Lindsay Christians

The Cap Times • 10th May 2023

Gender neutral bathrooms are on the rise in Madison restaurants

Slowly and without much fanfare, some Madison restaurants, bars and cafes have been switching their bathroom signage to be more inclusive.

But as architects and restaurateurs push toward more inclusive bathroom design, they must abide by outdated rules, approved by a Legislature that has not gone out of its way to protect trans people.

The Cap Times • 25th April 2023

Madison Opera’s ‘Marriage of Figaro’ conductor defines her own success

Like many conductors, the Texas-based Rhodes Russell is often on the road. Unlike most conductors, Rhodes Russell travels with her 14-month-old twins, Samuel and Remington.

The Cap Times • 15th April 2023

World premiere of 'Artemisia' at Forward is lovely to look at

Lauren Gunderson’s new play is lovely to look at, accented by fragments of Artemisia Gentileschi’s real paintings. But “Artemisia” comes up a little dry, like an art history lesson (albeit one with a sexy romantic center).

The Cap Times • 8th April 2023

'Without us, there is no Madison': Arts conference focuses on business

When the pandemic closed the Chazen Museum of Art in 2020, director Amy Gilman began to repeat a message to her team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“From that moment, I have been saying, ‘If we come back exactly the way we closed, I should be fired,’” Gilman said midway through her keynote speech at the 2023 Dane Arts Buy Local conference. She looked out into a room filled with local artists, musicians, entrepreneurs and arts administrators.

“If any of you have ever experienced a life

The Cap Times • 30th March 2023

Potter's Crackers, born at farmers' markets, is ready to go national

With a major expansion last November from 3,000 square feet in Madison to 12,000 square feet in Fitchburg, Potter’s Crackers has doubled its oven capacity. The pandemic sent grocery sales “through the roof,” and the team is poised for a big next step.

The Cap Times • 24th March 2023

Collective hosts 'Wellness Weeks' for Madison hospitality workers

Sometimes, the shape of change looks like lunges and burpees with your coworkers on a Thursday morning.

Dan Fox, chef and owner of Heritage Tavern in downtown Madison, started going to Pat’s Gym on his own. Then he began to bring some of his staff along, picking up the tab for class twice a week for a group that grew from a couple people to more than 15.

This April, everyone in Madison with industry ties is invited to give squats a shot during Dane County Food Collective’s Wellness Weeks, set

The Cap Times • 16th March 2023

Burrito Drive, an east side Madison staple, to close March 26

Burrito Drive made a name for itself with filling, portable meals, free delivery and very late night hours serving inebriated Wisconsinites.

The Cap Times • 8th March 2023

Seven Acre Dairy Company connects with Paoli's roots

As Paoli itself evolved over the past three decades into a tourist destination, adding gift shops and galleries on the main drag, Seven Acre’s renovation marks another turning point for this tiny town.

The Cap Times • 7th February 2023

For soccer-themed play 'The Wolves', authenticity is the goooaaalll

“The Wolves,” set in 2016 in ambiguous suburban America, follows an indoor high school girls’ soccer team as they stretch, chatter, make friends and fight.

The Capital Times • 23rd January 2023

Jardin chef Juan Umaña makes vegan shepherd's pie | Cooking with the Cap Times

On the January edition of Cooking with the Cap Times, chef Juan Umaña of Jardin at Robinia Courtyard shows us how to make vegan shepherd's pie. Food editor Lindsay Christians hosts.

Thanks to our sponsors who help make this series possible: Leopold's Books Bar Caffè and Kessenich's.

The Cap Times • 22nd January 2023

Madison artist John Hitchcock honors Native roots in prints and neon

Installation artist, musician and printmaker John Hitchcock spoke with the Cap Times about his artistic roots, narrative resilience and what Native heritage means to him.

The Cap Times • 18th January 2023

This Dry January, nonalcoholic cocktails level up in Madison

15% of adults in the U.S. planned to sober up for Dry January 2023, a trend mostly driven by millennials. Madison is seeing new creativity in zero-proof cocktails at spots like Cordial, Blind Shot Social Club and State Line Distillery.

The Cap Times • 9th December 2022

Vitruvian Farms wants to reinvent the grocery store with new project

Vitruvian Farms near McFarland, south of Madison, is about to break ground on a 5,200-square-foot building that will include a farm store and event space.

The Cap Times • 23rd November 2022

It's popular. Is it art? 'Immersive Van Gogh' comes to Madison

For the past two years, immersive art — lately, shorthand for large-scale, digital exhibitions — has spread across the country. On Thanksgiving, Middleton gets its own bit of van Gogh writ large when the Canadian company Lighthouse Immersive opens “Immersive Van Gogh” at a former DSW shoe store.

The Cap Times • 6th November 2022

Q&A: At American Wine Project, Erin Rasmussen rethinks Wisconsin wine

To make this year’s 30 cases of Wisco Nouveau, Rasmussen harvested grapes from an odd, sandy little vineyard east of the Wisconsin Dells. There she found many of the kinds of grapes she often works with, hardy hybrids like Marquette, Frontenac, St. Croix and St. Pepin.

The Cap Times • 5th November 2022

Madison Opera stages Strauss' haunting ‘Salome’

Salome’s been dressing for revenge. Armed with seven veils and a look that could snap a soldier into action, the central character in Richard Strauss’ opera has a knack for spotting weakness.

The Cap Times • 31st October 2022

APT's Irish comedy 'Stones in His Pockets' is extra entertaining

There’s nothing nondescript about this highly entertaining two-hander, running in the Touchstone Theatre in Spring Green through Nov. 20.

The Cap Times • 26th October 2022

Cheesy, cynical 'Pretty Woman' musical never heats up

With a repetitive, schlocky score and a script that did not age well, the musical of “Pretty Woman” limps through nearly two and a half hours to a conclusion no one is waiting for.

The Cap Times • 8th June 2022

Harassment on State: Botanist Social staff describe a disturbing pattern

Seven former employees of the seven-month-old Botanist Social on State Street describe an ongoing, unchecked pattern of harassment at the downtown nightspot.

“The Botanist is like a pretty little Venus flytrap,” Erika Pedersen said. “This industry is permeated with men who have money and means to do whatever they want, until women like us say something.”

The Cap Times • 11th May 2022

How Madison delivers: The rise of the ghost kitchen

For years, one of the best places to open a new restaurant was next to another restaurant.

Then a global pandemic tossed everyone into the fryer, flipped some hot trends and threw others in the trash.

Now, the best location for a new restaurant might be no location at all.