The state of Lunch Counter and Diner Culture, 2009
With the collapse of the Brady Street Café (formerly Pharmacy) and the late 2007 demise of Goldmann's on Mitchell Street, I've been wondering if diner culture is near collapse in Milwaukee. Are we in danger of losing our vital ability to communicate, empathize, and nourish without bankruptcy?
May 27th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
Five Questions for Debra Brehmer
You may know her as an accomplished artist who specializes in haunting portraiture. Or perhaps you memory of Debra goes all the way back to her founding of the legendary Art Muscle Magazine; perhaps she was your professor at MIAD. Or maybe you just want to know what's going on with her latest venture, Susceptible to Images. Whatever you know, or don't know yet, about Debra Brehmer, she's an icon of Milwaukee's art scene old guard - and a fascinating person to know.
May 27th, 2009 by Jon Anne Willow
What’s In Your Yard? Part 3: Resting Buns in the Sun
In part two of “What’s In Your Yard?” I included uber-artist Jeff Koons (who once was a guard at Chicago’s Art Institute) and an image of his much-praised “Balloon Dog.” It costs way more (millions more) than a concrete doggie from a garden center, but is it more fun because it’s bigger and heavily hyped by the powers that guide specific artists to stardom? Is it any secret that Koons has an entire staff just to pump his name?
May 27th, 2009 by Stella Cretek
Off the Wall’s fundraiser mines with ‘Gold’
Broadway music often strikes memories in the mind, and it was this intent which played the audience's heartstrings in a four day special event at Off the Wall Theatre's staged fundraiser to support its upcoming 2009-2010 season which stages at the Black Box space on Wells Street in Milwaukee.
May 26th, 2009 by Peggy Sue Dunigan
MIAD, AmeriCorps & local youth collaborate
People who come to the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center on Milwaukee's south side will get a new kind of medicine these days. It's not through prescriptions or preventative treatment, but instead a vision of hope outside the building. It's art.
May 26th, 2009 by Hope Stolarski
‘Pirates’ invade the Skylight
pirates-penzanceA hilarious reach for the pinnacle of musical ridiculousness, Milwaukee's latest production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance fully engages its audience's satirical sensibilities. Whimsically adapted by the Skylight Opera, this production is less a straightforward rendering of the classic comic opera and more a snapshot taken with a hall of mirrors lens.
May 26th, 2009 by Michael Madden
May 26 – June 1
With spring awakening ancient feelings, Milwaukee's fine arts scene turns to a celebration of the spirit. We suspect many artists, actors, and musicians are oiling up their bikes for next weekend's Miller Lite Ride for the Arts (more on that in a feature article for TCD next week). But there are several programs for kids, by kids, and by up-and-comers featured this week.
May 26th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
Bronx Girl Makes Good
It’s going to be hard to demonize the girl from the Bronx projects. She went to Princeton and Yale Law, served as a prosecutor and corporate attorney, was appointed to the federal bench by the first President Bush and was elevated to the appeals court by President Clinton. Sonia Sotomayor has the kind of back story that lends itself to a delightful “Movie of the Week” portrayal.
May 26th, 2009 by Ted Bobrow
A Postcard Location for UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences
It's certainly good that we value our parks, public places, and the lakefront, so a public debate over the appropriateness of placing UWM's School of Freshwater Sciences on Lake Michigan is worth having, but the downtown lakefront is the right location.
