Great afternoon with Rich on the National

This place is special

Lunch at Smokey’s – thanks, Jesse!

…but it got nice by the end (Ops @ Gross National)

https://www.monitorsaintpaul.com/stories/tabitha-wheeler-named-social-worker-of-year,1741

The first of, I suspect, many changes coming

Thanks, Jamie!

No way Christy didn’t help with this

It will always be the Audrey, right Chef (and Nive Man)?

Round #65, Montgomery National

Thanks, Keri

So great to hang out in the Commons today with JV, RW, JK and the kiddo

Love the subtle jab at NY

So great to see Talia again!

Beautiful afternoon at Highland National

So long, Dacha Batinich

Pope Family Ranch, Forest Lake

Congratulations (again) to Leo @ Hazeltine

Good luck to Danielle in her future endeavors (Mississippi Pub, Inver Grove Heights)

Wise words from my friend Chuck:

I don’t really participate in politics or political discussions, either in real life, or online. Why? I have always believed that a true key to a peaceful life and a polite society is to not discuss politics or religion. Why? Because these are divisive topics. Likely over ninety percent of human conflicts have hinged on these topics, and by extension most of the death and destruction throughout human history. I have political and religious beliefs, but none of you know what they are because I keep them to myself. The world would be a better place if most folks lived this way. Sure, I vote, but nothing I see on Facebook is going to change how I vote, and I’m not so foolish as to believe I can influence how anyone else votes. So I don’t even participate in online political discussion.

…and Craig (Ridges at Sand Creek #2)

Another beautiful morning with Mr. Cody in Bloomington

Phalen with Curtis (plus Craig and Jeff)

Wild Marsh was very nice

This here rap’s about the true confession. If you listen close you about to learn a lesson. You must know failure before success…

Blast from the past

Curtis on 7 tee, Stonebrooke Golf Club

Applewood Hills with John and Cathy

I don’t think that’s the real reason

I’ve been fortunate to continue working through the pandemic, but it’s been tough to take time away (especially since I’m the only IT person left). Thanks to the support of my boss and one of our awesome game day staffers, I was able to take a week off without looking at work email once. We originally intended to spend the week on Isle Royale National Park, but the ferry and Rock Harbor Lodge decided to scrap the whole 2020 season and our reservations were cancelled.

Plan B was to stay the first half of the week at Lutsen Resort and the Fourth of July weekend on Lake Vermilion (at Fortune Bay). Those plans changed as the temperatures kept rising – it was even hot along the usually cool shoreline of Lake Superior and we discovered upon check-in that Lutsen Resort does not have air conditioning. They were accommodating by offering us a full refund, but there were really no other options in Lutsen or the surrounding spots (Grand Marais, Tofte, Grand Portage). Fortune Bay could get us in early, so we set off on highway 1 through Ely and decided to spend the whole week on Vermilion.

Fortune Bay has done a nice job with COVID safety and procedures. They had temperature checks set up on the entry road, mandatory face masks and lots of signage, plexiglass and hand sanitizer. The casino floor had basically every other machine turned off, but they kindly turned on my favorite game for the week (big thanks to EJ). I think I made it worth their hassle, though, while still getting a lot of quality playing time. They had Frozen-themed giveaways on Thursday and Friday for 100 points earned (an Olaf waffle maker on day one and an Olaf snow cone maker on day two), so I spread my playing time out accordingly. Marisa really, really wanted these, so I was happy for the solid play-through.

Food options during the week were a little limited, but what was open was solid. We stopped at the Ely Steakhouse on the way over from Lutsen and they were following all of the state orders for in-person dining. On the other end of the spectrum, the Vermilion Club was following just about none of the rules, which blew us away (maybe “VC” really stands for Virus Central). We still ate there twice in-person and had take-out a third day, because Poor Gary’s pizza and the bleu cheese and chicken wings are Northland classics (hopefully we were personally careful enough).

Back at Fortune Bay, I hit the Wilderness Grill four times, having great experiences each time. The new chef used to work at Alma in Minneapolis and I really liked all of the sandwiches I tried (pulled chicken, walleye, porchetta and cheeseburger). Their new fries are reminiscent of the state fair classics. In the casino proper, we had a wonderful dinner at the Sunset Steakhouse and stopped several times at the Gold Mine Grill, which is getting better with service and staffing (they’ve always had great coffeeshop-style food options). The Tamarack Buffet was closed for service, but was the room was being used for socially-distanced overflow seating.

Thought I would play a lot of golf during the week, but the temperatures were warm and I just didn’t feel like going every day. I did drive down to Coleraine to play Eagle Ridge with the Millers and got in a twilight round on The Wilderness with John, Cathy and Bonnie. The whole region needs rain badly, so there were some near-dead areas on both courses (especially in the roughs). The Wilderness also has a lot of behind the scenes changes: the contract with KemperSports was not renewed and former golf GM Tom Beaudry and superintendent Vince Dodge have both moved on to the state of cheese. Still love that course, though, and it continues to be the one I’ve played the most.

It was also great to hang out at Dacha Batinich on Birch Point again with Mary and the crew. Big thanks to John and Cathy for taking us out on the boat for a pizza picnic (and for taking Sasha and Marisa out again later in the week). Skip-Bo games and great conversations make that little cabin a very special place indeed.

