Clayton Lighthouse

I have been having a love affair with Clayton ever since I first visited only three weeks ago. I had always heard the town was small so I thought maybe it was like Gunder, a restaurant and a couple of houses and a church. I was very surprised as the town was bigger than I thought and so quaint. Located right on the river there is a laid-back atmosphere that makes every home seem like a vacation getaway. People drive golf carts and boats are always in view on the Mississippi pulling kids on skis and inflatables.
Today marked Clayton River Fest, an afternoon and evening full of great bands rain or shine. Even with the cool temperatures the tents began filling up right away. The husband and I decided to start our experience with eating at The Clayton Lighthouse. Although not technically a lighthouse (or so I think not by it's square build and only being two stories high) the restaurant is at a great location. With windows all around there is an excellent view of the river if a train is not passing through. While some restaurants claim excellent views, this restaurant's got them.
I'm not sure how long the Clayton Lighthouse has been in business, but the decor says that the building has definitely been around sine the 70s. I love retro decor and this place has it; wood paneled walls, bathrooms lined with crushed velvet flower wallpaper (see photo), and the bar encircled with red cushioning.
The atmosphere for lunch at the Clayton Light House was just as laid-back as the town seemed. Being that it was also River Fest convertibles rolled in with bull horns mounted on their hoods and people sported flashing light sunglasses. Most of the excitement was happening in the bar. As for us lunch eaters, we pretty much had the rest of the large space to ourselves.
Lunch at The Clayton Lighthouse consisted of a limited sandwich menu. Although I was tempted by the full menu of steak and seafood on the additional pages, I ordered a bbq pork sandwich that was delicious. Served a la carte I also sided my sandwich with some deep fried cheese curds and a Pepsi (all pop served in cans). Also looking appetizing was the large blt sandwich. The service was also good and price was practical.

Overall Experience:
Food: Lunch servings fulfilling, tasteful and good proportions.
Appearance: Retro atmosphere with great views of the Mississippi River. Lots of room.
Price: Average. Lunch was around $9 for sandwich, side, and drink
Service: Laid-back, nice

Lunch at the Stadium

I had to run some errands in Guttenberg this afternoon so I decided to stop in for a late lunch at the Stadium. This was my first time visiting the bar and grill, even though I had heard great things about it, especially in terms of steak. Being that it was lunch I didn't go for a steak, but a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich hit the mark just right.
I was surprised by the number of customers a 2:00 pm Wednesday lunch cooked up (around 15 of us). The Stadium, which boasts seven tvs mostly for sports viewing, was tuned into game shows for the afternoon, which bonded everyone in the space with the same sportsmen like appeal, as booth and bar sitters alike were answering questions on "Jeopardy" and siding with what to do or not to do on "Deal or No Deal."
The staff at the Stadium was incredibly friendly and seemed to get along very well with one another. Timing of service check ups was excellent as well as the timing of the food. We didn't wait long at all. I was impressed with the selections of entrees (including breakfast) and the nice menus which all entrees were displayed. While Philly Cheese Steak can be said to be a typical bar food entree, my husband had a chimichunga, which I consider to be atypical for the bar scene, but was just as high of quality. (See photo) My favorite part of the whole experience were the fries. I am so picky when it comes to french fries. Although there were way more served than I could possibly eat, the french fries were nearly perfect, lightly crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Mmmm.

Overall Experience:
Food: Fast, Good Selection, Great French Fries
Appearance: Clean, semi-dark bar-like feel with video games and tvs all around. Great looking menus. Gave a feeling of cool on a hot summer day.
Price: Average. Lunch and drinks for two people = approximately $16.00
Service: Friendly with good timing. The staff allows you to have you personal space.

Elkader Cinema hosts Midnight Premier of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Yesterday around 3:00 the Elkader Cinema sent out a tweet letting people know the midnight showing for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was sold out. I was happy to had purchased a ticket just a few days before. Always good for their cheap seats, the midnight showing reserved seating was only 25¢ extra and well worth it costing a total of $4.25. The theater was mostly filled with high school students, junior high school, and some college kids, as well as some parents with younger children who had been counting down the days until the midnight showing. A few people braved wearing a costume, but most came as "muggles." Owners Lee and Diane Akin touted masks of Hagrid and Mad Eye Moody (See photo).
The show started right on time with excitement brewing in the crowd. The film lasted 2 and a half hours and still seemed short. An intermission was allowed in the middle of the show for popcorn refills and potty breaks. The film has gotten exceptional reviews and will continue to run at the Elkader Cinema for two weeks. I have a feeling many of the young bloods will return to the theater for more than one showing.
I thought the film was great, despite leaving a few things out, but really how do you fit a book weighing 2.4 lbs into a 2.5 hour film. There was a good balance of age-appropriate romance and action.
The operations of the midnight event went very smoothly. Great, but not inappropriate crowd reaction made for a very entertaining film. Laughter was contagious during the scene where Harry drinks the luck potion. The line getting in was quick, popcorn fresh, and seats were marked with name tags in Harry Potter like font.

Overall Experience:
Fun: Great
Price: $4.50 (ticket) + $7 (Medium Drink, Popcorn, Candy) = $11.50
Would I do it again: Maybe not tomorrow, but in a few months, absolutely.