Jan. 19, 2017 Print Edition

WISCONSIN’S LARGEST LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER

Jan. 19 - Jan. 25, 2017 shepherdexpress.com

FREE!

MILWAUKEE WINNERS

Milwaukee’s Trump Resistance ... page 6

Restaurants within Restaurants ... page 48

Milwaukee Music at Historical Society ... page 62

2 | JANUARY 19, 2017

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

JANUARY 19, 2017 | 3

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Louis Fortis (ext. 202) GENERAL MANAGER: Kevin Gardner (ext. 225) ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: David Luhrssen (ext. 204) EXPRESS EVENTS EDITOR: Rip Tenor (ext. 210) ASSISTANT EDITOR: Lisa Kaiser (ext. 233) ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR/MUSIC EDITOR: Evan Rytlewski (ext. 218) COPY EDITOR: Selena Milewski (ext. 219) ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR: John Schneider (ext. 217) CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jeff Beutner, Curtis L. Carter, Richard G. Carter, Harry Cherkinian, Frank Clines, Tyler Friedman, Susan Harpt Grimes, Martin Hintz, John Jahn, Sonia Khatchadourian, Marie Kohler, Tea Krulos, Art Kumbalek, Todd Lazarski, Kevin Lynch, Joel McNally, Thomas Michalski, Roger Miller, Judith Ann Moriarty, Michael Muckian, Emily Patti, Michael Popke, Jamie Lee Rake, Blaine Schultz, Amie Siegel, Steve Spice, Danielle Stevens, Willy Thorn, Rick Walters EDITORIAL INTERNS: Jack Fennimore, Angelika Villafuerte CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS: Tate Bunker, Jim Brozek, Owen Dunne, Corey Hengen, Don Rask, Dan Perkins, Susan Lina Ruggles CREATIVE SERVICES: ART DIRECTOR: Dave Zylstra (221) GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Melissa Lee Johnson (ext. 238) GRAPHIC DESIGNER/PHOTOGRAPHER: Maggie Vaughn (203) ADVERTISING MANAGER: Alissa Weber (ext. 205) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Bridgette Ard (ext. 211), Chuck Hill (ext. 222), Stephanie Schroeter (ext. 216), Derek Steinborn (ext. 231), Donna Wagner (ext. 215), Amy Zignego (ext. 230)

SALES COORDINATOR: Lisa Kortebein (ext. 213) In Memory of Dusti Ferguson (October 18, 1971 – November 20, 2007) EVENT COORDINATOR: Rachel Repetti (ext. 223) WEB PUBLISHER: Cole Vandermause (ext. 207) WEB EDITOR: Rob Hullum (ext. 206) BUSINESS MANAGER: Christian Caflisch (ext. 232) CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Josef Bieniek (ext. 209) CIRCULATION: CONNIE ANDERSON, BRYAN BRUNO, GARY GORLEWSKI, MICHAEL HEFLEY, MIKE HOULEHEN, TOWNSEND HUNT, LARRY JONES, MIKE KIERALDO, FRANCIS MULVEY, TODD PEARSON, MICHAEL POLLACK, KORY POSTOTNIK, JENNIFER SCHMID, LAUREL STIEG, DANIEL SURGES, GREG TOMASETTI, RICHARD VAN WIERINGEN, BRIAN WHELIHAN, DANIEL ZOLLNER DISTRIBUTION: Shepherd Express is available free of charge.

The Shepherd Express may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Shepherd Express, take more than one copy of each weekly issue. Mail subscriptions are available. No refunds for early cancellations.

One year (52 issues) via First Class mail - $125.00 Six months (26 issues) via First Class mail - $70.00 207 E. Buffalo St., Suite 410, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone 414/276-2222 Fax 414/276-3312 Advertising Inquiries: LKortebein@shepex.com e-mail: info@shepex.com URL: shepherdexpress.com Shepherd Express makes no representations or warranties of any kind, whether expressed or implied, regarding any advertising. Due diligence is recommended before entering into any agreement with an advertiser. Shepherd Express will not be held liable for any damages of any kind relating to any ad. Please check your ad the first day of publication and notify us of any changes. We are not responsible for errors in advertising after the first day. We reserve the right to edit, reject or reclassify advertisements at our sole discretion, without notice. We do not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate or intend to discriminate on any illegal basis, or are otherwise illegal. NO REFUNDS for cancellation after deadline, no copy changes except to price or telephone number.

NATIONAL ADVERTISING THE RUXTON GROUP 1-888-2-RUXTON Shepherd Express uses newsprint that contains recycled fiber and is fully recyclable. Our color ink is made with soybean.

A.A.N.

Association of Alternative Newsweeklies

4 | JANUARY 19, 2017

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Apply to be a part of Project Money today!

Now in its ninth year, Summit Credit Union is looking for four new participants to compete in our 2017 Project Money program.

TAKE CONTROL win OF YOUR FINANCES AND

Project Money is a unique chance to work one-on-one with a Summit Financial Coach to help simplify your finances and improve your life. Whether you need to reduce debt, increase savings or just want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, we can help.

Apply today at SummitCreditUnion.com/ProjectMoney or any branch location.

$10,000!

Not a Summit member? Not a problem! Project Money is open to everyone.

Application deadline is March 11, 2017.

WMSE, VON BRIESEN, AND MILWAUKEE BREWING COMPANY PRESENT

R ockabillY 15th annual wmse

CHILI FUNDRAISER

SUNDAY, MARCH 5 H 11 AM - 4 PM H MSOE KERN CENTER

T IC K

E T S ON

.O E S M W S A L E N O W AT

RG WMSE.ORG

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

JANUARY 19, 2017 | 5

::NEWS&VIEWS

For more News, log onto shepherdexpress.com

FEATURES | POLLS | TAKING LIBERTIES | EXPRESSO

Milwaukee’s Trump Resistance Forms Rallies for health care and immigrants draw crowds, more to come ::BY LISA KAISER

Supervisor Dimitrijevic addressed the crowd in fluent Spanish and English, explaining she would introduce a “Trump resistance bill” before the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 25. The resolution affirms the rights of immigrants, the LGBT community, women, people of faith and African Americans and rejects discrimination in all forms.

“We will never be divided,” Dimitrijevic said at the Saturday rally.

Emmanuel Rios, pastor of the Casa de Restauracion in New Berlin, declared that his parish would become a sanctuary for immigrant families, a safe space where all of its parishioners would feel cared for until Trump stops threatening immigrants.

“We will continue to shout out ‘Si se puede,’ yes we can,” Rios said through an interpreter.

John Holevoet, director of government affairs for the Dairy Business Association, stressed the importance of immigrants to the dairy industry’s $44 billion contribution to the state’s economy. He said he’d continue to explain to policy-makers the real-world impact of labor shortages in Wisconsin’s rural communities, which are filled by immigrants, and the importance of allowing immigrants to obtain driver’s cards to improve safety on the roads.

‘Making America Sick Again’

weekend of rallies preceding the inauguration of Donald Trump indicates that while he may have won Wisconsin by the slimmest of margins, he hasn’t won over the public.

“On January 20 begins the dream of Donald Trump. Let’s make it his worst nightmare ever and start the ‘Hunger Games’ of resistance,” said Milwaukee County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic at the Saturday rally for immigrants and refugees on the Milwaukee County Courthouse steps, which drew hundreds of supporters from around the state.

On Sunday, roughly 800 Affordable Care Act supporters gathered at the near South Side restaurant Candela’s, which spilled out onto the sidewalk.

Attendees at both events vowed to fight Trump’s attacks and prevent his threats from becoming reality. And both events were part of a nationwide movement that is forming the resistance to the Trump administration.

“Today, this action is one of 70 actions around the country to send a message to the incoming Trump administration that we are here to stay,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, director of the immigrant rights group Voces de la Frontera, which organized the Saturday rally. “And we are ready to fight for our community and to stand together.”

Neumann-Ortiz ticked off a list of Trump’s promises that would harm immigrants and refugees. Trump has said he’d deport up to 3 million undocumented immigrants and their families, repeal President Barack Obama’s executive orders protecting immigrant children and their parents, refuse to accept refugees from largely Muslim nations, revitalize local law enforcement’s involvement in immigration actions and penalize communities who protect undocumented immigrants.

“Are we going to let that happen?” Neumann-Ortiz repeatedly asked the crowd.

“No,” the attendees responded.

Neumann-Ortiz said Voces has joined with allied groups around the state to form a defense network to protect immigrants and other vulnerable communities from Trump’s attacks.

Supporters of immigrants and refugees rally in Downtown Milwaukee

6 | JANUARY 19, 2017

On Sunday, supporters of the Affordable Care Act gathered to block the Republicans’ plan to repeal and replace Obama’s signature legislative victory, an event that was replicated across the country.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Milwaukee Congresswoman Gwen Moore, both Democrats, promised they wouldn’t allow Trump and the Republican Congress to “make America sick again,” riffing on Trump’s campaign slogan.

Moore said that repealing Obamacare would impact those buying insurance on the health care exchange as well as those with private insurance, since costs would increase and plans would be weaker.

“I don’t care who you are, your health care is in jeopardy under this plan,” Moore said.

Baldwin authored the highly popular Obamacare provision that allows young adults to stay on their parents’ health insurance policy until they are 26, which Republicans voted to repeal last week. The Republicans have offered no plan to replace Obamacare.

On Sunday, Baldwin said the Republicans plan to replace the Affordable Care Act “with chaos.”

“The Republicans own everything and they want to put special interests ahead of the American working people,” Baldwin said. “It’s why so many people are reaching out and calling their elected officials to tell them that we won’t allow Republicans to make America sick again.”

She said Republican elected officials were beginning to waver in their opposition to the Affordable Care Act because of pressure from their constituents.

Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, called the Republicans’ plan “the greatest bait and switch in history,” since they promised on the campaign trail to lower health care costs and improve access but are now working to take away access and allow costs to skyrocket.

“They want to set a time bomb and walk away from it,” Kraig said.

The Trump resistance movement will continue with an Inauguration Day protest to be held on Friday, Jan. 20, at 5 p.m. in Red Arrow Park in Downtown Milwaukee, which is organized by the Milwaukee Coalition Against Trump.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

DIY CLA

SSES

schedule at Sparr and sign ups owColle ctive.com

-7 MON-FRI 11 SAT 11-6 SUN 11-5 SHOP HANDMADE WEARABLES, HOME GOODS ART, GIFTS, AND MORE

2224 S. Kinnickinnic Ave 747-9229

Illustration by Scott Radke

To advertise on this page, contact BRIDGETTE at 414-276-2222 EXT 211 or email her at bridgette@shepex.com

#BZ 7JFX T /FJHICPSIPPE #SFXFSZ 15% OFF TJODF GROOMING -PDBUFE OFYU UP $BGF -VMV BU 4 )PXFMM "WF BRING IN COUPON TO RECEIVE DISCOUNT.

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. SERVICE MUST BE RENDERED

BY EXPIRATION DATE. EXPIRES 1/31.

1820 S. 1st St. // Milwaukee, WI bayviewbark.com (414) 763-1304

FREE VISIT

THANKS FOR VOTING US AS YOUR BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

$5 Value

New Members Only 1 pass per person

$30 a month or $225 a year

Brickyard Gym

• 481-7113 2651 S. KK Ave. ym.com brickyardg

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

4.0,& 4)01 "$$&4403*&4

#3*/( */ 5)*4 "% "/% 3&$&*7&

0'' :063 505"- 163$)"4& -*.*5 0/& 1&3 $6450.&3 &91*3&4 '&#36"3:

4 ,*//*$,*//*$ "7& ] ȹ ȹ ] 1*1&%3&".44)01 $0.

01&/ 46/ȹ5)634 ȹ 1. ] '3*ȹ4"5 ȹ 1.

063 #64*/&44 *4 4.0,*/ JA NUA RY 19, 2 0 17 | 7

NEWS&VIEWS::POLL

You Say Obama Should Not Critique Trump Last week we asked if you think Barack Obama should break precedent and criticize Donald Trump when Trump takes office. You said: n Yes: 48% n No: 52%

What Do You Say? Given the nature of his victory and the allegations that his campaign coordinated with Russia, is Donald Trump’s presidency legitimate? n Yes n No Vote online at shepherdexpress.com. We’ll publish the results of this poll in next week’s issue.

Patti Smith and Her Band

SHANK

Tickets available at Shank Hall Box Office, 866-468-3401, or at ticketweb.com

Fri 1/20

perform Horses

Tickets on sale now at The Milwaukee Theatre Box Office, or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Sat 1/21 REMEDY 8 PM $10 adv $12 Door

MARCH 9

8 P.M.

HALL

1434 N FARWELL AVE • 276-7288 • www.SHANKHALL.COM • all shows 21+

The Gleasons TABLE 5

8 PM $10 Fri 1/27 PAUL CEBAR TOMORROW SOUND 8 PM $15

Sat 1/28 MICHAEL MCDERMOTT SAM LLANAS

8 PM $12

Fri 2/3

Sat 2/4

PAT MCCURDY 9 PM $6

GREG KOCH AND THE TONE CONTROLS 8 PM $15

Tues 2/7

Fri 2/10

Free Admission • Exhibition Opening

SPRECHER PRESENTS

GEOFF TATE: THE WHOLE STORY “RYCHE” ACOUSTIC 8 PM $25

Photographs by David Plowden

Jan. 20 • 5-9 p.m.

CATIE CURTIS,

CONNOR GARVEY

8 PM $15

2/11 U2 ZOO: MILWAUKEE’S U2 TRIBUTE BAND 2/14 Doyle Bramhall II 2/16 Leopold and his Fiction 2/17 Mike Doughty with special guests Wheatus 8 | JANUARY 19, 2017

STEEL: THE CYCLE OF INDUSTRY David Plowden’s photography captures the majesty of the steel industry while at the same time documenting the demise of the industry as we knew it.

Grohmann Museum • 1000 N. Broadway Milwaukee, WI • msoe.edu/museum SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Valentine’s Dinner Regular Menu + Evening Specials

italian food _ _ rustic local ingredients _ _smart wine selection _ _ & craft cocktails HOURS: 4PM - CLOSE

Now Taking Reservations for

Illustration by Scott Radke

Tuesday, February 14th 5-10 pm

KITCHEN: 5PM - 10PM SUNDAY BRUNCH: 10AM - 2PM CLOSED MONDAY 735 E CENTER ST MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN (414) 930-0909 COMPANYBREWING.COM

To advertise on this page, contact BRIDGETTE 414-276-2222 EXT 211 or email her at bridgette@shepex.com

Anne Putra L.A.c.

CREATIVE WITHOUT

455 3751

during Playoff games!

Homemade Sausages, Pork, Chicken, & Beef Spiedini •Hot Sandwiches Daily• •Sunday Hot Ham and Rolls•

Owner/Acupuncturist 262-212-7930

YOU CAN’T SPELL

| 414

$2 OFF PIZZA

A COMMUNITY-STYLE CLINIC

2600 N. Booth St. MKE

CENTROCAFERIVERWEST.COM

IN THE HEART OF RIVERWEST

Milwaukee’s Best Italian Sausage

WARM / INVITING / COMFORTABLE

urban.acupunc@gmail.com mkeurbanacupuncture.com

CENTRO | 808 E CENTER ST

Fresh Ti ramisu and Cannoli made to order.

VEGETARIAN CAFE BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER BEERLINECAFE.COM

822 E. Chambers St. Milwaukee, WI 53212 // 414.395.3369 scardinaspecialties.com

growlers | Hard Cider | Beer | Wine | Spirits Appetizers | soups | salads | entrees | sandwiches | kids’ menu | desserts

ENJOY 10% OFF

-THROUGH MARCH 31, 2017-

HAPPY HOUR

4-7 PM | TUES-THURS $3 RAIL GIMLET $4 TALL, DARK & STORMY $5 THE HOT CHERRY $5 BRANDY OLD FASHION $1 OFF TAP BEERS

GIVE US A CALL FREE design consultation at 414-292-3816

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

COME for the BEST Burger in Milwaukee!

STAY for a Beer!

GO home with a Growler!

701 E. KEEFE AVE. //// (414) 906-9000

JA NUA RY 19, 2017 | 9

Tax Problems?

Endless letters from the State or IRS? Garnished Wages?

Levies on your bank accounts?

Our Certified Public Accountants have helped hundreds of delinquent tax payers settle their problems with the IRS and State - permanently Get the lowest possible settlement allowed by law Business & Personal Tax Issues

CONTACT US TODAY for your FREE 1-hour consultation

262-786-4442 | alliancetaxusa.com 13500 Watertown Plank Rd. Ste, 103 | Elm Grove, WI 53122

TUNE IN TO WISN 12 AT 6:30 P.M. ON SATURDAYS FOR

WWW.PROJECTPITCHIT.COM

DEBUTING ON FEBRUARY 18 PRESENTED BY CARDINAL STRITCH UNIVERSITY

10 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

NEWS&VIEWS::TAKINGLIBERTIES

Politics More Frightening than Fiction ::BY JOEL MCNALLY

K

ey West, Fla.—One of my greatest pleasures every few years is attending an annual gathering here of some of the best writers in the world at the Key West Literary Seminar. This year, it was also terrifying.

That’s because the theme those writers gathered to discuss this January, immediately following one of the most shocking presidential elections possibly ever, was “Revealing Power: The Literature of Politics.”

Robert A. Caro, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of President Lyndon Johnson and New York City power broker Robert Moses, provided the title. Caro contends that power doesn’t always corrupt, but “what power always does is reveal.”

In the case of Lyndon Johnson, Caro said, power revealed Johnson’s lifelong concern for the poor and for equal rights as someone who’d grown up in poverty and always felt denigrated by privileged, Ivy League-educated elites, even as vice president.

Caro said Johnson hid his concern for civil rights for more than 20 years in order to rise to political power by voting with Southern segregationists against civil rights legislation, even opposing laws protecting blacks from lynching.

But in Johnson’s first address to Congress upon his unexpected rise to the presidency after President Kennedy’s murder, he embraced Kennedy’s civil rights bill over the objections of political advisors who called it a lost cause that would once again die in Congress.

Then Johnson used his political skills and knowledge of the opposition to pass not only the Civil Rights Act, but also the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act. Among acclaimed fiction writers Thomas Mallon, Joyce Carol Oates and George Saunders, journalists Joe Klein and Gail Collins, humorist Calvin Trillin, poet Billy Collins and other writing luminaries, none expected any such happy, progressive surprises to be revealed when Donald Trump assumes the presidency.

One of the most riveting presentations was

by Nigerian-American novelist and social critic Teju Cole, who described Trump’s election as a catastrophic stripping away of the myths and sanitized images decent American like to believe about their country.

“If you have a pretty story for yourself about what the United States is, it ain’t,” Cole said.

He continued, “How many times have we

heard President Obama say, ‘That’s not who we are’ [when something horrific happens]?

That’s exactly who we are. We have a great deal of antecedent hatred for each other. Our acts reveal who we are.”

Joe Klein, the political reporter who anonymously wrote Primary Colors, the satirical novel about Bill Clinton’s sex scandals, said he should have foreseen electing Trump, a less than fully functioning adult, when workingclass voters embraced Clinton’s actions.

“Their reaction was: ‘Hell, yeah. He makes out with lounge singers, eats at McDonald’s and he seems to care about me,’” Klein said.

‘Deranged’

Thomas Mallon is a political novelist who has brilliantly imagined personal stories within some of the most dramatic recent events in presidential history. Mallon is completing a trilogy about Republican presidents at especially low moments in their careers.

The first two were Watergate: A Novel, selfexplanatory, and Finale: A Novel of the Reagan Years, in which Reagan, without Nancy at his side and already slipping from reality, walks away from a 1986 agreement in Iceland with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to eliminate all nuclear weapons.

I told Mallon the last in his trilogy has to be the only novel anyone will ever look forward to reading about the presidency of George W. Bush.

But Mallon is no liberal writer trashing Republican heroes. He described himself to the right of most of the other writers present and even most well-educated readers who show up for literary seminars.

That made Mallon’s shocking assessment of the coming Trump presidency even more dramatic. But he also gave the most hopeful prediction of how we’ll all survive the next four years.

Mallon doesn’t simply believe Trump is unfit to assume the presidency. “I really believe we’ve elected someone who’s deranged,” Mallon said.

He sees the most likely end for Trump’s presidency to be removal from office under the 25th Amendment, which allows the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare to both houses of Congress “that the president is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.”

Short of that, here’s the most positive way we will make it through, according to Mallon.

“Nobody is going to make me lose faith in my country,” he said.

The U.S. has survived political madness before, Mallon said, citing Aaron Burr, vice president and murderer of Alexander Hamilton; Confederate President Jefferson Davis; and presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.

“And I am going to do my part to help it survive the son of a bitch that moves into the White House six days from now,” Mallon said.

We all have to if we want to continue believing along with our outgoing, idealistic president that our nation’s worst, most hateful political actions do not define who we really are.

Comment at shepherdexpress.com. n SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::ISSUEOF

THEWEEK

Why Paul Ryan is Rushing to Repeal Obamacare

I

f you thought the Republicans would be sensible and slow down their Obamacare repeal or craft a sensible replacement for it right now, there are $2.8 billion reasons why you might be wrong.

Republicans like House Speaker Paul Ryan are rushing to repeal Obamacare because getting rid of it would also get rid of $2.8 billion in taxes on the super wealthy that were used to fund affordable health coverage for 22 million struggling Americans.

That’s right: The top 400 highestincome taxpayers, with an average income of $300 million, would see an immediate windfall of about $7 million apiece in the GOP-sponsored tax break, according to an analysis by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP).

Unfortunately, there isn’t a corresponding windfall for average Americans. In fact, the Ryan-pushed Obamacare repeal would raise taxes on roughly 7 million low- and middleincome earners because it would eliminate the premium tax credits that supplement their health insurance coverage. The average benefit that these average Americans would lose is $4,800 this year, the CBPP calculated.

Sadly, the Obamacare repeal’s tax breaks for the wealthy fall in line with Paul Ryan’s typical political positioning.

Ryan tries to appear like a humble guy next door looking out for the average person, but unfortunately his political agenda is much the opposite. His two main issues have been cutting taxes for the wealthy, including his family, and giving various advantages and tax breaks to his wealthy campaign contributors while trying to cut back on Medicare and Social Security for the middle class.

If you want to let Ryan know how you feel about his latest windfall for the ultra-wealthy at the expense of Americans who need affordable health insurance, contact him at paulryan. house.gov/contact or call his constituent hotline at 1-888-909-RYAN (1-888909-7926).

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BREAKING NEWS

Doctor Makes Hearing Aids Affordable for Everyone Digital Hearing Aid Costs 90% Less

Sreekant Cherukuri Board Certified Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor, and MDHearingAid Founder

Board-certified Ear, Nose, and Throat physician Dr. S. Cherukuri, a graduate of the prestigious University of Michigan School of Medicine, built a very successful practice helping patients with hearing problems. “I was often frustrated by the fact that many of my patients could benefit from the use of a hearing aid, but unfortunately couldn’t afford one. I then made it my mission to change this, making quality digital hearing aids affordable for anyone who needs one.”

It’s Nearly Invisible “I knew when I developed a new line of hearing aids that one of the most important requirements would be for the device to be hard for others to see,” said Dr. Cherukuri. “One of the biggest objections people have to wearing a hearing aid is that they are embarrassed. Our design helps people get past this concern.”

Digital Hearing Aid Outperforms Competitors The new medical grade hearing aid is called MDHearingAid® AIR. It is sleek, lightweight, and full of the same advanced digital technology found in higher-priced devices, but at a small fraction of the price. “I couldn’t understand why everything in the digital world kept coming down in price, like computers, TVs, and DVD players, but not digital hearing aids,” Cherukuri said. Once the doctor started to realize his dream and was able to produce a device that costs 90% less, the industry was turned upside down.

Doctors & Buyers Agree, “AIR is the Best Digital Value!” “...This product is just as effective (if not more) than traditional overlypriced hearing aids.” – Dr. Chang “I have been wearing hearing aids for over 25 years and these are the best behind-the-ear aids I have tried.”

– Gerald L. “...an excellent quality-to-price ratio.”

– J. May, MD “This is truly a miracle... I don’t even know how to begin thanking you for giving me my life back!”

– Sherri H.

SAME FEATURES AS EXPENSIVE HEARING AID COMPETITORS FOR Nearly Invisible!

90% LESS

Mini behind-the-ear hearing aid with thin tubing for a nearly invisible profile

Wide Dynamic Range Compression makes soft sounds audible and loud sounds comfortable

Advanced Noise Reduction to make speech clearer

Telecoil setting for use with compatible phones, and looped environments like churches

Feedback Cancellation eliminates whistling

3 Programs and Volume Dial accommodate most common types of hearing loss even in challenging listening environments

So How Does He Do It? Since 90% of people with hearing loss have similar needs, MDHearingAids were designed to meet those needs with user-adjustable features, avoiding the need for expensive customized hearing aids. This also makes it so easy for people to try the product, because no prescription is needed, even though it’s an FDA-Registered Medical-Grade digital hearing aid.

With their 45 Risk-Free Trial, you can try it at home and if you’re not completely satisfied, just return it. It’s that simple. They even provide Free Shipping and Free Batteries.

For the Lowest Price Plus FREE Shipping Call Today

1-800-460-0578 Mention Offer Code AJ76 to Get FREE Batteries for a Full Year!

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 11

Rein the ‘ venting Fem F ’ word inism :

THE Wed. Feb. 22, 6 p.m.

MIAD’s 4th Floor Raw Space Free and open to the public.

D BE COUL THEY

THEY COU LD B E

Sexism, racism, corruption exposed!

Generously sponsored by: Katie Heil, Madeleine Lubar and the Bert L. and Patricia S. Steigleder Charitable Trust

THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR US!

.

NE ANYO

ANY WHE RE.

miad.edu/creativityseries

AMERICAN CRAFT BEER BAR AND EATERY 434 SOUTH 2ND STREET www.caminomke.com

THERE ARE A LOT OF MEXICAN RESTAURANTS,

BUT ONLY 1 ORIGINAL

BOTANAS!

Best of Milwaukee 2010 - 2015

WINNER

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US #1 IN THE PAST AND IN THE FUTURE!

816 S. 5th Street Milwaukee, WI 53204 414-672-3755 botanasrestaurant.com

JOIN OUR BIRTHDAY CLUB! 12 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

( W I N N E R S )

MILWAUKEE’S STILL THE BEST Back in the early 1990s the Shepherd Express did something that occurred to no one else in the local media: produce a Best of Milwaukee contest whose winners are selected by the people of our city. Since then other publications and broadcasters have scrambled to keep up with their own “best-ofs,” but the Shepherd Express remains the city’s largest as ranked by the number of voters and by the value it brings to winners. There are no better people than the residents of our city to select the best the Milwaukee area has to offer in dining and drinking, shopping and health, education and politics. The Shepherd Express congratulates the winners and runners-up and thanks them for helping make Milwaukee a great city in which to live, work and play.

Louis G. Fortis Publisher and Editor-in-Chief David Luhrssen Editor SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 13

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( C I T Y C O N F I D E N T I A L )

MILWAUKEEAN OF THE YEAR FIRST PLACE:

Gene Wilder (1933-2016)

Milwaukee wasn’t the only place where Gene Wilder was taken to heart, but Milwaukeeans have a special fondness for him. Our city was his birthplace. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Wilder became interested in acting while studying at the University of Iowa. His future in movies was assured after his role as Leo Bloom in Mel Brooks’ satire of Broadway show business, The Producers (1968). He continued to work with Brooks in such raucous comedies as Blazing Saddles (1974) and Young Frankenstein (1974), but left his deepest mark on a generation of kids for his star role in the endearing Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: Michael Hupy Joseph Skow Lizzi Weasler

MILWAUKEE ALDERPERSON FIRST PLACE:

Bob Donovan Entrepreneur: Lizzi Weasler

ENTREPRENEUR FIRST PLACE:

Lizzi Weasler

Lizzibeth 550 E. Menomonee St. lizzibeth.com FirstWeber Realtors 414-416-6265 lizziweasler.firstweber.com

Lizzi Weasler seems to be Milwaukee’s Renaissance woman. She turned a pop-up store into a Third Ward boutique which caters to women who are looking for unique items at all price points. The site also serves as an event space for bachelorette parties and other fun occasions, and bridal styling and personal shopping services are also offered. In the past year, Weasler branched out into real estate, proving that she’s a consummate saleswoman. (Lisa Kaiser)

RUNNERS-UP: Eric Ellis Joseph Skow Joseph Taylor

LOCAL ACTIVIST FIRST PLACE:

Michael F. Hupy

111 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 1100 414-223-4800 hupy.com

Personal injury lawyer Michael F. Hupy (of Hupy and 14 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

Abraham, S.C.) has done plenty to help his clients in the courtroom achieve justice, but he’s also played a critical role in making our roadways safer for motorcyclists. Hupy is responsible for the orange-and-black “Watch for Motorcycles” stickers, which seem to be ubiquitous in Milwaukee, and its public information campaign. He’s also lobbied heavily for bikers’ rights and safety. (Lisa Kaiser)

RUNNERS-UP: Nate Hamilton Tory Lowe Vel Phillips

LOCAL CHARACTER FIRST PLACE:

John McGivern

Twenty-five years ago, this charismatic, hard-working performance artist returned to his hometown, rented Theatre X’s theater in what would become the Broadway Theatre Center and presented his original one-man comedy about growing up the third of six kids in an Irish Catholic family in Milwaukee. The show was a hit and McGivern stayed to build a huge audience for his many shows. At times, he seems omnipresent, appearing in every major art center in the region. His valuable PBS series Around the Corner is now in its sixth season. He is inseparable from his characters and indeed they are local folk. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: Tyler Coss Roosevelt “Freeway” McCarter Milverine

This brash South Side conservative had quite a year.

Alderman Bob Donovan was a two-time candidate in last spring’s election, once as a mayoral candidate and yet again, on the same ballot, as a candidate for reelection. Donovan lost to the incumbent mayor, Tom Barrett, and won re-election to his aldermanic seat against promising newcomer Justin Bielinski by a mere 161 votes. Donovan then helmed a series of meetings on public safety, which resulted in an unsigned (and very controversial) Public Safety Action Plan. (Lisa Kaiser)

RUNNERS-UP: Nik Kovac Michael Murphy Tony Zielinski

MILWAUKEE COUNTY SUPERVISOR FIRST PLACE:

Marina Dimitrijevic

Bay View Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic stepped down from her position as board chair to become a regular member of the newly part-time Board of Supervisors and also focus on building a progressive movement as state director of the Wisconsin Working Families Party. Recent victories include securing a gradual $15 minimum wage for county workers and helping to preserve the popular Go Pass for seniors and the disabled, albeit in a modified form, after the county planned to discontinue it. (Lisa Kaiser)

RUNNERS-UP: Jason Haas Marcelia Nicholson Anthony Staskunas

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Milwaukee’s Farm-to-Table Butcher

SPECIALIZING IN HEALTHY GRASS FED BEEF, PORK, CHICKEN AND LAMB. LOCALLY RAISED, LOCALLY PROCESSED, AND ALWAYS ANTIBIOTIC AND HORMONE FREE.

THANK YOU, MILWAUKEE! SAVE 10%

159 N. Jackson St., Suite 101 Milwaukee |

www.mkehome.com

YOUR LOCAL LEADERS IN LASIK, CATARACT SURGERY, AND EYE CARE.

on your next purchase when you mention this ad.

