An Adventure in Cedarburg

 When Stacy and I were planning an adventure, Cedarburg was on of the options. Both growing up in the area, we've been to Cedarburg many times for many different things. It is just one of those local towns you randomly visit. 

After our pancake breakfast, we headed to Cedarburg. Located about 20 minutes north of Milwaukee, Cedarburg is a cute little town. It has many little shops on Washington Ave and an old Mill that has more shops and a winery. My mom, cousins, and I would do our Black Friday shopping there for years. 

Today our first stop was not downtown but more on the outskirts of town. We stopped to check out Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts.  This was on my bucket list and I knew the hubby wouldn't be interested in seeing a bunch of quilts. The museum is in an old barn and has one large gallery space. The current exhibit was Heidi Parkes: Soft Magic. It was a gorgeous exhibit of more than a dozen quilts of various sizes.

After we left the museum, we headed to Washington Ave or downtown Cedarburg. We found parking in the public lot. Parking can be tricky in Cedarburg depending on the day and season. Parking is free downtown, you just have to find a spot. 

Stop 1: The Gem Shop

We didn't even know if it was still open. It's been around as long as I remember. It certainly was and it was busy. There was a curling team browsing. It is not a big shop but it is packed with all sorts of rocks and gems. 

You could buy individual pieces of your favorite rocks and gems or discover a new favorite. 

I should have bought some Tumbled Coprolite. I'm sure a few of my friends (and nephew) would get a kick out of it.

They even had rock candy. I was trying to stay in budget so I kept the wallet in the purse here.

Stop 2: Downtown Dough

We wandered in this cute shop to check out the cookie cutters. I am trying to find a home plate (pentagon) cookie cutter. No such luck here. I love cookie cutters but don't bake enough cookies to justify buying any more. Maybe one day.

Stop 3: Ashley's Confectionary

Since I wanted to visit a new chocolate shop, we decided to check it out. We picked up some truffles and enjoy them while we continued our adventure

Stop 4: The Pink Llama Gallery

The name alone made us stop and check it out. It is one of a handful of art galleries in Cedarburg. They had some great paintings and artwork for sale. They have a no photography policy so if you want to see some of the wonderful art, go check it out yourself. 

Stop 5: The Chocolate Shoppe

We were getting hungry and needed a bit to eat. Since I've never been to The Chocolate Shop, we decided it was the perfect stop for lunch. A quick glance at the menu, we ordered lunch. I got the Italian Sub. It was great and it even came in Amy size -- a mini sub. It was a little pricy but then again what isn't these days.

Of course we needed dessert. They sell their ice cream by the ounce. I went with chocolate mint which was fabulous. It really wasn't any more expensive than any other place for a scoop and they had a wide variety of flavors.

Stop 6: Covered Bridge

After we ate, we had some time left to wander and decided to get in the car and check out the covered bridge. Like Cedarburg, we've both been here numerous times but it is always fun to check out. 

We had a fun little adventure in Cedarburg. One day I will get to the Wine and Harvest Fest to stomp grapes. There isn't much more on my Cedarburg bucket list but I will work on getting those crossed off as well. 

Cedarburg is always worth checking out for a day adventure. There's plenty of little shops, restaurants and even a winery, brewery, or shinery to wet your whistle. 

907. See the Covered Bridge in Cedarburg

 After we were done exploring downtown Cedarburg, we headed to Lime Kiln Park but we couldn't actually get up close to the Kilns. I suggested we swing by the covered bridge.

The Covered Bridge in Cedarburg is one of the last covered bridges in Wisconsin. It was built in 1876 over the Cedar Creek. 

I've been the Covered Bridge a couple times and drove past it many times but I figured it was a nice way to end the day.

We parked in the small parking and walked across the grassy field. Then we walked through the covered bridge. 

I always like coming here for pictures. It is such an iconic spot. 

If you have never checked out the covered bridge in Cedarburg, it is worth the stop. There is a picnic area so pack a lunch and enjoy nature for the afternoon.

25 in 2025 -- Visit a New Chocolate/Candy Shop -- Ashley’s Confectionery

As soon as I posted my 25 in 2025 list, Andrea asked if I was to the chocolate shop in Kohler. I told her I think after the beer run many years ago. Turns out that beer run was 10 years ago and I'm still pretty sure we checked the chocolate shop. So I was still on the hunt for a new chocolate shop for this year.

It turned out it was easier than I thought. I thought I might had to wait until girls weekend. I just needed an adventure with Stacy. While we were exploring downtown Cedarburg, Stacy mentioned wanting to go to Amy's Candy Kitchen. I happened to notice Ashley's Confectionary across the street. I mentioned we can go to Amy's if we can also check out Ashley's. That was not a problem.

Ashley's Confectionary is located downtown Cedarburg on Washington St. It is open daily 11-5 (until 6 on Saturdays).

I was surprised by the size. It was much bigger than Amy's. There was plenty of room for customers even a small seating area. There was your typical kid candy such as Soda Can Fizzy Candy in the middle of the store. I tend to avoid this area. I want the good stuff

There was pre-packaged homemade candy such as cordials in a variety of flavors and espresso beans. Many looked tempting but I went straight to my favorites.

They had truffles. I love truffles. The had small and large truffles. I opted for the small truffles so I could get a few flavors. They were many flavors to choose from and I had a hard time deciding. I ended up with 2 milk chocolate caramel truffles and a milk chocolate truffle for the hubby. I opted for a caramel, a mint, and a champagne truffle all in dark chocolate for myself. 

