Oct. 3, 2023
8 min read
What Are You Laughing At? A Look at Milwaukee Stand-up
Explore the unique world of Milwaukee’s stand-up comedy scene, where diverse audiences challenge comics to adapt–and make them laugh.
Sep. 19, 2023
9 min read
Exploring Equine Bodywork with Red Dog Ranch Founder Sam MacLean
Sam teaches classes in HeartMath techniques to her human clients so they can have a better relationship with themselves and others around them, especially their horses. "Because horses are prey animals, they don't make as much auditory or audible noise. They communicate through body language and through energy."
Sep. 5, 2023
23 min read
GooseMan Chronicles: Finding Authentic Freedom in the Progressive Enclave of Bayfield, Wisconsin
Join a group of friends as they explore the idyllic landscapes, meet unique characters, and search for authentic freedom in Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Aug. 22, 2023
11 min read
Danielle Faucett, Area Supervisor of Winter Quarters at the Milwaukee County Zoo
“We don't look at our animals and say we want them in captivity. We accept that the animals in our care are part of the bigger picture. We would love for animals to be in the wild. But humans are preventing that from being successful.”
Aug. 8, 2023
11 min read
A Poetic Blessing by Thax Douglas
Chicago poetry legend Thax Douglas had made a name for himself reading poems for bands like Cap’n Jazz and The Meat Puppets—the type of groups my bandmates and I listened to growing up.
Jul. 18, 2023
8 min read
Have We Become the Windigo?
In communal, native cultures, the tale of the windigo arose where sharing was essential, and greed was a threat to survival—individuals who put the community in danger by taking too much were first counseled, then ostracized, and eventually banished from the community—a punishment of the highest order.
Jul. 3, 2023
6 min read
Black Husky Brings Small-Town Vibes to Milwaukee’s Riverwest
Black Husky Brewing in Riverwest has great beer, great snacks, and a great small-town atmosphere.
Jun. 10, 2023
9 min read
Talking with Jamar Jones, the Founder and CEO of Foureva Media
Jamar Jones is the founder and CEO of Foureva Media, a branding and media company borne out of his myriad strengths—amplifying diverse voices through events, strategy, design, podcasting, and social media.
May. 23, 2023
8 min read
Rats: Milwaukee’s War of Attrition with a Symptom of Societal Problems
Rats will thrive pretty much anywhere that they can find the most basic of resources. To survive, rats merely require elements at the lowest level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: food, shelter, and water. Cities everywhere, including Milwaukee, provide an abundance of these elements.
May. 8, 2023
6 min read
Tarik Moody, HYFIN, and the Art of Building Your Own Table
Where can you find the true urban alternative to mainstream radio in Milwaukee? The violinist singer-songwriters and the half Black, half Mexican rockers? HYFIN is one such place.
Apr. 25, 2023
9 min read
Talking to Beth Breslin-Kiefer, Section Violist for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
She picked up the century-old viola, and I was treated to a private mini-concert. She warmed up by playing a series of scales, and then she broke into a classical piece, if I had to guess something Bach, with no score or written music in front of her. She just played it from memory.
Apr. 17, 2023
12 min read
The Bizarre Story of the Mormon Pirate King of Beaver Island
The tale of James J. Strang is one of the most unappreciated bizarre stories I have encountered. From controversially claiming succession of the LDS from Joseph Smith to an authoritarian rule as King of Beaver Island and everything in between.
Mar. 27, 2023
6 min read
Bringing Wisconsin Legends to Life: Artist Mike Bass
Artist Mike Bass showcases some of Wisconsin's most famous myths, legends, and cryptids with his mythic art prints.
Mar. 12, 2023
8 min read
Creativity, Perseverance, and the Story of the Greatest Radio Spot That Ever Ran on Milwaukee Radio
The impetus for Serve came about a year before its founding when Gary took a seemingly innocuous meeting with a woman named Margie Rehm, who was heading a nonprofit called the Shaken Baby Association.
Feb. 27, 2023
20 min read
No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross of Cults: My Experience at Wisconsin Lutheran College
While I have progressed in my worldview, there was no great awakening to my backasswards environment, but rather my own shock, awe, and horror of unwittingly stumbling into the depths of robust social control, religious fundamentalism, and a whole mess of batshit craziness.
Feb. 13, 2023
7 min read
Champions on and off the Court: The Paley Tennis Family of Milwaukee
You hear the word "love" on a tennis court with great regularity. Love-love. Love-15. Love-40. In tennis, love means nothing. Zero. Noda. When talking with the Paley family, who founded, own and operate Paley Tennis Center in Milwaukee, they may not say the word love much to each other, but you understand that it's always there just under the surface.
Feb. 7, 2023
21 min read
Ole Glue Boot Bears Down on the Appalachian Trail and the Second Great Dehydration
As the dark angel of dehydration had fallen upon us, our predicament worsened—I was so bewildered and frustrated that I wanted to cry—I think this feeling was universal in the group.
Jan. 25, 2023
6 min read
QUAAACK! It’s Weird Duck Season in Milwaukee
From November to March, over 20 varieties of ducks migrate to Milwaukee to make Lake Michigan their winter home, and the Lake Park Birders are right behind them.
Jan. 9, 2023
5 min read
Hot Spell: The Cure for the Weary Traveler in Winter
On a brisk November night in Wisconsin, I stood outside in the Zócalo Food Truck Park in Walker’s Point with a few friends. Neighbors walking their dogs passed by, turning up their collars and hunching their shoulders against the sharp wind. In stark contrast, we were sweating...
