Vacation Archives

Memory Road Trip Heading West

By 4chionlifestyle | March 14, 2019

Heading west on a great road trip with my father. This is a dream journey with my father. He took me all over the west on road trips each summer. We begin in Champaign Illinois heading west on Interstate 80.

Lagomarcino’s Soda Candy
Lagomarcino’s Chocolate Candy
Lagomarcino’s Soda Candy
Dennis Winger Lagomarcino’s Soda Candy

Molina Illinois

Lagomarino’s Soda and Candy Store The Best Chocolates and Ice Cream

The City of Moline sits on the banks of the Mississippi River. We stop at Lagomarino’s Soda and Candy Store. This candy shop opened in 1908 by Angelo Lagomarino, a Northern Italy immigrant. The store is the fourth generation. They have handcrafted chocolates with the finest ingredients. The store has an old-fashioned soda fountain. The soda menu includes the Green River (A Chicago drink named after the Chicago River that is dyed green for St. Patrick’s day).

Taking my father here was such a treat. He recalls the stories of going to the soda shop his uncle owned as a child. He talked about IronPort soda, a Utah tradition. It is a cross between root beer and Caribbean spices. He went for the hot fudge sundae (a surprise at the bottom was more fudge). I enjoyed a variety of hand-dipped chocolates during our road trip back west. This is a perfect place to stop and enjoy. They are the recipients of a James Beard Award.

Activities and Fun in Molina Illinois

This city is situated near the Iowa state border and sits on the mighty Mississippi River. This town is rich in history with being a part of the Underground Railroad and the home of industrialist John Deere (In 1848, he built his first Moline plow factory). There are many fun things to do here.

Washington Square Charles Deere built an upscale three-story five unit Italianate row house in 1890. His brother-in-law, Merton Cady, is the architect. The initial name for the complex was Deere Row and renters were said to be employees of the Deere factories.
Downtown murals love the Midwest and the vast varieties of murals. Molina’s downtown murals provide a view of Moline’s waterfront, as it would have looked in the early 1850s.
Rock Island played a large part of The Underground Railroad in Molina. This was the first stop for many slaves seeking freedom. The first state near several water sources provided transportation undercover. There is also a set of channels and tunnels underground that provide another escape route.

Leaving the mid-west I recall the experiences and beautiful people I meet. They have made a lasting impression on my life. This area of the United States provides history from slavery to the industrial age. The loss of jobs and industries is present everyday. The areas are gorgeous to visit and see. You feel the hardworking middle class that drove America into the modern world.

Iowa Rest Stop
Iowa State Road Trip
Iowa Rest Stop
Iowa Rest Stop
Iowa Rest Stop
Smokey Ds BBQ
Smokey Ds BBQ
Smokey Ds BBQ
Smokey Ds BBQ
Iowa State Road Trip

Iowa Road Trip

Sitting in a car all day with your father is a wonderful way to collect stories about his life. The first thing I learned is he loves to collect maps. Iowa is a great location for this collection.

Iowas Road Stops

Iowa has the best rest stops in history. You pull up to find a store, information about the area, books, and free maps. The first stop in Iowa my father returns with a collection of Iowa maps. He opens them up as we drive out of the rest stop.

Road Trip Memories

We enjoyed a day of talking about the years as a child I traveled the western US with my two brothers and parents. The summer trips to Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, and Southern Utah. My dad would hitch the camping trailer to a yellow rambler and off we would go. We saw so many natural beauties. The adventures from my childhood are endless. The time my mother lost the car keys in the sand dunes. My father lost his new fishing pole the first time he cast out at Strawberry Reservoir. This results in our fishing trip looking for the fishing pole. This is never seen again.

My father is a military retiree. He spent decades as a medic in the Air Force. He would bring back great dolls, toys, and white lunch boxes they would feed the crew. He tells his stories of going to the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and Europe. The time he spent counting hours on the cargo plane counting the hours to coming home to see the three of us fight over the white lunch box.

Smokey D’s BBQ

Lunch is at Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines, Iowa. The year of BBQ adventures and the history of each region is fun. My dad enjoys a half rack of ribs; I go for a lighter side with a veggie wrap. The menu includes great home comfort foods. The fries are crispy and seasoned. The ribs feel right off the bone. The BBQ meat and sauce are award-winning. The BBQ founded by Darren and Sherry Warth in a trailer in their driveway.

Winter Quarters hand cart Road Trlp 4chion Lifestyle

Winter Quarters Road Trip LDS Temple 4Chion Lifestyle

Winter Quarters Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyle

Nebraska road trip skyline 4chion Lifestyle a

Kearney, Nebraska Hotel Room La Quinta 4chion lifestyle

Nebraska Adventures

The time in Nebraska is spent traveling through various rest stops and counting up more water towers. This is a tradition my sister and I started on the way out to the Midwest in spring. Many times this is the tallest thing on the horizon. We see a total of 177 water towers on I-80 through the Great Plains.

The Great Plains is seen as little value to many traveling west in the mid-1800s. Soon many ranchers release that the Verdant Platte is of great value. Today the highway runs along this geography changing areas.

Winter Quarters, Nebraska

This location is a gathering location of the member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A stop my father looked forward to seeing. Many members of our family stayed here as they prepared to travel west to a new home.

There is a history of death, birth, and husbands leaving to fight the Mexican American War. They crossed the frozen Mississippi River in 1846. This gave them time to gather much needed supplies to make the journey across the Plains and over the Rocky Mountains.

Some of our relatives made this journey without basic needs including shoes. Some pushed their own carts. A few did find themselves in the middle of a winter storm needing rescuing to survive. This is a free museum.

We ventured across the street to the modern temple. This is a location that is used seal families together in family forever. Off the temple grounds is a cemetery. We were able to find a few of our relatives’ gravesites.

Kearney, Nebraska

We stay for the evening in Kearney, Nebraska. It was fun arriving late in the evening and walking around to stretch the legs and enjoy a few McDonald’s French-fries.

The food for the morning is oatmeal, nuts, dried fruit, and yogurt from Aldi’s, a wonderful grocery finds in Champaign Illinois (this is a store located worldwide).

Kearney has a beautiful museum, The Archway, that stretches over the I-80. This museum is a celebration, “For over 200 years, the path along the Platte River through Nebraska, once called the Great Platte River Road, has been a road to adventure. From the Oregon Trail era through today, the Archway’s family-friendly historical exhibit tells the story of those who followed the Great Platte River Road and helped to build America.”

