Giverny: Monet's Place of Inspiration in Normandy

Claude Monet, the world famous Impressionist painter of the late nineteenth century, was a bold, gifted man. Giverny, France is where Monet made his home in the final years of his life. He lived in a large country home with a gorgeous blue tile kitchen and large yellow-walled dining room fit to hold twenty comfortably.





It is the place where he established his prominent brightly colored gardens of various plant species. It is home to the lily pad pond and green Japanese bridges that gave inspiration to some of his most popular paintings.


The aura of the place is powerful.


At this time this year the air is crisp. The weather has been much cooler overall for longer moving into spring—we're only hitting mid-fifties in mid-April. Monet's gardens would normally be well-moving into hearty bloom by now. For us the flowers are just beginning to bud and expose their petals, reaching out hungrily for the sun's warmth so to draw out full and complete.


With this irregular infancy in the flowers' growth we had the opportunity to imagine the fresh, vivid rainbow that clutched Monet's heart and hand, creating lurid expressions that have brightened the light of the world for millions over the years, and more and more to come, for certain.

The place is enchanting. It's inspiring. I felt as though I could spend months there drawing out the magic of the place to create my very own unique communication of life's treasures, it's flow, adaptation and progression.


Walking along the budding paths of the garden and over the bridges, around the pond dancing with the flow of winter's snow melt reflecting in the sun's rays, nude from the luscious Water Lilies (1906) painted in summer's flourish, Monet's impression is clearly seen. It's there in the water of the earth linked to all that surrounds it, including us.


The hairs on my body stood tall. I could feel it acutely—the magic of Giverny.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Milwaukee moves into Fall

Work has been hectic these last few weeks - busy and good. This weekend I'll get writing about it all. It's just been so much fun spending time with glorious friends from around the world, and showing them how great our city is. Here's a few shots of Milwaukee as we move into fall.








Dog Park











Field Hockey Season








Hoan Bridge


Harley Davidson Museum














Harley's stage in Summerfest grounds


Near Barnacle Bud's









The Wicked Hop





Lake Beaulah





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wisconsin's Pro Sports Buds

The August 2012 issue of M: Milwaukee’s Lifestyle Mag features two of our fine state’s athletic leaders, the Brewer’s MLB MVP Ryan Braun and the Packers’ NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. There's no doubt that these 'It' Men are two driven individuals that have helped move Wisconsin to the forefront of professional sports.

Both the Green Bay Packers quarterback, Rodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers left fielder, Braun, attended the ESPN Wisconsin Sports Awards earlier in 2012 taking a few accolades home with them. Rodgers won Professional Athlete of the Year, nominated with Braun, former Brewers first baseman Fielder and golfer Stricker.

Rodgers also received the award for Player of the Year and repped Green Bay taking Team of the Year honors, not surprising since the footballers were the Super Bowl XLV Champions. Still, Milwaukee’s baseball squad was the Central League Division Champs in 2011. Their success is stunning separately, and even more so when put together. They've achieved quite a lot before hitting the big three-o.

Both hailing from the beaches of California’s West Coast, it’s plausible that the pair would find some commonality here in the Midwest. They’ve supported each other through growing periods and tests of integrity, proving to fans and foes alike that they’re a force to be reckoned with. And that they can have fun supporting their new ‘home base’ together too.

In Janet Raasch’s M interview Braun stresses consistency and preparation when showing up everyday, an uphill task – and certainly more easily said than done. The young athlete was falsely accused of using performance enhancing drugs last year and faced a long game suspension that was rightly overturned in the months following. Braun said, ‘You compete as hard as you can day in and day out. The more prepared I am the better chance I have to have success.’

Rodgers knows well how to remain strong, stay focused and keep a steady head, even while being pushed to the background by an older, renowned player that just won’t let go. But the past is history now and he’s already started on a road to greatness with potential far beyond his predecessor. He said, ‘you don’t know how much you have to sacrifice to be successful.’

Both men are well-dressed and dapper off the field and out of uniform. When it comes to style, in the interview Rodgers acknowledged that he is, clearly, the better dressed. While that may or may not be true - style is personal taste afterall - Aaron, when it comes to fancy facial hair, you are the clear Stache Winner.


What do you say, when you and the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl XLVII next year, go even bigger and bolder - establish the 'RodgerStache'?



As the Packers begin practice today for this next football season, the quarterback believes in showing by doing, a trait found in many of the most respected influential people in our world. He said, ‘actions always speak louder than words.’

