Heavenly Soles, R.I.P.

I am sad to report that after 14 years of business, Heavenly Soles on Lake Street is closing. They were a victim of the economy and the construction on Lake Street that took months longer to complete than the city anticipated.

Their remaining merchandise is 50% off, so stop in while you can for shoes and gifts. They are located in the same building as Hair Police, so I would always stop there before haircuts to browse, and I would rarely walk out empty-handed. They had a great selection of footwear, but I was always drawn to the gift section. Previous purchases include my “What Would Bacon Do?” spinner, zombie finger puppets, and slang flash cards. I picked up some magnets and a lovely cocktail book on my most recent visit, and I’m sorrowful that it was my last.

At the 7/11 Where I Was Taught…

Green Day at Target Center

July 11, 2009

It had been almost four years since Green Day had played the Twin Cities, and I was giddy with anticipation.

We arrived at the arena a little after 7:00, anticipating that there would be a huge line for will call, but there wasn’t. There was a bit of a wait to get into the arena, but after about five minutes of shuffling through people, we made it in. After a quick stop for refreshments, we seated ourselves in section 129, row Z. We were the first section over from the stage on Mike’s side (schwoon) and we were in the very last row of the first level. We were a little relieved to have nobody behind us– it was nice to not be sandwiched between rows.

Before the show, people were sending text messages and photos to be displayed on the jumbotron. Pictures of pets were popular, and I sent a photo of my dogs. Soon, ten thousand people were looking at this:

The music before the show varied from Sinatra’s “My Way” to Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” to “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” but it was all good.

The Bravery came on first, and they were pleasant. I wasn’t bowled over by them, and I doubt I would go see them the next time they came to town, but they had some good songs. I was only familiar with “Time Won’t Let Me Go” and “An Honest Mistake” but the rest of their songs were catchy, including two songs they played from their upcoming album.

The Bravery set list (courtesy of GreenDayAuthority.com forums):

• Unconditional
• Swollen Summer
• Believe
• Hate Fuck
• Red Hands and White Knuckles
• Time Won’t Let Me Go
• Every Word Is A Knife In My Ear
• An Honest Mistake

The music between sets was more upbeat, including Cheap Trick’s “Surrender”. Then they played The Ramones’ “Rock ‘n’ Roll Radio” at a higher volume than the other songs, and we knew it was time for the real fun to begin.

The crowd was fantastic. People were attentive during the opening act, and once the main show started, everyone was on their feet singing at the top of their lungs, pumping their fists into the air. The two women beside me were really into it, and we all proceeded to rock our collective asses off.

Set list (courtesy of Star Tribune’s Pop Life Blog and GreenDayAuthority.com forums — the forums are an amazing source of information):

1. Song of the Century – I liked the way this began the main set and American Eulogy ended it, like bookends.

2. 21^st century Breakdown – Oh, thank you god for answering my prayers, Mike is sleeveless. I mean, I knew there was a pretty good chance, but still…

3. Know Your Enemy

4. East Jesus Nowhere – Billie Joe called a 12-year-old boy onstage and “healed” him during this song. Then he set the kid loose with a Super Soaker on the crowd. I think this is also the part where I finally noticed Tre had bleached his hair, because I was so fixated on Mike’s biceps. I liked that they opened with three songs from the new album, like they did on the American Idiot tour.

5. Holiday

6. Static Age – This is my current favorite song on the album, and to see it live was amazing.

7. Before the Lobotomy

8. Are We the Waiting

9. St. Jimmy

10. Boulevard of Broken Dreams – I had initially seen this as part of the encore, but it fits really well here as part of the main set.

11. Hitchin’ a Ride – One, two, one, two, three, four!

12. Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne cover, intro only) – The band was goofing around and teasing the crowd with several introductions to songs.

13. Iron Man (Black Sabbath cover, intro only)

14. Master Of Puppets (Metallica cover, intro only)

15.Let’s Go Crazy (Prince cover) – Then they launched into this song for real, and played the entire song except for the guitar solo at the end. I was impressed with Billie Joe’s guitar work in the middle, though.

16.  Brain Stew

17. Jaded

18. Longview – They called three different people from the audience to sing this song. The first two were girls, and the second girl repeated the first verse. Then they called a guy up who completed the song and did a stage dive (with encouragement from the band) at the end.

