What is the Problem in the Park East?

Changes proposed to lure developers to Park East lots.

Weekly Bookmarks – Monday, 19. January 2009

MMSD envisions 2,500 new jobs – JSOnline County dispute over federal stimulus plan heats up – BizTimes Brunow will provide tours of Milwaukee this spring – BizTimes HUD awards city $9.2 million to combat foreclosures – JSOnline County’s Park East land is a development dead zone – BizTimes Changes proposed to lure developers to Park East lots – JSOnline Milwaukee County list for stimulus money includes buses, parks – JSOnline First Place condos become The Point – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: Walker, Barrett previously backed shifting funds to KRM – JSOnline Friday conference to focus on KRM commuter rail project – BizTimes OnMilwaukee.com Politics: Milwaukee alderman battle to win UWM campus Palomar project failure a major blow to Park East corridor – BizTimes Central city affordable housing development planned – BizTimes OnMilwaukee.com Marketplace: Hotel Palomar is no more Palomar project is dead – BizTimes Dedicated sales tax should fund mass transit – BizTimes Developer drops Palomar Hotel, condo project – JSOnline Wisconsin, Minnesota will collaborate to save money in tough times – JSOnline Gov. Doyle pushes high-speed rail for stimulus funds – JSOnline Biodiesel firm buys Port of Milwaukee terminal – The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

Jazz in the Park Carry-In Ban Update

The East Town Association has posted a question and answer response to their recent policy change banning carry-ins. Check it out, and let us know what you think.

The video part three – THE AUTO SHOW

The video you’ve all been waiting for: Noah and I clowning around at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. We met journalists from all over the world, mingled with hot models, sat in a lot of cars that are worth more than our lives and test drove a 2010 Ford Fusion. Exhausting! One more video to come!

Gift Ideas for 2009

Stumped about what to get your fave artist in 2009? Some ideas from Stella…. Nutcrackers: Jimmy Von Milwaukee is hardly ever around these days, but in days past, he’s been notable for his crafty events, which sometimes featured his outrageous nutcrackers, to wit, figures resembling former Mayor Norquist, Marilyn What’s-Her-Name, and uh oh, Mother Teresa. A recent posting from JVM featured piñatas designed to bash Pegi Taylor. Seems the two are running neck-in-neck in the race for media attention. 12-Hour Heated Socks: Perfect for smoking in sub-zero temps. The Carnival Duck Shooting Game: For Colin Mathes, a Nohl Fellowship winner. A Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor: For gallery dealers who are currently monitoring the fall of the art market, speaking of which, Dean Jensen attended the recent Outsider Art exhibit in NYC. Deb Brehmer went along too, with art from Manitowoc-based dentist-turned-artist, Rudy Rotter. She showed his work at her Marshall Building gallery recently, and it was such a hit that she apparently has rented additional space in a wee spot across the hall from her Portrait Gallery. The Men’s Extended Reach Body Hair Groomer: Dick Bacon is dead or I’d get it for him. Memba Dick? Mr. Nude America and a devoted local model who often posed for figure drawing classes. The Classic Donegal Tweed Patchwork Cap: Poet Eddie Kilowatt, more recently known as Ed Makowski, poet & Riverwest dad. The Remote Controlled Tarantula: Anything to inject a little life into Gallery Night & Day. The Wireless Remote Pan & Tilt Surveillance Camera: Milwaukee Magazine’s editor, Bruce Murphy, might find this helpful for fueling Murphy’s Law. The Maui Pocket Saxophone: For newlywed Folliard staffer, Nicole Hauser, who received her engagement ring on an island in the Pacific. The Best Electronic Chess Game: In case MAM exec. Daniel Keegan can’t figure out his next move in a sagging art economy. The Thomas Kinkade Music Box: Local writer/photographer Tom Bamberger will love it. It’s so Tom. Spring-Loaded Insoles: This for Gallery 218’s Judith Hooks who walks everywhere. 1953 Corvette Pedal Car: Racine Sculptor Bill Reid built the Bee Bomb. Maybe he’d dig this. His work will be featured at Folliard Gallery this spring. The Aviator’s Duck Down Hat: Fockin Rockin for Art Kumbalek Comes with a matching Duck Down hip flask. The Upside Down Tomato Garden: Painter Thea Kovac who continues to endure the terrible looking New Land Enterprise parking garage on Downer. The Best Locating & Tracking Telescope: The Shepherd Express’ Boris & Doris. An assortment of Kyle Cherek stickers in case they forget to mention his name one more time. The Biofeedback Stress Relief Coach: Great for all those journalists hanging on by their thumbs. The Continuously Freshening Feline Drinking Fountain: In case former gallery guy Kent Mueller ever opens another gallery with another cat. RIP Fred.

