[outdoors] Devil's Den State Park

D and I were looking to enjoy the warm weather this weekend - sunny and 75 - so we looked into a couple hiking options  just south of Fayetteville. Devil's Den is a state park near West Fork, 30 minutes from our place. It is part of the Lee Creek Valley in the Boston Mountains and you can really feel the elevation change as you descend into the valley on Hwy 170 into the park.

The park was built in 1933 by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) amidst sandstone caves, bluffs, ravines, and rock shelters. The Butterfield Stagecoach line ran through the area in the 1850s and those caves and bluffs served as hiding places for outlaws. The park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places CCC-related architecture.

We opted for a short hike on Devil's Den Self-Guided Trail, which is a National Recreation Trail. It is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long. It passes by two of the most popular attractions at the park: Devil's Den and the Devil's Icebox. It also features erosional remants of sandstone strata, wet weather waterfalls and a variety of plant and animal life (Wikipedia). A trail leads from the visitor center to some of the most intriguing natural attractions in the park. Among these are the Devil's Icebox Cave, so named because of the cool breeze that can be felt coming from its mouth on hot 

days, and the remarkable Devil's Den Cave. A fracture cave like the Devil's Icebox, the Devil's Den Cave extends more than 500 feet into the mountain and is one of the largest fracture caves in America (http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/ardevils1.html).

Without further ado, here are some pics of our afternoon!

[sightseeing] + [fun] Gentry Wild Wilderness Safari

This weekend marked our second visit to Gentry's Wild Wilderness Safari. Started as a small dairy farm in the 1950s, growing to house exotic cattle breeds in the 1960s and housing injured animals in the 1970s - the acquisition of exotic species started the Safari park we see today. The 180 acres are really beautiful with large ponds and rolling pastures. And yep, you can drive your car right through!

We were pleasantly surprised by the dedication of the staff, the variety of animals, size of the enclosures and the general upkeep of the property. Nothing more depressing than visiting a zoo where the big cats are pacing in too-small pens without the freedom to move.

As much fun as the drive-through portion was (we loved love loved seeing the little antelope calves jumping and running around), the highlight was being up cclose and personal with the kangaroos and giraffe siblings. Many of the kangaroos had joeys that would climb in and out of the mama's pouches. Such a cool thing to see! We were able to pet, feed and watch them up close in their enclosures. The pair of giraffes, Sophia (the drooler) and Rosie were so much fun to feed and watch interact with their handler.

Another super unique sight was the lion cub and the Australian shepherd puppy. They were born at the same time and grew up together. What could be cuter than a lion cub playing with a puppy??
// notice the pup "hugging" the lion //

[outdoors] + [sightseeing] Mt. Nebo and Arkansas Wine Trail

Another mid-week roadtrip on the books for D and I thanks to his non-traditional works schedule. We decided to pick up and head to the great outdoors for a camping adventure at Mt. Nebo. The indian summer temps gave us the makings for an ideal night under the stars (well, technichally under a tent).

// photo credit: daniel ray photography (these are the pics that made us wanna go visit) //

The route down to Nebo brought us on a spur-of-the-moment detour to Arkansas Wine Country. Who knew such a thing even existed? Skeptical? Yes. But little did we know that Arkansas is the oldest and largest grape and wine producing state in the south - settled by German/Swiss immigrants in the 1870s. Turns out that there are five vineyards growing grapes and producing wine in the Altus/Paris area of the state - conveniently en route to Mt. Nebo State Park! We visited Chateau Aux Arc, Wiederkehr Cellars and Post Familie Village. We had out first taste of wine made with the Cynthiana grape at Chateau aux Arc - a dry, jammy red - reminded me of a drier Pinot Noir. Arkansas wine...winning! That is until we tried every other white wine at the other wineries. Simply not our cup of tea: VERY sweet, VERY VERY sugary. But that's part of the fun! We even got to sample some Muscadine wines at Post Familie Village. Great side trip!

