Vinyl Cave: Illuminations by Buffy Sainte-Marie Bob Koch on Saturday 07/04/2009 8:00 am, (1) Recommendation Legendary singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie has maintained an amazingly wide-ranging career in music, art, education and activism for more than four decades -- including a period of "retirement" to raise a family starting in the late '70s. Often controversial for her protest songs in the 1960s, her own recordings have been mostly absent from the radio in the United States since that time. >More
The Week on Forum: Celebrity deaths, fireworks, and domestic partnerships Clare Milliken on Friday 07/03/2009 12:00 pm Arts and entertainment were the focus of the forum this week. Forons waxed poetic about the ongoing string of celebrity deaths, while others lamented the postponed Concerts on the Square and the state of Rhythm and Booms. A sprinkling of local politics provided a welcome reprieve from our star-studded grief. >More
Madison Snaps -- July 3, 2009 on Friday 07/03/2009 8:00 am Today's image titled “women posing with the President” was photographed by Ron Wiecki. >More
The Week[end]: July 3-5, 2009 on Friday 07/03/2009 6:00 am Fourth of July weekend is always a busy one, and the fireworks get started early with the Elver Park display on Friday. More mid-summer fun can be found throughout the region, including the Stoughton Fair, the Monona Community Festival, and Independence Day celebrations in Columbus, DeForest and Evansville. Also on the docket are: the National Women's Music Festival; productions of The Comedy of Errors and The Philanderer at APT; stand-up by Randall Chestnut; a UW Carillon recital, Madtown Bloodbath V, and more live music by Cash Box Kings, Pearl Snap Saturday, Babyland, The Record Low, Lucha Libre, Pupy Costello, and Pterodactyl. >More
'Gangsta' photo at downtown Madison post office stirs controversy Joe Tarr on Thursday 07/02/2009 4:35 pm, (1) Recommendation It was hardly "Piss Christ" or a Robert Mapplethorpe erotic nude picture. But a picture by an 11-year-old Hmong girl of her stepbrother prompted two complaints (one from a Madison police officer) and a lot of hand-wringing about what is appropriate for an art show in a Madison public building. >More
Dane County Farmers' Market: Fountain Prairie Inn & Farms Fall River ranchers share recipe for Perfect Pot Roast Clare Milliken on Thursday 07/02/2009 1:00 pm, (3) Recommendations The Fountain Prairie Farm stand on North Carroll Street is a must-stop for beef fanatics at the Dane County Farmers' Market. Although John and Dorothy Priske have worked the market for 23 years, they've only sold their signature Scottish Highland dry-aged beef there for the last seven. >More
Crime wave and heat wave collide: Madison in the era of Public Enemies A look back at life in the city during the summer of 1934 David Medaris on Thursday 07/02/2009 10:00 am, (4) Recommendations In 1934, as the feds were closing in on John Dillinger and other gangsters, Madison was a small capital city in the grip of a spring drought and a summer heat wave. This weeks release of the Michael Mann drama, Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp, makes for a good excuse to go back and page through old newspapers and phone books to get a glimpse of what the Mad City was like 75 years ago. >More
Madison Snaps -- July 2, 2009 on Thursday 07/02/2009 8:00 am Today's image titled “Fair Trade Coffee House” was photographed by Jessica Langenberg. >More
Madame Fromage: Moody Blue from Roth Käse Tenaya Darlington on Wednesday 07/01/2009 3:00 pm, (1) Recommendation A few weeks ago, a good friend asked me to pick up some cheeses to serve at his deck party. As he was a fellow Midwesterner, I thought I’d surprise him with a few heartland selections. No, I couldn’t find any cheeses from his home state of Nebraska, although I am sure those Cornhuskers dabble in dairy, but I did locate two blues -- one from Iowa, one from Wisconsin -- that managed to wow the crowd and kick up some adulation. >More
Madison Etsy explorations: Annabel's Aprons Shopping locally online Megan Larson on Wednesday 07/01/2009 2:00 pm, (3) Recommendations I am not a chef; in fact I can't even say I cook. I have been known to reheat food from time to time and I make a mean cheese and crackers. That being said, I may enroll in a cooking class just to rationalize wearing one of the fabulous creations by Annabel's Aprons. >More
