💝 Why You Should Make Your V-Day Reservation Today (& Where to Go!)

Julia Otis has moved 25 times in her 24 years on Earth. After landing in Texas in 2019, she once again found herself in a familiar situation: living in a new city, lonely, and looking to make friends. So, she opened Facebook and found a group offering exactly what she was looking for! 

Now that she’s back in Wisconsin, Julia decided to start a similar community here. Called the “Wisconsin Girls Group”, the Facebook group–now 3,500+ ladies strong–is open to women 18 years and up across the entire state.

Click here to read our Q&A with Julia about how to join and what kind of events to expect.

FUN FACT: This Sunday marks 20 years since Facebook first launched as a Harvard-only social site called “TheFacebook”! 

INSIDE THE REALMS – Lake Geneva’s popular Ice Castles are back with a new name: Winter Realms. And with temps much more comfortable than last weekend, it’s the perfect time to check them out! Here’s a video tour inside the immersive attraction.

YOU DECIDE – Where should Madison’s new Amtrak station go? As city leaders consider eight specific locations — ranging from downtown on the isthmus to the old Oscar Mayer plant —  for the new line to the Twin Cities, Milwaukee, and Chicago, they’re asking for your input. Learn more here.

COMING SOON – A bigger scoreboard, a new scoreboard, and additional (local) food vendors are among the changes you can expect at AmFam Field this baseball season. This week, the Brewers announced some major upgrades. Click here to learn (& see) more.

Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away, and according to the reservation app Resy,
now is the time to book your table! Booking six to 10 days in advance of a major “dining-out” holiday is a good rule of thumb when it comes to securing your seat. 

Now for the question of where to go…

Last year, Yelp turned heads — and even caught late night host Seth Meyer’s attention (watch here) — when it gave a restaurant named “Grampa’s” the title of Wisconsin’s most romantic restaurant.

FULL LIST: The Most Romantic Restaurant in Every State

While we can attest that Grampa’s
does have great food (we recommend the Jabroni pizza, which has a blended pesto-tomato sauce as its base!), our state is definitively home to more romantic restaurants.   

Here are 5 Diners’ Choice winners from OpenTable:

(Click on the underlined text to check out each restaurant’s online menu!)

Muse at Sentry in Stevens Point

Known For: Handmade pastas, fresh seafood, wet- and dry-aged steaks, and seasonal dishes made with local ingredients. 

Walnut Room in Green Bay

Known For: Its extensive wine list of 200+ varieties, plus hand-crafted cocktails and ten drafts from around the world.

Opus at The Belfry House in Lake Geneva

Known For: A unique mix of Asian and French cuisine, showcased through its 5 or 7 course tasting menus.

Fleming’s in Brookfield

Known For: Hors d’oeuvres, prime steak, plant-based farm-to-table dishes, wine, and a long list of made-in-house desserts.

The Waterfront Restaurant & Tavern in La Crosse

Known For: USDA Prime beef and fresh day-boat seafood served along the picturesque banks of the Mississippi.