Last weekend, the hubs and I desperately needed a getaway from Chicago, so we decided to visit his sister in Madison, Wisconsin. I was just excited to have a low-key weekend playing with our adorable nieces, and we ended up having such a wonderful time exploring Madison with the family. It’s such an adorable college town, the weather was AMAZING (seriously, how does the Midwest go from being in the 70s to low 40s in the span of a week?!), and the food was so fresh and delicious.

Having grown up in major cities overseas, I’ve always been bit of a big city snob, but I’m really starting to appreciate the slower pace and natural beauty of smaller towns in the US. Maybe it’s because I’m entering a new phase in my life, or maybe it’s because I’m just getting older, but the thought of moving out of a big city like Chicago doesn’t freak me out anymore. There’s so much to appreciate about small towns! Madison in the fall is simply stunning with all its biking and hiking trails. I definitely want to come back in the summer/next fall to explore all its natural beauty.

The highlight of the trip was a visit to Dane County Farmers’ Market, right at the heart of Capitol Square. I’ve been to many farmers markets in Canada and California (a post about our recent Cali trip coming up soon!), but this was one of the best markets I’ve been to. So many amazing stalls with delicious cheeses (it’s Wisconsin, after all), fresh vegetables, warm baked goods, and more. We picked up some homemade jam, gouda, rhubarb pie, and the most authentic Indonesian Nasi Goreng I’ve had since my years in Jakarta!

My favorite pictures from the trip:

Still. dreaming. about. that. rhubarb. pie. *drool*