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.

A Unique Wine & Food Experience at Cooper’s Hawk

 A few years ago, I had a wine tasting and dinner with friends at Cooper’s Hawk in Indianapolis. It was my first experience at one of their restaurants and it was a great one. I was recently invited back to check out a contest they were running.

This time I went to the Springfield, Illinois, location. It was larger than I had remembered the other had been. I found a lot had changed with the brand, and all of the changes were positive.

 The tasting was my first clue Cooper’s Hawk has really upped its game. The number of wines they now produce, as well as the variety, rivals the largest wineries in the country. I also found they have invested in some other options, such as sangrias and sparkling wines.

Cooper’s Hawk outsources grapes from around the world. They have a plant for bottling and a winemaker, Emily Wynes, for blending in the Chicago area to create the wines they sell at their nearly 80 locations.

My friend, Amanda, was with me and chose the sweet selections and I chose them to do the contest blind tasting (I actually did quite well on my guesses). Our favorites were the Blood Orange Sparkling Sangria and Cooper’s Hawk Lux Sparkling.

After the tasting, we sat for lunch. Cooper’s Hawk describes their restaurant as “upscale casual.” I think it’s a good description. The atmosphere is welcoming and the menu ranges from flatbreads and burgers to surf & turf.

While Amanda continued with her sangria, I enjoyed a glass of the Mango Dragon Fruit Sangria as we nibbled on a warm pretzel bread and waited for the Roasted Vegetable & Goat Cheese Flatbread. I could have made a meal from that alone, with the roasted grape tomatoes, basil, and pesto, drizzled in balsamic dressing.

We put the flatbread aside (to bring home) when our entrees came. I chose Short Rib Risotto, which I had with a crisp Pinto Gris. It was incredibly good, and the portion was large.

Amanda decided on Surf & Turf. At Cooper’s Hawk, you can choose your meat and fish. She picked the Drunken Shrimp, and the Parmesan Crusted Filet Medallions. It was served with roasted vegetables and loaded mashed potatoes. She loved it all.

We had to pack up part of our lunches because the dessert menu was too good to resist. We shared the Salted Caramel Crème Brulee and the Reese’s Ice Cream Cookie, a made to order warm jumbo cookie with Reese’s peanut butter cup and ice cream.

 

I left Cooper’s Hawk stuffed and more than satisfied with the food and drink. I would definitely recommend going to check both out.

 

 

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

More to See in Joliet, Illinois

After an exciting night at the Illinois Rock and Roll Hallof Fame Induction, my friend Lisa and I stayed at Harrah’s Joliet hotel. In the morning, we went downtown to explore.

With Lisa walking and me in my scooter, the town looked easy to navigate on this beautiful day. We hadn’t eaten since early the previous evening, so we were ready for breakfast at the Route 66 Diner.

The diner was decorated to pay tribute to the popular roadway that comes right through this town. There was no doubt as to what I was going to eat as they actually had a dish named “Marcia’s Platter.” No one seemed to know how it got its name, but the plate of scrambled eggs, vegetables, hashbrowns, and cheese was just what I wanted (with a side of pancakes).

Lisa chose the Eggs Benedict and we relaxed with our coffee for awhile before heading back on the street. The downtown is quaint with lots of shops. We took a few minutes to stop at Sue Regis Glass to see some of the creations being made.

I’m not sure why, but my scooter had not charged, and we got stuck at some point. It was nice to see how much help we got from local people coming by and seeing the scooter broken down. They helped me get to the Joliet Area Historical Museum while we plugged in the scooter and went through the museum with a wheelchair. (It would be the last trip for that mode of transportation, and I had to get another.)

At the museum we were greeted by the Blues Brothers. The statues are so life-like we just had to stop and pose. The famous group is just one of the exhibits here. 

There are tributes to many of the people and things that came out of Chicagoland, as well as the history from this area. A large room also has a lot about Route 66 from Illinois to California.  

We managed to get an Uber back to the hotel in which we could carry the scooter. Once at Harrah’s Joliet, we got some lattes and wraps from the Cross Street Grill for the road. 

It was less than two hours to home and I knew Joliet was a place I’d be coming back to – especially since the Illinois Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wasn’t quite ready for us to see on this trip.

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Joliet: A Historical Prison and Rock and Roll History

 The first Illinois Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction was delayed because of the pandemic. When they rescheduled, I was ready to go experience this exciting night – and spend some time checking out the city of Joliet.

I took my friend Lisa along. It had been quite a while since we had traveled together, but we certainly had a lot of trips behind us.

Our first stop was at a place I’ve never been to in any city, a prison. We spent about two hours on a private tour exploring one of the most famous in the country. Old Joliet Prison, which was featured in the Blues Brothers movie.  

 

Given the importance of keeping a lot of the historical artifacts, the accessibility to every building wasn’t available to me. I still felt I got to see a lot from the outside in my scooter. I let Lisa do the deeper exploring and picture taking.

It was even more interesting to hear about how important these structures were to the development of the prison system in the state, and one might say to the United States. The first prisoners arrived at this facility in 1858 and it was a functioning place of incarceration until 2002.

We also learned about two books that tell a lot of the story, Joliet Prison Blues and Old Joliet Prison: When Convicts Wore Stripes, both by Amy Kinzer Steidinger. The boxes depict a lot of the treatment of prisoners, which was criticized in later years.

After we left the prison, we were more than ready for lunch and headed to downtown Joliet. Lunch was at Chevre Latin Café.

It was a nice day to sit out on the patio. The food was both excellent and unusual. We shared some empanadas, then Lisa had the Café Steak Bowl, and I had the Chicken Bowl with Plantains. We were too stuffed for dessert, but we ordered lattes and picked up Cheesecakes by James next door to bring back to our hotel. We settled on one cherry and one turtle.

 

Before we went to the hotel, we met up with some other journalists at the Bishop Hill Winery for tastings. We didn’t stay long because I was tired and wanted to put my feet up before the night’s festivities.

We quickly checked into Harrah’s Joliet Hotel. It was a nice hotel. It wasn’t quite like some of the previous Harrah’s properties I had stayed at, but had a few restaurants and a large casino. It was also within walking distance (in my case mobility scooter) of everything we would be going to that evening and the next day.

I always like a reason to get dressed up and I did so for the event, as did Lisa.  It was being held at the Rialto Theater, a beautiful and historic building in Joliet. The Illinois Hall of Fame was the brainchild of Ron Romero, the President & Founder of the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66. He was (and is) determined to bring publicity to the huge collection of music that has come out of the state.

Many people don’t realize how many top performers come from Illinois and this first induction class was certainly a good sampling: Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Chicago, Buddy Guy, Muddy Water, Dick Biondi, Larry Lujack, Ides of March, The Buckinghams, WLS Radio, and Chess Records.

 

The show was phenomenal, with representation from all the Hall of Famers, including Kevin Cronin from REO, and the full bands of The Buckinghams and the Ides of March. The rest were video acceptances, and live tributes by those such as Blues legend John Primer.*

It was quite an evening. I never saw so many people standing and singing for so long. Everyone knew the songs and it was one big giant singalong, especially for moments such as The Buckinghams singing “Kind of A Drag.”

If I hadn’t been so tired from the long day, I would have loved to get to know some of the performers, but it would have to wait for the next one. Lisa and I headed back to the hotel. We hadn’t really had dinner in the rushed evening, but there was the cheesecake. Yes, both pieces were delicious.

 

*For more specifics on the concert, check out this story.

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

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Last Day Exploring Wildlife Prairie Park

My friend Joan and I had been enjoying Wildlife Prairie Park, just outside of Peoria, Illinois. It was a perfect post-pandemic trip with lots of space in the open air.

Brad Windsor, Volunteer Coordinator, and Sam Himegarner, Director of Hospitality, picked us up in the morning for another tour. The property is so big we still hadn’t seen it all between the first day tour and our previous day exploration.

Our first stop was to see Mike the bison. The 19-yer-old was once a movie star and now shares his home with Elsa the elk.

We took a look at the banquet hall. It can hold up to 200 people and the ability to both have a moonrise and sunrise over an open patio makes it an ideal wedding location.

I was impressed with Hazel’s Overlook. Beyond the spectacular views is Native American folklore plaques dedicated to Hazel Rutherford. She and her husband Bill were major benefactors of the park.