Wyoming Road Trip
Wyoming Road Trip Cowboy Boots
Wyoming Road Trip
Wyoming Road Trip
Wyoming Road Trip
Cheyenne Wyoming
Lunch in Cheyenne
Lunch in Cheyenne

Cheyenne, Wyoming

The last stop before returning to Orem, Utah is Cheyenne, Wyoming. This western town is full of fun and explorations.

Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant

We find an authentic Mexican restaurant, Guadalajara, locally owned and operated. The ambience of Mexico is felt from the decor to the menu. The food is regional as well as traditional American Mexican.

I enjoy Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo. Rincon de Guayabitos in the estate of Sinaloa. This is a beautiful community that is a beach resort. It is known for fresh red snapper and other seafood including large shrimp.

This was a great dish with large shrimp, mushrooms, and a beautiful garlic sauce. It is served on a bed of iceberg lettuce with a slice of orange. The heat and cold with a touch of sweet tang from the orange inside a warm tortilla is perfect after a long day of driving.

My father enjoys an Enchiladas De Mole with shredded chicken. The mole is flavorful with a nice hint of heat. Mole is a sauce containing up to 20 ingredients. The sauce usually contains fruit, chili pepper, nut, and such spices as black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and chocolate.

Exploring Cheyenne, Wyoming

The first thing you notice is the town is filled with large cowboy boots. This is a fun scavenger hunt for the family through town. Local artist paints each boot. We enjoy searching for these boots.

The town is the capital of Wyoming. There is a great museum near the capital that had maps for free. We leave with a stack of Wyoming maps.

The best stop here is the National Guard base that has F-84F And C-130 Aircraft (a favorite plane of my father). My father spent 35 years in the Air Force reserves as a medic. He worked a civilian at Hill Air Force base.

This was a fun day exploring Cheyenne and all the history in this town. This town goes from dinosaurs to the frontier days, and 19th century covered wagons. There are great museums including

Cheyenne Depot Museum
Cheyenne Botanical Garden
Wyoming State Museum
Cowgirls of the West Museum

This is a wonderful town to really see the migration west and the history of settling the American west.

This was a fun day exploring Cheyenne and all the history in this town. This town goes from dinosaurs, frontier days, and 19th century covered wagons to the railway travel.

This was a great journey with my father. It was great sharing memories from his childhood, my own childhood, and creating new memories. The remander of the journey back to Arizona is my dog Hyde and I.

Utah State
Kanab Utah
Kanab Utah
Kanab Utah
Kanab Utah
Kanab Utah
Zions National Park
Big Al’s Burgers
Big Al’s Burgers

Kanab, Utah

Kanab is the location of all road trippers on 89. It is the center of many national parks, great river rafting, and tons of fun.

The town has a great old western movie museum, Frontier Movie Town. This is a fun look at old film sets long before green screen and animation. This is a free museum behind the gift shop in the cottonwood trees. There are so many adventures near Kanab they include

Hiking
- Cottonwood Wash Narrows
- Slot Canyon
- Paria Canyon
- Wire Pass
- Elusive Wave
- Zion’s National Park
Drives
- Glen Canyon Damn
- Lake Powel
- North Rim Grand Canyon
- Kodachrome Basin State Park
Explore
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes
- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
- Moqui Cave
- Green River Whitewater Rafting

Lunchtime is at Big Al’s Burgers at the Junction Drive-in (Thank you Cherie for the suggestion). Must have a traditional Utah meal. I worked at a local diner Provo as a teenager. The best meal is milkshake, hamburger, and fries with a Utah tradition of fry sauce (mayo and ketchup dip). This was a lot of fun, good food, and super busy. What a great location for fun.

This is a wonderful time to explore and travel the US. It was great meeting so many wonderful people and tremendous adventures. What is your favorite vacation? Post your response with #4chionstyle on social media.

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Chocolate Scrumptious and Delicious ~ Sweet Shops

By 4chionlifestyle | October 28, 2018

Chocolate is a scrumptious addition to any meal, from appetizers, to main dishes, and especially desserts. Road tripping across the US we found some exceptional chocolate treats and so much more.

Milk Bar NYC

Super excited to try crack pie and coffee for breakfast. This is a planned find in NYC. Watching Chef’s Table on Netflix. I knew I needed to try Milk Bar. This is Christine Tosi’s and is part of the Manhattan-based Momofuku restaurant. This is my first stop in the morning. The little shop has great cookies, cakes, pies, and bagel bombs. I order an iced coffee, bagel bomb with spinach, and crack pie. The bagel bomb is warm and filled with spinach and cheese. It is a nice bite for the start of touring NYC. I save the crack pie for a little later, but it is delicious. The filling is something like a custard, but buttery. The oat crust is light and flaky. This is a must stop and see.

Lagomarcino’s Confectionery Moline Illinois

Lagomarcino’s Confectionery in Moline IL is worth a diversion on any road trip. It is operated by 4th generation of Tom Lagomarcino Sr. They received a James Beard Award in 2006.

Lagomarcino's Confectionery Soda shop road trip 4chion lifestyle — Lagomarcino’s Confectionery Soda Shop

Lagomarcino's Confectionery Chocolate James Beard Award road trip 4chion lifestyle — Lagomarcino’s Confectionery Soda Shop

This 110-year-old soda shop is a true find in the middle of nowhere. They have the true old-fashioned feel. The have a soda counter, sandwich shop, homemade ice cream, and beautiful chocolates. The originals owners meet at a soda shop and married in 1949. They had six children and they were famous for their fudge sauce. The shop started reselling the fudge sauce with their 100-year anniversary.

Taking my father here was such a treat. He recalled the stories of going to soda shop his uncle owned as a child. He talked about Ironport soda, a Utah tradition. It is a cross between root beer and Caribbean spices. He went for the hot fudge sundae (a surprise at the bottom was more fudge).

I went for their famous chocolate shake. We took salted caramel milk chocolates, dark marble truffle, pumpkin fudge chocolate, coconut dark chocolate, tiramisu dark chocolate truffle, and orange peel for the road. A few went home to mother.

The decor in the store is old newspaper headliners. Handcrafted mahogany booths to enjoy your sandwich, soda, and dessert. The had beautiful marbled truffles. It was a true sensory experience with the sights, sounds, and smells. They were fabulous.

Sweet Shoppe Candy Store Flagstaff Arizona

Exploring Route 66 in the infamous town of Flagstaff AZ there is the Sweet Shoppe Candy Store. This fudge shop with a lollipop garden, taffy, homemade fudge, covered apples with a vast variety, and scrumptious chocolates.

