The Next Best Thing: Week 5...

Wait for it.......

....I have no idea. I guess this week's adventure will have to be a surprise.

Week 4: Change of Plans - Pancakes

I was supposed to go cross-country skiing this weekend, for my week 4 adventure, but that didn't happen. Apparently, there wasn't enough fresh snow, so they closed the trails. What is one to do when you don't have the option of exercising in the crisp, winter air of mid January in Wisconsin?

You eat pancakes, naturally.

My good friend (and former Nashville roommate...longish story here, since she also lives in my area of Wisconsin now), Genessa, was planning to be my skiing buddy. Instead, she suggested that we try out Blueberry Hill Pancake House on College Avenue in Appleton. As it turns out, I had never eaten there before, only driven by many, many times. I faintly recall asking someone if the food was good there, years ago. I believe the unimaginative critique was that it was "okay". Unfortunately, I let that simple response keep me from trying the establishment until this past Saturday.

In many ways, the place reminds me of some great breakfast joints in the south. If Waffle House and the Pancake Pantry in Nashville had a love child that grew up and moved north, its name would be Blueberry Hill. Considering Jay-Z and Beyoncé just named their first child Blue Ivy, this possible baby name doesn't stretch the modern imagination too much.



The key difference between this pancake mecca and its southern cousins could be the fact that the hostess successfully turned "booth" into a two syllable word. As in, "Would you like a table or a boo-uth?" I normally make fun of Wisconsin accents, which you might think I'm doing here. In this case, I thought it was cute and friendly. Genessa and I opted for a scaled-down, two person boo-uth. Gen makes a good menu model, doesn't she?

Genessa went for a Swedish classic. She ordered Swedish pancakes (which I think are basically crepes, which are French....I suppose there's a lot of similarities in Europe with certain foods) with lingonberries. They put lingonberries on most things in Sweden. Ketchup is to Americans, as lingonberry sauce is to Swedes. Or at least, that's what I believe to be true. Those little berries are fantastic though. YUM.

I, on the other hand, went full on pig out mode. I ordered their pecan pancakes meal deal, which included eggs how you like 'em and bacon AND sausage. I know. OINKfest...literally. But oh so good. I also had coffee and orange juice. Yes, this is an abundance of calories, but I've been eating much healthier lately, so I let myself have the breakfast buffet for one. My only feedback is that they really do need to include the pecans in the batter, like the menu said they would. It'd be GREAT that way. With pecans just on top, I'd give those cakes a B+.

Also, when I try out a new place, I kinda want to give them a shot at making a good first impression. If you order a lot of food, then one thing might not be great, but a few others might be good.....oh who am I kidding? I just wanted to order it.

No regrets.

The food was as much the daughter of Mr. House and Ms. Pantry (see above) as the ambiance. So, not exactly AMAZING, but definitely an experience worth repeating. It was warm, quick, and friendly. According to Genessa, though, the place would have been vastly improved had they left a carafe of coffee on our table. Personally, I liked the old fashioned visit from the waitress for the refill. It's friendlier than self-serve.

I will definitely return to The Hill. How do you like the new, hip nickname I have spontaneously given this unassuming little restaurant? Let me know if you want to meet up there. Next time, I'm gonna try the chocolate chip pancakes. YUM 2.0.



BTW - I couldn't eat that second sausage. Genessa took care of it, though.

Second BTW - I couldn't eat for the rest of the day.

Third BTW - worth it.

The Next Best Thing: Week 4...

God, help me. I'm going cross-country skiing. You'd think I just said I'm going downhill skiing. While downhill would be far more adventurous and dangerous, the former is far more exhausting. See...I don't exactly work out much and I would consider myself to be ridiculously out of shape.

However, cross-country skiing just sounds like so much fun. I also want to learn to enjoy wintry things, especially since I live in Wisconsin. Makes perfect sense, right? I hope so.

Thankfully, I've convinced (hardly needed to) at least one friend to go with me. Genessa is athletic, though. I hope I can convince her to at least start on a short trail, one that won't land me in the hospital. What I'm really hoping for is to find a place that has a hot tub afterward. THAT sounds fantastic.

Bubolz Nature Preserve - here I come!!!

Week 3: Barlow Planetarium

If you went to a coffee shop, you'd be unlikely to find coffee haters there, sipping on a cup of joe. I highly doubt you would hear someone shouting, "I hate skiing!!" as they were shushing down a slope, covered in a fresh layer of pristine, white snow.

What is my point? I'm glad you asked.

Events that are focused on one major idea or interest are fascinating. You might see all different kinds of people at a movie theater, outdoor park, or museum even. But, when the event or location is focused, narrowed to a specific type of activity, the attendees are like a secret brotherhood.


That's what going to the Barlow Planetarium was like for me. Me and my space-loving friends sat back and enjoyed an hour-long perusal of that last frontier.

I was surrounded by all ages. There was a group of over anxious 6th grade girls who bum-rushed to the head of the line when the doors opened for the 3:30pm showing of Space Storm. For a second, I thought maybe Justin Bieber was going to introduce the show. Yikes.

