Living The American Dream – Icons of Minnesota

Living The American Dream – Icons of Minnesota

As the European Winter starts to show glimmers of Spring I thought it was time to reveal certainly one of the top days I experienced last Autumn, if not for many years.

I like beauty whether physical or geographical, banter, characters, passion, a beer, some good food and some good old fashioned rock n roll

You might say a boy’s perfect day out, and I would say I could not agree more.

As part of a series of features looking at Icons of America with an emphasis on the word experience, this would rank pretty high up the tree.

I would be seeing fast cars, fast speed boats, a beer factory, a real American College Football Game, which I just thought was aaaaamazing…. and a true American Music Festival with some good mid-western hospitality, and yes the train went through the village, just like in the movies.

And movies is a good place to start, as this is how most of us have found out about The Big Old US of A.

With Minnesota very much punching above its weight, it has the Ryder Cup in 2016, a new Vikings American Football Stadium, which will house the Superbowl and is the land of 10,000 lakes
The day started early at The Radisson Blu Mall of America

With a sore back and a body that really wanted to feel 20 years younger, the pain started to ease as I would be picked up by a very glamorous lady in her fast red sports car…..

We hit the freeway ….I feel a rock track coming on mmmmm, maybe a bit of Steppenwolf singing Born to be Wild in the classic film Easy Rider

Donuts …..oh yeh but I am on a fitness drive…….

The sky is perfect……

Donuts in hand we hit the freeway, and for a second I imagine I am Henry Fonda.

Probably about an hour’s drive east of Bloomington, we pass Eden Prairie and then soon after reach Chanhassen, which is our destination for the morning. Even without directions if you follow the petrol heads you cannot go too far wrong.

Every month they hold an event called Cars and Coffee this years season starts on the 4th April 2015.

Automotorplex in Chanhassen is a country club for vehicle enthusiasts. We were off to meet Bruno Silikowski by a real American entrepreneur. A cigar in hand I am greeted by some true warmth and know I am in more a few hours of thrills, so we hop on his golf cart and I was then introduced to the great and the good.

If you could take a formula 1 garage, add a floor onto this, then fill it with Jeremy Clarkson’s top car wish list and then have an interior designer from the NFL to dec it out with boys toys then you pretty much have it spot on.

There are all ages and types of cars from top end Lamborghini’s to vintage Model T fords.

For an Englishman I was of course interested to see some classic British Jaguars but for me I was there to see some classic American cars from the movies. As a country built around the car, their cars punctuate movie history, from films like Bullet, Grease, American Graffiti and the list continues.

AutoMotorPlex
Campus address: 8150 Audubon Rd
Mailing address: 1750 Motorplex Court
Chanhassen, MN 55317

Cars, cars, cars and yes some coffee, conversation about cars…
This is a real must, whatever your car experience.

After a thrilling morning, under perfect blue skies, we drove a short distance to a beautiful and upmarket little town (probably equivalent to a village in the UK) called Excelsior, on the shores of what can only be described as luxurious Lake Minnetonka.

Excelsior Brewing Company
Lake Minnetonka
421 3rd Street, Excelsior, MN 55331

Excelsior Brewing Company’s mission is to celebrate the history of Lake Minnetonka and historic Excelsior by creating superior brews hand-crafted in their image.

This very popular microbrewery is something that is very much in vogue both sides of the pond. I was very impressed to find out this is a locally-based employee-owned brewery and equally pleased to see they serve some English inspired beers.
The brewery offers tours, growler sales and trucker caps.
I was not only given a tour round the plant, which is wonderfully different from a UK perspective, but it was the fact they had some guys getting ready to jam. Mixing music and beer as we all know is a great combination. If you know you are going to be visiting have a look at their events schedule

Shopping in Excelsior

With a morning of donuts, supercars, beer sampling it was time for a little bit of gentrification. Excelsior’s main street (equivalent to a high street in the UK) is a charming street full of independent stores selling a range of interesting and high end fashion and interiors. It’s well worth a wonder.

Mmmmm time for food.

By this time I can honestly say I really had had a wonderful morning, but as one very famous actor once said “You aint seen nothing yet kid” as my day was going to get even better.

It really was such a lovely lunch……
Apart from my lovely company and some good conversation, it was the setting. After parking the car we wondered around the lake shore where a large gathering of relaxed, healthy looking onlookers were sat down to lunch and drinks.

We opted for the Bayside Grill, which unfortunately does not exist but others do…
A beer in hand some tasty food, and there you have a whole host of beautiful luxury boats, one of which I had my eye set on.

Perfect for weekends in London I feel, or maybe Monaco or absolutely on Lake Minnetonka.
Sat in the sun, fed and watered, super chilled is about the right way of describing my feeling.

Think about looking into the cruises and events on and off the lake as its a magical location.

But now for a pure piece of an Americano.
Again linked to movies college football is a must, and I was not going to be disappointed.
I genuinely thought it was going to be good but it was 10 times better.
It was a Saturday, the sun was shining and the phrase feel good was certainly in the air.

We were off to the see the University of Minnesota’s college football team, play I think their first game of the season.

The Gopher’s colouring is gold and yellow and I was in for a real spectacle.
In fact I think I might go far as to say it was one of the most impressive pieces of joy I have seen, and this could only happen in America.

First of all the stadium is massive and impressive, I think it’s capacity is around 45,000, so this is the size of my London Football Team Chelsea.
Secondly I could not see any hassle, just young people all dressed up out there just ready to let rip.

From my perspective I was there for the spectacle, and that was exactly what I saw: cheerleaders, big bands, dancing routines, music, flag displays and yes all this without mentioning the game.

I just sat there taking this all in, smiling and going wow, this is why ones travels. It’s a unique experience that I will remember for ever.

So for the finale of the day, a snooze in the car…. no that’s not the finale, a short hop down the freeway we were heading to Wayzata, the luxurious town on the shores of Lake Minnetonka that was holding a music festival.

With the sun going down we parked the car, and then wondered along the street to
The James J Hilldays music festival, which is spread between the railroad track, which runs through the town, and the shoreline. The sight of a railroad going through the town again I felt a pure piece of Americano.

After meeting the great and the good, I came to the conclusion I could well have been the only English person that day, and I can safely say this was definitely an advantage.

I remember one young chap walking along, asking me was I from England. I really felt like a movie star. I had a real blast, hooking up with a couple of locals we sank a few beers and watched the Goo Goo Dolls

After rocking out and having a ball, I met back up with my Bloomington friends and headed to The Cov
Certainly I had no shortage of people to talk to.

In the early hours I stumbled into a taxi to take me back to Bloomington.

I can safely say, as a day in one, the top 5 in my life.

Did loads, saw masses, had a blast and had a real American experience.

For more of Gentlemans Butler Luxury Travel Experiences click here…