August 26, 2010 at 07:00 PM · Posted under Pat Tasker
For the last 65 years, people in the greater Milwaukee area have been attending the Parade of Homes. Whether looking for new construction ideas, the latest trends in home decorating and building technology, or just to dream, the MBA Parade of Homes pleases all who attend. The parade runs from August 21 through September 12th.
The Parade of Homes this year will be spread out across the entire metro area with 22 homes in 3 different subdivisions. Subdivisions reach as far south as Oak Creek, as far north as Richfield, and west to Pewaukee. There is something for everyone when it comes to pricing or size of the models.
The Richfield’s Reflections Village proves to be of real interest if you are looking for something different. Fashioned after a walkable community with a town square, this subdivision is a 20 minute commute to downtown Milwaukee.
Pewaukee’s Broken Hill is a great development just minutes from shopping conveniences. Rolling hills and great vistas, my favorite here is the gorgeous clubhouse and an in-ground pool. Quite a nice convenience for the young family or sun seekers!
The Bluffs of Oak Creek is almost ON Lake Michigan. Large lots surrounded by nature conservancy and extensive building restrictions make this a good choice! The southern Milwaukee county location is perfect for the traveler, being close to Mitchell Field Airport, or for those commuters to northern Illinois jobs.
Whether you visit one or all three subdivisions, you will be in for a treat this year at the annual MBA Parade of Homes. If you aren’t quite ready for new construction, an existing home is a good step to building equity and later moving up. I can help you with either choice, just give me a call!
August 16, 2010 at 07:00 PM · Posted under Pat Tasker
Are you having trouble making ends meet, and your mortgage is falling behind? Help is coming to town.
Thursday August 19th from 1-7:30pm at the Frontier Airline Center (formerly Midwest Airline Center) 400 W Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee 53203 parking available at 630 N 5th St - $6
BE PREPARED to make the most of this appointment! Here is a list of documents you should bring along to the workshop.
CHECKLIST
Monthly mortgage statement
Information about other mortgages on your home, if applicable
Two most recent pay stubs, documentation of income you receive from other sources or most recent quarterly profit and loss statement if self-employed
Two most recent bank statements
Account balances and monthly payments for credit cards and other debts
Estimates of other monthly expenditures (such as utilities, insurance and medical bills)
BEWARE, there are scams out there taking advantage of homeowners who are underwater with their mortgages. This workshop on Thursday is sponsored by the government and will have answers for you. When a homeowner is experiencing financial difficulties, including mortgage payments, there are several options available as relief. If you live in the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, call me to discuss those options. If I don’t know the answer, I can help you find a trustworthy source of help!
August 13, 2010 at 05:48 AM · Posted under Pat Tasker
It’s expected to be the hottest day of the year, and you have a request for a showing. Here are some tips and tricks to make it a success.
AIR CONDITIONING: If you’ve got it have it on!! It’s not the time to be frugal. If it isn’t on, or set too high, buyers wonder if it works at all or needs service. They will rush through your home and run back to the air conditioned car.
REFRESHMENTS: Refreshments? I should be serving refreshments? You’ve heard of baking cookies, well the hottest day of the year is not the day to turn on the oven. Let’s try something cool and refreshing. I can clearly remember a showing, many years ago. While I don’t remember the buyers or the exact house, there are 2 things I clearly remember- it was sweltering hot, and the refreshments! The seller had a tray on the kitchen counter filled with ice, bottled water and cans of soda. There was a note from the seller to enjoy a cold beverage and stay as long as we wanted to cool off. That was a smart move. If she had left a note that there were refreshments in the fridge, we’d feel awkward helping ourselves. But with the tray on the counter it was welcoming, and it worked! We needed the cooling off, and stayed longer in that home, than any other that day.
CEILING FANS: If you have them, use them. Don’t have them on high, sometimes that gives the appearance you are fighting a losing battle, or the noise is a negative distraction. Medium or low speed, gets the air circulating and creates a slight cooling breeze.
