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Archive: Jun 2015

  1. Independence Day in Dubuque

    There’s nothing quite like watching Independence Day fireworks illuminate the sky over the Mississippi River.  For those of you who will be celebrating the Fourth of July in Dubuque this year, here’s a peek at what is going on in the area so that you can make your plans for a memorable weekend:

    Thursday, July 2nd:

    1:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Golden Knight Practice Jump, Kennedy Mall
    Complete with military displays, complimentary American flags from Richardson Motors, games for children, and a bounce house from 4:00 pm – 7:30 pm.

    7:00 pm: The Gala of the Royal Horses, Five Flags Arena
    Experience the excitement, splendor, and majesty of the Gala of the Royal Horses coming to Dubuque. The Gala of the Royal Horses is a spectacular show combining the most beautiful horses in the world with live performers creating a breathtaking event for the entire family. The Gala of the Royal Horses is a “must see” for horse lovers and this is the first time in the Tri-State area.

    Friday, July 3rd:

    6:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Salute to Our Heroes Air Show, Lock and Dam No. 11
    Featuring: Air Show Announcer, Military Swearing in Ceremony, Aerostars Demonstration Team, Golden Knights Parachute Team, US Army Special Operations Semi, Mike Wiskus, Lucas Oil Pitts Plane, MV22 US Marine Corp Osprey, US Navy F-18 Hornet, Heritage Flight with an F-16 and P-51 Mustang, Jet Demonstration with Red Star and Dragon, US Army Chinook Helicopter, Tribute to our Troops, and Missing Man Formation

    Dusk: Fireworks Spectacular!

    After the Fireworks, enjoy music by Marty Raymon in the Riverboat Lounge.

    Saturday, July 4th:

    7:00 am – 12:00 pm: Dubuque Farmers’ Market
    Iowa’s longest running Farmers’ Market is held around Dubuque’s City Hall, 1300 Iowa St., featuring the area’s finest selection of local produce, meats, wines, cheese, crafts, and more.

    11:00 am – 4:00 pm: Ice Cream Social at the Historic Mathias Ham House
    The Fourth of July Ice Cream Social, sponsored by the Dubuque County Historical Society, celebrates and old-fashioned Independence Day at the historic Ham House by Eagle Point Park. The afternoon event features music, food, tours of the mansion, and historic games for kids. For more information, visit RiverMuseum.com.

    9:00 pm: Ben Dunegan Live on the River Terrace, Riverboat Lounge

    Sunday, July 5th:

    6:30 pm: Music in the Gardens: Madison Brass Band, Dubuque Arboretum

    Activities:

    Enjoy family time outside with a historic sightseeing cruise aboard The Spirit of Dubuque paddleboat.

    If you’re looking for something adventurous, consider a scenic hike at Dubuque’s Mines of Spain State Park and be sure to check out Julien Dubuque’s Monument, a National Historic Landmark.

    Take in magnificent views of the city of Dubuque and the Mississippi River by visiting The Fenelon Place Elevator.  Located at 512 Fenelon Place, the Elevator has been described as the world’s shortest, steepest scenic railway at 296 feet in length, elevating passengers 189 feet from Fourth Street to Fenelon Place.

    Wishing you a wonderful and safe Fourth of July weekend from Hotel Julien Dubuque!

