Getaway Weekend Archives - Cindy Goes Beyond

December 13, 2021December 13, 2021

Culture Boutique Hotel A Unique Place to Stay in Springfield Missouri

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One of my yearly personal traditions, as I move toward my January birthday, is a solo getaway weekend. Going off by myself allows me to reflect on the past year and dream big for the upcoming one. Typically, I find a place to stay a short distance from home, so as not to use up time traveling. Last year, due to COVID, I stayed home and created a staycation in my room.

This year, through a series of synchronicities, the most amazing and fun place showed up, within 80 miles of home. Culture Boutique Hotel, a unique place to stay in Springfield Missouri, perfectly checked all my boxes and allowed me a weekend of restoration, planning, playing and exploring.

C-Street in Springfield

Springfield, Missouri lies 75 miles east of my hometown of Joplin, making it ideal for my getaway weekend. It’s an easy drive up I-44. This sprawling city of 167,000 offers many exciting events and experiences. However, I tend to visit smaller, more artsy towns for my getaways. I love to surround myself with charm, beauty or the out-of-the-ordinary as inspiration for planning a new year.

Culture Boutique Hotel sits at the corner of Benton Avenue and Commercial Street in Springfield, called C-Street by the locals. This six block historical section of the city is home to coffee shops, a variety of restaurants and charming small stores. It’s an oasis with a small town feel, in the midst of a big city. I’ll be sharing more about this lively community in an upcoming post.

The hotel’s location appealed to me. Although I spend most of my time in my accommodations during my getaway, C-Street offered opportunities to experience a Peruvian lunch, enjoy an afternoon tea and explore shops.

The biggest draw for me, however, was the hotel itself. The more I read about it, the stronger my desire became to spend the weekend there.

Culture Boutique Hotel

This unique hotel offers six themed suites for guests, in a 1880s two story building converted into accommodations, a café and a meeting room called the Fireside Gallery. Each suite is inspired by a city in Eurasia. The accommodations showcase furnishings and features made from reclaimed and repurposed materials from the original building. The rooms are spacious, exceptionally clean and comfortable, with a beautiful, minimalistic feel.

The suites are:

Jaipur, India
Pokhara, Nepal
Casablanca, Morocco
Istanbul, Turkey
St. Petersburg, Russia
Tallinn, Estonia

Each suite offers a kitchenette with mini fridge, Eurasia Coffee Co coffee, electric kettle and microwave, cable tv + wifi and king sized COMFY beds. Some suites also provide a whirlpool tub. All are decorated with art and décor from the cities whose name they bear.

Culture Boutique Hotel lobby — Culture Boutique Hotel – entrance and sitting area

Eurasia Coffee Co

The café, Eurasia Coffee Co is located on the first floor, while all of the suites are upstairs. This popular gathering spot serves Eurasia Coffee Co coffee and drinks. smoothies, bakery treats and breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. They have vegan options.

This casual café is ideal for grabbing a meal, working on the laptop while sipping a coffee or tea and carrying goodies up to the room to enjoy later.

I ate dinner here both nights and carried chia pudding, made with coconut milk and fresh berries, up to my room for breakfast each morning. I also snagged scones to enjoy with hot tea in my room.

Culture Boutique Hotel cafe — Eurasia Coffee Co – onsite café

Fireside Gallery Meeting Room

This multi-purpose space provides two meeting rooms, seating for up to 35 people and catering upon request. It is perfect for showers, business meetings, photoshoots and family gatherings.

This cozy space was in use all day Saturday, by at least two different groups. I snapped a phot Friday afternoon, right after I arrived.

Culture Boutique Hotel fireside gallery — Fireside Gallery

The Story Behind Culture Boutique Hotel

Justin Beiler founded Eurasia Coffee & Tea Co, initially selling products to local businesses and churches. He gave 10% of sales to support projects in Eurasia, including healthcare and education and causes that fight against modern slavery and poverty.

Justin met his wife, Karen, in 2013. Both were raised as missionary kids…Karen in Japan and Justin in Austria. Justin’s parents serve as area directors for Assemblies of God missionaries in the Eurasia region.

The two married in 2015 and opened the café the same year, in the building on Commercial Street that Justin purchased in 2011. The Frisco Opera House originally occupied the brick structure, built in 1882. The building changed ownership over the years, becoming a boarding house, a drug store and a mattress shop, among other things.

