Espresso Martini Tour + BRT Debate + State Street Pop-Ups

Madison WI

02 October, 2021

1:56 PM

Description

Happy Sunday, neighbors! My roommate and I are starting a tour of espresso martinis around Madison. Why espresso martinis? This 90s cocktail made a pretty big comeback this summer, and the two of us are constantly looking for ways to get more creative ways to stay caffeinated. We started the night off a Leopold's Books and Bar Cafe—where you can enjoy drinks surrounded by books and very cool people, just as the name suggests. We made a 5-point rubric including balance, presentation, ambiance, price and overall flavor. Our final averaged score came out to 3.65—a great start! Send us some recommendations for our next stops! Song of the Day: "Jesus , Etc." by Wilco Let's get this day started off right. Here's everything worth knowing today in Madison. First, today's weather: Mostly cloudy, showers around. High: 73 Low: 59. Here are the top stories today in Madison: The great BRT debate continues! The BRT or Bus rapid transit is"a high-capacity model of bus service that features fewer stops, faster service, direct routes and 60-foot-long buses running on dedicated lanes." City leaders like Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and city transportation planners have said the new bus system could include benefits like job growth and redevelopment. Four former mayors and Downtown Madison Inc. have made claims that the BRT will change the character of State Street. (The Cap Times)Communication, the Madison-based arts nonprofit, has a new exhibition called "Symbiosis: Art and the Community." Symbiosis is about amplifying the works of community artists during the pandemic, and the efforts that went into getting art out in safe, virtual ways. About 40% of the proceeds go toward keeping Communication running. (Wortfm)Wisconsin's special education system is under tough conditions with sparse funding keeping teachers overworked and putting additional stress on parents. About 14% of students in Wisconsin fall under some category of special needs. Despite the federal and state requirement that public schools provide all needed services to these students, funding for special education has "declined precipitously" over the past five decades. (Wisconsin Watch)Check out these photos of 11 new shops on State Street as part of the Madison Pop-Up Shop Program, which was created to promote businesses owned by folks from marginalized groups. (The Cap Times)In my opinion, the best way to start a Sunday is with a short story and a coffee. Here is "Junk Shed,"the winner of the Wisconsin People & Ideas Fiction contest in 2020. (Wisconsin Academy) Today in Madison: Free Family Mini Photo Sessions —6300 Mendota Ave., Middleton (9:00 AM) Wind Ensemble—Hamel Music Center (2:00 PM)Clue: The Comedy Mystery Play—Bartell Theatre (4:00 PM)Open Mic—Bos Meadery (3:00 PM)An Evening at American Players Theatre—APT (6:00 PM)Japanese Autumn Festival—Neighborhood House Community Center (1 PM) Madison Patch Notebook Discover Wisconsin: " We're kicking off National Energy Awareness Month with @alexwehrley by learning more about how Wisconsinites can be energy efficient not only this month, but all year long with @focusonenergy_wisco!" (Instagram) Shelter From The Storm: "PUPDATE 9 NEW ARRIVALS TODAY!! This sweet and playful litter just arrived all the way from Kentucky. These cuties will be hanging out at our Bark, Scoot, & Boogie event next Saturday, Oct. 9th." (Facebook) City of Madison, Wisconsin Government: "The Culture Collectives are now open on State Street!" (Facebook) Dane Arts: "Dane Arts is proud to sponsor the 5 Finalists of this year's Forward Art Prize which will be announced on Friday, Oct. 8th! Join us in celebrating the incredibly talented women artists of Dane County!" (Facebook) The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters: "Today, we're spotlighting a session from our upcoming Local Government Summit: "Electric Vehicles: How Local Municipalities are Leading the Transition." Check the link below for information about session speakers and topics." (Facebook) Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: "🎉 The Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society is hosting an Art Party Happy Hour on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 5-7 pm at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art." (Facebook) From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news! Featured businesses: Add your business here Events: Franciscan Sisters Discernment of Spirits Retreat for single Catholic Women 20-35 (October 8) Fall Kick off Craft and Vendor Show (October 9) Add your event That's it for today! See you all tomorrow for another update. If you're loving these newsletters, consider bringing some more friends and neighbors on board. You can send them this link to subscribe. — Molly Carmichael About me: Hey there! I'm a recent UW-Madison graduate and a fan of all things local. Send me your Madison newsletter articles, events or ideas. Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Madison Daily? You can email me at [email protected].