Right in the middle of Chicago, deep inside Cubs territory, there is a Wisconsin tavern called Will's Northwoods Inn. During the World Series, the street outside is Illinois, but the room inside is sovereign Wisconsin soil. Brewers fans pack the bar shoulder to shoulder. They call it watching the war from behind enemy lines. In old Japan, a clan enclave inside a rival lord's province was guarded like a fortress. You needed an official wooden pass just to cross the gate. At Will's, you do not need papers to cross the border. You just walk through the door in Brewers blue, and the bartender slides a basket of hot fried Wisconsin cheese curds across the wood. That is your passport. It might be the only embassy on Earth with a deep fryer. Diplomatic relations are strong.

I don’t think you can experience more beautiful orange and blue hues than the Great Lakes region in autumn

I’ve been spotted in the wild! Don’t waste your commute by scrolling on a phone. Get a newspaper subscription and support local journalism (shoutout Chicago Tribune). Life is too short to be uninformed!

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