Just when most of us up here in Minnesota were convinced winter would never end, spring arrived like an express train. We went from a blizzard to 70-degrees and sunny in a matter of just a few days and haven’t looked back since. Even the giant mountains of snow in the shopping center parking lots, which were 20 feet tall and hundreds of feet long at one point, are gone. You can still see the outlines of them by looking for unusual amounts of gravel they leave behind like receding glaciers, but the snow is gone. And now, everything is blooming. What a stunning change in such a short amount of time. One week ago, on this blog, I was raving about finally being in the upper 50s and low 60s. We’ve hit 80 a couple of times in the course of this week. Buds are turning to leaves, everything is popping, and pollen is a constant.
Pollen comes with the territory. It’s a necessary evil, I guess, because it’s a byproduct of blooming plants and boy-oh-boy are they ever blooming. I left my car in the driveway yesterday afternoon and today had to take it to the car wash yet again. My silver car was yellow. Aaaaaah-CHOO!!!
Tomorrow, qualifying for the race at Atlanta Dragway (official motto: “We’re Almost In South Carolina!”) begins and I’m not going to be there. Del Worsham will be there, but his Funny Car will not. Instead, he and a skeleton crew (they are not actually skeletons but that brings all sorts of April Fools Day ideas to mind) are running the Worsham family Top Fuel car, with Bill Litton driving it. I know Del hates that he’s not driving the Funny Car, but I remain resolute that it’s the right decision and we’re working hard at finding some new marketing partners. Would I rather be at the races, getting to do PR work with my friends, teammates, and colleagues? Of course I would, as long as it made financial sense for Del and his family.
To that end, I had a great two-hour lunch meeting with Brent LaBrie and two other really knowledgeable gentlemen on Wednesday, just across the St. Croix river in Hudson, Wisconsin. My walleye sandwich at the Smilin’ Moose was great, but the conversation was really valuable. I didn’t ask the other two guys if I could use their names, so I won’t, but they both have a lot of experience and a lot of great ideas, and they were gracious enough to let us pick their brains for a good long time. I’m always open to great new ideas, especially when it comes to the search for sponsorship. I think Brent and I both left there feeling a little more focused on what we need to do and energized from the concepts. The search continues…
Rewinding the tape to Saturday, it was a big day for one Barbara Jean Doyle. It was her birthday, and the entire day was devoted to whatever she wanted to do. As I mentioned last week, her request was to go to the ballgame. The Twins, who have been missing two of their best players for the last week or so, had hit a losing skid going into the Saturday afternoon game we attended. Apparently, they need to provide Field Box seats for us all season long. It was obvious we were the good luck charm they needed. A 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds was fun to watch. You’re welcome, Twins Territory!
It was great to be in downtown Minneapolis again, and it’s always fun when a ballgame is the reason. So many people on the streets, in the restaurants, and on the plaza outside the gates. There’s a tangible buzz going on. Plus, it’s baseball. I have what you would call “an affinity” for the game.
A couple of years ago, when my buddies Lance, Oscar, and Radar joined me here in the Twin Cities for our annual reunion, we watched the greatest hot dog vendor ever do his thing in our section. The guy was magnificent, with the dramatic “thespian” way he put a dog together with such flourish. We’d all just eaten and weren’t even hungry, but we had no choice but to buy hot dogs from the guy, just for the fun show. A round of applause followed.
That night, I told Barbara about him but he’d never come to our section whenever we’d go to a game. We spotted him again this past Saturday, and it took a while for him to come to our aisle but he finally did. I had no choice. Mustard and relish, please.
Plus, much to our surprise and delight, when we entered the ballpark we discovered it was “Cap Day” at Target Field! Free Twins hats from Dairy Queen, and they’re really high quality hats. It was like an added birthday bonus for my lovely wife, who looked nothing less than adorable in her new lid.