HUMIDITY: Don’t use the showers within a few hours of the showing. You don’t want any extra humidity or stickiness in the house. Cool and refreshing is what you are going for here.
COOKING: Like I said before, baking cookies is not in order today. Don’t add any extra heat (or smells) by baking or boiling before the showing.
BEDDING: Be sure at this time of year to change the bedding even more than normal. Sweat seems to cling to sheets and pillows and the college dorm dinge is not appealing on showings. Fresh and clean is what you want in bedrooms and baths.
POOLS: If you have one, show it off. That means the cover is off, the water is crystal clear and inviting anyone to dive in! The lawn furniture is also uncovered and set up in conversation areas, some pretty beach towels out. Even the table is set with some summer table ware like a colorful pitcher and glasses or those cute place settings you can get at Kohls (on sale) this time of year. Another memory I have is a buyer who requested to see a home, and the house across the street was also for sale and it perfectly matched their wish list. The only negative in their book was the in ground pool, which they said they’d never want. Since we were right across the street, and the house matched, I made them look at it. Guess what? They fell in love with it and really enjoyed that pool. What had happened there? Mr buyer worked in a very hot job, and he came to find the pool a great way to cool off and relax after a long day at work.
LAWNS: this is important no matter how high the temps are. A manicured lawn, watered, edged is so appealing. Try to cut the lawn the day before the showing. Hose off the drive, or use the blower. Super neat and trim is enviable and buyers love it. If you have pets, be sure the lawn “free of deposits” and is safe to walk on!
Again, you are trying to get the buyer to imagine living there. You want them to stay as long as possible in your home, placing furniture, cooking in that remodeled kitchen, entertaining friends. Keeping them in the house longer is a good sign, and you can do that by having the house so appealing, cool and providing refreshments.
If you are considering selling your home in the city or suburbs of greater Milwaukee, this is just the tip of the ice berg of advice I can give you. Whether its staging, pricing, negotiating or strategies, call me to help you put up a SOLD sign!
July 28, 2010 at 05:50 AM · Posted under Pat Tasker
If you are a fan of Broadway Theatre, you already have your tickets to see Wicked at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts this summer! If you are not a musical fan, I’d encourage you to think twice, and try to snag some tickets before the show leaves town on August 8th. A comment from a professed theatre “avoider” Tommyg09 said ” So all you guys out there that are just like me, and wouldn’t give a second thought to going to a theater show….this one is pretty darn good!
The Marcus Center has been “greenified” for the event, both inside and out. From the hall lighting, festive tables at private pre show parties and even the glasses worn by ushers, GREEN is in! A great way for the venue to crank up the excitement.
Wicked is the story of “what happened” before Dorothy landed in Oz. You will find out why is the wicked witch of the West green, and how the Flying monkeys, Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow came to be. The Wicked Witchs’ lineage, why Glinda changed her name and many other “insider stories” behind the well known story lines.
According to a recent newspaper review: “Though the production features lush sets and high-flying musical numbers, its highlight is the interaction between the two main characters.” Sharing the stage with the beautiful, bouncy and obnoxious Glinda, is Elphaba, the green witch. Elphaba gets her name from the author L. Frank Baum’s monogram LFB… Vicki Noon, playing “elphie” on this tour has an amazing voice and delivers everytime she opens her mouth to belt out another song. Just how they get her THAT green is a work of art!
Hosting the traveling cast of Wicked is the Marcus Center for the Perfoming Arts, which is the home to many our our beloved Milwaukee dramatic arts groups such as the Milwaukee Symphony and Ballet, the Todd Wehr Childrens Theatre, the Florentine Opera, and the Milwaukee Youth Symphony. And of course the location for Broadway Across America Productions that lands a great show here 3-4 times a year.
If you don’t have tickets yet, call today as the demand is high and availablility for the last 10 days is limited.
