O'Donnell Closing

[keefe]

  It was a girls dorm in my era, so I have relatively few memories.

All girls back in the day and chock full of zesty, robust memories...

[rocket surgeon]

I  don't know if you have all your facts correct, but the flea bag hotel that Dahmer killed one of his first victims is now the rather ritzy Ambassador Hotel. I wonder if you are thinking of the place across the street, which is now the Ambassador Inn (owed by the same folks). Can't remember its former name at the moment,  but MU rented rooms there when I was a GDL for overflow freshmen.

back in about 1979-80, i lived on the 1st floor, corner of the apartment bldg(2311 w. wisconsin ave) next to that hotel across from the original ambassador inn.  it was called the phoenix inn(2301 w. wisconsin ave.).  what a treat!  business was good...for rooms by the minute.  we used to watch the janes and johns come and go from our porch sipping cutty sark.  perfect set-up as it had parking underneath at street level for drive-thru access

[keefe]

back in about 1979-80, i lived on the 1st floor, corner of the apartment bldg(2311 w. wisconsin ave) next to that hotel across from the original ambassador inn.  it was called the phoenix inn(2301 w. wisconsin ave.).  what a treat!  business was good...for rooms by the minute.  we used to watch the janes and johns come and go from our porch sipping cutty sark.  perfect set-up as it had parking underneath at street level for drive-thru access

Wasn't there an Elks or Moose Club in there too?

We used to go to there on Tuesday nights when they had BINGO. The Club put out a big spread of food that we would graze through before wandering a block over to The Midget to begin drinking in earnest

[rocket surgeon]

Wasn't there an Elks or Moose Club in there too?

We used to go to there on Tuesday nights when they had BINGO. The Club put out a big spread of food that we would graze through before wandering a block over to The Midget to begin drinking in earnest

yeah...wasn't that located off the back of the eagles club/rave?  car wash on the other side of us and an open pantry(aka-open panties) for all our grocery shopping-tombstone pizzas and beer

[warriorchick]

I will check it out when I am in town.

It's very, very nice.  We stay there all the time. We already have reservations for Graduation Weekend this year.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Any place that serves the bubbly in Chianti glasses is beneath me.

[Dr. Blackheart]

yeah...wasn't that located off the back of the eagles club/rave?  car wash on the other side of us and an open pantry(aka-open panties) for all our grocery shopping-tombstone pizzas and beer

The Eagles Club was home of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles housed in that building.

[ChicosBailBonds]

All girls back in the day and chock full of zesty, robust memories...

Ding ding ding.  Same memories for me

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

All girls back in the day and chock full of zesty, robust memories...

So robust Is your codename for ladies of the larger variety, right Keefe?

[keefe]

yeah...wasn't that located off the back of the eagles club/rave?  car wash on the other side of us and an open pantry(aka-open panties) for all our grocery shopping-tombstone pizzas and beer

That's it. It was the Eagles Club. Before the movie Wedding Crashers we got the idea of putting on a suit and mixing in with the wedding banquet crowds as if we belonged. 8 to 10 of us would throw on suits and march up from McCormick for an evening of free food and drink and the eternal quest for...companionship.

[keefe]

Any place that serves the bubbly in Chianti glasses is beneath me.

Diamond shapes expand the surface evaporation area which is great for strong big reds but destroy the texture of champagne. The idea of champagne is for the bubbles to dance across your palate and not fizzle out in the glass.

Two thumbs down to the Ambassador.

[Hards Alumni]

Just to illustrate how big that footprint could be if they knocked down OD.

Whoa!  Greenspace!  It was a 'basketball' court when I was there.

[jsglow]

Speaking of basketball courts......

Back in the 60's and maybe into the 70's there was a small court/hoop on the north side of Carpenter Tower.  Some or all of the players lived in Tower in those days and would occasionally shoot hoops out there.  My dad worked directly across the street on 11th for nearly 40 years.  More than once he and some colleagues would go shoot 'horse' with the guys at lunch to get a little air.  I guess they needed a break from the 5 cent Sheepshead game that ran continuously for decades in his office.  Better times boys.

[keefe]

Sheepshead game

Sheepshead. Marry into a Milwaukee German family and you have no choice but to learn the game. Blitz, schmaltz, crack, recrack, mauer, schmeer, schneider...

[mu-rara]

Sheepshead. Marry into a Milwaukee German family and you have no choice but to learn the game. Blitz, schmaltz, crack, recrack, mauer, schmeer, schneider...

But what have you done to grow the great game in the PNW?

[jsglow]

Sheepshead. Marry into a Milwaukee German family and you have no choice but to learn the game. Blitz, schmaltz, crack, recrack, mauer, schmeer, schneider...

For many, many years my dad was the senior member of the card club meaning that he controlled the game.  They played 7 handed among a group of 10-15 guys and gals, Senior VP to secretary, literally every day at lunch for nearly 50 years.  My dad steadfastly refused to adjust the historic 5 cent, 10 cent, 15 cent pot that was in place when he assumed the senior mantle.  His view was that it was about bragging rights at the end of the week, not money at all.  "Up a buck and a half, brother!"  Seeing as he was both boss and senior member, everyone gladly acquiesced.  At his retirement party in 1995, his long time friend and colleague said the game was going to the princely sum of .10/.15/.20 on Monday. 

Maybe corporate America would be better today if senior executives brought their lunch in a bag and allowed secretaries to trash talk them after a 'no-tricker' like my dad did. 

[Archies Bat]

I just hope the board doesn't start arguing whether the jack of diamonds or calling an ace is the better way to pick a partner in 5 handed.

[mu-rara]

I just hope the board doesn't start arguing whether the jack of diamonds or calling an ace is the better way to pick a partner in 5 handed.

I had to play both.

West Bend roommates were call an ace.  My hometown and surrounding area are jack of diamonds.

[keefe]

For many, many years my dad was the senior member of the card club meaning that he controlled the game.  They played 7 handed among a group of 10-15 guys and gals, Senior VP to secretary, literally every day at lunch for nearly 50 years.  My dad steadfastly refused to adjust the historic 5 cent, 10 cent, 15 cent pot that was in place when he assumed the senior mantle.  His view was that it was about bragging rights at the end of the week, not money at all.  "Up a buck and a half, brother!"  Seeing as he was both boss and senior member, everyone gladly acquiesced.  At his retirement party in 1995, his long time friend and colleague said the game was going to the princely sum of .10/.15/.20 on Monday. 

Maybe corporate America would be better today if senior executives brought their lunch in a bag and allowed secretaries to trash talk them after a 'no-tricker' like my dad did.

I love stories like that. Something to be said for community and tradition.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I just hope the board doesn't start arguing whether the jack of diamonds or calling an ace is the better way to pick a partner in 5 handed.

jack of diamonds? never!

[Jay Bee]

Dahmer certainly did kill at the Ambassador. The hotel was total crap for a long time.. they put in $~15MM IIRC into it in recent times... post-2000... but, in the mid-90's it was a dump... went to the bar there occasionally, but only the cheapest of parents would stay there during the visit.

Today, it's a completely different looking place.

---------------
East Hall (now Straz) before all the renovations was fine. The Rec Plex / old Y was great to have, as well as Bob & Earl's barbershop... haven't seen the rooms/layout since the renovations... back in the day, the floors alternated.. girl/boy/girl/boy.. Lord forgive me for the things I did in that building.

[Litehouse]

East Hall (now Straz) before all the renovations was fine. The Rec Plex / old Y was great to have, as well as Bob & Earl's barbershop... haven't seen the rooms/layout since the renovations... back in the day, the floors alternated.. girl/boy/girl/boy.. Lord forgive me for the things I did in that building.

Agreed, I was at East Hall 92-93 and thought it was fantastic.  All single rooms, half of them with your own private bathroom.  The Y had constant pick-up games against local ballers that were way better than the Rec Center games against the usual college stiffs.  Blocks from the Grand Ave mall when it was still decent.  Only drawback was the long walk home from house parties on Kilbourn.

Around the same time, Marquette used the old Holiday Inn at 27th & Wisconsin as "West Hall".  Those people were out on an island, with the only benefit being the VFW next door that served underagers.

[StillAWarrior]

Agreed, I was at East Hall 92-93 and thought it was fantastic.  All single rooms, half of them with your own private bathroom.  The Y had constant pick-up games against local ballers that were way better than the Rec Center games against the usual college stiffs.  Blocks from the Grand Ave mall when it was still decent.  Only drawback was the long walk home from house parties on Kilbourn.

Around the same time, Marquette used the old Holiday Inn at 27th & Wisconsin as "West Hall".  Those people were out on an island, with the only benefit being the VFW next door that served underagers.

I lived at West my sophomore year, and it was probably my favorite dorm experience at Marquette.  It was a great group and we had a lot of fun.  Sure, sometimes it sucked being 10+ blocks from campus, but overall it was awesome.

[mu_hilltopper]

I lived at West my sophomore year, and it was probably my favorite dorm experience at Marquette.  It was a great group and we had a lot of fun.  Sure, sometimes it sucked being 10+ blocks from campus, but overall it was awesome.

Same here.  Great dorm .. pretty solid facility, food area, ballroom, etc.  McDonald's was a 45 second walk .. And the hookers across the street, that was always good entertainment, cough, cough.

You got used to taking the shuttle bus and just timed your departures around it.  We walked less than anyone living off campus, as the shuttle would drop you off from 16th down to 10th or so. 

And if the bus driver was in a good mood, he'd drive you to Grand Avenue if you asked him to go a few blocks more.

[warriorchick]

Same here.  Great dorm .. pretty solid facility, food area, ballroom, etc.  McDonald's was a 45 second walk .. And the hookers across the street, that was always good entertainment, cough, cough.

You got used to taking the shuttle bus and just timed your departures around it.  We walked less than anyone living off campus, as the shuttle would drop you off from 16th down to 10th or so. 

And if the bus driver was in a good mood, he'd drive you to Grand Avenue if you asked him to go a few blocks more.

My senior year, a girl got raped in her own room by some rando on Move-In Day.  That was probably the beginning of the end for West.