There is nothing like finding that awesome friend that you really connect with. My friend Katie is that friend. Not only do we work together but our home lives are nearly mirror images of the other's. Work, family, kids, and life as a chef wife. We understand the crazy schedules and cranky behavior and other oddities that our other friends don't get. Makes for some fun conversations, lots of cheerleading and venting and best of all- sharing adventures. On a recent Saturday we decided to hit the road for a short road trip and set our sites on Pella, Iowa. Less than an hour away it was a great drive, beautiful weather and not jam packed with tourists like during Pella's Tulip Time celebration. We didn't exactly have the town o ourselves but it wasn't so bad.
Arriving in Pella we already knew a couple of stops on our agenda- the bakeries, but before that we wanted to visit a few other shops and stroll around. The first place we visited was an antique shop right on the square. Like the usual antique shop it was packed with memories. Different items caught our eyes- Katie was drawn to antique jewelry and unique toys, vintage coffee cups and dishes, while I was awestruck by an old gas stove, old canning jars galore, and dishes and cookbooks.
After the antique shop we hit a Hallmark store. I hadn't been in a Hallmark store in decades! Here I grabbed a few candles and a set of small dishes. Cute and best of all- on clearance. A little walking and window shopping and we were thinking about lunch. The Windmill Cafe looked like a great place to stop so we headed in. It was a nice small town place, with a varied menu. We both chose a gyro- strange choice in a Dutch town but it was so delicious. They had the best fries I've had in forever.
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| Patryk is the cutest lunch date in the world! |
With lunch out of the way, we got down to business- the bakeries. Pella has two incredible bakeries with a huge assortment of delicious baked goods to tempt you. We were tempted- and we succumbed. Cookies, macaroons, cakes, coffee cake, handmade bread, we each bought a fun assortment of goodies.
Snuggled in between the bakeries is the Ulrich Meat Market- the place to go for genuine Pella Bologna. Like an old time butcher shop you can get all sorts of great meat items here. We also wandered around a cute little coffee shop/store hoping not to spend too much money.
Driving around Pella is also a treat, so many beautiful buildings and gardens, even when it's not tulip season, the town is quaint and friendly. We will definitely be making the trip again.
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