Pink Heifer

Pink Heifer BBQ Saloon

After opening in Monticello a few years ago, Pink Heifer BBQ Saloon expanded to State Street this year. However, the new location doesn't have the full menu, full bar, ample dining space and charm of a historic building as the ...
Crazylegs race

The Weekend Ahead April 24-26, 2026

Here's a curated list of some of the major Madison, WI events happening this weekend ...
Beach Cocktails

Beach Cocktails: Pours, Drinks, Sips, and Bites

I recently vacationed in the U.S. Virgin Islands and enjoyed drinking fun, fruity cocktails throughout the week. Thus, I was happy to accept an offer to review Beach Cocktails: Pours, Drinks, Sips, and Bites ($21.99, Gibbs Smith), edited by Allyson ...
Midwest Horse Fair

The Weekend Ahead April 17-19, 2026

Here's a curated list of some of the major Madison, WI events happening this weekend ...

Summer bucket list 2016

June 23rd, 2016

(This is an update of a previous blog post.)

When you live a northern state like Wisconsin, you have to really take advantage of the seemingly few warm days we have. Madison, like Milwaukee, Chicago and other nearby cities, really crams a lot of events together from May to September.

Here is a list of things I look forward to doing each summer in and around Madison:

  • Community festivals such as Verona Hometown Days
  • Dane County Farmers’ Market, followed by Bloody Marys at Genna’s (which is open at 10 a.m. Saturdays during Farmers’ Market)
  • Concerts on the Square
  • Bike Night at Quaker Steak
  • Boating on Lake Mendota
  • Tubing on the Sugar River
  • Concert at Breese Stevens Field
  • Memorial Union Terrace
  • Governor Nelson State Park
  • Golf outings
  • Sand volleyball
  • Mallards Duck Blind
  • Brewers tailgate
  • Betty Lou Cruise
  • A double-feature at Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre
  • Live on King Street
  • Mad-City Ski Team show
  • Maxwell Street Days
  • Taste of Madison (and Taste of Madison judging)

What’s on your summer to-do list in Madison? Let us know in the comments section.

Rockhound Brewing Co.

June 19th, 2016

Park Street is one of the gateways into downtown Madison, and I’m happy to see all the new developments, including Rockhound Brewing Co. It’s located on the ground floor of an apartment complex on the site that was once home to Lane’s Bakery, which moved into new digs near the Beltline.

Rockhound has a neighborhood-feel to it. Inside, you’ll find a big, U-shaped bar and lots of what appeared to be reclaimed wood.

Beer me. On one visit, Rockhound had four of its beers and several guest beers on tap.

  • Although I’m not a pale ale fan, I was pleasantly surprised by the Greenbush Pale Ale. The flavor was not too hoppy, and the touch of citrus was welcomed.
  • The Hoity Toity Hefeweizen is a complement to summer and has a nice wheatiness.
  • The Sandstone Blonde Ale seems like it would go well with basically everything on the menu.
  • I look forward to trying the Ice Shanty Bock this winter.

Standard brewpub fare. In any other city but Madison, Rockhound has a pretty solid menu. That means there are some tasty items, but nothing you can’t also find at places like Waypoint, Wisconsin Brewing Tap Haus and Cafe Hollander.

  • The duck nachos ($11.50) are topped generously with duck confit (although many pieces were too chewy) and large tortilla chips (although half were stale, which means they couldn’t have been fresh fried as stated).
  • The Mac + Cheese Burger ($12) combined a thick, grass-fed patty with a five-cheese, fried macaroni cake that would make an outstanding appetizer. The sun-dried tomatoes added a touch of sweetness.
  • The menu also includes salads, pot pies, sandwiches and a few entrees.

Rockhound Brewing Co. is open every day for lunch and dinner. Street parking may be available on Park Street or Drake Street.

Rockhound Brewery Co. Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Sugar River Pizza Company

June 12th, 2016

When UW SWAP moved from near the Madison College Truax Campus to Verona, I remember driving out to the new location thinking I was in the middle of nowhere. Since then, Wisconsin Brewing Co. opened nearby, and now Sugar River Pizza Company recently launched its third location, on the other side of County M.

The menu is not unlike other pizza places, as you’ll find pasta dishes, appetizers such as bread sticks and cheese bread, salads and sandwiches. Sugar River also has a full bar in its large space.

Lots of specialty pizzas: It’ll take you a long time to eat your way through the list of 19 specialty pizzas served here. You may order them in 10″, 12″, 14″ or 16″ sizes, with your choice of thin, hand-tossed or whole-wheat crusts. Prices range from $13.20-$22.95. I loved the pizzas I tried, and I can’t wait to come back for more.

  • The Kicking Horse Four Alarm is topped generously with pepperoni, sausage, jalapenos and red onions. I couldn’t discern much spice from the habanero cheese, but there was still a nice spice level from the jalapenos.
  • The Concord Chicken Bacon is a like a chicken club sandwich on a pizza. You’ll like the bacon and ranch sauce that goes with the tender pieces of chicken.
  • In future visits, I’ve got my eye on the steak pizza (chunks of T-bone and porterhouse with steak sauce) and the MacDaddy (ground beef, pickles and Big Mac-like sauce).

Hope you like carbs:

  • The calzone ($9.95 with two toppings) is moist, packed with flavor (especially the buttery, soft crust) and exploding with cheese. However, after several bites of the calzone, I could have used some marinara sauce, which the staff forgot to give me in my carryout order.
  • The Po River Italian sandwich ($9.95) may remind you of an Italian hoagie combined with a Cuban sandwich, with its Usinger’s salami, ham and pepperoni topped with honey mustard.

Sugar River Pizza Company is open every day for lunch, dinner and carryout. Delivery is available, too.

Sugar River Pizza Company Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

    Madison Symphony Orchestra Urban Air

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