Winter Getaway

WHITE ROSE INN REDUX (posted Mar 5, 2012)

Contributors to this review include Goldie and Dean Zarnoth, Ginger Carney, Dennis and Jane Schmidt, Jim and Joanne Tuckwood, Toni Thomas.

Five couples jump-started the weekend by arriving on Friday. Dinner was at Monk’s, locally famous for their burgers and fish fry. Squashed into a booth meant for smaller people, it was a good thing club members like each other! How close were we? Close enough to eat off each others’ plates. After dinner there was plenty of time to catch up and play games. The unlikely pair of Denny Schmidt and Toni Thomas kicked butt in a rousing game of “Wits and Wisdom”. (Cheating is suspected by Ginger Carney, but not proven). The guys even stayed up past midnight. Topic of conversation? You guessed it…..there is never not something to say about Miatas.

Despite the beguiling ambiance of the White Rose Inn (many of the beautifully decorated rooms had hot tubs!), several of the ladies ventured out to a local crafts consignment shop Saturday morning, where they did their best to support the local economy. Ginger Carney and Toni Thomas braved the February breezes to enjoy a stroll along the Riverwalk, before all returned to the Inn. As the afternoon progressed, five more couples joined the party. Everyone brought snacks to pass and the rest of the day was spent snacking, drinking, relaxing, enjoying good conversations and the view of the Wisconsin River and stone bluffs of the Dells from the enclosed porch of the Sherman House. Participants were especially enthusiastic about the limburger cheese (!) and the yummy white chocolate/peanut butter bars.

Dinner was at Rivers Edge. Once again they made special placemats for The Badgerland Miata Club, with a picture of a Miata, the State of Wisconsin, and all of our names listed. Nice touch! Rivers Edge is known for its prime rib and Toni Thomas reports she could hear Jim Tuckwood’s prime rib mooing. Upon our return to the Inn, we celebrated Tom Cinaelis’ birthday with birthday cake. The group engaged in some good-natured Tom torture by trying to get Tom to talk before he finished his cake. Who knew Joanne Tuckwood could be such a relentless tease?

Breakfast at the White Rose Inn is vegetarian, and the Sunday morning breakfast “sausage” was not a big hit with our carnivores. The other food choices, including quiche, croissants and cinnamon toast, were delicious and quite special, homemade and all served with fresh fruit. Departures occurred throughout the morning, although there was time before check out time to enjoy some last porch lingering. We weren’t the only ones impressed with the view, a young couple who had eloped wanted the marriage ceremony on the porch that afternoon.

Dean and Goldie Zarnoth (no longer B&B virgins) perhaps summed up the weekend best; they said “We really did enjoy our first B&B experience, but without friends it probably would not have been that much fun. We definitely would go back and will check out other bed and breakfasts when we vacation this year.” And from the Tuckwoods, “Our 2nd annual gathering at the Dells was a huge success; we exchanged information, smart talk, limberger and goat cheese. Join us next year.”