MSP Musings

Lunch at Wise Acre Eatery

2012-01-31T00:24:00.001-06:00

I'm not sure whether I should be excited about this or worried, but I've been eating at a lot of good restaurants lately. Apparently so much so that I'm backed up in posting about them. (And maybe just a tad bit worried that I'll forget about eating at home altogether.)

One of the best recent examples is Wise Acre Eatery on Nicollet in south Minneapolis. This is probably our finest local example of farm-to-table (as you can read in this City Pages review from last summer). Even just spending two seconds on the restaurant's website will prove it with the colorful farm-meets-food photos and the Gone Farmin' rationalization for being closed on Mondays.

Located in a former oil station - and still featuring the garage door that opens onto an outdoor patio - the space is adorable.

It's quaint and small and lovely. At the counter you can purchase items ranging from pastries to eggs, and the bar at the back makes everything from sustainable coffee to homemade sodas.

Greenery is strategically placed around the space, making it feel even more natural and homegrown. It's also incredibly complimentary to the overall ambiance.

I'd heard good things about their housemade sparkling sodas, so I tried a lemon verbena version. While it was quite refreshing, I think the combination of its sugary sweetness and it taking a little while to get to me (it seemed our server forgot about it) made me wish I would've just stuck with water.

For my rural dinner/urban lunch selection, I ordered a full meal of beef roast, cranberry macaroni and cheese and brussels sprouts. Ooh la la :)

Oh, you know I totally ate all of this! Because I'm a brussels sprouts fanatic. Because I love grass-fed, tender beef roast. And because there probably is no better pairing than creamy mac n cheese with cranberries.

What a delightfully satisfying lunch. And with so many seasonally-changing menu items, I'm excited to go back for breakfast or "urban dinner." :)

NYE Dinner at Rinata and Crashed Ice Event

2012-01-16T22:48:00.000-06:00

This post is going to bring together two very different events - one that I should have posted about already (New Year's Eve dinner at Rinata) and one that took place this weekend (Red Bull Crashed Ice in Saint Paul).

Let's start with Rinata. I've always heard good things about its Italian fare and had it on a list of spots to visit but just never seemed to find the time. Then, when planning for New Year's Eve dinner at the last minute, I remembered reading this great post from The Heavy Table about five good restaurants people are overlooking. I figured it was a sign I should try to score NYE reservations. And, I did! For six!

Rinata, with its lovely Christmas decorations still hanging, had a lovely, intimate ambiance. With just a few tables in each of three rooms, every nook and cranny was packed when we arrived (I took the shot below on the right just as we were the last to leave so as not to interrupt other diners). The whole space felt warm and cozy on the snowy evening.

As we placed our wine order, our server brought out some fantastic bread with olive oil and tapenade. We were already off to a good start.

We then ordered two appetizers for the group to share; my selection was the bruschetta with cannellini beans, pancetta and roasted brussels sprouts. I give it solid marks for presentation and an interesting combination of ingredients. Overall, though, I thought the beans were just a little too much and ended up drying the app out a bit (of course, this could partially be attributed to my non-love of these white beans, though I keep trying to convince myself otherwise). One friend suggested that it might have been better had the beans been pureed...that might not be a bad idea :)

The second starter was the crostini with roasted mushrooms, caramelized onion and bleu cheese. As a lover of all things mushroom and bleu cheese, I thought this one was very enjoyable.

And then - the main event. I ordered the gnocchi with balsamic braised short ribs and roasted mushroom pan sauce for my entree. OMG. This was outstanding. The short ribs were so tender and flavorful, and the gnocchi perfectly prepared. I was really blown away by this dish and ate every. last. bite.

I was really impressed by how reasonably priced everything on the menu was given the caliber of food. It was all well-prepared and quite generously portioned. And another thing I really enjoyed about our Rinata experience was the staff. We had a fantastic server who was absolutely delightful. Plus, the restaurant was very accommodating when I called to adjust my reservation (even on NYE!).

So, if you haven't yet tried Rinata in Uptown, consider this a little nudge.

******

On to the Crashed Ice event. This weekend, the steps of the Cathedral in Saint Paul became home to a steep, icy and winding track for the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship, where nearly 200 skaters from around the world came to compete. It's estimated that more than 80,000 people swarmed the streets of Saint Paul to take in the action. I joined the mad house for a bit Saturday evening. Here are just a couple of photo highlights from the event :)

Christmas Treats Perfect for Holiday Parties

2012-01-09T23:05:00.000-06:00

I meant to post this before traveling for work all last week. Oops...you'll have to appreciate seeing it now even though you're probably so over Christmas :)

If you remember my Thanksgiving pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake post, you remember that I practically had to bribe the family to eat it. So, I decided to go a different route for Christmas - one that didn't require as much time and energy. My parents hosted Christmas dinner, and I opted to provide the pre-meal fare.

It started with peppermint-flavored puppy chow (recipe found on the back of a Crispix box). What a fun, holiday twist on one of the world's greatest guilty pleasures! To make it, you start by melting a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips with a stick of butter. Once melted, add a 1/2 or full teaspoon of peppermint extract (I went with the full teaspoon). Next, mix the cereal and chocolate together.

Place the chocolate-y cereal mixture into a large baggie of powdered sugar. Zip it up and shake to coat the cereal.

Let it cool, and you're ready to put it in a container of your liking and serve to your loved ones. This is my 'cookie jar' that I bought at Sur La Table a couple of years ago. I just love the look of it and that it's easily transportable (in fact, I made this peppermint recipe for two holiday gatherings this year).

I paired the sweet treat with a delightful holiday-themed cheese tray. I saw a friend post this to Facebook in early December and was totally sold. Then it started popping up all over Pinterest as a perfect option for holiday entertaining, and I knew I had to make it.

I used cubes of cheddar, colby-jack and pepper-jack cheeses, along with grape tomatoes and baby dill pickles to make the little tree. Days before Christmas, I picked up the perfect serving tray at CB2, my favorite new home store that just opened in Uptown.

And, what a relief. Family happily devoured these Christmas treats. Maybe I'm on to something... :)

Dinner at Home: Grilled Cheese

2011-12-30T23:22:00.000-06:00

As referenced in a recent post about my visit to the Burnett Dairy Cheese Store in Wisconsin, I've been making up a few tasty kitchen creations with my cheese choices. Most notably, I used the cranberry muenster cheese to make fancy grilled cheese sandwiches at my friend's suggestion.

Oh, baby, these were wicked good.

I started by melting some butter in the bottom of a frying pan and placing a slice of whole grain bread in the pan. Next up, a layer of turkey (I like the Healthy Ones low sodium brand you can get sliced up at the grocery store deli counter).

Then, a generous layer of cheese followed by another slice of bread and a tad more butter to brown the second side.

Mmmm....melted gooeyness!

Paired with a nice little side salad (romaine hearts, grape tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese and Ranch dressing), the turkey grilled cheese is perfect for the season. And so awesome, I had it twice in one week :)

Christmas Brunch and Goodies

2011-12-30T01:37:00.005-06:00

Christmas brings about one of my favorite holiday traditions: brunch with the girls at W.A. Frost. Not only has Frost grown to become one of my favorite restaurants in MSP, but it also has - in my opinion - the loveliest holiday decorations.

Already offering beautiful charm and character, the Christmas decorations add just a bit more loveliness to the sophisticated atmosphere. It's definitely a perfect special occasion establishment. Plus, the food is generally fantastic.

This year, I decided to spice up my standard breakfast menu selection of bacon and eggs and go with the Classic Eggs Benedict. I've come to truly love Eggs Benedict in my brunch buffet perusals this past year, so I thought I could graduate to having it as my standalone breakfast dish on this visit :)

The poached organic egg and Fischer Farms ham are served with hollandaise sauce atop a housemade English muffin. The two muffins are accompanied by W.A. Frost's signature home fries and fresh fruit. While I still haven't found a way to trick myself into believing that I enjoy cantaloupe or honeydew, everything else on my plate was wonderful. The potatoes were savory and the eggs rich - and all perfectly proportioned so I left full but not uncomfortably stuffed.

Another of my favorite holiday traditions is trying my hand at homemade treats to give away. Over the years, I've gone from caramels to peanut butter bonbons to peppermint patties to Christmas vanilla sugar cookies. This year, I found a recipe for gingerbread truffles on The Cookie Crumbles and felt inspired to give it a try, due mostly to my love of all things truffle.

Gingerbread Truffles (from The Cookie Crumbles)
Two boxes of Betty Crocker Gingerbread Cake & Cookie Mix (bake as directed)
1 tub of vanilla frosting
1 package of white almond bark (or white chocolate if you prefer)
Wilton icing (in your choice of colors)

You start by baking the two gingerbread cake mixes together as directed in a 9x13-inch pan. Since it's double the cake in one pan, it will take a little longer to bake - approximately 45 minutes.

Next, you mash up the cake and tub of vanilla icing in a large bowl (mine pictured below isn't so large, as you can tell...good thing I asked for and received a large one for Christmas!).

Then you roll the mashed up cake into truffle-sized balls and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When you're ready for the next step, melt your almond bark over low heat (you can use some vegetable shortening to thin it out if you'd like...I made these in two waves and used the shortening for the first round but not for the second...honestly, I didn't really notice much of a difference).

Then, dip the gingerbread balls in the melted almond bark and place on parchment paper to cool. This is always the roughest/messiest step for me. I can never figure out how to perfectly dunk, so I just use a spoon since it's easiest.

Once the almond bark hardens and the truffles have cooled, use your colored icing varieties to decorate. I went with Wilton's red and green ready-to-use icing tubes. I have the plastic decorating tips, which might be a bit messier than desired (plus, I don't have the patience of a professional). :)

Yum! So moist and absolutely delicious!

And, I like to think that what I lack in decorating skills, I make up for in presentation :) These cute little holiday bags and tags were available at Target. Another year down, and I'm already finding ideas for next year...

20 Day Holiday Workout Challenge
Oh, and I'm sure you're chomping at the bit to know how I ended the 20 Day Challenge. Well, I flopped big time at the end...but that doesn't mean I can't think creatively at how I might have achieved it ;)

1. Tuesday, Nov. 29: spinning and core classes at the gym
2. Thursday, Dec. 1: spinning and core classes at the gym
3. Sunday, Dec. 4: hot power fusion (yoga) at Corepower
4. Monday, Dec. 5: personal training session with my workout buddy at the gym
5. Tuesday, Dec. 6: hot power fusion at Corepower
6. Wednesday, Dec. 7: cardio and strength training at the gym
7. Saturday, Dec. 10: a game of racquetball at the gym (probably more chat session than kick butt workout)
8. Sunday, Dec. 11: candlelight flow at Corepower
9. Monday, Dec. 12: brisk late-night walk through Uptown (forgot I had after-work New Year's Eve plans!)
10. Tuesday, Dec. 13: hot power fusion at Corepower
11. Wednesday, Dec. 14: cardio and strength training at the gym
12. Friday, Dec. 16: candlelight flow at Corepower
13. Saturday, Dec. 17: cardio and strength training at the gym
14. Sunday, Dec. 18: candlelight flow at Corepower
15. Monday, Dec. 19: cardio and strength training at the gym
16. Tuesday, Dec. 20: lifting bag after bag of groceries while volunteering at the food shelf with my mom
17. Wednesday, Dec. 21: breaking a sweat while unloading a new love seat into my apartment
18. Thursday, Dec. 22: dragging my friends around to fun stores on a walk in Uptown
19. Friday, Dec. 23: power shopping at the mall for my final three Christmas gifts
20. Saturday, Dec. 24: getting my stretch on while wrapping dozens of oddly-shaped Christmas presents :)

While I may not have dominated my final five days, I actually found the challenge overall to be quite rewarding. It was a great motivator for keeping my butt in check, and it also inspired me for greater fitness challenges...I'm still thinking through my 2012 fitness goals but will be sure to share updates!

Dinner at Masa

2011-12-19T01:41:00.001-06:00

I recently met friends for dinner at Masa, the Mexican D'Amico restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, which is pretty perfectly situated on Nicollet Mall.

I have to point out right away that I quite love the look and feel of Masa with its full range of colors and impressive decor. The exposed kitchen gives patrons an inside glimpse at a bustling and well-run staff.

This was my second visit to Masa in the last few years, and after having really enjoyed my first visit, I had fairly high expectations for the second visit. We ordered a couple of appetizers to share, starting with the serrano relleno - two serrano peppers filled with queso and lightly fried in meringue batter. They come served with charred tomatillo and chile piquillo salsa. I didn't know what half of those things really were, but the important translation = HOT!

Frankly, it was just a bit too spicy for me, and my mouth was on fire so I couldn't really even enjoy it. Even my more adventure-seeking companions were gulping down water like it was nobody's business.

To tame things down a bit, we paired it with the gordita - a masa cake griddled and fried with carnitas, guacamole, red onion and salsa.

This was much more up my alley, and I definitely enjoyed my third of the app.

For my entree, I went with the choice of three tacos, served with rice and frijoles charros (pinto beans stewed with onion, garlic and bacon). The three tacos I selected were the 1. steak (marinated skirt steak with lettuce and onions), 2. chicken (shredded chicken with chipotle crema) and 3. carnitas (roasted pork, cilantro, onion and lime).

In general, I was pretty much so-so on this meal. What I liked: the chicken taco, which was actually very delicious, and the beans, which packed great flavor. The carnitas taco was good, though I've certainly had far better versions at other spots throughout the city. The rice would have been good but it was under-cooked, and the steak taco actually didn't do anything for me...I thought it had a funky taste and left half of it on my plate.

And, on top of the meal not meeting my expectations, our server was a bit off. Surrounded by other well-meaning and attentive servers (one who even stopped at our table to see if we needed anything), she just seemed kind of indifferent. Not bad necessarily...just not really into it.

I wasn't quite ready to give up after dinner, so I insisted we order the one absolute favorite thing I remembered from my first visit for dessert: the churros. Oh, the churros. Served warm with a rich, hot chocolate dipping sauce, I was sure these would save our meal. By the time they came to our table, I forgot all about taking a picture and dug right in!

They were almost as good as I remembered, but at that point, I think we were all just a bit disenchanted with our dining experience. I'm still debating whether I'll give Masa another go in hopes that this was just an off night...but with so many other great restaurants to choose from (including D'Amico's Lurcat, which ranks as one of my all-time favorites), the jury is still out...

20 Day Holiday Workout Challenge
I'm still trucking on the 20 Day Challenge and hoping I'll hit 20 come Dec. 25...just need to work out each of the six remaining days!

1. Tuesday, Nov. 29: spinning and core classes at the gym
2. Thursday, Dec. 1: spinning and core classes at the gym
3. Sunday, Dec. 4: hot power fusion (yoga) at Corepower
4. Monday, Dec. 5: personal training session with my workout buddy at the gym
5. Tuesday, Dec. 6: hot power fusion at Corepower
6. Wednesday, Dec. 7: cardio and strength training at the gym
7. Saturday, Dec. 10: a game of racquetball at the gym (probably more chat session than kick butt workout)
8. Sunday, Dec. 11: candlelight flow at Corepower
9. Monday, Dec. 12: brisk late-night walk through Uptown (forgot I had after-work New Year's Eve plans!)
10. Tuesday, Dec. 13: hot power fusion at Corepower
11. Wednesday, Dec. 14: cardio and strength training at the gym
12. Friday, Dec. 16: candlelight flow at Corepower
13. Saturday, Dec. 17: cardio and strength training at the gym
14. Sunday, Dec. 18: candlelight flow at Corepower

Dinner at Home: Garlic Rice Pilaf

2011-12-11T22:57:00.003-06:00

I came across this simple side dish recipe for garlic rice pilaf one day while browsing around the interwebs and thought it would make a great little dinner component.

