Marigold Kitchen, Madison, WI

So, you know brunch is a pretty awesome part of the weekend, right? And you NEED to have a solid, go-to brunch spot where you live. Well, I think I've found mine in Madison. It's not exactly close to home, but not really far either. It's downtown, off the Capitol Square, a little out of the way, but also centrally located if any out-of-towners care to take in a Capitol tour after brunch or walk all the way down State Street. So, I probably won't walk to this place, but it's a short drive or ride away and a good location, imo.

Not only that, but once you're inside (or seated outside), this place brings it. To be clear, they're only open for breakfast and lunch, so they don't get distracted by dinner malarkey. This is also not a full wait-staffed set-up - rather, you place your order at the counter, receive a number for your table, then go hunt for a spot to sit. They bring your selections out to you as they're made. I think it's a fine system for brunch and seems to fit this place well. I've sat at a table and at the bar, with really no trouble getting a seat. It is busy on the weekends, and by no means a secret spot, but I think they do well at getting people in and out, in my experience.

 

They have a varied, American brunch menu, with some hearty, South-Central WI staples and offerings for the experimental college crowd too. They have great pastries & coffee drinks available, so sit down, grab a paper, sip on something -  don't rush the meal, take your time.

There's no question that it's a bustling place on the weekend, but isn't that part of the fun of brunch on the weekend? See some oddballs, eat some good food, have a drink at breakfast (they have that too).

This visit was in the fall, so they had some great fall decor and Pumpkin Pancakes on the menu. I can't say no to these, so I didn't this time. I did get a short-stack though (2 instead of 5), and a side order of a local breakfast sausage (which was very good).

To be clear, those a hearty Pumpkin Pancakes with Whipped Cinnamon Butter and local maple syrup on the side (soon to be on-my-pancakes).

When you're in town, we'll go, you'll love it. 

Stubby's Bowling Alley, Waterloo, WI

Thanks to a work event, I got to see firsthand that cool little bowling alleys still exist in America. I fondly recall memories from childhood of walking into a bar (and pretty quickly) into the back of the establishment, which had 8 beautiful bowling lanes snuck inside.

Stubby's is a lot like that place. Just 6 lanes inside, with a bar on the left. Balls seemed to have become fancier (finger-tip type abound) and the shoes were fine if you got a new pair... so-so if you got an old pair (like me). They were all dolled-up for Halloween and you couldn't miss it. Otherwise, I'd say this is a pretty no-frills kind of place, where people definitely go for the bowling.

Finally, the beers & pizzas came fast & furious, just like I like 'em. I'm pretty sure we tried all the pizza options - "Deluxe" was good, but the clear winner was "The Porker". Just give me all the meats, with bacon, please (last pic).

Dane County Fire Chiefs Association, Fire Truck Parade, Madison, WI

Did you know the week in October with the 9th in it is usually reserved for National Fire Prevention Week? Well, to kick it all off, the fire departments in the Madison area get together on the Capitol square to show off their trucks and meet the public. It was a really cool thing to notice from above (while outside on Capitol tour) and then walk down and see up close.

Everyone was really friendly and kids and adults alike could sit in some of the trucks and check out the equipment. They had 26 vehicles from 23 area cities in attendance and it took up about 1.5 blocks of the Square.

Awesome event for anyone and everyone that's easily impressed by the commitment and service of our nation's fire personnel.