11:00 July 25, 2005
Minneapolis Star Tribune: A Milwaukee renaissance

Minneapolis Star Tribune

A Milwaukee renaissance

Chris Welsch

Published July 24, 2005

In 1845, Milwaukee consisted of two settlements ruled by two cantankerous pioneers, on opposite sides of the Milwaukee River.

As Kilbourntown and Juneautown grew, competition did, too. Byron Kilbourn deliberately set his streets askew from those in Solomon Juneau's settlement, just across the Milwaukee River. When Juneau built a bridge anyway, Kilbourn knocked it down overnight.

Eventually, civic order was imposed, but a grid never was. That explains the strange angles of some downtown bridges today.

Milwaukee has always been a gathering of disparate populations stubbornly clinging to their identities. Thirty years ago, that might have been a knock against a blue-collar town in decline. Now that diversity of communities -- bridged together at odd angles -- is the resurgent city's greatest strength.

Polish, French, Italian, African-American, Irish, Mexican, and most of all, German: Milwaukee spends the summer celebrating its many ethnicities. Next weekend it's German Fest; 100,000 partiers are expected to attend mit gemutlichkeit.

Lake Michigan is center stage for the festivals, but also for the daily life of the city. The lake's presence is much enhanced by Milwaukee's latest improbable bridge. Santiago Calatrava's addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum includes a broad pedestrian walkway over busy Lincoln Drive, connecting downtown to lakefront, and drawing all eyes to the sky and water. The museum floats between the two elements -- no building in the world seems less tethered to the ground.

All of Milwaukee has embraced the soaring addition as its new symbol. Fine architecture is a far cry from beer and bratwurst, although there's still plenty of both in Brew City.

© Copyright 2005 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

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Minneapolis Star Tribune

A salute to Milwaukee's best

Chris Welsch

Published July 24, 2005

1. Milwaukee Art Museum

Fittingly, a building that so suggests motion actually does move. Each day, the recent addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum spreads its sun shading "wings" at opening, closing and noon. The building transforms from a sleek collection of angles, suggesting a bird at rest, into an expansive creature about to take flight.

As otherworldly as it is, the Quadracci Pavilion (named for a major funder) is wonderfully functional. With inviting open spaces facing downtown and the lakeshore, it's become the focal point of the city and a natural gathering place.

"There's something called the 'Milwaukee slows,' "said amateur historian Frank Matusinec, a native of the city." It normally takes a long time to get people interested in moving on a project in this town. But when people saw this design, they couldn't open their checkbooks fast enough." The $121 million addition was completed in 2001.

The museum's permanent collection and exhibitions approach the quality and breadth of those at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, but whatever's on exhibit plays second fiddle to the pavilion, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. (Admission is $8; 1-414-224-3220; www.mam.org.)

2. Lake Park

Frederick Law Olmsted left a trail of magnificent city parks across the United States (most famously, Central Park in New York). One of his masterpieces is the elegantly designed landscape that tops the bluffs just northeast of downtown Milwaukee. Lake Park is an excellent place to stroll, watch lawn bowlers on the weekends, and take in the broad view of Lake Michigan. Its 124 acres encompass wooded ravines, the North Point Lighthouse, regal statuary (lions, generals on horseback, etc.) and one of the best restaurants in the city. Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro is housed in the Olmsted-designed park pavilion. Chef Adam Siegel, trained in France and Italy, prepares simple bistro-style dishes that emphasize fresh, quality ingredients and artful sauces. Filet mignon comes with puréed potatoes, snap peas and an ambrosial peppercorn Cognac cream sauce. (Dinner for two costs about $80; 1-414-962-6300.)

3. Summer festivals

In recent years, Milwaukee has made an industry of ethnic and artistic festivals. Where's one of the world's largest Irish festivals? In Milwaukee, naturally. More than 130,000 fans of Guinness and clogging will gather for Irish Fest, Aug. 18-21. The city also hosts what's billed as the world's largest music festival, Summerfest (ended July 10 this year). Festa Italiana is happening now. Next weekend, it's German Fest. Still to come: Mexican Fiesta, African World Festival and Arab World Fest. The events all take place at the Summerfest Grounds, on the shore of Lake Michigan in downtown Milwaukee (www.summerfest.com; or call Visit Milwaukee, 1-800-554-1448).

4. Brady Street

A longtime Milwaukee resident told me that what the city lacks in big splashy attractions, it more than makes up for in great places to hang out. The city's neighborhoods are full of cozy corner bars, coffeehouses, bakeries and cafes.

Brady Street is a good place to start. A more intimate version of Minneapolis' Uptown, the several-block-long stretch of Brady just north of downtown is the premier avenue for Milwaukee's hipsters, college students and shopping yuppies.

It's also a great place to sample the culinary fruits of Milwaukee's Italian heritage.