Garlic Rice Pilaf (from Annie's Eats)
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice

To get started, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and melt the butter over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Add the garlic and rice and cook until golden brown, approximately three to five minutes.

Add in the first cup of broth, along with the salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish, cover and bake for 25 minutes (Note: you're supposed to use a covered casserole dish. Since I don't actually have one as of yet, I used my good old friend tinfoil.).

Remove from oven and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Bake, covered, for another 45 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, stir in the squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

I thought this turned out pretty darn good. I paired it with a chicken breast - quickly grilled on the George Foreman and seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper - and steamed fresh broccoli.

While the rice itself feels indulgent and carbalicious, the chicken and broccoli ease away your guilt, making this feel like a mostly healthy dinner option.

I'm excited to try this recipe again and bring it along as a dish to share. Since I was making it just for myself, I then had three to four days worth of garlic rice pilaf leftovers :)

20 Day Holiday Workout Challenge
I hit a bit of a rut Thursday and Friday with evening holiday party plans and a sheer defiance to the 5 a.m. alarm clock, so I'm still playing a bit of catch-up even with weekend workouts.

1. Tuesday, Nov. 29: spinning and core classes at the gym
2. Thursday, Dec. 1: spinning and core classes at the gym
3. Sunday, Dec. 4: hot power fusion (yoga) at Corepower
4. Monday, Dec. 5: personal training session with my workout buddy at the gym
5. Tuesday, Dec. 6: hot power fusion at Corepower
6. Wednesday, Dec. 7: cardio and strength training at the gym
7. Saturday, Dec. 10: a game of racquetball at the gym (probably more chat session than kick butt workout)
8. Sunday, Dec. 11: candlelight flow at Corepower

BAR LA GRASSA!!

2011-12-07T00:00:00.003-06:00

The post title itself almost says it all. I finally made it to Bar La Grassa this weekend and was so excited, I actually bumped it ahead of a few other posts :)

For those of you who don't know or have never been, Bar La Grassa is an Italian restaurant located in the Warehouse District/North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. Isaac Becker (of 112 Eatery fame) is the executive chef and co-owner. He was named 2011 Best Chef - Midwest by the James Beard Foundation if that helps to shed light on my excitement.

BLG has a rockin' ambiance - old renovated warehouse space, gorgeous dark, rounded booths, great woodwork and lovely lighting. Our reservations (yes, you absolutely need them) were right when the restaurant opened, so don't let the apparent lack of patrons confuse you - it filled up in mere minutes.

We had the Barbaresco red wine from the Piedmont region in Italy, which I can only assume means very good. I know next to nothing about red wine and am only starting to acquire a taste for it, so I let others do the ordering for me. It was very good and a nice complement to dinner.

We were also immediately provided a butter bean palate teaser and fresh bread to share. I was surprisingly delighted by the bean dish, since I'm normally quite indifferent to beans in general. But they did their job setting the stage for what was to come.

We went all family-style all the way, starting with a selection of three different types of bruschetta: ricotta and roasted tomato, soft eggs and lobster and marinated pork shoulder.

All three were ah-mazing, and it was hard to pick a favorite. The ricotta and tomato one was so rich and creamy. And I'm talking really creamy. None of that typical grocery-store-ricotta-graininess.

The soft eggs and lobster was also fantastically rich. The lobster was to-die-for and the eggs fluffy. The marinated pork was served cold and packed so much flavor. In the end, the lobster-lover in me won out, and I chose that as my favorite.

As a group, we then also shared three different pasta varieties and a vegetable (to ease our carb conscience) - the gnocchi with cauliflower and orange, the mushroom and taleggio agnolotti, the spaghetti carbonara and the broccolini in prosciutto brodo.

All together now...

Each of the pastas was absolutely magnificent and truly awesome in their own right. The gnocchi had a strong and delicious orange flavoring, the cream-stuffed agnolotti was perfectly paired with the mushrooms, and the carbonara...well, one word: bacon.

This seriously was one of the most ridiculously decadent and amazing meals I've had in a long time. Bar La Grassa has easily slipped in as one of my absolute favorites in all of MSP.

Oh, and let's not forget the service. Look no further than BLG for perfect service. Our wait staff was more attentive than we could have asked for (and not in that annoying way either). The kind that just fills your water glass when it needs to be, clears plates without interrupting conversation and always knows what's going on at every table even when they're busy.

Okay, enough La Grassa love fest :)

20 Day Holiday Workout Challenge
My thighs were killing me from yesterday's "perfect squat" tutorial, but I powered through some downward dogs and baby back bends like a champ tonight. Day 5 down.

1. Tuesday, Nov. 29: spinning and core classes at the gym
2. Thursday, Dec. 1: spinning and core classes at the gym
3. Sunday, Dec. 4: hot power fusion (yoga) at Corepower
4. Monday, Dec. 5: personal training session with my workout buddy at the gym
5. Tuesday, Dec. 6: hot power fusion at Corepower

Shabby Chic and Cheese!

2011-12-05T22:05:00.002-06:00

Just before Thanksgiving, I ventured up to my favorite of the wee little cities for a short weekend adventure with one of my best gals. We spent Friday night in Pine City and then headed out on a mini road trip Saturday morning.

She and I (and her hubby makes three) started with dinner at the Wild Bamboo, perhaps Pine City's finest ethnic dining establishment :) I ordered the chicken lo mein, which I now believe is the same thing I ordered on my only other visit here. Good thing I like it! I'm drawn to the noodles with their opposite of wide egg noodle-look. I also love the big chunks of still-crunchy vegetables.

After dinner, we headed to our friend's production of "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" at Pine City High School (catch the official trailer here on good ol' YouTube). Quite adorable. And a good reminder to enjoy all of those Charlie Brown holiday specials on now through Christmas.

After a lovely home-cooked breakfast (complete with my very first butter braid), we set out on the open road. Wide open spaces...headed to...Wisconsin! For cheese!

The Burnett Dairy Cheese Store in Alpha, Wis., was quite spectacular.

Surrounded by farmland and deer hunters ('tis the season).

The store kind of serves as your everything store...with a gift section, an ice cream counter, your everyday groceries and much more.

Like dairy case after dairy case of cheese.

I really, really love cheese. And it didn't take long for me to stock up on a number of Fancy-brand goods. Specifically a bacon ranch cheddar spread, cranberry muenster cheese (look for an upcoming post where I make grilled cheese with this), cheddar cheese sticks, salsa-flavored string cheese and an Alpha's Morning Sun (blend of cheddar and gruyere qualities with rosemary). Yummers.

And, somewhere between Wisconsin and Minnesota - after the snow began to fall - we came across this shabby chic little gift shop out on an old country road.

And, I found two little treasures. This charming little necklace for just $2.

And, this vintage tray for the low, low price of $3!

I'd been looking for a perfect little tray for my bedside table, so it's like it was meant to be. :)

20 Day Holiday Workout Challenge

Oh, and one other last little update. With the holidays drawing near, my renewed focus on fitness and a little inspiration from Iowa Girl Eats, I'm embarking on an aggressive goal to work out 20 days between now and Dec. 25. She's working out every weekday between Nov. 28 and Dec. 25, but, given that I was feeling pretty sub par much of last week, I have to use a few weekend days to meet the goal. Posting it here, so I stay accountable :)

Tuesday, Nov. 29: spinning and core classes at the gym

Thursday, Dec. 1: spinning and core classes at the gym

Sunday, Dec. 4: hot power fusion (yoga) at Corepower

Monday, Dec. 5: personal training session with my workout buddy at the gym

Thanksgiving Potluck: Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake

2011-11-28T22:00:00.002-06:00

Thanksgiving dinner this year was a potluck held at my aunt and uncle's house. And I was told I could bring anything I wanted. So I scoured some of my favorite blogs looking for the perfect contribution, and landed on this delicious-looking pumpkin gingersnap cheesecake on Iowa Girl Eats.

I waited until Wednesday to make this and brought all of my ingredients to grandma's house, where she served as my trusty dessert-making sidekick.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake - Serves 12

1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 8-oz packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature

1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (this one I actually had to hunt for; thank goodness for my new favorite Penzeys Spices shop in Uptown)

3/4 cup egg substitute

Cool Whip

Extra gingersnap crumbs

Start by crushing your gingersnaps. Some people might use a food processor; I opted for the good ol' plastic Ziploc bag and soup can method. Made with extra love ;)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place your gingersnap crumbs in a bowl and combine with melted butter.

Next, spread the gingersnap crumb mixture into a sprayed non-stick 9" spring form pan and press the mixture to form the crust.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and cloves. Beat until creamy and slowly stream in the egg substitute with the mixer still running.

Pour the mixture over the crust on the pan. Use a spatula to smooth out the top (along with grandma's tried and true shaking-the-pan smoothing technique).

Place a casserole dish full of water on the rack at the bottom of the oven and bake the cheesecake on the center rack for 1.5 hours or until the center is set. Let cool for an hour and then place in the fridge for at least four hours or until firm.

The beauty of the spring form pan is that you can just unsnap and remove the sides, serving your cheesecake straight from the pan base (depending on your cheesecake, you might need to run a sharp knife around the edges before removing the sides; I forgot that step but it wasn't needed for mine).

Serve the cheesecake with a dollop of whip cream beneath a sprinkling of gingersnap crumbs.

I really thought this was quite delicious. Rich and creamy with just the right amount of spice. The flavor was perfect. The texture smooth. My only hiccup was convincing the family to try it. Dinner was so filling and the dessert options so plentiful that I almost thought I'd have to twist arms to get people to try it. After some ~~aggressive~~ light prodding, I successfully served up all but a few pieces. And the general consensus was also that it was very good :)

Another Pizza Adventure

2011-11-23T12:09:00.001-06:00

Before galavanting off to Wisconsin last week (and before the first snow hit the ground), I had another fun pizza experience. This time...making pizzas!

I was invited to a pizza party where the hosts had their very own wood-burning brick oven in their backyard. What a fun way to entertain guests :)

We started by rolling out our dough, spreading on the pizza sauce and adding all of our favorite ingredients. I used red sauce, lots of mozzarella, pepperoni, some sausage, mushrooms, basil, black olives and a few red peppers.

Next up: a hot minute (or five) in the brick oven.

And, ta-da! Almost instant deliciousness. There's something extra special about brick oven pizza...just the way the crust tastes is so good (and probably why there's a cult-like following of this type of pizza establishment across the metro).

And, allow me to say that having the freedom to pile on as much cheese as I wanted made it even better.

Summer (Ha!) Bucket List Item No. 6: PIZZA FARM!!

2011-11-18T15:21:00.000-06:00

Well, it might be mid November, but friends and I finally made it to the Pizza Farm in Stockholm, Wis., this week! That's right kids. Driving to Wisconsin for a magical dining experience on the farm.

People drive from miles around to spend their Tuesday nights at the farm - the only night they're open. It's out in the middle of nowhere...literally. But when you find it, you're in for a real treat. All ingredients are grown on-site and you're responsible for your own seating, utensils, beverages, trash...you name it. They provide the pizza, you provide the rest.

Apparently if you go in the real summer, you can wait hours for your very own 'za, despite the fact that it only takes about three minutes to cook in the brick oven. Go in November, though, and you'll find no wait!

The staff is incredibly friendly. Laid-back and happy to chat on a chilly Tuesday evening. Step-by-step, they walked us newbies through the process of placing our order and how to get around on the farm in the pitch black at 6:30 p.m. (oh, winter, how we love thee).

The short and sweet menu keeps you focused and you have the option to go half and half.

Before you know it, your pizza is making its way to the oven. I just couldn't stop taking pictures...which, they don't mind provided you don't use a flash and don't expect them to pose for them :)

Pizza in-hand, you make your way back out on the farm.

Another perk of going in November, you easily snag yourself a table in the chicken coop.

In fact, it was just the three of us cozied up by a fire. There were a few others ordering pizza, but I think most people were getting take-out. In fact, I'm nearly certain we were the only ones that drove 1.5 hours that night.

Now, let's get to the really good part. We ordered half Italian sausage and half roasted squash. The sausage half (happy pigs, as the sign said) included kalamata olives, sweet peppers, sweet onion, roasted tomato, garlic and fresh mozzarella. And the squash half had chile paste, sauteed spinach, sweet onion and garlic. Both halves were served atop a thick and delicious handmade crust.

I loved, loved, loved the crust. And this comes from someone who typically favors the thin, crispy, crunchy variety. I was also delighted by the sausage half. I love pizza packed with cheese and tasty vegetables. The squash side was very interesting and enjoyable. It was a little spicy for this wimp, but I was glad we ventured to try something out of the ordinary.

Before we left, we already started making plans to come back next summer. I really do hope to make it back, especially so I can actually see what the farm really looks like. And, so I'll have even more photos to share here, too!

Dinner at Home: Mac and Cheese

2011-11-14T11:44:00.002-06:00

I've been spending lots of time browsing through some of my favorite food blogs and scoping things out on Pinterest for new recipes to try this fall, as part of my quest to eat in more. Which means I'll have even more adventures in the kitchen to share :)

I found this mac and cheese recipe on Annie's Eats and just knew I had to try it.

Strange thing is, I actually really hated mac and cheese as a kid. I think it's probably because it was always the boxed kind with the powdered cheese. Definitely a whole different story when you get to use some of your favorite real cheese!

Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese (from Annie's Eats) - Serves 6 to 8
12 oz. dried pasta (I went with traditional elbow macaroni)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup shallot, finely minced (I'm not really sure what shallots are, so when I Googled and saw that they might be scallions (or part scallion), I just went with it)
8 oz. gouda, shredded
2 oz. freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup milk
4 oz. low-fat Greek yogurt
3 tbsp. butter, unsalted
Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of water to boil and cooking the noodles as indicated until they just reach al dente. Drain well and reserve one cup of the pasta water, immediately returning the noodles to the pot.

Add the garlic, shallot and cheeses and stir briefly to combine.

Mix in the milk, yogurt and butter.

Stir until cheese is thoroughly melted and the mixture is creamy (add a small amount of the reserved pasta water if needed to adjust consistency).

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Voila!

I really enjoyed this delicious take on the classic comfort food. The gouda added the perfect flavoring to give it a little twist. Note that this is a really good meal to share (trust me, I was eating leftovers for days).

Halloween Festivities

2011-11-07T22:40:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe it's been a week (and some change) since Halloween weekend already. It was a fun weekend spent out of town with friends and a quick pit stop with family on the way back home.

In keeping with my tradition to dress up as an insect (originally a friend's idea that it would be rather precious for me to go in a child-like costume), I was a butterfly this year. Previous years found me all dolled up as a lady bug and then as a bumble bee.

Since crafty isn't really a word people would generally use to describe me, I took baby steps in my costume creation...which involved a lot of glitter. Here's my little DIY mask-making project, starting with a plain black mask.

Then using a paper towel to smear silver glitter puff paint all across the mask.

And adding a few little details to jazz things up :) Maybe next year, I'll figure out how to up the ante and get real creative as a grasshopper or maybe even a walking stick!

Part of the Halloween party I went to included a potluck. My friends and I went with the oh-so-spooky (okay, maybe oh-so-yummy is more like it) dirt cake. Layers of chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos and whipped cream, topped with gummy worms.

