Milwaukee Moms Guide w/ Monica Jurken, Alysha Newby, and Allison Steinhafel

Mother’s Day is on Sunday, and if you haven’t thought about what you’re going to do for the leading lady in your life, today’s episode should give you some ideas. We’ve got three amazing moms joining us for a conversation on all things motherhood. Okay… maybe not all things. But, they’ll be sharing some of their biggest lessons learned as moms, funny things kids do, and how to treat the moms in your life right. Think spas, gifts, date nights, and more.

We’re joined by Monica Jurken, Alysha Newby, and Allison Steinhafel as we dive into what it takes to be a full-time mom while balancing careers and maintaining their lifestyles.

Topics covered:

• Biggest surprises about motherhood
• Things they got wrong
• Funny things kids do that they can’t laugh at
• Favorite thing about being a mom
• What Milwaukee moms’ like: Mother’s Day gifts, favorite spas, kids activities, date night spots & favorite woman-owned businesses in the area

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Hey everyone, welcome back to Milwaukee Uncut and Happy Mother's Day week. Make sure to get your mom something nice. There still might be time depending on when you're listening to this. We've got some gift recommendations in this episode, or you cannot go wrong at Kessler's Diamonds, Diamond Joe, and the team will take great care of you. Or I'm a big Sendex flowers, chocolate, and a card guy in and out in five minutes. Can't go wrong with either of those. And we've got more coming anyway. We've got three amazing moms joining us today: Monica Jerkin, Alicia Newby, and Alison Steinhoffel, all working very important and demanding jobs while raising young kids. We go over something they got wrong about being a mom and biggest surprises, lessons learned from their moms, what their kids do that they find funny but have to pretend it's not. Favorite thing about being a mother. And we get into, like I said, Mother's Day gifts for you and their favorite spas, favorite kids' activities, date spots, and favorite women-known businesses in the area. Before diving in, just want to thank our partners who make Milwaukee Uncut possible. We'll kick things off with Nicolay Law, the Midwest law firm injured. Get Nicolay and Rust, and the team will take great care of you over there. Drink Wisconsinably Beverage Company. If you're looking to throw back some brandy, some canned cocktails, or some vodka on Mother's Day, my personal favorite, their canned brandy old-fashioned Drink Wisconsinably Beverage Company available at bars and liquor stores across the state and at their corner bar over in Right Field at MFAM. And last but not least, Annex Wealth Management. If you are looking to get your finances in order this spring, this summer, you need to reach out to our good friends at Annex Wealth Management. Annex Wealth know the difference. Just head on over to annexwealth.com. All right, let's dive in. Hey everyone, welcome back to Milwaukee Uncut and happy Mother's Day week. We have three amazing mothers with us today. We have Alicia Newby, the ringleader of this episode, who came up to me after a few drinks of carnivore and proposed this amazing idea. She's also a mother of two: a girl and a boy, and a dog, global sales for a tech company and the wife of the amazing charismatic, larger-than-life personality, Jonathan Newby.

SPEAKER_03 2:39

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Alicia, welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

Thank you so much, Richie, for having us. Um, yeah, appreciate the invite and honor to be a part of what you're doing for Milan.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

And this this episode is not about Jonathan Newby, but we may need to may need a snippet on him later. Later on.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

Just a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 2:58

Later on. Okay, and we have uh Alison Steinhoffel. She is the mother of three boys, one, two, and six, and works at a real estate private equity firm in the area. Married to a great guy, Andrew. Um thank you for coming in today as well.

SPEAKER_04 3:15

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

And Monica Jerkin.

SPEAKER_04 3:17

Hey Richie.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Yeah, one of the owners owns Magic Productions with her husband, Mike, awesome guy, mom of two young boys, one and two.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

Yeah, or two and three.

SPEAKER_00 3:28

Two and three, excuse me. One year apart, though. And uh and a dog, and Magic does um a lot of amazed Super Bowls, rider cups, just lots of cool events.

SPEAKER_02 3:38

Yeah, audio.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

A lot of cruises, etc. Um anyway. Thank you all for coming in today.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

Thanks for having us. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 3:46

All right, we we will kick it off with something that you got wrong about motherhood before having kids or biggest surprises.

SPEAKER_03 3:55

I think the biggest surprise about motherhood is you I had no realization of how tired I would be. All the time. To all the people I complained of before kids that I was tired. I was false. I didn't know what tired meant. And while it's the most amazing, magical adventure, it is like the most exhausting. So that has what has been a surprise. And you know, just that nobody knows what they're doing. We're all trying to figure out how to raise these good humans. And yeah, it's it's a wild adventure.

SPEAKER_02 4:34

Do you remember when before kids you'd kind of be on the couch at night, like kind of bored? Like, what do we do? Should we watch a show? Now it's like, I want to go to bed, I want to just not have anyone near me, and that's like I need like 20 minutes of that. 20 minutes of like nothing.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

20 minutes of nonverbal time.

SPEAKER_02 4:52

I'm like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 4:54

I've been spending a lot of time driving in my car in silence.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Oh, that's a good one.

SPEAKER_04 4:58

It's probably an indicator of how overstimulated I am.

SPEAKER_03 5:02

But uh also when you get home from meetings and you just sit in the driveway and you need that like quiet car time.

