women shaping madison
The
Essence of a
Dish The Gift of Giving Back From the Newsroom to A Nonprofit Exploring the Madison Public Market
BUILT FOR NOW. READY FOR Next. The places we live and work are always growing, and so are the people in them.
That’s why we focus on what our clients and communities need today while keeping an eye on what tomorrow could bring. At Park Bank, we believe the best is still ahead of us. Let’s Get There Together.
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THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER A place to bring clients. A place to celebrate with family. A place to catch up with friends. A place to mark life’s biggest moments. For more than a century, the Madison Club has been part of the fabric of our community—bringing Madison’s business and civic leaders together while creating a welcoming place for families, friends, and generations to connect.
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Because the best relationships don’t just happen at work, they happen around the table. Make the Madison Club part of your story.
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MADISONCLUB.ORG | 5 E WILSON STREET, MADISON, WI 53703 | 608.255.4861
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Showrooms in
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AKE E WAUN this
Holiday Season
Evie & Co. Boutique Celebrate the magic of the season at Evie & Co Boutique! Discover stylish holiday outfits, beautiful accessories and thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list.
We invite you to Love What’s Local
Emerald Paw Pet Resort and Salon Celebrate holidays peacefully at The Emerald Paw Pet Resort, offering luxury boarding, small playgroups, personalized care that focus’s on a Fear Free environment.
Junky Janko Market A little bit of everything, a lot to fall in love with. Clothing, gifts, home finds, holiday magic and events worth showing up for.
Leaf & Bloom
Tasting Room Lounge
Waunakee Furniture ETC
Style your holiday season with Leaf & Bloom. Unexpected florals, fresh greenery and curated gifts for a season that feels like you.
A refined, welcoming lounge in downtown Waunakee offering fine wines, craft cocktails and spirits, alongside a curated premium cigar selection.
Come join us to celebrate our 31st holiday season.
Holiday Events Festive fun for everyone! Mark your calendar and join us all season long.
Mon., Wed. & Fri. 10am – 6pm
Tues. & Thurs. 10am – 8pm
Sat. 9am – 4pm Sun. 12 – 4pm
Rotary Lights
Light the Night Parade
Nov. 22–Dec. 31 • Dark–9pm Village Park
Dec. 4 • 6:30pm Main Street
WaunaBucks Gift Certificates
Waunakee’s very own local gift certificates, available at the Chamber.
WaunakeeChamber.com | 100 E. Main Street | 608-849-5977
|
BRAVA NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
FEATURES
Terra Allen
HILLARY SCHAVE
Essence 34 The of a Dish
From family traditions to unexpected inspiration, discover the stories behind six standout Madison menu items.
Where 45 Give You Live
Meet the nonprofits that are making a difference across the city — and learn about meaningful ways to lend a hand this season.
57 Keeping the Faith
Six women from faith communities across Madison share about their paths, perspectives and interactions with their congregations.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
5
DEPARTMENTS
@bravamagazine ON THE COVER
begonia.’s scallops were photographed by Nicole Hansen.
women shaping madison
The
Essence of a
Dish The Gift of Giving Back From the Newsroom to A Nonprofit Exploring the Madison Public Market
11
THRIVE
DWELL
GO + DO
11
29 Bistro Style, Tudor Charm
77 Eats + Drinks
Perspective
Charlotte Deleste’s path from the newsroom to a nonprofit.
15 Retail Therapy Junky Janko’s chic finds.
A 1990s home gets a refresh.
32 Gifts With Good Taste
Grab these homeand kitchen-inspired presents.
16 Career
How to build your professional corner.
18 Money
Three entrepreneurs’ success stories.
6
BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
The Madison Public Market’s momentum, readers’ choice eateries, a new Pakistani cookbook and classic restaurants.
90 Jaunt
Shop these merry markets.
92 Arts & Entertainment What to do in November and December.
IN EVERY ISSUE 8 Relate 96 Linger
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS 19 The Local List 23 SSM Health Joint Health Guide 69 Midwest Holiday Escapes
LEFT TOP, BOTTOM HILLARY SCHAVE | RIGHT COURTESY DANE COUNTY FARMERS' MARKET
90
77
PARTNER CONTENT
A friend recently told me he’d been
MONEY SMARTS
searching for a high-end coffee machine. He found one listed through an online marketplace at a price he couldn't believe. The platform was familiar. The listing looked right. Except the coffee maker never arrived.
BY KIM SPONEM
We don’t think about stopping to verify who was actually selling the product, but we should. Why do so many people fall for
unusual card activity and suspicious
People recognize and trust large online
holiday shopping scams, and how
transaction patterns. We also monitor
platforms, but many products on
can I avoid becoming one of them?
emerging fraud trends and reach out
those sites are sold by independent
The holidays should be enjoyable,
to our members when something
third-party sellers. Trusting the
but there's also a lot of pressure.
doesn’t look right.
website and trusting the seller are not the same thing.
That pressure creates the perfect environment for scammers.
Scammers Leverage Trust Another trend we see involves
Something to remember is that
One thing many holiday scams have
fraudsters pretending to be trusted
digital wallets such as Apple Pay and
in common is that they don’t seem
organizations.
Google Wallet help shield payment information during transactions.
out of the ordinary. They are realistic scenarios. A text that says a package
And around the holidays, when
Summit debit and credit cards can be
can’t be dropped off, a shipping fee is
people are spending more, it can be
added to digital wallets as an additional
due or an address needs to be updated
hard to remember every purchase.
layer of protection.
works because it seems believable.
We've worked with members who
Most scams don’t happen because
received a text or email asking them
Advice for Avoiding Scams
someone was careless.
to verify a suspicious transaction.
While scammers have gotten
If they don't recognize the charge,
increasingly savvy, you can protect
Scammers understand human
they're instructed to click a link or call
your money and your peace of mind
behavior and play to people’s emotions.
a phone number.
during the holidays.
that they won’t take the time to really
The person on the phone sounds
Ask questions, research. Pay attention
think about or take time in responding
helpful. They may already have some
to the URL. Look at the seller, not just
to see if a message is legitimate. A
of their personal information. In some
the platform. Check ratings, reviews
sense of urgency is always created by a
cases, the member believes it’s their
and seller history before making a
scammer, and they do a lot of guessing
financial institution’s fraud department.
purchase. And whenever a message
that you might have a package coming
In reality, the fraudster is gathering
creates a sense of urgency, take
or an account somewhere — but they
personal information, card details or
time to respond.
don’t know for sure.
one-time passcodes that can be used
They also bet on people’s busy lives and
Taking time to pause, plus skepticism,
to gain access to the account.
can help you worry less and spend
Another challenge people face is that
more time enjoying the season.
scams have become increasingly
The common thread is trust. When
difficult to spot. Some fraudsters
someone appears to be helping us
create professional-looking websites
solve a problem, most of us want to
that look like legitimate retailers.
cooperate. Fraudsters capitalize on that.
SummitCreditUnion.com Insured by NCUA
Others advertise products through social media, search engines or online
Remember — Summit would never ask
marketplaces. Effective scams make
for your username, password or PIN.
the warning signs harder to spot. Scams Can Look Like Great Deals At Summit, we invest in fraud
Not every scam begins with fear. Some
detection tools that help identify
begin with opportunity.
Kim Sponem is CEO and President, since 2002, of Summit Credit Union, an $8 billion, member-owned financial cooperative with more than 276,600 members. Kim has a passion for empowering people to improve their financial well-being for a richer life. Ask Kim your money questions at MoneySmarts@SummitCreditUnion.com. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
7
Staff Picks: Holiday Edition
RELATE
Lights Fantastic
I
never imagined my family would have a need to meet with Logan’s Heart and Smiles, a nonprofit that builds home modifications that provide accessibility, safety and sensory support for children with disabilities and their families. I was familiar with the nonprofit because Logan’s Executive Director, Angela Wallace, was one of our 2024 Women to Watch. But this past June, my husband and I connected with Wallace to walk through our home to see what modifications we might need for my son, who suffered a stroke in early May. Wallace was kind and patient and offered to help connect us with other organizations that could assist us. She also checked in frequently to see how we were doing and inquired how my son was recovering. Thank you, Angela, for the tireless work you do to help families with children with disabilities! Another amazing woman and founder of a local nonprofit is Charlotte Deleste (top) of Gio’s Garden, a nonprofit that provides therapeutic
BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
A Nostalgic Holiday
It’s fun seeing some of my favorite Madison spots transform for the holidays. Lucille hosts on “Miracle on King Street,” Merchant has done a “The Nightmare Before Christmas” theme in the past, The Edgewater’s The Boathouse turns into Lights on the Lake and Tinseltown in Middleton are all fun excuses to grab a festive cocktail with friends. Holiday music and performances get me in the holiday mood, especially when there’s nostalgia involved. The Orpheum has shown “It’s a Wonderful Life” in the past and Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge has put on an amazing Charlie Browninspired holiday experience. — Anna Hockett, sales manager
Sip and Savor
On three Fridays in December, Wollersheim Winery in Prairie du Sac comes to life in its Festive Fridays. Visitors can wander the grounds, enjoy an indulgent holiday menu at the bistro, sip seasonal cocktails and listen to live music in the barrel room. It’s an immersive way to experience the winery with friends and family while soaking up the festive atmosphere. — Kayla King, social media manager
P.S. Don't Forget! Vote in 2027 Raves & Faves Shayna Mace Editorial Director @shaynamace
Follow BRAVA on social media 8
I love it when the Rotary Lights open in Waunakee. The community light display has grown over the years, and it turns my hometown into a Hallmark movie. We usually drive through it 20 times every year — and always on Christmas Eve. I also enjoy shopping locally at Ink & Ivy Book Boutique, Evie & Co., The Regal Find and Linen & Clove. Even better is when I can meet friends for coffee at a unique place like Cafe Domestique (they start serving champagne at 3 p.m.!). And, ice skating at Tenney Park is always fun. — Dena Frisch, Associate Publisher
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
bravamagazine
Nominate your favorite local gems through Nov. 23. Have a favorite lunch place, salon or boutique? Tell us about them! See P. 48 for more details.
HILLARY SCHAVE
HONORING OUR NONPROFITS
care for children with special needs under seven years old (see P. 11). I’ve known Deleste for years and have long admired her as an accomplished journalist and devoted mom to two boys — all while founding a nonprofit to address an urgent need for families raising children with special needs. Thank you for your advocacy and friendship, Charlotte. Madison has one of the country’s most robust nonprofit communities. Throughout my time at BRAVA , I’ve had the privilege of meeting with numerous nonprofit executive directors, and their passion for their missions is unmistakable. I’m continually inspired by their commitment to making a difference in our community. This is the second year we’re publishing our Give Where You Live guide (P. 45) because we felt strongly that BRAVA can uplift our nonprofit community by showcasing the good work that these organizations are doing to help so many people with pressing issues — youth disengagement and homelessness, food insecurity, immigration assistance and more. November and December also brings holiday cheer and in “The Essence of a Dish” (P. 34) you’ll be transported to six area restaurants, each with a meal or drink that shares a story of the owner’s background or a special recipe behind a signature dish. It’s a compelling read. Happy holidays!
BUSINESS PUBLISHER Barbara Krause bak@ntmediagroup.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Dena Frisch dena@ntmediagroup.com VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLICATIONS Becky Peck bpeck@ntmediagroup.com
EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Shayna Mace shayna@ntmediagroup.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jim Nissen jim@commandshiftoption.com Jess Carter jcarter@ntmediagroup.com FACT-CHECKER Mason Braasch
DIGITAL DIGITAL DIRECTOR Kristen Rouse krouse@ntmediagroup.com SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Kayla King kayla@ntmediagroup.com
SALES SALES MANAGER Anna Hockett anna@ntmediagroup.com
OUR DESIGN TEAM CAN MAKE YOUR HOUSE A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
SALES ASSISTANT Arven Panilag arven@ntmediagroup.com CLIENT SERVICES SPECIALIST Amy Jacobs ads@ntmediagroup.com ACCOUNTING accounting@ntmediagroup.com
CONTRIBUTORS Kayla Gendron, Emilie Heidemann, Danielle Letenyei, Stephanie Mickelson, Nicole Hansen, Kevin Revolinski, Hillary Schave, Lisa Schmelz, Katie Vaughn, Amanda Wegner, Shanna Wolf BRAVA Magazine is a publication of Nei-Turner Media Group, Inc. Gary E. Nei, Chairman, William Turner, President. This issue or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. ©2026 951 Kimball Lane, Suite 122, Verona, WI. (608) 848-6700 SUBSCRIBE AT BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM Subscription information: (262) 729-447 1 or nadine@ntmediagroup.com. BRAVA (ISS.N 1934-4317) NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2026, Volume 27, Number 06, is published bimonthly (six times a year) by Nei-Turner Media Group, Inc. with offices at 400 Broad St., Unit D, Lake Geneva, WI 53147-2001. Periodicals postage paid at 3902 Milwaukee St., Madison, WI 537 14 and additional offices. Postmaster send address changes to: BRAVA Magazine, 951 Kimball Ln., Ste. 122, Verona, WI 53593-1786.
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The Norman Fletchall Team—helping clients thrive and communities prosper We believe in making our communities better through volunteerism and investing for change. We proudly support many organizations, including: • • • • • • • • •
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• • • • • • • • •
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The Norman Fletchall Team 10 E. Doty Street, Suite 1000 Madison, WI 53703 www.normanfletchallteam.com
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Investment and insurance products offered through RBC Wealth Management are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency, are not deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank or any bank affiliate, and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested. © 2026 RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, registered investment adviser and Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC. All rights reserved.
