Songbird Prairie Bed & Breakfast
Today the road has brought me to Valparaiso, IN.
Welcome to my 50th B & B review. Having reached this magic number, I wanted this review to be something special. I needed a destination with lots to do, a top of the line inn, and I wanted it to feel like a bit of a road trip. I pored over my spreadsheet of inns to find something to fit the bill and as I perused the Indiana section it hit me right between the eyes. I found Songbird Prairie Bed and Breakfast, a luxury inn which has won numerous “best of” and hospitality awards over the years. I booked a room and eagerly looked forward to a grand adventure.
Friday evening found me making the trek to Indiana. I had decided to split up the drive over 2 days so I would have energy for activities once I arrived in Valparaiso so I made an overnight stop at a Travelodge in Iowa City, IA.
It had been a fairly pleasant day when the drive started, but by the time I had rolled into Iowa City, it had become a hazy gray and the humidity had shot past the roof. So humid was it, that I actually saw steam rising from pools of water from a storm that must have dumped on the city before my arrival. The conditions felt perfect for a tornado and I later learned that one had touched down just outside the city, but nothing came of it.
The hotel was serviceable and even had a swimming pool. I deposited my luggage in my room and cast a grateful eye on my king-sized bed. The smell of a Domino’s Pizza down the hall reminded me that I should probably do something about my own hunger.
A restaurant called Los Agaves Mexican Grill was attached to the hotel and solved my problem of finding a place to eat. My waiter, Jose, brought me a bowl of chips and salsa while I looked over the menu. I opted to try the Chiles Colorado. Shortly after my order, a plate of grilled beef tips in a spicy red mole sauce with Spanish rice and refried beans appeared before me. With the use of warm corn tortillas, I made several “tacos” to enjoy the meal. It plugged the spot dead center and I went back to my room and laid down to sleep.
The bed was quite comfortable as I slept the sleep of the dead. I’m talking limbs splayed out, slack jawed sleep. After waking up, I got cleaned up and had the hotel’s deluxe continental breakfast which meant some hot items were available. I had a biscuit with some sausage gravy and a bowl of Frosted Flakes with a cup of orange juice to wash it down and was back on the road about 90 minutes later.
I enjoyed a very peaceful drive as I listened to the tunes of my MP3 player and wondered if Indiana had finally completed the construction which had bedeviled me several times over the years.
They had.
But it didn’t make much difference as traffic still slowed to a snail’s pace after I crossed over. However, as I only had to travel about 11 miles to reach my exit, the slower pace didn’t cause me any duress.
So it was that I found myself in Valparaiso, hometown of popcorn magnate, Orville Redenbacher. The town of Valparaiso is also nearby the Indiana Dunes for those who like the outdoors, Chicago for those seeking big city fun, and South Bend, IN if you’d like to visit Notre Dame.
Songbird Prairie, owned and operated by Barbara and Efrain Rivera, is nestled out on a wooded acreage just outside of Valparaiso. The large, red mansion is at the end of a long gravel road. I was met at the door by Barbara who gave me a tour of the home.
Luxurious is indeed the word to describe this inn as it not only boasts very fancy and comfortable rooms, but it also has a spa room and gift shop.
Barbara led me to the Robin Suite, the inn’s best room. This elegant room had a king-sized Ethan Allen bed, carpet so soft that my feet practically sank in the fibers, brownish-green walls with an outdoor mural of blue sky and clouds painted on the ceiling, a fireplace (only operable during colder months), and a huge bathroom which featured a chromotherapy Jacuzzi.
After getting settled, I headed off to services at St Elizabeth Ann Seton. Due to the size of the parking lot, I thought this would be a good sized church, but it was actually quite small. The service was quite energetic and you could see that Father was full of the Spirit as he talked about the glory of the Resurrection and even used the traditional Protestant greeting of “He is risen” and the congregation actually responded with “Indeed He is risen.”
St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church
After a vigorous service, I was ready for dinner and I decided to try the Industrial Revolution. This restaurant celebrates America’s technological advancements and each week a different pioneer is featured. This week, it was the man who brought Atari to America. For dinner, I decided to try the Garlic Parmesan Burger with a side of garlic potato wedges. The burger was actually quite tasty, but could have benefited from some more vegetables.
