WI Day 1 - Mansions, Mitchell Domes, and Melty Cheese
Today we started out by splitting up for some quick morning errands. Julianne had to go to CVS to pick up some shampoo, and James and I went out to pick up coffee for me and breakfast for the team. We went to an amazing coffee shop called Dryhootch Coffeehouse which also doubles as a fantastic charity looking out for veterans, young and old, providing resources for community building, PTSD counseling, job searching, family supports, and substance abuse assistance. Basically they use the funds from their shop and any donations they receive to deal with all the darker aspects of post-military life that many people (and government agencies) either don’t have the funds to deal with alone or would rather pretend didn’t exist so that we can keep sending young men and women to experience trauma for the good of the nation. It’s a very worthy cause, so I would have been happy to check them out no matter what, but they also happened to have a super cute residential-home-y location and excellent coffee. Plus James, who was less into the coffee aspect, was able to get some killer chocolate chip muffins so we both left happy.
As a fun bonus, while we were walking back to our car we passed by Milwaukee’s Smallest Bar which was located in a surprisingly charming alleyway:
It might be the only bar I’d ever describe as adorable
Fueled up for the day, we set sail for our first big major stop of the day: the Pabst Mansion. I had read that the mansion was a must-see, but I was still stunned by how grandly beautiful the palatial Flemish Renaissance Revival home was. Its elegance was quite incongruous with the famously cheap beer that is Pabst’s Blue Ribbon (though I will admit that of all the cheap beers it is my favorite), but in some ways its grandeur is testament to the vision and business abilities of Captain Frederick Pabst, the man who commissioned the mansion and lived there from 1892-1908.
Pabst began his path to wealthy beer baron as one of many poor German immigrants to Milwaukee in the mid-19th century. Young Frederick became a cabin-boy on merchant steamships up and down Lake Michigan, and eventually worked himself up to the position of Captain, a title he would use long after his sea-faring days were through. While working the waterways, he met Phillip Best, the owner of a prosperous Milwaukee brewery. Captain Pabst would go on to marry Best’s daughter Maria, and become heavily involved in his Father-in-Law’s company. Eventually he bought a controlling share of the company, and, under the new name the Pabst Brewing Company, he took the company to new heights of prosperity by embracing new brewing technologies (refrigeration!) that helped facilitate mass production and national shipping. But where the Captain really shined was in developing creative new marketing campaigns to make Pabst a household name, such as being the first brewery to open itself up to public tours and creating a beautiful (and memorable) sponsored stand about brewing for the 1893’s Chicago World’s Fair. The World’s Fair is also where the trademark Pabst Blue Ribbon was debuted. The ribbon was not actually an award for anything, but something Pabst draped over his beers so they would stand out. Evidently the bright colors and association with quality led to the blue ribbon becoming such a successful marketing ploy that it’s still on all their bottles and cans today.
The other stroke of brilliance the captain employed was an early mastery over the principle of diversification, spreading out into real estate as well brewing. The Pabst Real Estate Company built houses and taverns all across the country, as well as a fancy resort and a swanky theater in the heart of Milwaukee, which helped give the beer national name recognition as well as pleasant associations with warm taverns, high living, and good homes all while turning a profit on its own (which was probably crucial for the company’s survival through Prohibition despite that being well after the Captain’s time). It also helps to explain the Captain’s decision to built such an ornate and magnificent home for himself. Beyond simply showing off his own wealth and tastes, the mansion’s grandeur helped raise Pabst’s recognition in his own city all while establishing trust in the homes and buildings he would make for others. Pretty savvy, Captain.
Next to the main house was a small Baroque-style conservatory which was featured pretty immaculate sculptural details. If the whole aesthetic has a vaguely religious feel to it, that’s not too surprising since after Captain Pabst and his wide passed away the Archdiocese of Milwaukee purchased the Mansion, and the conservatory was turned into the Arch-Bishop’s chapel where it would house 5 arch-bishops over all 67 years.
Now that the property has been turned into a historic house museum, the conservatory fills the slightly less holy role of being the gift shop and visitor waiting area. One benefit of the space’s Catholic upbringing though are the remnants of some pretty incredible stained glass church windows that really brighten the space up while you’re waiting for the house tour to begin.
