January 1, 2022 by Chris Elston

Holidays at Disney, Day 2: Walking with the Animals and a Meal Fit for a King (Animal Kingdom & EPCOT)

Tree of Life

At 5:30am, I rolled out of bed.

One of the perks of staying on a Disney property is that you get early entry into the parks. Later hours for on property guests are also making a comeback, but are currently limited only to the deluxe resorts, but I digress.

The final week of December is one of the most crowded of the year (a fact I was unaware of when I booked as when I last visited during this time frame in 1994, it was a low-capacity week, but times change). Though WDW is still capping capacity, the parks do get awfully crowded, but not as bad as I feared. I’d actually seen much worse on certain event days in the past. That being said, I was still banking on the early hours to be able to do my favorite rides first thing without having to endure long waits. Also, because of the heavier crowds, early entry would begin an hour before regular opening instead of 30 minutes.

Currently, you need to make a reservation to visit a park in order to gain entry. The Park Hopper pass has returned so you can bounce between parks, but you have to start in the one you reserved and you can’t start hopping until 2pm. OK, enough prefacing.

Today my reservation was for Animal Kingdom which opened at 8am, meaning that early entry was at 7am. I’m a bit of an early entry veteran so I knew how light the crowds normally were and was counting on that again, especially with such an early opening time.

Dopey me.

I arrived at Animal Kingdom and my eyes went wide at the huge lines already waiting to enter the park. Fortunately, I had taken a few precautions.

That morning I booked Genie+ through My Disney Experience. For an extra $15 a day, you can start reserving the Lightning Lane on WDW’s more popular rides.

Lightning Lane replaces the Fastpass system. You can reserve an hour’s time frame to return to the ride and get into a special line where you’ll only wait a few minutes before getting to board. Through experimentation, I found there was a 10-15 minute grace period before and after the time frame you’re given for the most part. Use of Lightning Lane is unlimited for the day, but the catch is that you can only book a new experience every two hours. Please note that you can start booking at 7am, but the 2 hour clock doesn’t start ticking until the park officially opens. So that means I booked a pass for Kali River Rapids at 7am, but wasn’t able to book again until 10am since the park officially opened at 8am. After that I was able to book every two hours for any park until they closed or until all the Lightning Lanes got used up. To keep people from cheating you have to pass through two checkpoints with your park ticket card, Magicband, or Magicmobile device in order to utilize the lane.

With Fastpass, it was impossible to have overlapping times with another ride, but you can do that with Lightning Lane. So with a little strategy, you can stack Lightning Lanes and get a series of line skips.

My other precaution was that I knew everybody and their uncle would be heading for Avatar: Rite of Passage. Due to its mega popularity and relative newness, you can’t get a regular Lightning Lane pass, but you can purchase a special Lightning Lane pass just for that ride. I did so and would return around 6:30pm to ride it. As such, I was able to hit all the other rides in Animal Kingdom with minimal waits.

Animal Kingdom is a hybrid of amusement park and zoo and is my least favorite of the four. Sure, there’s plenty of fun, but you can do it all in a half day, at best.

I followed the crowds to Pandora since it was new to me and wanted to see what it looked like. I was blown away by the construction of the world of Pandora which housed the Avatar ride, but while a humongous line formed over there (the wait was already at 2 hours), I moseyed over to Na’vi River Journey which had a wait of zero minutes.

Na’vi River Journey is a pleasant boat ride through the world of Avatar and I was blown away by the advancement in animatronics. With the use of projected animated faces for expressions and the fluidity of movement, the robots seem like real people.

It was an enjoyable ride, but not enough for me to take a second go so I headed over to Dinoland, USA to ride Dinosaur.

Dinosaur is a dark EMV attraction where you ride a time rover back to the age of the dinosaurs. The tour is supposed to take you to the early Cretaceous period, but one of the scientists, Dr. Grant Seeker, informs you that he intends to send your group back to the late Cretaceous period in order to save an Iguanodon from extinction and bring it back to the present. Unfortunately, the late Cretaceous is when the theorized meteor shower that wiped out the dinosaurs struck so you’re racing against the clock.

It’s a bumpy, exciting ride as you see legendary beasts of yore before escaping from the meteor shower with the Iguanodon who then starts wandering about the Institute, but that’s Dr. Seeker’s problem.

Then I made my over to Expedition Everest. This is a thrilling roller coaster ride where you search for the legendary Yeti, but be wary. Thanks to this ride’s single rider line, I dashed through it three times in a row.

From there I visited Kali River Rapids and the line was so low that I took a ride on it. It’s a river raft ride meant to show the dangers of deforestation, though that seems to be a bit more underplayed nowadays. It’s a fun ride and I got a fair dousing after barreling down a waterfall which was more invigorating than a morning cup of joe.

I wandered through Maharajah Jungle Trek to dry off and view tigers, monkeys, and other animals. Then I used my pass to get through Kali River Rapids again.

By 10:30, I had done everything I wanted. Normally, I would have hopped to another park, but since that was out until 2pm, I simply went back to Coronado Springs to rest and use the pool.

Coronado Springs does have multiple pools, but the main one is called the Dig Site. A towering Mayan pyramid dominates the site and the site has a large heated pool and hot tub. It also has a pretty fun water slide called the Jaguar Slide, so I enjoyed a pleasant period splashing, sliding, and luxuriating in the hot tub.

The Dig Site

Then I caught up on some reading in the hotel room before making my way back to Epcot.

I did some more exploring before heading to the Canada Pavilion to have a very early dinner at Le Cellier Steakhouse.

Le Cellier Steakhouse

I had been looking forward to this meal for a long, long time. I had tried to get a reservation on every trip I’d taken to WDW for the last 20 years and was denied each and every time. Finally, I managed to get that elusive reservation and mark it off the bucket list.

As I was led to my table, I saw why I had so much difficulty snaring a reservation. If that restaurant could hold more than 150 people, I’d have been amazed. It’s also one of the most popular restaurants in all of WDW.

I started off with an exquisite bowl of Canadian Cheddar Cheese soup. It was seasoned just right and had bits of bacon and chives mixed into it. It was also served with three kinds of rolls (sourdough, pretzel, and multigrain with sunflower seeds). The main course was a NY strip with cheddar potatoes au gratin, crispy onions, and le poivre (ground black pepper) sauce. This was the tastiest steak I had ever eaten. So tender and juicy. I spent over an hour savoring this meal and sent my compliments to the chef. My server, Sharee, was perfect. She checked on me just enough so I could savor my meal and gave me a to go cup so I could sip my soda as I walked around Epcot.

After walking off some of my meal, I dashed back over to Animal Kingdom where I worked my way through the crowd getting ready to watch the closing show at the Tree of Life to make my way to Avatar. Animal Kingdom closes shortly after sundown due to its lack of artificial light.

Avatar takes full motion technology to the ultimate level. The theme of the ride is that you’re linked with a Na’Vi avatar to experience the rite of passage of flying on an ikran or mountain banshee. With the use of 3-D glasses and the motion technology, you fly around the beautiful world of Pandora and actually feel like you’re flying on the ikran. You can even feel it breathing and its wings flap. Definitely worth the money I paid for the Lightning Lane.

Speaking of which, I had been stacking them up at Epcot so I returned there to start burning them off.

The two new rides I rode were Soarin’ and Frozen Ever After.

Soarin’ is also an impressive piece of motion technology that simulates taking a hang gliding trip around the world as you sail over pyramids, oceans, deserts, mountains, elephants, and whales. Frozen Ever Water is the 2^nd most popular ride in Epcot and replaced the Maelstrom ride in Norway. I think it tells an abbreviated version of Frozen, but I’m unfamiliar with the film. I did marvel at the incredible animatronic technology.

After the ride, I nabbed a peppermint sundae from the Holiday Sweets and Treats kiosk and enjoyed some ice cream before returning to the hotel for the night.

January 1, 2022 by Chris Elston

Holidays at Disney, Day 1: Educational Fun (EPCOT)

Geosphere (also houses Spaceship Earth ride)

Boy, are my dogs barking. (Notices reader)

Oh, hi there!

I just finished one hectic adventure. So hectic that I had neither the time nor the energy to do my daily write-ups. So welcome to Part I of the tale of my final visit to Walt Disney World.

WHAT???? I hear some of you expostulate. Let me clarify.

Those who know me know of my fondness for the Disney parks. While I have enjoyed them as a solo visitor, I realize that adventures like this are even more fun when shared. So, barring unusual circumstances, the next time I visit Disney, it will be with friends and family.