SPEAKER_02 5:08

Like I've turned on coffee house, I'm serious, and I literally just like I sit there and I'm like, this is nice. This is what like normal, like this is this is just a ringing endorsement for Bree and I to have someday.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

This this is not this is off to a fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

You just need like 15 to 20 minutes of quiet. That's all. And then you can like recalibrate your insides a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 5:28

Well, we are also all like toddler moms, so so our current era.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Toddler moms and and uh and all working very, I would say, demanding jobs.

SPEAKER_03 5:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

And important jobs.

SPEAKER_03 5:40

Yeah, yeah. It's it's an interesting dynamic in my role when I have you know clients or or leadership pinging me at 7 a.m. You know, hey, can you can you take a call really quick? And it's like, no, I am cage fighting my children, trying to get them in the car and get them to daycare, and then I will figure this out. So yeah, it's it's a wild ride being a working mom.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

Um and also we're I I would not to like boast about it, but we're also very social. So it's not like we're all. Yeah, you all you all are.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

It seems like you all all of you um uh uh run in some similar circles, but have maintained very good social relationships as well.

SPEAKER_03 6:21

Yes, our husbands' social batteries never die. And while I'd half the time rather be home in sweats, we we rally, we and it's fun, right?

SPEAKER_02 6:32

But then it's another layer of stuff to do. So you're doing obviously you're doing your job of work and then you're doing your job of being a mom, and then also maintaining friendships, which is really fun and just a lot.

SPEAKER_04 6:46

It's a lot of logistics. I feel like I could sum up motherhood in one word, it's logistics, yeah, lots of lists, yeah, right. Yeah, nothing an Excel spreadsheet can't help you with.

SPEAKER_02 6:56

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 6:57

Yeah, I think you realize like more women, more mothers need to be in charge because the way that we can just be smart about scheduling and thoughtful about thoughtful and intentional um about what we're gonna do. That is that is moms. You just figure out a way to make it all happen.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Alison, what's the biggest difference of uh being a mom to a six-year-old opposed to more of a a toddler like these two have right now?

SPEAKER_04 7:28

Yeah, that's a good question. It's magical and they can kind of do things for themselves. So, you know, I love I love a spreadsheet. He has a checklist in the morning, like do these things and then you can play with your Legos. Oh, that's awesome. Um that's bad. That's pretty magical. Uh yeah, most of the time. Nice. Yeah, most of the time. Yeah, because he wants the Legos, right? So you know Don't we all? It's pretty simple, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:50

We just easier at our incentive program, any any other major surprises? Or mostly just the ti the tiredness and the demand of balancing everything.

SPEAKER_02 8:04

I think it's just figuring out the logistics, as Allison said. Like, it's crazy how much stuff comes with kids. I don't know if you feel the same way, but there was one point when they were really little, and it's like, I don't have enough clothes for them because they're growing, growing, growing. So you're constantly having to be on your phone to order a new size, to get more diapers, to get more whatever. And it's like, I'm not on my phone, like looking at it for like fun stuff. Like, I'm actually like working on doing tasks on it, which is tricky because I try not to have my kids around screens as much, but it's like mom's ordering groceries or mom's doing this, and it's like kind of the dynamic of balancing all that without not being present with your kids too. You kind of feel guilty. I feel guilty about it.

SPEAKER_03 8:48

But I think just all also the internal reflection you do when you once you become a mother and you compare it to your childhood often, and you know, the mind fuck of becoming a mother is is wild.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Have you have you all intentionally um done things, certain things very similar to how your mothers raised you and certain things differently? Are you are you more strict, less strict, um anything like that?

SPEAKER_02 9:18

I don't know if that world exists anymore, you know, like without like social media and people didn't really know what was around, I guess. Like, think about growing up in the 90s, like magical, right? Um but also like our parents didn't know that there was all of this stuff going around to take us to or to do. And I just think it's a little different than it than it was when we were kids, too. There was no target delivery, there was no Amazon Prime. So I think our parents just had to sound silly, but they had to go to the store, they didn't have time to not do that because they had to do the actual errands probably with us most of the time.

SPEAKER_03 9:55

Well, and I think the expectation on our generation, I feel like our parents got the gold star for keeping us alive. And I feel like my generation of mothers, it can be a little bit competitive as far as, well, what's your kid signed up for? And, you know, sports. I I had someone ask me if I was going to hold my son back a year in daycare so he would effectively be the oldest in his graduating class. I'm sure it is. And potentially better at sports. That's a thing. And I'm like, actually, I think I'm more interested in uh, you know, shedding this daycare bill and if he getting him out of the house a year sooner. Yeah, and neatly has the ability to be a professional athlete. We'll take it. But it's the fact that at two years old there are parents out there thinking of ways to game the system.

SPEAKER_04 10:48

So I mean, there's no risk of a professional athlete in my house. And no one suggested that to us.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

He's got some decent height on him.

SPEAKER_03 11:00

Yeah. Yeah. So so it's interesting. And I feel like because I work all week and I travel for work on occasion, you know, signing my kids up for a ton of activities on the weekends is less appealing to me because I don't know if Newbie's gonna be showing a house. So, but but a lot of my kids' peers are like, oh, we have gymnastics and then we're going to basketball. And I'm like, well, we're gonna go play in the backyard. So it's it's it's interesting, you know, and I think as moms being able to say no is there's also power in that.

unknown 11:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:38

I heard a stat the other day that the average parent today spends double the time with their kids than they did in the 90s. That's both dads and moms, which is kind of crazy when you think about it that way. I mean everyone's feeling compressed for time, but on average we're spending double the time with our kids. So that's that's kind of a nice thing.

