Interview with Moosejaw Pizza & Dells Brewing Co. brewmaster - Jamie Baertsch

For the past decade Moosejaw Pizza and Brewery has been the home to the Dells only microbrewery. Serving ten different styles of hand-crafted beer at all times, keeping both visitors and locals alike coming back often for the chance to drink beer that is extremely fresh.

Jamie Baertsch, who holds the title as the “Only Female Brewmaster in Wisconsin,” is the one to bring Moosejaw’s beer to fruition, and was gracious to spend a few hours showing me the process of brewing, as well as letting me sample some of her delicious liquid wares.

MOOSEJAW PIZZA AND DELLS BREWING COMPANY

COMING SOON!

www.dellsmoosejaw.com

DELLS BUCKET LIST #11 - Going behind-the-scenes of TOMMY BARTLETT EXPLORATORY

It’s not every day you have 100,000 volts of static electricity shot through your body, get to see your shadow frozen in time upon a wall, and have a sense of what it was like to be on the Russian Space Station Mir, but all of these cool and unique sensations were experienced during my recent behind-the-scenes visit to The Tommy Bartlett Exploratory.

Interview with Sr. V.P. & Director of Operations for Tommy Bartlett Explorartory - Mark Schilling

Mark Schilling has worked for Tommy Bartlett, Inc. for over forty years. Starting off parking cars and operating the snack bar for the famous ski show, Mark is now vice president and director of operations for the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory - but will still pitch a hand in doing his originally duties whenever needed. Almost kid-like in his joy of working at a place that is filled with wonder, Mark was gracious to spend a couple hours giving me a tour of the facilities and impart some entertaining stories, as well as some of its long history.

TOMMY BARTLETT EXPLORATORY

COMING SOON!

 

www.tommybartlett.com

DELLS BUCKET LIST #10 - Going behind-the-scenes of DENNY'S DINER

Eating a meal next to a telephone booth that has a Superman mannequin inside, or with a life-sized gorilla riding a motorbike hanging above you from the ceiling, is not something you’ll get to experience at your average everyday restaurant. Luckily, if you want to eat breakfast or lunch while getting some fun sensory stimuli, you’ll find that the Lake Delton mainstay Denny’s Diner is the perfect place to visit - as it is anything but average.

Interview with Denny's Diner owner & son - Molly Van Schoyck and Chad Van Schoyck

Visitors and locals alike know and love the one-of-a-kind restaurant in Lake Delton that's called Denny's Diner. Owned for over thirty years by Dennis and Molly Van Schoyck, what started off as a simple deli has transformed over the years into a diner that now houses an eclectic collection of items ranging from the nostalgic and historical, to the silly and absurd. Recently I had the pleasure to sit down with Molly and her son Chad to learn about the history of the diner, as well as how the unique décor came to be.

DENNY'S DINER

COMING SOON!

DELLS BUCKET LIST #9 - Going behind-the-scenes of RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

Holding someone’s head in the palm of my hand, especially one detached from their body and shrunken down to the size of a coconut, is something I know I’ll never forget.

This admittedly freaky occurrence took place recently during my behind-the-scenes tour of downtown’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “Odditorium,” where getting to hold a few of their authentic shrunken heads was one of the many highlights.

RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

COMING SOON!

www.conceptattractions.com

DELLS BUCKET LIST #8 - Going behind-the-scenes of WIZARD QUEST

They’re aren’t too many afternoons when one can say they experienced what it’s like to be inside the middle of a tornado, swam through a tunnel of plastic balls, and ate popcorn that tastes like beer, but all these out of the ordinary occurrences took place during my latest Dells Bucket List adventure - when I visited the 4D Special F/X Theater, Wizard Quest, and Oodlesmack Gourmet Popcorn.

Interview with Concept Attractions, Inc. President Kevin Ricks and General Manager Jim Gehrke

Spending a couple hours recently interviewing the minds behind Concept Attractions, Inc. was an entertaining, as well as highly educational experience that truly was inspiring. Kevin, along with his wife Corena Ricks, are owners of the successful downtown Wisconsin Dells businesses: Wizard Quest, Ripley's Believe It or Not, Dells 4D Theater, The Point, along with the recently opened Oodlesmack Popcorn shop, all of which are helped managed by Jim and Kelly Jo Gehrke. I’d like to thank both Kevin and Jim for taking time to share their behind-the-scenes stories and knowledge.

WIZARD QUEST

COMING SOON!

www.wizardquest.net

DELLS BUCKET LIST #7 - Going behind-the-scenes of RIVERSIDE & GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY

The famous phrase “I-Think-I-Can-I-Think-I-Can” was one that went through my head many nights as a child while drifting off to sleep after my mother read me the classic tale The Little Engine That Could. While I most likely haven’t thought of that saying in over of thirty years, it was the first thing that popped into my head the morning I recently went behind-the-scenes of the Riverside and Great Northern Railway for my latest Dells Bucket List adventure.

Interview with Riverside & Great Northern Railway members Bernie Hotzel and Steve Bradley

Getting to spend a morning going behind-the-scenes of such a unique place like the Riverside and Great Northern Railway is something I'll always remember. This learning experience was greatly enhanced by the preservation society member Bernie Hotzel and Steve Bradley, who kindly took the time to answer some of my many questions.

RIVERSIDE AND GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY

COMING SOON!

 

www.randgn.com

DELLS BUCKET LIST #6 - Going behind-the-scenes of CAPONE'S THE ORIGINAL OLD TIME PICTURE STUDIO

I can honestly say I never dreamed I’d be caught wearing a pair of cowboy chaps or even boots for that matter, but recently I was somehow convinced to be dressed in both of these Old West standbys in spite of knowing a camera was pointed in my direction.

Interview with Capone's The Old Time Picture Studio owner & son - Peggy Anderson and Jason Oksanan

Visitors to the Dells have been getting Old Time pictures taken of themselves at various studios around town for nearly four decades, but the oldest of the bunch is Capone’s The Original Old Time Picture Studio. It’s a place where you can fulfill your fantasy to dress up as a cowboy, gangster, or to wear Civil War and Victorian era costumes and not feel too silly while doing so. Owner Peggy Anderson and her son Jason Oksanan recently took the time to tell me a little about their unique business, and why they feel their studio is the best.

CAPONE'S ORIGINAL OLD TIME PICTURE STUDIO

COMING SOON!

 

 www.ootps.com

DELLS BUCKET LIST #5 - Going behind-the-scenes of JEREMY ALLEN'S GRAND ILLUSIONS

Getting stared down by two white tigers from just a few feet away is not something I recommend for the faint-hearted, but after spending a recent evening backstage going behind-the-scenes of Jeremy Allen’s Grand Illusions show, the sensation that I could become tiger dinner is something I won’t ever forget.