Play in the City

Festa!

I’m not festival-ed out just yet, so I made my annual visit to Festa Italiana. Again, it proved to be one of my favorite summertime events.

Before I ventured to the festival grounds I checked off the following things:
1. Stretchy pants. The same kind I wear for Thanksgiving dinner (I tend to gorge myself at festivals).
2. Growling stomach (Again, I’m a pig, so I need room to pack it in).
3. Italian garb
4. Practical walking shoes
5. Light clothing (the day I attend always seems to be the hottest. It’s ridiculous!)

Of all the ethnic festivals in the city, this is the biggest event to take place on the Summerfest grounds since, er, Summerfest. Festa (as locals proudly call it) is renowned for its food, entertainment, and traditions.

I’m nearly half Italian, so besides feeling a certain closeness to the Sopranos, Joe Paterno, and Mark Ruffalo (also a Wisconsin native), I’m always excited to celebrate my heritage at Festa, and even MORE thrilled to share the fun with my good friend Sarah (also of Polish-Italian descent).

Sweet-and-Sour Bastille Days

I’ve attended Bastille Days a couple of times previously, yet each year I have the same expectations. Although I don’t think I’m setting high standards, I must be.

Normally, I’m not one to be overly optimistic or operate on wishful thinking; mostly because I’ve learned that having this approach sets you up for a harsh letdown. Some say I’m cynical because I practice pragmatism, yet it’s just a method of taking the sweet with the sour.

I hoped that this year Bastille Days would offer more French flair, like a plethora of Parisian cuisine and arts and crafts; maybe couples speaking in French tongue or possibly getting lost in a sea of red berets. While my expectations were a bit cliché, they were more “French” than most of what Bastille Days had to offer on Friday night (this is where the sweet-and-sour business comes in).

Every year I admire the charm of the downtown location centered around Cathedral Square Park as it provides a unique setting that both residents and visitors of East Town can appreciate. The 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica stood illuminating the center of the festival. It was the first thing I saw as I entered from Jackson Street after chaining my bicycle to a “No Parking” sign. 

Immediately I became distracted by the noisy crowd rushing towards me. “Stampede!” I shrieked as I sought refuge behind Eric’s tall stance. Silly rabbit, it was only a parade. The mob of large masks and cheering people marched through the street and past the crêpe stand where Eric stood patiently waiting for our strawberry dessert and café au lait, and I hid clutching his arm.

Besides the crêpe stand, I found only one other French food stand, well, besides buckets of French fries (if that even counts). Instead, I saw an abundance of Cajun food, which could be classified as French since Cajuns are decedents of France. Still, this doesn’t mean that there’s any correlation between fried alligator on a stick and fine French cuisine. Maybe if I’d call it le gator? Eh, not really. The gallimaufry of American fried foods, Middle Eastern falafel, and Chinese egg rolls made me slightly confused. I swore I was attending a Parisian event, not standing in line at a food court. 

As Eric and I devoured our ice cream and berry-filled crêpe we heard a singer/songwriter performing on the Kilbourn Street Stage. As the young man perched on a stool in the middle of the stage, he gently strummed his acoustic guitar. He played a set of three songs all completely in French, and then paused to take a short break. At this time, the musician went to talk with the audience sitting in a semicircle around the front of the stage. The man spoke kindly, “Moi j'suis d'Paname,” which I later learned meant he was from “Paname,” a slang name given to Paris.

Summerfest or "Bummerfest"

Another year of Summerfest has come and gone leaving not only ringing in my ears and blisters on my feet, but the fond memory of indulging in one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Since my teenage years, I’ve enjoyed getting lost amongst the Summerfest crowds as I discovered new music and delicious food while stage hopping until I got kicked out.

Today, I attend Summerfest less frequently and feel much older in comparison to the short-skirt wearing 14-year-old girls and popped collared, wide-eyed boys (and I’m still “young”); therefore, the Fest has a slightly different vibe. Now, it’s less about socializing and beer consuming, and more about the Summerfest experience, i.e. witnessing the gathering of diverse groups and taking the whole experience for what it’s worth.   

