My friend Jane's wedding is next week (!!)and so this weekend was her bachelorette party and shower (thank goodness this is a long weekend, I have also taken tomorrow off to fully recover!). A few of us from the bridal party kidnapped the bride and took her up to Lake Geneva for a girls' day - they have been running those Wisconsin tourism commercials for a while now, you know, the ones where there is a guy who tries to tell us that "fun" originated in Wisconsin, which is not a conclusion that I would ever draw for myself, but many many of our fellow statespeople (Illinoisians? Illinoiers?) must have been brainwashed by this idea, because Lake Geneva was PACKED with cars bearing Illinois plates.
We stopped to fortify ourselves with cheese curds at the Brat Stop in Kenosha (because no party can ever really kick off without a whole bunch of fried cheese!) before continuing on to Lake Geneva. Even though it is relatively close, this was my first time there. When I was little, my family and I would go to the Milwaukee Zoo (where they had a stunning white tiger that I was absolutely in love with) and then to Port Washington. But we'd never gone to Lake Geneva. And, personally, I am a little reluctant to go to a state that refers to their neighbors as "FIBS" (effing Illinois BASTARDS) just because we call them "Cheeseheads". Why so hostile, Wisconsin?? We speak the truth in the Land of Lincoln (mostly) and anyway, if you don't like the name, stop wearing the damn hats, okay? Don't call me a bastard just because I like to partake in your delicious cheese. Wear your cheese hats with pride!
Anyway. Lake Geneva is a GORGEOUS place! It has a cute little downtown area with little shops, restaurants, tourist tat, all of it. After driving around a lot (so many people + a long weekend = zero places to park) we got out and hit the town. We walked along the water - there was a pretty beach that they charged 6 whole dollars to go to, but right after that, there was a place to walk, and benches and grassy knolls to sit on and everything. Free of charge. So we walked there, poked around some of the shops, got new shoes at a place called the Bootery (I HAD to. After a very very poor packing plan on my part, I found myself in these really cute but sorta uncomfortable Steve Madden gladiator sandals that zip in the back. They were tearing my ankles and heels to shreds and I needed some open back shoes. Found the cutest pair - on sale!) We also stopped for ice cream where we got Jane a flavor called the "Fat Elvis" with bananas and peanut butter and I don't know what else. Little did she know that her shower the next day had a 1950s rock and roll theme, complete with big posters of Elvis. Very perfect, no?
Found our hotel - the Lodge at Geneva Ridge where the rooms were large and lovely and had little sliding back doors out into the big back yard of the resort, kind of like a community patio. Very pretty. Dinner at the resort and some other amusing, bachelorette party-style hijinx - but look, what happens in Lake Geneva, STAYS in Lake Geneva.
No comments:
Post a Comment