Takin' the Blog for a Walk
Join Waukesha resident Brien Lee and his blog, Sir Fido, as they explore the city and report on the interesting things they find.
Email Brien at howlinblog@yahoo.com.
Did you miss this?
I could've titled this "I don't know how they keep doing it," as Carroll never stops amazing me with their offerings, collaborations and joint concerts for enjoyment of the general public.
A day for sharing
The end of National Volunteer Week and Donate Life Month began early for me with a 6:30 a.m. appointment Saturday for a dual red donation at BloodCenter of Wisconsin on Springdale. I was concerned that after four months with the appointment I may not be able to keep it. I was trying to shake a cold I'd caught the week before, and was also asked if I could work Saturday morning.
music to my ears
Alas, Carroll University's academic year is coming to a close. This has been a great year for many wonderful concerts, and lectures, free and open to the public. I thought we'd seen the last of the performances last weekend when the four scheduled (one Friday, two Saturday and one Sunday) hinted at a grand finale for a year I never wanted to see end.
Finally
Read this week that the Les Paul exhibit at the Waukesha County Museum finally has an opening date. . . and it's not too far off. June 9th would've been Les' 98th birthday, a good day to open a long-awaited exhibit on his life. That same weekend is also the GuitarTown II and Waukesha's Freeman Friday Night Live kick off, so it should be pretty busy around here. Hopefully the events will work together to benefit the museum, as the reason for the exhibit is why GuitarTown is here in the first place.
you can't put a price on perfection
Music is in the ear of the beholder. There's a lot I wouldn't consider "music," not to say others wouldn't enjoy it. If I find a song I encounter or am subjected to that is too loud or distasteful I either leave, turn it down or turn the channel. If I can do neither I just cringe and try to tune it out.
saying a prayer for artists
We said a prayer petition for artists during mass today. It was unexpected and out of the ordinary, but totally appropriate considering yesterday's Art Crawl and all the other beautiful things I witnessed this weekend. We thanked God for artists brightening up our world and making it a better place. Understood to mean visual artists, but as everyone knows there's more to art than meets the eye.
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entertainment tonight
A fairly decent line up of performers, and cooler weather, will greet visitors to Waukesha's Freeman Friday Night Live tonight from 6:30 to 9:00 in historic downtown Waukesha. Finian McCoy will be warming up the crowd at the Steaming / People's / Almont stage and getting them in the mood for next weekend's Irish Fest. Additionally, five other stages will host the delightful sounds of Cheryl McCrary, Theiss & O'Connor, Peter Llanas, Peter D'Amore and the Andrew Gelles Band.
Waukesha North Choir Backs Up Foreigner
Was able to squeeze a lot into two days, and not just from getting up at 4:10 a.m..
I want to know what multi-tasking is
I will survive Friday through the process of elimination. Since it's impossible to be everywhere I'd like, as much as I'd like to try, have to try for the rare event / events that may never happen again.
the Gig has landed
Summerfest's 45th year is in the history books. Was waiting until today to go when everyone could get in free between noon and three. The weather was great today, finally cooled off and was quite bearable. Never did make it though. Didn't see anyone playing I had to see. There's always another year.
summer fest
Last year I blogged about a facebook-arranged, informal high school reunion: The Unofficial, Unsanctioned Waukesha North Multi-Year Reunion. It was held at Crabby Joe's in Waukesha and included a visit to Friday Night Live to see fellow classmate Tim McNulty and hear his band, Barefoot 'N Bluejeans, outside Martha Merrell's.
Festival of Creativity
Everything seemed so new and different. I don't recall ever visiting the Lakefront Festival of Arts before. I was blown away by the creativity.
marsh mellow
How long has it been? Three weeks since last it's rained? Been so dry lately the Fox is very low with sandbars showing in places.
day II
Made it down for Friday's unveiling and first Friday Night Live of the year. Almost all businesses were open and most were busy, which was good to see. The crowd wasn't nearly as large as the Harley anniversary event, but then again beer wasn't allowed in the streets. Just as well. The weather turned cool and wet, was 51 degrees by the time I left, and hot drinks were the preferred beverage.
not Les Paul's Les Paul
Three "Racing Gibbys," or whatever you want to call them, made the rounds during Monday's Memorial Day Parade. They were handing out fliers for this weekend's GuitarTown festivities and generating interest. I noticed the one most similar to a Les Paul Gibson is left-handed. Les was a righty.
