The Cat Dish
  • Musings
  • Food
  • #CatTravels
  • #BabyFox
  • #40trails
  • Videos
  • About Me
  • Contact

Postcards: Lake Mendota

By Catherine Toth Fox • September 10, 2011 • Postcards

With fall semester in full swing, students at the University of Wisconsin at Madison spent an awful lot of time at College Library, one dozens of libraries and study areas on the sprawling, 933-acre campus.

While the library features special collections, multimedia resources, more than 200 computer workstations, a coffee shop and cafe, it’s really the view that impressed me.

This is the view from the third floor of the library. That’s Lake Mendota, the northernmost and largest of the four lakes near Madison. (The university of situation along the southern shore of the lake.)

The lake is lined with expensive luxury homes and condos, protected natural areas and parks, university housing and a bunch of hotels and restaurants. During the summer the lake is littered with boaters, water-skiiers, wakeboarders, kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders. During winter — which is fast approaching — the lake freezes over. But that doesn’t stop folks from coming out; it’s a popular spot for ice boating, ice skating, ice fishing, ice hockey and cross-country skiing.

And yes, the library is also home to the popular Open Book Cafe, which serves gourmet coffee, specialty drinks, soups, grab-and-go sandwiches and wraps, salads, snacks and baked goods. This burger and salad only cost $5.80.

Tweet
7
Did This: Waimano Pool Hike and Ice Garden
Today's happy shot

About the Author

Catherine Toth Fox

You Might Also Like

  • Postcards: White lake

  • Postcards: Turtle mocha

  • Postcards: Derek’s doing fine!

  • Postcards: Wake me up!

7 Comments

  • Reply M September 11, 2011 at 7:46 am

    Hello Cat,
    Nice view

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 11, 2011 at 9:21 pm

      Almost as good as the view from my office 🙂

  • Reply Makiki September 11, 2011 at 9:04 am

    They really do have a nice lakefront facility. I spent a long day there last summer with the UH Sailing team. I recall an outdoor grill area where they served Beer, Brats and Burgers.

    I can’t wait to see what Derek’s thoughts on winter are. Also, I have some ice fishing gear he can use.

    Alan

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 11, 2011 at 9:22 pm

      Winter is going to be brutal. He’s lived in Colorado and Tokyo, though, but there’s nothing like a Midwestern winter. Brr.

  • Reply David Jackson September 11, 2011 at 9:38 am

    Now that is yummy grub!

    • Reply Catherine Toth September 11, 2011 at 9:22 pm

      Sandwich and salad? You need to come back to Hawaii!

      • Reply David Jackson September 12, 2011 at 2:05 am

        🙂 you have no idea how much I agree with that assessment!!!!

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

About Me

About Me
Born and raised on O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, Catherine Toth Fox has been chronicling her adventures in her blog, The Cat Dish, for more than a decade. She worked as a newspaper reporter in Hawai‘i for 10 years and continues to freelance—in between teaching journalism, hitting the surf and eating everything in sight—for national and local print and online publications. She’s currently the editor of HAWAIʻI Magazine.

Latest Posts

  • Anyone Else Feeling Like You’re Failing at This?

    March 8, 2022
  • It’s Hard To Say Goodbye—So I Won’t

    January 29, 2021
  • Was 2020 Really That Bad?

    December 31, 2020
  • Here’s What Happened To My Dog Indy

    December 10, 2020
  • I Did Noom For a Month and Here’s What Happened

    October 7, 2020
Follow me on Forbes Travel Guide

Visit Travel Blog Exchange

Made with in Seattle

© 2013 Solo Pine Designs, Inc. All rights reserved.