Since we didn’t have an opportunity to take the kids away for a summer vacation prior to the move north, we thought we’d use Liz’s 10th birthday as an excuse for a mini vacation. The problem we had was – where should we go that wouldn’t cost a fortune, we are after all still recovering from the move.
We considered one of those nifty chain hotels that has the indoor water park. We considered one of those funky towns around here that are trying to turn themselves into tourist destinations by having tons of mini golf and mini water parks. We thought about a lot of things but when TW said “How about House on the Rock?” and I said “Huh? A house? On a rock? Fine, whatever you want” I thought maybe we should just stay home. What kid wants to go to a house on a rock for her 10th birthday and what teenagers would want to accompany her on such a trip. Hah. I changed my mind as TW started explaining it and the minute I loaded the House on the Rock webpage I knew it was perfect. I booked the hotel immediately. Creepy, interesting, relatively close (though I did have second thoughts when I saw it would take 3 1/2 hours to get there) and inexpensive (less than $300 for a 2 room hotel room that sleeps up to 8 and full tour packages for 5.)
On the Saturday morning of Liz’s birthday weekend, we loaded everyone into the car and started to drive toward breakfast. None of the kids have even mentioned breakfast and none had mentioned a stop at Starbucks either. So, as we were approaching the last turn toward our breakfast destination… “Anyone want breakfast?” All three replied that they did. TW asked Liz what she would like to have for a birthday breakfast and she said “Pancakes or waffles” Huh. Weird. So I asked “If you could have ANY breakfast in the WORLD for your birthday, what would it be?”
KRISPY KREME
Hah, that’s more like it. I told her to look to the left and there it was… Krispy Kreme, her favorite. I think we could have eaten our doughnuts and turned around and gone home and she’d have been happy. But we didn’t. We carried on down the freeway until we reached the first rest area in Wisconsin. We used the facilities and then wandered around their travel brochure area where Prince J and I discovered the PERFECT tourist attraction for us… The Mustard Museum where the King of Condiments lives. Hahaha. Since I know the Prince would rather stay home for his birthday than drive 3 1/2 hours, even for condiments, I decided we should take a bit of a detour and head to the Mustard Museum before House on the Rock. TW indicated it was pretty much on the way so we were set.
Almost to Madison, we started thinking about lunch and TW said “Ella’s!” This is the restaurant TW talks about all of the time. It’s the restaurant she wants to recreate someday, but do better. So, we took another detour and headed into Madison for lunch.
Ella’s was totally packed but it was exactly what TW always said it was. Full of toy gadgets and fun things and we all enjoyed the food (and some of us enjoyed the desserts) and the girls enjoyed the carousel.
Then, it was condiment time! A mustard vending machine! All the mustard tasting a boy could ever want! Crazy mustard puns. And lots and lots of old fashioned mustard jars. They even gave us a little mustard song booklet when we left.
Onto House of the Rock hotel, boy what a long drive. The last “six miles” were hell. Pure hell. The kids were ready to get out which means they were touching each other and yelling and screeching and just being generally idiotic and ridiculous. Once we released them from captivity and went in, they were fine. Thank goodness.
The hotel room, much to my surprise, was very large and very clean. 3 queen beds and a pull out couch. Microwave, fridge, very large bathroom. Only two problems – only 5 channels on the TV and no wi-fi in the room. The kids pool with the submarine – HUGE hit.
Finding dinner wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be – we ended up at Culvers and I got Culverized with a butter burger (never heard of it and don’t even want to think about how to “journal it”.) Fried cheese curds! Custard for the kids. Everyone was happy.
Next day – House on the Rock. I’m not even going to attempt to describe it. It’s not possible. It’s like Ripley’s Believe it or Not but better. The infinity room – the dude must have had some great drugs to come up with that. I didn’t really stop to think about what I was walking on (air) until TW mentioned the swaying and then RJ started to bounce and then… OMG amazing and frightening all at the same time. The Prince didn’t even get halfway and started backing up, which is good since I’ve seen him barf in tourist attractions before – it ain’t pretty.
We toured the whole place, we ate more fried cheese curd, we had to tear RJ away from the carousel. We had a super super time – obviously since as we were leaving the Prince said “We did a LOT of walking for fun and exercise and it REALLY was FUN.”
On the way home, we took another detour to Peck’s Farm Market, which we had passed on the way to House on the Rock. It’s a farmer’s stand with a petting zoo. Llamas! Goats! Pigs! and Carriage rides!
It was a fun weekend and a good birthday for the little one. (more photos here)
I say it again, they are getting so big. Absolutely beautiful family ya’ll have there.
That sounds totally wicked! My kids would love a vacation like that. Hmmm.
I can’t believe I’ve never heard of that place…OMFG…I could live there!!!!
Yes, so, had to Google fried cheese curds. Battered and deep-fried fresh curds of cheddar. Sounds really good actually and the Wikipedia entry even mentions Culver’s as one of the places that serves them.
I have no idea what people did before they could find anything and everything on the internet. It’s just so amazing that we have free, easy access to all this info. I love the internet.
Sounds like a great weekend!
You mentioned cheese curds!
The best come from the proclaimed “Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin” in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. (The Governor of Wisconsin gave them that title!) They are so squeaky good! Their cheese is ALL NATURAL and is made from rBST free milk. If you are near Ellsworth, Wisconsin stop in their creamery store after 11 a.m. – six days a week – and take home WARM packages of FRESHLY made cheese curds! SQUEAKY FRESH!
They do have a web site and sell fresh and lightly, hand-breaded cheese curds too. They sold 104,000 lbs to the Minnesota State Fair last year and have been selling to state and county fairs for over a decade! They are also in A&W Restaurants. If you go to a Milwaukee Brewers home game at Miller Park you can buy the breaded cheese curds there.
Their cheese morsels remain the color of fresh quality milk: White!
Question: Did you ever drink orange milk?!
Or if you purchase one of their fresh 1# cheese curds packages (Deli section of Cub Foods for example) there is a very simple recipe on the back of their packages – it is so easy to make your own batter with only FOUR common ingredients.
Additional recipes and suggestions are on their web site.
If you can’t get to their creamery store, these cheese morsels are in many grocery stores. Look for the BEST all white cheese curd: Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery – “Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin” made with the best quality milk: rBST free!
Remember to microwave for just 15 seconds to bring out the rich cheddar flavor and its trademark SQUEAK!
My jealousy meter went so high that it burst. Mustard Museum!!! House on the Rock!!! OMG!!!!!
The Infinity Room terrified me. I was being very brave, shuffling forward with my hands out, like in the dark. Then I felt the whole thing move. We’ve got a picture to document the moment – my eyes are wide with horror.
Have you read any Gaiman? His book American Gods has a connection to The House of the Rock.
From your link, I see why.
Wow! Would you plan my next birthday? The pictures make much more sense after I read your post! Liz will be talking about this birthday all her life…