Home sweet home

View of downtown Minneapolis from a zeppelin.

When you're busy jetsetting around the world, it's easy to forget that there are things worth staying home for. As a little girl, going to "The Cities" (what we northern Wisconsin folk called Minneapolis-St. Paul) was a big deal. The lights, the skyscrapers, the traffic - it was all magical (well, my dad never thought the traffic was so magical, but my sister and I did...) Years later, when I moved here to go to college, it was hard to focus on going to class when there was so much to see and do.

I've lived here for 13 years now and admittedly, some of the luster has worn off (I no longer find the traffic magical whatsoever). But I've developed a deeper appreciation for the Twin Cities as the years have gone by and I've had a chance to really explore.

Now, if you asked me where to go or what to do, I most certainly would not send you to a chain restaurant or shopping at the Mall of America. (The horrors!) So where would I send you? Here are just a few of my favorite places - or at least the ones I'm willing to divulge...

Lake of the Isles - There are three main lakes people talk about in the heart of Minneapolis - Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet and Lake of the Isles. The last is my favorite. Not only is it the smallest (by far) but it's the most picturesque. It makes for an easy walk-and-gawk experience. The homes surrounding the lake are a-mah-zing and you'll be close enough to see all the enviable details- like baby grand pianos- right from the path. You might even catch a glimpse of one of the celebs that live on the lake. I haven't seen Josh Hartnett yet, but I keep looking...

Stone Arch Bridge

Stone Arch Bridge - In my opinion, the Stone Arch Bridge has, hands down, the best view of downtown Minneapolis. The picturesque old railroad bridge is now a pedestrian walkway that spans the Mississippi River. On one side is the Saint Anthony Main area with a handful of restaurants, condos and a theater. On the other is old mill ruins, the fancy new Guthrie Theatre and the gateway to the downtown. The bridge is popular with walkers, joggers, bikers and even Segway tours, but you'll be so entranced by the scenery, you probably won't even notice.

Pantages - If you're lucky enough to score tickets to a concert at this downtown Minneapolis venue, you're in for a real treat. The Pantages is small and intimate - there are literally no bad seats. But the big draw here is the acoustics - they will blow you away.

Rose Garden at the Arboretum

Landscape Arboretum - OK, so 1,100 acres of gardens may not sound exciting to everyone, but the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska is beautiful. If it can grow in Minnesota, you'll find it here and in spectacular form - from groves of trees to fields of flowers, the sheer volume is a sight to behold. There are miles and miles of trails to walk and explore or you enjoy Three-Mile Drive from the comfort of your car. Each season brings something new to see here.

Murray's - Everyone has their favorite Minneapolis steak house, but this one is a family favorite. My grandparents started dining at Murray's in the 1950s and spent decades raving about it. I knew I'd make the trip eventually and when I did, I understood immediately what the fuss was all about. The prices are not for the faint of heart, but I think the cost fits the pleasure you experience when that famous Silver Butter Knife Steak hits your tongue. It's pure heaven.

Pizzeria Lola

Pizzeria Lola - People will wait as long as it takes to snag a table at Pizzeria Lola and for good reason - this pizza is just that delicious. Wood fired in a gigantic copper oven in South Minneapolis, you'll have your choice of traditional pizzas or more exotic/experimental fare. I've never tasted a more perfect pepperoni and sausage pizza than the Ma Sha-Roni, but the Korean options (the Korean BBQ and the Lady ZaZa) are the most popular here. I'm not sure there is a dud to be found on this menu.

Acqua - White Bear Lake couldn't be any farther from where we live in the Twin Cities metro, but as long as Acqua is in business, we'll make the long trek. This intimate restaurant boasts a great view of the lake and Italian food so good, even the butter is noteworthy. For my money, it doesn't get any better than the Ragu alla Bolognese here.

Apple pie from Terra Waconia

Terra Waconia - Among the pioneers in the Twin Cities farm-to-table movement is Terra Waconia. This tiny restaurant in Waconia on the western outskirts of the metro is dedicated to cooking up the most delicious food the season has to offer. Each night's menu is unique and limited, but oh-so-good. If you can save room for dessert, you won't regret it. Their apple pie is one of the best things I've ever devoured.

Victor's 1959 Cafe - I've never been to Cuba, but I have to imagine that on a hot summer's evening, Victor's 1959 Cafe is as close as it gets. This hole-in-the-wall joint in South Minneapolis has a menu you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the Twin Cities. From empanadas to Ropa Vieja to Xango Chango (fried cheesecake bites), Victor's is the real deal.

*If you'd like to see more of my local restaurant recommendations, you can follow me on Yelp - user name: MolleeF.

King me!

Versailles' famed Hall of Mirrors

One of the few requests the husband had when I was planning our trip to Paris was that he wanted to see a castle. I knew this would not be a problem. It's hard to spit in Europe and not hit a castle - especially in France's Loire Valley which boasts more than 300 castles over 310 square miles (You can do the math - that equates to almost one castle per square mile!) 