Over the years and after numerous visits, I’ve come up with the following rules that I’m sure all of us Summerfest-goers have already mentally noted and abide by each year:

An Official/Unofficial Start to Summer

Summerfest kicked off Thursday night with the Big Bang fireworks exhibition sponsored by our friends at Menard’s and Bartolotta Fireworks. Locals lined the lakefront on picnic blankets and folding chairs as late night joggers and bicyclists came to a halt to witness this spectacle. Even those on the Summerfest grounds stopped in their tracks to witness one of the best pyrotechnics displays in the state (We don’t call it the Big Bang for nothing). For a verbose writer who overloads on the adjectives, I can’t even describe this magnificent sight. A simple “WOW” doesn’t quite do it justice only because the Big Bang represents the sights and sounds of summer; and the official start in my opinion, then again, that's probably the third event I've claimed to be the "official start to summer." Whatever, I get excited...

   

I finally made it to the Big Gig Saturday evening as it was an ideal night for "The World's Largest Music Festival" (Guinness World Records). A couple friends of mine gathered at my apartment and walked along the lakefront towards the Henry W. Maier Festival Grounds where we met the masses at the North Gate. While waiting to pass through security, I was amused by the number of fluorescent colored mesh T-shirts worn by 40-something year old men. Gross. In mesh or not, the crisp breeze, smell of deep-fried eggplant and potatoes, and thunderous applause and drum thuds from nearby stages all created the perfect convivial atmosphere for festival goers. 

Summerfest features both local and nationally recognized music talent from a variety of different music genres. This year’s music ranged from REO Speedwagon to Ludacris and Big & Rich to Tool. Saturday, the Miller Lite Oasis was packed with fans of the Goo Goo Dolls, as was the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage (with Leinenkugel’s and FM 102.1) for Rise Against. 

Before the headliners took the stage, my friends and I walked along the cool lakefront where it’s less congested. The lakeshore path is an escape from the commotion on the inland grounds, which is only a couple feet away. But really, if you take a step back towards the lake, it’s a completely different scene. We walked past a four-some of high school kids playing hacky sack on the lawn and eventually were at the stairs of the Captain’s Deck located behind the Water Street Brewery.

It's not just the beer, but perhaps the kielbasa

Many outside of Milwaukee view the city as a society of beer guzzling, brat binging cheese heads. While beer is what made Milwaukee famous and quite frankly the brats are fantastic (with grilled onion, ketchup, and sauerkraut), I'll tell you that the essence of Milwaukee isn’t just about tailgating and breweries. It’s the diversity of everyday people and their cultures that makes Milwaukee unique.

Milwaukeeans are so diverse that we unite our different customs and heritage at ethnic festivals held summer-long. Whether Irish or Italian, Hispanic or Polish, African-American or German, the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan becomes packed with people looking to learn about a different heritage or celebrate their own by sampling food, dance, music and experiencing part of what makes Milwaukee great, its diverse culture.

I’m from the Polish-Italian heritage, which is why I love the festivals that celebrate my background. Polish Fest is an event I attend annually (with a last name like Cinpinski, it’s a sin to miss it!). There you’re cultured in the art of Polka, sounds of the accordion, sites of babushka wearing women, and tastes or smells of traditional pierogi and kielbasa. (Polish Fest vendors have pierogi recipes comparable to Grandma Cinpinski’s, which are the best hands down, but I'm a bit biased!)

You don’t have to be Polish, you don’t even have to like Polka music. It’s not about that. It’s a gathering of teens looking for nightlife, families spending a fun afternoon together, and adults experiencing the sights and sounds with friends. On the other hand, maybe you desire to binge on multiple Polish sausages or learn Wisconsin’s state dance to keep pace with the seasoned dancers stomping along to the oompahs of the brass bands. Either way, you’re sure to leave with Polkas ringing in your ear and a full belly whether you like it or not!
 
While no single event can demonstrate the full Milwaukee experience, by learning the customs of Milwaukeeans, you’ll begin to understand what Milwaukee is truly about. Milwaukee’s ethnic festivals have begun and will continue all summer-long, so grab your grandpa’s lederhosen, your ma’s babushka, some luck of the Irish or your Salsa dancing shoes and head to the fest that celebrates your favorite heritage.

Remember, it’s our different cultures that make Milwaukee great, not just the beer.

A Festival of Music, Art & Beer

Speaking of walking for a cause, last Sunday was the Locust Street Festival, which began with a run/walk. The 31st Annual Beer Run/Walk was not for a serious cause (if you couldn’t tell from its title), but one that promoted morning inebriation and serious liver conditioning. 

