Monona Terrace at night

Monona Terrace
Originally uploaded by Mazda6.

Monona Terrace is a conference center based on a Frank Lloyd Wright design. It's about 2 miles (around Lake Monona) from our house. (Over the weekend I posted a picture of me biking through the Terrace!)

State Street Autumn Afternoon

State Street Autumn Afternoon
Originally uploaded by WisDoc.

University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin
Originally uploaded by Ann Althouse.

Library Mall

Library Mall
Originally uploaded by Mark Sadowski.

NYT: Madison is "the new Berkeley"

From Sunday's New York Times Magazine article, "THE NEW LIST: FALL '06"

Madison, Wis., is the new Berkeley, Calif.
This picturesque university town on an isthmus between two lakes has a progressive vibe, great restaurants featuring local produce (check out Harvest) and the new Cesar Pelli-designed Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (www.mmoca.org).

Science Hall, UW-Madison

Science Hall, UW-Madison
Originally uploaded by Mingfong.

How much do I love fall weather?

A lot! Today was spectacular... sunny, cool, breezy. A perfect day for a ride on my nerdy new bike! My old one is a mountain bike, so I'm thrilled to have something lighter and more comfortable to ride around town.

Susan and I followed the Monona Trail by the lake, and past the place I am vying for a job at (the prospect of being able to ride 2 miles to work is verrry enticing).

Stopped at Willy Bikes (go, look, it's in an awesome old station house) to buy extra inner tubes, then lunch at the Electric Earth Cafe, then a fairly leisurely ride back, about 6 miles in all - piece of cake.

We are both having a hard time believing that we live here... still feels like we're on vacation! When're you going to come visit?

NPR: Park(ing): Car Space as a Park

This is awesome, I only wish I could see one! Click through to listen to the story.

Park(ing): Car Space as a Park
by Amy Standen

All Things Considered, September 21, 2006

Today is "Park(ing) Day" in San Francisco, where a contest is under way to see who can come up with the most innovative park in a parking spot. The event is put on by the art group Rebar, which last year created and installed a mobile parking-spot sized park (complete with tree, bench, and Astroturf. This year there will be a bunch of these scattered around town. Amy Standen tours the entries.

Lake Monona

bike path, madison wisconsin
Originally uploaded by Daniella Maria.

Madison from across the lake...

Madison panorama
Originally uploaded by nielsb.

It's official!

We live in a Great Neighborhood -- Madison Magazine says so!

Marquette -- East/Isthmus

When outsiders think of Madison, the Marquette neighborhood is most likely what they have in mind.

Banners along Williamson Street trumpet the Isthmus neighborhood as "A Place for All People."

Bumper stickers push peace symbols and less-than-flattering impressions of the current administration. Traditional two-stories and bungalows are painted every color of the rainbow.

It's the best place in the city to spot an original Volkswagen Bug.

The Marquette Neighborhood Association has a special section on its web page just for festivals. Attend any one of them and you'll witness how residents here revel in the fleeting good weather, music, food and fun. Each September, the Willy Street Fair offers the best people- (and dog-) watching in the city, hands down.

New condominium developments are providing more housing options in the neighborhood, but even though (at press time) the city requires fifteen percent of new units to be lower cost, residents who take pride in the neighborhood's diversity worry that a booming real estate market will drive them toward homogeneity.

Bordered by East Washington Avenue and Lake Monona on either side, Marquette also includes an old railroad corridor that is the site of Madison's proposed Central Park. The plan calls for seventeen acres of green space including a public market, a skateboard park and an open lawn and picnic area.

Signs of Marquette's past are visible around the neighborhood, like the brick-wall advertisements from days gone by painted on the side of some buildings along Williamson Street. Orton Park, a popular spot for children because of its playground and for brides and grooms because of its picturesque gazebo, used to be the site of one of the city's first cemeteries (the bodies have since been relocated). In the late 990s, the Madison Ghostseekers Society discovered what it called "ectoplasmic mist" when it conducted an investigation of the park.

