Madison Essentials July/August 2020 by Towns & Associates

DREAM IT. DO IT. Whether your dream is to build your dream house or build a business, learn a new skill or learn about your community, take up guitar or take that once-in-a-lifetime trip, DreamBank has the support to help you make it happen. Because everyone deserves to dream fearlessly.

CONTENTS july/august 2020

vol. 68

publisher Amy S. Johnson ajohnson@madisonessentials.com

essential

editorial director Amy S. Johnson ajohnson@madisonessentials.com

publication designer

arts Ginnie Cappaert...........................36

Linda Walker

community

senior copy editor

Change Boutique..........................14

Kyle Jacobson

Failure.............................................34

copy editor

Jessica Cavazos............................18

Krystle Engh Naab

Latino Chamber of Commerce....10

sales & marketing director Amy S. Johnson ajohnson@madisonessentials.com

dining Field to Dough: Broyt Bakehaus at Cow & Quince.........................6

design team Jennifer Denman, Crea Stellmacher, Barbara Wilson

administration

Kingdom Restaurant.....................22

landmark

Debora Knutson

Bradley House................................26

contributing writers

nonprofit

Sandy Eichel, Jeanne Engle, Kyle Jacobson, Lauri Lee, Krystle Engh Naab, Lori Scarlett, DVM, Liz Wessel

Dane County Humane Society Centennial Celebration: The Shelter..................................30

photographer Eric Tadsen

pets

additional photographs

Pet Insurance.................................40

Capital Times, Ginnie Cappaert, Jessica Cavazos, Latino Chamber of Commerce, Carole D. Powers, Sigma Phi, Brett Stepanik, Travel Wisconsin, Zane Williams

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travel Mineral Point..................................42

including From the Publisher...........................4 Contest Information......................46 Contest Winners............................46

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Watch for the next issue September/October 2020. Cover photograph—Painting “Goldenfield” provided by Ginnie Cappaert Photographs on page 3: top—Taken at Broyt Bakehaus at Cow & Quince by Carole D. Powers middle—Taken at Change Boutique by Brett Stepanik bottom—Taken at Kingdom Restaurant by Eric Tadsen

amy johnson

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essential dining

FIELD TO DOUGH

Broyt Bakehaus AT Cow & Quince BY K YLE JACOBSON

Wisconsin seasons provide a range of things to groan about, but even in winter, you can get a fruit salad with fat grapes and ripe mango almost as fresh as the day they were picked. Preservatives, well, they ensure grocery shelves are always stocked full of your favorite foods and snacks. For many, this lifestyle equates to comfort and familiarity. It’s certainly made some exotic foods very affordable. But more intensive refrigeration, year-round production schedules, and worldwide shipping ask us to consider if the environmental cost is worth the convenience.

Broyt Bakehaus at Cow & Quince, a New Glarus restaurant putting more time into sourcing food than most do finding a movie on Netflix, places the question of value in front of its customers. “It’s always been about mission and connection,” says owner Lori Stern. “The philosophy was simply to connect people with their food.” Farm, chef, mouth. There aren’t many more steps than that at an eatery where the menu is subject to growing seasons. From coordinating school health policy at the state level in Washington to her

Salted bagels

“The joy in it is that we’re doing it all from scratch." Chef/Owner Lori Stern getting bagels into the oven.

6 | madison essentials

work in Wisconsin as a consultant for safe and supportive schools, all the branches of Lori’s journey have coalesced. “Once you take the lens of obesity prevention and social justice work to food deserts and who has access to fresh and healthy foods and who doesn’t and the people picking the food and what their exposures are and do they have access to the foods they’re picking, it just starts to roll into how are we thinking about food beyond what we’re putting into our own bodies. And then you end up with a restaurant like this.” A restaurant in tune with process and product. Broyt Bakehaus was born out of an adjustment to COVID-19, as Lori found it soul crushing to put her cherished Cow & Quince offerings in a box. But shift in direction doesn’t mean shift in concept. Everything is now more to-go friendly, perfect for picnics and local events, and as responsibly sourced as ever. The change to operating a Jewish deli has been a comfortable one for Lori, and she keeps her relationships with local suppliers, including Bering Bounty and Garden To Be. It’s fieldto-dough baking with cupcakes, pies, bagels, and bread. “I think the food is pretty simple,” says Lori. “The joy in it is that we’re doing it all from scratch. So I’ll put a Rueben on

Fresh baked goods made with Meadowlark Organics whole grain flour.

the menu once that brisket is out of the brine and I get it brazed and I have corn beef again.” Having a flexible menu means Lori might wake up one cloudy day and decide to serve chicken noodle soup. She’ll call one of her farmers and ask if they have chickens, then go from there. The other upside of the menu is Broyt

Breakfast Sammy with Willow Creek pork sausage, Edelewiss Creamery Grassfed Gouda, seasonal schmear, Pasture Patterns organic egg, local organic greens, all on house made English muffin bread.

Bakehaus at Cow & Quince isn’t subject to specific food shortages since they can work with whatever is available. “I feel incredibly grateful that it’s not something I have to worry about.” When a favorite goes off the menu, customers move on to another item without protest knowing that whatever else they order will be fresh and delicious. There is a downside to eating food without adjuncts. “I’ve been ruined for a lot of stuff. I mean, our ice cream is phenomenal. It’s a custard base. We do it with organic eggs. We don’t have to put any stabilizers in it. So then you go to have a store-bought ice cream, which they absolutely have to do that because it’s on the shelf and being shipped, then you start to be able to taste it. It’s like, ‘Darn it. I love ice cream. Why? Why!’” The goal isn’t to take down ubiquitous ice cream or fast food chains; it’s to encourage a fundamental shift in the way people think about food. That isn’t going to happen if customers just come in once or twice a week. Which brings us to the original concept behind Cow & Quince, in place well before the bakehouse extension. “When we started, I was thinking it was going to

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be more of a market and pretty casual fare. We were going to do waffles and things like that. My son-in-law actually was our first chef, and he kept adding to the menu. The food got really well known, and we kept adding tables.” The fact remains that if you have, say, an egg salad sandwich off the menu, “the Pasture Patterns Eggs are also available for sale in retail, and those are the eggs we’re using in our kitchen.” With the bakehouse transition, the focus on wholesale has gone full circle to once again embody Lori’s original vision. Fostering these direct relationships between food and community has evolved into a community space akin to a coffeehouse. In Broyt Bakehaus at Cow & Quince fashion, this means going beyond a gathering area for friends and family. “Bill Warner at Sung Haven, he’s just in Belleville, he rolls oats in our back kitchen. So he rents the kitchen space. We do a little barter for that. I have his oats on the menu and his spinach, his kale, his tomatoes, and his peppers when he has them.

“There’s a terroir here, especially Green County, just like Kentucky Bourbon. I swear, the cows here that get to eat the grass that’s growing here, there’s something in the cheese. When you have that, and it goes into cheesemaking, it’s about place. And I love that. I love that story about what local really means.”

Baby Meringue

With no room to skimp on food or message, and having farmed meats and vegetables herself, Lori flies past the buzzwords when looking for ethically sourced food. Whatever people put in their mouths at Broyt Bakehaus at Cow & Quince has no fluff, and she’ll readily share where everything comes from without missing a beat. The food is pure and accessible, the menu is tantalizing in its authenticity, and the restaurant is a microcosm of community values. For the past six years, Lori has helped show Wisconsin that New Glarus is more than a brewery, proving that “If it tastes good, you start to engage people.” As of this writing, the plan is to continue with Cow & Quince through its revered monthly four- to six-course Prix Fixe dinners (reservations required). Kyle Jacobson is a writer and copy editor for Madison Essentials.

Kyle Jacobson

Photograph by Barbara Wilson

Photographs provided by Carole D. Powers.