Les than a week away
GuitarTown unveiling is this week. I'm still encountering lots of Waukesha citizens who know nothing, or next to nothing, about it even though it's been in the news for months. There's probably not too much that can be done about that now, if they don't follow Waukesha news... Maybe they'll see the sculptures around Downtown in the coming months, but it does reinforce my belief that at least one of the ten foot guitars should be placed closer to one of the main roads bypassing downtown, North Street or St. Paul, to draw interest and for more visibility.
10' from action
Thanks to Toyota, was able to squeeze into the nearest spot to Waukesha Civic Theater's rear entrance when the rest of parking lot was filled. Thanks to front row seats was literally ten feet from the action, and with Miss Saigon there is a lot of action.
Tom Noll says goodbye
I tagged along for the ride as Waukesha artist Tom Noll said goodbye to the baby he has fed and nurtured these last several months. "The Founder" has kept him awake many late nights, but it was time to turn him loose and trust you've raised him right.
SuperCincoSaturday
Not much going on to celebrate the Cinco-Sesqui, it's the 150th anniversary of the Mexican Army conquering French in the Battle of Puebla 5/5/1862, but lots going on here anyway.
the best GuitarTown video you'll see today
The Les Paul of Waukesha artists, Tom Noll, has condensed 200 painstaking hours of work into two minutes of sheer enjoyment. It's mysteriously coreographed to appear his pace picks up when the tempo speeds up. Perfect accompaniment for a perfect accomplishment.
idol chatter
I enjoyed my first Waukesha Idol last weekend at North. Was watching for any surprises and found plenty in the incredible talent of the students. Though the competition was open through high school age, several of the ten to twelve year olds demonstrated surprising skill for their age. All these kids have a bright future, maybe not all in music, but I admire the discipline of practice and the courage to perform in front of a full auditorium. Several students get extra points for accompanying themselves with piano or guitar.
I Will Always Love You
With Whitney's untimely and tragic passing Saturday we watched the Grammys to hear tributes to an amazing woman.
Rhubarb Red and the power of music to heal
There's been no shortage of controversy to stir up emotion lately... recalls, street closure, mayoral antics... Interesting Sound Off in Thursday's Freeman. Makes me want to sound off myself.
more guitar for les
A couple days after Les died two and a half years ago I posted a photo of what I felt his monument should look like. It wasn't a suggestion he be laid to rest in Meier Festival Park where the photo was taken though.
thanks for sharing
I applaud you! The week following one of our most thankful holidays held plenty of opportunity to practice what is preached.
An Affordable Smoke
Sadly, some things are soon coming to an end. Did you have a good summer? I had a good time working and playing hard. I'm ready for yet another wet fall and long, cold, dark winter. Change is good.
Les Talk, More Music
Sue Baker's letter to the Freeman after Les' memorial dedication reminded me that there is a really great website for the Les Paul Foundation on which she serves. My first thought was "hey, the Les Paul Google Doodle is still available," and I started playing with that. In preparation for this post I took another look at the site and "hey, the entire dedication is on video!" If you have any interest at all you should take a peek.
untitled, part II
Several news items caught my eye last week. The series is over now, but I thoroughly enjoyed John Schoenknecht's Freeman columns on the County Fair. I especially enjoyed reading about ballooning at the fair and had no idea it went as far back as 1880!
untitled, part I
Titles are often the hardest part. It doesn't help when the one I want to use is taken. I was going to call this one blogstipation to reflect the two weeks I haven't written but someone had already thought of it first. I've been busy with work and play and regret not blogging more frequently, mainly because now there's almost too much to write about.
