Blah Blah Babycakes

Dancing Queen

Henry and I went to Baby Loves Disco at Trocadero's in the North Loop.  I don't know how it's pulled off in other cities, but this was a fantastically organized event.  After paying our $12 entry fee we went inside to find a huge spread of delicious snacks and a full bar.  My friend and I were the only ones drinking adult beverages, I guess everyone else wanted to get home safely?  I don't know.

There was a bubble machine, a dance contest, hip hop lessons, balloons, goody bags and valet parking.  What's not to love? You and your offspring get a wristband with a matching number, so you are assured that no one else leaves with your kid, just like at Chuck E Cheese. Oh, and the venue is super clean.  Well, it WAS clean, until a few hundred kids started doing the electric slide and smashing goldfish crackers into the floor, but it was void of that scuzzy bar feeling that can really ruin a baby/bar event.

Naturally, there were a few dork moms in capri pants dancing and singing. And a few sour-faced moms whose definition of having a good time is disciplining other people's children.  I despise disco music and luckily for Henry it wasn't called Baby Loves New Wave, because I would have like totally embarrassed him with my dance moves.

Henry hated it, mostly, as he does anything requiring participation, but after a few too many cookies he started doing the white man in a chair dance.

And then apparently a song came on that he really liked, because he ran up to me and asked me to hold his stuff (an armful of toys and books that he was hoarding) and started, um...break dancing? 

All the kids were doing it. It's a natural ability today's children are born with, I guess.

We stayed until almost the end and then it started to really smell like poo and we left.

Happy May Day

We attended the 34th annual May Day Parade in Powderhorn Park on Sunday.  It's a hippie parade organized by, In The Heart of The Beast Theatre. The theme this year was "A New Bridge".  The puppets were impressive, brightly colored and huge.  The artistic and political expression was a little dark at first, but ended in hope and celebration.  My friend Masami took a bunch of great parade photos.

Henry just wanted to know what kind of a parade doesn't have candy??

Can you see the disappointment?

Minnesota Children's Museum Benefit Gala

Buy your tickets today!  Proceeds from All Access Gala benefit Minnesota Children's Museum's Access Program. The program helps nearly 120,000 children and adults to visit the Museum each year through free or reduced admission.

Super Tuesday -Help Elect Pro-Choice Candidates!

Super Tuesday is almost here.  Please vote to protect women's rights.

Positive Thing About Minneapolis #7

The Feel Better Basket Company

Regardless of my efforts to stay healthy this winter, my immune system has made pathetic attempts at fighting the monster germs that Henry brings home from school.  As soon as I get over one cold or flu another one is there waiting patiently to take over.

This morning when I woke up my first thought was, "I wonder if I can make it to the couch".  My second was to call my friend Kris and order The Ultimate Cold Relief Basket from her new store, The Feel Better Basket Company.  Before I could even feel sorry for myself the basket arrived, packed to the gills with everything I needed to feel better.  (It was difficult not to order the children's basket  -it comes with a teddy bear!)

The Ultimate Cold Relief Basket

The next time the flu knocks on your door, call in sick and then call The Feel Better Basket Company.  Soon it will be relief that's knocking. 

Positive Thing About Minneapolis #6

Wow, 6 whole things so far!

Arty Pants:  Your Tuesday Playdate at the Walker Art Center

Every other Tuesday the Walker Art Center invites kids ages 2-5 to explore their creativity through art projects, films, gallery activities and story readings. Henry enjoyed printmaking, but was more interested in the gift shop toys than the Picasso exhibit. 

It's a great place to meet other parents who are interested in raising creative children or are bored with nothing to do on a Tuesday.

Henry unleashing his inner artiste

More information is availabe at the Walker Art Center website.

Fair Enough

We were at the Minnesota State Fair for six hours yesterday. Six hours of hot, greasy fun. Most of that time was spent eating, but unlike last year, Henry was more comfortable around the farm animals and wanted to go on all the kiddie rides, so it was a well-rounded adventure.

We were meant to go to the fair later this week, so the last minute trip meant going without doing any state fair food research. Can you imagine?  I dislike not having a plan, however ,in the end there was little floundering.

My stand-out foods this year include:

Fudge Puppies
These sugar-free Belgian waffles are dipped in dark chocolate and are my perfect way to start a day at the fair.

Sunflower Honey Ice Cream
You can find this delicious treat in the Agriculture Building. I tried a sample of the new Nitro Ice cream in the Food Building, but Sunflower Honey Ice Cream is just a tad more special.

Macaroni and Cheese on-a-stick
I'm not sure how I missed this last year.  It was creamy, cheesy, fried yumminess and the only thing I contemplated ordering again for the bus ride home.  Nick washed his down with a frozen Red Bull.

Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut
It's never easy to pick just one sausage, is it?  The Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut stand, across from the DNR building, puts the best kraut on a deliciously, authentic brat.

Honorable mention goes to Sven and Ole's hotdish on-a-stick, which was improved from last year and grilled shrimp on-a-stick, with melted butter from Fish n' Chips

Henry with fries and Macaroni & Cheese on a stick.

Henry eating cotton candy

It took a bit for Henry to warm up to the livestock

After all the food and the dirty, greasiness of the fair we stopped by Bar Lurcat to decompress with some tartare and wine.  Today Tomorrow I start a three-day raw foods diet.  It's time to detox and get ready for fall.

