all that's past is prologue...

Inspired by my friend Scotty's Facebook page list: We're losing so many places due to the bad economy, and are at risk of losing so many more. Here are some of the dearly departed, along with some places that could really use your help. Give me comments to update the list! Gone: Sam's Wine Shop Please support: Solo Vino The Wine Thief Alexis Bailly Vineyard (Sam's wife's vineyard) Gone: Vera's Betsy's Back Porch Coffee Please support: any local coffeeshop: Anodyne, Nina's, Golden Thyme are just a few Gone: Babalu Cafe Havana Cafe Indio Please support: Pepito's (may be gone soon!) Barrio (though it's always crowded, it's yummy!) Masa Gone: Jitters Ground Zero Please Support: 331 Club Gone: The Times Please Support: The Dakota Gone: Mill City Pizza Please support: Pizza Nea Punch (plus tons of free deals if you follow them on Twitter) Black Sheep Pizza Pizza Luce Gone: Cliquot Club Cafe Please Support: The Birchwood Gone: Zander Please Supp

So Patrick will tell you I've been dreaming about a play kitchen for Beatrix since before she was born. But now she's really growing and doing things — she loves to put coins in her piggy bank and shapes in her cookie jar, and I am starting to get really excited. I am still trying to decide. We have one of the Little Tikes kitchens, which I actually acquired from the neighbors' trash, though it needs a lot of clean-up. It's also kind of plastic-y: I love retro looking kitchens: And I have really liked this one for awhile, but am intimidated by putting it together: But I am also dreaming of filling this kitchen with yummy play food, and have joined a felt food exchange. Each person makes 6 items, and then you all trade with each other, so you get all kinds of different food. I am thinking of cookies, or tarts: Any votes either way?

Because I have a lot of work still to do, but somehow decided I needed to spruce up my blog. Thanks, Aqua Poppy !

What better way to spend Valentine's Day than with two fantastic meals? For lunch yesterday we went to the Cheeky Monkey Deli , which opened Wednesday night on Selby in the old Zander space. Now, I miss Zander like nobody's business — it was our favorite restaurant in the Twin Cities. But the Cheeky Monkey may be a new fave, and it helps that they are nothing alike. The Monkey is very casual (and kid-friendly!), with great andwiches, baked goods, and wine and beer. It's also fairly cheap, with most dishes running $5-10. There are big leather chairs by the fireplace, and high-speed wireless. I think we'll be spending a lot of time there... The dinner at Salut , also yummy, and Patrick got his favorite dinner of roast chicken with pommes frites. Very romantic, even with a baby. Their new Sunday night special is 3/4 pound of shrimp plus fries for $8.95, and we are tempted! In between, we visited my aunt in the hospital. She had lung surgery, for what they thought

Last Saturday, while Beatrix hung out at home with Lucy and Rayne, Patrick and I went to see Spring Awakening . We went student rush, courtesy of my Goucher ID, which was a sure-fire way to make us feel REALLY old, both standing in the highly exuberant line and at the performance in general. I've got a lot of faith that theater that energizes a youthful audience like that is a really hopeful sign for the future. The rush line went smoothly, we got great seats on the main floor, and had time to go to the ultra-cool bar at the Chambers Hotel across the street for a quick drink. I've wanted to go to the Chambers forever, and going out for a drink and a show seemed like such a vestige of my long ago, slightly more hip, lifestyle. Not that I don't love what my life's become, but nice to go back and visit, know what I mean? Anyway, the show itself was one of those shows that make me remember why I do what I do. The music, which I have listened to many times, was much mo