The Adventures of Pearl !!! Host list post's #22 and #23

[willythekid]

It looks like she'll be heading your way next. If this weather doesn't improve in the next week or two, I might have to buy Pearl a little knife-sized winter coat to send along with her.

I'm s sick of firing up my snowblower... at least this last storm missed us to the south somehow. I can't wait for spring... I would love to take Pearl out for a hike and see if she brings me any luck finding any deer sheds!

 

[btb01]

Spring? We don't need no stinkin' Spring!

Although we only got a couple inches of snow overnight, it has picked up it's pace throughout the day today and is piling up quickly.

To begin, I suppose I should provide a little background about where I live. In January, our family (my wife, daughter, dog and I) moved to Minnesota from Arizona so my wife could accept a new position with the company she works for. We currently live in Mound, MN, which is about 20 miles west of downtown Minneapolis.

Mound is essentially surrounded by various parts of Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota's ninth largest lake. I took a couple photos of Pearl by the lake today, although I may try to get more later in the week, when the visibility is a bit better.

Having lived in Arkansas most of my life, and Arizona the last 5 or 6 years, I know next to nothing about lake ice, but they say Minnetonka (along with other lakes in MN) could have a record late ice-out date this year. Last year's ice-out date on Minnetonka was March 27th. The record for the latest ice-out date is May 5th, which occurred in 1857.

Earlier this morning, we had some errands to run in nearby Chanhassen, MN, so I took Pearl to see Paisley Park, Prince's home and recording studio.

Not far from Paisley Park is the Chanhassen Cinema, where an artist from New Zealand painted a 40-foot mural dedicated to Prince a few months after his death.

We've spent the afternoon at the house. Pearl and I just finished shoveling a path for the dog so she can get out to the yard. (Ok, I did all the shoveling; Pearl just watched.)

 

[willythekid]

I want Soring so dang bad... it seems like we have skipped spring the last few years and gone right from winter to summer here in the Red River Valley. I have lots of family in the Twin Cities... we take our girls down there every couple of months. Great city(s) with tons to do but hate the traffic.

 

[btb01]

Nothing too exciting to update from the last couple days. It continued snowing until early Monday morning. The official reports from around the area said that we got around 18" to 20" from Friday evening to Monday morning.

We mostly stayed in the house on Sunday, except for a few trips outside to shovel (and re-shovel) the driveway, and to re-shovel the path so the dog could get to the yard (I also had to shovel part of the yard so she had a spot where the snow wasn't too deep for her to do her business ). Here's Pearl admiring our work after shoveling the dog path for the second or third time.

My wife left for a short business trip this morning, so it's just the kiddo and I for the next couple days. That likely means there won't be much time for adventuring with Pearl until later in the week, but we'll see. I did get a chance to take Pearl's picture in front of Lake Minnetonka today without the white-out conditions we had on Saturday. This was taken in downtown Wayzata (which is pronounced "why-zet-uh" for some reason that's beyond my understanding), along the aptly named Lake Street.

The two lines behind Pearl are railroad tracks that run between Lake Street and the lake. There's a historic railway depot not far from where I took this photo, but all the snow piled up by the plows along the streets and in the parking lots made it difficult to get to, so I didn't get a picture of it.

 

[btb01]

Pearl seemed like she was getting a bit homesick for the South, so this morning I took her out for a spicy chicken biscuit and some sweet tea (not pictured).

 

[Vaporstang]

I am checking back in for a quick post. I have to say that I am not the biggest fan of Stockmans. Nonetheless, while I was in possession of Pearl, I did carry her almost the whole time. I really liked the size, how she carried in my pocket, the feel in my hands, the blade variety, the edge on the Chrome Vanadium carbon steel, the walk & talk while opening and closing the blades, and even the yellow scales. [I also loved the scrimshaw; excellently done!] I was impressed enough that I had to get a Case 3318 CV medium Stockman in yellow, sans the scrimshaw, for myself - arrived today. A 2014 model, if I did my ciphering correctly.

 

[btb01]

I am checking back in for a quick post. I have to say that I am not the biggest fan of Stockmans. Nonetheless, while I was in possession of Pearl, I did carry her almost the whole time. I really liked the size, how she carried in my pocket, the feel in my hands, the blade variety, the edge on the Chrome Vanadium carbon steel, the walk & talk while opening and closing the blades, and even the yellow scales. [I also loved the scrimshaw; excellently done!] I was impressed enough that I had to get a Case 3318 CV medium Stockman in yellow, sans the scrimshaw, for myself - arrived today. A 2014 model, if I did my ciphering correctly.

Looks good, Vaporstang! Hard to believe Pearl's only a year older than that fresh lookin' knife.

Today I dropped Pearl in my pocket and we headed into Minneapolis. We stopped by the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and took a few photos with a couple of the sculptures there.

