What I Miss About Milwaukee

I will never move back to Wisconsin.  I love Georgia and am settling in just fine.  But I spent my first 55 years in Milwaukee and it is my home town.  And, there are a lot of things I miss about the place.  Mainly I miss my family and friends still there. That's a given.  But here are a few other things I miss - most I really never thought about until I moved away:



Racks of yummies at National Bakery

 Bakeries.  When I lived in Bay View they were every where.  Milwaukee has a lot of corner, local bakeries and they are wonderful.  Oh - the breads!  Stopping in on the way to work to grab a donuts or even a couple dozen to bring in as treats.  Roma's, near my house in Bay View, had the best homemade potato salad.  Yes, some carried more than just cakes, pies, breads and other wonderful sweet treats.  I miss 'em.

And, on that note, I miss going to my local bakery for hot ham and rolls on a Sunday morning.  This tradition goes back to when I was a girl and my father would pick up a coffee cake and hot ham and rolls on a Sunday morning.  Yum.  Coffee cake before church and hot ham and rolls after church.  Or both before and after.  On my own this was a great treat five or six times a year.  Potato rolls.  Always potato rolls. 

Beautiful Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan.  I really never spent a lot of time on the lake front.  However, the last year I lived in Milwaukee I made a point to drive home from work along Lake Drive at least every other week.  Since I lived in southeast Milwaukee and worked in northwest Milwaukee, this included driving down Silver Spring to Lake Drive, along where all of the beautiful mansions and large, old houses are. 

Even in winter the lake is beautiful

Seeing Lake Michigan in all different weather was something.  Rain and snow - gray, huge waves that when over the break waters.  Sunny and blue skies - the light reflecting off the water and sail boats dotting the horizon.  I also miss the weather forecast "lake effect."

I won't mention the calories included 
 a true Milwaukee fish fry.

The obvious.  Fish fries on Friday nights.  With potato pancakes and apple sauce.  Nothing like it.

I miss Bay View (a very old neighborhood of Milwaukee where I lived in my 120 year old house).  While I love my subdivision and being out of the "hood" I miss the convenience of Bay View.  I could walk to a bakery, grocery store, library, great restaurants, little funky stores, etc.  I miss the church bells of St. Augustine, two blocks away.  I really miss those church bells.



St. Augustine's c. 1908, still looks the same, bells and all

 My pretty back yard.  I am struggling with plantings in my back yard here in Georgia.  My back yard in Milwaukee was beautiful.  But, I have to remember it took me 3-4 years (out of the 11 in my house) to get it looking decent, so I just have to be patient here.  But, puttering in my garden and hearing the church bells was awesome.



Frozen custard is NOT ice cream.  Oh, God - it is so good!

Frozen custard.  Leon's, Gilles, Laducs.  Need I say more? 

Milwaukee and surrounding areas was mapped out on a grid.  It was EASY to find places if you knew the address and the direction, i.e. north, south, east and west.  And, you could basically get anywhere in 30 minutes.  All the way across town.  Sigh.  Not here.



I can't even cout the number of times I
have been to the lakefront on July 3rd for the
fireworks.

 Going down to the lakefront with a million other people to see the fireworks.  A huge Milwaukee tradition.  Much better than sitting in an empty parking lot.  Even better - being on a boat on Lake Michigan and watching the fireworks.  Nothing like it.

Beautiful lobby of the Pfister

Brunch at the Pfister Hotel.  A true Milwaukee gem, the brunch is excellent and elegant and one of my very favorite things to do on a Sunday morning.  A real treat. I love the Pfister, Bleu and the piano bar.

There are more things I miss, but these are the main things.  Like I said, I will not move back to Milwaukee, but I do miss it.  Sometimes.  From May - October.  Never in winter. 



Who would ever miss this?