In Milwaukee, M is for Beer

Beyond Wayne’s World and Miller High Life, I always thought of Milwaukee as just another city in the Midwest. That is, until one of my good friends moved out there last year. The trip to Milwaukee is too easy for me to make excuses, so I finally went out to visit him. I packed my best drinking hat and went for a weekend of beer, cheese and bacon.

Milwaukee used to be known as a powerhouse of brewing and manufacturing, which is very evident in the industrial feeling of the city. The city has taken large measures to change the image of the city into a more cultural and inviting city. Expanding the art museum and developing the Riverwalk are just some of the very well executed developments.

I was incredibly lucky with the beautiful warm and sunny weather, for late November, it was quite warm. Not nice enough to go for a swim, but it was easy to enjoy the beauty of the lake and walk around the historical 3rd Ward and along the coastline of Lake Michigan. I gave my friend the instructions of, “show me what you do for fun.”

Our weekend started with a standard Wisconsin treat, a fish fry, and naturally, some great German beer. I’ve had fried fish and potato pancakes, but I have rarely had such great, cheap fried Cod. A fish fry in Wisconsin is common at most every pub and non-chain restaurant on Fridays, I only tried one, so I leave it to you to decide who has the best one. After having some delicious fish and beer, we went to the event at the Milwaukee Art Museum, MAM After Dark. This is a monthly event that offers late night gallery viewings, music, a DIY art studio and most importantly, a cash bar. Who doesn’t like drinking a glass of wine and looking at art, and mingling amongst artists and art enthusiasts? While we were there, a group of dancers were performing with an integrated video installation done by the students at UWM’s Dance and Digital Media Departments. In general, I am a big fan of anything that promotes artistic awareness and support for the arts, and this was a wonderful exposition for the local artists and the museum exhibits.

After an evening at the Museum we went out to many of Milwaukee’s bars. In my drinking career I have spent the majority of my time in bars in states that have passed a smoking ban. It is really easy to forget that in most places, a smoking ban in bars is a new thing. And most places that I go where there is no smoking ban, the climate allows for the windows to be open, or the places are so big, you don’t really notice it. Wisconsin just passed a smoking ban that won’t take effect until July 2010, and while there are some bars that have already jumped on the wagon; we didn’t go to a single one. It’s easy to forget the annoyance of sitting in a bar next to someone that is going through their pack of cigarettes one by one. – Before I go on, let’s get one thing clear, I don’t smoke, and really disdain cigarette smoke, mostly because of the way it flares up my Asthma. I don’t blame anyone who smokes for that, or care if you choose to smoke, I just don’t like to be downwind of it. And to be perfectly honest, nothing goes better with alcohol than cigarettes. – While at these bars I indulged in a number of wonderfully cheap PBRs and learned a popular Milwaukee game, Bar Dice. This game is quick, and more often than not, ends in someone else buying you a shot.

While I was visiting my friend he also spent a fair amount of time driving me around showing me all of what the architecture and culture had to offer. Of this there were two things that stuck out the most to me, the Milwaukee Public Market, and the Comet Café. The Public Market is a great indoor market for local businesses; I was able to purchase some very fine local cheddar that was freshly packed days before, and had a pretty good cup of Americano at the little coffee shop in there. The best meal I had over the weekend was at a little breakfast shop, the Comet Café. They offered some really delicious looking gut bomb breakfast and brunch items. I am of the belief that bacon can make… anything better, so I had the delicious Bacon Pancakes, and a pretty lame espresso. I’ve had some pretty good pancakes and these really took the cake. You could make them at home, if you were willing to do that to yourself.

While I still do feel like Milwaukee is pretty much just another city in the Midwest, I now have a much greater respect for it. I would love to go back for a visit again in the summer and experience what the lake has to offer, and when you can have the big windows open at all the bars. I had a wonderful time visiting my friend and trying to see if Miller High Life is any better when it’s consumed in the city it’s brewed. I would have to say that Milwaukee is an underrated city, and I would live there if my job took me there, but it’s not my first choice. If you do get the chance to go, be sure to have a cold one for me!

