Things to Do Around Monroe

Hey there. What's shakin' this weekend?

~ The UW Alumni Club is meeting at Toffler's in New Glarus on Thursday evening at 8 to watch the UW Men's Basketball team play the Minnesota Gophers.

~ If sports isn't your thing, come over to Minhas Brewery's Lazy Mutt Lounge on Thursday evening instead for Monroe Art Center's Poetry on Tap. Award-winning Wisconsin poets will read aloud from their works starting at 7 pm. This event is free, and there will be libations courtesy of Minhas.

~ The Alternative Fuel Society meets at the River Valley Trading Company in Blanchardville this Friday starting at 7 pm. Newcomers are always welcome! RVTC also has a free documentary movie screening on Thursday at 7 pm. They will be showing "Mondovino".

~ Did you get your tickets for the Snowshoe Walk and Wine Tasting or the Pirate Night at Monroe Theatre Guild? We talked about these last week, but there are a few spots still available.

~ Calling all performers! Open Mic night at Winneshiek Playhouse in Freeport this Saturday night. From 7:30 to 9:30, you can take your 15 minutes of fame or just enjoy watching others doing their thing. Free will donation, free for performers. Sign up for performers starts at 7 pm.

~ Rainbow Fleece Farm near New Glarus has another Cabin Fever event this weekend. Yarn on the Farm! Come see the new lambs, new wools, new yarns. Saturday has a free needle felting session, and Sunday brings a spin and knit drop in session. Bring your projects, bring the family. Email Patty or call her at 608.527.5311 for more information. Rainbow Fleece Farm doesn't have a website, but you can find them at W7181 Hustad Valley Rd by New Glarus.

~ MTG has a History Day scheduled for Sunday. This free event is open to anyone who wants to come help incorporate MTG's history into scrapbooks for preservation. They also have an adult workshop on Monday evening. Junk Puppets for Adults is free for members ($5 for non-members). Have fun and get dirty learning to recycle everyday items in puppets for use in MTG's future youth programs. If you prefer to take your puppet home, they suggest a $10 supplies donation. Not a member? $15 will get an individual a membership for a year, $20 for a family.

~ Kookaburra's in Monroe has a cooking class next week. "Soups On!" will feature a variety of soups, and as always, participants get to taste. Check out Laura's new grapefruit and thyme dish soap while you are there. It smells superb.

~ Shakespeare on the Edge has a few spots open for their upcoming American Players Workshop with David Daniels. This full day workshop (10 to 4) will be at MAC on February 26, and is open to students ages 9-18.

Whew! Can you believe that is only a sampling? Hope to see you out and about!

Things to Do Around Monroe

Another week, another weekend to plan for.

~ Blackhawk Technical College has some interesting community education classes starting next week.

• Inspired Art, Drawing People, or Pen and Watercolor Fundamentals,
  
• Quickbooks, Access, Skype , or Social Networking,
  
• Cake Decorating,
  
• Meditation,
  
• Organic Gardening, or Plan Your Herb Garden,
  
• Conversational Spanish,
  
• Sustainable Building: Green Design Basics with LEED principles are all starting in the next two weeks.
  

The Skype workshop is tonight, and as long as there is room, you can enroll up until the last minute.

~ Stop in at the Historic Courthouse in Monroe for a free Valentine's Day cookies anytime between the 11th and the 14th. Sponsored by Monroe Main Street.

~ The Albany Lions club are having a Pancake Day on Saturday at their building in Albany.

~ Local singer/songwriter Beth Kille (of Clear Blue Betty fame)is playing a solo show on Saturday evening at Toffler's in New Glarus starting at 9 pm. No cover charge.

~ Oakdale Nature Preserve in Freeport has a family day this Sunday from 1 until 4 pm. The theme this month is Bluebirds. There will be nature play, puppets, puzzles and activities for all ages at this free will donation event.

~ The YPs of Green County have another business showcase, this time at Studio M in Monroe. Go there on Monday, February 15 at 5:30 pm. Meghan and Molly will discuss the studio from 5:45 until 6:15, and the YPs can watch the a Tap Dance class starting at 6:15.

~ Monroe Arts Center is sponsoring another Poetry on Tap event at the Lazy Mutt Lounge (in Minhas Brewery) in Monroe. This free event is on February 18, starting at 7 pm.