// arkansas wine country //

Mt. Nebo State Park sit atop a 1,350-foot summit with awesome views of the Arkansas River Valley. The park is dotted with cabins and other structures built from Arkansas stone by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. We lucked out with a campsite (#17, but #16 is ideal, followed by #14) on the edge of the mountain - views for days! The friendliest rangers at the visitor center made some recommendations for our 24-hour stay. Take a sunset walk to Sunset Point - about a 25 minute walk from the campground - and keep an eye out for deer! We saw LOTS and they are not scared of people. The one logistical mistake we made was our route to and from Sunset Point. Take the Rim Trail FROM the campground TO Sunset Point, and RETURN on the main road back to the campgroun...WITH headlamps or flashlights. We wound up on the Rim Trail after dark, and parts are a bit precarious. Especially with a little beagle in tow that's on the hunt for all sorts of critters.  But the sunset view could not be beat, it was the highlight of the trip.

// campsite no. 17 // sunset point //

Back at camp, D proved his manliness and Eagle 'scoutiness' by building us a proper fire and revving up his backpacking stove. Gourmet meal of mac and cheese and some foil packets, topped off with s'mores of course!

// quiet night by the campfire //

Sunrise came early and we were able to peek out of the tent to see it. Thanks to the rangers at the visitor center, we were given the perfect site to catch the sunrise form the comfort of our sleeping bags. And thanks to the camp stove, we were spoiled with french pressed coffee to boot!

// sunrise from our campsite //

Our morning hike circled the Rim Trail going the opposite direction around the mountain, taking us to Sunrise Point and past the private cabins. If tent camping is not your thing, or you can't secure one of the primo sites, opt for a log cabin. The views are amazing and they've been renovated within the past couple years: modern kitchens and jacuzzi tubs. Perfect option that we will head back to make use of!

// hiking the rim trail //

All in all, Nebo was a great two-day trip. The hiking trails are a perfect length for us amateur hikers, but offer a great combination of interesting views and some elevation changes and rocky passes. Can't wait to go back to this area...Mt. Magazine is next!

// Side note: If Indian food is your cup of tea (it's ours to be sure), don't miss the Kountry Xpress in Mulberry, off the Dyer exit on I-40 //

[travel] + [friends] + [sightseeing] Summer Travel ... Seattle + Vancouver

Hot off the heels of our midwest tour it was time to pack the bags again and head west! Long-time high school pals Rose (+ Trav + Adrienne + Wally + Raya) and Broke (Ernst + Elsa + Soph) settled in on the Pacific Coast - so what a great place to go visit. We picked Seattle - to spend time with Rose's little fam - with a ladies night up to Vancouver thrown in for good measure.

Rose and Travis are living the beach life on Alki Beach in West Seattle. Their cottage couldn't be cozier and more perfect for their family. Situated directly across from the beach, they've got access to the water, bike/walking trail and a two-thumbs-up view of sunsets over the sound.

Got a glimpse of what life is like with two working parents, two kiddos under the age of four and Raya the pup. Learned a couple things: avoid white clothing, patience goes a long way, us kid-less folks don't appreciate our sleep nearly enough and despite their mood-swings and messiness - kids are pretty awesome. // Oh and it's ok to let your kids eat a dozen donuts on the beach //

The city of Seattle sits on an isthmus (just like Madison!) between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington. It's a bigtime Pacific port - evidence of container shipping lines the sound. The Port of Seattle Seaport sits near Starbucks HQ, the Seahawks and the Mariners stadiums.  Now that my professional life focuses on industrial real estate, supply chain / logistics, it boggles my mind how goods get to consumers. It's a complex system to be sure.

A certain Starbuck's partner took me to see the new Starbuck's Roastery. The intention of the Roastery is to really experience coffee. We had the pleasure of doing a side-by-side tasting of the same coffee using three brewing methods: siphon, Chemex and pour-over. Gotta say that the Chemx brewed the brightest, cleanest cup. Loved every bit of this place. Can you believe the details? I'll let the pics speak for themselves. More here.

