La Mia Famiglia

My family came to visit me for MEA Weekend, a four-day break that comes to public schools throughout Minnesota each October. They arrived in the middle of the afternoon and brought me a few things I had been missing, including my copy of No One Is Really Beautiful, some jeans, and the mail that has been piling up at home. We went out to see Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow at a theater near the southwest corner of the Madison beltway. After the movie, which I enjoyed despite its (perhaps intentionally) clunky dialogue, we headed over to Biaggi's, an Italian restaurant that is part of a small chain that just expanded into Maple Grove. I had some good gnocchi, a very impressive balsamic vinaigrette salad, and some of my mom and my sister's veal parmesan. It was a enjoyable evening and a very welcome change of pace. They'll be here through the weekend, so there's still more to which I can look forward.