http://onmilwaukee.com/rss/rss_andytarnoff.xml Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Andy Tarnoff en-us Thu, 24 May 2012 15:15:15 CDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://onmilwaukee.com/images/layout/rss_logo.png http://onmilwaukee.com 144 30 Lisa Simonson likes dive bars. In fact, the 24-year-old marketing professional by day likes them so much, she works at two of them, while waitressing at a third. "You can sleep when you're dead," she says with a smile. We caught up with Simonson at Mark's Sports Pub, 4035 S. Clement Ave., where she explained why regulars are friendly, funnier and more apt to start a fight when they see a patron who's wet his pants. http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/lisasimonson.html http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/lisasimonson.html?30283 Thu, 24 May 2012 13:08:00 CDT OnMilwaukee.com is growing, and that means we've created a new position that needs to be filled. Call it programmer or Web developer, but this an especially exciting job, because it means you're an instrumental part in building the ever-evolving software that powers Milwaukee's best (and only) daily online magazine. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/omcprogrammer2012.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/omcprogrammer2012.html?30275 Wed, 23 May 2012 13:20:00 CDT If the bacon craze is winding down, don't tell that to the Saloon on Calhoun, which recently changed its name to the Saloon on Calhoun With Bacon. The popular western suburban sports bar and grill, nestled in a most unexpected location at 17000 W. Capitol Dr., is going bananas for bacon, putting the pork in everything from cocktails to apps to desserts. http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/saloononcalhoun.html http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/saloononcalhoun.html?30212 Tue, 22 May 2012 09:06:00 CDT Oakland Trat is now SoLo Pizza, but fortunately, many of their recipes remain. And very fortunately, they dropped off three pizzas to the hungry staff of OnMilwaukee.com today. I was pretty happy that the barbecue chicken one tastes exactly the same. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/sololunch.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/sololunch.html?30214 Thu, 17 May 2012 14:26:00 CDT Back in December, I wrote a blog post called "Bold and not-so-bold predictions for 2012." Almost halfway through the year, I see now that one has come true, two have not, and two are yet to be decided (but I still stand by my predictions). http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/2012predictionssofar.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/2012predictionssofar.html?30195 Tue, 15 May 2012 16:18:00 CDT As far as I'm concerned, recall elections were designed to deal with politicians who have committed acts of gross malfeasance. People like former Sheboygan Mayor Jim Ryan, who was apparently in a constant state of breaking the law, come to mind. He was tossed out office, and rightfully so. But while some are alleging shady business on behalf of the governor, the reason most people want to recall Walker is because they don't like how he's governed in the last year and a half. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/fairrecall.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/fairrecall.html?30183 Mon, 14 May 2012 14:14:00 CDT In 2009, former Brewers pitcher Seth McClung was coming off a season in which he helped Milwaukee advance to its first post-season appearance in 26 years. In 2010, he was out of baseball, coaching girls' high school basketball in Florida. With a surgically repaired knee and eager for more more shot, this winter McClung e-mailed Brewers General Manager Doug Melvin, asking for a minor league contract with the team he identified with the most. Now, at 31, McClung is healthy again, having shaken off a lot of rust. He knows this is his last chance to pitch his way back into the bigs. We spent the day with him, on the road, in Des Moines, Iowa. http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sethmcclungnashville.html http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/sethmcclungnashville.html?30113 Tue, 8 May 2012 09:08:00 CDT Nobody should panic, but the Brewers had better start playing some good baseball, because the rest of the division might not wait around for them to improve. However, I'm not sure the three season-ending (or almost season-ending injuries) are as big of a deal as paranoid fans - myself occasionally included - think they are. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/brewersnotsunk.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/brewersnotsunk.html?30124 Mon, 7 May 2012 14:08:00 CDT Milwaukee is widely known for having great Mexican cuisine, and indeed, most of its restaurants that serve food from south of the border are run by first or second generation Latinos. But that's not exclusively true. Just look at La Perla and Bel Air Cantina for proof. http://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/authenticmexican.html http://onmilwaukee.com/dining/articles/authenticmexican.html?30058 Fri, 4 May 2012 15:03:00 CDT Nestled in the middle of the La Perla, behind a glass window, employees oversee as a special ovens flattens dough, then picks it up to start the cooking process. The hot surface holds the now flat "pre-tortilla" as it cooks, until it falls off and spirals across three levels. Then, when baked to perfection, the cook peels them off, ready to serve hot, fresh, homemade tortillas. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/laperlatortillas.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/laperlatortillas.html?30079 Thu, 3 May 2012 09:17:00 CDT I was in Iowa last weekend for an upcoming feature article on Nashville Sounds and formers Brewers pitcher Seth McClung. Before Saturday's game against the Iowa Cubs, I watched the team's 2004 first-round draft pick, Mark Rogers, take batting practice. It was a thing of beauty. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/markrogers.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/markrogers.html?30087 Wed, 2 May 2012 19:04:00 CDT When parties call for me to bring a dish to pass, I'm always the guy who brings chips and guacamole. And, even though I'm pretty late to the game, I tend to get compliments on my not very complicated recipe. Here it is. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/andyguacamole.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/andyguacamole.html?30076 Wed, 2 May 2012 11:18:00 CDT I like a good Internet meme as much (or more) than the next guy, but I always thought the phenomenon of planking was especially dumb. Its short-lived successor, owling, was a little funny, but I certainly never tried it. Don't even get me started on Tebowing. Draping, on the other hand, is a meme I can get into. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/draping.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/draping.html?29993 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:04:00 CDT When police find themselves in a really bad situation there's only one way out: and that's to rely on their training to save victims and each other when a scene is too hot for traditional EMTs. While police are regularly shouldered with the job of neutralizing a threat, the task of tending to the injured while an active shooter looms is very perilous. But training can make such situations more familiar. Our Andy Tarnoff was fortunate enough to join along in a recent training exercise. http://onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/tems.html http://onmilwaukee.com/buzz/articles/tems.html?29947 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:01:00 CDT Even though the Dandy Warhols have played together since 1994, the quartet from Portland is showing no signs of slowing down. Their new album, "This Machine" drops next week and again, the band heads out on tour. You may know the band from some of their catchy hits like "Bohemian Like You." Or, you may have seen "Dig!," a documentary that compares them with The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and as we learned, is completely despised by the Dandy's frontman, Courtney Taylor-Taylor, who we caught up with by phone. http://onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/courtneytaylortaylor.html http://onmilwaukee.com/music/articles/courtneytaylortaylor.html?29923 Tue, 17 Apr 2012 05:03:00 CDT My dog, Playa, is up to no good lately. But it's hard to be mad at her, really. Apparently, I have a smart, tenacious pup that, at almost 9-years-old, is confronting her fears and literally taking them head on. We all should be so bold. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/dogdetermination.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/dogdetermination.html?29925 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:58:00 CDT Aubrey Jensen hasn't been bartending for that long, but she knows what she likes. She makes a good Old Fashioned (because she likes them) and doesn't mind making a Bloody Mary (also because she likes them). The bartender at Tonic Tavern, 2335 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., comes from Appleton but does her drinking in her current neighborhood, Bay View. http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/aubreyjensen.html http://onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/aubreyjensen.html?29888 Sun, 15 Apr 2012 09:02:00 CDT I got to work pretty early this morning, after doing a 7 a.m. appearance on Dave and Carole (talking about Opening Day, of course). But by about 8:45 a.m., I started getting antsy. So I drove over to Miller Park. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/mobileofficemillerpark.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/mobileofficemillerpark.html?29841 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 09:48:00 CDT Great headlines on the Web are more important than their counterparts in print because usually, you see them without any context. You can't scan the lede or see an accompanying photo. If they're ambiguous or truncated, forget it. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/goodheadlines.