So, pretty impressive, isn’t it? My name, right above Oprah’s face. Yeah, let’s just say I’ve got friends in high places…or not.

 

In case you can’t see it, it says: “Karen Waldkirch, if Oprah gave you a bunch of money, but you had to give it all away, what would you do?” Oh and there are probably at least several hundred other Tosa residents that got the exact same message in their issue of People Magazine. Oh snap.

 

The idea is to promote Oprah's new show called "The Big Give" which premieres Sunday, March 2nd on ABC. The premise is obvious and the idea intriguing. No doubt it'll be another tear-jerking blockbuster, a la "Extreme Home Makeover."

 

But it made me think…locally, rather than globally. If that Ms. W. gave this Mrs. W. a bunch of money, what would I do? After the obligatory mani and pedi, of course. (Hey, a girl’s gotta look good on the local news, right?)

 

But seriously, if I could only spend the money right here in Tosa, what would I do? Listen in while I daydream….

 

First, I’d bring back Drew’s…only better. How could I make Drew’s better except to have it come back in all its quirky glory? Well, I’d add a big old-fashioned Soda Fountain! Wouldn’t that just be the best?! I can see it now. Walking in on a hot summer day (remember what hot used to feel like?!), sliding up to a padded spinning stool and ordering a basket of fries and a chocolate malt. Pure bliss.

 

Secondly, I’d extend the bike path on the parkways from one end of Tosa to the other. No more jumping up on the curb to save your life once you hit Swan Boulevard.

 

Thirdly, how about a big, fat paving budget to eliminate the craters and sinkholes on our roadways? While we’re at it, more salt than the dead sea and more plows than Fairbanks, Alaska?! And along with the plows, there’d be a virtual SWAT team of “snow technicians” to jump out and dig out the sidewalks, driveways and front walks that get buried by the plows.

 

I’m sure I could go on, but why not let you, the readers, in on the fun? That’s why we have the snazzy comment feature. If my BFF (best friend forever, for the alphabetically-challenged), Oprah, gave you a bunch of money, how would YOU spend it in Tosa? And while we’re at it, maybe that’s a good question for our mayoral candidates!

 

Speak to me people!

Once in a while, I encounter a few things that remind me why I love Tosa. Sometimes it’s something small, sometimes funny, sometimes a little sad. Here are a few:

 

Can there be a more fun bakery experience than Cranky Al’s? If I have overnight guests or need to entertain with breakfast or brunch food, Cranky’s is a sure bet. I stopped in over the weekend and there was Al, greeting every guest. “Whaddya want?!” he playfully teased. I walked out with a giant box of donuts and a big smile – a bargain, if you ask me.

 

My average morning starts out with coffee. Lots of coffee. It also starts out with a trip outside so that Millie the wonder dog can “do her business.” Today, as I stood outside in the warm air under a dark sky littered with stars, I heard an unusual noise. It’s very quiet in the pre-dawn hours so I quickly looked around to find the source. There, galloping across my yard, were two deer. It was really cool. Oh and Millie never noticed.

 

Are there enough ways to express the community sadness over the future loss of Drew’s Variety Store? I loved the store, but I also love how the community is embracing this icon of days gone by and lamenting its loss. I guess it’s too late to save the store, but perhaps it’s not too late to save the feeling and know that we need more of it here in Tosa.

 

Sure, it’s a little more expensive than it used to be and yes, some of the sandwiches are decidedly swanky, but John Sandwich Shop is to Tosa restaurants what Drew’s is/was to Tosa retail. A gem - an adorable and quirky little place where you can watch the world go by and greet neighbors and friends. We’d be wise to keep it busy.

 

My kids have friends from many other communities throughout Milwaukee – Bay View, Brookfield, Waukesha, Menomonee Falls, just to name a few. Without a doubt, the village of Tosa is hands-down the favorite hang-out for teens. (And don’t let that scare you folks – I promise these are nice kids.) Sure, they could go to Mayfair, but when given a choice, these kids would much rather walk down to the village and grab a bite at Noodles or Pizzeria Piccola or walk through Hart Park discussing life. I feel really fortunate for this.

 

Treasures abound in Tosa. Little places or small experiences. What makes you love Tosa?

 

Dear Drew’s:

Say it ain’t so! I heard the news today – oh boy. I can’t tell you how sad I am to hear that you’ll be closing your doors in January. And it’s not just me. When I drove carpool this morning, my daughter and her friend mourned the future loss of one of their favorite local retailers. Yes, that’s right – even teens adore you. We parents can’t get that kind of love.

 

Was it because I haven’t been in recently? I meant to, but we haven’t needed poster board or yarn or buttons or strange kitchen gadgets in the last couple of months. But if I did, I would have been there in a flash, happily wandering your aisles.

 

The thing is, what I loved about you is that you were always there – when I needed you and sometimes when I didn’t. Your kitchiness and eclectic mix of homespun and hard-to-find were exactly what we needed in a town where big box retailers are slowly taking over.

 

It must not have been fun for you these past few months with village streets and various construction projects taking their toll on your bottom line. We appreciate your steadfastness through it all.

