Play in the City

The Westminster of Wisconsin

I consider myself a cat person, although I also like dogs, so I guess I’m a dog person as well. That's why when my mom called to tell me that the Wisconsin Kennel Club was hosting a two-day dog show – both Saturday and Sunday – at Wisconsin State Fair Park, I decided to go along and help her cheer on the local pooches.

Fighting my morning grogginess with extra strong, extra black Alterra coffee, we drove to the State Fair grounds, parked, paid $8 for admission, and entered the expo center by 11 a.m. Clumps of fur that caught the breeze from the door floated across my feet and although these dogs were probably the cleanest canines I’d ever seen, I immediately caught wind of that distinctive dog smell.

The single room was bustling with breeders, dog handlers, judges and show-goers, not to mention the thousands of dogs representing over 125 different breeds. Every kind from Great Danes to Chihuahuas were either competing in the ring, being pampered at their grooming tables or just catching Zs after a long and grueling weekend.

At first my mom and I took a lap around the expo to see which breeds were competing on the obedience trails and what vendors were offering. Along one side of the room were merchants that were selling everything from pet food to behavior consultation to doggie massages. At the back of the room were concession stands serving quick bites – hamburgers, French fries, hot dogs, popcorn – to show-goers who huddled around tables in front of the pickup window. In the center of the crowded room were three rows of dog stations where carriers and grooming tables were stored, and two rows of rings, each divided by white accordion fences and surrounded by metal folding chairs.

My mom and I wound through the aisles of dog stations where each breed was clustered into one section. My mom stopped to ogle almost every dog – she adores them – especially the Golden Retrievers. And I was ready to smuggle the precious Boxer puppy (the one in the photo below) into my pants and take him home with me. I think a dog show would be a great place to find a purebred dog because these pups are topnotch. Plus, breeders are happy to answer any questions about their dogs, but I must say it was weird hearing them toss the B-word around even though that’s the technical name for a female canine.

Parking Relief. Finally!

My only gripe about living in the city is the parking, or lack thereof.

Parking spots are at a premium around the East Side. There are so many rules that even the most seasoned East Side veteran can’t find a loophole when it comes to parking. For instance, before I got an underground parking spot I was getting one parking ticket per week if I didn’t fill out one of these forms. Still, such online permission slips are only good for three nights each month, which is pretty worthless in the long run.

Luckily, the city is cutting us some slack. Finally!

I heard on the news the other day that the City of Milwaukee plans to ease the 24-hour parking limit on streets in certain areas on the East Side, which is arguably the worst place to find a parking spot. So, from now until December 1, you can leave your car along most streets for up to five days. FIVE DAYS!

Definitely take advantage of the new grace period, but know the boundaries and make sure that you aren’t interfering with any other parking regulation. For more information, head over here.

Happy parking!

It's five o'clock

And there’s still daylight!!!

After months of cold, dreary, dark nights, I don't feel like going home and curling up on the couch. I have the energy and motivation to keep me going after work – i.e. I will finally get my butt to the gym!

Daylight Saving Time, I love you!

St. Patrick's Day 2008

St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner, bringing with it a multitude of events. After perusing the web, I’ve complied a thorough list of ways to get your St. Patty’s Day fix.

Sure, St. Patrick’s Day isn’t until a week from Monday, but there are many pre-Patty’s Day events all weekend long.

Starting tonight, March 7 at 5:30 p.m., the Miller Time Pub and Westown Association will host ShamROCK, Milwaukee’s annual St. Patrick’s Day kick-off party. The celebration will include exciting giveaways and raffles, Irish music by Ian Gould and Reilly, traditionally Irish eats, and of course, green Miller Lite!

Then, on Saturday beginning at noon, the 42nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will commence a day of even more festivities around the city! Presented by the Westown Association and the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin, 120 units including Irish decorated floats, regional pipe and drum corps, local celebrities, Irish dance groups and some 100 NYPDs will march down Wisconsin Avenue and around Old World Third Street, Plankinton Avenue, Water Street and so on, until it ends at Edison Street. For the entire parade route, click here.

If you can’t make it to the big parade, no blarney! There’s a second but smaller parade starting at 4 p.m. in between 51st and 68th Streets off of Bluemound Road. It might be smaller, but the leprechauns know that size doesn’t matter when you’re celebrating with the Irish.

After the parade, there are many post-party activities to keep the spirit alive and the town green.

