Eureka! It's Springtime

This small north Arkansas town serves up ample seasonal flavor.

Scenic streets lined with gorgeous Victorian homes painted canary yellow, periwinkle, and cotton candy pink seem made for spring. They sit off the sidewalks in Eureka Springs like dolled up Easter eggs and open their, historic doors to travelers.

Bed-and-breakfasts abound on almost every corner of this tight-knit town. Alongside them sit dogwoods, redbuds, and many other luminous trees. You'll also discover a myriad of blossoms when visiting-and we're not just talking about the flowers.

"The entire historic loop is blanketed with daffodils," says Stan DuBois. His shop, Vintage Cargo, sits in this area along Kings Highway and announces the arrival of the season with antique furnishings and accessories for the home and garden. A Euro-vintage marketplace, the store carries Italian hand-thrown pottery, hand-crafted ironwork, outdoor accents, French-milled soaps, and laundry fragrances and sheet sprays from The Good Home Co. Scents such as dandelion, honeysuckle, and pure grass are popular this time of year.

Later, cultivate your fetish for flowers at Blue Spring Heritage Center. Located 5 ½ miles from town on U.S. 62, this Eden-like atmosphere encompasses 33 acres of fragrant blooms.

Formerly known as Eureka Springs Garden, the center was renamed in honor of its rich Indian heritage and the blue spring that bubbles up on the property. Thirty-eight million gallons of 54-degree water pump through the park and bring life to the buds that thrive here. Jonquils, tulips, azaleas, and rhododendrons carpet the area. (Note: The facility, closed for the winter, opens again on March 15.)

For some heritage via Tuscany, visit DeVito's Restaurant. Voted the city's best Italian eatery, DeVito's serves up authentic Italian pasta and entrees. Try the lemon trout with fresh-baked bread ($16). Its bold flavors add a little punch to your palate.

FARRAH AUSTIN

Vintage Cargo: 41 Kings Highway, Eureka Springs, AR 72632; (479) 253-5943 or www.vintagecargo.net. Blue Spring Heritage Center: 1537 County 210; (479) 253-9244 or www.bluespringheritage.com. DeVito's Restaurant: 5 Center Street; (479) 253-6807. For more information: Contact the Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-638-7352 or www.eurekaspringschamber.com.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Mar 2004
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