Tasty Tuesday–August the Mansion

To celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, Ryan and I went out to dinner at August the Mansion in O’Fallon, IL. It’s a really cool restaurant located in the oldest home in O’Fallon…it was built in 1857!

The interior contains lots of small dining areas with cool details like stained glass, chandeliers, and fireplaces:

We started with whipped brie and caulifower “wings.” The brie came with a lovely rosemary bread and had a pepper peach jam and honeycomb mixed in. The cauliflower (a happy accident that was delivered to our table by mistake), had a maple sesame glaze and was served with a wasabi mayonnaise. Both were outstanding!

They had an extensive drink menu of wine, beer, and cocktails, but what impressed me was the large selection of mocktails (some with clever names like the “Nojito”), they offer. I tried the “Tropical Pink Fizz,” and it was exactly what I expected!

For the main course, Ryan ordered the “Manion Burger,” which has an excellent bacon jam and came with really outstanding shoestring fries. We were a little suprised that they didn’t ask how he wanted it done, but he was happy with how they prepared it. I had the halibut, which came with a lovely fennel slaw and rice pilaf. The lemon beurre blanc really made the dish extra special…I only wish there had been a little more of it!

And because they knew it was our anniversary, they brought out a piece of turtle cheesecake for us to share for dessert!

I love a restaurant in an unusual location!

This was a really fun and unique dining experience, and I’d love to go back someday!

Tasty Tuesday–Dining Down the Mother Road (At Home)–Part Four

Our next Route 66 dinner featured “New Mexican Posole” like they serve at the Silver Moon.Cafe in Santa Rosa, NM, according to the recipe in The Route 66 Cookbook. This was a new experience for us…we’ve never tried hominy before. It was super delicious, and we’ll definitely be making it again!

For dessert I made a “Strawberry Whipped Cheesecake” like they make at the historic Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, IL. It’s a no-bake cheesecake with a shortbread-style crust, a lovely fluffy cheesecake layer, and strawberries on top…I really enjoyed it!

We love breakfast-for-dinner, so our next Route 66 dinner was “Grilled Thick French Toast” like they serve at Chicago’s own Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant and Bakery…it was pretty similar to my regular recipe, but with even more vanilla, which I love!

I still have quite a few Route 66 recipes left to make this summer…stay tuned!

Keys Twin Bridge Cafe

So excited to see a vintage road sign outside the Route 66 State Park Visitor’s Center, and this sign is extra fun, because it’s a play on words! The last name of the owner of the cafe was “Key” and the sign has a distinctive key shape. I’m glad that this little piece of history was donated and preserved for future generations to enjoy!

Mani Monday

This week’s mani features something new to me and really cool…a thermal polish! Holo Taco’s “Sprout of Control” (on the index and middle fingermails) is a pretty aqua when it’s warm, but turns purple when it gets cold (it definitely needs some help to do that this time of year!)…I love the almost instant difference! On the other three nails I used “No Opalogies,” a gorgeous lavender shade packed with sparkle and shimmer.

Jensen Point

Right next to the old Red Cedar Inn is another Route 66 Roadside Attraction…Jensen Point:

I was told the there were 99 steps on a winding path up to the overlook…honestly, it didn’t feel like that many, but I didn’t bother to count them.

The views of the railroad, Meramec River, and surrounding hills was outstanding!

This location, named after the first president of the Henry Shaw Gardenway Association, not to mention manager of what is now the Missouri Botanical Garden, Lars Peter Jensen, is another spot I didn’t plan to visit (or was even aware of), but I’m glad made its way into our itinerary!

Sartorial Saturday–In the Tropics

Time for a look at one of my new favorite dresses from Miss Candyfloss…the lovely Lilya-Rosite!

Like so many pieces in the “Legendary Liz” collection, it was the print and colors that caught my. I love that this dress has a tropical feel thanks to the bold shades and large-scale floral print. On second glance, I was also intrigued by the style of dress. It has the button-down bodice that I love, with a rather unusual neckline/collar that makes this a really unique dress in my wardrobe.

I accessorized with an initial necklace from Baublebar, an Erstwilder brooch, and a stack of Splendette Duchess Bangles that are the perfect colors for the dress:

The Missouri Botanical Garden was the perfect place to wear this dress for the first time…the lush print fits in with all the verdant foliage!

Everything about this dress screams mid-century to me…as a matter of fact, I think it might be the most mid-century marvelous piece I own, and the color palette reminds me of Mary Blair’s work!

This is a style of dress I would definitely be interested in seeing in more colors and prints in the future!