Cabin in the City

Books, cats and midwestern charm.

Adventure

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Lazy Saturday: Nieman Orchards

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Our Fall + Funvember list is coming along pretty well. We checked off scary movies, a dinner party and Wine + Harvest Fest, and we’re working on Twin Peaks right now. But you know a good fall checklist isn’t any good without some standards, namely apple picking. So this past Saturday, Michael and I headed out to Nieman Orchards in Cedarburg.

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We’ve picked at Nieman’s something like five times now – it’s definitely in tradition territory. Every year is the same song and dance: ultra nice people, tons of apples, giant pumpkins and the best apple cider – they make it right there and leave out all that processing that takes out that fall flavor. Seriously, it’s good stuff (and it’s also on our list).

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And this time around, it truly was a lazy Saturday: got up, putzed around, went to the orchard, got home and changed into jammies for a few episodes of the aforementioned Twin Peaks. Essentially, it was the best kind of day.

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You know what the real kicker was for Saturday? What made it just about perfect? Annual Garfield photos. Michael and I used to love us some Garfield, and this little cutout just kills us.

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Fall + Funvember List [+ Printable]

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It’s mid-September now, which means you can’t throw a pumpkin spice latte without hitting someone saying, “I just love fall.” And you can count me in on that. I’m a big fan myself for all the basic reasons you’d expect: boots, flannel, apple cider, etc.

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To maximize on everything fall has to offer, Michael and I compile a bucket list for the season, but we’d never call it that. It’s the official Fall + Funvember List. Yeah. Funvember. This started the first year we dated; November happened to be full of fun stuff – Michael’s birthday, Thanksgiving, a handful of concerts – so we dubbed it Funvember. You can tell we’re both writers, eh?

We’ve been keeping up with this tradition for going on five years now. Every year we have our standards, like pumpkin carving and apple picking, along with a few unique items. Last year it was a surprise Spoon concert (thanks to a ticket giveaway from 88.9 Radio Milwaukee). Now, I know that most of you won’t be going to the Wisconsin Dells Deer Park or to Cedarburg’s Wine + Harvest Fest, but I figured I’d share our list anyways.

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And if you want a more general (but still fun and worthwhile!) version of my list, just click here to download. Happy fall! 🙂

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Hey There, Hayward

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Hey, ladies and gents! I’m finally back from my northwoods vacation. I will say it feels pretty good to be back at home with Michael and the cats, but I’ll also say that I do miss the weirdness of northern Wisconsin already. So with that in mind I thought I’d show you a few of my favorite stops on our day trip to Hayward.

OK, out-of-towners, get ready for a lesson in northern Wisconsin quirk. Hayward is way way up there. It’s the biggest town for miles and therefore the place to be. I’ll be honest, there’s not much to it (the whole town has about 2,000 people after all), but I love it nonetheless. So here’s a rundown of my three favorite locales just in case anyone is looking. 🙂

Moccasin Bar

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I’ll start with the stop closest to my heart in the weirdest way: the Moccasin Bar. You can’t miss this place. Besides being right off the main drag, it’s also a glorious eyesore. I mean that with great affection (I have wall-to-wall green shag carpeting after all). The place stands out with its mint green siding and musky sign. If I’m a sucker for anything, it’s a massive pop of color and vintage Wisconsin.

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OK, I’m also a sucker for a good old fashioned. The Moccasin bar doesn’t have good old fashioneds, though – they have great ones. I don’t know what the bartender did to my standard brandy sweet, but it was incredible. Heavy on the bitters, this cocktail went down easy – I could have sat there all day.

Ben Franklin

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I’ve got a real soft spot for Ben Franklin stores. For starters, I’m a crafter. Beyond that, though, my first job was at my hometown’s successor to Ben Franklin – Banner Crafts – and because of that, I’ll always love these sorts of local craft stores. Hayward’s compact store is a real treat with a pretty incredible fabric selection. There are aisles jam-packed with some adorable quilting cotton and flannel. It’s no Mood (for you Project Runway fans), but the selection is actually pretty impressive. I grabbed a little tipi fabric because I couldn’t help myself. I’m thinking one day I’ll make it into some pillowcases or maybe a little tote. Who knows – I’m still sitting on a cut of 60s-inspired fabric from my trip last year that I said was going to be a kitchen curtain.

Tremblay’s

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I’m pretty sure I saved the best for last. Tremblay’s Sweet Shop, or as my family calls it: Taffy Town, is the highlight of our trip. My family has been going up north to the Hayward area for 15+ years now, and after all this time Tremblay’s is still a highlight for us all. Every year it’s the same song and dance with us: we file in, my Aunt Mary hands us all a basket, we load up on taffy in every flavor you could ever want (even though my favorites are the ultra-basic chocolate and mint).

