Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with wisconsin

Cabins on Lake Mighigan

ztdavis — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:53:26 -0800

Looking for a cabin for two on Lake Michigan, preferably the Wisconsin side. Does anyone have any specific recommendations? We'll be coming from the Chicago area, but we're willing to drive three or four hours for a cozy place.

Pretty much the traditional criteria:
1. Warm with a fireplace.
2. On or near the lake.
3. Bonus points for being near a park, but that isn't necessary.
4. Near a small town or grocery (at least 30 minutes near, so that shouldn't be too hard at all.
5. Not super expensive (if that is possible?)

This past post was helpful: http://ask.metafilter.com/107436/Winter-weekend-cabin-near-Chicago

But I'm looking for more specific "I have stayed here and it was great" type suggestions.

Thanks

My speeding citation has turned into a shit snowball.

desjardins — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:19:22 -0800

Please help me navigate a mess involving an expired car registration, a speeding ticket, a lost insurance card, a license held as bond and a omg I can't even think. This involves Illinois and Wisconsin. 1. My car is registered in Illinois and I have an Illinois driver's license. The registration expires today; the license is good for awhile.

2. However, I'm (technically?) a Wisconsin resident, in that I have a lease on an apartment there, but I work in Illinois and sleep half the week in Illinois and the other half in WI. This is meant to be as temporary as humanly possible until I can stay permanently in WI.

3. I did not renew the registration yet because I was planning to get my Wisconsin license & registration this coming Friday, and hopefully avoid getting caught for the next 3 days while it's expired. Before I can register it in IL I have to get an emissions test. Of course, there will now be a late fee.

4. I got stopped for speeding today in a suburb of Chicago, I could not find my insurance card, and so I received another citation for that & my license was taken as bond. My court date is at the end of December. My driving record is otherwise clean.

5. So, I can't register my car in WI or get my WI license until I have my IL license back, correct? It's my understanding that if you have a valid license in another state, you have to forfeit it to get a WI license. I don't know about registering the car.

6. What's the ABSOLUTE CHEAPEST yet legal way to handle this? I am broke, like really broke, and the thought of having to pay to register my car in Illinois and then re-register it in WI when I get my license back is really disheartening.

7. I am freaking out and not thinking clearly, see above about being broke.

Plan the best road trip EVER

pyrom — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:53:36 -0800

Help me plan the most epic road trip from Wisconsin to Aspen, Colorado! Three friends and I have just been given an awesome opportunity. We're going to visit an uncle who lives in Aspen, Colorado. He's invited us to come over the winter holidays and stay at his house and ski, provided we can get there ourselves. We want to leave the day after Christmas and come back on the 3rd of January, giving us 9 days total for the trip. We figure we'll allot two days for travel both ways, which will give us plenty of time to do some sightseeing while getting there.

I know that one stop will be Colorado Springs, because I really want to visit the Air Force Academy there. Otherwise, everything else is open.

With a quick google mapping, this will generally be the route we'll take.

Where can we stop along the way? What cities are worth walking around in? Google puts us through places like Des Moines, Omaha, and Denver. Of these cities, what are some cool things to see or places to eat?
For those of you who've been on long road trips, what should we bring to make the experience easier or more enjoyable?
What should I expect as far as driving conditions in late December through these areas?
What can we see once we're in Aspen? We figure we'll ski most days, but I'm planning on one or two off days where we'll bum around town or drive somewhere nearby. Where do you suggest we go?
Any other fun advice you can give us?

Thanks!

Wisconsin-type food and drink in the Rockies?

Jim T — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:12:53 -0800

Looking for some great food and drink to provide to some former Wisconsiners next weekend. Suggestions? We're having some friends over next weekend to watch their beloved Packers of Green Bay take on the 49ers of San Francisco, and wanted to provide some Green Bay/Wisconson-type fare. We're going to do cheeses from the area and brauts, but I'm looking for something more specific to the region.

Ideally, we'd want to provide a regional beer (if we can find it in Denver) and any regional fare that they would have found back home.

BTW, the friends in question are from central Wisonsin.

Thanks in advance!

Tellers in crappy polos and aprons need not apply.

thebestsophist — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:45:05 -0800

Help me find a good credit union or small bank around Milwaukee, WI. I recently opened a business account with Guardian Credit Union but have had nothing but trouble and terribly unprofessional service. I need to move, and soon. I've had experience with other banks in the Wisconsin area, such as US Bank, Wells Fargo (though the closest one I've seen was Madison), and Associated Bank. I will not do business with any of them every again. I would think my requirements are simple, but apparently not:

Professionalism. I am never doing business with a bank where the teller is not wearing at least a button down shirt or blouse ever again. If someone is handling several thousand dollars of my money, I want them to dress like it.

