Rooms are ready and waiting for you to come up and visit.  We opened 4/13, come and see us!

Well, as a matter of fact, there is!!!  About 3 years ago a new radio station was built with studios in Ephraim…FM 106.9 The Lodge.  Having grown up in the late 60′s and early 70′s I pretty much hate FM radio because it is so tightly formatted.  I remember the old days of listening to KQRS all night long while working night stock at the Target store in West St. Paul.  The music was fantastic, they even played local bands.  I remember how disappointed I was when KQ became a formatted classic rock station in 1977, and I haven’t listened since.

Ahh, but I digress.  Anyway, this radio station goes on the air about three years ago, and the music is good, no, very good.  It’s not formatted, the announcers are real, and it’s a Door County station with Door County news and attitude.  I don’t like every song, but that’s the nature of independent radio.  It’s really a good station, locally produced, locally owned.  It’s a true Door County business.

The cool thing about it is the owners, Mike and Carrie.  Great people!  While I try not to be a nuisance, I occasionally drop in to the studio to say hi and of course, talk to Mike about some artist I have heard, then go bother Carrie for a while because she makes me laugh!

Since you are reading this you are somehow a fan of Door County, so be sure to listen when you are here at 106.9.  And, you can go to http://www.fm1069thelodge.com/home.cfm to listen at your desk or smartphone.  It’ll put you in a Door County mood!

So, it appears everyone is all excited (a-twitter?) about this group called Dailey and Vincent.  So it turns out this guys are a big deal.

Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent became the most heralded new act in bluegrass as their debut albumDailey & Vincent (2008) and busy tour schedule introduced them to wildly appreciative audiences.  The group took home seven awards at the 2008 International Bluegrass Music Awards Show, including Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year. Brothers from Different Mothers presents the band at a level of synergy that only comes from constant live performing.  It exudes the enthusiasm of a venture still fresh for all its participants.  Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent have been bluegrass musicians throughout their careers and never depart from that core sensibility onBrothers from Different Mothers.  But, like the earliest icons, they also push the bluegrass envelope. Best of all, they’ve found the closest thing to brotherhood – a true musical partnership.

Now, I like bluegrass, but other than an occasional listen to Steve Martin’s band I really don’t follow it.  So here’s a video I found http://youtu.be/1wDRSpwXIn0.

So why am I going on about this duo?  Well, thanks to a generous donation, Dailey and Vincent will be playing at the Peg Egan Center in Egg Harbor on Sunday July 29th for free…yup, no admission.  Stay at the Lull-Abi Inn and walk to the concert.  Should be a great show!

OK ladies, here’s a great chance to enjoy a weekend with your friends in Egg Harbor.  Girlfriends” Great Eggscape is May 17-20th with lots af activities planned.  Check it out here http://www.eggharbordoorcounty.org/calendar-of-events/girlfriends-great-eggscape

Now, how about a great rate on a great room at the Lull-Abi Inn?  Plan to stay a minimum of two nights and any room is $59, any suite is $69, and the apartment is $139.  All you have to do is ask for the Girlfriends’ Great Eggscape Rate!

As part of the 2012 season at the Peg Egan Center in Egg Harbor (located within walking distance of the Lull-Abi) there will be a great show by Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks.  Oh c’mon…you remember Dan Hicks!

“Singer-songwriter Dan Hicks is truly an American original. Since the early 1960s, Hicks has deftly blended elements of Swing, Jazz, Folk and Country music to create the appealing sound he sometimes calls “Folk Jazz”

The lyrics of his songs range from the simply sublime to the sublimely ridiculous, all presented with his uniquely skewed and inscrutable touch.

Dan’s irresistible sense of rhythm, hip lyrical styling, laid-back vocalizing, and infamous on-stage wit will make most who listen fans for life. He’s a snappy dresser, too.”

Check out some of his performances at http://www.danhicks.net/

Now, about the concert.  It will be held Sunday July 15 at the Egan Center on Church Street.  Admission is free, bring lawn chairs and picnic goodies.  And, Dan and the band will be staying at the Lull-Abi that evening, so why don’t you plan to do the same!?

This will be fun!

Back by popular demand is the Girlfriends’ Great Eggscape, the ladies only weekend in Egg Harbor.  This weekend just keeps getting bigger and bigger.  The dates are May 17-20, 2012, so call your girlfriends and come on up!  The Lull-Abi Inn will be open and offering great spring rates.

Ask for the special “Girlfriends’ Great Escape rates” and you can have your choice of any room for $59, any suite for $69 (includes Sunrise Suites) or the Apartment for $139!  Two night minimum required.

Here’s the preliminary info:

Tentative Schedule

Thursday, May 17
2-5pm | Workshops
6:30pm | Entertainment

Friday, May 18
9am-5pm | Workshops
6-8pm | Reception & Bazaar with Hors d’oeuvres, Wine Tasting, Music
Carrington Pub & Grill
6:30-10pm | Adult Art Night, Hands On Art Studio
9pm | Open Mic Night, Mojo Rosa’s
8-10pm | DJ/Karaoke, Carrington Pub & Grill

Saturday, May 19
9am | Walking Tour
9-11am | Exercise Eggstravaganza, Landmark Resort
9am-5pm | Workshops
1-5pm | Trolley Circle Tour, Shops, Galleries, Wineries
8pm-12am | Pub Crawl
12am | Midnight Snacks (pajamas optional)

Sunday, May 20
10:30am | Brunch
12pm-? | Workshops

Registration will open in early April. The $69 event fee includes Hors d’oeuvres & Wine Tasting, Exercise Eggstravaganza, DJ/Karaoke, two meals (Midnight Snacks and Sunday Brunch), Trolley Shuttle and other fun activities.

