February is "Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com, and we'll serve up more than a six pack a week of bar articles all month long. Look for bartender profiles, drink recipes, revamped bar guides and more!
Normally, this is where you'd read a carefully-crafted bio of the
article subject -- in this case Club Garibaldi bartender Win Allison --
but when I asked him a bit about himself, this is how he responded.
"I ended up in Milwaukee after six years at UWM and could not bring
myself to leave because I love this city. I support Man U FC
(Manchester United). Originally from Illinois. I hate Belgian
beers because I was mugged in front of a (police) officer in Brussels
on my birthday. I love to travel and was just in London, Prague,
Vienna and Barcelona. (I'm a) huge fan of music except reggae and
country. My friends and I plan on running with the bulls this
July."
How can one improve on that? We recently asked Allison about his work for OnMilwaukee.com's bar month ...
OMC: How long have you been a bartender?
WA: I started bartending in 1991 to help pay for college. After getting
my degree I decided to parlay the drinking habit I picked up in college
into an exciting career.
OMC: What is your speciality/signature drink?
WA: Our signature drink was anything that was made with ham vodka. Two
of my favorite patrons and I decided to infuse vodka with ham, brown
sugar and cloves. The results were a tasty treat for all. I am
considering doing a corned beef vodka for St. Patty's Day.
OMC: What is the most ridiculous thing you've seen a drunk patron do?
WA: The most ridiculous thing I have seen in a bar is a bottle rocket
fight. It happened so fast I had no idea what to do.
OMC: Ever break up any bar fights? If yes, please elaborate...
WA: I have been lucky to never have to break up any bar fights. Then again, all the shifts I work are all about love.
OMC: Best/worst pick-up lines to use in a bar?
WA: The worst pick-up lines are from people who have had too much to
drink. They could best be described as broken English that may or may
not contain a verb. And after said statement is made they usually smile
and then drool on themselves.
OMC: Best/worst parts of being a bartender?
WA: The best part of being a bartender is meeting new and
exciting people. The worst part is having to cut off the new and
exciting people you just met.
OMC: Do you go out to bars when you're not working? Do you have a favorite bartender?
WA: Where I go out is going to seem like an epic roll-call in,
say, (the medieval Irish epic) "The Tain." So here goes: The Highbury
for dance party goodness with Amy and Carl and because March and Matty
G. are so dreamy; Bay View Bowl for the Mike; The Home Bar for Jenny
and her pigtails; The Groove for witty banter with Sweet Matt-o and his
pirate in arms, Joe; Landmark Lanes for the love with Buddy; Y-Not III
for Pretty Boy Nick; Points East Pub for fun with Gabe, The Billiam,
Brant and of course my all-time favorite bartender, Erika. The amount
of hate that she puts in every cocktail in unfathomable; Chris at the
Cactus Club, and the Sunday bartender at Walter's. She is just surly
enough for my tastes.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.