Musical Magic: Musician Joe Puerta hosted a rocking release party for his Christmas Dreams CD at Turner Hall, Milwaukee's hot new musical venue. The crowd swung into the holiday groove with a rendition of “I'm Coming Home for Christmas” (heard on the television show “ER” and now a YouTube sensation). Also wowing the house were many fellow musicians who joined Puerta on stage. Among them were Grace Weber; Paul Cebar; Sammy Llanas; Barb Stephan; John Sieger; Rodney Cunningham; John Calarco; Dave Adler, 5 Card Studs' keyboardist Matt Meixner; the Love Monkeys' guitarmeister Keith Pulvermacher; and Bill Pfordresher, who wrote the “I'm Coming Home” hit. The always-effervescent Robin Pluer rushed over to perform after celebrating her mother's 80th birthday.
In the crowd were Puerta's wife, Kristine; Marc Solheim, Turner Hall's main booker; Brandon and Chelsea James; Nancy Corkle; Jeff Bentoff; Rick and Valerie Smith; recording engineer Kevin Arndt; and Grace Weber's family, including dad Ralph, mom Patti and sister Greta.
Ho-Ho-Ho: The Wisconsin Painters and Sculptors (WP&S) held its monthly meeting at Kendall (The Weld Guy) Polster's studio/ machine shop helmed by WP&S chapter chair Virgi Driscoll. The session was followed by seasonal cheer at artist Rory Burke's sculpture studio in the building. Polster supplied the libations as dad Harvey grilled outside.
|
|
The place overflowed with talent. Partiers included painter Pat Hidson, whose latest fabric art is in an upcoming exhibit at the Urban Ecology Center; Evelyn Terry, excited about a recent showing of her work at Wayne and Terry Embry's home. Stuart Howland drove down from Sheboygan with fellow teacher Frank Juarez, creator of www.sheboyganvisualartists.com; and Bruce Niemi, whose larger-than-life metal sculptures are showcased around the country, including a recent commission by the IRS in Kansas City. Tromp l'oeil artist Joe Stanke, whose work has been shown at the Galerie Felix Haloux in Paris, was there with his wife, Kathy. Also mingling were artists Holley Bakich; Michael Kutzer; Patricia Obletz; and Kris Reichert; plus Johnathan Crawford of Data Dog Internet marketing; Joel (The Boiler Guy) Albright and Sherlock, “The Party Dog.”
Political Doings: The latest Downtown restaurant find, Edgar's Calypso, was a-bustle during a recent rally by supporters of Milwaukee county executive contender Lena Taylor. Hosted by Center Advocates PAC and an LGBT & Ally fund-raiser, Taylor, Laurie Guilbault and Dennis Kohler addressed the audience. In the crowd were Jeff Goldberg; Dr. Robert Starshak and Ross Draegert; Karen Gotzler and Jim Milner; Ray Vahey; Jim Stewart, Planned Parenthood president; AIDS activist Doug Nelson; Ken Barbeau; John Goldstein, national field director of the Partnership for Working Families; and Danni and Sheldon Gendelman. At the restaurant's upfront window table, the Charlie Bray Memorial Book Club met to decide on upcoming readings. Edgar's owner Michael Dillon lobbied for a Barbara Pym selection. Other clubbers there were Marsha Sehler; Carol Skornicka; Bill Orenstein; Edith Brin; Scott Berkes; Richard Carsey and Ginger Duiven.
Nik Kovac, eyeing the open 3rd District alderman seat, held one of his many fundraisers at Wolski's. B&D didn't close the bar, but had a grand time at the event hosted by Wolski's owners, brothers Dennis, Bernie and Michael Bondar. The trio will celebrate the family-run bar's 100th anniversary next year. In the crowd were Kovac's treasurer Dawn McCarthy; his dad, attorney Peter Kovac; Gene Pogorzelski, “mayor of Pulaski Street,” and landlord Orville Seymer. Marty Falk, now with the Capital Grille, celebrated her 40-plus birthday there with pals Kim Beale and Shannon Bustillos, MU fitness director, and other Wolski's regulars.
Holiday Cheer: Boris went a' wassailing at the University of St. Thomas' annual holiday party at the Westmoor Country Club. Among the revelers were Gary Zimmerman III, of Creative Business Interiors; Matthew Ziebert of Mayfair Mall's Eddie Bauer; Paul Langer, veep at Barrett Moving; Irish dance choreographer Mary Catherine Daniels; and Dr. John Schwab. Will Barrett, veep at NovoPrint USA, hosted the evening's festive agenda, which included an overview of a university- sponsored trip to Armenia by St. Tom's senior Annemarie Iddins and a chat with Dr. Marisa Kelly, arts and science dean. Stephen Rothe, a controller at Zilber Ltd., was there with his daughter, Claire.
Half-a-Century Celebration: Mayor Tom Barrett dropped by Crown Hardware & Plumbing Supply on MLK last week to help the company celebrate its 50th anniversary. He read a congratulatory proclamation from City Hall and received a baseball cap with the firm's logo. Greeting hizzonor was Marv Edelstein, who co-founded the company with his brother Jerry Edwards in 1957. Joining the party were Edelstein's current partners: his son, Jack, and Richard Stuckert. Most of the company's 22 employees were on hand, including 45-year veteran Morris Oglesby. Daniel Orzechowski and Lionel Caballero of Bob Kent Contracting; Harold Baacke; Delon Powell; Anthony Cade; and master plumber Dale Thiessenhusen were among the longtime customers who shopped and snapped-up anniversary cookies and jelly donuts.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Jan. 3 issue of the Shepherd.
