1. Commiserate with Fellow Schlitz Fans at Wisconsin Brewing
CHRIS DROSNER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
After last week’s news that Schlitz is officially “on hiatus” from Pabst Brewing Co.’s portfolio, millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror from the nation’s dive bars. The good news is that there’s still some Schlitz out there. Milwaukee Brat House is having events around its keg-kicking, and I’m guessing there are six-packs and tallboys still scattered around the market, for now at least. But nowhere will be as Schlitz-pilled as the Madison-area Wisconsin Brewing Co. this Saturday. It’s when brewmaster Kirby Nelson will brew up his retro-recipe, Pabst-sanctioned “last Schlitz.” The 80-barrel brew itself isn’t open to the public, but he’ll be giving a talk, sure to be enlightening and entertaining, about Schlitz at 1 p.m. in the taproom. Wisconsin Brewing is a great place to kick off the holiday weekend, too, with a sprawling lakeside patio that will mitigate your Schlitz sorrows a skosh. The beer itself releases June 27. Wisconsin Brewing Co., 1079 American Way, Verona
2. Try the Mole Verde at La Dama
ANN CHRISTENSON, DINING EDITOR
Mole verde is literally a green sauce. From the Mexican city of Oaxaca, it’s typically made with tomatillos, cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds, among other ingredients. The mole verde on the menu right now at La Dama (839 S. Second St.) is a cloak of green velvet – smoother than expected and mildly herbal. It’s really delicious paired with a boneless chicken breast stuffed with mushrooms and goat cheese. 839 S. Second St.
Tell us who you’d pick to be a Betty this year!
3. Visit The Jazz Estate Before It Closes
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
Last week, John Dye announced the news that his Jazz Estate (rebranded as The Estate in 2023) would close on June 27. “Many of our costs have more than doubled [since COVID],” he said. “We’ve worked hard to adapt, to pivot, to find a new rhythm. … But the math has caught up with us, and I’ve known in my heart that the time was coming.” He added that The Estate’s staff has been offered positions at Dye’s other bars: At Random, Bryant’s and Von Trier. This is sad news for a Milwaukee institution that’s been around since 1977. They’ll still be putting on shows every weekend through June 27. Dye also said that he’s looking for “the right next person to carry [The Jazz Estate] forward.” Here’s hoping he does!
4. Listen to Graham Hunt’s Timeless World Forever
EVAN MUSIL, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
I’ve been catching up on a backlog of Milwaukee music this past week, and, of course, there’s a lot of good stuff rising to the top. But a thrilling one that’s burrowed into my brain is Timeless World Forever, the fourth solo album by Milwaukee-raised, Madison-based songwriter Graham Hunt that released in June 2025. Formerly the frontman of Midnight Reruns, Hunt channels the spirit of 2000s alternative with punchy guitars and chopped-up, hip-hop-inflected drums. But it’s fresh – each song has a playful inventiveness. On “I Just Need Enough,” Hunt oozes laid-back cool like a revamped Guero-era Beck. “East Side Screamer” recounts an encounter with a phantom taunter with yells and a satisfying riff. And I’m a sucker for delightful, unpredictable flourishes, and this collection of song has plenty without any of them feeling superfluous. It warrants repeat listens as our streets warm up.
5. Conquer Tom’s Crossing
ARCHER PARQUETTE, MANAGING EDITOR
In my carefree college years, I was something of a wild man. I was well-known for … OK, yeah, I’m kidding. I spent 80% of my free time in the library. (10% ordering extra mozzarella sticks at the dining hall; 5% staring wistfully into the distance; 5% doing dishes despite vicious rumors to the contrary perpetuated by my roommates). One of the books I absolutely devoured in that library was House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, an extremely ambitious literary horror novel that unleashes serious weirdness upon the form. I loved it, and so when I heard that Danielewski was releasing a new novel in October of last year, I was extremely excited.
I’ve been reading Tom’s Crossing over the seven months since, finally finishing it last weekend. That glacial pace is due to the epic western’s extreme length: 1,232 dense, dense pages. The story follows a 16-year-old living in Utah who undertakes a grand quest to liberate two horses doomed to be slaughtered by a local company. That, of course, vastly undersells the story, which takes queues from epic Greek sagas like The Iliad, turning this tale of teenagers and horses into something on a much vaster, cosmic scale. I would be lying if I said that immensity isn’t daunting. I’ll admit that there were several moments when I honestly didn’t know if I was capable of reading another description of horses crossing a scree – and yet I did. And having made it to the other end of the wild saga, I have to say Tom’s Crossing is a unique and wild tale unlike just about anything else being published right now – and to complete it feels like completing a grand quest.
