I moved to Milwaukee 20 years ago this summer. Back then, I didn’t know much about Milwaukee. Oh, I knew they had the Brewers, and I actually thought County Stadium was kind of cool. I used to really like the old stadiums. Heck the Packers even played there then; it must have been okay.
I also knew that there was a beer that made Milwaukee famous. I didn’t drink much beer but if it made a city famous, I was good with that. The first time I flew into Mitchell, I saw a big sign, “A Great Place on a Great Lake.” That explained the big body of water we flew over coming in for our landing. But what was so great about the place?
I came to realize, after being here a little while, that Milwaukee was special because of the people. Warm, friendly, welcoming. Well, with the exception of Jeffrey Dahmer, whose escapades were discovered the week after I moved here. Got a little ribbing from my friends back home about that. But after 20 years here, I know I got the last laugh.
Fade to 2011. If I liked Milwaukee in 1991, I adore it now. Starting with baseball, we have Miller Park, now 10 years old, which is most likely the best fan experience in the Major Leagues. Certainly in the top 5. It helps that this year’s edition of the Brewers are competing for first place. What a great summer experience a Brewer game is.
Summer should be cherished in Milwaukee. Sure it’s short, but hey we got hot weather now, baby, so enjoy it! Our town simply becomes one of the best places to be anywhere in the country this time of year. Each weekend, our biggest challenge is to select from one of the myriad of things to do around here.
There’s the lakefront, of course, and there’s an ethnic festival every weekend, plus Summerfest. Where else can you find all that? And even though it’s August, there is still plenty left to do. There’s Summer Sizzle this Saturday on Broadway in the Third Ward, the Milwaukee Wine Festival the weekend of August 12 (yum) at the Calatrava, Zoo a La Carte August 18-21, Jazz in the Park every Thursday, and outdoor concerts almost every night of the week in many communities. And, starting Thursday, State Fair. This Milwaukee is just a fabulous place right now.
But the continuing metamorphosis of downtown is the thing that amazes me most, and is what is making Milwaukee even more special. Hopefully you’ve been able to experience it.
There are outdoor dining opportunities all over the place, with a bevy of incredible views to be had while dining and cocktailing. Notable are Harbor House and the new and trendy Café Benelux in the Third Ward, where we spent Friday evening in the midst of the always-entertaining Gallery Night. And get this, flatlanders: we were able to park downtown Friday night, in a parking structure no less, right in the middle of the Gallery Night action, for $2. Two bucks! That’s not even enough to tip the attendant in Chicago.
Finally, I am really impressed with how the RiverWalk has evolved. I worked on Water St. in the Third Ward from 2002-2007 and began to appreciate it back then. It seemed to take forever to complete but it was worth it. Now you can travel from the Lakefront Brewery in River West virtually all the way to the new Sail Loft restaurant, down by the Marcus Amphitheater, on the RiverWalk. There are no less than 15 restaurants along the way.
Despite how sweet the whole Walk is, the best spot, with the most energy, is the area between Buffalo and Chicago in the Third Ward. Three bars/restaurants in a row: Water Buffalo, Milwaukee Ale House and Rustico, with everyone sitting and dining right on the RiverWalk. What a spot!
So we’ve got a real gem here in the summer, folks. We should appreciate it. I don’t think too many people outside the region even think about it. And there might be a way to keep it like that…
Let’s not tell anybody!
