A N E X P LO R E R ’ S G U I D E TO T H E M I D W E S T S U M M E R 2 0 1 6 VO L . 2 0 N O. 2
WHERE TO GRAB A BREW IN THE LOU
Bringing the Block to Life
BLUES CITY DELI HITS THE RIGHT NOTES
A Victorian Vacation
COUPLE PLAYS HOST TO TRAVELRS NEAR AND FAR
E X P LO R E
Photo Essay: Branson, Missouri 8 The hidden haven of the Ozarks
Letterboxing 14
Letterboxers preserve tradition and explore the outdoors
Photo Essay: Fairfield, Iowa 20
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Where traditional meets transcendental
Pryde’s Kitchen Westport 26
A Kansas City establishment “Pryde’s” itself on quality cookware
FOOD AND DRINK Craft Brews in the Lou 30
A look into the flourishing craft beer scene in St. Louis
Mediterranean Meets Midwest 38 Family restaurant celebrates heritage with Greek cuisine
Bringing the Block to Life 40
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60
The Blues City Deli hits the right notes with music and cuisine
Flavors of the World 46
LaBinnah Bistro brings international flavors to Hannibal
Boozy Shakes and Spunky Tastes 50 The Fountain on Locust stirs up a new kind of ice cream shake
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S TAY
A Victorian Vacation 5 4
One couple plays host for travelers from near and far
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EXTRA Top 25 60
The best outdoor activities for the venturesome traveler
Hidden Beauty 68 Photo contest winners
Calendar 74 Upcoming events in the tri-state area
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I OWA FAIRFIELD
Where Traditional Meets Transcendental
ILLINOIS CAMP POINT A Victorian Vacation
MISSOURI HANNIBAL
Flavors of the World
ST. LOUIS
Craft Brews in the Lou Bringing the Block to Life Boozy Shakes and Spunky Tastes
JEFFERSON CITY
Mediterranean Meets Midwest
BRANSON
The Hidden Haven of the Ozarks
KANSAS CITY
A Kaleidoscope of Cookware
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TMN.TRUMAN.EDU converged content updated daily Follow us on social media to @TrumanMediaNet keep up with the latest news @KTRM_FM and information! @detoursmagazine detours 03 summer 2016
The theme for the Winter 2016 photo contest is Making Connections The contest is open to any and all kinds of photos. Entries must include the photographer’s name, address, and telephone number as well as the photo’s location and title. We also encourage contestants to include a short caption about the photo. The deadline for entries is October 3, 2016. The winning photos will be published in the WInter 2016 Issue. For full rules and regulations, visit tmn.truman.edu/detours Submissions should be emailed to photo@detoursmagazine.com
Editor-in-Chief MARY TOMLINSON Executive Editor ALYSSA JOHNSON Art Director ROSE LINHARES Copy Editors ALYSSA JOHNSON, CATHERINE O’MARA, HOLLY FISHER, JULIANNA FOSTER, MOLLY THAL, and EMILY WICHMER Contributors JASMINE ADAMS, CAROLINA BENITEZ, GRACE BUECKENDORF, ISAAC CARMICHAEL, SHELBY FRAZIER, GABRIEL GOWEN, MAGGIE HAYNES, TAYLOR LAY, HALEIGH OETTING, MIA PALUMBO, TRUNG VO, EMILY WICHMER and JOE WRIGHT Designers SARAH BURNS, SAVANNAH EVERETT, RACHEL GAROZZO, GRETCHEN KUCERA and SARA MURILLO Adviser MARILYN YAQUINTO In Memoriam ELIZABETH KOCH (1991–2012) • WEB • Online Editor ALYSSA JOHNSON Bloggers JESSICA HACK, KELLY MORONEY Contributors JASMINE ADAMS, CAROLINA BENITEZ, GRACE BUECKENDORF, GABRIEL GOWEN, GIANG LANH, TAYLOR LAY, HALEIGH OETTING and EMILY WICHMER Videographer AERIN JOHNSON • ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY • Publicity Manager JULIE STASZKO TMN Advertising Manager JACOB MASEK TMN Business Manager JAMES HIGGINS TMN Advertising Representative JAMES HIGGINS Publicity Representatives MORGAN GERVAIS and RACHEL HANNA Social Media Manager RACHEL HANNA
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LETTER FROM T H E E D I TO R DEAR READER, A recent trip to New Orleans brought me to all the classic sights, sounds and tastes of the Crescent City. By day, I admired the storybook beauty of the St. Louis Cathedral, tasted the muffaletta sandwiches, sipped on Bloody Marys and ventured into the mysterious voodoo shops. By night, I explored the artist market, munched on beignets and swayed to the My mom standing in front of the St. live jazz bands — a typical Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square on New Orleans trip, to say the one of her trips to New Orleans when least. she was younger.
But traditions have to start somewhere, and they are popping up all around the Midwest alongside their time-honored counterparts. The world of beer in St. Louis is taking that to heart with its recent crop of craft breweries in the last five years. The owners of the Victorian Inn bring new bed and breakfast charm to Camp Point, Illinois, and the Fountain on Locust infuses a new spin into their milkshakes with boozy ice cream cocktails.
Upon returning home to St. Louis, my parents surprised me by pulling out photos of trips they took to The Big Easy many moons ago. We shuffled through prints of them exploring many of the same locations I explored and reminisced in the overlap of the experiences we shared. We might have traveled during different times, but we shared so much of the experience together The best stories, the best advice and the best adventures are shared and passed down through generations. This issue of Detours highlights the best of Midwestern traditions, familial and beyond. At Arris’ Pizza in Jefferson City, the Pardalos family has been passing down their Greek pizza recipes, providing a cultural mix of Midwestern and Mediterranean. The Valenza family of Blues City Deli has not only kept their music venue tradition strong, but one Valenza son is expanding to a pizza kitchen, strengthening their restaurant legacy. The current owner of Pryde’s Old Westport, a homey cookware store, is carrying on the tradition of her parents’ business and mentoring a new bakeshop owner within the cooking establishment. Passing down traditions from outside the family ties hold just as strong, such as within the letterboxing community. Letterboxers, who dedicate themselves to their geocaching style treasure hunt, honor the tradition of the original letterboxer in Dartmoor, England in 1854. Two friends from different sides of the globe — Turkey and Chicago — create a worldly array of dishes by combining the culinary traditions of their past at LaBinnah Bistro.
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Traditions old and new can be built on every new trip, whether they come from family, friends or a sudden burst of inspiration of your own. I hope this issue encourages you to embrace the travel traditions all around you, and to embrace life’s detours along the way.
Mary Tomlinson Editor-in-Chief
E D I TO R I A L P O L I C Y detours Truman State University Barnett Media Center 1600 S. Franklin Kirksville, MO 63501 Phone: 660.785.7438 Fax: 660.785.7601 editor@detoursmagazine.com
detours is a copyrighted publication, produced biannually by Truman State University students. No material can be reproduced in any form without prior written consent of the detours adviser and staff. The editor-in-chief is responsible for all decisions. detours is distributed across the country, mainly in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. Opinions expressed in detours are not necessarily the views of staff. detours is not responsible for the full cost of an advertisement if an error occurs.
Citygarden WINTER 2009
Trekfest SUMMER 2010
Two blocks of downtown St. Louis between Eighth and Tenth and Market Streets and Chestnut Streets break up the array of office buildings with colorful flora, sprinklers bursting from the pavement, a large wading pool and modernist sculptures. This area, known as Citygarden, offers more than just an alternative view of the Arch – the garden’s aesthetic elements are also interactive. Visitors can splash in the fountain, sit in Jean-Michel Folon’s sculpture “Voyage” and touch all the artwork.
Every year, Star Trek fans gather for Trekfest, a tradition that began after the town of Riverside, Iowa. was declared the future birthplace of Star Trek character Captain Kirk, who will be born in an unspecified small town in Iowa in 2233 according to the series. For more than 30 years, Star Trek fans have celebrated the series with costume contests, carnival rides, a parade and a tractor pull. Trekfest 2016 will take place June 24-25 and will celebrate “50 years of Star Trek.”
St. Louis, Missouri
Riverside, Iowa
Midwest Independent Film Festival WINTER 2013 Chicago, Illinois
Landmark Century Centre Cinema dedicates the first Tuesday of every month to Midwest filmmakers, forming the Midwest Independent Film Festival. The event is the only film festival in the United States to exclusively feature films produced in the Midwest. Located in Chicago, the cinema acts as a hub for the independent film community, bringing together aspiring filmmakers and offering opportunities to network with other film enthusiasts.
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Shlafely Brewing Company, the pioneers of the craft beer scene in St. Louis, is housed in a former printing warehouse in the downtown area. Get inspired to taste the brews on PAGE 29.
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BRANSON, MISSOURI
BRANSON, MISSOURI HIDDEN HAVEN OF THE OZARKS PHOTO ESSAY BY TRUNG VO
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Located in southwest Missouri, Branson is a wonderful destination for family vacationers from many regions of the U.S. Branson is known for its 76 Country Boulevard, which features live country music and diverse entertainment. This photo essay includes some interesting attractions along 76 Country Boulevard, such as World's Largest Toy Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Hollywood Wax Museum, Branson Pasghetti's Italian Restaurant and the Titanic Museum. Other attractions also featured include Hwy 165 Scenic Overlook, College of the Ozarks and Big Cedar Lodge.
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BRANSON, MISSOURI
COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS
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TABLE ROCK STATE PARK
TITANIC MUSEUM
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BRANSON, MISSOURI
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NOTE FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHER Located in southwest of Missouri, Branson is a wonder. I spent several hours going around Big Cedar Lodge to see some spots inside the resort and around Table Rock Lake. I ended up rushing to the top of the hill to enjoy the most amazing scene at Branson, the scenic overview at the Top of the Rock. Many tourists stopped by this location to enjoy the peaceful sunset. It overlooks Table Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lodge and all of Branson.
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ON THE TRAIL TO DISCOVERY
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o n th e tr a i l
STORY BY GABE GOWEN PHOTOS BY STEVE YATES AND GABE GOWEN
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Maroon Bells in Colorado, a popular site for letterboxing.
