Linda Falkenstein

2 months ago | isthmus.com | Linda Falkenstein

Lovers of hand-pulled Chinese noodles have a far east side option now that Hotco Noodles has opened a stall inside Global Market and Food Hall, 2161 Zeier Road. Most dishes start with a springy, toothy tangle of la mian, wheat noodles. The owners of Hotco come from the Sichuan region of China and also market a Sichuan Crunchy Chili Sauce, which makes an appearance in the Dan Dan noodles, a pretty dish with ground pork that comes topped with peanuts and six crunchy bunches of bok choy.

2 months ago | isthmus.com | Linda Falkenstein

Often a school theater program exists because of the dedication of a few teachers and determined parents. And with some help from The Mouse. Stephanie Salas and Melissa Kruser are two of those determined parents. They started working on a theater program at Sennett Middle School after their kids graduated from Henderson Elementary, one of five Madison elementary schools with a theater program participating in the Disney Musicals in Schools program.

2 months ago | isthmus.com | Linda Falkenstein

Watching the minutely observed Relationship to Patient, it’s hard to believe this is director Caroline Creaghead’s first film. The pace is unrushed, confident; the content meditative, honest. Set in a hospital, largely taking place at the bedside of a patient in the ICU, the film feels more real than the blood and chaos of any mainstream hospital drama. It will be shown as part of a group of shorts under the heading “Wisconsin’s Own Short Stories,” April 6 at the Bartell Theatre.

2 months ago | isthmus.com | Linda Falkenstein

Elder Hinckley and Elder Mihaas, two young Mormon missionaries, are used to coping with rejection — doors slammed in their faces, soft drinks thrown at them out the windows of cars. But when they approach a brash recluse in rural Wisconsin, the unexpected happens. Director Ryan Allsop’s short Once a Mormon will be shown as part of a group of comic shorts under the heading “Wisconsin’s Own Gone Wild” on April 4 at Music Hall.

Mar 8, 2025 | isthmus.com | Linda Falkenstein

It’s hard to imagine a less serious eatery than Teamoji, a bubble tea and Korean corn dog spot on State Street at Gilman. It takes the space of Sookie’s Veggie Burgers at 502 State St., in a neoclassical Beaux Arts style building listed on the state historic register. The contrast between its stately exterior and its mod interior with digital ordering kiosks and a K-pop soundtrack is a little jarring. But whatever. Teamoji is fun.