Wisconsin’s Newest Tourist Hot Spot—Drained Lake

In a previous blog I told you about the unthinkable events that recently took place at tourist hot spot Lake Delton, Wisconsin. Earlier this month the area was deluged with several inches of rain in a 3-hour period. The rain caused flooding that broke through the banks of the 267-acre lake causing the entire lake to drain into the nearby Wisconsin River. The video shot of the chasm that broke massive homes in half and sent them toppling into raging waters was broadcast around the world. One scene of an entire home tumbling into the water and being carried by … Continue reading →

Family Fun At The State Fair—A Day Of Pig Races And Deep Fried Pickles

There aren’t too many places on the planet where you can watch a retired NASCAR announcer provide color commentary on a race between four pot-bellied pigs speeding around a sawdust track, and then 2 hours later gnaw unforgivably on a deep fried pork chop-on-a-stick. It happens daily at the Wisconsin State Fair. The annual 10-day event is famous around these parts for deep-fried everything, food-on-a-stick, a giant slide and world-class agricultural venues. What more could you ask for, right? That was my thought when I decided to brave the crowds (more than 800,000 descend on State Fair Park in Milwaukee … Continue reading →

Exploring The Great State of Wisconsin

I’ll be honest; it took me a while to embrace the state of Wisconsin. Can you blame me? I moved to the Dairy State from sun-kissed shores of Hawaii to attend school. I eventually settled in the northeast portion of the state when I accepted a job there and later made it my “home” when I married a Wisconsin native. Whereas, I have blogged about Wisconsin’s many natural attributes I realize I’ve only scratched the surface. My current home state has a ton to offer visitors (many of whom come in droves during the fall and winter to watch their … Continue reading →

Hamburger Heaven

Now you have one more reason to visit Wisconsin. Besides coming to see the Green Bay Packers play, tasting the best cheese in the country, and visiting the world’s largest music festival you can now sink your teeth into a culinary classic made in a place that will soon be known as the official “Home of the Hamburger.” Last summer I wrote a blog about Seymour, Wisconsin’s annual Burger Fest. The small northeast Wisconsin city prides itself in showing off its burger lore. Seymour is home to the “Hamburger Hall of Fame,” a makeshift museum filled with hamburger paraphernalia. And … Continue reading →

A Popular Wisconsin “Mystery Spot”

Ask anyone who has lived in Wisconsin for a while where you can go to see water run uphill and chairs balance on two legs and without hesitating you’ll hear the words: The Wonder Spot. The Wonder Spot is just that–a quiet, contemplative spot nestled away from the mega-resorts and water parks that call the area between Lake Delton and Wisconsin Dells home. It has stood out from its noisy neighbors for years, but now the piece of Wisconsin’s history has a date with a bulldozer. According to local news reports, The Wonder Spot’s owner has sold the iconic attraction … Continue reading →

Wisconsin’s Wild Kingdom

I once read a book entitled: “There’s no place like home: Happiness can be found in your own backyard.” I thought about it the other day when I discovered a little piece of the wild kingdom not far from my home. Allow me to explain. My 2-year-old daughter LOVES animals… if she could she would transport herself to Diego’s rainforest and ask his family to adopt her. Unfortunately for her she is “forced” to call Wisconsin home (no humpback whales or red-eyed tree frogs here). To compensate for her “exile” to the frozen tundra I have spent countless hours on … Continue reading →

Visiting the Madison Children’s Museum

Our family just returned from a trip to Madison, Wisconsin. It was the place I called home for four years while I attended UW-Madison. In the (gasp) decade (more like decade-and-a-half) that has passed since I graduated, I have returned to the city on several occasions. However, last week’s trip included my toddler daughter, who allowed me to see the city through a new set of eyes. Madison is undeniably a beautiful town surrounded by water (the city is actually situated on an isthmus of rock between Lakes Mendota and Monona) and steeped in history and culture, but it is … Continue reading →