Boys & Girls Club members from Cass Street School presented Olympic triathlete and Boys & Girls Clubs volunteer Gwen Jorgensen with a good luck banner to take to this summer’s games in London.

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It’s nice to see Olympic triathlete and Waukesha native Gwen Jorgensen take time out of her busy training schedule to inspire children to be healthy and have fun in the process.

This week, Jorgensen visited the Cass Street School Boys & Girls Club in Milwaukee where they made and exchanged gifts for her to take to London.
Jorgensen, who graced our January cover, is just as much the bright, smiling and generous person behind the scenes as she is portrayed in the media. Her grace and humility shine through and I think attributes to her natural ability as an elite athlete.

Jorgensen has been a volunteer at the Cass Street School Boys & Girls Club as a way to give back to her community. She has led bike rides and paddled canoes with the kids, all the while demonstrating how staying active can be a fun activity and doesn’t have to feel like work.

The Olympian is also one of 13 U.S. athletes who comprise Team Citi for Citi’s “Every Step of the Way” innovative digital program. To support the next generation of America’s athletes, Citi has made a $500,000 donation to the U.S. Olympic Committee to launch the program, which benefits future U.S. Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls and athletes of all ages in communities across America.

Jorgensen identified Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and its Bicycle Recycling Program as inspiration for her journey to the Olympic Games. The “Every Step of the Way” program allows individuals to help direct points through every day social media activity to give the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and other participating programs the resources they need to support the next generation of athletes on their journey from ambition to achievement. Check it out at https://everystep.citi.com.

Being of service to others while striving to be our best is a wonderful combination which we should all strive for and Jorgensen is showing us how to get it done.
She will be representing the United States in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Make sure to tune in and cheer for our local hero.

A look from Zita Bridal Salon, Milwaukee.

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As the Fourth of July quickly approaches, many Americans find themselves busy gathering fireworks, and making plans for barbecues and boat rides — all while deciding which outfit is “effortlessly chic” enough to brave the record temperatures.

In the frenzy, it’s all too easy to forget what our Independence Day is truly about: supporting, celebrating and remembering the troops who help make our country what it is today.  

To show appreciation, a chic local wedding boutique has partnered with Brides Across America to provide military brides with the opportunity to make their wedding dreams come true — with a free, stunning bridal gown.

The event, July 11-12 at Zita Bridal Salon, 761 N. Jefferson St., Milwaukee, will feature select gowns that range in price from $500 to $4,000, and come in a variety of sizes, fabrics, details and styles.  

To qualify, brides or their fiancé must be on active duty in the military, either currently deployed or deployed within the last five years to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Libya or Japan. Identification and deployment papers must be presented at the event to qualify.

Call Zita Bridal Salon at (414) 332-9482 or visit www.zitabridal.com or www.bridesacrossamerica.com for additional details.

If you have any doubt that compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs can stir up passion and drama, you should’ve been at the M Best Home Seminar on June 19 at American Kennedy & Hahn in Waukesha. The hot button topics discussed by three local experts were technology, lighting, and sustainability — and how they are interwoven in home design.

To get the best results and greatest energy savings, it is apparently wise to figure out well in advance things like the kind of lighting you’ll use, whether you’ll use solar energy, electric or geothermal — and a host of other issues. Laura Paprocki of Trinity Environmental in Madison admits that these are not glamorous details, but it is well worth it to tackle them. Her firm acts as a liaison between homeowners and contractors to help address environmental issues.

Steve Klein of Klein Lighting in Fox Point was enthusiastic about how to incorporate ambient and fluorescent light into a space to create the best possible lighting. He also spoke about the use of LED lights, which are improving in quality and will likely surpass the use of the CFL bulbs — and it couldn’t be a moment too soon for Klein, who might easily show up at your door and remove your CFL bulbs whether you  like it or not. If you were not aware, CFLs contain mercury and, like batteries, should be disposed of at a toxic waste dump, not simply thrown into the garbage! 

These days, savvy homeowners aren’t just flipping a switch to turn on their lights. They enlist the help of a technology expert who sets up “zone lighting” throughout a home for entertaining, cooking, napping, tarot-card reading, or whatever functions suit your habits, according to Tom Spinoso, A/V design manager at American Kennedy Hahn. Lighting controls are being integrated with audio technology and things like opening and closing window blinds and the garage door.

Probably the top takeaway point was to address questions about technology and sustainability at the outset of a building project in order to avoid added expense and delays.

