Patrick's Bakery & Cafe - Minneapolis, MN

Set amidst the floral, garden, and gift selections of Bachman's flagship store, is one location of Patrick's Bakery & Cafe (6010 Lyndale Ave.). After looking over the cases with a variety of pastries and other goodies, customers order at the counter and then relax at a table among the flowering plants until the food is served. It is unexpectedly pleasant considering you're dining in a garden center!

Patrick's promotes themselves on their website: The cafe features an amazing selection of Patrick Bernet's made-fresh daily selections of French breads, baguettes, country bread, 7-grain breads, petites and grandes boules; and speciality breads like Tomato Provencal and Roasted Red Pepper. Croissants, pain au chocolat, apricot soleil and glistening pineapple danish (Patrick's personal favorite) will be available every day. The individual pastries offered are irresistible. You'll find wonderful standards, like eclairs, napoleons, fruit tarts and creme brulees, and tantalizing Patrick's specialties that are beyond description, including the Trilogy Chocolate cake, Feuillantine Pralinee and Tiramisu.

Bouchee a la Reine: Flaky puff pastry filled with chicken, chives,

mushrooms and dumplings in a creamy sauce

Apple Chibouste Tart

Nearly vacant just before closing

Between the Folds

"Between the Folds" chronicles the stories of 10 fine artistis and intrepid scientists who abandoned careers and scoffed at hard-earned graduate degrees - all to forge unconventional lives as modern-day paperfolders. The film paints an arresting portrait of the remarkable artistic and scientific creativity that fuels this ever-changing art form, fusing science and sculpture, form and function, ancient and new.

I arranged with Vanessa Gould, the writer/producer/director of the film, to have a screening at a conference I recently coordinated. It was very interesting! I have also met or been in a conference session with some of the featured artists/scientists: Erik Demaine (and his dad), Tom Hull, Robert Lang.

Africa

Toto's Africa (arranged by Tomaž Kozlevčar) performed live at Vokal Xtravaganzza (October 2008) by Perpetuum Jazzile, an a cappella jazz ensemble from Slovenia.

Egg Harbor Cafe - Lake Geneva, WI

Egg Harbor Cafe (827 Main St.) is a small chain of 15 locations in NE Illinois (and SE Wisconsin). They describe their "concept" as follows:

The concept of Egg Harbor Café is a restaurant specializing in gourmet

breakfast and lunch creations from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily, in a warm,

charming country setting, with fast, friendly, and efficient service.

From my experience at the Lake Geneva location, I say they mostly achieve their concept. The breakfast I ordered was delicious and, although "gourmet" might be a bit of a stretch, it was topped with fresh fruit. It was quite busy but the wait wasn't too long due to the "fast, friendly, and efficient service." There was nothing pretentious about the restaurant. It seemed like a place equally comfortable to old and young.

Lake Geneva, WI

Lake Geneva is a resort city on the shores of Geneva Lake in southeastern Wisconsin. Railroad access from Chicago made the area a popular summer retreat for the barons of wealth in lumber, cattle, oil, steel, cement, manufacturing, and durable goods (Morton Salt, Wrigley Chewing Gum, etc.), with mansions and large homes built on the lake during the heyday of the roaring 20s.

A path along the lake allows visitors to observe several of the large homes built overlooking the water. Geneva Lake is 8.6 square miles, 9 miles long, and between 3 miles and ½ mile wide. It is 152 feet at the deepest point.

Stone Manor (below), officially Younglands, the 18,000 square foot Italianate palace with a 250' veranda and an expansive lawn, is visible from downtown Lake Geneva. The estate was built in 1900-1901 by Otto Young, a man who made his fortune buying real estate along State Street in Chicago following the great fire of 1871. It was constructed for over $1,000,000 and has features such as gold-plated fixtures, a basement bowling alley, and a third floor miniature golf course. The property was a single family home until 1939 when it was presented to the order of St. Anne to be used as an Episcopalian private school for girls. The school was discontinued after only a few years. Later the mansion housed a French restaurant. Around the 1980's the mansion and remaining property were purchased for back taxes, reportedly for $74,000. It has recently been restored and converted to 6 condominiums ranging in price up to $1.6 million.