Johnny Depp doesn't rescue Public Enemies Not quite money in the bank Kenneth Burns on Wednesday 07/01/2009 12:57 pm, (6) Recommendations A better -- and shorter, and more vividly dramatic -- film would focus more on searing Dillinger moments. But Public Enemies is rambling and, dare I say, a little dull. >More
Public Enemies extras celebrate Madison premiere Jessica Slicer on Wednesday 07/01/2009 10:52 am, (3) Recommendations Old-fashioned cars lined East Wilson Street Tuesday night, ladies smeared on bright red lipstick and pinned back their hair and a few gentlemen even sported top hats and canes. Celebrating the release of the ultra-hyped movie, Public Enemies, locals who worked as extras in the movie along with their families and friends joined Arts Wisconsin and Film Wisconsin at a release party at the Hilton Monona Terrace. >More
Nitty Gritty, Flavor of India, and other downtown restaurants are for sale Your favorite spot might be on the market and you wouldn’t even know it Linda Falkenstein on Tuesday 06/30/2009 4:39 pm, (1) Recommendation While the news that Cafe Montmartre is closing its doors made waves after it was confirmed Tuesday, it wasn’t a complete surprise. Other well known Madison restaurants are for sale right now as well, like the venerable Nitty Gritty on Frances Street. >More
Forward Music Festival 2009 has Andrew Bird in hand, and Low as a high point Josh Wimmer on Tuesday 06/30/2009 4:06 pm, (6) Recommendations Madison music fans, get ready to raise the roof and dance your asses off -- or, OK, maybe just sway in place and clap occasionally -- following today's announcement of headliner Andrew Bird for the second annual Forward Music Fest. >More
Bryan Burrough brings the Dirty Thirties to life in Public Enemies A review of the cops versus robbers book that inspired the movie Kenneth Burns on Tuesday 06/30/2009 1:00 pm, (8) Recommendations Don't let anyone tell you criminality means sloppy dressing. According to Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34 by Bryan Burrough, legendary gangster John Dillinger was the nattiest of bank robbers. >More
Cafe Montmartre is closing Kenneth Burns on Tuesday 06/30/2009 11:46 am, (1) Comment, (2) Recommendations Cafe Montmartre owners Craig and Kevin Spaulding have confirmed that the restaurant, bar and music space, a downtown fixture for almost 17 years, is closing. >More
Win tickets to Pterodactyl, Fountains of Wayne, a recession party, The Crest, and more! on Tuesday 06/30/2009 11:00 am The Isthmus Guest List is back with another round of free tickets to amazing concerts, shows and more fun events around Madison. This week's contests include tickets to: Pterodactyl, The Midwest Beat, Juice Falcon, the Andrea Kapsalis & Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo, and The Backsliders at the Frequency; the "Times Are Not Right" recession party at the Club Tavern; Fountains of Wayne and The Crest at the High Noon; The Riverdales at the Majestic; Riot Acts by StageQ; and more! >More
Madison Snaps -- June 30, 2009 on Tuesday 06/30/2009 8:00 am Today's image titled “6.25.09 (81/365) - campus construction” was photographed by Katie Hebble. >More
Public Enemies exhibit opens at the Oshkosh Public Museum Collection highlights actual history and film reproduction of Dillinger's era Kyle Nabilcy on Monday 06/29/2009 3:00 pm, (2) Comments, (9) Recommendations It hardly seems like it's been over a year since Public Enemies, opening in theaters nationwide on July 1, was filming in the streets and buildings of cities across Wisconsin. But while that time flew by for me, at least, the folks at the Oshkosh Public Museum were busy using it to compile and coordinate an impressive collection of Public Enemies-related artifacts and reproductions for a new exhibit. >More
Dave Crehore evokes enviable Wisconsin childhood in Sweet and Sour Pie Bill Lueders on Monday 06/29/2009 1:00 pm, (1) Recommendation It made me laugh. It made me long for a childhood I never had, and which I sort of suspect Crehore is remembering a bit too fondly, with added saccharine. But I don't mind. The stories ring true, for the most part, and they immortalize a time and place that reflects well not just on the state but humanity. >More