Film Review: New York, I Love You

This is the second film in the ‘Cities of Love’ series produced by Emmanuel Benbihy. The film that started this series – Paris, je t’aime – is a collaboration of 22 directors and 18 scenes, tied together. New York, I Love You is a series of 11 scenes by 11 different directors that are all around 10 minutes long.  These scenes are interwoven around the common theme of finding love. This film is a wonderful collage of what it means to find love in the Big Apple.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film. I was deeply entranced by most of the stories and cinematography. Living in New York this film goes right to my heart. It is an homage to New York, just like the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys song, “Empire State of Mind”, only… a little less overplayed. I find an unusual amount of satisfaction in seeing where people are, and sometimes how far they have traveled in a “moments” walk. If you have ever lived in New York, or wanted to, you should see this film.

The ‘Cities of Love’ series – supposedly – will be continued in Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Jerusalem, Venice and Timbuktu.

Teton Gravity Research – Snow Lab – Snow Reports, Weather Conditions, Avalanche Saftey, Snow Alerts and Ski Resort News

Teton Gravity Research – Snow Lab – Snow Reports, Weather Conditions, Avalanche Saftey, Snow Alerts and Ski Resort News.

 

SWEET!

The International Adventure Film Festival

For those located in the general vicinity of Boulder, CO, I strongly urge you to go and check out The International Adventure Film Festival sometime this weekend. Featuring the very latest and I find most compelling films out there, the 3 day event promises to be the best yet. I, personally am excited for No Impact Man on Saturday, and Swift. Silent. Deep., which I previously blogged about here.

This genre of filmmaking is the most compelling for me because of several reasons. First and foremost, they tend to cover topics that I can relate to and generally gravitate towards. More importantly, they tell some of the most compelling stories on the planet. I often view these filmmakers more as cultural documentarians rather than directors, producers. They are going to the places, telling the stories that most people don’t have the courage or fortitude to do, and I for one admire that.

On top of that, these productions do not have major budgets and in the majority of the cases, I can bet that significant funds are taken from their own meager pockets in order to realize their dreams. It is exactly these reasons why I continue to support independent film and will always be inspired to challenge myself and look at the world from a different perspective.

Below are some clips and trailers of this year’s cast of excellent bodies of work! Here is the official website with complete schedule, blog, and other updates. http://www.adventurefilm.org/index.aspx

November 11th, Not Just Another Day

Today is November 11th, 2009. The time is roughly 9:48 AM MST from where I sit, and as the day begins to unwind, I pause to reflect on something I have been thinking about a lot lately, our veterans.

Veterans Day is today and in light of some recent events unfolding in the world, I feel it is pertinent to discuss this holiday and its significance to the American people. Everyone knows about the Fort Hood Massacre that occurred earlier this week, but few, if any, heard about the shooting in Vail, Colorado this past weekend.

Vail is a rich ski town, with overpriced real estate and some egos to boot, and the last place one would expect to host a shooting. But that is exactly what happened. While the details are still coming out and nobody will ever know for sure the motives behind the shooting, on Saturday evening, a former Vietnam vet. and a Dr. got into a bit of a fight over something erroneous. After a heated conversation that went back and forth, the Vietnam vet pulled out a gun, killed the man, and fired several more rounds into the bar. He was later arrested, while the other victims recovered in the hospital. Trying to make sense of the shooting spree is impossible, and I for one, won’t begin to assess the shooting in anymore of a light because I was not there.

However, a saddening video surfaced on youtube with the shooter that was taken back in 2007. The man was a long-time Vail resident, and after serving our country, moved to the mountains and became infamous for skiing over 100+ days each year, and generally running with a rowdy crowd of ski bums. However, in this video, you can see a clear cry for help. The man had been evicted from his property and was unable to secure new housing due to the high cost of living in overpriced Vail. He made it clear that he could not travel due to several conditions stemming from his PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and the video was a cry for help, for someone to listen, for someone to care.

While I don’t condone his actions and I will never know if the motivation for his rampage was linked to his PTSD, but America has a really terrible tradition of treating its Veterans like garbage.

