The buzz is back after skipping October and as always, it's in the know. Read about your city, what's new, what's closing and what's coming. It's all only in this column and everyday in the Buzz section of OMC. Enjoy.
STOUT BROS. TO GO SPANISH
Rumors have changed since the last Buzz on OMC. And now, sources say that a Spanish tapas restaurant and bar is going into the former Stout Bros. On Water Street.
SHE'S DOING DIFFERENT FILMS THESES DAYS
Traci Lords was in town on Fri., Nov. 7 for the world premiere of "Chump Change" at the Oriental for the Milwaukee International Film Festival. This directorial debut by actor/playwright Stephen Burrows takes a humorous look at the business of show business. Steve (Stephen Burrows) returns to his hometown of Milwaukee, WI, eager to show off his Hollywood career to his old friend. Lords plays his girlfriend.
SOMEWHERE TO HANG THE HOSE
When Rick Rodriguez and some colleagues went to New York in 2001 to aid fellow firefighters after the World Trade Center attack, his Big Apple counterparts took him to such bars as "The Hook and Ladder" and the "Red Suspenders." That planted the seed for Milwaukee's Firehouse, 354 E. National Ave., which opened on October 31. Read more inside the pages of OMC.
PELE MUERTO
After 7 years, 13 international releases, and various international tours, Pele have decided to end the group. Since 1997, Pele has had a variety of members, including Scott Schoenbeck, Scott Beschta, and Jon Minor, but the longest and most prolific run was as a trio, consisting of Chris Rosenau, Matt Tennessen and Jon Mueller. They released their final 3 full-length releases, The Nudes (2000), Enemies (2002), and Elephant (2003) on the independent label Polyvinyl Record Co. They will tour Japan in January before they break up the band. Bassist Matt Tennessen will continue his work with the group Paris, TX, who have a new full-length due in spring on New Line Cinemas new record label. Guitarist Chris Rosenau, percussionist Jon Mueller, laptopist Jon Minor and synth/laptopist Jim Schoenecker will have a new full-length out under the Collections of Colonies of Bees moniker. This new record will be the sixth release, and will showcase the newly added members, and the subsequent change in sound and direction.
ANI IS COMING
Ani DiFranco will play The Riverside Theatre on January 24. She'll head to Madison the following day to play the Orpheum.
DOWNTOWN BAR "CLOSED"
Shangrila, 1013 N. Old World Third St., is closed "until further notice."
STRIVE IT UP
Strive Media Institute won an honorable mention for a documentary titled "Altria Protest" in the 2003 Accolade Awards. Strive Media Institute students attended and filmed the "Altria Protest" as a part of a trip that Wisconsin's youth-led, anti-tobacco group, FACT took this summer. The 22 Wisconsin teenagers visited the corporate tobacco headquarters formerly known as Phillip Morris, in Richmond, Virginia. There the teens met up with more than 200 other students from around the country to protest corporate tobacco marketing tactics at Altria/Phillip Morris's annual shareholders meeting. The trip was funded in part by the Milwaukee Community Tobacco Coalition through the City of Milwaukee Health Department.
IF YOU BUILD IT
The fund-raising campaign for the new Milwaukee Youth Arts Center received another shot in the arm this month when celebrities Kristen Johnston and Peter and Jennifer Buffett agreed to lend their efforts to the cause by joining the Campaign Cabinet. Actress Johnston ("Third Rock from the Sun," "The Women") is a Milwaukee native, and composer, musician and recording artist Peter Buffett and his wife, Jennifer, are Milwaukee residents. Campaign Co-Chairs Harry Stratton (Fox Point), President and CEO of Strattec Security Corp., and Community Volunteer Kristin Weigell Severson (River Hills) are leading the campaign that seeks to raise $12 million.
VOSS BOOKS TO OPEN IN THIRD WARD
You saw it on the front page of OMC first. With the success of her outlet in Racine, Kelly Voss is opening a new bookshop at 229 N. Water St. in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward. Opening day is set for November 22. More inside the OMC Marketplace section.
37 MILLION PEOPLE CAN'T BE WRONG
With a subscription level at nearly 37 million, People magazine named the Milwaukee Art Museum among three "New American Beauties." The Museum is referred to as "Jetsonesque" and "the city's instant tourist attraction." The Milwaukee Art Museum; the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the McCormick Tribune Campus Center, Chicago are called "a new generation of eye-popping, jaw-dropping architecture."
Read about it in the November 10, issue.
WHAT'S THE 311, HON?
OMC first told you about the new 311 Club on Wisconsin Ave. Read more here,
www.onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/club311.html
PORTIA YOUNG JOINS WISN-TV
Portia Young will join WISN-TV (Channel 12) as a news anchor/reporter in
mid-November. Portia (pronounced "por-sha") will co-anchor the weekend morning newscasts with WISN 12's Patrick Paolantonio and Weathercaster Joe Gehl. She will also report during the week on "12 News This Morning." Young comes to WISN-TV from WOTV in Battle Creek, Mich.
