Oh the things you see!

Exploring new places gives one the opportunity to see new..... and sometimes strange.... things! 

Last week I got up bright and early Tuesday morning, got on a plane

 and took my first trip to Minneapolis, MN. 

I headed to MN for work, but was able

 to find a few moments during the 48 hours I was there to do some exploring of my own... here are some are some of the things I discovered on my journey:

Most people have hear

d of the TV show Hell's Kitchen... well, the "hot spot" for breakfast in

 downtown Minneapolis is Hell's Kitchen...  When I heard I was having a meeting here, I have to admit I was pretty darn excited. I have no idea if it is related to the TV show, and after eating there I seriously doubt it, but 

it really was a neat place! I headed out of 

my hotel and was walking down the main streets in downtown Minneapolis in search of Hell's Kitchen. I take a turn onto 10th Street, and there is this tiny sign saying Hell's Kitchen over the door of what looks to be the s

mallest, hole in the wall restaurant I have seen. However, open opening the door the restaurant was HUGE! Well, maybe not huge but much much bigger than anything I expected from the tiny, unimposing entry way and sign hanging outside... then to boot, the hostess asked if we had reservations! Ok, I guess I was way off on saying this was a tiny hole in the wall... apparently the whose who of MN dine at this secret get away! I now know why! I had the best breakfast I have had in years and the big mugs of coffee were just what the doctor ordered!

On to my next fun fact of Minneapolis.... 

Well, I am not sure what the connection is, and I am sure a little research would explain it all, but there on the corner 

of 7th and Nicollet Ave in the heart of Nicollet Mall, there is a bronze statue of Mary Tyler Moore! She is standing on the corner, right outside of Macy's department store (which seems like the best place to be if you ask 

me, unless you're actually inside the store), holding her purse

and watching the crowds go by. So, of course I had to have a Kodak moment with my now-friend Mary!

A must stop while in Minneapolis would have to be Brit's Pub. Located right in the middle of downtown, this Irish pub offers the best brew in town as well as lawn bowling... that's right I said LAWN BOWLING!! And yes, I understand there are no lawns in the middle of downtown in a major metropolitan city. However, Brit's overcame this problem and built their own lawn... on the roof! I went up to see this roof-top lawn bowling for myself and there were people everywhere! All shapes, sizes and ages drinking their irish brew and have a grand

 old time out on the lawn! 

And now to La Creme de La Creme!

It is a sunny Wednesday afternoon and I am walking down the street with my co-worker Kimball and I hear her say "Katie, is that a  bride sitting in the middle of the street." I look and sure enough, ther

e

 is a lady sitting on a potter in the middle of the side walk fully clad in her wedding dress! 

It was the funniest sight I have ever seen. She was all alone, cigarette hanging out over her mouth, can of Coke in her hand, just sitting out on the street in the middle of the afternoon like this was the most normal thing in the world. I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought to myself "there is 

no way I am seeing this, she can't really be in her wedding dress!" As we get closer, and pass the drunk man getting 

arrested,  it is confirmed.... this woman is really sitting on the planter, across the street from the Presbyterian church, in the middle of the afternoon in the middle of the week. By the time we got closer she was chatting with a homeless man. I heard her tell him that she was getting married Saturday and her wedding rehearsal was that 

afternoon.... I hope for her sake that is true and not just in her head!!!!

Oh the things you see!