Between the Bars

It's over.

One of baseball’s prevailing and cherished myths is that “it ain’t over till it’s over,” a romantic fallacy that nurtures hope when it should be all but gone.

Don’t let anyone fool you, it isn’t necessarily so and seldom has it been. It’s almost always over for all practical purposes well before the final pitch is thrown and the last bat is swung.

That’s especially true of postseason play, whether World Series, division and league championship match-ups, or tie-breaking playoffs for a pennant or a wild-card berth.

It’s autumn overnight, literally.

"There is a time of year in New York when, even before the first leaf falls you can feel the seasons click. The air is crisp, the summer is gone. And for the first night in a long time, you need an extra blanket on your bed." – Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

That time of year seems to have come to Milwaukee, as well.

While the season literally changed from summer to fall over night – today marks the first official day of autumn – it seems like the weather has decided to take a drastic turn right along with it.

Going, going...

With the last weekend of summer already upon us, I’m desperately trying to suck in the sounds of warm weather before it completely disappears.

Thankfully, the weekend is packed with summer send-offs – for those of us having a hard time letting go – as well as some events that hail the emergence of autumn in Southeastern Wisconsin. Of course, the weather is going to be perfect, too!

Still, temperate evenings will soon be hard to come by, so tonight is your last chance to check out a new Milwaukee summer favorite, Fish Fry and a Flick, outdoors along the lakefront at Discovery World.

And two of Milwaukee’s favorite summer things – ice cold brews and festivals – merge one more time for Milwaukee Beer Fest, which continues throughout the weekend with events all around town. Or head south for the annual Great Lakes Brew Fest in Racine. More than 250 craft beers and sodas from about 100 brewers across the country will be here, including some of my favorites like Anderson Valley Brewing Company and Rogue Ales, along with local brewing companies like Water Street, Stonefly, Sprecher, and Lakefront.

Ready for some football!

The jersey is on, the taco salads are made. I have team spirit and gameday jitters.

Now I just have to wait five hours for the game to start.

GO PACK, GO!

Another packed weekend

Sure, the days might be getting shorter, but Milwaukee still knows how to pack them. This weekend, events and activities aren’t slowing down one bit.

Head to the lakefront for the 31st Annual Kite Festival, "Family Fun Day" at Bradford Beach, and UWM's Pantherfest and Indian Summer on the Henry Maier Festival Grounds.

The East Side Tomato Romp, Milwaukee Short Film Festival, Oktoberfest, Center Street Daze and Tosa Fest are just a few more additions to keep your weekend alive and entertaining.

Whatever you decide to do this weekend, I hope you enjoy it!

The summer that wasn't

Every year, there is the bittersweet feeling of “the summer went by so fast.”

The calendar summer is not yet over: officially summer began on June 21 and will end on September 21. But in the mind of a Wisconsinite, true summer always commences on Memorial Day and concludes on Labor Day. This means that summer has officially bid us adieu.

With that said, why does it feel like summer never even said hello?

Easy answer: The weather.

So, here's my excuse...

Work has been nuts and because I just moved, I've been trying to dig out from underneath the mounds of unopened boxes that have buried my apartment. Also, I currently don't have a working computer at home, again because of the move, which is why I haven't blogged this week.

Plain and simple, I've been busy.

I promise to catch up with you next week. Cross my heart and hope to die.

Until then, have a good one!