Visitors to Alma, Arkansas were seeing green last weekend – literally! On Saturday, the city that bills itself as the “Spinach Capital of the World” hosted its 28th annual Spinach Festival. Yep, it was a full day dedicated to the slimy green stuff that Popeye credits for giving him strength. We went last year, as […]
Arkansas travel
Celebrating the King at Elvis Haircut Day Festival
“Thank you, thank you very much!” Last Saturday was a warm, beautiful day — perfect weather for enjoying the Chaffee Crossing Spring Festival and the Sixth Annual Elvis Haircut Day just outside Fort Smith, Arkansas. The what?? Yep, there’s actually a festival dedicated to celebrating the king AND the most famous haircut of the 1950s. […]
Southern Comfort Food at AQ Chicken House
In between our blasts of wintery weather, I recently made the drive over to one of my all-time favorite places for fried and baked and smothered and “everything-else’d” chicken – the AQ Chicken House in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Although there was a large menu of mouth-watering choices, I stuck with my usual: a special bit of […]
Chef Blythe Beck and The Movie Lounge Bring Fine Food to Fort Smith
Over the holidays, I was excited to check out the Movie Lounge, a Fort Smith, Arkansas movie theater that bills itself as “a triple feature” of fine dining, fun, and film. I had read that Chef Blythe Beck, from the Oxygen Channel’s Naughty Kitchen TV show, had taken over cooking duties at the Lounge and […]
Stomping Grapes in Altus, AR is Cold and Squishy Work!
On the drive to Arkansas wine country for the annual Altus Grape Festival this past weekend, one thought kept playing over and over in my mind: PLEASE don’t let me fall down during the grape stomping competition! Altus, Arkansas is home to four award-winning wineries that offer tours and tastings, some of which have been […]
My Guest Post: Confederate and Union Graves Mingle at Fort Smith National Cemetery
The Word Count Blogathon 2013 finally comes to a close after tomorrow. All participants were tasked with blogging every day through the month of June and I’m pleased to report that, despite a family trip, crazy work deadlines, and even a series of international flights with a LOT of missed connections, I made it! As […]
Photo Scavenger Hunt Hopes to Build ‘Sense of Community’
When I was in junior high, I loved when a get-together featured some type of clever scavenger hunt. Later, I went to a college party that sent teams of guests out with polaroid cameras (wow, that was a long time ago!) to perform a list of silly activities around town and then provide photographic proof […]
New Opening Date Chosen for Museum Celebrating U.S. Marshals
The new U.S. Marshals Museum (which was first announced back in 2007) finally has a new opening date. In fall of 2016, the 52,260-square-foot $50 million facility plans to open its doors on the banks of the Arkansas River in Fort Smith, according to an announcement by the museum’s Board of Directors on Tuesday. A […]
Arkansas Travel: Fort Smith’s ‘Lawbreakers and Peacemakers’
As mentioned in an earlier post, I really enjoy any event that promises an appearance by members of the large local group of costumed history re-enactors. But I was especially excited to overload on their fun and informative brand of entertainment at Fort Smith’s recent Heritage Festival. This annual event, which is hosted by the […]
Arkansas Travel: The “Natural State” Meets The Old West
As discussed in the “About” section of this blog, I am now based in Arkansas – which bills itself (truthfully) as the “Natural State.” In fact, during the spring and summer months, this is one of the greenest states I have ever seen. I currently live in the Fort Smith “River Valley” area, which is located on the […]