Six destinations where lodging, dining were tops in 2008

Mary Bergin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:16:12 -0800

Rare is the destination that offers lodging and dining that are both distinctive and outstanding in quality. Here are six places that were delightful surprises in 2008.--Most noticeable is the dinnerware, an odd but lovely assortment of colorful, antique styles. It goes well with the mismatched furniture, tucked into intimate, shadowy nooks and a window-filled wall that overlooks Lake Wales, ...

Lovely lodging: Here is some the best of 2008

Mary Bergin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:53:10 -0800

Deep discounts for lodging are commonplace during this time of year, so it’s easier to afford lovely vacation accommodations. Here are my top six experiences of 2008.--When my brother and I travel, it is highly unlikely that we’ll book a bed and breakfast for our overnight stay. Comfortable as these surroundings might be, they tend to be about king-sized beds and whirlpool tubs for two.One ...

Meals to Savor: Chuck Wagons in Texas to Potato Soup in Ireland

Mary Bergin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:17:34 -0800

The world is full of wonderful ways to add calories in interesting places. Here are my top six dining experiences of 2008.--A $10 ticket buys all you can eat at the annual World Championship Chuck Wagon Roundup in Amarillo, Texas, where up to 40 teams cook outdoors over an open fire, using cast iron pots, just like cowpokes did during cattle drives in the 1890s.It’s quite the cooking ...

Sizing up the American Girl at Chicago's Water Tower Place

Mary Bergin — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:43:38 -0800

Here are three little secrets: I pay $16 for a haircut, $20 if you include the tip. I rarely shop anything but sales racks and resale shops. I make lists for the grocery store but routinely substitute meats, based on what is on sale.So forgive me for comparing Chicago’s newly expanded American Girl Place to Las Vegas, but that was my first impression. The destination seems simultaneously ...

Gov's House: All Decked Out, All Year Long

Mary Bergin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:53:11 -0800

Children seem to adore the state’s first lady, Jessica Doyle, especially when they’re renewing their acquaintance with her. Jessica often visits classrooms around Wisconsin, so checking out her house in Madison seems natural, especially during this festive time of year.The beautiful Executive Residence, home to the governor and his family, sits on four acres that overlook frosty Lake Mendota. ...

B&B Operators Test Cooking Skills, Incorporate Cranberries into Recipes

Mary Bergin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:29:46 -0800

Gotta love those holiday leftovers. Turkey soups, pot pies and casseroles stretch one bird into many meals.Thanks to the Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association, we also have tasty ways to savor leftover cranberries – and good reasons to buy additional bags of the tart fruit. Nobody grows more cranberries than Wisconsin, which harvests more than one-half of the nation’s crop.The cranberry was ...

B&Bs Gaining Ground as They Gain Diversity

Mary Bergin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:15:10 -0800

The classic bed and breakfast inn – a lovely, looming Victorian house with antiques and lace in abundance – is becoming a smaller slice of the lodging pie in Wisconsin. More innkeepers are bucking stereotypes and defining this category of accommodations in diverse ways.Consider these examples:- A 1,000-foot driveway leads to the remote, stunning and window-filled prow of Artesian House, 84100 ...

Resourceful Retreats: Craft-loving People Redefine R&R

Mary Bergin — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:47:18 -0800

Kelly Ryan of Minneapolis and Marilyn Zilic of Madison don’t know each other, but they have something big in common: a penchant for small-group retreats. I enjoy this type of outing, too, but “church,” “bunk beds,” “hiking” and “contemplation” come to mind – not “scrapbooking” or “quilting.” Kelly wrote shortly before heading to The Trails Retreat in St. Croix Falls, ...

Milwaukee's Holiday Folk Fair: A Cornucopia of Goodwill

Mary Bergin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:29:43 -0800

A volatile presidential election – with the potential to deepen our differences – is history. Now comes the task of mending and strengthening ourselves as a union of 50 states, but the work is not about making everybody think, look and act alike.Freedom means diversity, and no event demonstrates its beauty more this month than the 65th annual Holiday Folk Fair International, which elevates ...

Girlfriend Getaways: Choices can lean to extremes

Mary Bergin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:25:08 -0800

“Two women friends and I want to do a weekend getaway in the next few weeks,” the note began. “Our wish list (though we can live without some of it) would be for a B&B or cabin, perhaps hot tub or access to a nearby spa, beautiful spot to walk, yummy restaurants and cool shops to browse.”The email from Lynn Danielson of Madison arrived at an opportune time. ’Tis the season to ...

Reader Mail Takes Us Miles Away

Mary Bergin — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:36:05 -0800

Reader mail is plentiful, especially since “Hungry for Wisconsin” book events have begun. The good people of Wisconsin are full of fabulous ideas about their favorite destinations.For example: “You asked for places to see and try,” wrote Pat Tesar of Edgerton, after my recent appearance on Wisconsin Public Radio. “I really hesitate to do this ’cause when a place gets published that we ...

Changing Landscapes, on the Ice Age Trail and Beyond

Mary Bergin — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:31:00 -0800

When I talked to Bart Smith this autumn, it wasn’t all that long after he had finished a hike that took him at least 15,000 miles around the U.S., including around 1,200 in Wisconsin. Bart is a photographer who has walked all eight of the National Park Service’s national scenic trails. That includes the Ice Age Trail, established in 1980, and his “Along Wisconsin’s Ice Age Trail” book ...

Wade House: Symbols of survival are everywhere

Mary Bergin — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:13:45 -0700

Mary Cary is proof that new careers can take hold late in life. She is 87 and has been working at the Wade House in Greenbush for 28 years.We discovered her helping dozens of children carve pumpkins – and turnips! – this month during an autumn activities day at the former stagecoach inn, which is one of the state’s 10 designated historic sites. Elsewhere on the Wade House’s 240 acres, a ...

Culinary Distinction in Wisconsin: It's more than Beer, Brats, Cheese

Mary Bergin — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:58:18 -0700

Foodies know and care that authentic Champagne and Parmesan come from specific parts of France and Italy, respectively. Now the International Culinary Tourism Association is developing a website that will help travelers distinguish cities, states and countries by uniqueness of cuisine.When your prospective customers (and critics) are the world, it’s daunting to decide what makes Wisconsin food ...

Two Ways to Leave a Legacy

Mary Bergin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:37:02 -0700

For many of us, a road trip of 600-some miles into South Dakota, the Badlands and the Black Hills is a rite of passage. It is the most classic of summer vacations, especially for families, who follow typically flat and easy-to-drive I-90 for a taste of the Wild West. They encounter Shady Brady hats and jackalopes (rabbits with antlers, stuffed) at Wall Drug Store en route, then Black Hills Gold ...