Yes, i CAN tell if a band sucks without hearing them, thank you.

Fig.1: “Are you as confused by my success as i am?” Apparently there is this female singer by the name of—wait, let me check this again—Katy Perry? Yeah, that’s her name. Apparently she’s hot shit right now thanks to some single called “I Kissed a Girl,” and another called “Ur So Gay” (note: uh, wow). Imagine my surprise when I found out that this “I Kissed a Girl” single actually wasn’t a cover of “I Kissed a Girl” by Jill Sobule! Imagine the funny in my head—apparently people were discussing the supposed “shock value” of a girl singing about making out with another girl, while I’m sitting around thinking, “but, it wasn’t shocking when it was a single thirteen years ago!” Not the same single! Oh, silly me, was my face red! Oh, goodness! Oh, my! And me, Mr. Self-Styled Pop-Culture Commentary Dude! Way to keep up on the latest haps, Deej! To date, I have heard—I think—approximately 20 seconds of music by this Katy Perry person. I am fairly confident of this because during the season premiere of American Idol (it’s an illness, back off), the background music at one point featured some song where “I kissed a girl” was being sung, and it wasn’t the Jill Sobule tune. So, had to be her, right? Here’s where I’m going with this—despite only having heard about 20 seconds of her music, I am 100% certain that this Katy Perry person is completely, unquestionably worthless. How do I know this? Easy—I did some research. I read her Wikipedia entry (and yes, I’m self-aware enough to have intended referring to a Wiki entry as “research” as a joke): After Steve Thomas and Jennifer Knapp signed Perry to their label Red Hill Records, she released her first CD Katy Hudson in 2001, a Christian gospel album. In 2004, Perry worked for the record production team The Matrix. Perry also began working on a debut mainstream album, writing with Glen Ballard, which was due for release in 2005. * * * After signing to Capitol Records, Perry began recording for her official mainstream debut album, working with Cathy Dennis, Greg Wells, Dr. Luke, Butch Walker, Max Martin, Dave Stewart and Ted Bruner. Unless one of Katy Perry’s childhood enemies has engaged in a Wikipedia hacking conspiracy and has edited her entry to make her just look like a careerist major-label pop artifice (and let’s face it, attaching Alanis Morisette producer/co-writer Glen Ballard to anyone’s name is enough to brand them as plastic phonies), the evidence all points to a musician whose work I would no doubt abhor, right down to her laughable inclusion on the Vans Warped Tour last year (pretty much stripping away any last vestigial claim to a “punk” association that package tour ever had). I’ve been criticized in the past by overly-sensitive friends who were insulted for some reason by my tendency to dismiss wholesale something they like without even listening to it. “How can you rip on it when you’ve […]

Friday Photos Friday, 16. January 2009

The Edge The Edge The Edge The Edge The North End

Jazz in the Park To Ban Carry-Ins

In a stunning announcement today, OMC reports that Jazz in the Park will no longer allow carry-ins of alcohol.

