Arrival
We let The Beatles' One and Let it Be albums do the talking as we motored effortlessly up 94 and exited only a few miles from the location. Pulling up to the house was a pleasure. Street parking was readily available, and as we arrived, I received a call from the curator(?) to my cell phone, asking me to call when we got in. In a snap she was there to assist and check us in. Another couple had just pulled in as well, after a quick house tour and we were left to our own devices--which meant food.
Shillings ($$)
After a bit of scenic driving in an attempt to find some quality food (and even a walk-in, exchange glances, walk-out), we ended up at an unpretentious Irish Pub. Now, I am not card-carrying pub aficionado, but I am a budding foodie and beer enthusiast. After taking the first sip of my Taddy Porter (Samuel Smith Brewery: Tadcaster, England) and a bite of the goat cheese appetizer, I was sitting pretty. The entire experience was perfect from end to end. An attentive bartender/server friendly enough that his recommendations were trusted, but not overbearing was our host; and the food was phenomenal, allowing for a perfect setting against which to pour any of their 50+ available beers. The atmosphere was intimate, and the lighting was complimentary to the warm woods of the interior. Noise was minimal, though it was not crowded on a Sunday night. In all, Shillings provided a wonderful meal for both Nicole and me.
Hughes House
A soak in the tub was in order after dinner, and the private bath and claw-footed early 20th century icon was more than inviting. Provided Aveda bath salts filled the air and bed followed shortly thereafter. A wonderful start to the "weekend."
Breakfast was a bit on the cold side, but that would be entirely our fault as we didn't rise until much too late for someone to expect a warm breakfast (beauty sleep?). An egg casserole, fresh fruit, and walnut-maple french toast awaited us as we sauntered out. Imminently edible, the breakfast fortified us well for the day.
Racine
Given sunshine, a night's rest, and good company (obvi), we walked around Racine to see what could be seen. A little budding resort/condo community adjoined the marina on Lake Michigan with little fanfare, and proved a great setting to snap some photos of Nicole (duh) and grab a drink as the sun shone and the breeze breezed. The quaint town was home to wine stores, tiki bars, marine stores and a handful of souvenir/tourist shops hawking t-shirts with Racine - The Hamptons of the Midwest. I couldn't make that up. That was the only ray of pretentiousness to be found. Neither Nicole nor I were about to cut a check for a condo in Racine, but to visit for a few hours and lackadaisically explore, it was (dare I say) perfect.
Milwaukee
In keeping with our previously undisclosed trend of visiting modern art museums, Nicole and I wandered North 20 minutes to the Milwaukee Art Museum. A Gilbert and George exhibit shocked and enthralled us, as did the academic way in which the art was displayed. To my knowledge, the MAM is the only museum which organizes its collections in such a pragmatic manner. Styles were displayed within each time period (i.e. Modern - Installation) and their interrelation with those preceding them. Very cool, and very new-to-art friendly.
3rd Ward
Milwaukee's Third Ward is a rejuvenated industrial area with an artist-colony flair. Nicole and I parked and began to explore. Though not geographically expansive, the district was full of variety in restaurants (yes!), art galleries (yes!) and stylish gentrification of commercial spaces (yes yes!). By this time, our stomachs were having a full-fledged growling battle, so we stopped in to a new-american tapas progressive post-modern lounge bar restaurant. Well, they didn't explicitly state that, but I am confident that those were the words which were used in pitching the ideas to friends and family. Though overstaffed, the food was excellent. Problem is, I've forgotten the name of it. Whoops. I had this there though:
We headed home after getting a bite and the drive was again a breeze. Under 1.5 hours and we were settled back in in Chicago. The weekend turned us on to regional travel, bed and breakfasts and quality time in the car. What wasn't to love? All of this fun had for under $500 for both of us. Excellent choice, Brian.
