Really Neat Stuff

Kroner's True Value Hardware on Pearl Street is one of the few original businesses remaining in downtown La Crosse. It has that old-fashioned feel with creaking wooden floors and tall ceilings. The original tile sign above the door also has great Art Deco typography typical of the 1930s. It carries just about every type of hardware, paint, or tool you might need, along with lots of great cookware for the gourmet chef.

Since La Crosse is a cradle of Norwegian heritage, they also carry some wonderful Scandinavian cooking supplies. (See window display below.) Lefse is a very popular soft Norwegian flat bread made from potatoes -quite similar to a flour tortilla- and you must have very specific items to make it. Kroner's is the local go-to place to buy the required potato ricer, lefse iron, rolling mat, and flat "turning stick" needed to create this tasty staple found on dinner tables from Thanksgiving through Easter. We are purists and just roll it up with butter and use it in place of dinner rolls, but some people enjoy rolling it up with cinnamon-sugar for breakfast or dessert.

It's April, yet note the poor little gold Christmas ornament forgotten at the bottom of the display in this photo? (Hey! I think I actually want that stainless colander!)

Just Kidding

One of the many shops in downtown Waukesha is a fun spot simply called the 'Joke Shop.' A great place for Halloween and other party items, it shows an array of wares in their front window (below.)

Allo Chocolate

Every Saturday morning during the warmer months of the year Waukesha has a farmer's market. I didn't have my camera on me when we walked through this week, but afterwards we stopped by the car and I picked it up before we wandered around the shops in the old-fashioned downtown area. 'Allo Chocolate' is one of the local establishments that we visited. Trying to choose something from all their options (see below) was a difficult, yet delicious, decision. (We ultimately chose a Macadamia Nut Truffle and a Mint Meltaway.) We will be back!

Tattoo You

Anyone wanting to "get ink done" or have their belly button pierced in Pewaukee will need to visit Lakeside Tattoo over by the lake. A little bit scary, walking down that dark stairway to the shop, but chances are you have already decided to live a little bit dangerously if you're here in the first place...