1. Read A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe
ARCHER PARQUETTE | MANAGING EDITOR
I picked up a copy of this 1722 novel in March of 2020. Normally I don’t remember the exact month I bought a book, but I do for this one – I think for obvious reasons. I started it that same month and quickly found that I was reading more than enough about disease and infection rates and paranoia in the daily news and put it down. Well, six years later, I finally got around to reading this one. Defoe’s fictional retelling of the nonfictional 1665 bubonic plague in London is buoyed by a great deal of research and paints a harrowing picture of a town under siege by a disease it doesn’t understand. The novel is so convincingly written from the point of view of a survivor that readers are often surprised to learn it was written by someone who was only five years old when the plague happened. It’s full of memorable scenes of a town in chaos and portraits of human frailty and virtue that absolutely still ring true more than three centuries later.
2. Go to Kenosha for a Tenuta’s Sandwich
CHRIS DROSNER | EXECUTIVE EDITOR
I found myself with an appointment in Kenosha this weekend – really the first time I’ve spent any time in town. And, thusly, my first chance to try the renowned Tenuta’s Deli. It entirely lived up to the hype. My Italian beef sandwich was among the best I’ve had, and my companion’s Tuscan panino was so good I needed a second bite. The sandwiches are relatively small, but plenty satisfying, and the prices – $5.49 for a beef with cheese and $7 for the panini – are a fantastic value. If you’ve only seen the deep southeast of Wisconsin from I-94, I highly recommend taking the long way home, following Highway 32 through the charming little shoreline neighborhoods and downtown Kenosha and Racine, both of which have a lot of opportunities for side stops. 3203 52nd St., Kenosha
Check out the MilMag Mini!
3. Eat Some French Toast at Cassis
ANN CHRISTENSON | DINING EDITOR
French toast is not French – it dates to 4th century Rome – but it’s still at home in a French restaurant such as Cassis. The version served during Cassis’ weekend brunch is like no other I’ve had. It’s a massive, 2-inch-thick slice of brioche, the texture of bread custard, with a burnt sugar topping characteristic of crème brulee (which translates to “burnt cream” in English). It sits in a pool of maple anglaise. It’s sort of like bread pudding. Truly something to behold, and realistically something you’ll need to share with a friend or two. 333 N. Water St.
4. See the River Come to Life at Afterlight
EVAN MUSIL | ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
No! I see those Halloween decorations peeking through shop windows, pumpkins for sale at the grocery store. Even back-to-school sales are sending me shivers down my spine. Summer is not over – so stop acting like it! You may see me desperately clinging onto the dog days at Afterlight, a new evening event on Aug. 21 along the Milwaukee Riverwalk that promises “a vibrant corridor of light, music, art and creative energy.” What does that mean? For one thing, artist-made visual effects lighting up the docks and creative sounds rumbling the path to life. Hidden performances and a disco boat at the end of the night are also on the agenda. There seems to be an element of surprise surrounding the event. The best summer nights are always unexpected, so why not take the chance to see what this is all about? The seasonal clock is ticking.
5. Catch Kill Lincoln at X-Ray Arcade
JONATHAN JOSEPH | DIGITAL EDITOR
I feel like a lot of my recommendations revolve around listening to really heavy music, but what about music that’s really brassy? Washington D.C. ska punks Kill Lincoln are coming to X-Ray Arcade this Thursday night, off the Bad Time Records tour. This band is heavy loaded with all the classic accoutrements of a ska band: a big brass section, loud drums and a high energy vocalist. Kill Lincoln will be joined by openers JER, Bad Operation and The Best of The Worst. An eclectic list of artists who are all respective trailblazers in the national ska scene. Watch all these guys bounce around the stage for $30 and who knows, maybe you’ll be able to stage dive with them. 5036 S Packard Ave., Cudahy
