Under the Melonlight

I often refer to the charming town of Eureka Springs as a ‘storybook town.’ It’s as if you opened the pages of a fairytale or children’s book, and there’s Eureka carved out of the rolling green hillsides with Victorian homes neatly seated along limestone bluffs. Lakes and rivers abound, natural springs present an air of healing; it’s a place where the word ‘magic’ is never lost.

But Eureka Springs can also be viewed as a haunted storybook with creepy dark mansions and ghosts in the walls. It’s known to attract those interested in the spooky and unusual. With a reputation for paranormal activity, the town is no stranger to the claims of people who’ve had spiritual and otherworldly experiences. 

Here are 6 Spooky Attractions in Eureka Springs that we love to be afraid of!

They may not all be haunted, but they will definitely taunt your imagination, and while they’re all worth more than their admission price, a few...

Imagine there are three doors placed right in front of you.

Really there’s probably like three thousand doors, but for the sake of simplicity, let’s call it three. 

The doors are plain, metal, boring. But each of them is labeled in a solid large black font. One says FOOD, one says SEX and the last says DANCE. Those words mean something to all of us, but what’s actually behind each door depends on who you are. 

For instance, what’s behind the food door on Wednesday afternoon with my kids (likely grilled cheese sandwiches) is very different from when I walk through that same door on a Friday night date with my husband (sushi I hope.) 

Now let’s turn the heat up a little bit.

You walk through the door marked sex. Are you walking through together or alone? Because that’ll make a difference. As will your mood, the time of day, maybe even what previously happened behind the food door. It all depends on you, but undoubtedly there is an...

Hey there brides and grooms, you just got engaged - congrats! And now your head is spinning with delight and overwhelm. There's so much involved in planning a wedding. We get it, to us weddings are one big theater production with costumes, lighting, hair and makeup, a delicately timed 'performance' of your "I Do's", your grand entrance, your first dance, the cake cutting, oh my! 

That's why hiring the right vendors as soon as you select your date will help to make sure your big show is a five star event! At the Melonlight Ballroom - our downtown, historic venue in Eureka Springs, Arkansas - we actually produce amazing shows for the stage, but we also co-produce amazing weddings, like yours! So we know which moving parts and pieces are a must to make your wedding an incredible show. So here they are...

5 Wedding Vendors You Shouldn't Skip

1. Band or DJ

Yes, I know this is one of the places couples often love to trim the budget, I get it! But here's what you should consider. A...

I know, I just used the word ‘perfect’ and ‘2020’ in one phrase, and you’re thinking ‘has she lost it?’ And the answer is YES! But that’s because my darling babies are craaaaazy! #lovethemso

There are some graces hidden in a year of unexpected, unprecedented chaos, and one of those graces is this fantastic idea I had that I’ll be implementing this gift-giving season.

Short story. I, like so many of you home-bound bodies, cleaned and organized every square inch of my home this year. As a family, we got rid of lots of stuff. But as a family, we just keep accumulating more. My inner being tends toward minimalism, my American ego, however, tends toward Amazon. Just being honest. So I decided, in an effort to keep the closets uncluttered, and in effect, add far more enrichment to the gift receiving experience, as a family, we will be giving gifts that take up time, not space. 

I’m talking about gifts that define a unique or...

So my husband and I are bringing back date night. How’s yours been? Or do you not have one? Or are all of your nights so steamy, dreamy, and romantic that you don’t need one? Sorry, just curious. 

I don’t know about you, but we need date night. Quick update. Raymond and I have been home a lot since March #2020. In that time we had a new baby to join our darling and wily dinosaur toddler. (Seriously he calls me ‘Mommy Dinosaur’ - it’s adorable, and fitting because he’s actually a dinosaur.) Also my mom has been staying with us off and on throughout the summer. And we’re transitioning our business online. Did I mention we’ve been home a lot?

It’s good though. I’m actually quite a home-body and enjoy the spaciousness we have in the Ozark forest. But I say again, we need date night. And I know that a lot of couples need date night too. I also think a lot of couples need some inspiration, and honestly, to up their...

Connection - a word with many meanings, but I’m not talking wifi baby! The word connection is super close to mine and my husband’s hearts, and to a myriad of couples who have studied with us over the years. Let me define it first, then I’ll tell you why it’s so important.

Connection is the silent, subtle, and non-verbal language of lead and follow.

Yes, we mean connection as it relates to the world of partnership dance. Now if you’re not a natural dance enthusiast don’t stop here, because most of our couples aren’t either, yet they’re the ones who benefit the most from experiencing connection in their relationships, both on and off the dance floor. And most couples don’t even realize they’re missing an entire form of communication that can deepen and strengthen their relationships. 

After all, dancing in the arms of the one you love is really about feeling all the feels, honoring the tradition of romance, and...

So I want to talk about momentum. This is such a buzz word for a dancer/yogi like me, but also for the personal development nerd in me too. Here's what's great though - and why I have any business talking about momentum - how we use momentum on the dance floor is the same way we use momentum in real life.

Like, how do we activate the momentum we're craving after months of quarantine? After extra "quarantinis" (i.e. my mom's margarita recipe made more often than normal)? After extra quarantini pounds or new baby weight in my case? How do we figure out what our new normal is in the midst of all this abnormality? And how do we motivate ourselves into action in our abnormal new normal?*

*Terrible expression, but I think it works in 2020, right? ;)

Well, as a dancer and a yogi, I have a habit of seeing the world through the lens of momentum. And ya know what? It works out. It works out because of:

• fractals
• because the great big universe likes to follow the same rules over and over...