Dec. 22, 2022
13 min read
“People will remember what you did, not necessarily what you looked like” - Margaret Muza’s Art-Making Journey
Margaret Muza’s tintype journey is a story of growth and tenacity that can appeal to anyone who is sitting on the fence about not being “whatever” enough to do “xyz.”
Dec. 14, 2022
8 min read
Art, Love, and Movies: HBO’s The Last Movie Stars and Editor Barry Poltermann
The things that speak to us are hard to explain and extremely personal. But when you are confronted with some form of art that does it, you know.
Dec. 5, 2022
9 min read
The Art of the Manuscript Exhibit at Marquette University and My Experience with Tolkien Gatekeepers
Marquette University has its J.R.R. Tolkien Collection on display, and my Tolkien-loving heart may explode. No gatekeepers can keep me away from this The Lord of the Rings collection.
Nov. 28, 2022
9 min read
From Rick and Morty to Victoria’s Secret: What’s Pop Culture Saying About Milwaukee?
Milwaukee has been name-dropped in Friends, Seinfeld, Rick and Morty, The Simpsons, Marvel movies, iCarly, and more. But do we like what they’re saying about us?
Nov. 17, 2022
7 min read
So “this is what falling in love feels like.” JVKE's “golden hour” Melts My Cold, Millennial Heart
When’s the last time an album latched on to you and didn’t let go? For me, it happened this past weekend. When, one of Taylor Swift’s latest transitioned to “golden hour” by JVKE.
Nov. 13, 2022
11 min read
Being Weird as an Act of Resistance: Shrekfest Comes to Milwaukee
Despite being someone who is most comfortable when things are a bit strange, I am wondering if Shrekfest may be a little too much even for me. This wasn’t just some wacky Bay View neighborhood street fest. We had heard rumors that Shrekfest is more akin to a fundamentalist pilgrimage of people praising their beloved green god.
Oct. 28, 2022
9 min read
How a Secret Collection of Vintage Lighting is Brightening Milwaukee’s Art Scene
Steve Kaniewski is an entrepreneur, architectural art historian, and a pack rat. See how he collected more than one million lighting objects and artifacts.
Oct. 3, 2022
13 min read
Distinctly Milwaukee: My Experience at the Riverwest 24
On paper, the Riverwest 24 sounds highly illegal. Regaling family members with tales of the event is often met with a response of either “Why would you do that” or “That sounds really dangerous.” Fair points.
Sep. 23, 2022
8 min read
Why Every Music Lover Should Make the Pilgrimage to Colorado’s Red Rocks
When I traveled to Red Rocks to see Bleachers, the last thing I expected to find was fellow Wisconsinites.
Sep. 16, 2022
6 min read
Anger Management: Releasing Your Stress and Trauma at Smash Zone
Smash Zone in Milwaukee turns a break room into healing and hope. Read more about Glenda Grenados healing journey and how you can be part of it too.
Sep. 9, 2022
8 min read
Bridging Cities: Jason Ilstrup, the President of Downtown Madison, Inc
Maybe it’s stating the obvious. But when you are talking to Jason Ilstrup, the door mechanics conjure an image of the state of Wisconsin. And doors, as we all know, need two or three hinges to work.
Sep. 1, 2022
6 min read
How an April Fool’s Joke Inspired Bay View’s Lost Whale
The lost whale of Lake Michigan finds its home at Bay View's favorite watering hole, Lost Whale. Read on to find out how the bar got its name.
Aug. 25, 2022
10 min read
The G-Farm: Cows, Chaos, and Other Mania on a Regenerative Farm
Camping with the Cows at the G Farm provided both a comical misadventure with livestock but also highlighted the importance of regenerative farming for our food supply.
Aug. 17, 2022
9 min read
The Splash in Jerusalem that Rippled Across Milwaukee: The Samer Ghani Story
Palestinian-American and Milwaukee photographer Samer Ghani believes Milwaukee is at the start of something great. Find out how he’s at the center of it.
Aug. 10, 2022
6 min read
A Red Bird or a Divine Message: The Cardinal Coincidence
I fell in love with cardinals after my dad took me birdwatching as a kid. Now, 12 years after his death, I may have an avian stalker.
Aug. 3, 2022
11 min read
Chaos in the Country: My Walk on the Wild Side at the Coloma Chicken Chew
Small-town mania, enraged bartenders, masculine insecurities, all sprinkled with a glimmer of community togetherness: Welcome to the Coloma Chicken Chew.
Jul. 29, 2022
6 min read
Music Heals: A Conversation with Guitars for Vets’ Patrick Nettesheim
By putting a guitar in the hands of Veterans, Patrick Nettesheim is helping people all over the world cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Jul. 13, 2022
8 min read
Haunted Milwaukee: Exploring the Unexplained with Brew City Paranormal
There’s a saying, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” The same basic philosophy can be applied to the existence of ghosts: Whether you think they exist, or you think they don’t, you’re right.
Jul. 6, 2022
7 min read
Rachal Duggan: The Witch Who Draws Butts
Rachal Duggan, AKA RADillustrates, wants to draw your butt, but more than that she wants to make a genuine, human connection.
Jun. 28, 2022
8 min read
“Being Accessible is a Bad Thing”: An Evening With Rupi Kaur
Love her or hate her, Rupi Kaur isn’t going to let critics hold her back from taking North America by storm as she sets off on her world tour.
