Several photos from the Fox Valley. Can you identify where these were taken?

Wisconsin Life is a page over at Tumblr with interesting features around the theme of Wisconsin life. Podcasts, recipes, photos, articles, and more. Nice resource for those of us who love this majestic state.

Be sure to check out their photo resources.

I've heard the news about the massive turnout at this year's Christmas Parade, with estimates of around 50,000 participants braving cold weather to watch floats and bands. I'm wondering how I can explain this phenomenon to my friends here in China. They don't seem to have parades here, at least not in Shanghai. Christmas isn't a big tradition either, though it's catching on with merchants. And here in the warm south, where people complain about bitter winter cold that we call early summer in Wisconsin, the idea of standing in the cold for hours to watch something like our parades is truly a foreign concept. Frankly, I'm starting to forget why I enjoyed the parades so much--but I'm sure it will come back to me when I return.

How do I explain to people on the other side of the world what this remarkable Appleton tradition is all about?

Plus, recognizing that the attendance at the parade represents a crowd almost equal to the population of Appleton itself, well, that's pretty impressive.

Labels: parades

One of the things I miss about Appleton, now that I'm away for about a year or so, is the freedom of religion found in Wisconsin, especially the freedom people exercise to venerate their favorite saints. Shown here are two statues of leading saints from Wisconsin's most sacred shrine, Lambeau Field. Saint Vincent of Lombardi and Saint Curly of Lambeau are shown with the appropriate halos around their heads (courtesy of the Miller Beer signs on the stadium behind them--love the angle here).

Labels: Lambeau Field, Packers, religion

Now that we've moved out of Appleton in the Appleton of the Far East, Shanghai, there are a few things I really miss about Appleton, even though I really love Shanghai. The peacefulness and safety of the town is really remarkable. It's so clean with such safe and polite drivers. The air quality and water quality are wonderful--something one can't take for granted in most parts of the world. The abundant musical performances, often free or very inexpensive, reflect a heritage rich in the fine arts and in public sharing of talents. The city offers so many well-organized events such as the farmers' market, numerous parades, arts events, etc.

Appleton's residents are a friendly, happy mix for the most part, with a great "can do" attitude reflecting independence, self-reliance, and a desire to constantly make things better. Appletonians are increasingly diverse and sometimes very vocal about their differing views, but know how to tolerate differences and get along while disagreeing.

Appleton has the virtues one expects from a small Midwestern town with some of the excitement of urban life. Shanghai is overflowing with urban excitement while having a population that is generally friendly, respectful, and honest, making it one of the best large cities to live in. But Appleton has so much to offer as well. If the secret gets out, we might see more Shanghaiese heading to Appleton versus the other way around, but that secret might be hard to translate into Chinese.

Appleton, don't change too much while I'm gone. Hope to see you again in a year or two.

I needed a notary public today. One bank told me that they had notary public services, but only for current customers. I'm a recent but still former customer. Too bad. But my wife heard about North Shore Bank and they solved my problem. North Short Bank on Northland Avenue is open today until 3 pm and offers free notary public services. "But I'm not a customer," I explained. "That's OK," the woman on the phone told me. "We're just really nice." Thanks, North Shore! Their web page is at http://www.northshorebank.com/.

Labels: banks

During my return trip to Appleton, I've had a chance to visit some of my favorite restaurants here. It's been a tad disappointing so far, I'm afraid to say. Perhaps my standards have been elevated by Shanghai and its marvelous restaurants, or perhaps things are starting to slide here. Yesterday, for example, I met some friends at Koreana for lunch and had a dish I've enjoyed many times at many places, including once at Koreana. Bee Bihm Bapp, with rice and veggies and bean paste. The array of veggies was great, but the brown rice was dry and hard to chew. My Chinese friends also complained about it. The ingredients lacked flavor and even the egg was poorly done. I had the tofu version, and the tofu was some of the worst I've ever tasted. Just a real disappointment.

My wife had bulgolki and the meat was dry and not very tender. The other couple didn't seem impressed with their food, either. Too bad!

I (Jeff Lindsay) have been doing the Appleton Blog for about five years now, and have been doing web pages about the Appleton experience since 1994. After nearly 20 years of living in and loving the world's best small town, Appleton, a dramatic change has come into my life. Now I'm in the world best large town--in fact, the world's largest city proper (population of the official city limits excluding suburbs): Shanghai. My last day of work in the Fox Valley was Friday, June 10, and the next morning I was on a plane to Shanghai, where I began work on Monday, June 12. I've accepted a big opportunity to guide intellectual property at a large global company based in China but expanding toward the west, and will be in Shanghai for 1-2 years before returning to the US to help create some jobs in the States.

