From Texas to Beyond

Local, Near and Far: Our journey of exploring the world.

Author: Rachel (Page 3 of 8)

Kansas City, MO Overview

August 24, 2015 / / 0 Comments

IMG_1270 copyI am the token non-Texan here at From Texas to Beyond, and Kansas City, MO is my hometown; it holds a very special place in my heart as I spent the first 18 years of my life there. It is a beautiful, diverse, and unique town that is proud of its history and truly reflects Midwestern charm.

One of our weekend getaways during our first year of marriage and time in Chicago was to my hometown. We had visited San Antonio (Matt’s stomping grounds) multiple times, but he had never seen Kansas City–or tasted Kansas City barbeque–which is probably the bigger crime!

It’s about a 8-9 hour drive from Chicago to Kansas City, so when we first decided to visit, we searched options for routes to drive, etc. BUT, also wanting to have a quick weekend trip, we decided ultimately to see if we could find a relatively inexpensive flight. Thankfully at the time, we had built up some miles using our credit card and were able to find plane tickets for only $10! Score! That totally beat trying to make the drive!

Once we had settled on flying, I made the remaining preparations for a rental car, hotel, and figuring out places and restaurants I could share with Matt, as well as making arrangements with friends and family who lived in the area. Last but not least, we set out to see if we could obtain some Chiefs tickets!

Our itinerary had us coming into Kansas City Friday morning and leaving early enough Monday morning so that Matt could still get to work that day. Considering all the people I wanted to see and introduce Matt to, as well as visit the places I had in mind, we would have a jam packed weekend. It was so fun to be able to put this itinerary together, I wanted to give Matt a picture of my growing up experience as well as do some touristy things that I remembered enjoying as a teen.

You’ll be hearing from both of us over the next couple weeks as we recount our time and I hope you’ll enjoy getting a glimpse of my hometown as well as inspire you to visit this Midwestern gem! We’ll be featuring the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Gates Bar-B-Q, the Harley Davidson Factory Tour, the Country Club Plaza, Union Station, and the National World War I Museum & Memorial; stay tuned the next couple weeks for reviews, photos, and recaps!

In Case You Missed It…South Bend

August 15, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Every couple weeks we’ll be collecting links from past posts grouped together by location; we thought it handy to have everything in on
e convenient location as you plan your upcoming travels. We just finished a short series on South Bend, so here’s your recap:

Studebaker2

Studebaker National Museum: The Studebaker National Museum boasts an impressive collection of cars, traveling exhibits (that includes other automakers), and the largest Presidential Carriage Collection anywhere.

NotreDame3Notre Dame & The Snite Museum of Art: Notre Dame boasts a beautiful campus with majestic architecture in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and Golden Dome on top of the Main Building and the Snite Museum of Art for the art lover.

Fiddler’s Hearth Public House: Based on a recommendation in South Bend, IN we happily enjoyed the fish & chips, Beef Wellington, and cozy atmosphere at The Fiddler’s Hearth.

The College Football Hall of Fame: The College Football Hall of Fame is a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon and is family friendly, educational, and entertaining. It is also great for the football lover and the historian.College Football HOF

J.W. Chen’s Chinese Cuisine: If you’re in South Bend and looking for a delightful Asian restaurant with excellent customer service, we highly recommend J.W. Chen’s Chinese Cuisine.

Curly’s Frozen Custard

August 6, 2015 / / 0 Comments

I’m a total snob when it comes to frozen dairy. There is a distinct difference to me in the texture, taste, and creaminess when you order for ice cream vs. custard vs. yogurt. A custard differs from yogurt and ice cream in that the recipe includes eggs that give it a more creamy texture while typically remaining cold for longer than its counterparts. This level of dedication to frozen confections has required long hours of work and the consumption of A LOT of delicious treats.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many non-chain options for custard in Fort Worth that are both reasonably priced and high quality. Enter, Curly’s Frozen Custard. I love the unique flavors they produce with great quality, attention to detail, and even two “mystery ingredients”.  Curly’s menu at first glance may seem small, however, they have found the perfect combination of the tried and true favorites along with a special flavor every month to add something different.

Chocolate concrete with Oreo mix-in.

