Criminal justice reform project wins international award

The ambitious criminal justice reform project organized by the Uruguay and Minnesota chapters of Partners, now in its fifth year, won the "It All Started With A Travel Grant" award last month at the group's convention in Medellin, Colombia.

This award was presented to both the Minnesota and Uruguay chapters in a competitive contest that featured applications submitted from across the Americas.

Congratulations are very much in order to Gabriela Fulco and her team in Uruguay, and to Bruce McManus and his team in Minnesota.

You can read more about Bruce (pictured above on the left along with Erik Brand, chapter president) and the successful project on our website at http://minnesotauruguaypartners.org/poa_profiles.html.

Thank you for joining us!

We were delighted to see so many volunteers and members at the annual member meeting on Monday.

The responses to the presentations were overwhelmingly positive, and we wish to express our gratitude to all of the speakers and guests.

With the help of energetic volunteers and the continued support of members, Minnesota-Uruguay Partners has been able to continue its strong history of excellence in programs and service to its mission.

You can stay abreast of our work in the coming months through our newsletter, website and a host of other ways. You can renew your membership at any time during the year online, as well.

We look forward with enthusiasm to a successful 2012, and wish you all very happy holidays.

You Should Meet: Patrick Moore

Patrick Moore, current board director and longtime friend of Minnesota-Uruguay Partners, has been profiled in an excellent "News Cut" piece by Minnesota Public Radio.

"It's about developing relationships to the point where they become transformational..." Patrick tells an interviewer. Anyone who has been involved with Minnesota-Uruguay Partners and has seen Patrick in action can certainly attest to this. Congrats Patrick, you make our organization proud.

Come to the annual meeting on Dec. 12

The Minnesota-Uruguay Partners annual member meeting convenes on Monday, Dec. 12, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Regis Center for Art West, InFlux Gallery, at 405 21st Avenue South on the Univ. of Minnesota's West Bank in Minneapolis.

Parking is available in the ramp across the street.

You will enjoy food from Minnesota with an international flavor and wines from Uruguay (goodwill donations appreciated), and see presentations from members old and new about their travels and activities this year.

Click on the program (above) for more details on the agenda.

Importantly, we will also be nominating and electing new board directors.

RSVP by December 5 to erikbrand10@gmail.com or call 612-242-1863 .

The November Newsletter is Here!

Gary Kuhn and Roger Moon have released the November 2011 edition of the Minnesota-Uruguay Partners newsletter (pdf).

The latest issue chronicles the organization's travelers and projects in recent months, and includes some interesting history as Uruguay wraps up its bicentennial year, as well.

Lyndel King, member of our board, profiled in today's MinnPost

We were delighted to read the inspiring profile of Lyndel King, a longtime Minnesota-Uruguay Partners member and an active board director, in MinnPost today. An excerpt...

Through the Great Recession, through debilitating staff cuts and other obstacles that might have stopped a different project with a different leader, King drove to fulfillment her longstanding vision of an art museum that would be pushy about pulling in students."We are not a whatever building, and we didn't want to be a whatever place," she said. "We wanted to be a place that thrust itself into the middle of students' lives and made them pay attention to art."

Uruguay's economy still growing well

Uruguay’s economy continues to grow strongly, up 6.8% in the first quarter of 2011. This growth follows economic growth of 8.5% in 2010 (hat tip to former Minnesota-Uruguay Partners president Bright Dornblaser for sharing the chart above, which was featured in The Daily Reckoning).

The article reports that manufacturing (pulp paper and dairy), construction, and commerce (car sales and restaurant services) were the most dynamic sectors of the economy. Exports of goods and services expanded 14.7% in the first quarter of 2011, mainly auto parts and tourism, according to the article. Analysts forecast growth for 2011 to reach 6.3%, up from their prediction of 5.9% in May, based on quarter one’s strong performance. Interestingly, domestic demand in the first quarter rose by 8.3%.

Of course, with apartment prices rising 22 percent in the capital of Montevideo in 2010, and house prices increasing there by 17%, according to the article, it's hard to dismiss suggestions in other media outlets that a bubble may be building, not to mention the strain inflation places on pensioners and the poor.

