Dubuque Getaway ... A Moderately Priced Binge

Today's entry finds me in Dubuque, Iowa, a medium-priced binge. I am at my fave place, the Hotel Julien, where I procured a room for $85 for the night, $99 with taxes. The normal website price on the room is $147. I booked through a website called hoteltonight.com, saving me $48. The site works best on a smart phone and, of course, there's an app.

I mostly use hoteltonight for spur of the moment getaways to Dubuque and LaCrosse, but it would be a great app if you're just vagabonding your way across the state or the country and don't want to be confined by pre-arranged lodging reservations.

I have to say that little spontaneous "retreats" like this are often just the ticket for curing the blahs and rejuvenating the mind/body/soul. My friend, Mario, says that I don't need retreats because my whole life is one big retreat. But I do need to get away from time to time, especially to reward myself for a big project finished, or just for a change of scenery to clear my head.

Dubuque may not seem a likely place for a retreat, but it has a lot going for it. Yes, it's still very industrial, with long trains lumbering through town day and night blaring their horns. But the central downtown has been undergoing a rebirth, including a $30 million renovation of this hotel.

I find the Mississippi River a calming salve to my soul. There are several good restaurants here, as well as the lure of two casinos, with the Diamond Jo being my favorite. And being a boutique hotel, the Julien has a stately beauty to it and is not particularly kid-friendly, so chances are better that the little fuckers aren't running up and down the hallways all night. They're all at the Holiday Inn and other family-friendly motels, where they belong.

There is no "free" breakfast here at the Julien, but the best breakfast in town is just two blocks up the street, the Sunshine Cafe, where for less than 10 bucks you can get a hearty breakfast and a friendly smile from your server. Solid diner food here, folks, no egg white omelets or tofu sausage.

So today, I left Janesville about 12:30 p.m. Normally, cat Abby is fine on her own for an overnight like this, but this time around she has (sister) Dawn to keep her company and pump her full of treats. I made a quick stop at Aldi in Monroe for some diet Coke and a few treats for the room. This is another money saving strategy I use to avoid the vending machines and hotel snack boutiques. A pint bottle of Jim Beam accompanies me for a nightcap, avoiding an $8 charge in the room's minibar.

I traveled today in some of the most bizarre weather I've ever encountered, driving through four separate downpours. Finally arrived in Dubuque, cloudy and drizzling. First order of business was to hit the hot tub to soak an aching foot. Then I went to a restaurant inside the Diamond Jo called "Filament," a brew pub. I had the fish 'n chips, and substituted a salad and cabbage slaw for the fries. The cod was delicious.Total with tax and tip: $19.39.

From there, I hit the casino where I won $25 at a blackjack table and decided to cash out after that. Not bad for a half hour's work.

I'm back in my room now, typing out this blog entry. I've had a couple of energy bars from Aldi for "dessert," and a cup of coffee from the hotel room's Keurig coffee maker. Looking forward to a good night's sleep.

Tomorrow morning, a long hot shower and shave, followed by breakfast at the Sunshine. I skipped the bacon and sausage and went with ham.

I should arrive back in Janesville refreshed and ready to tackle the next project. With meals and gas, I I should bring this binge in at around $125, counting the $25 I won in the casino.

Things have changed a bit, now that I have my cat, Lily. The hotel Julien does not accept pets, so I'll be looking a new hotel. The Hilton Garden Inn near the Mystique Casino looks promising.