Once we started our tour, the Mansion’s interiors proved to be just as stunning as the exterior. We were greeted right off the bat by an expansive reception hall filled with priceless works of art intended to dazzle visitors and establish a wow-factor immediately upon entering.
While not quite as pretty as the artwork, perhaps the most attention grabbing piece in the great hall was an elaborate hanging chandelier decked out with real elk antlers. Apparently at one point the Captain had insisted on elk antlers hanging over every single doorway in the reception hall, but I’m thankful the museum chose to show some antler modesty because while I’m sure it might have been impressive and stylish at the time (like a ritzy hunting lodge) nowadays it would be hard to be greeted with that much animal parts without thinking of the house in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Regardless of where you fall on the “Antlers: Stylish or Grotesque?” debate, I think we can all agree that woodwork along the ceiling was spectacular.
Next to the reception hall was a pretty lavish music room, where the Pabsts would entertain guests with performances by the foremost singers, pianists, and small chamber acts of the day. My favorite part of the room was all the incredible craftwork that went into the furniture and decorative elements of the architecture. The big highlight for me was the intricately patterned ceiling and wall-paper made through a textured painted paper called anaglypta. The craziest thing we learned while in the music room was that every single thing in the entire house, furniture, art, you name it, was made by hand. That might seem obvious given that mass produced furniture wasn’t exactly commonplace yet at the time of the mansion’s building nor would it have been fashionable among the wealthy elite, but the crazy part is that museum commissioned contemporary artisans and craftsman to also make any items they couldn’t find originals of also by hand in the right style so as to still seem period appropriate. The attention to detail of everything in the house old and new was just astounding.
Across the hall from the music room was Mrs. Pabst’s Parlor, a gorgeous sitting room used exclusively by Mrs. Pabst and her friends for coffee, tea, and after dinner parties. This parlor was all done in a French Rococo style, which added some soft colors and floral flourishes to add some lightness to the heavier architecture of the surrounding rooms.
Next up we made our way to the dining room, which really pulled out all the stops in terms of un-necessarily extravagant decorations. Everything was incredibly ornate, and while the pretty floral pattern on the ceiling were probably the most eye-catching element, my favorite part were the lush Germanic landscape paintings inlaid above the wooden doorframes because they were almost like little windows into different worlds.
Unsurprisingly the tableware was all exquisitely crafted china, so that anyone dining with the Pabsts would have no doubts that they were in the lap of luxury.
Beyond what was on the table, the cupboards and side tables were all filled with incredible examples of ceramics and glassware, including a big ol’ stein placed in a position of prominence to celebrate both the Captain’s profession and his German heritage.
My favorite pieces here included a Greco-Roman inspired copper vessel (which I believe was used for wine though I don’t actually remember) and a simple but elegantly made gold painted clock resting atop a a wood and black marble fireplace that wasn’t too shabby itself.
I also got this great candid photo of my friends in which Julianne looks pretty wowed by everything and James looks just a touch more skeptical:
Off of one corner of the dining room, there was a small alcove that served as a sort of greenhouse and porch where there was this wonderful flood of natural light that made it a great place to sit back and relax among some happy plants.
After the dining room, we went back through the reception hall and this time what really sprung out to me more than excellent art on the walls was all the exceptional woodwork in every aspect of the room. There’s just something about the blend of human skill and the natural beauty of the material that really blew me away.
Another highlight was this impressive but spooky light fixture which I think was intended to give off cherubic rays but ultimately seems sort of ghostly:
Next up we walked to the Captain’s Study where the things that leapt out to me most were the insane stained glass windows. I’d never seen such intricate glass work in a private home before and while they were breathtaking I do have to feel like maybe they’re not all that good as actual windows.
And if you were wondering what the Good Captain Pabst actually looked like here he is in photo and bust form depending on your preference:
After the study, we started making our way up to the second floor of the mansion, and basically every time you turned your head on the stairwell there was some ridiculously nice piece of art staring back at you.
Much like on the first floor, the woodwork everywhere really stood out as being truly remarkable. Like who thinks, “Yeah I want even the bannisters to be gorgeous”. That’s some rich people shit, right there.
