Table for Four © 2011 Bo Mackison

Machinery Row has a few hidden surprises worth knowing about. Sardines is a restaurant tucked behind the building – not much to see street side, but the view is lovely lake side. A close-up view of Lake Monona. I love the table settings on the outside patio. Enthusiastic diners occupied most of the tables — judging from the expressions of satisfaction and delight on their faces — but a couple of the tables were ready for new diners.

It is a sign of the times that there are paper sugar packets in the sugar bowl. I would have loved some paperless sweet stuff, but I do love the offering of the bits of bread. And the linens.

And I have been a dedicated fan of cloth tablecloths and napkins since I was a very young bride. Sherpa’s grandmother had a sense of style, and until she was in her 60s, she wouldn’t eat in a restaurant that didn’t use linens. As a young bride, when I entertained family, I would bring out the linen tablecloths, the matching napkins. It was nice, actually. Too often those lovely items stay carefully pressed and folded in bottom drawers and no one ever appreciates their beauty.

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and the owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is currently working on an urban photography project, and discovering lovely new spaces and places in Madison.