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Daily by krmb on
17 August 2009
Monday. A day meant for relaxing. I finished all my work for Pendragon and was ready to head to breakfast by 10 a.m. We met Ian and Ashley, and headed to the predetermined spot—Franks Diner. I’ve written about Franks before, and many of our Daily KRuMB readers may have been there, or even seen the place spotlighted on foodie shows on TV. But, one thing for sure—the place is an experience not to be missed!
I’ve never been there when it was as busy as it was today. We waited nearly forty minutes for our seats, which wound up being at the counter—also a first for me. Although, initially I was disappointed to not be in a booth, that quickly gave way to fascination as I watched the grill cook (her name is Shawna, although I have no idea how to actually spell it) make pancakes and bacon and eggs, and their signature “garbage plates” with amazing skill and speed. We were seated right behind her and were frequently charmed when she’d insert herself into our conversation. I now consider myself a part of the Franks family, so when we needed coffee, I simply got up, grabbed a pot and poured. Of course, the unwritten rule is if you do that, you also run the gauntlet and offer it up to the whole place! And, when Kyle needed another Coke, I went to the fridge and grabbed that, too. It’s a fabulous little slice of Kenosha, with a fun and interesting history, and it really is a “must do” on a trip up here.
After the hot weekend, today was much cooler, so Lake Michigan was literally shrouded in fog. It was so lovely, I wanted to see it up close and take some photos. Unfortunately, the only one that was any good at all, is the one I chose for my photo of the day. After a quick tour around the lakeside zone, we came back to site and said our goodbyes to Ian and Ashley, on their way to the Michigan Renaissance Festival. They open next weekend (as does Minnesota) and will overlap us here at Bristol for the final three weekends of our show. A number of crafters, workers and their trailers will vanish from our site this week as our community starts to scatter to other shows.
After a relaxing siesta at the booth and a visit with Stephen, Kyle and I headed back out to meet Sean and Amber and Adrianne (and Kelly and John) at their favourite new local spot—Ashling on the Lough (pronounced like loch). Created by the owners of our Milwaukee favourite, County Clare, this is a charming Irish pub located in the Marina district of Kenosha. It’s in a new building, but is decorated appropriately with dark wood and stained glass and welcoming words on the walls. One of the best quotes: “Profanity makes ignorance audible.”
Kyle and I arrived earlier than everyone else, so we amused ourselves at the bar, chatting with the bartender, Adam. I was specifically and truly amused by a new little gizmo I’d never seen before . . . a glass rinser that sprays water out of a five-spoked wheel, only when you upend the glass and apply pressure over it. Brilliant! Adam wisely labeled it a “beer-det” (beerday). I swore right then and there that when Kyle and I have the house of our dreams someday, it will contain one of those!
Dinner was lovely, if a little pricey, and we had a fabulous time with our wonderful friends. I know we will be back to that spot in the future.
And, sadly, our together time is winding down this week. Trying not to think about it. In denial.
~MB
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His plans were a bit thwarted once he got there, but, he rolled with the punches and did a presentation in a meeting rather than the training he was prepared to do. The upside for me was that he finished earlier than he might have otherwise, and we had most of the afternoon to amuse ourselves on this, his last day in Wisconsin.