There were a few couples. Maybe it was a first date? Well, either a first date or an ironic 17th date. Truth be told, it'd have to be one or the other. What is essentially a glorified slide show about things happening on the surface of the sun is not what you would call classically romantic.

I think I was the only single person present. However, I felt a sort of camaraderie with my fellow interstellar enthusiasts, as we settled in, leaned back, and pretended to be swept away.

Again, if I'm telling the truth, the actual show about Space Storms felt more like a required science class field trip. The end of that show was when the fun really began. Each show ends with a quick tour of the current night sky over Wisconsin. That was pretty cool. The coolest part, though, is when you get a sense of tumbling through space. The whole dome lit up with "stars" and it very literally felt as if the room was spinning.

Our host warned us about it and told us to shut our eyes if we felt disoriented. He truly didn't feel like cleaning up our puke (and I quote). I did feel a bit disoriented, but I sort of loved it. My inner geek, who wished she was an astronaut, embraced the spinning and pretended to be out in space. It was amazing.

The entire experienced concluded with something completely non-spacey. It was a virtual roller coaster ride. I would have preferred to spend more time pretending I was an intergalactic traveler, but I can see why they chose the ride instead. It was kinda silly and fun. And, they really need to keep people coming back to the shows. It's the hook. I suddenly remember that the host had said that group of excited girls had been in the earlier show, too. I bet they came back for the roller coaster ride. See...it's working.

I hope people go to the Barlow. They need your money. I love space and I don't want to see this sort of cheap, but fun entertainment die. That, and they need to update their shows, preferably one with a narrator that doesn't seem like a creepy predator. (If you've seen this show, you know what I mean. And, if you haven't....well, now you want to. And I've done my job.)

All in all, an enjoyable experience.

The Next Best Thing: Week 3...

What is coming up for week 3? The 3:30PM showing at Barlow Planetarium at UW Fox Valley, next Saturday, January 21. The show is called "Space Storm."

I know you may be thinking, "Come on, Katy. Who hasn't gone to Barlow before?" Answer? Me. Apparently, this is a common attraction if you grow up in this area. I've heard it's a 6th grade field trip or something. Well, since I experienced 6th grade in Duluth, MN, I missed out. So, I'm going next weekend!

Here is the description of the show I'll be attending:

Explore the fascinating world of space weather: solar cycle, sun spots, coronal mass ejections, geomagnetic storms and the spacecraft and equipment used to study/predict these activities. Each show concludes with a tour of the current nighttime sky – stars, constellations and planets – as seen from the Fox Valley and Northeast Wisconsin.

If you can join me, it'd be fun to see you there! It's only $7 for adults (only $6 for me because I go to school there).

BONUS Week 2: Sushi & Songs

Eating raw (or cooked) fish (or other seafood) wrapped up with rice and seaweed is not new to me. Neither is singing. However, the two places where I partook in these things last night were new to me.


Inter Tapas: Cy and Vong (of Cy's Asian Bistro) have warmed my heart once again, by opening a FANTASTIC little Asian tapas / sushi joint in downtown Neenah. They took over the St. James Cocktail Bar and now I'll be able to walk from my house to get a Shrimp Tempura Roll any evening I like. I cannot explain the joy this has brought into my life. Until now, I had to go to Katsu-ya, Nakashima, or recently, Osaka, all in Appleton.


Being that my natural state is rather lazy, knowing that delicious sushi is being made less than 3 blocks from my home is a little piece of heaven. I LOVE Cy for opening this place. I already loved him for his other, still bustling bistro. Now I love him in ALL CAPS (Appropriately, though. He is a married man.).

You might catch me at this place a couple of times per week. If you're also into sushi, let me know. I'll probably meet you there, even if I've already eaten sushi three times that week.

Can you tell that I love sushi?



Karaoke at Sergio's: I suddenly feel like I'm in a Starburst commercial - it's a juicy contradiction! I thoroughly enjoyed this Mexican restaurant in Appleton, off Oneida Street, which hosts a beloved Japanese past time. As I mentioned before, I am no stranger to singing in front of crowds. However, I have often hesitated to participate in karaoke. I always think I'm going to forget the melody. Yes, and I tend to sing the same songs every time. Last night, I did one of my standby songs and two new ones. Trying to stretch my boundaries these days! I wish I had a photo of the place. Instead, I have a photo of myself, glammed out with sparkles. It seemed appropriate attire for singing Katy Perry and CeeLo Green songs.

What I liked about this place is that:

1) You get to sing on a little, corner stage! Kinda fun. It fulfills that weird, secret desire to have all the attention for about 3, glorious minutes at a time.

2) There are lights shining in your face. So, like a real stage, you can kind of forget the crowd and not totally freak out that you have all the attention for a full 3 minutes.


Let's go again! (That statement applies to both places aforementioned.)

Inter Tapas
211 E Wisconsin Ave
Neenah, WI 54956

Sergio's
2639 S Oneida Street
Appleton, WI 54915

Week 2: Seth's Coffee & Bake Shop

If you know me well, you know two fundamental things.

