The Road Trips
Along Lake Michigan
A shoreline cross section of landscapes and heritages
Through the Driftless
A dive into the culture-rich region that the last Ice Age whiffed on
The Long Weekends
Princeton
The little creative hub that could
Neenah
A paper mill town turned posh
Baraboo
A circus town flipping into its trendy era
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The Weeklong Stays
The Apostle Islands and Their Gateway
Up north — way, way up north — to Bayfield and beyond
Madison
Wisconsin’s capital of cool
Eau Claire
Food, music, the outdoors — all within city limits
The Wisconsin Glossary
A brief guide to understanding the locals
Bubbler: This term for a drinking fountain supposedly originated in Milwaukee — early Kohler plumbing fixtures were branded “Bubblers” — and stuck.
Ope: It covers “Sorry,” “Excuse me,” and “I’m just going to sneak past you.” Most often deployed while reaching for the same ranch dressing as another shopper at Woodman’s.
Hot dish: A casserole commonly made with ground beef, cream-of-something soup, and a starch, baked until cohesive. Appears in church basements and at funeral luncheons.
Fish fry: Friday. Every Friday. All year. Includes beer-battered cod or perch, rye bread, slaw, and potato pancakes (correct choice) or fries (acceptable).
Yeah, no: Absolutely not.
No, yeah: Definitely yes.
Couple two, three: Could mean two. Could mean five. You’ll know when you see it.
Beg/bag: These two words are pronounced the same. Context is your only guide.
Cripes: The polite cousin of a swearword. Covers shock, annoyance, or weather updates. “Cripes, that wind” is both a complaint and a conversation starter.
Jeet?: Translation: “Did you eat yet?” Not a question so much as a prelude to feeding you.