Whirlwind Shopping

We started our first full day, and a cool one it was (high of 65 and breezy), at the St. Paul Farmer's Market. Amazing produce at even more amazing prices. We were wishing we could buy a bunch and take it home. Bouquet of fresh cut flowers $4, a three foot high basil bush for $6, any vegetable you could think of. All laid out in the smartest system. Outdoors but covered, vendors back up to the aisles and put their wares on tables at the back of the truck. We went over to the Black Dog cafe for a great breakfast sandwich and coffee that held us till after 4.

Then we headed to the Angry Catfish bike shop. Farzum would die for the space they have on the floor. Another shop with coffee and pastries from the bakery two doors down. Farzum would be 300+ if he worked there. Lots of cool bikes and friendly guys. Saw a very cool Salsa Vaya, road style with disc and off road tires. And orange. They had s Salsa Mukluk snowbike that was very intriguing. Grabbed a Surly t-shirt and one from the shop. We looked for another shop close by but it was nowhere to be seen.

We hit the Mall of America and spent more time going up and down the elevator than we did shopping, bed and bath and the dollar store and we were gone. Up the road to more shops. REI has a ton of outdoor gear and bike stuff, too much in fact as I left without spending a cent. On to Kohls, a new favorite of ours. We bought almost $100 at 50% off, grabbed another $10 and they gave us $20 for our next visit. $10 for every $50 spent or another 20%. We went to Target but left there empty handed, really.

Then downtown to Kramarczuk sausage in search of blood sausage. We got behind a family from Wisconsin and before we could even try it they bought every piece and probably about $300 worth of other sausages. Two and a half rings all gone just seconds before we were served! All they had left was frozen. Since we didn't get a taste we didn't want to risk it, maybe Tuesday. We were close to another bike shop so we went there, closed. Ok time for some lunch, off to a triple D spot, the Modern Cafe, closed.

Frustrated we headed for the hotel and the baked good we picked up at A Bakers Wife near the bike shop earlier. Looks like an early supper. As much as Gloria our GPS drives me crazy at times she sure makes the visit worthwhile, we saw all new parts of the Twin Cities today.

Our first choice for supper was Olive Garden. We thought we'd be early at 5:30 local time but arrived to a full parking lot and about 35 hungry people waiting outside. We almost defaulted to Red Lobster but let Gloria find the Macaroni Grill just a few minutes away and were seated immediately. Service was almost too fast, food was pretty good. We took an hour drive down France Ave. and Lake St. to check out some other spots for later, came back to the hotel and TV is out across town, at least according to the front desk. So I have time to blog.