Blaska's Blog agrees: Victimhood is the enemy David Blaska on Monday 06/29/2009 12:46 pm, (22) Comments, (2) Recommendations Comedian and role model Bill Cosby has taken dead aim at the scourge of victimhood. Cosby has written, with Harvard psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint, a blueprint for black and white, alike, to cure the metastasizing pathologies that are destroying many of our Madison neighborhoods. >More
Lounging Around by Broom Street Theater is pleasant but transient Josh Wimmer on Monday 06/29/2009 10:18 am, (1) Comment, (365) Recommendations With Lounging Around, the folks at Broom Street Theater have achieved something remarkable: They've made the interminable wait for a delayed flight enjoyable, if not exhilarating. >More
The Week: June 29 - July 2, 2009 on Monday 06/29/2009 6:00 am June slides swiftly into July during this pre-holiday week, one filled with music to keep things moving. The calendar includes: The Dan Potacke Show; a talk by Lynda Barry; Concerts on the Square, and more live tunes by Andru Bemis, Sarah Donner, White Rabbits, Blueheels, Rachel Goodrich, Antioquia, Pat Green, Helliphant, Jackie Greene, and Hollus. >More
Public Enemies set builder recalls production challenges and triumphs A conversation with a member of Madison Stagehands and Projectionists union Clare Milliken on Sunday 06/28/2009 12:00 pm, (9) Recommendations When friends and family learn that Chris Kilgour worked on the Public Enemies set, they are most excited to hear about his interactions with Johnny Depp and other big name celebrities. But what the Madison set builder wants people to know is not how stars talk, walk and act when the cameras aren’t rolling, but that there is a whole lot of hard work put in behind the scenes, and it all deserves recognition. >More
Vinyl Cave: Moonwalking into sunlight with Michael Jackson and Sky Saxon Bob Koch on Saturday 06/27/2009 8:00 am, (11) Recommendations I've owned several copies of Thriller which have ended up being given away to friends who were more interested in listening to it at the time than I was, so I wasn't sure I would find a copy in the stacks when I made my trip to the past. But MJ was there, still looking as cool as ever with his baby tiger in the gatefold's picture. >More
Blaska's Blog comes a-knockin' at the Meadowood Farmers' Market! David Blaska on Friday 06/26/2009 4:27 pm, (5) Comments The Meadowood Farmers' Market is not actually in Meadowood at all. It is located at Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, which is several blocks from "the troubles" but maybe that is good. Some of my neighbors might feel like going there -- on safe ground, so to speak -- while some of the (ahem) less established people can still walk there. Who knows, might be good. >More
The Effigy Tree returns to its home on Lake Monona David Medaris on Friday 06/26/2009 2:00 pm, (1) Comment, (5) Recommendations The Effigy Tree has come home to Hudson Park. The installation of a bronze casting of the Harry Whitehorse sculpture concludes the latest chapter in the saga of the storied tree. >More
Beer Here: Mr. Natural's Organic Nut Brown Ale from the Great Dane Robin Shepard on Friday 06/26/2009 1:00 pm, (1) Comment, (13) Recommendations When was the last time you picked up a comic book with your favorite beer? Ever heard of Robert Crumb? If you're into underground comics and know who Crumb is, then the next time you're at the downtown Great Dane Pub and Brewery, look at the beer menu board for Mr. Natural's Organic Nut Brown. >More
The Week on Forum: Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett vs. Mark Sanford, Jessica McBride Clare Milliken on Friday 06/26/2009 12:00 pm Until sidetracked by a pair of celebrity passings, Forons dove into politics this week, discussing affairs and hypocrisy at all levels of government. From intra-politico-breeding and South Carolina's escapee governor to Iranian unrest and a global economy in the tank, the chatter only proves that Obama, love him or hate him, has a doozy on his hands. >More
