REAL SIMPLE magazine

This was a fun interview we did for one of our favorite mags for their "Real life strategies" section.

All about entertaining. (Makes me want to throw another party.)

Sadly- it didn't run :(
So what the h*ll, might as well share it here :)
Makes me miss winter!!

WARM HANDS, WARM HEART.

For the ice rink parties that we host on our lake, I love greeting friends with a basket full of vintage hand knit mittens and scarves- folks relish the opportunity to  swap out the standard issue for something old and handmade and I always pair it with a toasty drink-  spiked hot cider and  Irish cream hot cocoa are crowd fav's. I also provide skates for friends who don't bring any (you can pick up at almost any thrift store) I buy off season to get them cheaper.

CHEERS!

Impromptu bars. I love 'pop up bars'.  Throwing a sheep skin on a dresser, top it off with wooden trays, layer it with bottles. they're easy to throw together in minutes -- one that I do every year is our 'tobaggan bar'-- a 1920s sled on saw horses, decked out to the max with all manner of retro glasses and liquor decanters.

DIY SMILE BOOTH

Rig up a vintage holiday tablecloth or fantastic old piece of retro christmas barkcloth - and set your digital camera up on a tripod. Voila! instant photobooth. To really get folks crazy into it, I set out a basket of props (vintage of course!) 

SHOTSKI

Nothing says holiday like spiced rum from a shotski. Our friends built a '7 seater'-- two vintage snow skis anchored together. I like to mix in 'surprise shots' so their like presents, folks don't know what they'll be drinking.

VINTAGE GEAR

At camp, we immerse our guests in all things retro. I spend the year stocking up on antique snowshoes, snow skis, vintage ice skates and hockey gear, piles of tartan wool blankets and stacks of vintage hand knit sweaters. We want friends to feel like they are stepping back in time- and using vintage gear (and donning that 1940's Pendleton wool pheasant coat) while drinking from a 1950's diner mug does the trick.

PARTING GIFT

Give them a memento to remember their visit. When we throw parties at camp, I like to send them home with a token themed from the parties. Sometimes it's a classic camp counselor whistle on a leather lanyard, or a slingshot. I try to make it something they don't have at home. (Side note: eventually, because we got so many requests for stuff like this, we opened wandawegacampstore.com) 

Midwest Living Magazine series 'on the road' - david!

Wandawega Lake Resort, Part 2: Camp History

Camp Wandawega co-owner David Hernandez provides a brief history of the resort and shares stories of his times as a youth at this rustic camp.

check it out HERE

Midwest Living Magazine Camp Wanda Film...

The fine folks at Midwest Living paid us a visit to shoot a feature, and a little film tour.
There are two videos in this series and here is part 1. Hope you enjoy finding out a little more about the history of Camp Wandawega!

here is part 1:

10 Questions For A Wisconsin Sportsman - Bill

Bill Sargent is the property manager for Camp Wandawega.

He's the tent-pitching, boat-repairing, arrow-finding, tour-giving, fence-mending, wood-splitting, fishing guide -- patient man.
We sat down with him (in his copious spare time) to find out where hes from, what he's into, and how he makes his venesin sausage so damn good. 

1. 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HUNTING? 

I like to hunt deer with my bow. WHATS YOUR BIGGEST BAG?
  a 10 pt buck taken down in delevan wisconsin. 

2.

WHATS THE LARGEST DEER YOUVE TAKEN DOWN AND WHAT WAS THE TAKE?

I processed 100 lbs of meat into: jerky, sausage and steaks. 

3. 

WHERE YOU DID YOU GROW UP?

Right here.  born and raised in elkhorn wisconsin

4. 

YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WANDAWEGA?

Getting to meet different people all the time. folks from denmark, 

folks that travel all the way just to be here.

5. 

HOW TO YOU SPEND YOUR COPIOUS SPARE TIME, WHEN KEEPING CAMP RUNNING?

 In my woodshop crafting custom designed homegoods from salvaged wood, ranging from barn beams to vintage decks. 

6. 

WHATS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR IN THIS AREA? 

Fall.early october to see the colors peak. i always carve out a couple of weeks in high season to make sure i get qouta. on deer & ducks. mallards, geese. 

7. 

AS A LICENSED FISHING GUIDE, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE CATCH?

I like to fish for crappie, its a very hard fish to find, 

9bigger than a bluegill, smaller than bass). usually you hafta to go trees that are down or deep holes. i hae the best luck with minnos and a bobber, a beer and a lot of patience. to prepare them, i fille and pan fry. bread with egg and alittle bit of flour. my dad taught me when i was 15, and taught my kids to do the same. 

8. 

AS A TRADITIONAL WISCONSIN SPORTSMAN, WHAT OTHER SPORTS DO YOU PARTAKE IN?

I'm a avid hunter, fisher, and snowmobiling. And coach my son's baseball team.

9.

WHATS THE BEST GEAR FOR THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY?

 Favorite boot: Danner, available through penfields.

 favorite jacket:  scentlok (specialize in gear for bow hunters) they feature carbon on the inside, so the deer cant smell you.

10. 

WHATS THE DEAL WITH DEER URINE?: 

Right around halloween, thats when I start using buck urine. That's when they are rudding (ready for doe). I put  on a drag ( a piece of felt soaked, tied to my boot). You hike to your deer stand, hang it out 10 yards from your stand. If he senses another buck is in the area, he goes back to check the area over and over. He wants to make sure he mates with the does before the other buck does.