Introduction:
Several members of my family have lived in Arkansas longer then I have been alive. My Grandmother, Betty Munro had moved there in 1982, two years before I was born. My family and I used to go there every year, usually for Thanksgiving. We went less and less as I entered into adulthood. I had much enjoyed my visits to Arkansas both as a child and an adult.
My Grandfather:
I was brought back here recently by the death of my Grandfather Jim, who was not my
biological grandfather. He had been married to my grandmother for 20 years, so he had been part of my life much longer then my Grandpa Ed had been. Grandpa Jim died last month, but his memorial was last Saturday. He had donated his body to science and so there was no body or ashes to observe. Just pictures, and old news clippings.
My grandfather was an interesting man. His most obvious feature was not one that he was born with, but one he obtained. You see, as a boy he had lost both arms while climbing an electrical pole. He had some arm left on one side where he had a hook. According to my grandmother, most people assumed that Grandpa Jim had lost his arm in a war, which was completely not true. Despite his handicap, he still never seemed to feel sorry for himself. No one could recall him complaining about his hardships.
From old articles and family stories I had learned that he had trouble getting into school, not being accepted into the private school or public school. His parents had finally had to take him to court to get him accepted. From there he was able to graduate both high school and college. His first wife, who was not my Grandmother had been a paraplegic; they had had one son together.
Grandpa Jim's memorial service was held at a Methodist Church in Hot Springs Village, AR, even though my grandparents been going to a Lutheran Church. Grandma and Grandpa had been personal friends with on of the Methodist's Church's pastures, and that was the person Grandma had chosen to lead the service. It was nice because he was able to give a personal touch to the service. He was able to recall how much Grandpa Jim enjoyed Trivia and card games. Everyone who spoke talked about those two things, and they were right he had loved both of those things.
My cousin Megan gave the most touching speech regarding him. She had been the granddaughter who was closest to him: the one that he often called his favorite grandchild. She often spent the night at there house, sometimes for long periods of time. He really was a big part of her life, and he helped shape the amazing woman she is today. I have talked about her before in a previous post on Barbados, St. Vinccent and the Grenadines.
The Trip:
I travelled to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, a retirement several miles outside of Hot Springs, Arkansas. People who fly to Arkansas are likely to fly through Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport in Little Rock Arkansas. The airport is obviously named after the former president, and his first lady, whom started out in Arkansas. Bill Clinton was the president that proved you could balance the budget and still have a good time.
The flight from Chicago was largely uneventful (Though the flight from Peoria to Chicago had been severely delayed). Looking over Little Rock from the plain I was able to see so many small lakes. I commented to the man sitting next to me how beautiful it was. He told me that the U-shaped lakes I was seeing were called ox-bows, due to there unique shape. They were created, he continued, from bends in the river. The flow of water erodes away the bank at the top of the U, eventually causing an island in the middle, making the U now look like a D. Eventually the island erodes away too. (Craig Bilello).
A few days after the memorial, I went to Hot Springs, Arkansas with my cousin, Stephanie. At one time she had been a tour guide here, so she knows so much of the city's history. She was like my own personal tour guide for this trip.
Hot Springs is known for just that, Hot Springs. Bath houses, and spas popped up in the area followed by speak easies and the Italian mob. Al Capone had a huge presence here. He believed that the natural hot springs would would prevent his siphollis from getting worse (Merritt). Al Capone even had his own personal room at a hotel here, the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa. It was in the middle of the top floor, which overlooked the streets so that he could see if the cops were coming for him outside. Of course Al Capone was just a frequent visitor. Someone else ran the town under him: Owney Madden. If Anyone else tried to move in on the speak easies and illegal gimbaling, Owney Madden would get rid of them.
The natural hot springs are caused by ancient volcanic action. While the area no longer has active volcanoes, the refinance in the form of hot spots still exist. Rain water seeps down under the earth's surface, heats up, and rises up again.
The volcanic action not only caused the hot springs, it caused many exciting things to occur. Roads wind through tall hills and small mountains, were all sorts of near rocks can be found. As a child I often went hunting for quarts crystals, often bringing home some that were quite big. There is even a diamond mine in the region. While this mine does not produce commercial diamonds tourist often go in to try their luck at finding a few.
Food:
Most days when we were in Hot Springs Village we ate at a place called Home Plate, a baseball themed café. Here you can find food typically eaten by Arkansans. One day when I went out with most of the family at least four people ordered the chicken fried steak: a beef steak that is breaded the same way chicken is, fried and and then smothered in a white peppered gravy. Of course, I do not eat beef, so I went for the chicken fried chicken: boneless chicken breast also fried and covered with gravy. My dad had Catfish which also seems to be an Arkansas favorite. Each dish came with typical Southern style sides, like green beans, fried okra, and mashed potatoes. I had mac and cheese with steamed broccoli. The Mac and cheese was pretty good, but I thought it needed a tad bit more salt.
The most Southern thing I had eaten for breakfast while here was their southern style chicken biscuit with gravy. It looks so bad for you, but it was so delicious.
While in Hot Springs, I had also gotten a chance to catch a bite with my cousin Stephanie, at Rolando's. This had some amazing Latin American food. The owners are from Ecuador and Arkansas, and so the menu has a flair that does not limit itself to the traditional Mexican cuisine we are used to seeing. They still have quesadillas, tacos, and burritos, but the flavors they use are authentically Central American. I had Josefina’s chicken Tamales. It had been a long time since I have had a good tamale, so I was so excited when I found that Rolando's served this. A tamale is a cornmeal mix with a filling (usually shredded meat). It is rapped in a corn husk and steamed. The sides of black beans and lime rice were also excellent. I encourage anyone visiting Hot Springs to Check them out: http://www.rolandosrestaurante.com/index.php.
Drink:
One night I had a glass of wine with Grandma. It was a sweet, crisp white zinfandel from Post Winery- a winery actually in Altus, Arkansas, about two hours from Little Rock. This is not the only wine made in Arkansas, but it is one of Grandma's favorites.
Work Cited:
Bilello, Craig. Personal Conversation. 16 April 2015.
Harrison, Jeffrey. Jim Munro. Connie Harrison facebook page. 10 August 2010. Website: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200102323706530&set=a.10200102304746056.2200915.1403273936&type=3&theater
Retrieved: 22 August 2015.
Merritt, Stephanie. Personal Conversations. 20 April 2015.
Munro, Betty. Personal Conversation. 17 April 2015.
Post Familie Vineyards website: http://www.postfamilie.com/. Retrieved: 20 April 2015.
Rolando's website. http://www.rolandosrestaurante.com/index.php. Retrieved: 20 April 2015.
Several members of my family have lived in Arkansas longer then I have been alive. My Grandmother, Betty Munro had moved there in 1982, two years before I was born. My family and I used to go there every year, usually for Thanksgiving. We went less and less as I entered into adulthood. I had much enjoyed my visits to Arkansas both as a child and an adult.
My Grandfather:
I was brought back here recently by the death of my Grandfather Jim, who was not my
.jpg) |
| Jim Munro. Taken August 2010. By: Jeffrey Harrison |
My grandfather was an interesting man. His most obvious feature was not one that he was born with, but one he obtained. You see, as a boy he had lost both arms while climbing an electrical pole. He had some arm left on one side where he had a hook. According to my grandmother, most people assumed that Grandpa Jim had lost his arm in a war, which was completely not true. Despite his handicap, he still never seemed to feel sorry for himself. No one could recall him complaining about his hardships.
From old articles and family stories I had learned that he had trouble getting into school, not being accepted into the private school or public school. His parents had finally had to take him to court to get him accepted. From there he was able to graduate both high school and college. His first wife, who was not my Grandmother had been a paraplegic; they had had one son together.
Grandpa Jim's memorial service was held at a Methodist Church in Hot Springs Village, AR, even though my grandparents been going to a Lutheran Church. Grandma and Grandpa had been personal friends with on of the Methodist's Church's pastures, and that was the person Grandma had chosen to lead the service. It was nice because he was able to give a personal touch to the service. He was able to recall how much Grandpa Jim enjoyed Trivia and card games. Everyone who spoke talked about those two things, and they were right he had loved both of those things.
My cousin Megan gave the most touching speech regarding him. She had been the granddaughter who was closest to him: the one that he often called his favorite grandchild. She often spent the night at there house, sometimes for long periods of time. He really was a big part of her life, and he helped shape the amazing woman she is today. I have talked about her before in a previous post on Barbados, St. Vinccent and the Grenadines.
The Trip:
I travelled to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, a retirement several miles outside of Hot Springs, Arkansas. People who fly to Arkansas are likely to fly through Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport in Little Rock Arkansas. The airport is obviously named after the former president, and his first lady, whom started out in Arkansas. Bill Clinton was the president that proved you could balance the budget and still have a good time.
