The other day I went out to find a warm place for a cappuccino and some time to read and I stumbled upon Highlands Cafe on 60th and Vliet Streets, in a small space formerly home to Cafe Caliente.
Inside, I found a friendly employee, lucked into the last open table -- there are only about four -- and a great tasting coffee made with Alterra beans.
As is required in a space this compact, everyone is extremely friendly and the woman working at the counter appeared to know the names and backstories of everyone who walked through the door.
Although I didn't eat there, the place also serves soups, sandwiches, salads and breakfast.
It might not be Caliente anymore, but Highlands Cafe is still a pretty darn warm place to sit and read and drink coffee.
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.
