I headed down to Milwaukee for the day to catch a great Metal show by Steel Panther. It was their Very Hairy Christmas Show just before the holidays! It was at one of my favorite venues, The Rave, downtown Milwaukee. Like I’ve said in the past, going to live shows is my jam! So is saving money, and the idea “spend on what you value.”

In my planning, I had asked my uncle if he’d be around to drop me at the Airport.  Keep in mind, he lives less then a mile from me, and is always up super early. Schedules didn’t work out, and he had questioned me, “why don’t you just park at the airport?” 

Normally, I do park at the airport for work-related trips. But this was for pleasure. This was a personal trip that I’d be paying for.   Parking at the airport is $22/day!  I understand that I could park a little further away, and save some money.  One thing that I value most is my time. Time is so very precious, and I’ll do what I can, and sometimes pay for me to save on this extremely valuable resource.  This is why I typically park at the attached ramp at the airport, use Clear and TSA PreCheck to pass through security, in literally, a few minutes. Clear is worth every penny to me! If you use this link, to try it for a couple months, I’ll get a couple for free too!

While in Milwaukee for the night I asked my hotel, where I should go for an amazing dinner.  Both people at the hotel suggested the Five o’ Cock Steakhouse.  I had never been. They expressed that many people have to at least experience it once. So off I went.

I hadn’t done any research and showed up at the steakhouse, where on the door was a big sign saying, “Reservations Required.”  Gulp! Ruh-Oh!  I also noticed hours on the door were 5 pm – 10 pm daily. They had literally just opened for the night. I quickly rushed inside and explained that I was referred here, and didn’t know reservations were required.  “Would there be any way they can squeeze me in?” I asked in a soft, and kind of desperate tone. 

The Host grabbed a menu and said, “Quick, follow me I’ll find you a seat.” She seated me a small table in the back of the dining room. Dimly lit, and white linen place settings with candles glowing on each table. Within minutes the entire dining room was full. Completely full. I asked the server if they are always this busy. She said they’ll serve about 250 guests in ONE NIGHT! 

When handed the menu, I noticed this wasn’t a casual dining experience. We were talking about $39 Filets, $48 NY Strip, $70 Prime Rip, or $140 Lobster Tails. 

The Relish tray, salad and loaf of fresh bread were included. I politely declined the bread, and ordered my two 4oz Steak Medallions with some Shrimp.

It was an amazing meal.  Absolutely delicious, and a wonderful way to enjoy my dinner+show evening in Milwaukee. 

One thing my uncle and I often do is share our dining and/or food experiences. Either cooking something new at home or trying a new restaurant. I had shared a pic of the steak and shrimp with a glance at the menu.  He had texted me back about how he just doesn’t understand me. Why would I NOT pay for parking, but pay $39 on a dinner?! It’s easy. I find value on good food and an amazing dining experience. I find no value in Parking if I don’t have to.  These are two completely different things.

In the end, sadly, I did end up paying for parking. It was a great time!  And, once again, I quote Ramit Sethi who states you can live your rich life. “Spend extravagantly on the things you love, and cut costs mercilessly on the things you don’t.” A couple of the things I love are good food, and heavy metal!