Ironworks is Much More Than a Your Usual Hotel

I needed to make two trips to Indianapolis when I was dealing with the IPhone debacle. The mall where Apple is located is not near the downtown area I am used to in the city. It’s also about two hours from my house, making it a long roundtrip to do in a day.

On my first trip there with my friend, Amanda, I noticed Ironworks Hotel when we got off the highway. It was a hotel I had wanted to go to for a while. I arranged an overnight stay for my next trip to Apple.

Ironworks is located in the Keystone complex. It’s filled with businesses and restaurants. Since it was a Sunday, most of them were closed and we decided to eat before we went there.

It doesn’t take much to convince me to go to Cheesecake Factory—we don’t have one at home. Amanda took the waitress’ recommendation and ordered the fish tacos. I’m someone who loves to try different things, but I always get the same dish at Cheesecake Factory. It’s because it’s so unusual and something I don’t have anywhere else.

The Soft Corn Tamale Cakes consist of three polenta cakes, topped with sour cream, avocado, and two types of salsas. It’s actually considered an appetizer, but I can rarely finish it as my full meal. I did this and we had to take the cheesecakes to go for a snack later.

We then headed to the Ironworks Hotel. I knew it was special as I had been to its sister property nearer to downtown Indianapolis, Bottleworks. They are both part of the Geronimo portfolio.

Ironworks is the only boutique hotel in that area. It’s luxurious while maintaining a casual atmosphere. I am not the only one who feels that way. Ironworks has received a Michelin Key, AAA Four Diamond Award, and TripAdvisor’s Best of the Best Award.

The hotel’s design is a dedication to the industrial period, which is even shown in the black and white photograph in the elevator. Their theme is work hard and play hard and Ironworks makes it all easy.

It’s always nice to get a suite, but it’s been a rarity since I’ve needed a wheelchair accessible room. We had one at Ironwood. It was huge and as unique as the hotel. It was styled as a loft, in a corner, filled with windows, and a television that could be accessed from the bedroom and the living room.

The room also had a large, wheelchair accessible bathroom. The walk-in shower was bigger than most, and they had the hose easy to reach by the chair, but not the shampoo and conditioner (something I encounter a lot). The closet had lowered bars, and we found two comfortable robes in there too.

Teddy came along on this trip. The hotel accommodates dogs and left him two bowls, one with bottles of water and the other with a bag of treats with an Ironwoods bandana! He wasn’t the only one. We had a welcome basket with wine, chocolates, water, and snacks. It was not just any wine, but a Grateful Dead Anniversary edition of Gnarly Red.

 

Before we left in the morning, we ordered breakfast from Rize, which was right downstairs. The breakfast sandwiches were large and went well with the lobby coffee, which even has an assortment of flavored syrups and milks.

 

 

I was hosted for this stay, but opinions are my own.

Boston Trip 2: Busy Day Back in Boston

 

My second trip to Boston in the 21st Century was for surgery. I wasn’t going to waste a trip to a city I Ioved, so I arrived two days early, and filled the schedule with as much as I could. It was a cross between being dedicated to seeing more of Boston and trying not to worry too much about my upcoming surgery.

It was just before the holidays, and the downtown hotels were pretty expensive. I found a deal at a hotel in the Fenway Park area that looked interesting. It turned out to be directly in front of Fenway Park and interesting was an understatement.

 

I had arranged an accessible ride with Go Airport Shuttle. The driver was waiting for me at Logan Airport when we arrived and took me to The Verb. An attendant greeted us. There were no steps to get in, and I wheeled right into the lobby.

Soon after I checked in, I went out to explore. I couldn’t be this close to the iconic Fenway Park and not check it out. I was told the tour was not accessible—but you can get accessible seating during the season. I still walked around the outside and could see just how special this place was.

I hadn’t eaten since my early morning flight and grabbed a Mediterranean bowl at Cava. The Fenway area is much different than downtown Boston. The cobblestones were missing and there was a more modern feel.

 I  took a short nap after my exploration and decided to forego the Lyft WAV and wheel the mile to The Prudential Center, where I was meeting my friend, Amanda. It was an unusually warm day for December, and it looked to be a scenic ride.

I went through the Fenway Victory Gardens and through the Back Bay Fens. Like just about everything else in Boston, there was history all around me. I passed a statue of “Poet Patriot” John Boyle O’Reilly, and the location of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 

I hit those famous cobblestones and got bounced around a bit, but I saw The Prudential Center in front of me and knew it would be better in there.

The Prudential Center is a modern mall, with wide and smooth walkways that are perfect for wheelchairs. They even had a huge accessible bathroom. I love a bathroom I can easily turn my wheelchair around in, then be able to get myself up holding on to properly placed rails. 

I knew we were having dinner, and I didn’t want to fill up, but I was early and decided to stop at Eataly for a latte and a cannoli. They make them fresh and they are delicious.

