We've been treated to some beautiful weather lately. Maybe a little windy hold on to your skirts, girls and boys but nonetheless the type of salubrious, invigorating spring days that beckon you to get out and do something, anything. But what? Well, we have the answer to that "where can I go, what can I do" quandary in our cover story this week, "Neighborhood Secrets."
The project was the product of editorial brainstorming and staff collaboration. The eight folks named as contributors to the article received a barrage of suggestions from coworkers, and there were a few ideas left on the cutting-room floor. But there was enough to give the reader a virtual tour of Madison's quirky side, with a healthy dollop of its natural wonders thrown in.
Now, you may protest that many of the noted "secrets" are well known to many, or at least you. Some cited attraction may be right down the street from your house, and you pass it every day. But Madison is a big place, and it gets bigger by the day. Folks on the other side of town from yours may have no idea of the hidden charms in close proximity to your backyard. And vice versa.
Some of the "secrets" may be remnants of Madison's long-gone historical past. Some of them still have lingering reverberations of not-so-distant civic issues that have now shed their controversiality and passed over into quaint oddity. I'm thinking specifically of the Haas mural along John Nolen Drive under Monona Terrace. That precipitated a nice little local battle not that long ago, under the reign of Sensenbrenner.
We have "secrets" from all parts of town, so the chances are good that much of what's in the article is new to you. In any event, we hope you enjoy this unconventional tour of Madison. When the story goes up online, it will be accompanied by a few more entries, a map and an opportunity to add your "secrets." Look for it at TheDailyPage.com by Sunday at the latest.
