Fun In The City

An Evening With Elton John and Billy Joel at the Kohl Center

I arrived in Madison on a Thursday afternoon. Aria had told me she was able to get tickets for us to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert that night. I was so-oo excited.

We joined the huge sell out crowd at the Kohl center arena for a night of outrageous fun.


The dueling pianos rose up from the floor. Elton John entered from one end of the stage and Billy Joel entered from the opposite side. From 7:30 to 11:00 they sang. First duets, then one hour solo performances and then closing with duets again. For those hours (no breaks) the sounds of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Just the Way You Are", "Uptown Girl", "Rocket Man" filled the area. They seemed to build with enthusiasm as the crowd shouted and cheered with each introduction of the next song. They sang one number after the next including all their greatest hits. I think this may have been the greatest concert I have been to.

They are the ultimate performers and their songs, voices, piano talents compliment each other perfectly. The whole arena was up on their feet and dancing and singing along. A crazy, fun night that I will long remember.

An Evening at "The Overture Center for the Arts"

On a Saturday night we were able to see a performance in Overture Hall by Chicago’s famed Second City ensemble. It was an evening of stinging satire and impish improv. This is the outfit that launched the careers of such comic giants as John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Chris Farley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bill Murray and Mike Myers, just to name a few. Arguably the premier comedy institution in the world, The Second City delivers the perfect blend of smart and silly, sophisticated and chaotic, insightful and irreverent. It was a fun evening. When we exited the theater it was lightly raining. We walked across the Capitol Square to a pub restaurant called "The Old Fashioned" and had a late night dinner and drinks.

Touring the Capitol Building

Rising between the picturesque waters of Lake Monona and Lake Mendota, the majestic granite structure
of Wisconsin's Capitol building glows like a beacon, accenting the Madison skyline.


Reaching to a height of over 200 feet the Capitol dome is topped by Daniel Chester French's elegant
gilded bronze statue, "Wisconsin".

Inside, visitors are treated to the unique textures of 43 varieties of stone from around the world,

hand-carved furniture and exquisite glass mosaics.

Edwin Blashfield's mural "Resources of Wisconsin" lavishly decorates the ceiling of the rotunda, which is the only granite dome in the United States.

The best way to experience the beauty and grandeur of Wisconsin's Capitol building (located at 2 East Main Street, Madison, WI 53702) is to see it for yourself. It is open to the public weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free tours are offered daily, year round except on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas. Tours start at the information desk Monday through Saturday at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 a.m. and 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 p.m. A 4:00 p.m. tour is offered weekdays (Monday - Friday), excluding holidays, during Memorial Day through Labor Day. The sixth floor museum and observation deck are open during the summer months.

Standing on State Street looking towards the Capitol.

Frank Lloyd Wright's "Monona Terrace

Wright's Monona Terrace
On July 18, 1997, Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center opened its doors after nearly 60 years of debate. It was first designed by Wisconsin native and internationally renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1938 as a cultural, governmental and recreational building. Wright reworked the design several times between 1938 and 1958 before signing off on the final plans seven weeks before his death in 1959.
In 1992, Madison voters approved referenda to construct Monona Terrace—on the same site Wright had originally proposed—as a community and convention center. While Wright's design was used for the building's exterior, the interior was redesigned by Wright apprentice and Taliesin architect Tony Puttnam to house state-of-the-art exhibition, meeting and public space.

Views from Monona Terrace were lovely and vast overlooking the Lake below. It was a beautiful warm sunny day. We were able to relax and enjoy the scenes of both the city and the lake.

Our tour guide Aria, relaxes...

Jocelyn always makes us smile

A very lovely, scenic spot...

William T. Evjue Rooftop GardenOpen Sunday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. - midnight
The rooftop of Monona Terrace is an ideal location for summertime events and recreation, including weddings, receptions, art exhibits, public meetings or concerts. The panoramic view encompasses Lake Monona, the State Capitol and the near east and west sides of Madison.

Lake Monona Bike & Pedestrian PathAn essential design element of the building was to keep the 12 km pathway around Lake Monona. The bike path and walkway wrap around this building and there is an elevator on the east side that can accommodate up to three bicycles and riders at a time. The elevator, which was the first of its kind in Madison, enables bikers to move from the lake level to the Wilson Street level.

Tomorrow's post: Eating, Drinking and Shopping in the city