Minnesota's Mall of America: the nation's premier shopping mall celebrates its 10th year in Bloomington, Minnesota

Travel America, Nov-Dec, 2002 by Randy Mink

Our family's spring breakaway to the Twin Cities gave us a chance to see more of Minnesota's metropolis than just Mall of America. Saint Paul, known for its rich cultural life, was the other magnet.

At the top of our list: the new, high-tech, hands-on Science Museum of Minnesota. Cascading five levels down the bluffs of the Mississippi River, it has become the Upper Midwest's most popular museum since opening in December of 1999.

Prior to our museum visit, we had breakfast at Mickey's Dining Car (651-222-5633), a Saint Paul institution. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it's a well-preserved 1930s diner complete with waitresses who crab and gab with the regulars while tolerating curiosity-seekers like us. When I asked if I could take a picture, one waitress shrieked, "Oh, tourists!"

Mickey's has four booths, but we opted for counter stools so we could see the cooks making waffles, grilling sausage, and scrambling eggs. The biscuits and gravy was great. The diner has been in all three of Disney's Mighty Ducks movies. Not far from the Minnesota State Capitol, it's open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

At the other end of the dining spectrum but just a few blocks away, Pazzaluna (651-223-7000) provided a memorable pre-theater dinner amidst high ceilings, stately columns, and large murals. Presenting authentic Italian cuisine using the freshest of ingredients, Pazzaluna ("crazy moon") is a festive urban trattoria. We savored every bite, starting with crusty breads dipped in olive oil and bruschetta topped with tomato and basil, prosciutto and melon, or a blend of four cheeses (mozzarella, goat, fontina, and gorgonzola).

The seasonal menu also listed a four-cheese, thin-crust pizza and gnocchi (potato dumplings) in four-cheese sauce. The creative risotti (rice) dishes were tempting, but I chose for my main course the smoked meatloaf of pork, lamb, beef, and veal with pesto, olives, and pine nuts.

From Pazzaluna we walked across Rice Park to the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, the pride of Saint Paul's cultural community. It plays host to symphony orchestras, the Minnesota Opera, Broadway shows, and other productions. Nearby the Fitzgerald Theater is the home of Garrison Keillor's "Prairie Home Companion" radio show and presents a full schedule of concerts and other performances.

Downtown Saint Paul's Cultural District also encompasses the Minnesota Children's Museum, Minnesota History Center, Minnesota Museum of American Art, the Great American History Theatre, and Park Square Theatre Company.

--Randy Mink

For tourist information, call the Saint Paul Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 627-6101 or log on to www.stpaulcvb.org.