Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with madison

Looking for a place to meet people in Madison

kjackelen05 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:20:18 -0800

Where are good places to go alone in Madison during the weekends? I'm a 22-year-old guy and I just moved to Madison, WI a few months ago. What are some good, low-key places I can go on the weekends where I might meet people my age? Obviously State Street is full of bars, but that's really not my scene. I'm looking for places where I won't feel out of place showing up alone, and I'm not opposed to bringing my laptop or a book to keep me company if I don't make any friends. Any suggestions?

Contractor in Madison, WI

echo target — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:56:05 -0800

Looking for a contractor in Madison, WI to get an estimate on a kitchen remodel. I'm looking at an older house in Madison that's very nice but for a small kitchen. I'd like to get a ballpark figure on how much it would be to knock out a wall, build a breakfast bar, and move the sink.

This would be our first house, and I'm not sure where to begin. I'm hoping that the contractor can walk through with us and give us a figure that we can use to see if we can afford the place.

Can you recommend any particular contractors to hire, or to avoid?

How do I find movers / laborers in Madison, WI?

mullacc — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:28:48 -0800

Moving to Madison, WI and need some unloading help... I'm hiring a "professional" moving service to load me up in DC because I want to be sure the truck is packed up right. But when I get to Madison, I think I just need an extra hand or two. I don't need someone with a truck.

Is craigslist the go-to source for moving labor? I've scanned the Madison labor/moving page and there are a handful of people looking for general labor work. I presume hiring someone from craigslist is a better idea than picking up day laborers at Home Depot. Am I wrong? Is there another place to look?

Also, my lease begins on August 15th, which I'm told is the same day that all campus-area leases start. Anything I should worry about?

Thanks!

NYC Restaurant Recommendation

ruwan — Mon, 25 May 2009 06:11:50 -0800

NYC Restaurant Filter: Looking for a nice restaurant very close to Carnegie Hall for dinner on Wednesday night. (Or walking distance from Madison Sq Park would also work.) - Reservations a plus (we have a group of 6).
- One of our party is vegetarian, so should have some options for him. (aka no steakhouses unfortunately.)
- ~$25 entree range
- Asian, Thai, or Indian would be nice but isn't a requirement. Any recommendation would be helpful, thanks!

What U.S. cities are best for artists to make a living?

RaceTheDream — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:29:07 -0800

I live in Madison WI and am looking to move to a larger city, under the impression that being in a larger city will provide me with more exposure and greater opportunities. I was thinking of moving to the outskirts of Chicago because it's close to my family in Madison and I love it there. I also miss Denver CO where I was born, but am unsure what kind of an art community it has. Does anyone know what cities are best for making a living as an artist? I have a degree in illustration but am also trying to get into gallery shows as well if that helps. Thank you very much for any advice.

Biography suggestions?

GatorFan2000 — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:32:48 -0800

What are some good biographies of James Madison? After reading the Malcolm Gladwell book, "Outliers" I decided I wanted to read a biography of each president of the United States to see what types of advantages lead to someone becoming the president of the United States. I'm about to finish American Sphinx, which is about Thomas Jefferson. Naturally, James Madison is next.

Madison, WI - or - Lawrence, KS

Gerard Sorme — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:52:23 -0800

I need some Madison, WI and Lawrence, KS comparisons. Which one? I see these two college towns brought up many times here on askme and other places when questions about walkability, simplicity, urbanity in a small setting, etc. are discussed. I ask because I am looking at possibly moving and have pretty much narrowed it down to Madison or Lawrence (with Asheville an outside possibility). I don't mean demographics, weather, etc. Inside I'll tell you what I'm looking for..... I'm talking about things like:

1) Could I get rid of my car and walk, bike, use only public transportation and it be reasonable thing to do?

2) Are there neighborhoods that are so close to everything one needs on a regular basis (groceries, pharmacy, bank) and would like to visit regularly (movie theaters, museums, libraries, etc.), that would make it similar to an urban setting?

3) Any mefites have experience with both cities for some reason? It would be interesting to hear from someone who has experienced both.

4) Quality of public transportation?

The questions above give you an idea of what I'm looking for. Those of you in Madison and Lawrence - make your best pitch (pro or con!). Those of you who have maybe just visited and have observations, or want to throw in a thought for any reason - join in.

To get them out of the way: Yes, I know Lawrence is warmer. Yes, I know Madison is bigger (but Lawrence is just a short distance from Kansas City). It's these other things I'm really looking for.

Look forward to the replies. As always, thanks in advance!