Everyone's got a little Irish Fest in 'em
What a pleasure it is to visit Milwaukee's lakefront on a beautiful August morning for the largest outdoor mass in America followed by a day enjoying America's largest Irish music and culture festival.
facebook reunion
If you've been on facebook you know how easy it is to connect. You can easily set up groups and events without expense or difficulty. Users have no problem connecting with others with a common interest or history. Finding old friends connected to facebook is as easy as typing their names, looking through others' list of friends, or responding to friends suggested to you by facebook or other users.
in lieu of
Haven't hopped down the bloggin' trail lately. Last couple weeks have been more notable for what I didn't do than what I've done.
If You Love to Read, get rid of your TV
Thrilled to see Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books return for a second year at UW-Waukesha. This free event was a huge success last year and I loved it. As before there's a huge variety of authors to meet and listen to, food, music, exhibits...
old man's pride
I had 112 decibels of pride for my son's graduation. Sorry if you temporarily lost your hearing.
Les Google More Fun
What a great way to celebrate Les Paul's 96th birthday! Today only you can play electric guitar with your mouse on Google's homepage. Record and play it back. It's pretty amusing. I think Les would like what I recorded for him.
they made the right call
It's pretty much been left to the discretion of Waukesha Police whether to close Main Street, Clinton, South, Broadway, etc. for live music in Waukesha. The weather was nice for the first Freeman Friday Night Live of the year and music lovers came. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, didn't appear to be any trouble. What I noticed most were the families with small children. I'm having a hard time picturing as many baby strollers and toddlers if they would've had to negotiate crowded sidewalks.
going stir crazy
Was invited to try a new restaurant last night for a friend's birthday. Stir Crazy is an Asian restaurant bordering Brookfield Square on the north at Bluemound. Had a bit of a wait due to the time of day and them not taking reservations, though twas a good time to meet the folks and friends. For my selection I chose the Market Bar. Market Bar is like a salad bar for the wok. You first order a protein and select rice or noodles at the table and receive two bowls. You fill one of the bowls with vegetables, legumes and fruit and the other with sauce. Hand the bowls to a wok chef and they cook it up with the protein right in front of you while you wait. I had shrimp, garlic ginger sauce and brown rice and my wok was delicious and filling without being too hot or spicy. I didn't do anything for St. Pat's day, so I washed it all down with a couple bottles of Guinness.
Janbrrrrree puts Win in Winter
In Pulse warmed things up at Waukesha North last night to kick off Waukesha Janboree. The concert featuring the Children's Choir of Waukesha was loved by all who filled the R. G. Hein Auditorium. Even though the price was right; free thanks to many generous sponsors, I was not sure adults were a target audience. The tickets were offered only at the Childrens Library...
Northstars in NYC
In case you missed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Congratulations to North's Julie Mullen for being awarded the Bob Hope scholarship award and North's Marching Band for the matching $5000.00 amount. I know that money will go a long way.
Where Art Thou Art?
I saw many familiar faces while manning the WPR booth at Waukesha Art Fest yesterday. I greeted them at the booth or spotted them from a distance. The clouds parted, the sun came out, had as much fun as last year.
Craic
There was plenty of good craic going on last Sunday in the Cultural Tent at Irish Fest. It was the 30th anniversary of Irish Fest so I thought I'd help out for once. I volunteered four hours at the Shamrock Club's table signing up new members and selling Shamrock Club 50th Anniversary pins.
when the blog takes me for a walk
Funny thing about letting the blog do the leading; he doesn't always look both ways or use the crosswalk. Don't even talk to me about the shortest distance . . . apparently you've got to cover a lot of territory to pick up a story's scent trail.
