The late night tour for the Madison Hospitality Zone Assessment began with a trek to the oldest of Madison’s traditional bars – the Essen Haus. The small but hearty tour group held up to the pressures of a bootful of beer, a two-piece polka band and lederhosen-laden servers. The group observed that the German-themed bar was a destination for many demographics; frat boys and bachelorette parties, young professionals and seasoned vets, families and singletons; and polka enthusiasts of all ilks.

The tour group progressed on to King Street to observe other watering holes. The next stop was the Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company, another popular site for a diverse crowd of older students, families and professionals. The group was treated to a sampling of the brewing company’s signature and specialty beers; a variety to please all palates. Dane co-owner Ted Peterson led the group on a tour of the pub and laid out the background of his successful bar/restaurant strategy. Ted emphasized the Dane’s commitment to quality, tasty foods in an evolving menu and training hospitable and dedicated servers to keep the ambiance safe and inviting as a bar and as a restaurant.   

From the Dane the group took a walk to the other end of the geographical bar scene spectrum – the Memorial Union, student hangout extraordinaire. On the way they stopped into Woof’s, a gay, metal-themed sports bar; the Bartell Theatre, home to many theatre troupes and neighbor to a boisterously loud Café Montmartre; and Frida Mexican Grill, a Thursday night Latin dance club with a few obvious under-agers and even more obvious security guards. With occasional forays into other venues including the KK and State Street Brats, the troupe noted the diversity of patrons and music choices available on a typical night downtown. The Memorial Union offered a relatively quiet reprieve even though it was only the second visited venue to offer live (not DJ) music.  

 From the Union the tireless tour group marched on to Brothers Bar & Grill to witness a unique mix of hip-hop and teeny-bop students dancing around an unruffled security staff. Then the tour got really exciting when the group caught up with two Central District Community police officers on their rounds to dragnet under-agers in Johnny O’s Restaurant & Bar. The officers described their usual methods for sweeping bars and spotting under-aged patrons and what usually happens to the individuals and bars after such issues occur. They noted that bars and police work more effectively when working in cooperation to enforce age laws and a safer and friendlier environment for patrons prevails.  

After tagging along for a sweep, the tour group took a break for some pizza at the popular Ian’s Pizza to regroup and recharge.  From there they crossed the street to Wando’s Bar & Grill and closed down the evening talking to owner Jay (Wando) Wanserski. Wando shared his philosophies and standards for creating a safe, clean and welcoming bar for students and patrons. Wando chooses to focus on training his staff to make safety a priority – security staff and bartenders are supposed to be aware at all times of environmental hazards, such as a broken glass, and social hazards, like intoxicated individuals, and are required to step in to intercept potential dangers. In Wando’s opinion, a bar that does well has no need to take safety risks such as letting in under-agers and serving already intoxicated individuals.

At closing time the bars emptied out and the streets filled up. As there are few late-night options for public transportation and limited opportunities for taxi services, most of the people who were until recently partying hard now had to either make their way home on their own or find food to sober up.  A popular spot for the latter, Ian’s Pizza, features fast service and well-lit dining areas to improve safety. Many restaurants that are open late have hired their own security to handle the late night swell of customers. A campus police officer met with the group and discussed what happens to many of the individuals that try to walk or drive home on their own and how the campus and city police work around and with each other to control the outpouring.

By that time it was well into the wee hours of Friday morning and the tour group felt they had seen all that could be seen in one night of downtown Madison revelry. The group parted ways and walked or taxied home. The hospitality tourists learned and observed much about the late-night culture and will be presenting their notes alongside the other assessment groups at the HZA roundtable discussions June 3^rd and 4^th.

For more information on how to get involved in the HZA process, contact Sarah Hoover or check out the official Madison HZA website.

If we follow the saying that Wisconsin has two seasons – winter and construction (a.k.a. summer) - we have good news for UW students, faculty alumni and friends: perpetual summer for at least the next 3 years! 

The next 6 months will (hopefully) round out the end of construction on State Street and the nearby University Square and Grainger Hall developments on University Avenue, but have no fear; there are many other planned projects that will pick up where those leave off. The old Ogg hall in the central campus area will continue its deconstruction phases to make way for a pedestrian mall and green space that will flow to the expanded Chazen Museum of Art, which is set to begin construction early next year. The Wisconsin Institute of Discovery has already begun clearing out the 1300 block of University Ave to set the foundations for its $150 million facility with the goal of completing construction in 2010.

