Laid back Sunday - Oregon Day 2

A lazy Sunday started with Bloody Mary's and breakfast at the Farmers Plate and Pantry. A farm to table local restaurant which is a short three block walk from the Carlton Farmhouse. After breakfast, the girls went antique shopping for a few accent pieces for the house in the neighboring town of Newberg while the guys took care of a few house projects. 

Argh... Arkansas has such horrible wine shipping regulations. The one and only thing that I wish I could change about our new home state. Representative Greg Leding, we need to work on this! So, since we can ship 3 cases of wine back on Southwest - we found a couple of great places to fill up the boxes. Really yummy wines at Twelve and K&M right in the heart of Carlton. Great prices and would definitely recommend. 

Dinner tonight was at Cuvée, a little three course French restaurant with chef Henri - wonderful food scene going on in this tiny little town. Tomorrow our hosts leave for home and we will start exploring Oregon using The Carlton Farmhouse as our home base. 

Oregon Adventure - Day 1

Carlton, Oregon - The Willamette Valley is known for exceptional pinot's and we couldn't wait to experience the local wines. We started out almost needing a sweater this morning while enjoying coffee and pastries from the local "Carlton Bakery" with our wonderful hosts Jeff and Vicki Weiss who own the Carlton Farmhouse.





If you want a great home base for exploring the area, you can't pick a better vacation rental. Built in 1893, this home has the original hard wood floors, shiplap walls, a fully outfitted kitchen, furnishings hand picked by the owners while shopping at local stores, comfy beds and thick towels. We highly recommend!






We tasted wine at three wineries Elk Cove, Patton Valley (meh) and the summer bbq at Coleen Clemmons - lovely wines. 










Dinner was a special treat. Agrivino is a restaurant that showcases pure Italian cuisine during a 5 course wine pairing dinner. The chef produces family recipes from his grandmother "Nonna Agnese". We experienced new foods that were lick the plate clean delicious.

Hot Springs, Arkansas - A glimpse of another era

Established in early 1800's and known for 47 hot springs (143 degrees) believed for centuries to possess medicinal properties, this town of 30,000 is a mix of preserved historical buildings and the decay of vacant buildings showing the once popular spa town has past its prime.

In 1851, the city became home to many Major League Baseball spring training camps and was a popular stomping ground for gangsters like Al Capone because of easy access to illegal gambling, speakeasies, healing waters and horse racing.

Bath Houses- Eight very ornate bath houses have been preserved. The Fordyce bathhouse is now maintained by the national park service. Amazing view of a spa experience in the late 1800's. Stained glass sky light made from 8,000 pieces of glass, steam cabinets, mineral bath tubs and massage equipment that looks a little spooky.

The Army-Navy Hospital - Built in 1933 and this place is huge! The Army and Navy General Hospital was also supplied with water from the hot springs in Hot Springs National Park. It was administered by the War Department for the benefit of military members and honorably discharged veterans, who suffered from such diseases believed to be benefited by healing waters.

Public fountains- About five tank filling stations are located in the national park. We saw lines and lines of people filling up containers of the hot springs water. I stopped to talk to one guy and he said the water will help you live to 100. I thought that I should go buy a container or two! We did taste the water and it was really good tasting.

Abandoned buildings - They are everywhere! Some revitalization going on but almost every building along the historic district has a shop on the bottom and vacant floors above.

View from the top - The mountain tower gives you a wonderful view of the Quachita Mountains.

The Arlington Hotel: First built in 1875, then knocked down 20 years later and rebuilt and then destroyed by fire - this is the third construction. Popular resting place during prohibition due to escape tunnels that lead to the hotel from the speakeasies.

Garvan Gardens: The University of Arkansas botanical garden project. Neat area that also houses Anthony Chapel. Made in partnership with Fay Jones, Maurice Jennings of Fayetteville designed this 3.8 million dollar chapel. Really cool. But 3.8 million? I didn't think so! They also had a christmas light show that was very nicely done.

Mark and I came here on our pseudo honeymoon a little over 36 years ago. We really didn't have one and don't recall going to anyplace other than the race track. So it was really fun to actually experience Hot Springs. A little gem in the Natural State.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Adios Espana

Last day in Spain. It has been a wonderful trip. Ready to be back in the good ole U.S. of A. We have much to accomplish in the next four weeks. Shoot two weddings, find a place to live in Fayetteville, locate movers, and close on our house not to mention actually move. Crazy!!!

I think I have figured out the hot chocolate in Spain which is so delicious! We shall see when I try to reproduce back home. The hot chocolate and churros have been a real treat.

Today, we visited the inside of the Royal Palace. Quite spectacular. They only let you take pictures in one area and monitor the camera use closely. The armory area was really interesting and they have a huge collection of body armor for men (that are about the same size as adult women today), horses and even children. The main section of the palace was cool. Let me tell you, I could throw a fabulous party in this dining room.

Then we hit the Madrid flea market. What a huge every Sunday event. If you need or want something you are sure to find it there. Again incredibly crowded.

Mark's parents had recommended that we eat in the documented oldest restaurant in the world. Continuously operating since 1725. Such an interesting place and it did not disappoint. Their speciality is roasted suckling pig. Very good and interesting to see where and how it is roasted. Someone told us this is the original oven.

Then back to the Prado Meausem. Large collection of 1600, 1700 and 1800 works of European artists. What was interesting to learn is that some artists had a protege complete much of the work and they would come in and paint the face or some detail. Once you learn this it is pretty easy to pick out which ones were done completely by the artist and those that were not. I learned that I am not a fan of Goya. And the carvings out of marble and alabaster were very impressive. I gotta give a shout out to Crystal Bridges in Northwest Arkanas. It is the newest American art museum in the US and very impressive. Go visit it! It is much closer than the Prado.

Thanks to all that have followed us through this blog and our Camino adventure. Your comments and encouragement has really been appreciated!!!

On to the next adventure!!!

 

Posted with Blogsy