Greetings from Madison | Three.

...we fly home this afternoon, tired, but happy. The apartments we saw yesterday morning ("outdated inner city" and "concrete views") didn't come close to changing Sara's mind about the lakeview apartment we saw first. We went back there late yesterday morning for one more look. Turned out that a unit with a slightly better view and layout had just become available. She submitted the application and now it's fingers and toes crossed it's approved. The building is still very much under construction but if you use your imagination you can see the potential:

upper left is the view from the back of the living room (lake is just visible between all those leaves); upper right is the view from the window back into that room (washer dryer lives behind those doors); lower right is the bedroom (a full wall of closets); lower left is the kitchen (lots of cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances!)

Here's a quick look at a few of the other things we've seen and eaten since my last post.

Saturday night's dinner at Nostrano was really special. It's tiny, but very cool.

The food was all delicious, but dessert was the best photo.

That's goat cheese cake with pink lady apples, gingerbread crumbles and cider sorbet.

and us.

On the way back to the car we saw Madison's version of a light show. I'm completely smitten with the Capitol!

Sunday morning we took a quick drive to Verona for coffee and a tour around Epic's campus.

I was disappointed by the yarn selection at The Sow's Ear, but the cappuccino was perfect. 

And Epic. oh my. all the photos you see on-line are certainly true to life, but they can't begin to capture the sheer scale of the place. it's ... huge and impressive and so well-done. Here's a view from the road leading into campus.

the main entrance

the view from the wall of windows in the cafeteria building

details everywhere.

I'm planning a trip back next month to help Sara move in and I hope I get to see some of the inside views then.

We went back to Merchant (where we had dinner Friday night) for brunch and then met up with Sam and Connor for coffee. Sam is a rising junior at UW and the daughter of one of my students; Connor is her boyfriend and he's interning at Epic this summer - great connections! and now Sara knows two people in Madison and one person at Epic! We walked and walked and got back to the hotel late afternoon ready for ... nothing! early to bed for both of us!

Monday morning we had our energy back. We spent the morning on the apartment search. After a quick lunch, we headed to the Capitol for a tour. The inside is just as impressive as the outside.

After the tour, we climbed a few short flights to get to the outside observation deck. Pretty views of the city in all directions and fun to see the granite statues up close.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at Starbucks, searching for furniture and bedding from my iPad. Then an early dinner at Osteria Papavero. We both agreed it was our best meal yet. We shared a cheese plate, vegetable sampler, caprese salad and artichoke pasta. Somehow we even had room for dessert.

Panna cotta with rhubarb syrup, strawberries and shortbread. Yes it was as delicious as you'd imagine. 

...so that's it. We're getting a slow start this morning; hotel checkout isn't til noon and our flight is at 4:40. I want to show Sara Penzeys (I'm a huge fan, but I've only done mail order; can't wait to see an actual store) and we'll have one more meal downtown before we head to the airport. 

Tired, happy and - if we're being honest - a bit overwhelmed by all that needs to happen in the next few weeks!