Chocolate 4Chion LIfestyle — Sweet Shoppe

Sweet Shop Chocolate fudge 4chion lifestyel road trip — Sweet Shoppe

This store has many great old-fashion fun with a great modern twist. It is located on 15 E Aspen Ave right off Route 66. They have so much to select from. Foodie Ellie had a big interest in the fudge but went with a sprinkled covered marshmallow.

They have homemade gelato. The chocolate is creamy and sweet. The best was the chocolate covered caramel (homemade there) with sea salt sprinkled on top.

Kilwins Chocolate Wilmington NC

Wilmington Kilwins Chocolate NC Vacation 4Chion Lifestyle c — Kilwins Chocolate Wilmington NC

This is a must stop when visiting Wilmington You can smell the sweetness down the street. This is just the start of the sensory experience provided. When entering the story your eyes are drawn to all the beautiful handcrafted chocolates and sweets. Located in the Historic Downtown. Ice cream is a popular treat in Wilmington. Kilwins makes bomb waffle cones, exceptional chocolates, and it is worth the wait.

They make their own ice cream from their original recipe with 40 premium, unique and delicious flavors including Mackinac Island Fudge. They use local farms for ingredients. The chocolate creations are amazing.

Sweet Country Charm Payson Arizona

The Sweet Country Charm Candy Shop is a quant fudge shop in Payson Arizona is a sweet location. Taking the drive up from Phoenix to go from the Sonoran Desert to the high desert landscapes. It is a beautiful drive. This shop is located on the Beeline Highway. Entering the shop it is a location to meet and enjoy the treats.

The shop was a great location for local crafters to sell their artisan work. Customers would bring up the fudge shop that hd been there. Rebecca Acord, the shop owner, decided to take a few cooking classes and incorporate the fudge and treats with the art.

This sweet treat reminded me of fudge at Christmas as a child. It is creamy and smooth. The aroma of chocolate and sweet are immediate when entering the shop. The visual is colorful and enticing. The sounds of community members talking about local news fills the room. The touch of the fudge is not crumbly but firm. The taste is incredible sweet and luscious. The varieties to choose from are a great treat to take home to enjoy later.

Battle Ground Sweet Shoppe & Bakery Battle Ground Washington Permanently Closed

Just off the main street in Battle Ground is Battle Ground Sweet Shoppe & Bakery. Main street is very much the center of shopping local artisans and produce. You can enjoy a local bar, restaurant, and shopping exceptional creations and antiques. It is a great stroll of all that is old town in a small town.

Just off your stroll is the local sweet shop. This shop has a great selection of bar cookies, cupcakes, cakes, brownie, ice cream bar, hot cocoa bombs, and more. Would not be a Pacific Northwest business without great coffee to enjoy with the desserts.

You are surrounded by baked sweets. There are so many to choose from you do not know what to choose. The pandemic has changed how many in the state are able to enjoy dinning. The treats are delicious and hand crafted. The location can manage weddings, catering, and just a sit down for dessert and coffee as you shop.

The atmosphere is a cozy and warm from the rainy winter day, this soon turned to 12″ of snow. The desserts went well with dinner. We enjoyed brownie, caramel toffee bar, and red velvet pop cakes.

Honeymoon Sweets Bakery & Dessert Bar Tempe Arizona

The honeymoon maybe over but the bakery and sweet creations continue at Honeymoon Sweets Bakery & Dessert Bar. This is a locally owned and operated business. Co-Owners and Bakers Tim and Joan O’Connor met in culinary school. They create cakes, cookies, breakfast pastries, pies, tarts, and petit sweets.

They cater to major corporations, drop-by visitors, and special-event guests. The shop has a great display of goodies for the public to stop by for a treat or two. This is a fun place to stop for a treat or two or dessert for a dinner party. The treats are as tasty as they are beautiful.

Abby Girl Sweets Cupcakes

Cincinnati Ohio, my niece and I stop by Abby Girl Sweets Cupcakes. This was a delightful find in the lobby of the Hilton Netherlands Hotel lobby. This little shop has a variety of sweet and moist cupcakes. We enjoyed the coconut, black raspberry chip, red velvet, and peanut butter cup. They were perfect after a long of competition at the USA Gymnastics event.

This business is owned and operated by Nathan & Andrea Thompson (husband and wife). The name comes from their daughter, Abby Girl, she is the top taster for the cupcakes. The cupcakes are sweet and well-flavored.

This was a wonderful road trip in the Midwest especially seeing family. It is always good connecting with your brother and his family. They have six fantastic children. Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes With White Tea Extract to the rescue it saved the hotel white towels. It was a wonderful time traveling through the Midwest. There is plenty to see and do from art to culture and outdoor adventures. It is a beautiful part of the country with friendly people.

Mount Lemmon Birthday Trip 4chion lifestyle Tucson Arizona — General Store in Summerhaven Arizona

Fudge at the General Store in Mount Lemmon 4Chion Lifestyle birthday — General Store in Summerhaven Arizona

Fudge Shop

Getting to the top of Mount Lemmon is a great little spot to shop, eat, and get a little sweet treat. This general store has some great snacks, a few souvenirs, and fresh fudge. The tradition of a sweet shop on your adventures that are so fun and memorable.

What is your favorite local sweet shop? Post your answer here.

@4ChionLifestyle

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History, Food, and Sea ~ Wilmington North Carolina

By 4chionlifestyle | August 1, 2018

Wilmington North Carolina is history, fabulous food, sea, beaches, and boardwalks. The town is celebrating 275 years of rich history of food and life in America. One of the most southeastern cities in the US is a great escape for a beautiful vacation.

Explorations

Williamington NC Vacation 4Chion Lifestyle b — Battleship North Carolina Wilmington NC

Battleship North Carolina Wilmington NC

This ship begs visitors to come aboard. It is visible from downtown. In 1960 the ship commissioned to honor the men that served and keep the ship’s history.

Battleship North Carolina was the first to be constructed in sixteen years in New York in 1937. The history during wartime is 144 commissioned officers and 2,195 enlisted men, including about 100 Marines. This ship participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific and saving the carrier Enterprise. The ship earned 15 battle stars. They only lost ten men in action and 67 injuries.

Exploring the ship you get a sense of daily life and a feel for battle. It is cramped and you do have to go up and down stairs to see the ship so proper footwear is important. It makes you think about being out to sea for months on end with the same people, cramped quarters, and war around you. This is a must see when coming to town.

Cape Fear River Wilmington NC

Williamington NC Vacation 4Chion Lifestyle e — Cape Fear River Wilmington NC

This river is the connection to the Atlantic Ocean. This river brings ships from all over the world to Wilmington. There are many restaurants that have great views of the river and sunsets. It is a fun place to enjoy a good pub crawl, but most bars in the area do not have happy hours.