On the second floor, we started out by visiting the bedroom of the Pabsts’ youngest daughter, Emma. This room was done in the English Regency Style (I’ve had to look all these up, but it’s cool that each room really had its own distinct vibe), and there was a neat pattern in the wallpaper that was sort of echoed all throughout the room by the curtains, bedding, and color coding of everything and it was really accentuated by the rich mahogany wood used throughout the room.
Emma also had a pretty swanky private bathroom which must have really seemed like the height of luxury in the early days of indoor plumbing. I thought the ribbon motif on the toilet and the marble used for the sink were particularly eye-catching even if they might have seemed a bit grandiose for the function of those two objects.
Next up was the bedroom of Elsbeth, the Pabsts’ first granddaughter. Elsbeth’s mom died during childbirth, and the Captain didn’t like the father, a German artist who’d actually helped design the mansion, so he informed him that they would be adopting Elsbeth and then paid the dad a sizable chunk of money to get lost and go back to Germany which is a real "19th Century-rich” move. It all seemed to work out for okay for Elsbeth though as her grandparents adored her. Her room was done in the very fanciful French Rococo style, and the fireplace in particular was a real stand out.
After that we moved to Mrs. Pabst’s Sitting Room which was her own private study next to the master bedroom. The room featured a pretty elaborate ceiling decoration which almost seems like it’s exploding out of the base of the chandelier, and it was filled with gorgeous cherry wood work, fine art, and family photos.
All throughout the floor the walls were covered in even more top-notch paintings reflecting various classic and (at-the-time) contemporary art styles with hints of impressionism nestled between European portraiture and landscape art.
I don’t know the story about it or the artist, but this sculpture of a man seemingly not too thrilled but also not too bothered to have a snake all wrapped around on his arm really got me.
From there we made our way up to the top of the stairs, where looking down gave you a view of the opulent woodwork and hand-woven rugs, and looking up gave you a view of the jaw-dropping stained-glass sky light. Pretty spectacular for a staircase.
The top floor was where the guest bedrooms and the library were and I gotta say it seems like it must have been a pretty sweet deal to be put up by the Pabsts:
Naturally my favorite space though was this colorful and immaculately tiled bathroom which again was just far too grand for bodily functions:
From there we made our way down to the “backstage” area of the mansion where the servants would carry out most of the essential functions that actually kept things running. These included the kitchen, the Butler’s Pantry, and the Servant’s Dining Room. These spaces were filled with more fantastic kitchenware, some great vintage appliances, and even an original Pabst Keg.
While it was a little gross that the servants had to eat in their own separate dining room (though maybe it was nice to get a break from having to deal with the family in charge), this room was actually one of my favorites in the house because the walls were covered almost floor to ceiling in remarkable hand-painted Dutch Delft tiles. While there were some repeats, there was a shocking amount of variety in the tiles and each one had such a fully realized little scene that it was unbelievable.
The servants’ rooms also had stained glass windows which initially seemed really pretty until you learned that they had vaguely condescending little axioms intended to “guide the servants’ conduct” like “A good attitude is half the work”. Not necessarily bad advice, but I’m not sure I’d wanna hear it from a millionaire while I’m the one making his food and cleaning his house.
Last but not least was a really beautifully painted old safe, which was neatly hidden behind a door which makes sense for the contents but is a shame for the painting.
On our way out, we stopped back at the gift shop where I bought a nice t-shirt and cute little mint shaped like a PBR Can. Mercifully it was just normal peppermint flavored though and did not taste of beer.
Before departing, one of the nice people who took the tour with us took our picture in front of the spectacular architecture.
I also took one photo of my best friend modeling his new PBR baseball cap. If you know James, it’s a little extra funny because he hates drinking but he thought it was a nice enough looking hat and we hadn’t expected the weather to be so hot so he figured it would come in handy for the rest of their stay.
