Gates & Brovi Opening

The sign is up, the tables are dressed and the long anticipated opening of the new restaurant Gates & Brovi is only a few short days away. 

The new restaurant, located at 3502 Monroe St. at the new Parman Place complex at the corner of Glenway St. and Monroe St. is slated to open on Tuesday October 9, according to Phillip Hurley, a co-owner of the restaurant along with John Gadau.  The two are also owners of the popular Sardine and Marigold restaurants.

The new restaurant is expected to be a family friendly, neighborhood establishment.  Gates & Brovi will be open for lunch and dinner.  Hours of service are Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m.-midnight.  It will be closed on Mondays.

Check it out!  I plan to!

World Dairy Expo

In the middle of Madison, a small "country" city all it's own has grown and will live at the Alliant Energy Center for the next few days.  Of course, I'm talking about World Dairy Expo (WDE).

This premiere dairy industry trade show has a long and rich history in Madison.  The first WDE was held in 1967 at the new coliseum, a state-of the-art exposition center at the time it was built.  Today, WDE has grown and prospered to include more than 810 companies from 28 countries, 43 U.S. states and 6 Canadian provinces. The Dairy Cattle Show continues to attract elite show cattle fans from around the globe. A record 2,587 head of dairy cattle were exhibited by 1,130 exhibitors. They converged to the show site from 37 states and seven Canadian Provinces to vie for the coveted Grand Champion and Supreme Champion titles.

It may seem odd that Madison would be the host of such an agricultural-based event, but considering Wisconsin is the dairy state and Madison is it's capital, it makes perfect sense.  And in a time when the population is becoming more and more removed from the farm, it's a wonderful tradition to have such a prestigious event grace our city.

I hope to get the World Dairy Expo in the coming days.  I have found it's a wonderful experience and great exposure to an industry with roots that run deep in all of us, no matter how far removed we may be from the farm!

Youth Hockey Boot Camp

I've written before on this blog about my family's involvement in youth hockey.  It has been a great sport for our kids and for the whole family. 

 

As the weather turns colder, I can't help but think of the upcoming season.  The West Madison Polar Caps (the west side club organization) is holding a few events that can help you and your children get a taste of what hockey is all about.

 

The first event is the Try Hockey Boot Camp.  It is a three week "crash course" in hockey for interested skaters to let them see how much fun hockey is!  It includes FREE equipment rental, and the $25 fee is refunded if they join the Polar Caps.  The camp starts Saturday September 29, but there's still time to join the group!

 

The Polar Caps are also planning two USA Hockey events to let kids try hockey for free.  They will be hosting another Try Hockey for Free Day on November 3rd, and a Girls Hockey Weekend on October 13th which will allow kids to try hockey for a couple of hours and get a taste for the game.  These events are being held in conjunction with Madison Ice, Inc., the organization that runs Madison Ice Area and Hartmeyer Ice Arena.

 

Here's hoping for lots of ice this winter!

HPAJSC September Meeting Scheduled

For a little more than a year, the Hoyt Park Area Joint Steering Committee has been hard at work developing a master plan for the neighborhoods bordered by Franklin Ave., Mineral Point Road, Midvale Blvd. and University Avenue. 

A draft plan has been prepared which addresses park and open space, housing, Owen Parkway improvements, and bike and pedestrian improvements.  Neighborhood associations have had the opportunity to review the plan and make comments on draft plan. 

Planning continues to progress with the September meeting of the Hoyt Park Area Joint Steering Committee (HPAJSC) scheduled for September 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church located at 518 N. Franklin Ave.

For more information on the plan visit the HPAJSC website.

Situated unassuming at the end of a strip mall at the corner of University Avenue and Farley Street is a bookstore called "Booked For Murder".  Dubbed the the mystery reader's paradise, you may have guessed that the shop specializes in murder mysteries.

"Booked For Murder" is more than a bookstore, however.  They are home to a number of book clubs and like their big store brothers, hold book readings and signings by local authors.

One such event is scheduled for this Thursday September 6 at 6:00 p.m. where local author Teri Woods will read from her first novel "The Fixer".  This self-published novel is gaining critical acclaim and Internet chatter that is unusual for self-published authors.  Considering most self-published books only sell about 150 copies, "The Fixer" is blowing that statistic out of the water.  Woods has sold more 10,000 copies!

If you are looking for something to do on Thursday, join me at Booked For Murder.  Or pick up a copy of the novel at Booked for Murder.  You won't be disappointed!

Is Your Home Worth as Much as You Think?

A survey of home buyers and sellers taken earlier this year by HomeGain.com, a real estate services website, indicated that 76 percent of homeowners believe their house is worth more than the list price recommended by their real estate agent.

Not surprising, since homeowners have an emotional investment in their property.  They have memories and nostalgia wrapped up in four walls and a roof.  In reality, your house is worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it.  No more and no less.  That figure doesn't always jive with the homeowners opinion of the value.

Home buyers today usually have a better handle on the value of a property than the home seller does.  Buyers are out there looking.  They know what's on the market, how long it's been listed, what sells and how quickly and they can usually pinpoint why a property doesn't sell.

If you are thinking about selling, rely on logic rather than emotion when pricing your home.  It also might be wise to enlist the help of a Realtor to have a third-party provide expertise and guidance.

They're Baaaack!

If you live anywhere near the west side of Madison, you know they are back!  There are telltale signs; increased scooter traffic, empty grocery store shelves and the most telling sign of all, heaps of trash along curbs and parkways spilling from downtown streets to the avenues and boulevards that abutt the downtown area.  Of course, I'm talking about the college students.

As a Madison native, I enjoy the serenity of summertime in Madison.  Most of the students have headed home or to an internship or overseas adventure.  The campus is quiet and so are the surrounding neighborhoods. 

But I am engergized as Fall approaches and the students return.  There is an increased intensity in the city and the sleepiness of summer begins to wake with the renewed enthusiasm of these young people full of hope and promise.

Oh, there are certainly drawbacks to their presense - try to find a shower curtain at the Hilldale Target and you are out of luck - but in my mind, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.  The college students are as much a part of Madison as the residents that welcome them each Fall.