SPEAKER_00 11:56

That is interesting. I wonder if if does that have to do with work from home or is that just that's a good question.

SPEAKER_04 12:03

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 12:04

Yeah, but still. Um what's something your kids uh do that you secretly find very funny but have to pretend it it is not Oh I mean when one of my kids drops an F-bomb and it's like perfectly placed, yes.

SPEAKER_04 12:22

Um or like, you know, another choice word that's Do you do you break or no? I mean, I try not to, but you know, there's gotta be a little discipline. It's amazing what they pick up on the playground. Yeah, it's it's when they say they pick it up on the playground and not at home, but yeah, yeah, a perfectly used swear word when someone's Lego truck breaks. Like I'm impressed.

SPEAKER_03 12:44

Yes, we're teaching them well.

SPEAKER_02 12:47

I also love when one of them is being kind of naughty and the other one just kind of like self-corrects, like either like does a little like butt pat or like pulls a little hair, and I'm like the two and three-year-old are doing that to each other.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

Yeah, that would be funny.

SPEAKER_02 13:04

That's not like you're kind of defending yourself, right? But just lovingly, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:11

Um something about motherhood that uh people don't talk about enough.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

Um I think the pressures of being a mom, I think first time moms go into it with an idea that everything's gonna go according to plan. And I think accepting that very few of those plans will go accordingly, um, you know, it's is eye-opening. Um I think I I think there's a lot of pressure around the journey to breastfeed. And that for a lot of women, you know, does not work out um the way you want it to. And then you're researching all of these different formulas and and you know, what's the right, you know, blend for my kid, and then and then you have a two-year-old who will only eat mac and cheese. So it's a it's a it's a fun little evolution of you know, the pressure you put on yourself for perfection via the standards that you know you read about on social media and things like that to what it actually ends up being.

SPEAKER_02 14:24

So I also heard something that once you think you've figured it out, whether it's a phase or a type of um milestone, like I finally got my kid to sleep, or I finally had them eat their vegetables, something changes. Like you're kind of living in this like limbo area of like goodness for a little bit, and then inevitably it changes because your kids growing so fast. So I think that's so true. Like when they sleep in their crib or when they start sleeping in their bed, it's all working and you're kind of just waiting for the next ball to drop because it it's it's bound to change at any moment, you know.

SPEAKER_03 14:58

Yeah, the good, the bad, everything's temporary.

SPEAKER_00 15:02

Going to raising kids in the in the social media or screens era, and I Alison, I'm guessing you might deal with this a little bit with the six-year-old or at least the screen time. I don't know since your kids are younger, but what are your views on all of that and how do you try and manage manage it?

SPEAKER_02 15:18

So, like uh screen time for the kids in in particular.

SPEAKER_00 15:22

For us, we I'm guessing you're not worrying about a three-year-old on social media right now.

SPEAKER_02 15:27

No, but it's crazy. Like some people there's different thresholds, right? And one of the things I learned as Alicia alluded to to like the feeding journey of your child, you learn really quickly that different homes do different things, and it's really none of my business what other parents do. And I don't really it doesn't impact me, you know. But for for us, um, we we limit screen time a lot. Like they're it just I'm trying to do my best to not be on my phone, not having the kids watch TV. Um, everyone has a different threshold. So like we'll probably do maybe 15 to 20 minutes of TV three to four times a week. And they're watching 90s, like we're watching Arthur, Bernstein Bears, we're watching the stuff that like I watched when I was a kid, but I don't know if that's the right move. Like everyone's doing what's best for their family, you know.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

And do you all try and limit your screen time around the kids? And is that difficult to do?

SPEAKER_02 16:24

I try to, but the problem, as I alluded to earlier, is like I I pick up my phone and I'm like, I need to place a target delivery. Like, like we need diapers, we need X or Y. So then I catch myself telling my two and three-year-old, mommy's on her phone ordering groceries. Like I'm trying to like tell them that I'm actually working and not just like staring at my phone for for fun. Because again, we're growing up in a like we're living in an era where there's so much media around us, and I'm a consumer of it, and my children will be consumers of it. So, how do you teach your kids to be responsible consumers of it as they grow up? I I don't know the answer to that.

SPEAKER_03 17:04

Yeah, I mean, we're obviously not there yet. Our our eldest is about to be five, but I think I'd be wrong to like I work in tech, so obviously we're gonna embrace technology. Um, but I think you know, just raising confident humans that when they are exposed to social media one day that they aren't seeking the validation. Um actually, someone someone gave me a really good anecdote once on the likes that you get on Instagram. Because while you may want, you know, hundreds, even thousands of likes on a certain post, if you only receive 20 and someone, you know, but if you put that in real life that somebody came up to you and you got 20 compliments, like you'd feel really good about yourself if you got but then when you put it in-if you got one compliment in real life, you feel pretty good about yourself. Yeah, so like you can't, you know, hone in on the number of likes because if you if you got all those in person, you'd feel way better about yourself. So I think you know, just raising confidence in my kids to not seek that validation and also you know, social media is a very edited place in realizing, you know, that that it is the highlight reel and you know, to not take it so seriously. But but it is scary. There's a there's a lot of fear with that. I think you know, we'll try to defer it as long as we can, but I think it's inevitable. And hopefully these tech companies are making different changes to make it safer.

