all that's past is prologue...

Some of the best experiences I have had in the recent past. Highly recommended! And you can — a nd should — do them too! 1. Saw Whimsy at Circus Juventas . I actually loathe Willie Wonka, but this mash-up was one of the best shows I've seen CJ do, and I've seen them all. Technically the show is closed, but you could attend their Gala on September 19 and see it, and I would strongly recommend it. The only problem is that you won't see Beatrix in the Gala, unless you want to donate enough miles to us that she could fly home from college for the weekend. 2. Eaten at Animales . When a vegetarian picks a BBQ place for her birthday you know it's something special — and it really was. Don't believe me? Believe Dara . Casual but perfect food. Show-stopping cocktails. Great space. Good prices. I'll meet you there anytime. 3. Received birthday presents from the Grand Hand Gallery and Black Garnet Books . Two amazing, independent stores that will have you swearing off p...

Is a big birthday, if not a milestone one. Especially when your kid is leaving for college in two weeks and everything is changing. So you work all day as usual, but your husband makes you a bagel for breakfast and you use your birthday coupon from Vina for lunch. You pick Animales for dinner, even though you are a vegetarian, because you have heard great things and because the always-amazing Adam Witherspoon is the beverage director. And he is happy to see you and takes you on an amazing culinary journey, as he is wont to do. I will meet you at Animales ANY DAMN TIME, it is that good. You get some awesome presents, including the book your kid picked out at Black Garnet and that you are super-excited to read. You take the dogs for a walk, and get lemonade from the sand run by the little girl across the street, where the price is "do something kind for someone." You make some coffee in your new espresso machine because you're headed to a late night Fringe show. And the co...

Patrick often clips my posts, so I think it's only fair that I do the same for him. https://www.patrickrhone.net/finishing-our-routine/ (photo credit: Heather O'Connell Erickson)

On Sunday, Beatrix will walk out of the arena at Circus Juventas for the last time, and that thought has me up early this morning. It's not like I did not know it before, but it's hitting especially hard. I started working with Circus Juventas in 2005, before Patrick and I were even married, before Beatrix was even a concept. I was brought in on a special project to reconcile a backlog of credit cards, quickly solved some other issues (including getting a retroactive sales tax refund of several thousand dollars), was brought in regularly, went on staff, increased my hours, and stayed for 17 years as staff until 2022. Beatrix first came in to work with me at less than a week old. She attended her first spring show just ten weeks after she was born — she loved the lights. She started the preschool program (the called "toddlers," that was one of the changes I made) when she was two, and has not looked back since. Patrick started rigging when she was still in Side by Side...

Tonight, we were headed over to a dinner party at our friends' place after hanging at a circus pool party. But they had to reschedule at the last minute, so we pulled a place off our "to check out" list and headed to Milly's Wine Bar . It could not have been better! We both got the tastings where you get two half-glasses of wine and need to tell which was which. I got the "Dirty Dancing" (likely inspired by all the watermelon kids brought to the pool party), and guessed correctly which was French and which was Italian. Patrick had two rosés that went head to head — a Tavel, and one from, of all places — Barret Minnesota, which held up very well. He guessed correctly too. The bill even came in a cute book where you could write a note. I'm totally smitten with the place and will meet you there anytime!

I seem to find myself with something in my eye a lot lately. But then, so does Patrick. https://www.patrickrhone.net/living-a-lifetime/

This afternoon we all went to see the Hadestown pro-shot.  Those of you who know me well know that it might be my absolute favorite musical. I was an original stan for the concept album back in the early 2000s. In 2019, based on listing to the concept album one night, we decided to got to New York for spring break so we could see the show as it opened on Broadway; seeing Eva Noblezada, Reeves Carney, Amber Gray, Patrick Page, and Andre de Shields in that show was absolutely transcendent, and Beatrix still has her carnations from stage door.  Last year, Saint Paul Academy did it as the spring musical and so we clearly saw it several times. I was unsure how I felt about seeing the pro-shot, but I am really glad we did. It does not stand in for seeing it live, but it enhances the experience. I'll confess I was in tears. It was originally supposed to run through July 29, but I think it's been extended a little. See it if you can! --- It was a weekend of circus, with Circus Juvent...

After a day filled with a lot of spreadsheets, I was happy to get some art in this afternoon! Tonight was a celebration of the nest steps for Springboard for the Arts , and the exciting new future coming up for them. Their amazing director, Laura Zabel, is headed off to be the Founding Director of the   Creative Change Coalition , taking with her Jun-Li Wang and Sara Sawicki. I'm honestly not the hugest fan of change right now, as we prepare to be empty-nesters, but this is the kind of exciting change I can totally support.  Plus it was great to see and talk to some of the amazing arts leaders in the Twin Cities. We are so very fortunate to hav the kind of passionate arts community we have. On the way there, I stopped at an Arts and Crafts swap hosted by the City of Saint Paul. Public Works has had several of these lately, such as a clothing exchange and a tool/yard implement exchange, and I think they are great. Just the kind of out of the box thinking I love. I picked up a f...

I am pretty sure that this might be the moment that broke us as a state, after being so strong for so much. And knowing that, of course, people matter so much more than things — but that values might ,after more than people. Last week, my BFF's friend daughter K, who was a counselor at Widji, posted photos of the fires they evacuated from. More compellingly, though, she posted one called "And down they go!" showing how the wooden canoes (woodies) were deliberately swamped in order to save them as camp was evacuated, in order to save them. I don't have K's photo anymore, but here's the one by Anthony Souffle of the Star Tribune, and here's the article : This all hit me like a ton of rocks. Every Widji camper knows that that is theoretically what you do if the woodies are threatened, but I've never actually seen it have to be implemented before (the article says it's the first time they have done it).  I've gone on trail with Widji canoe #1 befor...

Yesterday, we headed down to Northfield for a mini day-trip. I have to admit that, though I think that Sarah Lawrence is the perfect place for Beatrix, it would be really nice to have her down in Northfield! We did a little shopping (we loved The Boho Peacock !): Met a friend for dinner and drinks at Loon Liquors (we had not been since they relocated). Went to my cousin's son Edward's final concert for Lutheran Summer Music (the concert was INCREDIBLE). It was a really nice day, at a time when the days seem to slip by too fast.

Ximena got a Lawns to Legumes grant for the backyard at Ashland! The back bed by the garage had gotten slightly, but not extremely, better since last summer when we were painting it: Before By the end of last summer (and even some of that did not come back) So the other day Patrick and I headed over to OutBack Gardens and took advantage of their 30% off 30 or more plants sale: We realized we had enough for the side garden as well, which was looking a little rough: Tuesday night, after I met my friend Roddie for Cozy Hour, I got to planting. Tonight, I finished cleaning up and mulched. (I had also grown plants from seed in milk bottle greenhouses, but I had left those literal months too long, so those did not make it).   It's a little hard to tell with the mottled sun, but I think it looks MUCH better. We'll be moving back to Ashland a little earlier this year and I am looking forward to spending some nice time out there. There's more to do in the front yard at Ashland and s...