BroadwayBusinessBooming
Never do I recall a larger Freeman Friday Night Live crowd, and never have I seen more boomers on Broadway, than two days ago for El Rey and the NightBeats at the Rockin' on Broadway stage. The closed street allowed for more seating, dancing and socializing. Thank goodness that the couple drops of rain earlier didn't send the band indoors, because I have no idea where they would have gone.
thewonderfulWaukeshaweekendweatherthatwas
If you were bored, then I really feel sorry for you. Seems the only things not going on this last weekend were an Art Crawl and the County Fair. Even the weather was interesting.
ain't gonna study war no more
Down by the riverside the Memorial Day services were as good as ever. A good crowd turned out after a raincloud had passed through earlier in the morning.
sensory overload
The 40th annual Earth Day is Thursday, a good time to spend a couple seconds thinking about the environment we share.
"I LUV U"
It's not that I don't love each one of you, it's just that I wouldn't come right out and say it like this. By using quotation marks in the title I'm able to avoid any emotional connection.
peace and percussion
Once again the entertainment was spectacular at the Irish Cultural Heritage Center's Milwaukee Irish Parade Afterparty. For one thin dollar I was treated to some of the best Irish entertainment this side of the Mississippi. Have yet to see the parade though, billed as the largest parade of any kind in the state and the first Irish parade to be held outside the original 13 colonies. The parade was started in 1843, before even Milwaukee was a city and Wisconsin a state.
art and music
Thought I could afford $3.00 for a ticket to Waukesha North's Talent Show 2010. Bring something for Waukesha Food Pantry and knock a dollar off. I brought two cans and paid only a dollar to get in.
i Had Fun
The name of one of the many great bands at JanBoree Jam said it all. I loved i Had Fun, but Colour, On My Way and Lifeline Called Comet all earned my applause. High Five Heroes earned more than a high five... I ordered one of their soon to be released CDs. Nine bands for eight bucks? What a deal! I really can't say enough about the talent and energy we experienced at North H.S. Saturday night.
i Had Fun
The name of one of the many great bands at JanBoree Jam said it all. I loved i Had Fun, but Colour, On My Way and Lifeline Called Comet all earned my applause. High Five Heroes earned more than a high five... I ordered one of their soon to be released CDs. Nine bands for eight bucks? What a deal! I really can't say enough about the talent and energy we experienced at North H.S. Saturday night.
it's hard not to applaud
Enjoyed Saturday's Christmas at Carroll concert, as I knew I would. Many changes from last year. New faces and pieces, a different program. I again sat in front. Closer to the action.
see you at C U
The Carroll University Christmas at Carroll is this coming weekend, 7:30 both nights, and tickets can be purchased in advance, or take a chance at the door. I've been to two of the concerts in the last three years and wouldn't miss it again this weekend. Every one of the great Carroll ensembles performs. I love it because it's the perfect time and place for Christmas. Christmas starts with this concert. The grade school and high school concerts are OK, but nothing comes close to Christmas at Carroll. If you don't believe me, check it out yourself. You'll be glad you did.
CNN Heros
Managed to catch a portion of the CNN Heros of the Year rebroadcast last night. It's an excellent way to highlight and honor ordinary people doing extraordinary things for others and for good. Carrie Underwood sang an amazing version of her song Change. It's like the song was written for the occasion. She did such a great job that I'd like to share it with you.
my tribute to 50 years of Sound of Music
The Sound of Music opened on Broadway 50 years ago this month at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater. I didn't quite realize, until adulthood, the impact the story had on my parents. I guess my mom, also a mother of eight, pulled inspiration from Maria Von Trapp. Years ago, while Maria was still alive, we stayed at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. The mountainous area reminded the family of the Austrian countryside they left behind. I visited a stone chappel on a hill above the resort that the kids had erected, and the gravesite of a few family members located close to the lodge. My mom wrote to Maria while we were there... and Maria responded. It was a good trip.
couple cups short of a pot
Got more miles per cup of coffee this weekend, but not exactly by choice.
third year's a charm
It's been three years since the beginning of WaukeshaNOW and this blog. There's still plenty going on to share. The enjoyment I get from writing hasn't receeded, and as long the computer is working, and I still have the time, I'd like to continue.
teacher teacher
The paper said there was a charity breakfast at the Eagles Club for $3.75, and a pancake breakfast at Linden Grove, same time, for $5.00.
things I would've blogged about
I don't like going this long between posts. Must be a victim of the economy - cutbacks are everywhere. More time spent working, less spent writing. Laying off half the employees doesn't necessarily mean the workload decreases by half.
what to do Sunday at 2:00?
