A ballpark entertainment district, rooftop patios and a word we have trouble spelling
Who we are. Where we go. What we need to know.
My younger brother is the biggest Beatles fan I know.
When we were hanging out over Thanksgiving, he asked if my parents and I wanted to watch "The Beatles: Get Back" three-part documentary series with him.
Was I aware it was going to be nearly eight hours long? No. But was it worth watching? I'd say so. And that's coming from someone who didn't even have a favorite Beatle going into it (it's now a tie between Paul and Ringo).
Fast-forward to last Friday, the Kirby crew spent some time with the Fab Four once again. We attended "Revolution: The Music of The Beatles - A Symphonic Experience" at the Bradley Symphony Center.
It was my first time checking out the space, which had its grand opening in October. My favorite part besides that and the music? My parents busting a move during the sing-along at the end of the show.
Let’s talk business
Speaking of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, at the end of this season, it will be saying goodbye to more than 435 years of musical experience. In June, the MSO is honoring the retirements of nine orchestra members and the symphony's longtime principal music librarian.
Picture this: An entertainment district around American Family Field. That's what part of the stadium's parking lots could be redeveloped for, according to a new proposal pending before the Milwaukee County Board. The resolution calls for local officials to work with the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District on a study that would look at creating a "mixed-use entertainment district" in Milwaukee and neighboring West Milwaukee. That district is also the first public sign of how local taxpayers might be asked to help pay for the ballpark's looming upgrades.
Kohl’s Corp. said it has entered into negotiations with Franchise Group, Inc., which could result in the sale of the company. Franchise Group — a holding company for a collection of retail brands — is seeking to acquire Kohl's for $60 a share (that purchase price values Kohl's at about $8 billion). In its statement, Kohl's cautioned that "there can be no assurances that any agreement will be reached or that a transaction will be agreed or completed on the terms set forth above or otherwise." "Kohl’s board of directors remains focused on selecting the path that maximizes value for all Kohl’s shareholders," according to the statement.
Summerfest is undergoing big leadership changes. Don Smiley, who has led Summerfest since 2004 in both the president and CEO role, said that 2023 will mark his final year as CEO of Milwaukee World Festival Inc., the organization that oversees Summerfest. Smiley will retain the CEO role until he ends his tenure. Sarah Pancheri, a longtime Summerfest executive, has been elevated to the role of president. Back in March, it was announced that Bob Babisch, who has led the festival's talent buying division for 46 years, will retire at the end of the year. Associate Entertainment Director Scott Ziel will take over as director of entertainment. Frank Nicotera, the organization's general counsel and chief administrative officer, retired at the end of last year and was replaced by Mary Schanning.
Out and about
Here are six top summer music festivals to check out in Wisconsin in 2022, from Summerfest in Milwaukee to Hodag Country Festival in Rhinelander.
Milwaukee resident Antonia Anderson might have one of the largest hip-hop collections in Wisconsin, with thousands of records and artifacts. And it's not just for her to enjoy — it's for the community. By sharing it, she's hoping to inspire others with hip-hop. People who want to view Antonia's 365 Hip Hop Museum can email Anderson at antoniaanderson44@gmail.com.
Don’t go hangry
One of the only times it's acceptable to look down on people: When you're on a rooftop patio. Here are 11 rooftop patios to check out this summer in the city, including The Outsider at the Journeyman Hotel, The Aviary at Central Standard and Red Star above Uncle Bucks.
Here are the talkers
Have you watched the new season of "Floor is Lava" on Netflix? Three Wisconsin social media influencers are on it. Their team, The Kickballers, was made up of Milwaukeean Jaymarlon Jones (AKA JayDay Hilarious), his brother and fellow comedian Brandon Jones and friend Kennaye Lewis, founder and coach of Milwaukee's Issa Stampede Dance Team. Here's how they got to be on the show and what that experience was like.
Just when you think you've seen it all ... Miller High Life recently announced a partnership with Universal Life Church to launch "The Officiants of High Life" program. It's a free way for beer lovers to "easily and legally" become a marriage officiant. Want to become an "Officiant of High Life"? Here's how.
Apparently we wiped "lose" from our vocabulary after the Bucks won the NBA Championship in 2021. A map recently published by Google Trends showed spelling searches by state in 2022, and indicated that for Wisconsin, the most-searched "how to spell" word was in fact "lose."
Be MKE,
Hannah
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To see what I'm up to around the city, follow me on Instagram @hannahhopekirby. Always keeping it pretty profesh over on Twitter @hannahhopekirby. Be MKE love or comments can be sent to hannah.kirby@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Be MKE: Ballpark entertainment district, rooftop patios, spelling lose