For centuries this port has brought Europeans to America. Cape Fear River was often used for fleeing slaves to escape slavery. Orange Street is where 22 slaves escaped to freedom by way of the Cape Fear River. Orange Street place designated in 2005 by the National Park Service as part of its National Underground Railroad Network (click link to read about the Levi home) to Freedom Program. The National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program is to preserve and commemorate the history of the Underground Railroad.

There is plenty to see and do in Wilmington for families, history buffs, and couples from:

Boardwalks
Watersports
Aquarium
Tour historic forts
Wilmington railroad
Museum of the Bizarre

Food

Kilwins Chocolate Wilmington NC

Williamington Kilwins Chocolate NC Vacation 4Chion Lifestyle c — Kilwins Chocolate

This is a must stop when visiting Wilmington You can smell the sweetness down the street. This is just the start of the sensory experience provided. When entering the story your eyes are drawn to all the beautiful handcrafted chocolates and sweets. Located in the Historic Downtown. Ice cream is a popular treat in Wilmington. Kilwins makes bomb waffle cones, exceptional chocolates, and it is worth the wait.

Mission BBQ Wilmington NC

Williamington NC Vacation 4Chion Lifestyle d — Mission BBQ Wilmington NC

Always looking for good BBQ traveling across the country. Each area has their own special BBQ. Wilmington’s Mission BBQ is American and traditional to the area. This place brings the flavors of the region to dinner. Enjoying collard greens made with tomatoes, mac-n-cheese, and green beans with bacon, brisket and NC Style pulled pork with the vinegar BBQ (this food tradition is from original settlers, African slaves on plantations and modern ones). This is an Eastern-style sauce that is vinegar and pepper, no tomatoes. Bar-b-que is serious here making it all the way to state Congress to declare the official bar-b-q.

Mission BBQ opened 09/11/11 ten years after 911. There is a tradition in the 52 restaurants stops at noon on Fridays to honor the military members and stars and stripes. The decor follows this continued theme with a patriotic dining room full of tributes to those who make our country great. There is really nothing more American than a barbeque.

The staff is exceptional and give a lot of insight to the food and history. The food is a delicious find.

@4ChionLifestyle

Photo credit and travel collaboration Raymond L. Forchion Jr.

Kilwins connect here

1050 Bay View Road

Petoskey, MI 49770

(888) 454-5946

Mission BBQ connect here

351 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403

910-338-2858

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Follow the trip across America here:

NYC Taking on Midtown Manhattan ~ Travel

Chicago Food, Fun, and Relaxation ~ Road Trip

The Middle of the Midwest Champaign ~ Road Trip

Motor Raceway to USA Gymnastics ~ Midwest Road Trip

Over The Rocky Mountains We Go ~ Road Trip

The Journey to Zions and Beyond ~ Road Trip

Discovering The Great Outdoors of Arizona ~ Road Trip

NYC Taking on Midtown Manhattan ~ Travel

By 4chionlifestyle | July 23, 2018

Taking on Midtown Manhattan NYC is a wonderful whirlwind of fun explorations. The time here is brief but full of beautiful fashion, food, and fun.

Exploring Midtown NYC

Empire State Building NYC

The building that I had seen in films comes to life today. Entering the lobby I see the beauty of the original interior. This lobby is a historic landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The lobby’s recent restoration took 18 months to complete. It is an art deco design resembling the original design. The interior is marble, 24-karat gold and aluminum leaf with a large clock, gears, regional map, and a replication of the Empire State Building. There is a rush of people following through the lobby please stop a moment to look around at the details.

Moving through the process to get to the 86th floor you explore the history, the details about the building’s sustainability, and the 80th floor a Dare to Dream exhibit. This is a great experience. Walking the last few flights of stairs to the 86th floor was a lot of fun.

Reaching the 86th floor I am breathless, from climbing the stairs and looking over NYC. It is crowded and people are speaking many languages.

It is amazing to finally be here and see the vastness of the land, water, and buildings. You can see the city below and really don’t hear the commotion. The beauty above is amazing as you look up to see the rest of the building and the blue sky with clouds. It is an experience to not miss while in Midtown NYC.

Midtown NYC

Midtown is the history, fashion, and food of NYC. It is such a wonderful place to explore. The top tourist attraction is within walking distance. The LOVE statue is one of many found around the world. This was first created for print by Robert Indiana.

The love of community is found as I stroll the streets. The beautiful churches, Central Park, and shopping bring NYC home. The families pushing their strollers, skateboarders, and tourist head to Central Park. The park has statues, the Great Lawn (the world-famous lawn), and vendors. It is a wonderful place in the center of town.

There is so much in this area from Radio City Hall, Rockefeller Center, and fashion. It is like a fashion runway down Madison Ave. You find the top fashion designer shops with exceptional windows displaying the latest fashion. I venture in an Uber through Time Square. It is fun seeing the hustle and bustle that is Time Square from the car.

Afterwards exploring Midtown it is time for fashion. Uber takes me to FDC Young Designer Fashion show at The Paul Hotel. This is a quaint fashion event.

The evening concludes watching the full moon rise over the high rises. It is a wonderful experience to be on the rooftop of the hotel and just be still for 20 minutes. It is a perfect trip.

NYC Fashion Vacation Trip 4Chion Lifestyle Blog — NYC Fashion

Food NYC

Wild Ginger NYC

This quaint Asian Fusion restaurant is next door to my hotel, Pod 51, in Midtown New York. This is the first food stop in Manhattan. Thankful for this find after being delayed at the airport. The restaurant is full of large parties enjoying an order your favorite roll and share mine. I can hear them discussing what they like about each other’s choices. That is a fun way to enjoy a menu. The decor is transforming, and fitting for the theme. The menu is filled with a variety of traditional Asian and fusion dishes like Singapore thin rice noodles. Enjoyed steamed veggie dumplings, salmon roll, and mermaid roll. The sauce on the plate is sweet, sour, and a little heat. The food is fresh and elegant.

Milk Bar NYC

I am excited to try crack pie and coffee for breakfast. This is a planned find in NYC. Watching Chef’s Table on Netflix. I knew I needed to try Milk Bar. This is Christine Tosi’s bakery and is part of the Manhattan-based Momofuku restaurant.

This is my first stop in the morning. The little shop has great cookies, cakes, pies, and bagel bombs. I order an iced coffee, bagel bomb with spinach, and crack pie. The bagel bomb warm and filled with spinach and cheese. It is a nice bite for the start of touring NYC.

