Be MKE: The view from Milwaukee's newest high-rise, how much side hustlers earn and Summerfest

Who we are. Where we go. What we need to know.

I'm up at Grandma's house today taking in the lake views. But this image has been stuck in my head: the founding fathers singing a rendition of "Independent Woman, Pt. I" by Destiny's Child for the Fourth of July. There is no actual video of this, but I wish there were.

In honor of the independence of our nation, let's honor the independent press — it's vital to democracy. The Journal Sentinel is basically giving away three-month subscriptions right now. You can get one for a dollar at jsonline.com/deal. 

The big deals this week: How much people are earning with side hustles, Milwaukee's newest high-rise and bars dishing up international cuisine. 

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Let's talk business

This Milwaukee startup is trying to bring the Airbnb experience to business travelers. Frontdesk manages about 1,000 stays a month at its units in Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Charlotte, N.C. It's already bringing in $250,000 in revenue a month and is expanding to more markets soon. 

A little extra beer money is always welcome. Around two in five Americans work some kind of side hustle for extra cash. I talked with the couple behind Milwaukee Beer Gear about their side hustling ways. 

I have major apartment envy. Not enough to shell out $7,485 a month for a penthouse, but I could definitely get used to the views at Milwaukee's newest high-rise. The 35-story 7Seventy7 has floor-to-ceiling Lake Michigan views, an outdoor pool and a golf simulator. Take a look here.

Boozin'

Our newsroom beer expert Kathy Flanigan and I bond over our meh feelings about cider. But she actually really liked the ciders she tasted from The Cider Farm. So she tracked down the serendipitous story about how the couple became fermenters. You can find the ciders at beer bars like The Sugar Maple in Bay View. 

If you're off for the rest of the week, I imagine you're in need of ways to spend some time outside now that humidity and temperatures are bearable. Because this is Milwaukee, that time will most likely include beer. Here are our guides to beer gardens and breweries with patios. 

Don’t go hangry

Three newish bars around Milwaukee are serving up international flavors. Our dining critic visited them all to get the scoop.

Here come the meat sweats. Oscar's Winner's Circle from the same guy as Oscar's Pub & Grill is serving the Winner's Burger topped with ham, bacon and chorizo. Yes, there's a beef patty too. She also tested out the revamped menu at Von Trier on North Farwell Avenue and the global street food at SportClub on North Jefferson Street. 

A pasta shop and Italian street food restaurant will open in Wauwatosa later this year. The pasta factory will take the spot of Juniper 61. The couple behind the new spot are also operating partners of Pizza Man. Juniper 61 will close sometime in August.

Restaurants in Bay View are playing musical chairs. Here's where you'll be able to find Riviera Maya and Sabor Tropical.

The Big Gig aka Summerfest

I'm finally headed to the Summerfest grounds today. If you're looking to go, and are short on cash, here are ways to get free (or at least cheaper) admission and the rest of the stuff you need to know to navigate the world's largest music festival. 

Here are the talkers

A guy blew a 0.42 after being pulled over on I-94. He was driving a car and his blood-alcohol level was more than five times the legal limit. WOW. We thought that was wild but maybe didn't realize just how wild — the vast majority of us would die from this level of binge drinking. The science behind alcohol consumption, tolerance and just how much that guy must have drunk is here. 

Some motorized scooters showed up downtown last week and then the city said you can't do that. Bird deployed 100 motorized scooters last week around Milwaukee. Then the city attorney said it was illegal to ride them. What you need to know: Riders can get fined $98.80 from the city. Woof.

My purebred mutt Nala is living her best life on my Instagram @HauerSarah. Keep up with my gif game on Twitter @SarahHauer. You can always go old school and send me an email at shauer@journalsentinel.com. 

Be MKE,

Sarah