A couple of days ago, I toured some Southside park areas with an old
friend now living in LA. He and I first met while working for a
community CDC - he loves cities and urban studies.
He is a fan of the City Beautiful plan so we toured some parkways.
While he was happy to hear that the Grand Rounds is being completed, he
and I agreed that the MPRB now has so much signage that it detracts from
the beauty of the park areas. Besides all the Grand Rounds signs, a
very specific example: the duplicate signs in front of the old depot in
Minnehaha Park.
While in Minneapolis, he had made a documentary about the Stevens
House. We found both the Stevens house closed and the Longfellow House
looked closed. Not a car was parked in it's 15 minute lot. We stopped
at the Sea Salt - the new cafe at the Minnehaha Falls Refectory. It was
my first visit. There was more signage for beer than anything else. I
was surprised at this - I didn't know that the Minnehaha concession had
been turned into a beer joint.
The menu boards showed some specials - beer and oysters (unpriced) was
one. There was something for $3.95 (forgot this), an "Alaskan fish"
sandwich for $4.95, and shrimp cocktail for $6.95. Also, the board
promoted "Sebastian Joe's ice cream" - no price. I don't recall menu
offerings for vegans or vegetarians. I had hoped for a salad - perhaps
with shrimp - but I didn't see salad.
I tried the mystery Alaskan fish sandwich. The fish was mild and the
batter was crisp and light. But it was served on a hot dog bun - didn't
quite fit the fish. I was sorely disappointed that the fish was heavily
sprinkled with red hot sauce - I wasn't asked if I wanted this. A small
dollop of tarter sauce was hidden underneath the fish. The lunch came
with cole slaw - one of those little servings in a small paper cup. It
had probably been fine cole slaw at some point but it was overloaded
with garlic and contained surprising bits of caraway seed.
It was "bar food." So many strong disjointed flavors that a
strong-flavored beverage would have been welcome. The waitstaff forgot
my water.
There were no children in the place - and it's not a place that I would
take a child to. I suspect the ice cream and the non-alcoholic
beverages are all that really appeal to children - no hot dogs, popcorn,
taffy, fresh fruit. Outside, on the patio at a corner table, distant
from the Sea Salt crowd, a mother sat with two small children. They had
a small cooler - it looked like they had brought a picnic. We were
there mid-afternoon and the place was largely empty.
I remember the MPRB meeting where approving the Sea Salt contract was
discussed. One of the Commissioners enthusiastically talked about
tourists coming from the airport or or the MOA via light rail to enjoy
Minnehaha Park and support the new "concession." (I had visions of
folks with suitcases disembarking at the 46th Street lrt station and
trying to cross Hiawatha towards Walgreens - and then crossing 46th
towards the gas station. After passing the Burger King, the Chinese
restaurant, the Embers/Bridgeman's and the DQ, these hungry folks would
lug their suitcases another block to the Minnehaha Falls concession
stand?) Not much tourism was evident last Monday - visitation at the
Falls was fairly light.
The final point on our parks tour was the Neiman Athletic Complex. At
3:30 on a sunny summer weekday afternoon, the place was deserted. A
chain barred us from using the parking lot next to the 201 Building. I
suppose the MPRB is trying to discourage lrt riders from using the lot -
so no one can. The 201 Building's "front door" was wide open - open to
the elements, critters, vandals and other folks. Shame on the MPRB for
failing to protect this historic building and our investment!
Shawne FitzGerald
Powderhorn
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