Jun. 21, 2022
9 min read
Maru Korean Bistro: Come for the Beef Bulgogi, Stay for the Beef Stew
In the land of brats and beer, Maru Korean Bistro offers a varied menu that features favorites like beef bulgogi, duk mandu soup, and plenty of kimchi.
Jun. 13, 2022
7 min read
Flex Farms and The Future of Farming with Michael Hostad
Through Michael Hostad’s high school and college years, the world was experiencing unprecedented growth in technology—the internet was a new thing and someone with programming knowledge and a decent business sense could make hay.
Jun. 8, 2022
5 min read
It Started with a Spark: Jewelry Designer Rachel Stenman, aka Paloma Wilder
Permanent jewelry comes to Milwaukee in popular BOND Bar pop-up events from jeweler Paloma Wilder, and the story of how Rachel Stenman went from temporary costume jewelry for the opera to heirlooms and permanence.
May. 25, 2022
12 min read
Through My Looking Glass: Reviewing My Magnum Opus About Amoebas From 9th Grade
Join me in reviewing my 9th grade personal essay to find out what made me tick, what made me salty, and what happened when I let my creativity flow as a 14-year-old.
May. 20, 2022
8 min read
Dennis Biddle: The Heart of the Negro Leagues is in Milwaukee
The Negro Leagues needed to get organized and be recognized. That’s when Dennis Biddle, social worker from Milwaukee, and the youngest living Negro Leagues player, stepped up.
May. 10, 2022
7 min read
Water is Life, and We Filled the Lake with Feces: The Crypto Outbreak of 1993
This story is nothing new. Milwaukee’s sewage dumping habits reached a peculiar climax with the Cryptosporidiosis outbreak of 1993.
May. 6, 2022
12 min read
Painting Through Pain: The Chris Miller Story
Chris Miller was diagnosed with RA as a toddler. Art became his escape and medicine. But it nearly destroyed him. Learn how letting go of something can reveal opportunity.
May. 4, 2022
8 min read
From Skin Care Doubter to Skin Care Witch: Learning to Love Myself Through My Shelves of Potions
Beauty industrial complex aside, developing a skin care routine is my go-to way to love myself. Here’s how I became a skin care witch.
Apr. 25, 2022
7 min read
A Bookstore Where Everything is Written by One Guy: Darick Spears
Darick Books is full of books, music, documentaries—even fashion—all created by Darick Spears. It’s his “Field of Dreams,” but it’s more than just a place to play.
Apr. 15, 2022
4 min read
How My Quest for a Birthday Gift Led Me to Artist Nina Bednarski
This adventure started innocently enough; I wanted to buy a birthday gift for my wife. She is fond of these bird paintings we had seen at various...
Apr. 12, 2022
9 min read
Meet the CEO of the Wisconsin Humane Society, Anne Reed
Anne Reed doesn’t drink coffee. I find this out as she greets me at her front door and offers me tea with her apologies for not having the caffeinated...
Apr. 8, 2022
9 min read
Tupelo Honey Cafe: Where Southern Cuisine Makes an Appearance but Doesn’t Steal the Show
For the Wisconsinite looking to sample southern cuisine, Tupelo Honey Cafe offers a chaotic test drive of grits, collards, shrimp po’boys, and fried chicken.
Mar. 31, 2022
4 min read
Welcome to the (Domestic and Quite Tranquil) Jungle
Parents have a way of making anything seem unappealing. They do it by saying you have to do it. There is a burning rebellion within you that fights this.
Mar. 28, 2022
12 min read
The Future of Tea: Aureal Ojeda from Outwoken Tea
Learn about business ownership, conscious consumerism, and the future of tea from Aureal Ojeda from Outwoken Tea.
Mar. 24, 2022
8 min read
The Wild, Amusement Park History of Hubbard Park
Before there was Hubbard Park in Shorewood, Milwaukee, there were bottled water magnates, amusement parks with roller coasters, water slides, funhouses, and a Murderdrome full of motorcycle daredevils.
Mar. 21, 2022
6 min read
On “The Batman”
This could just be the escape we’re all looking for. An escape from the darkness of the pandemic. An escape from the media barrage of negative headlines and doom and gloom of our everyday reality.
Mar. 17, 2022
6 min read
Sharpening Your Inheritance: Nate Zimmerman of Zim Knives
In between the elaborate and ornate projects, Zimmerman is quite literally grinding away—crafting chef’s knives and knife accessories like sheathes and magnetic strips and offering a knife sharpening service through The Sharp Brothers
Mar. 14, 2022
10 min read
Still Hungry: Dinner at Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen
Is Milwaukee’s restaurant scene experiencing a post-COVID resurgence? Skip dinner at Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen, and try somewhere else instead.
Mar. 10, 2022
8 min read
The Unpredictable Artistry of Jerrold Belland
As I write this article, Racine artist and painter Jerry Belland is sitting in a vitrectomy recovery chair, a contraption designed so that its occupant sits leaning forward, with their face down and parallel to the floor.
Mar. 7, 2022
6 min read
Tricklebee Café: The Best Food in Milwaukee is Pay-What-You-Can
Milwaukee’s Sherman Park has one of the world’s only pay-what-you-can restaurants, where volunteers are making some of the best food in Milwaukee, that just happens to be vegan.
Mar. 3, 2022
8 min read
Dreams of a Dinner Unfulfilled: A “Review” of Birch
One part imaginary restaurant review. Two parts Omicron fever dream. Here’s a fantastical journey through the Birch menu.
