Cragun's Resort

Labor Day weekend my sister and I visited the Brainerd Lakes area. We stayed at Cragun's Resort. So, this is how I would describe the resort....have you seen "Dirty Dancing"? Of course you have. This place reminds me of a less swank version of Kellermans(no dancing lessons with Johnny Castle, alas). Cragun's is definitely a family-friendly place.There are LOTS of activities - games and face-painting for the kids, an exotic animal show, variety shows, pontoon rides, bonfires, spa treatments and etc. That's in addition to the usual swimming, fishing, golfing, and tennis, of course.

 There are several different lodging options. My sister and I stayed in a Fireplace Hotel Room by the North Beach. This was perfect for us since the North Beach is the quieter end of the resort (most activities happen around the marina, the indoor pool, or the South Beach) 

We only stayed one night as we were using the resort as a jumping-off point to explore the area. Really taking advantage of all of the amenities and activities would probably require at least a long weekend's stay. We did swim a bit and managed to catch both a fabulous moonrise and a stunning sunrise over the lake.

Website: http://www.craguns.com/

Mojo Monkey Donuts



From left to right: Raised Donut with Mango Glaze and Coconut Flakes, Carrot Cake Donut, Maple Bacon Bar

 Until recently there has been a dearth of delicious donuts here in the Twin Cities. As a girl who grew up with a Dunkin' Donuts on every block, this was a serious problem. Okay, maybe not a serious problem but definitely a bummer.

My luck changed when I found out that a new donut place was opening almost half way between my house and my parents' place. Sweet! Mojo Monkey Donuts is a cute little place on a not very cute stretch of West 7th Street in St. Paul. They serve coffee and donuts and other delights in a cozy space that was hoppin' when I stopped by on Saturday.

The donuts (doughnuts?) I tried were all delicious! The raised donut is pillowy but not mushy like a Krispy Kreme (sorry Krispy Kreme fans - I like a little more substance and flavor to my donuts). The glazes are just sweet enough but not tooth-achingly so.

Mojo Monkey Donuts has a bunch of different selections - some offered every day, some offered on certain days of the week, and some monthly specials. I was checking out the September menu online (yes, the menu is available online! And there are pictures!) and came across this little gem:

September 15–16: Poached Pear Bismarck

Spiced poached pears make up this creamy pear curd. The Bismarck is topped with honey walnut icing and roasted pears.

Delicious! I will definitely be there - early! Because I hear that they do sell out of some flavors. Early bird gets the donut, dontcha know.

Address:
1169 7th Street West
Saint Paul, MN 55102

Website:
http://www.mojomonkey.biz/index.html

Big Bog State Park



Carnivorous plants in Big Bog State Park



Here's a little photo-essay about Big Bog State Park. My family has gone camping there a couple times now (I went last summer but was not able to go with the family this summer), and it's a beautiful place. It is located way up in northern Minnesota, on Upper Red Lake, so it's a great getaway from the city.

The beach faces west, and the sunsets over the lake are truly amazing. Usually the beach is great for swimming, but my sister tells me the water levels are pretty low this summer. There's an abundance of sandbars, and you can walk out quite a ways without getting into deep water.

There is a placid river that runs through the campground with lots of little docks. It's great for fishing!

One of the most unique features of the park is the peat bog. According to the DNR website, the peat bog is the largest in the lower 48 states! There is a mile-long boardwalk that allows visitors to walk through the bog.

Here is a link to the DNR's website: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/big_bog/index.html. In addition to the campsites, there are some lovely camper cabins available.

This one is from last year. One of my first fish! Of course, this little guy got thrown back. I did catch some later in the day that were big enough to eat for lunch.

 Some of these pictures are from last year and some are from this year. Most of them were taken by my sister, since I wasn't able to go on the trip this year.

Sunset over Upper Red Lake

The Tamarac River



A cloudy day on Upper Red Lake



My parents dog loves to sit on the dock and gaze into the water. I wonder if he sees little fish down there or if he's just enchanted with his reflection?



Here is a photo of the beach on Upper Red Lake. This one is from this summer - notice how low the water levels are!



S'mores!





State Fair Cupcake: Crop Art!

Today's cupcake is a tribute to crop art. Yes, the fine art of using seeds, beans and grains to express yourself. My cupcake below is decorated with nonpareils, sugar pearls, and candy-coated sunflower seeds. Yes, I'm pretty sure sprinkles don't count as seeds, technically, but have you ever planted and watered one to see if a cupcake bush will grow? I haven't tried it so who can say with 100% certainty?

One my favorites in the crop art display at the fair is the Bad Seed. Below is from last year.....

And below is a pic of this year's piece! Cool, right?

Below is a smattering of my personal favorites from this year's competition.

Below is another, less sucessful, crop art cupcake. I think crop artists must have a boatload of patience - and lots of tweezers! Perhaps a magnifying lens, too.

These last two are very representative of the political tradition in crop art. THere are two amendments on the ballot in November - one limiting marriage  and one limiting voting rights. This isn't a political type blog, so I'll just say both pieces are creative and clever in delivering their message.

State Fair Cupcake: Butter Sculpture

Okay, if you're not a Minnesota resident I'm going to assume butter carving is a foreign concept. Every year the Minnesota Dairy Industry crowns one lucky teenage girl as "Princess Kay of the Milky Way". The princess and her court have their likenesses carved in ninety pound blocks of butter at the fair. Visitors can go to the Dairy Building and view the carving process as the sculptor and subject are on display in a refrigerated glassed-in area.

This cupcake is my homage to the butter heads. Deepest apologies to the current Princess Kay as my "sculpting" skills were truly not up to par. My head looks more like a muppet. I made the head out of marzipan dyed yellow but you could make one out of fondant, of course.

I'm sure you're wondering, "Okay, so what do they do with all those butterheads at the end of the fair?" Here is a good little article about that very dilemma.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/08/30/daily-circuit-butter-heads-state-fair/

Super September!



Fort Snelling State Park

 I've decided to post on my blog every day during the month of September. That's right.....it will be...

Super September!

I think it will be a good way for me to continue the momentum I have going right now. I've been in a slump most of this year, blogwise and otherwise, and am looking forward to doing more projects and getting out to do and see stuff more. Keeping my blog updated helps hold me accountable to myself.

State Fair Cupcake: Ring Toss!

Happy September! We still have a couple more days of the fair left, which means it's still summer right?

Here's another fair-themed cupcake! This one represents the Mighty Midway, specifically the games.  I tried to represent the rides, somehow, but just couldn't make my toothpick ferris wheel work (just kidding).

I happen to be terrible at both games of skill and games of chance. I like games that take longer because there's a longer period of time between paying and losing.

 Anyway, this cupcake represents the ring toss game. Yes, I realize my lifesaver "ring" is not large enough to fit over the wax bottle candy. As far as I'm concerned, these games are impossible, anyway, so it's a pretty realistic representation.

Side note - those wax bottles with the candy liquid in them are so gross. There's, like, a half teaspoon of sugary liquid and then you're left with a big chunk of wax to chew on. Uh....yum?