In this week’s edition of Must See Madison, the City Cast Madison team gives you suggestions for your next date adventure. Whether it’s with a partner, friend, or just by yourself, host Bianca Martin and executive producer Hayley Sperling have ideas that span across the city and budgets. From rooftop movies and outdoor art shows to pottery and luxury pedicures, here are some of our favorite date spots in Madison. Mentioned on the show: MMoCA Cinema GLEAM I/O Arcade Bar , Aftershock Classic Arcad...
Aug 27, 2024•27 min
When Mahanth Joishy became Madison’s Fleet Service Superintendent, the city had zero electric vehicles in its fleet. Now it has nearly a 100 and counting. Joishy is helping Madison reach its goal of running city operations on 100% renewable energy and with net zero carbon emissions , all by 2030. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin finds out how. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm . We’re also on Instagram ! You can get more Madi...
Aug 26, 2024•20 min
City Council made its decision and now it's up to voters to decide how Madison solves its operating budget problems. A $22 million property tax referendum will go on the November ballot. What happens next? Host Bianca Martin and executive producer Hayley Sperling talk about how the city got here and what the future — potentially — holds. Also, mark your calendars because Bus Rapid Transit is officially launching in September! Tune in to this Friday news roundup and get up to speed on the stories...
Aug 23, 2024•24 min
Is your garden overflowing? As we start the transition from summer to fall you might find yourself wondering what exactly you can do with your garden and farmers’ market hauls. To help answer this seasonal conundrum, host Bianca Martin spoke with certified nutrition coach Crystal Ann Hanson to get tips on canning, fermenting, and freezing so you can enjoy your summer bounty all year long. Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and ch...
Aug 22, 2024•26 min
The popular Minneapolis singer, rapper, and poet Dessa will headline this year’s Orton Park Festival this Sunday, Aug. 25. Host Bianca Martin sits down with the musician ahead of her performance to ask about her roots in the Midwest, her past experiences performing in Madison, and her latest projects. Mentioned in the show Who Am I Without My Voice [New York Times] Dessa’s Minnesota primer [Instagram] Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@cityca...
Aug 21, 2024•27 min
Madison is a city full of creatives and bustling with ideas. But sometimes it can be hard to find spaces that truly let words flow and bring ideas to life. To get some input on where to find Madison’s best places for reading, writing, and thinking, host Bianca Martin caught up with Diya Dwahal , a Middleton high schooler and the winner of Madison Public Library’s 2023 We Read youth writing contest. Executive producer Hayley Sperling also chimes in with her recommendations and writing process. Me...
Aug 20, 2024•24 min
From providing affordable housing for women and families in need to helping folks land jobs in tech, the YWCA Madison truly does it all. The organization is hosting its annual nationally-recognized Racial Justice Summit in September and registration closes Aug. 26. To get the inside scoop on what to expect from this three-day community coalition building gathering, host Bianca Martin spoke with the new YWCA Madison CEO Gery Paredes Vásquez. Mentioned on the show Real Talk About Race In Madison F...
Aug 19, 2024•27 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Hayley Sperling recap the August primary results and Wisconsin’s killer voter turnout numbers. Plus, this weekend is packed full of festivals including the Ju-Ju Annual Block Party , Eken Park Festival , OutReach Magic Pride Festival , and the Madison Black Restaurant Week Taste Jamboree . Also, do you have a thing for plants? The Wisconsin DNR is looking for volunteers to help monitor rare species. So listen up becau...
Aug 16, 2024•27 min
Madison may be a growing urban city, but farming is still a way of life for many locals. You don’t have to go far in this town to find a neighbor tending chickens, planting a produce garden, or even building a greenhouse. To get the scoop on what it takes to successfully grow at home, host Bianca Martin caught up with urban farmer and owner of Voss Organics, Mark Voss . Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chefs and cheesemakers. Mention...
Aug 15, 2024•22 min
Get up, get down, get together. That’s the motto behind Dane Dances , the annual summertime party that happens every Friday in August on the Monona Terrace rooftop. This year’s season is extra special because Dane Dances is celebrating 25 years of music, dance, and community. Host Bianca Martin caught up with the president of the organization Al Cooper to get the scoop on this year’s lineup and what to expect from this season. Mentioned on the show The Most Sampled Drummer Lived in Madison. Why ...
