West Side Stories

The recent flap in the Journal Sentinel about Wikipedia and the Lake Express made us all realize that if you say anything loud enough and in a public place, somebody will believe it. Although it calls itself a “free encyclopedia built collaboratively,” Wikipedia is merely a place for know-it-alls or know-a-little-bits to spout off, with little or no repercussion.

So, I was thinking, hmm....what exactly would Wikipedia say about Wauwatosa? Well, we have our own, nice little page. Well, maybe nice isn’t really the operative word, mostly because the main photo on the Wauwatosa Wikipedia Page (say that five times fast) is of “Municipal Tank No. 5.” Yes, if there’s a tourist out there who actually consults Wikipedia for travel information, they’ll see a photo of one of our lovely blue water towers. What surprised me is that there are 5 of these behemoths in our fair city. Who knew? Well, besides the Water Department, that is.

You also find out from Wikipedia that we are what is known as an Edge City, which does not mean we favor a certain brand of shaving cream, but rather that we are a relatively new concentration of business, shopping and entertainment outside a traditional urban area.

According to the Wikipedia Wauwatosa page, there are two main points of interest: The Anunciation Greek Church and the Library/City Hall Building. Apparently, everything else is what makes us so “edgy.”

There is some brief historical information, which may or may not be accurate and there is also this bit of trivia: One of the world's first airliners constructed by Alfred Lawson and Vincent Brunelli took its maiden flight in 1919 from what is now Currie Park. Hope those beautiful blue water towers didn’t get in the way!

So, if you fancy yourself a Wauwatosa historian, I guess you can feel free to head over to the Wikepedia Wauwatosa Page and edit to your heart’s content. And while you’re at it, why not put a picture of something, anything more attractive than Municipal Tank No. 5.

I’m not usually one to give out parenting advice. I might complain about other parents or their children once in a while, but I’m far from a perfect parent. I love my kids and think they’re incredible, but I’m certain I could have done a lot of things better through the years.

When my younger son, who is now almost 19, was a toddler, I was really pretty challenged by motherhood. I was working full-time and felt like everything was spinning wildly out of control. As kids do, he quickly figured this out and learned to push my buttons and get to me. In fact, he pushed so many of my buttons, I felt like an elevator. He was a typical toddler, but I was growing weary of the whining and the poor behavior.

Around that time, I was talking to my sister-in-law about this and sharing my tales of mothering woe. Shortly afterwards, she sent my husband and I a gift. Maybe it wasn’t so much a gift as it was a not-so-subtle hint. She sent us a book and some audiotapes called “Parenting Through Love & Logic” from the Cline-Fay Institute. Skeptic that I was, I wondered what kind of parenting voodoo this would be. Still, desperate for a change, my husband and I started reading the book and listening to the tapes. I have to tell you, it made a difference...pretty quickly. Our son, who whined about everything, was suddenly disarmed of this tactic. He would come crying to us about something small and we would give the suggested Love & Logic response: “That must be a really big problem for you.” All of a sudden, he was speechless, and blessedly quiet.

We never really finished reading or listening to the entire program, which I regret to this day. I guess, like every diet I’ve been on (“Oh, I lost 10 pounds! I’m done – now I can eat again!”) we were so thrilled with the results that we thought we’d figured it all out. Turns out there was a lot more to learn.

Why am I sharing this story with you? Because I noticed in the City of Wauwatosa Newsletter that beginning September 6th, The Parenting Network will offer a 7-week Love & Logic Training for parents. I guess this is my testimonial. This stuff is good and if you’re in the throes of young parenting and looking for some guidance, I suggest you give this a try. It’s not too late for you!

To register, contact Tom Weber at The Parenting Network – 414-671-5575 Ext. 14.

Yesterday, over my morning cup of coffee, I was surprised and interested to read that Wauwatosa has at least one prostitute living in our midst. Gosh, this gives new meaning to the term “bedroom community,” doesn’t it?

Could it be that our fancy new crossing signals were installed because we do have a “red light district”? And if we do, do you think their assessments went up too? Just imagine the conversation that went on at City Hall over that piece of property! (“Seriously, business has been down this year....”)

