dearest friends,i've been meaning to put a blog together to share the things that i stumble upon and find particularly interesting. the posts are going to be pretty open ended as far as content goes... from ask and answer, and commentary on links/pictures/video, to journal posts on what i'm doing seeing, loving, hating, eating. The main objective is to keep my beautiful friends up to date on whatever adventures they are missing out on whilst spread across this grand country.
notice: if proper grammar and punctuation are important to you, you should save yourself some patience and just click out of this window right now.
i want to start out by saying that this week was fantastic. i've been wandering around madison a lot lately in between my morning and afternoon classes. i'm learning the city bus routes and taste testing out the cafes around campus. lately i've been exploring by myself a lot. it's something that i used to absolutely HATE doing. i would hide behind my ipod, a book, or my cell phone whenever i found myself publicly by myself. something about being alone in large crowds always gave me a sense of loneliness and isolation. because i am at a new school, with new people, in a new(ish) city, i've been forced to wander alone...and i am actually really kind of coming to love it now.
destination: olbrich gardens
on tuesday i went to olbrich gardens for my photography class. it was wonderful, free admission, and as long as you are not a commercial photographer, guests are welcome to take pictures in the gardens.
website: http://www.olbrich.org/
address: 3330 Atwood Avenue Madison, WI
phone: (608) 246-4550
cafe: daisy cafe and cupcakery
i got a little lost on my drive from olbrich back to the eastside truax campus and a cute little cafe caught my eye. daisy cafe and cupcakery, on atwood ave., had an array of adorable gourmet cupcakes (including vegan and gluten free if you are a finicky eater). it is a charming little place, dimly lit, with a hodgepodge of antique chair and table place settings. i ordered my two favorite things in the world. a cupcake and a honey latte. the cupcake was chai honey and fulfilled all of my cupcake hopes, dreams, and expectations. i was also very pleased with their baristing. daisy serves "locally-owned, fair-trade, organic Johnson Brothers Coffee products" which is always nice to hear. i will say that its a little awkward if your just stopping in for a cup of coffee because its a sit down kind restaurant style place. although the waiter was very friendly, and didn't seem weirded out that i only wanted a coffee and a cupcake...so maybe i was the one making things weird? in any case, daisy has a full menu of food, none of which i've tried yet, but have heard is very good.
website: http://daisycafeandcupcakery.com/default.aspx
address: 2827 Atwood Avenue Madison, WI
phone: (608) 241-2200
activity: camera+bike
while the weather is still beautiful, and especially as the colors change, i highly recommend taking a destination free bike ride with camera. yesterday i puttered around lodi (yes lodi) looking for any points of interest; and i was pleasantly surprised by what i found. The bike was great because i could go from street to sidewalk to railroad track quickly and easily which really gave way to the whole "exploration" feel. Honestly, you get a whole new perspective on a city when you approach it with a camera. right now i am working with a 35mm for the photography class i am taking at MATC. It's a little more tedious than a point and shoot, adjusting aperture and ftop, but it is really exiting not knowing how any of the photographs will turn out. i'll post the pictures after they're developed if they are any good.
last night i went out on the town in madison with bree bower and kim padley. i'm still completely clueless on the bar scene in madison...so the girls led the way. If you aren't familiar with madison at all i've got two suggestions that you should hit up if you are ever in town for a visit.
absolutely beautiful corner bar, two levels, lots of windows and original ornate architecture. the upstairs has an interesting layout with lots of tables in nooks and crannies which mades for good conversation spots. upstairs also has two fireplaces and a second bar. great ambiance, lighting, and decor. overall i just really loved the aesthetics of this bar. i really have nothing bad to say about this bar except that they have a $10 minimum on credit cards and i never carry cash.
website: http://www.gennaslounge.com/
address: 105 West Main Street Madison WI
phone: (608) 255-4770
restaurant: sardine
one of kim's brunch favorites. and after going there i can easily see why. this place was fan-tastic. honestly everyone somehow looked more beautiful under the lighting in this restaurant. it's possible that their beauty was the effect of my morning after drunk. either way, sardine is in the perfect location, perched on the edge of lake monona. no matter where you are seated, the layout of the restaurant is absolutely stunning. lots of mirrors, great textures and very open with white walls and high ceilings. giant windowed seating towards the lake as well as outdoor lakefront seating. it looks like a really fancy place when you walk in, but it has a very laid back feel and the prices are very reasonable (the brunch menu ranges from $7-$17). our waiter was great and the tables were papered so we had the pleasure of obnoxiously writing all over them. the food was lovely to look at and eat. i had the smoked salmon sandwich, bree the belgian wafffle, and kim, the omelette. we all left 100% satisfied. i would absolutely go back again. full menu with prices is available on their website.
website: http://www.sardinemadison.com/
address: 617 Williamson Street Madison WI
phone: (608) 441-1600
song of the week: "la foule" edith piaf
because i figured out how to make it my ringtone and that makes me proud. also its a beautiful song about crowds.
task of the week: make a mixed cd
everyone loved doing this in 6th grade and then forgot about it when ipods came along.
i love and miss you all
xoxo
calsberg
