This past weekend my family and I took a mini-vacation to our home-away-from-home: Madison.
We lived here for three years when I was a kid so every once in awhile we take the two hour drive to the capital of the cheese state and get our farmers market on (because Madison holds one of the greatest Saturday morning markets in the country).
We ended up with some asparagus and tomato plants, plus my own personal loot:
Lemon poppyseed bread, honey sticks (a childhood memory from this market), and six-year-aged white cheddar cheese. I tried just about every cheese sample in the place and settled on this. It will definitely go well with the fig jam I have waiting for me at home.
I was disciplined enough to hit up the hotel treadmill in between the market and church. This is a rarity for me when I’m on vacation, but it just goes to show that I’ve been bit by the running bug hard again. A quick four miles where I increased my pace slowly from 9:13 to 8:20 every mile or so.
Me and all my friends!
On Saturday night we went to my mom’s favorite restaurant, Louisianne’s, a lively cajun restaurant hidden below a quiet Madison street. The minute you descend down their dark velvet staircase you’re transported to New Orleans, live music and all.
It was quite dark inside, but we split a bottle of sauvignon blanc, crab puffs, and all sampled each others entrees: crab cakes and cheesy artichoke toasts for me, steak for Steve, Cajun andouille and seafood pasta for dad, and Hawaiian swordfish for mom.
Dessert was a dream. We all got different dishes (indulgence at its finest…) and shared. Normally I’m not a fan of sharing food, but when everything is equally delicious, I absolutely love getting to try it all. And this is the case at Louisianne’s–everything is outstanding. The highlights for me were the frozen peanut butter and key lime pies.
Mother’s Day itself was all about Sue, so we slept in, enjoyed a slow continental breakfast at the hotel (aren’t those the best?) and did a little more casual driving down memory lane throughout Madison. We walked around our old preschool (correction: I was carried)…
…ate some insanely delicious Mexican food at our old stomping grounds, Pasqual’s:
And ended the trip, of course, with a trip to the best custard stand of all time: Michael’s. Their turtle sundaes are topped with salty, roasted pecans, a taste I remember distinctly even though I ate them regularly decades ago. I’ve been unable to find a turtle sundae just as good ever since so every time we’re in town we stop by.
All in all it was a quiet weekend spent with my family and nonstop eating, two of my favorite things. We’re lucky that even though my brother and I are both 24 years old, we’re still able to take family vacations together once or twice a year. Not to mention I should have no problem running my butt off this week with all the sugar I consumed! Good lord. (Worth it).
Question:
- How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?
- What’s your favorite part about hotel breakfast buffets? I’m a sucker for a good make-your-own omelet bar 🙂
i had a big lunch 
Madison Farmers Market is one of my favorite places in the world. PERIOD END OF STORY. And CHocolate Shoppe Ice Cream shop (in Madison). FAVE.
We neeeeed to hit up Green City Market together every single weekend this summer. I don’t care if I 5th wheel it up with you, Erin, and the husbands. It might not be Madison, but it’ll do!
Looks like so much fun! I celebrated mothers day by going out to dinner with my family on Saturday night and then had breakfast at my parents’ on Sunday morning. If there is a make your own waffle station at a breakfast bar that usually gets me- Im not usually big on waffles but they can be such a nice treat!
Everyone is all about the waffles on this post haha who knew!
Sign me up for some of those donuts.
I LOVE hotel breakfast buffets – it’s my favourite part of the trip sometimes. The all you can eat waffles are a personal favourite.
Everyone is all about the waffle bar! Haha
What a great time! I feel so lucky to live in Madison, I love it here. I am SO excited to hit up the Farmers Market- unfortunately we have had weddings the last three weekends and another one this weekend– but hopefully soon! 🙂
I can’t wait to vicariously live through you when you post your future pics from the market! 🙂
It’s so nice that you went on a mini vacation with your family. I love all of the pictures of the farmers market. I spent Mother’s day at my parents house, eating and just enjoying the weather.
That’s a wonderful way to spend any Sunday, but especially Mother’s Day!
That farmers market looks amazing! I love going to them, maybe because of the free samples around but still it is always so fun!
Free samples are the bomb. You’re right, I probably wouldn’t like them as much without the samples lol.
All of that looks delicious and magical. Your farmer’s market was way better than the cold and misty one we had here. Let’s switch places in time.
Green City better get its act together because I have high standards for farmers markets now!
That farmer’s market looks so fun!! When I lived down in St. Petersburg, I went to the Saturday morning market all the time. It was seriously the best one I’ve ever been to and I really miss getting food fresh from the farmers like that. We have a few markets in Augusta, but they aren’t nearly as big as the one in Florida was.
