If you lost all your memories...
If you could keep only one memory, what would it be?
Isn't that a thought provoking question? Seriously though. I'm only 25, but to think of all the moments in my life that I hold dear, if I could only keep ONE...?
My mind starts to roll back into every season of my life. Does this question do the same to you? I think of being a young child and looking up to my older siblings, the times I spent with my grandparents before they passed, the family vacations, my nieces and nephews being born...
Personally, I skim over my middle school through high school years, because they seem insignificant to me. Isn't that odd? I guess it was the awkwardness of not fitting in and a lack of confidence. But those years made me who I am... would I be different if I had no memory of that time in my life?
College was great - how could I choose only one memory from those precious years? Or when I met Tom? Our wedding? Honeymoon? The countless memories of this first year and a half together?
HOW COULD YOU PICK?!
I just have no idea - memories are what make up your life! If I had to pick ONLY one, there is one that stands out to me so vividly. But it is simply the beginning of a culmination of hundreds that have followed, so it's really if I HAD to choose.
After our wedding, we drove to Chicago - still dressed in our wedding clothes. We arrived at our hotel and Tom loaded up a cart for our luggage. We got to our room, he took the luggage off the cart and was about to return it. But I wanted to get out of my TIGHT dress, so I asked if he could undo the buttons before he took the cart downstairs. I was standing in front of a mirror, simply by chance, and I stood there in my dress - a bride - while he so quietly, patiently, and lovingly undid those silly buttons. I just looked at us in the mirror. It was such a beautiful moment. He even had to use his keys to get them off! Haha! Then we grabbed dinner in the hotel restaurant and it was the calmest and most relaxing experience after all that planning and preparing. We were MARRIED. Mexico was awaiting us the next day! So that would be my memory... but I know over all the years to come, my choice in ONE memory will change.
What would you choose? Is this question as tough for you as it was for me?
+Moving -Friends
This is going to seem sort of mopey, but I gotta say it because it's true, and that's what I do on this blog. Sugar coating is not my thing.
Moving is real lonely.
- We moved somewhere where we have no family.
- I work with... myself.
- Tom works at his work.
- Sundays we go to church.
- I know a handful of people, mostly older than myself (and I am super grateful for that handful!)
When you move, there are always pros and cons. We were both ready to leave our jobs, be in a warmer climate, pursue things that we love to do, and make an overall change in life's routine.
You can't regret a move like that (and as I've said I don't believe in regrets... except for bad haircuts). Especially when your husband is doing what he loves for a living and feels challenged and appreciated. Plus, I have been given the opportunity to pursue creative efforts and dip into the waters of employment freedom - and that is a wonderful thing. Truly a blessing.
The all-availing con that I am left with is loneliness. I don't get to socialize everyday, which is tough, because I'm a very social person. Tom has his co-workers and a very social workplace, but HE is all I have as far as a social escape. I am happy doing what I am doing in my creative functions, I've sworn away desk jobs, and part-time jobs have finicky hours. I'm being picky here, but I feel blessed to have the freedom to be that way. Working part-time would give me social interaction (which I crave) but what about friendships? I have really learned that a professional environment should remain professional and your personal life and work shouldn't mingle too much.
That was an easy obstacle to overcome in Wisconsin, because all my best friends were still within driving distance and we made regular plans to see each other. My problem in Georgia is that for the first time, I don't know how to meet people. I mean, you can't just walk into some public place and expect to meet your next best friend.
Do you guys have any advice? Poor Tom can't keep walking in the door from work and have me koala him for the next 5 hours. For his sake, HELP ME!
Have any of you been in this situation before (moving and trying to make friends)? How did you overcome it? It's tough to randomly meet people the same age as me, or in the same stage of life. It kind of feels like trying to navigate middle school again. Comment below!
Also, because I'm not afraid to admit that I'm awkward, I have actually said to strangers "Yeah, I just moved here. I don't have any friends" and then they frown at me and I almost cry a little because it sounds so pathetic. HAHAHA...
