Milwaukee’s Best: More than 900 Shepherd Express fans packed into the Harley-Davidson Museum for the newspaper’s 23rd Best of Milwaukee awards, doling out 224 first-place winners, plus runners-up. The evening’s host, publisher Louis Fortis, recently back from a Dalmatian coast cycling excursion, thanked the many event sponsors, plus marketing coordinator/event organizer Heather Pechacek and her assistant, intern Ashley Wilson. Fortis also announced that a portion of the evening’s proceeds would be donated to Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee. Mayor Tom Barrett waxed eloquent about the Shepherd Express and acknowledged Rob Zerban, challenging Republican Rep. Paul Ryan in next year’s election.
There was food galore, from Laron Taylor’s Lai Lida cookies to Burke’s Irish Castle leek soup, served by owner Sean Burke, Portia Menges and Tyler Wilmot. Guests queued up at Garrett Key’s ShutterBooth and were intrigued by ZenZen Yoga Arts, Milwaukee’s first aerial yoga studio. Showing off mid-air moves were Melanie Peyton, Amy Francisco, Kate Hodgkinson, Thérèse Bailey and Morgan Sutkiewicz.
The Invivo group did a lot of clapping, nominated for five awards and capturing three wins. Karen Keene, Tori McShane, Heather Kaster and John Schaefer were named top massage therapists, Jonathan Ferris won best acupuncturist and Maurice Dumit received the glory as physical therapist. Acoustic musician finalists Lorrie Jesmok and Bill White of LJ & Bill were thrilled with their runner-up spot. Best Buffet/Middle Eastern Restaurant went to Casablanca, represented by Neveen Musa, there with Ramzi Musa and Intessar Hamdan of Polished Nail Bar. In the crowd was the Museum of Wisconsin Art’s Graeme Reid, who came with Brittani Mattke, the museum’s marketing director. Local legend Roosevelt “Freeway” McCarter, runner up for best local character, was spotted dancing. Reviewer Harry Cherkinian brought his homemade yogurt for fellow Armenian and Shepherd arts czar Dave Luhrssen. Assistant arts editor John Schneider came with Mary Gleason.
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Wine and Wind: A tornado warning outside the Wisconsin Center didn’t deter the Sunday crowd at this year’s Wine & Dine Wisconsin. Sandy and Angie D’Amato peddled his Good Stock: Life on a Low Simmer, with a portion of the proceeds donated to Feeding America. The group was represented by Jenny Mendenhall, Chakeill Leonard and Gina Styer.
Java lovers sipped Valentine Coffee Roasters, poured by founder Robb Kashevarof, Joe Gilsdorf and Aaron Cleavland. Other venders were Jennifer DeLaura selling Wildtree Herbs oils, and Bowen DornBrook and his mom, Kathy, of Central Greens aquaponics. Taste-testing a Milwaukee Apple, Jennifer Casey manned the Slow Food Wisconsin Southeast booth with Barb Heinen. B&D paused at a Blue’s Egg demo with Maxie’s Joe Muench making paneed chicken thighs and being interviewed by “Wisconsin Foodie” Kyle Cherek. The Maxie’s gang is soon opening Story Hill BKC, a new restaurant on 51st and Blue Mound.
Downstairs at the Critic’s Choice, Jazz trio VIVO—Warren Wiegratz, Tim Stemper and Pam Duronio—entertained. Guests swam through a palate potpourri from the Bartolotta contingent, along with a delicious cassoulet from Pastiche chef Michael Engel. There was an amazing walnut cake and pear preserve by Sanford’s Justin Aprahamian and pours from Wine Maniacs on the River by “Little” Debbie Bertrand and Rik Acken.
Other attendees included Edible Milwaukee’s Jen Ede, Will Workman and Joe Laedtke; Steven Miller from SJM Designs and Scott Vanden Avond from Sensient Technologies; the Florentine’s Eric Lind and his wife, Susi; plus event organizer Becky Steimle and her husband, Gordon.
Holiday Peek: A sneak preview of the beautiful Pabst Mansion holiday decorations highlighted the Family to Family Thanksgiving program of Aurora Family Service. Historian John Eastberg related how a century ago, the Pabst family donated food to the needy, while this year, Aurora distributed 3,100 Thanksgiving meals. Lee John’s Catering served delicious turkey and trimmings and got the crowd into the holiday spirit.
Aurora’s VP of social responsibility Mark Huber and Cristy Garcia-Thomas, president of Aurora Health Care Foundation, welcomed the revelers and thanked the sponsors, including Quarles & Brady, represented by Debi Miller. The Florentine Opera’s Jillian Bruss sang grace and harpist Brent Wilson provided soothing background music.
The Aurora clan included Aurora Family Service Executive Director Jane Pirsig, plus Patrick Rath, Ron Irwin, Stephanie Shabangu, Cindy Hosale, Amy Gehrke, Erica Weber, Diane Orozco, Yvonne Louison, Karen Jackson, Sue Schaus, Yvonne Louison, Leslie Wininger and Mary H. Nelson. Also from Aurora, sitting at event sponsor Joe Pabst’s table were Michael Johnston, veep Jerry Janis with John Heidemann and Elaine Maly and husband Tom Taubert, plus RN Drew Martin.
Birthday Babe: Painter Pat Hidson celebrated her 60-something birthday at Café La Paloma, where owner/artist Jose A. Chavez put on an amazing spread. Edgar Molina and Erica Steele of Dando Mambo Dance Company got many on their feet, including the birthday girl, MAM’s Marcie Hoffman, Centro Café’s Peg Karpfinger and executive coach Colleen Fitzgerald. Among the palette of fellow artists were Mark Mulhern and his wife, Jill, Kristine Gunther and Phil Krejcarek and Hidson’s husband, photographer Jim Brozek.
Wedded Bliss: Deanna Inniss and Chris Boettcher just returned from a honeymoon in the Maldives, with a Dubai layover following their picture-perfect wedding in Healdsburg, Calif. YogaOne Studios’ Meg Galarza officiated the ceremony. Milwaukeeans at the nuptials were Mike and Tonya Lueder, Clare Malloy and Scott Olson, Jennifer Shepard and Aksel Sidem, Sandi and Josh Adams, Marci Pelzer and Hernán Galarza, plus photographer Jessica Kaminski and musician Evan Christian.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Dec. 12 issue of the Shepherd.