19. Basket Case

20. She

21. King for a Day (including Shout/If My Friends Could See Me Now/Swannee/I’ll Be There/Stand By Me) – The band went into several different snippets of songs in the middle, which was fun. They all put on silly hats, and Jason Freese (playing sax) was dressed up like Michael Jackson and attempted to moo. Some people might say it’s too soon for that, but it was all in good fun and he was already present in other ways, when they played one of his songs before the show and when they put a bit of “I’ll Be There” in the medley.

22. 21 Guns – Lots of pyro during this one, including a sheet of sparklers falling from the ceiling above the stage.

23. American Eulogy

ENCORE

24. American Idiot

25. Jesus of Suburbia – They called a girl up to play guitar through the “Dearly Beloved” part. Although I’m glad she got to get up on stage with the band (and did a good job), this was the only part of the show that dragged, because they took a really long time to find someone who knew the song. From what I’ve seen, they normally have another person take over halfway through, too.

26. Minority

27. Minnesota Girl – This is an unreleased song Billie Joe wrote about his wife. He played it the last time he was here, too. We’re just lucky that way.

28. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

The banter contained tons of local references:

• Billie Joe pointed to a fan who had been holding up an Oakland A’s hat and said, “Fuck the A’s! Twins baby! They kicked the White Sox’s asses the other night!”
• Before one of the songs, Billie Joe came out dressed as a policeman and announced, “This is the Minneapolis police, the party is over” in a bit referring to the beginning of the album “Stink” by The Replacements.
• Before singing “Know Your Enemy,” he remarked, “The day we recorded this song was the first day of the Republican Convention. The Republican Convention was here, right? We got those motherfuckers out of fucking office, right?” {The show wasn’t as cathartic as the previous show, when we were still under the Bush administration, and the whole Katrina debacle had just happened. It was still politically charged, and energetic, and I was still fully participating, just in a different way.)
• After a reference to doobies (and perhaps after mooning the audience for the first time), he said, “My father in law isn’t here so I can say what ever I want!”
• He also mentioned that he’s here a lot (his wife’s family still resides here), and he was in town on New Year’s Eve. (Seriously, if I ever ran into him at SuperAmerica or something, it would be the most awkward moment in my life. I would have no idea what to say and I’d be so completely awestruck that I’d probably pass out.)

Weird social commentary:

• I loved the look of the people who were all called up on stage. None of them were posing and all of them had their hearts into it. Some bands would choose the thin, pretty, supermodel types, but the audience was really normal. Not to say that the people were hideous by any means, but everyone’s looks were attainable, and that felt refreshing. I just see so much airbrushed, contrived crap that on some level I start to believe that’s how I should be.
• I loved the inter-generational feel of the show. I’m sure the band offended some people with swearing and masturbation references, but for the most part I think parents knew what they were getting into when they brought their kids along. Most of the kids were born after Dookie, so it was cool to see the band have a second revival with a new generation of fans. A lot of the text messages on the jumbotron before the show were from kids to parents (”thanks for bringing me to my first concert”) and vice versa (”enjoy your first show”). And how cool to have Green Day as your first live show?! They’d have some pretty high standards after that.
• Did you know that we have two new saunas in the Twin Cities? The first is the Cedar Cultural Center, and the second is Target Center. Especially when the show involves lots of pyro, as it did at the latter venue. Not that it interrupted the fun, of course.

Links to other reviews:

• Star Tribune (short | long)
• Pioneer Press

Hell’s Kitchen Happy Hour

My friend Dave and I were looking for something off the beaten path before a show at Target Center. We decided Hell’s Kitchen was the way to go (and the band we were seeing also has a black and red design theme). Also, they’re one of the few places who have a happy hour 7 days a week. I had been there for brunch many times, but this was my first dinner/happy hour experience.

The bar wasn’t open until 5:30, so we opted to sit in the main restaurant area. There was no wait, but the restaurant was doing a decent business and was about 3/4 full.

To start, we ordered the sweet potato fries with chipotle mayo sauce ($3). They were lightly salted, and the dipping sauce was delicious. I only wish there had been a little more of it, because we exhausted the supply. The fries were delightful on their own, though.

We each had a mini turkey & brie on baguette with chips ($5). I didn’t have the chips (they looked like standard tortilla chips and didn’t come with any dipping sauce, although I’m sure salsa was available for an extra charge). But the sandwich was divine, and a little larger than I expected, so it was very filling.