Upon making this decision, I decided to plan a very special finale, especially as my last visit to WDW was ten years ago. Normally I visit during the summer, but that brutal heat and humidity eat me alive. Now my love for Christmas is legendary and having done an early family Christmas, a most wonderful idea struck me.

I would visit WDW right after Christmas and fuse my love for the holidays with WDW.

December 27 found me flying a non-stop flight to Orlando via Southwest. God was looking over me that day as a powerful tail wind brought me to Florida almost 40 minutes early.

During the pandemic, I finally caught up to the rest of the planet and invested in a smartphone. So I downloaded the My Disney Experience app and I’d highly recommend it for your visit to Disney parks. You can plan an itinerary, get tips, order food, make Lightning Lane and restaurant reservations (120 days in advance as opposed to the 60 using the webpage via a computer), and check into your hotel far in advance. On arrival day, the app will give you your room number and, with MagicMobile, your phone turns into the room key and park passes. That way you can bypass the front desk, go straight to your room, and have more park time.

But first, you have to get to your hotel. I made use of Disney’s Magical Express which provides free round trip transportation from airport to hotel for those staying on Disney property. Once upon a time, the Magical Express also took care of your luggage so you could skip baggage claim, but I learned that particular service was no longer offered when I booked this trip.

Regrettably, you will not be able to make use of this service as Magical Express ended operations as of Dec 31 so I ended up being one of the final people to ever make use of it. Mears, the company that managed Magical Express, will still work with Disney to provide transportation, but it’s going to cost you. Standard service will be $32 a head for round trip standard service and an express service will be offered for $250 (for up to 4 people). I’d stick with standard service as you’ll be on your way within 20 minutes. Outside of price, the only real difference is that express takes you straight to your resort while you might make a few stops with standard service which was how the Magical Express operated.

As my final solo outing, I decided to book a moderate resort (Disney’s middle tier). Moderate resorts will have some onsite restaurants and bigger rooms. I picked Coronado Springs and hit the jackpot.

Coronado Springs has been dubbed “the deluxe resort (top tier) priced as a moderate” and I believe it. It had recently gone through a massive renovation which updated the rooms and added the Gran Destino Tower which is a more luxurious set of rooms. The property also contains a fitness center and spa and is Disney’s largest property. It’s like a small town and has multiple bus stops. Since the price difference was negligible, I booked a preferred room with a king bed. Preferred rooms guarantee a good view of the property and usually contain a view of the lagoon or swimming pools.

I was notified that my room was ready while I was on the Express so I was delighted that I could go straight to my room without having to store my luggage since I was arriving several hours earlier than the 3pm check in time.

I entered the main lobby at Gran Destino where I was directed to my room. I felt my Christmas juices flowing as I gazed at the elegantly decorated lobby and couldn’t wait to see what the parks had prepared for Christmas. I took the elevator to the lower lobby and marveled at the button design as they were on the outside of the elevator. You press the button for your floor, then get a message saying what elevator will be transporting you.

It was a fair hike to my room at about 10 minutes, but I had a room on the top floor with a lovely view of the courtyard and swimming pool. A very spacious room awaited me and I put my clothes and toiletries away and immediately headed to Epcot. For those on property, complimentary bus service is available at all resorts. Some of the resorts also have alternate modes of transportation. Depending on where you’re staying, you might be able to travel via boat, monorail, or gondola.

EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) is the park I always do on the first day since I can’t get a full day. It’s a more adult themed park as it’s very educational and cultural. While it does boast rides, they’re all very slow paced and perpetual motion based with a few exceptions.

Epcot is also broken into two sections: Future World and World Showcase. Future World deals with science and technology (mostly) while World Showcase takes you on a miniature tour of the world.

I started things off in Future World by visiting Test Track. This is the lone power ride of the park which simulates the testing of a new car. This ride also boasts a single rider line so solo guests can bypass the main line and just fill in a gap. Groups can use this line, but you will be split apart. But I highly suggest using it as you’ll get to ride in about 5 to 10 minutes so you could do it several times over.

From there I also enjoyed rides on Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, and Journey Into Imagination with Figment.

Spaceship Earth (pictured at the top of this article) is the ride in Epcot’s famed geosphere (or giant golf ball, as its nicknamed) which takes you on a tour through the history of communication. It’s also the longest ride in any of the parks at a whopping 16 minutes and is narrated by Dame Judi Dench. The ride is slated for a massive overhaul which will shut it down for two years, but that project was delayed by the pandemic and has not yet been rescheduled.

Speaking of the pandemic, masks are required on all rides and anywhere indoors. Now back to the rides.

Living with the Land takes you on a boat ride where you learn about growing foods. The fruits, spices, and vegetables you see growing in the greenhouses are actually used in Disney restaurants. Journey Into Imagination with Figment takes you on a tour of the Imagination Institute hosted by Dr. Nigel Channing (played by Monty Python alum, Eric Idle). Channing’s tour gets taken over by Figment, a talking purple dragon who teaches you how to unleash your imagination.

Then I made a stop at Club Cool which is an exhibit where you can sample Coca-Colas from around the world. It’s a good place to get free drinks though you can also get free cups of water at most eateries as Florida law mandates that it be available due to the sweltering heat in the summers.

They had actually changed up the flavors from my last visit. My favorite was Country Mix from the Dominican Republic which has a creamy, fruity flavor. Beverly, from Italy, is my least favorite and isn’t meant to be enjoyed. It’s a bitter aperitif meant to activate your taste buds so you can enjoy your meal more.

Then I began meandering around the World Showcase beginning with the giant Christmas tree. I admit I was surprised at what I considered the lack of Christmas decorations. Don’t get me wrong. There were elegant wreaths and lights everywhere, but I was expecting a lot of flash and pizzazz and not the understated beauty I saw.

Epcot is running its Festival of the Holidays so each country in World Showcase is doing little shows explaining how Christmas is celebrated in that particular region. It also does a Candlelight Processional telling the story of Jesus’ birth each night with a different celebrity reader each week of the holiday season.

Each region also has special food kiosks for the holiday season so you can sample food and drink from different cultures and each sample costs between $5ish to $15ish. I hadn’t eaten all day so I stopped at L’Chaim where I had a delicious pastrami on rye with a homemade pickle and mustard to tide me over until dinner.

I did walk through all the countries, but stopped at the Mexico Pavilion where I entered the faux Mayan pyramid so I could ride Gran Fiesta Tour, a boat ride that shows you the culture of Mexico under the conceit of Panchito and Jose Carioca of the Three Caballeros searching for Donald Duck so they could perform their concert.

Then it was time for dinner. Epcot has the best restaurants of the 4 parks so I had dinner there each night. For the first night, I hit up one of my favorites: Teppan Edo in the Japan Pavilion.

Teppan Edo is teppanyaki dining which means the food is cooked at your table. A salad course precedes the main entrée and it was served with a ginger peach dressing that blew my socks off. For my main course, I enjoyed steak, chicken, and shrimp served with vegetables and Udon noodles along with steamed rice and enjoyed some conversation with Dave and Kyla who were seated with me at the table.

With a fine meal under my belt, I enjoyed the Christmas lights as night had fallen and the geosphere had been turned into a mammoth Christmas ornament as it went through a beautiful light show.

I had thought about using my Park Hopper to dash over to Magic Kingdom, but it had been a long day. So I returned to Coronado Springs to go to bed as I had to get up mighty early the next morning.

December 12, 2021 by Chris Elston

Christmas Lights it Up: Fargo Mansion Inn & Lake Mills, WI

Today the road has brought me to Lake Mills, WI.

Yes, sir, it’s time once again for my favorite event and, I hope, yours. It’s the annual Christmas B & B review.

This year’s review brought me to Lake Mills and The Fargo Mansion Inn owned and operated by Tom Boycks and Barry Luce.

Fargo Mansion Inn is an 1881 Queen Anne mansion which had been bought by E.J. Fargo, son of the founder of Wells Fargo, in 1883. Fargo was also a bit of an inventor as he created the central vacuuming system still used in homes today. He lived in the mansion until his death in 1921 and his third wife continued to live there before moving to a nearby nursing home where she passed away at the age of 67. At that point, the mansion was transformed into apartments for years before falling into disrepair and condemnation.

Boycks and Luce bought the mansion in 1985 and spent two years restoring it and were actually one of, if not the first, B & B proprietors in Wisconsin. In fact, the partners are the founding members of the Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association. If the inn and the association don’t keep them busy enough, Boycks and Luce also have several other business interests in the community.

Unlike a great deal of my outings, I was only going to have one day to enjoy the inn and community so I had to hit the ground running. Once I spotted the mansion, I knew I had hit the jackpot.

