Weekday Breakfasts and Lunches Out

   Yesterday MM2 and I went on a short excursion and drove south to Pepin, Wisconsin.  Originally we had scheduled the trip so that we could enjoy the leaves, but what with the wind and rain lately, most of them were gone.  It was still a very pleasant day and the highlight was having lunch at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, The Harbor View.  I've been making the 1-1/2 hour trip to this spot for 30 years now and the food is always impeccable.  I had a mere half chicken, broccoli and potatoes, and MM2 had lasagna -- just a light lunch.  I noticed that most of the patrons had white, gray or dyed hair.  This was because it was 1:00 on a Thursday when most working stiffs are busy making the world turn and when we retired slugs get to do whatever we damn well please.

     On the way back we stopped at a place called The Point in a suburb of St. Paul to have pie and were amazed to walk into what seemed like a small town cafe where the farmers meet after morning chores for coffee.  There was a circle of men talking loudly about golf, politics and women.  If they had had accents, I would have thought I was in Deliverance, except these guys weren't talking about pigs squealing and other nasty things.  They were just commiserating over coffee.  Although they were a tad boisterous, it struck me as pretty fine that these good ole' boys had in reality formed a sort of support group that met over pie instead of beers and a bump.
     Last week MM2 and I went to a place along the Mississippi River for breakfast where I had memorable huevos rancheros made with a corn tortilla, black beans, sausage, poached eggs, cheese and sour cream. They were served with field greens and Gouda hash browns. This was the best breakfast I'd had in years.  The Wilde (as in Oscar) Roast is in an area called St. Anthony Main where in my wanton youth I spent many a margarita sipping night at GuadalaHarry's or feasting on great pasta at Prachna on Main.  I hadn't been in the area for years and was sad that so many of the places I knew were no longer there.  However, the Wilde Roast is a top notch replacement for whatever was in that spot before.  I can't remember because I'm old now.