We had a little more room in our stomachs, so we ordered the garlic-teriyaki wings with bleu cheese dressing and celery ($4) to ensure we wouldn’t be starving during the show. I could only eat two wings, but they were just the right amount of saucy and crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside.

I should have written down the beverages we ordered, along with the ingredients, because they don’t have that information posted online. Here’s the best I can do from memory:

We each ordered a Tequila Mockingbird (tequila, sour, and grenadine). It was beautifully presented, with the grenadine on the bottom. I didn’t do the greatest job of mixing mine up, so sometimes I’d get a mouthful of tequila, and at other times I’d get a taste of grenadine. I like tequila, so I’m not complaining…

We then split two drinks. The first was called a something Fosse, and it was a martini with ginger-infused vodka and basil, with a giant basil leaf floating in the middle. It had a complex and refreshing flavor, with a little pepper kick at the end. For dessert, we had a peanut butter martini, which looked like chocolate milk with chopped nuts inside and chocolate on the rim of the martini glass. A very tasty way to end the meal.

The whole meal cost about $43, not including tip, so it was a steal for fine food and drinks in downtown Minneapolis.

Catching Up

The last couple weeks have been hell at work, so I’ve been too busy curling up in the fetal position at home to write anything. However, I’m hoping the storm has passed and we can get back to regular summer fun.

Beer

Oh, sweet, sweet nectar. How you taunt me. A couple weeks ago, I arrived home to a refrigerator that looked like this.

This is what the door to heaven looks like

We’ve been enjoying several local and imported varieties. Summit has a lovely four-beer sampler of Extra Pale Ale, Pilsner, Hefeweizen, and Scandia (very Belgian-like) that’s light and perfect for sipping on the deck on a summer evening.

We went to Grumpy’s a couple weeks ago and I had a sampler of four beers served on a paddle.

1. I tried Fatty Boombalatty, a beer from Wisconsin. It was golden, slightly fruity, Belgian-like, with a light finish that had just a hint of hops. Fatty Boombalatty is also what I’ll be calling my butt if I don’t slow down the beer consumption.
2. Next up was Fat Tire (I failed to note the variety, but I think it was the Trippel). It was gold with a hint of amber, and it had a tinge of toffee flavor. It was good, but not as delicious as Fatty, and it didn’t hold up as well with food. However, that wouldn’t stop me from trying their offerings again.
3. I also had a sample of Rush River Bubblejack IPA, even though I’d tried it before. I wanted something hoppy, and I wanted to measure the other things against something familiar. It did not disappoint, and was hoppy and light.
4. Last was Summit Red. It was a deep red color (very pretty), and was slightly hoppy, although not as much as the IPA. It had a slightly fruity taste to it as well.

(Have I mentioned that I can’t wait until I get an iPhone so I can have it with me all the time and take pictures? The shipment is in progress. Some of us were a little slow on the uptake, plus I’m porting my land line so it’s taking a bit of extra time, but as long as it’s here before my next Vegas trip, things will be good. Ahem.)

To accompany my beer, we had the mac & cheese bites (highly, highly recommended), and the Cuban sandwich (not recommended so much… it was a little on the dry side). The sampler was a great deal, and most of the beers were regional (except for Fat Tire, which is out of Colorado), so it was fun to try some local flavor.

Axel’s

We had a let-off-some-steam work happy hour at Axel’s Bonfire on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. I had a drink flavored with Bacardi Dragon Berry, lemonade, and a splash of cranberry juice. It was light and summery. Then I had the delicious French Kiss martini, which I fondly referred to as the never-ending martini. Normally, when you order a martini at Axel’s, they give you a shaker with an extra portion. It’s a great bargain, considering that you get 2 drinks for $9 to $11, and drinks are $2 off during happy hour. However, this shaker contained at least four servings (including the original pour). Not that I’m complaining… I just need to pace myself.

Brasa

In search of more food, we started wandering east on Grand. I mentioned that Brasa had just opened, but I wasn’t sure where it was. Sure enough, it was just a block away and appeared like a pork-flavored beacon on the horizon. Groups of more than four have to order family-style, and the six of us were happy to comply. We got half of a Creole-style Rotisserie Chicken, a half pound of the Slow Roasted Pork, a side of grits and a side of roasted yams with Andouille sausage. We also got complimentary cornbread muffins drizzled in butter. The food was incredible. Surprisingly, I liked the chicken even more than the pork. Both were flavorful and juicy. The sides were outstanding, melt-in-your mouth spoonfuls of delight. The muffins were warm and slightly sweet, with the perfect balance in texture between moist and crumbly. Having recovered from my martini, I ordered a Rush River Amber Unforgiven Ale, which went incredibly well with all of the food. I can’t wait to return. They were busy for a Friday night, but not dauntingly so.

