VISIT Milwaukee Blog

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013 By Jeannine Sherman Director of Public Relations VISIT Milwaukee

A lot of people claim to know their home town “like the back of their hand.” Rory Orgill does. Rory’s been a Milwaukee cab driver for more than 16 years and he loves what he does. He’s an unheralded ambassador for the city, unabashedly proud of Milwaukee – and in particular Milwaukee’s music scene. The latest in the innovative Dear MKE series features his story, and shows how the view from the backseat can be surprisingly entertaining, enlightening and purely Dear MKE.

Milwaukee director, Frankie Latina, and cinematographer, Vinnie Besasie, spent an evening riding with Rory. Along the way, they discovered just how passionate he is about live music. He’s the kind of guy who’s kept every ticket stub to every concert he’s ever been to in Milwaukee and no matter what kind of music you like, he’ll know just the place to catch a live set. Although his “office” is a little different than that of most people, Rory wouldn’t have it any other way. He likes the freedom of being his own boss, meeting new people every night and sharing the wisdom earned from almost two decades behind the wheel.

The film is the fifth in the acclaimed Dear MKE series, and features music by local musicians Eugene Rueter, Kyle Feerick, and the band Collections of Colonies of Bees.

To see an additional 300+ video clips, stories and photos of Milwaukeeans sharing their love, pride and stories about Milwaukee, go to www.DearMKE.com.

Let us know what you think of the film on Dear MKE’s Facebook and Twitter!

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Monday, May 13, 2013 By Zack Zupke Creative Services Manager VISIT Milwaukee

I don’t remember the first baseball game I ever watched or my first trip to County Stadium to see the Brewers in person. They’re all a blur, as most things are year after year, but extremely-fond blurs. Yelling “hey Sixto!” at right fielder Sixto Lezcano from our seats and he waved back! Sitting with my son in the bleachers as Ben Sheets fanned 18 batters. Running down the aisle toward the railing behind the on-deck circle seeking my holy grail: an autograph from Robin Yount.

As I walked through “BASEBALL– Innovations That Changed the Game,” a limited-time exhibit at Discovery World on Milwaukee’s lakefront, more and more memories popped up, so to speak. The life-sized Paul Molitor and Ben Ogilvie bobbleheads instantly took me back to 1982 and the excitement of game one of the World Series when Molitor tallied an amazing five hits in six at-bats. Seeing the evolution of the base ball (the proper spelling was two words back in the day) bat from inception to present day made me long for the many bats I’ve loved and, unfortunately, discarded. Same goes for gloves. Man, I wish I had every glove I’ve ever used, every favorite ball I’ve ever owned and every baseball card I’ve ever collected (well, I still have most of those).

Gloves to hats, equipment to jerseys, “BASEBALL– Innovations That Changed the Game” is a fun look back on not only Milwaukee’s major-league history, but the game itself. And, there’s no better time to visit the Discovery World exhibit (and all of the other incredible offerings at the one-of-a-kind attraction) now that spring has finally sprung and the Brewers are battling to get to first place. But, you better hurry, the exhibit ends May 19.  

I hurried as fast as my little 7-year-old legs would take me toward my idol, the Brewers shortstop. Robin spotted me about half way down the aisle and grinned (in my memory anyway), watching as I desperately tried to take just one leap between those giant, stadium-sized steps. As he signed my scrap of paper and his lips spoke some seemingly-foreign language, all was quiet for me. I could smell the fresh-cut grass, feel the sunlight on my face, see him place his autograph in my hand. I was in my happy place - a blur I’ll never grow too old to forget.

Details:
BASEBALL– Innovations That Changed the Game
Through May 19
Discovery World
500 N. Harbor Dr.
 

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by Guest Blogger Carrie Woods

What do you get when you cross high-tech gadgets, a giant game of hide and seek and Milwaukee’s historic buildings, best attractions, beautiful outdoors and more? An opportunity to enjoy a great time discovering the city, one neighborhood at a time! 

