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The flip side of that good news is that with AIDS out of the headlines, young, at-risk populations...]]> Milwaukee Symphony ventures into Bartok’s classic The subterranean quality of Bartok’s ominous score for Bluebeard’s Castle, the dark harmonic undercurrent of his only opera, may seem surprisingly tame for those familiar with the shock waves of dissonant sound outbursts characterizing the Hungarian composer’s later works, where music spills boldly across a broad limitless tapestry like the splatter of a black-and-white Pollock canvas. Unlike Pollock, Bartok usually...]]> Tonight @ The Milwaukee Repertory Theater, 8 p.m. Kevin Ramsey’s musical revue Soultime at the Apllo opens with a scene in the basement of the legendary Apollo Theater, the 75-year-old venue that has given countless African-American performers their start. Bricks adorn a long section of wall; at one end rests actor C.E. Smith...]]> An insightful history of recorded music Greg Milner’s Perfecting Sound Forever: An Aural History of Recorded Music (Faber & Faber) is a brilliantly researched and mindfully provoking text on the history of capturing sound. A genealogy of recorded music, it stimulates awareness of the evolution of recorded sound and how we have deployed it in our own lives. Perfecting Sound...]]> Tonight @ Boswell Book Co., 7 p.m. Saying Michael Bowen is a local mystery writer doesn’t quite do justice to just how local his books are. His latest novel, Service Dress Blues, is not only set in Milwaukee, but also includes many of the city’s landmarks in pivotal scenes, from Juneau Park...]]> Art Preview Cedarburg and surrounding areas will hum with activity when Ozaukee County Arts Weekend (Oct. 9-11) opens the studios of 50 local artists to the public. A countywide map of self-guided tours can be picked up at the Cedarburg Cultural Center (W62 N546 Washington Ave.), which will also be hosting its fall exhibition, “Bold and/or Red...]]> Sept. 30, 2009 ]]> Sept. 23, 2009 ]]> Love, poetry and tragedy for Keats and Brawne With autumn comes early rumors of Oscar nominations and, always among them, an early contender for Best Picture: Masterpiece Theatre Division. This season’s front-runner in that category, Bright Star, is based on the romance between 19th-century British poet John Keats and the woman who lived next door, Fanny Brawne... ]]> Warm service, hearty food in quiet setting Ilija’s Place is located in a quiet residential neighborhood away from the factories of Cudahy. It is easy to pass by this plain, red brick building with dark windows, though a neon sign and ornamental ironwork around the...]]> Impressive Mexican Menu One of the area’s most consistent Mexican restaurants is located just a short distance from the airport: Jalapeno Loco (5067 S. Howell Ave.). Everything is good, whether your preference is pork enchiladas or a fine Oaxacan mole. ]]> Candy-maker’s tour provides a bellyful of beans As All Hallows’ Eve draws near and the act of downing ungodly amounts of candy is considered socially acceptable, it’s time to find what lies at the center of the ubiquitous jelly bean. Just south of Milwaukee, in the village of...]]> Tonight @ UWM Union Theatre, 7 p.m. Heddy Honigmann paints a lively and endearing—but also somber—portrait of life in her native country Peru with her latest documentary, Oblivion. Honigmann profiles the average citizens of Lima, who are trying to make a living and enjoy life in the face of poverty. Many of her subjects...]]> Tonight @ Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 8 p.m. Given that they’re getting older and that they’re soft-spoken alums of 1960s television, it’s easy to write off The Smothers Brothers as a nostalgia act without remembering how boat-rocking the duo once was. While their bickering brothers routine was tame, their “Comedy Hour” program was anything but...]]> Detective novel filled with exquisite detail, explosive energy Are you sitting down? Thomas Pynchon—post-surreal political hippie/punk slinger of prose full of history, hilarity, piss, vinegar and exquisite, often distracting detail—has written an old-fashioned detective novel, Inherent Vice (Penguin), and it’s less than a thousand pages... ]]> As the Soviet Union dissolved and the Iron Curtain crumbled, many decided to leave their various homelands to seek opportunities elsewhere. Some came to Milwaukee, including a few musicians. One of them, Moldovan accordionist Stas Venglevski, probably had no idea that his new home was once the accordion capital of America...]]> It’s not a particularly extraordinary story, but it’s been repeated so many times it has taken on the air of a myth: a heartbroken Justin Vernon retreated for the winter to his father’s northern Wisconsin cabin to lick his wounds, emerging from his three-month exile with a self-recorded album. The same way Blood on the Tracks owes nearly...]]> Oct. 4, 2009 ]]> Tonight @ The Borg Ward Collective, 7 p.m. Touring in support of Resisting the Viral Self, their first complete studio album after a plethora of live bootlegs and scattered other recordings, the Cincinnati ensemble Realicide re-envisions hardcore for the 21st century, pairing it with caustic, industrial...]]> Milwaukee-native Diana Laurence is a published novelist who transverses genres with a unique and broad repertoire of work, including the award-winning Soulful Sex anthology and vampire fiction like Bloodchained and Looking on Darkness.]]> Theater Review Clarence Darrow was called America’s “sophisticated country lawyer,” an agnostic who passionately believed in helping the underdog and strongly supported the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Boulevard Theatre opened Clarence Darrow last weekend...]]> Jack White’s Summit with Jimmy Page, The Edge Rock guitar gods were a product of the 1960s and Jimmy Page, who went on to reign over much of the ‘70s with Led Zeppelin, was an original member of the pantheon. By the time the Edge gained acclaim, punk rock had already questioned the efficacy of guitar gods. But if the ‘80s had a presiding spirit of guitar grandeur, the Edge defined it with U2. When Jack White...]]> Keep an Eye on the Sky (Rhino) Their name couldn’t have been more optimistic or revealing. Big Star wasn’t conceived as an art project or an alternative to anything, but as a band following the pop-rock line first drawn by the Beatles and other great ‘60s groups. But the star they were born under in the early ‘70s was not a sign of success, at least when measured in sales and airplay...]]> Smooth Summer Shorewood’s Cafe Nation Smoothie Nation (1926 E. Capitol Drive) is a small, unique place to grab a cup of coffee or a dessert smoothie. The latter comes in many flavors. One favorite is the orange dreamsicle, so sweet and creamy that your taste buds will jump with pleasure. Also, try their super fruit smoothie...]]> Grilled Lobster Special Everybody likes a good deal. How about a Maine lobster dinner for $12.95? This is the Wednesday evening special at Karen Jean’s Oyster Bar and Grill, which is located in the Milwaukee Public Market next to the St. Paul Fish Co. Seating is casual—just a stainless steel counter with a few seats.]]> Fueling the Hogs With the 105th anniversary of Harley-Davidson barreling down on Milwaukee this summer, plus the opening of the motor company’s museum, thirsty minds turn to thoughts of the best beverage for the season. ]]> Grilled Lobster Special Everybody likes a good deal. How about a Maine lobster dinner for $12.95? This is the Wednesday evening special at Karen Jean’s Oyster Bar and Grill, which is located in the Milwaukee Public Market next to the St. Paul Fish Co. Seating is casual—just a stainless steel counter with a few seats.]]> Afternoon Tea Whether you trace its roots to the opulent courts of the Sun King or the corseted interiors of Victorian England, there’s no doubt tea-drinking ought to be rated among mankind’s most pleasant pursuits. The tearoom that sits above George Watts & Son’s china and crystal shop, with its unhurried atmosphere... ]]> Natural Makeover The outdoor tables at the Hi Hat Lounge (1701 N. Arlington Place) are some of the East Side’s most coveted spots for casual dining. The lounge’s neighboring facility, The Garage, has now added a weekday lunch menu that will allow more time to sit in the sun or eat indoors.]]> Fiendish Food One of my favorite Mexican foods is camarones a la diabla—the devil’s shrimp. In theory means shrimp in a fiendishly spicy red pepper sauce, but even in Mexico the level of spicing varies considerably. A simple beachside restaurant at Zihuatanejo served camarones lived up to this fiery reputation. ]]> Lunch on the RiverWalk When we reviewed Yaffa (106 W. Wells St.) in January, the Mediterranean restaurant was only open for dinner. Now that summer has arrived, weekday lunches have returned. Yaffa’s outdoor deck, located directly on the RiverWalk, provides a pleasant lunchtime setting in the heart of downtown Milwaukee. ]]> Milwaukee Symphony ventures into Bartok’s classic The subterranean quality of Bartok’s ominous score for Bluebeard’s Castle, the dark harmonic undercurrent of his only opera, may seem surprisingly tame for those familiar with the shock waves of dissonant sound outbursts characterizing the Hungarian composer’s later works, where music spills boldly across a broad limitless tapestry like the splatter of a black-and-white Pollock canvas. Unlike Pollock, Bartok usually...]]> Michael Moore examines the American Dream In Capitalism: A Love Story, the polemical director Michael Moore utters the ultimate heresy in contemporary American society. Capitalism isn’t merely flawed, he says. It’s not just slightly skewed in favor of haves over have-nots. According to Moore, the reigning national ideology is degrading to individuals and society. Capitalism is, in a word, evil...]]> Ron Faiola talks up Friday tradition German rivaled English as the spoken language of Old Milwaukee. Socialists ran a clean municipal government and Old World craftsmen built a city of impressive public buildings and pleasant neighborhoods of modest, well-crafted bungalows. A canopy of Dutch elms covered the streets. Once one of America’s most distinctive towns, an honor shared...]]> Milwaukee’s Taj Mahal It is unlike any other building in Milwaukee. The Tripoli Mosque resides in a residential neighborhood on Wisconsin Avenue, just up the road from the Pabst Mansion. When the Clas, Shepherd & Clas architecture firm designed the structure in 1926, they based it loosely on the Taj Mahal and combined elements from Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. Towering above the surrounding trees and three-story apartment buildings, the ornately tiled dome crowns a large...]]> Theater Preview Matt Goldman and Pat Hazell’s Bunk Bed Brothers presents a light comedy about two baby-boomer brothers who return to their childhood home to spend the night in the bedroom they used to share. The substance of their childhood has been largely preserved, as the bedroom looks just as it did when they...]]> Theater Review Clarence Darrow was called America’s “sophisticated country lawyer,” an agnostic who passionately believed in helping the underdog and strongly supported the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Boulevard Theatre opened Clarence Darrow last weekend...]]> Art Preview Cedarburg and surrounding areas will hum with activity when Ozaukee County Arts Weekend (Oct. 9-11) opens the studios of 50 local artists to the public. A countywide map of self-guided tours can be picked up at the Cedarburg Cultural Center (W62 N546 Washington Ave.), which will also be hosting its fall exhibition, “Bold and/or Red...]]> Art Review The architect exhibits art on a daily basis, as every residential and commercial design subtly defines a city’s skyline and streets. In an effort to highlight the artistic nature of architecture, an exhibition titled “Unseen Architecture: MKE” (through April 1, 2010) at the William F. Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design celebrates inspirational...]]> An insightful history of recorded music Greg Milner’s Perfecting Sound Forever: An Aural History of Recorded Music (Faber & Faber) is a brilliantly researched and mindfully provoking text on the history of capturing sound. A genealogy of recorded music, it stimulates awareness of the evolution of recorded sound and how we have deployed it in our own lives. Perfecting Sound...]]