1. Have a Beer and Nosh at Pilot Project
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Outdoor beer drinking season has arrived for good in Milwaukee … maybe? Hopefully? Please? There are a great many patios and beer gardens in this city, but the best indoor space that feels like it’s outdoors is Pilot Project Brewing’s (1128 N. Ninth St.) glassy taproom and restaurant in the Brewery District. I had a couple of beers there on the glorious Friday evening, and the space is so bright, glassy and leafy that I honestly forgot I was indoors as I was enjoying my bright, grassy Cochin lemongrass saison from Pilot Project partner Azadi Brewing. There are more than two dozen beers from Azadi and Funkytown Brewing, as well as kombuchas from ROVM, under Pilot Project’s unusual incubator-type arrangement, as well as beers from house brand Brewers Kitchen. The kitchen is kicking out great food, too – think pub food elevated by imaginative chefs. Bonus nugget: This facility’s absolutely boss rooftop patio – a space painfully underutilized by its previous occupant, Milwaukee Brewing Co. – opens for all to enjoy its stellar skyline views on Friday.
2. Eat at Lupi & Iris
ANN CHRISTENSON, SENIOR DINING EDITOR
Cooking something in a parchment paper pouch is also known by the fancy French name “en papillotte” – typically fish or chicken. I don’t see it in restaurants too much, but when I do, it tends to be at a French establishment (go figure). This simple method creates a very moist environment that steams the food inside. Lupi & Iris uses this application for branzino (sea bass), the fish cooked with fingerling potatoes and braised artichokes. It’s a simple-delicious that catches you off-guard. It’s also an excellent vehicle for the chunky persillade sauce, a French sauce of parsley, garlic and olive oil that provides exactly the brightness this mellow fish needs.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
3. Buy a Sunrise Alarm Clock
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
A few months ago, I got tired of having a nervous breakdown every morning. My phone’s alarm, set for 6 a.m., always managed to go off when I was in my deepest sleep, and my circadian rhythm never, ever got used to it. I would inevitably wake up gasping and panicked when the sound went off, simultaneously exhausted and full of nervous energy, scrambling to get out of bed and turn it off. This was not the best way to start the day. So, like a good little consumer boy, I made a purchase. A bought a sunrise alarm clock, and it’s genuinely the best. Ten minutes before my alarm time, the little orb starts to light up, gradually becoming brighter and filling my room with light until the alarm eventually goes off – a quiet series of bird/cricket noises. Now, every morning, the light wakes me gently about five minutes before the alarm hits. It’s an immeasurably better way to get out of bed. Cannot recommend it enough. I bought a total knock-off, cheapo brand too, linked here, and it gets the job done just as well as any expensive one would.
4. See Gracious Sisters at First Stage
BRIANNA SCHUBERT, ASSOCIATE DIGITAL EDITOR
I had the pleasure of seeing this world premiere performance on Friday with my sister, and it was great! A more official review to come, but for now, let me just say that the actors were very talented, the singing gave me chills and the set was innovative. It runs through May 21. Make sure to brush up on your Greek mythology before going!
5. Sip and Savor at the Gingerbread House Patio
ALLI WATTERS, DIGITAL & CULTURE EDITOR
I had the good fortune of a vacation day last Friday and I decided to make the most of the gorgeous weather by meeting up with my mom at some friends at one of my favorite patios around. The Gingerbread House, if you’ve never been, is this darling restaurant/coffee shop that sports a wrap-around patio, chickens wandering the ground, a drive-through coffee window and a whole lot of farm-house charm. They have a long list of syrups on their cafe menu, but I opted for a lavender iced latte, which arrived in a massive wine glass and topped with whipped cream. As for lunch, I’m a fan of their half-soup (chicken veggie tortellini for me), half-sandwich (grilled cheese) special, which also comes with a fresh garden salad.
