A View of Milwaukee: Architectural Elements

A collection of the ONLY photos I was able to capture, mostly on Sunday, after the show. As you can see by the photos on Old World Third Street that it WAS sunny. Then the storm came after dinner. I used every bit of light I could to capture this to share. There was more to the city that I had hoped to capture. There were Gothic style cathedrals sprinkled throughout downtown. Next trip, I hope to have better luck with the weather.

I'm a fan of wrought iron art

Interesting Elements from the Hilton Inside and Out

Not the best photos but I was shooting in the not best conditions either. I hope my next trip to Tacoma, WA will be better for this photographer!

Our flight was delayed on Monday but at least it was not canceled. A non-stop flight, thank goodness and just to be home again was what I needed before I really got SICK! No matter how much I enjoy exhibiting, the part I dislike the most after almost EVERY show, is coming home sick. I guess it comes with the territory and the price of traveling so much. There is no real rest for this gal even when sick.

Time to get back to the studio soon to be readied for the Puget Sound Bead Festival in mid July. It's my first time at the show, so come see me! Wow, seven more shows left for this year and I'm still standing.

Lisa

Food Stop: Mader's Restaurant

Mader's Restaurant

Sunday June 8, 2008
Approximately 6:00 P.M

After exhibiting at so many shows, we've streamlined our breakdown process. There is a certain way all the items have to be packed to fit properly and distribute the weight. I had to readjust everything anyways later so we broke down in less than 2 hours. This is actually not bad for a corner booth. Nick was in charge of running back and forth to the room THREE times while I packed.

We were excited to find that outside it was NOT raining. Nick was going to get the umbrella but after realizing he left it in the car, we decided to take our chances. We "thought" that the rain was behind us because it was SO beautiful outside. We both took our own cameras out and I'll share some of the architecture photos in the next post.

So we had been flipping through all the tourist magazines and saw an ad for Mader's. Hey there is a coupon too. Nick had wanted badly to try a German restaurant and he had been such a good sport throughout the entire trip. We decided to enjoy the city so walked the seven or so blocks to Mader's. As you can see by the photos, it WAS sunny when we entered Mader's.

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(from their website)

Not many restaurants in the Milwaukee area have as much history as Mader's. You’ll dine amid a stunning $3 million dollar collection of art, suits of medieval armour and antiques dating back to the 14th century.

Mader's has been voted the most famous German restaurant in North America. Some years ago, in 1902 to be exact, things weren't quite the same. An ambitious young German immigrant, Charles Mader, poured his life savings into a speculative venture: he purchased a small building on 233 W. Water Street (now Plankington Avenue) and hung out his sign. "The Comfort," it read, was comfortable, with it's "soft" wooden chairs and Oaken tables. Today's $3,000,000 collection of Medieval Germanic weaponry hadn't arrived, but you could find a few dozen wall pegs on which to hang coats.

Young Mader only served the best of food and drink so he felt warranted in charging well for his fare. Dinner, including tip and beverage was 20 cents and big steins of "Cream City" beer were 3 cents each, two for a nickel. If you spent 5 cents on beer your lunch was free.

This was the era when "bucket boys," toting a board dangling a half dozen pails of frothy beer, made the rounds through office buildings. Their refreshing goods were passed around to all - the early beer capitals natural answer to today's coffee break. The "Comfort" restaurant fared well and soon moved to its present location, 1041 North Old World Third Street. Then, after 18 years, a crushing blow struck the establishment: Prohibition threatened! Charles Mader hung a large sign in his window: "Prohibition is near at hand. Prepare for the worst. Stock up now! Today and tomorrow there's beer. Soon there'll be only the lake."

When Prohibition struck in 1919, Mader turned full attention to his big kitchen which yielded his now famous rustic German dishes. The sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel and pork shank were called on to meet the challenge and hold the trade without the compliment of the traditional stein of beer. They held up well, all the way to that jubilant, cheering night of April 7, 1933. Mader's was there to serve that first legal stein of beer in Milwaukee and it was announced from Mader's on the city's only radio station on that historic midnight.