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But beyond a great selection of taffy, Tremblay’s has gummies galore, kid candy abound and some damn good chocolately treats. This year I grabbed some sea salt caramels and chocolate covered Oreos for me and handful of chocolate-nut combos for Michael. Oh – and peanut butter fudge. I saw a slab of it sitting on the counter by the register and had to ask what it was because OMG it looked incredible. Because the girl at the counter was very kind (or an excellent salesperson) she let me try it, and because I’m a sucker I took home a half pound then and there.

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This mini list doesn’t even cover all the awesome and weird and weirdly awesome things Hayward has to offer, but it’s a little start if you’re bumming around. If you need a few more ideas, I’d recommend West’s Dairy for a scoop of ice cream (they were closed by the time we got there this year – bummer), the Fishing Hall of Fame if you’re into having your picture taking in a giant musky mouth and Outdoor Ventures if you’re in need of outdoorsy things and like having nice people help you.

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Remember the Library?

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I’m off to the northwoods soon for my family’s annual girls only vacation. We’re way the hell up in northern Wisconsin with nothing to do but sit by the pool, paddle out on the lake, shake some dice and read. And boy do we read.

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Every year I treat myself to a book shopping spree where I buy enough books to last me all week long and plus a few spares just in case. Favorites from last year were The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes and The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell. Let’s just say I made some good choices.

This year I planned to do the same: head to my local bookshop, grab an armful and enjoy. This didn’t go according to plan. After an unsuccessful trip to a small bookstore nearby, I ended up at ye olde Barnes & Noble just frumped. At $15 a pop I couldn’t afford to buy a half dozen books. I know there will be some great ones, but I also know that some will simply be a good time and some might be pretty meh. So I was standing there debating if some historical fiction about Marshall Field would be worth the price when I thought – duh – does the library have this? Is this too weird a title? So I looked that baby up, and it was available. And so was the next one about an obituary writer and another about a haunted house! Who knew the library would have every odd title I wanted? Everyone. Everyone else knew that, but I still have this mindset where I’m 10 at the Saukville library and they never have the Dear America book I want.

But not anymore! Thank you, Milwaukee Public Library.

Here’s everything I picked up (excluding the Lana del Rey albums that I find catchy and problematic all at once):

  • The Dark Between by Sonia Gensler – yes, I know this is YA, but what’s vacation for if not easy reading about the spiritualist movement?
  • Dollface by Renée Rosen
  • The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb
  • The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
  • The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro
  • The Vanishing by Wendy Webb
  • What the Lady Wants by Renée Rosen

So that’s it! I’m off for a bit. I won’t be reading them all, but a girl has to have options. Maybe if there are some standouts I’ll write you all a little recommendation. In the meantime, go buy The Shining Girls. It was so good and all your friends will want to read it too. My copy is still making the rounds.

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The Greatest Thing: Supper Clubs

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Let’s get this out in the open: I love supper clubs. Ever since I’ve been a kid, I’ve loved them. There’s something to be said about weird mid-century vibes, wood paneling and more kiddie cocktails than you can handle.

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But let’s back up for a second, because chances are that non-Midwesterners are a little lost here. Supper clubs are really just a specific type of restaurant that you’re likely to find in small towns and tourist spots. They’ve got a pretty limited menu – we’re talking prime rib, steaks, a Friday fish fry and maybe a lazy Susan of crudites. There’s also a standard roster of supper club drinks which are all my favorites: the brandy old fashioned sweet, Grasshoppers and Brandy Alexanders.

When Michael and I found out we were going to Door County for our honeymoon, I immediately declared that we had to go to the Greenwood. The Greenwood was one of my favorite places growing up. The French fried chicken was to die for and the kiddie cocktails always came with extra cherries. That’s what I’m talking about.

The first night of the ol’ honeymoon we donned our finest vacation garb and headed up to Fish Creek. I hadn’t been in a dozen years and I was desperately hoping it was as I remembered. And to my great pleasure, not a thing had changed. Murals of Door County landmarks still graced the walls, the tables engraved with maple leaf designs were still shining and it was just as dimly lit as I remembered – sheer supper club perfection.

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Because we are Wisconsinites through and through, we ordered brandy old fashioneds and followed our dinner up with Grasshoppers at the bar. And either because we are very adorable, the only people at the bar or the youngest people in the joint by 25 years, we got our picture posted on their Facebook page. Day maker for sure.

Now I know I haven’t done the topic justice, so I recommend Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience for those of you that know and love these places just as I do.

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Door County Days

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If you grew up in Wisconsin (or Illinois I suppose), chances are you’ve been to Door County. It’s just a vacation staple in these parts, and I spent many a summer in Ephraim sightseeing and eating all the candy I could get my hands on. That being said, I haven’t been up to the peninsula in ages and was starting to miss its maritime charm.