10 Things I've Learned About Marriage
We are headed into October very, very soon.
And I suddenly realized that shortly thereafter Tom and I will have been married for a year and a half.
Okay, okay. I am not one of those "OMG! We've been married a year and 2 months and 12 days and 4 hours and 15 minutes and 6 seconds!" kinda gals. But I guess I also looked at my blog categories and realized the Weddings & Marriage portion is getting a tad dusty.
So here is a list of several things that, in the past year and a half, have made a difference in our marriage.
1. Don't fuss over the little things (just like everyone says)
This might seem like "Well, yeah I've heard this a million times... duh." But I really think this one is worth repetition. Do those strewn shoes you always trip on make you want to bang your head against a wall? If you were to lose the love of your life, you'd give anything for them to leave their shoes strewn around just one more time. Tom's shoes are always like this and I hate tripping over them... but over time, I've made less and less fuss over picking them up.
2. But the little things actually mean a lot
No, I am not contradicting myself here. The small things can make such a difference, especially when you acknowledge and appreciate them. When Tom does the dishes after I make something or picks up his shoes before I have to... Or how I always do the laundry, fold his clothes, and put them away. When I grab him a beer, while I'm grabbing one for myself, or how he gives me the last bite of ice cream. Those are such small things, but man-oh-man do they make a difference. Not only do I know he'll appreciate having clean clothes for the week, but he also TELLS me how much he appreciates that. Would he still do those random acts of kindness even if I didn't thank him for it? I'm sure he would, but being outwardly appreciated for it sure makes you want to keep doing it! And when he gives me that last bite of ice cream, you can bet he'll always get a wink and smile of appreciation from me :)
3. One bad day doesn't dictate your whole marriage
Sometimes I get in these funks where I'm just unforgivably annoyed. Nothing cheers me up. I'm grumpy and moody... and somewhere in there I let my mood dictate our relationship. Like I make the biggest deal out of the smallest things - it's unhealthy and pretty cruddy of me, as a person, to do. I'm getting better at it, and Tom is actually the bomb-diggity at cheering me up. But it is definitely a lesson I've learned. It isn't fair to my main squeeze and he deserves someone who isn't going to let a bad mood make their relationship a buzz kill too. Usually, coffee and a biggggg hug helps though.
4. It's not about you
Yeah... soooo... selfishness doesn't have a place in marriage. Period. You are encouraging, uplifting, holding, and supporting your spouse. Their needs go above yours. Sometimes that can be a transition. For me, I used to sometimes choose clothes shopping over grocery shopping and eat toast for a week. In marriage, that doesn't work. What, am I going to insist on that $85 dress instead of groceries for our week? No! It should be such a privilege and blessing to have someone to put before yourself. Do I feel a little "behind the times" in my wardrobe? Yep, but we aren't starving!
5. Bickering or fights are inevitable - but it matters how you go about it
We have a few rules for when we get nippy with each other:
- Do not talk over each other.
- Do not raise your voice (And if you do, and the other clocks you on it, there is no getting defensive. Just take a breath).
- Do not shut down.
- Absolutely NO name calling.
- Listen and respect what each other is saying.
- And do not diminish or demean each other's feelings.
We are two different people. Tom is not "my other half" and vise versa. We are individuals that work together as one, but we will have differing opinions, views, or ideas. So what ends up happening in our spats, is two people working to understand the other in open and honest communication. No putting up walls, just open. So truthfully, our "fights" are really pretty calm and I am so thankful we learned this right away and set up ground rules.
6. Laugh, laugh, LAUGH
We make jokes out of everything. I think it's my favorite part of marriage. All the inside jokes, secret signs to each other in public, and the ENDLESS sarcasm. Some would say that sarcasm in a marriage is damaging. If it sounds like this: "Oh of course you wouldn't ever do that. Because you neeevverrrr make mistakes. You're sooooo perfect!" then, absolutely - very damaging over time. However, sarcasm is built into our personalities and it sounds like this:
(While driving around looking for somewhere to eat)
"What do you want for lunch?"