Broyt Bakehaus at Cow & Quince 407 2nd Street New Glarus, WI 53574 (608) 527-2900 cowandquince.com

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e ssential community

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Fostering Unity A chamber of commerce is, loosely, a business network meant to promote and foster the interests of its members, typically local businesses. What this can look like in practice is sometimes unappealing to potential members. Businesses may join, question the benefits of their membership, and move on. But that’s the dark side of the chamber world. One mark of a good chamber is gearing efforts toward reflecting and magnifying the desires of members to enrich the communities in which they exist. The Latino Chamber of Commerce of Dane County makes it 10 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

their priority to listen to the community and its members before worrying about ribbon-cutting events and coupon books (though these things have their place). Little known fact: the Latino chamber is open to everyone. Xochilth Garcia, membership and office manager, says, “We have a very diverse member list. We don’t only have Latino members; we have Asian members, African American members, you name it.” The chamber was founded in 2003 to create a bigger impact in Madison’s economic growth through visionaries cooperating with one another, which means ethnic

BY KYLE JACOBSON

barriers would directly inhibit their mission. Also, as Xochilth informed me, it’s the 21st century. But being in the 21st century also means doing business through rapidly evolving mediums and social-media platforms. The Latino chamber has a strong focus on educating members on the aspects of business outside an individual’s skillset. Temo Xopin, member and branding specialist for businesses, says of many Latino entrepreneurs, “You start a business because you know how to do one thing or because you see an opportunity or because that’s the way out. So you worry about the

technical aspects and legal aspects later, after you have time. After you’re ready. That’s when you go to a place like the chamber.” Eric Zuniga, member and founder of Ipsum Digital Media, has grown professionally as a young video producer and entrepreneur through his work with the Latino chamber. “When I started at the Latino Chamber of Commerce, I was 22. Right now, I’m 24, almost 25. Jessica calls me the baby of the chamber because I’ve pretty much grown with them. They molded me into what I am today.” The chamber fostered Eric’s passion for directing until he started his media company. Now, Eric has his own talk show, Bienvenido Wisconsin. “We recently just won Best in Show at the Best in the Midwest Media Fest.” An echo of the

chamber’s mission, Eric uses his show to highlight local businesses throughout the state. “With the Latino Chamber of Commerce, I’m getting the connections to make my talk show, and I’m also prepared to manage it.”

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Reflecting on when he pitched his idea to the chamber, Eric says, “They never tell you not to do it. They just tell you how to make your vision a reality.” This extends beyond starting a business, with additional focus on growing a business and integrating into and supporting your community. “Every business is different, and every business has a different vision,” says Xochilth. “We give you the tools. We maximize everything we do to create those connections. We try to maximize economic development and job creation through advocacy and programs. We

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want each other to be successful. We believe in unity, and we believe in potential and talent.” At the heart is a really simple philosophy: if the community is thriving, businesses are thriving. Supporting your fellow businesses and investing in community programs, fundraisers, and events assures you’re operating in a community that can harbor your vision. The Latino chamber makes themselves accessible to all by keeping their cheapest annual membership option at $50. “We don’t want people to just open a business,” says Xochilth. “We want to know why you’re opening that business, why your business is different. What we can do to make your business more successful.” A huge step toward this goal happened when Jessica Cavazos became the Latino chamber’s president and CEO. One of her first initiatives was to create an incubator to educate chamber members about running and building successful businesses in Dane County. Before Jessica, MATC was one of the few options for some of the chamber members looking to educate themselves in business, and finding the time wasn’t practical or even possible for everyone. 12 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

Jessica brought in Jorge Antezana, a professor at Madison College, to act as the chamber’s vice president of operations, and the chamber started leading classes and holding informational presentations for its members. Now instead of scheduling for close to a year’s worth of courses, members are getting information relevant to their business in chunks, saving them time and money. “You don’t know the things you don’t know,” says Temo. “It’s not about selling

and doing the work or providing the services. Once you get into a place like this, and they start teaching you about the different things you didn’t know, then you start to see the whole process, and you see all the different steps. They make it easy to follow the model that they have there. I’ve seen a lot of businesses that were doing good, and now they have a formal way of doing business, so they’re thriving.” Xochilth says the best part is “Our members are the ones teaching the classes. If your mastery is in numbers, you’ll come in and teach about accounting. If your business is related to taxes, you’ll come in and talk about taxes and tax laws. If you’re a lawyer and you have a law firm, you’ll come and talk about business law. If you’re a lawyer with focus in immigration rules, you’ll come teach about immigration law.” The Latino Chamber of Commerce is always seeking out ways to provide its members the knowledge and tools they need to succeed in the Greater Madison area model of quality, sustainability, and community. “There’s enough room for everyone,” says Temo. “By having certain types of mentalities and values, you start attracting people that are the same.” People who will work with and

educate their peers and competitors to continue cultivating an economically and morally robust Wisconsin. Kyle Jacobson is a copy editor for Madison Essentials, and a writer and beer enthusiast (sometimes all at once) living in Sun Prairie.

Tadsen Photography Drone/Aerial Imagery

Kyle Jacobson

Photograph by Barbara Wilson

Photographs provided by Latino Chamber of Commerce.

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essential community

Change Boutique

Global Change on aLocalLevel BY KRYSTLE ENGH NAAB

What we’re going to wear is one of the first decisions we make each day. And while the decision about where to purchase our clothes is likely based upon personal style, preference, and budget, who we purchase from is more vital than we may have imagined. Nikki Anderson is an entrepreneur and mother—the priority dependent upon the day. Her decision to start Change Boutique in 2012 came once her children were in school and she was ready to reenter the workforce. She wanted to start a business and found an available space in Madison on Williamson Street. She just needed to determine the type

14 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

of business that would best serve the neighborhood. Her experiences at Willy Street Co-op East led her down the socially conscious consumerism path. “Clearly, food choices have become more mainstream, demanding organic and locally sourced foods,” Nikki says. “People want to know where their food is coming from.” When she noticed Willy Street Co-op East began to add apparel odds and ends, she knew it was likely driven by customer demand. When researching socially conscious clothing, Nikki discovered a college friend owned Mata Traders, a fair-trade

and vintage-inspired women’s clothing brand. Mata Traders was experiencing success, and Nikki felt the aesthetic would sell well in Madison. She talked with her friend, and together they decided to reach out to other brands that shared their business model. Nikki realized she could piece together different brands for an umbrella fairtrade clothing store. She’d work with artisans from developing countries and help them with opportunities that didn’t involve sweatshops. Many of the brands employ women, which Nikki calls “by women, for women,” an idea that encircles and reinforces global change on a local level. An ethical focus on fashion challenges one to ask who made this garment and at what cost. “Fair-trade businesses try to do the opposite of fast fashion or sweatshops. [They] encourage people to ask where their garment came from, who made the clothes, the working conditions, and quality of life of the people producing the products.” You help sustain an

economy and a person’s livelihood when you shop fair trade. When you shop at a brick-and-mortar store, you get to see new styles and try on the clothes while being provided a personal touch. At Change, you also get to learn the artisan stories and how their products are made. “Shopping socially conscious brands brings awareness and feeling better about where you are putting your support,” says Nikki.

“Customers are grateful for the store bringing this awareness and being a resource. I thought I would be the one thanking my customers, but they are the ones thanking me for bringing this store to the community.” People are grateful to know the brands align with their values. Nikki captures as many styles, fits, and sizes as she can, but availability can vary. “The latest example is the coronavirus; it has adversely affected productions for

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People are

grateful to know the brands align with their values.

brands. Or natural disasters can affect their products getting out. But this makes it even more crucial to support artisans around the world during difficult times. I just make it work; I have fewer styles, but order more of each until they can accommodate and maintain their normal productions.” While there are a lot of ethical shopping platforms, artisans and brands reach out to Nikki because she’s been around a long time. “Everyone is involved to support one another. Fair-trade fashion is not competitive in a way that most retailers are.” 16 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

Nikki also wants to do more to educate others and provide humanitarian efforts. “I’m trying to be a presence and a voice in this movement by bringing awareness throughout the community.” She cites Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” and this seems to be at the root of everything Nikki is trying to do and incorporate into Change Boutique. Krystle Engh Naab is a freelance writer and copy editor for Madison Essentials.