Feb. 28, 2022
9 min read
The Urban Landscape, the Easily Overlooked, and Artist Paul Druecke
It would be impossible to address all the different projects Paul has worked on over the last three decades. That would not be an article, it would be a novel.
Feb. 24, 2022
8 min read
Vegan, Gluten-Free Baked Goods Take the Cake at Blooming Lotus Bakery
Come for the donuts, and keep coming back for your health. For vegan, gluten-free, high-fiber, high-protein baked goods and pastries, check out Blooming Lotus Bakery.
Feb. 21, 2022
10 min read
Living Consciously, Not Ordinary: a Profile of Dr. Robert Davis
How a former veterinarian and accomplished fundraiser in Milwaukee is building a center of academic excellence for the study of race.
Feb. 17, 2022
10 min read
11 Scented Candles That Give You a Ride to Pleasureville
COVID-19 sucks, and we could all use more pleasure in our lives. Check out these 11 scented candles to embrace pleasure with reckless abandon and no apologies.
Feb. 14, 2022
5 min read
Dropout Fight Club Boxing Gym: “The Most Aggressive Therapy Session of Your Life”
In Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood lies a secret, hidden gem: The Dropout Fight Club boxing gym, and the most aggressive therapy workout session of your life.
Feb. 9, 2022
7 min read
A Lifetime of Rock-and-Roll Resilience: My Conversation with Brian Kriegsman
Kriegsman would send these and other designs to all of the big names in the guitar business at the time—Fender, Gibson, Dean, Ibanez, and Hamer.
Feb. 7, 2022
8 min read
Finding Solace in the Secret World of Weather
It started with a panic attack. It turned into a love of changing weather. And now? Now I’m learning to predict the weather by paying attention to the world around me.
Feb. 3, 2022
4 min read
Welcome Back to Commonstate
I not so fondly remember March 2020, at home watching a random NBA basketball game, when Utah Jazz forward Rudy Goebert tested positive for the Coronavirus.
Feb. 2, 2022
6 min read
Deb Dila: Microbiologist by Day, Master of the Encaustic Universe by Night
Deb Dila, researcher at UWM School for Freshwater Science and artist discusses how her world as artist and scientist have helped her explore meaning and find balance in her life.
Jun. 2, 2020
6 min read
The Makers Dozen: Watercolor Painter and Greater Milwaukee Committee President Julia Taylor
As a watercolorist and creative placemaker, Julia Taylor never stops seeking new ways to solve problems. Julia knows first-hand how art can define people, neighborhoods, and entire communities.
May. 17, 2020
5 min read
Wisconsinites sound off on Coronavirus: How is it affecting you?
The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically altered our lives. From unemployment to the frontline employees providing the necessities, the pandemic is taking a toll on our physical and mental health. It has individually and collectively impacted our well being. Until a vaccine or an effective treatment is available, we will endure a slow and steady recovery.
May. 14, 2020
6 min read
The Makers Dozen: Producer, film editor, drummer Dan Didier
There’s a rhythm about Dan Didier. It’s technical, buoyant, and productive. He’s a drummer to his core. Dan’s frenetic tempo drives him to create and produce music and film and storytelling and photography.
May. 6, 2020
6 min read
This Ain't Your Mamma's Grocery Games
I know work-life changed when the pandemic came to Milwaukee, but I don’t know that anything changed as much as grocery shopping
May. 5, 2020
2 min read
Mental Health in the time of pandemic: It's more important now than ever to seek help
There is a lot of stigma regarding mental and behavioral health. Some folks hate to admit they have a mental health disorder before it is too late and seek treatment. Some folks are brave enough to admit their condition, but it requires plenty of courage to do so.
May. 3, 2020
6 min read
The Makers Dozen: Multidisciplinary producer Kristin Peterson Kaszubowski
Kristin Peterson Kaszubowski is a multidisciplinary producer, whose credits include No Studios artist in residence, the annual Medusa Monologues (a collaboration with Mary Chuy), My First and Last Film, Ringolevio, and Corridor. She is a graduate of University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.
Apr. 19, 2020
1 min read
Milwaukee Buildings display Red, White, and Blue Lights in Solidarity Against the Coronavirus
Several Milwaukee buildings are displaying red, white, and blue lights in solidarity against the coronavirus. Participants include Discovery World, Milwaukee County Historical Society, the U.S. Bank Building, the Gas Light Building, Northwestern Mutual, and more.
Apr. 19, 2020
4 min read
The Makers Dozen: Creative Technologist and Entrepreneur Romke de Haan
Romke de Haan is a creative technologist, serial entrepreneur, and business leader with a heart that beats hip hop. He is a graduate of and former creative director for Homeboyz Interactive, an organization that taps the latent talents of gang members, redirecting their energy from violent activity to website development.
Apr. 9, 2020
6 min read
The Makers Dozen: Islands of Brilliance Co-founder Mark Fairbanks
Mark Fairbanks co-founded Islands of Brilliance with his wife Margaret in 2012. The organization’s premise - to pair children with autism with design professionals who can teach the students valuable software skills
Mar. 18, 2020
3 min read
CS Report: How Coronavirus is Affecting Local Arts Organizations
The Coronavirus (Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has forced local arts organizations to temporarily suspend operations to adhere to social distancing and flatten the curve (slowing the virus spread and thus, fewer people seeking treatment at any given time).
