12/19/2023 0 Comments Apple jacks thornton![]() ![]() The room consists of a bedroom and bathroom separated by a small foyer. For the next 120 years, the house was owned by a Thornton before passing into the hands of Frank.įrank led me to the Grand Room which would be my headquarters for the next few nights. John H Thornton who, with his son, John W, became known as “the best medical team this side of the Mayo Clinic” and practiced out of the mansion. Eventually the house passed into the hands of Dr. Thornton House is an Italianate Victorian mansion built by Alexander McMichael, a grain shipping magnate, in 1873 during a boom period in the local lumber industry. I found the inn, parked my car, and rang the bell and was greeted by Frank who gave me a socially distant welcome and gave me a little history of the house. The town reminded me of a much smaller version of Eureka Springs, AR due to its incredibly hilly nature. I arrived in Lansing, a port town on the Mississippi River and also at the base of Mt Hosmer. As I came closer to Lansing, I was stunned by the sudden transformation of the landscape into a valley as the hills grew in size and were covered by a lush forest. It was a beautiful day for a drive and it seemed to go rather quickly due to the increased concentration needed to get to Lansing as one must navigate a series of back roads to reach the town. I also invoked one of my benefits as a Gold Elite member and took a late checkout of 12:30pm so I could just check right into Thornton House when I arrived in Lansing. I had a “bowl” of Apple Jacks and a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich along with some OJ while I watched the news. The hotel did offer a breakfast consisting of cereal, pastries, and breakfast sandwiches served cafeteria style. A nice soft king sized bed was the centerpiece of the room and led to a full night’s sleep for the first time in a while. My room was quite comfortable and spacious, but seems to be following the trend of suites being really big rooms instead of multiple rooms. As such I automatically earned 300 points as a gift just for staying and I was warmly welcomed to the hotel with a sign in the lobby. My stay in Mason City was my first night as a Gold Elite member. Thanks to various promotions which have boosted my points and tier score, I have earned enough points for a couple of free nights, achieved Gold Elite status, and am 2 stays away from reaching Platinum status (a status that normally requires 40 nights to earn, but a special promotion is letting me do it in 5). With my travel bug neutralized for most of the past 6 months, I have been taking an occasional night to myself at a Holiday Inn. IHG owns a number of hotels, most prominently Holiday Inn, and that loyalty program has already paid dividends. Shortly after returning home, I also joined the IHG loyalty program. ![]() I enjoyed the scenic drive to Lansing, eschewing the interstate as much as I could and making a brief stop in my hometown of Fort Dodge to grab a quick bite to eat at Taco Tico before continuing to my stopping point of Mason City where I had a suite reserved at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites.įor my regular readers, you might remember that when I traveled to Scotland last year, I joined the Hilton Honors program in order to check into my first hotel sooner. ![]() I was badly in need of some downtime and a little research found me the relatively unaffected by COVID county of Allamakee in which lies the town of Lansing which is home to Thornton House Bed & Breakfast owned and operated by Frank Ebersold. How good it feels to say those words again. I am excited for the next chapter in my career, and to be returning to family & friends in the Central FL market, but will always look back on this time with positivity and fondness as it has been a great place to work.Today the road has brought me to Lansing, IA. I have enjoyed working alongside so many great individuals during this time, with special thanks to those who have played such a pivotal role in my development along the way, Donald Dooley Christopher Speca Mark Adcock Denise Ipsen Melissa Palencia Derek Landre Leslie Swanson Some of my proudest achievements during this time have been – 2016 Best of the Best Operations Director award, 2018 Orlando Employee of the Year award, 2021 Best of the Best Local Leasing Performance award, and above all, developing rapport with some of the best personalities & mentors in the industry. Being part of SPG’s success, from helping to manage one of the Country’s leading Outlet Shopping destinations in Orlando FL to establishing the organizations newest asset in Denver CO, is something I will always feel very proud to have been a part of. ![]() I would like to express my true gratitude for all of the support and opportunity the business, and it’s numerous standout leaders, have given me during this time. Today officially marks my final day with Simon Property Group after spending 7+ years with the industry leader. ![]()
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