(MAKANDA, ILLINOIS) — If it’s one thing I love, it’s log cabins. My family and I have stayed in log cabins ever since I can remember. Always in Colorado, though. Their rustic vibe joined with the rustic outdoors, it’s a spiritual experience. I’ve seen the Milky Way sitting outside of a log cabin before. I’veContinue reading “Hartline Hill Cabin | Where nature meets luxury”
Author Archives: mattsheehanofficial
8 things to do when visiting Southern Illinois
(MAKANDA, ILLINOIS) — Let’s be honest. There are two major things people think of when they think of Illinois. They both start with the letter C. 1: Chicago 2: Corn fields I’m a Midwesterner through and through. I grew up in St. Louis, lived my college years in Springfield, MO – and have been inContinue reading “8 things to do when visiting Southern Illinois”
Life Updates: New House and Baby on the Way
(PEORIA, ILLINOIS) — Tonight was the first time I’ve ever seen the Northern Lights in person. And I was in Peoria, Illinois! Who would have thought. It seems that this year more opportunities have come up for us Midwesterners to get a glimpse of the aurora borealis, whether it be just a sliver or theContinue reading “Life Updates: New House and Baby on the Way”
Wander to Walsenburg | Southern Colorado mountain town
(WALSENBURG, CO.) — There’s something special about southern Colorado. Maybe it’s the 10 degree drop from Colorado Springs or Denver, the slowness of life, or the beauty of the outdoors. Maybe it’s all of the above? Whatever it is, there’s a magnetic connection deep down in the spirit of southern Colorado, and it keeps myContinue reading “Wander to Walsenburg | Southern Colorado mountain town”
Enjoy Estes Park: Where to eat/drink, stay & play!
(ESTES PARK, CO) — It was basically four years to the day since I had been in one of my favorite places in the United States. Estes Park, Colorado. The Colorado mountain town was the beginning of an August 2024 family trip, etching more fond memories in a town we visited multiple times growing up.Continue reading “Enjoy Estes Park: Where to eat/drink, stay & play!”
Wine Review | Scout & Cellar
(DALLAS, TEXAS) — I’ve enjoyed a decent amount of wine over the years. I started out as a sweet tooth. Moscatos, fruit wines, you name it. And while the flavor was always plentiful, the sugar always gave me a headache if I had more than one glass. Luckily, my palate has changed, and now IContinue reading “Wine Review | Scout & Cellar”
Travel Inspired to Pinemark Inn
(ST. CLAIR, MO.) — Have you ever seen billboards that say “DOES BILLBOARD ADVERTISING WORK? IT JUST DID” or something similar? Well rewind about six months ago, when my wife, son and I were on our way to Springfield, Missouri. We were driving down I-44, an interstate I’ve traversed a thousand times during my timeContinue reading “Travel Inspired to Pinemark Inn”
BBQ blog in Sarasota, Florida: Brick’s Smoked Meats!
(SARASOTA, FL.) — In the span of just a few minutes, I gained two new “favorites” just like that! 1: BBQ brisket 2: Fried okra On our recent trip to beautiful Sarasota, Florida, I came across Brick’s Smoked Meats on Main Street. Located right downtown, Brick’s aesthetic is modern Western, with a beautiful indoor diningContinue reading “BBQ blog in Sarasota, Florida: Brick’s Smoked Meats!”
Missouri Wine Tour: The Cave Vineyard
(STE. GENEVIEVE, MO) — If anyone tells you Missouri is completely flat, don’t listen to them. Home to The Ozarks, the southern half of Missouri provies to have beautiful views, back road drives, and be the perfect place for wine country. Missouri is sometimes called the “Napa Valley of the Midwest,” and there’s a reasonContinue reading “Missouri Wine Tour: The Cave Vineyard”
Sunny Sarasota: Beautiful beaches, city life, and food options
(SARASOTA, FL.) — In 2020, I was at a crossroads in my career. In the span of two months, I interviewed for TV anchor and reporter jobs at stations from the Northern U.S., to the Midwest, to sunny Sarasota, Florida. Let’s go back even another 2 years, to spring 2018. I was a senior inContinue reading “Sunny Sarasota: Beautiful beaches, city life, and food options”
Matt Sheehan Official 