I will never serve in the military. No one in my extended family has served since WWII, and I doubt this trend will change. We just simply aren’t a military family. I have had plenty of friends that have served, known others that have served, but for me, as a self-described pacifist, I have a hard time supporting military action. I feel that peace, above all else should be the focus of our world leaders. This does not mean that I don’t support our service men and women. Quite frankly, they have the courage to do something that I could never do , and they should be admired and respected, not ignored.

American is rift with problems–we have a deficit that is unparalled, a crumbling infrastructure, a climate crisis that is unavoidable and will impact everyone, a failing health and education system, and so many more issues. Sometimes, people tend to forget that the people who give the most are often ignored more than others. Despite some recent attention, specifically to WWII vets with regards to “Band of Brothers,” and other Hollywood versions of war, people still really aren’t that aware of our vets that span across generations. This is a shame and something that needs to be reversed.

Take the time to go to your local VA hospital, and you’ll see operations trying to provide at max capacity. Our veterans are asking, pleading for our help in some cases and we are failing them. America is one of the most philanthropic countries on the planet. Somewhere in the area of $307 billion is donated every year, yet I wonder how much of that our veterans’ in need actually see. We hate paying taxes, yet the majority of the programs available for our vets are through the government. What do we do?

For one, our tax dollars are grossly misspent, and if we had a significant realignment of our fiscal spending, we would be better able to provide for all. I also think that more attention needs to be placed on health, economic, and physical  issues facing veterans such as PTSD. And finally, go out and volunteer, say hi to a vet, let them know how much you appreciate their service and respect them. Don’t do it just today either, but whenever you can. A simple thank you can go a long way.

Sweetgrass Productions’ Signatures

One of the best ski films I’ve seen in a while. Been meaning to review it for the last month, procrastination is a bitch. Check out the trailer, full posting to come…

Honey Brown Deliciousness

Over the weekend, I took a crack at a Honey Brown recipe I found online. The beer is crisp, refreshing and has just a kick of sweetness to make it a satisfying fall time brew. The body of the beer is a dark amber color, and although traditionally a lager, can also be brewed as an Ale for an even fuller body.

My recipe was taken from the internet. The original title was Nuttin’ Honey Brown, and is an extract recipe.

.5 lbs Crystal Malt

.3 lbs American Chocolate

.5 lbs American Victory

3.3 lbs light extract

2 lbs honey

1.5 oz fuggle

1 oz tettnanger

As a homebrewer, I tend to do things on the cheap and easy. Windsor English Ale Yeast was called for in the recipe, but I had some Irish Ale Yeast left over from the previous week, so I opted to use that.

I began by steeping the grains while my water heated, which was wonderful because it took almost an hr to do so, so the colors and flavors of the grains really had time to absorb into the water. Next came the extract. My oz of fuggle was in for 40min, followed by 1/2 of my honey for 15 min, and then finally the tett for the remaining 5. Now the recipe called for 1.5 oz of fuggle, however as you may know, hops only come in 1 oz packages, so I opted to toss in the other half of my cascades, left over from my Hefe into the mix.

After the wort cooled, I poured about half of the honey into the bottom of the carboy, filled, and then added the remaining honey. Idea behind this was to give the yeast more sugars, and also provide an extra little sweet kick. The yeast became active within 5 hrs, and as of this morning, the bubbler was still going strong.

The Honey Brown will probably remain in the primary until at least Sunday, so 8 days, and maybe longer depending on the activity of the yeast. The color is a beautiful golden dark brown. Pictures will come tonight.

Overall, easy recipe, and I will report back on the taste in a few weeks. In the mean time, for all homebrewers out there, AVERY BREWING IN BOULDER PROVIDES FREE BOTTLES TO ANYONE WHO STOPS BY THE BREWERY. I know, bottling sucks, but for those of us that are dirt poor and cant afford expensive kegging units, bottling is the next best thing. Next up…Peanut Butter Porter?

CHEERS

Homebrew Season, Baby

Homebrewing is addictive. I’ve done a Hefe, Irish Red, and this weekend, a Honey Brown. Besides being incredibly fun, knowing that I’ll have a never-ending supply of fresh beer, and generally can get about 3 cases worth for $30 makes the deal so much sweeter. Recipes will be added tonight, and stay tuned for a full tutorial this weekend. Can you say, IPA?