I save the crack pie for a little later, but it is delicious. The filling is something like a custard, but buttery. The oat crust is light and flaky. This is a must stop and see.

Pizza NYC Vacation Trip 4Chion Lifestyle Blog — Pizza NYC

$1 Pizza NYC

The little find during the day is Market Pizza. It is a small little shop off 6th ave. It is $2.99 for two slices of pizza and soda. This is a great place for a traditional New York pizza. It is good, friendly, and always ready. They have a variety of pizzas. There is a small communal area to sit and eat your pizza before heading back on my NYC adventure. Always fun to explore these great places.

Pescatore NYC

Walking Midtown after a day of exploring and the fashion event I am overwhelmed with the choices near the hotel. The restaurants’ selection vast and enticing aromas. This is the last stop for food in New York City. The dilemma is decided as rain begins to fall. I wonder into Pescatore. It is a traditional setting with the seasonal tulips on each table. My waiter is Bryan Royas. He is very informative about the menu and attentive.

It is a really amazing experience to see spaghetti Carbonaro prepared tableside. This dish is pancetta, onions, pecorino cheese & egg mixed in a Parmigiano wheel. The family sitting near me order this dish. There is something about seeing the food prepared tableside. The smells, sounds, and visual bring anticipation.

I enjoy pasta ripiena, warm bread, with Bousquet Mendoza Argentina Malbec, and dessert. The staff that brings me zeppoles with fruit dipped in brandy. The ripiena is homemade pasta sheet stuffed with fresh spinach, ricotta, topped with tomato sauce and crispy parmigiana.

The homemade pasta is delectable and the tomato sauce fresh. The dessert is light and sweet the vanilla, chocolate, and raspberry sauces. The raspberry sauce is my favorite brings a little tart to the sweet. The fruit with the brandy is scrumptious.

Loved the 48 hours in Midtown and look forward to returning. It is a wonderful exploration. What are your favorite places in Midtown? Post your answer and photo #4ChionStyle here.

@4ChionLifestyle

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Follow the journey across the US here:

Motor Raceway to USA Gymnastics ~ Midwest Road Trip

Chicago Food, Fun, and Relaxation ~ Road Trip

Over The Rocky Mountains We Go ~ Road Trip

The Journey to Zions and Beyond ~ Road Trip

Discovering The Great Outdoors of Arizona ~ Road Trip

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Bangers and Lace ~ Chicago Restaurant and Bar

By 4chionlifestyle | July 15, 2018

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Bangers and Lace

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Sleepy Creek Vineyards ~ Midwest Winery

By 4chionlifestyle | July 15, 2018

“Good Morning, This is wonderful and will definitely post on our Facebook page!”

Sleepy Creek Vineyards

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Chicago Food, Fun, and Relaxation ~ Road Trip

By 4chionlifestyle | June 27, 2018

Chicago is one big city that sits in the Midwest of the USA. This is a dream comes true with a visit to this city. Driving in from Champaign, with my sisters Tina and Cherie, we see this massive modern American city, but as you explore you realize that the city has great neighborhoods that swallow the big city vastness. Each neighborhood feels like you are in your own hometown.

Chicago Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyle b — Chicago Road Trip

Chicago Neighborhoods

Lincoln Park

This was an excellent choice for dinner(see below). It is no the north side in Chicago. This area has some great restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. This neighborhood has the Lincoln Park Zoo (America’s oldest zoo) and the Chicago History Museum. The streets this evening had many out for dinner and to watch the Cubbies play ball.

River City North

Sending my sister off in the morning was sad. She is a lot of fun to travel with and drove 1,300 of 2,400 miles of the cross-country journey. Tina and I take the subway into River City North. We enjoy a glass of white wine and watch families enjoy the riverfront. We also enjoy Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria.

The neighborhood looks or feels nothing like it started as an industrial and warehouse district. This neighborhood is modern as the many buildings tower over the river. This neighborhood is known for art. It has the largest concentration of galleries outside of Manhattan. We enjoy exploring the many wonderful statues, theatre area, and the most restaurants in Chicago.

Old Town

Walking to Old Town was a fun adventure to see the other areas of the town. Old Town is filled with old Victorian buildings, churches, great pubs, coffee shops, and history. The streets are lined with beautiful trees. This area was first settled by Germans. Around 1846 the immigrants established St. Joesph’s Parish. The history here is rich from buildings that survived the 1871 Chicago fire, to former speakeasies and ornate beautiful churches. We enjoyed a nice lunch at an Irish Pub.

Chicago Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyle d — Chicago Road Trip

The Loop

This is where you will find the “Bean” the name for the statue is Cloud Gate. The sculpture is by Indian-born British artist Sir Anish Kapoor. This was so gorgeous at the night. It is located in Millennium Park in The Loop neighborhood. The statue is a 110-ton elliptical sculpture of a seamless series of polished stainless steel plates and a 12-foot-high arch. The inspiration for the statue is liquid mercury. It is an incredible piece of art. Uber (see the discount code below) provided a great get around from one neighborhood to the next during the evening.

Wrigleyville

Closing out the first night in Wrigleyville. A great night to see the stadium and experience one of the great bars in the area. It is a great spot day or night. It is a great place for nightlife. We enjoyed Sluggers, a great sports bar. My sisters enjoyed the batting cages and I took in a little music with the dueling pianos. This neighborhood offers some great Chicago experiences

Bring chalk to write on the Wrigley wall
Tour Wrigley Field
Go to a ballgame
Batting Cages
Shopping
Great restaurants

Chicago Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyle — Chicago Road Trip

Wicker Park

Wicker Park is a wonderful neighborhood. It really takes to a small town feeling. It is close to the subway, has great shopping, and good bars. This neighborhood has many lush gardens with great events in the parks from movies, exercises, farmers markets, and concerts. This area is great for Wicker Park is known for local hipster culture, the art community, nightlife, and food scene. It was a great place to stay in an Air BNB (see discount offer below).

Old Navy Pier

This is a fun adventurous place to visit. Ellie (granddaughter) loves exploring the pier. The great boats, fun, and ice cream. We enjoy walking the pier. The Fifth Third Family Pavillion was so much fun. This is a beautiful place for a wedding, family fun, and weekly events.

The Navy Pier is on Lake Michigan and is 102 years old. We enjoyed an Uber (see discount code below) ride. They have this well set up for pick up and drop offs. Much easier than trying to park. The Old Navy Pier is the vitality of Chicago. Ellie enjoyed the Original Rainbow Cone even though she said it was not good she finishes it. The group enjoys a drink at the Billy Goat Tavern.