The Beilers wanted to make use of the building, in a unique way that honors their connection to the Eurasia region and highlights the social justice projects there. Culture Boutique Hotel is the wonderful result. Staying at the hotel is a cultural event indeed that promotes good in the world, as well as providing a comfortable and interesting experience.

Culture Boutique Hotel eurasia — Culture Boutique Hotel – such a fun view from the elevator, of a map of the Eurasia region. I smiled every time the elevator doors opened.

My Experience at Culture Boutique Hotel

I arrived by car on a Friday afternoon and left Sunday morning.

I stayed in the Tallinn, Estonia suite. On Saturday I chatted with Justin and got a peek into a couple of other rooms. He shared that the Tallinn suite occupies the space of the former opera stage. Standing together in the hallway, he painted a picture of what the building looked like then, with its wide staircase leading up to the opera house. Later, when the boarding house occupied the building, a kitchen and bathrooms for the boarders filled the space where my suite now exists. As a history buff, I like knowing those stories.

Tallinn is the largest suite, being at the back of the building. I felt charmed as soon as I opened the door. Truly, with its kitchenette, dining and living areas, huge bathroom with shower and jacuzzi tub and spacious bedroom, the suite feels more like an apartment. Large skylights in the living room and bedroom provide natural light. I loved the bright space. Art representing Estonia hung on the walls and repurposed wood finishes and furniture create an inviting, homey atmosphere.

My suite included a sofa with a chaise lounge at the end and a small electric fireplace. I spent most of my time in that spot! Hallmark Christmas movies played on the wall mounted tv as I worked on projects, wrote in my journal and dreamed dreams.

Plus I appreciated the kitchenette AND the café downstairs. Both made my stay perfect.

Culture Boutique Hotel suite — Tallinn Suite at Culture Boutique Hotel

Book Your Stay

I loved everything about my stay at Culture Boutique Hotel, located at 445 E. Commercial Street, Springfield. The weekend restored me, allowed me important downtime and a chance to experience new things, which is always a bonus for me.

Watch for my post next week on C-Street and fun things to do there.

Whether you are traveling through the area and want a unique place to stay…or live in the Springfield/Joplin/NW Arkansas area and desire a couples, solo or mother/daughter weekend, consider Culture Boutique Hotel! Cookie cutter hotel rooms are plentiful. Unique, historical places with heart and soul impart more than comfort. I felt supported and inspired, both creatively, physically and spiritually. I lay in bed each night, wondering about the people who lived and worked here, in the building and the community. The experience fired up my imagination, my curiosity and my compassion.

Are you looking for such a place? Check out Culture’s website HERE for details on reservations, rates and check in/check out times.

I’m looking forward to a return visit. I want to try a new suite, featuring a different city! Perhaps eventually, I experience all six.

On an Adventure — I love going on adventures!

My getaway weekend was one of my 64 Wild Things for My 64th Birthday activities. Read more HERE.

Click image to order this walking guidebook of Springfield MO

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January 15, 2018

A Parting Gift

The weather changed quickly, on my final day of the getaway weekend. Yesterday’s threat of snow became a reality overnight. I am extremely grateful that at the last minute, a decision was made for Greg to drop me off at my destination Friday, and pick me up today. Otherwise, I would have been stuck. The lake house I was staying in is at the bottom of a hill with a steep driveway. I would not have been able to navigate it today. Greg was able to park atop the hill and walk down.

Although the heavy wet snow created hazardous driving conditions, it was pretty to watch from the windows. While waiting for Greg to arrive, I spent my last morning packing up, writing and coloring.

This beautiful house, called Avalon Landing, was the perfect place for my personal retreat. It contained all that I needed, and delightful surprises, such as the fireplace. Curious, as I always am, I looked up the word Avalon. I associate it with the King Arthur legends. It is an island in that story. The name originates from an Old Welsh word meaning “fruit bearing”.

How perfect. This time away, unplugged, has borne much fruit in my life already. Here at Avalon, I gave my imagination freedom to play. Ideas were developed. Dreams fleshed out. Games played. Rest received. Long soaks in the tub enjoyed. Meditation practiced. I wrote. I read. I colored. My heart and soul expanded. I rewrote a part of my personal story and let go of an old story. More about some of these things later.

