May Day in Jakarta
May Day in Indonesia is a national holiday, but not so people can admire flowers or dance around May poles. Here, May 1 is called Labor Day. It’s a holiday honoring workers. As with many special days in Jakarta, today was occasion for gathering around the traffic circle/fountain outside the Grand Hyatt Jakarta.
Get Your Fixx with Garlic Mustard Pickers
While I was away frolicking in Jakarta, South Milwaukee's favorite Celtic music band, "The Garlic Mustard Pickers," has been busy. Last week, band member and lead fiddler, Bobbie Groth, sent the following notice:
Come one, come all, to the last free music session from the Garlic Mustard Pickers at Fixx Coffee House in St. Francis on Monday, May 5th from 7-9 pm!We've had a great spring of "First Monday of the Month" celtic music free concerts at Fixx. It's a popular place now, and the owner will be shutting down at 5 pm on Monday evenings from now on for some much needed rest!
SO....join us for our last evening of spring Monday concerts as we wind down the spring and jump into our summer performance schedule! (Look for us at "Evening on the Avenue", "Music in the Park" and other summer events--check our website at "TheGarlicMustardPickers.org")
Fixx is located at the very top end of Packard Avenue, about 1 block south of where Packard dumps into Lake Drive/Ohio St. just south of the Archdiocese. It is the building just north of Carleton Grange English pub. Fixx offers light fare--delicious Panini, soups, great sweets and of course stupendous coffee drinks.
C'mon down, have a treat, some chai, and tap your feet!
In June, mark Thursday June 12th on your calendar. We're performing in Grant Park (South Miilwaukee) at the Picnic Area #5 Pavilion. This is part of the Music in the Parks concert series, sponsored by Milwaukee County Parks. The music starts at 6:30. It's a great place for a picnic supper.
Thanks for supporting The Garlic Mustard Pickers!
http://www.TheGarlicMustardPickers.org
The Mother's Day Secret
I can't help it. I frustrate my husband, I enjoy it, and thankfully, he's gotten used to it.
Every year, about a week before Mother's Day, when I'm convinced my husband has ideas for a present, I question my kids. I know that he as sworn them to secrecy. But I also know that both kids love gifts, they love holidays, and they love to talk about both gifts and holidays. So with my husband at a close distance, I ask my kids what they got me for Mother's Day. And of course, they proudly answer my question.
(... As my husband RUNS across the house yelling "No! Don't tell. It's a secret!")
So, this year, as usual, I attempt to get Mother's Day information from my kids. And again, with an amazing amount of confidence and with my husband at a close distance, I ask the them what they got me.
Police Bike Auction, Band Concert, Garlic Mustard Pickers
The City of Cudahy Police Bike Auction will be held Saturday, May 17th, at 11 am at Cudahy Depot (4647 S Kinnickinnic Ave.). Bidding paddles will be available for a $1.00 donation. The City Rummage Sale will begin at 9 am. Some items for sale are exercise equipment, Party-Lite items, street signs, an electric range and many more items. Proceeds benefit the Cudahy Historical Society and the City of Cudahy. For bike auction info call (414) 481-6416. For rummage info call (414) 769-0954.
In other news, there will be a South Milwaukee Municipal Band Concert on Tuesday, June 10th, at 7:30 pm at Immigrant Family Park in Cudahy just south of the Cudahy Depot (4647 S Kinnickinnic Ave.). Come enjoy an evening of free music, complementary popcorn and lemonade, desserts available for purchase. Please bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Sponsored by the Cudahy Historical Society.
An Author in the Neighborhood
Ever wonder what kindergarten teachers know? Now you can find out. South Milwaukeean Lisa Holewa teamed up with former Betty Brinn Children’s Museum Teacher of the Year Joan Rice to write the parenting guide, “What Kindergarten Teachers Know: Practical and Playful Ways for Parents to Help Children Listen, Learn, and Cooperate at Home.”The book goes on sale at bookstores and on Amazon.com Tuesday, May 6.
Lisa, a former Associated Press writer, says “What Kindergarten Teachers Know” tells parents fun and clever tricks stellar teachers use to keep 3- to 6-year olds attentive and cooperative. A lot of their source material came from interviews with award-winning early childhood teachers across the country.
ADOPTED Siamese Stunner
Baby is as sweet as can be. She will greet you with a smile and insist that she snuggle in your lap.
This 7.5-year-old Siamese cat will also gently nudge your hand to encourage you to pet her. In addition to her sparkling personality, Baby has beautiful cream and black fur. Her luminous blue eyes are stunning and they will sparkle even more when she gets adopted!
Drive Thru Coffee Part 2
Thanks everyone for your comments on my previous coffee shop blog! I agree that So. Milwaukee needs to rev up their main street and get some businesses in there that people really want and NEED to go to - in order to drive foot traffic there. A drive through coffee shop won't happen there because buildings would have to be torn down, and a regular coffee shop would have a problem with parking because there are no lots. The best solution is to revamp the area and remodel the buildings. Cudahy's Packard Plaza area and going north a bit from there needs help too.
I was talking about this with my sister and we could list a number of businesses that we'd love to have close to us because we'd go browse.... a kids and maternity reconsignment shop, a book store, thrift shop, organic foods/health foods/vitamins, a farmer's market, cell phone shop, garden shop... we could go on and on.
ADOPTED! Happy-go-lucky Lab Needs Home
Ursula is like a giant puppy. Happy, energetic, curious and loving, this black Labrador Retriever will have you laughing several times a day. She is 4 years young and wants to play and run all morning long, then flop on her doggie bed for a nap. She's a riot to hang out with and performs silly antics. A good teacher will have no trouble teaching Ursula new skills and manners; she'd love to enroll in a manners class where she could show off her skills, too!
