#via1

[anhjames]

Lineage Reunited! #AnchorsAwe16h #AweihhtWeGo #SeasTheDay #Via1 (at University of Cincinnati)

[itsmedonnah]

So long #Montreal ! Til next time! IGers swipe to see all pics. . . . . #businesstravel #viarail #via1 #travel #canadatravel #nofilter #instatravel #ginandtonic #endoftheworkday

[lilmskoifish]

Everybody needs a little bit of wild in their life. (Missing John and Majestica 😭) . . . . #wild #uwmadison #vsa #freshman #via1 #personal (at Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown)

[via1]

Top 5 Madison Restaurant Picks

Rubric: Taste of food, originality, spacing, pricing, distance from hotel

1. Ian’s Pizza

Suggested Food Items: Mac & Cheese and Pizza

You can never go wrong with pizza, but there’s a twist! Ever had smoked brisket or quesadilla on your pizza? Ian’s Pizza is a mad genius when it comes to the Italian pie. They’re always concocting up with the craziest ideas! Barely a walk, so if you’re looking a quick place to grab a slice - Ian’s would be a top choice!

2. Soga Shabu Shabu

Suggested Food Item: All the meat

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like to do family-style dinner? This Asian fusion restaurant is where everyone just dives into one hot pot or multiple ones. Easy, interactive, and fun dinner! Your friend is going to ask, “What do I do?”, You: “Just do it!” Barely a 5 minute walk from the hotel and huge space for everyone to sit!

3. Tutto’s Pasta

Suggested Food Item: Chicken Alfredo

Feeling a bit fancy? Want something better than Olive Garden that’s Italian and not breaking the bank? Tutto’s Pasta is where you want to be then. Their risotto and pasta are on point, and their sauces are not too heavy either! There’s huge spacing down in their basement so seating wouldn’t be a problem - make reservations though!

4. Graze

Suggested Food Item: Bibimbap Burrito and Cheese Curds

Kind of fancy, sharing friendly, good prices, decent seating, and cheese curds! Little farther than the places mentioned but well worth it! Classical American cuisine and a renowned Madison restaurant pick! Highly recommend to make a reservation, because this place gets packed! For a good reason too~

5. DRAGON-I!

Suggested Food Item: Everything

Hands down best restaurant and greatest for Madison to offer! The best place for seating.

6. The Parthenon Gyros Restaurant

Suggested Food Item: Mega Gyro and Cheese Fries

We were kidding about the last one by the way but still standing by that Dragon-I has the best seating. Anyways! Here is where you want to go when you just want to grab a quick bite. They have great Gyros (however you want to pronounce it), nevertheless, this place is really good for fast Greek food! Also pretty solid place for seating!

Madison, Wisconsin has food to suit everyone’s taste! We hope that this list helps you determine where you want to eat when you are here for the 14th Annual VIA-1 Conference!

[via1]

Cheese Curds 101

The 14th Annual VIA-1 Conference is hosted in Madison, Wisconsin this year, and this is the perfect opportunity for you to change your life forever..one cheese curd at a time.

For all you out of towners, you may be wondering, “What in the world is this phenomenon known as a cheese curd?”  

A cheese what?

It’s just cheese, right?

Wrong.

It’s cheese taken to the next level. They’re deep fried gooey squeaky golden nuggets of heaven. Oh, so you’re lactose-intolerant you say? Destroying toilets from these glorious balls of deliciousness will be completely worth it. Trust me.

So where can you get cheese curds in this cheese city? Have no fear. We’ve listed the top 5 places for you to get your cheese curd fix on for the weekend!

Curd Girl

Graze

Tipsy Cow

OSS

Old Fashioned

I urge you to attend this year’s VIA-1 Conference and experience the glory that is known as the cheese curd while attending an amazing conference.

Your life will be changed forever.

Written by Angie Ngo

[uvsamidwest-blog]

A Note From Your Secretary

People always ask me why I decided to run for UVSA-Midwest executive board and I always have a difficult time answering. Out of all the 2014-2016 UVSA-Midwest executive board members, I think I was the earliest person to decide to run for executive board. And by early, I mean I sent in my application the week leading up to that fateful VIA-1 in Columbus, Ohio. Before applying, being on UVSA-MW executive board was honestly not a goal or dream of mine. During that time, I was getting ready to start my senior year of college, so I wanted a relatively peaceful senior year and I didn't really want to commit myself to the organization for another two years when I had no idea what I was going to do after graduation. However, during the months leading up to VIA-1, I had someone who would repeatedly bring up running for elections. She didn't nag me at all and initially I would always reject the idea immediately, but after a while, I began to take her suggestion seriously. Looking over the application had me considering why I had been a part of UVSA-Midwest for so long. For instance, I was pretty unimpressed after my first VIA-1 in 2012 at Cincinnati, Ohio, not understanding why it was hyped up as what should have been a "life-changing" event. So what it is about UVSA-Midwest that made me keep attending events?

To make it simple, it is the people. Throughout the past five years of UVSA-Midwest involvement, I have met people who helped me transform from a shy, awkward kid to a slightly less awkward, opinionated leader. I have met people who encouraged me to learn more about my culture. I have met people who have raised over thousands of dollars to help others in need, people who want to spread awareness, and people who are driven to make a difference. And the incredible thing is that all these people are united in their love for VSA and UVSA-MW. So when I ran for executive board, it was because I wanted a way to provide support for UVSA-MW members to help them improve their VSAs and communities and to support all the amazing things UVSA-MW members do.

Being on executive board requires a lot of time, commitment, and passion. The first two are important because you eventually feel like half of your life is dedicated to conference calls and traveling, but the last one is the most important because you need a reason to keep yourself going for the next two years. So if you have those three things and think you can make UVSA-MW a better place, I highly encourage you to run for executive board. 

I tried doing the math and I've driven over 5000 miles (which is a small comparison to some of you, I'm sure) going to and from UVSA-Midwest events, spent at least 91 hours in conference calls, had one flat tire at 1am in the middle of nowhere Michigan, and also had my car die while driving on the interstate. But honestly, every moment was worth it because I got to meet, work with, and hang out with the best people in the world.

- Diane

https://via1.wufoo.com/forms/uvsamidwest-executive-board-application/