With no real plans for date night, my husband and I decided to venture to Sister Bay, where we ended up at one of our favorite pastimes — Husby’s Food & Spirits (I say pastimes because being the parents of a three-month-old and two-year-old doesn’t exactly allow for us to get out like we used to — let’s just say we are generally in bed long before any band starts to play). It’s a great watering hole known for great company and food — they are also always on top of the local music scene.

When we walked in, there was a group in the corner having the time of their lives trying to figure out how to get their dollar tacked onto the ceiling without the use of a ladder. To get the answer from a bartender will cost you $1.25 — mostly because they will show you, but they are going to use your money, not theirs. The next question you are probably going to ask yourself is, “Why does it cost $1.25 to get $1.00 on the ceiling?” I’ll leave that one up to you to figure out. It’s a great trick the bar has been doing for years; at the end of each season, the money is pulled down and given to one of the local causes.

After being entertained by the group with the dollar, we finished up our dinner and made our way outside to Husby’s new open-air Garage Bar. It’s such a cool concept! The staff wears mechanic shirts, and your change is held down by clunky nuts and bolts. In the corner, a small stage holds the talent of many local artists. It’s free to enjoy and just steps off of the main road. The best part? It’s open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., allowing you to experience Door County’s music scene without the late nights. We had such a great time and it’s now at the top of our list for date night!

For a full list of local artists and music schedules, click here.

VIDEO: Miss Meaghan Owens performs at Husby’s Garage Bar

I will be the first to admit I know absolutely nothing about ice fishing – the creaking of the ice when it shifts still give me the willies. My husband, on the other hand, can’t seem to get enough of it. People travel from all over the world to the Midwest just to say they have done it.  For that reason, I decided to try it again – and I’m a firm believer that I’ve got at least a couple followers who would enjoy this endeavor, too!

Let’s get something straight right from the start: Ice fishing is not like bobber fishing, when you grab a rod and some worms then find some water to cast into.  There is a whole lot of time and effort that goes into setting up, and a whole lot of comedy comes from watching someone run across the ice to catch a tip-up.  (Word to the wise – if you’re like me and have no idea how to ice fish, get a guide or someone who does – not only for sanity’s sake, but navigating on ice is risky and not for a novice to do on their own.)

Your day should go something like this: Find every warm piece of clothing you have and put it on until you look like the kid from the Christmas Story (okay, maybe not that far…); layers are going to make your day a lot more enjoyable.  Meet with your guide, who has no doubt been assembling gear since dawn, and travel to their “super secret” fishing spot.  Since this year has been unseasonably warm, you will most likely be on one of the inland lakes like we were. You will catch small pan fish like perch, or maybe the occasional northern. If you’re like me, and have no ability what-so-ever to help, this is when you sit back and watch as the experienced one in your group drills holes, scoops out slush and sets up ice fishing rods called tip-ups (when the fish bites the line, a flag pops up letting you know a fish is biting).

When everything is finally set, sit back on your bucket of minnows and wait.  At first you watch every flag intently for even the slightest movement, then after a while you start to shift your focus to the frozen lake and the other fishermen around you.  The experience is so tranquil – it has almost a rejuvenating quality to it.  It’s when the flag finally pops that the excitement begins.

You’d think we put tiny fish lunch bells on our lines because when the first flag popped, the second and third followed right behind.   I’m not sure what the spikes on your shoes are supposed to do, but running from hole to hole on the ice will never look graceful – it may be even more entertaining than pulling the fish out of the ice!

After a good chunk of the day had passed, we packed up our things and headed back to reality to find some heat.  As crazy as sitting on the ice all day sounds, it actually wasn’t that bad (and I really enjoyed it).  Ice fishing is quiet, relaxing and completely opposite of your average day at work.  You are distantly surrounded by fun-loving people who aren’t afraid to stop over to see what you’ve caught, or show off the behemoth they just pulled through the ice.  To my surprise, ice fishing isn’t just for men who would rather freeze than be at home; it’s an adventure and a getaway to be shared among friends, passed down through the generations.

