Exploring the Wonders of Minnesota
Three horses carrying strangers slowly came into view. The riders eased up the reins and dismounted near the First National Bank. A passer-by paused and looked at the strangers: it was rare that three well-dressed strangers would come to remote Northfield, Minnesota in the year 1876. The men entered the bank and several more strangers …
Continue reading “Hometown Pride: The Defeat of Jesse James Days”
If we had a bucket list for what we wanted to do while we lived in Minnesota, it would include attending a live game for every major sports team. The Twin Cities have an MLB team, an NFL team, an NBA team and an NHL team. In fact, it appeared in early March like we …
The pop culture picture of Minnesota is probably best encapsulated in the image of someone ice fishing while wearing buffalo plaid and a trapper hat. The image is inspired by several cultural depictions. One is certainly “Fargo”, though the city of Fargo, while on the Minnesota border, is actually in North Dakota. A more Minnesotan …
Continue reading “Flannel, Hotdish and Trapper Hats: Attending Wabasha’s Grumpy Old Men Festival”
This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween Town is real … and it is in suburban Minneapolis. Anoka, a community near Coon Rapids north of the city, calls itself the Halloween Capital of the World. For one month of the year, the town is transformed. Over those 31 days, there are …
Continue reading “The Halloween Capital of the World: Attending the Anoka Halloween Parade”
Sports are characterized by the great rivalries: the Yankees vs. the Red Sox, Georgia vs. Alabama, the Packers vs. the Bears, and the St. Olaf Oles vs. the Carleton College Carls. Okay, the Ole vs. Carl rivalry might not be world famous, but it is a bit of a big deal when you live in …
I am Greek. I wasn’t born in Greece, nor was my mother nor my grandparents, but I am proudly Greek American by my heritage. Whenever we are in a new area, then, we seek out the inevitable Greek Festival hosted by the local Greek Orthodox church. The festivals are a staple of many Greek American …
Continue reading “I’m Greek, dat’s fer shore: The Minnesota Greek Festival”
Long time ago, in an era that is slowly fading from memory into legend, people used to congregate together in groups without the fear of widespread infection. Weird, I know. If we turn our attention back a year to last summer, we were initially acquainted to Minnesota through one of these mass gatherings: The Minnesota …
Continue reading “Deep-Fried Hot Dish on a Stick: The Minnesota State Fair”
Adventures in Gopherland