my group ate lamb chops, salmon, beef tenderloin, lobster pie, and other entrees that made everyone swoon. We were a happy table.
• And last but not least, Cuba Libre, at 10 S. 2^nd This restaurant was recommended by a local woman I met on a street corner, so I figured it was not a Disney version of Cuban food, and it wasn’t. The atmosphere was really fun (I wish I taken pictures). I went with an editor friend, and we shared three tapas: tostones (fried green plantains with Dijon-mojo dipping sauce) that tasted a little like fried green tomatoes; spinach and manchego buñuelos (cheese and spinach puffs with goat cheese-ranch sauce); and shrimp and corn fundido (basically a thick cheese dip with tortilla chips). They also served us bread with some kind of sweet butter that together tasted like French toast. We had a couple of cocktails, and were ready to leave but then the server convinced us to use our free-dessert coupon to split an order of warm banana bread with vanilla ice cream and some kind of caramel topping. Wow.

OK, enough with the food porn. I should mention that all of these restaurants were within easy walking distance of our hotel at Penn’s Landing and also very close to the historic district (Independence National Historic Park, Liberty Bell, Constitution Center, blahblahblah).

Here are a few parting shots of Philadelphia:

I was in Kansas City this week, but not for the reason you’d think – because unfortunately I didn’t get to go to the men’s Big 12 Basketball Tournament at the Sprint Center. I traveled there on Tuesday for an evening Iowa State alumni club event at The Roasterie coffee headquarters (1204 W. 27^th St.) just south of downtown Kansas City.

About 100 Iowa State grads and friends came to the event to socialize and to hear Jim Heemstra and me talk about our VISIONS Across America experience. It was a fun evening.

Afterwards, we stayed in the Country Club Plaza area and ate a late dinner at The Melting Pot. A bubbling pot of cheese fondue and a glass of wine was a relaxing way to end the day.

The next morning, before heading back to Ames, Jim and I ate breakfast at Harvey’s at Union Station. The open-air restaurant sits in the center of the Grand Hall of the old train station. The food was actually really good, and the location is a huge bonus.

I was hoping to take some pictures of Union Station’s grand architecture, but unfortunately this was the day of a middle-school science fair, so there were a gazillion kids and tables and science projects everywhere. (My favorite project: “Roses are Red, Ours are Dead.”)

Science fair chaos notwithstanding, this is one gorgeously renovated old building (seen above from the nearby Liberty Memorial). Built in 1914, the train station welcomed a million travelers during World War II. After closing in the 1980s, the station sat empty and was nearly torn town. Thankfully, it was renovated starting in 1996 and it’s absolutely wonderful.

Besides Harvey’s, there’s another restaurant – Pierpont’s – plus Science City, a movie theater, and exhibition space. And you can still ride the train – Union Station is also an Amtrak stop.

Centerville, Iowa, located at the intersection of Iowa Highways 5 and 2, is the county seat of Appanoose County. Like a lot of county seats, Centerville has a thriving town square around the courthouse, with dozens of shops and businesses and gobs of parking. I liked the old theatre marquee just off the square.

I visited Centerville in the winter, and I’m assuming the town expands a lot during the warm, summer months because it’s very close to Rathbun Lake, a huge recreation area in southern Iowa – and it’s also the nearest town (of any significant size) to Honey Creek Resort State Park. But even in February, the town had a lot to offer. There are several historic sites – Appanoose County Historical and Coal Mining Museum (Centerville is an old mining town), an old jail, and railroad depot – plus shopping, restaurants, and some beautiful old homes.

I spent some time at The Shoppes at Bradley Hall, a huge 1909 house at 519 Drake. Every room is filled with stuff: jewelry, purses, antiques, food and kitchen accessories, gifts, home décor, antiques, and Christmas decorations galore.

I was hoping for more antiques and less gift-y stuff, but it was still fun to poke around the three-story house. I bought an old plastic snowman that lights up — something to add to my collection.

