After hitting the gym and shooting basketballs for the first time since I left college (quite miserably until the end), we headed for the Dells. Our first stop was the Cheese Factory, a vegetarian restaurant. Yes, for the first time in my life, I ate in a veg. restaurant and I have to say it is a very unique place. They had everything from rattlesnake tofu to onion rings to a soda fountain. I settled on a veggie omelet while mom had a blue cheese quesadilla with cranberries and walnuts. I know it sounds weird, and I didn't try, but several waiters (all of who are veg by the way) said it was excellent.
From there it was window shopping at the local outlet mall and in spite of the post-Thanksgiving Day savings, I wound up wandering aimlessly. No purchases. For dinner, we ate at Ginza, a Japanese steak house. I love this type of food for the flavor and the entertainment from the chef when they cook in front of you. Great dinner and far cheaper than a visit to a local steak house would have been. I actually got a shrimp flipped to me and caught it in my mouth. Because I caught, I slept peacefully that night.
The next day, we went to see Bobby, the movie about Robert Kennedy. I really credit director Emilio Estevez for bringing so many complex stories together in a way that they made sense. I thought it was cool that Joshua Jackson (Dawson's Creek fame) was in it because he played Charlie Conway in the Mighty Ducks films where Estevez played the coach. I was waiting for Kenan Thompson to run on and scream "It's knucklepuck time!"
One of my favorite times was the walk through Mirror Lake State Park. I took Hogan off the leash and let him run around and explore. His favorite walk seems to be when he's jogging and dragging his nose along the ground, just smelling. Don't know what he's looking for, but he's got a hunter-side in him. After wards, we played mini-golf at Pirate's Cove and I sank 4 holes in one.
Lunch was an elk and bacon burger at Moose Jaw which was so-so. They actually have a Pumpkin Spice ale beer with cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. If it wasn't for where we went to dinner that night, I might have tried it. That evening, we went to a German restaurant that will remain nameless because it doesn't deserve any publicity. It does have a good atmosphere with long rows of tables like you'd find in Germany. I learned two things. A liter is a whole lot to drink and German beer is way stronger than the beer we're used to in this country. Can you see where this is going?
I've been seriously drunk only once or twice in my life and I don't like doing it. Among the polka music I could barely hear what the waiter was saying. So I asked his advice on beer on settled on the DAB, a medium bodied pilsner. He asked me what size I wanted and I asked what they had. I heard "Liter, 1 liter, 3 liter, 5 liter." I asked for 1 liter. I think he also said 1/2 liter too, but I found out too late. I get this near pitcher of beer, enough for about 30 or 35 ounces. About halfway through, I knew I was in trouble. Later that night, after watching Million Dollar Baby and playing Deal or No Deal on DVD, I sprang up in bed and had that dreaded moment of realization. You know the moment. It was time to get sick. I'll stop there.
And the food was average at best.
Sunday morning, we drove to Madison to visit Karen, Nef, and their girls, Sofia and Emma. We went to Blackhawk Church and then went on our way home.
I've learned to really appreciate time off in a way I never had before. Maybe knowing what working in the real world is like, I can appreciate my free time more and more. Maybe I'm growing up... Oh I shudder at the thought!
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