Chicago Food

Chicago sits in the Midwest has a history of all American food. This history is changing to one of sophistication and elegance. The dining experience is one set for the various neighborhoods in Chicago. The traditional American and deep dish pizza is found in each area, but the elegance is found with 25 Michelin-starred restaurants. Chicago is known for their yearly Taste of Chicago a food and entertainment weekend usually held the second week of July. There is a covering deep dish pizza this is a bucket list trip with deep dish pizza on the list.

Lou Malnati's Pizzaria Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyle — Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria Road Trip

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria

This was a fantastic place to take a crowd for lunch. There was a little bit of a wait but well worth the wait. They do allow you to order ahead of time. The pizza was enjoyed by the entire party. They had great selections with gluten-free and vegetarian options. The gluten-free crust was one of the best. They have a real family feeling to the pizzeria.

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is a local favorite. The first restaurant opened by Lou, an Italian, opened a pizzeria in a Jewish neighborhood on an Irish holiday in 1971. They are always busy at all 51 locations in the Chicago area. Each pizza is hand created to each patron’s desire.

Pequod Pizza Chicago

Pequod Pizza, 25 years in business, is a popular place in Lincoln Park. We arrive with the dreams of deep crust pizza and watch the Cubs play ball. Arriving we realize that the wait is down the street. Heading into the small hostess station they tell us, “there is an hour for a table about another hour for service from seating.” We walk around the block and decide to find a place with appetizers to wait out the hour seating time. We find a great place called Distilled Chicago.

New York City mayor’s press secretary Eric Phillips has put in his vote on Twitter for the best pizza “Chicago pizza is the best pizza in America, and it’s not even close.” The tweet has a photo of Chicago-style deep dish pizza from Pequod’s. We return for our pizza as our buzzer for the table goes off.

We take the pizza back to the Air BNB for snacking and dinner on Saturday evening. It is a fabulous bucket list experience. Normally a thin crust pizza lover this was a true experience. The crust is caramelized and not as heavy as expected. The cheese strings as you take a bite making it a true cheese pizza. The sauce is the best to date. It is loud and excitable as the patrons are enjoying the final innings of the Cubs game.

Distilled Chicago

Distilled Chicago was a fantastic find just down the street from Pequod Pizza in West Lincoln Park. We sit at the bar. The decor is black and gold with an early 19th century feel. The Cub’s are playing on the TV. It is neighborhood experience as locals enter to enjoy the local menu with a modern twist on bar favorites. We enjoy a glass of wine and a beer. It is best known for being a whiskey bar with our 100 varieties. These are paired with the menu items.

The food is fabulous. We order the mac ‘n’ cheese bits, sliders with fries, and Italian beef egg rolls. The Italian beef rolls turn out to be a delightful surprise with the Au Jus Sauce. This fusion of Asian and Italian together well and our the favorite of the night. The mac ‘n’ cheese bits are crispy and tasty. The dipping sauce is house ranch. There is a good textual experience. The fries are crispy and the bacon jam brings the classic slider to a unique experience the arugula brings a fresh peppery flavor, caramelized onions, and the top quality Angus beef takes a bar classic to elegance. This became dinner. It is a great place to enjoy a ball game, the community, and an American classic menu with an elevation.

Scone City

Scone City located in Wicker Park is wonderful for a morning after bar hopping or late night in Chicago. Jessica and Tim Canning along with chef Laurie McNamara took on the endeavor in a specialized sweet and savory scone menu. This place was perfect stop as my sister Cherie is heading to the airport to return to her family in Idaho. It was so wonderful sharing this experience with here. Seeing places and enjoying the cross-country journey. I truly miss her every day. She enjoyed a sweet blueberry w/ lemon glaze scone she says, “It was delicious!! Sweet. Soft. Perfection!!! Soooo tasty.” They have savory scones as well. I enjoyed a hot Vanilla Bean Latte with the house-made vanilla syrup. It is a perfect start to a day of exploring Chicago.

Bangers and Lace

Bangers and Lace, a local bar in Wicker Park, has a rustic lodge atmosphere and is a great place for a good drink and great company. The patrons are friendly. The bartender for the evening was an instant win with a Big Lebowski shirt. The best feature is the is the classic beer tap handles. The restaurant’s name is Bangers for the British term for sausage and Lace for Brussels Lace, the intricate veil of beer foam that clings to the glass side. This was a great evening spot near the Air BNB for cocktails and a glass of wine. They have a menu of sausages, English beans, vegetarian option, and Belgian fries.

The atmosphere is friendly, fun, and did get crowded as the night went on. It is a great place for sports, conversation, and good drinks. What a fun experience.

Kanela Chicago Foodie Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyle — Kanela Chicago Road Trip

The last morning of the road trip in the Midwest is brunch at Kanela, the Greek name for Cinnamon. This restaurant place is Wicker Park neighborhood on a street with many older shops. It is a great place, voted best in Chicago by USA Today, for a Sunday morning brunch. The coffee tops and wonderful after an evening at Bangers and Lace.

Brunch includes California Benedict and Fried Egg Sandwich this was an exceptional meal. The hollandaise sauce perfection with a nice touch of heat, the poach egg picture perfect. The sandwich was fabulous with the chili aioli brings the flavors together. The seasoned potatoes nicely cooked not too soft or undercooked. It was a nice brunch with my sister. We do agree that this is a great place for brunch.

Tina, Cherie, and Tammy Forchion Chicago Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyle — Tina, Cherie, and Tammy Forchion Chicago Road Trip

This was a fantastic weekend with my sisters. This was one of the few trips we have taken just the three of us. It was hard saying goodbye to Cherie, but we have some fantastic memories and stories. Stay tuned as the road trip continues.

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From Milan Runways to Tempe Moxy

By 4chionlifestyle | June 23, 2018

The Moxy Hotel welcomed the community to experience this new boutique hotel. Marriott working with 27/7 Hotels has created a hotel with a modern-day experience. The evening filled with an Italian theme event from food to fashion.

The lobby filled with a warm home-style setting. Check-in is actually the bar. Take a moment to look up at the ceiling as you wait for the drink you ordered. This ceiling came from a fence found in Kansas City. Upon receiving your drink you can find many locations to enjoy your drink.

The lobby filled with comfortable areas to enjoy a quiet moment, watch the guest check in on Instagram on a large screen, enjoy the workspace, write on the giant chalkboard, enjoy Pac-Man or other video games, or play a board game or two. Each area filled with great motivational thoughts and art. The hotel set for the traveler to enjoy a more independent experience.