Payroll for me, and my partner.

Online banking, including electronic transfers (not that many, just need to be able to do them).

Decent interest rates on savings, and checking if possible.

Responsive customer service. If I call and leave a voicemail, I expect to get a response in one business day.

Things such as being able to have a relationship with my banker, is a big plus.

Camping in Green Bay, WI area

zzazazz — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 06:19:42 -0800

Going to be in Wisconsin this weekend around the Green Bay area. Can anyone suggest a good campground around there? We are going to be tent camping but would like a campground that has a shower since we are road tripping.

How to choose an accountant.

thebestsophist — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:25:10 -0800

I am looking for a good accountant in the Milwaukee, WI area. I am starting a two-person LLC, any tips on either what to look for in an accountant or know of good ones in the area?

How do I find movers / laborers in Madison, WI?

mullacc — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:28:48 -0800

Moving to Madison, WI and need some unloading help... I'm hiring a "professional" moving service to load me up in DC because I want to be sure the truck is packed up right. But when I get to Madison, I think I just need an extra hand or two. I don't need someone with a truck.

Is craigslist the go-to source for moving labor? I've scanned the Madison labor/moving page and there are a handful of people looking for general labor work. I presume hiring someone from craigslist is a better idea than picking up day laborers at Home Depot. Am I wrong? Is there another place to look?

Also, my lease begins on August 15th, which I'm told is the same day that all campus-area leases start. Anything I should worry about?

Thanks!

Name that Wisconsin mammal

escabeche — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:36:06 -0800

What Wisconsin mammal did I just see? Coming home tonight, around 6pm, we saw a dark grey or black animal about the size of a large cat loping or bounding across the road towards the lake. My first reaction was to think it was an opossum, I think based on the rodent-like shape of the face. But I think of opossums as low-to-the-ground waddlers, whereas this guy had long legs and, like I said, was a loper. It didn't have a white stripe on its body like a skunk or white on its face like a badger. Didn't get a good look at the tail.

Any idea what this was, Upper Midwest naturalists?

Best place to View a sunrise in/around Milwaukee, WI

niles — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:03:50 -0800

What is the best place to see a sunrise in/around Waukesha county, Wisconsin (just east of Milwaukee)? I had a few ideas (say, the Lapham Peak observation tower), but it turns out the State doesn't take kindly to park visitors at 5am.

For what it's worth, I'll take anything within an hour or so of the Waukesha area. Location-generic ideas (tall office buildings? I don't know) would be helpful as well.

Thanks!

How do I decide how low or high of a salary to ask for in a job interview situation?

zooropa — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:42:32 -0800

Should I take a lower salary? Here's a (hopefully) relatively short amount of background information.

I live in Chicago. I work in social media and word of mouth marketing. I have a track record of excellence, expertise in multiple areas, and a ton of great testimonials on LinkedIn. I've also been unemployed for four months and a day -- 121 days -- as of today.

Yesterday, I went to a second interview with a small PR and marketing agency in Appleton, Wisconsin. The day went very well. I met and interviewed with several of the company's senior staff, was driven around the community on a personal tour from the firm's CEO, and was taken out for dinner before starting the four hour drive home. I definitely received some very strong and positive signals.

Then at one point during dinner, I was asked about compensation. I don't play BS games, so I came right out and told them what I made at my last job (a high five figures, not unreasonable). I said that I was not greedy, and not looking for more than 5-10% more than what I made at that last job. I would also appreciate relocation assistance since I would have to sell my condo, move to Wisconsin from Chicago, etc. The two founders looked at each other, and then said, "That's a bit higher than we were thinking." I didn't pursue the issue or try to pin them down on what they *were* thinking, even though in hindsight I wish I had. We talked about other things during dinner, but I could tell that this was the only "sticky" and uncomfortable part of the entire day's events.

To reiterate, I've been unemployed for 121 days. I've been fortunate to have many interviews, but have mostly been the "#2 choice" at several companies. I can sense that things are starting pick up again and the economy is starting to get a little less crappy. But I am also running out of time. Savings are starting to dip into precarious territory, and I'm trying very hard to avoid getting desperate.