SPEAKER_04 18:39

So I don't know, we're not huge TV people, like we never have been, so our kids aren't that excited about or we just don't offer TV that often. But we've come up with things that kind of showcase how exciting TV can be for them. So, for example, our kids hate getting their nails trimmed. I don't know, is that universal mind do? Um, so I let them watch a YouTube video of their choice while I'm trimming their nails, and we've now realized that like our kids are working us independently where they'll be like, I need my nails trimmed. They're so smart. I just trimmed, I just trimmed his nails yesterday. Those nails don't need to be trimmed. So, you know, they they work the system, which I guess is good. They're being creative and clever, but um I think yeah, you can tell kids are obsessed with screens. Even when we go to a restaurant and there's like a TV on in the bar, they're like, you know, trying to see what's what's going on, and yeah, that's just part of life, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

And it's also crazy, like the brain fog for me is so real. Like after having kids, I don't think it's like actually something wrong with me, but I think I have so much to think about at all times. So for me, a lot of what I do on social media personally, I'm literally recording it so it's saved somewhere because my phone has so much content. Like I'm taking photos at work, I'm taking photos of like a receipt or like a tag of something. And so when I post on like an Instagram post personally, it's basically a reminder of my life, so that I'm like, oh, this was fun, this was fun, this was fun. So that's always my intention whenever I post on social media because my memory has gotten so bad, and it's like, oh, well, this was great. Like this was so fun when we went to on this trip or when we did that. So it it truly is a highlight reel for my for me, you know, which is kind of a unique way of looking at it, I think. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

Um on a on a positive note, what it what is you all's favorite thing about being a mother?

SPEAKER_03 20:36

For me, it's recreating the magic of the holidays. Like, I probably go a little bit over the top, but I just love creating, you know, Christmas morning excitement and oh, here's the Easter bunny, and and it's just really fun the way at least at this age they they get into it. I've I've been told I'm living in the blink, and like by the time you know they're eight, ten years old, all of this is not gonna land the the way it is now. So so I think just enjoying it.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

I still believe in Santa right now.

unknown 21:12

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:12

Well, for my my parents were, you know, if you don't believe, you don't receive. So I I borderline one into high school, like guys, Santa, come to town.

SPEAKER_02 21:27

I would echo that too. Just kind of creating magic for your kids. And also they're there's so much fun. So like you come home and like they're happy to see you. Life is good. Like we're I'm I'm so tired all the time, but like I love it, you know.

SPEAKER_04 21:39

Yeah, it's pretty wild to have these creatures that you've created, right? Somehow you're you've got these babies and you're supposed to teach them what to do. And it's hilarious when they're negotiating with you and you've taught them how to do that too. So pros and cons. They're smart.

SPEAKER_00 21:58

And any uh any best lesson. From your own own mothers, or anything you admire most about them.

SPEAKER_04 22:04

I mean, my mom always says, trust your instincts. And I feel like that's such a good piece of advice in life. I've been lucky, you know, she's also an excellent grandma who lives very close by. So we are able to leverage that a lot. But I think that's a good point, especially in the age of social media, and everyone's got an opinion and just kind of what feels right in your gut and and go with that and try not to worry too much about it, what everybody else is thinking or doing.

SPEAKER_02 22:29

I second that. And Allison's mom makes family dinner every Sunday. She does. So she will invite the whole family over to her house with like meals. So it's like a theme night. It's pretty awesome.

SPEAKER_04 22:40

Yeah, she's pretty great. And when they're out of town, I'm like, what do you mean you're out of town on Sunday night? What am I gonna do?

SPEAKER_03 22:47

Yeah. Um, my mom has just always been so supportive, always told me she's proud of me, things like that. So I think as I I look to raise my own children, you know, just loving support, you know, letting them know that they're seen and valued. That's something my mom has always done for me.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

I think I I echo I hate going last on this one, but I think those same points and also just learning how to be you, like what works well for you doesn't always work for somebody else. And just realizing maybe I need more time for X or Y, and just realizing when to commit to certain things and when not to.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Awesome. Should we should we get into some of the uh the gift ideas and date spots, things like that?

SPEAKER_03 23:32

Yes, let's do it.

SPEAKER_00 23:34

Great. Um, let's start with Mother's Day gift ideas for people who could use them right now.

SPEAKER_03 23:40

All right, dad. This one's for you.

SPEAKER_00 23:43

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SPEAKER_03 24:52

I think we always we still want something handmade. Like it doesn't even won't cost you anything but time. But like force these kids to sit down and like make me a card I can keep forever.

SPEAKER_02 25:05

Yeah, that's that's probably key, I think, especially when they're little. Because when they're older, it's like it is what it is. But like when they're little, like if they can cut something, even if it's not socially like if it's not like aesthetically pleasing, right? Yeah, it doesn't matter. Like our probably won't be if it comes out of my life. No, but like even for like for my husband's birthday a couple weeks ago, Tanner cut confetti and he's learning how to cut. So all this confetti is like different pieces of cardboard and like different pieces of like paper from the house, and he glued them onto the refrigerator, and it was like the best thing to have confetti in our house, you know. So the handmade stuff is awesome.

