When I finished my week in Brainerd last Friday, I needed time to regroup and catch up on some work. I wanted to find a place that at the very least approximated a city, someplace where the lettuce is green, fries are not the only side dish, and that breathes life instead of sucking
Any day that begins with dropping your smartphone in the toilet is fraught with symbolism. Down the toilet went my common sense and a big chunk of my day. I managed to squeeze in a quick driving tour of Brainerd, found a nice place to sit next to the Mississippi, and even managed to spend
This morning, Reggie McLeod (Publisher of Big River Magazine) and I were guests on the The Larry Meiller Show on Wisconsin Public Radio, talking about summertime fun along the Mississippi River. We had a great time talking about the places we love and managed to work in a few beer references, inspired by the microbrew
On a Saturday night in June, the parlor of the restored Grand Rapids (Minnesota) house where little Judy Garland (nee Frances Ethel Gumm) spent the first four years of her life is draped with nostalgia. The parlor, decorated with period furniture, an upright piano, and a small gaggle of old queens and divas, is an
It started so innocently. First I started taking pictures of fun/odd statues that I came across. Then I wanted to get in a picture of a giant mining truck, so I could provide a sense of scale. After that, I had the brilliant idea that I should be appearing next to all the odd/fun statues
This was a good week for getting outside. To kick things off, I had a chance to chat and learn from two of the area’s experts on the natural world: Bill Marshall, the sage of the forest, and John Latimer, a man in touch with the seasons and cycles. Thanks to them, this city