Walter Reade, a longtime Fox Valley enthusiast, will be taking over this blog, but adding a broader Fox Valley twist. He's a great friend and has sharp insights and lots of great tips, so I hope you'll be back.

Meanwhile, if you come to Shanghai, let me know. We'd love to meet some fellow Fox Valley fans.

My wife and I just moved into a great place with a stunning view. Such a beautiful skyline! Such an amazing place. It's a lot like Appleton, but with a little less snow, a few dozen million more people, and a somewhat different accent. Probably about the same number of Packers fans!

A big adjustment for a small town guy, but I love it. I love the chaos and bustle, the excitement and charm, the thousands of new faces each day and all the adventures on every street.

If you'd like a free car wash, stop by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in Neenah (map and directions) Friday from 10am to 5:45pm.

115 W. Castle Oak Drive, Neenah. (Just south of Copps)

This free car wash is offered as a service to the community by youth ages 14-17 from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Absolutely no donations accepted.

June 18 is a big day: the summer opening of the famous Farmers Market in downtown Appleton. This will run each Saturday morning from June 18 to Oct. 29 , 8 am to 12:30 pm. This lively and entertaining market is one of the quintessential elements of the Appleton experience. Large, friendly, diverse, awesome food, good music, many interesting vendors with zillions of great products, and lots of fun. It's being expanded to cover an additional block of College Avenue, so now it's bigger and better than ever!

According to news from the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, the flags of Wisconsin are at half-mast today in honor of a hero from Appleton, Wisconsin. Here's the announcement:

Flags lowered to half-staff in Wisconsin Thursday for Army Staff Sergeant Matthew Hermanson

Date: May 11, 2011

Flags at Wisconsin National Guard armories, air bases and other facilities across the state will fly at half-staff Thursday (May 12) in honor of Army Staff Sgt. Matthew D. Hermanson of Appleton, Wis., who lost his life while serving his country in Afghanistan. The Guard will render these honors in accordance with an executive order issued by Gov. Scott Walker.

EXECUTIVE ORDER # 28 reads:

Relating to a Proclamation that the Flag of the United States and the Flag of the State of Wisconsin be Flown at Half-Staff as a Mark of Respect for Staff Sergeant Matthew D. Hermanson of the United States Army Who Lost His Life While Serving His Country During Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan

WHEREAS, on April 28, 2011, Staff Sergeant Matthew D. Hermanson, a member of 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Polk, Louisiana, United States Army, died while serving his country in Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Matthew D. Hermanson provided faithful and honorable service to the people of the State of Wisconsin and the people of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the people of Wisconsin mourn the death of Staff Sergeant Matthew D. Hermanson; and

WHEREAS, a memorial service will be held for Staff Sergeant Matthew D. Hermanson on May 12, 2011;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SCOTT WALKER, Governor of the State of Wisconsin, by the authority vested in me by Federal and State law, do hereby order that the flag of the United States and the flag of the State of Wisconsin shall be flown at half-staff at all buildings, grounds, and military installations of the State of Wisconsin equipped with such flags beginning at sunrise on Thursday, May 12, 2011, and ending at sunset on that date.

After driving by it many times, I finally tried the Mexican restaurant in downtown Menasha, Mi Casa on 14 Tayco Street, near the intersection with Main Street. Wow! The pleasant decor and friendly service raised my expectations right away, and they were met and exceeded with the food. My first time there I had their famous fish tacos, one of my favorite Mexican meals. It's easy to make fish tacos bland or to overcook the fish, but at Mi Casa the fish was perfect and the tacos were flavorful and delicious. The corn tortillas were prepared just right, at least for my tastes. I was also delighted to have horchata, the Mexican rice drink that I love. Most Mexican restaurants in the Valley don't offer horchata, and some that do just use a mass-produced powder mix instead of making it themselves. Mi Casa's horchata is homemade and delicious.

My second time there I made a stunning discovery: they offer Oaxaca-style tamales, an unusual tamale steamed inside banana leaves with a completely different texture and intriguing flavor. I've been searching for that kind of tamale since I encountered them in southern Mexico in 2009 during an innovation-related business trip in Veracruz State. The search is over! I'll be back for sure. These were absolutely delicious.