One of the inn’s calling cards is that the owners like to decorate it according to a 19^th century Victorian Christmas and I felt my Christmas juices flowing when I saw the Christmas tree and pine strings decorating the outside of the inn along with cutouts of toy soldiers.

Tom opened the door before I even had a chance to ring the bell and welcomed me into the home where I also met Barry. Tom gave me the quarter tour of the home and I marveled at the decorations and period antiques in the common areas. He then led me to the Enoch J Fargo Suite which was my room for the night.

This is Fargo Mansion’s largest room and dubbed the honeymoon suite containing a queen-sized bed, English writing desk, and a secret. Don’t worry, I won’t keep you in the dark. The bathroom has a secret entrance behind one of the bookshelves and is the closest I’ve come to seeing a true secret passage.

Once I got settled, I returned to the commons where I took a really good look around and enjoyed the fresh, piney smell of a real Christmas tree and took a close look at the intricate Christmas decorations and enjoyed some photos of the mansion back in its original heyday.

Before I knew it, it was time to go to church. I visited St Francis Xavier and this was a mighty small chapel; about on par with my visit to Our Lady of Victory in Limon, CO over the summer. Father Bob conducted the service and he was a gregarious and entertaining pastor. This was the third Sunday of Advent known as Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday and is represented by the rose-colored candle on the Advent wreath. Rejoice was the key word of the service as Father’s sermon centered around rejoicing that our Savior was coming and our Savior was here and with us. It was definitely a good one to feel the Spirit moving and I left worship with a flutter in my heart and a rumble in my stomach.

It was indeed dinnertime and I headed over to the nearby town of Johnson Creek to eat at Crawfish Junction.

Crawfish Junction is a bar/restaurant known for its Cajun fare. Surprisingly it does not seem to serve gumbo (unless it pops up as a soup of the day), but does serve an excellent plate of jambalaya to which I added some delectable shrimp and forewent the hush puppies for homemade mashed potatoes and gravy. The gravy had a great taste, but was much too thin, but the potatoes were right on the mark.

Satiated, I then headed to Janesville, WI to enjoy one of the region’s premier holiday events: the Holiday Light Show at the Rotary Botanical Gardens.

I had read of the event prior to my arrival, but, thanks to Sandy, whom I met in my previous review, I learned that the tickets had to be bought in advance and would not be sold at the door. So keep that in mind if you want to visit.

This truly is a popular event as there was a large line of people still waiting to get into the gardens, but it is well worth it. A million lights transform the gardens into a Christmas wonderland where you get to see flowers, Christmas trees, old-fashioned lampposts, sea serpents, Old Glory, and many other colorful surprises guaranteed to make your eyes pop.

I could have spent hours there, but had to settle for 40 minutes as plummeting temperatures were turning me into a Chrisicle. Afterwards, I returned to Fargo Mansion for some article prep and then sunk under the thick quilt for the night.

I wish I could sleep like that all the time. I closed my eyes and when I opened them it was nearly 6am. I had some time to write and ablute and then went down to breakfast.

Tom served up some lemon bread with a granola/yogurt/fruit dish and a main course of cheesy scrambled eggs, orange slices, and sausage links. Tom is easily one of the best conversationalists I’ve had as a host and he may be the future version of myself as we seem to share similar senses of humor and personality traits. But he is truly a master at the art of hospitality as we talked about the B & B industry and the events of the day.

Alas, I had to start heading the preparations for my drive home. But if you’re in Lake Mills, especially around Christmas, stay at Fargo Mansion. You’ll have an excellent pair of hosts, a wonderful mansion to relax in, and a fine feed in the morning.

And that wraps up this review, join me in about two weeks when I close out the year with a special holiday series when I travel to Orlando, FL to experience Walt Disney World for the holidays. It’ll be a grand adventure.

Until the next time. . .happy travels.

November 28, 2021 by Chris Elston

A Magical Holiday Escape: The Roost and Appleton, WI

Today the road has brought me to Appleton, WI.

Oh, what a difference a month or two can make. Originally, I was going to be doing an earlier than usual Christmas review, but I ended up having to change plans when my selection opted to postpone its signature holiday event. So I booked a different venue for the annual review and still found myself with an extra day off for the Thanksgiving weekend. So I thought to myself, “Why waste a good day off?” Thus, I scheduled a trip to Appleton to visit The Roost Bed & Breakfast, owned and operated by De Ann Steffens.

I enjoyed a pleasant drive to Appleton while sitting on pins and needles as I listened to the Iowa Hawkeyes pull off a miraculous comeback against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I lost the signal for the game’s final few minutes, but heaved a sigh of relief as I saw they had obtained the victory just as I pulled into the Roost.

De Ann greeted me at the door and gave me the nickel tour before leading me to the Tapestry Suite. True to its name, a large tapestry does adorn one of the walls. A cheery fire was going which added to the room’s ambiance. A large two-person jacuzzi sat in corner while a high, four poster queen bed sat in the other.

I got things organized and immediately headed out to my car to experience some of the town.

Though this isn’t a formal Christmas review, I was able to scratch my Christmas itch with visits to Darboy Community Park to enjoy Fox Cities’ Festival of Lights and the nearby Oshkosh Celebration of Lights at Menominee Park.

The Festival of Lights is a half mile self-guided walking tour through a winter wonderland of lights that form elves, dinosaurs, toys, snowmen, and even Santa’s workshop. It’s completely free and donations are cheerfully accepted. You can even buy a hot beverage to ward off the chill.

But if you want a heavy shot of Christmas, you definitely need to visit the Celebration of Lights in Oshkosh. It’s a drive through tour featuring twelve miles of lights and effects while you tune in to a dedicated radio station of Christmas songs to strengthen the magic. Cost is $10 per car. Aside from the dazzling display of lights, you can even stop by the workshop to visit that guy in the red suit who likes to say “Ho! Ho! Ho!”

Feeling the joy of the holiday, I returned to the inn and gamed a bit before curling up in my bed for the night.

I awoke the next morning and I was starved. De Ann had prepared a fruit dish along with Baked French Toast that had a crust of brown sugar and cinnamon along with some bacon and eggs. I was unable to finish the tasty meal and took a half hour walk to burn off some of the calories. Then I hopped into the car to begin exploring some of Appleton.

First, I decided to get my history on with a visit to The History Museum at the Castle in downtown Appleton. It’s not terribly huge and, at first, I was mildly disappointed. The main floor featured an exhibit about famed writer (and Appleton native) Edna Ferber along with some tidbits about Appleton history including the first jukebox, X-ray machine, and new voting machine, but nothing with that wow factor. I headed upstairs feeling overcharged for the $10 I spent, but then things took a turn.

The second floor features a little exhibit on social research and the history of toys, but its main attraction is the history of famed magician and escape artist, Harry Houdini, and that was worth the price of admission by itself.

Houdini had claimed Appleton as his hometown and the museum goes into a detailed history of Houdini’s upbringing and rise to fame. The museum even has a replica of the trick coffin (a new illusion) that Houdini was buried in as well as cuffs he escaped from, one of his straitjackets, a replica of his milk can escape, a representation of his Chinese Water Torture Escape, and you can even perform his famed Metamorphosis trick where he would be locked into a box and then switch places with his wife in 3 seconds. You can also perform one of Houdini’s famed jail cell escapes. Houdini wasn’t shy about sharing secrets to some of his tricks so be forewarned to skip the backstage part of the exhibit if you want to keep the tricks a mystery.

From there I drove through downtown Appleton and enjoyed the Christmas decorations. Appleton is actually a happening town with a lot of restaurants and activities and even boasts a pretty impressive performing arts center which I may have to visit at some point in the future. But, for now, I had a quest.

My older and younger brothers, Brian and Dan, decided to utilize my being in Wisconsin to pick up some regional beverages. So I began the search for Spotted Cow beer and Sprecher’s Grape Soda. I went to a Super Target and was denied. Then I reached a Festival Foods where I found Spotted Cow, but they seemed to have every flavor of Sprecher’s except Grape. Brian opted for a cherry soda as a Plan B.

Flush with success I returned to The Roost to begin writing. After a few hours I was off to worship at St Bernadette’s where I enjoyed a pleasant Advent service centering on a sermon telling us that Jesus, our Friend and Teacher, had come, will come again, and had never left us. A truly blessed thought to warm the soul.

With services completed, I grabbed an early dinner at Cinder’s. This restaurant is famed for cooking over charcoal and I enjoyed the cindery goodness of a Northwoods Burger with a side of fries (bottomless, if you feel like more) while I watched the Minnesota Golden Gophers give the Iowa Hawkeyes an early Christmas gift in the form of a trip to the Big 10 title game with a victory over the Wisconsin Badgers. Then it was back to The Roost to organize some photos, write a bit more, and grab a hot bath in my jetted tub on a frozen night while watching The Karate Kid before retiring.