Expires January 29, 2017. Valid on in-store purchases only. Offer not valid on previously discounted products, online purchases, or Buyer’s Club subscriptions.

Peter S. Foote, M.D.

Jason N. Edmonds, M.D. Nicholas J. Frame, M.D.

414-271-2020 Milwaukee • Brookfield • Bayside • Franklin milwaukeeeyecare.com

Best of Thank you for making us a finalist for Best Milwaukee 2015 LASIK Surgeons and Best Eye Doctors.

WINNER

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

OPEN EVERY DAY 10-7 5501 WEST STATE STREET // 414-882-7000 WWW.KETTLERANGEMEATS.COM // I J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 15

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( C I T Y C O N F I D E N T I A L ) needing to be careful what you wish for. Ryan “reluctantly” accepted the position to bridge the divide between establishment and tea party Republicans. That turned him into a national leader who had to make nice with toxic Donald Trump. Ryan danced around endorsing him, then gave in. He denounced Trump’s sexism and racism, then voted for him. Were those compromises worth it? With Trump in office, Ryan has the chance to implement his 1%-friendly agenda. (Lisa Kaiser)

Vote Feb. 21 & April 4, 2017 BRIAN MICHEL for Milwaukee Municipal Court Branch 1 www.michel4mke.com Michel4milwaukee@gmail.com facebook.com/Michel4MKE Paid for by Michel for Milwaukee

RUNNERS-UP: Tom Barrett Jonathan Brostoff Justin Moralez

STATE LEGISLATOR FIRST PLACE:

Chris Larson Most Trusted Public Official: Russ Feingold

MOST BELOVED POLITICIAN FIRST PLACE:

David Luhrssen Finalist for Best Milwaukee Author www.davidluhrssen.com

Herb Kohl (retired)

Perhaps it’s a sign of the times that Shepherd Express readers chose a retired public servant for this award, but businessman, philanthropist and public servant Herb Kohl deserves it. After a long stint in the U.S. Senate, Kohl sold the Milwaukee Bucks and kicked in $100 million of his own money to build a new arena. Kohl is perhaps the last Wisconsin politician to bridge the partisan divide and get high praise from both Democrats and Republicans, and it seems like Shepherd readers would like to see more elected officials follow his example. (Lisa Kaiser)

RUNNERS-UP: Tom Barrett Russ Feingold Justin Moralez

MOST DESPISED POLITICIAN FIRST PLACE:

Scott Walker

Gov. Scott Walker thoroughly embarrassed himself on the presidential campaign trail and withdrew with less than 1% support in the polls to allow his fellow Republicans to coalesce around any candidate other than Donald Trump. We all know how well that worked out. Still, Walker led the opposition to Trump during Wisconsin’s spring primary, delivering a win for odious Ted Cruz. After Trump won the nomination, all was forgiven and the craven Walker campaigned with the short-fingered billionaire who will become our next president. Remember to keep an eye 16 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

on the very sneaky, very ambitious Walker this year as he mulls re-election—despite his low approval rating. (Lisa Kaiser)

RUNNERS-UP: Chris Abele Tom Barrett David Clarke

State Sen. Chris Larson raised his profile last year by taking on Chris Abele for Milwaukee County executive. Larson’s grassroots operation beat Abele in the primary, but lost to the well-funded incumbent in April. Abele’s $4 million in attack ads, which included some very dubious claims about Larson’s record, surely had an impact on the results. Nevertheless, Larson is still in the state Senate and fighting for the causes near to Shepherd Express readers’ hearts, such as preserving the environment, protecting public education and providing affordable health care to state residents. (Lisa Kaiser)

MOST TRUSTED PUBLIC OFFICIAL

RUNNERS-UP: Jonathan Brostoff Alberta Darling Lena Taylor

Russ Feingold

VETERANS ORGANIZATION

FIRST PLACE:

Hopes were high for the return of Russ Feingold when he announced he would take on incumbent Ron Johnson for his old seat in the U.S. Senate. During his three terms in the Senate, he supported universal health care, fought for campaign finance reform and voted against the Patriot Act and the invasion of Iraq. Trusted as he was by our readers— and despite leading in nearly every poll—a shocking swing right in the state’s electorate denied him re-election and kept him in the private sector. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Tom Barrett John Chisholm Justin Moralez

RISING STAR IN POLITICS FIRST PLACE:

Paul Ryan

Janesville Republican Paul Ryan’s rise to U.S. House speaker is a perfect example of

FIRST PLACE:

Dryhootch

1030 E. Brady St. 4801 W. National Ave. 414-269-8510 dryhootch.org

Dryhootch was founded to reach out to veterans who don’t feel comfortable meeting up at watering holes serving alcohol. This nonprofit runs two coffeehouses in Milwaukee for veterans and their families and sells its own delicious coffee to brew at home. More importantly, Dryhootch provides peer support and outreach services for veterans who have made sacrifices for our nation. (Lisa Kaiser)

RUNNERS-UP: Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative Milwaukee VA Wounded Warriors

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Mad Style

Mad Flavor Since 1946 • Formerly Coerper’s Five O’Clock Club

Thank You for Your Votes Milwaukee

Thank you Milwaukee!

Thank you for voting us Best Steak in Milwaukee!

Journal Sentinel 2016 Milwaukee Magazine 2016 OnMilwaukee.com 2016

Best of Milwaukee 2016 Finalist

4401 W Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee 414-231-9120 madroostercafe.com

Book Your Events With Us! Private Dining Tues - Sat

NOT YOUR USUAL LACE MEETING P 414.342.3553 • www.fiveoclocksteakhouse.com SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 17

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( D I N I N G ) BAR FOOD FIRST PLACE:

Three Lions Pub 4515 N. Oakland Ave. 414-763-6992 threelionspub.com

The Three Lions Pub wants to be an extension of your living room, so they offer the kind of homey, comfort food you crave. Scour the menu, and you’ll uncover some treats. The sausage roll, a savory appetizer of pastry-wrapped pork, or Scotch eggs, deep-fried sausagewrapped eggs, are tasty alternatives to the usual bar fare.

The curry is warmly spiced and satisfying—served with chips, it’s the perfect bar snack. The huge Lion’s Pretzel is baked golden and delicious. With so many things to try, you’ll have to make several trips…not a bad thing in my book. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Miller Time Pub & Grill Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill Red Lion Pub

BREAKFAST / BRUNCH FIRST PLACE:

Blue’s Egg 317 N. 76th St. 414-299-3180 bluesegg.com

Best African Restaurant: Irie Zulu

AFRICAN RESTAURANT

BARBECUE

FIRST PLACE:

FIRST PLACE:

Irie Zulu

7237 W. North Ave. 414-509-6014 iriezulu.com

Irie means a connection to the environment and your deeper self. Zulu references the strong, vibrant and beautiful South African tribe. This restaurant meshes the two concepts into complex and explosive flavors with spices that tempt and warm you to your core. Irie Zulu blends African and Jamaican cuisines into a delectable, homey and healthy dining experience using fresh ingredients.

Their red snapper is grilled whole for flavor, the oxtail rich and satisfying. Traditional cookery is used to create their colorful fusion cuisine. Each dining experience is a trek through textures and flavors not soon to be forgotten.

(Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Alem Ethiopian Village Blue Star Café Ethiopian Cottage 18 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

Smoke Shack

multiple locations hospitalitydemocracy.com/smoke-shack

The Joan of Arc Chapel on Marquette’s campus was built around 1420 in southeastern France. In the early 1960s it was disassembled, shipped to Milwaukee and put back together stone by stone. The Smoke Shack has a similar transplanted quality—as if a wealthy and pious lover of barbecue had a rural joint brought plank by plank to the Third Ward. Featuring five house-made sauces representing different regional styles, ethically sourced meats and a slew of sides, the Smoke Shack has something to offer barbecue lovers of all geographic origins and dietary restrictions (even vegetarians!). (Tyler Friedman)

RUNNERS-UP: Double B’s BBQ Sandra’s on the Park Speed Queen Bar-B-Q

For several years, Blue’s Egg has been a constant favorite breakfast and brunch place in Milwaukee. Serving up a solid menu of classics as well as several signature dishes, Blue’s Egg will satisfy even the most discriminating palate. Standout dishes that keep customers returning again and again include Blue’s stuffed hash browns, an amazing eggs benedict, fresh and gooey monkey bread, perfectly poached eggs and their signature brunch cocktails. As you may expect, the popularity of Blue’s Egg may come with a lengthy wait at peak breakfast times. Trust me, it’s worth it! (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP—BREAKFAST: Comet Café Mad Rooster Café West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe RUNNERS-UP—BRUNCH: Café Hollander Comet Café Wolf Peach

BREW PUB / FISH FRY FIRST PLACE:

Lakefront Brewery

1872 N. Commerce St. 414-372-8800 lakefrontbrewery.com

Lakefront’s dining menu reflects their Wisconsin pride, using local foods like cheese curds from Clockshadow Creamery, sausages from Johnsonville, Usinger’s and Klements, as well as several dishes featuring their own SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 beers. On Friday, diners flock in for a traditional Milwaukee fish fry with all of the fixings and a pint of delicious Lakefront beer. If you haven’t yet taken the Lakefront Brewery tour, do so immediately. For $10 you get four sixounce samples, a free pint glass and a humorous, yet informative, tour. It’s a great way to sample several different craft brews at once.

(Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP—BREW PUB: Company Brewing Milwaukee Ale House Water Street Brewery RUNNERS-UP—FISH FRY: Laura’s DBC Bar & Grill Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill Sandra’s on the Park

BUFFET / MEDITERRANEAN / MIDDLE EASTERN FIRST PLACE:

Casablanca

728 E. Brady St. 414-271-6000 casablancaonbrady.com

Now served on the second floor overlooking Brady Street, Casablanca’s Middle Eastern buffet is a vegetarian delight with hummus, baba ganoush, falafel and numerous salads and vegetable dishes. Meat can be added with a slight surcharge. It’s also a great introduction for those unfamiliar with the cuisine and a justlike-home experience for those who grew up with it—whether you call it Mediterranean or Middle Eastern. Menu options include excellent chicken and lamb dishes. Hookahs are available in the downstairs bar area. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP—BUFFET: Café India India Garden Maharaja RUNNERS-UP— MEDITERRANEAN: Apollo Café Baba Ghanouj Hello Falafel RUNNERS-UP— MIDDLE EASTERN: Baba Ghanouj Shawarma House Shahrazad Restaurant

THANKS FOR VOTING FOR US!!

WE DELIVER 11AM TO 2AM 202 W. WISCONSIN 414-270-1988

BURGERS / ICE CREAM-FROZEN CUSTARD / SANDWICHES FIRST PLACE:

Kopp’s Frozen Custard multiple locations kopps.com

Let’s be clear: There’s really no such thing as bad custard, since any desert with such a high butterfat content is bound to be delicious. Kopp’s custard, though, is among the creamiest, fattiest and most decadent custard in the city, and the local chain’s flare for pricey ingredients—think macadamia nuts—makes a good thing even better. What really sets Kopp’s apart, though, are their massive burgers: perfect, nearly Frisbee-sized patties kissed with butter (make sure to order yours with fried onions). And while the burgers tend to get all the attention, Kopp’s savory chicken sandwich gives them a legitimate run for their money.

(Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP—BURGERS: AJ Bombers Camino Sobelmans Pub & Grill RUNNERS-UP— ICE CREAM-FROZEN CUSTARD: Gilles Frozen Custard Leon’s Frozen Custard Oscar’s Frozen Custard RUNNERS-UP—SANDWICHES: Chubby’s Cheesesteaks/ The Drive-Thru Cousins Subs West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe

BURRITOS / MEXICAN FIRST PLACE:

Café Corazón

multiple locations corazonmilwaukee.com

Best of Milwaukee 2010 WINNER

of Best Milwaukee

2011

WINNER

Best of Milwaukee 2012 2014 WINNER

Best of Milwaukee 2013 WINNER

Best of Milwaukee 2014 WINNER

Best of Milwaukee 2015 WINNER

fine middle eastern cuisine

728 E. Brady St. || 414-271-6000 || casablancaonbrady.com || i

Best of Milwaukee 2015 WINNER

THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR US!

Nestled away on a quiet Riverwest street, Café Corazón gained a loyal following due to the outstanding quality of their food and service.

In fact, their popularity increased so much that in 2016 they expanded to Bay View. At both locations you’ll find your favorite Mexican dishes, but none may be as filling as their delicious burritos. It’s hard to put your finger on what sets one burrito apart from another, but in the case of Café Corazón, it may just be the superior freshness of the ingredients. Quench your thirst with a deceptively simple house Margarita or extra tasty Corazón punch. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

— COME CHECK OUT OUR NEW 2ND FLOOR BUFFET — SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 19

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( D I N I N G ) CHICKEN WINGS FIRST PLACE:

Points East Pub 1501 N. Jackson St. 414-277-0122 thepointseastpub.com

Open since 1994, Points East Pub has become the premier destination for grilled chicken wings in Milwaukee and beyond. The simple, no-frills pub atmosphere aligns perfectly with the menu. While many local and national wing purveyors pride themselves on a laundry list of different sauces, dry rubs and comically off-the-wall flavors, this pub’s simple, smoky and grilled take on the usually deep-fried and sauce-soaked bar food is more than welcome. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Double B’s BBQ Steny’s Tavern & Grill TomKen’s

CHILD-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Best Mexican: Café Corazón

RUNNERS-UP—BURRITOS: BelAir Cantina Taqueria Buenavista Taqueria Los Comales RUNNERS-UP—MEXICAN: BelAir Cantina Botanas Guanajuato

CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT / CENTRAL-SOUTH AMERICAN RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Cubanitas

728 N. Milwaukee St. 414-225-1760 getbianchini.com/cubanitas-restaurant

If you want a taste of the tropics without leaving Milwaukee, a trip to Cubanitas should be in your future. When I go there, I must have yucca con mojo or yucca frita—because why settle for boring potatoes—and a caipirinha or Pisco sour. Then, I build my meal from there. No matter what you try, you’ll experience tender pork, beef, chicken or seafood, the juices of the tropics, coconut, the spices of the islands and a distinct Spanish influence. Begin your dining excursion, and you’ll be in a vacation frame of mind. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

20 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

RUNNERS-UP—CARIBBEAN: Irie Palace Irie Zulu La Caribeña RUNNERS-UP— CENTRAL-SOUTH AMERICAN: Chef Paz Restaurant C-Viche El Salvador Restaurant

CHEAP EATS FIRST PLACE:

Conejito’s Place 539 W. Virginia St. 414-278-9106 conejitos-place.com

There is literally no food item on the Conejito’s menu that will run you more than $5 and a full meal costs less than a typical chain restaurant Margarita. Founded by butcher and bartender José “Conejito” Garza as a South Side tavern in 1972, he eventually began to serve tacos and other traditional Mexican fare and expanded the place to its present size in the ’90s. Legendary for its great food (served on paper plates) and its homey décor, Conejito’s remains a staple of its rapidly changing neighborhood.

(Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: BelAir Cantina Chubby’s Cheesesteaks/The Drive-Thru Oakland Gyros

Organ Piper Pizza 4353 S. 108th St. 414-529-1177 organpiperpizza.com

It’s not often you can find a place to entertain the young and the young at heart. You’ll find that rare balance at Organ Piper Pizza where the music is just as important as the food. The highly talented organists playing the pipe “Theater Organ” earn as much applause as the thin-crust pizza does. The best thing, and kids can be really entertaining, is watching the children bop around to the Beer Barrel Polka or shake a tail feather during the Chicken Dance; you’re guaranteed to smile. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Mozzaluna The Original Pancake House Tre Rivali

CHINESE RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Emperor of China

1010 E. Brady St. 414-271-8889 emperorofchinarestaurant.com

You’ll get a sense of the history of the Shepherd Express’ Best of Milwaukee awards from the many, many plaques on display in the foyer of this welcoming restaurant. Emperor of China was an oasis for me at a difficult time in my life—a place for nurturing conversations with friends over delicious meals eaten slowly in a quiet, beautiful room. It remains my favorite place for carryout. Very generous helpings of every loveable Chinese entrée and appetizer are available homemade at very inexpensive prices in a family-owned and -operated place that’s the antithesis of corporate. (John Schneider)

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 RUNNERS-UP: Huan Xi Jing’s No. 1 Chinese

COFFEE SHOP / PLACE TO PICK UP THE SHEPHERD EXPRESS FIRST PLACE:

Colectivo

multiple locations colectivocoffee.com

Colectivo is to Milwaukeeans what Central Perk was on “Friendsâ€?—a place to gather and gab, to congregate and caffeinate. With locations in nearly every neighborhood, Colectivo has long been the default choice for business meetings, blind dates, dissertation writing and many other activities of day-to-day life. The coffee is beyond reproach, the pastries tasty, the meals healthy and hearty‌but why am I telling you? Odds are you’re already reading this in a Colectivo. (Tyler Friedman)

RUNNERS-UP—COFFEE SHOP: Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company Brewed CafÊ Stone Creek Coffee RUNNERS-UP—PLACE TO PICK UP THE SHEPHERD EXPRESS: Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company Beans & Barley Koppa’s Fulbeli Deli

DELIVERY MENU FIRST PLACE:

Pizza Shuttle 1827 N. Farwell Ave. 414-289-9993 pizzashuttle.com

In more than 30 years of business, Pizza Shuttle has built a brand out of being the go-to late-night stop for East Siders on their way home after a night out. But don’t pigeonhole Pizza Shuttle as just an inebriated last stop before begrudgingly returning home on a Saturday night. The doughy pan crust and liberally placed toppings make for a good meal any time of the day. The restaurant’s dÊcor, which includes multiple arcade games and a photo booth, creates an intoxicatingly playful environment. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Buddha Lounge Chubby’s Cheesesteaks/ The Drive-Thru Rice N Roll SHEPHERD EXPRESS

DONUTS FIRST PLACE:

Cranky Al’s 6901 W. North Ave. 414-258-5282 crankyals.com

Doughnuts from national chains can be very tasty, but they don’t hold a candle to the incredible doughnuts at Cranky Al’s. You’ll find all of your classic favorites, in addition to plenty of creative, unique varieties like Gummy Bear or yummy Maple Bacon. One thing you can be sure of, all of Cranky Al’s doughnuts will have that perfect, fresh doughnut texture—delicately fried to a crisp outside and fluffy inside.

Just make sure you get there early for the best selection, especially important on weekends!

(Susan Harpt Grimes)

FRESH, AUTHENTIC SOMALI FOOD

BLUE STAR CAFE

Thank you

for voting for us as a Best of Milwaukee Finalist for Best African Restaurant!

Hours 11AM - 9PM • (414) 273-9744 1619 N. Farwell Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53202

6 9?

FOR SUPPORTING

LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES

53 63> WE ARE ONE OF A KIND!

Love, Brewed Cafe &- - E47L- G - <?J4H>88JJJ 5E8J87BA5E47L 6B@

RUNNERS-UP: Aggieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bakery & Cake Shop Chubbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheesesteaks/ The Drive-Thru Holey Moley Coffee + Doughnuts

FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT / GOURMET RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Odd Duck

C A T E R I N G

1718 N 1ST ST â&#x20AC;˘ (414) 962-9779 BALLNBISCUITCATERING.WORDPRESS.COM

2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-763-5881 oddduckrestaurant.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

The menu changes quite often, and the reason why is the ingredients. Odd Duck is a restaurant focusing on local ingredientsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;inspired and driven by them. Some ingredients available in fall wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be available in spring, summer or winter. They want to capture the essence of the ingredients at their peak, and it works. The chefs of Odd Duck are able to create some wonderfully unique, even magical, dishes (bonito flakes dancing on a hot pancake) that truly celebrate the ingredients. World cuisine on small plates will sate your cravings and appetite. The service is spot on so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not rushed, their wine and beer list impressive, and their craft cocktails thoughtfully concocted and quite tasty. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a real treat. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UPâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT: Braise Honeypie Wolf Peach RUNNERS-UP â&#x20AC;&#x201D;GOURMET RESTAURANT: Bartolottaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lake Park Bistro Old Town Serbian Gourmet House Sanford

Maria is willing to work with people to get them what they want and can afford. She even got my vegan wedding cake from my local vegan baker and brought it to the site. That was very, very nice!

And the food?

It got rave reviews from my friends.

-A Fantastic Customer

THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR US! J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 21

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( D I N I N G )

GERMAN RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Mader’s

KEVIN MIYAZAKI

1041 N. Old World Third St. 414-271-3377 madersrestaurant.com

In 1902, an ambitious young man from Germany, Charles Mader, poured every penny he had into a restaurant in Downtown Milwaukee. Though it moved (once) since, Mader’s has not only been a Milwaukee landmark and cultural cornerstone but can boast a national reputation as one of the finest German restaurants in the U.S. In addition to the restaurant itself, there’s the Knight’s Bar and famous second-floor gift shop filled with imported beer steins and collectable Hummel figurines. The menu is echte Deutsch: Wienerschnitzel, Kasseler rippchen, sauerbraten, duck strudel, rouladen, sausages galore and much more. (John Jahn)

RUNNERS-UP: Bavarian Bierhaus Karl Ratzsch Kegel’s Inn

Best New Restaurant (Opened in 2016): DanDan

GREEK RESTAURANT / KITCHEN OPEN AFTER 10 P.M. FIRST PLACE:

FRENCH RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

nity with in-store events and “Mama Earth” with recycled materials and environmentally friendly products. (Tyler Friedman)

7610 Harwood Ave. 414-778-3333 lerevecafe.com

RUNNERS-UP: Daddy Yo’s Frozen Yogurt MyYoMy Frozen Yogurt Yo Factory

Le Rêve Patisserie and Café

Le Rêve is a French patisserie and café in Wauwatosa, and its glass cases are filled with baked goods. Some of the items are so beautiful that they seem criminal to eat.

Le Rêve is a long, narrow space suggesting restaurants on the continent and the sidewalk in front becomes a café come summer. The menu includes selections for breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner and, of course, there is a thoughtful wine list. (Morton Shlabotnik)

RUNNERS-UP: Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro Coquette Café

FROZEN YOGURT SHOP FIRST PLACE:

Yo Mama!

multiple locations yomamagoodness.com

Frozen yogurt is a dessert that lends itself to the justifications of an uneasy conscience. “All the flavors are low fat,” we remind ourselves, “and just think of all those probiotic cultures.” There’s also an added D.I.Y. pleasure to the froyo’s preparation: With 35 toppings and 10 flavors (including a no-sugar option and dairy-free sorbet), Yo Mama! lets you customize dessert to the peculiarities of your taste buds. Sweetening the deal, so to speak, the locally owned Yo Mama! supports the Milwaukee commu22 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

GELATO SHOP FIRST PLACE:

Glorioso’s Italian Market 1011 E. Brady St. 414-272-0540 gloriosos.com

This big, busy grocery store and deli rich with Italian imports and local artisan foods is, along with Peter Sciortino’s Bakery down the street (whose cookies and breads are also sold here), the great surviving testament to the Italian immigrant history of the neighborhood it anchors.

Imaginative gelatos—whiskey cream, pistachio, Italian cookie, Venetian tiramisu, Tahitian vanilla—come in scoops, cones and cartons. Aisles and aisles of cheeses, olive oils, wines and sweets lead to an expansive deli offering sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, calzones, paninis, flatbreads, salads—some exotic, all authentic, all fresh.

There’s ample indoor seating and even more outdoors.

(John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: Divino Gelato Café La Coppa Artisan Gelato Whole Foods Market

Oakland Gyros multiple locations

The original East Side location has long been popular with UW-Milwaukee students and Shepherd Express readers and the South Side venue keeps the concept intact.

One of Milwaukee’s favorite counter-service restaurants, Oakland Gyros offers gyros and shish-kebob sandwiches, spinach pie, Greek salads and even plain old cheeseburgers. The leg of lamb combo features a large piece of tender, flavorful meat in a brown sauce, served with warm pita, black olives, feta and choice of fries or salad. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP—GREEK RESTAURANT: Apollo Café Golden Gyros Ouzo Café RUNNERS-UP— KITCHEN OPEN AFTER 10 P.M.: Buddha Lounge Goodkind Red Light Ramen

HOT DOGS FIRST PLACE:

The Dogg Haus multiple locations thedogghaus.com

The Dogg Haus has expanded to five locations in the 11 years since they opened their first storefront on Brady Street. The expansion has allowed them to cater to various demographics in the city as a late-night favorite, lunchtime hub or a casual dinner option. While rapid growth SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

can affect a restaurant’s menu in a multitude of ways, The Dogg Haus has remained committed to what they do best: delicious, highly customizable Vienna beef dogs wrapped in a steamed poppy seed bun. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Martino’s Sammy’s Taste of Chicago The Vanguard

HOTEL RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Mason Street Grill (Pfister Hotel) 425 E. Mason St. 414-298-3131 masonstreetgrill.com

The Mason Street Grill is a fine representative of the high-class quality exuded by the Pfister Hotel. Whether you come from the hotel or off the street, diners at Mason Street Grill will be treated to top-notch service, a posh yet comfortable dining space and delicious, well-prepared food. Perfectly cooked steaks, fresh seafood and classic comfort foods are all on offer. Live music Monday through Saturday, happy hour specials and a separate bar menu could make the Mason Street Grill into an evening-long, one-stop destination. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP: Café at the Plaza (Plaza Hotel) Pastiche (Hotel Metro) Tre Rivali (Kimpton Journeyman Hotel)

INDIAN OR PAKISTANI RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Maharaja

1550 N. Farwell Ave. 414-276-2250 maharajarestaurants.com

One of the most popular weekday lunch spots on Milwaukee’s East Side (and a perennial Best-of winner) is Maharaja. Its dining rooms are nearly always crowded for the daily buffet. While the vegetarian-friendly buffet with tandoori and many chicken items offers a good spread, ordering off the menu is also a great way to experience Indian cuisine. (Morton Shlabotnik)

RUNNERS-UP: Bollywood Grill Café India India Garden

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ITALIAN RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

WEEKEND BRUNCH

|

LUNCH

|

DINNER

|

HAPPY HOUR

|

P R I VAT E D I N I N G

Join us for the area’s freshest premium seafood delivered daily, Prime steaks, an impressive Wine Spectator award winning wine cellar and handcrafted signature cocktails mixed by bar chefs.

Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant 2995 S. Clement Ave. 414-431-1014 tenutasitalian.com

The old-fashioned Italian restaurant with redand-white-checkered tablecloths will always have its place, but the Bay View hidden treasure Tenuta’s offers a cozier, more modern spin on the traditional neighborhood spaghetti factory. The warm, relaxed ambiance here is as much a draw as the heaping bowls of pasta and piping hot pizzas—especially during the blustery winter, it’s the type of place you don’t want to leave after your check arrives. (Evan Rytlewski)

5715 N. BAYSHORE DR. | GLENDALE | 414.967.9790 | DEVONSEAFOOD.COM

MILWAUKEE’S NEWEST RESTAURANT OFFERING MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE. FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED.

RUNNERS-UP: Carini’s La Conca d’Ora Mozzaluna Papa Luigi’s Pizza

JAPANESE RESTAURANT / SUSHI FIRST PLACE:

Kiku

202 W. Wisconsin Ave. 414-270-1988 kikumilwaukee.com

BE STILL MY HAPPY, HEALTHY HEART.

A sleek and stylish staple of Westown dining since it opened in 2009, Kiku offers a wide variety of Japanese and sushi entrées. The sushi is a particular favorite here, with its artful presentation another part of the place’s overall vibe. Kiku has racked up multiple wins in the sushi category in the BOM and regains their Best Japanese Restaurant title after the East Side favorite, Izumi’s, took the prize in ’15.

(Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP—JAPANESE: Fujiyama Izumi’s Rice N Roll RUNNERS-UP—SUSHI: Izumi’s Rice N Roll Screaming Tuna

JEWISH OR KOSHERSTYLE RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Benji’s Deli

4156 N. Oakland Ave. 414-332-7777 8683 N. Port Washington Road

1888 N Humboldt Ave | 414-273-1888 Check out our lunch menu at baba1888.com | s J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 23

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( D I N I N G )

414-228-5130 benjisdeliandrestaurant.com

Some of the servers have been with Benji’s for some 30 years—and some of the regulars have been coming to the original Shorewood location for longer than that, even as new generations fill the booths. Since 1963, Benji’s has been a great place for coffee and a casual meal, a popular spot for carryout and, along with Jake’s Deli, a mainstay for Jewish American comfort food. The chicken soup and borscht are warm and hearty, corned beef is served on several sandwiches and the “Son of a Brisket Melt” on challa bread will stick to the ribs. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: Jake’s Deli The Kosher Market Rubenstein Family Kosher Oasis

RUNNERS-UP—LOUISIANASOUTHERN RESTAURANT: Crawdaddy’s Palomino Bar The Brass Alley RUNNERS-UP— SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT: Ashley’s Que Daddy’s Soul Food & Grille In the Nick of Time

NATIONAL CHAIN RESTAURANT (NON-FAST FOOD) FIRST PLACE:

KOREAN RESTAURANT

Cheesecake Factory

FIRST PLACE:

With a wide variety of breakfast, salads, sandwiches, entrées, pizzas and “glamburgers,” it’s hard not to find something to like at the Cheesecake Factory. And with their legendarily generous portions, it might be just as hard to make it back to your car afterwards. Even if it doesn’t impress the foodie crowd, their two Milwaukeearea locations (Bayshore Town Center and Mayfair Mall) come out on top among national chain eateries. (Matthew J. Prigge)

Lucky Ginger 221 N. Water St. luckygingermke.com

Lucky Ginger celebrated its first birthday this fall and its winning the Shepherd’s award for Best Korean Restaurant is testament to the young establishment’s quality and charm. Lucky Ginger offers Asian cuisine and contemporary fusion; although Thai dishes dominate, if you’re committed to sampling Milwaukee’s growing Korean offerings, try the short ribs, which come with a fried egg, rice and kimchi. Also available are pocketbook-friendly appetizers and great lunch specials as well as a few import beers. The relaxed, elegant ambiance and friendly, knowledgeable service make Lucky Ginger a great choice for any occasion. (S.M.)

RUNNERS-UP: Buddha Lounge Seoul Korean Restaurant Stone Bowl Grill

LOUISISANA-SOUTHERN RESTAURANT / SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Maxie’s

6732 W. Fairview Ave. 414-292-3969 maxies.com/milwaukee

Drawing inspiration from a wide spectrum of Southern cooking traditions, including Creole, Cajun, Southern barbecue and the low country cooking of the Carolinas, Maxie’s has become the go-to destination for Southern and soul food in the Milwaukee area. The menu covers all of the basics—jambalaya, catfish, shrimp, grits, pulled pork, ribs—but caters to more progressive palates with barbecued organic tofu and tofu “wings.” These personalized takes on Southern and soul food make Maxie’s a must-try for anyone who appreciates down-home comfort food. (Rob Hullum)

24 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

multiple locations

RUNNERS-UP: Applebee’s Chili’s Olive Garden

NEW RESTAURANT (OPENED IN 2016) FIRST PLACE:

DanDan

360 E. Erie St. 414-488-8036 dandanmke.com

While DanDan may be new in 2016, chef-owners Dan Jacobs and Dan Van Rite have been cooking around Milwaukee for a few years already. DanDan (named for the owners as well as for a Chinese Szechwan noodle dish) is not your typical Chinese restaurant. Instead, it is an excellent blend of American and Chinese cuisine with a farm-to-table sensibility. DanDan re-imagines the dishes we’ve come to expect from a Chinese restaurant and presents diners with a familiar, yet brand new, experience.