Future opportunities include traveling to different locations where her artisans’ products are made and being able to

Photographs by Brett Stepanik.

Krystle Engh Naab

Photograph by Barbara Wilson

The flexibility and independence of running her own business has been invaluable to Nikki, as her children grow and work alongside her. They’ve not only learned about the business, but also about educating others on global issues, such as fair wages and sustainable economies. Nikki has noticed the effect on their consumerism—they’re avid thrift-store shoppers. “Recycling fabric is a big priority because it’s consistent with the fair-trade movement, and helps to conserve precious resources.” They don’t want to mindlessly spend their money where it doesn’t count or matter in someone else’s life.

Change Boutique 1252 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703 (608) 237-2707 changeboutique.com

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provide feedback in creating new pieces. “I would love to franchise. … Expand the concept in other areas that would appreciate fair-trade fashion business. And maybe entertain the idea of a shoe, men’s, or children’s apparel store. More diversified offerings other than women’s clothing.”

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essential community

Jessica Cavazos TWO LANES by Kyle Jacobson

There are few unfamiliar with the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child,” and on its own, it’s a wonderful sentiment. What we gain learning from others helps us grow into a strong, well-rounded person. But there’s more beauty to be found upon extrapolation. That child fosters pieces of their caretakers and mentors, becoming an ambassador for certain schools of thought and champion of developed proficiencies. Ultimately, they grant a sort of immortality to those who’ve played a role in their life.

Jessica Cavazos, president and CEO of the Latino Chamber of Commerce, was raised in Milwaukee by a single mother working two jobs and long hours as a hotel housekeeper. As a result, she grew up fast. “A lot of my childhood was as a caretaker for my brother, since he was five years younger, and I was 10. I had to walk him home and make meals my mom precooked at three in the morning, telling me to turn on the oven at 350 for 45 minutes, since there were no microwaves.” Such is the life of the archetypal latchkey kid. But Jessica’s mother, figuring out her family’s survival through hard times, did

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what she could to ensure her children grew up with strong role models when she wasn’t around. “I was the product of a lot of social service programs,” says Jessica. “Many of what they call safety-net programs.” Afterschool programs at the Neighborhood House, local communitycenter mentorship programs, and summer school programs. “My mother always had me in some type of activity: archery, ballet, arts. She would say, ‘You have to be in these programs to keep you out of trouble.’ In that passage, I got to meet a lot of caring people. “As a product of Milwaukee Public Schools, I remember my favorite teacher from grade school. Her name was Ms. Tedick. She was Irish and spoke Spanish fluently. She was my fourth-grade teacher and, knowing my mom was a struggling single mom, she would pick up myself and other classmates from similar backgrounds and take us to her house to bake cookies, do arts and crafts, and teach us about world affairs. She’d always talk about when she lived in Spain and her travels. It gave us a world perspective.” Jessica’s world at the time consisted of her neighborhood

on the north side of Milwaukee and her school on 27th and Wisconsin Avenue. Now she had someone taking her to museums, fairs, and parks, encouraging her to learn through discovery and discussion. The world Jessica knew changed dramatically when she graduated to a gang-prone middle school. A lot of her classmates were frequently truant and other issues lingered about the hallways. But, thanks to her mother and teachers, she remained focused, maintaining a 3.8 GPA. One teacher, Ms. Quiles, “had a great impact. She said, ‘Now you must lead. You’re a natural-born leader. We need you to be a leader for our community.’ She always said those

words to me, and that meant a lot.” Jessica graduated valedictorian. In high school, Ms. Trevino signed Jessica up for the model OAS (Organization of American States). This is the UN for Central and South American countries to debate and discuss policy involving peace, trade, and other international concerns. Jessica remembers herself as the quietest person in that summer session, but everything she learned would impact her life in a direct way. “Those three teachers really did for me what my parents couldn’t do. They enlightened me. They showed me a different path. They opened books for me that I would’ve never read.”

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She broke away from Milwaukee and went to college in Fort Lauderdale before finishing up in Miami. “I don’t know if it was the best decision for an 18-year-old, but I had exposure to a different culture, a different vibe, a different community.” People thought she might’ve been from Canada because of her Wisconsin accent, but she was having conversations she’d never had before with new friends. It was refreshing for her to be able to talk openly about sex, the world, and new interactions, something she didn’t really have before.

Jessica left a piece of herself in Florida when she returned to Milwaukee, but she gained perspective. When she worked on Pedro Colón’s political campaign, a new direction appeared in her life. Less than political savvy beforehand, Jessica learned about campaign finance laws and different aspects of running local campaigns. When Colón became the first Latino on the Wisconsin Legislature, Jessica moved to working with Mayor Barrett on his campaign against Jim Doyle. After Barrett lost, Jessica joined the nonprofit

sector, working for United Migrant Opportunities. Then, from 2004-2013, she served as Congressman Gwendolyn Moore’s constituent liaison serving Milwaukee’s ethnic communities. The years went by fast enough, and in 2013, Jessica felt she needed to reunite with that piece of herself she left in Florida. Jessica became executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Volusia County, where Daytona Beach is located. Her time there would only last three years, however, before Wisconsin called her back...literally. A headhunter found her LinkedIn profile and asked if she was interested in moving to Madison. “During the interview process, I was seven months pregnant.” She learned from her mother how to juggle her position while raising children, and she’d be doing it with the support of her family and partner. First, she had to create the chamber Madison needed. “The world of a chamber is antiquated. Organizations need innovations. It’s not just about networking and ribbon cuttings anymore. What I felt this community needed the most was to understand how to scale small business and build capacity. Understand how to manage a business in a different country, in a different language. How to raise their own expectations of themselves so they can build a better business model and be of greater service to their community through entrepreneurship.” And that’s where she is today. Her kids are 3, 8, and 14, getting a lot of the tools they’ll need to find their passions in

20 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

life. Jessica believes “Madison has been an amazing place to live and work and coexist in with other people because it’s a very nurturing and caring community.” Until she inevitably returns to Florida, Jessica will be living in Wisconsin to give legacy to those forever defining the person she continues to grow into. Kyle Jacobson is a copy editor for Madison Essentials, and a writer and beer enthusiast (sometimes all at once) living in Sun Prairie.

Photograph by Barbara Wilson

Photographs provided by Jessica Cavazos.

Kyle Jacobson

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essential dining

KINGDOM BY LAURI LEE

Liver & Onions

"I like to make people happy, so I want to be able to serve them what they want to eat when they want to eat it." Kingdom is best described as a Gambian/ Senagalese soul food restaurant with a menu featuring African and Mediterranean dishes along with American favorites all made from scratch. Whether visiting for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or carryout, you’re sure to find a favorite dish. Owner and chef Mahamadou Tunkara, best known by customers as Mahamad or King, explains the philosophy behind the menu. “I grew up in The Gambia,

22 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

which is in West Africa. The African comfort foods, such as fufu, benachin, domada, and yassa on the Taste of Africa menu, are recipes I used to make with my mother and grandmother for our large family. The rest of the menu is made up of food that I know Americans love to eat based on my experience of working in many restaurants over the past 40 years. I like to make people happy, so I want to be able to serve them what they want to eat when they want to eat it. That’s why I serve breakfast all

day and have many things on the menu. I also serve large portions, so people are satisfied and have enough to take home to enjoy later.” Mahamad is no stranger to hard work. His life experiences shaped who he is and tell the story of how he ended up owning a restaurant on Madison’s north side. “I was born in The Gambia and was the fourth-oldest child of a very large family. There were 14 children in the family while I was living at home.