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THRIVE
Charlotte Deleste
FROM THE NEWSROOM TO A NONPROFIT After 17 years in television, Charlotte Deleste is stepping into a new chapter both professionally and personally, continuing to care for others, and also herself. BY KATIE VAUGHN PHOTOGRAPHY BY HILLARY SCHAVE
A
round Madison, many recognize Charlotte Deleste as a graceful, confident news anchor who shone a light on everyday heroes and as the co-founder of a nonprofit that changes the lives of special-needs families. But fewer know the stories that shaped her lifelong focus on helping others. Deleste was seven years old when her sister, Michelle, was born with Down syndrome. Her parents, who emigrated from the Philippines before settling
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
11
THRIVE | PERSPECTIVE
Charlotte Deleste with Gio
in St. Louis, advocated and provided around-the-clock care for their daughter, who remains non-verbal. When Deleste started her anchor role at WISC-TV in late 2006, she and husband Ron Giordan were in the throes of figuring out why their son, Gio, was having around 30 seizures a day — which eventually progressed up to 100 seizures daily. At the time, Gio was just over a year old and had already had his first brain surgery. Eventually, doctors diagnosed him with a rare form of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, and discovered a tumor on his brain. More surgeries followed, along with the prediction that Gio would only live to be 20.
PLANTING SEEDS On Gio’s third birthday, Deleste gave birth to her second son, Benicio. Life wasn’t easy. “I had a colicky baby and a kid who couldn’t stop seizing,” she says. And when she thought her family could receive Medicaid-funded in-home care, Deleste was told that Gio didn’t qualify for more than an hour a day, five days a week. Frustrated and aware that other families must be 12
BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
facing similar challenges, she convened a group to discuss what could be done to fill the gaps in services. From that meeting arose a top need: respite care. Parents needed a break. “If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of your child,” Deleste explains. Many of those families continued to work together, bringing in others and raising money to create Gio’s Garden, a nonprofit that provides therapeutic care for children with special needs under seven years old. The center opened in Middleton in 2012, and Deleste remains on its board. At the same time, at WISC-TV, Deleste launched “Do Something Good,” segments that highlighted the positive ways people in the community were making a difference. “It [was] shining a light on the small things, giving a voice to the voiceless,” she says. “It [was] a call to action, too, because this is our home and these are our people.”
EMBRACING CHANGE The past few years were tough for Deleste, who lost her father in 2021, suffered a debilitating concussion in 2022 and began serving as Gio’s
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
fulltime caretaker after leaving WISC-TV in 2024. Thankfully, things have begun turning around. In the summer of 2025, Gio moved into an adult family home. “He’s thriving,” Deleste says, adding that Gio, who just turned 21 in October, remains in good health and is continuing vocational school. “For the first time, I can breathe a little bit more; I can exhale.” She’s excited to support Benicio during his senior year of high school, and she’s embracing her role at “A New Day with Lanette & Charlotte,” a morning radio show on Magic 98 that she now co-hosts with longtime radio personality Lanette Hansen. And Gio’s Garden is evolving too. In August, a second location opened in Sun Prairie. After a lifetime of caring and advocating for others, Deleste is ready to share some of that love with herself. “Because of Gio, we have Gio’s Garden. Because of Gio, I am the person I am,” she says. “[Caring for others has] been 24/7 in my life since I was seven years old. It’s my turn now.” Katie Vaughn is a Madison-based writer and artist.
Help Empower
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PARTNER CONTENT
ASK THE EXPERT Smart Moves for Your Side Gig In this gig economy, people often
advising, hair salons). Check with the
have a day job and a side gig. What are
regulatory body for the industry in
some of the issues to consider when
which your business operates.
operating a small business? In addition to a license, you may need How do you protect yourself from
to register for sales tax permits or
business liability?
other tax certificates. Failure to pay
Business has risk. It’s a good idea
sales tax where you operate and where
to form an entity for your business
your customers reside could result in
operations. An entity protects your
penalties and interest. In this global
personal assets from an unforeseen
economy, it is important to understand
event. An LLC is a common entity for
the requirements of the state in which
small businesses. It is easy to form
you live and the states where your
and operate, but it is important to
customers reside.
keep business income and expenses Michelle Behnke, Attorney
separate from your personal accounts
Do I need to hire an attorney to
to maintain the limitation on liability.
form my business? There is no requirement to hire a lawyer
What about income taxes?
to form your business, but a business
Most often, you will report your
lawyer might be useful as you begin
business income on Schedule C of your
your business operations. A lawyer
personal income tax return. Business
can help draft documents to clarify
income tax will be paid when you
ownership and document contractual
file your personal income tax return,
relationships. You might need advice
but you must estimate your business
about business insurance, protecting
income and make quarterly payments
your business concept or idea (patent)
to the IRS. Failure to make estimated
or protecting your business name
payments could result in a penalty for
(trademark). A business lawyer can
underreporting your income.
guide you through typical business questions and help identify issues
If estimated tax payments seem
unique to your business. This means
like too much extra paperwork,
you get to spend more time on your
you can consider adjusting your
great gig idea!
withholding with your employer. Increasing your employment payroll withholding will satisfy your estimated payment obligations for your
BOARDMAN CLARK 1 S. Pinckney St., Ste. 410 Madison, WI 53703 608.257.9521 boardmanclark.com
14
BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
business operations. Do I need a license, or do I need to register my business? Some business ventures require a license (e.g. food service, investment
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
Michelle Behnke is an attorney in Boardman Clark’s Business, Real Estate and Estate Planning practice groups. Contact her at mbehnke@boardmanclark.com or 608.283.1729.
THRIVE | RETAIL THERAPY
FROM POP - UP TO PERMANENT A local shop makes the leap from online to brick-and-mortar storefront. BY SHAYNA MACE PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNA WOLF
A
Amber Jankowski
stroll into Junky Janko Market’s modern farmhouse space reveals chic clothing, a smattering of home and kitchen items, baby and child gifts, and even a complimentary fountain drink dispenser to quench shoppers’ thirst. Everything’s better with a Coke Zero, right? Amber Jankowski founded Junky Janko Market four years ago to “have something for myself outside of my kids” when they were younger, she says. Jankowski says the business has since become “a whole family thing,” with her husband helping with the shop buildout and her daughters pitching in with merchandise buying. Junky Janko Market began as an online-only clothing and home-goods boutique when Jankowski founded the business in 2022. She later added a mobile trailer for area pop-up markets, along with a storefront that operated with limited hours. In June 2026, Jankowski relocated the business to a larger retail space with expanded hours. “It just kind of continued to snowball from there and ended up here!” she says. Although it’s great when customers buy things, Jankowski says she wants the shop to be an inspirational and fun experience. She points to a slime event she hosted recently for kids and an upcoming holiday rollout and a denim launch as creative ways to connect with her shoppers. “I want the shop to be welcoming and not just a ‘store.’ I think that’s the difference of what makes us successful,” she says. Jankowski is excited about carrying Z SUPPLY clothing, Bed Stu’s genuine leather bags and handmade jewelry from makers across the U.S. Soon, she’ll also be carrying cult-favorite brand Free People. “When I go to market, I love meeting the owners and hearing the story behind the brands,” says Jankowski, noting she decides what to carry based off of her conversations with the people behind the brands. Whether it’s a hand-press T-shirt, a comfy sherpa or a super-soft stuffed animal, the shop has cute things. “The intent is that people can come in and find something they weren’t expecting to find … and if they’re not looking to buy, maybe they were inspired by something we styled for their own home,” she says. 202 E. Main St., Waunakee, junkyjanko.com
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
15
THRIVE | CAREER
WHO’S IN YOUR CORNER? The people in your professional circle can offer perspective, honest advice and expertise when you need it most. BY SHAYNA MACE
B
ack in July, I was invited to speak on a panel about building your “corner.” The panel’s organizer and moderator, Jennifer Garrett, is a friend and former colleague. As of press time, Garrett was the deputy secretary at the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services. Garrett strategically assembled a group of women she felt were close advisors, or her corner, for the panel. She explained that her topic centered around the idea of a boxer and their team. “A good corner tends to [the boxer’s] physical needs, advises on whether it is wise to keep going and points out tactical and strategic observations/ perspectives that the fighter cannot see from the middle of the ring but that the team can see … The fighter
16
BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
is alone between the bells, but no fighter goes it alone completely,” Garrett explains. Think of your corner as your own personal advisory board. This group can consist of people who you can unabashedly turn to for honest career advice, gut checks and professional expertise. We had such an engaging discussion about this topic I asked my fellow panelists to summarize their points so we could share this idea with BRAVA readers. Here’s what they had to say.
HOW TO IDENTIFY SOMEONE FOR YOUR CORNER The people in my corner revealed themselves not through grand gestures, but through consistent small ones — the forwarded article, the unsolicited introduction, the honest
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
conversation no one else was willing to have. When I recognized that pattern in someone, I made a decision to reciprocate in kind. Sometimes showing up is even simpler than that. A colleague once faced a project that was quietly overwhelming them. Knowing that asking for help didn’t come easily, I asked first: “Would you like some help?” His relief was immediate. We worked through it together, advanced a key decision point for the organization and built a trust between us that is unmistakable to this day. That experience captures what I try to practice and coach others to do: Give without a ledger, ask before you’re asked and show up before someone has to reach for you. The question I ask every client is simple: Who knows your full story? Those people are your corner. Tend to them. —Jeanan Yasiri Moe, director of strategic communication and public affairs, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)
HOW TO FIND COLLABORATORS THAT ALIGN WITH YOUR VALUES An important person in my corner early in my career was a remarkable leader named Laurie Benson. She cared enough to tell me the truth, even when it was hard to hear. She wasn’t focused on making me feel good; she was focused on helping me grow. One of the greatest gifts she gave me was helping me to identify my core values. Once I understood what mattered most to me, I became much more intentional about who I invited into my corner and the environments where I chose to invest my time, attention and energy. I’ve also learned that when someone’s actions consistently don’t align with my values, it’s best to create some distance or even walk away. Building your corner isn’t about surrounding yourself with people who always agree with you. It’s about choosing
people who challenge you, support your growth and embody the values that matter most to you. —Patti Epstein, chief benefits officer, Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds
HOW TO THOUGHTFULLY CULTIVATE YOUR CORNER I’ve learned that building meaningful relationships often comes down to remembering the little things. If a friend mentions an upcoming interview, I’ll put a reminder on my calendar so I remember to wish them good luck. If someone’s child is graduating from college, I might schedule a text ahead of time so I don’t miss the day. I’ve also learned to find pockets of time for “friendship admin.” I travel a bit for work, so a flight is often my chance to catch up on the things I’ve been meaning to do: Schedule a few “thinking of you” texts, check in with someone I
haven’t talked to lately or pull out a pack of notecards and write a note. It’s become a way of turning otherwise unproductive time into intentional time for the people in my life. To me, that doesn’t make the connection less genuine; it helps me be more intentional about showing up for people when it matters. We’re all busy, and it’s easy to think, “I need to remember to ask them about that,” only to have it slip your mind. Your corner has to be reciprocal. It isn’t just about finding people who will show up for you — it’s about making a habit of showing up for them, too. For me, that means being purposeful about remembering the moments that matter to the people in my life, big or small, and making sure they know I’m in their corner, too. —Allison Cramer, director of government relations, Home Care Association of America
Meet the Experts
Jeanan Yasiri Moe
Patti Epstein
Allison Cramer
YOU MAKE THE MEMORIES. WE’LL MAKE THEM LAST.
COURTESY JEANAN YASIRI MOE, PATTI EPSTEIN & ALLISON CRAMER
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THRIVE | MONEY
Gretchen Becker
Bretni Anderson
Aida Leflore
THREE LEDGERS, ONE LEAP Three Madison entrepreneurs share the real money stories behind their entrepreneurial starts. BY AMANDA WEGNER
GRETCHEN BECKER, ASH & ARROW EVENT COLLECTIVE Becker spent over 15 years as an art director in children’s publishing at American Girl before buying Ash & Arrow Event Collective from its founder. Her business specializes in highly styled celebrations. She had already tasted entrepreneurship by running a baked-goods business out of her home and was ready for more. And the timing couldn’t have been 18
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better. She closed on Ash & Arrow four days before being laid off from American Girl. Because she bought an existing business, her biggest hurdle was funding the acquisition. She looked into Small Business Administration (SBA) and bank loans but was discouraged by the interest rates and lengthy process. Instead, she and her husband used a mix of savings and a home equity line of credit (HELOC), backed by his steady paycheck and health insurance. “I spent quite a bit of time looking very carefully at what I believed the business was worth, what I could realistically afford and how much additional capital I would need after the purchase,” she says. The biggest risk wasn’t a single moment but an ongoing one: learning
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to give the financial side of the business as much attention as the creative side. “Becoming an entrepreneur isn’t one big leap of faith,” she says. “It’s many smaller decisions about risk every single day.”
BRETNI ANDERSON, RIAH • HAIR Anderson worked as a hairstylist before she and her manager, Kimberly King, became business partners to build RIAH•HAIR, with locations in Sun Prairie and Middleton. For Anderson, everything clicked when she realized it wasn’t just about her salon — it was about having greater control over her time as a hardworking mom. To finance the business, she and King took out a traditional business loan, backed by a detailed business plan, projections and bids.
COURTESY GRETCHEN BECKER, BRETNI ANDERSON & AIDA LEFLORE
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ocal entrepreneurs Gretchen Becker, Bretni Anderson and Aida Leflore have all built very different businesses. But before any of them could follow their passion, they first had to answer the same question: Could the numbers support it?
“The process definitely wasn’t easy, especially because there were so many expenses we hadn’t encountered before,” Anderson says. Her husband’s income and health insurance, plus equity from their home, gave the business its financial footing. Looking back, she says she would have built in a bigger cushion. “You can plan every number down to the dollar, and something will still come up!” The duo’s toughest test, however, came almost immediately: RIAH•HAIR opened in March 2020, five days before the COVID shutdown. “We had just taken on all these expenses, and suddenly had zero income coming in,” Anderson says. But a patient landlord and returning clients got them through it and taught her something lasting. “Surviving
those first few months gave us a lot of confidence that we could figure out just about anything,” says Anderson.