But for those who invested a decade ago, during the dire economic crisis, in Uruguay's resort areas, the happy days may be here again. In Punta del Este alone, real estate transactions reached $2.25 billion in the 12 months to April 2011.

Anna Moore's blog post from Uruguay

Editor's note: We received this email from Patrick Moore in Montevideo, Minn., today. We share Patrick's sentiments entirely!

Dear Friends --

In case you haven't seen it yet, our daughter Anna has written a fun blog post about her recent visit to Montevideo, Uruguay.

click here to read it: http://anna-vinadelmar.blogspot.com/2011/10/montevideo-del-sur.html

We feel so blessed by the Partners network that made Anna's visit so memorable. We have had two daughters now who have visited the country. Our 15 year old son is currently studying Spanish hard so he can make the trip someday. Mary and I can't wait to go back and connect with all our new and old friends. Our love for the country grows with each new encounter -- it is such a rich relationship.

Thank you,

Patrick J. Moore

Family travel tips for MSP Airport

Plan ahead during the busiest travel times

It's the busiest time of year for the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) as Minnesota families head out for the holidays or spring break. It's wise to arrive at least two hours early for your flight, even if it's domestic and there are no threats of snow storms.

Another way to make travel go more smoothly is to download MSP's airport app through the goHow airport series. It just added Android capability this week, in addition to previously offered iPhone and Blackberry applications. The MSP airport app offers:

• Up-to-date information about flight and gate check-in times directly from the airport and from FlightStats™, providing full domestic and international flight coverage
• Real-time flight updates and airport operational alerts via push notifications
• Real-time parking and security line wait times, where available
• Weather information for both departure and arrival cities
• Promotions customized to the traveler’s gate location, time of day and departure/arrival cities
• Real-time ratings of airport concessionaires and facilities – and the ability for travelers to add their own.
  

In addition to goHow native applications for BlackBerry, iPhone, and now, Android, goHow is also available as a mobile-friendly web site at http://www.goHowWeb.com <http://www.gohowweb.com/> .
Here are some other tips to make everything go more smoothly: 

Be ready for security

Double check that you have everything well-organized for security points with the 3-1-1 rule for liquids. Go to www.tsa.gov for specifics and exceptions such as baby formula and medicines. Put kids in easy-to-remove shoes so you're not held up tying shoelaces. It's hard enough to be collapsing strollers and taking kids out of carriers.

Travel light

Know your airline’s luggage weight and size restrictions. Everyone does seem to fudge the carry-on rules these days. You, too, may get away with it, but you also run the risk of being trapped in the aisle with no place to put a roller bag. If the crew does need to check your bag due to a lack of space, there is some consolation in not paying the check-in fee. Keep all your essentials in a bag you can fit beneath a seat.

Have documents ready

Print boarding passes at home and have identification double-checked and handy. Keep them with other documents on reservations, car rentals and maps. If you are a Delta Air Lines customer flying out of gates C10 through C27, G14 through G22 or Concourses A or B, check your bags at the Delta counter on Level T and take the tram to Checkpoint 10  midway on the C/G Concourse Connector Bridge. Concourses A & B are the longest walk. Take the tram until you reach the end of the line. 

Be assured of parking

I usually use Park 'N Fly (www.parknfly.com), but it may fill up on busy weeks. Make a reservation online to assure a space and get a better rate. If you're parking at the airport, use SurePark® to check  availability (www.mspairport.com/parking/surepark). You can save $4 over parking at the Lindbergh Terminal by using the lot at Terminal 2, the Humphrey Terminal.  Reach the main terminal with a free ride on the light rail transit line.

Bring tippy cups and empty bottles

Don't get stuck paying $3 for a huge bottle of water. Bring normal-sized but empty bottles through security. You can fill them at drinking fountains and add a drink mix to flavor it if you want. If you have any kids under 5 with you, free drinks on the flight are not worth it when flailing hands and knees inevitably sends cups flying into your lap or someone else's. I've worn tomato juice spilled by an adult. It isn't pretty.

