Sister Jewels in St.Cloud's Crown

     St.Cloud is so fortunate to have two beautiful parks separated by one street. Clemens Gardens and Munsinger Garden. I call them sister jewels because you can't visit one and not the other!

     Here you will find 20 acres of gardens, statuary, winding garden paths, ponds and fountains and a gift shop along the banks of the Mississippi River. The gardens are open daily throughout the summer from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. with FREE admission!!!

     

     Clemens Gardens were developed in 1986 as a gift of love from Bill Clemens to his wife Virginia. As his wife became ill and was not able to get out much he had a Rose Garden planted (she loved roses) across the street from their house. Virginia could see the flowers she loved. The Virginia Clemens rose garden now features over 1,000 roses. 

     Along with the Rose Garden, Clemens Gardens also has a Rest Area Garden featuring a 24' fountain, a gift shop, sitting deck and restrooms. There is the Formal Garden, a White Garden, a Perennial Garden and a Treillage Garden which features a 100' long treillage with a 20' cast-iron arbor dome. 

     

You'll find perennials, annuals, shrubs and succulents in the gardens.

       Down the hill and across the street lies the sister garden of Munsinger.  The Works Progress Administration of the 1930's help to build this peaceful and shady cottage-style garden. There are many tall pine and oak trees in this location.

Heart shaped garden in Munsinger.

          Munsinger Gardens feature winding paths, ponds, fountains, a great view of the Mississippi, a historic cabin, wishing well, special events area and resident peacocks.

Red Salvia Hill. Many families come to take photos here every year.

     There is also music in Munsinger Gardens on some Sundays in the summer. Root Beer floats for $1 are also offered during the concerts. This year's schedule includes:

June 12       Charlie Roth

June 26       Monday Night Jazz

July 10        Harper's Chord

July 24        Dennis Warner

August 7     Brendan Bushman Woodwind Trio

August 21   Pachanga Society

Bring a lawn chair or blanket to enjoy music in the gardens!

For more info:  www.ci.stcloud.mn.us/Park/Gardens
For a calendar of events:  www.MunsingerClemens.com

Another Jewel in St.Cloud's Crown

     Another great place to bring the family is Wilson Park on St.Cloud's east side. 

     This is a big park with lots of wide open spaces perfect for picnic or ballgames.

     There is a shelter that you can rent. On this day there was a family gathering in the park. Public restrooms are also in here.

     Little ones will enjoy playing on the large, colorful playground. (the sign said for ages 2-5). There is also some cute seating for parents nearby.

     

A spot to pause and remember those who served in the military.

     A volleyball court too.

     Just down from the open picnic area is a fenced in dog park.

     Wilson Park borders the Mississippi River so there are scenic views and also a place to launch your boat, kayak or canoe.

     Maybe you'd like to just find a place to enjoy the scenery and the outdoors. Wilson is a perfect spot for that too.

*Just a side note, Wilson Park is one of the best spots to watch the Fourth of July fireworks.*

We've Loved Their Pizza for Over 40 Years

     Yikes! That's a long time to love something, isn't it? But it's true--the House of Pizza has been our favorite for that long. It started with college life, then onto adulthood and now it's a favorite place to bring the grandkids too.

     Upstairs are two dining rooms. One has booths and bigger tables. The other dining room has a large window that overlooks 5th Avenue. The booths are great for more intimate dining and the tables can accommodate larger groups. We even had a small bridal shower for my daughter here.  (I think this is a pretty unusual photo. Usually this dining room is full of families, students and couples.)

     

     Downstairs is the bar and more spots for dining. The House has Happy Hour every Monday-Friday. Lots of beer choices, hard ciders and cocktails can be enjoyed here (or upstairs too).

     Ah yes, the Pizza! We usually choose to design our own but the House has specialty pizzas too. They also offer a Gluten-free crust. Our favorite is a thin crust half green olive/sausage and half pepperoni/banana peppers. My mouth is watering just looking at this photo!!

