Under Construction

This blog is under construction for a week while my brain ponders such topics as will there ever be a Lunds grocery store built in downtown St Paul, how high will the Mississippi River crest this spring and has the pigeon population been reduced by the birth control feed being fed to them from the top of the Lowry Building. Hmmm, I wonder if the Pope approves of that bird feed???

Sidewalk Cafe

Ok, this photo was not taken in downtown St. Paul but rather a few summers ago in Boise, Idaho whose downtown has a great little outdoor cafe scene. As we begin to approach warmer weather in Minnesota is it possible that some of our downtown restaurants with outdoor patio seating will open soon? Meritage's website says they will open their terrace in April if weather permits. If they do I'll have that $12 hamburger with fries, a cold beer and a dose of vitamin D. What about the terrace at Black Dog across from the farmer's market? They have a nice balance of sunny and shady spots to sit in and they make a great pizza there. Great Waters Brewery had their patio open in January serving beer at their Winter Carnival ice bar. You won't find a better deal than their $2.50 happy hour pint of homemade beer for a perfect patio experience in downtown. Then there is Barrio, Alarys Bar, Kelly's Depot Bar, Wild Tymes, Patrick McGoverns, The Liffey....all with outside patios. The best patio of course is the one outside my own door where I can get a cheap glass of wine and put my feet in the sun.

Sidewalks

Sidewalks are for walking, chalk art and now poetry. I never realized I might be walking over a poem stamped into one of our downtown sidewalks. Poems have been stamped into our downtown sidewalks and elsewhere in St Paul since 2008 when the Everyday Poems for City Sidewalk project began. Find Sean Fleming's poem "Let's Talk" stamped into the sidewalk at 10 W Exchange Street or Pat Owen's "A Dog on a Walk" on your walk to the farmer's market at 261 E 5th Street. The annual contest was created by Saint Paul’s City Artist in Residence Marcus Young in partnership with Saint Paul Public Works and the nonprofit organization Public Art Saint Paul. Go to: http://www.stpaul.gov/ to read past poetry winner's poems and locations for sidewalk poems around St. Paul. Guidelines for submissions for 2011 will be announced in the next few days on the city website.

Bye Bye Pedro

A November 18, 2009 Star Tribune article announced that the Pedro Luggage site would be donated to the City of St. Paul and the land used for a future city park. This was good news for those in the community who have been working towards seeing the entire 10th and Robert Street block turned into downtown's newest green space. According to the article, Pedro opened the Robert Street location in 1960. That was about the same time that my father bought his first briefcase. It came from that store. It became mine about ten years ago and I still have it. The demolition of the building will begin on March 18th with a celebration at the site at 1:15 with Mayor Coleman, Councilman Thune and the Pedro family. A reception will follow across the street at Keys restaurant. That information came from the Downtown River Council E newsletter. What they didn't say is what is the process for the demolition. Do they just get a start on it on the 18th? Can they remove the whole thing in a day or in a week? I have to admit that I am curious about watching the demolition process. When the Xcel smokestack was detonated in June of 2008, I was there from the high bridge watching it with the other gawkers. If I can't make it to the event on March 18th, I hope someone will put the video on You Tube.