The rooms are keyless and their self-service food areas. The furnishing is a collaboration with Marriott and Ikea. The furnishing is simple and comfortable. There is a nice sitting area, bed, work desk, and television. This design is a more contemporary feel and set to work with the Millennial traveler. The evening provided a great opportunity to experience the elevator that is set as a photo booth for selfies, community, music, art, and fashion.

The evening feature VH1 Save the Music. An organization that provides funding for continued music education and opportunities for musicians. Chris G Band performed poolside while guest enjoyed the Italian themed food. The community enjoyed the amenities and visiting with each other during the evening.

The evening ended with a great fashion show put together by Phoenix Fashion Week. Frank James, stylist team lead, said the styling for the show was a 70 and 80s inspired with a tribute honor to Prince. Frank has worked with Phoenix Fashion Week for four years. He made the adjustment to fashion after putting together fashion shows in high school and college. He has produced, trained models, and taught the catwalk. The models were well casted and came with various backgrounds.

Ali Aungst, a model with Ford Robert Black Agency, started with Phoenix Fashion Week’s boot camp last year. She has walked in last years October show. Her one piece of advice is to be true to your personal style. Her favorite colors to wear are black and grey. She is looking forward to the upcoming year as a model.

Caylee Cottrell, an independent model, she loves to do on stage. She began dancing when two and made a natural progression. She finds the runway a place to present great art and bring emotion to the runway experience. Her runway experience has been LA Fashion Week, headshots, and more. She has always felt comfortable on stage performing and modeling is a great addition.

Justin Ford, an independent model, is taking on a reinvention. He started with Phoenix Fashion Week. He has found the organization to be support and a step into the industry. He says, “the industry has provided such great energy and positive reinforcement. His one great piece of advice is men should take the time to present their best self, even if this means concealing a few marks on your face.

The runway presented a great collection of retro 70s and 80s clothing with exceptional models. Phoenix Fashion Week provides a way for models, stylists, and designers to understand and learn the fashion business.

The Moxy in Tempe will be a great hotel addition to Tempe and Phoenix. This will give a more independent place to work, relax, and retreat. Keep an eye on our social media for continued updates and images on this hotel. What are your favorite of the hotel and the runway? Post your response below.

@4ChionLifestyle

Summer Vacation Beauty Skin Care Giveaway

By 4chionlifestyle | June 21, 2018

Congrats to @therueschs on Instagram they are the winners of this summer beauty giveaway.

Your lifestyle deserves the best. 4Chion Lifestyle is announcing a social media summer vacation contest for one skin care giveaway. Contest open to U.S. citizens age 18 and up.

Instagram and products supplied do not sponsor, support, endorse, or have any involvement with this contest. Winner agrees to have their name and @AccountName announced on social media accounts for 4Chion Lifestyle. Winner agrees that they are a US citizen, aged 18 and up.

To enter our contest June 20-June 30 (11:59 PM PST) participants must:

Must follow @4ChionLifestyle on Instagram.
Like the photo connected on Instagram.
Tag 3 friend in the comments section of photo connected to the contest on social media.
You will receive one entry for completing this instruction.

Earn Extra Entrances by

Tag 3 friends in the comment section.
Repost this image on Instagram tag #4ChionStyle
You will receive an extra entry for completing steps one and two each time.
You will receive one entry for each time you follow these instructions and it is verified.
Winner will be notified via Instagram DM 7.9.18 and have 48 hours to respond. The package will be mailed by 7.20.18. The announcement on social media after 7.12.18. They must post a photo of the prize on social media tagging #4ChionGiveaway #4ChionStyle.

Contest open to U.S. citizens age 18 and up.

There is no limit to the number of times you can enter the contest.

The odds of winning the skin care package depends on the number of eligible entrants received.

There is one summer vacation care gift package (total retail value $150). The skin care gift package giveaway includes:

Please, DM 4Chion Lifestyle on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter @4ChionLifestyle about any concerns or questions.

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The Middle of the Midwest Champaign ~ Road Trip

By 4chionlifestyle | June 14, 2018

Champaign in the Midwest is a place of community, gracious hosting, and friendliness. We spend a little more time here on our road trip. We meet up with our sister, Tina, at her home. It is centrally located to Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Kentucky. The food, fun, and adventures seemed endless in food, bars, bands, art, and nature.

Champaign Experiences

Champaign Illinois Midwest Road Trip[/caption]

Japanese Tea House

The Japan House in Champaign is a great community center with beautiful surroundings. It is peaceful, welcoming, and tradition. Japanese tea ceremony is a formal presentation. The service is the winter presentation. This ceremony is preparing and presenting the matcha. This ceremony is centuries old and is about purification, harmony, respect, and tranquility.

The Japan House motto is, “the Way of Tea,” representing nature, heaven, and earth. This service was a winter presentation. The mats are laid in the pattern that each guest sits and the hearth is low to bring more warmth to the room. The hostess and guests bow to each other. The ceremony develops for westerners who find the traditional floor sitting difficult. A chabana, a beautiful flower arrangement sitting to the side. The seasonal arrangement represents winter, this connects the room to nature. There is a connection to water, earth, wood, fire, and metal with the utensils used for preparation. This ceremony and ritual date back centuries with details being the key to the ceremony.

Things all returned the way they were except us. The ceremony brings a deeper sense of harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility changing us while all else remains the same.

Japanese Tea House Midwest Road Trip Travel 4Chion Lifestyle — Japanese Tea House

William R. and Clarice V. Spurlock Museum of World Cultures

The Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois and there is no charge. It is a great place to explore centuries of sociology and culture. The museum is very open and intimate as well. It brings thousands of years and cultures to one museum. Many of the items in the museum are replicas of famous art exhibits found worldwide. This brings the best opportunity to fully explore and see the great cultures in the world.

The fun of the day was hanging with Kaleb, my nephew, he has been to the museum with school. It was the best to see the different cultures through time in 9 areas. It was fun posing like the statues and seeing the tons of pottery each culture created. Have extra time there are board games to play. The museum offers:

Established in 1911 by the Board of Trustees and housed on the 4^th floor of Lincoln Hall
The World Heritage Museum in 1971
Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 2009
holds more than 50,000 artifacts from six continents from throughout human history
Over 50,000 visitors each year
Collaborates on research projects with universities and museums across the world

Homer Lake

Homer Lake is a forest preserve that has great walking trails, a beautiful lake, and a place to feed and watch the birds on the outskirts of the county. The beauty of the preserve is gorgeous spring is filling in the branches of the tree and flowers are beginning to bloom. The ducks and geese are nesting or wandering with little ones as I make my way around the park. Looking over the lake, soon a large blue herring flies low over the lake. It begins to rain slightly. What a wonderful sounds as the trees move in the winds. Homer Lake has boaters and fishermen trying to get out of the weather.

