Remember this photo I posted on our anniversary?
Ten Years Later . . .
Our looks have changed a little!
Unfortunately, not knowing we needed reservations, we did not get to enjoy a carriage ride on our 10th anniversary date. I had already climbed in and removed my shoes before the confused couple with reservations showed up.How embarrassing!
We did a a lovely meal here:
Yes, it really is on an island, Nicollet Island, in the Mississippi. We dined on mince and slices of quince five artisan cheeses with preserved figs, lemon sorbet to "cleanse our palate", bouillabaisse (me), grilled marlin and risotto cakes (him), white wine, creme brulee and chocolate biscotti (me), sticky toffee pudding (him) and champagne on the house in honor of our 10th!
Most of the tables are by these large windows by the river -
People watching by the river was fantastic - walker, joggers, English sheepdog, a unicyclist and a bride and groom being photographed while walking across this bridge and smooching at the same time.
This area, bty, is known as the birthplace of Minneapolis. The only real waterfall in the Mississippi was named "St. Anthony Falls" by Fr. Hennepin (I wish there were a Vision Book about him!) in 1680. The falls were transformed from this -
to this in 1865
to this today.
By the 1860's this area was overhauled (exploited) to provide hydropower for sawmills and flour mills. This is where Pillsbury and General Mills got started!
James J. Hill's railroad company built the now iconic Stone Arch Bridge to transport grain grown in the Dakotas to the flour mills. Now a pedestrian and bicycle bridge, it affords wonderful views of the new I-35 bridge (that replaced the one that collapsed), the falls and the lock and dam.
Here's a view of the Stone Arch Bridge from the west bank -
While on the bridge -
one can view the new I-35 bridge -
the dam -
A charter boat coming through the lock -
The west bank holds "Mill Ruins" and the wonderful Mill City Museum operated by MHS.
Also on the west bank is the Guthrie Theater with it's daring cantilevered lobby. See the Metrodome (the marshmallow) in the background?
A walk up the west bank and across the Hennepin Avenue suspension bridge completed our loop.
Ahh, back to the Inn. This is the point at which I had actually climbed in a carriage with blistered feet, hoping for a ride around the residential section of the island.
Since we missed the opportunity to enjoy a carriage ride, I asked my dh to drive really slow around the north side of Nicollet Island to see DeLaSalle High School and all the 19th century homes.
Aren't they beauties? That's the end of the tour, folks! Hope you enjoyed it! I know I did and we will be taking the children back to explore the area in more depth!
