More Experiences
Honest review of Danger Charters Sunset Sail in Key West
The experience we enjoyed for this review of the Danger Charters Wind & Wine Sunset Cruise was complimentary. As always, the opinions expressed are our own. Our review of Danger Charters' Wind & Wine Sunset Sail As the sun slipped below the horizon in...
Postcard Jar Friends Group Cruise on Celebrity Reflection recap (Part 2)
Fifty-eight sailors joined us this year for our inaugural Postcard Jar Friends Group Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on the Celebrity Reflection. Will you join us next year? This post is Part 2 of our Postcard Jar Friends Cruise recap. If you missed Part 1, CLICK...
Memorial Stadium tours at Nebraska in Lincoln
Memorial Stadium tours at Nebraska are available to the public free of charge. Here's what to expect when you tour Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. To book a free experience, you just need to register online to reserve a spot. Our first official tour of Nebraska's...
Downton Abbey The Exhibition photo gallery
Downton Abbey The Exhibition took us inside the Crawley family estate and down the steps to the servants quarters. In early 2019, we were invited to visit Downton Abbey The Exhibition in Rosemary Square in West Palm Beach, Fla. Huge Downton Abbey fans, we took our...
Legends Outlets: One stop for a complete summer wardrobe
Don't you wish buying a complete seasonal wardrobe could be made easier? Well, it can be at Legends Outlets in Kansas City, Kansas. We recently partnered with Legends Outlets to show you how to build your spring/summer capsule wardrobe while only having to park your...
11 reasons you must try Chaz on the Plaza in Kansas City
Forget what you think you know about hotel restaurants, because Chaz on the Plaza is different. While many hotels offer on-site dining that is just fine, Chaz on the Plaza in Kansas City's Raphael Hotel offers a true fine dining experience. With its upscale ambiance,...
Pandemic date night: How to bring the romance in your minivan
It turns out that it is possible to have a romantic, low-risk pandemic date night and still follow CDC's guidelines. All it takes is a little planning and creativity -- and I'm lucky that my wife, Ann, has strength in both those areas. Note: This post contains...
The perfect holiday getaway in Pawhuska, Oklahoma
Our Airbnb in Pawhuska called Postcard Place will be decorated for Christmas by Oct. 24 this year! We're excited to welcome guests again this holiday season. Click HERE to book on Airbnb today! With great shopping at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile and other local...
Our little hike on the prairie at Spring Creek
Yesterday was one of those awesome fall days in Nebraska that is just right for a little hike on the prairie. The sun was shining, it was 80 degrees, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It would have been a perfect day for college football here. Sadly, our beloved...
An over-the-top Valentine’s weekend at The Pioneer Woman Boarding House
We had planned to spend Valentine's Day the way we have most years; cooking a nice meal together at home and splurging on one of our "really good" bottles of wine. We tabled those plans when The Pioneer Woman invited us to spend Valentine's weekend at her...
Seven tips for your visit to the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, Florida
The Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, Florida, is one of my all-time, favorite travel destinations. It has been since I was a kid. As you may or may not know, my family has had a home in the Florida Keys for as long as I can remember. My grandparents built it long...
The Flora-Bama Polar Bear Dip: A heart stopping start to the New Year
When Ann heard about an event in Orange Beach, Alabama, called the Flora-Bama Polar Bear Dip, she thought it sounded like a great idea. Knowing full well which one of us would get to run headlong into the Gulf of Mexico on New Year's Day, (and who would stay dry to...
Why every foodie needs to have the original Doe’s Eat Place on their bucket list
There's nothing like the original Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, Mississippi. Nothing. The entrance through the kitchen, two-pound steaks on a fiery open broiler, grease-stained floor boards, and lemon and oil soaked salad set it apart from any other restaurant in...
The Pioneer Woman Mercantile’s first-ever whole hog dinner
We were so thrilled (and honored) to be invited to The Pioneer Woman Mercantile's First Ever Whole Hog Dinner. If you just let the name of that meal sink in for a second, you'll realize the potential for an overload of pure deliciousness. A whole hog, prepared by Chef...
How we got a seat at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile’s first ever whole hog dinner
Now empty nesters, the last several years we’ve spent Valentine’s Day at home and enjoyed cooking a nice meal together. The menu has stayed pretty much the same: a wedge salad, some kind of potato and a juicy Nebraska beef ribeye steak for Steve and a piece of fresh...
