Church of the Assumption on 7th Street St. Paul, MN

We are all waiting for the other shoe to drop in the form of cold and snow.  Each day that it doesn't snow is one more day without snow.  It is going to be cold later this week but back up to 40 by Sunday.  As I write this we are at a record breaking 52 degrees.  Not bad for the 10th of January in Minnesota.  

There are several churches in downtown St. Paul and most of them have steeples but this one does not.  Located on Wabasha Street in the building that used to house the Science Museum of Minnesota is the largest church of Scientology in the Midwest.  

Church of Scientology

Cathedral of St. Paul, Minnesota

I must have 20 pictures of this amazing church.  I took this one on Labor Day because I happen to be driving by and I liked the clouds and the light.  I parked and took the photo with what is called a prime lens.  Since prime lenses have no zoom I had to stand in this exact spot to get the entire building in the shot.  The photo is in "explore" on Flickr which is quite the honor it is like winning the Flickr lottery.  It is getting a lot of attention.  To be honest the Cathedral is such a beautiful building it is hard to mess it up.   If you have a camera and like to take pictures I highly recommend photographing the St. Paul Cathedral for fun . . and for profit. 

The steeples of assumption church on 7th street in downtown St. Paul.

I have never counted them bu we have many church steeples in St. Paul.  Some of them have been chopped off to save on repairs but many are still in tact. It must cost a lot of money to maintain them and I have to say I am happy that so many congregations take such wonderful care of our historic churches.

by G. Sax, @gsax

Sometimes, whether the weather is nice or not, the wife and I will go out on a date night in the middle of the week. One time last year, I took a camera along and snapped a bunch of photos on the way to Groveland Tap. It was a fun exercise. So I thought I'd try it again with a new destination for Date Night. I hope you enjoy what I captured on a beautiful Tuesday night in Saint Paul.

An idea like this starts with a seed. Or several of them, settling into the earth after a hard night's rain.

I don't quite live in Frogtown, but I wouldn't mind if I did. Frogtown is now the centerpiece of a rather large Hmong population. Old car dealerships and donut shops are now professional centers and delicious restaurants.

The art pieces can change on Marion across the way from the stand-alone Sears that refuses to die. The megaphone and rabbit work together well, and they always please when I drive by.

The Cathedral. It dominates our skyline from many angles, towering over the state Capitol down the way.

I don't often photograph it, because what could I possibly capture that someone else hasn't a thousand times.

But I like this drive-by shot as spring grows on the left and the sun sets on the right.

Watching over the Cathedral is Archbishop John Ireland. That building was his baby.

From one religion to another, the Xcel Energy Center is home to the Minnesota Wild, the NHL hockey team that Saint Paulites still can't believe they landed in their town.

How else can you explain an exceptional string of sellouts for a team that's missed the playoffs the last two years.

And then back to a church that doesn't have a sponsoring company as part of its name, Assumption Catholic Church has one of those enduring faces that you see in all historic photos of the city. It's really quite spectacular in its double-steepled glory. Marvel at it sometime from a seat inside of Mickey's Diner across the street.

Some big names in the business world: Wells Fargo and Travelers, which used to be the World Trade Center and St. Paul Companies. You know you've been around long enough when you still call buildings by their former name in casual conversation. In fact, I still call the Mall of America, Met Stadium. Kidding.

More buildings that have seen different names over the years. I forget what though. Drab buildings don't often capture my attention. I do know there used to be a Donaldson's at the foot of the Bremer Bank building. I used to shop there more than Dayton's for a little bit. It was a phase.

Galtier Plaza: The building that still feels slapped together after all these years. I watched this thing go up back in the 1980s. What promised to be a stately new skyscraper turned into a design disaster. It was as if they ran out of building material and then decided to finish with whatever was on hand.

I love all the activity that has been going on in Lowertown of late.

Downtown has needed growth and excitement like this for a long time.

It was great when West 7th started to develop after Xcel Energy Center was built.

It's just as nice to see the other side of downtown get new life.

Part of that pickup? Restaurants like The Bulldog and Barrio, the latter of which was the destination for Date Night.

The guacamole is so delicious and the array of tequilas is quite impressive.

Saint Paul no longer needs to rely on just one or two thoroughfares for eclectic, interesting food. Sure, Grand Avenue is terrific with options. Sure, Selby Ave
nue has grown in stature as a foodie paradise, now stretching from Fairview to Western. I love to drive and eat along both. But keep looking around. You're sure to find some good yummies. And, while you're at it, take photos on your way there.

by G. Sax, @gsax

Today's the day us citizens of Saint Paul make way for Saint Patrick.

During the day, families with Irish surnames roll through downtown's streets proudly waving placards with those names for all to see. And anyone else who wants to be Irish for the day rolls through the city on party buses to establishments with names like The Dubliner, O'Gara's, Patrick McGovern's, and Shamrock's.

On most days, St. Paulites are awash in Keillorian gentility. On this day, the hatches need be battened down.

It is the day that I ride shotgun with names like Sheehan, Collins, and Brennan…and Guinness and Jameson. Bagpipes bleat unto open sky. College kids and retirees wander alike with eyes aglaze. Leprechauns ride Irish wolfhounds.

St. Paul is the patron saint of truth, and St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. So please allow me to indulge in a touch of Irish truth.

I learned just yesterday that I'm about a quarter Irish. I always knew I had some in me but not that much.

Last week I shared that I was raised by a single mother. Later in life, I reconnected with my father and his extended family. Nobody was more thrilled than my grandmother Dorothy. The first time she saw me as an adult was just over two years ago. I was afraid she wouldn't let go of me ever again. Literally, her grip was inescapable, even at 80.

Dorothy was fiercely proud of her Irish heritage, and it showed yesterday at her memorial service under the roof of yet another saint, Saint Pascal Baylon, on the city's East Side.

Today, before the parade in downtown Saint Paul, there will be one final ceremony for Dorothy at Fort Snelling.

And we will wear green.