The Serving Spoon

I just got back from another trip to Wisconsin — this time on a happier note! One of the greatest things about visiting Marinette, WI, is that you are a five minute drive from Michigan — two states for the price of one! Menominee, MI, sits right on the water with the most wonderful, historic downtown.

On chilly mornings, one of the best things to do is head to The Serving Spoon — a wonderful coffee shop/cafe in a quaint, old house located in the middle of First Street.

You'll be greeted by a vibrant, warm atmosphere — buy your coffee at the counter and head to the back room with a good book, or let them seat you for the most fabulous, homey breakfast!

Start with some of the best coffee I have ever had. I drank a minimum of three cups. Every. Time.

The prices are extremely reasonable. My usual was coffee, one egg and toast, and an order of hash browns or bacon.


The Serving Spoon is full of decor that makes it truly welcoming and unique: the giant silver spoon above the coffee counter, the rough and well visited wooden floor, tables made from antique, iron sewing machine bases, a collection of vintage percolators on a shelf, the sugar and cream bar from a repurposed desk, and local artist's painting and jewelry available for purchase.

Be sure to grab a fancy coffee drink to go — because they are AMAZING! The baristas truly take their time to handcraft your drink. You will have to wait longer than 2 minutes — which makes me wonder what I've been consuming at a well known coffee chain . . .

"Like" The Serving Spoon of Facebook for menu updates and news. A truly wonderful cafe — I guarantee you'll be in love after one visit!

♥ Courtney

All photos taken by Courtney.

DIY: Souvenir Boxes

Souvenir boxes are a wonderful way to make someone feel as if they were a part of your trip. They're also really fun to curate! Here are some ideas from the box I put together for Sara:

Sara is an intense baseball fan! So throughout the trip I picked up team schedules and postcards of stadiums (1). She says she's not into football, but I know the Packers are her favorite. ;)

Peanuts from the plane, hotel notepads, and a continental breakfast cappuccino mix (2) help document the travel aspect of my trip.

Chocolates from the cheese shop are a local treat, and so are the sugar packets! (Hey, it's pure Michigan sugar!) Pine trees abound in Wisconsin, hence the tiny pinecone (3). If you're headed to the beach, seashells would be a fun add-in.

Stop by travel centers for oodles of local info for your box! That's where I found the postcards (4) — which I wrote messages on, a cheese guide (we are in Wisconsin, after all!), and maps of the local downtown with all of my favorite shops (5).

Take out menus from favorite cafes are a fun addition, too. I wrote all over this coffee shop menu, marking the things I knew Sara and I would try if we were on a coffee run.

Packaging multiple items from one place jazzes up your box, too. This coffee shop sold earrings by a local artist. I wrapped them up with the sleeve from my latte and a frequent customer card.

Once you've accumulated your fabulous treasures, pack everything in a flat-rate box and drop it off at the post office.

You'll be amazed how many fun things you'll find to document your trip that you might have overlooked before! Happy hunting!

❤ Courtney

Pennsylvania

Taking off to Pennsylvania for the day is one of my favorite mini-getaways. Farm stands abound and the produce is as sweet as candy!

The small towns make for fun shopping discoveries. But my favorite thing is the farms: the green of the corn fields against the ultra-blue sky dotted with gigantic, powder-white clouds is a total eye feast! It's slow and quiet — perfect.

❤ Courtney

All photos taken by Courtney on the iPhone and quickly edited with Instagram (@BlueTypewriter).

Courtney's Top 5: Travel Tips

Top 5: Travel Tips

1. Pack Interchangeable Clothing

If you open my suitcase you'll find a lot of neutrals. A LOT of neutrals. My key to packing light is to take pieces in the same color family that can be worn alone, layered, and pair well with each other. Black, grey, and white tees and tanks that look good with cardigans, or that can be worn alone. I throw in a couple light weight scarves to add a pop of color, and few bold pieces of jewelry: a long necklace, bright earrings, a bracelet or two, and a simple pair of diamond-style earrings. Versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched, and one or two stand alone pieces of clothing.

2. Make-Up Pallets 

It's easy to weigh your travel bag down with make-up. This shade needs this shade to look good, but you need this blush, and you need a few darker eye shadows for a smoky look, and — you get the point. Invest in a good make-up pallet. I'm a Clinique girl, so I have quite a few of their "free gift" make-ups. One of my favorite eyeshadow pallets has a light matte tan shade, a shimmery neutral shade that is perfect for highlighting, a deep grey-black, and a light grey. I can go minimal with this pallet, or smoke it out for a dramatic look.

3. Airport Food

Travel time is NOT the time to try new foods! Eat what you know! If you know that a Dunkin Donuts flatbread sandwich agrees with you, DON'T order a burrito supremo from the place with the cool logo. I had a friend who had a slice of pizza between flights, passed out on the plane, woke up on oxygen, and found out it was food poisoning.

4. Buy It When You Get There

I try not to spend extra money if I don't have to, but some things don't travel well. Mouthwash, hair oil, blonde spray: if any of those break open in my suitcase, my clothes are ruined. If you know there will be a store where you are staying, leave those potentially disastrous items out of your suitcase and purchase them when you get to your destination, as you need them.

5. Mail It Home

It doesn't take long for a suitcase to hit the weight limit. My rule is that nothing new goes in my bag — who wants to pay an exorbitant fee? Flat rate boxes are your friend. Pick one up for free at a post office, and as you buy souvenirs and treasures, start packing them in the box. Mail it before you leave, and your goodies will be waiting for you when you get home.

Fun in Annapolis

 

A few months ago, Courtney and I went to Annapolis, Maryland and got to explore for a few hours before heading to the Texas State vs. Navy football game (Go Navy!). I had been to Annapolis a few times before, but never really got to wander around and explore, so this was a really fun experience.

We started our day going to - you guessed it - Starbucks. It's like a magnetic force that always seems to pull us in.

Starbucks at the Maryland Inn of Annapolis - Photo from http://www.historicinnsofannapolis.com/annapolis-starbucks.aspx

 

This was the coziest Starbucks we had ever seen!  Even cooler? This particular Starbucks, in the basement of the Maryland Inn, used to be a jazz club, which you can certainly see by the black and white photos hanging around and the jazz music playing.
 

After our quick coffee break, we went to check out the rest of Main Street. There are a lot of fun gift shops and places to eat, not to mention a beautiful view of the Chesapeake Bay - we were very fortunate for the beautiful day.

I can't wait to go back and explore some more shops! There was so much to see - clothing stores, places to eat, gift shops - so fun!
 

For lunch we got sandwiches at My Favorite Muffin. I guess was super hungry because I didn't even think to take a picture! There were plenty of desserts to choose from, though! Just look at those sweets from Kilwins!

We are definitely planning on going back, and now that Spring weather is finally here, it'll probably be sooner than later!

♥Sara