The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin is hosting a family-friendly event at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center. As the largest parade day celebration, entertainment will be abound and continuous on four stages. The wholesome event will feature music by Finbar McCarthy, Frogwater and Stone Ring, and numerous Irish dance groups like the Cashel Dennehy Irish Dancers who will be jigging the night away. Tickets are only $4 at the door.

Plus, there are dozens of parade day parties at bars and restaurants in the Water Street, Plankinton Avenue and Old World Third Street entertainment districts. Every venue will be complete with a vast selection of Irish entertainment and an abundance of turn-your-tongue-green Miller Lite!

For more information on St. Patrick’s Day parade events and activities, head over to the event page by clicking here.

Greater Milwaukee Auto Show

The allure of shinny, innovative cars and the intoxicating smell of new leather and upholstery brought me to the impressive Midwest Airlines Center for the final weekend of the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show.

There were over 400 new cars on display including ‘09 models not yet on the market and just about every kind of car you could think of and all under one roof ready to be inspected and pawed and sat it and drooled over.

My brother Mike knows a lot about cars, but I do not. He’s keen on sports cars and hot rods – the ones with the oomph – while I tend to be enamored with the late 60s sports vehicles. Luckily, the Auto Show had something for both of our tastes and we got to spend quality time together, while I learned a thing or two about modern cars.

Upon entry, the potent new car smell wafted over us and mingled in the air with the smell of brats, hot dogs and pizza that were the dinner for most of the exhibitors and show-goers. Vendors also sold a plethora of other quick eats like nachos, chicken fingers, hamburgers, ice cream and beer and soda, but Mike and I weren’t there to snack, we were there to see some hot wheels!

We were able to work our way through the three-level building without too much trouble, despite the massive crowd and the sales people obnoxiously shoving “win a new car” entry blanks in our faces. We began in the third-floor conference room where many of the major manufacturers – Ford, Pontiac, Chevy, Dodge and Volkswagen to name a few – displayed their new models under bright lights and on rotating platforms. These models provided a glimpse into what’s around the corner in automotive design and technology, which was interesting, albeit I didn’t see anything extraordinary. These were cars or trucks you’d see cruising down I-94 daily, but they looked more luxurious because they were sparkling and fresh and devoid of fingerprints and smudge marks on their candied paint jobs. Either way, I really liked the black-on-black Dodge Challenger with the racing stripes and the Ford Mustang Bullitt in turquoise-y blue.

Located on the second floor and in the aisles were the futuristic concept cars that completely stole the spotlight at this year’s show. Cars like the Chevrolet Sequel and the Suzuki’s SXBox were definitely part of the intrigue. The Sequel is a reusable hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicle that reportedly can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in only 10 seconds. (Wow!) It’s something completely different than anything I’ve ever seen and its speed is sure to be the desire of any racing fan’s lead foot.

Long Live Brett Favre!

I know there was a ton of buzz relating to Favre’s resignation yesterday – Packers.com, FOXSports.com, Biloxi Sun Herald, and every local broadcast station – so much that I’m willing to bet that by lunchtime on Tuesday more Wisconsinites knew about this event than about Fidel Castro's resignation, which happened weeks ago.

Whatever. Someone of Favre’s caliber deserves the recognition, even if he wasn’t the President of Cuba for 49 years.

My sister’s response to my somber mood last night was “Come on. Get over it!” Considering she never watched football, thus never learned to know and love Favre, yeah, that’d be the typical rejoinder to those of us going through withdrawal pains and to the media frenzy. But for the many of us who love the game, adore the Packers and look up to Brett Favre, it was a sad and disappointing day.

For that reason, I'm going to take a few minutes to say adieu to someone I really admire and I don't care if you think I'm lame either. I need closure dang it!

Tuesday's news came just months after the three-time MVP set several league records in one of his most successful seasons. Needless to say, everyone was shocked by his announcement.

Brett Favre takes with him into retirement numerous records: touchdown passes (442), passing yards (61,655), attempts (8,758), completions (5,377), wins by a starting quarterback (160), consecutive starts by a quarterback (253, 275 if you include the playoff games), and most MVP awards (3).

Last season alone 38-year-old Favre broke Dan Marino’s career records for most touchdown passes and most yards passing; plus John Elway’s record for most career victories by a starting quarterback. Additionally, Favre had a career-high completion percentage of 66.5. He threw for 4,155 yards, 28 touchdowns and only 15 interceptions, according to reports. You can read more details on Favre’s records by clicking here.