  2. What do you mean ‘typical day’?

    When asked to describe his typical workday, Executive Housekeeping Manager Joe Polich responded by stating that, in the hospitality industry, a ‘typical day’ does not really exist. While there are certain tasks for which he is responsible on a day-to-day basis, Joe asserts that the dynamic nature of the hospitality industry is one of the things that he enjoys most about his career. Joe joined the team at Hotel Julien Dubuque over five years ago and has since gained experience working in a variety of different capacities.
    Here’s a little peek into Joe’s world…
    How long have you been with Hotel Julien Dubuque?     “5 years.”
    What path brought you to this industry? “I was a student at Loras College and was looking for a part-time job.  I applied for a position in Housekeeping because I had previously helped with cleaning rooms in my parents’ Bed & Breakfast.  I soon transferred into working at the front desk, but left after a year to move to Madison, Wisconsin.  After a short stint working in Madison for two years, I came back to Hotel Julien Dubuque to work at the front desk again and eventually became a supervisor.  I didn’t know that hospitality would turn into my career, but when the Housekeeping Manager position opened up, I felt it was a good step for me.  I am intrigued by where this type of career is going to take me.”
    What are you most passionate about professionally? “I’m passionate about providing a good experience for every guest that walks through our doors and giving my all to make sure that happens.  I’ll do whatever is needed of me to make sure Hotel Julien Dubuque leaves a positive impression on people.”
    What is your favorite way to spend a free weekend? “What’s a free weekend??? (sorry, hospitality joke!)  Usually when I have free days, I like to spend them running, playing basketball, golfing, eating some good food and, every once in a while, just relaxing at home with a good video game.”
    Please share some of your favorite things to do in the Dubuque area. “A great thing about Dubuque, to me, is the downtown area. I love going out to eat at all the restaurants. I’ve always enjoyed walking around the Port of Dubuque, especially in the summer time. Nothing, in my mind, can beat walking across the 3rd Street overpass back towards Dubuque when the downtown area is busy.”
    What do you enjoy most about Hotel Julien Dubuque? “I love getting to know all of the associates. I think the people at Hotel Julien Dubuque have impacted my life greatly, be it past employees or current ones. I’ve made some lifelong friends because of where I work.”
    Do you have a personal motto? “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
    How would you describe your typical workday? “My day starts off by making the Housekeeping boards for the day and assigning rooms to housekeepers.  I usually will wait for everyone to come in and then give some small direction for the day if necessary. I spend time ordering supplies, inspecting rooms, trying to problem solve, etc.  The one thing you learn quickly about working in the hospitality industry is that a ‘typical day’ doesn’t really exist. You have an idea of what a day might be like, but you truly wake up each day knowing anything can happen.”
    When asked to share a unique fact about yourself, what do you say?     “When I was two years old, my family moved to Italy for four years.”
    Is there anything else that you would like to add?  “Go Hawks!!”

  3. Meet the Team: Kimberly Ohnesorge

    Kimberly Ohnesorge has been a member of the Potosa Spa team since April 2014.  While Kimberly was born in Dubuque, the majority of her experience in the industry is from time spent in Las Vegas, Nevada where she owned and operated a skincare business.  In her Meet the Team feature, Kimberly shares expert skincare tips as well as general wellness strategies for an all-around healthy lifestyle. 
    Joined the team:     In April of 2014
    Hometown: Dubuque, Iowa
    Background/Schooling: “The majority of my schooling took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.”
    Name one step of your beauty routine that you could never skip: “Taking off makeup at night.  So many people still like to skip this!”
    What is your favorite spa treatment? “The Fountain of Youth Facial.  It is a very advanced facial!”
    What is your favorite beauty product? “Solar Defense SPF 30 and anti-wrinkle cream by Hydropeptide.”
    What wellness and/or relaxation strategies do you implement in your day-to-day life? “Always maintain a positive mindset and do not be around negative energy.”
    What is your favorite beauty tip/trick? “Eyebrow waxing is so important to your overall look – eyebrows shape your face!”
    What do you love most about your job? “I love educating my clients on skincare.”
    Is there anything else that you would like to share?  “I have worked in all areas of aesthetics from working with dermatologists to plastic surgeons to wellness spas.”

    Learn more about Potosa Spa by visiting www.potosaspa.com or call 563.588.5570 to schedule your next appointment. 

  4. June 5th, 1946: A War Hero’s Wedding Day

    Eunice Square At Hotel Julien Dubuque, we have the distinct pleasure of welcoming incredible visitors through our doors on a continual basis.  Every guest brings with them a story that contributes to the collective narrative of this historic hotel.

    For Eunice Grabow, returning to Hotel Julien Dubuque was like stepping back in time to her wedding day in 1946. “It all really does come back to you,” she noted excitedly as she toured the hotel.  Despite extensive renovations and well over half a century’s time having passed, Eunice, accompanied by her daughters Diane and Nancy, reminisced about that special June day nearly 71 years earlier as she visited familiar, albeit transformed areas of the hotel. “That’s where I threw my bouquet,” she explained, pointing to the Grand Staircase.

    As we sat down near the front windows in the lobby, Diane and Nancy shared beautiful photographs from their parents’ nuptials.  The images of the happy, young couple sparked an amusing story about how they met.

    Joseph, Eunice’s husband and son of Dubuque’s Recreation Director, worked as a lifeguard at the city’s first municipal pool during his high school years. In an effort to attract his attention, Eunice and a friend climbed on the ropes that divided different sections of the pool, intentionally breaking a rule that they knew the lifeguards must enforce.  After being corrected on a few different occasions and pushing the envelope even further by entering an area not open to the public, Eunice and her friend were sent home from the pool and, in perfect accordance with their clever plan, were driven home by Joseph.

