March Madness is here, and the basketball action heats up in Milwaukee this week as the Bradley Center hosts the Midwest and West regional rounds of the "big dance." With fans flocking from near and far, the editorial staff at OnMilwaukee.com thought we'd help greet our new visitors with a week's worth of features and guides to everything that makes our city a great place to visit. It's "Welcome to Milwaukee Week" at OnMilwaukee.com!
Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory
524 S. Layton
Blvd., (414) 649-9830
county.milwaukee.gov
Sure, official documents may call it the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, but ask a local where that is and you'll get a blank stare. However, everyone knows -- and loves -- The Domes!
When the 57-year-old Mitchell Park Conservatory greenhouse was demolished in 1955, plans for the three beehive shaped domes (they are not geodesic) were hatched and construction began four years later. The Domes -- as they are affectionately called -- were finished in the early '60s and became an instant hit among Milwaukeeans and visitors.
The show dome features changing exhibits, while the arid dome in the center is full of crazy looking cacti and swooping birds. There's also a glowing moon at the top. What I like to call the "damp dome" or the "banana dome" is warm and wet, transporting visitors to the rainforest.
A couple years ago, great new lighting was installed in the newly renovated domes. You can often spot the domes at night now from afar and on nights when there are concerts inside, there is a lively and fun light show.
When to go: The winter 2010 hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday, from 9 until 9 and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Prices: Admission is $6.50. The disabled and students with ID -- as well as kids ages 6-17 -- get in for $5. Kids 5 and under are free. AAA discounts are available. Major credit cards accepted.
Don't miss: Alas, the Music Under Glass concert and light show series ended its season on March 18 (last night ... doh!), so I'd say just about any time is the right time.
Parking: Plenty of free parking in the lot out front. There's also an overflow lot around the back, follow the road around the left side of the Domes.
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.
