I've enjoyed my vacation week, taking road trips- I ventured to Berea, Ky on Friday. This is part of a road trip series for my regular website. I thought it was so cool that when The Boone Tavern opens back up after renovation in May, they will be the 1st "green" hotel in Kentucky. They are owned by Berea College and the college has an ecovillage which operates entirely by natural resources. The hotel buys alot of their fruits and vegetables locally, and even supplies their leftover grease for a man whom has a car that is run by grease. They don't serve alcohol, keeping its small-town charm, they would like to keep things just the way it all. The pictures are below:


This is Maria, who was my server. She was very nice and friendly. The Chocolate Spoon Bread is her favorite dessert- and is now on my Top Ten List.

Pictured here are the Executive Chef Jeffrey Newman, graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in New York, and the Sous Chef, Rebel,- both have worked at The Marriott Griffin Gate Resort.


This is the main course, and one of the dishes that The Boone Tavern is known for, and a wonderful dish- "Chicken Flakes in a Bird's Nest", developed by the late Innkeeper, Richard Hougen, is a dish of juicy chicken and a light cream, crafted into a bird's nest of golden-brown, crisp noodles that sits atop a mountain of mashed potatoes A serving of fresh cranberries in sauce accents the tasty dish.
I had a house salad before the main dish- an ocean of tossed local salads and spots of fresh cherry tomatoes. The homemade orange-marmalade dressing that I chose is the house dressing, and is well worth a try.



This was the, "to die for", Chocolate Spoon Bread, served with drizzling fruit and chocolate syrups, and topped with fresh whipped cream and freshly sliced strawberries.


The Tavern is known for its Spoon Bread- a sweet, creamy cornbread that is served with a side of fresh butter and honey. Pictured here is KOJO, whom is from Ghana, where I will be spending Christmas in 2008- I plan to visit his family while taping there. He is in school at Berea. 85-90% of the workers are students, according to Emily, Front Desk Manager of The Tavern. She was once a student at the college, and says that Berea is unique in that you can't go there if you have alot of money, and, if you are one of the lucky ones to brace the reowned college's doors, you don't pay tuition, well, at least directly, you don't, for you have to work your way through. Like when my aunt and grandma worked their way through the, "old nursing schools" in America years before my time, you have to work every week, either on campus, or at one of the college-owned areas, like Boone Tavern or the local college bookstore. "All students are required to work ten to fifteen hours a week, and the collge matches what they earn", informed manager, Emily, as she showed me around the hotel.
"We are very reasonable on our rates, which range, depending on the season, from $109.00 to $124.00 a night. We have repreat guests- guests who have been coming here since they were children." Therefore, I found it was no shock that the Executive Chef had fond memories of visiting the tavern when we was three-years-old. And the Sous Chef has family down the street, so it was like a homecoming for him to be transferred from the hustle-bustle of city life back to Berea. Both of these chefs have been here for about six months- I can't wait to see all the changes...and the intact traditions that both bring to the Inn in years to come. To find out for yourself, or if you are looking for a reasonable place to stay in the Bluegrass State, visit www.boonetavernhotel.com

Today has been a cold day. I'm on vacation- spent most of the day at home and at the library, where my cookbooks and novels are available for patrons. Going on another day trip tomorrow.

I went to Nicholasville today for a day trip- had a flat tire( well almost-it had been low since I rented the car)- kept putting air in it, now it was lower, so I got a new one.

This was the nice cashiers and the manager at Dairy Queen- where I got a chicken strip basket. They had the Ten Commandments posted which I thought was AWESOME!



This is the cafe at the Nicholasville Public Library. The cashier worked ar Barnes & Nobles when I used to go there to sign stock. Her boyfriend's mother has been featured in Oprah magazine.

I had to visit the guys to pay my respects at the fire station in Nicholasville- I am taking them cookbooks and they are going to cook some of my recipes. I'm also returning to visit them when we film pilots next summer for mny travel show. The firemen are FF. P.McCrystal and LT. B. Rivel.




I met these two soldiers at S&S Tire where I got my tire replaced. The man on the left was a chaplain and has spent time in Germany. He is now Pastor at Brookside Baptist Church- his name is Dewayne Brewer. His wife works at the library. The soldier one the left is Andy Smith- he is visiting family in Nicholasville for Christmas.



This is the nice man whom got my tire fixed at S&S Tire. He was extremely nice- he sent someone to the warehouse to get my tire. Meantime, I ventured to finish my travel on the spare tire.




This is Lori at Enterprise, where I have my corporate account. She is always so nice.



