A New Home ... A New Me

A lot has changed since I last checked in.

While I may still be sitting on the same couch, semi-watching my guilty pleasure General Hospital on DVR, I'm no longer in the same home - no longer in the same state - no longer in the same part of the country.

Where you can find me is about 1,100 miles due west of my prior home in Salem, MA, making my way in Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Source: Enchanted Learning

I can say without uncertainty that I never thought I would be uploading a map of Wisconsin and guiding my blog readers to look for the Milwaukee dot close to Lake Michigan in the south-east corner of the state.  I guess that's the beauty of life though...you never know what opportunity may be coming your way.  In my case, Wisconsin courted and successfully wooed me with a great new position at a large, well-known and respected global corporation.  I'll give you a clue...it is the only company that trades on the Dow Jones today that was also listed on the original Dow index in 1896.

Although the new job is going well so far, I've nonetheless been in a serious adjustment phase.  When I thought of a few key words for where I was heading...bitter cold winters, cheese, beer and industrial came to mind.  Although I won't be able to avoid the cold winters, I've found that there are a lot of great things (some part of the stereotypes and some far from) that are definitely helping me to adjust.

Great, local beer ... whether it's the powerhouse Miller, smaller craft breweries such as Lakefront or Sprecher or local brew pubs such as the Milwaukee Ale House....one can find something tasty to slurp down for sure.

Cafe Hollander, Wauwatosa WI

Milwaukee Ale House, Milwaukee WI

Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee WI

Amazing lakefront parks & beaches ... who knew right?!  Cities aren't typically known for miles of open space to walk, run, boat, jet ski and sun bathe, but that's what I'm learning makes Milwaukee so special.

Stunning art museum ... featured in the latest Transformers pan movie, this architectural wonder, designed by Santiago Calatrava, has been statuesquely gracing Lake Michigan's shoreline since 2001.  

Riverwalk ... 2+ miles of revived shops, restaurants, bars and trendy apartments running alongside the banks of the Milwaukee river.  Bar hopping here can be accomplished by foot or by boat ... which would you prefer?

Source: Fine Art America

FESTIVALS ... although I got here too late this summer to enjoy many of them, Milwaukee is home to a different music or ethnic festival practically every weekend.  The festival grounds have a specific home, right on the lake a little bit south of the downtown area.  Although thousands visit Italian Fest, German Fest, Irish Fest, Polish Fest (the list goes on), the most famous festival is undoubtedly Summerfest, touted as the world's largest musical festival.  It takes place over 11 days and 12+ stages with a tremendous amount of musical variety.  I heard on the news this summer that annual attendance now reaches over 1 million people!

The only big event I did make it to this summer was the Air & Water Show over the lake.  Here are a few pictures ...

Miller Park & Avid Brewers Fans ... built not too long ago, Miller Park is a fantastic MLB park.  The seats are affordable, spacious and are close to a bevy of yummy snack stands.  Gone are the days of a simple hot dog alone, you can supplement your dog with pulled pork sliders, Wisconsin white cheddar cheese curds, selections from a baked potato bar and roasted almonds & walnuts & pecans.  Not to mention the fact that the city is obsessed with their Brewers, who are on their way to a division title :)

I have a feeling I'm going to keep discovering special things about my new city that I will continue to share with you all.  In the meantime, I'm looking forward to my apartment being filled with not just my boring self...my boyfriend David will be a welcomed addition to my daily routine and, of course, as many visitors as possible :)