KP Anderson at Acme

We had several events to choose from this weekend. We could have gone to see the New Standards at the jazz festival in Mears Park in downtown St. Paul (where a branch of Barrio has opened…). The Twins were in town, playing the Astros. And KP Anderson (writer for “The Soup,” “Last Comic Standing,” and other shows) was playing Acme Comedy Co. Based on the title in this section, guess what we chose? He was hilarious, and had several funny stories about his wife, his kid, and his parents.

Crafted Together

I went to this craft show in White Bear Lake several weeks ago, and I’ll give it a more extended review in another post. I found several local crafty people whose work is awesome, and I found that downtown White Bear Lake has some fun shops and restaurants worth exploring.

Vincent and Hell’s Kitchen

Looking over the last few posts, it’s been beer beer meat cocktails beer beer meat beer. And I wonder why I’ve gained several pounds over the last few weeks.*

However, that did not stop me from meeting my friend Andrea at Vincent in downtown Minneapolis. We’d both heard wonderful things about the burger, and it did not disappoint.

I ordered a glass of the Foxglove Cabernet Sauvignon, because I was in the mood for red wine. It was very good, especially for $3 a glass. I would have ordered beer, but they only had Summit Extra Pale Ale and 1664 on tap, and I love red wine with burgers or steak.

The burger was made of ground beef with short ribs in the middle, covered in melted Gouda cheese and a subtly tangy sauce, accompanied by two fresh slices of tomato, shredded lettuce, and onions. The bun was lightly toasted to perfection. The burger was outstanding, and I loved having a little savory pork surprise in the middle of each bite. The fries were also amazing. They tasted like McDonald’s fries (which to me is not an insult, and I feel much better about eating these fries than the ones at McD’s). They were hot and salty and fresh. For $8 on the bar menu, the burger is an incredible deal, and it’s the best burger I’ve had in the Twin Cities in a while.

Service was excellent. We had a very attentive (and attractive) waiter, who was always available but didn’t hover. The bar began to fill up, so we vacated the table and walked down Nicollet Mall, where we were pelted by wind and some flying debris. We sought shelter in a booth in the tavern of Hell’s Kitchen. I was tempted by their cocktails, but asked the bartender about their house beer. I believe it was called “Angel’s Demise” and it was from a brewery near Duluth, but I’m having a hard time finding it in The Googler. Based on his description, I took a chance and it was wonderful. It was a beautiful red color and had a hint of spice and the tiniest bit of hops. It was full-bodied and delicious, and I will be returning to learn more about it.

 

 

*Incidentally, did you know that if you wave your hands in the air for three hours, you’ll be sore all over for two days? I call it the Springsteen workout. If we could follow Bruce on tour, I could have all the food I wanted and I wouldn’t have to go up a pants size.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and American Burger Bar

What a weird night.

A little background: If you haven’t been to a recent Springsteen show, they’ve been selling General Admission tickets for the floor, and they have a pit area up front. They hold a lottery every night to determine who gets into the pit for the best spots in the house. If you have a GA ticket, you can get a numbered wristband, and then they draw a number that represents the beginning of the line.

Tim and I had GA tickets, which we’ve had for Bruce’s three previous stops at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The lottery hadn’t worked out for us the last two times, but we were hoping tonight would be different. We arrived at Xcel at 4:30 and got wristbands #754 and 755. We waited on the steps outside, counting Canadian Tuxedoes until they were ready to begin the drawing. (The count at that point? 16, including 3 men who got double points and were not named John Cafferty.)

We lined up in the RiverCentre, near a guy who was celebrating a birthday and was hoping for good luck. They had given away about 1150 wristbands, and they had room for 600 in the pit, so our odds were near 50/50.

Two very inebriated women stumbled up to us asking what our numbers were. We told them we were in the 700s, and they said they were in the 400s. They didn’t believe us when we told them they had to walk a few feet over to the next line. “But it’s so far!” they protested. It’s all about pacing, ladies. But we were amused.

Finally, at 5:45, they drew the number.

Number….

Seven hundred (ooh!)….

Fifty…. (oh my god oh my god!)

Eight! (D’OH!)

