Arkansas Is Really Flat

Today started with a wake-up snuggle from my hubby and a lovely breakfast in our fancy schmancy hotel. They had really cute square plates and bowls, and Lee was especially thrilled with the sausage and gravy. We headed out for Little Rock, and I did some graduate work (yippee). I got bored after 3 hours and decided that I needed a reward for working so hard, so we decided to play games. Since Lee had been yelling out different state license plates since the beginning of the trip (jolting me out of reading or my grad work), we thought it best to make an actual list and keep track of them. We challenged ourselves to come up with the states from scratch - in alphabetical order - and we did a pretty good job. We only used our atlas a few times. So far, we have spotted 33 states, and with 1 day to go, we're getting a little nervous that we'll spot the difficult ones like Alaska.

Between license plates, we played, of course...20 Questions. We both won a few, but I held the record with 9 questions with "tubing." As we passed over the Mighty Mississippi, we also passed into Arkansas. I don't have any cool pictures of the river - sorry. Those concrete barriers are pretty high for short people to see over!


We stopped at Chic-fil-A for lunch. It was awesome, as always, but no pictures because I figure it's going to be a pretty standard part of our lives now that we're moving to Texas! Sorry, all you Northerners... I feel your pain. And while we're on the topic, I have to say that I feel like all I blog about is food. Is that wrong? I mean, I guess right now, all we do is eat and sleep...and drive. And the other two are boring to write about. So, food it is!

Our plan was to go to Cotham's Mercantile, home of the hubcap burger and famous onion rings. Lee had seen the restaurant on "Man vs. Food" and had his heart set on it from the time he knew we were stopping in Little Rock. We went to google the address, and to Lee's dismay, found out that it had ridiculous hours. It was only open from 11 am to 2 pm on weekdays! He was so disappointed. :( So back to google it was...

After about an hour of searching, Lee picked out a little place called Krazy Mike's. It was fabulous. Small, hole-in-the-wall place known for its wings, shrimp, and catfish. I had a "Na'wleans Po Boy" catfish sandwich, and Lee ordered a pound of Creole-spiced shrimp. Hushpuppies were also in the mix. Mmmmm!


Lee's shrimp came "as is" - legs, shells, and all...which royally grosses me out. I tried not to look at him while he was eating, but his shrimp leg juices kept spraying me across the table, and it was too much. I ate my sandwich and was done. I didn't even want ice cream afterwards. You KNOW something is up if I don't want dessert! :) Lee wanted me to document his shrimp. Ughh. I literally closed my eyes while I took this... It pains me to include it here.


Krazy Mike was actually there, cooking food behind the counter! You could tell it was him because his pictures looks just like him, and one of the locals called him by name. I sooo wanted to take a picture with him. What a memory that would have been! A picture with the owner! But of course, Lee denied my request. Grrrr. So I had to settle for this picture from the menu to remember what Krazy Mike looks like. Lee, I hope you know our kids will be disappointed when I tell them this story. ;)


But as sad as it was missing out on a photo opportunity like that, Lee well made up for it in his choice of lodging tonight. He booked it completely on his own as a surprise for me. And let me tell you...he done good. Just outside downtown Little Rock is a gorgeous little bed and breakfast called the Rosemont Inn. And I get to stay there tonight. Hooray!


I love every little thing about this 1880s farmhouse. The creaky wood floors, the floral and striped wallpaper, our hand-painted porcelain sink, the wonderfully worn-in couches in the living room... There is a beautiful dining room, complete with complimentary snacks and drinks. The gardens out back are truly breathtaking. It's just too bad it's a bajillion degrees out and the cicadas are deafening. :)


This next picture is significant for two reasons:

1. It showcases another part of the beautiful gardens.
2. That is exactly where my purse sat all during dinner. Because I am a dorkwad. And forgot it there. Because I was taking pictures. (table on the left)
   

Our room is like a little quaint cottage...


...with some modern marvels, of course. (MANY PROPS TO LEE!)


We even have our own private entrance if we want to venture to the gardens out back for a while.


After dinner, we enjoyed a few minutes on the porch swing out front. You can be jealous. It's ok.


And now, I'm off to use that marvelous jacuzzi and read a good book. Lee, you are my hero. Still, you should have taken that picture with Krazy Mike. ...But I still love you. Goodnight, world!

~Hooks