5 things I’ve learned about Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
When I left my career as a middle school principal, I gained some immediate benefits. I traded in my neckties for t-shirts and long meetings for behind-the-scenes tours. Recently, though, I learned of another great switcheroo that came when I left my job in public...
The Chef & The Dish Skypes a chef right into your kitchen
This post contains references to our experience with The Chef & The Dish. We may receive compensation when you click on links to its products. The Chef & The Dish brings world-class chefs right into your kitchen and it couldn't make me happier. Lasting...
A unique wine tasting in the woods and our stay near Montepulciano, Italy
When we went wine tasting in Tuscany (can I just interject that I've dreamt about saying those words for quite some time) I had no idea what to expect from our visit to the town of Montepulciano, other than we would likely be tasting Vino Nobile, the typical wine of...
Five tips for wine tasting in Tuscany
I’ve done wine tastings before. You pull into a winery, hear all about their wonderful product while sampling a flight of four to five wines poured out in small, two-sip portions 10 seconds apart, decide whether to buy, and then head out the door. So, when we set out...
Our incredible private tour and cooking class in Chianti with Italy Unfiltered
After spending a day on our own exploring beautiful Siena, Italy, our hosts Deb of Italy Unfiltered and her husband Massi the Driver picked us up at our hotel and we began our complimentary tour of Italian food, wine, and culture in the Chianti Region. As we got in...
How I fell into a Tuscan food coma – Part 2
This is Part 2 about our complimentary delicious Tuscan food tour with American, Deb, of Italy Unfiltered, and her Italian husband, Massi the Driver. To read Part 1, click HERE. Time to walk off some of that delicious Tuscan food We left the bakery, simultaneously...
How I fell into a Tuscan food coma – Part 1
I intended to write this post about our incredible first day with hosts Deb and Massi yesterday, but I accidentally slipped into a Tuscan food coma. In all fairness, it isn't my fault. I mean, they took us on a foodie tour of Siena, and it was a grueling delicious...
A guest post from Ann’s brother about his unplanned stop Sequoia National Park
[well]This is a guest post, written by Ann's younger brother, Robert Shrewsbury. Robb and his family live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[/well] By Robert Shrewsbury On a recent business trip to Fresno, California, I had a meeting canceled and found myself with some extra...
A very filling agritourism progressive meal from the Plains Safaris conference
I went on my first agritourism progressive meal today. Let me just say, I'm now a big fan. Ann and I are attending the Plains Safaris: A conference on tourism and conservation in the Great Plains in Kearney, Nebraska, this week. When I saw that one of the...
The Pioneer Woman Boarding House hotel in Pawhuska, OK, is stunning!
We were at the right place at the right time this week when we rolled across the windy plains of Oklahoma into the small town of Pawhuska for the seventh time in nine months, excited to see if there was any progress on the Pioneer Woman Boarding House. As you know by...
Our swim in Cenote Ik Kil in Mexico
I had no idea what a cenote was before our cruise to Mexico. In fact, I don't even think I'd ever even heard the word. But I signed up to swim in one, anyway, because travel is about adventure, right? After leaving Chichén Itzá, we made a short drive over to Cenote Ik...
Five things that made our first-ever Carnival Cruise so much fun
When you quit your job after 21 years, the first thing you want to do is get away and have fun. That's why the morning after my last day as a middle school principal, we were in the car headed south to the Port of Galveston for our first-ever Carnival Cruise. While we...
5 things to do in Omaha when it’s freezing
We planned an overnight trip to Omaha recently on what turned out to be one of those bone-chilling cold days we have here in the Midwest. The forecast called for snow showers, 30-mile-an-hour winds, and temperatures dropping to below zero that night. Instead of...
A parade, The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, and Pawhuska at Christmastime
Just after Thanksgiving, I received a text message from the Pawhuska (OK) Chamber of Commerce that said, "Kind of kidding, but if you Steve want to be in Pawhuska the first weekend in December, I have two judging spots left for the parade. We just miss you all!" It...
