Indiana Tourism welcomes today’s guest blogger, Melinda Cooper:

Melinda Cooper is originally from Elkhart, Ind. and now lives in Anderson, Ind. with her husband and two cats. A writer at heart and formerly at the Indianapolis Star, she’s now an intern at Roundpeg. You can find her on Twitter @mindyc05.

I wanted to go on an anniversary trip for our fourth anniversary but I was laid off in July and it just wasn’t practical. When I read on SmallerIndiana.com that VisitIndiana.com was holding a contest for a trip, I jumped at the chance. I started tweeting and Facebooking like crazy.

The trip ended up being postponed due to a last minute booking so we just went – Nov. 2-4. We had just been to Naperville for a conference and stopped in Elkhart to visit my parents and then stopped at our house to check on the cats and then left again for Patoka’s Edge Retreat. So by the time we got there, we were set to relax for a couple of days!

We drove on a gravel road for what seemed like 20 minutes in the middle of the night and it was so remote. Thank goodness for our GPS or we would have certainly been lost at least once. We arrived at the home around 10 p.m. and immediately found the outdoor hot tub. It was so quiet and relaxing. All we could hear were coyotes way out in the woods and the scampering of animals while we sat in the hot tub. When we went inside and looked around the house, we found rose petals to our room!!!!! It was so romantic. And we found a bottle of wine. It was so romantic and nice of the owners to do that. It made us happy.

It was crazy to wake up and see what we had been missing! There was a shimmering lake and a forest surrounding us. There were hills upon hills. Even in the morning, it was so quiet. It’s weird not hearing traffic. Usually you have to wake up in a tent to get that kind of quietness. I read a book for a while then we ate some breakfast and headed out to Marengo Cave.

We were the only people there for the tour so we had our own private tour of the whole cave (we did both sides). It was really interesting because I haven’t been in many caves in my life. I didn’t realize how many caves there were around southern Indiana. Afterwards, we went to a newer winery called Indian Creek Winery. It was near Georgetown. It’s only been around a couple years and not yet even on the Uplands Wine Trail so we were pretty excited to find it! They had an amazing woodsy white. And some blackberry wine that tasted like a liquid Jolly Rancher.

After that, we headed back to our house in the woods. The drive in the daylight was so pretty. It was nice riding passenger so I could enjoy the scenic drive. Even with leaves fallen already, it was nice. It’s weird to me to see pieces of rock off the road instead of flat land. My husband is from Cincinnati originally and was making fun of me. But when you come from Northern Indiana, it’s not rocky! So yes, I was intrigued by the granite by the road.

The last day, we checked out and drove towards French Lick to see what the big deal was really.French Lick was a cute small train town with a big casino. We skipped the casino and went to the train museum. And, of course, we found the French Lick Winery. The winery was awesome. The guy working there was hilarious! He had tattoos and this hemp necklace and knew all about wine. It was funny because he seemed more like a beer or Jack Daniels kind of guy but he was so knowledgeable and personable! We had a good time just hanging out with the guy tasting the wines. They had a great dry white and they offered a port sample! Usually wineries NEVER offer port. So I had to try it. The guy explained it as a mixture of almost a brandy and a wine. It made me warm and fuzzy inside. I got a bottle for the winter months! The guy said we should check out some other wineries on our way back and gave us an awesome map so we did. We headed towards Mitchell (the best topography in the state according to my college geography professor) and stopped at Carousel Winery.

The owners were there out in the open! Usually we never catch the actual vintners so it was exciting. They are known for their fruit wines (the other guy said in French Lick) and that we had to try them so we did. I LOVED the pomegranate and Hubby loved the cherry one. They had such unique flavors to their wine. They weren’t too sweet or too tart but they weren’t plain ol’ wines either. And these cookie/cracker things they offer. They are part animal cracker and part oyster cracker. I forgot to get a box. Note to self: find these wine crackers.

Then we went back to Anderson. The cats missed us. I think they are still waiting for us to leave again! Oh well it’s nice to be back to my normally scheduled program again.

Hubby and I would like to say THANK YOU! to Jeremy Williams at VisitIndiana, Pat Coyle at SmallerIndiana and David and Ginger, owners of Patoka’s Edge Retreat for letting us have this wonderful experience!!! (and all our friends, coworkers and family members who had to read my every hour tweets about fall in Indiana)

You can see more pictures from our trip here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mindyc05/PatokaSEdge02#

Are you looking for a few good beers? If so, Indianapolis is the place for you!