Summer is a great time to get out and explore. Before visiting another city, I like to ask artists for recommendations on the local art scene. Recently, UW-Madison painting professor Derrick Buisch took some time out from the studio to suggest some “not to miss Madison art moments,” many of which are located downtown and within walking distance of each other.

The Chazen Museum of Art (www.chazen.wisc.edu) on the campus of the UW-Madison has a collection of more than 19,000 works of art spanning the entire spectrum of art history. Through Aug. 5, “Spark and Flame: 50 years of Art Glass and University of Wisconsin-Madison,” tells the story of Harvey Littleton’s impact on the studio art glass movement through 160 works borrowed from pre-eminent collections. This exhibit is beautifully installed in the new wing of this important institution and is an informative feast for the eyes.

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (mmoca.org), located in the Overture Center for the Arts, has a great collection of Chicago Imagist art as well as works by many famous contemporary artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Chuck Close, Sol LeWitt, George Segal, Jim Dine, Rodney Graham, Georgia O’Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, Ursula von Rydingsvard and John Wilde.  

The big summer show at MMOCA is “One Must Know Animals,” an intriguing exhibit exploring man’s relationship with the animal kingdom. Animals in art go back to cave paintings, but this show includes work by contemporary artists in a variety of media from the museum’s extensive collection. Also on exhibit: “Cecilia Condit: Within a Stone’s Throw,” a video and photo exhibit exploring perceptions of reality, scale and nature in Ireland’s Burren coastline.

The James Watrous Gallery (www.wisconsinacademy.org/category/tags/james-watrous-gallery), located on the third floor of the Overture Center for the Arts, focuses on contemporary Wisconsin artists. On view from July 6 through Aug. 19 is  “Entrances,” an exhibition by one of my favorite painters, Lon Michels. Besides his signature figurative paintings, Michels is showing a new series of painted bridesmaid dresses that are a “must see.”

The Overture Center for the Arts is a work of art by itself. Designed by the world-famous architect Cesar Pelli, it is a gorgeous building that integrates theaters, galleries and performance and meeting spaces.

The Memorial Union (www.union.wisc.edu) is worth visiting for the architecture alone, but there are three galleries within. You have until July 17 to see the provocative shows  “Voces” with Mandy Cano Villalobos in the Porter Butts Gallery; “Traveler’s Cup” by Joo Yeon Woo in the Class of 1925 Gallery; and “All That Remains” by Jennifer Nelson in the Lakefront on Langdon Gallery.

The UW-Madison Art Department (art.wisc.edu) has the Art Lofts Gallery in its new building, the seventh floor gallery in the Humanities Building and the HiLo Gallery, but save that visit for the fall. Summer is a quiet time on campus and there is not much is scheduled for July. 

 

 

The Madison Children’s Museum (www.madisonchildrensmuseum.org) is an award-winning space with diverse and creative spaces designed to delight the whole family. Located on Madison’s Capitol Square, the museum highlights include interactive water exhibits, hands-on projects in the Art Studio, and ecological education in the four seasons Roof Top Ramble. Local art is integrated in the exhibits and finding the art is an entertaining treasure hunt. 

All of the above venues have supporting programs including artist talks, films and other special events. Visit the websites for complete details and see great art this summer!

Sub-Zero’s new French door refrigerator is on display at the Appliance Gallery.

I recently received the VIP tour at Appliance Gallery, a new high-end appliance store at 45th Street and Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee. It’s connected to the Granite Gallery, which is another great spot to visit if you’re in the market for a kitchen update.

Besides being treated to some really good pizzas made in a top-of-the-line Sub-Zero oven, M Magazine staffers were practically drooling (figuratively, of course) over the 25 different brands of appliances from around the world: Wolf, Sub-Zero, Viking, Miele, Fisher & Paykel, Dacor, Bosch, TurboChef, Thermador, La Cornue and Bertazzoni among them. Contact store manager Stephen Erb for your own tour, (414) 727-7500 or stephen.erb@appliancegallerywi.com. You can also check them out online, appliancegallerywi.com. There’s talk of hosting some cooking demonstrations down the road, too. (I highly recommend the pizza.)

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Will Crawl for Food

The Walker’s Point neighborhood is one of the hottest spots on Milwaukee’s dining scene. If you haven’t been, here’s your chance to sample inventive cuisine and tour the historic neighborhood. From 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday there will be a family-friendly food crawl featuring small plate items from the following establishments: Braise, Chez Jacques, Clock Shadow Creamery, Ginger Tapas, INdustri Café, The Noble, Purple Door Ice Cream, Rishi Tea and Zak’s Café.