Times changed when the depressed early thirties passed. Mr. Mader's two sons, George and Gustave, began helping the aging Charles. The famous restaurateur passed away in 1938. His two sons took over and continued the work. World War II came and Mader's de-emphasized its German theme but otherwise fared well. People often lined up hungrily awaiting their chance to indulge in a crispy pork shank, tender wiener schnitzel or tangy platter of sauerbraten. Gus and George celebrated Mader's 50th anniversary by adding a new dining room, the"Jaeger Strube" In 1958, George Mader died, leaving brother Gus had to shoulder the entire burden. He proved to be a capable owner and succeeded in maintaining the Milwaukee restaurants tradition. Read more...

*****

So for dinner, we kind of went crazy. We started off with the Reuben Rolls which is corned beef, cabbage and Swiss cheese wrapped inside spring dough served with fresh crispy fried spinach and Dusseldorf mustard sauce. It was like eating eggrolls and I would have to say the filling was delicious but I found the flour dough on the heavier side to my preferences. The mustard was the perfect condiment and was a very tasty addition to the flavors.

When in a German restaurant you CAN NOT not order the potato pancakes with sour cream and apple sauce. So yes, we did but only was able to eat ONE pancake. It was delicious but we were getting filled and dinner hadn't even come yet. Geez.

For dinner I had to try the FAMOUS Mader's Pork Shank. I am NOT a big fan of sauerkraut so asked them to substitute mushrooms. Well, unfortunately the cook forgot or the waitress forgot, because my pork shank came with a bed of sauerkraut under it. Uhmmm, I would have given the pork shank FIVE stars but the sauerkraut, in my opinion, confused the wonderful apple demi glaze flavors. It was the MOST succulent pork shank I've ever had and I tried my best to scoop out the sauerkraut for Nick, who is a fan and ate it all up. Because of this confusion, the waitress offered a free dessert. Not being one to refuse a dessert, even if I can't have it, someone else could. Nick ordered a chocolate raspberry creme brulee. I had a itty bitty bite and started feeling it in my system. Wow, what a lethal sweet dessert. Bad Lisa, truly that small bite was not good for this diabetic. I watched as Nick spoon up every bit of chocolate heaven, flaky off the extra sugared crust and ate most of it up.

Dinner was GREAT and despite the confusion with the pork shank, I give Mader's three YUMs for the ambiance and delicious wine. Not sure what Nick ordered for me but it was a sweet white wine.

And then, we walked outside. It is amazing what 2 hours can do to Milwaukee weather. The skies were dark and the rain was beating down on the pavement. I saw a family with a baby carriage one block away from the restaurant. I looked up and then across to see the sporadic store/window coverings. Thank goodness for those purple Diesel shoes. I flipped on the hood of my Puma jacket and before you knew it, I ran to the next covering. Nick had offered me his baseball cap but like that is gonna help! I waited at the next stop until the rain slowed a bit. Then ran for it. We did this for several blocks until we spied the Hyatt. "AHA, the skywalk to the Hilton" Nick suggested. We paced ourselves and timed the lights - then ran for it. Panting we made it but there was a price to pay later for running in the rain. Nick, as the consummate good husband, had offered to run back to the Hilton to get the car then pick me up at Mader's. I didn't want to be a wimp so refused the offer. Thinking back, maybe I should have said "yes". Well I paid for it by getting extremely sick upon coming home.

*****

In the next and final post, I will feature a few of the architectural highlights I was able to capture on this trip. Normally I take 500-1000 photos every trip but this time, mother nature stopped me. Better luck next year.

Eat up and Drink up
Lisa

Food Stop: Calderone Club Italian Restaurant

Calderone Club Italian Restaurant
Saturday June 7, 2008
Approximately 7:30 P.M.

We were getting the hang of it, finding places to eat. Again, the Hilton Chophouse was fully packed and so I suggested we walk over the Hyatt skywalk to the restaurants next to the King and I. Interestingly, there is another Thai restaurant right next to the King and I which we will definitely have to try next time. People told us that the food is EVEN better but without the same ambiance. Hmmm... ambiance is important but my taste buds are MUCH more important. So mental note to self "next time in Milwaukee, we will visit Thai Palace"

Tonight it was Italian at the Calderone Club, but we didn't really have Italian food. Nick and I both decided to order steak for dinner. I was again famish as I generally don't have lunch and for breakfast it was Starbucks with some plain donuts. The weather was again not cooperating and because of the show, there were tons of people waiting to dine. After half an hour's wait, the hostess asked if we would mind sharing our table. I've never had this happen in a non-Chinese restaurant so I was fine with it. We all had to eat and why not help another set of patrons out? We share tables all the time in the Chinese culture. Nick thought I was being too friendly at first.