Sunday morning, we stopped at a local favorite in Pine City - Nicoll's Cafe - for a nice greasy breakfast.

Nicoll's is one of those sweet little spots, filled to the brim on a Sunday morning (though admittedly cleared out by the time we left) and where families go after church to enjoy the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast special.

Not one for pancakes, however, I went with the ham and cheese omelet with hash browns and wheat toast. Boy, did it hit the spot. Pipin' hot and served just as you'd expect from your favorite small town diner.

And, since it was a weekend of indulgence, I treated myself to this little homemade sundae at grandma's house just before making my way back home to MSP Sunday night. Yummers.

Dinner at Home: Queso Chicken Pasta

2011-10-31T21:18:00.001-05:00

My friend and I recently decided we should reignite our weekly dinner ritual where we take turns cooking up a storm for each other one night a week. I was lucky and got to go first. ;)

Lately, I've started bookmarking interesting recipes I find online and want to try. That way, when I'm in need of inspiration, I have a whole list of options. So I must have found this one, courtesy of Evil Shenanigans, randomly one night while surfing the interwebs and immediately added it to my "Recipes" list.

Queso Chicken Pasta (from Evil Shenanigans) - Serves 4 to 6

8 ounces penne pasta

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/3 cup milk, 2% or higher

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cream cheese

6 ounces colby-jack cheese, divided

1/2 cup drained Ro*Tel tomatoes

2 cups cooked shredded chicken

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a medium casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cook the penne according to the directions, subtracting two minutes from the cooking time.

Prepare the onion, jalapeno and garlic. I also added sliced raw mushrooms to the mix.

In a saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno and mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about three minutes. Add the cumin, coriander and salt, cooking until the spices are fragrant, about two minutes. Add the flour and cook for another three minutes, stirring constantly, until all the flour is moist. Whisk in the milk and stir until smooth. Let the mixture simmer and thicken.

Turn off the heat. Add the cream cheese and four ounces of the shredded cheese, stirring until melted. Whisk in the Ro*Tel tomatoes.

Use a fork to shred the chicken (I purchased an already-cooked whole chicken from the deli at the grocery store). Fill the casserole dish with the pasta and spread the chicken across the top.

Stir in the queso sauce mixture and top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pasta is bubbly and the cheese has melted. Before you know it, it'll come out gooey and delicious-looking.

This pasta has a great kick and isn't really in need of a strong companion, so I simply paired it with a whole wheat baguette from the bakery at the grocery store.

The Ro*Tel tomatoes and jalapeno added just enough heat - so it was enjoyable but not overpowering. And the creamy cheesy sauce was eat-directly-from-the-pan good. Best yet, the cooler fall weather makes it not only bearable, but actually enjoyable, to have the oven on.

Trying out Pat's Tap

2011-10-24T00:48:00.000-05:00

Last night I went with friends to the new-ish Pat's Tap on Nicollet in South Minneapolis. It's been a while since I tried a new hot spot in the Minneapple, so I was almost giddy on the approach.

So giddy I almost forgot how annoying it is to wait for a table at said hot spots. We arrived to find an anticipated wait time of an hour and a half. Eesh. That was my first reaction anyway. We saddled up to the overly crowded bar and waited to place our drink orders. We weren't off to such a great start. But, then we remembered Pat's is both a gastro pub AND skee-club. That's right, kids. Good old-fashioned gaming fun :)

To drink, I wanted to try the Brooklyn Brewery pumpkin ale, being fall and all...but alas, they were all out. So instead I went with the pilsner at the recommendation of the bartender. Pretty darn good. Problem is, I can't remember what kind it was...

Before we knew it, our table was ready, and we were perusing the menu of tempting eats. Our server brought out some fancy-looking homemade cheez-its. So scrumdiddlyumptious.

There were so many items we wanted to try off the menu, so we ended up ordering a smattering of things. Like the fried pickles served with Ranch dressing. OMG. I could have eaten every last one of these all by myself.

And the buffalo chicken terrine, which comes with bleu cheese and shaved celery. It was served cold. Not sure why that took me by surprise. Regardless it was really interesting and flavorful. A good dish to share as a group.

For my entree, I went with the carbonara: peas, egg and smoked ham hock. With an interesting kind of noodle I'd never had before. Kind of macaroni, kind of not. I loved this. Of course, there isn't much you can't love about rich and creamy pasta, right?

In our spirit of sharing, we all nibbled off each other's plates, and I also got to try the gougeres (small cheesy buns - ah-mazing), fried green beans with ginger orange sauce (pretty good) and steak (braised beef shoulder - also pretty darn good).

All in all, I was kind of in love with Pat's Tap. It has a fun atmosphere and great food. Can't beat that.

My Missoni for Target Heels

2011-10-21T22:55:00.000-05:00

I know I'm late with this (anyone who cares about Target's collaborations with big name designers like Missoni - and anyone who's been in a Target store over the last month for that matter - knows about the limited edition Missoni for Target collection), but to be honest, I've been in a bit of a love-hate relationship with my new Missoni heels.

On the love side, I think they're absolutely adorable, and I was so psyched to find them on display at a local Target store the night before the collection officially released. Snatched them right up, I did. And then I wore them to an event in NYC two days later, where they were just as cute on my feet.

Fast forward two weeks and I decide to wear them to a party my friends and I were throwing. Unfortunately, I'm still recovering from the blisters on my two big toes. The even worse part is that I have no one to blame for it except myself. I should have known better than to wear a not-yet-broken-in pair of shoes to an event I was walking to (seven-plus blocks away in fact) and where I would be standing for six-ish hours. Of course, the weather was still so warm that I didn't even consider tights, so just my bare feet in those heels all night.

And now, here I am, trying to gear myself up for the third wearing of these darling shoes. They still lay under the bedside table where I last left them, wishing and hoping that I'll choose them one weekday morning. Maybe next week's the week...

Dinner at Home: Tuna and Cannellini Bean Gratin

2011-10-20T21:59:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I last wrote about my experiments in the kitchen...And, an experiment this was. I'm not afraid to admit that not everything I make turns out perfectly. In fact, I've made some real doozies. Thankfully, this doesn't fall in that truly terrible category. With the exception of one ingredient, I think it was quite good...

I decided to try a recipe I found in the Lunds and Byerly's fall 2011 real food magazine. I was intrigued by the quite tasty looking photo of:

Tuna and Cannellini Bean Gratin with Red Onion, Fennel and Crisp Cheese Crumb Topping

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped fennel

1 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, grated and divided

2 15-ounce cans cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 5-ounce cans of tuna in olive oil, drained

1/4 cup fennel fronds (optional), finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1 cup heavy cream, or 3/4 cup sour cream thinned with 1/4 cup milk

2 cups soft coarse bread crumbs

1 cup grated Asiago, Pecorino Romano, or Parmigiano-Reggiano

You start by combining two tablespoons of oil, fennel and red onion in a medium skillet, cooking and stirring for about three minutes, until crisp-tender. Then add one clove garlic and cook over low heat for one minute. Then add the beans, tuna, fennel fronds, salt and pepper and stir over medium-low heat for about two minutes, until blended and heated through. Stir in cream and taste, add more salt if necessary. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a skillet, heat remaining two tablespoons of oil and remaining garlic over medium-low heat until sizzling and softened but not browned. Add breadcrumbs and stir to blend. Cook, stirring, over medium heat, just until crumbs begin to turn golden, about five minutes.

This turned out to be my main misstep in the cooking process. As you can see below, that's a heck of a lot of bread crumbs. I measured out the two cups it called for, but it ended up being way too much (as you'll see in the end).

Spread mixture in shallow baking dish. The beans should be at least one inch deep so they don't dry out while the top is browning. Spread bread crumbs on top of beans and top with grated cheese. Bake until cheese is a light golden brown and beans are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

And, voila! Here it is fresh out of the oven, looking quite crumby but delightfully golden.

To accompany the gratin, I roasted brussels sprouts. This isn't the first time I've shared my love of these little green veggies. I like to experiment with ways to make them more and more delicious, but this time I went with the simple route of roasting in olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper.

And the final product. Here's where you get an especially good glimpse at the abundant bread crumbs. Once I pushed some of the extra crumbs off to the side, I found the dish to be quite good. The flavors mixed together well and the cheese was delicious (I used a blend of Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina and Provolone from Trader Joe's). And, the sprouts were awesome.

I find that I enjoy cooking much more in the fall/winter, so look forward to more frequent tales from the kitchen. :)

I Want...

2011-10-16T11:38:00.000-05:00

Every time the seasons change, I find myself craving an entirely new shoe wardrobe. And while I love my shoedazzle purchases (past and future), those aren't the shoes I daydream about. Nope, I spend my hours longing for high-end footwear that may never fit my budget.

Let it be known that if money were no object, I'd be making these additions to the shoe collection this fall...all courtesy of saksfifthavenue.com.

Transitioning back to heels, these sparkly Christian Louboutin pumps would be at the top of my list.

And these darling Tory Burch pumps with the chunky heel.

More sparkle from Miu Miu.

Or a lovely Tory Burch wedge.

Of course, let's not forget the flats. I could totally go for these Jimmy Choo's with the petal and lovely soft color.

Or these fancy silver ones from the Vera Wang Lavender Label.

Lately, I've become obsessed with wanting to own a pair of blue heels. Not sure why. But the color is continuously calling my name. I think these Louboutin's could do the trick.

Or maybe these from Alexandre Birman.

What pretty shoes. Sigh...

NYC Eats

2011-10-10T22:49:00.003-05:00

During my last two trips to New York, I eagerly took in some culinary exploration and want to share highlights from two of my excursions.

First, we went in search of a tasty little bakery for cupcakes one afternoon. After not too long, we came across Buttercup Bake Shop, considered one of the best spots for cupcakes in the city.

We were quickly mesmerized by the vast and lovely dessert case...

And quickly overwhelmed by the array of colorful cupcake choices. Pink, yellow, purple, blue, white, brown, swirl, sprinkle...

We placed an order for six: one buttercup golden with chocolate icing, one buttercup golden with vanilla icing, one chocolate with vanilla icing, one chocolate with chocolate icing, one red velvet and one "Devil Dog." Perhaps, not surprisingly, the "Devil Dog" was mine. Devil's food chocolate cake with a light whipped frosting, a swirl of chocolate and topped off with sprinkles. I definitely enjoyed every last bite. And, at $2.25 each, it's a price that's hard to argue with.

In an interesting turn of events, the person who helped us at Buttercup is also from Minnesota. Gotta love those random connections :)

My other dining highlight comes from dinner with a friend who'd just moved to the city. I requested that we venture outside of my typical Midtown boundaries, so we hopped in a cab and headed to the East Village. There's a great little eatery called S'MAC, which is short for Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese.

It was tiny but overflowing. Eclectic but homey. S'MAC's specialty is macaroni and cheese...in more than 10 different varieties.

I decided to give the Cheeseburger Mac a try: cheddar and American cheeses combined with seasoned ground beef. There are four different sizes: nosh, major munch, mongo and partay!. This is the major munch ($9.75).

And it was majorly delicious. Cheesey, burgery, noodley comfort food. And boy was it filling. I think I could have gone with the nosh portion size and still left satisfied. I was mighty impressed with S'MAC and imagine that if I lived in the city, it would quickly become one of my favorite regular spots.

And, finally, I'll leave you with a photo of my favorite building in all the city - the Chrysler Building (with a little bit of a fancy Instagram touch-up). Isn't it lovely? :)

Shoe Crazy

2011-10-09T16:59:00.000-05:00

A while back, I joined shoedazzle.com at the recommendation of a friend. shoedazzle is an online shoe (and accessories) club created by Kim Kardashian. Each month, members get a showroom of select shoes and accessories chosen by celebrity stylists. The idea behind shoedazzle is making fashion trends accessible and affordable - everything is priced at $39.95 and shipping is free (members also have the flexibility to skip months if they can't afford new items one month or don't find anything that strikes their fancy).

Over the last several months, I've built up a little collection of shoedazzle purchases - all of which I think are incredibly adorable. Some I haven't even worn yet (I've been on a bit of a heels hiatus of late), and others I've worn out far too quickly. Here's a quick look at the new(ish) additions to my shoe family.

This first pair is called "Serene." They're tied with the next pair as my favorite. I love them because they're super comfortable and professional, while also being unique. The pop of purple on each side of the gray suede pumps is awesome, and these tend to draw quite a few compliments. I have some small quality gripes (they've worn out far faster than I would have liked), but overall, I still love them.

This is my other favorite pair - the "Lacie." This pair is bright, neony yellow and ridiculously adorable. I've probably worn them about 50 times and still get compliments every time. This pair also gets my vote for best quality.

Then we have "Amaryllis." I've been on a major flats kick, and these cutesy gold ones are a perfect option. They're super comfortable and have just the right amount of flair to suit me. Only major disappointment is that the gold scuffs easily.

Ah, "Saffron." These were a late summer addition, when I felt like I couldn't let the wedge trend pass me by. They're quite a lovely mustard-y color. Hopefully I can get more use out of these next summer as I only wore them twice this year.

These last two pairs are the ones I have yet to wear. Though I'm a bit in love with both. This pair is "Bonbon." Neutral nude with a sassy black studded bow.

And finally, "Lauren." I think this pair is just gorgeous. I need to start shifting my attention back to heels :)

Summer Bucket List Items No. 4 and 5: Baseball and Yoga

2011-10-05T00:16:00.000-05:00

It may have been a gray and dreary day, but it still ended up being a good day for baseball. That's right. My sisters and I brought our grandma to her first Twins game at Target Field. Even on a gloomy day, the views are nothing short of amazing.

Best of all, I think my grams had a wonderful time. We enjoyed each other's company, (she) watched some baseball and dined on some fine concessions stand food. My five-year-old nephew also got to come along for his first baseball game. Like me, he got his fill of baseball after the first couple of innings. Unlike me, he didn't seem all that content to just sit around and chat. I think I got him back on track though with a large hot fudge sundae in a mini-sized Twins baseball helmet. :)

Also, notably, I've marked another thing off the to-do list by renewing my CorePower yoga membership. After a nearly four-month respite, it's challenging trying to get back into the swing of things. But, it's definitely good to be back!

Summer Bucket List Item No. 3 (Kind of): Book 4 of 26

2011-09-26T22:47:00.002-05:00

Weeeelllll, I spent the better part of August on the road, so I kind of had to replace reading on the beach with reading on an airplane. Either way, I got my fourth of 26 books read (I'm hoping for a laid-back winter, apparently).

My fourth book was Our House in the Last World by Oscar Hijuelos.

The Details
This is Hijuelos' first novel (his second novel, "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love," won a Pulitzer). This book, like many of his, focuses on a Cuban family in New York City. The Santinio's moved from Cuba to New York in the 1940s, and the story follows them through their life - first focusing on the mother and her pleasant childhood in Cuba, her romance with the father and their decision to move to America, and then the young lives of their two sons Horacio and Hector. It's a story about immigration, a story about family and a story about American culture in the 1950s. And, equally important, it's a story about longing for another life.

My Take
I think one of my favorite things about Hijuelos' writing is his ability to tell a story in a way that's both beautiful and terribly sad. A mother who longs for her life in the last world, constantly comparing what she no longer has to what she used to have. A younger son who's haunted by memories of a country and life he's never known. A hard-working father who struggles with juggling American life and familial responsibilities. An elder son who does everything he can to get away. The American dream put into perspective.