Try the amazing Schmaltz Fried Rice or the General Tso’s Cauliflower, and I think you’ll understand. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP: Durbar Restaurant & Lounge In the Nick of Time Rare Steakhouse

OUTDOOR DINING FIRST PLACE:

Barnacle Bud’s 1955 S. Hilbert St. 414-481-9974 barnacle-buds.com

Barnacle Bud’s, nestled along the Kinnickinnic River just east of the KK Bridge, is a place hidden so deeply within Milwaukee it feels like you aren’t in the city at all. Bud’s patio is a great place to slurp cold beer and enjoy a great seafood lunch while the squares of this world are stuck behind a desk. The great view of the river and its wooded banks is interrupted only by the occasional passing cement ship and provides the perfect background for your dining experience. God help us, it might even make you want to listen to Jimmy Buffet. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Café Benelux Café Hollander Sandra’s on the Park

PIZZERIA FIRST PLACE:

Zaffiro’s Pizza 1724 N. Farwell Ave. 414-289-8776 zaffirospizza.com

You don’t need to look any further than the neon sign above the door and the red-and-white-checked tablecloths in the dining room to know that Zaffiro’s Pizza is an oldschool, no-nonsense pizzeria. A staple of Milwaukee’s East Side since 1956, Zaffiro’s specializes in thin-crust classic pies. You won’t find macaroni and cheese, French fries or any other gimmicky toppings on a pizza at Zaffiro’s, and that’s just fine. A pizza this good doesn’t need to change to fit the flavor of the day. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Papa Luigi’s Pizza Man Transfer Pizzeria Café

RAMEN FIRST PLACE:

Red Light Ramen 1749 N. Farwell Ave. 414-837-5107 redlightramen.com

The ever-popular, late-night foodie favorite, Red Light Ramen got a little more accessible this summer when Ardent owner and executive chef Justin Carlisle announced an expansion into a weekly mobile ramen kitchen, open from noon to 1 a.m. Saturday at Central Craft Distillery, 613 S. Second St. Carlisle cited a desire to service more customers, Ardent’s space constraints and the proximity to neighborhoods south of Downtown as reasons to open the mobile kitchen. Red Light Ramen continues their regular hours of 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at Ardent. (Rob Hullum) SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ek e W A s y a 7D am From 11:30 Local and national award winning restaurant for 30 years!

Opened in 1983, we’re still family owned and operated.

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

RUNNERS-UP: Izumi’s Stone Bowl Grill Tochi Ramen

ROMANTIC RESTAURANT

RESTAURANT SERVICE

3133 E. Newberry Blvd.

414-952-6300 lakeparkbistro.com

FIRST PLACE:

Odd Duck

FIRST PLACE:

Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro

ur o Y k Boo ies t r a P y a m d o i l o o R H s ’ ror e p m The E

2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-763-5881 oddduckrestaurant.com

Friendly staff greets you at Odd Duck. Sit at the bar and an attentive and knowledgeable bartender will answer any of your questions about their craft cocktails—inventive and mixed to perfection—or the wine and beer list.

When you dine here, the servers are available to answer questions about ingredients, drinks, or food and drink pairings. Being small-plate dining, they allow you to try one or two things at once, so as not to crowd the table or palate.

They are on-hand, though, ready with your next dish or when you want to place another order. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

in

How could Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro fail to be a romantic venue to dine in? It’s ensconced in Milwaukee’s gorgeous, Frederick Law Olmstead-designed Lake Park atop a bluff with a scenic view of Lake Michigan. In addition to a physical setting that’s hard to beat, there is the French-focused menu to add even more charm to a romantic dinner for two. Not the hoity-toity kind of high cuisine, necessarily, but the less intimidating rustic varieties. It’s also a place with many menu options, making return visits all the more inviting. Arrive with your sweetie hungry enough to jointly partake of all the pleasurable courses. (John Jahn)

• Dine

RUNNERS-UP: Goodkind Movida Rare Steakhouse

RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW / SEAFOOD FIRST PLACE:

Harbor House 550 N. Harbor Drive 414-395-4900 harborhousemke.com

The beautiful lake view from Harbor House is unmatched among Milwaukee restaurants, partially because the state constitution prohibits using filled lakebed (on which Harbor House sits) for private use. The restaurant’s lease ends with the city in 2018 and seafood lovers all over the area are hoping that the situation can be amicably resolved. In addition to the stunning view, Harbor House offers one of Milwaukee’s best “raw bars,” featuring fresh oysters, clams and shrimp. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP— RESTAURANT WITH A VIEW: Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro Screaming Tuna Wolf Peach RUNNERS-UP—SEAFOOD: Maxie’s Milwaukee Sail Loft St. Paul Fish Market SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Open 7 Days A Week From 11:30 a.m.

y r e v i l e D • t u in • Carry O

RUNNERS-UP: 889 Elsa’s on the Park ( 4 1 4 ) 2O M7 1 - 8 T E E R T S Harbor House T B R ARDO RYO F C H IN A R E S T A U R A N T .C • Dine in • Carry Out • Delivery • 1010 EAS Movida W W W .E M P E 1010 EAST BRADY STREET (414) 271-8889 WWW.EMPEROROFCHINARESTAURANT.COM

SOUPS FIRST PLACE:

The Soup Market multiple locations thesoupmarket.com

What better way to warm up during a bitter Milwaukee winter than with a delicious bowl of soup? Now 12 years old, The Soup Market boasts five locations: Bay View, Hales Corners, Vliet Street, the Milwaukee Center and the charming “Soup and Stock Market” in the Milwaukee Public Market. Every day guarantees chicken noodle, chicken dumpling, a variant of chili and three to six featured soups. Also available are a great selection of deli sandwiches, salads, desserts and the delicious vanillainfused Haley and Annabelle’s Root Beer, named for founder Dave Jurena’s daughters with proceeds supporting their college funds.

(Selena Milewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Soup Bros.

The Soup House The Soup Otzie’s

STEAKHOUSE / SUPPER CLUB FIRST PLACE:

Five O’Clock Steakhouse

2416 W. State St. 414-342-3553 fiveoclocksteakhouse.com

Best 2015 WIN

of Milwaukee

Milwaukee’s

NER

Best Wings Best of Milwaukee Winner 2007, 2014 and 2015 Milwaukee Magazine Winner 2014 and 2015 OnMilwaukee.com Winner 2013 and 2015

- S e r v e d D a i ly-

SPECIALS M: $1.75 TACOS

(Beef or Chicken)

T: $1 off all pitchers W: $1.50 PBR 3 - CLOSE TH: $2.25 RAILS $4.50 RAIL DOUBLES $2.25 PINTS

Miller Lite & High Life

$3.25 PINTS

Blue Moon & Riverwest Stein We’re sorry, no to-go or phone orders.

We’re a tavern; no children allowed with or without parents.

Thank you.

1501 N. Jackson St. Milwaukee, WI (414) 277-0122 thepointseastpub.com

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 25

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( D I N I N G ) TAPAS (SMALL PLATES) FIRST PLACE:

La Merenda 128 E. National Ave. 414-389-0125 lamerenda125.com

When La Merenda opened in 2007, small-plate dining was unfamiliar to most Milwaukeeans, but the cozy Walker’s Point restaurant soon took the lead in exposing the city to the delights of tapas. The menu evolves seasonally, draws from a host of Wisconsin ingredients and includes vegetarian, seafood, poultry and red meat selections. With its colorfully mismatched tables and chairs and friendly but unobtrusive service, La Merenda is the perfect place for an unhurried meal among friends. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: C-Viche Movida Odd Duck

THAI RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Thai-Namite Best Korean: Lucky Ginger

Between its retro décor and quirky ordering system, the Five O’Clock Steakhouse offers a unique dining experience. Diners order at the bar while enjoying a pre-meal drink. When they arrive at their table, their salad will be waiting for them, along with fresh sourdough bread and a full relish tray. Though the menu offers seafood, lamb and pork, the steaks are the no-brainer choice here. They’re cooked on high heat so even the rarest orders develop a phenomenal char that seals in the juices, then topped with butter-sautéed mushrooms. The décor may be outdated, but these steaks are timeless. (Evan Rytlewski.)

RUNNERS-UP—STEAKHOUSE: Carnevor Mason Street Grill Rare Steakhouse RUNNERS-UP—SUPPER CLUB: Jackson Grill Joey Gerard’s Sandra’s on the Park

STREET FOOD VENDOR FIRST PLACE:

Gypsy Taco

2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. facebook.com/gypsytaco

With its comfy seating and rustic, Southern décor, Bay View’s Boone and Crockett has one of the best outdoor patios of any bar in the city, but it’s the built-in taco truck that really puts it over the top. For the price of fast food, Gypsy Taco offers proudly haute, proudly inauthentic ta26 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

cos topped with garnishes like kale, radish and sunflower seeds. To order the Dr. Pepper-braised pork taco is to feel like you’ve gotten away with something: Food this elegant has no business being this cheap. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Gouda Girls Marco Pollo Streetza Pizza

TACOS FIRST PLACE:

BelAir Cantina multiple locations belaircantina.com

All you need to do is to try walking in and getting a table on a Tuesday or Thursday night if you want to know how much people love BelAir’s tacos. The neighboring bars of each of the four (soon to be five) California-style Mexican restaurants have made a killing over the years on people willing to wait 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half for the expansive, adventurous $2 taco menu. From a simple carne asada to the jam-packed Zihuatanejo shrimp, if BelAir doesn’t have a taco you like, you must not like tacos.

(Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Café Corazon Gypsy Taco Taqueria Los Comales

multiple locations facebook.com/thainamite

It’s easy to imagine how Thai-Namite has been able to expand into a space at the Milwaukee Public Market and a full storefront in Wauwatosa since opening their original restaurant on Brady Street in 2010. Their casual, accessible approach to Thai cuisine and hip, modern décor inside their restaurants make for an enjoyable dining experience on any occasion. Four types of curries and a number of different noodle dishes offer a wide variety of Thai cuisine that is palatable for anyone. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Buddha Lounge EE-Sane Rice N Roll

VEGETARIAN-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT FIRST PLACE:

Beans & Barley 1901 E. North Ave. 414-278-7878 beansandbarley.com

Healthy eating doesn’t mean sacrificing pleasure. Milwaukee wasn’t vegetarian friendly when Beans & Barley opened in 1979, but it immediately carved a niche in the city, growing over time from a natural foods deli-grocery with a few tables into a full-service restaurant with dining room and lunch counter. The coffee is strong, the desserts are sweet and everything in between is flavorful, nutritious and attractively served. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: Beerline Café Café Manna Casablanca SHEPHERD EXPRESS

DAILY SPECIALS

FIRST PLACE:

Hué

multiple locations huerestaurants.com

A sure sign of success when it comes to the restaurant business is expansion—not just of a menu or the seating area or addition of a bar, but in terms of entire new locations being added. Such has been the case for the hippest of the burgeoning number of Vietnamese restaurants in our area, Hué. They now have two locations: Bay View and Wauwatosa. Both offer a full menu of Vietnamese favorites—from fresh spring rolls to lemongrass-and-garlic-marinated beef skewers and from chicken, seafood and vegetable curries to that great staple, pho. Hué’s adjectiveheavy menus are especially eater-friendly for those not familiar with this type of cuisine.

(John Jahn)

RUNNERS-UP: Pho 43 Pho Cali Xankia

WINE LIST FIRST PLACE:

Balzac

1617 N. Arlington Place 414-755-0099 balzacwinebar.com

The look, atmosphere, food, drink, staff, patrons, prices, patio and sidewalk seating— everything about this bar and small-plate restaurant is appealing. It’s been my go-to place for meetings and conversations since it opened years ago. Good beers and cocktails are happily served and wine is the specialty.

Balzac fights the stereotype that wine is a snob drink for rich people. The place takes pride in serving a great variety of delicious wines by the bottle, the glass and on tap at

extremely affordable prices. The staff is kind and knows how to talk about wine in a helpful way. (John Schneider)

er

k

w

h

VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

e

16 BEERS ON TAP!

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

ee ver

yone g s an et

ra ext

st

ro

Authentic Irish Specialties & Pub Favorites

RUNNERS-UP: Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant Goodkind Pizza Man

Happy Hours : 2 Daily 2-6pm & 10pm-12am $2.75 Rail Cocktails $3 Micros $4 Imports

TajMahal Indian Restaurant

1/2 Off Appetizers Best of Milwaukee

5114 S. 108th St. | 414-427-5900 tajmahalindianrestaurantmilw.com

2011

WINNER

Open Seven Days a Week

MUST PRESENT THIS AD. Must purchase $25 or more to use this offer. Not valid with any other offer. One coupon per table, per visit.

Not good on buffet.

WINNER

Best of Milwaukee 2013 WINNER

WINNER OF: Best Happy Hour • Best Bar Food Best Service • Best Bar on a Budget

Lunch Buffet 11am-2:30pm Dinner 4:30-9:30pm

BUY ONE DINNER AND RECEIVE YOUR 2ND DINNER HALF OFF!

Best of Milwaukee 2012

VOTED MILWAUKEE’S BEST IRISH PUB AND WINNER AT TASTE OF IRELAND FOR MILWAUKEE’S BEST IRISH STEW!

Fabulous Friday Fish Fry! 8933 S. 27th Street • Franklin • 414.304.0300

www.mulliganson27th.com DOWNLOAD THE NEW APP NOW FOR A FREE APPETIZER! Like us on made by Guido Rus www.de-rus.nl

EAT BEFORE PLAY! GET THE LATEST DINING DEALS AT WWW.SHEPSTORE.COM

the

NOMINEE

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 27

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( R E TA I L F O O D ) RUNNERS-UP—BUTCHER SHOP: Bavette La Boucherie Kettle Range Meat Co. Ray’s Butcher Shop RUNNERS-UP—MEAT SELECTION: Kettle Range Meats Co. Ray’s Butcher Shop Sendik’s Food Market

CHEESE SELECTION FIRST PLACE:

West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe multiple locations wacheese-gifts.com

Tucked away in a residential neighborhood of its namesake city, West All Cheese & Sausage Shoppe made itself visible in recent years through a booth at the South Shore Farmers Market and a stand at the Milwaukee Public Market. The shop stocks a good selection of Wisconsin and imported cheeses, fresh cheese curds, summer sausage and more and runs an excellent deli-café serving an array of breakfast dishes, hearty sandwiches, daily specials, poutine, good strong coffee and one of metro Milwaukee’s best Bloody Marys. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: Clock Shadow Creamery Larry’s Market Wisconsin Cheese Mart

CHOCOLATIER Best Beer Selection: Discount Liquor

FIRST PLACE:

Indulgence Chocolatiers

BEER SELECTION / LIQUOR STORE / WINE SELECTION FIRST PLACE:

Discount Liquor multiple locations discountliquorinc.com

Year after year, Discount Liquor takes first place among Shepherd Express readers for beer selection, liquor store and wine selection. And while there are other stores that offer great selection and knowledgeable service, the crowded shelves at Discount Liquor are hard to beat for variety. The original location on Oklahoma Avenue across from Serb Hall is like an old-fashioned supermarket with narrow aisles, shelves tightly stocked with beer, brandy, wine and hard spirits from around the world. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP—BEER SELECTION: Otto’s Wine & Spirits Ray’s Wine & Spirits RUNNERS-UP—LIQUOR STORE: Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits Otto’s Wine & Spirits Ray’s Wine & Spirits 28 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

RUNNERS-UP—WINE SELECTION: Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits Ray’s Wine & Spirits Thief Wine

BUTCHER SHOP / MEAT SELECTION FIRST PLACE:

Bunzel’s Old-Fashioned Meat Market 9015 W. Burleigh St. 414-873-7960 bunzels.com

A Milwaukee institution for four generations of owners, Bunzel’s Old-Fashioned Meat Market has gained generations of fans in that time. Early in 2016, this family-run business moved into new and bigger digs down the road from their previous location. They still have a huge meat selection, excellent homemade sausages and the friendliest service you’ll find. But now, Bunzel’s has much more space and expanded grocery options. If any long-time customers feel nostalgic and miss the charming, homey details of the old space, look closely, because many of those items have been incorporated in the new store. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

multiple Locations indulgencechocolatiers.com

With three locations each tailor fit to the neighborhoods they serve, Indulgence Chocolatiers provides not just a tasty treat, but a full experience for their customers. In Walker’s Point, enjoy chocolates paired with craft beers, wines, cheeses and whiskey. In East Tosa, locally made ice cream can be topped with Indulgence’s high-end creations. Shorewood’s location is a beautifully designed chocolate boutique. Each brings something special to the table, but one thing they all share is delicious chocolate, and that’s what’s most important. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: The Chocolate Factory/Blommer’s Red Elephant Tabal Chocolate

FARMERS MARKET FIRST PLACE:

West Allis Farmers Market 6501 W. National Ave. 414-302-8600 westalliswi.gov

The largest and longest-operating farmers market in Southeastern Wisconsin, the West Allis Farmers Market is a local landmark. Their season runs from the first SaturSHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 day in May through the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Being open on select weekdays and on Saturday afternoon allows customers more opportunities to purchase the freshest fruits and veggies around. The market mostly consists of produce stands with some prepared foods, garden plants and cut flowers, as well as fresh meat and poultry. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP: Fondy Farmers Market South Shore Farmers Market Tosa Farmers Market

FISH MARKET FIRST PLACE:

St. Paul Fish Company 400 N. Water St. 414-220-8383 stpaulfish.com

Beyond their fantastic fish fry, catfish po’ boy and fried shrimp tacos, the Public Market’s St. Paul Fish Company offers one of the city’s best selections of fresh seafood. From salmon, grouper and walleye to lobster, oyster and calamari, St. Paul’s items are flown in fresh daily from more than 20 national and international suppliers. It’s nice to see a fish market doing so wonderfully in the heart of the old Italian Third Ward’s commission row. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Center Street Fish Market Empire Fish Company Sendik’s Food Market

GROCERY—ALL-PURPOSE / GROCERY—GOURMET FIRST PLACE:

Sendik’s Food Market multiple locations

It should come as no surprise that Sendik’s has received honors for more than one “best-ofgrocery” category. Whether you are searching for a rare or unusual ingredient or doing the weekly shopping, Sendik’s customers know they are getting the very best quality food a grocery store can offer. Every department at Sendik’s, from meat to floral, wine to deli, is well maintained to ensure superior selection.

The addition of the curbside pick-up “Sendik’s Express” program this past year has made it even easier for Milwaukeeans to experience the outstanding service and selection available at Sendik’s. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP—ALL-PURPOSE: Metro Market Outpost Natural Foods Woodman’s Markets RUNNERS-UP—GOURMET: Glorioso’s Italian Market Metro Market Whole Foods Market SHEPHERD EXPRESS

GROCERY—ETHNIC / TAKE-OUT DELI:

Best of Milwaukee Finalist

Glorioso’s Italian Market

Best Cupcakes

FIRST PLACE:

1011 E. Brady St. 414-272-0540 gloriosos.com

(414) 235-8150 www.slicecustomcakeswi.com |

This big, busy grocery store and deli rich with Italian imports and local artisan foods is, along with Peter Sciortino’s Bakery down the street (whose cookies and breads are also sold here), the great surviving testament to the Italian immigrant history of the neighborhood it anchors.

Imaginative gelatos—whiskey cream, pistachio, Italian cookie, Venetian tiramisu, Tahitian vanilla—come in scoops, cones and cartons.

Aisles and aisles of cheeses, olive oils, wines and sweets lead to an expansive deli offering sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, calzones, paninis, flatbreads, salads—some exotic, all authentic, all fresh. There’s ample indoor seating and even more outdoors. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP— GROCERY—ETHNIC: Asian International Market Cermak Fresh Market El Rey RUNNERS-UP—TAKE-OUT DELI: Benji’s Deli & Restaurant Bunzel’s Meat Market Jake’s Deli

GROCERY—NATURAL FOODS / ORGANIC PRODUCE SELECTION / PRODUCE SELECTION FIRST PLACE:

Outpost Natural Foods Co-op multiple Locations outpost.coop

With four store locations and two markets, Outpost Natural Foods has, for more than 45 years, provided an alternative to the processed, genetically modified foods you’ll find across many of the large chain grocery stores, without skimping on variety. Their selection of naturally farmed, organic foods is a godsend for the rapidly growing community of healthconscious consumers in the city. It’s no secret that organic has gone mainstream, and in Milwaukee, Outpost is leading the way. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP—NATURAL FOODS: Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Good Harvest Whole Foods Market

THANK YOU for voting and for kayaking with us.

See you in Spring! #milwaukeekayak | #MKC milwaukeekayak.com (414) 301-2240

Therapeutic Massage & Reiki

THANKS FOR VOTING FOR US www.milwaukeereiki.com 414-793-4828 6767 W. Greenfield Ave. West Allis, WI 53214

Best of Milwaukee 2016 Finalist for Best Acoustic Musician www.dereksallmann.com Sign up for my email list and receive a free gift!

120 Earth Friendly

Waste bags $4.99 40 lb bag of Natural Dry

Dog Food $36.99 5835 W. Bluemound Rd. • Milwaukee, WI 53213 • 414-444-4110 Hours: M&W 10am-7pm; Tu 10am-8pm; Th, F, Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 11am-4pm J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 29

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

RUNNERS-UP— ORGANIC PRODUCE SELECTION: Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Good Harvest Market Whole Foods Market RUNNERS-UP—PRODUCE SELECTION: Cermak Fresh Market Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Sendik’s Food Market

NEIGHBORHOOD BAKERY FIRST PLACE:

Peter Sciortino’s Bakery 1101 E. Brady St. 414-272-4623 petersciortinosbakery.com

- Fro m o u r fa m i ly to yo u r s -

thank you for voting us!

Sciortino’s wins in this category every year and, since I live nearby, I’m always assigned to write about the delicious rolls, breads and cookies made here. They’re never taken for granted in my house, but treasured as markers of holidays and those happy, out-of-the-blue, let’s-have-Sciortino-rolls days. Each year, I mention the heavenly scent this historic bakery provides our neighborhood—from St. Hedwig’s church to the Brady Street fire station—exciting my dogs as we walk by. You can see, smell, touch and taste the neighborhood’s Italian-Sicilian history here. Like good bread, it grounds you. Grazie! (John Schneider)

Best of Milwaukee 2015 WINNER

RUNNERS-UP: Grebe’s Milwaukee Bakery National Bakery & Deli Rocket Baby Bakery

SAUSAGE SHOP FIRST PLACE:

Usinger’s Famous Sausage 1030 N. Old World Third St. 414-276-9105 usinger.com

VISIT OUR STORE AT

9015 W. Burleigh St. or shop online at bunzels.com

Hungry?

The story is now legend. Apprentice wurstmacher Fred Usinger departed Wehen, Germany, for Milwaukee in the late-1870s, arriving here with $400 in cash, sausage recipes and a lot of ambition. The Usinger family has been a cornerstone of Milwaukee ever since, serving some of the highest-quality sausage for more than 130 years now. Many of its 70 varieties of sausage are still made from recipes carried in Fred’s pocket, and even the store remains where it was originally. Yes, you can find Usinger’s products in your local grocery store today, but nothing beats a trip to that classic Old World Third Street home base. (John Jahn)

RUNNERS-UP: Bunzel’s Old-Fashioned Meat Market Kettle Range Meat Co. West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe

URBAN FARM FIRST PLACE:

Growing Power

5500 W. Silver Spring Drive 414-527-1546 growingpower.org

He was unknown to most people before the Shepherd Express profiled him in a 2005 cover story, but Milwaukee’s Will Allen soon came to enjoy the national spotlight for his revolutionary agricultural innovations. Allen, who received a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” in 2008, launched the urban farm Growing Power on Silver Spring Drive in 1993 as a means to produce healthy, locally grown food in a city setting. It has since become a model for similar efforts around the U.S. in providing training for urban farmers and an “idea factory” for making healthy food accessible. (Morton Shlabotnik)

RUNNERS-UP: Alice’s Garden Big City Greens Pinehold Gardens

WEDDING CAKE DESIGNER FIRST PLACE:

Simma’s Bakery 817 N. 68th St. 414-257-0998 simmasbakery.com

Simma’s Bakery, well known for top-notch bakery and outstanding cheesecake, is also a popular choice for Milwaukee-area brides choosing a wedding cake. Simma’s own signature cheesecake—made up of chocolate cake on the bottom, a layer of raspberry filling, creamy cheesecake layer and topped with a decadent final layer of chocolate ganache— makes for a memorable and perfectly delicious bridal dessert. If cheesecake isn’t your thing, Simma’s offers a host of other cake options from red velvet to banana and a whole lot in between. Brides will rest easy knowing they can count on Simma’s high-quality baked goods. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP: Aggie’s Bakery & Cake Shop Eat Cake!

Make Cake Milwaukee

Takeout lunch or dinner. We also cater.

30 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T ) ART GALLERY (NON-MUSEUM) FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) Student Gallery 273 E. Erie St. 414-847-3200 miad.edu

Considering that the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design is regularly recognized as one of the top design schools in the country—with 740 students racking up honors of their own—it is no surprise that the institution’s Student Gallery would win best non-museum gallery. At any given time, the inchoate exhibitions of tomorrow hang in MIAD’s East Gallery. Works from MIAD’s five majors: communication design, illustration, industrial design, interior architecture and design, and new studio practice, all find a home in this bustling, creative testing ground. (Tyler Friedman)

RUNNERS-UP: RedLine Milwaukee Tory Folliard Gallery Walker’s Point Center for the Arts

ART MUSEUM FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) 700 N. Art Museum Drive 414-224-3200 mam.org

Housed in a building that is visual shorthand for the city itself, the Milwaukee Art Museum is a veritable treasure chest containing more than 30,000 works of art spanning thousands of years and representing cultures domestic and foreign, famous and obscure. In the hands of MAM’s curators, these collections tell novel narratives about various visual cultures (e.g. American regionalism and American folk art). The institution is also a keen host to traveling exhibitions that are selected not only for their art-historical value but equally for their public appeal (e.g. “50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair” and “Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood”). (Tyler Friedman)

RUNNERS-UP: Grohmann Museum Haggerty Museum of Art Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum

DANCE COMPANY FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Ballet milwaukeeballet.org

Michael Pink’s ballets are international hits. This season, Orlando Ballet stages Dracula, Ballet Met of Columbus, Ohio, stages Peter Pan, and there’s a big tour of Peter Pan in France. Here, Pink will polish Mirror Mirror, about Snow White’s evil queen, for a June revival. With just four performances two years ago, it’s his growing child. A contemporary ballet by resident choreographer Timothy O’Donnell premieres in April beside La Sylphide, a neoSHEPHERD EXPRESS

Best Gallery (Non-Museum): MIAD Student Gallery

classical beauty. Genesis brings premieres by choreographers from Italy, the U.K. and the U.S. in February—all made for and inspired by the company’s expressive, capable and wonderfully individual dancers. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: Catey Ott Dance Collective Danceworks Panadanza Dance Company

LOCAL RADIO PERSONALITY FIRST PLACE:

Bob Uecker

The soon-to-be-83-year-old Bob Uecker has scaled back his broadcast schedule in recent years, but for two generations of Wisconsin sports fans, his voice remains as much an auditory indicator of summertime as chirping birds or spraying sprinkler heads. More so than just a ballplayer, comedian, actor or product pitchman, Uecker has for decades been one of the best announcers in the game—able to distill a complicated sport into an engaging and entertaining broadcast. Next season will be his 47th year on the air for the Brewers. He remains as listenable as ever.

(Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Bob & Brian Marcus Doucette Dori Zori

LOCAL TV PERSONALITY / STAGE ACTOR FIRST PLACE:

John McGivern

Twenty-five years ago, this charismatic, hardworking performance artist returned to his hometown, rented Theatre X’s theater in what would become the Broadway Theatre Center and presented his original one-man comedy about

growing up the third of six kids in an Irish Catholic family in Milwaukee. The show was a hit, and McGivern stayed to build a huge audience for his many shows. At times, he seems omnipresent, appearing in every major art center in the region. His valuable PBS series, “Around the Corner,” is now in its sixth season. He is inseparable from his characters and, indeed, they are local folk. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP—TV PERSONALITY: Mark Baden Brian Gotter Ted Perry RUNNERS-UP—STAGE ACTOR: Doug Clemons Nathan Danzer James Pickering

MILWAUKEE AUTHOR FIRST PLACE:

John Gurda

John Gurda is a hard man to beat—especially when Milwaukeeans stop to ask themselves about favorite local authors. After all, what other writer has done more to make our city’s history interesting and explicable to the widest possible audience? His book, The Making of Milwaukee, was transformed into a PBS special airing coast-to-coast and won an Emmy. His most recent book, Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods, is a lavishly illustrated tour of the city—many of those neighborhoods were first given names by Gurda back in the ’80s. It’s easy to be a gracious loser when Gurda gets the prize. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: David Luhrssen Neil Panosian Matthew J. Prigge J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 31

ZANE WILLIAMS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T )

SMOKE SHOP & WORLD GIFTS 7223 W. Greenfield Ave. West Allis

Best of Best of Milwaukee Milwaukee 2016 2015 FINALIST WINNER

waves hardly even acknowledged that Milwaukee even had a music scene. Radio Milwaukee took those concerns seriously, making Milwaukee music their calling card and seamlessly integrating new local music into their eclectic mix of rock, hip-hop, soul, indie and electronic music. When they embrace a local artist, they go all in: Plenty of local acts can credit their followings directly to the exposure the station has provided them. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: 89.7 WUWM 102.1 WLUM 103.7 KISSFM

STAGE ACTRESS

Build your own Water Pipe with

FIRST PLACE:

Laura Gordon Best Stage Actress: Laura Gordon

MOVIE THEATER FIRST PLACE:

Oriental Theatre 2230 N. Farwell Ave. 414-276-5140

Along with the Avalon, the Oriental is one of two movie palaces from the ’20s still operating in Milwaukee. It has also been a mainstay for alternatives in moviegoing; in the ’70s and early ’80s, it often showed Hollywood classics alongside foreign films. It became one of the places to see American indie productions before the word “indie” was coined. The biggest concession during its long history was the decision to divide the Oriental into three cinemas—increasing the number of films that could be screened there without doing damage to the Orientalist fantasy of the theater’s architecture. (David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: Avalon Theater Downer Theater iPic Theater

MUSEUM (NON-ART) FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) 800 W. Wells St. 414-278-2728 mpm.edu

M-SA: 10-8, SU: 11-5 414-453-7223 BLUEONGREENFIELD.COM 32 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

Located in the heart of Downtown Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Public Museum has been a cultural touchstone for generations. Who doesn’t get a little thrill as they stroll the recently renovated Streets of Old Milwaukee or gaze upon a victorious T-Rex about to eat dinner? MPM has supplemented our education and creatively

brought to life what dull history textbooks rarely can. Ever-changing IMAX shows and temporary traveling exhibits constantly bring new crowds and more opportunities to visit this Milwaukee treasure. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP: Betty Brinn Children’s Museum Discovery World Harley-Davidson Museum

OUTDOOR FESTIVAL

Her many years as a high-powered, impeccable presence in both comedies and dramas at the Milwaukee Rep have endeared her to audiences and now she’s a sought-after director, as well. I’ve never worked with her, but I’m told by friends who have that she always comes to rehearsal fully prepared and is kind to her castmates, thoughtful of their needs. She told one concerned actor friend of mine that when a director says nothing to you in rehearsal, it means they trust you to figure out what to do on your own. She was clearly speaking from experience.

