Happy Valentine’s Day!!

I’m so sorry that I’ve neglected this blog so badly. We initially started it to highlight our Nebraska Passport adventures, of which we had many more than I wrote about, but which were also cut short due to COVID and time constraints. I will try to do a better job keeping up with some of the cute places we go, but to be honest, we aren’t going as many places as we used to, both due to COVID and job demands. As time permits, I am going to write about a lot of the places we went during Passport, as I want to share the experience even if Nebraska Passport 2020 is over. Regardless of how much work this blog needs, I’m glad you’re here reading this today!

For Valentine’s Day, my husband and I decided we wanted to brave the cold for one of my favorite spots in Omaha, Myrtle & Cypress. I am going to apologize upfront for not having more pictures. I completely forgot due to the bone chilling cold. The high for today is -6°F! Seriously, my brain was probably frozen.

This place is one of my favorites for many reasons, but first and foremost, it’s yum. They have a carnelian iced tea that arguably, I could make at home, but I don’t think so. Theirs is better. It’s like the difference between when you make a grilled cheese and then your mom makes a grilled cheese. it’s the same grilled cheese…but it’s not. When it’s this cold outside and I’m still wanting their iced tea, you know it’s gotta be good!

Dan had their vanilla latte because Dan really likes vanilla… He gets vanilla even when we go out for ice cream, so if you want to know where the best vanilla anything is, well, I’d start by asking my husband.

Anyway, the vanilla latte, as pictured above, was excellent. We took a trip to Montreal a couple years ago and one of our favorite things about the trip was how amazingly good their coffee was. The coffee at Myrtle & Cypress, which they have recently started roasting themselves (HOW COOL IS THAT?!), tastes exactly like the coffee we had in Montreal. So good. They also make a lot of their syrups from scratch, as well.

Finally, we enjoyed sharing their vegan cinnamon roll, which I forgot to take a picture of, but it was also super yum. They feature a fairly decent variety of baked goods, most of which (maybe even all) were vegan and/or gluten free.

I also really like the cozy feel of their shop. The only thing that I would give you a heads up about is that a large part of their available seating is near the door, which can get a little chilly on a day like today. My favorite place to sit is in the kids’ area at the back of the shop. I don’t have kids little enough for their play area, but I like the comfy space. Overall, if you’re looking for a safe space where you can sit and enjoy your drinks, I would highly recommend this shop, as it’s quite long and the seating is well-spaced. We were nowhere within six feet of anyone the entire time we were there.

I also want to give a quick shout-out to our baristas, Alyssa & Jaden. They were so sweet, super professional, and just did a great job.

Overall, definitely 5/5.

Our ninth stop on the Nebraska Passport was Gallery 9. I didn’t do that on purpose. It just worked out that way!

This is a cute little gallery featuring local artists from Lincoln, Nebraska. I didn’t take pictures of the artwork out of respect for the artists. (The exception being the cards I purchased.) However, there were many pieces that were quite beautiful and are definitely worth viewing.

There was also this little guy who had quite the personality.

Hello, Puppers!

I purchased a couple cards with prints that I really liked. These are perfect for any occasion, as well as just saying hi! I’ve been trying to get better at sending cards and letters for no special reason other than it’s always nice to get something cute in the mail.

The gallery is small, so it doesn’t take much time to tour. However, it’s a cute little place and the artists are quite talented. I recommend stopping by and making a purchase to support these local artists.

Located in Greenwood, NE, Baker’s Candies is the largest candy shop in Nebraska and well worth every second spent there.

First and foremost, they make the best chocolate meltaways ever. Absolutely hands down. Ever. My favorites are the Scooters coffee and milk chocolate mint flavors, but I’ve never had a bad one.

As you can see, they have other types of candy, as well. Many of them you aren’t going to find in every store anymore. I must have said, “Oh! I haven’t seen these in forever!” at least ten times.

They also have different flavors of pop. We always get a few different kinds when we go, as my husband likes to make magnets out of the bottlecaps. Again, many of these aren’t going to be at your local grocery store or Walmart.

I love that they also carry many “from Nebraska” items, such as the Misty’s seasoning. That was a staple in our house growing up and I’m excited to use it again!

