Our 2009 Top Ten Lists
It's time to look forward to what we can hope for and plan on in 2009.
Jan 5th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
Weekly Bookmarks – Monday, 05. January 2009
17 years later, transit impasse drags on – JSOnline Bradley Center reports $2.1M net loss – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: Marquette moves on project despite donation lull Milwaukee could become Global Freshwater Capital : The Bay View Compass Senator slams city’s contracting preference
Jan 5th, 2009 by Dave Reid
Company To Supply KRM Train Sets Closes Doors
Colorado Railcar Manufacturing, the company slated to provide the train sets for the potential Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee (KRM) commuter rail line, has closed its doors due to a liquidity problem. The company was the only supplier of diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains that met FRA standards to operate on the same tracks as freight trains. So the battle over a recently released (and highly-flawed in our opinion) cost report might have to be tabled at this point.
Jan 2nd, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
NEW Global Issues column debuts this month!
One World, by former Slightly Crunchy Parent columnist Lucky Tomaszek, takes a look at global issues through a local lens and focuses on living in the world with as little damanging impact as possible and facing the challenges our families and communities face environmentally, economically and ethically. Check it out this month, let us know what you think and come back to this blog often for updates, information and resources for living consciously on our planet. -ed. BPA – you’re soaking in it About ten years ago, I started hearing quiet murmurs about Teflon pots and pans, Styrofoam cups, plastic dishes and disposable flatware. They were just rumors, really. Things mentioned quietly, in passing. At first I ignored it. Then I started asking a few questions. None of the people doing the whispering really seemed to know a lot about it – they had all just heard similar rumors and were passing it on. Finally, I got a short summary. There were a few theories being tossed around about the safety of consuming hot foods and beverages using any of these kitchen supplies. Maybe it wasn’t as safe as it seemed. A little online digging (in the very early days of the internet – pre-Google!) afforded me more parts of the rumors. The potential danger stemmed from the possibility that certain chemicals might be leached from the plastic by heat and absorbed by the macaroni and cheese or hot chai that was about to be ingested. This concept rocked my whole world. If this theory was true, there were so many things I had been doing for years that could be dangerous. It didn’t seem possible to me – everyone I knew used Teflon and plastic spoons and Styrofoam cups. No one seemed to be suffering any ill effects. There were no cases of cancer, no ongoing or mysterious illnesses. I tried to dismiss it. But the rumors persisted and I started noticing things. Like, how some of my plastic cups changed colors when I put hot cider in them, or how you could burn a hole clean through the layer of plastic wrap by overheating it in the microwave. I watched my food bubble up through those holes and realized it was entirely possible that whatever was in the plastic could be in my food. And though I didn’t know any of the science behind it, I knew that humans shouldn’t be eating plastic. Slowly, we started changing the way we did things around the house. No more foam dishes, very little plastic flatware. Hot food was served on regular old dishes, always. I ditched the coated pans, upgraded for cast iron one piece at a time. For the most part I did these things quietly. The whole concept was still so new, and I was well aware that it could all turn out to be a wave of hysteria that would be laughed at a decade later. At the same time, I wasn’t willing to risk it. So, […]
Jan 2nd, 2009 by Lucky Tomaszek
Friday Photos Friday, 02. January 2009
The North End 1824 E. Park Place The Edge Convent Hill Demolition Convent Hill Demolition
Jan 1st, 2009 by Dave Reid
Photos From the Top of the Downer Avenue Parking Garage
A view from atop the Downer Ave. Parking Garage
Jan 1st, 2009 by Dave Reid
Ben Nichols
Ben Nichols, frontman for gritty rebel rockers Lucero, presents his first solo release, Last Pale Light In the West, a self-dubbed “mini-LP.” The mini LP is seven story-songs, pulling their tales from Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian (1985), a bleak, violence-ridden novel, packed full of historical and religious references. Each song Nichols pens in Last Pale Light in the West is built around the novel and its characters; the title track sets the scene as Nichols leads, “Dark clouds gather round me / to the West my soul is bound.” The next introduces the novel’s protagonist, The Kid. In “The Kid,” Nichols sings, “Your mother died night you were born / her name you never knew / look away, look away / nothing to lose / left East Tennessee at fourteen / wandered to the West / look away, look away / born into death.” With Lucero, Nichols has proved himself a natural-born storyteller, tales of bars and brawls narrated by his raspy drawl. This time around, his stories are not just of bars and brawls; those bars and brawls are scenes for something far deeper and more sinister, echoing McCarthy’s unblinking, soulless style. The music itself bucks up and simply tells the tales, not overdrawing a dark mood but lending a stripped down and plainly pretty backdrop, letting the lyrics do all of the novel’s dirty work. Nichols, on acoustic guitar, paired with Rick Steff (Cat Power) on accordion and piano and Todd Beene (Glossary) on pedal steel and electric guitar, rolls ballads out slow and sure, like the rising and setting of the sun in a dusty Western sky, while the musicality of the songs shine up the rough pages within. Although more of a novella in terms of length, Last Pale Light in the West is all-encompassing of its original source, embodying a sense of history and depth and issuing an effect that’s fresh and endlessly intriguing, as the best stories often are.