"Ruth's Chris"
"So something cheap?"
We laugh a lot. It does the ab muscles good.
7. A little PDA does the soul some good
A while back, I wrote a post about holding hands (check it out here). This post still rings true to me. I hate seeing young couples, especially, not holding hands or showing any kind of affection. Okay, so you aren't "touchy" people. Or you don't want to make anyone uncomfortable. Sorry, but if people have an issue with me holding my HUSBAND'S hand, then we live in a weird, weird, society. It is the most non-intrusive way to show someone affection, and I for one will always be for it. Even a kiss on the forehead or a little peck is harmless in my book. I like people to know we belong together, and it makes me fuzzy when that guy grabs me around the waist and plants one on my forehead. He's letting the world know I'm his, and in doing so makes me feel pretty darn loved. I say keep up the PDA! At least to an extent... everything in moderation, right?
8. Plus other physical things
Okay, I'm not gonna get all "hot and heavy" on this part because I'm pretty sure our moms read this (haha sorry moms!), so all I'm gonna say is... be intimate and enjoy. What an awesome God-given gift. Yes, I'm talking about sex. I once read an article about a really old lady talking about marriage. When she started talking about sex, she said "I don't understand the excuse 'I'm too tired.' Unless you've been lifting boulders from sun-up to sun-down, then being tired is no excuse" I think that's good advice and keeps the excuses out of the bedroom.
9. Forgive and then forgive some more
This is huge. The thing is, you're gonna hurt each other, you're gonna be wrong, you're gonna be right, you're gonna make mistakes because you're human and you sin. So forgive, forgive, forgive. Forgive out of love, and because you're going to need forgiving too. You don't just say it, you MEAN it. I don't even have more to say about it, because it speaks for itself. You have a lifetime on this earth with this one person and you're going to come across disappointments and mistakes, so you had really better learn to forgive.
10. Marriage is really great
I'll just go ahead and say it. Marriage is so awesome. It is such a blessing that God gives us, and though we have plenty more to learn, and we'll have our share of ups and downs, going through life with someone who loves waking up next to you, kissing you goodnight, and everything in between is indescribable. You can't explain it, and unless you're in it, you don't really get it. One of my best friends who has known Tom and I from the start, was single up until this past year. Now she's with the guy she's going to marry, and I will never forget how she came to this realization one day: "Joy, you know I have always been you and Tom's biggest fan. I love your relationship, and I have always been so happy for you and listened to you talk about how much you love him. But I never fully realized what you meant until now. Now I GET IT. It's amazing and unlike anything else... and all those times you'd tell me about what it's like never made sense until now. I GET IT!" It's so true, there is just something you don't "get" until you're with the right person, and wow. It's so incredible.
I know we're only a year and a half in, but that first year teaches you a lot. You depend on someone else, and someone else depends on you. You aren't living this life for you, you first and foremost live it for God... but along your side is someone who will encourage you and live this life with you as a partner and companion. There will be more things to learn, and I am looking forward to the journey that comes with that.
I'm 25.
Yep, I turned 25 on Tuesday. I think I'll just add to the numerous other blog posts you can find out there now about "How it feels to turn 25" and "What every girl should learn before she's 30" and "What every woman needs to accomplish in her 20's."
Here's the thing. Yeah, turning 25 is actually kind of weird. I'm still young (even though I prefer a 10:00 bedtime over my usual 11:30 bedtime), but now I'm over that "youthful" hump. I sort of feel like as you progress towards 25, every age before that is really juvenile. 24, 23, 22? All of those count as being 22. 21? That years flies by...for some reason... Everything before 21, is soooo baby. You knew nothing!
But 25? I feel like the things I have learned thus far in my life are coming into practice more and more. I act like my mom, I embrace that, and even respect that. She's a pretty awesome woman. Before this I was probably in denial that I would be like her. In fact I remember hating in college when my sisters would tell me I act like her... now? Great! My mom has the most youthful personality. Why would I want anything less?
