A Milwaukee-Area Bed and Breakfast, The Port Washington Inn » Food and Beverages

Wine and dine? Vines to Cellar in Port Washington Wisconsin makes wine fun!

Rita Nelson — Tue, 04 May 2010 01:19:16 +0000

All things wine make your getaway more fun especially when transportation is not required!

Stay at the Port Washington Inn (just 3 blocks from Vines to Cellar) and you’ll be happy all around

as you enjoy a stay in a historic setting comforted by all the amenities and enhanced with great food

prepared for you from scratch in our beloved kitchen. Order one of our Gourmet Picnics to enjoy

with your wine tasting!

Breakfast is a treat at Port Washington Inn!

Rita Nelson — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:00:38 +0000

Breakfast takes on new meaning when you are served a delectable breakfast in a beautiful dining room!

First, though, you will enjoy your early morning cup of rich coffee or your choice of teas or hot chocolate in the privacy of your guestroom. That is certain to get your day off to a good start!

Then, at the time you’ve designated, you come down to the inn’s dining room to indulge……….in whatever you choose from the breakfast buffet. Eat as much as you please or as little as you want. This is your getaway and it’s all about you feeling pampered and well cared for.

Julie & Julia

Rita Nelson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:53:36 +0000

I have to admit to ‘living under a rock’ sometimes, oblivious to ‘the good, the bad, and the ugly’ of popular culture. Sometimes friends give me a gentle shove in the right direction and I realize belatedly the good things I’ve been missing!

Such was the case when my friend Linda handed me a copy of Julie and Julia the other night. Watching it was pure joy! Meryl Streep brought Julia Child back to life for us and Amy Adams’ portrayal of Julie Powell reminded me of our daughter whose savoring of food has had a similar impact on her life.

Food is so basic to our existence, yet we hunger for it to be satisfying as well as enriching. Julia Child recognized that the cuisine she was enjoying in Paris was a satisfying as well as an enriching feast and she wanted everyone in America to experience their daily sustenance as a feast.

Countering the male bias of the Cordon Bleu, her joyful determination won the day. More of us will identify with Julie’s immersing herself in cooking to escape the stresses of her job. Our kitchens are, afterall, the places where we reign supreme, making decisions about the food we will prepare, and how it will be served. Ultimately, food is more enjoyable when shared, as Julie quickly realizes when her husband leaves. Food lovingly prepared is food lovingly enjoyed as it brings people together.

Our little granddaughter brings smiles to our faces as she delights in her exploration of new foods and in pretending to prepare food. At fifteen months, she was absolutely thrilled to receive a miniature kitchen complete with pots, pans, and utensils. When she visits our kitchen, she wants to see what is being prepared and she wants to taste it. Her earliest memories of being at Grandpa and Grandma’s house are of being in the kitchen. She was a very observant infant as she watched food being prepared both at her house and here. We can’t help wondering where her love of food will take her!

Cedarburg Winery

Rita Nelson — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:20:35 +0000

Port Washington Bed and Breakfast guests often enjoy a visit to historic Cedarburg during their stay. While Port Washington is located along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, Cedarburg’s setting is on the banks of Cedar Creek. Both towns are favored for their picturesque qualities, their walkable environments, and their distinctive historic architecture.

The Cedar Creek Winery is located in a lovely 1860′s building (originally a woolen mill) on the banks of Cedar Creek. Guided tours are offered daily at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm and are a favorite of guests staying at our Cedarburg area bed and breakfast. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and concludes with a complimentary wine tasting.

Grapes used for Cedar Creek wines are grown in Wisconsin, Washington, California, and New York; they result in a variety of wines suited to any palate: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Hillside Red, Old Mill Red, Waterfall Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Vidal, Cranberry or Strawberry Blush, Hillside Blossoms, Settlement Gold, Cedarburg Spice, and Beaujolais Uncle Pierre. Two Christmas wines are available in season.

Enjoy a nice Chardonnay or Pinot at Cedarburg Winery

Make the Cedarburg Winery a ‘must see’ as you visit our Milwaukee area Bed Breakfast!

Smelt, a rite of spring

Rita Nelson — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:15:42 +0000

For 58 years the Van Ells-Schanen American Legion Post 82 has geared up for their all-you-can-eat Smelt Dinner. This weekend is the time and the American Legion Hall is the place (Friday 4:30-9:00, Saturday 5:30-9:30).

Adults feast for $10, kids for $4. Carry Out is available by calling 262-284-4690.

A little known fact: the Memorial Building where the smelt are served was once the Port Brewing Company owned by George Blessing, who built a lovely home on Sweetcake Hill that is now the Port Washington Inn Bed and Breakfast.

Farmer’s Markets in our Area

Rita Nelson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:16:17 +0000

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There are a variety of farm market opportunities in our area. Port Washington’s Farmer’s Market is held on Saturday mornings and our guests often report having found treasures there. Cedarburg (Fridays), Grafton (Thursdays), and Thiensville (Tuesdays) have markets throughout the week and we also rely upon farms that market their produce on site and often allow customers to pick their own vegetables, berries, apples, and grapes.

