After a 2-hour flight delay, arrived in Minneapolis…just before midnight. Whew, late night – but end of another work week, psyched for marathon #8. Have pasta loaded & consistently ran for almost 3 weeks. Ready to run!
Started my Minneapolis day at a rooftop café in Uptown. Norwegian Benedict (eggs benedict w/ salmon) – YUM! Hot, overcast & HUMID. I thought Minnesota weather would be more like Alaska — NOT! ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes’ is crazy humid. And if tens of deep lake waters were not enough, the Mississippi River runs north-south through the city. Misperception: the mighty Mississipp’ is not solely in the Deep South – Huck Finn & Tom Sawyer had a whole lotta river to work with 🙂
3 mile walk around Lake of the Isles, then off to Mall of America – USA’s largest shopping mall (North America #2 – behind Canada’s West Edmonton Mall). Honestly I’m not much of shopper but had to see what the fuss was about – an amusement park (Nickelodeon Universe) inside a shopping mall? Picked up a Vikings shirt for tomorrow’s race. Check, done.
Paid homage to Mary Tyler Moore – positioned outside Macy’s in Downtown – then to the Sculpture Gardens & Saint Mary’s Basilica. Hour nap, take-out pizza, quick shower & Minneapolis’ famous Guthrie Theatre. 2nd row tickets to Crimes of the Heart.
FULL day – so much to see, so little time. But tomorrow is race day!
-
- Welcome to Minnesota — thanks, Goldy Gopher!
-
- Land of 10,000 Lakes: Started w/ a 3-mile hike around Lake of the Isles – only 9,999 lakes to go!
-
- Mare’s top-floor studio apartment in Uptown (MTM)
-
- ‘who can turn the world on with her smile” – MTM, a TV legend
-
- Minneapolis’ Foshay Tower
-
- tower with a view – Foshay observation deck
-
- mighty Mississipp’ from the Stone Arch Bridge
-
- America’s first Basilica – Minneapolis’ St. Mary’s
-
- who doesn’t love stained glass? WOW!
-
- Mall of America obligatory visit – yep, an amusement park inside a shopping mall #firstworldproblems
-
- mango smoothie at Chatime – a new fav! Forget sushi — this is Asia’s greatest export!
-
- Minneapolis Sculpture Garden’s ‘Hare on Bell’
-
- tree bark & branches cast in bronze
-
- chillin’ by the iconic “Spoonbridge and Cherry”
-
- “Crimes of the Heart” at the Guthrie – ROCKSTAR day!
Friday 5:15pm, Gate C42 – off to Atlanta, site of my 5th marathon.
Started Saturday with a huge buffet breakfast at the Omni – multiple plates of fresh fruit & oatmeal. FANNNNNTASTIC!
Next stop, CNN Center. Since the Omni is physically attached to CNN, felt obliged. Took a studio tour – not that different from my time at FOX. I’d rate it A-ok – an hour is certainly long enough.
A few blocks away off Marietta, visited the World of Coca-Cola. Highly recommended.
Coke was invented by druggist John Pemberton in Georgia. Who knew? And while Coca-Cola would become America’s national drink, Pemberton unfortunately died poor, sick & morphine addicted.
With public concern about drug addiction, depression and alcoholism among [Civil] war veterans…as well as among “highly-strung” Southern women, Pemberton’s medicine was advertised as particularly beneficial for “ladies, and all those whose sedentary employment causes nervous prostration”.
Pemberton made many health claims for his product, touting it as a “valuable brain tonic” that would cure headaches, relieve exhaustion and calm nerves, and marketed it as “delicious, refreshing, pure joy, exhilarating,” and “invigorating.”
Enjoyed the history, brand-generated pop art & of course, the Tasting Room. Cola products from all over the world were up for the tasting. Madagascar’s cola includes mango juice; Latin American colas are sugar cane sweetened (almost sickeningly sweet); while China’s apple cola – actually not so bad.
Ended my day at the Georgia Aquarium before savoring a plate of pricey grouper at McCormick & Schmicks. [Key Observation: Lotta seafood restaurants near Aquariums. Coincidence? 🙂 ]
Early to bed, early to rise. Tomorrow is marathon day.
-
- On my way to marathon #5!
-
- CNN Center
-
- Inside CNN Studio Tour
-
- March Madness in Hotlanta
-
- my shoe featured @ the Runner’s Expo
-
- the World of Coca-Cola
-
- Pop Art
-
- Tasting Room
-
- Don’t mind if I do
-
- Check out those blossoms!
-
- Georgia Aquarium
-
- Happy Feet
Having survived heavy snow, 60mph wind gusts, & sub-zero temps just a day earlier, didn’t seem like super timing for a company tour of Celestial Seasonings — but this is Colorado! Just hang in there!
Woke to bright sunshine (& below zero temps) – perfect day for the Boulder Tea Tour.
Take the FREE Celestial Seasonings Tour!
Don’t miss your chance to see the world’s most advanced tea production plant. We offer FREE tours every day (except major holidays) so you can see first–hand how the finest all–natural ingredients from around the world become your favorite Celestial Seasonings teas.
Favourite moments:
- Hair Net (& later being asked to wear a Beard Net)
- the Mint Room – while most folks eyes were burning, think I could spend all day in Mint 🙂
- Celestial Café – I like to eat, lunch was tasty, ‘nuf said
What did I retain?
- Most of Celestial’s teas are not teas at all – but rather, herbal blends of spices, plants & berries
- Conceptually I think I understand the decaffeination process – but don’t quiz me 🙂
- Hawthorn is some scentless berry, full of antioxidants. World’s biggest producer of Hawthorn berries is Chile. [Beginning of the tour, just after receiving my beard net – clearly I was wide awake, all synapses firing…LOL>]
If in Boulder, take the tour. As ya’ll know, FREE is for me!
-
- Hair Net magic
-
- Tea Tour Fun!
