ah, madison…(and beyond)

Walk to market, note the dominance of the fall colors… take in the cultural heritage of this city (it is vast!)… Hmong farmers are an important presence… A Chinese cultural celebration occupies a corner of the Square… a Mexican-American parade of cars leads up to the Capitol…

The annual Food for Thought Festival, just down the block from the market, celebrates south-central Wisconsin’s commitment to sustainable agriculture. Regional, preferably organic…

Okay, so you need a breath of fresh air after all this – head for the countryside, it’s only a few minutes away…

And then come back to the pleasure of bistro food at Le Chardonnay, where a bottle of chardonnay will chill you out after the "stress" of a warm September Saturday in this town.

Told in photos, below.



putting out the onions



farmer's daughter




bag for the green peppers



September berries




a celebration of Chinese culture




boy dances





Mexican pride: a parade of cars




and flags





Food for Thought Festival: fried cheese



and mango lemon ice





corn field, birds and old wind pumps




hazy blue and shades of green




yes, the middle of September




chardonnay at le Chardonnay