At breakfast this morning, I met Fred & Sandy who seemed to love B & Bs as much as I do along with sharing a mutual love of theatre. As we conversed, we enjoyed sausage, eggs (over hard for me), granola & yogurt, and more Baked French Toast though with cream cheese and blueberries. I hated to end the conversation, but duty called, not to mention a fairly long drive.

And that wraps up this installment. Appleton is a nice little town with a lot of activities and Christmas cheer and Green Bay is not too far away if you happen to be a Packers fan. If you’re in the area, take some time to rest at the Roost and enjoy a little understated elegance.

Until the next time. . .happy travels.

October 3, 2021 by Chris Elston

A Castle in the Country: Cameo Rose Victorian Country Inn & Belleville, WI

Today the road has brought me to Belleville, WI.

From the moment I saw Cameo Rose Victorian Country Inn, owned and operated by Gary and Dawn Bahr, I knew it was going to be the next B & B I would visit. So I took advantage of an unseasonably warm early October to have one of my more enjoyable adventures.

I hit the ground sprinting on this jaunt as I partook of my first activity before I even arrived at the inn. That activity was Cave of the Mounds located in Blue Mounds, WI.

Cave of the Mounds was discovered in August 1939 when a quarry blast revealed the mammoth caverns. From that discovery, the caves have now become an educational tourist attraction.

There are more than just the caves to explore. Several trails are available for hiking as well as a gift shop and a sluice (bags of dirt are available in the gift shop for sluicing). But the caves are what everybody comes to see.

Tours have resumed at the caves, but they’re a little different from pre-pandemic times. Now the tours are self-guided, though guides are available at certain points to answer questions and information kiosks are available to educate you throughout your tour. So, on one hand, you may not get as much information, but you can leisurely enjoy the caves and see the awesome formations of nature.

After enjoying a pleasant walk through the caves, I made my way over to Belleville to check into the inn.

Cameo Rose is located on a secluded acreage just outside of Belleville where one can enjoy true peaceful solitude. Unlike many B & Bs which were private homes, Cameo Rose was specifically built to be an inn so you get a traditional country inn set in the modern times.

I was greeted at the door by Dawn who has a wealth of information about the area. She gave me a tour of the home and led me to my base of operations: Battenburg Lace Whirlpool Room. It’s a spacious room with a king-sized bed, rose wallpaper, wine-colored carpet, a fireplace, an easy chair, some antique fixtures and a large bathroom with a soaker whirlpool (no soaps, oils, or shampoo).

While I got comfy, Dawn brought me a pumpkin spice bar and a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade. After drinking that cup, I don’t think I’ll ever drink anything less than the real McCoy again. I unwound for a bit before heading out to nearby Mt Horeb for a bite to eat.

My dinner would be at Grumpy Troll, a famed local eatery. Like many businesses, Grumpy Troll is suffering some understaffing due to COVID, so you might need to have a bit of patience. I opted to sit at the bar to avoid a wait for a table.

I ordered the namesake burger which was nice and juicy, but, surprisingly had no vegetables which was the only thing missing to make it a perfect burger. However, it did fill the cavity and give me the juice I needed to close out the night at Screamin’ Acres in Stoughton, WI.

Screamin’ Acres is a haunted attraction created by Jacob Eugster in 2011. Originally, it was intended to help Jacob pay off his school loans, but it has morphed into one of the top seasonal attractions in the area.

I started my night getting “disinfected” when I stepped into a machine that buried me in bubbles which felt refreshing on a muggy night. From there I had a brief wait in line before beginning the attraction.

You will definitely get your money’s worth out of this one as it will take at least an hour to make it through the haunts. Time clocks are at the start of each attraction so the staff can socially distance groups for an enjoyable experience. Screamin’ Acres has an impressive attention to detail with each attraction having its own in-depth story and you can read about those at the link provided a few paragraphs ago. The actual haunted house portion was my favorite due to its properties which made it feel like an old, creaky mansion.

I was surprised by the lack of jump scares, but chalked it up to COVID precautions to keep the actors distanced. For a truly unique experience, you must try the “superhaunt”, Death Trap.

Death Trap uses natural human fears and reactions to spook you. This season the title is Shock Therapy, though given the tight squeeze to get through some of the parts of this haunt, claustrophobia is another fear that might plague you. The title is very true as I got zapped by some chains right off the bat, though the sensation is the full body equivalent of sticking your tongue on a 9 volt.

I truly enjoyed the challenge of attempting to dodge the many jolts waiting for me before escaping. I then returned to Cameo Rose for the night, but Screamin’ Acres is definitely a fun group activity to get the blood pumping.

I enjoyed a truly restful night on the soft memory foam and didn’t wake up until the next morning.

Due to COVID, the dining room is not currently being used at Cameo Rose so you can enjoy breakfast in your room or outdoors in various spots on the property. Dawn prepared a 4 course meal with fruit, an apple nut muffin, sausage, and mango stuffed French Toast followed by mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. The meal is perfectly portioned so you won’t feel overstuffed and the sausage is amazing (it’s organic). I felt amply fueled to visit The House on the Rock in nearby Spring Green.

If you’re in the region, you must visit the House. It was built by Alex Jordan as a private home for himself back in in the 1950s. But it was so original that people clamored to see it and Jordan eventually opened it up to the public and it became his life’s work.

Jordan built the house himself purely out of instinct and a knack for tinkering as he had no knowledge of architecture. Outside of its fascinating construction which includes a room dubbed the Infinity Room (it looks like it goes on forever), the house also contains some of the most incredible bric a brac you’ll ever lay eyes on.

Jordan was one of the world’s foremost collectors and his house expanded to huge rooms containing the many items he discovered over his life ranging from rare treasures to the bizarre and fantastical. You’ll see a suit of armor made for a dog (built by Jordan), radical combinations of instruments that will play for a token, intricate dollhouses, a main street from the turn of the century, a room containing 5 massive organs, the world’s largest carousel (and it has no horses) and so much more.

You could spend the day immersed in this incredible place and still return again and again to find something new.

I spent several hours here myself before returning to Cameo Rose to organize some photos and then I headed off to worship at St Francis of Assisi.

Father gave a pretty poignant sermon about having the faith of a child. When you’re a child, you instinctively trust your parents and you trust God without question. But in the process of growing up and learning how to support yourself, that faith wanes. Not necessarily in a bad way, but in a way where it becomes harder to “let go, let God” because you train yourself to feel like you have to do something instead of simply trusting and being led to the right spot. I assuredly have a lot to digest with this sermon.

After worship, I went to Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro, the favorite restaurant of Gary and Dawn.

This restaurant is actually in an old schoolhouse and provides an intimate gourmet experience. I had the filet mignon in a marrow demi-glaze with whipped potatoes and Brussel Sprouts. I had never eaten sprouts before, but they taste like leafy broccoli. The potatoes were light and fluffy and my filet was cooked to perfection. This was truly dining.

After dinner, I retired to Cameo Rose for the night.

The trip seemed to end as quickly as it began. At first light, I was writing and editing. Then I got cleaned up for breakfast.

I decided to eat in the gazebo this morning and Dawn had prepared crustless quiche with a cacophany of ingredients, wheat toast, cinnamon scone with raisins, macademia nuts, and white chocolate chips, fruit, and a Neopolitan sundae for dessert.

I was so relaxed, but reality beckoned. But if you want to get away from it all and have a lot to get away to, make a reservation with Dawn and Gary to stay at Cameo Rose.

Until the next time. . .happy travels.

June 9, 2021 by Chris Elston

Switzerland in America: Black Bear Manor & Ouray, CO

Today the road has brought me to Ouray, CO.

Ouray (pronounced you-ray) is nicknamed the Switzerland of America and is a quaint, mountain village nestled in the Rocky Mountains. I was actually led to this trip by a couple (The Jacksons) whom I met when I visited Racine, WI earlier this year. They told me I had to visit Ouray as it contained the most beautiful B & B they had ever visited: Black Bear Manor owned and operated by Tom and Cyndi Elliston.

The inn was actually on my list, but on the farther end as Ouray is nearly 13 hours away from Omaha. But with the country rapidly reopening and the fact that I hadn’t had a proper vacation in nearly two years, I decided to embark on the biggest road trip I had undertaken.

This was truly a tale of two drives. The first day of the drive was pretty flat as once you get past Lincoln, the state of Nebraska is pretty flat and sightless. Around Kearney, the route veered off the interstate and became mostly a highway drive which broke up the monotony as I at least was able to drive through small towns.

