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DDD The Road Trip
  • JoAnne Gelowitz
May 2024

DDD The Road Trip

Taking a trip to Minneapolis, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City in search of restaurants that have been on the show Diners Drive-ins and Dives. Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 13, 2024
    JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Winnipeg

    May 13, 2024 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    When I got up this morning I saw that Find Penguins sent me a memory from a year ago. A year ago today we hopped on a plane and went to Ireland for a lovely trip to the Emerald Isle. Today we left for a road trip to Minneapolis, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City in search of Diner Drive In and Dives restaurants. Shopping will happen. Sight seeing will happen. And food will happen.
    We picked up MaryAnne in Grayson, then drove to Winnipeg to pick up Brenda and Bryce. We'll stay here overnight and then leave for Minneapolis early tomorrow morning.
    Took a random picture of a pay phone that I saw at a gas station in Brandon. Not sure if it works or not but it looks like it is in pretty good shape.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    Turkey and Brie SandwichCarrot Ginger SoupChicken and Bruschetta SandwichBlack bean burgerGyroLemon Curd, Key Lime Pie and Tiramisu1

    Nichole's Pastry and Cafe Fargo

    May 14, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    First DDD stop was Nicole's Pastry and Cafe in Fargo, North Dakota. It did not disappoint. We had a wonderful lunch of healthy homemade sandwiches and soup, and some carrot ginger soup. The soup had the taste ginger without over powering the carrot. Bryce gives lunch an overall score an 8.2/10. The group favourite for dessert was the Key Lime Pie. That's the one in the to right hand corner in the photo. All was yummy. Our tummies are full and now we are on our way to Minneapolis.Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Our Place in Minneapolis

    May 14, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We are staying in a lovely little apartment that seems to be about 10 minutes from everywhere we want to be. It's an older area. Kind of reminds me of the Cathedral area in Regina. We are on the second floor of a large house.
    Since we have to make our own breakfast we shopped at a very trendy grocery store called Kowalski's. Very cool place. Not too much else to say about our accomodations.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Shopping Day

    May 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today we went shopping. First stop was the Mall of America. It is thriving. Lots of people shopping but it's not overcrowded. It is still a great place to do some major damage to the bank account.
    Next we moved on to Albertville Premium Outlets. Wow! What a change. I would venture to guess that almost half of the shops are empty. However, there are still good deals to be had. Everyone purchased things they needed and/or wanted. I think Mary Ann won the "who got the best deals award" for the day.
    Just got pictures of the rides at the Mall of America.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    Smoky and Mommy, Poppin' Pear and a beerKorean Fried Chicken Wings and Feel No PainShrimp and Vegetable Pancake"Hwe Dup Bap" Cured Salmon Rice BowlStone Bowl BibimbapThere's no tipping, instead a surcharge is added to your billThe menu

    Kim's

    May 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Today's DDD stop was a Korean restaurant called Kim's. Technically it is not a Diners Drive-ins and Dives place. The owner Ann Kim has a pizza place, Lola's, that we have been to a couples of times. That restaurant serves wood fired pizza that is super yummy. Lola's has been on DDD.
    Jer discovered that she has four restaurants in Minneapolis, one being Kim's, a restaurant that serves food reflecting her Korean heritage.
    Since we are on a DDD tour we didn't get cleaned up before we went because you know it's just a diner. This is definitely not a diner but a trendy restaurant, so we were a little under dressed. It was super busy, which is always a good sign. After a small wait we got a table and proceeded to figure out what all the words on the menu meant.
    Alcoholic drinks at our table were a beer and a green drink named Smoky and Mommy. That drink was a mix of mezcal, melon liquor, grapefruit and lime. And there were two zero proof drinks. I always appreciate a restaurant that serves a good nonalcohol cocktail. For that we had a Poppin' Pear, made with fermented pears, and a Feel No Pain, a very fruity drink served in a very cool pineapple glass.
    Then were the starters, Korean Fried Chicken Wings, which were nice and spicy and very crispy, and a Shrimp and Vegetable Pancake. All were tasty and there were no scraps. Then came the mains, Stone Bowl Bibimbap and Hwe Dup Bap Cured Salmon Rice Bowl. The Bibimbap was delicious. A super hot stone bowl that crisped up the bottom of the rice topped with veggies and beef bulgogi. The Salmon Rice Bowl was like deconstructed sushi. It was very fresh and it too was delicious. There was so much food that we will be having reheated Bibimbap for breakfast.
    An interesting fact is that this restaurant charges a 21% surcharge to your bill. This is to replace a tip. The servers are supposed to be receiving a liveable wage. This surcharge is to pay for their wage. However, the money doesn't go directly to the staff. It just goes towards the operating costs of the business. My question is why don't they just charge 21% more for each item and then tell people not to leave a tip? Something is just not sitting right with me about this. Our server was super awesome so we left a tip anyways.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    The iconic Spoon and Cherry
    Woodrow - made of bronze but looks like woodBlack Vessel for a SaintHare and BellHahn/CockHephaestus - the Greek god of fireHand for Minneapolis -very new. Made of sculpted brick.Without Words

    Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

    May 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    The Sculpture Garden was our first sight seeing stopof the day. We went there when the kids were small and I loved the place. There were lots of huge sculptures in a nicely manicured park/garden. It's pretty much the same layout. Some of the sculptures have been moved around and some new ones added. There really are no more gardens as they have changed the grounds to native plants. We all enjoyed the stroll through the park and trying to figure out the meaning behind the art. It was a great way to start the day.Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    Not really porta potties. Just doors that look that way.Check out all the different flavours of pop!?!So much candy!!!The ceilings had different themesThese are life sizeThe candy band

    Minnesota's Largest Candy Store

    May 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    For our trip from Minneapolis to Sioux Falls we decided to not take the interstate highway. Shortly out of Minneapolis we saw signs for Minnesota's Largest candy store and decided to stop when we saw it. The place is huge and full of pretty much any kind of candy you can think of, with some salty snacks added in for good measure. Then there is the all the decor. My pictures do not show the size of this place accurately. All I could say as I walked through is "This is place is insane." Here are quotes from everyone else about their thoughts on this insanely big candy store.
    Bryce - Overwhelming and not for the faint of heart. So much to eat, so little time. Took my breath away. A dentist's nightmare.
    Brenda - Sinfully delicious
    Maryanne - Unbelievable
    Gerardo - Esthetically pleasing and diabetically dangerous    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    The Messy Bowl
    The Chislic Stir FryThe BensonThe Chislic Entree SaladThe Original 1870

    Urban Chislic, Sioux Falls

    May 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Today the DDD choice was the Urban Chislic. Chislic is deep fried cubed meat. The origins go back to the 1870's where meat was fried and served with saltine crackers. Ger ordered a dish based on the original.
    The overall group consensus is that this was simply bar food served in a loud sports bar. It was good but nothing really spectacular. It's late and maybe we're are a bit tired. It's been a busy day.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Sioux Falls Park

    May 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    These falls are the namesake for Sioux Falls. It's a beautiful park with very pretty falls. The ruins around the falls are an old flour mill. Walking around the park was a nice way to start our day of sight seeing.Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    BLTAMushroom pineapple pizzaChicken ranch sandwichTomato soup

    Look's Marketplace

    May 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    This is the place that started the planning for this trip. Sometime during the winter I was watching Diners Drive-ins and Dives. They were doing a bit about this place in Sioux Falls South Dakota. That show doesn't usually go to many if any places that are driving distance from us. I saw this place and wanted to go, so a trip was planned and here we are. It's a pretty big place. They smoke their own meat and make a variety of sausages.
    As you go through the doors you walk into a marketplace selling deli meat, fresh fish, some hard to find groceries, some fancy cheeses and a little bit of fresh fruit and veggies. And a bit of merch. You walk through all that to a rather large restaurant. It gave me Fuddrukkers vibes with the way it worked. We got there at lunch time and ordered some food and took in the atmosphere. I forgot to mention they have their own bakery and make sour dough bread and pizza crusts. We got our fill of yummy sandwiches and left to travel on to Rapid City.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Corn Palace, Mitchell

