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ATW Flights Direct To/From Denver
Posted by Lynn Peters on 11/14/08 |
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 Out-of-towners occasionally express surprise at our airport. I guess they think they're going to have to fly into Milwaukee and then drive to the Fox Cities. How wrong they are! In fact, we've got direct flights from Atlanta, Orlando, Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Milwaukee and Las Vegas. Today United announced a direct flight to and from Denver, and I wanted to use our little Fox Cities blog to tell you about it. Very cool!
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Chipotle Grill Noisy, Delicious
Posted by Lynn Peters on 11/11/08 |
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Last night my "Monday Night Gang" convened for dinner and chatter at the new Chipotle Mexican Grill near the Fox River Mall. You order at the counter and they custom-make your salad, burrito, or "burrito bowl." I chose the salad and picked barbacoa, a slightly spicy shredded beef, to go on it. With the addition of black beans, cheese, corn, guacamole, etc., I was totally pleased with the outcome. My friend Shari's burrito looked delicious and she wound up eating it with a fork because it was so large. Everyone thought the food was great, but a word of advice - chips and salsa cost extra, as does guacamole.
Chipotle is a big step up from fast food, and even offers beer. It's not, however, a relaxing place to chat after dinner. There's loud music, and the smooth wood and metal decor don't do anything to diminish the noise level. Romantic? No. Great food? I sure think so! |
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Holiday Bargains Galore!
Posted by Lynn Peters on 11/5/08 |
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Face facts. It's time to start thinking about shopping for holiday gifts for various and sundry friends and family.
I had an opportunity to get a sneak peek at this year's holiday merchandise at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum Shop in Neenah. Wow! This year's selection includes darling ornaments by the dozens, some for as little as $1.50, Christmas plates, snow globes, snowmen and more. There's so much great stuff that I had to zip my debit card into a pocket to keep it from shopping on its own! This is a great place to find things for a hard-to-buy-for friend.
Museum shop staff say there's more reasonably-priced merchandise this year than ever before. From past experience I know that if you want the best selection, you'll shop early. Nothing will go on sale until after the holidays.
You can see the holiday merchandise for the first time at the Christmas Open House Thursday evening, November 13th, from 5-8 p.m.
The Bergstrom-Mahler Museum is located at 165 N. Park Avenue in Neenah. For directions or hours, call museum shop directly at 920-751-4658. |
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2009 Book Festival
Posted by Lynn Peters on 10/30/08 |
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I love to read and go to the library nearly every week. So I was pleased to receive an announcement of the second annual Fox Cities Book Festival April 14-19, 2009. Nearly 40 authors will participate in readings and book chats, and there'll be a big book fair showcasing publishers as well as local and regional authors.
Among the authors who've been announced are Michael Perry, a Wisconsin native. You might have heard of his books "Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time" and "Truck: A Love Story." If you're more of a poetry person - I'm not - you might be interested in Simon Armitage who's poetry collections include "Travelling Songs" and "The Universal Home Doctor."
Want more info? Go to www.foxcitiesbookfestival.org. |
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I found my thrill....
Posted by Pam Seidl on 10/21/08 |
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 ...at Blueberry Hill. Ok, not quite the verse, but if you're looking for a great breakfast or lunch, you'll know what I mean if you go to Blueberry Hill restaurant.
I recently returned from a trip to the East Coast, and after landing in Appleton we were all starved and it was mid-afternoon. Even though I was "home", I felt a kinship with a weary traveler to the Fox Cities. Where to go that would have good food at a good price?
Blueberry Hill popped into my head as a locally-run (under new ownership) restaurant close to the airport. It was 2:30 p.m. when we arrived and even though they close at 3, the staff was very welcoming.
Everything from the chocolate chip pancakes to the cheeseburger was wonderful. The soup (a specialty that comes with most meals) was to die for.
Next time I need to recommend a cozy place with good food to a weary traveler, I know where to send them.
Blueberry Hill is open for breakfast and lunch 7-days a week. |
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Holiday Shopping Begins
Posted by Lynn Peters on 10/21/08 |
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| It's official. Christmas shopping season has begun. How do I know? I dashed into Macy's at the Fox River Mall yesterday to look for new shoes. There, right next to ladies' shoes, were 1,000 square feet of Christmas trees and ornaments. It is, after all, just 9 weeks 'til Christmas! |
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Amazing Castle
Posted by Lynn Peters on 10/8/08 |
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I personally think the Building for Kids is the best children's museum in Wisconsin, and if you haven't ever taken your little princes and princesses, now would be a great time. A temporary exhibit called "The Amazing Castle" is, well, amazing! It's got 8 themed areas, each loaded with hands-on activities and opportunities for role-playing. You'll find costumes, a blacksmith shop, a medieval garden and more, all scaled for young children and totally cool. It's a Fox Cities must-do for families.
The Amazing Castle will be at the Building for Kids in downtown Appleton until the beginning of January.
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Bargain Bins Are Back!
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/22/08 |
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For years I shopped at the Jansport Factory Store for t-shirts, sweatshirts and backpacks. Over the last few years I sort of forgot about the Jansport Store, but when when I drove by last week I saw a big sign saying "Bargain Bins are Back." I just had to stop in. As always, there are great deals on college attire of all kinds. Need a Notre Dame University t-shirt? University of Wisconsin sweatpants? I bought my niece a great zipper Wisconsin sweatshirt, very cool, for $10. It would certainly have cost $40 anywhere else.
And anything in "the bargain bin" is $2. Who can beat that?
You'll find the Jansport Factory store next to the Jansport headquarters, on Hwy. CB just north of the Outagamie County Regional airport. It's also less than a mile from the Fox River Mall. |
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It's Caramel Apple Time
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/15/08 |
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We're still waiting for the leaves to turn in the Fox Cities, but I know it's fall. How? Vande Walle Candies has just started selling their famous caramel apples.
What can I say? They're huge and sinful and each fall I positively crave one.
Vande Walle's is located at 400 Mall Drive, within sight of the Fox River Mall. In addition to caramel apples they've got dozens of other great goodies. Check them out on the web www.vandewallecandies.com . |
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The Times They Are A-Changin'
Posted by Lynn Peters on 9/9/08 |
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Lava lamps, women's lib and the Vietnam War. You'll find all that and more in a quirky but fascinating exhibit at the History Museum at the Castle (formerly called the Outagamie Museum.) It's open Tuesday to Sunday each week, but the exhibit wraps up on January 4, 2009, so get there quickly. You can find more info at www.foxvalleyhistory.org .
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