Shopping in Missouri by Tim Trudell

A Weston Holiday Shopping Getaway

Buffalo Ranch

Weston could easily be renamed Missouri’s Christmas town. The historic town near the Kansas border is home to several one-of-a-kind stores and boutiques, ranging from antiques to apparel. While Weston is a fun town to visit anytime, combining holiday shopping with a couple’s getaway is even better. The community of 1,700, located about 25 miles north of Kansas City, is full of fun shopping opportunities.

As you stroll downtown, you’ll find a bevy of shops among classic architecture, dating back to the mid-1800s. As the holidays approach, you may be able to share your gift wish list with the jolly old elf, himself, as Victorian era Father Christmas has been known to meander along the main street on weekends in December.

Christmas enthusiasts enjoy stopping in at Buffalo Ranch Christmas Store. With almost everything you need for holiday decorations, it’s easy to spend hours in the store. From Santa Claus figurines and nutcrackers to ornaments and other decorations, the Christmas store needs to be the first stop when visiting Weston during the holidays. With majestic displays of holiday

Renditions Pottery Father Christmas

decorations, it may be tempting to hire the staff to decorate your home. It may also be nearly impossible to get one of you out of the store in order to explore more of Weston.

While in Weston, travel across the Atlantic Ocean for a little Polish cookware shopping. Renditions Pottery Shop features original dishes from the Eastern European nation. With traditional gravy boats and butter

By Tim Trudell

A Weston Holiday Shopping Getaway

dishes among them, the store - covering three bays - includes plates, cups, and saucers. You’ll even find cookie jars that once were common in grandparents’ kitchens. Just the experience of browsing the store is like visiting the home country.

St. George Hotel

Staying with a European theme, The Celtic Ranch transports shoppers to the Emerald Isle. With Irish-themed clothing and accessories, The Celtic Ranch is a fun store to shop. You’ll find sweaters for women and men, as well as scarfs and hats. You may even see a few Guinness-related items there. In the back room, whiskey enthusiasts will enjoy sampling a flight or taking a bottle of Irish (and others) whiskey home from the Whiskey Snug.

For a taste of Italy, stop in La Bella Cucina Italian Market. With pasta, marinara and other sauces, along with oil and vinegar, as well as pottery and other kitchen accessories, the store has almost everything you need to create a special meal. The store also features pottery. Featuring products from around the world, Ten Thousand Villages features items curated through

Fair Trade. Its diverse inventory includes coffee mugs, toys, and clothing. The store’s outside deck offers a picturesque view of

Weston’s downtown park.

La Bella Cucina Italian Market

Combining their artistic and design skills, the owners of Weston Bend Candle Company have created handmade delicious fragrances for the holidays, where you may find spice or vanilla fragrances, along with an assortment of year-round scents. The candle shop also sells candle holders of all sizes.

For an eclectic shopping experience, Weston is home to White Pumpkin on Main. With all sorts of home decor and accessories - cute signs, pictures, and mugs - it’s a fun shop to visit. And you’ll likely leave with a few holiday gifts for family and friends.

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Shopping: Continued...

Now that your shopping list is completed, it’s time to treat yourself with a massage, facial, or manicure/pedicure at Weston Spa. With a mood-soothing atmosphere, you know you’re in for a treat with mellow music and a fresh aroma. You can even take home a few products to relive your massage therapy.

Consider making your trip to Weston a weekend adventure, with a stay at the historic St. George Hotel. Located on Main Street, The St. George opened in 1845, hosting people traveling the Missouri River via steamboats. Today, you can stay in a variety of classic rooms, including the Captain’s Suite, featuring a hot tub and king-sized bed.

No visit to Weston is complete without a stop at Pirtle Winery, which opened in 1978. Located inside a former church building, Pirtle Winery produces some of Missouri’s finest wines, with a vineyard north of town. From award-winning white to red and rose wines, Pirtle also offers mead and fruit wines, such as apple and blueberry.