It’s a little hard to believe that holidays are done and it’s time to start the New Year. A part of me feels like I’m still trying to catch up on last year’s resolutions while making the new ones.  Frankly, the whole thing is a bit stressful, and that is why I give my husband kudos for my Christmas present this year.

In the past we have always bought something we needed or that we could both use.  One year we got furniture and another I got a brand new stainless grill. This might not be thrilling to most women, but I can’t count how many times I haven’t had to cook dinner because “I just can’t seem to grill things right” (wink-wink).   This year we vowed to get each other something that only that person could enjoy all to themselves – no sharing.

With working full-time, going to school, being the mother of a two-year-old, a baby on the way and (hopefully) being a loving wife, I don’t put a lot of priority on spoiling myself.  That being said, the spa certificate my husband got me for Christmas was just the mini-vacation I needed.

From the minute I drove into the parking lot of Saguaro’s Day Spa I could feel the weight of life falling off my shoulders.  (So much so, that I think I might have to pull in their driveway at the end of a rough day just to enter the stress-free bubble they seem to have surrounding them.)  I’ve never worked in a spa, but I can imagine you would never have someone come in that wasn’t happy to be there.  The staff was welcoming and, with a simple hello, seemed to say, “I completely understand and we’ll take care of it.” The southwestern décor made me feel like I was on vacation in sunny Arizona, and the smell of lavender reassured me that I would walk out a revitalized woman.

I’m not sure where the 90 minutes went but when I left, I felt like I could take on the world again.  The menu said, “Relieves tension while uplifting the spirit,” and that’s exactly what it did.   I’ll have to keep thanking my husband for the amazing gift so he remembers to do it again!

I may be a transplant local but every year I make sure to play tourist and check out the annual Holiday of Homes Tour.  The tour highlights a handful of exquisite Northern-Door properties that scream “‘tis the season!”  I’m not sure if it’s the presentation that gets me or all the great surprises each home has to offer.

There was one house in particular that I may have had problems leaving, and that was the McCarthy home.  Kathy McCarthy featured some of her homemade chocolates.  For those of you that might not know Kathy, she is the chocolatier at Savory Spoon in Ellison Bay and take my word for it…the chocolates are to die for!

The other homes were just as spectacular and some featured local artists; one home even had a bonfire to warm up next to.  Also included in the tour was St. Paul’s Church in Fish Creek where The Bake Shoppe was open to the public so everyone could stock up on some tasty treats.

The tour took place Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving and was a good start to the holiday season.  All of the proceeds went to the Northern Door Children’s Center.

Everyone’s heard of all the great food products that are made in Door County like the wine, preserves, coffee and candy, but we often forget that there are also some great non perishable things too.  Whenever friends and family visit they always take time to shop, mostly because they want to take a piece of Door County home with them.   This got me thinking that instead of buying all my holiday gifts online, last minute, why not go out and see what I can find around town.

From this point forward my family and friends are banned from reading the rest of this blog until after the holidays. Sorry – spoiler alert!

The first place I found was Fish Creek Moccasin Works just down the road from my house.  My mom is notorious for having cold feet, and wears out those big fuzzy slippers in a matter of months, so having some custom made moccasins, that actually last, is the perfect gift.  They also repair golf bags and create hats, slings and boots from hunting excursions so if I can’t find something for my husband or my dad I’ll definitely be back.

Next stop was more fun than anything because it always brings back so many great memories.  Candleworks of Door County is one of those places you can spend hours walking down the rows of candles, smelling each one to try and find the perfect scent, only to find that in the end that you grabbed one of each anyway.   Let me explain…I had to have the Sugar Cookie and Banana Nut Bread because it reminded me of my mom, the Door County Cherry because it’s my favorite, the Lilac because no matter where I lived growing up we always had lilac trees, the Northwoods because it reminds me of some of my favorite times camping, the….well you get the point.  It’s a simple gift but when you give a candle that reminds you of camping to my sister, she will tell remember when stories all night long and it makes the holidays together that much more special.

