All posts by Linda

Lodging, Travel

Vermilion Park Inn, Soudan, MN

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Vermilion Park Inn, Soudan, MN

The Vermilion Park Inn located in Soudan, MN was not quite what I expected, both in a good and a bad way.  This house is located in the very small town of Soudan, MN in northern MN, near the Soudan Mine.  It was an ideal place to stay while we explored the Soudan Mine, Vermilion State Park, and Bear Head Lake State Park.  The town of Ely isn’t too far if you want a bite to eat.

We stayed at the Vermilion Park Inn in 2017.  I believe that it may have been a slightly off time and that they are in the process of improving.  It was nice and I imagine it would be better if we were to stay again.

We booked the Vermilion Park Inn under the impression that it was a bed and breakfast.  Technically there was a bed and there was breakfast, but I wouldn’t tout it as the breakfast you would expect  at a bed and breakfast.  I imagine an amazing home cooked breakfast when I think of a bed and breakfast.  It was more like a good to okay continental breakfast.  It did the trick and there was no pressure to get up at a specific time so I was fine with it.  If you set your expectation on the breakfast down to cereal, yogurt, cheese, a store bought danish, and things in that realm you won’t be as disappointed in the breakfast as we were.

On the flip side the rooms were very nice.  The Bed was nice.  The sheets were clean.  There is a theme to every room.  We were in the Fisherman’s room which has its own bathroom.  That is always nice.  One odd thing about the bathroom is that it is a sliding door so you can hear pretty much everything that is going on in there.

The Fisherman’s Room at the Vermilion Park Inn near the Soudan Mine

The staff is really nice and friendly.  It seems to be run by a couple of couples and possibly some friends or family.

We didn’t use it, but there is a fire pit in the back yard.  I believe I saw one of the guests using a grill as well.

View of fire pit and small deck off of the Fisherman’s room at Vermilion Park Inn

The staff will help you pre-book your tickets for the mine.  Not sure if you actually need them, but it is nice to know you will get in.

Overall the Vermilion Park Inn is a great launching point for the Soudan Mine, the Vermilion State Park, and Bear Head Lake State Park.  The town is small and you will need to head north to get a good meal.  You should definitively check out Stony Ridge Cafe if you can find it.  They have great burgers, great big burgers that is.

Entertainment, Event, Travel

Oto Days 2016

Oto Days 2016

Oto Days 2016 is when the tiny town of Oto, IA turns into a big town.  The farmers come off the fields to stop in for a few events.  The kids that left for the big cities, around the U.S., come home to reconnect.

So many people sign up to be in the parade that you might think no one will be standing along the side to watch, but that isn’t so.  People line a good part of both sides of main street.  You get to see tractors, classic cars, funny cars, and even a clown.

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There are multiple meals during Oto Days.  The firehouse puts on a dinner.  The ambulance serves a breakfast.  The Catholic church serves a broasted chicken dinner, Sneaky’s.

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They crown a king and queen, which I believe are the oldest two individuals in town.

A bounce house goes on main street.

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They setup the rides on the old grain bin slabs.  

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The adults play in a human foosball tournament.  Not an event for the faint of heart.

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A man carves wood into art and a woman can make you into a beautiful funny drawing.

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Overall there is a lot to see and do at the Oto Days celebration.  There is bingo, a bubble machine, various musical acts, and of course Lefty Leigh’s.

The theme of this year’s Oto Days was Make Oto Great Again.  I have always heard that Oto is a town to tough to die and when you see an event like this one you know exactly why.

Wine

Gumdale Merlot

Gumdale Merlot

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Gumdale Merlot is a very interesting Merlot.  The single best word to describe this wine is fresh.  I once sampled a wine as it was being bottled and this wine reminded me of that experience.

What I love about Australia wines is that they seemed to be made exclusively for a good time.

This wine has a hint of liquorice to it.  It seems to add to the overall experience.

Overall I would give this one a 4/5.

Wine

Northwest Collection Merlot

Northwest Collection Merlot

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Northwest Collection Merlot is a very dark red wine.  It doesn’t seem to have any tannins.  It isn’t dry and doesn’t have any bitterness.  It isn’t a great wine for drinking.  I would suggest one glass max on this wine.  It tends to end with a bit of a headache otherwise.

I would not serve this one to dinner guests.

Overall I give this a 3/5.

Wine

Buffalo Merlot

Buffalo Merlot

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Buffalo is a California wine.  It is dangerously drinkable.  It has a hint of dryness to it.  There isn’t anything distinctive.  There aren’t any outstanding flavors.  It is just easy to drink.

Personally I can only drink 2 glasses of this wine before entering the danger zone.

Overall I give this one a 4/5 because of how drinkable it is, but not a 5 because it doesn’t make my mouth sing.

Wine

19 Crimes Red Wine

19 Crimes Red Wine

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There is something about an Australian wine.  They make it for drinking and that is what you should do.

I smelled the cork and was rather confused.  It had an array of smells that I like, but are always accompanied by tannins.  I hate tannins.