My father owned a 40-acre farm next to the River Gambia in Basse. Rice was grown year-round, except during the three-month spring rainy season, when peanuts were grown and harvested to sell to the government. “There were a lot of responsibilities associated with operating the farm and caring for the large household. The older children were all expected to have a role. From age nine, I helped on the farm and was my mother’s kitchen helper. This is when and where my culinary training actually started. I learned prep cooking by slicing, dicing, and peeling. By going to the market for my mother, I gained purchasing skills to select the best food at the best price, and learned what ingredients were needed for a recipe. The daily cooking for the family that I did alongside my mother and grandmother taught me their traditional African recipes, which are the foundation for Kingdom’s menu.”

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Fufu with Chicken

It was Gambian tradition for young men to go away to school in Egypt. “Six months after I turned 13, I was sent to live on a student compound,” says Mahamad. “It’s a good thing I learned to cook because I was responsible for my own cooking and laundry. I lived

at the school for seven years without going home. “My father paid for school, but I had to earn my own spending money for miscellaneous expenses and traveling during my school breaks. This made me hustle to find a job and build job skills just to survive. The first of many odd jobs was as a dishwasher. Eventually, I learned to cook in professional kitchens at the Hilton Hotel and Sheraton Inn. They did in-house butchering in order to get specialty cuts of chicken, lamb, and goat meat, so I also learned to be a butcher. I went to college in Cairo, Egypt, and my cooking jobs during these years added Mediterranean cuisine to my repertoire.”

Mahamad moved to America after college in 1988. “I got married, started a family, and eventually settled in the Bronx. Over 11 years, I often worked 16-hour days at one or two jobs at a time in hotel restaurants and fast food restaurants. This is how I quickly became experienced in American favorites and breakfast menus.” In 2001, Mahamad was working at a fast food restaurant on the bottom floor of the World Trade Center. “On September 11, the manager was being lazy, so he sent me to get change at a bank four blocks away, even though it was his job. As I walked there, I was upset that he didn’t go himself. While I was in the bank, the first plane hit the

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Benachin with fish

building where I worked. As I started to walk back to work, I saw the second plane hit. As I got closer, police wouldn’t let me or anyone else in or out of the area. I watched and waited, and couldn’t believe it when the buildings collapsed. My grumbling changed to thankfulness that this errand saved my life. I did the manager’s errand and got to live, and he died. The next day I found out that all of my coworkers on the shift that morning had died.” Approximately six months later, Mahamad moved his wife and three children to Sun Prairie to live near his wife’s sister and to start over where they felt safer. “My jobs in Madison eventually turned back to working in the food industry. One day, I decided to start my own food business. From 2010

to 2013, I owned and operated Burgers and Ethnic Food B-B-Q at West Towne Mall. When FEED Kitchens opened on North Sherman Avenue in 2013, I leased kitchen space until 2016 to make Mediterranean food for my Silk Road food cart business. “I started Kingdom Restaurant in 2016 inside an East Washington Avenue gas station. Since January 2019, I’ve leased a former restaurant space at the Northside TownCenter and love being a part of the north side Madison neighborhood.” Mahamad’s Gambian hospitality is experienced by everyone who walks in the door, from his friendly “Hello, my friend” greeting to his attempts to learn and remember customer names, faces, and what they like to eat. It

makes everyone feel welcome. This and his kind generosity are reasons guests return again and again, and why customers become friends. If Mahamad cooks it, they will come. Lauri Lee is a culinary herb guru and food writer living in Madison, Wisconsin. Photographs by Eric Tadsen.

Lauri Lee

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e ssential landmark

The exterior is organized around massive brick piers rising from the foundation to the cornice.

Photograph by Zane Williams

Bradley House by Jeanne Engle Could a newly married couple turn down a house, a gift from the father of the bride, designed by an individual regarded as the spiritual father of modern architecture? Of course not. So it was that Dr. Harold C. Bradley and his wife, Mary Josephine Crane Bradley, came to own a home on Madison’s nearwest side that was designed by Louis Sullivan. Built in 1909, the Bradley House, at 106 N. Prospect Avenue, in the University Heights Historic District, is only one of two Sullivan designs in Wisconsin. The other is the Farmers & Merchants Union Bank in Columbus.

Photograph provided by Sigma Phi

Madison’s first landmark and a National Historic Landmark designated in 1976, the Bradley House became home to the Sigma Phi fraternity in 1915. The longest-running social fraternity in the United States—since 1827—Sigma Phi 26 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

came to the University of Wisconsin– Madison in 1908 and purchased the house from the Bradleys. The couple moved to a nearby Shorewood Hills home designed by George Elmslie. Elmslie was Sullivan’s chief draftsman and, as some architectural historians have noted, an equal to Sullivan in designing the Bradley House. Dr. Bradley came to UW–Madison as a junior professor of biochemistry and physiology in 1905. Soon after, he was asked to become part of a faculty team seeking to develop a UW medical program. After arriving, Bradley met, fell in love with, and married student Mary Josephine Crane of the prominent Chicago industrialist Crane family. The couple’s first child and only daughter, Mary Cornelia Bradley, was born May 1909 and died in January 1916 of meningitis. The Bradleys, desiring a meaningful remembrance of their daughter, hoped to build a research and teaching hospital connected to the UW medical school. Dr. and Mrs. Bradley raised $75,000 of the $93,000 needed to realize their dream. Located at 1225 Linden Drive, the first children’s hospital opened in Madison in 1920 and was named the Mary Cornelia Bradley Hospital for the Study of Children’s Diseases. The building

Photograph provided by Sigma Phi

remains and currently houses two UW departments. Today the hospital is the American Family Children’s Hospital. Dr. Bradley was also instrumental in encouraging outdoor education. In 1931, a committee consisting of Dr. Bradley, the student union’s director, a staff member, and three students joined forces to promote outdoor activities and to provide access to recreational equipment. Wisconsin Hoofers, with a name suggesting its members go places under their own power, was born. Today, Hoofers at the UW is one of the largest student recreation organizations in the country, with 2,200 members, and a lounge in the Memorial Union is named after Dr. Bradley. Additionally, a UW student residence hall bears Bradley’s name. The Bradley House was one of Sullivan’s last residential commissions and a prime example of Prairie School design. Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style with roots in Chicago. The style, popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright, Sullivan’s student, was most common in the Midwest, but its influence was felt around the globe. The Prairie School style integrates with the surrounding landscape. Horizontal lines of the design are meant to join with

Photograph by Zane Williams

the native prairie. Flat or hip roofs have broad eaves, windows are assembled in horizontal bands, construction and craftsmanship is solid, and decorative elements are restrained.

Photograph provided by Sigma Phi

In the Bradley House, steel cantilever beams encased in wood support the sleeping porches at the east and west ends of the home. The cantilever ends are terminated by signature Sullivanesque ornamentation—decorations that are intricate and detailed, yet orderly and organized. The house is t-shaped, with its main block running along the side of the property. The exterior is organized around massive brick piers rising from the foundation to the cornice.