Jan 1st, 2009 by Erin Wolf
The Gourds
Considering that Haymaker! is the Gourds’ 11th release in just 11 years, I’d say that these fine Texans know a thing or two about making hay while the sun is shining. That’s not saying that this recording is merely more product, though … oh no. This outing is much more streamlined stylistically than last year’s explorative, contemplative Noble Creatures, and as such, the live quality of their production is much better suited to these songs. Haymaker! pendulums between straight-up country and The Gourds’ unique brand of alt-country. Of course, their lyrical witticism is prominently on display throughout these 14 songs. “Fossil Contender” is a perfect second track with jangly rhythm guitar, tasteful slide and emotive vocals. “The Way You Can Get” keeps the pace rollicking and offers the disc’s most wistful lyrics, while “Shreveport,” a welcome addition to the truckin’ pantheon, even name checks Geddy Lee. Yessir. Overall, the contrast of Kevin Russell’s twang-dipped vocal delivery and songwriting to Jimmy Smith’s plaintive approach keeps the entire disc entertaining. Their styles have never sounded as cohesive as they do here. The Gourds have certainly created a catalog of worthy music thus far; Haymaker! is perhaps their most refined and therefore their most rewarding too.
Jan 1st, 2009 by Troy Butero
Milwaukee Filmmaker Speakeasy
Michael Sotille of Lemon Lounge @ Oakland and Locust … So I told Grandma I loved her and then Grandpa ambled onto the phone. We did the wife, dog, salon updates and I heard about the latest movies to sneak into at the budget cinema and how there will never be peace in Israel in his lifetime. I um-hmm along and the call (as always) ended with “Give Carly a big kiss and say hello to the boys in the back room.” Kissing the wife is no prob, but the boys in the back room? That’s kinda sick. I want a back room. We are on the top of Mt. 2009, so cut me some slack and allow me to gently dissect one of the challenges I experience as a fringe filmmaker and late-night screenwriter in Milwaukee. There is no spot. No filmmaker’s speakeasy. Bike messengers have the Swingin’ Door on Michigan to talk about short-billed hats and fixed gears; fat cat lawyers and judges pop over for lunch at Jake’s Deli on North to feel out pleas and city nominations. Filmmakers need that softly lit, sideways bar to hunch over and steal a look when the door creaks open to see if a comrade has entered. We need a place to drink in the anomalous delights of speaking the same, strange film language, a place to go to procrastinate, offer condolences for projects that die, do shots to films that spring to life, argue about this editor or that scene and just talk shit in general. A filmmaker’s back room if you will. Will you? I thought you would. So then, the mission is set! And I think I gots it: Lemon Lounge on Oakland. Owner/bartender Michael Sottile has been around the block of the independent film world. Since 1992, he has appeared in Reservoir Dogs, Speed, Outbreak and a few indie feature films starring opposite Julie Bowen (ER, Weeds, Lost, Boston Legal) and Traci Lords (amazing!). Sottile’s latest appearance is in Modus Operandi (directed by Frankie Latina; trailer on myspace.com/frankielatina), which was shot on Super 8mm in Milwaukee on a self-proclaimed budget of CHEAP. For those keeping score, that is some dirt-under-the-nails filmmaking. Walk into Lemon and shut the door quickly behind you, because chances are you’ll let out all the heat. The place is tiny, the size of a forgotten box office more than a bar, sitting in the shadows of the Miramar Theater on Oakland. Dimly lit with candles and white Christmas lights, Lemon comes on like a Brooklyn cellar bar or a Parisian lounge with its own Hemingway story. Hanging from the exposed brick walls are sentimental paintings, a few old film posters and a framed Rolling Stone’s Let It Bleed record. You can’t fuck with that. Bottom line: you get the feeling that this is a place where stories are told and business gets done. Lemon frequently hosts private screenings or showings of works-in-progress on their flat screen/DVD/stereo sound set up. In fact, walk-in, […]
Jan 1st, 2009 by Howie Goldklang
Boards, committees and Bohl – oh my!
