Word of Mouth: Feb. 26

From your friends at Madison's alt-weekly.

What we're watching

Cat Capellaro, Isthmus arts & culture editor:

I used to be disinterested in sci fi – until Battlestar Galactic happened. Now I'm finding great satisfaction in Maniac, the Netflix series about a bizarro pharmaceutical trial. It stars Jonah Hill as Owen Milgrim and Emma Stone as Annie Landsberg, two participants struggling with mental illness in real life who keep meeting in the scenarios concocted by a depressed computer. Yeah, it sounds crazy, and it is. Deliciously so.

What we're drinking

Kwasi Obeng, Madison City Council chief of staff:

I was introduced to an amazing cocktail by my uncle. On a Friday evening after work I like to have Honey Jack Daniels on the rocks with a splash of Bailey's Irish Cream. I have been told you can replace the Honey Jack with Crown Royal Vanilla. It's perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

What we're reading

Jenie Gao, contemporary artist, muralist, and printmaker in Madison:

I'm on a fiction vacation. Eighty-percent of the books I read in the last two years were nonfiction. I'm burnt out. I'm only reading fiction this winter to help me fall back in love with reading as a ritual and self-care habit. In January, I read The Kite Runner, American Born Chinese, Nonrequired Reading, and my favorite, The Power by Naomi Alderman. It’s suspenseful, political, paradigm-shifting, and brutal. Read it through for an extraordinarily satisfying zinger at the end.

What we're offering

What we're eating

Rachel Werner, content marketing specialist at Taliesin Preservation:

If you're a true Wisco at heart, head to Toby's Supper Club in McFarland ASAP. I just got introduced to this fine establishment while judging a food competition with the I Love Madison Show, and I could have stayed there all day. The staff is so friendly you feel as if you've just walked into your Aunt Sally's house. The batter on the fish fry is so light (plus NOT greasy), you can almost convince yourself it's a low-caloric indulgence. Be sure order a Key Lime Martini and follow that up with an Old Fashioned.

What we're listening to

Candice Wagener, Isthmus contributor:

Listening to The Feed Podcast lets me indulge my love of food and brings me home to my Chicago roots. Hosts Rick Bayless and Steve Dolinsky, well known in the Windy City food scene and beyond, are a fun team. A recent episode featured an ingredient challenge between Bayless and Chef Josh Kulp (Honey Butter Fried Chicken) and inspired me to go beyond stir fry the next time I make bok choy.

Where we're working out

Darren Bush, owner of Rutabega Paddlesports:

I started working out at Orange Theory Fitness last June. Seven months later I'm 15 pounds lighter, but more importantly, I was able to run a half marathon, and now I'm running eight minute miles. It's a supportive community, regardless of age, gender, or body type.