"We have designed a space that will heighten all the senses. This is a real-life Willy Wonka experience with coffee as the heart and soul, where customers will see coffee being moved through the roasting process right before their eyes."

- Liz Muller, VP of Concept Deisgn for Starbucks

Also got to meet some of Travis and Rose's social circle. They all met through PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support). This support system places new parents with others similar to themselves. For transplants to Seattle this is more than just about the kiddos, it's a social outlet and wellness group for the parents. Someone needs to bring this idea to Northwest Arkansas! Here's a little more about PEPS - http://www.peps.org/about.

After our quality time in Seattle we scooted north for a kid-free ladies night in Vancouver. A quick three hours later and we were in Canada, border crossing and all! Driving through the Pacific Northwest you really appreciate how beautiful that part of the world really is. The Douglas fir forests, the temperate weather and the soft breeze off the water made me feel a world away from Arkansas (I was!). Our hotel was situated smack dab in the middle of West Town - walking distance to Stanley Park, Gastown and Yaletown neighborhoods. The weather gods were good and gave us a perfectly sunny 75-degree day. We enjoyed the most delicious, inventive sandwiches at Meat & Bread al fresco in a public plaza before our afternoon adventuring. Fave was the corned beef with sambal gherkin mayo - I now follow them on Insta so I can remember the yumminess.

// found this cheeky little neighborhood map at www.mapurbane.com //

We explored the oceanfront and Stanley Park by bike - glad for the electric assist - who wants to break a sweat on vacation?! The park is 1,000 acres and is entirely open to the public. This is not a manicured, urban park dreamed up by a landscape architect, with the majority remaining densely forested. The bike path skirted us around the park's perimeter taking us precariously close to the water along the seawall, giving us views of the bay and rock face as we hugged the path. Our post-pike journey put us in search of a cold beverage. We popped into the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in hope of stealing our way up to the rooftop lounge - but our plans were foiled. The kind concierge recommended pressing on toward Gastown - a perfectly chill, urban neighborbood for our purposes. But first, let me rave about the Fairmont. If I have the fortune of returning to Vancouver, this is where I'm staying, period. Modern, luxurious and comfortable - I'm sold! Check out some more pics HERE.

"Lying on top of a building the clouds looked no nearer than when I was lying on the street."

Gastown is a step back in time when compared to the glassy, steely high-rises directly next-door. The cobblestone streets are lined with "hip" boutiques, touristy shops, bars and restaurants. After a failed attempt to get seated at a "too-cool" establishment, we wound up at Lamplighter tasting some local brews and muching on pretzels and mustard. Guess that's just the "Wisconsin" in us.

Dinner at Kingyo Izakaya was a major highlight of the night in Vancouver. This is a spot that's not to be missed. Casual and affordable, yet creative and top-notch, Kingyo was amazing. It's in a smallish storefront on Denman, away from the fanciness you get a few blocks to the west. We enjoyed every single thing we ordered: deep-fried corn with soy butter, yellowtail carpaccio, black cod, kobe beef shabu shabu and my favorite, the Tantan noodles. We topped off the night exploring an Asian grocery up the block and took home some hard-to-find treats: Koala Yummies, Pocky sticks and bonito flakes.

We wrapped up our time in Vancouver with a morning stroll through Yaletown - a gentrified neighborhood with upscale condos, Yorkies and trendy eateries. We popped into a converted warehouse district and found a brunch spot, Flying Pig, with all the necessaries: champagne cocktails, caesars (that's evidently what Canadians call a bloody mary) and nouveau Canadian food menu.

The take away? It's an amazing thing to have such long-time girlfriends. 

These are the people that really know you. And it's a real blessing to get a chance to visit with each other despite living in three different states across the country!

[travel] + [outdoors] + [family] Summer Travel ... Northern Wisconsin

Travel has been the name of the game this past month in our household - bummer for the kitties and pup. But it's been pretty great for D and I to get outta town and outta the Arkansas heat. We happily have family and friends near and far, so it's a great reason to hop a plane and catch up with our loved ones.