Although I’ve been trained in beer consumption for a number of years, I didn’t have the courage to test my iron stomach. Those who actually raced from the starting line at Locust and Booth continued on a 1.8-mile course complete with mandatory beer stops (as if vendors were twisting contestants’ arms to down booze, yeah, right.). I witnessed walkers/runners throw down their first shot of Miller, stagger to the second, stumble to the third, and crawl across the finish-line to claim their prizes. 

The beer and fun didn’t stop at the finish-line. In fact, the afternoon continued with music, art, and family entertainment. The mix of song and dance was non-stop as I, along with hundreds of other festival goers, boogied to Fat Bottom Special, a band who belted out the best of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC on The Tracks Miller Lite Main Stage. In the distance I heard the bongo and steel drum pulse of Reggae Fire singing freedom love songs to the rhythms of bands like Bob Marley or Steel Pulse; and the acoustic lullabies of local singer/songwriter Heidi Spencer and her ensemble.

Choosing between festivals

I heard on the radio this morning and from several coworkers that Irish Fest was a blast and totally packed this weekend. Add this to the list of festivals I have yet to experience and want to. 

There are obviously plenty of people who hit up every single festival throughout the summer. As for me, I’m a bit festival-ed out already after going to Summerfest, Festa Italiana, Bastille Days and State Fair. For someone on a limited budget (me) and for someone who doesn’t want to gain 10 pounds during the summer (me), one has to be choosy! 

So I missed Irish Fest for another year, and I’ll also be missing Mexican Fiesta, which starts this Friday, since I’m all booked this weekend. I think I’d love this fest, too. (though I will be IN Mexico in two months, so that makes it a little better!)

I’ll definitely check these two fests out next summer – I just have to pace myself leading up to them!

Your turn: Which Milwaukee summer festival is the best and why?

My first State Fair cream puff

Well, I made it to the Wisconsin State Fair this year after all.

After complaining recently about my extreme lack of funds, I was contacted by a man from State Fair Park who kindly offered me two free passes to the Fair as well as complimentary Sky Glider and Giant Slide passes.

Yes, my blogger status has its perks!

Not about to pass up such a sweet offer, Dave and I hit up the Fair last night. The weather was absolutely ideal – sunny and about seventy degrees – and the sun was just starting its descent as we drove around the perimeter of the grounds looking for parking. Not wanting to pay the $9 in the lots or the $10 that close-by residents were charging, we found street parking about 12 blocks away and hoofed it to the Fair entrance.

I was starving after eating next to nothing all day because I was at my first dress fitting. In celebration of it being over and doing so well all week, I was ready to splurge. As soon as we entered the gates, I hightailed it to the corn dog stand.



Once I'd finished my greasy, crispy, delicious dog, I stood up and realized how insanely crowded the Fair was. I've been to the Fair plenty in my day, and I swear I've never seen it so crowded. But why wouldn’t it be packed on a beautiful Saturday evening?

We strolled slowly through the masses of people and finally made it to where the animals were. Seeing the animals is one of my favorite parts of the fair, and we walked through and saw the cows and horses. We also saw a huge number of llamas and wondered what the heck do farmers do with llamas?

Next was the birthing barn, which Dave didn't want to go into. I told him we probably wouldn't actually see an animal giving birth; we'd probably just see newborn babies. We saw baby piglets and chicks and ducks – and they were all so darling! Definitely more enjoyable than actually watching an animal give birth – I used to show goats at the fair when I was young and I've seen a few being born – it isn't very pretty!

I usually like going through the 4-H exhibit halls, but we skipped those this year. We came upon the Giant Slide by accident and as I dug our free passes out of my pocket, Dave said "why don't you just go and I'll take your picture." Well fine – I went alone. I remember being young and going on these slides with my dad, and I always loved it. But as I walked up the stairs with my burlap sack this time around, I found it a little ridiculous how nervous I felt. But when I got to the top, I hopped on and slid down – and I obviously had nothing to worry about. It was totally fun!



We got Dave some food next – a chicken wrap thing at Brew City Barbecue. Leave it to Dave to get something totally odd instead of some traditional Fair food. Of course, it wasn't very good – yet he ate the whole thing. I got myself an ear of corn and as I polished off the buttery, salty ear, I marveled at how happy food makes me!

Finally, it was time to experience what I'd been anticipating all day: my very first State Fair cream puff. I posted about them last year and said how they'd never really appealed to me, but that maybe I'd have to try one next year. Now, I know I'm the last Milwaukee blogger to blog the cream puffs (Audra, Charlie) but I'm still hopping on the bandwagon.