Thinking of moving from the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee to the downtown area to be closer to the arts and dynamic downtown lifestyle? Give me a call, there’s no place like home, and I can help you find the place to call your own!
July 21, 2010 at 12:40 PM · Posted under Pat Tasker
The Washington Fair runs from July 20th-July 25th. It’s your chance to enjoy some food, fun, animals,the excitement and lights of the midway, exhibits and even some shopping.
I was able to check out the fair on Tuesday night for a Chamber of Commerce networking event. One of the most impressive features of the fair is the cleanliness of the grounds. With many new buildings and asphalt paths that traverse the fair grounds, it is a nice experience. It’s a nice change from the State Fair in size and feel.
There is the usual fair selections when it comes to food, ice cream, shaved ice, hamburgers, bbq sandwiches, and beverages!
The exhibit hall is crammed with projects, dioramas, flowers, baked and canned goods, and craft projects. Kids in 4H and adults alike worked on these projects for months, with them ready for presentation at the yearly county judging.
The barns are loaded with animals that are primped by their owners and ready for the judges critical eye. Being a city girl I always wondered how the grand champion winners must feel bittersweet with their big win. Happy to have won, elated with the big cash prize to help with future college expenses, but so sad to let go of the prized animal they’ve raised.
The entertainment is usually a blast from the past, such as this Saturdays show with Kenny Loggins balanced with the trendy Julianne Hough, who is there on Thursday night.
Hopefully you can get a chance to check out the Washington County Fair and enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of a good old fashioned fair!
This past Sunday it was officially National Ice Cream Day. But if you live in the city or suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, frozen custard may be higher on your list than ice cream! If you are not from the area, NO, it’s not some form of frozen pudding. Frozen custard is similar to ice cream, but uses eggs in addition to cream and sugar to get that super creamy texture. At first lick, you will immediately tell the difference!
When it comes to finding the best frozen custard in the Milwaukee area, opinions may vary, but Kopps will come out on the top of most lists! With 3 locations around the metro area, it’s never too far to catch the flavor of the day either by catching it on the marquee, twitter or text message alerts!
The Kopps menu includes frozen custard from one to six scoops! I’d LOVE to see someone get a six scooper and manage that melting ecstasy! Other treats include floats, sundaes (a killer Turtle Sundae), and the jumbo Sundae of the Month. The grill menu features the famous Jumbo Burgers, Chicken Caliente, fish and grilled cheese sandwiches. Just a warning: Jumbo means JUMBO! Kopps can even deliver long distance, for those fans that’ve moved away, but still want their favorite flavor!
Kopps was family founded in 1950’s, and the legend is that the location on North Port Washington Road in Glendale (originally Milky Way Drive In) was the inspiration for the Happy Days TV series. Others might argue that it was Leon’s on S 27th.
Once you try Frozen Custard, it is hard to go back to regular ice cream. Due to the super rich flavor and calorie count, Kopps wouldn’t be a weekly event for most, unless you are training for Ironman! But everyone has their favorite flavors and makes a point of visiting on that day. Some flavors are on the menu daily, like chocolate and vanilla, others run a monthly rotation like the standards: strawberry, butter pecan, chocolate chip cookie dough. There are some unique creations like Sprecher Root Beer Float, Chocolate Whopper Malt or Cotton Candy Confetti. And then there are the super special flavors that appear only once a year! During Festa Italiana, my favorite Palermo Lemon; during Germanfest it’s Bienenstichkuchen, and on Kopps anniversary it’s Imperial Torte in memory of founder Elsa Kopp. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE CUSTARD STAND AND FLAVOR? I’D LOVE TO HEAR!
If you are hooked on Kopps, Glendale would be a great place to live! You could walk or ride you bike over to catch your favorite treat. This home is perfect for a buyer looking to be close to Bayshore, Interstate 43 or Kopps! Call today to take a look.
