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| - Apparently all it takes is a well known name to make the crowds flock and "ohh and ahh" over a building. For a Frank Lloyd Wright building, the Monona Terrace is not at all spectacular. In comparison to works such as Fallingwater, the Monona Terrace is nothing more than a typical community center with awkwardly placed bathrooms and lots of escalators. The convention center relies heavily on the Wright's name to draw interest, and has dedicated large portions of the interior to pictures and plaques depicting him and his life.
While the exterior mimics the fluidity of the two lakes between which it sits, the inside is stifling and lacks a natural feeling. There is a distinct rigidity inside, that seems unnatural when paired against the view of the lake from the big glass windows. The carpets are a burnt orange/red color, and the conference rooms are small. Once filled, the tables and bodies are akin to sardines stacked neatly on top of one another. The rooftop offers some views worth taking in, once you get away from the tables and the areas being set up for special events.
The convention center does not permit outside food, except for wedding cakes. So the food was hit or miss. Potatoes were served with just about every meal, mostly as "salad" (which was odd when paired with Mexican styled foods). No bottles of water were made available, the most convenient beverages were cans of soda.
Service as a whole was odd. Wait staff barely allowed plates to near empty before swooping in. The bartenders, however, rocked. They were friendly, chatty, and they were great with remembering faces and desired beverages. Only once during my four days in the building did I see anyone representing the building other than wait staff.
As a whole - I was not impressed with the Monona Terrace, this "beautiful" building that I had heard so much about... If anything, it distracts from the natural beauty of Lake Monona.
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