Gino's East Pizzeria at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

 On our way to Chicago Illinois, we stopped at Gino's East Pizzeria in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. I was excited to experience a different kind of pizza and I was not disappointed. We walked through a hotel lobby to get to Gino's. We were going to sit on the balcony but the Mayflies were such a nuisance, we chose to sit inside by the window. The lake view was perfect from where we were sitting. We enjoyed the view of the water and watching people participating in various water sports. It was a great way to wait for the pizza since the wait was at least 40-45 minutes. We ordered The Gino's East Supreme but requested half sausage, half mushrooms & green peppers. The moment I took my first bite I couldn't stop. It was cheesy, the veggies were fresh, the sauce was light with a hint of sweetness. Because the texture of the sauce was thin using my hands/fingers was not an option. My partner had the half with sausage and she enjoyed the pizza as well. She did say however, the sausage had no flavor but wasn't enough for her to not give Gino's East Supreme two thumbs up when we left.
Bottom pictures are random shots of the lake as we were walking around.

Grotto Of The Redemption

 The Grotto Of The Redemption located in West Bend, Iowa, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City was one of my favorite stops. 
The Grotto was built by Father Paul Dobberstein. He had gotten pneumonia and while fighting for his life, Father Paul kept praying to The Virgin Mary to help him get better. It was then Father Paul also made a promise that if he was well again, he would build a shrine in her honor. 
I tried to capture the details of the stones and shells, among other minerals that were used to build The Grotto but even then, pictures alone can not justify how beautiful this place is.
To fully understand how this became such a historical landmark log on to www.westbendgrotto.com/history/

Praying Hands in Webb City MO

After eating at Woody's Pizza in Joplin, we stopped at Praying Hands located in Webb City MO. The sculpture was created by artist Jack Dawson, it stands 32 feet high and weighs 110 tons. Taking pictures on the tracks was fun, which was home to an Electric Railway Co in 1903.

Woody's Wood-Fire Pizza at Joplin MO

Woody's Wood-Fire Pizza at Joplin Missouri. We ordered The Debbie, a roma tomato(sliced not diced),feta cheese, 5 cheese blend on red sauce, topped with fresh basil kind of pizza. It was good, the bottom crust was a little burnt but it didn't stop me from eating it. Woody's ingredients were fresh and honestly I can't remember how the sauce was:-)
Woody's is very small(as you can see from the picture), we sat close to where the pizza's were being made so when I walked out, I smelled like I had just left a bon-fire.

Blue Spring Heritage Center at Eureka Springs Arkansas

As we were leaving Eureka Springs, we stopped at Blue Spring Heritage Center.  This place was not only beautiful due it's flowers and green environment but also very quiet(maybe it's because there was only 7 of us at the time). You can dip your feet in the water, it's cold but refreshing once you get used to the temperature. Check out ExploreSouthernHistory.com-Blue Spring Heritage Center, Arkansas for the history of Blue Spring, it may just interest you.

Nice Places To Stay-Eureka Springs Arkansas

(Top photo 2015) My partner and I were fortunate enough to be so tired, the first available hotel we saw was the Colonial Inn. Our room was clean, staff was very friendly, and just like it says on the sign, it was peaceful. It's a place I would recommend if you're looking for a nice, clean, cheap place to stay.
(Bottom photo 2014) We stayed at Kettle Campground for our first time in Eureka Springs. I personally liked it because it was small, there were people in their RV's who kept to themselves but looked out for each other,  I felt safe. The campground was clean, had a walking trail(not very long), a pool, and my favorite memory was relaxing on a swing with my partner.

History Within The Walls

If you're looking for a creepy underground tour, this isn't creepy. From hotels to sidewalks, every part of Eureka has a story to tell.  One of my favorite historical facts is Eureka having to rebuild itself due to fires burning the town down more than once. For more information log on to www.UndergroundEureka.com

Oh How I Love To Eat!!

If you are a pizza lover like me and are in Eureka Springs area, you have to go to Chelsea's Pizzeria & Pub! Their pizza's are hand tossed and made from scratch so everything is fresh. I ordered the Freakin Eurekan Pizza(minus the broccoli & onions) and it was freakin good!! Freakin Eurekan is basically a pizza topped with DICED veggies. I capitalized diced so I can stress how I loved taking the first bite and was able to taste the veggies without them over powering the sauce and cheese. 

The cheese was burnt in the right areas, the crust was a perfect medium between a thin crust and a regular crust. Chelsea's Freakin Eurekan Pizza made my taste buds dance with excitement and delight!! Crazy how food can do that to me, especially when it comes to great pizza!! We will definitely be adding Chelsea's Pizzeria & Pub to our go to places on the way back to Texas in the fall.

My partner and I also had a chance to eat at Oasis(an all natural Ark-Mex cuisine), which had great reviews so we decided to check it out. Although the place was small, it felt cozy and relaxing. The food was delicious, I had cheese enchiladas, my partner ordered a bean & cheese burrito. We left Oasis with satisfied stomachs and without the heavy feeling of 'oh god, I ate so much'.

The Beer Garden was a nice place to have drinks and people watch, although at the time when we were there, not a lot of people were walking by.

We Made It!!

This is our 2nd time in Eureka Springs, my partner loves this place so much, she has a hard time saying good-bye every time we leave.

Stops Along the Way-Austin Texas to Eureka Springs Arkansas

Stops we made along the way (top photo) Starship Pegasus 100 Kinfolk Rd, Italy, TX 76651. Place is no longer in service but we thought it was pretty cool enough to take a picture. 

For lunch we stopped at Bubba's BBQ AND STEAKHOUSE (bottom left photo) located at 210 N Fwy Service Rd, Ennis, TX 75119. My excitement for this place was undeniable, ever since I had seen it in the travel channel, I wanted to eat here. Unfortunately, the excitement turned into disappointment the moment I took the first bite of a chicken. The last chicken available was dry and crumbled in my mouth, it was such a sad moment, I left hungry. I will go to Bubba's again because every place deserves a 2nd chance and hopefully I will leave Bubba's not only with a full stomach but a smile on my face.

We sampled various fudge flavors at the Amish Store, walked out with mint flavor fudge and their version of a reese's peanut butter cup which were delightful.

I love PIZZA!!

There is no other way to say this but I LOVE PIZZA!! Probably more than I am supposed to and although I am lactose intolerant and can be health conscious, I am always craving pizza.

I don't know how I came to love pizza or even why, it's something I ask myself often until I take the first bite and the flavors start dancing in my mouth and I'm hooked once again.

As my partner was mapping out our road trip, pizza was the focal point of where we were going to stop for lunch or dinner, I did not question her itinerary. In that moment, I knew pizza was going to be my tour guide.