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/goodheadlines.html?29809 Tue, 3 Apr 2012 10:49:00 CDT In recent years, a number of entrepreneurs have seized the opportunity to provide custom-fit tailoring service online, using self-serve Web sites and tailors in China and the Philippines. If you think about it, most of the shirts you buy are made there, anyway, but this way, the fit should be perfect. Here's a review of four vendors, including one with representatives right here in Milwaukee. http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/onlinetailors.html http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/onlinetailors.html?29798 Tue, 3 Apr 2012 09:01:00 CDT Yeah, I know. Even I'll admit: a year of me is too much. But when I downloaded the iPhone App called "Everyday" at the airport in Phoenix a year ago, I made a commitment. Every day, or as close to every day as possible, I would take a self-portrait. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/selfportrait.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/selfportrait.html?29713 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:13:00 CDT I'm sitting at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, an hour before hopping my flight home to Milwaukee. It was another good Spring Training trip, and even though I did my best to take you along on the ride, I realized a missed a few things. Here's what didn't make the cut in the last few blogs. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/springtrainingtidbits.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/springtrainingtidbits.html?29638 Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:54:00 CDT Every year I try and slow this spring training trip down. And every year, it speeds itself up. Not that I'm complaining, but there's too much to do to relax out here. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/marathonandsprint.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/marathonandsprint.html?29633 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 13:12:00 CDT The downside of doing a spring training trip every year is that it's easy to become accustomed to the experience, to look past the little details that make this so special. Not this year. Nope, this time around, I'm literally stopping to smell the flowers. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/springtrainingmcclung.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/springtrainingmcclung.html?29622 Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:50:00 CDT My lips feel dry this morning. It's pretty dry here in the desert. But really, my mouth is probably sore just from smiling. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/happyplace.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/happyplace.html?29608 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:47:00 CDT Massage therapist Anne Lewison certainly knows how to give the kind of relaxing massage you'd expect at an upscale spa. In fact, she's been there, done that, starting her career a decade ago in that kind of environment. But while Lewison appreciates that type of massage, she prefers to put an emphasis on the therapy side of massage therapy at her new practice in Bay View. http://onmilwaukee.com/living/articles/voodoomassage.html http://onmilwaukee.com/living/articles/voodoomassage.html?29577 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 05:13:00 CDT If you've read any of my annual year-end "best of" picks over the years, you already know that I think AMC's "Breaking Bad" is the best show on TV. So, my hand was already tipped my hand when I sat down with RJ Mitte last night, the actor who plays Walt, Jr," at the Taste of Milwaukee event at the Hilton. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/rjmitte.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/rjmitte.html?29554 Fri, 9 Mar 2012 10:28:00 CDT Each March, before I head to Arizona for my annual work/fun spring training trip, I make myself an informal checklist. It's so easy to zone out on the berm, soaking in the sun and forgetting what's happening on the field. This way, I go in with a few questions and come back with a few answers. With one week until I touchdown in desert paradise, this is what I'm wondering about the 2012 Brewers. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/springtrainingchecklist12.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/springtrainingchecklist12.html?29527 Wed, 7 Mar 2012 12:14:00 CDT I was thinking about what someone would have to pay me to do some of the more undesirable things around Milwaukee. I made a list, from least expensive to most expensive. Discuss amongst yourselves, and please don't make me an offer. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/howmuch.