Jasmine 26 - Minneapolis, MN

Jasmine 26 (8 East 26th Street) has a contemporary take on Vietnamese food. Lunch and dinner are reasonably priced and seating is available either indoors or outdoors. There are familiar offerings of soup, salad, noodles, and rice along with several specialty entrees. I opted for a "safe" choice of fried rice although I later wished I had tried something more exotic. The happy hour menu has several good options at a very reasonable price, too.

Spring Rolls Wrapped with leaf lettuce, vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, and mint in rice paper

sriracha fried rice Spicy fried rice with onion, green peas, diced carrots, & chicken

Allerton Park - Monticello, IL

Robert Allerton (1873 - 1964) stood to inherit a stockyard and banking fortune from his father, Samuel Allerton, ranked as Chicago's third wealthiest man of his day. Robert took an interest in literature, music, gardening, and visual arts from his step-mother (and aunt) after his widowed father married his late wife's sister. The family lived on Prairie Avenue, neighbors to the Marshall Fields, the Pullmans, and the Armours. Instead of going to college, Robert went with a friend to study art in Europe for over 5 years. Upon his return from Europe, Robert told his father he wanted to be a farmer. With his vast wealth, Robert's father bought land in Piatt County of Illinois. Through inheritance, purchase, and trade, "The Farms" consisted of 12,000 acres by 1914. He hired managers to run the farm while he built a home and gardens along the Sangamon river running through the tract. In 1946 he donated over 5000 acres including the home and gardens and land to provide income for the maintenance of the property to the University of Illinois. Today, approximately 1500 acres of "The Farms" comprise the Allerton Park & Retreat Center.

In 1898, Robert went to England to visit country houses and landscaped gardens. From this visit he planned his home together with friend and architect, John J. Borie. Construction began in 1899 and the house was more or less completed in 1900. The brick and stone exterior, the modified H plan, and the long gallery are all characteristics that recall seventeenth-century English precedents, in particular Ham House at Richmond, Surrey. Allerton wanted to see earth, sky, and water from every room. The main rooms open to terraces, lawns, and a formal pool. From his bedroom window, Robert could see the meadow, the reflecting pond, and the Sangamon River.

Several formal gardens surround the house. Each has a collection of statues, hedges, and other plantings. Many of these were designed in collaboration with his in-live architect and protege (and son, adopted as an adult), John Gregg.

Allerton is operated under the guidance of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Allerton Mansion (Retreat Center) is used as a retreat and conference facility by University, state, and corporate clients. The natural areas of the Park are used by a variety of University departments, as well as other universities and conservation agencies, for environmental study and for participatory student interactions. Public programs, with a strong environmental emphasis, are available throughout the year. Private events, like weddings and picnics, can be held at the Park.

The Fu Dog Garden was originally designed in 1932 to display Robert Allerton's collection of Chinese Fu Dogs. Twenty-two blue, ceramic Fu Dogs are perched atop concrete pedestals which form the focal point of the garden. Opposing double rows of fir trees (44 in all) define the outer borders of the garden space and are under planted with clusters of white flowers. Although much of it has grown over since it was originally planted, a restoration process has begun.

The Gatehouse is at the entrance to the drive leading to the main house. Allerton Park is an intriguing place to visit. It is not customary to find this type of lavish living in the "middle of a cornfield." Yet, the place is no longer (if it ever was?) at its prime. Many of the gardens are overgrown and time has taken its toll on several of the statues.

Drake Brothers - Chicago, IL

Drake Bros. (140 East Walton Place) is one of five restaurants in the historic Drake Hotel on the north end of Chicago's "Magnificent Mile". The location serves breakfast or lunch overlooking North Michigan Avenue on the east and Lake Michigan and Lake Shore Drive on the north. Although more expensive than my usual choices, the food tasted good, the servers were attentive, and the atmosphere was comfortable.

New England Clam Chowder

Niçoise Salmon: white beans, tomato confit, olives, fried artichoke hearts, lemon brown butter

Monument Circle - Indianapolis, IN

The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is the focal point of "Monument Circle" in the center of Indianapolis, IN. The 284 feet tall neoclassical monument is made of oolitic limestone and bronze. It was erected to honor Hoosiers who were veterans of the American Revolution, territorial conflicts that partially led up to the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the US Civil War, and the Spanish American War.

(This picture borrowed from the wikipedia entry for the monument.)

Most buildings around the circle are rounded. The building below selected lights for the windows that fit the Independence Day theme.

Several restaurants are located on or near the circle. The entrance to the Indianapolis Symphony's home is on the circle. There is also a bank and radio station. The dome of the state capitol building is framed by the buildings lining the few blocks to the west of the monument.

Looking up at the statues on the monument at night (above) and toward the monument on a cloudy day (below).