===================

HERE'S MY QUANDRY:

They haven't made an offer yet, but I'm 90% sure one will be coming shortly. When they do:

* Should I insist on the 5-10% increase plus relo?

* Should I take a lower salary?

I really like these folks. I made that clear during the interview and in my follow-up thank you email this morning. My wife and I have discussed it, and I would be okay with taking a slightly lower salary on account of the fact that it's a lower cost of living in Appleton, it's a smaller agency, etc.

I want to do the right thing here. I'm a reasonable person, consider myself an honorable guy, and operate as a straight shooter. I'm not interested in brinkmanship or mind games. I am not out to screw them over, and I genuinely believe that they're not out to screw me over in return.

But if I do take a lower salary, how do I even begin to figure out what my "red line" is? I don't think it's reasonable for them to expect me to take $20,000 less than what I made before, but I have no idea how to even begin calculating exactly how low (or how high) I should be asking.

Thoughts, suggestions, advice, and even prayers are more than welcome.

Finding jobs for 14-16 year olds

Pogo_Fuzzybutt — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:58:13 -0800

Help me help my son find work this summer... My son recently turned 14. When discussing plans for the summer, he indicated that he would like to find a job, so he can have his own money and some independence. I know in WI kids under 16 can have jobs with limited hours and so on, but I've been completely unsuccessful in finding any listings.

I'm comfortable with him working - he's smart and fairly driven, so I think he could do well. I want to encourage him in this. He's not so interested in a freelance or entrepreneurial thing so much as he is in trading his time and effort for money.

So, hive-mind - how can I find jobs for an earnest young man in Madison, WI ?

How do I get from Lomira, WI to Sussex, WI and back again without killing my finances?

HonorShadow — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:17:04 -0800

How do I get from Lomira, WI to Sussex, WI and back again without dropping hundreds of dollars on a rental car? Hi there. This is a bit of a complicated situation.

As mentioned way back here, I'm moving from California to Wisconsin for my first job out of college. That move is taking place in a few days - - I'll be flying out early Monday morning.

The initial four-six weeks of the job are in Lomira, WI (40 miles north of Milwaukee), and after that in Sussex, WI (right next to Milwaukee). I've been in contact with the new hire coordinator who worked it out for someone to pick me up from the airport and get me to the apartments they're putting me up at in Lomira. This is pretty great.

Then, a couple of days ago, I'm told I need to figure out a way to get from Lomira to Sussex for Orientation on Wednesday. Now, the papers they sent over mentioned Orientation is in Sussex, but they've known from the start I wouldn't have transportation when I get out there. The person has looked up alternatives (using a company car, etc.), and I'm very grateful for that, but unfortunately none of them have turned out to be viable. I'm being told I should probably rent a car through Thursday, and it sounds like its at my own expense.

For a 23 year-old kid who is already short on cash, pouring several hundred dollars to rent a car for four days on last minute notice seems unreasonable. If all else fails, I (think) I can afford this, but it's going to leave me eating Top Ramen for some time and basically remove all my safety money. To make matters worse, there's nowhere for me to even drop off the car again. There are no rental car places in Lomira. I talked to my cheapest option, Enterprise, and their nearest place is in Appleton, WI - - 50 miles away in the wrong direction. They will not pick it up from here. So...even if I rent a car in Milwaukee...there's no way to get back up to Lomira.

Are there any alternatives? I've searched around for some way to get me there and back, but I'm coming up short, and frankly I'm starting to panic. I spoke to a few natives who weren't aware of any bus or train service that goes up around those parts. Does anyone know of any shuttle service, or have any other ideas?

Thanks in advance for the help, MeFi.

Spare me the roadkill jokes

rigby51 — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:12:33 -0800

Where's some good eatin' along this stretch of interstate? I'm driving from southern Minnesota to Chicago with my girlfriend tomorrow afternoon to spend St. Patrick's Day weekend with the family.

I've driven this route several times a year for about five years, but have yet to find a tasty place to sit and have a decent meal.

We'd like to get a late lunch or early dinner somewhere between Rochester, Minn., and Janesville, Wisc. We're budget minded - want to keep the check under $35 - but not picky.

We're also willing to deviate slightly from the interstate, but not more than five miles or so.