It's not a fast-moving book but a book that lingers with you. Words and scenes that stick with you and that you come back to a few days later. One of my favorite parts, toward the end:

"I did not turn out to be a bad man, and it was because Pop, deep down, really loved the family. If he had hated us I would have burned out. But we went beyond survival. He gave me something that was simple. I keep saying it, the ability to feel love. And having that makes it easy to give."

What I Liked
I like that Hijuelos so eloquently paints the picture of his characters. From chapter to chapter, character to character, you envision what everyone looks like. And you relate to them. Good people, not-so-good people. There's something about each one that you can appreciate.

What I Thought Could Have Been Better
This probably isn't really a reflection on Hijuelos so much as a reflection on my patience....it's a book that you can fairly easily put down and come back to like an old friend. Each time, it was just there waiting for me where I left off, and it didn't matter if two days or two weeks had passed. I could read five pages and suddenly decide I wanted to do something else, and sure enough, it would be there waiting right where I left off when I came back to it. Again, that's not really a bad thing. I just never felt a sense of urgency.

My Takeaways
Life isn't always easy. Now, I'm sure that comes as the biggest understatement of all time. But, I think it's something we sometimes forget. Or we think things are harder than they really are. It's good to have a little perspective every once in a while.

And, in another complete genre switch, next up is The Last Single Woman in America.

Summer Bucket List Item No. 2: Whatta Deal

2011-09-26T00:20:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I actually had to split this into two separate activities (one with one friend and then one with three others), but you'll remember this as the Groupon/Living Social item on my summer bucket list.

First up, $20 worth of burgers at French Meadow. Yes, I love French Meadow. It's one of those perfect places both at night and during the day.

I went with the free range turkey burger as my burger selection: hormone free ground turkey with Eichten's local Gouda and caramelized onions, as well as lettuce, tomato, pickle and chive aioli, served on an organic sprouted bun. The burger is served with organic tortilla chips and homemade salsa. Of course it was delicious :)

There was a handy half-off any bakery item or dessert FourSquare check-in special that I just couldn't refuse, so I also ended up with the triple chocolate mousse cake. Oh, so good. But, oh, so rich. I didn't eat all of it. A. because it was huge. B. because it was just too much sugar for me.

As for the next activity, $32 worth of lake-time fun via Wheel Fun Rentals.

Now, there are many Wheel Fun options - canoes and kayaks, bikes and surreys. With so many decisions, you'd think it would be a difficult choice. But, we went straight for the good, old-fashioned, four-person paddle boat.

An hour-and-a-half chock full of teamwork, bickering, exercising, relaxing, seaweed flinging and water splashing. Ah, bliss. Here are a few of the photos from our journey, mostly taken on Lake of the Isles.

Touring the 9/11 Memorial

2011-09-24T11:28:00.001-05:00

While in NYC last week, I had the opportunity to visit the newly opened 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero. It was a powerful experience to say the least, and I thought I'd share a few photos of my visit.

Summer Bucket List Item No. 1: Art Perchance

2011-09-07T23:47:00.001-05:00

Well, it's been a busy last few weeks, so I'm making an admittedly slow start on my summer bucket list. That said, I've fully completed one of 10 activities: the MIA's Third Thursday Art Perchance event.

Intrigued by the promise of carnival-like games, cocktails and the chance to win free art, a few friends and I gathered outside of the much-loved art institute on a beautiful Thursday night.

For a few hours, we made our way through a number of fun art-inspired games, collecting prizes and raffle tickets along the way.

There was Sand Man Dollar Land

Dali Fishing

Bowling for Brancusi and more

It was a great opportunity to see some of our favorite works come to life in a fun way and to mingle with other art enthusiasts. While we didn't win any of the raffled art, we did bring home a number of kitschy swag items - in the form of fake mustaches, patriotic sunglasses, sheriffs badges, handkerchiefs and more.

I could definitely see this turning into one of our fun annual summer activities.

I'm cautiously optimistic that I can still cross off a few of the other summer activities...stay tuned!

Dinner at Osetra in San Diego

2011-08-30T08:52:00.001-05:00

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the BlogHer conference in sunny San Diego through work. I took in two days of good learnings and great networking opportunities, alongside some fun sights in the Gaslamp Quarter. On the last night there, we ate at Osetra Fish House, located in the heart of Gaslamp.

It was a beautiful night (heck, every moment of every day in San Diego seems to be beautiful), so we dined outside, right along the bustling street under the bright lights of the hopping entertainment district. While we didn't go inside, we did glimpse the bartender swinging through the air to fetch bottles of wine from the restaurant's three-story wine tower (something the restaurant is known for).

I'm powerless to a good wedge salad, so it should come as no real surprise that I'd order one at an upscale restaurant. And this one certainly didn't disappoint. Iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, crumbled maytag bleu cheese dressing and crispy bacon (those of you who remember my New Year's Eve tapas post will recall that I used maytag bleu cheese for my cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates...still one of the best cheeses I've ever purchased).

For my entree, I chose the lobster ravioli: house-made ravioli stuffed with Maine lobster and ricotta cheese in a creamy tomato vodka sauce. And it was simply delightful. The sauce was rich and creamy, the pasta was well-crafted and abundantly filled, and it all came together with a nice presentation and a filling serving size.

Osetra was a great restaurant to enjoy in a city that far exceeded my expectations. I'm already thinking about how I can go back for a vacation.

Snail Mail: An Introspective

2011-08-17T00:47:00.007-05:00

Things you learn when going through the mail for the first time in more than two months:

Your subscription to Vogue ran out because you sent in the renewal notice but never got around to actually sending in the check,
Your last DVD from Netflix came in late June (are you sure you really need to keep that delivery by mail option with the impending price hike?),
Your complimentary Newsweek subscription (thank you public radio membership) comes weekly and you have yet to read your first issue,
Sometimes good things come (like birthday rewards certificates) but they also come with expiration dates,
And somewhere around 80 percent of all mail received is junk mail (perhaps that's why you choose never to open it?).

Anyone have smart, easy tips for managing the ever-growing mail stack? Is going through it diligently each day truly the only way?

10 Things To Do Yet This Summer

2011-08-06T11:46:00.000-05:00

I can't quite believe it's August already. Before we know it, it's going to be winter in Minnesota. I feel like the best way for me to savor what's left of summer, is to write out exactly what I want to do before it's over.

Don't get me wrong, I've had a FABULOUS summer so far. Amazing concerts (Kanye West and Usher at ESSENCE Music Festival in New Orleans (for a client event), Ray LaMontagne and Amos Lee at the Basilica Block Party). Great dining (Pizzeria Lola, Fogo de Chao, The Green Room, Al Vento, It's Greek to Me, Buster's, etc.). Fun road trips (Duluth for a wedding, Glenwood for the infamous Waterama, Iowa border for a cheesy casino adventure...err...chance to meet up with a friend). And cool experiences (tubing down the St. Croix River, seeing the final Harry Potter movie, meeting Wes Johnson at the Timberwolves draft party). Not to mention just great times with family and friends all around.

But, I want to squeeze in a bit more. That's not so bad, is it? So, here are the 10 things I want to do before the official end of summer.

1. Take a trip to the Pizza Farm in Stockholm, Wis., on a Tuesday night.

2. Attend at least one showing of Walker Art Center's Summer Music and Movies 2011.

3. Enjoy an afternoon filled with delicious French Meadow Bakery and fun around the lakes (courtesy of a Groupon and Living Social deal).

4. Take in a happy hour on the new Crave rooftop patio in downtown Minneapolis.

5. Treat my grandma to a Twins game and her first trip to Target Field for her birthday (this might be in September, so it's not so hot).

6. Rent a bike and explore parts of the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway.

7. Attend my first Third Thursday at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts: Art Perchance.

8. Read an entire book at the beach (no, I haven't forgotten my ambitious goal of 26 this year, and yes, I am still on No. 4).

9. Hit up the Great Minnesota Get-Together. I can only handle the state fair once every couple of years. I think I'm up for the challenge again in 2011.

10. Mark my triumphant return to yoga by the end of summer. Yes, I went off yoga for the summer knowing it's a busy (and more expensive) time of year, but I'm going through serious CorePower withdrawals.

So, there you have it. The good news is that by doing all of these things, I'll also have fun new stuff to blog about :)

Dinner at The Green Room

2011-08-03T00:02:00.001-05:00

Last week found me with exciting dinner plans: the chance to check out The Green Room in Stillwater, a new-ish, well-reviewed restaurant whose co-owner and chef happens to be the brother of one of my dearest friends.

I intentionally try to find excuses not to stray too far from the city, but even I have a hard time thinking of reasons not to go to Stillwater. It's one of those great little cities filled with beautiful historic architecture, breathtaking views and quaint shopping.

The Green Room itself is in a historic building. Its simplistic decor - unadorned brick walls, simple neon sign, high ceilings and open space - pulled me in from the start. There was also a steady, but not overwhelming, easy-going crowd, which made the experience even more enjoyable (plus, we scored a private, secluded table in the back - it pays to dine out with the chef's sister!).

To start, we were brought out an adorable mini loaf of bread with a buttery spread even a butter hater can't ignore. The bread was fresh and tasty. Both soft and hearty.

We then shared the Homemade Hummus and Babba Ganoush appetizer, which certainly qualifies as one of the most interesting and delightful presentations I've ever seen. It was also very good (especially considering you'd have to be a fool to not love hummus).

For the main course, I went with a half salad (Blue Cheese and Romaine)...

And a half portion of the Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi (server recommendation when I couldn't decide between the gnocchi and chicken rigatoni...main selling point: it's handmade).

I really liked both. More accurately, I loved the salad and really liked the pasta. The salad, with its shredded romaine, bacon, tomato, red onion, blue cheese, pine nuts and blue cheese dressing was fantastic. So much blue cheese that I actually had a little left over at the end rather than wishing for more, and a perfect crunchy addition was made with the pine nuts.

I have to admit I was a little apprehensive when the pasta first came out, simply because it looked so soupy. But my reservations were quickly relieved when I took the first bite of the gnocchi. It was SO good. The prosciutto was much thicker than I expected and the white wine garlic sauce was very flavorful. Perhaps too flavorful. My only gripe (and it's a small one as a garlic lover), is that I was still tasting that garlic two days later. Of course, I realized near the end of my meal, that I probably could have avoided some of the garlic overload, simply by pushing some of the slices off to the side.

Overall, I was very impressed with The Green Room. Great food. Good service. Neat space. I look forward to returning on a weekend when I can wander aimlessly around Stillwater (and remind myself why it's good to venture out of Minneapolis-Saint Paul proper on occasion).

I Want...

2011-07-28T10:50:00.001-05:00

I had the most perfect pair of gladiator sandals last year that went with almost everything...from jeans to dress pants. Well, they broke at the start of this season, crushing my little heart. Now I'm on the hunt for the most perfect replacement. What to do?

Romaa on sale for $55.97 (stevemadden.com)
*So far, this is the closest I've found to my old pair

Ecote Macramé Strappy Mini Wedge Sandal for $34.00 (urbanoutfitters.com)

Ecote Toehold Simple Gladiator Sandal for $34.00 (urbanoutfitters.com)

Born Sora for $90.00 (zappos.com)

Xhiliration Thetis Strappy Sandal on sale for $7.98 (target.com)

Siestaa for $89.95 (stevemadden.com)

Part of me thinks that with the summer season about to quickly start coming to an end here in good ol' Minnesota, I should just snatch up the Target pair, especially considering that I may be completely over the gladiator style next summer. Decisions. Decisions.

Summer Cookin'

2011-07-21T00:35:00.004-05:00

It seems I've been so busy enjoying summer that I forgot to write anything about it. I have been taking in some delicious made-at-home meals lately though, so I thought I'd share a few of the colorful photos. That's one of my favorite things about food in the summer...it always seems to be so much more colorful :)

First up: sloppy joes with sweet potato fries and baked beans (I'm not a baked beans fan, but my friend made this delicious feast, so I gulped down a few bites just to prove I could). The sloppy joes were made of a zingy ketchup/mustard sauce and topped with mixed cheeses and peppers.

I absolutely love fresh salsa in the summer. This one made by a friend.

Here we have this linguini with bleu cheese and sunflower seeds recipe from the National Sunflower Association and roasted vegetables. I also added chicken to the linguini.

And here is another salsa variety (this time made by me).

This is a colorful stuffed and roasted pepper made by my friend (who seems to be a surprising chef in the making).

And then we have the little mini caprese toasts (garlic toasts, topped with fresh mozzarella, Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar).

And finally, the most recent dinner: grilled seasoned chicken breast, sauteed cucumber and portabella mushrooms with slices of dill Havarti cheese and fresh strawberries.

Aww, summer. And all its fresh food splendors.

Dinner at Hell's Kitchen

2011-05-30T16:56:00.000-05:00

When my sister and her fiancee - and my little niece - came for a quick visit, they wanted to grab dinner somewhere fun and interesting. So off to Hell's Kitchen we went. I hadn't been since the restaurant moved to its new location on 9th street in downtown Minneapolis, and it was my first visit outside of the breakfast menu.

The new space is located underground - very apropos. With brick walls and the prominent use of red and black, the inferno can't help but be a fun place.

Even on a weeknight, the place was bustling with activity, which is nice considering parking can be a bit of a challenge (we picked an unfortunate parking ramp, and I ended up paying $13 for less than two hours of parking).

We started with the BBQ Pork Nachos to share - pulled pork BBQ with pickles and coleslaw. They were awesome. The pork was fantastic and there was a bit of a spicy bite. I think they could have used a bit more topping spread among the chips, but they were still great.

I then had the Clubhouse sandwich with fries: two slices of sourdough bread stuffed with bacon, shaved turkey breast, butter lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes and mayonnaise. It was very good, albeit slightly greasy. And also very filling. I found the fries most enjoyable with their crispy crunchiness.

Overall, Hell's Kitchen was a great choice for my visiting guests. I think they were impressed by the interesting decor and fun ambiance. I look forward to going back and trying the weekend brunch.

Quick Trips to NYC

2011-05-29T12:00:00.000-05:00

I've been to New York City for work twice so far this year (so exciting because I love taking in the sights of this amazing city). Both trips were just quick blips, but I still managed to try out a neat restaurant and take in a few sights...

I grabbed lunch one day at Lily's, a restaurant located in The Roger Smith Boutique Hotel in Midtown. I first spotted the restaurant on my walk to a meeting in the morning and liked its unique, attention-grabbing exterior.

The interior was also aesthetically pleasing. Painted in a rich, deep red, the walls were covered with great art like that in the photo above. The layout was also nice as there were multiple rooms off the main entrance, so it wouldn't seem overly crowded. Interestingly, though, there were very few people there during the lunch hour. Not more than a couple of tables in each room. I'm not too familiar with how NYC professionals lunch, so maybe that's normal, or I just ended up there on a slow day.

I ordered the Roger Smith Burger and added bacon (yep, still loving bacon and ordering it on nearly every cheeseburger I get). It came topped with white cheddar, beefsteak tomatoes, bibb lettuce and red onions and was accompanied by fries and a pickle spear.

The burger was delicious. Well-cooked and fulfilling. The cheese was a great fit and the bun and bacon were icing on the burger cake. I also loved the pickle - it tasted more like it was somewhere between cucumber and pickle, making it extra tasty and refreshing.

I'm glad I stopped at Lily's. It was the perfect little dining adventure in the big city. As for the sights...

I took in Times Square for the first time at night. It's breathtaking. And, I'm not afraid to admit that I loved every touristy minute of it.

