Perfectly Wausonian No. 3: Stephanie Kohli
Perfectly Wausonian No. 3: Stephanie Kohli
In this series we ask some of the better-known Wausonians for their recommendations, and in doing so, get to know them better.
One of my favorite new Substack publications is Perfectly Imperfect. It’s another Substack publication in which the three authors collect recommendations from some of the cooler folks out there. The result is fascinating because they end up being mini-profiles of some of the more interesting figures in New York life.
Well, good artists borrow, great artists steal, right? So I thought I would try out a version for The Wausonian. It would add a little lighter content and plus, I love recommendations. It used to be one of the primary ways I would find new shows to watch, along with music and local restaurants.
So each Wausonian featured will be instructed to provide a little bio about themselves and provide 5-6 recommendations. They could be anything and everything; they could all be Wausau-based, none of them Wausau-based, or some combination thereof. They will go out to paid subscribers first, and release a week later to all readers.
If you’ve seen a mural around town, there’s a really good chance it was painted by Stephanie Kohli. She exploded onto the scene last decade in Wausau and just seems to be everywhere there’s painting going on. She’s painted murals all over the city, runs painting workshops and has some truly creative and interesting art.
If you’ve met her, you know she’s also one of the nicest people you could imagine. So for the third installment of the Perfectly Wausonian series, we asked Kohli for some of her recommendations. Every single one of them is in Wausau! As you know if you’ve read previous examples, recommendations don’t have to be local. The point is to get to know someone interesting in town, and I think their recommendations and why they recommend them is an interesting way to get to know someone.
Check out more of Kohli’s work at her website and sign up for one of her art classes. Included on the website is a mural map so you can see all the murals she’s created in town.
Stephanie Kohli
This is a very happening place in Wausau. Every Saturday morning throughout winter, my family and I love to check out the winter market to purchase local food and sit together to play games and enjoy a delicious breakfast. There's always a fun event happening and the owners Kelly and Leslie are very supportive of artists. They have bands playing often and will let artists display their work on the walls. I've also had the pleasure to work with them in creating a phoenix mural that wraps through their stairway and up in to their main floor. The atmosphere here is like no other. The macha tea is one of my favorites here.
Greater Wausau Children's Museum
I have littles and this place is on the top of our list to go and let them play. There's so much to explore here and often there will be events for parents and children to join in on. Every year they have a noon-years eve party for the kids and will do a balloon drop that is a big hit. There's also art classes and special activities throughout the year. This is the perfect place to host birthday parties also.
In between Athens and Merrill is a very special school with a lot of history. In the past year and a half I've worked here as an art teacher and I've seen so many awesome opportunities for children who enjoy being immersed in nature. Part of the playground is a forest where children can play and build their forts. There's also a chicken coop and we get to be part of collecting the eggs and learning about caring for animals and the environment. The staff is so kind and welcoming. The building is also very historic and much of the original school has been preserved through time. It's a great feeling to be able to work in a place that has such a rich history. (You should read about the founding of this school if you are unfamiliar with it - it's crazy amazing!)
I love checking out this shop as there's many unique gifts here. The owners Jane and Jim are very knowledgeable as this is a family owned business and dates back over a hundred years. There's also some really great books sold here such as "The ABC's of Wausau" by Cheryl Wolken. Also while you visit, check out the murals that are on the front window and in the back alley.
My family and I love the Monk Gardens. It's a beautiful place to explore the outdoors and there's a lot of family friendly events that happen here. We enjoyed going to the Holi festival, Blossom of Lights show, Peter Pan in the Gardens and much more. My son also attends their preschool program that is nature based and hands on learning. We are so excited to see the future "Story Book Garden" renovations. This place is just magical!
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum
This is another gem of Wausau. I love going here on occasion to see the exhibits and learn about new art forms. My children and I have enjoyed seeing the artwork and the activities. I especially love painting birds and this museum is filled with wonderful artwork of them. It's neat to see how other artists interpret birds in their pieces.
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