candy & ice cream...doesn't get any better

Stop #2:  Wilton Candy Kitchen - Wilton, IA
I have to say that that this was one of my favorite stops of the weekend...but for what other reason, ICE CREAM!  Actually there were many great things about the stop...
history, great personality, nostalgia, ice cream and
chocolate malted milk balls. 

We got to meet the owner, George Nopoulos...talk about a character! Witty and charming. Watching him effortlessly whip up the sundaes and malts was quite amazing. He told us stories about famous visitors such as Gregory Peck & Brooke Shields and we got the chance to visit with the locals as well. 

 Vintage clock...gotta love it.

The Wilton Candy Kitchen is the oldest ongoing ice cream parlor and fountain shop in the country. Wilton, Iowa has a precious treasure...

Christmas Journey 2011

For each of the past 5 or so years, my mom, my aunt, and I have taken a long weekend Christmas trip.  We've been up to Minneapolis a couple times, to Galena once...but this year we decided to trek across our own state of Iowa.

This weekend, we visited many a shop along our way from Cedar Falls to Davenport and back. I was able to capture many memories with the new camera and I plan to blog about them over the next week or so.

Stop #1:   Sisters' Garden and Bloom - Kalona, IA

The first stop on our journey was Sisters' Garden and Bloom.  This place is extraordinary. They have the perfect mix of old and new and their Christmas decor was so charming!  I had a nice conversation with the gals at the shop about the "junk" community and how we were so

excited to see it grow here in Iowa.

 

 They had had snow the night before...made for pretty pictures!

Speaking of pretty pictures...my mom and my Aunt Patty

Fabulous entry door decor!

 Vintage Christmas...one of my weaknesses...

 

 They had this gorgeous glass house built on the grounds...

made from architectural salvage.

I'll take one of those, please!

This stop was fantastic!  It's well worth the trip to Kalona...

you should make it some time.

Stay tuned for our next stop...

a 150 year old ice cream and candy shop.

We'll talk soon...Jen