AIDA LEFLORE, LEFLORE ACCOUNTING SERVICES Leflore spent more than a decade in corporate accounting roles before starting her own practice where she could work with clients differently. “I wanted the flexibility to build stronger relationships, provide more personalized support and create a company culture rooted in education and empowerment,” says Leflore, who serves individuals, small businesses and nonprofits with bookkeeping, payroll and tax support. Leflore built her business with cash in hand, after saving for nearly three years, and developed a strong business plan.
She was also intentional about expenses and how she managed her income. “I was fortunate to launch without taking out loans and funded my growth through client revenue,” she says. She noted, however, that if she could go back, she’d spend more time planning for long-term growth and investing earlier in systems and processes that make scaling easier. “Strong financial planning matters, and so does investing in tools that help your business grow efficiently,” says Leflore. While she says it was “intimidating” to give up the security of a steady paycheck, “looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made.” Amanda Wegner is a local freelance writer and communications and marketing professional.
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The Soap Opera has been serving the downtown Madison community since 1972. Come create a unique gift anyone on your list will enjoy this holiday season!
Burnie’s Rock Shop 319 State St. Madison, WI 53703 608.251.4051 | thesoapopera.com
901 E. Johnson St., Madison WI 53703 636 S. Park St., Madison, WI 53715 608.251.2601 | burniesrockshop.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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Fall fashion with flair! Turns heads in this fabulous Dolcezza quilted coat. Stop in and try it on!
Find quality kitchenware, gourmet foods, olive oils, wine, baby gifts, Jellycat and so much more! Enjoy cooking classes, homemade fudge and friendly service.
Chauette Home and Fashion
Bekah Kate’s
1827 Parmenter St. Middleton, WI 53562 608.836.5366 | shopchauette.com
117 3rd St. Downtown Baraboo, WI 53913 608.356.3133 | bekahkates.com
Shop our many quality Wisconsinmade gifts such as this hand-drawn, screen-printed tote created by Milwaukee illustrator Aly Miller.
Wilson Aesthetic Company, led by Nurse Practitioner Becky Berkan, provides personalized aesthetic care with natural-looking results.
Little Luxuries
Wilson Aesthetic Company
230 State St. Madison, WI 53703 608.255.7372 | littleluxuriesmadison.com
990 Janesville St., #5 Oregon, WI 53575 608.219.0654 | wilsonaestheticcompany.com
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Katharisma Cleaning provides refined cleaning with easy online booking, flat rates and trusted, background-checked professionals.
A Wisconsin bamboo charcuterie board and cheese spreader is the perfect gift for anyone who loves our state.
Katharisma Cleaning
Orange Tree Imports
Madison, WI 53703 608.315.5546 | katharismacleaningllc.com
1721 Monroe St. Madison, WI 53711 orangetreeimports.com
Handcrafted glass ornaments and home décor from Laurel Grey Glassworks of Door County, WI.
Open an Edvest 529 College Savings Plan account this holiday season and you could turn today’s gift into tomorrow’s opportunity.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
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We can make memories on vacation AND in a bigger home.
TM
— HANNAH, LIFELONG MEMBER
HANNAH’S STORY
While I never really struggled to make ends meet, I knew I had to manage my money better when I took on a bigger role in my godchildren’s lives. With Summit’s help, I paid down my debt and built a savings plan, and now we’re taking a family cruise and steps toward a bigger home. ________________ Summit Credit Union is proud to help people throughout our community create a better life – with tools and programs that help you build wealth and reduce stress. Join us at SummitCreditUnion.com and we’ll help you Summit, too.
Insured by NCUA © Summit Credit Union 2024
PARTNER CONTENT
A Pain in the Joints
Why hip and knee problems happen — and how modern treatments can help you get back to doing what you love. BY LISA SCHMELZ
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or decades, we pay little if any attention to them. We take them for granted, assuming they’ll carry on — and carry us — as they always have. We never think one day they may betray us, leaving us in pain on the sidelines of life.
We’re not talking about relationships with our soulmates. We’re talking about the joints throughout our bodies: That place where two or more bones meet. Made up of cartilage, ligaments, tendons and fluid, they facilitate smooth and pain-free motion — until they don’t. The joints in our hips and knees in particular can become a real pain (pun intended) due to arthritis, injury or overuse. Joint trouble can impact how far we walk, whether we’ll take stairs or an elevator, if we can keep up with our grandkids, or if we can do things we’ve always loved, like play golf and tennis.
ssmhealth.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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By the time patients see Dr. Frank Rodgers or Dr. Andrew Livermore, both orthopedic surgeons at SSM Health, they’ve likely been suffering for a while. The good news? Orthopedic surgeons have a host of options available for those struggling with joint issues. While SSM Health St. Mary’s in Madison is nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report as High Performing for clinical outcomes for total knee replacement, replacement of any joint isn’t typically the first option. Li
v
“We always start with less-invasive measures,” explains Dr. Livermore. “There are injection medications, physical therapies [and] braces. We do that until the patient feels their quality of life is not where they want it to be. Then, depending on how arthritic their joint is, we can discuss surgery.” Andre
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HOW DO SURGEONS CLINICALLY DETERMINE IF A PATIENT IS A CANDIDATE FOR JOINT REPLACEMENT? “I think it’s multi-factorial,” says Dr. Rodgers. “First, somebody has to have evidence of arthritis on an X-ray or maybe there’s MRI evidence their cartilage is wearing out. But I also think patients have to fail conservative treatments. We want patients
to try all non-operative interventions before we move to surgery … It’s a quality-of-life surgery. It’s not a triple bypass. It’s all about, what is the stuff you want to do and what is the stuff you can’t do because your knee or hip is limiting you? It’s definitely different for everybody.” If there is evidence on imaging, all of the conservative treatments no longer work and/or the pain is increasing, it’s usually time to talk about joint replacement. (Waiting as long as possible is a misconception, as it can cause muscle deconditioning or compensating injuries.) The medical term for joint replacement is arthroplasty, and it’s a medical procedure that removes portions of an arthritic or damaged joint and replaces it with an artificial prosthetic device. The goal is to relieve severe arthritis pain, restore smooth movement and improve mobility. It can involve replacing either the entire damaged joint or only the diseased portion. Today, surgeons like Rodgers and Livermore use minimally invasive techniques whenever they can, reducing post-op pain and speeding up recovery times. For a growing number of patients, same-day surgery is also an option. Patients in good overall health with a strong support system at home may be able to recover without a hospital stay. Still, there is no one-sizefits-all approach and whether a patient’s stay is inpatient or outpatient is based on each person’s unique circumstances.
PARTNER CONTENT
“There are some things
that have changed within our surgical technique and the way we do surgeries, but I think those contribute less than other things, like the things we are doing to prepare patients for surgery. It starts at our initial discussion. A
FAQs About Joint Replacement
What does the data show about safety and healing for same-day joint replacement surgery? Dr. Frank Rodgers: In appropriately indicated patients, there is no difference, and I would even suggest patients do better regardless of [their] hospital or health system. The sooner we can have patients home and in their own bed, the better.
lot of it is about a social support network, engaging with your recovery and [the] support you get throughout your recovery. There’s a lot of [patient]
”
education before surgery.
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er
s,
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— Dr. Frank Rodgers on how joint replacement surgery has changed for the better, allowing for same-day discharge in some cases
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Who is a candidate for same-day surgery? Dr. Andrew Livermore: Patients with a relatively clean bill of health and a good support system. They will need some extra assistance. Also, patient motivation or interest in same-day surgery. They need to buy into the process.
What has changed over the last few years to allow for same-day discharge? Dr. Livermore: I think our surgeries have gotten more efficient and our therapy and recovery protocols have gotten better.
What should patients plan for and expect in recovery? Dr. Rodgers: If your outcome were an equation, a perfect surgery is only one-third of the equation. The rest is up to you to work with your physical therapist. If patients are not as diligent with their PT, the outcomes are not going to be as good. Recovery differs for everybody, and it also depends on how severe the arthritis is and what the surgical approach was that your surgeon used. But, in general, recovery after knee surgery is about 80% in three months, and hips are about six weeks.
d
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Melissa Schneider, BSN, RN, is the orthopedic care coordinator at SSM Health Orthopedics in Madison. She’s been in this role for 10 years and a nurse for SSM Health for 20 years. She says good outcomes are the result of many caring hands.
d
ei
Most patients have a physical therapy (PT) session the day of their surgery before they are discharged. Along with discharge instructions, patients also leave the state-of-the-art, same-day surgery center or hospital with PT appointments already set up. Recovery times vary, depending on a patient’s age, overall health and fitness. But generally speaking, recovery times for hips are about six weeks and knees around three months.
Melissa Sc
hn
“The process for coordinating care for total joint replacement, whether inpatient or outpatient, really relies on a multi-disciplinary approach — and we have quite a team that supports the patient,” she explains. Before surgery, patients learn what to expect during preoperative classes. Pre-surgical workups are scheduled, as well as any coordination for patients with unique care needs. Care coordinators also help patients understand what to expect in recovery and what will be needed at home. Patients also typically have a pre-surgical meeting with a physical therapist.
“Many, many team members are making sure we are really embracing what the patient really needs,” says Schneider, “but also having an individualized experience as well.” Indeed, getting back to the life you love is the goal everyone is aiming for. “I think if patients are giving up activities that mean a lot to them and they’ve tried appropriate measures for treatment and they aren’t working — then it’s appropriate to discuss a plan with a surgeon,” says Dr. Livermore.
Are You a Candidate for Same-Day Joint Replacement Surgery? 1. Are you in overall good health?
4. Are any chronic conditions you have well managed?
2. Are you free from cardiac concerns, lung conditions and uncontrolled diabetes?
5. Do you have a strong support system at home to assist you in the first few days with your recovery?
3. Are you at a healthy weight? 6. Are you motivated?
If you answered yes to all of these questions, speak with an SSM Health orthopedic surgeon for further clarification on whether same-day joint replacement surgery may be right for you.
For more information or to schedule a consult with an SSM Health orthopedic surgeon, please scan the code or go to ssmhealth.com/services/orthopedics.
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DWELL
Tyler Sweere (left) brought his interior design eye while Emma Mallon (right) brought the project to life in her role as the contractor. “I built a relationship with Emma ... and this was our second kitchen renovation together. It speaks volumes because the client really enjoyed the process of working with us. It was a very smooth kitchen renovation,” says Sweere.
BISTRO STYLE, TUDOR CHARM A reimagined kitchen and living area marry contemporary function with the character of a classic home. BY STEPHANIE MICKELSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNA WOLF
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hen a local family wanted to update the kitchen in their classic 1990s Tudor-style home, they connected with Tyler Sweere, founder and principal of Studio Tieulier. Sweere was tasked with creating a functional space that had a modern bistro vibe. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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The fixture above the dining table is from Hudson Valley Lighting and has a linen shade that Sweere loves because it’s a little unexpected.
Sweere brought in Emma Mallon, a general contractor and owner of Root Down Remodeling, and Erica Weaver, senior design coordinator at Denise Quade Design. The remodel also included a portion of the home’s living area. To create a cohesive space, Sweere conceived a color palette that would blend the existing trim and the recently refinished floors with the new design while creating opportunities for later updates. 30
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“The whole impetus for the design was a modern classic bistro. We wanted the kitchen to feel a little casual without feeling uber traditional, but we still wanted it to have some of those nods and ties to the Tudor-style home,” says Sweere. Weaver created the space plan based on Sweere’s vision, which was driven by the need to move the cooktop and range out of the island. The duo then transformed the island, adding legs with metal cuffs and a
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dark countertop to create the feel of a built-in piece of furniture. It’s the perfect place for food prep, homework and hangouts. While the remodel didn’t require many structural changes, there was an obstacle that Mallon tackled with creativity. “The biggest challenge from a mechanical standpoint was that we removed the soffit,” she explains. The soffit contained much of the plumbing, HVAC and electrical
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The new cabinet and bar area in the living room is not only beautiful but packs a lot of storage. The Autumn Leaf granite countertop from The Granite Shop was a serendipitous find. It was the last slab left and the colors matched the design perfectly. “It’s like we took this beautiful piece of art from the earth and [used it] as our countertop,” says Sweere.
components, so Mallon says the team rerouted the mechanicals to install the new floor-to-ceiling cabinetry. Through some creative problemsolving, Mallon says she turned one spot above the sink “into a fun architectural detail” that carries the wall tile to the ceiling. Sweere emphasizes how happy the client was with the way the project turned out, and credits the team relationship with Weaver and Mallon. “It was a really fun and successful project, and it just goes to show that working with people that you feel confident in [translates to] the client,” he says. Stephanie Mickelson is a Wisconsin-based writer who writes about home design.
“We wanted the [range] hood to become a focal point and make a quiet statement. [It feels] very serene and cohesive, but still takes up the space that it should,” says Weaver.