The Week[end]: June 26-28, 2009 on Friday 06/26/2009 6:00 am Summer in Madison achieves an early apex this weekend with the annual preemptive Independence Day celebration that is Rhythm & Booms. There's much more on tap, though, including Oregon Summer Fest; The Winter's Tale at APT; a F5 photo opening and the Tenney-Lapham Art Walk, Drums on Parade; and live music by our local Bach fanatics, Katie Todd, Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam, Diplomats of Solid Sound, Imperial Battlesnake, The Scurvies, and Moira Scar. >More
Beilke: It's Blaska vs. Kozol in Meadowood Dustin Beilke on Thursday 06/25/2009 2:00 pm, (1) Comment, (4) Recommendations Teenagers in Maple Bluff and Shorewood Hills have the same droopy drawers, use the same gangster slang and have the same penchant for creative and uncreative cursing as the kids in Meadowood. But we don't assume this is helping them become National Merit Scholars or get admitted to Ivy League colleges -- both of which they do with amazing frequency. >More
Dane County Farmers' Market: Jones Valley Farm Spring Green veggie growers share recipe for chocolate chip beet cake Clare Milliken on Thursday 06/25/2009 1:00 pm, (4) Recommendations Over the course of the season, the Jones Valley Farm stand on South Carroll Street at the Dane County Farmers' Market overflows with more than 125 varieties of organic fresh veggies. This produce is cultivated by Mike and Jean Martin on their farm near Spring Green, with a focus on exotic vegetables grown from imported European seeds. >More
"A Wisconsin trial court dismissed the lawsuit that the ACLU of Wisconsin brought on behalf of state workers suing for health insurance and leave protections for their families and same-sex partners" ACLU of WI
"There has got to be a way to exempt musicians from any kind of violation of the vendor ordinances" Rick Tvedt @ Local Sounds
Part one of a recap of the Madison Common Council meeting on June 2, focusing on ALRC licensing issues Brenda Konkel
"I only know people who eat cheese curds because they taste really freakin' good" Jeanne Carpenter
"Clearly some Milton Middle School kids need better parenting" Gregory Humphrey
"While I'm sure this fee, which is really more of a roadbump, would get plenty of crappy artists off the street, it still runs counter to the welcoming atmosphere that should define Madison" "The Sconz"
"I've been a busker and I've been a pedestrian, and I can say that 90% of the people out there performing are courteous and polite" Emily Mills
"Lunch at the University Club with Molly Eddy, winner of the 2009 Iwanter Prize for interdisciplinary excellence" Nadine Goff
"A delicate and pale beer such as this is quite a challenge to brew, so props to Capital" for its Maibock "couchand"
"While publicly condemning the murder of Dr. Tiller, anti-choice extremist groups continue a smear campaign against reproductive medical providers in Madison" "Buchsie"
"John Dejung officially assumed the mantle of 911 Center Director this week, and I'm hoping my initial impressions are accurate" Dustin Weis
"What has not been discussed is the structure of the tuition hike" at UW-Madison "The Sconz"
UW researchers find that "culture, not biology, underpins math gender gap" UW Comm.
"Treating Wisconsin's cancer patients: in Madison or just down the street" The Wisconsin Idea
"One of our city's most vibrant and visible pieces of street art... has officially been slated for demolition" Emily Mills @ Mad. Street Art
"You know how the city parks department and the police department think it's ok to just throw away items that belong to the homeless?" Brenda Konkel
"Despite the WMC allegations, the modifications to Wisconsin taxation of capital gains taxes is not an attack on small business" Paul Soglin
"I also wanted to congratulate Fresh Face Model Competition winner Paige Butler for her outstanding job on the runway" Shayna Miller @ Mad. Mag.
View photos of Alan Sparhawk, Dark Meat, and Meat Puppets playing at the Annex on May 29 Darren Lee @ True Endeavors
"UW-Madison researchers study salt's potential to store energy" UW Comm.
"The Sheriff's Office wants to remind motorist that operating a vehicle at a high rate of speed can have deadly consequences" Dane Co. Sheriff
"You know... the park where scary people hang out on State Street and scare away middle class shoppers and their children" Brenda Konkel
Wisconsin Fashion Week "was fun and represented the look that executive producer Kristi Moe was no doubt going for -- fun, youthful and cutting-edge" Shayna Miller @ Mad. Mag.
