The Bloody Mary Festival is coming to Milwaukee!

Photo courtesy of Bloody Mary Fest

The Bloody Mary Liberation Party is a community of Bloody Mary lovers who put on festivals throughout the county dedicated to this savory cocktail. They curate the bars and restaurants that are making the best local Bloody Marys and bring them to you on one special day, under one roof to taste and enjoy with local artisanal food and beverage samples, music, expert judges and more.

Each festival goer gets to vote for their favorite and help crown the best bloody.

The ticket includes the best Bloody Marys, made by the finest bars, restaurants and bottled mixes in WI. Get them here.

The event welcomes all foodies, locavores, vegetarians, vegans, flexitarians and anyone who is interested in a plant-based lifestyle. While the event will be educational and will aim to show the impacts that dietary choices have on animals, personal health and the environment, there will also be several speeches and cooking demos throughout the course of the day.

At 11 a.m. the first speaker, Aaron Yarmel will talk about strategic vegan conversations. Yarmel’s talk will focus on showing others how to engage in better conversations about veganism in a variety of scenarios. In particular, Yarmel will talk about how to categorize and respond to every anti-vegan argument while building a genuine connection with whomever the argument stems from, instead of pushing them away.

Photo courtesy of MKE Vegan Expo

From 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m Jennette Cable will give a talk on “compassionate action as a tenet of wellness,” and at 1 p.m. Mike Stura will talk about stories of animal rescue.

Later on at 2 p.m. Dr. Yami Cazorla-Lancaster will present and discuss how eating a plant-based diet can promote health, longevity and joy. She will also share ways to keep it simple, sustainable and enjoyable for life.

And at 3 p.m. Dr. Alex Sassani will present a brief overview of the research that has convinced thousands of medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and athletes to choose plant-based nutrition and lifestyle over SAD (Standard American Diet).

While these speakers are presenting, there will also be several cooking demos taking place throughout the day.

Caroline Carter will be showing how she makes one meal three different ways from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m.

And from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Amberlea Childs of Plant Joy will be demonstrating how to cook eggplant meatballs.

And finally around 3 p.m. things get a bit sweeter as Madeline Ruyle of Bunny’s Bites will teach those in attendance how to make chocolate espresso truffles.

There will also be a 30-minute yoga class for people of all experience levels from 4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. The class will be taught by Alcy Sivyer of Everyday Bliss Yoga.

The event is free, but there is a suggested donation of $5 per person. Those who wish to attend must register here. Donations can be made online or at the door.

Photographs provided by the Larson Family

Jonah Larson

According to the press release, the book will include an introduction to the art of crocheting, a round-up of “Jonah’s Favorites” and the exclusive pattern for the first project Larson crocheted. Larson’ mother, Jennifer Larson will be the co-author of the book.  Milwaukee photographer Erin Harris will take the pictures for the book as well.

From the press release:

“Slated for Fall 2019, “Hello, Crochet Friends! Making Art, Being Mindful, and Giving Back: Do What Makes You Happy,” stitches together the inspiring story of Larson’s life, from his infancy in an Ethiopian orphanage to his adoption by the Larson’s; touching on his pre-crocheting early elementary years and ending with a celebration of all that crocheting has brought to his life today: a method for “calming his busy mind,” a tool for giving back, and a massive social media following that has led to sponsorship opportunities and a way for Larson to share his philosophy on life: do what makes you happy.”

Check out Larson’s Instagram, where you can see some of his amazing creations, which he sells for his business, Jonah’s Hands and donates some of the proceeds to the Ethiopian orphanage where he was adopted. Take a listen to the NPR story about Larson.

According to a MiBiz article, New Holland Brewing Co. received federal label approval for the whiskey label, but details about the release are still under wraps.

On the label, you can see the name Jacob Best, who founded what would later become known as the Pabst Brewing Company. Also, the label displays the main ingredients for the whiskey: 52 percent corn, 27 percent malted barley, 17 percent wheat and four percent rye.

At the bottom of the label, there is a message that reads, “This is Pabst Blue Ribbon Whiskey. Made from nature’s choicest products that, legend has it, Jacob Best used in 1844 to provide its smooth, complex flavor.”

The one item in the label that stands out is that the whiskey is “aged five seconds.”  Based on that, this whiskey sounds like it could be a white whiskey or “white dog” whiskey, instead of an aged whiskey like bourbon.

Rendering courtesy of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin

“We were inspired by leaders like Victor Barnett and Dr. Valerie Daniels-Carter, and named the space Legacy as a tribute to entrepreneurs who have and are making the world a better place,” said Ossie Kendrix, president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin.

“There’s a lot of discussion in Milwaukee about fostering entrepreneurship, but we lack dedicated support for underrepresented, minority entrepreneurs. Legacy fills that need by providing access to workspace, mentorship, networking opportunities and business development resources.”

Legacy rendering courtesy of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin

Totaling 4,212 square feet, Legacy will house AACCW’s offices, as well as innovation and co-working space for entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Unique to Legacy’s coworking space, the business hub will also feature SHARED, a community kitchen created specifically for bakers and cooks, providing access to commercial-grade kitchen amenities, or simply more cooking space during peak seasons.

AACCW launched a Legacy fundraising campaign to raise $500,000 for the completion of the new innovation and co-working space. You can get more information about Legacy or pledge a donation here.

