One of my favorite events during summer in Madison is The Taste of Madison.  Although it’s bittersweet since this event always falls on Labor Day weekend. Which means it’s the last hurrah of summer. 

But what better way to deal with the pain of summer being over and school starting, then to put yourself into a food coma, while following the crowd around a big square, walking at .05 miles per hour.   In addition, this is the only time of the year that you can legally have an open beer in hand while walking around the Capital.  All other 363 days of the year, you most likely would get a police escort off of the property.

This year, Shelly and I were nice enough to take the punk.  I figured by age eight he should really be able to enjoy the plethora of food and the fantastic people watching.  Happily, Ben did not disappoint. 

He had pizza:

And ice cream (Which was good to the last drop.  The pride that swelled in me as I watched him fight for every last drop of that Peanut Butter Elephant Track ice cream.  Well done my young son.  Well done.)

And corn.

No, that isn’t some odd Monkey Child we found on the street.  That is my kid.  Eating corn, as only he can do.

Between Shelly and I we had ribs, crab rangoon, curry (her choice)

some other crazy Indian/Chinese thing (also her choice) and I topped it all off while spending my last four dollars on the best piece of key lime pie this side of the Mississippi.

We all left happy (except Ben, who accidently let go of his ”very special to me” balloon) filled to the brim with great food and feeling just like this:

Thanks again Taste of Madison.  See ya next year.