1) I love coffee.
2) I'm always looking for a cool place to drink said coffee and write.

My supersmartphone has this nice little feature when I bring up Google. The search engine has these little icons underneath the entry field for things like "restaurants", "bars", "attractions", etc... My phone pinpoints my current GPS coordinates, drops in my location, and pulls up stuff to do, once I click on one of those previously mentioned options.

Of course, I clicked on the "coffee" icon.

Woohoo! Do you have any idea how many java-serving joints there are in this area? LOADS. I found Seth's Coffee & Bake Shop, located in quaint, downtown Little Chute. I hopped in my car and less than 20 minutes later, I was sauntering up to their front door.

What a cute place! I had a feeling it would be. Any store that uses the word "shop" in its title is bound to be cute. I ordered a decadent vanilla breve (that's made with half 'n half, my friends) and a plain, toasted bagel with cream cheese. Can you say, "worth dying for?" Good grief.

The atmosphere of the place was cool, too. I liked all the seating options they have. Small tables for one or two people. Mini booths (too adorable - perfect for a first date). Comfy chairs and couches. Larger tables for larger groups. They had this shelf full of handmade pottery for sale. It made me wish I was cool enough to make pottery....ooooh....that gives me an idea!!! (watch for a pottery-related activity sometime this year)

All that and wifi, too!

I loved it. I'm definitely going back. Let me know if you want to meet me there sometime!

Seth's Coffee & Bake Shop
106 E. Main Street
Little Chute, WI 54140

Week 1: Words with Friends

Since I started this idea two weeks into the new year, I had to rack my brain to figure out two new things I discovered so far.

And then I remembered!! For my first week in January, I embraced the world of Words with Friends.

The first person I have to give credit for making this online word game so alluring is Alec Baldwin. If he hadn't gotten kicked off a plane for playing it on his iPad when all technological devices were supposed to be shut down, I might have never thought it was cool enough to try. I mean, how cool must a game be that you're willing to delay your travel plans just to keep playing it?

The second person who deserves credit for introducing me to Words with Friends is my nephew, Eli. He is a fourteen year old, basketball loving, goofy, fun kid. If a game, that is essentially the grandchild of Scrabble, can capture and retain the attention of a modern-day teenager, it must be amazing.

It is.

Okay, I realize that Words with Friends isn't actually an amazing discovery, but it was for me. I didn't realize how much free time I have from moment to moment in my life until this fun, online game came into it.

My love for this game is multi-faceted:

1) I'm a wordie. It's kind of like a foodie, but a lot less calories. I have a link to Dictionary.com on my personal computer, work computer, and smartphone. I LOVE new words. This game has taught me SO many. My vocabulary expandeth.

2) It's almost like hanging out with your friends. In a world of virtual relationships (aka: Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin), I was getting bored with the infrequent and poor quality of my psuedo-human interactions. As my friend, Scott, said recently, "Man cannot live by status updates alone." This game gives me a chance to engage in a wordy-dance with a couple of friends at a time. It's like having a strange, but utterly unique conversation which is made up of randomly selected words.

3) It gives me a sense of accomplishment. I like that the game has a beginning and an end.

4) It's encouraging and humbling. If I win a game, I'm like, "Whoa, those were some good words I found. I must be pretty smart." If I lose, I'm like, "Whoa, I need to read more books." Either way, I learn something.

5) It's low pressure, high fun. I like that I can come and go from the game, as I please. I could wait an entire week to place my next word if I wanted to. No one's breathing down my neck. But, it's oh-so-exciting to have your phone vibrate in your pocket and see that little "W" icon pop up after your opponent has played their last word! My turn, sucka!!! Now what to do with this Z...

Try it. Words with Friends rules!!!!

Welcome to the Adventure!

My sister and I were talking recently about how we often feel as if we’re just checking off the days, like prisoners carving hash marks into the wall of their cell. Well, frankly, I’m tired of living like that. I want to embrace every day like it’s a gift! I want to live in the moment and seek out adventures.

Finding the fun in everyday life is my goal. This doesn’t have to be hard. I’ve begun “following” Greg Jennings (in case you’re not from Wisconsin, he’s a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers). He’s a wildly popular, extremely rich, ridiculously successful guy and, yet, he lives a pretty normal life. He and his wife and kids go swimming, watch movies, and go out to eat. But, from his Facebook status updates, it’s clear that he is choosing to live life to the fullest with a joyful attitude. I want to do that, too.

So, I’ve decided that every Sunday I’m going to research something new to experience and schedule sometime within the following six days to do it. I might end up doing more than one new thing each week, but it has to be at least one!

I’d like for others to join me in these adventures, so I’m going to post an entry where I tell you what and when I’m planning “the next best thing” for the coming week. If you can meet me there, do it! After each event or activity, I’ll let you know how it went, what I learned, if I was inspired, and if it gave me any new ideas.

Please feel free to suggest things for me to try as well. I’m looking for things to do in the Fox River Valley or Green Bay area. But, I’m also open to learning new concepts or trying out new hobbies from the comfort of my couch.

Here’s to 52 weeks of The Next Best Thing! Who’s with me?