Now when is the patience of my dad supposed to show up? I could really use his patient demeanor sometimes. Ha!
I don't know what it is about saying "I'm 25" that suddenly feels so weird. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that I'm now closer to 30. Or that now the "aging process" is going to start reaping its rewards on my laugh lines. Whatever it is, it got my biological clock ticking and ON MY BIRTHDAY I got in this whole saga with Tom about it. It was pretty hysterical. It was basically me letting the words "I'm OLD!!!" reverberate in the air for 45 minutes (side note: I'm not really old).
Anyways, all those posts out there tell you to travel the world (if that's what you want to do) and learn to eat alone (if that's what you want to do) and follow your dream to the ends of the earth (if that's what you want to do) and buy yourself grown-up clothes (if that's what you want to do) and fall in love or out of love (if that's what you want to do) and take care of your body and soul (if that's what you want to do) and quit your job (if that's what you want to do)....and so on and so forth.
Let me sum up what they mean: Do. What. You. Want. To. Do.
The thing is, you don't have to travel the world or buy yourself grown-up clothes or fall in love to be happy in this life. I'm not saying that any of those things aren't admirable. I think they all have a place. But if the whole point is to do what YOU want to do, then what is some list on someone's blog about what to accomplish before you're 30 ever going to do FOR YOU?
And frankly, we are not on this earth for ourselves. God put us here. We are here for Him first and then for our friends and neighbors. Sure, maybe a list like the ones described will give you a sense of empowerment and maybe some ideas of where to start - there is nothing wrong with that. I like to know that something I write will empower others to speak their minds, share Christ, forgive, say sorry, try something new, or do something they've always dreamed of doing but never had the courage.
I could sit here and give you a list of things I can think of that I want to accomplish before I'm 30, but what good is that for you? Make your OWN list! Don't follow some super general list that every other 20-something is trying to emulate.
Don't sit there at your 9-to-5 job judging Susie for getting married and having kids instead of going to college. Her dreams and aspirations are not yours. And maybe what you always THOUGHT was your dream, will change. People tell you "TRAVEL!"... but from one person to the next, that may or may not be important.
A year ago I wanted to be a career driven, corporate somebody. Now? That's not at all what I want. I have the resources to explore something different, and I am so blessed to have that opportunity. But you know what? Some of the people I left behind DO want to be a career driven, corporate somebody and I admire their dedication. I'm proud of them for fulfilling their goals. I have goals of my own, and who is to tell either me, or the next person what they should and should not accomplish in this life? DO YOU! That is the beauty of this God-given life. He gives us many different paths to walk - some tougher than others, but all in His plan, nonetheless.
As for me...my wish, in this 25th year of life, is that I "do me" and love others in the process.
6 Reasons To Get Married In The Morning
Now, I am no wedding expert. And I'm certainly not going to pretend like I know what's best for every couple...but if you're looking for something unique, memorable, and off-the-beaten-path, a morning wedding is a fantastic choice.
Tom and I had said from the start that a great, big, traditional wedding wasn't going to be very "us", so we decided that a small one with fewer than 100 of our closest friends and family (the final count was about 75 people) would be ideal. We wanted the focus to be our marriage, and the relationship between us and God. I guess you could say we wanted an "intimate" wedding (but my family is huge and really rambunctious, so it seemed like a bigger wedding to me).
Anyways, we realized, shortly into planning this small wedding, that our choice of venues was pretty open. The larger ones could usually be made to look less expansive, and the smaller options were able to fit our guest list without a hitch. We jumped at the opportunity to pick an amazing venue to fit us just right. That's when Tom and I found The Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. We fell in love with its old character and the overlooking view of Lake Michigan. When my mom (who basically planned everything; I just told her what colors I liked. She even picked our cake! She was amazingggg) asked us about small details, like what kind of food we wanted, how we wanted it to feel, etc...I realized that maybe an evening reception wouldn't "feel right".