I received one more precious gift before I left.

Yesterday, as I engaged in an ongoing conversation with the Divine, I noticed paintings and photos and artwork that had significance for me. Songs played that connected to my life. The tv turned off on its own when a scene I didn’t want to see began to play. It was a magical day.

As I walked through the house, exploring every room, open to receiving messages, I also deliberately looked for one particular item…a feather. The feather quill is my symbol for this year. Finding a feather is a sign that spirit is near. I could not find a one anywhere…not as art, or on a book or magazine cover, nor could I find an actual feather. None were found. And I was okay with that. I let the idea go.

This morning, on my way to the kitchen, directly in my path on the floor, lay a feather…a real feather. I don’t know where it came from. There aren’t any down filled pillows or comforters in the house. I didn’t see it yesterday or last night. And yet here it was, placed where I could not miss it.

My heartbeat quickened as I picked it up and cradled it. I looked for a feather yesterday. This morning the Divine said, Here you go…

A brown feather symbolizes earthiness, and the comforts of home…coziness, safety, warmth and a sense of nurturing. Had I not experienced those very things here? That sweet little feather spoke so deeply to my heart.

I am heard. I am seen. I am loved.

What an amazing weekend. What an incredible parting gift.

January 14, 2018

Tell Me More

On my last full day at the lake house I am staying in, the overcast skies never cleared and the threat of snow loomed. The area I’m in just got a dusting, however, I only ventured outdoors to grab firewood for my cheerful fire.

If yesterday’s theme was self care, today’s was creative conversation.

I set logs ablaze in the fireplace this morning, and snuggled there to read and write. I have loved the fireplace, and I am grateful the house has one, especially since it wasn’t on my list of “must haves”. It was while I was reading in Brené Brown’s book, Braving the Wilderness, that the idea arose that would set the tone for the day.

In the chapter titled People are Hard to Hate Close Up. Move in. Brené includes an interview from Dr. Michelle Buck, professor of leadership at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She says that the best thing to say in a conversation, especially an uncomfortable one where we might be tempted to argue, defend or counter, is Tell me more. Tell me more causes us to listen, really listen, to the response so we can understand, even if we don’t agree.

I was captivated by tell me more. I intend to incorporate that phrase into my conversations more often. However, for today, on a retreat alone, I decided to play a game with the Divine. I was in creative mode already. I was open to inspiration.

I am always engaged in an ongoing conversation with the Divine. I receive signs, wonders, and synchronicities throughout the course of my day, all nudges, guidance and love notes from El-le (my name for God). But what about when I am, by choice, house bound? I wanted to play anyway.

Tell me more, I spoke aloud. Tell me more…about who I am and about this magical journey I am on.

The first thing that happened was that my awareness came up, and I noticed things about the house that I have not noticed until today…and it is my third day here! Near the fireplace, which has been my favorite hangout, there are a series of black and white photos. The top and bottom prints caught my attention especially. The canoe on the river was my symbol for 2016. It represented surrender. I imagined taking my oar out of the water (relinquishing control) and surrendering to the flow of life. What a powerful year that was. The top picture is one of an oar raised out of the water. Wow. How had I not seen that before?

I had appreciated a huge painting of a tree in the living room. While it has not been a symbol for me yet, the tree has significance for me. But I had not seen at all the painting hanging over the bed in the room I am sleeping in. It is of dandelions, gone to seed. They represent wishes, to me. Amazing, as I have been focusing on the desires, or wishes, of my heart while I have been here. Also in the same bedroom is a Life is beautiful framed art piece.

Every time I noticed something, I whispered Tell me more.

This afternoon, things got interesting. I used sticky notes and pieces of paper to flesh out ideas and thoughts around the five areas in my life that are experiencing shifts. I brought the tell me more idea into this creative exercise as well. I would say aloud, tell me more and then write my thoughts quickly, without over thinking or editing. I did this over and over, as an exercise for myself, and also as a way to get Divine input on what I was doing.

It was an insightful way to get beneath my first responses and go deeper. Here is where things took an intriguing turn. I brought my phone into my work area and opened my playlist. I selected shuffle, and walked away from the phone.

