Views, Victorians and Vibes!

The view from the cabin deck on Beaver Lake

Derek and I recently had the chance to take a long weekend trip I have titled views, Victorians and vibes. It was a combination of a great evening overlooking Beaver Lake, followed by a trip to Eureka Springs and then two nights in the haunted Crescent Hotel. It's hard to pick my favorite part of the trip, but the view from the cabin deck was pretty unbeatable.

Inside our Lakeshore Cabin

While the cabin was immaculately decorated, we pretty much didn't leave the deck. The weather was perfect (mid 70's) and the leaves were just starting their display of color.

The deck

And this would be the famous deck. Two large rocking benches with a private view of the lake.

Sunset from the side of the cabin

I'm pretty sure this photo could be in Lakeshore's next brochure!

Dining al fresco

Before we left KC, we packed a "picnic" of steaks already marinating, salad with crumbled feta and dressing, a fresh loaf of Tuscan herb bread, our favorite olive oil and wine. We dragged the coffee table out so we didn't have to leave the perfect view and weather.

Thorncrown Chapel

Just outside of Eureka Springs is the popular Thorncrown Chapel. It is nestled in a heavily wooded area with amazing glass panels that open the chapel to nature. Derek's sister Donna was actually married here many moons ago.

The Grotto

Heading to our hotel, we passed a couple of grotto locations. This one was a beautiful spot to stop and relax. The grotto itself was dark and wet - definitely not as good a photo opp!

Dinner at DeVito's in Downtown Eureka Springs

We stopped on Saturday afternoon after walking the hills of the beautiful Victorian downtown to wet our whistle with a glass of wine at DeVito's Italian restaurant. We enjoyed it so much we went back for dinner that night. I enjoyed a pesto shrimp pasta and Derek has his good old standby....lasagna! It was delicious and we had a great Arkansas Tempranillo, but they cheated a bit by buying their grapes from California. We did go to a tasting at an Arkansas wine tasting room, but neither of us were big fans of the wines. I still think if you're going to have wine in the midwest, Somerset Ridge Winery outside of Louisburg is one of the best local wineries.

Downtown Eureka Springs

The architecture, hills and winding roads will keep your head spinning in all kinds of directions. This photo was taken from the balcony of the Basin Hotel (where we had a lovely massage on Sunday).

The Crescent Hotel

Thanks to a recommendation from our friend Susie, we spent our two Eureka Springs evenings at the historic and haunted Crescent Hotel. It was beautiful, but because of the date (10/10/10) it was extremely crowded with weddings and wedding parties. We were lucky to have a room at the end of the hall, but I'm guessing many guests didn't sleep much between the ghosts and loud parties!

The Crescent Hotel at night

The Crescent Hotel begins it's ghostly tours shortly after dark when the look and feel becomes much more ominous!

Rocking the afternoon away

The back of the hotel has a couple of balconies with lots of rocking chairs where you can overlook the entire city and just relax with a glass of wine, a book or just your thoughts.

Derek trying to "catch" his first ghost

So, one of the ways you can see the spirits that inhabit the hotel is through flash photography. The "orbs" you see in this photo are thought to be energy fields captured only through photography and not seen with the naked eye. We have many photos that show bright and numerous orbs, but had to include this one since Derek was intent on catching one.

Green blobs

Another way to capture these energy spirits is through blue and green "blobs". In this picture, you'll see them along the floor of the hallway.

Dr. Baker's St. Bernard

If you are one of those people that are good at spotting reversed out images, this is a photo taken into a mirror at a 45 degree angle where you can see the face of Dr. Baker's St. Bernard. Dr. Baker owned the hotel as a "cancer cure" hospital, and most of the ghostly spirits are thought to be patients and workers that died there.

Dr. Baker's loft

On our last night at the hotel, we met a couple that were staying in one of the haunted rooms and the staff of the hotel showed us a private suite you can rent where Dr. Baker worked. I frankly am not sure I really believe in ghosts and all of the paranormal activities some people are so passionate about, but it was hard to ignore some of the things we saw at the hotel. For more information about the ghosts thought to haunt the hotel, check out the hotel website. There are people who travel long distances to go on one of the ghost tours, and the hotel has been featured on the cable ghost hunting shows. For me, it was a much needed long weekend of amazing views, relaxation and a little fun ghost hunting!

Love In Larryville

Sweet Summer Rain

The name of this drink at Pachamamas in Lawrence is a great way to start this blog posting. Derek and I attended a great friend's daughter's wedding in Lawrence and drove to Lawrence in a late summer/early fall rainstorm. We wanted to try a new restaurant before the evening wedding, and opted for recommendations from friends. I had heard a lot about this place and because we were early diners, we opted for the "Star Bar" portion of the restaurant. Ken Baker is the chef and owner and the focus is on seasonal, local and organic ingredients when possible, and very unique flavor combinations. I chose the Shire Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Egg (thanks to a recommendation from Lacy, our bartender). Derek had the Wood Fired Provolone Flatbread. I definitely won on the food choice, although I'm sure those calories are still hiding somewhere I wish they weren't. The drink pictured above was also Lacy's recommendation to Derek and came with a "high five" when it was served. It combined whiskey, ginger beer and a splash of something for color that escapes me.

Danforth Chapel

Danforth Chapel is a staple on the KU campus and I hadn't actual been there since the fire that destroyed it and it was then rebuilt to mirror the original structure. As you can see, it's in a picturesque setting and the rain had stopped, leaving everything green and rain-kissed.

Caitlin and Brett

The bride and groom had a simple, but beautiful ceremony. The family are big KU fans, so for some, there is nothing better than the combination of a wedding and Danforth Chapel. And they started the day with pictures at Allen Fieldhouse. My favorites were the ones on the Jayhawk on the basketball floor. I would include a copy, but then the photographer would have to kill me.

Sweet ride to the reception

Thanks to family members that have a love for vintage, the couple rode to the reception at Alvamar in style. Derek and I sat at a table of young couples, and I was reminded of the hope, anticipation and dreams of those years right out of school. Ah, love in Larryville.