1. See Flowers Bloom at the Milwaukee Art Museum
EVAN MUSIL, ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
Last week, I took a gander at the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Meadows – a bunch of pretty fabric blooms hanging from the elegant ceiling of Windhover Hall. I wrote an article about it here, so I won’t go too far into it here. But it’s rather mesmerizing, and its asymmetrical formation contrasts with the symmetrical building in an impressive way that evokes nature’s delicate balance. It’s free to view and runs through April 13. And with this week being the discounted Museum Days, you might as well check out the rest of the museum, too.
2. Bundle Up at Mitten Fest
Mitten Fest is back at Burnhearts! After a one-time move to Boone & Crocket last year, the heavily layered street party returns to its stomping grounds to cure the city’s cabin fever. Expect live music, ginger hot toddies and the fest’s signature old fashioneds, starting at noon on Saturday, Feb. 1.
– Evan Musil in the February issue
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
3. Make a Tartine Chocolate-Almond Cake
ANN CHRISTENSON, DINING EDITOR
I really questioned my reasoning for making a cake. Barring a party or other gathering, when do you really need a whole cake on your hands? But my three bags of almond flour – I was surprised to realize I had that many – required doing something. (BTW, if you buy almond flour, it can go rancid quickly so store it in the freezer.) The recipe from Food52 is weird – for a chocolate almond cake made with eggs (no oil or butter) and almond flour instead of a grain-based one – enough so that I wanted to see if it was worth the try. It is! At least, I think so. It’s different, though – soft, coarse in texture, and a little like a souffle or pudding. Not very sweet or chocolate-y – the recipe doesn’t ask for it, but I added 1 teaspoon of ground espresso to define that flavor a little more, which could have helped. It makes two layers but I easily halved the recipe because one cake is plenty. Before it goes in the oven, you dot the top of the cake with jam (any flavor), which adds moisture and sweetness. I will definitely make it again, because two-and-a-half bags of almond flour are still taking up space in the back of my freezer!
4. Watch the New Season of ‘Severance’
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
Consider this. What if a surgical procedure could separate your “work self” from your “out-of-work self?” When you go to work, it’s kind of like falling asleep. You disappear and then wake up eight hours later, no memory of the time spent at the office. A different version of you exists only inside the office, one who falls asleep when you leave and wakes back up when you arrive. The two of you are effectively two different people living in the same body. Sound wild? That’s the premise of “Severance,” one of the best TV shows out right now. It balances many tones – pulse-pounding thriller, workplace comedy, speculative science fiction – and it does so masterfully. It’s been nearly three years since the first season aired on Apple TV+, and we’re finally getting a second installment. The first two episodes aired the past two weeks, and without spoiling anything, I will say that the show still has me glued to the screen. New episodes will be streaming on Apple TV+ every Friday. If you haven’t seen the first season, now is the time to start the wild ride.
5. Close Wolski’s (Or Stay Until a Reasonable Hour)
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
Despite quite a few years as a drinking-age adult here in Milwaukee, I’ve long neglected one of our city’s beloved boozy traditions – throwing a few back at Wolski’s. Well, that changed last week when I finally paid a visit to the East Side neighborhood bar, well known for handing out “I Closed Wolski’s” stickers to those who stay until the wee small hours. I went on a weeknight to commiserate with some business associates, and I must admit that I did not close Wolski’s, what with having to wake up at 6 a.m. the next morning and being a responsible young man and all that. But I did have a great time while I was there – cozy atmosphere, affordable drinks, good tunes on the stereo, etc. I very much see the appeal, and I hope to someday soon actually close the place.
