I stopped into Fuel Café twice last week to see what it looked like -- and smelled like -- without smokers. It appeared pretty much the same, only fewer people hanging out then usual during the late-morning hours. And I do think it smelled a little fresher.

Fuel Café banned smoking on Oct. 1 after 14 years of being a very smoker-friendly café. The decision, made by co-owners Scott Johnson and Leslie Montemurro, was met with mixed reactions, but overall, it seems people are supportive.

Late this afternoon I stopped in again, and I was pleased to see that it looked very much like the usual Sunday night scene: people drinking coffee, reading books, typing on laptops -- but without smoking, smoldering ashtrays. It was a little weird at first -- but good -- to see everything so clearly and without the usual "Fuel haze" hanging in the air. Best of all, I definitely noticed less schtank on myself when I was driving home. Hooray.

 

 

 

Earlier this week, I drove over the Hoan Bridge and my eye caught the Summerfest grounds with the marquee blinking "See ya next year!" Instantly, I felt a little sad because it's such an amazing space, and it's too bad it can't be utilized year-round.

That got me wondering: Could the city support a winter activity on the Summerfest grounds even though it seems that most Milwaukeeans hate winter? My first response was "no." Didn't we try this with Winterfest -- an outdoor music festival which took place in a variety of locations including Cathedral Square that lost too much revenue to continue after a seven-year stint?

But maybe something else could be a success, because not everyone in Milwaukee despises winter. In fact, I like it a lot, as long as I'm wearing a hat and gloves. (It took the first 25 years of my life to realize winter wasn't half as miserable when I dressed for it. Gee, what a concept.)

As I continued to drive, I babbled  about the possiblity of a newfangled winter festival to my husband, and he jokingly suggested "Finnish Fest" -- the city's first winter ethnic festival -- which would include ice fishing, dog sled pulls, sauna/sweat lodges, lutefisk, snowshoeing and lots and lots of vodka. Let's get ridiculously clever and say only bands with low-temperature-sounding names can perform, like Coldplay, The Decemberists and Ice T.

Hey, it's just a thought.

Living in Riverwest, I often cross an intersection just west of my neighborhood that makes me snicker every time I pass by: Keefe (Avenue) and Richards (Street). The joke -- "Look, it's Keefe Richards" never gets old, as long as it's said in a British accent.

It was actually my friend Matt who pointed out this rock 'n' roll intersection many years ago, and since then, I have tried to find others that are humorous in some way. Unfortunately, I haven't found another intersection with street names that complete one another, but if you know of one, start talkin' back. 

Goldmann's Department Store closed on Friday, and this bums me out. Granted, Goldmann's had a somewhat odd selection of merchandise (as in floral muumuus and a bin full of rabbits foot key chains), but it was also home to a great lunch counter, candy counter, lighting department, fabric store, clothing shop -- and it was my favorite place to buy socks.

However, with more than 100 years in business, all I can really say is that it had a great run. Here are my top reasons why I will never forget Goldmann's:

1. On my very first day as an OnMilwaukee.com writer (June 15, 2002), Publisher Andy Tarnoff sent me to Goldmann's to interview Milt Pivar, owner of Goldmann's, and to write an article about the funky store. Hence, it became my first OnMilwaukee.com article. (I had written a few as a freelancer prior to it, but this was my first one as a full-time staff writer.) I was already a longtime patron of Goldmann's, and when I got this assignment, I knew I landed in the right place at OnMilwaukee.com and never looked back. (Here's the article.)

2. My parents and I used to eat at the lunch counter together when I was a kid. We were lovers of lunch counter grilled cheese sandwiches and fries, so when we out and about, away from The Oriental lunch counter (our usual haunt), we would stop at Goldmann's for a bite.

3. During a difficult phase of our life, my husband and I restored a 1970 Airstream camper. It took eight years to complete, but we worked on the bulk of it in from 2001-'02, which was when we did the interior. All of the fabric to cover the cushions (deep red velvet and shaggy turquoise) and the fabric used to make the curtains (red and black Japanese fans) was from Goldmann's. Tragically, the Airstream was totaled in an accident last year, so -- like Goldmann's -- it's history now.

4. Friends of mine own a four-story building across the street from Goldmann's, and over the years, many other friends have lived in the units. From a couple of the spa…