By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Dec 08, 2009 at 6:10 PM

I hate snow as much as the next guy -- maybe more than the next guy. I don't mind a dusting or the pretty little flakes. Like most of you, I hate the shoveling and the commute-related bull. But I'm not here to gripe about it -- I'm sure I'll do that deeper into the season.

No, I'm here to point out that every cloud has a silver lining -- even snow storm clouds, it seems.

In this case that silver lining comes in the form of a "snow emergency" for members of the Diablos Rojos mailing list. Today we got an email promising half off anything during the storm and the lead-up to it.

The e-mail read: "Enjoy the "snow emergency" at your closest Diablos Rojos Restaurant tonight or all day tomorrow with half off any item! Whether it's a $100 bottle of wine or your favorite entree! Celebrate the great blizzard by getting out in the snow and SAVING $$$! Bring in a copy of this email to receive the blizzard special on any (one) regularly priced menu item through midnight Wednesday night. Limit one item per person."

I'm not sure this offer is for everyone but, but seeing it made me wonder what other creatives ideas Milwaukee businesses are using to get people out during the storm. Share the ones you've seen using the Talkback feature below.

 

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

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.