.jpg) |
Overhead view of Arkansas taken
during take off from Clinton
Airport.
|
A few days after the memorial, I went to Hot Springs, Arkansas with my cousin, Stephanie. At one time she had been a tour guide here, so she knows so much of the city's history. She was like my own personal tour guide for this trip.
 |
| From left to right: Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa where Al Capone had a personal room, top floor center. A fountain of hot spring water in downtown Hot Springs, AR. Stephanie Merritt with plastic statue of Al Capone just outside of the Ohio Club Bar and Grill. Buckstaff Bathhouse. The Superior Bathhouse and Brewery, an old bathhouse that was converted to a bar and restaurant that serves craft beers. |
Hot Springs is known for just that, Hot Springs. Bath houses, and spas popped up in the area followed by speak easies and the Italian mob. Al Capone had a huge presence here. He believed that the natural hot springs would would prevent his siphollis from getting worse (Merritt). Al Capone even had his own personal room at a hotel here, the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa. It was in the middle of the top floor, which overlooked the streets so that he could see if the cops were coming for him outside. Of course Al Capone was just a frequent visitor. Someone else ran the town under him: Owney Madden. If Anyone else tried to move in on the speak easies and illegal gimbaling, Owney Madden would get rid of them.
The natural hot springs are caused by ancient volcanic action. While the area no longer has active volcanoes, the refinance in the form of hot spots still exist. Rain water seeps down under the earth's surface, heats up, and rises up again.
The volcanic action not only caused the hot springs, it caused many exciting things to occur. Roads wind through tall hills and small mountains, were all sorts of near rocks can be found. As a child I often went hunting for quarts crystals, often bringing home some that were quite big. There is even a diamond mine in the region. While this mine does not produce commercial diamonds tourist often go in to try their luck at finding a few.
Food:
Most days when we were in Hot Springs Village we ate at a place called Home Plate, a baseball themed café. Here you can find food typically eaten by Arkansans. One day when I went out with most of the family at least four people ordered the chicken fried steak: a beef steak that is breaded the same way chicken is, fried and and then smothered in a white peppered gravy. Of course, I do not eat beef, so I went for the chicken fried chicken: boneless chicken breast also fried and covered with gravy. My dad had Catfish which also seems to be an Arkansas favorite. Each dish came with typical Southern style sides, like green beans, fried okra, and mashed potatoes. I had mac and cheese with steamed broccoli. The Mac and cheese was pretty good, but I thought it needed a tad bit more salt.
They also had breakfast. They had a variety omelets, breakfast burritos, pancakes, grits, biscuits and gravy and scrambles. One day I tried the Santa Fe Omelet. They described it as having chicken, Feta cheese, and a variety of vegetables. When I got it, it had bacon in it (which had not been mentioned in the description); "I guess they think bacon is a vegetable here", I had joked.
.JPG) |
| Breakfast at Home Plate of Southern style chicken and biscuits. |
The most Southern thing I had eaten for breakfast while here was their southern style chicken biscuit with gravy. It looks so bad for you, but it was so delicious.
While in Hot Springs, I had also gotten a chance to catch a bite with my cousin Stephanie, at Rolando's. This had some amazing Latin American food. The owners are from Ecuador and Arkansas, and so the menu has a flair that does not limit itself to the traditional Mexican cuisine we are used to seeing. They still have quesadillas, tacos, and burritos, but the flavors they use are authentically Central American. I had Josefina’s chicken Tamales. It had been a long time since I have had a good tamale, so I was so excited when I found that Rolando's served this. A tamale is a cornmeal mix with a filling (usually shredded meat). It is rapped in a corn husk and steamed. The sides of black beans and lime rice were also excellent. I encourage anyone visiting Hot Springs to Check them out: http://www.rolandosrestaurante.com/index.php.
Rolando's in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Drink:
One night I had a glass of wine with Grandma. It was a sweet, crisp white zinfandel from Post Winery- a winery actually in Altus, Arkansas, about two hours from Little Rock. This is not the only wine made in Arkansas, but it is one of Grandma's favorites.
Work Cited:
Bilello, Craig. Personal Conversation. 16 April 2015.
Harrison, Jeffrey. Jim Munro. Connie Harrison facebook page. 10 August 2010. Website: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200102323706530&set=a.10200102304746056.2200915.1403273936&type=3&theater
Retrieved: 22 August 2015.
Merritt, Stephanie. Personal Conversations. 20 April 2015.
Munro, Betty. Personal Conversation. 17 April 2015.
Post Familie Vineyards website: http://www.postfamilie.com/. Retrieved: 20 April 2015.
Rolando's website. http://www.rolandosrestaurante.com/index.php. Retrieved: 20 April 2015.