> Book Review From the discovery of a hobbit-like species living in Indonesia 18,000 years ago to the observation of a comet crashing into Jupiter, this book from the editors of Time magazine covers the distance in time and space. The title is a bit misleading...]]> Classical Review Yo-Yo Ma is the biggest draw in classical music. In a gala concert with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra last Wednesday he delivered everything we’ve come to expect from him in the Schumann Cello Concerto: gorgeous tone, heartfelt commitment and obvious joy in passionate...]]> Tonight @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m. After beginnings playing fairly traditional, albeit unusually cerebral hard-edged emo in the ’90s, Omaha’s Cursive began moving in more ambitious directions, recording elaborate song-cycles like 2003’s Ugly Organ, and 2006’s Happy Hollow, an indictment of small-town values and organized religion. After a long hiatus that threatened to become permanent, the band returned reinvigorated for this year’s Mama, I’m Swollen, a more soulful... ]]> While driving yesterday morning I heard FM 102.1, Milwaukee's alternative rock station, play three Smashing Pumpkins songs in a row. Several hours later, in the early afternoon, I turned on the station again and caught another three Pumpkins songs, includ]]> Maintaining the Pabst legacy Whether it’s the Pabst Blue Ribbon serving tray that’s down in grandpa’s basement bar or the magnetized Blatz bottle opener that’s always been on Uncle Karl’s refrigerator, tiny traces of our town’s brewing legacy have been with many of us since before we can remember. This weekend, guests of the Captain...]]> Crack down on the fraud peddlers Debate over how to resolve the nation's financial emergency is taking a salutary direction for the moment, as politicians of both parties refuse to be herded by the Bush White House into a ridiculous $700-billion swindle. Before Congress approves such a stunning expenditure to save the undeserving hides of the super-rich, they may at least create provisions for independent oversight, new regulation, public equity and homeowner relief.]]> Few bands seem to have more contempt for the structural formality of sheet music than San Francisco's Deerhoof, a trio whose rhythms waver with all the precociousness of lead singer Satomi Matsuzaki's schoolgirl voice. So it was with some irony that the first taste of Deerhoof's latest work was a single released as sheet music well before a recorded version surfaced. ]]> DJ Madhatter (aka Jordan Lee) is part of the WAMI award-winning hip-hop group Rusty Ps. If he’s not scratching tunes at joints like Jackalope Lounj, The Jazz Estate or Stonefly Brewery, he’s teaching turntablism at the prestigious Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in two-week workshops. ]]> The last time I heard Donald Glaude I was at Mighty, a San Francisco venue tucked away in the shaded alleys of the Mission District. The year was 2006; it was late September and I had traveled to the Bay Area alone to dance away the weekend at the U.S. version of The Love Parade. ]]> A cannabis comedy If you smoke dope too often and for too long, you'll wind up acting like one-a dope, that is. The comedy Smiley Face is a day in the discombobulated life of Jane, a twentysomething pothead and wannabe actress who can't face the morning, or the afternoon and evening, without sucking on her bong. Her already precarious grip on everyday reality slips away entirely when she accidentally gobbles down a half-dozen pot-laced cupcakes in her refrigerator. Jane panics, not because the buzz inside her brain has grown louder than ever, but because . . . ]]> Art Review When Richard Sennett published his provocative thesis on the diminishing boundaries between public and private selves in the late '70s, things like reality TV and the Patriot Act were unheard of. Today they're incontrovertible facts that have further breached this boundary. ]]> Art Review "New Intersections: Form and Meaning in Design," the current exhibit in the Brooks Stevens Gallery at MIAD is, as it intends to be, completely fun and very provocative. As consumers, we may not always understand the aim of product design when we're shopping for everyday objects like toothbrushes and potato peelers, but on some level we do understand what attracts us to a product. ]]> Thrifty Travel With gas prices going up and down like a yo-yo it's hard to imagine that a trip anywhere could be cheaper by driving. Get ready, because in some cases it's true. I'll be exploring driving vs. train, driving vs. plane, and any other transportation in the next few columns. Take our near neighbor to the south, Chicago. Whether you decide to brave the roads, which are often torn up with construction, or to take Amtrak, you can find lots of bargain ways to travel to and in this great city. ]]> Plus Heroes and Jerks of the Week In the spirit of former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who is under investigation for politicizing the Department of Justice, J.B. Van Hollen may be using our state attorney general’s office for partisan political shenanigans. The Republican Party has spent the last several years unsuccessfully trying to find evidence...]]> A Shepherd Q&A with Fighting Bob Fest speaker Phil Donahue Phil Donahue is angry. Sure, Donahue is still the warm, witty and generous man who interviewed thousands of guests as the host of "Donahue," which revolutionized TV talk shows by including the audience in each discussion. But Donahue is angry, too. Angry at the Bush administration's lie-laden arguments for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Angry at the members of Congress who parroted the administration's talking points and obediently voted for war.]]> The financial "bailout" bill will pass Congress and be signed by the president. The only questions are when that will happen and what it will contain. The "when" should be within days of Congress' return this week. The content is obviously more difficult. ]]> Sports in Real Life The Interstate highways across the nation, as well as the shock absorbers on the Madden Cruiser, breathed a collective sigh as NFL broadcasting icon John Madden will take a break from his magic bus. Madden will miss the road trip to Tampa, his first abandoned broadcast in 476 games, since Reagan first moved Nancy into the White House. Madden, 72-years-old, says he's just taking a break from the rigors of the road. ]]> Online Edition I am a 26-year-old bisexual female.I just got into a relationship with a woman for the first time. My partner and I have used a vibrator once, and I really enjoyed it. My question to you is: How do I ask her to use it again? When we used it, we used mine, and I asked her if she owned one. She said she did, and now I would like to use hers. ]]> Tonight @ Alverno College - 7:00 PM In his breakthrough book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, UC Berkeley professor Michael Pollan charted the history of four distinctly different meals, and in the process dug up some ugly truths about the food Americans eat (chief among them is ]]> Two Milwaukee institutions have taken very different approaches to awarding tickets to this weekend’s ultra-sold-out Hannah Montana concert at the Bradley Center. North Shore Bank is hosting an orderly drawing today at noon (which, despite the lack ]]> I have no beef with Juno. It seems that every year the public selects one quirky indie comedy for mainstream success, and especially compared to recent years' selections (Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine), Juno is a worthy pick: a genuinely funny]]> Hitting the brick wall In a little village in Bangladesh a wedding has been prepared for a couple that has never met. Nazneen's father has arranged her marriage to an older Bengali man living in London. Dressed in bridal finery, Nazneen is placed at the stern of a boat casting off from her birthplace. She looks out from under her veil with forlorn eyes at her unsmiling family watching her recede into the distance. It's a sad parting and the beginning of an uncertain future. Most of Nazneen's story, told in the sterling British production Brick Lane, takes place in a dreary London neighborhood crowded with Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants. Murmurs of English xenophobia against Muslims . . . ]]> Tonight @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m. After beginnings playing fairly traditional, albeit unusually cerebral hard-edged emo in the ’90s, Omaha’s Cursive began moving in more ambitious directions, recording elaborate song-cycles like 2003’s Ugly Organ, and 2006’s Happy Hollow, an indictment of small-town values and organized religion. After a long hiatus that threatened to become permanent, the band returned reinvigorated for this year’s Mama, I’m Swollen, a more soulful... ]]> Tonight @ the Oriental Theatre - 7:00 PM Like many outsider musicians, Daniel Johnston’s work has a childlike quality to it, but it’s also saturated with darker themes that have earned him an extensive following from musicians as disparate at Pearl Jam, Bright Eyes, and Yo La Tengo. ]]> Today @ the Milwaukee Art Museum History and art collide in the Milwaukee Art Museum’s latest featured exhibit, Foto: Modernity in Central Europe, 1918-1945, an expansive collection that documents the emergence of photography in both art and popular media throughout those years. The exhibit charts not only the technological innovations in . . . ]]> A quick tutorial on blogging. Writing a blog, or “blogging”, on ExpressMilwaukee.com is very easy and beneficial for your clients, your company, and the Shepherd Express. ]]> Tonight @ the UWM Union Theatre - 7:00 PM The UWM Union Theatre’s 2008 Festival of Films in French and its ongoing Experimental Tuesdays series converge tonight for a 7 p.m. screening of Corpora Luminum: The Body in New French Experimental Cinema, a collection of bold shorts by contemporary French auteurs exploring the human body and physiological processes . . .]]> Tonight @ the UWM Union Theatre - 7:00 PM The UWM Union Theatre’s 2008 Festival of Films in French and its ongoing Experimental Tuesdays series converge tonight for a 7 p.m. screening of Corpora Luminum: The Body in New French Experimental Cinema, a collection of bold shorts by contemporary French auteurs exploring the human body and physiological processes . . .]]> A quick tutorial on blogging. Writing a blog, or “blogging”, on ExpressMilwaukee.com is very easy and beneficial for your clients, your company, and the Shepherd Express. ]]> Chris Crites has branded himself as the Bag Painter, and it’s easy enough to see why. In place of the traditional canvas, he paints directly onto recycled paper shopping bags.]]> Tonight @ the Shorewood Schwartz Bookshop - 7:00 PM The setting of Russell Banks’ latest thriller, pre-World War II Europe, suggests a tale of grand historical intrigue, but Banks is too much of a seasoned purist to fall back on post-Da Vinci Code cliches. ]]> Tonight @ the Bradley Center - 7:00 PM The Milwaukee Bucks take on the L.A. Clippers tonight at a 7 p.m. game at the Bradley Center. ]]> Tonight @ the UWM Union Theatre - 7:00 PM The UWM Union Theatre’s ongoing 2008 Festival of Films in French isn’t all glamorous shots of gorgeous people strolling through scenic Paris. Many of the selections take a look at the country’s bleaker side. For instance, Wesh, Wesh, What’s Going On?, a 2005 drama that screens at 7 p.m., follows an immigrant family living . . .]]> Today @ the Pabst Theater - 3:00 PM The Festival City Symphony returns to the Pabst Theater for another program of classical music targeted toward listeners of all ages. Today’s 3 p.m. bill is themed around nature’s influence on classical music, and features earthy compositions Jan Sibelius, Edvard Grieg and Beethoven, whose “Symphony No . . .]]> "Hiatus" is a well-known code for "pretty much broken up," and Electrelane, sadly, are on hiatus. It'd be hypocritical for any rock writer to cry too loudly about the disbanding, since Elecrelane never received much love from the press, which almost surel]]> Tonight @ the UWM Union Theatre - 7:00 PM The UWM Union Theatre’s ongoing 2008 Festival of Films in French isn’t all glamorous shots of gorgeous people strolling through scenic Paris. Many of the selections take a look at the country’s bleaker side. For instance, Wesh, Wesh, What’s Going On?, a 2005 drama that screens at 7 p.m., follows an immigrant family living . . .]]