Nov. 27, 2019
7 min read
Is rock still alive? Is Sloan from Canada?
Is rock dead? When was the funeral? I certainly would have gone and paid my respects. I’ve had a pretty close relationship over the years with rock...
Oct. 30, 2019
6 min read
The Therapeutic Exercise of Writing Your Own Obituary (Yeah, You Read that Right)
I have heard writers refer to penning their own bios as being a “death sentence.” So, when you hear the term obituary, and are asked to write one, it’s...
Oct. 22, 2019
5 min read
The Joker, as Serious as a Comic Book Movie can be
My good friend and award winning editor Barry Poltermann once told me a story about movie pitches in Hollywood. He told me that if you’re in a meeting...
Aug. 30, 2019
6 min read
Filmmaker Amanda Speva, Musician Caroline Rose and the Making of a Music Video
One of my favorite quotes is by artist and photographer Chuck Close, who famously said, “Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get...
Aug. 13, 2019
3 min read
A Love Letter to Kissing the Concrete: How Skateboarding Resurfaced My Motivation
It was far too late when I realized how silly I must have looked standing in my underwear in the parking lot of a skatepark. I had just come from an...
Aug. 8, 2019
5 min read
Are we still jamming? John Mayer at the Fiserv Forum
August 6th was adult contemporary night here in Milwaukee as suburban couples and twenty somethings hopped in their SUVs to the Fiserv Forum to hear John...
Aug. 7, 2019
5 min read
“I paint better bigger.” On painting and process with Ariana Vaeth
It was a Tuesday evening and I headed Northwest of the city over to Sherman Phoenix, a community space in the Sherman Park neighborhood that is dedicated...
Aug. 2, 2019
3 min read
Once Upon A Time ... in Hollywood requires prior knowledge of history. Is that bad?
My 19 year old son and I were walking out of the theater after Quentin Tarantino’s new film Once Upon A Time … In Hollywood and he was clearly dejected...
Jul. 26, 2019
10 min read
The Calming Power of Forest Bathing
If you’re not acquainted with forest bathing, allow me to enlighten you: forest bathing is a practice where you find your way to a natural area with...
Jun. 25, 2019
8 min read
A Prairie Between Us: Learning a Brother’s New Name
Summer 2018. The day was a grey heat. Air that hung to you. It was the first full day of World Cup matches, and Three Lions Pub was humming, expectant...
Jun. 21, 2019
6 min read
I Spent Mother's Day Looking at Free Art: My Time on the Milwaukee Museum Mile
On Mother’s Day, I decided to spend my time with a friend. My friend James is one of those people who always knows something exciting going on. He has...
May. 30, 2019
4 min read
Meet Milwaukee Film's illustrator in residence (and membership director): Kristopher Pollard
If you’ve attended an event hosted by Milwaukee Film, there’s close to a 100% chance you’ve run into or at least seen Kristopher Pollard.
May. 22, 2019
12 min read
Lessons From Plants and My Morning at the Domes
The summer I returned to the Midwest, my parents took me with them to the sprawling garden center in the country by their home to pick out the flowers...
Apr. 29, 2019
7 min read
Tears and triumph: My journey to help my daughter move to Brooklyn
We moved our daughter to Brooklyn, New York recently and it was a joyous and profoundly sad journey. So, of course, I had to write about it.
Apr. 11, 2019
2 min read
I'm sorry, Vampire Weekend, please forgive me
It’s time for my mea culpa, Vampire Weekend.
Apr. 4, 2019
8 min read
The Gluten Free Milwaukeean: It's Not as Hard as You Think
I have been gluten free, except for the breaded fry incident back in December, for about four months. Before you groan and stop reading because you...
Mar. 28, 2019
5 min read
I went to a reincarnation workshop and it was, well, relaxing?
Passed away. Passed on. Laid to rest. Crossed over. Bit the dust. Kicked the bucket. With Jesus in Heaven. On the other side. Sleeping with the fishes...
Mar. 19, 2019
3 min read
In Spielberg vs. Netflix, I got Netflix all day
I’m a guy who is only slightly past middle age. And like most people my age I tend to have a penchant for the past. I still think Abbey Road is the greatest album of all time. I think the...
Mar. 14, 2019
5 min read
Stranger Danger and The Biggest Snowblower This Side of Shorewood
Growing up in the 90’s, the concept of “Stranger Danger” was drilled into my head. I remember my school making us watch disturbing videos about ominous...
Mar. 5, 2019
3 min read
You have to go there to come back: Montavius Jones' journey with a purpose
As we’ve grown to annoyingly expect, at the end of each year, Facebook’s news feed is consumed with post-after-post of friends, family members, and old...
Feb. 27, 2019
4 min read
What Happened to the Oscars?
It was the morning of Monday, March 5, 2018 and everything was well in film critic land. That’s because what should’ve happened at the Oscars award show...
Feb. 26, 2019
5 min read
Discovering the healing power of horses at Stepping Stone Farms
There has always been a part of me that has been a cowgirl. As a kid, I wore cowboy boots, collected a menagerie of porcelain horses, had a favorite...
Feb. 20, 2019
6 min read
What to do during the Polar Vortex? Go on a Tour de Soup
So you made it through the polar vortex of 2019. Me too! I had a lot of time to think during those bitter cold days and I thought a lot about my values...
