Recent Obsessions: 'Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse,' 'Big Love,' macaroons, Logan’s Madtown, Hanah Jon Taylor

The line between simply fabulous and a full-fledged diva is all in the outfit, and Lilly certainly knows how to work it. Costume designer Steffanie Lincecum outfitted the children (and a few energetic adults) for Children Theater of Madison’s current production of "Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse,” running through Feb. 21 in the Overture Center Playhouse. The heroine, played by Margaret Brackey, is anything but “mousy” with her pink dress and bright red boots. Her friend Wilson (pictured at right) sports a striped blue and white sweater, looking like he just came from a yacht, and Mr. Slinger, the teacher, wears such shockingly vivid button-downs it makes the eyes hurt. All of it fits perfectly with Kevin Henkes’ stories and CTM’s fun-loving production.

Sometimes, it’s just the little things that get us; but those little things can stand out and make a big statement. This time, it’s the swearing — or lack of it — in HBO’s “Big Love.” See, the devout family doesn’t believe in cursing, so when any of the Henricksons — or any of the other characters that populate this mostly Mormon setting of Sandy, Utah — get angry, they improvise, using either other words to express their moods, or the first letter of the would-be offensive outburst. So what the H? We’re inclined to pay more attention to toning down the profanities, especially among mixed company, and practice our mad thesaurus skills then next time we feel like letting loose a torrent of H-fire and brimstone.

Step aside, cupcakes. You’re so 2005, as NPR put it in a “Fresh Air” feature this past weekend. Macaroons are the new pastry trend. Shiny and crisp on the outside, chewy and moist on the inside, they’re a two-bite treat. Fromagination, at 12 S. Carroll St. on the Square, sells delicious imports from the French bakery Pat’achoux at $1.75 a ’roon, $10 for a sleeve of six. They come in six flavors — chocolate, coffee, lemon, pistachio, raspberry, and our favorite, vanilla cake.

Does the new Logan’s Madtown, at 322 W. Johnson St., in the former Angelic Brewing building, have the best french fries in the world? Quite possibly. They are made in-house, huge, beer-battered and not a bit greasy. A big mound of them are served with many menu items, or you can order them on their own for $3.25, and for another $2.50 they’ll be covered with cheese.

Madison-based sax and flute player Hanah Jon Taylor and his four-piece “artet” crackled with improvisational fire last Saturday night at Mother Fool’s Coffee House. This wasn’t jazz improv with an off-the-cuff 12-bar riff here and there, but a series of epic compositions that fed powerfully off the atmosphere of the room as the musicians listened for the next direction, the next mood. As Taylor told the audience beforehand, this music had never been heard before and wouldn’t be heard again. For anyone who missed the show, Taylor’s new album “HyrPlasis” is the next best thing. It’s at the top of the WORT 89.9 FM jazz charts this month and available for sale at uvulittle.com, Mother Fool's, B-Side Records and Mad City Music Exchange.