And for some unknown reason you aren’t familiar with the folk/ soul music icon,  I have included a clip of Richie from his 1969 Woodstock performance…  And in all honesty, in 1969 I was only ten years old and living in Cary, Illinois so when everyone was talking about Woodstock,  I thought they were talking about a nearby town…crazy kid.

Should be a record crowd… see you there!

We also ran into David Rack who owns Door County Kayak Tours.  He gave us the lowdown on his new venture Door County Zip Line at Gravity Trails. It is pretty interesting… Watch our dinner and zip line movie…

Our kayaks are for our guests to borrow to take down to the beach in Egg Harbor but if you are looking for a little more adventure you could call our friend David Rack who owns Door County Kayak Tours and which perfect for the beginner or expert kayak enthusiast.  He knows every possible spot in the county to kayak.  We have gone out with him a number of times and just had a blast.  He is located right here in Egg Harbor at the Door County Outpost… There is always something to do in Door County!

"Have the Girls Gone Wild at Egg Harbor Lodge? We plead the Fourth!

There will be food and drink at Harbor View Park in downtown Egg Harbor beginning at 3:00 on July 3 with a free concert by the Mango Brothers beginning at 5:00.  The fireworks begin at dusk which is probably around 9:45 p.m.  I still have a couple of units available…  Don’t miss out on the fun!

Steel Bridge Songfest 5

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in Peninsula State Park

Also, the 16th Annual Door County Lighthouse Walk will be held on Saturday and Sunday showcasing Door County’s 12 lighthouses.  There is a self guided tour of the five mainland lighthouses and  boat tours are available to see the lighthouses not accessible by land.  Contact the Door County Maritime Museum (920.743.5958) for more information.

Music and lighthouses… can’t get anymore Door County than that now can you?

We had a couple of cancellations in our Patio King units (122.00 per night) and this is the last weekend of our Stay Two Nights get the Third Night FREE special.  ALL units have a great view of the water.  Give me a call before they are gone… just mention the special when you call.

Last but not least, our youngest Joe graduates from Sevastopol High School on Sunday.  As usual we have planned a big party for him… he is off to UW-Stevens Point next year.  We are really going to miss him but we are really proud of him. UWSP be ready… here comes Joe Sawyer!

The "New" Cookery Restaurant and Wine Bar

Not only does the restaurant have a new look there are also a few changes inside.  The Skare family has incorporated a wine bar at the top of the restaurant to enjoy a glass of wine and look out over the bay… say before the theatre or after shopping. The wine bar will offer light dining and desserts and will also be open for coffee and baked goods on weekends. There are a few menu changes too… they will no longer be offering daily breakfast but will add a Saturday and Sunday brunch with their usual favorites along  with some new twists like crab cakes… it sounds delicious.  The menu seems to be a bit more upscale than their previous menu but in a good way.  They will still offer their original standbys of whitefish chowder, cherry pie and daily specials.  We here at Egg Harbor Lodge wish the entire Skare family and the Cookery a great season.  I for one can’t wait to check it out.

I took this picture of the owners at our business association dinner a couple of weeks ago…

Vonnie and Dave Callsen and daughter Kaaren and husband Steve Northrop

At least one of the Callsens or Northrops  or most of the time, ALL of the family is in the grocery store working.  They will also try to special order items.  Last year, I had Kaaren look for this “secret” ingredient Mark’s mom uses in her venison stew and of course Kaaren was able to get it for me.  I got a case of the “flavor booster” as it is called so I should be set for awhile.

They have an an equally nice deli department with imported cheeses, hand sliced meats, salads, subs and a lunch special every day. There is a counter and stools next to their bakery so you can get a pastry and coffee and read the paper.

I think one of the nicest things about Main Street Market is their customer service… there is no equal AND they carry out your groceries.  Yes, you heard it right, they carry your groceries out to your car.  This was huge for me when my four kids were young.  The store is the main hub of the village… it is where we get the latest news and visit with our friends particularly in the winter when I head to the store nearly every day just to see civilization.

I for one am glad they moved to Egg Harbor twenty two years ago… they give to back to our community through charities and donate to many of the arts and festivals in Door County.  We also count them as some of our best friends… lucky us.

Check this out tomorrow… I am going to the parade and VLOG about it (video + blog = vlog )… stay tuned.