Everyone behind us immediately celebrates, including the birthday guy who was going to be in the front row. We stand there, stunned. Maybe mouthing a profanity or five.

So, had we arrived two minutes later, we would have been in the pit. I mean, it’s one thing to be several hundred people off. But to be that freaking close.

Did we mess up our karma by participating in the Canadian Tuxedo count? Did I disrespect the usher outside the arena by not high-fiving him? It just wasn’t meant to be.

I wanted to leave that room as quickly as possible, so we headed back out to the RiverCentre lobby. We noticed a guy who looked an awful lot like the manager of the music store where we’d first met fifteen years ago.

In the bathroom, I overheard two very drunk women, possibly the same ones we’d encountered earlier. “You have to pee.” “I’m trying!” It was probably a blessing in disguise for them, because I don’t know how much longer they would have been able to stand.

We wanted to find a place to sit and drown our sorrows, although we knew that the bars along 7th Street would be a complete zoo. (Plus, I didn’t want to take the chance of Tim running into Ron Coomer again and giving him some feedback on his broadcasting skills.)

We walked north on Kellogg Boulevard, through Rice Park, and along a side street until we found the American Burger Bar. There were two seats at the end of the bar, and we sat down, shaking our heads in disbelief. Tim ordered a Captain Morgan and Diet Coke, and I ordered a Cosmopolitan because it was still on special ($5) during happy hour. I was pleasantly surprised, because cosmos can be hit or miss, and the way my luck was going, it could have been a triple sec-fueled disaster. However, the drink was perfectly balanced.

This next part probably will only make sense to me and Tim, but I’m going to document it anyway. As we were sipping our beverages and poring over the menu, we talked about our ex-manager. He and his wife had just had a baby (and I just realized that baby is 15 now), but after we left the store, we’d heard that he’d been having an affair and they’d gotten a divorce. Feeling punchy, I tossed out the comment, “Who would hit that?” and Tim responded with “John,” who had a major man-crush on this manager. No sooner did he say that when we looked down and saw John sitting towards the other end of the bar! What are the freaking odds?

I broke down into a series of giggles not unlike Joy from My Name Is Earl after she’s had one too many margaritas. John left without incident (he either didn’t see us or had no desire to talk to us, and given the previous conversation, which he most likely didn’t overhear, was for the best).

We settled down enough to order food and a few more drinks. Tim stuck with his standby Captain and Diet. I tried the Pear Martini, on a guarantee from the bartender that if I didn’t like it, she’d finish it. She said she’d been experimenting with it for a long time to get the mix just right, and her efforts paid off. It was a light, crisp blend of pear vodka and sour mix, and again it was very balanced. I also tried a Basil Lemon Drop Martini. It took a while to make, but was well worth the wait. Every ingredient was in harmony– the lemon, the basil, right down to the sugar on the rim of the glass. If Gina is working, definitely order from the martini menu.

We ordered the onion rings, which were cut very thick. The batter was excellent, and they weren’t greasy, just bready and delicious. We also got the slider sampler. The Angus slider was just OK. The shrimp cake was quite good, but the Kobe slider was heavenly. I would definitely order a full Kobe burger the next time I return.

We talked to a guy who had been through some rough times in the past year. He’d had eight relatives die, including his mother. Last week was his first Mother’s Day without her, and it was very sad. It put my evening in perspective.

The bar turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It’s nice to have a go-to venue for concerts in the future. And, after all, you know what they say when life gives you lemons…

After a visit to the bathroom (which was quite impressive– it was decorated with blue tile and looked very nice), we headed back to Xcel. We found Tim’s brother, his wife, and our nephew at the back of General Admission by the soundboard. I figured we’d been there for our nephew’s baptism, his first Communion, and now it was only right for us to be there for his first Bruce show. Those are all the sacraments, right?

The show, as always, was an amazing experience. The band started the show with “Badlands” and finished with “Rosalita.” They did “Born to Run” at the end of the main set. Have you ever sung so deeply that you feel like you’re taking a breath from the tips of your toes? That’s what it felt like to sing that song– like every cell in your body was taking it in and then giving it right back.

The final Canadian Tuxedo count for the evening? 27, including 5 men who counted double, so 22 in all. I do have to say that people dress for comfort and not necessarily fashion, and I admire the practicality, especially when you’re standing for over three hours. So give me your blue jeans and t-shirts and Reeboks over your miniskirts and stilettos anytime.