Still, those numbers are insufficient in measuring the man. His accomplishments as a quarterback might be quantifiable, but his virtues are not. His passing records matter, but they don’t define him; after all, we all know he wasn’t about numbers or media attention – Favre was that rara avis among athletes.

He was the heart of Green Bay for 16 years and was the icon of the game for most of that time. He brought energy and excitement to an otherwise frozen tundra. His risky style of playing made the game fun and often gut-wrenching and I found myself shaking my head in astonishment when he’d make incredible plays and even when he made bonehead ones – you just never knew what he was going to do. He definitely gave us many thrilling afternoons out there on the field and he certainly was loved by the people.

Favre Retires?

I was mid-commute this morning when I heard on 87.7 FM, the FOX 6 radio frequency, that FOXSports.com reporter Jay Glazer says that our beloved Brett Favre has decided to retire after 17 years of football.

Say it ain't so!!!

I was (still am) in total disbelief.

According to the article, Favre informed the Packers of his decision within the last few days, although it's unclear when Favre and the team will make his final decision known to the public.

I, on the other hand, called and texted everyone I know immediately after I heard the breaking news. I think it's pretty safe to say that everyone is pretty shocked.

This happens just a week after the Green Bay Packers' official website briefly reported that Favre was retiring, but the page under the breaking news section was live for only a few minutes. Spokespeople for the Packers said it wasn't valid, that it was just a "dummy" page in the event that Favre does retire.

For the last few years, the question of whether or not Favre was going to retire has been the most debated topic during the off-season. Two years ago he let his decision linger as reports both claiming he was returning and that he was retiring emerged, but obviously he came back. Then, after his final game of the 2006 season, an emotional Favre appeared on national TV and seemed to be bidding the game farewell. But once again, he had a change of heart and came back for another year, a record-breaking year at that.

Favre's annual flirtation with retirement has become a winter tradition in Wisconsin and because there were no tears at the end of last season and given Favre's career resurgence, I think it was widely assumed that he would be back for the 2008 season.

We were wrong. This time he is really leaving the game.

I'm completely bummed. I wasn't expecting him to retire even though it was a 50-50 chance that he would.

*Sigh*

'The Lion King' Reigns Over Milwaukee

I absolutely adore Disney animated movies – the classics really make me feel like a kid again. As much as I like watching such movies on my TV at home or at a movie theater, seeing the story brought to life on stage is truly something magical.

As you probably can guess, I’m referring to Disney’s Broadway production of The Lion King, which was finishing its month-long premiere this weekend at the Milwaukee Theatre as part of the M&I Bank Broadway Across America series. The live musical version of The Lion King is based on the 1994 Disney animated hit about the politics and pecking order of the animal kingdom and a young cub’s journey to become king.

After a five-month wait since the initial announcement that the touring company was coming to Milwaukee, I finally got to see the acclaimed The Lion King Broadway musical. There truly are no words that can illustrate how fantastic this show is, although I’ll try to do it justice. What I can safely say is that whether you love the musical or not, or if you are a fan of the movie or you’ve never seen it, at the end of this performance you will be left spellbound just like I was. Guaranteed.

Following a filling Hibachi dinner at Benihana, I was ready to put on my stretchy pants and slip into a food coma, but the tickets I had in my pocket for The Lion King this weekend coaxed me out of an early bedtime. Without further dwelling on my overfed stomach, my co-worker Liz and I joined the bustle of Kilbourn Avenue and followed the flow of people to the Milwaukee Theatre. We were settled into our seats in the third row of the third balcony after being rushed to them by the hurried ushers who kept shouting, "Get to your seats, folks!"

Our seats were centered to the stage and were the perfect view for $75, although there’s no real price that can be put on this unforgettable production. Despite a few rows of orchestra seats that were empty due to their obstructed view, the theater was packed with families and children who couldn’t wait to see Simba, Pumba and many other characters come to life.

It was good that we got situated on time, otherwise we would have missed the most breathtaking part of the show: Gugwana Dlamini, the actor who played Rafiki, broke into an African chant that silenced the audience's conversations and beckoned the response of a growing chorus of singers that grew louder and louder as voices added to the mantra. The show began with the same vigor as the animated movie, but with so much more power and sentiment.

