373 = Total days married.
3.4% = Current percentage of WR's lifetime spent as a spouse.
(ERR#) = Amount of meat consumed in celebration. Preference = Picanha.
4 = Number of followers of the blog, as of today's date.
4 = Number of fish in the blog's Fish Tank. Curious....
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March 20th marked an important event for the RowStein house: One year of marriage! It's hard to believe that the big event was a whole year ago. A few photos, as a reminder:
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| High-fivin' at the rehearsal. |
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| The ceremony at the Como Conservatory. |
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| Newly married! |
In celebration of the anniversary, we had a late lunch (and... let's be honest, it was dinner too) at one of our favorite places, a steakhouse called Fogo de Chao. This place is amazing. If you've never been to a Brazilian steakhouse (also called a "Churrascaria"), they can be a little intimidating. They can also be kind of expensive, since you basically pay a flat rate for your seat, along with any "extras" (like drinks or desserts). But if you enjoy a really good steak... and you can drum up a big appetite... there is just nothing better.
To help you share in our day (and because it's the topic of the week), I'll walk you through the churrascaria experience: First, you're led to your table by a host or hostess, where you sit and order drinks. In our case, Dan and I indulged on a glass of wine each. Sure, it was 1:00 in the afternoon. But, it was also our anniversary and red wine goes wonderfully with a pile of medium rare steak. Don't judge. Next, your waiter will invite you to enjoy the soup and salad bar. These vary, depending on the restaurant, but they usually include things like high-quality sliced meats, cheeses, olives, veggies, leafy bits, hearts of palm, roasted potatoes, dressings, etc. (Note: If you're not a big meat person, a lot of these places will offer you a reduced salad-bar-only rate! See? Everyone's happy.)
After you've eaten your rabbit food, a handsome young waiter will take your plate and give you a new one, usually accompanied by a giant steak knife (which you will definitely need). He'll also drop off a selection of small, table-shared sides. They're pretty similar between restaurants, but at Fogo, they are the following: 1.) A basket of little amazing bread-roll things (Think: mini-popover with cheesy dough). 2.) Caramelized bananas. 3.) Crispy-fried polenta. And 4.) Garlic, cheese, and chive mashed potatoes. We don't usually get refills on any of the sides (because we save our coveted stomach real estate for the tasty, tasty meat), but it's all you can eat... so the waiters will keep it coming, if you like.
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| I like the look of your meat, Gaucho. |
Next, comes the meat parade! Gauchos with sizzling, meat-laden sabers (see above). Yes, really. (No, seriously. It's just like the above). Before you partake, though, the waiter will direct your attention to the small coaster-like item on the table. It's red on one side and green on the other. And, yes, it's exactly what you think. Green light go, red light stop. Green side up = "Yes, YES! BRING ME ALL THE MEATS." Red side up = "Gimme a minute, bro. Gotta... (burp) ... I gotta make some room." As you might expect (given my gushing), the meat is phenomenal; hot off the fire-pits and sliced table-side in small, perfectly-cooked portions. You can see the complete list of their cuts by clicking HERE. And, of course, you can eat as much as you like. It's gluttonous, but very fun.
*PRO TIP: The lunch prices are typically about half the dinner prices... with the exact same experience. It's a great way to save some money and allow yourself ample time to "walk it off," as it were.
After our stupidly delicious celebratory meal, we spent part of the afternoon wandering (read: waddling) around the Minneapolis Skyway system. Only in a city that spends half their year in deeply frigid temps would such development occur around what is, essentially, a glorified set of hallways. It's a fun walk, though, if you're ever in the neighborhood. And there are lots of cozy coffee pit-stops and quirky retail shops to check out along the way.
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| Map of the Mpls Skyway system, in red! |
In the evening, we continued our celebration by seeing a play at the Guthrie. Known by some locals as the "IKEA on the River" (for it's sleek design and navy-yellow color scheme), this famous theater complex is one of the biggest, and most successful in the country. Check out their website by clicking HERE. Dan and I saw Conor McPherson's play, The Birds. No, it is not an adaptation of the Hitchcock movie. But, yes, it's pretty much what you think, since McPherson adapted the play from the original short story by Daphne du Maurier. The production was spooky and creepy and funny, and... though it was not my favorite piece of live theatre ever... we had a really great time.
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| The Guthrie, in all it's glory! (Note the yellow box.) |
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| A view from inside the yellow box. |
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| "The Birds" promo display. |
We had planned on closing out the evening with dessert and drinks at Salut, the restaurant that held our wedding reception a year ago... but we were still so full from lunch (we're like camels of meat) that we decided to raincheck it.
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| A wedding pic at Salut. How French we look! |
All in all, a wonderful celebration to cap off a wonderful year of marriage.
Thanks for reading!
WR
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