Luke and I just got back from a belated-anniversary trip to Red Wing, MN. It was a low-key weekend, which is nice.
We drove around the Historic Residential District and admired the amazing houses, some of which where very elaborate. We even stumbled upon a Frank Lloyd Wright home.
The Pottery Place is the old Red Wing Pottery factory turned into an antique and whimsical shop mall. The historical integrity of the building is preserved very well, and we checked out the ruins of a "drive-thru" kiln in the middle of the parking lot. We ambled around one floor of the three-story antique shop - which was enough antiquing for us! But we did come away with two books (antique) and a movie (not antique).
Across the road from the Pottery Place is a little cafe called Smokey Row Cafe and Jenny Lind Bakery. It's a little unassuming place in a lack-luster strip mall and we almost didn't go there. I'm sure glad we did. It was like walking into a 1950s cafe. The tables were either green, blue, yellow or pink Formica and had the classic silver band around the side. Local artwork was displayed on the walls. There was a rack full of fresh bakery goods made right there in the kitchen. The staff was very friendly, and the whole atmosphere made us feel right at home. Luke had a regular cup o' joe and I tried a Sweet Jenny - espresso with honey and cardamom....yummy!
Continuing with food, the next time you're in Red Wing, make sure you eat at Liberty's. We had breakfast there and it was great. Make sure you order something with pancakes. I had the Mini Liberty breakfast and Luke had the regular Liberty. We each had a choice of toast or pancakes. I had toast (marble rye) and Luke got the pancakes. My toast was good, especially with jam, but when Luke gave me a bite of the pancakes I regretted choosing the toast. The best pancakes I have tasted in a long time.
Later that same day we went to Liberty's for supper. I had the cod fish sandwich. Perfection. Oh, try dipping the potato wedges in the house dressing - a surprising taste combination that will make you want more.
What trip to Red Wing would be complete without a hike around Barn Bluff? Luke has been into rock climbing for years and I decided to give it a try. There are many climbing routes on the north side of the bluff in a wide range of difficulty levels. My first attempt was on a relatively easy route. Let's just say I got started. I still have some things to work through....
I think my favorite trail on Barn Bluff is the North Trail. Being on the, well, north side of the bluff it is in shade most of the time and is therefore a haven for shade plants and wildflowers. The steep hills were blanketed in ferns, moss, meadow rue, bug-bane, violets, bloodroot, wild ginger, columbine and I don't know what else. In the past I have always come to Barn Bluff in the fall to enjoy the autumn colors; this was my first trip in the spring and I must say the lush greenery is just as lovely. Just watch out for the poison ivy at the beginning of the South Trail.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
sometimes you just need a llama
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Pinky?"
"I think so, Brain, but how are we going to find ten llamas on such short notice?"
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
wait.....something is a little backward here
I love shopping. I love looking at the new fashions and hoping they'll look good on me. I love trying on clothes. I love the hunting for just the right thing, and I especially love the thrill of finding the perfect thing.
But it's best if I shop alone. Because I take foooooreveeeerrr! I deliberate when looking at the racks. I deliberate when I try things on. I deliberate whether the similar article at another store is actually better than the one at this store. I have actually gone between three or four different stores at opposite ends of the mall three times comparing clothes. And end up buying nothing.
And if I find something that is almost perfect, I will deliberate if I truly will wear it, agonize over whether I can truly afford it, analyze how I look in it, and end up fixating on whatever drawback there may be. Then I will put everything back after spending several hours picking and choosing the clothes. And end up buying nothing.
But I can still say I had a fun day shopping. Go figure.
Anyway, I recently purchased a business suit in the hopes of landing a receptionist position (or something similar). Gray and pink are a classic color combo, so I picked out a gray suit jacket and skirt, and a muted pink dress shirt. Luke was with, so I felt like I needed to make a quick decision because I didn't want to make him bored or frustrated if I went about my normal shopping deliberation. It was at the end of a long day, so I was tired, hungry and, at the time, hot. (Von Maur keeps their store very hot - I don't understand why...it's not good for a pleasant shopping experience, if you ask me...it only made me want to get out of the store).
The suit skirt fit great, but I wasn't crazy about the shoulder pads in the jacket. Now, they weren't the 80s I'm-a-linebacker-and-have-to-turn-sideways-to-get-through-the-door shoulder pads, but they were more than I liked and I felt like my shoulders were at my ears. The dress shirt was frustrating. I am apparently too busty for a small (how did that happen?!) and not busty enough for a medium. So the result was the bust of the shirt was too low, and left a gap that created too much of a, uh, view. But the necessary alterations weren't possible.
I was very skeptical that the shirt would work, but Luke and the sales lady (naturally) said I looked great and professional, and I was tired, hungry, hot, and didn't want to make Luke wait any longer, so we purchased the suit. Well, nothing came of any of my job interviews so now I have this expensive suit that I may never wear.