I was really surprised at the selection of barbecue sauces and seasonings that they had, as well. We grabbed this Uncle Earnie’s barbecue sauce, made in Cedar Creek, NE. I plan on using this to grill some BBQ chicken soon!

Overall, this is a great place to find some unique items made right here in the heartland. I definitely recommend that you stop by!

Our seventh Nebraska Passport Stop was Cellar 426 Winery. Located in Ashland, Nebraska, this winery has been a favorite of ours for a few years, so we were happy to return!

A wine tasting is our favorite thing to do when visiting a winery, but with the current health measures, this was not available to us. Luckily, we’ve tasted most of their wines before, so we shared a glass of their Sunflower White.

We also enjoyed some of their homemade bread and herbed butter. Very good and very reasonably priced (approximately $4, if I remember right).

Their wines are also very reasonably priced. I don’t recall any of them being over $20. A bottle of the Sunflower White that we enjoyed was only $16.

Given the current health measures, the atmosphere wasn’t quite as cozy and inviting as it usually is, but we still enjoyed ourselves. We appreciated their attention to social distancing and keeping everything clean. The staff was friendly and attentive, as usual.

We look forward to coming back many times in the future and hope to see you there!

The Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum, located near Ashland, Nebraska, has an amazing collection of military aircraft, including a B-47E, an F-105, and more. You can also see the Apollo Command Space Module, as well as the Atlantis Shuttle Trainer. There are also a wide variety of interesting exhibits throughout the museum, including exhibits featuring astronaut Clayton Anderson, the Tuskogee Airmen, and many more.

If you have young children, you can also visit the Children’s Learning Center, which features many interactive exhibits for little ones.

I also recommend trying out the Flight Simulators. You can purchase rides for $10.00.

A good thing to know ahead of time: admission for adults is $13.00. With Passport, you can get a slight discount, so I think it’s $12.60 or $12.65. Something like that. It’s completely worth it, but good to know ahead of time just in case that’s not in your budget. It’s always free to get your stamp and leave, but I thought I would mention it for those of you who want to tour the museum (which I recommend). Also, they have a lunch cafe open from 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM, in case you want to grab a bite to eat.

I regret that we didn’t take more photos, as there is definitely so much more to see than these two pictures I snapped outside. (Whoopsie.) However, we really enjoyed our visit and hope that you will, too!

The first time I drove out to La Vista to visit the Nebraska Brewing Company, I wanted a beer so bad. And when I got there, they were closed. The sign on the door informed me that they were closed as they were participating in Blackout Tuesday to show solidarity with their community. Gestures like this go a long way with me, so this cemented my decision to return.

The second time I drove out to La Vista to visit the Nebraska Brewing Company, I still wanted that beer. I ordered the Apricot Saison and all I can say is YES! Woohoo! It was so good.

We didn’t stay long. Just shared our beer and left, but it was a fun environment and it would be fun to return with friends sometime in the future. We appreciated that they were very careful to have tables spaced widely apart and sanitized the tables after every use. The only drawback is that they no longer serve food and we were pretty hungry. However, they are cool about letting people bring food in from other places and even let you have food delivered there if you’d like.

Overall, this is a nice place to just unwind and enjoy some good quality beer. I highly recommend you drop by!

My husband and I popped over to Beyond Golf Bar + Kitchen the other day for a quick drink and dessert. As it was a week night, we planned on being there for half an hour or so. Until we saw the golf simulator bays.

Dan loves to golf. Me, on the other hand, I can’t figure out why multiple clubs are needed to begin with. And once I have one in my hand, getting it to connect with the ball is almost impossible. However, I’m usually up for trying almost anything once, so we decided to rent a bay for an hour. The price was pretty reasonable ($20 per hour – flat rate, not per person) and the simulator was super impressive. As someone who doesn’t know much about golf, I warn you that my descriptions of the simulator may not be that helpful, but here’s what I liked:

First, you can choose whether to play a course or just practice on the driving range. Secondly, there are numerous courses to choose from. And third, the simulator is surprisingly realistic. If there is a slope on the course, the floor tilts. There are multiple lies, including the rough, fairway, and bunker. (I spent most of my time in the rough.)

