Omaha has plenty to offer even when the weather turns foul in late April.
We trekked to the https://www.blackstonedistrict.com/ Blackstone District of Omaha to enjoy a legendary Reuben Sandwich at Crescent Moon before attending the Spring Open House at the Hot Shops Art Center.
Legend of the Reuben Sandwich
Legend has it the Reuben sandwich was created in the 1920s in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that Bernard Schimmel ran the kitchen at the Blackstone Hotel (today known as Blackstone Center), which his father owned and where he would also enjoy a weekly poker game with friends.
As this legend goes, one of the players—local grocery store owner Reuben Kulafofsky—requested a sandwich with corned beef and sauerkraut. Schimmel, who was a European-trained chef, put his own spin on it by draining the sauerkraut, mixing it with Thousand Island dressing, then layering it with Swiss and homemade corned beef on dark rye bread. He then grilled it.
Crescent Moon Restaurant
3578 Farnam Street. Founded in 1996, Crescent Moon names its Reuben for the Blackstone Hotel which is just a few steps away and is credited with the creation of the Reuben sandwich. The Crescent Reuben was awarded Omaha’s Best Reuben by the Omaha World Herald-Omaha’s newspaper.
Man v. Food
On April 25, 2019 the TV show Man v Food (The Travel Channel) a reality TV series about America’s iconic dishes and food challenges filmed an episode there, featuring all items Reuben.
Staff expects the episode to air in late 2019.
Craft beers are generously featured on the menu. The restaurant also offers Sunday brunch.
Hot Shops Art Center
Hot Shops Art Center 
Glass Work 
Fabric Art
Information
- 1301 Nicholas Street (near TD Ameritrade Baseball Park)
- Hosts Spring + Fall Open Houses for the Public.
- See 80+ artists in 54 studio spaces.
- www.hotshopsartcenter.com
- Check website for demonstration schedules, artist studio locations, parking instructions, etc.
- Shops are open at other times (9AM-6PM and 11AM-5PM) but all artists may not be in their studios.
- Restrooms are on each floor.
- Refreshments can be purchased during the Open House.
- Classes are available.
- Not necessarily kid-friendly. Lots of breakables and stairs to climb.
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Let’s Congratulate the Winner–Will Fields
Mid-February through mid-April, more than half a million Sandhill Cranes congregate along Nebraska’s Platte River during their annual migration. They rest and prepare for nesting after leaving their winter homes in Mexico and the Southwest. Their final destinations are way north in Canada, Alaska and Siberia.
bathroom). There is a kitchenette with a dining table and television in the common area and a covered patio overlooking the vast historic prairie where genetically-pure American bison roam.
I’ve witnessed the Sandhill Crane migration twice. Once, mid-day in the fields surrounding the Nature Center. And, in 2018 I had the pleasure of staying overnight for a VIP Experience.
Madison County’s Abundant Appeal
Call the Center. 515.462.1185. A friendly voice and a well-informed person will answer your questions, every time.
When every person one meets in a new community speaks to you in a manner that shows pride in their community and appreciation for your visit (I don’t identify I’m doing a study/story on the area.), you know you’ve found a place you want to return to or maybe even call home. But it’s more than that. The sense of Madison County community pride shows up in other ways too, like:
Visiting Madison County attractions is done with great ease. Signs are put in all the right places. Some might think this happens everywhere.
For a unique experience, follow the recently designated 82-mile-plus Covered Bridges 
Each building is filled with mostly donated items in outstanding condition. A genealogy research library is also on site. Picnic at one of the shaded tables. Restrooms are inside the Museum building.
Be sure to take a guided tour of the 1856 Bevington-Kaser House restored and furnished in Victorian richness.
13-pound Marion Robert Morrison (today known as John Wayne) was born in Winterset, Iowa on May 26, 1907.
The Museum contains a movie theatre as well as a collection of artifacts and memorabilia from John Wayne’s career.
Location: Narrow green space west of the fire station on Court Avenue in Winterset, Iowa. It is across the street from Monumental Park-a tribute to fallen soldiers and those who fought in the Civil War.
Location: 68 East Court Avenue Winterset, Iowa
Built in approximately 1899, the historic Iowa Theater was re-opened in May 2017 after undergoing a complete renovation. It is owned and operated by a mother/daughter team with years of entrepreneurial and creative experiences.
A poster of it hangs in The Bakery Unlimited (established in 1984) located at 119 John Wayne Drive in Winterset-known for their apple fritters made exclusively with Delicious Apples.
The tower is accessible by car or foot (no RVs or buses). Follow signs in park-two mile round trip.
Location: 4 miles SW of Winterset. From Winterset go West on State Highway 92 for 1 mile, turn South on County Highway P68 for 3 miles
I was invited to watch grapes being harvested (September 2018) at the Covered Bridge vineyard. Volunteers assist in the harvest and are treated to a cookout and wine tasting afterwards. Again showing the sense of community pride and cooperation in Madison County.
Their production facility and tasting room is located off Highway 169 at 2207 170th Trail north of Winterset.
www.heavenlyhabitat.net
www.1stavenuecollective.com
The day I visited (Sept. 8, 2018) there was a morning Farmer’s Market and an evening Classic Car Show.
One of the most popular choices is the Northside Café where Clint Eastwood had lunch in “The Bridges of Madison County.” In fact, the stool where he sat is marked.
A special thank you to my husband, Ken, who did all the driving, as usual, for this visit.
Here’s a list of 20 locations to explore. Keep in mind this list is not all inclusive. It contains some of my favorite views/places in the Lowcountry.
Family-friendly park along the Ashley River near the Charleston 
The Citadel welcomes tour groups and offers cadet-led tours for groups of ten or more after 2 p.m. on most weekdays. The campus is open all year; however, no cadet-led tours are available on big weekends or during exams, holidays or breaks.