Lucky for me and Michael, my Aunt Debby and close family friend Jean swooped in with just about the best wedding gift a couple of lovebirds could ask for: a honeymoon trip up to Door County. I’m telling you it was just the ticket.

I can’t begin to tell you about the must-see sights and must-eat eats, but I’ll fill you in on a few.

Let’s start with our home base for this whole affair: Sturgeon Bay. Growing up, I only saw Sturgeon Bay as we passed through it, thinking it wasn’t really that Door County compared to the rest of the peninsula. Well, I was a fool because Sturgeon Bay is great.

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Our home for the trip was The Foxglove Inn. This place! How can I tell you how great it is? I can’t because its charm is beyond words, truly the stuff of dreams.

This little inn had it all. Beautiful rooms filled with the most opulent but comfortable accommodations, and the most lovely, thoughtful owners. They have the greatest eye for detail and I can’t tell you how much I love that. And did I mention they deliver a beautiful and and totally delicious breakfast every morning? Because they do, and it is to die for.

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Michael and I were also fortunate enough to catch the tail end of Steel Bridge Song Fest, a music festival led by the owners of the Holiday Music Motel, which is so cool in its own right. Michael and I stayed their for a short weekend years ago and that place is killer – but that’s another can of worms. We stopped by for a few tunes and loved it.

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But enough about Sturgeon Bay and its many charms. Onward and upward into the peninsula! On our full day, Michael and I decided to hike Peninsula State Park – or at least a small part of it. The park is giant and is filled with trails, a lighthouse, lookout points, beaches, a fire tower and so so much more.

Growing up, I had a real thing for lighthouses; I read everything I could about the Great Lakes variety and all the potential ghost stores that went with them. When I met Michael, I found out that he also had an interest in lighthouses (although not with the strange specificity), and we bonded – talk about a love connection. To get to the point, when we came up to Door County, we knew we had to get some lighthouse sightseeing in, and Eagle Bluff (which is inside the park) was the perfect place to start.

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There are ten other lighthouses scattered across Door County. We knew we couldn’t fit all of them in (or at least the ones open to the public), so I decided to get the most bang for our buck and drove Michael up to the very tip of the peninsula where I knew we could spot a two from the ferry dock at Gills Rock: Plum Island and Pilot Island Lighthouses.

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The one way off in the distance is Pilot Island, and it’s creepy as hell. It used to be called Porte des Morts – yeah that’s right “death’s door.” The passage between the point of the peninsula and Washington Island is known as Death’s Door because it was historically difficult to navigate and was home to many a shipwreck. That’s one thing, but naming a lighthouse and island after death is even creepier to me. I like to imagine this place is haunted. It’s not hard to do with the dead trees and ominous old light out there.

But enough about that for now. I’ll add in a few lighthearted stops. First, a total Door County standard: Wilson’s. This 1950s ice cream parlor scoops cones high and dishes full. I’m not one to bail on my ice cream, but I couldn’t do it, boys and girls. I couldn’t make it to the bottom of my cone for the surprise jelly bean at the bottom. I’m a little embarrassed.

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I saved the best stop for last, though. It was pure serendipity that we came across my favorite childhood stop, a shop that was hardly ever open, but when it was – oh when it was! – it was home to all things cat. That’s right, the one and only Kitty Korner.

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I won’t lie to you – we spent a good amount on cat toys and catnip here. And that smile is 100 percent sincere.

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The Best Place

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Wedding planning is hard, you guys. And it’s especially hard when you have less than five months to do it. I mean holy cats is it a headache. Guest lists, invitations, dresses and caterers – just ugh. Like did you even know that with some caterers the flatware and china is an added cost? Or that dresses take something like eight months to be ordered? I’m convinced it’s all a beautiful lacy racket.

Fortunately, though, picking a venue was a piece of cake: a total one and done situation. Michael and I will be getting married at the Best Place. Seriously the Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, and it is awesome.

Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery

For you Milwaukee folks, the above photo is pretty well known. I’m pretty sure you all have taken a pic of this sign before. I’m so sure because when my friends and I visited Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub for lunch one day, all four of us pulled out our iPhones and snapped one like a bunch of basics. It’s all with good reason though because this place is beautiful in that old world meets industrial meets German way.

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This was such a simple decision because besides being affordable, available and perfect, Michael and I have a tiny bit of history with the place. When we first started dating back in 2011, nearly every week we were out taking pictures with an armful of film cameras, and we took these around the Pabst Brewery that summer.

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The area looks slightly different now. It’s been cleaned up a bit and doesn’t look as foreboding, but it retains all of it’s old school Milwaukee charm, which is my favorite kind of charm.

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I’m pretty thrilled about this whole thing, even if I can’t figure out catering or decide on any sort of color scheme.

