Wisconsin Tour: Taliesin

Day Four Itinerary (08.20.10):

Taliesin Highlights Tour

Dinner at Old Feed Mill in Mazomanie, WI

Movie: 'Bedknobs & Broomsticks'

Our last day trip was to Taliesin...which we had been wanting to go to for a long time! We had planned to go over spring break, but we found out it wasn't open then. But coming this time of the year was a lot prettier!...even though we spent half the time in a rain storm!

Taliesin is located in Spring Green, WI which is west of Madison about an hour away. It is where Frank Lloyd Wright built his Taliesin East architecture school and his home. It is located on land his family had owned for a long time. Part of the site is still located on the original home and farm.

Taliesin is comprised of many different sections which surprised me. There is the guest center and restaurant (which was designed by Wright at a later time), the architecture school (which is still exists even today), Wright's home, the original farm house, a small chapel, the windmills, the barn, the pond, lots of land, and couple of guest homes which is where some Taliesin trust members live. When I heard of Taliesin, I really thought it was just one building!

The architecture school holds a theater (which used to be a gym at some point), the studios, gallery space, and other rooms such as the dining hall and social space.

This is the architecture school. Taliesin was really only built as an experiment and a lot of it has been damaged by weather and just hasn't held up! This means a lot of $$ to keep this place open!

This is the back part of the house where later in the house's existence, cars were directed to park. Right now it is being re-roofed with wood shingles.

Wright didn't like his entrances to be noticeable

Wright's home was built into the side of a hill, instead of on top of it. The design of the building allows a courtyard that was really pretty!

Wright actually designed this barn that was used for building equipment and some farming tools. The men who first studied at Taliesin worked for their stay!

A pond was formed when Wright had part of a stream damed. However, it has many problems with it since it's not really a natural area.

There are two windmills on site called Romeo & Juliet. Wright called them that because he said one couldn't stand without the other. When they were built, no one thought they would ever last the weather here!

Taliesin is surrounded by lots of land. A large part of it is flat, and then meets up to some knobs. A lot of it is lawn grass, and other parts of it prairie

This is a small room attached to the barn and silo. There is a house attached to the barn as well where someone lives. However, a lot of it looked in bad shape!

Wright's home from a distance

The Unity Chapel was used by the Wrights for services. It is still used today but more as a social space for the members of the preservation trust. This place was kind of creepy, but then again, it seems like most of Wright's places I've been to are.

This is Wright's 'grave' even though it isn't really where he's buried

The gift shop had a lot of nice and expensive things in it...I hope Brad & I can build something like this one day!

Wisconsin Tour: Days in Madison

After we got back from the Apostle Islands, our next series of trips were either hanging around Madison or taking day trips near Madison. After we got back from the Apostle Islands, we took a day in Madison to relax and unpack. On this day we went to the Olbrich Gardens, which I had been wanting to go to ever since the first time I came in Madison a year ago. The Olbrich Gardens were amazing...they have a conservatory with tropical plants, as well as a really neat maze of botanical gardens outside. It was well designed and filled with a variety of plants. I imagine it's a neat place to work! There was even a golden temple that was donated to the gardens from India. I was disappointed we couldn't stay longer, but Boo had to give someone a tour of the WI LA department. Hopefully I'll get to come back where things are bloom again.

Day One Itinerary (08.17.10):

Olbrich Gardens

Snack at Chipotle

Dinner at Home: Taco Mac & Blueberry Crumble

The scenery at the gardens was truly amazing and extremely photogenic. I think these are just a fraction of the photos that were taken. I promise to someday get a handle on all of my photography and post this stuff to a Flicker account or at least to Facebook! Also, we decided to cook some meat we had stored in the freezer, which was a nice retreat from all of the veggie munchin' I have been doing lately... Although it was nice to eat meat, I feel that I feel better and more fit with a veggie/fish diet. So I guess I am perpetually sticking with the vegetarian diet until I feel another need for change.

Day Four Itinerary (08.21.10):

Lunch at Chipotle

Gandy Dancer Festival in Mazomanie

Dinner at Brocach's Irish Pub

Movie: 'Sweeney Todd'

After our 3 days of day trips (which will come in a follow up post!), Boo had to do some work for this WRM practicum in Mazomanie. However, I got to come with him later that evening to the Gandy Dancer Festival, where the WRM had set up a information booth. I learned a gandy dancer is someone who maintains railroads, which is an interesting name! Along with the festival was some bluegrass music, which seems to be popular in Wisconsin. We got to see the Lonesome River Band, which I had seen a couple years before, at the J.D. Crowe Festival here in Wilmore, KY. Kind of ironic!