 

I’m guessing that you didn’t come to this decision easily, but if there’s still room to reconsider, please do. As someone said so aptly in the Tosa Town Square, you are part of the fabric of Wauwatosa. With you gone, there’s a big hole in our village and in our hearts.

 

If it’s a done deal, then I guess all there is left to say is thank you. Thanks for being there for parents, kids and all Tosans. We will never forget you.

 

Your customer,

 

Karen

 

 

Millie (see above) and I took a walk on this splendid, picture-perfect, day. She had a lot on her mind. Here are some things that she was wondering:

 

Millie wonders why some dogs walk their owners versus the other way around. How can that be fun with all the pulling and choking going on?

 

Millie wonders why the bike path/walking path for Menomonee River Parkway begins at the Harmonee Bridge and ends prior to Swan Boulevard. Did they think that people would be too tired to continue?

 

Millie wonders why some people bike, run or walk on the left side of the path.

 

Millie wonders why parking is allowed on both sides of the parkway when soccer games are being played. It seems so dangerous with so many kids running in between cars and across the road and people getting in their cars with little regard for traffic.

 

Millie wonders why I wouldn’t let her consume the old breadstick that she found on the sidewalk.

 

Millie wonders why drivers in Tosa interpret stop signs as “slow down” signs and roll through intersections.

 

Millie wonders if the street repairs at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Wauwatosa Avenue will ever be finished.

 

Millie wonders why the Root Commons Park (area in front of Drews) is called the Root Commons Park.

 

Millie wonders if any Tosa mayoral candidates have a chance against joeythelovesponge.

 

Millie wonders if we realize how lucky we are to have Ray’s here in Tosa with its amazing wine selection and knowledgeable staff.

 

Millie wonders if that store near 92^nd and North is really called Wallpaper Wallpaper.

 

Millie wonders if the Times Cinema will ever invest in slightly more comfortable seating to match the great films and great ownership.

 

Millie wonders if The Firefly will ever expand its menu and if it will ever be open for lunch.

 

Millie wonders if and when the new recycling program will start in Tosa and if many of us will get stuck with extra blue bags when it does.

 

Millie wonders why we all can’t just have trick or treat on Halloween (a.k.a. October 31st) from now on.

 

Millie wonders whether your pet is wondering anything about Wauwatosa.....? 

 

I’m not looking for trouble or trying to stir up emotions. In fact, I’m unsure how I feel about it. This is the sign on the west side of Swan Pharmacy at 92nd and North. It seems obvious that it’s in response to the opening of the stores across the street at the new Locker’s Pointe. And although I have applauded the developers of that new project, I can understand how it might bother existing stores to have their parking spaces used by customers visiting another establishment.

 

On the other hand, couldn’t new and bursting businesses be good for everyone within walking distance? Could it be that people that need a cup of coffee, a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolate might also need a bottle of Tylenol or some decongestant? If we could create more walkable space in Tosa, couldn’t everyone benefit?

 

What do you think? Is this “sour grapes” or just a sensible business practice intended to look out for customers? Should one of these businesses (i.e. Swan, Alterra, Locker’s or Stam) be more flexible and compromise in some way?

 

Please use the comment tool below! I'd love to hear your opinions!

 

At least 20 years ago, on the spot in the Village where Starbucks now sits, there used to be a convenience store. I'm pretty sure it was an Open Pantry. Since I was a young working mother back then, I frequented this store...a lot. Many a night you'd see me driving my tiny Toyota station wagon in there, dashing inside on a bleary-eyed search for milk or coffee or diapers. It wasn't the greatest or cleanest store, but it was c-o-n-v-e-n-i-e-n-t. I was sad to see it close because it meant I'd have to amend my emergency shopping trips or, worse, get organized. Still, when Starbucks moved in, being the card-carrying caffeine addict that I am, I was pretty excited.

Today, my life is so different. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so you'd think that quick trips to the store would be a thing of the past, or so I vowed when I handed in my resignation. However, some things in life never change, including my penchant for barely thinking a day ahead when it comes to grocery shopping. Maybe it's our nearly empty nest or perhaps my admission that I never have been a great cook, nor do I actually enjoy cooking. I generally wake up in the morning and force myself to think about what I'll feed the family. It's a luxury that I enjoy, even though I'm a bit embarrassed about it.

And because I haven't really changed my ways, I've searched long and hard to find a new "convenience" store and I just realized what it is - Sendik's on North Avenue at Pasadena. I fully realize that I'm likely paying more for virtually everything. After all, this is a gourmet grocery store. However, this store has saved my butt more times than I can count. More often than not, it's provides the answer to the question when I'm driving around at 4pm and my daughter asks: "What are we having for dinner?"

When I'm baking cookies (yes, it's sad - I bake but I don't cook) and I've run out of brown sugar, I'm SO glad that it's only minutes away. When a food item is needed for a school function, it's so easy to pick up something on the way. And when I actually have to break down and cook a meal, I can choose between something prepared or meat so good that even I can't ruin it.

