Fire & Pie

I arrived to a very quiet house at Simpson Street around 6:45 am after dropping the youth at work. Dad made a dawn run to the grocery store and coffee shop, and mom was crashed out after her late night waiting for the last parking customer to leave.   Good thing she fell asleep, because dad woke up when the driver was leaving and it was 1:30 am! 

  I sat down at the computer and started blogging and no one knew I was there until around 8, when the house started stirring.  Dad returned with coffee for mom from the local Underground Music Cafe, which is under newer ownership.  This might be his first year dealing with the fair.  He told dad his only issue has been trying to get his supplies from his main local supplier......The Restaurant Depot....next door to where Stella works.  Traffic is a bit tight!  Dad suggested walking with wagon would be faster! 

I blogged away, sort of waiting for the rain to come that had been forecast-ed all morning.  I realized I was losing valuable time at the fair.  

Mom & I got our act together and headed over....and the rain never came.

Governors Fire Prevention Day!  We got a schedule, and headed for the Grandstand before it got too crowded.  

Had to stop for pie on the way.

This was the State Fair exclusive "Honey Do". Strawberry, rhubarb, blueberry, apple, baked with Honey Do wheat beers from Third Street Brewhouse.  Another thumbs up!  I shared a bite with mom.   

We started at the bottom of the ramp and hoped to get my Mini Donut Chapstick from the Star a Tribune booth.  Sadly, they have gone to the timed giveaway distribution method.  I don't understand how this helps anything except for creating massive lines and traffic snarls on the street and in buildings.  I get it that people come to the fair at different times.   But they could adjust inventory behind the scenes.   Have a set number for mornings, afternoons and evenings.  If they run out, tell people to check back after a certain time.  This is my advice for the U of MN, St. Thomas and anyone else with limited distribution. The places that do it hourly, "top of the hour" etc, are doing Ok.  

The grandstand vendors have not changed much.  Mom had a navigation plan to ensure we hit every spot.  We headed to the northwest end to find Martin Wholesale to see the selection of shirts and coats this year.  They have some nice fleece coats for $15 if anyone needs one!  The coupon this year gets you a ladies jacket for $5!  I looked for shirts for Randy, but the selection was limited.   Hopefully he'll bring more inventory as the fair wears on. 

We walked all the way around the upper level and on  the opposite end and there is a new vendor in the southwest corner.   Modern Envy Apparel.

They are a brand new company, three months old she told me!  They have beautiful socks that are combed cotton and 3% spandex.  They have a compression like effect the way the socks are designed in the foot bed. The company is based in San Francisco.  They look like a Scandinavian design wool sock, but are cotton.  She told me they learned they got into the fair too late for a new color production run.   She wished they had blue & red and purple & gold.

The owner/designer was there and she loaded me up with a pair of socks and some cool stickers and I told her I would wear them and let people know!  Apparently her most lucrative demographic is 16-20 year old males, and "older" women who appreciate the compression.  I think that is my category :)  (*I wore the socks all day Saturday packing and running errands for college preparedness and they feel great!). 

There is a huge Halloween store up there this year!  Lots of fun masks and glasses. Mostly kid/youth costumes. I am not a big Halloween shopper, so I am not sure if the deals are deals. 

There is a funny spot that sells dish towels with great sayings on them!  These two caught my eye, but there are many, many more!

I bought a new "SinkTastic" drain strainer and stopper.  I have been frustrated by the one I have, hopefully this will help!

We made our way downstairs and only got half of the ground floor done.  We found a Inge-Glass, German glass ornament shoppe (across from the sewing machines)  They have this beauty that will be the first in a series.  

She had me at "hello".  Next year will be a Walleye and I can't remember the next one.  I found a couple secret ornaments for Stella too.  This must be my year for Christmas at the Fair.

We were not attracted to any other lower Grandstand booths (but we only got through a quarter of the east end)  I did find another "dollar" special has gone up this year!  S'More on a stick is now 5/$2.  I thought they used to be 25 cents each!