I finally made it to Dutchman’s Store in Cantril, Iowa, last Saturday. You may remember my disappointment at not stopping there when I did my tour of the Villages of Van Buren County last fall, and I’ve thought about it many times since.

This February visit surprised me in several ways. First because it was so darn crowded – I mean, this is Cantril, population 220. And second because there wasn’t the slightest indication that any of the shoppers were tourists (besides me, of course). Everyone was pushing a cart, filled mostly with groceries, and leaving the store with many bags – enough for a week’s worth of food. Not tiny sacks of flavored taffy and containers of bulk spices, which is what I wanted to buy.

To describe Dutchman’s Store is to imagine this: What if a Mennonite family invented a Super Wal-mart? Because the place is huge, and it has everything: fresh produce, candy, canning supplies, bread, gifts, meat, toys, work boots, cheese, clothes, bolts and bolts of colorful cotton fabric, whoopie pies, and everything you can possibly imagine available in bulk. In a way, it’s very much like stepping back in time, but there are also totally modern, bad-for-you products available there, like Lays potato chips.

Cantril is located just off of Hwy. 2 in southeast Iowa. Dutchman’s Store is closed on Sundays. If you go, be sure to drop by Milton Creamery a few miles west on Hwy. 2 for good, local cheese.

I can think of lots of reasons to spend time at Honey Creek Resort State Park in southern Iowa’s Appanoose County. For me, it’s a relaxing getaway with hiking, snowshoeing, and good food.

For others, it might be boating, swimming, and fishing in the 11,000-acre Rathbun Lake – the resort is located on the lake’s north shore. Or perhaps golfing at the 18-hole golf course.

For families with small kids, the draw might be the Buccaneer Bay indoor water park and ranger-led kids’ activities for every season – like scavenger hunts, crafts, and birdwatching.

Open in 2008, Honey Creek Resort really has something for just about everyone, at least for everyone who enjoys the outdoors. I spent the weekend there in frozen February, and I was amazed at how many other people were there. The resort’s website promotes “Family Winter Wonderland” and “Winter Romance” packages to bring people to the resort at reduced rates during the off-season.

(Which brings me to a bit of advice for anyone wishing to travel to Honey Creek Resort for a romantic getaway: Just be aware that there will be lots and lots of families with small kids running around. Don’t assume you’ll be able to have a romantic dinner in the restaurant, even though the restaurant is all dark wood with romantic lighting. There WILL be kids. The rooms and hallways in the main lodge are also noisy with running, happy children. My advice, if you want privacy, is to book one of the cottages. I’m assuming they’re quiet.)

Anyway, I went to Honey Creek last weekend hoping to snowshoe a bit, but unlike my backyard in Ames, the state park had very little snow aside from a few piles. It was still really beautiful; the lake was frozen and the landscape was stark and dramatic. In contrast, the resort was warm and inviting.

The main lodge – with 105 guest rooms and suites — is beautifully decorated in the arts and crafts style, with lots of wood and stone and mission-style furniture. The architects and decorators clearly took a lot of pride in the details of this place.

Central to the look and feel of the lodge is a vaulted ceiling and a massive, mosaic fireplace. The back of the lobby features floor-to-ceiling windows, with a wide view of the lake.

At one end of the lodge is the Rathbun Lakeshore Grille restaurant and lounge. At the other end is the water park. In between are three levels of guest rooms. Also on the property are 28 standalone cottages of varying sizes (like the one below) – all of which I assume would be quiet.

I arrived on Friday afternoon before the 4 o’clock check-in time, but my room was ready so I was allowed to check in early. I opted for the least expensive “resort view” king room ($107 plus tax), which is more accurately “parking lot view.” I think next time I’d spring for the extra 20 bucks and get a “lake view” room. The room itself  (above) was very nice, with a big, soft bed and comfortable furnishings.