The house suffered a devastating fire in March 1972, resulting in the loss of a substantial portion of the second floor and the roof. Only a few of the house’s 21 residents were present at the time,

and no one was injured. After the fire, an engineering firm assessed the damage and pronounced the Bradley House basically sound. When the question was raised if the members of Sigma Phi wanted to take the time, trouble, and expense to restore the house, the answer was a resounding yes. “The young men of the fraternity who were left homeless by the fire were less concerned by the loss of their possessions than they were by the damage done to the house,” wrote Jill Moore Marx in a July 1972 edition of the Wisconsin State Journal. The house was completely restored, and the Sigma Phi fraternity was awarded a citation by Governor Patrick Lucey for its work during Wisconsin’s Historic Preservation Week in May 1974. The fraternity also received an orchid award—given for building, revitalizing, and preserving the best of the past and present—from Capital Community Citizens. Sigma Phi member and early resident of the Bradley House Arthur C. Nielsen, Sr., was a 1918 UW graduate, captain of the varsity tennis team, and founder of the AC Nielsen Company. In 1957, the company became synonymous with television ratings under the leadership of his son, Arthur C. Nielsen, Jr., who was also a tennis player, Sigma Phi member, and Bradley House resident. Nielsen Sr. was the major donor to the Bradley House restoration while his son donated funds to build a library in the basement and supported ongoing house

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Today, 30 men are active members of Sigma Phi, but not all live in the Bradley House. The members have a wide variety of majors: economics, microbiology, retailing, film, math, business, and many types of engineering. While having a long tradition, Sigma Phi has been very conservative regarding expansion. Presently, there are only 10 chapters in the country. Sigma Phi prefers to remain small in numbers within each of its chapters so members can fully interact with one another. The Bradley House, able to accommodate about 20 men, is consistent with the philosophy of the fraternity. At the end of each semester, the residents change rooms and roommates to experience a different living environment and to get to know other members better. To care for the National Landmark, essentially a fine work of art, all Sigma Phi members (including nonresidents) are assigned weekly housework to

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keep the house functional and clean. “The community is what makes Sigma Phi great,” says Macklin O’Neil, an undergraduate brother. “We are small enough, so we can be more connected and engaged than larger fraternities. We get a chance to truly know other brothers, alumni, and those from other states.” A fraternity house might not be what Sullivan envisioned when designing Bradley House, but the continuing legacy of what this building means to individuals across Madison is something to be proud of. Jeanne Engle is a freelance writer.

Jeanne Engle

Photograph by MOD Media Productions

maintenance. The Nielsen family also donated the Nielsen Tennis Stadium to the UW.

AND

BRICK MORTAR 1

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Less big box, more you. Unique, unusual, and useful furnishings and accents. Affordably priced, custom built. Stop in and see what we have. 2 Pieces Unimagined 1228 Williamson St., Madison Comfortable SOREL Kinetic Sandals and the fashionable Goodr Sunglasses will be your go to for Summer. Visit us online at shoostore.com. (shoo) 109 State St., Madison

4 Rent a canoe, kayak, or stand-up board at Olbrich Park Boat Rentals! Enjoy social distancing on the water with friends and family. See you on the water! Olbrich Park Boat Rentals 3527 Atwood Ave., Madison Beautiful handmade wood pieces that are perfect for a wedding gift. Also find unique jewelry, pottery, candles, and accessories. JNJ Craftworks 1051 N. Edge Tr., Verona We feature a variety of elderberry and mushroom products to help support immune health. Let our friendly staff help you stay healthy. Community Pharmacy 341 State St., Madison Community Wellness Shop 6333 University Ave., Middleton

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DANE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION Groundbreaking occurred on August 6, 1965. The new facility, a one-story stone-and-concrete structure, opened to the public on December 30, 1965. “Dedicated to all things helpless and to the noble cause which aims to make the way easier for them—such is Dane County Humane Society.” — Ida Kittleson in 1926, five years into her three decades plus as president. When Dane County Humane Society (DCHS) began, stray and unwanted pets were kept by volunteers (like Kittleson) in their homes until suitable owners could be found, and later handled in quarters provided by local veterinarians. DCHS operated several temporary shelters in its early years, including one at 426 S. Park Street for a decade. As DCHS approached the 25th anniversary of its incorporation, the board sought an appropriate location for a permanent shelter. While they leased 30 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

The Shelter by Jeanne Engle

the Park Street facility for the shelter, the DCHS office was downtown. Then the need became critical when the shelter suffered its second fire in three weeks on February 1, 1945. There’s an important side note to this fire. The first person to reach the fire was 15-year-old Darrell Swetmore, whose home adjoined the shelter. He was housing homeless pets in his basement after the first fire on January 10. The Capital Times reported that Swetmore disregarded police orders against entering the building, forcing his way in through a rear shed to release dogs that were dangerously near the flames. Fourteen dogs were saved. In March 1945, DCHS board members sought a new shelter location near the Vilas Zoo. They wanted a new building

that would attract public attention and accommodate offices and educational programs. Unfortunately, the area was zoned residential, and Madison’s Plan Commission only permitted pet shelters in commercial or light industrial areas. Making a difficult situation worse, in November 1945, the Park Street shelter was closed and quarantined for a week by the state veterinarian because several animals had distemper. The shelter was fumigated, the infected animals removed, and the shelter reopened. A rendering of a new DCHS shelter and headquarters was published in its January 1946 annual report: “To be true to its boast as one of the nation’s most beautiful, most attractive cities, Madison must have as a home for its Humane Society ... a building which in utility and attractiveness measures up

Photograph provided by Capital Times

e ssential nonprofit

to the high standards which our city has set for itself for kindred activities.” Then in September, DCHS requested a zoning change from residential to commercial from the County Board Zoning Committee for a parcel in the town of Madison. The land was off Fish Hatchery Road just north of the North Western railroad tracks (today’s Cannonball Path). Area residents, along with members of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Arboretum Committee, including Aldo Leopold, signed a petition protesting the zoning change. The Arboretum group explained that the UW hoped to expand the arboretum to include the area in question. The DCHS request was denied. DCHS continued leasing the Park Street location for several more years under protest. In August 1948, a petition signed by 53 area residents was filed with Wisconsin’s attorney general and Dane County’s district attorney asking that the shelter be removed by court action as a public nuisance because

a stench emanated from the shelter. Harold Wilcox, Dane County’s humane officer, declared, “That may have been true several years ago when there was only a shelter keeper, but it has not been true since the society employed a fulltime veterinarian two years ago. The shelter is disinfected every morning, and the exercise run for the dogs outof-doors is also disinfected and washed every morning.” Wilcox noted that DCHS spent $600 for a new fence, gravel floor for the exercise run, and the cages were painted white inside once a month. And while the shelter’s capacity was for 30 dogs, they only averaged 8 to 10 at a time. Wilcox added that DCHS had been negotiating for new locations for several months. Then less than a year after the complaint, DCHS moved to the Candlin Pet Hospital at 702 W. Wingra Drive, a facility owned by Dr. Paul Candlin, DCHS first veterinarian. The shelter remained there for more than 15 years. In early 1965, DCHS announced that a permanent shelter and office would be

built at 2250 Pennsylvania Avenue. A sketch by Madison-based architectural firm Krueger, Kraft & Associates was published in local newspapers, and then DCHS bylaws were changed to conform with IRS regulations to allow tax-exempt donations for a building campaign. The new building would provide space for 150 adult dogs, separate rooms for kittens and puppies, an area for preliminary examinations of rabid animals, and an educational section for teaching school children about the care and training of animals. And the medical needs of animals would be served by a rotating panel of four veterinarian members

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Fundraising for the $50,000 needed began, starting off with an anonymous $5,000 gift from a Madison donor. Alexius Baas, DCHS education director and a columnist for The Capital Times, wrote regularly about the new facility needs, encouraging public contributions. By the end of June, a little more than $15,000 had been raised.

Veterinarians Association ($50), Sun Prairie Jaycees ($44), Shorewood Hills Garden Club ($25), and UW surgeons ($200). Groundbreaking occurred on August 6, 1965. The new facility, a onestory stone-and-concrete structure, opened to the public on December 30, 1965, and animals at the Candlin Pet Hospital were moved to the new shelter the next day. A week later, at the DCHS annual meeting, it was reported that $56,185 had been raised.