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Letterboxing is an adventurous, clue-based activity focused on hiking and exploration.
T
he letterboxing family reads the last clue – “Inside the Fallen Giant is the Letterbox.”The excitement of the hunt has been building to this moment. The youngest member of the family peers into the fallen tree’s nook and sees the letterbox. He pops off the lid to find a new redwood tree stamp designed specifically for this hunt. They stamp their personal mark into the box’s notepad, stamp the redwood’s print into their own log book, then re-hide the box for the next letterboxer. With a souvenir and a memory few other tourists will have, the letterboxers leave the Redwood forest proud adventurers. Letterboxing is an adventurous, cluebased activity focused on hiking and exploration. Sets of clues lead to hidden plastic boxes called letterboxes, which are often hidden along trails or in local historical areas. The letterboxing clues are listed on several websites like Atlas
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Quest and Letterboxing.org. Today there are about 50,000 letterboxes hidden in North America alone, according to Letterboxing.org. Letterboxes usually contain a logbook, an often hand-carved rubber stamp and an ink pad. Finders make an imprint of the letterbox’s stamp in their personal log book and leave an imprint of their personal stamp on the letterbox’s logbook. Letterboxing began during 1854 when James Perrott placed a bottle with his calling card inside on the banks of Cranmere Pool in Dartmoor, England, according to Atlas Quest. Over time, as people found the bottle and left their own calling cards, the bottle was replaced with a box contai logbook and a rubber stamp. Within the following 122 years, a total of 15 letterboxes were placed around Dartmoor, according to Atlas Quest.
ON THE TRAIL TO DISCOVERY
The inside of a letterbox, found by Gabe Gowen.
Smithsonian Magazine published an article about the Dartmoor letterbox during April 1998. Soon after, individuals in the United States began hiding boxes for others to find. They needed somewhere to share their clues, so Letterboxing North America was born. Letterboxes began to appear across the map, with over 1,000 letterboxes in 50 states with at least one in each state by 2001, according to Atlas Quest. Ryan Carpenter compiled clues and started a program during 2004 named
Atlas Quest, where people can register their clues and letterboxes online, according to Atlas Quest. The online system generated a significant increase in letterboxing in North America and around the world. Now anyone can post letterboxing clues in a centralized location. When hiding a box make sure to follow the proper procedures of the property you are choose. The main legal concern with hiding your own box is that a permit is required to hide a letterbox in a state park. To get a free permit for letterboxing search
missouristateparks.com under the keyword letterbox. Beyond searching for and hiding the boxes, letterboxers around the world join together for letterboxing events. At these events, letterboxers see stamp carvings, exchange stamp prints and share stories. Since 2004, letterboxer Steve Yates has been hosting the Texas Annual Letterboxing Event, and he has attended events all over the United States. Each letterboxer has a call name their stamp often reflects. Yates’s call
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Baby Bear (left) and Silver Eagle (right) at 12th Texas Annual Letterboxing Event
name is Silver Eagle, and his stamp has an eagle carved into it. “You can start letterboxing with using a pre-made stamp, but if you want to look like a real letterboxer you should carve your own stamp,” Yates said. “Keep in mind, the stamp print will mirror whatever is carved out of the stamp material.” The social aspect of letterboxing communities expands into the realm of interactive education with the Valley
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Quest Program. Valley Quest is an education program that uses letterboxing and storytelling strategies to teach about the history and culture of a local area. Stephen Glazer started the Valley Quest program and teaches at conferences all over the world. He also wrote a book about creating these adventures titled “Questing: A Guide to Creating Community Treasure Hunts.” Glazer turns these hunts into a guided tool for teaching local communities. Many letterbox clues include the history
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Beyond searching and hiding the boxes, letterboxers around the world join together for letterboxing events.
ON THE TRAIL TO DISCOVERY
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Letterboxing adds purpose to a hike, explores history of a town, and offers a chance for vacation memories.
of an area, but Glazer makes the adventure feel more like a story. One such experience he said has the quester goes through a town investigating Civil War era locations. The questers start off near an old cannon and end at the town’s monument depicting three young soldiers who died in the war. Glazer said he uses the letterboxing as a tool to educate people on the local history and encourages other local historians to do the same. There are thousands of letterboxes in the U.S alone. There are letterboxing education programs by Steven Glazer, and letterboxing is even recognized by state parks. Yet, few people have heard of letterboxing. “Letterboxing is secretive,” Yates said. “It’s under the radar, and we like to
keep it that way. It would have been very taboo to grant an interview in the past. This is because if too many people who aren’t that interested in it go out letterboxing without the proper etiquette they would find and not know what to do with it. And second they would not hide it back correctly. Whenever an article would come out we would lose ten to twenty percent of our boxes within a few weeks. But now, the way I look at now is this article is going to be written and you are either going to get it from me or somebody else. I’d rather be the one who tells you about it to tell you the truth.” Letterboxing adds purpose to a hike, explores history of a town, and offers a chance for vacation memories. Letterboxing has captivated the adventurer since 1865.
WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, tmn.truman.edu/detours
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Peyto Lake in Canada, a popular site for letterboxing.
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FAIRFIELD, IOWA Customers are encouraged to pick up some knitting patterns, peruse the enormous selection of yarns, and sit down in one of the cozy chairs in the back of the store to work on a new yarn masterpiece.
Fairfield, IOWA:
Where Traditional Meets Transcendental PHOTO ESSAY BY MARIA PALUMBO
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Home to the delicious Vaidyas Cup Drink, Revelations is a great place to unwind with a freshly made espresso drink and a thrilling book from their vast collection.
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urrounded by rolling fields of corn and soybeans, Fairfield is a hidden treasure of Southern Iowa. With its abundance of small, locally owned stores, focus on art and culture, and the influence of the Maharishi University of Management, the small town has received the Grassroots Rural Entrepreneurship Award, and was featured in a 2012 episode of “Oprah’s Next Chapter,” as well as being named on the Smithsonian’s list of “20 Small Towns to Visit in 2013.”
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Fairfield is filled with restaurants with foods from different cultures.
FAIRFIELD, IOWA
The focus on art and mixture of traditional small-town Iowa architectural styling, with the presence of the Maharishi School of Management and the culture that surround it, lend themselves to beautiful details such as this door.
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Every first Friday of the month, Fairfield holds an Art Walk to celebrate creativity, community, and culture. The town is full of art pieces displayed publicly.
The Jefferson County Courthouse stands proudly in Fairfield next to the Arts and Convention center.
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Fairfield supports its artists, with art on display all over town and monthly gallery and shopsponsored Art Walks to show off local talent. The town has off-beat vintage stores, an emphasis on natural healing and cozy cafes with delicious fresh foods. Add that to the mix of turn of the century homes and buildings constructed with plans from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and inspired by Sanskrit texts, make Fairfield the charming, unexpected gem it is.
FAIRFIELD, IOWA
Off-beat vintage store Remixes is one of many quirky treasure troves where one never knows what 50’s bicycle, neon sign, yeti cutout, or vintage fur coat will be found.
These mugs are ready to be put onto the shelves for sale in the At Home Store on the square, a family owned shop with all the beautiful and useful items for the home one could ever dream of.
Natural healing is the culture of Fai many small store on alternative me healthy lifestyles.
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s deep in irfield, with es focusing edicine and .
Handmade candles are one of many treasures you may find in the many small shops in Fairfield.
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Revelations Cafe and Book Store is famous for their brick oven pizza, food and drink selection, and restaurant lined with bookshelves.
KALEIDOSCOPE OF COOKWARE
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Pryde’s Old Westport: A Gem in the City
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opper pots hanging on the ceiling glisten as the light from the green shuttered window streams through. Festive cups and bowls brighten the room with an array of colors. Spoons and spatulas of all shapes and sizes gather together in stainless steel vases. Locally produced spices and jams line row after row of shelves. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the store. Here at Pryde’s Old Westport, every cooking utensil ever needed to create a recipe masterpiece is all in one place.
From the Fine Art of Dancing to Culinary Cookware Pryde’s Old Westport is a family-owned cooking store based in the shopping and entertainment district of Westport in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The store started up during 1968 by John and Connie Perucca on Westport Road. Within four years of being open, the store outgrew the location. The couple invested in a building once known as Helen Thomes School of Dance, built during 1922. The store still has the wooden spring floors the ballet dancers used. Louise Meyers, the current owner and daughter of the Peruccas, said she was interested in the history of the dance school. She recovered some of the old photographs of the ballerinas, reframed and hung on the stairway in the store.
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Although the dance school has been closed for some time, Meyers said there are women who come into the store who danced for Helen Thomes School of Dance. “Women in their 80s come in and say ‘I used to dance for Ms. Thomes,’ and they’ll see their picture on the wall and cry,” Meyers said. The building once was a place for the passion of dance, now it fuels people’s passion for cooking “Part of our mission is to have people feel that they are capable to cook and that they enjoy cooking,” Meyers said. She said she hopes the customers not only learn how to cook, but learn how to cook nutritiously with their families.
Longevity and Service Pryde’s has thrived throughout the ebb and flow of downtown Westport’s economy. The longevity plays a great part in the success of the store. Pryde’s employee Laura McNutt elaborates on the connection Westport and Pryde’s have had since the 1960s. “Westport is having a huge resurgence of restaurants and local boutiques and Pryde’s has been here through the thick and thin with Westport, but Westport is on the rise which makes it really exciting,” McNutt said.
Pryde’s has thrived throughout the ebb and flow of downtown Westport’s economy. The longevity plays a great part in the success of the store.
KALEIDOSCOPE OF COOKWARE
The store has been around during a couple of generations. Relatives of families who were around when the store was established will come back and visit the store. The cooking store has also gained an international audience, with people travelling all the way from China and Japan. “We are a very internationally known little store and part of that is our longevity,” Meyers said. Pryde’s employees offer complimentary coffee or tea to customers as they enter the door. The store does not run on a computer-based cashier system. Instead, employees personally write out tickets for orders. The store offers free gift wrapping throughout the entire year, offering a variety of colors and paper. “We have a lot of vintage stuff that people come in and say, ‘Oh my grandmother had that,’” McNutt said.
