SOMETIMES YOU DO GET NICE THINGS IF YOU'RE FROM MILWAUKEE.

Not often, and is confusing it with Minneapolis a microaggression, or referring to it as a Chicago suburb an insult?

Every so often, though, something unexpected happens.  "In the championship matchup of an NCAA-style tournament of 64 American cities on Twitter, Milwaukee crushed New York, beating the most populous city in America on Friday by a whopping 70.4% to 29.6%, with a total of 11,994 votes cast."  Perhaps, because the poll was set up by what appears to be an academic, rather than a blue-check, there wasn't the sort of online engagement there otherwise might have been.  But so what?

Nolan Gray, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles’ Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies, launched the bracket at the end of October to determine what people think is the best city in America.

And, of course, who didn’t think Milwaukee wouldn’t reign supreme, what with the Bucks, Brewers, Summerfest and all that delicious beer.

Gray started the round of 64 on Oct. 26 and 27. People had 24 hours to vote via Twitter polls. The No. 10 seed Milwaukee narrowly beat out No. 7 seed Austin in the first round, 53% to 47%.

During the round of 32, Milwaukee blew second-seeded Miami out of the water, 59.5% to 40.5%.

The round of 16 was held on Halloween. Once again, Milwaukee dominated. It beat out No. 3 seed San Francisco, 59% to 41%.

Wisconsin competed with its neighbor to the west in the quarterfinal round, with Milwaukee taking down Minneapolis, 54.8% to 45.2%.

In the semifinals, Milwaukee faced border rival Chicago. And while it was a nail-biter, Milwaukee pulled out the win, 51.9% to 48.1%, to move on to the championship game against New York, where it once again reigned supreme.

On Saturday, after proclaiming Milwaukee the winner, Gray reached out to his great expansion of friends living on a Great Lake, tweeting, “So, uh, to my 2,000 new Milwaukeean followers: I’ve never been to your city and now feel an obligation to correct that. Anyone want to show me around?”

Here are a few possibilities.  Yes, that reads a lot like the usual metrofexual twee stuff, and it might be wise to plan your trip for the summer, and work in a Brewer game or a harbor cruise to go with the festivals, but check out the festivals.  "From Juneteenth celebrations, The Polish Fest, the Lakefront Festival of Art, and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade to Art in Bloom, the Locust Street Festival, Croatia Fest, and the Dragonboat Festival, Milwaukee has earned its reputation as 'The City of Festivals.'"  And, selbstverständlich, "drink das Bier."