Be sure too check at http://www.eggharbordoorcounty.org/calendar-of-events/girlfriends-great-eggscape for details!

I was talking with a guest last season about the high cost of gas and how it impacted their choice of accommodations, obviously to our benefit!

Looking forward to the 2012 season, it seems that the cost of gas is going to be high all summer. That will make travel planning a bit more difficult for many folks. Some may be questioning if they can actually a afford to make the trip this year and include an overnight stay. Experience has shown that when gas prices go up, people stay closer to home, and that 5-6 hour driving range (1 tank of gas) becomes very popular. And for many of you that’s Door County.

But what’s wrong with offsetting the high cost of gas by being more careful about your choice of where to stay? Why lose out on a great Door County vacation when it’s really just a matter of finding good value for your vacation dollar? At the Lull-Abi Inn we don’t offer luxurious accommodations, we just provide great value rooms. Our rates are fair, our rooms are comfortable, and we are centrally located to all Door County attractions. And, we have cable TV, free high speed internet, refrigerators, and coffeemakers in all rooms.

We spent 25 years traveling on business, and the Lull-Abi Inn reflects what we want in Door County hotel / motel accommodations. By eliminating high cost amenities that drive up the cost of your stay we can keep our rates reasonable, and that will more than offset your gas cost.

Check out our rooms and rates at the Lull-Abi Inn rates page.

When you come back from your Door County vacation, your friends will most likely ask you two questions-Did you have a fish boil, and did you eat breakfast at that little cafe in Egg Harbor?

That little cafe in Egg Harbor is the Village Cafe, and it is located right next door to the Lull-Abi Inn. I don’t mean right next door as in Best Buy/Home Depot/Target, I mean right next door as in you can smell the homemade granola baking!

This place is great, I just finished breakfast there and my tummy is seriously happy! The menu is varied, with the usual eggs bacon and toast stuff all the way to cherry stuffed french toast. And, remember when cafes made fluffy omelettes in a pan, not flat eggs on a grille? Well, that’s the way they do it here, and they are delicious. There is a pancake special everyday, a quiche special, and a coffee cake special. As a note, the coffee cake is enough to feed a small army.

They also serve lunch, with great burgers and sandwiches in addition to the breakfast menu, and during the season they are also open for dinner. They have beer and wine available, too.

The Village cafe also has stuff…art, ceramics, knick knacks, all displayed throughout and all for sale, so if you are a shopper person you need to check it out.

So be sure to stop at the Village Cafe when you are staying at the Lull-Abi Inn, you will love it!

No, not THE Lake, the other lake…Kangaroo Lake in Baileys Harbor! Nestled along the shore of this beautiful inland lake is the Coyote Roadhouse. I first started going here years ago when it was one of the very few places open in the winter, now it is a regular stop on my schedule.

The Coyote has great food and a great atmosphere. It’s a very friendly locals place, the big feature when you walk in is the bar, packed with the fine Baileys Harbor and Egg Harbor citizenry. Local politics is not off-limits here, and this is where you go to get a plumber, a garage built, or some excavating work done.

This is also the place to get really good food. It’s a simple menu, but with a couple of twists. There are burgers, and chicken sandwiches, some salads, chili, and soup. But there is also exceptional ribs, pork chops, and steak. There is also Jambalaya, probably the second best in the county (mine is the best!). And it is a pile of Jambalaya, big shrimp, corn muffin…mmmmm!

And there are specials, walleye on Wednesday, grouper on Friday. In the winter there are seasonal specials, my favorite is the turkey pot pie on Tuesday.

Oh, and lest I forget, the onion loaf. Order this, trust me!

There are maybe 10 tables in addition to the bar, so there can be a wait sometimes. But in the summer you can also sit outside on the patio overlooking the lake.

So, when you are in Door County, do yourself a favor and go inland to the Coyote Roadhouse. Leave Egg Harbor and go straight out Co Rd E to Kangaroo Lake…well worth the drive!

Jacksonport is located on the lake (east) side of the Peninsula, the part we refer to as “The quiet side” of Door County. Jacksonport certainly fits that description, but once you get to know it it’s a great little town!

Getting there is part of the fun. Slow down and take a nice leisurely drive along Co Rd T, then take a left turn at Bleys bar on Co Rd V and you will end up right in Jacksonport. It’s a nice drive past many family owned dairy farms. Roll the windows down and smell the farm air, and when you get to Jacksonport you will indeed know you have left the hustle and bustle behind.

But wait a minute! There’s probably a festival going on if it’s a weekend. Due to the many civic organizations in town there is a festival almost every weekend in season, and these are country festivals. The highlight is the Thresheree, technically located outside of Valmy, but a great weekend. A friend of mine won a restored antique tractor for her $10 ticket at the Thresheree!

Jacksonport is the gateway to the Whitefish Dunes State Park, as well as the Cave Point County Park. There is a cute craft cottage run by Sue and Joe Jarosch, and some good eating at Mike’s Port Pub, JJ’s Mexican Restaurant, Mr G’s Supper Club, and the Square Rigger.

http://www.jacksonport.net/

So if you are ready for a quieter adventure, head to Jacksonport!

And don’t forget the crazies in the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club, every year on Jan 1 it’s a cold swim!