A twentysomething update

We finally made the move downtown Minneapolis! Our new apartment is a little smaller but a LOT more what we were looking for in a home- including a closer proximity to Minneapolis life, but still close enough to a park and some green space that the Midwest, middle of nowhere girl in me still feels some freedom from the city streets. My mom, stepdad and baby brother came to visit us and see the Red Sox play the Twins just a couple of weeks ago and we had so much fun!

I’m learning quickly, though, that plans don’t always work out as expected.

A little over a week ago, I went to see a doctor for some stomach pain and was told my blood sugar was dangerously high. Later that night, I was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with type I diabetes, and was treated for diabetic ketoacidosis. Basically, my cells were not processing sugar and it was turning to acid in my bloodstream. I spent a few days at Mayo Clinic learning about my new diagnosis and getting my electrolytes to the right levels.

Luckily, I have been blessed with an incredible support system in my family and friends, as well as the doctors and nurses who were beyond what I could have asked for in care and understanding. For those of you that this means anything to- I’m currently on a carb counting insulin ratio and working with nurses to find my sweet spot, while also taking long-acting insulin to take on the job of my pancreas overall.

This past weekend, I got the okay from the doctors and spent some time in Milwaukee at the wedding festivities of two of our friends! It was an overwhelming week, to say the least, but there’s always a silver lining in spending a few days with people who love you. I was able to do plenty of celebrating and laughing while struggling to find my new normal in all of this. I’m so grateful to have been blessed with friends like them!

The (current and future) Stew Crew Wives, just missing our beautiful bride! ❤️

A rare group photo!

A few of my favorite weekend pals at a favorite Milwaukee watering hole

Not quite ready to give up my favorite activities yet

Celebrating the newlyweds!

Long story short, my adventures in the Twin Cities will be a *little* more limited, but I’m up to the challenge. I’m even going back to work tomorrow! Thanks to all for the support and understanding as we adjust to our new lifestyle in all kinds of ways.

The Great Minnesota Get-Together: Before

My first taste of the Minnesota State Fair was four whole years ago.

I sat in my dorm room (the memories are flooding back) and I got a picture from my roommate of a bucket of cookies strapped into the passenger seat of her car. I can appreciate all forms of dessert so needless to say I was excited without even knowing the lore of Sweet Martha’s or the notoriety of the Minnesota State Fair.

Two years ago, I went to my first state fair, the Iowa State Fair, for the first time. Famous for it’s political influence, people flock to Des Moines for the chance to see presidential hopefuls serve Iowa pork on a stick, take pictures of the Butter Cow and try red velvet funnel cake. I loved every single bit of it and I still talk about that pork chop. Nothing beats it.

To say I have been waiting for the Minnesota State Fair all summer is an understatement. I think there’s a chance I have been waiting for this experience for most of my life. Let me break this excitement down into things I love:

Food(and Beer)

#drooling

I seriously spend a large majority of my time thinking about food. I can’t help it, I love flavors and snacking and fine dining and mostly dessert. The new foods at the Fair for 2015 were announced earlier this summer and are a time of excitement in their own right. The list of excitement includes everything from Kimchi ‘n’ Curry Poutine to Tipsy Pies to a Sriracha Dog. My decision-making skills are going to be tested. But the one thing I promise will be mine are a whole bucket of Sweet Martha’s perfect chocolate chip cookies. I also heard that there will be an exclusive State Fair Beer this year, and I don’t like to be left out.

Music

The lineups across the fairgrounds are basically mind blowing. Even if you didn’t manage to get tickets to some of the incredible grandstand shows, let me spill the beans and inform you that there are a handful of ENTIRELY FREE shows with artists you won’t even believe. The list includes ANDY GRAMMER whose hit song Honey I’m Good has taken over the radio, The Willis Clan who have their own TLC show, Old Dominion, Lost Highway, and so many more. Personally excited to see Gaelic Storm on Friday- they’re an old family favorite for us (and the band that went down with the ship in Titanic.)

Animals

I have a deep love for animals. I love to pet other people’s dogs (without permission and with prayers to keep my fingers sometimes,) I love to watch ducks in ponds as I drive by, and I count down the days until I can see the HUGE PIGS and adorable goats every year at the fairs. I’m super excited for a chance to check out the Miracle of Birth center because baby animals just bring out all of my feelings.