> Chris Crites has branded himself as the Bag Painter, and it’s easy enough to see why. In place of the traditional canvas, he paints directly onto recycled paper shopping bags.]]> Today @ the Pabst Theater - 3:00 PM The Festival City Symphony returns to the Pabst Theater for another program of classical music targeted toward listeners of all ages. Today’s 3 p.m. bill is themed around nature’s influence on classical music, and features earthy compositions Jan Sibelius, Edvard Grieg and Beethoven, whose “Symphony No . . .]]> Tonight @ The Rave - 8:00 PM More melodically inclined than their jam-rock counterparts, Tea Leaf Green have steadily increased their fan base through incessant touring and a few endorsements from heavy-hitters like Trey Anastasio. Tonight, the group splits an 8 p.m. show at the Rave with Moonalice, a seven-member jam band with roots . . . ]]> While driving yesterday morning I heard FM 102.1, Milwaukee's alternative rock station, play three Smashing Pumpkins songs in a row. Several hours later, in the early afternoon, I turned on the station again and caught another three Pumpkins songs, includ]]> As winter begins to rear its blustery head, let's take a look back at a handful of this fall's major indie-rock albums and see how they stand up against conventional wisdom with our reoccurring feature, Overrated/Underrated: The Good Life – He]]> ]]> Tonight @ Turner Hall Ballroom - 8:00 PM Beneath her deceptively small frame and her little-girl haircut, singer Sia boasts a surprisingly powerful set of pipes, the kind that light torch songs. She built up her resume through her chilled-out work with Massive Attack and, most prominently, Zero 7, but her strong new solo release, Some People Have Real Problems, trades . . . ]]> Tonight @ the Milwaukee Theater - 7:30 PM In new film Be Kind Rewind, Jack Black and Mos Def recreate Disney’s The Lion King on a shoe-string budget using life-size puppets. It’s a clever joke with a great visual, but viewers looking for a more realized adaptation of the The Lion King would be better served by the grand musical version performed at the . . . ]]> Today @ the Midwest Airlines Center - 3:00 PM until 9:00 PM Over 400 news cars—including 2009 models not yet on the market—are on display at the Greater Milwaukee Auto Show, which runs through March 2 at the Midwest Airlines Center. Among the other attractions are an exhibition on fuel-efficient vehicles, a collection of 1950s muscle cars from the Wisconsin . . .]]> Tonight @ the Bradley Center - 7:00 PM The Milwaukee Bucks face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight at a 7 p.m. Bradley Center game.]]> Michael Moore examines the American Dream In Capitalism: A Love Story, the polemical director Michael Moore utters the ultimate heresy in contemporary American society. Capitalism isn’t merely flawed, he says. It’s not just slightly skewed in favor of haves over have-nots. According to Moore, the reigning national ideology is degrading to individuals and society. Capitalism is, in a word, evil...]]> Ron Faiola talks up Friday tradition German rivaled English as the spoken language of Old Milwaukee. Socialists ran a clean municipal government and Old World craftsmen built a city of impressive public buildings and pleasant neighborhoods of modest, well-crafted bungalows. A canopy of Dutch elms covered the streets. Once one of America’s most distinctive towns, an honor shared...]]> Love, poetry and tragedy for Keats and Brawne With autumn comes early rumors of Oscar nominations and, always among them, an early contender for Best Picture: Masterpiece Theatre Division. This season’s front-runner in that category, Bright Star, is based on the romance between 19th-century British poet John Keats and the woman who lived next door, Fanny Brawne... ]]> Steven Soderbergh’s soft comedy Whistle-blowers are often heroes in Hollywood movies, transcending the usual disdain for turncoats and snitches because of the righteousness of their cause. But what if the whistle-blower turns out to be a crook, and nuts to boot? That’s the ambiguity at the heart of The Informant! Loosely adapted by the prolific...]]> R.J. Cutler captures real-life Anna Wintour In the satire The Devil Wears Prada, the fictionalized version of Vogue’s long-reigning editor is depicted as an acid-edged queen of cruelty. In the documentary The September Issue, the real-life Anna Wintour is displayed in a softer light. Here, the Vogue powerhouse is a setter of high standards for herself and those around her. Wintour isn’t warm, fuzzy or accessible... ]]> Short documentaries depict life after U.S.S.R. At first, the wind is the only sound in a frozen landscape edged by a horizon of snow-covered trees. Suddenly comes the soft insistence of running reindeer, herded across the screen from left to right by men in a sled of jangling bells. It’s the oddly haunting opening of Vacation inNovember, one of four short documentaries in a program called “After History: The Films of Pavel Medvedev,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, at the UW-Milwaukee Union Theatre...]]> Ben Affleck enhances Mike Judge’s newest comedy To all appearances, Joel is a successful entrepreneur whose American dream of developing his own line of food flavor extracts has come true. But at home, Joel (Jason Bateman) is a frustrated man. Once his wife, Suzie (Kristen Wiig), dons her sweat pants, usually at 8 p.m. sharp, the door of sexual opportunity slams shut. In fact, they haven’t had sex for months, partly because of his crushing workload at the...]]> Great movies in small doses If you ask Milwaukee residents about film around town, many people will point you in the direction of the nearest multiplex playing the latest Hollywood offering. But, fact is, there are many fans and producers of progressive cinema in the city. Skeptics need only look to the Milwaukee Short Film Festival (MFSS), now on the brink of its 11th year... ]]> Jeffrey Levy-Hinte captures the power of music James Brown spun around in a testifying frenzy of cold sweat, executing splits and turns with gymnastic precision as his rhythm section dug an impossibly hard, percussive groove and his horn section, fanning out across the stage like a swing orchestra, punctuated the music with staccato blasts. Soul Brother No. 1 was in excellent form that night in 1974 when he headlined a bill in the country then called Zaire (and since restored to its previous name, Congo). Brown was on a...]]> Demetri Martin, Eugene Levy star in nostalgic trip Since music was the ostensible reason for Woodstock, a Woodstock movie minus the music might seem an empty endeavor. Fact is, many of the half-million who flocked to the festival 40 years ago heard little and saw less of the all-star lineup. Traffic into the festival site had congealed. Sightlines and sound were dubious, and many participants probably caught little more than the wafting snippets of sound heard in Ang Lee's film...]]> Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne play star-crossed couple The leafy brownstone-lined streets of Manhattan, and the electric gleam of the skyline over Central Park at night, have long been the perfect setting for cinematic romance. Ada­m, a story of star-crossed young lovers playing out against this idyllic background, delivers the usual plot with a twist or two. For starters, the protagonist, Adam (Hugh Dancy), has Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that makes understanding the feelings of others, and their socially...]]> Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera and that mystical emotion When Charlyne Yi, a geeky girl in thick glasses and boyish clothes, thrusts a microphone at shoppers in a mall, asking if they've ever been in love, most give her wide berth. Soon enough, her indie film on the vagaries of love, Paper Heart, finds another, more effective way to answer her pressing question. Paper Heart is a movie about... ]]> Cooking with Meryl Streep After World War II the apogee of American cooking was the tuna fish casserole topped with crumpled potato chips. Julia Child changed that. Her Mastering the Art of FrenchCooking was to the kitchen what the Kinsey Reports were to the bedroom-a seminal book that broadened the spectrum of expectations. Addressed to "the servantless American cook...]]> Adam Sandler’s Unhappy Humorist The inner adult trapped inside Adam Sandler, struggling to be understood as serious or at least sympathetic, has surfaced before in movies as varied as Punch-Drunk Love and The Wedding Singer. In Funny People, Sandler plays George Simmons, a version of himself contemplating the seriousness of his own demise...]]> Oscar-winning film depicts mourning in Japan Death spares no land, and the living respond differently from culture to culture. In Departures, the Japanese way of mourning is depicted through a protagonist, Daigo, who stumbles into his country's counterpart of America's funeral industry.Before the film opened anywhere in the United States, Departures earned a footnote in the annals of Oscar history by winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, beating the unforgettable Israeli animated feature... ]]> The U.S. occupation of Iraq has inspired a panoply of cinematic depictions. Despite their topicality, these films have ended up being box office duds. The Hurt Locker, which focuses on a bomb disposal unit in Baghdad, has been greeted by a chorus of critical plaudits...]]> Hogwarts students face a new dark age In the second-to-last novel in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter cycle, the young wizard has begun his sixth year at Hogwarts and is feeling the sap of being a teenager in his limbs. There is turnover in the faculty and Harry's nemesis, Draco Malfoy, is back for another term. Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort and his minions grow bolder by the day, striking against muggles and magicians alike, determined to plunge the world into a new dark...]]> Love and fate in Manhattan The Smiths were a band offering cold comfort to the lovelorn, and a relationship begun out of shared admiration for Morrissey's morose reflections on emotional failure is surely born under the sign of doom. And "relationship," that weasel word meaning everything or nothing at all, is the best description for what transpires between Tom and Summer in (500) Days of Summer. Brought together during an elevator ride by a Smiths song, the 20-somethings work in a greeting card company, producing...]]> Robert Kenner exposes a toxic chain of consumption Philip K. Dick, an author of unsettling science fiction, wrote of fearsome systems behind the placid surfaces of our world and mechanisms of control as invisible as ghosts. But even Dick, who died in 1982, never imagined the horror of agribusiness and its hidden influence across the globe. Since the '70s, the food we've been eating isn't the same as before, deceptively similar appearances aside, and the consequences are dire. ]]> Shuttering in the Dark. Another Asian horror Night has fallen on a remote, deserted highway. A young married couple drives sleepily through the darkness toward their honeymoon cabin near Japan’s Mount Fuji when a gaunt, staring woman wanders into the road and is struck by their speeding car. When the couple regains consciousness after doing a figure-eight down a ravine, they can’t find the woman’s body. But the Body will find them, turning up especially in photographs . . . ]]> Across the Tracks. Making movies in Milwaukee? After opening scenes around the kitchen tables of their homes, the two very different teenage girls at the heart of Tracks finally meet in the girls-room mirror at school. They don’t like what they see at first, but find each other again through the Internet and become fast friends. Catherine (Amanda J. Hull) comes from a solid though not entirely perfect upper-middle-class family where mom takes an interest and sets expectations. Claire (Rebecca Rose Phillips) is lowermiddle-class; her mom snarls at her from across the room. When Claire is called . . . ]]> The race to succeed Gov. Jim Doyle takes shape An open seat in the governor’s chair is a rare thing. Yet the race to succeed Gov. Jim Doyle is attracting few candidates from both political parties. On the Democratic side, only Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton and 17-year-old Jared...]]