Gal Pal Weekend: Round Two: Minneapolis
I spent last weekend with some of my best friends in Minneapolis! It was entirely refreshing and easy and inspiring to travel quick, explore, hang out with THE cutest baby, and eat really really good foods.
Zach and his friends go to Chicago each year around this time, so we started taking a trip the same weekend. Last year Kansas City to visit Nadia, this year to Minnie to see Brenna and Hudson!
We took off after work on Friday and spent the evening laying on the floor and catching up with Brenna in our comfies.
I have really only been to Minneapolis in the winter, so my favorite part of visiting are the restaurants. We had so many we wanted to try, so we carefully chose each stop!
Brunch was at Aster Cafe! We got a bajillion cozy coffees and talked and got reallllll excited about this Carmel hazel coffee cake
We sat in this bright and sunny room that looks out to the river and sits beside the PACKED room with the live band they have every Saturday morning.
The place a little bit Renaissance, earthy vibes. I'm told there's a dreamy patio set up in the summer.
The food was amazing. I had Eggs Benny. Apparently my new classic go to for brunch.
Homemade biscuits, poached eggs, house made fennel sausage, and really yummy hollandaise sauce. And some potatoes. Hearrrrttyyyy.
We spent the middle of the day pounding the streets and checking out our favorite shops (not here, not much action around here except allllll the runners).
The North Loop never disappoints!
Full of homemade wax candles, wooden spoons, brushes, and beautiful dishes.
Still my house dreams. And my wardrobe dreams. And my future babay room dreams.
The menswear/Warby Parker/accessory meca.
We crossed the little bridge filled with spring time runners clad in muddy Nike gear and popped into Parc!
My jewelry and bathroom goods styling dreams.
One of the greatest stops of all time, was into Truce Juice.
Nadia has been obsesssedddd with juice and sweet drinks (via Little Freshie in KC) for years. In college, she always wanted to try the smoothies and juices when we went out to eat. Avery has a personal juicer, loves all things carrots and beets. Anddddd Delaney and I just love a good healthy drink!
I got the cashew milk with matcha and grabbed Brenna (tending to little Hudson back at home) a Charcoal Lemonade!
That evening, we made our way to Wise Acre for dinner. This little nugget is tucked away in perhaps an old mechanic repair shop? The owner runs a "happy farm" north of the cities and allllll of the food comes from there!
We nerded waaaay out. Let me just run you through this.
This amazing little plate is not just full of popcorn. It's full of popcorn that has jam and chilies on it. I KNOW. I knoooooow.
I had a little ginger beer mixed with Minnesota rhubarb wine to drink and we started with a roasted beet hummus and veggies...
We split this amazing dinner....
Braised beef with jus that quite seriously feel off right onto my tiny fork with very little prodding, covered in a horseradish sour cream.
Gracefully placed on the side was mashed carrots and mashed potatoes allllll scrambled up into root mash.
There was also some little Brussels charred and baked.
And to end all the good things, was their homemade bread pudding with pecan and Carmel glaze alongside a scoop of their homemade custard. Yep. No bigs. We all died.
We ended the night with a little face mask and Mindy project :)
The next morning we went to an early brunch at Barbette. We had the place to ourselves other than the local couples sipping coffee and reading the Sunday paper. No, it is a real thing here guys! Like a little movie.
We had cups of coffee and split this amazing lemon curd and blueberry compote waffle. Crispy, but then soft, but then oh! A blueberry, oh gosh then the warm lemon. So goooood.
I got the Buckwheat crepe packed full of scrambled eggs, herbs, and Brie. On top was a cinnamon apple compote with greens on the side. Hiiiiiiiiiii, Sunday.
We grabbed coffee at Dogwood (must) and headed back to kissed little Hudson and little Brenna goodbye!
Second to last stop was Minnehaha Falls. Since it was high 40's (I'll take it!!) we wanted to do something outside!
Brenna sadly couldn't come, due to being a selfless mama. But it's minutes from her house :) along with all of the other city lakes! Lucky.
The falls were frozen over except the middle part had BUSTED through.
People climb back in there behind the frozen parts. SO COOL right?! We all wished we had brought boots to climb and explore.
We walked around the Central Park feeling green space and dreamed about hot summer days playing and walking and hammocking in the park.
And there it was! Well actually, we stopped at IKEA last. Always good. And then jaunted alllll the way back down to Pleasant St.
Guys, road trips are amazing. Gas is as cheap as when I was in 8th grade. Figure out what you like to do when you visit a new city, and go with your favorite people!
It's the actual best.
Emily
