06.12.2024

Today’s Forecast

87º | 14% chance of rain | Sunrise 5:17 a.m. | Sunset 8:38 p.m.

☀️ Sun’s out, laptops out

Places to work outside in Madison

Vilas Park offers plenty of quiet space for you to relax, read, or work. | Photo by 608today

We get it — working from home can be a mixed blessing. There are days when a change of scenery is a must if you’re going to get anything done.

Finding places to work outside in Madison was at the top of our to-do list, so can we just say: “Check.”

☕ Coffee shops

Lakeside Street Coffee House, 402 W. Lakeside St.
You’ll be inspired by views of Lake Monona’s Bernie’s Beach and the large mural.

608 lakeside — Even if you don’t snag a lake-facing seat, you’ll still be able to enjoy aquatic views at Lakeside Street Coffee House. | Photo by 608today

ZuZu Cafe, 1336 Drake St.
This whimsically colorful bar/cafe has plenty of outdoor seating, including tables and couches. The patio also has a sandbox, so your kids can play nearby while you work.

🍺 Restaurants and bars

Butterbird, 1134 Regent St.
New to the Madison patio scene, Butterbird’s outdoor seating area is fully covered and equipped with an outdoor bar, a large TV, and yard games for those who work better in a more lively environment.

Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, 2322 Atwood Ave.
From the front of the building, you may not realize that this Chocolate Shoppe location has a sprawling backyard area complete with large picnic tables, a fire pit, and a charming view of the surrounding neighborhood and Capital City Bike Trail.

Garth’s Brew Bar, 1726 Monroe St.
The ambiance of this watering hole gives off an upscale cabin feel. With both beer and nitro cold brew on tap, you can enjoy the fuel of your choice while working from the Monroe Street-facing sidewalk tables.

🗺️ Public spaces

Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave.
There are plenty of benches tucked away in the outdoor gardens but if you’re itching for a taste of the outdoors during the winter, grab a seat in the Bolz Conservatory.

You’ll find picnic tables (and lake views) at the following public parks:

James Madison, 614 E. Gorham St.
Olin Park, 1156 Olin-Turville Ct.
Vilas, 1602 Vilas Park Dr.
Warner Park, 2930 N. Sherman Ave.

10+ more spots

Asked

Have you ever worked in a coworking space?

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Events

Wednesday, June 12

Ladies’ Night | Wednesday, June 12 | 3-6:30 p.m. | Klein’s Floral and Greenhouses, 3758 E. Washington Ave., Madison | Free | Spend a night at the nursery with your lady friends enjoying food trucks, mocktails, and vendor booths.

Thursday, June 13

Pride Night | Thursday, June 13 | 8 p.m.-12 a.m. | Leopold’s Books Bar Caffe, 1301 Regent St., Madison | Cost of purchase | Support local LGBTQ+ organizations with a special drink menu.
Cheese Board Workshop | Thursday, June 13 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Young Blood Northstreet, 557 North St., Madison | $80 | Madison Cheese Boards will help you make your own charcuterie board with cheese, local meats, and preserves.

Friday, June 14

Meat Raffle | Friday, June 14 | 6-8 p.m. | Starkweather Brewing Company, 2439 Atwood Ave., Madison | Cost of purchase | Call dibs on locally sourced meat provided by Jenifer Street Market.
Brewgrass Fridays | Friday, June 14 | 5-9 p.m. | The Edgewater, 1001 Wisconsin Pl., Madison | Free | This Friday, The Lil Smokies will be performing on the lakefront plaza.

Saturday, June 15

The Grandissimo Garage Sale | Saturday, June 15 | 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | WYSO Center for Music, 1128 E. Washington Ave., Madison | Cost of purchase | Find treasures to support our local youth music makers, and bring cash for the student buskers.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Announced

The City of Madison Parking Division will switch to electronic billing this summer, reducing paper use and adding more convenient payment options. Permit holders can now pay monthly fees and set up automatic payments online. Email invoices and enhanced security will also be provided.

Opening

Candy Cloud, a new boba tea, coffee, and creamery shop, opens on Friday, June 14. Located in Middleton at 1651 Deming Way, the grand opening will be from 1 to 10 p.m., and the first 50 customers will receive a $10 gift card.

Sports

Chicago’s Wrigley Field will host UW-Madison hockey teams next season. Details have yet to be announced, but three Big Ten men’s hockey games and one women’s hockey game are expected to be played in January 2025. (Wisconsin State Journal)

Civic

In recognition of Juneteenth, all Madison Public Library locations will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, returning to normal hours on Thursday, June 20.

Family

The Madison Night Mares will have a meet-and-greet at Warner Park tonight at 6:05 p.m. during the Madison Mallards game. The softball team’s first-ever home opener is this Sunday, June 16.

Number

20,000. That’s the number of people who attended the first Madison Night Market of the season in May. The next takes place this Thursday, June 13 on State Street and Capitol Square.

Festival

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Cream Puff, the Wisconsin State Fair will offer free Cream Puffs to the first 100 fairgoers in line each day at the Original Cream Puff Pavilion later this summer. (WKOW)

Ranked

👟 Walk it out

Madison ranks high for pedestrian-friendly infrastructure

Flock to State is a trial-run pedestrian mall on State Street. | Photo by 608today

Madison walks the walk. Out of the largest 101 metropolitan areas in the US, Madison ranked as the No. 2 safest city for pedestrians.

Some current pedestrian-focused projects in Madison include:

Flock to State | Stretching from Gorham Street to Hawthorne Court, the pedestrian mall experiment is a six-month trial that will explore the potential of State Street as a car-free public space.

Madison LakeWay | Formerly known as the Lake Monona Waterfront Waterfront Redesign, the 37-acre linear waterfront park will feature a Community Causeway dedicated to bike and pedestrian use. Construction will start in 2026.

Vision Zero | The City is in the process of implementing infrastructure to keep school zones and high-traffic areas safer. Think: Speed humps, pedestrian islands, and rapid flashing beacons.

Some areas of focus for Vision Zero projects include:

East High School
Leopold Elementary
Odana Road
South Whitney Way at South Hill Drive

The Buy

Strut your stuff this summer with accessories from Designed For Joy. The Birdie purse comes in various colorways and features a scarf detail on the handle – perfect for a summer date night.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Ally

From the editor

I’m someone who can’t work in complete silence, so I’m on a never-ending quest for the perfect place to work on my laptop around town. Let me know which places we missed in today’s newsletter.

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