I know that Sendik's isn't perfect. The parking situation is still in flux and that doesn't make the neighbors happy. It's not open as late as a true convenience store, but now that middle-age has crept in, I'm more likely to forego than go out late at night. And if you hit the store near the dinner hour, seems like every other Tosa procrastinator has gotten the same idea and those aisles seem even narrower than they are. But for me, it's pretty close to perfect, at least as far as convenience goes.

Despite what you might think, it's not the big things in Tosa (Mayfair, Lowe's, Best Buy) that make me love our town. It's the small things shared with great people. Here are just a few:

- The twin German brothers at Hyde Park Tailors that work miracles on clothing. (And properly teach me to pronounce my last name.)
- Getting yelled at by Al at Cranky Al's on a Saturday morning. I'm looking forward to my beatdowns starting up again.
- Shopping for Moccasins at Old Towne Cobbler on 68th Street
- Using the Automated Package Center at the Post Office on Mayfair Road. In and out in a snap!
- Saying hi to Mary at One Hour Martinizing on 68th and Milwaukee and talking about the weather.
- Shopping for school project supplies at Drew's Variety after school.
- Sitting at a tall table in Vino 100, sipping wine, while the weather outside is frightful.
- Finding just the right gift at Underwood Gallery and also catching up with Pam on what's new in Tosa business.
- Seating yourself at Hector's and digging into chips and salsa while awaiting your Margarita.
- Grabbing a loveseat at the Rosebud and balancing your food order number on the back of it.
- Snagging a coveted window table at John's Sandwich Shop on a Saturday morning and waiting for a Veggie Scrambler and hot coffee.
- Walking the path on Menomonee River Parkway on an unexpectedly balmy day and enjoying the variety of dogs and walkers that are out.
- Chatting with Rose at ***'s while waiting for my Chinese take-out order. She always comments on how our kids have grown and whips up a great cheeseburger for them.
- Having a yummy lunch in a basket at Colonel Hart's after Sunday church while watching sports on the many TVs.
- Tosa Fest in the village, early on Friday evening.
- Watching a football game at Hart Park while the girls parade by the boys who rarely seem to be watching the game.
- Waiting for a table outside Balistreri's and wandering into Ultimate Confections to make the time pass more quickly.

What are some of your favorite Tosa things? E-mail me at westsidestoriestosa@yahoo.com and I'll post them in a future column.

Hi. My name is Karen and I’m an unabashed Tosa enthusiast. No, the City Council did not pay me to say that. I wear many hats, but this is what popped into my head when I sat down to write the first entry for my new Community Voices blog, “West Side Stories.”

First a confession: I’m not a native Tosan. Actually, and don’t hate me for saying this, I grew up on the north side of Chicago. (Don’t worry, a prenuptial agreement required me to pledge my allegiance to the Packers.) The neighborhood in which I grew up, Edgebrook, is practically a mirror-image of Wauwatosa, with its tree-lined streets and quaint shops. Our Drew’s Variety was called Value-Ville. Our Sendik’s was Peterson’s. Our “Village” was called “Uptown.” Our Gilles was called Superdog. The fact that I transplanted myself into a northern version of Edgebrook is probably not an accident.

My husband and I have lived in Wauwatosa for 15 years, but I really think of it as more like 20. We used to gaze longingly at Tosa across Center Street and save our pennies for the day when we could claim a Wauwatosa address. Once we made the leap, we never looked back.

Yes, I’m sure that the people in Whitefish Bay or Shorewood or Bay View feel the same, but I’ll admit it, I’m a Tosa Snob because I think everything’s better here on the West Side.

I’m a Tosa Snob because I love the quirky little places you won’t find in those other communities. I love sitting on the patio outside John’s Sandwich Shop, drinking a milk shake. I love wandering through the packed aisles at Drew’s, finding items for my kids’ school projects. I love walking into The Rosebud Theatre, snuggling into a loveseat and promising myself not to fall asleep because I’m so comfortable. I love browsing through The Little Read Book, trying to narrow down my choices to 5 or 6 titles. I love stopping in Swan Drugs and letting the kids get a pack of candy cigarettes. (Oh, stop it – it’s nostalgia!)

I love steering a cart through Wisconsin Garden and Pet and buying way too many flowers that I will eventually curse when I have to keep them watered. I love walking into Homestead Clocks, finding the strangest timepiece imaginable and then staying way too long to listen to Cliff Gensch share a story or two. I love standing in the middle of Balistreri’s, waiting for a table, while diners all around me eat pizza served on gigantic cafeteria trays. For me, it all feels like home and running into neighbors and friends simply seals the deal for me virtually every day.

What you won’t read about in “West Side Stories” are politics and issues. I steer far clear of such topics, and I’m sure my fellow Community Voices bloggers will be far more adept at that than I would be.

First and foremost, I’m a mom...of the stay-at-home variety. I have been a working mom, so I know a bit about those challenges as well. My view of the world, or Wauwatosa, is generally more fluff than fact, with a little bit of crankiness mixed in, covered (hopefully) with a layer of humor. I try not to take any of it too seriously because, really, there are more qualified people to do that for us.

Thanks for reading. I hope you’ll come back and feel free to contact me. All I ask is that you be polite, because that’s what your mother would have wanted you to do, right?