1. Get a Seared Fish Bowl from Fresh Fin
ANN CHRISTENSON, DINING EDITOR
Freshfin, known for its raw tuna and salmon bowls, just came out with a seared fish bowl. The timing on this was pretty ideal – I order Freshfin periodically and was starting to burn out on the options. They have two kinds of this seared fish option – teriyaki salmon and mango miso salmon. I went the teriyaki route and I’d give it a solid B+. The base is sushi rice – a lot, which I didn’t mind, but if you’re watching carbs, know that. The salmon filet was cooked perfectly – with a nice crusty skin and juicy, tender interior. My one quibble would be the toppings – cubed sweet potatoes and thin-sliced brussels sprouts – were a little sparse. But the flavor from the teriyaki sauce, charred shallots and scallions was good.
2. Listen to Jeremiah Chiu’s In Electric Time
EVAN MUSIL, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
LA-based electronic composer Jeremiah Chiu walked into a vintage syntheizer museum, and a few days later, he had an album. Far from an average synth jam, the songs on 2023’s In Electric Time sound like living, breathing compositions. “Seawater Swell” feels shimmering, like sunlight dancing on the water’s surface. On “Rococco Rondo,” trickling plucks echo and distort, eventually giving way to hypnotic bass and playful ripples. It’s peaceful music perfect for transporting you away from your routine.
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
3. Watch a Sunset at Holy Hill
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
I’m not a huge fan of weekends. There are only so many straight hours of Baldur’s Gate 3 a man in his late 20s can play alone in his underwear before he starts to feel a little bad about himself. Well on Saturday, in a fit of restlessness and video game burnout, I drove to Holy Hill in Hubertus. Despite being a fellow who is both Catholic and appreciates a good view, I had never been to the beautiful basilica overlooking rural Wisconsin. I hung around for the 4:30 Mass – being an odd-looking little pale dude lurking alone in the back pew, I’m sure I frightened a few people, and for that I apologize. Afterward, I walked out the cathedral doors to a phenomenal sunset: orange and red painted in wide streaks across the sky, the sun perfectly perched over the tops of the distant trees. It was invigorating and calming and life-affirming in that strange, almost alchemical way that a striking glimpse of natural beauty can be. Also, midway through Mass, I realized that I had forgotten to wear deodorant so it was a real relief to get out of that contained space. Anyway, Holy Hill was great – can’t believe I never went before.
4. Grab a Pizza from Caradaro Club
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
One of the great things about working at MilMag is having the city’s best dining expert sitting a desk away. Ahead of last weekend, I tapped Ann Christenson on the shoulder with a request: I want a great MKE-style pizza somewhere between Tosa and Bay View – and something other than my Tosa go-to, Balistreri’s on 68th. The response was quick and well met: Caradaro Club (5010 W. Vliet St.; 1417 S. 70th St., West Allis), which claims it’s the oldest pizzeria in the city having opened in 1945. This pie delivered: thin, crackery crust, tasty toppings (including great fresh mushrooms, an upgrade over Balistreri’s) and cheese in good proportion, and a nice spicy sauce. It’s joining the regular pizza rotation.
5. See “The Price Is Right” Live
“The Price Is Right” is coming on down to Milwaukee. On Feb. 29 at the Riverside Theater, game show buffs can participate in a live version of the touchstone that unified TV-viewers for decades. Todd Newton hosts. Can’t get enough “Price is Right?” Stream the 2017 documentary Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much.
– Mary Reardon, from the February 2024 issue
