John D.'s Profile

Staking a claim on the West Bank of the Milwaukee River, this locale of the local coffee chain impresses with a slick building and its standard offering of famously strong coffee.   Although the seating area seems small at first, once the weather warms up, there is a balcony and possibly a patio area, allowing plenty of room for the coffee drinkers and laptop campers to hold sessions of coffee and conversation.  I admit, I brought my little EEEPC here and wrote for a bit and drank two cups of the Alterra coffee that seems to give a great, energetic boost to an afternoon.  I appreciate having another option for a cafe in Riverwest.

I stopped in for the lunch buffet and enjoyed a great meal.  The food was fresh-tasting, piping hot on the serving tables, and delicious.  There was plenty of different dishes to choose from.  Fresh bread served at the table and attentive service made me feel comfortable and welcomed. Topped off with mango ice cream and mango pudding.  $9.45 + tip.  A great place to stop for a nice mid-day feast on the East Side.

I had the buffet lunch here.  The Thai pizza was very good, but it was cold.  Very limited selection of food was offered on the lunch buffet table, and some of the food was cold and not strictly fresh-tasting.  $8.43 + tip.  A OK choice if you are in the Cathedral Square area but not worth a special trip.

I love the taste of this chili.  You have a choice to get the chili with noodles or beans or both.  I tried both, mild spice level, and it was great.  There is a subtle, well-done texture and taste in the chili that is wonderful.  I had cheese on top that was perfect.  You get a bowl of crackers.  I think I'll go without the noodles next time.

This location is just southwest of Cathedral Square, and it is open late.  So you can drop in before or after Jazz in the Park or the area bars on Jefferson Street.  Established in 1931, Real Chili reflects its character with its red stools, red walls, and black-and-white checkered floor.

This is a great little museum and historical center right at Pere Marquette Park downtown.  Here you'll find displays about Milwaukee area history.  The building was a former bank, and there is a display inside showing the teller cages.

This is a park constructed on top of a parking deck, but it has grass, trees, benches, and walkways.  You'll find great views of the Milwaukee Art Museum from this park, as well as the Miller Pavilion and the "orange thing" sculpture ("The Calling" by Di Suvero).

On just a half hectare downtown directly north of City Hall, this park is home to an ice skating rink in the winter and a Starbucks Coffee shop year round.

Home to a statue of Robert Burns, the Scottish Poet this park commemorates, it is also home to the Cleopatra's Wedge sculpture.  On just 0.55 hectares, this park is on the bluff and is surrounded by condos and apartments.  It is near where you can take the Ogden Street stairs down to the Oak Leaf Trail.

On a bluff above Lake Michigan, Juneau Park is just east of the downtown area.  It is a popular place for people to gather for fireworks over the lake.  It is a very good walking path continuing Prospect Avenue to downtown and the lakefront.  To Juneau Park's south is O'Donnell park and down the bluff is Veteran's Park.

This is an option for bus travel to a variety of locations in the region.  Luckily for Milwaukeans, this is not the only choice (see the Badger Bus to go to Madison or the Megabus to go to Chicago).  But for travel to the north, such as Green Bay and beyond, this bus is a reasonable choice.

As of October 2007, the Greyhound station is at the Intermodal (Amtrak) station on W St Paul Ave.