Seeking funds, DCHS representatives also contacted Dane County village and town boards. The Dane County Board passed a September 1965 resolution to contribute $5,000; the City of Madison followed with $4,000; the village of Shorewood Hills gave $750; and a variety of groups and associations kicked in, including Dane County

It didn’t take long for DCHS to outgrow the Pennsylvania Avenue facility. They cared for 4,200 animals in 1966, 6,800 in 1967, and more than 8,000 in 1968. So in January 1969, construction began on an addition. The entire project—additional land, construction, equipment, and a parking lot—would cost approximately $64,000. More than

$15,000 remained from the previous building campaign, and a fundraising goal of $50,000 was set again. DCHS had gained the confidence of the community. Contributions to the building campaign came quickly, and the addition was completed in May 1969, giving DCHS a facility twice the original size. Jeanne Engle is a freelance writer.

Jeanne Engle

Photograph by MOD Media Productions

of the Dane County Veterinarians Medical Association.

If you missed them, be sure to read “The Introduction” article from Madison Essential’s March/April issue

and “The Beginning” article from the May/June issue in the archives at madisonessentials.com. And watch for the September/ October issue, where we will feature innovations and the need for today’s Voges Road facility.

32 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

A quarterly magazine with great ideas to transform your living space. Each article connects you with the designers, contractors, and tradespeople who help us envision the environments we call home.

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This semiannual magazine and resource guide provides more than just care information for seniors, families, and professionals. Our contributors share their perspective and expertise on how to live your later years to their fullest.

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e ssential community

failure BY SANDY EICHEL If there’s one thing I’ve spent a ton of energy preventing in my life, it’s allowing others to see me fail. Whether on stage as a professional opera singer or in other parts of my life, I didn’t want anyone to see that I royally screwed up. I was trained by society that no one should ever see me fail and that I should keep my failures hidden behind the curtain. I’ve thought most of my life that failure was disaster. That when I failed, people would think less of me. Since what other people thought was my primary motivator, I could think of nothing worse than leading them to believe I’m not perfect. Apparently, I’m not the only one that received this programming. In the book The Confidence Code, by Katy Kay and Claire Shipman, they talk about the gap that exists between men and women in confidence. Research shows that even though most girls are outperforming boys academically grade school through college, once they get to the workforce, their confidence plummets. They found that one of the main causes is that girls are raised to be perfectionists and aren’t 34 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

encouraged to take risks and potentially fail. Boys get the experience of failing, learning important lessons that build their confidence. Phew! It’s not just me. I was the ultimate perfectionist whether it was baking a pie that looked and tasted perfect, how I should be dressing and looking, or doing my job without an undotted i or uncrossed t. It was exhausting and unsustainable. Despite my efforts, when I did fail, I tried to move on as quickly as possible. The show must go on! One experience I’ll never forget is when I fell flat on my face in an opera performance and then got up so quickly that the stage manager said it looked like I bounced. I was desperate to never let anyone see that I was flawed and human. Both on stage and in my personal life, I never stopped to see if I was okay—I just kept going. I didn’t sit with a failure and learn from it. All I learned was shame. The opera incident became a metaphor experienced over and over in my life. “What will people think” are the four words that destroy dreams. If I try doing

this and I fail, everyone will think I’m a loser, incompetent (you can fill in the blank). We’ve all had this thought. Have you ever tried to figure out who everyone really is? Martha Beck, a famous life coach and writer, calls this the Everybody Committee. She says your generalized other is actually based on a mental magnification of just a few people, often just one individual and almost never more than six, that are the most judgmental people you know. She says that when she has made people clarify exactly who these people are, they’re usually people that aren’t very significant in your life. And yet we allow them to rule our lives. Playing it safe and avoiding failure never allows a person to be happy and free. It takes courage to try something, and, like a muscle, the more you flex it, the stronger it gets. If you’re trying something that you really want to do and it feels risky, it’s probably something positive for your life. The way you know if you’re doing something that’s stretching you in a way that makes you grow is by how it feels. Taking risks

that allow you to grow can be scary but always feels like freedom. What you “should” do can feel easier, safer, and more comfortable, but it never feels like freedom. Gay Hendricks, author of The Big Leap, tells us that most people stay in their zone of excellence and never reach their zone of genius because of a fear of failure. It takes trust in yourself to take a leap, and every experience, success, or failure is designed to lead you to your next level of genius. Let’s say you take a risk and fall flat on your face…then what? Congratulations! You tried and failed. You did the thing, but the thing didn’t work. Now sit for a bit. Look around. See what you’re able to see sitting in that hole of failure that you weren’t able to see when you were taking the leap. Notice anything? Is there something you can take with you on the next leap? What parts felt the best? What parts felt iffy? Be kind to yourself while you sit in the void of ick. Your brain will probably keep saying you shouldn’t have tried, but that’s what life is: a big experiment where each day brings more learning about yourself and your limits. Having peaks and valleys along the roller coaster—that’s life. “You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled altogether! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-goround. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out it.” — Parenthood Sandy Eichel is a happy ex-should-er. Madison’s LGBTQ magazine since 2007

Sandy Eichel

Check out our video podcast series with Sandy, After Should, at madisonessentials.com. madisonessentials.com

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essential arts

OUR SEASON

Ginnie Cappaert O P E N TO I N T E R P R E TAT I O N BY KYLE JACOBSON Abstract art has gone 12 rounds with Western audiences since it came from the East in the 19th century. A century after its successes with Expressionists and Impressionists, Post Impressionists, e.g. Van Gogh, gave inspiration to abstract artists to explore emotion over realism. In the 1950s, broad audiences struggled to appreciate how one person’s expression of emotions as ideas was 36 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

worth their time compared to the rise of pop art. Abstract minimalist Ginnie Cappaert seems to have married the gamut of Western abstract art by focusing on natural landscapes—unanchored by historical events (like some works of the 19th century), thus open to timeless interpretations. Her perspective and

technique grant an accessibility to her work. Audiences are given a sense of place and perhaps a time of day, but are then left to fill in the scene with their own experiences. “There’s a lot of suggestion going on,” says Ginnie. “And a lot of that suggestion happens because of the many layers in the pieces. Most of these have about

30 or 40 layers where I’m adding paint and scraping away and removing and dissolving to get back to what’s underneath. So I’m sort of building up this history and then unearthing it to bring forward what I’d buried.” It’s essentially the opposite of what the audience does to find meaning in the piece—building and adding themselves to finish the production process. Ginnie’s thoughtful editing capitalizes on texture and abstraction, but her use of color is where the strongest suggestions are articulated. “I really am a colorist. I use color as a sense of feeling.” We are given clear ideas about the setting, like weather and place, by how vibrant or earthen the given palette. “I work kind of earthy muted, but then some are so bright. I think a lot of it is my sense of space and time when I’m working on certain series. I spend a lot of time every winter in my offseason out in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The light there is so bright and intense that when I’m there, I don’t even realize it. It

SERENDIPIDITY touch, harkening to the other senses with a high degree of intimacy. “That’s the exciting part about art for me,” says Ginnie. “I don’t want to look at a pretty picture that paints every grain of sand or every cloud in the sky or every feather on the bird. I prefer a little more mystery and subduedness.” By constructing the idea of a landscape, Ginnie forces her audiences to impart themselves onto the painting so they can make

sense of where and when the scene is taking place. Ultimately, her methods create familiarity through obscurity, taking away the “you just don’t get it” attitude and replacing it with something teetering on the edge of surreal with roots firmly set in reality. “I want to lightly suggest maybe the forest or maybe the water, but I want the audience to take it from

PLANTED EARTH affects my work, and my colors are so much more intense. When I get back home to the Midwest, the difference is striking. That’s usually in March, when everything is grey here. I get back here, and I slip into this more-muted earth tone because that’s what we have here.” Upon close observation, each piece brings with it a full range of sounds and madisonessentials.com

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NIGHT SKY

2020/21 SEASON BY GIUSEPPE VERDI

MUSIC BY JERRY BOCK LYRICS BY SHELDON HARNICK BY W.A. MOZART

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APRIL 30 & MAY 2, 2021 OVERTURE HALL

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there and put their own memories and thoughts into what that piece actually could be.” Even something as simple as a canvas split with blue on top and green on the bottom, suggesting a field, starts to reveal depth through texture and wrinkled lines like those creasing old photographs. What results is something that isn’t just any field to the viewer, but the field they grew up next to or a favorite picnic spot.

