Posts by Janie H Pace

Hilltop Manor Bed and Breakfast in Hot Springs has an intriguing history. In the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, Hot Springs, AR headed one of the most prominent illegal gambling rackets in the country. The draw was a hot thermal bath, attractive, affordable ladies of the night, bootleg whiskey, and 103 gambling establishments along Central Avenue, Park…

The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch once declared Lafayette, Louisiana to be the “Happiest City in America.” While that’s a claim many cities make, I’m inclined to agree in Lafayette’s case.  With its strong sense of community and lively music and arts scene, this vibrant city boasts more restaurants per capita than any other American city.…

Restaurant Review By: Janie Pace. Whether you’re a committed vegan or simply curious about exploring more plant-based options, I highly recommend TLC Vegan Café, led by the skilled chef Troy Gardner. With over 25 years of culinary expertise, including appearances on the Food Network and Discovery Channel, Chef Gardner’s commitment to vegan excellence is evident. Recognized…

Whether in this charming seaside town for a relaxing retreat or an action-packed getaway, you’ll find food to enhance your visit.   Carlsbad, located in northern San Diego County, California, was named after a famous spa in Karlsbad, Bohemia. Today, Carlsbad is renowned for its own historic mineral spa, Legoland, flower fields, gorgeous beaches, famous shopping,…

Located just 90 minutes north of DFW, Lake Texoma, a nature lover’s paradise, straddles the Texas-Oklahoma border. This vast reservoir, one of the largest in the United States, is a hub of activities. From boating, sailing, and cruises to charters, personal watercraft, windsurfing, and water skiing, Lake Texoma offers a diverse range of water-based adventures.…

Cruising the Viking homelands for two weeks took my husband and me to breathtaking scenery along the magnificent Norwegian fjords and across the Baltic Sea. We overnighted in Stockholm, Oslo, and Bergen, which I have written about separately. I loved the eight destinations below because of the quaint cobblestone streets in the old towns, the medieval charms, and…

I have experienced many great margaritas in my travels across Texas. A Juarez bartender for 21 years, Pancho Morales claimed to have invented the margarita in the summer of 1942 at Tommy’s Place on Juarez Avenue in Old Juarez — on the Mexico side of El Paso. The drink was blended with tequila, Cointreau, and…

Deep azure skies, white cottony clouds, wide-open desert spaces, and the distant Chinati Mountains meet a two-lane road with no other vehicle in sight. You’re in Marfa, far West Texas, where you can drive a day just to get here. The closest international airports are in El Paso and Midland, each less than 200 miles…

A legend says an old Caddo chief living along the Sabine River had twin sons: one with blonde hair and blue eyes, and one with brown hair and brown eyes. When they grew to manhood, they were ready to lead their tribes. The chief sent one son 3 days west toward the setting sun, and…

The last time we visited family in Albuquerque, we took a day trip and stopped in Madrid, New Mexico. We drove the Turquoise Trail, a National Scenic Byway connecting Albuquerque and Santa Fe, also known as the High Road to Santa Fe, or Highway 14. The trail incorporates hills, valleys, and plateaus, with mountains reaching as…