435 South Magazine / February 2012 / Eureka!

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Eureka!

The intersection of charming Victorian kitsch and a sophisticated getaway is something they do in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, very well.

Driving into the quaint Ozarks mountain burg on a ribbon of highway at dusk, I’m secretly pleased that the gas gauge is content at morethan a quarter full (or is that three-quarters empty?). The car swoops around one of the many twisty bends in the road that affords a new slice of natural beauty marked by either a scrolly gingerbread house in disrepair or a lovely, painstakingly restored stone cottage, modern fixtures gracing its exterior. My travel companion and I volley back and forth a child’s game of I Spy.

“I spy something with my little eye beginning with S.”
“Swing.”
“No.”
“Spa.”
“No.”
“Steep stone steps.”
“Yes.”
“I spy something with my little eye beginning with W.”
“Winding street.”
“No.”
“Wellness store.”
“No.”
“Wine bar.”
“Yes.”

I maneuver the car into a cramped parking space on Eureka’s Main Street, The Stone House a half-block in front of us. Stepping along the uneven brick (and achingly old) sidewalk to the wine bar, passing by one of the town’s many curio shops, we climb the stairs to an outdoor patio—as sophisticated and well-appointed as any I’ve seen in Chicago neighborhood bistros—and then enter the compact and beautifully restored 1800s building. Some friends had crowed about this place on their last visit to Eureka Springs, and it’s first on the itinerary as I officially begin a three-day holiday.

Diminutive in scale, the two-story wine bar gleams with rustic, honey-colored wood, exposed stone walls, an artsy wrought-iron staircase and a handcrafted bar illuminated by ambient lighting. Renovated in 2010, the intimate setting is filled with a smattering of locals and tourists enjoying inventive culinary plates, glasses of wine and beer and live acoustical guitar music (tonight it’s Jerry Yester, a member of the iconic Lovin’ Spoonful who lives in nearby Harrison, playing familiar tunes with that unmistakable voice). I had cruised The Stone House’s Facebook page in preparation for the trip, and was intrigued by the album of photos that chronicled the building’s restoration.

Our Stone House experience doesn’t disappoint. We settle into comfy, distressed leather chairs on the second floor and order The Cosmopolitan cheese plate, which arrives artfully styled and brimming with interesting edibles. A Grafton Classic Reserve Cheddar, Foume d’ Ambert French Bleu, Argentine Reggianito and Holland Mill Uruguda are paired with salami, tapenade, an aged balsamic reduction, fruit, local wildflower honey and fresh, crusty bread. My partner sips on a microbrew, and we’re both content to relax, soak in the atmosphere and exhale.

After all, that’s what makes a getaway a pleasure. Room to breathe. A clock slowing to let the seconds linger rather than slip through the hourglass.

Head on down the highway

Reliable weekend getaways are essential to a traveler’s carefully culled repertoire. Places that are easily accessible—three to four hours, tops—by car, have pleasant surroundings, a good vibe, and memorable lodging, dining and shopping. Sandwiched between the Kings River and Beaver Lake in northwest Arkansas, Eureka Springs has been one of those easy jaunts for me since I moved to Overland Park some 20 years ago. A tank’s drive (with some to spare) from Johnson County to the outskirts of the quaint Ozarks town, Eureka is a many-layered destination. Take what you want and leave the rest—but indeed the mountain village’s patina of Victorian charm also offers sophisticated amenities.

Eureka Springs still has the Ozarks country music shows, heart-shaped bathtubs for honeymooners, countrified bed-and-breakfasts and myriad souvenir stores, but the scenic town has a delightful flipside worthy of exploring.

Mingled in with the traditional Victorian aesthetic is a treasure trove of updated European-styling accommodations like Peabody House, an 1883 structure that offers well-appointed cottages and streets overlooking Main Street, and home décor finds in a Euro-vintage marketplace at Vintage Cargo. Good eats are a given at Local Flavor Café and Ermilio’s, two restaurants where the permanent resident-tourist quotient is in favor of the former—usually an indicator of some excellent chef skills. 

Relax, restore, rejuvenate

The Dashwood Bedchamber at innkeeper Faryl Kaye’s Peabody House—our getaway headquarters—emulates cozy elegance. A featherbed, luxurious linens, fireplace, plenty of cushy seating, wet bar and refrigerator and massive bathroom are hallmarks of the suite. Warm, friendly and a fountain of knowledge about Eureka Springs, the petite and worldly Kaye (who was a firefighter in Olathe at one time) knows what she’s doing. There are plenty of thoughtful perks, a satisfying continental breakfast delivered to the room nightly (muffins, scones, a thick slice of quiche to reheat) and attention to detail everywhere, including the common area on the first floor of the main house, which is a delightful respite to crack open one of the hundreds of books she has on hand or enjoy a cup of tea.

