Lost and Found
“Hey! Keyser Soze!”
The guest at the other end of the bar shouts towards me. He’s referencing a conversation the entire bar was having earlier that led into someone trying to describe Gabriel Byrne, and ultimately referenced the film, The Usual Suspects. I’m a huge fan of Kevin…
Little Things
From the brass knocker that indicates a guest’s room number to the matching brass plate on the electronics charging box inside; from the intricate patterns of the stair railings to the wallpaper stripes; from the ever-changing flowers in the front hall to the roses on the carpet – the…
Beethoven Meets Gershwin Meets Albrechtson
Dan Albrechtson is slight of stature, stooped as though permanently shaped to sit on a bench and let his shoulders lead dancing fingers across a black and white striped musical floor. A retired math and computer teacher, his spectacles echo the days of computer programming gone by: large, square rims…
Piano for Three: Sunday Snapshots
Where: Parking garage
When: 7:30pm
What: Power-washing of the parking ramps. Motors running, water streaming, hoses draped across the cement. Cars with license plates from Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee all sport bike racks. Perhaps for people taking part in the UPAF Ride for the Arts which went on…
Grand Cafe Mornings
He sits by the window, the only person wearing a t-shirt amidst suit jackets, colorful ties, and stylish vacationers. Looking around, he says “I like the way it feels in here. It’s nice, but casual.” He glances up, gesturing to the red, brown & cream striped awning where…
Pool With a View
“It’s a marvelous night for a moondance,” croons Marcell Guyton, guest musician at the Blu. This sweet Van Morrison melody happens to be one of my favorites. Despite the fact that the moon isn’t out tonight, it is, indeed a marvelous night. The sky is clear, the lights…
Safe and Sound
I can’t see Beth and she can’t see me. Even if we weren’t talking on the phone, she still wouldn’t be able to see me. Blind since 1985 when she was only 26 years old, Beth Finke is a mother, NPR commentator, and author of two…
Rick Week
A blond, a brunette, and a redhead sit at the bar. But this isn’t a joke. They’re lifelong Rick Springfield fans, in town for his shows at the Northern Lights Theater.
“It’s not just a show,” says Jeanne, the most outgoing of the trio, “It’s also…
Business Casual
Two men casually sit in the lobby lounge, amidst a loud, chattering crowd of entrepreneurial salesmen and women converging for an annual gala. They sit in facing chairs with an immense, dark walnut coffee table between them, each mirroring the other’s physicality and body position. Perhaps it’s their…
It Really Is a Small World After All
The lobby is packed with people. It’s prom season and dozens of couples have appeared to pose for photos together, even though the dance is being held elsewhere. Their dresses are brightly colored: sunny yellows, crisp greens, rich pinks and deep purples – embellished with crystalline drops or lacy embroidery…
May I Suggest…
The art of the recommendation. It’s a skill born of the preternatural ability to read people and an intimate knowledge of available options. It’s why you go to your local bookstore or record store: the clerks who enthusiastically love what they stock and sell are guaranteed to connect…
All the Colors of the Rainbow
The weather in Milwaukee was (briefly) exquisite this week. Temperatures soared into the low 60′s, the breezes indicated Spring was finally here with their combination of warmth and lakeside coolness, and the sun was brightly shining. Perfection. The daffodils and tulips are in full bloom on, what feels like…
Meet Stacie Williams: The 2011 Pfister Narrator
With a love of stories and storytelling, Stacie Williams has worked at a local Milwaukee bookstore for more than five years, and has experience in travel writing and blogging. She studied theater at University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee and is active in its creative writing program.
Williams was chosen to serve…
(re)Writing History
~
“No single man makes history. History cannot be seen,
just as one cannot see grass growing.”
~
When I told a writer friend of mine about this unique position, she launched into an interesting bit of historical trivia she had learned while living in Russia. In the old hotels there, during…
Passing of the Pen
That’s what we’re calling it. The official sign-off, hand-over and next phase of the Narrator position. I’m not eager to give it up, but when I see Stacie again today, I realize “how can I not?”
Standing in the middle of the hotel lobby, she…
The Walls Did Talk
People watching is a skill. If you’re good at it (and I really want to believe I am) you can master blending in, even if you’re taking notes and keeping your eyes up, about and above your coffee. People often sit, trying to go unnoticed, and to do…
Historic Hotel Selects Next In-House Storyteller: Welcome, Stacie Williams.
The historic Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee has named Stacie Michelle Williams as its second ‘Pfister Narrator.’ In the role, she will spend time in the hotel’s lobby, interviewing visitors and guests and sharing their stories on the Pfister’s blog (blog.thepfisterhotel.com). As narrator, she will be…
Plein Air Office Space
I try not to write about the staff. They’re an easy target—each is polished, professional and full of juicy bits of knowledge. They’re the eyes and ears. But we, the “in-residencers” are also staff in a way, but with the very specific charge to engage and…
Scaling Forward
I’m a Libra. Some of you may have already guessed as much. One of our best qualities is indecision. Our symbol is the scales because we try to be fair and just.
I was happy to share indecision Thursday with my colleagues at the Pfister as we looked at…
The NASA Game
I’ve done a lot of organizational consulting and training. Among the structures for company retreats and more is a ropes or games course. Every one I’ve ever done says start small–ice breakers and get to know you type work.
One of the games my organization and later…
A Portrait of the Artist
“Well, everyone calls me Eugene,” he said, when I stuck out my hand to meet the now infamous subject of one of Katie Musolff’s paintings. I’ve seen Eugene before each time I pass through the Artist-in-Residence’s studio, but here he is, live and in the…
Staying on the Ride
It’s such a surreal feeling to interview your replacement. Sure, I’m being a bit dramatic—I’m not interviewing them and when I took the job, I knew I’d eventually be replaced but there’s nothing I have to like about it.
Well, I do like the…
Brewing with Excitement
Off schedule, sure, but I think you can handle it.
First, the cafe renovations are in full swing. Then…there will be coffee (see other posts about how necessary this is in my world).
Now, I’ve just received a giant package of applications from those who’d like to…
The Pfister Hotel Recognized for Community Efforts
Preferred Hotel Group has awarded a Certificate of Excellence to the historic Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee for its efforts in the areas of community and philanthropy. In its fifth year, the Great Initiatives for Today’s (Tomorrow’s) Society (GIFTTS) Hotel Recognition program was created to recognize exceptional actions…
