Something New

There’s 9½ miles of skyways in Minneapolis. My goal today was to find a section I’ve never walked before. This section, running through Thrivent Financial’s headquarters, was new to me. Until 2013 Thrivent only served Lutherans; today they serve a broader market.

Other Places

While Dwight drove his mom to her home up in Fargo, I planned my quick trip to another distant place, at least in my head. Ramen at the counter of our local izakaya before the Guthrie crowd, then home to a mythical Japan, an anime movie from Studio Ghibli.

Caffeine Fix

Broke my no-coffee-after-midday rule. It was just too tempting at Dunn Brothers Coffee in a former Milwaukee Road Freight House. Now energized, walked home as snow started to fall, the edge of what promises to become a major snowstorm.

Seeing in the New Year with Seafood

On today’s walk I was on a mission: buy ingredients for our traditional New Year’s Eve paella. Coastal Seafoods, hidden in an industrial area, sells the best seafood in town. It was hopping, so I took a numbered ticket and browsed while fifteen customers ahead of me got served.

A Step Back in Time

After a university campus walk with a friend, warmed up with coffee and freshly baked vegan muffins at Hard Times Cafe. Collectively owned by the workers, it has a 70’s ambiance and an ideology I’ve seen described as punk and hippy.

Designed to Impress

With temperatures hovering around 0°F it was a day to minimize outdoor activity. Rode the light rail to St. Paul with a friend. Warmed up in the Landmark Center where we peered into rooms, including the Chief Justice Room.

Imagination at Work

On my walk, stopped to take in this $49 million development. Two crumbling buildings I’d thought were beyond hope were being incorporated into new construction. Last summer I noticed the white building had been temporarily moved to the road to make way for construction of underground parking.

Sensory Treat

Mailed Christmas cards: a good reason to walk through the lovely Art Deco lobby of the downtown Post Office.