Ashleigh’s Bake Shop Pryde’s Old Westport has another trick up its sleeve. In addition to the personal touches, Pryde’s lower level is also home to Ashleigh’s Bake Shop. For 10 years, there had been another bakery, The Upper Crust, but few years ago, Ashleigh’s Bake Shop took its place. Ashleigh Luna, the owner or Ashleigh’s Bake Shop, started up the shop when Meyers took Luna under her wing in terms of running a business. Luna said some of the customers’ favorites consisted of the apple pie, pecan pie and coconut creme pie. She said she was surprised by the extreme fondness for the coconut creme pie, and said it must not be something people bake very often. The cooking store plus the bakery is a sweet treat for everyone who walks through the front door. From a dance academy to a cooking shop, Pryde’s remains a staple in Westport.
Pryde’s acts as a local vendor for food and merchandise produced in the Kansas City, Missouri area.
The store was originally a dance school.
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GO LOCAL
Meyers emphasized how important it is to shop local in your community. The store works with various local business around the Westport and Greater Kansas City, Missouri area. Some examples of products include spices, jams, and certain dishware. As well as going local, Meyers said she believes in giving back to the community. Customers can go online to Pryde’s website and get a coupon that donates part of their inÂstore purchase to the Bishop Sullivan Center, which helps feed people in need by running the St. James Food Pantry. The store sells Fiestaware, which is brightly colored dishes and assortments.
WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, tmn.truman.edu/detours
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CRAFT BREWS IN THE LOU
CRAFT BREWS IN the LOU STORY AND PHOTOS BY GRACE BUECKENDORF AND JOE WRIGHT
Customers look over their options at The Civil Life brewpub in Tower Grove. The Civil Life is celebrating its fifth anniversary of its opening this year and is known for its well-made, traditional style beers.
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FOOD AND DRINK
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FROM LOCALLY SOURCED VEGETABLES TO HOMEGROWN CHEFS, THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT FROM LARGE FOOD CORPORATIONS IN FAVOR OF THE LOCAL. THE CRAFT BEER MOVEMENT IS THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF THIS SHIFT.
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e live during a time when locally sourced ingredients aren’t only common, they’re expected. From locally sourced vegetables to homegrown chefs, there has been a shift from large food corporations in favor of the local. The craft beer movement is the natural continuation of this shift. Just 25 years ago, the only brewery in St. Louis was Anheuser-Busch, and no new breweries had opened since the Prohibition.
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has exploded in St. Louis and across the country.
Although Schlafly was alone in the beginning, with only 312 breweries in the country, there are now well over 4,200. St. Louis is no exception to the boom in breweries and distilleries, now boasting almost 50 breweries in the St. Louis region.
Enter Saint Louis Brewery, and nothing has been the same since. As it likes to tout, it has been “defining craft since 1991,” and in many ways, it has paved the way for the wide variety of craft breweries and microbreweries that have opened in its wake.
With so many choices, it can be difficult for St. Louisans to decide which brew to choose. Each of these breweries has stories to tell, but there are three breweries that will be celebrating big milestones this year — Schlafly will be celebrating its 25th year of business, and The Civil Life Brewing Company and Urban Chestnut Brewing Company will both be celebrating their fifth anniversaries.
Saint Louis Brewery, nicknamed Schlafly after co-founder Tom Schlafly, might be the most well-known craft brewery in St. Louis, but it certainly isn’t the only one. Within the last five years, craft beer’s popularity
THE ST. LOUIS BREWING CO. (SCHLAFLY) When talking about craft beer in St. Louis, it’s almost impossible not to mention Schlafly. It has stood the test of time while some other breweries have
CRAFT BREWS IN THE LOU
The menu of the cash-only bar at The Civil Life’s Tower Grove brewpub offers many options of craft beer styles ranging from light to dark and many different flavor profiles. The Civil Life is one of several St. Louis-area craft breweries celebrating their fifth years of business this year.
closed, opened and closed again. During those 25 years, Schlafly has created almost 80 varieties of beer styles. While they have many styles to choose from, Schlafly focuses on the craft of brewing, just as their motto would suggest — “defining craft since 1991.”
WITNESSING THE CRAFT BEER ROOM As the first craft brewery to open in St. Louis, Schlafly has seen it all. When it first opened during 1991, the only other brewery in St. Louis was AnheuserBusch, and the beer scene was quiet. Ambassador Brewer Stephen Hale has worked for Schlafly since the beginning. He talks about the story behind Schlafly as well as what sets Schlafly apart from other St. Louis brews.
“I know for several years brewing there, we were kind of waiting and we were wondering, ‘Where are the other breweries?’” Hale said. “No one else is open here. We’re the only ones. It’s kind of lonely.” Schlafly was the first brewpub in Missouri and the first brewery in St. Louis since Prohibition, and as such, paved the way for other breweries in St. Louis. Hale said Schlafly’s founding brewer Dave Miller worked with the state legislature on the law that allowed brewpubs in the first place. Co-founder Tom Schlafly also lobbied the state legislature to change the law to raise the barrel limit, Hale said.
It hasn’t always been the large production brewery it is today — it began as brewpub only, meaning that it brewed beer only for tasting in their Taproom location downtown. It slowly began distributing its beers, draughtonly, throughout the marketplace. During 1996, it began bottling its beer for distribution, Hale said. Hale said the food scene in St. Louis definitely has changed during his tenure at Schlafly. With James Beard award-winning chefs and James Beardnominated chefs, restaurants and wine lists, St. Louis has been positioned as a great food city, offering a memorable experience to those in the food and drink industry.
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FOOD AND DRINK
“ “It’s happening right now,” Hale said. “It’s exploded. And the same thing for the beer explosion. It’s a pretty fabulous time to be in St. Louis in the beer and food world.”
rooms, breweries can gauge the public’s reaction to their beers and decide whether it would be worth it to vie for tap handles and shelf space around the city.
THE VALUE OF A TASTING ROOM There are many models of breweries — brewpub-only, which offers a tasting room with specialty beers for guests to try, as well as production breweries, where breweries market their craft brews either as draught-only or in bottles and cans.
“Tasting rooms make economic sense,” Hale said. “People come in and pay full price for a pint of beer and get the food varieties you have offered so they can stay and drink more beer.”
Hale said most breweries start as brewpub-only, and as they experience success with that model, they grow into production breweries, which is the path Schlafly took. With tasting
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QUALITY BEER TELLS A STORY With so many craft beers to choose from, it can be difficult to separate the good brews from the bad. Hale said he has seen it all during his tenure at Schlafly, and brewing good beer always pays off.
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Enjoy a craft brew, such as this Opus brew, in one of the many local breweries in the St. Louis area.
IT’S A PRETTY FABULOUS TIME TO BE IN ST. LOUIS IN THE BEER AND FOOD WORLD.
CRAFT BREWS IN THE LOU
KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT CRAFT BEER Courtesy of beeradvocate.com
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME (ABV)
“Amount of alcohol in beer measured in terms of the percentage weight of alcohol per volume of beer, i.e., 3.2% alcohol by weights equals 3.2 grams of alcohol per 100 centiliters of beer. (It is approximately 20% less than alcohol by volume.)”
ALE
“Beers distinguished by use of top fermenting yeast strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The top fermenting yeast perform at warmer temperatures than do yeast’s used to brew lager beer, and their byproducts are more evident in taste and aroma. Fruitiness and esters are often part of an ale’s character.”
HOPS
“Herb added to boiling wort or fermenting beer to impart a bitter aroma and flavor.”
LAGER
“Beers produced with bottom fermenting yeast strains, Saccharomyces uvarum (or carlsbergensis) at colder fermentation temperatures than ales. This cooler environment inhibits the natural production of esters and other byproducts, creating a crisper tasting product.”
Urban Chestnut’s Midtown brewpub has a raw feel, with the brick walls and wooden tables throughout. The Midtown brewpub is focused more on the Reverence series, Brewmaster and co-founder Florian Kuplent said.
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“There was actually a bubble in the mid to late 90s where a lot of people had opened [breweries] with little knowledge of what it actually takes to operate a successful brewery,” Hale said. “There are some that still operate like that, and I don’t think they’ll last.” Hale said breweries that are in it only for the money with little passion for the craft are mediocre. Breweries that open without the commitment to the quality that’s required to make good beers inevitably will fade away, Hale said. “That problem will sort of take care of itself,” Hale said. “And as word spreads, [consumers] won’t go buy bad beer. They’ll buy beer that has been proven by beer writers and other people who share stories.”
HOW THE POPULARITY OF CRAFT BEER HAS IMPACTED THE MARKET The more crowded the craft beer market gets, the harder it is for breweries to get tap handles at bars and shelf space
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in supermarkets. However, St. Louis brewers, while in competition with each other, often claim to be friends who support each others’ beers and accomplishments. Hale said while the competition on the sales side can’t be dismissed, comradery on the brewer level still exists. He said he is friends with many brewers around the city. “[Different brewers] make different beer styles, and I like to think that if we’re all polite enough and we all work hard, we can all do well,” Hale said. “Personally, I’m an extreme locavore. It’d be okay if all the beer available were local.” Hale said while the competition can be steep, if breweries continue to make great beer and commit to excellence, they will do fine.
