Mad City offers more than football
MADISON, Wis. -- Like many Fighting Illini fans, Craig Lukowicz and his wife, Shelley, have made the drive north to Madison more than once to root on their team against the Badgers.
During each visit, the Schaumburg couple spent a short time walking around UW's campus bordering Lake Mendota. They also strolled a bit down State Street, the mile-long avenue that runs between the university's eastern edge and the majestic Capitol building.
But the couple, who graduated from the University of Illinois in 1979 with degrees in civil engineering (Craig) and elementary education (Shelley), regrets that they never stuck around to explore Madison a bit more.
"We would have if we'd known more about the city," Craig said. "But we didn't, so we always just got back in our car after the game and drove home."
So here's a Madison resident's recommendation for things to see, places to eat and even a couple suggestions for things to do with the kids if you're bringing youngsters to the Illini-Badgers game on Oct. 25.
No trip to Wisconsin would be complete without carting home cheese. Get your dairy fill at Fromagination, an artisan cheese shop at 12 S. Carroll St., on Capitol Square; www.fromagination. com, (608) 255-2430.
Almost as famous as Wisconsin's cheese is its bratwurst. Try State Street Brats, 603 State St., for its sports bar scene, burgers, chicken wings and of course, the brats; www.statestreetbrats.com, (608) 255-5544.
Speaking of food, the Dane County Farmers Market boasts more than 300 vendors and completely encircles the Capitol. It runs from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. All the produce and products on sale -- ranging from veggies to honey to meats -- were raised by the folks selling them; www.dcfm.org/wandw.asp.
For a special treat, make a dinner reservation at the widely acclaimed L'Etoile Restaurant, 25 N. Pinckney St. Named Sante Magazine's Culinary Hospitality Restaurant of the Year for 2008, L'Etoile's seasonal menus are based on ingredients from small Midwestern farms prepared with French flare; www.letoile-restaurant.com, (608) 251-0500.
Next door to L'Etolie is a traditional Wisconsin supper club, Old Fashioned, 23 N. Pinckney St. Dig into the beer-battered cheese curds, 16-ounce ribeye steak and rainbow trout; www.theoldfashioned.com, (608) 310-4545.
Need something sweet? Sucre Patisserie and Dessert Lounge, 20 Mifflin St., has some fantastic pies, Viennese tortes and apricot frangipane; www.sucresweet.com, (608) 310-4520.
Museum buffs will have plenty to keep them busy in Madison. A stone's throw from State Street is the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (www.mmoca.org), Chazen Museum of Art on the UW campus (www.chazen.wisc.edu), Wisconsin Historical Museum on Capitol Square (www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum), Veterans' Museum, also on Capitol Square (http://museum.dva.state.wi.us) and for the kidlings, the Children's Museum, 100 State St. (www.madisonchildrensmuseum.org). For those interested in the Badger State's ancient history, there's the Geology Museum on campus, filled with meteorites, dinosaur bones and sparkling gems (www.geology.wisc.edu/~museum/exhibits.html).
Kids needing a little break from football will get a kick out of the giraffes, monkeys and polar bears at Henry Vilas Park Zoo, not far from the the Badgers' Camp Randall Stadium at 702 S. Randall Ave. Admission is free; www.vilaszoo.org.
The state Capitol, 2 E. Main St., is a museum of sorts, too. Built between Lake Monona and Lake Mendota more than 90 years ago, this granite beauty stands 200-feet tall, is filled with murals and lays claim to being the only state capitol ever built on an isthmus. Free tours are offered daily, except on certain holidays; (608) 266-0382. The sixth floor museum and observation deck are open during the summer.
If you're a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, you'll want to check out Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center on Lake Monona, just down the street from the Capitol; www.mononaterrace.com. You might also want to visit his ship-like Unitarian Meeting House, 900 University Bay Dr., and the Gilmore-Weiss home, also known as the "airplane house," at 120 Ely Place.
Shoppers should drop by Little Luxuries, 230 State St., for unusual jewelry and gifts. Pop Deluxe, 310 State St., sells hip items with a modern bent. Karen & Co. and Sassafras are connected stores at 307-309 State St. that feature a range of classy clothes for women.
Oh yeah, about that football game: The university says the game is sold out -- hey, it's the Badgers' homecoming -- but the Web site www.findticketsfast.com has tickets for sale. And ticket scalpers have been known to hang around the stadium.
Go Badgers!
Brian E. Clark is a Madison-based free-lance writer.