July 09, 2010 at 09:31 AM · Posted under Pat Tasker
There could be a great risk of fire in your home as you read this. One of my sellers decided to have a pre sale inspection and found out before it was too late for her. Mike Wang from Milwaukee Inspection Service knew right away there was an issue. He found the fire hazard in the basement electrical box. Any electrical panel with the name FEDERAL PACIFIC ELECTRICAL or FPE should be checked for safety by a licensed electrician and replaced if instructed.
Federal Pacific circuit panels were the subject of a recent class action lawsuit. They were installed in millions of homes and many are still in operation today. The problem: the service was labeled as meeting Underwriter Laboratories safety rating, when in fact they were not safe. The companies fraudulent testing and falsified UL labeling was proven in a New York court in 2002. The Federal Pacific products in question, when overloaded, failed to trip and constitute a great fire hazard. According to the website “A circuit breaker that fails to trip is unsafe fails to protect the electrical circuit and the building and building occupants where that circuit breaker is installed. This can lead to fire, property loss, and injury or worse.”
According to Ryan Wandschneider of Elite Electrical Connections, a FPE panel should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid any danger. The cost of a service replacement can average from $1,200-$1,600, and take about a days’ work, depending on the home.
So go right down to your basement and look for the label on your electrical panel. If it has a Federal Pacific or FPE label on it, you next call should be an electrician to make a correction! If you are looking to sell a home in the city or suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, a presale inspection is just one of the ideas I will give you to get the home on the market. I can be reached at my office # 262-437-5853 I look forward to your call!
July 08, 2010 at 09:26 AM · Posted under Pat Tasker
So you are thinking of putting your home on the market. You have cleaned, decorated, painted the home and manicured the yard. But what about what you can’t see?
Many sellers will opt to have a pre-sale home inspection done, prior to putting their property on the market. The benefits are many!
You will have a copy of the inspection to make available to buyers when viewing your home. They will feel more confident moving ahead, after reading a report and knowing the condition inside and out.
If repairs are needed, you can mark them on the report or include copies of invoices for those repairs. Be sure to get permits and hire qualified contractors, or the buyer will question the repairs.
You will save some money by knowing if there is any issue that needs attention. You can get it taken care of BEFORE going on the market. Buyers hire home inspectors after they have agreed on a price. If something comes up, you can’t factor it in to the price, like you would if you inspected prior to listing.
You have trust in the inspector you hire, not an inspector the buyer chooses. You have no control over who the buyer hires, and may differ with their opinion or their qualifications.
You have control over the contractor and price, should any repair be needed. For example, if it is determined that a new roof is needed now, you get it done on your terms! You can get a 3 tab shingle roof, and the buyer will be happy with a new roof. If the buyer is involved in the decision, they may want the more expensive option of a dimensional roof, or a certain color.
In the case of something that looks scary, like an older furnace, having an inspection on file that shows it has been checked and in good working order, may keep a buyer from passing on the home.
If the home sale is an estate or the seller is a Power of Attorney for the owner a condition report may not be provided and buyers can be leery. Having an inspection report on file will relieve their fears.
Can you see that having an inspection done prior to listing is a good idea for several reasons? According to Mike Wang of Milwaukee Inspection Service, pre sale inspections are done exactly the same as a buyers inspection, they may go faster though because the buyers are not there, getting their “how to operate a home” instructions. The cost of home inspections run anywhere from $250-$500, depending on the size of the property.
Many people dream of summering on the French Riviera, or Provence, or an exciting trip to the “city of light” - Paris. If your purse strings are tight, or the calendar doesn’t allow, you might get your “French fix” this weekend at Bastille Days in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee is known as the “city of festivals” and two of the things that make this one different than most is the location and cost-FREE. Bastille Days is held at Cathedral Square in the heart of the East Town area, and not on the Summerfest grounds like most others. This gives it the cosmopolitan feel and even features a 43’ Eiffel Tower built for the occasion by neighboring MSOE students.