The next ten stops were at various galleries where I found personalized gift ware, photography, paintings and sculptures by local artists.  I knocked of at least 5 people from my list and didn’t break the bank doing it.  There are so many great galleries around town it was hard not to redecorate my house in the process.

Final stop every year is any place I can get a “Nobody loves me more than me” gift.  It may sound selfish but everyone is entitled to at least one gift a year to reward them of all the stresses and successes they’ve gotten through.  That and you’ll never be disappointed because it’s “exactly what you wanted!”  This year it’s a piece of handmade jewelry from one of the most eclectic shops in the County.  When you walk in Samara’s you feel like you’re walking into a gallery versus a jewelry store because every piece is so unique.   This year I set my eyes on a custom made stone necklace, or maybe the earrings….

When I’m out of town and tell people I’m from Door County I frequently get the same comment,  “Oh, I love Door County but everything is sooo expensive”. My response back is generally always the same when  I tell them they just need to know where to go.  I live here year round and I’m not on a millionaires salary so knowing the good stops is a need to know.   Just to prove my point, that you can still be a tourist and stretch your dollar without sacrificing quality, I’ve listed just a few of my favorite stops.

Breakfast:

• The Bistro inside Liberty Square has a “Fill-Me-Up” breakfast from 8-11am for $4.99 that includes all you can eat hash browns.  (Pretty sure even McDonalds doesn’t have anything of that quantity that cheap and definitely not as good)

Brunch

• Hands down brunch has to be Alexander’s in Fish Creek.  On Sundays they put on a spread like no other with cook to serve omelets, gourmet salads, tons of fruit with specialty breakfast and lunch dishes.  They even include mimosa’s and the whole shebang is right around $15 a person.  The last time I checked my coffee and breakfast sandwich from Starbucks cost more than that.

Lunch

• Now the Harbor Fish Market is one of my all time favorite stops for every meal but when I can’t afford the luxury dinner and bottle of wine I can still stop in for a beer and a burger at the bar with the same quality food and service.  They offer a gourmet burger with lettuce, tomato and onion on a toasted Kaiser roll with fries for right around $5.00.  Enough said.

Dinner

• The Nautical Inn in Sturgeon Bay has an all-you-can eat pasta buffet featuring two types of soup, garlic bread, salad bar, and a variety of pasta sauces and topping choices for $8.25 for dinner or $6.95 for lunch.
• Kitty O’Reillys has great drink specials at happy hour and a fish fry on Fridays for $9.99.

Groceries

• You can’t beat the prices at the farmers markets and it’s all grown local and fresh.  During the summer and fall there is just about one every day of the week.
• Scaturo’s two for one bread specials on Wednesdays

Attractions & Tours

• Free concerts in the park throughout the county
• Free wine tasting at Door Peninsula Winery, Harbor Ridge, Simon Creek and Lautenbach’s
• Geo-Caching
• 5 State Parks- Passes start at $3 for the day and include access to beaches, boating, diving, fishing, hiking and biking trails.
• Take a scenic ferry ride across Death’s Door to Washington Island for $12.
• Schopf’s Dairy – Free ice cream tasting

Cherry season is one of my favorite times of year in Door County.  Every year we venture out to one of the many orchards and pick until our hands are stained red.  Whether the cherries are early or late August 1st always seems to be a safe bet that the trees will be full. I’ll never forget my first year picking.  We found out it was cheaper to pick your own so my husband and I set out to pick 12 gallons of cherries.  I’ll never forget the look on the little girls face when she asked us how many bags we needed and then found out there were only two of us to fill them. “You know you can order them by the 5 gallon pail pre-picked right?” she said.  I think she thought we were going to be there for days.  It really didn’t take that long but after we filled our first bucket we knew we were in for the long hall. A few hours later the car was loaded and we were up to our eye balls in cherries…literally because I think you end up eating as many as you pick.