I think we had been talking about dessert preferences and I mentioned that I didn't care all that much about them, but that I really wanted good coffee. And suddenly, the idea came up: Why not have a brunch reception? A huge part of Tom and I's relationship centered around going out for coffee and brunch after church on Sundays, so how fitting would it be to do exactly that - a morning wedding with a brunch reception! Tom even proposed to me during one of our usual after-church brunch times.
To make sure The Villa was the right choice, my mom drove out to Milwaukee to see it and other venues for herself, but fell in love with it immediately. She mentioned the brunch idea to several venue coordinators who looked at her with a sort of "lightbulb moment" that said, "Wow! Why didn't I ever think of that?!"
So from that day forward, we planned a morning wedding followed by a brunch reception. It was one of the best decisions we made and there are so many reasons I'm glad we did this over a traditional wedding. Let me break it down into a few points.
1. You don't have to spend all morning and into the afternoon getting nervous.
Or maybe it's not even about the nerves. For me, it was just nice to get married soon after I woke up so that the day didn't just drag on. I've been in plenty of traditional weddings, all of which were lovely....but there is soooo much waiting around! Our ceremony was at 9:30AM on a Saturday, so I woke up around 6:30 or 7, and had a good friend come to our hotel to do my hair. Just like any other wedding-day-prep, I was surrounded by my mom, dad, sisters, cousin, and best friend...it just didn't take all day! We all did hair and makeup ourselves, and my photographer showed up to capture the moments. It was relaxed and so calm and happy! We got the the church at about 9:15 and I was married by 10:15AM! The rest of the day was a cinch and any little nerves were GONE!
2. You get to have brunch.
I think there is a stigma about "wedding food". How it all tastes the same and there is little variety (chicken, fish, steak...). Our reception was from 11AM-2PM and we had mimosas and a coffee bar! Everyone raved about how delicious our wedding food was...long after the day. Tom and I get a little sad because we don't remember how good it was (#weddingblur) and my dress was so fitted that I could hardly fit anything into my smooshed stomach! Nonetheless, having a brunch reception was so different, that that in itself stood out to our guests. No soggy cooked vegetables were found here, unless they were in a delicious omelette or quiche! Plus it brought out a sentiment that was a long-time part of our relationship: coffee and brunch. Very fitting for us - and check out the spread:
3. The party doesn't end in the middle of the night.
Some people revel in partying at a wedding ALL night. Sure, it's traditional, and there's nothing wrong with it...but for us, we'd rather have our wedding not end at midnight in a sweaty suit and dress. We did elect to have a DJ there for music during brunch, the first dance, mother-son, father-daughter, and dancing afterwards (We basically picked some cheap, rando DJ off the street though, and he kind of made things awkward by playing S&M...oh well, he made it memorable). We are big on dancing, but it's true, people weren't as prone to getting down and jiggy at 1PM. However, I have like 12 nieces and nephews who owned the floor. And when a song with sentimental value between groups of friends or family was played, you can bet people got into it (Example: Sisters, Call Me Maybe...).
Moral of the story, it was great to not feel completely exhausted from an entire day of waiting and primping and dancing and drinking. Plus, think about your parents and family who maybe have to help afterwards (taking your gifts, picking up center pieces, etc...). I know of a few weddings where I had to be a helper for this. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to do it, but man-oh-man it's exhausting at that point of the night! Oh, and kids? They weren't dragging their parents out by 9PM because it was past their bedtime - they got to play all afternoon, and so did their parents!
4. People don't get drinky.
This could be seen as a pro or a con, I suppose. Again, having been to our fair share of weddings, who DOESN'T like an open bar?? You and all your friends get dressed up and drink till you find yourself dancing a solo to "Don't Stop Believin'" or polka with that one uncle of the groom who also likes to party hard. I am not hating on a good open bar by any means. However, it was actually really great to be "all there" and just enjoy genuine time with my friends and family. It felt like a celebration more than it felt like a party, if that makes sense. Plus, we didn't have to worry about people driving with too much alcohol in their systems, anyone getting sick all over the bathrooms, or fronting a huge booze cost when all was said and done.