Weston’s America Bowman Restaurant’s menu features Irish and American fare. After enjoying a meal, head downstairs and through the limestone tunnel to O’Malley’s 1842 Pub, where you can sample the drink menu while enjoying music. The Weston Brewing Company, originally opened in 1842, also offers weekend tours. For more on Missouri >Click Here

What’s New at Powell Gardens

More than

20 miles of lights turn Kansas City’s botanical garden into a winter wonderland. Enjoy a breath of fresh air during a hectic holiday season! Bundle up with family and friends while you stroll a lighted outdoor path, pausing for plenty of Instagram and holiday-card worthy photo moments along the way. Light Labyrinth Daily

Explore the quilt-like pattern of the Villandry garden beds as you tackle navigating a labyrinth of light. Transitioning color blocks represent the changing seasons of fall, winter, spring, and summer. Travel to the top of the Silo to watch others try their hand at navigating the path for themselves. This immersive experience is fun for all ages; please accompany small children. 4-10 p.m. at the Missouri Barn & Silo.

Featured Artist

Kevin Heckart makes new media works that play in the feedback-loop of internet culture while sourcing technology to capture the attention of millions. He utilizes coding to construct dreamy interactive light installations. Heckart received a BFA from Kansas City Art Institute in 2019 and has been a Kansas City resident for over 10 years. While Heckart has often collaborated with local artists, his work is exhibited widely including most recently at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Tokyo Culture Art and published in WAD Magazine, The New York Times, and MTV.

Look for Verticalis in the Conservatory and Garden Office in the Garden Galleries.

Santa’s Workshop

Opens with Santa’s arrival on Nov. 25, 4-10 p.m.

Education Building (in Children’s Garden)

Children of all ages will enjoy visiting Santa’s Workshop inside the Children’s Garden. Visitors can purchase a Powell Garden craft ornament to decorate or shop for stocking stuffers. Santa’s Workshop is full of unique and traditional toys, games, candies, and gifts.

Merry & Bright Selfie Station

Open daily from 4-10 p.m. at the Education Building in the Children’s Garden. A *must not miss* photo opportunity. The perfect spot to capture mementos. Tag @ powellgardens and use #festivaloflightskc to share.

For more information, visit https://powellgardens.org/

anta’s reindeer are

Slost inside the Tree Adventure located at the Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City. They need your help to find them! Join with family and friends in a fun-for-all ages scavenger hunt to discover where the reindeer are hiding along the Tree House Trail. Then use their special mailbox to send a letter to Santa to let him know where to find his reindeer in time for his Christmas ride!

Activity is available during regular hours from Nov. 29 through Dec. 23 and is included with your Tree Adventure admission. Purchase Tree Adventure tickets in advance here.

Another adventure being offered at the Tree Adventure on Dec. 17 from noon to 4 p.m. is a holiday nature craft making class. Make a fun pinecone reindeer ornament to take home and put on your tree. Nature craft making is included with regular admission as is the Reindeer Chase scavenger hunt.

Come experience the fun of the winter season at Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure. Questions? Please call 402873-8717.

Find Santa’s Reindeer

For more on Nebraska >Click Here

See Jurassic Quest

CLEVELAND - North America’s most popular interactive dinosaur experience is BACK, BIGGER and BETTER than EVER! Cleveland-area families can walk among the nation’s biggest herd of photorealistic dinosaurs Thanksgiving weekend when Jurassic Quest® opens at the I-X Center for a limited run, Nov. 25-27.

Find out what dinosaur was considered the turkey of its day and walk among over 160 million years of dinosaurs as North America’s most popular, can’t-miss dinosaur adventure stomps into the I-X Center, Nov. 25-27 Jurassic Quest opens its doors with its most beloved and unique experiences for the whole family including life-like dinosaurs, some of the largest rideable dinosaurs in North America, live dinosaur shows, interactive science and art activities including a fossil dig and real fossils like T-Rex teeth, a triceratops horn and life-size dino skull, a “Triceratots” soft play area for our littlest explorers, bounce houses and inflatable attractions, photo opportunities, and more.