> For 26 years the Shepherd Express has been Milwaukee's voice for news, events and culture. With Express Milwaukee, we are taking a bold step into the next phase of participatory media, offering a website with many familiar features from the Shepherd Express plus additional commentary by our most popular writers and opportunities for readers to network and share their own opinions. ]]> A quick tutorial on blogging. Writing a blog, or “blogging”, on ExpressMilwaukee.com is very easy and beneficial for your clients, your company, and the Shepherd Express. ]]> ]]> Welcome What Are the Rules For Express Milwaukee? ]]> ]]> Registration Be a part of the community. ]]> Content ]]> How to Submit ]]> Rules of Conduct ]]> Press Releases December 4, 2007 ]]> Press Releases September 18, 2007]]> Press Releases December 18, 2007 ]]> It’s not a particularly extraordinary story, but it’s been repeated so many times it has taken on the air of a myth: a heartbroken Justin Vernon retreated for the winter to his father’s northern Wisconsin cabin to lick his wounds, emerging from his three-month exile with a self-recorded album. The same way Blood on the Tracks owes nearly...]]> As the Soviet Union dissolved and the Iron Curtain crumbled, many decided to leave their various homelands to seek opportunities elsewhere. Some came to Milwaukee, including a few musicians. One of them, Moldovan accordionist Stas Venglevski, probably had no idea that his new home was once the accordion capital of America...]]> Sept. 27, 2009 ]]> Michael Jackson died this afternoon, the Los Angeles Times has confirmed. The news marks the end of the singer's long, painful decline. Michael Jackson was, without a doubt, the most tragic pop star the world has ever known. Other singers and rockers have]]> A guilty pleasure that grows less guilty and more pleasurable with each album, Paramore packs all the thrills of their male-fronted emo-rock peers, but leaves behind none of the slimy residue. The group’s latest, Brand New Eyes, out today, is their tighte]]> And with one lovely, understated gesture, The Avett Brothers' I and Love and You, Rick Rubin has nearly atoned for destroying Weezer. Lionized though the guy may be, Rubin is an overzealous producer, one whose vision sometimes trumps that of the ar]]> Sept. 23, 2009 ]]> Rufus Wainwright released this week a live CD and DVD, Milwaukee at Last!!!, which he recorded at the Pabst Theater in Aug. 27. I haven't seen the DVD yet, but it was a fantastic concert, with Wainwright making great use of the theater's acoustics singing]]> Thursday, Aug. 20 ]]> Milwaukee says goodbye to one of its breeziest bands next month, when Sleep Tight Co. play one last show at the Cactus Club on Oct. 24, a fitting autumn farewell for a band that always played lovelorn summertime pop. In a city where pop bands tend to be k]]> A Whole Lotta Melodica Melodica, cello, French horn, electrified ukulele and mandolin in a rock band, and it’s not prog? Believe it: The Barrettes put a punk sheen on all those elements, adding some of the fiercest chick-rock vocals Milwaukee has produced in some time. The Barrettes recall ’80s English...]]> Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965-1968 (Rhino) With its long bohemian history, San Francisco became the Mecca for the American counterculture in the 1960s. But even as hippies flocked to the bay wearing flowers in their hair, the big city to the south never fell silent. Los Angeles was the West Coast headquarters...]]> Release (Rock Ridge Music) On Release, Sister Hazel’s ninth CD this decade, the Florida-based jangle rockers decided to make the songwriting process more democratic. Rather than have lead vocalist/acoustic guitarist Ken Block do most of the heavy lifting, each of the five members penned at least two tunes. The result is an...]]> Presidential Candidate - Republican Born in America-controlled Panama, John McCain followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and pursued a career in the navy, graduating from the Annapolis academy in 1958. ]]> Presidential Candidate - Democratic Although Obama was born in Hawaii and spent time abroad with his mother, his roots as a young man are in Chicago, where he was a community organizer. ]]> As baseball’s regular season entered its final week, the Brewers were in the thick of the National League playoff race—though not as contenders. By finishing their schedule against Philadelphia, Colorado and St. Louis...]]> I’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a? So listen, I hear there’s been a load of scuttlebutt all over, under, sideways and down America’s Dairyland lately]]> Milwaukee Color During last year’s filming of Public Enemies, a film depicting the true story of FBI agent Melvin Purvis’ attempt to apprehend criminals John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd, many Wisconsinites learned for the first time...]]> Twenty-two years is a long time for anything in a world where change can come too rapidly, too often. It’s especially long in radio, where burnout, turnover and corporate consolidation have thinned the herd of radio veterans. Steve Palec...]]> Candy-maker’s tour provides a bellyful of beans As All Hallows’ Eve draws near and the act of downing ungodly amounts of candy is considered socially acceptable, it’s time to find what lies at the center of the ubiquitous jelly bean. Just south of Milwaukee, in the village of...]]> Warm service, hearty food in quiet setting Ilija’s Place is located in a quiet residential neighborhood away from the factories of Cudahy. It is easy to pass by this plain, red brick building with dark windows, though a neon sign and ornamental ironwork around the...]]> Impressive Mexican Menu One of the area’s most consistent Mexican restaurants is located just a short distance from the airport: Jalapeno Loco (5067 S. Howell Ave.). Everything is good, whether your preference is pork enchiladas or a fine Oaxacan mole. ]]> Marge Krupp and Steve Kagan Give Krupp a Chance in Congress. Residents of southeastern Wisconsin can send a strong message about the direction of this country by voting for Marge Krupp to represent the First Congressional District. Krupp, a chemical engineer and businesswoman, is facing longtime incumbent Republican Paul Ryan...]]> ENDORSEMENTS 2008 Voters in Oak Creek and South Milwaukee can choose an Assembly representative who will truly represent their needs by electing Glen Brower. A fourth-generation South Milwaukee resident, Brower is a longtime public servant who can be trusted to do the right thing when acting on issues that are important... ]]> ENDORSEMENTS 2008 Longtime state Rep. Sue Jeskewitz decided not to run for re-election this year, which provides voters in the 24th Assembly District with a rare opportunity to give equal consideration to both candidates running for this seat. We support Democrat Charlene Brady. Brady has served her community as a member of the... ]]> Sheldon Wasserman and Robert Wirch Sheldon Wasserman is the best choice for North Shore residents. Wasserman, an ob-gyn who has served in the state Assembly since 1994, is well positioned to become a leader in the state Senate on tax policy, health care and education reform. Although some Republican voters may hesitate to cross party lines and vote...]]> State Assembly District 22 Candidate ]]> State Assembly District 22 Candidate ]]> State Assembly District 22 Candidate ]]> Presidential Candidate - Democratic Although Obama was born in Hawaii and spent time abroad with his mother, his roots as a young man are in Chicago, where he was a community organizer. ]]> State Assembly District 22 Candidate ]]> Presidential Candidate - Republican Born in America-controlled Panama, John McCain followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and pursued a career in the navy, graduating from the Annapolis academy in 1958. ]]> ENDORSEMENTS 2008 The 2008 election could alter our course, and Sen. Barack Obama is the one person who could transform that desire for change into real results. That’s why Obama has earned the endorsement of the Shepherd Express as the next president of the United States. ]]> Jing's offers charm in the rear of a renovated Third Ward building. There are perhaps a dozen tables, tall ceilings and a window that offers little to view but provides sunlight. It's more colorful in the evening, when light emanates from red paper globes suspended from the ceiling. ]]> Mediterranean Life One of the oldest Cousins submarine sandwich shops closed a few months ago on Farwell Avenue, just south of Brady Street. Now the site has a new occupant: La Dolce Vita (1673 N. Farwell Ave.). The interior received a long-overdue remodeling and features bright décor. You order at the counter, though the food is delivered to the table.]]> Get Your Motor Running The Harley-Davidson Museum opened just in time for the corporation's 105th anniversary celebration this summer. The Motor restaurant proved to be a popular attraction with its exciting steel and glass dining room. The food is good enough to attract locals and the tall windows would be great for viewing a snowstorm. The menu has some decent and unusual items, including walleye sliders and three different flathead flatbreads. These paper-thin crusts...]]> It's amazing what can happen when financial profit is not the primary focus of an enterprise. While the ashes of our economic market rain down upon us, practical business organizations like co-operatives provide a safe haven.]]> An airport landmark General Billy Mitchell was predicting the future of aerial warfare when a restaurant opened near the airfield that would bear his name. Under different names and... ]]> Exploring a holiday tradition Some holiday customs are so old and established that, as a culture, we've lost sight of their origins and the journey they made to land a spot on our exclusive list of cherished traditions. Eggnog's seasonal sojourn to the dairy cases of American grocery stores usually begins in early November and ends shortly after New Year's. The rich drink is typically made with eggs, milk, sugar and/or cream. It can be homemade or store bought, made with skim or soy milk, found with or without alcohol, served hot or cold and garnished with all sorts of culinary accoutrements, from ground nutmeg and cinnamon to peppermint sticks, whipped...]]> Meet the artists and educators The Express Yourself Milwaukee, Inc. artistic team is made up of professional artists and art therapists skilled in their disciplines. While they're not working with EYM, they support themselves through their art. ]]> Express Yourself Milwaukee, Inc Express Yourself Milwaukee celebrates the power of creative arts to transform the lives of underserved youth in the community. Express Yourself immerses young people into the creative world of music, dance and visual arts, celebrating cultural diversity and collaboration.]]> Check out the figures! DEMOGRAPHICS * 700 young people, ages 7–21, served annually * 70% male/30% female * 95% low-income * 85% African-American, 10% Caucasian, 5% Latino/Asian/Native American * 100% of the youth served are involved in special education programming * 33% of the youth are in the foster care system ]]> Think back to seeing a small child busy with her coloring, lost in creation. No hunger, no fighting, no need other than the task at hand. Her breathing slows, her eyes, hands, mouth and spirit all connected in the present. I have seen this same shift in the kids I work with at the detention center, and in adults and kids in psychiatric facilities, excused for a brief time from their turmoil. The energy changes, the molecules in the room seem to shift...healing is present. ]]> ]]> Meet the artists and educators The Express Yourself Milwaukee, Inc. artistic team is made up of professional artists and art therapists skilled in their disciplines. While they're not working with EYM, they support themselves through their art. ]]> ]]> Express Yourself Milwaukee, Inc Express Yourself Milwaukee celebrates the power of creative arts to transform the lives of underserved youth in the community. Express Yourself immerses young people into the creative world of music, dance and visual arts, celebrating cultural diversity and collaboration.]]> Check out the figures! DEMOGRAPHICS * 700 young people, ages 7–21, served annually * 70% male/30% female * 95% low-income * 85% African-American, 10% Caucasian, 5% Latino/Asian/Native American * 100% of the youth served are involved in special education programming * 33% of the youth are in the foster care system ]]> Express Yourself Milwaukee, Inc responds to violence in our city In the world we desire, childhood is a carefree and innocent time of life. In the world we have, it is too often marked by violence and trauma. The "Remembrance Tree" was an artistic response, at one of Express Yourself Milwaukee's program sites to respond to the loss of youth, done in collaboration with Golda Meir School for the Gifted and Talented, and a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board. ]]> Express Yourself Milwaukee's Annual Show Each year Express Yourself Milwaukee, Inc. presents a grand performance that represents the culmination of a year’s worth of multi-disciplined arts study, creation, and practice by the participants of five Milwaukee agencies and schools serving youth in-risk. ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Tonight @ the Bradley Center - 7:30 PM Although the ’90s largely killed the commercial hopes of hyper-polished, hard-rock bands of their ilk, Bon Jovi weathered the bad times, and although these days the group doesn’t move albums like they did in their late-’80s heyday, they still release number one records without breaking a sweat. Their latest . . .]]> Community Working Together Express Yourself Milwaukee is an organization founded on the collaboration of artists and the art of collaboration. Truly, collaboration is an art. Partnership is not easy. It is a union, which requires release of individual egos and of self-promotion in order to succeed. So, the process is as, or possibly more important than the material outcome. ]]> We are proud to announce that our new studio space located at 1300 W. Fond du Lac, in collaboration with Running Rebels, is now open. The summer program runs through August 7, Mondays-Thursdays. 12:30-3:30 PM. To Register please call the Express Yourself Office at (414) 272-3498. ]]> On Thursday May 15, the Express yourself Milwaukee Show "Celebrate" was indeed a celebration of our year of hard work and collaboration. ]]> Celebrate! Performance 2008 Each year Express Yourself Milwaukee, Inc. presents a grand performance that represents the culmination of a year’s worth of multi-disciplined arts study, creation, and practice by the participants of five Milwaukee agencies and schools serving at-risk youth. ]]> ENDORSEMENTS 2008 Longtime state Rep. Sue Jeskewitz decided not to run for re-election this year, which provides voters in the 24th Assembly District with a rare opportunity to give equal consideration to both candidates running for this seat. We support Democrat Charlene Brady. Brady has served her community as a member of the... ]]> Marge Krupp and Steve Kagan Give Krupp a Chance in Congress. Residents of southeastern Wisconsin can send a strong message about the direction of this country by voting for Marge Krupp to represent the First Congressional District. Krupp, a chemical engineer and businesswoman, is facing longtime incumbent Republican Paul Ryan...]]> Sheldon Wasserman and Robert Wirch Sheldon Wasserman is the best choice for North Shore residents. Wasserman, an ob-gyn who has served in the state Assembly since 1994, is well positioned to become a leader in the state Senate on tax policy, health care and education reform. Although some Republican voters may hesitate to cross party lines and vote...]]> ENDORSEMENTS 2008 Voters in Oak Creek and South Milwaukee can choose an Assembly representative who will truly represent their needs by electing Glen Brower. A fourth-generation South Milwaukee resident, Brower is a longtime public servant who can be trusted to do the right thing when acting on issues that are important... ]]> How big business buys state Supreme Court justices The plotline for the dramatic state Supreme Court race between Justice Louis Butler and conservative Burnett County Judge Michael Gableman, heavily shaped by sleazy, corporate-financed ads ]]> I'm hoping this will be a good place to share what's happening in the world of advertising right here in brew town.]]> The most recent readership audit performed by The Media Audit in Milwaukee shows that the monthly audience of the Shepherd Express exceeds 300,000 for the first time. That's a growth rate of 12%. Wow.]]> ENDORSEMENTS 2008 Voters in Oak Creek and South Milwaukee can choose an Assembly representative who will truly represent their needs by electing Glen Brower. A fourth-generation South Milwaukee resident, Brower is a longtime public servant who can be trusted to do the right thing when acting on issues that are important... ]]> ENDORSEMENTS 2008 Longtime state Rep. Sue Jeskewitz decided not to run for re-election this year, which provides voters in the 24th Assembly District with a rare opportunity to give equal consideration to both candidates running for this seat. We support Democrat Charlene Brady. Brady has served her community as a member of the... ]]> Sheldon Wasserman and Robert Wirch Sheldon Wasserman is the best choice for North Shore residents. Wasserman, an ob-gyn who has served in the state Assembly since 1994, is well positioned to become a leader in the state Senate on tax policy, health care and education reform. Although some Republican voters may hesitate to cross party lines and vote...]]> Marge Krupp and Steve Kagan Give Krupp a Chance in Congress. Residents of southeastern Wisconsin can send a strong message about the direction of this country by voting for Marge Krupp to represent the First Congressional District. Krupp, a chemical engineer and businesswoman, is facing longtime incumbent Republican Paul Ryan...]]> Art Review Video and video installation artists occupy the hazy gray zone between cinema, sculpture and performance art. By virtue of the medium's immediacy, accessibility and historically cheap aesthetics, video artists are saddled with the task of clearly defining their work outside the realm of mainstream and even avant-garde cinema. According to the show's curator, Andrea Inselmann, the video artists of "Stop. Look. Listen." explore three types of relationships: artist to mainstream cinema, sound to image, and the mirror relationship between the viewer and the body as subject. And while these themes...]]> Art Preview After 18 months of renovation, the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) reopened the American Collections Galleries in grand style on Oct. 23. In collaboration with the Chipstone Foundation, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit that collects antique American furniture and ceramics, organizers coordinated curators and decorative arts collections to redefine the galleries and attempt to inspire awe and curiosity among visitors. Constructed on the MAM's lower level, the six galleries-the American Furniture Gallery, Hidden Dimensions, Loca Miraculi: Rooms of Wonder...]]> Art Review A boy and girl stand back to back, arms crossed, in Michael Foster's three-panel oil painting titled Siblings. The body language gives viewers an immediate sense of psychological tension. Clouds of dissension in the background symbolize the stalemate between the 13-year-old boy and his 10-year-old sister, both fixed in their stances. More than 15 oils on panels and two charcoal drawings are included in the current exhibition "Michael Foster: Transitions" in the Ploch...]]> Art Review By presenting the essence of the environment surrounding her, Susan Diehl's meditative artwork reveals the innate beauty of the world. Employing techniques used by the Russian Impressionists-an inspiration she attributes to mentor Ron Lukas-Diehl overlays her images with thick impasto strokes of oil pigment. Yet the valuable treasures she unearths surface more clearly in her figurative work and miniature paintings. The title of her exhibition at the Charles Allis Art Museum, "Big and Little, Here and There," aptly describes the extensive...]]> Art Preview Katie Musolff, a 2004 graduate of Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, stakes her name on her award-winning oils. Her near-life-size portraits capture the unique persona and soul of her subject in masterful strokes, but a recent personal experience led her to redirecting the focus of her art and her life. This reevaluation of her subject matter and primary medium infuses her upcoming exhibition "Drawn from Life," which opens on Gallery Night at the Elaine Erickson Gallery, located on the first floor of the Third Ward's Marshall Building. ]]> Art Review Were it not for memory and the visible onset of age, man might easily infer that he lives an infinite and unvarying existence. After all, isn't each day more or less indistinguishable from the last, bearing the fruit of yesterday and the seed of tomorrow? Perhaps, as Delacroix said, the role of art is to give value and substance to the passing of time, to interrupt the terrifying monotony of our days with glimmers of understanding. A new exhibit at Milwaukee Art Museum titled "Act/React" reveals the weightlessness that art engenders by erasing all memory of itself...]]> Art Review "New Intersections: Form and Meaning in Design," the current exhibit in the Brooks Stevens Gallery at MIAD is, as it intends to be, completely fun and very provocative. As consumers, we may not always understand the aim of product design when we're shopping for everyday objects like toothbrushes and potato peelers, but on some level we do understand what attracts us to a product. ]]> Art Review An air of uneasiness lingers over the "Unmasked and Anonymous" exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum, and it has little to do with the severe, antiquated faces gazing at you from beneath glass vitrines. Perhaps it arises from the sense of history compressed into a rather tight space; perhaps it's the nagging conviction that the body of contemporary work presented here is somehow ill-equipped to bear the weight of all this history. The exhibit brings together the work of contemporary Wisconsin photographers John Shimon and Julie Lindemann...]]> Art Review   Photography has long held a unique place in art. Sometimes it's conceptual, sometimes it's journalism, and the lines between art and documentary are blurred. When done well, photography is powerful. By its nature, photography is always documenting something and a narrative is implied. Even if you know intellectually that you're being taken for a ride via the photographer's visual trickery, you are drawn in anyway. Seeing, after all, is believing, even if a photograph very artfully bends reality. You willingly suspend disbelief... ]]> Art Review Joseph Sinness' cross-hatched pileups of vegetation, bouquets of felines and swaths of lace converge with Erika Olson's cascades of organic material to reinterpret the pastoral and the prosaic in "Garden Variety," the Armoury Gallery's fourth exhibition. Olson's gouache and graphite works on paper conflate the palette and restraint of Suzuki Harunobu's feminine woodcuts with the sensitive, stylized surfaces characteristic of Ert%uFFFD’s fashion illustrations. ]]> Exhibiting a Range of Styles Regionalism was all the rage among Midwest artists, especially in the years between the world wars. But in light of "Wisconsin Legendary Artists," a small but worthwhile exhibition focused primarily but not entirely on the first half of the last century, not all art from the Badger State could so easily be defined. The spread in style and content is wide among the paintings and works on paper in the exhibit. ]]> Art Review When Richard Sennett published his provocative thesis on the diminishing boundaries between public and private selves in the late '70s, things like reality TV and the Patriot Act were unheard of. Today they're incontrovertible facts that have further breached this boundary. ]]> Art Preview Vintage-ology: the study of all things from the past characterized by an enduring appeal or excellence. It's the byword that Fossil, a billion-dollar corporation that designs leather goods, watches and apparel, calls their "canvas for creativity and the soul of their brand." A new exhibition at the Eisner American Museum of Advertising and Design titled "Celebrating 25 Years of Fossil Vintage-ology" expands on Fossil's modern appeal and branding. Corporate Fossil began in 1984 as an importer and wholesaler of watches, but in 1989 they developed a branding based on '40s and '50s vintage products. The company then branched out into marketing eyeglasses, sandals, fashion . . .]]> Milwaukee’s small galleries When Mike Brenner threatened last winter to close Hotcakes Gallery and leave town if funds were raised to erect a bronze statue of The Fonz, a lot of people accused him of being whiny, or worse. But at the heart of his complaint was the fact that, despite easily raising $85,000 for the Bronze Fonz, people just aren’t walking into local galleries and purchasing art, which makes it hard for those galleries to stay in business. Milwaukee loves art, though, right? Gallery Night is heavily attended, so much so that it’s sometimes hard to actually enjoy the art on the walls through the cheese-nibbling crowds. But galleries, particularly those showing emerging artists, come and go . . . ]]> Best of Fun for All 2008 Nominees Where's the best bike trail, romantic hotel, or place to people watch? You've been letting us know for 18 years and here are the results of the Original All-Reader Voted Best of Milwaukee.]]> Best of 21 Plus 2008 Nominees Each year the choices in 21 continue to grow and the bars, bartenders, micro-brews, and beer selections at retailers and bars vie for top position in the voting. Whether it's the best martini, best bar to listen to music, or best new nightclub, Milwaukeeans love to vote in this category and the wait is over... ]]> Best of Services Rendered 2008 Nominees What do these things have in common: Getting a new tatoo, or an old one removed? Need a place for yoga or pilates? From free WiFi to best mobile service and best internet provider, all of these categories represent what YOU see as the Best Of Milwaukee. The Original All-Reader Voted Best of Milwaukee is back for the 18th installment of the Best of Services Rendered. ]]> Best of Arts & Entertainment 2008 Nominees Well, this is it. After 18 years of hosting the original reader-voted Best of Milwaukee, Shepherd Express readers voted in record numbers for the best bands, musicians, venues, performances and personalities. Here are the top three nominees in each category. ]]> Best of Bought and Sold 2008 Nominees Whether it's high end or low, "snow machines" (as Sarah Palin calls snowmobiles) or imported wine, you can find it in Milwaukee. Nowadays the city hosts outlets from most of the familiar national chains, but Shepherd Express readers haven't overlooked locally owned businesses or Milwaukee made products. ]]> Best of City Confidential 2008 Nominees Who’s an insider and who is on the outs? Shepherd Express readers named their Milwaukeean of the Year, plus Milwaukee’s best activist and entrepreneur, most beloved elected official and others you need to know. ]]> The Results are in!! CITY CONFIDENTIAL, DINING, BOUGHT AND SOLD, SERVICES, FUN FOR ALL... ]]> YOUR City. YOUR Survey. December 07, 2006 The ballots have been counted, the ballots have been recounted, and the chads have been surgically excised. ]]> 157th Annual Wisconsin State Fair Celebrating 157 years of tradition, the Wisconsin State Fair is a place where Fairgoers of every age and from every walk of life come together to share stories of Fairs gone by while creating new memories to share in the years to come. The Fair offers something for everyone – from agriculture and horticulture to culinary creations and oodles of activities and attractions for Fairgoers that are young and young at heart. With over 15 decades of history, tradition and development, the Wisconsin State Fair has grown into one of the state’s premiere summer events and attractions. The 2008 Wisconsin State Fair, “The Grand Champion of Summer,” will take place Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 10 in West Allis. ]]> Comprehensive Guide Year after year, for 11 straight days, Summerfest delivers an unforgettable live music experience, bringing an amazing array of today's hottest stars and emerging talent to Milwaukee. The 23,000 capacity Marcus Amphitheater, 10 permanent ground stage areas, 45 diverse food and beverage vendors and four unique marketplaces are set against the scenic lake Michigan and downtown backdrops, creating a setting and experience like no other. ]]> An Insider's Guide to Milwaukee Talk to someone who has recently moved to Milwaukee from a larger place like New York, Boston or San Francisco, and ask what they think of our town. Invariably you'll hear, "I didn't expect to be saying this.." or "I was totally surprised..." followed by, "This is a great city!" The Shepherd Express City Guide is an annual celebration of some of the factors that make Milwaukee special. With descriptions of hundreds of restaurants and festivals, the City Guide is a close look at the places that add flavor and color to Milwaukee. ]]> The Shepherd has you covered! It is that time of year again! Hundreds of bands from across the world are making the trip down to Austin, TX, for the annual South by Southwest festival to perform at the premiere showcase event of the year. A select few Milwaukee bands will be playing it this year to represent our fair city. We will be providing full coverage right here on this page, so stay tuned and keep up to date with Evan and Justin's SXSW blogs - the next best thing to being there! Read about all of the great Milwaukee artists below who will be performing at this years festival. ]]> Thursday, March 13th @ Bourbon Rocks – 1:00 AM Nearly three decades ago, the BoDeans were formed when Kurt Neumann and Sammy Llanas initiated a unique singing and songwriting partnership in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The partnership was built on give and take, whether in the trading of lyrical or melodic ideas, an exchange of guitar riffs, or the blending of vocal harmonies. As frontmen for what . . . ]]> Wednesday, March 12th @ Mohawk Patio – 9:00 PM Call Me Lightning, of Milwaukee, WI, play frenetic post-punk informed by The Talking Heads' quirky pop and The Jesus Lizard's rambunctious absurdism. Recent signees to respectable NYC indie label, FRENCHKISS RECORDS (Les Savy Fav, The Hold Steady), CALL ME LIGHTNING entered Steve Albini's Electrical Audio in Chicago with engineer Greg . . .]]> Thursday, March 13th @ The Hideout – 10:00 PM In 1998 Chris Rosenau and Jon Mueller formed Collections of Colonies of Bees as an outlet to explore traditional folk/bluegrass instrumentation combined with modern process and technology. The subsequent self-titled document was released on the UK label The Rosewood Union, and was the first in a string of evolving, exploratory works; each very different, but . . .]]> Thursday, March 13th @ Maggie Mae's Gibson Room – 9:40 PM Cougar Den is three kids from the heart of the Midwest, Milwaukee, Wisconsin playing spazzy hardcore/screamo. We formed with the aspiration of playing basement shows with our favorite local bands. Since November of 2005, we've toured the west coast in a little blue school bus, gotten a few stitches, watched kids jump off of refrigerators at house shows, seen . . .]]> Thursday, March 13th @ Red 7 – 1:45 PM (Outdoor Day Show) Formed in Milwaukee, WI, in 1997, Freshwater Collins continues to slay audiences nationwide with their unique take on psychedelic rock and roll. Refusing to be pigeonholed as simply "stoner-rock," Freshwater Collins are currently working very hard on over-compressing their (already) big drum sounds and over-saturating the tape machine with extra guitar on their yet to be titled new album . . .]]> Thursday, March 13th @ The Hideout – 8:45 PM Jon Mueller has been an active drummer and percussionist since the mid-80s. Whether utilizing bombastic minimalism, dense interplay, or electroacoustic practices, his approach focuses on a physical dialog between situation and material. He has performed or recorded with members of the groups Swans, Wilco, and Rhys Chatham's Guitar Trio . . .]]> Thursday, March 13th @ Beauty Bar – 9:00 PM Juiceboxxx is a 21-year-old rapper and producer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His brand of "energy music" is rooted in the past 30 years of rap and dance and informed by an urgent punk sensibility. Live, Juiceboxxx is the rare performer who takes cues from both Big Daddy Kane and Iggy Pop, kicking up a storm of energy that is at once thrillingly unhinged . . . ]]> Thursday, March 13th @ Bourbon Rocks – 1:00 AM Nearly three decades ago, the BoDeans were formed when Kurt Neumann and Sammy Llanas initiated a unique singing and songwriting partnership in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The partnership was built on give and take, whether in the trading of lyrical or melodic ideas, an exchange of guitar riffs, or the blending of vocal harmonies. As frontmen for what . . . ]]> The Shepherd has you covered! It is that time of year again! Hundreds of bands from across the world are making the trip down to Austin, TX, for the annual South by Southwest festival to perform at the premiere showcase event of the year. A select few Milwaukee bands will be playing it this year to represent our fair city. We will be providing full coverage right here on this page, so stay tuned and keep up to date with Evan and Justin's SXSW blogs - the next best thing to being there! Read about all of the great Milwaukee artists below who will be performing at this years festival. ]]> Wednesday, March 12th @ Mohawk Patio – 9:00 PM Call Me Lightning, of Milwaukee, WI, play frenetic post-punk informed by The Talking Heads' quirky pop and The Jesus Lizard's rambunctious absurdism. Recent signees to respectable NYC indie label, FRENCHKISS RECORDS (Les Savy Fav, The Hold Steady), CALL ME LIGHTNING entered Steve Albini's Electrical Audio in Chicago with engineer Greg . . .]]> Accountability irks school choice advocates School choice advocates George and Susan Mitchell, of Shorewood, have been living very comfortably off of wealthy, right-wing supporters of the school voucher program, but they quickly attacked a state legislator this past week for trying to impose some accountability standards on these dubious choice schools. ]]> While driving yesterday morning I heard FM 102.1, Milwaukee's alternative rock station, play three Smashing Pumpkins songs in a row. Several hours later, in the early afternoon, I turned on the station again and caught another three Pumpkins songs, includ]]> As winter begins to rear its blustery head, let's take a look back at a handful of this fall's major indie-rock albums and see how they stand up against conventional wisdom with our reoccurring feature, Overrated/Underrated: The Good Life – He]]> "Hiatus" is a well-known code for "pretty much broken up," and Electrelane, sadly, are on hiatus. It'd be hypocritical for any rock writer to cry too loudly about the disbanding, since Elecrelane never received much love from the press, which almost surel]]> Prince Ali ft. Casual, Planet Asia and Keith Murray - "The Majors" It’s easy to see why the Late Night Hype Show guys are salivating over this track: Four great, cult emcees from totally different cliques team up over one of the best beats of t]]> ]]> Today @ the Humphrey Imax Dome To coincide with the Milwaukee Public Museum’s Body World exhibits, the Humphrey Imax Dome Theater is presenting The Human Body, a 2001 high-definition documentary that has aged incredibly well. It follows an ultra-ordinary family as they go about their normal . . .]]> Today @ the Wisconsin State Fair Park - 3:00 PM It’s absolutely frigid outside, but some Milwaukeeans will be looking toward warmer weather at the Milwaukee Boat Show at the Wisconsin State Fair Park expo center today from 3 until 9:30 p.m. In addition to the requisite display of new boat models, there will also be fishing seminars and a live alligator show from . . .]]> Today @ the Milwaukee Public Museum The Milwaukee Public Museum continues its run of the heralded, popular and occasionally controversial Body Worlds exhibit, a detailed look at human physiology that uses real human bodies preserved through a process of plastination. These donated corpses are . . .]]> Today @ the Milwaukee Public Museum The Milwaukee Public Museum continues its run of the heralded, popular and occasionally controversial Body Worlds exhibit, a detailed look at human physiology that uses real human bodies preserved through a process of plastination. These donated corpses are . . .]]