We walked around a lot of Midtown and came across many of the iconic spots. One of our last stops was at Rockefeller Center Plaza, which is beautiful at night and just lovely in the springtime.

Art in Bloom 2011

2011-05-17T23:59:00.001-05:00

Art in Bloom at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is quickly becoming one of my favorite spring traditions (at one of my already favorite destinations in the city).

This year, and for the first time in my adult life...I went to the museum all by myself. And, I've gotta say, it was actually kind of magical. I purchased one of the Art in Bloom guidebooks, put my headphones on and just began to wander from room to room, taking in every bit while lost in my own little world (though I will admit that I missed my friend who went with me last year...I even texted her midway through to tell her she was missing out).

Similar to last year, I was surprised by how most of my favorite Art in Bloom pieces are interpretations of artwork I usually don't pay much attention to during regular visits to the MIA, like this year's overall favorite:

This Rembrant painting is usually one I just gloss over as I take in all of the period art, but when I saw the floral depiction, I paused to really take in the meaning and significance of the painting and of the woman's pain as she begins to experience death. I thought the florist did an amazing job bringing this piece to life.

My other most striking favorite was of the Armor, where the florist brought the human aspect to life, juxtaposing the "exposed human next to his high-tech shell."

And then there's one painting that I do love that had a fantastic floral interpretation: Tornado over St. Paul:

Followed by my remaining Art in Bloom favorites:

(I LOVE Kandinsky, and this is the first time I've ever noticed any of his paintings at the MIA)

If you missed this year's Art in Bloom (or have never been), be sure to watch for updates early next spring - just when you're reaching the point where you think the weather in Minnesota couldn't possibly get any worse.

I Put Some New Shoes On, and Suddenly Everything's Right

2011-05-14T18:52:00.003-05:00

I think I mentioned a while back that I have a bit of a shoe obsession. Sandals. Heels. Sneakers. Flats. I don't discriminate. I love 'em all. And for the last several months, I've been putting a lot of thought into my next pair of running shoes. Mind you, I'm not a hardcore runner (I like treadmills, I don't dream of my next 10-miler, and I actually have a 5K training app on my phone...no, not a marathon, a 5K). Even so, I decided it was time to trade up my perfectly lovely yet very worn New Balance tennies for something that packs a little more punch.

And after a few months of non-commital browsing, I accidentally landed at the Nike store in the Mall of America one evening and decided right then and there, I would be making a purchase. Thanks to the very helpful and friendly sales staff (and even more helpful work friends), I found the perfect pair in almost no time.

Friends, please meet the newest addition to my shoe family: the LunarGlide 2 (of the Lunar series).

I think they might just be the cutest pair of tennis shoes I've ever had. And, to be honest, I was actually a little afraid to test them out and break them in, for fear of ruining them right away. But I got over that, and have worn them to the gym three times now (not sure that we'll be making it outdoors any time soon though).

And I've already moved on to daydreaming about new shoes, like:

Eclipse II for $65 (nike.com)

Lacie for $39.95 (shoedazzle.com)

Greta for $198 (jcrew.com)

Kenneth Cole Reaction Lady Slip Flats on sale for $51.75 (macys.com)

Born Shoes, Smooch Flat Sandals for $85 (macys.com)

I think the J Crew pair might be a bit out of my price range, but the others might be realistic options. Recommendations? :)

And I'll leave you with these final thoughts for the day...

I keep filling my apartment with flowers in hopes that spring will finally arrive in Minnesota...

Dinner at Heartland

2011-05-14T10:56:00.005-05:00

As promised, I'm taking some time to catch up on the new restaurants I've tried this year. Today's post is about Heartland in Saint Paul's beautiful Lowertown (a new location they moved to in the last year, after several years in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood). My dear friend, and much more timely fellow blogger, Ryan shared a fantastic post, detailing our experience, which you can check out here.

Heartland's space is absolutely beautiful. It's big and open and lofty with high ceilings and modern touches. My friends and I loved the ambiance, most notably because we could actually hear each other. Even though every table was full in the dining room, the acoustics were phenomenal - with no music - and we only heard each other. Add to that a fantastic server, and we were well on our way to a great dining experience.

We shared a bottle of red wine to start. I'm not a big red wine drinker, but I know it was a Spanish wine and it was pretty good :)

Featuring "North American Midwest Regional Cuisine," Heartland changes its menu daily and relies on family farmers, and locally grown and sustainably raised ingredients. They offer two fixed price menus nightly. I went with the three course "Flora," for $30.

First out, for the whole table, an amuse-bouche. For those who, like me, didn't know what an amuse-bouche was, it's a bite-sized hors d'oeuvre, selected by the chef and meant to prepare the taste buds for the excitement ahead. This was a whitefish pate of sorts. It had a fishy taste to it, which I don't love, but it was good enough to try.

My first course was a chilled celeriac custard, which came with a smoked tomato cream sauce and a breadstick. I remember thinking before it came that I didn't need a second dinner roll (which was delicious) because I would have a plentiful breadstick coming with my meal...he he. Even though the breadstick wasn't quite as I had imagined, it was a perfect crunchy compliment to the custard. Overall, I was quite fond of this dish. The celery and tomato combined for a rich and creamy flavor.

The second course was chestnut ravioli with black trumpet mushrooms, beurre noisette (hazelnut butter), sage and parmesan cheese. This dish was truly phenomenal. It was so rich in flavor and wonderfully indulgent. And despite being a seemingly small portion size, it was quite filling (though that didn't stop me from wishing for more).

And, finally, for dessert: a smoked chocolate terrine with honey marscapone, currant coulis, Sambuca sabayon and chocolate bark. This is another example of Heartland's rich flavor combinations. The currant sauce was a little strong for my liking, but the terrine was delicious when paired with the marscapone.

All in all, Heartland was like a flavor explosion, opening my mind to many new pairings and ingredients. I want to go back. To shop at their adjoining Farm Direct Market. To sit in their great space again. To enjoy another glass of good wine. And to eat more ravioli. Mmm.

3 of 26: The Jihad Next Door

2011-05-08T11:40:00.001-05:00

I'm like a turtle, slowly crawling along on my '26 books in 2011' journey. Slow and steady wins the race...right?

My third book was The Jihad Next Door: The Lackawanna Six and Rough Justice in the Age of Terror by Dina Temple-Raston. As ye faithful readers will remember, I saw Dina Temple-Raston speak at the University of St. Thomas last year, subsequently purchased her book and finally finished reading it a little over a week ago (even more timely given the May 1 Osama bin Laden announcement).

The Details
NPR counterterrorism correspondent Dina Temple Raston provides an inside look at the case of the "Lackawanna Six" - six Muslim American kids who grew up in the town of Lackawanna, N.Y., near Buffalo and traveled to Afghanistan in the spring of 2001 to attend a jihadi camp. The six young men were arrested on the first anniversary of Sept. 11, considered to be a sleeper cell of homegrown terrorists plotting the next attack.

Temple Raston traveled from Yemen to Afghanistan to Pakistan to Lackawanna in an effort to share this story, offering perspectives from the families of the young men, the FBI agents involved in the case and others with connections to the case. Throughout, she focuses on this idea of 'rough justice' following the Sept. 11 attacks and how that day forever altered the American justice system.

My Take
The Jihad Next Door serves a valuable purpose: it makes you think. Were the boys would-be terrorists? Would they have committed the next terrorist attack on American soil? Did they merely think they were strengthening their Muslim faith in a time before most Americans even knew what jihad was or who Bin Laden was? Was the American justice system - and the media for that matter - guilty of exploiting this case to make it look like a counterterrorism victory?

No matter what side you ultimately fall on, Temple Raston presents facts and details that expand your critical thinking set, opening your mind to different perspectives.

What I Liked
I liked that Temple Raston truly told a story. One of the hallmarks of a good reporter (from my perspective) is the story-telling ability. To bring the people, the facts and the events to life. From the very first pages of the prologue, "Mukhtar's Big Wedding," readers find themselves in a hotel room in Yemen, where the first of the six men was arrested.

She also does a great job of setting up the key players - Lackawanna and its roots, a look at the local Yemeni community, an understanding of life in Yemen, brief histories of key law enforcement officials and the attorneys of the accused.

What I Thought Could Have Been Better
The only thing I can think of that would have made the book easier to follow is a timeline of key events. There were a few instances where I got confused about when things took place and would've appreciated an easy reference point.

My Takeaways
As was the case with the first book I read, I read The Jihad Next Door with a slight feeling of regret that I hadn't really been paying attention when the Lackawanna case first came to light. I don't really remember watching the news and hearing about the details in real-time. Instead, here I am in 2011, getting an in-depth look at something that happened nearly 10 years ago now. It's like I'm in my own mini history class, learning about the events from the first part of this century. At least, it's an interesting journey.

Cheeky Monkey Brunch

2011-04-20T22:54:00.000-05:00

Oh, man. Seems I've found myself on a bit of a blogging sabbatical (again). Please bear with me as I use these next few posts to catch up...For what it's worth, I have tried a number of new restaurants recently. I've just gotten a little caught up in other things (like my new obsession with yoga at Corepower). Regardless, I'm (again) going to renew my commitment to blogging with more regularity, starting now :)

My last brunch visit with the girls was to Cheeky Monkey Deli on Selby Avenue in Saint Paul. For those who haven't been, the Cheeky Monkey - part deli, part full-service restaurant - took over the former Zander space in the Selby-Dale neighborhood.

We went on an early Sunday afternoon and sat in the dining area, which was both brightly lit and cozy at the same time. The atmosphere was relaxing and low-key, and the staff was very pleasant.

My favorite part about brunch came right at the beginning: $1.50 mimosas.

I went with a traditional breakfast: The Homestead, which consists of two eggs, smoked bacon, hashbrowns and flax seed toast.

The breakfast was very good and served in just the right portion size to feel satisfied without leaving stuffed. It also wasn't drenched in grease (which can sometimes be a welcome change in pace for breakfast food). I most liked dipping my toast in the eggs, which were cooked just right. The hashbrowns also struck my fancy with their fluffy texture.

Overall, Cheeky Monkey is a great casual brunch spot - whether you're meeting up with girlfriends or taking the family out for breakfast. The prices are also hard to argue with.

A New Dining Experience: The Pizza Ranch

2011-03-19T15:38:00.000-05:00

It is rare for me to write about chain restaurants, but a few weeks back, I had a memorable experience that seems too good to go unwritten...

My friend had been talking about this pizza buffet that I'd never heard of for quite some time, and eventually I decided I just had to try it. So, on one fine Saturday afternoon, she and I ventured over to the St. Cloud location where I soon discovered that I just might be the last person on earth to experience the wonder that is The Pizza Ranch (indeed, a Google search shows that there are more than 100 locations across nine Midwest states).

When we arrived at The Ranch, there was a line spilling out the door and onto the sidewalk (again I wondered what kind of rock I must live under to not know of this place's mysterious powers). While there is a menu you can order from, there was no question we'd be taking in the full buffet experience.

One neat offering when you pay is that you can request a pizza type be brought to your table for the first slice straight out of the oven before it's placed on the buffet for all to share. That way, you know you'll get your favorite kind if it isn't already featured on the buffet.

You quickly learn that The Pizza Ranch has much more to offer than just pizza. In fact, my first plate had no pizza on it. I tried to start off healthy (sort of) with the salad bar. I then added some chicken fries, waffle fries and potato wedges (not so healthy).

My second (and third) plate hit the pizza jackpot. I tried multiple kinds: Bacon Cheeseburger (beef, onions, pickles, two cheeses, bacon pieces), Chicken Broccoli Alfredo (chicken, broccoli, two cheeses, zesty alfredo sauce), Texan (beef, lettuce, tomato, two cheeses, taco sauce, onions, taco chips) and more.

Each time, I loaded up on more chicken fries. I was crazy about them. And, based on real-time suggestions from friends on Facebook, I went with the Cactus Bread dessert, which was also fantastic.

It's impossible to call The Pizza Ranch one of the best restaurants I've ever been to...it simply isn't that caliber of dining. I will say though, that I thoroughly enjoyed nearly everything I had and I left STUFFED. That's a good sign, right?

2 of 26: Friday Night Knitting Club

2011-03-02T00:02:00.001-06:00

Slowly but surely seems to be the name of this game...

My second of 26 books for 2011 is The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. While I'm pleased to have completed my second book while on a flight home from NYC last week, I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I did so while tears streamed down my face. Yup, it's a book that tugs at the heartstrings alright. With that:

The Details
Friday Night Knitting Club is about a single mom named Georgia, and her pre-teen daughter Dakota, making their way through life and all it has to offer in the big city. Georgia is the owner of a relatively successful knitting shop in New York City, and the story follows her and the surprising friendships she forms with a group of women who come to her shop every Friday night as part of a knitting club. The story also brings in some antagonistic characters, including Georgia's ex-boyfriend and father of her child, James, and an estranged high school best friend named Cat.

My Take
As I called out above, this book did a great job of getting the old waterworks going (though not too difficult in my case, since I tend to overly relate to or empathize with characters...both real and imaginary). That's one thing I both like and dislike at the same time. On the one hand, I love being able to relate to characters and feel what they're going through, but on the other hand, I sometimes feel that it's unnecessary to cause your readers that much emotional turmoil while reading your books (hello, Jodi Picoult and My Sister's Keeper...arguably the saddest book I've ever read).

Despite some of its emotional moments, The Friday Night Knitting Club is touching and heart-warming. It drew me in from the start, and I found myself wanting to read more every night. The true hallmarks of a good book.

What I Liked
My favorite part about the book was the time Jacobs' dedicated to character development. I love when authors shift perspectives to offer thoughts from other key characters and really delve into them as people. Throughout the story, I became invested in all of the characters individually, not just Georgia and Dakota.

What I Thought Could Have Been Better
Without giving away too much, I'll just note that as it got closer to the end, I wanted things to slow down a bit.

My Takeaways
1. Maybe I should take up a hobby like knitting.
2. Never underestimate the power of friendship.

Switching gears entirely, the third book will be The Jihad Next Door: The Lackawanna Six and Rough Justice in an Age of Terror.

Dinner at Haute Dish

2011-02-21T22:49:00.001-06:00

Haute Dish in downtown Minneapolis was named METRO magazine's 2010 "Restaurant of the Year" in December. And I finally had the opportunity to try it this month during a night of merriment with co-workers.

The restaurant is surprisingly spacious, and we walked the entire length of it to our large table in the back. It was the perfect spot for a large group, where we could converse loudly and not annoy the other diners. The architecture and the art-filled walls are quite lovely; I found myself stopping to stare at some of the paintings above the booths in the photo above.

Immediately after sitting down, I knew it was going to be an evening of many firsts for me. The group was adventurous, which meant we'd be trying some fun items to share.

To drink, I had a Gosling's ginger beer (still fighting off illness). I'd never had ginger beer before, so it was the first of my firsts. I was initially hesitant but decided to give it a try and was surprisingly impressed.

We also shared a few starter plates, including:

The "Steak & Eggs" - a steak tartare with an egg in a hole and a bloody mary shooter. I've never been interested in trying tartare but figured since it was at the table, I might as well give it a go. It was definitely...interesting. I'm not going to say I loved it - I think it was mostly a texture thing for me - but I will admit that it had good flavor.

We also had the charcuterie plate, known as "Char-Cuts (Yar!)" - I can actually say with all honesty that I still don't know what half of these meats were...I know there was some lamb, some chicken liver and other stuff, but I don't know which was which and just tried my best to be adventurous. I would say it was good overall.