The test was multiple choice and I have a feeling I passed. Often, it seems, plays in Waukesha fall on the same weekend. Today four plays in the city were ending their runs, all at 2:00, and I hadn't seen any of them. Waukesha Civic Theatre was performing Wit, North's Northstar Players presented Antigone, West's West End Players performed Little Shop of Horrors and Carroll University's Carroll Players offered "Proof".
Saturday night, special
My confirmation group and I helped out with a Special Olympics Bowling Tournament at AMF Lanes on Northview Rd. in Waukesha Saturday. I'd never helped with this annual event before but people in our group had. They said what a great time it is and how much fun we'd have. But I really didn't expect it to be as much fun as it was.
Guitar Heroes
One of the more interesting discoveries in Waukesha this weekend was a group set up and playing decent tunes outside Martha Merrill's. The idea of Guitars For Vets started just a year ago when Dan Van Buskirk, a Vietnam Vet with PTSD, related his relief and the healing he felt from music to Patrick, his guitar teacher. In a rather short period of time, through donations and sponsors, this incredible organization now provides six guitar lessons and a guitar to U.S. Military Vets who've suffered trauma and are receiving treatment through the VA system. They are currently working with VA centers in Milwaukee, Madison and Tomah but hope to expand to the Midwest and around the country by next year.
I get the blues when it rains
This weekend could be an instant replay of the same weekend a year ago: Balloon rally in Hartford, Arab World Fest in Milwaukee, last weekend for State Fair in West Allis, car show in Waukesha, Bluesfest in Delafield. Heck, it even rained on Saturday afternoon, same as last year! Guess you have to stick with what works.
fish are not to scale
Spent several hours at Pewaukee Lake yesterday. With the no wake law still in force it's unusually quiet, and if my canoe didn't still have gaping holes in it... So we fish from shore. Very peaceful watching the regatta of around 50 sailboats. Later in the day was Taste of Lake Country and fireworks, but that's another story.
pedalling to the beat of a different drummer
I blogged about a similar topic in November, but this week's event promised to benefit the earth and fellow man. I was able to catch the last half hour of a pedal-powered concert in Wales on calm Tuesday night. Because the event was affiliated with the MS150 bike tour, it raised both awareness of wasteful energy practices and funds to help battle multiple sclerosis.
flipped off by Les Paul
Les Paul flips me off. Really flips me off! Have to forgive him though; I think at 93 he's entitled to be a little crotchety. After all, we deserved it. We were clapping too much and giving him standing ovations. I really don't think anyone took offense at his one-finger salute - anyone who knows Les understands his brand of humor. Besides, with badly arthritic hands, it hardly even qualified as a "bird".
Les Paul concert... continued
The theater was packed - even the $500.00 seats appeared to be sold out. The Pabst is absolutely beautiful and, even though it's older than Les, he'd never played there before Saturday. The stage had a relaxed and comfortable feel to it. Several people sat at pub tables and chairs around the perimeter giving the setting a jazz club atmosphere. The tuxedoed gentlemen falling off his stool just added to the realism of the bar scene.
Les for less
Just over a year ago we were given the opportunity to see Les Paul, hear him play, and have a nice dinner...all for a mere $300.00. It was a fund-raiser that sold out but was a little steep for me and everyone else I talked to.
short and sweet
I had to attend UWW's String Ensemble and University Chorus Spring Concert Friday. The price was right, (free) it was easy to get to, and it's the last concert of this school year. Though the audience could have been larger for this great performance, those in attendence were appreciative and enthusiastic.
The Wizard of Milwaukee?
