Spotted this Waymo in the wild today. They’re currently being trained for our harsh climate. I’m looking forward to having vehicles on our streets that actually stop at pedestrian crossings, pause before right turns on red, and never run red lights.
Category: Minnesota
No kings, no ICE, no war
Rode a crowded light rail train to what might be the largest protest in Minnesota history. Along the way, we sang the national anthem. At one point, the train passed a senior living building where residents lined the road, some in wheelchairs, holding up their own signs. No kings, no ICE, no war.
From sunrise to supper
The sun was rising as I left this morning, the start of a long day that eventually wound down at a local restaurant we had not tried before. We enjoyed dishes with names ending in au vin and en croûte while comparing notes about our day.
Reflections on the stadium
My walk today took me past the stadium where the Minnesota Vikings play. Downtown was reflected in the glass on the stadium’s west side, where five 55-foot-wide glass panels can be swiveled open.
Mall walking: over 500 stores and nothing to buy
Two days in a row now, I’ve opted for a climate-controlled walk. With temperatures hovering around zero, I took the light rail to the Mall of America for a mall walk with friends. We walked past hundreds of stores, all of which, with one exception, did not interest me. After the walk, I did take a look around the LEGO store.
The climate-controlled dilemma
To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: there is only one thing in the world worse than the Skyway, and that is not having the Skyway. While I don’t care for the way it stifles life at street level, I certainly appreciated it today. I enjoyed walking part of the 9½-mile system in shirtsleeves with friends even though it was single digits and windy outside.
Music for a winter night
A light snow was falling as we walked into Orchestra Hall for a Minnesota Orchestra concert. The program included pianist Kirill Gerstein, who performed two concertos: a modern piece by Thomas Adès, a British composer new to me, and Ravel’s Concerto for the Left Hand. It was impressive to hear such a rich, full sound produced by just one hand. By the time we left, the snowstorm was intensifying.
Transitioning to color
On our Sunday walk, with temperatures climbing into the high fifties, yesterday’s snowy, monochromatic landscape had found some color. Here at Gold Medal Park the grass and trees are still a few weeks away from fully greening up.
A winter forage
Walked over to the farmers market on a fresh overnight dusting of snow, a reminder that winter isn’t finished and that local produce would be scarce. I carried home crusty bread straight from the baker, along with bacon sausages and lamb from a local farm for “Sausage Saturday” and a Sunday root vegetable braise.
Bold sign, bold lunch
Took the opportunity while Dwight was seeing a friend to grab a spicy lunch at a nearby Thai restaurant. A “Private Property” sign on the door explicitly forbids immigration enforcement on the premises. The City of Minneapolis estimates that since December, ICE agents have caused well over $100 million in economic damage to city businesses and workers afraid to go to work, while straining city resources.