First up is our trek up to Northern Wisconsin for a family...er...TOWN reunion in Washburn. It's "just a little town on a big lake" - a really big lake - Lake Superior. It's the largest, coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes (remember H.O.M.E), and has the biggest surface area of any freshwater lake in the world.

My mom's hometown, Washburn, is up on the tippy top of the state near the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. It's a remote and truly beautiful part of Wisconsin and is on many an outdoorsperson's bucket list of place to visit. We were fortunate enough to explore the lakeshore and sea caves by kayak - even though some rough waters tried to stop us. Our day started early at Living Adventure kayak and canoe outfitters a few miles north of where we were staying in Bayfield. They're a great operation with guides that give the right balance of instruction and information about the area.

// apostle islands national lakeshore //

We made it into "the crack", but couldn't meander through the rest of the sea caves thanks to some choppy waves dipping us up and down. Paddling along the shoreline, we spotted a soaring eagle landing on a huge nest - the size of a small car. Also caught a glimpse of skull rock - aptly named - and some breathtaking sandstone rock formations up and down the shore. Thanks so some unseasonably hot weather we cooled off with a dip in the normally icy waters of Lake Superior before loading up the boats and heading back. 

// sandstone formations // skull rock // the crack //

22 islands make up the Apostle Islands, and all but Madeline Island are part of the National Lakeshore. A ferry from Bayfield services Madeline Island and it's residents - a whopping 246 according to Wikipedia! We loaded ourselves into two carloads on the morning ferry over to the island for a day of exploring. Rain threatened but we lucked out with blue skies and sunshine. We divided our day into beach activities at Big Bay and in-town fun in La Pointe. Big Bay State Park beach is 1.5 miles with views over sandstone bluffs and calm waters of the bay. We braved the chilly water, skipped stones from the beach and enjoyed the sunny day. Beach Club in La Pointe was the perfect spot for a bite to eat and a enjoy a pint of Spotted Cow. The fish fry was the winner - both the white fish and the walleye were awesome. Pretty sure D and I ate our weight in fish during our time in Wisco...starting with the smoked fish at Everett's in Port Wing on the drive up from the Twin Cities. Our Madeline Island adventure rounded out with an early happy hour at Tom's Burned Down Cafe. It's junk yard meets Waterworld - eccentric might be the word to best describe this spot. But either way, it's awesome. The whole place is open air and everywhere you glance you're met with a witty quote or clever one-liner. Not a bad way to top off the trip to Madeline. 

And if you're up for experiencing a SWEET Angelfire website, check Tom's out http://www.tomsburneddowncafe.com/).

// ferry ride // big bay beach // tom's burned down cafe //

// more of tom's // madeline island ferry // rock skipping at big bay // fish fry //

Back in Bayfield we explored the beachy shops and cafes before heading to Washburn for the night. Big Water Coffee is a local roastery and cafe dedicated to some seriously good coffee. They also have a talented graphic artist handling their branding - love that kraken on the sea smoke blend. We missed grabbing the whitefish salad sandwich this time around at the Fat Radish but will be back in another five years in 2020! Joanne's Scandinavian is another great boutique for Scandinavian designed homegoods, footwear, clothing and artwork. They also carry the Oiva Toikka birds, collectible Finnish handblown artglass birds in nearly 400 species (my mom really nerds out over these). After some time poking around stores and lounging at Big Water we walked back to Winfield Inn for some time on the porch overlooking the lake. 

// bayfield // big water coffee roasters //

// bayfield // winfield inn //

My mom and aunt's 45th high school class reunion was being held back in Washburn, so the rest of us went to a local supper club, the Steak Pit. Naturally, they offered ice cream drinks, in true supper club fashion - Pink Squirrel and Golden Cadillacs for us. Reminds me that I still need to watch the Supper Club movie - from 2012, visiting 50 supper clubs around the state.  Next up was a Washburn Homecoming classic - Souvenir Views at the catholic school gym (used to be at Big Top Chataqua - pics below of our Hawaiian night). Souvenir Views is an illustrated musical history of Washburn devised in 1983. It's fun to see my mom's family history intertwined with the town's history. Photos of my grandma at the library, my great uncle catching fish and Wendy and Wanda in front of DuPont Elementary. After Souvenir Views, we walked over to local hangout, Patsy's to cap off the night. Pretty standard to shut down the highway for a street party right? 

