Milwaukee Specialty Food and Coffee

East Side/Riverwest: Alterra: Snapshots: The Bagelsphere

Here's a situation that might have enough substance for half a Seinfeld episode: I'm at Alterra on the Lake, where I ordered a soy latte and a whole wheat bagel (toasted with butter), both for here.  They called me to pick up the drink, but there was never any sign of the bagel.  About fifteen minutes after I ordered, they got slammed, so I can't go back to the counter to ask for it.  So the bagel, I fear, is forever consigned to the bagelsphere.  I'm not worried about the bagel but am curious about the etiquette--am I allowed to flag down the food runner as if she were a waitress and ask?

Shorewood: Snapshots: City Market Shorewood (Part 1)

On E. Capitol Dr. just off the lakeshore, the spire of St. Robert Catholic Church towers above its surroundings.  It's probably the only landmark in Whitefish Bay or Shorewood that's clearly identifiable from both I-43 and airplanes passing overhead.  Personally, I love the way it stares down UWM.  The church-school complex, which also houses a Milestones day care, fuels business at The City Market's Shorewood location.  The latter has become a staple for me of late, in part because of St. Robert's but also because the businesses on N. Oakland Ave. sometimes don't seem quite up to par.  City Market serves Stone Creek coffee, but its espresso drinks are better than those at Stone Creek, particularly the one in Shorewood.

(To be continued.)

Religion: Photos: St. Robert's in Shorewood

In celebration of Holy Week, here's a picture of my latest infatuation, St. Robert's Catholic Church in Shorewood.  (Taken around Christmastime, as you can tell.)

 

Editorial: Imagine No Possessions

With the exception of two or three nights, tonight marks my first night back at my apartment since a week before Christmas.  I know where nothing I own is.  Between that fact and a six-month work hurricane that has left me definitely not in Kansas anymore, I'm feeling a little discombobulated right now.  That's not necessarily such a bad thing.  "Disco Bob" has important lessons to teach sometimes.  Like this one: I need to have few or no possessions.  Looking through my closets for the external DVD drive to my computer, I realized I was highly unlikely to find it anytime soon.

After spending so much time at my parents' suburban home, I've been thinking a lot about the strategy of plunking down one's fortune into the asset of a home and relying on that investment.  I certainly can't argue against the financial wisdom of doing so--especially for my parents, who basically have stayed in their starter home for most of their lives--but I'm not sure that makes it any more attractive to me right now.  I was thinking about how investing in my job is beneficial because my professional skill is, in a sense, a perfectly mobile asset--all I have to do is move my ass out of my chair.  No set-up or break-down required.  Would that I could make the rest of my possessions equally mobile!

Photos: Starbucks in Shorewood

$$$$: Links: You Fill Enjoy It: Bargaineering

Here's a link to a great blog I found tonight called Bargaineering. In fact, the link points to a section I'm particularly fond of--frugality!

Editorial: $$$$: Behold the Bungalow

A corollary to what I wrote a couple days ago is almost kind of a Freakonomics thing: homeowners are preoccupied with waiting for their property values to increase, but while they do so, societal and technological change makes their houses outdated--so keeping property values up is an uphill battle.  I wonder if this is why inner-ring suburbs go to such lengths to create a quality-of-life proposition, which is where coffee shops often fit in.  Perhaps coffeehouses are tasked with lending a desirable ambiance to these suburbs, above and beyond their business plan.  If this is true, I don't know that it is fair.  I believe businesses exist to make money for their owners by dint of their business plan.  If suburban residents want to enjoy a certain ambiance, I would suggest that the way to implement that is by property taxes rather than generating revenue opportunistically from those who happen to be there, resident or not.

Editorial: $$$$: The 5K Challenge

Earlier this year, I resolved to try to save $5,000 during 2010.  I decided that I would do it by accumulating $1,250 per quarter and then use most of that amount to pay off debt, as it wouldn't make sense for me to build up that much cash before at least one of my credit cards is paid off.  I'm pleased to report that I'm on track to accomplish this goal.

Last night, I went to bed way too late--but that's OK, because I thought up the following formulation.  I don't want to be one of those people who insufferably come up with "personal mission statements"  or "affirmations", but surely it's good to chart the course for my professional and financial life in this way.

I want any money I make to be a reflection of my performance, so that I can share it with others to help them attain their dreams.  If I can accomplish that in this lifetime, I will consider myself truly wealthy.

Kinda has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Links: You Fill Enjoy It: Hipsters on Food Stamps

Not to toot my own horn, but I think I may have called this one. I didn't expect it to come true quite this soon, though.

Editorial: You Are Now Entering Retail Hell

Here's a good symptom of retail hell, this one (like so many) courtesy of Open Pantry: "would you like to lose your change for MS today?"  No, sorry, I wouldn't.  More complete answer: What percentage of your obscene profit margin will you be kicking in for this doubtless worthy cause?  (This isn't necessarily rhetorical.  If there's a good answer, I'd love to hear it.)

When I dash in someplace to spend five bucks, I want the experience to be straightforward.  No rounding up, no losing change, no loyalty card, no punch card.  I figure that with the time I spend dodging these aggravations, I could take a half hour each month to sit down and make an informed charitable giving decision--and one that may have needed tax advantages for me.  (Indeed, once I have some debt paid off, my goal will be tithing.)

Giving up retail and service industry hell is like quitting smoking--even if you find yourself doing it every day, don't stop trying!