Industrial Revolution
The day started to catch up with me, so I went back to the inn to give the Jacuzzi a spin. This was a smart bathtub. A light goes on when the tub has reached the proper level of water. You can set the duration and intensity of the jets which are pinpoint and built into the walls of the tub. The tub even uses chromotherapy which means that the tub cycles through a series of colored lights to help bring you into a deeper state of relaxation. I stayed in the tub for nearly 45 minutes soaking up every joule of heat. From there, I crawled into bed and set a white noise machine to the sound of rainfall to fall into the blissful arms of slumber.
I awoke the next morning to see that real rain had actually fallen during the night. A light sprinkle was still falling, but it wouldn’t derail any of the day’s plans. But, first, I needed some breakfast.
Breakfast is held in the sun room which is miked so guests will be serenaded with the music of songbirds. Now I have had the privilege of enjoying some very fine dining in my travels, but this had to be the best presented meal I had ever had. Each course was a piece of artistry in how it was framed on the plate. The artistic description especially suited the first course as Barbara had carved watermelon into the shape of birds and served them with a cranberry scone.
The main entrée was French Toast souffle with sausage patties and the souffle was incredibly on point especially with the wonderful aftertaste of cinnamon. For dessert there was strawberry sorbet and beverages were orange juice and water served with lemon and a bit of mint, I believe.
I had a big day planned and got started immediately. I headed to the nearby town of St John to visit The Shrine of Christ’s Passion.
The Shrine of Christ’s Passion
The Shrine is a walking version of Christ’s Passion or The Stations of the Cross as they are known in Catholicism. Members of all branches of Christianity visit every year and it is a profound experience. If you’re a believer, you must experience this place. If you’re not, you just might become one after visiting.
The Shrine is absolutely free and survives solely on donations and sales from the gift shop. The gift shop is pretty impressive and has a wide variety of Christian gifts, literature, and a second floor where it’s Christmas year-round.
The walking area contains 40 life sized bronze statues that feature the Stations with a few extras such as the Agony in the Garden, the Last Supper, Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene after His Resurrection, the Ascension, and Moses on Mt Sinai. The detail of the statues is incredible, especially with the eyes which brilliantly communicate the emotions of the various moments. I was transformed as I walked the path and truly felt like I was watching my Savior walk the path of the cross.
I spent nearly 2 hours at the Shrine and bought a meditational called Jesus Today by Sarah Young on my way out.
I reflected on the experience as I drove back to Valparaiso where I would visit Zao Island.
The dragon of Zao Island
Zao Island is a little fun park that features batting cages, an arcade, laser tag, go-karts, a super slide, a small gator farm, and two mini-golf courses that USA Today called the most interesting in the country.
That last part is what really caught my attention. I wouldn’t normally play mini-golf by myself, but I wanted to experience this one given the newspaper’s statement. The course didn’t quite meet my standards. For me, the fun in mini-golf is gimmickry and challenging holes. While there were a few complex holes, they were pretty much straightforward putting greens and failed to scratch my itch. My own personal tastes aside, the park has more than enough to do for an afternoon of family fun.
I returned to the inn to begin a bit of writing and headed out to dinner at about 5:30.
I decided to try Yats Cajun Creole. This is a small eatery near Valparaiso University with a daily changing menu. I decided to have some gumbo and this time it truly was a stew as it was served on a plate. The stew part of the gumbo was tasty, but I would have preferred a little more of the stew and a little less rice.
From there, it was back to the inn for a quiet evening of writing and reading before another Jacuzzi bath and setting the white noise machine to waterfall to help put me out.
Breakfast the next morning consisted of water with lemon and mint, orange juice, a fruit cocktail of apples, kiwi, grapes, strawberries, and oranges, lemon poppy and banana nut muffins, bacon, herb baked potatoes, omelet stuffed with cheese, peppers, and ham, croissant, with a choice of several small cheesecakes for dessert. I had just enough room to sample the lemon cheesecake with edible butterfly.
And that, my friends, brings an end to the Golden Review. I will actually be slowing down the B & B portion of this blog for a bit to focus on some other things. I still fully intend to continue with an annual Christmas review, but other reviews will be sporadic for a little while.
But, if you find yourselves in the Valparaiso area, enjoy a bit of luxury at Songbird Prairie while you’re exploring. You may find it hard to tear yourself away after having a taste, both literal and metaphorical, of its elegance.
Until the next time. . .happy travels.
Chris' Corner 