// washburn // souvenir views // patsy's // steak pit //

Our family really looks forward to getting together for Homecoming every five years. It's a unique thing to head back to such a pretty area of the country where our family has so much history and special memories.

// washburn homecoming 2015 // 

[sightseeing] + [history] + [fun] Exploring Little Rock

Little Rock is next! It was a spur-of-the-moment jaunt downstate thanks to D's work obligation, but glad I tagged along. We made a pitstop a few months back, but didn't have a chance to see a lot of the city (although we managed to fit in Pinnacle Mountain, Little Rock High School the Arkansas State Capitol and lunch with a pal - read the post here).

// david's burgers //

The drive down bled into lunchtime, so we popped into David's Burgers for a quick bite - glad we did! Their steakburger style "Butcher Boy" burger is pretty darn good, dare I say Culver's good. Yes, I said it. I'll let the photo do the talking. And here's a little more about the history of David's - there really was a Butcher Boy.

// quapaw quarter historic district // arkansas governor's mansion //

After dropping D off to take care of business near the Capitol, I headed a short distance over to the Quapaw Quarter. The Quapaw Quarter is the downtown area of Little Rock that is home to the city's most historic homes and mansions, some predating the civil war and many on the National Register of Historic Places. Named for the Quapaw people who were the original inhabitants of the area (and mentioned in my blog about Arkansas Post - the first European settlement in the region). The Arkansas Givernor's Mansion is also located within the Quapaw Quarter. It famously housed past Governors Orval Faubus (boo!) and Bill Clinton (yay!).

// green corner store // loblolly + izard chocolate // main street //

After meandering around the historic district I wound my way over to Main Street, part of the newly revitalized SoMa neighborhood (read more about it here). Back in March we lunched at Root Cafe and sampled some of Loblolly Creamery's ice cream. With lunch already in check, I made it a point to grab a Peach Buttermilk scoop from Loblolly and do a little browsing at the local shops. Picked up the creamiest, most intense dark chocolate / coffee bar by local chocolatier Izard Chocolate, with coffee sourced Mylo Cofee Co., also local to Little Rock. Glad to discover that here in F-ville Mama Carmen's carries Izard...although not the coffee variety. // I'm still buzzing. //

// diamond bear brewing co. // awesome quote //

After picking up D from his meeting we headed to North Little Rock - across the super flooded Arkansas River - to get settled into our hotel and regroup before dinner. Turns out until quasi-recently North Little Rock wasn't somewhere you wanted to find yourself. But thanks to things like the Travelers' Baseball Stadium and local businesses and residents taking over the historic bungalows it's a safer, growing extension of Little Rock proper, while being decidedly separate. We walked (rookie mistake, it was 90 degrees) over to Diamond Bear Brewing Company's tap room to thankfully cool off and see what they were up to. Turns out they brew some pretty tasty beer and offer an awesome menu of bar snacks and grub - next time we will be sure to eat (can you say cheese curds?!?). Personal fave was the Dogtown, a brown ale that's surprisingly light but still malty and a touch nutty. And aptly named for the brewery's North Little Rock location, once referred to as "Dogtown" harking back to the late 1800s practice of Little Rock residents dumping stray dogs across the river in North Little Rock // super sad, right? //

// made the list with luger's + bavette's ??? //

Sufficiently refreshed we trekked back to the hotel where we had early reservations for dinner at Riverfront Steakhouse. Thanks to a Thrillist article calling out the Top 21 steakhouses in America, we put this spot on our radar. Turns out they also have incredibly ridiculous early bird bogo specials...on wine AND steak. Not lying when I tell you our ribeye, filet, bread basket, baked potatoes (replete with a mound of all the dairy-based fixins you can imagine), salad bar and a bottle of wine was...drumroll...$55. Yes, I said $55. There are perks to living in Arkansas, ya'll. All in all, a good steak, decent wine and ambiance that makes you forget you're in the base of a two and a half star hotel.

