Happy Tuesday, Milwaukee. In today’s edition: ACA testimony, Brunch with Santa, Milwaukee Makers Market, and more.

Let’s get to it — Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Testimony highlights coverage stakes: Milwaukee chef Dan Jacobs testified in Washington to keep the Affordable Care Act, citing his Kennedy’s Disease and small business risks, as a 2025 health plan deadline looms nationwide — read the full story.

Transit oversight intensifies in Milwaukee: Federal transit officials demanded reports from Milwaukee’s MCTS and The Hop on curbing fare evasion and improving safety, with action plans and funding details due by Dec. 22 — learn what FTA demanded.

Seclusion practices under scrutiny: Milwaukee Public Schools will launch a district-wide special education audit in March, hiring the Council of the Great City Schools to evaluate services and inclusion for students with disabilities — get all the details.

Protect your nest egg: Savvy investors are turning to gold amidst today’s inflation, national debt, and market uncertainty for a reason. It holds its value when everything else feels shaky. Case in point: it’s up ~62% since January. If you’re curious about adding it and other precious metals to your portfolio, American Hartford has a super helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free, and definitely worth a read — check it out here.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Highlights this week

• Celebrate 50 years of A Christmas Carol
• Experience Milwaukee Ballet’s Nutcracker with live orchestra
• Sip mimosas on a Pabst Mansion tour
• Enjoy free daytime admission at the Zoo
• Grab major Harley gear discounts
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A home warranty that actually pays is 30% off

🫶 We got your back

Under-the-radar bites await: Milwaukee’s having a culinary moment, recently spotlighted by Skyscanner, and this locals’ guide gives Racine foodies the inside track. Think Mazorca Tacos’ hand-pressed tortillas (and winter dining in Zócalo’s heated huts), Outlaw Oyster’s quirky Octodog and new Bay View outpost inside Crafty Cow, and low-key legend Vinchi’s in The Bubbler’s back room. Read the full guide.

Neighborhood air trends revealed: Milwaukee’s MKE FreshAir Collective released its 2024 Air Quality Report, using 21 neighborhood sensors to track PM2.5. Air was generally better than 2023, but at least 10 days hit unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups somewhere in the city; Havenwoods peaked at 154 AQI. The network has grown to 26 sensors, with real-time readings via IQAir’s app and a new dashboard. See what the report shows.

Classic cinema fix: Settle in at the 1927 movie palace run by Milwaukee Film, where Oriental Theatre pairs three beautiful screens with a full bar and occasional 35mm/70mm prints. The seasonal lineup shines… just find your seat beneath those chandeliers and enjoy a proper night out.

Hear me out: My mom’s been asking people to repeat themselves 5,281 times too many for years. She always avoided hearing aids like the plague — they’re clunky, obvious, expensive, not really worth it. I always thought “she’s not wrong” until I saw these new invisible hearing aids going viral. In the same boat? Now’s a great time to check them out before unused health benefits expire on the 31st.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I discovered Keranique’s hair regrowth system. Everything with them is surprisingly easy: no quizzes, no pills, no choosing between dozens of products. Just grab the kit and follow the instructions. The best part? It’s $75 off right now + you’ll get your money back if you don’t love the results.

📆 Around town this week

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

This week

🍪 Sugar & Spice Gingerbread Workshop @ The Pfister Hotel | Tuesday (12/16) at 5:30pm – Head to the Pfister for a gingerbread workshop where the pros build the house, and you handle the candy, creativity, and laughs. Two hours of frosting therapy with cocoa, cider, and coffee, sweet treats, a take-home box, and a cash bar for structural confidence.

🍸 Peppermint Mocha Cocktail Class & Tasting @ Central Standard Crafthouse and Kitchen | Wednesday (12/17) at 7:00pm – Finally, a peppermint mocha cocktail class for adults, with a proper kick and no whipped cream mustache. Start with a festive welcome sip, sample a spirit flight, then mix your own, and leave with a keepsake glass, a recipe, and a cheeky 15% off.

