If you’re anything like me, you have a diverse group of friends with a diverse lineup of backgrounds. For instance, I sip champagne with my pedicure man and I slam beers with my mail lady. I hit the theater (bar) with my gynecologist and I paint the town red with my seamstress. Why not? After all, Milwaukee offers enough happenings to entertain everyone! So what are you waiting for? Grab a friend, co-worker or neighbor and get out there and have some fun! But first, I’d like to share a letter from a reader questioning who to hang out with and when.
Dear Ruthie,
Some friends of ours recently broke up and are no longer speaking. We’re friends with both of the guys and my partner and I want to invite them both to our big backyard potluck next month. If they both show up, things could get awkward. Any ideas on what do to?
—Torn Between Two (Ex)Lovers
Dear Cheap Ass,
The issue is not with your fighting friends, but with the fact that you’re hosting a potluck in your own backyard! How cheap are you? Your refusal to treat friends to a backyard barbecue like the rest of us is what is awkward. C’mon! Your uncouth hosting skills were likely the cause of the fight between your two buddies to begin with!
If you insist on continuing with your tacky party plan, invite both of the feuding friends. Tell them the day the invites go out that you’re inviting them both and let the chips fall where they may. Speaking of chips, do your guests have to bring their own chips, too?! Geez!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
July 22: Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce Summer Happy Hour at Hotel Metro (411 E. Mason St.): Call it a day at work and make it a happy hour at the open-air hot spot Zen on 7 rooftop bar! Mix and mingle with other LGBT business owners during the 5-7 p.m. soiree. Chamber members get one drink on the house, but guests and friends are strongly encouraged to attend, too!
July 23: Opening Night of Spring Awakening at Off the Wall Theatre (127 E. Wells St.): The rock opera that knocked New York on its ass invades Milwaukee’s favorite black box theater. The intense coming-of-age musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater will leave you breathless, particularly under the direction of Dale Gutzman and music director Anne Van Deusen. Performances run through Aug. 2; visit offthewalltheatre.com for tickets and times.
July 24: MishMash Fest at the Intersection of Burleigh and Fratney: There’s always time to squeeze a street party into your summer schedule, particularly the fifth edition of this annual event. Two stages of live music, a marketplace, food trucks, a talent show and more offer all the summertime silliness you can handle. Jump and jive from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
July 24-26: Mr. Harbor Room Contest at The Harbor Room (117 E. Greenfield Ave.): Celebrate the 15th anniversary of this Leather/Levi hangout for three days. Meet and greet the judges and contestants from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday and then return on Saturday to ring in a new Mr. Harbor Room! Karen Valentine and Shannon Dupree emcee the 11 p.m. contest with music by DJ Ty. Party with the guys the following day during a 3-7 p.m. cookout and beer bust.
July 25: Community Rummage Sale at The Backyard Bar (2155 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.): A fundraiser for AIDS Walk Wisconsin, this zany sale promises everything from trash to treasure. Check out the goods from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and don’t forget to wet your whistle because 15% of all bar sales that afternoon go to the cause.
July 25: Party with Pearl at Plan B (924 Williamson St., Madison): Spend the night in Mad City with the bad girl of the TV show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Pearl will be on hand “dropping beats” as the kids say because she’s a DJ, too! You’ll also enjoy performances by the Honey B’s during this 18 and older party. The craziness starts at 9 p.m. and runs until bar close.
July 25: “Christmas in July” Class at Uberdork Café (N89 W16750 Appleton Ave., Suite A): Want to sell your custom-made jewelry, original photography or any other fabulous arts and crafts? Take this 1-4 p.m. class and discover how get yourself ready for the holiday selling season! Learn how to create a business calendar, timeline and marketing plan that will keep the bells ringing on your cash register this Christmas.
Want to tell Ruthie about an event? Email DearRuthie@Shepex.com. You can also find her on Twitter (@DearRuthie) and Facebook (Ruthie Keester).