CRAFT BREWS IN THE LOU
an insider view from Schlafly AMBASSADOR BREWER stephen hale WHAT IS YOUR TRADEMARK BEER? “We don’t ignore the classics. We don’t make just exotic [beers]. You can point to a whole lot of beers available on the market that are extreme or double or imperial or loaded with favors and uber hopped and all sorts of different things. Sometimes I just want a beer. Where is my Kolsch? Where is my Pale Ale? Where’s my Pilsner? And we continue to offer those.” SOME RECCENT RELEASES? “The ‘Lazy Ballerina’ is a Saison/ Chamborcin blend, aged in red wine barrels, pushing the envelope on different beer styles that customers want to drink. Just in the past two months, we released our ‘Grapefruit IPA,’ a yearround beer. We haven’t released a yearround beer in about eight years. And our Grapefruit IPA has been met with huge acclaim. People are loving it.” WHAT’S YOUR STORY AT SCHLAFLY? “My roots go back to when I was 19, being taught how to homebrew by my brother. Then, Dan Koppman, cofounder of Schafly, and I were the only home brewers at our college. “And several years after graduation, Dan Koppmann called me up to invite me to St. Louis to be assistant in the brewery now known as the Taproom downtown. “I was in production for 20, 22 years at the Taproom … And two years ago moved out of production and operations to the role of Ambassador Brewer, which means I work with the sales and marketing crew to help get out there and preach the great gospel of all things Schlafly beer.”
WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, tmn.truman.edu/detours
The Civil Life’s brewpub has windows in its brews are made. The beers brewed a brewpub and distributed throughout the
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KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT CRAFT BEER continued....
DRAFT / DRAUGHT “The process of dispensing beer from a bright tank, cask or, keg, by hand pump, pressure from an air pump or, injected carbon dioxide inserted into the beer container prior to sealing.”
MICROBREWERY
“Small brewery generally producing less than 15,000 barrels per year. Sales primarily off premises.”
BREWPUB
“Pub that makes its own beer and sells at least 50% of it on premises. Also known in Britain as a home-brew house and in Germany as a house brewery.”
PUB
“An establishment that serves beer and sometimes other alcoholic beverages for consumption on premise. The term originated in England and is the shortened form of “public house”.”
nto the brewery so customers can see where at the Tower Grove location are used inside the e area draft-only.
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MEDITERRANEAN MEETS MIDEWEST
Mediter r anean MEETS Midwest STORY AND PHOTOS BY ISAAC CARMICHAEL
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cross the street from the Missouri capitol building in Jefferson City is a Greek pizza restaurant that is, in itself, a landmark of the area. Arris’ Pizza is known by many in the community as the place that offers the best slice around. “[Arris’] has come to be known as a landmark in Jefferson City,” said George Pardalos, current owner and son of founder Arris Pardalos. “Even John Kerry, who was running for President, spoke at the capital and even said, ‘It’s nice to be in the home of the Jefferson City Jays, Central Dairy Ice Cream and Arris’ Pizza.’” George Pardalos said the restaurant has been a part of his life since he was young. “I grew up in the restaurant,” George Pardalos said. “I started in the kitchen doing dough, making crust, cutting cheese and moved up to making pizzas. Then I gained the title of kitchen manager and ultimately the general manager.” George Pardalos began working for his father, who was born near Mount Olympus, Greece, and said he looks to continue the traditions his father established during 1961 by maintaining the original recipe and the sense of inclusiveness that comes with his Greek heritage. Pardalos’ focus was to make his restaurant a family-oriented environment so customers could enjoy his homemade pizza recipe with warm and welcoming company. George Pardalos attributes the success of the restaurant to his father’s introduction of pizza to the community. “The City needed a family gathering place, and Arris Pardalos needed a welcoming home to introduce his pizza recipe,” according to the restaurant’s website. “The pairing proved to be ideal, and Arris’ Pizza was soon on its way to becoming a Jefferson City landmark.”
With the accepting, small town environment, Pardalos outlined what would become one of the most popular restaurants in Missouri’s capital city. This is according to the restaurant’s founder Arris Pardalos, who said he believed the location to be perfect for establishing his business venture and to raise his family. “It is said that once you’ve eaten with someone of Greek heritage, you become their family,” according to Arris’ Pizza website. Many employees agree with this sentiment. “I believe Arris’ stands out among other restaurants because we are a family-friendly business,” waitress Molly Hunt said. George Pardalos also attributes the success of the restaurant with maintaining the original recipe. Until the restaurant was opened, pizza was a rather foreign recipe to Missourians and Midwesterners. Arris’ was the first true pizza restaurant in the area, still using a now 60-yearold recipe. “We’ve never changed our recipe,” George Pardalos said. “Our uniqueness compared to any franchise pizza place is the fact that we make everything in house. We make our own dough, we ground our beef here, and we mix our sausage here. Everything is homemade. You’re not going to find a fresher-made pizza.” George Pardalos said the restaurant is also known for a vast assortment of cuisine outside of pizza, from their fan favorite Greek salads to their gyro sandwiches. Their menu offers a mixed selection of Greek, Italian and American dishes, so a customer could order one of their famous gyro sandwiches one day and then order a burger and fries with a side of toasted beef ravioli, mozzarella sticks or buffalo wings the next time. Since its opening, Arris’ Pizza has expanded its menu to add greater focus to the Pardalos family’s Greek heritage. Dishes like the spanakopita, a spinach pie, pay homage to more traditional Greek cuisine. Souvlaki pork loin kabobs and charbroiled chicken sharas are
highlights of a traditional dinner menu. End the meal with Olga’s homemade Macedonian baklava, layers of phyllo dough, nuts, honey, syrup and Macedonian spices for dessert. Arris’ even adds a bit of Greek myth to their specialty pizzas, with several named after the great heros of Greek mythology. For the meat lovers, there’s the Hercules, topped with ground beef, Canadian bacon, pepperoni, bacon and Greek sausage. And for a Greek take on the traditional Hawaiian pizza, there’s the Apollo topped with Canadian bacon, breakfast bacon, pineapple, red onions and jalapenos. The Homer, topped with spinach, artichoke hearts and Roma tomatoes with feta cheese offers a tasty option for vegetarians. In addition to enjoying the food, many longtime customers, complimented the relaxed environment the restaurant has even during the typical Friday night rush. Tom Perkins, who has eaten at Arris’ since he was a teenager, remembers the times when he was young and spent evenings there with friends. “When I was in seventh grade, the Capital Theater was next door to Arris’ and we went there Friday nights and then ate pizza afterwards,” Perkins said. Perkins said though the establishment has expanded beyond Jefferson City, they still maintain the laid back and accommodating environment he remembers from when he was in school. Now a father of two, Perkins continues returning to the restaurant he enjoyed during his single life, and is glad he was able to introduce the establishment to his sons Jon and Jeremy. Throughout its 60-year history, Arris’ Pizza has maintained a well-respected recipe, expanded to three other locations in Missouri and one location in Kansas. The creation of the Pardalos family has become a staple in Capital City cuisine, where longtime customers and new customers alike can enjoy Greek family style pizza.
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FOOD AND DRINK EXPLORE CAPTION TOP: Arris’ Pizza Place, located in Jefferson City, Missouri’s downtown area, has expanded to encompass four buildings since opening in 1961. CAPTION BOTTOM: This mural of modern Greece, painted by Terry Martin is one of many of his works displayed throughout the restaurant. This work in particular can be seen in their expanded dining area.
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BRINGING THE BLOCK TO LIFE
Bringing the Block to Life
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY EMILY WICHMER
astes of New Orleans and St. Louis are combinations that can hit the right note with visitors to Blues City Deli. This St. Louis deli sits at the corner of McNair Avenue and Victor Street on the first floor of a two-story brick building. Guests line up around the block to get a taste of the menu, which features the Aporkalypse sandwich, po’boy, and red beans and rice. While the interior seems small, guests never have to wait long for a spot to sit to eat their food and listen to live music.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Vinnie Valenza opened the deli during October 2004 in the Benton Park neighborhood of St. Louis. A former local blues musician at small venues across the city and restaurant worker during his younger days, Valenza wanted to combine his musical background with his knowledge of the food industry to create a local hangout. After a business conference in New Orleans, he said he came up with the idea for Blues City Deli. “Walking around New Orleans, you’d hear music coming down the street,” Valenza said. “That’s something you didn’t hear in St. Louis. That’s when I started really forming this idea of blending the two cities and melding their cultures with their food.”
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“It started on the corner outside in an acoustic setting, and now it’s hard to get a gig here because it fills up so quick.”
After the bank denied him loans, Valenza said he thought buying a storefront was too expensive and decided to grow his business himself. He said he planned to buy a hotdog cart and open “Blues City Red Hots,” selling hot dogs and pork at local markets. Valenza said he asked his friend to help him design a website to kickstart the business when the friend pointed out a location for sale in the very affordable Benton Park area of South St. Louis. Valenza said he was attracted to the location because it was close to many business neighborhoods in St. Louis. Valenza said he thought the location — located 10 minutes from downtown and close to the Anheuser-Busch brewery — would make a convenient lunch break for local workers.
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Visitors to Blues City Deli line up around the block to get their food. Blues City Deli is located in the Benton Park neighborhood of South St. Louis.
BRINGING THE BLOCK TO LIFE
“There’s a little more meat and potatoes — more soul — in this neighborhood.”
After 12 years in the same location, Valenza said he has seen the daily average of 500 customers come from farther away than he had anticipated, which he attributes to the quality of food and the local atmosphere. “There’s a little more meat and potatoes — more soul — in this neighborhood,” Valenza said. “There are lots of young entrepreneurs here, and as a customer, I’d be much more willing to go out of my way to support a local business than to eat at a chain.”