I spent the afternoon walking along the lakeshore and taking pictures. Before long I was hungry so I made my way to the Rathbun Lakeshore Grille. I ate in the bar at a high-top table by the window. (During the warmer months, a pleasant grouping of outdoor tables is available.) The fully stocked bar had a small but excellent selection of microbrews; I ordered a Millstream Schild Brau Amber (brewed in Amana) and settled in to look at the menu.

Here were a few of my dinner choices: Steak DeBergo, honey-fried walleye, smoked duck breast, cherry plank salmon, New York strip, pasta with fried green tomatoes and parmesan, and penne with graziano sausage and peppers. I opted for the brie pesto portabella – a marinated mushroom stuffed with basil pesto and topped with thick, melted slices of brie. It came with sides of rice and green beans with cranberries, plus rolls and a salad with house-made blue cheese dressing. It was a remarkable meal start to finish, with friendly, efficient service. The only downside of my dining experience was the family seated next to me with three noisy children and an overbearing grandma – but this, as I mentioned before, is just one of the realities of Honey Creek Resort. It’s a family place.

After dinner I wandered down to the indoor water park to see if I might want to sit in the hot tub, but I didn’t find it too appealing, especially since I was there by myself. I don’t know how to describe this water park because I don’t have a lot to compare it to. I visited the Wisconsin Dells once with my extended family, and the water park at our resort was about 10 times bigger than this one…but it was outdoors. I think if I had little kids who liked to swim, this would be a great winter retreat for them. The pirate-themed water playground has a water slide, lazy river, pool, and hot tub. All guests receive water park passes for each day of their stay.

Instead of the hot tub, I spent the remainder of the evening tucked into my room with a good book and a glass of Bailey’s Irish Cream.

After a good night’s sleep (despite the room noise, which was considerable) I found myself back at Rathbun Lakeshore Grille, this time in the main dining area. My server this morning was just as friendly as the one last night, and she kept my cup filled with hot coffee. A breakfast buffet was available, but I ordered off the menu. I was tempted by the pancakes, French toast, a Belgian waffle, and “bananas foster” French toast (rum and cinnamon infused French toast with caramelized bananas), but in the end I got the create-your-own omelet with mushrooms and Monterey jack cheese, with homestyle potatoes and wheat toast. It was delicious, and way more than I could eat.

It seemed a shame to leave the resort – it felt as though I’d just arrived – but check-out time is 11 a.m. If you go with family or friends, I’d recommend at least a two-night stay. There’s plenty to do right on the property, especially during warmer weather. Check out Honey Creek Resort’s website for specials and upcoming events.

Today was a beautiful day to be outside. After the big snowstorm we had last weekend — and the bitter cold that blasted through Iowa this week — today felt positively balmy.

I took a short snowshoe hike at Ledges State Park near Boone. I’m sure it would have been prettier a couple of days ago, before all the snow fell off the trees, but it was just SO COLD. Today it was 40 degrees so all the trees were bare, but there was still deep snow and plenty of evidence of hikers, snowshoers, and cross-country skiers. Perfect!

Downtown Ames was the scene for two art exhibitions last night. At Design on Main, Sodam Lee opened an exhibit titled “The Impact of Cultural Environment on Human Life.” Lee, who came to Iowa from Seoul, South Korea, to study art,  is a graduate student in integrated visual arts at Iowa State University. She received the 2013 Des Moines Arts Festival Emerging Artist Award.

The exhibition at Design on Main (203 Main Street) runs through Friday, Jan. 30.

Just up the street at the Octagon Center for the Arts, a large crowd gathered for the opening of the 47th Clay, Fiber, Paper, Glass, Metal, Wood annual all-media exhibition. Juror Pauline Verbeek-Cowart of the Kansas City Art Institute chose 65 diverse art works from a pool of 323 entries.

The exhibit continues through April 4 in the Octagon Center’s main gallery. The Octagon is located at 427 Douglas Avenue.