Mama Rita's - a rural Kansas find

Saturday was a bit of a whirlwind.  Both my husband and I had a long list of things we wanted to accomplish and we had had a busy and stressful week, so we were a little irritable.  We took off early in the morning to make a few stops on our way to watch my niece play basketball.  My brother is the coach of her team, my dad the scorekeeper and my mom is the number one fan.  We knew that we could see most of my family with one stop.

My niece's game happened to be in Osage City.  My family has a long history in this town.  My mom grew up here and my dad worked in the community for many, many years.  As a kid, my brother and I would spend time with our grandparents over the summer months.  Trips to the swimming pool on hot summer days and to the drug store for cherry phosphates were something I always enjoyed.

Even with all of this history, it is a rare occasion that I actually make it to Osage.  But, Saturday was the chance to reminisce and discover some new finds.

Market Street is the main street in town and there are some cute little places to eat and shop.  My new find is Mama Rita's.  The family that owns and operates the restaurant know my parents and have been in the community for generations.  After the game, my mom, my husband and I went to grab a bite to eat.

We had a great meal - homemade tortillas, generous portions, and great flavors.  The menu was really extensive and many of the dishes are named after the owners' family members.  The prices were phenominal! 

I also loved some of the decor, including the Day of the Dead table covering (shown above) and the lovely historic building.

Check out the pressed tin ceiling and the really cool wall color.

 While it has been ages since I have seen anyone from Mama Rita's family, I was recognized as my parent's daughter right away.  It feels really good to go "home" and to have such a warm reception.  Small town Kansas is the best.

Kansas adventures: Emporia

 My travels took me to Olpe, Kansas for work yesterday.  After an early morning drive that started with dense fog, I was treated to a beautiful sunrise.  It was one of those classic slow sunrises where it seems like mother nature has the sky on a dimmer switch.  It slowly became light and then the sun was up, as if by magic.  It was a blessing to drive out of the fog before reaching the Flint Hills with the road that winds and curves.

I was early enough to stop and grab a quick smoothie at The Granada Coffee Company.  This was a new stop for me and a delightful place.  The barista was super friendly and knew all of the locals by name.

My drive included seeing this historic bridge over the Cottonwood River on the south side of Emporia.  I learned later that the mini-water fall is over Soden's mill dam and the bridge is the 1923 Marsh Arch Bridge.

The Kansas history nerd in my loves this, especially with the fall foliage still hanging on and providing color in the background.

 Taking a moment to soak in the view and snap a couple of pictures was a great break.

 I cannot drive through Emporia and not stop at The Sweet Granada!  This gem serves up delicious chocolate treats in a beautiful building.

 The Pop-Choc came highly recommended by a high schooler in my presentation.  She works at the store and told me it was their best seller.  This is a delicious snack and may be at the top of my list.

 I loved this seasonal display!

 The Powercat treats were hard to resist and made me feel right at home.

 The case is full of every type of chocolate dipped confection you could imagine.  I picked up some of my husband's favorites - chocolate dipped graham crackers. 

Everything about this place is cute and the treats are delicious. I won't even talk about the fudge options - seasonal pumpkin pie.  Love.