Vietnamese Iced Coffee

My heart broke when the European Bakery closed (though I admit only shopping there once a month wasn’t much help in keeping it open). It relit today.

I had an awesome lunch at Saigon Cafe (114 W First St., Duluth, MN 55802). At $6.99 for all you can eat, the $2.99 for the Vietnamese coffee was an easy treat.

(Vietnamese Coffee is the reason I keep condensed milk at home: also known as ca phe sua da or cà phê sữa dá), it is made with dark roast coffee individually brewed with a small metal French drip filter into a cup containing sweetened condensed milk, stirred and poured over ice.)

I’m headed out to Cape Breton in Nova Scotia in a couple weeks to visit some newly formed friends whose daughter attends school here at UMD.   Capers are lovely, hospitable, and will take you in as their very own.  Since they are planning the most authentic, local, Cape Breton experience for me (lobster fishing, sailing, music & pubs) I would like to bring some gifts from Duluth that really reflect the culture here. Something besides a shirt that says, “Someone in Duluth Loves Me” (though I’m not opposed to Ts.)  Keep in mind that things like maple syrup and blueberries are very much a part of their culture given the similar climates.  Wild Rice might be a unique option though.   Thoughts?  What would you bring from Duluth to far away lands?

The idea of a “family game night” has gotten some traction in our house — the kids are getting old enough to keep game pieces out of their mouths and “waiting their turn” no longer incites screams or tantrums.  We were at the bookstore at the mall the other day and there were a lot of games that looked pretty fun — but it was a bit overwhelming.  Any suggestions for board-type games under these categories?

(1) family [includes children ages 5 and 7]

(2) party [games played with adults, but not requiring massive amounts of skill or concentration — to be enjoyed during a social, etc.]

(3) children [specifically for children to play amongst themselves (ages 5 and 7)]

Today is the last day to vote for the UMD community orchard in the Edy’s Fruit Bar’s contest described in this post. We are in the top 5 in the nation and on course to win a 50-tree planting paid for by Edy’s. The fruit from these trees will become a community asset and distributed free to appropriate venues. The orchard is part of the UMD Sustainable Agriculture Project, which serves as an education venue and civic resource.

Here’s the link to register and to vote for our project. I’ve been voting all month and haven’t gotten any spam from the company.

How often do you get a chance to vote for a good thing that you know is going to win? Today’s your last chance!

For the past 10-ish years I’ve had nothing to do with landlines and been strictly with Verizon and its growing nationwide dominance. I’ve been hesitant to bow to the smartphone revolution, but I think it’s about time to make the switch. Mostly because upgrading to a non-smartphone leaves me with little options for stepping up to something better than I have now.

Anyway, I’m curious about all the little places opening that seem to pop up and cater to upgrading and whatnot. Verizon proper vs. Big Blue Worst Buy Satellite Mall location, the little shops in strip malls … what’s the difference, and who’s got the better deals? Does it matter? Is there anywhere I should avoid? Help me out people!