5. Everyone has the rest of the day.
After 2PM, when it was time to head out of the venue, we had a group of our friends (or whoever else wanted to) meet us at a bar downtown for some extra celebrating. We didn't have to pay for more time at the venue, pay the silly amounts at a cash bar, and we all got to hang out in our wedding attire and party some more! Plus, our photographer was amazing and followed us out on the town too. Families got to get their kids back to hotels to nap, others from out of state got to explore Milwaukee, and still others could travel home at this point. It was great! The Villa overlooked Lake Michigan, so apparently a good amount of people went to check that out too. Again, no one left the wedding feeling exhausted, and that was a huge plus.
After we met our friends, Tom and I jumped into our car (wedding clothes and all - I thought it was romantic), and drove to Chicago where we stayed overnight and flew out to Cancun in the morning. We got to the hotel in the late afternoon, changed, and had dinner at the hotel restaurant (Bar Louie). We both ate dinner in disbelief that we had gotten married just hours before...and it was the most relaxing nacho platter dinner I've ever had. We always think back to that dinner and I am so glad we have such a serene memory from our day. We went to bed at a normal hour, got up for yet another calm morning, and leisurely got on our flight to Mexico. It was perfect.
6. The time makes everything cost effective.
A few things made our wedding far less expensive than the average priced wedding of today.
- It was off season - April.
- Booking the church was simple because it was at 9:30AM. Another wedding could book in the afternoon if necessary... or if there was a Saturday church service, it wasn't interrupted.
- Same for the venue - another wedding could technically happen once we left by 2PM, thereby giving them an opportunity for more money.
- SAME with the food! They simply catered a (lovely) brunch and could still use their staff for an evening wedding! From our planning there was a significant cost increase for a dinner vs. a brunch.
- We only had wine and champagne, and we were only charged for however many bottles got opened... which was not a lot, because who really guzzles champagne at 11AM?
Looking back, Tom and I still cherish the day. Obviously, every single day after our wedding has been full of even more love and happiness. Probably the best thing I took away from that beautiful brunch was not a wedding... but a marriage... a husband... MY husband.
Did anyone else do a morning wedding? Let's hear about your day!
Would you ever consider doing this but you don't know where to start or what questions to ask? Comment below! I'd love to help!
Milwaukee Adventures // Part 3
I'm the WORST these days. We were in Iowa one weekend, Up North another weekend, we had friends in town from out of state, and the list goes on...
But how about I give you a more exciting list, ehh?
Here's my third installment of the adventure series - and take note, because one of these is an AWESOME annual event that is happening this coming weekend! In fact, let me plan the most PERFECT Sunday for you. On June 22nd, just plan on this itinerary. You won't regret it!
First of all, you need to start your day off with an absolutely amazing cup of coffee. Anodyne Coffee Roasters is currently my favorite coffee joint. Their dark roasts are have such depth and arrays of flavor, just drink it black. They have locations in Bayview and Walker's Point, but I personally love their Walker's Point Roastery locale - seriously give these awesome people your business!
Hang onto your hunger for a few hours because next you need to go on your adventure. Side note, Thomas and I came upon this last year by complete accident. We were doing our usual putzing around downtown after church and the Milwaukee Air and Water Show was happening on the lakefront! It gets super packed, but the show is amazing! Helicopters upside down? Planes writing in the sky? You name it, it's there. It goes from 10-3, but just show up whenever and enjoy the people watching :) Oh, and be wary of parking, it's a zoo.
This gem. Ohhh this GEM. Be prepared to take this meal slow. Balzac is a wine bar just off of Brady St. Sundays, they have a deal for their wine - HALF OFF ALL BOTTLES UNDER $60. Thomas and I split a bottle between us and work on a good buzz. You are required (by me) to try their Sac Mac. It's mac'n'cheese like you wouldn't believe. Perfection. Everything else is small plates that are meant for sharing and you probably can't go wrong with anything on their menu.