And could it be that this one “lady of the evening” puts the Fest in TosaFest? Sakes alive! It’s no wonder that our “National Night Out” is so darn popular!

Hey, now that I think about it, never mind the window displays, maybe this is Victoria’s Secret. Gee, we've always had a lot of runners, strollers and bike riders, but street walkers?!

We in Wauwatosa have always prided ourselves on our efforts to preserve history and now we can boast that one of our residents is practicing the “world’s oldest profession.”

Thank you. I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your wait staff.

It’s a fresh summer day here in Tosa and with the anticipation of school hanging in the air, it’s only appropriate that I mention the new road stripes that we have on Milwaukee Avenue. Apparently, the Road Striping Fairies were busy last night because when I awoke this morning, our road was freshly striped in a lovely, bright yellow that, of course, indicates opposing traffic. I learned that from the often inaccurate site Wikipedia which also told me that road striping has been around since the early 1950s. I hope you enjoyed this moment of transportation geekiness. Way more than you ever wanted to know about road stripes. Gee, with new stripes and new pedestrian signals up the street, this is just too much excitement to bear. Sorry folks, it's a slow news day.

Every year, on one magical evening, Wauwatosa becomes the Woodstock of Milwaukee. On that day, a warm August night preceding Irish Fest, thousands flock to our fair suburb to listen to the #2 band in the world get their jig on. By that I mean, Gaelic Storm, the world-renowned Celtic band whose most recent album is currently #2 on the World Charts. Plus, they’re movie stars, having performed and starred in the blockbuster film Titanic back in 1997. How often do we get celebrities of that caliber in Tosa?

This past Wednesday evening, August 16th, my husband and I put the dog on her leash and headed down to Menomonee River Parkway to walk casually through the throngs. It was nothing short of amazing. The traffic was in a virtual gridlock, lawn chairs were sprawled as far as you could see, the aroma of corned beef wafted through the air and you couldn’t swing a dead cat (or leprechaun) without hitting a Guinness or some other brand of stout beer.

Despite the fact that (heresy!) I am distinctly not fond of Irish music and culture (I grew up in Chicago where we were force-fed a steady diet of it), I could still fully appreciate the drawing power of this annual event. It was such fun to run into neighbors, have our dog petted by roaming children and consider selling tickets to our nearby bathroom to the hundreds waiting in line for the Porta-Potty. (They might want to set up a few more next year. Isn’t there a formula of Porta-Potty to beer served ratio?)

We didn’t stay for the entire concert and actually never sat down and really listened to Gaelic Storm or its opening act, Leahy’s Luck, but it was such a classic and beautiful Tosa evening that I’m certain we’ll go back next year. Yes, despite the fact that Irish music and culture will surround me. Heck, for one night I can handle it, can’t I?

If you live in or around Wauwatosa and have any desire to “tinkle the ivories,” now is the time to buy your own set of eighty-eights. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s an all-out piano war going on right here on North Avenue.

I’m pretty sure that the first shot was fired by Bradford’s Pianos at 115th and North by announcing that after 135 years, they were going out of business. In order to move out inventory, they created what look to me to be the largest sale signs ever created. The signs say things like: STORE CLOSING FOREVER! Nothing like a little drama to grab your attention.

If you drive a couple blocks west of Bradford’s, you’ll see that, coincidentally, Beihoff Music at 117th and North is having a piano sale and bragging about the “best piano prices on North Avenue.” Hmmm....who do you think they’re comparing their prices to?

And if you backtrack east of both of those stores, you’ll see that Netzow’s at 89th & North is advertising a Piano Truckload Sale! Gosh, where did they get that idea?!

I’m not in the market for a piano. Our little spinet is in fine condition and I haven’t looked at the prices of pianos in years. All I know is that competition is definitely good for the consumer, so now is the time for you to consider contributing to the Wauwatosa economy if you are in the market for some ebony and ivory for your home. I can’t imagine that you’ll have this many stores vying for your musical business anytime soon!