Feb. 18, 2019
4 min read
The quirky and remarkable world of the Bobblehead Museum and Hall of Fame
It was a typically warm summer night in St. Louis, and Phil Sklar and Brad Novak pulled up to Busch Stadium to take in a ballgame. They love baseball...
Feb. 8, 2019
3 min read
Ten Ways to Identify that You're the Worst Person at this Concert
Written and drawn from the perspective of a 5’4 midwesterner
Feb. 4, 2019
4 min read
The Post-est with the mostest: The Super Bowl 2019 post mortem
Welcome to the Super Bowl of the United States of America. Where “All things to all people” has now reached it’s full self-actualized potential...
Feb. 1, 2019
5 min read
The Polar Vortex and a feral cat that won't come indoors
I have a feral cat that has lived near or on my front porch for over 11 years.
Jan. 29, 2019
6 min read
Instagram and pugs are not worthless, it turns out
I want to tell you about the magical world of the Internet. I often ponder its utility when I read about viral challenges that ultimately yield the next...
Jan. 21, 2019
3 min read
The Netflix FYRE Festival Documentary is INSANE
You know the earmarks of some of the best documentaries; they either have a great plot twist or an Insane revelation; devastating developments and brutal...
Jan. 14, 2019
9 min read
The Best Movies of 2018: Spoiler Alert - A Star is Born doesn't cut it
Hell yeah, another year end list: The top 10 films of 2018, from Commonstate contributor Evan Casey.
Dec. 28, 2018
13 min read
Our EOY extravaganza: The most creative things we saw and/or heard this year
The end of the year is a time when sites inundate us with “best of” lists. But here at Commonstate, we’re going to do things a bit differently...
Dec. 13, 2018
5 min read
Escaping the modern world – my interview with The Bottle Rockets
Social media has made it more difficult than ever to temporarily escape from the outside world. Political arguments, clickbait articles, and an ever...
Dec. 6, 2018
5 min read
Made with hand and heart: The benevolent bouquets of Flowers For Dreams
Let’s go back a year or so, late fall. A group of about 30 employees of Flowers For Dreams meet at one of their homes in Chicago and are sitting around...
Nov. 30, 2018
8 min read
The deeply affecting pop song craft of Bad Bad Hats
A simple Google search will reveal that songwriters have been comparing the act of falling in love to a narcotics addiction for many years...
Nov. 13, 2018
2 min read
A note on the first snow
Last Sunday, we woke with our bodies’ natural rhythms, but the clocks said it was earlier than it felt. Then, the sun sank early. On Monday, when we left...
Nov. 9, 2018
4 min read
A Letterpress Treasure: Ashley Town of Bay View Printing Co.
The whole thing started out as a treasure hunt of sorts, an ambitious and industrious young woman named Ashley Town was on a quest. She had written a book.
Nov. 6, 2018
6 min read
“We're going to do this forever” — Our conversation with rock band Active Bird Community
Active Bird Community’s story is one ripped straight from a rock-and-roll fantasy. Founding members Tom D’Agustino, Andrew Wolfson, and Zach Slater...
Nov. 1, 2018
7 min read
An Island Within the City: Float Milwaukee
From the minute you enter the door, Float Milwaukee is an experience. The stark entryway foreshadows the next 60 odd minutes of your day where everything...
Oct. 25, 2018
5 min read
A story and a vision: My conversation with documentary filmmaker Erik Ljung
I saw an activist that I follow posting videos of people smashing cop cars. I thought, where is this happening? I was like, holy... this is Milwaukee.
Sep. 12, 2018
4 min read
The catchiest band in Brooklyn: My conversation with Eva Hendricks of Charly Bliss
The “discovery” functionality on Spotify can be a harsh mistress. I’m not sure I love it, and it rarely loves me back. People are constantly recommending
Sep. 5, 2018
4 min read
Raw denim and a dream: Meet Elmer Moore of Milwaukee Denim Co.
I met Elmer at one of those career day things at an elementary school. There was the fireman, I was the radio guy, and Elmer was the entrepreneur.
Aug. 17, 2018
4 min read
The Pleasures of Urban Farming: Meet Logan McDermott of Victory Garden
Walking though the gate into Victory Garden Initiative's urban farm was like walking through the upstairs wardrobe into Narnia.
Aug. 13, 2018
4 min read
Confessions of an escapist: I'm a middle-aged gamer
I worked at JC Penney in 1982. Employee #750. Yes, I still remember. My department was ground zero for the sales of hundreds of Sony Walkmen...
Aug. 9, 2018
5 min read
IKEA, Where Dreams Are Made
I read an article a few years back about how shopping at IKEA was a sign you weren’t really an adult yet. But, if you shopped at West Elm, that was it.
Aug. 6, 2018
3 min read
29Rooms in Chicago: An Instagram lover's vomitorium
Social media is a roller coaster ride that never lets you get off.
Aug. 3, 2018
3 min read
Dan Atkinson would love to make a cream city brick planter for you
When I met Dan Atkinson in his studio on Vliet Street, I was fully expecting to discuss his work making planters out of cream city brick. And, while we...
Jul. 19, 2018
2 min read
Mondo Lucha at Nomad Nacional is humanity at its finest
Imagine this bizarre fantasy: Aliens from another galaxy finally decide to show themselves, and they lower their frisbee-like spaceship towards Milwaukee.
Jul. 9, 2018
5 min read
Talking to The Posies about life, harmonies, power pop and tacos
In the pantheon of pop/rock music there are only a handful of iconic duos – those whose voices mesh together seamlessly, whose songwriting and approach...
