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A change of pace

Why, hello there. It's been awhile since I've written here last, for two reasons: 1) I went to visit my family in Minnesota for more than a week and promptly forgot about anything work-related, and 2) I suffered from an extended period of laziness once I got back. But now I've made nearly a full recovery, and it's time to press on.

Anyway...

Despite the growing number of things to do and see in Janesville, one of my favorite things on Earth is to go exploring out of town, just for a change of pace now and then. Do other people feel the same, or is everyone just content to stay put? I don't really have that much to do around here when I'm not at work--it's not like I have a family here or anything--so maybe that's what it is for me.

So, these are a few of my favorite places to go when I'm not in Janesville, but not too far away:

• The Roman Candle (1054 Williamson St., Madison): Best. Pizza. Ever. OK, maybe not ever, but it's close. Also, you can get made-to-order slices. I love the retro look of the place, too. There's also a location on Parmenter Streeet in downtown Middleton.

• B-Side Compact Discs (436 State St., Madison): It should be said that I like State Street in general, of course, but this place in particular is great. My music tastes tend to border on the indie side of things (as do all my tastes, it seems), and chances are this closet of a store has what I'm looking for. When I can't find what I want at the Exclusive Company, I check here. Strictly Discs on Monroe Street in Madison is also a good bet.

• Irish Rose Saloon (519 E. State St., Rockford, Ill.): I know Rockford isn't yet the beacon of vibrancy and entertainment that it would like to be, but I do think they've made some good headway even in the two and a half years that I've lived in the area. At the forefont of this slow revitalization is a cluster of businesses on East State Street, east of the Rock River. The Irish Rose has an ambiance, charm and loyal following that belies the often dead downtown that surrounds it. They have great food for what I think are decent prices. And for a Sunday night meal, their "adult happy meal" can't be beat: a half-pound cheeseburger and home fries for $3.95, as long as you purchase at least one cocktail (fine by me). They've got other specials for the other days of the week as well. (There are a couple of other places I'd like to checkout in downtown Rockford as well: Brio, Cru and Zambuca come to mind.)

• Pleasant Street Coffee House (604 Pleasant St., Beloit): This place is on the Rock River in the building next to Cafe Belwah (thanks for clarifying, sfcm), a stone's throw from Beloit College. So it shouldn't surprise you that you'll find college kids in there studying on any given day during the school year. They have comfy couches and a fireplace, with lots of newspapers and magazines scattered about the nearby coffee table. Their back door opens up to a small patio right on the river.

• Potbelly Sandwich Works (locations in Lake Geneva, Madison and Rockford) and Beefaroo (locations throughout the Rockford area, including South Beloit, Ill.): Hey, I'm not above fast food once in a while. These are a treat every now and then.

• Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern (1023 16th Ave., Monroe): Some people have an incurable sweet tooth. Some mouths water at the thought of a Kansas City strip steak. For me, it's cheese. Now that Kayla, my roommate, no longer works in Monroe, I don't get out there very much anymore to indulge in my slightly guilty pleasure.

• Mazomanie, Spring Green, and DeKalb, Ill.: These are all places I've been once or twice but would like to go back and explore. For a small town, Mazomanie has quite a few art galleries and shops to check out. Spring Green has Taliesin, the American Players Theatre and the House on the Rock. DeKalb has NIU, which makes it a college town, which always makes for an interesting atmosphere.

Anyway, those are a few of my quick getaways-for-the-day. If you can add to the list, please do. I'm always looking for new things to do (especially the type of places where only the locals know how great they are)...