3. Lounging around

Unwind with the laid-back, anything-goes crowd adorning The Vox (2203 N. Prospect Ave., (414) 277-0481) and Bay View’s Burnheart’s (2599 S. Logan Ave., (414) 294-0490), or up your hip quotient at tantalizing Tangerine (729 N. Milwaukee St., (414) 431-5557) or the comfortably sleek ZenDen inside the InterContinental Milwaukee (139 E. Kilbourn Ave., (414) 276-8686). For see and be seen loungers with rhythm, check out Decibel/Deepbar Vodka Lounge beneath Beans & Barley (1905 E. North Ave., (414) 272-3337), Three (722 N. Milwaukee St., (414) 347-1506) and the always deliciously tempting Eve (718 N. Milwaukee St., (414) 347-5555).

4. Rolling balls

Bowling at the iPic Entertainment complex (Bayshore Town Center, (414) 963-8779) at Bayshore isn’t your Uncle Freddie’s game. A 65-foot video wall, plush couches, self-described "nightclub quality" audio system and 11 fab lanes make this more than the typical league night out at the local alley. Here, a beer frame means pear citrus martinis and hibiscus daiquiris in the Sequel Bar & Lounge. Just watch out for those pesky ankle shots afterward. The adjacent Ovations Restaurant and a cinema round out the get-out-and-party options here.

5. Play it again

Live music jazzes up the moonlit hours at The Estate (2423 N. Murray Ave., (414) 964-9923) the Up and Under Pub (1216 E. Brady St., (414) 276-2677), Cactus Club (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., (414) 897-0663) and Caroline’s (401 S. 2nd St., (414) 221-9444). Each has a presence, either with the owners’ bonhomie, signature drinks or club décor. But it’s the musicians who truly make these music havens what they are, with reputations burnished over years of being "the scene."

6. High spirits

On the third floor above Artasia, revelers snuggle into their settees or arrange around the vast circular bar at Cuvée (177 N. Broadway, (414) 225-9800). For a bit o’bubbly, choose from the more than 100 highest-quality sparkling wines and real champagnes. Bottles are also available for take home. Be aware that guests need to walk the hallway past the gallery — which has one of world’s largest collections of Buddha images, all of which seem to be watching passers-by — to find the elevator that takes you to high spirit country. Wine connoisseurs should have no problem finding Balzac (1716 N. Arlington Place, (414) 755-0099) and indulging in a tapas or cheese plate while sipping from wine flights. The variety of delightful vintages is praised by sommeliers in the skinny.

Cuvee

7. Starting slowly

For laid-back coffeehouse klatsching, whether with gal pals or the guy gang, or even solitary reading or texting, you can’t beat the multi-level Alterra on the Lake (1701 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, (414) 223-4551). Icy Lake Michigan can be growling outside, but it’s snug, warm and latte-scented inside what was once the city’s old pumping station. The tables are just the right size for notetaking, book propping or even concealing a stolen knee rub with your cutie.

Fuel Café (818 E. Center St., (414) 374-3835) is another caz-hangout with caffeine options guaranteed to pump up the soul. Don’t miss the sandwiches, veggie chili and rollups for wrapping around a conversation.

8. Cabaret cavorting

At intermissions or after curtain calls for The Skylight and other theater companies utilizing the stages in the Broadway Theatre Center, meander upstairs to The Skylight Bar (158 N. Broadway, (414) 291-7811) for an après-drink. A variety of stand-alone performances are also often scheduled there.

9. Gay abandon

Nobody cares what you are when cavorting at La Cage (801 S. 2nd St., (414) 383-8330). This long-popular Walker’s Point night spot is open to anyone loving flash and flamboyance. La Cage presents the best theme nights and holiday parties in town. If getting on down is your forte, this is the place to show your stuff on the multiple dance floors.

10. Smoke-free

The only smokin’ at the Ardor Pub & Grill (607 N. Broadway, (414) 224-1476) comes from the finger-lickin’ good barbecue sauce on the restaurant’s juicy-licious pulled pork. High-definition televisions flank the bar if you are in a sports mode. The no-ciggie rule here means that after a night out, your haute couture won’t smell like you’ve cuddled too close to the biblical Burning Bush.

Lounging around

11. The afterglow

View the luminescent skyline from the Blu Bar Lounge, high atop the 23rd floor of the venerable Pfister hotel, the city’s hospitality starship (424 E. Wisconsin Ave., (414) 273-8222). Wine, husky single malts and delicate liqueurs are perfect sips while settling into the all-enveloping chairs. Gaze out the picture windows and it’s hard not to feel the romance of the city. Hotel Metro’s romantic rooftop deck (411 E. Mason St., (414) 272-1937) is open during warm months, but bring friends and rent out the entire Zen on Seven lounge for your own party, regardless of the weather. A double-sided fireplace ensures toasty comfort, even as the chill wind whips around Milwaukee’s street-level canyons. As a bonus, both hotels have their spas close at hand if additional indulgence is sought.

12. New kids in town

Karma (600 E. Ogden Ave., (414) 220-4118) has taken up residence in the space formerly occupied by Vivo Urban Grill. With its Sanskrit name over Karma’s doorway, there just has to be an accompanying Sutra Lounge. So there is, one touted by Lower East Siders as a comfy place to discourse. Depending on what dish is ordered at Edgar’s Calypso (628 N. Water St., (414) 220-9252), the Caribbean’s British, French and Spanish heritages are in the spotlight. The region’s multiethnic culture is also showcased via the restaurant’s cheery, handpainted wall murals. Flavorful beverages at the bar are whipped up by several of downtown’s best mixologists. No passports are needed here; Edgar’s is nearby in the old Swank space.

13. Double bonding

For four decades, the Safe House (779 N. Front St., (414) 271-2007) has been Milwaukee’s hot spot for spy aficionados wanting to come in from the cold. Guests need a password to enter but once securely ensconced, the world’s geopolitical travails take second place. Attempt to find the secret passages to enter the neighboring Milwaukee Press Club bar to ogle historic signatures of the famous and infamous while rubbing elbows with Milwaukee’s off-duty media. Launched in the late 1800s, the PC is the nation’s longest-in-business hangout for scribes and scribners.

Beyond Milwaukee Doing some traveling this winter? Check out these new hot spots in some popular destinations. Chicago: The Boundary, 1932 W. Division St., is a Wicker Park bar and eatery that trends to the upscale. An eclectic menu and inviting decor, complete with a fireplace and chandeliers, provide a space that caters to couples and on-the-town singles alike. New York City: At 124 Old Rabbit Club, 124 MacDougal St., Greenwich Village, you’ll find a European-inspired beer hall with three rotating taps and 20 bottled brew choices. The ambiance is unique — the walls are bathed in black and gold damask upholstery — but the hard-to-find beers and Old World wine selection is hard to beat. Las Vegas: Privé, inside Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino, opened on New Year’s Eve with a lavish party hostel by Avril Lavigne. It’s a touch of South Beach in Las Vegas, as the sister spot in Miami is a nonstop celebrity draw. A tip: The dress code is at the discretion of the door men, so chic garb is a must. Los Angeles: The historic 1920s-era Orchid Hotel, which was refurbished in 2007, recently opened Oh!, a Mediterranean-inspired tapas restaurant and bar. It’s all about location, location, location: The hotel is located in the heart of the city’s Financial District and is a destination for those traveling to L.A. for business. —Jordan Dechambre-Childers