Visit Indy’s regular video blog, Doing Indy, featured some Indy-based microbreweries in their most recent episode. Among the great breweries featured are Greenwood’s Oaken Barrel, locally brewed beer at Rock Bottom Brewery, Indy’s newest brewery; Sun King Brewing Company and the state’s oldest brewery, the Broad Ripple Brewpub. Check out the video below (about 6 minutes long).

While we’re talking about Indy-based breweries, tonight is the grand opening of the new Barley Island brewpub, located in Broad Ripple where Scholar’s Inn used to be.

Barley Island is a brewery based in the Indianapolis suburb of Noblesville and this will be the brewery’s newest and first location in Indianapolis proper. With Broad Ripple now anchored by such micr0-brew favorites as the Broad Ripple Brewpub, Brugge Brasserie and now Barley Island Restaurant & Brewhouse (Facebook fanpage), Broad Ripple is the place to go in Indy for great craft brewed beers.

See some of our other posts about Indiana-based breweries and wineries.

There are obvious tourist destinations in many cities — the ones with the billboards pointing toward the location or with the slick brochures set out in hotel lobbies. Then there are the hidden treasures that you might not find unless you ask a local or just look carefuly as you drive down the street.

Nancy Sartain of the Wayne County Convention and Visitors Bureau introduced me to a few such spots in her county and now I’m sharing them with you.

Gennett Records Walk of Fame
Gennett Records was a record label founded by Starr Piano in Richmond, Indiana in the early 1900s. Gennett was the recording home of such jazz, blues and country legends as Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Gene Autry, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo and the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. To recognize Richmond’s place in musical history and the contributions of the artists who recorded there, in 2007 the Starr Gennett Foundation established the Gennett Walk of Fame along South 1st Street in Richmond, the site of the old Starr Piano factory.

The three-dimensional bronze and colored tile mosaic markers on the trail are shaped like 78rpm records and are accompanied by a small bronze plaque identifying the artist and his or her contribution to the history of music. To date 25 artists/groups have been recognized.

Hoagy Carmichael's spot on the Gennett Walk of Fame

Duke Ellington has earned a spot on the walk as well.

For more information, including a map to find the Gennett Walk of Fame, click here.

Scott Shafer Stoneware
With the winter gift-giving holidays looming ahead, now is the perfect time to let you in on the secret of Scott Shafer Stoneware.  Shafer’s quiet, almost hidden, studio is located at 610 N. Morton Avenue in Centerville. Look for the green roadside sign signaling the entrance.

The small building just behind Shafer’s home houses both displays of finished stoneware clay products for sale as well as Shafer’s studio. Shafer’s pieces are both artistic and functional. Dishwasher and oven safe, they’re perfect for use in the kitchen, as well as other areas of your home.

A sample of pieces available for purchase at Scott Shafer Pottery.

If you’re lucky, you’ll catch Scott as he is hand throwing pottery on the wheel that he and his father built early in his career as a potter. Shafer has been doing pottery full time since 1979.

Scott Shafer sits at the potter's wheel he and his father built some 20+ years ago.

Scott Shafer Stoneware is open Monday-Saturday from 10am to 5pm. You can reach Scott by calling (765) 855-2409.

Museum of Overbeck Art Pottery
Just west of Centerville is the town of Cambridge City. On U.S. 40 in Cambridge City is the town’s public library. And in the basement of the library is the Museum of Overbeck Art Pottery. Produced between 1911 and 1955 by the six Overbeck sisters — Ida, Margaret, Hannah, Harriet, Elizabeth and Mary Frances — the pottery and the paintings created by the sisters are recognized as having importance in U.S. folk art history.

Just a few of the pieces on display at the Museum of Overbeck Art Pottery.

There is no charge to visit the collection, which is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-noon and 2-5pm. Group tours are available by appointment.

While you’re in Cambridge City, stop by the Pour House Cafe, a mom and pop operation that is half cafe and half antique shop. Treat yourself to a coffee, if you must (I’m more of a diet soda drinker, which they also serve), but do not skip the homemade fudge. I tried the chocolate peanut butter and was not disappointed.

These destinations may be a little off the normal tourist radar, but they’ll be stops you’ll be glad you made on your next trip to Wayne County.

I was 1 year old in 1968, so I wasn’t as up on current events and popular culture as I am now. But I could learn about what was going on in the first year of my life by visiting 1968 in America at the Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie (Delaware County).

