3rd anniversary gift idea

Forever Milwaukee

Souvenirs offer a little piece of Cream City

By KATHY FLANIGAN

kflanigan@journalsentinel.com, Journal Sentinel

Tuesday, April 8, 2003

There's a woman in Florida who gladly receives Alterra coffee for all special occasions, including as a housewarming gift when she moved there.

It was cool beans to her. She loves the Milwaukee-based coffee more than the brews offered by the coffee shops on her sun-dappled block.

Thing is, she's never lived in Milwaukee. Her first pound of Alterra was a gift -- and now she's a Cream City coffee convert.

When people think of Milwaukee, "they think of beer and brats, typically," said Vanessa Welter, director of public relations for the Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We want to show them the rich depth of the arts here."

Welter does her part by pulling together Milwaukee gift baskets for wide-ranging groups of people, from journalists who are writing about the city to conventioneers seeking a place for their next gathering.

When Welter is putting together a gift basket, she'll include Alterra coffee (with a special Milwaukee GMCVB label on it), a Milwaukee to-go coffee cup, an "ethnic box" from the Spice House that features four blends specific to Milwaukee (Galena Street Rib Rub, Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle, Fox Point Seasoning and Old World 3rd Street Seasoning), plus other stuff stamped with Milwaukee logos, from umbrellas and pens to coasters.

But when she's looking to send a piece of Milwaukee elsewhere, she could just as easily choose cheese, Usinger's sausages, beer souvenirs, Harley-Davidson T-shirts, Sprecher soda, Miller Park Racing Sausages trinkets or something from the gift shop at the one- of-a-kind Milwaukee Art Museum.

To encourage visitors (or filmmakers), Welter sometimes will include a video of Milwaukee; a Milwaukee County Historical Society book, "The Making of Milwaukee" by John Gurda; "Images of America: Milwaukee, Wisconsin" by Richard Prestor; or, if the potential client is an influential baseball fan -- an official All-Star Game baseball.

Other clients might get a Genuine American Milwaukee soft cell phone holder or a Palm Pilot cover or -- in a nod to cheese, perhaps - - a silver computer mouse.

Things that residents take for granted -- a bounty of beer, Rishi tea and Cheeseheads that can serve as flotation devices in the Packers' off-season -- are novelties to outsiders.

There are plenty of other ways to say "Milwaukee." Here are a few:

-- If Grandma loves to read Reiman Publications, she'll love anything you send her from the downstairs shop at the Taste of Home outlet in Greendale. From bird feeders to sweat shirts decorated in butterflies, it's there. They even have kitchen items, bed linens and old-time collectibles. The outlet center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is at 5602 Broad St. Welter also suggests Mrs. Kluski's noodles and candy raisins.

-- They don't call it Brew City for nothing. So say it with a Miller Brewing Co. T-shirt, one of the most popular souvenirs sold at the Girl in the Moon Brewery Shop, 4251 W. State St. A basic Miller T- shirt runs $13. Or, we might suggest, an oversize Miller Lite bottle made of plastic for $5. The shop will ship it for you. Sorry, beer can't be shipped. www.millerbrewing.com.

-- A different brew can be had from Alterra Coffee Roasters. One idea is Symphony Blend, which features a Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra label. It's $9.45 a pound. Still, any bag will work, since it's what's inside that counts. Alterra has four locations: 2211 N. Prospect Ave.; Alterra at the Lake, 1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive; and at Bayshore and Mayfair malls.

-- Sweet things send gifts. Or is that send sweet gifts? Northern Chocolate is available at 2036 N. King Drive. Store hours vary, so call ahead at (414) 372-1885. The store's chocolate also is available at Beans & Barley, 1901 E. North Ave.

-- Say cheese. Yes, these are Milwaukee gifts. But if your friends still think Milwaukee is part of Minnesota, where's the harm in sending them a Green Bay icon? And Cheeseheads are made in Milwaukee. We found several at Mitchell International Airport for $24.99.

-- Know someone who has a hankering for all things Harley- Davidson? Maybe you just want to outfit a pal before this summer's 100th anniversary celebration. Don't speed out of the airport with just a Cheesehead -- stop and hear the rumble of the Harley-Davidson store. Everything's there except the motorcycle. T-shirts, which were in great supply, cost $24.95.

-- There's beer, which can't be mailed, and then there's root beer, which can. Sprecher Brewery sodas are available most places, but if you want to send them without a problem, go to the brewery, 701 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale. They'll ship 12 bottles of soda to any of the lower 48 states for $29.95 including shipping. Your choice of flavors include root beer, cream soda, orange dream, ginger ale, low-cal root beer and the combination of Wisconsin cherries and cranberries in Ravin' Red. Call (414) 964-7837 or see www.sprecherbrewery.com.

-- So we're back to beer -- now how about brats? Not the edible kind. The racing kind. Miller Park's Brewers Fanzone is a semi- shrine to the Racing Sausages, a strictly Milwaukee attraction. A small racing sausage -- your choice of hot dog, bratwurst, Italian and Polish sausages -- costs $4 and can be used as a key ring. The Fan Zone is open daily during baseball season from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-game days and for an hour following a ball game when the Brewers are at home. See www.millerpark.com.

-- Just go wild. Just go blister in the sun. Send the Violent Femmes as the official spokesmen of Milwaukee. Atomic Records, 1813 E. Locust St., has "Demos & More," the Rhino compilation CD of Femmes favorites, for $24.95.

-- Impress your friends with an "I Closed Wolski's" bumper sticker, which says "Milwaukee, Wisc." right on it. Wolski's is at 1836 N. Pulaski St. This is one gift you can't buy. You have to earn it.

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