Cycled upriver to Forgotten Star Brewery where we availed ourselves of a $10 burger and beer special. During WW2 the building was part of a large naval weapons factory and received awards for being one of the two most efficient and excellent factories in the country during that time. The delicious burgers (on brioche buns, no less) were made in the truck on the right.
Category: Living
Unraveling wiring and taxes
Installed a 3-gang screwless switch plate for friends. Easier said than done: I had to unwire the three switches, thread the wires through a backplane, then reconnect the switches. (This photo is an example in our home.) It was lucrative work: I learned we are paying too much tax on our parking spaces: they’re homesteaded, but tax is less if they’re not homesteaded, which seems upside down.
Stone Arch Bridge: officially closed, unofficially open
Cycled across Stone Arch Bridge today for the first time since spring 2024. It’s due to officially reopen on August 9th after a $36 million restoration, but it looks like some enterprising person moved the barriers just enough for people to get through. I hope the workers are being fairly compensated for finishing the job over two months ahead of plan.
Patti Austin at the Dakota
Thanks to friends attending a funeral, we inherited great seats at the Dakota for dinner and a Patti Austin show. She first performed in 1954 at Harlem’s Apollo at just four years old. Her performance offered mature interpretations of songs and stories, and with recent nominations for Best Jazz Album, she’s clearly still going strong. The arts offer resistance to the times we’re living in, and her message of love stands out.
Lunch break in the park
Walked home past groups of children enjoying a lunch break and the lovely weather in Gold Medal Park. They were likely there for activities at the adjacent Guthrie Theater or Mill City Museum. The Guthrie, for instance, offers several one to two-week summer camps for older kids, covering everything from stage management to performing Shakespeare. Seeing kids engage with the real world rather than screens really gives me hope.
Reenactment, but with beer and schnitzel
Stopped at Dunn Brothers Coffee on Loring Park for a cuppa while out walking with friends. Almost home, I realized I’d left my daypack, complete with wallet and keys, hanging on the back of my chair. I phoned, they found it, I walked back, I left a generous tip. At the nearby Walker Art Center bar, I reestablished normal blood pressure over a hazy IPA and eggplant schnitzel. Oh, and I did remember my pack this time.
Word of the day: obligatory
Waited for a friend at Minnehaha Falls. Groups of people were peering over the edge, taking the obligatory photographs. With the Falls going full blast, I couldn’t resist taking my own.
Ghost trains cross here
Out cycling, I spotted this railroad crossing sign—despite no tracks on either side of the road. I turned to Reddit for reasons. The sign should stay until the track is removed and the road repaved, helping prevent mishaps (e.g., bikes or snow plows) and limiting liability. Additionally, this preserves the right of way and increases adjacent land values. Click through for more discussion.
Neighbors helping neighbors: fighting wildfires in Manitoba
On our walk today, this was our view of Downtown from Boom Island Park: the smoke from Manitoba’s wildfires is slowly clearing. Meanwhile, while six posturing members of Congress sent a letter of complaint to the Canadian embassy in DC, Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources deployed a 21-person crew to Manitoba to assist with fighting the wildfires.
Smart home upgrade for snowbirds
Spent the afternoon making the home of friends smarter. Like us, they’re snowbirds who head to warmer places during the depths of winter. After setting up a plant watering system for them previously, today’s project included configuring two cameras, and installing smart wall switches and water leak sensors.