Marbury v. Madison mayhem!

shadowfelldown — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:01:16 -0800

Either I have found a secret flaw in the opinion, or I am misunderstanding something major about Marbury v. Madison. The later is more likely, being as this would have been brought up before as one of the most important SCOTUS cases... but I can't find it anywhere! Okay, so the basic opinion of Marbury goes:

The constitution only lets us use original jurisdiction in cases with public officials, advisors, and consuls. Otherwise we need to use appellate jurisdiction only. (Article 3 of the constitution)

Issuing a writ of mandamus, as it is in this case brought straight to the Supreme Court and not appealed up from a lower court, original jurisdiction.

In this case we do not have original jurisdiction, so the law giving us the right to issue the writ in this case (Section 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789) is unconstitutional.

Therefore, when an Act of Congress is unconstitutional, we the Supreme Court have the right to issue it void. Voila, judicial review.

BUT!

Marbury, according to the earlier part of the decision, had legally gotten the job of Justice of the Peace as soon as Adams had signed the paper, even though it never got delivered. Isn't that a public official?
And even if this didn't count because of the ultimate ruling of the court, not enforcing the position, Madison was still the secretary of state to Jefferson at the time of the case.

So isn't this a case concerning public official, advisors, or consuls?
So didn't the court have original jurisdiction?
So the Act of 1789 wasn't unconstitutional?
So...

The whole case falls apart from there. Did Chief Justice Marshall fudge this so he could outline the Court Power of Judicial Review? Or so he could rule against Marbury and avoid pissing off Jefferson?

Or am I missing the correct definition of public officials, advisors, and consuls, and therefore the times when the court has original jurisdiction? I read that the court RARELY ever uses it today, but back in the day people went less on precedent and more on the newly formed constitution. And at least to me, the constitution doesn't contradict this law.

Please! I am but a lowly law student. Will some legal scholar please clarify this for me? I can hardly write a long paper on the case history if I disagree with the ruling fundamentally.

Family friendly neighborhoods for UW grad student?

mrmojoflying — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 12:43:28 -0800

Where's the perfect place for us to live in Madison, Wisconsin? We're planning this from afar, and having done that once before already, we're trying to go about it a little smarter this time. Reality checks welcome. Details inside. My wife has accepted an offer of admission to a graduate program at UW Madison. It's a unique opportunity for her (and she moved with me for grad school to Louisville) so we're moving to Madison this fall. AskMe has already covered our questions about the cultural aspects of Madison pretty well, but we're planning this move with likely only a short visit sometime in late March or early April before we relocate the last week in July.

Please help us make our planning time in the city as useful as possible. Most importantly, what neighborhoods should we be looking at as we plan? The specifics are that we have a toddler (and a small doggie), so public safety is a priority. We're frugal, but need a decently sized two bedroom, and will probably be looking in the $700/m to $750/m range.

We will have one car, so the neighborhood needs to be relatively well connected to the university by public transit; within 4-5 miles would also be nice, if possible. The neighborhood doesn't need to be bohemian, gentrified, trendy or demonstrate any other aspect of cultural eliteness that we can't afford on a student budget. Accessible, pedestrian safe, and relatively affordable will suit us just fine.

Cheap fun in Madison!

chippie — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:45:58 -0800

What are your favorite free (or nearly free) things to do in Madison, Wisconsin? I'm looking for ways to kill a couple of hours that are a little more interesting than just walking up State Street or hanging out at the Terrace (though those are certainly fun). I'm especially looking for unique, quirky, or out-of-the-way things to do and places to go. I'm outdoorsy but will consider indoor activities, too. Thanks!

Madison martial arts? Bikes? Other recs?

Vibrissa — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:10:32 -0800

Madison folks: I'm moving to Madison soonish, and I'm looking for recommendations. Specifically, I'm interested in finding out about good martial arts schools and beginner-friendly bike shops, though any other recs would certainly be welcome (I know there was a similar thread before, but it's three years old and doesn't address martial arts or bikes much).

Table fur two

chippie — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:06:12 -0800

Know of any dog-friendly bars or restaurants in and around Madison, Wisconsin? I know that Capital Brewery allows dogs in its outdoor beer garden, and Star Liquor gives visiting dogs treats. Michael's Frozen Custard has a special flavor just for dogs, who are welcome in its outdoor seating area. My dog and I are looking for more places that serve refreshments where we can hang out together this summer!

Decisions Decisions

speef — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:43:58 -0800

Should I go to graduate school at UBC or UW-Madison? Help me decide what to do with my life! I'm graduating from an state school in the midwest in May. I hope to continue my education to get a master's and then a PhD and (ideally) become a professor some day.