(John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: Amber Smith Susan Spencer Jenny Wanasek

FIRST PLACE:

THEATER COMPANY

In a city that prides itself on its many festivals, none looms larger than Summerfest, the city’s flagship gathering. This year, more than 800,000 patrons turned out for the 11-day fest to see headliners like Blink-182, Weezer, Death Cab For Cutie and—in a booking that gave 2015’s Rolling Stones booking a run for its money— Paul McCartney. All eyes are once more on the festival for what could be its biggest year yet as it prepares for its 50th anniversary. (Evan Rytlewski)

Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Summerfest

RUNNERS-UP: Bastille Days Irish Fest Wisconsin State Fair

RADIO STATION FIRST PLACE:

88Nine Radio Milwaukee

For years, Milwaukee musicians complained about the lack of radio support. Save for the iconic college station WMSE, the city’s air-

FIRST PLACE:

108 E. Wells St. 414-224-9490 milwaukeerep.com

The Rep’s first responsibility is to create excellent theater, and by most standards it does that. The company also names “inclusion” and “citizenship” among its core values. What’s remarkable is that these ideals are evident in the work. Racial and cultural diversity in casting and directing are largely taken for granted—a rare thing in our nation’s theaters. Citizenship means that the work, both onstage and in related programs, inspires useful thinking on local and national matters so as to help us make wise and responsible decisions. The current production of Disgraced and the upcoming Grounded are fine, knotty examples. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: All In Productions First Stage Renaissance Theaterworks SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( O U T & A B O U T ) BAR FOR QUIET CONVERSATION / COCKTAIL BAR / ROMANTIC BAR FIRST PLACE:

Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge 1579 S. Ninth St. 414-383-2620 bryantscocktaillounge.com

Founded in 1938, Bryant’s is quickly approaching octogenarian status. And like the fine liquors it serves, this cocktail lounge keeps getting better with age. In our day and age of overstimulation, Bryant’s remains an oasis.

With a sweetheart in tow, your phone set to silent and a responsible way of getting home, the hustle and bustle of modern life melts away for a spell. So solicitous is the staff that, with a few simple questions about your tippling tendencies, they’ll customize a cocktail suited specially to your palate. (Tyler Friedman)

RUNNERS-UP—BAR FOR QUIET CONVERSATION: Allium Balzac Boone & Crockett RUNNERS-UP—COCKTAIL BAR: At Random Distil Plum Lounge RUNNERS-UP—ROMANTIC BAR: At Random Balzac Foundation Bar

she mixes a mean cocktail. There’s a brightness to her that will add just a bit of light to your day or night. Just looking for a good drink and good service? Flannery’s your gal.

Look for her at Café Lulu; she works a rare shift, so today might be your lucky day. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: JC Cunningham (Plum Lounge) Paul Kennedy (The Tonic Tavern) Jason McBrady (High Dive)

BAR TO BE SEEN IN / MARTINI FIRST PLACE:

Elsa’s on the Park 833 N. Jefferson St. 414-765-0615 elsas.com

People watching has always been part of the fun of coming to Elsa’s, going back to the elegant restaurant-bar’s early years in the ’80s when Downtown was a wasteland and a cosmopolitan hangout in Milwaukee was a dream come true. Elsa’s continues to draw an unusually diverse crowd for a Milwaukee restaurant with a sense of prosperity as the prevailing common denominator. Service is efficient, unobtrusive, friendly and responsive. The martinis are potent. (David Luhrssen)

BAR ON A BUDGET

RUNNERS-UP—BAR TO BE SEEN IN: Boone & Crockett Plum Lounge Site 1A RUNNERS-UP—MARTINI: Blu at the Phister Casablanca Plum Lounge

Wolski’s Tavern

BAR WITH A PATIO

FIRST PLACE:

1836 Pulaski St. 414-276-8130 wolskis.com

Homey and unpretentious, Wolski’s Tavern has been pouring beer for more than 100 years and remains in the hands of the Polish American family who tapped the bar’s very first keg back in 1908. The beer at Wolski’s is best drunk by the pitcher (get Blatz for the full experience), with a side of free popcorn and, as per custom, losing team at cricket buys the next round. It doesn’t take a high-roller to stumble out of Wolski’s with cash left in your pocket (and a free bumper sticker). (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Art*Bar The Backyard Ray & Dot’s Tap

BARTENDER

FIRST PLACE:

Flannery Pendergast (Café Lulu)

If you’re fortunate enough, you might get Flannery Pendergast as your bartender. You’ll be greeted by her vivacious personality that’s a mix of delight and bubbles. Don’t let that fool you, though, she’s as sincere as they come, and SHEPHERD EXPRESS

FIRST PLACE:

Café Benelux 346 N. Broadway 414-501-2500 cafebenelux.com

Spring, summer, fall…it’s all about outdoor dining and drinking. The better the patio, the better the outdoor dining experience. There aren’t many better than Café Benelux.

Not only will you find an impressive beer list and some tasty food, you’ll find patios just perfect for soaking in those warm Wisconsin days and nights. Choose a streetlevel table and watch all the people go by, or opt for the rooftop deck with a bird’s eye view. The lights strung over the patio add ambiance. It’s like you’re in a world all your own. Make this one of your patio destinations. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill Plum Lounge Trocadero

BLOODY MARY FIRST PLACE:

Sobelmans Pub and Grill multiple locations

sobelmanspubandgrill.com

Consider it a lesson for other restaurants: If you’re going to offer a gimmick, you might as well go all in on the gimmick. The Milwaukee burger chain Sobelmans captured the Internet’s imagination in 2011 with its “Masterpiece,” a Bloody Mary crowned—along with a bouquet of celery, radish, pickle, pickled onion, cheese, sausage and shrimp—with a mini cheeseburger! In the wake of all the attention the restaurant garnered, Sobelmans has continued to double down with even more extravagant Bloody Marys, including the “Baconado,” a tower of bacon, and the “Beast,” a mammoth mug of meat that could easily serve as a meal for two. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: AJ Bombers Café Hollander West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe

BREWERY / DISTILLERY TOUR FIRST PLACE:

Lakefront Brewery

1872 N. Commerce St. 414-372-8800 lakefrontbrewery.com

Lakefront’s dining menu reflects their Wisconsin pride, using local foods like cheese curds from Clockshadow Creamery, sausages from Johnsonville, Usinger’s and Klement’s, as well as several dishes featuring their own beers. On Friday, diners flock in for a traditional Milwaukee fish fry with all of the fixings and a pint of delicious Lakefront beer. If you haven’t yet taken the Lakefront Brewery tour, do so immediately. For $10 you get four six-ounce samples, a free pint glass and a humorous, yet informative tour. It’s a great way to sample several different craft brews at once. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP: Great Lakes Distillery MKE Brewing Company Sprecher Brewing Company

COMEDY CLUB FIRST PLACE:

ComedySportz Milwaukee 420 S. First St. 414-272-8888 cszmke.com

Founded in Milwaukee in 1984, ComedySportz (CSz) quite literally makes sport of improv comedy. Pitting two teams against each other in the CSz arena and overseen by a referee, the shows are, of course, much more performance than competition. Case in point: Even with teams in more than 23 cities worldwide, the CSz World Championship has been won by the host city team each and every one of the 13 years the championship tournament has been held. CSz alumni include Milwaukee native Dan Harmon, “SNL’s” Jason Sudeikis and “Reno 911’s” Nick Swardson.

(Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Comedy Café Lakefront Brewery Keg Stand Up Mojo Dojo Comedy J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 33

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( O U T & A B O U T ) CRAFT BEER SELECTION AT A BAR FIRST PLACE:

The Sugar Maple 441 E. Lincoln Ave. 414-481-2393 mysugarmaple.com

Capitalizing on the craft beer craze currently sweeping the nation, The Sugar Maple has created an expertly curated tap line consisting of 60 of the best American craft beers.

Local favorites and national standouts are all represented and are at the ready for those of us who enjoy IPAs, double IPAs, nitro stouts or whatever else these adventurous brewers are coming up with these days. The artfully designed interior and underrated patio space only enhances your experience when exploring new beer territories or falling back on old favorites. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: The Brass Tap Burnhearts Camino

DANCE CLUB FIRST PLACE:

Mad Planet 533 E. Center St. 414-263-4555 mad-planet.net

For years, Mad Planet was known for two long-running events: the trend-setting soul-funk spin The Get Down, and an ’80s-centric retro dance party every Friday. More recently, though, the venue has devoted more of its calendar to themed nights, which have pitted The Smiths against The Cure, Depeche Mode against New Order and Prince against Michael Jackson. Unlike some Downtown dance clubs, there’s nothing pretentious about the place: It’s just people of all stripes, dancing to music everybody loves. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Bad Genie La Cage Site 1A

HAPPY HOUR FIRST PLACE:

Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill 8923 S. 27th St. 414-304-0300 mulliganson27th.com

The time-honored tradition of getting a beer or two after a long day at work has been documented in pop culture for decades, with mentally exhausted cubicle dwellers stopping in to Cheers or Moe’s Tavern immediately coming to mind. Mulligans has taken this tradition and expanded on it by adding a second happy hour (from 10 p.m.-midnight) to their 2-6 p.m. deal and extending it into the weekend. The $3 micro taps, $4 import taps, $2.75 rail cocktails and half-off appetizers make for a perfect stop either after work or after dinner for the late-night crowd. (Rob Hullum)

34 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

RUNNERS-UP: Art*Bar Blackbird Bar The Garage

HOTEL LOUNGE FIRST PLACE:

The Iron Horse Hotel 500 W. Florida St. 888-543-4766 theironhorsehotel.com

A tip for theater artists: Make a site-specific show here.

Have your audience and cast travel from one visually stunning area to the next in this enormous converted warehouse with many rooms and corridors, two-story ceilings, wooden pillars and floors, and Cream City brick walls. Built in 1907, the current owners have it theatrically furnished and decorated in ways that defy any period. Each turn of the head brings surprises.

In some parts, you eat and/or drink; in others, hold a meeting, party, talk privately, work, read, look out the window, wonder, dream. Maybe I’ll make that play myself. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: Blu at The Pfister The Journeyman Pastiche at Hotel Metro

of, although you could wind up crawling into bed in the adjoining guesthouse. Everyone is welcome. Sit at the bar or in a cozy dining area that feels like a living room. Enjoy Irish music and a personable staff. Traditional Irish dishes like the famous root soup here are delicious. You can eat vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or dairy free. For drinks, along with Guinness and Irish whiskey, the chef’s Bloody Mary is a specialty. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: The Harp Irish Pub Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill O’Lydia’s Bar and Grill

JAZZ CLUB

FIRST PLACE:

Caroline’s Jazz Club 401 S. Second St. 414-221-9444

The exterior of Caroline’s Jazz Club is as understated as a Miles Davis improvisation, while the interior is as hip as, well, a Miles Davis improvisation. Despite the name, the Walker’s Point venue hosts a heavy helping of blues in addition to jazz. The cover charge rarely exceeds $5, and there is no admittance fee for the frequent open blues jams in which all comers are welcome to participate. Whether you are on stage or in the audience, digging jazz or blues, have a drink and revel in the hipness. (Tyler Friedman)

FIRST PLACE:

RUNNERS-UP: Blu at The Pfister Bugsy’s The Packing House

Multiple locations

KARAOKE BAR

IMPORT BEER SELECTION AT A BAR Café Hollander Beer, especially the Belgian varieties, has always been at the heart of Café Hollander’s offerings. At their original flagship location on Downer Avenue, 13 new taps were recently added, mostly for Belgian brews but with a couple of American craft beers made in the Belgian manner. At Café Hollander, beer is given the attention wine receives in French bistros. The Hollander chain includes the only places in the Midwest where some of the rare Belgian brews can be had. Much attention is lavished on the details—the kegs in which the beer is aged, the temperature, the glassware that allows the beer to caress the nose as well as the tongue.

(David Luhrssen)

RUNNERS-UP: Burnhearts The Palm Tavern Von Trier

IRISH PUB

FIRST PLACE:

County Clare Irish Inn & Pub 1234 N. Astor St. 414-272-5273 countyclare-inn.com

This is a civilized place with a heart that beats for Ireland. It’s not a pub you’re likely to crawl into or out

FIRST PLACE:

The Up & Under Pub 1216 E. Brady St. 414-270-0029 theupandunderpub.com

Knocking off Hamburger Mary’s after three straight years as the city’s top karaoke spot, the Up & Under Pub is short on frill but long on charm—offering a well-worn stage, cheap 32-ounce PBRs and pretty much every classic, epic or just plain catchy song you can imagine. “Moonlight Karaoke” starts every Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. The only bombs you’ll find are the $2 cherry specials. Buy a few rounds of those for the Brady Street regulars, and you’re sure to have a warm and receptive audience. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Frank’s Power Plant Grainger’s Pub & Grill HD Hideout

LGBTQ BAR

FIRST PLACE:

Hamburger Mary’s 730 S. Fifth St. 414-488-2555 hamburgermarys.com

Hamburger Mary’s got its start in San Francisco as a SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 “friendly dive” that offered burgers and drinks and catered to the LGBTQ community. The brand has grown considerably since then, and the recently relocated Milwaukee Mary’s is nearly as well-known for its great food and drink menu as it is its drag shows or kitschy décor. Although not an LGTBQ bar in the traditional sense, Mary’s is certainly a place where all are welcome, and where no one will leave disappointed. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: D.I.X. La Cage This Is It

LIVE MUSIC VENUE FIRST PLACE:

The Pabst Theater 144 E. Wells St. 414-286-3663 pabsttheater.org

The Pabst Theater Group has expanded its operations far beyond the Pabst Theater in recent years, turning both the Turner Hall Ballroom and the Back Room of Prospect Avenue’s Colectivo Coffee into destination venues. But the organization’s title venue remains its crown jewel, an impossibly beautiful opera house with stunning architecture, perfect acoustics and a gift for bringing out the very best in nearly every artist who performs there. It’s quite possibly the best place to see a concert in the entire Midwest.

(Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Cactus Club The Rave Turner Hall

MARGARITA

FIRST PLACE:

La Fuente

Multiple locations

Milwaukee has come to love Mexican food in all its forms—and along with that, the characteristic cocktail from south of the border, the Margarita. La Fuente’s original Walker’s Point location became instantly popular from the day it opened and success has traveled to its newer venue in Wauwatosa. The tasty mix of tequila and lime is the ideal accompaniment to La Fuente’s tasty Mexican staples. (Morton Shlabotnik)

RUNNERS-UP: BelAir Cantina Café Corazón Cempazuchi

MICROBREWERY FIRST PLACE:

songwriters have cut their teeth at this open mic, and many others have met mentors, collaborators and future bandmates there. For performers truly serious about their craft, this is the place to go. (Evan Rytlewski)

613 S. Second St. 414-226-2337 mkebrewing.com

RUNNERS-UP: Karma Silver Spring House Up & Under

Milwaukee Brewing Company I love the Milwaukee Brewing Company brewery because the brewery tour is fun (you get to try so many beers), and I just really like their beer. Unexpected ingredients like tea make for delightfully nuanced flavors. Two favorites are Citrus Happy—refreshingly hoppy, pleasingly bitter, using citrus to enhance inherently citrusy hops; and Louie’s Resurrection—taking the malty amber ale Louie’s Demise and aging it in bourbon barrels. It’s rich and complex, but not heavy, while hops balance the sweetness. Find your favorites. Pick up a six pack at your local store or take the tour. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Brenner Brewing Company Company Brewing Enlightened Brewing Company

NEW BAR (OPENED IN 2016) FIRST PLACE:

Camino

434 S. Second St. 414-800-2641 caminomke.com

The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, the beer selection extensive, the food an elevated form of comfort bar food…welcome to Camino.

The bar skirts the kitchen, so you can watch your food being prepared. It’s such a cozy vibe. Their fries are thin and crispy tossed in Parmesan and herbs. Hamburgers are cooked and topped how you want them and seasoned nicely. I want to try more. Then, there’s the beer.

They have a rotating selection of American craft beer so whether you’re a hop fanatic or possess a penchant for porter you’ll find something to quench your thirst. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Durbar Site 1A Vintage 38

OPEN MIC NIGHT FIRST PLACE:

Linneman’s Riverwest Inn 1001 E. Locust St. 414-263-9844 linnemans.com

Low key as they tend to be, open mics serve as one of the best farm systems for the Milwaukee music scene, and perhaps none have helped foster more talent than the one at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn. Many of the city’s most esteemed SHEPHERD EXPRESS

PAINT AND WINE BAR FIRST PLACE:

Splash Studios 184 N. Broadway 414-882-7621 splashmilwaukee.com

Even with a half-dozen or so area bars now doing the paint-and-wine thing, the Third Ward’s Splash Studios—one of the very first drink-andpaint spots in Milwaukee—takes the top honors.

With offerings ranging from a six-by-six-inch canvass to do with as you please to three-hour instructional sessions led by local artists, Splash pairs a full bar with a full-service art studio.

The entire set-up has an easy-going and open atmosphere that allows even the most novice of painters to find their muse. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Arté Creative Art & Wine Studio Uptown Art

ROCK CLUB

FIRST PLACE:

Cactus Club

2496 S. Wentworth Ave. 414-897-0663 cactusclubmilwaukee.com

Few clubs have been more integral to the Milwaukee music scene over the last two decades than Cactus Club, the Bay View corner tap where countless local punk, indie and metal bands began to build their followings. The venue’s backroom was as busy as ever this year, as promoters continued to draw touring acts like Tacocat, The Good Life, Dälek and Wolf Eyes, while vastly expanding their lineup of local hiphop shows. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: The Metal Grill The Rave Shank Hall

SPORTS BAR FIRST PLACE:

Three Lions Pub 4515 N. Oakland Ave. 414-763-6992 threelionspub.com

College or pro baseball, basketball, football and football, pardon me, soccer. The Three Lions is

your place for sports. The camaraderie abounds during Packer games; you’ll cheer like you’re at Lambeau. Better yet, head on in for a soccer match. Watching a sports fixture here is not to be missed—fan or not; you’ll find plenty of folks around to explain the nuances of the game.

There’s really nothing quite like it, especially championship games. You’ll find a good beer selection that’s anything but conventional, friendly staff and good food. Stop in for a pint and stay for a match. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Bar 107 Karma Who’s on Third

STRIP CLUB

FIRST PLACE:

Silk Exotic

11400 W. Silver Spring Road 414-462-7455 silkmke.com

Housed in a castle-esque structure just off of I-41, Silk Exotic offers nightly drink specials, a full lunch and dinner menu, VIP event hosting and hookah service. And if that doesn’t get you interested, they also have naked women dancing live on stage. Easily the city’s highest-profile gentlemen’s club, Silk regularly hosts some of the biggest names in adult entertainment as well as more mainstream acts like Warren G and Slick Rick, both of whom played there in the past year. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Airport Lounge Heart Breakers On the Border

WINE SELECTION AT A BAR FIRST PLACE:

Balzac

1617 N. Arlington Place 414-755-0099 balzacwinebar.com

The look, atmosphere, food, drink, staff, patrons, prices, patio and sidewalk seating—everything about this bar and small plate restaurant is appealing. It’s been my go-to place for meetings and conversations since it opened years ago.

Good beers and cocktails are happily served and wine is the specialty. Balzac fights the stereotype that wine is a snob drink for rich people.

The place takes pride in serving a great variety of delicious wines by the bottle, the glass and on tap at extremely affordable prices. The staff is kind and knows how to talk about wine in a helpful way. (John Schneider)

RUNNERS-UP: Pizza Man The Ruby Tap Thief Wine J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 35

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( M U S I C ) ria and much more—an ever-expanding repertoire of our own consistently cohesive chorus. (John Jahn)

RUNNERS-UP: Bel Canto Chorus Mainstreet Song & Dance Troupe Wisconsin Lutheran Choir

CLASSICAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE FIRST PLACE:

Bel Canto Chorus

On Easter Sunday, 1931, a small group of singers appeared at the chapel of St. Mary’s Hospital and performed Hans Gruber’s Festival Mass. Within a decade, they could count some 70 voices. It’s been steadily onward and upward ever since for Milwaukee’s Bel Canto Chorus, which sings regularly with the Milwaukee Symphony and Milwaukee Chamber Orchestras in such performance spaces as St. Josaphat Basilica, St. Monica Parish and Vogel Hall. Their wide repertory and professional polish make the Bel Canto Chorus a major part of our community’s cultural fabric. Winning this category is no mean feat; we have numerous highquality orchestras, vocal groups and chamber music ensembles to boast of. (John Jahn)

Best Electronic Artist: GGOOLLDD PHOTO BY CONOR TARNOWSKI

ACOUSTIC MUSICIAN FIRST PLACE:

Keith Pulvermacher

Like plenty of country and heartland rock musicians before him, Keith Pulvermacher draws heavily from his small-town upbringing, coloring his hopeful acoustic songs with images of barns and tire swings and other memories of his youth. In a nod to his Wisconsin origins, he titled his latest album Midwestern. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Ian Gould Chris Roland Derek Sallmann

BLUES BAND FIRST PLACE:

Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys

Milwaukee’s blues scene is tight-knit and competitive, but over the years, Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys have gradually worked their way to the top of the pecking order, thanks to memorable shows at just about every major blues festival in the region. Theirs is a distinctly Midwestern style of the blues: all boogie riffs, searing electric guitars and roaring harmonica. (Evan Rytlewski)

ALT COUNTRY

RUNNERS-UP: J. Ryan Trio South End Blue Band Tweed Funk

Chasin’ Mason

CHORAL GROUP

FIRST PLACE:

The Wisconsin quintet Chasin’ Mason isn’t alt-country in the traditional Uncle Tupelo/No Depression sense, but they aren’t your typical Nashville-style contemporary country band, either. Instead, on their latest album, Real Life Real Loud, they draw almost equal inspiration from classic outlaw country (think Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings), modern country standard-bearers like Tim McGraw and Keith Urban and rock bands like U2. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Chicken Wire Empire Rebel Grace Saving Savannah 36 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Symphony Chorus

Founded 40 years ago by its first music director, Margaret Hawkins, the MSO Chorus is easily on par with its companion orchestra as a world-class ensemble.

As current MSO Maestro Edo de Waart affirms, “The MSO has the good fortune of having a first-class volunteer chorus,” and “with a chorus of this caliber, the options for performing great works in the repertoire are immense.” The MSO Chorus can boast performances of all the major Classical choral masterpieces, from Wolfgang Mozart’s Requiem to Francis Poulenc’s Glo-

RUNNERS-UP: Concord Chamber Orchestra Florentine Opera Tontine Ensemble

CLUB DJ

FIRST PLACE:

Antics

Few Milwaukee acts are more plugged into current trends in electronic music than the DJ/producer duo Antics. Like a lot of EDM acts, they first turned heads with their remixes—most memorably a massive remix of the Katy Perry hit “Part of Me”—but more recently they’ve made a mark with original tracks, including their blissful new house single “Your Love,” featuring singer Fabian James. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: DJ Breezy DJ King James DJ Shawna

COVER OR TRIBUTE BAND FIRST PLACE:

5 Card Studs

The best cover bands often have a sense of humor about being a cover band. That’s certainly the case for Milwaukee lounge enthusiasts 5 Card Studs who, for the last two decades, have been performing their own fantasy version of a Las Vegas-style revue, complete with swinging, brassy covers of hits by acts like The Spinners, Neil Diamond and, of course, Tom Jones.

(Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Blue Light Scene Cherry Pie Love Monkeys SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ELECTRONIC ARTIST

METAL BAND

GGOOLLDD

Cherry Pie

FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee is long past the days when it viewed its music scene as a horse race— a sort of competition to see which act might break out first. Still, it’s hard not to wonder what the ceiling is for a band like GGOOLLDD, an electro-pop group with such perfectly constructed songs, such a glamorous stage presence and such a savvy understanding of contemporary trends that they seemed like bona fide stars from day one. Milwaukee has never seen anything quite like them. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Antics Wolfbiter

GUITARIST

FIRST PLACE:

Andrew Koenig

Andrew Koenig is what you might call a generalist. As one-fourth of the Milwaukee quartet The Thriftones, Koenig hopscotches on his guitar from folk, funk, rockabilly and country and nearly everything in between, showing off with a brisk solo whenever a song allows. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Aaron Jellish Chris Roland Dave Wacker

JAZZ MUSICIAN FIRST PLACE:

Carlos Adames Group

“Of course you’ve got to have these little tinges of Spanish in it,” proclaimed the great Jelly Roll Morton, “in order to play real good jazz.” Born into a musical family with South American and Caribbean roots, percussionist Carlos Adames was surrounded by the right rhythms from a young, impressionable age. The Carlos Adames Group—featuring Elias Holman on keyboards, Tony Ayala on timbales, Conway Powell on bass, Adames on percussion and frequent guests—has been a staple of the Milwaukee music scene since 2012, demonstrating Jelly Roll’s insight into the Afro-Latin foundation of “real good jazz.” (Tyler Friedman)

RUNNERS-UP: Jamie Breiwick Ryan Janscha Andrew Spadafora

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

LEONARDO MASCARO

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

FIRST PLACE:

Recent years have deflated the popular narrative that Nirvana and the early ’90s alt-rock boom put a permanent end to hair metal.

Nearly three decades after the genre’s commercial peak, reunited hair bands continue to draw reliable crowds, as do tribute bands like Milwaukee’s Cherry Pie, who cover hits from acts like Van Halen, Journey, Def Leppard and Skid Row. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Armageddon Awaits Spiral Trance Stories for Strangers

RAP OR HIP-HOP ARTIST FIRST PLACE:

WebsterX

While most rappers flood the market with a constant stream of music, WebsterX prefers a quality-over-quantity approach. It’s working for him. When he releases a new single (or a gorgeous new video), people pay attention. This fall, ahead of a long-awaited new album, he released another stunner: “Blue Streak,” a hectic, psychedelic blur of a track that features one of his wildest, most daring performances yet. Even in a local rap scene crowded with talent, WebsterX stands out for his inventiveness and singular vision. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: D’Amato IshDARR Klassik

RAP OR HIP-HOP PRODUCER FIRST PLACE:

Klassik

As a solo artist, Klassik has released some outstanding records that fuse hip-hop, jazz and soul in unexpected ways. Those records, though, don’t tell the whole story of his contributions to the local rap scene. Klassik has done much of his best work in collaboration with other artists as a producer, mentor and muse, lending beats and verses to too many rappers to list (as well as a few rock bands, too). Lots of artists can make themselves sound good. It takes a special one to make everybody else around him sound good.

(Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Mike Regal Milo Q The Sun

Best Rock Band: The Living Statues

ROCK BAND

FIRST PLACE:

The Living Statues

The Living Statues missed the early ’00s rock revival by a good decade, which is the world’s loss: They would have fit right into the radio during the heyday of The Strokes, The Vines and The Hives. All of those bands eventually ran out of gas, but somehow The Living Statues manage to keep drawing blood from one of the world’s most exhausted stones. Their ripping latest single, “I Never Asked,” is yet another earworm. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Midwest Death Rattle Mortgage Freeman Never Doubt the Worm

VOCALIST—FEMALE FIRST PLACE:

Nora Collins

RUNNERS-UP: Alison Helf Brianna Jackson Alissa Weber

VOCALIST—MALE FIRST PLACE:

Jay Matthes

Jay Matthes is a traditionalist. The singersongwriter’s latest album, A Drier Place, is proudly no frills—a collection of mostly acoustic bluegrass and American songs recorded without any kind of studio trickery.

That naturalistic approach puts the emphasis where it belongs: on Matthes’ sturdy, grainy voice. Even when guest musicians lend a little instrumental flair to the songs, his voice remains their focal point. (Evan Rytlewski)

RUNNERS-UP: Alex Congdon Chad Hanish Ryan Janscha

By now, Nora Collins has probably built an entire addition to her family home out of all these awards that she’s amassed. The Brookfield native has been collecting WAMI and Best of Milwaukee Awards since she was still in high school. She’s grown into a very different artist than she was five years ago, though. Her music has grown glossier and poppier, more in line with the slick sound of contemporary country radio. Her latest EP features her most fetching single yet, “Recover.” (Evan Rytlewski) J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 37

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N ) RUNNERS-UP: Chris Carter Scooter Gennett Jonathan Villar

FAVORITE BUCK FIRST PLACE:

Giannis Antetokounmpo

In just three short years, Giannis Antetokounmpo (or “The Greek Freak” as he’s also known) has gone from a relatively unknown Bucks prospect to being on the cusp of NBA superstardom. The 22-year-old, 6’11” forward from Athens, Greece, finished the 2015-2016 NBA season averaging an impressive 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists while the team finished with a disappointing 33-49 record. With his career trajectory rapidly rising, Antetokounmpo is sure to become (a rather difficult) household name soon enough. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: John Henson Greg Monroe Jabari Parker

FAVORITE PACKER FIRST PLACE:

Aaron Rodgers

Favorite Brewcity Bruiser: VerucAssault

FAVORITE ADMIRAL FIRST PLACE:

Jimmy Oligny

Jimmy Oligny began his run with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2014 after playing for Rimouski Oceanic and Prince Edward Island Rocket. After a brief stint with the Cincinnati Cyclones in 2015, Oligny signed a two-year contract with the Admirals beginning in the 2016-2017 season. As a rock-solid defender, Oligny leads the team’s defense and recorded one goal and five assists in his rookie year. At only 23 years old, Oligny has a long time to create a lasting legacy with the Admirals. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Justin Florek Adam Payerl Juuse Saros

FAVORITE BREWCITY BRUISER FIRST PLACE:

VerucAssault

The Brewcity Bruisers bring the hurt, but nothing quite like Rushin’ Rollettes VerucAssault. They call her “the everlasting block stopper.” She puts her body out there with abandon. In 2015, she put up impressive numbers, 38 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

with five jams as blocker in four separate bouts including the semi-finals and championship games. Unlike her namesake, this VerucAssault is one good egg who just happens to be tough as nails. You might find her rolling on her bike for transportation or fun, but rolling with the derby is where her real passion lies. (Lisa A. Kortebein)

RUNNERS-UP: Latina Heat Sharkira Zo-Tay

FAVORITE BREWER FIRST PLACE:

Ryan Braun

His PED scandal may have forever tarnished his reputation, but here in Milwaukee, Ryan Braun can do no wrong. Certainly it doesn’t hurt that even in his 30s, the face of the franchise is still producing all-star numbers— including 30 home runs during an incredible 2016—but the truth is no Wisconsin athlete has shown more dedication to the community than Braun who, for several years running, has flown into the city to greet fans and collect canned goods at the team’s annual Thanksgiving food drive. He’s not nearly the monster that booing Cubs fans would have you believe he is. (Evan Rytlewski)

Packers fans showed just how much faith they had in their franchise QB in this year’s balloting. When the voting closed, Rodgers was struggling (and dealing with some less-than-flattering personal business being dragged into the spotlight) as the Packers appeared bound for their worst finish since his rookie season. But the months since showed why Rodgers was rewarded as this year’s Green and Gold favorite and why he might be the most popular Packer of all time. Nothing short of signing with the Vikings would take the shine off A-Rod’s star. And even that would be forgiven in time. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Eddie Lacy Clay Matthews Jordy Nelson

FAVORITE WAVE PLAYER FIRST PLACE:

Ian Bennett

Besides a short stint with the Rochester Rhinos in 2010, Ian Bennett has been an integral part of the Milwaukee Wave since 2009, winning the Major Indoor Soccer League championship in both the 2010-2011 and 20112012 seasons. Bennett controls the flow of the game with his play in the midfield and has scored more than 40 goals during his time with the Wave. With his consistency and skill, Bennett is sure to be named alongside Wave greats such as Peter Knezic and Michael King when all is said and done. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Hans Denissen Marcelo Fontana Tenzin Rampa SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 GYM

FIRST PLACE:

cellphones long enough to enjoy the view.