I was also happy to see the park is set up for accessibility in many areas. I was able to take my scooter on some of the trails and walkways.

Wildlife Prairie Park also has a Sculpture Garden. It is dedicated to blind children, who can “feel” sculptures to size of the actual animal.  The park also has a Touch Cabin that St. Jude Children’s Hospital set up for children with heart issues.

We also saw the Pioneer section, which has an original cabin and the actual one room schoolhouse used until 1959. Nearby there is a butterfly habitat which is worth a stop.

The park is a great place for locals to spend the day whenever they want, with a family membership of only $85 a year. Visitors from out of town should consider the accommodations for a few days, or even a week. You won’t get bored. They even have special events, including a Halloween Scary Park, throughout the year.

Joan and I bid farewell and headed into our Legacy Cabin to pack up. We were going to miss the new, spacious accommodation with a sunrise facing the bison pasture from the patio. It was fully furnished, including a modern kitchen.

Before heading home we stopped at  Trefzger’s Bakery, which has been making baked goods in Peoria for over 150 years. It didn’t not disappoint. It was really hard to choose what to get, but finally decided on a quiche, a raspberry cheese danish, their famous Thumbprint cookies, and a cinnamon bread that was perhaps the best I’ve ever had.

Wine and Wildlife in Central Illinois

The bison didn’t come out to greet me while I had my morning coffee on the patio, but there was definitely a sense of peacefulness to start my day with.  

 

My friend Joan and I were staying at this hidden gem in Central Illinois. Not only did we get to enjoy this enormous scenic part, but it was filled with (mostly contained) wildlife and we had a brand-new cabin to stay in where the bison roamed in Wildlife Prairie Park.

 

After breakfast and coffee, we took the car down to the main entrance and boarded the train. It’s a great way to get acquainted with the park. You’ll get a basic overview from the conductor as you pass through the highlights. 

There is also a stop at the Pioneer area and butterfly habitat. You can get off to explore and pick up a train later to go back to the station.

 

We met with Brad and Sam at the Visitors Center. It’s worth a stop as there’s a lot of information on the area, from how it figures into the history of American Agriculture to charts of the fish you can find in the area.

After a walk through the trail to check out some of the animals, we got into the jeep for a tour of the other accommodations the park has.

 

Tent campers are welcome at Wildlife Prairie Park, but you may want to think twice about roughing it once you see all the unique accommodations.

The Cabooses are perfect for families, especially younger kid. They were created from actual train cars and have bunk beds in them. 

There are Prairie Stable suites with patios that have two small bedrooms in them. Just outside, picnic tables are a great place for groups to meet, as is the recreation center.

In the same area are the cottages. I really liked the way these converted grain bins, with kitchenettes, faced the lake, making them ideal for kayakers and fishermen. Firepits and grills are also outside in front of the lake.

 

From there we headed to Kickapoo Creek Winery which is just a few miles away from the park.

The tasting room is spread out and welcoming, and the grounds are just beautiful, making them ideal for weddings and other events. They also participate in Harvest Hosts, a group that list wineries that allow for RV parking.

  

The wines here are also worth the trip. The Rose Blush was our favorite, strawberry and cherry flavored, and not overly sweet. The Sun Kiss was also terrific, and my friend Joan, more of a red lover than I am, went home with a bottle of the St. Croix.

 I couldn’t resist the Chocolate Raspberry, which has strong notes of my favorite treat.

Kickapoo Creek Winery also serves food and the menu is wide ranged. After sharing a spinach artichoke dip, I had a Turkey Rueben while Joan had the Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich (served with a sesame ginger mayo). They were both delicious.

 

For dessert, we shared a Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake and Pecan Bourbon Pie, both of which were delicious.

We headed back to Wildlife Prairie Park for some rest on our patio. 

 

Before we had left for the winery, we met with Mike of the Mike’s Knot Just Ribs food truck, which parks by the Visitors Center. We took back a ton of barbecue for dinner.

We were still pretty full from lunch, but we did taste some amazing ribs, pulled pork nachos, coleslaw, beans, and macaroni & cheese. There were plenty of leftovers.

 

It didn’t take long before we were both exhausted from the day and headed to our bedrooms. We had a little more time the next day to see more of Wildlife Prairie Park.