After applying to only a couple grad schools (I'm quite poor and the applications cost a lot), I ended up getting very positive responses, and am now left with a hard decision between studying at University of Wisconsin-Madison or University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Both schools are described to me as 'top-notch' in my field. Although, I think Madison is the more prestigious one in my particular area of study. Both would end up covering all my tuition expenses and giving me a good stipend on top of that. My money is coming in the form of a research assistantship at UBC and a prestigious fellowship at Madison. In Vancouver, a more expensive city, I would probably have barely enough money to scrape by, and would have to work as a TA for 3 hours / week or possibly more to earn extra money (I have experience working as a TA, so that is not a big worry). While in Madison I would be receiving a few thousand more, and be able to live comfortably (by my standards, as I'm used to working 2 jobs and barely scraping by) without teaching at all.

I visited both schools and liked the professors I would work under. My professor at UBC does not speak english as a first language, but was easy enough to understand, friendly, and seemed very intelligent. At UBC I was unable to meet more than one grad student to question, while at Madison I met many people and they all were quite friendly and seemed like a tightly knit group. It seems like at Madison I would have contact with and help from a wider variety of professors in different fields working collaboratively, although I might also have less one-on-one attention from my adviser (at UBC I am one of only 2 students under a prof, rather than one of about 15).

The project I would be working on at UBC is more interesting to me, more in line with my previous study, has a field component, and would likely keep my attention longer.
The project at Madison is also quite interesting. It is broader in topic, and more useful in current times, possibly giving me a wider range in the future or a better resume.

As far as location goes. Both are very nice cities. I was more in love with Vancouver due to its beautiful location with beaches, mountains, forests, and everything else. The idea of moving out of the country to somewhere far away by myself is exciting, frightening, and a hassle. The diverse international community in Vancouver was wonderful, as well as the availability of all different cuisines (crepes!), and the novelty of a slightly different culture. Madison seems like it may have more of a 'college' town feel, which I've grown a little sick of over the years (I wouldn't like being older than everyone else in the city). But I do find it appealing that there will probably be many good bands passing through Madison, it might be easier to meet people/make friends there, and I do love cheeses.

So: should I go be poor in beautiful Vancouver, studying a topic that interests me very much, but has less current relevance, with a young, intelligent professor who has me as his only masters student.
Or, go be well-off in cold Madison, studying a topic that interests me less, but has more relevance, with many prestigious professors as a group of many friendly grad students?
Anyone from either school/city have extra tips for me as well?

Eisenhower is the father of the interstate highway system

palegirl — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:54:40 -0800

Roadtrip! Kansas City MO to Madison WI, to celebrate my birthday over a long weekend in April. Please help us plan with insider advice on local color, tasty food & drink, picturesque roads, historic spots and natural wonders -- anything we'd be silly to miss. I'd really really like to hit The House on The Rock, but that's just an hour outside of Madison, and it would be rad to find some quirky fun stops for the route in between for both coming and going. Is there anything between KCMO & Madison? I'm new around here.

We're a young, silly, romantic couple. Scenic overlooks for "parking" highly desired.

We're all set on stuff to do *in* Madison while we're there.

p.s: thanks timnyc, from whom I cribbed the language of the question from an earlier ask. Hope your trip was awesome!

How'd the California guy get to Washington?

creasy boy — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 06:41:16 -0800

American history question: before modern transportation, how much time did congressmen spend in Washington and how much in their home states? Especially those from, say, California. And how long did the journey take? I'm reading the Federalist Papers, where Madison argues that "the natural limit of a republic is that distance from the center, which will barely allow the representatives of the people to meet as often as may be necessary for the administration of public affairs". Of course he thinks that the thirteen states are not too large for this. However, it occurs to me:

--back then, the trip from Maine to DC must've been a son of a bitch;

--the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. California was made a state in 1850. For those 19 years, did the California representatives ever have time to go back home?

Where to find authentic Chinese food in Madison

chippie — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:48:02 -0800

Where can I find authentic Chinese food in Madison, Wisconsin? I mean authentic Chinese food from a restaurant. And I know that some Chinese restaurants offer two menus--one for "American Chinese" food (i.e. sweet-and-sour chicken in a fluorescent pink sauce) and one for "authentic Chinese" food. I'd be interested to know which restaurants in Madison do this, too. Thanks!

Where to get a jersey customized?

ganzhimself — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:52:10 -0800

Where can I get a hockey jersey customized in the Madison, WI area? I recently received a very nice authentic hockey jersey as a gift and I would like to get it customized with my name and number. The jersey is the 2007 Wisconsin Badgers Men's alternate jersey (http://www.buckyslockerroom.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=5002136).

I'm a huge Badgers hockey fan and I see fans with customized jerseys all the time at the Kohl, but I haven't bothered to ask anyone where they got theirs customized. Any ideas where I can take a brand new jersey to get a nameplate and numbers sewn on in the Madison area? I'm drawing a blank at the moment.

