Lots of Laughs: The fourth annual Laugh It Up Milwaukee fundraiser featured Howie Mandel at the Riverside Theater. The event was presented by Olshan Outreach at Bayshore Town Center, benefitting the Hunger Task Force and the Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.
Pre-show, sponsors gathered at Mo’s…A Place for Steaks, where fans lined up with Mandel for an exciting meet-and-greet and photo-ops. Mandel and WTMJ’s Jonah Kaplan then welcomed guests. JCC President and CEO Mark Shapiro hosted with his wife, Sharon. He and their daughters Carli and Sophie joked they were celebrating “Sharonica” (eight days of her 5-0 b-day festivities).
Board chair Alicia Sadoff was on hand with her husband, Bryan, and sons Adam and Brad. Board members Suzy Ettinger arrived with pals Ruth and Jon Wallace and Dr. David Margolis, with his wife, Jody, JCC’s special needs director. Rabbi Shari Shamah was with her husband, Dr. Corey Shamah.
Circulating were Hunger Task Force Executive Director Sherrie Tussler, Bayshore Marketing Director Marypat (MP) Theriault, sponsor David Gruber and his wife, Nancy, show emcee Vince Vitrano and comedian John Mendoza, who opened for Mandel.
Back Forty: More than 3,000 food fans poured into the second Saturday farmers’ market in the Mitchell Park Domes’ new greenhouse. Some 40 vendors busily peddled their wares. Among them was Wisconsin Soup Company creator Steven Wenhardt with Rachel Wieland aiding the sampling and selling. Afro Fusion Cuisine’s delicious sauces and sausages were offered by manager Pierre-Carole Tchouapi, sister of owner Yollande Tchouapi, there with pal Francesca Gosselin. Jeff Ziebelman showcased his delicious Zymbiotics, including Jeff’s Zimchi and Zauerkraut.
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Threading through the cheek-to-jowl crowd were teacher/chef Elissa Franke, readying for a cooking class at Villa Terrace, and her husband, Tim Dorau. Also checking out the produce were Carolyn White-Travanti and her husband, artist Leon Travanti, premiering an exhibition Friday, Feb. 13, at Wisconsin Lutheran College; Dan Petry, development director at the UW-Milwaukee Peck School; and Craig Montessori’s Sangita Nayak and her husband, Jeff Arp, a city property systems administrator.
Helping out at the door were Friends of the Domes board member Roger Krawiecki and his sister, Karen Kasza, both busy tracking the head count. Accordionist Marv Wunder of the Wunder-Bars put everyone in a polka mood.
Throughout the Domes proper, the eighth annual Chinese New Year Celebration (the Year of the Goat) was sponsored by the Milwaukee Chinese Community Center. President Yi Wan oversaw the multi-thousand visitors enjoying music, food, dancing and demos. Others there were Tianya Zhao and Jia Liu from the Milwaukee School of Languages; Zhaohui Wang, US Bank program/project manager; and Youth Leader Academy’s Xinyun Wen.
Sibling Challenges: Pamela Hendricks Frautschi, activist, founder and president of Eastside Milwaukee Community Council and co-founder of Dance Spectrum, is now a published author. Her self-described first “book book,” Claudia: Misguided Spirit, chronicles how her sister’s difficult personality affected their family. Her husband, Richard Ippolito, and 30 friends and neighbors listened to her engaging discussion at Boswell Book Company. Among them were consultant Barb Notestein, activist/gardener Rebecca North, environmentalist Elsa Ankel, Isabelle Lutzke, “Irish” Mary Kelly, Rita McDonald, artist Monnie Holmes, neighbors Jim and Di Kerpan, Nicole Sheldon and Lance Johnson, and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra harpist Danis Kelly.
Grabbing a Bite: B&D stopped by The Knick for a munch, running into singer Kyle Feerick and Milwaukee Airways DJ/owner Ramsey Renno, Major Goolsby’s Jerry and Jeanne Cohen, on the eve of a two-day driving jaunt to South Beach, and Cindy Molloy, celebrating the 10th anniversary of her women’s boutique, Molloy’s. Bartender Chris “At Your Service” Rochon provided proper pours.
Nearby at the glamorous Astor Hotel Ballroom, the Chris Hanson Band hosted its monthly gig, featuring lead vocalist Hanson, violinist Glenn Asch, guitarist John Parrott, bassist John Babbitt and chanteuse Robin Pluer. Despite the snowy night, listeners ventured out to enjoy both the music and chef/author Elizabeth Crawford’s offerings, which ranged from lentil stew to lavender cookies. Helping out were Hanson’s wife, Jeanne, their son, Josh, a guitarist, and daughter Carrie.
In the audience were Russ Martin (aka comedian Rusty Martini), Glen and Barb Wuest, Sally Kuzma, Aaron Godfrey, Lisa Isaacson, Nancé Kinney and artist Daniel Conta. On the dance floor were activists George Martin and Julie Enslow, along with swing dancers Vicki Prantera and Doug Ellingson. Claire and Jean-Claude Kortleven were hosting visiting French farmers Sebastien Miramande, Benjamin Menou and Aurelian Morin, who enjoyed “la musique.”
Stretch and Sip: Every week (alternating Saturday mornings and Thursday evenings) Brenner Brewing Company hosts a Beer Yoga session, led by yoga teacher Amelia Harsh, by day a software engineer at Direct Supply. Around 20 yoga enthusiasts—including Ted and Erin Starck and Justin and Bailey Parker—participated in a Vinyasa-style yoga class. Regulars were Katie McCormack, Bon-Ton graphic designer; Kaelyn Dunn, financial analyst at Pentair; and Lizzie Gebarski, a Quarles & Brady health attorney. Their significants—McCormack’s fiancé, Donny Jankowski, Gebarski’s husband, Ryan Payne, and Dunn’s BF, Jake Augustine—skipped the yoga and joined the after-brew.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Feb. 19 issue of the Shepherd.