Love Our Local Earth

The Earth clearly can't be celebrated in just on one day, so on behalf of today, Earth Day, here are a few ways to make merry locally over the next few :

Climate Change Film Festival
Bell Museum, University of Minneapolis, University Ave. & 17th Ave., SE Minneapolis, MN
April 24 – 27, 2008
612-624-7083
$3-$5

The first Science on Screen Film and Video Festival will focus a lens on climate change and global warming. Highlights include an opening night reception at the Bell Museum, a local “Green Shorts” short film showcase and a panel discussion on food and global warming at the Red Stag, the first LEED-certified restaurant in Minneapolis.

Earth Day Rock Musical – “The Day the Planet Got Better”
Burroughs Community School in Minneapolis, MN
April 25 and 26, 2008

Contact: Douglas Stewart at stewartweb@comcast.net or call 612-961-0805

Over 90 children, aged 5-11, perform an original musical. Sponsored by the Burroughs PTA Arts & Culture Committee. All costumes are being made from recycled clothing/materials. Students have also worked on the educational lesson plans available through the Earth Day Project website.

The Retrofit Companies will be holding a Free Household Electronics
Recycling Collection on Earth Day 2008
2960 Yorkton Blvd. in Little Canada, MN
April 26, 2008
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Metro area households only. No business waste.

2008 Minnesota Environmental Fund: 10,000 Reasons Why Photography Contest

Pictures can be taken anytime, but should be sent between April 22 and June 22, 2008. Prizes will be awarded August 6th.
Contact: pweier@mnenvirofund.org or info@mnenvirofund.org

Show us “10,000 Reasons Why” you care about your environment. The Minnesota Environmental Fund wants you to step outside – have some fun – and capture what you discover on film. Send photos of what you discover when you get involved in Minnesota’s environment. Images must be taken in Minnesota and may show natural landscapes, farmland and working lands, wildlife, plant life, weather, people interacting with nature, or an image that reflects your environmental values. Prizes will be awarded in adult and youth categories.

Corner Table Restaurant & Aveda Partner for Clean Water:
Diners are invited to Corner Table now - May 4th for a special prix fix
three course menu. 50% of the price of the meal will be donated by Corner Table to
Aveda's local Earth Month partner, the Clean Water Fund. Reservations recommended - 612.823.0011.

Foat Design:
The eco-conscience care-free clothing retailer celebrates Earth Day by offering discounts on selected items in their Foat Couture line. Save 25% now through April 29th.

Orbit on Earthlings.

NY, Milan, Paris and MPLS

OUR Fashion Week(end) is here! And it begins with the Voltage Fashion Show at First Avenue on Wednesday, 4/16, a powerhouse event of fashion merged with music. The week continues with activities through Sunday, 4/20. For all the mania, click below:

Designers and Bands

Events, like a fashion bike ride.

Supporting our local fashion industry, here's where to donate

Channel your inner Carrie Bradshaw and go support or buy local fashion.

Wake up and smell and see the coffee

It seems tea, with its magical health-promoting, fee-radical fighting powers, is the hot drink these days. But let's not forget what really provides the buzz, the get-up-and-go, the zip, the zing to our mornings - coffee.

If you look at coffee as your main-squeeze, then you and your cup need to runneth over to St Paul for two reasons:

Kopplin's Coffee, 490 Hamline Ave S, a truly dedicated and serious coffee cafe, giving the power to the barista. And no venti's allowed here, it's all about quality, European-style. Owner Andrew Kopplin, who is king of the bean, has created a coffee cult with his belief the process is "more complex than wine". To top it off, Kopplin's baked goods are from Rustica, another business dedicated to the European way of partaking.

So beautiful...

Second St Paul stop, The Como Zoo Conservatory's, The Birth of Coffee Photo Exhibition. An international exhibit that captures the personal experience of coffee on an individual basis, as well as the process, the people, the places involved in bringing this ritual to our mornings.

Now go-joe...

$1 dollar, can mean a million to others..

I just found out, we are in the midst of World Water Week, 3/16-3/22. And a few local restaurants are doing something about it.

A national organization launched this week, Tap Project, which celebrates the clean and accessible tap water available as an every day privilege to millions, while helping UNICEF provide safe drinking water to children around the world.

Participating restaurants invite their diners to donate a minimum of $1 for the tap water they would normally get for free. For every dollar raised, a child will have clean drinking water for 40 days.

Wow, a powerful impact for such a small price. So here's where to dine and donate:

Al Vento

Big Bowl - 3 locations
Edina - 3669 Galleria
Ridgedale - 12649 Wayzata Blvd
Rosedale - 109 Hwy 36

Red Stag Supper Club

39... and 40

I celebrated 40 years of life on March 2nd. The week approaching the "big one" I reflected on my 30s by snowshoeing at Theodore Wirth Park with my friend, Nicole:



We ran across this headless snowman, and I wondered how old he was???