We did also order the Med Plate, which I didn't get a photo of. This was fantastic. I was a bit obsessed with the mushrooms. It also had delicious olives, hummus and cheese.

For my entree, I went with the signature dish: Tater Tot HauteDish. This is the single one thing that will likely having me coming back for years to come. It was to-die-for. The short ribs were tender and pulled apart with no resistance. Melt. In. Your. Mouth. Goodness. The tots were a potato croquette of sorts that I couldn't get enough of. And the baby green beans provided just enough veggie to make it feel truly like mom's home cookin' with a new twist.

I will be back. If only for the HauteDish.

My Own Style: New Bag

2011-02-17T23:31:00.001-06:00

In line with my 2011 commitment to blog more regularly, I figure I might also infuse a little more personality into some of my posts. While this blog will maintain its overall integrity as a reflection on my adventures in MSP, I'll also throw in a random mix of other topics (as evidenced already in my 26 books in 2011 series...an area where I'm still seriously lacking, and the sporadic home improvement/travel/cooking posts). My reasoning is simple: I'm not insanely wealthy or cool enough to eat out/take in the city every night. This post falls within the random mix and may be something I write about from time to time.

I have a strong interest in style, though that's not to say I'm a stylish person. But, I do love accessories, most notably shoes (which I'll write about soon). Today, I'm just going to share a couple of photos of the new bag I've been carrying lately.

I stumbled across this bag just before Christmas when picking up gift cards at Express. I took an instant and keen liking to it, deciding I had to have it.

But then I just let it sit in my apartment and only finally started using it last week. At first, I wasn't crazy about the way it droops in the center (though that was one of the things that first attracted me to it in the store), but now it's growing on me more and more.

On a totally unrelated note: I've become completely obsessed with this song by Dessa:

A Birthday Dinner at Nick and Eddie

2011-02-14T22:49:00.001-06:00

Nick and Eddie has been on my list for a long time. So I was very excited when we decided to celebrate a friend's birthday there recently. It's another member of a stellar line-up in Loring Park, and I've only ever read good things.

The atmosphere is cool. Dark and chic with lots of black - a skull painting on the wall, black circles in a vertical line, etc. - and the main entrance heads straight toward the bar, serving as the main centerpiece. When we were there, the bartender was eclectic, much like the clientele. He seemed to carry on great conversation with everyone.

Our server was friendly and helpful. She was attentive and teased us like an old friend. We all ordered glasses of house wine and started with two appetizers to share:

First, the pizza. It's made with olive tapenade, tomato, smoked mozzarella and parmigian. It's fantastic! It's the first time I've ever had tapenade on a pizza, and I was delighted by the interesting twist. It also scores major points for presentation. I loved the sprouts, too.

Second were the ham and cheese croquettes with bacon emulsion and garlic confit. AWESOME. Melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

For my entree, I went with the fish and chips with a gribiche sauce (mayonnaise-based, cold egg sauce). This was also delicious. The French-inspired sauce was a new take on the old standard tarter sauce, which I really enjoyed. The fries were tasty and the fish flaky.

Since it was a birthday dinner, we also splurged on dessert :) We tried/shared two:

The butterscotch pudding (yes, it's as good as they say), and

Some kind of flourless, nutty chocolate cake of sorts. It's probably no secret which was my favorite. I actually hate flourless desserts and am not much for nuts either.

But I swooned over that butterscotch pudding. Rich and creamy and amazingly cool - every bite was better than the last.

It's pretty easy for me to say that I loved N&E. I was impressed by everything we ate and appreciated the interesting take on a few of the more traditional items. To top it all off, it's ridiculously well-priced. For a glass of wine, shared appetizers, dinner and shared dessert, plus part of my friend's birthday dinner, I still spent less than $50. That's hard to beat any way you look at it.

Bonus: apparently Nick and Eddie frequently has dance parties.

Lunch at Convention Grill

2011-02-05T09:41:00.000-06:00

During a recent afternoon of shenanigans with two friends, we visited Convention Grill on France Avenue in Edina for lunch. I had previously been a couple of times, but my friends were newbies to the CG experience.

Best known for its burgers and malts, the 1950s-style diner has a casual and relaxed atmosphere that is perfect for kids and families. The waitresses in their all white uniforms buzz about from table to table. Each time I've been there, it's been bustling with lunchtime activity.

Fries come sort of family-style. The three of us shared this basket and each had plenty to go around. They're served piping hot and are crispy and delicious.

I also had the California-style bacon cheeseburger. I went true Americana and opted for American cheese. It reminds me of the cheeseburgers my mom would make as a kid, since we were an American cheese kind of family. To this day, one of the first things I do when I go home to visit is slice a few pieces of American cheese off the large block I know will be waiting for me just inside the refrigerator door. Thanks mom, for always having it at the ready :)

Back to the Convention Grill burger. It was well-prepared and filling. The cheese and bacon made it fantastic, and I would definitely classify it as one of the better burgers available in MSP.

In terms of the CG's malts, I would definitely recommend ordering! I had a bad cold when we visited, so I wasn't feeling up for the dairy indulgence, but I've had a malt there once before and loved it.

First Book Review: I LOVE A MAN IN UNIFORM (1 of 26)

2011-01-24T23:29:00.004-06:00

In one of my first posts of the New Year, I made a public pledge to read 26 books in 2011. That's right. Twenty-six books. In three hundred and sixty-five days. One book every two weeks. Easy, right?

Well...I knew from the start it was going to be aggressive, especially considering I maybe read three total in 2010. But, I was inspired by my love of reading and desire to do more of it this year. So here I am in the last full week of January about to report out on my first book...And realizing I need to start bringing my A game.

Regardless, first up: I LOVE A MAN IN UNIFORM by Lily Burana.

The lead sentence on the back cover reads: "An all-American love story about a former punk-rock stripper and her unlikely marriage to an officer in the U.S. Army." Who wouldn't be intrigued?

The book was recommended to me by a friend at work. She shared a great column that Burana had written for the Modern Love section of The New York Times on Veterans Day, and suggested I take it a step further and read the full memoir.

As I think about how I want to approach the reviews for each of my 26 books this year, I think I may try to follow a somewhat standard format. Rather than detailing out every aspect of the book (because that would take all the fun out of it for you if you actually decide to read it!), I'm going to try to focus on providing a brief description, my take, one thing I liked, one thing I thought could have been better and key takeaways for each book. With that...

The Deets
I LOVE A MAN IN UNIFORM walks readers through the love story between Lily and her officer husband, Mike. From Lily's point of view, we learn about their first meeting in a cemetery, the progression of their relationship and decision to marry. And then we get to go along on her very personal journey of adjusting to military culture, struggling through her husband's deployment and overcoming the depression that threatens her marriage.

My Take
It was lovely. Touching and honest, and in some instances, painful.

What I Liked
I love that Burana brings wit and style to every single page. Despite dealing with some very difficult issues, she can still title chapters with "Embrace the Suck?" or "Simple as Alpha Bravo Charlie" - titles that make you smile and maybe even giggle to yourself a bit. I also like that she infuses some of her former self into the story. The contrast between her life as a stripper and her life as a military wife is like night and day, and yet, she relates many of her present day experiences back to her past in an intriguing and thought-provoking way.

What I Thought Could Have Been Better
Sometimes, I couldn't tell if I should treat each individual chapter as a separate story or if I should be reading it as if in chronological order. It kind of bugged me when I'd think one chapter was a natural progression into the next and then it wasn't. Really a small gripe overall.

My Takeaways*
At one point, Burana reflects on how deeply the news about Abu Ghraib in April 2004 affected her. I read this section with a keen interest. Not because I had a strong reaction to her sentiment, but more so because I realized I was only vaguely aware. Sure, I remember hearing names like Lynndie England and I recall the drama that surrounded Donald Rumsfeld (I was a PR major in a Journalism department afterall). But, immediately after reading about Abu Ghraib in the book, I went to the Internet in search of more information because I felt embarrassingly uninformed. It made me reflect on where I was in my life in April 2004, and where I am today. With news and current events being such an important part of my life today, I can't imagine having only vague awareness of such a pivotal event in our nation's history. I guess that's one key difference between me as a college senior and me today.

Next up: The Friday Night Knitting Club.

*I realize that I may not always learn something in every book I read or walk away with profound thoughts, but when I do, I'll be sure to report.

Breakfast at The Copper Dome

2011-01-13T22:28:00.000-06:00

It's been so long since I last recapped brunch with the girls that I almost forgot I had this one, so apologies in advance that it's a little dated.

For one of our most recent Sunday brunch excursions, we decided on The Copper Dome Restaurant in Saint Paul. The Copper Dome is one of those unique little treasures that might go unnoticed to the untrained Saint Paul eye. In fact, even though I'd driven by it probably a hundred times during my brief stint working at an electronics store in Inver Grove Heights in college, I had never been before this visit.

The decor is kitschy - touting one of the largest collections of flower mill antiques and breakfast memorabilia in Minnesota - which may be one of the things I like best about it. It also has a small claim to fame in that during his 2008 presidential campaign, Barrack Obama stopped in at the Copper Dome to visit the fine citizens of Saint Paul.

I ordered the "Famous Hashbrown Breakfast Platter" with three strips of bacon, two country fresh eggs over easy, whole wheat toast and grated Idaho Hashbrown potatoes, all for the low, low price of $6.65. Greasy spoon perfection.

Plus, we had the most precious older woman as our server who buzzed about making sure everyone's water glasses stayed full and plates were cleared almost immediately (she may have been a bit eager to hurry us along as the Dome closes at 2 p.m.).

And while the Copper Dome has yet to join the 21st century to accept credit cards, and our server may have been a bit unknowingly aloof in her rush to get us out of there, I'm not sure there's a thing I'd change about the place. It's rich in character, and that's probably what's kept it in business since 1960.

Let's Do This: 26 Books in 2011

2011-01-03T22:09:00.004-06:00

It's true. I've become addicted to Netflix. My DVD queue has ballooned to 265 titles, and my instant queue isn't much better with 244. I add new movies and shows every day (even when I don't have time to watch any), so the list isn't going down anytime soon. I'm now the perfect poster child for the service: FB statuses about it, word of mouth advertising to family and friends, debates about whether Dexter or Weeds is better...

And so here I find myself at the start of 2011 realizing that while my love affair with Netflix still runs strong, I've let my true love and treasured pastime - reading - fall to the wayside. I used to be able to finish an entire Jane Green book in one sitting. I would never see a movie before reading the book. And I'm the kind of girl who would pass up a night out with friends for the last 100 pages of Harry Potter.

Earlier today I found a post from Arik Hanson about his (and others') challenge to read 26 books in a year. I've decided to join them, and these are the 26 books I plan to read this year:

1. I LOVE A MAN IN UNIFORM by Lily Burana (currently reading; was recommended by a colleague)

2. The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (on loan from and recommended by a friend)

3. The Jihad Next Door: The Lackawanna Six and Rough Justice in an Age of Terror by Dina Temple-Raston (I saw Dina speak at an event last year and was inspired to purchase her book)

4. Our House in the Last World by Oscar Hijuelos (Mr. Ives' Christmas was on the reading list in one of my college English classes, and I've also read The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love and Empress of the Splendid Season. Thought I'd give his first novel a try, too.)

5. The Last Single Woman in America by Cindy Guidry (impulse purchase at used bookstore)

6. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald (because it's his first and you've gotta have a couple classics on the list)

7. Bait and Switch by Barbara Ehrenreich (this has been on my list ever since I read her first book, Nickel and Dimed)

8. The Choice by Nicholas Sparks (fluff)

9. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold (the movie was creepy, but I've heard the book is good and it's been sitting on the shelf for a few years now)

10. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (every year I tell myself I'm going to get through this one; now I'm accountable for it)

11. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (because it's important and about making the world a better place)

12. The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich (Minnesota author and a gift from a friend)

13. Chocolat by Joanne Harris (I recently watched the movie and then remembered I own and still need to read the book)

14. The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore (I also saw him speak last year at a client event and was inspired to read his book)

15. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling (because I miss HP)

16. Staggerford by John Hassler (Minnesota author and set in Minnesota)

17. WAR by Sebastian Junger (just watched Restrepo)

18. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan (it should make me think twice about both health and nutrition)

19. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (at the top of all the 'best of' lists in 2010)

20. The Shack by William Young (because people still haven't stopped talking about it)

21. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (another one that has topped many lists)

22. My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands by Chelsea Handler (I've heard her books are hilarious, so I've decided to start with the first one)

23. The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barrack Obama (while we're a long way away from the 2004 DNC, I still want to take time to read the president's second book)

24. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis (one that topped the non-fiction lists in 2010)

25. love the one you're with by Emily Giffin (another guilty pleasure, plus the movie based on her first book, Something Borrowed, comes out this year!)

26. Barrel Fever: Stories and Essays by David Sedaris (I've finally decided to give his books a try, too, and will start from the beginning)

So that's it. Twenty-six books in 2011. And good blogging fodder.

What will you be reading this year?

Making Things a Bit More Homey

2011-01-02T23:25:00.000-06:00

I've lived in my 'new' apartment for several months now, and for the longest time, it didn't look much different than it did the day I moved in. I put my bed up, of course. Stocked the kitchen with the necessary utensils, plugged the TV in and put the clothes in the closet. But, that was about it. I went on the first of several work trips the day after I moved in, and then just didn't seem to be around much for anything other than sleeping for quite a while.

So, I left boxes stacked up. And random furniture scattered about.

But then something magical happened. My mom found the most perfect little table for my most precious little dining room. And so I went about making one little spot feel like home.
Here's the dining room at night. The black table and chairs, and the dark brown stand were both purchased at auctions. They don't go together perfectly, but I like them both in the dining room nonetheless, especially since I use the shelves in the stand for dining room storage (extra napkins, place mats, candles, etc.). The red place mats and candlesticks are from my recent Pine City adventure, and the gold curtain is just one my mom randomly gave me in a box of stuff she didn't want (curtain rod purchased at Target).

And here's the dining room from a different angle during the day with art. This piece used to hang above my bed in the old apartment, but I like it better now with the dining room colors.

I still have quite a bit more to do in order to fully transform the apartment, but I'm pleased with these baby steps. I'll share updates and maybe ask for advice from time to time, too.

Side note: one of my New Year's resolutions is to get back in the habit of blogging more regularly. Two posts so far - not a bad way to start the year :)

NYE Tapas: Bacon-Wrapped, Cheese-Stuffed Dates

2011-01-01T18:32:00.001-06:00

For this year's New Year's Eve festivities, I wanted to bring something that would accompany the main dish of paella. And, while I'm known for wickedly awesome deviled eggs, I wanted to try something a little more challenging and better suited for the Spanish dish (and besides, I made deviled eggs just last week for an ugly Christmas sweater party).

So after a quick online search for good tapas recommendations, I decided on bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed dates. I've ordered them at Solera in Minneapolis several times and have always loved them. The only question was whether I'd be able to successfully make them on my own.

The dates are loosely based off of this Food Network recipe with inspiration from my friend who loves to cook (and encouraged me to break free from following direction...though he did generously guide me along the way).
First up, pitting all of the dates. Here they are post-pitting.

Next, we stuffed all of the dates with chunks of Maytag (a blue cheese originated and made in Iowa...woot woot). Then, we wrapped all of the stuffed dates in slices of bacon and briefly fried them before placing them in the oven for about 10 minutes.

And here they are ready to be eaten!

