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Making pizzas on Blackstone pizza oven for first time.

Pepperoni pizza on a stone inside a Blackstone outdoor gas pizza oven, sitting on a stone surface outdoors.

Finished pizza.

Pepperoni pizza fresh from a Blackstone outdoor pizza oven, resting on parchment paper on a metal surface outdoors.
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Stone Arch Bridge Fest

Today was Mazie’s birthday and one of the things she decided we should do is the Stone Arch Bridge Festival. It had been a very long time since we had been to this and I was really impressed by the size of it. There were so many artists and vendors. It felt to me like it had a particular Minnesota flare to it, with a lot of art that was locally inspired. We spent about four hours but could have spent the entire day there.

Crowds of festival visitors browse rows of white vendor tents along a tree-lined path with a stone bridge tower visible in the background.

Some artists that caught our eye:

Mazie bought a piece of art with her own money — her very first art purchase from H. Ward Mileswww.hwardmiles.com.

Young woman in a colorful striped sweater holding a small abstract painting at an outdoor art festival

I also really liked these very local artist creating location pieces. Maybe I could get one of them to participate in a future year of the 612 POAP Challenge. 😊

We grabbed some switchel from Hobby Farmer on our way heading back home!

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Got a recursive selfie while collecting the Grain Belt Sign for the 612 POAP Challenge with the family (see moment).

Favorite quote from Mazie @mthingelstad : “Why is this actually kind of fun?” Love it. 😍

Man takes a selfie on a teal bridge railing while two others behind him photograph the iconic Grain Belt Beer sign overhead.
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Collected POAP 7371441 for Grain Belt Sign — 612 POAP Challenge.

Circular badge with pixel art Grain Belt Sign logo in red, yellow and blue, labeled 612 POAP Challenge

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Collected POAP 7371432 for Hennepin Avenue Bridge — 612 POAP Challenge.

Circular badge with pixel art of Hennepin Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis, labeled 612 POAP Challenge and Hennepin Avenue Bridge

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Mazie is officially 20!

“Alive since 2005!” — Mazie @mthingelstad

Young woman smiling in a colorful zigzag knit sweater and jeans leaning on a railing by a river with a bridge behind her.
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Mazie wanted to do her first triathlon on her birthday and Tammy signed up to do it with her! They were out of the house before 6am in the cold to get ready for the Rocket Racing Women’s Trifecta in Shoreview. They did great — see Tammy and Mazie results. Tammy missed a turn and ran longer than needed.

Two women in cycling gear and helmets ride bikes toward the camera on a park road lined with green trees.Woman in purple long-sleeve shirt and orange helmet rides a black bike toward the camera on a park road, smilingYoung woman smiling after a triathlon, wearing a floral tri suit and Women Tri Harder medal, holding a water bottle outdoorsTwo women pose on grass after a triathlon, one in a St. Olaf College hoodie and bike shorts, the other in a floral trisuit wearing a finisher medal.

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Tyler and I got the Pokémon cards we sent to TAG Grading back today. My Galarian Perrserker V came back an 8.5. I dig the clear slabs that they use. The grading reports are insanely detailed and driven by algorithm and computer vision. It seems much more accurate than PSA, but also much harder.

Galarian Perrserker V Pokemon card graded 8.5 NM MT+ by TAG Grading, sealed in a clear plastic slab Galarian Perrserker V Pokemon card graded 8.5 NM MT+ by TAG, sealed in clear acrylic slab, black background
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I dig the design of this new Coinbase One card. On the waitlist! 4% rewards in Bitcoin — awesome!

Black Coinbase One credit card covered in Bitcoin genesis block hex data and the embedded chip visible.
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I completed the final set of achievement tokens for the 612 POAP Challenge tonight! I also setup a specific 612 POAP Challenge Mailing List. A few folks have collected tokens. I completed the Architecture Aficionado category! Now to spread the word…

Round badge reading 612 POAP Challenge showing two people with backpacks facing the Minneapolis skyline and Stone Arch Bridge