West Side Stories

Well, the dessert gods must have been listening to our dear, sweet Maddie. Gelato, my dear, is everywhere lately.

I too have gelato at the top of my Italian memories. One dish, in particular, stands out. It was called “Death by Chocolate” and it was consumed in the beautiful Piazza Navona in Rome. That memory is now filed in my mind as my “happy place.” I visited that happy place several times during our very long, record-breaking winter.

Anyway, back to Tosa and surrounding ‘burbs.

It started at Pizzeria Piccola where they offered us authentic Italian from start to finish. Although most go there for the delicious wood-fired pizza, you can also get a scoop of gelato. I have to confess that I haven’t yet tried Piccola’s gelato, but if it’s anything close to their other offerings, I’m betting that it’s worthwhile.

Then came Chocolaterie Stam on the corner of 92^nd and North. They make their own gelato, along with their tres elegante bon bons. It looks beautiful, but I have to say, after trying it twice, the Stam gelato is somewhat disappointing. It’s missing the dense, creaminess and high-fat (and delicious!) taste of true Italian gelato. (Perhaps because it’s not Italian?) For the money, Baskin Robbins plain old ice-cream is tastier.

If those choices aren’t enough, you can battle the soon-to-come traffic headaches on Bluemound Road and head over to Brookfield Square where Paciugo Gelato has opened its doors right next to Bravo! Italian Cucina. They offer true diet-busting gelato. The gal behind the counter told us that a small cup will add a mere 250 calories to your daily intake. But if you want to cut back, they offer a sorbet version that’s only about 150.

And, if you really don’t mind a little extra mileage on your car, a trip to Waukesha’s Divino Gelato is definitely worth the trip! This quaint shop in the center of downtown Waukesha gets packed in the middle of summer, but you won't mind once you taste the gelato.

Last, but not least, this just in: The former Loge’s Bakery near the corner of 60^th and Vliet will soon be home to still another gelato establishment! With the Times Theater just steps away, I’m betting this business will be instantly successful. I just hope they don’t skimp on the calories when they mix up their gelato.

You know what they say – Molto bene!

I’ve seen this topic on the Town Square a while back, but we’re now facing it head-on in our house. I’m going on record and saying that I really, really, really dislike the new Time Warner “Navigator” on-screen system.

For those of you that don’t have digital cable, Navigator is the on-screen listing and DVR guide that was recently “upgraded.” Prior to this supposed upgrade, our on-screen TV Guide and the DVR Guide worked great. I had no complaints with it at all. A quick internet search yielded no reason for Time Warner to make the change.

In our house, we have more than one digital box. Despite several mailings from Time Warner announcing the change, Navigator showed up on each box weeks apart. Every time it happened (sort of like the cable fairy sneaking in at night), we grumbled.

Fortunately, the HD DVR was last. I held out hope that the cable fairy might leave that box alone. Alas, it was not to be. We turned on the TV last night and there was Navigator in all of its complicated glory.

To be fair, there is one thing I like about Navigator. It tells you how much room you have on your DVR. That’s it – that’s the list.

Nothing and I mean nothing about Navigator is better than the old system. It’s slower than the grand old days of getting up, walking to the TV and changing the channel. Despite the fact that I probably suffer from middle-age vision deterioration, it’s really hard to see. The on-screen type is SMALL and therefore virtually impossible to read across the room. Can I sit closer to see it better? Sure, but my Mom told me I’d hurt my eyes if I did that. Mom is always right.

Looking for a show to record? Good luck. Although I found shows when searching, the process of selecting them for a season pass is sort of like a maddening shell game. Now you see it, now you don’t.

Here’s the other new “feature.” It doesn’t automatically delete shows that are older. It simply doesn’t record new ones if there isn’t room on the DVR. Grrr….

Sure, they sent out mailings with intricate instructions. I started reading them and dozed off several times. Why should I have to “study” something I didn’t ask for in the first place?!

The good news is I felt a little better when I read Tim Cuprisin’s April 4^th column and blog on this topic. I’m not alone in my extreme dislike of Navigator. The bad news is, Time Warner is apparently crossing its arms and standing firm. Gee thanks for the customer service, folks.

I guess I don’t have a choice in the matter. Navigator is here to stay. But I’m telling you, if I miss the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy, I’m going to be McSteamed!

The other day, I had the good fortune to hear about some new books from two representatives of Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop. If there’s one thing you know about me, it’s that I have an addiction to buying books. It is rare that I will enter a bookstore and leave empty-handed. For me, it is like walking into a kitchen and being faced with freshly baked brownies and cookies. I cannot resist!

Anyway, many good suggestions were made. One in particular made an impression and so I bought it. It’s a small book called Not Quite What I Was Planning. It is, simply, a collection of six-word memoirs. That’s right. I said SIX WORD MEMOIRS. You might be asking yourself, how can this be?

The answer is that it’s based on the legend that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. Here is what he wrote: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Wow. Pretty powerful stuff, isn’t it? And that’s the premise. It is possible to say a lot with very little. In fact, it’s even fun.

The book is chock-full of these gems. Here are a few:

“Liars, hysterectomy didn’t improve sex life!” – Joan Rivers

“I still make coffee for two.” – Zak Nelson

“Fifteen years since last professional haircut.” – Dave Eggers

“Nobody cared, then they did. Why?” – Chuck Klosterman

There are more…many more. Those are just a few from the back cover alone. The book has six-word memoirs from famous and unknown authors alike. Some are silly. Some are sad or poignant. Some are brilliant.

So like the cookies, brownies and this book, I couldn’t resist. I had to try it myself. My life summed up in six words. Let me tell you that this exercise truly illustrates that less is more…work that is. It’s easy to be verbose and very difficult to be concise and descriptive all at the same time.

And although I don't come close to Hemingway, here is mine: “Saw some stuff. Tried acting otherwise.” That’s it. I won’t explain it because it’s all there.

How about you, dear readers? Will you share your six-word memoir with me? Go ahead, right here in the comments. I promise it’s fun!

Oh and if you’re totally addicted, you can join Schwartz on Downer’s Six-Word Slam on April 25^th. "Six words about you. Great fun!" (See! I did it again!)