24 Hours: Family at the Pfister

24 Feb, 2012

Ok, here’s the plan. (Trumpets, please.)

24 hours. The whole family. Take on as much of the Pfister as we possibly can. Take pictures and let you share in the fun.

Ready…

Set…

Wait…not just yet!

OK…

GO!

Outside the elevator doors inside the parking garage there are cards. These cards state which floor you're on to remind you of where your car is parked. This entertained the kids to no end.

Checking in under the grand murals of the Pfister lobby.

Una learns how to operate the keyed elevator.

Our chalet for the evening.

Shortly after we checked in there was a knock at our door. Everyone was excited to have dinner challenged by milk and cookies.

Bye bye milk, on to getting dressed for dinner.

But not before we learned how to lock our valuables in the safe. Toothbrush, socks, the last cookie...

Is this thing on? We encouraged everyone to take pictures, even 4 year old Edmund.

Getting ready for dinner...hang on...you've got an eyelash...

All dressed up and ready to go.

While the lobby lounge and Mason Street Grill are spectacular places to eat we didn't think they'd be the most fitting place for a 4 year old. So we took a walk...

...and found ourselves at Sake Tumi. Sushi=finger food. Perfect!

Where's the mom of this brood been the whole time?! (Susan is usually behind the camera, which is her preference.)

Sensei and Una taking a moment to be silly between trying to figure out the ancient art of chop sticks.

Where to now?

"Well I have to find some excuse to wear this robe..."

What else is on the 23rd floor?

The beach!

Well, ok, maybe the beach is a mural. But there is a pool!

And the winner is...

It's a tie!

After swimming we came back to the room to write letters (more about that tomorrow) and watch the movie In Time- from our beds!

Everyone else decided for another round of morning swimming. (while I slept in)

Don't worry about that snow, it sure is nice in here...

Sensei and Edmund splashing about.

Una penciled in a workout before breakfast.

Is this the right way?

Ah, that’s how the camera works. I ordered Susan one of Valerie’s special Pfister Bloody Marys with breakfast, but unfortunately it was gone before we could get a picture!

Did you know that there is a mail chute at the Pfister? Did you know it starts at the 7th floor and you can see letters drop all the way into the box?

Oh yes, we dropped those letters and took turns watching them arrive safe in the lockbox.

Strike a fire. Then a pose. Vogue.

But there was one more surprise in store...

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE HAVING AFTERNOON TEA IN BLU!

Una concentrates on pouring steeped tea while contemplating the harp.

"See that Northwestern Mutual building to the east? It was built on a swamp called Lake Emily using wood pilings..." blah blah blah

Sensei's tea was incredible, hints of orange and chocolate all at the same time.

"To become one with the haute chocolate one really needs to properly capture it's scent," explained Edmund after coming up for air.

I ordered that herbal tea just for color composition, I swear.

All this activity lead to a sleeping toddler. Which leads to...

...smiling parents! I hope you enjoyed joining us for the ride, we all had a great time. Tell us about your Pfister adventure!

About the author

Ed Makowski

Ed Makowski is a poet/writer/artist/radio personality/gatherer of stories and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While working as Eddie Kilowatt he released two poetry books, Manifest Density and Carrying a Knife in to the Gunfight. Density was included in Best New Poetry of 2006 and Gunfight received the Carma Writer’s Award. Both were released on his indy press Full Contact Publishing. Ed is also a regular contributor of interviews to Lake Effect on Milwaukee’s NPR station 89.7 WUWM. This is also where he curates The Lunch Counter storytelling series. Through April the Pfister Hotel is home to The Lunch Counter. Ed will serve as the Pfister Narrator through April 2012. Ed is also working on a few different poetry books, each taking overtly different directions; dialogue poems, history poems, longer storytelling poems. Between writing projects and working Ed likes to ride motorcycles and backpack into the middle of nowhere.