~ The Friends of Browntown Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area have partnered with Brennan's Market and Monroe Sign Design to bring us the Snowshoe Walk and Wine Tasting on February 20. Snowshoe your way through the park to three different tasting stations, and you can taste 9 wines in all. Hot cocoa and hot cider will also be available at this family friendly event. Tickets are $20 per person, $30 per family, and the event starts at noon. Call Larry at 608-558-2289 for tickets and information. The proceeds will go towards new playground equipment.

~ Also next weekend in the Monroe Theatre Guild's Pirate Night. Bill Rients and his scurvy dogs will provide an evening of swashbuckling pirate music at the Stage building on Monroe. Tickets are $10, with free floor seats for kids under 12. If you want to purchase tickets, give us a call or text at 214-5796.

Valentines Day = Chocolate

Chocolate and Valentine's Day are a perfect pairing. Treat your sweetheart at a couple of local events this weekend!

River Valley Trading Company in Blanchardville is having their 2nd annual Chocolate Tasting and Auction on Saturday afternoon. From 2 until 4, sample delicious and unusual chocolates from TerraSource Gourmet Chocolates along with various wines. For only $2, you can sample all of the chocolates. Then, bid for your favorites in the silent auction. Stick around to show the selection of interesting and varied local gifts available at River Valley Trading Company, and save 10% on any of them.

After chocolate appetizers, head across the street to the new Pecatonica Grapevine. There, owner Christine Pieper will have another tasting, this time pairing wines with delectable morsels from one of our favorites, Stef over at Goosechaser Farm. Chef Stef will be bringing quiche with roasted duck on apple and fennel slaw with raspberry walnut vinaigrette; pumpkin gnocchi with sesame walnut butter; and red wine braised pastured pork with spaetzle and winter vegetables. If the samples are too enticing, pick up a full size dinner to take home. There will be more TerraSource chocolates here too! The event goes from 4 until 6, $7 per person.

Chocolate Temptation had a very popular chocolate fondue event last year, and they are repeating it this year. Now, both Saturday and Sunday are currently full, but I just spoke with Scott, and they are taking names to see if they have enough people to add another seating. I highly recommend it, so call them at 328-2462. If fondue isn't your thing, they will also be open for a while on the afternoon of Valentine's Day too, so take your sweetheart in to share a dessert and coffee drink.

Finally, take your little sweetheart to the Candyland Ball at the Masonic Temple in Freeport. From 6:30 until 8, little girls ages 10 and under can come with an adult in their lives (dad, mom, or whomever is special) to dance and enjoy the evening. $25 per couple, $28 for non-residents, each additional child is $7.

Most of the local restaurants will be doing reservations or special menus for this coming weekend, so treat your sweetheart. If you prefer to do the cooking yourself, consider a local foods menu! There are many places available to get local meat, including the previously mentioned Goosechaser Farm, and if you need some winter veggies, call Barb at Mainstreet to connect with the farmer's market coordinator. Many vendors do still have root crops like onions, potatoes and carrot available. Round out your table with wines from Famous Fossil or Primrose, or beer from New Glarus Brewing Company or Minhas.

Poetry Reading this week

We have previously mentioned that this Thursday, April 23, will be annual recognition event for the Young Professionals of Green County. If that is not an event you plan on attending, here is another one for your consideration:

Poetry on Tap by the Monroe Arts Center

Come to the Lazy Mutt Lounge at Minhas Brewery on Thursday evening from 7 until 8 to enjoy readings by award-winning Wisconsin poets John Lehman, Shoshauna Shy, Richard Roe, and Robin Chapman. Known as Prairie Fire Quartet, they will be reading excerpts from their favorite published works.

Relax, listen and enjoy a complimentary beverage from Minhas Brewery. This event is free, but space is limited. It should be a wonderful event. If we were not already planning to attend the YP event, I know that we would be there!

If you go, I'd love to hear a review of the evening.

Tasting Tour #1

There are some pretty amazing flavors that come out of our stomping grounds here in Green County.

Whether you are a tourist visiting the area or a long time resident, take a little vacation and sample some of our goods. Try a day trip to the area with a Tasting Tour.