We also took the time to check out some new upgrades at the park. I always salute the Twins for consistently looking to make things even better at what is truly one of the best ballparks in baseball. From the first year on, they analyzed things and made improvements. For instance, we’ve always sat out in the box seats down the right field line, and originally there was a very difficult “choke point” on the concourse right after you came in the gates. The original design just had the concourse too narrow there, right where it’s turning a corner. That choke point is long gone. They had to do some major engineering and construction, to change the whole footprint of the concourse there, but they did it and made it much better.
They added new food choices, they’ve created new tavern spaces, and they’ve done a lot of other things to make the experience as good as it can be, although I can’t imagine they’ll ever stop and say “That’s enough.”
The biggest thing they did this past offseason is a huge hit with the fans. In the right field corner, where the second deck comes to a point, they originally had a dining space called The Metropolitan Club. It was really nice, the food was terrific, and the experience was great, but it was for season ticket holders only and with it being in one corner of the park it was never really crowded. We’d go there before games for a drink at the bar, and we ate up there a few times, but let’s just say there was never any problem getting a table.
This past winter, they gutted it and remade it into “Bat And Barrel” a club that’s open to everyone. There’s great food, two bars, lots of indoor and outdoor seating, and a fantastic vibe. Also, the Twins always kept their two World Series trophies in the lobby of their front office. Now they’re on display in a case at Bat And Barrel. We went up there before the game and loved it. Great vibe, lots of people, and friendly staff. Bravo!
After the game, we drove back home and got cleaned up a bit for the big birthday bash I had planned for Barbara and our Woodbury friends, at Crave. Barbara had specifically requested that no one needed to bring anything other than themselves, but these friends simply don’t honor those requests.
Our large group only had to wait a few minutes before we were escorted to the large semi-private table Barb was so eager to reserve. We laughed, we sipped, we cracked each other up, and we ate incredible food. Crave has now become my favorite Woodbury restaurant, and their Filet Mignon is, by far, the best steak on this side of the Twin Cities. 5-stars from this culinary critic…
I hope I’m not divulging any secrets here, but much of the conversation lately has been about the Jacobsens plans to put their house on the market. With both of their kids out of the nest, it’s their turn to downsize and they’re actively looking around at places similar to our home and the one Terry and Lynn Blake just moved into. We’re all going to be lifers in the “Woodbury Bubble” but at some point you just don’t need homes as big as the ones we had in Marsh Creek. And I think Neighbor Dave is finally ready to have someone else cut his grass and scrape the snow off his driveway. I can totally relate to that! It’s the joy of having an HOA that contracts that stuff out.
Once they get their place sold and find their new Woodbury home, that will make three couples in the group who have successfully downsized. I love our new home, and find it to be just the right size for us. I’ll always miss the ponds and our views, and that incredible house we owned in Marsh Creek next to so many fantastic neighbors, but this is home now.
Back to the dinner party… I went to our local bakery (great place) and had a special cake made. I was talking to the woman who owns the place and we were discussing what kind of cake it should be. She told me their No. 1 selling cupcake is a chocolate one with dark chocolate icing and a cream filling. Sort of a custom made version of a Hostess Cupcake (and who doesn’t love those?) So, they decided to make a cake-sized version of it and it’s one of their best sellers.
I’m not much of a cake or pie guy, but it sounded officially decadent so I had to pull the trigger on it.
Once dinner was over and the table was cleared, we had our server retrieve the cake from the kitchen and fire up three candles while we all successfully embarrassed Barb by serenading her. She went 3-for-3 on the candles and got a very nice round of applause from everyone sitting near us, including a couple of groups of kids on their way to Prom.
And now, speaking of Ms. Doyle, I need to wrap this up and get ready to head for MSP to pick her up. Second week in a row she’s spent at her office in Liberty Lake, but at least this time she’s able to come home on Thursday instead of Friday.
There might be a hot tub session in our future tonight. Can’t guarantee it, but it seems likely.
I guess that’ll do it. I’ll see you back here next Thursday.
And (you know the drill) if you just perused your way through this blog installment and found it enjoyable, or even fun, please do me a huge favor and hit the “Like” button at the top. It’s a totally painless procedure. I promise.
Bob Wilber, at your service and enjoying spring in Minnesota!