7 Stars Family Restaurant in Hampton

In late October, we stopped at the 7 Stars Family Restaurant in Hampton, Iowa for a family dinner after setting up for the train show.  The restaurant had a pleasant environment, and the waitresses were very nice and provided excellent service.

I ordered grilled chicken, which came with a potato and a choice of soup or salad with a roll.  If I recall correctly, you could also choose from a variety of ways to have your potato fixed.  I chose mashed potatoes with gravy, and salad.  I would have preferred a slightly larger portion size, but the whole meal only cost $6.95.  Everything was very good.  Afterward, I tried their pecan pie with ice cream ($3.25).

2016 Model Train Show in Hampton - Part 2

One person we were surprised to see at the model train show in Hampton was Helen, who was there with her husband Ed Shecklman.  They own Sidetrack Hobby in Iowa Falls, but we only knew Helen as our faithful supplier of running shoes!  She works at Shoe Sensation, which we frequent.

Ed and Helen Shecklman

You can visit their website at www.sidetrackhobby.net and their Facebook page here.  They have a wide variety of products.  The bridges looked neat, but the cornfield kits really caught me eye.  I'm sure some farmers would wish their cornfields could be as easily installed!

2016 Model Train Show in Hampton - Part 1

My paternal grandparents have been vendors at model train shows for years, though of late they've narrowed it down to two shows a year.  In 2014, they recruited my sister and I to help at our first show--in Hampton--where I ended up coming home with a pan full of left-over cinnamon rolls (delicious)!  Last year, I only joined in at Dubuque.  So, after a two-year hiatus, I was excited to be back at the Hampton show again.  

The whole family started everything off on Saturday evening setting everything up.  Then we went out for dinner together at a nearby restaurant.  Grandma helped with the set-up, but didn't feel strong enough to spend the whole next day at the show.  Sunday morning, Grandpa, my sisters, and I got an early start at about 5:30 A.M.

Franklin County Courthouse

In late July, Yai and I visited the Franklin County Courthouse in Hampton, Iowa before meeting with my friend and fellow-blogger Nela at Plaza Veracruz.  Franklin County was formed in 1851, organized in 1855, and named for Benjamin Franklin.  The city of Hampton was originally called Benjamin, but was renamed since there was, apparently, another city named Benjamin in the state at the time.

The Hampton courthouse features Romanesque Revival architecture, and is one of the most beautiful courthouses I've visited so far.  Completed in 1891, it cost $60,000 to construct.  

Meetup at Plaza Veracruz

Nela Holmes, who blogs at Beloved Star, and I have been friends for the past six years.  Occasionally we meet up to chat and review a restaurant.  Recently, when I asked her out, she recommended the Plaza Veracruz in Hampton, Iowa as a great place for some authentic Mexican food!

When we arrived shortly before 5:00, we were apparently the first customers to show up for dinner.  A lady showed my grandma (Yai) and I to a table, and brought us menus, water, chips, and salsa.  Nela soon joined us.

Model Train Show in Hampton: Part 2

A highlight of the Hampton show was the Iowa Central Modular Railroad.  Six people created and own various pieces of the set. The members meet, assemble the t-track, and operate it for the pleasure of viewers.  During the winter, the track is displayed at the mall in Marshalltown.

The trains are N gauge.  The cliffs (below) are made of styrofoam.  The elevator silos are pvc pipe.  The static grass was created with the help of electric fly swatters, and the campfire--which miniature people sit around while watching a baseball game--is made from 2 LED lightbulbs.

Model Train Show in Hampton: Part 1

Last Sunday, my grandparents, sister, and I stopped at Hardy's for a quick breakfast and then headed to Hampton, Iowa for the North Central Iowa Railroad Club's 4th Annual Model Train Show and Sale.  We had set up our tables and hung Grandma's art  the evening before and had minimal set-up work to do before the sale opened.

We brought along some lawn chairs for comfortable seating, and Grandma and I enjoyed delicious cinnamon rolls from the kitchen beside us.  One lady bought several cards to create a display in her kitchen.  A retired navy man bought a print of a mallard, and a few other prints were purchased while I was at the North Central Iowa Model Railroad.

North Central Iowa Model Railroad

The past weekend found my sister and I in Hampton, Iowa with our grandparents for a railroad arts and crafts show (more details in a future post).

In the afternoon when sales were slow, Grandpa, Charity, and I walked down to the old Rock Island Depot.  In the basement, the North Central Iowa Model Railroad Club has an impressive model layout.  I am unsure of their hours, but with the railroad show in progress, admission was free.