Double Delights

Got a sweet tooth? Then you definitely have to try Double Delights in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin. I have only been there a couple times, but both times I was pleasantly rewarded with delicious sweets. The first time I was there I tried gelato, which I had never tried before. It was absolutely delicious! Double Delights provides many different delectable flavors like raspberry, cappuccino, cinnamon, pumpkin, lemon, and so many more! The second time I was craving chocolate, so I simply bought a little chocolate caramel salty snack. I have no idea what it was called, but it was so tasty and I would love to try it again!

Someday, I desire to try their popcorn. One of the main things advertised on the Double Delights website is the popcorn, which comes in a wide array of flavors like cheddar, caramel, white cheddar, salsa verde, chocolate, green apple, ranch, and the list goes on.

My favorite thing about Double Delights is the people who work there. They are always very friendly and great with their customers. Sometimes the music camp I worked at this summer would bring the students to get ice cream after their concerts, and Double Delights was always willing to stay open to serve all the kids, give them their ice cream quickly, and offer great prices to the kids. I highly recommend Double Delights to anyone passing through Egg Harbor.

 

http://www.doubledelites.com/index.html

What I Learned From Door County, Wisconsin

After living in Door County for three long and exciting months, I learned many new things about the area. Here are some of my findings:

 

1.       Highways 42 and 57 will take you almost anywhere.

Once you have the general feel of Door County, there is no need for a map. Just point your car in the correct direction and drive. Highway 42 travels up the west side of the peninsula while highways 57 travels up the east side. Just before Sturgeon Bay (the southern end of Door County), the two highways merge into one. You will never get lost, and even if you do, highways 42 and 57 are only a short distance away!

3.     Cash please, not credit.

One thing I had never encountered before was the $10 purchase minimum rule. In order to use a credit card or debit card, the purchase total must cost at least $10 otherwise you have to pay with cash.  At first this rule really confused me because I had never seen a minimum purchase requirement before. I was not used to carrying cash, and I hated seeing my cash physically disappear before my eyes when I spent it. But I learned that this rule tremendously helps the local businesses make a profit, which I fully support in a county almost entirely built on tourism. By enforcing the $10 minimum rule, local businesses can avoid the high fees associated with running a credit card transaction and avoid barely making any profit off of a sale. I still apply this rule to my shopping now, especially with local businesses, by paying in cash for smaller purchases. Without Door County, I never would have understood this concept.

3.       You’re never too old to applaud at a sunset.

One of the most peculiar, yet fascinating things about Door County was the fact that people applauded the sunsets. People gathered at restaurants, beaches, houses, or anywhere they could find overlooking Green Bay to simply watch the sun set. As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, people applauded. It was the weirdest concept for me to understand before I experienced it myself. My coworkers and I tried for days to find an applause-worthy sunset, but every night we went searching the skies were cloudy. Finally we found a sunset worthy of remarkable applause and we clapped our hearts out.

4.       Appreciate art.

Door County is filled with different kinds of art. Painting, pottery, music, theatre…there are so many options. I highly appreciated the inspirational atmosphere of Door County. With visits to Peninsula Players, the Hardy Gallery, Birch Creek, other local galleries, and all around the peninsula, I learned to really love all of the artistic talent in Door County. It truly is a place for artists of all kinds.

5.       Take the back roads

Even though highways 42 and 57 can get you almost anymore, driving around in Door County during tourist season can be a mess. If you’re there for only a couple days, by all means enjoy the highways and looking at all of the businesses and beauty of the land. If you’re there for more, stick to the back roads. They can cut down half the time simply because of the huge reduction in traffic. Any highway that cuts across the peninsula is a life saver, and especially highway A, which cuts up the middle of the peninsula. Take the back roads to save yourself some driving time!

6.       State park passes rock!

My favorite part of Door County was the ease of access to so many wonderful state parks. The first week of my residence in Door County, I purchased myself a state park pass and used it almost every week (sometimes almost every day of every week). From Newport State Park, to Peninsula State Park, to Whitefish Dunes State Park…there are endless places to go with a state park pass. If you love the outdoors, a state park pass is a great option. It provided me an entire summer of entertainment, and I still use it throughout the rest of Wisconsin today. 