Around noon, I found myself in the tiny town of Alma, NE and I decided I could use a lunch break to stretch my legs and stopped into KJ’s Café for a bite to eat.

It was a pretty decent little diner where I enjoyed a Special Hamburger (it’s uniquely seasoned) along with some fries while I continued working through my latest volume of Sherlock Holmes pastiches. After a restful meal, it was back on the road.

The lack of scenery continued to be broken by occasional forays through small towns as I passed from Nebraska into Kansas and eventually into Colorado.

After 7.5 hours, I finally found myself at my stopping point of Limon, CO. It’s a town of only 1,000 people yet actually has a Holiday Inn. I was weary and truly grateful for the free upgrade to a suite as I was darn near ready to collapse after the grueling drive.

A couple hours of relaxing did rejuvenate me enough to attend an evening service at Our Lady of Victory. Most surprising to me was that the service was at 7pm as, historically, most Catholic services tend to be held between 4 to 5:30pm on Saturdays.

It was a very nice service as Father shared a great sermon about witnessing and the best way to do it was to tell people about why Jesus was my friend. After the service I returned to the hotel where I read for a bit before finally answering the calls to the land of Nod.

The next morning, I was out the door by 8am for another long drive. But the scenery began to change around Colorado Springs when I saw the Rockies looming in the distance. Soon I was enjoying a picturesque drive through the mountains and forests and I just drank in the scenery as well as watching numerous rafters shoot the rapids.

Around 3pm, I finally arrived in Ouray and felt like I was transported back in time. The town definitely has the feeling of another era with its older building designs and a Main Street where all the major businesses are located. And everything is within walking distance.

Soon I found myself at Black Bear Manor which is one of the most interestingly constructed houses I had seen and I suspect the building had been a traditional hotel once upon a time. Before I could dial the inn’s number, Tom opened the door, introduced me to Cyndi, and gave me the nickel tour of the inn before leading me to lucky number 7, Cliffside King.

The room is small, yet comfortable, with a soft king-sized bed and a private balcony which has a view of the Rockies. I got settled in, wandered about the inn, and then took a walk through town.

Ouray has a semi-boxed in feeling as it’s surrounded by mountains on all sides and only has two ways in and out. One from the north and one from the south. The southern entrance/exit is actually the start of the Million Dollar Highway. This highway is a 20ish mile stretch of road considered the most beautiful drive in America. The flip side is that it’s also considered one of the most dangerous with its narrow roads, hairpin turns, and lack of guardrails. The speed limit never exceeds 25 mph on this road that connects Ouray with Silverton.

I had a relaxing walk through town (though it is very steep) and stopped in at Ray’s Jerky where I bought some jalapeno jerky for my hikes the next day and snacked on an old-fashioned hot fudge sundae complete with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry at The Yankee Girl Café & Sweets before going back to the inn.

I decompressed for a bit before heading out to dinner at the Ouray Brewery. Only rooftop dining is currently available, but it was a cool evening and I supped on a Green Chile Cheeseburger while sipping on a Box Canyon Brown (most beer in Ouray is brewed locally or regionally) which was quite flavorful and tasted closer to a black beer without the bitterness. After a satisfying meal, I returned to the inn and spent some time in the hot tub where the churning water massaged and soothed aching muscles. I then went back to my room where I forced myself to stay up late to compel my body to adapt to Mountain Time.

The plan worked as I woke up at 6am. I then lazed about watching some TV and catching up on the news. At 9am I headed down to breakfast.

Black Bear Manor is unique in that it offers two breakfasts. At 7am a continental breakfast is laid out and then a hot meal is served at 9am.

The hot breakfast is served buffet style so you can have as much or as little as you please. The place was packed as the inn was actually sold out (the first I’ve experienced since starting this project back in 2013). I filled my plate with a smidge of everything so I was able to enjoy a taste of French Toast Souffle, ham, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and fruit. It was such a nice day that I ate outside and enjoyed some conversation before heading off to commune with nature.

I began my day at Cascade Falls Park and I certainly got my exercise in. It’s not an extremely difficult trek, but it is steep and one has to take the much higher altitude into consideration so be sure to pace yourself. Interestingly enough, the trek actually starts at the waterfall and it is an awesome sight, not to mention a quite refreshing one as cool air buffets you from the thundering falls. I spent nearly two hours hiking around and keeping my strength up with water and jerky.

When I was through with Cascade Falls, I made my way over to Box Canyon Park which included a brief, and I do mean brief, drive on the Million Dollar Highway. Box Canyon contains two treks. An easy 500 foot walk to Box Canyon Falls and a difficult trek up to a high bridge overlooking the falls. With the sun beating down on my head and my protein supply depleted, not to mention the few hours I had just done, I decided to simply visit the falls.

The roar of the falls in deafening and one wouldn’t even be able to have a shouted conversation. As I gazed upon this force of nature, I suddenly realized how the battle between Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty would have played out in reality.

I then returned to Black Bear Manor where I organized photos and caught a small nap. Around 4pm, I took a walk down to Ouray Hot Springs and back and partook of Black Bear Manor’s happy hour where I enjoyed some regionally brewed beer.

About 6pm, I headed over to an Ouray institution, The Outlaw, for dinner. The restaurant has a rustic feel, but is actually a fine dining establishment. I entered the restaurant and smiled as I listened to the piano player deal up a bevy of standards and movie tunes. I was led to a table at the back where I ordered a New York Strip with garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. I had a side salad added on and the meal came with a small loaf of freshly baked garlic bread.

In fairness I didn’t think the salad merited the extra $5, but that was countered by the steak which was tender and delicious and seemed a bit bigger than the 10 oz advertised on the menu. The potatoes were fluffy and light and the vegetables were nice and crisp.

From there it was back to the inn for another session with the hot tub and a quiet, peaceful evening.

Breakfast the next morning consisted of a breakfast casserole, personal quiches, bacon, eggs, and fruit. I had another round of great conversation with fellow guests before embarking on my day.

As the previous day had been quite active, I decided today would be a relaxing day. So I decided to visit The Historic Wiesbaden Hot Springs Spa & Lodgings. This is a very unassuming hotel, but hides the incredible vapor baths below.

For $25 per two hours, day guests can enjoy a soaking session in the famed caves. The mineral water that comes from the springs is a constant 104-108 degrees and is not recirculated. The water is completely chemical free and is known for its restorative and therapeutic properties. The cave acts as a natural sauna so you’ll really sweat out the impurities. Sections of the cave also drip much cooler water which helps to cool down the body after a session in the springs.

From there I returned to Cascade Falls where I just admired the waterfall while engaging in a conversation with my best friend. Afterwards, I headed down to the riverbank by Black Bear Manor where I pondered life for a little while.

In hindsight, I think I made the day too relaxing. By mid-afternoon, I was itching for another activity, but some nearby museums had not yet reopened and the local historical museum was about ready to close. Should I ever find myself this way again, I’ll be sure to visit them as well as schedule a jeep tour, another local highlight.

Instead I took a little walk and then enjoyed the happy hour where Tom serenaded the guests with some solo guitar work and songs. He even takes requests and I joined him for some two man harmony on Jim Croce’s “Operator (That’s Not the Way it Feels)”.

Tom performs for his guests during happy hour.

Then I made my way to The Mineshaft & Tiki Bar. This completely outdoor restaurant provides a comfortable eating experience under the sun and I enjoyed a Philly Steak for the evening repast before returning to Black Bear Manor for a bit of writing and photo organizing.

What a way to close the trip! Today I had what is easily one of the best breakfasts I’ve enjoyed since starting this project. This morning I enjoyed Chile Relleno Casserole, breakfast enchilada (with some red and green salsa), country potatoes, and a cinnamon roll that just melted in my mouth. Braced for the long trip, I wrapped up this article and said my good-byes.

If you ever find yourself in Ouray, rest assured you’ll find plenty to do. It’s a popular tourist site with activities for all seasons (famed for ice climbing and skiing in the winter). And if you want some real hospitality, make sure to visit Black Bear Manor. Tom and Cyndi will treat you right and you’ll enjoy comfortable rooms and food that will knock your socks off.

Until the next time. . .happy travels.

April 11, 2021 by Chris Elston

Historic Finery or One Last Blast of Christmas: A.G. Thomson House & Duluth, MN

Today the road has brought me to Duluth, MN.

I was looking forward to this outing even more than normal. After getting fully vaccinated, I was ready to experience the most normal adventure I had enjoyed since the pandemic began and I wasn’t let down.

