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Frozen custard is god's gift to human beings who throw caution and calories to the wind in order to experience frozen food nirvana. It is addicting stuff and once you try it you will be hooked for life.

Kopps has a couple of restaurants in Milwaukee and they are the undisputed king of this delicious food. On any given day there are only 3 flavors served. Chocolate, Vanilla, and a special. For first timers you must go for the chocolate. Don't mess around with the others when you know you will hit pay dirt with the dark gooey cocoa flavored magic that comes out of the sacred machines. For a buck you can buy yourself a little piece of heaven on earth.

The interior of the restaurant is inviting with a small bar area in the front for people to wait for there tables. The decor is nice with a Thai theme but the food is the true star of the show. My mouth is watering as I type this!

Our favorite dishes are the string beans with chili sauce and the Pad Thai which is made with a delicious and fragrant sauce. Also the Chicken and beef Satay for an appetizer is excellent.

The wait service is fast, efficient and business like. They don't entertain you with chatter they make the food happen. We have gone here many times and have never been disappointed.

The Pasta Tree is located in a somewhat unassuming little store front building on N Farwell between the downtown area and the upscale downer street area to the North. The interior small and cramped and the tables are very close together. If you are planning on dining here on the weekend, reservations are a good idea. The decor is Victorian with antique tables, screens and pictures on the wall. To tell you the truth this is not the look I would go for if I owned this restaurant but it is not objectionable.

The food is outstanding. On the pasta front, I liked the pasta with the house tomato-meat sauce ($6.50 at lunch, $9.95 at dinner) best. Southern Italians, who pride themselves on such sauces and guard their family recipes carefully, know that to make good sugo (the Italian word for meat sauce), you need to use two different meats. The Pasta Tree's blend of beef and pork yielded wonderful results. It also tasted great on a plate of cheese tortellini ($10.95).

Coming from Madison we are Italian food deprived so having the chance to eat some truly good Italian food is a rare treat for us and other than Mima's, this is our favorite place to get a fix in the Milwaukee area.

Also, save room for dessert. My wife and I usually split a piece of cheese cake ($4) or a canoli($3.50).

Captain Pabst started his career as a ship hand when he was a young boy. He was so taken and enthusiastic about his experience that the ship's crew made him an apprentice to be a ship captain which stared his business career. Of course Captain Pabst became a beer magnate around the turn of the century and at the height of his fortune he made this beautiful mansion for his retirement home.

The mansion is made to look like his idea of a hunting lodge. The building was painstakingly restored after many years spent as a house for nuns after the archdiocese bought the building in the 1920s. I was struck by how similar the house was to Mark Twain's house in Hartford Connecticut. The best room in the house is the study which is absolutely gorgeous with inlaid wood cabinets and Victorian architectural detail.

The tour lasts for about an hour and I recommend it for people that enjoy history. Here is the website for the Mansion http://www.pabstmansion.com

If you choose to go inside you, will be thrilled by the first rate collection of art the museum. There is a large permanent collection of American Folk Art which rivals any museum in the country. Great displays of paintings, carvings and sculpture will give you a different perspective on what is art. My favorite things in this collection are the wonderful assortment of walking sticks and the powerful carvings of Elija Pierce.

There is also an extensive collection of German Expressionist art from the 1920s and 30s that really surprised me when I first toured the collection. The Pabst family donated much of the contemporary art in this collection and they purchased wonderful art from the turn of the century through the depression.

Another permanent collection that surprised and delighted me was the Haitian Art collection which is the largest and most extensive in the country. This collection is really outstanding and is a nice compliment to the American Folk art Collection downstairs.

Finally I really enjoy viewing the furniture collection on the top floor. Many interesting pieces from frank Lloyd Wright and other contemporary furniture designers grace this collection. http://www.mam.org

Old parks have tradition and there is nothing I like more than watching a Cubs game on a sunny afternoon in that great old ballpark. But some of these newer parks shine in a different way. Huge walls of glass on three sides of the stadium let in large amounts of light even when the roof is closed. This gives the park an outdoor feel while the noise level from the crowd bounces around to make the park much louder than most open air facilities. Also the sight lines are fantastic and the concession stands, seats, facilities and the sit down restaurant that sits right over the left field fence all combine to make the experience more than just a game. It is an event.

Visit the sitehere.

I read that Harley tried unsuccessfully to patent the sound their bikes make when the throttle is engaged. For any of you who have ever been annoyed and or frightened by this roar of motor noise you can curse the fact that this is done on purpose by the manufacturer to sound big and mean. I'll bet the CEO of the company doesn't have top live next door to a biker bar and if he/she did they would change this annoying trait.

The tour allows visitors to view the assembly lines from frame to finished product. They also sell all kinds of accessories from shirts to saddle bags. They do not allow pictures to be taken so leave the camera at home.

The company is in the process of building a major museum on the history of motorcycles. They have a fabulouse collection of vintage motorcycles dating back to the erly part of the 20th century. This should be open by 2002.