THE TASTE OF BLUES CITY
The menu at Blues City Deli draws from the history of blues music. Valenza said he formulated the menu based on food found along U.S. Highway 61, which was nicknamed the Blues Music Highway because it connects big cities like New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis and Chicago, which were hotspots for blues musicians during the 1920s to the 1960s. Valenza said an absolute staple of Blues City Deli is the Muffuletta sandwich because it’s the perfect example of blending New Orleans and St. Louis style food. The Muffuletta blends genoa salami, mortadella pork sausage, ham, provolone and mozzarella with homemade olive salad. “In the early 1900s, New Orleans was one of the largest settlements of Sicilian immigrants in the states,” Valenza said. “Coming from a Sicilian
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The interior of Blues City Deli features pictures of famous blues musicians as well as St. Louis and New Orleans memorabilia. The deli serves as a venue for live blues music nearly every Thursday and Saturday.
background, I thought it was important to use the same salamis they would use in New Orleans for the sandwich, but then also add things on there unique to St. Louis, like the mortadella. There’s a tie between the two cities in that sandwich.” Guests can get a taste of the South with the Delta Bayou, a garlic-peppered roasted pork sandwich with pepperjack, tomato, grilled onions and a special Delta sauce. Barbecue lovers can also try the Memphis Stax, an Italian roll piled high with pulled pork, homemade coleslaw, and St. Louis or Tennessee style barbecue sauce. Valenza also makes a nod to his initial idea of selling hotdogs with the Blues City Dog — which is very similar to a Chicago dog — a beef hotdog with mustard, relish, onion, tomatoes, pickles, peppers and salt. The deli also has a rotating menu of daily specials. Guests can stop by Wednesdays for the Aporkalypse Pretzelwich — a mountain of pork and bacon piled on a pretzel bun with spicy “boom-boom” sauce. Mondays, visitors can try the Tony Supremo sandwich, which features roast beef and root beer glazed ham with provolone and creole mayo. First-time customer and St. Louis native Taylor Schulz said she thinks there’s a lot of heart behind the menu. “You can tell there’s a reason and a story behind every item here,” Schulz said. “Plus there’s an option for everyone — it made it very difficult to decide.”
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PUTTING THE BLUES IN BLUES CITY DELI
Valenza said he wanted visitors to feel an energetic vibe from the food, decor and atmosphere. The walls are covered in an eclectic assortment of photos of jazz musicians, concert posters, St. Louis and New Orleans memorabilia, and Valenza family photos. Every Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon, Blues City Deli hosts local and traveling blues and Americana musicians. Valenza said the live music started as a small side project that added to the blues vibe but since has turned into a community following. “It started on the corner outside in an acoustic setting, and now it’s hard to get a gig here because it fills up so quick,” Valenza said. “Everyone loves it because it’s rare to find a music setting where you’re practically on top of the musician, and the bands love that interaction and closeness.” Blues City Deli has hosted many famous blues musicians, such as singer and harmonica player Kim Wilson from The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and blues artist James Harman. With no cover charge, Valenza said the musicians draw fans from all over.
A FAMILY BUSINESS
While the deli serves as a community hangout, Valenza said he thinks guests feel an added sense of community because the deli is a family business.
BRINGING THE BLOCK TO LIFE
Homemade Pizza Tips Joey Valenza shares some tips to take your homemade pizza recipe up a notch. • • •
• • •
When making your dough, add some sugar so the crust browns in the oven. Always start your dough at least three hours before baking. If you make your dough the night before, refrigerating it is ok — just make sure you take the dough out of the fridge three hours before baking so it can get back to room temperature. When baking, turn your oven as high as it can go for a crispier crust. Use a baking stone or a baking steel instead of a pizza pan. Just before you put the pizza in the oven, turn on the broiler — this will heat the top of the pizza and make your cheese brown nicely. Joey Valenza poses in front of the wood-burning oven in Melo’s.Valenza created a recipe for a Neapolitan-style pizza that draws from his grandfather Carmelo’s holiday tradition.
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Melo’s Pizzeria draws on Valenza family traditions in its recipes. The pizzeria is slated to open during April.
Valenza runs the business with his three sons, Vinnie, Joey and Johnny, who have worked at the deli since it first opened. He said while he encourages his sons to pursue their own career path if they don’t want to work in the business, he said working with his family gives him a sense of security and family time he wishes he could have spent with his dad. Joey Valenza said working at the deli with his family makes his job feel more important. He said because he gets to spend so much time with his family, they can pick up on cues and communicate almost nonverbally. “When you start getting more responsibility at work, you realize how much time is required of you to be at work, so it’s nice you get to see your family at work to get that extra family time,” Joey Valenza said.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Now that the deli is going on 12 years, Vinnie Valenza and his family are looking toward the future.
During the winter, Joey Valenza turned the small, garage-sized building behind the deli into a pizzeria. Joey Valenza said he got the idea to add a pizzeria because his grandfather Carmelo Valenza made pizzas with him and his siblings every Christmas. He said he named the pizzeria “Melo’s” after his grandfather and serves the same Neapolitan style crust with classic Italian toppings such as basil, sausage and romano cheese. While the pizzeria will have its grand opening this April, Joey Valenza said he has had a few soft openings to gauge how the customers at the deli will interact with Melo’s customers. “It’s exciting to see how customers interact,” Joey Valenza said. “There’s live music over at the deli, and a crowd of people at the pizzeria and lined up at the deli. The whole corner is alive, and that’s what we wanted to do with this space.”
WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, tmn.truman.edu/detours
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FLAVORS OF THE WORLD
STORY AND PHOTOS BY TAYLOR LAY
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he European lifestyle is known for being slow paced — the people who live there value engaging their loved ones by sharing stories and laughter, served as an additional course to their rich culinary experience. A typical dinner at a European restaurant will last one to two hours with three to five courses. Dinner is more than a time to replenish the body. It’s designated quality time to spend with loved ones. Such an experience is the core of LaBinnah Bistro’s mission as a cuisine haven, but it’s located in the heart of the Midwest. Hannibal, Missouri, a town rich with history, iconically is known for being the birthplace of Mark Twain. Yet, it’s a growing artist hot spot — the downtown includes three art galleries, annual craft festivals and other cultural endeavors. LaBinnah Bistro has perfected the marriage of small town history and international flair. The bistro is located in an 1870 Victorian home on a street formerly known as “Millionaires Row.” During the 1800s, the wealthiest of Hannibal lived on this street. It was forbidden to the common man because the wealthy wanted to keep themselves separate. The outside appears historic and colonial — it is a two-story brick home with large white windows trimmed with detailed molding accompanied by a petite porch welcoming visitors into the home. Yet, as soon as a visitor walks
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into the house, they travel to southern Italy in a matter of seconds. From the decor to the lighting to the arrangement of the chairs and tables, it resembles an authentic Mediterranean restaurant. The atmosphere of the bistro is complemented with personally crafted, made-to-order international cuisine. A visitor can travel the world in a single, intimate setting.
An Unlikely Pair The creation of LaBinnah started during 2008 with the friendship between Arif Dagin, an international student studying in the United States, and Christopher Bobek, Dagin’s worldtraveling host father. Dagin grew up in Turkey cooking classic Mediterranean dishes with his mother. Bobek, originally from Chicago, has backpacked around Europe on vacation with friends to Germany, France, Austria, and Italy, as well as Pakistan and India., Not until recently has LaBinnah become a target on the tourism radar. For years the menu was personally crafted for Bobek’s Garden Bar Bed & Breakfast guests’ private dinners. It became so popular that surrounding bed-andbreakfasts started sending their guests to Garden Bar for dinner. Bobek said the need for a fine dining restaurant was what initiated the idea for LaBinnah. Over time, Bobek said they
tested their food on their friends, and they were thrilled with the combinations of food Bobek and Dagin were creating, so they decided to open up more to the public. Their guests were looking for a romantic atmosphere, and they achieved just that.
The Atmosphere Most high-end American restaurants thrive on the idea of minimalism, simplicity and modernity, but LaBinnah Bistro encompasses a realistic Mediterranean environment. The lights are low, the décor is an eclectic combination of world treasures, and 30 seats are arranged in the Victorian home’s parlor. Visitors sit closer to each other than in traditional American restaurants, a choice by the owners to enhance their guests’ experience by encouraging guests to engage one another. “[International guests] appreciate this type of dining,” Bobek said. “Some of the locals aren’t used to the atmosphere, like sitting close to each other, but once they’re here and start talking to those sitting next to them, it’s the best experience they’ve ever had. Once you’re here, you feel right at home.”
FLAVORS OF THE WORLD
La Binnah’s international culinar y influences
The Bistro was the place of choice for Gary and Joy Greer to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. LaBinnah's close seating contributes to creating a warm, inviting and romantic setting for their guests.
For the Love of Cuisine
A Culinary Adventure
Bobek has a talent shared among culinary curators. Bobek said he has the ability to taste a dish and gain a good idea of what it consists of. He is able to identify key ingredients by taste, and he expands and tailors each dish he adopts to become his own creation. Dagin was able to attest to Bobek’s ability to quickly understand the creation of a dish after Bobek worked in the kitchen with Dagin’s mother, who influenced the menu’s diversity. “He was in the kitchen with my mother — he would watch her and he would create her dishes,” Dagin said. “I think it’s just a talent. You know with artists you ask, ‘How did you do that? How did you come up with that?’ They just do.” Bobek said his secret is the use of his imagination to creatively combine ingredients and spices to create a new dish. He said his favorite elements to add to dishes are cinnamon, soy sauce and cumin. Bobek said when he’s cooking he only uses his fingers to add the right amount of spices — it is all about taste. “Sometimes I just go to the store and see what they have — vegetables or seasonings — and I think about what I can make with it,” Bobek said. “It’s a creative process.” In addition to the consistent items on the menu, Bobek said they have daily specials that include fresh and seasonal ingredients. Bobek and Dagin said they have made it a personal mission to purchase most of their ingredients from local farmers markets or local stores. “We give back to our community — you’re not benefiting by buying from big chains,” Bobek said.
