Bringing sexy back
The Journal Sentinel reported today that Marie Claire magazine has named Milwaukee its sexiest city. Back story: we’re all a little bleary in the office this morning, recovering from Random Exposure, our annual photo contest party at the sexy (and one-of-a-kind) Eisner American Museum of Advertising and Design in the Third Ward, executive-directed by the extremely sexy and awe-inspiring Cori Coffman. Diamonds, one-half of the sexy and super-hot-right-now DJ duo The Glamour, provided the dance party and the aroma of horseradish-braised short ribs, marsala-soaked mushrooms and handmade port-infused chocolate and croquemboche from The Social and Times Square Pizzeria and Bistro wafted through the room. The turn out was incredible, everyone looked sexy and the photography – the party’s raison d’etre – was amazing. After the show, I rode my sexy bicycle down to the beautiful Pabst Theater, where a huge crowd of attractive young people had amassed for the sold-out Bon Iver concert. Justin Vernon, the pensive, haunting falsetto from Eau Claire, is a certified world-wide phenom, and I have never seen a show at the Pabst as packed to the gills as this one; Vernon himself kept telling us how amazing he felt to be playing at home, in Wisconsin, for a crowd so massively loving. During the incredible, captivating performance, I thought about Unmasked and Anonymous, the new Koss Gallery show at the Milwaukee Art Museum of portraiture by, primarily, Wisconsin photographers John Shimon and Julie Lindemann. Ryan and I went to the press preview on Wednesday, where we had the chance to preview the stunningly installed exhibition and hear Julie and John talk about their work. We met them at lunch afterward, where Julie told us about their decision to come back to Wisconsin after grad school in southern Illinois and a stint in New York City; they were fascinated, she said, by rural life, Wisconsin Death Trip, Orson Welles. Unmasked and Anonymous features portraiture from dozens of other photographers, including some important figures from Wisconsin art history like Walter Sheffer, Francis Ford and Stanley Ryan Jones. It was such a revelation to see robust and vivid evidence of Wisconsin’s art life in a way that’s not regionally ghettoized or superficially trendy. Julie and John are based in Manitowoc, an almost archetypically un-sexy city. But they love it. “We’re basically hicks,” she said. If it’s true, they’re the most glamorous hicks I’ve ever met: impeccable, mod, retro and devastatingly sexy. Holy shit, I thought to myself leaving the Museum. Wisconsin is so great. So you get my drift here: yeah, Milwaukee is sexy, and it’s about time somebody had the gall to say so. Unfortunately, the Journal Sentinel, after deciding to put this ultimately irrelevant fluff piece on the front page, poised the article in quizzical terms: what? Sexy? Aren’t we all just drunk, dairy-chubby cheese lovers? Once again, faced with an opportunity to live up to our burgeoning reputation as a sexy, cool, young, fun city, we stumble over our dogged insistence that we’re all a […]
Aug 15th, 2008 by Amy Elliott
What is the True Value of Water?
Or as Common Council President Hines put it "What is Water Worth?" This question has been on the minds of local officials and citizens as of late because of the City of Milwaukee approving an agreement to sell water to New Berlin.
Aug 15th, 2008 by Dave Reid
UWM Picks Our Three Favorite Dorm Sites As Finalists
The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Real Estate Foundation announced the final three sites (narrowed from a field of eight) for the new 500 to 700 bed dorm to be built.
Aug 15th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Kohl’s Continues To Lead Retail Store Solar Power Field
Kudos to Kohl's for continuing to push the envelope by powering more and more stores with solar power.
Aug 15th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Friday Photos Friday, 15. August 2008
The Residences on Water The Residences on Water – Qdoba The North End The North End Milwaukee Post Office
Aug 15th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Does Downtown Milwaukee Need More Street Trees?
Ask yourself what's missing along most of Wisconsin Avenue as it crosses through downtown. Then take a look at Milwaukee's lower east side. There is one key piece missing.
Aug 12th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Barack Obama on High Speed Rail
Barack Obama seems to have his head in the right place when thinking about the need for mobility in a regional sense. He doesn't advocate New York to Chicago high speed rail or other long routes, something that a plane does and will probably always do better. He doesn't talk about cost inefficient monorail technology or other fancy, whiz-bang technologies. Obama recognizes that high speed rail is the perfect mode of transit for regional connectivity and that the Midwest is a good place for that implementation.
