August 18, 2004

The key? Not working and never getting into my car. I’d do everything downtown, close to home…things that make me feel life is easy. I’d start off at the Plaza for breakfast.

The Residential Hotel on Cass and Kilbourn, with café potatoes. Anybody who’s been there knows about those potatoes. Then I’d walk down to the Third Ward to the antiques building. I collect stained glass windows and postal telegraph clocks. I’d find something going on Water Street, at the Marcus or the Rep or Next Act, or even the Broadway Theater Center.

Saturday night, I’d get home early and not go out anywhere. I haven’t been to a bar in 15 years. I’d get up Sunday and go to 8:45 Mass at Three Holy Women. Father Tim, a baby-faced priest, is a great guy and spreader of the Gospel. Then, Blue Dog Bagel right on Farwell. (Their bagels) are almost like sweet rolls; they are so good, they’ve gotta be bad. Plus the people who work and show up there are young and groovy. I love the bagel attitude on Sunday mornings.

I have dear friend Caroline who lives downtown. We’d go to the farmers market in Cathedral Square. I always get free buffalo jerky. Wild Flower bakery sells scones that are the best. I’m for anything going on downtown outside at Pere Marquette Park, or the grounds of the Marcus Center, Old World Third Street maybe, stop into Usinger’s and the Spice Shop and the cheese shop.

Clothing? It’s tragic. I have two pairs of the same khakis that are 8 years old,  and just so soft. My partner, Steve, just bleached them. They’re now pink. I told him, “I’m gay but I’m not wearing pink (expletive) pants.” Russell athletic T-shirts, definitely. Steve an I would go out to dinner, so I guess we’d have to get in the car. Lake Park Bistro is best, but I live at the Knick. My mom’s in Grafton, my two sisters are in Cedarburg, my brother lives on the Northwest side. I have another brother in Atlanta, and another in Tampa. In the summer everybody gets together to Milwaukee during Summerfest.