Recommend a Derm!

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:18:19 -0800

Any recommendations for a dermatologist (preferably female) in Madison, WI, through the UW-East or -West Health Clinics?

Want nonlocal newspaper

fucker — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:39:46 -0800

Is there anywhere I can buy daily versions of the New York Times in Madison, Wisconsin? I want to clip some upcoming ads a friend designed. Thanks.

fairs and tubs

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 04:49:54 -0800

I would like to take my girlfriend out for a mini-vacation this weekend (Sat and Sun). I have probably under $150 to spend on it total, and am not familiar with the region. Could you help me find a few things in the lower Wisconsin area? We live in Madison, and I would like to go somewhere close but still "away" (e.g. Chicago, Milwaukee, the Dells). Here are some things I would like to find:

1) I know she would like to ride bumper cars and a few medium intensity fair rides. (not roller coasters) Somewhere with a place like this would be nice.

2) I also know she would like to spend one night in a hotel with a bathtub large enough for two people. This may be expensive, but perhaps people here know of at least one affordable hotel in this region that provides such a thing.

Other ideas are welcome too, but these are two things we would like to find. Thanks!

Corrupt from day one?

anotherpanacea — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 17:01:52 -0800

How were early American political campaigns funded? Obviously George Washington was a war hero, and I know Thomas Jefferson was pretty wealthy. But how did the average person pay for campaigning? What about all the small races for the House of Representatives? Who paid for the stage coaches to speaking events or the campaign posters? Were there major ethics violations that had politicians pilloried in the press during the America's first century? Moreover, how did the founders -think- about this question? Other than accepting Montesquieu's notion of the commercial republic, how did they think businessmen and politicians would get on without favoring each other?

I'm just getting started investigating this question, and I'd appreciate any larger resources (case studies or biographies that dwell on these questions) that might point me in the right direction. But if the answer is simple, and anyone just knows it, I'll take that too.

Where to go in Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee (or in between)?

Frank Grimes — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 15:51:11 -0800

Chicago-Madison-Milwaukee Bachelor Party Roadtrip ideas... In two weeks I'm flying to Chicago to join a bachelor party. The plan is to drive to Ho-Chunk casino near Madison and hit New Glarus Brewery and Capital Brewery on the way. On Friday it's a trip through Milwaukee to sample their brews on the way to Chicago for St. Patrick's day. Does anyone have recommendations for cool attractions or breweries to hit? This trip is supposed to re-create a road trip that several of us took in college.

I'm a bad, bad husband.

thanotopsis — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 12:25:03 -0800

I'm a bad, bad husband. My wife's birthday is this Sunday, and I've not figured out what I'm going to do. I've gotten her a gift (a framed copy of Maxwell Parrish's Romance, our favorite painting). My problem is that I haven't planned on anything. She tells me that a perfect birthday will be me naked for 12 hours straight, but I know that's just a pipe-dream. Besides, no one really needs to see that.

She's a theater buff, and I've checked local and regional theaters for this weekend, and I've come up with bupkus (regional to Madison, WI includes the big midwest cities). We could go see Wicked in Chicago, but it's all sold out for this weekend's shows. Poor planning on my part, I guess.

I'm going to have to default to going to her favorite restaraunt (for the curious: The White Horse in downtown Madison) if I can't figure it out, or if you folks don't come up with something witty and romantic. While that's not awful, it's sure not as creative as I'd like it to be.

tourism and vegetarian food in Madison, WI

KirkJobSluder — Wed, 02 Nov 2005 10:48:57 -0800

We are visiting Madison, Wisconsin at the end of this month. What are the must-see places? Where can two vegetarians find good food? This is a much needed and much overdue romantic vacation to get away from the jobs, phone and computers. We have a car so anything within a 2 hour radius is fair game. Primary interests include good vegetarian food, gardens, historic communities, and art museums. We also have an antipathy for crowded bars, pubs, clubs, and sporting events.

Where should I sit?

fingers_of_fire — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 20:08:22 -0800

ConcertSeatsFilter: I neurotically, obsessively bought two tix to the same concert at Madison Square Garden in an effort to get the best seat I could. Both are good for different reasons, so I'm having a tough time deciding which one to use. One is in section 1 row N seat 5 - 14 rows back!, but section 1 at the Garden is way off to the side, creating possible sight AND sound problems. The other is section 6 row R seat 9 (sections 1-4 are directly in front of the stage, so section 6 is behind section 2. This puts me roughly 45 rows from the stage, but closer to the center). So, wise mefites, I ask you - which location will make for the most mind-blowing concert experience? Which one would you use? Extra credit if you happen to know how the seat numbering works at the Garden - is seat 5 in section 1 5 seats in from the center aisle or the outer aisle?