DETROIT: The video part two – the Corned Beef Experience

Noah did a bang-up job capturing the spirit of corned beef on camera. Watch the video here, and ignore my really silly hair: Parts three (the Auto Show) and four (the full-length travelogue) to come!

The Henry Ford, Greektown and downtown sights

Northeast Side Area Plan Held at Committee

The Northeast Side Area Plan which will lay out the vision and guidelines for development within this a large portion of the city was brought forward for approval.  ‘ Alderman Bob Bauman proposed two amendments both of which impacted the location of future University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee expansions.  One amendment would of made it part of the plan that the City of Milwaukee wouldn’t support construction of new UWM dormitories on the East Side with the possible exception of the former Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital site.  The other amendment would suggest that UWM build future dormitories in downtown Milwaukee.  Alderman Bauman added that “they should re-double their efforts to locate these dormitories in the central business district”.  Alderman Tony Zielinski felt the plan didn’t included enough of the proposed Milwaukee River Overlay District, saying that “I was hoping to see something more concrete”.  Further discussion explained that the plan included a high level summary of the overlay district and that the specifics are still being worked out between property owners and neighborhood residents.  This file was held to allow for more discussion regarding the possible amendments and to add additional content to the Bronzeville section of the plan. Also of note was Neighborhood House’s appeal of the Historic Preservation Commission’s denial of approval to demolish a pre-1850’s home in the Historic Concordia neighborhood.  Neighborhood House had purchased the house to add parking spots and build a bus turnaround.  Numerous community members spoke out in opposition to this proposal and the committee seem to recognize their concerns.  Alderman Wade stated that “I’m probably not looked at as a friend of the historic preservation folks, historically” but went on to explain that he was glad to be on their side on this issue in this case.  Other committee members indicated they were swayed by the citizen reaction and felt there were other options that could be explored to facilitate the bus.  This resolution was denied.

The Musical

It’s yuppy hour! This sums up the first 2009 selection in The Rep’s Stackner Cabaret, Dogpark: The Musical. The tag line drolly reflects the production written by Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, a husband and wife team, and Michael J. Hume. The night is spent ascertaining the love lives of “two-legged” canines in this premiere offering from the writers who brought They Came from Way Out There to the venue in 2007. In this new collaboration from Beecham, Hillgartner and Hume, four personable dogs longingly search for their soul mate (or pup and paw mate) at the neighborhood dogpark: Champ, Bogie, Itchy and the leading lady to these tramps, Daisy, who effortlessly steals a dog’s heart and an ample portion of the show in her white plush skirt and platinum head of hair. Without the gifted talent and comedic aptitude displayed by all the performers, the musical could easily slip into a series of one liners and puns poking fun at man’s best friend. Yet Lenny Bonavez, Chip Duford, Jonathon Spivey and the lovely Katherine Strohmaier elevate the story line to humorous performance art, rather than merely a melodic discussion of a dog’s life. Whether dressed in costumes and hats trimmed in fur (especially Bonavez wearing poodle fuzz), singing with the hand puppet trio created to stand in as Daisy’s back-up singers, or dancing to Suzanne Seiber’s inventive choreography, each canine character comes alive on stage to the audience’s delight. Strohmaier, who recently graced the stage of the Pabst Theatre in A Christmas Carol, enlightens the production through both song and dance, a fitting feminine counter part for these three stooges of male dogs. Her stage presence dominates but doesn’t overwhelm the other actors, each giving their dogged personifications bright sparks (along with literal barks) of humanity. The plotline’s twists and turns in this particular dogpark become immaterial. When the musical showcases songs titled “Dogs in Heat” and “Deep Dog Doo Wop” performed by these expert actors, sit back and sip a drink in the Stackner Cabaret while laughing¾ enjoying the sheer entertainment of DOGPARK: The Musical, completely believing when Daisy says to Bogie, “You had me at woof.” The Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents DOGPARK: The Musical in the Stackner Cabaret until March 1. For information and tickets: 414.224.9480 or at milwaukeerep.com.