The Concierge

Every group has different considerations; I believe the agenda begins on the guests’ side of the desk. As a “professional best friend” for groups visiting Milwaukee, we have a personal stake in ensuring that an event and requests are fulfilled. This could range from developing new team-building ideas such as coordinating a small fleet of charter sailboats for sailing lessons on Lake Michigan to providing an historic journey of the city to a tour of The Pfister’s renowned Victorian art collection.

What are your bar or nightclub recommendations?
Milwaukee covers all the bases for nightlife, whatever your preference. There’s live rock with feature acts at The Rave & Shank Hall; a roadhouse atmosphere at Water Street Brewery or the Up & Under; an alternative scene at Stonefly; laidback lounging at Elsa’s On The Park; tango and swing dancing at Hot Water; and weekend jazz at Blu, located on the 23rd floor of The Pfister with a skyline view of Lake Michigan.

Can you recommend a good place to take a stroll?
Milwaukee’s lakefront is one of the most dramatic stretches of public waterfront in the country, embracing the northern half of the bay with numerous parks and beaches. You can rent a bike, rollerblades or paddleboat for your scenic outing. Architectural buffs and shoppers would enjoy a walk through the historic Third Ward, where many warehouses have been converted to some of the city’s hottest boutiques, specialty shops and restaurants. On the east side of Milwaukee, Brady Street preserves the authentic charm of “little main street,” where trendy shops and cafes mix with remnants of an “old neighborhood,” including Glorioso’s Italian Market and Sciortino’s Bakery.

Are there any quirky places we should check out?
The winner is Art Altenburg’s Concertina Bar—“The Only Concertina Bar in the U.S.A.” (as recently registered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office). This local treasure performs as an historic concert hall, a museum and a friendly corner tap presided over by Art, the master tapster and maestro of the squeezebox.

What is an unusual request from a group you’ve had? An event coordinator approached me to help plan a unique team-building experience to close their meeting. We came up with “The First Annual Milwaukee-to-Milwaukee Group Regatta.” With boxed lunches in hand, the group boarded a bus for the municipal pier, where a small fleet of charter sailboats met them. Each skipper took a crew of five out on Lake Michigan for a lesson in open water sailing. At the appointed time, the boats lined up and the race was on. I greeted them on their return with a trophy for the winner.

A party of 12 wants to have dinner right away. What restaurant can accommodate last-minute requests of this size? What would you like? The Mason Street Grill at The Pfister features a classic American menu, as well as seafood and poultry, in a relaxed neighborhood setting. From upscale casual to formal dining, Milwaukee boasts an array of options, many with private or semi-private rooms within walking distance. Because of our working relationship with local establishments, restaurants are willing to work with us and accommodate last-minute requests, even for large parties.

What’s a unique event that has taken place at your property?
I have been privileged to participate in a number of events in my 20 years, but there are some evenings that truly standout in the last 113 years that I regretfully missed. A fundraising event for the Milwaukee Zoological Society featured a live elephant to greet guests in the lobby and point them in the right direction, as well as monkeys and a full-grown lion for dinner and dancing in the Imperial Ballroom.