Sweere says the range backsplash was a key driver of the kitchen’s overall design. It adds a pop of visual interest to the space while also blending in seamlessly. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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A COZY LITTLE CHRISTMAS Vintage-inspired finds and nostalgic touches bring charm and timeless holiday style to the home. STYLING BY SHAYNA MACE PHOTOGRAPHY BY HILLARY SCHAVE “The Little Book of Winter” $16, Pageberry Mercantile
R.Rebellion Cowgirl and Cowboy Christmas room and linen spray, $18.95 each, Junky Janko Market
Christmas Cottage throw pillow, $30.95, Pageberry Mercantile
Rifle Paper Co. mug, $24, Backroads Coffee Mercantile Blend, $15, and Brew Motif cinnamon babka syrup, $17, all from Pageberry Mercantile
Overland Old Fashioned mix, $18, and Cellar Door Preserves Old Fashioned Accoutrements, $15.99, both from Pageberry Mercantile
Tree Lot soy wax candle, $26 and matches, $14, both from Pageberry Mercantile
Deer vase, $27.95, Junky Janko Market 32
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Wreath, $38.50, Pageberry Mercantile
Creative Co-op tree candlesticks, $14.95, and candlestick holders, $$15.95 & $21.95, all from Junky Janko Market Crae double-sided hand towels, $19 each, Junky Janko Market
Finch + Fennel cranberry bourbon preserve, maple + bacon and sliced hot cinnamon apple jams, $12 each, Bloomingville wood board; $12.95, all from Junky Janko Market
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QetBotanicals.com | Fort Atkinson, WI | Connect with Us: @QetBotanicals NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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From family traditions to unexpected inspiration, discover the stories behind six standout Madison menu items. BY KEVIN REVOLINSKI
Scallops begonia.
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NICOLE HANSEN
ara Anderson and her son-in-law, Chef Christopher Lund, bought Kettle Black Kitchen two years ago. While they made a successful run with the French and Southern-influenced spot, Anderson says, “it was someone else’s dream.” So they decided to change it up entirely, with a new Latininfluenced menu, their own vibe and an expanded bar. “Coming from California and Arizona,” says Lund, “I always cook more Latin; that’s just how I grew up.” The restaurant is named after “Scarlet Begonias,” Anderson’s favorite Grateful Dead song, and is also a nod to the begonia, a flower native to the Andes mountains. begonia. opened in August. Both Anderson and Lund agree the scallops plate is pretty spectacular. At the center are U10 (fewer than 10 make a pound) large diver scallops, seared and topped with a compound butter made with pepitas and citrus zest. They’re served with corn puree mixed with brown butter, aji amarillo and confit garlic; cappelletti made in house with Heartland Grains flour from Lodi and stuffed with Peterson Craft Farms chorizo from Osceola and requeson (a firm Latin version of ricotta); and fresh avocado salsa. A petite arugula and watermelon salad drizzled with lime vinaigrette and Sartori Sarvecchio parmesan rounds out the dish. It’s quite a mouthful!
Christopher Lund and Sara Anderson
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Cabillaud aux Poireaux Lallande
EST. 1926
MSCR FALL PROGRAMS
Fun for All Ages!
B
uilding on the success of Bloom Bake Shop, Annemarie Maitri and Mark Pavlovich opened Lallande, a French-inspired bistro next door to their Monroe Street bakery. Maitri’s earliest food memories include picking produce from her father’s garden and gathering for gumbo parties at her grandparents’ home. She began working in restaurant kitchens when she was a teenager. Pavlovich likewise sees food, family and providers as inextricably connected. Meals at Lallande are unrushed, centered around a short but varied menu of small plates made with seasonal ingredients, sourced responsibly and locally whenever possible. Wines are curated to pair with the dishes. For Maitri, every dish on the menu has a personal connection, and Lallande’s menu is seasonal and constantly changing. “What I’m most excited about tends to change. Right now, I’m really loving our Cabillaud aux Poireaux [which is], sauteed cod with leek fondue, frizzled leeks, lemon-chive beurre blanc and trout roe. The cod and leeks combo is simple [and] characteristically French.” But, she adds, “the layers of leeks, bright beurre blanc and trout roe make it feel truly special.”
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Madison (West), WI 7414 Mineral Point Road Madison, WI 53717 (608) 949-9370 Mon-Fri: 9:00am - 7:00pm Sat: 10:00am - 5:00pm Sun: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Annemarie Maitri
Order Online Today! NothingBundtCakes.com
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Nem Khao Tod (Crispy Rice Salad) Ha Long Bay
I
NICOLE HANSEN
n 2009, Jean Tran was looking for something to do in retirement after years of operating an American Chinese restaurant in Beaver Dam. So she opened Ha Long Bay in Madison, serving Vietnamese and Thai food with a short list of Lao dishes in the back of the menu. In 2024, after Tran’s second retirement, her nieces, Jacqueline and Stephanie Le, took over. The menu is much the same, but over time one of those Lao dishes has become a fan favorite. “It’s a very popular dish in Laos but the recipe, the ratios of everything, is a family recipe,” says Stephanie. Servers often describe it as a fried rice dish, but it’s very crispy. Rice, shredded young coconut and seasonings are combined and formed into balls, fried and smashed. The balls are tossed with fish sauce, lime, cilantro, green and white onion and nem, a fermented sour pork sausage. (The sausage is made in house with minced pork, shredded pork skin and garlic and fermented for several days to give it its characteristic sourness.) The entree is served on lettuce and garnished with mint, peanuts and dried chili peppers. “The mix of all the flavor components and different ingredients make for a complex dish that you can’t find at too many places,” says Stephanie.
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Jean Tran
The
Mole Poblano El Sabor de Puebla
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KAYLA GENDRON/A SPOONFUL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
orn and raised in Puebla, Mexico, Reyna Gonzalez grew up surrounded by family and the traditions of home cooking. After moving to Wisconsin more than 20 years ago, she began working at a garden, where the owners eventually offered her ingredients and asked her to prepare meals for the staff. Her cooking quickly became a hit, and soon, people were encouraging Gonzalez to open a restaurant of her own. She started making tamales for friends and neighbors and soon had a thriving business — selling to businesses such as Willy Street Co-op. In 2015, Gonzalez opened her restaurant on Williamson Street and relocated to Fourth Street two years later. Popularity grew fast and she opened another location on Northport Drive in 2024. The dish closest to her heart originates in Puebla: Mole Poblano. The mole sauce is made in the Puebla style but doesn’t use poblano peppers. Making a big batch takes all day and begins with toasting large bags of mixed dried peppers and removing stems and seeds. Batches of raisins, peanuts, sesame seeds and animal crackers are fried, blended and stirred into melted Mexican chocolate to form a balanced sweet, spicy and savory paste. Thinned with water as needed, the mole sauce is added to particular dishes. Only Gonzalez and her husband, Waldo, know the recipe.
Reyna Gonzalez
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Crepes
Far Breton Bakery
KAYLA GENDRON/A SPOONFUL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
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wner and founder Marie-Arzel Young opened two bakeries in Eau Claire, but was forced to close both due to the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. The third time was a charm when she began selling her wares at markets in Madison and eventually opened Far Breton Bakery in 2022. Young was mentored by L’Etoile founder Odessa Piper, and the business name is a Breton language hat-tip to Piper’s Ovens of Brittany. Although Young has a distinguished resume as a baker and she also attended Madison College’s Culinary Arts program, she began baking as a child with her French mother. “The first thing she taught me was making crepes because they’re so simple,” she says. A staple throughout France, crepes actually originated in Brittany, the region of northwest France where her great-grandmother is from. Historically, large flat stones were placed in the hearth to heat them and became the cooking surface for a batter consisting of ground buckwheat mixed with egg and water. Brittany is located on a granite shelf, and the soil isn’t hearty enough for growing wheat — but buckwheat grew wild. “There was a famine centuries ago,” says Young, “and because buckwheat happens to be high in protein, the people didn’t starve to death.” Young serves traditional buckwheat crepes at the bakery, a taste of her heritage, and while fillings vary with the seasons, there is always one sweet and one savory option.
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Remodeling Done Well with Love See our commitments to you and your home at chadsdesignbuild.com Kitchens • Bathrooms • Additions Whole House • Lower Levels • Porches • Decks Marie-Arzel Young NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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Not a Waste of Space Non-Alcoholic Cocktail
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Public Parking
JR
Mocanu, a Madison native, made his reputation as a young bar manager at Merchant before venturing out to gain more experience in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin and Portland. But this is the first time Mocanu has been an owner. Pairing up with restaurateur Jack Yip (RED, Jacknife), he opened cocktail bar Public Parking, already a 2026 semifinalist for Best New Bar by the James Beard Foundation and listed among Bon Appétit’s Best New Bars. The non-alcoholic Not a Waste of Space cocktail represents the bar’s commitment to sustainability. Instead of treating kitchen scraps as waste, Mocanu looked for a way to give them a second life. Ginger at the end of its shelf life and carrot ends are macerated and mixed with sugar, vinegar and salt to make a shrub. This is mixed with apricot — left over from syrup-making to add natural sweetness — lemon, baking spices, black pepper and sea salt and served on the rocks with a rosemary garnish. The name is a reminder that every ingredient has value. “We strive for sustainability, quality, service and fun. But this business is expensive, and we’ve got to learn and adapt to save on costs while executing it correctly, ” says Mocanu. Kevin Revolinski writes about travel and food,
JR Mocanu
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KAYLA GENDRON/A SPOONFUL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
and often travels for food.
PARTNER CONTENT
Madison Real Estate By Mary Whitcomb and Maddie Richgels
The Hidden Hard Part Imagine you’ve decided to sell your home. Beyond making that decision, what do you suppose your next biggest challenge will be? Finding a realtor? Deciding on a price? Telling your friends and neighbors? Cleaning out the basement? You're getting warmer! It is important to make a good decision about who you hire as your “project manager,” or realtor. You’ll be spending a lot of time with this person and relying on their experience and good judgment. Other aspects of the sale will fall into place once you find someone you like and trust. Pricing, timing and home-prep decisions are what you hire a professional for. That hidden side of selling a home is dealing with all of the things that you’ve accumulated over the years — the multitude of Sur La Table aprons, the stacks of bath towels, and the lamps, chairs and rugs stored in your basement. No one reading this can say they are living free of the things they once loved! Being surrounded with things you enjoy and appreciate is great. But after a few years, it’s best to look at things more critically. Will you ever use that lemon yellow duvet, those curtain rods you replaced or that giant crock pot in
your pantry? Storage is a blessing and a curse. It allows us to stash, stockpile and accumulate. Purging items gathered over a lifetime is a stressful thing to do — especially with a deadline looming. Aside from the physical challenges of getting rid of things is the sad reality that perfectly good stuff gets thrown away. One of our most frequent calls is to our trusted team partner who does whole house clean outs. We've watched furniture, dishes, clothes, tools and a lifetime of photos end up in dumpsters. It takes time and energy to organize and pack items for donation and too often it simply doesn't happen. We once listed a home filled with a thousand books. Most were old nonfiction, but after spending hours trying to find a home for them, most were tossed. The moral of this story is to make a daily habit of getting rid of things you truly don’t want or need. Whittle ten phone cords down to three; thirty kitchen tools down to ten. Give them away. Donate them. When the time comes that you actually are selling, the process will be immensely easier if you've made a habit out of clearing out.
Until next time,
Mary Whitcomb and Maddie Richgels
835+
$398M+
25+
houses sold
in career sales
years of experience
608.712.9745 | thewhitcombgroup.madison@gmail.com Madison, WI 53703
What is your home worth?
Tips to De-Clutter •Choose a section of your closet to hang seldomworn clothes. Add to it whenever you have that iffy feeling about something. You'll know in a month or two if you want to keep it. •Get rid of old cosmetics and toiletries. They don't get better with age. •Reduce multiples. We're all guilty of throwing things in the cart we 'might' need at home. •Keep an out-of-the-way box for kids' items. If impulse buys sit there for more than a month and they haven't missed them, say goodbye. •Basements and garages are a huge source of clutter. Keep a tub for donations, fill it up, donate and repeat.
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SOUNDS of the Season Music turns holiday moments into lasting memories, bringing family and friends together through the songs, traditions and sounds that make the season feel like home. Let us help you bring music to life. Visit Heid Music for instruments, inspiration and support to fill your home with music this season and for years to come. Your partner in every musical instrument.
Heid Music | 7948 Tree Lane | Madison (608) 829-1969 44
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Meet the nonprofits that are making a difference across the city — and learn about meaningful ways to lend a hand this season. EDITED BY SHAYNA MACE
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Logan’s Heart and Smiles
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Morgan’s Caring Connection
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Badger Prairie Needs Network
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Centro Hispano, Inc.
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Czar’s Promise
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Madison Reading Project
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Briarpatch Youth Services
Santas Without Chimneys, UnityPoint Health–Meriter NICU, The Village Diaper Bank & WayForward Resources
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Logan’s Heart and Smiles Where Every Child Can Thrive
Founded: 2002 OUR MISSION: Logan’s Heart and Smiles builds home modifications that provide accessibility, safety and sensory support for children with disabilities and their families while growing relationships among the families we help and our community. We have completed over 500 accessible, safe and sensory friendly home modifications for children with disabilities.
WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT US: ♥ Monetary donations cover home modifications when other funding sources cannot, allowing a child to have an accessible, safe home. Our Beyond the Build program can also remain free to participants to build community with other children with disabilities, siblings and caregivers.
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Donations are applied to construction materials and labor costs associated with building home modifications such as wheelchair ramps, safety fences, bathroom remodels, custom beds and more. Funds are also used to provide free events and outings for the children with disabilities we serve and their families as part of the Beyond the Build program, such as a day at the movies or dinner out with other caregivers.
♥ Volunteer to help our operations. We are looking for a graphic designer to join our marketing team and board members to help guide our organization for a strong future. ♥ Sponsor and attend fundraising events like our Pot O’ Gold in March or our annual fundraiser in May. Or, host your own fundraising event with Logan’s as the beneficiary. ♥ Spread the word by sharing our mission with others.