Yes, Nebraska has a safari and I’m so glad we finally took the time to stop there
No matter where you live, there are likely tourist attractions nearby that you've driven past for years. You have good intentions of visiting, but never actually take the time to stop. At least once a month for more than 16 years, I've driven past a large, green sign...
That time we got to hang out with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood in Vegas
Did we ever tell you about the time we met Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood? We had gone to a TeamMates mentoring program silent auction in November of 2012, and about half way through the evening, we noticed that no one had bid on a package that included tickets to...
How we drove 18 holes at Quarry Oaks Golf Club and didn’t lose a single ball
Yesterday, we drove carts through an entire 18-hole golf course and didn't have to stop once to look for a lost ball. Only because we didn't hit any. Not this time, anyway. This time, we didn't have to tee off once. My sister, Laura, works for a memory care residence...
Eclipse 2017: An earth-shadowing experience from our home in Crete, Nebraska
When science writer Trudy Bell said to never let anyone convince me that 99% of the sun covered was the same as totality, I didn't know what to think. She then went on to say, "It's 1% of the sun's surface, but it's 100% of the experience." The moment the moon fully...
Six reasons to take your wife to The Pioneer Woman Mercantile
I had my doubts when Ann told me she wanted to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, Okla. For me, I couldn't see how this would be time well spent. I envisioned a crowded store with mostly middle-aged women roaming around, oohing and aaahing at spatulas and...
2nd Annual Sine Die Adventure – Destination: Nashville, Tennessee
https://postcardjar.com/surprise-were-going-to-___________/Several years ago, our family of three started taking annual "Sine Die Adventures." [Read more about how the name came about here.] The first year, I had no idea where we were going until we got to the airport and was thrilled to travel to Chicago and essentially,...
Following our hearts to St. Kitts
Two years ago, I had never even heard of St. Kitts. Then, in August 2015, two incredible young men from this small island in the Caribbean stepped into our lives and into our hearts. We met Michael and Josiah their first week in Crete when they came to our church one...
Plane spotting at Maho Beach in St. Maarten
I've always loved airplanes and flying, so I was really looking forward to our stop at Maho Beach in St. Maarten. Situated at the end of the runway of St. Maarten's Airport sits Maho Beach, a wonderful spot to take in some rays and bob in the waters of the Caribbean...
Cruising the Caribbean: St. Lucia
I have been to tropical places. I've admired the lush forests and gazed at the blue waters. But nothing could have prepared me for the for sights and sounds above the treetops in St. Lucia. The second port of call on our Caribbean Christmas cruise was this incredible...
Leaving I-80 for a better view
In case you didn't know, I'm usually a get-there-as-quickly-as-we-can kinda guy. So when Ann told me that she and Meghan preferred to avoid the interstate on trips around Nebraska, I felt a little queasy. The thought of trailing long lines of cars and putting along...
Five things we’re NOT looking forward to on our next cruise
As you may have heard from our Facebook "LIVE" event, we are headed to Europe for a Baltic cruise this summer. While there are tons of things we're looking forward to (i.e. visiting the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia; exploring Stockholm, Sweden; and...
Nebraska’s Nicest Nine
A couple years ago, Steve and I took off on a 6-day journey to find out for ourselves if our home state lives up to its then new slogan, "Nebraska Nice." We wrote about some of the nicest things we saw -- calling them our 2014 "Nebraska's Nicest Nine." The list was...
Our first trip to see the Sandhill Crane migration on the Platte River in Nebraska
As we began to quietly leave the wooden blind from which we'd watched Sandhill Cranes descend onto sandbars in the Platte River at dusk, there was only one thing on my mind. I simply could not get over the fact that I'd spent most of my life living in Nebraska and had...
The Joy of Sidewalk Cafes
I have always loved travel. As a Spanish teacher, I thought it important to share my love of travel with my students. So, together with a German teacher colleague from across the hall who shared that belief, we planned a European tour for our students. It was hugely...
Climb a rock
Where do you need to go every once in a while? What do you need to do?
Every once in a while …
Nebraska’s Nicest #6 – A Kiss on the Butte
Can I tell you something personal? I kissed my wife on the butte. It's okay, though, because there was no one around to see us, and the scenery was so beautiful, I just had to kiss her. On the butte. And she liked it. I know that joke is a little juvenile, but I...
Inspiring the next step on your journey