The next step is to figure out all the crazy things you can do with the cherries.  Just about every year we make cherry bounce, cherries soaked in alcohol and sugar, that are ready for consumption right around the holidays.  Believe me when I tell you my entire family looks forward to each year’s batch, it makes for quite the get-together. This year we decided to do something new- cherry butter.  For those of you that don’t know what cherry butter is you have to try it.   It’s cooked down until its thicker than jam or preserves and is just about the same consistency as butter.  You can spread it on bread or use it to dip pretzels in.  We took it one step further and threw in a habenero and some brandy.  That right cherry habenero brandy butter!  Sounds crazy but it makes and unbelievable turkey sandwich.  Now to find something even more creative for next year!

One thing that never gets old in Door County are the festivals.  There are holiday festivals, food festivals, blossom festivals, welcoming of the season festivals, end of the season festivals – you name it – there’s a festival.   As a local you get to experience the fun first hand and if you tried to experience them all I’m pretty sure it’d just be considered goofing around.

January first, noon sharp, starts the first major Door County event of the year – the Jacksonport Polar Bear plunge.   It all started when a couple of brothers decided the weather was just a little too warm and they needed to do some cooling off.  Now, 25 years later nearly 1000 people turn out to jump in the frigid waters of Lake Michigan.

You’d think a dive into icy waters would be enough chill to keep you indoors for the rest of the season, but then in February the Fish Creek Winter Festival takes the lead.  Hundreds of people come out of the wood work to compete in ridiculous games like minnow races, toilet seat toss and ice volleyball.

Throughout the spring there are blossom festivals with Scottie Dog parades, music festivals with classical chamber music and, believe it or not, there is even a side pork festival the first week of June which, ironically enough, involves a 5k run.  Summer kicks off with the Steel Bridge Festival highlighting over 100 bands and soloists on 10 stages.  If that doesn’t appeal to you wait a week and there is a lighthouse festival, paddle festival and the welcoming of the summer solstice festival in Ephraim – Fyr Bal.   My favorite time of year in Door County has got to be the Fourth of July. All the communities come together and the celebrations stretch from the bottom of the Peninsula all the way up to Washington Island.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a weekday or weekend you are sure to get your fill of music, parades, fireworks and arts and crafts.

I don’t know about you but I’m only half way through the year and we are just scratching the surface on this whole festival thing in Door County.  Next on the agenda is the Folk Festival, Plein Air Festival, Scandinavian Festival, Classic & Wooden boat show festival, Cherry Festival, Door County Festival of the Arts, West Fest, Tug Fest, Marina Fest, Corn Fest, Harvest Fest, Autumn Fest, Pumpkin Patch Festival, Fall Fun Fest and finally to cap off the season Fall Fest in Sister Bay.   This isn’t even all of them!

For a full list of events go to www.doorcounty.com/events

Sometimes I just get sick of walking the aisles at the grocery store week after week after week.  I start to think to myself, if I were on vacation would I walk through a chain grocery store our get out and experience all that the communities have to offer.  There are so many family run businesses in Door County that sometimes making the extra effort to visit them makes it all worth the while.  Not to mention that June is a gorgeous time of year to see all the new blooms.

I usually start my shopping adventure in Southern Door at Renard’s Cheese.  They have some of the strangest and best cheese combinations you’ll ever taste and it’s all made locally by the Renard family.  My favorite has to be the Tomato Basil Cheddar and if you are a mash potato lover you have to try mixing the Cream Cheese and Chive Spread into your next batch of mashed baby reds.  Unlike your most grocery stores they always have fresh samples to taste and, as of yet, I haven’t been kicked out for trying too many.