Then we made two new friends who joined us for dinner. This is part of the fun exhibiting at shows, you meet a lot of interesting people and have interesting conversations. Sometimes you are blown away by the people you meet and our new friends were in town for a convention. Again I was tired so if I didn't make ANY sense at dinner guys, I apologize. This girl was working on overdrive and simply exhausted. It was quite interesting that our new friends were in the power industry and trying to recruit me back into the engineering field. Apparently engineers are in high demand again but in the power industry. Uhmmm, although it may be tempting to have a regular salary, this girl loves what she does no matter how hard she has to work some days. It was an interesting proposition and I did take Jeff's business card.

I believe I was beginning to get sick at this point in the trip, but just didn't know it. Running around in the cold and rain can do that. It was a good time spent at dinner and Calderone would be a repeatable dining experience but maybe not on such a busy night next time.

Good food, company and conversations
To new friends
Lisa

Food Stop: King and I Thai Restaurant

The King and I Thai Restaurant

Friday June 6, 2008
Approximately 8:30 P.M.

After the show on Friday, our friends Vintaj introduced us to the first Thai restaurant in Milwaukee, the King and I. We had been "stuck" on our section of town because of the rain, never considering to walk through the Convention skywalk to the Hyatt, to explore restaurants "on the other side". We arrived a little later than the others, but not intentionally, as the elevators at the Hilton was operating SLOWLY that evening. We walked quickly and after several blocks made it to the restaurant. Our mutual good friend, Marlene Blessing, editor of Beadwork Magazine, also was able to join the "family" for dinner. The entire Vintaj family was there and it was great to get to know all of them. It's become somewhat of a tradition that if we are both exhibiting at the same show together, we dine at least once together. The girls of Vintaj are just fabulous, innovative, family-oriented and have become great buddies. They launched a new Fall ad which featured my tourmaline Ginkgo leaves. I shall upload a photo later to share but just thumbed through ANY Fall bead magazine and you shall see the Ginkgos shine.

At the show on Friday, a male patron visited the Vintaj booth and was somewhat mesmerized by the Ginkgo necklace on display. The necklace was the EXACT one used in the showguide ad. The necklace fell to the floor as he reached to take a closer look. Perhaps he was wondering if the leaves were really glass. I get that reaction a lot. Well, the Ginkgos were still intact when the necklace fell, but the fellow somehow stepped on not just one leaf but both of the Ginkgos - resulting in a broken set of Ginkgos. Guess what? Tourmaline leaves are by far the most popular color in my leaf series. Jean from Vintaj ran over and I only had one strand left fortunately. So a newly fixed necklace was back out on display again. Whew! That was close. Thanks to Vintaj for using the Ginkgos in their latest ad campaign! Specialty Beads is also using the Haiku in their latest ad campaign. Thank you Jannell, again and again.

Back to dinner at the King and I. Perusing the menu, there were some very interesting menu items I have never seen in Los Angeles. We all shared some Thai beef jerky that was quite tasty if I say so myself. I went for my favorite dish, Beef Panang (coconut curry, ground peanuts and sweet curry paste). The flavors were very tasty but a tad sweeter than my preference. I enjoyed it with a bed of rice to soak up all the coconut/peanut creamy sauce. Nick ordered the Mango Curry with chicken. I have never seen mango with Thai food so that was an interesting combination of sweet and spicy. The meal was delicious but the company was even better.

I am usually VERY chatty but that day I was SO exhausted Friday night. The show was opened from 10-8p.m. and this girl was up at 5 a.m. to be prepped for the web interview. This was the longest show day I have ever experienced. I tried to be good company at dinner but was somewhat "out of it" by that hour. Do you blame me?

