Friday, October 20, 2017

Honey Citrus Throat Soother | Couples Guide to Marietta, Ohio


Honey Citrus Throat Soother is perfect for sore and scratchy throats during cold and flu season--made at home with all natural ingredients, this tastes good and is a lovely drink for warm sipping on chilly nights. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and makes a great gift in the fall and winter.


Honey mixed with orange, lemon, ginger and turmeric makes a yummy drink to soothe a sore and scratchy throat.


Follow me | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook



Disclosure:I spent 3 days in Marietta, Ohio on an agritourism press trip. I was put up, fed, and shown the sights courtesy of the Marietta CVB. In exchange, I have written this post--and two others, since I'm so charmed by this town and I think ya'll should visit. This post details a Couples Guide to Marietta, Ohio. Check out this post for a Family Guide to Marietta, and this post for a Girlfriends' Getaway to Marietta.


(scroll down to the 'how to' video if you just want the recipe)


The Ohio River at Marietta is photogenic--stroll along the riverwalk at dawn or dusk.
Marietta--at dawn and dusk.


My spouse is an active guy. No "lie in the sand" vacations for him. He needs to be going places to do, see, and learn new things. A visit to Marietta, Ohio would be right up his alley. We'd stay in the historic Lafayette Hotel right along the water downtown, so we could wake up and walk along the river checking out the birds. I saw geese, ducks, sandpipers and a great blue heron during my recent Agritourism Adventure in Marietta, Ohio. After a stroll across the pedestrian bridge, we'd eat a locally sourced breakfast at the Busy Bee Restaurant (he'd love the massive blueberry pancake). On the weekends, we like to hit our local farmer's market, so we'd be sure to check out the River City Farmer's Market and bring home some Broaster's Coffee for our son.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Slow Cooker Apple Butter | Family Guide to Visiting Marietta, Ohio

Local apples taste best in this slow cooker apple butter recipe. Use your kitchen appliances to do the work for you! This recipe can be canned for shelf stability & food gifts.


image of sourdough bread spread with slow cooker apple butter


Follow me | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook



Disclosure: I spent 3 days in Marietta, Ohio on an agritourism press trip. I was put up, fed, and shown the sights courtesy of the Marietta CVB. In exchange, I have written this post--and two others, since I'm so charmed by this town and I think ya'll should visit.


One aspect of traveling that I enjoy is the opportunity to learn something new--both about myself and the places I visit. This doesn't apply just to adults--kids can grow and thrive in new environments as well. On my recent Agritourism Adventure in Marietta, Ohio we visited many places that will delight the whole family, and I'll share them today in my Family Guide to Marietta, Ohio. If you'd like to visit Marietta with a group of girlfriends, please check out my Girlfriends' Guide to Marietta, Ohio. If you'd like to steal away for a couples weekend, stay tuned for my Couple's Guide to Marietta.


Marietta, Ohio is an interesting town with an emphasis on local entrepreneurs in a variety of  businesses.



Monday, October 16, 2017

Agritourism Adventures in Marietta, Ohio

In this post I share where to stay, where to eat, and what to do for a girlfriends' getaway in Marietta, Ohio, Part One of my series on Agritourism Adventures in Marietta. If you and a few friends are looking for a weekend getaway, read on. If you'd like to take your honey off for a Couples Weekend, read the Couples Getaway to Marietta, Ohio. If you'd like to bring the kids, please read my Family Guide to Marietta, Ohio.



Disclosure: I spent 3 days in Marietta, Ohio on an agritourism press trip. I was put up, fed, and shown the sights courtesy of the Marietta CVB. In exchange, I have written this post--and the two that will follow, since I'm so charmed by this town and I think ya'll should visit.


Follow me | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook



Why not have a getaway weekend with your friends? I think women, especially mothers, don't treat ourselves with the same nurturing we provide to others. When I was telling my friend Cathy about my recent visit to Marietta, Ohio she said "we should go there". It NEVER occurred to me to plan a girls' weekend vacation, but why not? There's plenty to do and see around Marietta, and it's a nice drive from many larger metro areas in OH, PA, WV and KY. In this post I will share where to stay, where to eat, and what to do in Marietta, Ohio.


First things first--where to stay in Marietta, Ohio. [I keep adding the Ohio part so you don't get confused with another Marietta.] I stayed right downtown by the Ohio river in the historic Lafayette hotel. I had a clean & comfy room in the Hoag addition with a nice view of the river--not that I lingered in my room! Staying in the Lafayette was convenient to many restaurants and shops, and the ability to walk right out the door and see a great blue heron fishing for breakfast along the river . . . well, that's not a sight you usually see steps away from a thriving business district! It was very convenient to easily walk 'home' after viewing a spectacular sunset.


Now that you're settled in, let's talk about food--because this is a food blog and I'd be remiss if I didn't share about the yummy meals Someone Else Made for Me in Marietta! In addition to the Lafayette (French toast for breakfast was quite nice) I sampled several restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.
If you like to start the day with a caffeine hit, stroll down to Jeremiah's Coffee House. I'm not a coffee drinker, but if you like tea, their house chai blend was exceptional--spicy, not cloyingly sweet like the usual national chains, and being on the road means I can't make my DIY Iced Chai. There's baked goods and comfy chairs if you want to linger, and you're welcome to keep it green by bringing your own mug if you like.
For heartier breakfast fare (think pancakes the size of a Costco pie!) or a locally-sourced lunch, stroll across the Lock Bridge to the Harmar neighborhood and Busy Bee Restaurant. Larry, the owner, is so committed to locally-sourced products that they churn their own butter from Snowville Creamery cream! I'm a fan of corned beef hash, and when the brisket is corned in house, well, I had to try that. For coffee drinkers, Busy Bee supports a local business, Broaster's Coffee, run by a young entrepreneur named Ashton.
Our group dinner at The Galley was fun. We shared several appetizers, and I thought the Blue Cheese Kettle Chips were particularly good. Since I'd been eating out so much, I had veggies with my lamb burger and they were perfectly prepared. The service was terrific for our large group, and it was nice to window shop on the way back to the Lafayette hotel.