Piva Beer Spa opened in 2018 and offers traditional spa services like massages, steam rooms, saunas and Halotherapy. But spa’s specialty is the beer soak, which is tub filled with hot water, a mixture of hops, barley, brewer’s wart extracts and pilsner beer. You are probably asking yourself, this sounds great and all but why would I soak my butt in beer instead of drinking it?

According to Piva Beer Spa’s website, soaking in beer has many benefits:

1. Improves damaged skin – Extracts of hops, barley and brewer’s yeast contain polyphenols that have anti-oxidant properties that help prevent and alleviate oxidative damage of cells, lipids and DNA.
2. ​Exfoliates, softens and improves elasticity of skin – Hops are filled with antioxidants which give beer anti-inflammatory properties. Brewer’s yeast found in beer can make skin softer to the touch. The amount of alcohol in the beer has anti-bacterial properties. The vitamins found in beer have been shown to help maintain PH balance of the skin.
3. Helps clear skin and acne – Barley contains Epidermal Growth Factor. Along with the moisturizing properties, it can help clear skin.
4. Hydrates skin – B vitamins, saccharides, yeast and hops in the mixture help hydrate and condition the skin
5. Conditions hair and has been shown to stimulate thinning hair – Proteins found in beer add weight and shine without taking away the natural shine of hair and has even been shown to stimulate thinning hair growth.
6. Relaxing – The smell of hops has been shown to be a natural sleep aid. Absorbing it typically creates a relaxed feeling

The sixth benefit I can believe, because when I drink a pint, I feel very relaxed. The big question I have is if I can I drink a beer while I’m soaking in beer. According to a Timeout Chicago story, the answer is soon.  The spa is working on getting their liquor license and may brew their own beer.

This building off of West Fond du Lac Ave. was one of many set ablaze during the 2016 unrest in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood.

When the flames died down, the community was surrounded by destruction and pain. And this building, formerly a BMO Harris bank, was left with charred walls and broken glass.

Two years later, it has been renovated and has risen from the ashes as the Sherman Phoenix. After a community fundraising campaign lead by developers JoAnne Sabir and Juli Kaufmann, the building reopened to the public on November 30, 2018 as the revolutionary hub of culture, business and healing it is now.

[Read more: The rise of the Sherman Phoenix as a Milwaukee center of culture, business and healing]

The Roll Out the Barrel Tour stops at each location for three weeks. The Pass Me a Pint Tour stops for two weeks.

The Roll Out the Barrel Tour dates:

• Juneau Park, 900 N. Prospect Ave., May 8 to May 27
• Doctors Park, 1870 E. Fox Lane, Fox Point, May 29 to June 16
• Grant Park, 100 E. Hawthorne Ave., South Milwaukee, June 19 to July 7
• Lake Park, 3333 E. Kenwood Blvd., July 10 to July 28
• Greenfield Park, 2028 S. 124th St., West Allis, July 31 to Aug. 25

The Pass Me a Pint Tour dates:

• Kletzsch Park, 6560 N. Milwaukee River Parkway, Glendale, May 15 to May 27
• Froemming Park, 8801 S. 51st St., Franklin, May 29 to June 9
• Falk Park, 2013 W. Rawson Ave., Oak Creek, June 12 to 23
• Jacobus Park, 6501 W. Hillside Lane, Wauwatosa, June 26 to July 7
• Washington Park, 1859 N. 40th St., July 10 to 21
• Bender Park, 4503 E. Ryan Road, Oak Creek, July 24 to Aug. 4
• McCarty Park, 8214 W. Cleveland Ave., West Allis, Aug. 7 to 18
• Juneau Park, 900 N. Prospect Ave., Aug. 21 to Sept. 2

The Traveling Beer Garden will open 5-10 p.m. during weekdays, as well as 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on the weekend (with live music as well on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 8 p.m.). Last call is at 9 p.m.

There will be live local music from musicians including Trapper Schoepp, Faux Fiction and Nickel & Rose at Wednesday night keg tappings (held at 5 p.m. on the first date of each tour stop) and on Fridays and Saturday nights from 5-8 p.m. The full music schedule will be announced soon.

Plus, the Iron Grate BBQ food truck will be available every night of the Roll Out The Barrel Tour, to serve up wings, pulled pork, riblets and stuffed sandwiches.

Get more info here.

Milwaukee’s oldest cocktail lounge, the unsuspecting and dimly lit Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge known for its endless “menu” is nominated for Outstanding Bar Program for the second time. It was also 2013 semifinalist.

Then, for the third year in a row, The Bartolotta Restaurants are nominated for the Outstanding Restaurateur award. Chef Paul Bartolotta already holds two Beard awards, though they were for non-Milwaukee Restaurants—Spiaggia in Chicago and Ristorante di Mare in Las Vegas.

Chef Dane Baldwin (back) at The Diplomat

And this year, Milwaukee has three nominees for Best Chef Midwest. They are Dane Baldwin of The Diplomat, Karen Bell of Bavette La Boucherie and Daniel Jacobs and Dan Van Rite for their work at EsterEv (inside DanDan). This is the third nomination for Bell and the second for the DanDan duo. But this is Baldwin’s first nomination. And The Diplomat, which opened in 2017, is his first restaurant.

Jonny Hunter of Forequarter in Madison also got a mention as a Best Chef Midwest semifinalist.

Also representing Wisconsin in 2019’s James Beard nominees is Chef Tory Miller’s L’Etoile, for Outstanding Chef.

Now, the semifinalists will be voted on by 600 judges from across the country to select the finalists in each category. Then, they will vote again to select the winners, which will be presented in May.