My new neighbor wants to meet people, and this is one way to do it…
I spend a lot of time on campus due to the gaps in between my classes and the various special events, but I try to avoid the West Bank (where the law school is) because of the depressing communist-chic architecture:
I chuck the tennis ball and Gertrude goes nuts. Hide your kids, hide your wife, cus we got a ball hog out here:
The worst part about winter in Minnesota isn’t the cold – it’s the dark. And it’s already starting.
It was pitch black before 7pm today.
Alesus and I are outside of the Uptown Suburban World Theater, having beverages and people watching.
The manger comes out and moves a sandwich board into a metered parking spot. This placement looks awkward, so a waitress suggests that he put the sign on the trash can in front of the restaurant.
Manager: “Hm, sure that looks real appetizing. They’ll come right on it!”
And then he puts the sign up:
What a week. Long days at school, a weekend at work, and the first signs of frost and fall. Despite my packed schedule, I still made it to the lakes this week to enjoy the last of the green:
Alesus told me that he had never been to a Denny’s. I was scandalized and informed him that we were going to a Denny’s that very moment. It is now one of our favorite restaurant chains.
Why do I have a passion for this restaurant chain? Well! First off, Denny’s does its part to help promote awareness of county ordinances by posting them at the cash register:
You won’t see this kind of civic involvement at Chino Latinos!
The lady working at the Brooklyn Park Denny’s cash register is also hilarious. One week she saw us and said, “Y’all back?! Our food good ain’t it?”
Yes it is, Keke. Yes, it, is.
Keke only refers to Alesus as “beautiful.” This creates a considerable amount of confusion in the lobby.
Also, when waiting for seating, there’s often a religious coloring book for your Tiny Tots for Christ:
The politeness of Denny’s managers isn’t constraint by spelling conventions:
And, possibly the best thing ever (people watching aside) is the toy-grab machine:
I’m walking across campus. People glance at me, smirk, and avert their eyes. Some people laugh openly.
I finally figure out why:
I see this box everywhere, but I took the picture at Hark market in Whittier:
That cover makes me laugh every time.
I’m sure it was a good idea in the 60’s, but this Lake Calhoun area house is horrifying:
Alesus and I ended the week eating oysters on the rooftop patio of Stella’s Fish Café in Uptown Minneapolis.
Some random pictures from around town…starting with the Dunn Brothers growler, a jug of cold press coffee:
Delicious.
And my favorite house on Lake Calhoun:
Alesus and I went to Pagoda, which is one of the first restaurants I visited in Minneapolis. We had a Jellyfish appetizer.
I didn’t want to take the hike to Cub, the local cheap grocery chain, so I went to the nearby chichi grocery store named Kowalski’s. You know a place is fancy when you’re shopping on carpet.
I was tempted at the check-out lane, but not by the trashy magazines:
I resisted. Trying to be more Knowles than Hudson.
We actually have several chichi grocery stores in the city – Lunds, Byerly’s, Trader Joe’s – and several farmer’s markets. Kowalski’s is pricey, but Lunds is the only place where I have ever paid $15 for grapes.