"Wisconsin Fashion Week has come and gone and most of you might be wondering: How did it go?" Shayna Miller @ Mad. Mag.
View photos of Michael Sienkowski, Cedarwell, and Lightning Dust playing at the High Noon on May 7 Kiki Schueler
View photos of Richard Lloyd playing at the Frequency on May 7 Kiki Schueler
View photos of Sara Watkins, Josh Harty and Blake Thomas playing at the Majestic on May 7 Kiki Schueler
"Reading Konkel's blog has alerted me to a type of dedication to service that is rarely seen at any level of government" "The Sconz"
"Looks like faith-healing is going to take a hit in this legislative session" "The Sconz"
"Madison-area entrepreneur Ben Hobbins is among the nation's top 10 inventors featured in the June issue of Popular Science magazine" UW Comm.
"In response to the tough budget we face, I instituted a hiring freeze last week" Dave Cieslewicz
"The abrupt closing of the Catholic Center is a severe blow to our community during a time when more people need financial, social, and moral support" Michael Schumacher
"All joking aside, I do have two compelling reasons for initiating this blog" Michael Schumacher
Roth Käse Gruyère reigns at the Fromagination fondue lunch Stick a fork in it and do it with strangers! Linda Falkenstein on Wednesday 02/04/2009 3:30 pm, (1) Comment, (19) Recommendations One thing to remember about cheese fondue is that it's at its best right before the cheese runs out. The concentrated gooey stuff at the bottom of the pot is known in Switzerland as the culotte de berger, basically 'the drawers of the shepherd," and is seen as the prize of the pot, says Gregg Upwood, one of the chefs at Fromagination. >MoreBeer Here -- Stein Beer from The Grumpy Troll Robin Shepard on Friday 01/30/2009 3:00 pm, (18) Recommendations The Grumpy Troll brewpub in Mount Horeb offered a different kind of winter diversion last week by hosting a Medieval Feast Beer Dinner. Five courses and dessert were paired with beers that had been carefully selected by brewmaster Mark Duchow. As the theme would suggest, the overarching premise featured dishes such as Camelot Salad, King Arthur Stone Soup, lamb chops, and leg of fowl. Duchow's major contribution was a special creation called Stein Beer, made with an Old World brewing technique that leaves some very distinctive flavors. >More
MadTracks -- 'Water Walk' by Love Rhombus Jessica Steinhoff on Thursday 02/05/2009 4:00 pm, (21) Recommendations For every local band playing out at the bars, there are probably two more squirreled away in their bedrooms and basements. One such band, Love Rhombus, makes quirky electro out of an attic hideaway on the isthmus. >MoreUser's Guide to Madison Hip-Hop: Phonetic ONE Clare Milliken on Wednesday 02/04/2009 12:00 pm, (1) Recommendation Phonetic ONE is an emcee and spoken word artist, and is a member of the First Wave Spoken Word and Urban Arts Learning Community at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He released an EP titled Phonetic Phenom on January 22. >More
Madison Ballet cancels Valentine's concert No more performances until Nutcracker next winter Kenneth Burns on Wednesday 02/04/2009 5:16 pm, (9) Recommendations Another day, another piece of rotten news about the toll the economy is taking on the arts. Madison Ballet has cancelled An Evening of Romance, the concert that was to have taken place February 14 in Overture Center's Capitol Theater. >MoreLove Is in the Air at Strollers Theatre for Valentine's Dean Robbins on Wednesday 02/04/2009 11:45 am, (5) Recommendations Love Is in the Air by Strollers Theatre is a perfect production for anyone who's in love. It's also a perfect production for anyone who's looking for love. >More
Madison Etsy explorations: Artsy Fartsy Shopping locally online for Valentine's Day Megan Larson on Wednesday 01/28/2009 11:30 am, (10) Recommendations Expressing your feelings on a Valentine can cause some anxiety. The decision to go cheeky or sappy can prove difficult especially in the early stages of a relationship. Now I won't presume to tell you which type of Valentine is best, this isn't a relationship column after all. But I can let you in on an Etsy shop that carries both. >MoreRemembering the dearly departed in A Wake by Broom Street Theater Jennifer A. Smith on Monday 01/26/2009 3:00 pm, (11) Recommendations If weddings are notorious for bringing out weird family dynamics, then surely funerals are worse, given the gloomy circumstances. Broom Street Theater's production of Callen Harty's 2006 play, A Wake, explores the tensions in an Irish Catholic family living somewhere in Wisconsin. >More