✨ Spark in the Dark @ Urban Ecology Center | Thursday (12/18) at 6:30pm – If your winter date night keeps defaulting to takeout and true crime, fix it, no planning needed. Use a dinner discount at a partner spot, stroll candlelit Riverside Park with tarot and night photography, then warm up at Prairie Springs with cocktails, music, and crafts.

🍾 Holiday Mimosa Tours @ Pabst Mansion | Friday (12/19) at 9:00am – Christmas at the Pabst Mansion is getting the only guided tour treatment, with a mimosa in hand. Think twinkling rooms, Gilded Age gossip, and just enough bubbly to pretend your holiday shopping is handled. Classy, cozy, and blissfully low on tinsel chaos.

🍷 Il Poggione Brunello Tasting @ Waterford Wine & Spirits | Friday (12/19) at 4:00pm – Trade your pour for a Tuscan lineup as Katie Espinosa, certified sommelier, walks through Il Poggione, a Brunello icon, with Rosso, Brunello, and Riserva, plus estate olive oil. Big casks, bigger charm, zero pretense. Buy three bottles, get your ticket credited back, allocations allowing.

This weekend

🎅 Cocoa & Claus @ Betty Brinn Children’s Museum | Saturday (12/20) at 9:00am – Santa swings by Betty Brinn for cocoa-fueled chaos done right. Expect Santa Story Times, kids launching cocoa-catapults, and tinkering up trees in the Be A Maker space, plus a family photo taken and emailed later, and hot chocolate from Stone Creek Coffee. Special tickets required.

🎅 Brunch with Santa @ Il Cervo | Saturday (12/20) at 10:00am – Rooftop brunch over the Deer District with Santa on standby for photos, because the kids still believe and you believe in mimosas. Expect Il Cervo classics, a carving station, pancakes for the littles, a hot chocolate bar, cookie decorating, and a dangerously cheerful dessert display.

🎬 Indigenous Roots Farmers Market @ Milwaukee Public Library Washington Park Branch | Saturday (12/20) at 12:00pm – Nothing beats a cozy Christmas movie night at Indigenous Roots Farmers Market, where the popcorn is hot, and vibes are merry. Bring the crew for family cinema, treats, good food, and a toy giveaway, and feel free to pretend it is all for the kids.

🎩 Champions of Magic Holiday Spectacular @ The Riverside Theater | Saturday (12/20) at 7:30pm – Give the neighborhood light tour a night off, and take the crew to Champions of Magic: Holiday Spectacular, a high-energy, interactive show with big-stage illusions, sharp humor, and festive surprises. It’s classy, fun, and actually keeps teens off their phones.

🔧 Milwaukee Makers Market @ Discovery World | Sunday (12/21) at 10:00am – Milwaukee Makers Market is packing in 45-plus curated local makers, handmade goods, and gift-worthy finds, because your shelves deserve less mass-produced, more Milwaukee. It is free to wander the market, but if you want the exhibits, plan for general admission.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/16 Holiday Concert @ Sunset Playhouse – 2 pm
• 12/16 Chanukah Concert @ Milwaukee Youth Arts Center – 5:30 pm
• 12/16 Rick Holmes Band and more @ Magoo’s on the Mound – 6 pm
• 12/16 Advance Base and more @ Cactus Club – 6:30 pm
• 12/16 A Live Radio Play @ Stackner Cabaret – 6:30 pm
• 12/17 Passion Park @ Bremen Cafe – 9 pm
• 12/18 Sugo Funks @ Nashville North – 7:30 pm
• 12/18 Adam Doleac @ Shank Hall – 8 pm
• 12/18 Jazz Night in Tosa @ Lion’s Tail Brewing – 8:30 pm

🏠️ This house is wild

Listed by: Rodolfo Garcia-Garcia (RE/MAX Service First)

Classic Lannon stone bungalow in Jackson Park, 2 beds, 1 bath, drenched in sunshine from updated windows. A gracious living room flows to a dedicated dining room, and the recently refreshed kitchen brings crisp countertops and new cabinets. The partially finished lower level adds flexible lounge space with a bar, perfect for entertaining or extra hangout time.

Out back, a brand new concrete patio pairs with a two car parking slab, and newer mechanicals keep things smooth. Set on a leafy, tree lined street three blocks from Jackson Park.

Take a peek inside →