I started the journey by taking the scenic route through Fort Dodge where I enjoyed a quick bite to eat at Taco Tico before continuing my drive to my stopping point of Northwood, IA. Cashing in some points, I enjoyed a free night at the Holiday Inn where I was also upgraded to a suite which was much appreciated after a long day of work and driving. After a full night of uninterrupted sleep, I spent the morning puttering around before hitting the road again at 11:30am.

It was a gray day with sporadic, steady rainfall, but it didn’t dampen my spirits and I found myself in the North Shore town of Duluth and A.G. Thomson Bed & Breakfast, owned by Tim and Angie Allen, before I knew it.

I admit to being wowed when I pulled into the mansion’s parking lot. A.G. Thomson is a 1909 Dutch Colonial mansion, but looks absolutely pristine and brand new both inside and out. This property is so meticulously maintained that shoes are left on shelves at the front door.

The inn is absolutely immaculate and has loads of room to spread out with a massive living room, dining room and side porch. Wine is also sold by the bottle and a room under the staircase contains a refrigerator with water, soft drinks and wine (one complimentary glass per guest) along with a variety of snacks and a large DVD library.

The house had been built for William Ryerson for the sum of $17,000 (roughly $492K today) and passed through the hands of a number of prominent Duluth families. The name of the house comes from its second owner, Adam G. Thomson, who had a two story addition added to the rear, built the two story carriage house with a four room dwelling on the upper floor and a tool house.

My room was the Mayor’s Chamber, named for John Fedo who owned the house from 1986 to 1989. Fedo had been the mayor of Duluth and was one of the city’s most controversial figures. He is credited with the renaissance of Duluth’s lakefront, but was also the only mayor in history to be charged and tried for criminal offenses while in office though he was eventually acquitted.

The room contains the same elegance as found in the rest of the house. A queen-sized bed takes up a corner of the room. A tiled gas fireplace is set into one of the walls while the opposite side contains a 2 person whirlpool tub. The floral wallpaper lends brightness to the room and a leather chair and footstool takes up the center of the room where one can watch the TV set on the wall in comfort.

After getting myself set up, I decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. A.G. Thomson is located in the Congdon district AKA the Mansion district. The area practically shouted wealth as I wandered past the million dollar homes while occasionally communing with nature. Deer were plentiful and let me get within a few feet for photos before bounding away. I enjoyed a phone conversation with my best friend, Josh, but eventually called it quits as the late afternoon was becoming a real pea souper and I didn’t need to literally get lost in a fog.

I hopped in the car and made my way to At Sara’s Table/Chester Creek Café for some dinner.

Even without a full vaccination, I would have felt safe visiting this town as Duluth set the bar for social distancing with protocols set in place for local businesses and a strict mask mandate. At Sara’s Table is certainly no exception as seating is set six feet apart.

The bistro reimagines traditional American food and it is quite tasty. I was seated in the library and it does have books you can read. For my dinner I enjoyed a hearty Rachel with fries and tried a cream ale with has the smoothness of a black beer, but lacks the bitterness. After my fine meal, I returned to the inn where I organized photos and took a long whirlpool bath before collapsing on the softest mattress I have ever lay upon and didn’t crack an eye until morning.

At breakfast I met Chris and Jessie Peterson and enjoyed some conversation with them while enjoying a repast of chocolate chip muffin, warm butternut squash soup, herb and black pepper scrambled eggs, sweet potato mash and French Toast with a blueberry compote. A truly fine and filling meal which gave me the energy I needed to visit Glensheen.

Glensheen was the home of Chester and Clara Congdon and their family. Chester was a lawyer and investor who was one of the first millionaires of Duluth. He had Glensheen built on a 22 acre tract of land located by Lake Superior for the princely sum of $854,000 in 1908 (modern day equivalent of $22 million). The Jacobean style mansion contains a jaw dropping 39 rooms and the property also contains a boathouse, gardener’s cottage, carriage house, tennis court and a stone arch bridge built over Bent Creek.

In 1968, the property was given to the University of Minnesota-Duluth by Elisabeth Congdon through a life estate and it continues to run the property to this day. Tragically, Elisabeth Congdon’s life was cut short when she was killed by her son-in-law, Roger Caldwell. It was theorized that the crime was committed so Elisabeth’s daughter, Marjorie (charged with & acquitted of the murder), could obtain her $8 million inheritance of which he was to receive $2.5 million. Caldwell would end up accepting a plea deal for second degree murder, but recanted his guilt in his suicide note. He never received the money.

I was quite fortunate to get a last blast of Christmas as Glensheen was still decorated for the Christmas season. Twenty-five Christmas trees and a plethora of decorations adorned the mansion. For social distancing purposes, the tours are self-guided, but placards containing the tour information are present at every stop and an audio tour can be had courtesy of the Glensheen app.

The mansion has been lovingly maintained and I was floored by the luxury in which the family lived.

The Congdons were also noted for their charity and generosity. Most notable was that the servants were permitted to enjoy the same menu as that of the family at meal times which was not the tradition of the day. Chester was also known as a dutiful and loving husband who kept a spare room that he could retire to on nights he worked late so he wouldn’t disturb his wife and gifting her with $14K worth of pearls each Christmas.

All in all, I spent 2 hours at Glensheen before returning to the inn to post photos and begin writing.

For the first time since the pandemic started, I would finally attend worship services instead of taking in an online service. A six minute walk took me to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. The chapel is gorgeous and I enjoyed a pleasant service.

Then it was time for a little dinner and I opted for one of the inn’s favorite restaurants, Tavern On the Hill.

Tavern On the Hill is a bar/restaurant and must be quite popular as it was packed to socially distant capacity. I ended up taking a seat at the bar where I enjoyed a Thai Chicken Tender Melt. The sandwich is served on sourdough bread with the chicken glazed in a Thai curry sauce and covered with swiss cheese and bacon. I contentedly nibbled away on the sandwich while reading my latest volume of Sherlock Holmes pastiches. Once satiated, I returned to the inn for a quiet night of writing, reading and another whirlpool bath.

Sunday morning found me polishing this article a bit before making my way to breakfast. Today’s repast consisted of a dark chocolate raspberry scone with fruit plate and a main course of spinach artichoke baked potato, grape arugula salad and mushroom & asparagus cheese encrusted quiche. I spent a bit conversing with Chris & Jessie who told me about their day and I spoke a bit with Kirsten, the innkeeper, who regaled me with a story of how she and a friend traveled from Alaska to Duluth. I also got to meet with Tim, one of the owners, who had once lived in Omaha when he was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base.

And all too soon, it was over. But I had an amazing time here in Duluth and it was a much appreciated return to normalcy. Rest assured, I will be back in the area again, possibly for my annual Christmas review. But take the time to experience the peace and tranquility of Duluth and enjoy a night or two at A.G. Thomson House. As an ornament says at the second floor, you’ll enter as a stranger, but leave as a friend and you’ll enjoy some world class dining and luxury.

Until the next time. . .happy travels.

March 7, 2021 by Chris Elston

Christmas in March: Christmas House & Racine, WI

Today the road has brought me to Racine, WI.

It was almost exactly a year ago that I enjoyed my last normal B & B run when I visited Astor House of Green Bay, WI. So it seems apropos that my most normal run since the start of the pandemic would also take place in Wisconsin. My destination for this journey would be Christmas House Bed & Breakfast owned and operated by Pamela Deskins.

The trip couldn’t have started out any better. The weather was absolutely perfect and I managed to dodge the rush hours of both Omaha, NE and Des Moines, IA. I got to enjoy a meal at my favorite hole in the wall, Iowa’s Best Burger Café, listened as the Iowa Hawkeyes delivered an absolute drubbing to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in basketball and arrived early at my first stop, Davenport, IA.

I had booked a junior suite at the Holiday Inn & Suites, but I didn’t know how good of a room it was going to be.

This was a very elegant Holiday Inn. I’d put it at 4 stars. Thanks to digital check-in, I was able to check-in the day before and merely had to pick up my key at the front desk. My room was on the top floor where I had a good view of the city and, while I’m not positive, I think I might have been upgraded to a full suite as I had a spacious living room, bathroom with a double sized shower and a separate bedroom with a king-sized bed.

I had a good rest that night.

I decided to eat in the hotel restaurant, the J Bar, for breakfast. Even had my diet not been limited by Lent, the breakfast buffet still would have been overpriced at $10 as it only consisted of a few items. I had some scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and a granola bar. The server did bring me a wonderful green salsa that added the perfect kick to the eggs and potatoes and the orange juice was mighty smooth.

At 11:15am I checked out, gassed up and continued the jaunt to Racine. My journey took me on the toll road that has taken me to Algonquin, IL on several occasions, but I was surprised to learn that all of the toll booths were closed. To pay, you need to go to the Illinois Tollway website and register your plate. Then the Tollway will eventually charge your credit or debit card.