Edited to copy Dave (whose review is spectacular, plus we got to live the pit experience vicariously) and add the setlist, courtesy of Backstreets:

Badlands (w/ Jay Weinberg)

Radio Nowhere (w/ Jay Weinberg)

Outlaw Pete (w/ Jay Weinberg)+

No Surrender (w/ Jay Weinberg)

Out in the Street (w/ Jay Weinberg)

Working on a Dream (w/ Jay Weinberg)+

Seeds (w/ Jay Weinberg)+

Johnny 99 (w/ Jay Weinberg)

The Ghost of Tom Joad (w/ Jay Weinberg)+

Raise Your Hand (w/ Jay Weinberg)+

Good Lovin’ (sign request)+

Prove It All Night

The E Street Shuffle (sign request)+

Waitin’ on a Sunny Day

The Promised Land

I’m on Fire+

Kingdom of Days+

Lonesome Day

The Rising

Born to Run

* * *

Hard Times+

Tenth Avenue Freeze-out

Land of Hope and Dreams

American Land

Bobby Jean

Rosalita

+ Indicates a song I hadn’t seen live before.

A couple additional notes: Jay was phenomenal and filled in admirably. Really glad we got to see both him and Max. I was thrilled that we got as many songs from Born in the U.S.A. as we did, especially “I’m on Fire.” And our nephew was lucky he was wearing earplugs, due to the two crazy people behind him who were singing in his ear for most of the night.

Weekend Beer Sampler

Apparently I have a new hobby.

I stopped into Cellars in Roseville, because I was running an errand at Chuck and Don’s and I thought I’d see what they had to offer. I was silly to think I’d walk out of there empty-handed. As I was wandering in the beer aisle, I started to talk to the guy restocking the bottles, and before I knew it I was leaving the store with a six-beer sampler with his recommendations. He did not steer me wrong.

I started with the Rush River Small Axe Golden Ale, and I was thrilled. It had a beautiful golden color, and it was light and crispy yet had some depth to it at the same time. I will definitely buy this again, along with some of the brewery’s other offerings. I just can’t get over how much I like this beer. It reminded me of some of the Belgians I’d been sampling. And they’re just a few miles down highway 94!

We went to Old Chicago for dinner, where I took advantage of the opportunity to try Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat. It was a light golden color. I had Boulevard previously in Kansas City and it was more of an amber, but this was quite pleasant, and it was nice to have it on draft. Despite being a chain, I was really impressed with Old Chicago’s deep dish crust. Deep dish can be really greasy, and this crust was soft and bready and almost pastry-like.

When we got home, I had some Goose Island Honker’s Ale. They describe it on the label as “A smooth drinkable English-style bitter for drinkers who want more from their beer.” Hey, that’s me! The beer was slightly more hoppy than my previous samplings, but still very enjoyable.

I finished, appropriately, withThe Bitter End Pale Ale from Two Brothers Brewing Company. It was another English-style bitter, even more hoppy than the Goose Island, but quite tasty.

Later that weekend, I tried a Victory Prima Pils. It took hops to a whole other level. I think it would have been better at the end of a sampler where I slowly worked my way up to it, but not something I would grab as the first option. But if you like hoppy, bitter-style beer, this is for you.

Happy Gnome, The Sequel

Patio season is finally (if inconsistently) upon us, and my friend Janeen and I took advantage of it at The Happy Gnome last week. We were able to find a spot in the shade for most of the evening, and although we were a little concerned it would be windy, it was perfect.

We each had the warm spinach salad, which really wasn’t warm at all. The waitress said that only the dressing was warm, but by the time we got the salads they were room temperature, which was just fine with me on an already warm day. The salad was a delicious blend of leafy spinach, shredded parmesan, pancetta crisps, and pecans, from what I remember. (I really need to take notes and bring a camera more often.) We also split the elk tart, which was a meat and gruyere cheese concoction served in a pastry crust. It was divine. We joked with one of the servers about licking the plate.

For beer, I started with the Belhaven Scottish Ale. It had a slight hint of toffee, and a smooth malty head that was Guinness-like, except that the beer was a dark amber color. I followed it up with the Left Hand Ju Ju Ginger, which was light and crisp and (as expected) gingery. The head was more foamy. It would go really well with Asian food. I would definitely order both of them again.

