6201. See the World's Largest Potato Masher in Plover

 I told the hubby there were a couple of things I wanted to see on our way to/from Eau Claire. One of them was a giant potato masher in Plover which I've been trying to get to for a few years.

The World's Largest Potato Masher is outside of Plover, just off of Hwy 54. It stands outside of the Food + Farm Exploration Center, which is a children's museum dedicated to food and agriculture. How fitting for WI. There is plenty of parking.

We actually passed it on our to Eau Claire. If we stayed on 54 a smidgen longer, we would have found the road to get us to the Food + Farm Exploration Center which if I put it in the GPS, I would have seen how close we really were. 

We stopped on the way back. The potato masher stands 38 Feet 11 inches. There is a pathway to it. 

There is not sign telling about the potato masher or the significance of it.

I snapped a few pictures while the hubby stayed in the car.

If you plan on going to the Food + Farm Exploration Center or are in the area it's worth the detour. It's not far off of I-39 so it does make for a quick stretch break. I don't know if I would actually drive out of my way to see it though. 

26 in 2026 -- Try at Least One New Restaurant -- Geno's Steakhouse

 The hubby had a rare Saturday off in the middle of baseball season. He asked for dinner suggestions and I gave him my list of restaurants we wanted to try. He narrowed it down to two different supper clubs. After asking around, he chose Geno's Steakhouse in Black Creek.

Geno's Steakhouse is off Hwy 47 in Black Creek, closer to Nicholas than Black Creek. It is open Wed-Sun 4:30-8, except Friday and Saturday when they are open to 9. There is plenty of parking. Geno's Steakhouse looks like a regular house even on the inside.

Like a typical supper club, you make your way to the bar where they took our drink orders and gave us menus. I had an old fashioned while the hubby had a Mountain Dew. It was only like $9 for both. And my old fashioned is not a little one either. It was a decent old-fashioned.

Once we said we were ready to order, they gave us a number. Then our waitress came to take our order. I went with prime rib and the hubby had tenderloin and haddock combo.

We were then seated shortly after in the back room and advised to help ourself to the salad bar.

The salad bar was in the front room. It was not very big but offered plenty. There was also two kinds of soup. I knew if I had soup I won't eat all my dinner even the taco soup sounded good.

We had fresh bread at the table.

Our food arrived fairly quickly. I'll be honest my prime rib was boring. It was not very flavorful. Maybe I am just used to tenderloin. It was good just boring. The hubby said his tenderloin was very good and wondered why I would even consider prime rib when there was tenderloin. Next time I will get tenderloin. 

They offered us dessert which we declined as we were too full.

It was all very good. We would definitely go back. The hubby said it took him over 40 years to get to Geno's... hopefully it doesn't take us another 40 to get back. 

I wonder where our next dining adventure will take us. 

26 in 2026: Try One New Pizza Place -- Antoinette's Casual Dining

 After we went to the PEEP show and stop by my parents, we decided we wanted pizza for dinner. I looked for a new pizza spot around Sheboygan. I found a few and the hubby picked Antoinette's Casual Dining in Plymouth.

Antoinette's Casual Dining is located on Mill St and is open Wed-Sun starting at 11 each of those days. There's plenty of parking across the street.

They have more than just pizza. They say they are "elegant French Bistro and contemporary cuisine". There is pasta, burgers, salads, pizza, chicken, and mac and cheese. Since we wanted pizza, we ordered pizza and cheesy bread.

The cheesy bread was good.

The pizza not so much. It looked good in the pictures but the blend of cheeses they used just did not work with pizza. The crust was fine. You know it's not great pizza when we bring home over half the pizza. The hubby claimed he was full from lunch. It was the pizza.

We said we would go back and try something else on the menu but skip the pizza. I would say give them a try. The rest of the food looked good coming out.

The best part was the giant cow in the parking lot. Of course I needed a picture.

6211. See the PEEP Show at the Racine Art Museum

 The Racine Art Museum puts on an art show every year featuring PEEPs candy. Artists from all over enter their creations including the public. It runs about 3 weeks around Easter each year. I have said I wanted to go and this year I told Stacy we were going. 

