Another Duluth Road Trip

Last week when we were in Duluth Blake said my parents were coming for Halloween. Another trip back up to the Zenith City it was. 

I left work a little early and we met them at their hotel on Park Point.

GG was waiting for us as we arrived.

I gave my mom her birthday gift. A ceramic knife set and a block to hold them. Before she opened it she said, "My gift better be red."

They weren't the Wusthof she asked for, but these are extremely sharp and dishwasher safe. Perfect for GG. 

As Meadow had slept the whole way up she was a little shy around my parents. 

Once she got in the hallway she was rambunctious as ever.

When Blake was done with work we met him at Fitgers. 

Meadow enjoyed her quesadilla.

I like Fitger's, but I think my favorite brew pub in Duluth proper is now Canal Park Brewing.

Blake read books to Meadow before we went to bed. 

I think I'm getting too old to sleep on a couch, but I will continue to be too cheap to stay at a hotel.

We asked my parents why they don't stay with Blake when they visit. She said, Yeah maybe if I were still in my 20's. I hope we are always cool with crashing at peoples places.

Blake ditched us to have breakfast with my parents at their hotel. We brought oatmeal, but Blake didn't have much to go with it. This was by far the worst breakfast I've had in a long time. I could barely finish my food while Meadow scarfed hers down.

It didn't help that our recent haul of oatmeal from Seward was substandard. What gives?

Even though Blake was living on and island all summer he still managed to grow some things here in Duluth.

Blake had to go to work again so we met up with my parents at their hotel to figure out what to do for the day.

They were too worn out from their better breakfast.

We decided on some fun in nearby Canal Park. Tourists 4 life.

Blake had a bunch of tickets for free mini golf at Adventure Land. We took advantage of said tickets. 

I'm glad they were free. It was a pretty short course.

It was a fun distraction for a short while.

Afterwards we let Meadow roam around.

My dad won Meadow a ball from his favorite game. Which was a good thing since Meadow always goes straight for the balls at the storytime playtime and we don't have any. 

My mom played Deal or No Deal and won a set of cards with her winning tickets.

I could've predicted the exact games that the in-laws played. They love their traditions.

My parents checked out some antique stores in Canal Park while we went back to their hotel so Meadow could nap. She's teething and didn't sleep very well the night before. I knew she would be very tired if she didn't get a nap in.

Meanwhile I picked up lunch at Amazing Grace. We ate in the dark on the floor to avoid waking up Ms. Meadow.

At 3:00 we had to wake her up to pick up my parents. 

First she ate some of our lunch scraps.

Blake took us to Duluth's All Souls Night celebration. 

We had hoped to get Meadow a face painting, but we arrived too late.

We enjoyed the snacks instead.

They even had beer. Brooke and I split a Surly Hell. It seemed appropriate.

Meadow was a rascal as the show began. I had to follow her every move.

We went down the stairs at the Duluth Depot. She walked all the way back up.

I think Meadow enjoyed the gypsy dancers.

After the music inside we headed outside for the funeral march. 

The march was lead by a brass band.

Meadow kept her eye on this skeleton the whole time.

Brooke thought that this masked individual was staring at her.

We'll have to come back and get Meadow dressed for the celebration.

We marched around the block.

The sun set as we marched into the blue hour.

After joining hands and creating a circle march we burned up our bad ideas.

The kids had some pretty good bad ideas, "Not doing your homework, going to work, killing people.."

Then we watched the fire show. The whole time I was afraid of someone starting their clothes on fire.

They also made me nervous. Does this have something to do with age? Before I was a parent I wasn't nervous about such things.

Despite a few close calls the show went off without anyone starting on fire.

Blake stuck around for the afterparty and we headed back to the hotel so my mom could get ready to go out to eat. We were supposed to go to a supper club near Superior that was one of the top 10 in Wisconsin. While looking for a vegetarian option for Blake I noticed they closed earlier on Sundays. 

We settled on a wood fired pizza place instead.

Vitta Pizza was a great alternative to your standard Midwest pizza joint. They have daily pizza specials and beer. Too bad todays beer special was Tecate.

Meadow decided to play with Mr. Mike's pocket flashlight while waited. She even checked my teeth. No cavities.

We each ordered our own pizza. Meadow had flashlight.

We went back to their hotel for a night swim.

We failed to document said swimming to make GG happy.

Monday morning Meadow and I got to join Blake for breakfast with my parents while Scott decided he would rather stay in bed.

I didn't think that Mr. Mike would actually pay for our continental breakfasts. Whoops!

My parents were supposed to be heading home when they called me to see if I wanted to check out a store downtown. Blake had to go to Brainerd for work.

This place was so GG's style.

After we parted ways we headed up hill to see some Victorian ruins. 

Built in 1890, Park Terrace was built on a hill on the corner of Eighth Avenue N and West First Street as town homes. It was razed in 1939 but much of the foundation still remains.

How a building like this is demolished is beyond stupid.

We walked back to see what was left.

Foundations and stair cases were all that remained.

All the staircases would end in nothing.

This would have had a grand view of the lake and industry.

We had hoped to stay all day, but with everyone gone and the day being drizzly we drove back to the cities.