No part of campus will be sacred in the upcoming season, not even the holy historical Memorial Union.

The Wisconsin Union, the epicenter of all things UW related, will be updating both the Memorial Union and Union South starting in spring of 2009. No worries about losing the personality of the Memorial Union – it will get basic accessibility, heating, cooling, and ventilation upgrades while preserving the historic and uniquely Wisconsin integrity that we all know and love.

It’s Union South, the building that screams “Soviet Concrete Bloc”, that will get the true overhaul. The building located on the engineering side of campus is, in large part due to its staggeringly sterile design, highly underutilized by students. The Wisconsin Union Initiative plans on designing a brand new student- and eco-friendly building to replace the one that currently stands.

The Initiative hopes to create a new south campus building that serves as a gateway for south campus buildings – including the forthcoming Wisconsin Institute for Discovery – and creates an “enduring campus center with its own identity” to serve students on the southwest side of campus. The green design will provide an urban entertainment center for student groups and individuals in the area that currently lack an accommodating and appealing place to go.

The Wisconsin Union Initiative is encouraging the UW community to partake in development of the new facility. Seven umbrella Design Advisory Groups (DAGs) associated with the project will meet every week from now until May 5th to discuss aspects of design and function for the new south building. The initiative wants input from UW students, faculty, alumni and freinds, so this is your chance to state your beef or forever hold your peace. It’s already been a long winter, so settle in for an extended constructions season. Contact Dan Cornelius or David Christopher of the Wisconsin Union Initiative to get more info at unionbuildingproject@gmail.com.

 DAG Schedule (all meetings in the Project Office of the Memorial Union)

Tuesdays
6-7:30 pm- Foodservice and Retail
8-9:30 pm- Indoor/Outdoor RecreationWednesdays
5-6:30 pm- Programming and Operations
7-8:30 pm- Leadership and Involvement

Winter may not be over but the first harbinger of spring is coming this weekend – St. Patrick’s Day!

What better way to celebrate real and imagined Irish heritage than to spend it downtown, enjoying the emerging green(ish) grass and the ubiquitous emerald t-shirts.

Here is a list of the best spots and events to say “slainte” and pay respects to those crazy Celts:

Friday March 14th

St. Pat’s Pub Crawl

Where: Starts at Brocach Irish Pub, ends at Brass Ring

When: 5:00-7:30pm

 The crawl “plans” to hit up Genna’s, the Great Dane and Argus as well and will be accompanied by the Curley Family Pipes & Drums.  When’s the last time you drank Guinnessi (that’s the plural form of Guinness) alongside a bagpipe?

“The Lieutenant of Inishmore”

Where: Bartell Community Theatre, 113 E Mifflin St.

When: 8:00pm

Cost: $15

A dark comedy about an Irish Liberation group that is hell-bent on avenging the death of their leader’s cat. Kind of like that time Wisconsin voted on making feral cat hunting legal, only different. Produced by the Strollers Theater.

 Saturday March 15

Dane County Shamrock Club St. Patrick’s Day Buffet

Where: Coliseum Bar

When: 12:30pm

Cost: Donation, canned food donation

Corned beef and cabbage. ‘Nuf said.

UW Women’s Tennis: WI vs. Miami (Ohio)

Where: Nielson Tennis Stadium

When: 1:00pm

Support  women’s sports and celebrate Title XI in national Women’s History Month. Saturday March 8th was International Women’s Day, but there’s no reason you can’t celebrate twice.

“My Name is Rachel Corrie”

Where: Overture Center

When: 7:30pm

A powerful one-woman play that recounts the life of a young American activist killed in a peaceful protest in the Gaza strip. Not Irish, but a significant story on conflict and the imprtance of cultural acceptance in the quest for peace.

Sunday March 16th

Too much to list here, so go to stpatsmadison.org to get a full view of what’s going on and then try to fit it all in. High on our list is the Shamrock shuffle at 10:00am and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade at 1:30pm. There will also be a raffle for a FREE trip to Ireland at 3pm outside of Brocach – awesome! 