7.       Don’t speed

One of the first things I was told by one of my bosses this summer was “Don’t speed.” Being a grandma driver, I knew I really didn’t have to worry about my own driving habits. But I was curious if the cops really were that harsh or if that was just a rumor meant to scare the new girl. Within the first day of being in Door County, I saw 3 different cars pulled over in the same place in Egg Harbor. On my first day on the job, the lady who I was riding with was pulled over as well. I never really had a problem with speeding, but I will pass on that you might be pulled over for simply going 5 miles over the speed limit. Just be wary of the speed limits when coming into all of the towns of Door County. They can sometimes seem too slow, but they are enforced very well. 

8.       Appreciate the workers

Finally, when exploring Door County make sure to appreciate all of the workers that make everything possible. Many of the workers put in ungodly hours during tourist season to make ends meet. Times are stressful, so just a simple smile and conversation can make a worker’s day. Talk to the locals; they are knowledgeable about local businesses and are more than happy to help you find what you need. 

Harbor View Park

Harbor View Park is a cozy little park right on the water of Green Bay. The park is nestled by the Egg Harbor Marina and is filled with peaceful views of boats and beautiful artwork. 

Fall in Door County-Pumpkin Patch Festival

Good evening everyone!

I am back from Door County already, and boy was it an awesome trip. Door County is beautiful in the summer, but it is absolutely breathtaking in the fall. We just happened to make it in time for the peak days of leaf-changing. The trees all around were in shades of crimson, yellow, and orange with some green still mixed in. The ground was littered with colorful leaves! What a gorgeous sight!

So I thought Door County would be pretty empty because most people are back at work and the summer is over. Oh how wrong I was. Door County is filled with fall tourists, and it was especially filled with people for Pumpkin Patch Festival in Egg Harbor. Everyone that we talked to asked if we were in town for Pumpkin Patch Festival, so apparently it was a big deal in Door County.

Of course we had to check it out. It was crazy awesome! The whole main street of Egg Harbor was blocked off to traffic and filled with people bundled in fall coats carrying giant bags of popcorn and caramel apples. There were tents scattered throughout all of the streets selling jewelry, clothing, blankets, and almost anything imaginable. There were rides for the children, a storyteller, and a live band (which just happened to be singing country music when we were there…a great day for me!!). And what Wisconsin festival would be complete without a tent for brats and beer? 

We treated ourselves to fresh caramel apples and enjoyed the country band for awhile before leaving Pumpkin Patch Festival. I would really like to return next year to experience it all over again. 

The Chocolate Chicken

Located just up the hill from the Egg Harbor marina in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin is a cute little coffee shop entitled The Chocolate Chicken. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the shop but I have a picture of the marina taken by one of my coworkers (from July 3rd…a very busy night in Egg Harbor with fireworks).

The Chocolate Chicken is an adorable coffee shop that satisfied my craving for caffeine all summer. Without it, I probably would not have survived my summer working in Door County.

The Chocolate Chicken offers many decadent coffee flavors, including my absolute favorite, the Iced Polar Bear, a wonderful caramel creation. Along with their specialty coffee drinks, they offer coffee beans for purchase, Chai tea, and many other coffee norms.

What could possibly make The Chocolate Chicken any better for a woman like me? Chocolate, of course. Just as its name suggests, the Chocolate Chicken hosts an entire glass display case filled with chocolates of all shapes and sizes. Chocolate covered oreos, truffles, pretzels, fudge of all flavors, and so much more…

On top of all those features, The Chocolate Chicken has ice cream which is especially a hit with the kids.

As with all things in life, one of the best aspects of this coffee shop is location, location, location. The Chocolate Chicken is located, as mentioned before, just up the hill from the marina in town. It sits immediately next to Harbor View Park, a cute park featuring gazebos and benches overlooking Green Bay. Often times in summer, Harbor View Park offers free concerts in the afternoon and early evening so one can sip coffee and enjoy free music.

Overall, I think everyone that is in the Door County area should check out The Chocolate Chicken for delicious treats!