My first show scheduled for this tour, was at a place that looked like an upside-down Noah’s Ark, in Urne, Wisconsin. We stayed at the only hotel around, next town over, and it seemed like we were the only guests in the joint. With me this week was the venerable Ben Bergman, and unflappable could be his middle name. This crowd was tough as nails, and the kereoke-style mic didn’t help either. We got through the show, and what made our night was when someone after the show said Kevin Hart came through a few months back, and had the same crowd response. 

We had to pass through downtown Minneapolis for our next show in Maple Lake, MN, so we stopped at the Midtown Global Market. The market offers a variety of food selections from different regions of the world, and since I’ve been there before I knew what to expect. Sonora Grill is a restaurant of Spanish/South American influence within the complex. I got the chimichurri Pincho, consisting of a beef skewer with Peruvian rice, and guajillo beans, and a side of eggplant fries. The fries were great when dipped into the garlic aioli. Both were home-runs.  Another stand-out place is the Salty Tart bakery. Known for their world-class coconut macaroons, they also make a variety of other decadent goods.

      The routing was perfect for a stop at one of my favorite spots for roast-beef, Mavericks. Located in Roseville, MN, they are known for mostly two things, roast beef & brisket. On the way to our Mankato, MN show, we stopped at the Blue Door Pub, Longfellow location, for a burger. The Lucy is a cheeseburger that has the cheese on the inside, vs. on top. Pictured below is the classic with Tillamook cheddar, along with Buffalo tator tots & fried green beens.   The shows in Chippewa Falls, WI, Mankato, and concluding in Boyd, MN put a fitting end to 2013.