LaBinnah Bistro emphasizes quality dishes, and the cuisines themselves are the true experience. Open up the menu and there is a range of cuisines from Turkey, Greece, Spain, Italy, Africa, Chicago, New Orleans and more. The French or Mediterranean lamb chops are a popular item at the Bistro. A delicately seared, carefully spiced, wholesome dish, the lamb is one of the top choices for guests. A side isn’t needed — the flavors create a fall-apartin-your-mouth entree that can stand on its own. Visitors will appreciate the natural ingredients combined with carefully crafted attention paid to enhancing the organic composition of the food. Bobek maximizes the full flavor of the lamb with minimal additions. The chef’s favorite dish, Shrimp Istanbul, is crafted with shrimp, tomato, garlic, golden raisins and cinnamon. Gary and Joy Geer traveled to Hannibal from Peoria, Illinois, to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary and decided to try LaBinnah based on a recommendation by the Visitor’s Bureau in Hannibal. They both ordered the lamb chop, and they said they agreed the overall experience exceeded their expectations. “The waiter was great in communicating what was in each dish and making sure it fit what we were expecting, which we appreciated,” Gary Greer said. “The ambiance, music and decor is very eclectic but pleasantly so without being overwhelmingly posing.” Joy Greer said they knew it was a historic home, but the interior was a surprise. She said the combination of elements made it cozy. “A Mediterranean feel in an old brick house in Hannibal, Missouri, with a waiter who
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germany austria
france italy greece
spain
turkey
has personally made most of the food that was just delightful and unexpected,” Joy Greer said. Gary Greer said he applauded LaBinnah for its originality and authenticity compared to other higher quality restaurants where he has previously dined. He said he believes food has become such a large industry that restaurants are using pretentiousness to distinguish one restaurant from another – however, Gary Greer said he didn’t have this impression when he dined at LaBinnah. “It isn’t slick, and I appreciate that,” Gary Greer said. “Some of the other nicer places we’ve been to, they tend to be slick or overproduced, but this is ... much more organic and personal.”
because many businesses in Hannibal choose to tie themselves to the iconic name. Bobek and Dagin wanted to be original — the name tied the bistro back into Hannibal’s lesserknown history. “I think it’s the house,” Bobek said. “We couldn’t recreate this in any other city — it’s not going to be the same. Someone offered to build us our own bigger restaurant but we decided we didn’t want to cook at that scale — it wouldn’t be the same.” LaBinnah doesn’t plan on expanding past their 30-seat bistro. Dagin said to keep the quality and consistency of the food, it is important to remain small. “If you have a 100-seat restaurant, you have to staff for that and the quality goes down,” Dagin said. “It’s consistent because he prepares every meal to the order.” Bobek said he thinks it is unfortunate when other restaurants expand and lose the consistent quality to their food. “If you pay a lot of money at a restaurant, you don’t want mediocre food, you want something to remember,” Bobek said. “That’s what we hope to achieve here at LaBinnah.” Gale Bryant, director of the Hannibal Convention & Visitors Bureau, said those who dine at LaBinnah often return to the visitor’s bureau to share the positive experience they had. She said businesses with great customer
“IF YOU PAY A LOT OF MONEY AT A RESTAURANT, YOU DON’T WANT MEDIOCRE FOOD, YOU WANT SOMETHING TO REMEMBER,”
What’s In a Name? The owners did not create the name LaBinnah. It originated during the late 1800s when the wealthy didn’t go to local pubs and bars with the common people. Instead they had house parties, where the elite women decided to open their own social club called “LaBinnah.” The club was created for the wealthy to host their dances, dinners and other social activities. While perhaps the name looks like a French expression, don’t be deceived — it’s Hannibal spelled backwards. Bobek and Dagin wanted to step away from the use of Mark Twain as a branding tool
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service are key to Hannibal’s success as a tourism destination, and LaBinnah is a wonderful tourism partner for the city. LaBinnah Bistro focuses on the details of its guests’ experience from the moment visitors walk up to the 19th century Victorian home to the moment they take the last bite of dessert. While enjoying the culinary adventure, guests will forget they’re in a small town in the Midwest.
A seat for two adorned with classic white tablecloths to add a formal flair to an eclectic atmosphere in the small town of Hannibal, Missouri. The restaurant is a choice for local and international travelers looking for a fine dining experience.
BOOZY SHAKES AND SPUNKY TASTES
The Fountain on Locust located on Locust Street in St. Louis. This street is also known as the historic automotive row where the inspiration for this restaurant came from.
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hen The Fountain on Locust came to St. Louis during 2008, the city suddenly got a little more vibrant. The wall decor made to resemble a 1930’s-style diner draws people in, but the ice cream specialities and extensive menu keep customers coming back. Joy Grdnic, owner and creator of The Fountain on Locust, had a vision for the kind of restaurant she wanted, but she never intended to open a restaurant of her own. Stepping into The Fountain on Locust, everything one sees originated from Grdnic. Manager Barbara Schult said Grdnic has a huge personality that contributes to the atmosphere of the restaurant. Grdnic hand painted all of the wall murals, and all marketing tactics for the restaurant are hers. Grdnic is also very involved in the restaurant. On several occasions, customers will see her scooping ice cream just like the other employees, and talking one on one with customers. The restaurant is made to resemble 1930s art deco primarily because the building used to be a car showroom, and Grdnic wanted to preserve the old-fashioned feel. Aside from creating the restaurant, Grdnic also is a comedy artist with her own show called “Soap Hospital” that she co-hosts with her husband. “Soap Hospital” is a two-minute, radio comedy serial about a nurse and a
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doctor. She currently has 400 episodes with the first CD available for sale. To incorporate both of her passions, customers sitting at one of the booths along the walls of the restaurant can hear the comedy show through speakers while enjoying their meal. Located on Locust Street, this restaurant is more than the food they serveit is the sense of community that it brings to the area, starting with its own staff. “Most of us have worked here since the restaurant first opened, and many of us actually live together,” employee Tim Smole said.
The Fountain on Locust draws in customers of all ages, from children to college students to grandparents. People come from all over the St. Louis area and can stop by after a show at The Fabulous Fox Theatre or before a night on the town. “I live in Fenton [35 minutes away] and I come here often,” customer Peggy White said. “I love the atmosphere of the restaurant and their high quality food.” First time visitor Lindsay Foust, from Wentzville, Missouri, said The Fountain on Locust was a pleasant surprise.
BOOZY SHAKES AND SPUNKY TASTES
“I liked that the menu had many options to choose from,” Foust said. “I had the chicken pesto and I loved it — it was not a traditional sandwich made in a hurry. It is little things like these that I appreciate from restaurants.” The Fountain on Locust has won several awards in the years since it opened, with the most famous being “The Best Bathroom Award” awarded by Cintas, a bathroom supply company. All of the parts come from recycled items from a Habitat for Humanity ReStore outlet. Other awards they have won are most photographed restaurant in the St. Louis area, a top ten ice cream award, and numerous Yelp and TripAdvisor awards. The restaurant makes all of its own food from scratch. Grdnic’s Polish family background inspired the Dill pickle soup, which is always
available on the menu. It is so popular that they make four gallons of the soup a day. She has created 47 soup recipes that the restaurant cycles through on their menu. The only thing they do not make themselves is the ice cream, because in the words of Grdnic, “We could never make it this good.” The ice cream comes from a Wisconsin dairy farm. The family dairy is the only one in the country that ages its ice cream, which gives it a rich flavor. To add zest to the ice cream, instead of topping it with a simple cherry, The Fountain on Locust crystallizes its own orange peels, which take three weeks to make. The Fountain on Locust brought spiked ice cream, alcohol and ice cream, to the St. Louis area. Smole said the standing banana split is a crowd favorite. It is served in a tall, overfilled
cup with a bruléed banana and scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream, layered with crushed strawberries and hot fudge. Other crowd favorites include the Mississippi mudslide, a spiked ice cream martini and the Almond Joy sundae. “Our employees love what they do,” Schult said. “They do not mind going to work everyday, and that definitely reflects on the restaurant. “I think that is why we have been so successful, that and the reasonable prices that we offer.” Visitors who you dine at The Fountain on Locust are not only getting the very best quality, but also an unforgettable experience. It is a restaurant full of spunk and personality. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the awardwinning bathrooms.
Hand painted murals by Joy Grdnic, owner of the restaurant, align the walls of the Fountain on Locust. These paintings are made to resemble 1930s art deco.
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WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, tmn.truman.edu/detours
The Great Mississippi Mudslide martini. which features coffee liqueur, Irish cream and vanilla deluxe ice cream garnished with Oreos.
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A VICTORIAN VACATION
The Victorian Inn’s owners encourage guests to sign guest books after their stay. The books are filled with the memories of the variety of visitors who have stayed in the past.
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY JASMINE ADAMS
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A VICTORIAN VACATION
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Melissa’s Room sits upstairs on the main house. This room is ideal for private guests that enjoy having breakfast served each morning.
he Victorian Inn, located in the Village of Camp Point, Illinois, attracts visitors from all over the world with its family feel and welcoming owners. The Inn is over 100 years old and has served as a boarding house, morgue and doctor’s office in the past. Today the house sits on North Illinois Street, across from a busy school and surrounded by a quiet neighborhood. From the outside, the Inn is a humble, colonial style home painted white with red shutters. A sign in the front yard welcomes visitors to view the house as a peaceful bed-and-breakfast getaway. Before owners Steve and Carol Eicken moved into the home, they were searching for a place to live that would please their three children. Steve Eicken said when the family finally purchased the home, he and his wife thought it might be a nice place to open a bed-and-breakfast in the future, but opening the business was not their original plan. “We didn’t really buy it with the intention of it being a B&B,” Steve Eicken said. “We had looked before and just kind of thought about it, but then we
approached the town and they thought it was a good idea.” The owners said they had never stayed in a bed-and-breakfast, and were not sure how to run this kind of business when they started, but after touring several similar businesses in the area, the Eickens opened the first room for visitors during 2000. Steve and Carol Eicken said when guests stay with them, they get the personal feeling of staying with family instead of staying at a hotel. Currently, The Victorian Inn has three available rooms. Each room comes with a queen size bed, bathroom, refrigerator, coffee pot and dining area. Downstairs, the South Suite was the first room open for business. It has one bed with an array of linens and comforters to choose from for guests to make the space their own. The South Suite has an attached bathroom with a walk-in shower and, from the main room, a door leading outside to a parking space. A pair of antique wooden doors separate the room from the connected dining area where guests can enjoy breakfast made by Carol Eicken each morning.