 

In the mean time, check out the American Homebrewers Association for tips, recipes, and all things beer!

You’re a Whore…A Powderwhore and you know it

“I tele.” Dammit! Immediately, images are conjured up in one’s mind of dreadlocks, hair in unwanted places, and an ego to boot. It’s inevitable to think otherwise. Many a skier prides themself on being tolerant, welcoming, and even experimental when it comes to meeting new people and converting the masses to the sport. However, there is something about tele skiers ( for those unfamiliar, the people who get down the hill by doing a series of lunges, I know, it looks funny) that seem to just irk us alpiners the wrong way. Maybe its silly catch phrases such as: “free your heel, free your mind,”or “tele-skiing is more soulful,” that bugs alpiners and make us not want ski with our free-heel brethren. Or maybe its the fact that they are slower. Regardless, there are some  very strange tele people out there who manage to  fit every possible stereotype.

In there defense, though, there are plenty of us “CORE” alpiners out there as well, bringing just as much ‘tude. We tend to call those people…gapers.

On Saturday, The Wilderness Exchange in Denver screened Powerwhore’s latest work, Flakes, to a packed house. Avery Brewing provided free booze and the first 100 through the door got a free pint glass. Score! Despite showing up nearly a half hour before showtime, the tele dudes and gals had somehow managed to consume all the beer, roughly 2 kegs, before I arrived. Needless to say, I was afraid, very afraid. On top of that, I felt as if I was in a Boulderites’ wet dream…FREEHEELERS everywhere.

There was no shortage of chaco wearing, dread rockin’, free your heel ‘tude packed tighter than a jar of pickles in the front lobby of the store. I was fearful for my life, because I was most definitely the only lock downer in the room. But I made do and settled in for the flick.

For those unfamiliar with Powderwhore, the focus on one thing…Powder. Go figure. Featuring a venerable who’s who of the tele world including: Andy Jacobsen, Megan Michelson, Nick Devore, and a slew of others, the HD film opens up with some beautiful time-lapse shots. As the mood builds, the film transitions into the real goods, POWDER.

Shot mostly in Utah, it is clear from the start of Flakes, why the crew lives there. Deep powder, dense trees, and some backcountry booters are all candidly captured. As Flakes progresses, it’s hard even for a non-freeheeler or dare I say, even boarder to not be stoked for the winter. As drool dribbles down your mouth and visions of neck-deep pow surface in your mind, the film transitions into Cribs…yes Cribs.

The iconic MTV show that delves into the homes and lives of some of the worlds’ richest, most influential people was so intrigued by the works of Powderwhore, that they sent a full crew for a feature. Any guesses as to who the lucky dog was? Jay-Z, Martha Stewart, Whitney Houston? We all know Whitney likes the powder, just not the right kind. The featured crib was none other than Nick Devore’s. I’ll reveal a little, he lives outside of Aspen, off the grid, and shall we say, a more “native” lifestyle. Trust me, it makes the flick even better.

Concluding the film are some really cool shots of some tele-jibbers in Tahoe, and even more POWDER from Patagonia and Colorado. As the evening wound down, and I collected bottles for my homebrew, the mood was light, festive, and most importantly, stoked for winter. Just ask the 10-year-old who won the sweet pair of BD touring poles.

Great film, great times, click for website and tour info…

Slightly Stoopid & International Adventure Film Festival

Choices, choices, choices. This week in Denver, Slightly Stoopid plays at the Ogden. One of my favorite bands of all time, they are the perfect indie success story. Briefly signed to Sublime’s Skunk Records, the band has since created a massive cult following due to spending almost 200 days on the road a year. They’ve sold over 500,000 records and make music perfect for an afternoon surf session or bottomless pow day.  

Also happening in Boulder this week, the International Adventure Film Festival. Featuring the latest in independent film features, the diverse collection of work that will be showcased this weekend rivals any other film festival.

Question, where to spend my money? Although live music is great, I might have to skip and head to Boulder.

Click here for more info about the festival