“Pedal Power” comes to Discovery World, and news around town

“Pedal Power” comes to Discovery World

Discovery World and South Shore Cyclery will present “Pedal Power: A Week-Long Exploration of Bicycling,” from Monday, April 9 to Friday, April 13. The Easter Week event is scheduled to coincide with Spring Break, giving families a chance to head down to the lakefront to explore all things bipedal.

According to Scott Wilke, the owner of South Shore Cyclery, the event will capitalize on the public’s interest in bicycles, and will fit in nicely with the Discovery World’s hands-on approach to learning. There will be motion pictures in the theater, including Klunkerz and Joe Kid on a Stingray.

Klunkerz is a history of the mountain bike, and Joe Kid recounts the history of the BMX bike. Both are pivotal moments in cycling history, since they greatly diversified the field of bicycle manufacturing. In fact, Wilke says the failure of Schwinn to appreciate the mountain bike / BMX trend led to the firm’s decline.

If sitting in a dark theater is not sufficiently hands-on for you, the exhibition will also feature bike fix-it workshops, a bike-powered generator, a station for bike sprint races and a number of demonstrations, including from the Milwaukee’s World Champion Milwaukee Bicycle Polo Club, which is asking independent filmmakers to consider the cinematic possibilities of recording these poets-in-motion.

Another highlight will be a display of bikes from Wilke’s collection. His collection takes up where the never-seen Milwaukee Public Museum bicycle collection leaves off — generally beginning with the Balloon Tire bikes that reached their greatest popularity from the Depression to World War II eras. [Editor’s note: See Brian Jacobson’s November 2011 TCD interview with Wilke here.]

Wilke will be giving speeches on his collection from time to time during the event, and he has asked this writer to participate with brief talks on the bicycle history of Milwaukee, as well. More details will be released as plans for the event are finalized.

Scene on the street 

Bombshell on Brady Street has blown up after the partners split ways after a very brief run of just a few weeks at 1234 E. Brady Street. It will reopen with a new name, under the auspices of the surviving partner, Leroy Buth, who also owns Halo Hair Spa, a hairdressing salon across the street. The shop offered grooming services. I guess you could go there and get your hair blow dried and coiffed — but not cut. Fashion is a very complicated business.

In other fashionable news, Dart Salon and Spa opened on Saturday, February 4 in the Corcoran Lofts at 121 N. Jefferson St. Dart’s target market is “the multicultural consumer with sophisticated urban style,” according to Daven Hines, who owns the place with his wife of 20+ years, Tanya Hines. Daven Hines, who is every bit as well groomed as his brother, Milwaukee Common Council president Willie Hines, (in fact the two bear a great resemblance) said the transformation of the raw space in just five weeks was “just remarkable” and a testament to the efficiency of the Mandel Group, the real estate developer with headquarters right down the street. The well-dressed crowd at the Saturday open house showed no signs of deferred grooming, with the possible exception of an interloping reporter. Customers were treated to champagne, sparkling non-alcoholic cider and sparkling water. Foodstuffs included an abundance of lobster sushi and some delicious fruit snacks.

City Hall gets a visit from “Occupy”

The occupiers made their way to City Hall on Monday, Feb. 6 at 3 p.m., having marched to the Great Hall of the People from the intersection of N. Water St. and E. Wisconsin Ave. They approached the building to find an unparalleled sight — the structure was ringed with police officers both inside and out, and the west entrance to the building was sealed off. Police guarded the staircase to the upper floors, and the elevators as well, although the ordinary course of business was not measurably impaired. For instance, Roy Evans, a supervisory candidate in the 5th District was able to buy a list of voters from the Election Commission while the excitement roiled around him.

The coalition of about 15 to 20 protesters, drawn from such Occupy ranks as “The Hood,” “Milwaukee” and “Riverwest” engaged in a shoutdown with Ald. Willie Wade, whose unamplified voice and calm demeanor was no match for the megaphone-wielding chanters. Ald. Ashanti Hamilton tried to talk to the crowd from the stair landing, with police officers interposed between him and the protesters. Protesters, who are tired of evictions and foreclosures figure the city ought to do something about them, booed Hamilton. One protester carried a sign that read, “Justice For The Hood,” and the megaphone contingent came up with some clever chants. “Tom Barrett get your ass in gear. Stop giving our homes to the auctioneer.” Kinda catchy after a few hundred repetitions. Toward the end of the event, Police Chief Edward A. Flynn, after consulting with his command staff, entered the building to have a look-see. One of the protesters shot video of the event, which can be seen here.