Randoms of Minnesota

Although the two main places we went were the Minnesota State Fair and the Mall of America, we also visited other places. We had two girls night; Wednesday when we first arrived and the following night. Martha, our amazing and gracious hostess, took us out to Salut Bar Americain on Wednesday night. It was a french style bar. We sat on the patio because it was amazing outside. Martha and Susan, my mother-in-law, got Smokin' Cosmos. They were so neat! Allyson got, what she calls, an old man's drink (something with whiskey). I got what was called a Pool Boy. Of course this ended up as the joke of the night.

On Thursday we went to the most amazingly fancy patio I have ever seen. Most patios are just tables outside. This patio had actual and comfortable patio furniture. W.A. Frost and Company was a gorgeous place with a novel for a drink menu. Here Martha got a Chocolate Martini, Susan got a Spiced Grapefruit Daiquiri, and Allyson got another "old man drink" called an Earl Grey Bootleg (which was amazing). I got a white Sangria that the menu described as "Spanish red or white wine muddled with fresh orange and lime and finished with Sweet and Sour, and a dash of Southern Comfort for a little vanilla and spice. Fruity, refreshing and smooth - our own version of the slow-steeped Spanish original." I ended up having two of them! The bar itself was covered in ivy. It was amazing.

When we weren't out and about, we spent a lot of the time on the road and at Martha's house. That was when we all had time to bond. Ryenn rekindled her love for P.T. as well.  I got to see Chicago in stand still traffic while I was driving, from the car window as a passenger, and in the side streets while dropping off some things to a friend. We stopped at rest stops where the kids got to play (the welcome center to Michigan being the best for the kids by far). We stopped to eat in Wisconsin a few times. We spent time playing with the kids, getting to know Martha, and just enjoying our time as a family.