Little did we know that there was a price for yesterday's gorgeous, warm weather. Today was cool, rainy, and dark. So, we decided that we would spend the day exploring with the car.
First stop was breakfast as Fat Nats. With a name like Fat Nats, you would think that breakfast would be damaging. You would be correct. . .
During one of our bar stops, some patrons suggested we visit the charming river-side town of Stillwater. So, we headed east. Stillwater was charming, with a lovely location on the St. Croix River. We walked along the waterfront and the Main Street, tucking into some shops to avoid the rain. Directly across the river is Wisconsin, so we decided to make a detour on our return trip to visit WI.
Now, a visit to Minneapolis would not be complete without seeing the Twin City of St. Paul. We saw the Minn. Capitol Building, and drove up to the St. Paul Cathedral on the hill. We popped in to the church, which was very bright and pretty on a dark dreary day, and even included a replica of Michelangelo's Pieta.
The neighborhood around the cathedral is stunning. Some serious mansions in this area. We loved driving around the side streets, admiring the old homes. One of them is a museum, so we stopped in to the James J. Hill House for a look inside. Amazing home built by a railroad magnate.
From St. Paul, we drove south to perhaps the most visited location in the entire region: the Mall of America. I am NOT a fan of shopping malls. But this mall is a spectacle. It is enormous, and even features an indoor amusement park. We walked in, explored about 1% of the mall, and walked out. We can check this one off our list, as we never have to return here.
Back to the city, where we belong. And, based on some local recommendations, we checked out two local brew pubs. Modist Brewing Company had some really nice beer. But the highlight for us was a charity event happening that afternoon to raise funds for a Pit Bull rescue league. We couldn't get enough of the adorable pit bull puppies.
After our dog fix, we headed down the street to visit Fulton Brewing Company. Again, some nice beer and a great place to watch some football on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
So, how do you finish off a fun weekend in the Minneapolis area? With another heart attack-inducing dinner. This time, we visited Matt's Bar, the other restaurant that claims to be the home of the Juicy Lucy. Glad we tried it, but not proud of ourselves. We have made some really questionable dining choices this weekend!
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