Chocolate concrete with Oreo mix-in

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Fiddler’s Hearth Public House

July 20, 2015 / / 0 Comments

As I was planning our excursion to South Bend, IN, I shared the itinerary with my mother and how we were excited to get away. She was glad we were able to go and was also able to give us a restaurant recommendation! Knowing both Matt and I’s love for unique locations and places that have a lot of craft beers on tap, she shared that we must visit Fiddler’s Hearth.

In an effort to not have to drive in less than pleasant conditions or find parking, we decided to take the 5 block walk from our hotel to the restaurant. I believe we mentioned in a previous post how it happened to be February, cold, and very snowy.  The Fiddler’s Hearth was a welcome sight for us; even in the short walk, and already hungry before we left, we had ravenous appetites and welcomed the warmth of the restaurant.

Fiddler's Hearth

Beef Wellington and Fish & Chips

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In Case You Missed It…Czech Republic

July 18, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Every couple weeks we’ll be collecting links from past posts grouped together by location; we thought it handy to have everything in one convenient location as you plan your upcoming travels. We just finished a couple different series featuring the Czech Republic, so here’s your recap:

Prague

Church of Our Lady before Týn

Church of Our Lady before Týn

Prague City Overview: Prague is a wonderful city! We were excited to sample the greatest parts of the Czech culture during our two day visit.

Hotel Hastal Prague Old Town: Hotel Hastal features clean, comfortable hotel rooms with convenient access to Prague’s Old Town for an economical price.

Old Town Square-Prague: The Prague Old Town Square includes the Týn Church, the Church of St. Nicholas, the Jan Hus statue, and the Old Town Hall with its Astronomical Clock.

The Slav Epic: Czech artist Alfons Mucha painted his 20-canvas masterpieces, the Slav Epic, housed in the Veletržní Palace in Prague.

National Cemetery in Vyšehrad

National Cemetery in Vyšehrad

Czech Beer: Czechs love beer. While in Prague and Český Krumlov, we enjoyed experiencing this integral part of the culture by sampling some great Czech beers.

Foreigners in a Local’s Pub: What is it like to drink a pint and eat cheese at the local’s pub? In Prague, this is a serious venture at the Golden Tiger.

St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral

The Music of Prague: With Prague’s rich and beautiful musical heritage, treat yourself to a concert! You will not be disappointed.

Prague Castle: Explore the squares, palaces, and churches of Prague Castle and miss the crowds completely by taking a romantic late night stroll.

Saint Vitus Cathedral: If you are in Prague, you must visit the Prague Castle and the stunning Saint Vitus Cathedral with its Mucha stained glass window.

Vyšehrad – Prague: When visiting Prague, you must visit Vyšehrad for scenic views, a relaxing time, and a beautiful insight into Czech artistry and history.

Český Krumlov

View of Church of Saint Vitus from Český Krumlov Castle

View of Church of Saint Vitus from Český Krumlov Castle

Český Krumlov Town Overview: The small, picturesque town of Český Krumlov provides an additional perspective of the Czech Republic beyond Prague.

Pension U Zámku: Pension U Zámku provides a wonderful bed and breakfast experience conveniently located under Český Krumlov Castle at a great price.

Český Krumlov Castle: The main attraction in this small Czech Town is Český Krumlov Castle, complete with a tower, bear pits, bridges, gardens, and panoramic views.

Český Krumlov Castle Gardens & Round Tower: Continuing our look into the Český Krumlov Castle complex, we explore the Castle’s Gardens and climb the Round Tower for a view of the Czech countryside.

Český Krumlov Castle At Night

Český Krumlov Castle At Night

View of Český Krumlov from Hill of the Cross: Enjoy a peaceful sunset view of Český Krumlov just minutes away from the town center.

Český Krumlov Theater: You will travel back in time when you visit the Český Krumlov Baroque Theater, one of two preserved Baroque theaters in the world.

Český Krumlov After Dark: Grab a beer and enjoy a traditional Czech meal at the Gypsy Bar before a romantic stroll through the lamp-lit town of Český Krumlov at midnight.

The People of the Czech Republic: The most enjoyable part of traveling is meeting locals. Our interaction with the caring Czech people was a highlight of our trip!

The Round Tower at Cesky Krumlov Castle

The Round Tower at Cesky Krumlov Castle

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