Schools: Lapham Elem., Marquette Elem., Lowell Elem., O'Keefe Middle, East High

Amenities: Orton Park, Yahara Place Park, Willy Street Fair, La Fete de Marquette, Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, Atwood Community Center

Neighborhood website: www.marquette-neighborhood.org

What will your neighborhood look like in 50 years? "Central Park will become a vibrant jewel linking downtown to the Yahara River Parkway ... A light rail/streetcar will stop at Baldwin Street, connecting Madisonians to the year-round public market in the renovated Marquip building and to the thriving green, sustainable employment district in the rail corridor. My fear is that a 1,400-square-foot house ill cost a million dollars, limiting the housing opportunities for young families. Neighborhood schools close as a result. The Willy Street business district gentrifies to satisfy the new residents, and long standing businesses providing basic goods and services leave because they can't afford the rent or taxes."
Marsha Rummel, Marquette Neighborhood Assoc.
president

Busy weekend!

On Friday Susan and I hosted a fundraiser for Fair Wisconsin, the organization working to defeat a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage as well as civil unions and other potential domestic partner benefits. (Preparations for this party was the major thing keeping me from my blog, thanks for checking back!) Susan did a ton of work, getting hundreds of dollars worth of contributions from local business for our silent auction and making the house look fabulous! I took pride in the fact that many seemed to enjoy browsing our bookshelves, on which I had taken care to organize and interesting selection (and a fraction of what we have!).

About sixty people attended, we met lots of neighbors, collected several hundred dollars for the cause, educated people on the issue, and encouraged them to go to the polls. It was exhausting (it took days to do all the dishes!), but regardless of the outcome of the vote we'll know we've done our part.

Bright and early Saturday morning we did the AIDS walk (it's not too late to contribute!). Big thanks to my sponsors, I needed every bit of motivation to get out of bed -- and to finish the walk, I was pooped!

Finally, on Sunday we went to the Willy St. Fair. Willy St. (really Williamson St.) is the funky-groovy part of town just on the other side of the river from us, a couple blocks away. Lots of great shops and restaurants and loads of character! Of course, since it was Sunday, there was a tent with the Packers game on!

---

In other news, Susan got the job she wanted! She talked Gail Ambrosius into creating an office manager position for her -- I'm so proud! But boy oh boy, I gotta stay diligent about the gym! (Why, yes, you can buy Gail's chocolates online!) Here are the chocolates we had at the party... yummm...

Mad Cat

Mad Cat, originally uploaded by Ann Althouse.

our neighborhood pet supplies store

Info Shop

Info Shop, originally uploaded by Ann Althouse.

speaks for itself...

Broom St. Theatre

Theater in the alley, originally uploaded by Ann Althouse.

Another spot to visit, a few blocks away, next to Mother Fools coffee house.

Weary Traveler Freehouse

window, originally uploaded by Ann Althouse.

A pub down the street from us... have heard good things, looking forward to checking it out!

Wienermobile

I saw the Wienermobile on my way to work today (Oscar Mayer is based in Madison), and it resulted in me finding this great job opportunity for Susan (or for any of the rest of you who are looking for the break that will bring you to this fine city).

Go see this movie!

Susan and I finally overcame the inertia created by our wonderful local community and a lack of familiarity with the Madison movie theaters, and went to see "Little Miss Sunshine" this weekend. It was all the talk of the Sundance movie festival, but some of the reviews had been less enthusiastic... and the plot concept didn't grab me, so I was skeptical. But wow, what a great cast, excellent dialog, hilarious and poignant in just the right measures... Susan and I were both laughing out loud, and I laughed so hard that I cried. By all means check it out!

Sponsor me in the AIDS walk?

Susan and I are going to be participating in the 7k (4.35 mi) Walk, Roll, and Stroll to benefit the AIDS Network, which provides AIDS services to 13 counties in south-central Wisconsin. Their vision statement:

AIDS Network is the AIDS Service Organization for South Central Wisconsin. AIDS Networkwill continue to strive to be independent, financially secure, respected and a leader in the communities we serve. As long as the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues,we will serve and advocate for people living with HIV/AIDS and deliver prevention messages to those most at risk in a culturally competent manner.

The route looks pretty cool, passing by Monona Bay and Lake Monona, then through the city.

Would you consider sponsoring me? I mean, I'm still working out and everything, but 4+ miles oughtta be worth some pocket change, no?
:-)

You can also help me by passing this on to others using the "email post" icon below this post. Or you can write your own message and refer people to
http://www.active.com/donate/walkrollandstroll/DebH .

Thank you!