While Appleton has been recognized as one of the safest and most wholesome communities in the United States, the community is currently dealing with the tragedy of two murders in one week. One of the victims was a young man I have known for several years, Ben Graves. See the Post-Crescent story. He was shot in a scuffle with a couple of drug dealers, it appears, over an argument about half an ounce of marijuana. What a terrible waste of life for something so senseless. In a story I am less familiar with, another victim was shot on Olson Avenue. I've heard it may have been a man shooting his girlfriend, but am not sure.

Two murders in one week. What tragedy for the families involved and for the whole community. Small town America is not nearly so calm and peaceful as we once imagined.

Labels: Appleton, crime, Fox Valley, violence

Since we have a wedding coming up, we've been thinking about places in the Fox Valley that would be ideal for a reception. At the top of our list the charming Franklin Street Inn, and after a phone call today with the very gracious and helpful owner, I wanted to share our extreme satisfaction with that facility based on a previous wedding reception for one of our sons there. In spite of extensive remodeling and updating, this beautiful home still preserves the charm from yesteryear in the heart of downtown Appleton. The wedding couple enjoyed the reception and the chance to stay at the Inn, and our guests were also delighted with the charm and beauty of the place.

I understand it may be on the market, if you are looking for a high-quality home with classic charm. It's the kind of place that I think I'd enjoy living in.

Labels: Appleton, facilities, Fox Valley, historic buildings, homes, receptions, rentals, weddings

For the significant Paper Industry International Hall of Fame annual awards ceremony this week, two representatives from China are coming to Appleton to receive a significant award on behalf of China, as I mentioned in my last post. What I failed to mention is the selection of the place where they will be greeted by some members of the Chinese community and the business community for a special luncheon. Working with the local Chinese community, I asked for a recommendation for a good place to provide some great Chinese food. My initial though was Confucius Chinese, where we did something similar several years ago, but it has closed recently. Sigh. But the Fox Valley is blessed with a lot of good Chinese and broader Asian restaurants. So which one to choose for an event of international significance?

The final choice, aided by input from a key figure in the Valley's Chinese community, was GingeRootz Asian Grille. On my page of dining recommendations for Appleton and the Fox Valley, I have awarded it with "Webmaster's Choice: Best Asian" (a tie).

GingeRootz is a classy place with outstanding Asian food. Its menu has influences from China, Thailand, Korea and Japan. Brilliant flavors, excellent service, pleasant setting. Among Asian restaurants in our region of Wisconsin, GingeRootz has a great reputation and really great food.  A favorite among many people I know. They also have one of the nicest and most useful websites I've seen for a restaurant.

They are open daily from 11:00 AM to 9:30 (10:00 on Fridays and Saturdays). 2920 N Ballard Road, Appleton, WI 54911. Phone. 920-738-9688. Email. info at gingerootz.com. Tell them Jeff sent you!

Labels: Appleton, Asian, Chinese, dining, Fox Valley, wisconsin

On October 15, 2015, Appleton's Paper Industry International Hall of Fame will be inducting six new figures into the hall of fame. One of them is a historical figure from China who can be considered China's answer to Gutenberg. Gutenberg is frequently cited in the West as one of the most important inventors of all time for giving us the world's first book printed with movable type, a remarkable achievement from around 1455. As with many inventions long thought to have had European origins, there's a touch of Eastern flavor in this one, for Gutenberg's Bible cam 142 years after the world's first mass-produced printed book made with movable type, the large Book of Farming (Nong Shu) from China, printed in 1313 by Wang Zhen.

Wang Zhen was a Chinese official who recognized that vast amounts of agricultural technology scattered across China needed to be preserved to help all of China reduce famine and be more productive. He took a Chinese invention, movable type, and improved upon it to make a practical way to print an entire book. He used carved wooden blocks for each character, and developed a sophisticated way of arranging them on two rotating tables to allow typesetters to quickly find needed characters to place them in his press. The Nong Shu was printed and preserved many notable inventions in China, including an early form of a blast furnace driven with a reciprocating piston attached to water works, something long that to be a later European invention.

