1. Check Out the New South Shore Cocktail Club
CHRIS DROSNER | EXECUTIVE EDITOR
There is a LOT going on with Milwaukee hospitality right now, with openings looming for Il Ponte, High Stakes and The Vig – but not all the action is Downtown. Or even in the city. In Cudahy, the South Shore Cocktail Club has been soft-opening this week in the former Sheridan’s on Lake Drive. It’s a retro-posh, art deco-styled cocktail lounge with a stylish menu to match. My small group heading to a show at X-Ray Arcade stopped in for a drink and bite, and I wished we had more time to languish in one of the velvet-upholstered, semicircular booths. I’m also looking forward to getting out on the lovely, private patio before the weather turns. Early menu highlights are the fig Manhattan and a tasty muffuletta that was enormous, even as a half order; more items will be added as “Soft September” rolls along. Things are happening in the Cud! 5133 S. Lake Dr., Cudahy
2. Grab a Bite at Nessun Dorma
JONATHAN JOSEPH | DIGITAL EDITOR
I’ve discovered that the best way to balance work, chores and a social life is through highly optimized me-time. I try to take myself out on a date whenever I can squeeze it into my schedule as it’s important for me to process the past few days, and what better way to do a mental check-in than with a sandwich the size of my face. Nessun Dorma is a quaint Riverwest Italian restaurant that is known for it’s decadent panini’s, late night pizzas and quality cocktails. There is outdoor seating available if the weather permits, but I typically sit inside at the bar to take in the warmth of the whole room and enjoy the company of some very friendly bartenders. I highly recommend going during happy hour from 4-6 P.M. ($3 rails!) and trying the steak pizzaiolo or chicken Caesar panini. 2778 N Weil St.
Celebrate this year’s winners of the Betty Awards!
3. Watch Halloween III: Season of the Witch
ARCHER PARQUETTE | MANAGING EDITOR
Is this movie good? Well … that’s not precisely the term I’d use. There are cliches and baffling plot developments and questionable (at best) relationship choices by main characters. But, it is interesting – and sometimes when you’re delving deep into the world of horror movies in anticipation of Halloween, interesting is its own reward. This is the third movie in the Halloween franchise and Michael Myers, the film’s silent, lumbering, iconic protagonist is nowhere to be found. That’s because, after the second film, producers Debra Hill and John Carpenter (who famously wrote and directed the first one) wanted to switch the series format to an anthology series. Each “Halloween” movie was supposed to become its own independent story, set sometime around the titular holiday. (Look at the titles of the following three films in the franchise and you’ll see how long this anthology idea lasted: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers; Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers; Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.) Today, Halloween III stands as a fascinating artifact of the brief moment the franchise tried to leave its main character and the slasher genre as a whole in the dust – and in a positively wacky way. This movie is about, to put it as simply as I can, an Irish witch man plotting to murder children using his company’s Halloween masks and also the magic of Stonehenge, which he stole a block from and there are also robots. We follow an alcoholic doctor attempting to uncover the conspiracy, and honestly it’s pretty all over the place – sometimes funny, sometimes surprisingly dark, sometimes just kinda weird. But like I said, it’s all in an interesting way, especially if you enjoy delving into the twists and turns of horror cinematic history, such as myself. As autumn descends upon, consider giving this flick a watch.
4. Have a Blast at Bay View Bash
EVAN MUSIL | ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
This morning’s chill sent a literal and figurative shiver down my spine. For the last few weeks, I’ve used these hallowed editor’s picks as a column lamenting the slow crawl of fall and its inevitable approach. Now, I’m confronted with reality – by all counts except astronomical, summer is over. Before I give myself up to pumpkins and light jackets, there is this Saturday’s Bay View Bash – the last big street festival of the season. It’s a good one – jam-packed with killer local music, quirky entertainment, tasty food and a heaping of feel-good community sentiment that’s baked into the bash’s DNA. If summer must end, at least this fest lets us rage against the dying of the light.
