Ma and Pa Schwartz come to visit

It's tradition for Ma and Pa Schwartz to make a pilgrimmage to visit their son on his birthday. The birthday trips have taken them on short drives to Geneva and Syracuse, then to exotic locales like Bemidji, Minnesota and for five years, a spicier southern option in Shreveport. Now, it's a non-stop plane ride to the Twin Cities and the land of 10,000 malls. The travel can't be beat, but the temperatures sure could. We had a lovely visit, though, despite four days of below zero temperatures.

There are a few consistencies in every Schwartz visit: lotsa food, lotsa laughs, and at least one visit to a shoe store. We thumbed our nose at the Mall of America, and instead visited the Eden Prairie Mall, Knollwood Mall, Excelsior Mill shops, Galleria shops, Southdale Mall, and a few other stand alone stores. AND, we only stayed in the southwestern part of the Metro area. There are more malls and stores to explore, and we welcome future visits.

The Schwartz Tour de Food ended with a great meal at Dave's pick restaurant, the Capital Grill in downtown Minneapolis. The steaks were great, the company was better, and it was an excellent way to top off the vacation. Happy Birthday to Dave!