This is the owner and the cashier at a grocery store in Keene, in Nicholasville. I always buy Cadbury chocolate bars there, from England. They have a wonderful deli too.

Fidlar Doubleday does my books for me, under my label. I am placing an order for my Amish cookbook Friday and will have books by the 7th. I sure have missed seeing the nice ladies at the post office- now I will be there alot when I am not touring. I met 2 ladies today that like Amish books- they were going to go to my website to buy my cookbook- I hope they like the recipes- the friendship bread is my top one.

I'm so tired of traveling that I'm getting car sick alot. I took motion-sickness medicine, but I think my body is so used to it now- anyone know of any other remedies for car sickness? I had the window to the limo down, so I think the fumes got me- we were in traffic.

I'm going to Sweden on tour next year- has anyone been there? What should I expect? I am going to a book festival to give a cooking show and sign copies of my cookbook, as well as my new novel. Joe Mehl, director of my security team is going to send a team there before I arrive, so I'm not too worried about safety. I already get fanmail form there, so know some folks whom will be at the festival.

Here are some beautiful pictures from Belterra Casino & Resort- I love going there and watching tv in the gold-trimmed hottub. They have the freshest strawberries.





This was in the lobby near the Aquarium Cafe- a couple wanted to take a picture of me in the sled- There was a sign that said not to touch the sled, so I didn't- they were trying to cheer me on to sit in it anyway.

OK- I'm trying to read in my spare time, as its a good break from writing my current novel I'm working on. I was home sick part of the day, so rested and read. I read a book where a lady is talking about people being so caught up into buying things that they forget about God, family and free time-what really matters. I agree- I LOVE the Amish and Mennonites because when I am there visiting, its just a totally different atmosphere- lots of fellowship, food, and everyone sits and chats. Its hard to find that in communities today.

Today has been really busy- I'm doing laundry and am writing on my next novel. Its about a young Amish girl, Rebekka Miller: Here's the back cover:

Rebekka Miller is smarter than the average teenager, excelling at her school and singing soprano at church, she even leads a yearly mission trip to Honduras. When "new" Amish maid, Lucy Smith, shows up unexpectedly in the close-knit Amish community of Clay County, Lucy has a plan, one to teach this lady about the joy that gratitude brings in living a slow, rural life, for this young maiden hasn't really left her city upbringing.
Rebekka just knows that the Honduras trip will "rock" the English world. However, God has His own plan and his plan is anything but the one that Lucy has, for their is trouble brewing in Honduras...a trouble that will rock the Amish world in a big way.

Sometimes its when we are still that God hears our hidden SOS call and comes along for the ride. Sometimes the good guy wins even when he is sinking.

As most know, I'm planning my 2008 tour- well, Clancy, my publicist is actually doing it. I wanted to meet as many folks from the blog as I could while traveling. We are looking for cool towns to visit. Any suggestions? February we will be in South Carolina at the book festival where I will also be a celebrity shopper for Dress For Success. I am sponsoring a fashion show there too, in the spring. Anyone in that area, please come out to support the cause. I will be in Chicago in February. I will be attending the tribute to Meryl Streep at the Lincoln Cnenter in April, and Hawaii is last in May ( and vacation time!)

I've been planning my 2008 tour today after work. I'm going to get to perform in Hawaii on the cooking stage- its close to my birthday, so I'll be staying in Hawaii 2 weeks- one week vacation and a one-week book tour. I talked with one of my security guys tonight- Joe, he is real nice- I will have several full-time bodyguards that will rotate once the show starts taping. We will be taping way before we are even on the air- thats how show business works. I love merchandising too though- the stores were mad today. I'm eating turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, greenbeans and cranberries for supper- Drew is having McDonalds because he doesn't like turkey that much. I walked 2 miles today, so I'm saving $2.00.

Total: $2.00

OK, I know that Jesus is why we all celebrate Christmas, and I'm so glad that He died for me, but I'm still sad that daddy's gone until Jesus comes again. I really miss him- I was making my Christmas list out, and I put his name on it too- I am getting a hanging basket and a nice tombstone for his grave. I'm so sad that I jsut really want to hug him one more time- I know its normal, but its still hard with the holidays.

I'm sooooooooo tired of the paparazzi! I could scream. I almost hydroplaned coming home from Lexington, and they were chasing me. I did ourrun them though. I lost them in Versailles- they zoomed straight after I had already turned onto the connector. Why on earth do these men risk their lifes and others to get pics? They can't be making enough in Canada to risk it.