Today, after months of deliberating and trying it on several times at home, I brought the entire suit, in its nice blue Von Maur garment bag, back to Von Maur with the plan to return the shirt and perhaps find one that fit better, and try it on with the skirt and jacket. The store was the same uncomfortable hot. As I was searching the racks, I discovered that carrying around the Von Maur garment bag was a signal to all the sales people that I was already a satisfied customer today, and they didn't bother me. A nice bonus.
Apparently suits are a fall thing, or at least, long sleeve dress shirts are a fall thing, because the selection was very slim and I couldn't find anything that worked. So I left. Without returning anything.
Now here's the backward thing. I stopped in JCPenney before going to Von Maur and ended up buying a cute cami and a blousey shirt. Granted, both were on super sale to begin with, and I had a coupon so I didn't pay anything near full price, but wasn't the whole point of this trip to return something?
But it's best if I shop alone. Because I take foooooreveeeerrr! I deliberate when looking at the racks. I deliberate when I try things on. I deliberate whether the similar article at another store is actually better than the one at this store. I have actually gone between three or four different stores at opposite ends of the mall three times comparing clothes. And end up buying nothing.
And if I find something that is almost perfect, I will deliberate if I truly will wear it, agonize over whether I can truly afford it, analyze how I look in it, and end up fixating on whatever drawback there may be. Then I will put everything back after spending several hours picking and choosing the clothes. And end up buying nothing.
But I can still say I had a fun day shopping. Go figure.
Anyway, I recently purchased a business suit in the hopes of landing a receptionist position (or something similar). Gray and pink are a classic color combo, so I picked out a gray suit jacket and skirt, and a muted pink dress shirt. Luke was with, so I felt like I needed to make a quick decision because I didn't want to make him bored or frustrated if I went about my normal shopping deliberation. It was at the end of a long day, so I was tired, hungry and, at the time, hot. (Von Maur keeps their store very hot - I don't understand why...it's not good for a pleasant shopping experience, if you ask me...it only made me want to get out of the store).
The suit skirt fit great, but I wasn't crazy about the shoulder pads in the jacket. Now, they weren't the 80s I'm-a-linebacker-and-have-to-turn-sideways-to-get-through-the-door shoulder pads, but they were more than I liked and I felt like my shoulders were at my ears. The dress shirt was frustrating. I am apparently too busty for a small (how did that happen?!) and not busty enough for a medium. So the result was the bust of the shirt was too low, and left a gap that created too much of a, uh, view. But the necessary alterations weren't possible.
I was very skeptical that the shirt would work, but Luke and the sales lady (naturally) said I looked great and professional, and I was tired, hungry, hot, and didn't want to make Luke wait any longer, so we purchased the suit. Well, nothing came of any of my job interviews so now I have this expensive suit that I may never wear.
Today, after months of deliberating and trying it on several times at home, I brought the entire suit, in its nice blue Von Maur garment bag, back to Von Maur with the plan to return the shirt and perhaps find one that fit better, and try it on with the skirt and jacket. The store was the same uncomfortable hot. As I was searching the racks, I discovered that carrying around the Von Maur garment bag was a signal to all the sales people that I was already a satisfied customer today, and they didn't bother me. A nice bonus.
Apparently suits are a fall thing, or at least, long sleeve dress shirts are a fall thing, because the selection was very slim and I couldn't find anything that worked. So I left. Without returning anything.
Now here's the backward thing. I stopped in JCPenney before going to Von Maur and ended up buying a cute cami and a blousey shirt. Granted, both were on super sale to begin with, and I had a coupon so I didn't pay anything near full price, but wasn't the whole point of this trip to return something?
Friday, April 22, 2011
Prepare for Lots of Random
I decided to add a blog for less plant related things. I just can't figure out how to have a separate profile description for this one. Blogger put up the same one I have for Yes, I Talk to Plants which is more suited for plant geeks. Maybe I'll have to modify it.
This blog will be a range of topics from books, movies, trips/vacations, random things found on the internet, randomer thoughts, and whatever else I feel inclined to share. I'm still not satisfied with the title. The trouble is I can never remember fun things I or other people have said in order to use them as a really cool blog title. I always end up with something that seems like I'm trying too hard. Maybe I should take ginseng to boost my memory or something.
Slightly off-topic but not because it's random: Apparently "randomer" isn't a word. I like it and I think it fits well in my sentence, but spell check's red squiggly line is yelling at me. It suggests "ransomer".
Well that's ironically appropriate; sometimes I feel like my thoughts are held for ransom.
This blog will be a range of topics from books, movies, trips/vacations, random things found on the internet, randomer thoughts, and whatever else I feel inclined to share. I'm still not satisfied with the title. The trouble is I can never remember fun things I or other people have said in order to use them as a really cool blog title. I always end up with something that seems like I'm trying too hard. Maybe I should take ginseng to boost my memory or something.
Slightly off-topic but not because it's random: Apparently "randomer" isn't a word. I like it and I think it fits well in my sentence, but spell check's red squiggly line is yelling at me. It suggests "ransomer".
Well that's ironically appropriate; sometimes I feel like my thoughts are held for ransom.
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