Finally. Ready. To. Paint. (!)

As Tom mentioned, we had a lot of fun with his parents this weekend. They arrived on Friday in time for Surly Beer at Common Roots and dinner back home.

Saturday morning we headed to the Midtown Farmers’ Market. Though we had planned on tamales from our friends at Fireroast Mountain Cafe, they hadn’t yet arrived at the market before we were ready to bike back with our veggies. Instead, Tom and I decided despite the repeat that bagels and (more) coffee from Common Roots would be a great alternative. Both Amy and Kevin were tempted to buy more bagels to take home and share, but given their 2-day drive, they decided that perfect combination of crispy crusts and chewy centers probably wouldn’t make the trip. Finally fed, the four of us took a walk around Lake of Isles. By the end of our walk it was time for lunch. With rain on the forecast and feeling a bit tired, we decided to drive, rather than walk, to Punch Pizza near Lake Calhoun. Following lunch we drove to Linden Hills to visit some of my favorite shops in the neighborhood (besides Clancey’s): Wonderment, Creative Kid Stuff, and The Wild Rumpus. Tom and I each bought a new game and Amy took home a few surprises for family in Michigan. Still no rain, we started to return home and decided instead on a drive down Park Avenue to catch a glimpse of the American Swedish Institute and visit the Mill City Museum–a big hit. The photo at left was taken on the endless bridge at the Guthrie Theater, just next door to the museum. The rain hit just as we arrived at the Craftsman to share drinks and their housemade charcuterie plate. We were early, as we’d planned on dinner at home. Thanks to our friends’ great idea to roll-your-own spring rolls at Julia’s birthday party, we decided to try this out on Tom’s parents back at the apartment. Light and fresh, the spring rolls were the perfect end to a very full day.

Sunday morning it was brunch at Blackbird with eggs all around and a stop at the Uptown Market before our visitors headed back to the Great Lakes State. Thanks for visiting, Kevin & Amy. Hopefully we’ll have you back again the next time the weather’s warm–but not too warm.

My parents are in town visiting this weekend, so I don’t have time to elaborately describe what’s going on in the Midtown Farmers’ Market this week–we’re just too busy enjoying the sights of Minneapolis! But that doesn’t mean I didn’t have time to go, and bring back a pretty impressive haul.

With the hot weather we’ve been having this past week, tomatoes are finally ripe. Like crazy. I bought some delicious golden cherry tomatoes and assorted heirloom tomatoes from Honey Creek Farm (as well as some romas from another vendor). As great as tomatoes are, I was much more excited by another vegetable on offer from Honey Creek: fresh edamame. The farmer said he and his friends was tired of eating the frozen ones so they decided to grow them, and luckily they were willing to share their good fortune. Boiled for two minutes and popped out of the shell into your mouth, these are green candy.

It was also nice to see okra, much larger than the stuff you can sometimes find in the supermarket. I expect to pickle some of this because I love pickled okra (the spicier the better), and some might find its way into a curry. Maybe I’ll make gumbo.

Many of the things I bought – cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, broccoli, green onions, basil – have been around for weeks and are more or less what you would expect this time of year – not that that makes them any less delicious. The fun part are the surprises – the edamame and the okra – these are what keep my weekly trips to the farmers’ market in late summer so exciting.

Just when I thought I’d shown you all available bikes… a day later Adam added more. Here’s a quick roundup for your Friday morning. The third is a poster Adam designed for the Minneapolis Bike Tour. More on that later… but you can sign up here for now.

Just like last time, images are links to larger, properly-proportioned versions of the prints. To buy, visit Adam’s site or join Tom and me (and Tom’s parents!) as we visit the Uptown Market this Sunday.

Uptown Market
Sunday, August 16 (Rain or shine)
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
29th St. between Lyndale Ave. S. and Dupont Ave. S., Minneapolis

Images, Adam Turman

Pure Modern is a site that I’ve browsed but never bought from. Given these items on (pretty excellent) sale at the moment… that may change. While the other three objects might be outside of what could be defined as needs, we have been in the market for a camping shovel as it is. Besides the shovel, I’m eyeing these two radios, more so the Tykho, and the low-low price on Reistenthal’s Mini-Maxi Shopper. I wonder if others remember when the Tykho rubber radio was first released in the year 2000? I was 15 and remember it pretty clearly; it graced the cover of our copy of TIME that spring. Nine years later, if you’ve ever thought of getting one, jump on this. Now a part of the MoMA design collection, the Tykho hasn’t really dropped in price since its introduction in 2000. Other sites price the rubber radio from 50 to 100 dollars. I don’t know about you, but of the choice between pink or grey (unless you’re willing to pay the big bucks), I’d opt for the latter.

I may just have to pick up multiple Mini Maxi’s in order to be able to gift them to you all come December. Get ready to kick your plastic habit.

Lime Plug-in FM Radio, $21.50; Tykho AM-FM Radio, $33.50; Camping Multi-Tool, $13.25; Reisenthal Mini Maxi Shopper, $2.75. Images, puremodern.com