Enthusiasts enjoy the best of both worlds
When Pam and Roger Hanson of Wichita, KS, were looking for a unique experience that included fun and great food, they packed up the car and came straight to Cedar Rapids.
“Friends of ours live in Swisher, Iowa. On a recent visit to Wichita, they raved about a Staycation they had done earlier,” Pam said. “We have eaten at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center when visiting them, but never had the opportunity to stay in one of the lovely rooms. A Staycation sounded like the perfect opportunity to do so and they promised to let us know when the next one was announced. When they did, we called immediately to make our reservation.”
The Hansons, along with other foodie couples, enjoyed the Made in Iowa Staycation event at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center this summer.
“During the times we visited The Hotel with our friends, we fell in love with the location, décor, staff and food. Once they shared their experience at a Staycation, we were hooked and knew we HAD to attend one ourselves,” Pam said.
The Made in Iowa Staycation focused on the bounty found locally in Iowa. Guests had a behind-the-scenes look at how The Hotel cooperates with academic departments on Kirkwood Community College’s campus to grow and harvest ultra fresh produce for the restaurant.
After checking into their room, the Hansons met the other couples in The Hotel’s teaching kitchen and were greeted by the evening’s chef instructors. They traveled to the Kirkwood vineyards, toured the grapevines and winery, and tasted several varietals of Kirkwood wine.
With smiles on their faces, they walked to the Chef’s Garden, managed jointly by The Hotel and Kirkwood horticulture staff. The group harvested ingredients for dinner, then returned to the kitchen where several prep areas were supplied with various items needed to make that particular course of the meal.
The Hansons’ assignment was one of the salads, which included kale, spinach, fresh strawberries, halved spiced peaches, and ricotta cheese blend with zest of lemon. Once assembled, it was to be drizzled with a honey and vinegar dressing, also made from scratch.
Once everything was washed, dried, torn, chopped, sliced, drained and blended, they were ready to try their hand at “plating” the salad. “After a couple of missteps, we were working smoothly as a team and to our surprise, it was lovely and tasty,” Pam said. “We were advised to ‘be artistic and have fun’ in our presentation, which was more challenging than one might think!”
After a quick break, everyone was seated on The Patio while the chefs grilled the entrée. As each course was presented, an accompanying wine was announced and poured.
“Each new course brought a sense of pride from the couple that shared in its creation,” Pam explained. “We praised, thanked and questioned each other about their experiences throughout the meal.”
At the conclusion, completely satiated, the couples headed to the small theater area for popcorn and drinks. Goodies in hand, they settled into one of several loveseats arranged throughout the room and enjoyed the food-themed movie “Julie and Julia.”
“Finally it was time to retire,” Pam recounted. “A sleek, contemporary theme runs throughout the lobby and dining area and continues in the rooms.From the comfy sectional sofa to the marble clad bathroom, our room was beautiful. Everything is well thought out and many extras were provided – including robes – to make our stay comfortable, relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable.
“And, as if all this was not enough, we enjoyed a complimentary full breakfast the next morning! Our server greeted us with fresh hot coffee in hand and a smile on her face. The food, as usual, was prepared exactly as requested and not a bite was left, even though we were bursting at the seams,” Pam continued.
The Hansons said they truly enjoyed being able to share in the entire process, from touring the winery and picking their own vegetables, to actually preparing one of the multiple courses they were served, and these experiences made the Staycation a most unique experience.
“Working together as a couple in the kitchen was new to us,” Pam said. “It was quite a learning experience for both of us and turned out to be fun AND delicious!”
While the term “staycation” wasn’t perfectly applicable to the Hansons’ adventure, they see the Cedar Rapids area as a home away from home and intend to come back for more staycation fun.
“The Hotel at Kirkwood’s Staycations are a unique and affordable opportunity to have a culinary experience, enjoy lovely wines, meet new people and spend time with good friends,” Pam said. “The Hotel at Kirkwood holds a special place in our heart. For us, the experience is well worth the drive!”