My first opening day baseball game came April 7, 2014, when Tim and I made a day trip to Minneapolis to watch the A’s and Twins open the year at Target Field. The game was enjoyable, with the A’s putting on an offensive display to defeat the Twins, 8-3.
Everyone was introduced before the game.
Before the game, we made a few stops in Edina, first for lunch at Tilia. We intended to order the bacon cheeseburger, which was named one of the five best burgers in the Twin Cities area by TV food personality Andrew Zimmern. But, they were out of burger patties, leaving us scrambling to make selections.
In the end, both entrees, and the thin fries, were excellent. My spinach salad featured a bed of greens topped with mushrooms, sliced almonds, fresh-grated Parmesan cheese, a soft-boiled egg, and a warm bacon dressing. Tim ordered the hot dogs, which were topped with a “KFC slaw,” chili, and impressive mini potato chips.
Lunch was followed by a stop at Wild Rumpus bookstore, then a walk to the nearby Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream. The chocolate OREO ice cream was very good — reminiscent of the product at the Outside Scoop in Indianapolis.
After the game, we made one final ice cream stop at Pumphouse Creamery, where I always pair chocolate ice cream with the local cherry sauce. A late dinner was had at the always-reliable Jake’s Pizza in Albert Lea, where Tim and I split a medium pizza. We made it back to Ankeny just a shade before midnight.
Downtown Albert Lea was quiet on this Monday night.