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

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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

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Copa Di Vino

February 21st, 2015

I watch “Shark Tank” from time to time, and I saw the episode in which the founder of Copa Di Vino–single-serving wine in a glass–was on for a second time. What a great concept–no more do you have to open an entire bottle of wine if you only want just one glass (I know, that’s unheard of for some people).

(As an aside, the founder, James Martin, turned down money twice from the sharks. They would have helped him license his technology and make boat loads of money, but he stupidly said no each time.)

I purchased mine for $3.49 each at Metcalfe’s; Copps and Woodman’s also carry Copa Di Vino, and you can order it online. The flavors are Moscato, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Riesling and White Zinfandel.

The glasses are made of recyclable plastic, which make transportation easier, and tally 187 ml in size (1/4 the size of a bottle). After you remove the cap, peal back the seal and started drinking.

I am highly impressed after trying four of the varietals. Each one is exactly the middle-ground on the flavor scale. For example, the Riesling has a perfect level of semi-sweetness with a nice fruity aroma.

Meanwhile, the Moscato is light, sweet and crisp–just like a Moscato should be. I would describe the White Zin as a crowd-pleaser–easy to drink without the cheap flavor found in many of the budget wines.

I’m not a fan of Merlot, so I bought the Cab. Even without a lot of accents, it is still full-bodied and has a nice dryness to it.

Copa Di Vino is a great concept. It’s now a matter of time until competitors spring up, and then the founder will regret the opportunities he turned down.

New bar menu at Bonefish

February 14th, 2015

Folks from Bonefish Grill invited me to sample the new bar menu called the In + Out Bar Bites menu. Anyone who knows me knows that I live on happy hour, but I’m constantly disappointed by the lack of food choices, so I was excited to try these shareable small plates.

Since I had just about every item, let’s go in order of how they are listed. First up, street tacos, which come two per order; I chose the lobster over the ahi tuna tartare for the filling. What I liked was its use of a wonton for the shell, making the taco lighter in texture (vs. stiff tortilla shells) yet still strong enough to support the generous portion of lobster meat.

Oysters (on the half shell or baked Rockefeller style) are on the menu, but I had my eye on the oyster shooters, which are layered with cocktail sauce and salsa verde. I loved the kick from the habanero vodka, an unexpected touch. Another pleasant surprise arrived with the mac & cheese bites (five per order), which amazingly held form (so many often fall apart), were not at all greasy and worked very well with the sweet chili sauce drizzled over the top.

I was most excited to try the dim sum-style sliders, which comes with your choice of chipotle shrimp or BBQ pork and “mantou” buns. The shrimp was full of flavor, and I did enjoy the spiced BBQ sauce, but I’m so used to pork (or pork belly) with mantou buns that the dish just didn’t seem right. Next time I’ll be sure to try the BBQ pork.

Get a second napkin ready if you order the tostadas, which consist of three layers of crispy wontons with fresh avocado, mango, cucumber, red peppers and your choice of ahi tuna tartare or chipotle shrimp. The tuna was super fresh, and the creamy, spicy sauce had just the right amount of heat. Just be prepared to use your hands to eat this dish, as a fork and knife are useless.

This meal ended on a high note with the doughnuts. The three you receive are tossed in cinnamon, and then you get to inject it with caramel and/or chocolate sauce, plus smear it with whipped cream. WOW. The doughnuts will satisfy any sweet tooth, plus it’s always fun to play with your food.

Oh wait–did I forget to talk about the new cocktail on the bar menu? That would be the Mule, a Moscow Mule served in a copper mug. It’s extra ginger-y, as it’s made with ginger syrup and served with candied ginger (in addition to the included ginger beer).

***

See more photos in our Bonefish Grill Flickr album.

Wizard World Comic Con

February 8th, 2015

What an action (hero)-packed weekend!

While in these past few days Madison played host to many events, including Frozen Assets and a Badgers basketball game, I’m glad I attended Wizard World Comic Con. The national event is spreading, this year now in an all-time high of 25 cities, including Madison.

Some highlights from Thursday-Sunday (note: all photos courtesy of Revelation, LLC. Also, although I got into these events for free, I was not paid to write this review):

Kick Off the Con Party

Entercom held three concurrent parties, one each at the Brass Ring (trivia), Brink Lounge (costume contest) and High Noon (interviews with the celebrities) Thursday night. Regarding the latter, Scott Miller from WOLX interview Lou Ferrigno, then Jason David Frank (Power Rangers) and William Kircher (a dwarf from the “Hobbit” movies) one-by-one on stage. Then each of the actors went upstairs to the loft to be interviewed by a horde of media.

The highlight for me was when Kircher sang a song from the “Hobbit” movie. He’s got a great voice, and it was no surprise when he told me he’s also in a 60s/70s retro band called “The California Dreamers.”

Madison Capitols/Drink and Draw

I was too tired to attend the Drink and Draw event, which paired fans with comic book artists, at Pitcher’s Pub Friday night. However, earlier in the evening I did catch Ferrigno drop the puck at the Madison Capitols game. It happened to be $1 beer night, so I think many fans were still in the beer garden instead of in their seats.

Official After Party

This event took place Saturday night at Badger Bowl. I was worried none of the actors would actually come, but sure enough, Bruce Campbell and Kircher stopped by and actually bowled. What a sight to see, Campbell bowling in a suit, and Kircher bowling for the first time.

(In case you’re curious, many of the celebs, including Ferrigno, Campbell and Kircher, ate dinner at Johnny Delmonico’s prior to the after-party.)

Wizard World Comic Con

First, I loved all of the cosplay. I saw video game characters (e.g. Link, Mega Man), movie characters (e.g. Groot) and many, many Harleys (the Joker’s sidekick).

There was plenty of shopping to do, with vendors hawking comics, posters, action figures (including lots of Legos), weapons, clothing, jewelry and other collector’s items. It was neat to see the old Batmobile, and I paid to take a photo inside the DeLorean from “Back to the Future.”

Prices varied to get photos and autographs with the various celebrities, which included Michael Rooker, Ernie Hudson, Jason Mewes, George Wendt and the Bella Twins. After Ferrigno, I’d have to say Hudson was the most muscular actor there. Rooker was really personable, and the Bella Twins are even more beautiful in person.

Most of the actors also held 30-minute programming sessions. I attended William Shatner’s session, which included a hilarious tale of how he had made up seeing a UFO following a motorcycle accident.

Wizard World Comic Con reps told me it’s all but certain the event will return to Madison next year, though April is a more likely possibility than chilly and snowy February. Either way, I look forward to attending again in 2016.

    Madison Symphony Orchestra Urban Air

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