You know about Ted's, just into Tosa, on 62nd and North, and you know about McBob's on 49th and North. But lately, it seems more and more things are popping up around them.
In the old Shiraz space, Juniper 61 -- the new restaurant from the folks that brought Bay View Lulu's restaurant and bar -- opened last week at 6030 W. North Ave.
Not long before that, Re-booked -- a new and used bookshop -- arrived at 5924 W. North Ave. Next door is an Asian restaurant that seems to have finally taken hold in a place that has been home to a number of false starts in recent years.
Way down on the other end, lording over the Highway 41 southbound on ramp is A Taste of Art, a coffee shop and art gallery that sometimes hosts live music, opened in February after long delays. Although it's located at 4701 W. Lisbon, it's only steps off North.
In between, of course, is McBob's, 4919 W. North Ave., a fab tavern with great Irish music and beloved fish fry and Irish breakfast.
There's also Samara Studios, which opened in May at 5211 W. North Ave., which sells art, distinctive garden items, vintage Victorian clothing and more.
There are a string of other restaurants, ethnic groceries and other interesting shops along this stretch of North Avenue that many Milwaukeeans might neglect. Take a drive down and see what you find.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