“Logan’s Heart and Smiles eliminates physical and social barriers so children with disabilities and their families can safely and comfortably thrive in their homes and community.” —Joe Herr, founder and Logan’s dad SPONSORED BY
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DONATE NOW 6630 Watts Rd. Ste. B Madison, WI, 53719 logansheartandsmiles.org
Badger Prairie Needs Network A Pantry Powered by People
Founded: 1986 OUR MISSION: Badger Prairie Needs Network’s (BPNN) mission is to fight poverty and end hunger in Dane County. We envision a strong, healthy community where access to nutritional food is readily available and where hunger, at its worst, is a temporary state and not a way of life. WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Badger Prairie Needs Network offers the largest grocery store-style food pantry for people experiencing food insecurity in Dane County that is 100% led and operated by volunteers. In addition, we provide a free community meal two Saturdays each month, onsite access to Dane County Joining Forces for Families social workers and free legal advocacy focused on ending homelessness and leveling the playing field for people with limited financial means. We work with
Public Health Madison Dane County and other local health organizations to provide onsite vaccine clinics, STD testing, and health information and education. WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT US: ♥ Volunteer your time. There are a variety of shifts, including working in the pantry, serving meals or repackaging food. New volunteer orientations are offered Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. ♥ Make a financial gift to help purchase food and keep the lights on. ♥ Donate food through food drives, fundraisers and home gardens.
“By any measure, what happens at BPNN is extraordinary — a community of dedicated volunteers coming together to make sure our neighbors have the food and support they need.”
DONATE NOW
1200 E. Verona Ave., Verona, WI, 53593 BPNN.org
—Bob Kasieta, president SPONSORED BY
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2027
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Czar’s Promise Paws With Purpose
Founded: 2018 OUR MISSION: Czar’s Promise supports families whose cherished dogs and cats are facing cancer by providing financial assistance for chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment, along with emotional support and trusted resources throughout their journey. We also invest in innovative cancer research in Madison, bringing together experts in human and veterinary medicine to advance treatments and create hope for children and companion animals facing cancer. WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Donations to Czar’s Promise provide financial assistance to dogs and cats receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment at one of four veterinary oncology centers in Madison. Gifts also support our Woof & Meow Packs, filled with comfort items and trusted resources for families beginning a pet cancer journey.
“Czar’s Promise makes a difference in Madison by ensuring families facing a beloved pet’s cancer diagnosis never have to walk that journey alone, while investing in groundbreaking local cancer research at the American Family Children’s Hospital/UW Carbone Cancer Center and the UW School of Veterinary Medicine.”
Czar’s Promise provides grant funding for pediatric cancer research at The American Family Children’s Hospital, along with pet cancer research at UW-Madison. Every gift helps us care for families facing cancer today while advancing research that may create better treatments. WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT US: ♥ Give a financial gift to help provide chemotherapy and radiation treatment for local dogs and cats with cancer, while also supporting pediatric and companion animal cancer research in Madison. ♥ Register, form a team or fundraise for our annual fall Inspiring Hope Walk, which brings hundreds of people and their pets together to celebrate cancer-fighting heroes, remember those we have lost and raise funds. ♥ Volunteer and help with the Inspiring Hope Walk, community events, Woof & Meow Packs and other Czar’s Promise programs throughout the year. ♥ Donate items for our Woof & Meow Packs, including blankets, treats, toys and other comfort items given to families whose pets are beginning their cancer journey.
—Beth Viney, founder, executive director and Czar’s mom SPONSORED BY
DONATE NOW
P.O. Box 5061 Madison, WI, 53705 czarspromise.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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Madison Reading Project Books That Give Back
Founded: 2014 OUR MISSION: Madison Reading Project (MRP) connects our community with free books and literacy resources to ignite a love for reading that reflects and affirms the unique identities of young readers. The nonprofit’s core programs and services are designed for children ages birth to 18. We work with families, caregivers and educators who support children and youth in the greater Dane and Sauk Counties. We prioritize partners who work with historically marginalized communities, and/or families experiencing low income.
WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT US: ♥ A monetary gift in any amount helps us provide free books and literacy enrichment opportunities for thousands of children and educators.
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Our literacy programs distribute over 130,000 new books annually to educators and children, made possible by over 240 partnerships with schools, social service agencies, neighborhood centers, community events and other local organizations in Dane and Sauk Counties.
♥ When you buy books on our bookshop.org page, you support independent bookstores and MRP receives a cut of each book sold. ♥ Volunteer at our book center, deliver Little Free Library books, provide event and fundraising support, or help lead one of our literacy programs. ♥ Attend our annual The Read(y) to Wear event, a fun paper fashion show that raises money for MRP.
“By providing free, culturally diverse books, literacy resources and community-informed programs across Dane and Sauk counties, we spark a passion for reading that reflects and affirms every child in our community.” —Rowan Childs, co-executive director and founder
DONATE NOW
2939 S. Fish Hatchery Rd., Ste. 100, Fitchburg, WI, 53711 madisonreadingproject.com
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Briarpatch Youth Services Support When It Matters
Founded: 1971 OUR MISSION: Briarpatch Youth Services offers a broad array of services to youth who have run away, are experiencing homelessness and/or facing other life challenges. Briarpatch works closely with local governments and other nonprofit organizations to provide unique programs that fill service gaps in Dane County. WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Your gift to Briarpatch Youth Services helps strengthen the lives of youth and families across Dane County. Donations help provide safe shelter, crisis intervention, advocacy, housing assistance, case management, employment support and restorative justice services. Donations also help provide young people with essentials such as food, clothing, hygiene supplies, transportation, school and employment resources, and other basic needs. Your support makes it possible for youth to participate in activities, community events, and opportunities to connect and build skills. Every dollar helps ensure that young people have access to caring adults, meaningful resources and support when they need it most.
WAYS YOU CAN HELP US: ♥ Donate money to help provide critical services, resources and opportunities for youth and families. ♥ Provide items that directly support young people and our programs, including clothing, hygiene products, food and other essentials. A list of most-requested items is our website. ♥ Sign up for the Briarpatch newsletter to learn about our programs, youth stories, events and ways to get involved. ♥ Spread the word to help us reach more young people, families, community members and supporters by sharing Briarpatch’s work with your friends, family, workplace, or social networks. ♥ Attend a Briarpatch event or community activity and learn more about how you can support youth and families in Dane County.
DONATE NOW
“Briarpatch Youth Services walks alongside youth through life’s challenges.” —Jill Pfeiffer, executive director
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2720 Rimrock Rd., Fitchburg, WI, 53713 briarpatch.org
Morgan’s Caring Connection Planning With Heart
Founded: 2024 OUR MISSION: Morgan’s Caring Connection (MCC) helps families raising children and adults with disabilities plan for a secure future. We connect families with trusted professionals, provide free education and resources, and offer financial assistance to help cover the cost of essential estate and future planning, including special needs trusts, guardianship and financial planning. Our goal is to make a complicated and often overwhelming process easier to navigate, so families can take action today knowing their loved one will be protected and supported in the future. WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Funding supports our Family Support Giving Fund, which helps cover the cost of estate plans, special needs trusts, guardianship and specialized financial planning for families who may otherwise be unable to afford these services. Donations also support our free education webinar series, family resources and community events that connect families with trusted professionals and organizations.
WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT US: ♥ Your monetary gift to our Family Support Giving Fund (familysupportgivingfund.org) helps families afford essential planning services, including estate plans, special needs trusts, guardianship and specialized financial planning. ♥ Give your time and talents by volunteering at our fundraising events and helping with community outreach, administrative projects, marketing or other needs throughout the year. ♥ Businesses and individuals can sponsor our programs, fundraising events or the Family Support Giving Fund. ♥ Help us spread the word about MCC with families who may need our services, attend our events, follow and share our social media posts, or introduce us to businesses and community partners who may want to support our mission.
“Morgan’s Caring Connection makes a difference by helping families raising loved ones with disabilities move from uncertainty and overwhelm to a place of confidence and peace of mind, knowing they have a plan for the future.” —Janis Strutt, co-founder and executive director
DONATE NOW
230 Horizon Dr., Ste. 101B, Verona, WI, 53593 morganscc.org
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Centro Hispano, Inc. A Community of Support
Founded: 1983 OUR MISSION: Centro Hispano, Inc. (Centro) is a welcoming home for the Latinx community in Dane County. Our mission is to empower youth, strengthen families and engage the community. For many families, their journey starts with our Family Support team, often the first friendly face they meet. The team helps with urgent needs and connects families to education, career training, immigration legal services, and mental health support. Our Mercadito, Farmers Market, celebrates our culture and brings neighbors together with food, music and joy. With our community partners, we help people discover new opportunities, reach their goals and build brighter futures for their families. WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES: Your donation helps Centro serve about 10,000 people each year. It supports youth education and summer programs, Caminos workforce training, bilingual immigration legal services, mental health care and emergency help for immigrant families.
One gift can change the direction of someone’s life and the lives of their whole family. You’ll see the difference right away, and the impact keeps growing for years. WAYS TO SUPPORT US: ♥ Donate to support our youth programs that help to inspire the next generation of leaders through education, mentorship and career development opportunities. ♥ Volunteer your time, skills and professional expertise to our support programs or assist at community events. ♥ Become a sponsor or corporate partner to support Centro’s mission through event sponsorships, financial contributions and year-round partnerships.
“Centro Hispano makes a difference in the Madison community by creating a welcoming place where individuals and families feel safe, seen and supported, while connecting them with education, career opportunities, legal assistance, mental health resources and the tools they need to build a better future.” — Karen Menéndez Coller, executive director SPONSORED BY
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DONATE NOW
2403 Cypress Way, Madison, WI, 53713 micentro.org
Other Ways to Give
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weeten the season by putting together a holiday baking basket consisting of shelf-stable holiday baking essentials for the WayForward Resources food pantry. Think: brown or white sugar, baking soda, flour, salt and more. Then, make it extra-festive by packaging it up with fun baking items, such as sprinkles, a cookie sheet or a rolling pin. wayforwardresources.org/baking The Birthing Center, Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Center for Perinatal Care at UnityPoint Health–Meriter support infants and families during the earliest stages of life. Gifts from the Birthing & NICU Holiday Gift Guide helps provide resources and support that allow families to focus on their babies’ care. Select items from the wish list, including yarn to make a baby hat ($4), an isolette crib sheet ($15), a gas card ($25), an infant car seat ($105) and more. give.unitypoint.org/babygiftguide2026 The Village Diaper Bank supplies diapers to Dane, Green, Columbia and Jefferson counties via partner social service agencies including The Salvation Army, Badger Prairie Needs Network, The Road Home and more. You can help The Village in a few ways: simply drop off diapers at its distribution warehouse at 3302 Dairy Dr. in Madison; purchase items off its Amazon wish list; volunteer in its distribution warehouse or give a monetary donation. villagediaperbank.org Help make the holidays magical for local children and teens experiencing homelessness through Santas Without Chimneys, a Madison-based, volunteer-run nonprofit that delivers personalized gifts based on each child’s wish list. Sponsor a child or family, donate new toys or gift cards, or volunteer to sort, shop for and wrap presents. santaswithoutchimneys.org
Ask about our complimentary design services! 2300 Badger Ln., Madison 608.255.8998 • 670 S. Whitney Way, Madison 608.274.5575 RubinsFurniture.com
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BRAVA Magazine celebrated our vibrant community of Madison business owners and professionals at our Women in Business event on Sept. 8, 2026 at the Park Hotel. Attendees enjoyed a speed networking session and a reception celebrating the 50-plus businesses that were featured in our “Women Leading Wellness” cover story and Professional Profiles. The cover was also unveiled, surprising the five women featured on it.
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Thank you for joining us this year!
Special Thanks
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Keeping
Faith
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Shelia Stubbs
Each spiritual journey is as unique as the woman who walks it. Six women from faith communities across Madison share about their paths, perspectives and interactions with their congregations. BY KATIE VAUGHN PHOTOGRAPHY BY HILLARY SCHAVE
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“Religion done right can be a source of grounding and connection and help solve problems.”
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COMMUNITY CARE:
Renée Bauer
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n 2005, after graduating from Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Pennsylvania, Renée Bauer moved to Madison and joined The Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central Wisconsin (now called Worker Justice Wisconsin) as its executive director. But after a few years, she felt pulled to work again in the Jewish community. Ten years ago, she took on the new role of community rabbi at Jewish Social Services of Madison, which supports seniors, individuals and families of all religions through a wide range of services inspired by Jewish values. The agency’s refugee resettlement and immigration program helps refugees and immigrants with employment, housing security and more, while the Jewish spiritual care program — which Bauer directs — offers Shabbat and holiday programs, one-on-one spiritual care and other services for Jews and their families who are not affiliated with a synagogue and facing life challenges. “I run the spiritual care department, meaning I serve Jews and Jewish families in need of care,” she says. “We have a robust senior program and also work with people experiencing mental illness, grief, end of life and substance use issues. It’s community care. It’s a very real part of being with people when they’re their most authentic, at their most tender moments.” Bauer grew up in an active reform Jewish household in the California Bay Area and worked in the Jewish community in San Francisco before attending rabbinical school. She’s always been drawn to the Jewish principle of helping others. “I believe in the human dignity of every person,” she says. “Everyone deserves care and has a story.” Bauer likes to listen to those stories and hear people’s opinions and beliefs, even if they differ from her own. And she appreciates being able to serve the Jewish community in a range of settings. She also deeply respects the diversity of the staff at Jewish Social Services, who represent faiths ranging from Jewish to Christian to Muslim, and the ways they work together. “It feels like such a gift; a model in a divisive world,” she says. “There’s so much broken in the world that we can’t change. Working with individuals to make a difference matters.”