We entered the dairy building and saw the cream puff line to our right – it was ridiculous! It was moving awfully fast, but we just couldn't believe the hoopla surrounding these things. As we moved through the switchbacks, we watched the crowd to our left who had already gotten theirs. They all looked so happy, and there was a lot of laughter when their faces and hands became covered in the sweet cream.



I still had my doubts. I just didn't think I'd be a fan, and I was almost tempted to order a blue ribbon brownie instead. I watched as "Team Cream Puff" worked tirelessly behind the glass cutting the pastries in half and filling them with globs of cream.

When we got up near the windows to order, another member of the team yelled "keep the line moving!" over and over again. "One please!" I said when it was my turn, and I handed over my $3. I was handed a cream puff and we scurried out of there before we got stampeded.

Armed with the cream puff and a load of napkins, we parked ourselves off to one side of the pathway and got ready to dig in. Dave told me that I was supposed to mush it together and then split it in half, but when I separated it, there was only cream on one side. So instead I put it back together so I could eat it like a sandwich.

I took my first bite and ….

Oh my gosh! It was divine!

Ok, I see what the hype is about. I'd never eaten anything quite like it. The pastry was soft and the cream was so incredibly sweet. It was cool in my mouth and so smooth going down. I loved it. I offered Dave some of it, but he didn't want to eat it the way I had it, and was peeved that I hadn't split it in two. So I ate it all myself!

I had almost the entire thing gone in probably five minutes, and I threw away just a little bit of the cream. When I was done, I felt a little woozy, and I was in a cream puff coma for the next half hour or so.

Dave got a chocolate malt and drank it as we watched some jugglers, and once he was done, we made our way over to the Sky Glider. We waited in line ten minutes or so and then hopped on, ready to make our trip back to the other end of the park.

Not a fan of heights, Dave didn't like it one bit. I normally have no problem with heights and I enjoy the bird's eye view of the festivities below, but his nervousness then made me nervous for some reason. I just kept picturing us falling to the ground below, even though I know the thing is very safe. Needless to say, the 8-minute journey to the other side of the park – complete with two stops due to people not boarding or getting off the way they're supposed to – was not overly pleasant. I did enjoy the view, though, and got some good pics from up there!



Relieved to be back on solid ground, we made our way through the still-heavy crowd to the exit. We'd spent maybe two and a half hours there, and not being huge crowd people, we were content with that.

As always, I loved the Fair. As I said last year, it's a great Wisconsin tradition. And I do believe I've discovered another item to add to my gotta-have-it-once-a-year food list. Just like the Saz's combo platter at Summerfest, I think the cream puff will have to be my new indulgence at the State Fair!

Festa Italiana!

My experience at Festa Italiana last night drove home the fact that summertime in Milwaukee simply rocks. In fact, it was one of the most fun nights I've had this summer!

The night was clear and cool and after our afternoon off, Dave and I were relaxed and in a great mood as we found parking downtown and walked the half-mile or so down to the festival grounds.



The crowd at Festa was pretty substantial, but not unmanageable like it can sometimes get at Summerfest. Plenty of people were sporting their Italy gear and I was glad I told Dave he should wear his "Italians Do It Better" shirt.

We walked up and down (and up and down) the grounds and commented on how random these events are. Here's some corn on the cob ("Festa Corn"), here's some gold jewelry for sale, here's a live cooking show, and here's a church exhibit. Would you like to get your face painted? Sing karaoke? How about listen to a corny cover band? Take your pick! There's certainly something for everyone.



One thing I just loved was the displays going on that we just happened upon now and then. First there was a small parade going by with drummers and flag throwers in leotards (I told Dave, there's something sexy about a man who can pull off leotards!), then there was a group of older Italian men and women dancing in a circle and singing songs. They were so lively and excited, inviting spectators to join their circle. Finally, there was a troupe of dancers wearing pretty dresses and crowns of flowers in their hair doing their own chants and dancing. I commented that it all reminded me of Epcot Center at Disney World where you go around to all the different countries and see stuff like this. It really got me in the spirit!



Then there was the food. Options were aplenty! Not willing to commit to anything until we knew what all our choices were, we didn't get food until we'd been there almost an hour and felt confident that we'd seen all the vendors.

