American Swedish Institute and visit from my sister

My sister Lea visited for the first time. She has been here before but never stayed to visit me. The weather was really awful and not because it was cold but because it was rainy, cloudy, dark and dank. I also had to work.

But she spent the time relaxing after a trip to Hawaii to pick up her grandson, Alex, and traveling with him to Minneapolis-St. Paul. Alex is spending the holidays with his dad in Wisconsin.

Today we went to the American Swedish Institute. The museum is dedicated to Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. Decorated for Christmas, the museum is housed in the mansion built by Swan Turnblad. For the season the museum was full of lights and extraordinary designs for all the Scandinavian countries.

Lea and I agreed that the best part of ASI is the café called Fika. Fika means coffee break in Swedish but the café is much more than a coffee shop.

It sounds like a cliché bit the Swedish meatballs were fantastic. They lay in a bed of mashed-potatoes with lingenberry jam and a dill infused olive oil. Also the brussel sprouts with fig and some amazing dressing that I think included yogurt. Highly highly recommend the café at ASI and you don't have to pay admission to eat there.

We took selfies in front of most of the trees in various rooms.

And my one 'art' photo... the ceiling of the grand hall.