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I poured this wine with hope and fear.  Hope won.  There are so many flavors in this wine, but none of them are bad.  It doesn’t leave me needing more, but I sure do want a little more.

This is a highly enjoyable wine.

I would definitely serve this wine at a dinner party.

I give this one a 4.5/5.

Restaurant, Travel

Four Points Bar and Grill, Bemidji, MN

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Four Points Bar and Grill, 1813 Paul Bunyan Dr NW, Bemidji, MN 56601

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Right next to the Super 8 Hotel is a restaurant called Four Points Bar and Grill.  You get a 10% discount with your key card from the hotel.  They serve American food.

Overall their prices are pretty average for a nice restaurant.  The feel inside is very rustic.

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We tried their signature burger and fries.  Let’s just say it was very messy.  The onion marmalade basically slid off the burger.  The coleslaw was not the greatest.  The fries were pretty great.  Overall it was decent.  The patty was preformed.  They cooked it alright.  The flavor combination was very good.  It was a bit difficult to eat.  The patty was some ridiculous amount of beef.  It was super thick and just made it difficult to take a full bite of the burger and I believe lead to the loss of the toppings.  I wish these places would give me a smaller burger of better quality so that I can actually enjoy eating it.

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That being said I think most people I know would have liked the burger.  It was mostly just difficult, not bad.  The fries were really good.

If you are in the area and want a nicer meal this is the place you want to go.  It isn’t cheap, but it is at the price point of a better meal.

They also have pasta and fish and steak to choose from if you do not want a burger.  Their Scott selection was also respectable.

UPDATE:  Based on everything I can find online this restaurant has closed.  Unfortunate!

Lodging, Restaurant, Travel

Douglas Lodge, Itasca State Park, Park Rapids, MN

Douglas Lodge, 36750 Main Park Drive, Park Rapids, MN 56470

Douglas Lodge is located inside of Itasca State Park.  It is closest to the east entrance of the park, but easily accessible from the south, or if you want a little drive from the north entrance.

While I did not stay at the lodge and cannot comment on the rooms the location is great.  You have easy access to many hiking trails, the Aiton Heights Fire Tower, the bike trails, and the Chester Charles II boat tour.  The lodge has WiFi access and it is pretty good inside the lodge.

The reason we went to the lodge was to eat lunch on two separate days.  The lodge is fairly busy, but the wait is generally not more than half an hour.

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Since Minnesota is known for their wild rice which grows right on the lake we had to try their wild rice soup and hot dish (it’s a casserole).  Needless to say both dishes are very Minnesotan in their lack of spices.  They were a bit bland.  I also tried the walleye which was really good.  One note when ordering the wild rice soup.  If you want your soup creamy you need to specifically ask for it that way.  If you do not then you will get the broth wild rice soup.  That worked out well for me, but maybe rather disappointing for most people.

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We also tried one of their desserts which was really good.  We had the sweet potato maple cheesecake.  It was delicious.

If you are a Minnesotan you will probably like the food.  It was cooked as well as can be expected.  The walleye was very good and I recommend it.  I liked the soup too, but it was very simple.  The hot dish wasn’t bad, but again not very exciting.

I would say overall this was pretty good, but not great.  I would eat here again.  I did wait half an hour twice just to eat here, but the only other place to eat is near the northern entrance.  The food is made right.  The service is decent.  If you are considering eating there I would say do it.

Wine

The Little Penguin Merlot

The Little Penguin Merlot

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The Little Penguin Merlot might be one of my new favorite wines.  It is just simply delightful to drink.

I do not know what it is about Australian wines, but they now how to make a wine right down under.  This particular wine is a South Eastern Australian wine.

The cover is adorable.  I wouldn’t normally buy a wine based on the cover, but this one needed to be tried.

Here is the craziest part, this wine is cheap.  I mean scrounge for change in your car kind of cheap.  I paid $6 for this bottle of wine.

If you are looking for an inexpensive bottle of very delicious, drinkable wine The Little Penguin Merlot is for you.

I give this wine a 5/5 for the price to taste ratio alone.

Wine

Mallee Point Merlot

Mallee Point Merlot

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Mallee Point Merlot is an Australia wine which gives me hope right off the bat.  Australians like to drink and seem to have a good sense for drink ability over whatever passes for proper wine in other areas.

You can smell the berries in this wine as you pour it.  It is very inviting.

The initial tastes include oak and cherry.  This wine clearly has a lot of tannins which I normal try to avoid like the plague.  For some reason it doesn’t seem to matter in this wine.  They probably process it differently in Australia to allow the tannins without the ill effects.

Even with the tannins this wine is surprisingly smooth.  As I drank this wine I thought it maybe a headache waiting to happen, but it will be a delicious ride.  To my surprise I did not suffer a headache the next day as I would have if this were an American wine with that many tannins.

If you really enjoy the taste of tannins, but do not like the after affect I would highly recommend this particular wine.  They just seem to do it right in Australia.

I give this one a 4/5 overall.  It verges on a 5.