#3 A Bath and a Meal - Hot Springs AR

The famous bathhouses of Bath House Row have come full circle--going from luxurious, to sadly outdated to finally arriving at "historic" and "quaint". The Buckstaff Bathhouse (pictured left) was built between 1912-1917. The present tile and fixtures are original to the building. Don thought the motor to the whirlpool bath (a trolling motor look-alike) was only 50 years old. I thought it could electrocute me. The men and women were served in separate facilities, of course, and with open windows and fans whirring, who wouldn't enjoy the wonderful and relaxing spa treatments.  

We went whole "hawg" for the pulled pork sandwiches at the Whole Hog Cafe. The 6 sauces ranged from #1 sweet,  mild, molasses, to #6 rich mustard and vinegar, Old South favorite.
But the best was yet to come--a truly memorable dining experience at Rolando's Nuevo Latino Restaurante. Sherri, the owner, was also our gracious server. The menu lists Castro's favorite (a quesadilla) but we opted for the great tamales (hand-tied with corn husk ribbons). We also shared the "aventura" plate, (recipe from Argentina.) An ink stamp touches the paper for only a brief moment but leaves a lasting impression. This was the case with our very brief meeting of Sherri. We shall remember her hospitality, and the exchanged hugs and blessings as we left.  (We took our son's advice to just enjoy ourselves and if a photo op doesn't happen, so be it).

#2 Movies in the Park - Little Rock AR

Riverfest Amphitheatre, located right along the Arkansas River, is an outdoor venue for Movies in the Park. The first movie of the season, Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox, was scheduled to start about 20 minutes before sundown. We drove from our home to LR under a forecast of 60%, then 40% chance of rain, but the sunshine made us hopeful. We arrived at the River Market area in time to enjoy a late lunch at 4 Square Cafe. The sandwiches and homemade mango ice cream were delicious. We walked along the river and in the park a bit, before checking into our hotel. After regrouping we left our hotel to view the movie. As we drove, the dark sky opened and a deluge followed. By the planned show time, the sun was back, but the set-up crew had left and a sign was posted in a shop window. As it was not quite dark, we decided to walk the last leg of the Billgrimmage (their word, not mine), past the Old State House Museum (closed for the day), and the Clinton Presidential Center (also closed). The library and park are beautiful and there is work in progress to connect the trails to the river. We had a relaxed time, enjoying the river culture and delicious Arkansas tap water. In order to erase any lingering disappointment, we consoled ourselves with a pizza supper from U S Pizza. And more ice cream.
(Thanks to Brie for taking the photo of the two of us together.)