The Racine Art Museum is open 10-4 Wednesday-Sunday which is part of the reason it made it so hard to get to. I had to find a Saturday that worked for me and Stacy in the midst of baseball season. There is street parking or a parking garage nearby. Since the hubby came along, we just Stacy and the kids at the museum. We parked in the ramp. It is $10/adult for admission into the entire museum not just the PEEP show.

This year the PEEP show made the main gallery downstairs. I was impressed by the number of pieces of art. 

Bad Bunny was a common theme. We saw several Bad Bunny half time show works of art.

Some were play on words.

Some were from pop culture.

Each piece was unique and some were better than others.

After we checked out the PEEP show, we did check out the rest of the museum. Upstairs was an exhibit on paper cutting. 

Some were nothing more than snowflakes.

Others were very intricate.

Back downstairs in the lobby, the hubby was found the metal work pieces impressive. 

If you have never checked out the PEEP exhibit before, definitely put it on your list for next year. It is worth the visit. Even the hubby, who isn't an art museum kind of guy, found it tolerable. 

Food Adventures: Jam and Ice Cream

We bought Peaches in Brandy Jam at Smoky Mountain Farms Jelly House when we were in Tennessee earlier this month. The hubby thought it would be good on vanilla ice cream.

We decided to try his idea.

I scooped vanilla ice cream into bowls. 

Then I warmed up the jam in the microwave for a few seconds

Add topped the ice cream with the jam.

It tasted amazing. The jam reminded me of the canned peaches my Nana would make but no one seems to have a recipe for.

This definitely was a good idea. I don't know if I'd like the jam on anything else but it is amazing on ice cream. 

I wonder what other jams and jellies would be good on vanilla ice cream. I'm sure raspberry would taste delicious over chocolate ice cream. I may have to try that in the future. 

7776. Have a moon pie

 I always wanted to try a moon pie. We stopped at the Moon Pie Store in Pigeon Forge where we picked up some moon pies and brought them back home. After a few weeks we decided to give them a try.

I had the chocolate one and the hubby had an original. 

I am not a fan. The graham cracker was soft. There was not enough marshmallow in the middle. The chocolate was good. It could have been so much better and fell flat.

Maybe I am used to crispy graham crackers cookies that a soft graham cracker was too different for the likes of me. I was expecting a crunch and not nothing. With that being said though, there are no crumbs. 

I don't know if it would have made much difference if we ate them in the traditional way with an RC Cola but I don't think so.

Don't let me issues with the graham cracker stop you from trying one. Everyone should have at least one Moon Pie in their lives. It is an American Tradition....

Next American Tradition on my list is to try a Goo Goo Cluster... one day.. 

26 in 2026: Go to at least 1 author talk -- Shelly Van Pelt

 When Fox Cities Reads announced that Remarkably Bright Creatures was going to be the Fox Cities Read for 2026, I knew I had to attend the author talk. I read the book back when it first came out and loved it. I even convinced that my book club to read. Unfortunately my book club meeting was the same day as Shelly Van Pelt's visit. I hoped to be able to do both but figured it would have been doubtful. 

Remarkably Bright Creatures is a delightful book about an escape artist octopus, an older woman, and a lost soul. Even though an octopus is a main character, it is truly a book about friendship and life. It is Shelly Van Pelt's debut novel.

Shelly Van Pelt was scheduled to speak at 6 at the Appleton Library. Having seen several well known authors as part of the Fox Cities Book Festival and know how many people will show up especially for this book, I knew how I had to get there early. I got there at least 90 minutes before hand. I was not the first person there. We waited outside the room for about 45 minutes before being allowed in. I chose a seat about half way back. By the time it started it was standing room only.

Shelly Van Pelt not only is an amazing author, she is also a great speaker. She spoke for about 45 minutes about how the story developed and the upcoming movie. I loved how she would spend hours at the Atlanta aquarium watching and observing the animals as part of her research. She took questions for about 10 minutes. 

After she was done speaking, she was going to sign books. This is where it got insane. I ducked out while she was still answering questions. There was at least 50 people in front of me. The line snaked from the outside the conference room, down the hall, and into the library. The moved slowly but it was worth the wait.

I got my book signed and even got a picture. I made a comment about it being a long night for her and she was like I get to sit here. You guys have to stand the entire time. She was very personable and nice. 

If you ever get a chance to hear her talk, do it. If you get a chance to hear any other speak do it. They love meeting readers and share their books.