Hilldale children's and toy store Playthings moves to a new spot Katrin Madayag on Thursday 02/05/2009 12:00 pm, (3) Recommendations Last October, Playthings Toy Store at Hilldale moved from the middle hallway to the Sundance Cinemas end of the mall. It's a long way from Playthings' first incarnation in Westgate, where it opened for business in 1986. >MoreLayers galore: How Madisonians who work and play outside in winter stay warm David Medaris on Tuesday 02/03/2009 11:00 am, (1) Comment, (6) Recommendations Two pairs of socks. This is how Garfield Cunningham's list begins. Cunningham is a parking enforcement officer for the Madison Police Department. He spends his work days patrolling on foot, from one parking meter to the next. He checks to make sure parking meters with cars parked at them are not expired. If they have run out of time, he issues tickets. In winter, this makes for a lot of time out in the cold. >More
Do you know about a new local website, an interesting blog post about life in town or just a general tip about life and/or happenings in and around Madison and Dane County? If so, we'd love to hear about it. Just send us a message!
MOVIES
Wisconsin Film Festival 2009 already a hit with volunteers Kristian Knutsen on Thursday 02/05/2009 10:47 pm, (5) Recommendations Barely two months remain before the opening of the eleventh Wisconsin Film Festival, and preparations for it are in high gear. Though the final selection of films has yet to be determined and ticket sales are a month away, there has already been a tremendous response from persons interested in volunteering for this celebration of cinema. >MoreWilmington on DVD: Being There, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Turner classics, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist Mike Wilmington on Wednesday 02/04/2009 2:00 pm, (2) Comments, (3) Recommendations The favorite movie role of that master of funny accents and multiple personalities, Peter Sellers, was not, as you might think, Inspector Clouseau, Lolita's Clare Quilty, Fred Kite of I'm All Right, Jack, or Dr. Strangelove & Company, but instead the sad, strange little man that the great British comic actor plays in Hal Ashby's 1979 classic Being There: Chance the gardener, a.k.a. Chauncey Gardiner. >More
An irreverent interview with animal rights activist Karen Dawn Bill Lueders on Thursday 02/05/2009 10:00 am, (12) Recommendations Isthmus recently quizzed author and animal rights activist Karen Dawn on her book Thanking the Monkey and her cause. >MorePositive pairing + green social networking = PosiPair David Medaris on Monday 02/02/2009 1:00 pm, (15) Recommendations "Everybody's jumping on the green bandwagon," explains PosiPair founder Sarah Manski. "But I don't think we'll be able to build a sustainable economy without more information. Green is different for every industry, and it's also a moving target. It's always evolving." >More
Economic recovery must be just, equitable and green Michael Barrett on Thursday 02/05/2009 2:00 pm, (19) Recommendations So far, all we have seen from our elected representatives are proposals for building more and bigger highways, wasteful electrical transmission lines and other energy-gluttonous, wasteful proposals. We want you to lead us beyond those wasteful, gray, dead-end strategies. >MoreUW Hoofers bringing Statue of Liberty back to Madison: An inside story Historic prank sculpture to return for Valentine's Day and Hoofers Winter Carnival Bridget Maniaci on Monday 02/02/2009 5:00 pm, (9) Recommendations I'm working with a group of people in Hoofers to bring back the original Statue of Liberty -- a stunt pulled off by the pranksters in the UW's Pail and Shovel party. Our plan is to return it to the ice of Lake Mendota in front of the Memorial Union for Valentine's Day weekend. >More
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