We were meeting out of town friends for dinner at Hell’s Kitchen last night(I wrote a review of it last year so please do check it out at the link if you are so inclined. It’s a great place to eat!). Since we had an 8:30 reservation, we decided to head downtown early and walk around, maybe get a drink before dinner. Hell’s Kitchen is a block away from Nicollet Avenue, a popular pedestrianized street. After we parked, we headed to Nicollet to see what we could find. Both directions were filled with people enjoying the outdoor areas of all the restaurants. We sat down at the first place we found that had open tables and that happened to be The News Room. I don’t know much about it but it ended up being a great spot to watch the world go by as well as have a drink and an appetizer to tide us over until dinner. Hubby had a beer and I had a very tasty Spanish red wine. We also had their popcorn shrimp which hit the spot.
Of course I took a few photos and here are some that I liked. I hope you do too :)
First, some downtown buildings:
Here’s our food and drinks:
Across the street was another restaurant full of people making merry:
Next door were two available bicycle carriages. We didn’t do this and maybe should have but it looked like pedestrians could hire the bicycle carriages to take them from point A to point B. I kept waiting for someone to hire one of these two alas, it didn’t happen. But we did see several going by with 2 or 3 people in them. They are parked in front of another popular restaurant, The Local. We will have to return to try that one next.
Some more interesting things that I saw:
Then, check this out!! An entire side of the Schmitt Music building painted with music. This photo really doesn’t do it justice but you get the gist:
It seems appropriate to end with this photo. The Foshay Tower on the right was once the tallest building downtown:
travels with toby 
Those bicycle thingies with a bicycle driver in front. The awning is over the driver. Recently during a visit to China, we were introduced to rickshaw drivers, same idea but the awning was above the riders. Interesting, don’t you think?
actually, those awnings are atop the tables. and hubby just gave me a word I could have used to describe them: pedicabs. and this reminds me that I saw your latest post on your trip that I need to go read now :)
I’ve search all over the internet and can’t find a picture to show here. Don’t know if I took a photo that didn’t take. We did take rickshaw (like pedicab) ride which I will show picture of later. I later realized they were motor powered (maybe from a mix-master ha ha). For all intents and purposed, they looked with a poor man’s car built behind the house with leftover parts.
Read on. If you read the next post May 30, look again. A picture disappeared which is back.
ah, okay. I did read your 5/30 post so will have to take another look. I didn’t notice any pictures missing but okay :)
Inside the bathroom with the blinds.
I saw that ;)
Ick. :-( Still, it’s good the blinds closed. ~(*_*)~~
Sounds like a lovely evening out, Tobyo :) I’ve never heard of popcorn shrimp, but it looks tasty. Perfect start to the weekend. Have a good one!
thanks! you do the same!!
Love the musical wall :)
yes indeedy it’s fun!!
Do we know which score it actually is…?
nope. but hubby said it gets repainted every so often.
Toby, I love the cascade of umbrellas. Great picture. It looks like now is the time to visit. Thanks for sharing. BTG
yes indeed, now is a great time to visit!! one of our friends asked “when did it start getting warm?” um….last Friday!! I’m glad you enjoyed the umbrellas :)
Hendricks is a fantastic gin — probably one of the better ways to make a classic martini. And the music wall is of Maurice Ravel’s “Gaspard de la Nuit”.
oh interesting. thanks for the info!