The other half of Ginnie’s life as an artist revolves around her gallery in Egg Harbor, Door County. It allows her to use her degree while being true to her creative nature. “I love when I work the gallery, and I get people from all over. We get chitchatting about travel or so or that. My whole world is opened up when I can sit and work in that gallery and talk to customers all day. ... When the galleries that represent me sell my work, I know nothing about who the buyer is or what home [the piece] is going into. It’s like you paint your little babies and send them off, and you don’t know what happens to them in many cases.”

ONE SMALL VILLAGES HAPPY LIFE Different series of paintings Ginnie explores are parts of her experiences. She’s been fortunate to travel around the world, to New Zealand and Ireland. But I think she can rest easy knowing that even those she hasn’t met who buy her work have found something of themselves in her paintings. “They don’t necessarily want the old ruins in Ireland hanging on their walls because it means so little to them. But the abstractedness or the color of the texture of the peat fields or the old stones work their way into my work.”

while proposing a wider impact can be more powerful than a pointed one. To see Ginnie’s work, visit her gallery or go to gcappaert.com, where you can also learn about her annual workshop. Kyle Jacobson is a copy editor for Madison Essentials, and a writer and beer enthusiast (sometimes all at once) living in Sun Prairie. Photographs provided by Ginnie Cappaert

Abstract art has gone the distance, and Ginnie’s contributions celebrate its past

Kyle Jacobson

Photograph by Barbara Wilson

These types of connections direct much of Ginnie’s work, and it goes back to her education. “I actually did not study art. I went to school for business.” To Ginnie, art is a creative endeavor first, but you don’t become a career artist after 20plus years simply because you got lucky. “When my second child was born, I decided to quit what I call my ‘real job’ to stay home and work on my art. It just kind of grew and developed from there by taking workshops and really studying and putting in the time in the studio. You’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t put in the time.”

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e ssential pets

PET INSURANCE BY LORI SCARLETT, DVM

Healthcare is expensive for humans and pets, but when you compare the costs of similar procedures, pet healthcare is a bargain. As an example, surgery to repair a torn cruciate ligament in a person’s knee could run over $20,000, while the repair for a dog averages $5,000. People with health insurance likely don’t realize the difference because, having health insurance, they don’t see the actual cost of their own surgery. They notice their out-of-pocket cost, which may be $3,000—less than the cost for

their dog. So what can you do to also reduce healthcare for your pet? Four Lakes Veterinary Clinic’s employee Peg adopted a young, very active Dalmatian. Having had Dalmatians previously, she knew they’re prone to bladder stones, allergies, and sometimes behavioral problems, and that as a larger breed dog, knee and hip issues are also a concern. After working in a vet clinic, she became more aware of dogs eating socks, tearing their cruciate ligaments,

requiring prescription foods, having dental disease, and developing cancer. Peg knew she couldn’t cover large, unanticipated vet bills, so she looked into pet insurance and then shared what she learned with me. There are three types of coverage.

1. Wellness. Covers annual exams,

routine lab work, heartworm testing, vaccines, teeth cleaning, and spay/ neuter surgeries. Not all insurers have a wellness plan.

Accidental. Includes broken bones, torn ligaments, bite wounds, intestinal foreign bodies, etc.

3. Illness. For things like allergies, cancer, arthritis, urinary tract infections, etc. Note that preexisting conditions and the age of your pet may reduce or eliminate some benefits. Unlike human insurance that has networks and fee adjustments to reduce your payment to the provider, most pet insurance companies reimburse you for 40 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

Some plans have annual dollar limits— Peg found $5,000 to be common, although one highly advertised company had a limit of only $1,000. Some plans also have lifetime maximums, and many have age restrictions and won’t insure older pets. Waiting periods are common. Peg reviewed one plan that had a 14-day waiting period for illness, 3 days for an accident, and 6 months for cruciate ligament injuries. The time to purchase insurance is certainly before your pet needs it. Each company has coverage exclusions, which you’ll want to take note of. Some don’t cover alternative therapies, like chiropractic treatment or holistic medicine, behavioral treatment, or prescription medication or food. And some companies’ wellness or preventive care is only covered if you purchase an additional policy. While Peg’s initial question was how she could afford pet insurance, it became how could she not afford it, so she moved forward to get quotes. ASPCA, PetsBest, Pet Plan, Progressive, and Petfirst have websites, which made option comparisons and quote requests easier. Not surprising, deductible and reimbursement percentages have a big impact on the monthly premium. Purebred and large-breed dogs cost more to insure because of potential hereditary conditions. Pets living in the city are more expensive than those in the country. Cats can be insured, and their premiums tend to be lower. Some carriers, like Nationwide, will insure birds and exotic pets. Enrolling your pet when they’re young locks in lower premiums, and there probably won’t be any restrictions. Waiting and then enrolling an older pet can mean limited coverage, fewer options, and higher expenses. Plus, preexisting conditions may not be covered.

It’s important to look at the specifics of the plan you are considering. As with other things, don’t select one simply because it’s the cheapest. Bivvy only costs $10 per month for each pet, but they have a one-year waiting period for orthopedic problems, a $250 deductible, and a $1,000 annual limit. And while they have a $25,000 lifetime payout, that means your pet would need to live to age 25 to reach the limit! Peg narrowed down to ASPCA and PetsBest. ASPCA was more expensive, but their insurance covered exam fees; prescription medications; alternative therapies, including stem cell treatments; and a microchip, which is only available as an add-on option with PetsBest. ASPCA also provided a 10 percent discount for other pets, while PetsBest only gave a 5 percent discount. But PetsBest’s accident waiting period was only 3 days, compared to 14 days for ASPCA. If your employer offers pet insurance, take the benefit. I diagnosed bone cancer in the mouth of an eight-yearold rottweiler, and the family was devastated. The surgery to remove the cancer was over $10,000. Fortunately, they had pet insurance through their employer, so they didn’t have to make their treatment decision based on money—that’s never a good place to be. Get quotes from established pet insurance companies to determine if a plan is right for you. Your pet will love you for it! Lori Scarlett, DVM, is the owner and veterinarian at Four Lakes Veterinary Clinic. For more information, visit fourlakesvet.com.

Lori Scarlett, DVM & Charlie

Photograph by Brenda Eckhardt

the cost of veterinary care; you pay then submit a claim for reimbursement. The reimbursement amount will depend on the policy details; exclusions; procedure allowances; and the plan’s deductible, which can vary from $0 to $2,500 per year. Reimbursement is typically 70 to 90 percent.

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e ssential travel

Mineral Point

by Liz Wessel Wisconsin’s coat of arms is an outline of Mineral Point’s past. The pick and shovel, lead bars, and the badger represent the city’s mining history. Miners came in waves, first from the east coast and then further afield from England and other countries, and mined for lead and then zinc. They also dug holes in the hillsides, called badger holes, for their shelter. During the mid-1800s, the population of Mineral Point was greater than Milwaukee or Chicago. As a oncebustling historic settlement, Mineral Point has gone from mining town to arts and cultural center, bringing it all together today for an experience that’s a microcosm of Wisconsin. 42 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

Cornish miners brought their skills and culture with them, which included snug stone cottages that dotted the hillsides. They also brought a love of baked goods, particularly Cornish pasty, a comfort food still regularly found in Mineral Point—especially at the Cornish Festival, held in September.

While many of the stone cabins disappeared, two residents, Robert Neal and Edgar Hellum, made it their life’s work to preserve some, establishing a link between the past and the present. The structures were given Cornish names, with the first being Pendarvis, named after an estate in Cornwall. Neal and Hellum also established the Pendarvis House restaurant, which operated until 1970. The Wisconsin Historical Society then acquired the property and preserved these examples of Cornish life. Today, you can visit Pendarvis and its associated buildings and grounds to experience Cornish culture from the miningsettlement times.

