The Local – Saturday, October 1, 2016

The Local is a very popular Irish Pub in Minneapolis. It is the largest seller of Jameson Whiskey in the world. Think on that! (This bit of bar trivia comes from my fiancé, Jim, who I brought along to meet everyone).  (By the way – did you know that we Americans, along with the Irish - prefer the spelling WHISKEY, but elsewhere in the world, the spelling is commonly WHISKY?) Imagine the atmosphere in this place when you realize that the Ryder Cup was being held at Hazeltine Golf Course that very week.

The TV monitors had eyeballs glued to them. Both American and European voices echoed throughout the high-ceilinged bar. It was a little hard to hear our discussion because of that, but we soldiered on and found ways to communicate! The high-top table also made it a little awkward talking to each other. I decided to make the rounds and go sit at the other end of the table for a while so I could talk to those waaaayyyy over there.

Our server, Brian, was prompt and very responsive and helpful. There were several partakers of the Bloody Mary with a sidecar. Somehow those sidecars ended up near me! I wonder why folks didn’t want them? Just a preference I’m sure. Why mess up the taste of a good Bloody?

Anyway, our very helpful server, Brian, came by with a tip that Guinness was going on sale. The Guinness girls were in the house! Jim took off immediately to make sure the girls were conservatively dressed. (Right?) I’m pretty sure that’s what he was doing. He came back with a new t-shirt on and a pair of panties on his head, so, yep, I’m pretty sure … ! (Just kidding, he actually came back with a key chain/bottle opener which will come in handy.)

I decided to order the obvious choice on the menu – the Fish and Chips – and I’m so glad I did. They did a great job on the crust of the fish (cod) and the fries (chips) were delicious with some salt vinegar shaken on top. Apparently this is the proper way to eat them. Yum!

Other dishes that got buzz: Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad – I got to try it and it was delicious.  Baked Artichoke Dip, Walleye Sandwich, Chicken Pub Pie, House Curry Chicken. It all sounded really good. And really high calorie!

I noticed while gabbing with Mike that the others on the far side of the table were discussing the book – Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline – ah, well – could not hear what they were saying. But it looked like a lively discussion and people seemed to really enjoy the storytelling. We will try to organize an outing to see the play – it opens November 19 at the History Theater in St. Paul.

Mike was telling me an interesting historical fact about World War II that relates in a way to the book. German prisoners of war were brought here to Minnesota during the war because there were/are several German settlements and the farmers appreciated good help. The prisoners were happy because they got to speak their native tongue, they got fed and received shelter. Many of them never left.

In the book, it was common for an orphan to end up on a farm as a farmhand. The work could be brutal and tougher yet because of the Minnesota weather. Many of the young orphans were mistreated, and worse. Of course, many of them found a better, brighter situation than they were born into. Just to get fed, clothed, sheltered and educated would be a blessing. To find love and an affectionate family would be a dream.

So the Guinness, wine and Bloody Mary’s flowed along with the conversation and some of us (me!) found ourselves ready for dessert. I ordered the Seasonal Cheesecake. I was excited to see what would appear in front of me. When it came, it took a little while to determine what it was. It was like a PBJ cheesecake. Peanut butter cheesecake with a strawberry jam-type topping. It was honestly so sweet I could only eat a few bites. Rachel took a bite and put the fork right down. Huh! I guess we won’t be making PBJ cheesecake for any future events.

We were missing only a few of our members – sorry you couldn’t join us – Marie, Jarby and Sandy. Hope you were off doing other wonderful things! We hope to see you next time. Mike and Louise will plan our next gathering at Mike’s fantastic loft.

Look forward to hearing from Mike and Louise about the next selection and details on the time and date.

Thank you, everyone for welcoming Jim so warmly, he had a great time meeting you all. He said he could sit next to Louise all night and exchange stories. If we all could hear each other I’m sure he’d say the same about every one of you.  (You know I’m just teasing, Hillary – it was an epic choice of location for book club – loved it!)

It’s nice to see our little Louise McColl book club growing (wink, Jarby!) – welcome, Hillary! Fun to have you and thank you so much for organizing us.