All that historic home-touring led us to work up quite the appetite, so we went to get lunch Sobelman’s Pub and Grill which we’d heard had great brews and burgers and moreover was an important bit of Milwaukee history because it was housed in one of the original Schlitz Taverns, home of one of the original brews to make Milwaukee famous. It had a great classic pub-atmosphere and everything was delicious. For food, I got the Marble Rye Melt Burger, which featured a juicy patty on home-made sourdough marbled rye bread with a liberal dousing of melted cheddar, and a fantastic side of crispy french fries. To drink, I got one of the most popular beers that can only be purchased in the state of Wisconsin, called Spotted Cow by New Glarus Brewing Co. Spotted Cow is an unfiltered barrel aged farmhouse ale, which means they use local yeast to give the beer a really unique and full bodied flavor that is surprisingly full bodies compared to the more sour farmhouse ales I’ve encountered in the past. It’s hard to describe, but I fully understand the hype around Spotted Cow and I have to say it’s one of the best local beers I’ve ever had.
After lunch, our next stop for the day was the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, affectionately referred to as The Domes for reasons I can’t begin to imagine:
Each dome contains a separate garden with their own individually controlled climates which was super cool. The Domes are credited as being the first “conoidal domes” due to their distinctive beehive shape as opposed to the more traditionally round dome shape. The shape is designed that way so as to create a better angle for solar heating and also to give larger trees more vertical space to grow in, and it’s a marvelous example of form meeting function because the whole space is so futuristic and visually stunning while also being entirely practical. The domes are also somewhat unique in that all the gardens are entirely pesticide free, and gardens are kept pest-free entirely through the inclusion of carefully selected wildlife.
We had a slight hiccup entering the domes, because when Julianne asked for handicapped ticket for her brother, she sort of whispered it so as to not make James feel in any way singled out, but the cashier through youth or ignorance did not pick up on any of Julianne’s cues and loudly said, “You want a what? Why are you whispering?” It was uncomfortable and I could tell Julianne had the look in her eyes of a protective family member of someone with special needs ready to tear someone a new one, so I quickly jumped in and said very calmly but firmly “We’re whispering to not be rude. Can we please have one handicapped ticket?” and it worked because the cashier immediately realized how she’d messed up, but it didn’t get any messier than it needed to. I don’t say this to paint myself as a voice of reason or anything, I would have reacted the same way in Julianne’s shoes, I just had the tiniest bit of distance from the initial interaction so the emotion was less hot (but still there). And again the cashier did seem very young, and tactful interactions with people with disabilities are something that even people who really should know better still struggle with, so I don’t fully blame her either, but a good rule of thumb is to treat it like any other interaction and make adjustments as you go rather than making pre-conceived judgments in any direction and if you mess up just say sorry. It’s shockingly not complicated, but people being people tend to get into their own heads about it, and sometimes while trying to be inoffensive people get super condescending or vice versa so it’s better to just leave any assumptions at the door.
Slight kerfuffles aside, once we entered the domes, it was pretty much just non-stop amazement. The gardens or the architecture alone would have been spectacular, but coupled together and with the addition of some very clever curatorial decisions it was really a sort of magical place.
The first dome we went to was the Show Dome. This is the sort of Special Exhibition space of the Garden as they hire a combination of horticulturists, arborists, artists, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and welders to create new themed displays seasonally based on either cultural, literary, or historical jumping off points. While we were there, the themes was “Shakespeare in Love” and all the floral arrangements utilized flowers mentioned directly in Shakespeare poems and plays, and the garden designs were based on British botanical gardens and outdoor parks. It was big, bold, colorful introduction to just how much creativity and natural wonder was possible within a single dome.
In the center of the dome, there was a big painted stage and a sweet Shakespearean writing desk which were fun complements to the floral arrangements showcasing different kinds of local artists.
My personal favorite little touch though were the little mini-fairy (or faerie for extra Britishness) houses nestled into some of the greenery. They were both impressively made and whimsical so what’s better than that?
There was also a great gazebo, which Julianne insisted she get a picture of the boys in. It’s a cute photo and a beautiful setting, but looking more closely at it, I look like I’m about to do a spit take so that means that either James said something funny right when the picture was getting taken or I’m just a doofus or, most likely of all, a little bit of both.
The halls in between the domes were also fun in their own way with various horticultural displays, and on the way to the our next dome I was really wowed by these sleek bamboo canes because I’d never quite seen anything like them.
