We are all about local. Local cheese. Local meats. Local produce. One of the places that we love is Rushing Waters Fisheries. A rainbow trout farm in nearby Palmyra, WI. This place is not only beautiful, but they produce some of the highest quality farm raised trout around. Best part, they are just a few minutes away from Camp Wandawega on an 80 acre farm. Their smoked trout is just too good for words! Soon, come November, you’ll be able to try their lovely food in their new restaurant on the farm. We were lucky enough to get a tour and to do a…

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I’ve long been obsessed with the boutique design travel group MR & MRS SMITH. They are a company that specializes in special destination accomodations…. Conde Nast Traveler named them winner of ‘favorite travel websites’– and they have a great series of coffeetable books. So when they called asking if I would be willing to be a hotel review-which means stay in luxury boutique design hotels(on their dime)I did little cartwheels in my head.I could not say yes fast enough. THE ASSIGNMENT:Pick a destination anywhere in north or south america or the Carribbean.Bring a guest. Stay for 2 nights on the house. Take it…

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Thanks to everyone who attended the Kinfolk dinner- it was a lovely, drizzly, early fall day in Wisconsin filled with friends, food and beer. Here’s a recap: photos: Julia Stotz film: David Burkhart story: Kyle McCarthy Thanks to the collaborators:  Estera Style, Fleur, Solemn Oath, Illinois Sparkling, Fountainhead, Cleetus Friedman. The Culture of Camp The typical camping weekend evokes images of blue-bird days filled with forays along wooded trails, leisurely dips in crisp lake water and the Thoreauvian rush of self-reliance that comes with successfully pitching a tent on the first attempt. Unless the destination of choice is Camp Wandawega –…

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There are more gorgeous houses, cottages, cabins and fishing shacks in Beaufort than I’ve ever seen anywhere else in the world. As always, pulling a few ideas from them to take back to camp… (sort of a holiday- interest board for future projects).  Old ivy on masonry- nothing could be prettier.  Weathered cedar shingles. (Hmmm- possibly reclad an old bldg and make it a new sports equipment shed?) The inside of a post office that was converted into a marketplace- their bathrooms where so simple + humble + perfect. Love the large del-style wall tile. (Maybe for the kitchen project…

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No joke, the Midwest has some pretty $*&% impressive filmmakers. I was asked to speak on a panel for the Midwest Ad Shorts last week (blush & eeek!) and was blown away by the lineup this year. check out the line up here. This particular night, it was a sold-out theater:  “the place to be and be seen by veteran pros and up-and-comers” -Chicago Magazine meet the jury (Leaders of Chicago’s film and production community)meet the panelists (We talked about ‘creative inspiration’ in the commercial world) My picks from the evening & this year’s entries: “ECSTASY”  John Malkovich in a Friday the 13th…

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