Merry Monday

Happy Monday! (Is that an oxymoron? Heh.) Unlike about 78.1% of my weekends, this one seemed to last forever, in a very, very good way. Thanksgiving started perfectly with a Turkey Day 5k (an easy-breezy-fun-run), Friday was a very long day at work (mainly because I was thinking about the people who weren’t at work), but I ended it with a couple of games of pool and Big Buck Hunter (yep) in Uptown. 

Saturday was the loveliest day of all! It started out with a breakfast at Grandview Grill (my new favorite breakfast joint) to reunite with my friends from high school. Then my sister and I headed over to the new Anthropologie on Grand and did a bit of damage. Afterwards, we had dinner at Punch Pizza (also a favorite spot) before buying macarons at Surdyk’s (sub-par) and heading to First Ave. to catch The Pines and Mason Jennings. Mason was amazing, as always. He played a good mix of songs from his latest album, Minnesota, some from the album before that, and some from the 7 albums before that. He threw in a couple of covers too, which I was all for. After the show, we headed a block or two over to Kieran’s to meet my friend David who I studied with in Hong Kong three long years ago. And you know, I might have stayed up until 4am getting beat at card games. 

Sunday I headed to the mall with some girlies to do a bit of birthday shopping (thanks family for having holiday birthdays) and then bolted out of there to go to yet another Thanksgiving dinner, complete with cribbage and football.

Okay, so you might not care about the ins and outs of my weekend, but when I write about what I did, it not only serves as a little bit of a record, but also a moment at least to reflect on it and appreciate it before moving on. Sooner or later though, I’m going to be reflecting on something a minute or two after it happens…hmm…

Anyway, I’m super glad I had a couple of reunions this past weekend and can’t wait to have more over Christmas! But for now, it’s Monday, there’s a LOT to do this week at work (not so much socially), and I am, as usual, tired. 

What should I think about today?

1. Cyber Monday. Some might say I like to dabble in shopping. 

2. Running. I did surprisingly well at both Thanksgiving dinners, only eating one plate, minimal desert, and barely anything else those days. Still, I feel a bit guilty and am going to go running after work.

3. Connecting. Sometimes when I have reunions, I get addicted to the idea of them. Especially because David wants to go to Toronto together to visit all of our HK friends. So now I'm thinking about every possible reunion I can muster up.

Was your weekend long or short? Was it hard getting up for work today? (Yes over here!) Anyway, I hope your Monday is super-cali-frag-i-listic! 

Merry Monday

This past weekend was chock-full of activity and so I'm hanging on to the moments of the weekend a bit before I move on with the present. Cooking dinner with my boyfriend, hanging out at a going-away party, watching (and biking along) the TC 10k, sticking around for the TC 5k, attending a Rustic Harvest Fest (bluegrass fundraiser for Second Harvest), playing Yahtzee all night with friends, fervently cheering for the TC Marathoners, going for a warm boat ride despite it being the beginning of October, and finally watching Hot Tub Time Machine*, made this weekend a great one.

But alas, it is Monday and the start of a new week of spreadsheets, documents, production lists, and meetings. I have a feeling though, that this week is going to fly by because I have something planned every night of the week, weekend, and then I'm off to vacation. 

This is what I'm looking forward to:

1. Bush and Chevelle concert. I've loved the band Bush for a long, long time and to finally see them live is exciting! I saw Gavin Rossdale before when he fronted Institute, but it wasn't the same. He did sing Glycerine though as the encore. And he did sign a poster for me. And he did take a picture with me. And he did HUG me. And he did hang out with me behind what was then the Quest Club. I'm not bragging. [Yes I am]

2. Massage. I've been sitting crumpled in my work chair for months and months and lifting things at work and aching throughout. Time to fix 'er up!

3. MN Fashion Week events with friends. I pored over the articles and videos about NY Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week, it's time to indulge in style in my own town. Oh, and I wrote about it here.

4. Grouplove concert. I first saw them at Lollapalooza in August and their energy was insane! Hopefully they've got some new songs up their sleeves since they are headlining.

5. Movie. Since my book club ladies aren't going to go see it, I'm going to see The Help with at least one of them. 

6. Boyfran. Boyfran is going up North and coming back the day I leave for a trip. Then he goes on another trip a week after I get back. Fooey! So I'm going to hang out with him as much as I can.

7. Birthday. I think my friend is doing something for her birthday, in which case I will join.

8. Head and Heart with Thao concert. OMG! I can't wait. H&H is one of the only albums I listen to thoroughly and know almost every word of every song, just from listening and not from practicing with lyrics in front of me like I've done in the past.

9. Zombie Pub Crawl. Braiiiins.

10. I don't have a tenth thing, but I can't have a list of nine.

*Hot Tub Time Machine is one of those movies that surprises you by how good it is compared to what it first seemed. (Among the ranks of The Girl Next Door and Easy A). 

The Main Attraction

I have officially decided that St. Anthony Main is one of my favorite places. Tonight I had my first taste of Wilde Roast Cafe, which was as fantastic as I imagined it to be. I started out with a sweet wine, had a turkey BLT with fries (sprinkled with shredded parmesan) (I thought I was supposed to give up fries) (Never), and topped it off with Summit Pilsner gelato. You heard me. The only thing that could have made it better was if it was a Summit Oatmeal Stout gelato.

If you are opposed to water in mason jars, something may be wrong with you.

Besides my lovely experience tonight, I have spent a fair amount of time at St. Anthony Main. In college, I used to run across the Stone Arch Bridge as part of my workout routine. Then, I discovered Pracna, the oldest restaurant on the oldest street in Minneapolis. Who doesn't love history?! Pracna is awesome because of the happy hour, the good food, the patio, and the friendly and knowledgeable bartenders who serve a good list of craft beer.

Then there is Tuggs Tavern, which is a nice place for a drink on the patio. Vic's is delicious. I hear great things about The Aster Cafe. (An amazing patio?) Oh, and throw in a cute theater with character and you've got an awesome spaot to hang out.

Besides the restaurants, there is also that whole look-at-the-breathtaking-view thing going on. I probably take a picture of the river every time I am down there. Maybe we should talk about the free concerts. Or that the Lifetime Fitness Torchlight 5K is going to start and end there this year.

Anyway, this is one of the things that makes me happy--a place that I love.

What places make you happy?