Hello!
Thank you to all of you who wrote to me after my last Midwestern Missive. I am beyond lucky to have so many incredible people in my life and on Nick Mohammed’s internet.
But I was so busy yackin’ about my hackin’ (oh no! why did I say that!?) that I didn’t give Wisconsin its fair shake. And ooh baby, does Wisconsin deserve some shakin.’ (I’m sorry… I do not know what I mean by that…I had a long drive today)
I arrived in Madison at around 4pm on a rainy Thursday afternoon and checked in to my absolutely gorgeous and UNDENIABLY HAUNTED hotel, The Hotel Ruby Marie
…am I wrong!??!
Wisconsin was this trip’s first Home State of a Dear Friend™ and Madison itself was my first location where I had more recommendations than I could actually take! It was wonderful! Thank you Hayley!
My first night, however, I only took one recommendation. That recommendation was to try the '‘New Glarus Brewing Company’ Beer called Spotted Cow. I took that recommendation four times in a row on an empty stomach. I would not recommend this course of action to my friends, enemies, or loved ones.
Lest you think I was sadly drinking alone in a Wisconsin bar attached to a haunted hotel, let me reassure you, I was not! I was happily talking to strangers! The clientele at this Saloon were a perfect blend of Madison locals having a beer/watching baseball after work and patrons of the hotel who came in to use their free drink tickets.
Now, you’ve seen those pictures of the Hotel Ruby Marie so let me confirm for you that the clientele of this bar was, exclusively, men under 30, travelers over 60, and yours truly.
I got to talking with an older couple who was staying at the hotel and in town for a wedding. They were lovely people who liked books and ‘didn’t pay any attention to all that TV stuff they got goin’ on now.’ They sipped down their drink tickets and then invited me to join them for dinner at the german restaurant attached to the other side of the hotel (more room for ghosts…) and I politely declined because I decided I was all done talking.
The problem, however, was that I was also planning to eat my dinner at the german place because I was three Cows in and obviously not going to drive. So in order to pass the time while they were eating and not run into them at the restaurant…I… ordered a 4th Spotted Cow.
I did *eventually* get home, full of EXCELLENT schnitzel and sauerkraut and fall blessedly into my haunted bed so that the spirits could roam the halls for the evening. When I woke up the next morning, there were definitely demons to deal with…but they were not the hotel’s fault.
Most of the day on Friday was spent working in various coffee shops around the gorgeous Capital, only stopping to eat at a *lovely* Indian Restaurant (thanks Hayley!) where I ordered the White Girl Special (Chicken Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan, and an Iced Tea). I went for a gorgeous walk along the water that I couldn’t enjoy because I had forgotten a water bottle like a damn fool and got so thirsty that I spent the whole time wondering if it was possible to die of dry mouth.
When I did finally gulp down two bottles of (accidentally) sparkling water from a Starbucks, I was zapped of energy and felt my first real pangs of loneliness. I walked back to my hotel, past a lot of the cute outdoor bars, wishing that I could meet someone for a drink or walk into a comedy show where I was bound to see someone I knew.
I decided to eat dinner at the german place again. They were doing live music on the patio outside while also showing the Brewers game. I finished pretty quickly, gave up my *far-too-large* table to a group of fun-loving 40 somethings and somewhat glumly headed up to my haunted room to watch New Girl until I fell asleep.
I was still feeling pretty down, so I decided that, when I woke up, I would give myself the day off.
*theme music plays* TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR: Dispatches from My Day Off
Also clock is ticking for recommendations for DETROIT send ‘em if ya got ‘em