Katie

Epic Journey

We were lucky to have a very special book choice for this meeting. Local author and poet, Susan Thurston, has written a fantastic “fantasy” novel titled, Sister of Grendel. When we began reading, the book was not even available to the public yet. An imagining of the story of Beowulf, or perhaps, an extension of that story. In that classic tale, Grendel and his mother are destroyed by Beowulf. In Sister of Grendel, Thurston proposed that Grendel had a sister who was present at the infamous attack, and although she found herself powerless to intervene to save her brother and her mother, she will go on to carry the traditions and customs of their tribe for a long and arduous journey to redemption.

We had the most intense discussion about a book that we’ve ever had! Ms. Thurston was incredibly generous with her time and answered all our questions thoughtfully and thoroughly.

We met at the classic downtown Minneapolis restaurant, the Monte Carlo. We were at first seated centrally in the very loud and bustling restaurant. But, our very observant and responsive server asked if we’d like to move to a more quiet corner of the space. We opted to move! We ended up in the most quiet, cozy and intimate space, which was perfect for our meeting.

We were so excited that Louise was well recovered from her recent injuries! So nice see her up and about and looking fabulous! Also joining us was Victor Thiemann, our newest member. Welcome, Vic! Very nice to have you with us.

Rounding us out were Mike, Cynthia, Marie, Rachel and myself. Jarby sent an SOS saying that her car broke down on the roadside and she would not be able to make it. How disappointing, and how frustrating for her. We missed you, Jarby!

Some of the topics we discussed were the naming of the Smallheaded Tribe, and the violence between tribes. Was there an obvious parallel to modern “tribes”?

As we began discussing the book, our server brought us 2 platters of world famous Monte Carlo chicken wings. They were piping hot and the crusty goodness was a unique and unforgettable taste for sure.

We all enjoyed a cocktail as the discussion continued. We talked about the grand and seemingly unending journey that our protagonist endured. Why was it she had to endure all the people coming in and out of her life? She outlived them all. That is one of the consequences of being from a tribe that lives such a long life.

Rehsotis found the love of her life and had the opportunity to spend time with him and enjoy a time of great pleasure and happiness, however short-lived that may have been.

Throughout the book, Rehsotis uses her knowledge of nature and foods the earth offers up, medicinal herbs and plants.She uses her knowledge to feed herself, and nurture and care for others.

She also has to look deep within herself to find ways to fit in with others. Her experiences resonate with us as these are things we struggle with as well.

Now it was time to focus for a little while on the food placed in front of us. For only a short few moments, there was quiet in the room as we dug in to:

- Pizza Lavosh Style Cracker Crust with Cilantro Pesto, Havarti Cheese and Marinated Chicken Breast

- Calamari, Light Tempuri Preparation

- Chopped Beef Liver

- Panko Fried Shrimp- Gulf Shrimp in Japanese Breading

- Billy Reed’s Caesar Burger – Burger with a side of Caesar Salad

There also seemed to be a couple of fantastic looking salads at the other end of the table from me. Wow, what a gigantic food selection and great tasting meals!

We soon returned to talking about the book some more. Ms. Thurston shared with us that she will have a book launch soon and is very much looking forward to having the book available for sale. Check it out on Amazon!

We talked so much that we didn’t get to talking about our next book selection at all. It wasn’t even mentioned! Which I think is a first for us. So, I heard that Marie has volunteered to host the next gathering and we will perhaps do a poll to see what everyone would like to read.

For now, we are happy to support the success of Sister of Grendel and we look forward to more from this interesting and very generous author, Susan Thurston. Thank you for spending time with us, we loved every minute!

Soon after leaving the restaurant, my poor little Mini Cooper was rear ended at a stop sign. By a guy with a BRAND NEW car. So new that it didn’t even have license plates yet. Gah! So, that is a large percentage of automobile related trouble in one evening!!!! 

I am lucky that it was just a bumper tap and his insurance will pay to have my cracked bumper fixed. Jarby I’m truly feeling your pain. Let us hope that everyone else arrived home safe and sound with no further incidents.

Looking forward to our next gathering!

Katie