A Gandy Dancer

Kid's Hula-Hooping & The Feedmill Restaruant

Day Five Itinerary (08.22.10):

Tour of Troy Gardens

Hung out at Glenwood Children's Garden (Home of a Jens Jensen Council Ring)

Peruvian Style dinner with the WRM Students courtesy of Vanessa Cottle's Mom

Unfortunately, we didn't grab any good photos of the events that took place on this day, but it was still nice to get out and see some of the hidden gems in Madison. Troy Gardens is one of the first and only co-housing projects with a community garden, community supported agriculture plot, restored prairie, and 30 units of affordable housing... It is quite impressive to see all of this working together.

Also, Madison is home to the largest concentration of Jens Jensen designed "Council Ring" landscapes. The last one he designed before he died is in the Glenwood Children's Park. It really is quite a humbling experience to get to tread in the footsteps of great designers, and I really love coming to this park. It is along the bike trail and is such an interactive retreat from the city... They have equinox festivals there and do yearly restoration work which I participated in last year. I think one of the reasons I enjoy Madison so much is its very diverse range of spaces and experiences. After living here a year, I still find myself exploring much of the city and discovering new things. And experiencing those things with Katrina makes it even better!

Wisconsin Tour: Aldo Leopold's Shack

Day Three Itinerary (08.19.10):

Aldo Leopold's Shack & Visitor's Center

Dinner at Home: Apricot Pork Chops, Sweet Potatoes, Fried Sweet Corn

Movie: 'I'm Not There

A few years ago, I read the Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold and it changed my life and the way I pursue landscape architecture. That being said, Kat and I had to devote a day of our Wisconsin Tour to going out and treading in the footsteps of this truly influential figure. Drove up to the outskirts of Baraboo, WI and took the tour.

The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center was designed really neatly into the landscape. It was built with sustainability in mind and was made with recycled wood and the landscape was designed for low maintenance and sustainable water management. The courtyard made by the three buildings also made the center welcoming.

Aldo's actual shack was located about a mile away down the road from the center, but we could ride the center's bicycles instead of walking or driving.

The site incorporated a lot of environmentally conscious features such as rain water gardens and a prairie landscape. The roof of just about every building was dotted with solar panels and the wood was harvested locally from the trees which had been planted by Leopold himself nearly 70 years ago! The center also featured some gallery space and educational areas about the goals of the center and the legacy of the man behind it all.

'The Shack' was a quaint little chicken coop converted into a cabin. It was surrounded by woods and prairie and was just a stone's throw from the Wisconsin River. The area was dotted with lots of pine trees and we had to fight through swarms of mosquitoes to see the place. After we took a walk down by the river a group of men showed up and seemed to be having a meeting at the shack. We were allowed to step inside and see what it is like inside and look at some family photos taken by the Leopolds. The shack hasn't changed much over the years and still boasts a simple layout... I couldn't imagine spending the winters here with such a large family!

A few short walk away from the shack is the Wisconsin River. We had to walk through a big sandy area to get to it, now we knew why this area is known as Sand County!

The land restoration of Aldo's property was done by himself and his family. A large amount of the restoration was given to the prairie landscape.

So, at last, I can say that I have visited the man who has most influenced me as a designer and steward of the landscape. I would urge anyone who is interested in the environment and stewardship to read his books and articles and to possibly visit the place where he discovered so much. I can't believe so much discovery happened in such a quaint space!

Wisconsin Tour: Apostle Islands

Day 1 Itinerary:
Ate Lunch at Rocky Roccoco's Pizzeria
Drove to Bayfield, WI from Madison (~6 hours)
Set up our tent at the Bayfield Area Campground
Ate dinner at the Northern Edge

I should have known that, as much of our other travels, the first day would not go well, especially anything planned for Friday the 13th. So we started on our journey for the Apostle Islands at the National Lakeshore in Bayfield,WI, but decided to stop at Rocky Roccoco's Pizza to eat some lunch. The pizza was delicious, but as we got up to leave I noticed we had been sitting at Table 13. And we ended up leaving Madison a bit behind schedule around 1:00 pm or 1300 hours. Finally, we drove the last 100 miles on Highway 13. It was sort of spooky with all those 13's in one day, I guess we survived. Well, at the last minute, we did get drenched setting up the tent in the rain, but we enjoyed a nice dinner on the lake to make up for it.


The trip up the Apostle Islands was really fun. If you ever go, then definitely take Highway 13 for part of it, it's gorgeous and looks different than Southern Wisconsin. Boo says it all when he says the first day of getting to someplace always has a twist to it. As we drove closer to Bayfield we saw some extra large dark clouds. And then it poured! Travel guides aren't lying when they say weather changes quickly around the lake. Needless to say, we got soaked when setting up the tent and then froze to death while eating dinner. At least we learned what we could do next time (if it ever happens again!)