I met up with Amanda about an hour later in front of the entrance to The View Boston. I expected to just go up to the top floor for view of the city, but it was so much more. We found multiple floors with displays, history, and videos about Boston. There were also 360-degree views and miniature maps explaining everything you are seeing.

The Stratus, Boston’s highest bar, was decorated as a winter wonderland. We were tempted to stay for a drink, but it was crowded and we had reservations for dinner at the restaurant. Stratus has a patio too. We went outside to catch the view, but it was too cold to stay there.

The Beacon had a creative cocktail menu that included Spirit Free and Zero Proof drinks. Amanda had a Boston Garden Fizz, with vodka, strawberry-basil shrub, and soda water. I did the Southside, with zero-proof gin, mint, and soda. With all the botanicals in the gin, I couldn’t even tell that it was alcohol-free. After all, I was having surgery the next day.

The food at The Beacon was as good as the menu made it sound. We started with sharing the wings and meatballs with ricotta. They were both flavorful, but not too spicy. I had the sausage and cavatelli with burrata for a main course.

 

We enjoyed our meal before it was time to go. I was surprised to find out when we got downstairs that it was raining hard. I didn’t want to get soaked so I called a Lyft WAV to take me back to The Verb.

I had thought I’d eat something again and stay up late because I couldn’t eat in the morning and surgery wasn’t until the afternoon. I was just too tired and drifty off to sleep quickly.

 

Visting Superman’s Hometown

 

Illinois is filled with small towns with their own personality. Even after 17 years of living here, I still have a list of many I have yet to explore. Toward the top of that list was Metropolis, the hometown of the character of Superman.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Metropolis, and it met my expectations. I took along my friends, Amanda and Heather, and my service dog, Teddy.

 

We stayed at Harrah’s Metropolis Hotel & Casino. It’s a large property within walking distance to everything in town. Amanda and Heather shared a room, while Teddy and I had a larger accessible room with two beds and a big bathroom with rails and a chair in the walk-in shower. 

After check-in, we headed downtown to the Superman Museum. The entrance to the museum is filled with photos in the window and something you’d expect the Man of Steel to need—a phone booth. 

You first walk into the store. I can’t imagine there is anything related to Superman you will not find for sale, including clothes of all sizes and kryptonite candy.

Superman Museum is a dream for the superhero lover. It pays homage to every Superman and the actors who played him. A lot of the memorabilia is one of a kind, such as the final script of the first Superman movie with Christopher Reeve, and the original costume worn in Superman III.

 

You’ll see photographs of Reeve, Dean Cain, and all the actors who played Superman, as well as all the actors who played Lois Lane and Supergirl. Branded video games, dolls, and toys are everywhere.

After the museum, they walked and I rolled around the downtown. It’s filled with quirky shops and Superman (and Lois) statues. Metropolis has a uniqueness you certainly can’t match anywhere else.

I found out that you can easily soar through the streets in Metropolis with a wheelchair. The town is also extremely dog friendly and Teddy was welcome everywhere we went. Of course, I had to dress him to fit in.

 
After reading about the restaurants in the town, we settled on Fat Edd’s, for its food reviews and dog friendliness. The food is mostly centered around barbecue, and they have quite a selection.

I cleared with the manager that the shrimp was cooked separately, and I didn’t need to worry about allergy contamination. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, Amanda got the Lava Chicken, and Heather had the BBQ chicken platter. Teddy was happy with scraps, and French fries.

 
Metropolis isn’t just about Superman. We found some relaxing and historic outdoor spots to check out too.

Dorothy Miller Park is on the Ohio River and a perfect place for a picnic or relaxing afternoon. It’s filled with picnic tables and paths to explore. There is a lighthouse and Teddy found plenty of spaces to enjoy while I wheeled around.

 

Fort Massac State Park is also on the river, but an entirely different park. This one is on 1500 acres and includes a visitor’s center with an extensive collection of Native American artifacts, offers camping, trails, forestry, and recreated buildings.

The history of Fort Massac is quite complicated and includes the original Native Americans, the landing of the Europeans back in 1540, the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, and Civil War. The park is free to enter, and they have plenty of parking, including handicapped spots.

 

Before leaving Metropolis in the morning, our last stop in downtown was breakfast at Sissy’s, A Sweet Spot. It’s actually more of a bakery than restaurant, but they do have accessible seating. They also have so many treats it was hard to decide to decided what to get.

In the end, we all had breakfast sandwiches for practicality. I also got a pumpkin cream cheese muffin for us to share. It was as delicious as it looked and a great way to end our trip to Metropolis.

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

24 Hours In Milwaukee

We arrived in Milwaukee on the Lake Express Ferry in the evening. It had been a scenic ride across Lake Michigan from Muskegon, Michigan.

It was good to be back to in Milwaukee. I had wanted to return for years, and it never worked out. Although this was to be a short trip, I wanted to make it happen.