Aug 14, 2024•20 min
In this week’s installment of Must See Madison, we take a step back and look at the city’s past while preparing for the future. Madison’s building boom continues. Construction cranes dot the skyline. Huge new apartment buildings are in progress on many of Madison’s largest thoroughfares. But downtown, making way for the new means out with the old, and that means demolition of old buildings. It left us asking: what’s worth saving and how do we decide? Host Bianca Martin sits down with Madison his...
Aug 13, 2024•23 min
The August primary is nearly here! We’ve covered everything from how to vote on Election Day to the state legislative races and referendums on the ballot. Today, we’re diving into one of the most contested primaries, the race for Dane County Executive. To get the scoop on the four candidates vying for the seat, host Bianca Martin spoke with local government reporter at the Cap Times Allison Garfield, who’s been covering the race. Mentioned on the show Everything You Need To Vote in the Fall Prim...
Aug 12, 2024•27 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week, and it’s another big one. Executive producer Hayley Sperling digs into potential budget cuts that are becoming clearer for the city should it (or voters) decide not to move forward with a property tax referendum. That could mean fewer street repairs, shorter library hours, and the end of Goodman Pool?! Meanwhile, host Bianca Martin reminds us there are big street closures this weekend for Ride the Drive , and newsletter editor Ava Wojn...
Aug 09, 2024•25 min
Wondering where you might grab your next bite to eat or drink? Why not try one of Madison’s newest bars, restaurants and cafes? Host Bianca Martin sits down with Cap Times food editor Lindsay Christians who’s out with a new piece on our growing, dynamic food scene. Mentioned in the show: El Rancho Mexican Grill Molten Monkey Pizza Northside Lounge Public Parking Bar Mint Mark Ancora cafe Atico Casa Zaragosa David’s Jamaican El Sabor del Puebla Water Street Social Club Duck Donuts Sandwich Hub ME...
Aug 08, 2024•27 min
After years of planning and community input, the future of the $18.6 million, 16,000-square-foot “Imagination Center” at Reindahl Park is in limbo. With the city facing a potential multimillion-dollar budget deficit, the project has received little attention — District 17 Ald. Sabrina Madison is trying to change that. Host Bianca Martin spoke with Madison about why the center is so desperately needed and what this process has shown about the city’s priorities. You can listen to City Cast Madison...
Aug 07, 2024•29 min
The tables are turned in this week’s installment of Must See Madison. Producer and Madison (not-so) newbie Phil Surkis shares his experiences showing off our fair city to some out of town visitors and how he celebrated a special birthday the Madison way. Host Bianca Martin and executive producer Hayley Sperling join the conversation to talk boating, self care, fancy dinners, and impressing teenagers with high standards. Mentioned on the show Brittingham Boats Nails 4 U Lallande Willalby's Cafe I...
Aug 06, 2024•26 min
Madison Comedy Week is in full swing and we’ve got the inside scoop on the shows you can’t miss. Host Bianca Martin caught up with Madison Comedy Week’s executive director and Madison-bred comedian Jake Snell to get the details on what to expect from this week of laughs and play a fun game of Madison-themed Would You Rather. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast.fm . We’re also on Instagram ! You can get more Madison news delivered righ...
Aug 05, 2024•27 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin, Hayley Sperling, and Ava Wojnowski recap how a community is trying to heal after multiple deadly shootings at an east side apartment complex, why child care is only getting more expensive , and some good news for cranes but bad news for loons . Mentioned on the show: The shooting of Kyesha Miller [Channel 3000] The shooting of Devon Grant [Channel 3000] Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3...
Aug 02, 2024•27 min
Have you ever eaten four burgers in three minutes? What about lifted more than 600 pounds? Madison personal trainer Mike Onsrud has done both and he has the trophies to prove it. As the reigning burger-eating champ of the annual Strip Mall Carnival at the Muskellounge , host Bianca Martin caught up with Mike to get a look at what folks can expect from the Aug. 4 festival and how he personally balances eating healthy while indulging in Madison’s food scene. Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leav...
Aug 01, 2024•28 min
If you’re new around here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you , with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Madison community. August is moving season in Madison, which means boxes, trucks, and Hippie Christmas! This month will also bring some major community events like Ride the Drive , Sessions at McPike Park , Africa Fest , and Orton Park Festival . So buckle up because we’re cruising into August and making the most of it. Mentioned on the show: Student move out...
Jul 31, 2024•28 min
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, protestors in Madison gathered day after day at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Amid calls for more diverse representation at the Capitol, a statue of Hans Christian Heg was torn down and tossed in the lake. And then, an idea was born: Wisconsin should create a statue memorializing civil rights pioneer Vel Phillips . She was the first woman judge in the state and first African American woman elected to statewide office, among many other firsts. Now that...