Highway 13 is looking up to its name

A Storm Lurks in the Distance

Day 2 Itinerary:
Grand Tour of Apostle Islands with Island Cruises on the 'Island Princess'
Toured Rittenhouse Street in Bayfield by foot
Ate lunch at Wild by Nature
Dessert at Big Water Cafe
Toured National Lakeshore Visitor's Center in Bayfield
Concert at the Big Top Chautauqua - 'Wild Woods & Waters'

Our soaked campsite

The next morning after sorting through our soaked gear we ate breakfast and made our way to downtown Bayfield to take a tour around the Apostle Islands by cruise ship with the Apostle Islands Cruises. We got to see plenty of the islands and a few light houses along the way. The trip was narrated, so that made it even better. We found out the rich history that this place has and checked out some of the amazing scenery.

Touring a few of the Islands on the Grand Tour

Just getting off the Princess

The Big Water Cafe

While walking down the main drag in Bayfield we discovered this great cafe and eatery, The Big Water Cafe. It was a great place to grab some dessert and lunch, too. Their coffee, cakes, soups and grilled cheeses go highly recommended by me! I think that I would love to own/operate a place like this some day, but in a different location...

A concert at the Big Top

Another must see of the Bayfield Area is the Big Top Chautauqua. They had a local show performing a show which celebrated Wisconsin called "Wild Woods and Waters". It was great folk/country music with great singing and some performance acts throughout. This place often draws famed national acts, so if you are ever in the area be sure to stop in and see what they have to offer.

Day 3 Itinerary:
Sea kayaking on Lake Superior with Living Adventures' Shipwreck Tour
Ate lunch at Maggie's Cafe
Toured Historic Fishing Village at Little Sand Bay
Drove Highway 13 to Meyer Beach and hiked Lakeshore Trail

Kayaking on some shipwrecks

Expert Kayakers!

The next big adventure on our list was a sea kayaking tour... This was probably one of the most exciting experiences of the whole trip and most grueling, too! We decided to go with a tour group called Living Adventure. The place was super professional and I had lots of fun. All the staff was friendly and the scenery was just amazing. I definitely want to go back someday and go island hopping with this group.


I really enjoyed the kayaking trip! I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did, but I think it's something I would like to do eventually. The tour company was really great, I felt they really knew what they were doing and were concerned about everyone having fun and being safe. We even stopped for a while, held onto each others canoes in a big group and ate some bakery chocolate chip cookies our tour guide brought.

Maggie' Cafe


An old fishing village

A view of Lake Superior

The famous Red Cliffs

Meyer Beach with the red cliffs in the distance

Another highlight of the trip was hiking the Lakeshore Trail at the northwestern edge of the peninsula. This tour featured some striking terrain and gorgeous views of the red cliffs which dot the area. The hike was not all that long, about 4 miles round trip, but the trail was extremely wet. We also got the chance to visit a historical fishing settlement and walk on the piers and check out Little Sand Bay.


The hike was a nice time to get more into the wilderness, even though it begins at a convenient parking lot next to the shore. It was super windy once the trail went next to the cliffs, but I was amazed how much the trees blocked the wind. I was hot, then cold, then hot! It was pretty neat to see the red cliffs and the waves crashing against them.

Day 4 Itinerary:
Picked blueberries at North Wind Farm
Drove Star Route Road
Ate lunch at Big Water Cafe
Mailed postcards and shopped along Rittenhouse and Manypenny Streets
Drove Highway 13 back to Madison stopping at Concrete Park and Pittsville along the way

Picking Blueberries at North Wind

North Wind Farm House

We heard about the North Wind Farm while we were kayaking and decided to give it a try. Apparently, Tom, the owner, is a well renowned organic farmer and I have to say that his organic produce was pretty amazing. We picked about 3 pounds of blueberries and got a cucumber to take home. Even more impressive is the fact that this guy lives completely off the grid using firewood and solar to heat and power his home and wind to power a water pump. Even his car and farming equipment is solar powered.


Picking blueberries was awesome. It made me appreciate the food that the plant produced and made me not to even waste one berry once it got back home. I was glad we went back to the Big Water Cafe, they're amazing! And we had a wild rice mushroom soup that was fantastic, which I'll have to replicate sometime. And they even had homemade pickles!

Lunch and Postcards at Big Water

After picking some berries and adventuring through the wilderness, we decided to take a break and write home about our travels. We also took the opportunity to get some lunch at the Big Water. I think this was my favorite place to eat on the whole trip. I was even inspired to cook some of their Mushroom and Wild Rice soup for a dinner and a movie date which will take place later...

Something in the concrete

...and this is all they had!

To wrap up the trip we took the scenic Highway 13 back to Madison. It was a bit longer, but we were able to see a few local tourist attractions. The first was a concrete park with a lot of statues and such hand sculpted and formed out of concrete with some glass as ornamentation. I have seen a few of them around WI since I have been here and do wonder what started this trend. Also we got to see the exact center of the state and was mildly disappointed that all they had was a lousy sign...

All in all, I had a great time and I sure Katrina did, too! We had some incredible firsts such as the kayaking and pick your own blueberries. I will surely be back to Bayfield sometime to see the islands more up close!