But I didn't bore you with a thousand pictures of the bridge, the bookstores, and the bread yet.
(Okay, I couldn't think of a restaurant food word that starts with "B" except for bread.)
(Okay, I couldn't think of a restaurant food word that starts with "B" except for bread.)
So here goes....get
your pillow ready, cuz you're gonna be sinking your head in it real soon.
I mean cuz you'll be falling asleep from the boredom of this post!!!
Not because you're smothering yourself to stop the pain!! Geez.
your pillow ready, cuz you're gonna be sinking your head in it real soon.
I mean cuz you'll be falling asleep from the boredom of this post!!!
Not because you're smothering yourself to stop the pain!! Geez.
So first let me show you pictures of the lift bridge in action.
Side note: If you have heart issues, get your nitro out cuz these bridge pictures are gonna knock your socks off. REAL exciting. Yah.
Oh, oh! Watch the boat to the left go underneath the bridge.
Side note: If you have heart issues, get your nitro out cuz these bridge pictures are gonna knock your socks off. REAL exciting. Yah.
Oh, oh! Watch the boat to the left go underneath the bridge.
Now, wasn't that exciting?!
See,
all the cars have to stop so the bridge can be lifted.....and this backs up traffic for miles sometimes.
And the bridge is actually lifted via counterweights....
yes, I said COUNTERWEIGHTS!!!
Counterweights!!!
What the heck??!!
Look up lift bridges sometime.
How they work is fascinating, even for a mechanical idiot like me.
Counterweights!!!
What the heck??!!
Look up lift bridges sometime.
How they work is fascinating, even for a mechanical idiot like me.
The Stillwater Lift Bridge spans the St. Croix river and there is an attached walking bridge all the way across the river.
I didn't take better pictures cuz I was a scaredy cat (meooow) and already wetting my pants by taking THIS picture.
Okay, let's move on to bookstores and such. Stillwater is host to many used bookstores, really nice ones.
Art galleries too.
Each used bookstore is lovingly maintained inside and honors what old and newer books bring to nurturing the spirit and soul.
Aisle after aisle after aisle of organized, clean used books in these bookstores.
Many old and antique,
some new.
And of course every bookshop has a Poetry section. Tim and I have a soft spot for poets and romance writers.
Both kinds of writers are in our little family.
Both kinds of writers are in our little family.
OH!
Just an aside... I wanted to show you these stairs.
Stillwater is built on a bluff so there's several sets of these stairs in the city...lots of people use them for cardio workouts.
They seem to go on forever.
I asked Tim if he wanted to walk up these stairs, they seemed so cool. Tim quickly diverted the conversation by suggesting we look for a wine bar. Excellent move Tim!
Just an aside... I wanted to show you these stairs.
Stillwater is built on a bluff so there's several sets of these stairs in the city...lots of people use them for cardio workouts.
They seem to go on forever.
I asked Tim if he wanted to walk up these stairs, they seemed so cool. Tim quickly diverted the conversation by suggesting we look for a wine bar. Excellent move Tim!
This is the outside of one of the many art galleries in Stillwater.
Didn't take pictures of the inside though.
Probably not very appropriate.
This was a beautiful gallery though.
Didn't take pictures of the inside though.
Probably not very appropriate.
This was a beautiful gallery though.
Oh, here's a random picture of a house.
Ima tell you in all honesty, there is gorgeous house after gorgeous house after gorgeous house here,
course that makes sense since Stillwater is the oldest town in Minnestoa.
Ima tell you in all honesty, there is gorgeous house after gorgeous house after gorgeous house here,
course that makes sense since Stillwater is the oldest town in Minnestoa.
Let's talk about the "Bread" now...the food in Stillwater.
Here's the deal.
There are unbelievably fantastic restaurants in Stillwater putting out beautiful, creative dishes. Several restaurants are highly competitive with flavor, quality and presentation. I finally figured out why....Stillwater is located just 30 miles east of Minneapolis...so there is much high end culinary talent in this part of Minnesota.
Here's the deal.
There are unbelievably fantastic restaurants in Stillwater putting out beautiful, creative dishes. Several restaurants are highly competitive with flavor, quality and presentation. I finally figured out why....Stillwater is located just 30 miles east of Minneapolis...so there is much high end culinary talent in this part of Minnesota.
The first night in Stillwater, we ate where all the locals do ....Phil's Tara Hideaway...it sits on an out-of-the-way dead end..a hideaway it is for sure.
So named because it was a hideaway for gangsters in the 20's, most notably Capone and Dillinger.
