And, she was right! With outdoor and indoor seating, not too far from the edge of the University of Minnesota campus, it has a lovely, convenient location and all kinds of things to eat besides cupcakes-like sandwiches and other bakery, salads, and of course, coffee.

I am pretty sure they have free internet wireless access there, too. I love these creative little shops; they are fun and stir up my creativity, too.

You can go there for real AND you can virtually visit them, too at www.cup-cake.com

While we were there, we heard an announcement of a birthday and an invitation to sing "Happy Birthday" and looked over and saw a young woman with a giant sombrero having her picture taken while we all sang! As we left we saw that their was a gallery of pictures of other birthday celebraters in the big sombrero at the entrance.

I am going back for Cinco de Mayo next month cuz they are having all you can eat tacos! When you are headed south on Robert Street which turns into Highway 3 south of the city, you will pass Chula Vista Restaurant. Turn in for lunch or dinner, you will be glad you did!

Her shop has numerous items especially for baptisms, weddings, and other special occasions. If I remember correctly she had a boot collection, too. She will also do an auto insurance quote for you and help you book a trip to Central and South America. She speaks Spanish so is very helpful to the community. She says she doesn't have a website yet, so I can't send you there, but next time you're on the Westside, stop by and see her at the Herradura Bouthique.

However, then I heard the above-stated question on an NPR program I was listening to. The speaker posited it after first acknowledging the horror experienced by those who were present at the VA Tech campus and their families and friends and across the country and the world.

Then, the speaker asked the question and also made the point that, in fact, that is what the people of Iraq experience now in their country (which is a great deal smaller than the US) at least two times on a daily basis.

If it were true that 2 times daily across American, gunmen terrorized college campuses, or shopping malls, or government buildings, or residential neighborhoods? What if a crazed sniper sat atop one of St. Paul's steeples and picked off our neighbors one by one? What if an IED exploded daily on Highway 52 or 94 or 35 E? What if we found murdered, tortured citizens in alleys and streets throughout the city?

How would we survive the constant barrage of terror? Would we have any means to stop it? Would we stay barricaded in our homes? Would we flee the country? Would we grow accustomed to living under such horrendous conditions.

Just a few thoughts. Thanks for listening.

You will be too. Go to www.keyscafe.com to discover the restaurant closest to you for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Keys also has a full catering service and makes graduation, wedding, and other special occasion cakes. You can even order lunch online. Go there today!

Their coffee is always  fresh and good, the bakery is stupendous; the salads are healthy and innovative; and their pasties really yummy.

And, they really know what is going on since they have been around for 100 years now! They are having an event to celebrate!

Look them up online at www.jerabeks.com.

Then go there, but remember you have to get their early cuz they close about 2:30 PM.

During the time I was offline, though, I discovered a restaurant I hadn't ever seen before. I guess it is farther down West 7th than I usually venture. It is Ray's Mediterranean restaurant. It has a full menu of Italian, Greek, and Middle Eastern food at an ordering counter...no waitstaff, so on the way home from work last week, as the snow storm was working itself into a fit, I ordered take out. When I got home and got to eat my gyro and salad, I was so hungry, I ate it all even though it was a nice big serving! Delicious.

Next time I am going to get Italian! Go visit them online at www.raysmediterranean.com then go see them in person and enjoy!

I considered taking the bus so that I wouldn't have to worry about parking because it is difficult to find places to park up close to the capitol, but I had other things I wanted to do for which I needed my car, and since it was a nice day and I figured I wouldn't freeze walking, I drove over and parked a couple of blocks away, didn't have to pay for parking and walked to the Capitol.

I thought I might take a tour of the building which was built in 1905, about the same time as the Cathedral of St. Paul (another post) and which stands out beautifully as I looked out across the valley of the freeway from the Capitol steps. However, since I wanted to spend time at the exhibit, I decided to save the tour for another day. The exhibit was educational and informational and I was glad I came. As it turned out, a reporter came up to me and asked if he could ask me a few questions, so it may be that I will be quoted tomorrow morning in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  You may be able to find it by going to the paper online: www.startribune.com.

I would highly recommend going to see the Capitol if you have any interest in history, politics, government, or historical buildings. There are also many other buildings around to explore, and you can walk all around looking at statues, sitting on benches, enjoying trees and flowers in the summer months. I will go back soon to see all the historical exhibits and take that tour!

The Sage Market and Wine Bar are an adorable food market and deli with an attached "living room" space with a small bar that is open for the general public most days and available for private gatherings on Sundays and Mondays. They have meat and fish and many foods all ready to take home and have for supper after a long day's work.  You can visit them online at www.thesagemarket.us and www.thewinemarket.us .

(BTW, the website is the funnest I have seen!) E's Cheese (so named because of the owner, Elizabeth, from Wisconsin-where else?) is a cheese and sundry market where today they had great panini sandwiches for $1 to celebrate their one year anniversary.  (I had no idea they had been there that long!) The sandwich was terrific and these cheeses I tasted were great. Go see them online at www.escheese.com.

The rest of the little shopping center has a Caribou Coffee and other specialty shops around a little median park. It will be a great evening hangout this summer!

I am my family and friends have been visiting the Good Earth for wholesome, tasty, and interesting meals since the 80's.  It is such a popular spot, especially on Saturday or Sunday mornings, we often find we have to wait awhile, but there is a comfortable seating area at the front where we read the paper and taste the cookies and buy packages of the original Good Earth tea, a spectacular spicy flavored tea that comes with or without caffeine. The servers are always more than welcoming. The portions are huge. And, you can sit outside on the patio when the weather is nice!

Go see them at www.goodearthmn.com if you want to learn more, and go eat there soon next time you are up at Rosedale shopping or going to a movie.