With its lake overlook, thoughtful layout and hidden bluffs and ravines, Lake Park remains the most scenic park in the city. (Evan Rytlewski)

Multiple locations 414-328-1300 thewac.com

RUNNERS-UP: Estabrook Park Grant Park Humboldt Park

Wisconsin Athletic Club

With seven locations across the metro area, the Wisconsin Athletic Club (WAC) offers a wide variety of training programs and athletic facilities that cover a range of both mental and physical wellness activities. Founded in West Allis in 1976 as a private racquetball club, the WAC eventually developed into one of the area’s premier fitness chains. The WAC opened its Downtown Milwaukee location (411 E. Wisconsin Ave.) in 1999.

(Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: Barre District INVIVO Legacy Gym MKE

PADDLESPORTS —RENT OR BUY FIRST PLACE:

REI

13100 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield 262-783-6150 rei.com/stores/brookfield

Summer may seem a distant memory or too far in the future to consider. Yet soon enough the warm weather will return and paddlesport enthusiasts will flock to the lakefront and Milwaukee’s rivers, anxious to get back on the water. As the season begins, some may determine they’re in the market for a new kayak, canoe or paddle board, and many area folks will trek out to REI in Brookfield.

In spring and summer, REI is well stocked with everything the watersports devotee needs. Rentals are available for those not ready to invest. (Susan Harpt Grimes)

RUNNERS-UP: Erehwon Mountain Outfitter Milwaukee Kayak Company Sherper’s

PUBLIC PARK FIRST PLACE:

Lake Park

Lake Park received some extra attention this year—far, far more than it wanted—when it became one of the country’s hottest destinations for the fad game Pokémon Go. Thousands of players flocked to the park each week to collect Squirtles and Charmanders, much to the chagrin of neighbors and overworked parks staff. But hopefully some of those visitors looked away from their SHEPHERD EXPRESS

SPORTS TALK RADIO FIRST PLACE:

Brewers Baseball (620 WTMJ)

Let’s be frank, sports talk radio is awful. The meathead hosts, the ill-informed callers, the inane and reactionary prattle: No, the Packers should not trade Aaron Rodgers; no, the Brewers cannot void Ryan Braun’s contract, etc. Who wouldn’t prefer an afternoon with Bob Uecker and Brewers baseball on the radio? It provides a perfect backing soundtrack to any lazy day in the summertime and the only shouting comes when the Brewers hit one out. (Matthew J. Prigge)

RUNNERS-UP: The Big Show (105.7 The Fan) The Bill Michaels Show (105.7 The Fan) The Mitch Nelles Show (The Big 920)

CHARLES ALLIS / VILLA TERRACE

ART MUSEUMS MUSEUM HOURS:

Wed - Sun 1 - 5pm

GENERAL ADMISSION:

$7/Adults • $5/Seniors (62+), $5 Military, Students (with ID)

INFORMATION: (414)278-8295 • www.cavtmuseums.org

WISCONSIN SKI HILL FIRST PLACE:

Alpine Valley

Alpine Valley Resort W2501 County Road D, Elkhorn 262-642-7374 alpinevalleyresort.com

Alpine Valley has been a favorite for Wisconsin skiers and snowboarders for years, and for good reason. The Elkhorn ski resort features more than 90 acres of skiable white snow—with 20 separate runs and a vertical drop of 388 feet. The resort prides itself on its diverse slopes that offer something for people of all ages and abilities. This, plus the picturesque, hilly landscape, makes it an ideal destination for a day- or weekend-long family outing. (Rob Hullum)

RUNNERS-UP: Granite Peak at Rib Mountain State Park Little Switzerland Sunburst

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 39

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( B O U G H T & S O L D ) AUTO DEALERSHIP —IMPORT FIRST PLACE:

David Hobbs Honda 6100 N. Green Bay Ave. 414-352-6100 davidhobbs.com

RUNNERS-UP: Andrew Toyota Don Jacobs Schlossman Subaru City of Milwaukee

AUTO DETAILER FIRST PLACE:

Metro Hand Car Wash and Detailing Centre 1510 N. Van Buren St. 414-220-9600 metrocarwashand detailing.com

RUNNERS UP CJ’s Auto Griffin Hub

ADULT RETAIL STORE

ART SUPPLY STORE

The Tool Shed

Blick Art Materials

FIRST PLACE:

2427 N. Murray Ave. 414-906-5304 toolshedtoys.com

RUNNERS-UP: After Hours Naughty But Nice Super Video & Variety/ Temptations

ANTIQUE STORE FIRST PLACE:

Antiques on Pierce 1512 W. Pierce St. 414-645-9640 antiquesonpierce.com

RUNNERS-UP: Clinton Street Antiques Farm Girl Art and Antiques Uncle Ned’s

40 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

FIRST PLACE:

multiple locations dickblick.com

RUNNERS-UP: Hobby Lobby Michaels

AUTO DEALERSHIP —DOMESTIC FIRST PLACE:

Boucher Chevrolet 1421 E. Moreland Road 262-347-4314 boucherchevrolet.com

RUNNERS-UP: Heiser Ford Lincoln Holz Chevrolet Uptown Motors

BRIDAL DRESS SHOP FIRST PLACE:

David’s Bridal multiple locations davidsbridal.com

RUNNERS-UP: Amelishan Bridal Bliss Bridal White Dress Bridal Boutique

CAMPING EQUIPMENT FIRST PLACE:

REI

13100 W. Capitol Drive 262-783-6150 rei.com

RUNNERS UP Erehwon Mountain Outfitter Sherper’s Yellow Wood

AUTO REPAIR

CARPET/FINE RUGS

Hale Park Automotive

Kashou Carpets

FIRST PLACE:

Best Art Supply Store: Blick Art Materials

RUNNERS-UP: Barnes & Noble—Mayfair Downtown Books Half Price Books

10983 W. Forest Home Ave. 414-425-1441 haleparkauto.com

RUNNERS-UP: Josh’s Garage Manyo Motors Riverside Automotive

BIKE SHOP

FIRST PLACE:

Wheel & Sprocket multiple locations wheelandsprocket.com

RUNNERS-UP: Ben’s Cycle DreamBikes The Bike Fixers

BOOKSTORE FIRST PLACE:

Boswell Book Company 2559 N. Downer Ave. 414-332-1181 boswellbooks.com

FIRST PLACE:

2169 N. Farwell Ave. 414-271-9020 kashoucarpets.com

RUNNERS-UP: Carpet Mill Outlet Malkin’s Flooring Shabahang Rugs

CLOTHING BOUTIQUE FIRST PLACE:

Luv Unlimited

2649 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-744-2540 luvunlimited.com

RUNNERS-UP: Dressed in Time Hyde Park MKE Lizzibeth

CLOTHING—CHILDREN’S FIRST PLACE:

Little Monsters

2445 N. Farwell Ave. 414-964-2323 littlemonstersmilwaukee.com

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 RUNNERS-UP: Sheek 911 Boutique Sparrow Clothing The Children’s Place

CLOTHING—MEN’S FIRST PLACE:

Harleys for Men 3565 N. Oakland Ave. 414-332-3404 harleys4men.com

RUNNERS-UP: Hyde Park MKE Milwaukee Home Sheek 911 Boutique

CLOTHING—WOMEN’S FIRST PLACE:

Lizzibeth

550 E. Menomonee St. 414-416-6265 lizzibeth.com

RUNNERS-UP: Dressed in Time Free Bird Sheek 911 Boutique

COMIC BOOK STORE FIRST PLACE:

Collector’s Edge Comics multiple locations collectorsedgecomics.com

RUNNERS-UP: Lost World of Wonders Vortex Comics

EYEWEAR

FIRST PLACE:

Wisconsin Vision

multiple locations wisconsinvision.com

RUNNERS-UP: BeSpectacled Eye Candy Metro Eye

FAIR TRADE STORE FIRST PLACE:

Beans & Barley 1901 E. North Ave. 414-278-7878 beansandbarley.com

RUNNERS-UP: Four Corners of the World Green Fields Plowshare Fair Trade Marketplace

FASHION ACCESSORIES FIRST PLACE:

The Waxwing 1800 E. North Ave. thewaxwing.com

RUNNERS-UP: Bangles & Bags Lizzibeth Sparrow Collective

The Tool Shed An Erotic Boutique

2427 N Murray Avenue Milwaukee, Wisconsin Mon-Sat: noon-8pm Sun: noon-5pm

FINE JEWELRY STORE FIRST PLACE:

Kessler’s Diamonds 450 E. Mason St. 414-721-9450 kesslersdiamonds.com

Body-safe sex toys & lubes.

Welcoming environment.

Classes & workshops.

Knowledgeable & friendly staff.

Voted best adult boutique in the USA by AVN in 2014.

toolshedtoys.com SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 41

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( B O U G H T & S O L D ) RUNNERS-UP: Lyle Husar Designs Shallow Jewelers A Trio Jewelry Design Studio

FLOWER SHOP FIRST PLACE:

The Flower Lady 1417 Underwood Ave. 414-259-0999 theflowerlady.com

RUNNERS-UP: Barb & Dick’s Wildflowers Bella Fiori Waukesha Floral & Greenhouse

FURNITURE

FIRST PLACE:

Steinhafels Multiple locations steinhafels.com

RUNNERS-UP: Ashley’s BILTRITE Furniture -Leather-Mattresses Colder’s Furniture and Appliances

GARDEN CENTER FIRST PLACE:

Milaeger’s

4838 Douglas Ave., Racine 262-639-2040 milaegers.com

RUNNERS-UP: Bayside Garden Center Bluemel’s Garden & Landscape Center Wisconsin Garden & Pet Supply

GIFT SHOP

FIRST PLACE:

The Waxwing 1800 E. North Ave. thewaxwing.com

RUNNERS-UP: Hot Pop Lizzibeth Sparrow Collective

HEAD SHOP

FIRST PLACE:

Atomic Glass 1813 E. Locust St. 414-332-4141 atomicglass.net

RUNNERS-UP: Blue on Greenfield Knuckleheads Tobacco & Gifts Pipe Dreams

LIGHTING SHOWROOM FIRST PLACE:

BBC Lighting 2015 W. St. Paul Ave. 414-933-0808 bbclighting.com

RUNNERS-UP: Brass Light Gallery Elektra Lights

MATTRESS STORE FIRST PLACE:

Verlo Mattress multiple locations verlo.com

RUNNERS-UP: BILTRITE Furniture -Leather-Mattresses Mattress Firm Steinhafels

MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHIP FIRST PLACE:

Wisconsin Harley-Davidson —Oconomowoc 1280 Blue Ribbon Drive 262-569-8500 wishd.com

RUNNERS-UP: Don & Roy’s Motorsports Hal’s Harley-Davidson Indian Motorcycle of Metro Milwaukee

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STORE FIRST PLACE:

Cascio Interstate Music Store

RUNNERS-UP: Brass Bell Music Store Music Go Round Wade’s Guitar Shop

TOBACCO SHOP

NEW RETAIL STORE

114 W. Wisconsin Ave. 414-273-6665 uhles.com

FIRST PLACE:

FIRST PLACE:

Uhle’s Tobacco Company

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market

RUNNERS-UP: Blue on Greenfield Famous Cigar Knuckleheads Tobacco & Gifts

RUNNERS-UP: Mod Gen Swoon The Gift Shoppe—Greenfield

VAPE SHOP

470 E. Pleasant St. 414-290-3999 freshthyme.com

PET STORE

FIRST PLACE:

Bark n’ Scratch Outpost

5835 W. Bluemound Road 414-444-4110 milwaukeepetfood.com

RUNNERS-UP: Bentley’s Pet Outpost Gary’s Pet Jungle Mac’s Pet Depot Barkery

RECORD STORE FIRST PLACE:

The Exclusive Company

multiple locations exclusivecompany.com

RUNNERS-UP: Acme Records Bullseye Records Rushmor Records

SHOE STORE FIRST PLACE:

DSW—Designer Shoe Warehouse multiple locations dsw.com

FIRST PLACE:

Blue on Greenfield 7223 W. Greenfield Ave. 414-453-7223 blueongreenfield.com

RUNNERS-UP: Infinite Vapor Milwaukee Knucklehead Tobacco & Gifts Pipe Dreams

VINTAGE / THRIFT STORE FIRST PLACE:

Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin multiple locations goodwillsew.com

RUNNERS-UP: Luv Unlimited Retique Uncle Ned’s

WEDDING RINGS FIRST PLACE:

Kessler’s Diamonds 450 W. Mason St. 414-721-9450 kesslersdiamonds.com

RUNNERS-UP: Harry Glinberg Jewelers Husar’s House of Fine Diamonds Shallow Jewelers

RUNNERS-UP: Moda 3 Shoo Stan’s Fit for Your Feet

13819 W. National Ave. 262-789-7600 interstatemusic.com

42 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( S E R V I C E S R E N D E R E D ) ACCOUNTANT OR TAX ADVISOR FIRST PLACE:

Nelson Tax Accounting

2581 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-481-6812 ntatax.com

RUNNERS-UP: JCW Tax and Accounting Klein Taxes Lakeshore Tax Corporation

ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION FIRST PLACE:

MADACC

3839 W. Burnham St. 414-649-8640 madacc.org

RUNNERS-UP: Door County Sled Dogs Happy Endings Cat Shelter Rescue Gang

BANK

FIRST PLACE:

BMO Harris Bank multiple locations bmoharris.com

RUNNERS-UP: Associated Bank Summit Credit Union Tri City National Bank

BOUTIQUE HOTEL FIRST PLACE:

The Iron Horse Hotel

500 W. Florida St. 414-374-4766 theironhorsehotel.com

RUNNERS-UP: Ambassador Hotel County Clare Irish Inn & Pub Hotel Metro

CAB COMPANY FIRST PLACE:

Uber

uber.com

RUNNERS-UP: Lyft Taxi MKE Yellow Cab SHEPHERD EXPRESS

CATERER

FIRST PLACE:

Zilli Hospitality Group 613 N. Grandview Blvd., Waukesha 262-533-0045 zillihospitalitygroup.com

RUNNERS-UP: Ball ’n Biscuit Catering Irene’s Catering Tall Guy and a Grill

CREDIT UNION FIRST PLACE:

Educators Credit Union multiple locations ecu.com

multiple locations ecu.com

RUNNERS-UP: Guardian Credit Union Landmark Credit Union Waterstone Bank

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FOR OPENING A CHECKING ACCOUNT FIRST PLACE:

Educators Credit Union multiple locations ecu.com

RUNNERS-UP: Associated Bank Summit Credit Union UW Credit Union

RUNNERS-UP: Guardian Credit Union Summit Credit Union UW Credit Union

FINANCIAL PLANNER OR STOCK BROKER

DOGGY DAYCARE

Northwestern Mutual

FIRST PLACE:

Central Bark multiple locations centralbarkusa.com

RUNNERS-UP: Bay View Bark Doggy Office North Shore Doggy Day Care

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FOR GETTING A BUSINESS LOAN FIRST PLACE:

Educators Credit Union multiple locations ecu.com

RUNNERS-UP: Landmark Credit Union Summit Credit Union Waterstone Bank

FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FOR GETTING A HOME MORTGAGE FIRST PLACE:

Educators Credit Union

FIRST PLACE:

multiple locations northwesternmutual.com

RUNNERS-UP: Edward Jones Fidelity Investments Robert W. Baird

FLOOR COVERINGS / CARPETS FIRST PLACE:

Kashou Carpets 2169 N. Farwell Ave. 414-271-9020 kashoucarpets.com

RUNNERS-UP: Carpetland USA Carpet Town Malkin’s Flooring

HAIR STYLIST—WOMEN’S FIRST PLACE:

Mirabella Hair Design multiple locations

RUNNERS-UP: Hive Salon Neroli Salon & Spa The Establishment

HOTEL ROOMS FIRST PLACE:

The Iron Horse Hotel 500 W. Florida St. 414-374-4766 theironhorsehotel.com

RUNNERS-UP: Hotel Metro The Intercontinental The Pfister Hotel

LAWYER—BANKRUPTCY FIRST PLACE:

Miller & Miller

multiple locations 414-326-9231 millermillerlaw.com

RUNNERS-UP: D’Angelo & Jones ESSERLAW Michael F. Torphy

LAWYER—CRIMINAL DEFENSE FIRST PLACE:

Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown

330 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 1170 414-271-1440 grgblaw.com

HAIR STYLIST—MEN’S

RUNNERS-UP: D’Angelo & Jones Schiro & Zarzynski Susan Roth

Groom for Men

LAWYER—DIVORCE

FIRST PLACE:

330 E. St. Paul Ave. 414-298-2076 groomformen.com

RUNNERS-UP: Hive Salon Neroli Salon & Spa The Nobleman

FIRST PLACE:

Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown

330 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 1170 414-271-1440 grgblaw.com

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 43

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 RUNNERS-UP: Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Angelo & Jones Gagne, McChrystal, De Lorenzo & Burghardt Nelson, Krueger & Millenbach

Thank you for nominating us

Best Thrift Store

LAWYERâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; PERSONAL INJURY FIRST PLACE:

Hupy & Abraham multiple locations 800-800-5678 hupy.com

RUNNERS-UP: Carlson, Blau & Clemens Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown Gruber Law Oï¬&#x192;ces

MASSAGE THERAPIST FIRST PLACE:

Originails

6122 S. 108th St. 414-425-8489 originails100.com

.JMXBVLFF T $SFEJU 6OJPO

RUNNERS-UP: INVIVO Milwaukee Reiki Neroli Salon & Spa

NAIL TECHNICIAN FIRST PLACE:

Originails

6122 S. 108th St. 414-425-8489 originails100.com

RUNNERS-UP: Lovely Salon & Spa Nail Bar Neroli Salon & Spa

.,&

PERSONAL TRAINER FIRST PLACE:

Wisconsin Athletic Club multiple locations thewac.com

RUNNERS-UP: Ambrose Wilson-Brown Britt Holterman and Kiley Hauck of Legacy Gym INVIVO

SPA

FIRST PLACE:

HVBSEJBODV PSH 44 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

Neroli Salon & Spa

multiple locations nerolisalonspa.com

RUNNERS-UP: INVIVO Juniper Salon & Spa Originails

TATTOO PARLOR FIRST PLACE:

Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Point Tattoo 712 S. Second St. 414-273-7827 walkerspointtattoo.com

RUNNERS-UP: Brew City Tattoo Custom Tattoo Solid State Tattoo

VETERINARIAN FIRST PLACE:

Shorewood Animal Hospital 2500 E. Capitol Drive 414-962-6662 shorewoodanimalhospital.com

RUNNERS-UP: The Cat Doctor VCA Pahle Animal Hospital Dr. Ramard Wright â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Brown Deer Animal Hospital

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER FIRST PLACE:

Front Room Photography

2637 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. 414-294-0080 frphoto.com

RUNNERS-UP: 44 Caliber Media Cream City Weddings Danielle Simone Photography

YOGA

FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Yoga Center

3514 N. Oakland Ave. 414-332-3551 mycmke.com

RUNNERS-UP: INVIVO Urban Om Wisconsin Athletic Club SHEPHERD EXPRESS

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016 ( M E D I C A L )

FIRST PLACE:

RUNNERS-UP: Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital Waukesha Memorial Hospital

cosmeticsurgeryplus.com

LASIK SURGEON

ACUPUNCTURIST

COSMETIC SURGEON

Milwaukee Community Acupuncture

Dr. Thomas Korkos— Plastic Surgery Associates

FIRST PLACE:

milwaukeecommunity acupuncture.org

RUNNERS-UP: Acupuncture by Alana Aleisha Anderson —Mke MindBody Wellness North Cape Acupuncture

AESTHETICIAN FIRST PLACE:

Anastasia—Originails Nail Salon & Spa originails100.com

RUNNERS-UP: Juniper Spa and Body Lovely Salon and Spa Suite Mint Esthetics

ALCOHOL & DRUG REHABILITATION CENTER FIRST PLACE:

Rogers Memorial Hospital rogershospital.org

RUNNERS-UP: Access Recovery Mental Health Rosecrance Health Network 10th Street Comprehensive Treatment Center

CHIROPRACTOR FIRST PLACE:

INVIVO

invivowellness.com

RUNNERS-UP: AlignLife Chiropractic Berry Family Chiropractic Max Health Chiropractic

COSMETIC DENTIST FIRST PLACE:

Stephanie Murphy, DDS milwaukeedentist.com

RUNNERS-UP: Cigno Family Dental Modern Touch Dental Wisconsin Smiles

RUNNERS-UP: Dr. Jolene Andryk Clinic of Cosmetic Surgery Refresh Aesthetic Center

DENTIST

FIRST PLACE:

Stephanie Murphy, DDS

milwaukeedentist.com

FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Eye Care Associates milwaukeeeyecare.com

RUNNERS-UP: Davis Duehr Dean Eye Care Dr. Jason Edmonds Lakeshore Eye Care

RUNNERS-UP: Brookfield Family Dentistry Integrative Dental Solutions Modern Touch Dental

PEDIATRICIAN

DERMATOLOGIST

RUNNERS-UP: Dr. Cheryl Dominski Dr. Jean Hoppfer Dr. Claudia Koch

FIRST PLACE:

Affiliated Dermatologists affiliatedderm.com

FIRST PLACE:

Shoreview Pediatrics shoreviewpediatrics.com

RUNNERS-UP: Dr. Pamela Butler Forefront Dermatology Dr. Jack Maloney

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

EYE DOCTOR

wiscopt.com

FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Eye Care Associates milwaukeeeyecare.com

RUNNERS-UP: Dr. Deborah Bernstein —Milwaukee Eye Associates Dr. Amy Jankowski—Metro Eye Wisconsin Vision

GYNECOLOGIST FIRST PLACE:

Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center aurorahealthcare.org

RUNNERS-UP: Dr. Michelle Douglas Dr. Deborah Larkey Moreland OB-GYN Associates

HOSPITAL

FIRST PLACE:

Froedtert Hospital

FIRST PLACE:

Wisconsin Orthopedic Physical Therapy RUNNERS-UP: Angela Domnitz INVIVO Revitalize Physical Therapy

PSYCHOTHERAPIST FIRST PLACE:

Claire Stengl, LPC prohealthcare.org

RUNNERS-UP: Barbara Baer, PhD Susan Brozek, MSW, LCSW David Songco, PsyD

WALK-IN CLINIC FIRST PLACE:

Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center Urgent Care aurorahealthcare.org

RUNNERS-UP: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Froedtert Wheaton Franciscan

froedtert.com

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 45

BEST OF MILWAUKEE 2016

( H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N )

( R E A L E S TAT E )

COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS AGE 35 & UP

POST-GRADUATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

HOME BUILDER

Milwaukee Area Technical College

UW-Milwaukee

bielinski.com

FIRST PLACE:

RUNNERS-UP: Alverno College Cardinal Stritch University Concordia University

MBA PROGRAM FIRST PLACE:

UW-Milwaukee

RUNNERS-UP: Cardinal Stritch University Concordia University Marquette University

MUSIC PROGRAM FIRST PLACE:

Wisconsin Conservatory of Music

RUNNERS-UP: Cardinal Stritch University UW-Milwaukee Wisconsin Lutheran College

NURSING SCHOOL FIRST PLACE:

UW-Milwaukee

RUNNERS-UP: Alverno College Cardinal Stritch University Marquette University

ONLINE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY FIRST PLACE:

UW-Milwaukee

FIRST PLACE:

RUNNERS-UP: Cardinal Stritch University Concordia University Marquette University

PRIVATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY FIRST PLACE:

FIRST PLACE:

Bielinski Homes RUNNERS-UP: Design Group Three Kings Way Homes Nehmey Construction

HOME REMODELING FIRST PLACE:

Nehmey Construction nehmeyconstruction.com

Marquette University

RUNNERS-UP: AB&K Borth-Wilson Plumbing and Bathroom Remodeling Design Group Three

PUBLIC COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY

REAL ESTATE AGENT

RUNNERS-UP: Cardinal Stritch University Concordia University

FIRST PLACE:

UW-Milwaukee

RUNNERS-UP: UW-Green Bay UW-Waukesha UW-Whitewater

VOCATIONAL OR TECHNICAL COLLEGE FIRST PLACE:

Milwaukee Area Technical College RUNNERS-UP: Gateway Technical College Institute of Beauty and Wellness Waukesha County Technical College

FIRST PLACE:

John Molitor— Coldwell Banker Homes coldwellbankerhomes.com

RUNNERS-UP: Dominic Kissinger—Powers Realty Group Elizabeth Weasler—First Weber Realtors Kevin Wester —Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

RENTAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GROUP FIRST PLACE:

Mandel Group mandelgroup.com

RUNNERS-UP: Dominion Properties Eastmore Real Estate Ogden & Company

RUNNERS-UP: Cardinal Stritch University Milwaukee Area Technical College University of Phoenix 46 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Support

Local NonProfits January is National Mentoring Month!

Become a volunteer to a local youth and you can change a childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life for the better, forever!

In the Community

414-831-4563

Our mission is to preach the gospel ofĆ&#x2013; Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in %is name without discrimination.

www.SAmilwaukee.org

Want to advertise on this page?

Contact Alissa at: alissa@shepex.com

At a School

bbbsmilwaukee.org/volunteer

College Readiness

#BecomeABigMKE

Troubled by OCD? Participate in a clinical research study

Rogers Behavioral Health is currently recruiting individuals (aged 18-65) with OCD symptoms to participate in testing a computer-based treatment program. The treatment, delivered on a smart phone in a controlled setting, is aimed at reducing the anxiety associated with the disorder.

To learn more, call 414-865-2600 or visit rogershospital.org/research Qualified participants will receive compensation.

All inquiries are confidential.

Study is funded through private donations to the Rogers Memorial Hospital Foundation.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 47

::DININGOUT

For more Dining, log onto shepherdexpress.com

KEVIN MIYAZAKI

COURTESY OF STAND.EAT.DRINK HOSPITALITY

FEATURE | SHORT ORDER | EAT/DRINK

Red Light Ramen

The Churro Shop

Chefs Branch Out with Restaurants Within Their Restaurants ::BY LACEY MUSZYNSKI

new trend is taking hold in restaurants around Milwaukee that gives chefs the flexibility to explore cuisine apart from their everyday menus: restaurants within restaurants. Not quite a pop-up restaurant, which is sporadic in its appearance, these restaurants operate in the same space, from the same kitchen, but under a completely different name and concept.

Red Light Ramen, an offshoot of Ardent (1751 N. Farwell Ave.), was one of the first successful examples of this meta restaurant concept. Originally only open on weekend nights after dinner service was over, Ardent’s Justin Carlisle transformed the restaurant space into a loud, bustling Japanese ramen shop, the exact opposite of calm, cozy Ardent. It was so popular that once the space next to the restaurant became vacant, Carlisle made Red Light Ramen (1749 N. Farwell Ave.) a permanent spot. Red Light is now open Wednesday-Saturday 6 p.m.-1 a.m.

Other restaurants are now following Carlisle’s lead—though whether they will be moving into separate permanent homes remains to be seen, and is probably unlikely thanks to restaurants with a larger footprint. DanDan (360 E. Erie St.), a Chinese American restaurant that opened in summer of 2016, also operates EsterEv in a private dining room. Available Thursday through Saturday nights for one seating, the 10-course menu ($80) from chefs Dan Van Rite and Dan Jacobs features dishes from around the globe, and generally doesn’t include a Chinese influence.

The menu changes monthly and beverage pairings ($40), which usually include wines and cocktails, can be added. Past dishes have included steak tartare, sturgeon with oxtail and radish, and rabbit with gnocchi. Seating is family style and reservations are required.

48 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

Movida (524 S. Second St.), a Spanish restaurant serving tapas and paella, fries up fresh churros in a mini meta restaurant. Called The Churro Shop, diners can order churros at the restaurant’s bar for take-out or dine-in, or you can even get them delivered hot to wherever you like. (Can you imagine an office party with fresh churros? Everyone would actually show up.)

The Churro Shop is available Tuesday through Sunday evenings, with hours until midnight on Friday and Saturday for night owls. Churros ($5-$6) come with your choice of dipping sauce, including chocolate and raspberry. And if you’d like something savory to go with your sweet, they also offer croquetas. The little fried fritters ($10-11) are available stuffed with ham or veggie goat cheese, and come with garlic aioli.

While the restaurant-within-a-restaurant trend is relatively new, many bars have had kitchens operating separately from the bar business for years. Vinchi’s Pizza, a clandestine South Side pizza spot, operates out of the Bubbler pub, 3158 S. Howell Ave. In this case, the kitchen space is leased out to a third party— namely, Paul Meka—that bakes some of the best Milwaukee-style thin crust around. You can order pies to eat in the pub, or call ahead for takeout. It’s cash only, so plan ahead.

Boone & Crockett (2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) also has a permanent resident: Gypsy Taco. It started as a food truck, and technically it still is, though it’s parked in Boone’s backyard patio space. They generally serve the same hours as Boone, though they sometimes close for weather, given their al fresco location. The seasonal menu changes often, but you’ll almost always find their Dr. Pepper-braised pork shoulder taco ($4) and their take on Mexican street corn in a cup ($4) with Cotija cheese and arugula. No matter what you order, top it with their signature Gypsy Danger hot sauce.

Red Light Ramen 414-837-5107 | redlightramen.com | $-$$

Ardent 414-897-7022 | ardentmke.com | $$$-$$$$

DanDan 414-488-8036 | dandanmke.com | $$-$$$

EsterEv 414-488-8036 | esterev.com | $$$-$$$$

Movida 414-224-5300 | movidamke.com | $$

The Churro Shop 414-224-5300 | thechurroshop.com | $

Vinchi’s Pizza 414-384-8040 | $-$$

The Bubbler 414-482-4941

Gypsy Taco facebook.com/gypsytaco | $

Boone & Crockett 414-779-0818 | boonemilwaukee.com

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

DENTAL Insurance

FREE Information Kit

Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

A less expensive way to help get the dental care you deserve If you’re over 50, you can get coverage for about $1 a day* Keep your own dentist! NO networks to worry about No wait for preventive care and no deductibles – you could get a checkup tomorrow

Coverage for over 350 procedures – including cleanings,

1-800-413-9114

exams, fillings, crowns…even dentures

NO annual or lifetime cap on the cash benefits you can receive

www.dental50plus.com/shep

*Individual plan.

Product not available in MN, MT, NH, RI, VT, WA. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY;call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150(GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN) 6096E

MB16-NM001Ec

Best of Milwaukee 2016 FINALIST BUDDHALOUNGEMKE.COM // 414-283-8400 // 1504 E. NORTH AVE. I - ORDER ONLINE AND GET FREE DELIVERY ‘TIL MIDNIGHT // 7 DAYS A WEEK 20% OFF LUNCH EVERY DAY* | STUDENTS RECEIVE 15% DISCOUNT*

50% OFF HAPPY HOUR* APPETIZERS TAP BEER RAIL DRINKS MONDAY-FRIDAY 4-7PM

AUTHENTIC VIETNAMESE - CHINESE - THAI - SUSHI • LOCALLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS • FREE R ANGE NATUR AL CHICKEN • • NATUR AL GR ASS FED BEEF & PORK •

FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SPECIALS* $7 DOMESTIC PITCHERS | $10 CRAFT BEER PITCHERS $1.50 “SIX PACK” WINGS | $5 CURRY CHICKEN SKEWERS

ARRIVE BY 1:30PM AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES AND GET

F R E E GREEN BAY SCORE.