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Breakfast is served separately upstairs in Melissa’s Room, named after the Eicken’s daughter who used the room before leaving for college. The upstairs room consists of one bed with a dresser, a television and a couch next to a window that overlooks the yard below. In an adjoining bathroom sits a clawfoot tub. Across the hall from Melissa’s Room is the upstairs dining area, which is decorated in blue and white with a separate bed in the corner of the room for families that need more space. Carol Eicken said the house is set up nicely for a bed-and-breakfast with multiple guests because of its many doors and exits that allow guests to be as private or social as they want. Behind the main house, the Cottage is open for more private visitors who want to come and go as they please. This part of the Inn is not served breakfast because of the private nature of the separate building, but it does come with a kitchen and dining area for guests to make and eat meals. The owners also said guests are welcome to come to the main house to eat with other visitors if requested. In the Cottage, guests have a full bathroom and a living space
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Inside the main house, the sitting area is comfortable and decorated like a traditional home. Here guests can relax by the fireplace and visit with owners Steve and Carol Eicken.
Breakfast is served separately for each guest every morning in the main house. Carol Eicken cooks the food and presents it to guests on elegant place settings.
A VICTORIAN VACATION
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with a television and electric fireplace that sit across from a plush tan futon and oldfashioned rocking chair, behind which sits the bed. “The Cottage is the most popular — we rent it more than anything,” Carol Eicken said. The Victorian Inn has attracted visitors from over 40 states and several countries around the world such as Germany, Ireland and as far away as Australia. They have also hosted golfers from South Africa and other countries that participate in the Little People’s Golf Tournament in Quincy, Illinois. They said some of these visitors barely speak English. Steve Eicken said while the Inn normally does not book extended stays, when a large oil pipeline was laid from northern Illinois to Oklahoma, they accommodated Ameren workers for several months as well. The owners said they have played host to hunters from around the area during deer season and many have used the Inn annually for almost 10 years. However, Carol Eicken said their main visitors are families. “We get a lot of people who grew up here and they come back for their 40th class reunion, and they want to be here because this is what they remember,” Carol Eicken said. “This is still home.” Long time guests Robert and Elisa Correia have stayed at the Inn since it opened. The couple lives in Chicago but their daughter lives 15 minutes away from the Inn. They said because there is no other lodging location close to their family, the Inn is an ideal place for them to stay. The Correia’s said their favorite place to stay
is the Cottage, but, they enjoy staying in any of the available rooms. They describe the Inn as a comfortable, warm home away from home and its owners as an example of what good innkeepers should be. They said the location and owners are what keep them coming back to the Inn. “Not only the location, but the décor of their Inn is very relaxing, and Steve and Carol are friendly and accommodating,” Elisa Correia said.
The Victorian Inn brings business to the community of Camp Point as well. Camp Point Mayor Jerry Gunn said when travelers stay at The Victorian Inn, they also tend to visit the community’s golf course, local winery and the Bailey House, a restaurant and antique opera house. He said the village’s location between Quincy and Mount Sterling, Illinois, makes it an ideal resting spot for travelers who bring revenue to the surrounding community. “The nice thing about it is, if you have an event here, they have a nice place to stay because we don’t have a motel, so it works out well,” Gunn said. The Victorian Inn’s owners said they consider their home relaxed and peaceful with a family atmosphere. They said they have been lucky to have rented out rooms to good people, and meeting visitors makes owning a B&B less like work and more like a fun part of life.
WEB EXCLUSIVE read more on our website, tmn.truman.edu/detours
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TOP 25:
ADVENTURE
IS OUT THERE
STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHELBY FRAIZER, MAGGIE HAYNES, ALYSSA JOHNSON AND MARY TOMLINSON
4. Katy Bike Trail
The Katy Trail offers scenic views of Missouri’s geology and flora, and an array of brightly-hued leaves fill its landscape in the fall. Photo courtesy of
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MISSOURI 1. ELEPHANT ROCKS Named after the shape of its enormous granite boulders, Elephant Rocks State Park is accessible to a variety of ages and abilities. Visitors picnic next to the elephant rocks and relax among a sea of colorful autumn leaves in the fall. The mile-long Braille Trail, designed for those with physical or visual disabilities, was introduced during 1981. The trail features a quarry pond, access to the boulder field and a connecting path that leads to a historic railroad engine house. Visitors observe several remnants of the park’s history, including the signatures of 19th century miners who left their mark by carving their names into the red-hued granite formations.
1. Elephant Rocks
These elephant-shaped granite rock formations are scattered throughout Elephant Rock State Park, giving viewers a glimpse into the landscape’s geological history.
2. SEGWAY AND BIKE TOURS OF KANSAS CITY
3. Missouri Botanical Gardens
Handmade origami cranes are just one of many hand-crafted items available for purchase at the Japanese Festival, held annually over Labor Day weekend at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Photo credit Sheridan Hentrich, photo courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden.
The Segway and Bike Tours of Kansas City are perfect for the adventure-seeking person who also has a passion for sight-seeing. Travelers can choose to rent a bike, segway, or to simply go on foot and receive a 2-hour guided tour of Kansas City’s culture. Modeled after the Spanish city of Seville, Spain, Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza provides Spanish inspired architecture, sculptures and more. Tour options include art and museum tours, barbeque and food tours, and park and history tours. Examples of a few of the sites guest can see on a tour include the Nelson Atkins Museum, the Country Club Plaza, the Power and Light district and much more.
3. MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDENS
The oldest botanical garden in the country offers serenity and activity. Visitors can walk through almost 80 acres of thriving greenery and rejuvenate themselves in the Japanese strolling gardens or experience the livlier side of the Missouri Botanical Gardens through their multitudes of events. “Grapes in the Garden” serves samples of over 100 international and domestic wines, the Whitaker Music Festival showcases blues, jazz and rock bands at the open air amphitheater, and the food, culture and art of Japan takes over the garden during the three-day Japanese Festival.
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MISSOURI 4. KATY BIKE TRAIL
Stretching 237 miles across Missouri from Machens to Clinton, the Katy Trail is an ideal destination for those who enjoy cycling, walking, camping or horseback riding. Eight cyclists are documented to have completed the 240-mile trek in one day, but for those who are a bit less ambitious, there are designated campsites along the trail to stop for the night. Visitors can even customize their trip by planning a route that runs near wineries and bed-and-breakfasts. The stretch of the trail between the Clinton and Sedalia Fairgrounds’ trailheads also allows horseback riding. With many trailheads and stopping points to choose from, the Katy Trail offers opportunity for countless adventures.
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Katy Bike Trail The lengthy route of the Katy Trail and its multitude of access points make cycling one of its most popular activities. Photo courtesy of Missouri State Parks.
5. CASTLEWOOD STATE PARK 4. Katy Bike Trail
Several areas of the Katy Trail run alongside the Missouri River. Photo courtesy of Missouri State Parks.
Before Castlewood State Park existed, the scenic area along the Meramec River was home to riverside resorts for city dwellers to escape to the countryside. A few remnants of the recreational areas, clubhouses, hotels and dance halls can be seen throughout the park today. Those looking for an escape today can do so at the river access points for a refreshing swim or on the hiking and biking trails. The best trails lead right up to the top of the bluffs, giving hikers and bikers a grandiose view of the winding Meramec River and the lush woods surrounding it.
6. JOHNSON SHUT-IN STATE PARK
The area of Johnson Shut-Ins State Park has a history dating back 1.4 million years when volcanic eruptions left behind rhyolite bedrock, shaping the St. Francois Mountains in Southeastern Missouri. These volcanic rock formations “shut in” the Black River’s East Fork and created a natural waterpark, a characteristic for which the state park would later be named. Today, Johnson Shut-Ins State Park boasts plunge pools, natural waterslides and waterfalls created by erosion of the original bedrock. The shut-ins can be accessed by the Black River Trail, which also connects to the park’s campsites and day use area.
7. ONONDAGA CAVE TOURS
The Onondaga Cave in Missouri has an interesting history. The cave was used to store beer during the late 1800s for up-and-coming breweries in the St. Louis area. The cave’s year-round 57 degree temperature made the perfect refrigerator. Now, the Onondaga cave is used for travelers to tour and adventure in. The 1-mile walking tour will lead travelers through the cave and around the cave’s flowing river to catch a glimpse of Onondaga’s geology such as King’s Canopy and The Twins, which are unusual cave formations.
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8. FANTASTIC CAVERNS
9. ZIP LINE U.S.A IN BRANSON, MO
Fantastic Caverns has a fantastical discovery story. The cave was first stumbled upon by the dog of an Ozark farmer who climbed into the entrance. Now the cave’s depths are explored by jeep-drawn tram, making it the only ridethrough cave in the country. On the hour-long tours, visitors admire ancient cave formations such as stalactites and stalagmites, cave pears, massive columns and cave-dwelling creatures like the rare, blind Ozark cave fish.
Every daredevil must travel to Branson, Missouri, at least once in his or her lifetime to experience Branson’s 2-mile zip line canopy tour. The zip line is accompanied by two tour guides and is open for anyone who is up for the adventure. There are no towers to climb and there isn’t any necessary strenuous work. Guests soar as high as 350 feet through the treetops and gaze at the wildlife and scenery of the Ozarks.
10. FANTASY WORLD CAVERNS IN ELDON, MO Located just a few miles outside of the Lake of the Ozarks, Fantasy World Caverns in Eldon, Missouri, is an excellent activity for any cave enthusiast. Fantasy World Caverns is the largest underground cave in the area, and guests have named it a “must-see cave in Missouri.” Unlike other caves, it also has a massive, accessible natural entrance, and there are no tight spaces or narrow halls where guests would be forced to crouch down or squeeze through.
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Fantastic Caverns Before exploring the caves of Fantastic Caverns, visitors can traverse through the wooded areas of southern Missouri. Photo courtesy of Fantastic Caverns.
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ILLINOIS 11. STARVED ROCK PARK With over 13 miles of trails to explore, Starved Rock State Park celebrates its natural scenery by offering guided hikes, horseback rides, water cruises and even trolley rides. Hikers trek through the wilderness to see the canyon waterfalls and climb to the top of sandstone buttes to look out over the landscape. After exploring the over 2,600-acre park, visitors can set up camp at the park’s campsite and end the day with a glass of wine from one of the three local wineries.
11. Starved Rock Park
Horseback riding is available in the area as well. Photo courtesy of Starved Rock Lodge.
