1. Attempt to Banish Malaise with a Local Tour de Cafe
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
Last week, the Milwaukee Magazine offices were being deep-cleaned. (If anyone finds something underneath the carpet in the utility closet, I swear I had nothing to do with that and the possum was already dead anyway.) Without a place to work, I took up the nomad life, traveling to coffee shops around the city in search of quiet corners and good wi-fi, resting my laptop on narrow counters and stained tabletops, sipping from steaming mugs and dripping plastic cups of cold brew. I quickly became adept at scoping out prime seats, setting up a makeshift workstation and giving annoyingly loud fellow patrons the stink eye. Free from my usual gray, gloomy desk, I found myself searching for inspiration and engagement in this sunny cafe circuit. I shuffled from coffee shop to coffee shop, moving every time I was gripped by what Christopher Moltisanti once called, “the regularness of everyday life.” Over the course of the week, I worked at Anodyne in Walker’s Point, Vennture in Washington Heights, Interval in Bay View, Likewise, Valentine and the Public Market in the Third Ward, and even made a suburban detour to Blüm in Greenfield. Did I find that inspiration and engagement? Eh, not really. No charming decor, overcaffeinated nitro cold brew, or oily caprese sandwich fixed my fundamental malaise – but it was a fun week, and by the end I felt a lot closer to the city and to the unique pulse of each neighborhood I visited. … Although I also spent like $80 on coffee and sandwiches and $20 on parking. So maybe not the best ROI.
2. Sip at Kwench Juice Cafe
ANN CHRISTENSON, DINING EDITOR
Eight-fifty for a juice? I know, I know. I’ve gotten into green juices lately and had been wanting to check out Kwench – a Boston-based franchise with a location on the East Side (2220 N. Prospect Ave.) – for a while. So I got the pricey juice and I might buy one again sometime. My choice, called “Alive,” tasted healthy and fresh – pineapple, cucumber, pear, apple, ginger and lime all crushed, grinded and squeezed out in a high-octane juicer. Raw juices aren’t all they do here. They’ve got power juices with things like hemp protein and spirulina, raw smoothies and acai or pitaya (dragon fruit) bowls. My wallet won’t allow for this kind of treat often, though. But once in a while? Sure. Kwench just opened a location in Tosa (8816 W. North Ave.) as well.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
3. Do a Workshop at Yours Truly Studio
BRIANNA SCHUBERT, ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR
Last Friday, my sister and I had the loveliest time at Yours Truly Studio in Riverwest at a “Build-a-Boot” workshop. I heard about the studio through Instagram, and when I saw a workshop where you get to make your very own ceramic boot, I knew I needed to check it out. The class was pretty casual – the artist gave a demo of how to make the boot, and then we got started making our own. It was so exciting to work with clay again because I truly hadn’t done anything like this since high school art class. I loved problem-solving how to make the perfect little heel and bootstraps, and it was super fun to get to chat with my sister while we both worked away. After shaping the boot with my own hands, I got to paint it funky colors. Now, I have to wait for it to be fired in the kiln… and for the next workshop. Check out the studio’s website for future classes and workshops.
4. Get a Scoop of Custard
ANN CHRISTENSON, DINING EDITOR
We perceive frozen custard – the decadent dessert that’s richer (dare we say more delicious?) than ice cream – as our own. In the Milwaukee food pantheon, it is a sticky, drippy OG, right up there with cheese and bratwurst. Custard’s melting moments lend a little more sweetness to our treasured Milwaukee summers – which, like those cones, never seem to last long enough.
5. Check Out Evanescent
BRIANNA SCHUBERT, ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR
An interactive bubble installation, Evanescent, will be outside the Marcus Performing Arts Center (929 N. Water St.) from July 18-22. The bubbles, which are made of color-reflecting film, were created by Sydney-based art studio Atelier Sisu. Live music, vendors and food trucks will be on site.