Restrooms and on-site parking. Great for picnics (tables scattered throughout the park-many under large oak trees), running, walking/strolling, dog walking. Use the physical fitness trail. The horticulture and landscaping make this a great park for events, including weddings.
Colonial Lake is a tidal pond in Charleston, South Carolina with wide walkways around it. The area is used as a park. For many years the lake was known as the Rutledge Street Pond; some residents still call it “The Pond.” It acquired the name Colonial Lake in 1881, in honor of the “Colonial Commons” established in 1768. Great for walking, jogging or strolling.
Washington Square is a greenspace in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. It is located behind city hall at the corner of Meeting Street and Broad Street in the Charleston Historic District. It was known as City Hall Park until October 10, 1881, when it was renamed in honor of George Washington. Stop in to view the monuments, florals, benches and ironwork while getting some much-needed shade.
Provides visitors with picturesque harbor views, great breezes, wide sidewalks for strolling, wooden swings and plenty of space to walk out and watch water vessels. Children often splash in the fountains. Great place to rest after walking downtown Charleston.
Ideal for history and horticulture buffs alike. Park. Get out and walk. Take in the architectural and water views, including Fort Sumter. Pause by the monuments and Civil War cannons to absorb the depth of history. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a wedding ceremony in the gazebo.
Built in 1767 at the southern entrance to Charleston, the original tower was destroyed during the Civil War. The new tower, built in 1876, stands 161 ft. with 201 steps leading to its top. The beacon was extinguished in 1962.
Ripley Light Marina Drystack is located just across the Ashley River from Downtown Charleston and has been in operation since 1988. The marina is situated on Hwy 61, adjacent to the 
Read the history of the Church 
The park has a variety of sports facilities, plus a few hiking and boardwalks through the surrounding woods and wetlands. Several ponds can be seen along the way. One can play disc golf here and participate in, or watch, a multitude of city sponsored sporting events at this location. Children enjoy the playground equipment. Restrooms available.
Founded in 1676, this is America’s last large-scale romantic-style garden. The garden has been owned by the same family for more than three centuries.
Nestled between the sea islands of Kiawah and Seabrook, this marina is home to 200 wet slips, 90 dry storage slips, and a quaint market with restaurants, shops, and offices.
The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River, connecting downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant. The eight-lane bridge satisfied the capacity of U.S. Route 17 when it opened in 2005 to replace two obsolete cantilever truss bridges: Grace and Pearman.
Visit the Fort and Center but don’t leave the parking lot without walking back to the dock to check out the waterway and bridge views. If you’re lucky you’ll see wildlife, kayakers and other natural wonders.
One of the least crowded Lowcountry beaches. Please review City 
Enjoy views of the Cooper River, Noisette Creek and a meadow. The park is adjacent to historic homes once occupied by Naval base officers. It is home to the Greater Charleston 
We had two May 2018 days off. Where to go? How about south of Omaha. But where?
Traveling south from Omaha, stop at the historical Johnson County 
This historical district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Council Grove is an old trail town at the crossroads of the Santa Fe Trail and the Flint Hills Scenic Byway.
The Preserve is a public/private partnership dedicated to preserving and enhancing the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.
Chase County Courthouse https://cwfks.org/chase-county-courthouse/
Run your hands along the smooth walnut railings of the impressive three floor spiral north staircase (without center support). The craftsmanship is exquisite.
Prairie PastTimes https://prairiepasttimes.org/
Cottonwood Falls Parks
Disc golf https://cwfks.org/chase-disc-golf/
Visited late April 2018 after Spring migration. Trails extremely well maintained. Very cool breeze. Few visitors at sunrise. Museum well worth visiting. Educational. Architecture of building alone worth the visit. Indoor restrooms available. Make time to view the short film . Gift shop.
Need a day trip get-away? Things to see and do within 60 minutes of Omaha?
1. Agri-Symbol Park with the World’s Largest Corn Stalk
Address: Intersection of South Chestnut and West Washington in Avoca, IA
the 4. Tiny Morning Star Chapel built by a Danish immigrant to Iowa or the scale replica of the village of Ebeltoft, Denmark.
Troy Muller, Art Director of 
biking and hiking route from Delaware to Oregon.
This attraction sits along the highway in front of multi-story log style home.
Climb 72 steps to the top of this wooden tower, providing fabulous vistas of both Iowa and Nebraska. Accessible only I-680 Westbound near Honey Creek, Iowa. Two miles east of I-29.
This Caribbean country shares its land boundary with Haiti on the west. Together they were referred to as Hispaniola-one island shared by two countries. The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern 2/3 while the western 1/3 is occupied by Haiti. Cuba is the only Caribbean country larger in both land mass and population than the Dominican Republic (approximately 11 million people). Dominican Republic’s land mass is about twice the size of New Hampshire.
Planes land and passengers disembark onto the tarmac. TIP: Limit your carry-on items as you have to carry the
I spent half of a day touring the rural area of Punta Cana with Andrew–
The tour stopped outside a school. Barbed wire was above cinder blocks. Sadly, this is to keep children in school. It was a Saturday. School was not in session. Yet children ran alongside the bus begging for hand-outs. Prior to the tour departing we were told we could not give children anything in an effort to dissuade begging.
This all-inclusive resort is 18 miles Northwest of the Punta Cana airport. It boasts 13 pools, 9 restaurants, a spa, golf course and endless music memorabilia.
your arrival. 
TSA Pre-Check does not apply here. All passengers must follow their departure instructions, including, but not limited to, 3-ounce fluids in zip locked bag, removal of shoes, electronics, etc. Each guest is also patted down by a same sex agent. Drug sniffing dogs roam all areas of the airport.