Around the 2pm hour, I got off the interstate and started passing through small towns. I smiled as the towns seemed a bit more vibrant and enjoyed the vast farmlands and imagined what the leafless trees would look like in full bloom. Around 3:20pm, I saw the mint-colored Christmas House looming in the distance.

If this is your first time visiting my blog, you should know that I am a Christmas nut. It’s my favorite holiday and I feature a Christmas B&B review on my website each year. Thus, Christmas House called out to me with all the subtlety of the ringing of a chow bell.

I was met by Pamela who gave me a tour of the mansion before leading me to the Glam Suite which would be my base of operations.

The Glam Suite offers one plenty of room to stretch out and relax. The room’s mint-colored walls and off-white carpeting promote a calming effect. The room contains a small kitchenette with a fridge that contains complimentary water, a pair of comfortable red leather chairs, a large TV and a comfy king-sized bed with what felt like a memory foam mattress.

Once getting settled in, I started a more detailed exploration of the mansion.

Christmas House had been built in 1893 by Emily Baker, the widow of former Racine mayor Robert H. Baker, and one of the original “Big Four” partners of the J.I. Case Company, nowadays known as Case New Holland. The mansion has been home to some of the most powerful people in Racine’s history and also served as the women’s dorm for the St Luke School of Nursing for 35 years. It gained its name in 1987 when it began hosting the Christmas House for Cancer benefit which it did until 1995.

The house is actually a blend of two styles. It is built in the Colonial Revival Style, but follows the plan of a Queen Anne. It is also mammoth. This is easily one of the three biggest inns I’ve visited, yet it only contains 4 suites which allows for plenty of privacy. A Carriage House is also available for rental for even further seclusion.

And, yes, the theme of Christmas is prevalent in the mansion as the first floor contains Christmas trees, knick-knacks, decorations and a life-sized Santa Claus.

When I finished looking around the mansion, I took a constitutional around the neighborhood and soaked in the view of Lake Michigan. From there I returned to the inn where I relaxed for a bit before picking up some dinner from Red Lobster in nearby Mount Pleasant. I enjoyed some Salmon New Orleans with mashed potatoes and a Caesar Salad. After my meal, I spent a quiet evening watching a little TV and organizing photos.

Breakfast was a grand affair the next morning. An extra leaf was added to the table for social distancing and I met a truly charming couple, the Jacksons, from Bloomington, IL. We had some incredible conversation and I thank them for pointing me towards my next major B & B outing, Black Bear Manor of Ouray, CO, which I hope to do this summer after I’ve had a poke or two of COVID vaccine.

Pamela whipped up a delicious skillet of sunny side up eggs, sausage and hash browns along with cornbread crumble and Kringle, the famed danish pastry of Wisconsin. I also learned that Pamela has almost limitless energy and boundless humor. Pamela is not only extremely knowledgeable about the Racine area, but she is well known for her entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Aside from owning Christmas House, she is also a realtor and “Big Sister” for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.

Kringle, breakfast skillet, and cornbread crumbles

She bought the inn in 2014 after it had been in foreclosure for 7 years and was responsible for over 70% of its restoration into the grand inn it is nowadays. To give you an idea of its disrepair at the time of Pamela’s purchase, the house literally had no roof.

For the first time in nearly a year, I actually managed to enjoy some local activities. I began with a long, leisurely walk through Petrifying Springs Park where the gurgling water of the streams provided some succor to the soul. I also had a phone call with my best friend, Josh, and some childhood memories were triggered as I saw some children enjoying themselves on classic playground equipment of slides, swings and merry-go-rounds.

After my hike, I visited a Kenosha, WI classic: Mars Cheese Castle. Admittedly, I originally thought it was a castle made of cheese. It is actually a store shaped like a castle that sells cheese, meats, clothes and old-fashioned candies and sodas. It even has a deli, restaurant and bar.

From there it was back to Christmas House when I did a little writing and took in an online worship service with Fr. Matt Barone.

When the service was completed, I was faced with a quandary. Did I want to have a very early dinner or wait until my normal dinner hour? Pamela had mentioned a local eatery called Kewpee’s, but it closed at 5pm. I thought about it and realized I wasn’t in the mood for a regular meal that night, so I went with the extra early dinner.

Kewpee’s is actually a Racine stalwart. There actually used to be a chain of them, but now only six are left and the Racine location is the only one in Wisconsin and it’s been operating since 1926.

The restaurant has the look of a fifties diner and is inspired by the famous kewpie dolls and there is a display case full of them inside. Being so close to closing time meant that there weren’t a lot of people inside so social distancing was an easy task. I ordered the double cheeseburger with the works, a side of fries and a Coke.

Not only does the place look like a fifties diner, it also has portion sizes to match with prices not that far behind. I personally appreciated the portion sizes as you get a great meal without feeling overstuffed. These are old fashioned burgers cooked fresh on a flattop grill and the fries are crinkle cut. Kewpee’s is also noted for its homemade root beer which I’ll make a point of sampling at some future date.

With dinner digesting, I returned to Christmas House for more writing, reading, photo organizing and some classic game shows on BUZZR.

Another great night of sleep led into a new day. Breakfast that day consisted of a pecan Kringle, strawberry waffles with whipped cream and cornbread crumble had sausage and egg added to it for quite the tasty melange. I had another satisfying round of conversation with Pamela and the Jacksons where I was introduced to the dancing skills of Pamela’s dog, Dewey.

Strawberry waffles with whipped cream, cornbread crumble and pecan Kringle

This trip was just what the doctor called for and if you find yourself in Racine, make plans to stay at Christmas House. It’s truly as festive as the name sounds.

Until the next time. . .happy travels.

January 1, 2021 by Chris Elston

An Added Dose of Christmas: Fulton, MO & Loganberry Inn

Today the road has brought me to Fulton, MO.

But I did take my sweet time in getting there. Ultimately my goal was to reach Loganberry Inn for a bonus Christmas review, but I had to stretch my trip out a bit to do it.

Omaha was set to be walloped by a snowstorm the day I originally intended to leave so I rearranged my plans and arranged to do 2 nights in St Joseph, MO at their Holiday Inn so I could get out of its path. Thanks to my Platinum status, I was upgraded to a free suite so I had plenty of room to stretch out for a few nights.

I didn’t do much in St Joseph though I did get to scratch my Christmas itch a bit as I visited Krug Park on the first night to view their 1.5 mile trek of Christmas lights and displays. But mostly it was just kicking back in the suite reading, watching TV and especially enjoying watching the Iowa Hawkeyes put a thrashing on the Northwestern Wildcats in basketball.

Wednesday I finally headed off to Fulton. St Joseph was out of the path of the blizzard that drilled Omaha, but it did get a generous portion of freezing rain that crystallized the trees and power lines as well as wrapped my car in a cocoon of ice. The ice broke readily off my car and I heard its remnants crack and slough off the car as I continued further south.

By the time I arrived in Fulton, my car had been fully deiced and I found my way to Loganberry Inn.

Loganberry Inn is a Grand Victorian mansion built in 1899 and had been one of my choices for my annual Christmas review back at the start of December. The inn has actually been graced by quite a few famous people over the years. Margaret Thatcher, Mary Soames (daughter of Winston Churchill) and Polish President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa are just some of the luminaries who have stayed at the inn.

The town itself also packs a bit of history and renown. Westminster College and William Woods University have their homes here. The former also has a museum which houses a piece of the Berlin Wall. Fulton is also close to several major cities including Jefferson City and Columbia as well as being near to the Katy Trail. The downtown area also houses several antique shops, an old-fashioned soda fountain and the Brick District Playhouse.

I was greeted at the door by Loganberry Inn’s innkeeper, Monique. She led me to the Garden Room which would be my secluded headquarters and I stress, secluded.

The Garden Room has its own private entrance at the rear of the mansion and contains a king-sized bed with a memory foam topper, a decorative fireplace and an easy chair couch.

After settling myself, I headed back into the mansion proper to look around the place. The inn is still decorated for the holidays and has the feel and look of a traditional Victorian Christmas. After finishing my explorations, I took a walk over to Westminster College to wander about its campus.

From there it was back to the inn where I kicked back for a bit before heading out for a bite to eat at Fontenot’s Po’Boys. This little Cajun eatery is noted for its in-house gumbo and a bowl (or cup) is well worth a taste. I had a cup of it along with a ½ fried shrimp po’boy.

