Photo via Jason Orleans
Midwest Travel and Lifestyle started out as an Instagram profile showing what Milwaukee has to offer to both visitors and locals. While you can share quite a bit on an Instagram post, he wanted to give people a better idea of what he thought about the places he visited. “I was tired of people complaining that there is nothing to do in Milwaukee,” Orleans explains. “There was the impression that Milwaukee was just nothing but beer and cheese curds. I want to show that there is a wide variety of food, art, and entertainment for everyone to enjoy.”
What travel areas do you typically cover?
My blog is focusing on the city of Milwaukee and the surrounding areas like Bay View, the Eastside, and River West neighborhoods for now. There are so many places and restaurants to see. In the future, I plan to cover other places in Wisconsin when I take some trips to other cities. I would love to go camping at Hartmann’s Creek State Park. I grew up in Waupaca and graduated from high school there and would love to visit again.
What is your process in conceiving and then writing about your topics?
When I generally write about food and travel, I take in the viewpoint of the traveler who is visiting Milwaukee. When I go to different places, I want those that are unique to the city that I am visiting. I support local businesses wherever I go because it helps to support the local economy. I choose not to eat a chain restaurant that I can find in any city. As a traveler, I want to eat food that reflects each city’s culture and identity. Why would I choose to eat at a place that I can find in my own city?
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Has your blog been successful?
Interest in the blog has generally been positive so far, and I see that interest growing in the future as more people get to know about it. I have had people from across the world check out the blog and its contents. In the near future I am starting to record a YouTube series called, “Food Around Milwaukee.” It has received positive feedback and I have two restaurants already lined up.
In the future, you hope to touch on fashion. What will the basics of that blog be?
My goal has always been to allow people to see that Milwaukee has a lot to offer. In terms of fashion and art there is a sizeable community here that is growing, and I want to help that community gain exposure. I am currently working with a group called OPP (Other People’s Project). When we formed this group, we had two main goals in mind. Our first goal was to develop a concept that would provide exposure for the fashion and art scene in Milwaukee.
We have brought together a group of models, designers, and mural artists to create a publication that would not only gain exposure for all of them but benefit a local nonprofit through the sales of the publication. Each person involved in the project is a volunteer and are professionals in their field of expertise. The chosen beneficiary in The Courage House. We are hoping that the publication becomes successful enough to become a yearly publication. At this time, we are looking for sponsors to defray the costs of printing, marketing, and distribution. Anyone that is interested and wants to know more can email me at mylifestyleandtraveblog1@gmail.com
