Much like the city its named for, the annual gathering of music makers, fashion flaunters and creative crafters known as Made in Milwaukee just gets bigger and better each year.

What started seven years ago at Stonefly Brewing Co. (then known as Onopa) as a grassroots effort to celebrate Milwaukee's artillery of artists has evolved into a well-organized, highly attended -- we're talking a crowd more than 1,000 -- event with national pull.

And because it lands on All Hallow's Eve this year, the event's got a Halloween theme and is nicknamed the "Creatures and Creators." Teaming up with 88NINE Radio Milwaukee, Made in Milwaukee brings six bands, 14 visual artists, live art projects and a fashion show to Turner Hall Ballroom Oct. 31 beginning at 6 p.m.

This year's party features two national acts -- Great Lake Swimmers and Serena Ryder -- and local bands The Championship, Kid Millions, WillPhalen and the Stereo Addicts, and Chalice In The Palace.

And don't forget it's Halloween here, folks. There's a costume contest and the stakes are high. Show up in your best Andy Warhol for a chance to win a prize package to experience the Milwaukee Art Museum's "Andy Warhol: The Last Decade exhibition."

Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door.

All the single ladies! (All the single ladies.) Guess what? The Daily Beast has good news.

In a recent article, the online magazine reported on the country's hottest markets for available men and as it turns out, Milwaukee's not too bad a place to be if you're looking for love. It ranked No. 16 (out of 36 cities with 500,000 or more residents), which places it just about in the middle.

Sure, it could be better -- Atlanta, Boston and Seattle snagged the top three spots. But at least we're not Jacksonville, Fla., which has hardly any single men, or El Paso, Texas, which ranks quite low in education.

So, what makes Milwaukee a happy medium? "Forbes ranked America's brewery capital among its top cities for singles this year, with high marks in job growth and 'coolness'." The Beast analysis goes on to say, "Move over, Madison. It was also once deemed the 'sexiest city' by Marie Claire magazine, to the surprise of humble locals."

It mentions Mi-key's, 811 N. Jefferson St., as a popular meeting spot.

The Web site explains its criteria. When hunting for eligible bachelors, the Beast used data from the U.S. Census to find the cities with the highest percentage of single men between the ages of 18 and 49. This accounted for 60 percent of the vote.

But what counts as a "good catch?"

"We gave credit to cities with the highest percentage of single men with four-year college degrees. While individual charm and success vary, as a whole, this rewards men with brains and future earnings power (since a college degree typically adds $1 million to a person's lifetime salary). We weighted this 20 percent."

Lastly, they measured ways of meeting these guys, tallying up the number of gyms and nightlife options -- bars, restaurants, clubs and theaters -- per capita. This combined information accounted for the remaining 20 percent of the vote.

So, single ladies, what are your thoughts? Is Milwaukee a decent city in which to meet men?

October is the third annual Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delicious features, chef profiles, unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2009."

Charro
729 E. Milwaukee St., (414) 431-5557
charrorestaurante.com

Milwaukee Street welcomed Charro in December 2008 as the latest venture of veteran trio Tom Wackman (Apartment 720, Kenadees, Carnevor and Umami Moto Milwaukee), Omar Shaikh (Carnevor and Umami Moto Milwaukee) and Michael Polaski (Umami Moto in Brookfield and Milwaukee and Mi-Key's on Jefferson Street). The restaurant combines reasonably priced and well-delivered Latin cuisine with bold, striking décor.

Menu: A compilation of Cuban, Mexican and Spanish flavors.

Price: Moderate.

When to go: Night time is the right time. Charro isn't open for lunch, so don't show up before 5 p.m.

Dress: You probably wouldn't want to wear your sweats here (or anywhere along Milwaukee Street), but other than that, jeans and other casual-to-nice attire is acceptable.

Don't miss: The $2 tacos on Sunday nights and $1 margaritas on Thursday nights.

Parking: Again, this is a Milwaukee Street restaurant and, like many Downtown eateries, street parking is first come, first served.