BUDDHA SHOTS WITH EACH

ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN GRAND PRIZES DURING OUR POST-GAME PARTY! A $250 BUDDHA LOUNGE GIFT CARD, AN AUTHENTIC AUTOGRAPHED AARON RODGERS BASEBALL CAP OR AN AUTHENTIC AARON RODGERS AUTOGRAPHED FOOTBALL HELMET. Party begins 30 minutes after the game. Must be present to be eligible for prizes.

*Cannot be combined with other discounts or specials.

Football specials throughout playoffs - from kickoff through midnight of each game day. Dine-in only.

M K E ’ S F I N E S T L AT E N I G H T F U L L M E N U ! S U N - W E D ‘ T I L M I D N I G H T & T H U R S - S AT ‘ T I L 2 A M SHEPHERD EXPRESS

G I F T C A R D S AVA I L A B L E J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 49

DININGOUT::SHORTORDER

MILWAUKEE’S PREMIER SUSHI RESTAURANT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS!

2930 N. 117th St. • Wauwatosa (414)235-9220

2150 N. PROSPECT AVE. 414-271-5278 WWW.IZUMIS.COM

AUTHENTIC INDIAN FOOD COOKED IN A CHARCOAL CLAY OVEN Open daily: 11:30am-3pm • 5pm-10:30pm indiagardenwauwatosa.com

SUSHI SPECIAL TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS 2 maki rolls, 4 pieces nigiri, miso soup and a small salad for $17

Sushi, Sake, and Save Get 50% off at

ALL YOU CAN EAT LUNCH BUFFET Tuesday-Friday 11:30am-2pm

RAMEN THURSDAYS $10

when you shop

FISH FRY FRIDAYS Japanese Chicken Wings, Miso Soup, Potato Salad, Panko Breaded Ocean Perch and California Rolls for $12.50

Tasty deals available at sheptstore.com the

50 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

the

WWW.SHEPSTORE.COM

Tosa Bowl and Bun

HOMEMADE GOODNESS AT TOSA BOWL AND BUN For those in search of good lunch, Wauwatosa’s Tosa Bowl and Bun (7212 W. North Ave.) warrants consideration. Offering sandwiches, daily entrée and soup specials, salads and party trays this family owned and operated deli celebrates homemade goodness. Entrées include scalloped potatoes and ham, various pastas, chimichanga and a Friday fish fry, while beer cheese soup, chicken rice soup, white bean chicken chili and spinach tortellini soup are among the featured daily delights. Hearty and flavorful, the Rueben soup I tried is satisfying without the accompaniment of a sandwich. Check the online menu for daily specials. Served on Sciortino Bakery rolls, Tosa Bowl and Bun’s selection of sandwiches includes chicken salad, roasted veggies and the recommended Italian, which is a classic combination of provolone, ham, salami and pepperoni. For lighter options consider one of the establishment’s seven salads, which are served with homemade dressings and croutons. (Emily Patti) SHEPHERD EXPRESS

DININGOUT::EAT/DRINK

For Soul Food, You Can’t Go Wrong with Mr. Perkins ::BY FRANKLIN K.R. CLINE

M

r. Perkins Family Restaurant (2001 W. Atkinson Ave.) is in an elite group of Milwaukee’s long-lasting eateries. Established in 1969, the restaurant adheres to an old-school aesthetic and approach that works: fantastic food, excellent service and an incredibly friendly ambiance.

I barely had a foot in the door before a server greeted me from behind the bar and asked if I was dining in or carrying out, and I was welcome to sit down if I was eating in. The dude was super nice, and I quickly realized, as folks trod in and out, that carry-out orders keep the kitchen bustling and it was totally feasible that I was coming in to pick up some of their delicious food to go. I sidled up to the counter and ordered some coffee.

Mr. Perkins only operates in the morning and afternoons, so the coffee tends to flow there, dripping as frequently as the bell letting servers know food is ready rings and rings and rings. It’s a busy spot, but the kind of busy where you feel major gratitude to be able to

sit and enjoy your time in the pleasant eatery and you tip well, knowing your server and the cooks are working like crazy.

Oh, in addition to enjoying your time, you will enjoy the food. The neck bones ($9.25)— available on Saturday only, along with their holy-cow delectable chitterlings ($18.25)— consists of a sumptuous serving of turkey necks still on the bone. It’s all dark meat in all its glory, and the meat itself is Thanksgivingjuicy. I recommend a dollop of hot sauce every couple of bites to bring a bit of salt and acidity to it, but otherwise, it’s an amazing entrée, one you can eat with your hands or with a fork, depending on either your company or how hungry you are.

Each entrée comes with two sides, of which there are nearly a dozen from which to choose. It’s tough to decide, but the dressing, which is homemade—actually, everything is homemade, it was stressed to me—is the best I’ve ever had. Savory and herbal and perfectly chewy, it’s the kind of dressing you wish you could make at home, but always over-salt or overcook or what have you over the holidays.

Not at Mr. Perkins; it’s perfect year round.

Their collard greens—slow-cooked and absent of any meat products, so vegetarians can dig in, too—are so good you catch yourself making weird little happy noises as you eat.

Meals also come with two round discs of cornbread that are reminiscent of corn fritters, but they do a lot of work as a sort of palate cleanser with the kind of meal where you never know what to take a bite out of next because everything is so good.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that a waitress beside me at the counter who had just got off of her shift, swore by the grilled cheese and fries, and I wanted to try them, but I got so full off my plate I couldn’t have gotten anything else. I’ll absolutely be back to try that grilled cheese; I’ll return super often to try the rest of their menu. Mr. Perkins has some of the best food in Milwaukee, bar none, and it is an absolute must-try for anyone in the city.

www.RFPMKE.com 509 E. Erie St. Milwaukee 414-277-1800 OPEN TUESDAY—SUNDAY at 11am Closed Mondays & Holidays

PIZZA BUFFET

Tuesdays 11:30am-2pm

HAPPY HOUR

Tuesday-Friday 3-6pm

$4 House Wine $5 Double Tall Rail Draught and Appetizer Specials

TUESDAY

11am-3pm & 6pm-Close

1/2 Price Bottles of Wine

SUNDAY

17" 3 topping pizza and pitcher of beer OR soda $24.99

I LOVE IT IN BED, ON THE COUCH

DINING ROOM TABLE...

OR AT THE BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO

EAT OUT OUR DINING GUIDE

CAN SATISFY ANY HUNGER.

shepher dexpr es s.com /dining SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 51

::A&E

For more A&E, log onto shepherdexpress.com

FEATURE | FILM | THEATRE | ART | BOOKS | CLASSICAL MUSIC | DANCE

RENAISSANCE THEATERWORKS’ ‘LUNA GALE’ EXPLORES DRUG ABUSE, FAMILY AND THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM ::BY SELENA MILEWSKI

enaissance Theaterworks’ next production in its “Secrets and Lies”-themed season is Luna Gale, a recent work by Rebecca Gilman exploring the complexities of our country’s foster care system. Director Mary MacDonald-Kerr describes the plot: “Luna Gale is the story of a social worker who is facing the end of her emotional resources, the end of a long career of putting out fires, running into brick walls, settling for almost enough.” The story also includes “a baby girl named Luna, her teenage meth addict parents and her lonely Christian grandmother. The play examines the pitfalls and heartbreaks of the foster care system, the cyclical nature of abuse and the grey area that the system has to function within to make any forward progress. The topic is serious, but the writing is often funny, dry and unsentimental,” says MacDonald-Kerr.

A superb ensemble of performers and technical artists populate the production. Milwaukee theater veteran Tami Workentin tackles the meaty role of the social worker grappling with the story’s central ethical dilemma, while rising stars April Paul and Marques Causey take on the roles of Luna’s young parents. Laura Gray, David Sapiro, Solana Ramirez-Garcia and Matt Daniels fill out the cast. On the production side, look for an ingenious set by Lisa Schlenker, whom MacDonald-Kerr praises for meeting the challenge of the play’s seven locations within the Broadway Theatre Center’s 99-seat Studio Theatre. Asked about Luna’s visual elements, MacDonald-Kerr notes that the set is “inspired by the idea of Caroline (the social worker) being a cog in the machine of the foster

52 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

care system, caught on a treadmill-like cycle of problems. The set pieces all live on stage, being pulled in and out of place by the actors as the story unfolds.”

Gilman is known for her issue-oriented plays which focus on problems that audiences might not otherwise consider, generating dialogue about complex and timely social mores rather than vindicating any single perspective. MacDonald-Kerr states, “Societal problems, by definition, belong to all of us. I believe it is the responsibility of theaters and theater artists to require society to pay attention to these issues.” Surely the U.S.’s already under-funded foster system is worth our attention as we move into an administration that has promised record cuts to social safety net Renaissance programs. Likewise, the methamphetamine crisis Theaterworks continues to destroy countless lives. Although the Luna Gale opioid epidemic receives more press in Wisconsin, the availability and abuse of meth remains deeply Jan. 20 - Feb. 12 troubling as well.

Broadway Of the story’s import to audiences today, Theatre Center MacDonald-Kerr says, “We [the ensemble] all agree that no character should be considered the villain in the story, that all sides of the problem are valid, and we’ve worked hard to maintain that perspective.” She continues, “There are morally ambiguous decisions made along the way. I hope audiences leave the theater in heated discussions about what they would do, could do, should do in the same situation.”

Renaissance Theaterworks’ Luna Gale opens Friday, Jan. 20 and runs through Feb. 12 at the Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit r-t-w.com.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Luna Gale

by Samuel D. Hunter

JANUARY 21 FEBRUARY 12

FEB 22 MAR 19

by Rebecca Gilman

WWW.BROADWAYTHEATRECENTER.COM • 414.291.7800 • 158 N BROADWAY • MILWAUKEE’S HISTORIC THIRD WARD

n a m o

MAN W UP!

i

4 T H

PRESENTED BY

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

A N N U A L

Health and Lifestyle Expo Saturday, February 11, 2017 • 10am - 4pm Wisconsin State Fair Park Expo Center

Tickets: $10

get tickets at shepherdexpress.com/womanup SPONSORED BY:

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 53

::THISWEEKINMILWAUKEE THURSDAY, JAN. 19 Riverwest FemFest @ Multiple Venues

Now in its third year, the ever-expanding Riverwest FemFest makes the case that one of the best ways to support women artists is to provide them with safe places to perform. Over its run from Wednesday, Jan. 18 to Sunday, Jan. 22, the fundraiser for Coalition for Justice, Pathfinders Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Women’s Center will feature dozens of musicians, poets and artists from Milwaukee and beyond. Highlights this year include music from Siren, Grasping at Straws, Heavy Hand, Fox Face, Sugar Ransom, The Kickstand Band, Faux Fiction, Sex Scenes, Zed Kenzo, Sin Bad, Caley Conway, and Mary Allen and the Percolators; spoken word from Freesia McKee, Jenna Knapp, Olivia Gillingham and Emma DeBord; performance art from Devin Settle; and an art exhibition at Groovy Dogg Gallery. On Saturday Company Brewing will hold a film showcase from noon to 2 p.m., featuring Q&A sessions with the filmmakers. The venue will also host a maker’s fair on Saturday and Sunday. For ticket information, the complete lineup and a streaming music compilation, visit rwfemfest.com.

The Wailers

FRIDAY, JAN. 20

SATURDAY, JAN. 21

Art Garfunkel @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.

Only the most insufferable contrarian would argue that Art Garfunkel was the true talent in the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel, but it’s true that Paul Simon’s timeless songwriting too often overshadowed the important contributions of Garfunkel, a skilled musician in his own right. Unlike Simon, Garfunkel’s gift lay not in songwriting but in interpretation: His crystalline tenor lent depth to Simon’s commonplace prose, and has continued to breathe life into the various songs that he’s covered during his mostly low-key solo career. Garfunkel’s most recent album, the 2007 standards collection Some Enchanted Evening, featured the singer’s interpretations of classics including “I Remember You,”“Easy Living” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face,” but expect him to lean heavily on Simon & Garfunkel standards at this performance.

Planes Mistaken for Stars w/ Deadset and Estates @ Cactus Club, 10 p.m.

Though they didn’t always have the sales to match their acclaim, Planes Mistaken for Stars were one of the most respected and creative bands from the early ’00s posthardcore boom, finding consistently original ways to fuse hardcore, metal and emo into something that hadn’t been done hundreds of times before. The band called it quits in 2007, and even after they reunited in 2010 for a run of sporadic tours they didn’t seem in any particular hurry to release new material. Last year a reunion album finally arrived, though, and it was worth the wait. Released on the metal label Deathwise, Planes Mistaken for Stars’ fourth proper studio album Prey finds the band in typically heavy form, while taking some surprising cues from the blustery sounds of ’70s classic rock.

The Wailers @ The Rave, 8 p.m.

The Wailers complemented Bob Marley’s reggae sound the same way that the J.B.s laid down the funk for James Brown, augmenting his voice with just the right groove and helping reggae’s most famous singer sell more than 250 million albums. After Marley’s death in 1981, the band carried on, releasing several studio albums, a slew of live albums and touring the world behind the hits that Marley made famous, including those collected in Marley’s hit posthumous compilation Legend. The band’s lineup has changed multiple times throughout the decades, but it’s always been anchored by original bassist Aston Barrett, who last year reunited many former members of the group. For this show, the band will be joined by a full bill that includes openers Recalcitrant, Spare Change Trio, The Dillweeds, Rust Belt and Mountains on the Moon, as well as music from WMSE’s DJ Robert G.

What a Joke Fest Comedy Festival @ Puddler’s Hall, 8 p.m.

New York comedians Jenn Welch and Emily Winter created the mass-scale What a Joke comedy festival to benefit the American Civil Liberties Union, an organization that’s likely to need all the help it can get during the Trump administration. Shows will take place this weekend in more than 20 cities around the country, including this one in Milwaukee organized by comedians Tyler Menz, Greg Bach and Patrick Tomlinson. Performers will include Addie Blanchard, Josh Ballew, Matt Filipowicz, Chicago’s Meg Indurti and Wisconsin ex-pat Nate Craig, who will be flying in from Los Angeles to headline this show at Puddler’s Hall, a Bay View bar with deep ties to the city’s labor movement. Tickets are $10, and all proceeds benefit the ACLU.

Frank Caliendo @ The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.

Planes Mistaken for Stars

54 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

There are comedians who can do much better impressions than Frank Caliendo—a lot of them—but few that can do quite as many quite so credibly. He claims well over a hundred impressions in his repertoire, among them guys like Charles Barkley, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Morgan Freeman and Jerry Seinfeld. That versatility made him one of the breakout stars of “MADtv” in the early ’00s, and his particularly astute John Madden imitation earned him a prominent spot on Fox’s “NFL Sunday,” where he made a name for himself doing impressions of the show’s panelists and sharing picks in character as celebrities like Donald Trump. We’re guessing that Trump impression is going to be serving him very well for the next few years.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Read our daily events guide, Today in Milwaukee, on shepherdexpress.com

SATURDAY, JAN. 21

Stellar Spark Paint Wars w/ Deorro and Reggi and Piros @ The Rave, 8 p.m.

Pity the janitors who have to clean up after these things. For their periodic Paint Wars parties at the Rave, Stella Spark Events floods the crowd with neon paint, making the venue look like the set of an early ’90s Nickelodeon game show. Headlining this big sloppy mess this time around will be Los Angeles DJ Deorro, an electro-house enthusiast who has collaborated with artists like Steve Aoki, Diplo, R3hab and Chris Brown on his recent singles. Expect him to bring his usual mammoth light show with him.

Well-Known Strangers w/ Jay Matthes and Sunspot @ Route 20 Outhouse, Sturtevant, 8:30 p.m.

Led by Betsy Ade, a former Wisconsin Area Music Industry Female Vocalist of the Year winner, the Racine band Well-Known Strangers look to heartland rock and the rootsier side of ’90s alternative music on their debut album Aligned, a record that plays up the contributions of cellist Sacia Jerome. If Natalie Merchant had tried to make an orchestral-minded roots rock record, it might sound something like this. The group will be joined by openers Jay Matthes and Sunspot for this album release show at Sturtevant’s Route 20 Outhouse.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 25 Sam Roberts Band w/ Hollerado @ The Back Room at Colectivo, 8 p.m.

It’s easy to imagine singer-songwriter Sam Roberts enduring the long Canadian winters of his youth by immersing himself in classic American rock records, finding an escape in the heartland rock of Bob Seger and Steve Miller and the power-pop of Big Star. These influences manifested themselves on Roberts’ early albums, including 2008’s Love at the End of World, and they’ve carried through his more expansive recent efforts with his Sam Roberts Band, including 2014’s more groove-oriented album LoFantasy and their latest effort, TerraForm, which was co-produced by Graham Walsh of Holy Fuck. Roberts hasn’t made quite the same impact in America as he has in Canada, where he’s won six prestigious Juno Awards and topped the country’s album charts, but TerraForm should appeal to just about anybody who likes sophisticated, gimmick-free rock records.

A Help Button Should Go Where You Go! Traditional Help Buttons

At Home In the Car On a Walk

1-800-745-5431

On Vacation

No Contracts, No Hidden Fees, No Risk

At the Park Shopping $

Nationwide GPS Location Detection 24/7/365 Emergency Response Center

29lu95 e Va

Order Now & Receive a FREE Lockbox!

Sam Roberts Band

Place your door key in this box so that emergency personnel can get help to you even faster.

Optional Fall Button™ FDA Registered

*Service availability and access/coverage on the AT&T network is not available everywhere and at all times. Fall Button™ does not detect 100% of falls. If able, users should always push their help button when they need assistance. Current GPS location may not always be available in every situation. MobileHelp is a registered trademark and Fall Button is a trademark of MobileHelp. Patented technology. MobileHelp is a FDA registered Medical Device Manufacturer

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 55

::PERFORMINGARTSWEEK

THEATRE

McGuire

@ MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER, JAN. 20-MARCH 19

Al McGuire was head coach of Marquette University’s men’s basketball team from 1964 to 1977, and won the NCAA National Championship in that final season. The Rep presents the newly expanded one-man show McGuire at the Stackner Cabaret—not only to honor the man but also the 100th anniversary of Marquette basketball. Tony Award-winning actor (and Milwaukee native) Anthony Crivello portrays Coach McGuire. (John Jahn)

The Lion in Winter

@ THE ALCHEMIST THEATRE, JAN. 20-FEB. 4

James Goldman’s Tony Award-winning The Lion in Winter premiered on Broadway in 1966—a play set during the holiday season of 1183 involving English King Henry II, his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, their children and their guests. The latter include such 12th-century notables as Richard the Lionheart and France’s Philip II. It’s a successful blend of fact and fiction and, as The New York Times opined of the play: “The vexed royal family… is made up of supersexualized, emotional predators,” and it’s “a megaphone for the ’60s theme of family malice.” The Alchemist Theatre plays host to Pride Theatre Company for this production. (John Jahn)

You Can’t Take It With You @ SUNSET PLAYHOUSE’S FURLAN AUDITORIUM, JAN. 19-FEB. 4

Rehearsal for ‘Zie Magic Flute’

MUSIC

Milwaukee Opera Theatre, Zie Magic Flute @ TRIPOLI SHRINE CENTER, JAN. 20-29 Since Mozart was a Freemason and The Magic Flute played with masonic imagery, where better in Milwaukee to stage the opera than the landmark Tripoli Shrine? Milwaukee Opera Theatre brought other good ideas to the imaginative recreation they call Zie Magic Flute. A collaboration with Quasimondo Physical Theatre and Candance Collective, Zie Magic Flute features a witty new English-language adaptation commissioned by MOT. “We were hooked!” says MOT Artistic Director Jill Anna Ponasik of her visit to Tripoli Shrine with Quasimondo’s Brian Rott. “Glorious music. A magical setting. And a beautiful opportunity to develop a new adaptation.” The comical Papagena comes out on roller skates—a staging of which Mozart might have approved. (David Luhrssen)

Frankly Music, Wind and Strings @ WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE, JAN. 23

No fewer than 11 instrumentalists assemble at Schwan Concert Hall on the campus of Wisconsin Lutheran College for an evening of solos, trios, quartets and a legendary divertimento. The most modern pieces are Leonard Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano; Pierre-Octave Ferroud’s Trois pièces pour flûte seule and the Quartet in C Major for Winds by Arthur Berger. Composer Virgil Thomson lauded the latter work as “one of the most satisfactory pieces for winds in the whole modern repertory.” The classical era is also well represented on the program by way of Haydn’s London Trio in C Major, and Mozart’s glorious, monumental Divertimento in B-Flat Major for Two Horns and Strings. (John Jahn)

56 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman’s wonderfully zany and touching play You Can’t Take It With You premiered on Broadway in 1936, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama and spawned a Frank Capra-directed, Oscar-winning film starring Lionel Barrymore and James Stewart. As this local production’s director, Brian Zelinski, says: “Kaufman and Hart are the playwrights [who wrote] a show that just speaks to people, because the characters are rich and real; the things that happen to them can be crazy and at times bizarre, but you will fall in love with somebody on this stage.” (John Jahn)

Lovabye Dragon

@ FIRST STAGE, JAN. 21-FEB. 19

From Wisconsin author Barbara Joosse’s Dragon and Girl book series we have here a world premiere musical adaptation with music and lyrics by The Happy Racers. This production is the very definition of “family-friendly,” with shows starting as early as 11 a.m. and no later than 3:30 p.m. throughout the run. Indeed, Lovabye Dragon is part of First Stage’s First Steps Series, geared toward audience members in the 3-7-plus-year-old range. Says Jeff Frank, the musical’s co-writer, “our young audiences are sure to love this enchanted tale of a friendship between a girl and a dragon;” Joosse adds that she’s “over the moon with Lovabye Dragon and so is my little girl self.” (John Jahn)

DANCE

Get It Out There DANCEWORKS DANCELAB @ DANCEWORKS STUDIO THEATRE, JAN. 21 Performing artworks don’t exist without an audience. “Get It Out There,” a now biannual showcase of dance, theater and music performance hosted

by Danceworks, frees area artists from many production demands and costs so they can test new ideas with an audience to complete the process. Artistic Director Kim Johnson says, “I love that we can now embrace 15 acts, by both well-established and emerging artists, even though it means we have to make two shows happen in one night.” Those shows are 6:30 and 8 p.m. Both have exciting line-ups. (John Schneider) SHEPHERD EXPRESS

A&E::INREVIEW PAUL RUFFOLO

DANCE

A Night of Pop Dance ‘Transcendence’ with SueMo ::BY JOHN SCHNEIDER

C

ontemporary dance means one thing to the ballet world, another to those trained in the techniques of the modern masters and still another in the field of commercial dance. Each has its own philosophy, goals and standards. Commercial dance—let’s call it pop dance—employs movements from the other styles as well as from theater and street dances. As anyone who’s seen television dance competitions knows, it makes great demands on dancers. They have to be ready for anything and maybe that’s the message.

SueMo: A Dance Experience, the stylistically openminded name of the young company of Melissa Sue Anderson and Morgan “Mo” Williams, takes pop dance seriously. Transcendence is the title of their hour-long concert at Danceworks Studio last weekend. Not yet 3 years old, the company is a mix of professional dancer-choreographerteachers, apprentices and dedicated students. Most teach or train at Studio One Dance Company in Wales, Wis. The two performances on Saturday were sold out. The cheering audience was young on average. The dancing was strong, the ensemble work amazing and the sincerity of it all affecting.

Williams’ “Luuk Out Gurl,” the only non-premiere, is wonderful. Thirteen teenaged girls, their individual identities concealed under identical gray hoodies that fall to their thighs, their legs and feet bare and their unison dancing uncanny, make a tight, cool gang in sinister blue light. In the end, though, they’re vulnerable children. When the team splits up and moves into darkness, one remains—a teen in a hoodie in maybe the wrong neighborhood. She starts to remove the hood. Blackout.

The rest of the program was new and will crystalize under further scrutiny and more performances. This includes Williams’ “Cleansed” (to Bon Iver’s “Wash”) in which the adult company dances hard and finishes stunned, as if emerging from a trance. I wanted to better know the interesting women in Anderson’s “Oracle,” a haunting duet for Cailey Bruno and Christa Smutek to music by Radiohead.

They rescue one another, I think, and end up fellow travelers on an uncertain journey from loneliness. Emily Landry’s scary “In(Ex)hale” involved rescuing, too, of individuals by a community. Christa Smutek’s ambitious “From Eden to Elsewhere” offered beautiful images of a hyper-regulated society, order as paradise, and a depressed outsider and a bonding that strengthens her. The finale, a kaleidoscopic display of pop dance moves, symbolized freedom and possibility but who knows what’s ahead?

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

First Stage’s ‘Welcome to Bronzeville’

THEATRE

WITH ‘BRONZEVILLE,’ FIRST STAGE RECREATES FORGOTTEN MILWAUKEE STORIES

I

::BY ANNE SIEGEL

n the world premiere of Welcome to Bronzeville, First Stage creates a vibrant, vivid and delightfully rendered look at a once-famed area that was the heartbeat of Milwaukee’s African American community. This show, a celebration of a tight-knit community of residents, businesses and churches, opened last weekend at First Stage.

Reminiscent of Wisconsin-born Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, this play, commissioned by First Stage and wonderfully created by playwright/director Sheri Williams Pannell, introduces the audience to a wide cast of characters (based on real-life people) who inhabited Bronzeville in the 1950s. Although Our Town is set in the fictional small town of Grover’s Corners, Bronzeville’s roots reflect an equally idealized vision of Americana.

The play is suggested for families with children who are at least 8 years old.

The best thing about Bronzeville is that it presents positive images of African American residents and workers for children who know only of daily TV reports of crime and decay in some nearby Milwaukee neighborhoods.

In its day, Bronzeville was a place where everyone knew each other. Doors were unlocked and children wandered safely through the area, which was centered around Walnut Street.

As the play opens, a group of children are rehearsing around a family’s piano in an attempt to win a local variety show. The prize money would put them within reach of spending two

weeks at Camp Minikani (which still operates today).

Although a diverse neighborhood is depicted in Bronzeville (which also includes whites, Hispanics and a Jewish boy), the main character is Mike, an African American teen. The Saturday afternoon matinee’s cast featured Collin Woldt as Mike, who is part of the talented Flame cast, one of two alternating casts of young adults. Mike is torn between wanting to please his parents (sensitively played by Gavin Lawrence and Samantha D. Montgomery) and yielding to peer pressure by a rowdy group of boys. What makes this all the more difficult is that Mike is a deacon’s son. He is reminded almost daily that his actions reflect on his family.

Among Mike’s most egregious family chores is babysitting his sister and their cousins when his mom is off at work and his father is sleeping before a second-shift position.

Unable to sit through one more episode of TV’s “Howdy Doody,” Mike takes off to join his pals. This is only one of the questionable decisions Mike makes defying his parents. Some of his other poor decisions, such as stealing apples from an outdoor vendor, attract the attention of a neighborhood police officer (Dominique Worsley). Rather than march Mike to the police station, the officer works out an arrangement in which Mike learns the consequences of his misbehavior.

Within the scope of 90 minutes, Bronzeville covers quite a bit of dramatic territory. Not only does it present a portrait of a stable 1950s community, it touches on the coming-of-age frustrations of teenagers and takes on social issues. One of these is the limited lodging opportunities for blacks at Downtown hotels. Even celebrated African American entertainer Billie Holiday finds herself bunking down at Mike’s house during her tour. The opportunity gives Holiday (nicely played by Malkia Stampley) a chance to show Mike his supportive family in a way that Mike hadn’t thought of before. Ironically, it is Holiday’s own fractured childhood that surfaces in her signature hit song, “God Bless the Child,” which Stampley sings here along with several well-known tunes of the era.

Onstage, Bronzeville unfolds under a large graphic mural that highlights some of the area’s most influential residents (and Billie Holliday, too). The action plays out beneath the mural, as if those very folks were looking down on the neighborhood they loved. Credit for the lovely mural goes to scenic designer Sarah Hunt-Frank, who also created a number of cleverly intertwined set pieces to reflect Mike’s living room, the stage of the Regal Theatre, the Hay Market and other locales. Complementing the design are authentic-looking, attractive period costumes by Daryl Harris.

Welcome to Bronzeville runs through Feb. 5 at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater, 123 E. State St. For tickets, visit firststage.org or call 414-267-2961.

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 57

A&E::FILM

A&E::FILMCLIPS Complete film coverage online at shepherdexpress.com

Patriots Day R

Mark Wahlberg portrays Sgt. Tommy Saunders, a fictionalized character useful for recounting the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and the ensuing investigation. Composited from several cops, Saunders serves as our conduit to the attack and pursuit of the perpetrators. We meet officials, potential victims and several citizens—the latter of whom prove instrumental in preventing the brother bombers from mounting a second attack. The film spends considerable, memorable time with the Tsarnaevs (Alex Wolff, Themo Melikidze), young men chillingly unable to comprehend the horror of their actions. (Lisa Miller)

Split PG-13

With Split, M. Night Shyamalan makes a frighteningly good addition to his writer-director résumé.

James McAvoy steals the show with his portrayal of Kevin—afflicted with multiple-personality disorder when he kidnaps three young women. Popular girls Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula) panic following their abduction, but their companion, moody outsider Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy), immediately begins probing to find their captor’s weaknesses. Locked in an underground bunker, the girls struggle to make sense of Kevin’s different personalities. Despite leaving for regular visits to his psychiatrist (Betty Buckley), Kevin manages to foil their repeated efforts to escape. With an evil, as-yet-unseen personality ready to purge his other personalities, he poses a more imminent danger than the women realize. Casey wields her dark side and iron will as weapons, but her adversary is formidable. (L.M.)

‘20th Century Women’

‘20th Century Women’

pie William (Billy Crudup). Jamie’s friend, Julie (Elle Fanning), climbs up to the second floor and sneaks into his room most nights for a sleepover.

But they’re not making love or anything else.

“Friends can’t have sex and still be friends,” Julie insists. She has a point.

As a child of the Great Depression, Dorothea had dreams not easily fulfilled by women of her generation. She’s a supportive, perhaps even permissive mother, yet has reached that stage when the once companionable relations with her child have turned daunting, even hurtful. Julie is test::BY DAVID LUHRSSEN ing her expanding résumé of experiences with lessons from books on the vagaries of sex and een from above in the opening romance and the distinction between love and scene of 20th Century Women, being in love. A former art student inseparable Santa Barbara, Calif., is a flat, one- from her Nikon camera, Abbie explains that she story town of low ambitions. It’s an dyed her hair red after seeing David Bowie in indistinct backdrop for an unusual The Man Who Fell to Earth. She exposes Jafilm that slips out of the normal templates for mie to feminist ideas and a greater awareness of movie storytelling. women’s perspectives.

But perhaps more than a story, 20th Century The details are strikingly true to the era.

