Brian had a trade show in Minneapolis the first few days of September and I tagged along, because after the busy Summer I had, I deserved a mini vacation! We stayed at the Best Western Normandy Inn and Suites downtown. It was a pretty nice hotel, hokey amidst all the skyscrapers, and really won my heart when I found out about the complimentary milk and cookies before bed. THE BEST! So, while Brian went and toiled away working all day, I had fun. I lead a rough life, I know.
The first day, I set out walking from our hotel with the idea of heading to the downtown branch of the Minneapolis Public Library. Kristin wasn't going to come pick me up until 3ish, so I had some time to kill. I'm always amused by the strange juxtaposition of buildings in downtown Minneapolis. There are the skyscrapers that you would expect, but then their are also these castle-ish buildings that just look so out of place. I love them.
I was also really impressed with the number of bike commuters. The traffic downtown is intense and just watching where some of these folks were biking was freaking me out a bit. And then of course, on the news that night, there was a story about someone being plowed into by a big SUV. YIKES! Makes me grateful for my peaceful little town with the barely traveled on side streets that make biking to the store a breeze!
The downtown library was rebuilt in 2006 and it's so shiny and new that I hardly knew what to do with myself. It's a good thing I was all alone, because I'm pretty sure Brian wouldn't have been geeking out the way I was!
The inside was just as fresh as the exterior; the stacks seeming to go on forever. When I was in one of the rooms that had stacks, they seemed so huge, but from the hallway, everything is dwarfed. They really built this building with future growth in mind. IT'S HUGE! Like, four stories huge. But most of it just seemed pretty library standard to me. It's pretty, but it just looks like a library. Not much variation on the theme, if you know what I mean.
But then I got to the teen room and it was the most beautiful, wonderful, splendid teen room of all time. I wanted to live in it. This room was hip. This room had it's patrons in mind. This room didn't care that it was in a library. This room just wanted to chill and listen to music and eat pizza and play video games and then read a good book before bed. LOVE! Wish we could do this at my library.
After I finished drooling on the teens, I left the library to find myself some lunch. Having done so, I walked back the hotel and read stretched out on the bed, the windows open to the pool. It was like a little slice of heaven. Kristin called around 4:00pm and we headed out for our afternoon of wonder. We had been planning on going to the Fair, but her husband had just had knee surgery the night before and she wanted to be more easily mobile in case he needed anything. So instead, we went the the Textile Center of Minnesota. They had a few really cool exhibits and some beautiful quilts on the walls. After that, we just started driving, chatting about this and that. Before long, we found ourselves here:
After I finished drooling on the teens, I left the library to find myself some lunch. Having done so, I walked back the hotel and read stretched out on the bed, the windows open to the pool. It was like a little slice of heaven. Kristin called around 4:00pm and we headed out for our afternoon of wonder. We had been planning on going to the Fair, but her husband had just had knee surgery the night before and she wanted to be more easily mobile in case he needed anything. So instead, we went the the Textile Center of Minnesota. They had a few really cool exhibits and some beautiful quilts on the walls. After that, we just started driving, chatting about this and that. Before long, we found ourselves here:
which was full of the most wonderful things. And I wanted to buy them all. But thankfully, one pleasant side effect of traveling in an overstuffed pick-up truck is that you don't go broke at the antique store, buying everything in sight. Because if you did, you wouldn't be able to bring it home anyway. So we just gawked. It was lovely. And then we went to the Salvation Army and I had a wonderful sheet thrifting day, but as I forgot to photograph them and they are now in the laundry, you'll just have to take my word for it.
After that, it was around 7:30pm and we decided that we probably should call it a day. However, Kristin surprised me by inviting me out for a second afternoon of fun! Of course I said yes. I mean, look at our travel partner. Who could say no to him?
After that, it was around 7:30pm and we decided that we probably should call it a day. However, Kristin surprised me by inviting me out for a second afternoon of fun! Of course I said yes. I mean, look at our travel partner. Who could say no to him?
I'm pretty sure he's the prince of my heart. I love this boy and his brother and his momma. LOVE THEM! Come back tomorrow (or some day after today, because let's be honest, I'm not the most consistent blogger) to find out about our day at the Minnesota State Fair! There will be textiles, and animals and more of this guy. You can't say no to him, we've discussed that, so I'll see you later!
I geeked out at the minneapolis library too. Did you see the room just off of the Teen Space where you can write on the walls? RAD! and that automated book drop sorting room/machine thing??? WOW!!
Posted by: abcgirl | September 10, 2009 at 10:11 PM
That sounds so fun. I would totally LOVE a mini vacation right now. In fact, I would even consider it a vacation if I could just sit and look at the giant pile of library books sitting by my bed for a couple of hours.
Posted by: Amy | September 20, 2009 at 09:40 PM