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A month for the ladies

During deer season, women head out to have fun with their friends.

In November, women make a break for it.

As men sit in deer stands or watch football games on TV, women hit the road with their friends. They shop, they visit spas, they sip wine and they see shows their husbands or boyfriends don’t want to see.

Shows like "Menopause, the Musical,'' showing in downtown Minneapolis Nov. 1-9. Or the Four Bitchin' Babes' Hormonal Imbalance revue, coming to Chicago and the Wisconsin towns of Wautoma and Hartford Nov. 21-23.

For women, November is a great month. Not only do they have a good excuse to get away with their friends, but it’s time to start shopping for Christmas. There are art fairs and holiday markets everywhere; Madison has them on three weekends in a row.

And festivities start early in such shopping meccas as Cedarburg, Wis., which starts its Festive Friday Eves on Nov. 21, the eve of Wisconsin’s firearms deer opener.

Galena is the perennial favorite for power shopping, but groups of girlfriends also have been booking classes at the Great Galena Cookery, where they prepare and eat a fancy meal.

“They bring their own wine and they have a party,’’ says owner Patricia Lehnhardt. “They come in and they’re laughing and giggling and buying stuff.’’

And since Wisconsin’s firearms deer season starts two weeks later than Minnesota’s, women who prefer forests to shops can head east, where they can hike without worrying about rifle-toting hunters. On the weekend of Nov. 7-9, they also can weave their own snowshoes over a weekend in Tomahawk at Treehaven, an outdoor learning center in the middle of national forest.

Below are some of the choicest events going on around the region in November.

Theater

In Minneapolis' downtown theater district, "Menopause, the Musical'' will be at the Pantages Nov. 1-9, $40-$45. "Wicked'' starts at the Orpheum Nov. 5 and continues through Dec. 7, $32-$89. "Wicked'' also is running in Chicago through Jan. 25.

In Duluth's historic Fitgers brewery complex, Change of Pace Productions presents the rock 'n' roll musical revue "Hot Flashes'' in its dinner theater, catered by Midi Restaurant & Wine Bar, Nov. 1-30. Friday and Saturday dinner shows are $41, and Sunday brunch shows are $31.

Fitgers also houses an inn, day spa, nightclub, brewpub and shops. To make a weekend of it, see Spa stay on the cheap.

In Madison's Overture Center for the Arts, "Dixie's Tupperware Party'' — Playbill magazine calls it a "unique hybrid of improv, drag show, social satire and Tupperware Party'' — plays through Nov. 2.

At the jewel-box Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing, the musical comedy "Church Basement Ladies'' plays Nov. 21, $25. (But even more promising shows are coming up: "Southern Fried Chicks,'' Feb. 7; and "The Vagina Monologues,'' March 6-7.)

In the historic little village of Mantorville, 15 miles west of Rochester, the Mantorville Theatre Company is staging "Steel Magnolias'' Oct. 24-Nov. 9 in its stone 1918 Opera House. Be sure to eat at the 1854 Hubbell House.

Concerts

Iconic folk singer Joan Baez will perform Nov. 13 at the State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, $42.50-$53.50.

Four Bitchin' Babes will bring their Hormonal Imbalance musical revue to McComb/Bruchs Performing Arts Center in the central Wisconsin town of Wautoma on Nov. 21, to Knoll Theatre in the southeast Wisconsin town of Hartford Nov. 22 and to Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago Nov. 23.

Comedy

In Mankato, Minn., the Women Out All Night comedy showcase, starring Maxine Jeffris, plays Nov. 14 at the Holiday Inn, $15-$20. Call 507-345-1234 for tickets and more information.

In the western Minneapolis suburb of Plymouth, the Plymouth Playhouse is showing “Church Basement Ladies, a Second Helping,’’ $24-$38.

Art fairs

Madison always is a fun place to shop, in the quirky shops and museum stores along State Street and on more sophisticated Monroe Street (see Shopping in Madison). And in November, three big markets make shopping especially fruitful.

The run starts with the Madison Ballet's Madison Holiday Market at the Alliant Energy Center, Nov. 7-9. The Winter Art Festival, featuring the work of 140 Wisconsin artists, is at Monona Terrace Nov. 15-16. And the Holiday Art Fair is at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art on State Street Nov. 21-23.

The Autumn Festival: An Arts & Crafts Affair, with 500 artisans from 30 states, will be Nov. 13-16 at Canterbury Park in the Minneapolis suburb of Shakopee and Nov. 20-23 at the Odeum Sports & Expo Center in the Chicago suburb of Villa Park.

The Wisconsin Holiday Market at the American Club in Kohler, Wis., is Nov. 14-16; it tends to be heavier on crafts than fine arts.

Scrapbooking

In Duluth, the 1908 mansion Glensheen is holding a Craft Retreat from 5-10 p.m. Nov. 8. Cost is $30, including refreshments, a gift and special tours.

Cooking classes

In Galena, the Great Galena Cookery holds cooking classes in which eight students prepare and then eat a meal. The menu is Casual French Nov. 6-7, Autumn in Ireland Nov. 13-14 and Best of "Dinner in the Kitchen'' Nov. 20-21.

Many bed-and-breakfasts and inns in Galena have rooms with two beds, and there are lots of other things going on around town.

For other cooking schools, see Now they're cooking.

Holiday festivities

Cedarburg, a postcard-perfect village 20 minutes north of Milwaukee, is a favorite destination for girlfriend getaways.

At Cedar Creek Settlement, a restored 1864 woolen mill, Festive Friday Eves start Nov. 21, when the theme is “O Tannenbaum! Christmas in Germany,’’ featuring a Brothers Grimm puppet show, Father Christmas, the Danube Dancers, German beer, cookies and cider and luminarias.  For more, see Jolly Cedarburg.

Outdoors

Near the northern Wisconsin town of Tomahawk, Treehaven, an outdoors-education center operated by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, is offering a snowshoe-weaving workshop Nov. 7-9, $260 including five meals, lodging and kit. Register by Oct. 31 at 715-453-4106.

Hanging out

Most women like bed-and-breakfasts, but most have rooms with only one bed. But the Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association web site makes it easy to find the inns that do have two beds: Plug "Well-suited for a girlfriends' getaway'' and "two beds in a room'' into its amenity search, and you'll get 83 choices.

B&Bs usually don't drop their rates in November, however, unlike lodgings in the north woods of Wisconsin and Minnesota, which will be recovering from the fall-color rush. Now is the time to get a great deal; many lodges, especially the bigger ones, drop their rates by up to half.

And larger gangs of girlfriends can rent a cottage, condo or house. Try Vacation Rentals by Owner or HomeAway. For more, see Renting a vacation house or A cottage of one's own.

Last updated on November 16, 2008