The map pinpoints the location of these on site farm markets which we so appreciate!
Click the blue markers to access names, addresses, and contact information for each location.

Celebrating 15 years as innkeepers in 2010!

Rita Nelson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:05:02 +0000

June 5, 2010 will be the 15th anniversary of our arrival at the Port Washington Inn. We had purchased an existing bed and breakfast and our first guests arrived days after we moved in. By June 5, 2010, Port Washington Inn will be clad in new siding and trim, a huge project that has involved insulation and energy efficient windows as well. Truly, our fifteen years here have cast us in the role of stewards of this historic property alongside our roles as innkeepers. Our Travel Green Wisconsin certification makes us justifiably proud to have brought the inn into the 21st century with significant eco-friendly enhancements while making every effort to maintain it’s historic references.

Looking back to those pre-internet days, we recall trying to describe the guestrooms over the phone (and hoping our descriptions improved with time)! So much has changed in twelve years, and so much remains the same. We spend much less time on the telephone now and much more time on our website blog!

Looking back, we know that the operating of the inn in those early years was accomplished with the most modest of means compared to our current standards. Hospitality is, however, the common thread woven throughout the tapestry of innkeeping. Offering gracous hospitality that puts guests at ease is the goal of every innkeeper. Behind the scenes innkeepers juggle a vast arena of priorities and when they do it well, their guests experience seamless hospitality.

These days our guests and we enjoy the benefits of a vastly renovated bed and breakfast inn that retains its historic references while offering all the modern comforts. Our kitchen is our pride and joy and has allowed us to offer gourmet picnics May through October as well as the full “from scratch” breakfast we serve our guests.

In today’s world we tend to assume that people have found us on the internet but we are always pleased to hear that Port Washington Inn gets good press in travel books and magazines that spotlight Wisconsin, Lake Michigan, and the greater Milwaukee/Chicago area. Scenes of the inn are currently appearing on a television commercial promoting B&B’s throughout Wisconsin. Travel Green Wisconsin helps us get the word out about our eco-friendly practices and VISIT Milwaukee has featured us on their ECO visits rack card. Discover Wisconsin did a show highlighting Ozaukee County and we are now represented on their website as well. The Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association, Port Washington and Cedarburg Chambers, and the Ozaukee County Tourism Council are valued partners.

Port Washington Wisconsin Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Eateries

Rita Nelson — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:39:55 +0000

Double click on the blue location marker to see the name and contact information for the establishment.

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The Romance of Port Washington Inn

Rita Nelson — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:52:20 +0000

If you qualify as a baby boomer, you may remember Julie Andrews in My Fair Lady singing “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly”. My Fair Lady dreamed of a “loverly” place.
You may dream of such a place too!

Wouldn’t it be loverly to be magically transported to a place
where the surroundings are beautiful and comfortable?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to find a delicious homemade treat
and complimentary beverage options upon your arrival?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to enjoy a sunrise over Lake Michigan from your room?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to enjoy rich, fresh roasted coffee
before and during your delectable full breakfast?
OR your favorite tea?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to watch a movie uninterrupted?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to sit outside in the park-like grounds
of the inn on a pleasant day?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to share a gourmet picnic while you commune with nature?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to spend quiet hours in total privacy
with your favorite music in the background?

Wouldn’t it be loverly to travel back in time to a ‘kinder, gentler era’?

Time at the Port Washington Inn is “loverly”!
Our guests tell us so again and again.

Come enjoy the romance of Port Washington Inn.

Good Food, Good Company Saturday Nights

Rita Nelson — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:46:07 +0000

Our daughter, Noelle, is a chef at Tapioles 53 in Barcelona. We love hearing about the dishes they serve to their guests. This will be a chance for us to prepare non-breakfast fare and enjoy our wonderful kitchen! We’ve been honing our kitchen skills in anticipation.

Available to our guests only, Saturday nights January through April!

Celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, a first date, good friends…………

You invite the Good Company to spend the night at the inn;

when you make your reservation online,

be certain to check the Good Food, Good Company Add-On.

We provide the Good Food and we share the recipes.

The cost? Complimentary!

Join us for good food and wine!

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Sample Menu I:

Zesty Carrot Salad w/Toasted Sesame Seeds

Mixed Lettuce Salad with Lemon & Olive Oil Vinaigrette

Escalloped Chicken w/Light Herbed Sauce

Cranberry Orange Relish

Orange & Almond Cake w/Fudge Sauce

Wine, Coffee, Tea, Water

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Sample Menu II:

Focaccia crusted w/Gruyere Cheese and Onion

Specialty Olives

Salad of Fresh Mushrooms & Red Peppers w/Feta Cheese

Slow Roasted Beef

Roasted Potatoes w/Lemon, Rosemary, & Garlic

Peach Sorbet

Scottish Shortbread

Whiskey Cookies

Wine, coffee, tea, water.

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Sample Menu III:

Salad of Mixed Greens with Baked Goat Cheese and Olives

Crusty Ciabatta

Roasted Turkey Breast

Cranberry Jalapeno Sauce

Sweet Soybeans (shelled Edamame Beans)

Coffee Flan

Scottish Shortbread

Wine, Coffee, Tea, Water