WHERE ARE DON AND BO?
Bo Black and Don Hoffmann (former MPS communications guy) are still pitching an idea for a Milwaukee entertainment television program. They have talked to OMC and we listened. They've also talked with the folks at the Pabst Theater. Since we may be involved, you'll be sure to read more on the pages of OMC soon.
MILWAUKEE IS "FUN"
Question: What happens when the creator of Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live" feature sets out in search of America's "Most Fun City?" Answer: He puts Milwaukee near the top of the list. The makers of the Cranium board game hired Bert Sperling (the guru behind Money Magazine's studies and others) to compile a ranking of America's most fun cities -- based on criteria such as number of sports teams, restaurants, dance performances, toy stores as well as miles of coastline, acres of parks and civic spending on recreation. Milwaukee-Waukesha just missed the top 10, coming in 14th of 56 cities -- ahead of Columbus, Indianapolis, Cleveland, St. Louis, Kansas City and all other Midwestern metros except Minneapolis (#1) and Chicago (#5). Milwaukee came in ahead of cities with fun reputations such as San Diego (18), Las Vegas (25), Dallas (34), Orlando (36), New York (41) and New Orleans (50). Here's the Mayor's take on the study. "I'm not surprised at all by Milwaukee's great ranking," said the Mayor. "Cranium hired an experienced researcher to take a very serious look at fun. And he confirmed that Milwaukee is a really fun place with everything from great theaters, galleries and cafes to great beaches and nature trails." Here's the top 20 list:
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
2. Orange County, California
3. San Jose, California
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. Chicago, Illinois
6. Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina
7. Washington, DC
8. Oakland, California
9. Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah
10. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Washington
11. Portland-Vancouver, Oregon-Washington
12. San Francisco, California
13. Baltimore, Maryland
14. Milwaukee-Waukesha, Wisconsin
15. Denver, Colorado
16. Detroit, Michigan
17. St. Louis, Missouri
18. San Diego, California
19. Indianapolis, Indiana
20. Cincinnati, Ohio
NORQUIST IN CHICAGO MAGAZINE
The October edition of Chicago magazine has a feature on soon-to-be-ex-Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist.
GOT JAVA?
Lava Java, 1100 S. 1st St., recently opened for business with no fanfare. Its owner, Tim Dirkes, a calculating real estate entrepreneur, wanted to judge his new coffee shop on its own merits. Read all about it inside OMC.
ROCKY'S CLOSES ON EAST SIDE
The Rocky Rococo's on the East Side, 1815 E. Kenilworth Pl., has closed. Other food-fast type tenants are looking at the location.
MORE YOUNG LEADERSHIP
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra announced that Mark C. Hanson, 29, has been appointed to the position of president and executive director, effective January 12, 2004. "We are pleased to announce that Mark C. Hanson has been hired as our new MSO president and executive director," stated Allen Rieselbach, Chairman of the search committee. "Mark unanimously was the top choice, positively demonstrating the leadership, management skills and personality traits that the committee carefully defined as desirable and necessary in a candidate at the start of the search. Mr. Hanson has served as executive director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra since April 2001, during which time the orchestra has expanded its community programming and audience base while considerably improving its financial position. His innovative methods helped to generate a 30 percent increase in annual contributed support and a 35 percent increase in corporate sponsorships since 2001. Under Mr. Hanson's leadership, subscription and single-ticket revenue for the 2002-03 season increased by 16 and 23 percent, respectively. He's a 1997 Harvard University graduate with a bachelor's degree in social studies.
SOME NEW LEADERSHIP
The United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) announced that Edward J. Zore, president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Mutual, and Christine G. Rodriguez, vice president, state and community relations of Rockwell Automation have been named co-chairs of the organization's 2004 Campaign, scheduled to kick off in early 2004. The annual campaign is divided into several divisions, each led by volunteer co-chairs and responsible for raising money from specific audiences. Rodriguez and Zore are scheduled to announce the Campaign Cabinet within the next two months.
BIG EAST
Marquette University has accepted an invitation to be a member of the BIG EAST Conference, University President Rev. Robert A. Wild, S.J., announced at a news conference on Nov. 4. Marquette will leave Conference USA following the 2004-05 season, having been a member for 10 years. Prior to its membership in Conference USA, Marquette was a member of the Great Midwest Conference (1992-1995) and the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (1989-1992).
NEW CAFÉ TO PROSPECT
The Hartter's Café/Bakery, 2101 N. Prospect Ave., has closed and it will re-open as Brueke (pronounced brew-ka) Café.
DOWNTOWN AWARDS
Milwaukee Downtown will announce its annual awards on November 13 at its Annual Meeting at the new Milwaukee Theatre.
