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Mars’ Cheese Castle An I-94 Kenosha Landmark

March 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Mars’ Cheese Castle on I-94 in Kenosha has been around for over 65 years.

For as long as I’ve been able to read, the Mars’ Cheese Castle has been something that always caught my eye when traveling I-94 through the Kenosha area. It was a place I always wished my parents would stop at, even just to check it out. As a kid, I always wondered what it was about. Perhaps, having the word Mars in the name is what created such curiosity. After all, space was something that interested every kid that grew up with Star Wars and Mars meant it was from space didn’t it? A name like Mars’ Cheese Castle has to be one of the most interesting names you could give a business. I also always wondered why it was called a castle. For most of my life, it never really resembled a castle to me. Well, somewhat recently, that changed. [Read more...]

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Papa Luigi’s South Milwaukee

March 6, 2012 By 2 Comments

Papa Luigi’s 2 in South Milwaukee makes great food fun.

Papa Luigi’s Pizza made a very good impression on us.

My wife does not care too much for eating out. Usually, we eat at restaurants only when she’s had a hard day and doesn’t feel up to cooking. Otherwise, she would rather eat her own cooking (she is an amazing cook). It’s not often when she will tell me at a restaurant that she would like to come back some day. Sometimes she will say the food is pretty good, which is a very rare complement from her. While I really like pizza, she usually just tolerates it. I was really surprised when she asked [Read more...]

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Outdoor Gear From Laacke and Joys Milwaukee

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Laacke and Joy’s Company in Milwaukee has been an outdoor outfitter in Wisconsin longer than Wisconsin has been a state.

There are several types of sporting goods stores.

Some sell hunting equipment and heavy but durable camping equipment that you can take to a cabin in your car but would never carry far by foot. Some sporting goods stores sell bowling balls and basketball shoes in a mall. Still others sell the type of equipment you would carry if you were to go camping in the wilderness for a week or climb a mountain. More of an extreme [Read more...]

Filed Under: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Businesses Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Packing House on Layton Ave. Milwaukee, WI

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Packing House is one of Milwaukee’s favorite restaurants.

If you drive on Layton Avenue past Mitchell International Airport on a Friday night, you’ll see a line of cars stretching around the block.

What makes people line up in their cars like people trying to get into a popular L.A. nightclub? It’s the Packing House Friday Fish Fry. On Friday, the Packing House has a drive up window for their Fish Fry and that is what many of those cars are picking up. They take cash only, no credit cards to keep the line moving. A Friday fish fry is a popular tradition in the Milwaukee area. The Packing House’s fish fry is well liked. It’s often a long line. [Read more...]

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Flowers at Parkway Floral South Milwaukee, WI

January 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Flowers for Valentine’s Day or any occasion from Parkway Floral in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Parkway Floral has a special place in my life.

My wife and I had a very small wedding. There were a number of reasons it was this way, but I think we both wanted it to be small. It was a bit unconventional for an American wedding as my wife wore a traditional Chinese wedding dress which is red and not white.

Originally my wife had not planned on having a bouquet.

The morning of the wedding, she decided [Read more...]

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Paisano’s Italian Restaurant South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

January 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Italian food at Paisano’s in South Milwaukee, WI.

One reason we chose to eat at Paisano’s Italian Restaurant was it always looks busy.

My wife always noticed that the parking lot is usually full when she went by. So, when we were looking for some place new to try, she wanted to [Read more...]

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Esther’s European Imports New Glarus Wisconsin

January 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Robert’s European Imports has changed to Esther’s European Imports and moved down the street.

One of the stores that I always liked to visit in New Glarus was Robert’s European Imports. I was shocked to find the store closed but relieved to find the same store down the street using the new name: Esther’s European Imports. My first though is that it wouldn’t be quite the same, but it turned out to be just like the old gift shop. It has the same imported gifts and the same feeling.

Esther’s European Imports reminds me of the Swiss shop at the beginning of “Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon.”

Esther's European Imports New Glarus WI from the street

Esther's European Imports has a fun mix of Swiss products

[Read more...]

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Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Haus New Glarus Wisconsin

December 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate House in New Glarus, WI

The smell of chocolate.

Christmas at Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate House

That intoxicating, sweet aroma that you smell if you sniff a fresh chocolate bar up close. That is what thinking about the Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Haus brings to my mind. That wonderful smell of chocolate sugar is the first thing that I became aware of when I stepped inside. That smell alone is worth [Read more...]

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Start A Bakery Tradition With The New Glarus Bakery In Wisconsin

November 27, 2011 By 1 Comment

Traditional Swiss bakery is what the New Glarus Bakery is all about.

Consider making a visit to the New Glarus Bakery a tradition anytime you are near New Glarus, WI.

The New Glarus Bakery has a history dating back to 1910. While ownership changed in 2004, they are still using their Old World recipes to create traditional Swiss pastries, cookies, deserts, and breads.

Their featured traditional specialty is probably the New Glarus Stollen.

Made from a bread formed by hand, it includes ingredients like almonds, Meyer’s rum, marzipan and two kinds of raisins. They make a point that there is no candied fruit in the ingredients. With stollen a popular Christmas tradition in Wisconsin, I can’t think of a more traditional bakery to get it from.

An inside look at the New Glarus Bakery

Of course, there is lots more than just [Read more...]

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Extreme Fireworks Racine WI

June 4, 2008 By 2 Comments

Xtreme Fireworks Caledonia, Wisconsin

Fireworks!

What is more American than firecrackers for the 4th of July? Satisfy your pyrotechnic leanings at Extreme Fireworks Caledonia, Wisconsin in Racine county. Xtreme Fireworks is just [Read more...]

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Donn Powers Jeweler South Milwaukee WI

April 17, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Donn Powers Jeweler South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Donn Powers Jeweler is “Your Hometown Jeweler.”

Donn Powers Jeweler South Milwaukee, WI

That is [Read more...]

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