We then lunched at Common Roots Cafe, and ate all things good and local.

Said goodbye to Nicole, and I was off to have my, 39 almost 40 year old, hair done at Salon Rox, by Roxanne Laqua. Rox rocks. Why? She's a self-dueling stylist who creates both color and cut - a service that's hard to find these days. AND while your color is processing, offers a hand massage, then while rinsing your hair, she provides more magic with an 8-10 minute scalp massage! Her methodical approach makes the whole experience a treat and one that's hard to step away from.

Saturday, March 1st, off to check out the highly healthy skin potions at Storm Sisters Spatique. Stormed outta there with a loofah, plus a bar of Pre de Provence, which equals, baby soft skin.

On the eve of my 40th, I choose to head to the city I was born, St. Paul. With my husband, my soft skin and a big appetite, we arrived at our first stop, The Strip Club, this city's newest steak house. for our 6:30 reservation we were welcomed with a immediate handshake and a slight wait. Tim, the host, is truly one with the most. For the wait, Tim redeemed the wait with wine and shrimp cocktail. For the rest of the meal and staff? They both were worth the wait.

The Strip Clubs corner spot, provides a unique view of downtown St Paul.


From there, my final hours in my 30s were consumed by brass, thick carpet, baked potatoes, red leather, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 yr olds dancing to the classy sounds of the Midas Touch. Only one place provides all this nostalgia, Mancini's Char House. I like the spirit of this place and observing the regulars who take their Saturday nights seriously. Midnight came, and there I was celebrating with friends at Mancini's, which by the way, opened when? Yep, 40 years ago.


My first full day in this new decade, I treated myself to a massage in the brand, spanking new Ivy Hotel, Ivy Hotel Spa Club. My anticipation for this deluxe spa was fulfilled. The setting, the all-around service, the amenities - from slippers that fit my small feet, to the self-lock digital lockers, the 4-head showers, the whirlpool, the food menu offerings - all top notch. This is how to welcome any age.

Spending time with the two people that gave me life is mandatory on my birthday. We met my parents for brunch at Via's, the warm, homemade mini cookies are a taste of the past. The 4 of us toasted to 40 years and all that's ahead.

All I could think to end this day of days, was, with my husband, a candle, a wish and the Butterscotch Budino, at 112 Eatery. Oh, and I even managed to finish my dinner before dessert. One lesson I learned when I much, much younger....

The Dual of The Design

This event is like no other:

2 Event Designers
2 Chefs
2 Florists
2 Hours

Curious, huh? Put on by event wizards with The Style Laboratory, and in the new EPIC Event Center, the space formally known as The Quest. Not only is the "challenge" going on, but also seminars, cooking classes AND event trend runway shows! What a creative way to spend a Sunday! I am still so curious, it's like walking into a reality show with Prince, Heidi Klum and Martha Stewart. All I can do to stop my curiosity is to go, so I just called for my $15 tickets. See you Sunday?

Restaurant Week is here, restaurant week is here!

Really people, this is a great way to take in the tastes of our towns. Participating restaurants generously provide lunch fares that include two courses and is either $10 or $20, and dinner that includes three courses and is either $15 or $30.

Details here: Mpls/St Paul Magazine Restaurant Week

Need help with the list? Here's where I plan to partake:

Upscale experience:
D'Amico Cucina, my second favorite lounge in the Mpls, and that's where I choose to chow. If you go on the weekend, a little jazz trio plays! I get hearty just thinking about it! This is the spot for elegant Italian.
La Belle Vie and this special menu is offered in the lounge-only, even better, it's the best in Mpls bar-none. The menu is creative and adventurous, challenge yourself, please.
Vincent A Restuarant, an elegant, open, airy dining room. Skip Chipotle, this is a lovely and bright spot for lunch. And for $10, you would spend that on your football burrito anyway!

Casual choices:
Town Talk Diner, love this joint! Offering brunch and lunch this week. For a creative, posh, state-fair style adventure.
Red Stag Supper Club, the first LEED-certified restaurant, so consciously cool! So there's two reasons to go. When else will you have lobster egg salad this week, let alone, this year?
Herkimer Pub and Brewery, the one offering beverages to their Restaurant Week menu. Hey the Herk knows some of us are more thirsty than hungry. Oh, and mini burgers AND mini fries! All I can say is, cute!

Another dining out perk to offer you - Open Table, it's a national online reservation site that I use whenever I can. Why? You receive points each time you reserve and dine, those points add up and can be used at participating restaurants. Here's the link for reservations specifically for Mpls/St Paul Restaurant Week.

Go eat.