“When I was born, my father took one look and said to my mother, ‘Thanks a lot for the eight-pound baby nose.'” Corporal Maxwell Klinger, “Some 38th Parallels,” season four, episode 19
West End Service Station
Vintage service stations are an iconic part of Route 66 history, and there’s a repurposed one in Edwardsville, IL!
This building began its life in 1927, just a year after Route 66 got rolling, and served travelers on the Mother Road until 1964. It then became a different kind of “filling station”…it operated as a dental office! But in 2023 it was restored to its former glory, and reopened with a small museum inside:
We even got to flip through magazines that are 100 years old!
It’s a very cool place!
I’m always glad to see a historic location find a way to share the past with new generations!
Chickadee Thursday
Chickadee has a great time at the Pokémon Fossil Museum at the Field Museum in Chicago!
And we stopped at Navy Pier (the new starting point for Route 66) for ice cream!
M*A*S*H Quote of the Day–7/1/26
“Believe me, this hurts me a lot more than it hurts me.” Captain Hawkeye Pierce, “Hawkeye,” season four, episode 18
Umbrella Sky Project 2026
Today I’m taking a look at this year’s Umbrella Sky Project in Elmhurt, IL!
After last year’s failed attempt to see the colorful art installation (it was raining and they were closed), I was a little worried that something would go wrong again this year. But, for the first time, we had a beautiful, sunny day to view them, and it was a very different display from the one Chickadee and I saw two years ago…this time, there was a whole rainbow of colors, plus some partially clear unbrellas that cast really cool, stained glass style shadows on the ground!
The very reflective windows doubled the umbrella fun:
Yes, I did lay down on the pathway to get a view looking straight up:
This is the perfect space for this type of art installation:
Here’s a closer look at the amazing shadows the umbrellas cast:
It’s such a joyful art project!
They’re scheduled to swap out the umbrellas for a different look partway through the summer…I wonder what colors they’ll choose next?
M*A*S*H Quote of the Day–6/30/26
“I speak a little Korean…but just enough to get my face slapped.” Captain Hawkeye Pierce, “Hawkeye,” season four, episode 18
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!
M*A*S*H Quote of the Day–6/29/26
“Bursting bladder!” Major Frank Burns, Der Tag,” season four, episode 17
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!