Let me just say that these were absolutely delicious. The sweet, chewy taste of the date, combined with the salty, crisp bacon and sharp, strong cheese, made for pure perfection. They went fast and were impressive indeed.

I will make just one cautionary note: stuffed/wrapped dates are not for the cheap. Both the cheese, which you can buy by the pound, and the dates themselves are fairly expensive. BUT, if you're looking to try something new and are willing to indulge, they're simply awesome :)

Happy New Year!

A "City" Girl in Pine City, Part Deux

2010-12-04T12:21:00.000-06:00

As I alluded to in my last post, the second part of my Pine City excursion this fall found me in a truly unique experience. Friends and I trekked out to the North West Company Fur Post for its annual "rendez-vous" fall gathering event. The fur post is a voyageur camp with exhibits on the fur trade, located along Snake River outside of Pine City.

There's a small museum in the visitor center where you can explore the history of the fur trade.

And when you step outside, you leave 2010 and travel back in time to 1804...

Our tour guide, the French Canadian voyageur, explained the ins and outs of the fur trade. The hottest commodity was beaver, which was used to make stately top hats.

We then learned a little bit about the Ojibwe encampment while hanging out in a tipi.

And met a navigator, who explained his role within the process.

Later, we encountered Mr. John Sayer, a partner with North West Company and head of the crew.

Then we toured the shop, where the Ojibwe came to trade their furs for blankets and other goods.

We got to see where Mr. Sayer and his family live.

And then we headed to the camp, where people (hobbyists who travel to these type of events, placing themselves back in the early 19th century) were playing music, selling goods and making their own grub.

I bought this adorable, hand-painted little bowl (so far, it sits all pretty-like on a shelf and sometimes holds very important things like chocolate candies - any suggestions for other purposes are welcome).

As we toured the camp, we found children working...

And strapping young lads hauling water.

We saw families set up in groups, displaying the fruits of their labor.

And preparing their dinner.

We also took in the sites of the beautiful river, glistening on a crisp, sunny fall day.

All in all, it was a fun and interesting outing. I'm heading back to the fur post later this month for a Christmas concert in the visitor center. I'm thinking the facility will be beautiful at night in the winter.

A "City" Girl in Pine City, Part Une

2010-11-12T09:08:00.000-06:00

Paying tribute to my cherished Sex and the City series, the title for this two-post series is entirely fitting, if not slightly deceptive. Having grown up in a small town of 2,000 in greater Minnesota (not far from Pine City), there will always be a little "country" in me. But having lived in MSP for more than 10 years now (eek!), I've come to identify myself as a bona fide "city" girl.

And so begins my lovely weekend with friends exploring the wonder that is Pine City.
First up, the Pizza Pub, a local institution.

With its medieval-inspired decor, plethora of games and fun wait staff, it's easy to see why the Pizza Pub is the Friday night hot spot.

The pub features a number of unique specialty pizzas. Our group shared the asparagus pizza, with asparagus, Italian sausage, Canadian bacon, mozzarella and cheddar cheese...

As well as the alfredo pizza with alfredo sauce, chicken breast and mozzarella.

I loved the chicken alfredo pizza, especially with the delicious white sauce. I also enjoyed the asparagus pizza, but it didn't stand out as particularly special to me (though my friends may disagree with that assessment). I generally prefer a little more sauce than it offered.

I had a great time at the Pizza Pub with good company, good food and good people watching :)

Next up, Sauser's Hardware. If the Pizza Pub is a Pine City institution, Sauser's might just be a landmark. In describing the grandeur that is Sauser's, my friend explained that they have everything. And, if they don't, they'll get it for you. That level of customer service, might just be my favorite thing about small towns.

When I first stepped into Sauser's, I immediately realized she was right...they do have everything. From power tools and outdoor landscaping...

To gift-giving and home decor. It was quite precious.

From Sauser's we headed through town, stopping at various little gift shops and antique stores, including the darling little Chicken Koop, filled to the brink with antiques and goodies.

I found some candlesticks and napkins for my dining room. Neither were antique, but they're cute nonetheless.

We finally made our way through town to the A&W, perhaps my favorite place in all of Pine City (in fact, I briefly held the Foursquare mayorship of this, my beloved little restaurant chain). I don't know why I have such a fascination with A&W...maybe it's because they're now somewhat of a rarity in Minnesota. Or it's just my love of root beer.

Mmmm. Yummy.

Double yummy!

That's it for my first look at Pine City. Next time, I'll highlight an annual event that makes Pine City truly unique. Stay tuned!

Friday Fun Day

2010-10-31T20:55:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems the last several weeks have really taken a toll on my blogging abilities, and I find myself in catch-up mode yet again. The good news is I have several updates to share over the next couple of weeks!

I took one recent Friday off to enjoy an afternoon about town with a friend. First up, lunch at View.
View is located in a B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. building just across the street from the equally beautiful Lake Calhoun. I'd always wanted to try it, and thanks to my friend's coupon deal, I now had the perfect reason.

I really liked the restaurant's decor and the use of the color orange throughout. The lighting cast a rich hue over everything even during the middle of the day.

The one thing that struck me as odd though was that we basically had the whole place to ourselves. There were probably six other people there the whole time. Perhaps it was the chilly weather, because I found most of our experience to be quite good.

I had delicious strawberry lemonade to drink, which really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone at this point. I've jointly become addicted to strawberry lemonade and root beer. Both of which, I hope to cure myself of in the near-term. ;)

To start, we shared the Mediterranean style grilled chicken wings. These were amazing. With a seasoning rub to die for and a splash of lemon juice, they were incredibly flavorful.

I then had the smoked turkey and avocado melt, which was served on multi-grain bread with mesquite smoked turkey, avocado, lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese (note that it generally comes with Swiss). It also came with french fries and a pickle.

The french fries were awesome. Crispy and perfectly salty. The sandwich was also good, but nothing spectacular. While the turkey and fixings were great, the bread was kind of dry, making it a little less delicious.

Overall, I found View to be quite enjoyable. I'll definitely go back, at least for the wings.

After lunch, we headed to The Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis, the only museum in North America dedicated exclusively to Russian art. I've always wanted to check out the museum - as any locals know, it is simply one of the most exquisite buildings in all of MSP.

With quite lovely landscaping...

Unfortunately, photos weren't allowed inside. But, the interior is just as breathtaking as the exterior. While we were there, the main gallery featured elegant works of Russia's countryside and touching portraits of the country's people.

There was also an enchanted art exhibit, displaying beautifully detailed Russian lacquer miniatures. The pieces were magical and showcased the rich history of the artistry throughout a number of Russian villages.

Admission is $7 for adults, however, you can score free passes through the Museum Adventure Pass offering at local libraries...probably one of my favorite things in life.

Dinner on Joe's Patio

2010-09-28T21:26:00.000-05:00

I recently took advantage of a beautiful Sunday evening and grabbed dinner with friends on the Joe's Garage patio - one of the best patios in all of MSP (as evidenced by the view of the Basilica in downtown Minneapolis below).

The ambiance on this breezy and lazy Sunday was carefree and relaxed. Nearly every table was filled with leisurely diners enjoying every last second before the weekend came to an end.

I ordered the Homemade Chicken Fingers basket, served with chipotle ranch and shoestring fries. It was well-priced at $8 and almost surprisingly delicious. I don't know why I didn't have much in terms of expectations (since I've always found the food at Joe's to be very good), but I was quite pleasantly pleased with the tasty chicken fingers and their zesty sauce.

After dinner, we took a stroll through the loveliest alley in the city. Not the greatest picture quality, but you get the idea :)

Dinner at Il Gatto

2010-09-21T23:37:00.000-05:00

On my way to work one morning last week, I heard Minnesota Monthly food critic Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, offer her take on Il Gatto during a segment on The Current, which reminded me that I had a recent visit to report on.

She was talking about Italian options in MSP, and the news that respected chef and James Beard Award winner Tim McKee was recently put at the helm of Il Gatto (which is very exciting news indeed). She also offered her assessment of Il Gatto in its current state - a less than favorable critique.

What I caught of Dara's review focused mostly on the seafood-driven items on the menu, which I'm admittedly not very well-versed in. But I have to say that the couple of times I've been to Il Gatto since its introduction last year (locals will remember that it replaced Figlio), I've actually been quite impressed by the menu.

On this most recent visit, my friend and I shared a few plates. The first of which was a prosciutto and fig bruschetta. It was phenomenal. My friend and I both agreed that the prosciutto was well-paired with the fig and brie. It was a little difficult to eat with so much piled on top, but the struggle was well worth every bite.

We also ordered the calamari, which comes with spicy peppers and lemon mayo. The peppers were an interesting addition, and the calamari was very good. Not really a key differentiator though.

Lastly, we ordered the meatball pizza. Wowza. This was fantastic. Fresh out of the wood oven, it had large, delicious meatballs. Again, a little difficult to eat (especially with your hands), but totally worth the extra effort.

In revisiting Il Gatto's menu online, it looks as though some of my favorites have already been replaced with the new direction. However, I will note the Tortellini Baronessa (prosciutto, peas and mushrooms in alfredo sauce), which is still listed. I had this during a previous visit, and I think it might still hold the title of my favorite pasta dish in Minneapolis-Saint Paul...for now anyway.

Summer Brunch and an Afternoon Treat

2010-09-06T20:09:00.000-05:00

During a friend's visit to MSP this summer, we spent a couple days dining at some old favorites and trying out some new hot spots. One particularly beautiful day, we went to French Meadow on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis, which falls into the old favorites category.

The atmosphere at French Meadow is relaxed and welcoming. During the day you place your order at the counter, choosing from delicious dishes made with fresh, local and organic ingredients. At night the ambiance is more intimate, with candlelight and many tables for two.

I ordered the breakfast burrito - an organic tortilla filled with organic eggs, black bean chili, cheddar, scallions and hash browns. It was served with chipotle sour cream and French Meadow's homemade salsa, as well as organic toast.

The burrito was very good. It was fresh and filling and had just a bit of a zip.

Later that afternoon, we tried out Patisserie 46, a new bakery in the Kingfield neighborhood in Minneapolis. The space was darling and busy. So busy, in fact, that the bakery case was running low on goodies by the time we arrived.

I was, however, very excited to see there was still one eclair left. I'd heard good things about the eclair from The Heavy Table, so I knew immediately that it would be my selection.

And, it was amazing. Crunchy and textured on the outside, rich and creamy on the inside. I really loved it. Paired with my bottle of root beer, it was a wonderful afternoon treat. I'm looking forward to my next visit to the tasty bakery.

Foodie Adventures Along the Rockies

2010-08-31T22:10:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I noted I'd follow up with some highlights of my dining experiences in Colorado. First up, Morrison Inn in Morrison.

Here I had the chimichanga with "killer queso." It came with a salad cup and Spanish rice on the side. It was absolutely delicious. Even with a kick that made me eagerly gulp water (yes, I'm a wimp).

Next up, Anthony's Pizza & Pasta in Golden.

I had this enormous fresh salad, called the Farmer, with romaine lettuce, cucumbers, black olives, tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms and bleu cheese dressing. I enjoyed about half of it...then I was full and had only lettuce left.

To go with my giant salad, this huge slice of pepperoni and black olive pizza. It was greasy and messy and oh-so-good. Not to mention very well-priced: pizza sold by the slice for around $3 or $4 (depending on the style and number of toppings).

Then, I made my way back to Morrison and Tony Rigatoni's, a casual little Italian place. I had the lunch special with spaghetti and meatballs, a side salad and garlic toast, all for some ridiculous low price of $6.95 or so. The salad was your standard side salad with bleu cheese dressing (yes, again), croutons, cucumbers and tomatoes.

And the spaghetti was very good - a generous helping with plentiful meatballs.

The only thing I found slightly off about this restaurant was the bickering staff. Maybe it's because I was the only person dining inside (most others were out on the patio) or maybe it's just status quo, but I was surprised to hear two staff members arguing with each other while I was there. My server, however, was friendly and drama-free.

My last stop in the precious town of Morrison was Ozzi's for ice cream, located in this gorgeous building.

Inside was just as cute. I was only slightly disappointed to see that the shop serves Dreyer's vs. homemade ice cream, but really, it's ice cream, so what is there to complain about? :) I had the Take the Cake flavor - yellow cake flavored ice cream with blue frosting swirl and multicolored sprinkles.

Exploring Colorado: A World of Scenic Wonder

2010-08-27T22:06:00.000-05:00

A quick visit to Colorado's tourism website unveils the "world of scenic wonder" tag line. Not five minutes after landing at Denver International Airport for a work trip recently, I couldn't have agreed more.

During downtime, I had the opportunity to explore the historic town of Morrison. Located at the base of Red Rocks Park, Morrison is one of the most darling little places I've ever seen.

During my short time in Morrison, I made a point to dine at two restaurants (more to come on those), eat ice cream and explore nearly every shop along Bear Creek Ave.

My favorite stop was El-Mercado Antiques, a nice little house filled in every nook and cranny with interesting little treasures.

And a full front yard as well. The shop owner was the most precious lady who'd owned the shop for more than 40 years.

It took me a while to decide which little treasure I wanted, but eventually I decided on these cute metal stars. Now, I just need to find a home for them in my new apartment. Decorating suggestions? :)

A Belated Birthday Dinner Recap: Town Talk Diner

2010-08-11T21:59:00.000-05:00

This entry is, admittedly, a little "overcooked," seeing as how I celebrated my birthday last month. Apparently, that's just how I roll these days :) With that...

This year, I wanted to try somewhere a little different for my birthday dinner celebration. I'd heard nothing but fantastic things about Town Talk Diner (which even bills itself as "a finer diner") on Lake Street in Minneapolis, so I figured it was time to check it out. Plus, I'd heard they had killer cocktails from a great mixologist.

I was definitely intrigued by all of the interesting sounding cocktails on the menu: the Bacon Manhattan with bacon bourbon and cherry liqueur and the Green Fairy with zen green tea liqueur, absinthe and egg white, to name two. With a little help from my server, I landed on the Water Tight, which was made with rum, watermelon juice, sparkling wine and basil.

It was unique and summery and unlike anything I'd had before. I found it to be quite refreshing and enjoyable, albeit different.

For dinner, I couldn't quite break myself free of my new found burger addiction, so I ordered the Kitchen Sink burger with the "kitchen sink" sauce on the side (I think it's basically thousand island dressing, which I don't care for). The burger came with bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato and garlic parsley fries.

I thought both were very good, but I really enjoyed the fries. Could be my love of both parsley and garlic.

For a special birthday treat, our server (who was fabulous) brought us a little chocolatey, peanut buttery deliciousness to share. Yum.

I really enjoyed my first Town Talk experience. The space was welcoming, the staff friendly and the food good. The highlight of the night was our server's ability to split up the check in the easiest way I've ever seen: they separated the check and divided my portion evenly among the group. It saved us from the whole awkward check-paying experience that so often comes with dining in big groups.

Thanks Town Talk for being so accommodating, and thanks friends for being so generous!

Cross Country Dining Adventures

2010-07-26T21:21:00.000-05:00

My recent work travels have provided an opportunity for several new dining experiences...
In Kansas City's Power & Light district, I had my first bison burger at Ted's Montana Grill. It was also my first visit to a Ted's restaurant. I loved the eco/environmental, fresh, made from scratch focus of the restaurant and the savory, tender burger. Slathered in cheese, bacon, mushrooms and onions, it went way beyond my expectations.