Too true. In our personal and professional lives, it’s important to practice what we preach. People respond to action-takers. Action mobilizes us, gives us strength and a feeling of camaraderie.

It’s fantastic that these two men have found a unique companionship in their acceleration to excellence. Even though their fields of choice are not the same, they’ve grown up together in the wild world of professional sports where their choices and actions are a constant discussion whether it’s football, baseball or any other season (ESPN never stops!). Rodgers and Braun understand the sacrifice, the team aspect, the uninterrupted focus and competitive drive to do what it takes to surpass their dreams.

Most recently the MVP's have partnered together in a Farm-to-Table restaurant venture. Appropriately named 8-Twelve, the location on Bluemound Road in Brookfield, Wisconsin has had difficulty in keeping tenants over the last few years. Managed by SURG, Rodgers and Braun will have their work cut out keeping their numbers posted up on the outside of this building. But hey, if anyone can make it, it's these two.

In good Wisconsin fun, click here and scroll to the bottom to find one of my favorite Packers jokes. No offense to Vikings fans! The truth can hurt :-)

Here's to our state, these athletes, an excellent M interview and cover - and to many more years of Wisconsin being the Big Cheese!

The Art and Craft of Milwaukee's Ristorante Bartolotta

Step into the casa of Milwaukee’s Bartolotta family at Ristorante Bartolotta in the quaint village of Wauwatosa. There, surrounded by walls lined with old and new photos, guests are welcomed to rejuvenate, rejoice, share and comfort thy souls with classic Italian fare using ingredient pairings rooted in Italy’s terroir and tradition.




The tables are dressed with small white candles, white linen cloths, a paper sheet with a signature stamp and short clear vases of fresh flowers. The sun's light reflects all around.








The place is one of my favorites in the city, sharing the chef’s soothing Duck Ragu with my British boss while in town or with friends and family to celebrate a new job, birthday or another life milestone. Honestly though, every now and then I enjoy the dish as an easy take-away, watching Sunday night TV in preparation for the week’s beginning and likely hectic plane catching.




This evening I'm here for my Art and Craft of Food Writing course with Ethel Hammer and Stephen Kleiman. The food industry veterans arranged a set course dining experience with wine pairing where we honed our skills of evaluating and effectively conveying a dining experience through words.




The Insalata Siciliana di Arancia was a delightfully simple salad of oranges, julienne fennel pieces, arugula for color and Nocellara del Belice olives. Garnished with Castillo de Canena award winning olive oil made of picual olives from a Spanish family-owned grove dating to 1780, the mixture was so fresh and clean. The bursts of orange were nestled by the ease of the oil that on its own gives a clear frontal feel on the palate, mellowing and lush. When partnered with the ’09 Insolia Cusumano wine, the flavor of the fennel greatly expanded giving more depth.




Our main course, the Spiedino di Maiale alla Griglia, was a succulent serving of pork tenderloin pieces on a skewer that’d been marinated for tenderness and broasted alle brace, or directly over charcoals, using the fiery embers of the woodfire oven. The rugged flavor of the coal cooked pork was enhanced with a zesty fresh herb sauce of thyme, oregano and aged red wine vinegar, originating in the Palazzo region of Lombardy near Milano.




Placed atop a mixture of fresh mushrooms (yes, it was so good I forgot to take a before picture :-), the vegetables drew out the rustic flavors of the dish while ultra smooth pureed potatoes, light with a hint of nutmeg, softened the entire dish. Instantly I felt the warming sense of home and family, sharing in celebration with new friends. It was paired with a red '08 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from Tuscany, but the wine was rather tight and needed some room to air.




Our hometown Italian adventure wrapped us up with a course of Piemontenese sheep and cow's milk robiola covered in a white truffle-infused honey lace. Foiled by a port wine geli and '09 Barbera red, the course had the ability to dispell the stresses of a Monday evening, leaving the night feeling more like a leisurely, sunny summer Sunday.




Chef di Cucina, Miles Borghgraef of Lake Geneva, graced our experience with knowledgeable detail of the ingredients involved in each dish and the reasoning behind their choosing and preparation to presentation. The service staff too was eager and helpful, clearly well-versed in the specifics of Italy's regional cuisines. I enjoyed broadening my horizons at Ristorante Bartolotta where I typically stick with what I love; now I have new techniques to try at home and a fabulous salad to re-create for good weather gatherings.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad