Living in the middle of a Downtown bar district for the last two-plus years, I have had my fair share of complaints. Each time, the bar owners, business owners, landlords and elected officials I have turned to have told me that since I live Downtown, I need to accept it."

After a while -- within reason -- I have accepted the noise and other debauchery associated with living within walking distance of numerous establishments. Many times I have written about my car, my home and the general area around it being used for any number of questionable uses.

But it really cracked me up tonight when one of Milwaukee's late-night bratwurst vendors (only in my hometown...) told me that the very people that said I need to "accept it" are suddenly griping about his presence on the street.

The bar owners say that he is a nuisance. One business owner said that the vendor's business is casting a bad light on what he deems a four-star cooking establishment (it's not a restaurant).

Really?

After a long night on the town, there are few things more satisfying than a warm bite to eat. It could be the traditional drunken breakfast at George Webb or -- if you get home in time -- a piping-hot pie from Pizza Shuttle or even some fried rice from Chopstix do the trick nicely. But when time is of the essence, nothing can beat a freshly-cooked brat or hot dog, especially when it's prepared right in front of you, within steps of an establishment.

Cheap and quick, it doesn't get any better than that.

This particular vendor is licensed by the city. He operates a clean stand. I've seen him ask his customers, politely, to keep it down out of respect to people who live nearby. He asks them to pick up the trash they throw on the sidewalk.

When I get up in the morning to go for my bike ride or do whatever errands on my daily agenda, the portion of the sidewalk where he set up shop the night before is squeaky-clean -- which is more than I can say for sidewalks outside some of the bars nearby.

The folks that are chastising my new friend (seriously, he's right outside my door and occasionally hooks a neighbor up) for doing what he has to do to make some money should consider their own advice: you live, work and operate businesses in a bar district.

Deal with it.