No Clothes And Other Warm Delights In Eureka Springs

Kelly’s childhood friend Penny is with us, making her annual summer visit. We’ve taken her to Silver Dollar City a time or two, to a llama farm, to Dolly Parton’s Stampede, and, of course, to Bass Pro Shop more times than I care to admit. This year, we decided on a day trip to Eureka Springs. If you have to go to Arkansas, and you can’t go to Hot Springs, that’s as good a place as any.

The first store we saw after parking was this one, which kind of worried the girls. I’m not sure which freaked them out more, the thought of them having to undress or the possibility of the grown-ups shedding their clothes, but it turned out to be a fun little shop.

Our purpose in going to Eureka Springs was the art, as there are several galleries with a fascinating mixture of textures and talents. None of them allow photographs, so you’ll have to take my word for it, but the art makes the drive worthwhile.

We have a more personal motivation, too, shown by this section of the mural above. One of Kelly’s relatives is a well-known artist who was instrumental in establishing the current artistic community in the area, but I will leave it to Kelly to tell that part of Louis Freund’s story.

The girls were more interested in the shopping, and there was no lack of variety there, everything from the extremely tacky to the lovely in clothing and jewelry, something for every price range, but most of it out of ours.

Libby found some bargains, getting a purse, several rings, a jewelry tray, a hair band and a leather bracelet for not much more than $20. She also found a friend roaming free in the store.

Along with a couple of cute rings, Aubrey also found a friend, but just like at home, their friends don’t really play well with each other. Luckily for us, these two girls enjoy the hunt in shopping, rather than just the buy. They are content to spend much of the day just looking.

Libby sometimes could not contain her squeals as we came upon yet another dress shop. Or a jewelry shop. Or a shoe shop. Or a t-shirt shop….

As for Kelly, this is either a yawn – as she was up most of the night before, grading before finals deadline – or a reaction to the price of something the girls wanted to do.

 Adorable, yes, but the hats didn’t make the trip back home with us. Too bad for the hats.

I told everyone that Eureka Springs is populated by all the ex-hippies who couldn’t afford to move to Boulder, but I was the only one who thought that was funny.

The girls tried everything, from the fun…. 

… to the fanatic. That’s a photo of Guy Fieri, who must have brought his RoadShow to Arkansas at some point. We are big fans of the Food Network. At least, we were before we got rid of television.

Of course, no trip would be complete without posting on Facebook that Kelly and 3 others are taking a rest stop at the Big Cedar Lodge….