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Do you remember in my last post when I mentioned how you had so little time to turn left off of North Avenue onto 92nd Street/Swan Boulevard? Well, don’t be surprised if some people completely miss the left turn signal in the next couple of weeks because they are so busy looking at the plot of land that used to be Locker’s Florists. That’s right, Locker’s, with its giant changing-color dome, is gone, kaput, flattened, raised...no longer there! It’s a strange sight and you can’t blame folks for rubbernecking just a little longer than they should. Sure, Locker’s is still open for business across the street in the storefront that formerly housed Heinrich’s Bakery and, most recently, Soprano’s Subs, but Locker’s as we knew it is no more. I, for one, am going to miss their kitschy holiday displays and iridescent rooftop that lit up the west side on many a night.

If you haven’t driven by the corner of Milwaukee Ave. and 76th Street/Wauwatosa Ave., there’s a new addition to the traffic signals. We now not only have new “walk/don’t walk” figures, but we also now know that we have exactly 36 or less seconds to cross the street. (The number seems to change, perhaps on weekends.) The moment the light turns green and we get the “walk” sign, the numbers start counting down. It’s intriguing and surprisingly informative. I’ve never really thought about how much time I have to cross the street there, but it always seemed like I had enough. However, when school lets out, I can see where this information could be very helpful for the many children from Lincoln and Tosa East trying to cross the street.

This new addition made me think where else this traffic light enhancement could be used. Immediately I thought of the left turn signal at 92nd and North. If you’ve ever turned left off of North Ave., you know that this has to be the shortest left turn signal in the history of traffic signals. It would not be an exaggeration to say that two cars getting through that light would be a significant accomplishment. As a driver, I always hope that I’m not behind someone new to the area if I have to turn left because I know that the chances of making it through the arrow are slim to none. That moment’s hesitation greatly reduces your chances!

Another spot would be smack-dab in the middle of the village stoplight at Wauwatosa Ave. in front of St. Bernard’s and then the newer light between Vino 100 and The Flower Lady. At both of those spots, you take your life in your hands crossing the street before impatient drivers chase you out of the crosswalk and back safely on land.

Here in our community of abundant sidewalks and walking paths, we still make it a challenge to be a pedestrian. This new traffic lights shift the power of the intersection slightly back toward the people standing on the corner. And isn’t that where it should be?

- Why is it that when you use a credit or debit card at our Wauwatosa grocery stores, you have to press the credit or debit button AND tell the cashier whether you want credit or debit? Don’t they believe you when you press the buttons?

- Is there anything more fun than getting cash from an ATM with a British accent? Not for me, which is why I love using the ATM at the State Street Sentry store. “She” could say anything in that voice and I’d be charmed.

- When you get to a red light and there’s a sign that reads “No Turn On Red When Children Are Present,” do you find that you try to convince yourself that the small person on the bike is just petite and not a child?

- If you’ve ever had to give your address on the phone, do you sometimes say “Milwaukee” instead of “Wauwatosa” because it’s so much easier and you don’t have to repeat yourself?

- When out-of-towners ask for directions to your house, do you often send them a little out of their way because the middle of the village is way too confusing to explain?

- If you have a dog, do you wish that the plastic bags at Sendik’s on Pasadena and North were a lot less fancy?

- Do you sometimes wish that the employees at Zimmermann Design Group with their “ZDG” license plates would park further away so that you could get one of those great angled spots?

- Are you secretly a little bit glad when you read in Milwaukee Magazine that Tosa isn’t the fastest growing suburb because then there’s more of it for us?

- Do you sometimes think about how many houses you could build on the giant, grassy field at Mount Mary College and then breathe a sigh of relief that it (hopefully) will never be done?

- Do you ignore the “No Dogs Allowed” signs on the parkway or pretend you didn't see them when you're walking your pooch? (It's OK. I do too.)

- I don’t know about you, but I can’t last much longer without Cranky Al’s. If you have a donut craving, there are substitutes, but will anything truly compare to donuts served with a few choice crusty comments? I think not.

