When I was little, all I wanted to do was be a skater kid with the big boys. Of course, I only had a little sister so access to a board was pretty limited and I was blowing most of my allowances on Pokémon cards. Nevertheless I continued to wear primarily skater skirts throughout middle school and longed for a lifestyle that would never be mine... minus the bloody knees, I still got plenty of those. Flash-forward to present day, you're down a couple of beers after work and your friend asks you if you wanna go skateboarding in his garage? Uh duh. And obviously you bring your camera.
milwaukee
Riverwest Follies
Got a new update to the website thanks to the 2017 Riverwest Follies. I was asked by one of the co-producers, and dear friend, Shelly Schauer, if I could lend my photographic talents to this year's event and I was only too happy to oblige.
I had never attended the Follies previously so I didn't really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised to see neighbors of all ages filing in to enjoy the performances at the Polish Falcon that night. The acts were just as diverse as the crowd, from songwriters to comics to belly dancers. It was a great turnout with a record number of acts, and a write-up in the neighborhood paper, the Riverwest Currents, so I think it's safe to say the 2017 Follies pretty much nailed it. And I've got the pictures to prove it.
I've updated the LIFE section off my homepage with an appropriately titled "Riverwest Follies" section that you should check out the second you're done reading this but for now, here's a little teaser of what you may find...
Thursday Night Throwdown
We may not be as well know as Seattle, but Milwaukee definitely knows a thing or two when it comes to coffee, or at least has enough coffee snobs living in it to support all our local roasters and cafes. I've been working in the coffee industry for almost six years now, and personally, I feel like I have just scratched the surface of this crazy micro-culture. However, there is one time-honored tradition that I have had the pleasure of taking part in, and that is the art of the barista "throwdown."
For anyone who is unaware, a throwdown is a friendly competition where two baristas battle it out for the most impressive latte art. The two designs are poured and presented to the judges who vote for the best cup, typically defined by visual aesthetics, degree of difficulty, color infusion, and definition. The competition is whittled down to the final two (March Madness style), leaving the winner who gets the pot, i.e. the $5 entry fee charged for each competing barista.
Needless to say, the night was a roaring success with laughter abound and PBR cans littering the counters and the La Marzocco, in true Milwaukee style. Suck on that Seattle.