If you're looking for some "heavier" food, try Stubby's Gastrogrub and Beer Bar. Cheese curds, nachos, flat-breads, wings, burgers...typical Wisconsin fare. But be careful how much you eat! We were full through the following morning!
After lunch, get back to the A&W Show or finish off your day with a walk or bike ride on the gorgeous trails found all over the MKE area.
Happy Adventuring!
Milwaukee Adventures // Part 2
Alright folks.
Here is another food and adventure list for you!
In the mood for an interesting beer? Maybe NOT one from Wisconsin?...or even the U.S.? Head over to Rumpus Room (a Bartalotta restaurant!). The atmosphere feels intimate and reserved while serving up their high quality drinks and food, but it's also super relaxed and their service in superb and friendly. Expect bar food, but amped up to gourmet. Their menu will seriously knock your socks off. (Ummm you can order bacon as a snack??)
Maybe you're more in the mood for wine. The Ruby Tap let's you grab a glass, and fill it up a little, a little more, or a lot and pay for only what you fill to...hence the "Wine on Tap." Try all sorts of wines or just find a favorite! Add some of their truffle popcorn or some incredible meats and cheeses to please your palate. Fill out your own menu sheet, hand it to the waitress and she'll bring you your personalized order in just a few minutes.
Sometimes I get in that mood where I don't know WHAT I want to do...I just know I don't want to be in the house anymore. In that case, grab some take-out or a pizza and find your way to Big Head Brewing Company. They're basically just a micro-brew in a big garage/warehouse. Buy a flight of their awesome brews, pick one of their many board or card games from a shelf, and watch whatever game is on. Then head over to the other room and play a game of bags, enjoy the free pinball machine, or throw a few free darts. Whatever you're in the mood for, Big Head will be a pleaser.
This week's adventure is...*drum roll*.........the Racine Lighthouse!
There is a small museum there that is open from 10AM - 4PM on Saturdays. You get a gorgeous view of Lake Michigan and the lighthouse is just a great sight to see up close! Not far from the lighthouse are a bunch of great trails for hiking and being "nature-y."
Hope these give you some inspiration for adventuring! Happy Sunday!
Milwaukee Adventures // Part 1
So I've mentioned in previous posts that Tom and I have become a couple of Milwaukee foodies. This place is the best kept secret in the Midwest for its foodie culture, and we are digging in! Milwaukee Food Tours does a great job shedding light on the hidden gems of this city.
On that note, I've decided it's time to start a series.
Not only will I include some short reviews or recommendations on restaurants, but I'll also offer a few tidbits on what to do! We aren't big spenders and tend to find adventures in everything we do, so I'll share a few of those secrets with you...some mostly free date ideas!
This blog post idea came on when a girl from work made a comment on how I always find such cool places - so I threw together a little Milwaukee adventure list for her (knowing she loves some good date ideas) and then decided it was blog-worthy info.
Welcome to Milwaukee Adventure Series - Part 1!
Ever wondered what Whiskey flavored ice cream was like? How about Balsamic Strawberry? Or Blackberry and Quark? Check out the 5th Ward for a taste at Purple Door Ice Cream! Their Salted Caramel is definitely a winner.
If you appreciate a strong cup of joe, like we do, Valentine Coffee Company is an absolute must. Every cup is single pour brewed...to perfection.
Need some yummy American-fare? The Wicked Hop has a burger that's sure to please and a bloody (that I have yet to try) that'll have you coming back for more. Check out their menu online and try not to let your mouth water.
For a fun adventure - we discovered that with a Student ID, you can go to the ticket counter at the Marcus Center for Performing Arts a couple hours before the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra plays and pay only $12 for any seat in the house. A perfect excuse to dress up a little and feel cultured!
Have a fabulous weekend!