I'm Back in My Old Stomping Grounds for One More Night! Yay Milwaukee!
AT RANDOM
Ice Cream and Drink Bar
Written by STEVE SEAMANDEL
Friday, 25 March 2005
I want you to hold hands and make a wish,” said our waitress. “Now blow out the flame at the same time, and take a drink together.” We did.
“Now your wishes will come true,” she concluded, before disappearing into the dark confines of At Random.
I don’t think I’ve ever ordered a drink (a lit one to boot) that came with instructions from the server before, other than “be careful while drinking that, son.” But it made my roommate’s and my $18 co-investment in the gigantic Tiki Love Bowl a little more bearable.
At Random, located at 2501 S. Delaware St. in Milwaukee, serves only specialty drinks. The menu proudly boasts “No beer or wine,” and the place is pretty much an all-around classy joint. No hats or caps; you young punks will be asked to remove them, and I was quite glad to have changed from my pajama ensemble of fleece pants and grubby t-shirt. I could smell the swank of the place before I even set foot inside.
The inside décor is, well, dark…as in, dimly lit. Very dimly lit. While Frank Sinatra croons over the speakers throughout the entire building, the inside of At Random is divided into a bar area and a separate lounge with tables and cozy plush booths. Waitresses, dressed to impress, serve all of the guests at tables, and are always smiling and a great pleasure to talk to.
Drinks are pricey, and At Random’s ‘60s style lounge get-up extends beyond decorations, waitress uniform and red velvet - they haven’t quite made the jump to plastic or ATM machines yet either, so bring plenty of good ol’ fashioned cash. The price of drinks isn’t the only reason why not to drink heavily while At Random, though. While most of their specialty drinks, including a vast array of ice cream drinks, martinis and manhattans, will set you back about $10 to $12, they’re all goldfish bowl-sized. You really only need one. Once you see your drink and take the first sip, the price won’t be hard to swallow anymore. In our case with the Tiki Love Bowl, it’s definitely meant for two people to consume - maybe even three livers processing the alcohol would be a tad safer. Quirky drinks from the menu include The Bosom Caresser, Caramello, Hershey Bar, Snickers, Cookies and Cream, Mound’s Bar, Almond Joy, and a string of other common yet rare favorites like Grasshoppers, Mai Tais, all types of Irish coffees and nearly every flavor of Martini you could imagine.
The doors to At Random open at 7 p.m. nightly, except for Sundays and Mondays. That should serve as no deterrent from going any other night though; At Random will serve you up right with an ultra-exotic cocktail after dinner…when you’ve got an extra $20 laying around that is.
THE SAFE HOUSE
http://www.safe-house.com *PSST...The Site is fun too!
There may not be a more durable example of the ilk [theme restaurants] than the Safe House in Milwaukee. It opened in 1966 and remains as lively-goofy and enjoyable as ever. It's all about spies and espionage and its theme is pleasantly hammered home, from the décor (check your coat in the Cloak and Dagger Room) to the menu (try the Spy Burger and, for dessert, Bond's Bomb)... New diversions are always being created or added... we admire the sense of history.
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Chicago Tribune
"The Safe House is perhaps the most amusing, and certainly the most discreet. It hides behind a front door stamped "International Exports Ltd". You must whisper in the doorwoman's ear to gain entry. Get the password wrong and she'll make you hop like a monkey or frisk your friend before going in, all of which is secretly filmed and relayed live inside the bar on CCTV. I'd never received a round of applause for entering a bar before. The walls inside are full of spyholes and secret passages and feature chunks of Checkpoint Charlie."
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The Independent (U.K.)
007 would be so pleased. The password-protected bar and restaurant (yes, we all know the password, but we still don't speak of it), is a spy aficionado's dream come true. A secret passage for gaining access to the Milwaukee Press Club next door and covert main entrance add to the Bond-esque appeal.
25 things every Milwaukeean must do:
Gain Entry to the Safe House
M magazine
THE DOMES
http://www.county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellParkConserva10116.htm
Experience a desert oasis, a tropical jungle and special floral gardens . . .
all in one afternoon . . . and an amazing lighting display in the evening!
THE STATE FAIR
http://www.wsfp.state.wi.us/home/wsfp/
One of my favorite things to do when I was a child was to go to the State Fair...
A Total Wonderland of food and cultures, music and fun.
If you are ever there in the Two weeks in August that the fair is open, Take a visit and enjoy yourself Wisconsin Style.
SUMMERFEST GROUNDS
http://www.summerfest.com/flash/
The summerfest grounds plays home to the largest music festival, open allllll summer.
The grounds are also home to several ethnic fests dotted throughout the warm season which are pure are a pure delight in cultural exploration...
For instance, Festa Italiano, Irish fest, Indian Summer, African World, Polish Fest, German Fest, Mexican Fiesta, ECT! http://www.december.com/places/mke/festivals.html
SO AWESOME!!!
THE LAKE FRONT
When I lived on the diverse area of the East side of Milwaukee, just north of Downtown, I used to go down to the lakefront to watch the magnificent Sun rises.If you get a chance to experience this, you wont regret it.
They are esspecially lovely to view from one of the cliffs.
If you feel like swimming, Bradley Beach is just below the cliffs.
THE ART MUSEUM
The art Museum has added on a part that actually opens like wings over the lakefront at 12pm every day.
Its quite a site to see. http://www.mam.org/info/details/quadracci.php
I used to go to classes at the Museum when I was a child and I have wonderful Memories of the place.
http://www.mam.org/
LANDMARK LANES
Wanto get a drink and play some arcade games?
Pool?
Bowling?
This is an old place that is super fun to party at.
I loved living down the block.
It was always an awesome time.
http://www.landmarklanes.com/
Great ANY DAY of the week...An 80 year old venue that is still kicking!