Updated 12:42pm - I Was Wrong Mayor!
Wave may look to Oak Creek for training academy
The Milwaukee Wave and Continental Properties Co. Inc. may be looking to Oak Creek as the site for a soccer training academy and Wal-Mart Supercenter. The Cudahy Plan Commission rejected the Wave and Continental's proposal May 5 to build a 60,000-square-foot indoor soccer facility at the abandoned 26-acre Iceport site that also would have included a Wal-Mart Supercenter, a hotel and other retail stores. The proposal to build the project in the Cudahy tax incremental financing district was defeated by a vote of 4-3. "We were stunned, but there's plenty of land available in Oak Creek in tax incremental financing districts," said Mike Lafferty, president of the Wave. Lafferty declined to reveal specific sites in Oak Creek.http://seattle.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/05/12/story13.html
28th Annual Miller Lite Ride for the Arts
On Sunday, June 1st, thousands of area bicyclists will be participating in the 28th annual Miller Lite Ride for the Arts. Money raised benefits the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). This event has made over $6 million to support UPAF's 35 performing arts groups.
Riders have their choice of a 5, 15, 25, 50 or 75 mile route. I have done this ride for the past four years and have done the 25, 50 and 75 mile routes. All riders start out on Water Street in Downtown Milwaukee adjacent to the Performing Arts Center. The 50 and 75 mile routes travel north through Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Fox Point and Mequon. The 5, 15 and 25 mile routes travel south through our familiar communities of Bay View, St. Francis, Cudahy and South Milwaukee. Helmets are required.
Playing with Cell Phones
My four year old and I play a game with my cell phone.
I sit on the couch upstairs. My four year old sits on the couch downstairs. From my cell phone, I call our home phone number and my four year old - with complete excitement - answers.
Then we talk. We talk and we talk and we talk. My son tells me all about his day, what he wants for Christmas, his least favorite foods, and how mad his brother makes him. Through this wonderful game, my son reveals more of his thoughts than he ever does when we're eating pizza at the dinner table.
I wonder, when my son is 12, will he still play this game with me?
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South Milwaukee's Pomp & Circumstance at Marquette University
The 2,300-plus bachelor, master and doctoral candidates who marched into the Bradley Center for Marquette University’s commencement exercises on Sunday included people from 16 countries and 41 states. South Milwaukee was fantastically represented by eight graduates, according to my quick review of the program listings.
Daughter Carrianne was one of the eight. (That’s how I became aware that 57 countries and states were represented and got a program to review.)
ADOPTED! Don't let this Comet fly by!
Comet has one of those amazing personalities. He's a confident, up-front kind of guy who immediately comes up and introduces himself. He seems to be oblivious that he's so handsome and unique-looking. His markings include blue patches of fur that create cool shapes on his back. Comet's face looks like it's been painted!
Comet was previously declawed, so it's especially imperative that he always stays indoors where he'll be safe. He seems to get along well with his roommate and would likely adjust fine to a home with another cat. This photo, actually, was taken when Comet was concerned about a little kitten meowing next door (the kitty was a bit lonely because her sister had just been adopted, but she went home moments later, so no worries!). Still, Comet stood up on his hind legs to make sure she was okay!
Two Mexican Restaurant Picks
As you know, Mexican food is my favorite and I like to spend my money close to home in order to promote local business. There are two places that are relatively new around here that are quietly serving great Mexican food and I think it's about time that we give them the recognition that they deserve.
La Serenata - 4978 S. Packard Avenue, Cudahy. I had been driving by this place for a few months now and if you aren't really looking for it, you don't notice it. On the outside, there is large lettering that spells out the name, but no other indication that it's Mexican (unless you look closely at the windows). I took my mom there one day for lunch because we were curious - not knowing for sure if it was a restaurant. When we walked in we were pleasantly surprised by the size of the place, lots of room for diners and there is a large oval bar in the middle. The walls are brightly painted and the decor is definitely Mexican. It was like discovering a hidden treasure - not expecting the pleasant inside compared to the non-descript outside. But we still had to sample the food.
It’s a Good Sign
After trips to Indonesia and Los Angeles and joining with South Milwaukee neighbors Nancy and Bill Spaltholz to throw a PhD party for daughter/daughter-in-law (respectively) Carrianne, who officially became a Marquette University post-doc on Sunday, I finally got over to the park across the street for a walk.
And there it was. A new sign.
An Easy, Easy, Way to Share Videos, Pictures, or Almost Anything Else
There are times when I want to send a large image, or a video, or a program to a friend AND I don't want to make my friend sign up for anything. For example, I want to quickly send a home movie to my brother. However, I don't want to ask my brother to sign up for a photo or video web site just to see a movie meant just for him (for example, YouTube or Flickr).
Here's a web site where you don't have to sign up and you don't have to make your friends sign up: www.drop.io.
At Drop.Io, simply upload the file you want (picture, video, program, etc.) and then supply the recipient with the web site address you specify on the site. If necessary, you can even set up a password.
Very cool, very fast, and very easy.
ADOPTED! Sweetheart Shepherd
Bongo never pounds on the drums or makes much noise, except for the occasional squeal of delight when you allow him to climb onto your lap for a intensive belly rub session! It's surprising that this stunning Australian Shepherd mix is only 7 months old, because he has a rather mature disposition. He's thoughtful, kind and always polite with strangers. He's curious but cautious in his explorations around our neighborhood and doesn't pull hard on the leash or jump up on strangers. Bongo always delights in returning to his suite for a cuddling session afterwards, too!
