The Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum is part of the former Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children in Owatonna. The “State School” was created by an act of the Minnesota legislature in 1885 as an effort to provide safe, transitional housing for the state’s orphaned, abandoned and abused children who had […]
Have you heard of Tendermaid? It’s an infamous loose-meat, secret-recipe burger joint with roots dating back to 1930s. Let me tell you all about it. Mildred and Jerry Thatcher loved to frequent one of the more popular eateries in Marshalltown during the early 1930s, the Taylor’s Maid-Rite. The Thatcher’s ate there so often they decided […]
No road trip along the North Shore is complete without stopping at Betty’s pies to curb my sweetness-craving. Located in Two Harbors, along Highway 61 across from Lake Superior. With a line out the door, it comes as no surprise that Betty’s touts the “World famous” moniker. Beginning as a fish-shack her father Aleck opened […]
Whenever I head back home, I always make it a point to stop at Chop n Pop’s Bakery in downtown Nevis. Since my sister and I planned to be in the area for the weekend before she moves to Missouri to work for the Chiefs (I know, right? So proud!), I knew we would have […]
Days like today require homey, comfort foods and a warm atmosphere because let’s face it, Mondays are hard but they become significantly easier with a larger-than-average dose of maple syrup. Enter Hazel’s Northeast. This mainstay has become a total hot spot on the corner of Johnson Street and 29th and let me just say, in […]
If you are in the Grand Marais area or plan to be, go out of your way to check out the Blue Water Cafe. Located downtown near the harbor, Blue Water is a straightforward, hometown diner that features meat-and-potato classics. Swedish pancakes, biscuits and gravy, buttermilk pancakes, patty melts, beef pot roast, broasted chicken, deep […]
This year, Albert Lea hosted the Minnesota Governors Fishing Opener. Now in its 72nd year, it is the kickoff to the Minnesota summer tourism season. The #MNGFO has been a tradition in since 1948. Put on through the partnership of Explore Minnesota Tourism and the host community, the event helps to showcase the city and […]
A few months back, I had posted Explore Minnesota’s Minnesota Bucket List. I had nearly every box checked with the exception of the SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota. During the #MNGFO2019, I was finally able to check it off my list! SPAM, if you aren’t familiar, is a brand of canned cooked pork made by […]
The B & B Cafe in Albert Lea is the kind of place you mention to friends when they ask where your go-to breakfast spot in the area is. I know this because when I asked for recommendations, B & B was on the top of everyone’s list. Tucked off Sibley Street, the 50’s style […]
Have you ever tried kayaking or canoeing? How about stand up paddle boarding or hamboarding? What about rock climbing? If not, why? What if I told you, you could try all those things without the added expense of buying equipment, having the means to store it, or paying for an expert to show you. Well, […]
If you are in the Albert Lea area and looking for a great burger, keep an eye out for a tiny yellow building on the corner of East 8th Street and James Ave, just off SE Broadway Ave with a red neon sign that reads, “The ELBOW ROOM.” Don’t let the small exterior fool you. From […]
The next stop during the #MNGFO2019 was Myre-Big Island State Park in Albert Lea. Just a stone’s throw from the Downtown area, the park has 8 miles of shoreline on Albert Lea Lake making it a great place to rent a canoe and head out on the water. I myself am more into hiking so […]
For the past few years, I have been lucky enough to be part of the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener. It is always a blast to check out the lesser explored parts of Minnesota and, this year, follow Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan as they competed with one another to hook the biggest […]
Today marks the 45th MayDay Parade and Festival and it certainly didn’t disappoint! The free event took place in the Powderhorn neighborhood in South Minneapolis and ran noon to dusk. In the Heart of the Beast Theater (HOTB)’s annual MayDay Parade, Ceremony, and Festival has been a staple in the Twin Cities area and is […]
You may be hard-pressed to find someone in the Twin Cities who hasn’t heard of Keg and Case Market in St. Paul’s West 7th neighborhood. Housed in the Schmidt Brewery, the gourmet food and vendor hall has already accumulated a laundry list of accolades. The food hall boasts over 33,000 square feet with more than 20 […]
If you are looking for a day trip away from the city, I suggest planning a trip to the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Beginning in 1989, the now-center started as EagleWatch, Inc. as a group of volunteers sharing with visitors to Wabasha views of wintering bald eagles from an outdoor observation deck along the […]
Happy Easter and chag Pesach sameach, from the Minnesota Bucket List family to yours.
When my friend Cindy from high school asked me to come check out her exciting passion project, Short or Tall Eatery & Drink Hall, I jumped at the chance. Brandon (Another friend from high school) and I headed to Rogers to check SOT out. Opened in the Spring of 2018, the destination eatery features exposed steel beams […]
As the story goes, shepherds discovered coffee in Ethiopia circa 800 AD. Legend has it that herders noticed the effect caffeine had on their goats. They appeared to “dance” after eating coffee berries. A local monk then made a drink with berries and found that it kept him awake at night, thus the original cup […]
To say that Yarusso Bros Italian Restaurant is an old school would be a significant understatement. Offering signature Italian classics including melt-in-your-mouth fettucini alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs (they are the size of baseballs, not kidding) and a Hot Dago sandwiches, Yarusso’s is a favorite East St. Paul haunt that will have you reminiscing through flashbacks […]
