A Bevy of Bests
Of the many different things I do at Milwaukee Magazine, participating in the curation of content is what I love the most. It’s very satisfying to notice something or someone wonderful in our city and have a platform to bring them to a wider audience.
As the leader of this team, I often get the deciding vote as to what makes the cut. (The profile of Kevin Shafer was an idea I pitched, and Archer Parquette did a brilliant job writing it.) But sometimes, the team overrides me. And other times, we just plain run out of space to fit everything in.
Such is the case with our Best of Milwaukee feature in this issue. With so many great things to write about from our staff and guest contributors, executive editor Chris Drosner had to make some tough calls, and some of my selections were not included.
But I have some space here, and I am devoting it to my own personal Best Of list, which is really more of a “Reasons I Love Milwaukee” list. I love riding my bike to the Roundhouse Beer Garden at McKinley Marina and enjoying a beer while looking out over Lake Michigan. I love meeting friends for a movie at the Oriental Theatre. I love shopping at Glorioso’s and coming home with a bag full of deliciousness – prosciutto, cheeses, a bottle of wine I’ve never tried before. I love eating breakfast at the counter at the Café at The Plaza. I love running into friends nearly every place I go.
Most recently, I felt enormous pride in how our city hosted the Republican National Convention. The national coverage showed just how beautiful Milwaukee truly is, and visitors were so impressed by the graciousness of our citizens. Although some businesses did not fare well during that week, I think when you take a long view, the convention will ultimately turn out to be a big gain for all.
And while we’re thinking about the convention, I’d like to give a shout-out to Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who is emerging as a leader on the national stage. Bravo, Mr. Mayor!
There are so many other things deserving attention, but the aforementioned space constraints are forcing me to wind this up. Fortunately, every issue of Milwaukee Magazine offers the opportunity to spotlight what is wonderful in and around our city. And fortunately, that list never seems to end.
Carole Nicksin, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
carole@milwaukeemag.com, @CaroleNicksin
In This Issue
Features
- Our Best, Their Best, Your Best: Our annual Best of Milwaukee celebration has a lot more voices weighing in this year. Find editor picks, expert guest curators, and the results of our Readers’ Choice poll, naming Cream City’s finest!
- Fall Arts Guide: A look at the can’t-miss shows, exhibitions, concerts and cultural events coming to Milwaukee this season.
- The Cleaner: Meet the mild-mannered engineer who turned around the perception of Milwaukee’s sewer utility from a hapless boondoggle machine to a global paragon of water treatment.
- The Big Story: A report examines the pieces of the “dire” funding puzzle facing local arts organizations.
Your 414
- Breathe: Oh, the places you’ll stretch with this traveling yoga studio.
- People Places Things: Inside the Rep’s new set- and prop-making home, the rundown on Milwaukee Fashion Week and more.
- Fantasy Games: The lore behind Dungeons & Dragons, Lake Geneva’s greatest invention.
- Music: The heart of Kiran Vedula’s new album? Teaching others and sending good vibes.
The Dish
- Drink: Sip & Purr cat cafe is joining feline forces with cult favorite Space Time Coffee for its reopening.
- Tidbits: Doughnuts worth a Sheboygan road trip, a new N/A mixer and a cookbook that’ll make you want to know more about its chef/co-author.
- Review: Not just a tasting room, Ardent has switched gears to be the neighborhood place for everyone.
Insider
- Sturgeon: Catching up with the prehistoric fish’s Milwaukee River resurgence.
- Athletics: A participation comeback for prep football.
- Insurance: Why your auto premiums have gone up so much.
Explore
- Adventure: Zip-lining in Minocqua’s majestic forest canopy – it’s not just for adrenaline junkies.
- I Tried It: Renting a houseboat on the Mississippi River is a fall weekend getaway like no other.