I couldn’t sleep this morning, so I decided I’d check my e-mail and visit some of my favorite websites. When I popped in on WauwatosaNow.com, I saw that Nicole Adrian is writing an article about what other types of businesses we wish we had in Wauwatosa. Now I definitely wasn’t going back to sleep! She wondered if we would want to shop for furniture at IKEA in Wauwatosa. I can’t believe that she’d tease us like this. To me, it would be a dream. But then, like many other things, my dream might be someone else’s nightmare.

This got me thinking: What else do we need in Wauwatosa? Truthfully, not much. Do we need another Starbucks? That almost seems like a rhetorical question, but depending on where you live in Tosa, you might say yes. If you’re over on the East Side of town, up near North Avenue, you actually do have a bit of a trip to get some of that famous java. But again, some would say that’s a good thing.

We seem to be chock full of gourmet grocery stores, which is very nice in my opinion. Our selection of video rental outlets is pretty slim, but unless my good ole friends at Shamrock are coming back, I’m OK with this.

I guess if I had my druthers, I’d like to see a few more kid-friendly stores in the village. My daughter and her friends enjoy walking to the village, but right now, their only destinations have been Baskin Robbins, Noodles and Pizzeria Piccola. I wish we had a penny candy store where they could stop in and ruin their orthodontia. (Yeah, I’m crazy that way.) When I was her age, we had an arcade in our “village.” That was where we hung out. Now that I’m an adult, I can see why a business like this would not be attractive to most Tosans. Frankly, I’d like to see the area in front of Drew’s cleaned up so that they could sit and eat their ice cream and talk about the world’s problems.

I’d love to see more unique small shops and businesses in the village that would make it a destination for lunch and then shopping. Whitefish Bay is like that with Fox Bay Theatre, Talbots, Ruhama’s Yarn and Needlepoint and other places within walking distance.

The other day, I overheard someone gushing about how great Bayshore Mall was going to be when it was finished. When I asked what they would have that we wouldn’t have, they said: “A California Pizza Kitchen! I’m SO going to make Bayshore my new mall!” Maybe it’s me, but a pizza isn’t going to lure me away from a mall. Perhaps for a visit or two, but that’s about all.

So I guess my answer to Nicole’s question is not much, something small, something unique and something that other towns won’t have. We don’t need more national chains, but a niche store or two would be great. We’re lucky that way.

If you have some thoughts on this, e-mail Nicole at nadrian@cninewsonline.com or you can e-mail me (now that would be something new!) at westsidestoriestosa@yahoo.com and I’ll pass it along to Nicole.

If you’ve driven through the north end of the Mayfair Mall parking lot and passed by Marshall Field’s, you can see that big changes are coming. Although it still says Marshall Field’s on the outside of the building, that sign is now a temporary one draped over what will, no doubt, be the Macy’s logo. For this former Chicagoan, seeing the Field’s logo flapping in the wind is a sad sight.

As you probably read in the Journal Sentinel on Sunday, this is the last month of Marshall Field’s existence in Wisconsin...or anywhere else, for that matter. Although Field’s was purchased last year and has been run since then by Macy’s, the name has hung around...until now. In September, we will officially have a Macy’s here in Wauwatosa. I guess I should be excited, but I’m just really melancholy.

Having grown up in Chicago and the northern suburbs, Marshall Field’s was such a big part of my childhood. I’m one of those girls that remembers riding with my mom to downtown Chicago on the train to eat a Christmastime lunch in the State Street Field’s Walnut Room. Frango is as much of a part of my vocabulary as cheese is here in Wisconsin. (Did you know that they used to have Frango Ice Cream Pies and they were amazing?!) I know that it’s not going to change my day to day existence, but I just wish that Fields could always be around.

Back in November, I was in New York City. Knowing that Field’s had recently been purchased by Macy’s, we decided to visit the Herald Square Macy’s and go shopping. They offered us a special discount if we opened a Macy’s charge that day. Since I figured I could make use of the new credit card, I decided that it was worthwhile. However, when my Macy’s card arrived in the mail, I was irritated to find that it was a Macy’s Visa Card! Maybe I’m crazy, but I like to think that Field’s wouldn’t have pulled such a bait and switch on me.

As of right now, Frango Mints are available through Macy’s. Let’s hope that they don’t mess around with those too!