Holiday Traditions: Chanukah Mobiles, Mr. Magoo and Smelt

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday week and got to spend time with those they care for most.

I spent much of my holiday time travelling the scenic back roads between Whitefish Bay and McHenry, Illinois to see family, which gave me the opportunity to put together the following holiday travelogue:

• Chanukah Mobiles:  I only made two sightings of the Milwaukee area’s 80 Chanukah Mobiles this year, while my wife reported seeing at least five of them. Spotting the vehicles with roof mounted menorahs has become an annual holiday contest between us. All the vehicles participated in a parade November 25 that began at several sites and converged at the Bayshore Town Center’s rotunda. This article notes that they are the “centerpieces of increasingly popular vehicle parades held by Chabad centers worldwide, as a 21st century version of publicizing the miracle of the ‘Festival of Lights.’”

• Genoa City:  On one of my three trips from McHenry to Whitefish Bay and back last week I took a little time to explore the border town of Genoa City (fictitious in The Young and the Restless, but real as can be in Wisconsin) and its surrounding area.  The best part was actually adjacent to Genoa City’s southern border in Illinois – McHenry County’s North Branch Conservation Area. The three-year-old park features a trail through native prairie grasses that crosses the North Branch of the Nippersink Creek, a designated Class A Wild Trout Stream. It’s a beautiful wide open park that comes with a bit of adventure. Warning signs tell hikers to “stay on the trail or stay home” and warn them of an unusual potential hiking risk – bullets from hunters on adjacent private property! Visible from the trails are two of my favorite old water towers – Richmond’s and Genoa City’s. Both appear to be early 20^th century 50,000 gallon elevated water towers. Genoa City’s is located to the north of Gideon Court and is painted a light sea green. I also saw a sign out front that noted Genoa City’s landmark restaurant and bar, Keller’s has closed after 62 years. They are looking for new ownership to keep the tradition of fine fish fries alive. If you are interested in rescuing this commercial piece of Americana, call 262-620-4043.

• Rural bars: On each of my three trips I stopped at a classic rural, small town bar for a bite to eat. Johnsburg, Illinois is the town I spent the first year of my life, is the hometown of San Francisco Giants 1962 World Series hero Chuck Hiller and is immortalized in a Tom Waits song. I met up there with a few friends at the old Tomasello’s Restaurant, which is now Seven Days Grill and Bar. It features a bar made from the bowling lanes of the old Raymond’s Bowling Alley that was previously above this Fox River side establishment.  Seven Day’s has a rec room feel to it, but the food is somewhat exotic.  The menu includes sushi and the pizza I enjoyed had a crust made from rice.  An unusual menu for a bar…or perhaps the chef just ordered too much rice that week. Nearby, Lankford Construction was spending many, many dollars with Commonwealth Edison to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

After stopping to see this church for rent in Pell Lake, Wisconsin, I had a burger at the Pell Lake Inn. It may have been because of the framed Paul Konerko jersey, but I really liked this place. The red solo cup string of lights gave the large one room space a holiday feel and the raffles at $10 a chance for an ice auger and 9mm Smith & Wesson served as reminders that I was in rural Wisconsin.

Rod’s Packer Inn is at 924 S. Cogswell Dr. in Silver Lake, Wisconsin.  I looked, but alas, I couldn’t find Cogswell Cogs, the chief competitor to George Jetson’s employer, Spacely Sprockets. Rod’s fish fry menu included a delicious smelt fry and by the clientele’s discussions at the bar and the Brian Urlacher framed jersey, seemed to accommodate Bears fans as well as supporters of its namesake NFL team. Rod’s also features a framed Lynn Dickey jersey (the Packers’ other #12 quarterback). Outside of Rod’s are a couple horseshoe pits and a misappropriated directional sign to Lambeau Field.

My meandering journeys took me through the tiny Wisconsin burg of Kansasville again, which recently replaced its misspelled sign with a corrected version. I also took the Bowers Road exit to save time between East Troy and Lake Geneva. The short cut enabled me to revisit sentimental sites where as a kid I caught my first fish, fell off my first horse (three times) and picked apples at my grandparents’ farm.

• Christmas in McHenry:  My Mom still lives in the home I grew up in on Green Street in McHenry, Illinois.  She lived there with my dad for 50 years before he passed away last June. Going back to that home now is nostalgic. I see the stairs to my childhood bedroom and think about the time I got my head stuck in the railing…five-year-old ears work pretty well as barbs to prevent little boys from extricating themselves from such adventures. In the utensil drawer I found at least nine Usinger’s knives - memories of my annual Christmas gift of cheese and sausage to my dad.  In the basement I had a Rosebud moment when I came across a tiny wooden wagon filled with worn colored blocks and my name stenciled on the side between its wooden wheels.

• Christmas weekend in Whitefish Bay:  The last trip back to Whitefish Bay was improved by the opening of the new tunnel connecting I-894 east to I-94 north near the airport. It’s actually two tunnels with a short gap in between.  Dining at a Chinese restaurant is a Christmas Eve tradition for my wife and me – and many others, as most other restaurants are closed and many people don’t like to cook the night before Christmas.  After waiting for hours at Yen Ching and other Chinese restaurants over the years, we’ve managed to avoid crowds and get good food at Jing’s in the Historic Third Ward on Buffalo Street the last two years. Yelp and I agree that this is a very good destination whether or not it’s Christmas Eve. Jing served us herself and my duck with brown sauce and hot and sour soup were both delicious. I liked my fortune, too!  Fortunately, not many people read my blog, so I’m pretty sure the secret is safe and it will continue to be a great place for Christmas Eve dinner without long waits in the future.

Copies of “The Very Best of Pitch Invasion” arrived in time to give out as Christmas gifts.  It seemed a bit egotistical as I’m listed as a co-author due to my contribution of two of the book’s essays. But regardless of my contributions, the book is an amazing collection of intelligent soccer analysis and history…and is available digitally for only $5.99 and in paperback for $11.99! Among the favorite gifts I received was a Melbourne Victory scarf representing my adopted Australian professional soccer franchise. The gift came via post from an Australian Twitter friend who helped convince me last year that Victory was the best Hyundai A-League team to support.

I also caught a few holiday classics. I went to the Pabst Theater to watch "A Christmas Carol" and saw "Mr. Magoo’s A Christmas Carol" on DVD.  I saved Shirley Temple’s classic “Heidi” for Christmas Eve and was pleased that they didn’t cut away at the end to show the new York Jets loss. Another Christmas weekend highlight was seeing a Manchester City fan dressed as Santa Claus in Man City colours at the annual Boxing Day festivities at the Highbury Pub. 

• Whitefish Bay:  During a busy holiday week packed with seeing many friends and family, I found much needed solitude for a couple hours on Christmas Eve by waking early to take a walk along Whitefish Bay’s long and chilly beach.  By arriving before the sun, I was able to witness the morning sun change Lake Michigan’s horizon from black to gray to orange to blue with its slow and majestic rise.  The scene was a beautiful and inspiring way to appreciate all that is good in Whitefish Bay and our world. I wish all of you the best of the season and a very happy and prosperous new year.