After that, we had intended to have a few beers and eat dinner at Surly Brewing Co. in Minneapolis. (This was actually the main reason we headed downtown.) I've had a few of their beers since moving to MN, and was curious to check out their brewery/beer hall/restaurant. Now, I knew it would likely be busy on a Saturday afternoon/evening, but I severely underestimated just how busy it would be. It was like being at Disney World. Two hour wait to get a table. Line all the way around the (very large) beer hall just to get a beer. We quickly decided this wasn't going to be the best day for us to try this place out, and changed our plans. (I should have at least tried to get a photo with Pearl outside the building -- it is a really cool place -- but there were so many people there, inside and outside, that I didn't even think about it until after we were already gone.)

So, instead of Surly, we headed to Excelsior, MN and had dinner at one of our favorite places there, called The Suburban. Pearl and I shared a couple local beers (Excelsior Brewing's Big Island Blonde and Flat Earth Brewing's Cygnus X-1 Rye Porter).

We had some delicious cheese curds.

And a "Morning Glory" burger (topped with a fried egg, bacon and cheese on a toasted English muffin). And crispy tater tots. (This meal should come with a free cardiologist consult.)

It wasn't quite the evening we had planned, and I was disappointed about Surly because I'd really been looking forward to trying it out, but we still had a good time.

 

[Fodderwing]

I have never really been a big fan of mother of pearl knife scales. Well for many months when I would see the "adventures of pearl" thread I skipped over it thinking it was all about those knives. I finally ran across a post of Rachel"s in another thread with Pearl in it. My synapses don"t always fire in the proper sequence but suddenly flashes of "EARL" came to mind along with "PEARL" and it dawned on me. Yep I'm a little slow . Well, this thread is one of my absolute favorites now. The good part is I've had the enjoyment of starting at the beginning. A big thanks to all of those who have hosted Pearl. And Barrett the picks of you and Pearl are great although that"s WAY too much snow for this Arkansan.

 

[veitsi_poika]

I have never really been a big fan of mother of pearl knife scales. Well for many months when I would see the "adventures of pearl" thread I skipped over it thinking it was all about those knives. I finally ran across a post of Rachel"s in another thread with Pearl in it. My synapses don"t always fire in the proper sequence but suddenly flashes of "EARL" came to mind along with "PEARL" and it dawned on me. Yep I'm a little slow . Well, this thread is one of my absolute favorites now. The good part is I've had the enjoyment of starting at the beginning. A big thanks to all of those who have hosted Pearl. And Barrett the picks of you and Pearl are great although that"s WAY too much snow for this Arkansan.

Better late than never Dwight I think I was a few pages late to get on the Pearl waiting list but my fingers are crossed... I think she would like Wisconsin, a.k.a. Packer country In fact I have my tickets for the home opener against the Bears, pretty sure Pearl would like to tailgate but not get confiscated at the metal detectors LoL. I made that mistake one time and of all knives I was carrying that day it was a huge Schrade Cut Co pruner that I was using earlier in the day to break down some cardboard boxes.

 

[Fodderwing]

Better late than never Dwight I think I was a few pages late to get on the Pearl waiting list but my fingers are crossed... I think she would like Wisconsin, a.k.a. Packer country In fact I have my tickets for the home opener against the Bears, pretty sure Pearl would like to tailgate but not get confiscated at the metal detectors LoL. I made that mistake one time and of all knives I was carrying that day it was a huge Schrade Cut Co pruner that I was using earlier in the day to break down some cardboard boxes.

I honestly don't believe I could've handed that SCC pruner over. Somebody would'a had to post bail...

 

[btb01]

While Pearl was visiting @Wurrwulf down in Louisiana, he took her to a bar that had been featured in the HBO series True Detective. Well, I figured I would show Pearl something similar up here in Minnesota. There's a scene in the movie Fargo where Brainerd Police Chief Marge Gunderson interviews a couple of -- let's call 'em "working girls" -- while trying to locate two suspicious characters. The bar where she interviews the girls (or at least, the exterior used for the film) is the Lakeside Club in Mahtomedi, MN (that's pronounced MAH-doe-MEE-die, apparently). I have to say, I don't think this place has changed much since 1996 when the film was made.

Here's a screenshot from Fargo.

We were over that way yesterday afternoon (Mahtomedi is up northeast of St. Paul, on the other side of the Twin Cities metro area from where we live). When we got back to Mound, we stopped by Surfside Park (a local beach on Lake Minnetonka) and took a couple more pictures. As you can see, thanks to several nice days with temps in the 60s this past week, the lake has definitely started to thaw.

Pearl enjoyed reading this sign that gives a brief history of Lake Minnetonka.

After we got back to the house, we walked down the street to another small park, which also happens to have a nice view of the lake.

This morning, while my wife took our daughter to her swim lesson, Pearl and I drove around Eden Prairie, MN and found the Minnesota Vikings old training facility. Here's Pearl posing with the Viking ship out front. (The Vikings moved to a brand new facility in Eagan, MN just this year.)

 

[btb01]

After swim lessons, we ran our usual weekend errands (groceries and such), then went back to the house so Eleanor (our daughter) could take a nap. Once nap time was over, we drove down to Waconia, MN. The downtown area of Waconia has a great small-town feel, and what small town would be complete without a Sherman Tank?