Pack a meal
If you have room in your carry-ons, stash a packed lunch. Even if you want to eat at the airport, it's a wise backup in case of delays on the runway or long restaurant lines during busy flying weeks. Baby carrots or pea pods, peanut butter and jelly on a denser bread, single-pack Pringles, granola or energy bars, dried fruit, apples and nuts all pack well and can take a little beating.


Get more info
Stay up to date on airport info with Twitter (follow mspairport). If you download the goHow Airport app you can also peruse menus for full service restaurants.
--Lisa Meyers McClintick

Six Youth Ambassadors from Uruguay Help Clean Up Minnesota

Six high school students from Uruguay were in Minnesota in September and October as the latest Youth Ambassadors to visit the state. They spent a lot of time enjoying our glorious fall outdoors and even helped clean up some of our mess (see press coverage and more photos). Many thanks are due to Kirsten "KC" Carter for again putting together such a fabulous experience for the students, as well as hosts like Patrick Moore, Duane Ninneman, Arne Kildegaard, Rob Scarlett, Hector Garcia and Sue von Bank, to name a few, and not least the generous families who took these talented students into their homes so warmly. "The family stays were the highlight of the trip," KC reports.

Building your dreams in Uruguay

The New York Times ran an inspiring story this week about a couple who built their own home in Uruguay. Dream big!

Best Midwest ice cream shops keep you cool

Enjoy the Midwest's tastiest ice cream

Barb at Pumphouse Creamery

One of the best parts of summer is seeking out the Midwest's best ice cream stand, shop, parlor or drive-in. Grab a crispy, crunchy cone, pile it high with dense, sweet ice cream or tangy, refreshing sorbet. It's one of the most luscious (and cool) ways to savor seasonal fruits and flavors. 

Here are my top picks and tips for enjoying the best ice cream in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest: 

Pumphouse Creamery
4754 Chicago Ave., Mpls., 612-825-2021

The local farmers who make this ice cream shop a possibility are featured on the walls. The care shows as owner Barb Zapzalka scoops up sea salt caramel, handcrafted strawberry, blueberry buttermilk and local wild black raspberry at this little Twin Cities ice cream store. Just as good: the handmade Minnesota harvested multigrain cones. 

If you've got your dog along, you can get special cups just for him or her in vanilla or peanut butter with less sugar. Word of advice: Check their Facebook page to find out when seasonal flavors are available so you don't miss them.

Sebastian Joe’s Ice Cream Café
Among the first to up the ice cream ante, Minneapolis's Sebastian Joe's has been scooping its exquisite raspberry chocolate chip and more than 100 other flavors since 1984. You can pick from about 24 daily choices, but we never seem to get past the raspberry. It's that good.

Other temptations: Pavarotti (banana, caramel, and chocolate chips), Immaculate Confection (vanilla, honey, ginger and strudel), white licorice with freshly ground anise, and hilariously named Nicollet Avenue Pothole and Praline Home Companion. Among their sorbets, you'll find ultra refreshing and unique tastes such as orange basil, mint pink grapefruit and red papaya. 4321 Upton Ave. S., Mpls., 612-926-7916; 1007 Franklin Ave. W., Mpls., 612 870-0065

Madison's Chocolate Shoppe ice cream.

 Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream

With nationally lauded dairy program at Madison's University of Wisconsin, you know there has to be good ice cream. Babcock Hall Dairy Store, where the university makes its own ice cream (and you can see the process) has a fiercely loyal following. They do have good flavors, such as orange chocolate, but I prefer the denser, super premium Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, another Madison creation. 

Best flavor bets: strawberry lemonade (this summer's new flavor), Door County cherry, dark and rich Zanzibar chocolate, and fat Elvis (banana, chocolate, peanut butter). Some other unique options among their 110 flavors include honey ginger and horchata (a sweet Mexican rice milk). Customers also can find non-fat yogurt, soy ice cream, no-sugar ice cream and sorbets for anyone on special diets.

You can Chocolate Shoppe ice cream at its three Madison stores or in other locations such as Kalahari Resort's Sweet Shop at Wisconsin Dells, one of our family's favorite treat stops. 

Why here? Besides the ice cream, the sweets are picture-perfect and wonderfully creative whether it's candied apples or playful, googly-eyed chocolate creations. Plus you can eat your ice cream in the African-themed lobby where you might see a live tiger cub snoozing or playing.

In Minnesota, you can get Chocolate Shoppe ice cream at the The Creamery in Rushford along the Root River Trail in southeastern bluff country. It's one of my favorite areas of the state, and if you bike there from the charming hub of Lanesboro, you've more than earned a huge cone.

Ella's Deli  & Ice Cream Parlor

Another Chocolate Shoppe ice cream outlet worth mentioning is the whimsically eclectic Ella's Deli in Madison--one of the best places to dine with kids. This place is part restaurant, part toy museum and part ice cream parlor (remember the heydays of those in the 1970s?). 

Grilled pound cake a la mode.

There are moving toys and flying objects overhead (think superheroes and Harry Potter), games under glass at each table, and a bizarre, but fascinating collection of automatons including mechanical bare feet that sing. Really. There’s also a merry-go-round outside. Besides serving Chocolate Shoppe ice cream cones, they heap it onto grilled pound cake for dessert. Yep. Grilled pound cake with lots of whipped cream, too. Take a few friends or kids to help you eat it.

Michigan's divine tart cherry sorbet and ice cream

Cherry Republic's tangy-sweet cherry pie ice cream.

Across Lake Michigan, Traverse City has taunted my taste buds for years. Truly. I got hooked on its tart cherry sorbet in 2005, and finally got back for another round in June. Tangy, sweet and utterly refreshing. 

As the tart cherry capital of the country, the variations on cherry ice cream is mind-boggling. We'll take the vanilla with real chunks of cherry pie blended in, thank you very much.

Favorite ice cream destinations: The cheeky and beautifully landscaped Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor and family-run Moomer's dairy just outside Traverse City.

Grab a fresh berry shake at the family-run Peppermint Twist in Delano, Minn.

Find a drive-in

If you can't hit the road--and it's not easy with gas prices where they are--look for local drive-ins that  are as comfy and delightful as a meatloaf dinner served by Grandma. I love The Drive-In in Minnesota's Taylor's Falls with its giant root beer mug and homemade root beer. The playful pink Peppermint Twist in Delano, Minn., is just as fun and wedges into the memories of children who love its kid-friendly play and picnic areas. Best bet: fresh berry shakes.

Graeter's blackberry chocolate

Troll your local freezer cases

If you haven't trolled the freezer cases of upscale grocers such as Minnesota's Lund's or Byerly's lately, that's another sweet hotspot for cooling off. Cincinnati's hometown favorite, Graeter's ice cream, hit the cases earlier this year. They make small batches and stir in melted chocolate so it blends in as big irregular hunks you can fight over. 

I tried its trademark blackberry chocolate at its Cincinnati shop years ago, and it was as good as I remembered when I tried the pint in the freezer case. Graeter's mint ice cream is divine, as is the strawberry.

Even better: check the freezer cases of your local co-ops. They'll often carry the best locally made ice cream and sorbets.

 Please chime in with your favorites, too!

 

Minnesota art students return from Uruguay trip

Nine students from the University of Minnesota art department spent most of the month of May in Uruguay, the third year of the "May-Term" art trip to Montevideo.

The students have been supported with scholarship money raised by Minnesota Uruguay Partners.

Mark Knierim, the Minnesota artist and professor who led this year's trip to Uruguay, shared these pictures (top photo of students with the Engelman Ost Collection and second in the studio of Wilfredo Diaz Valdez.)

Take the kids on a farm stay vacation

Mary Veraguth helps our girls collect fresh eggs for breakfast.

Story & Photos by Lisa Meyers McClintick

Join in with farm chores and fun at Wisconsin's Room to Roam

Want to hear your kids shriek with joy? Let them run loose at Room to Roam, a working farm perched along the picturesque Mississippi River bluffs near Fountain City, Wis. 

Katie and her favorite kitty.

You can wear them out the old-fashioned way: chasing chickens, scampering after farm cats and dogs, weeding and raiding the garden, picking berries and giving goats a fresh green stalk of corn.

We enjoyed their down-home hospitality on our son's 8th birthday a few years ago. It was one of our most memorable trips ever. In an era of waterparks and fancy resorts, it's easy to forget the freedom and magic of a simple place in the country.

Farm expands to haycation fun
Guests are free to do what they want, but some are up at 5 a.m. when farm kitchen’s bird clock chirps and announces the day’s first milking. They can head down the dirt road to owner Jess and Mary Veraguth’s farm, where they milk about 50 cows, four at a time for two to three hours. 

Jess shows us how to feed calves.

Veraguths have farmed on this land above the Mississippi River Valley for four generations. When they expanded to 300 acres about 15 years ago, they opened the adjacent farmhouse to guests. It became the Room to Roam experience, which bales together a field trip, farmer’s market and country vacation.

Step back in time
The guest house feels like a time warp with crocheted knick-knacks and bright flowered wallpaper in the kitchen. And it wasn't just the farm-inspired fun that made them shriek. The house's crickets did, too--the one part of country life that rattled our city kids. They wouldn't sleep on the floor, so they passed out in a pile of three on the bed.

Piled together, safe from crickets.

After morning chores and a break for breakfast, Jess Veraguth takes guests on a hayride, bumping through the fields past lush stalks of corn to the edge of the bluff and a breathtaking view of the river valley. It’s only a few minute’s drive to Winona, Minn., or the small town of Fountain City where you can grab an ice cream cone and enjoy meandering along the Mississippi.


Feed calves, collect freshly laid eggs

When evening rolls around, families hold on to two-quart bottles of milk that hungry calves greedily empty in minutes. Then it’s time to collect a bucket of eggs from Black Star hens. 

We loved the brilliant yellow eggs for breakfast.

Guests are welcome to raid the garden, too. Our girls would eat the sun-warmed tomatoes like apples while our son climbed the super-sized round bales of hay.

The peaceful country setting and heavy dose of nostalgia keeps several families coming back regularly. For others, the farm offers a rare chance for kids to roam free, feel connected to the land and to learn about farming in an era when the county’s number of dairy farms has dwindled from 50 to a handful.

“I do this for the kids,” says Jess Veraguth. “The things we’re doing now are almost part of the past. This is like a trip back in time.”

Room to Roam's guest house.

Read more about it
 For more information, you can call Jess and Mary at 608-687-8575. No e-mail. Remember, they do things the old-fashioned way.
You can also watch KARE-11's recent Gopher Getaway on the farm or go to Farmstays.us.com for more information. If you want a farm experience for your family, read the entries at Farmstays.us.com carefully. Many places run more like a B&B and do not allow kids under 12.

Ingalls Homestead in DeSmet, SD, has onsite camping

More farm vacation experiences for families

South Dakota also has two excellent farm experiences for families. The bonus? They let kids follow in the footsteps of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

You'll need to be a camping family or game for sleeping in converted sheep wagons at the Ingalls Homestead in DeSmet, S.D. Sleeping in the wagons are on my wish list, especially with the gorgeous wide-open prairie views. You could see a storm roll in for miles or watch a fabulous sunset. 

Sisters get in the spirit of DeSmet's Wilder Pageant.

Little House on the Prairie

Of course, you don't have to spend the night to enjoy this magical place. It's open all day to visitors who come to see the horses and colts, ride in a horse-drawn buggy, see a sod house, play with kittens and visit a one-room schoolhouse. There are more Laura Ingalls Wilder sites in town, along with two B&Bs. Prairie House Manor B&B does a delightful job with children, even making special pancakes from "Little House in the Big Woods."

Camp in a wagon at the Homestead.

For a non-camping farm experience, it's about 25 miles to Possibility Farm B&B in Carpenter, South Dakota. It has many of the same experiences as Room to Roam, but it's more of a ranch atmosphere. 

If you're looking for more inspiration for hands-on, unique "Trips You'll Talk About," check out the feature in Midwest Living.

More press coverage of Estol's book...