The chef is actually from Veracruz State in Mexico, a southern area on the Atlantic coast that is famed for its great seafood and flavorful dishes. It's close to Oaxaca, which may explain the Oaxacan influence. I love both Veracruz- and Oaxaca-style food.

The chips and salsa are OK, but they don't include the bean dip that is popular in many local Mexican restaurants. I miss the bean dip, but their homemade tortilla chips are among the best in the Valley.

Give Mi Casa a try and tell them that a tall crazy gringo sent you. They'll know who you mean.

Mi Casa: 14 Tayco Street, Menasha, WI 54952. Phone: (920) 720-3600.

Labels: Mexican, restaurants, tamales

Hundreds of Wisconsin entrepreneurs will attend NEW END:
One day event for start-up businesses to focus on creativity and networking

On Wednesday, June 22, 2011, hundreds of entrepreneurs will join together in a one day event to celebrate innovation and job creation in the "New North" of Wisconsin. Northeast Wisconsin Entrepreneur Networking Day—or NEW END—takes place at Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, WI. The event is dedicated to the specific needs of entrepreneurs and small business owners by packing networking, education, and collaboration into one day.

This is the seventh year for the influential business meeting which has been attended by hundreds of entrepreneurs annually. NEW END features nationally known author, speaker and entrepreneur, Barry Moltz, who will conduct a workshop specifically designed to get business “un-stuck.” Moltz has been a featured speaker at NEW END in the past, but this year’s event will provide more one-on-one learning with Moltz.

“Entrepreneurs are not used to taking the easy path,” Moltz said. “But when they get stuck either in an existing business or a new venture, sometimes they just need to change perspective—that’s what this workshop will do,” Moltz said.

NEW END is sponsored by the FVTC Venture Center, the leading entrepreneur center in Northeast Wisconsin. In the last five years. The Venture Center has helped launch more than 200 businesses through the E-seed and Pro-Seed programs. Executive Director Amy Pietsch says this event is not only popular with entrepreneurs, but is a critical element of their business plan.

“For years, one of the most popular events at NEW END has been the ability to network in person with other entrepreneurs and business resources,” Pietsch said. “Entrepreneurs who attend will connect with the people and information they need to be successful.”

New for NEW END 2011, the “Pop-up-Pitch.” Entrepreneurs may register to be part of this competition in which they could win $2500 by telling a panel of judges in only 60-seconds who they are, what their business is, and how they will use the $2500 to advance their enterprise. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to come prepared for the “Pop-up-Pitch”. A limited number of registrants will be presenting their ideas in front of the entire NEW END conference and are urged to register early.

“Start-ups are constantly pitching their business idea to investors, partners or lending institutions,” Pietsch said. This is a fresh, creative way for them to hone their pitch into a short, specific message.”

In addition to the Pop-up-Pitch, NEW END 2011 will feature:

• Day long workshop with Barry Moltz
• Afternoon Networking session with business owners and other entrepreneurs
• Taste of Entrepreneurship featuring area food entrepreneurs and their finest fare

Cost for the day-long workshop with Barry Moltz is $100/person; attendance is limited. Cost for the evening NEW END networking, Pop-up-Pitch and Taste of Entrepreneurship event is $39/person. To register, please visit www.newend.biz or www.venturecenterwi.biz.


# # # # # # # #

MEDIA ADVISORY:
Barry Moltz is available via phone for personal interviews. Visit his website for more information www.barrymoltz.com

The Venture Center can provide interviews with regional entrepreneurs who have been involved in NEW END.

For more information, contact Mary Schmidt, mkschmidt at centurytel.net, 920-284-7165

This information is cross-posted at SharpIP.com (Sharp Innovation).

Labels: business, entrepreneurs, events, innovation, NEW North

As reported by the Post-Crescent, Kimberly-Clark Corp. was justed named among the Top 100 Companies to Work For in 2011 by Savoy Magazine. Factors considered in making this award included management philosophy, communication, career opportunities and diversity outreach. I spent 13 years at Kimberly-Clark and have to agree with that assessment. I found a wonderful climate and many terrific opportunities inside that company. May they continue to do well. Congrats, Kimberly-Clark!

Kimberly-Clark, of course, is one of the largest employers in the Fox Valley.