Exhausted,
Lisa

Food Stop: Bravo Cucina and IPic Entertainment

IPic Entertainment
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Approximately 4:15 P.M.

(from their website)
IPic Entertainment, founded by visionary entertainment entrepreneur Hamid Hashemi, is an innovative new luxury entertainment concept that brings the next-generation dining and entertainment experience to neighborhoods across America. Our goal is to develop luxury entertainment destination within every market we serve. We are dedicated to providing our guests with great food, fun choices and exceptional service in an inviting atmosphere. IPic Entertainment is ground-breaking in that our venue offers multiple entertainment options under one roof, unlike anything ever done before. Casually elegant restaurant, luxury screening rooms, stylish bowling and an edgy sophisticated bar puts a unique twist on traditional entertainment. IPic Entertainment's strategy is to develop and operate dining and entertainment centers throughout the U.S. in large and mid-sized metropolitan markets and suburban growth areas of larger metropolitan areas. The first IPic location opened at the Bayshore Town Center in Glendale, Wisconsin (suburban Milwaukee) in December of 2007.

*****

We just wanted to watch a movie but when we walked into the IPic Entertainment center at Bayshore Town Center, we were in store for an ultimate screening experience. As a fan of Iron Man, Nick had wanted to watch the movie and we did in style. You can select your own seats, so no need to wait in lines then rush to the first open seats. You can also order your dinner and take into the theatre. You can also order COCKTAILS and enjoy it inside the theatre. The photo above is really how nice each screening room looks. For the price of regular admission $9 per person (stadium seating) you get a free bag of popcorn EACH. I think this made up for the bad weather outside. We loved it so much that on Wednesday night after setting up, we came back to IPic to watch Indiana Jones.

I won't spoil Iron Man for you, but I enjoyed Robert Downey Jr's performance as well as Gwyneth Paltrow's.

Bravo Cucina Italiana Restaurant
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Approximately 7:00 P.M.

Preview

After this movie, we needed to get dinner. We had eyed the Bravo Cucina Italiana restaurant our first time at Bayshore Town Center. This outdoor mall was beginning to be a staple on our trip. We found it and for the next few nights we would be back again several times.

I indulged in a tasty White Peach Sangria (lime, orange, strawberry, lemon and cherry with Peach Schnapps, Triple Sec and white wine). I normally don't drink on my trips but Nick was there enjoying his wine. The fruity concoction was quite tasty. After the photo above, I forgot to snap photos of the rest of the dinner.

I can attest dinner was quite delicious. We were going to start off with the Heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella salad (aka insalata caprese) but it was off the menu that night due to the salmonella scare. So, we simply skipped the appetizer this time. I ordered the Grilled Georges Bank Scallops with spinach gnocci, roasted sweet potatoes, spinach and sweet lobster sauce. The sweet potatoes mingled with the saltiness of the sauce and gnocci. With such deliciousness it's a shame to leave anything uneaten. So I ate it all, hungrily. Nick ordered one of the house specialties Lasagna Bolognese. It was good but my meal was better. Just my two cents. So would I go back to Bravo Cucina? Yes!

*****

On the next night we couldn't help but come back to watch Indiana Jones at IPic. Before the movie, I was having a craving for rice and Chinese food. We found a Chinese restaurant near the Kinko's down the street from Bayshore Town Center. The restaurant's name escapes me. I would say the meal hit the spot as far as the rice craving goes but it was mediocre. The dishes are what I call Chinese food for non-Chinese folks, as they are not truly authentic dishes. This is why I don't remember the name of the restaurant as it was not memorable. We ordered potstickers and the dough was thick and gummy. How did that happen? I am an EXPERT on potsticker eating (I also can make them if I have time) and this version was just not what I expected. I would have to say that the hostess was very nice in compensation. She mentioned that they bought most of their ingredients in Chicago.

