Charles Usher

3 days ago | milwaukeemag.com | Charles Usher

Apologies to comedian Charlie Berens, but Manitowoc deserves more than a minute. There’s enough in town – Picasso and Warhol, a World War II submarine, and a restaurant serving delicious Nicaraguan cuisine – to fill a long weekend. But, at just 80 miles from Milwaukee, the city known for its shipbuilding history also makes an ideal day trip, as I discovered on a recent visit.

Dec 4, 2024 | milwaukeemag.com | Charles Usher

In summer, it’s not hard to find a sport that both keeps you active and improves your social life. But as temperatures drop, so too does the list of options for recreation. Enter curling, the sporty social mixer. “It makes the Milwaukee winters go by very quickly,” says Jay Packard, the Milwaukee Curling Club’s ice technician. “We start curling in October and you start in your league, and pretty soon it’s the end of March. You’ve spent time exercising.

Nov 14, 2024 | milwaukeemag.com | Charles Usher

A satisfying hike doesn’t need to be strenuous. Just getting out in nature is its own reward, and, lucky for us, the Milwaukee area abounds with trails for short, simple strolls, whether you want to counteract the effects of your Thanksgiving feast, get some steps in before the Packers game, or just escape from the hustle and bustle for a few moments. These are five great local hikes you can do in under an hour. Join us in recognizing the outstanding honorees of this year’s Betty Awards. 1.

Oct 23, 2024 | midwestliving.com | Charles Usher

Dan Jacobs is the chef of DanDan and EsterEv, and was a finalist on Top Chef. Photo: Stephanie Diani/Bravo Before moving from Chicago to Milwaukee in 2011, chef Dan Jacobs didn’t know much about Wisconsin’s food scene. That hardly made him an outlier. Ask folks outside the state what they know about Wisconsin cuisine, and most will crack a joke about beer, brats and cheese curds.

Sep 1, 2024 | fiftygrande.com | Charles Usher

This story first appeared in the Fall Travel issue, which is on sale here. Midday’s blue skies had turned an ominous gray by the time the giant was resurrected. He rose slowly, lifted from his shoulders by straps attached to a forklift. When he finally reached vertical, his feet lifted off the trailer he’d arrived on, and he jerked in the air. For a moment, it seemed as if he might topple onto the crowd below, but then two men grabbed him by his toes and, with some effort, steadied him.