Door County Cherry Trees in Blossom

The cherry trees in Door County are in  full splendor… the blossoms popped out yesterday.  Traditionally, the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend was dubbed “Cherry Blossom Sunday” but many times the blossoms were already spent.  Not this year… we have a couple of vacancies for Sunday and Door County is a short drive… come and see how pretty the countryside is.

This is my BFF Nancy Anderson who was visiting from Cary, Illinois this weekend with some of her girlfriends.  We ate at Casey’s Smokehouse Friday night, but not before riding their mascot who beckons people inside to try their barbecue.  Usually what happens in Door County stays in Door County but not this time.

Sarah and Nancy riding the pig

We had a ton of fun incidently…

I’m not sure why it is called a girlfriends weekend… we have a lot of couples coming this weekend as well.  So, bring your girlfriend, your boyfriend or just yourself and head to Door County for the weekend and check out the boutiques and restaurants… most are offering specials and sales.

The Door County Visitor Bureau’s own Jon Jarosh is Egg Harbor’s announcer and I have to say he does a fine job… we even have music between innings.

Jon Jarosh

There are 8 teams ranging from Kolberg in southern Door County (never heard of it? Get a map and check it out) to the most northern team on Washington Island.  Of course, each teams concession stand serves hot dogs and beer.

While we don’t get to every Egg Harbor game, we get to as many as we can.  It makes for a fun, lazy afternoon.   So, if you are in Door County this summer and are looking for something new and different, check out one of the baseball games, you will be glad you did…

Here is a link to the schedule of baseball games this summer…  Door County League Baseball…  games begin at 1:30.

The Blossom Run is so named because the entire month of May is dubbed “Blossom Festival”  in honor of our beautiful blossoms and flowers namely the daffodil…

Door County Blossom Festival

It was my dad, Bob Hastings Jr. who originated the idea of planting thousands of daffodils and my brother, Bob Hastings III, putting the plan into action nearly twenty years ago when he was the Executive Director of the Door County Chamber of Commerce (now called the Door County Visitor Bureau). Since then the daffodils have doubled and quadrupled into millions of daffodils… it’s really quite beautiful.  Door County actually has acquired its own daffodil variety.. the Doorfodil and I’m not making that up.  We are the Door County version of Holland, Michigan and their tulips… only (we think) better.  This year we celebrate the 17th year of the Door County Blossom Festival.  I am pretty proud my family had a hand in this gig.  My dad was a really cool guy, today would have been his 81st birthday… he passed away last March.  I miss both my parents… a lot.

So, my next venture into the blogging world will be VIDEO… yes, watch for me in video on my blog at crazy and some not so crazy Door County hot spots…  I am pretty sure it will look a little rough at first but stay tuned… I will make it worth your while.

Door County Trillium in Bloom

Enough said…

Seen at the soiree’  Jeff Pfeiffer (Thomas-Pfeiffer Insurance… our insurance guy) Regan Spangler of Casey’s, John Sawyer and his lovely wife Jaquelyn of Carlson-Erickson Builders, Kyle Blank, chef at John Henry’s with his beautiful fiancee’ Faye Kelly (High Point Inn) Gordy Rush, former owner of  the Hillside Inn, our neighbors Fred Anderson (Ashbrooke Suites) and Bob and Liz Dickson (The Shallows).  It was fun catching up with everyone before season is in full swing.

Hot off the press… JJ (as in JJ’s/LaPuerta and the Waterfront Restaurant) apparently bought the old Ivanhoe (Sweet Lou’s) in Jacksonport at an auction last weekend.  Known for his business prowess, I can’t wait to see what he does…  I am sure it will be great.

Also,  Mark’s cousin John Sawyer is leasing Husby’s as a silent partner.  He has hired some great people and they plan on doing some remodeling and bringing back the burger and a beer kinda joint like it used to be back in the day… can’t wait for this also.

I am glad we got out to hear the local gossip… Door County is really just one small town.

Presented by the Peninsula Pulse

Half Marathon

Door County Half-marathon

The Door County Half Marathon will be held Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 10 a.m. The entire half marathon takes place on paved surfaces within Peninsula State Park. This US Track and Field certified course starts and finishes near Nicolet Beach. The course winds through the park giving runners an opportunity to experience breathtaking views of the water, shaded areas through the woods, challenging hills and ever changing scenery throughout Door County’s most popular park. MP3 players are allowed, however dogs and strollers are not allowed on the course. Walkers are welcome and should plan to finish by the time the course opens to traffic at 2:00 p.m.