One of my charges Dads asked me if the SPAM place was still at the fair.  I thought so, and I found it down under the Grandstand ramp.  Chris this one is for you!  

Mom & I found Michael hanging out listening to a friend broadcasting at KFAN.

 He joined us and we went in search of food and fire stuff!

 I asked a nice fireman where all the fire trucks were and he told me they were all on the north end again.

Michael had never been on the Sky Glider, so we decided to use that transport up there.  I told Mom to just get a round trip ticket and share it, since I still had my return trip.  She proceeded to ask the ticket lady if she could do that.....of course the answer is no, but if you split your ticket....how do they know?  It is $6 for a round trip and $4 for one way.  I save a buck where I can since things are going UP this year!

I always love this shot on Governors Fire Prevention Day!

 Let me tell you though, other than spinning the wheel at the Regions Hospital booth (to get my water resistant bag) Michael is not as much fun at Fire Day as Stella was.

I got some new hot pads, the nice Sprinkler bags (they have a flat bottom for groceries!) and I texted a nostalgic picture to Stella as she worked on the other side of the fair.  

We walked on looking for a bite to eat before I had to get to work.  Kemps booth was giving away an orange dreamcicle. It was a little freezer gooey, but I had a few few bites.  

No luck at the cow today.

There was a line to try The Minnesota Pickle, free, but Michael said he needed to "be in the mood" for one.  I remember when he would eat an entire jar! It used to be his nickname!

Mom snagged a Rutana Hot Apple Dumpling ala mode and I used my coupon for a Gyro from machinery hill.  They cost $8 and $10, but with a coupon you can get the $10 (Giant Gyro) for $6.  It was tasty, but not quite as good as my Dimitri's

We went in the back door of Eco Technology Building and I found this.  

I took the picture, but now need to research why I should be looking for him!

Eco has many new interactive exhibits.  Another spot to keep kids cool, in the shade and having fun for quite a while!  The Bagnado exhibit is quite impressive too!

There is this fun little experiment (that no one was participating in) where you get people to stand on the platform scale and make the lights rise on the "Village Meter"  I chose not to climb on, since no one needs proof that I can do the work of 2- 3 people!  

They may not have been as fun as Stella going through the fire stuff, but Mom & Michael did honor my request to stick their heads in stuff!  

The Whole Paycheck, I mean Whole Foods exhibit is gone this year and instead there are different exhibitors discussing sustainable food sources.  Today it was a Native American Catering company called Sioux Chef.  They were offering all natural granola bars.  

Honestly, I chose not to eat it.

There is an exhibit by YOXO recycled toys that gives a gift to the first 800 kids each day.  Wish I had a kid....

We stepped outside just as the parade started.  We found a shady spot under a tree and watched for a bit.  I needed to get to work and Michael came with me to see where I did my thing every day!  We stopped quickly to say "hey" to my dear friend Jeannie 

 And her pal Jade, 

volunteering at the Children's Hospital booth.  Lucky me, I *won a color changing water bottle!

I took up my post in the photo booth with my friend Kathy working at the station next door, helping kids make alphabet necklaces!  Kathy and I share a propensity for OCD tendencies, and I wasn't sure if the random letter printing and the boxes of letters that can easily get out of order would be a fun thing, or simply frustrating.  She later assured me it was OK!  

Stella ended up with a little time on the grounds, mom stopped up, and I had a few friends drop by during my shift!  

Stella and Mom stopped over to see all the signs she made for the new Math on a Stick activity area.  The guy who designed it all was there and was super appreciative and asked to give her a big awkward hug!

Stella Made ALL the signs in this area!  

I was going to make a blog post called "STUFF STELLA MADE" but as we go through the grounds, I realize just how many things she had her hands on and was a part of developing, it is almost overwhelming!  As I come across her handiwork, it will just get noted in a regular post as "Stella Made This"

Stella Made This:

Bottle neck wraps (she made about 200 of them)

I was so happy that Stella and my Mom got to have a little State Fair time and share a Kiwanis Malt!

