| |
|
|
Victoria's
Posted by Pam Seidl on 9/8/09 |
 |
 Sometimes in my mission to bring you the "latest and greatest" in the Fox Cities, I forget about the classics. This weekend I had dinner at the, dare I say, legendary Victoria's in downtown Appleton. It was Sunday of Labor Day weekend, so we got a table right away (bonus!).
My daughter, in her first visit, enjoyed the murals of Italian landmarks, including 'that building that's tipping over.'
The food was, as always, very good and very generous. I've had three meals from my linguine and Sicilian sauce. The minestrone also is something not to be missed.
The menu has been "tweaked" over the years, but still offers a mind-boggling array of Italian specialties. Victoria's still delivers a great meal in a wonderful atmosphere. |
|
I there a librarian in the house?
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/4/09 |
|
 Is this crazy or what? The Appleton Public Library’s “library cart drill team” will compete against drill teams from libraries around the state on Friday, October 23rd. Each team will present a routine that’s judged on technical ability (if you can believe that), music, costumes and cart décor. The competition will be held at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in downtown Appleton from 10:30 to 12 noon. It’s free and open to the public.
I have absolutely got to see it!
|
|
The Really Big Cheese!
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/3/09 |
|
Wisconsin is famous for its quirky, fun-loving folks and we’ve got our share in the Fox Cities. One of my favorites is Troy Landwehr, master cheese carver. He carved a 600-pound replica of Mount Rushmore from cheese and a 1,200-pound Statue of Liberty! His cheddar-carving skills have landed him on “Late Night with David Letterman,” and “The Early Morning Show,” and gotten him gigs with Disney.
You can meet Troy, a true Fox Cities original, in person at Kerrigan Brothers Winery, which he owns and operates. Or you can see him at work on YouTube! here.
|
|
Crayfishing at 1000 Islands
Posted by Pam Seidl on 9/2/09 |
|
Faced with a beautiful summer day and a clear calendar, I took my kids on a "mom's magical mystery tour" (get in the car, I'm not telling you where you're going). The plan was a picnic and crayfishing at 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna.
Both of my kids have been to 1000 Islands Environmental on field trips, but I had never been crayfishing there. The nature center building features a collection of mounted exotic animals (everyone loves a polar bear)and some live critters, too.
When you're done touring the building, just ask at the nature center desk for some nets and a bucket and you're off into the shallow river water to hunt for your catch. My son prefers raking the net under rocks, a technique that seemed to be the most effective.
Our catch included one "lunker" crayfish, a few smaller ones and a 14" softball that had been hit over the fence of a nearby ball field. I recommend kids be at least 5 or 6 for this activity. The water is mainly knee deep, but there are drop offs, slippery rocks and uneven terrain along the river bed that make for tough going at points. Water shoes or sandals are a must.
Most important: this is a fun FREE way to spend some time in a beautiful setting. After you are done crayfishing, be sure to hike the trails along the river and look for eagles.
1000islandsenvrironmentalcenter.com.
|
|
Fun facts about Wisconsin.
Posted by Lynn Peters on 8/28/09 |
|
You probably know that Wisconsin's state animal is the badger, but here are a few other “official” Wisconsin things.
Our state tree is the maple and state bird the oft-seen robin. The state fish is the muskellunge (“musky”) and by the way, 171 different species of fish make their home here in Wisconsin. We even have a state domestic animal which is, of course, the cow.
Our state rock is red granite, state mineral galena and we actually have an official state soil — Antigo silt loam, whatever that is!
Our state dance is the polka, which anyone who’s ever been to a Wisconsin wedding or church picnic could guess.
Our state motto is “Forward” and on this fine end-of-the-summer day I encourage you to go forward and check out all the wonderful things Wisconsin and the Fox Cities offer you.
|
|
Pumpkins, picnics and pigs!
Posted by Lynn Peters on 8/26/09 |
|
Fall is a the perfect time to visit Mulberry Farm in nearby Sherwood. Individuals and groups, kids and adults can have a hands-on learning experience that’s loads of farm fun.
They've got a great website mulberrylanefarmwi.com.mulberrylanefarmwi.com and you'll also find a link to their blog on the lefthand side of this page. |
|
Octoberfest 2009
Posted by Lynn Peters on 8/18/09 |
|
Now's the time to invite your out-of-town friends and family to come for Appleton’s Octoberfest. Held on September 25-26 in downtown Appleton, there'll be collectable cars and roaming entertainers on Friday, as well as more than 300 craft and food booths on Saturday. Get your clam chowder, firehouse chili and tiger paws early, while supplies last! You can find all the details at octoberfestonline.org.
But here’s the age-old question. Why is Octoberfest in September?
The weather on the last weekend in September is typically sunny and pleasant, making it nicer for festival goers. |
|
Back-to-School Shopping
Posted by Lynn Peters on 8/12/09 |
|
It's back-to-school time in Wisconsin's Shopping Place. With a larger concentration of retail stores than anywhere else in Wisconsin, we've got everything you need.
Here are a few tips to make your experience at the Fox River Mall and surrounding area even better:
1. Weekends are, as you can imagine, the busiest time. I understand Tuesdays are the quietest.
2. Everyone parks near the "Northwoods Cafe" entrance. I like to go around the back of the mall and park near Younkers. I can be closer to the door and have fewer places to look if I forget where my car is!
3. On the budget plan? You're welcome to bring your own lunch and eat in the Northwoods Cafe area. Even if it's a mob scene, the tables on the second floor are always empty. Look for the stairs!
4. Need to buy a gift card? Take that same stairs up to the mall office.
5. Near the main entrance there's a play area where your young kids can burn off a little energy.
6. The Fox River Mall has nice clean bathrooms in several locations. Just ask a clerk to direct you to the closest ones.
7. Don't forget that there are lots more stores within a block of the mall, including Plato's Closet, TJ Maxx, Vagabond Shoes, DSW, etc.
8. Need a mall brochure, Fox Cities map or directions? Stop at our Visitor Center located at 3433 W. College Ave., just a half mile away. |
|
My favorite fish fry
Posted by Lynn Peters on 8/4/09 |
|
For many Wisconsinsites, the Friday night fishfry is as familiar as one's own last name. Several of my colleagues here at the CVB have shared their favorite fish fry, so I thought I'd do the same.
I love the American Legion's fishfry.
The fresh-from-the-fryer perch are great, but for me it's those crispy little bluegill filets. Yum! A small side of slaw (vegetables are really not the point here), a pile of fries and I'm in heaven.
Insider's tip: The Legion's dining room is fine, but a tiny bit like a gymnasium. If you tell the bartender you'd like to eat in the bar he'll give you a number and your waitress will come right to your bar stool. Go early or you could have a wait and be a little tipsy by the time you get your fish!
The American Legion is located at 3220 W. College Avenue in Appleton. |
|
A Blog About Blogs!
Posted by Lynn Peters on 7/29/09 |
|
Fondly called FOCOL (pronounced foe-cul), Fox Cities Online is a terrific portal to virtually every website in the Fox Cities. It's constantly updated with new sites added and dead links removed. FOCOL recently began adding links to Fox Cities blogs.
We list several good visitor-oriented blogs in the lefthand column of this site but if you're looking for something more, I recommend a quick visit to focol.org. You'll find a button that'll take you directly to every Fox Cities blog they've discovered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