INSPIRED LEADERSHIP:
Rep. Shelia Stubbs
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or Shelia Stubbs, service and care have been the through lines of her life, whether she’s tending to her family, her church or her community. “From a young age, I felt a strong sense of calling to serve others and to create spaces where people could find meaning, hope and community,” she says. After graduating college, Stubbs moved back to Wisconsin to help care for her grandmother. She moved to the Simpson Street neighborhood in Madison, where her mother lived. “My mother told me that this is where she would teach me to work with the community,” she says. “I would spend my evenings at the local community center helping families. I was teaching parents how to read, helping them pay their bills and taking food from my mother’s refrigerator and cupboards to give to those who had nothing to eat.” This led to Stubbs, who has worked as a senior probation and parole agent for the Enhanced Supervision Project of Dane County, a special education teacher and an adjunct professor, to be elected to the Dane County Board of Supervisors, serving from 2006 to 2022. In 2018, she became the first African American from Dane County to be elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing parts of South and West Madison. Following
redistricting, she was elected to the 78th Assembly District in 2024, representing South and East parts of Madison, the City of Monona, a portion of the Village of McFarland and the Town of Blooming Grove. Intertwined with her political work is Stubbs’ faith journey. She co-founded End Times Ministries International with her husband, Bishop Dr. Godfrey Stubbs, who is the senior pastor. She was ordained as a pastor there in 2013. “My faith has always been a source of strength and guidance, so the path to ordination was a way to deepen my commitment to service — to help others connect with God and with each other,” she says. “My service in politics really grew alongside my pastoral work. I saw firsthand the ways that policy affects people’s daily lives — issues like affordable housing, healthcare, public education and justice for all. I felt compelled to step up and advocate for change at a systemic level, so that the values I cherish could help shape our community for the better.” Both public service and ministry involve listening to people’s needs and approaching them with compassion and respect. Supporting others is at the heart of all Stubbs’ work, and she finds that her two current roles complement one another. “My experience in ministry, working and worshipping with congregants from diverse walks of life, strengthens my sense of humility, service and empathy, all values that are important in effective community and civic leadership.”
“Faith isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about asking the right questions, about growing and about caring for one another. It’s a journey towards compassion, meaning and community.”
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Gnome for the Holidays December 5, 2026 through January 3, 2027
Turkey, side dishes, locally grown organic vegetables, pie, wine, even candles—everything you need for your holiday dinner. Vegan and gluten-free options available! Details at willystreet.coop/thanksgiving. 60
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MESSAGE OF ACCEPTANCE:
Etta Steel
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tta Steel spent 30 years working as a classroom teacher. Yet when she came out as a transgender woman, it was in church where she ultimately found her place. Her path to faith began when she met with a woman who was offering voice lessons at Midvale Community Lutheran Church. “At the door, she stopped and said, ‘I just realized what this might feel like for you,’” Steel says. “That simple recognition [that I might not feel safe or welcomed in this space] opened a door.” Steel found her spiritual home at St. John’s Lutheran Church, where she now serves as a vicar, after earning a master’s degree in diaconal ministry from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque. “I love the Lutheran theology that says essentially you’re going to fuck it up but you are also divinely holy,” she says. “We’re sinners and saints.” At St. John’s, Steel preaches every other week and often tends to the older members of the congregation. And she reaches many people outside of the church’s walls. She’s been a regular presence at the Dane County Farmers’ Market where she chats with passersby. She wears her traditional clergy collar but to upend expectations, she cropped her shirt. “That opened a door for people to receive a message,” she says, adding that creating a visible queer presence in ministry is important. Steel also maintains a social media ministry on TikTok and Instagram. And she’s looking to shift into longer-form content on YouTube and in a podcast to reach more people. “In my ministry, when someone has seen a difference in the way they can look at their life, with joy instead of pain, it’s powerful,” she says. “I think of that little girl I was hiding in that mask of a boy. There are so many people who are seeking new ways of being.” And it’s in the Bible that Steel finds the inspiration to do so. “The most important thing that I learned is these ancient texts we have, these are all conversations,” she says. “The New Testament is a conversation God is having with us. This is not a rule book. It suggests ways to be in the world.” In particular, she says, Jesus’s core teachings offer the best lessons for living. “Love God with all your heart and soul and mind,” she says. “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
“There’s no single one way to live in this world. You don’t have to believe like I do.”
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LEAPS OF FAITH:
Rev. Linda McCarty
W
hen Linda McCarty was in her mid-30s, while working as a medical malpractice defense attorney in Chicago, she began questioning her purpose. “I worked in the John Hancock building, and there was a church across the street,” she recalls. “I was standing at the corner of Chestnut and Michigan Avenue, trying to decide if I was going to cross the street to go to this little Bible study.” She waited as the traffic lights cycled through twice, and then heard a busker singing “Blessed Assurance.” “That song was my grandmother’s favorite, and was played at all my family’s funerals. I felt like she was speaking to me,” explains McCarty, seeing it as a sign. At that Presbyterian church, Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago, McCarty was moved by the theology that God is working through us all and that faith could be about listening to the Spirit rather than following rules. “That really impacted me,” she says. “What I love about the Presbyterian tradition is you come with imperfect knowledge and realize you don’t know everything. God is working reconciliation with everyone, and the church has no walls.” Inspired, McCarty earned a master’s of divinity degree at the University of Chicago and in 2004 moved to Houston to lead Faith in Practice, which provides volunteer medical care and health education in Guatemala. “It nearly killed me but also gave me true life, like any calling,” she says. During the pandemic, McCarty found herself at another turning point. She had returned to Chicago for a sabbatical and then resettled in Madison in 2022, along with a puppy she named Xela after a town in Guatemala. Now, she and Xela, a 30-pound mini Goldendoodle, volunteer with Caring Canines as a therapy dog team at the American Family Children’s Hospital. McCarty also works as an associate chaplain at UW Health hospitals and parish associate at Christ Presbyterian Church, “two part-time jobs that don’t feel like jobs,” she says. McCarty says that in both of her roles, her job is to get out of the way and let the Spirit work through her. And it’s a big shift from how her career started. “As an attorney, your entire job is to mitigate risk, and control the future in your favor,” she says. “As human beings, we are wanting to have all the answers. But following the Spirit means not being in control and becoming a part of a future you could not imagine, part of a larger purpose.” It’s vitally important, McCarty says, to pay attention to where you’re being led, even amid uncertainty. “You have to listen to the Spirit and take the leap of faith,” she says. “You’re going to have problems no matter what. It’s a way of living, with trust, not fear.”
“It’s a lived faith. It’s not about following a set of rules that human beings created to try to describe God — something none of us can do — but only experience.” NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026 BRAVAMAGAZINE.COM
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CURIOSITY AND CONNECTION:
Rev. Kelly Crocker
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ach week in Kelly Crocker’s Catholic elementary school in Scranton, Pennsylvania, a parish priest would come in and talk to the students. By second grade, she knew a role in ministry was for her. But it wasn’t until she attended the Louisville Presbyterian Seminary that Crocker began discovering exactly what her path would be. “Being in seminary was the first time I thought seriously about what I believe and what was important to me, and the first time I asked what faith means to me,” she says. In the process of exploring different faith traditions, a classmate introduced Crocker to a Unitarian Universalist minister, and everything clicked. “It was an instant yes. It just landed in me,” she says. “Unitarian Universalism sees the worth and sacredness in every being. There was a poster that said essentially, ‘We don’t worry about what happens when we die, we care about what we do now.’ We align our values and actions with integrity.” The Rev. Crocker, who moved to Madison in 2001 to become minister of religious education at the First Unitarian Society, says curiosity and open-mindedness bring a wide range of people — including Christians, Buddhists, Jews, pagans and atheists — to the congregation. “What holds us together is our shared values and wanting to make a difference in the world together,” she says. “Our paths look different but we are on them together.” As a reverend, Crocker’s approach is being part of her congregation. “I am a big believer in shared ministry,” she says. “Yes, I get to be their minister, and I am one leader among many leaders. We are all partnered in serving the mission of the congregation.” Crocker appreciates the diversity of her job duties, which can range from leading a community protest to running a children’s program. “Every day is an adventure,” she says. “Every day has these moments of wonder or these moments of connection.” And it’s the people she serves that keeps Crocker inspired. “What keeps me going in the work is I love these people,” she says. “I get to see people learn and grow. One of the gifts of ministry is I get to be part of the most important moments of life. And 25 years is a lot of life.”
“When it comes to faith, what I wish more people knew is it’s really yours to discover. You’re not expected to have one right true answer to any question. Each of us discovers our own answers ...”
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Terra Allen
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ince moving to Madison in 2016, Terra Allen has been known as the first lady of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, where her husband Marcus serves as pastor. The pair met in Kentucky, while on active duty in the U.S. Army, and they deployed together to Iraq before being transferred to Virginia, where he also pastored a church. Faith has been a constant in Allen’s life, since growing up in a small town in Alabama, where she’d walk to church each week with her family. “My earliest memories are singing in the youth choir,” she says. Singing has remained a passion for Allen, even in the Army, where she served as a vocalist and a human resources specialist. In 2024, she earned an MBA from the Wisconsin School of Business, and now holds an HR role in the US Army Reserve and is the director of the Christine C. Hodge Academic Learning Center at Mt. Zion’s MTZ Charitable Organization. Her role as first lady of the church, though, is always multifaceted. “There’s not a job description,” she says. “What I try to do is decide how I can support my husband and our ministry in different seasons.”
The pandemic, in particular, brought a lot of change to Mt. Zion. “Some folks are not in the building anymore, some people are not even in Madison,” she says, adding that Mt. Zion established an online presence during the pandemic. “In person, we’re seeing a lot of younger people and a lot of people who are new to church. They’re searching for something, and I feel they’ve found that in Mt. Zion.” Through all her work, whether in the military, in the business world or at church, Allen draws inspiration from her faith. “Jesus is a servant leader,” she says. “At the core of my being, I am a servant. I’m grateful that whatever God has called me to do, He has equipped me to do. If you’re serving, you’re going to find your purpose, you’re going to find your people.” Most recently, Allen is feeling called to steward women, and she’s excited to see where that leads. “What I’ve learned over the years is when God speaks, it’s not always these big trumpets, it’s often those very still, small voices,” she says. “I believe it’s the internal compass that God’s given us, and the older I’ve gotten, the more I lean into it.”
“I hear a lot of people say they believe in a higher power but don’t know about religion. I believe there’s a church home for every person. Having a community of faith is a beautiful thing if people would give it a chance.”
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SMALL TOWN HOLIDAYS
Midwest
Holiday Escapes From dazzling light displays to old-fashioned celebrations, these cities know how to make the season sparkle.
JANESVILLE
raboo wn Ba o t n w Do
PPeElLlLa A
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SMALL TOWN HOLIDAYS
Holidays in Pella: A Season of Joy Imagine wandering through a real-life Dutch Christmas card — with glowing lights in every storefront, carriage bells ringing and a canal-side market — pulled straight from the Netherlands. That holiday magic comes to life in historic downtown Pella, Iowa, during the holidays. The season kicks off November 6 with the Festival of Trees, a wonderland of designer trees filling historic downtown. Pink Friday (November 21) offers a relaxed alternative to the holiday rush, followed by the Annual Tree Lighting on November 23, complete with nostalgic carriage rides through downtown. Then, the first weekend of December brings the town’s biggest holiday tradition: the Tour of Stores, Kerstmarkt and the Christmas Tour of Homes all at once, turning Pella into a three-day charming holiday getaway. Whether you’re chasing twinkling lights with the kids, sipping something warm with friends or starting a new tradition with someone you love, Pella is waiting to welcome you home for the holidays.
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visitpella.com
Kerstmarkt: Pella’s Dutch Christmas Market Step into an authentic European Christmas market without leaving Iowa. Along the Molengracht canal, Kerstmarkt fills downtown Pella with local artisans, Dutch food, warm drinks and live music, all inspired by the open-air markets of the Netherlands. Save the date for December 3–5 (Thursday and Friday 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.), and don’t miss the Merry Martini Huis for a specialty cocktail while you shop.
Pella’s Christmas Tour of Homes Step inside the warm glow of festively decorated homes during this beloved holiday tradition, taking place on December 3 (1–8 p.m.), December 4 (10 a.m.–8 p.m.) and December 5 (10 a.m.–4 p.m.). Each stop on the tour offers a glimpse into how Pella families celebrate, from old-world charm to modern elegance — perfect inspiration for your own home decor. Tickets are on sale now at visitpella.com and include four home tours plus a warm drink at the Pella Historical Museum booth. Kids 12 and under are free. 70
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SMALL TOWN HOLIDAYS
Holiday Lights, Sips and Shopping in Baraboo Trade crowded, big-box stores for a holiday weekend that feels like stepping into a real-life Christmas village. Just 40 minutes north of Madison, Downtown Baraboo invites you to gather your favorite friends for a getaway filled with one-of-a-kind shopping, festive drinks and a little Christmas magic. Picture yourself arriving in the heart of historic Downtown Baraboo. Christmas music fills the air as you stroll past beautifully decorated storefronts surrounding the historic Courthouse Square. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and seasonal treats drifts from locally owned cafes, inviting you to stop in and warm up before exploring more than 40 independent shops and specialty businesses. Step inside The Village Booksmith, where shelves of used and hard-to-find books invite you to discover the perfect gift for the reader on your list. Continue to Just Imagine Toys for a little Christmas magic for the children in your life, then browse the beautiful holiday home decor finds at Countryside ReFind. Around every corner, discover something unexpected, from fashionable clothing and artisan-made gifts to vintage treasures and specialty foods.
downtownbaraboo.com Sip the Square
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When you’re ready for a shopping break, make your way to one of downtown’s participating cafes, bars and restaurants for Sip the Square, a seasonal beverage tour running November 6 through December 31. Start at Wiscocktail Lounge and try their World Famous Wiscocktail Eggnog or festive Rum Rum Rudolph. Warm up with a candy cane or eggnog latte at PRESS Coffeehouse or sip a cranberry apple slush at Balanced Rock Winery. Sample handcrafted holiday drinks, discover new favorite gathering spots and enjoy the festive atmosphere with friends.
