More Treats for Butler County Finish

Teddy and I, along with my friend Heather, were finishing our long weekend in Butler County, Ohio. We had discovered plenty of wheelchair accessible activities while more than satisfying my sweet tooth.

We checked out of the Marriott Cincinnati North. It had been an ideal base for all the places we went around the county.

 The Donut Trail is a popular part of Butler County. We had managed to stop at about a half dozen of the shops. On our last morning, it was Jupiter Coffee & Donuts in Fairfield. This place has been mentioned in USAToday10Best. They are known for their Red Storm donut. It is raspberry-filled and has cream cheese frosting, with a swirl of red raspberry on top.

As much as I am a Buckeye donut fan, this one had me on the first bite. It was delicious. We had some coffee and they insisted we leave with a box of donuts.

 
Our next stop was a place I had been curious about for years. Jungle Jim’s International Market turned out to be nothing like I expected it to be. I thought it would be something similar to Sam’s Club or Costco, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I didn’t see big box items at Jungle Jim’s, but they had just about everything else you could think of.

The first thing to surprise me at Jungle Jim’s was the number of departments and businesses they have. They have a Graeter’s Ice Cream Shop and a Starbucks, and their own radio station, WJJI. They also have their own cooking school.

 While many superstores tend to appeal to families, this one had lots to bring in adults. The liquor store could only be described as tremendous. It includes a bar with frozen cocktails and wine tastings—they have the biggest selection of wine I have ever seen in one place.

When we were there, they were sampling THC drinks. This was across from something else I didn’t expect a cigar shop.

 

Before we left, we checked out the most unusual bathroom entrance anywhere. It looks like a port a potty. Once you open the door, you’ll see it is huge and very wheelchair accessible. We then stopped at the deli department. It was filled with sandwiches and fresh salads, the latter of which we purchased as we needed something healthy after our previous stop and before our next one.

We left Jungle Jim’s and started the drive home but first made a stop back in West Chester to The Cone. This ice cream shop is small on the inside, with enough offerings to make it extremely hard to decide what to get. They also had seating outside and rides for young kids.

 

Heather and I went with the state’s popular combo, Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Sundaes. Teddy enjoyed his vanilla pup cup with a small bone on top. It was a perfect Sunday ending for our accessible Butler County adventure.

I was hosted on this trip by Butler County, but opinions are my own.

A Fun & Delicious Day in Butler County-Part One

I almost always use this blog for a story representing each day of a trip. The idea is to be able to talk about all the little things I don’t have a chance to put in published stories. Sometimes I need to break with tradition, and this trip was one of those exceptions. We had so many things to do, and I have so many photos, on day two that it deserves two blogs!

One of the things I was told about Butler County before I arrived was that they have a Donut Trail. I’ve never been one to shy away from baked goods so this sounded like a scrumptious addition to the weekend.

Heather, Teddy, and I got started with the trail first thing Saturday morning at Holtman’s Donuts in West Chester, just a few miles from the Marriott we were staying at. It became instantly apparent that this was going to be a challenge and I wasn’t backing down. The crew at Holtman’s was waiting for us with a box of donuts.

I asked them, as I did on all the following stops, what their most unusual and popular donuts were. The unusual ones were Lucky Charms and Fruit Loops, and the popular ones are Maple Bacon and Buckeye.

For those who aren’t familiar with Ohio’s Buckeyes, in addition to being the name of Ohio State’s athletic teams, Buckeyes are chocolates filled with peanut butter. These are two of my favorites, so I was looking forward to trying it at a few separate places. As for Heather, she declared the Maple Bacon here the winner as it wasn’t just specks of bacon but included actual slices.

We then headed to Hamilton. We had most of the day planned for there with another donut stop first. It was about 11:00 am when we got to Kelly’s Donuts and they were almost sold out. Fortunately, they had put some donuts aside for us. They were all good, but I declared the Buckeye there the best I’ve had and that record still stands.

 

The next stop in Hamilton was at Pyramid Hills Sculpture Park. It is a must see when you are in the area. We only had an hour, and it wasn’t enough to see the extensive sculpture collection throughout the 470 acres of woodlands.

We got a golf cart to go in around in and see as much as possible before going inside the Ancient Sculpture Museum, funded by Attorney Howard T. Wilks. It was a contrast to the modern sculptures throughout the park. The collection was full of one-of-a-kind options.

 

Pyramid Hill was wheelchair accessible throughout, with exception of two steps to get into the Visitor’s Center. Someone came out while I waited by the steps and apologized, saying they were working on getting a ramp.

From the park we went to downtown Hamilton to visit Inside Out Studio. Not unlike the park, the area was a mixture of history and modern murals. We were also heading to another spot about art.

 

The mission of Inside Out Studio is to “provide an opportunity for artists with disabilities to produce, market, and receive an income from their art, while gaining confidence in their abilities.” The back of the building contains a large area with tons of supplies for the creation.