Tickets are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/248745. Silver Tickets include eight small plates for $50; Gold Tickets include 14 small plates for $75.

If there’s one word to describe Wisconsin weather, “unpredictable” is probably the most accurate. This “will it by 90 today and 50 tomorrow?” seasonal conundrum is not only difficult in picnic planning and umbrella packing, but also choosing your wardrobe. Before packing away your cozies for fall-time sweater weather, consider integrating a few into your fair-weather closet, as well. If you’re looking to add a simple mix-and-match sweater option, check out this flowy, lightweight pullover from lululemon. It’s a cas chic alternative to a jacket — perfect for walks along the lakefront, leisurely river-front lunches and “cooler by the lake” festivals. It pairs easily with leggings, colorful cropped skinny jeans, a maxi dress or midi skirt, and can be easily rolled up and stored in your tote. It was never so easy to stay ahead of the weather.

Enlightened Pullover available at lululemon, Third Ward

In this month’s issue we featured a story on Abe Clark, a charitable man on a mission who ran across America to raise money for Living Water International. On the heels of Clark’ ambitious journey, I learned of Andy Stenz, who is currently walking across Wisconsin for the same cause. During a turbulent year in our state, it’s refreshing to see people literally going the extra mile for the good of others.

Stenz, of Waukesha, is walking from water to water — i.e. the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan — on a 225-mile charitable journey. He is nearly half-way to reaching his goal of raising $50,000, which would provide a year’s worth of clean drinking water for 2,500 families.

He began his journey on May 28, with plans to complete his walk this week at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee. According to his daily blog, he is suffering from shin splints, swollen ankles, cracked lips, sunburn and heat rash. Yet, he pushes forward.

If you would like to donate toward the cause and read about his amazing journey, visit walkforcleanwater.org.

Shopping local has never been so simple. Or so rewarding.

Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 and nearly 20 stores within the district are launching a monthly shopping showcase to raise awareness of downtown Milwaukee’s unique and thriving retail gems.

Shop 2nd Saturdays will feature enticing deals on services and merchandise the second Saturday of every month, June through September, with the first event kicking off this Saturday (June 9).

Highlighting eclectic shopping hubs along Water, Jefferson, Old World Third and Milwaukee streets, as well as Wisconsin Avenue, event participants represent a variety of retail — from jewelry and specialty gifts to gourmet foods and men and women’s fashions.
“Shop 2nd Saturdays celebrates the many spectacular shops unique to our central business district,” says Beth Nicols, executive director of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21. “Besides great deals, shoppers will be treated to many other perks, including free two-hour, on-street parking. Our intent is to lure new customers and turn them into repeat visitors.”

This Saturday’s inaugural event will feature a live art showcase by ArtMilwaukee. In addition, shoppers will be treated to snacks, beverages and live music as they move from one location to the next. Popular food truck vendors, including The Fast Foodie, Chubby Cheese, Juiced! Juice Bar, Hattie’s Truck and more, will be stationed in various zones. In addition to free parking, shoppers can also connect to retail destinations aboard the Milwaukee Trolley Loop presented by VISIT Milwaukee. The summer service operates 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on a 30-stop route, connecting the East Town and Westown neighborhoods. Rides are just $1 per person, round trip.

Other Shop 2nd Saturdays incentives include a drawing for a $25 gift certificate at every participating retailer, as well as a mini scavenger hunt, which will award five shoppers a $50 gift certificate for locating a Shop 2nd Saturdays shopping pass. Clues for the $50 shopping pass will be revealed through Milwaukee Downtown’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Both giveaways will occur during each installment of Shop 2nd Saturdays.

Shop 2nd Saturdays participants include Boutique B’lou, Boston Store, Fred Boutique, George Watts & Son, Kloiber Jewelers, Laacke & Joys, Luci Boutique, Milwaukee Art Museum Store, Miss Ruby Boutique, Planet Bead, Roger Stevens Menswear, Rohr Jewelers, The Spice House, TJ Maxx, Urban Milwaukee, Usinger’s Famous Sausage, Wafrique Crafts, Wisconsin Cheese Mart and Zita Bridal. Incentives of each retailer are available at www.milwaukeedowntown.com. Deals will change with each installment.

For more information on Shop 2nd Saturdays, visit www.milwaukeedowntown.com.