SPEAKER_03 25:44

Yeah, and if you're not going to make a brunch reservation for Mother's Day, I think you could pick up brunch and on the kitchen table have all these handmade goodies for us, but then maybe go to Alley Boy's and go see Stacy and bring back some bagels and sandwiches. Or you could go to Poppy Bakery and Amy makes the best uh pastries and um avocado and all the things, and you can just do like a little spread of baked goods if you don't want to go to brunch and we like that. Who doesn't like brunch? Get out of your house. You don't have to have anyone clean up.

SPEAKER_02 26:27

I'm a big fan of Mother's Day brunch.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

We also like Commodore out in Peewake. They do.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

No, I haven't been there yet. That's a new new Bartellotta, newish Bartellotta's place.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

Yes, they do a good spread. Um, also like Harbor House downtown for a brunch. Um lower key. Could maybe go to like a blues egg. Um Tosa. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 26:52

I mean, on the gifts, I would say something. I love a practical gift. Like, don't buy me jewelry, which seems crazy. Don't buy me jewelry. Um, but buy me a practical gift and like what's practical? Uh you know, something you can use that's not just like a pretty thing or a dust collector.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

Do you have an example?

SPEAKER_04 27:12

Um, last year Andrew bought me a Kindle, and I'm very I was very anti-Kindle, but he bought me one anyway, and he opened it up and loaded it and charged it and made it real plug and play, which I thought was.

SPEAKER_00 27:25

Does it get more romantic than that?

SPEAKER_04 27:28

Andrew and the Kindle preloading. It that was magical. Like he did the extra work to get it all set up. I mean, a mother's dream.

SPEAKER_03 27:37

Yeah. I also think flowers. Um you have to do flowers.

SPEAKER_02 27:41

I agree.

SPEAKER_03 27:42

My favorite florist is Lataire out in Mekwan. Sally is the most amazing floral artist, and she will hook you up. So order an arrangement from Lataire, and that will be beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 27:58

And also I agree flowers, I agree brunch, cards, right? But to Allison's point, like get me a nice pair of pajamas. You know what I mean? Like Turkish Pima cotton, like lake pajamas. That is my like I don't think you can go wrong with that.

SPEAKER_03 28:15

Yeah, for the best. Yeah. Newbie and I also we like to spend our money on experiences. I feel like we've gotten to the point in our careers where if I want it, I'll just buy it. So why don't you take the planning out of something and plan an experience? Book the flight, you know.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

We got a good range of gift IDs.

SPEAKER_04 28:42

Yeah. High low. A trip to Paris, sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:47

You you guys had some spas in there too, maybe a spa trip.

SPEAKER_03 28:51

Yes. Yes. You have cards.

SPEAKER_00 28:52

Any any favorite spas in the area?

SPEAKER_03 28:55

Um, I like it's out in Tosa by um Mayfair Mall, actually. It's called Aura Spa, and they do these amazing lymphatic drainage facials. Probably could have used one before I came today. But she will like have you snatch and like get rid of that double chin. So I love Aura. There's also Fister. Yeah. Close by.

SPEAKER_02 29:21

I I love uh locally, I go to Neroli in Brookfield, which I really, really love. And we do a lot of Kohler trips. So we'll do the Kohler water spa frequently. Place is magical. It's magical. It is so wonderful going out there and getting a massage.

SPEAKER_03 29:36

Monica is the queen of Kohler.

SPEAKER_02 29:38

I love Kohler.

SPEAKER_03 29:38

If you need a Kohler right, if you want the inside guide to Kohler, Monica Jerkin.

SPEAKER_02 29:43

It's convenient, it's an hour away. Like you can get there. It feels like you're going on like a little tiny trip and you can still get home the next the same day or the next day.

SPEAKER_00 29:52

It does feel like a different little world when you're in there.

SPEAKER_02 29:54

Yeah. I love it out there getting a massage, getting your nails done, and going out to lunch, either at the American Club or somewhere in Sheboygan, like Il Retrovo. It's pretty awesome. That's a good Mother's Day idea. Sending mom there.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

Or even with some girlfriends. Like, how nice would it be if Andrew, Newbie, and Michael planned a little Mother's Day gift for all of us to like golf. It's like a real layup for them. Yeah, yeah. Because then the boys can sneak off to golf.

SPEAKER_04 30:21

Well, they're like an add-to-cart button. Hope they're listening.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

They can uh they can do a little day trip there too. Yeah, it is only an hour away. Staying over the overnight there is extremely nice, but like, yeah, there's stuff to do during the day.

SPEAKER_02 30:33

We do it all the time. Like we'll go up in the morning and come back before the end of the day.

SPEAKER_00 30:37

They got that iconic coffee shop in the American Club.

SPEAKER_03 30:40

Yeah, the greenhouse cafe. Go there. Yeah. Get a picture.

SPEAKER_02 30:45

That's pretty awesome. Can't go wrong.

SPEAKER_03 30:48

And they have a lot of um, they have the little shops on Woodlake too.

SPEAKER_00 30:52

So new grocery store coming this year. Yeah, next year, you're excited. Yeah, later this year.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

And they have the cutest little baby shop there too for kids called Little Love. So I love that shop. It's wonderful. But even when you're away from your kids, you still want to like buy stuff for your kids inevitably.

