Knocking Around with the kids in Milwaukee and Chicago made for a great fall trip

Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!

In Sayreville, New Jersey, we’re used to traveling a bridge over smelly water. And in Milwaukee, we were treated to much of the same because you just have to travel over the Daniel W. Hoan Memorial Bridge to get to pretty much anywhere. And lo and behold…BEHOLD…a stench so vile that you are just hoping the hops making that famous Milwaukee beer aren’t being brewed in the vicinity.

When Erin’s partner, Nick, got a job in Milwaukee, Erin decided to move with him and find a job out there. So what does that mean for us? A reason to visit Milwaukee, of course. It’s a city neither of us had visited. And who would want to pass up an opportunity to visit the land of Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley?

We flew in on a cold November night (dragged Lauren too) and headed to the Hampton Inn in downtown Milwaukee. Since there was no obvious parking, Alan dropped me off at the front to check in and find out where to park.

It was an immediate red flag when the doors were locked and I realized you had to be buzzed into the hotel. I was greeted with a rough “Can I help you?” from reception and when I told her I was there to check in she buzzed me in. She wasn’t exactly friendly and her directions on where to park weren’t exactly clear as she was mumbling because I must have disturbed her.

We drove around the block and found a sign at a parking deck that said “Hotel Parking.” After we parked we took an elevator to some abandoned mall-like building and walked through corridors to walk out onto the street. Then we crossed the street to our lovely accommodations for the next few days.

When we got to the room the air conditioning was blowing – and it was freezing – and wouldn’t shut off. So we asked to switch rooms and that didn’t go over well but we were switched. Lauren was so excited that there was an indoor pool but when she went to check it out, it was like that scene from National Lampoon’s Vacation when Rusty and Audrey went to check out the pool at the campground in Arizona and there were ducks in it. Except this time it was just empty. The hotel was batting 1.000 so far.

We drove to the part of Milwaukee where Erin and Nick lived called Bayview. On the way there we had to go over this highway bridge and there’s a putrid smell coming from the water. We found out later on it’s not the water it’s some kind of factory and every time we crossed that bridge back and forth over the weekend we got this burning sensation in our nostrils. Our introduction to the Hoan Bridge.

In Bayview the streets were lined with quaint small brick homes and the kids’ apartment was on the second floor of a two-family home. They came out to greet us and I gave the usual scream and ran and hugged them both. After a quick home tour and hugs and kisses to Ziggy we were off to dinner. Alan had rented a huge SUV so we could all drive together and we piled in. 

Erin and Nick picked a casual place called Rock Bottom with bar-like food and plenty of local beers on tap. When in Milwaukee after all… Erin made a reservation but when we walked in the place was empty so I guess the reservation was moot. The food and service were great. Too bad two weeks after we were there the place closed down.

We headed back to the crusty hotel after dinner and Lauren went with Erin and Nick as she was going to be staying with them.

The next morning we drove to Erin’s and headed out to breakfast minus Nick since he was working. We went to a local spot called Honeypie Cafe. This place opened in 2009 and its “goal has been to make great Midwestern-inspired food with great Wisconsin ingredients.” The food was delicious to say the least and the staff was more than happy to suggest other local spots to check out while we were in town. 

We headed to the Milwaukee Art Museum where Erin had been working in their catering department. She was hired as a server for events such as corporate fundraisers and weddings. Due to her organizational skills and attention to details she swiftly moved up the chain of command.  The museum is absolutely beautiful and overlooks Lake Michigan. At first sight the museum looks extremely familiar to me. It’s because it looks just like the oculus in New York City. Well, that’s because it was designed by the same architect, Santiago Calatrava.

When you walk in, it’s an open space and you can see Lake Michigan through the huge windows. We spent a few hours at the museum and I have to say we were definitely pleasantly surprised. There were numerous floors of all kinds of artwork – paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. After a quick walk-through the overly priced gift shop we headed to lunch.

Food malls are the best place to sample the local fare. I’ve been to food malls all over the world and they never disappoint. And with so many different varieties of food you’re sure to please your whole group, so we headed to the Public Market in Milwaukee.

We each went to a different vendor and grabbed a food to our liking. There was plenty to choose from. We were in Wisconsin so I had to get myself some kind of sandwich with cheese.

We had some time to kill before we picked up Nick from work, so we headed to the iconic Fonzie statue on the Milwaukee Riverwalk. The kids wanted nothing to do with it so they sat in the car while Alan and I ran outside in the frigid cold and took turns taking a picture with Fonzie giving the thumbs up.

We hopped back in the car and headed for the Milwaukee Repertory Theater to get Nick.

When he got in the car, we all clapped and cheered because we missed him all day while we were out on our adventure. We dropped Erin and Nick back off at their place so they could get ready for dinner and we headed back to the crusty hotel.

I made reservations at the Harbour House which is a high-end restaurant located on Lake Michigan. Erin and Nick were excited because they are foodies, but their budgets don’t exactly allow for fancy dinners. We scooped the kids back up and headed to the restaurant, all dressed up and ready to dine. The restaurant was beautiful. The food was delicious and fresh, and the wine was even better. Of course Alan, Erin, and Nick enjoyed the lobster tails.

We dumped the kids back at their place and headed back once again to the shady Hampton Inn in downtown Milwaukee.

The following morning Alan and I got up for breakfast and we usually will eat the free breakfast at the hotel, but not today. Judging by the state of the hotel, we weren’t taking any chances by eating food there. We headed to a little coffee shop a couple of blocks away called Stone Creek Coffee and had coffee and some pastries.

On the way back-and-forth to and from the hotel we did notice that all of the hotels had a buzzer policy. You could not get into any of the hotels without being buzzed in by the hotel staff. I had never seen anything like this before, not even in New York City. Is Milwaukee that dangerous? I mean we did see some vagrants on the street but no more than we usually see anywhere else.

