Minneapolis is the home to one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Jax Café. Having done several projects in Minneapolis I was determined to spend one night in town before heading to Duluth, catch up with a couple of old friends and have dinner at Jax.
My favorite place to eat, anywhere
I arranged my flights to insure I would have plenty of time, even with a slight delay of getting to the hotel, showering and getting over to the restaurant in time.
Dinner was fabulous! I knew everyone of course, but not everyone knew each other, they met that night. Conversation flowed with ease and we sat for hours over our meal and then over coffee. One of the reasons I love this marvelous restaurant, they do not rush you through the meal instead encourage you to stay. What a wonderful night.
Next up, we had the entire day on Friday to do anything we wanted, dinner was planned in Duluth with Kim and family for 7pm and it was approximately a two-hour drive from Minneapolis. Hmmmm, what could we do to fill the hours? Well, if you are Red and Val you drive South to the Spam Museum! That is right boys and girls, after a night of refined dinning and great conversation, what you really want to do is jump in your rental car and go to the one and only Spam Museum, why not.
There and Back Again
With a bit of side trip, looking for lakes, rivers and other photo worthy items we saw this!
Red considering the consequences
We also saw these, Red was surprised by the lack of flat terrain but finally remembered Minnesota was the home of Little House on the Prairie.
Catching the wind
Finally, we arrived at our destination and it was well worth the trip.
It really is the Spam Museum
Spam Curds?
Where it starts, hogs
Really a Spam Wall
Oh my what will people think
Can you guess?
Conveyor ran throughout the museum
Pig Door to Spam Theater
Of course, we now had to turn around and drive nearly five hours back through Minneapolis (in rush hour traffic on a Friday) to make dinner in Duluth!
More pics and adventures tomorrow.
QBG_Tilted Tiara 
This is a wonderful posting and you two had a wicked time I can tell, wow look at you both hugging that Spam, i know a bunch of Wombies that will be so jealous of you 🙂 🙂 lol Seriously though you both look great and what a fangtastic trip, awesome indeed 🙂
I wouldn’t have minded tagging along on this adventure too but hey it will have to be for another time, I have my Zombies to catch and trap yet 🙂 lol Have a lovely rest of evening Val and thank you for such a wondrously enjoyable posting 🙂
Andro xxxx
I am glad you enjoyed it my friend, glad you could take a road trip vicariously with us. It was indeed great fun.
Haha the photo of you and Red with the Spam has me giggling!
Posing for it had us both giggling! Maybe me more than her actually.
Didn’t even know there was a Spam museum, but hey, if there’s a ham museum in here why not a Spam museum?
Loved the pig door.
And off-topic, Duluth is a city I learned to hate when playing “Ticket to Ride”
Though much smaller and colder, Duluth reminded me of Seattle. Sort of pretty. I loved the Pig Door also, it was kind of cool.
OK, not a fan of Spam but what a great road trip…..jealous 🙂
It is Spam, so many of us say we aren’t fans yet this is the top selling canned meat product. Who is eating this?
It was a great trip! Such fun.
Liked the photo on trespassing. LOL
That is a great one isn’t it. We laughed so hard when we saw it, couldn’t help but stop and take pictures.
Val, I love the wind turbines and the Spam pig door! The theater is just intriguing and I would love to hear what the premiere was! Thanks for this post!
The turbines in the middle of nowhere were very cool. The pig door was indeed awesome, I think the theater was showing the history of Spam. I passed.
Sounds like you had a great dinner – nothing like good food, a great bottle – make that bottles – of wine and engaging conversation.
This is absolutely true, add to this seeing old friends and introducing old and new friends. Well I don’t think it can get better.
So what you are saying, is that there is a museum…. (long pause)… for Spam.
I have to question the integrity of a nation that would celebrate such a vile meat product. However Val, no judgement from me. You are still awesome, so bon appetit.
I don’t question the nation, on this one Tom it is all in good fun and truthfully I learned new things. Weird right? Hormel (maker of Spam) did good things during WWII, not just for the US but for embattled allies. Though full of sodium it is actually mostly just Pork. Here are the ingredients:
Pork with Ham, Salt, Water, Modified Potato Starch, Sugar, Sodium Nitrite.
Strange, right?
First of all, WHEW I thought I had offended you Val. That would have ruined my day off tomorrow. It appears i have not.
And, Apologies to you and anyone else in the Spam community that I have may have offended. I never took the time to investigate the contents of Spam
but Val, don’t be silly, I would never blame our nation for the contents of Spam. There are plenty of other things we can blame our nation for.
I do think the irony is beautiful. One night the finest restaurant in the world and the next night Spam. Val you are as diverse as they come.
And besides you make going out to eat sound way more fun than I do.
You couldn’t offend me! I would not eat Spam, but then it is all a matter of taste. I was shocked as could be when I found out how it was made and what it was made with. I was also surprised by the entire history, funny the things you can learn.
As for restuarants, well I have spent a great deal of my adult life on the road, I think I am called a road warrior. I have over 1 million miles on American, 500K on British Airways, 1 million on United, 1 million on Delta and several hundred thousand on assorted others. Restuarants over the years have become second homes, so there are a few across the country I really do love, for their ambiance, their service and of course their food.
I suppose you are right, there is a certain irony in our transition from Thursday night to Friday afternoon. What fun!
Fair enough Val. Hey go check you FBook later I’m sending you a msg
Oh my, would all the Wombies be jealous of that Spam museum! Great that Bruno and Claret got to go. 😉
Most importantly, it seems to me you had a great trip and am hoping your got year of great memories.
It is an experience, Spam in all flavors ones I didn’t even know existed. Interactive displays, how to make Spam, how fast to make it and sing-a-longs even. A very strange experience altogether.
It was a trip to remember!
It was a blast! Wait until you see the pix I am going to share. The Wombies got into everything!
xxx
It was quite the trip, wasn’t it? I still say, dinner was fabulous and despite the discomfort the Friday roadtrip was a blast!
Really? A museum? I haven’t seen spam in over 50 years but a museum is a museum and chock full of interesting tidbits of stories and information. Looking forward to more, Valentine.
Really! A Spam Museum, who would have thought. But then Hormel produces millions of cans of this every year in so many flavors you simply cannot believe. They had a part in both wars even, the history is actually quite interesting.
This sounds swell! LOL re LHOP!!
El, read back one to “Walking in the Rain” for why we went to Minnesota. This was our side trip. It was great fun leading to another great day, I have simply posted out of order.
Although I had previously visited the Spam Museum’s website, the two of you are the first people I’ve encountered who actually visited! Congratulations!!!!!
Frank when given the opportunity to visit a famous museum how could I possibly say no.. I mean really. Spam, what else is there?
Now you can write about us.
BTW … I visited Inner Chick to say hello … and she dropped by. I figure you can tell her what this place is about.
I good! I think she just put up her post about the walk, with lots of pictures.
I will visit.
Did you say Spam? And here I thought you were talking about the other kind of Spam! Only you guys could make this tour exciting.
Loved seeing you in Duluth.
you both rock like Gaga!
Super photos. Xxxxxx LOVE from here.
You know your adorable husband wants to go! Look I even provided a map 😉
Got all the fabulous pics you sent they are tomorrows post.
Love Love Love….