No Room at the Inn?
Posted by Lynn Peters on 10/12/07 |
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 So your mother-in-law is coming and you'd like to make sure she has a lovely hotel room. (Don't be embarrassed - we know that having her at home is just a shade too close for comfort!) Don't worry - even if there's a Packer Game, there are rooms available. Here's how to find them:
1. Consider hotels that are "off the beaten path," rather than those that are right on the route to Lambeau Field.
2. Don't try to book online or via the 800 number. Call the hotel directly.
3. Call the Fox Cities CVB at 734-3358. They keep in touch with local hotels and will know who has rooms available! |
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Downtown Appleton
Posted by Tami Hoff on 10/11/07 |
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 Shopping is one of my favorite things to do in the Fox Cities! My teenage daughters "invite" me to the mall about once per week. I am "invited" because I have a checkbook! We love cruising the mall for the latest in fashion for them. There favorite stores are Express, Hollister, Urban Behavior and Abercrombie and Fitch.
When I have a little extra time on my hands, I like to "cruise the avenue" to shop. I'm talking, of course, about downtown Appleton. It's great fun to stroll the avenue and check out all of the shops. A few of my favorite spots are: Mystic Ireland, Sparkadoodles, Vagabond Imports, and the Bead Garden. These stores carry unique/fun items for that "hard to please" person on your gift giving list. While downtown, I like to pop in to the Copper Rock Coffee Company for coffee or lunch. They have a cozy, relaxed atmosphere and awesome specialty drinks. |
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Get Out and Walk!
Posted by Lynn Peters on 10/1/07 |
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| This is the perfect time of year to get out and enjoy a walk on one of the Fox Cities many trails. My favorite is probably the Apple Creek Trail near Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. I also like the trail that goes over the Fox Cities Trestle Bridge and the one that runs across the Fox Valley Technical College Campus. Don't know where the trails are? We've got terrific trail maps at the Fox Cities Visitor Center 3433 W. College Avenue, Grand Chute). While you're at it, pick up a Visitor Guide to help you plan ahead for a few indoor activities this winter. |
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Fall Color
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/24/07 |
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This blog was created to give you some insider's tips on finding fun in our community. Don't tell the boss, but I'm not exactly going to talk about the Fox Cities today.
Instead I feel compelled to describe my drive to Minocqua last week. The trees were really starting to show their fall colors and it was gorgeous! Want to know where the best fall colors in Wisconsin are? Go to www.travelwisconsin.com and click on the fall color button at the top of the page. You'll get a great little report that's updated weekly by people around the state who look out their windows to determine how colorful the trees are. While you're there, you'll also find lots of other info on things to do in Wisconsin. |
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Marathon Offers Great Views of the Fox Cities
Posted by Pam Seidl on 9/21/07 |
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 This weekend thousands will participate in the Community First Fox Cities Marathon. The route this year has been reveresed to accommodate some construction around UW Fox Valley. UW Fox will be the start and the run will end in Neenah's beautiful Riverside Park. Marathon runners will get to see some unique views of the Fox Cities.
Not up for the challenge of a 26-mile run? The beauty of the Marathon route is its easily driveable at other times of the year. Running or driving, the view of the Fox Cities through these city streets and neighborhods is so much better than the drive along the highway. |
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Halloween's A Comin'
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/17/07 |
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This is the time of year the CVB starts to get calls about the big Halloween store - the kind that carry costumes, wigs and fake blood, and which open in a different location each year. This year you'll find four of them in the Fox Cities.
1. Spirit Halloween, 2700 W. College Avenue, Appleton
2. Halloween USA, 4661 Associated Drive, Grand Chute
3. Halloween Express, 720 N. Casaloma Drive, Grand Chute
4. Halloween Express, W3165 Van Roy Road, Buchanan
Numbers 2 and 3 are near the Fox River Mall.
And if you're looking for classier Halloween decor, the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum has a wonderful selection of glass pumpkins starting at $.50 and going up to $40 or so. |
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Pretend It's Summer Recipe
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/14/07 |
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Want to extend the summer a while longer? Here's a recipe that worked for me.
Take one sunny afternoon, preferably 75 degrees. Position yourself on the front porch of the St. James Lounge in downtown Neenah. Add a cantaloupe martini, bowl of popcorn and a few friends. Wait a few minutes and you'll have a warm summer feeling all over! |
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Shopping Tips for Wisconsin's Shopping Place
Posted by Pam Seidl on 9/14/07 |
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One of the best parts of my job here in "Wisconsin's Shopping Place" is that promoting shopping really IS part of my work! I even "know people who know people" at the Fox River Mall. I asked my insiders for the latest scoop on the mall. Here 'tis:
Starbucks opened recently, just off the main court, across from Bath and Body Works. Their frozen strawberry lemonade is killer.
In the good old days, kids were sent back to school with their new wardrobes complete – but now, especially with high school and college-ages – they want to see what everyone else is wearing THEN make the decision about styles. Stores know that BTS shopping stretches into mid-September.
Look for clearance on BTS in early October. The Columbus Day weekend is a great time to start holiday shopping if you are looking for bargains!
Just a few great tips. Check back for more!
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Five Reasons to Love Cy's Bistro
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/11/07 |
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I was at Cy's Asian Bistro in downtown Neenah last night. As always, it was a great experience and here's why:
1. Size. It's tiny. You'll feel as if you're part of an elite crowd that knows a secret spot.
2. Pud Thai. I'm normally a curry girl, and love Cy's red, green, fusion and "evil" curries, but last night I tried the classic Pud Thai. Yum.
3. Price. Last night's dinner cost me $12.60 with tax, no more than I'd have paid at Applebee's.
4. Cy. How many places do you go where the owner greets every guest? You'll feel like a regular on your first visit.
5. Friends. Okay, you're on your own with this one. But to my pals, the "Monday Night Gang," even Cy's delicious food is better with your friendship! |
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On the Spatio
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/9/07 |
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Since the City of Appleton passed its "smokefree workplace ordinance," there's been no smoking in Appleton's bars or restaurants. The surprising side effect has been a proliferation of outdoor dining options. Yup - shortly after the smoking ban passed, restaurants began adding outdoor decks and patios, as well as sidewalk dining. Although intended to provide a spot where restaurant patrons could smoke, it's a happy outcome for me as well.
I recently joined friends at Spats, a casual bar and restaurant in downtown Appleton, and had a chance to discover the joys of the "Spatio." Who'd have thought Spats could create such a pleasant outdoor spot in a plain old parking lot? My regular old hamburger with "tiger sauce" seemed extra yummy, and a cold beer seemed downright mandatory. I wholeheartedly recommend it. (And there wasn't a smoker in sight!) |
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