Hidden Gems: Marion Walkway of Lights

Christmas time is here once again! And, amazingly, Marion, Indiana is also known as Christmas City, USA! Don't believe me? Check out the Marion Walkway of Lights for proof!

Stretching over three miles beginning (or ending) at Matter Park, the Walkway of Lights will transport you to a wintery wonderland of professional light displays! Walk the trails with a cup of hot cocoa in hand or observe from the comfort of your vehicle for an evening of Christmas cheer with good friends. The walkway is open every night from 6 to 10 until New Years Eve.

Have fun!

Hidden Gems: Potters House and Tree of Life

In the Indiana town of Marion,
Although very small,
A magical land exists,
To be visited in the fall.

A land of gourmet chocolates,
Ice-cream, books, and coffee.
Colorful handmade treasures,
beg you to come shopping!

This wonderful world exists
Just behind a common door,
Hidden in plain sight,
Under the guise of a store.

Just a stones throw from campus,
If you hit Walmart you've gone too far,
The Potter's House/Tree of Life awaits,
So what are you waiting for?!

Each time I set foot inside the Potters House before meandering next door to Tree of Life, I'm reminded of the shop's magical qualities. The store sells a variety of trinkets and gifts, most of which are Fair Trade items crafted and sold by people in Third World countries to earn a living. Therefore with each purchase, you are helping someone in need! The Potter's House also donates 10% of all profits from Fair Trade purchases to St. Martin's Center, which provides food for the hungry in Marion!

Along with Fair Trade treasures, The Potter's House also sells two of my favorite things: gourmet chocolate and ice-cream!

A wonderland indeed!

After buying a brand new scarf and a pumpkin turtle to munch on (see above. Looks delicious.), head next door to the Tree of Life Bookstore to find a good read and a cup of coffee. Selling a huge variety of Christian books, bibles, music, and gift items, Tree of Life boasts of a chill atmosphere to browse or study. 

While McConn and even Starbucks are usually crowded and can be expensive if you're craving something fancy, Tree of Life has plenty of space to hit the books and good prices on drinks. 

Music to my eyeballs and taste buds! 

Address: 3700 S. Western Ave.

Have fun!

Hidden Gems: The Unorganized Bookstore

I love hotels. As a temporary home in an unfamiliar city, a hotel offers the tantalizing opportunity to explore. Hotels whisper an invitation to wander the hallways to find something amazing. 

The Unorganized Bookstore in Marion is like a hotel left unexplored. Many have seen it, driven past it 200 times. What lies within, however, concealed from the hum of routine, is a curious haven waiting to be noticed.

The humble abode serves as the hotel for hundreds of sleeping volumes, waiting to be wakened. The selection is vast; comic books and cook books, dictionaries and mysteries, travel guides and words of the wise. Children's books, magazines, CD's, and DVD's also have a place in the tiny shop. Each bears suitcase, filled with the contents of its past. 

Each book once belonged to someone, during some year, somewhere. It could have been bought with leftover lunch money, stolen from a store shelf, unreturned to a library, borrowed over and over leaving ownership unknown. The pages prompted delight or boredom, the stories cherished or discarded. But every book shares one common experience: The Unorganized Bookstore to call a temporary home, a place for some R and R before joining a new owner's life. 

When I walk into the store, a Hotel for Sleepy Pages, I don't see a tiny building full of used books. I see history, I see possibility, and I see prized possessions just waiting to be found.

My last trip to the Unorganized Bookstore yielded some amazing finds! Two books about the love of my life (the city of San Francisco), two National Geographic magazines circa 1957, and a CD composed of sixty minutes of the sounds of Hawaiian surf. All for a mere $8 (hardbacks and media are $2, paperbacks $1) Best day ever.

Address: 3602 S. Washington St.

Enjoy your adventure! 

Hidden Gems: Payne's

Hidden down a random street off exit 59 in Gas City lies a tiny building that boasts of excellent food and eccentric atmosphere. Just a mere 15 minute drive from campus, Paynes is a favorite of both IWU and Taylor students looking for a good cup of coffee, a delicious meal, or a spot to fellowship or study.

The menu at Payne’s, found in a vintage book upon your arrival, is extensive! Breakfast is served at any time of day, as well as a range of grilled cheese and soup combinations, sandwiches, salads, coffee, and ice-cream sundaes.

In my opinion, the best Payne’s has to offer is their “Famous Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.” The sandwich is served “floating” in the soup! Use your spoon to pull off pieces to eat with the tomato soup for an explosion of comfort food deliciousness.

Address:

4925 Kaybee Dr  Gas City, IN 46933 Have fun!