Jul. 2, 2018
4 min read
The brilliant pop songs of Michael Rault and “sounding like the 70s”
There was a something happening in the late 60s and early 70s where bands – and a whole bunch of them – found their own voice very quickly...
Jun. 25, 2018
2 min read
Illustrator Joe Till's billboard wooing Lebron James to Milwaukee is a Bucks fan's dream
If Lebron James joined the Milwaukee Bucks, it would change the course of a franchise -- most likely from “up and coming” to “arrived.” But how would...
Jun. 19, 2018
6 min read
In Which We Gorged Ourselves Silly
There’s a certain sadness when a beloved restaurant closes, not dissimilar to what it feels like to read a book you become completely immersed in...
Jun. 15, 2018
5 min read
A Story Worthy of a Movie: My week at the Cannes Film Festival
It’s hard to say whether or not my job found me or I found it. There’s a great possibility that some divine power above chose to marry two desperate...
![[UPDATED] Michael Rault has harnessed the power and the glory of 70s pop, and it's brilliant](/_vercel/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.prismic.io%2Fcommonstate%2Fc5ff1803-295b-4304-acd3-d40a47614ad1_IMG_0656.jpg%3Fauto%3Dcompress%2Cformat%26w%3D1200%26w%3D1200&w=1200&q=90)
Jun. 11, 2018
2 min read
[UPDATED] Michael Rault has harnessed the power and the glory of 70s pop, and it's brilliant
Harmony guitar parts and beautiful layered melodies are popping out of the speakers in my Volkswagen and I sadly cannot take my hands off the wheel...
Jun. 5, 2018
9 min read
A Little Luck And A Life-changing Adventure
When was the last time you had the chance to truly live in the moment? A month ago I honestly couldn’t tell you, despite an effort to meditate and be more mindful of my present. I was fortunate enough to recently...
Jun. 1, 2018
4 min read
Ian McCullough, Aka Cullah, Wrote One Of The Greatest Songs About Being A Full Time Musician I’ve Ever Heard
Ian McCullough has released 11 albums since 2006. Every one of those albums was released on his birthday, April 27. This is not by accident...
May. 24, 2018
3 min read
This Guy is a Fungi and Other Observations
I want to talk about fungi. I know, I know. “But, Caitlin, what could possibly be interesting about fungi?” The better question is what ISN’T interesting...
May. 18, 2018
1 min read
Let's get lit: The campaign to light Milwaukee's Hoan Bridge is off and running
At night, the most iconic part of Milwaukee’s skyline rests in the background in the dark. You can see its shape, lifeless, and sometimes the moon...
May. 9, 2018
3 min read
Sundays, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and ... a cult?
In the hall of fame of days, Sunday is a first balloter. Plans and obligations be damned. I’m going to mindlessly surf twitter and there’s nothing you...
May. 4, 2018
4 min read
Music And Sausage At The Vanguard With Midwest Death Rattle And Musician/Songwriter Graham Hunt
I’m hanging out at The Vanguard in Bayview, waiting for Nick and Ryan from Milwaukee’s Midwest Death Rattle to join me. Looking over the menu...
Apr. 26, 2018
2 min read
FORM – a shop whose style is as minimal as it's name
It’s easy to daydream yourself into a lifestyle that isn’t quite as cluttered and scattered as your own; something sleek and minimal that’s beautiful...
Apr. 20, 2018
6 min read
What Is Esoteric Pop?
It was a moment I vividly remember, circa 1994. Music had not gone streaming yet -- we were still virtually a decade away from those realities.
Apr. 16, 2018
3 min read
Greetings from your friend, the spring snowstorm
Hey everyone, how you doing? Remember me?
Apr. 9, 2018
4 min read
Sharing food and a few stories with Peter Sandroni, owner of La Merenda
The mismatched mix of tables and chairs in the dining room at La Merenda is slightly unexpected as your host/hostess walks you to your table.
Apr. 4, 2018
3 min read
Plant Nite at Cafe Lulu: Let's make a terrarium!
We frequently go to brunch because even those of us who despise generational stereotypes still love shakshuka we don't have to make ourselves.
Apr. 2, 2018
2 min read
Miniature Escapism at Diorama-Rama
In 2018, when every single day feels like an existential nightmare-cum-fever dream, what better thing to do than attend Milwaukee’s 3rd annual Diorama-rama
Mar. 26, 2018
4 min read
Reno, Pai Gow and vintage clothing with Zach Girdis, owner Golden Jackal
The Cal-Neva is a casino in downtown Reno, Nevada on 2nd Street. And as I walk through the doors I imagine the hardened gamblers, cowboys...
Mar. 23, 2018
3 min read
Don't Read This if You're Afraid of Needles
When she inserted the first needle into the webbing between my ring finger and pinky finger, I felt a jolt of tolerable electricity.
Mar. 20, 2018
4 min read
“My style is an amalgamation of anachronism.” Fashion designer Stephanie Schultz
There’s an old Nordic Folk song titled “Varulven” which, translated to English is “The Werewolf.” It’s a Little Red Riding Hood type of story...
Mar. 9, 2018
4 min read
Before heading to SXSW, Carol Brandt chats about collaboration
On a recent cold Sunday I caught up with local filmmaker Carol Brandt at her quiet, warm co-lab space for a handful of filmmakers from Milwaukee.
Mar. 7, 2018
3 min read
Love is Love
To love is a spectrum. I’ve recently started visualizing this spectrum in the grade school science class way—the electromagnetic spectrum way.
