Be MKE: Bobby Portis is in a movie, The Jazz Estate rebranded and paczki
Bobby Portis #BobbyPortis
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What kind of paczki (poonch-key) did you get yesterday?
If your answer is none, smh.
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I had a chocolate Bavarian cream and a prune with powdered sugar (thanks for dropping ’em off, mom and dad).
Let me know what you think the best kind is.
Let’s talk business
“Bucks in Six” has been a prophecy fulfilled, a popular hashtag and a chant you cheer at games. Now, it’s also a Bucks’ lifestyle apparel brand that offers fashion-forward items and exclusive T-shirts celebrating “the biggest Bucks moments.” The “cornerstone” of the line will be limited-edition collaborations with local, national and international apparel brands. The first collaboration is with Unfinished Legacy, a Milwaukee-born streetwear brand. Most of the Bucks In Six line will be available at Fiserv Forum’s Bucks Pro Shop, 1111 Vel R. Phillips Avenue, and online at shop.bucks.com. But many of the collaborations, including the first, will be in-store exclusives. The limited-edition “Bucks In Six x Unfinished Legacy” collection will begin being sold at 11 a.m. Friday at an official launch event.
A local musician is looking to turn the former Third Ward Saloon into a live music venue/bar he previously had in Walker’s Point. The new Gibraltar would make 80% of its sales from alcohol, 10% from food, and 10% from entertainment, per a liquor license application Evan Christian Burgess filed with the city.
Out and about
Country fans, listen up: Jelly Roll is bringing his Backroad Baptism Tour to the American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Aug. 18. Also on the bill for the Brew City show: Yelawolf, Struggle Jennings and Josh Adam Meyers. Tickets — with admission to Irish Fest on Aug. 18 included — go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater box office and on Ticketmaster.com.
An east side staple has rebranded. The Jazz Estate, now called The Estate, is cutting back its music program and ramping up its contemporary cocktail offerings. The reason? The service industry economy, owner John Dye said. New cocktails include Fiddler’s Green, made with gin, house-made Herbs De Provence syrup, Szechuan peppercorn, super lemon and salt, and Pretend I’m a Banana, made with distilled banana, house rum blend, passionfruit, super lemon and Jamaican #1 bitters. While Dye plans to bring live music back in the future, patrons can expect more DJs in the lounge for now.
Summerfest has started announcing its BMO Pavilion headliners for 2023. Earth, Wind & Fire will be headlining on June 30 and Avett Brothers on June 23. Tickets for reserved seating — which include Summerfest admission on June 23 and 30, respectively — go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Summerfest.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Summerfest box office. The pavilion’s free general admission seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on the days of the shows.
“Tokyo-dive bar meets Milwaukee pub.” That’s what just opened in Walker’s Point at the former Ollie’s space, 100 W Maple Street. Red Maple’s initial offerings include sake, Japanese beer, signature cocktails such as a Japanese version of a Bloody Mary and a Cherry Blossom Old Fashioned, and more. The owners are aiming to start offering food this summer; they’re waiting on zoning permission from the city to build a kitchen in the building’s garage. Red Maple is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and 11 to 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
One food vendor is leaving the Crossroads Collective food hall and another is joining. HotWax, a burger and fried-chicken sandwich shop, will close after service March 12. Atwood Hwy. BBQ will be taking its spot at 2238 N. Farwell Avenue, and plans to open on April 10. Atwood serves smoked meats such as ribs, pulled pork and turkey, side dishes including potato salad and coleslaw, pork skins, and made-from-scratch banana pudding. The chef-owner of HotWax, Ben Crevensten, said he will look for a new location for his business. Crevensten’s Meat and Co. truck will continue at Zócalo Food Truck Park.
The Uptown Crossing neighborhood has a new soul food restaurant. Jackson’s Soul Food Redefined’s jerk chicken, catfish and fried ribs come with a choice of two side dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, black-eyed peas, yellow or white rice, green beans, cornbread, jerk or Philly rolls, and mixed greens cooked with turkey. Jackson’s also serves up sandwiches, nachos and tacos. The restaurant, 4519 W. Center Street, is takeout-focused, but does have two tables. People can order in person at the window, call orders in to 414-231-3008 or place them via DoorDash or GrubHub. Jackson’s is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The business is currently in its soft opening, and will have its grand opening on March 1.
Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t let a sprained ligament in his wrist keep him from participating in the NBA All-Star Weekend … to some extent. He coached the celebrity game Friday with his brothers Thanasis and Alex; suited up and hung out during the three-point and slam dunk contests on Saturday; appeared on stage for the player draft Sunday; and made one basket at the beginning of the All-Star Game before being taken out. Antetokounmpo — who had been voted in by fans as a team captain for the game along with LeBron James — picked fellow all-star and Buck Jrue Holiday to be a part of his team. Holiday — who had subbed for Antetokounmpo in the skills challenge on Saturday — got two assists and a three-pointer in his nine minutes of play during Sunday’s game. Antetokounmpo’s team won, 184-175.
Speaking of the All-Star Game, the Bucks are going to submit a bid to host either the 2025 or 2026 event. The last time Milwaukee hosted it? 1977.
Bobby Portis has many titles. NBA champion and the people’s champion, underdog, fan favorite, (unofficial) mayor of Milwaukee, and the city’s hype-man. Now, he’ll be adding actor to that list. Portis will appear in “Sweetwater,” a full-length feature film about Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, the first African American to sign an NBA contract. Portis portrays Earl Lloyd, the first African American to play in an NBA game. While Portis’ role in the film is “smaller,” he has speaking lines, briefly plays basketball, and is part of a “pivotal” scene, Portis’ business manager, Patrick Frazier, said. The film will start showing in thousands of theaters nationwide on April 14.
The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies — a treasured longtime fixture at Wisconsin parades — performed at the Krewe of Thoth parade on Sunday for Mardi Gras for the first time. Louisiana’s 610 Stompers, a nonprofit all-male dance group, invited them after they heard about the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy in which the Grannies lost three dancers and a volunteer. “The entire group feels the honor it is to be able to go down there,” said member Debbie Bigler. “We know that we are so fortunate to have the 610 Stompers recognize us and invite us down there to join them. We are so thankful that they gave us this opportunity.” Here’s how the Grannies got ready for this big gig and what they performed on the route.
Be MKE,
Hannah
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To see what I’m up to around the city, follow me on Instagram @hannahhopekirby. Always keeping it pretty profesh over on Twitter @hannahhopekirby. Be MKE love or comments can be sent to hannah.kirby@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Be MKE: Bobby Portis is in a movie, The Jazz Estate rebranded and paczki