     As you can see from the partial menu the House has more menu items then just pizza. They have appetizers, flatbread, wings, salads and pasta dishes. All are yummy!!

     No we didn't eat the whole thing. We always order a little bit more so we can have leftovers. The pizza we take home heats up great in our toaster oven. 

     We love the pizza at the House of Pizza and encourage you to give them a try! You won't be disappointed! (They also deliver!)

Website: houseofpizzamn.com

Wading Pools and Splash Pads are Opening!

 

Splash Pad at Riverside Park

     If your little ones need a place to cool off, St.Cloud has many wading pools and splash pads. The splash pads are already open and the wading pools will open June 7. Here's a listing:

Splash Pads--open 9am-7pm daily
*Riverside Park, 1725 Kilian Blvd.

*Lake George, 1101 Seventh St.S.

*Westwood Park 720 Driftwood Drive

Wading Pools--Open June 7-Aug. 7  1-7pm Tues.-Sun.
                           Admission is free unless otherwise noted.

*Seberger Park 2001 Second St.N. Admission is $2.25  
                          (This is a very large wading pool.)

*Pantown Park  2915 Ninth St. N.

*Hester Park 1020 Sixth St.N.

These wading pools open June 14-Aug.14

*Centennial Park  1725 Centennial Drive

*Spalt Park  413 Third Ave. NE

* Rotary Park  507 Goetten's Way

Need to Satisfy a Sweet Tooth?

     When you need something to satisfy that sweet tooth, here's your place. Although it's called the "Cold Spring" Bakery Connection (the original bakery is in Cold Spring, MN) it's located right here.

   

Walking into the bakery you are going to have a hard time deciding what to choose.  Many different kinds of cookies, cupcakes, pastries--all look so delicious! 

Maybe you have a craving for a pie or cake.

The Bakery also has many varieties of breads and buns.

There are also some Gluten Free Options.

The Bakery is a great place to order a cake for that special occasion.

You can purchase goodies to take with you or you can sit at a table in the store and have some coffee or soda to have with your treat. I guarantee you won't be able to stop here without choosing something delicious!

Granite City Brewery

     If you're looking for a fun place to have a beer and some food, here's your place. Granite City Brewery brews it's signature beers onsite. My favorite is The BroadAx Stout. Jerry likes The Batch or The Two-pull. Seasonal brews are featured throughout the year usually with a party for e-club members. 

This is The Stout

     GC features made-from-scratch menu items such as their Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Linguini as well as burgers, flatbreads, salads and steaks. The chef likes to mix things up from time to time so their menu items can change.

     I mentioned above about being an e-club Member. Besides that you can become a Mug Club member for a small one time fee. This entitles you to get 10% off your food order and to get a big mug of beer for the price of a small beer. You also get points for what you spend. We've been members for some time and enjoy the perks.


     One more thing--they have a really good Sunday Brunch. We always look forward to having one (or more--maybe just another half) of their jumbo cinnamon rolls that are prepared fresh each Sunday, drizzled with homemade Caramel Sauce and served with freshly whipped butter. GC has a build your own waffle station and Rum Chata French Toast to name a few other goodies. It's a good place to watch sports too since there are plenty of tv's in the bar. If you're with your family you might choose to sit in the dining room or on a sunny day on their patio overlooking a fountain.

These are their hours. 
     

• Monday-Thursday
• Open 11 AM – Midnight
• Full Menu until 10 PM
• Appetizers/Pizzas until 11PM
• Drinks until Midnight

• Friday & Saturday
• Open 11 AM -1 AM
• Full Menu until 11 PM
• Appetizers/Pizzas until Midnight
• Drinks until 1 AM

• Sunday
• Open 9 AM – 10 PM
• Brunch 9 AM – 2 PM
• Full Menu 11 AM – 10 PM
• Drinks until 10 PM