A civilized come-down

Positive Thing About Minneapolis #5

Many Hollywood celebrities hail from Minnesota, but most local A-listers are the people who report the 5 o'clock news. It would not surprise me to find out that there is a Star Map for where the weathermen live.

At the opera on Tuesday night I spied a true celebrity, Garrison Keillor. He was there with his little girl and his commanding presence. Although he keeps an apartment on the Upper West Side, he's a Midwestern folk humorist, whose weekly radio show, "A Prairie Home Companion" has been on MPR since the 1970s.  It's true that I find his stories of rhubarb pie a bit sleepy, but I won't deny the man's genius.

Garrison Keillor

Positive Thing About Minneapolis #4

Minnesota Children's Museum

This might be the coolest place on earth.  At least for a two year old, anyway.  There is nothing you can't touch, push, pull or splash.  No place you can't run.

There is a pretend sushi counter, rock video studio, mini grocery store and a bus!  Henry's lucky because his mom likes to go at odd times when no one else is at the museum, so he gets the run of the place.

Henry received a gift membership from Kat and Alex.  Thank you! 

Positive Thing About Minneapolis #3

You can see the annual Holidazzle parade every Wednesday thru Sunday from Thanksgiving to Christmas on Nicollet Mall in Downtown Minneapolis. 

Most nights I thought it was too cold to take Henry, but the parade is canceled only if it reaches -25 below zero.  We ended up going on a particularly balmy evening and Henry loved it.  I think he did anyway.  He becomes so serious and focused when experiencing something really exciting, like parades and trick-or-treating.  He asked for "more, more!" as the floats went by and he clapped dutifully when it was over.

I imagine him on a first date, "you can't tell by the look on my face, but I'm having a really great time".

The Cost of Living

New York Mag compares the dollar in New York vs Minneapolis:

Pity Party

Every day I drink carrot juice and sip green tea.  I eat fruit and vegetables and one tablespoon of flax seed oil.  I take a multi-vitamin and a B-complex.  I exercise.  I breathe deeply.  I brush my hair with 100 strokes and I floss.  Every day. 

So why am I so god-awful sick?  For 8 days I've been coughing, wheezing, sneezing and my throat hurts so badly I can't swallow my own saliva.  I'm an exhausted, drooling, feverish mess of a person.  Even the magical, cure-all matzo ball soup, from Crossroads Deli, that my friend Carrie brought me, failed to heal.

"It's a virus", the doctor said.  "Here's some codeine for the pain."  (yay!)

According to Google, viral infections usually last 7-10 days.  The end is near.

Positive Thing About Minneapolis #2

Mock Duck. (That is, if you love it as much as I do.)

Minneapolis has got to be the mock duck capital of the world.  You can find it in anything from curries to pizza.  It's always on the menu.

And for just two dollars you can find it in a delicous banh mi at the Jasmine Deli on Eat Street.

Bubble Tea and "mock duck" banh mi

Fair on a Stick

In a Rachael Ray effort to beat the crowds we went to the Minnesota State Fair bright and early on Friday morning. (Next time I think we'll aim for even earlier)

Our plan was this: Breakfast, rides, lunch, barns and then get the hell out of there. 

I've not been to the fair in 10 years and I have horrible memories of hours spent on Machinery Hill while my dad looked at combines and tractors.  Then we would visit every booth and not spend nearly enough time on the rides.  It was nice to go on my own terms.  (Although Nick wanted to spend a little too much time at the all-you-can-drink Milk Bar)

The day took a near disastrous turn when, after riding the train, we discovered that Smelly Cow was missing. Oh man, what a place for him to be lost?! Henry started saying "moo, moo", which quickly turned into "MOOOOO, MOOOOOOOOO, WHAAAAA!!!" and so we did the backtracking thing and sure enough we found S.C. sitting on a bench outside the DFL tent where we had started our day.

After that fiasco we started eating. 

Here are some of our faves:

• Hotdish on a stick. 
• Pickle on a stick. 
• Apple stuffed bratwurst
• Belgiun Waffle on a stick (Dunked in chocolate and topped with whipped cream)

After the food, the livestock barns are the next best thing.  I was so excited to show Henry real cows and real pigs. Inside the barn little Henry put his fingers to his nose and pointed towards the door.  He's a city boy, I guess.

Maybe next year?

Here are the rest of the memories. ( Including Princess Kay of the Milky Way!)

Team Spirit

Henry in his 1999-2000 England Uniform

Football season is about to start and to say that I'm married to a fanatic would be a gross understatement.  Nick grew up in Rhode Island, but because he was born in Minneapolis feels an affinity to the Minnesota Vikings.  He has been a season ticket holder for a couple of years now and in the past would have to fly from NYC to Minneapolis for home games.  This year he can take a quick bus ride and join his purple brethren in cheering their beloved team on to victory. 

There is some pageantry involved, but we have a house rule banning face paint until a championship game. (The alcohol consumption guidelines are never followed) It can all be really embarrassing for me, but I love passion and so I don't fight it.

Henry has outgrown last year's jersey and because this year is kind of a team re-building year there will be no replacement.

Is it really fair to make your child don the jersey of your favorite team?  How sad will Nick be when Henry grows up to be a Giants fan?