Unlike most truffles that I have had, these had a extra thick outer coating. It was unexpected but good. It just took a bigger bite to get to the creamy middle. All the truffles were amazing. The caramel was probably my least favorite but it was on the sweeter side. 

We definitely will be back. I think the hubby was slightly disappointed that I went to Ashley's instead of Amy's (he likes Amy's coconut clusters) but did gave his seal approval for the truffle. I guess he wasn't that disappointed. 

Now I may have to go to Amy's for coconut clusters and Ashley's for truffles when in Cedarburg. I still do have to have to try a caramel apple from Amy's. Stay tuned for that adventure. 

Let's see if I find any other good truffles this year. 

6007. Visit the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts in Cedarburg

 When planning our adventure, I sent Stacy a list of places in Southeast WI on the bucket list. We narrowed it down between Milwaukee and Cedarburg. When I saw the Facebook Post about the pancake breakfast, I decided we'd go to Cedarburg. 

The one thing on my bucket list for Cedarburg that I knew the hubby would not enjoy was the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts. Heck, I wasn't even sure I would enjoy it but I wanted to check it out.  Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts not located downtown Cedarburg as we both thought but more on the outskirts of town. It is open 10-4 Wednesday-Saturday and 12-4 on Sundays. Admission is $10/adults and $6/kids.  Because it is not downtown, there is plenty of parking at the museum.

Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts current exhibit is Heidi Parkes: Soft Magic. The museum is an old barn and the quilts are displayed through the barn. Each quilt tells a story. They were all impressive.

I looked for hidden objects in the quilts that were in several quilts. It was fun looking for them. I found several quilts with hidden animals. I don't know if they were supposed to be hidden or part of the story. I really didn't read the descriptions of the quilts. I tend not to read the descriptions at a museum unless something really catches my eye and I want to learn more. 

The foyer and the staircase was work don by Heidi Parkes students. My favorite was the blood splatter looking piece. 

Personally I don't think the museum is worth the $10 admission but I am cheap. However, it is worth a visit if you are into the fiber arts. Even though I may moan at the $10 admission, if there was a cool show there in the future, I would seriously consider going. 

Maybe one day I will figure out how to make a quilt to knock that off the bucket list. In the mean time I will just enjoy other people's quilts. 

Pancakes and Maple Syrup

 Stacy said if I needed an adventure this month, to let her know. I definitely did and tossed out a couple dates to her. She confirmed which one worked best for her. I tossed some ideas her way and we never really settled on anything specific. Then I saw a post for a Pancake Breakfast at Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg. Stacy was game. I bought tickets.

Riveredge Nature Center is in Newburg. It is open every day dawn until dusk. The Visitor Center is open Monday-Saturday 8:30-4:30. It is $5/person for a trail fee. 

We both remember going there in elementary school for maple syrup and pancake breakfast. Stacy distinctly remembers it raining and eating outside so was a bit concerned about the weather forecast (cold and rainy). I was like no worries there's a shuttle. I didn't realize we could have to eat outside. 

The Pancake Breakfast was $15/person. We checked in at the visitor center and got our tickets. Then we walked to the Sugarbush House for breakfast. The walk was about 1/2 mile along a very well maintained path. Or you could have taken a shuttle. The weather held so it was not a bad walk. 

We got to see the maple trees tapped for syrup. Blue bags are the new buckets apparently. 

For breakfast you got 2 pancakes, a piece of ham, and some pickles. Apparently in Southeast WI, pickles and maple syrup are a thing. I remember getting pickle spear as a kid with my maple syrup. These were just pickle chips. Either way they are good. Plus they pour fresh maple syrup over your pancakes.

We went out side to eat in the covered picnic area. They came around with fresh off the griddle pancakes and we each had one more. Overall it was a very good breakfast.

On the way back to the car, we checked out one of the play areas.. briefly.. I attempted to climb up the rope net and it was an epic fail. I only made it only rung and fell face first. Getting down was an adventure. Turns out scooting down on my butt worked best. It was not my brightest idea.

We wanted to check out a bridge but the trail was closed because of sugar dragon nesting area. I guess I will have to come back and explore at a future date when the sugar dragons are all hatched. 

It was a fun morning and only just the beginning of our adventure. More adventure fun coming soon. 

25 in 2025 -- Explore At Least One New Park or Trail -- Lowes Creek

I am always on the look out for new trails or parks to explore. I've done most of the ones around here. So when I'm at baseball or having adventures, I am on the lookout for a new park or trail or even a random path to explore. I got lucky when I found out our friends lived within walking distance of a county park. 

Since it was a beautiful day and I had some time to kill, I decided to go check out the county park. The hubby even came with me. 

Lowes Creek is part of the Eau Claire County Park System. If you actually park, like a state park, you need to pay an entrance fee. It is $6/day or $35/year and gains you access to all the county parks. 

Because of spring thaw many of the more challenging trails were closed due to muddy conditions. This made me sad as I'm always up for a good hike. The hubby was probably secretly glad as he is not a hiker and prefers much easier terrain. 

Since our options were limited we walk the snowshoe/cross county ski trail. It is a giant grassy loop that is fairly flat. To me it was pretty boring probably because of everything still being brown from winter. Hopefully we can explore when it's lush and green and fully of critters. 

I am glad Eau Claire County Park System has well maintained parks. I may have to explore other parks (and pay the $6 fee) on future visits.. or at least explore some of the other trails at Lowes Creek. 

I wonder what other trails and parks I will explore this year. Stay tuned to find out if I stumble across any other ones.