    Both Eunice and Joseph grew up in Dubuque.  Eunice graduated from the Immaculate Conception academy and went on to work as a bookkeeper at Edwards’ Style Shop, the store from which she would eventually purchase her bridal gown.  Joseph attended St. Columbkille’s High School and graduated from the University of Iowa before joining the Army Air Forces in March of 1942.

    (An interesting aside: Eunice’s brother, Art Roth, helped to build the Julien Dubuque Bridge while he was in college.  Construction began in 1942, during the height of the World War II when facilitating military transportation was of the utmost importance.)

    As if Eunice’s stories were not already fascinating enough, she proceeded to explain that, prior to their marriage, Joseph was recognized for his heroism during World War II.  Her daughters shared a newspaper clipping praising their father’s success in navigating his team’s B-17 to safety after being bombed over Germany:

    “Through a hall of German anti-aircraft fire, Second Lieut. Joseph C. Grabow, 21, of Dubuque, Ia., navigator of the B-17 Flying Fortress, plotted a course for the crippled plane.  After Nazi flak gunners shot one engine of the Fort away, the plane did not have enough power to hold her place in the Eighth air force formation, with which Lieut. Grabow was flying.

    Lieut. Grabow navigated a course for the crippled Fort which proved to be a successful one.  After two hours over Germany, the craft, with two engines ineffectual, made it safely to home base.”

    When Joseph returned from the war, he had much to celebrate.  On June 5th, 1946, Joseph and Eunice were married at Holy Ghost Church.  In a Telegraph Herald article saved by the family, the events of Eunice and Joseph’s wedding day are described in detail:

    “Given in marriage by her father, the bride wore a gown of white chantilly lace and net, fashioned with a lace bodice, a scalloped peplum and a very full net skirt.  Her fingertip veil featured lace flowers and pearl insets, and she carried an arm bouquet of white gladioli…Following the wedding breakfast at the home of the bride’s parents, a dinner and reception for 300 guests were held in the Art Room of the Hotel Julien.”

    (Note: The “Art Room” mentioned in the excerpt refers to what is now known as the Harbor Gallery.)

    As we continued flipping through photographs from her wedding day, Eunice fondly described the smiling young faces in her wedding party.  Her daughters shared stories with such an air of familiarity that it became clear the wedding day memories had been relived during many family conversations throughout the years.

    Our visit was marked by a palpable sense of nostalgia, a true reflection of the significance of Eunice’s return trip to Dubuque.  Her daughters planned a reunion dinner in Caroline’s Restaurant for around fifteen people, many of whom were Eunice’s former classmates.  It was then that this amazing history started coming out of the woodwork and, had it not been for a friendly conversation with our Restaurant Manager during their dinner, the fascinating details of Eunice and Joseph’s 300-guest wedding reception at Hotel Julien Dubuque in 1946 may have simply remained frozen in newspaper clippings, photographs, and records from the past.

    A mother to three: Keith, Diane, and Nancy, grandmother to four, and great-grandmother to two, Eunice now resides in Tucson, Arizona and continues to cherish the many memories that she made in Dubuque.  She shared as many stories as time would allow for in the hour before she and her daughters left to visit New Melleray Abbey and stop for lunch before their flight.  “Dubuque truly was a wonderful place to grow up,” she concluded.

    Do you have a special Hotel Julien Dubuque memory to share? We’d love to hear from you! Email dmm@hoteljuliendubuque.com.

  5. Meet the Team: Stephanie Gilligan

    A veteran Esthetician, Stephanie Gilligan has been with Potosa Spa since August of 2011.  Stephanie is a Dubuque native and graduate of Capri College.  Read on as this skincare guru shares expert tips that can be incorporated into your daily regiment to help you achieve a luminous, flawless glow.
    Joined the team:     In August of 2011
    Hometown: Dubuque, Iowa
    Background/Schooling: “I Graduated from Capri College.”
    Name one step of your beauty routine that you could never skip: “I could never skip cleansing and toning.”
    What is your favorite spa treatment? “My favorite spa treatment would have to be the Lifting Code Facial or the Primeluce Facial.”
    What is your favorite beauty product? “I would have to say Bioline.  There are many different lines in the Bioline product group that work for sensitive skin all the way to acne-prone skin types.”
    What wellness and/or relaxation strategies do you implement in your day-to-day life? “Get plenty of rest and develop a day-to-day skin regiment.  Keep up with it and you will see results — it will pay off in the long run with great skin!”
    What is your favorite beauty tip/trick? “High Frequency Treatment.  From one pimple to very acne-prone skin, this treatment will kill bacteria and leave you with clear skin in only 2-3 days.”
    What do you love most about your job? “My clients and working with all of the lovely ladies of Potosa Spa!”
    Is there anything else that you would like to share?  “I love what I do.  I get to experience something new every day.  I have met so many people from all over and cannot wait to see what the future brings.”