Concert Preview: March '08

With summer nearing, I can almost feel those balmy nights at the Marcus Amphitheater. Okay, let’s be serious here. We still have several more weeks of winter and the snow definitely isn’t going anywhere soon. So, even though the summer concert season is a little too far out of our listening range right now, we can melt our winter blues with some all-American rock ‘n’ roll or a concert that will heat up any local venue.

So, here’s a short list of my recommendations for this chilly month:

Billy Joel
TONIGHT! Sunday, March 2 at The Bradley Center

One of today's greatest performers, singer-songwriters, pianists, composers, and Grammy winning musicians, Billy Joel will be live and in person for his first solo appearance in Milwaukee in a decade and will bring a little nostalgia to the city. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee delivers song after song with wit, vigor, and a sense of pride that comes with nearly 40 years of hard musical labor. This scrappy New Yorker remains astonishingly sharp at the piano and gives, as you’d expect, a first class performance. You have a chance to hear favorites like Piano Man, Movin' Out, Only the Good Die Young, It's Still Rock and Roll to Me, Uptown Girl, We Didn't Start the Fire, The River of Dreams, you know, the standard fare of Greatest Hits material… need I say more?

$41.50 to $97 Reserved Seating

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RAIN: The Beatles Experience
TONIGHT! Sunday, March 2 at The Riverside

For those who were lucky enough to see the Beatles live, this is a tremendous opportunity to relive your experience, but for those who haven’t, this is the next best thing because they are a spitting image of Paul, John, George and Ringo and they sound remarkably like them. According to our friends at the Pabst Theater, RAIN covers the Beatles from their earliest debut through their psychedelic stint in the late 60s and their long-haired hippie, hard-rocking rooftop days. RAIN is a multi-media, multi-dimensional experience with video screens around the concert hall that depict historical TV footage and commercials from the 60s as unforgettable chart toppers send you on a trip back in time to the Fab Four’s once revolutionary rock ‘n’ roll that spanned generations.

$29.50 Reserved Seating

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Chick Singer Night
Tuesday, March 11 at Caroline’s Jazz Club

With 11 cities participating around the country, Chick Singer Night is the nation's most notable original and longest-running songfest for female artists. As a non-profit organization, CSN is dedicated to helping female artists in every stage of their music careers. Each show features established and up and coming local and regional artists and exudes uniqueness as it welcomes all singers of every style of music, with all levels of experience and from all walks of life. Notable CSN alumni include Norah Jones and Sheryl Crow and many other amazing female artists. Be amazed by recent featured musicians on tour including Lisa Gatewood, Ellen Winters, Jenny Thiel, Linda Stieber and Jeanna Salzer.

$8 General Admission

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Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Friday, March 14 at The Pabst

Vermont-based rockers Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are your classic American, hot-wired rock ‘n’ roll band. While Grace Potter’s down-home beauty and charisma probably helps her get a first look, it’s her talent that’s made her a rising star. Potter alternates between an organ and a Flying-V guitar throughout the set, proving herself a multi-instrumental threat. “Potter is a rare commodity in an age when most aspiring pop stars would rather hit it big on American Idol than put in the time and effort required to master an instrument,” says Pop Matters. With a voice that oozes classic rock and blues—at times recalling artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, and Janis Joplin—the 24-year-old Potter is a talent eons beyond the Idol mob.

Listen to this soulful and spirited band by clicking here.

$13 General Admission

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Jose Gonzalez
Tuesday, March 18 at The Pabst

Jose Gonzalez is a testament to the irrefutable power of one man and his guitar – it’s beautifully simple. “Gonzalez, an Argentinean-Swedish singer-songwriter, is one of a number of Scandinavian performers yanking folk rock back from the menacing grip of Top-40 musicians like John Mayer and Jack Johnson,” says Pop Matters. Those better-known guys aren't writing bad songs per se, but they do practice a kind of methodical, blueprint songwriting aimed directly at the center – lyrics that are disconnected and numb. But artists like Jose Gonzalez are aiming to do something a little more pure with no embellishments necessary. With thumping acoustic rhythms that combine anger and softness that’s mesmerizing, intimate and hunting, Gonzalez evokes a spirit of greats like Elliott Smith and Paul Simon. He is vibrant and magical and worth seeing.

Hear his acoustic covers here.

$15.50 General Admission

If none of my recommendations tickle your fancy, there are many more shows coming to Milwaukee in the next couple of months. For more concert information, take a look at the Rave, Pabst, Riverside and Turner Hall, or any of the venues listed to the left under “Rock Out.”