Are you traveling to the Mall of America? I can understand wanting to go there. I was mesmerized by all the stores, rides, living plants, Crayola Experience and Nickelodeon Universe. I went there for the TBEX travel conference over Memorial Day Weekend.
I researched where to stay and decided to accept an invitation from the brand new Hyatt Regency Bloomington. I loved my executive suite. It is beautifully appointed with plenty of room to work or entertain. This hotel is located on the light rail and is only two stops from the airport or the Mall of America and the hotel also has a shuttle to both places. One day I strolled over to the Mall of America at sunset. I love the location; it is really pretty as you walk through the park to the hotel from the train.
Chef Paul Lynch invited me to his garden just outside the Hyatt Regency Bloomington and explained about his straw-bale beds that grow fresh vegetables for his amazing hotel restaurant, Urbana Craeft Kitchen. He also has a bee aviary project nearby at the airport. Learn all about it in this video with Chef Paul talking to me in the rain. In his kitchen, he told me about his very first baking project when he was six and he used his sister’s easy bake oven to make a pie. He is leading the way for regional, seasonal, sustainable hyper-local edible landscapes.
Eating at Urbana Craeft Kitchen was truly fantastic! I had eggs and latkes one day for breakfast and learned about aebelskivers, although I cannot really pronounce it correctly–they are tasty! I highly recommend the cinnamon waffles.
Everything is worth trying here especially on the dinner menu! There are many local treats and you can even eat outside on the patio. Chef Paul and his team create a seasonal menu that changes every two months and the food tastes fantastic. I highly recommend you stay at Hyatt Regency Bloomington and eat at Urbana Craeft Kitchen.
Lisa Niver for We Said Go Travel
July 2016
A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on
A photo posted by Lisa Niver (@wesaidgotravel) on