But, when you've dined at some of the best Chinese restaurants in Los Angeles, it's hard to meet these expectations. Did I mention that my grandparents owned a Chinese restaurant for non-Chinese folks when we were young? Uhmmm... I rest my case on egg foo young and chop suey. If that is your cup of tea and you think that's really Chinese food, then eat up and drink up. I would say this restaurant... sorry, was the least memorable experience on my Milwaukee trip and will not be repeatable experience, rice or no rice! When we flew back Monday, I had to visit one of my favorite Chinese deli/restaurants in town - Sam Woo's. (This restaurant is even mentioned on Wikipedia!) Now that meal really hit the spot (wonton noodle soup and roast duck with rice. After EVERY trip I am there. A tradition not to be broken.)

*****

On the following night, yes we were back at Bayshore Town Center because the BnB show ended late and the restaurants were all filled. We got restless waiting for a table in a smoked filled bar at the Miller restaurant. It's a wonder anyone got service from the looks of it. Egads! Since we knew there was Bar Louie at the mall across from IPic we went there for dinner. It was only 10 minutes from the hotel. We ordered a crab and artichoke cheese dip (YUM!) then two hot sandwiches (me, the Luigi and Nick the Louie burger). It was so late by the time we finished dinner (nearly 11 p.m.) that any food would have satisfied us and tasted delicious. This is the show life, folks. You eat when you can but not at or during the show. Never eat at the show because who wants to be handed greasy beads?

Cheers,
Lisa

A View of Glendale and Shorewood, WI: Bayshore Town Center and Bic Bay Park

Bayshore Town Center and Bic Bay Park

Monday, June 2, 2008
Approximately 5:00 - 7:00 P.M.

Okay, so I admit we didn't miraculously hop off the plane and found a Trader Joe's in the neighborhood. Before ANY trip, I seek out a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods in whatever town USA I happen to be traveling to. If none are available, I just have to settle for the local market. There is something comforting about walking into a store you love where you already know the treats are tasty!

So there was only one Trader Joe's and one Whole Foods north of Milwaukee. Since we landed so early and it was still daylight, we decided to go check out Trader Joe's for some snacks and also found the Bayshore Town Center nearby, before checking into the Hilton.

While at Bayshore Town Center, we spied some interesting restaurants and movie theater. We made a mental note for future days, which later served to keep us entertain, amidst the dreary Milwaukee weather.

There was a Barnes and Noble here. Again, I can't help walking into a bookstore, if I see one out of the corner of my eyes. If you only knew how I am around books. If you attempt to restrain me, I'll be like the HULK and break free, to fight you off just to run into a bevy of bookshelves. That's me and books. I am beyond help.

Oooh... and YES! I did see Bead Romantique there.

We had a quick Greek salad snack from Trader Joe's and wanted to save room for a nice dinner on our first night in Milwaukee. I convinced Nick that we should forget taking the freeway back to the Hilton but instead to drive Hwy 32 on the scenic route with a view of Lake Michigan. We drove about and saw so many GORGEOUS homes along the route. Unfortunately there were no vista points for us to stop and capture some of the architecture to share with you. As both fans of fine architecture, trust us they were beautiful homes! Nick and I spoke about moving into one of the waterfront mansions, dreaming of a possible future in retirement. Uh, yeah right! I've been a SoCal girl all my life so the thought of moving anywhere was ... was the last thing on my mind. I love the sun, the SoCal melting pot culture and was surely missing it now. I'm such a wimp in cold weather. Then we spotted a one way street and Nick turned to park the RAV4. We were both itching to stop and get out to walk around. We took in the scent of the lake and fresh air. We got a good whiff of it and then proceeded to walk towards a trail.

We found Bic Bay Park.

Overcast but still not raining yet. We used every bit of sunshine to explore.

The path down and up, which way are you walking?

On the walk down to the water, the jagged rocks pave the way.


Isolating and Serene. A perfect hiding place to just think.


Walk this way. This is my FAVORITE photo from this trip!!


At the end of the path


Turn around. Is it the end or just the beginning?


The icy cold waters of Lake Michigan.

It started sprinkling and the mosquitoes were starting to fly about. It was our sign to get on the road and to check into the Hilton. The day was not over as we'll take you to one of Milwaukee's great eateries in the next Food Stop post. We still hadn't eaten our first real meal and was hungry for something delicious. We found Harbor 550 Restaurant, formerly known as Pieces of Eight, finally after a long drive! Come with us to dinner next.

Time for some YUMMY talk,
Lisa