Having a big farmers market is a very underrated thing to have in your area. We have one in Chicago and I’m going to have to try to do lots of my weekly shopping there. Because, why not? It’s fresh and local, and it’s so fun to see what all the random vendors have. I bet Florida had a great one! So much fish, I bet.
That farmers market looks like a dream!
It was a dream 🙂 it was my dream vacation!
YUM so much good food! That custard, donut, and Mexican food all looks incredible.
Add I love fancy continental breakfasts with omelet bars. (Not so much the continental breakfasts with the microwaved eggs and the raisin bran hahah)
Yeah hotel breakfasts are 50/50 — they’re either gross or delicious haha it all depends on how they cook their eggs!
Urgh, I wish you guys could have adopted me for the weekend- It looks like such a blast! I’m digging that cheese too- Now I’m envious of that fig jam
If we ever actually get together we’ll have the greatest wine, cheese and jam parties in the history of existence. Mark my words.
Honey sticks! Oh my gosh, I loved those when I was a kid. I haven’t thought about them in a looooong time.
I’m a big fan of waffles at continental breakfasts. Making my own Belgian waffle makes me embarrassingly excited haha. But they’re so good!
My family is all about the waffles too! I just beeline for the eggs and potatoes. And yes honey sticks were my jam as a kid!
What a perfect weekend! That looks like an incredible Farmers Market. The last awesome one I went to was in Portland, OR. I wish we had one here we could spend every Saturday at!
I’m going to try to go to the one in Chicago every weekend. It really is so much fun just to walk around! I bet a market in Portland would be amazing too.
Wow those bunches of asparagus for $3!! I can only dream!
Looks like you had a fab weekend – looks like a really lovely place to hang out and the food, wow! what is in a turtle sundae? Anything topped with that many pecans is a win in my book!
Oh my gosh turtle sundaes! It’s vanilla ice cream or custard topped with caramel, hot fudge, pecans, and a cherry on top. This one is the best because the pecans are super salty so it’s the best sweet/salty combo 🙂
Madison looks SO adorable. And Hi… I need that dessert. I don’t mind sharing usually, but I do tend to eat 99% of my favorite dessert and then ask if anyone else wanted any : ) I have no idea why, but I ONLY like waffles that come from breakfast buffets… It’s the only time I eat them.
I’m the same way hahaha if I like something I’ll eat 99% and then sheepishly offer to other people just to be nice. If you say yes, get ready to face my wrath!!
My mouth is salivating!!!! That farmer’s market looks divine 🙂
Let’s go to the Chicago one together soon!! Memorial Day weekend maybe?
WOW! This farmers market looks AMAZING!! Potato donuts?! How fun! 🙂 Looks like a great weekend!!
My dad was all about the potato donuts!!
The market had POTATO DONUTS! I would need nothing else! The farmer’s market by me is super fun too! I have yet to go this year, but I plan to ASAP. We have apple cider donuts (oh my gawd!) My favorite part of hotel breakfasts is the make your own waffles. It gets bonus points if there is fruit compote or peanut butter 🙂
What is with everyone and the waffles?! The omelet bars need some love!! Haha. I think we can all agree that donuts are amazing though 🙂
What an amazing weekend! You are so lucky that you guys can still do this together! My family and I were able to take vacations like when I was younger too. SO nice!
It really is lucky. I know not everyone can do it! It might have something to do with us being twins so we’re both on similar schedules/life paths still (no one is married, pregnant, has moved away, etc.)
Aww.. i love this getaway, so nice!!! ❤ I think I love how I can mix and match the food I want… muffins.. eggs.. fruit..the bst!!
Agreed — the endless options are one of the best parts 🙂 and it’s zero effort!
im all about options! haha. I emailed you last night xo
I need to get myself to Pasqual’s before I die. Your meal looks mouth-watering delicious!! I do wish I could just fly there right.this.second!!
It was an insane quesadilla. Not TOO cheesy, but perfect 🙂
That Farmer’s Market! Swoon 😀 I love Madison, it’s one of my favorite places in the Midwest. Reading the Chicago/Wisconsin blogs always makes me miss living in that area of the country! Except in the Winter, then I miss Texas, haha 😉
Farmers markets totally make me swoon too 🙂
What a fun weekend!! I love going to the farmers’ market. Hotel buffets have me grabbing way to much dessert – muffins and pastries 😛
They are so tempting there because they’re a) readily available b) so beautifully displayed and c) FREE!
That farmer’s market looks amazing! I love browsing all the markets here. The fresh flowers always get me!
The minute the weather is consistently sunny and warm, I’m going to be all about the flowers!
Madison is SUCH a fun city! I need to get up there this summer for sure! Glad you enjoyed your time with your family!
Definitely make a trip there! Summer is when it shines 🙂
Ok so I just convinced the BOY that we should swing by on our way up to Green Lake this weekend. Yay!