Walk through 165 million years of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods to learn about the creatures that ruled on land, and “deep dive” into the “Ancient Oceans” exhibit to come face to face with the largest apex predator that ever existed – a moving, life-size, 50-foot-long megalodon! Meet the babies, hatched only at Jurassic Quest: Cammie the Camarasaurus, Tyson the T-Rex and Trixie the Triceratops – and, you may even catch one of our star dino trainers: Safari Sarah, Dino Dustin, Captain Caleb, Prehistoric Nick or Park Ranger Marty! The Jurassic Quest herd of animatronic dinos – from the largest predators to playful baby dinos – are displayed in realistic scenes with some that move and roar, allowing guests to experience them as they were when they roamed the earth billions of years ago. Jurassic Quest works in collaboration with leading paleontologists to ensure each dinosaur is painstakingly replicated in every detail, from coloration to teeth size, to textured skin, fur or feathers, drawing on the latest research about how we understand dinosaurs and ancient giants of the sea looked and moved. TICKETS & LOGISTICS Tickets are timed entry and start at $19 -- reserve online to ensure desired date and time at www.jurassicquest.com -- or are available on-site, and include a 100% ticket guarantee that in the event of a show cancellation or postponement for any reason, ticket purchases will be automatically refunded for the full purchase amount. Tickets are for a timed arrival window, and advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged. Guests can walk through the dinosaur experience at their own pace, and strollers are permitted. Some venues may have wheelchairs for use, but please contact the venue in advance to make arrangements.

General admission tickets include access to the dinosaur and marine exhibits, arts and crafts activities, and dinosaur shows. There are rides and activities that require activity tickets available on site, or guests can upgrade to the Kids Unlimited Rides ticket (the best value for children ages 2-12). Entry is free for children under age 2. Socks required for inflatable attractions. For more on Ohio >Click Here

Through Dec. 12, enjoy the beauty of Hocking Hills and the magic of holiday cheer whil shopping at locally-owned shops in the region. Collect stamps from any six of the 27 participating shops and turn in to the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center to be eligible for great prizes. Click on the gift at left for details. For more on Ohio >Click Here

Take a Walk Thru Biblewalk

MANSFIELD - If you haven’t visited the BibleWalk Museum recently, plan to return and experience the new additions. Not only is it Ohio’s only wax museum showcasing six different themed tours, it is now home to the largest collection of woodcarvings in the World created by one man. There is also a rare Bible collection, a large American Votive Folk exhibit (otherwise known as Community Art), unique animated displays and more.

Here, you can take a journey through Bible history, an inviting destination where all can be reminded to be thankful for what our country was founded upon. Whatever our inspirational beliefs are, these Biblical displays are also an outstanding exhibit of art and history. Here, you are given the opportunity to see, hear, and actually walk through the Biblical messages brought to life.

For example, 30 years of woodcarving by Joseph Barta is shown in the 100 life-size figures that represent his vision of stories from the Bible. Another four years was invested in his display of the Lord’s Supper. The another bonus view of more than 400 miniature carvings shows wildlife, pets and livestock.

“We are very honored not only to continue sharing Joseph Barta’s amazing woodcarvings with the world but also in preserving and sharing his legacy with future generations,” said Julie Mott-Hardin, director of BibleWalk.

Admission to the Museum of Woodcarving is $5 for adults, $4 for ages 9-18, and $4.75 for ages 62 and over. A minimum of one hour is suggested to view. Save $2 and pay only $38 when you include all seven tours. Biblewalk is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the end of December. Winter hours will be Saturday only. For a more detailed description and information, visit https://biblewalk.us/

About the Museum:

Through the dedication, vision, and prayers of Pastor Richard Diamond and his wife, Alwilda, the search for wax figures began in 1983. The first 22 figures were actually donated from a couple in Pennsylvania and three scenes were on display at the Diamond Hill Cathedral. Fast forward to 1987 and the Living Bible Museum opened with tour guides and staff joining in a prayer and thanksgiving service. Since then thousands have enjoyed the “walk of faith” and the work continues with prayer and thanksgiving. This is a choice destination for inspiration, education, and yes – Thanksgiving.

For more information, visit online at https://biblewalk.us/

For more on Ohio >Click Here