Category: Place

Cloudy with a Chance of Theater

Woke up to cloud-capped towers of Downtown. In the foreground, Gold Medal Park is putting on a fall display. Beyond the park, the Logitech-blue Guthrie awaits, where this evening we’ll take in “For the People,” written by local Native playwrights about the local Native community.

Train Tracks and River Trails

Cycling with a friend visiting from England, we followed the Mississippi north to Interstate 694, crossed the river, and returned to Minneapolis, lingering at BNSF Northtown Yard to be entertained by the constant train traffic and hissing air brakes.

Fleeting Beauty

On Sunday mornings we walk the same route, up one side of the Mississippi and down the other, about five miles. Each walk is never exactly the same. Today turning leaves, iridescent with tiny drops of dew, caught our attention.

Post-Concert Cityscape

As we emerged from Orchestra Hall, following a Minnesota Orchestra concert showcasing North American composers, we were greeted by this downtown scene.

Routine Takes a Hike

Emily, our usual hairdresser, is in Europe hiking part of the Camino de Santiago. With a hint of trepidation, I ventured into a nearby establishment called “Men’s Spa” for a haircut. The cut was good, but I look forward to comparing notes with Emily about inn-to-inn hiking next time.

The Magical Realism of Japan

Dwight’s in Fargo visiting his mom, so I decided to watch some anime. Chose “Paprika” where dreams and reality lose boundaries. Magical realism pervades anime, as well as much of the Japanese literature I’ve read in translation, and (for me) Japan itself. I keep going back for more.

Poetry Costs Extra

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.

A [Insert Collective Noun] of Biffies

At my age, who could ask for more? On my cycle ride, this biffy convention caught my attention. For the rest of the ride, I tried to think up a collective noun for such a group. A relief of biffies? A widdle? A pod (“pees in a pod”)? Nah.

Categorized as Oddity

Cafe + Bike Shop in a Railroad Trench

I was surprised to see that the Midtown Bike Center had reopened after closing in 2020 due to COVID. It’s located in a former railroad trench that’s now a bikeway. Inside, I ordered an Americano (in a real cup) and explored the remodeled space, which will soon include bike sales and repair services.