Category: Twin Cities

Authentic flavors at La Madre

Early dinner with friends at La Madre, a recently opened Mexican restaurant in our neighborhood. The food is authentic and delicious, including my Puerco en Adobo (shredded pork butt, corn, bacon, shallot, heavy cream, radish, lime, cilantro, pickled red onion). Yum!

Distant view of a piece of statement art: once seen, it cannot be unseen

With rain set in for the day, today’s walk was two blocks to Open Book. After an Americano and donut at FRGMNT, I explored an exhibition by an artist collective that has a workshop in the building. One piece, “Fermented Femme Underwear,” hanging by a chain from the ceiling, was probably not something you’d want to see while eating. Here’s a general shot with “it” in the distance.

Urban safari

On today’s cycle ride with a friend, we were glad to see these Nordeast beauties are still in residence, nicely complementing the carved giraffe we found last week. Next, I need to investigate if a zebra, clearly visible on Google Street View, is still hanging out in the yard of a south Minneapolis home.

Stopped in our tracks by big birds

Near the start of our Sunday morning walk, we looked up at a giant loon called PK. Minnesota United is our local professional major league soccer team. Later, we watched an eaglet perched on the edge of its nest, with a parent looking on.

Beyond the forecast: pedaling the Mississippi

Despite an iffy weather forecast, a friend and I set out on a bike ride from near where the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers meet. Our route took us downriver, past St. Paul and three miles beyond to our turnaround. The journey included fanciful Mexican animal sculptures at Raspberry Island, a pleasant coffee shop (despite being out of pastries), and a paddlewheeler with a functioning sternwheel. And, it didn’t rain.

And then it was gone

I looked away for a moment and the eagle vanished. It’s one of a pair raising chicks across the river from where we live, but it likes this safe perch on our side of the river where it presumably scopes out meal options. I then spent way too much time trying to track down a quote about the prey being dead the moment its image touches the retina of an eagle. AI assures me Saint-Exupéry never wrote anything like that, but I’m not so sure.

Don’t judge a book by its cover

Led my friend visiting from the UK along a dirt path, past abandoned grain elevators to the seemingly dilapidated Harris Machinery Company building. Closer inspection reveals thorough stabilization. The rebuilt first floor now hosts The Market at Malcolm Yards, a food hall where my friend chose Argentinian cuisine and I, Korean.

“Shop and swap wishing well of free sh*t”

My goals on two wheels today were to 1) photograph an eagle (FAILED) and 2) find new potatoes (FAILED). However, my ride in Nordeast Minneapolis did lead to an interesting discovery: a wishing well outside a home containing a “Chrono Decoder” (a 60-minute countdown timer for a board game), books, a ball of string, and (drum roll, please) a package of fresh bratwurst.

A wiggling rear end gives hope for hatchlings

Across the river from our home, there’s this eagles’ nest. Some years a pair raises chicks; other years, nothing. This morning’s walk surprised us with the sight of an eagle’s wiggling rear end (just visible in this pixelated photo), apparently while tearing apart something lower down the food chain. We’re hoping to see chicks soon. Sometimes one of the eagles swoops past our windows, riding the thermals.