At the end of our Sunday morning walk, stopped by Open Book for expertly prepared coffees. The space houses various book-related nonprofits, as evidenced by this gumball machine selling poetry at 50 cents a pop.
Category: Our Neighborhood
AFOL* Inspiration
There’s always something new on our weekly Sunday morning walk: today, LEGO inspiration. There’s going to be some heavy lifting at this University of Minnesota heating plant. *Adult Fan of LEGO.
Zen Box Izakaya
Walked over to our local izakaya, a Japanese bar that also serves food. They had emailed me a $5 discount for my birthday, but I didn’t need an incentive.
Shielding Cyclists from Traffic
Watched this protected bikeway being extended towards our home, still a few blocks away. I appreciate being physically separated from traffic. About 200 miles of on- and off-street bikeways make Minneapolis one of the most bikeable cities in the country.
Mill Ruins Park
My friend and I walked on elevated boardwalks through Mill Ruins Park, which tells the story of the early days of Minneapolis when wood and flour mills lined the Mississippi River. The bent remains of an iron railroad trestle once supported steam locomotives.
Exploding Tonight
Watched crews setting up Aquatennial fireworks on Stone Arch Bridge today. This is one of the biggest fireworks shows in the country, expected to draw around 250,000 people to the riverfront tonight. We’ll watch from our balcony.
Tired Time Travelers
Problem: Working through a 14-hour time difference, and too lazy/tired to cook dinner. Solution: Walk across Washington Avenue to Maxwell’s.
A Different Look at Our Neighborhood
As I was nearing the end of my bike ride, noticed that the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam was open to the public today. Wandered around and took in views of our neighborhood.
Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
The anonymous industrial buildings may look unassuming, but they house a large Asian supermarket and one of the city’s best seafood markets. I bought vegetables at United Noodles and sea scallops at Coastal Seafoods, taking advantage of their 20% senior discount on Tuesdays.
Wild Turkeys go to College
Spotted on my cycle ride through the University of Minnesota where wild turkeys wander freely around the campus. Here, they’ve apparently torn up protective straw fabric to get at grass seeds.