Park 'n Perform: The Milwaukee County Parks' full platter of seasonal activities includes its always-popular, free “Summer's Best” concert series, held at some 20 parks around the area. At the Boerner Botanical Gardens, along with about 3,500 music lovers, B&D checked out the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Pops' tribute to composer John Williams—of Star Wars, Jurassic Park and Schindler's List fame—performed under the baton of conductor Stuart Chafetz. Celebrating his Big 3-0 that evening was Peter Thomas, MSO cellist and member of I'm Not a Pilot.
Parks head Sue Black welcomed the crowd, while Marketing Director Jeff Baudry passed out concert brochures. Helping to direct traffic was Mitchell Park Domes Director Sandy Folaron. In the crowd was the event sponsor, Mark Wimmer, president of Wimmer Communities. Lounging lawnside were Deborah Clifton and John Kishline, heading to India in August to tour the play Success, originally written by Kishline for Theatre X in 1990. The couple will perform in six cities as part of the Hindu MetroPlus Theatre Festival.
Double Pleasures: B&D lucked into two two-year anniversary celebrations in one night. First stop was at the Wisconsin Cheese Mart on Old World Third Street. Although the iconic shop has been around since 1938, it was redone two years ago, featuring a beautiful cheese bar. Hosting the party were owners Ken and Melissa McNulty, their daughters Emily, 17, and Alex, 15, who often help out at the shop, Ken's sister Sharon and her husband, Jan Ellestad, recruited as the evening's bouncer.
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Bar regulars included Ray Smith from Eagle Electric and girlfriend Ginny Wendt; Sue Hansen and Diane Diel; plus Mary Schwei, a Whitefish Bay neighbor of the McNultys, and her kids, Ben and Sarah; and Dan Jorgenson, owner of Milwaukee River Cruise Line.
Bustling about were numerous “Powered by Cheese” T-shirted workers, including bartenders Bridget Roling and Maike Feldhusen. Entertaining from a balcony perch were singer Celia Faye and Soul Serenade, with Ryan Meisel on sax, keyboards by Anna Brinck and bassist James Galasinski.
Meanwhile, Centro Café on Center Street in Riverwest was also celebrating two successful years. Owners of the popular Italian eatery, Pat Moore and Peg Karpfinger, offered a bubbly Prosecco toast, as manager Ruth Weill helped to ensure all ran smoothly. Also on hand were chefs Josh Unser and Walter Williams, dishing up amazing pasta dishes, backed by pal Nathaniel Haack, who pitches in on many fronts. Loyal patrons who partied included Jim and Marie Seder and their daughter Zoe; artist Julie Ruplinger; Lisa Goldman, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee producer; musician Michael Bootzin; and media activist Bryan Atinsky.
While dining outside with Mary Allis Shellhorn, an expat Milwaukeean living in New York, B&D spotted Riverworks Development Corp.'s Jenny Ehlert and Chris Olson out strolling, as well as Dana Cable ambling with his Labradoodle Berkeley.
More Cheese: Gordon Edgar, author of Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge, delighted fromage fans at Larry's Market in Brown Deer with anecdotes and readings from his humorous book of essays. Arthur Ircink, executive producer of “Wisconsin Foodie,” filmed the evening for an autumn Wisconsin Public Television production. Enjoying the talk were Katie Hedrich, a recent winner at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest for her LaClare Farms Evalon goat milk cheese, there with brother Greg and mom Clara; Beercook's Lucy Saunders accompanied by her husband, University School of Milwaukee teacher and birthday boy Tom Geilfuss; caterer extraordinaire Scott Shully; and cheese writer Jeanette Hurt with baby Quinn.
Also enjoying Edgar's talk—accompanied by exceptional wine and cheese pairings—were Judy and Don Shane; Alverno professor Margaret Crosby; and Whole Foods cheese buyer Trevor Shevey, with Jessica Jacobs, a Benji's waitress to be featured in an upcoming “Man v. Food” show on the Travel Channel, downing a formidable Hear-O Israel sandwich at the Shorewood deli. The market's crew included patriarch Larry Ehlers, his children Steve Ehlers with wife Cindy and Patty Ehlers Peterson, and third generation Peter Ehlers, plus Jim Peterson, Kelly Mayfield and Emily Smith.
Fast Filming: The 48 Hour Film Project recently completed its fifth annual competition in Milwaukee with a showing of the movies at the Oriental Theatre and an awards ceremony at Water Street's Bar Louie. Twenty-two teams competed; this year, one of the required elements was a fictitious chess player who could be named Simon or Sandy Taggert. Milwaukee producer Angie Nemanic hosted the awards, with judges Davidson Kane, Tate Bunker and Jared Stepp determining the winners. The two top prizes went to the mockumentary A Perfect Match, which starred Ex Fabula's Leah Delaney (also winning best actress) and Matthew Huebsch as chess-playing conjoined twins, and Keith Michael's Detective Squad: Night Beats. Other winners included Jason Powell as best actor and Norman Gaulin for best music for “Play'er Be Played,” with the help of WUWM's Dan Harmon, who performed his mix magic at the studio, lyricist Bizzo, and G. Hammer, the composer. Photographer Matt Fornear chronicled the fun event.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the July 14 issue of the Shepherd.
