Fun in the Sun of Southern Illinois -

That to do around the Carbondale and Marion, Illinois area?  Try the Farmers Market on the west side of Carbondale.  Lots of great produce.  We picked up some local jalapeno jack cheese that was tasty.  Oh yea, did we mention – great music too.

After visiting the Farmers Market, we had lunch at the nearby Pita Alley.   Loved the falafel, gyros, and rice recipe. 

Almost forgot to mention that there is a nice fruit market on the west side too.  The southern Illinois peaches are indeed good.

No trip to southern Illinois would not be complete with a stop in Metropolis to visit the Superman Museum.  We hit the town on the way to Paducah, Kentucky.

The downtown area of Paducah is next to the Ohio River and has many old buildings with junk shops and places to eat.  Take a handsome cab ride around town.  We had supper at a seafood that has apparently since closed down.  Very good nonetheless. 

Du Quoin is just north of Carbondale and home of the DuQuoin State Fair.  Well worth the stop.  Check out the photographs from the Fair.

Also once a year, the town of Creal Springs just east of Marion hosts a large flea market.  Another worthy stop.  Check out the photographs from the flea market.  Picked up some nice items for decorations and rusty yard art.  The local well or groundwater seeps of Creal Springs produce waters that are high in salts that claims to help cure many things.  

Happy Trails from Southern Illinois...

Its Time to Enjoy Minneapolis Again -

Melody and Mike spent nearly a week up in Minneapolis during October 2014.  Our son, Dr. Dane, has already moved from University of Minnesota on to his new job in Burbank, California so we had the place to ourselves.  Mike had a few days of business meetings and Melody hit the town for some shopping.  Shopping stops included Whole Foods, Ikea, and Mall of America.

On the way up we had lunch with college student and daughter, Mariah, at Ginger Thai Cuisine in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  Spring rolls were the best.  Mike had the usual Pad Thai which was very tasty. 

 

For supper on our first night in town we ate at one of our favorite spots - French Meadow Bakery and Cafe  in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  You can't go wrong with a built in bakery.  Melody had a wonderful salad and I had a scallops risotto dish.  We split it up and enjoyed.  The service, drinks, and food were great.

We always go shopping at the Wedge Coop.  This time we also shopped at Kowalski's Market both on Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis.  Check out the mushrooms from the Wedge - out of galettes and they were pumpkin filled. 



Supper on day 2 was at the Lowry (burgers, whiskey, oysters, eggs) also on Lyndale South.  We had the jalepeno cheese curds with blueberry ketchup to get started.  Melody had a pork tenderloin dish and Mike had a fried oysters pooboy.  No complaints at all - the service was better than fantastic (hats off to Jo Jo), gin and tonic right on, and the food was fantastic - loved the busy atmosphere too.  They do a great job here.  We will be back.

Day 3 was back to Thai food.  Can't get enough of it.  We tried the Roat Osha on Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis.  Spring rolls very tasty.  Melody had a glass noodles dish with scallops and Mike had the Mee Kah Teeh (rick noodles with red curry).  We loved both dishes.  The drinks were great too.





So how did we stay hungry with all of this great food?  We took nightly hikes around a lake near our hotel (Crowne Plaza) in Bloomington, Minnesota.  The fall colors were beautiful. 



Now we really liked our day 4 stop at the Salut.  Its a French place in Edina.  This was the full experience.  Nice set up, warm staff, good drinks, and a tasty main course.  Melody got the chicken special and Mike got a walleye dish.  Oh yea, dessert was great too.  Looks like you can't go wrong here.

The last full day we went exploring.  We stopped at the Mid Town Global Market on Lake Street in Minneapolis and had lunch at the Sonora Grill - South American dishes.  Been there before and always like it. 

We then hit a couple of old house resale shops - Bauer Bros. Salvage and Architectual Antiques both in north side of Minneapolis.  These two places were amazing.  Lots of neat old goods. 