Thanks John and Cathy

Last visit with Armon before the adventure begins

An old Don Frantz favorite

Such a shame – it was a really nice course before

Welcome back Steve (and crew)

I hope this one is for real – lunch plans for sure

Post-round Angry Orchard

Eric at James Irving Grooming, Uptown Minneapolis

Troy Burne, Hudson, Wisconsin

Great to see the Schusters, though

Well-earned retirement

I miss your collective laughter too

Mr. Oliver George Henry Michael Stevens

https://www.forbes.com/sites/eveturowpaul/2020/03/22/how-restaurants-innovating-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Live at five with Nive…

Lots of Vegas in the house

5.4K likes isn’t too shabby

The Bean still rocks, though

Thanks, AF

Good luck with your big week!

See, they can appear in the same room at the same time

He gets to live here all the time

Oktoberfest in Milwaukee

L.A. is lucky to get you

It was a year ago today when a blood vessel in my head decided it had enough, resulting in a ruptured aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhaging on the train platform outside U.S. Bank Stadium. It was a humbling experience to see the outpouring of love and support from my family and friends throughout my recovery and I will be forever thankful to the good Samaritan in the pickup truck, the first responders that treated me on the platform and the entire staff at Hennepin Healthcare for extending my time on this little planet we call home.

Health-wise, things are almost back to normal. I’m still wearing glasses with a 3M Prism lens on the left side to correct the remaining double vision. The strength of the lens has dropped from +30 to +8 during the past 11 months and the hope is still that I eventually won’t need them at all. I can read most screens without glasses, but the “bilateral 6th nerve palsy” and resulting diplopia at further distances is really the only major remaining issue from October 8, 2018. I’ve been off all of the additional medications from my time in the ICU for a while now and have returned to most physical activities with no issues. In fact, my bike mileage in 2019 sits at 1,058 miles and I’ve played 21 rounds of golf (both of which are a little more challenging with glasses).

I won’t lie, walking past that spot nearly every day is unsettling. It can feel frustrating to not be 100% yet with my vision. And all that weight I lost in the hospital came back with a vengeance. But I am so thankful for having access to high-quality healthcare that didn’t bankrupt our family. This full year of bonus time had some amazing memories: an extra special Thanksgiving with family, the NCAA Final Four, MK’s graduation, Las Vegas with SK, lake visits to Vermilion and Superior, Rib Fest, Summer X Games, another epic State Fair, a quick day trip to Los Angeles, the Saints championship season, more Vikings football and lots of concerts and restaurants. Life at fifty has been good.

So where to from here? I’ll be seeing my eye doctor again soon and I need to get back to my “regular” doctor to start all of the normal old guy things that need to be tested and monitored. Colleen and I head to Maui later this month to check off the second milestone birthday trip that was postponed due to the incident. Hopefully we’ll get the third and final trip scheduled for January. This week I’ll find out about the 2020 London Marathon ballot, which would immediately kick-start a return to running. Quick trip next week to Milwaukee to visit the Buck’s new arena. After the Vikings-Eagles game this weekend, the football season will already be half over. And you know what Steve Miller said about flying eagles…

Four bars, two cities, one night

Different, but great to see Phil and Mikey

John Avenson bringing the heat

The Erben Brothers; Jen of the North

Thanks Rich (and team) for a great day

Come on, Hootie

As I pulled out my red concert shirt today, I realized I better post my pictures and grab the setlist from the fun Tenacious D show I saw with Mike and Jake at the Palace last month before I forget all the details. This really was about as perfect as a concert gets for me these days: early access pre-sale seats in the first row of the loge (three seats all by themselves, even), pre-show dinner at a nice restaurant (finally crossed Pazzaluna off the list), our own little bar with no line right behind our section, two great friends I don’t see nearly often enough and a band that changed people’s lives that night.

This was my second time seeing the D. The other time was, believe it or not, a get out the vote concert with the Beastie Boys and Ben Harper at Roy Wilkins. The first half of the show was the new Post Apocalypto album in its entirety, followed by a greatest hits set and a one song encore (set list and pics after the jump). Other than missing out on Wonder Boy, I was very happy with the song selection. JB and KG definitely gave it their all, with a talented group of musicians backing them up.

Softly. Gently. Sweetly. Discreetly.

Set List (July 30, 2019 – First Night of Two):

• Hope
• Making Love
• Take Us Into Space
• Fuck Yo-Yo Ma
• Daddy Ding Dong
• Robot
• Colors
• JB Jr Rap
• Woman Time
• Save The World
• Post-Apocalypto Theme (Reprise)
• Rize of the Fenix
• Low Hangin’ Fruit
• Sax-a-Boom
• Roadie
• Kickapoo
• Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)
• The Metal
• Dude (I Totally Miss You)
• Kielbasa
• Tribute
• Double Team
• —
• ENCORE
• —
• Fuck Her Gently

That was quite a weekend, though

But still very playable

Nice round, Leo (Stonebrooke 17th)

Go Squad (XGMN19)

Great to see our visitor from Indiana for X Games

Tenancious D @ Palace with Mikey & Jake

Go to The Left Handed Cook, L.A. people

Just a pair of city doge