Labels: careers, jobs

A sidebar on digitally printed labels in Food and Beverage Packaging magazine highlights Carmella's bottled marinara sauce and describes the work for Directions, Inc. in creating the high-end label. Interesting to see the technology and design choices that went into the label for their product.

The article, which I ran into just through the course of my reading related to green packaging and innovation topics for work, reminds me of the great food Carmella's offers. One of Appleton's finest places. Yes, I'm hungry as I write this....

The Appleton Blog welcomes Green Gecko, a high-end grocer and deli, to the Appleton scene. Green Gecko is in the City Center Mall at the very heart of Appleton on College Avenue. Enter from College Avenue and they are on your left, a prominent location. Looks like a great place for imported cheeses, good meats, and many delicacies. I've seen Green Gecko in Madison--not sure if they have other outlets in the State. I hope they do well. Good food is never out of style.

Parted ways with the Black and Tan Grille tonight on a slightly disappointing note. Took my wife there for what I hoped would be a special night out, the first time there in several years. The signature Black and Tan steak was tender, yes, but with little flavor. Ditto for my rack of lamb--there ought to be some kind of seasoning on it, in my view. Neither had the basic flavor I get when grilling meat even on a simple gas grill, not to mention what ought to be added with a little seasoning. Probably due to my lack of sophistication when it comes to red meat, of course.

Both dishes were rather cold. Mine was cold enough that I sent it back--it really wasn't very palatable at just slightly above room temperature. OK, it was medium rare, so it can't be flaming hot throughout--but it can be warm. I had just taken a little bite from two or three of the pieces of meat on my plate and expected to see all of my meal brought back after a few seconds of reheating. But after a surprisingly long wait, I received only a fraction of my meal back in a small bowl. The sections of lamb that I had sampled were apparently discarded. My three or four pieces of lamb were now replaced with one small, pristine piece.

The small bowl of hot au gratin potatoes was gone--I hadn't finished it (the tastiest part of the meal, frankly, and the only thing that was actually hot). The person who brought the food to my table said he had "refired" the vegetables also, but everything was still on the cold side. The veggies seemed cold, and the meat only marginally warmer. Instead of the large slightly warm plate my food had been on, it was now piled into a small, cold bowl. This was really surprising. I just stared at it in surprise for a while and tried to figure out what they were thinking. What happened to my food?

It was hard to cut the remaining food in the highly curved little bowl it was in, so I had to put it on the bread plate, but the whole thing made me frustrated that I had chosen to go there. The manager came by, astutely noticing I hadn't eaten much of the scraps they returned. I didn't want to complain but he probed. I finally asked what happened to the rest of the meal, though I wasn't really interested in having more uninteresting food at that point. I didn't want to say much about it--simply a misunderstanding, a little mistake, no big deal, but when you visit a place for the first time or the first time in years, that one experience is pretty much the only deal. Too bad.

Fortunately, they deducted the price of my lamb from the bill. I had about 3 bites of it. Didn't take it out on the waiter, who was fairly good, but I'm still just really surprised at how a classy place can fall so flat. at least this time.

While there, I learned that this will be the last week of the Black and Tan Grille. They are changing to an Italian restaurant, something "Vita," keeping the current chef. I hope they do well--and keep the food warm, please. They could also improve the decor. It's nice, but too dark, and the fully exposed 50W bulb right over the table is a poor illumination choice. Like the meat, it lacked appeal. I hope it's better when the lights come up on the new place. Italian? Sounds good to me. Let's give them a chance.

By the way, I got a nastygram recently decrying my taste in steak, arguing that I'm hopeless if I like a low-class place like Texas Roadhouse. So, to redeem myself, I tried some red meat at one of Appleton's classier establishments tonight. Sorry, but I would have been much better fed and happier at Texas Roadhouse. Yes, I know it's not the top end of steak, but it's always palatable, warm, and has a touch of flavor. I also like Lombardi's for steak, when someone else is paying. Sometimes less expensive places offer pretty darn good food without a lot of pretense. Bennigan's is another place like that. Yes, I like their food and have enjoyed my couple of visits there.

Labels: restaurants, review, steak

UPDATE: We have an instant winner: Ben Miller of Appleton. Way to go, Ben!


Apparently my latest mystery photo contest was too difficult, so I'm offering some clues and relaxing the rules. Now you will win instantly if you can identify just 4 of the photos. You have until April 15.

