Calderwood Lodge

Luck, WI

As the sun sets over Bone lake, we drive down a lonely dirt road to a nice quiet chalet on a frozen lake - and are nearly hit by a golf cart that is driving on the wrong side of the road!  (Now looking back, perhaps this may have been an omen to go back now - or perhaps just a run-in with a crazy golf cart driver.)

We pull up and hooray - the open sign is ON!  For some, this is a third attempt to visit the Calderwood Lodge Supper Club.

The Calderwood is situated on beautiful land nestled up to the lake.  The building's foundation was hand-built with rocks collected from the property. Once a retreat center in the 1920's, the Calderwood was known for its healing lithium springs.  Like many of the Northeastern Wisconsin supper clubs, there are reports that gangsters visited here - Capone and Dillinger.

Last time we were here, there was no snow on the ground and we walked up the creaky front stairs to peer in the window.  Looking in, it was dark and surreal, almost like an abandoned theme park.





If you visit, you might call ahead and have a back up plan just in case.  Like many supper clubs, the posted hours are not always dependable.

Walking in the front door, above is a rotating chandler.  I remember something similar in the state fair's haunted house.  Oddly eerie, but fun, it adds to the unique ambiance of the place.

I'm waiting for Vincent Price's voice to come on over the loud speaker and then - I realize the haunted house is more like a fun house.  It is hard to know what to focus on first!  There are so many things to look at - stuffed animals (some once alive some never), a train of liquor decanters, electronic Santas, angels,  coconut monkeys with glowing eyes, parrots and Ernie the life-sized mechanical sheriff.  



 

It is hard to imagine that there were MORE decorations up in this place at one time, as I we see a line of half-packed rubber storage bins along the wall of the bar.





As you can imagine, the service is good at a place like this - in the middle of nowhere.  We sit at the bar and order cocktails.  The gentleman behind the counter says he is the owner and begins to tell us stories of Charlie Calder - the original builder and proprietor.  He hand-built this lodge in the early 1900's out of materials from his 720 acres.  The ceiling joists above are the hand peeled logs that Charlie dragged through the woods himself.





Behind the bar (now mostly covered up) are slices of logs and branches meticulously mosaiced in place.  It's quite amazing craftsmanship actually and I am anxious to explore more. 





The staff is nice enough to let us explore upstairs, so we venture up the 100+ year old stairs.  Leading up are windows to the second floor displaying some interesting 50's nautical artwork. 

It's clear that a renovation of the second floor must have occurred at some point as there are some more modern fixtures and roof facades - giving it a German beer garden feel. It is hard to imagine that this is once where the guest rooms were located that housed gangsters.  Spirits are looming.

Heading back down, you can see that the dining room can accommodate large groups.  This trip, we didn't have a chance to sample anything from the menu, but next time,  I'm ordering the house specialty beer cheese soup.  Other items on the menu include steaks, seafood, burgers and the "famous" roast beef sandwich with swiss, mushrooms and horseradish sauce.

A mama possum and her baby peeking out from from the woodwork.

"Ernie" is there to greet you with his stuffed bunny rabbit the next time you visit!

Oh, and don't mind the way-to-realistic looking stuffed shih tzu curled up by the fireplace.

Ratings (out of 5)
Food | N/A this trip
Ambiance | 5 for Charlie's hardwork and the stuffed dead dog
Service | 5
Relish Tray | 0
Entertainment | 0
Creepy Vibe | 5

HobNob

Racine, WI

After about a gallon of frozen custard, we headed south 30 minutes from Milwaukee to a quiet little spot down by the lake.  

HobNob's building structure and sign are absolutely stunning displays of modern design set by picturesque Lake Michigan.

The electric sign buzzes and pops!

The lake is right there like you could reach out and grab it.

Inside, not much of the original 1954 design remains. The current interior is a mix of 70's sleaze and 90's Designing Women. It is not unpleasant, but the exterior is so great that you expect modernism inside too!

At the back of the building, facing the lake is a long bar overlooking the bar. Above the bar/cocktail lounge is a kidney bean shaped vaulted ceiling with an inset of colored lights! 

I lived in Duluth many years and wished so bad to have a bar like this overlooking the lake. 

