a patriotic city escape

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The long Fourth of July weekend provided the perfect break to escape to Madison, Wisconsin for a couple days.


The last time Rich and I visited (and the first time I experienced Madison) was in the dead of winter. We were bundled in puffer jackets and walked briskly, with our heads down, to keep our bodies warm from the treacherous conditions. I liked Madison despite the cold, but I loved Madison in the red hot summer.

We slowly meandered around the well-known farmer's market at the Capitol building on Saturday morning.


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We ate freshly baked spicy cheesy bread by the handful.

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And made sure to hit up the samples of famous Wisconsin cheese curds.

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We made time to pose for a few photographs to remember it all.

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Surrounded by water, a canoe seemed the perfect way to experience a different view of the city.

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The icing on the cake (or whipped cream on the waffle, if you will) was a hole-in-the-wall treasure called Sofia's Bakery and Cafe. The adorable breakfast spot is only open Saturday and Sundays opening at 8AM and when we arrived around 8:10AM, there were already several people in front of us in line.

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Walking in to Sophia's felt like walking into a friend's kitchen, full of aromatic smells of brown sugar and butters. Trays of muffins, cakes, and tarts literally pulled right out of the oven sat on the counter cooling for a few minutes before they were devoured by us and our fellow early birds.
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The space was tiny, with only four or five mismatched tables and chairs inside and three tables outside. The self-serve coffee bar, with no two coffee mugs looking the same, was equally charming.

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The waffle with peaches and blueberries just speaks for itself...

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Little Scout waited patiently under the table clinging to the hope that something sweet and sugary would fall from the air.

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All in all, I can't wait to return to Madison and wholeheartedly recommend it as a weekend getaway if your summer calendar allows. And don't cheat yourself, go to Sophia's (early!) and eat a muffin or three.

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