12. KAYAK CHICAGO
At the feet of Chicago’s finest architecture, the Chicago River winds through the middle of the city. One of the most interactive ways to experience the city’s history is from a kayak. Kayak Chicago offers several types of tours, including an architectural tour, a city lights paddle at night, a sunset paddle and even a fireworks paddle. Kayak Chicago’s 6-mile-long fireworks route stretches all the way to Navy Pier, passing by the city lights along the way. Best of all, most tours do not require any kayaking experience.
13. GARDEN OF THE GODS AT SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST
The Garden of the Gods wilderness in Shawnee National Forest is 3,300 acres of virtually undisturbed landscape filled with rock overhangs, streams and hardwood forest. At the Garden of the Gods Recreation Center, visitors gather to take in the beauty of the scenery in this expansive nature preserve with excellent views of the Shawnee Hills from the bluffs. The 1/4-mile-long interactive trail details the geological history of the area, tracing the sandstone formations back millions of years. Notable rock formations such as Camel Rock, Anvil and Rock and Devil’s Smokestack display a variety of unusual shapes as a result of erosion and serve as the lasting remnants of the vast inland sea that once covered the area.
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14. MERMET SPRINGS SCUBA DIVING
One way to take a break from the summer heat is by jumping into the sparkling waters of Mermet Springs, a diving site that offers on-site scuba training and numerous underwater attractions to explore. Entry-level courses are offered for beginners, and more experienced divers can hone their skills with specialty courses such as deep diving and night diving. Once beneath the surface of the spring-fed quarry, divers encounter an underwater playground consisting of objects such as a submarine, a Ford pickup truck, a Cherokee 150 Aircraft and an ambulance. Some of the submerged vehicles can be entered, such as the Boeing 727 airplane from the movie “U.S. Marshals.” Not all of the underwater scenery is manmade — the site also features 100-foot cliffs, a view sure to last long after resurfacing.
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Katy Bike Trail Cyclists ride next to Missouri River bluffs on the Katy Trail. Photo courtesy of Missouri State Parks.
15.GIANT CITY STATE PARK 16. TUNNEL HILL STATE TRAIL 17. WILDLIFE Giant City State Park, located in This 48-mile gravel bike trail located just PRAIRIE PARK Makanda, Illinois, was named after outside of Vienna, Illinois, winds through its giant sandstone structures and breathtaking scenery. The park is home of the Giant City Streets, which are colossal bluffs made of sandstone that formed over 12,000 years ago. Other than gazing at the beautiful scenery, the park offers a multitude of activities; archery range, equestrian trails, fishing, boating, hiking trails, rock climbing and hunting. With over 80 campsites, Giant City is also a popular destination for campers.
extended inclines and dark tunnels. While this trail is a difficult one, it has beautiful scenery and eccentric route. Tunnel Hills State trail takes bikers through seven towns, over 23 bridges and even journeys into a few ghost towns. The most famous ghost town, Forman, resembles an old Hollywood movie set. Beyond the ghost towns and scenery, the most favored aspect of the tour is the gigantic, 543-foot tunnel.
18. ANDERSON JAPANESE GARDENS
Wildlife Prairie Park in Hanna City, Illinois, is a retreat for animal lovers. Visitors take a safari-like tour in Jeeps on the plains and get an intimate look at familiar animals such as otters, foxes, owls, snakes, turtles and domesticated farm animals. They can also see larger, less frequently spotted animals like bison, elk, cougars, black bears, bobcats, and eagles. Other activities that the Wildlife Prairie Park offers mountain biking, fishing and lodging at their cozy cabins.
All the classic elements of a Japanese garden, such as carefully designed garden arrangements, waterfalls and pagodas, find their way into the landscape of the Anderson Japanese Gardens. Visitors can experience the peacefulness of the garden by wandering its paths or from the premier view offered in the garden’s restaurant, Fresco. The whole restaurant is enclosed by glass and overlooks the garden landscape. The view paired with the menu, which changes with the season to mirror the image of the gardens, makes for a refreshing nature experience.
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IOWA 19. BELLEVUE STATE PARK BUTTEFLY GARDEN With over 60 different species of butterflies, Bellevue’s Butterfly Pavilion in Iowa provides a great opportunity to see some little winged creatures. The Pavilion is located in the Bellevue State Park, which is about a 3 1/2-hour drive from Des Moines. The 100 or so plots contain plants specifically chosen to suit the butterflies. The 2 miles of trails that wind through this garden are decorated with a variety of plant-life and the chance to spot butterflies.
20. CLIMB IOWA
Iowa’s largest indoor climbing and training center resides in Climb Iowa, where climbers can explore over 200 different routes on the wall. With more than 10,000 square feet of wall to climb, there is enough space for everyone. The facility is open every day and provides the appropriate gear to rent. There are classes available for beginners and experienced climbers, and private instruction is offered as well. Additionally, they offer a class for CPR and first-aid training and a class to obtain an instructor certification from the Climbing Wall Association. The facility also features a fitness room and yoga studio.
21. GREATER DES MOINES BOTANICAL GARDEN The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden has nearly 14 acres of impressive collections of plant life, ranging from native to exotic. With sculptures and structures like their indoor waterfall, this destination is more than just a garden. From the bonsai collection to the orchids, there is a wide variety of flowers, tropical and woody plants to explore. It’s only $6 for admission and visitors can expand their knowledge about plant life with weekly events that host speakers and performers.
22. HIGH TRESTLE TRAIL
Steel frames encompass and arch around the bridge pathway on High Trestle Trail, which creates a winding illusion when riding through it. This trail is most well-known for its 1/2-mile bridge that stands 13 stories above the Des Moines River. The trail first opened during 2011 and received the Mid American Trails and Greenway Project Award later that year. The High Trestle Trail, paved with concrete and asphalt, runs through five towns — Woodward, Madrid, Slater, Sheldahl and Ankeny. The total stretch is 25 miles of what was originally a railroad bed.
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23. MAQUOKETA CAVES STATE PARK Maquoketa Caves State Park houses more caves than any other state park in Iowa. Guided tours through the caves provide information on the history of the state park and the geology of cave formations. Although many of the formations — formally known as milk white stalactites and stalagmites — have been removed from the caves from souvenir hunters, adventurers will still be amazed by the structures that remain. In addition to these historic caves, there are picnic shelters, campsites and roughly 6 miles of trails.
24. HITCHCOCK NATURE CENTER
22. High Trestle Trail (above)
Tilted steel frames decorate the Trestle Bridge in Iowa. Photos courtesy of Iowa Tourism Office.
24. Hitchcock Nature Center (right)
At the Hitchcock Nature Center, this winding staircase come to a platform where people can enjoy the impressive view of the land. Photos courtesy of Pottawattamie County Conservation.
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For the small price of $2, there is a great experience waiting at the Hitchcock Nature Center. Between the scenery, trails, camping and the active wildlife, the 1,200-acre plot in Loess Hills is perfect for outdoor activities. There are hiking trails with varying levels of difficulty for hikers of different abilities, as well as campsites for RV’s and tents. The observation tower offers a complete view of the park and a lookout spot for the variety of birds seen here.
25. SAUK RAIL TRAIL The Sauk Rail Trail in Iowa connects Blackhawk Lake State Park and Swan Lake State Park.The 33-mile-long asphalt trail runs through five counties with plenty of rest stops and pleasant scenery, including prairies, wetlands and wildlife. The trail even passes right next to a wind farm. For access to the trails, it costs $2 per day or $15 for the whole year.
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SUMMER CALENDAR
click each day for more information!
Products of a Creative African American Inventions Exhibit, Cedar Rapids, IA
Kansas City Royals T-Shirt Tuesday Kansas City, MO
Middle of the Map Fest Kansas City, MO
Chicago Cubs “Pink Out” Chicago, IL
Alton Brown Kansas City, MO
Blue Man Group Chicago, IL
First Annual Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis, MO
RiverLoop Rhythms Free Concert Cedar Falls, IA
The Best of Second City Chicago, IL
Civil War Days Naperville, IL
Chicago Symphony Cosmic Convergence Chicago, IL
Bosnian American Festival St. Louis, MO
Pella Tulip Fustival Pella, IA
Orange City Tulip Festival Orange City, IA
HerrinFesta Italiana Herrin, IL
Apple Blossom Festival St. Joseph, MO
Tractor Day at Living History Farms Urbandale, IA
Civil War Reenactment Nashua, IA
Irish Wiskey Tasting Weston, MO
Chocolate Festival Long Grove, IL
Waldo HopFest Kansas City, MO
JunqueFest, Upcycle Festival Webster City, IA
Starved Rock Park Photography Club Utica, IL
MISSOURI Red, White, and BBQ Festival Wesmont, IL
Iowa Renaissance Festival Middle Amana, IA
ILLINIOS IOWA
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click each day for more information!
Opening of Circus Flora St. Louis, MO
Cardinals vs. Giants St. Louis, MO
Cherokee PRCA Rodeo Cherokee, IA
Twang Fest St. Louis, MO
Superman Festival Metropolis, IL
Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival St. Joseph, MO
French Heritage Festival St. Genevieve, MO
Prarie Pottery Class Webster City, IA
Ice Cream Days Le Mars, IA
Shakespeare on the Lawn Des Moines, IA
College Hill Arts Festival Cedar Falls, IA
French Market Vernon Hills, IL
Kickstart your Kayak Okoboji, IA
Archery Festival Metropolis, IL
Friendship Festival Bourbonnais, IL
Firecracker Festival Festus, MO
Pride STL St. Louis, MO
Missouri History Museum Route 66 Exhibit St. Louis, MO
Joliet Slammers Baseball $2 Tuesday Joliet, IL
Highland Farmers Market Highland, IL
MISSOURI ILLINIOS IOWA
Iowa Arts Festival Iowa City, IA
Shakespeare in the Park St. Louis, MO
Midsommarfest Chicago, IL
Historic Baseball Games and LIving History Farms Urbandale, IA
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Wine and Painting Party Platte City, MO
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