Here's Pearl taking a ride on the front of the tank.

And here she is sizing up the tank treads.

After checking out the tank, we headed over to the Waconia Brewing Company. Since this was our first time visiting this brewery, we decided to start off with a flight.

Then we grabbed a couple pints. I had the Carver County Kölsch, and my wife went with the 225 Amber. She told me afterwards she wished she'd gone with the Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter instead. (I thought both were pretty good.)

We spent the rest of the evening at home (where we drank some more local beer, because why not?).

It's been a lot of fun hosting Pearl these last couple weeks, but I think she'll be heading on her way pretty soon. willythekid , PM me your address when you get a chance. (I tried to send you a PM, but it didn't show up as an option when I clicked on your name.)

 

[Ramrodmb]

Great pics and write up, Barrett!
"Al's bunker downstairs" sounds a little sketchy. I would stay out of there.

 

[Jack Black]

Really enjoyed your posts and the fantastic pics Barrett, you are really showing Pearl (and your fellow Porch members) a great time

 

[5K Qs]

Nothing too exciting to update from the last couple days. It continued snowing until early Monday morning. The official reports from around the area said that we got around 18" to 20" from Friday evening to Monday morning.

We mostly stayed in the house on Sunday, except for a few trips outside to shovel (and re-shovel) the driveway, and to re-shovel the path so the dog could get to the yard (I also had to shovel part of the yard so she had a spot where the snow wasn't too deep for her to do her business ). Here's Pearl admiring our work after shoveling the dog path for the second or third time.

... This was taken in downtown Wayzata (which is pronounced "why-zet-uh" for some reason that's beyond my understanding), along the aptly named Lake Street.

...

Lotta snow for April 15, Barrett; welcome to spring in the Upper Midwest! Our dogs are small, so I shovel snow mazes for them in the back yard so they don't experience "sewage backup" problems while doing their business after snowfalls. I wonder if the strange pronunciations are the result of Scandinavian immigrants trying to pronounce Native American names??

...
Today I dropped Pearl in my pocket and we headed into Minneapolis. We stopped by the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and took a few photos with a couple of the sculptures there.

...

I'm really enjoying these photos of Pearl around the Twin Cities, Barrett!! I'm going to share them with my daughter, who will be going to grad school in public health at U of Minn this fall. I'm sure she'll appreciate starting to learn a bit about the area. Amazing that in 5 days you've apparently lost most, if not all, of the 18-20 inch snowfall from the previous weekend!

While Pearl was visiting @Wurrwulf down in Louisiana, he took her to a bar that had been featured in the HBO series True Detective. Well, I figured I would show Pearl something similar up here in Minnesota. There's a scene in the movie Fargo where Brainerd Police Chief Marge Gunderson interviews a couple of -- let's call 'em "working girls" -- while trying to locate two suspicious characters. The bar where she interviews the girls (or at least, the exterior used for the film) is the Lakeside Club in Mahtomedi, MN (that's pronounced MAH-doe-MEE-die, apparently). I have to say, I don't think this place has changed much since 1996 when the film was made.
...

Here's a screenshot from Fargo.

....

More very cool "local color"; thanks for bringing us along, Barrett! One change in the Club's architecture is that the entry door is now hinged on the opposite side from in the movie. That seems weird to me, but who knows if someone kicked the door open and ripped the hinges out of the frame or whatever!

You and your family were gracious hosts to Pearl and the Porch, sir!

- GT

 

[btb01]

Accidentally hit post too quickly... check back in a few minutes.

 

[btb01]

Well, Pearl is in the mail and on her way to North Dakota, but before I sent her off, we had one more little adventure. This morning, Pearl, Eleanor and I headed down to Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis. In addition to some wonderful green space, the park is home to Minnehaha Falls. This waterfall is located on Minnehaha Creek, which runs from Lake Minnetonka to the Mississippi River.

Here's Pearl taking a look at the falls from above.

Next, we walked over the bridge that overlooks the top of the falls.

Then we headed downhill to see the view from below.

In winter, the falls freeze completely, and you can walk right up to them, and even behind them. (We haven't been in winter -- in fact, this is the first time we've made it down here -- but it looks pretty cool. Here's a photo from Wikipedia.)

From the bottom of the falls, we walked down a trail that runs alongside the creek. Pearl wanted to get a photo with Eleanor before her visit ended, but Eleanor held onto her so tight that you can barely tell that Pearl's in the photo.

Here's one last photo of Pearl, from another bridge over the creek, downstream from the falls.

And here are a couple more pictures of Ellie at the park, because why not.

(The likelihood of getting a normal face from this child when taking a picture is pretty slim.)

 

[Vaporstang]

Awesome travels for Pearl while she was with you Barrett! Adorable daughter too!

 

[willythekid]

Boy, Pearl has had some fun... I hope to show her a good time with her stay with me but the bar sure has been set high by previous members! Such a great thread and it really shows what a great community we have here...

 

[Fodderwing]

Barrett all of your pics and tours have been wonderful. And your little one is a jewel. Thanks for such a great time with Pearl.