May 26th, 2009 by Dave Reid
When It Rains, It Pours (27-18)
Dear Ken Macha, Since I last wrote to you, Ken, there’s been a bit of a cloud hanging over the team. First, Rickie Weeks’ wrist injury sidelined our perpetually on the brink — and finally turning the corner — second basemen for the rest of the season, dealing a significant blow to our offense. Then, J.J. Hardy became a prime candidate for a backiotomy. All of a sudden, the marginal reserve players that you thought would be sharing the bench with you all summer long are actually needed in the field, leaving you all alone with Willie Randolph and your handy Palm Pilot 1000. To top it all off, Doug Melvin traded away our beloved Tony Gwynn, Jr. for an outfielder named Jody. It was unfortunate that this wave of injuries occured during a particularly rough road trip through St. Louis, Houston and Minnesota. What started out so promising in St. Louis slowly devolved into an exercise of extreme torment in the TerrorMetrodome. If it’s any consolation, Ken, the Twins scored 20 runs against the White Sox the day before the Crew served up 11 to them. Considering Twins’ phenom Joe Mauer is making Ryan Braun’s hot streak from a few weeks ago look mediocre in comparison, holding them to 6 runs the next two games surely was a moral victory if there ever was one. Nonetheless, you were swept in particularly ugly fashion. Fortunately, the week that was did provide a few rays of sunshine. Mat Gamel was recently called up from Nashville and in his first start provided an impressive 3-run home run and made an amazing play at third. Sure, he followed up that play by making an error on a more routine ground ball, living up to his legend as the second coming of Ryan Braun. Even though he cooled off a bit during the Twins series, his presence on the team gives the Miller Park sound crew a reason to play “Camel Walk” every time he walks. In fact, there hasn’t been a more appropriately related song for a player since the little known “Rixey Jig,” named for Cincinnati Red’s pitcher Eppa Rixey’s provocative (for the 1920’s) strikeout dance*. Yovanni Gallardo also provided a ray of sunshine for your already nicely tanned face. After a very un-Yovanni like outing in Houston, Gallardo once again looked sharp in a Memorial Day pitcher’s duel against the Cardinals, leading to this letter’s deep thought (Ken, imagine The Wonder Years’ Daniel Stern is reading the following): Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the recent losing streak was the poor performance of our usually potent pitchers. Two thirds (10) of the team’s victories (15) in May have been in games where our pitching allowed 3 runs or fewer. This takes pressure off the offense, which tends to push too hard when it’s behind early in games. While it’s unreasonable to assume we’re always going to get a quality start from our starting pitchers, it’s important to realize how beneficial our pitching […]
May 25th, 2009 by Rob Vosters
Weekly Bookmarks – Monday, 25. May 2009
This week is WISCONSIN TRANSIT WEEK – Show Your Support for Transit!! « Coalition For Advancing Transit An open letter to County Supervisor Weishan and the County Board ThinkMKE – Why the Lakefront for the School of Freshwater Sciences? Milwaukee Renewable Energy: Sustainable energy research center planned for Milwaukee Stimulus rules thwart city of Milwaukee training efforts « The Daily Reporter OnMilwaukee.com Living: ThinkTank gets smart about community activism MU Law School launches water law curriculum – BizTimes MU College of Engineering receives $5 million donation – BizTimes New Berlin request for lake water approved, a first under Great Lakes Compact – JSOnline Scott Walker comments about county land sale to UWM : The Bay View Compass Cognitive Dissidence: County Board Fails To Learn From Past Mistakes County Board approves land sale to UWM – JSOnline Milwaukee County Board approves land sale to UWM – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: DNR approves New Berlin water deal – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: County OKs UWM land sale « The Daily Reporter Butterfly fans seek more protection in County Grounds sale – JSOnline Marquette engineering school gets $5M for renewable energy chair – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: California couple gives $5 million to MU engineering school – JSOnline OnMilwaukee.com Milwaukee Buzz: New bowling ball bling and jewelry adorn Riverwalk Marquette to launch water law program – JSOnline City losing patience with Gipfel building « The Daily Reporter History repeats for Sydney Hih « The Daily Reporter City plans TIF district for Menomonee Valley project – BizTimes Southwest Airlines to fly out of Milwaukee – JSOnline May 26 meeting, public comment re proposed Eco-Bay development for former Army Reserve site : The Bay View Compass Riverfront party, events venue planned – JSOnline Talking public art, enough to make one cry – JSOnline Cognitive Dissidence: Don’t Let The Butterflies Flutter By Commission holds off on granting Sydney Hih historic preservation (8:45 p.m. 5/18/09) « The Daily Reporter Boris Johnson’s ‘near-death experience’ with lorry caught on CCTV | Politics | guardian.co.uk Chicago Reader Blogs: Clout City Main campus still in play for UWM engineering building « The Daily Reporter Sobelman’s adding new location on east side – JSOnline OnMilwaukee.com Dining: The Burger Joint continues Brady Street tradition
May 25th, 2009 by Dave Reid
May 25-31
This week: Memorial Day Parade, beer tastings, cheap eats downtown and an evening with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. Yay!
May 24th, 2009 by Erin Petersen