Mar. 1, 2018
5 min read
Hey Milwaukee, your inferiority complex is showing
The mission of Commonstate is to champion creative thinking in every community, in every field. Filmmakers, musicians, fine artists, chefs, public servants and architects alike are at home here. And just because you don’t make art doesn’t make you less...
Feb. 22, 2018
4 min read
“I became a freelancer on Independence Day” – Steve Kodis, Graphic Designer
Steve Kodis, one of countless immensely talented people who have willingly traded in a bit of freedom for a lot of responsibility.
Feb. 19, 2018
4 min read
I got a dose of the spiritual at Specter
Have you ever had a day where you were sick of being depressed and wanted to venture out into the world, without quite knowing what you needed?
Feb. 16, 2018
3 min read
Put on your fancy pants, it's tea time at The Pfister
I made a list of all sides of Milwaukee I wanted to enjoy before drifting away from the Midwest and the tea service at The Pfister was at the top.
Feb. 12, 2018
3 min read
“Every film there is incredible.” Milwaukee Director Drew Britton's Slamdance Experience
I’m sitting in the back of Buckley's sipping bourbon waiting for Drew Britton to arrive. Drew has just returned from the Slamdance Film Festival.
Feb. 5, 2018
5 min read
A trashcan of hashtags: The Commonstate Super Bowl Post Mortem
As the Eagles claimed their “World Championship” crown after the Super Bowl, the saber rattling began around who led the pack in this year’s commercials.
Feb. 2, 2018
4 min read
Halfway home, a stop at Ruby Roasters
By the time Kendall said something, we’d already missed the turn. It was Friday afternoon a couple of days before New Year’s Eve and the roads and skies and fields were indistinguishable greys...
Jan. 31, 2018
2 min read
To mug, with love
There is one thing I hate more than winter: shitty mugs. I’m a mug snob. I’m not ashamed to admit that. As a young(ish) person who recently breached year 30, born and raised in the Midwest, appropriate dishware for combating the winter blues is paramount.
Jan. 29, 2018
4 min read
A little cider and a tarot card reading, past lives welcome
I received a Facebook event invite from an old high school friend. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking – you get those kitchen gadget, nail stickers, weight loss shake invites, too. This one was a little different. “Tarot and past life readings at Lost Valley Cider Co.” Huh.
Jan. 26, 2018
3 min read
How “Cooler by the lake” became an actual cooler by the lake
On a random Saturday in late-September, I got a text from a good friend saying “comedown to Veteran’s Park!” I probably replied with mentioning how I had to head to yoga and carried on my day. Little did I know what he had up his sleeve.
Jan. 24, 2018
3 min read
The best concert photographer in Milwaukee is a librarian
When photographer Kelly Bolter said she would meet me in Wauwatosa, I threw out the names via chat of a few of these newer establishments...
Jan. 19, 2018
2 min read
Discovering the uncommon at Commonplace
Zach pointed out a few of the product designers in the store when I visited; Kinto from Japan, Most Modest out of San Francisco, Good Thing from Brooklyn. And, if you want to see a pair of Raen sunglasses or a TOPO Designs backpack in person, Commonplace is your spot.
Jan. 16, 2018
2 min read
A chance encounter with Fly Kiid Chris
Your first Twitter follower is usually someone like a friend or a significant other, right? Mine was Fly Kiid Chris. A rapper from the Bronx.
Jan. 13, 2018
2 min read
There's a mid-century modern revival goin' on
Approaching the storefront of Brew City Salvage on 5th and National in Milwaukee, you’ll see a stuffed deer standing outside the entrance with a sign hanging around its neck that says “open.”
Jan. 8, 2018
3 min read
In the studio with the Wooldridge Brothers
I was standing in the recording room at the Exchange Recording Complex on National Avenue, with Brian Wooldridge. He’s pulling his Epiphone Coronet out of its case and I’m salivating at the sight of it; the Coronet has always been one of my favorite guitars, double cutaway, the iconic Epiphone “E” on the pickguard, the grit.
Jan. 1, 2018
3 min read
Theorizing about Orange Theory Fitness
I’m 51-years-old and have worked out my whole life. I enjoy it. I’ve belonged to every club you can imagine. Getting my 45 minutes to an hour of exercise on a regular basis is important to me. I pretty much work out to maintain my dad-bod and stoke my fake sense of confidence that I have a semblance of fitness.
Jan. 1, 2018
2 min read
I was going to write about the cocktails at Kindred
Have you met Steve Landish? He’s the guy who runs the bar at Kindred on Kinnickinnic Ave. By all accounts, at least in the three or so times I have talked to him, Steve is kind of brilliant. He talks about ingredients, how they work together, and generally is hush-hush about exact quantities he puts into the drinks. Go with it.
Jan. 1, 2018
2 min read
Playing cards with Mike Alt, owner of Alt's Antiques
Mike Alt, sitting to my left, looked over at me, grinning. Then he laid down this gem: “I went to about 8 or 9 thrift shops before I came here tonight.”
Jan. 1, 2018
2 min read
Welcome to Commonstate
Welcome to Commonstate, a tribute to the creative thinkers in every community who believe that a culture of creativity is a better culture for all. These are the innovators and people who see the world differently and for the better, who through the movement of a pen, or the stroke of a brush, the click of a shutter or a singular vision for business are fearlessly themselves. Commonstate celebrates them all.