The front is the store where you can purchase these items. You’ll find all types of things for sale, from jewelry to home goods. The quality was all good and you could tell a lot of creativity went into making them.

It was time for lunch after Inside Out Studio. I would like to say we had something healthy after our donut breakfast, but Jolly’s Drive In was a staple in the area on our schedule. The menu is not very big, but everything on it was. The options were hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, fries, and onion rings.

We pretty much ordered one of everything at Jolly’s. We also had to have their famous root beer. I am generally not a soda drinker, but I do like a good root beer. I would definitely put theirs in this category.

 

The next activity on our schedule was back in West Chester, so we hit the road for the second half of the day.

Exploring Ketchikan, Alaska

It was another early day as we arrived in Ketchikan. Brittany and I had a quick breakfast and coffees from the International Café before we got off the ship in this Alaska city.

We were once again going on separate excursions. I was doing the Historical Ketchikan & Creek Street Walking Tour, with my scooter. Brittany was doing Ketchikan Safari with a Local Photographer. We both learned a lot about this unique city and its history.

 

My guide was of Tlingit descent. They are one of the Indigenous peoples in the Pacific Northwest, mostly in Alaska and Canada. They are one of 229 recognized tribes in Alaska. He had lived in Ketchikan all his life. As we walked, he told us all about the colorful life of the city built on water. The streets are all built on trestles and stairs, with a 274-foot-long tunnel in the middle of town.

 

During the Gold Rush, this town was Alaska’s center of fun, with bars on every corner and legal prostitution. Many of the bars are still there and 18,000 cruisers, on an average day during the season, help support the 8,000 residents.

 

We walked along Creek Street. It was the former red-light district and now has the city’s only heated sidewalk. We saw the creek with salmon and harbor seals, and the houses built on stilts over the water. Then we went through the park and into the center of town. We saw Totem Poles in each place. They were beautiful, so delicately carved. He explained the meanings within them to us.

 

Some of the ground in Ketchikan was a little rough, and curb cuts weren’t in every place I wanted to cross the road, but I did get to see everything the rest of the group did with my scooter.

Brittany saw a lot on her tour of the downtown, where she got closer to the stream to see the salmon spawning. She also went to Totem Bight State Historical Park.

 

When our tours were done, we met at Jellyfish donut shop. I could easily say it’s the most popular spot in Ketchikan. The line outside continued throughout the day. It wasn’t accessible so Brittany went inside and picked us up a smoked salmon donut and a Reese’s donut. Both were delicious.

When we got back from Port, we decided to go up to The Sanctuary for relaxation and lunch. We had been invited to spend an afternoon and it seemed like the perfect time as we left the state of Alaska.

There was a pair of lounge chairs by the windows, and we sat down. It was a bit cool, but the staff brought us blankets and we wrapped them around us as we waited for our drinks and the lunch menu, which was different from any other food spot on the Royal Princess.

I chose a selection of fruit, granola, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Brittany had a chicken sandwich and fries. We watched the ship sail out of Ketchikan from our lounges.

We could not resist when they came around with Afternoon Tea an hour later. It was a daily tradition on the ship. The tiny sandwiches and pastries looked delicious, and they were. The tea was comforting as the wind was still blowing and it was a bit chilly.

 

It was Italian Night in the main dining room. We had still not opened the bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne we received the day we boarded, and we decided to take it with us for dinner. After everything we ate at The Sanctuary, we weren’t overly hungry, but as with most cruisers, which changed when we saw the menu.

I started with prosciutto and melon, while Brittany had a seafood antipasto. For the main course, it was risotto for me and chicken parmigiana for Brittany. Dessert was baked Alaska and cheesecake.

 

The night finished with a walk on the deck to see a beautiful sunset as we sailed away from Alaska. It was as fitting as the whales greeting us when we entered the state.

 

We would be at sea all the next day before an evening stop at our last port: Vancouver, Canada.

 Photos by Marcia Frost & Brittany Lambright.

I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own. 

 

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Celebrating Romance is Different This Year

 

Sanctuary at Camelback

I know it’s been a while. I think it’s pretty obvious that I haven’t been doing much traveling. Like everyone else in the world, I’ve mostly been sheltering in place.

I did manage to get in two short, socially distant trips over the past six months that I will be posting soon. In the meantime, I thought I’d do a roundup of some ideas for those looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Romance deserves more than one day a year. February is the month that you’ll see most of the deals for it. That’s not different in this crazy time. What is different is the options to do things from a distance – if you’d like.

Here are some ideas from places I have been to and enjoyed.

Stay healthy. Wear your masks. I hope we’ll all be hitting the road in the near future.

Marcia Frost

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cake? Of course!

The chocolate cake at Portillo’s is one of my favorites ever. In honor of Valentine’s Day,, they always have a heart-shaped one available. This year, they are partnering with No Kid Hungry to donate $5 for every cake sold.

