Boris and Doris On the Town

<!--StartFragment--> <p><strong>Web Kudos:</strong> The <em>Shepherd</em>'s second annual Best of Milwaukee Web Awards, celebrating expressmilwaukee.com readers' picks for the best websites, blogs, innovators and personalities, was held at the Wherehouse. The always-entertaining <strong>Bill Finn</strong> of Finn Digital announced the winners. Those accepting awards included powers-that-be from 88Nine RadioMilwaukee, winner of best site for a radio station, including Executive Director <strong>Mary Louise Mussoline</strong>, <strong>Tarik Moody</strong> and <strong>Sarah Fierek</strong>, there with <strong>Carmello Maddente</strong>. <strong>Sara Beringer</strong>, creator of Cream City and Sugar, won best fashion blog, there with her husband, <strong>Matt Beringer</strong>, from the Pabst Theater. Also from the Pabst/Turner/Riverside theaters to receive the award for best music venue site were PR wiz <strong>Andrew Nelson</strong>, Art Director <strong>Jason Gierl</strong>, Marketing Manager <strong>Laura Mueller</strong> and Social Media Manager <strong>Jake Schneider</strong>.</p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Lester Schultz</strong> won best news blog, A Sinner Observes; <strong>Chris Liebenthal</strong> of Cognitive Dissidence won best politics blog; drummer <strong>D.J. Hostettler</strong> of IfIHadAHiFi accepted the nod for best band/musician online presence; best nightlife website went to <strong>Jeremy Rogers'</strong> Do414.com; The New Loud's <strong>Jessi Nakles</strong> and <strong>Mike Stoklasa</strong> of Red Letter Media were runners-up for local iPhone app. Localplaylist.com's <strong>Danielle Hanson</strong>, <strong>Holly Topel and Anne Conway</strong>, with her mom <strong>Susan Conway</strong> there for support, were runners-up for best music blog, and <strong>Karen Cinpinski</strong> of Between the Bars, applauded by her sister <strong>Tess Cinpinski,</strong> nabbed best neighborhood blog.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Raffle winners included <strong>John Schroeder</strong>, snaring two Black Keys tickets, and <strong>Bonnie Sindermann</strong>, busy in the bathroom praying she would garner an iPad when she heard her name announced.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Circulating were <strong>Chris Van Gompel</strong>, <strong>John Costello</strong> and <strong>Brian Rott</strong>, <strong>Nathaniel Clarke</strong>, <strong>Ted Pechacek</strong> and makeup impresario <strong>Aja Vines</strong>. The paper's own <strong>Ashley Beyer</strong> pulled the event together.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Next door, Tuesday Tangoers took lessons from <strong>Maria Castello</strong> and <strong>Jacques Saint-Cyr</strong>, as Wherehouse owner <strong>Paul Mueller </strong>and dapper host <strong>Jim Barnes</strong> watched.</p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Songfest:</strong> “Shall We Gather,” a Milwaukee Children's Choir fund-raiser replete with folk songs and delightful tales of émigré ancestors, sparkled at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. The inimitable <strong>John McGivern</strong> and <strong>Tim Benson</strong>, St. Paul's music director, chatted about their Irishness. <strong>Deborah Patel</strong> recalled her Yankee and German heritage, while <strong>Helen Zealy</strong> remembered her Lebanese forebears. The Calliope Vocal Ensemble performed, with Artistic Director <strong>Jane Lukic</strong> relating her family background. In the audience were Lukic's children: <strong>Noel</strong>, <strong>Julian</strong>, <strong>Amelia</strong> and <strong>Tessa</strong>. Children's choir members <strong>Hannah Fichtner</strong> soloed with “Shall We Gather at the River” and <strong>Billy Krager</strong> offered a lilting “Danny Boy.”