In terms of aesthetics, Riverwest’s Art Bar, 722 E Burleigh St., is perhaps the most visually and aurally stimulating bar around. Upon walking in, one is surrounded by art reminiscent of a modern gallery.

One wall is composed of paint-by-numbers ranging from pastoral to religious scenes, a pole is plastered with old-fashioned soda bottle caps; the back wall is currently dedicated to “Art You Can Feel”- fuzzy characters that resemble sea mammals, such as manatees and walruses, amidst a sparsely painted backdrop.

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Many have already faulted Wes Anderson’s new film, “The Darjeeling Limited,” for being too much like his past efforts. And it’s true: “Darjeeling” is a Wes Anderson movie in every sense connoted by the filmmaker’s name. But that is, by no means, a negative statement.

The co-writer/director's fifth feature film is indeed very true to form, making great use of the signature cinematic style he developed through earlier efforts like “Rushmore” and “The Royal Tenenbaums.”

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Apples are one of the many wonderful flavors that autumn brings us Midwesterners. From cider to pies or eating them for breakfast in the morning, they are a great on-the-go meal that can be eaten sans utensils.

Twenty minutes west of campus is a wonderful farmer’s market in the heart of West Allis. Every year, the Nieman Family Orchard brings their harvest of more than 30 varieties of apples to the market, nearly selling out and going home early every Saturday.

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On their latest release, “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,” Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters team up with Gil Norton, producer of their acclaimed sophomore album “The Colour and the Shape,” who produced hits like “Hero” and “Everlong” turning them into stadium rockers over 10 years ago.

Instead of channeling old vibes and familiar sounds for this record, the band has reinvented itself with Norton’s help, giving birth to a more mature sounding record that should be enjoyed by old and new Foo fans for years to come.

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Picture this setting. You’re a paperboy riding down the street. You’re not really paying attention to the cross traffic. All of a sudden a dog runs out and you swerve to miss it.

Now you are in on-coming traffic and get hit by a white Buick LeSabre. Suddenly you find yourself back at the beginning of the street, your bag still full of papers.

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“Laughing Bodies, Dancing Minds” was the title of the dance program he Li Chiao Ping Dance Company performed this past Friday night at Danceworks. Though some parts of Ping’s “Laughing Bodies” program lagged, the night did manage to feature some excellent storytelling and modern choreography.

The choreography presented by the company was postmodern, with a mix of ballet and jazz styles. The breathy free-falls and lifts executed by the company looked effortless and were catchy to the viewers’ eyes.

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Continuing with the theme of Halloween, this week we turn to zombies and humans. You would think that humans would win this one with no problem with all their guns, logical thought and motor skills. Well, you would think, anyway.

Let’s take a closer look at why humans don’t utterly dominate the undead, and why zombies and humans are more alike than you think.

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The first album from indie band MGMT on the Columbia label, “Oracular Spectacular” is filled with infectious melodies, with noticeable influences ranging from Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (“Weekend Wars”) to Scissor Sisters (Electric Feet).

MGMT, currently on tour with of Montreal, consists of duo Andrew VanWyngarden and Beno Goldwasser. They were signed to Columbia last November.

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As we Milwaukee fashionistas rev up for the holiday season, it is important to have a dressing plan for the different parties and events we may be required to attend. There are endless engagements, which mandate a different style of dress, and your little black dress might not be appropriate for each obligation.

Having recently attended an anniversary dinner as well as a funeral, it was clear that the same black dress would not suffice for the two occasions. Additionally, I have a slew of weddings, parties and fashion shows to throw into the mix.

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Elusive power-poppers The New Pornographers can be a tricky band to catch live, but those who caught them at Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater on Oct. 17 witnessed a tight and energetic performance.

Since the Pornographers are stacked with successful solo artists, the band’s members are seldom able to line up all of their schedules for a tour. In the past, at least a few members haven’t been able to hit the road with the band. This time around, the usually absent Neko Case and Dan Bejar were both on hand, and their presence took the show to the next level of amazing.

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There is not a fruit more synonymous with October than the pumpkin. That’s right; pumpkins are a fruit, like squash.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a whole website dedicated to everything pumpkins, most likely because Illinois grows over 90 percent of the processed pumpkins in the United States. In fact, Illinois produced nearly 500 million pounds of pumpkins in 2005.

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Bruce Springsteen, aka The Boss, along with a handful of others, is a true legend in the world of music. Asbury Park, that butt shot on the cover of “Born In The U.S.A,” his blue-collar mentality, his ability to sell out any venue in the world, his anthems, launching the career of Courtney Cox-and that dance, have all solidified Springsteen’s reputation as The Boss.

Despite being one of the most popular and best-selling musicians in the history of the world, Springsteen has never been given the credit he deserves in certain indie-circles. Bob Dylan and Neil Young always garner the accolades of hipsters and indie-bands, and with reason; however, Springsteen never does despite the fact he more than deserves it.

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When going to the Martín Ramírez art exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum, which opened on Oct. 6 and runs through Jan. 13, I didn’t know what to expect. I am by no means an expert on art, but I can definitely look at something and know whether I like or not, which probably places me in the same category as a many others.

The most interesting thing about the exhibit was the background of Ramírez. He was born in Mexico and left there in 1925 to find work in the United States. As a result of struggles at home and the Great Depression, Ramírez was left homeless and unemployed on the streets of California.

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Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the moon did more than enhance man’s understanding of space and technology. In the tumultuous 1960s, amidst war and significant social unrest, the space program served as a symbol of hope and progress worldwide.

In his documentary “In the Shadow of the Moon,” director David Sington interviews a handful of astronauts who participated in the first Apollo missions to the moon, including Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Mike Collins, who were on the Apollo 11 spacecraft, which landed on the moon first. Out of privacy concerns, Neil Armstrong did not participate in the film.

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I am completely serious when I say that all you’ll ever need to know about relationships can be gained from the three interludes of “Ms. Pac-Man.”

The bond between Mr. and Ms. Pac-Man is as strong as any in film or literature. Like Han and Leia, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, or Bono and his gigantic ego, the two chomping circles epitomize the beauty of true love.

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“Syndromes and a Century,” dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Friday, Oct. 26. 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27, 5 & 9 p.m.

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