I then head north on Hwy 57  and take a detour on County Rd S where I find Weinke’s Market.  They’ve been around for over 40 years and have some of the best homemade preserves and pickles around.  They too have samples and they too have yet to kick me out for trying too many.

After Weinke’s I head back into Sturgeon Bay to Scaturo’s.  This family owned bakery and café is my bread stop.  They do homemade specialty breads and on Wednesday’s they do a two for one special.   I wish I could say I only stop on Wednesdays but the thought of fresh baked bread for dinner keeps me coming back on a regular basis.

Right next door to Scaturo’s is Marchant’s, my meat stop.  Marchant’s has a great meat counter and they always have a cutter on site so I can get exactly what I’m looking for.   Even if I don’t know what I want they have meat already cut and more in their freezers.

Starting this month and running thru October there are farmers markets almost every day of the week up and down the Peninsula.   This stop usually rounds out my shopping list.  There are so many great deals I generally load up my car with a month worth of produce and end up freezing it for future meals.  There are just too many choices to leave any behind.  A great resource for finding all the farmers markets is the Orchard and Farm Market brochure of Door County.  Its available for easy download here.

If you’ve never experienced singing in front of a large group of people, at the top of your lungs with no singing potential what-so-ever, I highly recommend you try it. Even if you don’t have the courage to partake it’s still extremely entertaining to watch!

Saturday night is karaoke night at the Carrington Pub inside the Landmark Resort in Egg Harbor. We went for a late dinner and a couple drinks and the next thing you know they were setting up karaoke equipment in the corner of the bar overlooking the beautiful bay. We figured we would stick around for just one more and listen to the first couple wanna-be rock stars. Surprisingly enough there were a couple diamonds in the rough but I actually had more fun listening to the ones that couldn’t carry a tune. It was just a matter of time before I HAD to try it. It was a blast but let’s just say I won’t be going on tour any time soon! We ended up staying in the Pub until 1am and getting a REALLY nice room in the resort at decent rate. We felt like we were on vacation and were only 6 miles from home! We never thought a quick bite to eat would turn into such a fun night out.

Next time we plan to check out Landmark’s comedy night. They offer a dinner buffet and a show from some of the top comedians in the country. I can’t wait!

To learn about all things Door County, please visit www.doorcounty.com
Join us on the Door County Scrapbook at facebook.com/DoorCountyScrapbook

It’s not very often the ladies get a night out on their own, so when we do, we have to make the most of it. Instead of hitting the bars we decided to head over to Hands-On Art Studio for adult night. We packed a bag full of appetizers & beverages and headed to Fish Creek.

We didn’t really have a plan for what we wanted to do so we did some wandering. There are five separate studios with different mediums of art so we had some decisions to make. The downstairs of the main building has mosaic art and paint spinning. The upstairs has thousands of pieces of pre-fired pottery just waiting to be painted and the surrounding buildings have everything from jewelry making to welding.

We decided to stay upstairs in the main building to paint some pottery and listen to music. The band was off & rocking and people were starting to set up camp at the various tables. We poured some wine and started looking through the different pre-fired pieces. They had everything from dog bowls to piggy banks and even little figurines for under $10.

For three hours we danced, laughed, ate and created some really interesting pieces of art! We couldn’t have asked for a better girl’s night out and now every time I see that silly frog it reminds me how much I can’t wait to do it again. Check out their website at www.handsonartstudio.com

To learn more about all things Door County, visit us at DoorCounty.com and Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/DoorCountyScrapbook.

There always gets to be that time during the busy summer season when you feel you need to just get away. For me that means throwing on the scuba tanks and jumping into the closest body of water. I’m fortunate enough that I live in the perfect place to do just that.

Door County is home to over 200 shipwrecks so, depending on what kind of dive I want to make, I have plenty of options. My latest adventure was at the northern part of Peninsula in Garrett Bay. There lie the remains of the 1867 schooner Fleetwing. As the story is told, the Fleetwing departed Menominee, Michigan, with a load of lumber headed for Chicago. It was on its way toward the Death’s Door Passage when it sailed into a northwest gale and then into the rocky beach of Garrett Bay, shearing off the mast. The dismantled schooner can be found in four sections 5-30 feet below the water and just 110 feet from the shoreline.