</p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Flashing Feet:</strong> The Cashel Dennehy School of Irish Dance returned from a chilly Belfast with another coveted world win for its Ladies Under-19 Ceili Team. The hard-won first-place finish was the second world title for the troupe, which also won in 2010. The champs included <strong>Kate Abbott</strong>, <strong>Mackenzie Bryant</strong>, <strong>Jessica Gibson</strong>, <strong>Mary Beth Jablonowski</strong>, <strong>Kayla Jashinsky</strong>, <strong>Natalie Rondinelli</strong>, <strong>Lauren Sayles</strong> and <strong>Gabrielle Caron-Schuler</strong>. Led by teacher <strong>Laura Gottschlich</strong>, the school also snared third place for the Under 16 Mixed Ceili team, plus other awards.</p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Hip Era:</strong> The glory years of the Avant Garde Coffeehouse, the city's '60s hip/folk/blues nexus, were explored by UW-Milwaukee director of guitar studies <strong>John Stropes</strong> and students <strong>Brian Burke</strong> and <strong>Josh Lane</strong> at the university's annual undergraduate research symposium. Listening in were fellow student researchers <strong>Brock Camden</strong>, <strong>Nate Andrew</strong> and <strong>Macyn Taylor</strong>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Among musicians and fans reminiscing over vintage photos and artifacts were original Avant Garde owner <strong>Harold Strohmeier</strong> and successor <strong>Gordy Simon</strong>, plus musicians <strong>Jim Liban</strong>, <strong>Steve Cohen</strong>, <strong>Phil Gatewood</strong> and <strong>Jim Middleton</strong>, whose photos were on display, along with <strong>Peter Tibbs</strong>, <strong>McKim Stropes</strong>, radiomeister <strong>Bob Reitman</strong>, and fans <strong>John Gruzis</strong>, <strong>Barb Smith</strong>, <strong>Marilyn Jacobson</strong>, <strong>Lenore Lee</strong> and <strong>John Sahli and Judy Tolley</strong>; plus Stropes' wife, <strong>Laura</strong>, and son <strong>John</strong>.</p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Rose Remembered:</strong> The Milwaukee Rep's Quadracci Powerhouse was packed for Rose Pickering's memorial. Husband <strong>Jim Pickering</strong> and more than a dozen fellow actors performed and reminisced about “The Honored Queen,” whose acting career spanned 37 years and 167 productions. Performing “Rosie” songs were <strong>Peter Silbert</strong>, <strong>Bob Sieger</strong>, <strong>Dave Pickering</strong> and <strong>Amy Richter</strong>. <strong>Brian Vaughn</strong> cloned Neil Diamond for a spot-on “Cracklin' Rosie.”</p> <p><strong><br /></strong></p> <p><strong>Haiti Fund:</strong> Nearly 200 Youthaiti supporters flocked to Potawatomi's ballroom for the charity's third annual fund-raiser, with its island menu and kompa dancing. Guests were welcomed by board chair <strong>Madeline Wake</strong>, with an update by Executive Director <strong>Gigi Pomerantz</strong>, <strong>Gilles Dorvil</strong> and <strong>Jean Alteus</strong> from Haiti and Express Yourself Milwaukee's <strong>Lori Vance</strong>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Volunteers included <strong>Joan Janus</strong>, <strong>Mike Dawson</strong>, <strong>Suzanne Musante</strong> and <strong>Mary Harrison</strong>, whose son, Rishi Tea owner <strong>Ben Harrison</strong>, was there with his wife, <strong>Kara</strong>, plus <strong>Larraine McNamara McGraw</strong>, excited about new grandson <strong>Liam Mangin</strong>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Perusing the market were Milwaukee Artist Resource Network's <strong>Melissa Musante</strong> and her husband, <strong>Steve Smith</strong>; <strong>Pat and Paul Geenen</strong>; <strong>Dr. Tom and Carolyn Jackson</strong>; <strong>Dr. Ian and Norma Gilson</strong> and niece <strong>Gabriella Buchnik</strong>, <em>Natural Awakenings'</em> publisher; <strong>Clare and Bill Hanrahan</strong>; <strong>Bob and Jean Walters</strong>; <strong>Vel Phillips</strong> and Repairers of the Breach's <strong>MacCanon Brown</strong>; and a contingent from St. Ben's, including <strong>Father Jerry Schroeder</strong>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>B&amp;D then paused at Dream Dance, where <strong>Brian and Kate DeLorenzo </strong>were dining on kangaroo and sipping Numanthia Tempranillo.</p> <p><em><br /></em></p> <p><em>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 May 17 issue of the </em>Shepherd<em>.</em> </p> <!--EndFragment-->