July 6: St. Paul

This morning we were off at about 9:30 a.m. for a look at the Minnehaha Falls Regional Park.  It is a city park in Minneapolis and home to Minnehaha Falls and the lower reaches of Minnehaha Creek.   The park was designed by landscape architect Horace Cleveland in 1883 as part of the Grand Routes Scenic Byway system, and was part of the popular steamboat Upper Mississippi River “Fashionable Tour” in the 1800s.  It preserves historic sites that illustrate transportation, pioneering, and architectural themes.  Preserved structures include the Minnehaha Princess Station, a Victorian train depot built in the 1870s; and the John Stevens House, built in 1849 and moved to the park from its original location in 1896, utilizing horses and 10,000 children.  The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 as the Minnehaha Historic District in recognition of its state-level significance in architecture, commerce, conservation, literature, transportation, and urban planning.  

From there we went to the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul in order to have lunch, go to the Carnegie Library, and to a very nifty bookstore with all kinds of nooks and crannies, called Micawber’s Books after the famous Mr. Micawber of Charles Dickens fame (“David Copperfield”).  The only thing missing from that great bookstore was a fleet of cats, as there were many comfy chairs and window sills perfect for them.  

Adjacent to those establishments was a Finnish Bistro where we had lunch.  Finnish transplant Soile Anderson has brought her homeland’s cuisine to this bistro, and the atmosphere is Scandinavian.  I myself had the soup of the day, a wonderful chicken and vegetable combination, served with a roll, and a glass of apple cider.  For dessert, the three of us shared an almond kringle—very good, but a little too sweet for my palate.  

From there, we went to Como Pak, 400 acres and a place to unwind since the late 1800s.  Its attractions include the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, Cafesjian’s Carousel, and Como Town (which we did not visit).  

First, Cafesjian’s Carousel—it was built on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in 1914, but was eventually moved from downtown St. Paul to its current location.  Gerard Cafesjian, for whom the carousel was named, donated $1.2 million to finance its restoration and move in the late 1990s.  Its new home is a beautiful, copper-roofed pavilion and has doors that can open on summer days and close to extend the season into the fall.  68 hand-carved horses in four rows ring the carousel, which is 50 feet in diameter.  A restored Wurlitzer band organ, while not original to this carousel, plays paper rolls of classic carousel tunes.  Both Maureen and I rode the carousel—the best $2 a person admittance charge we have ever enjoyed!!

From there we were off to the Como Park Conservatory to enjoy ferns, succulents, bonsai trees, and various other exotic plants and flowers.  We wandered through part of the park next to the conservatory, featuring lovely stands of roses and day lilies in every imaginable color combination.  We also spent a lot of time in the Como Park Zoo, the history of which goes back to 1897.  Several buildings were built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration.  Right now, the central location of a new series of pools that will accommodate seals and sea lions is under construction, giving the zoo a very fractured look.  However, we were able to see zebras, giraffes, an Amur leopard, a cougar, and a snow leopard.  Those last three were worth visiting the zoo for.  

From the zoo we walked to the Lake Como and the outdoor venue of a production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “State Fair.”  Tonight was the first performance, and although we stayed for the first act, we left during intermission, as the quality, compared to what we had heard at the Guthrie a few nights ago, was negligible at best. Nice, admirable effort, but all three of us had unanimously convinced ourselves that we had reached our limits on this.  We stopped by Bierley’s on the way home and bought some roasted chicken, then came home and had chicken with salad and the rest of our ice cream from the previous evening.  And now the two ladies have retreated, and all I need to do is to proof this and attach my photos.  I think you will like these!  As ever, Sylvia