St. Pat’s Eve Celebration

Where: High Noon Saloon

When: 3:00-9:00pm

Performances by Rising Gael, Tairis, Trinity Academy of Irish Dance, Greenfyre, Cashel Dennehy School of Irish Dance,  and West Wind. Trad music, step dance and wind quartets, oh my!

Monday, March 17th, St, Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day Party with The Kissers

Where: High Noon Saloon

When: 8:00pm

It’s the Kissers’ 10 year anniversary and CD release party all on the greenest party day of the year. We have found the place to be on Monday night – Tuesdays are never good days to work anyway.

Two businesses with Francais-inspired names are making a big hit on the Capital square. Sucre on West Mifflin and Fromagination on North Carroll street are taking the first steps in creating an international flavor for local, green businesses.

Sucre, a recently opened patisserie and wine bar, took as many steps possible to come up with ways to create an environmentally friendly establishment through local vendors. The boldly designed orange and white shop speaks well of its ability to combine style with locally available materials.  The blonde wood flooring comes from a sustainable producer in Spring Green, and their furniture was found through a distributor on Willy Street. They chose low VOC paint and to-go containers made of recycled cornstarch to keep a clean atmosphere. The digital artwork on the wall, provided by local artist Jeffers Egan, keeps pace with other trendy patisseries across the Atlantic.

Sucre also strives to keep their ingredients local. Stop in for a lunch special and you will find breads baked fresh in-house, salads and dressings from scratch, and meats and cheeses from local and organic farms – sometimes straight from the indoor farmers market.  Of course, some of the ingredients for the sweets are imported from Europe, but it’s best not to question Punky Egan, Sucre’s sole proprietor, about that. She has more than 20 years (and counting) of experience as a pastry chef instructor at MATC and knows what to use to make desserts delectable. Though she still keeps a full course load, she enjoys the chance to have a chance to experiment outside the classroom. “Everything I do here I want to be different. I have a ton of knowledge that I am able to use to bring new ideas and help evolve recipes”.

Ken Monteleone, owner and creator of Fromagination came from a somewhat different background. After 14 years of working in product development for Famous Footwear and traveling the world looking at shoe trends, he found that he was paying more attention to food specialty shops than footwear boutiques. As a longtime resident of Madison and influenced by the local farmer’s market, Ken knew that Madison would be a perfect place for a specialty food store, and what better food to focus on in the dairy state than cheese?

Ken spent a year working on his business plan, design and layout – consulting with local chefs, cheesemakers and food connoisseurs to make sure he got the concept right. The feedback he received was all positive – a good indicator that the city was ready for a high class cheesemonger. Madison, especially downtown Madison, was the perfect environment and locale for a small, artisanal cheese shop featuring local makers.

Of course, the dream cheese boutique would have to be environmentally friendly as well as chic to best showcase the artistic collection of fromage.  Mr. Monteleone worked with a local architect to find building materials that were either almost entirely recycled or renewable for the entire shop. The result? Cabinets made from eucalyptus wood, floor tiles that are actually reclaimed shingles from an abandoned Chicago warehouse, ceiling beams from an old barn, and walls, made of American Made Plaster and milk protein paint, that reflect the warm and inviting texture of the hand-crafted cheeses found in the store.  

These two foodmongers represent what we hope is a growing trend in new businesses on the capital square. Their international flare invested into local stock is a remarkable way to translate a simple localized businesseses into something fantastic. Sucre and Fromagination add a bit of elegance amongst the bourgeois backdrop without commiting the sin of exclusivity – something that the owners took great pains to avoid.  Both the stores’s atmospheres reflect the attention, passion and drive that the entrepreneurs put into them without being overworked. DMI is excited to see such great combinations of green, local, international and tasty flavors added to the square, and we can’t wait to see what new creations will move in next door!

The Cap Times noted yesterday that downtown restaurants are quickly filling up with reservations for the impending V-Day. If you are still looking for something to do for tomorrow’s holiday, downtown Madison has something to offer for the serendipitous singles and culturally-minded couples. No need to be “Anti” Valentines with all of these cool events.   Feb 13^th:Tunes at the Monona Terrace5:30-7pm, Monona TerraceWho should go: EveryoneWhy: It’s a free concert with concessions and snacks available for purchase. Tonight’s band is Joe Scalissi and the Dry Martinis and will feature Rat Pack favorites. There’s nothing more romantic and fun than some 1950s glam in the year of the rat. 