We took a late afternoon stroll at Logan Park, Minneapolis.  We ate supper at Wise Acre Eatery on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis - award winning farm to fork establishment.  Melody had a chicken dish and Mike had a homemade sauage and pasta dish.  Very good eats.  What a fantastic day.

Mural in the Mid Town Global Market

Peruvian Rice and Empanadas

 



Logan Park

 Wise Acre Eatery

The way home was fun too.  Stopped to visit with college student and son, Charlie, at Hickory Park in Ames, Iowa to enjoy one of their fresh ground burgers.  Of course we had to stop at the Wheatfield Coop in Ames too.

 Here's to hoping that you also enjoy yourself in Minneaoplis.

Happy Trails...

Off to Galena, Illinois

There is a pizza place in Sabula, Iowa known as Bombfire Pizza that we were heading for lunch, but it happen to be closed on the Holiday.  Gotta check this place out some day real soon.  Very interesting!

 

 

Bombfire Pizza, Sabula, Iowa.

 

We drove up to Galena, Illinois on a Holiday Monday by way of Sabula, Iowa and Savanna, Illinois.  Went by Frank Fritz Finds one of the Pickers in Savanna.  His place is in an old opra house.  Lots of stuff to pour through at this place. 

 

Frank Fritz Finds place in Savanna, Illinois.

 

We had a good walk up and down the shopping district in Galena, Illinois.  Lots of classic cars and polished motorcycles.  The place was busy.  We founds antiques and collectables for our home and yard.  Had supper at  the Market House Restaurant and Tavern.  Its upstairs from the street, but we suggest entering from the side from the alley for that old town feeling.  Small scale establishment including vegitarian menu items. 

 

 

Classic car and looking up at the shopping district strip in Galena, Illinois.

 

 

Outside of the Market House, Galena, Illinois.

 

 

Inside the Market House.

 

 

Supper at the Market House.

 

Happy trails to you all,  ...Mike & Melody

 



 

 

 







Still Enjoying Cedar Falls, Iowa Again

We were up in Cedar Falls, Iowa visiting the children again and tried a couple of new local eateries and some good ice cream from town.  First we enjoyed the Artapalooza downtown Cedar Falls.  There were many vendors with pottery, paintings, beads, jewelery, and the like.



We have a great evening meal from the Brown Bottle along the Cedar River.  The four us had sprimp fettuccine, crusted salmon, lemon chicken, and beef manicotti dishes.  A good feed was had by all.

 

Goat cheese and gin to start with, then salmon and shrimp
for the main coures.  Yum yum.

Lunches were at Toads Bar and Grill and Soho Suchi Bar and Deli, both downtown.  There was something for everyone at Soho.  Its a deli, tapas menu, and sushi bar.  Almost confusing, but we did a combination of tapas dishes and deli sandwiches.  Very tasty. 

 

Fun at Toads Bar and Grill.



 

Soho Sushi Bar and Deli next to the historic Blackhawk Hotel.



We topped it all off with some delicious ice cream from 4 Queens Dairy Cream.  Next time in Cedar Falls, check out these stops.



Happy Trails,  ...Mike & Melody   

Go to these three places in Minneapolis, Iowa City, & Seattle

While up in Minneapolis recently we ate at our favorite wood fired pizza place and then finally caught the bakery next door open for business, Rustica.  We are often eating our pizza too late in the day.  Rustica was voted one of the top ten bread bakeries in America.  Wow, excellent bakery items.  We could not stop eating the loaf of artisian bread (rustic) until it was gone and the eclaires were outstanding.  Check it out.  Its worth the stop just to take in the aromoa of the baked goods and fresh brewed coffees.

If you are ever in Iowa City and want some old school grocery shopping check out John's Grocery.  The grocery store has been around since 1948 and the building has been there since 1848.  The store has a deli and a sweet beer label collection.

 

Melody in an asile packed floor to ceiling.

 

 

Which beer to pick?

We would be remiss if we did not also mention Sitka and Spruce as a great place to eat when you find yourself in Seattle.  Our son is the sous chef.  The establishment was recently mentioned in the NY Times travel section as one of Seattle's new showrooms, although its been around a little bit.