I am writing these myself; they are not from any visitors guide book or tourism site, so please keep that in mind. These are just fun ways to spend a day or two here in the Green County area.

Tasting Tour #1 will focus on beverages, alcoholic and non. If you want to do the full tasting tour, start promptly at 10 am and follow the schedule as given. If you would rather linger longer in the New Glarus area, adjust the tour so that you get to Monroe in time for the 3 pm brewery tour and leave off the final winery stop.

Start your day in New Glarus at 10 am. Here is where you will find New Glarus Brewing Company, a quickly growing upstart in the craft brewing world. Fat Squirrel, Spotted Cow, Organic Revolution, Crack'd Wheat - these are names known to beer aficionados in the Midwest. Dan and Deb Carey are the founders. This company is unique because it is the first brewery in the US founded and operated by a woman. Deb runs the company, Dan is the brewmaster, and an incredible local product is the result. Self guided audio tours are available from 10 am until 5 pm Monday through Sunday. The new facility on the hill just south of New Glarus will be open to the public this year. If you would like to sample, stop in the Tasting Room where $3.50 will get you three samples and a New Glarus Brewing tasting glass.

After learning about New Glarus beers, stop over at Primrose Winery around 11 am to learn about local wines. Primrose began in 1986 when Peg and Bob Borucki decided to turn their wine making hobby into a business after many raves from their friends about their products. Primrose Winery uses Wisconsin fruits to create 13 handcrafted wines. Primrose is special because they do use chemicals to clarify their wines, instead relying on old fashioned racking. They do not offer tours, but they offer free tastings year round at their building in Downtown New Glarus. They do have an Open House event coming up in late May.

Noon means lunch time! Pick up a sandwich for lunch and the coffee drink of your choice at Fat Cat Coffee Works before leaving New Glarus. You'll enjoy the quality ingredients and the charming ambiance at this small town coffee cafe. If you want to do the full Tasting Tour, leave New Glarus at about 12:30 to give yourself enough time to get to your next tour at 1 pm. Otherwise, wander over to the New Glarus bakery for a pastry dessert and visit some of the New Glarus shops as well.

Next stop is Monroe for a tour of Minhas Brewery. This has been a brewery since 1846, the oldest continuously operating brewery in the Midwest. The name has changed a few times, the product labels are different, but the product is still the same - mostly beer. During Prohibition, they began producing excellent root beer and sodas. When alcohol became legal again, the soda stayed in the line up. The brewery has changed hands a few times in 163 years, and in 2006, it became Minhas Brewery. Minhas still produces Blumer's, Berghoff, and Huber, but has grown to include such brews as Lazy Mutt. Do stop in for a tour. They are fun and tasty experiences. Tours are offered every Friday at 1p.m. and Saturday at 1p.m. and 3p.m. It is recommended to call to reserve a spot: 608-325-3191. Tours are $10 for ages 13 years and older, kids under 12 are free with parent. The tour price does include a Minhas Craft Brewery Gift Pack including several bottles as well as Minhas gifts.

If you made the 1 pm tour at Minhas, you will have time for the final stop on our Tasting Tour. (If you had the 3 pm tour instead, browse around our Downtown or catch a matinee movie at Goetz Theater before skipping ahead to dinner).

Drive a little farther south towards Freeport, IL to tour Famous Fossil Vineyard and Winery. Famous Fossil is a charming winery that has a certified biodynamic vineryard (meets organic standards plus some). Their tasting room is open from 11 am until 5 pm on Thursdays and Saturdays, 11 until 7 on Fridays and noon until 4 on Sundays. Sit on the deck, sample the wines and enjoy the countryside and vineyard views. If you call ahead, they will arrange a box meal for you to enjoy on site.

If you prefer a restaurant dinner, drive on back to Monroe and enjoy a leisurely dinner at Barrett's Brick Cafe, Cafe Claudeen or Poncho & Lefty's, opening soon. End your tour with a stop at Baumgartner's on the west side of the Square for a final glass of your favorite beer of the day, great camaraderie and (on many Saturday evenings) live music.

Don't forget the designated driver on this tasting tour! We want you to get back to your hotel or bed and breakfast safely.

If you are making a weekend out of visiting our area, combine this with Tasting Tour #2.