VISIT Milwaukee is getting in on the action of geocaching, the popular real-world, outdoor game where participants navigate to a location using GPS coordinates to find a hidden container. To date, more than 5 million people are in on the fun, searching for more than 1.4 million geocaches hidden around the world. In recognition of National Tourism Week, a week designated to celebrate the impact of the travel and tourism industry, we’re officially launching our program!  

Our geocaches are part of an official GeoTour called “Discover Milwaukee’s Neighborhoods” that takes participants on a trek from the stunning shore of Lake Michigan to a historic village, through green space galore in our award-winning Milwaukee County Parks, past downtown skyscrapers and character-filled streets, to our best attractions and more!

If that sounds like fun to you, here’s a quick how-to guide on getting started!

1. Watch this quick video on geocaching or check out this 101 section for more details on the activity.
    
2. Grab your smartphone and download the Geocaching app or grab a GPS enabled device.
    
3. Go to visitmilwaukee.org/geocache and read about the 15 neighborhoods you’ll meet along your way. Don’t miss the fun facts at the bottom of each description!
    
4. Click here to see the complete “Discover Milwaukee’s Neighborhoods” GeoTour and download the list to your device.
    
5. GET GOING! Head to the neighborhood nearest you to meet Milwaukee!
    
6. Complete all 15 geocaches and fill out the Official Milwaukee Neighborhood Expert passport to receive a custom, limited-edition “Discover Milwaukee’s Neighborhoods” GeoCoin (details here).
    

PRIZES: On Tuesday, May 7, the first five people to discover each geocache will be able to exchange a token found in each container for an official “Discover Milwaukee’s Neighborhoods” t-shirt and tickets or a gift certificate to explore the area (while supplies last).

What are you waiting for? Go meet Milwaukee’s neighborhoods! Share your experiences with us on Facebook and Twitter – we’d love to know what you think of the program.

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by Guest Blogger Maxwell Zupke

The Charles Allis Art Museum will screen the 1949 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” May 8 at 7:30 p.m. It’s a rare film never aired on television nor released on VHS or DVD. The screening, which precedes a wide theatrical release of a new adaptation, will be shown as part of Charles Allis’ bi-monthly Movie Time series, which showcases classic films from the vast personal collection of Milwaukee’s leading film historian, Dale Kuntz.

The collection of art and furniture on display at the Charles Allis Art Museum makes Movie Time a double feature. For $7, patrons enjoy a general admission ticket to explore the home before taking their seats for Movie Time, which is always preceded by Kuntz’s inside scoop on the featured film.

Exploring F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 seminal novel has become a staple of high-school English classes and a popular project in Hollywood, which has adapted the classic five times, perhaps due to the continuing relevance of Fitzgerald’s portrayal of the empty nouveau riche lifestyle. “The Great Gatsby” screen debut was a silent film released in 1926, though it has since been lost.

The 1949 version highlights '40s megastar Alan Ladd as the eponymous Gatsby and features Academy Award-winner Shelley Winters in a small role. Due to legal loopholes and entanglements, the film has never been televised. Thankfully, one reel has been kept in pristine condition by Kuntz. The condition of the 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow was not so pristine, garnering mixed reviews at best, which is far better than 2000’s made-for-TV flop starring Paul Rudd and Mira Sorvino.

Here’s to hoping the latest big-screen adaptation, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, fares better. Helmed by “Romeo + Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge!” director Baz Luhrmann, the film retains Fitzgerald's 1920s setting, but adds a punchy, modern soundtrack.

Sounds like a “great” time to dust off that faded “Gatsby” from English Composition (insert your decade here), reacquaint yourself (or acquaint, like me, as I have yet to read it) with Gatsby, Nick, Tom and Daisy, then check out back-to-back “Gatsbys” – first at the Charles Allis on May 8, then May 10 at the Marcus Theatre of your choice (I’ll be planted, popcorn in hand, at the Majestic). It's a great opportunity to view two versions of a timeless tale, one Fitzgerald fans shouldn't miss.

Details:
Movie Time
Charles Allis Art Museum
1801 N. Prospect Ave.