SPEAKER_03 31:10

So guilty of that. Like they need not a thing more. Yeah. But like how can we cat from Little Love? How do you resist Little Love, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:19

Um, let's do kid kid outings. If people are looking for kids' activity in the area, where are you going?

SPEAKER_02 31:27

This is Alicia's forte.

SPEAKER_03 31:29

No, not it's always instant regret. Um, you know, I can I can I can chime.

SPEAKER_00 31:34

I can I can actually chime in on this one for instant regret. I do big brothers, big sisters with an eight-year-old and um realized a couple places not to take him.

SPEAKER_02 31:43

I'll let you guys go first though, because this isn't Do you have good examples of where not to take him?

SPEAKER_00 31:48

The roller skating rink.

SPEAKER_02 31:49

Why?

SPEAKER_00 31:50

It is fucking chaos in there. I mean loud music, hundreds of kids, dim lights, light show going. Yeah. I can't skate. I was out there with a walker trying to survive. Um and he didn't want to leave either. So I had to hunt him down. I think one kid almost knocked me over. I think I stayed up, but uh leaning on that, and then I told him um after we went that since I used a walker, the city of Milwaukee banned me from going to skating rinks for 10 years.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

Did he believe it or no?

SPEAKER_00 32:27

Yeah, he believes it, right, Brie? I think he does. It was the first time I lied to uh to Ray Sean straight up like that. I looked, I looked him in the eye and uh felt a little bad doing it, but I do not regret doing that. So I have not been back to uh the roller skating rink since. Daven Buster's has been good.

SPEAKER_01 32:47

Yeah, he couldn't pay me for something.

SPEAKER_00 32:49

First time I took him there, he was running around in in hiding in some of the machines from me. Kind of had a heart attack, but he's he's gotten he's gotten better.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:00

Listens to me a little better. So uh he's he's making progress. You know what's a good spot? Um Cause's mini bowl.

SPEAKER_03 33:07

I've never been there. I've never I've never done it. I've never taken the kids there.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

It's not you wouldn't think of it as a kid spot. It's a dive, it's like it was voted best dive bar in America on Esquire like years ago. And it is a good dive bar, and they have mini bowling, so they're smaller balls.

SPEAKER_04 33:22

Oh yeah, that's cool.

SPEAKER_00 33:24

And um yeah, they they let us in. There was another kid there too. He was really enthralled by the gambling machine, so I had to not make that happen, but he did enjoy bowling too. So anyway, those are those are my places to go and not to go list. But I would love to hear from some actual parents.

SPEAKER_02 33:42

Again, our kids are little, so a lot of we have a zoopass for the Milwaukee County Zoo.

SPEAKER_00 33:47

Oh, shout out to the zoo. I love the show. Shout out to the zoo.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

Yeah. And so with the Zoopass, what what you don't realize with the Zoopass is that you have the convenience to leave whenever you want to. So I feel like when you buy tickets to something, you want to be there for a bit. You don't want to pay a bunch of money and then you feel obligated. And so with the Zoopass to plug that for the third time, it's incredible because you can go in, park, stay for an hour, and leave once everyone starts running around and you are overstimulated. And you don't feel guilty that you're leaving early because you can go back anytime you want.

SPEAKER_00 34:21

I do want to shout out the zoo. They put up an amazing light display for Christmas. That was really cool.

SPEAKER_03 34:29

We love a farmer's market, I feel like ideal weekend morning. We can also take the dog. Shout out to Bruno. He doesn't get enough love now that we've had kids. Massive. Like this is what happens.

SPEAKER_00 34:43

What's Bruno weighing in at?

SPEAKER_03 34:44

Probably 115 pounds. Yeah. He is a burnoodle. This is what happens when your husband shows a condo in the third ward, sees a puppy in the elevator, and says, Oh, they have one left. And then 12 hours later, two people with no experience owning a dog during COVID are driving to Indiana to pick up a massive puppy. Bruno's name in his litter was actually Tank because he was the biggest. And now he's also the biggest dog in the neighborhood. And what have we gotten ourselves into?

SPEAKER_00 35:17

I think after Newbie got it, he had some good quote to me like, I'm a big boy, I need a big dog, or something like that.

SPEAKER_03 35:23

That's just like Yeah, it's respect. So yeah, Bruno adds adds chaos. And um, yeah, we like to do things where we can also show Bruno a little love because he's a COVID puppy, and you know, he just wants to be wants to be in the mix. Um, but also I would say in Milwaukee, like art museum, Betty Brynn, you can find key days where you can go for free. So so that's nice, or even just like going to cops, having a custard date, things, things we like to do with the kids. But like Georgie is a savage, and at two years old, it's just a lot to you know take him out into the wild. We try, we try.

SPEAKER_02 36:05

But don't you think getting them out sometimes makes it better? Because like they're in a car seat and they're stuck there for a little bit as you're driving car somewhere. Like if you're let's say our our routine on like Saturday mornings is we wake up, either go to breakfast or make a nice breakfast, and then we'll like go do something, whether it's like a Sendix run or like going anywhere just to get the kids out, because then they're running around a store or running around the park rather than like opening every box in your house and pulling out toys. I don't know. That's just art that it works for us. Then we come home, put them nap time, and then we have a couple hours of quiet.

SPEAKER_03 36:42

You're just way better at boy energy than I am, Monica. Like, had I had a boy first, we Allison has three boys.

