A food-centered existence

Brunch at my old college spot.



Delicious carb-loading before our New York diets kick in again.

We're on the road again. We'll be back in Brooklyn for a late dinner.

Beef pilgrimage

Love before breakfast, the motto in Minong, Wisconsin.



Joe and I made a quick stop in downtown Minong, home of one of Joe's favorite delicacies.



Jack Link's Beef Jerky.



We stocked up for the twenty-hour ride.



The mystery discount freezer tickled my bones.



I'm going to miss the Midwest.

Trapped

I think we should have cut off this vacation at the peak. Today was the weirdest day of our trip since the flat tires. By "weird" I mean the most unexpected experiences we've had so far.

After we dropped the car off for repair, the reason why we're staying longer, we decided to try the new burrito place in town. To say that we got burned is an understatement. The bad food and service ended up being the least of our problems. We sat outside and at one point, the umbrella from the picnic table next to ours flew off a few inches from me. The umbrella landed one story down in a parking lot, the table fell onto its side, glass shattered, and nacho chips flew everywhere. Unsurprisingly, it took a long time for our waitress to come back outside and notice.
When another waiter stopped by, he sort of jokingly blamed us, which wasn't funny.

Another couple witnessed the whole thing, but nobody seemed to get the strangeness of the situation. We didn't think the day had more weirdness in it; we were wrong.



Joseph, Nukah, and I were trapped in an elevator at the hotel for about ten minutes. We tried calling out, but my phone had no reception. The little help box built into the elevator kept calling the front desk and automatically reporting an emergency, but we couldn't speak directly to anyone.


It took about five minutes before I started having trouble breathing. An anxiety attack wasn't far off when the elevator doors opened.

After we were set free, we spoke to a hotel supervisor, who humored us with a coupon for a free pizza. That's right, a free pizza.

I'm feeling like this vacation is begging to be over. Still, I'll be sad when it is.

Winding down

A quiet, rainy day in Duluth.


Uncle Steve took Joe, Nukah, and I for a drive and a walk in the woods.



My family celebrated Joe's approaching 30th birthday at the New Scenic Cafe.



The wine took the edge off a longish afternoon.



I ordered the delicious duck.



Joe's sea bass with asparagus flan was sensational.



The desserts sealed the deal. We all shared three unique choices including goat cheese cake. I'm full and happy (and in love).

Appreciating Zaddie

Today was my zaddie's unveiling.


The ceremony was more emotional than I anticipated.


My Uncle Steve read a beautiful prayer for Zaddie.



We walked by Bob Dylan's parents' graves, which are in the same cemetery.



After the unveiling, we went out for lunch with family and friends.



I haven't seen my cousin, Sara in a long time. She looks more like Joe's family with her curly blond hair than mine.



At the head of the table, my bubbie told it like it is.



After lunch, Joe, Nukah, and I walked down to Lake Superior for sunbathing and swimming. Most of our social obligations for this trip are over; the rest of this trip is all about relaxing.

Busy, busy, busy

Just catching my breath in between engagements.

Yesterday, we had brunch at Bonnie and Darwin's. Then Joe and I drove up to Duluth. We took the puppy down to Lake Superior before dinner with the family.

In an hour, we've got the unveiling for my Zaddie.

Can't keep up

We arrived in Minneapolis yesterday afternoon and had a quick reunion with Kasey in Powderhorn Park.



We looked away for a minute and Nukah was swimming in the lake in pursuit of the ducks.



It turns out Nukah is a natural swimmer; he seemed unphased and a great fisher of algae.



In the evening we went to a Mexican buffet hosted by Jessie's family and then we made a trip to Mall of America.



This morning, I exposed Joe to the brilliance of Al's blueberry pancakes.



We spent some time and money at The Bookhouse where I used to work; they really cleaned up the joint.



Then we rocked the Walker for a dash of artsy tourism.



In the evening, we rushed to Jessie and John's wedding, but we were still a few minutes late.



I think the wedding made us feel romantic. Or maybe it was the wine.



My family. Love them.



It was fun to hang out with my big sister.



Bonnie looked beautiful.



So did the bride, Jessie.



Finally, I've caught up with my blog, but tomorrow promises to be another busy day. Time to rest.

Location:Central Ave NE,Minneapolis,United States

Never a dull moment

The action-packed vacation continues.


We started our second day with continental breakfast and an iPhone tutorial with my parents.



Joe's parents came to the hotel for a walk along the lake.



And Nukah finally got to meet his second set of grandparents.



It was nice to revisit the spot where I like to sit and meditate in Duluth.



And then after much anticipation, our parents finally met over lunch at Fitger's Brewery.



It was fun and weird and sweet. Joe and I were relieved.



Then Joe and I went shopping with his parents. Pam found a fabulous (and inexpensive) new dress for me to wear to Jessie's wedding this weekend.



To complicate matters, we decided to invite my Uncle Steve and Bubbie to dinner.



I love this picture of Pam, who seemed very entertained by Bubbie.



Everyone was in a silly mood and we tried to rope our waiter into the mix.

I regret that I forgot to take pictures at breakfast this morning. Joe and I met up with his parents, his Uncle Earl, and his Aunt Barb, who were delightful. It's great to begin to meet Joe's extensive extended family.



After brunch, Joe and I walked Nukah down to Lake Superior.



We were surprised at Nukah's climbing abilities.



Now we're driving down to the Twin Cities to continue the reunions.



Let the adventures continue!

Location:Duluth, MN