The great thing about this wreck is that if you aren’t scuba certified, or don’t have gear, you can easily snorkel or kayak the site! The largest portion of the wreck is closest to shore and is easily visible from the surface. It’s also right off the public boat launch, so getting your gear in and out is pretty seamless. The surface temp was in the upper 60’s so I didn’t have to bulk up with the gloves and hood. It was the perfect getaway and only minutes from home.

My sisters came to town a few weeks ago and gave me yet another reason to play tourist in my own town. Their mission was simple… visit a winery and not to leave until they had enough wine to get us through the holidays. In our family that’s saying a lot!

Our first and only stop was Door Peninsula Winery in Carlsville. We planned on hitting all 6 wineries and the brewery but I think we would need a week-long tour for that one! When we walked in through the doors we weren’t sure what to do first. The shopping and retail area was unbelievable and the wine tasting bar stretched across the entire back wall. We decided to tour first, taste test, shop and then do dinner in their Bistro.

The tour was really interesting. The building used to be an old school house and you can actually ring the old school bell! You get to walk down in the basement area and see where they used to hand press all the grapes and then walk through the production area. I had no idea they produced so much wine! Our tour guide also mentioned that they will be expanding over the winter months and installing a distillery. What more could a group of sisters ask for!

Taste testing was next on our list. When I said I had no idea how much wine they produced it was suddenly very clear when we saw the wine menu. There were over 50 types of wine to try and you can try them all for free! Our list of wine to buy was huge by the time we were done. Good thing they offer case discounts!

Now for the shopping. While the staff was helping us assemble our cases of wine, my youngest sister was shopping for Christmas presents (at least that’s what she told us). There were so many unique gifts to choose from including gourmet foods made locally in the county. I bought a ton of preserves to send back with the family. I wanted them to be able to enjoy a little piece of Door County while they were stuck at home.

By now the tour, wine tasting and shopping had worked up our appetites. Nestled in the back corner of the Door Peninsula Winery is Bistro 42. The three of us ordered one of the best hand tossed fire baked pizza’s we’ve ever had and their endless salad bowl is to die for. The atmosphere was classy and laid back and the staff was top notch. We must have been at the winery for hours and didn’t even realize it. My sisters and I are already planning our next adventure.

I grew up in Southwestern Wisconsin where fishing meant grabbing some worms, jumping in a canoe and casting all day.  My goal was always the same, catch a fish at least the size of your hand, torture your little sister with it and throw it back.  It wasn’t until I started dating my husband that I found out what “Fishing” really was.

To sum up the night I can honestly say I have never laughed so hard and had so much fun.  We launched the boat spur of the moment and dropped just enough lines to make things chaotic if fishing went well.  When the first line snapped my husband gave me the fishing rod and had me start reeling in the first fish while he drove the boat.  After about 10 minutes of trying to reel the fish toward the boat it broke the surface and I got to get a good look at what I was doing.  That fish had to be the biggest fish I’ve ever seen and it looked angry.  At that moment I was trying to figure out why I was trying with all my strength to pull in this very large, very angry fish, when we got another fish on one of the other lines.   Now keep in mind I’m reeling in the biggest fish of my life and my husband is driving the boat…..

So now we are both reeling in huge salmon and the boat, thank goodness we were the only boat for miles, is driving itself.  I finally get my fish on board but I am laughing so hard at this point I can barely keep enough strength to grab the net to get the other salmon in the boat.   I wouldn’t be surprised if people sitting on the shore in Baileys Harbor could hear me. We ended up catching three decent size Chinook Salmon that night and it had to be one of the best nights I’ve ever had.   And to think the whole night came about because someone was willing to trade salmon for a couple hours of babysitting.