Grumpy’s and Groveland Tap

A couple Thursdays ago, I met a few coworkers for happy hour. Our offices are on opposite sides of the Twin Cities, so Grumpy’s in Roseville is a nice place to meet in the middle. It was a little chilly for patio seating although a few brave souls were out there.

I didn’t have anything to eat, although food specials were plentiful. Nachos, mac and cheese bites, and mini corn dogs were passed around. I had a Newcastle Brown Ale from the tap, and it was fine, but I wasn’t all that excited about it. I was feeling a little off that day so I will probably try it again at some point, but I’m not in a huge hurry. Next time I’ll probably try one of their beer flights so I can sample several different kinds at once. They had a good selection from Wisconsin and Minnesota breweries, and they had a decent selection of Belgians.

Two nights later, Tim and I went to the Groveland Tap for dinner. I was hoping they’d have Boulevard beer from Kansas City, but they were out, so I took the opportunity to try a Delirium Tremens instead. Tim got a Summit Pilsner (all Summits were discounted between 3 and 6 even though it was a Saturday). We split the french fries and the deep-fried pickles. Fries don’t come with the burgers, so if you want them, you have to order them on the side. Tim ordered the Cajun Lucy, while I had the Blue Cheese Burger.

I had a sip of Tim’s beer (alcohol kills all germs), and it was light and refreshing. The Delirium Tremens was light, smooth, with a slight hint of spice at the finish. It seemed to get stronger as I drank it too, so I only ordered one. I would definitely have it again, though. It was more golden and less fruity than Kwak, but very crisp and clean.

The deep-fried pickles were spears, instead of chips. They were quite tasty, and they came with Tim’s favorite condiment, ranch dressing. The shoestring fries were fine, but not exceptional. I liked my burger, but didn’t taste a lot of blue cheese. The burgers are a little on the smaller side, which is fine with me because I have a hard time finishing a monster burger. I was going to have a bite of Tim’s Cajun Lucy but I still have a touch of the plague, and when he said it wasn’t a life-altering experience, I passed. The food was good, and I’m getting hungry just thinking about it, but I’m still on a quest for the perfect burger, the one that makes me exclaim with meaty delight after I’ve taken each bite. (And yes, I thought about changing that last bit because it rhymed, but that encapsulates what I’m trying to say.)

After we got home, I had some Fuller’s ESB and a bottle of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout that I picked up from Cellars Wine and Spirits. They’ve been my London Pride supplier and I was happy to see that they also had bottles of ESB. It definitely tastes better straight from the tap at Brit’s, but it’s nice having the bottle option for convenient storage in my home. The stout was very good– just a hint of chocolate, in a smooth, full-bodied stout. It made a nice dessert.

Bon Vie and A Piece of Cake

Sarah and I like to seek out new establishments for brunch. I threw “St. Paul brunch” into The Googler and found Bon Vie. We overlooked the presence of the devil’s handwriting on the entry page and left navigation, and made plans to meet.

The restaurant is a little hard to spot on Selby, so even though I’d mapped the location, I ended up asking for directions at A Piece of Cake, their sister establishment. The man behind the counter was extremely friendly and wished me a good meal. 

The restaurant was full when we arrived at 10:30, but a couple left five minutes later and we were seated in their place. 

Sarah chose the Farmer’s Market Breakfast (Scrambled eggs with asparagus, roasted sweet peppers, feta cheese, and toast), while I had the Croissant Breakfast Sandwich (scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheddar served with O’Brien potatoes). The O’Brien potatoes were outstanding. They were served in a square, as if they were cut out of a casserole dish. The potatoes clung together (firm, not soggy), topped with cheddar cheese and chives. They were hearty and flavorful and comforting, and I might have exclaimed something joyous with every bite. The croissant was warm and flaky, surrounding eggs with a dash of pepper, a slice of cheddar cheese, and two thick slices of bacon. Sarah’s food looked incredible as well. The eggs and vegetables were fresh, and the hash browns were a heap of crispy goodness. 

After brunch, we wandered down to A Piece of Cake where my car was parked. We each got a whoopie pie to take home, because we were still full from our meal. We also noted that the Happy Gnome served brunch and thought that would be a good spot for our next gathering. I could eat and drink my way through Selby Avenue (Louisiana Cafe, Bon Vie, A Piece of Cake, The Happy Gnome, La Grolla, Fabulous Fern’s, Moscow on the Hill, W.A. Frost, with a detour on Dale for The Muddy Pig and Sweeney’s, and I know I’m forgetting someone important).