Jul 30, 2024•16 min
Believe it or not, the Aug. 13 primary election is right around the corner. We’ve already covered the ins and outs of how to vote in this election and today we’re digging into who and what you’ll be voting for come Election Day. Host Bianca Martin spoke with Cap Times state government reporter Andrew Bahl to get the details on the candidates and referendums on the ballot. Mentioned on the show Cap Times election coverage Everything You Need To Vote in the Fall Primary [City Cast Madison] From St...
Jul 29, 2024•29 min
The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Newsletter editor Ava Wojnowski recaps recent flooding, host Bianca Martin has an update on a downtown development (bye bye Essen Haus!), and executive producer Hayley Sperling falls down a rabbit hole investigating whether an upcoming taco and margarita festival is legit or not. Mentioned on the show: ‘Death by a thousand cuts’: Rains renew Madison’s flooding worries [Cap Times] What To Do About Flooding [Madison Minutes] City signs o...
Jul 26, 2024•29 min
Who doesn’t love a little outside time? Ideally, paired with a beverage and good friends. Cap Times photographer Ruthie Hauge has been cataloging local outdoor gathering spaces in what started as a pandemic passion project but has grown into the ultimate list of Madison-area patios. Host Bianca Martin caught up with Ruthie to get the scoop on the latest and greatest patios in our city and beyond. Join us every Thursday as we explore Madison's food culture, from the brewers and bakers to the chef...
Jul 25, 2024•25 min
With decades of experience under her belt, there’s no question that Sylvie Rosenthal is a master of her craft. But in the world of woodworking, which has been dominated by stereotypical big, burly men, Rosenthal — a queer woman — knows what it’s like to be underestimated at every turn. Host Bianca Martin spoke with Rosenthal about the discrimination she’s faced and how she’s leveraged her past trauma to start her Madison workshop Lower Astronomy Studios , which is challenging stereotypes in the ...
Jul 24, 2024•26 min
The City Cast Madison crew is back with another edition of Must See Madison, and this time, we’re ballin’ on a budget. Host Bianca Martin rounds up some of Madison’s best free activities with executive producer Hayley Sperling and newsletter editor Ava Wojnowski. Join us as we venture around town highlighting Madison’s must sees. Where should we go next? Send us your suggestions for a future show! Mentioned in today’s show Pheasant Branch Conservancy The Lakeshore Path Lake Loop and Monona Bait ...
Jul 23, 2024•26 min
Election season is officially upon us! First up is the fall partisan primary on Aug. 13. To get the details on election day, absentee voting, our (infamous) ballot drop boxes, and everything in between, host Bianca Martin spoke with deputy clerk Jim Verbick of the City of Madison City Clerk’s Office. Mentioned on the show MyVote Wisconsin Madison in-person absentee voting locations [City of Madison] Wanna talk to us about an episode? Leave us a voicemail at 608-318-3367 or email madison@citycast...
Jul 22, 2024•21 min
All eyes have been fixed on Milwaukee this week as the Republican National Convention has taken over Wisconsin’s biggest city. Host Bianca Martin caught up with Wisconsin Public Radio political reporter Anya van Wagtendonk to get an inside look at the convention and what folks in Madison should be watching. Meanwhile in Madison, executive producer Hayley Sperling joins Bianca to talk about the city’s continued budget questions, why a group of West siders are suing the city over a housing develop...
Jul 19, 2024•32 min
When thinking about Madison’s food scene, the first items that come to mind usually involve a whole lot of meat and dairy. But one of the city’s newest restaurants is challenging that perspective. Mad Rabbit Cafe opened earlier this year in the former home of La Kitchenette on Willy Street serving an all-vegan menu. City Cast Madison host Biana Martin caught up with restaurant owner Nate Anger to see what makes his restaurant appealing to vegans, carnivores, and everyone in between. Join us ever...
Jul 18, 2024•26 min
Kiki Schueler has been hosting intimate concerts in the basement of her far east side home since 2005. This week, Kiki’s House of Righteous Music will host its 400th show! (And yes, there will be cake.) Host Bianca Martin caught up with Kiki herself to get the inside scoop on how Kiki’s House of Righteous Music came to be and how you can get a ticket to the next show. Mentioned in this episode Kiki's House of Righteous Music Facebook group Kiki’s mailing list Wanna talk to us about an episode? L...
Jul 17, 2024•20 min