And if you want to visit the old Pabst Brewing area, do it! You can take a tour of the facilities, have a drink and head across the street to Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub for some eats (you better get that Bavarian pretzel).

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Milwaukee Cookie Takedown

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It’s finally here (or was here): the Milwaukee Cookie Takedown! I’ve been baking all week in preparation and at last legions of folks got to sample my (and twenty other people’s) best cookies.

Milwaukee Cookie Takedown

As I announced via the ol’ Instagram, I made my favorite Christmas cookie: cream cheese pillows. These are so tasty and delicious and I never get sick of them (and don’t worry – I’ll share the recipe very soon!). I was hoping that the judges and the audience would feel the same way.

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The event was super chill and I got this sick participation certificate which I will display proudly. It did heat up, however, when the judges began deliberating and the audience votes were tallied. All the bakers were called up to the stage and the winners were going to be announced, and like a 14-year-old beauty queen, my heart was pounding. The judges’ announced their winners and some of them were some awesome cookies (I’m looking at you, Gouda Girls). Then they moved on to people’s choice, and I got second place! And I was thrilled! Like how awesome.

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I got to take home a super cool Cuisinart food processor, a set of mixing bowls, a microplane, and niftily little knife. I had to share the glory a little with my mom since this was her recipe, so I of course thanked her in my acceptance speech. So obviously was an amazing night, and I may have carried that food processor to the car like it was the Stanley Cup.

So thanks to the Takedowns for the awesome night and the amazing people that voted for me! You all deserve high fives.

 

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Coming Soon: Milwaukee Cookie Takedown

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I’ve got an announcement for you all: I’m participating in this year’s Milwaukee Cookie Takedown! Oooooh.

I came across the call for bakers a few weeks ago and thought I can be competitive about non-competitive things, so I knew I had to get in on this action. All I have to do is bake 250 Christmas cookies, haul them to Turner, imbibe in some festive drinks and hope I win some sweet prizes.

Milwaukee Cookie Takedown

The Takedown is at 7:00PM Sunday, December 14 at Turner Hall if you all are interested in insane amounts of cookies and holiday spirits (and who isn’t?). Hope to see you there!

P.S. I’ll be back later this week with my recipe for this mystery cookie. I don’t want to go giving it away before the big competition now.

 

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Lazy Saturday: Sinsinawa Mound

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This Saturday I paid a visit to my great-aunt Sister Pat – seriously the most wonderful little old lady you could ever meet – at her convent in Sinsinawa, WI. I haven’t been down to the Mound (what her order calls their motherhouse) in over a decade, so she took me on a tour and, like Pat, it was delightful.

I know this may seem like an unusually religious post coming from someone that isn’t particularly fervent in her faith, but the Sinsinawa Mound is beautiful in a historical and architectural way. Plus, my aunt is very proud of this space and I want to show it off for her to a generation that is under 60 – and I mean that in the best way possible.

Sinsinawa Mound

The space above (with my two lovely aunts looking on) is Pat’s pride and joy. It’s impossible to get a good photo of how pretty it is, so you’ll have to deal with what I’m giving you here, but know that it’s a stunning round room surrounded completely by technicolor  stained glass panels designed by one of the sisters in the early 1960s. For a chapel, it’s pretty rad.

From there, Pat took us all over the complex, and I do mean complex; it’s got another chapel, apartments, housing for nuns, an auditorium, a library, a bakery (shoutout for the best cinnamon bread), a labyrinth, and wayyy more. In its heyday, this place housed hundreds of nuns so it had to be big, and it had to accommodate all of these ladies’ needs from spiritual to intellectual to physical.

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My favorite part of the whole tour was the original St. Clara’s Academy and old chapel, built in the 1860s. This imposing and beautiful sight was what my aunt first saw when her mother and brother brought her to Sinsinawa. Just imagine being dropped off in what I’m sure felt like the middle of nowhere at a place like this.

Sinsinawa Mound

Isn’t this some real Trouble With Angels type scenery? And if you haven’t seen that movie – Catholic or not – you have to; it’s got Hayley Mills and some perfect 60 vibes.

Sinsinawa Mound

All this church talk might be sort heavy, so I have to share you a little story with you. Pat’s been having some problems with her cell phone. It could be that she’s in southwestern Wisconsin (notorious for bad cell service), it could be that she’s not very familiar with the technology, or it could be that she’s using a flip phone from 2005. Whatever the case, Pat didn’t know how to operate its camera. So when I asked if she’d like to see a picture of my tree that I had on my phone, and she said, “Sure. Do you want to see one of the inside of my pocket?” And we all had one of those great laughs that families only have on sitcoms.

Sinsinawa Mound

Well, I hope I haven’t lost all of you on this one. I’ll be back soon with some craft posts and a fun announcement!