The next dome was, for my money, the real showstopper: the Tropical Dome. Walking into this dome, it really felt like you left Wisconsin and got transported to the middle of a rainforest. The colors, the smells, the sounds of tropical birds, and the gentle humidity in the air really created a pretty dazzlingly immersive experience. This single dome has over 12,000 (!) species of plants, including tropical fruits, bright flowers, and towering hardwoods. It is also home to the tallest tree in all the domes, a Canary Island Date Palm that reaches upwards of 60 ft. tall. It was really just incredible.
The climate in the tropical dome also happens to be perfect for the Gardens to grow their prize-winning orchids which were truly gorgeous:
For curation (my mom’s going to hate this one), the tropical dome was made to look like a prehistoric forest with the additions of dinosaur sculptures tucked into all the nooks and crannies. Artistically, they were impressive and really fun, but one look at that monster sized mosquito and those sharp teeth and I’m happy that we live in the eon we live in now.
Walking to the next dome, we passed a fun display case that was like a prehistoric forest in miniature, and I got a great photo of James looking really genuinely delighted by it, I think in part because it reminded him of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse and since we had just watched the new Pee-Wee movie that night, it was great bit of circularity.
The last dome was the Arid Dome, which maintains a dry and toasty desert climate. The dome houses plants from deserts in North America, Africa, South America, the Canary Islands, and Madagascar, which is the crown jewel of this particular collection because the island of Madagascar is just far enough removed from mainland Africa to have a unique climate and ecology featuring plants that don’t grow anywhere else in the world. Amazingly, this dome in Wisconsin has one of the largest collection of these plants outside of the island itself. Plants included surprisingly colorful (and resilient) desert flowers, succulents, and lots of chili peppers.
But of course the stars of the show were the cacti. I love these weird prickly boys, and the crazy shapes they grow in. They’re so endlessly strange and interesting that I really never get tired of seeing them, and now that I’m more traveled they brought back some really fond memories of my own time in the deserts of the Southwest.
For curation, they had a fun desert archeologist station, which I liked because it reminded me of Indiana Jones. I gotta think those movies may have slightly exaggerated the excitement and supernatural experiences of the profession.
Like the Tropical Dome, this one also had some fun dinos tucked throughout the desert scrub. I liked how the artists making the dinosaurs clearly had no interest in making them look cute or anything less than horrifying.
The dome also had a few modern descendants of the dinosaurs including a very stately lizard and a dopey looking pigeon:
After the Domes we made a quick stop for more coffee for me, at a coffee shop attached to church very fittingly called Holy Grounds. It was really welcoming and pretty on the inside, and they had some good strong coffee that warmed even my secular heart.
From there, we went to a brewery called Sprecher Brewing Company, which was an incredible find by Julianne, because they make their own craft sodas as well as beers so even though James doesn’t like booze we could all get tasting flights and be happy. It was a masterstroke of itinerary planning on her end, and the brewery really delivered. Every one of the beverages, alcoholic and not, was really creative and tasty and it was an extremely refreshing pit stop after a big day of sight seeing. The brewery also had a sweet story, as the founder was initially drafted for military service but got sent to Germany instead of active combat in Vietnam due to color-blindness. Beyond potentially saving his life, this last minute re-stationing led him to discover a passion for European beers and beer culture. When he returned home, he had a passion but no money, so he worked odd jobs, put himself through college, and eventually went from small home-brewing to head of an award-winning brewery that brought all those wonderful European brews stateside as well as offering fun soft drinks for the kiddos. For my flight, I got the Black Bavarian Schwartzbier (a great middle ground between a lager and a stout), The Special Amber (a light malty Vienna Lager), the potently strong Imperial Stout, and, to strike a balance between their soda and beer, a hard ginger beer which was like a pre-mixed Moscow mule. Everything was fantastic, thought the Black Bavarian was a real stand-out. James was also nice enough to let me have a taste of his root beer which I have to say was almost more impressive than the excellent beers, so he inspired us to buy a variety six pack of sodas for later when we were just hanging out in the Air BnB.
In addition to the excellent beverages, Sprecher featured some wild and delightful artwork on all their products with the two big standouts for me being the Watermelon Soda featuring a watermelon-loving Wisconsin cryptid called a Hodag, and the Commando Scotch Ale featuring a bagpiper on a very windy day.