Federico Estol has shared photos and newspaper links (La Republica, El Observador, El Pais) from the Alianza's event in Montevideo celebrating his new book, Hello Montevideo. More than 100 people attended the discussion, Federico reports. Pictured above is Willy Lockhart (left), the president of Uruguay-Minnesota Partners in Montevideo and board member of Partners of the Americas. Willy conceptualized the book project with Federico Estol and championed the cause over the course of more than a year. Thank you Willy!

Where to see a moose? Drive until you lose your cell signal.

If you want to spot a moose, drive north until your phone signal stops working. Seriously. That seems to be the trick. You have to get out there on the edge of wilderness. A bit of luck helps, too.

We've now had two moose sightings this year. The first one was in January on Minnesota's Gunflint Trail. They like to escape the deep snow and lick salt along the sides of this scenic highway. The second was in June on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This moose wasn't far off the road. We were able to pull over and watch her as she watched us.

Minnesota Youth Ambassadors Are Underway!

We received this photo today from Bob Davis, our mentor taking a group of five Youth Ambassadors from Minnesota to South America and the Caribbean this summer. The group is in Washington, DC, for orientation before heading south for nearly a month. Thanks Bob! Looking forward to receiving more photos. Also, Brendan Stermer, one of the Youth Ambassadors, has posted a blog of his own on the trip.

Find alternative vacation plans with Minnesota shutdowns

Families love Clear Lake Campground at Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest in Wisconsin.

State park closed? Try national forests or county campgrounds

Photos & feature by Lisa Meyers McClintick
There are surely moans (or shrieks) of frustration today as weekend and summer plans are foiled by the Minnesota government shutdown. It has closed all Minnesota state parks, rest areas and travel information centers and even the ability to get a fishing license. The impact can be devastating on vacations, especially if you're camping and on a budget.

Campsite at Nine-Mile Lake.

Don't fret. Sometimes needing a Plan B can lead to great new discoveries. That happened to us last year when we got shut out of state park camping on the North Shore. Every single site was booked, much to our disbelief. So we went inland and found a beautiful site on the shore of Nine-Mile Lake. It was gorgeous.

1. Look for private or city campgrounds.
A few can be loud and crowded if you're a tent camper (some cater to RV owners who stay for the summer), but others such as Lamb's Resort in Shroeder on the North Shore have some of the best tent sites on Lake Superior. You'll need to plan ahead. These do book early.

Get advice on private or municipal campgrounds from city or regional visitors bureaus. While Explore Minnesota is affected by the shutdown, smaller tourism offices such as Explore Brainerd Lakes or Visit Duluth are not. The Brainerd Lakes Welcome Center along Highway 10 also will remain open and has a wealth of brochures on area attractions.

Another campground possibility: Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds at Crosslake and Gull Lake Dam near Brainerd.

Another good search tool: Hospitality Minnesota.

2. Go a little rustic with national forests.

Near Stony Point Campground,  part of Chippewa National Forest.

A few facilities may be more rustic (pit toilets and no running water), but you can find dozens of beautiful campgrounds in the Chippewa and Superior National Forests. Try Stony Point Campground near Walker, Norway Lake near Cass Lake or Nine-Mile Lake near Tofte. Some do have showers and flush toilets if that's a deal-breaker.

3. Check out county and city parks. 
Some of these rival state parks in size and natural features. Two that come to mind are Alexander Ramsey Park in Redwood Falls (which also has camping) and Quarry Park in St. Cloud (day use only). Quarry Park has cliff jumping, quarry swimming, scuba diving, trout fishing, hiking and technical mountain biking, making it a favorite with the 20-something adrenaline crowd.

3. Cross the border. 
Try a Wisconsin, Iowa or Dakota State Park. One of our favorites is the stunning Devil's Lake State Park near Wisconsin Dells. Wisconsin's Chequamegon National Forest and Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest also are good outdoorsy destinations. For the latter, Clear Lake or Trout Lake campgrounds are both great choices and near the resort hub of Minocqua with plenty of family attractions. Read more about the area.

Need more Wisconsin advice? Check out Mary Bergin's Roads Traveled.