The arm and hammer of the coat of arms represents manufacturing and industry, but has also been interpreted to symbolize laborers and artisans, both compelling symbols of Mineral Pointâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evolution. Mineral Point residents view themselves as a community of makers, both creative and functional. Today, the Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts is a hub for the creative energy of the community. Housed in a cluster of renovated historic buildings and modern additions, the Center complements the numerous galleries and artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; studios sprinkled throughout the town.

Workshops, teach-ins, and longer courses are offered at the Center as well as housing accommodations. Sign up early, as these popular classes often sell out. Regular gallery nights, as well as the Fall Art Tour through southwestern Wisconsin, highlight the creative and independent artisans who call Mineral Point home. In addition to the Center, historic buildings throughout Mineral Point have been repurposed for studios, workshops, and accommodations. Fittingly, Mineral Point was the first

Shake Rag Alley Blacksmith

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Pendarvis State Historic Site

city in Wisconsin to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. A standout is the Opera House, which

was dedicated in 1915 and has served as the gathering space for community and family events. Originally, it seated over 700; included a balcony and two boxes; and featured live drama, comedy, grand opera, and symphonic music. Renovated in 2010, the building once again serves as a venue for southwest Wisconsin, bringing in a variety of arts, music, and national acts as well as community events. Attending an event here could be the cornerstone of a weekend visit.

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Hospitality has emerged in Mineral Point’s renaissance. Today, you can find a variety of accommodations to choose from, including the historic Cothren House cabin, which was lovingly reconstructed and simply furnished to make a cozy stay for two. Wisconsin’s farming culture— symbolized by the cornucopia and plow—has always been locally grown and produced in Mineral Point. Today, Saturday farmers’ markets (May through October) feature products of local producers. Three cheese factories have been based in Mineral Point, including the award-winning Hook’s Cheese

Company, formerly the Mineral Point Cheese Company. Hook’s makes its cheese from milk purchased from local dairy farmers. The Chicago Stock Exchange at one time distinguished Mineral Point’s high-quality beef with its own brand: Mineral Point beef. Today, you can still find locally raised beef from area farms, like Marr’s Valley View Farms, a fourth-generation family farm established in 1874. Mineral Point was home to the oldestknown Wisconsin brewery (est. 1835). While the building does not remain, local brewing continues at the Brewery Creek Brewpub & Inn. One of the most stunning changes in Mineral Point was the resurrection of Brewery Creek, a multipartner effort to clean up the old mining waste and the creek bed polluted by multiple sources. Finished in 1993, the results were transformative. Efforts included moving the creek bed into wetlands to improve water retention during flood events, planting of native species, and stopping discharges into the creek.1 The project opened the door for recreation, a valued asset for residents

of experiences, it would be hard to be satisfied with a single visit. So savor your time here and look forward to something new each visit! Bennwitz, Thomas M. The resurrection of brewery creek. Restoration & Management Notes, 13 (1), 1995, pp. 71–76. 1

Liz Wessel is the owner of Green Concierge Travel, which has information for honeymoons and other ecotravel at greenconciergetravel.com. Photographs provided by Travel Wisconsin.

The Cabin at Cothren,Interior

and visitors. Six state parks are within striking distance of Mineral Point, adding to the hiking, biking, and fishing possibilities. Or stay closer to town and set out on the Cheese Country Trail that leads south from Brewery Creek Brewpub & Inn. Enjoy the renewed countryside and creek and make sure to return for a pint and a bite to eat. If you need another excuse to visit, on July 4, the community has a double celebration: American independence and the swearing in of the first territorial governor, Governor Dodge. The Iowa County Fair happens in September along with Cornish Festival. Christmas

finds the local galleries and studios welcoming visitors with decorations, good cheer, and unique gift ideas. Not surprisingly, brides and grooms are also drawn to this location. The Historical Society’s Orchard Lawn, home to the Gundry family until 1936, provides a distinctive and unique setting for a summer wedding or live concert. The Society is housed in the building and continues to engage the community, reinventing the property as the “living room of Mineral Point,” hosting tours, concerts, events, and weddings.

Liz Wessel

pendarvis.wisconsinhistory.org shakeragalley.org fallarttour.com/about-the-tour

The story of Mineral Point clearly shows how a community can be resilient and remain relevant. With such a breadth

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advertiser index association

Back of the House Online

Dane Buy Local............................................... 39

Dane County Humane Society.................... 41

Ho-Chunk Gaming Madison......................... 48

Fitchburg Center............................................. 47

Home Elements & Concepts......................... 33

Green Lake Area Chamber

Journey of Aging............................................. 33

of Commerce............................................. 24

Madison Opera............................................... 38

Madison Originals........................................... 17

MOD Media Productions............................... 33

Sauk Prairie Area Chamber of

Olbrich Botanical Gardens........................... 27

Commerce.................................................. 15

Our Lives Magazine........................................ 35

Town of Merrimac........................................... 19

Simply Creative Productions......................... 20

Video Series................................................ 35

CONTEST Win a $50

Porta Bella/ Paisan's® Restaurant Gift Card!

WORT-FM........................................................... 21

dining, food & beverage Bavaria Sausage Kitchen, Inc....................... 28

home & landscaping

Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream..................... 31

Cabinet City..................................................... 13

Clasen’s European Bakery............................. 45

ZDA, Inc............................................................. 23

Firefly Coffee House & Artisan Cheese....... 28 Fraboni’s Italian Specialties & Delicatessen......................... 44

services

“Which Madison restaurant owner previously owned and operated the Silk Road food cart?”

American Family Insurance

Lombardino’s..................................................... 5

DreamBank................................................... 2

The Mixing Bowl Bakery.................................. 27

Bergamot Massage

The Nitty Gritty................................................. 28

The Old Feed Mill Restaurant........................ 45

Four Lakes Veterinary Clinic.......................... 40

Otto’s Restaurant & Bar.................................. 37

Monroe Street Framing................................... 32

Paoli Schoolhouse American Bistro............... 5

Stoughton Hospital........................................... 8

Porta Bella........................................................ 33

Tadsen Photography...................................... 13

& Bodywork................................................... 9

Quivey’s Grove................................................ 31 Riley’s Wines of the World.............................. 43

shopping

Samba Brazilian Grill....................................... 43

Abel Contemporary Gallery......................... 38

The Side Door Grill and Tap........................... 43

Community Pharmacy................................... 29

Sugar River Pizza Company........................... 11

Community Wellness Shop............................ 29

Tempest Oyster Bar......................................... 19

Deconstruction Inc......................................... 43

Tornado Steak House..................................... 19

JNJ Craftworks................................................. 29

Vintage Brewing Co. ........................................ 5

Little Luxuries.................................................... 29

Willy Street Co-op........................................... 21

Pieces Unimagined......................................... 29 Rutabaga Paddlesports, LLC........................ 29

entertainment & media

Question:

(shoo)................................................................ 29

Enter by submitting your answer to the above question online at madisonessentials.com or by mail with your name, mailing address, phone number, and email to: Madison Essentials c/o Towns & Associates, Inc. PO Box 174 Baraboo, WI 53913-0174 All entries with the correct answer will be entered into a drawing for one of two $50 gift cards. Contest deadline is July 24, 2020. Gift cards will be honored at either Porta Bella or Paisan’s.

Good Luck!

After Should Online Video Podcast............. 35

Winners Thank you to everyone who entered our previous contest. The answer to the question “Which local restaurant started on Park Street and was then at University Square for many years before moving to its current location?” is Paisan’s. A $50 Food Fight® Gift Card was sent to each of our winners, Ed Ormont of Beaver Dam and Pat Sargent of Mt. Horeb.

CONGRATULATIONS! 46 | m a d i s o n e s s e n t i a l s

photo by Rich Armstrong

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