Mojito By the Fire in Wisconsin

I thought I should settle down here next to the fireplace with a mojito and finish this blog entry before my dinner of duck breast and mushroom bisque arrive at my door. I decided to throw a little high-end into this trip with a stop at Sundara Spa in Wisconsin Dells. We'll get into that in a minute.

First, I want to finish my recap of some of the other places I visited. First, Milwaukee. My last post, I told you about the first day, so I'll finish out on the second. On the second day we went to brunch, and to Sprecker for a brewery tour, and beer and cheese tasting. After a long internet search that brought up a list of at least 60 different places for brunch, we decided to head to a place called Beans and Barley. I was a little worried by this name because I was afraid it would be a place for those who only eat granola. Well, that is NOT the case. Actually, the food was really on point... totally delicious. Both Colleen and I cleaned our plates. I started off my meal with a Bloody Mary, nice and spicy, and it too was very well done. I highly recommend this restaurant for brunch.

On to Sprecker... good beer and fun atmosphere. We arrive, go to the beer garden and then leave on the tour. The tour was good... especially if you're ever interested in brewing your own beer. The tasting was informative, and I completely fell in love with this whiskey-infused cheddar.

We ended the day with a stop at Target to see if they had the Jean Paul Gaultier line in stock... they actually hadn't even heard of it. I later bought some stuff online, and checked for stores that carry it... none in Wisconsin? What's the poor bargain cheese-head fashionista to do? Shame on you, Target.

Overall, a really good time in Milwaukee, and then on to Madison. Unfortunately, I don't really have too much to say about Madison because I didn't get to spend much time checking it out. What I did see, I liked. On my way into town, I stopped at Best Buy to purchase my new little netbook Eee PC (which I love!), get an oil change at a Volkswagen dealer, and eat some Indian Buffet for lunch. I don't even know what town I was in... somewhere off of 90/94.

When I arrived, I checked into my hotel. Don't let Priceline tell you that the Sheraton in Madison is downtown. It is not. I don't even care if it is in one boxed off little section of their map. You are at least 3 miles from the real downtown, Capital building, and campus area. The hotel itself wasn't bad though. You can tell it is aging, but they do a good job of keeping it up and the little things, like Bliss products in the bathroom and a nice workout facility, make it worthwhile for a chain hotel. Besides, I got it for 50 dollars on Priceline... same as a Super8. Not bad.

Later on, I met my friend Kate, who served in Peace Corps Cameroon, at the student union for a beer. University of Wisconsin has a really nice union! It's on a lake, and my friend said it's a really busy and fun place in the summer. We had a nice chat and then met up with some of her other friends from Peace Corps Cameroon. It was good to have the chance to hang out with some RPCVs from a different country. I hope I wasn't too much of a downer discussing the economy and getting readjusted. It's a weird time for all of us I think.

The Sheraton had some pretty comfy beds... The next morning, I worked a little on an essay and then had a mental block, so I went jogging on the treadmill. That was my first real workout in quite a long time. I'm really glad I pushed myself to do it. I left the hotel after checkout at noon, and headed to State St. on a recommendation from Kate. She was really right- it is a neat little street! All kinds of cute little boutiques. I was nearly out of there without any purchases which I was glad about for the sake of my trip funding, when I fell upon a boutique called Sassafras. When I walked in, I thought perhaps the clothes were a little older. The clientele were certainly a little wealthier, and I was priced out of many things at a few hundred dollars a pop full price... and then, I ran into the 75% off section. Be still my heart... a beautiful hand-beaded top for 30 dollars? Yep. A silk dress marked size small that just happened to fit me for under 100 (no wonder it wasn't selling... I'm mostly a large these days)? Yes!!! A lace top that would work perfectly under a dark pencil skirt with a little pair of peep toe heels? Oh yeah... So, happily, I leave the store with my wallet just a little lighter, but with 3 gorgeous items that used to be marked over 100 a piece (the dress, a whole lot more).

Oh, and if I ever meet a guy that I end up wanting to marry, I found a jewelry artist that does amazing rings (especially the guy's rings... very cool). I always said if I ever got to that point, I would find an artist to make me something really cool and unique. Though I'm most definitely not even close to that point, I found the artist. Her name is Hiroko Yamada and she's a metalsmith and pewtersmith. All I can say is that I am quite enamored with her rings. Now I just need to find the right guy to go with them.

So besides a quick mention of all the ice fishermen on the lake, that's my story on Madison. I hope I have the chance to visit in summer sometime. It sounds lovely. And even on the foggiest, drizzliest, gloomiest of days, Madison still held it's charm. On to Wisconsin Dells.

Now, here I am at Sundara Inn and Spa. Hint: book in the off season on a Monday or Tuesday night, and you get a very good deal! I drank a mojito, and then ate a magnificent duck breast with roast potatoes and cabbage with a really wonderful mushroom bisque right in the comfort of my room. I have a fire going and as I finish up this post for the evening, I'm opening a bottle of Malbec (a spicy Argentinian red wine that I've enjoyed in the past... and am enjoying now. Not bad). There is a magnificent bathroom, and a very fluffy looking bed. The maid just came by for turn-down service and brought with her 2 lovely pieces of dark chocolate from Gail Ambrosius (Madison, WI). This is just what I need. Here is the rest and the renewal, and then comes the new energy for the trip and my life in the US. I can feel it... it will be better soon. I feel very positive and relaxed. All the tragedies, the frustrations, the hardships, and the stress of being back that I've experienced over the past year... they will remain in my heart, but melt into the past and things will be normal again.

Stay tuned for photos from the past few days, and an update on my days of luxury at Sundara.