If you are in Illinois, you can pick up a cake at Portillo’s or have it delivered from one of your local services (i.e. Grubhub, Door Dash). You can also order from their website to be shipped anywhere in the country.

Free Concerts

Nickelback at Ravinia

Ravinia Festival is normally three months of concerts in a relaxing Chicagoland atmosphere. Like many other events, they’ve had to adapt die to the pandemic.

Chicagoland’s loss is the world’s gain as Ravinia Festival is broadcasting a concert series on WFMT.com. The shows will continue through March 11^th, on Thursday nights.

 

Don’t forget the donuts

Stan’s Donuts always gets creative with flavors for holidays and Valentine’s Day is mo different. My mouth is watering just thinking About how good their Peanut Butter Pocket is!

For February,  they are offering Beignet, Birthday Cake, and Lemon Pistachio. You can also order Stan’s Donuts for nationwide shipping through their website.

 

 

We Love Friends

On my last trip before Covid-19 hit the U.S, I was in Chicago. One of the things we did was to visit the Friends anniversary celebration at the AT&T store. It was a fun experience for any fan of the show, and we are.

The Friends Experience is coming back to Chicago, as well as New York. It will once again include displays with actual pieces from the sets, as well as interact opportunities. Visit the website for details.

A Romantic Inn

If you are ready to get away, Hotel Saugatuck in Michigan is a great place for romance. My stay was too short, but long enough to enjoy the spacious suite with jacuzzi, homemade dessert brought to our room in the evening, and delicious breakfast delivered in the morning.

If you are looking for the ultimate romantic getaway, check out the Hotel Saugatuck Proposal Package. It’s available through March 31^st. They have rooms at the inn as well as cottages. 

Head to Titletown

Lodge Kohler Lobby

Green Bay, Wisconsin, is not only home to the Packers, it’s the location of Titletown, an outdoor complex of fun. From ice skating to tubing (free February 18^th), you can bring your children or relive your childhood.

You can stay right there at Lodge Kohler, which has a full-service spa and  full-service spa and two great restaurants, Taverne in the Sky with its farm to table food and great views,  and the Leaps and Bounds Café (try the popovers).

 

Something Warmer

I’ve been to Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Arizona twice. The scenery is stunning and the spa is filled with unique and rejuvenating procedures. The resort also offers plenty of private casitas so you can easily socially distance.

With the warmer weather you can also find your own space at the pool, on the tennis court, or hiking. Check out all the specials they arecurrently running. 

Tasting Chicago during the Holidays

Brittany and I woke up pretty early at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago. 

We had a pretty full day and I didn’t want to overdo.

We had breakfast downstairs at Fisk & Co. as we planned our day.

Our first outing was to the Christkindlmarkt. I had never been to one in Chicago before, but had a good time at the Carmel one last year (and really loved the ones in Europe). 

The Christmas Market is a great place to get handmade souvenirs and German treats. 

I picked up a few Christmas tree ornaments and warmed with hot chocolate, while bringing home some potato pancakes and a pretzel.

I didn’t want to eat anything at the market because we had a brunch plan—and it turned out to be a big one.

After a nap, we took an Uber to the restaurant.

River Roast  turned out to be an excellent choice for brunch. The location was scenic along the river and there was live jazz music in the background.

We put in an order for the freshly baked cinnamon rolls while we were deciding on our entrees.

The cocktail list looked wonderful and I went for a Bellini, while Brittany had the Chocolate City Cold Brew. 

The rolls were about the best I’ve ever had, as was my meal choice, a roasted acorn squash was stuffed with cranberry, apple, parsnip, and faro.

Brittany enjoyed her fried chicken sandwich and we shared a side of the macaroni and cheese. We also had some tasty biscuits with honey.

All of the dessert menu looked fantastic. 

We decided to hang out, listen to the music, and enjoy another cocktail while we worked up an appetite for it.

We did find the room for an Adult Sundae Funday, vanilla ice cream with a spiked macaroon, whiskey cherries, rum soaked pineapple, and a Brûléed Banana, and PB & J Cheesecake. Yes, they were scrumptious!

Brittany wanted to go to the Blackhawk store, and I headed (on the same block) to Trader Joe’s, a store they really need to bring to Champaign.

We gathered our luggage from Hotel Monaco and made one last stop. Although we were pretty full, we did take home quite a bit from 

Stan’s Donuts.

For the holidays, they rolled out a Peppermint Chocolate donut, as well as a gingerbread one and one that was Crème Brulee filled.

We left with the boxes of donuts, which included my favorite, Peanut Butter Pocket.

We also had some Peppermint Hot Chocolate for me, and a Chocolate Lightening for Brittany for the road.

It was a sweet ending to my last trip for a while as I was heading back in for another back surgery.