In this edition: BOZA gets a new chair, Alderman Bohl blows up and the mainstream media once again misses the mark. Big news! New BOZA head: Outside of city government, not many people know or care about the Board of Zoning Appeals, affectionately known by insiders as BOZA. (Pronounced with a long “o” and a short “a,” so it rhymes with “Rosa.”) But if you live in the City of Milwaukee, run a business here or watch the city government station on TV (Channel 25), you know how vitally important BOZA is to maintaining a good quality of life in Milwaukee. Whenever a daycare wants to open in a residential neighborhood, or someone wants to put up an extra-large billboard, or a corner store is up for renewal, the Board, made up of private citizens, votes on whether or not exceptions (i.e. “variances”) to land use restrictions should be granted. Typically, an alderman or his/her aide will go before BOZA and tell why he/she is for/against the variance. There is often a lot of good neighborhood testimony, too, and the hearings can go well into the night. This is local government at its finest, and the chairman – for more than a decade – has been well-respected tax attorney Craig Zetley. In November, Zetley announced his resignation. This announcement sent shockwaves throughout City Hall and beyond, but it was barely mentioned by most Milwaukee media outlets. The replacement is long-time BOZA member Catey Doyle, who also happens to be sister to Governor Jim Doyle. Catey, the staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society, is passionate about Milwaukee and a great person for a job that would be demanding for anyone. Tune in to Channel 25 on any Thursday night when BOZA is in session and see how she runs her meetings. The general expectation seems to be that Ms. Doyle will be extremely fair with aldermen and citizens alike, but maybe not has hard line as Mr. Zetley when it comes to the interpretation of city code. Doyle is known for being empathetic and understanding of special circumstances. Like church, but for liquor licenses: Speaking of running city meetings, there was quite a bit of commotion at the Licenses Committee hearing in early December. Alderman Jim Bohl, known for his integrity, sincerity and long-winded analogies, is chair of the committee that grants a variety of alcohol and other licenses. He took over that role for Ald. James Witkowiak in April, but it’s Bohl’s second turn at being the chair of Licenses. (He’s one of the most veteran aldermen, having represented the west side of Milwaukee for more than a decade.) During this particular hearing, Bohl blasted citizens in attendance for not turning off their cell phones. “This should be like church,” he said at one point, exhorting people to be respectful of the proceedings. He even kicked out one person whose cell phone continued to ring. Many observers thought Bohl crossed the line. The castigation of Milwaukee residents – many […]
Jan 1st, 2009 by Dan Corcoran
Keeping warm, Ukrainian style
Vasyl Lemberskyy Owner/Chef – Transfer Pizzeria Café 101 W. Mitchell St. 414-763-0438 • transfermke.com (photos by Melissa Merline) The economy may be suffering, but you’d never know it from the percolating patronage of a restaurant less than a year old: Transfer. Co-owner and, in his own words, “Chef Extraordinaire” Vasyl Lemberskyy grew up in Kiev, Ukraine when it was still a Soviet Socialist Republic. There, the economy left people so destitute that hunger was rampant, and the Chernobyl disaster occurred just a few hours away. Lemberskyy made pizza for 20 years in Ukraine and later studied with a Master chef in Italy. When he moved to the United States in 2001, he thought he’d sworn off restaurant work for good. “It’s hard work. I’m tired all the time, not enough time for my family or myself.” Nonetheless, he worked for Polonez and then opened several restaurants alone and with partners, among them Primavera and Fresche. At Transfer, the focus is on Lemberskyy-style pizza, pasta and paninis. He is not overly boastful about his cred as a pizza maker, especially considering his product: his crusts, all made daily by hand, are thin enough to be crispy with enough body to hold a luscious chewy center. The garlic pizza is lavished with a creamy sauce and cheese and slides down the throat without being greasy. You won’t find any Ukrainian dishes on Transfer’s menu, so you’ll have to try this hearty winter favorite in your own kitchen. Zrazy – Vasyl’s Favorite Ukrainian