Things you should know:

• There won’t be any poultry this year as the agriculture industry tackles the avian flu that heavily affected the area.
• Saturday (August 29) at 11 am will mark the start of a Black Lives Matter protest at the fair, so plan around a little craziness if you’re going then.
• Get a Blue Ribbon Bargain book for some deals, and check out Kids day for discounts if you’re taking the family!
• The State Fair has an app for iPhone and Android with maps, food, and helpful stuff. I always love having an extra resource in my pocket.

Check back next week if you’re interested in all of my crazy experiences at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!

Stella’s Fish Cafe: The Prequel

Full disclosure: I love Uptown Minneapolis. But, duh. It’s full of youthfulness and fun times and incredible places to eat and drink and explore. It’s an outgoing twentysomething’s dreamland.

And if I could shout all of that from the rooftop at Stella’s Fish Cafe (without getting kicked out), I would. I love outdoor dining, and have been dying to get to a rooftop bar since I moved north. I was not disappointed, it was a gorgeous evening and the atmosphere was relaxed but fun.

The rooftop at Stella’s is kind of unbelievable.

Stella’s is borderline upscale, a transition from the college bars where I could get a perfectly good $4 long island iced tea at a bar with plenty of exposed brick. The prices weren’t incredibly outrageous, but on the higher end of average. The waiters and hostesses for the most part sported a pretty casual look, though. Everything on the drink menu was $10 but I didn’t let that deter me, obviously. I had come after dinner, so at least I wasn’t shelling out money for pricy food too. Don’t get me wrong though, I stole a coconut shrimp or two(that the waiter in the black hoodie recommended) from a friend’s plate and it was beyond delicious. She raved about the fries, too, so don’t think you have to order the most expensive thing on the menu to get a great meal there.

Careful not to drool.

Stella’s isn’t the only place with a good atmosphere and great food in Uptown, so search around if that’s your thing. I’ll definitely be going back(when Boyfriend offers to take me on a date because I’m fiscally challenged as a recent college grad), so watch for a follow-up! In the meantime, go enjoy the Minnesotan summer-weather permitting.

First Stop: Surly Brewing Co.

A day at the Surly brewery has been on my to-do list since I interned in Bloomington last summer at a newly liberating 21 years old. Breweries somehow make beer drinking seem much classier than your average Saturday afternoon brew in the backyard.

I know Surly beers as being hoppy and heavy- in all honesty, I order them when I know I only want one drink with dinner or at happy hour. Beyond Furious and Hell, though, it’s hard to try a range of Surly drinks on tap just anywhere.

We had planned a Saturday afternoon with friends as we finally had a free weekend in town and I insisted that Boyfriend and I needed to cross at least one thing off of my list. Decision makers that we are, the plan was to try to make it there by three to sign up for the four p.m. tour. Each person could only sign up themselves and a friend, and sign-ups happen an hour before the tour. Thinkers that we are, we figured if we got there right at the time sign-ups started, we would be fine.

We were so wrong.

First, we got there at three on the dot to find out that there was no four o’clock tour that day, unlike their website states. Their bad. Then, we went to sign up at four (for the five o’clock tour) to find a line bigger than their 20-person capacity. Our bad. So the tour didn’t happen.

Despite that, it really was a great day. We expected some rain, but ended up with comfortable heat and clouds that let us sit outside and people watch (my favorite activity) for a couple of hours. There were people from all walks of life just hanging out, playing bags and enjoying the day. There were even a couple of dogs and babies, which was a little weird at first but eventually really enjoyable because, come on, I love dogs and babies.

We tried a few new beers- I had the Overrated to start out and then decided to give the new Brett Mikkels a shot. Didn’t hate either, and I’m not enough of a beer connoisseur (is that a thing?) to make real judgements on taste. I’m more of a try anything once person. So that’s my advice! My friend S met us there (I hadn’t seen her since last summer!) and had Hell and 1349, while Boyfriend had Hopshifter.

The brewery was easy to get to, easy to park at, with a modern look and a great atmosphere. It looked like the wait for dinner was excessive, so we decided to go elsewhere. I’ve only heard great things about the food, though, so I’ll definitely make a return trip for the food and the tour!