So today is a big day because we’re headed to Chicago!

Erin and Nick of course have been there, but the rest of us haven’t so we’re super excited to see The Bean and to eat Chicago pizza! We round up the kids and head out for the 1 1/2 hour drive.

Like any other city there’s a boatload of traffic because it’s rush-hour. Our first stop is… The Bean! We parked underneath Millennium Park and headed upstairs.

The Bean is of course not its actual name. The name of the structure is called Cloud Gate and it’s one of Chicago’s most popular sights. According to ChooseChicago.com it, “is one of the world’s largest permanent outdoor art installations. The monumental work was unveiled in 2004 and quickly became one of Chicago’s most iconic sights.”

It was pretty crowded as to be expected since it is a Saturday morning. It’s chilly but not too bad although I think Alan is probably wearing four or five layers, but whatever. We take lots of pictures in all different combinations: standing, selfies, jumping pictures, group pictures. Now it’s time for lunch.

As you are aware, we are pizza aficionados. Alan did his research before going to Chicago and I asked an acquaintance that was originally from Chicago for suggestions and we narrowed our pick down to Lou Malnati’s. It’s a chain of pizza places but it’s supposed to have great pizza so we headed to the closest one which is only a few blocks away.

Now it’s only a few blocks away but you have to remember it’s November in the Windy City so it’s not exactly a quick easy walk. Distance-wise it is but not weather-wise (is that a word?). It was picturesque as you walked over the Chicago River. There are so many movie and TV scenes that have taken place, like the opening scene of the Bob Newhart show which Alan is obsessed with. More on that later.

We got to Lou Malnati‘s with our mouths watering and our stomachs rumbling. The happiness was short-lived when we were told a wait would be an hour and a half. This was unacceptable for all of us but especially for Erin who gets hangry…really hangry. So she took matters into her own hands and got on her phone and jumped to the rescue and got us a reservation at another Lou Malnati‘s a few more blocks away.

Back into the windy cold to walk another mile to get pizza. This better be worth it I thought to myself. And I probably said it out loud too. We get to the second Lou Malnati‘s and still had to wait about another 20 minutes but it’s better than an hour and a half. The restaurant was mobbed. The brick walls are covered in Chicago memorabilia, sports jerseys, and photos. The vibe is relaxed and friendly too.

We ordered some salads and appetizers and our drinks and of course, deep dish pizza. I’ve been waiting years and years to see what the big deal about this pizza is. Coming from New York/New Jersey (the pizza capitol in my eyes), I am pretty skeptical about eating pizza anywhere outside that area. But how can you go to Chicago and not eat pizza? Let’s see what the big deal is.

After we devoured the appetizers, this piping hot pan of pizza was served to us. The server plates a piece for each of us as we watch the cheese just oozing from the pan. The sauce is sweet and the crust is thick. It’s delicious but completely different from New York pizza. There’s no folding this pizza. I am opposed to eating pizza with a knife and fork but with Chicago pizza there really isn’t much of a choice. This pizza has its own style.

We stuffed ourselves before heading back out into the cold to walk back to Millennium Park to get the car. We stopped to take some pictures along the river but we had to move quickly because it was cold. Again, we relish in the scenery from the opening sequence of the Bob Newhart Show (eye roll).

Next stop Navy pier. For Alan, this is a must see because at the end of the pier is the Bob Newhart statue. We parked at the pier and walked in. Honestly, it’s just a glorified mall. 

There are shops and food stalls, there’s an arcade, laser tag, bowling, and a movie theater. It’s like a one-stop shop. I’m assuming because it’s so cold in Chicago that that’s a place to go in the winter – a place where you can satisfy your entire family. And I have to say it was pretty crowded there too.

We all went our separate ways and Alan and I headed to the end of the pier on a mission to find the Bob Newhart statue. Of course we walked inside because it was freezing outside. When we couldn’t walk inside any longer, we headed outside as the sun was setting. And there he was at the end of the pier… Bob Newhart. Alan laid on his cold metal couch and I took a picture. We quickly got back inside back to the warmth. Alan had fulfilled his mission on this trip – pizza and Bob Newhart.

Since we just ate pizza not too long ago, we really weren’t hungry for dinner but I wanted to try a Chicago dog. We headed to the food court to meet up with everyone else and Erin and I got hotdogs. It was good as a hot dog can be I guess but because of the really bright green relish. Like really bright, like that color doesn’t exist in nature. I don’t think I could get used to having pickle spears on my hot dog either. But again, when in Rome.

We headed back to the car again for the drive back to Milwaukee. We dumped the kids off one last time and before we headed back downtown, we stopped at Leon’s for ice cream.

Now apparently this place was the inspiration for Arnold’s from Happy Days. It looks like an old fashioned walk up ice cream place (no indoor seating) complete with staff wearing boat style paper hats. Since it’s all glass, you can watch the employees make the ice cream.

We plowed through the ice cream which was good (it must not have been great or else I would have remembered more details) and drove back to the hotel. Please keep in mind that every time we go back and forth from Bayview to Downtown we smell that nastiness from whatever factory that is. So lucky for us that we finished the ice cream before heading back to the hotel because no one wants to smell that while eating.

After one last night at the worst Hampton Inn ever, we packed up and went back to Erin and Nick’s and said our goodbyes and headed to the airport. Not only am I proud that Erin has flown the nest and started a new chapter in life, but I’m also happy that we were able to check off two states and big cities that I had never been to in one trip.

NOTE: The manager of the Hampton Inn contacted us and was extremely gracious and apologetic. She returned some of our money and offered us a future stay at a reduced rate.