Basin Park Hotel Eureka Springs

Before the Grunion was born we used to do all kinds of dumb stuff like stay up late drinking beer and singing karaoke on the Hunkr Down PA in our kitchen (the neighbors loved it) and then wake up at the crack of noon and head to Eureka Springs for some mimosas on the balcony of the Basin Park Hotel.  We considered it "cultural" and I can't remember what it was like to be able to jump up out of bed with 6 hours of sleep, shower, drive 45 minutes, and begin drinking again.  Ah....the wonders of the energy of the young.  Usually the Bandit was involved.

I don't specifically remember if they had fries back then, but they have them now and that means it was on a few Sundays back.  The Grunion went with us on accounta he "had some things to speak to the tigers at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge about" and it was on the way so no big deal.

I should preface the review by letting you know that having a drink and some fries on the balcony of the Basin Park Hotel on a Sunday WITH a 6-year old is totally not like I remember it being sans 6-year old.  Mostly because questions.

GRUNION:  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?

GIBBY (haven't even sat down yet)  

GRUNION:  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?

GIBBY:  What?

GRUNION:  Do they have lemonade?

This went on the entire time we were there.

GRUNION:  Dad? Dad? Dad?

GIBBY:  Whaaaaat?

GRUNION: Did you know?  Did you know?  Did you know that tigers are really big?

I mean, it never stopped...

GRUNION:  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?

GIBBY:  Hmm?

GRUNION:  Are we gonna buy a toy at one of these stores?

It's important to understand that each question had at least five follow-up questions, BTW.

Eureka Springs is a must visit.  It's beautiful and "quirky" and full of artists and locals who hate you and hate that you think they're "quirky".  They don't let on too much that they hate you, but I know they do from inside sources who used to be residents (not Drew Van Winklestein).  Anyhoo there are cool shops, restaurants, and a few bars where weird stuff happens on the weekends.  The main drag has a New Orleans/Old West town vibe.

The Basin Park Hotel is kinda in the middle of everything so you can watch all the tourists bumble around buying crap. Let's see...ah yes....fries please.  Please note that due to excessive attention vampiring by the Grunion I failed to take a photo of the menu and thus have no idea what we paid for the fries.  Amy remembers them being about $5 though so I 'm going with that as a price.

The basket of fries we got was HUGE.  Seriously.  It was way bigger than the Grunion's head. 

Wait..is that Rusty sitting down there on the street?

NICE.

Skin-on, lightly battered, definitely frozen from a bag but high quality.  Hot, crispy, delicious.

All things considered, these "fries with a view" are a "must do". heh.

Only strike is this nonsense.  Boo.

There were so many fries that even with all three of us eating em this is what was left. We're such dainty bird eaters....

You should definitely eat the fries on the balcony of the Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs.  Just maybe do it without a kid. Incidentally, Amy ordered a mimosa and told the waiter to "hold the orange juice".  That's my girl.

GRUNION:  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?  Dad?

P.S.  On the way home we stopped at the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and the Grunion made me take a picture of him "looking scared" in front of this bear sign.  Not sure what he talked about with the tigers.