Last Friday Colleen and I went to see Robert Cray at the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul. After a short opening set by Paul Metsa and Sonny Earl, Mr. Cray and his band performed for about 90 minutes.

I didn’t write down the set list, but it was a nice mix. Colleen thought there were two new songs, but one of them sounded familiar to me (could have been a cover). Unfortunately, I don’t see any reviews online today, so I’ll have to go by vague memory (not in order):

• Phone Booth
• Twenty
• Smoking Gun
• Poor Johnny
• Bad Influence
• Time Makes Two
• 12 Year Old Boy
• Right Next Door (Because of Me)
• I’m Walking
• The One in the Middle

It was keyboardist Jim Pugh’s 54th birthday and he put on a Twins T-shirt that someone threw onstage for him as a birthday present. His Hammond organ solo was great, although I thought it wasn’t quite as energetic as the Minnesota Zoo concert a few years back.

Mr. Cray is an awesome guitarist. This was the closest we’ve sat for a concert and his facial expressions and finger work during solos were amazing. As I tweeted after the show, it would be incredible to see him jam with Richard Thompson sometime.

Also ran into Western Petroleum president Rick Neville in the lobby before the show. He was also at the Minnesota Zoo concert – small world…

Last weekend our usual suspects hit Brookview Golf Course, located right across from KARE-11 TV in Golden Valley. We were a little surprised to see the four-star rating from Golf Digest hanging on the wall of the city-owned course, but the course has improved quite a bit since our last visit (which was, granted, right after another flood that covered many of the holes).

Conditioning all over was extremely green and lush on the 6,387-yard regulation course (rating of 70.6 and slope of 129). We’ve never played the par-3 nine hole course, but it looked to be in great condition as well.

The walking weekend rate is $34 and the nicely equipped Brookview Grill offers a wide selection of food, popcorn for a quarter and a new HDTV to catch up on things like Ryder Cup scores. We’ve heard they serve a mean breakfast too…

Learned some new stuff about the early history of the course from the history page on their website:

The original course was built in the 1920s by Archie Walker and his father, lumber magnate T.B. Walker. They operated it as a private country club until 1947. Under new ownership the course was named Brookview Golf Club and remained a private 18-hole regulation course, complete with a swimming pool, a clubhouse with a full dining room, a bar room, a pro shop, and locker rooms.

In the mid-1960s, Mayor Carl Nadasdy appointed a three-member Golf Negotiating Committee, representing the City Council, the Park Commission, and the Planning Commission, to discuss purchase of the Brookview Golf Club. Negotiations began in March 1966 and resulted in a purchase agreement. In June 1967, Golden Valley voters overwhelmingly passed a $1,600,000 bond issue for the purchase and development of the area. Having taken possession of the club and golf course in November 1968, the City of Golden Valley began official operations at Brookview Golf Course in 1969.

7MM Brookview Photo Gallery

The first part of our new equipment lease at HSRA Minnesota arrived yesterday on three large pallets. It’s always fun to un-box new computers, but the novelty wears off by about the fifth one and the rest just become a chore.

Should keep me out of trouble all week, though…

A few weeks back we stopped in at Columbia Golf Course in Minneapolis for a weekend round. We seemed to be cursed with rain every time we go there, but overall it was an enjoyable round.

On our way out, we walked around the upper floor of the clubhouse and saw a number of historical photos of the banquet hall. The Minneapolis Park Board web site calls it the “Columbia Manor” and says it was built in 1925. Aside from a million wedding planner web sites, I can’t find much about the history of the building.

Do you know more about the Manor? Please enlighten us in the comments…

After nearly 17 years of not wearing a wedding ring, my wife decided this was the year she would give me one. I had a plain gold band when we got married, but that has long been too small for my finger and has resided in our safe all these years.

In general, I don’t like having anything on my hand or wrist, so I had some requests. I wanted to get something that was smaller, had smooth edges and would be compatible with my computer work and athletic hobbies. We needed a specialist.

Soren Priede is a wonderful custom jewelry designer from Saint Paul who has sold me items for Colleen in the past. We decided to work with him to custom design a new ring for me.

The process started in June with a request for all of the features mentioned above, plus a desire for a design that reflected the waves of the North Shore. The result, which we picked up yesterday, is pictured above.

I’ve very pleased and highly recommend Soren if you need custom jewelry.

Last week we visited Phalen Golf Course in St. Paul for the first time in a few years. Course manager and golf professional Nora McGuire said her new course superintendent has made great improvements this year with course conditioning and business has been good. Nora has also been a great supporter of the Women’s Tapemark Golf Event, which was held earlier this week at Southview Country Club.

Phalen first opened in 1917 as a nine hole course and was later expanded to 18. Don Herfort did redesign work in the 1970s and the current par 70 course measures 6,092 yards from the tips, with a rating of 68.4 and a slope of 118. While Phalen lacks length, it makes up for it with tight fairways lined with large, mature trees.

I was a little surprised to find that the grill is closed on weekdays, but they make a mean turkey sandwich to order while you wait.