1. Go the Milwaukee Film Festival Opening Night Screening and Party
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
Buckle up, friends and foes, allies and enemies, big dogs and little lizards – it’s time for the Milwaukee Film Festival! This year, the cornucopia of cinematic craziness will be screening at the Oriental and Downer theaters from April 24-May 8, boasting a funky lineup of films of all shapes and sizes. We’re talking drama, documentary, shorts, horror, etc. Your boy The Saddest Cauliflower (that’s what they called me in college) will be there week-in, week-out, trying to catch as many films as possible. You can get individual tickets to most screenings or get a pass and see as many as you can. The festivities kick off Thursday with an opening night screening of Sally, a documentary about astronaut Sally Ride – and afterward the festival is hosting a block party around the Oriental.
2. Venture Down to Chicago for the Art Expo
CAROLE NICKSIN, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
I’m heading down to Chicago for the Art Expo. I enjoy walking the aisles at Navy Pier, where the main show is, featuring galleries from around the world. But there are other events as well, at galleries, museums and other venues. If you’re a fan of contemporary art, it’s definitely worth the trip.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
3. Eat Breakfast for Dinner at Ma Fischer’s
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
Ma Fischer’s pairs perfectly with my Film Festival recommendation above. This classic, old-school diner is just a 15-second stroll away from the Oriental Theatre – and it stays open late. Before (or after) a screening at the fest, I love to grab one of the tiny booths, get a big mug of black coffee, and eat too many eggs while contemplating the essential loneliness of the human experience. Nothing better, man. Nothing better.
4. Check Out the Chocolate Sommelier
ANN CHRISTENSON, DINING EDITOR
Two days before Easter, I stopped at a shop that makes me very happy. That’s the Chocolate Sommelier on Brady Street. This place sources chocolates from makers all over the world. Most are, locally speaking, exclusive to the store. I could spend a fortune here. For a friend’s upcoming birthday, I bought a box of milk chocolate sea salt caramels, a small Tom Bumble peanut flake bar and a s’mores patty by Seacoast, a New England candy company. Since it was almost Easter, I was feeling super nostalgic about the chocolates I used to get in my Easter basket when I was a kid. Not fine ones, I guarantee that. But I loved them all the same. So, for me, I bought a small solid dark chocolate bunny coated in an edible gold luster dust. I haven’t broken into him yet because he’s so cute. I want a little more time to just look at him!
5. Beautify Our Waterways with Milwaukee Riverkeeper
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
I’ve always been entranced by the little pockets of wild-ish nature in the city – natural areas of parks, overgrown riverbanks, backwater wetlands. One of the things I find intriguing is their frequent state of decay, with litter and other blight spoiling the natural experience. The satisfaction of helping to reverse this is one of the reasons I love Saturday’s Milwaukee Riverkeeper’s annual Spring Cleanup of the areas surrounding Milwaukee’s many waterways. They supply the bags and gloves, you bring boots that can get a little muddy and a strong back, and the local environment wins. Every year, thousands of volunteers provide the people power and more than 90 sites across the metro area. Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon, register here