Aside from the golf simulator, the food and drink were excellent. I had an Excelsior cider ($7) that was really good. I prefer dry ciders and this one really hit the spot. Dan had the Farmhouse Saison ($6.50), which was also really good.

We also tried out their Cookie Skillet ($6). The cookie of the day was peanut butter. This was served in a cast iron skillet, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and topped off by peanut butter cups. Let’s just say it didn’t last long.

Last, but not least, I also want to mention that our server was excellent. He was very attentive, helped us understand how to work the simulator, and kept our drinks full. Overall, this was a great spot to visit and we highly recommend you check it out!

Tucked away in Blair, Nebraska is the most adorable little tea room. I had never heard of this establishment before, but after enjoying tea and scones with our wonderful hostess, we already have our return visit booked.

When they coined the phrase “the hostess with the mostest,” they must have had Jean, the owner of SpecialTea, in mind. She was genuinely thrilled to see us. She greeted us immediately, provided hand sanitizer, and began explaining the changes in the tea room due to COVID-19. Not only were we struck by the beauty of the tea room, but we also appreciated Jean’s attention to safety standards. She apologized profusely for the use of plastic silverware, as it is not the proper way to dress a table for tea, but again, this spoke to her attempts to provide her customers with a safe and enjoyable visit.

Jean had an incredible variety of teas to choose from. I selected Snickerdoodle and was not disappointed. She served my tea in a beautiful antique teapot and then brought me the best raspberry scone I have ever tasted. I know my way around a kitchen pretty well and can whip up some pretty tasty treats, so it is a true compliment for me to say this was better than any scones I have ever made. Ever. Absolutely delicious.

In the back of the tea room is a cute little gift shop where Jean has stocked tea, coffee, jewelry, tea pots and more. I bought some blueberry cobbler coffee that has since become pretty popular around my house.

The decor, the tea, and the food were enough to ensure I would return, but the icing on the cake was definitely Jean herself. She took the time to tell me the history of her tea room, including where she acquired much of her beautiful china and tableware. I don’t want to spoil it for her, so I won’t share any of her stories here. However, when you visit, please ask her to tell you about the Seven Sisters. And then watch her face light up. Her deep love for her family and their traditions is evident in every story she tells. My husband and I greatly enjoyed listening to her share her memories with us.

I can’t recommend this place highly enough. I hope you enjoy yourself as much as we did!

Our second stop on the Nebraska Passport was Mulhall’s. I was convinced that I had never seen this place until my husband showed me that I actually drive by it all the time. I’m not sure how I didn’t notice, as it is actually quite large. It had almost anything we could want in the way of plants, gardening, and outdoor living items. The staff was knowledgeable and courteous, and the selection was great.

I purchased these cute little chamomile and mint plants, hoping that they would fare better than last year’s plants. (I have something of a brown thumb.)

I’m happy to report the mint is alive and well. As for the chamomile, well….better luck next year.

Our first stop on the Nebraska Passport this year was The Next Chapter. Located at 25th & Farnam (right next to Zen Coffee), this quaint little shop is in one of my favorite parts of Omaha.

The owner greeted us immediately upon arrival, offered assistance, and answered any questions we had. I was so excited to visit this shop because my favorite place as a child was Prairie Books & Gifts located in Imperial Mall in Hastings, NE. My grandmother would take me there every weekend. I would head straight for the Babysitters Club books (and later, Christopher Pike novels) and burrow into a reading spot while Grandma shopped. I have a massive collection of their bookmarks, as they would give me one with every purchase. I can still remember how the store smelled. As my grandmother passed away almost five years ago, this is one of my most precious memories. Now, decades later, Prairie Books & Gifts is no longer, but the family has relocated the shop to Omaha as The Next Chapter.

So, in a nutshell, my all-time favorite childhood store has relocated from my hometown to my current city and is also right next to my favorite coffee shop.

WOOHOO!!

While nothing can replace my cozy moments at Prairie Books, the new shop certainly did not disappoint. It was well-stocked, the owner was knowledgeable and conversational (I was so excited that I probably rambled on for a good 20 minutes and she didn’t even act annoyed), and I’m pretty sure I’ve found my new favorite store.

Ultimately, we purchased this cute little book that we are hoping will encourage us to read more together (and apparently, drink more).

Overall, this is a delightful little place and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did!