And So It Goes…
…said Kurt Vonnegut. A simplistic way to convey closure, to throw your hands up in the air and surrender, to explain the inexplicable. And so I go, back to my life pre-Pfister, after six months of exploring, discovering, conversing, photographing, writing, and blogging. There is no simple way to…
Creativity is Everybody’s Business
Maggie Kuhn Jacobus is not your typical executive. Nor is she your typical mom. After a successful carrer as an entreprenuer, writer, producer, marketer, and public relations exec, she took a six-year sabbatical to raise her kids in the lush and far-flung tropics of Costa Rica because she…
Serving and Protecting By Day and By Night
Everyone has a very different version of a hero. They come in all shapes and sizes, and their acts even go unnoticed at times. Mike Nichols, a Pfister associate, working in loss and prevention (a.k.a security) fulfills his need to serve and protect not only at the Pfister…
Sunday at the Spa
What’s a better gift than comfort and relaxation? I’d argue that there’s none. While some people see it as a luxury, others enjoy massage therapy as a part of their regular health and wellness routine – lucky people indeed. The waiting room at the Well Spa one Sunday…
5 O’clock Coffee Talk
It’s happy hour! What are we doing drinking coffee? It’s the kind of Friday night that calls for a martini – straight up.
I take my usual seat at the Lobby Lounge bar, looking around at the flurry of activity as hotel guests arrive for the weekend and the…
Carla and Tommy
“I made a song!” she declared with a Christmas-morning smile. Dan invited her over to the piano in the lobby to play a few notes. “He knows that Jeff always plays ‘Summertime’ for me, because that’s the song my mother used to sing to me when I was…
Pfister Files: Rosemary Steinfest
Over the next few months, I will be dusting off pages from the Pfister’s history books and sharing bits of the Pfister’s prolific history. This is the second post in this series.
Rosemary Steinfest is a bona fide rock star. She was the first and still, the only…
Working to Give
Proudly showing off her black fleece sweater with the embroidered Pfister logo, I may have just met the Pfister’s biggest fan tonight. She and her husband were certainly fans of Jeff. Like any good bartender, he took to the attention like a moth to a flame and kept them…
The Art of Storytelling with Ex Fabula
No professionals needed – just enthusiastic amateurs. That’s my kind of club. ExFabula has been organizing live storytelling events in Milwaukee since 2009. Founding member Megan McGee takes pride in helping people discover that they have a story to tell and showing them how to do it. There is only…
Fred Pfister: Part 2 of 2
“My grandmother used to save this stuff and my mother was a saver too. Now that I am all alone in the house, rather than just throw it away, I wanted a way to preserve it,” Fred Pfister said about the beautiful handmade clothing his grandmother created. We couldn’t…
A Palace for the People
The King of Hospitality knows a thing or two about throwing a party. I, along with 500 of Mr. Marcus’s closest friends, attended a dinner celebration last week to commemorate his 50th anniversary of Pfister Hotel ownership.
Both Mayor Barrett and Governor Walker declared December 6th “Steve Marcus Day…
Timothy Reflects: Part One – On “‘Studio’ Practice”
Timothy’s time as Artist in Residence has just about reached it’s halfway point. And oh, what a marvelous six months it’s been for Timothy. I’ve asked him to reflect on some of his experience, and we’ve decided to break down his experiences into four parts…
The Beginning
This is the first of three posts where I wrangle an unsuspecting Pfister guest into a short story project.
Pt 1. – The Beginning (this one)
Pt 2. – The Middle
Pt 3. – The End
Today, I asked for random details to shape the beginning of a story.
Jeff / Milwaukee/ Writer &…
October Gallery Night and “The Art of Marcus”
This October’s Gallery night was a particularly special one, not only for Timothy and The Pfister, but for associates across all three properties owned by our parent company, Marcus Hotels.
“The Art of Marcus”
Some incredibly talented artists from here at The Pfister Hotel, The InterContinental Milwaukee & The…
The Art of Marcus – Gallery Night Exhibit
We’re making this Gallery Night one of the most memorable ever as we feature our very own aspiring and inspiring artists, in a very special Marcus associate exhibit. Associates were invited to share the works of their artistic passion with their co-workers and the Milwaukee art community…
Rock Star
“Let me tell you a story about the Colorado River…”
The speaker is only a few minutes into her keynote address. From my seat at the back of the grand ballroom, I can barely see her diminutive frame on the dais. I’m sitting on a stray banquet chair between…
Can You See Me Now?
Maggie Janssen is the Senior Vice President of Global Communications for one of the largest and most respected non-profit organizations in the world.
Well, not yet.
I found Maggie stationed at a skirted table outside of the Imperial Ballroom. At the entrance behind her, a diagram has been pinned…
Finalists Exhibit Artist Profile – Sara Mulloy
As part of the Pfister’s ongoing commitment to the arts and those incredibly talented artists who’ve taken the time to submit their candidacy for our Artist-in-Residence position, we’ve put together a fantastic evening at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts to highlight Artist…
Sacred Harvest
I’ve always enjoyed fall. Not because of the burnished and bronze treetops or the soft comfort of an old sweater or for the ubiquity of football. Definitely not for the football.
Rather, I am incredibly buoyant during the early fall months, inspired by the season’s warmth and currents…
Finalists Exhibit Artist Profile – Albin Erhart
As part of the Pfister’s ongoing commitment to the arts and those incredibly talented artists who’ve taken the time to submit their candidacy for our Artist-in-Residence position, we’ve put together a fantastic evening at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts to highlight Artist…
Finalists Exhibit Artist Profile – Pamela Anderson
As part of the Pfister’s ongoing commitment to the arts and those incredibly talented artists who’ve taken the time to submit their candidacy for our Artist-in-Residence position, we’ve put together a fantastic evening at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts to highlight Artist…
Elevated
When people wax poetic about “the good old days,” it’s not often that they’re referring to the 15th century.
“Artists had it best during the Medici period,” my table mate says to me. She’s referring to the Italian dynasty famously credited for ushering forth the Renaissance. Their…
Get them While You Can: Summer Menu Items at Cafe Pfister
Sure, summer is coming to an end, but while they’re available, you can still enjoy the delicious tastes of summer that Chef Brian has put together for the Cafe Pfister’s menu. Including two of Chef Brian’s favorites, the WELLspa Caprese Salad and the incredible Floribbean Panini.
WELLspa…
The Student Whisperer
By all accounts, Timothy Westbrook is a cheerful guy. He’s beaming whenever I see him: showing one of his fabrics to a guest, chatting with staff, carrying a cup of coffee through the halls or waving from behind the sewing machine in his studio. Beaming.
His good mood radiates…
Bravery
I spotted the boy first. A fair-headed toddler with the ambition –if not the arm extension—to reach the hand towels all by himself. Up on his tiptoes, he wiggled and stretched his fingers toward the sensor. His small grunts only rumbled out as giggles.
His mother and I…