In Orlando, I had 35 shrimp at Miller's Ale House, a fun, popular sports bar somewhere on/near Disney. That's right, 35 of them. And, I ate nearly all of them myself (never a very good idea to skip lunch). This meal also brought another first: my first hush puppies. I don't know how I made it this far in life without ever having a hush puppy, but now I can proudly say I've had deep-fried cornmeal batter.

Also at the Ale House, our server asked us to try a new dessert: sweet potato fries with vanilla ice cream and caramel. It was surprisingly tasty with a nice balance of salty and sweet. But, the texture was just a bit too weird for me, so I don't know that it's something I'd ever order for myself.

In New Orleans, I tried a couple of fun spots. The first of which was Mother's. Famously known for its po' boys and rich more than 70-year history in New Orleans, I loved its no-nonsense atmosphere and healthy mix of both locals and visitors.

I had an enormous side of pipin' hot fries to accompany my Famous Ferdi Special po' boy.

The Ferdi was the immediate recommendation from the police officer who greeted me just inside the door. Jam-packed with "Mother's Best Baked Ham," roast beef, debris and gravy, it was a carnivore's dream.

Also in New Orleans, I had dinner at Sun Ray Grill in the Warehouse District. To start, I ordered the portabella fries. YUM. Deep-fried mushrooms with creamy Caesar dressing dip.

And for dinner, I had the most giant, most delicious plate of chicken nachos. Best part? There were so many fixin's, I had to eat them with a fork. :)

*****

In yesterday's post, I promised an update on my third visit to Loring Kitchen & Bar. I'm happy to report that last night's server was really good. She was attentive, friendly and efficient, making for a lovely, very enjoyable evening on their patio. Hopefully the third time was a charm.

Loring Kitchen & Bar: A Love-Hate Relationship

2010-07-25T17:01:00.000-05:00

I'm writing this as I prepare for my third trip to the Loring Kitchen & Bar already this summer. Based on that sentence, you'd think it was the best food I've ever had in my life. ;)

Located in the heart of Loring Park, LK&B is a perfect fit in a great location. I fell in love with the space as soon as I first walked in. Beautifully decorated, the restaurant also has a lovely open breezeway of sorts that circles around the room and opens out onto the park. I sat in this section for both visits.

The first visit was with a group for a friend's birthday (there were about 10 of us). I had the Lemon Drop martini, which was fabulous. So much so that I quickly ordered a second.

We shared pizzas to start. The classic pepperoni was tasty and exactly what you'd expect.

I had the LK&B Chopped Cobb salad for dinner. Refreshing, colorful and chock full of nutritional goodness, I was very pleased. With a healthy dose of chicken, bacon and egg, it was well worth the $11.95.

So, while the food was great and the ambiance fantastic, I do have one major gripe from my first visit to the Loring Kitchen...

The service. I won't go as far as to say it was terrible, but it left much to be desired. Our server wasn't nice and didn't seem to like us from the get-go. We had quite the check debacle, which the server further exacerbated.

Adding insult to injury, I also noticed that my martinis rang through at 50 cents extra each. Since it was only one dollar total, I didn't think it appropriate to complain. However, another one of my friends also noticed that he was charged a dollar more for his cider than what was listed on the menu. Ugh.

******

My second visit was under much different circumstances - casual drinks and dinner with just two friends (both of whom were also part of the first visit).

This time I had a Belini and the Beer Can Chicken sandwich: beer marinated grilled chicken breast, bacon, pepper jack cheese (though I substituted cheddar), crispy onions and honey mustard on a toasted sesame bun, served with fries and a pickle. Both were wonderful, further confirming that I really enjoy Loring Kitchen's food.

While the service was much better this go-round - smiling and friendly - there still wasn't much to be said about their speed and efficiency. Granted, it was the end of a very busy weekend, but really that's never an excuse for slow service.

If LK&B could straighten out its service kinks, it would have all the trappings of a great restaurant in an area already known for good food. If not, there's no shortage of restaurants I love in the neighborhood.

I'll be sure to provide a quick recap of tonight's dining adventure in my next post.

More Eat Street Fun: Pancho Villa

2010-07-18T23:49:00.000-05:00

Eat Street (a stretch of Nicollet Avenue between Grant and 29th streets) is one of Minneapolis' top destinations for local foodies. A hub of ethnic and diverse restaurants - arguably some of the best in all of MSP - Eat Street is home to my favorite local Mexican establishment: Pancho Villa.

Always bustling, Pancho Villa offers patrons the best steal for Mexican cuisine around (read: overflowing plates of deliciousness for as little as $10), and - while nothing to write home about - the decor is authentic and even a bit charming. Some nights even offer live music from a mariachi band or karaoke.

And let's be honest, 2 for 1 margaritas are hard to beat (ALL DAY on some days, including Fridays!).

I had the chicken burrito and beef tostada with rice and pinto beans. I don't love beans, but I generally love or really enjoy everything else that I have at Pancho Villa. The bursting burrito and cheese and sour-creamed topped tostada were no exception.

Visit to the Sculpture Garden

2010-07-17T15:58:00.000-05:00

Twilight in the sculpture garden

When we walk around the place

Look upon the beautiful secrets

That all the artists made.

Midnight in the sculpture garden

Underneath the cherry moon

We can make our own beautiful secret

We can join the fabled few.

- Semisonic, Sculpture Garden

Every summer, I make at least one visit to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center. This year, a friend and I made it a day-date.

With more than 40 permanent works, it's one of the country's largest urban sculpture gardens and one of my absolute favorite places in all of MSP. Well-known Minneapolis band, Semisonic, has a song about the garden that I just love (two verses above beneath the iconic cherry and spoon).

Nestled smack dab in the middle of Minneapolis near Loring Park, the Sculpture Garden, with its awesome sculptures and pristine grounds, feels like a true urban retreat. That it's free and open daily from 6 a.m. - midnight is an added bonus.

Also on the grounds is the Cowles Conservatory, home to many beautiful plants and flowers.

During our visit, we also explored the Walker, courtesy of free passes from the library. We saw the 1964 exhibit, which runs through Oct. 24 and features several Andy Warhol pieces. And also the Benches & Binoculars exhibit, on display through Nov. 21. Both were fantastic, and I would place the B&B exhibit among the top of any I've seen at the Walker. How's that for good word-of-mouth? ;)

Home Cookin' in the Country

2010-07-07T21:19:00.000-05:00

It's been a crazy last few weeks, and I clearly have a little catching up to do! I've been traveling for work over the last two weeks (look for food highlights in a subsequent entry), recently completed a move to a new apartment in a new neighborhood, celebrated the Fourth of July and even turned a year older.

Needless to say, with all that's been going on, I've become a little negligent in my blogging duties. So, expect me to spend some time playing catch up over the next couple of weeks :)

You may have noticed that I'm trying out a new design template for the blog - jazzing things up a bit. Let me know if you like it.

On to this entry...

A few weeks back, some friends and I decided to embark on a "fake camping" adventure in the country. We stayed at the home of one friend's parents and enjoyed a country feast.

Our friend's mom prepared deliciously tender ribs from the Crock-Pot, which we accompanied with a tasty summer salad from Kowalski's, garlic mashed potatoes, fresh steamed green beans and a fruit salad of pineapple, strawberries and blackberries.

To call this meal amazing would be an understatement. Sometimes you just can't beat the simplicity of country-style home cooking.

To complement our "authentic" camping experience, we microwaved Fudge Stripe cookies with marshmallows. Perfectly gooey.

The best part of the experience was staying up late playing cards in a mosquito-free zone and ending the night in a real bed. Clearly, I'm so outdoorsy ;)

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2010-06-14T20:41:00.000-05:00

Last week, I made my first trip to the new Twins stadium to watch the hometown team take on the Kansas City Royals. Truth be told, I'm not much of a baseball fan, but even I must admit that after visiting the new stadium, I have Twins fever. Target Field is gorgeous!

Some stadium accessories outside Target Field.

A view just inside the gate and above our seats.

Here's a shot of the field from section 138 (the overhang!).

I stopped dead in my tracks when I caught a glimpse of all these mass transit options while walking around the stadium. Look out world, MSP is making public transportation progress!

Ooooh, pretty! Gotta love the skyline view.

More of the actual game.

My hot dog! I asked for light onion but ended up with quite a bit. Quite tasty after scraping half of it off though.

Ah, fireworks to celebrate the win!

It's official. Outdoor baseball in downtown Minneapolis is killer. Go now.

P.S. since I'm talking sports, go Celtics :)

Party Planning Skills: Baby Shower

2010-06-04T23:59:00.000-05:00

I recently co-hosted a baby shower for a friend who's having a baby this summer. It turned out so cute that I thought I'd share a couple of photos to show off our fabulous party planning skills :)
First shot of the food. We served sandwiches, chips, veggies, pasta salad, fruit salad, deviled eggs, lemonade and iced tea.

Second shot of the spread. We had a garden theme - with yellow, orange and green as the main colors - since our friend has a bit of a green thumb. You'll notice the marigolds that one of my co-hosts planted and we gave away as favors for the guests.

And here's the dirt cake trifle that she also made. Yes, it was heavenly.

Here's the fruit salad freshly prepared at home. Growing up, I never really cared much for fruit salad because it was always made with whipped cream and canned fruit cocktail. Since I was in charge of this fruit salad, I used only fruits I like (which meant no pesky cantaloupe or honeydew!). Strawberries, red grapes and pineapple. I also threw in some drained mandarin oranges for added variety. I let it sit in the fridge overnight, and it was quite delicious the next day.

And here are my deviled eggs. So simple but fantastic every time.

I was also in charge of games and prizes. We played the memory game with a tray filled with baby items that everyone has two minutes to look at and then write down as many items as they can remember, and then a celebrity baby name trivia game. The game, which I pulled off of About.com had some lesser known celebrity babies, so it was a nice challenge for the guests.

The two prizes pictured wrapped above were a "Girl's Night" fragrance gift set from Victoria's Secret (which I've come to think of as my favorite little gift this spring) and an eco journal and garden-themed wall plaque from Bibelot.

The last thing I want to showcase is this beautiful floral arrangement my other co-host put together. She also made adorable orange and yellow shower invitations. Watch out Martha Stewart!

All in all, a great little party :)

Deviled Eggs Recipe

One dozen eggs

Mayonnaise to taste

Paprika to taste

Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil eggs in large saucepan (let sit overnight to cool if timing allows). Peel eggs and cut in half. Scoop yolk into medium bowl. Display eggs on platter. Combine and stir mayonnaise and salt and pepper with yolk. Fill eggs with yolk mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Fini!

The Bad Waitress: A Love Story

2010-05-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

It seems I've fallen a bit in love with The Bad Waitress on Eat Street in Minneapolis. In fact, I found myself there twice in May alone. There's just something about the eclectic atmosphere, lively ambiance and organic-driven menu that brings me back again and again (despite its cheeky moniker that sometimes proves to be true).

The bright red walls are covered in super hero memorabilia and other kitschy items, and the retro booths give you the instant old school diner feel. And, in my experience, there's always a steady flow of people.

On my first visit, I ordered the $10 burger and beer special (Thursdays and so worth it!) - the Hollywood Burger and a Stella. The grass-fed beef burger came with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado and mayo, as well as tortilla chips and salsa. I, of course, added cheese. I really enjoyed the burger. Cooked very well and piled high with vegetables, it was quite delicious. Plus, it's hard to go wrong with avocado on a burger. The chips and salsa were also very good.

My second visit was for lunch on a bustling Saturday afternoon, and I came armed with a "50% off your entire order" coupon from the Blue Sky Guide. I felt that warranted a treat...in the form of a root beer float. Recently and inexplicably, I've become obsessed with root beer. I hated it as a child, so I find this new addiction quite peculiar. Oddness aside, it was fantastic; so good that it was already gone by the time I received my food.

To eat, I had the Avocado, Turkey & Bacon sandwich on rosemary onion ciabatta with American fries. The sandwich came with lettuce, tomatoes, Dijon mustard, mayo and choice of cheese. Much like the burger, it was fabulous. And filling. I took half the sandwich home with me, which could have been partly due to my pre-meal root beer float indulgence. But who doesn't like to start with dessert every once in a while? :)

Brunch at The Happy Gnome

2010-05-22T19:26:00.000-05:00

The Selby-Dale area, all the way down to the Cathedral, in Saint Paul is one of my absolute favorite areas in all of Minneapolis-Saint Paul. With a plethora of wonderful dining establishments, cool coffee shops and beautiful architecture, it's a must-visit destination in Saint Paul.

I recently visited one such dining establishment - The Happy Gnome - with friends for brunch. Probably best known for its beer selection, I've also always quite liked the desserts and patio. This was my first brunch visit.

I ordered the Skillet Scramble, made up of eggs, bacon, asparagus and fontina cheese, and served with a side of American fries. I really enjoy scrambles, so it should come as no surprise that I also really enjoyed this one. A healthy portion size at a reasonable price...and of course, bacon (did you know there are more than 500,000 people on Facebook who like bacon? Not Kevin Bacon, not a particular brand, just plain old bacon). And so continues America's love affair...

Of course, the potatoes were good too - crispy, well-seasoned and hearty.

Mexican Night at El Tejaban

2010-05-15T20:13:00.001-05:00

I'm not always a very spontaneous person. So I like to think that what I lack in my everyday life, I more than make up for in my dining adventures. It is that culinary spontaneity that led me to El Tejaban in Richfield recently for dinner. We'd never heard of it before but discovered it during an online search for a new Mexican restaurant to try.

I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive when we discovered it was located within a strip mall. But after stepping inside and finding a bright and pleasant atmosphere - complete with live music - and friendly staff, I put my pre-judgements aside and happily ordered a drink.

I went with the strawberry margarita on the rocks, which was very sweet but still quite good.

Our chips came with two types of salsa - a traditional red salsa and a second yellow-colored salsa. We weren't quite sure what it was made of, but it was slightly spicier and my favorite of the two.

I ordered one of the combination plates with a chile relleno, chicken enchilada and beef taco.

Not to mention a second plate of rice and black beans.

I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the food, and a little bit nervous about the relleno, since I'd never had one before. But it was pretty good...I could have done without the seeds that were still on the inside, though. The enchilada and taco were both excellent, and the rice was good, too.

I was impressed with our experience at El Tejaban - it offered satisfying, reasonably priced food, with speedy service. If I remember correctly, they have a pretty good happy hour, which I look forward to checking out soon.

Summer Planning

2010-05-13T23:28:00.000-05:00

Yikes - it's been too long since my last check-in! I don't really have an excuse other than that things are busy, busy, busy. Plus, the rainy day blues here in MSP aren't inspiring me to do much other than surf Netflix or read (I just finished The Time Traveler's Wife, which was fabulous. Slow start but hard to put down once you get into it. And, deeply moving...I probably went through at least five tissues while finishing it.).

With that said, I have been doing a few fun things/checking out a couple of new restaurants, so I'm committing myself to follow up this weekend with at least two new updates.

Other than that, the gloomy weather has me thinking about all the things I want to do this summer. I'm thinking a list is in order. Here are some initial thoughts - what are some other fun things I should add?

Take a trip to Valleyfair with my nephew
Attend a Twins game at the new Target Field
Have friends over for a BBQ and use our deck for the first time
See Sex and the City 2 on opening night (okay, technically this is still in May, but I'd be remiss not to include it)
See A Streetcar Named Desire at the Guthrie
Take a mini weekend road trip somewhere in greater Minnesota with fun local attractions
Tour the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Science Museum
Visit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for the first time
Run a 5K