What's a favorite place you liked to go to as a child?
January 28, 2025 | Sparkle Wednesday
When I was a kid, I had eczema. Most of the time, it was manageable, but a few times a year, I’d have a serious flare-up—bad enough that my eyes would swell shut, and my lips would puff up. When that happened, my mom would take time off work to bring me to the dermatologist. We’d drive from Wisconsin to Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, to the Medical Arts building. Even though I was itchy and swollen, I always looked forward to those trips.
The appointment itself was quick. The doctor would examine my raw skin for all of two minutes before calling in a prescription. But the real highlight came afterward. We’d spend the rest of the day wandering downtown, window shopping, and having lunch. There was a restaurant we always went to—I can’t remember the name—but they served beer cheese soup with slices of sharp cheddar and Granny Smith apples on the side, topped with popcorn. The meal was called “The Peasant’s Platter” on the menu, and it was my favorite. Even with the eczema, even with itchy, scaly skin, I loved those days in the city.
What about you? Was there a place you loved going to as a kid?
I spent my childhood attending a school just a block away from Lake Harriet and the Rose Gardens. I was lucky enough that my school highly valued getting the students out in nature, and we spent a surprising amount of time going to the rose gardens and, at the end of every year, spending the day at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. We called it Lake Day- when almost the whole school (all students grades 1-8) would walk to the bandshell and spend the day there. We could get our faces painted, play games, and brought picnic lunches. It was always one of my favorite days of the year and continues to be one of my favorite places in the world. I feel like I grew up at Lake Harriet, so I hold a lot of sentimental feelings and memories with it!
Lisa, your experience takes me back to junior high. I also went to the dermatologist in the Twin Cites. I also suffered from a horrible stent with eczema. Mom made the best of the day by doing something special. The restaurant you remembered was called The Good Earth. I think it was in a mall, right? Great place with that sharp cheddar cheese soup with popcorn. Mom loved it as much as we did. Thanks for reminding me of that experience.