Shopping on Grand? Stop at Salut on Grand
Recently, during a hideous Minnesota snow storm when the google maps was colored all red, I decided to just hang out on Grand Avenue for awhile. I say decided like it was a choice. Rather, I was stuck there for awhile until traffic cleared up.
Instead of wallowing because I was not able to get home. I decided to frolic on Grand Avenue. Usually, when I stop by Grand it is for a specific purpose. I stop at the store that I need to get something from and I get out of there. Parking can be a mess and I get stressed out about leaving my car. Was that really a parking spot?
While I was over there freaking out about parking I completely forgot to explore. I had no idea that I was missing a bunch of other stores that I never knew were there. This storm made me make my own fun. After stopping into a few stores by Grand and Victoria. I stopped into Salut.
I have been to Salut a few times and already knew I was a fan of their Pomme Frites and french food in general. I took a seat in the bar and had red wine and ordered some food off the happy hour menu.
I cannot tell you how relaxing it was to sit down and just eat some really good food, alone.
Everything I tried was delicious and the staff was more than accommodating by allowing me to hang out in the bar until I could get home safely.
Overall, the happy hour menu isn’t dirt cheap prices. But, would you really want to eat food that was that cheap to make anyway? I thought the prices were fair for what you got and I really enjoyed the glass of wine that I had.
Because stop in and explore Grand sometime.
@mplsgossipgirl
What is your favorite store on Grand Avenue?
Punch Pizza on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul
What is better than a warm pizza on a cold day?
This was my first ever trip to Punch and I was not disappointed. Not only did it hit the spot but it was affordable as well.
On a side note, Punch Pizza set its own minimum wage at $10 an hour to provide staff with a higher wage to help gain loyal employees and keep them around. Kudos to local restaurants that are paying their employees well.
As someone who is a fan of neapolitan pizza I had a feeling that I would love Punch since they cook each of their pizzas in an 800 degree oven. I was right, the perfect chewy dough was just what I love about neapolitan pizza.
I had the basic margarita pizza which was very tasty. It is a simple but elegant pizza and the quality ingredients that are used make it stand out. I would order this again any day. But, it also made me want to try one of the more adventerous combinations.
They also have salads which I would recommend. I had the italian chopped salad which was very fresh and complemented the pizza well. I cannot wait to try the other salads. Sometimes at pizza restaurants salads are an afterthought. I think that the Punch salads could stand on their own. Although, I don’t think I would be able to go in there and not order a pizza too.
As mentioned above it was very affordable. My lunch bill for two people came to only about 20 dollars. I felt like I had a very high quality meal that I would have expected would cost much more than that.
My suggestion is to get a pizza and a salad to share. Don’t forget a local brew or glass of wine. If you are still hungry, order another.
because pizza warms the heart.
@mplsgossipgirl
What are your favorite pizza places in the Twin Cities? What is your favorite item on the Punch menu?
The Wizard of Oz- The Ordway
I love going to The Ordway during the holiday season. There is just something about Rice Park covered in snow and the lights shining in all the trees that gets me into the holiday spirit.
Plus, the show that they choose is always a fantastic family show. This year was no different, they choose The Wizard of Oz starring Danielle Wade who won a Canadian reality show contest for the role of Dorothy.
Her performance was outstanding. What made this version of The Wizard of Oz entertaining was the voices of the cast members, they could really belt a tune. Plus, the video that was embedded in the performance.
The video technology made the tornado scene very real. You may want to have a conversation about this with your children before you go to the show because otherwise it may scare them. Although, it did not really seem to upset any of the children who were sitting by me.
I think the show would be a great family outing. It is important to expose children to the theater early so they learn to love it for the rest of their lives. The Wizard of Oz runs until December 29th.
because there is no place like home.
@mplsgossipgirl
Disclosure: I am an Ordway Blogger and received free tickets to the show. All opinions are my own. I choose to be an Ordway blogger because I believe theater is very important and I love that we have such a wonderful theater community here in the Twin Cities.
Cheeky Monkey Deli
I want to move into the Selby-Dale neighborhood because of this restaurant. Cheeky Monkey does breakfast, lunch, and dinner right with fresh, local, seasonal fare. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed the food here.
This visit was the first time I had been on the patio out back. It is beautiful. I would suggest sitting there on a warm fall day.
I went here for brunch where they had available both the brunch menu and the lunch menu. I opted for the french toast which is pictured above and as you can tell it was delicious. The berry compote was to die for.
We also had a mushroom and brie omelette with the hash-browns after seeing someone else eating it. I would also suggest the coffee here, it is very good and made correctly. The servers always keep your cup filled.
I love going here for a calm meal. It is a relaxed atmosphere and the food is great. The prices are right as well.
because a good brunch can make a weekend great.
@mplsgossipgirl
mplsgossipgirl 