Pushed Through to Home

Nana and Papa left Kansas City a little after 8am and were home in Colorado Springs just before dinner time. The 8.5-hour prediction by Maps was practically dead on. Our only significant stop was at Roosters in Calhan, CO (where Jamie's railroad group is renovating a railroad depot). Very good burger, BLT, and fries.

Our last day in St. Louis... We enjoyed the Fiddleneck Fern Cafe and the Butterfly House with Megan before heading back to Kansas City where we had a great dinner with David and Wendy at the Tavern at Mission Farms followed by some game playing at Siscos: Sagrada, and Hues and Cues. The day's photos start here.

Breakfast at the FiddleNeck Fern Cafe.

SOPHIA M. SACHS BUTTERFLY HOUSE

Had never heard of Squill. There they are.

Tavern at Mission Farms

Hues and Cues at Siscos with a fine Daou wine!

Chess Museum, Basilica, Games, and Edera

After Starbucks and a donut, we visited the Chess Museum just a block or so from the hotel. We tried to have lunch at Boxwood, an interesting restaurant in a greenhouse, looked like fun, but the wait was too long so Kampai it was. Turned out that the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis was the big hit of the day for a tourist destination. What a gem! Then some games in our room with Megan and Vickie (So Clover and No Thanks!) before our celebration dinner at Edera (Megan's "retirement") right next to the hotel. All the day's photos start here.

Welcome to St. Louis, MO

We got tickets a while back to take the train from Kansas City to St. Louis this morning, but yesterday afternoon we were informed by email that the train had been canceled. What?! "Due to a schedule change" was the reason given. But as of today, the schedule does not seem to have changed at all. Who knows. Bottomline: no train for us and no $386 for Amtrak (4 of us). Siscos drove us and we got to St. Louis early afternoon, settled into our various housing, and met up with our niece, nephew, and their spouses for some ice cream at Jeni's (really good) and dinner at Baileys' Range (great burgers and "boozy" shakes!). Jamie and Lynn are staying at the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis, a very swank place connected to the apartments/condos next door which are in the building that was used in the movie Ghostbusters where the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man showed up. All the day's photos start here.

Update 3/31/23: I could not find any evidence on the internet that this building was the Ghostbusters building. Everything pointed to NYC as the filming location. In fact, get this... Elf and Ghostbusters used the same building, click here.

This area of St. Louis...

Ghostbusters?

Van Gogh Eeterie

Time to leave Branson... But before we get too far away, we had to check out Van Gogh's Eeterie in Springfield which Lynn saw while stumbling about the internet. It's a Dutch restaurant and what fun! We got Underwoods to the KCI airport Marriott by mid-afternoon then on to the Sisco house in Prairie Village. We all went out to Laurie and Andy's house for dinner and to watch the K-State basketball game (which they lost by a squeaker). The day's photos start here.

Double Chocolate Pannenkoeken (Pancake) a la mode!

What's this railcar, and what is it used for?

Quilts and College of the Ozarks

Sandy and Lynn spent the morning at a Quilt Show at the Hilton Convention Center (over by the Branson Scenic Railway station). Lunch was an ice cream break at the Marriott lobby. Then a quiet afternoon and an early dinner at the College of the Ozarks. Every student at the college has a job, some of which are at the restaurant working kitchen or serving. It was a delightful meal with all kinds of unique flavors on the menu. And our waiter Ryan (of Lebanon) was a hoot! When in Branson, don't miss the chance to have a meal here. The day's photos start here.

We drove by this a few times...

Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks
(Restaurant location)

(Last night's dinner.)

Top of the Rock, and The Petersens

Two great activities today! The drive-your-own golf cart tour at The Top of the Rock was fabulous. The golf cart Cave Trail and the Museum were out of this world; very unique, and the museum has one of the best Indian artifact collections in the country. Who knew?! Including lunch at Arnie's! Then on to a fabulous concert by The Petersens. Don't miss a chance to see this family do their musical thing. Funny, too. We closed out the day at Florentina's Italian Restaurant. All the day's photos start here.

Lynn finally got her golf cart ride!

Incredible museum at the Top of the Rock...

Arnie's

The Chapel at the Top of the Rocks.
Johnny Morris (owner of Bass Pro/Cabellas)
built it for his daughter's wedding.

Our best view of Table Rock Lake.

The Petersens.

Drove our golf cart through a cave.
Had a Bat Bar inside, too, with very
unique adult beverages (and sodas).

Red Bud Tree - midwest fave.