Women is simply a milieu inhabited by a handful When Dorothea is dismayed by the caustic muof characters with enough dimension to feel fully sic of The Raincoats, Abbie explains that the human, unlike the stick figures that fill most Hol- band’s “passion is bigger than their tools”—as lywood productions. Writer-director Mike Mills good a defense of punk rock as any. Everyone (Beginners) comes from indie is vaguely aware that cigarettes filmmaking and imbues 20th can kill yet most everyone Century Women with an indie smokes anyway. filmmaker’s respect for reality 20th Century Dorothea’s household is a on a human scale. However, the microcosm of convergence Women movie’s title may be misleadas the Greatest Generation Annette Bening ing. Of the five main characters, grapples with its children, an Lucas Jade only three are women. The film already old counterculture enZumann might instead have been called counters a rising alternative 1979 after the year of its setting, scene and Jamie awkwardly Directed by which Mills establishes as a time stumbles from boyhood toMike Mills of transition (but when is time ward manhood. 20th Century Rated R not in transition?).

Women is elegantly edited and The five characters are 15 to composed. Periodic post-facto 55 in age; although only two are voiceovers are heard from marelated by blood, all live under one roof. Doro- jor characters, their thoughts woven subtly thea (Annette Bening), a divorced mom, is rais- through dialogue in the present tense. “Having ing her teenage son, Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) your heart broken is a tremendous way to learn and rents rooms to 20-something punk rocker about the world,” Dorothea tells her son. He Abbie (Greta Gerwig) and philosophical ex-hip- will learn that lesson soon enough.

S

58 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

XXX: The Return of Xander Cage PG-13 The CIA recruits Xander Cage (Vin Diesel) to retrieve “Pandora’s Box,” a stolen weapon capable of causing military satellites to literally drop from the sky. To out-compete cyber-baddie Xiang (Donnie Yen), Xander recruits a handful of thrill-seeking cohorts (including an ex-girlfriend played by Bollywood hottie Deepika Padukone). Together, they learn of a deadly government conspiracy behind the weapon’s theft. Though the plot makes little sense, franchise viewers come for the action set pieces and stunt work. An international cast should increase global appeal, adding to expectations that the film’s overseas box office will exceed its domestic take. (L.M.)

[HOME MOVIES/OUT ON DIGITAL] n Zero Days

Even the most jaded cyber security experts were shocked by the complexity they discerned in the virus that infected Iran’s nuclear program. The densely coded malware they dubbed Stuxnet was designed to thwart Iran, but knowledge of it fell into the hands of Iranian, Russian, Chinese and other actors on the world stage.

Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney interviewed everyone from Israeli journalists to Russian cyber experts and ex-NSA director Michael Hayden. He finds that the Stuxnet program was initiated under Bush and continued under Obama but was mutated by Israeli intelligence into something more virulent than intended.

As an Israeli general explains, war is no longer conducted only by land, sea and air, but also in the “fourth dimension” of cyberspace.

Zero Days touches on issues of international law, the lack of public debate over cyber warfare and the vulnerability of everything—including the electrical grid—in our wired world.

n Long Way North

In this gorgeously colored animated feature, French director Rémi Chayé tells the story of Sasha, a plucky girl from imperial Russia who goes in search of her beloved grandfather, a lost arctic explorer. Evoking the great age of exploration, when men set out in steamships to find the poles, Long Way North follows the brave girl’s odyssey from St. Petersburg into the frigid ice. The film is focused on human (and animal) characters, not technical flash.

n The Internecine Project

James Coburn stars as a Harvard free-market economics professor about to be appointed adviser to the U.S. president—but first he must tie up loose ends from his involvement in transnational corruption. Unblinking before the abyss of amorality, he orchestrates the murder of people who know too much by arranging for them to kill each other. Paranoid and slightly preposterous, this 1974 political thriller is crisply edited, visually interesting and scored with inventively tense music.

—David Luhrssen SHEPHERD EXPRESS

A&E::VISUALART

VISUALART|REVIEW

Milwaukee Artists Display the Physical Side of Feminism ::BY KAT MINERATH

W

hat does feminism mean, and what does it look like? “Feminism,” the current exhibition at Var Gallery described as “a multimedia exhibition inspired by feminism; our reflections and our hopes,” takes on this complex and provocative subject. More than a dozen local artists have taken part, mostly women, and it is interesting to note points of commonalty, shared interests and issues.

A main leitmotif in the exhibition is the body. This can take the form of physical attributes, such as in Maeve Jackson’s video still print series in which a black woman unwraps a pale blue scarf from her head, revealing her full and voluptuous hair. The poem “The Stories She Tell” by Destinny Fletcher is posted alongside the visual piece and records the feelings of hair as a journal and as a part of personal identity and expression. In a more tangled way, the digital print by Sara Shuler, Hairbrush: Lilly and Sara, is a dark, abstract web, revealed by the title to be the remnants of daily grooming.

The body in three-dimensional form appears over and over in Valerie Tatera’s relief sculpture, Becoming. In this multi-piece work, a female figure is contorted in variations of shapes and poses, sometimes with parts of limbs detached. There is something torturous about it, as though undergoing a painful but unavoidable metamorphosis. It’s an emotive image that could apply to feminist issues as well as the broad range of human experience.

One of the most powerful pieces in the exhibition shares this quality. Erin Pfaff, who curated the exhibition with Cristina Ossers, shows her installation titled Don’t Fuck Up. There is a manual typewriter with a stack of paper, some crumpled on the floor. The wall opposite is papered with sheets with the installation title written over and over.

Sometimes it appears as a single sentence, sometimes in slanting paragraphs and other typographic designs. It is repeated like a mantra. It strikes a note that men and women can both relate to, and in the context of this exhibition, balances on the edge of feminist power and vulnerability.

Through Feb. 4 at Var Gallery, 643 S. Second St. Var Gallery’s “Feminism” Exhibition

VISUALART|PREVIEWS

TERESE AGNEW’S ‘WRITING IN STONE’ AWAKENS WISCONSIN’S STORIED PAST ::BY TYLER FRIEDMAN

“W

riting in Stone,” by Terese Agnew and a “small army” of collaborators, is an immersive, multi-media installation of stunning scope. Agnew and crew have spent two years creating 18 monuments dramatically staged so as to lead viewers along a path into the past. The monuments tell tales of figures and events from Wisconsin’s history, such as Caroline Quarlls, the first known individual to reach freedom along Wisconsin’s Underground Railroad.

“Writing in Stone” involves more than merely reading writing on stones. Along the enchanted path, viewers encounter storytellers, actors, sound recordings, speaking trees and other means of making the past present. The installation “grew from a deep awareness that in these times of sweeping change and uncertainty, it’s more essential than ever not to forget the best and most honorable people and ideas of the past,” says Agnew.

“The axis of the future spins on what we remember, and what we choose to honor as a culture and community.”

“Writing in Stone” is open to the public at RedLine Milwaukee, 1422 N. Fourth St., from Jan. 20 through March 25.

Piece from Terese Agnew’s “Writing in Stone” Exhibition SHEPHERD EXPRESS

“Steel: The Cycle of Industry

by David Plowden” Grohmann Museum | 1000 N. Broadway

The impact of steel on the modern world cannot be underestimated. As a lighter, cheaper and stronger alternative to iron, steel laid the lines of the railroad and allowed skyscrapers to reach new heights. In David Plowden’s eyes, the steelmaking process itself is worthy of aesthetic contemplation. “Steel: The Cycle of Industry

by David Plowden” (Jan. 20-April 30) collects more than 100 photographs taken between 1962 and 1985, which demonstrate, in Plowden’s words, “the architecture of steelmaking is like no other. Nowhere can you find this massiveness, drama, spectacle and danger but in a steel mill.”

“Morphology of Cyclic Phenomena” Greymatter Gallery 207 E. Buffalo St., Suite 222

Vesna Jovanovic does not cry over spilled ink. Instead the Chicago-born, Yugoslavia-bred, Chicagobased artist orients her drawings around an initial dash of spilled ink. The end results would be equally at home in a medical textbook or an art exhibition, as they will be from Jan. 20 through March 3 at Greymatter Gallery. “Morphology of Cyclic Phenomena” depicts various foreign bodies that individuals welcome into their own through elective medical procedures. Jovanovic’s drawings of IUDs, voice prostheses and breast implants are visually engaging meditations on autonomy and integrity embodied.

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 59

A&E::BOOKS BOOK |REVIEWS

BOOK |PREVIEW

Norse Mythology (W.W. NORTON),

BY NEIL GAIMAN

The final battle between the gods and the frost giants, Ragnarok, has always fascinated Neil Gaiman.

In the introduction to his Norse Mythology, the British-reared fantasy writer admits he first came upon Odin and Thor in American comic books, but hooked, he dug deeper.

Norse Mythology is his retelling of the old tales, casting the disorderly lore into a contemporary novella that begins as the Earth emerges from the void and ends as the gods meet their fate at Ragnarok. Those gods were, of course, the archetypes of superheroes and villains, not to mention the template for J.R.R. Tolkien and his descendants. They were recognizable human characters writ large, subject to the wisdom and folly of humanity, even unto death. What continues to fascinate Gaiman, and inform his own fiction, is the question: “Had Ragnarok happened yet? Was it still to happen?” (David Luhrssen)

The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy (LIVERIGHT), BY ANTHONY GOTTLIEB A cynic could call The Dream of Enlightenment the history of bad ideas.

Take Thomas Hobbes, whose notion of the social contract left the ruler free to break his end of the bargain, or John Locke, whose idea that land belonged to whoever extracted the greatest value justified dispossessing the American Indians. Like a good historian, Anthony Gottlieb tries not to project the perspectives of the present onto the past and does a fine job of untangling thorny concepts in the interest of clarity. He’s also keen to correct commonly held false assumptions, holding that Descartes really did believe in objective reality, Spinoza was no atheist and Hobbes, for all his faults, fell short of advocating

NOVELIST ELIZABETH MCKENZIE’S FAMILY DRAMA

Author of ‘The Portable Veblen’ speaks at Boswell Book Co. ::BY JENNI HERRICK

T

hirty-year-old Veblen (named after Thorstein Bunde Veblen, a late 19th century Norwegian American economist who was often critical of capitalism) is a newly engaged northern California dreamer.

Unfortunately, soon-to-be wedded bliss is not all that poor Veblen is dealing with.

In The Portable Veblen, Elizabeth McKenzie’s second novel, the spunky protagonist wrangles with her parents’ baggage in a valiant effort to embrace her own “freelance self.” Through much of this quirky novel, Veblen and her fiancé, Paul, a successful neurologist and the child of hippie parents, struggle to break free from their tumultuous upbringings and dysfunctional families. For Veblen, this means developing healthy adult relationships with her hypochondriac mother and institutionalized Vietnam War veteran father, something that requires constant vigilance and can easily overwhelm her. In Paul’s case, an aversion to his communal upbringing leads him to embrace dangerous professional ambitions as a medical researcher, which puts him on a collision course with America’s militaryindustrial complex. Luckily for Veblen, a neighborhood squirrel begins to reassure her.

The Portable Veblen, long-listed for the National Book Award for Fiction, is a complicated, pragmatic, modern love story filled with nuanced characters, unexpected plot twists and, yes, a talking squirrel. McKenzie uses clever satire and highly poetic language to share her insightful perceptions on contemporary relationships and the universal struggles of growing up.

Elizabeth McKenzie, whose writings have appeared in The New Yorker and The Atlantic, will visit Boswell Book Co. (2559 N. Downer Ave.) at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 23.

totalitarianism. (David Luhrssen) 60 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

::HEARMEOUT ASK RUTHIE | UPCOMING EVENTS | PAUL MASTERSON

::UPCOMINGEVENTS Jan. 18: All Things Beyoncé at Sidetrack Video Bar (3349 N. Halsted St., Chicago): Can’t get enough of the Queen B? Neither can our friends to the south! Hit Chicago’s hottest bar for all the lemonade you can handle. Dance the night away, enjoy video clips and take in drag performance, all to Beyoncé’s best. The party kicks off at 9 p.m.

::ASKRUTHIE

Pretty in Pink Dear Ruthie,

Dating isn’t easy for this 57-year-old gay man. That’s why I was ecstatic to meet a man my age looking for the same things in life. We starting having sex after our fourth date, and I thought things were great.

A month later, he invited me over. He said he had a surprise for me and disappeared into his bedroom. When he finally emerged, he was dressed like a Barbie doll—pink gown, blonde wig, opera gloves, the works. His red lipstick and green eyeshadow were applied poorly.

He explained that he had a fetish and needed to make love dressed as Barbie regularly. After several questions from me, he noted that he wanted me to dress as a Ken doll from time to time during sex as well.

I gave it my best, Ruthie, but I couldn’t perform with him dressed like that, and there is no way I am going to dress like Ken! This man might be my last chance at love. Any way I can get around this or get him to change or what?

Thanks, Cautious “Ken”

Dear Kenny,

It sounds like your boyfriend is a real doll!

(Pun intended.) If a life in plastic isn’t your thing, don’t despair, honey! There are many happy couples who don’t necessarily share one another’s fetishes.

Explain your concerns to your man in a calm, loving manner and see if the two of you can’t come to some middle ground. If you truly believe this relationship has a chance, see if you can’t make some compromises. You might also want to consider seeing a therapist who can help you each get the most out of the bedroom. Now go explore a life with this man…and keep your hands off Skipper.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Jan. 19: “Season 8: The Queens, Live Across America” at The Pabst Theater (144 E. Wells St.): Six of your favorites from the last season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” strut their sultry stuff on the catwalk during this 8 p.m. showdown. Hosted by reigning winner, Bob the Drag Queen, the night includes Kim Chi, Thorgy Thor, Acid Betty and others. See pabsttheater.org for tickets, including a Super Fan offering that includes VIP seating and a meet-and-greet with the cast.

Jan. 19: Queens Cover Queens Party at D.I.X. (739 S. First St.): After enjoying “The Queens, Live Across America” (see above), swing by this unofficial after party. The girls of D.I.X. DollHaus impersonate your favorite contestants from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” during this 10 p.m. show. Drink specials, a DJ and zero cover charge for a diva-licious disco.

Jan. 21: Milwaukappella 2017 at South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (901 15th Ave.): Love a cappella groups?

Then you’ll fa-la-la in love with this day of sing-sational workshops, concerts and more. Check in at 8:30 a.m. for classes, including vocal percussion, vocal technique, visual presentation and others. Meals are included with the $50 ticket. At 7:30 p.m., enjoy a group performance as well as a concert by Vocalight. For ticket options and registration, visit southmilwaukeepac.org.

Jan. 21: The Second Annual Burlesque Ball at Plan B (924 Williamson St., Madison): Shake what your mamma gave ya during this naughty nod to the bump and grind. The state’s top female and male burlesque performers hit the boards alongside drag acts and more. Tickets are $10 at the door for the 10 p.m. show, but come early and shop the local vendor bazaar at 5 p.m.

Email melanikcomesayhey@gmail.com with questions.

Jan. 21: Miltown Kings “Dawn of Solidarity” at Next Act Theatre (255 S. Water St.): Grab your cape and mask, and help Milwaukee’s top drag kings rescue the night! The Miltown Kings are about to riffle off their Cream City best during this superhero/villain-themed revue. The $10 door charge gets you entry to the costume contest, 18+ show and more. Doors open at 9 p.m.

Jan. 24: SSBL Town Hall at Hybrid Lounge (707 E. Brady St.): Saturday Softball Beer League (SSBL) hosts the last of three town hall meetings to share plans for 2017’s LGBT kickball, dodgeball and softball games. Whether you’re a player, a supporter (no athletic supporter jokes, OK?) or simply want to learn how to get involved, join the guys and girls for the 6 to 7:30 p.m. discussion.

Come with ideas, questions and input. Need more info? Email the commissioner at commissioner.ssbl@gmail.com.

Want to share an event with Ruthie? Need her advice on a situation in your life? Email DearRuthie@Shepex.com.

::MYLGBTPOV

January Will Be aMonth to Remember (or Forget?) ::BY PAUL MASTERSON

J

anuary is proving to be a busy month. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was on Monday, Jan. 16, International Holocaust Remembrance Day is on Friday the 27th and the presidential inauguration takes place Friday, Jan. 20. The coincidental confluence of those dates is cause for some reflection.

I didn’t see any scheduled memorial events by our LGBT organizations for MLK Jr. Day. Elsewhere though, to mark the occasion, the president-elect removed a Martin Luther King Jr. bust from the White House. He then tweeted an attack on John Lewis, the African American congressman (D-Ga.) and civil rights leader. Known as “The Conscience of Congress,” Lewis has questioned the oligarch’s presidential legitimacy. Then, Dreamgirls star Jennifer Holiday apologized to the LGBT community for having a lapse of judgment when she agreed to perform for the inauguration. She then withdrew from the event’s musical line-up.

Locally, also on MLK Jr. weekend, in a surreal politics-bedamned moment, the LGBT Community Center held a Mardi Gras-themed fundraiser at the home of the same gay Republican who hosted a benefit for the president-elect back in October.

Meanwhile, just a week before Holocaust Memorial Day, with unintended irony, a local bar is holding an inauguration eve party. Obviously our regime change is cause enough to drink ourselves into oblivion, but the scenario is eerily reminiscent of that popular musical parable, Cabaret. Some LGBTs will certainly celebrate the inauguration; the majority, however, are facing the date with dread. And, if there were any doubt of what the future holds, the ceremony boasts a parade of homophobic ministers representing the prosperity gospel (if you’re rich, it’s God’s blessing, if you’re poor…good luck) as well as our old friend, Cardinal Dolan.

Speaking of dread, the list of cabinet appointments defies any hope for the advance of LGBT rights. A purge of diplomats, intelligence officials and military generals is already underway.

There’s been a call for the names of government employees working on gender equality issues, too. Only U.S. Marine Corps General James “Mad Dog” Mattis, slated to head the Department of Defense, has indicated no change for gays in the military, but we’ll see.

There’s also the specter of a constitutional convention in the offing. No one is tweeting about it, but the Republicans are stealthily edging toward a potential surprise attack on our democracy. Should they control just one more state government, a constitutional convention can be called. At that point, if the GOP still controls all branches of the federal government, it could rewrite the constitution in its own image and likeness; in other words, a quasi-theocracy with no rights for anyone but the privileged, white, Christian class and their poor cousins. The ideology of the extreme right would prevail; a Putinesque Trumpacolypse, if you will. Gone would be LGBT, voter, women’s and labor rights and all the rest for which so many have fought, died and sacrificed since our nation’s very founding.

Still, on the bright side, according to Gallup, more people currently identify as LGBT than ever before, so we may not return to that Boys in the Band closet of fear and self-loathing after all. Besides, our new world order might dispense with identity politics altogether, and we’ll just merrily call each other “Comrade.”

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 61

::MUSIC

For more MUSIC, log onto shepherdexpress.com

FEATURE | ALBUM REVIEWS | CONCERT REVIEWS | LOCAL MUSIC

THE MILWAUKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY EXPLORES TWO CENTURIES OF MILWAUKEE MUSIC

::BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

ilwaukee musicians never produced a “sound” as distinct and universally recognized as San Francisco or Athens, Ga.; Milwaukee was never a music industry hub to rival New York or Los Angeles. It was neither the birthplace of jazz nor the mecca of the blues.

And yet, compared to many cities, Milwaukee has a history at once uniquely interesting and replete with artists and companies that left their mark on the world.

That history is on display in “Melodies and Memories: 200 Years of Milwaukee Music.” The exhibition at the Milwaukee County Historical Society seeks to encompass its subject from Native Americans circa the arrival of European settlers through the end of the 20th century and includes everything from the requisite concertina to music by The Rusty Ps at the listening stations.

“We were thinking of future exhibitions on big accessible topics that would bring in larger audiences—subjects that people could connect with in different ways,” explains curator Ben Barbera.

Spread across the ground floor and mezzanine of the venerable Historical Society building at Pere Marquette Park, “Melodies and Memories” groups its wall cards, artifacts and interactive components in broad sections representing facets of the city’s sonic story. Milwaukee isn’t usually associated with the music industry, yet one of the exhibit’s ground floor displays honors such locally based firms as Koss, the headphones pioneer, and Hal Leonard, the world’s largest sheet music publisher. Cascio Interstate Music furnished an interactive area with guitars, keyboards and drums audible only through headphones worn by the player. “It’s great for novices. No one else can hear,” Barbera says.

However, most of “Melodies and Memories” is for looking, not touching. In curating the exhibit, Barbera began with the Historical Society’s permanent collection. “It’s heavily late-19th, turn of the 20th century,” he says. “We have an extensive sheet music collection from that era. And we have a lot of classical music stuff—many photos through around 1970 but not much post-1970. Going into this exhibition, it would clearly be a collaborative effort to bring in artifacts from local organizations and members of the community.”

The musical instruments on display represent the city’s ethnic mosaic with everything from a West African drum to a Central European zither.

Included are such oddities as a mandolin-zither hybrid dating from the early 1900s when mandolin orchestras proliferated in Milwaukee.

No one will be surprised to find polka in “Melo-

dies and Memories,” but Milwaukee, while far from Nashville, nurtured a country music star in Pee Wee King (born Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski on the city’s South Side). The 1940s-’50s African American neighborhood called Bronzeville gets a nod with panels mentioning jazz clubs such as Thelma’s Back Door and Mayme’s Ebony Bar. Information on the pre-1970 blues scene must be sketchy; the genre is represented by a large panel on Short Stuff, one of the area’s most popular blues acts in the ’70s.

One corner of the exhibit is covered in early ’80s posters and flyers promoting shows at The Starship and other punk rock clubs by The Violent Femmes, Plasticland, Die Kreuzen and The X-Cleavers. A gown worn by chanteuse Hildegarde adorns a mannequin; a copy of the Florentine Opera’s Grammy-winning CD, Elmer Gantry, sits in a glass display case. The listening stations include 70 selections of local recordings in many “Melodies genres. and Memories: “Milwaukee always 200 Years of had a unique focus Milwaukee on music education, perhaps from the GerMusic” man cultural influence,” Through April 29 Barbera says. “In the Milwaukee County 1940s and ’50s accorHistorical Society dion schools enrolled thousands of students.

Also, Milwaukee had organizations like UPAF that have supported the arts for the last 50 years—one of the largest efforts of its kind in the country. And Summerfest is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. 2017 is going to be the year of Milwaukee music!”

“Melodies and Memories: 200 Years of Milwaukee Music” is on display through April 29 at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, 910 N. Old World Third St. For more information visit milwaukeehistory.net.

“Melodies and Memories” exhibition

62 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ALL SHOWS 21+

50¢

MUSIC::LOCALMUSIC

Uncovered Returns with an Exploration of A Tribe Called Quest ::BY EVAN RYTLEWSKI

A

fter Alverno College announced last January that it was defunding its fine arts series Alverno Presents after 56 years, it didn’t take long for one of Alverno Presents’ most popular programs to find a new home. The Pabst Theater Organization partnered with Alverno Presents Director David Ravel to bring the series’ Uncovered shows to the Turner Hall Ballroom.

The 2017 Uncovered season will consist of two programs: an examination of A Tribe Called Quest spearheaded by Milwaukee rapper-producer Klassik this Friday, Jan. 20, and a recreation of Stevie Wonder’s 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life curated by Tarik Moody and Dave Wake.

Uncovered’s format won’t change. The curators hand select a lineup of Milwaukee musicians and artists to explore and contextualize their subject; every show is the culmination of hundreds of hours of planning and practice. In moving from Alverno College’s Pitman Theatre to Turner Hall Ballroom, though, the shows will lose some of their formality. There won’t be programs, and at the A Tribe Called Quest show (and likely most future installments of the series) audiences will stand instead of sit—though there will be some seating available off to the side of the venue. Inevitably, it’ll feel more like a regular concert, even as the performance on stage is anything but.

“We’re not going to have the dressing that goes along with what we’ve done in the past,” Ravel says, “but the heart of the show remains the same, which is a group of Milwaukee artists reinterpreting the work of a composer—or, in the case of Tribe, a group of composers—and seeing how they fit into the idea of the American songbook. These are not covers shows. They’re not tribute shows. They’re reinterpretations of an

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

artists’ work, and that will come across loud and clear.”

As a veteran of three Uncovered shows— deep dives into Prince, Marvin Gaye and Quincy Jones—Klassik was well aware of the workload he was taking on by curating his own program.

“I’m kind of a masochist when it comes to my work ethic, so I foresaw that this was going to be awful,” he says, speaking at the Radio Milwaukee studio space, where the show’s house band has been rehearsing.

Klassik had originally intended to do an Uncovered program on Michael Jackson, but after a year of meditating on what shape that show might take, he opted for A Tribe Called Quest instead, for the simple reason that there was more to say about them. As a musician who came to rap music from a background in jazz, Klassik says, “their story is my story.” The timing was fortuitous, too: Last year A Tribe Called Quest reaffirmed their relevance with an unexpected (and unexpectedly outstanding) final album, We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service. Despite the tragic circumstances behind it (rapper Phife Dawg died before its release) the record provided fans with some long-awaited closure; a final cap on an unparalleled career For the program, Klassik assembled a lineup featuring fellow rappers and producers Lorde Fredd33, AR Wesley, Deb.On.Air, Mike Regal and Strehlow, DJs Jordan “Madhatter” Lee and Old Man Malcolm and a house band made up of Foreign Goods, Stomata and Tribe Volcano Choir guiUncovered tarist Chris Rosenau.

Talking to these muFriday, sicians about their Jan. 20, 8 p.m. own relationships to Turner Hall Tribe, Klassik says, Ballroom “reinforced why we were doing this show on them, because everybody has a special affinity for them. Their relationships with the music vary from person to person, but at their core everybody has the same reverence for the group.”

The Turner Hall Ballroom hosts Tribe Uncovered on Friday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

WINGS 9PM

FRI, JAN 20TH

THE CARLOS ADAMES GROUP

Arrurs Plaid Pann NEW PRINTS, MAGNETS AND MORE!

PANADANZA DANCE COMPANY, DJ MARCUS DOUCETTE

SAT, JAN 21ST

9PM

MAGIC MYSTERIES THE DEMIX, LUXI, DASHCAM HOT SCIENCE, TAREK SABBAR, MOBILE SOUND UNIT

SUBSPACE (DJ+VISUALS) 414-483-6335 | 2501 S. Superior St. ClubGaribaldi.com

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 63

MUSIC::CONCERTREVIEW

Local Coverage @ Turner Hall Ballroom JAN. 13, 2017 ::BY EVAN RYTLEWSKI

M

ilwaukee Record’s annual Local Coverage concerts are a low risk-high reward endeavor. Every year, the fundraiser lines up a fleet of Milwaukee bands and rappers who have been assigned, by draft, to cover one another. When things click, there’s the potential to see a knockout act put their distinct stamp on a similarly distinguished songbook. But even the shakier pairings deliver the novelty of watching performers stretched beyond their comfort zones—and since each act only plays about 15 minutes anyway, the misfires are over with quickly enough.

For the third year in a row, it was remarkable how many local acts rose to the occasion, treating what could be a quickie benefit concert gig as a matter of personal pride. The night’s best covers left you hoping the performers might get around to recording proper versions of them. Midnight Reruns, for instance, milked a solid EP’s worth of material from their set of Marielle Allschwang covers, turning the songwriter’s knotty doomfolk into lean power-pop; their taut, guitar-driven re-interpretation of “New Skin” might have been the night’s catchiest number. Similarly, the virtuosic roots ensemble Buffalo Gospel is the type of band that could probably pull off an entire set of Smash Mouth covers and bring a tear to your eye doing it, but Midnight Reruns’ tightly crafted tunes about social unease gave them plenty to work with. And for her set, vocal powerhouse Abby Jeanne used the Devil Met Contention’s gothic Americana as an excuse to tap into her

bluesier side—sometimes she sounded like Janis Joplin; at others like Adele, if Adele carried a switchblade.

The bands that draw rappers during the draft always have the biggest challenge at these things, but art rockers Midwest Death Rattle absolutely seemed to relish tackling D’Amato’s sensual poetry-rap. Their set had the fun and spontaneity of watching a popular coworker totally crush an Eminem song at karaoke, even those tricky later verses that everybody stumbles over. This band always takes immense joy in whatever they’re playing, but to judge from this show you’d think they were born to be a funk-rap band act. And while with her polite demeanor Marielle Allschwang was probably the last act in the lineup anybody would have expected to take on the shit-talking rapper Lorde Fredd33, a complimentary gloominess runs through both of their work, and she and her band played it up during their menacing, inventively composed set.

Not all performances seemed quite so rehearsed. For his heavy-lidded set, Lorde Fredd33 read Midwest Death Rattle lyrics from a phone, backed by a band that seemed to be making up the songs as they went along. And the purist punk trio The Pukes, playing here as a duo, didn’t overthink their renditions of Buffalo Gospel’s rootsy testimonials. The assigned revealed a new facet to their sound, though: Turns out when you give them country songs to play they sound a lot like Social Distortion.

One of the most common criticisms of the Milwaukee music scene, echoed by countless newcomers, is that it seems like one big clique— a cool kids’ circle that excludes anybody on the outside. This year’s Local Coverage lineup in particular pushed back against the notion, though. What was most impressive about the roster, beyond the sheer variety of it all, was how little its performers had in common with each other—musically most seemed to come from entirely separate worlds, and the majority of the lineup had never even shared a bill together before. These shows would have the potential to be insufferably self-congratulating if they were just bands covering their friends. Instead Milwaukee Record assembled a roster united not by scene politics, but by a shared desire to look beyond their bubble.

SAVE 50% ON TICKETS TO

Early Music Now Buffalo Gospel PHOTO BY BEN WICK the

64 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

WWW.SHEPSTORE.COM SHEPHERD EXPRESS

MUSIC::LISTINGS THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 Amelia’s, Jackson Dordel Jazz Quintet (4pm) Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Eric Basta Guitar Bugsy’s Back Alley Speakeasy, Marr’lo Parada Cactus Club, Mocha T presents: RELOADED w/King Ameas, Slowlife Tito, Myles, Kavon Cortez Jones, Dexter Bullion, Rich P, Sparkus & Spaidez, Grizzly Don Life, Eric James & DJ Markus X Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Song Circle w/Tricia Alexander Caroline’s Jazz Club, The Misha Siegfried Band Colectivo Coffee On Prospect, Jacob Latimore County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, Acoustic Irish Folk w/Barry Dodd Kelly’s Bleachers (Big Bend), Thursday Night Acoustic Open Jam w/host Michael Sean Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Sam Llanas & Songwriter Showcase Mason Street Grill, Mark Thierfelder Jazz Trio (5:30pm) MobCraft Beer, Live Music Series: 4th St. Elevator Nomad World Pub, Bailamos!

O’Donoghues Irish Pub (Elm Grove), The All-Star SUPERband (6pm) Pabst Theater, Season 8. The Queens.