Aug 11th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Weekly Bookmarks – Monday, 11. August 2008
America’s Hard-Drinking Cities – Forbes.com Investor Sells Office at 501-505 N. Jefferson for $1M – CoStar Group JS Online: Former Northridge property sold National City moves state HQ downtown, adding Milwaukee branches – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: MilwaukeeWorld: BARRETT, WALKER TO DEBATE TRANSIT Pabst bid surprises Milwaukee Texas DOT fesses up about endless subsidies for highways — will Wisconsin be next? | Congress for the New Urbanism Neighbors stand to be heard Mandel acquires North Avenue land for development – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: JS Online: You had ideas for improving city; philanthropist Zilber likes them
Aug 11th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Guilt Feelings
Recently I attended an art closing and heard people mention that they hadn’t been to see the Gilbert & George show at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Their voices were tinged with “guilt,” as if the G&G was something they should be interested in, but aren’t. I know the feeling. Years ago (25 more or less), I milled around a really big show when the splashy two hit Milwaukee and the Art Museum. Most people were there to be “shocked,” or at least there to be part of the crowd waiting to be shocked. Was I shocked? I can’t remember. These were the years of Russell Bowman at MAM, who brought in lots of cutting edge contemporary art. Theatre X was still around, performance art was a big deal, and there was a general air of excitement and change at the formerly staid venue. Bacon & Eggs for Gilbert & George Play-Doh/paint The other thing I missed out on was Tom Bamberger’s recent take on curatorial efforts, which aired on Lake Effect. I hear it was great, but I didn’t actually listen as I don’t have my speakers hooked up, nor have I purchased a cheapo gizmo to tune into the world of What’s Going On. I don’t own a cell phone and last year I dumped the recorder on my land line. This makes me feel guilty about not being “with it.” More and more, I find myself picking up The Onion and/or watching MAD T.V. I’ve also been writing a weekly column for my old hometown newspaper in rural Iowa. They’ve been publishing for over 100 years, and the paper has hardly changed at all. The populace (1,000 and shrinking) consists of mostly Republican church-going types. They don’t have any public art–unless you count the fiberglass hog standing at the rim of town. I find this oddly refreshing. They’ve never heard of Gilbert & George, and the closest the town has come to “fame” is when the 1912 axe murders took place and eight were slaughtered in their sleep. They do have the original axe, but that’s about it. You can still buy a house in my hometown for less than $50,000. The house I grew up in recently sold for $35,000.
Aug 8th, 2008 by Stella Cretek
Friday Photos Friday, 08. August 2008
Breakwater Condos The North End Park Lafayette 1824 E. Park Place Downer Avenue Development
Aug 8th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Where Is The New UWM Dorm Going?
To be honest, we don't know exactly. But we do know that they've proposed 8 sites, and we'll break down each one to determine which one we think might be the best.
Aug 7th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
“Jake’s How To” WORLD (Milwaukee) PREMIERE Aug 14th
Get out there and support something more local than your underwear……. JAKE’S HOW TO Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:00pm – 9:00pm The Oriental Theatre 2230 N. Farwell (at Farwell and North Ave.) Milwaukee, WI http://www.BuckleyBrothersProductions.com August 14 on DVD and Milwaukee’s Oriental Theatre @ 7pm! AFTER PARTY @ CANS! Summer’s ending. School’s starting. Your life is almost over… Ok, that’s a little dramatic, but you can put school out of your mind for one more night. Come see “Jake’s How-To” on August 14, and laugh your ass off to a sweet summer movie. Let’s not forget that this is the one and only official WORLD PREMIERE (aka, you get to be the first person ON THE PLANET to see it) of Whitefish Bay graduates and Milwaukee natives Kyle and Vincent Buckley’s feature comedy “Jake’s How-To”!!!! And it’s only $10!!! COME SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AND MEET THE FILMMAKERS!!!!! August 14, 7pm at the Oriental Theatre main auditorium, which was voted in the top 10 theaters in the nation! Ok, sounds amazing, but what’s it about? Well, you can check out the trailers / clips etc. at: http://www.BuckleyBrothersProductions.com
Aug 6th, 2008 by Howie Goldklang
