And a post about our travel ordeals is on Metroblogging Nashville.
Since what I wrote there was mostly trip complaints, here are some of the trip highlights:
- Getting to see our friend D, who was a colleague on the infamous Indy gig.
- Getting to see J & H, who were colleagues at the (infamous?) healthcare gig but have since moved to the Minneapolis area.
- Getting to see brandismarie91, whom I haven’t seen in something like 10 years.
- Eating at Chatterbox pub for Friday dinner and drinks.
- Eating at French Meadow for Saturday dinner.
- Eating at The Egg & I for Sunday breakfast/brunch.
- Eating at Chiang Mai Thai for Sunday dinner.
- Exploring and eating at several places in the Global Market.
- While D was playing a league game of soccer, Karsten and I took the light rail to IKEA, which meant passing through the Mall of America. I’d seen the mall before and knew its enormity, but Karsten, I think, was unprepared. He was stunned.
- Going to the Minnesota Zoo.
- Seeing a white-cheeked gibbon show off how well he was able to swing from one end of his habitat to the other. He made it look as effortless as a marathon runner crossing the street.
- Checking out the Loft, a cool writers’ center with a nice little cafe and the most wickedly cool staircase I have ever seen — it’s designed to be reminiscent of a book, with frosted plexiglass sheets that look like pages winding around the railing all the way up. I took pictures, but I don’t have them up yet and I don’t really think they do it justice. Here’s a small one on the Loft web site.
- Checking out Wedge, a grocery co-op.
- Checking out various other local coffee shops and bars.
- Petting D’s two cats, Bea & Greta.
But at this point, I’m just happy to be back home. I’m even happy to be back at work!
Home again!
Ugh. Yeah, those blow-up beds are really not meant for two. You can manage on one by yourself, but two people will keep light sleepers awake all night.
-J
Apropos of absolutely nothing:
If you are not the fellow Rich East graduate whom I bopped around a St. Louis shopping mall with on a band trip in ’89 or so, kindly disregard this comment.
If you are said fellow Rich East graduate: Hi! Adam Fromm here. *waves* How’s t’ings?
Wow, hi! This is quite the week for reuniting with long-lost school chums — as mentioned in the above post, I saw a friend from junior high / high school over the weekend, and before that, I heard from no less than two high school friends with whom I’d drifted apart. And now you! So very glad to hear from you.
Actually, I’ve tried to look you up once or twice over the years, and could never figure out if I’d found The Real You. So thanks for finding me instead!
I’d love to hear what’s new with you, and for privacy’s sake, if you prefer, you’re more than welcome to email me at kate at honeybowtie dot com.
I’m sensing a food/drink theme to this trip..I’ve often wondered if I truly appreciate the sheer magnitude of the M. of America, not having seen it. I’m sure my reaction, upon seeing the M of A, would be similiar to Karsten’s.
There is a distinct food/drink theme to my life.
Speaking of which, you guys available to come by for drinks any evening soon?
It nearly made me seasick! Yeesh.