MAP & PROFILE
Dudgeon-Monroe: Paradise or the near-west side?
By Dean Robbins
The Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhood is arguably the nicest place on earth. Paris and Manhattan are strong on culture, but they're a tad crowded. The Rocky Mountains are pretty, but the restaurants aren't so great. Madison's near-west-side neighborhood, on the other hand, combines everything you'd want in life along the main strip of Monroe Street and the areas just to the north and south.
For natural beauty, it's hard to beat Lake Wingra and the Arboretum, a paradise for hikers, bikers, joggers, sailors, bird-watchers and other hardy types. And those are just the high-profile spots. Insiders know about the Glenway Children's Park, a wooded paradise tucked off Glenway Drive; and the maze of trails behind Glenway Golf Course and Forest Hills Cemetery, beloved of dog-walkers and 10-year-old explorers. On snow days, every kid in the neighborhood flocks to the glorious sledding hill on Glenway Golf Course, where a good ride will take you right to the edge of Forest Hill's picturesque gravestones.
Dudgeon-Monroe also has its share of urban pleasures. The Monroe Street corridor is scaled to pedestrians, and a walk from one end to the other will take you past storefronts offering creative cooking, locally made candy, hip clothing and intriguing artwork, along with indie shops selling CDs, books, comics, flowers, kitchenware and costumes. Local mom-and-pop landmarks include Mallatt Pharmacy, Neuhauser Pharmacy, Parman's Service Station and Budd's Auto Repair, hanging tough against the chain operations popping up everywhere else in town. In the summer, the sandal-clad throngs flock to Michael's Frozen Custard, conveniently situated on the outskirts of Wingra Park. A stroll along the lake will almost work off that scoop (okay, double scoop) of chocolate-chocolate chip.
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NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES
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Dudgeon-Monroe News Isthmus on the isthmus: Spring comes to Wingra Park, or does it? (video)Ben Reiser on Monday 03/22/2010Meet the inhabitants of Wingra Park's playground, who share their thoughts on the arrival of spring, what they may or may not miss about winter, and whether its confines are too "babyish." >More  Bluephies is sometimes good and sometimes just weirdFun in the extremeAnn Shaffer on Friday 08/14/2009, (2) Comments It's got the booths. It's got the quick, friendly service. It has some good food. But I always leave thinking, about one dish or another: That was weird.w >More Garden sign draws fineCity cracks down on Art Gecko's stone carvingBill Lueders on Thursday 07/23/2009File it under "The Thanks We Get." This spring the city of Madison notified the Art Gecko store on Monroe Street that a citizen had complained about a stone carving in the garden it built to beautify the neighborhood. The carving, mostly obscured by foliage, bears the words "Art Gecko." According to the notice, "No permit can be obtained for this signage as displayed." >More Monroe Street Bistro to become jacsLinda Falkenstein on Monday 07/20/2009 1:13 pmThe Monroe Street Bistro, 2611 Monroe Street, open less than a year, has closed its doors. But it's just temporary, to complete its transformation to jacs (that's right, lowercase, no apostrophe). "There will be a lot of changes," says general manager Rebecca Mergen. >More Anthony Verbick, manager, Rachel Fox, gallery/events director at Ma-cha TeahouseMa-cha Teahouse & Gallery, 1934 Monroe St.Susan Kepecs on Friday 10/17/2008Teas like these are sheer luxury. Sip a cup at Ma-cha and buy an ounce or two to brew at home. >More |
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