Just What I Needed...

Target Field - Section 117

If one definition of a "friend" is someone who leaves you in better shape than they found you, than Jeff Pierce would definitely pass the litmus test as a "friend".  This past week we baked at Target Field as the Astros pounded the Twins.  We took the light rail to the game, which was the highlight of the experience.  Unfortunately after four hours in these seats Jeff's back was quite sore.

On Monday we went by school to pick up some journals that needed grading and then we hit the Once Upon a Crime to load up on good books for the summer.  That evening we were fortunate enough to catch an Elvis Costello show at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine's in St. Paul.  Elvis was outstanding mixing new and older songs.  Here is my horrible phone picture.    Here is a much better picture from the StarTribune.

Elvis as he really looked.

Elvis Costello at the O'Shaughnessy

A beautiful day at the Low Brow.

On Tuesday we hit the Lakes.  We walked around Lake Harriet and then over to the Low Brow for lunch.  A wonderful lunch provided by Alicia.  For here I hobbled back to the car where we made our what home.

On Wednesday, the highlight of the day was seeing Karyl and Mary Kirby play with Medalist Band at the Pavilion in Como Park.  Fortunately, their music was a lot better than my phone photography.  I brought a camera to this event, but I had no memory card, which made the camera a bit useless.  

Mary Kirby and Karyl at Como Pavilion

On Wednesday we also walked to the Tin Fish for a very scenic lunch.  Again the legs were quite sore by the time we got home that evening.

On Thursday we hit Lake Harriet again and this time we met Erik at his place.  After procuring some  cigars at the Golden Leaf we went to brunch at Butter.  A meal with Erik was wonderful and from there we drove down to the Walker Art Museum for their exhibit on Edward Hopper.  It was impressive to learn that he would make several (as many as fifty) preliminary sketched before he would make a painting.  His painting also have the feeling of being an outsider looking in.  Here are some images from that tour.

Hopper sketched of men - Paris 1905ish

We ended the evening with some ice cream from Sebastian Joe's, which we ranked slightly higher than the sample we had from Izzy's (pre concert) on Wednesday.  Two very good ice cream places however.

Sketches from Paris

Landscape - Massachusetts - I believe

"Office at Night" - I believe is the title - Edward Hopper

We finished Thursday by watching Brazil defeat Croatia to begin the 2014 World Cup.  Oh joy...

On Friday, we hit Lake Harriet one final time before polishing off an eclair from Butter and then heading to the airport.

My problems aren't all solved, but I definitely feel better.  A hat tip to the gentleman from the Emerald City.