farlands | traveling near and far

With our short three-day itinerary in New Orleans, we stuck to the basics.  So, after getting off the train and taking the streetcar plus a short walk, we settled into our Airbnb apartment in the French Quarter: Oasis Complete with rats in the courtyard, we found it utterly charming, especially since we have pet rats (but I'm sure it gets old having them around your garden).  We woke the next morning ready to try and beat the June heat by taking a cemetery tour in the morning, and doing a self-guided tour of the garden district in the afternoon. Booking a  Save Our Cemeteries tour was a great option.  Not only do you get a knowledgeable tour guide, you also contribute back to the place where you and a bunch of other people are tromping around.  Both Jeff and I loved the cemetery tour.  I learned how so many family members are put into one smallish tomb - by decomposing in the swampy heat down to nothing, until the next family member, er,...

Last weekend we took a road trip with my in-laws north of Madison to visit Wollersheim Winery , located in Sauk City, Wisconsin.  I've been there three times so far, and have found something new to enjoy each time I go. We always stop before or after our Wollersheim visit at the Blue Spoon Cafe , right on the main street of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.  The food is varied and delicious, and the building has terraced outdoor seating overlooking the Wisconsin River.  It is also very close to bald eagle viewing , if you are so inclined in the wintertime.  The winery is just over the bridge and up the hill: The oldest vines, planted in the 1970's Among the many things to enjoy at Wollersheim are the beautifully landscaped grounds, an interesting tour of the historic building, cellars and up-to-the-minute wine making facility, wine tastings, and a restored cave. A video before the tour of the winery shines a spotlight on the family that made Wollersheim what it...

I'm on a boat! Tuxes optional.  Not with T-Pain, though, but definitely a few flippy-floppies in sight. The boat for our trip was via the Lake Geneva Cruise Line , where we took my parents on a Champagne Brunch tour on Lake Geneva, the summer home to many of the wealthiest Chicago industry titans in history and their families (Wrigley, Maytag, etc.). Our family- not titans of industry. Two previous dinner cruises (one for a conference and one that Jeff and I took for an anniversary trip), made me confident that this was the perfect day trip to take with my parents.  It was, until we arrived at the dock and it was one of the windiest days of the summer.  My mom wasn't too keen on going out in those conditions, and I couldn't blame her because of our last boating experience, which I might blog about one of these days. This was a mighty solid boat and we went out anyway and it was stable enough to serve us Bloody Marys, champagne, coffee and orange juice wit...

Once in a while it's good to look around, right where you are, and make sure you enjoy what is interesting and special about your own area.  Luckily, Madison and the surrounding area is absolutely brimming with fun things to do, see, eat, etc. This post is a shout-out to the  Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra's Concerts on the Square. Disclaimer:  I used to work for the orchestra. I am an unabashed fan of the series and I was even before I worked there.  This summer, I felt fortunate to get to two of the 6-in-a-row concert series, which takes place on Wednesday nights starting with the last Wednesday of June. (I had actually thought of excusing my summer absence on attending the concerts on my traditional night for blogging, but that doesn't cover the whole time...sorry!) Over 20,000 people come and put blankets around the Capitol Building on the lawn to enjoy a mix of classical to pops music across the 6 weeks.  There are popcorn vendors, people who stage ela...