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/howmuch.html?29475 Thu, 1 Mar 2012 15:10:00 CDT The bucket list of OnMilwaukee.com publisher Andy Tarnoff doesn't include getting drunk in a room full of cops or drinking 11 ounces of vodka and nine shots before 2 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon. But he just can't pass up a unique opportunity for experiential journalism, even if it ended with a .132 percent blood alcohol content. Here's his first-person account of the Milwaukee Police Department's OWI "wet workshop." http://onmilwaukee.com/living/articles/wetworkshop.html http://onmilwaukee.com/living/articles/wetworkshop.html?29436 Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:01:00 CDT If you've ever been on the fence about making the trip to the Phoenix area to watch the Brewers tune up for the upcoming baseball season, consider this: the 2012 Spring Training campaign is your first opportunity to watch what might be the most talented team Milwaukee has fielded in a generation. Here's a comprehensive guide. http://onmilwaukee.com/visitors/articles/springtrainingguide2012.html http://onmilwaukee.com/visitors/articles/springtrainingguide2012.html?25427 Sat, 25 Feb 2012 05:31:00 CDT Just four days ago, I blogged about how I wasn't quite ready for Brewers baseball. What a difference a week makes. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/braunennui.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/braunennui.html?29413 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:48:00 CDT Something has been weird about this Brewers' off-season. By now, I should be chomping at the bit for baseball, holding my breath for that first radio broadcast from Arizona. And indeed, on Saturday, I thought to myself, "I'd like to be listening to a Brewers game right now." Then the feeling passed. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/brewerspensive.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/brewerspensive.html?29354 Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:08:00 CDT Professional pet sitting and walking exists in Milwaukee, and not just from just one vendor. Lori Mendelsohn Thomas operates Wisconsin Pet Care, LLC. A 30-minute visit, which can consist of everything from belly rubs to fresh water to a long walk, costs $18 (the prices go down with multiple animals; two dogs, for instance, are $21). http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/wisconsinpetcare.html http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/wisconsinpetcare.html?29221 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:04:00 CDT OnMilwaukee.com is in a constant state of change. We're always tweaking, enhancing and improving upon the software we first built a decade ago. That's agile development, and staying ahead of the curve is part of what makes this magazine special. This latest redesign, however, is special, because it addresses the three biggest concerns we hear from readers and advertisers every day. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/redesign2012.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/redesign2012.html?29297 Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:09:00 CDT Proving that now everyone in the world has made a "Sh*t someone does" video, Nyjer Morgan has uploaded one, too, to YouTube. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/plushyoutube.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/plushyoutube.html?29300 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:11:00 CDT I just read a news release from Milwaukee Common Council President Willie Hines' office, blasting Sheriff David Clarke's "decision to assign sheriffs deputies to provide only partial security" for President Obama's Milwaukee visit today. Joining in the criticism is County Board Chairman Lee Holloway. Hines called the Sheriff's decision "appalling." http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/hinesvsclarke.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/hinesvsclarke.html?29294 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:10:00 CDT My goal this month is to spend less time looking ahead and more time living in the here and now. I find that when you live your life anticipating the "next big thing," it comes and goes and all you're left with is the memory and the hope for whatever is next on the horizon (read: Las Vegas, Spring Training, etc.). It feels like chasing one's tail, and frankly, it's exhausting. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/hereandnow.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/hereandnow.html?29237 Thu, 9 Feb 2012 15:41:00 CDT We like Bar Month, from an editorial perspective, because it makes us think outside the box (of wine?) for new drinking stories, whether they be trends, recipes, bartender profiles or features that we wouldn't normally write in the span of one tipsy month. And, of course, we announce all the "best of" bars winners, too. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/barmonth2012.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/barmonth2012.html?29143 Thu, 2 Feb 2012 11:39:00 CDT We honestly, seriously, really, didn't know when we planned our annual work/fun trip to Sin City that it would coincide with the Adult Video News Expo at the Hard Rock Casino's meeting hall. After all, this annual junket is more about a winter getaway than anything else. But when we found ourselves credentialed to the porn and adult novelty show, we knew it would play a prominent role in bringing our readers along for the ride. Las Vegas means so many different things to so many different people. But it means different things to the same people, too. http://onmilwaukee.com/visitors/articles/lasvegasfusion.html http://onmilwaukee.com/visitors/articles/lasvegasfusion.html?29118 Wed, 1 Feb 2012 09:04:00 CDT Absolutely not. Not by a long shot. In fact, except for a brief stretch earlier in the month where my car's thermometer told me it was 2 degrees outside, the cold weather this winter has barely bothered me at all. Even then, I managed to get through that snap pretty easily. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/coldenoughforyou.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/coldenoughforyou.html?29107 Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:13:00 CDT Last time we interviewed Mueller, 54, he was approaching the end of the line on the incredibly popular Reitman and Mueller morning show on the defunct WKTI. Now, he hosts "Wisconsin's Morning News," the culmination of more than 30 years in Milwaukee radio. Enjoy this latest Milwaukee Talks with a local radio legend. http://onmilwaukee.com/movies/articles/genemueller2012.html http://onmilwaukee.com/movies/articles/genemueller2012.html?29083 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:56:00 CDT When a friend from out of town says, "Where should we go?" I all too often think of the old standbys, the regular haunts, even though Milwaukee has more interesting bars than just about anywhere on Earth. So I, too, use our annual "Best of Bars and Clubs" survey as a refresher, a handy guide, if you will. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/votebarsnow.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/votebarsnow.html?29085 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:35:00 CDT The Violent Femmes' Brian Ritchie may be a native Milwaukeean, but he's about to become an Australian citizen. Ritchie will pledge his loyalty to the Land Down Under at an Australian Day ceremony in Hobart. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/ritchieaussie.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/ritchieaussie.html?29061 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:42:00 CDT This weekend, I'm heading out to Las Vegas with two friends, partly for a quick desert getaway, and partly to write my annual winter travel story from my favorite adult playground. It's a perfect world when work and fun combine, and I just received my credentials to cover the Adult Video News Expo at the Hard Rock Casino. I think the topic of this article will be "putting the sin back in Sin City." http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/vegastips2012.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/vegastips2012.html?28990 Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:13:00 CDT Whether it's behind the anchor desk or standing in a blizzard, WMTJ-4 reporter Melissa McCrady has made a career of being versatile. The Cleveland native is comfortable in any role at her station; it's something her viewers have noticed, too. We recently caught up with McCrady over coffee to talk about star power and prison letters, her favorite Milwaukee restaurants and her decision to stay in town. http://onmilwaukee.com/movies/articles/melissamccrady.html http://onmilwaukee.com/movies/articles/melissamccrady.html?28968 Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:03:00 CDT Last night, I rushed home from work, bought some fresh oil and gas and attempted to start my snowblower for the first time in nine months. I held my breath and gave the cord a pull. Nothing. I tried again, then again, then again. Calmly, I pushed the choke button three times, then paused. One more pull, and it sprang to life. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/littlethingsblog0112.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/littlethingsblog0112.html?28933 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:18:00 CDT Brian Adam knows a thing or two about mascots, and not just because he was Bucky Badger during college at UW-Madison. Rather, the young president of Olympus Group makes mascots recognized around the world, from Ronald McDonald to the racing sausages to Bucky, himself. And it's all happening in Brown Deer, the headquarters of the 109-year-old family business. http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/olympusgroup.html http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/olympusgroup.html?28907 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:06:00 CDT Up until college, I slept like a baby at night. Since then, I haven't been such a good sleeper. Often, I find myself lying in bed for hours, thoughts whirling through my mind. Recapping the day, planning the next day, or lately, trying to solve the mysteries of the universe. http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/thingsidontunderstand.html http://onmilwaukee.com/myOMC/authors/andytarnoff/thingsidontunderstand.html?28861 Fri, 6 Jan 2012 03:13:00 CDT Closed in 2003, Northridge Mall sits in an eerie stasis, shuttered but surprisingly well preserved. Bought by a Chinese investment group in 2009, it was to become a head-scratching "Chinese Mall of North America," dedicated to showcasing Chinese retailers. Not surprisingly, the plan has not come to fruition. We took an exclusive tour inside the empty old mall, where still-growing trees are its only sign of life. http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/northridgetour.html http://onmilwaukee.com/market/articles/northridgetour.html?28831 Wed, 4 Jan 2012 09:01:00 CDT