Sunday, November 10, 2013

passing the time in the minneapolis skyway.

Yesterday we went on an adventure in downtown Minneapolis.

Olive likes cities. She likes that she can see downtown from our house now that the leaves are off the couple of trees that block the view. She likes dropping Tyler off and picking him up at work so she can be downtown. She likes to go downtown when we visit other cities.

So she was excited when we decided to head to an Indian buffet downtown, in the Medical Arts Building. We parked in the box office spot at Tyler's work.. because he would never call the tow truck on his own car, so we knew we would be safe. We walked along Hennepin and popped into a building with access to the Skyway.

We meandered around, found a detour, and got to the buffet about an hour before it ends. We then took our time meandering our way back to the car. Olive and I have been stuck inside the house alllll week and both needed to get out and get moving. She basically ran the entire time. And pointed at everything.

So, like a tourist, I took photos.

Most of the time the following was my view.  Olive hurrying, Tyler catching up, and me catching up.  And sometimes much farther behind because I stopped to take a photo.  And I can't run.



If you don't know anything about the Minneapolis Skyway.. it's an interesting place.  So many buildings downtown are connected via, approximately, their second levels.  In some buildings the entire second level is a public space, full of shopping, or a large lobby area.  In some buildings it's a teeny tiny uninteresting hallway, but still connected.  Inside you'll find countless stores that you didn't realize existed in downtown Minneapolis because you can't view them from outside.  You'll also find many little coffee shops, yogurt shops, sub shops, pizza places, and convenience stores - much like you would fine lining the streets infinitely in bigger cities like Chicago and New York City - except their inside and if you don't use the Skyway you forget they're there.  And they're closed on the weekends.  And it's weird. 



From the inside looking out.  Important Skyway photos.

Dead downtown Minneapolis weekend streets.  But not as dead as St. Paul.



New carpet:



The Crystal Court is kind of cool.  I tried to take wedding photos in here once but it's not allowed.





Olive was like "HEY! Look at those eyeballs!!!!"



Oh my gosh.. escalators!!!  It was very obvious she had not left the house in almost a week.  Yikes.



We tried to take the Skyway to the next building over to get to the restaurant but the new carpet installation hindered our plans.  So we went downstairs and had to... GASP... walk outside!



Olive was like... "TALL BUILDINGS!"  As if she doesn't see them regularly... ha.



We went into a bookstore which is immediately on the other side of the closed Skyway in an attempt to eat.



Olive is colorful.





We went through the back door of the bookshop, which leads to the Skyway and a parking ramp, only to find that the escalators were turned off and blocked off on the other side of where we were.  Olive found this odd.  But whatever.. we walked down the escalator. 





And then we made it!  Bombay Bistro!



We've eaten here a few times with Tyler while he was working, since it's downtown.  They have a great and big buffet.  Drinks included, too!  So I drink a lot of chai. 





Olive wanted me to take a photo of the things on the ceiling (a vent and a speaker).  Instead I took a photo of her telling me about the ceiling.



Now that she's two she costs money here.  She didn't eat very much.  So that was disappointing.  We were the second to last table to leave after they closed.  I tried to cram as much kheer into my tummy as possible.



We were the only not Indian group there.. and the place was filled to the brim (they have three seating rooms).  In contrast we went to Indian for lunch again today, in south Minneapolis, and there was only one Indian person there, that I could see.  They're both good but I think this place must be more authentic.  But today's place was a little cheaper and Olive doesn't cost until she's three.  And she ate more today.  Ha.  But they don't have chai.  So..... I don't know.





This store was closed and empty (like many many store fronts within the Skyway - it's basically like a big mall).  The windows were frosted except for the very top and very bottom.  So Olive had to see what was inside.  She exclaimed quite loudly that there's nothing inside!!!!!



And then we walked back up the escalator that was off.





And back into the bookstore were Olive went CRAZY.





Oh my gosh brightly colored puffy stuffed things aaaaah.



I was waiting for Tyler and Olive to finish using the bathroom when I found myself in the self improvement/addiction/relationship aisle (funny combination, eh?) and this book made me laugh.. or something.







Every building is really different.  Tyler knows his way around really well, it's nice.  I just follow him and chuckle at the decor and design of the different spaces.  Really.. it's so weird.



A fountain.. a fountain!!!







Nothing was open here.  And many of the stores were vacant.



But we could see down pretty far.  So that was cool.







"Look, this guy's slippin'!"





From the outside I've always thought the Westin was a bank.  When inside I always expect it to be Wells Fargo.  The downtown Wells Fargo is pretty fancy.  But it's a Westin.  But it very obviously had to have been a bank in a previous life.









And then Tyler discovered that it used to be a bank.  And I was like.. I KNEW IT.





That building with the green pod on top and balconies has always intrigued me.



RUNNING.







An interesting combination of things.  Skyway reflection, lame self park sign.  Neat old facade obscured by sign and Skyway.



Great design can be found inside the Skyway.



Are we in a hospital?



No.. it's a new apartment building!



It smelled so new.  I was interested.  The outside is a nice old building - I'm curious about the apartments.  It's apartments.. not condos.  Which seems to be the Minneapolis trend these days.



Tyler looked them up and we'd be looking at something like $3,000/month for enough space for our family.  Not that we're looking to move to downtown Minneapolis.  But still.  No thanks. 



What?  A new building?  Things are changing in Minneapolis.





This is the apartment building I was just speaking of.  I wonder if the units have any old character or if they've been gutted and drywalled and stupided.







Everyone seemed curious about this place.







Closed.



Art deco. :)







Double Skyway oooooooo.



Space, anyone?



Olive walked right into this window.  She wanted to touch that stick, she says.  And didn't realize there was a window there.  teehee.









Still a ball of energy.  And less available light.













We were almost done.  Back into Macy's, heading towards our exit... and Olive says "HEY! Bellybuttons!!!!"



More space.



And a last hurrah of running back and forth down different colored lines and arcs.  Blurrrrrr.



The end. :)