Days 9 & 10

Minneapolis put on quite the show for me and Jun, flaunting flawless weather and incredible cultural pursuits, architecture and food. It was also nice to lay our heads down in the same spot more than once. But above all, I enjoyed getting some face time with my girl, who was working up a storm and kicking all kinds of butt at it. I am so proud of her.

On Wednesday morning, Jun and I crept out of our deep sleep and went to the coffee shop for a jolt of warm energy, did much-needed laundry and went to the Walker Art Center to be wowed (and more often puzzled) by the exhibits and then the sculpture garden. Then we wandered downtown in search of lunch and people watching (my favorite thing was the "pub on wheels"), and later the bunch of us went to a Twins game at the brand-new stadium. I couldn't get into the game without the Cubbies involved, but we had a grand ol' time anyway and it was a gorgeous night for a ballgame.

The next day, we checked out the mill ruins near the river, which was the world's biggest flour mill in the late 1800s. Now it's a stunning structure in a resurrected area with a museum inside and a sleek concert hall next door. I couldn't help but picture an incredibly romantic wedding in the courtyard. We then traversed the Stone Arch Bridge on foot, which was opened in 1883 and shows off views of the dam and the river.

After all that walking (and then some), we headed south and rewarded ourselves with two Jucy Lucy's at Matt's Bar, which contends to be the original creator of the piping-hot, molten-cheese-stuffed burger. Every bite was divine and I was crestfallen when mine was gone. An hour's walk in the scorching sun later, we were back home and sucking down a 32 oz. Diet Coke like it was the only liquid left on earth. Maris and Seth took us to Psycho Suzi's Motor Lodge for dinner involving pizza and tiki drinks and then Nye's for a dose of old-world chintz. I ordered up a dirty martini and soaked in the place that was deemed the World's Best Bar by Esquire magazine. We snapped a couple old photo-booth strips and listened to live music (piano in the front, folk rock to the side) until the Sandman was calling.

Zzzzz...

Wait, did it take it yet?