For Dinner, we went to another brewery, because that’s what Milwaukee’s all about. Interestingly, Julianne didn’t plan this on purpose, but place we went to is actually a chain of brew pubs called the Rock Bottom Restaurant Brewery, and it’s actually where James and their parents and I ate while we were in Nashville too which was a funny coincidence. I made the most of the fact that we were in Cheese City, USA and got a big ol’ plate of Mac and Cheese featuring a blend of cheddar and parmesan cheeses, garlic breadcrumbs, and some great tender strips of chicken. To wash it down, I wanted to keep things light after just coming from a different brewery so I got the Raccoon Red Ale which was a nice light malty easy-drinking beer. It was a great meal, but as was true of every stop, it was so much better getting to share it with some of my oldest friends.
After all the cheese and beer, we took a really beautifully dusk-lit stroll along the river, where we continued to be impressed by the classic brick architecture, the natural beauty of the water, and some strange but charming public art featuring little sculptures that looked like mini-whales swimming through the air, called the Fish Out of Water by artist Jesse Meyer.
After walking along the river, we made our way to a glorious classic Milwaukee institution, a beloved old-fashioned Drive-In Frozen Custard stand called Leon’s. Leon’s is no frills, but what they do they do damn well, which is why they’ve managed to stay in business since 1942! They have three permanent flavors of soft-serve frozen custard: vanilla, chocolate, and Butter Pecan, but on weekends they add a fourth rotating flavor. As tempting as the more unique Butter Pecan was, I was just really craving a classic vanilla soft-serve and good lord did they deliver with a thick, creamy, beautiful swirl of frozen custard that was sadly not very long for this world. Julianne and I both used to work at our local Dairy Queen (in fact she essentially got me the job) so soft-serve has a special place in all of our hearts (since James was very grateful to have two people who could and would bring him free blizzards) so it was about the perfect sentimental dessert to end a really wonderful day. And the bright neon and retro-cool aesthetic was just bonus.
The one thing that was kinda crazy about the frozen custard as opposed to ice cream was that it was so thick when it came out of the soft serve machines that the workers could just let it rest there and chop of the coils they needed for each order which was both strange and oddly satisfying to watch (if slightly unappealing as just a still image).
From there, we made it back to our Air BnB, cracked open a few craft sodas (the Grape Soda and Puma Cola were highlights) and we all kicked back and enjoyed our last night all together for a while by watching the Steve Carrell and Anne Hatheway starring Get Smart reboot. James and I had seen it in theaters when we were younger, and I don’t think it held up quite as well as I had remembered but it was good silly fun that you could just sort of turn your brain off for with some stand out cameos by Bill Murray and Alan Arkin which I did still really enjoy. All in all, it was a pretty jam-packed Monday that is real fond to look back on.
Favorite Random Sightings: Chubby's Cheesesteaks (it feels like a very fitting name); Denim Park (a really silly name for a perfectly lovely public park); in the Pabst mansion I learned that it was not uncommon for 19th century homes to have Pie Safes which is such a hilariously overprotective name for pastry storage
Regional Observations: Honestly it makes a lot of sense given the sheer density of breweries, but I think Milwaukee might have had had the highest concentration of beer bellies in the nation (plus 1 while I was there)
Albums Listened To: Yesterday we listened to the classic Muppet Movie Soundtrack, so today we listened to the soundtrack from 2011 Muppets reboot with Jason Segel which featured all songs (including the Oscar winning Man or Mupper) written by Brett McKenzie of my beloved Flight of the Conchords
Joke of the Day:
An out-of-towner drove his car into a ditch in a desolated area. Luckily, a local farmer came to help with his big strong horse named Buddy.
He hitched Buddy up to the car and yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull." Buddy didn't move.
Then the farmer hollered, "Pull, Buster, pull." Buddy didn't respond.
Once more the farmer commanded, "Pull, Jennie, pull." Nothing.
Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Pull, Buddy, pull." And the horse easily dragged the car out of the ditch.
The motorist was most appreciative and very curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times.
The farmer said, "Oh, Buddy is blind, and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn't even try!"
Songs of the Day:
a different song from the movie one the won Oscar this year, but this one was always my favorite
a behind the scenes look into the creative process of composing for Muppets
Bonus: This brand new Flight of the Conchords album came out after my trip ended, but good lord is this gleefully dirty song hilarious: