Between the Bars

What can the jackpot get you in Milwaukee?

Thousands are lining up today in Milwaukee, the state and across the country for their chance to win more than half a billion dollars now that the Mega Millions jackpot is at a world record of $640 million.

Lottery fever is sweeping the nation. Symptoms include a postponement of reality, extreme optimism and the appearance of dollar signs in the eyes of otherwise healthy people.

It’s true. Even over lunch today with some of my coworkers, the conversation turned to the prospect of winning the massive prize. We've all caught the bug - yep, even those of us who have never bought a lottery ticket before - because there's something incredibly irresistible about the fantasy of imagining what you would do if you won the lottery.

Pi Craving

I don’t know what it is about National Pi Day, the unofficial holiday commemorating the mathematical constant π, but I’ve been having a strong urge to consume a nice slice of blueberry pie all day.

Strange, I know.

Fortunately (for my sake), Milwaukee boasts plenty of eateries that serve up a fresh slice of pi pie. Here are some of my favorites:

Alterra
2999 North Humboldt Blvd.
(414) 292-3320
Although Alterra Coffee Roasters is primarily a specialty coffee company, six of their cafés offer food and bakery items that definitely should not be overlooked. Alterra on Humboldt houses Alterra's headquarters, main roasting facility, café and bakery.

Finally, a day that warrants a bike ride

I don’t ride my bike year-round – I’m a lazy-ass wimp that won’t even attempt zipping around the wintry streets of Milwaukee. What I find more enjoyable is floating through the fresh, mild air during an unseasonable and crazy warm late winter afternoon, like today.

The day brought the kind of weather that sends people to their closets to dig out shorts and flip-flops. While I didn’t go scrounging for shorts, I did manage to pull my bike out of the garage and take it for a quick roll along the Oak Leaf Trail after work.

Did you know that the City of Milwaukee provides free maps of the area's bike trails? They're available to download as PDFs, or pick one up at your favorite, local bike shop.

Get out and enjoy the trails and the weather!

Local Newswire: Match Day, Accidental Genius, and more!

To keep Between the Bars – and you – up-to-date, this weekly post provides a compilation of both the amusing and the significant (mostly the amusing) local stories from the last few days that I've found by keeping a sharp eye on the local newswire. Enjoy the wealth of information, dear readers. You deserve it.

• Hunger Task Force has been given a tremendous opportunity to raise a significant amount of money at a time of year when donations are typically low. On Thursday, March 8, all donations made to Hunger Task Force from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. will be matched by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. All donations made on the aptly named “Match Day” will support the Hunger Task Force’s Farm and Fish Hatchery in Franklin, WI, and the organization’s efforts in growing and delivering fresh fruits and vegetables to feed the needy. Simply follow this link to make your Match Day donation on Thursday, March 8!