<strong>Happy Anniversary:</strong> The inimitable <strong>Rip Tenor</strong> (aka Art Kumbalek) was honored by the Uptowner Bar and Charm School for his 25 years of yeoman's duty at the <em>Shepherd Express</em>. Fans poured in to pay respects and hear the Brewhaus Polka Kings, featuring Tenor on sax, accordionist <strong>Grant Kozera</strong> and drummer <strong>Steve Brunton</strong>, with special guests <strong>Jack Grassel</strong>, playing banjo, and his wife, vocalist <strong>Jill Jensen</strong>.<br /><br />Celebrating Shepherdites included Kumbalek's co-columnist for sports, <strong>Frank Clines</strong>, copy editor <strong>Robbie Hartman</strong> and his wife, <strong>Rebecca Schlei</strong>, account executive <strong>Bridgette Ard</strong>, promotion manager <strong>Ashley Beyer</strong>, music editor <strong>Evan Rytlewski</strong> and graphic designer <strong>Dave Zylstra</strong>. Arts and entertainment editor <strong>Dave Luhrssen</strong> showcased his impressive polka skills with <strong>Shawnette Smart</strong>, a friend since 1978 and Uptowner's co-owner with her husband, <strong>Steve Johnson</strong>. Their daughters <strong>Mary and Martha Johnson</strong> stopped by, as well as their son <strong>Charlie</strong>, in from the South Bronx.<br /><br />The dog-friendly tavern welcomed Shelby, a diminutive Min Pin, and owner <strong>Carol Jordan</strong>, and Max, an 11-year old Bichon poodle, with his owner <strong>Linda Blecke</strong>. Circulating were <strong>Whispering Jeff Platt</strong> of the Riverwest Beer Appreciation Society, electrical engineer <strong>David Golon</strong>, Renaissance man <strong>Richard Yahr</strong>, <strong>Jeff Schultz</strong> and <strong>Kathy Falk</strong> from Racine, and <strong>Steve (Bad Leave Steve) Wroblewski</strong>, noted for his nearly perfect Uptowner pool-win record. Alderman <strong>Nik Kovac</strong> came by, doing last-minute doors prior to Tuesday's election.<strong><br /><br />Fabulous Fish:</strong> In the mood for a traditional Friday fish fry, B&D stopped by Klinger's East and found it worthy of its rave reviews. This is a true family affair, beginning decades ago at the first Klinger's, near the old American Motors plant, run by the late patriarch/matriarch Glen and Patricia Klinger. While son <strong>Glen</strong> was on break from his seven-day workweek as chef, his wife, <strong>Sue</strong>, greeted guests and their son <strong>Kyle </strong>waited tables.<br /><br />Co-chefs were <strong>Susan Lemke</strong> and <strong>Nick Pritchard</strong> and tending taps were Sue's brother <strong>Bobby Schneider</strong>, noted for his dynamite Sunday brunch Bloody Marys, along with <strong>Frank Olson, Roxanne Goodman </strong>and <strong>Debbie Niedzwiecki</strong>. Cousin <strong>Ryen Schneider</strong> also helped out, while manager <strong>Mike Contrino</strong> orchestrated.<br /><br />Devoted diners included <strong>Chuck Banks</strong> and <strong>Eddie Sanchez</strong>; <strong>Alfredo</strong> and <strong>Lucy</strong> <strong>Lopez</strong>; electrician <strong>Tom Hoppe</strong> and wife <strong>Kathy</strong>; <strong>Michael Mastroianni</strong>, his fiancée, <strong>Liz Kremer</strong>, and their pal <strong>Tina Graziano</strong>; plus <strong>Tom Nelson</strong>, <strong>Keegan Ford</strong> and <strong>Amanda Bushmaker</strong>.<strong><br /><br />Saying Bye:</strong> <strong>Shelby Keefe</strong> concluded her yearlong stint as the Pfister Hotel's artist-in-residence with a great send-off in the Red Room. The Pfister's general manager, <strong>Joe Kurth</strong>, welcomed the assemblage, prior to Keefe reviewing her tenure. Keefe gifted the Pfister with her <em>Reflecting on the Day</em>, an urban landscape of Wisconsin Avenue at dusk. Her artwork also inspired a decadent chocolate cake sliced at the soiree. Applauding were Keefe's parents <strong>Shirley and Charles Scharine</strong>; her brother <strong>Marcus</strong> and his wife, <strong>Shelly</strong>; her boyfriend, <strong>Richard Dorbin</strong>, a photographer soon moving to Milwaukee from Maryland; and her sons Kaleb and Noah.