Eureka Getaway The Stone House Wine, beer, culinary plates and convivial atmosphere. eurekastonehouse.com Peabody House Beautifully appointed European-style accommodations. eurekaspringspeabody.com Vintage Cargo Comb through this urban-suave store for dinnerware, furniture, candles, lamps and home accessories. vintagecargo.net Local Flavor Café Ask for a window table to watch the Main Street action passing by. Order up anything—it’s well-executed, fresh and creative cuisine. localflavorcafe.net Ermilio’s Italian Home Cooking No reservations are taken at this award-winning, quaint Italian restaurant in a chicly restored Victorian home. The place is in high demand with locals, so come early, grab a seat in the bar and munch on the Gorgonzola Bread Rounds while you wait for a table. ermilios.com Mud Street Café Located in what locals dub “underground Eureka,” this delightful restaurant housed in an 1888 building serves hearty breakfasts and lunches—all from scratch. Order a latte and a muffin to go for a walk-around-town, or sit down for a bowl of soup, salad, wrap or sandwich. mudstreetcafe.com Gryphon’s Roost Day Spa & Gallery A combination tasteful pampering palace and art gallery, Gryphon’s knows massage and relaxation. gryphonsroost.com Pea Ridge National Military Park This fascinating 4,300-acre park is where one of the most pivotal battles of the Civil War took place on March 7 and 8, 1862. Start your immersion into history in the Pea Ridge Visitor’s Center where you’ll find a theater, bookstore and museum. Outside there are opportunities to enjoy nature, wildlife and forest with hiking trails, a tour road and a horse trail. pea-ridge-ar.com

We walk the town after sustenance at the Local Flavor, climbing the steep streets, poking our heads in at the Basin Park Hotel, buying a bag of old-fashioned saltwater taffy at Sweet’s Fudge Kitchen, picking up a stunning pen set at the Paper Odyssey. The colorful businesses, restaurants and bars that are tucked away on alpine-steep inclines, down jaw-dropping steps, in between historic springs and taverns, are mesmerizing. We purchase several bottles of the wildflower honey we sampled on last night’s Stone House cheese plate at Fain’s Herbacy on Main Street and sip a latte-to-go from Mud Street Café, a fabulous secret-garden type of place, cloistered on the lower level of a well-aged building.Within walking distance are The Stone House—during our three-day stay we racked up the frequent visitor miles here—and Local Flavor Café where the house-made food is worthy of its enthusiastic recommendation by Kaye. Chef-owned and operated by sixth generation native Britt Evans, the menu is eclectic and creative. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch are served, along with wine and a full bar. I decide, after one bite, that the pecan pie with a shortbread crust is my new addiction.

It’s time for a pre-arranged massage at Gryphon’s Roost, a well-designed spa that also shows art from local and regional talent. My 90-minute warm stone therapy proves to do the trick: I’m unknotted from everyday life and in the perfect frame of mind for some serious shopping at Vintage Cargo.

Jeff Chapman and Stan DuBois, proprietors of the store they bill as a Euro-Vintage Marketplace, share their urbane taste in a finely curated inventory of bath, body and home accessories, furniture, tabletop design and eclectic and exquisite objects d’art. Turns out these talented guys also did the interior of The Stone House…now I’m connecting the dots. The hospitable duo owns a home that is in the throes of restoration on the outskirts of Eureka Springs, and by their description of the process, it is destined to be a showplace. I pick up some candles, a bench that fits perfectly in the back of the car, and more advice on what to do and where to go.
“Ermilio’s,” they say simultaneously, echoing Kaye’s seal of approval on the Italian bistro followed by some cautioning advice. “But go early.”

The rest of our leisurely getaway is spent nibbling on terrific food at Ermilio’s, discovering colorful Civil War history down the road at Pea Ridge National Military Park and walking through gentle glens and valleys in Buffalo River and hiking the bluffs above picturesque Beaver Lake. We retire early to the Dashwood Chamber, plumping into the bed, reading, snoozing, listening to the silence.

Sublimely satisfied, sated and serene, we begrudgingly check out of Peabody House on the third day, giving Kaye a hug—she’s one of those people you swear you’ve met before and happily connected with—and drive out of Eureka Springs. Johnson County is right down the road where routines and obligations await. But right now, as the seconds still languidly march through the hour, we have time for one last game of I Spy.

“I spy something with my little eye beginning with R.”
“Return visit.”
“That’s good enough for me.”