Evenings are perfect for strolling the lamp lit streets, or picnicking on the grass and listing to music. According to the website, musical guests include: Paul Cebar (July 8), The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (July 9), Lisa Haley and the Zydecats (July 10) and Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons (July 11). Food vendors feature typical fest fare and most popular Beignets, Champagne,crepes, croissants and Boueff Bourgnine to mention just a few. Demonstrations are given by chefs, vintners and cheese makers. Some other highlights include the opening of the fest with the “Storm the Bastille” 5K run that starts at 9pm, no sunburn worries there! For pet lovers, the 2nd annual La Parade des Caniches, or translated: Pooch Parade Sunday you can cheer waiters and waitresses in an obstacle course race. Old St Marys has a French Mass for a unique experience, no matter your religion.
Bastille Days is sponsored by the East Town Neighborhood which also organizes the very popular Jazz in the Park and a fabulous Farmers Market every Saturday.
The downtown location is an easy commute for those living in the city or the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee. Whether you are a die hard Franco-file or looking for a new festival experience, you will LOVE Bastille Days! C’est Magnifique!
(Photo credits: french pooch-JSOnline; Tour Eiffel- East Town Association)
If you live in the city or the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, you know about Summerfest. If you love music, crowds, good food, fireworks or refreshing cool beverages, you LOVE SUMMERFEST. If not, you hear the updates everyday on the news, like the performers of the day, the weather expected, or attendance figures. I know people who schedule their vacations, so they can attend every day.
In times of families managing the tightest budgets in years, you will be interested in the list of “special” hours and promotions that will get you in FREE to the Big Gig!
If your true love is music, the line up is most important. And if you just love people watching, just show up, plant yourself at one of the many great seating areas, grab a beverage and enjoy!
The Sports stage is the place to meet the pros from the Bucks, the Wave, and check out the latest fitness craze-Zumba. The childrens stage features magic acts and jugglers, right next to the giant playgound.
I remember when Summerfest was in its early years, and the grounds were dirt paths, basic structures housing food and beverage vendors, and stages were semi permanent. We’d come home with the dirtiest of bare legs from a day of walking around the grounds. The grounds have grown and evolved just as the festival itself. From the early years and the local icon Bo Black, through Don Smiley and this years line up. Getting there is so much easier with Summerfest Shuttles heading in from outlying points of the metro area.
With 11 days, 11 stages and over 800 musical acts ranging from Tom Petty, Usher, Tim McGraw, The Gufs, American Idol tour, Eric Clapton, all the way to the locals like the The Toys, The Orphans, and even my neighbor kids Max & Sam Templin and their band “No Idea,” there truly is something for everyone!
Summerfest is truly one of Milwaukee’s gems. It makes great use of our gorgeous Lakefront, entertains residents and visitors, and stimulates our economy EVERY YEAR. How many other events can say that? I’d love some comments on your Summerfest “must dos!”
Do you love a hearty Farm Breakfast? Now, I don’t mean a super slam or an odyssey plate full of food, I mean a good old fashioned down on the farm breakfast!
June is Dairy Month in Wisconsin, and a popular event across the state is the Farm Breakfast. If you live in Germantown or Mequon, the big event THIS SATURDAY June 26th, from 7-11am. The menu includes: All you can eat pancakes, WI ham and cheese omelette, Cottage Cheese, White or Chocolate Milk, Assorted Cheeses, Sample New Dairy Products, and smooth ice cream with strawberries or chocolate.
Never been to a farm breakfast? Bring the kids and grandkids and be ready to eat AND have fun! My kids favorite part was to watch the FFA (Future Farmers of America) kids stirring hundreds of eggs in the 6 foot frying pan! After chowing down, according to the website you can enjoy the following: “Huge Kid Zone area, face painting, petting zoo, live music, pictures with calves, wagon rides, clown, free samples of NEW dairy products, cow milking contest, antique tractor display, scavenger hunt, crafts, farm tours and more.”