The Divine often speaks to me through songs. I play a game I call Spirit Songs, and ask for guidance. Today, as the first “random” song began to play, I simply said, tell me more. I have more than 400 songs on my phone, an eclectic mix of soundtracks and rock, classical and Christmas, meditation music and single songs that I have purchased because they spoke to me. I pick a song every year to go along with my theme. Those are on my phone as well.

I was doing my creative work, and humming along, when one of those songs began to play, a theme song from several years ago. I had forgotten about it. I paused to listen. And then another theme song played…and another. That caused me to tune in to what was going on. I had my phone on shuffle. The selection was random. No way should those particular songs have played one after another. Unless…

El-le had my attention. Each song that played had a strong connection to one of my previous years, or to an event or person that had a connection to me. It was my life, represented by a playlist of meaningful songs. This one made me smile. This one, from my Year of Surrender, gave me goosebumps. The next one made me get up and dance around in joy. Tell me more, I kept whispering, and the songs kept coming, until tears finally filled my eyes.

I was having a conversation with the Divine. I felt loved. I felt understood. I felt seen. I felt heard. I felt safe.

I felt a bit freaked out…when I returned to writing, and the words I wrote were being sung, on the next song, at the exact same moment. That happened several times.

It has been a magical day, indeed. There has been conversation, if I had the ears to hear it and the awareness to grasp it. The words tell me more will forever have a deeper meaning for me now.

Our last bit of conversation occurred a short time ago. I turned on the tv in the bedroom, as I prepared to write this blog post. The movie Braveheart was on. I love the movie, about the Scottish hero William Wallace. And yet, parts of it are very difficult for me to watch. I was looking down when I realized the end of the movie was coming. I don’t like to watch this part, I said out loud. I looked down…and realized the tv had gone silent. When I looked back up, the television had turned itself off. Blank screen. No picture or sound.

I was surprised, and then I laughed. I checked the tv by turning it on again quickly and back off. It worked fine.

Well okay then. Let’s not watch that.

Tell me more…I am listening.

January 13, 2018

Wrapped in Love

This has been such a joyful and restorative day. Every action I have taken has had one purpose…to practice deep self care. I have, quite literally, wrapped myself in love.

Here are pictorial highlights of my day.

I brought in all my own food. Everything is organic, healthy, and easily prepared. Being able to cook for myself is at the core of my self care, and the reason I wanted a full kitchen on site for this personal retreat. Breakfast was simple…sliced bananas and cara cara oranges, and a cup of hot Scottish breakfast tea with a splash of unsweetened almond coconut milk.

The gorgeous kitchen I have been preparing meals in today.

And below, the equally gorgeous view out the dining room windows and sliding door.

I spent the morning reading, writing and thinking, sitting wherever I felt drawn to sit. This oversized chair made a comfy writing spot.

Lunch was a light and refreshing orange, green olive and avocado salad, a recipe I picked up from Anthony William. It was so delicious! The flavors complemented each other marvelously.

I kept being pulled to the windows, overlooking the lake. I stepped outside a couple of times, but with a high in the 20s today, it seemed too cold to linger. Nevertheless, on one of my wanderings outside, I brushed ice out of a rocker. Perhaps tomorrow, I thought.

As I was reading this afternoon, the clouds cleared away and the sun shone brightly. It didn’t raise the temps, but I could no longer resist. I pulled on my warm boots and grabbed my soft, wooly blanket and headed out onto the deck. The rocking chair was ice free and sitting full in the sun.

The sunlight danced on the water and filtered through the tree branches to bathe my face. I closed my eyes and sun gazed, and colors then danced on my eyelids.

This is me. Unplugged. No make up. Wrapped in love. The air was so cold that it made my nose tingle to inhale. However, the fresh frostiness was invigorating. And the blanket kept me warm.

After a time of meditating and writing in front of a crackling fire, which felt especially good after sitting outside, I prepared another recipe of Anthony’s for dinner. Aloo Matar, an Indian dish, is such a fragrant and comforting meal. It contains homey potatoes, onions and peas in a mild tomato based curry.

I have been excited all day about preparing this recipe for the first time. I was not disappointed. It was excellent! I am even more excited that I have enough left over for tomorrow night’s dinner.

Day two of my weekend getaway is winding down. I’ll sip on a cup of hot turmeric milk soon, while I relax in the soaking tub. And then perhaps I will color for a while. However I choose to end the day, it will be absolutely perfect.

Tag: Getaway Weekend