Family friendly neighborhoods for UW grad student?

mrmojoflying — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:43:28 -0800

Where's the perfect place for us to live in Madison, Wisconsin? We're planning this from afar, and having done that once before already, we're trying to go about it a little smarter this time. Reality checks welcome. Details inside. My wife has accepted an offer of admission to a graduate program at UW Madison. It's a unique opportunity for her (and she moved with me for grad school to Louisville) so we're moving to Madison this fall. AskMe has already covered our questions about the cultural aspects of Madison pretty well, but we're planning this move with likely only a short visit sometime in late March or early April before we relocate the last week in July.

Please help us make our planning time in the city as useful as possible. Most importantly, what neighborhoods should we be looking at as we plan? The specifics are that we have a toddler (and a small doggie), so public safety is a priority. We're frugal, but need a decently sized two bedroom, and will probably be looking in the $700/m to $750/m range.

We will have one car, so the neighborhood needs to be relatively well connected to the university by public transit; within 4-5 miles would also be nice, if possible. The neighborhood doesn't need to be bohemian, gentrified, trendy or demonstrate any other aspect of cultural eliteness that we can't afford on a student budget. Accessible, pedestrian safe, and relatively affordable will suit us just fine.

Do I really need to pay WI state tax?

mezamashii — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:08:49 -0800

If I interned for 3 months in Seattle but live and go to school in Wisconsin, do I need to pay WI state tax on the money I made over the summer in Washington, which has no state tax? (posting for mezamashii's significant other)

I interned for three months last summer in Seattle. I made quite a bit of money while I was there but only had to pay federal taxes since Washington has no state tax. However now my father's tax preparer claims I must pay over $800 in Wisconsin state taxes for the money I made in Seattle. Since I am a student and only work for my university during the school year, I paid no state or federal taxes on any of the other money I made last year. Do I really need to pay all that WI state tax on money I never even MADE while I was in Wisconsin? Can you point me to any sites that prove this tax preparer is wrong?

(IANAL, you aren't my tax preparer, yada yada)

California native moving to Wisconsin in a few months; what should I know?

HonorShadow — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 12:43:40 -0800

California native moving to Wisconsin in a few months; what should I know? I just graduated from college last month and (thankfully) managed to land a job. I've spent my entire life in California and now in April I'll be moving out across the country and calling Wisconsin home for a while.

The main workplace is in Sussex, though from what I understand, most of the employees my age live in Milwaukee proper and commute in (which appeals strongly to me). Is there any area of the city in particular I should consider moving to? Are there any easy ways to meet people out there? I know a couple I met when I went Couchsurfing around those parts, but that's about it.

What should I know about living in the area? I've spent a total of three days in the city before, so it's still rather foreign. Also, when I was flown out for the final interview, it marked the first time I had ever been in weather colder than 30 degrees, so despite the April move, any winter survival tips would be greatly appreciated.

Winter weekend cabin near Chicago?

sandor — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:21:35 -0800

Where should we go for a winter weekend getaway within 2 hours drive of Chicago? We're looking for a cabin/house where a bunch of us (7 right now) can go for a long weekend of lounging, reading, cross-country (or downhill) skiing and game-playing in late January/early February. I've been focusing on the Kettle Moraine area of Wisconsin, close to Milwaukee, since I've been there before for x-country skiing and chances are better there than anywhere else within our radius that there'll be good amounts of snow. But I haven't had much luck. To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, I found this lovely place, but they decided to stop renting in the winter starting this year. I'd love to hear about any specific cabins or homes you've been to or know about, or resources you know of that I could use to search. Thanks.

Rustbelt Roadtrip!

lunasol — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:13:27 -0800

Looking for tips for my upcoming Minneapolis - New York roadtrip. Specifically, where should I sleep, and are there cool things along the way I should check out? I'll be by myself and this will be in December. I've done variations on this trip several times, but never by myself and always in a rush. Since i'll be doing this trip alone, I plan on pacing myself: 19 hours over three or maybe even four days. Here's a map of the route I'm likely to take, with this route as an alternative.

Questions:

Where are good places to stay along this route? I'd like to try to stay in some cute towns, as opposed to a strip mall motel or spending 3 hours getting into and out of a city like Chicago. I'm really into old industrial towns, which there should be a lot of along this route. Or a college town could be good. Either way, a hotel/motel in town where I can walk to a nearby restaurant/coffee shop after a day of driving would be perfect, and I'd like to keep it under $100/night.

Any other good places to stop along the way? I'm looking for good places to eat (ie, great examples of local cuisine, exceptional road food, diners, etc) or cool historical spots, or really anything interesting along the way to break up the monotony of the road.

