| The Forepaugh's mansion is a beautifully | | | | one woman was in a dress. An interesting |
| preserved Victorian "Painted Lady" built in the hey | | | | comment on who we are today I thought. The |
| days of lumber barons, railroad barons and retail | | | | women looked great though!! (yes I meant it) |
| barons. Joseph Lybrandt Forepaugh was the latter | | | | The group I was with by the way was not my |
| and built his first St. Paul home on Exchange | | | | usual dining brigade. I was meeting an old friend |
| Street. And like many other old homes from that | | | | from Chicago who was in town to give lecture on |
| era, it fell into a long period of ill repair until | | | | magic. His name is Eugene Berger. He is a master |
| purchased by the current owners in 1983 and | | | | at close-up and has taught hundreds of magicians |
| lovingly restored to the turn of the century | | | | around the world. I have hired Eugene and several |
| opulence of the original inhabitants. This was at a | | | | of his protege to work in several of the |
| time when Victorian was in as a design theme for | | | | restaurants I've been involved. Close up magic is a |
| restaurants. Neighbor W.A. frost just opened their | | | | great form of entertainment for restaurants. It's |
| giant oak doors and across the river Winfield | | | | quiet, it keep adults and children entertained and |
| Potter's had already been wowing guests with | | | | its cheap. Magicians work mostly for tips. The |
| ornate wood and stained glass. Restaurant names | | | | trick, so to speak, is to find great story tellers |
| like Blue Horse and Chouette were on everyone's | | | | that also have good slight of hand skills. The |
| top ten lists and the memory of Charlie's Cafe | | | | cheesy, showy magicians who twist up balloon |
| Exceptionale was still fresh in the collective culinary | | | | animals turn me off and most restaurant patrons |
| consciousness. Fine dining meant Beef Wellington, | | | | as well. Eugene is a great story teller. He had my |
| Coquille St. Jacques and Roast Duck Al Orange. | | | | usual companions captivated with stories |
| Mobile phones were the size of small children, | | | | accompanying his magic as well as tales about |
| T.V.'s were low def and Ronald Reagan was | | | | Penn and Teller, Sigfreid and Roy, Doug Henning |
| munching jelly beans in the Oval office. I first | | | | and David Copperfield, all magicians he has either |
| visited Forepaugh's Restaurant when the | | | | worked with or consulted with in his career. |
| restaurant first opened over twenty years ago. I | | | | Finally, it was very appropriate to have dinner in |
| had not been back since and when I walked in the | | | | the mansion with a magician...the place is haunted. |
| other night I felt like nothing had changed. And | | | | Here's a story I found about the Forepaugh's |
| that was a good thing. | | | | mansion. Enjoy it and when you go there for |
| Forepaugh's is caught in some sort of double time | | | | dinner, say hello to Molly. |
| warp. The environs have been purposely | | | | "Many of the staff believe that it is Molly, a |
| maintained to help us relive another time and | | | | chamber maid who hung herself on the third floor, |
| place. And the menu, though partially updated to | | | | who has returned to the house. Restaurant owner |
| 21st century tastes, still has elements of a time | | | | James Crnkovich recalled an event in which the |
| when food was rich, indulgent and had to be | | | | staff had worn 19th century clothes. A waitress |
| Continental in order to be good. Also a good thing. | | | | was getting one of the dinning rooms ready for |
| The food is well prepared and the service is | | | | dinner and saw a unknown woman wearing the |
| impeccable. And that's all I'm going to say about it. | | | | same type of clothing walking down the hallway, |
| This is an experience where the sum is definitely | | | | where she promptly disappeared. |
| greater than it's parts. Do I recommend it? | | | | Staff have also reported hearing someone walking |
| Absolutely. This is a must for anyone who needs | | | | around in the upstairs room. One day the staff |
| to remember what dining was like twenty years | | | | was just opening up the restaurant and heard |
| ago or anyone who needs to feel like there is still | | | | Molly tramping around the 3rd floor. The staff |
| a connection to our past that you can experience | | | | called the police, who responded with a K-9 unit. |
| in food as well as environment. This is not a | | | | The dog refused to go any higher than the 2nd |
| virtual experience, this is real. I felt though as if I | | | | floor, but was eventually coaxed higher. No one |
| were under dressed by 1980's standards. I was in | | | | was found in the restaurant and the police |
| slacks and a shirt. One guy in our group did wear | | | | accused the staff of calling in a false report. |
| the requisite for the time, tie and jacket, but not | | | | |