SPEAKER_02 36:50

She's the queen of boy energy.

SPEAKER_04 36:52

Yeah, I come from an all-girl household, so I don't know what's going on 90% of the time. Thankfully, Andrew's from an all-boy household, so he reassures me that this is normal. Um I don't know if it is. So, yeah, I think we like to do, we love to go out to eat. I think, you know, sisters is our morning spot on the weekends um in Elm Grove. They do a great job with breakfast, and then we love Bel Air, they do a great dinner. They've got like the chips and the margaritas on the table within 90 seconds of being there, so everybody's happy.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Yeah, you guys are really thinking about the kids.

SPEAKER_04 37:25

It's all about the kids. Fast margaritas. Yes. You know, you want everyone to have a good time. So um, and then I don't know, we don't do that much exciting stuff, I don't think. Um, we don't even really go to the zoo very often, which we should because we're not far, but um, the libraries, I mean, guys, the libraries, what an untapped resource. Some of them have toys. Yeah. Like kids. We don't do that enough.

SPEAKER_00 37:49

Milwaukee public library, just whatever library, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 37:52

Um we love the Brookfield Library, they've got puzzles and toys. And um the Waukeshaw Library. I'm sure the Milwaukee public libraries are awesome too. It's just like the libraries are really cool and they're usually not that crowded, which is surprising. And they're free.

SPEAKER_02 38:08

You can rent Tonies at the library. Did you know that? I don't know if Brookfield does it, but one of the libraries rents like Tonies for like the Tony box. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 38:16

Yeah, they're like$20 a piece to buy. You can rent them. Okay. Do you remember like oh yeah, go ahead?

SPEAKER_02 38:22

So think of like a box, literally like a cube that has a speaker in it.

SPEAKER_00 38:26

Looking at the package.

SPEAKER_02 38:27

And I'm kind of looking at the beer, the the lovely beer.

SPEAKER_00 38:30

Three sheep's beer. We'll give them a fuck. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 38:33

So when you put this, it's like a little box that has a speaker, and there's uh almost like a magnet on it. So you put a little figurine on it. And this is a great gift for like a kid that's younger, if you need a recommendation for that. But these little figurines go on top, and let's say it's aerial or it's uh like a Disney character or not, it automatically plays the story. So your kid can then like listen to something different based on what's what he's putting on his Tony box.

SPEAKER_00 39:01

Sounds like a genius invention.

SPEAKER_02 39:03

It's awesome. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 39:04

Yeah. We also love a box game.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

So with the little kids.

SPEAKER_03 39:09

Yeah, we will do it. I don't know if it's bold to me, but we've now got it.

SPEAKER_00 39:13

Have you done that, Monica?

SPEAKER_02 39:14

We have. We've done it a couple of times. The kids love it, but it's like, look, it's Giannis, and they just want the blue ice cream. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 39:21

They just want to find the ice cream machine. I don't know if it's unique to the Milwaukee box.

SPEAKER_00 39:26

You know, I d I took uh Ray Sean to a brewer's game, and I didn't realize how many kid-friendly stuff was around Ampham Park, and I was pretty friendly. Shocked by like the amount of stuff they had for kids to do.

SPEAKER_03 39:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:40

Before before I unnecessarily budded in where you oh, you're fine.

SPEAKER_03 39:43

I'm I'm used to it. No, it's okay. Um no, but I think Bango does an amazing job with the kids, and it's so sweet. And I don't know if that's something unique to the Milwaukee Bucks team, is like this mascot that's you know.

SPEAKER_02 39:58

Bango is so great to the kids.

SPEAKER_03 40:01

Bango is great.

SPEAKER_00 40:02

Did you guys want to shout out any women-owned businesses?

SPEAKER_03 40:05

Yeah, would love to. Um fire away. So I think I got Sally at Leterre. Um love what she's doing with the floral. Um, we also, who else do we like for women? Um a good place to go for like a fun mom date while the kids are at school. You can go get some tea at um Honeybee Sage.

SPEAKER_00 40:28

Oh, we shouted them out.

SPEAKER_03 40:30

Yeah, so they do Angie will make you like an amazing tea concoction that can de stress and improve your health.

SPEAKER_02 40:39

I feel like I need to get out more. I haven't heard of that. Wonderful. I want to do that one too.

SPEAKER_03 40:44

Yeah. We have uh Poppy Bakery. Um, Amy's incredible pastries. Who else?

SPEAKER_02 40:52

Well, this is non-food related, but even like Goo Goo Gaga and Brookfield, it's a women-owned children's boutique, and they are wonderful. The owner Ginny is so sweet. Um, and I mentioned Little Love and Kohler, so there's a lot of wonderful children's boutiques run by really creative women.

SPEAKER_03 41:07

Yeah, little monsters. Um, down in it's across from Whole Foods downtown. She has a lot of wonderful clothing and toys, some very nostalgic toys, too. So that's cute to things that don't make noise. Yeah. If you've ever been to Wonderland bookshop in Shorewood, amazing women-owned business, and it like transports you back to your childhood. It like opens a piece of your heart.

SPEAKER_00 41:35

Very cool. I I went to a good one this morning. Um, May 1, physical therapy. Morgan woman started it. And um, if you're aging and banged up at all, I highly recommend it. She does an amazing job over there.

SPEAKER_03 41:47

Yes. Oh, Dr. Fox, go see Dr. Fox at Bo Health. Yes, we love an IV.