All participants will receive a t-shirt, finisher’s medal as well as food and drink at the finish line. The overall top three male and female finishers and the top three master male and female finishers will receive awards and Door County prizes. The top three finishers in each age group will be awarded medals. Top finishers will be eligible for age group awards as well.

Nicolet Bay 5K Fun Run/Walk

The Nicolet Bay 5k begins at 10:30 a.m. just after the start of the half marathon. This race also starts near the beach and participants will follow the out and back course along the water on Shore Road going around the bay past Welcker’s Point, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse to Bluff Road and back. MP3 players are allowed, however dogs and strollers are not allowed on the course. Walkers are welcome.

All participants will receive a t-shirt as well as food and drink at the finish line. Prizes will be presented to the top 3 male and female finishers and the top master male and female winners. The top finishers will be eligible for age group awards as well.

If you are any type of runner this is the race for you… I checked the weather for Saturday and it should be in the mid-fifties and sunny. Not bad for a run in the park.

Patricia Shoppe owner, Erin Bosman

We are pretty lucky to live in Egg Harbor for many reasons… the people, the beauty, the restaurants, but mostly the SHOPPING.   Being mostly a catalog shopper I have found  there are a some really cool places  in Egg Harbor to shop for clothes. I am a pretty casual person, but  I love dresses,  tops and of course accessories. The lodging business is a perfect fit for me because I can dress like I am on vacation. I love bright colors (pink of course) and I wear sandals until the snow flies.

One boutique I absolutely love is the Patricia Shoppe in Egg Harbor.   Erin Anschutz Bosman is a Door County native.  Her boutique the Patricia Shoppe is named in honor of her great grandmother  Patricia  McGrath Lind who owned the first Patricia Shoppe  in Chicago in 1937.  From the photos from back in the day, Erin’s great-grandma looked like the grooviest chick on earth… or at least in Chicago.

Erin opened The Patricia Shoppe in 2001 and it  is located in the old Egg Harbor Town Hall…  we  used to vote there before the new Egg Harbor Town Hall was built in Carlsville.   Anyway,  Erin’s store is located just below the Egg Harbor hill on Highway 42 on the curve right before you get to St. John the Baptist Church.

My new dress

Yesterday, I picked up this great dress with a pair of earrings to match.  Like I said I love dresses as I can dress them up or down… I can wear them to work with flip flops or add a pair of dramatic earrings and a pair of heals and I am off to dinner and the theatre… well, that  never happens but if it does I’m prepared.

The Patricia Shoppe has a ton of cute purses… Big Buddha (another fav- trendy and cheap), great jewelry, hats, crazy scarves and even shoes.  I bought this cute dress for a little over a hundred bucks which is a decent price.

Erin is the perfect personal shopper… she suggests items to try on that maybe would not be on the radar… at least my radar that is and she is usually right on.  I wasn’t planning on trying on this dress and I ended up buying it.

Erin franchised The Patricia Shopppe and now there are stores in Whitefish Bay and Madison… next… who knows, maybe full circle and back to Chicago!

The new Door County sign

Before the new road, the Friday night drive into Door County was practically bumper to bumper with crazed drivers weaving in and out of traffic to pass.  Not so anymore, guests can enjoy a much easier, but still beautiful drive to their favorite vacation destination.

Tim and Barb Lawrie

They are the owners of Simon Creek Winery which is on my  Sarah’s Favorites list.  This winery feels more like you are in someone’s nice home as opposed to a winery… very comfortable and cozy.

The sitting area at Simon Creek

In the summer they have music outside on their deck on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  On a nice day, sitting on their back deck with wine and music- well, that’s just hard to beat.  They have a great selection of wine, and while they make a Door County Cherry, most of the wines are of the grape variety which is much more appealing to me. They even make a Jackson Port in honor of the township they are located… Jacksonport.  They also are known for their… um, how shall I say this… unsnootyness (I know, that’s not  a word).  I can’t stand to go into a place of business and owners or employees make me feel uncomfortable.  This is just not the case at Simon Creek.

They also have a cute gift shop and sell wine through their website simoncreekwines.com.  Door County is lucky to have different wineries to choose from and really, they are all great… Simon Creek just isn’t one to miss.

Sarah with Chef Andrew Mueller

We wish Chef Andy all the best with his new venture… I have only heard good things about his restaurant so I am sure he will have the continued success he had with Glidden Lodge.