I took a trip to Milwaukee last weekend with my brother and a few friends, in advance of his wedding next month.

A few thoughts from the trip:

  • Milwaukee:  My new favorite city in the midwest.  No hurt feelings, okay Chicago?  At least you have Carlos Boozer.  Overall, a nice-sized town, with waterfront, green spaces, great food, and a friendly people.
  • Best Brunch:  Trocadero Gastro Bar – Great food, cool neighborhood and an awesome garden patio.
  • Best Bar:  The Old German Beer Hall.  While you’re there, be sure to play a game of hammer-nail-into-stump.  It’s a pretty bizarre yet gratifying game.
  • Cheese Tasting:  Wisconsin Cheese Mart. Conclusion? Wisconsin cheese good.  Very good.  German cheese bad.  Now I know why it was funny that my grandfather used to stick limburger cheese under my mom’s pillow as a kid.
  • Frisbee Golf: We stumbled on a store after brunch called “Art Smart’s Dart Mart.” Obviously, we had to go in, and Art convinced us to take up the game of Frisbee Golf.  4 frisbee sales later, a city bus ride to the park, and we were on the first tee of an 18 hole frisbee golf course.  It was nearly as fun as regular golf, but much less frustrating-and free.
  • Best Breweries:  Rock Bottom Brewery for best outdoor space on an inlet, Lakefront Brewery for best brewery tour and fish fry (so we’re told…we only tried the beer), Milwaukee Brewing Co. for waterfront patio and a real nice flight.
  • My Brother: Could you really be getting married?  How can that be?  It feels like just last week that we were catching fireflies and playing GI-Joe football.  Natasha will have a life of fun and laughter living with you.  (Okay, there will be some headaches too).  But it was great to have a weekend to be kids again.  Congrats little brother.