Dish Zrazy are small potato pancakes filled with meat and fried in fat. Zrazy are usually served with fried pork fat. 2 lbs potatoes 1 lb beef 2 large onions, chopped and fried 2 cups sunflower oil Salt to taste Grate half of the potatoes finely. Boil another half in skins. Peel off, grate and add to the uncooked potatoes, then blend and salt to taste. Boil meat, then grind in a food processor and combine with fried finely chopped onion. Shape small cakes and fill in with meat. Fry in oil until light brown. Serve at once. We want you! Submit your recipes for consideration to eatthis@vitalsourcemag.com. We might use them in a future edition of Eat This! Ulana Tyshynsky Ulana Tyshynsky, a fourth grade teacher at Forest Home Avenue School, proudly maintains the Ukrainian culture passed on by her immigrant parents. Cuisine is one of the things she values from her heritage. This bread is a holiday tradition but is also made though out the year. It’s best stored in plastic for several weeks to let the honey mellow before serving. A fun fact: many Ukrainians worship in the Eastern Orthodox tradition and celebrate Christmas on January 7. Medivnyk (Ukrainian honey loaf) ½ cup butter 1 cup dark honey 6 eggs, separated 1 cup powdered sugar 3 cups all-purpose flour ½ t ground cloves ½ t ground cinnamon 1 t baking soda 1 cup golden raisins (optional) 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Melt honey and butter over […]
Jan 1st, 2009 by Cate Miller
Dumb Milwaukee
For all its charming neighborhoods, diverse ethnic fests and numerous places to get shitfaced, Milwaukee remains a uniquely dumb city. Just look back at 2008: between fighting off “hordes” of tourists pouring in by the hour to catch a glimpse of the Bronze Fonz (thanks, Visit Milwaukee!), and playing host to the “countless” not-shot-on-crappy-digital-video films starring non-local, non-crappy actors (thanks, Film Wisconsin!), Milwaukee still found time to let its residential streets go to hell, mull a city-wide smoking ban and continue to employ both Scott Walker and Gus Gnorski. Truly a banner year. So, as we roll up our collective sleeves and prepare for yet another year in our dear city, I thought it might be useful to provide a preview of a few dumb things Milwaukee will almost surely have in store for us in 2009. Please note that the following are more of the “roll your eyes and gently shake your head” variety of dumb, as opposed to downright evil (New Land Enterprises building more condos) or aggressively stupid (oh, I don’t know, Riverwest printing its own money). More dumb events A surefire way for Milwaukee to remain dumb in 2009 is to continue appropriating dumb events that other cities started doing five or ten years ago. This isn’t to say Milwaukee is “behind the times” in any way; I’m just suggesting that stupid shit like bondage shows and the thing where people read from their junior high school diaries should stay in the stupid cities from whence they came. Like Chicago. So for coming year, get ready for a whole lotta dumb: drunken spelling bees, warmed-over trivia nights, headache-inducing burlesque shows, and – God help me – Pecha Kucha. What’s Pecha Kucha, you ask? (Believe me, in about two minutes, you’ll wish you hadn’t.) Basically, it’s your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pay $15 to watch a bunch of slide shows. Yup. Slide shows. There are a bunch of dumb rules involved, though the only one you’ll be interested in is the one that limits each presentation to six minutes. What’s more, Pecha Kucha is a trademarked, nationally-branded event, making it something of a T.G.I. Friday’s in the realm of homebrewed hipster slide shows. (Unlike similar columns of the past, I’m not including roller derby in this list, a phenomenon I once wrote off as “ridiculous” and “not a real sport.” After some first-hand research throughout 2008, I can now attest that roller derby is indeed a real sport, partly because of the tremendous amount of athletic talent on display, and partly because attending a single bout costs about as much as a real sport.) More cool places closing, more dumb ones opening By now, we’ve all heard that after nearly three decades of service, Atomic Records will close up shop this February. While this is undoubtedly a tragedy (albeit one in which we have no one to blame but ourselves), it still pales in comparison to the knowledge that a criminally stupid place like Farwell Avenue’s Shag can […]
Jan 1st, 2009 by Matt Wild
