Results tagged “Wisconsin” from Intelligent Travel Blog

Home to more than cows and cheese, bars and beer, Wisconsin has a history of spooky sightings. Be prepared when the sun goes down...

Milwaukee has two haunts that are worth a visit: Heaven City Restaurant in Mukwonago offers fine dining in a beautiful old house and registered Wisconsin Historical site that is said to be haunted by A.J. Moore, a street preacher and early resident. The restaurant claims reports of ghost sightings, disembodied laughter and voices, doorknobs turning, and even feeling the touch of "an unseen child presence." Allegedly situated near Native American burial grounds and underground tunnels that lead to a nearby river (it's theorized these were used for gangster bootlegging activities), Heaven City has so many reasons to be haunted it can get confusing.

If eating amongst the spirits isn't enough for you, stay a night at The Pfister, which is said to be visited by its former owner, Guido Pfister. Hotel employees insist that he isn't scary--he just seems to be proud of the elegant hotel that he built in 1893.

After reading an article in this weekend's New York Times about Utah's unique Pastrami Burger, National Geographic writer Catherine L. Barker blogged about her own reporting on obscure regional foods a few years ago, when she discovered such local favorites as the Kringle, a round, flaky pastry in Racine, Wisconsin, or Livermush, a North Carolina delicacy that is exactly what it sounds like. It she also learned how passionate people are about their local tastes:

Early in my reporting I realized that people become strangely emotional when they are asked about their favorite foods. It's as if Moon Pie or a conch fritter acts as the proverbial Madeleine, sparking a rush of memories--and a growling stomach. Some of my sources became defensive, some got excited; pretty much all of them were nostalgic. I spoke to one woman in Hawaii about Spam Musubi, a sort of sushi made with Spam, for at least an hour. Did you know that there's a festival dedicated to this canned pork product every year in Waikiki? That's devotion! And a bartender from Nevada was so enthusiastic about Picon Punch, he mailed me everything I needed to mix the potent drink beloved by many of the west's Basque émigrés. Some North Carolina residents waxed poetic in emails they sent me about livermush, a culinary mishmash of pig parts and cornmeal. I thought it sounded pretty revolting, and I spoke with other Southerners who agreed. From California to Connecticut, everyone I talked to had an opinion about their local food, and where to find the best of it.

Catherine is gathering more regional dishes over at NG Blog Central. Go share your favorites with her there. And check out the entire "United Tastes" series from the Times here.

Photo: A Kringle pastry, via NG Blog Central

A revolutionary leader in the organic architecture movement, Frank Lloyd Wright constructed homes that were one with their natural surroundings. Taking into consideration every imaginable perspective, Wright's designs aimed to create peaceful and harmonious spaces. In 1992 the Seth Peterson Cottage in Lake Delton, Wisconsin, was the first of six homes designed by Wright to open to the public for vacationing and events.

One of Wright's last commissioned works, the Seth Peterson Cottage was built in 1958 overlooking Mirror Lake. Although the home is small in square footage, it appears much larger because of the abundance of natural light and other design elements. A masterful stone fireplace is the focal point in the home, while the great room is walled by picture windows and extends in to the fully functional kitchen. The intimate bedroom is also lined with windows and offers views of the hillside.

The home is secluded and would be a unique and peaceful retreat for design enthusiasts or anyone looking for a special getaway. Located near the Wisconsin Dells, there are a wide variety of activities available within ten minutes of the Seth Peterson Cottage including hiking, golf, spas, fishing, etc.

The home is open all year and rental rates range from $225-$275 per night. A two-night minimum reservation is required and the cottage sleeps four people. If you are just interested in visiting, the home is open the second Sunday of every month for tours.

For more ways to stay Wright, check out our past post on his buildings in Pennsylvania.

Photo: Courtesy of the Seth Peterson Cottage Conservancy

Hello city-lovers! This was our first entry to come in from the under-10 set, and we had to admire the remarkably well-honed tastes of Ruby (age 4) and Kiva (age 8), who were eager to share the favorite spots in their Bay View neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Also, we love anyone who puts a tater tot on their fine dining list.

The Bay View Neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is Our City

The first place we take a visitor from out of town is the Farmer's Market at South Shore Park.

When we crave flavored milk, we always go Anodyne Coffee Roasters.

To escape the crowded city we head out on Lake Michigan in our kayaks.

If we want to climb on rocks we go to Cupertino Park.

For complete quiet, we can hide away in Seminary Woods.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with the oldest copper beech tree in the state.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from The Palomino it has to be tater tots with Cajun cream dipping sauce.

Pancake Ice forms on Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin

To mark the release of our March issue (now on newsstands), we're celebrating cities over the next few weeks, and we've asked our readers to share what they love most about their towns. 

Still haven't submitted? Here's your chance. We've put together a list of fill-in-the-blank questions that should help get you started and we'd love it if you would copy and paste the list into an email, fill in your answers (as many as you like) and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. Declare your love for that special city in your heart!

Today, Sonia Dubielzig, of Madison Wisconsin shares what she loves about her city. Sonia is a transportation planner currently living in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It's only an hour's drive from Madison (her hometown) but a world apart in politics, culture, and attitude.