Almost each county has a Farm Breakfast in the month of June. If you live in the city or the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, you can check here for a list of a Farm Breakfasts that are worth a short drive
It’s been a tradition in my family for decades… Let me know how you liked it!
Serving the Suburbs of Greater Milwaukee since 1989
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Located in the prestigious North Point neighborhood, this English Tudor home may remind you of the Pabst Mansion in style, as they were both designed by Ferry & Clas over a century ago. Charm abounds with carved plaster crown moldings, 5 fireplaces, Romanesque windows, and rich oak paneling and trim. According to the website, other special features include: “limestone Tudor archway with matching side columns and decorative stonework. Carved figures occupy the front and sides of the house. Four playful gnomes are placed between the two-story bays, representing the leisure-time activities of golf, tennis, bowling, and card playing. The German word for these figures is “Heinzelmaennchen,” and they often reflect the special interests of the home owner. On the facade of the chimneys are four hand-carved stone faces that recall the designs of medieval English architecture.”
With most of the home in it’s original state, visitors will notice only the kitchen and upper bath have been extensively renovated. The Showhouse is a collaborative effort, led by Patty Virnig and a group of over 25 interior designers and artists. The designs blend a 2010 nouveau style with the original old world charm.
What is it like to own a Showhouse? It takes patience and a passion for the cause for any owner to give up the daily use of their home for months, as the design team transforms it. The owner is totally involved in the process and has the last say on any design decisions. While paint and wall paper will be a lasting reminder of their participation, the owner may purchase any furniture or décor items they would like to stay in the home after it closes.
Your tour will not only please your senses, but make a contribution to the Medical College of Wisconsins Cancer Research efforts. In 2009, the showhouse and supporting events contributed over $300,000 towards their research projects. Over the past 12 years, this Showhouse and connected events has contributed $3.8 million towards not only breast cancer research but also prostate cancer research.
The showhouse is open to the public from now through June 20th. There are 2 days that the showhouse is open in the evening, which is a real treat. The Showhouse Boutique is a shoppers delight, so bring your pocketbook to further support the cause! Advance tickets can be purchased at any Shorewest Realtors office.
After touring this beautiful home, if you are inspired to find your own mansion on the east side or ranch in the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, give me a call. We can start touring those homes!
May 28, 2010 at 06:12 PM · Posted under Pat Tasker
“Oh what a relief it is”, “Where’s the beef?”, Taste’s great, less filling”….These are all popular product jingles, that I bet you can still remember…. Not trying to date myself, but a memorable ad from my childhood is “From the land of sky blue waters, comes a beer refreshing, comes a beer refreshing” Again, that was my CHILDHOOD!
In January around SuperBowl weekend, there is a lot of talk about ad campaigns, and a lot of talk on the millions charged per second for that advertising. Monday Morning water cooler talk is usually more about the ads that aired, than the game itself. But when asked about the actual product that was being promoted, many times the general public doesn’t remember what was even being advertised!
A successful ad campaign, not only entertains, but cements the product into your memory! At Shorewest, our most memorable ad campaign would have to be the “Yodeler”. Not only did it entertain, the music stuck in your mind, AND it gave the message loud and clear that Shorewest sells more homes than anyone else. A copy of that ad is sure to entertain even today!
Times have not changed, and you can still count on Shorewest getting the job done. So far this year, other company sales numbers pale in comparison to Shorewest. If you are looking to sell or buy a home in the city or the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, you must consider Shorewest. As part of my marketing campaign, I not only advise on pricing, proper placement, advertising of the home, but also on staging and prepping the home to go on the market for maximum results! So call me for advice, whether buying or selling, and you too will be yodeling a happy tune!
As most people are aware, the $8,000 tax credit ended at midnight on April 30th. Early in the year, it seemed like it would be doom and gloom for months after that. By the end of March, beginning of April, the mood seemed to be improving, in regards to life after the tax credit!