    Learn more about Potosa Spa by visiting www.potosaspa.com or call 563.588.5570 to schedule your next appointment. 

  6. Meet the Team: Sarah Blindert

    Sarah Blindert has been a member of the Potosa Spa team since 2013.  Not only does Sarah work as an Esthetician, but she is also a lead Licensed Massage Therapist specializing in Deep Tissue, Prenatal, Swedish, Thai, and Lymphatic Drainage Massage.  A native resident of Dubuque, Sarah earned both licenses from Capri College.  In her Meet the Team feature, Sarah shares key wellness strategies that she has learned throughout her training as well as personal beauty tips that she implements in her daily routine.  
    Joined the team:     In 2013
    Hometown: Dubuque, Iowa
    Background/Schooling: “I Graduated from Capri College with licenses in both Massage Therapy and Esthetics.”
    Name one step of your beauty routine that you could never skip: “Using a facial cleanser at the end of my day to remove everything from the skin’s surface in order to get a nice glow.”
    What is your favorite spa treatment? “The Herbal Detox Wrap and Massage.  It is a great way to feel refreshed!”
    What is your favorite beauty product? “Eye shadow because you can be expressive and make your eyes pop.”
    What wellness and/or relaxation strategies do you implement in your day-to-day life? I strongly believe that what you put into your body or do to your body will affect how you look and feel.  I incorporate healthy eating and physical activities into my daily routine to always be the best that I can be.”
    What is your favorite beauty tip/trick? “Stretching and drinking plenty of water can really do a lot for you.”
    What do you love most about your job? “I love helping clients feel and look their best along with hearing repeat clients’ testimonials!”
    Is there anything else that you would like to share?  “I enjoy spending any free time that I get with my family and exploring the great outdoors!”

    Learn more about Potosa Spa by visiting www.potosaspa.com or call 563.588.5570 to schedule your next appointment. 

  7. Meet the Team: Becky Bowling

    Becky Bowling joined the Potosa Spa team in 2014
    as a Licensed Massage Therapist after graduating
    from Capri College in Dubuque.  A passionate yogi and essential oil enthusiast, Becky shares her favorite health and wellness strategies for a well-rounded
    daily routine.

    Joined the team: In 2014
    Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan
    Background/Schooling: “I Graduated from Capri College in Dubuque, Iowa.”
    What is your favorite spa treatment? “Milk and Honey Shea Butter Massage.”
    What is your favorite beauty product? “Body Butter.  I believe it works better for dry skin than lotion.”
    What wellness and/or relaxation strategies do you implement in your day-to-day life? “I do a lot of yoga and exercise frequently.  I enjoy using all sorts of essential oils to help me relax in addition to meditating.”
    What is your favorite beauty tip/trick? “Always take care of yourself.”
    What do you love most about your job? “I love helping people feel better and relax.”
    Is there anything else that you would like to share?  “Going to massage therapy school was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  I am so blessed to be able to help others in my career.  Massage has shown me that feeling good is essential and more important than looking good.  I hope everyone knows that they are beautiful! You are all awesome!”

    Learn more about Potosa Spa by visiting www.potosaspa.com or call 563.588.5570 to schedule your next appointment. 

  8. East Coast Meets Midwest: Jenny & Sam

    “My husband and I got married on May 21st, 2011 and held our reception at Hotel Julien.  While I’m from Cedar Rapids originally, my husband is from Ohio and we currently reside in the District of Columbia, we decided to get married in Dubuque, in part, because we fell in love with Hotel Julien.  Our wedding celebration was such a wonderful, happy weekend, and we couldn’t have imagined a more perfect venue for us.  For many of our East Coast friends, it was their first trip to the Midwest, and they loved Dubuque and put the Capone Suite to good use.  

    We welcomed our little baby boy into the world 8 months ago today, and we’re looking forward to a trip back to Iowa to celebrate our four year anniversary.  We’re planning to leave the baby with the grandparents to go celebrate a night in Dubuque!“
    In celebration of our 100th anniversary, we are looking back at the significant events that have taken place at Hotel Julien Dubuque throughout history. If you were married at the hotel (pre or post-renovation), we would love to hear your story!  Learn more about our “Celebrating Ours, Celebrating Yours” contest and how you can enter here.
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