Feb 14^th

WI Women’s Basketball WI vs. IL

7pm @ Kohl Center

Who should go: Those au pair and in groups.

Why: It’s conference women’s basketball, why not? The fun and sporty atmosphere makes it a good event for groups of friends, and couples to support UW Women’s athletics and celebrate in a relaxed setting.  

2008 Business Women’s Expo

8am-6pm, Marriott Madison West (Middleton)

Who should go: The career-minded woman.

Why: Networking, seminars, exhibitors and the DMI Prez Susan Schmitz as the luncheon Keynote Speaker.  Guaranteed to be an empowering and inspiring event for all working women.   

Decadence Dance Theatre

7:30pm @ the Capital Theater, Overture Center

Who should go: Chicas in groups.

Why: The all-female dance troupe combines urban culture with classic choreography to create “hip hop ballet”. It’s funky fresh, yo, and economically friendly – tickets are $15, $22, and $25.  

School of Music Faculty Concert

7:30pm @ Mills Hall, Mosse Humanities Building

Who should go: Groups, couples, singles and families.

Why: It will be a family-friendly night beautiful music from some accomplished artists and educators. Has potential for a double-header as the School of Music will also be hosting their concert in Morphy Hall at 8:30pm.  

Why stop celebrating the people you love after one day? These events make it possible to find the love all through the weekend.  

Feb 15^th & 16th

The Vagina Monologues

Barrymore Theatre, $15. 7:30pm

Who should go: EVERYONE. Seriously.

Why: Profits go to domestic abuse and intervention services. Enjoy a night of monologues that are hilarious, thought-provoking, powerful and expressive—sometimes all at once–and help a good cause.   

Feb 15^th-17th

Madison Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Lyrical Beauty

Show times vary, Overture Center

Who should go: Families and couples

Why: The concert will feature Cho-Liang Lin, an award-winning artist and supreme violinist, and it’s the MSO. Again I say to ye, why not? 

Feb 16th

International Festival at the Overture Center

11am-5pm, featuring Ballet Folklorico Mexico at 4pm

Who should go: Families, couples, groups         

Why: It’s a festival! More celebrations through music, dance, storytelling, an international food court and a craft fair. Another opportunity to learn and grow and love thy multicultural neighbor.  

Feb 16^th

Polar Plunge

11am-3pm, Olin Turville Park

Who should go: The bravest of the brave.

Why: Also to support a good cause as plungers are asked to raise at least $75 to take the…you know… and support Special Olympics. Those who are less bi-polar can volunteer at the event or watch from the sidelines and gape in awe.  

And if you’re feeling more gifty than going-out, here’s a few ideas!

• If your loved one has a sweet tooth, be sure to check out Candina’s Chocolatier on Capitol Square for locally made delectable dainties for your darling. 
• Instead of roses that wilt in a few days, visit the art galleries downtown and support a local glassblower, painter, or sculptor while you get buku points for flowers that last!
• MMoCA has a huge selection of jewelry, cards, vases, and strange twirly things to impress your amore’ with your chic urban sensibilities.  Make it a one-of-a-kind valentine.
• Pamper your precious one with an appointment at Cameo Spa Salon, where soothing music and gently flavored tea relaxes stress away.
• Do something for your sweetheart: turn a cluttered corner into a creative space simply by cleaning and organizing a spot for him or her to connect with him or herself.  Decorate with their favorite images and colors for a personalized haven your partner will always appreciate.
• Volunteer together! Show love to each other and your community by volunteering with a local organization, or check out this website for more ideas about charitable holiday work.  Open your heart to the possibilities.
  

Madison bars are known for offering great selections of brews, rails, darts, pool, air hockey and televised sports events. However, if you are looking for a slightly more upscale venue and entertainment, the isthmus has some new offerings that DMI members and staffers are currently digging. 

If you haven’t heard the tinkling of ivories yet, you are missing out on Downtown Madison’s growing musical scene. The Ivory Room on West Mifflin and the Brink Lounge’s Piano Bar on East Washington offer classy accoutrements to the bar scene downtown. Patrons can request songs to be played by local, master pianists at the Ivory Room in an intimate setting. Thursday through Saturday individual and dueling pianists are featured at the Brink Lounge, offering guests keyboard rivalry to beat “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”.