So with so many castles in striking range from Paris, why pick just one when we could see several? That's just what we did. Over two days, we visited four very different French chateaux - the over-the-top Versailles, the masculine Chambord, the quaint Nitray and the romantic Chenonceau. 

Our first stop was the Palace of Versailles - once home to Louis XIV, Napoleon, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. This is an easy trip from Paris. In fact, the Metro will take you right to there from the heart of the city in about a half hour. We checked their website before heading out, realizing that to get the most out of France's most visited castle, we'd have to get there early. We arrived just as Versailles was throwing open its doors for the day. And man, if this was a non-busy time, we couldn't tell. Thousands of tourists shuffled slowly from room to room, packed in like sardines. Enjoyable, it was not. 

Gorgeous ceiling at Versailles.

In truth, the furnishings in all the castles we saw were not all that unique. You're probably picturing in your head exactly what we saw - gilded desks, beds so high they require a stool to get into, ornate armoires, etc. The design style seems to eschew comfort and functionality for oohs and ahhs.  At Versailles, it's best to turn your gaze to the ceiling (you'd have to elbow your way to the front to see the furniture anyway). Charles Le Brun is responsible for the majority of the ceiling art here and it is masterful.

The Versailles Orangerie. 

When you've had enough of the crowds, head outside to explore the grounds. This was the highlight of Versailles for us. Beautifully manicured gardens extend on three sides of the palace, each one more beautiful than the last. Our favorite was the Orangerie with more than 1,000 orange trees. It was the quietest and it looked like something right out of Alice in Wonderland. 

On the back side of the palace, you'll find the largest of the gardens at Versailles with towering mazes of hedges, statues and the Grand Canal - a cross-shaped, man-made canal big enough to hold rowing events. This garden is also home to some of the most iconic palace fountains including the Apollo Fountain.  

The Apollo Fountain at Versailles.

The grounds are expansive and if Paris has worn you out (like it had us by this point in the week), I'd recommend renting one of the golf carts to explore. We didn't, but I really wish we would have. 

Later in the week, we took a bus tour to the Loire Valley to check out the other three castles on our list. It's about a two-hour drive from Paris to the Loire Valley. Unfortunately, it's not particularly scenic along the way. Once you get off the highway though, the French countryside will enchant you. I can't count the number of towns we drove through that we would have loved the chance to explore. Maybe next trip...

Chambord

Our first stop on this day was Chambord. This massive chateaux was built as a hunting lodge for King Francis I. It was apparently the inspiration for the Beast's castle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." There are no gardens here and many of the rooms are unfurnished (we learned that staff had to bring in the furniture when the king was scheduled to visit).

Double-helix staircase

But what the chateau lacks in creature comforts, it makes up for with interesting architectural elements like the roof inspired by an alliance with the Ottoman Empire and the central staircase. The castle features a unique double-helix spiral staircase that is rumored to have been designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. It is impossible to see one staircase from the other, making it ideal for a king with both a wife and a mistress... So scandalous!

Gate at Chateau Nitray

From Chambord, we traveled to Chateau Nitray for lunch. Chateau Nitray is a privately owned working vineyard (helps pay for the upkeep on those drafty old castles). It's a very good example of the actual size and scope of many of the Loire Valley chateaux. Our tour did not include any time inside the actual chateau (since it is occupied by the family) but we were able to enjoy the grounds which included a chapel and a pigeonry in addition to the vineyard.

Red table wine

Naturally, wine was a big focus of our stop at Nitray. It's seriously ridiculous how cheap wine can be in France. The most we paid for a bottle there (you can bring up to two back to the U.S.) was 8,50 euro. Most bottles were 4 euro making it more reasonable to buy a whole bottle of wine than a glass of Coke in a Parisian restaurant. Vive la France!

Chenonceaux over the River Cher

Our final stop that day was at Chenonceau. I feel like I have been dreaming of visiting this picturesque castle since the first day of French class eons ago. Chenonceau is on the River Cher - quite literally. A portion of the main building (the gallery) is built over the river to stunning effect.

This castle has an interesting history to it. (And if you're watching "Reign" on the CW, you'll recognize some of the names involved.) King Henry II (son of Francis) gave the chateau to his mistress Diane de Poitiers who lovingly cared for it and added some spectacular gardens. Upon the death of Henry II, his wife Queen Catherine de Medici secured it for herself and forced Diane out. Fiercely jealous of Diane, Catherine later added more gardens, leaving her own mark on the property.

H for King Henry

Chenonceau gardens

Chenonceau is a small castle - the kind you could almost envision being able to clean on your own. The inside is easily viewable in an hour or so. Make sure to check out the grounds, too. The gardens are really something. I wish we would have had more time to explore them. I think next time, we'll take a train out to Chenonceau (there is a stop right on the property).