duluth trip with my college roomies

i thought i'd write a post while we are still in minneapolis about my vacation-within-my-vacation :) months ago, my college roommates and i were texting about how we should meet up for a reunion weekend. i've seen all of them separately over the last few years, but it's been six years since the four of us were together. in the interest of convenience, i suggested that we all go to duluth for a weekend while i was going to be in minnesota for a two week visit. so we picked the date, booked a hotel, and looked forward to it for months!

the kids stayed with thatcher's parents while i was away (thatcher was still in seattle). they had a blast playing with their cousin jack, going downtown, and to the wading pool. ashford still isn't fond of me being away over night, so i was happy to hear that he was content with sleeping with azalea. 

the girls picked me up friday morning and we drove up to duluth. our first order of business was going to the fitger's brewhouse for a late lunch. my favorite place! and it did not disappoint. 

next we checked into the hotel and then walked around canal park, went in some shops, and got ice cream. it was a beautiful day! 

we went back to the hotel then got ready to go out for the evening. our first stop was the vikre distillery by the aerial lift bridge.

 heidi requested that we go see aladdin because she loved it and none of us had seen it. it was really cute. then we headed over to little angie's cantina and had dinner and drinks on the patio!

saturday morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then walked over to amazing grace coffee shop. we browsed some more shops and then drove up to see the house we lived in near the campus. 

next stop was UMD to check out what the campus looks like these days. it was a blast from the past. it's been 13 years since i graduated and of course it looks much fancier now. we bought some apparel at the shop and wandered the halls. we left to get lunch at sara's table and that was delicious as well. then we drove to the edge of the city and went to kitchi gammi state park. it was hot and it was packed there with lots of people wading in the water. lake superior is notoriously freezing, but it actually felt really good!

 next we drove up scenic highway 61 to two harbors. we stopped at castle danger brewery, then at betty's pies where we got pie shakes (a slice of pie blended with ice cream). it was one of the most delicious things i've ever eaten but it was so filling!

 then we headed back to duluth to rest for a bit before heading out for the night. we decided to get dressed up and go to a nice restaurant at the fitgers complex called "the boat club." the food was good! 

then we went to a speak easy themed bar called the rathskeller in the basement of the old city hall, which was really cool!

 we ended the night at pizza luce for a late night snack ;) i was up way past my bed time but it was so worth it! 

sunday morning we went to amazing grace again and then drove over to park point to go to an art fair. it was pretty wet and muddy, which was really unfortunate for the artists, but it was reasonably busy there. at noon it was time to head back to the twin cities because kaylee needed to catch her flight. we had a long drive home because of construction and needing to drop people off all over the twin cities. my kids were happy to see me when i returned and so was i! i am so glad i could have this weekend away with my girl friends. i can't believe how much time has gone by since we all lived together, but they are the friends that you can pick up right where you left off and it feels like no time has gone by at all. 

we are still in minneapolis until next week, so i'll save the rest of my trip recap for when we return!