November 28, 2006

150 things to love about Madison.

A nice list. Let me highlight a few things:

UW-Madison students. A continuously cycled transfusion of new blood for the city. Plus, move-in day is good entertainment; move-out day means good junk-picking....

Ice skating on Tenney Park lagoon....

Williamson Street. If it's not the hippie enclave it was in the past, it's still a thriving alternative to chains and the mass-produced, while providing goods and services to the near east side. It's also home to the Willy Street Co-op and the... Willy Street Fair and Parade... and its star attraction the Bubble Car. Not to mention the graffiti wall at Mother Fool's coffeehouse....

The Pro Arte Quartet + Mendelssohn. A match made in heaven....

UW Cinematheque. Vintage, experimental and foreign films at this mecca for movie buffs....

Smart Studios. Nirvana's Nevermind was recorded here. What more do you need to know?

The Innocence Project. The Justice system sometimes screws up, putting innocent people in prison, then mightily resists admitting that it made a mistake. Thankfully, this UW Law School team has helped gather the incontrovertible evidence needed to overturn several wrongful convictions....

UW pianist Christopher Taylor interpreting Olivier Messiaen....

Night swimming. Why does it seem like everyone we know has a story about being spotlighted by cops in the middle of the night at B.B. Clarke Beach in various states of undress?

Lots more. Go to the link.

9 comments:

Simon said...

"Smart Studios. Nirvana's Nevermind was recorded here. What more do you need to know?"

Why that would be a good thing, perhaps?

Punk killed prog. Hair metal killed punk. Grunge killed hair metal. IMO, we'd have been better off without all the killing. As Jon Anderson might have said, "all we are saying is give prog a chance."

"Do do do do do do do da da"

Anonymous said...

Is it rude to highlight the Innocence Project's most well-known "success"?

Also, my wife and I went to the "Willy Street Fair and Parade"--it was the most depressing "fair" I've ever been to. Has anyone actually been there recently?

Matt said...

I went to UW. It's funny, I didn't know we had Spring there. Also, how appropriate that the Isthmus points out that even your dog can experience diversity there.

Anonymous said...

Ironically, the subject of the post just prior to this one (The End of Air America in Madison) would be number 151.

Unknown said...

If you like music, Bloomington Indiana beats Madison by many light years, with the IU Music School, 12 operas each academic year, anywhere from 10 to 50 recitals and symphonic concerts a week -- and the Beaux Arts Trio.

I have a friend in Madison who would moan and whimper every time he came to visit Bloomington.

And if you like hippie types, Bloomington is as moonbatty as Madison.

Anonymous said...

You.

151

Ricardo said...

"Why does it seem like everyone we know has a story about being spotlighted by cops in the middle of the night at B.B. Clarke Beach in various states of undress?"

Since you brought this up. Do YOU have a story about this? Do you have pictures? :)

Simon said...

rightwingprof said...
"If you like music, Bloomington Indiana beats Madison by many light years."

The law school there isn't half bad, either. ;)

(I'm obligated to say that, since it's the closest one to me, but it really isn't bad).

Unknown said...

"The law school there isn't half bad, either. ;)"

I'm more familiar with the business law department at Kelley. IU has several strong points, but the music school is by far the strongest.

The only thing I miss about Bloomington is being able to go to a symphony, recital, or concert any day of any week. Sigh.