During open houses in April, I started hearing buyers say, “yes, we’d love the tax credit, but we aren’t going to make a quick decision just to get it!” That was refreshing to hear. While I know some buyers may have bought, just to “get it done” in time, many were smart and shopped with cool heads.
WHY WOULD YOU BUY NOW, IF YOU MISSED THE TAX CREDIT? I can give you several reasons.
• Low interest rates, even though they were predicted to go up quickly and dramatically, so far they have been very good.
• Great inventory is still out there
• Lower prices than we’ve seen in years
• WHEDA is back, and FHA is as busy as ever! MORTGAGE MONEY IS AVAILABLE!
• A HOUSE IS MORE THAN AN INVESTMENT! It is a place you bring your new baby home to, entertain friends at a backyard BBQ, celebrate the holidays, and go home to at the end of a long work day! It is a safe, warm welcoming place you call HOME
Our first 4 months of this year have produced some interesting numbers. New inventory is up 20%, and sales are up 40%! That shows that the inventory is starting to head towards a balanced market. So if you are a buyer, it is good to buy now, before the rates go up and the market swings out of buyers favor.
For a list of homes in the City or Suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, call or email Pat Tasker at ptasker@shorewest.com You too can make a good buy if you act now. The stock market proved yesterday it is not for the faint of heart. But real estate over the long haul has proven that it is a good investment.
Pat Tasker
The lawn furniture is also uncovered and set up in conversation areas, some pretty beach towels out. Even the table is set with some summer table ware like a colorful pitcher and glasses or those cute place settings you can get at Kohls (on sale) this time of year. Another memory I have is a buyer who requested to see a home, and the house across the street was also for sale and it perfectly matched their wish list. The only negative in their book was the in ground pool, which they said they’d never want. Since we were right across the street, and the house matched, I made them look at it. Guess what? They fell in love with it and really enjoyed that pool. What had happened there? Mr buyer worked in a very hot job, and he came to find the pool a great way to cool off and relax after a long day at work.
A comment from a professed theatre “avoider” Tommyg09 said ” So all you guys out there that are just like me, and wouldn’t give a second thought to going to a theater show….this one is pretty darn good!
The barns are loaded with animals that are primped by their owners and ready for the judges critical eye. Being a city girl I always wondered how the grand champion winners must feel bittersweet with their big win. Happy to have won, elated with the big cash prize to help with future college expenses, but so sad to let go of the prized animal they’ve raised.
Once you try Frozen Custard, it is hard to go back to regular ice cream. Due to the super rich flavor and calorie count, Kopps wouldn’t be a weekly event for most, unless you are training for Ironman! But everyone has their favorite flavors and makes a point of visiting on that day. Some flavors are on the menu daily, like chocolate and vanilla, others run a monthly rotation like the standards: strawberry, butter pecan, chocolate chip cookie dough. There are some unique creations like Sprecher Root Beer Float, Chocolate Whopper Malt or Cotton Candy Confetti. And then there are the super special flavors that appear only once a year! During Festa Italiana, my favorite Palermo Lemon; during Germanfest it’s Bienenstichkuchen, and on Kopps anniversary it’s Imperial Torte in memory of founder Elsa Kopp. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE CUSTARD STAND AND FLAVOR? I’D LOVE TO HEAR!
Many people dream of summering on the French Riviera, or Provence, or an exciting trip to the “city of light” - Paris. If your purse strings are tight, or the calendar doesn’t allow, you might get your “French fix” this weekend at 
and the grounds were dirt paths, basic structures housing food and beverage vendors, and stages were semi permanent. We’d come home with the dirtiest of bare legs from a day of walking around the grounds. The grounds have grown and evolved just as the festival itself. From the early years and the local icon Bo Black, through Don Smiley and this years line up. Getting there is so much easier with Summerfest Shuttles heading in from outlying points of the metro area.
Shorewest - Menomonee Falls
