1. Watch the Brewers in the NLDS
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
I know the Brew Crew are kind of limping into the playoffs, and and also punching immovable objects on the way, but it’s important to remember why we (well, at least *I*) believed they were a legitimate World Series contender a month ago. Those reasons have names, and they are Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta. The loss of Devin Williams is a blow, of course, but there’s plenty of bullpen depth to figure it out around Josh Hader’s ninth innings. Brad Boxberger has felt pretty shaky at times, but Jake Cousins, Hunter Strickland have flashed brilliance that could very well translate to October, and rookie Aaron Ashby seems to be a multi-inning lockdown guy. PLUS, with Craig Counsell only needing a four-man starting rotation for the playoffs, Craig Counsell will be sending one of the red-hot Adrian Houser-Eric Lauer tandem to the pen to cover multi-inning stretches, too. So, join me in believing, as much with your head as your heart, that the Brewers are going to be in every single game in this playoffs, no matter what the offense does.
I don’t mean to be hyperbolic but I legit think they are going to win the World Series https://t.co/dfExLGNUKj
— Chris Drosner (@WIbeerbaron) September 2, 2021
2. Grab a Bite at Zócalo Food Park
ANN CHRISTENSON, SENIOR DINING EDITOR
Hitting Zócalo Food Park (636 S. Sixth St.) on a weekend night – or any night – is a treat. And we went specifically for a sweet one – ice cream from local vendor Scratch (which also just received an editor’s pick in our 2021 Best Of Milwaukee story). It features rotating local food trucks and, on some nights, live entertainment. And frankly, some of the city’s best local mobile food is available there – from Dairyland burgers to Mazorca tacos. Plus, the people-watching rocks!
3. Pick Your Own Pumpkins at Lindner Pumpkin Patch
ALLISON GARCIA, DIGITAL EDITOR
It’s officially October, which means it’s time to cram all of your outdoor fall fun in before Halloween (and the bitter cold weather) comes. I decided to kick off my first October weekend at a Lindner’s pick-your-own-pumpkin patch in New Berlin. I gathered up gourds and a wagon full of pumpkins that I brought home to display on my front porch. It was a wonderful way to spend an autumn afternoon.
4. Appreciate a Milwaukee Chocolate Bar from Indulgence Chocolatiers
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
My wife got me the bar, a very thoughtful little pick-me-up for no reason; I appreciated it so much I didn’t visibly react to the $6.99 price sticker on the back of the lovely package. I love some finer things, but I’m a cheap bastard, too. It’s a tough life. ANYWAY, when I opened this treat, my reticence melted like the chocolate at the edge of my fingers. Even before a bite, this bar is beautiful, with cool renditions of Milwaukee landmarks engraved into the chocolate. And this art arrives on a delicious medium – creamy and exquisitely balanced between bitter and sweet, with big crystals of sea salt adding a little intrigue to the mix.
5. Read What We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
Mendelsund is best known as a book designer. He’s designed covers for Ulysses, The Trial, The Republic and many more. And in 2019, he became the Creative Director at The Atlantic. This non-fiction book takes his unmistakable talent for design and combines it with a thoughtful meditation on what “reading” actually means. When you start a book and see the line “Call me Ishmael,” what image is in your mind? Are you picturing someone you know? Maybe you’re imagining the actor from the movie? Or is the character a strange, unclear abstraction? The book takes on this concept of how reading effect our mental imagery directly, by including multiple illustrations and clever design tricks on nearly every page. The result is a book not quite like any other, and a must-read for anyone who cares about fiction.
