Boris and Doris On the Town

<strong>Best Buddies:</strong> A beautifully balmy evening brought out a record crowd to the My Best Friend Is Straight party, held this year at the lakefront's historic North Point Lighthouse. Greeting guests at the annual Cream City Foundation fundraiser was its new president and CEO, <strong>Paul Fairchild</strong>, dapper in snazzy Bermudas and speaking eloquently about the organization's mission of working toward social change on behalf of the LGBT community. 

<br /><br />Guest of honor/emcee <strong>Karen Valentine</strong> picked six winning raffle packages, with <strong>Andy Klisch</strong> of Lakefront Brewery, <strong>Dawn Schmidt</strong> and <strong>Jacqueline Lindo</strong> among the lucky recipients. The Divine Ms. V next ran off to perform in <em>The Ritz</em>, another amusing artistic romp at the Off the Wall Theatre. Honorary chair <strong>Joe Pabst</strong>, of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation's Johnson and Pabst LGBT Humanity Fund, circulated. Committee members included <strong>Chuck Grosz</strong> and Circore Creative's <strong>Denise Cawley</strong>.<strong><br /><br />Jennifer Murray</strong>, director of UW-Milwaukee's LGBT Resource Center, and a contingent from Auroraincluding <strong>Michael Johnson</strong>, <strong>Deb Unger</strong>, <strong>Elaine Maly</strong> and her husband, <strong>Tom Taubert</strong>, and <strong>Steve Markiewicz</strong> and <strong>Jody Wastlick</strong>plus <strong>Marie Sandy</strong> from UWM's Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies, art restorer <strong>Ned Hoffman</strong> and his wife, public defender <strong>Anne Devitt</strong>, and Eastmore Real Estate's <strong>Leonard Sobczak </strong>also attended. The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center contingent included <strong>Peter Larson</strong>, <strong>Martin Palicki</strong> and <strong>Warren Scherer</strong>, along with <strong>Jason Burns</strong>, Equality Wisconsin executive director.<strong><br /><br />Legal Literati:</strong> Attorney and author <strong>Matt Flynn</strong> chatted up his latest novel, <em>Pryme Knumber</em>, at a packed DeLind Gallery reception where Watts Tea Shop, a recent James Beard winner, laid out a delicious spread. Flynn thanked his wife, <strong>Mary</strong>, to whom he dedicated the Milwaukee-based political satire. The Watts clan there included family matriarch <strong>Martie Watts</strong>, her grandson, George Watts &amp; Son President <strong>Sam</strong>, and daughter <strong>Jennifer Block</strong>, in town from California. Other book lovers were the evening's host, attorney <strong>Alyce Katayama</strong>, chatting with UWM's <strong>Bill Holahan</strong>, plus <strong>Patti Keating Kahn</strong> and <strong>Judge Chuck Kahn</strong>, playwright <strong>Marie Kohler</strong> and <strong>Pat Ann Sheahan</strong>. Also hosting was gallery owner <strong>Bill DeLind</strong> and his assistants, <strong>Michael Goforth</strong> and <strong>Pam Brown</strong>.<strong><br /><br />Savvy Shoppers:</strong> Swanky Seconds, the new designer fashion resale boutique in Shorewood, already has a loyal following. Owner <strong>Allison Rozek</strong> held a wine tasting/10%-off sale that brought out a throng of women. Among the shoppers were <strong>Marilyn Jacobson</strong>, <strong>Robin Reese</strong> and her son <strong>John McVicker</strong>, artist <strong>Alayna Rose</strong>, <strong>Sally Stern</strong>, <strong>Julie Solochek</strong>, <strong>Annie Jurczyk</strong> of After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD), plus photographer <strong>Jerry Kirkeeng</strong>.<strong><br /><br />Local Updates:</strong> Former Milwaukee actor <strong>Rob Gleeson</strong> is currently appearing on “The Young and the Restless,” playing the role of waiter Aiden. Also look for him on “iCarly.” Noted blues harpist <strong>Jim Liban</strong> is back from a successful gig at the Festival Vache de Blues in Villerupt, France.<strong><br /><br />Coming Home:</strong> Upward of 70 ex-Sherman Parkers, mostly former residents of Grant Boulevard, reunited with old neighbors and playmates who showed up from Arkansas, Texas, Minnesota, around Wisconsin and elsewhere. <strong>Dave Rogness</strong>, <strong>Liz LeBlanc Sumner</strong> and <strong>Erika Pearson Rupnow</strong> organized the cookout and chat. The latter's husband, <strong>Kyle</strong>, a GE chef, did the burger and brats honors. Among the many catching up were multi-generations of Geenens, Pearsons, Rognesses, Jacksons, Robinsons, Rumpfs and Nervigs.<strong><br /><br />Artsy Prowl:</strong> Seeking Gallery Night treasures, B&amp;D dropped in at MIAD's union for a student sale helping artists affected by a recent Riverwest fire. FOX6's <strong>Bret Buganski</strong> filmed the event and picked up a few hot deals. Recent MIAD grad <strong>Marian Sonsyadek</strong>, <strong>Mark Lawson</strong>, <strong>Steve Anderson</strong>, <strong>Brittany Kowalski</strong> and <strong>Ronnie Crutchfield</strong> organized the event.<br /><br />The Portrait Society Gallery's delightfully psychedelic dinner party installation, “A Fop's Banquet,” by <strong>Jack Eigel</strong> and recent MIAD grad <strong>Skully Gustafson</strong> was dynamite. Both were coifed in flower headgear, styled by Beauty's <strong>Addy Schoenherr</strong> and <strong>Kat Opatken</strong>. But they weren't the only ones in over-the-top headwear. Studio D'Angeli's <strong>Jules Laabs</strong> wore a paper vase chapeau, while MSOE's <strong>Theresa Kettner</strong> sported a unicorn lid and <strong>Frank Ford</strong> was topped with a daisy tam.<br /><br />In town from London was UW-Milwaukee alum, artist and filmmaker <strong>Suzie Zabrowska</strong>. Also spotted were <strong>Mary Louise Schumacher</strong>, photographer <strong>Erik Moore</strong>, <strong>Kathy Carter</strong> of Centro Café, <strong>Nan and Michael Flaherty</strong>, <strong>Morgan Ostling</strong>, soon moving to Los Angeles, and his girlfriend <strong>Molly Walker</strong>, and Chicago club queen <strong>Shabnam ChamanAra</strong> accompanied by therapist <strong>Tak-Seng Lodrö</strong>.<br /><br />Third Ward Caffé's display of <strong>Miles Fabishak's</strong> “Ladies in Red” photos was also a hit. Among his models on hand were <strong>August-Marie Wagner-Richardson</strong>, <strong>Carina Tucker</strong> and his sister <strong>Mia Fabishak</strong>. Stopping by was his other sister <strong>Marla</strong>, soon moving to Boston with her boyfriend, <strong>Jon Habert</strong>. B&amp;D then stuck around for pasta with <strong>Jeff Bentoff and Julie Penman</strong>.<br /><br />The eatery was packed, largely with a table of 18, 14 of them doctors celebrating the 30-something birthdays of <strong>Dr. Mary Kaminsky</strong> and social worker <strong>Katy Oberle</strong>. At a nearby place setting were <strong>Brad Sehler</strong> and <strong>Angela Lueck</strong> with her sister <strong>Heather Weller</strong> with husband <strong>Todd</strong>. Brad's mom <strong>Marsha Sehler</strong> stopped by with pal <strong>Mayda Crites</strong> after making the Gallery Night rounds.<em><br /><br />If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Aug. 23 issue of the </em>Shepherd<em>.</em>