With dinner digesting, I made a stop over at Veteran’s Park to experience Fulton’s Festival of Lights. It’s quite an impressive display of Christmas cheer. Aside from the festive displays of Santa, elves, snowmen and other Yuletide delights, the park has also its Field of Joy which is a wide array of Christmas trees. And if you look just past the trees, you can see Santa playing a bit of baseball with one of his elves.

With my heart full of Christmas spirit, I returned to the inn where I posted some photos and then went to bed.

And what a sleep! For me, I slept late, not rising until 7:30am. I took a bath in my jetted tub and watched the heat escape from the water. I mean I actually saw the steam float out of the water and hover in the air. Once cleaned up, I headed to the dining room for breakfast.

The inn alternates between 3 course savory days and 2 course sweet days. Today was a sweet day. I had an appetizer of Peach Napoleon followed by an entrée of banana-blueberry pancakes with hot maple syrup and cheddar encrusted sausage balls. Superb!

After a fine meal, I watched the Robin Williams movie, Man of the Year before taking a walk around the neighborhood and downtown area.

Dinner that night was at the Fulton Diner where one can get some homestyle cooking. I enjoyed a Patty Melt along with a salad and some fries before returning to the inn for some writing and puttering around before retiring for the night.

For savory day, Monique opened things up with a dessert course of baked apple with brown sugar and ice cream. That was followed by orange bread and then the main entrée of Southwestern frittata which had tomatoes, sausage, egg, cheese, and tortilla. Conversation with a lovely couple from Columbia, MO only added to the enjoyment.

And that brings us to the end of this little write-up. Fulton, MO is a fine little town to visit if you like history and antiques and a visit to Loganberry Inn will make for a thoroughly relaxing stay and a bit of the holiday spirit if you time it right.

Until the next time. . .happy travels.

December 6, 2020 by Chris Elston

A Christmas Kind of Town: Phipps Inn & Hudson, WI

Phipps Inn

Today the road has brought me to Hudson, WI.

December has arrived which means it’s time for the annual Christmas review here at the Corner. This year’s selection was Hudson, WI which is located right across the St Croix River from the Twin Cities and is home to Phipps Inn, owned and operated by Maryellen and Rich Cox.

Weather wise, I had a considerable amount of good fortune as no snow had fallen in the region so I had a clear and safe drive over to Hudson. I arrived in town about 4:30 and was blown away by the activity in the downtown area. I mean the joint was jumping!! Very surprising for a small town. Later I was to learn that Hudson is considered part of the Twin Cities metro area and receives a lot of visitors in the downtown area due to its plethora of restaurants and shops.

As my car slowly creeped through the heavy traffic, I could already tell that Hudson was a Christmas kind of town with the beautiful Christmas decorations hanging over the main drag as well as the colorful displays in the shop windows. Once past the main drag, I was able to turn off into the historic district where I found Phipps Inn.

Phipps Inn is an 1884 Queen Anne Victorian mansion that had once been owned by, you guessed it, the Phipps. They were a wealthy and philanthropic family which, regrettably, has died out though smatterings of their history still exist, both in the form of the inn and in at least one local museum.

I was greeted at the door by Maryellen Cox who gave me a quick, socially distanced check-in and led me to the Peacock Chamber which would serve as my headquarters for a few days. The inn was lovingly decorated for the holidays and Maryellen told me normally they have even more decorations out, but kept things a little simpler this year due to the pandemic. Personally, I thought it was just right.

The Peacock Chamber is located on the third floor of the mansion and the floor was once the ballroom before renovations. The chamber itself is just perfect for a writer. A half canopy queen sized bed is at the center of the room. The room contains lush wood paneling, a gas fireplace and a massive two person jacuzzi tub with waterfall faucets. A small table is located in the corner for breakfast in the morning or, in my case, a place to get some writing done.

After leaving me to my own devices, I did a quick exploration of the house, getting photos of all the Christmas goodness before donning my coat and hat and walking around the neighborhood to get photos of Christmas lights.

After a brisk walk, I decided to get some dinner and ordered some takeout from a popular local bar/restaurant called Paddy Ryan’s and ordered one of their house specialties, Irish Stew. The stew was right on the money with a lightly spiced broth filled with lamb, bacon, and vegetables. After dining, it was time to give my Christmas itch a serious scratch so I visited the nearby town of Somerset to take in Sam’s Christmas Village.

Sam’s Christmas Village is located on a 40 acre piece of property by the Apple River in Somerset and boasts a series of displays with a total of over 6 million lights. Two of the hallmarks of the Village are its 500 foot light tunnel and 50 foot animated Christmas tree. The property also boasts an onsite restaurant, gift shop and S’mores cabins (cabins that contain fixings and means of making s’mores). The lights are all outside so social distancing is a snap. A series of firepits along the path will help ward the chill out of your bones and a mask also makes for a dandy face warmer. Sometimes Santa Claus can be found wandering the property spreading Christmas cheer.

This place truly awoke the kid in me as I marveled at the intricate light displays. I honestly could have spent hours there, but, man, it was a frigid night.

I returned to the inn where I reviewed a new album by Omaha musician, Billy McGuigan. You can read that review here. At that point, I curled up under the triple sheets of my oh, so soft bed and put out the room lights shortly before my own went out.

The next morning, I rolled out of bed, turned on the fire to warm the room and proceeded to fill my tub.

Now this jacuzzi is a bathing tub, but you have to have the jets turned off when you want to scrub. The tub has a very interesting effect when the jets are on. A second waterfall faucet cascades water while the jets are going, but, somehow, doesn’t seem to add any extra water to the tub. I’m not sure what the trick is, but it’s a neat effect. After a good long soak, a knock at the door let me know breakfast was ready.

Normally you can have breakfast either in the dining room, your room or the front porch. For social distancing, breakfast is currently only served in the room. I found a basket with food and cutlery waiting for me and I enjoyed orange juice, milk, a Pecan French Toast cake or souffle for lack of a better word, raisin scone, sausage, fruit and a couple of chocolate chocolate chip nuggets.

Raisin scone, fruit, OJ, milk, Pecan French Toast Souffle, Sausage, and some dessert is hidden behind the fruit.

With breakfast put away, I took another walk around the neighborhood for some exercise as well as to get photos of houses with Christmas decorations that can only be viewed in daylight.

At noon, I stopped at the Octagon House Museum for a private Christmas tour. The house had once been home to the Moffatt family and for Christmas the theme is the Christmas of the late 1800s. The tour guide, Linnae, admitted that they embellish the theme a bit. The Moffatts were from Scotland and Wales during the Victorian period and Victorian Christmases are very flashy. However, the Moffatts were devout Baptists and lived very austerely and so would not have had the flash and sizzle of a traditional Victorian Christmas.

Octagon House Museum

It was a pleasant way to see how life was lived in yesteryear. Photos were not permitted inside the house, but I did buy and photograph some postcards showing the home’s interior so you can get an idea of what the interior looked like.

Upper Left: Living Room Upper Right: Music Room Lower Left: Kitchen Lower Right: Dining Room. The china had been owned by the Phipps family.

When my tour was done, I listened to the Iowa Hawkeyes put a beating on Illinois in football. Admittedly, it took a couple of quarters for Iowa to kick it into gear, but it’s how you finish that counts.

My stomach started to rumble so I ordered some dinner from the Milwaukee Burger Company and picked up their Jalapeno and Smoked Cheddar Infused Burger with a side of Tailgater’s Chili that I enjoyed in my room. The burger was just right. Perfect kick. Smoky. And the chili really stuck to your ribs.

I did another walk around the neighborhood and visited the downtown area to get photos of their lights. I thought about working on this article when I got back and decided I was taking the night off. The instant I did, my body said, “You got it, boss” and I felt my adrenaline shut off and the toll of a long drive and the running around I’d be doing hit me all at once. I drew a hot bath and let the jets massage my lower back for about 20 minutes before crawling into bed and reading myself to sleep.

I tell you there’s nothing like a full night of sleep. I awoke ready to write and breakfast arrived about 9:15am.

Today’s repast included a sticky bun that had an apple cinnamon sauce and sliced pecans (I think), a baked apple with a cherry on top, a tiny square of mint cake, a casserole of eggs, sausage, cheese, potatoes that came with a brown, spicy salsa and my milk and OJ.

Mint cake, milk, OJ, Baked Apple, Breakfast Casserole, salsa, sticky bun and bread.

Another fine meal was tucked away and left me time to finish writing and begin the trip home. But a stay at Phipps Inn in the quiet town of Hudson can be a restful retreat for you and if you like Christmas there’s always Sam’s Christmas Village and the Twin Cities are just a short drive away.

Until the next time. . .happy travels. . .and happy holidays!

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Chris' Corner

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Category Archives: travel

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