// crossing over from north little rock to river market district //

We walked off our massive meal with a stroll across the Arkansas River to get to the River Market Entertainment District to meet some of D's pals at Flying Saucer. Named a draught emporium for their crazy selection of beers. The hot weather pushed me towards the hefeweizens while the others at the table were ticking off beers on their "to-drink" lists compliments of the Flying Saucer beer club. After parting ways with friends, D and I wandered around the River Market area a bit and scoped out some spots for next time. // Samantha's Tap Room and Wood Grill, three words - grilled.shishito.peppers - I'm sold //

// river market // sweet soul //

Woke up needing some caffeine and breakfast so we headed to the River Market. Reminded me so so much of Milwaukee's Public Market. Indoor, sun-filled hall with food vendors and some stands for local businesses and Little Rock tourism outposts. We found a southern kitchen stand and had a decidedly not light breakfast of biscuits and gravy with a side of mac and cheese. Nap-inducing is an understatement, but we powered on. The Clinton Presidential Center was next on the agenda.

// clinton presidential campus // major flooding of the arkansas river //

The campus sits on the banks of the uber-flooded Arkansas River (notice the pics) and is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Musuem, The University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and the Clinton Foundation. Architecture firm Polshek Partnership (now Ennead Architects) designed the building - a bold rectangular aluminum structure extending toward the river.

// clinton presidential library //

This excerpt from a 2004 NYT review encapsulates the building's design. "With its sleek horizontal form hovering at the edge of the Arkansas River, the new William J. Clinton Presidential Center has been called by promoters a 'bridge to the 21st century,' a trite allusion to one of the former president's favorite themes. Locals snicker that it looks like an enormous double-wide trailer. Actually, its best elements fall somewhere between those two extremes."

// views from the railroad bridge //

Because the river was super flooded, the 28-acre park (landscape architecture firm Hargreaves Associates) that usually runs below the museum and along the shore was totally underwater. We walked across the railroad bridge turned pedestrian bridge and couldn't believe how fast-moving the water was. Incentive to not fall in. Once inside the museum, we spent a good bit of the afternoon following Bill's voice in his self-narrated audio tour through the space and exhibits. Touched on much of what I knew about his presidency and much of what I didn't. Enjoyed reliving those moments in time, reflecting back to the years between 1993-2001, much of my youth.

// another local gem // lost forty brewery tap room //

On the way out of Little Rock we popped over to Lost Forty Brewing's tap room tucked into a industrial pocket right by the Clinton Center parking lot pretty close to the Clinton School of Public Service parking lot. Turns out this newer brewery is turning out some inventive brews and even yummier food. The bacon cheese dip, smoked kielbasa plate and chicken salad were spot on. And although a tad sweet for me, the Love Honey Bock really did taste like honey...not a cruddy imitation. Not to mention their eye for industrial design and overall attention to details of the menu, space and brand were just lovely. Still waiting on some swag to come available and for a real deal website. In the meantime they've got a pretty robust social media presence - FB, Insta, Twitter.

Little Rock treated us well once again. // Until next time. //

In the words of Collin Raye's 1994 smash hit "I think I'm on a roll here in Little Rock".

Going back for...
War Memorial Stadium: annual Razorback football game will be hosted here on September 9th.
Hillcrest: Unique, historic neighborhood with local shopping and eating. I've already got quite a laundry list of restaurants and shops to explore. Oh, and for my caffeine fix, Mylo Coffee, Co.
Big Dam Bridge: Longest bicycle and pedestrian bridge built for that purpose.
Dickey-Stephens Park: Home to the Arkansas Travelers, a double-A affilate of Los Angeles Angels and close to Diamond Bear Brewery in North Little Rock.