This is a picture of the two guys I worked with every night last year and hope to work many with this year.  Dan is there every day with me, but Tom is only working a few shifts.  

Here they are quizzing kids and awarding blue ribbons!

When Kathy & I were done working, we had some time to kill, so I made her come across the street with me and pose for silly pictures!  She is a GREAT SPORT!!!  The swing one,  we were coerced to do in an effort to win a swing of our own!  If I win, we might need to share it!

I half jokingly said we should try to get a pic with Clifford.... Kathy gave it a college try!  We laughed at the image of her walking around the fair for the rest of the night with a mini Adirondack attached to her butt!

There was a little girl who was in the photo booth who was reluctant to smile.  I started asking about her favorite things at the fair, and she smiled as she told me about her Blue Ribbon winning quilt in the Education Building.  I told her I would go find it!!

Kathy & I stopped by the St. John's booth to send a post card to Ethan and wish him a Happy Birthday!  Kathy was keeping her eye on the clock and pointed out that we had wandered around the Ed Bldg long enough to get in line for a St. Thomas bag!  score :)

We were both hungry for something, but were a bit overwhelmed with food options so we just started walking and had some deep discussions regarding cheese products and their effects on your stomach and which cheese product vendors were the best!  I told her to try the Mac & Cheese cupcake when she was able to share it with her iron stomach daughter Ellen.  

I needed a restroom and decided to show Kathy my super secret relaxing spot, the Blue Flame Building.  Sadly there are signs on the restroom doors this year that say STAFF ONLY.  The facility still has lovely benches in a cool inviting atmosphere with the chilliest drinking fountain on the grounds!  We picked up a couple yard sticks and headed out to look for food. 

I got a message from my friend Gayle that I needed to find a coupon for a free travel, My Pillow, that was in the Sunday supplement last week.

 Kathy & I walked around the corner, down to the Star Tribune booth and asked if they had any of the supplements remaining.  They did not....and we were way too late for the 3pm chap stick giveaway...grrrr.

I had a coupon for the El Sol Burrito and I knew it was big enough to share one.  

With a little dinner under our belt, we decided to look for something sweet. Kathy suggested Chocolate Salami (a new food in 2014)  I had to walk her by Sara's Tipsy Pies and I was happily surprised to see Sara had run out of all but two flavors!  As I was explaining the different ones to Kathy, Sara herself, approached from my rear flank, patted me on the shoulder and corrected my erroneous information and smiled!  She told us that they are still working out how to get their total act together and figure out the baking schedules, etc...   I told her that as her first time at the fair, they seemed to be doing great!  I want her to be my new best friend!

We proceeded to the Sausage Sisters booth, the whole time Kathy assured me that this dessert offering did NOT contain any sausage!

It is a salami shaped loaf made of melted and blended chocolate, butter, almonds, walnuts, graham crackers, orange oil and coffee.  Sliced up and served on a savory cracker.  

It was delicious!  Kathy told me they ate something like this in Italy and it as very much the same.  The guy at the stand told us a story of the recipe and I think it had something to do with his own trip to Italy!  I was taking pictures, Kathy might remember better!

It was time to meet up with Stella on the yellow bench in front of Admin.  She was again tired and hungry.  We retraced our steps, and went to Dimitri's for the finest Gyro....I stole a few tastes and Kathy tried a bite too.  

She is a believer!

Stella thought her tired legs might get her all the way to the West End for a hot waffle, but we spied the Caramel Apples in a Dish (and I had a coupon!)

On the way there was this....and she did it!  

Kathy captured the glimpse of sadness as we realized this was our last week for a while hanging out together!

Stella & I were spent and offered Kathy a ride home, so we all walked up to gate five together and got a picture of Stella with her handiwork!  

I have always loved these beautiful floral sprays

and the sun setting over the Gate Five arch is always a nice view!

Tomorrow we begin "College Preparedness Weekend".  I will miss the 9am chap-stick distribution, but we'll also miss the "Black Lives Matter" march up Snelling Ave.  

I just hope Stella packs!