Light Up the Square and Stay Awhile As daylight fades, Downtown Baraboo takes on an entirely new glow. Light Up the Square transforms the historic courthouse grounds with illuminated archways, a towering Christmas tree and an oversized lighted ornament, glowing nightly from 5–10 p.m. Wander through the lights, capture a holiday photo and enjoy the magic of Christmas. Make a weekend of it with an overnight stay at one of Baraboo’s distinctive lodging properties. Wake up to a leisurely breakfast, explore a few more shops and discover why one day simply isn’t enough to experience Christmas in Downtown Baraboo. Seven weekends, seven festive experiences. Each brings something new, from wine walks and festive parades to holiday markets and beyond. 72
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SMALL TOWN HOLIDAYS
Vacations Don’t Hibernate in Janesville Your winter plans could use a change of scenery. Luckily, you don’t have to go far to find one. Get out, explore and make the most of winter in Janesville, with plenty activities to fill a day — or a whole weekend. Bundle up and head outside for a little fresh air, whether that means ice fishing on the area’s lakes, snowshoeing through over 2,600 acres of parkland, walking the peaceful paved winter trails or hitting the snowmobile trails when conditions are right. Prefer your winter wonderland with a little more sparkle? Wander through the beautifully decorated Lincoln-Tallman House during its Holiday Tree Show, where historic charm meets holiday cheer. Then, take in the glow of more than two million lights as you wander through the Rotary Botanical Gardens Holiday Light Show. Between adventures, slow down with a warm drink or a craft cocktail, browse local shops, eat a delicious meal or settle in for a show. Whether you’re looking for a change of scenery, a festive day trip or just a reason to get out of the house, Janesville makes it easy to turn an ordinary winter day into a getaway.
janesvillecvb.com Warm Up Here
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Cold-weather exploring calls for a cozy place to warm up. For more indoor adventure, try axe throwing at Papa Docs, catch a performance at Janesville Performing Arts Center or laugh the night away at Comedy Cabin. Start your next morning with coffee and pastries at Mocha Moment, settle in for a leisurely lunch at Milwaukee Grill or make an evening of dinner and locally crafted drinks at drafthouse. Janesville’s restaurants, bakeries, breweries, wineries and entertainment offer plenty of places to linger between winter activities. So, grab a table and take your time — you’re on holiday, after all.
A Little Retail Therapy Make room in your schedule for some shopping. Janesville’s locally owned boutiques, specialty shops and small businesses are full of unique finds. Browse a variety of plants and decor at Floral Expressions or hunt for oneof-a-kind finds at some of our thrift stores like Carousel Consignments, 608 Vintage and MH Vintage Collective. Looking for something new? Boutiques like Chloe & Claire and Velvet & Tulle offer stylish finds for your wardrobe. And after all that shopping, reward yourself with something sweet from The Sugar Exchange. It’s an ideal way to end a shopping spree!
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FAMILY FUN
DOESN’T HIBERNATE!
Don’t Let Winter Keep You In In Janesville, WI, winter is made for getting out, then warming up somewhere cozy -snowshoeing, ice fishing, sledding, and taking in over two million lights. Then, try axe throwing, catch live entertainment, browse a boutique, or settle in for a great meal. This season, do winter differently. Get out and discover Janesville.
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Located Just Outside Madison
GO + DO | EATS & DRINKS
Madison Public Market
MARKET MOMENTUM The Madison Public Market is finally welcoming shoppers, diners and entrepreneurs — with a healthy group of womenowned businesses in the mix. BY DANIELLE LETENYEI PHOTOGRAPHY BY HILLARY SCHAVE
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armell Jackson, owner of Melly Mell’s Soul Food, has waited a long time for the Madison Public Market to open. Jackson was one of the first vendors accepted to the project back in 2017. After several delays over the years, the Madison Public Market soft opened its doors in July and another grand opening celebration is slated for November. “I’m excited. I’ve been here since the beginning,” Jackson says. Melly Mell’s is one of 10 women-owned businesses with a permanent location in the Madison Public Market.
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Fifteen businesses are open (with three forthcoming in October as of press time). The rest should be open by the end of the year, says Keisha Harrison, chief executive officer of the Madison Public Market Foundation. In addition to the 28 permanent businesses, the Market has 10 kiosks and space for 32 pop-up vendors. The goal is to create a communal business atmosphere, Harrison says.
“Although there are many separate businesses like a shopping mall, this is not a shopping mall,” she says. “We have a common purpose.” Over half of the anchor businesses already set to open are owned by women. Half of those are food-related businesses, while the other half are retail shops. Here are the women-owned food vendors in the Madison Public Market:
MELLY MELL’S This popular soul food restaurant has been serving the Madison area for about 18 years. Jackson operated a restaurant on the West Beltline Highway from 2010 until 2015. After she closed the restaurant, she pivoted to catering and does pop-up events such as Taste of Madison and the Madison Night Markets. The menu at her public market location includes dishes such as fried
Cervato Wine + Tapas
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chicken, catfish, ribs, mac and cheese, collard greens and several desserts.
CERVATO WINE + TAPAS This wine bar and pizza kitchen is the latest venture from Amanda Stefl, owner of Timber Hill Winery in Milton. When Stefl opened her winery in 2016, she was perhaps the youngest winemaker in Wisconsin. She was contemplating opening a second location in Madison when she heard about the public market. “I wanted to be part of something like that,” she recalls. Cervato, the Spanish word for “fawn,” ties into Timber Hill’s stag logo. Stefl chose the name because it represents the brand’s next chapter. “The name reflects that it’s a young, fresh version of Timber Hill,” she says. The business occupies two vendor spaces in the market: one that houses the wine bar and a slightly separate space that serves as the pizza kitchen. (The wine and tapas bar is already open, and the pizza kitchen will be open soon.) “That way a child could come up and order a pizza or cheese bread without coming up to a wine bar,” Stefl says. Stefl has created an exclusive line of Cervato wines for the wine bar, along with a few Timber Hill wines that will rotate with the seasons.
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GO + DO | EATS & DRINKS in the UW-Madison Library Mall and Little Tibet Market & Cafe on North Sherman Avenue. Their public market location will be open soon.
CAED CONFECTIONS Stevens Point chocolatier Presley Rhode owns Caed Confections, which features gourmet bonbons in flavors such as whiskey caramel, blueberry mojito, IPA caramel and lemon lavender. Danielle Letenyei is a Madison-area freelance The Chowpati team
THE CHOWPATI
LITTLE TIBET KITCHENETTE
Authentic Indian street food is on the menu at The Chowpati, whose tagline is “a place for chai, chaat and chow.” Owner Shraddha Tilloo has been offering her Indian food at various pop-up events around Madison, including the Middleton Night Market. This is her first restaurant location.
Little Tibet Kitchenette will bring the bold flavors of the Himalayas to the Madison Public Market with a menu of quick, comforting Tibetan food. It’s a smaller version of the Little Tibet Restaurant on East Johnson Street, owned by Namgyal Ponsar, Thinley Tenzing and Tharten Ponsar. The family team also operates a food cart
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GO + DO | EATS & DRINKS
Era Cafe
WORTH THE RAVES Our 2026 Raves & Faves winners earned the spotlight, but these reader favorites are just as deserving of a place on your radar. BY KEVIN REVOLINSKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY HILLARY SCHAVE
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rom beloved culinary institutions to cozy cafes, these reader-approved runners-up warrant a little more attention. Consider this your short list for what to try next — and a preview of what’s to come when our 2027 Raves & Faves reader’s choice awards returns in the March/April issue.
LOVE LOLA’S HI/LO LOUNGE? TRY THE WINE RESERVE. A restored 1910s bank building has become a classy Oregon hangout, with pressed-tin ceilings and exposed brick walls adorned with historic photos.
Explore the vino with pours or little tastes from a self-serve station of 16 wines. The full bar offers a collection of bourbons plus cocktails and craft beers. The food menu offers simple snacks, chocolate and Wisconsin cheese and charcuterie boards, and carry-in food is allowed to encourage supporting neighboring local businesses. The lounge also hosts book clubs, game nights, workshops, lectures, art events and local fundraisers.
LOVE MARIGOLD KITCHEN? TRY ERA CAFE. A bustling Waunakee spot with a stellar
menu, Era Cafe serves fluffy pancakes, French crepes and a benedict menu with six variations — including one made with barbacoa beef, topped with hollandaise, avocado slices, scallions and pico de gallo. The Croque Madame Crepes (stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese) are popular. Breakfast is available throughout the day, as are lunch items such as burgers, wraps and sandwiches, as well as quinoa bowls for a healthier option. Along with coffee and espresso drinks, the full bar serves mimosas, bloodies and a variety of other cocktails, beers and wines.
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GO + DO | EATS & DRINKS in the name is a nod to the original owner, who lived upstairs from the bakery before the Fosdals took over in 1939.
LOVE FORAGE KITCHEN? TRY BANZO.
Era Cafe
LOVE BLOOM BAKE SHOP? TRY FOSDAL HOME BAKERY. Any bakery that has a peanut butter and jelly donut (consisting of peanut butter buttercream with strawberry jelly and crushed peanuts) or a peach cobbler donut is a winner in my book. But Fosdal’s in Stoughton offers so much more, including a variety of breads, buns, pastries and even wedding cakes. Pick up the state pastry, the kringle, and some Norwegian specialties such as lefse or krumkake — especially around the holidays. The “home”
With origins in the local food cart scene, Banzo expanded to offer counter service out of a converted two-story house with a sprawling wooden deck overlooking Burrows Park. The menu offers build-your-own options, with the base being a choice of a pita sandwich, rice, hummus or salad bowl. Their falafel and hummus made them famous, so consider a pita sandwich with both. The F-Bomb Salad is particularly good, with greens, kalamata olives, chickpeas, feta and lemon agave dressing. Vegetarians will love this place, but carnivores shouldn’t sleep on the chicken shawarma, beef and lamb.
LOVE ANCORA? TRY FIREFLY COFFEEHOUSE. With its excellent coffee and vivacious vibe it’s no surprise this cafe — already 20 years old — has become known as “Oregon’s living room.” When local cheese expert Jeanne Carpenter and her husband Uriah took over in 2017,
Jeanne Carpenter
the pair added artisan cheeses for sale. Menu items highlight Wisconsinmade ingredients, including Hook’s cheddar, LaClare Creamery’s goat cheese, Madison Sourdough and Usinger’s meats and sausages. Sip on an espresso drink made with beans from Viroqua’s Wonderstate Coffee and Milwaukee’s Sugar Leaf Coffee Roasterie. Watch for daily and seasonal specials for their baked goods and don’t miss the briochedough cinnamon roll Fridays.
LOVE TORNADO CLUB? TRY TOBY’S SUPPER CLUB.
Banzo
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Dating back to 1944, Toby’s Supper Club on the city’s East Side is a downto-earth, everyone-knows-your-name casual yet fine dining establishment you’d usually find in a small town. Order a quality steak at an affordable price, a relish tray and an Old Fashioned. Their fish fry — perch, cod, walleye and bluegill — rates as one of the best.
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GO + DO | EATS & DRINKS
Sultan Ahmed
FROM PASSION TO PLATE Sultan Ahmed’s journey from Pakistan to Ohio to Madison eventually brought him to the kitchen, where his love of food became a restaurant — and now, a cookbook. BY KEVIN REVOLINSKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAYLA GENDRON/A SPOONFUL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC
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orn in Pakistan and raised in Ohio, Sultan Ahmed moved to Madison in 2012 for a job at Epic Systems. But his lifelong passion for food eventually led 84
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him to the culinary world. His smallplate, fine-dining restaurant, Sultan, is three years old now, and he just released a cookbook, “Zameen.” He talked with us about his journey.
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WHAT’S YOUR CULINARY TRAINING? I learned mostly about the business and cooking [for a restaurant] at Madison College. But there are some
things that my mom does way better that still stick in my memory and we take pieces of [her techniques and flavors] and apply them to the recipes in the restaurant.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR FOOD? We borrow things from other cuisines, while centering every dish on regional Punjabi and Pakistani flavors. My birth region around Karachi is known for spicy, tangy, powerful flavors and open-flame wok cooking. Flavors from northern Pakistan are lighter, broth-y, herbal, with nuts, fruits, preserves and lighter breads.
WHO ARE YOUR CULINARY INFLUENCES? I learned to blanch vegetables and braise meat from Thomas Keller’s “French Laundry Cookbook.” Atul Kochhar, an Indian chef, has earned two Michelin stars; he’s pushing the cuisine forward. Chef Palash Mitra from New Punjab Club in Hong Kong, the only Michelinstarred Pakistani restaurant in the world. I follow them regularly. And my mom, for sure.
IS YOUR HOME MOVING YOU FORWARD – OR HOLDING YOU BACK?
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENT? I really like meat. All of our meat is Wisconsin-farmed, humane, antibiotic- and hormone-free, free-range and pasture-raised. That’s very important to me.
FREE Q Per UIZ
sona Resultlized s
TELL US ABOUT THE COOKBOOK. Kayla Gendron, our photographer, is phenomenal. These are all original recipes we have served at the restaurant, adjusted for home cooking. You won’t find these recipes in any other cookbook anywhere the way they’re done in ours. “Zameen” is available at local booksellers, at the restaurant and online.
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GO + DO | EATS & DRINKS
Otto’s Restaurant & Bar
STANDING THE TASTE OF TIME Consider this your invitation to revisit the restaurants and dishes that are Madison-area classics, one beloved meal at a time. BY KEVIN REVOLINSKI
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OTTO’S RESTAURANT & BAR Known for: Lamb chops Set inside a converted 1870s stone farmhouse named for the German immigrant who built it, Otto’s has been a reliable date-night or anniversary spot since it opened in 1987. A steak and seafood place, it’s often remembered as much for its Mediterranean
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influences. But the grilled New Zealand lamb chops stand out. They’re tender and moist, with a nice char from the grill and served with an almond and mint pesto sauce.