    May 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Today was a day of heavy sight seeing, do these posts will be short. The Corn Palace, located in Mitchell, SD, is the auditorium for the city. The outside of the building is covered in murals using different coloured corn cobs. The auditorium has corn cob murals too! They were getting ready for a the high school graduation this weekend. The palace is redecorated every year. Mural designs are created by Dakota Wesleyan University students enrolled in Digital Media and Design courses under the guidance of Associate Professor, Kyle Herges.Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Dignity of Earth and Sky

    May 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    So I was standing by my phone and I said South Dakota. A post on Facebook came up with a picture of this statue. I looked up the location and found that it is located at a rest stop on the I-90. Since that is the highway between Sioux Falls it became a must see. We stopped to see the 50 foot statue and it was spectacular.

    Here is some info from the Travel South Dakota website.

    She wears a garment patterned after a traditional two-hide dress of the 1850s. One of the statue’s most striking features is her outstretched star quilt — a symbol of respect, honor and admiration in Native American culture. The quilt’s 128 stainless steel diamonds feature color-changing pieces that glitter in the sun and move with the wind, creating a rippling effect. At night, LED lights cause the diamonds to illuminate the dark sky, casting a peaceful glow that’s easily visible from the interstate.

    She casts a peaceful gaze across the waters of the Missouri River. During the day, the South Dakota wind brushes the diamonds in her star quilt, causing blue shades to twinkle in the sunlight. At night, she stands illuminated and strong. She is Dignity.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Wall Drug

    May 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Wall Drug is a shopping experience like no other. It started as a drug store in 1931 and grew into the emporium it is today. We got there at about 6 in the evening and only had half an hour until things started closing for the evening. It definitely was not enough time to show Brenda, Bryce and Maryann the the uniqueness of this shopping experience.
    Just a final note. We travelled the I-90 from Sioux Falls across most of South Dakota to get there and saw over 100 billboards advertising it.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    Mammoth tusksGiant Short Snout BearNapoleon - the oldest and most intact mammothMammoth skulls with tusks intact. That's unusual.

    The Mammoth Site, Hot Springs, SD

    May 18, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    The Mammoth Site is an archeological site filled with the bones/skeltons of many mammoths. 140,000 years ago it was a sink hole filled with water and surrounded by grass. Mammoth and other animals would go to get a drink of water and then slide into the sink hole, unable to get out. Eventually the hole filled with sediment, covering the hole.
    In 1974 the area was being cleared to start a development. A mammoth tusk was scraped. The developer realized they had found something special and stopped the work. Archeologists eventually realized that area was filled with the remains of of many animals, primarily mammoth.
    The building we toured is built around the dig. We learned a lot about mammoths.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    1/34 scale model
    21/300 scale model

    Crazy Horse

    May 18, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Not too much to say about this place. We saw it about 25 years ago and they are still working on it. The people working on it will not take federal money so it is a slow process. The original artist left detailed instructions for future generations to complete the work. From the viewing station you can see all the equipment and scaffolding being used. For me the hand is new and you can see where they have roughly sketched out the horse.Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip
    Oxtail GyozaFurikake SaladBison Broth RamenVeggie Shoyu RamenMushroom RamenSome of the toysThere were statues on pretty much every street corner in downtown Rapid City

    Bokujo

    May 18, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After another day of sight seeing we stopped at our last DDD restaurant. This one is owned by Justin Warner of Food Network fame. He doesn't have his own show but has roles on some of the shows. Most notably he is one of the commentators on Tournament of Champions.
    This is a Ramen restaurant. It is decorated heavily with Japanese toys, these are called gashapons. The food was good. The service was very good. The decor a little weird. It was a good to have some soup for a change.    Read more

  • JoAnne GelowitzTravelerDDD The Road Trip

    Our Place in Rapid City

    May 20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    The house we stayed in at Rapid City was the best out of the three. I was so disappointed with the place in Sioux Falls that I didn't even make a post for it.
    However, this was a cute little house with lots of renos, and enough room for us to spread out and relax. And if we weren't relaxed enough we could take a dip on the hot tub. Nice place.
    I took the pictures on the last day and didn't get pictures of the bedrooms.    Read more

    Trip end
    May 22, 2024
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