From Lake To Shining Sea

Last week saw me in Indianpolis for a conference and then scuttling off to Minneapolis where I have a larger account and then, after that, up to the great north for the end of the week to help my friend pack up to leave that remote place. We got everything packed up and then decided to treat ourselves at the very end of the week with a trip over to - down to - whatever it us - to Duluth.

I believe I mentioned before, but I've become a huge "yelp"er within the past few weeks. I'm always looking on that app whenever I get into a city and I've found that the reviews are always pretty trust-worthy. So - when I decided to take two friends to the "big" city :), I did a quick search to find someplace fancy and fun and came up with a place we had been to before, New Scenic Cafe which is right on the Lake. Since we'd been there before, I decided to try another high review place called Lake Avenue Cafe.

WOW -- we picked a winner!!!!!!

So here's what was on the menu.....

We started off with a rave review item that all three of us kind of squeamishly ordered.... Chorizo stuffed, smoked bacon wrapped dates. So - I don't usually like dates, the fruity kind OR the awkward guy/girl kind, but let me tell you, if either one of these were more typically like what we had for an appetizer -- I would be an avid proponent of these delicious delicacies. Seriously - these things were amazing!!!!!

I ordered the pheasant breast with pureed potatos.... HEAVEN!!!! This thing was so good that I did something that I think everyone can testify that I NEVER NEVER do......

I cleaned my plate!!!!!!!

Melissa and Lisa each had the coq a vin which was pretty good too -- but I really think I picked the winner.

But I must tell you that the whole time we sat there, I was pining for that artsy, unique place by the water, New Scenic Cafe. So -- when the waitress at Lake Avenue came and listed the three items that were on the dessert menu (with one of them being a hot fudge sundae -- I mean, really, how can you follow pheasant breast with ice cream...), it just gave me a good excuse to look at my watch say "do you trust me?", grab the bill and throw the friends into the car so we could speed down the road to one of the best little restaurants ever!

New Scenic Cafe http://www.newsceniccafe.com/ is seriously the cutest thing ever and they have the most unique menu ever. We got there and, even though we were full, we started drooling as soon as we saw the dessert menu....

We each had to order our own dessert and then one extra for good measure :)

We had the Mocha Turtle Cake. I know you think chocolate and you think of a heavier cake. This thing was like butter... your fork went right through it!

This is my all time favorite, Melissa and I had it when we were there before. Its a Blackberry Cheescake Tartlet. Oh - I should add that the scoop on top of these desserts that looks like ice cream - not... Its fresh whipped cream thats the most delicious thing ever!

These are Pistachio Rasberry Tarts. They were good, but that cheesecake thing, excuse the pun, takes the cake!

And here are the three happy smiles that concluded an evening in Duluth, MN on the shores of Lake Superior!

So from the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota, I got home for Monday and then took off again for the city by the bay... San Francisco.

It was rainy and fairly cold when I got in. I did some work during the day and then got over to my hotel and found a nice little trail not far from where I was staying so I went out in the rain, like in OH, and took off on the trail. Unfortunately, running in San Fran is a little more challenging than running in OH. A lot more hills.

This was driving out by Santa Rosa which I had to do for work. I love the looks of the hills out here. It reminds me of Scotland. It looks like something just laid down and the grass started growing over it. Such interesting hills.
My dear brother, Karl, got in touch with one of his friends in San Fran and she got me a room at the Triton Hotel, which is a Kimpton Hotel, the hotel chain that Karl works with. Its a pretty nice place. A boutique hotel so its very unique. http://www.hoteltriton.com/ VERY friendly staff here. They called a couple of times after I checked in and a few minutes after I got into my room, I got this cute little tray delivered to me.

Here's the quaint room that I checked into. Its not Marriott let me tell you!

Later in the afternoon tomorrow, I'm taking a little jaunt over to Alcatraz as I've never seen that famed spot. I was told to do the evening tour as the views were amazing and all (the tour is supposedly a little creepier) - however, that tour was totally booked up. I heard it goes fast. I'll report in what the excursion was like!