SPEAKER_00 41:54

If you're hungover, go to Dr. Fox or or just tired.

SPEAKER_03 41:58

Yeah, yeah. If you're just tired from these kids, or if you're like going on a trip and need that additional support, Dr. Four. Dr. Fox has got your back.

SPEAKER_04 42:09

I was gonna add in the PT realm because yeah, my body's aging too, and um, the untold tale of having kids is that it's very hard on your body. Um, so I have two great PTs that I love: Dr. Brenda at Revitalize. She's a pelvic floor PT, so if you know, you know.

SPEAKER_03 42:27

If you know, you know.

SPEAKER_04 42:28

And then um Crystal at Empower out in Heartland. So um Revitalizes and Hails the Corners. Those are my two shout-outs. And then Miss Molly's Bakery is like so great on what is that, 92nd and center, I think. Tosa in Milwaukee. She's great.

SPEAKER_03 42:47

Yeah. I think Black Bear Boutique in Shorewood as well. That's cute. Cutest, like if you've got a baby shower coming up and those little special occasion outfits, they have got you covered over there.

SPEAKER_00 43:00

How about date night spots?

SPEAKER_02 43:02

Take me to Calucenzo. I want Chef Zach's pasta, and I want to give Sarah a big hug at Calucenzo. And I'm so excited for them and their James Beard nomination.

SPEAKER_00 43:12

Is that right over there?

SPEAKER_02 43:13

It's in Tosa.

SPEAKER_00 43:14

Never mind. I'm thinking of something. Richie, you haven't been.

SPEAKER_02 43:17

You haven't been to Calucenzo?

SPEAKER_00 43:18

I don't think so.

SPEAKER_03 43:19

You guys, CJ Coggle, your favorite lawyer's favorite lawyer, brought this into our lives.

SPEAKER_00 43:27

I told him to come on here and he hasn't taken me up on the him and him and newbie.

SPEAKER_03 43:31

Yes, I'd love to get them on together.

SPEAKER_00 43:33

But that would be good, actually.

SPEAKER_03 43:35

CJ is the most incredible foodie. So, like his knowledge.

SPEAKER_02 43:40

I listen to CJ. Like, I'm kind of a picky eater, but if CJ tells me to try something, I will do it. Like he knows what he's talking about.

SPEAKER_00 43:49

CJ. CJ. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:51

Or life advice or just anything in general.

SPEAKER_00 43:53

Someone to look at a contract. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_03 43:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 43:56

He's the best. He is. He is. Absolute best.

SPEAKER_03 43:58

Yeah, but Kalu Kenzo. So, you know, small small restaurant in Tosa. He was like, no, you guys don't understand. Like, this is where we're going. What Chef Zach is doing with pasta is, you know, otherworldly. And this is where I'm going to go.

SPEAKER_02 44:12

I feel like thanks to CJ, like we've known about this before. You know what I mean? Like now everyone's trying to go and they're having such success with all of their recent uh accolades from the James Beard, but they've always been good. So it's not not a new thing. It's always been good.

SPEAKER_03 44:28

Yeah. Um, we also love love carnivore. Consistently good. Omar, Mark, they they always make you feel special.

SPEAKER_00 44:38

I got a phone call from Omar after he saw you telling apparently you told um him that I told you to come up with a different recommendation because he gets too much love on this show. And I would like to clarify that I said it was cool to list him also to come up with an original thought. So I bet we do love Omar and the team over there.

SPEAKER_03 44:59

No, we we love love Omar. No, I was I was trying to build the list out, you know, give people give people a few more options than carnivore.

SPEAKER_00 45:06

So Alicia, do you have another option other than carnivore?

SPEAKER_03 45:09

Can we keep talking about carnivore? Because I love it so much. Yes, they're so wonderful. Seriously. They are, they are. Um, also love birch, the contramar tacos. Life-changing. Get those. Um, Lake Park Bistro for French.

SPEAKER_00 45:25

Yeah, that's a good sleeper that doesn't get talked about a ton.

SPEAKER_03 45:28

It's a great spot. Yeah. Yeah. Love LPB. Um where where else are people going for date nights? Where we go, just get the sitter and I will be there. Yeah. If you want fun, more relaxed, um, electric lime. Or like that. That's a great spot to do that. Cathedral square, right? Yeah, yeah. Elsa's get the broccoli. We're we're dying for them to bring back all the other favorites, but love, love to date night at Elsa's too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:58

Brianna did a uh get a drink at Bryant's and then go to Tenuda's Italian place in Bayview the other night. That that was a good that was a good one-two punch spot right there.

SPEAKER_03 46:08

Um, and then Cassis that just opened, another French spot. Feels like once you're in there, it um it doesn't feel like you're in Milwaukee. Like they've done just such an amazing job.

SPEAKER_00 46:19

So I agree, and it's right on the river for the summer. I've only been there when it's 10 degrees outside. So it'll be good. All right. Well, thank you guys so much for coming on today. This was great.

SPEAKER_03 46:30

Thanks for being here. Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_00 46:33

Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of Milwaukee Uncut, and thank you to Monica, Alicia, and Allison for coming on. Before signing off, just want to thank our partners who make Milwaukee Uncut possible. Nicolay Lodge Rink, Wisconsin Bleed Beverage Company, and Annex Wealth Management.