While progress has been made, as last year's UCLA Diversity Report and the most recent redux of #OscarsSoWhite have shown, Hollywood still has a ways to go when it comes to representation in front of and behind the camera.

Pomona Cider Co. is to open by early summer at 2159-2163 N. Farwell Ave. It will operate as a tavern, with a limited number of wine and local craft beer options. Pomona Cider also will have a wood-fired oven for baking flatbreads and other appetizers.

The bar, Cupid Studio, will be packed with themed drinks, snacks, games and photo ops. The menu includes things like: a "Box of Chocolates" flight featuring a Chocolate Orange Bourbon Old Fashioned, Chocolate Martini and Cinnamon Hot Chocolate.

Mad Chicken, a locally owned fast casual restaurant specializing in chicken tenders, wings and sandwiches, officially opened its doors to the public at 2045 E. North Ave. on Friday, Jan. 10. It's the first stand-alone brick and mortar restaurant for Mad Chicken, which was founded in 2017 as a food court concept in the Fox River Mall in Appleton, expanding to include locations at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee as well as in Santa Ana, California.

There's something about the moment when the still silence turns to a gentle bustle at Crossroads Collective. It's the time just before the lunch or dinner rush. The air changes, awakened by energy and the chatter of friends, gathering in groups at the community tables and placing orders at vendor counters. It's lively and bright and a reminder that the East Side is alive, well, and moving swiftly into the future. It's one of the reasons I love to visit. It's one of those places where I enjoy eating as much by myself as in the company of others. I've also grown to love each of the vendors for different reasons; it seems Crossroads has someth

Milwaukee has a well-deserved reputation as a foodie town. You can get just about any food you crave in the city, from ethnic to traditional to straight-up gourmet. Any food, that is, except a good donut. Donut Squad was created in response to this situation.

High-intensity interval training isn’t a new concept, but the Shred415 workout and East Side studio (2165 N. Prospect Ave.) keeps it interesting while you sweat your butt off. Each workout is broken into four 15-minute intervals (hence the name) alternating between treadmill drills and strength-based endurance exercises on the floor. The lights are low, and the music is so loud, you won’t hear your heart pounding. You never have to do the same exercise more than once, and trainers tailor classes for every fitness level.

The Clock Tower Building, 2266 N. Prospect Ave., at the corner of Prospect and North Avenues is most assuredly an East Side landmark, visible from all directions and across generations who have gazed up at its three faces to synchronize watches or make sure a meeting wasn't missed. Folks looking at it recently surely noted the absence of the minute and hour hands on all three clocks. The hands are now back.