It was a tough decision to make – fried eggplant, paninnis, cannolis, mostaccoli, lasagna, Italian sausage – and that was just entrees. Snacks included bruschetta, roasted nuts, roasted corn, stuffed pretzels. Desserts were abundant – éclairs, cream puffs, tiramisu, gelato, brownies, ice cream. Food is definitely number one at Festa Italiana. You didn't see many people without some sort of food in their hands (and faces) – ah, we Americans enjoy our food, don't we?




Rather than committing to just one item, we really indulged, pacing ourselves over three hours with three different food stops. Stop number one included bruschetta and deep fried ravioli. Stop number two was mostaccoli and meatballs for me and a chicken pannini for Dave. And stop number three was roasted pecans for Dave and Cedar Crest ice cream for me. This dish I had was the SMALL! Add all that to my giant margarita and Dave's three beers and, needless to say, we were quite full by the end of the night!

We'd seen it all and truly gorged ourselves, but we still had to wait for the fireworks, which were scheduled to start at 10:15. We found a good spot on the rocks near the lake and there we sat, a bit chilly, for the next 25 minutes. When it was still only 9:50 and we were getting pretty antsy, we decided to start heading back to the car and would watch them from outside the grounds. After being so far away for the July 3 fireworks, however, I certainly wasn't going to miss these!

We ended up in the small park in front of Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. We spotted a bench and walked over, relieved to have that available to us instead of the pointy rock we'd just spent our time on. As we rounded the bench, I noticed something lying there. "Drum sticks!" I said and picked them up. My thoughts were that someone had forgotten them there.

But then - hey, wait – they're attached – oh – you're supposed to use them to play – the bench! So cool! I immediately dropped my purse in the grass and pounded that bench with the sticks, doing a little dance and laughing away.

When I'd had my fill, we took a seat – until I saw two kids turning something a few feet away at the base of one of those neat-looking, leaf-shaped, shiny things in front of Discovery World – they make tinkling sounds in the breeze, and they can be moved with little steering wheels below them. I ran over and tried it for myself – and it was tough!!

I loved that there were these random, hands-on things to do there – that is what Discovery World will be– a hands-on museum where adults and kids alike can play and learn.

As exactly 10:15, the first firework burst in the sky above us. We had the perfect spot – and they were spectacular. So loud, so bright, and constant – no lulls or single pops – just blast after bright blast. Fifteen minutes later, the grand finale included those LOUD, bright white booms that sound like canons being shot off one right after another. They were AWE-SOME and I couldn’t help but cheer when it was all over!



We took the scenic route back to our car – over the art museum bridge – and drove the few minutes home, completely satisfied with our evening. Summer rocks.

P.S. This is my 200th post. I debated doing another "100 Things" post – but decided against it. Dude, I've got things to do. Plus, I just don't think I'm interesting enough to have ANOTHER 100 things to list! But happy 200th post to me. J 

Bastille Days - A bit belated

I do realize that last Thursday was a pretty long time ago already. I'm usually better about posting in a timely manner but what can I say? I've been in pretty high demand this past week!

Thursday night Dave and I went down to Bastille Days to mosey around and catch the 5K. Yes, for months I'd anticipated storming the Bastille again this year, but in the end, I was simply a spectator. My reason for you is that since I ran it last year and blogged it, I thought it was my journalistic duty to get the opposite perspective this year. My actual reason is that I'm just not in very good running shape at the moment. Sure, I could have done it – but I wouldn't have enjoyed it one bit.

As we walked around, I marveled at how much more attractive and diverse the crowd was than it had been at Riversplash, and I salivated over all of the food vendors that I successfully deprived myself of. (Audra from Taste of the Town sampled some of the fare down there – check out her post here.)



While we waited for the 5K to start, we caught the end of Jazz in the Park and watched a very dopey man on a diving board do a little act above a trampoline. It went on for much too long, but it was kind of amusing. The actual park was much more sparsely populated than it normally is for Jazz – I could actually see grass and open space!

We grabbed a drink and stood around waiting for 9:00. When the 5K started, I felt a momentary pang of regret that I didn't just bite the bullet and run it. Twenty minutes later when they were finishing up, however, I felt better about my decision. Dave and I walked through the crowd to try to get some pictures and were promptly slathered in other people's sweat and overcome by the smell of hot bodies. Running in 80+ degree will do that to a person!



Dave was getting over a week-long sickness that night so he wasn't in much of a festival mood. After one lap around the grounds, one drink, and a little lovers' quarrel, we were back in the car heading home.

I'm sorry to say I never made it back down to Bastille Days the remaining three days. It's a bummer, but there just aren't enough hours in the day, ya know?