Dining Adventures 2025 -- Cedar Lodge Supper Club

 We are always on the look out for a new supper club. We've driven past Cedar Lodge Supper Club in Malone several times and have always said we should go there. We tried numerous times this year to get there and finally I just put it on the calendar that we were going to go.

Cedar Lodge Supper Club is located in Calumetville just north of the Fond du Lac/Calumet County line on Highway 151. It is open for dinner Wed-Sat starting at 4:30 to either 8:30 or 9 depending on the day of the week. It is also open Sundays for brunch. Unlike many supper clubs in the area, they do take reservations. There also have a large parking lot. 

We got there around 4:45 and actually was able to snag seats at the bar. In true Wisconsin Supper Club fashion, we checked in at the bar and then ordered a cocktail while we perused the menu in typical Wisconsin Supper Club fashion. I had an old fashioned. After a while a waitress came to take our order. Eventually we were shown to our table in the corner of the dining room. This is completely normal Supper Club service. 

We were not expecting a 5 course meal. When the waitress took our order, she gave us the option of fritter or fruit cup. I was thinking a corn fritter and ordered that. I am so glad I did not go with the fruit cup. It was not a corn fritter but something of a donut. It was doughy and covered in powdered sugar. It was amazing. 

Then came our choice of soup. They had a choice of 4 soups. I went with the beef barley and the hubby surprised me with ordering French Onion. They were both very good. The beef barley had a huge chunks of beef in it. The little cup was the perfect size. 

The salad came next. It was an ordinary house salad. I did find it odd that it came with a slice of green pepper on it. That is not a normal salad topping. 

Then our entrees came out. I had a prime rib (Saturday Night Supper Club Special) and a twice baked potato. I had a hard time deciding between twice baked and hashbrowns. The twice baked was the right choice. It was cheesy and delicious. The hubby said has steak and haddock were very good. His tenderloin was topped with onion rings which I snagged one.

We were too full for after dinner drinks which would normally complete a true Wisconsin Supper Club experience. They also had dessert which is unusual for a supper club. 

Cedar Lodge is not all that large of a place. My living room is probably bigger than the bar area and it was 2-3 deep at all times. The dining room didn't seem all that big but couldn't see how far back it was around the corner

I would highly recommend Cedar Lodge Supper Club if you are into Supper Club, Fish Fries, or jsut a good steak dinner. The best part of a Supper Club you don't need to dress up and the food is amazing. I would either get reservations in the future or make sure we are there by 5 on a Saturday so you are not waiting for ever. Definitely a good pick. 

7641. Have a Spotted Cow

 After the hubby finished his conference and he found me, he asked where the pub was at the Kalahari Resort. I was like I didn't see it but we can go find it. He needed to meet up with colleague.

When we got to Wisconsin Brew Pub, we grabbed seats at the bar where the hubby could meet with his colleague. The hubby looks at me and said "You've been having adventures all day, have another one" meaning have a drink. 

I looked at the beer taps in front of me and saw one that caught me eye until I learned it was an IPA. I am not an IPA fan. Then I saw Spotted Cow by New Glarus Brewing Company. All their beers are only available in Wisconsin. Not one to drink beer regularly, I wanted to try their flag ship beer. I asked a glass of Spotted Cow.

Some how it took me 20+ years to try Spotted Cow and I am not sure why. Stacy thinks I had it once before but I don't remember it. It might have been the time we tried to party on Water Street in Milwaukee. 

Spotted Cow is a farmhouse style ale. It is on the sweeter side. It is the perfect beer for me when I can't get a sour or a shandy. 

As I was sipping my beer and watch whatever game is on the TV, I realized there was another set of taps I missed and realized there was more beers that I might have been able to try. They apparently had many beers on tap based on the board I saw as we left. 

I still think I picked the right beer. Spotted Cow has become my go to beer when there is nothing else I like is available. If you have not tried Spotted Cow, especially if you are not a beer fan, you better add it to your bucket list. You will thank me.. maybe

25 in 2025 -- Visit a new Indie Bookstore -- The Village Booksmith

 Since I had plenty of time to kill while exploring the Dells, I decided to see if I could find an Independent (Indie) Bookstore to check out since I did not get to a new one yet this year. It turns out the only Indie bookstore in the Dells area was in Baraboo and it was a used bookstore. Since I was going to the zoo in Baraboo, I figured I might as well check out the bookstore.

The Village Booksmith is located downtown Baraboo. It is open daily: 10-6 Mon-Fri, 10-4 on Saturdays and 11-3 on Sundays. Summer hours might differ. There is plenty of street parking in winter around the square. Summer might be more difficult to find a parking spot. 

The Village Booksmith is not a large bookstore but it is crammed full of used and some new books. There is a dedicated children's section.

You can find all the different genres throughout the store. I particularly liked the "Brew Crew" section within the sports section.

As with any used bookstore, you never know what you are going to find. I wandered around trying to find something I have not read. I was going to pick up a Debbie Macomber book but then I saw some local mysteries by a local author. They were autographed and it fit my rules of I can only buy autograph copies to keep. It looks intriguing. 

If I had more time to kill, I could always have taken my new book and curled up on one of the many seating areas around the store to read. They looked very comfy.

The Village Booksmth is a charming store. If you are in need of a book while on vacation in the Dells, take the short drive into Baraboo and pick one up. 

5606. Go to Ochsner Park Zoo in Baraboo

 Looking for things to do in the Dells Area in November proved to be a challenge. Many places on my bucket list were closed for the season. After going to the Museum of Root Beer, I headed to Baraboo to check out the zoo. 

Ochsner Park Zoo is located in Ochsner Park in Baraboo. It is open in winter 9-3:30 daily. Summer and spring/fall hours are different. There is a spacious parking as well as a park with picnic areas and paths to walk down by the river. Admission is free but they do accept donations.

Ochsner Park Zoo is not a large zoo by any means but it is a nice zoo. They have about a dozen or so animals. As Danielle said, fall is the perfect time to visit as all the animals were quite active even with the chilly temperatures. 

I saw goats

Emus.. which reminded me of Hippogriffs

Donkeys

An Arctic Fox

A Black Bear

Mexican Wolves

Canada Lynx -- The sunlight and enclosure made it hard to get a good picture of the lynx

Beaver -- He sure enjoyed his stick

and

River Otters -- There were a pair of hams

They were all very active. I couldn't find the prairie dogs or a few other animals. It was great being able to see all the animals. There were not a lot of people there. It was actually very nice.

After leaving the zoo, I headed down the path to the river and walk down by the river for a bit before heading to the Outlet Mall for some retail therapy. 

If you are in Baraboo, I would suggest checking out the Ochsner Park Zoo. It is a great way to slow down and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the Dells. 

5643. Go to Parson’s Indian Trading Post and Museum in Wisconsin Dells

 Since I was visiting Wisconsin Dells in the offseason, I had limited options of what I could knock off the bucket list, especially things that were open early. I got hot chocolate, checked the root beer museum, and still had some time to kill before I headed to the zoo, so I stopped at Parson’s Indian Trading Post and Museum. 

Parson’s Indian Trading Post and Museum is located just off the strip on Wisconsin Dells Parkway as you head towards Lake Dalton and Baraboo. It is open 9-5 daily. There is a parking lot. It has been around since 1918.

The building looks run down compared to most of the shiny new buildings of the Dells but it adds to the charm of the place. It does look like an Indian Trading Post you would see in the Southwest. 

Inside is dimly lit but not dark and dingy. It is full of artifacts and souvenirs. I really wanted to check out the artifacts but since I was the only one in there at the moment, I just kind of browsed. The owner was very friendly and I had a nice, brief chat with him.

I did not buy anything but hopefully one day I'll take the hubby in Parson’s Indian Trading Post and Museum. He'll love all the arrowheads. I would love a silver ring.  

If you are looking for an unique souvenir or some Native American jewelry, check out Parson’s Indian Trading Post and Museum. It is worth the visit. 

5611. Go to the Museum of Root Beer in Wisconsin Dells

 When Stacy mentioned there was a Root Beer Museum in the Dells, I wanted to check it out. The hubby didn't seem to keen on this one so when the opportunity arose for me to explore the Dells while the hubby was at a conference, I made sure the Root Beer Museum was on the list.

Museum of Root Beer is located downtown Wisconsin Dells (also known as the Strip). You can park on the street or the lots. It is free to park in winter but you must pay in summer. Museum of Root Beer is open daily 11-4 M-F, 10-5 on Saturdays, and 10-4 on Sundays. It is $6 to go through the museum. If you book ahead of time, you can do a guided tour before the museum opens with the owner for $30. You can also buy a glass of root beer to take with you while you explore the museum. 

The museum is not big but there is sure a lot of Root Beer items and history in the small space. It is not cramped but very well done.

I liked all the random root beer bottles which mostly came from one person's collection. 

The movie, and I'm one not to watch the movie, is very well done. There a many root beer commercials at the end. 

The one thing that shocked me was root beer shampoo. I like root beer but I do not want to smell like it.

There was even recipes to make your own root beer at the very end.

After I explored the museum, I opted to get a flight of root beer. For $5.50 I was able to sample 4 craft root beers from around the Midwest: 

1919 Draft Root Beer from  New Ulm Brewing & Beverage Company in Sleepy Eye, MN

Snowcap from Titletown Brewing in Green Bay

Blumers Root Beer from Minhas Brewery in Monroe

Point Premium Root Beer from Point Brewery in Stevens Point

My favorite was the Snowcap. It was creamy and delicious. Blumers was a close second. 

I definitely would recommend the Museum of Root Beer the next time you are in the Dells even if it is just for some root beer or root beer floats on a hot summer day.