The newly remodeled Majestic Theatre has concerts and events that range from emo to extravagant. Though the building purportedly lacks a single 90 degree angle, the theatre boasts a look that is sophisticated and inviting. Seating is comfortable and situated for excellent stage-viewing. It’s hard to not feel trendy while taking in a show or an après-work drink.

If you’re looking for a more relaxed scene, Brocach is a beacon to those with real or imagined Irish heritage. The large, two level badger den is intimate no matter where you sit. Local artists are featured throughout the week and range from bluegrass to country to Irish trad (as in, traditional).

It can be very difficult to track events at these locations and others, that’s why we have The Daily Page and Madison Verve to keep us in the loop.

These are staff favorites at the moment, but we’re always willing to try new places to discover, Any suggestions?

On Saturday December 15^th, thirty individuals came to the Madison Central Library to discuss homelessness. Some were established residents of Madison, others were shelterless community members. Representatives from Capitol Neighborhoods Inc, DMI, the Madison Police Department, and the UW campus were in attendance to present different points of view.

This was the third discussion in a series created by CNI in an effort to break down barriers of communication between homed and homeless residents of downtown Madison. Professional mediators encouraged open and honest discussion and group leaders from previous discussions directed conversations on topics such as housing, mental health, communication & resources, and respect. Each group was given the assignment to talk about their subject, brainstorm ideas to address the problem, and then present the best idea to the full group at the end.

The central problems were narrowed down to the following.

Housing: More personal assistance is needed in shelters and agencies. Users of the agencies want to be treated as people, not numbers.

Mental Health: There is a general need for more mental health assistance when necessary.

Transportation: More options are needed to allow travel to day labor sites, such as the one in Monona. Most shelters are downtown, day labor sites are not and many find it difficult to find reliable transportation back and forth.

Resources: A central database or resource center is needed to provide information on services which many agencies offer for the homeless. Central postings describing where to find simple amenities such as free phone service and public restrooms are located can be particularly useful.

Respect: Preconceived notions of homelessness act as a barrier to communication with those that are without stable housing. Establishing a relationship with a homeless individual can be an important step in understanding the difficulties that they are going through.

The issue of respect was the biggest topic of the session, and many people chimed in with personal stories and opinions about their experiences. One person argued that respect is a two-way street. Those without shelter must show consideration for the physical environment and residents must understand that the homeless also deserve to be treated fairly and without prejudice. Safety concerns were also raised, and it was advised that the best way to establish a line of communication is for each side to approach one another in a neutral setting, such as Savory Sundays, a weekly meal for the hungry held at the Capitol basement.

Although some used the forum to vent frustrations about homelessness in Madison, others took the opportunity to work together productively and create ideas for improvement. Some groups even moved to act on their ideas and will continue to meet between the ongoing CNI discussions forums. All participants were optimistic about what Madisonians can do to make the city better for both homed and homeless residents.

CNI will be hosting similar discussions once a month trough March. Check out CNI’s webpage to see the full schedule.

Snow removal in Madison, whether downtown, on the main arteries or the side streets, has proven to be quite a controversial issue. As soon as the flakes started falling, so did the barrage of criticisms onto the road maintenance crews. Even when the snow stopped and newspapers tried to move on, residents wouldn’t have it. The front page of Thursday’s Wisconsin State Journal Your Opinion was devoted to the fermenting frustration over slick intersections and not enough salt on the roads.

The biggest problems downtown right now are: poorly plowed curbs for street parking; chest-high snow banks that are difficult to see around and block parking meters; and icy or rutted side streets. The main arteries are as good as they’re going to get but the sidewalks are pretty much hit or miss. (City property is clear but resident street sidewalks can be dicey. Though private owners are fined if they don’t clear their sidewalk, the city has three weeks to take action and clean it for them)

There have been proposals to correct a few of these issues, such as heated sidewalks or intersections, allowing for more sand/salt mixture to be spread, and putting out more small-capacity plows to do a tighter job. Alders Eli Judge and Brenda Konkel have been speaking and blogging on the issue and listening to their constituents’ problems and suggestions.

However, all of the proposals will cost $$$ and the year’s snow removal budget is completely decimated. With more snow expected in 2008, what’s a city to do?