Also, I've read a lot of the other road trip questions, but I'll certainly take any general road trip advice you've got. I've never done such a long trip by myself!

To answer questions that might come up: I have a AAA membership, I plan on tuning up my car before I go, and yes, this trip does need to be made by car.

Wisconsin, ho!

coppermoss — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:08:58 -0800

What is there to do in and around Whitewater, WI? I'm heading up to Whitewater, WI on Monday for a 3-day stay at a B&B with my boyfriend. When we were planning this trip, the only thing we wanted was to get away from Chicago for a few days, but now that I'm about to leave I'm wondering what, exactly, it is we're going to do besides relax. So, what attractions does Whitewater possess? Anything we absolutely shouldn't miss? What about possible day-trips to somewhere nearby?

Federal Homestead Act Question

mamaraks — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:33:32 -0800

In Wisconsin, what does someone mean when they say their land is on the Federal Homestead Act, and how does that make their land different from mine? I am researching for a friend with questions about how land in Wisconsin is exempt from certain things (specifically building codes) if it the lot is, as he puts it, "on the Federal Homestead Act". I am also wondering what it means when one uses that phrase: "on the Federal Homestead Act" (does it refer to how the land was purchased?) I know absolutely nothing about the Federal Homestead Act, and I've had only dreadful luck finding out about it on the Internet. Any explanations or insight would be awesome from people who are smart about this type of thing. Thanks everybody.

What to see between OR and WI?

Vibrissa — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:34:56 -0800

Driving across the country: Cool places to see/things to do on Highway 12? In a couple weeks my parents and I are gonna be driving from Oregon to Wisconsin by way of the Twin Cities, probably on Highway 12 (though maybe 212 through South Dakota). What sights should we make sure to stop for?

Scenic drive from Mpls to Chicago?

BradNelson — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:42:24 -0800

Recommend a scenic travel route from Minneapolis to Chicago. I'm driving to Chicago from Minneapolis (via my parent's near Baldwin, WI) and I have an entire day to drive, so I'd like to avoid I-94 (as I've driven it way too many times). I want to see more of the state I grew up in.

I was thinking about Hwy 61 part of the way, maybe Hwy 14, perhaps through Richland Center and Dodgeville. I don't really want to go through Madison or Milwaukee, but I'll probably hop on I-94 once I get to Illinois.

Obviously, the point of taking the scenic route, is to see interesting countryside or points of interest. So, please suggest any good ones! Also, recommendations of good eateries along the way are welcome.

Enjoying the Apostle Islands and Superior Lakeshore

sararah — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:02:55 -0800

Trying to take a long weekend trip to the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. We've only got about 3-4 days up there, so we want to make the most of it. Are we missing out by camping on the mainland? Besides kayaking, any must-do activities in the area? (Especially decent hiking that is easily accessible?) We are trying to keep this trip simple and we don't have overnight backpacks, so we want to car camp on the mainland and do some day hiking/day kayaking/touristy exploring in the area.

The problem is that most of the National Park campsites are on the islands themselves, and transportation to and from the islands is very limited. I have found a few more tent-friendly sites on the mainland, we are looking at Point Detour. Although we'd like to do a day kayak trip, I don't think we've got the gear/endurance to do a multi-day island-to-island paddle. (Someday!) If anyone has been to the area and has suggestions, I'd appreciate it!

Some questions I have:
-Are we missing out by camping on the mainland? I think we are going to try to do a sea caves kayak day trip, or would it be more worthwhile to kayak to an island and hike?

-Are there are any decent hiking trails on the mainland? (Or even south of the area that we could hit on the way down or back?)

-Good restaurants or tourist attractions in the Bayfield area?

-Recommendations for a kayak outfitter? I have found a couple on the web, but I'd welcome personal recommendations.

Dog Friendly Vacation Spot

pieoverdone — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:31:41 -0800

Your recommendations for dog-friendly vacation spots in the midwest! We're looking to take a local, driveable, weekend trip with one of our dogs this summer. She's a mellow Bluetick Hound and loves the outdoors. This would just be a camping/sightseeing/chillout excursion 0-8 hours by car from St. Louis, Missouri. If you know of any camping spots or hotels or just small towns in general that are dog friendly, please tell us.

Discussions about taking dogs on vacation or dogs as family members or dogs in public places are for some other question, not this one. We're looking for places that already specifically accept dogs, not 'maybe I can bring dog here and they're cool with it we hope'.