The ambiance in the lakeside lounge with the glow of the ceiling lights and the sun going down sets the mood for any swanky supper.

Its dark and cozy in the cocktail lounge - but there is a slight gaudy factor looming.  All around though, this is a quality joint.  I am not complaining - the ceiling and the view are amazing!

Exploring the offshoot rooms, we searched for scraps from 50s past. 

A SUPER sparkly gold coat check counter.  Very 50s!

And this lady...

The front room bar area has cushy vinyl booths and a nice little bar leading to another room of banked booths. On a Saturday night, the front room is dead - no surprise. When you have the option of viewing the lake in the back cocktail lounge, why would you bother?

The current menu has been revamped and is fairly upscale - especially for the area.  It is much higher class than your standard supper club grub.  I caught a glance of this 1950's menu.  Similar to Pandl's it once featured a friday fish fry and german pancakes.

As we headed out, we took time to notice the details of the front entry way.  What better way to welcome or send off your guests than a warm fire!  They really had it together in the 50's.

Ratings (out of 5)
Food | 4 very quality but not very supper club like
Ambiance | 5 for the super mod exterior and gorgeous bar
Service | 4
Relish Tray | 0
Entertainment | 0
Lake Affect | 5

Jack Pandl's Inn

Milwaukee, WI

Last weekend we took a trip to Milwaukee, WI, otherwise known as sausage, cheese and beer town - or the land of Supper Clubs. On the way there, we mapped "supper club" and found that we were surrounded by little red pins. There is more exploration to be done down the line, but the next two posts are a start!

Driving through Whitefish Bay, we came across a old log Inn as were winding around a bend headed to the lake. Intrigued, we pulled in. While not specifically labeled a supper club, this place was a supper club long before supper clubs came along.

Established in 1915, this Inn has been through four generations and the Pandel family still owns and operates it. It is said to be the oldest remaining restaurant in Milwaukee County.

Imagine this patio by the fireplace on a summer evening!

We walked in through a small entry - turned photo gallery, dining room, and headed for a beautiful old world bar. German steins, elves, antlers and rich dark woodwork adorn the room from head to toe. They don't make 'em like this anymore!

Look at these jolly little elves go to work!

The ship figurehead chandeliers are exceptionally wonderful.

As we were enjoying our old fashioneds, bartender Mario was filling us in on the Inn's history and his history as a bartender. He worked at the Tiki Lounge on 5th and Rogers back in the 70s (the lounge is no longer there - because believe me - we would have checked it out). Mario continued to tell stories and then brought the most delicious garlic toast followed by swiss cheese horseradish (!) spread and a shot of booze that tasted 100 years old!

We only had snacks at Pandel's, but we glanced at the menu and it looked pretty good - a mixture of German and Wisconsin delicacies. I'm still regretting not ordering the whitefish cakes.

One item on the menu in particular caught my attention - the schaum torte - a Milwaukee favorite and something my grandma would make.  Then I thought to myself - hey wait, this place is oddly familiar. Interestingly enough, when I got home I found out that Pandl's was my great grandma's favorite restaurant and I was there when I was small.  I just had the feeling when I was there that the place was really familiar - and it was.

Ratings (out of 5)
Food | 5
Ambiance | 5
Service | 5
Relish Tray | 0
Entertainment | 0
Old World Vibe | 5

Turk's Inn - Take 3

Hayward, MN

Third pilgrimage to Turk's with friend visiting from Colorado.  This post is mostly a photo essay to document more of the details inside -- and out.

Surprisingly realistic sculptures!

Outdoor taxidermy collection.

We were told that these are the pens where George would keep his exotic birds and animals.  A guy at the bar who used to work for George in the 70's said there was a donkey that they would ride around the property - sometimes at night after a few cocktails.

 The "Black Sea" behind Turk's (Namekagon river).  A beautiful site.

Crazy off-kilter bridge that leads to a island - something right out of a fairy-tale.

 

 

We were told that these birds were once "pets" kept in the outdoor cages.

Portraits of the stunningly beautiful Marge still adorn the dining rooms as if she is still keeping watch.  The last time we visited (in summer 2012) we were told that Marge's health was not good as she was suffering from a bad spell of pneumonia.