1. Rock and Roll Summer Spinz
ALLI WATTERS, DIGITAL & CULTURE EDITOR
There’s something new happening at the Slice of Ice rink at Red Arrow Park this summer. Thanks in large part to the efforts of Roll Train Inc. co-owners Terrence Clarke and Ellen Fine, who have been pushing this idea for 10 years, the rink is now open for roller skating on a daily basis. Plus, there are three Summer Spinz nights featuring music from Chicago’s DJ Bam, free lessons and food trucks. Catch the last of these parties on Aug. 18 (5-9 p.m.), then come back the next day for Skatefest, an end-of-season blowout celebration. “People who want to see this rink activated for the culture and for themselves should show up,” Fine says. Open skate hours at Red Arrow are limited: Mon-Fri, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
– From Milwaukee Magazine’s August Issue
2. Shake Your Shamrocks at Irish Fest
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
I may only be 15% Irish, but I feel as though the amount of intensely depressive brooding and lonely writing I do should boost me up to at least 40. And as a fractional Irishman, I love me some strong beer, Celtic tunes, line dancing, sausage rolls, etc. – and Irish Fest (Aug. 17-20) has it all right on the lakefront. I’m a little wary about being mistaken for a leprechaun again, but otherwise I’m super excited to go this year.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
3. Shop Kota Sky Ceramics
BRIANNA SCHUBERT, ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR
Over the weekend, I checked out Plume’s Fly Away Event with the Milwaukee Public Market at the Riverwalk Commons. It was a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I was very excited to find a beautiful cup created by Kota Sky Ceramics. I’ve been using it for my coffee, and it makes me happy every time I look at it. I was also eye-balling their kelp cups… so I think I’ll need to buy one of those next time! Check out more of their work online.
4. Try Anything at Atwood Hwy. BBQ Co. With the Spicy Vinegar Sauce
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
This is a barbecue recommendation, I suppose, but what I’m really doing here is urging you to ask for guidance for your order. This is a fine line, and sometimes the clerk or waiter or bartender will just give you a sideways look and say something like, “I don’t know what you like,” which is fair. If you ask the right way, though – Anything you’d recommend? or What’s your favorite? – you can end up with something delightful you never would have tried. I mention all of this because last week I was at Atwood Hwy. BBQ at Crossroads Collective (they also have a location in South Milwaukee and a well-traveled truck), and was about to get the classic sauce on my brisket sandwich when I paused and asked the guy at the counter, well, what do you get? He said he didn’t put sauce on his brisket, which I respect the hell out of, but he also mentioned his favorite is the hot vinegar-based sauce (would have been my third choice). I went for it and it was awesome – intensely spicy and flavorful without subsuming the meat’s flavor, and a nicely balanced tang carrying into the next bite. Let the people who know things curate your world for you; it’s the best.
5. Celebrate Wisconsin Artists at Lily Pad
ALLI WATTERS, DIGITAL & CULTURE EDITOR
“Are these all local artists?” That’s the question Lily Pad co-owner Alan Perlstein gets most at his Third Ward art gallery (215 N. Broadway). And this month, they are. The second annual “Forward” showcase is all about Wisco talent, featuring nine artists from around the state. “This is great art generated by local artists,” Perlstein says. “There are a range of price points, so everybody can become an owner of great original artwork here in Wisconsin.” “Forward” includes abstract paintings, landscapes and sculptures. It’s running through Aug. 27.
– From Milwaukee Magazine’s August Issue