Start at Vucciria's, a mod pizza emporium serving up artfully arranged thin-crust pies. The front opens onto the street for excellent people watching. For dessert, head two blocks west to Peter Sciortino's, a classic Italian bakery with delectable cannoli (stuffed with fresh, fluffy ricotta) and blessedly rich tiramisu. Sip coffee, see and be seen at Rochambo or Brewed Awakenings. Sit outside and drink beer at the Nomad. Clothes hounds find fine threads at Three Graces (for women) or Aala Reed (for men).

5. Historic Milwaukee

Thanks to Frank Matusinec, I know where Liberace broke in as a piano player for a temperamental lounge singer. I know why some of the bridges in downtown Milwaukee are crooked. I know that this city is windier than Chicago ("Everyone knows most of the wind there comes from politicians," he said).

Matusinec is one of the guides with Historic Milwaukee, a nonprofit organization dedicated to telling the stories of the city. Walking tours last about an hour and a half and introduce the history, architecture and cultures of several neighborhoods. No need to reserve a spot: Just show up at the time and place of the tour you're interested in ($7 for adults, $2 for students; 1-414-277-7795; www.historicmilwaukee.org).

6. Pabst Theater

Contrary to stereotype (again), Milwaukee has a vibrant fine arts scene. "Within the metro area, there are 60 cultural performance groups," said Sandy Ackerman, director of Historic Milwaukee. "We even have our own ballet company. Not even Chicago has a ballet."

Choose your performance according to what's in town, but any show at the Pabst Theater deserves extra consideration. Built in 1895 by brewing baron Frederick Pabst, the theater evokes the glories of the Hapsburg empire with its gilded Baroque plasterwork, Austrian crystal chandelier and grand Carrera-marble staircase. I caught a Brahms recital by the local "Frankly Music" string quartet (unfortunate name, excellent performance). The theater acoustics are superb (1-414-286-3663; www.pabsttheater.org).

7. Miller Park

Catch a Brewers game, and you'll be watching ball in an outdoor stadium with a retractable roof. For the record, the park, completed in 2001, has its detractors. It came in at $400 million, way over its $250 million budget. The roof, which cost millions more, suffers technical problems. The location, miles west of downtown, leaves much to be desired. That said, it's outside (unless it’s raining), and its Major League Baseball. Beer fanciers take note: The only brew on tap is Miller, but the bratwursts can't be beat (1-800-933-7890; www.milwaukeebrewers.com).

8. Joan of Arc Chapel

Strange to find a medieval French chapel on the campus of otherwise modern Marquette University. Stranger still that the French government let this national treasure leave its shores in 1927, when the daughter of railroad magnate James J. Hill bought it and had it moved to her Long Island estate. Time passed, the estate changed hands, and eventually the chapel was bequeathed to Marquette and moved, stone by stone, to the Milwaukee campus in 1964.

The tiny stone structure, surrounded by flower beds and flowering crab-apple trees, is most famous for the Joan of Arc Stone. Legend has it that Joan stood on this stone while praying to a statue of Mary, then sealed her prayer by kissing the stone. Ever since, the stone has been colder than those around it, Marquette alumni say. I visited the chapel twice hoping to test the temperature; it was closed the first time, and the second time I ended up attending mass. The chapel is open 10 to 4 Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 4 on Sundays. Half-hour tours of the chapel can be scheduled by calling 1-414-288-6873.

9. Oriental Theatre

Another relic from a bygone era, the Oriental is a movie palace from the glory days of Hollywood. Built in 1927, the exterior boasts minarets, and the interior is a cheerful East Indian temple seen through the distorting lens of Hollywood (temple lions, elephants, stained-glass chandeliers). Six larger-than-life seated Buddhas gaze on the audience with glowing emerald eyes, adding an aura of enlightened calm to any movie-going experience. A Kimball Theatre Pipe Organ heralds the start of the 7 p.m. shows on Fridays and Saturdays. It's a Landmark Theater showing art-house movies (1-414-276-8711).

10. Roots

A relatively new restaurant on rapidly gentrifying Brewers Hill, Roots specializes in organic, locally grown cuisine; one of the three owners is an organic farmer, so the path from dirt to plate is direct. The menu changes frequently, but on my visit highlights included a creamy pumpkin soup and rock shrimp with wasabi rice cakes. Perched on a hill, Roots provides a stunning view of Milwaukee, especially at night (1-414-374-8480; www.rootsmilwaukee.com).

11. Maders

One of Milwaukee's most popular German restaurants is also America's largest seller of Hummel figurines. If you need a big stein of beer, some sauerbraten and a ceramic statuette of a cute kid in lederhosen, look no further (1-414-271-3377).

12. Soup Brothers

For a truly strange dining experience, head to Soup Brothers. Don't let the cramped, homely building put you off. Don't let the cramped, homely interior put you off, either. Or the fact that the tables are stacked high with toy trucks, dolls and other odds and ends. Or the fact that the owner might merely appear as the digital camera lens and speaker mounted over the cash register. Just read the menu board and be ready to order. The Thai market broth, creamy with coconut milk and spicy with red pepper, is a good place to start (1-414-270-1040).

Chris Welsch is at welsch@startribune.com

© Copyright 2005 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/645/5523021.html