My friend, Lynn, and I were staying at a most unusual hotel. The Brewhouse Inn & Suites has a long history, going all the way back to 1848. It was a brewery, at one point for Pabst Blue Ribbon. It then became a boutique hotel and was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

The current Brewhouse Inn & Suites opened with a remodel in 2013. It is beautifully laid out, with reminiscent brewery tanks and intricate woodwork throughout.

Although the front entrance to Brewhouse is not accessible, there is a side door I was able to go in with my power chair. It is right next to the parking lot. They also offer valet parking.

We had a large accessible suite with a sitting area and a full kitchen. The bathroom was large enough to move around in the wheelchair, and the shower was easy to navigate with rails and a shower seat. We got settled before heading out to dinner.

Mader’s Restaurant is one of those places that speaks a lot about the city it is in. It has been in to Visit Milwaukee for 120 years. The food is German, a nationality well-represented in this Midwest town, especially in the early 20^th century.

One visit to Mader’s is not enough so I was ready to go back for more and I started it with a crisp German Riesling from Mosel. I am equally fond of German food and wanted to take a “tapas” attitude to try as much as possible.

We started with a giant, fresh from the oven, pretzel, with fried pickles and Weisswurst (a white sausage). It was followed by potato pancakes covered in applesauce and sour cream, spaetzle, and sauteed mushrooms.

Dessert was an easy choice of Apple Strudel, with ice cream, of course. We then headed back to the hotel exhausted from the day, but ready to see more Milwaukee in the morning.

 

Breakfast was at the Brewhouse’s Restaurant, On Tap. My friend, Ryan, came to meet us and we enjoyed chicken & waffles, eggs, and bacon.

The Milwaukee Museum of Art is one of my favorite museums. The building alone, which opens and closes like an airplane, is a design worth seeing. When making a trip here, I always request it on my itinerary.

I was not disappointed.

I’m a fan of Georgia O’Keefe and was excited to see some of the beautiful paintings by her they had, as well as contemporary Roy Lichtenstein. While the museum’s design and many pieces are modern, you’ll still find representation of more classic and ancient art among 30,000 works.

We went up to the roof to catch the 12:00 noon moving of the “wings” of the museum. It was a bit cool out, but worth it. From there you’ll also find a bridge that takes you to downtown.

The entire Milwaukee Museum of Art is extremely accessible with wide hallways, ramps, and elevators. They have wheelchairs available for use at the admissions desk. Although I didn’t bring Teddy on this trip, service animals are welcome.

From the museum, we drove to one of Milwaukee’s most popular spots, the Public Market.

The Public Market was busy and filled with delicious-looking foods. We had a tough time making a decision, but eventually settled on Foltz Wood Fire Pizza & Calzones. Lynn got a Reuben Panini and I went for a Margharita Pizza. Both were fantastic. Before we left, I couldn’t resist a cookie from Adam’s Bakery.

The plan was to go the Harley Davidson Museum after the market, but it was getting late. I had been previously, but it had been a while. It would have to wait until the next, longer, Milwaukee trip.

We finished a wonderful girls’ trip through Michigan and then Milwaukee with a scenic drive home and thoughts where our next adventure might be!

 I was hosted on this trip by Visit Milwaukee but opinions are my own.

Festival and Ferry for the Last Day in Southwest Michigan

 

It was the final day in Michigan for my friend, Lynn, and I. It had been a wonderful adventure along the coast of Lake Michigan. We were prepared to spend the day with even more of it.

We started with a breakfast meeting with Nick Nerbonne, Media & Digital Director at Pure Michigan. We met at The Coffee Factory for great lattes and breakfast sandwiches, and to talk about the mitten state and accessibility.

Nick is interested in making the state as accessible as possible, knowing it has to be done place by place. He’s proud of the beach chair initiative and the continued efforts. He eagerly listened to my suggestions about hotels, transportation, and other accommodations.

We went back to the Delta Hotel to pack up and check out. We still had until evening in Muskegon. After leaving our suitcases with the front desk, we walked the three blocks downtown to Hackley Park, where a Polish Festival was going on. Along the way we spotted murals and sculptures throughout the well-kept city.

The Polish Festival, a yearly event in the town, was a lot of fun. It celebrated that countries heritage, food, and culture. We watched the dancing and listened to the music while deciding what to eat from the very tempting booths.

Lynn went for a platter with kielbasa, cabbage, pierogies, and potato pancakes. She said it was authentic and fantastic. I went for something a little less ordinary, but equally good: Paczki stuffed with pulled pork.

We walked back to the Delta Hotel and relaxed for a while before it was time to leave and drive to the port. Instead of driving back to Illinois, we had decided to take the Lake Express Ferry and spend a night in Milwaukee before driving to Champaign from there.

\

The ferry was large with plenty of space for me to get around in the wheelchair. I didn’t go outside, though. It was windy and I decided to stay warm inside. Lynn went out for a few pictures.

The trip across Lake Michigan was scenic and much shorter than driving. We got off quickly and were ready to start our 24 hours in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It had been a few years since I’d been there, and it was Lynn’s first trip.

I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own. Thanks to Pure Michigan for their hospitality.