The exhibit has been running since September 5, and will run until January 7, 2010. It teaches visitors about the major events of 1968 affected East Central Indiana. The exhibit “. . . will explore events of that year, from the first images of the whole Earth to the look and sounds of an average teenager’s room. Amazing artifacts and period music will transport you to a bygone era.”

There is a special event on Saturday, November 14, from noon to 4 pm with a chance to:

• Sing Karaoke to your favorite 1968 songs
• Get a snack at the Easy Bake Oven snack bar
• Tie-dye a shirt
• Ride-a-roo races
• Play “Beatles Rock Band”
• From 1 to 1:30 p.m., McDonald’s will give away free Big Macs, which made its debut in 1968.
• 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Take dance party lessons and learn how to dance to the tunes of the times..

You can even leave your own 1968 story on their blog.

Hours & Admission

Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $4 for children and students.
Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

November is going to be a big month in Conner Prairie.

Their Follow the North Star experience will show visitors the fugitive slave experience on the Underground Railroad. You can actually participate in an interactive experience that Conner Prairie staffers have researched for years.

You play the role of a runaway slave, and you’ll meet several costumed characters along the way — a slave hunter, a Quaker family, a free black family, to name a few. This is a great learning experience for students, and some powerful diversity training experiences for civic, church, and corporate groups.

As you Follow the North Star, you’ll experience the life of an escaped slave in a way that no book, movie, documentary, website, or story cannot. You’ll actually be a slave on the run, facing the people you would have faced in your escape. Slave owners, slave hunters, and the people who would help them along the way.

The Conner Prairie website says Follow the North Star is not for everyone, however.

This program takes place outside in all kinds of weather, and participants walk approximately one mile on rough terrain. The emotional effect of the program is intense, as participants are treated as slaves, being told to keep their eyes down and not to speak unless spoken to. Because of the nature of the experience, participants must be 12 years or older.

The Follow the North Star experience runs November 5-7 12-14, and 19-21 from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $19 per person, or $16 for members, and reservations are required.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn about different countries around the world, but didn’t have the time or money for an international cruise, you can experience these different cultures at the Indianapolis International Festival, held November 19 – 22 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The festival is organized by the Nationalities Council of Indiana, a nonprofit organization made up of more than 50 ethnic and cultural groups in the Hoosier state.

Performances and exhibits will include:

• Professional instructors from the Arthur Murray International Dance Studio will teach attendees different dances, including the Merengue, Bolero, Tango, Cha Cha and the Samba.
• Watch Italian Street Painting as madonnari (street painters) will create a gallery on the floor of the West Pavilion. Vandra Linder will be the primary madonnari.
• The Umbdabu Dance and Percussion Company will feature four of their dances at the festival. The company is based in Birmingham, Alabama, and is dedicated to the preservation of traditional and contemporary South African history and culture.
• The Nationalities Council of Indiana is partnering with the Geography Educators’ Network of Indiana to present the National Geographic Society’s Giant Traveling Map of Africa. This is the world’s largest map of the African continent. It is 26 feet by 35 feet, and weighs 102 pounds.
• The Student Passport Program allows students to explore their heritage and to talk with people from other cultures as part of the educational outreach program. Students can collect stamps in their Student Passports as they visit different tables and exhibits.
• Of course, you can’t have an International Festival without International Beer & Wine Tasting. Kahn’s Fine Wines & Spirits is sponsoring the tasting, as authentic cuisines from over 20 different ethnic food vendors will be offered to visitors over the 4-day festival.
• A naturalization ceremony that will welcome 175 new American citizens on Friday.
• An international marketplace that offers gifts from around the world.

Schedule

School Dates & Hours
Nov 19: 10am – 2pm
Nov 20: 10am – 2pm

General Public Dates & Hours
Nov 20: 2pm – 9pm
Nov 21: 10am – 9pm
Nov 22: Noon – 6pm

Tickets are $7 in advance for adults, and $9 at the door. Children, ages 6 – 12, are $6. You can get your tickets at Marsh Supermarkets, Kahn’s Fine Wines, or show your AAA Hoosier Motor Club Membership card at the door, and receive $2 off the adult ticket price at the door.

You can see a slideshow of the 2007 International Festival at their Flickr feed.

I’ve never seen the lighting of the Indiana Christmas tree, the Circle of Lights. I do have an excuse, in that I’ve only lived in Indianapolis for two Christmases. The rest of the time, I either lived in Muncie (Delaware County) or Syracuse (Kosciusko County). In the past couple of years, we’ve had sick kids and my wife’s birthday, but this year is going to be the year. I can just feel it.

But this year, I’m going to see the Circle of Lights as its lit.

The event is always held the day after Thanksgiving — Friday, November 27, this year — and attracts more than 100,000 spectators to the event.

The lighting has been a tradition since 1962. The 284′ 6″ tower is lit by 4,784 lights and 52 garland strands. They’re hung by volunteers from the Contractors of Quality Connection and Electrical Workers of IBEW 481.

Each year, the Circle is decorated with giant toys, peppermint sticks, gorgeous lights strung throughout the trees along the sidewalks, and even a mailbox for Santa. Last year, we took our two youngest kids to the Circle so they could drop the letter in Santa’s mailbox. They were so excited because this mail was a special delivery being taken directly to the North Pole.

There will be live entertainment that starts at 6:00 p.m., and the television coverage will start at 7:00 and run for an hour. The giant switch will be thrown around 7:45.

Since I’ve never been, I’m guessing it’s going to be important to get there rather early. I’ll probably show up around 4:00 so I can find a good place to stand, and just hope I’m not too late. If you have ever been to the tree lighting, and think I need to show up sooner, please let me know

Photo: JoanieOfArc

Patoka Lake Floating Cabins – Better to Stay on the Shore than Along the Shore

When Douglas Karr sent a message on Twitter asking who would want to stay in a floating cabin at Patoka Lake Marina (@PatokaLake on Twitter) the following Saturday and write a review about the experience, my head was saying, “I’m going to be asleep this weekend.” It was midnight Wednesday. I was more or less asleep in an Orlando, FL suite, preparing to take a quick nap before working the final day of a hectic business convention.

Luckily, my instincts answered his tweet.

Still half-asleep from a week on the road, I started out early Saturday morning on the four hour road trip south through the rain from my Duneland home in Valparaiso to Birdseye, IN. And even though taking Interstate 65 South to Interstate 64 West is quickest for most people in the state, I suggest the picturesque route through the Hoosier National Forest (Google Maps link) via classic towns such as Paoli and French Lick.

Living most of my life near Lake Michigan, it takes a bit for me to be impressed by what others call a lake. That being said, I’ll admit I appreciated my first glimpses of the crafted lake.

The entrance into Lake Patoka is followed by long, hilly, windy roads which helped me feel immersed into the wooded wonderland and detached from reality. I got to the Lake Patoka Marina just in time to catch the 2pm Fall Foliage boat tour. Not only did the two-hour sightseeing ride give me unfettered views of the majestic lake, its 126 miles of shoreline, and its spirited wildlife, but the tour also came with a quick history of how Lake Patoka came to be.

A project with its roots dating back to the 1940s, Lake Patoka was designed by the US Army Corp of Engineers as a flood control measure and only begun to be filled in 1980. Covering the parts of the counties of Crawford, Dubois, and Orange, Lake Patoka peaks out at around 9,000 acres of water in the summer. 17,000 acres of nature preserves surround the lake. Over 220 slips are available for boats including water power boats and house boat with spots near the marina to anchor sail boats. There are 11 spots along the lake where fishermen and boaters can put in their crafts. Vast spaces for traditional and modern campgrounds are available. Long biking and hiking trails can be found crisscrossing the grounds. Permit hunting, picnic grounds, a modest beach with breathtaking views, an annual pro-am Disc Golf tournament, and a professional bass tournament help compliment the regularly scheduled events which compose the Lake Patoka experience.

Are There Cabins Along the Lake for Rent?

The question most people have is, “are there cabins along the lake for rent?” Since the lake was designed by the US Army Corps of Engineer, nobody is allowed to build near the lake. But they are allowed to dock along its shores – Which is how the ingenious idea of floating cabins came into existence.

Right now there are 7 floating cabins with plans for more. The floating cabins are designed with the dining room and kitchen towards the shore and a split level for bedrooms the point towards the center of the lake. Well-equipped with amenities, the cabins come with electricity, modern appliances, water and sewage, and flat panel TVs with HD antennas. My favorite part of the cabins is that they are docked in wide slips which double as wrap-around decks right along the water. With nice outdoor seats, a picnic table, and a gas grill, sitting along the dock of the lake as the sun went down was one of my favorite treats of 2009.

Things to Do Around Lake Patoka

For those who need a night back in reality during their stay, the New French Lick Resort and Casino is 15 minutes away and Louisville is 45 minutes down the road. There are also many charming eateries and shops because, oh yeah, you’re on the edge of the Hoosier National Forest.