Homer Lake is free of charge. They do have an interpretive center where you learn more about the area, animals, birds, and more. They offer packs you can use for your exploration around the park. Each pack has specific adventures that are very insightful to the preserve and many trails. Inside the interpretive center, there are many displays, hands-on activities, and more.

Kickapoo State Park

Entering the park at dusk, you hear the bullfrogs, ducks, geese, and birds give their final song for the day. There are fishermen on the shore with their families. The kids run free and explore the forest. It is green and flowers blooming. Hyde, my traveling dog, is loving the space. It is s a bright evening filled with breezes in the trees. The best part of the exploration was watching the families of ducks make their way to the lake for a final swim. Hyde decided she needed to chase one or two sending the large flock airborne towards one of the 22 lakes in the park.

This park is free and in Vermillion County, close to Sleepy Creek Vineyard. This park offers activities for visitors to fully enjoy the park. The activities include:

A multi-purpose recreational trail that will cover 24.5 when completed. It will cover the regions vast ecosystems
Biking
Tubing
Canoeing
Paddling
Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, crappie, redear sunfish, and during fall rainbow trout. There is a shop for anglers in the park
Food stand
Boating
6 walking trails
Picnic areas
Community events

This was a great find and fun on our trip. Much of the beauty and diversity of the Midwest is seen here at this park.

This community is home to Eberfest, established by long resident Roger Ebert. A supporter of local bands as well as the start of REO Speedwagon with streets carrying the band members’ names. This community brings the arts, farmers’ markets, sports, and education for a great personal or family vacation.

Champaign Food

The Midwest food is all American. The area settled by Europeans including Germans, British, Italian, Hungarians, and Scandinavians. The simple hearty foods with a strong Christian influences continue today. The fusion food trend is not found here as much. You will find that true honest food as it was from the beginning.

This town is a place you find the all American food. It is a place worth stopping and checking out the food scene. This area is in Central Illinois about 2.5 hours south of Chicago. The area surrounded by small farm and dairy communities. It is known for farmers markets, fresh dairy (yes you can buy fresh milk at the farm), ethnic foods, and the classic American food.

Sleepy Creek Vineyard Road Trip Illinois 4Chion Lifestyle — Sleepy Creek Vineyard Road Trip

Sleepy Creek Vineyards

Driving in from St. Louis, you take exit 206 from I-74. The winery is a great location to come for many events. Weekly they have local musicians, wieners and wine, and Winery Mary Bar Every Sunday. The winery has great yearly events from Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and more.

The wine is sweet not a real full-bodied wine. They have a jalapeño red wine they substitute with vodka in the bloody Mary served on Sunday. The place is beautiful and serene setting. Locals bring their picnic lunches, you can buy cheese and crackers, or at times, a food truck might be here. The day we were there they had a band playing in the large barn, a strong community presence sitting outside by the creek overlooking the vineyard.

The Courier Café Urbana

The Courier Café brings Champaign history and old Victorian styling in the decor. The main dining room has:

A large palace chandelier from the Opera House in Erie Pennsylvania
The cash register is the first electric cash register
The courier clock pendulum filled with mercury makes the time keeping right
The stained glass comes from a Danville church predating the Civil War
The Pullman lamps light the aisle for passengers on the Pullman railroad cars
The brass chimes a gift from George Malford, a Nickelodeon Maker, they are steamed powered

The Café’s name is for the Courier newspaper that operated for decades in the building. The building was almost lost to fire and remained empty for decades. In 1980, the current owners began remodeling and opened for business on November 10, 1980. They are a farm to table restaurant with the garden and bees on the property for the freshest ingredients.

The menu is a hearty all American menu with breakfast served daily until 11 AM then lunch and dinner menu until closing. The breakfast is traditional eggs, omelets, fantastic pancakes, and hash browns. Their coffee is fresh ground daily and they have special blends. The lunch/dinner menu is hearty with ribeye sandwich, fries, soups, and steak. The food has that home cooked look and feel. They do have a few items for vegetarians including breakfast sausage. They do have one special treat “Courier water this is a sparkling water from deep below the café. It is a great place for large parties and a sense of the community in Champaign.

Amaravati Indian Royal Cuisine Champaign

Amaravati Indian Royal Cuisine primarily brings Southern Indian cuisine to Champaign. Southern Indian cuisine based around rice, lentils, and stews. Dishes The authenticity found in the menu. The waitress knowledge of the menu and very helpful with the dishes.

Enjoying Paneer Tikka Masala with cubes of fresh cottage cheese cooked with green peas in an onion, tomato & cashew based sauce. Garnished with Kasturi methi and cashew pieces. The flavors linger on your pallet. The rice is perfectly cooked. Dessert is rasamalai it is juice and cream. It is a sweet and good amount of heat. This dish has a history of being created in Britain by a Bangladeshi chef.

Champaign Food Road Trip 4Chion Lifestyel — Champaign Food Road Trip

Core Life Eatery Champaign

Entering the eatery, you hear a local band on an early Saturday morning. The eatery is a location of freshness and wholesome. The food is GMO, grass-fed steak, all-natural chicken, and no GMOs. The broths are center to the soups. You pick your ingredients from a fresh selection that looks like a produce stand.

The soup is heavy in a great vegetable broth the Sriracha soaked bean sprouts make a nice substitute for noodles and Sriracha brings heat to the soup. The kale and Napa cabbage are barely cooked by the hot broth this brings a freshness and crunch to the flavor. The shiitake mushrooms add texture to the soup. It is refreshing with flavors that linger on the plate.

This town is a place to visit and stay a day or two. It has good hotels, offers Air BNB, and a friendly community. There is a lot you can see in town or a little drive.

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Chicago Neighborhoods

Lincoln Park

River City North

Old Town

Wrigleyville

Wicker Park

Old Navy Pier

Chicago Food

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria

Pequod Pizza Chicago

Distilled Chicago

Scone City

Bangers and Lace

Special offers for you

Congrats to @therueschs on Instagram they are the winners of this summer beauty giveaway.

Champaign Experiences

Japanese Tea House

William R. and Clarice V. Spurlock Museum of World Cultures

Homer Lake

Kickapoo State Park

Champaign Food

Sleepy Creek Vineyards

The Courier Café Urbana

Amaravati Indian Royal Cuisine Champaign

Core Life Eatery Champaign

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