How Do I Love it Here? Let Me Count The Ways

In the summertime, this is a grade school play ground, but in the winter, it becomes an ice skaters haven.  I love the outdoor rinks here, how they start popping up in the fall anxiously awaiting the cold temps.

 This particular outdoor ice rink has 2 separate hockey rinks and a lap lane going around them both for recreational skaters.  If only there were outdoor lighting, the party would never stop.

St. Clair and Cleveland.

When the sun won't come to you.....

....you must go to the sun.  Planet Beach at Grand and Oxford.  12 minute mini vacations!

Longfellow Grill

They are still feeling the holiday spirit there.

And they celebrate with LOTS of whipped cream!

Where Marshall becomes Lake on the Minneapolis side of the river.

Snow Emergency

It's always a good thing when a snow emergency is called because it means the plows are coming through to do their business and make the streets a bit more useable.  But I have to say, it's completely eerie to see the street free of vehicles.  And while everyone loves having the streets plowed, nobody loves the giant snow berms we are left to deal with.  No snow shovel can manage those berms adequately.  Only a spade will take care of that icy business.  Man, I love Minnesota.  Even now.  Especially now.  Winter is what we do best.  :)

An evening at W.A. Frost

I typically only go here during the spring and summer because their patio is the loveliest one in all of Saint Paul. 

Currently, it looks like this....

 But I found the indoors to be charming as well and I enjoyed so much, my time with 3 fine girlfriends and a few glasses of wine.

Corner of Western and Selby.

Snow Falls in Saint Paul

More snow today.  If it's going to be cold, I say let the white stuff fall!!!  Summit and Syndicate.

Hot Spots

LOVE these prints of famous spots around the Twin Cities.  For sale as wall art or post cards at the Mill City Museum.

Saint Paul lost one of it's finest felines yesterday.  We'll miss you with all our might, buddy.

Gratitude

Being thankful and grateful can happen whenever people who care for each other are gathered together....and sometimes even when they're not.

Saint Paul Gives

Saint Paul waited HOURS in line this morning to be given the honor of driving meals to people who otherwise couldn't afford it.  Who cares if the temps outside were unseasonably cold and the wait was long and the gym was HOT and people's backs hurt and the warm gym started to stink!  What mattered was that Saint Paul made a difference to a whole lotta folks!  Happy Thanksgiving Best Place I've Ever Lived.....Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Shamrock's

Fully enjoyed the ceilings while there.  I get distracted by shiney things.  So what.

Alexander Ramsey House

On Exchange Street.  I still need to go tour this amazing house!

Behind the Uptowner on the corner of Lex and Grand

Just liked the look of this.

And so it begins......

Nooks and Crannies

So many gorgeous hidden places!  Alley off St. Peter Street.

Mickey's Dining Car

Syrup warming bath.  Mmmmmmmmm.  Warm syrup.........
West 7th Street.

The Guthrie

Technically in Minneapolis, this picture was too good not to post.  Yellow tinted windows give everything a magical glow. 

The Little Oven

At the corner of White Bear Avenue and Minnehaha.  Buy one pie, get one free?  Yes please!

Shamrock's on West 7th

I'll take my chances, thanks......

Winner winner chicken dinner!

While I don't advise shooting from a moving vehicle (yes, I was driving and shooting...naughty!!!) sometimes you capture pure magic, like this shot of the Xcel Energy Center where the Minnesota Wild play all their home games.  West 7th and Kellogg.

Lancer Service Auto Care

Just kitty corner behind The Gopher Bar is Lancer Auto.  Best freakin' auto shop EVER!  Smart guys, treat the whole car, remember my name every time, OUTSTANDING customer service.  Not the cheapest out there, but their guys aren't just slumming it until something better comes along.  Their employees are passionate about auto repair and customer service, and that wins my business every time.

Midway Target

Nothing perks up the hellacious Midway Target parking lot like a beautiful autumn sunset.

Life is just a bowl full of......doughboys!

General Mills (including Pillsbury), Target and 3M are all companies that are headquartered here in the Twin Cities Metro area.

It's because we rock so hard here.  And best of all?  The cold keeps the riff raff out so only the heartiest of the hearty survive up here.  Brilliant!

Boo!

Halloween?  Saint Paul did you proud last night.

Spoooooooky......

The Capella Tower in Downtown Minneapolis shrouded in fog.  Seemed like a fitting picture for the day before Halloween.

The Saint Paul Hotel - Continues...

The Saint Paul Hotel

I keep saying I'm going to stick around a place for a few days and then I find myself flitting off to someplace new.  I'm like a gnat.  A gnat who likes to take photos.

James J. Hill House

Summit Avenue, adjacent from The Cathedral of Saint Paul.  He brought the railroad across the country in the north and built the largest home in all of Saint Paul.  The tour is pretty incredible.  We might be here for a while.

Mancini's

Warming plates.  I get really visually stimulated by things in a row, group, bundle, stack.  Love it.

Cafe Latte

Grand and Victoria.  While usually too crowded for my taste, I do love this place for it's crazy ass variety.  Up front are soups, salads and sandwiches.  In the back is pizza and wine.  Rounding it all out is their amazing desserts and coffees.  What more could you want?

Wha???

Dude, seriously?  The Evil Road Spirits?  What does that even mean?

Giant Gorilla Loose in Saint Paul!!!

Some days it's hard to find photos I want to post on this blog.  Today is not one of those days.  Check out what I found in a neighbors yard yesterday.  Have you ever seen such straw awesomeness!?!



For scale, check out the car, just slightly larger than the gorilla!



SO MUCH BETTER than some decorative gourds, wouldn't you say?

The Neighborhood House

The Neighborhood House is a community building location in West Saint Paul.  They hold meetings, trainings, classes and all kinds of programs there.  It is a GORGEOUS space!  We'll be spending a few days there.  This mirror is totally stunning!  AND I met a guy who said his kid helped work on it.  Beautiful AND made by kids.  I love it!

El Burrito Mercado

On Cesar Chavez in West Saint Paul.  Check out the guy hanging off the roof doing a little touch up painting.  Careful there.

Another Old School Saint Paul Institution

I am sure that I have posted about Mancini's before but it's always worth a re-visit.  West 7th.  Best grilled bread on the planet!

Thinking ahead.....

Ace Hardware on Grand Avenue is getting folks ready for what's to come.

Old School Saint Paul

Martini's at The Lexington.  Really not something any upstanding Saint Paulian should miss!

HE'BREW

I had dinner at a friends house the other night who had THIS box in their kitchen.  I found it TOO funny not to ask about.  While they didn't buy the HE'BREW brand of beer, they chose that box to carry home some of their other goods from 1st Grand Avenue Liquor.  Awesome!  Clever folks, those marking people.

The Muddy Pig

Sunny days like these just beg for a visit to an outdoor patio.  The Muddy Pig has one.  It's a tight squeeze between two buildings, but it will do!

Just a stones throw across the river in Mendota Heights is this fabulous sign off Highway 13!  Whenever I hear the name Chet, I always think of Weird Science.  Anyone else?

Fall has arrived!

And watching my neighbors kids play in the leaves with their mom put a HUGE smile on my face!