This restaurant is known for their Greek-Mediterranean style food.
| Here's the restaurant sign, barely visible believe it or not from the road....  | We knew we would love this place once we saw the tiny, unassuming entry.  |
Phil's Tara hideaway is rustic and intimate.
and the dishes were simply fantastic!
| This was a pasta with homemade pancetta!  | Tim had the filet...melt in your mouth.  |
The next day, we grabbed some lunch at The Dock which sits on the St. Croix river.
The setting outside was peaceful.....
And I ate this whole Southwest burger and fries...all of it!
The seasoned mayo was fantastic!
What?
I should have saved some for you?
Maybe next time huh.
Hehe :)
The seasoned mayo was fantastic!
What?
I should have saved some for you?
Maybe next time huh.
Hehe :)
Friday night we ate at Marx, an upscale wine bar/restaurant, I think that's what they call it.
This is not the best picture of this cool place.
Where we were seated; it was dark and moody and I could not get a good picture of anything.
This is not the best picture of this cool place.
Where we were seated; it was dark and moody and I could not get a good picture of anything.
And apparently, beef was on our mind that weekend because Tim ordered a sirloin and I ordered the filet. They were prepared perfectly and beautifully presented.....
Course, I really dug on the bread and olive oil too.
duh.
BRING!
IT!
ON!
After we were done eating, we thought we would go
a-strolling (cuz we are 85 years old and this is 1910) and find an outdoor patio to relax and have a beverage in.
But immediately we saw this thing in the sky....
a lighted, red, floating thingie....one after another...
a-strolling (cuz we are 85 years old and this is 1910) and find an outdoor patio to relax and have a beverage in.
But immediately we saw this thing in the sky....
a lighted, red, floating thingie....one after another...
So of course we had to explore whence these floating thingies were coming from.
Turns out there was a wedding reception at one of the Irish Inns.
So of course we had to go check it out.
And immediately we noticed everyone was 25 years old.
So we just casually sauntered through and then quickly skee-daddled our old butts out of there :)
Okay, so then Saturday night came and we just knew we had to eat at
The Green Room.
However we weren't very hungry cuz we did nothing but gorge ourselves sick the last two days. Timmy and Angie no used to so much beef.
Turns out there was a wedding reception at one of the Irish Inns.
So of course we had to go check it out.
And immediately we noticed everyone was 25 years old.
So we just casually sauntered through and then quickly skee-daddled our old butts out of there :)
Okay, so then Saturday night came and we just knew we had to eat at
The Green Room.
However we weren't very hungry cuz we did nothing but gorge ourselves sick the last two days. Timmy and Angie no used to so much beef.
So we went to The Green Room anyway.
They are very competitive with Marx, where we ate Friday night.
The restaurant is located in a long, narrow turn of the century building with lots of beautiful exposed brick.
They are very competitive with Marx, where we ate Friday night.
The restaurant is located in a long, narrow turn of the century building with lots of beautiful exposed brick.
We were seated on the upper level and it was divine.
And because by this time in our trip, Tim and I were totally fooded out, we simply had the roast chicken...only there were two kinds...
Mine was a lavender something flavor, I can't remember.
Oh my gosh, I have been trying to recreate this aromatic flavor at home ever since, to no avail.
Yet.
I mean it was THE best roast chicken I ever had.
Oh my gosh, I have been trying to recreate this aromatic flavor at home ever since, to no avail.
Yet.
I mean it was THE best roast chicken I ever had.
Tim's roast chicken was...well...I can't remember and he's not good at remembering...OH wait! It was a cayenne something, very big and bold.
The best Tim can remember is, "It was really good." But I do remember the cayenne...
The best Tim can remember is, "It was really good." But I do remember the cayenne...
Tim's chicken was pretty fantastic, but my roast chicken was much more "delicate" and "subtle."
Kinda like me.
SHUT UP!!!
NO COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY PLEASE!
Kinda like me.
SHUT UP!!!
NO COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY PLEASE!
Just for that, here's another boring picture of the bridge!
mixedmedia-jem.blogspot.com
Dear People who Don't think I Am Subtle or Delicate,
Whatever.
Love,
Delicate Like A Subtle Pink Peony Just Barely Opening up Before The Rain Comes Down and Pelts All The Petals Off The Delicate Flower Angie
Whatever.
Love,
Delicate Like A Subtle Pink Peony Just Barely Opening up Before The Rain Comes Down and Pelts All The Petals Off The Delicate Flower Angie
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE....
HEY! Wake up guys!!!!
I just called myself a delicate flower...isn't that funny?
Hey, you're snoring and embarrassing yourself, wake up!!!
Photo credit: carolburnettdvd.com
Okay then... Mama, Ed, Eunice and that old delicate flower Angie say...
"Sweet dreams and talk at ya soon!!!"
"Sweet dreams and talk at ya soon!!!"
Have a good Tuesday ya'll!!!