Finally, after talking for at least ten years about it, a Les Paul museum exhibit will open this June 21st. The 3000 sq. foot exhibit will be a hands-on aural monument to his unbelievable, talented life. I'm so glad the 92 year old Les Paul will be able to participate in the grand opening.
if a tree falls in the forest...
I was enjoying a quiet walk in the woods at Retzer Nature Center today. It felt good to slow down and notice things that were buried under snow not that long ago. So many shades of green... It would have been a lot quieter had it not been for the howling wind and squeeks of bending trees rubbing against one another. I had stopped to listen to all the sounds and moments later heard something unexpected. A dead pine tree came crashing down in the area I had just come from.
Happy Belated Earthday
It's probably no coincidence that International TV Turn-Off Week coincides with Earthweek. Even so, I wasn't going to let a little thing like that stop me from watching one of my favorite shows, American Idol. Besides live performances by the final six talented singers, Tuesday was also the 38th anniversary of the founding of Earth Day.
Bring it on. Milw. Iron meets Spring City.
I'm 100% in favor of opening downtown to bikes by closing streets to cars. Of course I'd probably feel different if I lived downtown or if I hated loud music or bikes. But while listening to last night's Common Council meeting, all my questions were answered and I actually let my mind imagine what a wonderful thing this party could be. The alderpeople asked a lot of difficult questions and I always heard good responses. I could feel the enthusiasm from here. The only person to vote against it was Ald. Payne, who incorrectly thought he wouldn't have a voice in determining street closures.
Matzah & Messiah
I share this machine with two teenagers and a cat, so that could explain why I haven't been doing a lot of writing lately. Fortunately, Pepi just stays put where it's warm atop the monitor, or I'd still be waiting. Now that I have the time though, thought I'd talk about what I did last weekend.
the spacey planetarium
Finding pork gravy was one of the hardest things I did yesterday. Let me come back to this.
flying monkeys, Winkies and Toto too
I thought The Wizard of Oz was required viewing for every American. Thought we all had to see it at least three times by the 8th grade. The person you'd think would have been one to have seen it most, the director and producer of Waukesha North's current production, Nathan Berish, hadn't seen it at all until he began work on this musical.
Do you hear what I hear?
My parish, St. Williams, 440 N. Moreland, will be the place to be this Saturday, and I won't be there.
I'm sad
I'm sad because I missed Christmas at Carroll this year. It was last weekend. I'd been looking forward to it all year ever since last December's concert. It was the best concert I'd ever been to and I wanted to do it again. I know I can't do everything and there's always next year, but darn!!
the thrill on the hill
Within the last week and a half I walked, drove, rode a bike and chased a hot air balloon to the University of Wisconsin Waukesha.
UW Marching Band
Milwaukee's Holiday Parade had a lot more bands, TV and radio personalities, and "New York style" helium balloons but it didn't have the UW Marching Band.
Milw. Holiday Parade
I didn't get to crew a hot air balloon this morning so instead went to Milw. to see the huge helium balloons in this year's parade. We had great seats on a median of Kilbourn Ave. just before the route turned onto Water Street. It was fun watching Gingerbread Man tip over, then right himself, and it was fun to see the wind play havoc with the dog carrying the Journal Sentinel as it rounded the corner. 
doing the pedal dance
Curious what my neighbors were up to, I joined the large crowd at a barn on Northview last Saturday night to see if Laurel Walker was right; that there would be "power to the people."
Sax and the City
Don't go near Shattuck Music Center / Hall / Auditorium this weekend at Carroll College / University if you don't enjoy great music. Besides the wonderful offering this Sunday at 3:00; a combination of the Waukesha Choral Union, Carroll Concert Choir and Children's Choir of Waukesha, there's world-class sax player Johan Stengard on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Stars shine Saturday night.
It would be easier to mention what I didn't like about our trip to Whitewater Saturday for the State Marching Band Championships. It would take too long to mention everything I did like. I don't have that kind of time.