THE OAKCREST TAVERN Known for: Burgers Since 1950, this modest tavern has built
HILLARY SCHAVE
W
e hear a lot about new restaurants, culinary trends and refreshed menus. But what about those tried-and-true places we maybe take for granted? We decided to revisit some longstanding favorite spots and the dishes we’ve been going back to for years.
GO + DO | EATS & DRINKS its reputation for solid fare, from fish fries to Bloody Marys, but the burgers are king. Six ounces of extra-lean ground steak trimmings on a fresh brioche bun, grilled to your liking. The burger menu is straightforward: cheese or bacon, plus maybe some fried or raw onions. Get the bacon cheeseburger and a side of onion rings, which are both house favorites. Bigger appetites may consider the ¾-pound Hungry Hamburger.
The Stone House at Quivey’s Grove
SMOKY JON’S #1 BBQ
CHICO’S VILLA TAP
Known for: Barbecue ribs “Award-winning” doesn’t convey the triple-digit number of accolades earned by this hole-in-the-wall North Side joint with its classic checkered tablecloths. The late Jon Olson was a pitmaster extraordinaire and his sauce and seasonings remain legendary. There’s no better vehicle for that gold medal sauce than slathered on a rack of their equally celebrated ribs.
Known for: Fish fry The owners have changed over the years, but the highly regarded Villa Tap fish fry remains one of the best. Chris “Chico” Warren took the reins in 2011 and added Canadian walleye to the Icelandic cod, lake perch and bluegill options. The breading is in the Goldilocks zone — not too heavy, not too light — for fish that is consistently moist, crispy and light on the outside,
and not too greasy. The place is packed to the gills on Fridays.
THE STONE HOUSE AT QUIVEY’S GROVE Known for: Duck and fine dining The Stone House at Quivey’s Grove and the more casual Stable Grill next door (connected by a tunnel) have been dining destinations since 1980. A contender for best fish fry, the Stone House’s dinner menu is fine dining. The
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duck wilcox with a port wine-cherry sauce is a notable favorite. The little touches here are noteworthy, including the parmesan potatoes and the Old Fashioned, crafted with Wollersheim’s Apple Brandy.
HARMONY BAR & GRILL Known for: Walnut burger Since 1990, this unpretentious corner bar has been good for tavern grub and a pint or three, and it’s still a live music venue and under-the-radar pizza joint. But long before veggie burgers were standard menu fare, the Harmony’s walnut burger was creating a buzz. You’ll hear carnivores and their disclaimers — “Well, I’m not a vegetarian …” — but they love this walnut burger. The recipe is a secret, but nuts, cheese and egg make up some of it.
• 3rd generation owned since 1943 • Serving all prime grade steaks and fresh seafood • Upscale, modern supper club • Fresh, locally sourced ingredients
Known for: Prime rib and the supper club experience Founded in 197 3 by Jim Delaney, this se cond- genera tion,family-owne d steak and seafood restaurant carefully selects U.S.D. A . Black Angus beef and ages it 21 to 28 days on site, before chefs hand-cut the steaks and dry-age them some more. The prime rib special isn’t just a Saturday night thing here; it’s also served on Wednesdays and Fridays! Expect white tablecloths, attentive service and extensive wine and whiskey lists.
Open daily at 4pm | Happy hour in our bar lounges Sun-Thurs 4-6pm 608.253.1861 • 800 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy, WIsconsin Dells, WI 88
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Delaney’s Steak Seafood Wine
COURTESY DELANEY'S STEAK SEAFOOD WINE
DELANEY’S STEAK SEAFOOD WINE
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Inf luential Faces of Madison
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A Publication of
Madison Marriott West
November 20, 2026
WOMEN’S CANCER RESEARCH AND CARE
takes center stage.
BENEFITTING:
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HOSTED BY:
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GO + DO | JAUNT
These festive markets are among the can’t-miss holiday happenings to put on your calendar this winter.
T
BY EMILIE HEIDEMANN
he bustling Dane County Holiday Farmers’ Market (dcfm.org) is back for another year at Monona Terrace with more than 60 vendors selling local food goodies. The market will be open from 7:30 a.m to noon on Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, 12 and 19. Local is also the essence of the 8th annual Black Friday Makers Market and Pub Crawl (madisonmakersmarket.com/black-friday)
that will take place at various venues throughout Madison the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 27), including State Line Distillery, Imaginary Factory, Working Draft Beer, Giant Jones Brewing Co., Old Sugar Distillery, The Deliciouser, Hotel Indigo and Vintage Capitol East. Over 50 local and regional vendors will be selling gifts, handmade goods and more. Shoppers can also sip a brew while perusing.
The Dane County Holiday Farmers' Market
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Sip and Shop Holiday Art Market
If you’re on the hunt for some art, join in on the third annual Sip and Shop Holiday Art Market (chazen. wisc.edu) on Dec. 3 at the Chazen Museum of Art. The market features local vendors showcasing handcrafted items For those looking for fair-trade goods, the Madison Fair Trade Holiday Festival (fairtrademadison.org) is back for another year at the Monona Terrace on Dec. 5.
FARMERS' MARKET | OPPOSITE TOP COURTESY MADISON FAIR TRADE HOLIDAY FESTIVAL
A VERY MERRY MADISON
TOP, OPPOSITE BOTTOM COURTESY CHRISTKINDL MARKET | RIGHT COURTESY CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART | BOTTOM COURTESY DANE COUNTY HOLIDAY
Christkindl Market
Madison Fair Trade Holiday Festival
Sustainable and locally made gifts, such as art, clothing, crafts and more, will also be the center of the Aldo Leopold Nature Center Holiday Market (aldoleopoldnaturecenter. org/event/holiday-market) on Dec. 6. In Verona, check out the Christkindl Market (thechristkindlmarketwi.com) on Dec. 11–13 at Centur y School Park. Stroll and shop from adorable wooden chalets, sip mulled wine and pop by for a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus alongside their live reindeer as part of this European-inspired holiday tradition. Emilie Heidemann is a Madison-area professional storyteller who enjoys writing and her work as a gallerist.
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GO + DO | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
THE CULTURAL CALENDAR A curated guide to holiday happenings, art exhibitions and the performances and events worth seeking out this season. BY EMILIE HEIDEMANN
“A Christmas Carol”
Leah Rudick Nov. 19, Comedy on State Los Angeles-based comedian Leah Rudick from HBO’s “High Maintenance” takes the stage. Rudick has built a devoted fanbase of nearly two million followers across social media accounts with her signature “weird girl” comedy. Deadline named Rudick as a Top 20 Comic to Watch in 2026. madisoncomedy.com Liz Glazer Nov. 23, Comedy on State Liz Glazer takes the stage as a standup comedian and former tenured law professor who delivers high-energy, punchline-heavy comedy. A recent winner of both the Boston Comedy Festival and Ladies of Laughter
Caroline Bowman
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competition, Glazer also made her recent debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Kevin Hart’s “Funny AF” on Netflix and “Comics Unleashed” on CBS, and has sets online with “Don’t Tell Comedy,” “Comedy Underground Overground” and Nate Bargatze’s “The Showcase.” madisoncomedy.com “Maybe Happy Ending” Nov. 24–29, Overture Center This Tony Award-winning musical tells the deeply human story of a chance encounter that sparks connection, adventure and maybe even love. Two obsolete helper-bot robots, Oliver and Claire, form a bond in the futuristic setting of Seoul, South Korea. overture.org
Caroline Bowman Nov. 19, Overture Center Broadway star Caroline Bowman brings her powerhouse vocals and magnetic stage presence to Overture’s Capitol Theater for a thrilling night of Broadway favorites. Known for iconic roles including Elsa in “Frozen,” Elphaba in “Wicked” and Eva Perón in “Evita,” Bowman has captivated audiences around the world overture.org NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
“Winter Fantasia Reimagined”
“Winter Fantasia Reimagined” Dec. 3–6, Overture Center Kanopy Dance lights up the stage with holiday dazzle and enchantment in “Winter Fantasia Reimagined,” celebrating a mosaic of cultural traditions. Delight in the lure of mythical places and ancient Nordic legends, adapted by artistic director Lisa Thurrell, that come to life through the magic of dance. Then travel the globe to India for a festive Gujarati “garba” folk dance called “Chalo Ramiye”— a colorful, centuries-old ritual that is performed in authentic, lavishly adorned costumes, choreographed by South Asian guest artist Udbhav Desai, who also performs. kanopydance.org
TOP COURTESY CHILDREN'S THEATER OF MADISON | RIGHT COURTESY KANOPY DANCE | BOTTOM COURTESY CAROLINE BOWMAN
BROADWAY, DANCE, AND COMEDY FUN
GO + DO | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
changed through a range of tech-
ARTFUL ENCOUNTERS
niques, revealing photography as a
There’s a lot going on at the Madison
medium of manipulation as much
Museum of Contemporary Art
as documentation. This show
through the first half of winter,
traces the ongoing exploration of
including “Slick,” an exhibition that
the relationship between truth and
brings together artworks that con-
construction (through March 3,
ceptualize the body as fluid, altered
2027). And “Extended Play: B-Side”
and expansive. The works in this show
explores the works of Sam Gilliam,
move beyond realistic representation
one of the most significant Ameri-
by showing bodies that are flexible,
can abstract painters of the past
“As It Seems”
shifting and open-ended (through Jan. 31, 2027). Another art exhibition, “As It Seems,” displays photographs from MMoCA’s permanent collection that have been visibly
six decades. This also features
works from MMoCA’s permanent collection alongside loaned pieces (through March 7, 2027). mmoca.org
GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS Four Seasons Theatre’s “All Is Calm”
“The Pigeon Gets A Big Time Holiday Extravaganza!”
Nov. 28–Dec. 20, MYArts
MADISON | RIGHT ELLEN CRANE | BOTTOM COURTESY MADISON SYMPHONY ORCEHSTRA
TOP BARBARA KASTEN, "ARCHITECTURAL SITE 8, 1986." © BARBARA KASTEN | LEFT COURTESY CHILDREN'S THEATER OF
Dec. 10–13 & 17–20, Overture
When Mo Willems’ characters get together for the holidays, it’s bound to be the biggest extravaganza as the the Unlimited Squirrels deck the halls and Elephant and Piggie come ready to celebrate — but will the Pigeon join in the festivities, or will he run all the way to the North Pole in search of the greatest gift ever? Terrific tunes, silly stories, goofy gifts, audience antics: it’s all in this brand-new Children’s Theater of Madison production (above) that “sleighs.” ctmtheater.org
The Western Front during WWI on Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into no man’s land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music and peace. This play tells the true story in words and song of the men who lived them.
overture.org
Madison Ballet’s “The Nutcracker”
Dec. 11–20, Overture Center
Whether you’re discovering the magic for the first time or continuing a treasured family tradition, Madison Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,” performed with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, is a thrilling celebration of the season.
madisonballet.org
“A Christmas Carol”
Dec. 12–23, Overture Center
Step into Victorian-era London for a fresh take on Charles Dickens’ beloved holiday classic. Follow the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge as visits from three unforgettable ghosts inspire him to reconsider what matters most — and rediscover the joy of generosity. This year commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Children’s Theater of Madison performing this classic.
ctmtheater.org
Dance Wisconsin’s “The Nutcracker”
“A Madison Symphony Christmas”
Dec. 19 & 20, Wisconsin Union Theater
Dec. 4–6, Overture Center
Take an enchanted journey with Clara and her nutcracker from her family’s holiday party, to an epic battle, to a moonlit snowfall and finally to the Land of Sweets.
Bring family and friends together for this beloved holiday performance. The Madison Symphony will perform carols, classics and other holiday favorites — and there may be a visit from Santa Claus.
madisonsymphony.org
“Madison Ballet's The Nutcracker”
“A Madison Symphony Christmas”
dancewisconsin.org
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GO + DO | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Requester Publications Only) 1. Publication Title
INDEPENDENT MUSIC SCENE HAPPENINGS TROPIDELIC WITH SURFER GIRL, THE QUASI KINGS Nov. 19, Atwood Music Hall theatwoodmusichall.com
Experience a night of reggae rock, hip-hop and high energy funk music.
CRAIG FINN AND THE BAND OF FORGIVENESS Nov. 22, Atwood Music Hall theatwoodmusichall.com
Craig Finn, best known as the frontman of The Hold Steady, is hitting the road with The Band of Forgiveness, featuring Minneapolis-based musicians Nelson Devereaux, Joe Strachan and Ethan Elseth.
2. Publication Number
25086
BRAVA Magazine
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6
Bi-Monthly
northstreetcabaret.com
Yid Vicious, which has been engaging audiences throughout the Midwest since 1995, brings its unique blend of contemporary klezmer to the stage.
theburoakmadison.com
Enjoy an evening filled with pop, funky rock and indie jams.
THE CARDINAL SUMMER Dec. 11, Atwood Music Hall theatwoodmusichall.com
This emerging Madison pop-rock band focuses on developing a community of fans dedicated to putting their phones down and living in the moment. 94
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8,865
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363
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EVENTS The Business Forum
events are open to members and non-members. All are invited! Mark your calendar and join us at one of our upcoming events!
NOVEMBER 12, 2026 2026 ATHENA Young Professionals Award Luncheon
DECEMBER 3, 2026
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SHOTS OF NOTE | Top: Otto’s Restaurant and Bar is set inside a converted 1870s stone farmhouse and will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year (P. 86). Cheers! Bottom Right: Photographer Hillary Schave caught a slice of life in the office of Renée Bauer, community rabbi at Jewish Social Services of Madison. Bauer says her job “feels like such a gift; a model in a divisive world. There’s so much broken in the world that we can’t change. Working with individuals to make a difference matters.” (P. 58). Bottom middle: The Rev. Kelly Crocker was photographed in the Unitarian Meeting House, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2004. Bottom Left: Banzo is beloved for its pita sandwiches and rice, salad and hummus bowls (P. 82). 96
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2026
HILLARY SCHAVE
LINGER