We visited Minnesota as a family in May. It was a welcome trip and the first visit to see my family since before the COVID 19 pandemic. We were also really excited to see my family for the first time since the birth of my daughter Farah which also meant traveling on an airplane with 2 children. Note: for parents traveling with kids ANYWHERE, I totally feel for you. It’s not easy, nor is it ‘fun’ during the actual travel part. But getting to your destination is SO WORTH it. If you plan to visit Minneapolis any time soon, I’ve left you a few links to my must see places.
We started off traveling through American Airlines (they are my current favorite airline, more on that soon) early on a Saturday morning. From Phoenix, to Minneapolis, it’s about 3 hours one way. Or including packing and car shuffling, 2/3 a day in parent time. We got to the airport on time and had our bags checked to avoid any additional items to carry. Although the gate changed at the last minute, and we ran through the airport, we made it onto the plane masks and all. Even my almost 3 year old son wore his mask 85% of the way on the plane which is pretty incredible for a toddler.
We arrived to a thick pea soup type of humid warm weather. Much like the spring and summers I grew up with, it was just warm enough to wear shorts and just cool enough to bring a jacket EVERYWHERE. If you decide to visit Minnesota during any season, be sure to pack pants, long sleeves and a coat. Trust me- click here for more on change of weather in MN.
The kids loved being outside every day and it was so good to see my parents, siblings and extended family. We were able to visit Lake Harriet and trek around outside at many neighboring parks near my parent’s house. When visiting Minneapolis in the summer, the lakes are a must. Beautiful outdoor parks are filled with boats for fishing, trails for hiking & biking and bandshells featuring live outdoor music. Hungry? You can grab a snack or popcorn or ice cream at the bandstand.
It was also just nice to take a mental break from work and living through a pandemic for 18 months. I didn’t really realize it until getting home but we were totally burnt out from a crazy pandemic year. Between the family dinners, long coffees and late lunches, it felt good to re-center. Thanks to my parents and brother for babysitting, John and I even got to go out for a night on the town, like NORMAL people. We celebrated my best friend Jenna’s wedding which happened during the pandemic with limited reception. It was 4 weeks after Farah’s birth. We had some catching up to do.
We had a great evening out and enjoyed dinner at Martina restaurant where we stuffed our faces with Argentinian inspired cuisine in the Linden-Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis. We started off with some cocktails- The Palma which is Martina’s take on an old fashioned + toddy. DELICIOUS. We shared plates of Pea Salad, Grilled Beef Tongue Bruschetta and the Cacio E Pepe Agnolotti. Our main courses included the half chicken with labneh and the charred octopus- both out of this world! I highly recommend dinner at Martina if you are in town. Just make sure you have a reservation!
For dessert we crossed the street to the renowned Sebastian Joe’s ice cream shop. If you know, you KNOW! Growing up with Sebby Joes (this is how you identify a local) meant delicious summer ice cream treats and lots of unique flavors to choose from. Family owned by 2 brothers since 1984, Sebastian Joe’s has seen more than its share of kids in summertime. That evening’s special featured the Nicollet Pothole with chocolate, heath bar, sea salt, fudge and fudge truffles. How could I resist? So. Freakin. Good.
Traveling with kids always adds in an element of surprise in that you have to constantly keep them busy. A few days out of the week of our visit, it rained which meant finding fun things to do inside. We were lucky enough to visit the Minnesota Children’s Museum which was actually really fun even as an adult. The kids loved the interactive water features and giant lego building blocks. If you ever plan to visit, give yourself at least a 1/2 day as this is located in St. Paul which is about a 20-30 minute drive from most of the MN suburbs.
We also visited the Nickelodeon Universe inside the Mall of America in beautiful Bloomington, MN (which is where my parents live). There were super cute rides for kids under the age of 3 and plenty of interactive games. Luca loved getting to go on the kids sized roller coaster and Dora the Explorer bus that swung high in the air. Insider tip- adults are admitted free with each kids ticket purchased. We actually over purchased on tickets because we didn’t realize adults got in free.
More than anything else, visits to Minnesota means seeing family. And if you know anything about a Lebanese person it’s that family extends past the 2nd cousins. This is primarily due to centuries of inbreeding through Lebanon, Syria and other neighboring villages. It also means lots of family gatherings centered around food, family, and more food. One morning we were able to meet with my 3rd cousin Vivian for brunch at French Meadow Cafe on Grand Ave. It was great to see Vivian and have her meet Farah for brunch where we use to meet with her mother Camille. Camille was my 2nd cousin whom we’d come to know when I was 12 years old when she found out we were her family (a child of a secret family affair). Camille was to our family like rose water was to orange blossoms (she had passed a few years earlier from breast cancer) Vivian was just as sweet and doing phenomenally well. The warmth of the French Meadow Cafe is something I hope everyone experiences when they travel- easy, comfortable & delicious. And the Zone Omelette is pretty delectable if I do say so myself.
Toward the end of the week, my mother and aunts decided to throw us a traditional Lebanese feast in celebration of our visit. This meant 2 days of shopping, produce picking and lamb & vegetable assembly for an amazing meal of Kousa, Shike al Rousa, Yubbra, Kibbe, Loubia, Labneh, houmos, and Tabbouleh. Both of my aunts are amazing chefs in their own right, but my mother is the best cook in the family. There were meat pies, lamb and flatbread followed by a significant belly roll that protruded out of my pants once dinner concluded that evening. Totally worth it. But it’s always more than just food. For my family, these meals are about preserving our culture and tradition followed by at least one yelling match regarding foreign politics in the Middle East. I look forward to these meals with my extended family more than most things.
The next morning we scrambled to get out to the airport for an 8:30am flight. We made it through security just fine and our bags were easily checked. But then our plane was delayed. Once we boarded the flight, Luca had 3 meltdowns back to back and did not want to stay in his seat. His screams had screams. We were THOSE people with the kids. Just then an amazing American Airlines flight attendant came to our rescue. She offered to take Luca back for a tour of the galley and color special airplanes with him. He immediately leapt out of his chair to accompany the flight attendant on a new adventure and stopped crying. He didn’t even say “bye dad” or “bye mom” it was as if we were chopped liver. And we didn’t care because in that moment we were happy to be on the receiving end of hospitality and our faith was restored in the world. It was a great trip.