Packing House, Barbara Stephan & Peter Mac (6pm) Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: Kevin Kennedy is Special K (8pm), In the Fire Pit: Logan Brill w/Amileigha & Jeremy from Rebel Grace (8:30pm) Rounding Third Bar and Grill, Jim Rauth’s “Experiment in Nothingness!” Open Mic Comedy Stoneridge Inn (Hales Corners), Julie Nelson (6pm) The Bay Restaurant, Sherwood Alper Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, Eric Schoor Trio w/Manty Ellis Up & Under Pub, A No Vacancy Comedy Open Mic

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 American Legion Post #449 (Brookfield), Tomm Lehnigk (6:30pm) American Legion of Okauchee, The Ricochettes Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Rick Anderson Bugsy’s Back Alley Speakeasy, Joe Hite Cactus Club, Planes Mistaken for Stars w/Deadset & Estates Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Tim Grimm and the Family Band Caroline’s Jazz Club, Sam Belton Quintet Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Voot Warnings (8pm); DJ: Daniel James (10pm) Club Garibaldi, The Carlos Adames Group album release party w/Panadanza Dance Company & DJ Marcus Doucette County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, Traditional Irish Ceilidh Session Dopp’s Bar & Grill, The Dots Five O’Clock Steakhouse, Generation Z w/Sam Guyton Frank’s Power Plant, Against The Grain w/The DUIs, Assault & Battery, and Population Control Henry & Wanda’s (Racine), Grimm Brothers Band Iron Mike’s (Franklin), Steve Nitros Open Jam Jack Rabbit Slims, Eugene Gruber w/One Lane Bridge Jokerz Comedy Club, Glen Gerard Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Copper Box Lakefront Brewery Beer Hall, Brewhaus Polka Kings (5:30pm) Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Inaugural Balls: A Celebration of Protest Songs w/many acts Mamie’s, Pee Wee Hayes Mason Street Grill, Phil Seed Trio (6pm) Milwaukee Ale House, Paul Rebek (6pm) Miramar Theatre, Vibe Street w/Evanoff (ages 17-plus, 9pm) Pabst Theater, Art Garfunkel Packing House, Carmen Nickerson & the Carmen Sutra Trio (6:30pm) SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: KatieBeth & Luke Cerny Acoustic Duo (9pm), In the Fire Pit: Logan Brill w/Amileigha & Jeremy from Rebel Grace (9:30pm) Riverside Theater, MJ Live: Michael Jackson Tribute Concert w/Boy Band Review Route 20 Outhouse (Sturtevant), Emerson Drive w/ Saddlebrook Shank Hall, Remedy Site 1A, Markus Schulz w/Surge, Lazrev, Ollie Oxenfree & Eppen Smith Bros. Coffee House (Port Washington), John P. Higgins Live Stolley’s Hogg Alley (Oconomowoc), Joe Kadlec The Bay Restaurant, VIVO w/Warren Wiegratz The Tap Room (South Milwaukee), Mera Storm BluesRock Band Trinity Three Irish Pubs, Latchkeys w/DJ Marcus Turner Hall Ballroom, Tribe UNCOVERED: A Reinterpretation of A Tribe Called Quest Up & Under Pub, The Young Revelators Von Trier, Leroy Airmaster w/Matt Liban (6:30pm)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 American Legion Post #449 (Brookfield), Night Trax Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Logan Metz Anodyne Coffee Walker’s Point Roastery & Cafe, Bluegrass Bash V Arriba Mexican Restaurant (Butler), The Incorruptibles Bootz Saloon, Reckless Remedy Bugsy’s Back Alley Speakeasy, Listening Party Cactus Club, BoarHoarse: Four Hoarsemen digital release party w/Farout Planet, Sparkus & Spaidez, Renz Young, Chas, BMORN, Mocha T & TMOB Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Lonesome Bill Camplin Caroline’s Jazz Club, The Paul Spencer Band w/James Sodke, Warren Wiegratz, Neil Davis & Larry Tresp Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Astral/Subastral (8pm); DJ: The WarLock Challenge (10pm) Club Garibaldi, Magic Mysteries: Evening of Electronic Music w/Luxi, The Demix, Dashcam, Hot Science, Tarek Sabbar, Mobile Sound Unit & Subspace County Clare Irish Inn & Pub, 5 Card Studs Cue Club of Wisconsin (Waukesha), Slowburn w/Alison Helf Five O’Clock Steakhouse, Gabriel Sanchez Frank’s Power Plant, Rebels In Stereo w/50 Breaks, Brave You & Northside Creeps George’s Tavern (Racine), Jonny T-Bird & the MPs Half-Time Downtown Grille (Mukwonago), The B Side Band Henry & Wanda’s (Racine), Dean Richard Solo Hilton Milwaukee City Center, Vocals & Keys House of Guinness (Waukesha), Mojo Crew w/Colin Loman Jokerz Comedy Club, Glen Gerard Kelly’s Bleachers (Big Bend), Almighty Vinyl Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Waco Brothers Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Freddy and The Blifftones Milwaukee Ale House, Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns MugZ’s Pub and Grill (Muskego), Open Jam w/host Potter’s Field Next Act Theatre, Miltown Kings: Dawn of Solidarity Pabst Theater, DaVinci & Michelangelo: The Titans Experience Packing House, Lem Banks, Jeff Stoll, Alvin Turner & Victor Campbell (6:30pm) Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, In Bar 360: 89 Mojo (9pm), In the Fire Pit: Logan Brill (10:30pm)

Rave / Eagles Club, The Wailers w/Recalcitrant, Spare Change Trio, The Dillweeds, Rust Belt, Mountains On The Moon & DJ Robert G from 91.7FM WMSE (all-ages, 8pm), Survive Paint Wars w/Deorro, Dirty Audio, Riggi & Piros, Jay Silva & Garabatto (all-ages, 8pm) Richy’s D.S. Bar (Big Bend), The Brew City Rockers Riverside Theater, Frank Caliendo Route 20 Outhouse (Sturtevant), Well-Known Strangers w/ Sunspot & Jay Matthes Shank Hall, The Gleasons w/Table 5 Silver Spring House, Leroy Airmaster The Bay Restaurant, Sigmund Snopek III The Coffee House, 2017 Mid-Winter Talent Contest: Round 1 The Metal Grill (Cudahy), Damaged Justice w/Sandblasted Skin Trinity Three Irish Pubs, Dirty Canteen w/DJ Zovo Up & Under Pub, Entropy Urban Harvest Brewing Company, Mojo Dojo Comedy: Tall Boys Improv

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22 Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Julie Brandenburg w/”You Take the Mic” (6pm) Circle-A Cafe, Alive at Eight: Andrew Stoiber w/Annalise Curtin & Josh Wilke (8pm); DJ: Sextor (10pm) Miramar Theatre, DJ Bedhead w/A.D.H.D, Major Payne & A.C.E (all-ages, 7pm) Rounding Third Bar and Grill, The Dangerously Strong Comedy Open Mic

MONDAY, JANUARY 23 Cactus Club, 2 Ball Screwball w/Anura, T.I.G.T. & Five Star Secret Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Poet’s Monday w/host Timothy Kloss & featured reader Kavon Cortez Jones (7:30-10:30pm) Mason Street Grill, Joel Burt (5:30pm) The Astor Cafe & Pub, The Chris Hanson Band w/Robin Pluer (6:30pm) Up & Under Pub, Open Mic w/Cosmic Hot Sauce

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24 Angelo’s Piano Lounge, Open Mic (6pm) Frank’s Power Plant, Duck and Cover Comedy Open Mic Mamie’s, Open Blues Jam w/Marvelous Mack Mason Street Grill, Jamie Breiwick Group (5:30pm) Miramar Theatre, Tuesday Open Mic w/host Sandy Weisto (sign-up 7:30pm), Stage Right Presents: Neil Davis/Steve Peplin Duo (8pm) Parkside 23, Andrew Gelles (6pm) The Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, Jazz Jam Session Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, Transfer House Band w/Dennis Fermenich Turner Hall Ballroom, Mayhem w/Inquisition & Black Anvil

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25 Cafe Carpe (Fort Atkinson), Irish Session Caroline’s Jazz Club, Harvey Westmoreland w/Knee Deep Blues Jam Colectivo Coffee On Prospect, Sam Roberts Band w/ Hollerado Conway’s Smokin’ Bar & Grill, Open Jam w/Big Wisconsin Johnson District 14 Brewery & Pub, Wednesday Open Mic Jack Rabbit Slims, Humpday Drunkday w/Dave & Blair Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Polka Open Jam Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Acoustic Open Stage w/feature Chris Haise (sign-up 9pm, start 9:30pm) Mason Street Grill, Jamie Breiwick Group (5:30pm) Miramar Theatre, Brendan Demet of Evergreen (Stage Right, 8pm), That 1 Guy (all-ages, 9:30pm) Nomad World Pub, The Residency: The Cactus Brothers Packing House, Carmen Nickerson & Kostia Efimov (6pm) Red Dot Wauwatosa, Jen Cintron

MUSIC::ALBUMS Tyne Darling These Ghosts

Mostly staying low in the mix, the shimmers and squalls of manipulated feedback coursing throughout These Ghosts act like an ongoing commentary on the forlorn tableaux sung by someone who could claim victory in a Tom Petty impersonation competition. With gentle melodies signaling the sort of melancholy self-reflection that made Laurel Canyon a singer-songwriter sweet spot, the elements of the Milwaukee artist’s album mingle curiously: siren songs of a man working through his misery, half wanting to agonize in solitude, half inviting the inquisitive emotional voyeur willing to take in his despairing journeys. Since he makes his music for public consumption, there’s no surprise which half wins.

—Jamie Lee Rake

Ghost Iris

Blind World (LONG BRANCH RECORDS) One of the most exciting elements of metal music is the wide variety of subgenres that work their way into a given band’s sound. Take djent, a style of progressive metal pioneered by Swedish headbangers Meshuggah and exemplified by palm-muted, low-pitch staccato guitar tones. Ghost Iris, billed as the most-streamed Danish metal band of 2016, appears poised to emerge as another major player in this expanding metal specialty. On the band’s second album, Blind World, songs such as “Save Yourself” and “Pinnacle” mix clean and extreme vocals with catchy arrangements, tricky riffs and elements of funk and tech metal to create an invigorating listening experience propelled by Jesper Vicencio Gün’s often harsh voice. This stuff ain’t easy to play, and while Ghost Iris could introduce a little more variety into its writing, Blind World serves a solid entry point into the djent-metal scene.

—Michael Popke

Wingfield Reuter Stavi Sirkis

The Stone House (MOONJUNE RECORDS) Flashiness is less the objective here than finding expressive uses for the electric guitar and the instrument’s particular properties of long, sustained notes. Guitarists Mark Wingfield and Markus Reuter, supported by the fluid rhythms of Yaron Stavi (fretless bass) and Asaf Sirkis (drummer), create soundscapes that flare incandescently on this album of lengthy instrumental excursions. The Stone House should appeal to fans of latter-day King Crimson, whose guitarist Robert Fripp seems to provide at least partial inspiration.

—Morton Shlabotnik J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 65

::THEBACK

For more, log onto shepherdexpress.com

OFF THE CUFF | GAMES | NEWS OF THE WEIRD | ASTROLOGY | ART KUMBALEK

Tom Kovacich and Dianne Soffa

The Work That Drives Safi

I

OFF THE CUFF LEARNS WHAT IT TAKES ::BY JUDITH ANN MORIARTY

t’s late December in 1977 and 18-year-old Tom Kovacich has arrived for his first day of work in the brand-new building housing Miller Brewing Company. He’s been hired to distribute mail throughout the complex. Kovacich still works there, but now he’s a records and information management specialist observing the company go from Miller to MillerCoors to Molson Coors, and he did it while taking courses at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.

Madison attorney Dianne Soffa works in the children’s court and wears two hats: one devoted to art and one to the children. Early on, her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas in Austin led to another goal: law school in Madison.

To add to the workload, she earned her master of fine arts while putting the final touches on a law degree.

How do these two manage full-time jobs while running a tiny 225-square-foot studio space in the basement of the Marshall Building? Safi Studios, which this industrious pair opened in 2010, has no fairy godmother toting bags of gold. To Kovacich and Soffa, hard work plus creativity is reward enough. They seem to agree that having a full-time job is essential as a backup to running a gallery.

66 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

Soffa: Law is a great day job! And art is everything else. Recently I combined the two disciplines by creating an installation using pink-slip messages from my office. I deleted critical information with a black marker and used the doodle patterns that emerged. They became art installed on the walls of Safi and also Madison Art Hub gallery.

Kovacich: We are only open during Gallery Night and by appointment. I have a modest house in West Allis and I use the space to make art. This past summer, our combined efforts in Madison led to an exterior installation at Madison’s Olbrich Botanical Gardens. We mounted 200 rearview automobile mirrors on stakes and worked with a lighting designer to bring “GLEAM: Art in a New Light” to the gardens. A year earlier, we used rearview mirrors and luminous colors to enliven the stage for Madison’s Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society. Currently we are preparing a proposal for the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend.

Soffa: I have exhibited my art in Mexico and Texas, and Safi is a great place for experimentation. It makes for a fine test drive before I take my things on the road. Speaking of being “on the road,” my drive from Madison to Milwaukee takes about 90 minutes.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

CLASSIFIEDS TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL 414-292-3816

DWELL Since

1935

A room of your own and good old-fashioned meals

Clark Boarding

The

House

(414) 342-0323 Cell: (262) 339-7883 West Marquette Area

E H O M E! WELCOM ONTH $435/M

Teweles Seed Tower Location, Location, Location 1, 2 & 3BR, many w/2BA Market & Affordable Rates Available Industrial Chic Design!

888-TEWELES (888-839-3537) 2612 N Maryland Winter Special 2BR Apt for 1BR rate of $765 through 5/31/17.

Heat & water incl., C/A, appls., laundry on each floor, elevator.

Underground parking $75/mo. Security deposit only $300. 414-9400176 OR 414-961-7400. bieckmanagement.com

JOBS Electrical Engineer Scanalytics, Inc., Milwaukee, WI. Requirements: B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 5 years experience and expertise in floor sensors.

Submit resume at www.scanalyticsinc.com/ careers.

HEALTH MAKE THE CALL TO START GETTING CLEAN TODAY Free 24/7 Helpline for alcohol & drug addiction treatment. Get help! It is time to take your life back!

Call Now: 855-732-4139 (AAN CAN)

CONNECT East Side Samantha (Dave) Call Hank at 262-293-9442.

Mondays between 2pm and 4pm.

WHO SAYS

PEOPLE

DON’T

READ ADS ANYMORE? YOU’VE ALREADY READ MOST OF THIS AD.

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

CLASSIFIEDS 414.292.3816

MEET MRS. PIBB

Meet Mrs. Pibb, a 10-month-old kitty in search of her forever home! She came to the Wisconsin Humane Society Milwaukee Campus from MADACC and is excited to begin a new chapter in life. Mrs. Pibb appears to be mostly blind, but it doesn’t stop her from being the sweet, inquisitive little gal she is inside.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO WWW.WIHUMANE.ORG

Aikido of Hales Corners

OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

-NEWEnrollment Special

40% OFF Regularly $80 per month

Classes: Every Tuesday and Thursday 7:30pm to 8:30pm EAST WEST CONNECTION MARTIAL ARTS & WELLNESS 5726 S. 108th St. | Hales Corners, WI 53130 414-425-2971

HAVE MONEY QUESTIONS?

Ask Kim

from Summit Credit Union

ASK THE EXPERT

Submit your questions at MoneySmarts@ SummitCreditUnion.com

SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS AT INFO@ALLIANCETAXUSA.COM

Disclaimer: The Shepherd Express makes no representations or warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, regarding any advertising. Due diligence is recommended before entering into any agreement with an advertiser. The Shepherd Express will not be held liable for any damages of any kind relating to any ad. Please check your ad the first day of publication and notify us of any changes. We are not responsible for errors in advertising after the first day. We reserve the right to edit, reject or reclassify advertisements in our sole discretion, without notice.

We do not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate or intend to discriminate on any illegal basis, or are otherwise illegal. NO REFUNDS for cancellation after deadline, no copy changes except to price or telephone number.

Ask the Dentist

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Submit your questions at drmurphy@ stephaniemurphydds.com

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 67

THEME CROSSWORD

SMALL TALK

By James Barrick

PSYCHO SUDOKU! “Celebrity Sudoku”

Solve this as you would a regular sudoku, except using the nine given letters instead of numbers. When you’re done, each row, column, and 3x3 box will contain each of the nine given letters exactly one time. In addition, one row or column will reveal, either backward or forward, the name of a famous person. psychosudoku@gmail.com

T A O

W

N M

Y N Y

68 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

77. Hoarfrost 78. Major constituent of sand 80. Press 81. Ceremonial garment 82. — Maria 83. Pinkie: 2 wds.

85. Ruler of the Aesir 86. In a gentle way 88. Quondam 89. Garfield’s predecessor 90. Arch 91. On high 93. Saharan 95. Genus of palms 98. Persona non — 99. Massive 103. Arkansas River city: 2 wds.

106. “God’s — —” 108. Certain singer 109. Diacritical mark 110. Habituate 111. Advanced degrees 112. Burn 113. Eateries 114. Odense natives 115. — -chef DOWN 1. Storm’s antecedent 2. Medley 3. Damon or Dillon 4. Immune-system attackers 5. Place 6. Notes 7. Did well on a test 8. Mythical bird 9. Sicken: 2 wds.

10. Throb 11. Willow tree 12. From soup to — 13. Mouser 14. Annex

15. The big league 16. Love personified 17. Yearn 18. Rather and Duryea 24. Hang menacingly (with “over”) 26. Muslim title: Var. 29. Invited 32. Pointed hat: Var. 33. Pay the — 34. Paradise 35. Polka’s forerunner 36. Giraffe relative 37. Alcott title: 2 wds.

38. Gaze 39. Rush 40. The smallest state: 2 wds.

41. In a rage 42. Summoned 44. Townspeople 45. PR concern 46. Incertitude 47. Brainstorms 52. — John’s wort 54. Starts to move 55. Muzzle 57. Ripple pattern 59. Kind of daisy 61. Actor — Chaney 62. Bringer 64. Time of year 65. Bring about

66. Jack in a rhyme 67. Green shade 68. Like some snacks 69. Billow 70. Musician — Blake 71. Wails 73. Sir or Madame 75. Prevention measure 78. Beget 79. In progress 81. Detailed plans: 2 wds.

83. Licit 84. Like an expired license 87. Adulterate 89. Charter 91. — — Triomphe 92. Hardens a certain way 93. Cave 94. Parts 95. Mournful cry 96. Rub the wrong way 97. — Kett of old comics 98. Duffer’s game 99. Vingt- — - — 100. — Rios, Jamaica 101. Pakistan’s language 102. Meeting: Abbr.

104. Common abbr.

105. Estuary 107. — — nutshell

Solution to last week’s puzzle

N T

M S Y F U L O B P I C I O C I N G T A N I E C N I Z E R D N I X T H C

C M C T Y

N I M Y

1/12 Solution

W A Y T

A

WORD FIND This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 13 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

Ocean cruise Solution: 13 Letters

© 2014 Australian Word Games Dist. by Creators Syndicate Inc.

ACROSS 1. Unconscious state 5. Jump 10. Juan — de Leon 15. Hydromel, fermented 19. Arkin or Alda 20. Kind of bean 21. Expected 22. Old strongbox 23. Clam variety 25. One of the Merry Men: 2 wds.

27. Gestured 28. Facilitates 30. Exodus leader 31. Becomes 32. Scrooge, e.g.

33. Equal 35. Folklore creature 38. Tussah 39. Flight maneuver 43. Similar 44. Ursa Minor: 2 wds.

48. Nest-egg acronym 49. Back muscles, for short 50. — Khayyam 51. Clay pipe 52. For men only 53. Choose 54. Alarms 56. Shandy ingredient 57. Photo finish 58. Aerial navigation 60. Greek epic 62. Seethed 63. Banish 64. Bitter drug 65. Vertical fishing net 66. Farmers, at times 68. Exhausted 69. Sci-fi classic: 2 wds.

72. Ruses 73. Mountain lake 74. — — what you eat 76. Color

N K E W J O U C A E R E O S C O A M K Y L U M R A U A V E R N B E N I B R A N Q U I L M U T O O V E S R

altitude angle axis box Capricorn compass course current degrees direction drift gliding gyroscope high horizon

inboard instrument latitude lee life vest lighthouse log longitude maps marine moonlight nadir observation orbit plan

pole radar radio reading rough signal smooth starboard steer tropics Venus waves wind zenith

1/12 Solution: Famous for wine and crow eaters

Solution: Smooth sailing

© 2017 United Feature Syndicate, Dist. by Andrews McMeel Syndication

A S A S T I A S F C A C T O G R Y

C

Creators Syndicate 737 3rd Street • Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 • info@creators.com

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Date: 1/20/17

::CHUCK SHEPHERD’S

::FREEWILLASTROLOGY ::BY ROB BREZSNY CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Some guy I don’t know keeps sending me emails about great job opportunities he thinks I’d like to apply for: a technical writer for a solar energy company, for example, and a social media intern for a business that offers travel programs. His messages are not spam. The gigs are legitimate. And yet I’m not in the least interested. I already have several jobs I enjoy, like writing these horoscopes. I suspect that you, too, may receive worthy but ultimately irrelevant invitations in the coming days, Capricorn. My advice: If you remain faithful to your true needs and desires, more apropos offers will eventually flow your way.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The word “naysayer” describes a person who’s addicted to expressing negativity. A “yeasayer,” on the other hand, is a person who is prone to expressing optimism. According to my assessment of the astrological omens, you can and should be a creative yeasayer in the coming days—both for the sake of your own well-being and that of everyone whose life you touch. For inspiration, study Upton Sinclair’s passage about Beethoven: He was “the defier of fate, the great yea-sayer.” His music is “like the wind running over a meadow of flowers, superlative happiness infinitely multiplied.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If I’m feeling prosaic, I might refer to a group of flamingos as a flock. But one of the more colorful and equally correct terms is a “flamboyance” of flamingos. Similarly, a bunch of pretty insects with clubbed antennae and big fluttery wings may be called a kaleidoscope of butterflies. The collective noun for zebras can be a dazzle, for pheasants a bouquet, for larks an exaltation, and for finches a charm.

In accordance with current astrological omens, I’m borrowing these nouns to describe members of your tribe. A flamboyance or kaleidoscope of Pisceans?

Yes! A dazzle or bouquet or exaltation or charm of Pisceans? Yes! All of the above.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Are you more attracted to honing group dynamics or liberating group dynamics? Do you have more aptitude as a director who organizes people or as a sparkplug who inspires people? Would you rather be a Chief Executive officer or a Chief Imagination Officer? Questions like these will be fertile for you to meditate on in the coming weeks. The astrological omens suggest it’s time to explore and activate more of your potential as a leader or catalyst.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An eccentric Frenchman named Laurent Aigon grew up near an airport, and always daydreamed of becoming a commercial pilot. Sadly, he didn’t do well enough in school to fulfill his wish. Yet he was smart and ambitious enough to accomplish the next best thing: assembling a realistic version of a Boeing 737 cockpit in his home. With the help of Google, he gathered the information he needed, and ordered most of the necessary parts over the Internet. The resulting masterpiece has enabled him to replicate the experiences of being a pilot. It’s such a convincing copy that he has been sought as a consultant by organizations that specialize in aircraft maintenance. I suggest you attempt a comparable feat, Taurus: creating a simulated version of what you want. I bet it will eventually lead you to the real thing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The weather may be inclement where you live, so you may be resistant to my counsel. But I must tell you the meanings of the planetary omens as I understand them, and not fret about whether you’ll act on them. Here’s my prescription, lifted from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden: “We need the tonic of wildness, to wade sometimes in marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen lurk, and hear the booming of the snipe; to smell the whispering sedge where only some wilder and more solitary fowl builds her nest, and the mink crawls with its belly close to the ground.” And why does Thoreau say we need such experiences? “We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, to witness our own limits transgressed.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Welcome to the most deliciously enigmatic, sensually mysterious phase of your astrological cycle. To provide you with the proper non-rational

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

guidance, I have stolen scraps of dusky advice from the poet Dansk Javlarna (danskjavlarna.tumblr.com).

Please read between the lines: 1. Navigate the ocean that roars within the seashell. 2. Carry the key, even if the lock has been temporarily lost. 3. Search through the deepest shadows for the bright light that cast them. 4. Delve into the unfathomable in wordless awe of the inexplicable.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): What exactly would a bolt of lightning taste like? I mean, if you could somehow manage to roll it around in your mouth without having to endure the whitehot shock. There’s a booze manufacturer that claims to provide this sensation. The company known as Oddka has created “Electricity Vodka,” hard liquor with an extra fizzy jolt. But if any sign of the zodiac could safely approximate eating a streak of lightning without the help of Electricity Vodka, it would be you Leos. These days you have a special talent for absorbing and enjoying and integrating fiery inspiration.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Eighteenthcentury painter Joshua Reynolds said that a “disposition to abstractions, to generalizing and classification, is the great glory of the human mind.” To that lofty sentiment, his fellow artist William Blake responded, “To generalize is to be an idiot; to particularize is the alone distinction of merit.” So I may be an idiot when I make the following generalization, but I think I’m right: In the coming weeks, it will be in your best interests to rely on crafty generalizations to guide your decisions. Getting bogged down in details at the expense of the big picture—missing the forest for the trees—is a potential pitfall that you can and should avoid.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal penned the novel Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age. It consists of one sentence. But it’s a long, rambling sentence—117 pages’ worth. It streams from the mouth of the narrator, who is an older man bent on telling all the big stories of his life. If there were ever to come a time when you, too, would have cosmic permission and a poetic license to deliver a one-sentence, 117-page soliloquy, Libra, it would be in the coming weeks. Reveal your truths! Break through your inhibitions! Celebrate your epic tales! (P.S.: Show this horoscope to the people you’d like as your listeners.)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): When Pluto was discovered in 1930, astronomers called it the ninth planet. But 76 years later, they changed their mind. In accordance with shifting definitions, they demoted Pluto to the status of a mere “dwarf planet.” But in recent years, two renowned astronomers at Caltech have found convincing evidence for a new ninth planet. Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown are tracking an object that is much larger than Earth. Its orbit is so far beyond Neptune’s that it takes 15,000 years to circle the sun. As yet it doesn’t have an official name, but Batygin and Brown informally refer to it as “Phattie.” I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because I suspect that you, too, are on the verge of locating a monumental new addition to your universe.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The tomato and potato are both nightshades, a family of flowering plants. Taking advantage of this commonality, botanists have used the technique of grafting to produce a pomato plant.

Its roots yield potatoes, while its vines grow cherry tomatoes. Now would be a good time for you to experiment with a metaphorically similar creation, Sagittarius. Can you think of how you might generate two useful influences from a single source?

Homework: What part of yourself are you scared of?

Is it time to give that part a peace offering? Testify at freewillastrology.com.

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s Expanded Weekly Audio Horoscopes and Daily Text Message Horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

Post-Truth Society

I

n January, the U.S. Court of Appeals finally pulled the plug on Orange County, Calif., social workers who had been arguing in court for 16 years that they were not guilty of lying under oath because, after all, they did not understand that lying under oath in court is wrong. The social workers had been sued for improperly removing children from homes and defended their actions by inventing “witnesses” to submit made-up testimony.

Their lawyers had been arguing that the social workers’ “due process” rights were violated in the lawsuit because in no previous case on record did a judge ever have occasion to explicitly spell out that creating fictional witness statements is not permitted.

The Way the World Works Former elementary school teacher Maria Caya, who was allowed to resign quietly in 2013 from her Janesville, Wis., school after arriving drunk on a student field trip, actually made money on the incident. In November 2016, the city agreed to pay a $75,000 settlement—because the police had revealed her blood-alcohol level to the press in 2013 (allegedly, “private” medical information). The lawsuit against the police made no mention of Caya’s having been drunk or passed out, but only that she had “become ill.”

The Redneck Chronicles Update: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reversed itself in December and allowed Mary Thorn of Lakeland to keep her 6-foot-long pet alligator (“Rambo”) at home with her despite a regulation requiring that a gator that size needs a more spacious roaming area. Thorn and Rambo have been together for over a decade.

Police Report Taylor Trupiano grudgingly paid his $128 “traffic” fine in December, issued by a Roseville, Mich., officer who caught his car warming up unattended—in his own driveway.

Police routinely issue such tickets based on a town ordinance to send drivers like Trupiano a message that unattended cars are ripe for theft (with five to 10 stolen in this way each winter), which burdens Roseville’s police department.

Awwwwwww! (1) Jasper Fiorenza, 24, was arrested in St. Petersburg, Fla., in November and charged with breaking into a home in the middle of the night. The female resident said she awoke to see Fiorenza and screamed, but that the man nonetheless delayed his getaway in order to pet the woman’s cat lounging on her bed. (2) In December, Durham, Ontario, police officer Beth Richardson was set for a disciplinary hearing (“discreditable conduct”) because, earlier in 2016, after being called to intervene at a drug user’s home, she had noticed the resident’s cat “cowering” in a corner and had taken her to a veterinarian, but without asking the owner’s permission.

Questionable Judgments David Martinez, 25, was shot in the stomach during a brawl in New York City in December. He had inadvertently initiated the chaos when, trying to park in Manhattan’s East Village just after Saturday midnight, he moved an orange traffic cone that had obviously been placed to reserve the parking space. He apparently failed to realize that the parking spot was in front of the clubhouse of the Hells Angels, whose members happened to take notice.

Recurring Themes The Return of Anger Relief: (1) What was billed as the United Kingdom’s first “Rage Cage” opened in Nottingham, England, in December, allowing patrons to vent with crowbars, baseball bats and hammers to smash crockery, electronics and glassware—at prices ranging from about $15 to about $40. (2) In October, a bookstore in Cairo set aside a small, soundproof room where patrons could scream at the top of their lungs for 10 minutes about whatever stresses them. The store owner pointed to an academic study demonstrating screaming’s “positive effect” on the brain. (The prototype store is still Donna Alexander’s Anger Room in Downtown Dallas, thriving since 2011, offering a variety of bludgeoning weapons, and especially active this election season, with target mannequins gussied up to be “Trump” and “Clinton.”)

The Passing Parade Badminton player Mads Pieler Kolding, in a January match in India’s Premier Badminton League, returned a volley at a world’s record for a shuttlecock—265 miles per hour. © 2017 CHUCK SHEPHERD J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 69

THEBACK::ARTFORARTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;SSAKE

Everything you need to look and feel your best - after hours!

Best Adult Retail Store N136 W21931 Bonniwell Rd. Richfield (Just off Hwy 45 & 145) 262-628-4545

70 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Meet sexy friends Meetreally sexy friends who get your vibe... who really get your vibe...

Try TryFREE: FREE:414-908-4028 414-908-4028 More MoreLocal LocalNumbers: Numbers: 1-800-811-1633 1-800-811-1633

FREE TO LISTEN AND REPLY TO ADS Free Code: Shepherd Express

WHO ARE YOU AFTER DARK?

Try FREE: 414-918-4010 More Local Numbers: 1-800-700-6666

1-800-881-3587 REAL PEOPLE, REAL DESIRE, REAL FUN.

Ahora en Español/18+

Try for FREE

414.918.4011

Discreet Chat Guy to Guy

414.908.4030

music | theater | dance visual arts | museums | tours | classes

COMPREHENSIVE

FIND REAL GAY MEN NEAR YOU Milwaukee:

- LISTINGS -

(414) 342-2222 www.megamates.com 18+

redhotdateline.com 18+

FREE TRIAL

MKE’S MOST

60 MINUTES FREE TRIAL

THE HOTTEST GAY CHATLINE

vibeline.com18+ 18+ vibeline.com

Dating made Easy

FREE

to Listen & Reply to ads.

414.933.5555

updated DAILY SHEPHERDEXPRESS.COM/EVENTS

REAL PEOPLE REAL DESIRE REAL FUN.

Try FREE: 800-493-4705 Ahora español/18+

SHEPHERD EXPRESS

J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | 71

72 | J A N U A R Y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7

SHEPHERD EXPRESS