Recognizing Wang Zhen for his important role in the advance of printing is a fitting step for the Hall of Fame, and I look forward to many more Asian inventors, scientists, and business leaders being recognized in the Hall of Fame in future years. The historical contributions of China in numerous fields have received far too little attention, and I'm delighted to see folks in Appleton taking the lead in rectifying this problem. Kudos to the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame!

Labels: Appleton, China, hall of fame, paper, paper industry, printing

With the coldness of winter coming soon (yes, I'm bracing for my December return to the Valley!), I'd like to share a few summer memories of Appleton, one of the best places on earth to be in the summer. And still pretty great even in winter.

First up is Appleton's downtown summer concerts and other public events. Lots of free entertainment comes to the streets and parks of Appleton in the warmer parts of the year. Here are two photos from a summer concert at Houdini Square.



Summer also makes me think of the Fox River, known especially for its ability to flow in the summer, while its icy winter form is a lot more sluggish. In the summer, you can still go out on the river, but it's best to be in a boat. 



Summer memories often focus on the Fox Valley's beautiful parks like Appleton's Telulah Park shown here or Plaman Park, both of which offer Frisbee golf, a popular activity in the Valley.



Among Appleton's parks, City Park with it's beautiful Ring Dance sculpture and fountain offers some of my favorite summer memories. Here is a view during an Art in the Park event.



What are your favorite summer memories in the Fox Valley? Care to share a photo or two?

Labels: Appleton, Art in the Park, concerts, Fox River, music, parks, photos, public events, summer

Labels: Appleton, photos, snow, sports, winter

For those of you oppose the sexual exploitation of women for profit, you might be pleased to find that one of Appleton's most unsavory establishments will be closing soon and converted to a less objectionable enterprise. According to The Post-Crescent, the infamous Paradise Club, a strip joint at a prominent location next to the Fox River Mall, has been purchased by Bob Gregorski (kudos, Bob!), who will convert it for a different purpose, one that Bob intends to be helpful to the community. 

Labels: Appleton, exploitation, Paradise Club, sleaze, strip clubs

Bella Vita is a marvelous Italian restaurant in the Copper Leaf Hotel in downtown Appleton, across from the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel (300 West College Avenue). I went there for my first time tonight in a group of four people, taking advantage of a Groupon promotion. I was not just impressed, but frequently inspired by the food.

We started with appetizers, bruschetta and fried olives with dipping sauces. The bruschetta was genuinely the best I have tasted. Perfectly toasted bread with a thick, hearty topping with roasted cherry tomatoes, cheese, and other ingredients that made it much heartier and more interesting than the typical bruschetta of Italian restaurants. The olives were a surprise--large green olives lightly breaded and fried without being too oily, and served with a plate of several different dipping sauces. Delicious. Also the standard bread, oil, and balsamic vinegar was memorable, with a pleasantly aged, fruity vinegar and warm, fresh bread.

The entrees impressed as well. For me, the Mediterranean pasta dish with shrimp, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes and other ingredients in a tart, savory sauce was one of the best pasta dishes I can remember. My wife's lobster ravioli was also surprisingly good, with a bercy sauce that left us puzzled as to how it could be so delicious and yet so light.

We also sampled some desserts and again found outstanding quality and creativity. My frozen custard with strawberries was delicious, and the chocolate mousse shared by the other couple with us was rich and nearly perfect.

Given the classy setting and high-end quality of the food, one would expect this place to be rather pricey, but it was surprisingly inexpensive. With appetizers and desserts, the four of us had a bill of $111 plus tax and tip. Not bad! This is now one of my favorite restaurants in town. Delicious. The service was also excellent.

Labels: Appleton, College Avenue, dining, Italian restaurant

Labels: Appleton, Appleton homes, Fox Valley, homes, housing, neighborhoods, photos