50 reasons why I heart Milwaukee

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and I’m feeling a little mushy...

Ick, I know! What has gotten into me?

It’s not a prick by Cupid’s arrow or a sugar high from too much chocolate that has got me so love struck. It’s that I’ve been thinking about it lately and I’m completely enamored with my city.

Just like a school girl scribbling all of the reasons why she adores her crush across her notebook, I've decided to highlight every facet of the city – from the people and the places, to the food and the structures – that I think make Milwaukee a spectacular place to live and to visit.

So, in no particular order, here are the many reasons why I love Milwaukee.

1. Milwaukee's urban renaissance
2. Being dubbed "the city of festivals"
3. Milwaukee's free summer music series – Jazz in the Park, River Rhythms, Chill on the Hill, Florentine at the Lake/Musica del Lago
4. Friday night fish fries
5. Bradford Beach renovations
6. The lakefront
7. McKinley Marina's boat docks
8. US Bank's Big Bang fireworks
9. Reiman Aquarium at Discovery World
10. Milwaukee Art Museum's Burke Brise Soleil
11. The Boerner Botanical Gardens during springtime
12. Alterra at the Lake
13. Lake Park
14. The return of the Great Circus Parade
15. Gallery Night
16. Saturday mornings at East Town Market
17. The River Revitalization Foundation
18. The RiverWalk at night
19. 88NINE Radio Milwaukee
20. Our solid creative community
21. Lakefront Brewery tour
22. Jamo's shag carpeting
23. Free snacks paired with a cold Guinness at Paddy's Pub
24. At Random's Tiki Love Bowl
25. Polka dancing at Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall (formerly Art's Concertina)
26. Prevalent outdoor dining/drinking options
27. A George Webb breakfast skillet
28. The Sobelman Burger
29. Brunch at Comet Café
30. Tailgating at Brewers games
31. The Brewers' pennant race
32. The famous Klement's Racing Sausages (Go #3!)
33. Roscoe the, um, what is he exactly?
34. The new and improved Marquette Interchange
35. City Hall's face-lift
36. The Iron Horse Hotel
37. The historic Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion
38. Cream City bricks
39. Edmund B. Gustorf Boat House
40. The view from Brewers Hill
41. Wisconsin Gas Building's Weather Flame
42. The Pfister Hotel lobby
43. The beauty of Calvary Presbyterian Church, The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Gesu Church
44. The Oriental Theater
45. Milwaukee Film
46. The Pabst Theater
47. Urban Ecology Center
48. Our diverse neighborhoods – Bay View to the Third Ward, and Brady Street to Riverwest
49. Kopp's Frozen Custard
50. The Oak Leaf Trail

It was extremely difficult to whittle down my favorites to a measly 50 things, so much so that I think I’ll do this again next Valentine’s Day.

So, why do you love Milwaukee, or your own city? Share your reasons in the comments section.

Photo comes from gettyimages.com.

Comments

[Jonas]

So many things I miss from the short time I lived in MKE and so many new things for me to check out when I return.

Thanks for a great list!

[Jim]

What a list-I love your picks! Reminded me that I need to get myself to Sobelman's soon:)

[jon_hansen]

Hmmm...your list covers quite a bit....

-Brady Street
-The East Side Compass
-Marquette University
-The Bucks
-Thurmans, Nomad, Ale House
-Marcus Center when it's all lit up at night
-It's not Chicago
-Between the Bars:)

[BTBMKE]

Haha, suck-up! :)

Thanks for sharing your favs, Jon.

[Amanda]

Wow, what a list! As I was reading it, I kept thinking "oh yeah, I forgot about that."

[MsQuarter]

Awesome list, and oh, so true. You should submit it to National Geographic Traveler. They are having an "I heart my city" promotion and we Milwaukeeans are trying to get this great city on the cover!
http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2009/02/i-heart-my-city.html

[Todd]

Wolski's!

[Tegan]

Bucketworks!

[Mark]

I second Wolski's.

And is this Todd my brother? I hope so. You've done me proud, little brother.. you've done me proud.

[BTBMKE]

Mark, you crack me up!

[Ryan Thompson]

I ♥ Milwaukee too!
https://twitter.com/webmedia/status/1210855329

[Lizzie]

Excellent list! I'd add the river. Yeah, it's nasty water, but it does provide a lot of entertainment and revenue with the party barges, rowing races, kayaking and power boating opportunities. Plus, it's a totally different view of the city!

[Ron Renken]

Oh wow! We live in Peoria, IL- but we love Milwaukee- I found this blog from your post on Koz's Mini Bowl from your other Blog.

But anyway, we found Alterra by accident, and we LOVE it!

[SuzieQ]

Great list! I love all of the summer festivals in Milwaukee. It gives me and my hubby a reason to come down.

[BTBMKE]

Ron- Thanks for stopping by. I'm so glad to hear you're still following my blog and that Milwaukee has fans outside of WI. :)

[Mark]

^^ I live in North Carolina. ;)

[BTBMKE]

I'm glad Milwaukee has a fan in NC, too. ;) Thanks for continuing to follow my blog and for all of the recent comments, Mark.

[Kristin]

Well, you know where I live, but you also know my heart lives in Milwaukee! Loved your list, Karen. Congrats on the RadioMilwaukee spot. Very cool.

As I was reading your list, I kept adding things to my to-do list when I'm in Brew City this summer. I might have to take my mom to Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall. She's been teaching herself how to play the accordion. I'm sure she'd love it.

[jamie]

Pepperoni cannoli!

[Banjo Bob]

Sounds like an East Side girl!

[BTBMKE]

"You *sound* like an East Side girl."
"You *look* like an East Side girl."

I get that a lot. What does that even mean, anyway?

[Justin]

never heard of chill on the hill, ill have to check it out, sounds like my kind of party. #51 would be the famous "bubbler". Good list CIN.