Wicked (the musical)

I finally had the chance to see "Wicked" in Chicago before its run ends forever there. The show is certainly not hurting for business, as pretty much every show is sold out; I had to buy my tickets from a scalper.

The production was amazing. One scene in particular (which I won't mention so as to not spoil anything) had the best light display I've ever seen in a Broadway musical. And the acting was superb, especially since most of the actors were the original ones from the New York version.

If I had to knock anything, it was that the songs weren't catchy. Don't get me wrong, all the songs were rich and well sung, but I wasn't humming any of the tunes afterward like I do after other musicals.

Lastly, this musical reminded of "Star Wars" Episodes I, II and III, in that "Wicked" is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz". Thus, some of the humor (a ton!) and plot lines aren't as good if you haven't seen the latter.

So if you have the money, go check it out!

Madison Food and Wine Show

My third time to the annual Food and Wine Show at the Alliant Energy Exhibition Hall was like the previous times: enjoyable and filling.

The ticket price at $37 in advance is a bit steep, so you have to really eat and drink a lot to get your money's worth. I must say, I definitely did this year.

The premise, if you don't know, is that you get to try unlimited free samples of wine and bite-sized food from many, many regional vendors. Some of the stands have several dozen samples of wine! That's why many people get weekend passes for the three-day event.

Also worth noting: you get to keep the wine glass you use for sampling, and many other freebies throughout the event are available.

Since I wasn't driving, I went all out--a big mistake as I ended up having exactly 50 samples of wine, three beers and two margaritas. Talk about a hangover!

As usual, Sentry Metcalfe's and Willy St. Co-op provided some great food to sample.

There's also several cooking shows, including the entertaining chef cook-off (won this year by the Concourse Hotel cook).

Most of the wine is available for purchase as you leave. Saturday night also includes a secret top-shelf (all wines worth $40 or more) party.

I highly recommend going if you can afford it.

Next October, remember to check out www.EatDrinkMadison.com for more information.

Best Online Restaurant and Bar Guide for Madison, WI

Looking for Madison, WI restaurants and bars? EatDrinkMadison.com recently launched to help you find places to eat and drink in and around Madison.

Its unique feature is that it gives suggestions for whatever you're looking for. An example is where to eat on your anniversary. Just click on the check box next to "anniversary" and hit search, and you'll get some recommendations.

All of the recommendations can be further narrowed down. Maybe you just want to have an anniversary dinner on the west side. Just add "west side" to the search to limit the results.

Same goes with bars. The never-ending quest to find a bar with the Big Ten Network just got solved. Combine that with a pool table, and now you have something to do during halftime.

Beyond suggestions, EatDrinkMadison.com has restaurant reviews (you may leave your own), bar specials, happy hour specials, maps and upcoming events. So definitely check the site out if you need helping picking out Madison, WI restaurants and bars.

Burlington Chocolate Fest

Each year, the city of Burlington throws its four-day Chocolate Fest over Memorial Day weekend. Besides chocolate tastings, chocolate-eating contests and cooking demonstrations, there's live music and a full carnival.

Admission is $7 at the door, $6 in advance, though you can only buy tickets in Burlington. Parking is $5, or you can parking several blocks away and walk, though I would not suggest it.

As you walk in the entrance, you are handed a map and schedule of events, along with some fun-size Crunch bars (Nestle has a chocolate plant in Burlington).

For the carnival and live music itself, it's worth attending the festival, but it's unfortunately lacking in its main attraction: chocolate. There is one tent dedicated to chocolate, and that's it.

Inside is where you can watch (and participate) in the chocolate eating contest (how many fun-size Crunch bars can you eat in two minutes), watch some food demonstrations and buy chocolate from various vendors. You can also buy a $2 tasting ticket that gets you five different samples. On Saturday night there is a wine and chocolate tasting, limited to 200 participants.

I really felt these events could have been scattered throughout the fair grounds (e.g. put the chocolate eating contest on a stage in front of a large crowd), and that there should have been more events. For example, have a Miss Chocolate Fest contest. Or, have some carnival games with chocolate as the prizes.

Another suggestion: The theme this year was "Pirates of the Chocolate-Be'an," but this was not repeated in any way throughout the festival. More pirate-themed activities, etc., would have been nice.

Still, the event was not overly crowded (I went on Saturday), and the beer was not overly expensive ($3.50 for a Miller Lite). Nice time for all ages.

More info at www.chocolatefest.com.

Milwaukee Art Museum

I got a chance to check out the Milwaukee Art Museum, courtesy of some comp tix I received from a staff member. If you didn't know, the museum is located on the lake inside a very artsy-looking building often seen in vacation and travel guides.

There is ample parking in the ramp across the street. Depending on what level you parked, you can use the pedestrian bridge or ground-level sidewalk to enter the museum.

I thought the entrance needed more signage. When you walk in, there's nothing indicating where to go to get tickets, or even that tickets are required. Based on the setup, it appears to new visitors that you could walk right into the exhibit rooms (but you can't, because a staff member checks). What you need to do is turn either left or right to one of the ticket desks (not well marked) and purchase your ticket there. You then get a sticker to wear on your clothes to indicate that you have paid. Prices: Non-member adults $8, seniors $6, students $4.

The featured exhibit I saw was Martin Ramirez, an artist who lived in a mental hospital who did most of his work with crayons. The museum changes exhibitions about every three months.

Outside the featured area is the museum's permanent collection, which includes some Monet, Picasso and Warhol. It's all fascinating stuff, and depending on how much you like art, will take you about an hour or more to view it all.

Of course, like any museum, there is a gift shop and cafe (very limited menu). There's also a lecture/theater room in which movies are played.

If for nothing else, it's worth a trip to the Milwaukee Art Museum just to see the building. Most of the glass is either tilted, curved or both; the marble is imported from Italy; and really, all of the interior is so unique.

Hours: Open 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thursday, open until 8 p.m. Last ticket sold at 4:45 p.m. daily (7:45 p.m. Thursday).
Location: 700 N. Art Museum Drive, Milwaukee, WI