Sping to Fall

Patoka Lake will be re-opened in the Spring of 2010. I hope I’m invited back to see the place as it starts its year. Otherwise, I might sneak down unannounced. I need to sit in that chair along the water, again.

If you get a spare weekend and want to find a beautiful place to take a clean breath of air, take a look at Patoka Lake just outside Birdseye, Indiana.

I thank Indiana Office of Tourism Development’s @VisitIndiana, Douglas Karr, as well as Harvey Edwards from Patoka Lake Marina (@PatokaLake on Twitter) for the opportunity to try on Lake Patoka for an evening. It was a rejuvenating experience I’ll never forget and I look forward towards my next excuse to sneak down.

Nat Finn is a Chicago-area Social Media Hunter / Gatherer / Copywriter from Valparaiso, IN. A reformed athlete, Finn now maintains his blog “How to Publish a Book of Blues. Hopefully.” (http://www.natfinn.com/) as well as other sites when he’s not working his 9-5.

Nestled along US Route 12 near Beverly Shores is a pleasant little art store that time seems to have forgotten. It’s an Art store divided in two. On one side you’ll find every type of equipment needed to draw, paint or otherwise fulfill your craft interests. On the other side is the official Save the Dunes Council store dedicated to local artists and their wonderful works.

I was informed by a friend today that the Save the Dunes gift shop also sells the iconic South Shore Line Posters that I wrote about earlier yesterday.

The Save the Dunes Gift Shop is located on US Route 12 right before you get to Beverly Shores. Not only does the shop carry the South Shore posters, but they carry works of arts and crafts from local artisans.

There is some pretty incredible art in this store – all of it related to Indiana Dunes. You’ll find lovely oil painings, watercolors and gorgeous photography. Best of all – proceeds from the shop go to support local artists and the continued preservation of the Indiana Dunes.

Best of all – Gift Shop by the Save the Dunes Council shares the same building with an incredible art store. At Firme Art and Office Supplies you’ll find everything you can possibly want to pursue your particular art.

They have a huge, reasonably priced selection of arts and crafts products that just has to be seen to be believed.

So, next time your driving down US Route 12 – stop by Firme Art and the Save the Dunes Gift Shop.

Save the Dunes Gift Shop Website

Directions to this location.

When it comes to Halloween, I’m pretty much a big chicken. I don’t do haunted houses, don’t watch scary movies and I don’t go into those Halloween costume shops that have gory costumes and moving figures on display. So when Angela Tuell offered me tickets to take my family to Conner Prairie’s Headless Horseman event, I thought twice before responding “okay.”

I’m so glad I said yes! We went last Saturday night.  When we entered the gates, we were given tickets for our hayride — 7:30pm. That gave us a little more than hour to wander the grounds of Conner Prairie, taking in the other activities offered.  We headed first to the barn to see the animals that were a favorite on our last visit to the Prairie. This time, Robbie took a particularly liking to a cute little brown goat. Once we were able to coax Robbie away from the goat and out of the barn, we headed for the marionette show.

The show, put on by Stevens Puppets, was humorous, just the right length (about 30 minutes), and WARM! It told the story of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which was the perfect precursor to our hayride. As we left the puppet show for the hayride, I noticed that several people had gathered to listen to a storyteller.

We lined up for our ride at about 7:20, enjoying some kettle corn from one of the on-site vendors as we waited. The wait was fairly short and my a little after 7:30pm, we were on our way. Our hay wagon took us through the woods where slightly frightful, but not gory, scenes had been set up. There were skeletons and coffins, a huge spider and several ghosts. But there was no blood, no guts, much to the delight of this Halloween scaredy cat.

Just as the wagon approached the covered bridge, we heard the telltale sound of galloping hooves. Sure enough, the Headless Horseman was upon our wagon. He rode up the left side, then circled back to the right of the wagon, keeping pace with the tractor pulling us along. Once we entered the bridge, however, we were safe. My six-year-old exclaimed “That was the greatest thing ever!”

I wish I had pictures to share, but they ask that you not take photos on the hayride so the horses don’t get spooked. The pictures here are courtesy of Conner Prairie. You can find more great pictures by visiting Conner Prairie’s Flickr stream here.

All that excitement really made us hungry, so after our hayride, we headed to the campfires where the boys made s’mores for $2 each.

If you’re looking for a great family Halloween outing, you still have time to enjoy the Headless Horseman festivities. Gates are open from 6pm-9pm today through October 30.  For ticket prices and details about other activities, including creepy presentations and “scary-oke”, visit Conner Prairie’s website.