Milwaukee is hunkering down. First we're fending off the snow; next the extreme cold. Lucky for us, we have access to the most comforting of comfort foods: cheese curds.

Owner Benjamin Christiansen wants to open the new wine store and bar, listed as Benjamin’s Fine Wine & Spirits, by March 1 at 2120 N. Farwell Ave. on Milwaukee’s East Side, according to a license application recently filed with the city. Christiansen was not immediately available for comment.

No one else in town was compiling a roster of Milwaukee’s “bests” back in the 1980s when the Shepherd Express launched the idea. While many of the “best ofs” that followed were decided somewhat arbitrarily by the editors and sales managers of local media outlets, the Shepherd Express has remained committed to giving you, the people of Milwaukee, a voice.

You've got options this weekend. There are three ice bars in the Third Ward at St. Paul Fish Co., Benelux Cafe and Wicked Hop. Or hit up the Fire + Ice Party on the east side in Black Cat Alley. So put on your snow boots and hit the town. The corner of East St. Paul Avenue and Broadway in the Third Ward is where most of these bars are clustered.

Other must-see venues, according to the Tribune, include Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, the historic Pfister and the East Side’s new Crossroads Collective that features barbecue, crepes, tacos and scoops of homegrown Scratch Ice Cream.

The word “iconic” gets tossed around a lot, but for Milwaukee’s East Side, few things are as iconic as the corner of North and Farwell. The beloved Oriental Drugs pharmacy/lunch counter/dime store held down that corner for more than 65 years, serving as a “crossroads” for the city at large.

Drake Bell, co-star of the Nickelodeon hit "Drake & Josh," is touring to promote his solo musical act, and he's making an appearance in Milwaukee ... at Vitucci's, 1832 E North Ave., on Jan. 17.

What killed the dinosaurs? The Ice Age! And ice bars! Oh, excuse us…allow us to break the ice: Here’s a list of upcoming Milwaukee ice bars. Learn it well, for it’s the chilling sound of your doom.