> Tonight @ the Milwaukee Repertory Theater - 7:30 p.m. Set in 1946, State of the Union is the unlikely tale of a good-natured businessman who, despite his lack of political background, is picked to run as the Republican candidate for president of the United States of America. His estranged but loving wife guides him through the process, helping him stay true to his moral principles . . . ]]> The youngest P.O.W. “For me, Omar’s age has always been the greatest factor,” says Michelle Shephard, a Toronto Star reporter who authored Guantanamo’s Child: The Untold Story of Omar Khadr (John Wiley & Sons). When Omar Khadr was captured in Afghanistan in 2002, he was 15 years old, a child soldier. While international sympathy has gone out to child soldiers in Sierra Leone, Uganda, Sri Lanka and other countries, American and Canadian sympathy for Khadr has been far more muted. ]]> by Sherry Strub From North Avenue to the South Side, from Shorewood to Brookfield, the Milwaukee area has ghosts—or so says Sherry Strub in Milwaukee Ghosts. Strub takes the reader from place to place—homes, cemeteries, historic sites and even the hallowed Pfister Hotel—in a trek around the area. The interviews and stories are interesting, but they lack a sense of authority and spookiness. Accounts of people saying, “I had this ]]> Book Preview For some, the adage “home is where the heart is” is a hackneyed platitude; for others, it’s a wrenching expression of an almost filial bond. In Milwaukee native Sandy Tolan’s 2006 nonfiction book, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew and the Heart of the Middle East, a Palestinian returning to his ancestral home in Ramla uses such visceral terms to describe his connection to the land from which he was expelled 20 years earlier.]]> Discovering gazpacho Many young girls dream of being the most popular, adored girl in school. But the truth is, only a tiny fraction of them end up as the cool and popular ones, while the rest of us are left to find a different way in the social ranks, a way to define who we truly are inside. In the deliciously twisted memoir Kinky Gazpacho: Life, Love and Spain (Atria), Lori L. Tharps, a native Milwaukeean now living in Philadelphia, takes readers down the winding roads of her journey of love and self-discovery across the Iberian Peninsula and back again. ]]> Book Review Muhammad may have been the prophet of one of the world’s great religions, but little-known developments after his death set the direction for human events even today. “The future history of much of the world was decided by the actions of a small number of men arguing and debating in the city of Medina,” writes Hugh Kennedy. In The Great Arab Conquests, the British historian investigates how the disunified Arab tribes and towns . . .]]> Finding the new world It’s not true that Christopher Columbus defied the conventional wisdom of his time in thinking that the world was round. All the wise people of his time already knew that; Columbus, in fact, thought the world had the shape of a pear, complete with a stalk “like a woman’s nipple,” which was the site of the Garden of Eden. That notion came to the famed “Admiral of the Ocean Sea” one night when it seemed like he was sailing uphill; hence, the impression of a pear’s slope. The rest of the imagery perhaps is attributable to the overactive imagination of a sailor too long at sea. ]]> Book Review Lavinia, a princess in Virgil’s The Aeneid, was merely a walk-on character in the historical epic. She is transformed into the reluctant protagonist of her own story in Ursula Le Guin’s novel. An acclaimed author of science fiction and fantasy, Le Guin turns to the past for an imaginative reconstruction of Italy in the days . . .]]> Book Preview For a writer, relating the immigrant experience without patronizing or perplexing the reader is no small feat. Actually making them laugh in the process is even harder. Firoozeh Dumas has been hailed by critics for being capable of delivering poignant glimpses of her experiences as an Iranian American growing up in Southern California with both sensitivity and humor. Her first book to gain wide critical acclaim, Funny in Farsi, was a series of autobiographical essays illuminating her and her family’s experience of acclimatizing themselves to American culture. Her second, released this month . . . ]]> Missing out on the blues Just 11 pages into In Search of the Blues (Basic Books), author Marybeth Hamilton comes right out and attempts to shatter accepted visions of Mississippi Delta blues purity. She desperately wants to play the iconoclast. “In fact,” she begins, “the Delta blues was not born in the bars and dance halls of Mississippi. That Robert Johnson and Charley Patton came to dominate blues history owes more to elusive mediators and shapers of taste. ]]> Book Preview It’s no coincidence that some of the most controversial and widely discussed books of the last century have been coming-of-age novels. Evidently there’s something about a young person’s path through the minefield of adolescence that can capture the anxieties of an epoch. Milwaukee native Paul McComas’ new novel, Planet of the Dates, offers readers a glimpse into the shifting political and cultural climate of the late-1970s and ’80s through the eyes of an ardent youth. It speaks of an era when the public’s anxiety . . . ]]> Interview with Jodie Picoult No stranger to difficult moral issues that society likes to avoid discussing, Jodi Picoult’s new book, Change of Heart, deals with capital punishment, religious dogma, the crippling loss of a loved one and the fact people can surprise you in ways you’d least expect. She talks to us about this, her 15th novel to date. ]]> Interview with author, Sandra Eugster This is the text of the full interview that was conducted on 1/10/08 and appears in the 1/17/08 issue of the Shepherd Express. ]]> Interview with Susan Vreeland Susan Vreeland, New York Times best-selling author of Girl in Hyacinth Blue, has recently published a new novel inspired by an artistic masterpiece: Renoir’s Luncheon of the Boating Party. Using the painting’s subjects and creator as a starting point she offers a vivid portrait of French society in the late-19th century. ]]> Interview with Jessica Mills How many parent guides have you come across that are geared towards the progressive punk parent? Author/Activist/musician/ teacher Jessica Mills talks about her new book, My Mother Wears Combat Boots—a parenting manual that ventures into territory most mainstream parenting books fear to tread. ]]> Interview with Manil Suri In his first novel, The Death of Vishnu, Manil Suri used Hindu mythology and the tinsely allure of the Bollywood film industry to explore the lives of characters inhabiting a Mumbai apartment building. His second novel, The Age of Shiva, continues the tradition, affirming his talent for creating well-drawn characters and sensitive prose. ]]> Interview With Kevin Brockmeier There’s an indelible quality to Kevin Brockmeier’s writing that has earned him such accolades as the O. Henry Award and the Italo Calvino Short Fiction Award. In his new collection of stories, View From the Seventh Layer, he further cements his reputation for creating slender and solemn prose that blends the fantastical with the everyday. He talks to us about this, his second collection of short stories for adults:]]> Interview with Tod Wodicka The munificent title of Tod Wodicka’s debut novel, All Shall Be Well and All Shall Be Well, and All manner of Things Shall Be Well hints at the desperate optimism of it’s wretched protagonist: Burt Hecker, a mead-swilling, tunic-sporting 20th century idler stuck in a medieval past. From his home in Berlin, Germany, Wodicka talks about his new book.]]> Interview with Paul McComas The Planet of the Dates is an alien and sometimes hostile territory, but Phil Corcoran, the teenage protagonist of Milwaukee-native Paul McComas’ new book, is determined to conquer this unfamiliar habitat. He talks about how he combined autobiographical elements and fiction in this humorous and engaging look at adolescence. ]]> Who Will grab a slot on this years National Poetry Slam Team? Watch the 2008 Milwaukee City Slam finalists below on video before attending the final event on Tuesday, April 29th at the Miramar Theatre at 7:30 p.m. City Finalists: Ms. Creamm, Shelly Davis, De'Shawn Ewing, Karl Iglesias, Robert Martin, Tiffany Miller, Darlin' Niki, Elizabeth Nunley, Dan Vaughn, Nigel Wade, Amy Welsh. ]]> Milwaukee’s small galleries When Mike Brenner threatened last winter to close Hotcakes Gallery and leave town if funds were raised to erect a bronze statue of The Fonz, a lot of people accused him of being whiny, or worse. But at the heart of his complaint was the fact that, despite easily raising $85,000 for the Bronze Fonz, people just aren’t walking into local galleries and purchasing art, which makes it hard for those galleries to stay in business. Milwaukee loves art, though, right? Gallery Night is heavily attended, so much so that it’s sometimes hard to actually enjoy the art on the walls through the cheese-nibbling crowds. But galleries, particularly those showing emerging artists, come and go . . . ]]> ]]> A community arts celebration Behind a sparse storefront on bustling National Avenue rests a purely collective artistic endeavor in Walker’s Point Center for the Arts. The focus here is to celebrate the unique cultures of the city and give an outlet for mostly local artists to showcase their works to an appreciative community. The small gallery has two rooms of hardwood floors that give the space a rustic, cozy feel. The natural light that peers in through the large front...]]> UWM’s visions of the future The unique visual artistic projects of UWM students are displayed in this Prospect Avenue gallery. Sharing a building with the new Urban Outfitters retail store, the Inova Gallery features a number of interesting conceptual pieces from the skilled minds in UWM’s art programs.]]> Bringing history to life Housed in the P.H. Dye House in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, VP Gallery specializes in the extensive works of esteemed photographers Margaret Bourke-White and Alfred Eisenstaedt. Look in any direction and you’ll likely spot a flawless print of an indelible image made famous by LIFE Magazine.]]> At UW-Milwaukee This small gallery located in UWM's Mitchell Hall is perhaps the finest link that the Eastside has to Milwaukee's bygone eras. With a strong focus on the preservation of local historical artworks, UWM's Art History Gallery walls are usually flush with work from local artists, if not historians, with a keen eye for highlighting the changing face... ]]> Showcasing the next generation The modern feel of the galleries at Milwaukee Institute of art and Design fits nicely with most of the graphically inspired work done by the students there. The 800 person art school located in the Third Ward features galleries with exposed pipes and internal machinery...]]> At UW-Milwaukee’s Fine Arts Center Located in the Fine Arts Center on UW-Milwaukee’s campus these galleries display works from high level UWM art students. The space is expansive and well-lit with lights cascading across stark, white walls. ]]> Museum and Mansion The Charles Allis Art Museum, the tutor-style mansion that was home to Charles Allis and his wife Sarah, not only hosts beautiful art pieces the mansion is a wonderful piece of art itself. The mansion hosts the couples’ unique art collection and continues to delight, educate, and entice the public. The architecture is stunning and was designed by architect Alexander Eschweiler, the house was finished in 1911. In 1979... ]]> A Lakefront Icon Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's Santiago Calatrava's extension to the Milwaukee Art Museum, which has rapidly become the adopted symbol of the city. Those who might customarily shy away from the rarefied confines of an art museum are drawn in by the building's undisguised appeal, from its movable wings to its hallowed, lofty atrium. And then of course there's the art, a solid collection that includes works from antiquity to the present, with decorative arts, German Expressionist works and post 1960s American art among... ]]> Italian Renaissance-style Villa Upon entering this gorgeous art museum visitors will be taken aback by the landscaping and gardens. This Italian Renaissance-style villa, designed and built by architect David Adler in 1923, was originally the residence of Lloyd Smith of the A.O. Smith Corporation and his family. The Villa hosts fine and decorative arts dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries... ]]> Contemporary art in a Victorian home This purple house stands out in its East side location; inside you’ll find a number of stunning pieces which adorn the walls of this two-story home-like gallery. ]]> Marquette University Located on the Marquette campus this medium sized gallery features two floors of exhibits, beautiful photography and paintings. ]]> at UW-Milwaukee The high ceilings and natural and soft lighting bring out the vivid artwork, sculptures, and photography strewn across the white and natural colored walls and floors in this small, intimate gallery. ]]> Celebrate the Arts! Celebrate the Culture! Don’t be fooled, this very small and intimate gallery holds a great variety of Latino culture and paintings. Latino Arts, Inc. has a variety of programs and performances that bring out the culture of this South Side Milwaukee center. There are opportunities for classroom field trips, attending event performances, and viewing the gallery.]]