Here are some scattered clues: Bowling is featured. "RK" comes from a short word in downtown Menasha. A furniture store is shown. Spock's home. Good place for kids in Appleton. Downtown mural.

Win the prizes and get your answers in.

The Mayor's Office of Appleton has released their Diversity Breakdown for Appleton. Actually, there isn't a breakdown at all: Appleton is making strong progress in diversity. Minority populations now account for 15% of Appleton. compared to 2% in 1980, 4% in 1990, and 9% in 1990, based on census data.

In 2010, Appleton's population of 72,623 people had 5.9% from Asian and the Pacific Islands (dominated by our Hmong population from southeast Asia), 5% Hispanic/Latino, 1.6% African or African American, and 1.7% representing two or more races.

Much of the Hispanic population comes from Mexico. Interestingly, one state in Mexico seems to be very highly represented: Guanjuato. I base this just on my personal experiences: so many Spanish-speakers that I meet in the area say they are from there. I've also got a lot of friends with roots in the beautiful city of Puebla, Mexico, famous for its many churches and church festivals.

I'm allegedly part Mohawk, just a minuscule fraction, though one of my Oneida Indian friends says he can see it in my face and the way I walk. Is he just flattering me? The Oneida Indian Tribe of Wisconsin is the major source of Native American roots in this area, though a variety of tribes are represented.

I think Appleton has become much more comfortable with diversity in the past decade or two. May that continue. It really is a fabulous place to live, one where I hope people from all cultures and races will feel welcome and warmly greeted, no matter how cold it may get some days.

UPDATE, April 5: We have an instant winner! Congratulations to Ben Miller of Appleton!

UPDATE: Contest extended to April 15. Rules relaxed: now you will win instantly if you can identify just 4 of the photos. To help, here are some scattered clues: Bowling is featured. "RK" comes from a short word in downtown Menasha. A furniture store is shown. Spock's home. Good place for kids in Appleton. Downtown mural.

Sorry this one was so hard!

It's time for another Appleton Mystery Photos Contest, expanded to include other parts of the Fox Valley such as Menasha and Neenah (in this contest). Here are 10 photos. The contest ends March 22. The first one to identify the locations of all 10 photos, or the one with the most correct answers by March 22, will win $20 credit at Affordable Rare Coins of Appleton (402 W. Northland Ave., Appleton, WI 54911), a great place to explore history, learn about real money, and prepare for the ravages of inflation. You can pick up some nice silver coins for $20 with no need to purchase more, but I suggest you do. In addition to $20 at Affordable Rare Coins, you'll also win your choice of either a free copy of my book, Conquering Innovation Fatigue (by Jeff Lindsay, Cheryl Perkins and Mukund Karanjikar, John Wiley & Sons, 2009) or, if don't enjoy top-notch business books, then an 8x10 print of one of my Fox Valley photos that you select. Not to mention fame and glory. Send submissions by email with "MYSTERY PHOTO CONTEST" as the subject. Send them to jeff at magicinnovation d0t com and copy your submissions to jeff at jefflindsay d0t com for good measure.

If you've won in the past, feel free to win again! We've got some good photo sleuths out there and I don't consider this contest to be especially difficult, so act fast to win.

As with most of my photos on this blog, you can click to enlarge.

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The great people at Franklin Street Inn asked for some of my photography help in making their new video about the Fox Valley and their inn. They provided the photos of their establishment, but many of the photos of the Appleton area and beyond come from my ever growing collection of Fox Valley photos.



For even more, why not visit Appleton's Glass Nickel Pizza, where you'll see my photos from the Valley mounted on their walls, including my famous psychedelic train photo. Please be sure to tell them that Jeff the photographer sent you. If you like any of the photos hanging there, you can buy them. Contact me at jeff at magicinnovation d0t com and jeff at jefflindsay dot com.

Recently I had a little time before my wife dropped me off at the airport to catch a flight, so I surprised her by stopping at Carmella's for a lite meal. Perfection! We tried a cappicola panini and their soup of the day (had sausage and potatoes in a light white base--a hearty country dish). Both were just scrumptious. Plus wonderful bread. What I really liked about the panini was the flavor of the cheese, a rich Italian cheese called Tallegio that is hard to find but very good. Has a rich flavor that might remind you of brie.

At Carmella's, they really get food. Probably my favorite place at the moment. We were there at around 4 pm on a weekday. Not crowded at all and service was brisk. The panini was $11 and the soup was $4. Not bad at all.