<br /><br />Former Pfister “narrators” <strong>Julie Ferris</strong> and <strong>Stacie Michelle Williams</strong> read from their published works about the fabled caravansary. The current Pfister narrator, poet and Foundation Tiki Bar bartender <strong>Ed Makowski</strong>, read his poems, including the clever “Bad Memories of Poverty and Wet Dreams.” His partner <strong>Susan Scott</strong> and their children, <strong>Edmond V. Sensei</strong> and <strong>Una</strong>, were among his fans there.<br /><br />The room overflowed with well-wishers, including fellow artists <strong>Thea Kovac,</strong> <strong>Sandy Pape</strong> and <strong>Anita Burgermeister</strong>, plus <strong>Kristin Urban</strong>, performing with Urban Empress and The Urbanites, and <strong>Nate Kraucunas</strong>, currently maintaining the Hank Aaron State Trail for the DNR. Mingling were developer <strong>Bob Boucher</strong>; <strong>Chris Zapf</strong> and <strong>Trish Miller</strong> from Therapies East Associates; <strong>Susan Palmieri</strong>, a doctor of integrative energy medicine; <strong>Patricia Corrigan Culotti and Michael Culotti</strong> from Enhancing Balance; <strong>Draga and Steven Libbey</strong>, CEO at iNET Computers; musician/photographer/poet <strong>Rick Ollman</strong>; and <strong>Skip Forrest</strong>, whose “wine”-themed pillows are sold at Keefe's studio.<br /><br />Fingerstyle guitar master <strong>Michael (Bootz) Bootzin</strong>, a self-described “musical gardener,” entertained. Concierge extraordinaire <strong>Peter Mortensen</strong> observed the festivities, while banquet bartender <strong>Luther (The Voice) Wray</strong> slung drinks and assistant manager <strong>Emily Rizzo</strong> peddled bottles of Stone's Throw wine with labels featuring Keefe's artwork.<strong><br /><br />Not for the Faint of Ears:</strong> Bawdy, scatological, profound, raucous, clever and great fun was <em>Shel Shocked</em> by Shel Silverstein, better known for his innocent children's tales. <strong>Adam White</strong>, co-owner of Carte Blanche Studios, made his full-length production directing debut; he also designed the sets and performed in the 19-thespian cast. Ten short plays kept the audience chuckling, with actors including the hilarious <strong>Sally Marks</strong>, along with the director's wife, <strong>Michelle White</strong>, <strong>Greg Ryan</strong>, <strong>Andrew Parchman</strong> and <strong>Peter Smith</strong>. <strong>Liz Whitford</strong> was Silverstein's eternally precocious Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout, still refusing to take out garbage.<br /><br />In the audience was Sally Marks' husband, <strong>Robb</strong>, along with Greg Ryan's wife, filmmaker <strong>Brooke Maroldi</strong>, and her friend <strong>Angela Jacobi</strong>; <strong>Jake Anderson</strong>, set assistant; <strong>Amber Smith</strong>; and Alchemist Theatre co-owners <strong>Aaron Kopec and Erica Case</strong>. Carte Blanche's artistic director, <strong>Jimmy Dragolovich</strong>, director of more than 25 of the company's plays, doubled as the evening's mixologist.<em><br /><br />If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at <a href="mailto:borisanddorisott@aol.com" target="_blank">borisanddorisott@aol.com</a>. Their next column will appear in the April 19 issue of the </em>Shepherd<em>.</em>
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