> ]]> with the Shepherd Express and 91.7 WMSE All of us over here at the Shepherd Express and ExpressMilwaukee.com are happy to announce our new partnership with the Cascio Interstate Music Groove Garage stage at Summerfest 2008! We will be down at the festival grounds everyday from June 26th - July 6th providing you with exclusive, late-breaking coverage from our stage and other notable events from the world's largest music festival. Check back here for updates. ]]> Day 10 and Final Winner: Joann Stern Congratulations, Joann Stern, you are the day tenth and final winner of the Guitar-A-Day Giveaway. Others winners include: Linda Kaehler, Jenny Holland, Erik Zlevor, Ritchel Aniceto, Henry Rios, Doreen Grabarczyk, Steve Tuma, Jim Hanke, and Susan Budziszewski. Please watch your email for notification of how to pick up your guitar. ]]> Comprehensive Guide Year after year, for 11 straight days, Summerfest delivers an unforgettable live music experience, bringing an amazing array of today's hottest stars and emerging talent to Milwaukee. The 23,000 capacity Marcus Amphitheater, 10 permanent ground stage areas, 45 diverse food and beverage vendors and four unique marketplaces are set against the scenic lake Michigan and downtown backdrops, creating a setting and experience like no other. ]]> Friday, July 4 @ the Miller Oasis ]]> Saturday, July 5 @ the Marcus Amphitheater ]]> Friday, July 4 @ the Marcus Amphitheater ]]> Saturday, July 5 @ the M&I Classic Rock Stage ]]> Friday, July 4 @ the Marcus Amphitheater ]]> Thursday, July 3 @ the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse ]]> Thursday, July 3 @ the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse ]]> Thursday, July 3 @ the Cascio Groove Garage ]]> Wednesday, July 2, 2008 @ the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse ]]> Monday, June 30 @ the Cascio Groove Garage ]]> Monday, June 30 @ the Cascio Groove Garage ]]> Monday, June 30 @ the Cascio Groove Garage ]]> Saturday, June 28 @ the Zippo Rock Stage ]]> Saturday, June 28 @ the Cascio Groove Garage ]]> Thursday, June 26 @ the Briggs and Stratton Big Backyard ]]> An Insider's Guide to Milwaukee Talk to someone who has recently moved to Milwaukee from a larger place like New York, Boston or San Francisco, and ask what they think of our town. Invariably you'll hear, "I didn't expect to be saying this.." or "I was totally surprised..." followed by, "This is a great city!" The Shepherd Express City Guide is an annual celebration of some of the factors that make Milwaukee special. With descriptions of hundreds of restaurants and festivals, the City Guide is a close look at the places that add flavor and color to Milwaukee. ]]> The Results are in!! CITY CONFIDENTIAL, DINING, BOUGHT AND SOLD, SERVICES, FUN FOR ALL... ]]> Comprehensive Guide Year after year, for 11 straight days, Summerfest delivers an unforgettable live music experience, bringing an amazing array of today's hottest stars and emerging talent to Milwaukee. The 23,000 capacity Marcus Amphitheater, 10 permanent ground stage areas, 45 diverse food and beverage vendors and four unique marketplaces are set against the scenic lake Michigan and downtown backdrops, creating a setting and experience like no other. ]]> Now hiring Are you outgoing? Do you get along with others? No problem talking to strangers? Well, the Shepherd Express Street Team might be the right fit for you!]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Rules The Shepherd Express is calling all artists to compete in the Best of Milwaukee Cover Contest for the ‘Best Of’ issue of the Shepherd, November 13. To be considered, entries must be themed around Milwaukee. ]]> Rules Have you ever seen a beard and thought, "WOW, that's a weird beard?!"Well, the Shepherd Express feels the same way.So, the Shepherd Express would like to praise all of those men with truly weird beards and generate an entire contest to them and their facial hair. ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> 1) Where are you from: Brookfield, WI 2) Describe yourself in 3 words: Outgoing, sarcastic, jokester 3) What do you like to do on your free time: Hang with friends, Ski (if there is snow on the ground of course), watch movies, listen to good music 4]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Save the Date Save The Date The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra League presents: Symphony Style, a Fashion Show Gala at the Milwaukee Art Museum on November 14, 2008. Featuring couture by Peggy Jennings. An evening of scintillating music, tantilizing food, beautiful people, and a couture fashion production that rivals New York's Fashion Week. The mood is magic and everyone comes to celebrate. ]]> Save The Date - October 17, 2008 Join 500 of your closest friends at the city's hottest nightspot for the most sylish in fashion, art, food and drink. Run Up is an event sponsored by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra League's Evening Associates and the Milwaukee Art Museum. Ticket information at MAM.org or by calling Lynn Miller at 414-226-7852. ]]> There are many different reasons for shaving the genital area, so which methods you go with might be determined by the effect you’re trying to achieve. Some people shave for practical reasons—they don’t want hair peeking out of their underwear or bathing suit. Some shave for aesthetic reasons, because having less or even no hair is visually appealing to them or to their partners. (You can get as elaborate... ]]> I was in the store and you helped me find books to answer my questions. The resources that you recommended have been helpful. I decided to formulate my question for your column, as it might be helpful to other women (and maybe for men). So here it goes: I am in my late 50s, got "unmarried" 8 years ago, single mom, etc. Now my parenting days are winding down, and I have time to develop... ]]> One of my friends knows a lot of guys who get Prince Alberts (the piercing). He says they all claim that sex with the piercing has been much, much better. Why would that be? Or does that sound like some strange occurrence/claim? ]]> Is there a way to strengthen the PC muscle? I answer this question in honor of Tatiata Kozhevnikova, who reclaimed her Guinness Book of World Records­ title of "Strongest Vagina" last week by lifting more than 30 pounds using her PC muscle. While vaginal weight lifting might not be a goal that everyone strives for, a strong PC muscle has its benefits, including preventing incontinence...]]> Our understanding of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is constantly evolving as new research is published. There are more than 100 different strains of HPV, some of which are linked to cervical cancer and some of which cause genital warts. The term "cervical dysplasia" refers to abnormal or precancerous cells on the cervix that are usually caused by HPV. During routine visits to a gynecologist or primary... ]]> Classical Reveiw Any organization that survives 50 years deserves to celebrate. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra crosses that milestone this season, and kicked off commemorations with a 50th Anniversary Gala last Thursday evening. The unsentimental truth is that at 50 the ensemble is almost certainly at its peak in quality. Its best years are likely yet to come. Itzhak Perlman was guest artist for the Beethoven Violin Concerto. The audience was excited by his presence, and perhaps did not notice that there was lagging energy in most of Perlman's first movement. His playing woke up in the cadenza at the end of the movement, but it wasn't until the high, pure melodies of the second movement that... ]]> How Local Arts Groups Plan their Seasons Before the curtain goes up on any performance, many decisions go into determining what patrons will see and hear. Audience wishes, performer's artistic growth and cost concerns are just a few of the considerations when planning a season. A few artistic leaders share their thoughts on programming for the arts. ]]> Organic Clothing for the Masses If the idea of organic clothing gives you visions of shapeless hemp sacks worn by granola-munching hippies, it's time to go shopping. These days, organic duds are not only good for the environment, they actually look good, which puts the "fashion" back in earth-friendly fashions. What's more, the green clothing world now offers an array of fabrics, from the softest bamboo to the silkiest soy, which helps not just in the style department but feels comfortable as well. Organic cotton has made it big, for sure-you can find an organic onesie for your baby at Whole Foods, Target, and (close your eyes, this one hurts . . .]]> Choristers explore cultural connections %uFFFD%uFFFD In an exchange both choral and cultural, the mostly white Milwaukee Choristers will partner with Detroit's predominantly African-American Brazeal Dennard Chorale to premiere choral settings of Harlem Renaissance poems by African-American composers Robert L. Morris, Northwestern University music professor Robert A. Harris and former Milwaukee resident Judith Baity. The concert, "Exploring Heritage Connections," will be performed Oct. 18 at the Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts.]]> Memories of a sports landmark To the kid's eyes, the place was just...so...unbelievably...big: the three-level grandstand, rising on a picket line of steel pillars; the imposing facade of the roof, recalling some ancient civilization with its ornate design. Most of all, the baseball field itself, stretching an amazing 461 feet from home plate to the centerfield wall and 457 to left-center. When they said "hit it a mile," the kid would think they really meant it at this place. This place called Yankee Stadium. ]]> Remembering the Little Fox Few stars hearkening back to Hollywood's Golden Age elicit the unequivocal reverence and regard afforded Bette Davis. She remains a unique figurehead of a bygone era in which the creation of larger-than-life screen personas defined cinematic art under the fabled studio system. Her steely ferocity remains a source of inspiration for younger actresses, along with a classic demeanor-or hauteur, if you will-reminiscent of the great stage performers of the past, as so elegantly demonstrated in roles like The Little Foxes and The Letter. Davis' work feels modern, timeless, urgent, unfettered by self-consciousness but flavored...]]> UWM Maps Out its Future How does a landlocked urban university expand? The question has vexed such institutions for centuries and has sometimes led to violent confrontations between town and gown. Columbia University recently marked the 40th anniversary of the uprising of 1968, which was spurred, in part, by the university's attempt to seize public land in nearby Morningside Park. Making this anniversary even more relevant was the fact that Columbia is once again venturing into neighboring Harlem-a move that has not pleased a number of that community's long-time residents. Other colleges, including the University of Pennsylvania and Yale, find themselves facing tough community opposition to plans to expand their respective core campuses . . .]]>