Ho ho ho. Happy happy, merry, merry. Tis the season, and the buzz is buzzin'. Here is our monthly inside look into the city we love. Enjoy.
CONGRATS JEAN-LOUIS
Jean Louis Bolar, the concierge at Milwaukee's Landmark on the Lake, recently received the 2001 Outstanding Service Award from the National Concierge Association. Congrats Jean Louis!
B&B IN FRENCH IS...
Well, I dunno, but Milwaukee will reportedly find out next year when Trocadero opens a B&B in the former apartments above its east side location.
S.O.B
Sherman's on Brady is now open in the old DiSalvo and Brennan's. It's a bar/food kind of place. Check it out.
MILWAUKEE DOT GOV
Mayor John Norquist introduced the city's new easier-to-use web site and its easier-to-remember web address -- www.milwaukee.gov -- at a news conference Mon., Dec. 10 at the Forest Home branch library, 1432 W. Forest Home Ave. Joining him were aldermen and neighborhood leaders who guided the city in making sure the site serves users. "We redesigned this site with one thing in mind: making it easier for citizens to use city government," said Norquist. "If someone want to request services or report neighborhood problems, our home page puts them just a click away. It's now amazingly easy to find popular features such as property data and the on-line auction. It's now one of the best municipal sites around." OnMilwaukee.com was happy and honored to be a part of the re-design process for Milwaukee.gov. Check it out.
SEE YA LAURA. HELLO LAURA
Unfortunately, Laura Ashley is leaving The Shops of Grand Avenue. But, watch for new store announcements in early 2002, as the mall continues its face lift. And, don't worry too much since Boston Store will be carrying many of Laura Ashley's stuff.
SANTA GERITE
Gertie the Duck has donned a festive red hat and suit. Check her out on the bridge on Wisconsin Avenue just west of Water St. Quack, quack, ho, ho, ho.
WHERE'S PAOLO?
First, who's Paolo? He's the former maitred'etre at Beccofino and Mimma's. He's now landed at Ten Eleven, 1011 N. Astor St. He'll make you feel welcome, and there's always an Italian kiss for the ladies. Watch for menu changes at Ten Eleven, coming soon.
WINDOW BOX
Selling teas, pottery, glassware, chocolates and more, Windowbox is now open at 2634 N. Downer Ave. Call them at (414) 967-0781.
NEW SHOES FOR THE VALLEY?
As the management at Allen-Edmonds continues to explore building a new factory in the Menomonee Valley, we hear that if it happens there will also be a retail component. Good news for downtown business people. Wouldn't an Allen Edmonds store on Wisconsin Avenue be nice, too?
MAM OPEN LONGER AND #1 IN TIME
Effective Tues., Jan. 2, the Milwaukee Art Museum will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday, except for Thursdays when the Museum will stay open until 8 p.m. And Time Magzine has given MAM its best design nod for 2001. That's right, our art museum is number one according to Time Magazine. As for the new hours, they reflect visitors' preferences and are more consistent. Currently, the Museum does not open on Thursdays and Sundays until noon and remains open Thursday and Friday nights until 9 p.m. After studying audience visitor patterns, the Museum found a preference for the earlier hours. The Museum had traditionally been open Thursday evenings, but added Friday evenings when it opened its new addition in May. The Museum has found low demand for that time frame. The Museum plans to use Friday nights to schedule special programs like First Fridays.
MORE MAM BUZZ
The holiday book guide in the Fri., Nov. 30 edition of the Wall Street Journal included MAM's "Building a Masterpiece" on its list. The three big paragraphs about MAM said such things as: "The great architectural event of the fall has been the opening of an addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum...The distinctive feature...is an engineering marvel....The building represents--as it was clearly intended to--an attempt to replace Frank Gehry's Bilbao Guggenheim as the most distinctive piece of museum architecture around....(on the book)...offers and excellent introduction to both the Milwaukee addition and to Mr. Calatrava....This well-illustrated essay will be invaluable to readers...."
TOP OF PLAZA CLOSING
Perched atop the Bank One Building, The Top of the Plaza restaurant is closing December 28. The space will be converted into offices.
NEW DOUGH
The area's first Krispy Kreme Doughnuts opened on December 11 at 2900 S. 108 St. Yum. Lines are long at all hours of the day and night. Donuts, mmmm.
NEW BLUE P's
New blue P's in and around downtown make it much easier to find parking. It's already pretty easy to park in Milwaukee and these babies make garages and lots easier to find. So does parkmilwaukee.com. Click here, www.parkmilwaukee.com
SMILE
The Mayor and his family had their holiday photo taken at the Pabst Theatre's new Cudahy Pub.
THE VILLAGE SHOPPE
Downtown dwellers have found a cool new place to find decorations for their condos and apartments. The Village Shoppe inside The Shops of Grand Avenue is a very unique Milwaukee store. From candles to birdbaths, they have it all. Call them at (414) 283-9692.
NEW OLD CLOCK
The city and the Milwaukee County Historic Society recently dedicated The Klopf Sidewalk Clock. It is now erected in front of the Historical Society, but was originally perched in front of the Milton H. Klopf jewelry store at 2367 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in Bay View before World War I and remained there until 1963. It's another wonderful part of Milwaukee's history now visible for everyone in downtown.
SAHAR
There's a little Persian restaurant on Wisconsin Ave., 307 E. Wisconsin Ave., called Sahar. Chances are you've walked or driven past it. Truth is it's rather unappealing from the outside, but it's all redone on the inside. Great food, too, especially on the economical lunch buffet. Stop in, and please don't judge this restaurant by its cover.
